Monday, November 26, 2012

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day with lots of family, food and fun. Did you brave the Black Friday shopping frenzy? If so, did you get any fabulous deals?

I'm in the midst of Deadline Dementia, a common occurrence when I'm only a few days from deadline and all those things I know I need to fix whirl around in my mind like a manic ferris wheel. In my dreams, the crazed operator controlling the ride looks eerily like my high school algebra teacher. What's that about?

Anyway, with deadline upon me, this will be another short and sweet Recommend Monday but with a twist. In addition to your regular recommends, name one book you wished you hadn't read yet so you could read it for the first time and enjoy all the delicious surprises again. Do you have any like that? I think for me, mine would be It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Linda Howard's MacKenzie's Mountain. Loved those two books!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. And don't forget, a recommend from you puts your name into a drawing for some fabulous prizes: (1) Kindle Fire HD; (2)Signed copies of entire LCR series; (3) $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card. Winner announced 12/31.

Easy Peasy!

Now tell us what we should be reading!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Recommend Monday and a CHANCES ARE Excerpt!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and have some wonderful recommendations for us today. I'm zooming toward the deadline for MIDNIGHT LIES, so I'm making this short and sweet: Tell us what fabulous books we should be reading!

As you know, Thanksgiving is this week and though I'm grateful everyday for all the gifts in my life, I always get a little sentimental this time of year when I think about how truly blessed I am. And I include you in those blessings. Thank you for buying my books, for telling others about them, for your emails, messages, and kind comments. Thank you for coming to this blog once a week and sharing your love of books with others. Without you, I would just be a pajama clad woman sitting in her chair, stuffing her face with chocolate, and talking to imaginary characters. Not a pretty picture!

So, as a thank you, I'm sharing an excerpt from CHANCES ARE. Totally unedited, this excerpt might change a bit before it's finished, but it should give you an idea of Jake and Angela and will hopefully get you even more excited about their story.

Have a fabulous week and a safe and delightful Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy the sneak peek at CHANCES ARE!

