Teaser Tuesday – Sandy James

The Safe Havens Bundle– Enjoy all three historical Western romances from award-winning author Sandy James. Saving Grace, Runway, and Redeemed–all for only 99 cents!
safehavensbundle3noreflection
Enjoy all three stories from the award-winning Safe Havens series.Saving Grace (Book 1)
Grace Riley is on the run—from her past and from her fears. The victim of a violent rape at the hands of a rich politician’s son, she must “disappear” to escape his constant attempts to recapture her. Moving from cattle drive to cattle drive as a cook, she avoids her tormentor for nearly twenty years. When she discovers that the brother she gave up for adoption after their mother died in childbirth was orphaned at an early age, she is frantic to verify that he’s safe. She tracks him to a cattle ranch in Montana.Widower Adam Morgan owns the Twin Springs ranch, but finds himself falling into a life of loneliness. Although he enjoys spending time with his grown daughter and the two men he rescued when they were living on the streets, he longs to meet a woman he can love. Living in the Montana territory where men greatly outnumber women makes finding a new wife difficult. Weary of working cattle, he is ready to make some changes in his life.

Grace falls ill on her journey, but she manages to make it to the Twin Springs ranch where her brother is supposed to be living. Adam takes her in, concerned for her health and the reason she’s searching for one of his adopted sons. Their chemistry is immediate and intense, but can Grace heal from her past of pain and fear? When her secrets are finally revealed, can Adam forgive her deceptions and learn to love again?

Runaway (Book 2)
Forced to flee her abusive fiancé, Cassandra Shay’s disappearance into Montana territory is delayed when she discovers her fiancé and uncle’s plot to murder her illegitimate brother and another innocent cowboy.

Ty Bishop hates the Shays, but accompanies Jake Curtis to meet Jake’s newfound uncle, Derrick Shay. Ty’s suspicions are confirmed when he and Jake are imprisoned and left to drown. After Cassie frees them, the men travel with her for her own protection.

When they arrive in Montana, the locals are horrified to discover a Shay in their midst, but Ty is drawn to Cassie like no other and is determined to win her heart. Despite her strong attraction to Ty, Cassie knows she must keep her distance to protect him from the hired guns the Shays send to retrieve her.

But their love will not be denied, and they must fight for justice before forging their future together.

Redeemed (Book 3)
Sold into prostitution, Sara Fuller robs a client and flees to her brother in White Pines, Montana.

Anxiously awaiting his mail order bride, rancher Caleb Young is delighted when a beautiful woman steps off the stagecoach. A series of misassumptions soon finds the two taking their marriage vows.

When Sara discovers she isn’t Caleb’s intended bride, she hides her scandalous past and sets out to prove she can be a good wife. Caleb adores Sara but suspects her of hiding something very important. Despite Sara’s secrets, their love grows and a child is conceived.

When Caleb’s real bride arrives, their troubles begin, only to be compounded by the appearance of the man Sara robbed. Now the two lovers must discover whether their love is strong enough to survive the forces threatening to tear them apart.

P.S. I’m sad to report that Sandy’s husband is currently battling cancer, but so happy to be able to help her out with a little promo. You’ll be seeing more from Sandy here in the coming weeks, but if this collection looks to be up your alley, don’t wait! Support this hard-working author and her family by purchasing her books at your favorite e-tailer!

Monday Mayhem – Special Guest Star…Jennifer Anderson!

Today, I’m excited to have my pal, Jennifer Anderson back on my blog! She’s always a hoot to have around. 🙂 I sent her a list of random questions. Just wait until you read some of her answers!!!

