Kira Duval, US Army Special Forces, never expected to fall in love with any man while she worked with an A-team in Afghanistan. But she did. And she never let anyone, not even Weapons Sergeant, Garret Fleming, know what lay in her heart for him.

She didn’t know if it was reciprocal because every man on the A-team treated her like their favorite sister. They treated her as an equal and they trusted her without question. Kira knew that if there was any hint of intimacy with Garret, it would fracture the team. And there was no way she was going to do that.

But Fate has a way of intervening and their worlds explode on them during a Taliban attack. Kira saves Garret after he is wounded. In the end, they lose track of one another for three years. Broken by PTSD, Kira is out of the Army and trying to find a job at a Wyoming ranch. And again, her life turns upside down.

EXCERPT from Chapter 1, Wind River Cowboy by Lindsay McKenna:

“Ambush!”

Sergeant Kira Duval’s earpiece rang with the warning from Army Captain Aaron Michelson, the Special Forces A team leader. The night was black and an RPG exploded right in between the two Humvees they were riding in. The twelve-person team halted and all hell broke loose. Kira exited the vehicle, hearing the hollow thunk of another RPG being fired in their direction. She heard more orders in her earpiece as she threw herself on the muddy Afghan ground, hands over her head, mouth open.

The night erupted into red, yellow and orange flames as the second RPG hit the first Humvee, which Aaron was in. She wanted to scream, but the blast lifted her off the ground, hurling her several feet, and she started rolling to minimize the impact. Keeping her mouth open to equalize the pressure between her lungs and the outside air so they wouldn’t melt into jelly, Kira had the M4 strapped in a harness across her chest. She fell hard on her side, the weapon jamming into her rib cage, making her cry out.

Another explosion erupted. Her eardrums were pounded. The pain in them caused her to grunt. The shouts, screams and orders roared into her head. She saw dark shadows exiting her Humvee, the other four men trying to escape and run for cover.

Someone jerked her up by the shoulder of her uniform harness, dragging her along, heading for a group of shadowy rocks. Gasping, Kira struggled and then lunged to her feet with the help of Sergeant Garret Fleming, who was at her side. He was screaming into his mic for the four operators, ordering them to get to the safety of the rock fortress just ahead of them.

Another RPG was fired. AK-47 fire was like a fusillade slamming into the escaping Special Forces survivors. Kira didn’t have time to cry. The first Humvee was twisted metal, flames roaring into the dark sky, sending long, dancing shadows across the muddy soil. She slipped, but Garret kept a tight gloved hand on her uniform, keeping her on her feet as they raced three hundred yards to safety. They had to get cover or they were all dead.

Her mind spun. There had been six men in that first Humvee. Had any of them made it out? She heard Garret yelling into the mic for Captain Michelson, but there was no answer from their leader. Oh, God! She’d lived with this team for three years. Each of these men were like beloved brothers to her. They couldn’t be dead. The just couldn’t!

Sobbing, tears burning in her eyes, Garret suddenly went down. She heard him curse. He released her shoulder, sending her spinning and falling to the left of him. Bullets were digging up mud all around them, geyser spouts flung into the air. They were not only ambushed but surrounded on half of the area where they were scrambling to find cover. Landing hard on her knees, she twisted around, the mud making everything slippery. Kira saw the shadows of two other A team members running in their direction.

Bullets mowed them down. Screaming, Kira lunged for Garret, who was grabbing his left leg, blood spurting from his calf.

Just as she reached Garret on her hands and knees, a second bullet struck him in the head. He suddenly collapsed, lifeless, on the ground.

No! I love him! You can’t kill him! You can’t!

Kira grabbed Garret’s shoulder. The man was six foot two inches tall, two hundred and twenty pounds without counting the seventy pounds of gear he wore on his body. Jerking at him, she managed to get to her feet. Adrenaline gave her the strength of two men and she hauled Garret behind the rocks that stood five to ten feet tall in a semicircle around them. She called for their 18 Delta medics.

No answer from either of them. There were two on each team. Were they both dead?

No! 

Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Wind-River-Cowboy-Lindsay-McKenna-ebook/dp/B01HWKM62A/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Wind-River-Cowboy-Lindsay-McKenna/dp/1420141783/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YJ39P1M25XJDR96K9VJ8

kobo.com: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wind-river-cowboy

bn.com: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wind-river-cowboy-lindsay-mckenna/1124063903?ean=9781420141788

iBooks/Apple: https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/en-us/details/1130817588?country=us&mediaType=books&term=Wind+River+Cowboy

Recorded Books, April 1, 2017: https://www.amazon.com/Wind-River-Cowboy/dp/B06XPMBHV2/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1489851382&sr=8-1

Thank you so much for having me at your lovely site today, Delilah. I’d like to introduce my new romantic suspense, Lapses of Memory, and tell you a little about the background.

My traveling life began at the age of six months, when my family moved from New York to North Carolina. Soon after we were winging halfway across the world to Turkey in a Boeing Stratocruiser, just like my hero Elian and my heroine Sydney did. Since then I’ve lived or traveled in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the US, Central America, and South America. Like Sydney and Elian, I’ve seen the Golestan Palace in Iran and walked the Hamra in Beirut. Like them, I’ve ridden a bus down the switchbacks of the eastern Turkish mountains past Mount Ararat. I’ve even begged for cigarettes from the sailors on a battleship in the Port of Tangier—just like Sydney and Elian. It’s been an adventure.

 Sydney Bellek first meets Elian Davies in the 1950s on a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser when she is five and he is seven. They run into each other every few years after that, but while he knows from the start that she is his true love, she does not. Later, as rival journalists, they vie for scoops on international crises from the Iranian revolution to the Lebanese civil war. The handsome and intrepid Elian beats her out at every turn, even while keeping his love for her secret. Only after years of separation does she finally realize they are meant to be together, but this time, in a twist of fate, it is Elian whose memory of her is gone. Will he remember her before she loses heart or will their new love be enough to replace the old one?

Lapses of Memory

Excerpt: The First Kiss

By luck or accident, Eddie’s parents had chosen the hotel next to Sydney’s apartment building, so they saw him every day. She and Eddie spent hours scouting the beach for what Eddie dubbed valuables—shells and sharks’ teeth and interesting flotsam. They kept their treasures in a shoebox under Sydney’s bed. Life seemed as good as it would ever be, or so Sydney told her diary.

The day before he had to leave for Marrakesh, Eddie met her at the front door of the hotel. “Let’s go down to the port. Ali says he has a surprise.”

They made their way to the bustling docks. Dwarfing the usual jumble of fishing boats and ferries at the wharves, a huge gray destroyer lay at anchor, its American flags flying proudly. “Wow, what’s that?”

A sailor passing by them said, “It’s the USS John Paul Jones of the Sixth Fleet. She’s come in for a weekend’s leave. See that little kiosk over there? You can get tickets for a tour if you like.”

Sydney started to head toward the kiosk, but Eddie held her back. He pointed at a gaggle of local kids standing near the ship pointing and yelling. “There’s Ali. Let’s see what’s going on.”

They ran along the pier, gawking at the sailors in their brilliant white uniforms who stood at attention on the decks. A couple of the other kids waved their arms, calling the sailors. Eddie grinned at Sydney. “You wanna jump in and see if they’ll throw us something?”

“What? Eew!”

“No, it’ll be fun. Ali says he and Yusuf do it all the time.” He took a flying leap and landed butt first in the oil-ringed water. He came up spluttering and waved at her. “Come on in, the water’s disgusting!”

When you’re thirteen years old and in love, you sometimes do the darndest things. Holding her nose, Sydney dove off the pier. She made the mistake of opening her eyes before she surfaced and was nearly blinded by a silt soup thicker than the Nile at flood stage. Something nipped her toe. She shot up out of the depths, kicking frantically at whatever slimy sea creature lurked in the muck. Together they swam over to a couple of brown-skinned boys and waved and shouted along with them. “Hey, sailor! Throw us sumpin’!”

“Hey, mistah!”

Pretty soon, they had a crowd of uniforms hanging over the railing, tossing cigarettes to them. Sydney wondered what her mother would do if she saw her little Pollyanna screeching and spitting out scummy water while she fought over soggy Winstons. To be on the safe side, she yelled in French. That way the headlines wouldn’t read “Underage American girl caught fraternizing with the Sixth Fleet.” One sailor leaned far out, pointed at her, and sent his Dixie cup hat floating out. She lunged for it, but instead her head slammed into Eddie’s. Dazed, she threw her arms out hoping to find something to grab on to and hit a bare chest. Two arms went round her, and before she could struggle out of them, two lips came in contact with hers. A moment later, they were gone. A hand took hers and guided her to the dock. “You okay?”

