New Release Wednesday + Fr*e Book!!

Please help me welcome another great author, LANA WILLIAMS! Not only does she have a sexy Medieval story for you today, but she's offering it FREE beginning Friday!

You can learn all about Lana at these sites - Links/websites:  www.lanawilliams.net (author website) www.thrivingwriters.com (blog)

But come on back and read more about this fabulous story!

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Thank you so much for having me, Jennifer! 

I’m excited to share that A VOW TO KEEP will be available for free download this weekend, beginning Friday, 8/3. Don’t you love the cover? A huge thanks to the team at Hot Damn Designs! ;)

        The road to publication has certainly been a lengthy one with many hills and valleys! I’ve been writing for a long time and seriously pursuing publication for the last eight years. Of course, that’s while balancing a family and a day job with my passion for writing. Two years ago, I signed with an agent and while that hasn’t yet resulted in a sale to a traditional publishing house, that along with several contest wins boosted my confidence. The best part of my journey has been the friends I’ve made along the way. Those are priceless!

         I’ve moved away from feeling like I need a special place or the right atmosphere to write. I grab my laptop or a notepad and write whenever and wherever I can. Sometimes that’s sitting on the couch in the evenings with my family and sometimes it’s getting up at 5 a.m. to work while sitting in my bed with a cup of coffee. I write a minimum of 6 days a week, and I’m a big fan of the 15 minute method to make sure I’m fitting writing into my day no matter how crazy my schedule looks.

   

      My critique partners rock! I can’t imagine writing without them and I’m so grateful that fate (and our local RWA chapter, Pikes Peak Romance Writers) brought us together. We each have our strengths and together, we’re a force! Sometimes you need a village to get to the best version of your story. J We have similar goals, an inner drive that keeps us going, and a never ending desire to improve our craft. And we all believe in striving for balance in our lives. This includes a balance of mind, body, and spirit, as well as a balance of our families and our writing careers.

In fact, two of us have a blog on this topic: www.thrivingwriters.com. We believe a positive outlook, letting go of the ‘hows’, and continuing to take action toward your goal will get you there. Writing is a tough business and surrounding myself with this amazing group of ladies has kept me moving forward.

  

      My personal love story could easily be the premise for a romance novel! My husband and I met when our friends married and we walked up the aisle together in their wedding. Sweet, huh? J

    

      My current WIP is Book 2 of The Vengeance Trilogy, TRUST IN ME, coming September 2012 to Amazon.  It follows the story of the little boy, Nicholas, in A VOW TO KEEP, now a grown man, and is a twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast theme:

Lady Elizabeth Crefton, in a desperate attempt to save her half-crazed father, offers herself as wife to a lord whose hatred for her is surpassed only by his desire for vengeance.  While she's guilty of many things, she's not the treacherous seductress he presumes.

Ravaged by visions that have plagued him since childhood, Lord Nicholas de Bremont has vowed never to take a wife, though Elizabeth stirs him beyond measure.  Determined to see his brother avenged, he agrees to her outrageous offer but adds a punishing stipulation of his own--he refuses to bed her. 

As they keep up the pretense of a marriage, Elizabeth guards her heart from the angry lord who appears to despise her, but his small acts of kindness crumble her defenses. Nicholas is terrified Elizabeth will unveil his dark secret.  When his visions divulge a villain who intends to harm her, Nicholas must choose whether to save her and accept her trust and love or continue to keep his secret and claim vengeance.

***

Blurb:

A VOW TO KEEP, Book 1 of The Vengeance Trilogy

England 1245

Revenge was all he lived for...until he met her.

Sir Royce de Bremont has spent his entire life plotting revenge against his traitorous uncle. Kidnapping the man’s bride-to-be brings Royce one step closer to fulfilling his vow of vengeance.

Lady Alyna of Montvue has no desire to marry nor to become a pawn in a game of vengeance. Her only wish is to find a safe place to raise the orphan gifted with second sight she vowed to protect.

The beautiful lady and her precocious son make Royce long for a family of his own, yet until he reclaims his birthright, he has little to offer them. Alyna soon realizes this bold knight has captured her heart but fears she’s merely part of his plan for revenge. As passions rise, Royce must choose vengeance or love.