Heeeeeere’s Jenny! (Sorry, couldn’t resist)

****

I have to start out by telling you lovely folks how the Faboulous Ms. Mags and I met. Before I attended #RAGT and received my first TMP contract, a blogger friend suggested a book by Maggie Wells (Seducing Steve) and I was so bummed she wasn’t there that year. Over the course of the year, we fell in love over email, Twitter and FaceBook and the following year, when I was knocked-up with kidlet #3, we met and it was like the Fourth of July! I love this woman and continue to be thankful for her friendship and continued support. **She really means it about the support. I was the one holding the preggo steady while she was standing on a chair for a group photo. She’s a nutjob, but she’s my nutjob and I like her just fine. 🙂

*smacks hands* Alright, let’s get this show on the road…

Describe yourself in three words.  Impatient, motherly, clever

Any nicknames?  Mom, You, Jen, and by my close friends, Bitch

What was your favourite Christmas present?  I do recall be overly joyed when I received my first Cabbage Patch Kid, but more recently, my husband had made for me a necklace with my birthstone, my daughter’s and my grandmother’s, who passed away that same year.

What’s your dirtiest secret?  I pee in the shower! *dies* But I think it started when I was pregnant and having to go all the time and unable to move very quickly. I promise, I only do it alone (boring) and never in the bath!

In your opinion, what’s the most important part of the sandwich? The bread. I mean, yes, I love meat and cheese, but if the bread sucks, why bother. #GoTeamJimmyJohns

As authors we tend to have to research many bizarre and unusual topics. What’s the strangest thing you’ve Googled research-wise? I recently finished writing a New Adult about a girl off to college and she sells sex toys. While I’m familiar with the industry and even attended one of those house parties, I still needed more information. But I have to say, it was one of my favorite research assignments!

What was your favourite childhood toy?  My purple bike with a flowered banana seat and white basket. I don’t recall where I got it and it was used but man, I loved that bike! That was back in the day when you’d leave first thing in the morning and not return until you were called. And by called, I don’t mean on the phone!

Share your favourite word or phrase with us. Right now, my 3-year old says “Sure thing”. Not sure where she got it (I blame TV) but I find myself using it all the time. I’m also a fan of awesomepants!

Do you believe in love at first sight?  Absolutely! But I think it’s more of a physical attraction but that can certainly bloom into the type of love you read about! I mean, I think you have to be physically attracted to the one you love.

What writing accomplishment are you most proud of and why? I haven’t won any awards and that’s okay, because I’m good, smart enough and gosh darn it, people like me! But seriously, for me, it’s goal of getting published and to make it sweeter, my husband reading my book and then telling me how surprised he was by how good it was. There was also the time my beta reader told me she got teary when she read Ice Princess. Sick, maybe, but nice to hear!

If you had the opportunity to live one year of your life over again, which year would you choose? The year my grandmother passed. I would be more aware of her and how she was feeling. Because she knew she wasn’t well and hid it from her family and if I could have lengthened her life for 6 more months, or even a year, I would have been happy. I know this seems selfish, considering she knew she was sick and I should respect her wishes, but she was such a big influence on me that having her gone leaves me a little empty at times. She was my best friend.

 What’s the funniest/weirdest/dirtiest status message you’ve posted on a social networking site? Friends don’t let friends drink and show their muffs.

 

Quick and dirty:

Cake or pie? A sliver of both

Jocks or nerds? a sliver of both

Coke or Pepsi? COKE

Boxers or briefs? A sliver of both

Poolside or beach?  poolside

Pancakes or waffles? pancakes

Baked or fried?  Baked but my alter ego insists on fried!

 

Aaaaaand, last but not least, tell us about your new book!

 Finding You - Jennifer Anderson

Finding You, a New Adult novel

Jessica Crispin sets out to find her mom but discovers more than she planned.

***

A long-lost grandfather dies, leaving Jessica Crispin a sizable inheritance. The only catch? She has to find her mom, whom she hasn’t seen since she was two, and she only has thirty days to do it.

Enlisting her best friend Violet, Jessica sets out on a road trip determined to solve a mystery fed by deceit and misinformation from people she thought she could trust.

On the way, she meets Jackson, whose kindness and sexy pale blue eyes make her wish he would come along for the ride.

Clues from her mother lead her far from home and to a secret Jessica never imagined. And as the deadline looms, Jessica must make peace with the ghosts of her past and risk dreaming of a future pursuing her secret passion with Jackson by her side.

