Burned by Fire {+ Giveaway}

I’m excited to be a part of the BURNED BY FIRE by Danielle Annett blitz with Xpresso Book Tours today.

To celebrate the blitz, I have an excerpt from the book and some fun extras. In addition, you have the opportunity to enter a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card plus a print copy of BURNED BY FIRE. Please see the end of the post for more giveaway details.

◊Burned by Fire
◊By Danielle Annett
◊ (Blood & Magic #3)
◊Publication date: September 30th 2016
◊Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Aria’s pyro kinetic ability has always been hard to control, and being pulled in so many directions, isn’t making it any easier. Now she has to help Inarus, a foe turned friend who is being targeted by the Human Alliance Corporation—the very organization he once worked for.

But the HAC has more than just Inarus in their sights. Aria finds herself going deep into enemy territory to save a witchling child with never before seen powers, that the HAC has kidnapped to further their own ends.

Aria has been hired to save a child once before, and she failed. That failure has haunted her even to this day and she won’t let herself fail again. With the HAC closing in, and complications between herself and the Pack rising, Aria has no choice but to succeed. A child’s life is on the line and Aria will risk everything to save that life.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

Previous books in the series:

I trudged up the stairs to my apartment and wiped wet tendrils from my face. Water sloshed in my boots, a reminder of today’s most recent adventure. I’d had the pleasure of bodyguard duty for a water nymph, which was no easy task given that, in her eyes, I was a glorified babysitter, and we happened to be staying in a cabin that was mere feet from the Spokane River. It was the middle of January, and I’d taken the polar bear plunge more than once today. I was chilled to the bone, wet, hungry, and I sorely needed a good cup of coffee, or three.

Only one more flight of stairs to go. I could already taste the coffee on my tongue and feel the hot spray of a warm shower against my skin.

As my apartment door came into view, the hairs on the back of my neck rose and my body went on high alert. Something was off, and dammit, wasn’t that just my luck. I stood in the hall, a chilling breeze whipping my wet hair around my face from the open balcony doors and stinging my cheeks. Shit, it was cold.

I narrowed my gaze. Why were the balcony doors open in the middle of winter? It was like a blizzard out there. I stepped closer toward the balcony, intending to shut the doors, when a splash of red to my left caught my attention instead. There was blood on the doorknob leading into my apartment. This couldn’t be good.

I took a deep breath and debated just turning around. I was too tired to deal with anything else today. Was it too much to ask for some dry clothes and a hot cup of coffee? For chrissakes, I’d take a cold cup of coffee at this point. Then again, it was my apartment, and with my luck, there would be a dead body inside and I’d be framed for the murder. Why couldn’t stuff like this happen at a decent time of day when I was fully rested?

I pressed my ear against the door. Well, really it was more like I slumped against the door, but the result was the same. I listened for any signs of movement. The wooden door was cool against my cheek. Silence greeted me. Hmm, maybe there really is a dead body, I mused with a sick sense of morbid curiosity.

TOP TEN: Things Aria cannot live without:

1.      Coffee, I mean, she is kind of an addict.

2.     Her daggers. She loves her blades

3.     Yoga pants, Nothing is better than feeling comfortable and knowing your butt still looks good.

4.    Motorcycle boots. No one wants to try and kick an opponent barefoot. A good pair of boots makes all the difference when knocking someone off their feet.

5.     Fire, this is kind of a given since she is a pyro kinetic after all.

6.    Friends. Aria tend to land herself in hot water from time to time and she’s lucky to have the friends she has to bail her out when help is needed.

7.     Her bad ass Honda civic. Built like a tank and reinforced with sleet plates and Kevlar, this little car is small but mighty and makes Aria feel safe and secure.

8.    A kick butt leather jacket. Every badass needs one.

9.    Chocolate. Sometimes the only thing that can fix life is chocolate.

10. Declan. She doesn’t know it yet, but she will. He’s pretty important.

Author Danielle Annett

Danielle Annett is a reader, writer, photographer, and the blogger behind Coffee and Characters. Born in the SF Bay area, she now resides in Spokane, WA, the primary location for her Blood & Magic series.

