Thursday, May 29, 2014

Wildflower by Alexandra Forry ~ Goddess Fish Promotions Virtual Book Tour ~ Giveaway

 Wildflower
by Alexandra Forry


Alexandra will be awarding a $15 BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Please leave a comment below along with your email address. To increase your chances of winning please visit the other tour stops. You may find those locations here....  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/03/virtual-book-tour-wildflower-by.html

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INTERVIEW:

Crystal: Today as part of this Goddess Fish Promotions Virtual Book Tour, I have the chance to ask Alexandra Forry a few questions. Welcome Alexandra, I'm so happy to have you here today. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Alexandra: I’m Alexandra born and raised in Las Vegas NV. I write sweet and complex romance, that the reader has no clue how it’s going to end. I like to share with the reader love of writing stories that amuse and intrigue you.

Crystal:  How do you celebrate the release of a new book? 

Alexandra: I must say that I don’t do that much for a release of one of my books, but for my first book I went out to a nice dinner with cake and champagne. :) I love doing a Facebook Event Book Release party because I have a lot of friends around the US and that’s my way celebrating a book. 

Crystal: What is your favorite snack to munch on while you write? 

Alexandra: Starburst all the way for me. Although I munch on a lot of food while I am writing. It’s what kind of snack that I have laying around.   

Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for Wildflower? 

Alexandra: My grandma had a sandwich and coffee shop before I was born and while I was growing up she told me stories of her sandwich shop and the people that she got to know. I always thought it would make a great book if I add some romance to it and a sexy billionaire and his out–going daughter.

Crystal: What are you working on now? 

Alexandra: I will never tell. I want it to be a surprise. ;)

Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene from Wildflower you would like to share with us?

Alexandra: I just love the ending how all the main characters find happens with their own decision. Well until the second book comes out. I have to say that any part with Lexy Heller is my favorite scene’s to write. 


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BLURB:

In this beautiful and moving story of love, growth, and redemption among the stunning red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, Sydney—a teenaged Army orphan—discovers that love knows no bounds and life has many twists and turns of fate. After she is forced to move in with her late mother’s sister Blanche and Blanche’s abusive alcoholic husband Dean, Sidney finds purpose and friendship in Lexy, the daughter of Max Heller the City’s most prominent widower and business magnate. Unknowingly, the girls’ antics awaken Blanche’s lost and suppressed passions and stirs Max’s long-thwarted drive to build a loving and complete family. What emerges is the wonderfully successful Epicurian Café, the brainchild of Blanche and Sydney actively encouraged by Max and Lexy. The Café quickly becomes a center of the community, the start of a new life for Blanche and Sydney, and a chance for Max and Lexy to discover true love and the meaning of commitment. An emotional roller-coaster with its exciting twists and turns, Wildflower is an exhilarating and satisfying read.

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EXCERPT:

“Why don’t we open a business? Like a simple sandwich and coffee shop,” Sydney announced with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

“A sandwich shop?” Blanche asked, looking surprised and a bit taken aback.

“Yeah, why not?”

While Sydney waited for an answer, Blanche just looked at her, dumbfounded

“Sydney, I would love to open a sandwich shop, but it takes a lot of money--money that we just don’t have.”

“Oh please, Aunt Blanche! I bet you can get a loan from the bank. It will be exciting!” Sydney pleaded.

“I don’t think that your uncle will approve. Sydney I love your idea, truly do! I was taken aback at first, because it has always been a dream of mine to open a little shop of some kind on Main Street,” Blanche said wistfully. ”It costs a lot of money to open up a business, besides I have an offer for a job in Prescott.”

“Pooh on Uncle Dean, and turn down that job. For me, please? You can ask Annette how to open a business--she will know, since she owns her own business.” Sydney said begging her aunt. 

“I will think about it, okay, Sydney?” Blanche said making her way to her closet and picking out a dress.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Alexandra Forry was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has Cerebral Palsy but that doesn't stop her from doing what she wants! Omerta Affair was her first novel, then she came out with Timeless Endings, which is the same story line as Omerta Affair but aimed as a woman’s romance. Alexandra is currently working on her fourth novel. She enjoys being a member of the Las Vegas Romance Writers as well as RWA. http://www.alexandraforry.com/





LINKS:

http://www.alexandraforry.com/

http://alexandraforryblog.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alexandra-Forry/218124628245982

https://twitter.com/forryalexandra


WHERE TO BUY:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1496094700/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1496094700&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20&linkId=WILINP6WQVT3GJG5

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

SEAL's Desire by Elle James Take ~ No Prisoners #2 ~ Review

Seal's Desire is one of those action packed books that had me completely absorbed and turning pages quickly. 

