Bedding the Highlander by Sabrina York HOLT Medallion Finalist!

I am delighted to announce that Bedding the Highlander has been selected as a finalist in the HOLT Medallion Contest!

What makes the HOLT unique is it's purpose of reflecting the actual marketplace. Judging panels are comprised only of avid romance readers who participate with enthusiasm and sincerity. They are looking for a good read, a book they would buy and an author they would follow. Their judging decisions reflect these inclinations. No editors, agents or writers are eligible to judge.

BEDDING THE HIGHLANDER

Only a Scot can steal her heart.

There’s nothing ladylike about Katherine Killin. She’s a spitfire who cannot be tamed. To rid himself of her, and to honor a truce set by the Duke of Glencoe, her father agrees to wed her to his clan’s mortal enemy, Ben Rannoch. But when Katherine meets the enticingly masculine Kurt Rannoch, brother of her betrothed, she suddenly craves domination.

BookShots Flames

• Original romances presented by JAMES PATTERSON
• Novels you can devour in a few hours
• Impossible to stop reading

READ A SCORCHING EXCERPT!

It was a glorious ride. Kate wanted to throw out her arms, turn her face to the downpour, and revel in the moment. Racing across the lea with Kirk, warm and strong behind her, was magnificent.

She’d always loved storms and the savage beauty of nature. It made her feel one with the world. Alive. But there had never been a more exhilarating tempest than this.

She could taste the acrid scent of lightning on her tongue, feel the crackle of its energy in her hair. Danger stalked them, and it excited her.

But something else did too.

An enormous, muscled man, held her tightly, breathing against her neck in harsh pants. The movement of their bodies against each other created a friction as they rode in manic union. The damp heat of the plaid conjoined them and an earthy scent rose between them.

Ah, it was splendid.

It was nearly a disappointment when it ended, when he slowed and guided the horse to an outcropping protruding from the rocky tor.

And then, he slid from the horse, leaving her alone and suddenly cold. When she frowned at him as he reached up for her, he stilled. “Are you all right, lassie?”

“Aye,” she said, setting her hands on his broad shoulders and allowing him to ease her down. Lord, he was large. So hard and strong. So…tantalizing with his fierce expression. She didn’t bother to hide her shudder.

“You’re freezing,” he said in a low, feral growl.

She was not. She was on fire.

The thrill of the manic ride, the exhilaration of their near disaster, and the pure elation of life and living pulsed in her veins. Which was why she stepped toward him, rather than stepping away. Why she reached up and cupped his nape. Why she tugged him down and whispered, “You saved me.”

And she kissed him.

Surely she intended it only to be a kiss of gratitude, one of pure and simple thanks. It was meant to be quick and passionless and chaste.

Perhaps she had been deluding herself, because she fiercely wanted, to the depth of her being, to taste him.

Glory. It was a mind-numbing kiss. It began as a brush of her lips against his. But then, transfixed by the flavor of his breath, the velvet caress of his mouth, she lingered. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tightened. She eased closer and sealed them together from chest to groin.

Though he allowed this familiarity, she could tell he was resisting the urge to kiss her back. His muscles bunched, he arched away.

The thought annoyed her so she tipped her head and deepened the kiss, pressing her tongue between his lips.

He made a sound, something like a growl, and he broke the kiss completely.

In a rush, he whipped her into his embrace and backed her against the wall. She loved his power, the heat of his muscles, his raging passion. But even more, she loved that he did not give rein to his savagery.

Even now, as he consumed her in a series of hungry kisses, he held back. Refrained from crushing her against the granite tor.

With a growl, he reared back and stared at her. “Lass, you tempt me,” he said in a gravely tone.

She tried to hold back her smile, and failed.

“We canna do this.”

Ah, her mood plummeted. And the least of her despair was her plot to scuttle the wedding to his brother. Her body hummed with a desire she’d never experienced before. It was a soul-deep yearning. A need.

To her surprise, he chuckled, and that irked her. “What is so funny?” she snapped. Did he not know how she ached?

“Lass, lass.” He stroked her hair and cupped her cheek in an attempt to soothe her. She scowled at him. He would have to do better than that. Yet what did he do? He chuckled again and pulled her into his arms, though she remained stiff. “I have work to do before we play,” he murmured. He said this in a teasing tone, one that indicated there would indeed be more kissing. More of…everything.