Addicted to coffee at an early age, she spends her restless nights putting pen to paper as she tries to get all of the stories out of her head before the dogs wake up the rest of the house and vye for her attention.

For more on Danielle and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

This is a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card plus a print copy of BURNED BY FIRE.

To enter the giveaway just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks for visiting during Danielle’s blitz stop. Any thoughts as to what you’d get if you won the gift card? What would be one thing on your list you couldn’t live without (not counting family and such)?

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Do Our Favorite Characters Go to Heaven?

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Karelia Stetz-Waters to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her latest release, FOR GOOD, a Digital Original from Forever Yours and a unique topic, ‘Do Our Favorite Characters Go to Heaven?’

First, here’s a brief look at FOR GOOD:

How do you choose between your life . . . and your heart?

In this too-small, dusty town, brand-new district attorney Kristen Brock knows she'll never fit in. Still, the job will look great on her résumé---if she can just keep her head down and play by the rules. Because in a town run by a self-serving, powerful family, the last thing Kristen needs is trouble . . . but one kiss from the beautiful ex-rodeo queen Marydale Rae turns her world upside down. And Marydale is definitely trouble.

Marydale didn't intend to hide her past from Kristen, but the prospect of a friend who doesn't know she spent time in prison is too tempting to pass up. Add in the passionate night they share, and Marydale never wants Kristen to know the truth. But small towns don't keep secrets, and the powerful Holten clan is determined to destroy anything and anyone who makes Marydale happy.

Please join me in welcoming Karelia as she talks about ‘Do Our Favorite Characters Go to Heaven?’ Welcome, Karelia.

Do you remember The Velveteen Rabbit? In this 1920s classic children’s book, a plush rabbit toy hopes his owner’s love will make him real. Then the little boy gets sick. The rabbit is slated to be burned to eradicate the germs but is saved at the last minute by a fairy. It’s like Toy Story…only with scarlet fever. It captures something magical about toys, how beloved toys seem to have a little bit of soul enshrined in their love-worn bodies.

And what do we do when we are too old to tote around a doll or play make-believe with our favorite plastic horse? We turn to books. We play in our minds and in our imaginations. Ask any avid reader, they’ve clutched a book to their chest for comfort. They’ve fallen asleep imagining themselves in Middle Earth or Granchester or Christmas, Colorado.

Do Our Favorite Characters Go to Heaven?

So where do our favorite characters go when we forget them? When the book goes out of print? When the author dies? I am no theologian, and I wouldn’t presume to say I know what happens behind the closed doors of my own neighborhood, let alone in heaven or in the parallel universes hinted at by the outer reaches of science. 

But I have this dream, just a fantasy really. I imagine there’s a place where our favorite books live on. Our favorite characters go on living their lives because we’ve love them into being. Like a kind of Heaven, they’re happier there. Characters who died on the pages, come back to life renewed and rejuvenated. The sad and suffering characters we love are healed. Sometimes the characters we love cross from story to story. Gandalf visits Harry Potter. Elizabeth Bennet reaches out to Anne of Green Gables.

As a romance writer, I like to give the lovers from one book cameo appearances in the next. It’s a little postcard to my readers. Remember, Laura and Tate? They’re doing really well. Did you know Tate went back to school? And their house! It’s so beautiful.

It’s hard to let characters go. As soon as one book is off to the publisher, I start writing the next one. For a week or two or a year, I may forget my past characters. But, by and by, they come back. I’ll type “Kristen” and it comes out “Helen.” I haven’t thought about Helen for years, but there she is, striding across the pages of a new work in progress, stern and lonely and demanding her place in the world.

A strange and fascinating experiment shows that a beam of electrons behaves differently depending on whether or not someone is watching. I don’t pretend to understand the physics, but I love the metaphor. Pretend, for a moment, that we could change the world with our thoughts. Pretend that we are like the fairy in The Velveteen Rabbit. Pretend that some infinitesimal trace of our characters – the ones we read, the ones we write – last forever, launched into the existence by our love.