“Eddie!” Then she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

He grinned at her. “We’d best get back.” He pulled her out of the water.

They picked up their towels and walked home. Sydney kept her mouth closed, the better to savor the tingling feeling the kiss left on her lips. At the door to her building, he stopped. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning early. I’d…I’d like to see you tonight. Can you get out?”

She shook her head. “I’ve used up my three late nights. I have to stay in.” She hoped the tear that welled up wouldn’t fall.

Eddie’s face fell instead. “I don’t want to say goodbye, Sydney. What happens if…”

“If we never see each other again?” A sudden weight crushed her sternum, reminding her of that first climbing ascent in a plane when she was five. Never?

“Look, I’ll figure something out.” He checked the sun. “I’ve got to go. I promise, I’ll see you tonight.” Before she could move, he bent forward and kissed her again, then threw his towel over his shoulder and strolled jauntily away.

Buy Links:
TWRP: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4896-lapses-of-memory.html
I Tunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lapses-of-memory/id1196959922?mt=11
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lapses-Memory-M-S-Spencer-ebook/dp/B01N5P9FTU
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lapses-of-memory-ms-spencer/1115291373KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lapses-of-memory-1
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/lapses-of-memory-0

About the Author

Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five of the seven continents, the last thirty years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director, and parent. After many years in academia, she worked for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Department of the Interior, in several library systems, both public and academic, and at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Ms. Spencer has published ten romantic suspense novels, and has two more in utero. She has two fabulous grown children and an incredible granddaughter. She divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Contacts
Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MSSpencerauthor
Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor

My calendar of events can be found here:
Romance Books 4 Us: http://www.romancebooks4us.com/M.S._Spencer.html

My daughter is in Italy attending a real estate seminar. She is also a coach, just like I was for several years. She works for the same mentor I loved, and who trained me to be a great saleswoman. Without his backing, I knew I was going to be trampled to death with the highly competitive field of knife-throwers-in-the-back. I felt I was too nice to sell.

I learned so much, and laughed so much, hearing all the mistakes people make in that business. I laugh about all the mistakes I’ve also made in writing. Some of the naïve views I had about writers and the writing process.

So Christen dropped the bomb that my mentor told a story about me in the seminar today. I’m just a bit obsessive about these sorts of things. I’m dying to know what the story is. Was it the bathing suit story? Or the time I sold a condo to a couple who looked like they were both women, and the title company informed them California (at that time) didn’t allow them to take title as husband and wife. And when one of them stood up, grabbed the back of her pants and said, “But I am a man,” we thought we were going to see the full Monty, but she got out her driver’s license, proving she was in fact, a man.

One of my old pals reminded me that I used to sleep under the stage at these big events, before I was one of the ones on stage. That way, I got a front row seat! Or the fact that I taught a whole bunch of agents I was training how to ride the service elevators so we didn’t have to wait to be part of the crowd waiting for one and running out of time to pee.

I also remember my son, who became a Navy SEAL, was 5 and spoke to my mentor at that time. “You know my mom, Sharon Hamilton?” And of course he did. “I think she’s a great Realtor,” Mike answered. My son replied, “Yes she is. She’s the best Realtor in the whole world. Did you know that?” He walked out of the ice cream store without looking back, satisfied he’d laid the proper facts on him.

Our past makes up so much of our stories. All the people we met, the families we raised, the seminars we went to, and churches we attended. Strange family gatherings. It’s all soup and it goes into the writer’s toolkit, right?

Have you bought your copy of Jake yet?

How about my first paranormal SEAL: The Trident Legacy?

See you next time. I’ll bet you have some fun stories as well.

Sharon Hamilton

UPDATE: The winner of the prize is…Mary Preston!

* * * * *

I’m fascinated by medieval history and enjoy books and media releases that focus on events of this timeframe.  I loved the movies Braveheart and Rob Roy, and more recently the TV series Vikings.

After a couple of years of research for my latest series, “The Forbidden Series,” focusing on the dissolution of the Knights Templar, you can imagine my happy surprise to learn of the upcoming TV series, “Knightfall,” which surrounds the last days of the Knights Templar. I’m anxiously awaiting the release of this new Templar series.

