~ Hauntingly Handsome Reese Caster from CASTER'S UNFRIENDLY GHOST! ~

Good morning! I'd like you to welcome Reese Caster to the blog this morning, the hero from CASTER'S UNFRIENDLY GHOST.

So, Reese. Let's start off with the basics. What is your occupation?

Surgeon.

Why? My father was a doctor, and I was always impressed by his skill and dedication. But, honestly, the main reason I became a surgeon was because of the money and prestige. It was only after I’d been doing it for a while that I realized the feeling of saving a life, or improving a patient’s life, is worth more than all the money in the world.

What do you see as your strengths & weaknesses? 

My strengths are that I’m successful and intelligent. My weaknesses? I don’t know, maybe I can be a little shallow at times.

How did you meet Emily? 

She worked in admissions at a hospital where I practiced.

What was your first impression of her? 

I thought she was pretty, and she had an odd mixture of vulnerability and strength. I was drawn to her immediately.

What do you like about Emily? 

That she’s smart and funny and kind.

Definitely good traits to have. Caster, what is it that you want out of life? 

I always thought I wanted to be free and have a good time. You know, live for myself. Lately, I’ve been thinking that all seems kind of pointless if I can’t have Emily in my life.

Has life handed you any major disappointments?

I actually handed myself my biggest disappointment. When I was with Emily years ago, things were getting a little too serious, too intense. So, I sort of manufactured a meeting/hook up with my best friend. They ended up getting married.

Tell me about this best friend. 

Joey Tillman was my best friend, but when he married Emily, we drifted apart. It was kind of awkward for him to be with the woman I’d dated, plus, seeing them together wasn’t exactly easy. Then, he died in a plane crash, and I regretted not staying in touch. I managed to lose both my best friend and my girl.

Thank you for your honesty, Caster. Now I'd like to welcome Emily Tillman. We'll start off easy for you, too, Emily. Tell us what your occupation is? 

I’m Administrative Assistant for a large hospital.

Strengths, weaknesses? 

My strengths are that I’m loyal and compassionate.

Weakness? I seem to go for the wrong men. I desperately want a husband and children. I married Joey, and I loved him, but before we could have a family, he tragically died. The man I really gave my heart to is a player, big time, and he will never settle down.

What’s your family like and how does your upbringing affect you now? 

I was an orphan. Raised in foster homes. I had one foster mom who loved me and wanted to adopt me. Before that could happen, she was killed in a car accident. I never found my place in a family, and I think that is part of why I want one of my own so badly now.

Describe Reese. What was your first impression of him? Did it change over time? 

Reese Caster was every woman’s fantasy at the hospital. Sexy, good-looking, successful, charming. But, he was a real playboy. Even knowing that, I couldn’t resist getting involved with him. I was shocked that he gave someone like me the time of day, and I knew better, but I jumped in with both feet. While I originally thought he was nothing but a womanizer, when I got to know the real him, I found that he was very caring. He couldn’t give himself completely to a woman, but he gave all of him, and a little more, to his patients.

Is there anything about Reese that you would consider a flaw? 

Oh, yes. He has his share of flaws. In my eyes, the biggest one is his commitment phobia.

What is it that you want out of life? 

A husband and children, a happy family of my own.

Has life handed you any major disappointments?

My biggest disappointment was when my foster mom, Della died tragically. I was heartbroken, devastated.

Thank you both for joining us this morning! If you'd like to purchase CASTER'S UNFRIENDLY GHOST and find out, as Paul Harvey would say, "the rest of the story," you can find it here:

Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Casters-Unfriendly-Ghost-Hauntings-Garden-ebook/dp/B00NQMV4NQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412516933&sr=8-1&keywords=caster%27s+unfriendly+ghost

Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/casters-unfriendly-ghost-alicia-dean/1120455662?ean=2940150463943

Wild Rose Press:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_177_139&products_id=5840

Blurb ~

A year after her husband’s death, Emily Tillman is ready to start dating again, and hopefully, find what she’s always wanted—marriage and children. But the man who broke her heart five years ago is back. And he’s anything but the marrying kind.

Confirmed bachelor Reese Caster is perfectly content with his life—and he’s finally over Emily, the one woman who almost made him commit. Now, his world is rocked when her dead husband shows up, demanding that Reese pursue Emily to keep her out of the clutches of her latest suitor—a jerk who is only after her money.

Being around Emily again has made Reese reconsider his bachelor life style. But now that the threat of the other man is gone, the pesky ghost wants Reese to break things off. Can he and Emily find the love they were denied, or will the ghost of her dead husband destroy their chances?

Excerpt ~

Caster jerked his arm off his face and shot to his feet. Joey stood in the room—looking the same as he had the last time he’d seen him five years ago; dark, wavy hair, even darker eyes, his usual attire of jeans and a T-shirt—this time a Thunder basketball shirt—that big, shit-eating grin he always wore.

“You’re not real.” Caster shook his head. “This cannot be happening. I’m wasted. I’m imagining things.” Caster kept a litany of denial going until Joey/not Joey held up a hand.

“Let me save us some time. I died in a plane crash a year ago, you came to my funeral. You haven’t seen or spoken to my wife since. I, however, have been keeping an eye on her. She’s about to make a huge mistake, and I need your help to keep that from happening. I’m sure you’ll help me because, in spite of the fact that you pushed the two of us together, you care about Emily, and you don’t want to see her hurt.” Joey moved toward him, and Caster stepped back. “Before we proceed, though, I apparently have to make you see that this is real, that I’m here. Pinch yourself.”

Caster shook his head. “I’m not going to do that. You’re not real.”

“I would pinch you if I could, but I can’t touch people. Only inanimate objects. Guess I’ll have to prove it another way.”

Joey held his arms out to his sides and lifted off the ground. Just hovered there, like a… Ghost. No way in hell…it couldn’t be.

“See, I’m really, truly a ghost. Now, are you ready to hear me out?”