Questions for the readers:

      How do you feel when you finish a book you really love?

      Where do you imagine your characters living after you close the cover?

      If you could have two of your favorite characters meet, who would they be?

Karelia, thanks for joining us today. You’ve definitely given us something to think about. I’d like to think the characters live on and that books never end.

Author Karelia Stetz-Waters

Karelia Stetz-Waters is an Oregon-based author and English professor who writes beautiful contemporary lesbian romances. Here’s her bio in her own words.

My wife recently dubbed my writing “so-ro,” short for romance with a social conscience. Whether I’m exploring the problems of gentrification or the evils of human trafficking, every book I write has a lesbian romance at its heart and a social issue in mind. They’re the kind of books that read like fun, lazy-Saturday page-turners and yet leave you a little bit wiser about the world.

When I’m not writing, I’m being inspired by my amazing community college students and hanging out with my lovely wife and my charming spuglette (that’s spaniel-pug). I’m a fan of noodles, dumplings, corn mazes, popular science books on neurology, and any roadside attraction that purports to have the world’s largest ball of twine. 

Join HAPPILY, my once a month newsletter. Just click here:

http://forms.aweber.com/form/18/1352938418.htm. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.kareliastetzwaters.com

Thanks for stopping by today during Karelia’s visit. Remember her questions for you - How do you feel when you finish a book you really love? Where do you imagine your characters living after you close the cover? If you could have two of your favorite characters meet, who would they be?

What Happens in Texas {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to be participating in the Spotlight Tour for WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS by Carolyn Brown.

In celebration of Carolyn’s release today, she’s offering a tour-wide giveaway for 10 copies of WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS. The giveaway will run through June 22. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway.

Title: What Happens in Texas

Author: Carolyn Brown

On Sale: June 6, 2016

Formats: Mass Market & eBook

ISBN: 978-1492638742

Carolyn Brown brings her unique voice to this tale of twin sisters finding love in a small Texas town

Cathy Andrews’s biological clock has passed the ticking stage and is dangerously close to “blown plumb up”. While her twin sister Marty thinks settling down with one man is just a waste of good cowboys, Cathy wants it all: the perfect husband, the baby, and a little house right there in Cadillac. But even as the town is laying bets on whose wedding will be next, Cathy doesn’t see happily-ever-after happening anytime soon.

Fortunately, Cathy and Marty have best friends who aren’t afraid to stir up a ruckus—and if it means Cathy’s got to bust out and set the town on its ear they’ll back her up—no matter how hot things get.

WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS is available at the following sites: Amazon, Apple, BAM, Barnes and Noble, Chapters, Indiebound, and Kobo.

An excerpt for your reading pleasure:

If Prissy Parnell hadn’t married Buster Jones and left Cadillac, Texas, for Pasadena, California, Marty wouldn’t have gotten the speeding ticket. It was all Prissy’s damn fault that Marty was in such a hurry to get to the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society monthly meeting that night, so Prissy ought to have to shell out the almost two hundred dollars for that ticket.

They were already passing around the crystal bowl to take up the voting ballots when Marty slung open the door to Violet Prescott’s sunroom and yelled, “Don’t count ’em without my vote.”

Twenty faces turned to look at her and not a one of them, not even her twin sister, Cathy, was smiling. Hell’s bells, who had done pissed on their cucumber sandwiches before she got there, anyway? A person didn’t drop dead from lack of punctuality, did they?

One wall of the sunroom was glass and looked out over lush green lawns and flower gardens. The other three were covered with shadow boxes housing the blue ribbons that the members had won at the Texas State Fair for their jalapeño pepper entries. More than forty shadow boxes all reminding the members of their history and their responsibility for the upcoming year. Bless Cathy’s heart for doing her part. She had a little garden of jalapeños on the east side of the lawn and nurtured them like children. The newest shadow box held ribbons that she’d earned for the club with her pepper jelly and picante. It was the soil, or maybe she told them bedtime stories, but she, like her mamma and grandma, grew the hottest jalapeños in the state.