GET IT NOW: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bedding-Highlander-Bookshots-Flames-Sabrina/dp/0316466972/

Guest Spotlight: Lexi Post and On Highland Time!

Welcome Lexi Post!

Tell us a little about the kinds of romance you write.

I write sensuous romance inspired by the classics, but since each classic inspires something different, I write Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi Romance, Military Romance and Contemporary Cowboy romance. My paranormal runs the gambit from Time Travel like On Highland Time and Passion of Sleepy Hollow to ghosts or spirits like my Christmas Carol Series or immortals like in Heart of Frankenstein. For my cowboy series I have everything from a horse rescue ranch to a nudist resort with trail riding!

How did your writing career begin?

I started writing romance a long time ago for fun, but didn’t take it seriously until 2007. I was first published in 2013 and went full time when I moved back to the mainland in 2015. I was a literature major and later a professor, but the problem with great classic literature is that it almost always has a sad ending. I have loved the happily ever afters of romance since I was a teenager, so I decided to meld the two together. My first published romance, Masque, was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death,” and was actually my 4^th completed manuscript. I don’t retell classic stories. I take elements from them and write new ones.

Are you indie, traditional or hybrid?

I’m hybrid. I currently write for Entangled and I indie publish.

Philosophies or epiphanies on writing or reading you’d like to share?

I love every aspect of writing from the joy of watching the story unfold in the first draft to the adding and cutting of revisions to the wordsmithing during editing. I think it’s why most authors write; they love to tell a story. And why do we write romance? I think it’s because we have a deep-seated belief that good will always win over evil and that love is what makes life worth living.

What I have learned from my readers is that my romance novels can help them through tough life experiences by giving them a break from reality and letting their mind and bodies get away, relax, and enjoy. They’ve also taught me many other things such as why they read certain genres or why they read the number of romances they do. I think sometimes when people write or speak, they are so busy trying to get their point across that they forget about the person on the other end. In my opinion, it is all about my audience, and in this case, that’s my readers.

What advice would you give new writers?

Learn the craft. Writing is not easy, especially fiction. I discovered it’s completely different from writing press releases, grant proposals or white papers. Workshops, webinars and conferences where a new writer can learn about point of view, characterization, world building and that all important motivation, goal and conflict, is the best investment into a writing career. Also, don’t forget we only get one chance to make a good first impression and every book that is published is a first impression to someone.

Favorite snack while writing? 

Tea. I drink tea all day. English breakfast in the morning and a rooibos or decaf Early Grey the rest of the day. About twice a week I make a chai latte at home that I just love! However, on Sundays, I eat all the sweets I’ve been craving during the week. I usually start off with my homemade ice cream for breakfast, then snack on candy bars, cookies, and cake until my husband makes me a nice fattening dinner. Between you and me, I usually go to bed with a stomach ache. LOL.

What is your superpower?

I’d have to say my ability to sit still. I know, doesn’t sound exciting, but it does help me stay in my desk chair and write. I tell my friends I’m a portrait artist’s dream. Hah! If I could choose any superpower, it would be to have the ability to travel through space and time. I’m fascinated by what other life there is in the universe.

What do you do for exercise?

I have a weight bench and workout at least twice a week and do my ab rolls every other day, but what I love to do the most is line dance. Actually, any kind of dancing (except the chicken dance) is my cup of tea, so to speak. I do take line dance classes right now, but I’ve also taken waltz, fox trot, country couples dance, two-step, ballet, square dancing, jazz, and Scottish country dancing. Yes, I do coerce my husband to go with me most of the time. Luckily, he’s a great dancer.

What is your spirit animal?

I would say a cat. I’ve never not had one. I’m pretty in tune with them. My last kitty lived until she was 21 years-old. My current cat, Giz, and I have a symbiotic relationship of sorts. He keeps me on schedule, making me get up, walk him on his leash every morning, and makes sure I take time to destress by giving him cuddles. Since he’s 15lbs of fur, he’s a great hugger. He also meows at me to go to bed, even though he doesn’t join me until after I’m asleep. Yes, we understand each other.