Caster nodded, although he was anything but. He was ready to call the police—or a psych ward.

“I have been unable to move on since my death. My otherworldly mentor—for lack of a better title—told me it was because I can’t rest until Emily is happy. She took my death hard, and now she’s starting to see some dickwad. He’s planning to ask her to marry him, but he only wants her money.”

In spite of the impossibility of the situation, Caster could no longer deny it. Joey Tillman’s ghost was here, in his apartment, asking for a favor. He shook his head. Son of a bitch. “How do you know he only wants her money?”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on him—and her. He’s a greedy bastard. He found out Emily received a large insurance settlement from the insurance company—dying in a plane crash is quite a profitable way to go, FYI—and now he wants to get his hands on that money. He’s had a vasectomy, but he told Emily that he hopes to have children one day. The thing Emily wants most is children. I wasn’t able to give them to her.” He fell silent, cleared his throat, but his voice was still hoarse when he spoke again. “Like I said, he’s tricking her, using her, and I can’t allow that to happen.” He blinked rapidly and pressed his thumb and forefingers into his eyes. “Emily doesn’t deserve that. She’s the best.”

Emily was the best, Caster couldn’t argue with that. “So, where do I come in?” Okay, it was official. He was actually convinced Joey’s ghost was here, and that he needed a favor. Wow.

“I want you to go after her.”

“Go after her? You want me to kill your wife?” Maybe he wanted Emily to join him on the other side?

“No, of course not. I meant, go after her romantically. Sweep her off her feet.”

Caster snorted a laugh. “I thought you didn’t want her with the wrong guy. I’d be worse than the bozo gold digger.”

Joey was nodding before Caster finished speaking. Hell, he didn’t have to agree so vehemently.



Find Alicia here:

Website: http://aliciadean.com/

Blog: http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008364070487

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468339.Alicia_Dean

~ Who Doesn't Love DESPERATE HEARTS? ~

So happy to have author Rosanne Bittner back and to be kicking off her tour for DESPERATE HEARTS! So, without further ado, here's Rosanne!

Hello, romance readers, from Rosanne Bittner! I’m visiting this blog to tell you about my September book, DESPERATE HEARTS (Sourcebooks). It’s my 59th published book and an exciting tale about a Montana vigilante. Mitch Brady falls in love with a young woman who has come to the little gold town of Alder, Montana under mysterious circumstances. Little does this lawman know that Elizabeth Wainright is wanted for murder back in New York City!

I’ve been writing over 30 years and just turned in my 60thbook. I’m an avid lover of America’s magnificent West, its history, its breathtaking landscape, and all the exciting western action that is food for so many plots. I love to take fictitious characters and wrap them into real American history, telling that history through realistic stories that readers remember long after they finish one of my books.

Next up is a reissue of one of my favorite love stories, OUTLAW HEARTS, new cover and all, next June (2015). The very next month a sequel will be published, DO NOT FORSAKE ME. I’ve seen the proposed cover and it’s lavish, harking back to the dramatic and memorable covers of the sweeping historical romances of the 80’s. Many have told me it reminds them of the famous GONE WITH THE WIND poster of Rhett and Scarlett standing on the bridge with Atlanta burning behind them.

You won’t want to miss DO NOT FORSAKE ME, a story of love, forgiveness, redemption and exciting, often gritty, western action, which contains tragedy and triumph – and some very hot love scenes! The first book is about wanted man Jake Harkner and the woman who loves him and becomes his rock. The story covers several years and brings Jake from the depths of despair to the heights of love and acceptance. The sequel involves Jake’s grown son and daughter and a family closeness that will bring both laughter and tears. I love these two stories and am considering a third book.

I have always wanted to write – wrote tons of poems over my early years – my first poem in the 2d grade – my first short story in the 4th grade – but I never tried a full novel until I was 34 years old. I’d read THE PROUD BREED by Celeste de Blasis, and I just said, “I want to write a great love story like that,” and off I went. Another book that impressed me for many years before I ever tried writing books is A LANTERN IN HER HAND, by Bess Streeter Aldrich. What a wonderful story!

One piece of writing advice is something I learned the hard way and something very important for new writers to remember – watch passive voice and be careful of omnipotence – i.e. let the story happen through the characters and don’t sit “above” the story telling the readers what’s happening. Let it all happen through the characters in an active way. By doing so, readers become even more involved in the story and everything seems more real.

My next project is a toss-up between my first full-length contemporary story and/or another historical Indian/white romance that harks back to the sweeping romances of the 80’s.

You can find me all over the internet – Google, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Sourcebooks.com, my web site (www.rosannebittner.com), blog site (www.rosannebittner.blogspot.com, and many other social networking sites and blogs. You can go to my web site and “one-click” on book titles to order them or do the same through Amazon. I always attend the Romantic Times convention, and in 2015 it will be held in Dallas, Texas. I hope I see some of you there! Just go to www.Romantictimes.com to find out more about the convention. I’ll be there with flying colors to push OUTLAW HEARTS and DO NOT FORSAKE ME. I have already held several book signings for DESPERATE HEARTS, but one more is coming up on October 25th in Muskegon, Michigan at Barnes & Noble at 1:00 pm.

Be sure to pick up a copy of DESPERATE HEARTS. It’s a great read, and you’ll fall in love with Mitch Brady!

     

Blurb~

SHE’S A WOMAN WITH A SECRET

Elizabeth Wainwright is on the run. Accused of a murder she didn’t commit, she has no choice but to cut ties with her old life and flee West. The last thing she wants is attention, but when her stagecoach is attacked, she suddenly finds herself under the fierce protection of one of Montana’s famed vigilantes…whether she likes it or not.

HE’S A MAN WITH A CODE

Lawman Mitch Brady is sworn to uphold justice in the wild lands of 1860’s Montana. He’s never met a man he’s feared, and he’s never met a woman more desperately in need of his help. Something’s shaken the secretive Elizabeth, but as he gets to know the beautiful city belle, he finds the only thing he wants more than her safety…is her trust.