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“Come on, sweetheart, you know you want it. Take it. I won’t hurt you.”
It had been said that Jake Mallory’s soft, gentle whisper could charm the birds from a tree, the snarl off a grizzly, and the panties from the most virtuous woman. He’d never seen it happen himself, but the rumors had always made him laugh. Today he was trying to do nothing more than charm a mouse from behind his fridge. Didn’t seem fair to kill the poor thing but dammed if he wanted to share an apartment with it. The cheese, an excellent gyurere, had been a small sacrifice to make. Now if only the creature would cooperate.
He needed to move to a nicer place. The flat had been temporary diggs to hang his clothes when he’d come to Paris. Working for Last Chance Rescue had seemed like a perfect job but he counted on nothing anymore. Everything in his life was on probation, especially the things that seemed perfect.
Being an LCR operative had worked out so far. He’d been an operative for about four months now, had been on a half dozen rescues, saved lives and helped put bad people away. Nice to know that some things actually were what they seemed.
The LCR people he’d met were what they seemed, too. Odd, since much of their work dealt with lying. Half a year ago he hadn’t trusted a soul. Now, he trusted an entire organization. Working for LCR had restored his faith in people. Not all of them. Hell, he’d seen too much evil shit for that to happen. Even now, he stayed wary, just in case. Jake didn’t trust easy. Never again.
His attention moved to the present as a tiny, whiskered face peeked from behind his fridge. Jake stood statue still. A fishnet might seem like an odd device to trap a mouse but it was his best bet for a live capture and release.
The creature scurried to the cheese chunk lying in the floor. Jake waited till the twitching nose touched the cheese. Quick as a cat, he threw the net over the small heap, scooped up the now squiggling mouse and dropped it into a waiting shoebox.
 Grabbing his keys and jacket, Jake picked up the box and headed out the door. The abandoned building two blocks down seemed the perfect relocation. Should be plenty of company for his little friend.
The cellphone in his pocket played a familiar tune, telling him that his boss, Noah McCall was calling. The shoebox under his arm, he pulled out the phone and held it to his ear. “Mallory.”
“Can you come in?”
“Yeah. Half an hour okay?”
“Yes.”
The line went dead before Jake could answer. Phone etiquette wasn’t high on McCall’s ‘must do’ list. Most of the phone conversations they’d had consisted of one or two words but the tone in his boss’s voice sounded ominous and grim, more so than usual.
His head low to battle the icy, brutal wind, Jake strode to his car. Opening the door, he deposited the box on the front passenger seat and cranked the engine. As he pulled out onto rue de Morgan, he reflected on his boss. Before coming to Paris, Jake had thought Noah McCall was an urban legend. As a cop, he’d heard stories about LCR’s successes but had dismissed most of them as someone’s wishful thinking. It wasn’t until he’d gotten caught up in the middle of an LCR rescue that he realized everything he’d heard was true.
Jake had been a typical tourist the day he’d met McCall. He’d been in Paris for two weeks, staying at hostels, roaming the streets, soaking up the atmosphere. He’d stopped in for a cold drink and a cheap meal at a not so high-class establishment. What he had gotten was a busted mouth, a black eye and a job offer from McCall.
LCR had been running a sting. He hadn’t known that. All he knew was two drunks were attempting to pull a young woman out of the bar and no one was stopping them. He’d intervened and ruined the op. Thankfully another sting had been set up a few days later that had brought down a human trafficking operation.
Even though Jake had blown the op, McCall had been impressed with his intervention. Days later, the LCR leader had called and offered him a job. After listening intently, Jake’s world had shifted once more. For two years, he’d been mired in grief, with no purpose. McCall’s offer had shown him a new path. Now he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Making a quick stop at the abandoned warehouse, he unboxed his uninvited houseguest and watched it scamper away. Not his usual kind of rescue but what the hell. Killing something just because he could wasn’t his way.
He parked two blocks from the LCR office. It was a cold one today but the frigid air kept his mind from wandering where he couldn’t let it go. The moment he walked into the office, he’d be greeted with what he told himself he shouldn’t want and couldn’t have. Maybe this new assignment would get him out of the country for a while. Lately that had been the only way to keep his hands off of Angela Delvecchio.
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The instant he opened the door and saw her beautiful face, he called himself a fool once again. Her attraction to him had been obvious from the beginning. What had also been obvious was her innocence. Beneath that tough girl persona, the multiple tattoos and piercings, he’d seen the gentle, caring heart of Angela Delvecchio. A heart that could be crushed by some cruel bastard’s uncaring selfishness. Dammed if he would be that man.






Monday, November 12, 2012

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a good weekend and have some marvelous reads to recommend today. Don't forget, a recommend enters your name into the contest for some fabulous prizes. Drawing is 12/31/12

No recommends from me. Deadline is looming and until Quinn and Samantha find their HEA, I'll be working to help them get there. I'm looking forward to devouring some great books when I'm finished.

Just a few announcements.

First, a big YAY! The eBook for MIDNIGHT SECRETS can now be pre-ordered!

MIDNIGHT SECRETS eBook at Amazon 
MIDNIGHT SECRETS eBook at Barnes and Noble

Also, I was so pleased last week to get proofs of the MIDNIGHT SECRETS cover. Wow, oh wow, wow, wow. Absolutely gorgeous! Read on for a chance to win one.

Once MIDNIGHT LIES is zooming to my editor, hopefully by November 30, I'll be finishing up Jake and Angela's novella, CHANCES ARE. I'm halfway done and can't wait to get back to these two wonderful characters. And soon, I'll share with you that super sexy cover I mentioned.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all who have served our country, both past and present. Though Veterans Day is but one day a year, I am grateful each and every day for your service, courage and sacrifice.

Since all the heroes in the Wildefire series are former or current military, let's do this. In addition to your recommends, name your favorite military romance. I'll randomly choose a commenter's name and announce it on Friday. Winner gets a signed cover proof of MIDNIGHT SECRETS! Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you.