What color is your aura?

I have no idea, but I hope it’s something bright and upbeat. I just love bright colors and yellow is my favorite. I tend to be a positive person and since I have an awesome life, I’m pretty happy.

Tell us about your latest release!

On Highland Time is the first book of Time Weavers, Inc., a company that uses evolved female time travelers to go back in history and change it back to the way it originally happened before the Disruptors played with it. In this first book, Diana Montgomery must go back to Medieval Scotland to ensure a minor Laird dies as he originally did. The only problem is, while with the small MacPherson clan, she falls in love with him. She’s faced with a killer choice, save mankind’s future or save the man she loves.

This story, though inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s Narrative poem “The Lady of the Lake,” is a combination of paranormal, historical and time travel. I look at it as the X-men staff a Quantum Leap to Medieval Scotland.

Amazon https://amzn.to/2KGZe7K

Barnes and Noble  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-highland-time-lexi-post/1128615954?ean=9781640635487

iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/on-highland-time/id1381439981?mt=11

Kobo  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/on-highland-time

 Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lexi_Post_On_Highland_Time?id=7i9ZDwAAQBAJ

Author bio & Social Media links

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two loves, romance and the classics. From hot paranormals to sizzling cowboys to hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her cat in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you will never see her without a hat.

Website

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Giveaways?

A Sterling Silver and Amethyst Thistle Necklace from Scotland and a $25 Amazon Card.
Enter Here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554951253/?

Corralling Kenzie by Joanne Jaytanie

Visit my website to find out more

Corralling Kenzie, book four of Winters Sisters series, was my first win in the Chanticleers International book awards. Corralling Kenzie won Paranormal in 2016. I wrote the first draft of this book during NANO. I've yet to repeat that feat.

Excerpt:

Kenzie was closing the distance to the horse when something shot past her face. A blur of motion off to her left and something huge knocked her to the ground. A massive body crushed her into the mud and knocked the air out of her lungs. Her instincts kicked in and she thrashed her arms and kicked her legs. Nearly breathless, she refused to give in and continued squirming and trying to get away.

“Stop struggling,” growled the strange man. “Kenzie. Stop. I’m trying to keep you from getting shot or worse—killed,” he hissed.

She froze at the use of her name. Who was this man and how did she know him? She got a glimpse of light brown hair. She’d never seen him before in her life, and yet something tugged at her deepest memories.

The stranger jumped up, yanking Kenzie with him.

“This way,” he commanded.

“I’m not going anywhere with you!”

Another bullet whizzed past her shoulder.

“We don’t have time for this. You need to do what I say, if you want to live to see tomorrow.”

“How do I know this person is shooting at me? I have no idea who you are and for all I know, they’re really trying to shoot you.”

He started to run and dragged her along with him. “Answer me this. Do you really think I would try and rescue you, if I was the one being shot at? Sane people would put as much distance between themselves and the shooter, the hell with any bystanders.”

He picked Kenzie up, threw her over his shoulder, and took off at an inhuman pace. He dropped down a shallow ridge and laid her down beside him. She attempted to get up and he yanked her back down.

“What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” the man snarled.

“Listen, buster, for all I know, you’re trying to kill me, too.”

“Jesus, you are as stubborn as you always were. I’m not the one trying to hurt you.”

She rubbed at her sore arm.

“Sorry about your arm. You were being bullheaded. Don’t you know who I am?”

She squinted and studied him. The planes of his face, the shape of his grey eyes, they reminded her of—Father. No, that’s impossible. It can’t be, can it? “Marcus?”

“Yes,” he replied. His features remained stoic.

“It can’t be. Where were you all these years? Why haven’t you contacted me? Why didn’t you come home? Mom and Dad said you were dead!”

I'm excited to be working on book five in this series and plan to release it later this year. 

I'm currently in edits for book one in my new romantic suspense three book series: Salvaging Truth, Hunters & Seekers series.

Until next month...

Joanne

Get to know Bonnie Phelps today on the #RB4U Blog! @bonniephelps15

Welcome to Romance Books 4 Us, a place for all romance and all genres. We’re very happy to have you here with us today. First, tell us a little bit about yourself…

Please tell us a little about yourself...