AMAZON  /  BARNES&NOBLE  /  iBOOKS  /  KOBO

Website  /  Facebook  /  Twitter

About Jennifer:

Ref, chauffer, master chef and booboo kisser. When I’m not wielding my super mom powers, I like to weave sentences together and offer a little escape to my readers. You can usually find me sitting in the dark in front of my computer, falling in love with my characters. Send chocolate!

Additional Books by Jennifer Anderson:

Ice Princess

Prince Charming

Queen Mean

King of the Lake

Spider

My Brother’s Wedding

Teaser Tuesday – Karen Stivali

Title: Moment Of Impact (Moments In Time: Book 1)
Genre: m/m romance/new adult contemporary romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 130 pages (novella)

MomentofImpactCover-KarenStivali (1)

Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.
MOIteaser2 (1)
Available at:
 DREAMSPINNER PRESS |  AMAZON (US)  |  AMAZON (UK)  |  AMAZON (AU) |  ARe  |  BN
teaser6MOI

Monday Mayhem – Consolation Prizes

I received a rejection on a submission the other day. I half-expected one from this person, given what I’ve read about her preferences, etc., but it was a request and definitely worth a shot, right? Right. But…ouch. I still hate getting those letters.

Yes, they are the way of the publishing world. I know that, and I’m much better about receiving them than I used to be. To tell the truth, I think I’m about as good at it as I’ll ever be at accepting the rejection that is part and parcel of this business. And in the interest of efficiency, I’ve whittled the five stages of grief down to three:

1) Righteous indignation

2) Wallowing

3) Self-indulgence

So yeah, I zipped right through number one this time. Like I said, I was somewhat prepared for a no answer. The Wallow took place in the bathtub, where I gave myself the usual “You can do this. It’s just one person’s opinion. Other fish in the sea. somebody other there will love this book,” pep talk. Then Fodder and I hit the road. first stop, delightfully greasy hamburgers and fresh-cut fries. Then, we wandered around until something pretty caught my eye.

IMG_0696

I’ve never had an orchid before, so it may prove to be as successful as this submission, but hey, it’s pretty and now it’s in my office. Keep your fingers crossed for this poor helpless plant, and my other submissions, will you?

How about you? Do you have a little risk/reward system going? What do you to to cheer yourself up when things don’t go your way?

 

Teaser Tuesday – Karen Booth

So excited to feature my pal Karen Booth’s new release ROCK STARRED on this first Teaser Tuesday!

starred2

When her fiancé destroyed her with a “Dear Katie” letter a week before their wedding, Kate Stillman still took a vow–it would be a cold day in hell before she gave a man anything more than one night. Free from emotional entanglements, her photography career is skyrocketing, there’s the occasional hot one-night-stand, and her heart is off-limits. It’s the perfect plan until a Miami getaway brings her face-to-face with Peter Barrett.Smart and sexy guitarist Peter has been pursuing Katie with texts since she photographed his band. Now that they’re reunited in the flesh, there’s more than mere flirtation. He wants her. Now. Katie gives in to their sizzling chemistry, thinking a rock star will appreciate her one-night rule. Instead, Peter balks and extends an invitation for a second night of pure abandon, an offer too tempting to refuse. When they part, Katie learns how well her rule protected her heart. Time away from Peter only leaves her wanting him more. Every steamy, late-night phone call makes her wonder if she can love again. But when Peter returns and her trust is tested, Katie must overcome her past to see that love her way was never the way at all.

starred
Previously published as ‘Love My Way’. The 2015 re-release has an all-new first chapter and expanded scenes.
Amazon US http://www.amzn.com/dp/B00TT6ROV4

 

Monday Mayhem – Kicking names and taking…

I have to tell you, I had a killer awesome weekend writing-wise. I started a new project called Play Dates. Yes, I know, you wanted Hooligans next, but trust me when I tell you that there’s a whole bunch of convoluted reasoning behind the switch in schedule. Anyhoo, I started Play Dates this week, but didn’t have a lot of time to get words in. So, I scheduled some play dates of my own.

First, I hooked up with my pal, Parker Kincaid, for pastries and pantsing at Panera. No, that doesn’t mean we pulled each other’s drawers off. It mean we both write by the seat of our pants. Fueled by bagels, danish, and toffee-nut cookies, we managed to put up some respectable numbers in the old word count column.