It's rainy and cool here in Birmingham so I'm headed back to Midnight where the sun is shining, birds are singing, steam is rising and a murderer is lurking!

Happy Monday!



Monday, November 5, 2012

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

How was your week? Were you impacted by Sandy? My heart aches for all those hurting. Seeing those horrendous photos of devastation is just so very sad. If you were touched by the storm, I pray your recovery is swift and painless.

Last week I concentrated most of my efforts on MIDNIGHT LIES. Deadline looms and the entire town of Midnight is on pins and needles as we head toward to a screeching, volatile ending. Wish us luck that it works out well for everyone.

On Saturday, I attended the Southern Magic Readers Luncheon, which is my home chapter's readers' appreciation event held here in Birmingham. Sherrilyn Kenyon was the keynote speaker and Dianna Love the welcome speaker. We had a record attendance and such fun. Two regular commenters here, Jackie P and Kara attended and I was thrilled we got to hang out together. Such a good time!

Next year, the luncheon will be held on Saturday, November 2. So excited that NYT Bestselling Author Jeaniene Frost will be the welcome speaker. And I was thrilled and honored to be invited to be the welcome speaker. Would love to see you there if you can make it.

This week, I'm focusing solely on MIDNIGHT LIES. I'm loving Quinn and Samantha so very much and I hope you will too. Can't wait to give this couple the HEA they deserve.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed back to my writing cave that I hope will transport me to Midnight, Alabama where it's about to get really steamy! (:

Have a great week everyone. And if you're in the US, don't forget to vote tomorrow!

Now, tell us what great books you read last week!




Monday, October 29, 2012

Recommend Monday

Happy Monday All!

Sorry I'm late today. It's chilly outside and it took longer for me to start up this morning. Love snuggling with my fur-angels on cold mornings. And speaking of fur-angels, I'm so pleased to announce that Blossom is doing wonderfully well. She can see again! She's still in the recovery stage and her vision will slowly improve over the next six weeks. But just one week is a major improvement. And she's getting her spunk and sass back, which I have so missed. Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts. They worked! And are much appreciated!

So are you in the path of the Franken-storm? If so, please be safe. Every time I turn on the news, it's like I'm watching a sci-fi movie. I know Sandy has already caused death and destruction along her path to the U.S. but I'm hoping and praying she'll peter out and not cause the havoc that's being predicted. If you're anywhere near where she will cause problems, my thoughts and prayers for you and yours!

Last week, in between tears and fears for my fur-angel, I spent much of my time finishing up copyedits for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. I also wrote on both MIDNIGHT LIES and a few pages of CHANCES ARE.

Have I mentioned the cover of CHANCES ARE to you? It's a completely different kind of cover than my first 9 LCR books. I hope to reveal it to you soon. I've shown it to a few people who describe it as beautiful and very very sexy. I hope it's not so out there that people will be discouraged from buying it. However, the cover is a scene straight out of the story and I will admit, when I saw it, I loved it. But there's this straight-laced side of me that fears I'll shock you. Anyway, I'll show it to you soon and let you tell me what you think.

Although I'm not going to be able to get CHANCES ARE out to you by the year's end, I do plan to have it for you early next year. However, I have to finish my contracted book first. MIDNIGHT LIES, the second book in my Ella Grace series, has surprised me with its many twists and turns. I can't wait for you to read it and I am so in love with the hero, Quinn Braddock, I can't see straight. (:

Once I'm finished with ML, I'll get back to Jake and Angela's story. I left them in a dangerous situation and I'm anxious to see if they survived!

Okay enough about me. Tell me about you. What are you reading, what are you recommending and what are you looking forward to buying on release day tomorrow? I've seen lots of posts on Facebook about tomorrow's releases. Looks like lots of awesome ones are coming out. What are you most looking forward to reading?