I had not had the pleasure of reading any work by Elle James until now. Oh my goodness if this book is any indication I've been missing out on some great stories. I really enjoyed her writing style, the storyline, and the characters.  I certainly look forward to reading more of her work and SOON. 

Remy LaDue returns home from a mission excited to meet with his friend Mitchell Sanders. However we he tries to touch base with her she is no where to be found. Then he finds her in the most unexpected place. Oh my! I have to say one of the things I really admired about Mitchell is she is one very loyal friend. She will do whatever it takes to find her missing friend. I don't want to give away too much, but Mitchell is willing to go to personal danger to herself to help her friend. Remy and his team are right on her heals for back up or they sure try to be. That is another thing I liked about this story was Remy's team steps right up to help as soon as they know what is going on. 

This book is full of lots of action and drama that kept me on the edge of my seat. When I got close to the end of the book I could not put it down. This really is one really great romantic suspense story with fun characters that know how to kick butt. Seal's Desire is one of those great quick reads that contains all my favorites things. There is plenty of drama, steamy scenes, and characters that are fun, brave, unique, and a whole lot of fun to read about. 

If you are looking for a short romantic suspense story may I recommend this one to you? I think you will enjoy it. I know that I certainly did. This is part of the Take No Prisoners series but I had no trouble at all reading it as a stand alone. However like I said before if this book is any indication I am really looking forward to reading more of Elle James' work. 

I was given the wonderful opportunity to read this book so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my pleasure to share my thoughts with you about Seal's Desire.

Picture Her Bound by Sidney Bristol ~ Bayou Bound ~ Review

Picture Her Bound is the first book I have had the chance to read by Sidney Bristol and I know it will not be my last. WOW not only is the book full of hot steamy scenes and I do mean HOT, but there is also a bit of mystery involved as well. I have to say this book was a page turner. 

Odalia Foucheaux is a feisty lady that is an officer by day and leads a mighty steamy life by night. All is going fine until some photos of her are stolen. This wouldn't be so bad except no one really knows about her BDSM life and she would prefer to keep it that way for her job. 

Jacques Savoy is a very hot and protective man. He is on the same mission as Odalia to get the memory card back with the pictures and to keep Odalia safe. 

They find a way to entertain themselves in between solving the mystery of who has the memory card. OH BOY does this lead so some hot and steamy scenes. 

Sidney Bristol has written an interesting story, that has a good story line, steamy scenes, and unique characters that are fun to read about. 

I really enjoyed this story. It was a fairly quick read, so it may make a great bed time story. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bristol's work again. If you enjoy a good steamy story and some mystery too then I think you will really enjoy this book. 

Picture Her Bound is part of the Bayou Bound series but I have no problem at all reading it as a stand alone. 

I was given the opportunity to read this book so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you on Picture her Bound

STOLEN GIFTS by Rasha Selim ~ Gliterary Girl Book Tours ~ Giveaway


 STOLEN GIFTS 
by Rasha Selim

Gliterary Girl Book Tours would like to introduce you to STOLEN GIFTS by Rasha Selim


GIVEAWAY: Author Rasha Selim will be giving away a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card AND a signed copy of STOLEN GIFTS. Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. 


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Back cover blurb:

Whoever said you can’t go home again was right.
My name is Van, and my life isn't exactly going the way I'd expected. I moved far from home, away from everyone I know and love to avoid having to reveal my Gift...a Gift so strong it scares me. A Gift so strong I know people would try to use me for their own gain, regardless of how much it may hurt. A dear friend from my youth is getting married back home, and while I'm thrilled for her, I know what waits for me there--disappointment from my parents, and concern from my brother and friend.

But worst of all, I have to face Caine, a man I have loved for as long as I can remember, who just Somehow, Caine and I find ourselves in the middle of investigating the mysterious disappearances of other Gifted people. When the two of us are abducted, I have to decide if I am willing to use my Gift to save us, even though doing so will reveal my abilities to Caine. Little did I know that using my Gift is exactly what the villain is waiting for…putting both our lives are in jeopardy.

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Synopsis:

 Having a Gift is hard. Keeping the ability to read and manipulate minds a secret from family and friends is torture.