Excerpt ~

“I really don’t want to dance,” Elizabeth protested, half yelling above the whooping men and loud piano playing. “It hurts my shoulder.”

“Just one little dance, lady?” her partner begged.

“Really, I …”

Suddenly a big fist rammed into her partner’s jaw, sending him flying across two tables. He landed against a bar stool and everyone backed away from Elizabeth. She turned to see Mitch Brady standing there with a dark look of rage in his eyes. “The lady said she didn’t want to dance!” He scanned the room. “Everybody here understand that?”

The man Mitch had clobbered rolled to his knees, groaning.

“Stu was only wantin’ a dance, Mitch,” another man spoke up. “Ain’t no harm in that.”

“There is when the woman was dragged in here against her will and never agreed to the dance.”

Everyone backed farther away, and Elizabeth could see no one in the room was about to give Mitch Brady any more trouble. … He took hold of Elizabeth’s arm and led her toward the swinging doors at the saloon entrance. “Let’s go,” he said.

Elizabeth followed him out.

Bio ~

I’ve been writing for over thirty years and to date have had 60 novels published, all about the American West of the 1800’s and Native Americans. I write romance, but not the typical bodice-ripping adventures. My stories are deep love stories, often family sagas told as a series. It is the hero and heroine’s love that holds them together through the trials and tribulations of settling America’s western frontiers. I absolutely love the Rockies, the Tetons, the Sierras, and the wide-open plains, prairies and desert land west of the Mississippi. In my books, I strive to tell the truth about the settling of the West and how it affected our American Indians, as well as the gritty depth of what our brave pioneers suffered in their search for free land and a better life.

I am a member of the Nebraska and Oklahoma Historical Societies, my local southwest Michigan historical society, Women Writing the West, Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America, the nationalRWA, National Rifle Association and a local charity group called the Coloma Lioness Club. I help run a family business and love doing things with my three young grandsons. If you visit my Website you’ll see all my titles listed as well as a page that lists all my many writing awards; or you can visit me on Facebook. At either site you will learn news of new books to come as well as reprints of many of my past titles soon to be published in trade paperback and as e-books! I also have an author site at Amazon.com.

You can find Rosanne here:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest

You can buy DESPERATE HEARTS here: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

More by Rosanne Bittner ~

TENNESSE BRIDE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Extraordinary…Bittner’s characters spring to life. —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Raised in the hills of Tennessee, Emma Simms dreams of the day she’ll escape her life of poverty to start over in the excitement of Knoxville. But when her mother dies and she’s left with no one but her stepfather, Luke Simms, her dream abruptly becomes a nightmare. Luke plans to send Emma to Knoxville alright—straight to a notorious brothel.

River Joe, the mysterious Cherokee-raised frontiersman, knew from the first time he set eyes on the beautiful Emma that he had to have her as his own. And one glimpse at the handsome, buckskin-clad stranger ignites the flame of dangerous desire in Emma’s heart.

Their passion could consume them both, but their love could very well save her life.

TEXAS BRIDE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

A man who must choose between his love or his life in this dazzling tale, named a Romantic Times Book Reviews All-Time Favorite.

Rachel Rivers is the most beautiful woman that Brand Selby has ever met. From the moment he laid eyes on the proper schoolteacher and watched her tremble beneath his longing gaze, he knew he wanted nothing more than to win her heart.

But Rachel lives in a land where hatred for the Indian runs deep, and where she is courted by Texas Ranger Jason Brown, Brand’s sworn enemy. But the fate of Rachel and Brand’s love has already been sealed, and not even the prospect of Rachel being cast out from her own kind, nor the threat of Brand’s own demise, can extinguish the flames of desire in their hearts.

OREGON BRIDE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

On a trail of danger, love follows no set path.

Traveling west aboard a wagon train with her late husband’s family, young widow Marybeth MacKender wishes only to leave behind the memories of her loveless marriage, and to protect her infant son. But the dangers of the train are endless, as are the advances of her brutish brother-in-law who is resolute in claiming Marybeth as his own.

It isn’t until Marybeth meets Joshua Rivers, a frontiersman both tough and tender, that her hope for the future ignites as brightly as the desire in her heart. With courage aroused by passion, Marybeth is determined to face the perils of this rugged terrain for Joshua and the love she feels as great as the odds stacked against them.

FULL CIRCLE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Rosanne Bittner returns with her hallmark “power, passion, tragedy, and triumph.” —Romantic Times

The last thing sheltered missionary Evelyn Gibbons wants upon arriving at the South Dakota reservation is to fall in love. Yet, from the moment she clashes with Black Hawk, the complicated man of the Sioux, she knows he’s everything she could ever want, and everything she can never have.

Living in the hills with his young son, Black Hawk reveres the ways of his people and is determined to preserve Sioux traditions. But when he meets Evelyn, a woman from the society he most abhors, not even his own prejudices can smother the flame of desire that burns for her.

But in the midst of their unlikely romance is a storm tide of treachery and hate that threatens to destroy their love, and their lives.

UNTIL TOMORROW

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Powerfully charged with thrilling escapades, colorful history, realism, romance, and a pair of memorable characters who prove that love can indeed triumph over everything. —Romantic Times

Addy wants nothing more than to leave her small Illinois home for the gold-rich hills of Colorado, where a teaching job awaits. But her plans are thwarted when a band of outlaws rob the very bank in which she is withdrawing her savings, taking her hostage in the process. Rogue and ruthless, her captives sweep her off to the country with evil intent, but one man stands in the way.

Ex-Confederate soldier Parker Cole doesn’t understand his own fierce determination to protect the beautiful captive from his fellow bandits. Touched by her courage and spirit, he vows to prove his love to her, following Addy to a mining boomtown filled with dreamers and desperados. Fearless though he may be, Parker must summon all of his courage to beat out the line of rich and powerful suitors in the pursuit of the greatest treasure—Addy’s heart.