Just a reminder that I'm posting a Midnight Tale over on my Ella Grace site every Friday, so be sure to check them out when you can. You'll learn lots of tidbits about the town of Midnight and some of her most interesting characters. Also, be sure to sign up for my Ella Grace newsletter. The first day of each month, beginning November 1, I'll choose a subscriber at random to receive a $10 bookstore gift card.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed to Midnight where the holiday festivities are about to get explosive! Now tell us what we should be reading!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a lovely weekend. Since it's getting cooler, I love the thought of snuggling up with a cup of hot tea and a good book. Sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Thank you all again for the good wishes and prayers for my fur-angel, Blossom. We were thrilled to learn that she is indeed healthy enough for surgery. That's planned for tomorrow morning and we're so hoping her sight can be restored. Would appreciate continued good thoughts and prayers for success!

Last week I received copy edits for my first Ella Grace book, MIDNIGHT SECRETS. How could I have forgotten how much I loved this book? (: The copy edits are due this week. Once they're finished, it's back to MIDNIGHT LIES where Quinn and Samantha are about to discover that Midnight, Alabama is not big enough for the both of them. Expecting fireworks!

Also last week, I looked over some possibilities for the cover of my LCR novella, CHANCES ARE. I'm considering going in a completely different direction. Having the freedom to choose my own cover is very freeing but scary, too. What if I get it wrong? But then, I can always put a different cover if it's not working. Now that is so very cool.

This particular cover is way sexier than any of the other LCR books but the scene is right out of the storyline. So it'll be interesting to see what you guys think. Still not sure when the novella will be released but the second I know for sure, you will know the very next second. Promise!

The Monday recommends have increased substantially but I would love to see more. I created the contest to increase the awareness of Recommend Monday and, of course, my books. I would sincerely appreciate it if you would share news of this contest and blog with your reader friends. And the added benefit is more recommends. A win-win for us all!

As a reminder, here's the contest rules and prizes:

One entry per each Recommend Monday, no matter how many books you recommend or how many times you comment.

The drawing will take place, Monday, January 31 at 12:00 PM (CST)

Grand prize: Kindle Fire HD.
First place prize: A signed copy of the complete Last Chance Rescue series (all 9 books)
Second place prize: $25 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Let's see how many comments we can get this week!

Okay, gotta get back to copy edits. Hope you all have a great week. Can't wait to see what you're recommending this week.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a good week and weekend. Looking forward to hearing about all the great books you read last week. Remember the contest for the Kindle giveaway ends 12/31 and a recommend from you each week is another entry in the contest. (Only one entry per week)

Last week wasn't the best for me. Blossom, my fur angel, who has been with me from the very first word I typed, went blind. It happened overnight and we were devastated. We took her to the opthamologist and learned she has diabetes. In a way, we were relieved because that is a treatable disease. However, the blindness continues. We're checking this week if she's healthy enough for eye surgery. So hoping we can get her sight back. Would certainly appreciate good thoughts and prayers that we get good news!

On a happier note, things are heating up in Midnight, Alabama with MIDNIGHT LIES. I am loving this story. If you didn't get a chance to read last Friday's Midnight Tales, be sure to check it out. It features a photo of the Wilde mansion and has a short excerpt from MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Click on the mansion for more. Here's the link: A Midnight Tale

Great news for my UK readers! I noticed that the first six LCR books are up for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the link: RESCUE ME for UK readers The other titles can be found there also. Looks like RESCUE ME releases in January, RETURN TO ME in February, etc. I can't wait to see the new covers!

MIDNIGHT SECRETS is also available for pre-order in the UK but only the paperback so far. As soon as it goes up for Kindle, I'll let you know. Be warned, it's still showing a March 26 release date and not the new one of April 30. Here's the UK buy link: MIDNIGHT SECRETS for UK readers

With the family issues that came up last week, along with a 10/31 deadline for MIDNIGHT LIES and copyedits coming this week for MIDNIGHT SECRETS, there is a strong possibility that CHANCES ARE won't be ready to release this year. I really want to get Jake and Angela's story to you but I also want it to be LCR worthy. I'll let you know as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience. I can't wait for you to meet Angela and Jake!

Okay, that's it for me. Got lots of writing to do. Wish me luck!

Hope you have a wonderful week. Now tell us what we should be reading!