 Vanessa (Van) Lyons is terrified of her very powerful Gift of Mind, and has been hiding it 
from her family since she was a child. Her Gift troubled her so much that she moved away from everything and everyone she knew to avoid the possibility of the truth being discovered. She's stayed away for a long time, making excuses for staying put in her charming little cottage in a small town far enough away to be a comfortable buffer. But an invitation to the wedding of her childhood best friend Kelley brings her back home...and forces her to confront all of her fears and emotions. It also forces her to be face-to-face with the man she has loved since they were young. 

Caine Moore is a handsome journalist with a playboy reputation. Seen frequently about town or in the tabloid pages with a different beautiful woman on his arm, he has become a 
completely different man from the boy Van grew up with. Tension builds between them as he sends Van mixed messages throughout the pre-wedding festivities, confusing her and making her yearn for things she's spent a long time convincing herself she could never have.

Caine has been working on a story, and has seen things he shouldn't see. In his desire to 
protect Van, he inadvertently pulls her into an intriguing but deadly case that puts her right into the killer's path...

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EXCERPT: 

My gaze shifted to my reflection and the man who came to stand behind me. I saw the 
stark differences between us. It was reinforcement to why we would never be. I was short to his all. Light skinned to his tanned. My blonde hair to his black. Even though we both had light eyes, my green eyes have hazel undertones, but his eyes were a deep blue. In personality we were polar opposites. I keep to myself and like to remain under the radar, whereas he is well known and uses that popularity to his advantage. There were no two people more different than us. So when he leaned in and whispered in my ear, “We look good together don’t we?”

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BUY LINKS for STOLEN GIFTS

Amazon | Barnes and Nobles | Create Space | iBooks

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Bio for Rasha Selim:

Author Rasha Selim was born in Cairo, Egypt and was raised in both Cairo and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She moved to the U.S. to attend college and pursue a career as a Forensic Psychologist.

She left criminology behind to become the mother of three wonderfully active boys. Rasha has spent her life engaged with books and as stories of her own began to develop she knew that she had to get 
them down in print. She is extremely excited to be sharing her stories with the world. Rasha lives in upstate New York where she is blessed to be surrounded by her loving and supportive husband, children, great friends and incredible books.

Connect with Author Rasha Selim

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest



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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 23, 2014

No Hard Feelings by Maria Tandori ~ Goddess Fish Promotions ~ Giveaway



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click HERE to see the other stops on the tour.



Some secrets can’t stay hidden, especially when they involve murder…



Liz Farrell is still reeling over the murder of her mother almost a year earlier at the hands of her father, Leo Bauer, when she receives the startling news that she’s inherited her estranged father’s sizable estate. Unable to come to terms with her father’s unspeakable legacy, Liz and her grandmother, Kate Stanton, visit Leo’s property in Benedict Canyon, desperately hoping to find closure. Instead, they find a bunker hidden under an old hunting lodge that had been used by Leo at one time to hold Liz’s mother captive. Horrified by the discovery, Liz immediately orders the bunker filled and the lodge destroyed but the ensuing demolition quickly comes to a grinding halt after a man’s remains are discovered in a shallow grave at the base of the old lodge. Once the press get wind of the gruesome discovery, rumors quickly surface, linking the remains to a murder spree that took place at the same address almost half a century earlier; a murder spree conveniently covered up by the governor at the time who also happened to be Leo Bauer’s stepbrother. Liz and Kate’s efforts to uncover the truth behind the murders are soon hampered by family secrets and a killer who’s intent on finishing the job started almost fifty years ago.


Enjoy this excerpt:



Karen Devane pulled into the parking lot of her cousin’s apartment building with a squeal of tires. She drove around, trying to find a parking spot. Finally, she gave up and pulled into a tow away zone. Picking up the pizza box on the seat beside her, she hurried into the building before waiting impatiently for the elevator to take her to the second floor. Rushing down the corridor, she stopped in front of the door marked 10B and rapped on it. A second later, she rapped again, this time more impatiently.


“Who is it?” came the muffled question from the other side of the door. .


“It’s me,” Karen replied. She heard a few locks turning and the door was thrown open a minute later by Liz, wearing a bathrobe and a forlorn expression on her face. .


“Hi.” Her eyes were puffy and red, and it was clear that she’d been crying. .




“Hi yourself.” Karen charged into her apartment, not waiting for an invitation. .