SAVAGE HORIZONS
Book One of the BLUE HAWK SAGA

Amazon | Nook | iTunes | Kobo

An orphaned half-blood man named Blue Hawk is adopted by a white family and renamed Caleb Sax. Caleb struggles to let go of the only habits and culture he’s ever known – that of the Cheyenne – and gradually learns to live among the whites, but not without great difficulty and prejudice against him in the white world. Through it all he never stops wearing a blue quill necklace that belonged to his Indian mother, a part of his past that will always remind him of his true blood.

Besides Tom and Cora Sax, the white man and woman who love Caleb like their own son, someone else shows Caleb true, loyal love. It is Tom and Cora’s daughter, Sarah. Sarah and Caleb fall in love, instigating years of struggling to stay together against tremendous odds. Sarah discovers Tom Sax is not her real father, and she is stolen away in marriage to a white man she does not love. Devastated, she is led to believe Caleb is dead. Caleb spends years searching for her, and when he finds her at last, a dynasty is born from their blood. 

FRONTIER FIRES
Book Two of the BLUE HAWK SAGA

Amazon | Nook | iTunes | Kobo

Continuing the story of Calab and Sarah Sax, this deeply moving love story takes the readers to Texas, which in 1833 still belongs to Mexico. Living on 49,000 acres in San Filipe de Austin, an American settlement founded by Stephen Austin, Sarah and Caleb witness a phenominal growth in the territory, a population explosion of people looking for free land. All become part of a growing sentiment that Texas should be an independent province and not part of Mexico.

With Sarah and their children, Caleb, known as Blue Hawk to his Cheyenne relatives, and his family find themselves involved in a Mexican war … and eventually their son is involved in the battle for the Alamo. For a time Caleb and Sarah think he’s been killed, and amid all their heartache and turmoil an old enemy comes knocking, someone who once nearly destroyed Caleb and Sarah’s love and life together. Choices must be made, danger lurks everywhere, but the deep connection between Caleb and Sarah can never be broken.

Don’t miss this fabulous continued story of America’s stunning history, and a family that became crucial to the settling of Texas!

DESTINY’S DAWN
Book Three of the BLUE HAWK SAGA

Amazon | Nook | iTunes | Kobo

Book #3 of this Blue Hawk trilogy, brings an epic frontier story to an ending readers won’t want to miss. Caleb searches for his beloved Sarah, who has again been taken from him; while at the same time he helps his children seek their own fortunes in the West. His son Tom rides the outlaw trail in search of men who killed his Mexican wife; Caleb’s daughter Lynda, a dark beauty, finds herself in love with a lawman in the heart of the West; Cale, Lynda’s son, marries a Cheyenne woman and gives his life to the Cheyenne way; and James, Caleb’s youngest son, struggles with his identity and tries to hide his Indian heritage.

DESTINY’S DAWN takes the readers on adventures from Colorado to California, as Caleb searches for Sarah, the love of his life, in a story about a nation divided by blood, and two people united by wild passions. Through it all two things help Caleb stay grounded and determined … his love for his beautiful Sarah … and the blue quill necklace he has worn since a young boy, reminding him of the mother who died giving him birth.

Savage Destiny

Find the Entire Series on Amazon.com in Print

and Now Available for Kindle Download!

Voted BEST WESTERN SERIES by Romantic Times Magazine in 1986, the Savage Destiny books chronicle the lives, love, and adventures of Abbie and Zeke Monroe. To celebrate the publication of the seventh, and last, book of the series in 1996, Zebra reprinted all of the original six books, with attractive new covers. 

~ READ THIS AND YOU'LL BE INTERESTED IN RISKING IT ALL! ~

 Howdy folks! We are here today with Kyle Morgan from RISKING IT ALL, J.M. Stewart's newest contemporary romance. So, hi, Kyle. Nice to have you here. Let's dive right in, okay? 

Tell me about yourself? What is your occupation? Why? What are your strengths & weaknesses?


“My name is Kyle Morgan. I’m 30, my best friend is a woman, and I’ve pretty much decided to stay single. Yeah, I think that about sums it up. I’m a police officer by trade. Specifically, I’m a detective for a local department. Why did I become a cop?” *shrugs* “I wanted to help people. I currently work in Homicide, and as hard as it can be, I enjoy helping the families left behind find peace. The dead deserve to have someone speak for them. “Strengths and weaknesses?” *Rubs his chin, the corners of his mouth twitching.* “Let’s see…good-looking, charming, witty—”


*A small stuffed animal flies in from another room, hitting the back of his head.*


“Hey!” *Swivels around, his grin widening at the sight of the woman standing in the archway.* “My sister Becca. I’m willing to bet she has something to add to this discussion.”


*Becca strides into the room, plopping down onto the couch beside him.* “He’s not humble, that’s for sure.”


*Kyle laughs again.* “My oldest brother, Evan, would probably tell you I’m a jokester and not serious enough.”


*Becca rolls her eyes.* “Evan’s serious enough for all of us.”



*Kyle nods.* “True that. Okay, seriously…my strengths? I like to think I’m a nice guy.”



*Becca lets out a dramatic sigh.* “All right, I guess I’ll give him that one. He is a nice guy. Sometimes, too much.”



“I’m also not afraid to stand up for what I believe in. Weaknesses? I’m a pushover.” *Nudges Becca with an elbow.* “Just ask Becca.”



*Becca blushes.* “Goes with the nice guy thing he’s got going on.”



What’s your family like and how does your upbringing affect you now?

“I’m third of four. Evan and Chase are older. Becca’s the youngest. Which puts me somewhere between the forgotten middle child and the spoiled baby.” *winks.*


*Becca purses her lips and shakes her head.* “Kyle’s the class clown. Evan is the one who makes us toe the line, the rule enforcer. Chase is the quiet one. Kyle has always been the one who made everyone laugh.”