Available exclusively through the KDP Select program as an e-book or paperback on Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/bwtodu6

Links/websites:  www.lanawilliams.net (author website), www.thrivingwriters.com (blog)

Excerpt:

More than anything, Royce wanted to comfort her, to lift the sadness and uncertainty from her face. Again, the strand of hair at her cheek teased him, and he could resist the urge no longer. With a slow movement, he gently eased the lock behind her ear. The moonlight emphasized the elegant lines of her face, hollowing her cheeks and lighting her eyes. She looked up at him with such a sweet, earnest expression.

What was a man to do but...

Kiss her.

Slowly. Passionately. Waiting for her to withdraw and demand he stop. But no protest left her lips, only a soft moan that heightened his desire. He kept the kiss light, not wanting to frighten her away, needing more than anything for her to stay right where she was, in his arms.

The longer he held her, and the longer he kissed her, the more he realized it was not enough. He ached for her touch, to feel her softness against him. He pulled her closer and molded her body to his.

As though she read his thoughts, her arms reached up to his shoulders, their warmth burning through his tunic. She deepened the kiss and tentatively twined her fingers into his hair. Shivers of longing rolled down his spine.

Never had a woman affected him like this. But never had a woman been so wrong for him. A landless knight set on vengeance was a terrible match for a lady. Royce knew this could go no further, not here, not ever. He had to let her go.

In just a moment.

After he had one more taste of her. He would hold her a bit longer, because this would be the last time he did. The memory of this kiss would have to sustain him in the lonely nights to come for he feared he’d never feel like this again.

Her soft whimper was nearly his undoing, nearly more than he could take. Releasing her mouth, he leaned his forehead against hers and took a deep breath to rein in the desire pulsing through him.

Hell’s teeth. What was he doing? This woman was his lord’s granddaughter. Why the thought didn’t force him to release her with great haste was beyond him. It mattered not that she was already a mother, a woman experienced in the ways of the world. She was not his to take and never would be.

With great effort, he set her away from him. “My apologies, my lady. That was a mistake.”

“Excuse me?” Her confusion overrode the desire lingering in her eyes.

Royce felt his resolve weaken and took a step back to shore his defenses. “That was an error.”

Alyna stiffened, obviously affronted at his words, just as he’d intended. “What do you mean?”

He turned away. Another moment of looking at her, and he’d draw her back into his arms.

“If you don’t find me attractive, then why did you kiss me?”

Surprised, Royce spun back toward her. Not find her attractive? How could she think that? His need for her strained his chausses. But a closer look at her vulnerable expression confirmed the beautiful Lady Alyna didn’t realize how desirable she was.

Man Candy Monday!!

Lucky lady..........
Enjoy!

Friday Fun: Meet Author Lynda Bailey + Give*Away!!!

Please help me welcome my dear friend LYNDA BAILEY!! She's not only a fellow historical author but a fellow 2010  Golden Heart® finalist !

For those of you who love Western Historical her new novel WILDFLOWER is a must buy! 

Learn all about Linda at her website but come on back and leave a comment for your chance to win a an e-copy of your choice from Lynda's titles :)

JJ~  How ya doing, Lynda?

LB~ Great, Jenn! Thanks so much for having me here today. It’s always fun to hang out with you.

JJ~ First things first, love the cover of your new book, Wildflower. Who did it for you? Jenn winks.

LB~ Oh, gee. Lynda winks back. Let me think. That would be the fabulously talented Kim Killion of Hot Damn Designs. Ever heard of her?

JJ~ Laughs. I think I may have heard the name once or twice. Tell us a little bit about your story.

LB~ Wildflower is a total “ugly duckling” story. Set in post Civil War in Indian Territory (which is modern day Oklahoma) Matilda, aka Matt, Townsend has grown up working as a cowhand on her father’s ranch. Her mother died when she was a little girl so she’s had no feminine influences in her life. Matt doesn’t even own a dress. Of course, she longs to be more than just another ranch hand. The question is, will she achieve that dream?

JJ~ Sounds interesting. I gotta ask, though, why Indian Territory?

LB~ It was kinda a protest decision as well as a practical one. Tons of historical westerns are set in Texas or Wyoming or California, but very few are set (at least the ones I’ve read) on the Midwest prairie. Having grown up on the prairie, so to speak, it was easier for me to write about that rather than someplace I’d never lived.

JJ~ So when did you first write Wildflower?

LB~ Ohhh, good question there. Wildflower was the third book I ever finished, like maybe twelve years ago. Of course, then it wasn’t titled Wildflower. It was first titled Washita Woman (for the actual Fort Washita in Indian Territory). Then I think I called it Washita Wildflower, then Winter Wildflower. Finally I settled on just plain Wildflower.