Liz followed behind, watching wordlessly as Karen marched into her kitchen and began opening cupboard doors, looking for plates. Everything about her small apartment, from her dining room table to the small balcony that was a myriad of colors and scents, was neat, orderly, and inviting. “Cupboard on the right of the sink, second shelf,” Liz told her automatically, pulling up a chair to the other side of the counter. “What are you doing here … or is that kind of a stupid question?” .


Karen gave her cousin a pointed look. “What do you think? Grams told Mom what happened at the attorney’s office and Mom told me.” She flipped open the lid of the pizza box and extracted two cheesy slices before plopping them on a plate and handing it to Liz. .


“Figures.” Liz listlessly picked at the crust of her pizza. .


“You might as well get used to how things work in our family.” Karen helped herself to several slices of pizza and went over to sit beside her cousin. “Want to talk about it?” .


Two lone tears slid down Liz’s cheeks. “What’s there to talk about? How totally screwed up my whole life has been, or how screwed up it is now?” .


About the Author:

By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of middle-grade fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to mysteries and suspense having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, please visit her website at http://martatandori.com, her Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/MartaTandoriAuthor, or https://www.blogger.com

Sex, Lies & Murder Boxed Set ~ Emotional Warfare by Christina Wolfer ~ Character Interview ~ Giveaway




Sex, Lies & Murder Boxed Set


Giveaway: Use the rafflecopter below to register to win a $25 Gift Card to Turquoise Morning Press!!

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Character Interview: 

Interviewing Nick White, hero of Emotional Warfare


How did you first meet your writer?

Picking up my clothes off the bedroom floor while sneaking out on a one-night stand. I know that sounds bad and believe I felt like the scum about my own behavior. My dad would have skinned me alive if he ever found out I had treated a woman that way. My only excuse is that I was pretty messed up over not being able to have the love of my life, Dana.

What are your favorite scenes in your book: the action, the dialog or the romance?

Well, I’m a guy so it’s definitely the action and by action you mean sex, right? Okay just kidding, but seriously, it was every moment of having Dana back in life after being away from her for so long. Even though I kept pushing at her and a part of me didn’t want her there. I thrived on those moments. One that sticks out particularly strong was the night at the Mexican bar and grill. We had such a good time, plus that’s the night we ended up in bed. 


Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you? 

Yes, at first pass, she thought she was going to write it with no sex scenes between Dana and I. She didn’t think it fit in with our situations. Well, I wasn’t having any of that so things got changed around a bit so that I got to make love to Dana for the first time. 
Do you infiltrate your writer’s dreams? Ha-ha, every chance I get. It’s great fun and she might try to deny it, but she loves having me in her head.
Are you happy with the genre your writer has placed you in? Yes, it wasn’t purely romance so that was a good fit for me. A little romance, some drama and action. I like solving problems and that is exactly what Dana and I were trying to do, both at work and in our lives.

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?

I wouldn’t have put Dana in so much trouble. There were a couple times that I didn’t think she was going to make it out a live and that was pretty scary. I could have done without those scenes myself, but I know they were important to how the story would end.
Do you like the way the book ended? Definitely. Happy ever after is the best.

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 BLURB: 

Sizzling romance. Killer instinct. Which wins out in the end?
Four top-selling authors create a perfect escape as they take love to the edge of suspense and back, risking life, death, and emotional warfare. Sexy, edgy, and gritty, these four romantic suspense novels will keep you turning the pages, as plots rarely go according to plan, and dangerous situations delay the stories’ coming to climax.






Special Introductory Price…$.99

(includes)

Emotional Warfare
by Christina Wolfer



When highly classified military parts go missing from Libby Aerospace Technologies, Dana Porter is sent to Wyoming to resolve the issues and negotiate a new contract with the United States Navy Defense contractor. But first, she’ll have to figure out why the parts are disappearing. The further Dana digs, the more dangerous things become, and when an ex-employee ends up murdered, she suspects someone is illegally exporting the goods.

Despite General Manager Nick White’s resentment of Dana’s presence, he cannot afford to lose the contract and knows she is his best bet in making sure that doesn’t happen. He left Indiana over a year ago to get away from her. Now, she is scrutinizing every aspect of his business, finding inconsistencies he can’t explain and awakening old feelings he thought long gone.

Together, they will race against time to stop the illegal exports and secure the contract, but with hearts and lives on the line, not everyone will walk away unscathed.


AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE |  SMASHWORDS | PUBLISHER

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EXCERPT: 

Prologue
Khartoum, Sudan
Khartoum’s New Islamic Alliance Military Compound

Zufar was dead.
The words like a mantra repeated in Rustan Hasan’s head, mocking his very existence.
Zufar was dead. Zufar was dead.
It should have been me. The thought roared through him like a freight train, the painful truth suffocating. Not Zufar.
The pressure in Rustan’s chest built, closing off the air in his lungs as the commander of the Khartoum’s New Islamic Alliance fraction told them of the attack against the United States. Blood had been spilled in accordance with the Quran. But Rustan, with his heart breaking, did not care about advancing Islam, about Allah’s law or the overall goal of the mission. He wanted to drop to his knees and scream out the rage tearing at his insides.
His legs trembled, and his stomach convulsed. A loud howling filled his head drowning out the words of his commander, but not the pain. The thought of his mother and sister pierced his heart. His shoulders shook beneath the olive green of his military uniform as his mind flipped back in time of two skinny boys playing along a dirt road. Makeshift swords of long twigs gripped in their hands as they fought an imaginary foe.
“One day,” nine-year-old Zufar had claimed. “I will fight and kill the real enemy.”
Rustan pulled away from the memories, snapping his shoulders back to quiet the trembling. He would not humiliate Zufar’s memory by falling apart in front of his comrades. He would not disgrace his family.
Zufar had been brave, and the Muslim Brotherhood would glorify his actions. Allah would reward him in the afterlife. Zufar had lived and planned for the day he would commit jihad against their enemy. His day had come, but to Rustan, it was without victory. The enemy had won. They had succeeded in killing a great man—his beloved brother.

Trinity, Indiana USA
The thrashing and groaning tugged Dana Porter out of a deep sleep. She bolted upright with the realization that her husband struggled with a muscle spasm. She jumped out of the king size bed and circled around to Ted’s side. His eyes squeezed tight against the pain, his fist clenched in a seized state. His sweat-slicked body scented the air with bitter pain. He tried knocking her hands away as she worked to roll him onto his stomach.
“Leave me alone,” he forced out between clenched jaws.
A part of her wanted to leave him to writhe in agony until he begged for help. But he would be stubborn, and she couldn’t allow the pain to go on that long.
She positioned herself, one hand at his shoulder, the other at his waist. Mentally, she counted to three, then lifted, and shoved at the same time. He screamed out as he rolled onto his stomach.
Tears stung her eyes.
“Okay, it’s almost over.” Climbing on the bed, she knelt over him and began to knead the knotted muscles of his back with the heels of her hands, ignoring the ache moving up her arms.
Dana consoled herself with the knowledge that things weren’t as bad as they had been right after the accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The spasms had come weekly then, but over time had diminished to every six months.
He resented her help, but didn’t fight her with the enthusiasm he once had. Oh, he remained emotionally shut off, almost proudly so.
“That’s enough, Dana. The spasm’s gone,” he murmured, tugging her back to the present.
She climbed from the bed and helped him onto his back. The spasms always left him weak and unable to manipulate his way out of bed. He would need help, and the need would piss him off.
She pulled the blankets up to his waist and thought, as she often did, what a magnificent chest he had. His arms and upper body thick with rope-like muscles from years of dragging his lower body around. She had told him once how beautiful his body was, running her hands over his chest. He had looked at her in disgust and pushed her hands away. The memory kept her from touching him now, kept her from looking into those ice blue eyes.
“Do you want to get out of bed or sleep a few more hours?” She asked, bracing herself for his harsh response.
“What are you going to do?”
She glanced at him, confused by the quiet reply. “I’ll go ahead and get my shower, maybe head into work early.”
“I’ll just lie here a while longer.” He grabbed her wrist when she turned away. The voluntary touch surprised her. “Thank you, Dana.” His words stunned her.
She faltered. “You’re welcome,” she mumbled and then retreated behind the bathroom door.
Under the hot spray of the shower, she let the tears scald her cheeks while painful, silent sobs ripped through her body. Three years and it still broke her heart at how cruel fate had been to Ted, how brutal it had been to their love.

