Recap of #RWA15 and RUBIES!

Whew. It's been quite the week. For those of you who follow me on social media, you know that I was at the annual Romance Writers Convention in New York. It was crazy and amazing and . . . a tad overwhelming, lol.

One of the best things about the conference was reconnecting with old friends. Most of my close writer friends live in Canada, which is a whole country away. We use conference time to see each other and catch up. Let me tell you, there's nothing more motivating than being with author friends who understand you amd care.

A lot of great projects start at conference as well. This past April, my bestie Lauren Hawkeye and I sat down and plotted the Black Tower series over coffee. Three hours, three books, the first of which was released a couple of weeks ago. This series never would have seen the light of day if we didn't have the chance to get together and work out the fabulous world in which these characters live.

To find out more about this book, and for buy links, go here.

I also had the chance to do a couple of book signings. Let me tell you, these were fun. It was amazing how many people had heard of me and my books. Talking with readers and listening to how they connected with my characters was one of the highlights of the trip! It made me want to do more reader evnts in the future.

Lastly, the best part of the week was watching my close friend, Juliana Stone, win the RITA for best Young Adult Novel. We have known each other for almost a decade and it was so awesome seeing her stand up on stage and receive her award. She has worked hard for it and deserves it. We both cried, and both celebrated, and I'm just so happy that I was able to be there for her.

The gemstone of July is rubies, which are about friendship and love. I have to say that this past week reminded me of how lucky I am to have such wonderful writers as my friends.

How about you? Do you have any friends who are writers? What is the one thing you love the best about having writer friends? Tell me about it in the comments section. I'd love to hear from you!

A lifetime New Englander, Suzanne married her college sweetheart and has been with him for over twenty years. Every summer she drags her husband and two daughters to Maine on a quest for the perfect lobster dinner. Every fall she can be found down in Foxboro, Massachusetts cheering on her favorite football team. In between those trips, she’s a chauffeur, a maid, a chef, an event planner, a hairdresser, a wardrobe stylist, a tutor and a sometimes masseuse. To keep her sanity, she often drinks copious amounts of coffee and stares at the blank screen of her laptop, dreaming of great adventures. Sometimes she even writes them down for others to enjoy.

Suzanne is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency and writes mainstream romances under the pen name Ava Conway.

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A touch of summer from Eastern Canada #RB4U #RomFantasy

Most people love summer, and look forward to the freedom it offers them to get out and enjoy the sunshine. I’m not one of those people. Despite the inconvenience when snow piles up all over the place, I much prefer the cold Winter magic to the heat and humidity of East Coast living. However, when I do venture out into the summer sun, and it does happen once in a while, I love to go places locally that take me near the water. I thought I’d share some of the lovely places I tend to go to clear my head and rejuvenate, because they are truly beautiful.

Most people have heard of Peggy’s Cove if they’ve ever looked up Nova Scotia for any reason. It’s iconic worldwide as a symbol of this little province jutting out from the east side of Canada. (The only place more eastern than us is the island of Newfoundland.) I like to visit Peggy’s Cove every couple of years if possible, even though it’s a two hour drive from me. There’s a lovely restaurant that is busy all year round, and the Lighthouse in the summer is the post office, so loads of people like to mail cards from there to get the special postmark they use.

Sadly, far too many visitors tend to ignore the inherent dangers of getting too close to the immense power of the Atlantic Ocean as it crashes onto the rocks of Peggy’s Cove. Every year several people get too close in their curiosity to go down on the rocks and they are swept into the surf. Some are rescued and survive, most do not. There are signs everywhere telling people to stay off the rocks, though there are always those who want to ignore and end up paying a terrible price. Recently an American visitor was swept into the water when a wave crashed onto the rocks and pulled him down. He was rescued by a local fishing boat and he and his partner have been trying to rally people into having the area fenced off–the locals are not having any of it. I can’t blame them, fencing would destroy the majestic grandeur of the place, and people need to be more responsible for themselves.