I thought it might be fun to share answers to some wacky – and not so wacky – questions to help you get to know me a little better. 

1) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why? I think I’d like to be sunrise salmon. Wouldn’t it be great to be the promise of a new day, new beginnings, and the color that welcomes people to what could be?

2) A penguin walks through your door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here? Ready to cha-cha, chica? I have a secret desire to be a ballroom dancer – no talent but lots of enthusiasm – so of course, this mysterious penguin is there to ask me to dance.

 3) Are you a morning person or night owl? I’m a morning person. I wake up and my mind is buzzing with plans for the day.

4) What states have you lived in? California (born and raised), Arizona (6 months), New Mexico (3.5 years), Florida panhandle (1 year), Massachusetts (3 years), Ohio (3 years), and then back to California. We also lived in South Carolina for a summer. My husband was in the Air Force for almost 12 years and Uncle Sam moved us around a lot.

5) What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Peppermint Stick (Unfortunately it’s only available during the holiday season now) but the fresh-churned peach that we used to make is a close second.
6) Who would win a fight between Spiderman and Batman?

Stupid question. Thor would win. Chris Hemsworth is such a hottie!

7) What is your guilty pleasure? Hiding out and spending the afternoon reading. There are always so many things on my to-do list, that I feel like a slacker when I curl up with one of my favorite authors.

What or who initially inspired you to become a writer?

The easy answer is reading. I jump into whatever I’m reading with both feet and join the action. I’ve been known to give it a different ending by having the characters make different decisions. The longer answer is that I've always made up stories. As an elementary school child my head was filled with stories. I remember creating stories about cowboys, adventure, daring do, and space aliens invading the earth. These stories would play out over and over in my imagination as I experimented with what characters would do as I changed the situations.

What kind of research do you do for a novel and how extensive do you get?

Sometimes it's to learn more about a major theme running through the book and other research revolves around the little things that add color or authenticity. For instance in “My Texas Heart” I researched techniques to stop stuttering, signs and treatment for emotional abuse in children, Texas divorce and child custody proceedings, and California emergency child custody hearings. Not all my research was about heavy topics. I also researched slang phrases people use and either Texas or South Boston, Austin neighborhoods so I can figure out where they live (I also pulled listing photos from real estate site so I have a visual), pre-schools for Chad, companies in Austin to make sure the place josh and Fiona work might actually exist, and motorcycle brands so I picked the perfect one for Josh.

Do real life events find their way into your stories?

My story ideas often start with something I've seen or heard but not any particular real life event. Ideas grow from snatches of conversations, people I've seen, people going about their everyday life, someone I've seen interviewed – then I start wondering what if...

When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?

Any time when I can find a few quiet minutes to put a scene together, but I find an hour before lunch and at least an hour in mid-afternoon works best. Because I tend to start scenes by writing them out by hand I can get words on the page in short periods of time. First thing in the morning is usually devoted to going through email, working on marketing stuff (like blogs social media, and putting together teasers and other graphics).

Do you ever see yourself as the heroine/hero or find yourself relating to them when you write a story?

Maybe there are authors who can divorce themselves from their characters but I suspect the vast majority – myself included – need to put themselves in their characters’ shoes. I have to imagine what they are feeling, thinking, and how they'd react. A little bit of myself is bound to come through.

What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, iPad or the old-fashioned pencil and paper?  And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?

I start with pen and paper to get the creative juices flowing and then as I type this into the computer I revise and keep going until the muse stumbles. Then it's back to pen and paper. As far as the story goes, first step is to write a brief story concept – a few sentences to a short paragraph. After that I develop the main characters by creating a detailed character profile - background, how they see themselves, and how they think they fit into the world. From there I pull out my copy of “The Emotional Wound Thesaurus” by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi to hone in on the hero’s and heroine’s points of conflict and what motivates them to behave the way they do. Finally I create 10 to 20 bullet point ideas of what of what I think could happen during the book. Then I start writing and let the characters decide which ideas work and which don't. The characters also tell me things I didn’t know would happen and insist I put those new plot points in the story or they go on strike.