JJ~ Why the emphasis on wildflowers?

LB~ Matt always smells like flowers, even in the winter.

JJ~ Huh. What gives on the huge gap between writing your book and publishing it?

LB~ Well, back in the day, I was still learning the ins and outs of storytelling. As I became a (hopefully) better writer, WF went through rewrite after rewrite. When I finally thought she was ready for primetime, no one was too interested in historical romances. So she got tucked away with the dust bunnies under my bed while I pursued other projects. Once I learned western romances were making a bit of a comeback – and were turning erotic, I dusted WF off, spiffed and sexed her up a bit, then entered her in the 2010 Golden Heart®. I’m both honored and humbled that I was a finalist that year. Guess you could say Wildflower is an example of never giving up.

JJ~ True that. Where can interested folks find Wildflower to buy?

LB~ Wildflower is available exclusively through the KDP Select program. Here’s the link. http://amzn.com/B008KFBYXE

JJ~ Anything else you want to add?

LB~ One lucky person will get his/her choice of any one of my titles. Just leave a comment, along with your email addy. Sorry, at this time I can only send a PDF copy. Thanks Jenn for hosting me today!

BLURB:

Indian Territory 1882

She made a deathbed promise.

Matilda Townsend has always dreamed of escaping Indian Territory and finding the acceptance she never had with her own father. As he lies dying from a fever, he asks her to marry so she’ll be safe. She’s then torn between winning her father’s approval and being free.

He gained an unwilling wife.

Logan Cartwright has loved Matt since he first started working for her father. Now the old man is dying and wants him to marry her. Logan knows how much Matt wants to leave. Can he set aside his dream for hers?  

A contest of wills sparks passion.

While Matilda clings to her refusal to share her husband’s bed, Logan coaxes her into exploring the other many and varied ways a man and wife can please each other. Even as their passion blazes hotter than a prairie fire, they must confront a danger that threatens to destroy the ranch and divide them forever.

EXCERPT:

Like a June bug on a hot skillet, Matilda Grace Townsend couldn’t stay still.

Every time she sat, nervous energy forced her to stand. She paced the short distance to the window and drew aside the faded calico curtain only to spin on her heel and retrace her steps before her gaze could fix on anything outside. Her boot heels clacked a steady beat on the wooden floorboards as her denim pants swished in time to the macabre tune. The fire crackled at her back, but she didn’t feel the warmth.

Only cold dread.

She darted her gaze to her father’s closed bedroom door. Again. Influenza or no, Pa should’ve cussed a blue streak at Doc Bingham then tossed the good doctor out on his ear for being so meddlesome.

Yet it was quiet. Too quiet. Like that awful stillness right before her mother died. She might have only been four at the time, but she remembered.

Anxiety churned in her stomach. She clenched her hands into tight fists, her stubby nails stinging her palms. Lordy, she wanted to hit something. Someone.

She glared at that door. She’d give them to the count of five and then she was going in, her father’s temper be damned. Might do him good to get riled up.

The sound of a door opening whipped her around. Logan Cartwright barreled into the house on a strong gust of wind. He shouldered the door shut against the wicked March weather.

The sight of the tall, blond-haired Kentuckian quieted her ragged nerves and thawed some of the iciness in her chest. “What are you doing here? I thought you were riding out to the herd.”

He pulled the well-worn Stetson from his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “I was.” He nudged his chin toward her father’s bedroom. “But Chuck said your pa wanted to see me.”

Her eyebrows knitted. “Why would Pa send for you?”

“I don’t know. Figured it was important, though. He wouldn’t have sent Chuck otherwise.” He hung his lambskin-lined coat on a peg beside the door. “What’d Bingham say?”

“Doc’s still in there.”

Logan’s intense gray eyes, the color of an Appaloosa horse, met hers. “Still?”

“Yes.” Frustration again starched her spine. “And I’m sick of waiting.” She stepped toward the bedroom door. “I’m going in there.”

Logan laid his hand on her arm. She jerked away and faced him, fists up.

“Whoa, easy there, Matt.” He raised his hands and stepped back. “Causing a stir won’t help anything. Let Doc do his job.” He moved to the fireplace and the coffee pot hanging on the hook. He poured a cup. “You want some tea?”

“Chuck has yet to get to town,” she bit out, whatever calm she’d felt vanishing like snow on a summer day. “And I drank the last of the tea two days ago.”

He poured a second cup. “Then have coffee. Last time I checked, we still had plenty of sugar.”