Last time I visited, I took photos, so I thought I’d share a few of them with you:

  

Closer to home, but equally lovely is McCormack’s Beach, and the Fisherman’s Cove area of Eastern Passage. This is only 15 minutes from me, and I go there often. The boardwalk is one kilometre, so it’s great to walk a few rounds on it while enjoying the ocean breeze at the entrance to Halifax Harbour. There’s always a sailboat or two on the water, and the fog devils on a misty day are awesome!! There’s a great restaurant, a tourist centre, an art gallery, and shops in the Cove area, and the beach… Have a look:

The Boondocks Restaurant and Lounge:

And, of course, anyone with kids might recognize this guy sitting in Halifax Harbour, it’s Theodore Tugboat!

Enjoy the Sunshine!!

Guest Blog: Lynn Crain, author of The Blue Moon Magic Series #PNR #Romance

It Ain’t All Roses

This past weekend, I went to a conference in Munich, Germany. I was really jazzed to be going and even more excited about the subject matter that I was going to talk about #SocialMedia. Apparently, because of all my blogs and my longevity in the business, I’m seen as something of a guru. While I will say I do know a lot, I will never know it all.

Saturday came and I went to the opening of the conference that morning. Even though there were people arriving on Friday, the first official day wasn’t until the day of my talk. I mingled with the crowd there and my traditional ebook publisher Tina Haveman from eXtasy Books, but I knew I was a fish out of water as this wasn’t my normal crowd. Most of the people in this group wrote gay fiction or some form of BDSM or erotic fiction. Most of my works were tame in comparison. Looking around I also realized that I was probably one of the oldest writers in the room.

I fretted as I always do but once I met with my panel partner, RJ Scott, I knew we’d be fine. We had planned for this and even had handouts, something I hadn’t seen anyone have so far. When it was time for us to start, RJ and I took our place and suddenly, two new people came in and took the other chairs. We looked at each other stunned, not understanding what was happening but saw two more people had been added to the panel without a word to us beforehand.

Immediately, the dynamic of the whole talk had changed and I remembered a saying I’d been touting on my Wednesday Blog, My So-Called Writing Life. It goes something like this: it ain’t all roses nor is it tiaras and limos. In this writing life we’ve chosen for ourselves, everything can change in an instant. Either we can go with the flow, be flexible and be ready for anything or we can be miserable and disappointed.

Because of this change in dynamic, I went into flex mode and opened with something I never thought I would. I started with, ‘ You’re looking at the dinosaur in the room’ then I proceeded to explain why. See, I did not grow up with #SocialMedia. I grew up with floppy disks the size of dinner plates. And games where we only saw our characters move one space at a time. Never mind the fact they were X’s on a black screen and only when they had moved over a spot was it revealed. All book sales were done by word of mouth or by expensive ads in print media whereas the opportunities we have today were boundless.

As I went over the history of how #SocialMedia came to be, I felt some of the tension go out of the room because I had everyone seeing what life was before. And just how hard it was to be an author then. It was almost as if there were those who would see how we handled the new dynamic but I paid them no mind. I also went over the fact that a top criteria for today’s author is to be flexible. Things rapidly change. Everything we do today is seen as marketing or branding and that may not be the case. This very talk was a case in point.

My panel partner was very disappointed on how the talk went because we had planned to go over the pros and cons of #SocialMedia and how today’s author could use it to their benefit. As it was, we went over very little of what was planned and more into that marketing and branding scheme so many see #SocialMedia being. People were apologizing for the next two days because of what some saw as a debacle. I saw it as an opportunity since I trudged on and gave out information as topics came up.

Yet, through it all, something miraculous happened. Every time I went by someone who attended the talk, I would get some version of ‘ah, my favorite dinosaur’ and I’d smile. I had made an impact where I thought none would be made. People might not remember the #SocialMedia aspects of our talk, but they would remember me telling them about the history and how I had seen it all.

Our handouts went into the goodie bags that were given out on Sunday, so everyone knew we had a well planned talk in mind. We got apologies as well as compliments on how we’d handled things considering. Our talk was one of the most commented on plus the fact I’m pretty sure both of us were invited back. I know I was.