*Kyle grins and glances at Becca.* “That makes you the spoiled brat.”



*Becca folds her arms, but her lips twitch.* “Darn straight.”


*Kyle turns back to me, expression sobering.* “We were raised by our mother. She’s a strong woman. She gave us a strong sense of family, taught us to rely on each other. We get together every chance we can and you’ll find we’re loud and boisterous. And as you can see, we tease each other as easily as we blink, but it’s because we’re all close. How does my upbringing affect me now? That’s easy. Family’s important. I rely on my siblings and their families. There’s what,” *darts a glance at Becca* “12 of us now? There isn’t any one of them I couldn’t call at a moment’s notice if I needed to.”


What is your earliest childhood memory?

*Rubs the back of his neck.* “Now you’re asking the hard questions.” *Sighs and sits forward, resting his elbows on his knees.* “That would probably be the day my father left. I think I was five at the time. I have a memory of the look on his face as he walked out the door. Like I was an annoying bug, a mosquito buzzing in his face. We haven’t heard from him since. That memory stuck with me over the years. I grew up bound and determined not to be anything like him. Which is partly why my family is so important to me, why we stick together.”



How did you two meet? What was your first impression of heroine?


“Ceci and I met eons ago. I was ten, she was seven. She and her grandmother had just moved into the property next to ours. I met her down on the riverbank that runs at the end of our properties. I was throwing stones if I’m not mistaken and wondering how far I’d make it if I tried to swim across.” *laughs.* “She wandered down there and found me. First impression? She was as tall as me, all legs and arms, and she looked scared. Like she wasn’t sure if she could trust me. So, I sat down, took off my shoes and socks and stuck my feet in the water. I tossed in rocks and talked to her. About everything. The river. The bugs. The trees I’d climbed that day and even my annoying little sister. Took me a long time to get her to relax around me. At least a year.”


What do you like about the heroine?

“She’s shy and quiet, humble. She’s stronger than she thinks, she doesn’t ask for much, and like the rest of my family, I can count on her in a pinch. My job isn’t easy. Sometimes the bad guys get away, and she’s like…a little piece of serenity at the end of the day. She centers me. And she’s always there for me when I need her. If I have a rough night, I call her. She’ll always pick up. She’s the first person to be happy for me, and the first person to cheer me on, but she isn’t afraid to stand up to me and tell me I’m wrong, either. That she’s soft and feminine doesn’t hurt either.” *winks*



If you had an unexpected free day, what would you do with it?

“Ah, an easy question. Spend it with Ceci. I don’t even care what we do. Something as simple as making dinner and renting a DVD is a really good night. Though, honestly, I like sitting on the riverbank with her, just watching the water.”



What CD is in your CD player right now?

“Led Zeppelin.”

Blurb ~ 

She’s everything he wants…


For years, Kyle Morgan has hidden his true feelings from the gorgeous girl next door that he grew up loving and protecting. But when she shows up at his apartment in the middle of the night, desperately needing comfort and support, his iron will begins to waver…



…and the only thing he can’t bear to lose.


Kyle was always the big brother Cecelia Anton never had, but suddenly her goofy best friend has become a sexy man she can’t keep her thoughts—or hands—off of. As their deep connection melts into uncontrollable desire, Ceci is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at true love. Only Kyle is keeping a terrible secret about Ceci’s past that could destroy not only their lifelong friendship but their happily-ever-after…



Buy link: Penguin

Bio ~

JM writes passionate, heartfelt contemporary romance. She’s a wife, a mother, a spiritualist, and lover of puppies, and happily addicted to coffee and chocolate. She lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily-ever-after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession. 

You can find out more about JM or her books here: Website /Blog /Twitter /Facebook

~ OH, YES! YOU NEED TO BE PART OF OPERATION:GENOCIDE! ~

BLURB -


An inhuman agenda…

In 1982, Annette Pretorius lives a life of privilege afforded to those of European descent in South Africa, but when her husband is murdered, she discovers a shattering secret: he’d been commissioned by the whites-only South African government to develop a lethal virus aimed at controlling the growth of the black population–already oppressed under the cruel system of apartheid.

A clandestine organization…

The murder came with a warning to Annette from a secretive organization: keep our secrets or you too will die. Captain Trevor Watson, Annette’s former boyfriend, is appointed to lead the investigation. Watson’s loyalty is tested as the evidence stacks against his high school sweetheart.

And the killing isn’t over yet…

When the investigation points in a terrifying direction, Annette and Watson face a wrenching choice: protect those they love or sacrifice all to save innocents from racial extermination.

Praise for Operation: Genocide

Diabolical motives and charismatic characters populate Yvonne Walus’ breath-stealing adventure, Operation: Genocide. — Dr. Allen Wyler

EXCERPT -

Pretoria, South Africa, One year earlier

PROLOGUE

Professor Adelbrecht of the Biotech Research Agency for Vital Operations felt bile rise to his mouth as he watched one of the government’s highest officials wipe red stickiness off his fingers and extract cotton balls from his large, protruding ears. The whop-whop of the ceiling fan added a bizarre sense of ordinariness to the scene.

“I’m listening,” the minister said. The cotton balls fell into the waste paper basket with an ominous absence of sound.

Adelbrecht talked fast.

“Brilliant. You sure it’ll work?” The minister’s question hung heavy in the sizzling African air.

The professor’s mouth went dry. “Yes.” If genocide is really what you want.

“This office has full confidence in you and your team. We understand the Ebola virus was both an unfortunate and unforeseeable accident.”

Spoken like a true politician, yet the professor felt the atmosphere in the room turn as thin as the ground under his feet. “That’s correct, Minister.”

“Right. What guarantee do we have this new virus won’t go ape-crazy?”

“With all due respect, Minister, Ebola was transmitted through any personal contact. The new virus we’re proposing will be contagious only via sexual relations. Nothing else.”