He set both cups on the table before sitting in a straight-backed chair. Matt again balled her hand into a fist. His head made a tempting target.

He took a sip. “Either hit me or have a sit. Your choice.”

She didn’t want to sit so to keep from swinging at Logan’s thick skull, she resumed her pacing. She felt his gray gaze on her every step.

“He’s gonna be all right, Matt.”

She rounded on him. “What makes you so dang sure of that?”

“I just am.” He kicked the other chair out from the table with his foot. “Sit down. You’re wearing a rut in the floor.”

“Am not,” she retorted, not caring that she sounded more like a child than a grown woman of nineteen years. Still, she plunked her backside into the chair and reached for the second cup. After spooning in a generous portion of sugar, she took a sip and grimaced. No amount of sugar could make coffee taste better than bull piss.

“Have you seen him this morning?” Logan again inclined his head toward the bedroom door.

She shook her head then tucked her too short hair behind her ear. “I was mucking stalls when Chuck found me. Said Pa wanted to see me, too.”

Logan’s full lips twitched. “Figure Chuck likes his new job as a carrier pigeon?”

Matt fought to smile back. “He’d rather cook a pigeon than be one.”

After the shared quiet chuckle, silence blanketed the room. It bore down on Matt, making it hard to breathe. She straightened her shoulders with a toss of her head and blinked at the burn in her eyes. “I talked to Roscoe about me getting back on guard duty at the herd.”

Logan stiffened. “What the hell for?”

She hitched a shoulder. “I need to stop lollygagging.”

“You haven’t been lollygagging. You’ve been needed here.”

“To do what?” Anger and a good dose of fear spiked her words. “It’s not like Pa lets me take care of him. He’d rather go hungry than have me spoon broth down his throat.”

“You’re his daughter. Your place is here.”

She crossed her arms and jutted her chin. “Roscoe’s the foreman and he agrees I should get back on guard duty.”

A muscle popped in Logan’s cheek. “Like hell. I’ll take your shifts.”

“You’ve taken every one of my shifts for the past three weeks. And with half the men still recovering, you’ll end up with this dang influenza yourself.”

“Doubtful. Doc says if I haven’t gotten it by now, I won’t. Besides, it’s temporary. Once Gene and everybody else are back on their feet, things will get back to normal.” He calmly sipped his coffee.

Scowling, she opened her mouth to inform Mr. Logan Cartwright that she didn’t need him or anyone treating her like a ninny little girl. But the creak of her father’s bedroom door cut off the words. Doc Bingham stepped out of the room. She jumped to her feet, as did Logan, their chairs scraping the floor.

“How is he?” they asked in unison.

The doctor took his sweet time closing the door before eyeing first Logan then her. “Reckon that’s for him to say.”

A chill settled at the base of her spine. “What does that mean?”

Bingham scrubbed his hands down his face with a sigh. “It means your father wants to see you.”

She started for the bedroom.

“But first, he wants to see you.” Bingham pointed to Logan.

Stunned, Matt halted in her boots. She swerved her gaze to Logan who stared back, his eyebrows arched high. After a pause, he pushed his chair under the table then walked to her father’s room. With a last look, he disappeared through the door.

New Release Wednesday + Give*Away!

 Please help me welcome my friend and debut author (read: very talented, new favorite of mine), LILIA FORD! I think you all will LOVE her novel, THE HEARTWOOD BOX. It's an Epic Fairy Tale, written in wonderfully descriptive way that will transport you to another (sensual) world filled with 3 very sexy brothers ;)

Lilia will give away 1 e-copy (from Amazon) to a lucky commentator so be sure to leave your email addy ;)

Thanks for being here today, Lilia! :)

   

    Where is your favorite place to write?  I hate to admit this, but I do 95% of my writing in bed.  It’s very un-feng-shui, but I got into the habit in graduate school when I literally didn’t have room for a desk and a bed in my room, so the bed became the desk. 

    Do you have critique partners?  My sister is a writer in Hollywood, and I literally could not do this without her.  Though he’ll probably howl if he reads this, my husband—he’s more of a supporter than a critic.  I recently read a piece on Writer Unboxed called “The Bipolar Writer.”  I think many writers will recognize this: one day you’re chugging along, incredibly happy with your work and then the next you’re convinced that, “I suck. To be more precise, I suck in ways that no other human has ever sucked.”  I am susceptible to this affliction.  My husband is extremely good at using humor and remarks like “stop it—you sound like a complete loon,” or “you sound like my mother” to snap me out of my pity-fests.