But then on Sunday, I took part in this:

retreat

As I type this, we are in the dinner/break portion of the day, and I am proud to report that I have over 4k for the day!

Between sessions, I did a little stint on the elliptical (part of the Body by Gilmore Girls program-I’m on ep 3), threw together some crock pot salsa chicken with black beans, ran to the store, and frolicked outside with the puppies.

I hope to get at least another 1000-1500 words this evening, and round out chapter 2. Jewels has totally kicked butt too. We’ve decided that we like having more defined writing times. Eyes on the prize and all that.

How was your weekend? Hit any goals? Take any naps? Share! I like to live vicariously. 😉

Oh! And starting this week, I’ll have a new feature on my blog – Teaser Tuesdays. These will give me a chance to introduce you to some of my writer friends and their latest projects.

That means this joint is jumping at least 5 days a week. Remember to stop by for all the fun:

Sunday – 8 sentence challenge

Mondays are Mayhem

Teaser Tuesday

Whatcha Reading? Wednesday

Fangirl Fridays!

Oh! Oh! Don’t forget to add your email address to my newsletter list. I have combined Margaret and Maggie’s previous lists and will start moving most of my future contests, excerpts and giveaways to the newsletter mailings thanks to Facebook and other social media outlets restricting the fun stuff, so be sure to hit then newsletter sign up on the sidebar if you aren’t already on there. 🙂

Happy Monday!

Monday Mayhem – Written in the Stars

This weekend, Fodder and I packed a suitcase and a snack bag and hit the road. I decided at the eleventh hour to attend the North Louisiana Storytellers and Authors of Romance (NOLA Stars) Written in the Stars conference, and I’m sure glad I did.

Friday evening, I arrived in time to hook up with my DSRA pal, Nena Clements, and say hi to fellow Arkansan, Keri Ford. I was also in time for the food and fun of the meet and greet reception. 🙂

Saturday was jam-packed with great workshops, a chance to meet some writers I’ve only chatted with online, and (dun-dun-dun) my first-ever, live pitch to an agent or editor. That’s right. I have 8 novels, 16 novellas and over a dozen short stories published without ever having to sell a story with just the words coming out of my mouth.

You know what I learned?

I’m no good at it. The second I got past the introduction, my thoughts went haywire and all semblance of cool went flying out the door. I…am a babbler. Thankfully, the agent and editor that I spoke to were both very kind and patient. They’re also at least partially fluent in babble, because they both asked to see what I was offering.

So…yay! I did it! And now I know what I need to work on before zipping out to NYC for RWA nationals. Well, that and the stories I want to write before I go. So this week, I will once again be preparing submission packages for Full Court Press.

*claps and bounces* I’m just so relieved that people seem interested. I’m also relieved that I don’t have to do that again until July.

How about you? Are you a savvy salesperson? Can you talk your way through anything? Or, are you one of those people who purposefully chose a major that involved mainly essay tests and blue books?

bluebks

Monday Mayhem – Submissive me

I’m kicking a couple out of the nest!

Once again, ladies and germs, I am on submission. Gird your loins.

I emailed the manuscript for Bossy Pants (sequel to Three Little Words) to my editor just minutes ago. Now, I have to polish my proposal package for Full Court Press and send it out (on request!) this week as well.

Sending fresh manuscripts out into the world is always nerve-racking. What’s an author to do while she waits? Well, there’s usually a little binge snacking, a lot of hand-wringing, multiple neurotic emails to the critique partner, and then I move on to the final solution…start something new.

Last week, I pitched a few ideas your way and you were kind enough to give me your feedback. Book one in the Hooligans series will be the next full-length manuscript I write, and I am super-excited to tackle Rory and Mary Pat’s story.

But first, I have a couple of chances to pitch/propose other works if I can pull together outlines before the deadlines. So yeah, I’m going to be scrambling for the next couple of weeks. But there are worse problems than too many opportunities, right?

How about you? Do you have multiple projects going in your life? How do you decide which ones get attention first?