“It appears that Martha has decided to grace us with her presence once again when it is time to vote for someone to take our dear Prissy’s place in the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society. We really should amend our charter to state that a member has to attend more than one meeting every two years. You could appreciate the fact that we did amend it once to include you in the membership with your sister, who, by the way, has a spotless attendance record,” Violet said.

Violet, the queen of the club, as most of the members called it, was up near eighty years old, built like SpongeBob SquarePants, and had stovepipe jet-black hair right out of the bottle. Few people had the balls or the nerve to cross her, and those who did were put on her shit list right under Martha, aka Marty, Andrews’ name, which was always on the top.

Back in the beginning of the club days, before Marty was even born, the mayor’s wife held the top position on the shit list. When they’d formed the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society, Loretta Massey and Violet almost went to war over the name of the new club. Loretta insisted that it be called a society, and Violet wanted it to be called a club. Belonging to a club just sounded so much fancier than saying that one belonged to a society. Loretta won when the vote came in, but Violet called it a club anyway and that’s what stuck. Rumor had it that Violet was instrumental in getting the mayor ousted just so they’d have to leave Grayson County and Loretta would have to quit the club.

Marty hated it when people called her Martha. It sounded like an old woman’s name. What was her mother thinking anyway when she looked down at two little identical twin baby daughters and named them after her mother and aunt—Martha and Catherine? Thank God she’d at least shortened their names to Marty and Cathy.

Marty shrugged, and Violet snorted. Granted, it was a ladylike snort, but it still went right along with her round face and three-layered neck. Hell, if they wanted to write forty amendments to the charter, Marty would still do only the bare necessities to keep her in voting standing. She hadn’t even wanted to be in the damned club and had only done it because if she didn’t, then Cathy couldn’t.

Marty slid into a seat beside her sister and held up her ballot.

Beulah had the bowl in hand and was ready to hand it off to Violet to read off the votes. But she passed it to the lady on the other side of her and it went back around the circle to Marty, who tossed in her folded piece of paper. If she’d done her homework and gotten the numbers right, that one vote should swing the favor for Anna Ruth to be the new member of the club. She didn’t like Anna Ruth, especially since she’d broken up her best friend’s marriage. But hey, Marty had made a deathbed promise to her mamma, and that carried more weight than the name of a hussy on a piece of paper.

The bowl went back to Violet and she put it in her lap like the coveted jeweled crown of a reigning queen. “Our amended charter states that only twenty-one women can belong to the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society at any one time, and the only time we vote a new member in is when someone moves or dies. Since Prissy Parnell got married this past week and moved away from Grayson County, we are open for one new member. The four names on the ballet are: Agnes Flynn, Trixie Matthews, Anna Ruth Williams, and Gloria Rawlings.”

Even though it wasn’t in the fine print, everyone knew that when attending a meeting, the members should dress for the occasion, which meant panty hose and heels. Marty could feel nineteen pairs of eyes on her. It would have been twenty, but Violet was busy fishing the first ballot from the fancy bowl.

Marty threw one long leg over the other and let the bright red, three-inch-heeled shoe dangle on her toe. They could frown all they wanted. She was wearing a dress, even if it only reached midthigh, and had black spandex leggings under it. If they wanted her to wear panty hose, they’d better put a second amendment on that charter and make it in big print.

God Almighty, but she’d be glad when her great-aunt died and she could quit the club. But it looked like Agnes was going to last forever, which was no surprise. God sure didn’t want her in heaven, and the devil wouldn’t have her in hell.

“One vote for Agnes,” Violet said aloud.

Beulah marked that down on the minutes and waited.

Violet enjoyed her role as president of the club and took her own sweet time with each ballot. Too bad she hadn’t dropped dead or at least moved to California so Cathy could be president. Marty would bet her sister would get those votes counted a hell of a lot faster.

There was one piece of paper in the candy dish when Beulah held up a hand. “We’ve got six each for Agnes, Trixie, Anna Ruth, and two for Gloria. Unless this last vote is for Agnes, Trixie, or Anna Ruth, we have a tie, and we’ll have to have a runoff election.”