****

One month later.
Trinity, Indiana, USA

Dana stared at the computer screen, but didn’t see the spreadsheet displayed. She was thinking back to earlier that morning. She and Ted had made love, if she could call it that. It was the first time in ten months. At twenty-eight years old, she was lucky if it happened twice a year. And Ted was capable of more but the need had to build to the point of breaking before he would touch her or allow her to touch him. Even then, he only tolerated her climbing on top of him to complete the act.
No kissing. No hugging or words of affection.
On some level, it made her feel dirty. On many levels, she wondered what was wrong with her, why her husband didn’t want her? Was he no longer attracted to her?
Dana rubbed at her eyes to push back the tears.
A meeting reminder pinged as it popped up on her screen. Dana grabbed a pad of paper and pen, glad for the distraction, and headed down to the conference room.
Nick White’s face lit up the minute she walked in, lifting her spirits. She circled around to sit next to him.
“You look pretty. That’s a good color on you.” His eyes lingered. “Is that a new top?”
Pleased that he noticed, Dana felt the warmth glide over her cheeks. “Yes. Thank you.”
“Are you going out with us Friday after work?”
“I’m planning on it.”
A group of them made a point to go out a couple times a month. Most of them single and still hitting the party scene, but Dana enjoyed spending time with them away from the job. They kept her feeling young.
Paul Nickels, the production control manager, rushed in at the last minute. “Sorry folks for the delay. I know we’ve all got a lot on our plates, so let’s get working on this month’s sales and manufacturing plan.”
The day flew by.
It was after six when she pulled into the driveway at home. The housekeeper they had hired to cook and clean three days a week was still there, which was odd. Mrs. Hodges normally left by five thirty to get home to her own family. Thinking something might be wrong with Ted, Dana rushed into the house and was greeted by laughter.
Setting down her purse, Dana followed the sound of voices to Ted’s office. She stopped outside the open door and listened.
“Ted, these are fabulous. When did you take them?”
“The summer between high school and college. A buddy and I where on a rock climbing mission, to climb as many mountains as we could. I took pictures everywhere we went that summer.”
Dana heard the smile in his voice and the wistfulness.
“You loved the photography as much as the climbing,” Mrs. Hodges stated matter of factly.
“Yes. I did.” Ted chuckled. “Look at this one.”
Dana leaned against the wall and squeezed her eyes closed against the burning tears and the ache in her chest. He was sharing something good, his happiness with Mrs. Hodges.
Why won’t he share that with me? Anger simmered below the surface.
“That bag up there, could you get that down for me. It has my old camera in it.”
Dana stepped into the doorway as Mrs. Hodges reached for the bag on the second shelf of the closet—one Dana could have easily reached for him.
“I could have gotten that for you,” Dana said.
Ted turned his head to look at her, the smile vanished, and the coldness slithered into his eyes. He put the lid back on the box of photographs.
Mrs. Hodges set the camera bag down beside Ted’s wheelchair. “Oh, Mrs. Porter, you should look at some of these photos.”
“No,” Ted said sharply.
Silence filled the awkward space.
Dana watched Ted. His jaws clenched as he refused to look at her.
Mrs. Hodges clasped her hands together. “I should be going. Dinner is warming in the oven.”
Dana turned away and walked down the hall to the bedroom. She changed clothes then forced herself to the kitchen where Mrs. Hodges had already set out plates and utensils. Dana removed the food from the oven and placed it on the table. Ted wheeled himself into the room and took his place.
They ate in silence as they always did.
On Friday evening, Dana met up with the group from work at the local watering hole. Nick was nowhere around. She shook off the sense of disappointment as she sat and ordered a beer.
She and Paul were in the middle of a debate about the Indianapolis Colts when Nick showed up. Her lips lifted when their eyes met. He grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and made no bones about asking everyone to scoot down so he could pull up along side Dana.
“Sorry, I’m late. My dad called to inform me that he and my mother are coming to visit next weekend.”
Despite the roll of his eyes, Dana could tell the prospect of seeing his parents made Nick happy.
“You can’t wait.”
Nick laughed. “No, I can’t.” He lifted his hand to get the waitress’s attention and ordered them both another beer. “I wish you could meet them. You would like my mom’s sense of humor.”
“Who are you most like?”
And as they talked, one by one the others left. Before Dana knew it, she and Nick sat 
alone talking and laughing.

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About the Author:


Author Bio

Multi-published, ARe best selling author, Christina Wolfer writes the spectrum of contemporary romance, from modern day westerns to murder and suspense. 