“So an infected maid will still be able to cook for you, but won’t pass the virus on?”

“Hundred percent correct, Minister.” Assuming you don’t sleep with her. But that was illegal, forbidden by the Immorality Act.

“Goes without saying that this discussion never took place.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Even the prime minister doesn’t know about this project.”

Like hell he didn’t.

“The limousine is at your service, Professor. The driver will take you wherever you desire.”

Relief washed over him. He started rising from the sofa, ever the obedient puppet.

“Oh, and Professor?”

“Yes?”

The Minister Without An Official Portfolio rose, his shoulders blocking out the sunlight of the summer day outside. “This is your final warning.” Suddenly, he didn’t sound like a politician anymore. “Mess this up, and you’ll wish you were dead.”

BIO -

By trying to portray what South Africa was like at the height of its apartheid era, by inspecting both sides of the coin, I’m sure I’ve managed to offend all parties. Still, I’m not sorry.

South Africa means a lot of things to a lot of people: lions in long yellow grass, diamond mines, apartheid, Nelson Mandela, rugby. All of those images are right, yet none of them – in my opinion – are representative of the misunderstood country or its people. None of them describe what it’s like to live in South Africa, both in the 1980s and today. I’d like my readers to smell the red dust of the continent and to fall in love with Africa the way I did when I first set foot there as an impressionable teenager, a refugee from communism and the bitter cold of Poland. I left my heart in Africa, and I invite you to do the same.

You can find Yvonne here:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

You can buy OPERATION:GENOCIDE here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TRUST ME ~ YOU'LL LIKE THIS BOOK ~ A MATTER OF TRUST

You think you've got it bad ~ she has to relay on a Demon Admiral to protect her from her own family. Now that's A MATTER OF TRUST! Welcome, Greta Van Der Rol with her new release!

Hi and thanks for having me.

One of the things I like best about science fiction romance is that you get to create worlds of your very own for the action to take place. Since my books are space opera, there's always a bit of planet hopping, with a variety of different environments. However, for humans and aliens to interact without having to wear protective suits and breathing gear they would all need to come from planets with similar basic characteristics, such as atmosphere and size. You'll find a similar assumption in many of the space operas. Sometimes the planets have been terraformed, as in Elizabeth Moon's Serrano and Vatta series. Sometimes, as in Star Wars, that's just the way it is, and swarms of sentient beings from all over the Galaxy can gather in a cantina on Tattooine without any problems.

In her travels during A Matter of Trust Princess Amira finds herself in a market on a planet called Laremenssa.

Larson grasped Amira's upper arm as they stepped into a crowded alley. "Watch out for street snatchers and stay close."

Amira could have stayed here for days, roaming around sampling goods. Trestle tables groaned with melons and tubers and spike fruit. Stalls offered all types of clothing, exotic pottery, strange medicines and extraordinary weapons. A Limnian sold beautifully-crafted rings, necklaces and earrings, suspended for viewing on a wire frame. At another stall, a Dron argued with the stall holder. Amira couldn't decide where to look next in this incredible kaleidoscope of sound and color. A vendor carrying a tray sidled past, trailing the astringent aroma of some foodstuff he carried. Humans with baskets wove their way through the crowd. Selling chants from different booths merged into the blare of noise. A black-skinned Jort pushed past her, moving easily through the crowd. That was unusual. Jorts were rarely seen outside their own group of planets. They were often called demons because of their ebony skin and red eyes. She'd only met one Jort.

And we know who that is, don't we?

Do you have a favourite alien from a book, movie or TV series?

Blurb ~

Will the Demon Admiral protect her from her family? Princess Amira is ready to start a new life after the death of her husband, but that doesn’t include marrying the man her father picks out for her. Pursued by his agents, she races across the galaxy in a desperate search for a safe haven. Amid simmering tensions at the edge of the Empire, Amira renews her acquaintance with Imperial Admiral Ul-Mellor. Although his detractors call him the Demon Admiral, Amira finds him intelligent, articulate, and very attractive.

But Ul-Mellor is not human and Amira is a princess – far above Ul-Mellor’s status on his home world. He and Amira will have to overcome a gulf of cultural and class differences if they’re to turn their mutual attraction into a relationship. And what will Ul-Mellor do when faced with a choice – Amira or his hard-won commission?

Excerpt ~

Amira strode across the ornate polished stone floor of her father’s private sitting room and into his study. “You wanted to see me, Father?”

Prince Fedor Hezkurin looked up from the paperwork on his desk and scowled, his gaze flicking over her. “Amira, my dear, I wish you wouldn’t wear those peasant clothes. They don’t become you.”

“They’re very practical for my work with the Tuchaska.” She pulled off the clasp that tied back her ponytail and shook her head, sending her hair dancing around her shoulders.

Hezkurin sighed. “That doesn’t become you either. You should not be wasting your time with aliens.”

Amira pulled over a chair and sat facing him. Yes, she probably did need a shower, and a change of clothes, too. Her boots had probably left a trail over her father’s floor. But she wasn’t going to apologize. “It was their planet before we took it over.”

“Yes, my dear and we’ve been the rulers for two hundred years.”

“They provide the labor for your estates. If somebody doesn’t help them you won’t have a labor force at all.” They’d had this discussion before. He didn’t care about mysterious illnesses that only affected the Tuchaska. As far as he was concerned there were enough of them to get the work done. Without her intervention their physician wouldn’t have been able to obtain sufficient drugs to treat the sick. Today she’d helped the doctor move two patients from their home to his clinic.

He nodded absently.

Her fingers beat a staccato tattoo on the arm of the chair. He was up to something. She could always tell. His eyes became shifty, darting around, and he fiddled with the objects on his desk. “Well?”

Prince Fedor shifted the picture of his wife one more time and took a deep breath. “I’ve been talking to Baron Ghaurondo.”

Ghaurondo? Big fat, ugly, loathsome Ghaurondo. She cocked an eyebrow. “How nice for you.”