And while it wasn’t the best experience, it gave me more of working outside my comfort zone and practice on being flexible. In my honest opinion, every author needs a little of both since there are days the writing life isn’t like we planned.

BIO:

Award winning author Lynn Crain has done it all in her life. From nursing to geology, her life experiences have added to her detail rich stories. She loves writing full time as she weaves contemporary, fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales, tame to erotic, for various publishers. Her home is in the desert southwest though her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband of many years as he works his dream job. You can find her on the web at www.lynncrain.blogspot.com. She loves hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.

Blue Moon Magic

One father.

Two mothers.

Four siblings.

One incredible story about that special night which changes them all. Forever.

Finding his true family, is one thing. Wanting something he couldn’t have another.

Night of the Blue Moon ~ Book 3 Blue Moon Magic Series

Blurb: All his life he felt he hadn’t belonged but it wasn’t until Clarity Langford appeared did he know the truth of it. Once that truth was revealed there was no going back for Connor Angus, only forward. He discovers he is the long thought dead son of pack Elite leader, Charles Langford. And with that knowledge comes a family full of sisters, mystery and longing for things he’s not sure he has any right to obtain and one of those things is Cordelia Sinclair.

PURCHASE Link:

Amazon US ~ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VN4EPLM

Matrix Crystal Hunters and Gardening

I love gardening and planting things in pots that bloom and growing tomatoes are two of my favorite things.

So is taking photos of blooms as you can see from the following pictures.

Climbing Jasmine from the arch over my gate

Bush type snapdragon

Aztec Lilly

I live in the country in a almond orchard. The blooms are amazing. Here’s some photos taken early in March.

Bees boxes and some blooms

Almond blooms against the sunset and clouds

Almond blooms against the sunset

A row of almond trees in bloom (and one of my walking areas)

I have two sets of advice for gardening. If you have problems with your back or hands, don’t let it stop you from gardening. You can always plant your garden in pots. Flowers do amazing in pots, so do tomatoes and a lot of other veggies.

The second piece of advice is if you have a heirloom verity tomato you want to save or another one that you favor, there is a easy way to save the seed. Squeeze out some of the seed out on a napkin, smear it out flat and allow it to dry, then store in a zip lock (or similar) bag or a jar. When you’re ready to plant, tear off the seed and plant it into a peat pot or small pot. Water and watch it grow.

My last tomato from my potted garden. Picked in December.

I also mention flowers in one of my books, Matrix Crystal Hunters.

Team Alpha Three’s spaceship is out of power after fighting a wormhole, and parked on the primitive world of Zenevieva. With half the team sick from radiation poisoning, the team commander entrust geologist, Maya Gladstone, to find enough matrix crystals to power up their spacecraft, so they can go home to Earth.
Vach Namaste of the powerful Clan Namaste, a native of the planet, has desire the lovely Maya since she stepped off the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. He’s hounded her every step since. As Hymeneal Night approaches, he makes plans to take her as his bride… willing or not.

Garden excerpt:

They walked through another gate which led to an orchard. “What do you think of Vach?”
Maya smiled. “That’s a loaded question.”
“Is it?” The old woman looked at her.
“Yes. He’s persistent, stubborn, smart-mouthed and arrogant.”
“Yet you say all that with a smile on your face,” the old woman said, giving Maya a shrewd look.
“Yeah, well, he can be awfully charming too.” Maya gave a little laugh.
The old woman chuckled. “Yes, my grandson does have a way about him.”
“Yes, he does.” She looked at the older woman. “About the matrix crystals—”
“Let me ask you a question instead.” Grandmother pointed out a field filled with huge, bright red blossoms. “These are treacle flowers. We collect the nectar, then allow it to dry so we can use it as a sweetener. You enjoyed that in your tea today.”
Maya admired the flowers. “I’ve heard of treacle flowers before.”
“Have   you   heard    of    the    treacle   flower’s pollinator?”
She shook her head. “Uh, no, I haven’t.”
“There’s a type of lizard that pollinates the flowers. They lick up the nectar, but they receive spots of pollen right here.” She touched the middle of Maya’s forehead. “If we allow the lizards to pollinate the flowers, they’ll lap up all the nectar and we’ll have none. But if we ring off the field with sulfur crystals, they don’t come near the flowers and we get the nectar.”
Maya looked for the ditch and sulfur crystals, and soon spotted them. “How do you pollinate the flowers then?”
“We don’t. We use the seeds from another field that we allowed to be pollinated.”
Maya frowned. “How is this connected to the matrix crystals?”
“I’ll think about it.” The canny old woman turned to enter the house.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Matrix Crystal Hunters is available:

US Kindle

UK Kindle

Nook

Smashwords

Protecting Your Brand -- Should You Follow Your Muse Even if it Takes you Through the Genre Jungle?

Let's face it, as an author, brand is everything. I would even venture to say that brand is everything to readers too, because without it, they have no idea what they're getting when they buy a book from their favorite author. For example, if you love a great erotic paranormal and New York Times bestselling author Iamsexy Allthetime is an auto buy for you, you might be a bit disconcerted when you by Iamsexy's latest release and discover that it's a Christian Young Adult mystery.

There's no question that, as authors, we should nurture our brand and keep it safe and uncluttered. However, what if you have several genres dancing around in your head? What if you try to stick to one genre and your writing begins to suffer because your heart's just not in it anymore? What if you get bored and start viewing the writing as a chore? Will your readers notice? Will your brand suffer?

You bet. They'll notice and your brand will suffer.

While it's important to create a consistent brand that readers can count on, it's also important that you keep the fun in the writing because if you lose that sense of fun and adventure, you might eventually figure it's just not worth doing anymore. More than a few authors have found themselves in this trap, where the writing felt too much like work. Some of these authors have given up as a result and are no longer writing.

I know what you're thinking. Writing is a job. It should feel like work. I actually disagree that it's a job. It's a career. But it's also a creative endeavor. And being creative it needs to include some element of magic...some sense of adventure...or you'll lose it altogether. Just as negativity can kill a muse faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidotious, so can boredom.

So what's a multi-genre-at-heart author to do? Write what your muse (and your heart) tell you to write. Show some restraint, of course. Don't write every genre and every age group or you'll even start confusing yourself, but do give yourself some leeway so you'll continue to enjoy your craft. If you write suspense, try your hand at a little science fiction or paranormal if you feel like it. You write paranormal? Try writing historical. If you feel like writer's block is taking over your life, maybe branch out and play with another genre for a while. Get the joy back in your writing.

A side benefit is that you'll probably improve your writing. By stretching that writing muscle you'll strengthen it. And, sure, you might muddy your brand a bit...but a brand won't mean anything if you stop writing because you begin to hate what you're doing. And, who knows, you might discover that a lot of your readers are happy to take the new journey with you!

Happy writing everybody!

Where Miss Fortune meets Miss Chance

Miss Felicity Chance’s father is missing, and her sexy PI Calford Amity thinks he’s found him. Together, they follow a trail of gold coins to Sinful, Louisiana, where a homeless guy named Bayou Bubba turns up dead with an alligator tooth in his hand and a gold coin between his teeth. Is Bubba Miss Chance’s long lost father? Or will the mystery of his disappearance suck her down into the bogs of the Bayou, and ruin her favorite purse?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Miss-Fortune-Series-Novella-ebook/dp/B00TP4S5RC






Bubba Dub Dub, three crooks in a tub, and only enough scratch for two!

Felicity Chance returns to Sinful looking for a message from her father. Following a trail of clues
Felly hopes will help her find him, she enlists the invaluable…and distracting…aid of Swamp Team 3. Unfortunately their search is complicated by the usual things—Carter and new mayor Celia Arceneaux have made it their mission to keep a close eye on Swamp Team 3 plus 1. The team also finds itself running from the Russian Mafia as well as the local bad guys. Will Felly and the Swamp Team find her father before all the bad guys do? Or will she get bogged down by the swamp, and sucked into the muck of her father’s shady past?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Miss-Fortune-Series-Novella-ebook/dp/B010C8PK90

7 Authors – 7 Divas – not by @DarylDevore #RB4U #Romance

I had the pleasure of being asked to join a group of authors to create a box of crash romance stories. Each story starts with a plane crash and ends with a Happily Ever After. Simple, right? Not exactly. More like terrifying. Look at the quality of the authors I'd been selected to be with. I had to put on my big girl panties and get down to work.