Her first compiled writings were gathered and stapled together when she was just ten years old. Years later, after pursuing a degree in Journalism and a career in Marketing, she moved back to her small hometown and bought the farm she grew up on as a child. Once there, she met and married her own real-life romance hero.

Her stories no longer resemble those first compiled writings of long ago, but her passion and desire to weave a good story has remained a driving force in her life. She’ll keep you guessing until the very end.

"My journey has just begun and the ending is yet to be written."

Connect on:
Blog: www.christinawolfer.blogspot.com
Twitter: @christinawolfer
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorchristinawolfer

Other books by Christina Wolfer:
TWO BROTHERS
THE DAUGHTER.
DESIRE FOR REVENGE
SET FREE


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a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday, May 22, 2014

When You Let Go By Unoma Nwankwor ~ Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours ~ Giveaway


When You Let Go
By Unoma Nwankwor


BOOK CONTEST: The Author is giving away one e-book copy of An Unexpected Blessing( Kindle or Nook Only) To enter go here: http://bit.ly/1v0qb9e


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About The Book:

An answered prayer. An unforeseen betrayal. A family healed by grace.
Amara and Ejike Dike had been married for six glorious years. Amara was convinced Ejike, was the perfect gift from God. Loving, charming and very easy on the eyes. They had a beautiful life. Well, not so beautiful. Amara’s inability to bear children made her feel like a less than the perfect mate for her husband.
Then after many years, God lifted her faith and had finally heard her cry. The Dikes couldn’t be happier.
A surprise visit from Chinelo, Amara’s long lost cousin, turns Amara’s world upside down and threatens to turn her once-perfect existence into ashes.
Ejike loved his wife with a passion. They shared a burning desire and faith in God that burned deep. However Chinelo’s appearance would open a Pandora’s Box that had purposely been kept shut.
Faced with the loss of all she holds dear, Amara finds herself at crossroads. Would she lean on God’s sustaining grace to let go and travel the rocky path to forgiveness? Or would she throw everything to the wind and walk away?
When You Let Go is a novel about people who know what the Word of God instructs but struggle with actually doing it when the chips are down

Genre: Christian Fiction, Novel
Publication Date:  May 22, 2014
Genre:  Christian Fiction

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About The Author:

Born in Akron, Ohio to Nigerian parents. Unoma Nwankwor spent her childhood and early adulthood years in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. She is a romantic at heart and is passionate about telling stories of faith and hope about love. She hope to capture her readers through stories that are faith based with an element of love. After all, “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” ~1 Corinthians 13:13
She is the published author of An Unexpected Blessing (2013) and The Christmas Ultimatum (2013) and many published flash fiction and short stories. Her work has appeared in Africa Book Club and the Kenyan Ezine ;Wamathai and well as numerous radio shows and blogs. She is currently working on her next novel When You Let Go (May, 2014) and A Scoop of Love (October, 2014).
Her readers are in love with her unique way of telling stories that capture the essence of her present home base; Atlanta Georgia and her Nigerian culture. She calls them her God-given stories and strives every day to be a use her gift to His glory.

Social Links:

Website: http://www.unomanwankwor.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/unwanwkorauthor
Twitter handle:  https://twitter.com/unwankwor
Email: unwankwor@kevstelgroup.com

Buy Links: 
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KDJ09UY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00KDJ09UY&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20&linkId=FCUUY6RDELHFC7MT

Nook: http://bit.ly/1o02rk5

Tour Hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com 

 Author Tour Schedule: http://wnlbooktours.com/unoma-nwankwor-when-you-let-go/

The Navy SEAL’s E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton ~ Goddess Fish Promotions Blog Tour ~ Giveaway

The Navy SEAL’s E-Mail Order Bride
by Cora Seton

Cora will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Please leave a comment below along with your email address. Please visit the other tour locations to increase your chances of winning. You may find the other tour stops here....http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/03/virtual-blurb-blitz-tour-navy-seals-e.html
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BLURB:




Mason Hall, Navy SEAL, has fought insurgents and terrorists, but his current mission is one for the records. Not only must he find a wife—and get her pregnant—or forfeit the ranch his family has prized for over a hundred years, he also must convince his three brothers to marry, too—before the year is up. Who knew one city girl and three wayward brothers could put up such a fight?