“Shit!” Marty mumbled.

Cathy shot her a dirty look.

“Anna Ruth,” Violet said and let out a whoosh of air.

A smile tickled the corner of Marty’s mouth.

Saved, by damn!

Agnes was saved from prison.

Violet was saved from attending her own funeral.

The speeding ticket was worth every penny.

Author Carolyn Brown

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than sixty books. Carolyn presently writes both women's fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series.

She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

For a complete listing of her books (series in order) check out her website. You can also connect with Carolyn on Facebook. 

This tour-wide giveaway is for 10 copies of WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS. To enter for your chance to win one of the copies, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite setting you like to read about? How do you feel about small town settings?

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Reason to Wed Coming Soon

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Heather Boyd’s virtual book tour for her latest Regency historical romance, REASON TO WED, which will be released Dec. 8th.

REASON TO WED is the seventh book in Heather’s Distinguished Rogues series. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book followed by an excerpt.

        Richard Hill, the Earl of Windermere, might desperately require a wife and heir, but thoughts of duty fly from his mind when he rescues Esme, Lady Heathcote, from the embarrassment of a failed affair. They usually never agree about anything. He’s never even kissed the vexing widow. But when the opportunity arises to whisk her away for a no-strings-attached rendezvous, Richard can’t imagine a better way to spend a moonlit evening.
        Esme has never lacked for admirers, but having Lord Windermere’s company goes a long way to ease the pain of losing her suddenly betrothed lover. And when Windermere suggests an affair, Esme is intrigued by the blazing-hot connection even while knowing their relationship has no future beyond his house party.
        But as with any temptation, it’s a bargain they’ll soon regret.



Read an Excerpt:

The hallway beyond the drawing room was filled to bursting with chattering guests and she moved smoothly through them, nodding and speaking occasionally to some. While she admired the elegance and comforts to be found in Lord Windermere’s home, she kept her eye out for Meriwether. She turned into the library, but the room was startlingly empty.

“Looking for me?” Windermere asked as he came to stand near. His gaze raked her from head to toe in the most gauche way.

Arrogant and presumptuous. “Hardly. You should pay more attention to your guests and the health of your servants.”

Instead of taking the hint that she wasn’t in the mood to talk, he caught her hand and raised it to his lips. His blue eyes danced with amusement. “I do love when you’re friendly. How have you been, Esme?”

She scowled at him and withdrew her hand to her side. “I’ve not given you leave to use my first name and I am not of a mood to spar with you. Go back to your other guests for amusement and send your butler to his bed. Anyone can see he’s on the verge of collapse tonight.”

“I already banished Oswin to rest.” He laughed suddenly. “Young Pip has assumed his duties until Collins comes up.”

“Just as well,” she replied, thankful for such sensible decisions at last.

“Only you would ever dare tell me what to do in my own home. I wanted to thank you for coming,” Windermere murmured. “But to convince everyone we’re not at odds, you will have to talk to me occasionally with a little less acid in your tone.”

“We’ve spoken as much as needed to quell any gossip.” She smiled at him. “Or was it your wish to have me chivvy you out of your mopes too.”

“I will say again you were right.” Windermere sighed and raked a hand through his dark, wavy hair. “You’re enjoying rubbing my nose in that business with Lady Bartlett, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps.” She smothered a laugh. He hadn’t wanted to believe he was being used until it was almost too late to extract himself from the connection. “You were so indignant that day, and after venting your pique at me, you charged down the street—on foot of all things, my man and your horse trailing after. I laughed for at least a whole day afterward. But I am sorry you were let down.”

He inhaled sharply, his jaw clenching before he relaxed and shook his head. “No, you’re not. You’re positively gloating that you were proved right about her.”

REASON TO WED can be found at Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Nook, ARe, and Google Play. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Heather Boyd

Bestselling historical author Heather Boyd believes every character she creates deserves their own happily-ever-after, no matter how much trouble she puts them through. With that goal in mind, she writes sizzling regency romance stories that skirt the boundaries of propriety to keep readers enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. 