“He’s a very powerful man, Amira.”

“Only in the Arondean Hegemony.”

Her father frowned. “Which is ten systems and where we live.”

“Yes, fine.” Amira crossed her legs and folded her arms. Her heart beat a little faster. This wasn’t sounding good. “So what?”

The Prince scratched absently at his neck above the ornate collar of his uniform. Goodness, that was a very bad sign. This wasn’t going to be good at all.

“As you know, we’ve not had the best of seasons. And we’re very dependent on the Arondean Hegemony… to buy our harvest, anyway. They’ve found other places to supply their agricultural products.” Fedor paused and licked his lips.

“What has that to do with me, father?”

“Baron Ghaurondo has always admired you.”

“Him and a few others.” Her pulse galloped. She had an idea she knew where this was going.

“He’s asked for your hand.”

“Sorry, I need both of mine.” She wished this was some sort of ridiculous joke. Or maybe she’d wake up in her own bed. “Father, you can’t be serious. He’s a bag of fat on legs. He’s got body odor.”

“Amira, darling, don’t make this difficult. It’s time you married again. He’s rich and powerful—”

“He’s twice my age and disgusting. No.” Anger boiled in her belly. So he thought he could order her about like a teenager, did he? She should never have come back here. “And why do I have to marry again anyway?”

“Christoph’s been dead for a year now and you’re not getting any younger.”

“Don’t give me the grandchildren story. I don’t want to hear it.” She stared at him, a horrible thought insinuating itself into her mind. He couldn’t mean…? Surely not. But his face was composed, the sort of look her father gave his estate manager when he’d made up his mind. “Oh, how obscene. With that… that…”

“Look at it from the family’s point of view, darling. It’s a strategic alliance. In the short term, Baron Ghaurondo can guarantee sale of our harvest. Without that, we’re in for a very hard time.”

“So you’re selling me to keep your economy going.”

“No. In the longer term, we become part of a powerful family that will secure our future here. You would be mother of the future Baron.”

Amira’s lip curled in disgust. “Oh, please, father. Ghaurondo already has a gaggle of sons.”

“He has promised your son will become—”

“So you’re selling me to gain political advantage. You disgust me.” At least he had the decency to squirm.

“No.” He scratched his neck again. “Look at the positives. Ghaurondo can give you anything you want. Jewels, clothes, finery, antiques.” He made an expansive gesture with his arm. “Anything at all.”

“He has nothing I want.”

The prince cleared his throat. “I’ve agreed, Amira. Baron Ghaurondo will be here tomorrow to collect his betrothed.”

Her heart lurched. Tomorrow. The bastard. “You didn’t think it might have been nice to discuss your plans for my life with me?” She jabbed her finger at her chest.

He leaned back in his chair, his fists on the desk, his gaze fixed on her face. “I knew what you’d say. But sometimes I have to think about more than just my immediate family’s interests.”

This was beyond acceptable. He might have sired her but contempt for him rose like bile in her throat. She rose to her feet and leaned over the desk at him. “You can’t do this. I’m thirty-six years old, not some naïve teenager to force into a strategic union.”

He flinched, but his jaw set. “I’ve given my word. It will be done.”

Amira shook her head slowly. “I’ve not given mine.” You contemptible bastard. She spun on her heel and strode toward the door, her boots ringing on the stone.

Her father’s sigh followed her. “I had hoped it would not come to this but you leave me no choice.”

The door opened. Six of the palace security guard waited outside.

Amira turned to her father, who stood behind his desk in his general’s pose: back straight and in command. He didn’t look at her, directing his attention at the armed men. “Escort Princess Amira to her apartments. She is not to leave without my express permission.”

Amira glowered at her father. Right now contempt wasn’t a good enough word. She despised him. “Do you think my mother would have approved of this?”

He looked at her then, a swift glance filled with sorrow before he said to the squad commander, “Take her away.”

“I despise you.” She marched off, flanked by the guards.

Author Bio ~

Greta van der Rol loves writing action-packed adventures with a side salad of romance. Most of her work is space opera, but she has written paranormal and historical fiction. She lives not far from the coast in Queensland, Australia and enjoys photography and cooking when she isn’t bent over the computer. She has a degree in history and a background in building information systems, both of which go a long way toward helping her in her writing endeavours.

You can find Greta at:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest

You can buy A MATTER OF TRUST at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Payhip

Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ WOO! WHAT AN EXCERPT! ~

Good morning! I am happy to welcome author Lyndi Lamont with her romance How To Woo...A Reluctant Bride. Lyndi was kind enough to bring with her the heroine of that book, Ms. Lydia Blatchford. She even asked Lydia a few questions for us.

LL: What’s your family like and how does your upbringing affect you now?



LB: My family qualifies as impoverished gentry, mostly because of my father's debts and mismanagement.



LL: Has life handed you any major disappointments?



LB: Yes. Had my dowry been larger, I might have been wed years ago instead of being sold in marriage to a merchant for an unspecified sum. But as I had quite given up hope of ever marrying, I agreed to the arrangement.



LL: Describe your hero. What was your first impression of him and did it change over time?



LB: He was more handsome than I expected, in a dark, exotic way, and with a deep voice that causes me to shiver. What I didn't expect was to inspire passion in him, nor could I have expected him to be so... creative in his approach to wedded love. Our marriage has been quite a revelation to me.



LL: Is there anything about your hero that you would consider a flaw?



LB: I blush to admit that I was a little doubtful about marrying a man with Indian blood, but Evan more than made up for it with his consideration and ardor.



LL: What is it that you want out of life?



LB: As a girl, I wanted romance, you know, the kind you read about in novels. Now I just want to be loved and to have a family.

Romance Super Bundle II: Second Chances 

by Dale Mayer, Donna Marie Rogers, Stacey Joy Netzel, Amy Gamet, Edie Ramer, Lois Winston, Pamela Fryer, Georgina Lee, Kate Kelly, Wendy Ely and Lyndi Lamont



Now available for only 99 cents (US) and featuring NY Times, USA Today, Amazon & B&N bestselling authors!