Seven authors can easily have 7 different and delicate egos, but not once was there any serious drama in the group. Everyone was professional and supportive. If someone had a "silly" question, no one mocked them, just helped answer the problem. When asked where everyone wanted to be placed in the lineup – 6 responses were anywhere. Mine was, “I'll go first.” I had an idea how to prep the whole concept with a replica crash report and it needed to go first. People have stepped up in organizing blogs, a Thunderclap campaign, a Facebook event and other promotional items. So this anthology is truly written by seven authors – not a diva in the crowd.

Now, how does this tie into a July theme here on RB4U. Two words – beach scene. Five of the crash romances happen on tropical islands. Which is an interesting story in itself. When D'Ann Lindun and Brenda Dyer came up with the idea of the box set all the stories were supposed to originate from one plane crash. Each author scurried off to their writing gave and dug in to creating their story. Someone asked a question on our Facebook page and it turned out 6 people had 6 different versions of the crash and Jenna moved the crash to England – which I will concede is an island, but not tropical. I had the plane breaking up after crashing on a coral reef, the front end sinks first and the back end sinks in a storm. Another author had the back end sinking right away. Another author…well, you get the idea.

After a moment's panic, our fabulous leader, D'Ann said – pick your location and go. And we did. We wrote these stories over the past winter, which I will say was one of the worst where I live in Ontario. My hero, Guy, even thinks about that.

Guy smiled. Those palm trees along the shoreline looked a lot better than the massive, dirty snow banks back home. And the sea breeze rustling his hair was like a warm embrace, not like a hard slap of the brutal Ontario winds in January.  

But it is the love affairs that bloom as the couples struggle for survival among the palm trees, sea views and long sandy beaches. There is just something about a beach that seems to bring out the romance; even in a difficult situation as a crash.

Seven planes lift off…seven planes crash…seven stories of struggle, passion and love in the barren Canadian Wilderness, the coast of England, or the steamy heat of a tropical island. Romance hangs in the balance between survival and death.

Brace for Impact by Daryl Devoré. What could be simpler than a routine plane trip from Toronto, Canada to Caracas, Venezuela for rookie flight attendant, Lori, and sexy R.C.M.P. officer, Guy Lapierre? But Fate had other intentions.

Crashing into You by Lisa Kumar When Ashlee Trent meets handsome businessman Kaiden West on a plane to Australia, he eases her fears even as he sets her heart ablaze. But after their plane crashes into the ocean and they wash ashore, will the secrets surrounding him send their budding relationship into a nosedive?

Crash and Burn by Melissa Keir Can Rob and Keira's second honeymoon lead to romance, or will it crash and burn? On the verge of a divorce, Rob and Keira Matthews book a second honeymoon at the urging of their counselor. Unable to conceive, they've pushed each other away in an effort to protect their hearts. Will a romantic holiday be the ticket to love or a plane crash in disaster??

Crashing Through Time by Jenna Jaxon The most dangerous thing about time travel is knowledge of the past: does she save him and change history, or let the tragic events play out and lose the love of her life?
More than hearts can be broken when you crash through time. 

Love Comes Crashing In by Brenda Dyer Best friends find love in each other's arms, but can that love survive reality.

Falling Hard by D'Ann Lindun He craves solitude to forget what a woman did to him. She needs one last chance before her career ends. Can a plane crash in the Canadian Rockies show them what really matters?

and A Splash of Romance by Deb Julienne Hannah Parks is a trauma nurse on her way to a symposium at the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. She just started her bucket list and a plane crash definitely isn't on it. Oliver Lawson's divorce is almost final and he's looking to start over. A tropical island, a gorgeous woman, and romance is one thing, getting there as a result of a crash landing...who knew?