   What music are you listening to lately?  Right now my absolute favorite band is Kasabian from Leicester, England.

Tell us a little about your WIP.  I am about 240 pages into my second novel, A Biddable Witch, which is set outside Prague, the wizard capitol, 400 years earlier than the events in The Heartwood Box.  In this world, each wizard has a witch who is his destined consort.  Normally witches are sent at a young age to special “Coven Seminaries,” where they are brainwashed to be completely submissive to wizards.  (I should add here that wizards as a group are tall, “insufferably handsome,” and naturally dominant.)  Prosper, our hero, has never found his destined witch, leaving him with far less power than he should have.  A tip leads him and his (extremely hot) apprentice, Sebastian, to a remote farm, where they discover our heroine, Laura, who is passing as a human.  As it happens, she is his consort, and Prosper is not about to let her go.  Unfortunately, Laura’s experiences growing up in a human orphanage and working as a farm-laborer have not turned her into the meek, obedient, well-mannered creature that Prosper was expecting.  

 What is your favorite dessert/food?  Homemade mac n’ cheese—I could eat it every day.  Actually….

 ***************** 

Blurb: 

BEWARE THE GIFTS OF THE FAE.  Battered by the attacks of the demon king, the Fae Queen, Titania, promised her greatest warrior, Declan, that his line would never fail.  To keep her promise, she made a bargain with a human village.  She would gift each girl with a magical heartwood box.  When it came time to marry, the girl’s box would change color to reveal her true love.  But there was a catch: in each generation, one girl’s box would turn black.  She must give herself as a bride to a member of the Black family.

After his brothers failed to find brides, Damian Black knows he must be ruthless.  If he fails to marry, Faerie may fall.  The moment he sees Genevieve Miran, he path is clear.  Marry her and get her safely locked up in his castle before she can escape him.  The shy Genevieve can’t resist when the gorgeous warrior does everything he can to charm her.  But Damian never dreamt that he might have rivals for Genevieve’s love—or that the rivals might be his own brothers.

 *******

You can find the e-book edition of The Heartwood Box: A Fairy Tale on Amazon.  The print edition will be available any day!

Excerpt:

“My captive may speak only when given permission,” Damian drawled.

Genevieve’s eyes widened in a delicious-looking panic. As in the past, she seemed helpless to resist him. Her lips were pursed, her breathing short, a lovely blush spread over her body. In the three days since he’d met her, she’d already lost some of the unhealthy pallor she’d sported at the Bridal Week picnic.

Damian reached over his head and picked up a basket. He glanced inside and then popped a cherry in his mouth, giving her a lazy smile. He pulled out the pit and tossed it in the hearth. He ate several more in the same leisurely fashion as her eyes narrowed furiously.

Finally, he held a cherry just above her lips. She breathed in, as if trying to master her rage. He dangled it above her until she lost the battle with temptation and stretched for it. He pulled it out of the way a few times teasingly and then finally allowed her to put her plump lips over it. After she’d eaten it, he held out his hand for her to spit out the pit.

He continued to eat cherries, every minute or so allowing her to have one. Every time she stretched for the cherry, her breasts would peak through the covering of honey-colored hair. Finally, when he’d had a dozen and she’d had only five, he put the basket down against her knees—so close and yet entirely out of reach. If she’d been kneeling properly, with her knees as far apart as they could stretch, he could have placed the basket in an even more tantalizing spot. All in good time.

Man Candy Monday........buffet closing ?

As some of you have probably read online, an author has been sued over her use of an image she got from just searching Google images. She is advising EVERYONE to be careful and use only images you are sure you have rights to. http://pubrants.blogspot.ca/2012/07/blogging-authors-beware-you-can-get.html
This one of Jimmy Thomas I purchased to use on the back of my RTC of Rafe's Redemption. However, I can't afford to purchase a new image for every Monday so I'm not sure how much longer Man Candy Monday will continue. I am searching to see if there are royalty free sites with low prices or true free images sites I can join.
I will keep looking for images I can use because I have a sweet-tooth for Man Candy just as you ladies do. :)
Thanks!

Friday Fun: Meet Toni Lynn Cloutier + Give*Away!

Please help me welcome the talented Toni Lynn Coultier to the blog today! You can find out all about Toni at her website

But come on back and leave a comment because she's giving away 1 e-copy of The Patriot Girl!!

Thanks for being here today, Toni!