A lonesome cowboy, a heartbroken widower, a spurned bride-to-be, an unexpected pregnancy, intrigue, murder and more…485,000 words/nearly 2000 pages of heroes and heroines in need of second chances in eleven romantic stories.



You can buy ROMANCE SUPER BUNDLE II : SECOND CHANCES here:



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Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LH382SQ

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All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-romancesuperbundleiisecondchances-1562474-166.html

BN/ Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romance-super-bundle-ii-amy-gamet/1119912653

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/romance-super-bundle-ii-second/id896143703?mt=11&uo=4

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/romance-super-bundle-ii-second-chances

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/454767



Add to your shelf at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22663871-romance-super-bundle-ii



Stories included in the set:

Blurbs ~

Second Chances—Dale Mayer

Go ahead. Take Charge of your life. Move forward…if you can…

Changing her future means letting go of her past. Karina heads to a weekend seminar to do try to do just that. But she soon realizes bigger issues are facing her…



And one of them is deadly…



The Perfect Blend—Donna Marie Rogers

Carrie is on the verge of bankruptcy when Matt walks in and offers her unwanted business advice. The rich playboy fled L.A. for the anonymity of small town life and quickly falls for the local coffee shop owner—who’s as infuriating as she is beautiful.



The Heart of the Matter—Stacey Joy Netzel

Heartbroken she can’t have kids, Allie keeps her distance when Rick moves home with an adorable 4 yr old son who’s as hard to resist as his father. Does she dare take a chance on an impossible dream, or will his desire for more kids devastate their future?



Meghan’s Wish—Amy Gamet

Meghan O’Connor returns to the family she ran away from as a teenager, afraid they won’t forgive her for leaving town with Liam Wheaton, the boy they tried so hard to keep her away from and the father of her baby. She never expected to find Liam living there, looking sexier than ever and mad as all hell.



Mo’s Heart (Miracle Interrupted, Book 5)—Edie Ramer

Mo Vincent did the right thing in New Jersey, and it cost him his son, his wife, his restaurant. Now he’s found a home in Miracle, Wisconsin. He should be content…but his heart wants what he can’t have…



Hooking Mr. Right—Lois Winston

A failure at relationships, Thea is secretly a bestselling romance guru. Luke is pursued by women using her books to snare him. When they meet, he thinks he’s finally found an honest woman, but Thea’s got more secrets than the CIA. Can a butt-ugly cat named Cupid play matchmaker?



The Lost Finder—Pamela Fryer

The first halfway decent guy to come along in eons…and he’s from another planet.



Private Investigator Brooke Weaver hopes she can slip into her Oregon hometown, find her client’s missing teenage daughter, and be on her way again before anyone notices. Not likely.



Cape of Secrets—Georgina Lee

Marika Host lands a dream summer job helping renowned archeologist Sir William write his memoirs, exposing years of secrets. His son Derrick adds romance to her summer. But when Sir William is murdered, Marika realizes some secrets are best kept buried.



Shattered—Kate Kelly

Failing to save his sister’s life, Jay Rawlings insists he be left alone to live the lonesome cowboy life. But when the woman he once loved returns to his ranch with a killer and the police in hot pursuit, Jay has to face the demons from his past.



In His Embrace—Wendy Ely

When life’s glow threatens to die, love guides the way.



Tori expected an ordinary Friday. It wasn’t. Ben’s hand rested on her hip a little longer during their goodbye. Then her tests came back abnormal. Scared and alone, she wishes for Ben’s hand to hold. Can he make it back to her in time?



How To Woo…A Reluctant Bride—Lyndi Lamont

A marriage of convenience, nothing more…until darkly handsome Evan Channing and demure Lydia Blatchford meet. The rules are simple for such an arrangement. No expectations, no illusions of anything more. But the rules are about to change…

Excerpt ~

Excerpt from How To Woo…A Reluctant Bride—Lyndi Lamont, steamy Victorian romance:



She licked her lips then plunged ahead. “I know how these things work. Arranged marriages, that is. I won’t expect fidelity from you.”



His shocked expression surprised her. “Is that what you think, Lydia?



That I’m marrying you with the intention of cheating on you?”



“Perhaps not now,” she said. “But in a few years… It’s not as if ours is a love match. I won’t cut up a fuss if you decide to take a mistress. As long as you are discreet.”



“How very… sophisticated of you,” he said, his tone dry enough to parch a desert.



She took a deep breath before continuing. “And once I’ve produced the requisite heir and spare, I assume I’ll be free to seek my pleasure elsewhere.”



The thunderous look on his face startled her and she stepped back.



“You will do no such thing,” he said fiercely, reaching for her. “Ours may not be a love match now, but I fully intend to see it turns into one.”



With that, he pulled her into his embrace, trapping her arms between them as his encircled her shoulders and waist.



Covering her mouth with his, he kissed her with a heady combination of passion and anger. Her resistance crumbled in the face of his onslaught. She clutched at his lapels and returned his kiss, even parting her lips when his tongue probed them. Overwhelmed by the sensations his lips provoked, she let her eyes drift shut as she clung to him.



When he let her go, he was still visibly upset. “There will be no more talk of infidelity. Have I made myself clear, Lydia?”

Author Bio ~

Lyndi Lamont is the racy alter ego of author Linda McLaughlin, who writes historical and Regency Romance. Since becoming Lyndi Lamont, she has discovered that writing sexy romance is a license to be naughty, at least between the pages of a book.



You can find Lyndi Lamont here:

Website http://lindalyndi.com

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LyndiLamont

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/LyndiLamont

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LyndiLamont/

Twitter https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont



Thanks for hosting me. 

Giveaway ~

Anyone who leaves a comment will be entered in my monthly drawing for a $15 Starbucks e-gift card, so don’t be shy!