Share your favorites:

Favorite color – deep rose

Favorite dessert/snack – cake

Favorite Season – Fall

Favorite sad song – Stay With Me by Sam Smith

Favorite Romantic movie – Kate and Leopold

Favorite Actor – Harrison Ford

Favorite Actress – Katherine Hepburn

Favorite way to relax – Toss-up between reading and baking

Where can our readers find you? 

Email: bonnie@bonniephelpsauthor.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bonniephelps15

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonniephelpsauthor/

Website: https://www.bonniephelpsauthor.com/

Blog: https://bonniephelpsauthor.blogspot.com/

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00MSCAR8I

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7238451.Bonnie_Phelps

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bonnie-phelps-a106047e-e723-4fa4-a7e3-9a5e3b230bed

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it?

I just released “My Texas Heart: The Texas Kincaids #3”.

5 Stars: This author has a way of painting beautiful word pictures and creating realistic, endearing characters, and you won’t be disappointed with her work. Amazon Reviewer

Divorced from one woman who put her career ahead of everything – including their young son, Chad – Josh Kincaid isn’t about to make that same mistake twice. If he ever falls in love again, it’s going to be with a woman who puts family first. Chad is the most important thing in Josh’s life and he’ll do whatever it takes to be an active part of his life. But his ex has other plans and painfully shy Josh has to step up and fight for his son.

Feisty and driven, Fiona Reilly has plans. She left home to break away from the expectations that she marry and stay home to raise a passel of children. Nothing wrong with that life – it’s just not for her. Instead, she’s going to make something of herself and build a business to be reckoned with. In no hurry to fall in love, Josh and his adorable son capture her heart, forcing her to choose between her dreams and building the home she didn’t know she wanted.

Love has a way of messing up even the best of intentions…

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRSNRL5

Cat Goddess by Janice Seagraves

In my book science fiction book series, Chronicles of Arcon, I have a cat. Not any cat, but a Goddess. I refer to her as the Arcon's living Goddess. What that means is she is a living creature with special powers that walks amung them. So how is this science fiction and not fantasy? Her people, the old ones, developed right beside the humans and the humans worshiped them.

It was funny too, I had no plans on introducing the Goddess or God of the Arcon race. I acutally kind of thought they didn't worship at all, but I started adding her in and surprised myself.

 Exceprt:

     Snatching up a pine cone, Audrey pitched it over the fence. Something scurried off making the huge ferns move in its wake. Peering over the slats, she didn’t see anything. A squirrel?

And then later:

"Audrey walked down the road and heard a rustle in the brush. Bending forward she peered at whatever it was. A pair of red slanted eyes met her gaze for a moment, and then disappeared. 

"What the heck was that?"

I wonder where I was going with this.

But then later, while Blade and Audrey were talking, it all became clear:

 “The Mother? I heard Keefe swearing by the Mother, a couple of times. Is that your religion?

Do you worship the Mother?” 

Something chuckle in the underbrush. A bird?      

“Yes and no,” Blade said, bringing her attention back to him. “The Mother is the progenitor of our race, and she is the last of her kind.”

     “What do you mean?” A chill run up her back.

     “The Mother gave birth to the first of our species. We made a capsule for her, and then we took her to the stars with us.”

     “Whoa, time out,” she said, making the “T” sigh with her hands. “Are you telling me you’re Goddess, your mother, which your race developed from, is-is a living breathing creature and you brought her here to Earth?” 

     “Yes, why is that so hard to comprehend?”

     “What does she look like?”

     “Paz’s pillow looks somewhat like her.”

     “You mean the pillow that looks like a purple tailess cat?”

And then I had the cat Goddess nailed down.

Read more in Alien Heart.

Alien Heart, the first of a whole new SF series.

https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Heart-Chronicles-Arcon-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0N73OF/

Blurb: Divorcee and single mom, hardworking Audrey Westberry is the host of a cable TV show called Miz Fixit.
Romance was the last thing on Audrey’s mind when two handsome extraterrestrials join the audience of her show.
Soon Audrey finds out a single word “mated” has different meaning when you are born a galaxy away. After a wonderful night of passion, Audrey finds herself far from home, impregnated and her life turned upside down.
Will she ever be able to leave the alien compound, see her son again, or get home in time to film the fall season of her Miz Fixit show?
But what’s a girl to do with two aliens that smell like candy, and their kisses taste like it, too?