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

Print Copy

BEACH BLANKET BINGO

Remember that movie, Beach Blanket Bingo? I decided to title this article after the movie because it’s a cool title. The July theme is ruby, larkspur and beaches. I live in a beach state, with one of the best beaches in the country, Rehoboth. Growing up, my family always took vacations down the Jersey Shore. My family preferred the New Jersey beaches to the ones in our state. It’s easier to get to the Jersey Shore from where I live than to our own beaches because of the traffic. There are many ways to get to the Jersey Shore from my house, and only one way to get to the Delaware beaches from here. We say we’re going “down the Shore,” meaning New Jersey, and “to the beach,” meaning Delaware. I met my husband at the Jersey Shore in a bar in Margate.  

Thinking about beaches got me musing about all those silly but fun movies with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. No beach I ever went to was anything like the ones where these movie characters frolicked. The movies and the times were so innocent then, unlike the wild, “Animal House” atmosphere at the Jersey Shore in the early 1970’s where I spent many a weekend partying. Snooki and the gang from the TV show Jersey Shore were amateurs compared to my friends and me.

Back on point, here’s Rolling Stones’ list of eight classic beach movies. Agree? Disagree?

Gidget, release date April 10, 1959, starring Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson, and James Darren. It’s a story about a teenager’s initiation into the California surf culture and her romance with a young surfer. 

Beach Party, August 7, 1963, starring Robert Cummings (I love him, so handsome), Dorothy Malone, Frankie Avalon, and Annette Funicello, in her first feature outside of Disney films. Bob Cummings plays a professor who rents a place at the beach to study the sexual habits of teens. Frankie and Annette are just looking for fun.

Muscle Beach Party, March 25, 1964, also starring Frankie and Annette. This movie marks the screen debut of “Little Stevie Wonder.”

Ride the Wild Surf, August 5, 1964, starring, among others, Barbara Eden, Tab Hunter, and Fabian. Men’s Journal lists this as one of the 15 best surfing movies of all time.

Beach Blanket Bingo, April 14, 1965, starring Annette and Frankie, with, among others, Paul Lynde and Don Rickles. Can you say hilarious?

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, July 14, 1965, starring Annette again, and Dwayne Hickman. Frankie’s character is supposedly in Tahiti for the Navy in this one. I think the title says it all.

Back to the Beach, August 7, 1987, starring a young Lori Loughlin. They lured Annette and Frankie back for this one, but I think their time was long over.

Psycho Beach Party, August 4, 2000, with a young Amy Adams. Early 60’s values collide with a slasher film in this adaptation of the Broadway hit of the same name.

There you have it. I’ve never been a big fan of the beach party movies, but they are fun.

I’ve set several of my short stories and novellas at the Jersey Shore and the Delaware beaches. Storm of Desire, a sizzling, multi-award-winning novella, is set during a January nor’easter on Fenwick Island, Delaware. Loving or Nothing, a multi-award-winning sensuous novella, is set at a Jersey Shore town I named Loving, which is really a stand-in for Margate.

Storm of Desire:

"The storm outside is nothing compared to the storm of desire and guilt raging between former lovers trapped together." 

Corporate attorney Samantha Greco needs some peace and quiet to come to a decision about her career. Instead, while an icy nor’easter rages outside, she finds herself trapped in a cottage on Fenwick Island with Aiden Rourke, a man she used five years ago when she ran from the heartbreak of her fiancé’s betrayal. 

Aiden Rourke has loved Sam for years. For one glorious night she was his. But then she fled, wounding his ego and his heart. Thrown together again, they soon discover time hasn’t diminished their fiery passion for each other. Only Aiden has ever been able to melt Sam with just a look or a touch. But the fear that she’s like her mother, who used men mercilessly, scares Sam to death. 

The storm outside is nothing compared to the storm of desire, fear, and guilt raging inside Sam. But during their wild weekend together, Sam and Aiden draw closer and realize their all-consuming passion for each other masks deeper needs and desires. 

When the storm ends, will they go their separate ways? Or will they find the courage to face the future together as one? 