Heather has published over twenty novels and shorter works. Catch her latest news www.heather-boyd.com. 

She lives north of Sydney, Australia, and does her best to wrangle her testosterone-fuelled family (including cat Morpheus) into submission.

For more on Heather and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for her newsletter and add READON TO WED to your Goodreads Shelf.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Heather’s visit. Are you a fan of Regency historical romances? If so, what do you enjoy most about them?

The House at Homecoming Cove {+ Giveaway}

It’s a pleasure to be participating in New York Times Bestselling author Ginny Baird’s I Am A Reader Book Blast for her latest release, THE HOUSE AT HOMECOMING COVE.

Ginny is sharing an excerpt from her book and has an awesome tour-wide giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book.

A breathtaking romantic mystery set at the Virginia Eastern Shore... 

        Seeking out solitude in which to work, New York City music composer Melissa Carter rents a century-old farmhouse on the Virginia Eastern Shore. There, she meets a loner with rugged good looks and smoldering gray eyes, who has long-term ties to the property. When strange things start occurring at the historic home, the handsome groundskeeper comes to her aid, but is Melissa really safer in his arms?
        When Stone Thomas meets a pretty northerner with a musical gift, he's immediately drawn to her. He's also determined to protect her from the increasingly odd happenings at the fifty-acre farm where he's employed. Soon, Stone finds himself wondering whether he and beautiful Melissa might share a future. Yet the secrets of Homecoming Cove threaten to drive them apart. 

THE HOUSE AT HOMECOMING COVE is available at these sites: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo. Also be sure to



Now the Excerpt ……..

Her words came out in a whisper. “Thank you for everything. For coming to my rescue, for…” She was saying goodbye, yet her chin tilted toward his and she took a step closer, her lips barely parted, inviting. She peered up at him and met his gaze with a look that was surprisingly heated, decidedly predatory. There was no mistaking it. Melissa wanted him too. That was all the encouragement Stone needed to take her in his arms and bring his mouth down on hers with a hungry desire that surpassed all expectations. Melissa gasped with delight and sighed into his kiss. Stone’s empty mug slid from her grasp and landed somewhere on the sofa. Stone pressed his eager body to hers and ran his hands up her back, threading his fingers through her hair. She was glorious, beautiful, her gaze sparking with reciprocal passion. Stone groaned and kissed her again, savoring the taste of her, delighting in the sweetness of her body molded to his, as his blood pumped harder and his heart beat like a kettledrum gone out of control. It was more than a kiss; it was like coming home. “Stone,” she said breathlessly. He opened his eyes to find his cheeks nestled between her palms. She looked up at him her face flushed with longing. “I think you’d better go.” “Yeah,” he said, his pulse pounding. “I’d better go.” Thunder boomed and rain slapped the windowpanes, while the fire hissed and moaned. Neither one moved. “Melissa,” Stone whispered, brushing his lips over hers. “You and me… It’s like… I don’t know.” “I know,” she replied, meeting his kiss. “I feel it too.” 

Praise for Ginny Baird Paranormal Ghost Romance..The Ghost Next Door (A Love Story):

      "A fine suspense and you just won't believe how it ends." ~ Barbara Baker
      "The twist at the end took me by surprise! Great job to the author!" ~ Melinda Burchett "Wow...wow...wow!! I did not see that coming." ~ Mary Ann
      "This is a mind bender! Very well done!" ~ Sandra D. Griffin, The Light at the End of the Road
      "A gripping tale with a hint of paranormal." ~ Dawn Pearson
      "New, refreshing twists and turns." ~ Anna Gibson
      "Ms. Baird has again exceeded any expectations." ~ Dianna Plano
      "Wow. I mean, WOW. This is not your normal romance..." ~ Anita Slaugh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Ginny Baird

Author Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance about single women facing everyday challenges. 