*****

1-Was your road to publication a delightful stroll in the park or a tiring jog over hot coals? Definitely a tiring job over hot coals. But I wouldn’t change a thing! J
2-How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? Situations that occur are more likely to be turned into a novel more than people.
3- What was the best advice you were given leading you to getting published? Never give up. I had a judge tell me more or less to put down the pen and get a real job. So glad I didn’t listen to her!
4- If you could switch places with one of your characters would you? No. I LOVE my life. I’ve been with my husband since I was 19. I don’t ever want to have to go through the dating stages EVER again! J
5-What is your favorite dessert/food? I could live on pasta, cereal, and snacks!
6-Tell us a little about your WIP. I am working on book two of the No Bulls Series. I am working on another short story under my alter ego www.reneeashleywilliams.com.
7- Favorite romance movie? One Fine Day
8- Favorite actor/actress/both? Actors: Denise Quaid, Will Smith, Adam Sandler Actresses: Christine Lahti, Sandra Bullock, Mariska Hargitay
9- Favorite song/singer? I like country music. Too many artists to name!
10-Do you believe in love at first sight or just lust at first sight? Love at first sight.
11- What is your favorite time of year? Spring. I love Easter. I live in New England, so I look forward to going outside wearing a turtleneck and a sweater. No more winter coat!
12- Tropical or European vacation? My dream vacation is to one-day visit Texas! Yes, don’t go over board, I know! But I have no desire to leave the USA!

****

Buy Link : http://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Girl-Toni-Lynn-Cloutier/dp/1612172660

New Release Wednesday + Give*Away!

Please help me welcome my RWA chapter-mate and friend, LYNN CAHOON!
Lynn has had much success this year with not only her newly released novel but her short stories! (Yay! Congrats, Lynn. )
You can find out more about Lynn at her website
But come on back and leave a comment for your chance to win an e-copy of THE BULL RIDER'S BROTHER!

Thanks for being here today, Lynn.

*****

Writing the Modern Western

Okay, so I was surprised when one of my reviewers called my debut release a ‘modern western.’ I think anytime you have cowboys and rodeo together, western must be the definition. I guess I just see the book as a normal life.

Growing up in Idaho, my life surrounded farm life, riding horses, and cowboys. Kids at school wore boots more often than tennis shoes.  And jeans were wranglers, bought at the farm store. Attending rodeos were entertainment.  And when the rodeo parade came to town, life was good.

The memories I’m pulling from all surround life in the country. Even though I’d consider myself a city girl, at least now.

But is The Bull Rider’s Brother a modern western?  I guess. Even though the setting isn’t a Texas ranch, the story surrounds life in a small mountain town.  A town with a church or two, a small general store, and small bars dotting the highway that flows through the town right next to the river. My kind of place.

If that makes it a western, I’m happy with the definition.

So, readers – how do you define a western?

Lynn

Author Bio 

Growing up in the middle of cowboy country, Lynn Cahoon was destined to fall in love with a tall, cool glass of water.  Now, she enjoys writing about small town America, the cowboys who ride the range, and the women who love them. Contact her at her website – www.lynncahoon.wordpress.com

Blurb for The Bull Rider’s Brother

Rodeo weekend is the start of the summer for the entire town of Shawnee, Idaho. On a girl's night out, Lizzie Hudson finds herself comparing her life as a single mom with her best friend's successful career when James Sullivan, the cowboy who got away, walks his Justin Ropers back into her life.  Seeing him shakes Lizzie's world but James is in for an even more eventful weekend, learning he has a son.  James has enough on his plate trying to manage his brother's bull riding career.  Can he learn to redefine family and become part of Lizzie's life before she gives up on him and marries another?

The Bull Rider’s Brother is a series contemporary romance about Lizzie Hudson, a single mom who wants to keep her life just the way it is, thank you.  The problems you know are less scary than the problems you don’t.

When James Sullivan comes back for the town’s rodeo weekend and finds out that his high school sweetheart had his child, six years ago, Lizzie’s world is thrown into turmoil and she must decide if safety and certainty are worth giving up on a chance for love.  A love that an emotionally damaged James may never be able to return, breaking her and her son’s heart in the process.

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bull-Riders-Brother-ebook/dp/B008195C2I  (also available at Barnes and Noble and i-tunes.)

Friday Fun + Give*Away: Meet MIA DOWNING!

Please help me welcome the talented MIA DOWNING to the blog today! I'm so glad to have MIA here today (first time) and happy to report she'll be back next month with a new release! Yay!