2013 Winner, Second Place Novella Category, Gulf Coast Silken Sands Star Contest! 

2013 Winner, Fourth Place Short Contemporary Romance, OKRWA International Digital Awards Contest! 

http://www.amazon.com/Storm-of-Desire-ebook/dp/B007TQKKYO/?tag=carmaraut-20

Loving Or Nothing:

A secret crush. Two wounded hearts. A sizzling tale of love, hope and redemption. 

No stranger to loss, Tami Morrelle is holding on with one satiny thread to the only thing she has left that ties her to her loved ones – the family bridal shop. 

Local bad boy Daniel Ramsey is back in town and on a mission – to turn Tami’s world upside down any way he can. 

Daniel needs Tami’s beachfront home and business to complete his crowning achievement as a successful developer. His latest proposal hinges on buying former high school classmate Tami’s land to make it happen. More importantly, it will show those in Loving who were convinced he’d amount to less than nothing they were dead wrong about him. 

For Daniel, it’s Loving or nothing. For Tami, selling out to Daniel will leave her with nothing. But when the ruthless developer and sentimental bridal shop owner clash, sparks fly. 

A secret crush. Two wounded hearts. Will Daniel and Tami be willing to give up what they think they need and open their hearts to what really matters in Loving? 

2012 Gulf States Silken Sands Star Contest Third Place Winner 

2012 Best Indie Book Award Semi-Finalist

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LQ99U0/?tag=carmaraut-20

To sign up for my newsletter, with a movie/TV review and recipe in every issue, please visit my website: www.caramarsi.com 

Guest Blog by RENEE VINCENT: The Perfect Beach Read

Reading on the beach is one of my favorite things to do. There’s nothing like basking in the warm sun (with the appropriate level of SPF, of course) and hearing the perpetual sound of ocean waves rushing the sandy shore, with a great book in your hand (or on your ereader.)

I have several go-to authors when it comes to beach reads: there’s Macy Beckett, Lori Foster, Debbie Macomber, and my favorite, the amazing Kristan Higgins.

But did you know, I’ve written a few great beach reads myself? That’s right! I dare you to try my Jamett & Joseph series on for size. Here’s a few excerpts from each of the books in the series.

I hope you enjoy them so much that you’ll grab this lighthearted, hilarious series the next time you’re headed to the beach!

Excerpt from THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords | ARe

“Joseph,” I said, taking a shot at gaining his attention. When he rolled his head in my direction, he looked at me with the most sincere, pleading eyes. I swallowed, trying to disregard how intense they were when his gaze fell over me. “You’re safe in your bedroom now. Just lie down.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, and collapsed on the mattress.

I assisted him with hoisting his legs up and removing his shoes and tie. Again, weakling that I am, I thought of taking off his shirt, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I pulled the thick duvet over his body and smiled down at him.

One last time, I took this moment to marvel at his raw handsomeness. I doubted I would ever get this chance again. We were on different playing fields, and a guy like him would never be interested in a girl like me.

I touched his face with the back of my fingers and lightly stroked his cheek, never thinking he’d feel it. Evidently, he wasn’t as numb as I thought. He opened his eyes and stared at me.

“Jamie,” I heard him whisper, though his lips barely moved.

I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned closer so I could hear him. “Yeah?”

“She broke m’ heart.”

Caroline again. Back to Caroline. That woman didn’t deserve as much reflection and consideration as she was getting from this man. I tried my best to comfort him. “I know she did. And I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“S’okay now,” he mumbled. “Yer here.”

His choice of words threw me. They always say drunk men are honest men, but did my simple presence actually bring Joseph comfort? I contemplated the idea a little longer and eventually came to the conclusion I was putting way too much emphasis on a plastered man’s inarticulate remarks. Come morning, he’d have no recollection of this night or what he said to me.

I patted his chest—wow, it was solid—and went back to placating him. “Go to sleep, Joseph. It’ll all be better in the morning.”

“Stay wit’ me…”

I froze. No sooner than I heard his words, I felt his hand rest at the small of my back. Through my T-shirt, I felt the heat of his palm and all five pressure points of his fingertips. His touch ignited feelings I had buried long ago. We locked eyes, and for the span of a few breaths, had I been breathing at all, we both seemed to consider the offer.