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EXCERPT:

Her phone rang. Regan jumped, then laughed at herself. It wasn’t like Mason Hall could call to check up on her. It could be Jack, though—still angry she’d walked out on him yesterday. Her stomach sank at the thought. When she found her phone, though, she didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Regan?” It was a man’s voice, deep and husky and confident. It couldn’t be Mason. There was no way it could be Mason, but somehow she knew without a doubt it was. A spasm of happiness shot through her—a feeling so unexpected and alien it caught her completely off-guard.

“M…Mason?”

A low chuckle sent tingles down her spine. “How’d you know?”

“Where are you?”

“Afghanistan.” His voice was amazing. She glanced at the photo she’d made into her desktop background. Mason gazed back at her with his serious eyes.

“You can make phone calls from there?”

“I pulled some strings. So, are you?”

“Am I what?” She bit her lip at the excitement coursing through her body. How could she be so turned on by just a voice? How could such a tenuous connection make her feel so alive?

“A big, hairy, 82-year-old man.”

She didn’t answer for a moment. She couldn’t believe he was on the other end of the line. How did she sound to him? Sexy? Or as squeaky as a preteen at a Justin Bieber concert? She struggled to control her tone. “No. Sorry to disappoint you.”

“I’m not disappointed. What are you doing today?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You quit your job, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Would I answer your ad if I did?”

“Maybe.” There was a pause. “I don’t know you yet, do I?”

Yet. Her breath caught. “No boyfriend. Not for a while.”

“Why not?”

Wow, he went right to the heart of the matter, didn’t he? “I guess I’m picky.”

“Or scared.”

She frowned. “I’m not scared. I’ve tried, believe me. I never met the right guy.”

“Or you don’t know you have yet.”

She didn’t know how to answer that. She should tell him right now she wasn’t interested in men. Had no intention of dating again for years. If ever.

“Regan? Did I lose you?” His voice was soft but demanding.

“You move awfully fast, don’t you?”

“When I see something I like, what’s the point in waiting around?”

He kept knocking her off-balance with that sexy, knowing voice. She tried to pull herself together. “Mason?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re paying a hell of a lot for this call.”

“We could Skype next time,” he suggested.

“Okay.” She bit her lip. Okay? What did she mean, okay?

“There will be a next time, won’t there?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Excerpt Three:

She took a breath, because the first question was one that was very near and dear to her heart. Now she would learn that Mason was utterly wrong for her—just like all the men she’d dated in the city. Like them he’d be far too concerned with his own comfort to want to saddle himself with offspring. She held the paper up. “There are ten of them. The first one is: how many children do you want to have?”

Mason grinned. “Lots of them. As soon as possible. Like… now.”

Regan tuned out the rest of his words. Lots of them? As soon as possible? No man in her acquaintance had ever said such a thing. She felt hot and prickly all of a sudden as desire swept through her so strong it took her breath away. This handsome, sexy, mouth-watering man wanted to have children? Lots of them? And here she was just weeks away from getting it on with a turkey baster?

“Wh…what?” she made herself say, aware she’d missed several sentences.

“I said, that’s my knee-jerk reaction. When I think it through, though, several things factor in.”

“Like what?” She cleared her throat. She could hardly speak.

“Like the health of my wife, for one thing. Things can go wrong in pregnancies. I don’t want my wife to ever be put in danger. The other factor is what we can afford. I don’t think you need to be wealthy to have kids, but I want to be able to provide for them.”

Regan swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat. These were the answers she’d always wanted to hear from a man. And now it was too late. Almost.

“I’m clear that I want children,” he finished up. “And I want to start right away. How about you?”

“Me?” Darn it—she’d practically squeaked.

“Is that a deal-breaker?”

“Um… no.”

He cocked his head. “No, what?” 

“No… I want kids. Right away. In fact… I’m kind of in a hurry.” Her voice trailed off because all she could think about was her artificial insemination appointment.

He leaned on his elbows, coming closer to the screen. “Really.”

Was it her imagination or had her answer interested him? Really interested him. She tingled under his suddenly intense gaze. “Really. I mean… I just didn’t think I’d have a husband anytime soon. To do it that way.” She wasn’t making any sense and she knew it.

Mason didn’t seem to mind. “You’re talking to a potential husband.” Another grin.

“I’m not one of your candidates, you know.” Her voice had gone wobbly and she was unable to look away from him.

He met her gaze. “Yeah, you are.”



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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle nine years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.

Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a neglected one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, contests and other cool events!

Blog: www.coraseton.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/coraseton

Twitter: www.twitter.com/coraseton