Thanks for being here, Mia :)

Thank you so much for having me, Jennifer! I’m excited to be here and I’m such a fan of your writing. Rafe was a delicious find out in the mountains! I doubt I’d ever get that lucky. LOL

I’d love to give away a copy of EXCEEDING BOUNDARIES  to a lucky commenter. Make sure you leave your email addy. I’ll get back to you with the format of your choice! It’s a juicy, conflicted read, so it’s worth the comment!

    *  Was your road to publication a delightful stroll in the park or a tiring jog over hot coals?

I think it was more of a run through the park being chased by zombies. I’m lucky, I happened to be in the right place and right time when I submitted to my editor, so she saved me from the zombies. I started writing again in 2000, was a contest slut, won prizes, got rejected by a big six NYC editor over the phone with a request to write for a different line (I wasn’t ready to do what she wanted.) Then I listened to a friend who basically killed the dream with one sentence. That, along with health issues, put the dream in the trash can until this year when the stories decided they needed to be heard.

* Where is your favorite place to write?

Right now it’s on the laptop at the barn. We just got a horse, and we have two cows. They don’t all fit into the barn, and the horse is protective of his space. The horse comes out to eat, but needs to be watched (he doesn’t have a stall yet and I envision him playing Jacob’s ladder with his lead rope.) So I have two hours a day of writing time on the laptop. It’s peaceful, I take coffee, and if I spend a little longer on the laptop, the horse doesn’t complain.

* Do you have critique partners?

No. A critique partner (CP) can be a catalyst for good or evil. Unfortunately, I ended up in hell paddling the boat that goes back and forth across the River Styx, collecting coins from dead people. LOL I gave up fiction and instead turned to other venues within the business (technical and ghost writing.) But I couldn’t stay away, so finally I got brave. I do have two very close friends I use to bounce ideas and give more of an overview once I’ve written what I need to write. I also use a beta reader now and then. Of course my editor is a valuable tool though I try to make everything as perfect as possible before she gets the book. I do sound ideas off her, and she’s my biggest cheering section!

* What music are you listening to lately?

Each book has its own sound track and I have to go and find music that fits that scene/character. I know I have the right song when I put it on repeat and don’t hear it anymore. Weird, but that’s me.

The Spy Games series have songs that can mix and match because the characters are in every book. Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger was Kate’s music. Chase makes love to Kate to Snow Patrol’s Set Fire to the Third Bar. Charlotte loves Niki Minaj’s Starships. Jake thinks Rick Springfield’s song, Jesse’s Girl is too ironic and changes the lyrics to Chase’s Girl. LOL. Right now I’m on a 30 Seconds to Mars Kick. Jared Leto is mine. I’d like to see him on a Mancandy Monday!

Exceeding Boundaries, my first book, was written to Maroon 5’s Never Gonna Leave This Bed and a few others. Funny but I can’t listen to that song now, for this series. I only hope my characters don’t wish for country music. I hate it.

* If you could switch places with one of your characters would you?

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be Kate. She went from nerdy and frumpy to having a kick ass body, great boobs and nicer hair thanks to the government. She is optimistic and full of determination, willing to change to become what she needs to be for her job and for her relationship with Chase. Chase is not an easy man to love because he has so many facets behind the gorgeous face and bossy attitude. But more importantly, I love how she grows and becomes empowered by her new role as a spy, and how she has two men that love her so deeply. Granted, she would die first for Chase, but she loves her partner, Jake, too.

* Tell us a little about your WIP.

I just finished the last Spy Games Endgame. Charlotte Smith is a secret agent marking time until her final mission is put into play. Right now she’s Aaron James’ bodyguard. He’s an actor who got himself into a bit of trouble and needs protecting. He’s also Jake’s younger brother, who is the hero for book two, and plays an important role in book one.

And I’m also in the middle of a male/male targeted for the Boys Of Summer series TWRP has running this summer. It’s a best friends story and very heartbreaking to write at times.

Exceeding Boundaries BLURB:

Lawyer Megan Connors wants a man, one that will wine her, dine her, and help her to forget the pain of a date rape she experienced as a teen. Her boss, Adam Wentworth, is just the man--tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed, and a confirmed player. He's perfect for a weekend of non-committal sex that will entice her inner woman out to play for good. So Megan devises a plan for seduction, one that will lure Adam into her arms. 

Adam has been attracted to Megan since day one, but his preference for dominance and her fragile air kept him at bay. Megan's kiss under forgotten mistletoe is just the fuel his lust needs to exceed the boundaries she once put in place. He's game, but he wants more than a weekend with the vulnerable yet sexy Megan. 