Excerpt from THE ROAD TO SOMETHING BETTER:

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“You ready to watch that movie now—” was all he had time to say before the stream of pressurized water hit him in the stomach. ”What the—!” He lunged to shut off the faucet. “I’m soaked.”

I laughed like there was no tomorrow.

Standing there with a huge wet spot on his coveralls, he looked at me as if he couldn’t believe I would do such a thing. “You think that’s funny?”

“Yes, I do.” I was so tickled I could barely talk. Who would ever think I could be so diabolical.

He shook his head. “No willpower, huh?”

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. You so deserved this and you know it.”

“It’s possible.”

With a look that would stop traffic, he reached up and unzipped his coveralls, revealing the warm smooth skin of his bare chest. With careful precision, he peeled the wet fabric from his shoulders, one by one, and stepped out of his coveralls.

My mouth dropped open. I did not expect him to be shirtless beneath his work attire. His jeans hung low on his narrow waist and the ripple of washboard abs rose like hard waves toward a perfect pair of pecs. His shoulders were broad. His biceps naturally bulged as his thumbs sank casually into the front of his pockets. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought he was a Greek god who’d stepped straight out of a marble statue in the middle of my kitchen.

I swallowed hard.

This wasn’t the first time I’d seen him half-clothed, for we’d met this way in the hallway when he stood in nothing but a towel. But this was even better. He was within my reach, within the privacy of my own home.

Shirtless.

Yeah. This was way better.

Eat your heart out, Caroline.

Excerpt from THE GIFT OF S SOMETHING GRAND:

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“Why am I in your bed? Think again, Sutherland. You’re in mine.”

Joseph Scarbrough’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. My eyes scanned the room. I fell asleep in a mint green room last night and woke up this morning in a blue one. I was, indeed, in his bed.

But how’d I get in here? Did he really beckon for me in the middle of the night and I succumbed? I wouldn’t do that. Would I?

I watched him run his fingers through his bedhead crop of hair. His bare chest looked richly appealing against the crisp white sheets. I now cursed my overactive imagination because now was not the time to be weak.

“Seriously, Joseph. Why am I in this room?”

“Hell, if I know.” He propped himself up on one elbow. “It was about four in the morning when you came in, and I was too tired to care.”

“Oh, my gawd! I sleep walked?” Sheer panic tightened its vise around my heart. What if I had also talked in my sleep? What if I said things to him? Things that my heart felt which I’d never divulge this soon in a relationship. Scratch that. I didn’t want to know. I just needed to get away.

I jumped from the bed and took the covers with me. “I can’t believe I did this. I’m so sorry.” Brisk air met my bare legs, and I fumbled to cover them with the blankets. I knew I should’ve slept in my own pants and not just the oversized T-shirt Joseph had given me. “Why didn’t you kick me out?”

Joseph’s eyes sparkled like sunlight over a rippling river. His devious smile played havoc with my good sense. “Yeah, ’cause that’s what we men do. We wine and dine women in hope you’ll climb into bed with us—just so we can kick you out.”

I heard his quiet laughter as I hustled toward the door. He leapt from the bed in his boxer briefs—at least I didn’t have to wonder anymore—and caught me before I could make it across the threshold.

“Hey, you don’t have to be sorry. Trust me, I didn’t mind.”

* * * *

RENEE VINCENT is a bestselling Contemporary & Historical Romance author who also pens humorous, sweet contemporary romance (with a smidgen of spunk) under the name GRACIE LEE ROSE.

From the daunting, charismatic Vikings, to the charming, brazen Alpha male heroes of modern day, readers will be whisked away to a world filled with fast-paced adventure, unforgettable romance, and undying love.

Her books have earned numerous accolades, including #1 Amazon Bestseller for Viking Romance, countless 5 Star TOP PICKS by Night Owl Reviews, a "5 Hheart Sweetheart" Award by The Romance Studio, a "Best Book of the Year 2011" nomination from Long And Short Reviews, and a Readers Choice Award for "Best of TMP 2012."

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