Known for featuring holidays and family themes in her work, Ginny frequently portrays the struggles of single parents or others who've given up on finding true love. Ginny has two novella series, The Holiday Brides Series (holiday romance) and The Summer Grooms Series (summer romance), a Romantic Ghost Stories series (paranormal ghost romance), and additional single titles available. 

She is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, a Top 10 Best Seller on Kindle, NOOK and iBooks, and a #1 Best Seller in several Romance and Women's Fiction categories.

To learn more about Ginny and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:



This Book Blast giveaway is for a $50 Amazon Gift Card OR $50 PayPal Cash. The giveaway ends Nov. 6 and is open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or PayPal Cash. 

The winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Ginny’s visit. Do you enjoy romantic mysteries? Do you think most mysteries have a touch of romance in them?

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Miss Merton’s Last Hope {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to be participating in author Heather Boyd’s Virtual Tour for her release today of MISS MERTON’S LAST HOPE, book three in her Miss Mayhem Series.

As part of the virtual tour, Heather is sharing an excerpt from her book and is hosting a tour-wide $25 Amazon.com giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway.

Release Date: October 13, 2015
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
Length: 40,000 words novella
Heat Rating: Sizzling

Here’s a brief synopsis of MISS MERTON’S LAST HOPE: 

        Over the years, Melanie Merton has used every trick and ruse to repel overeager gentlemen callers without ever revealing the real reason she won’t say yes to an offer of marriage. When neighbor Walter George jumps to her defense against slurs cast by suitor number twelve, he also pries into her past—uncovering the circumstances around a tragic loss in her childhood and her aversion to being touched by anyone.
        But even protective Walter must be kept at a distance for his own good, because despite a growing attraction between them, Melanie must deny him too. Unlike other men his age in Brighton, Walter George hadn’t considered Melanie Merton for a wife because he was convinced he’d never have a chance to impress his haughty neighbor.
        But that was before he understood her better, before he uncovered why she kept friends and suitors alike at bay. The right husband could restore the woman he sees into some semblance of the fun-loving child of his memory, but would Walter stand a chance or become just another unlucky suitor?

Now for the EXCERPT ……….

      Melanie Merton hated her life. She hated the clothes she wore. The house she lived in that was no longer hers to manage. The smiles she had to bestow upon her brother’s friends while overlooking their scowls. Even without the responsibilities she’d always enjoyed, and the hours on her own, she never had a moment’s peace. She just wanted a quiet morning, and that never seemed to happen lately unless she confined herself to her bedchamber.
      Today, she was entertaining Mr. Linus Radley until his sister, Julia, her new sister-in-law, came down that morning. The forms of proper behavior that had been drilled into her head since she was a young girl made it impossible for her to say what was really on her mind, even when she wanted to. She was too polite to ask Mr. Radley to go away until a more reasonable hour of the day, and had ordered tea and cake to fill the endless minutes until Julia relieved her of this duty.
      “It looks to be a lovely day for a stroll,” Mr. Radley said suddenly. “Might I entice you to venture out with me to look upon the sea? With your maid, of course.”
      Melanie sighed with what she hoped sounded like regret and not irritation. She would not go out walking with Linus Radley, with or without a suitable chaperone. She had seen enough of him in the past weeks not to want anything more to do with him than she absolutely had to. He was a bully. “Unfortunately, I am otherwise engaged today.”
      “Oh?”
      Dear God, the man wants particulars.

MISS MERTON’S LAST HOPE is available at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Nook, and you can Add to Goodreads Shelf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Heather Boyd

Bestselling historical author Heather Boyd believes every character she creates deserves their own happily-ever-after, no matter how much trouble she puts them through. With that goal in mind, she writes sizzling regency romance stories that skirt the boundaries of propriety to keep readers enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. 

Heather has published over twenty novels and shorter works. Catch her latest news www.heather-boyd.com. She lives north of Sydney, Australia, and does her best to wrangle her testosterone-fueled family (including cat Morpheus) into submission. 

For more on Heather and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook, as well as subscribe to her mailing list.

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Thanks so much for stopping by today during Heather’s visit. Do you enjoy historical romance? What are your thoughts on novellas? 

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