When the weekend is over, will Megan allow the past to keep her bound or can Adam convince her she’s strong enough to submit? 

BUY Links:

AMAZON

http://www.amazon.com/Exceeding-Boundaries-ebook/dp/B008GWRC32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342148307&sr=8-1&keywords=exceeding+boundaries

THE WILD ROSE PRESS

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=866

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New Release Wednesday!!

Please help me welcome the talented PATRICIA RICE to the blog! She has a New Regency that you don't want to miss, THE ENGLISH HEIRESS!!
Please leave a comment to entered into a drawing for an e-copy of THE ENGLISH HEIRESS :)
Visit Patricia and see ALL her books at her website

Thanks for being here today, Patrica!
*****

I always wondered about 'cut' material from the books? Why and who makes those decisions and how about some that you had cut (if you have) from both books? 

“Cut” materials in almost any of my books are dictated by me. I’m a “fly into the mist” kind of writer and sometimes when I’m not entirely certain where I’m going, I do a lot of circling. It may be good material, snappy dialogue, whatever, but if it doesn’t keep the story line moving forward, it gets whacked.

And in the case of THE MARQUESS and THE ENGLISH HEIRESS, I was writing in an older Regency style that required a lot of circumlocutions, which required a lot of repetition, and the verbiage simply stacked up. Adding to that haystack was the fact that I was writing on an old DOS computer with limited capacity, so I wrote and edited everything by hand. (The ghosts in my attic kept crashing my machine and I was terrified of losing text.) And I didn’t have the time or equipment to go back and hack unnecessary scenery.

Since THE MARQUESS made it into print and has been reissued frequently, I’ve edited it several times over the years and no longer have any excerpts at hand. Michael’s book, however, is another story. Scattered over corrupted Word 6 disks and in various versions and hard copy in my basement,  I have umpteen versions and edited scenes scattered all over, and trying to remember which version contained what would be a major headache.  

Even after I pieced the story back together and edited out huge chunks, my fantastic editor at Book View Café, Sherwood Smith, cut nearly 20,000 words of repetitive text. I could probably fill another book with cut material.  I’ll copy the first small excised text I found below. As you can tell, there’s nothing wrong with it. It just doesn’t say anything that hasn’t already been said.

That Blanche’s breath caught when his muscles rippled beneath his coat didn’t mean anything. She admired fine horse flesh too. Sunny days and the laughter of children made her heart sing with joy. What she felt for Michael was little more.

But it wasn’t the return of a horse or a sunny day she awaited now.

She wanted Michael, the one man in her world she couldn’t have.

I also cut a lot of material about secondary characters from Michael’s book that would lead to the other books in the series. I knew the third book, IRISH DUCHESS, wasn’t even in my computer because the entire back-up disk had corrupted. I had only one copy of the manuscript I’d sold umpteen years ago. I’d spent so many years putting Michael back together again, I didn’t think I’d ever have the time or patience to bother re-creating the DUCHESS.  I still may not. But readers have been so wonderfully supportive of THE ENGLISH HEIRESS that I’ve bitten the bullet, made a copy of those old pages, and sent the DUCHESS in for scanning. I may have mountains more of text littering the cutting room floor in the months to come!

***

With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her forty-ninth book, The Lure of Song and Magic, is a magical contemporary romance. Dylan Ives “Oz”Oswin is desperate enough to follow any clue in his search for his kidnapped son. A mysterious e-mail sets him on a search for the former rock star Syrene, but she is now the reclusive children’s book author Philippa “Pippa” Malcolm James, who believes she can destroy lives with her dangerous voice. She refuses his request—until she learns it’s about a lost child. For readers who loved Patricia Rice's paranormal romantic historical “Magic” series, The Lure of Song and Magic introduces characters descended from that series, in a contemporary romance setting.

In her forty-eighth book, The Devilish Montague, Blake Montague wants to save Europe. Ladybyrd Carrington only wants to save her family and a foul-mouthed parrot. Marriage wasn’t on their incompatible minds—until they realized they each had what the other needed... Nominated for the 2011 RT Book Reviews Historical Love and Laughter award.

Her forty-seventh book, The Wicked Wyckerly, was nominated for the 2010 Romance Writers of America’s RITA® and 2010 RT Book Reviews Historical Love and Laughter award.

Patricia Rice's emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.

In addition to receiving the Bookrak Bestselling Paperback award, her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.

A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.