Regardless if hundreds of years have passed, questions remain of where the Templars fled, what treasure they took, and how so many valiant knights were able to disappear without a trace.  As a major plotter, I’m enjoying weaving in my character’s journey, where they face challenges and in the end fall in love, around these mysteries and more along with my speculation as to where their fleet and many of the Brotherhood could have escaped to prior to the arrests beginning in France on the 13th of October, 1307.

Forbidden Legacy – Book #1 (Stephan & Katherine)

A Knights Templar, Sir Stephan MacQuistan desires no bride, only vengeance for a family lost and a legacy stolen.  A profound twist of fate tears apart the brotherhood he loves, but offers him an opportunity to reclaim his legacy – Avalon Castle.  Except to procure his childhood home along with a place to store Templar treasures, he must wed the unsuspecting daughter of the man who killed his family. To settle old scores, Stephan agrees aware Katherine is but a pawn in a dangerous game, not a woman he will ever love.

Forbidden Knight – Book #2 (Thomas & Alesone)

There is an intruder in the woods near King Robert Bruce’s camp, but when Sir Thomas MacKelloch comes face-to-face with the interloper, he is shocked to discover his assailant is a woman. The fair lady is skilled with a bow and arrow and defiant in her responses. The wary Knight Templar dare not allow her beauty to lower his guard. Irritated by his attraction, he hauls her before his sovereign to expose her nefarious intent.

Giveaway!!!

To be entered in a drawing for a coffee mug and a bag, please post a reply to the following question: 

What is your favorite historical book, movie, or TV series?

*One name will be drawn as the winner.  The contest ends midnight the 28^th of March 2017.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I wish you the best.

Sincerely,

Diana Cosby
AGC(AW) USN, Ret.
International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense.  Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated in five languages.  Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world.  After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and Forbidden Legacy, book #1 of The Forbidden Series, she is now working on book #2, Forbidden Knight which will be released in June 2017.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

www.dianacosby.com

UPDATE: The winner is of the signed book is…Virginia!

* * * * *

Please don’t miss the give-away at the bottom of this post!

Hi Everyone, I’m Geri Krotow, bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. I’m so excited to be meeting all of you on Delilah’s blog. I’ve known Delilah and her sister for a long while, and they’ve both been incredible inspirations to my writing career.

What makes my stories different? The very thing that makes me different—I’m a Navy veteran, former Naval Intelligence Officer and a Naval Academy graduate. I have a more global perspective on romance and life in general, which shows up in my books with characters who have also traveled the globe, but usually (though not always) want to settle down now and enjoy great sex with the love of their life.

Currently I write the Silver Valley PD series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, where I often use my military background to provide accurate descriptions of weapons or the physicality of doing military-type surveillance ops. Coming in January 2018 is my sexy contemporary series Bayou Bachelors, from Kensington Lyrical Caress. The Bayou Bachelors came to me when I was visiting New Orleans during a flooding rainstorm last year. I kept seeing the hero and heroine in Book One, and their backstories popped up whether I wanted to sleep or not! It’s my sexiest series yet, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Contest

For each comment left by Saturday, March 25^th at 6pm EST, I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a signed copy of the first Silver Valley PD book, Her Christmas Protector. The fourth book of the Silver Valley PD series, Secret Agent Under Fire, releases April 1^st and is available for pre-order now. Isn’t the cover delish?

It’s been great sharing with you. Thanks for having me, Delilah and friends!

Peace,

Geri Krotow
Thrilling Romance
www.gerikrotow.com

Website:  http://gerikrotow.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerikrotow
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/644880.Geri_Krotow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeriKrotow
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gerikrotow/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geri_krotow/

The life of an author can be solitary. But not for me! I’ve been on the go since the beginning of the year, and my schedule isn’t slowing down a bit! April 1-9, I’ll be in Seattle for a writer’s retreat. If you’re in the Seattle area, we’re having a meet and greet at the Snohomish Library April 8^th from 1:00-3:30pm. You can check out the details on Facebook. I hope to see some of you there. I’ll be with authors Susan Stoker, Becca Jameson, Cherise Sinclair and Lainey Reese. If I don’t see you there, I’ll be at Romantic Times Convention in Atlanta May 2-7. Lots of fun things happening here! Then it’s Dallas for the Wanderlust Booksigning May 20^th. Seriously, I hope you can make one of these events to say hello. In the meantime, I have books coming soon.

April 11^th is the release of WHO’S YOUR DADDY, a romantic comedy co-authored by me and my sister, Delilah Devlin. If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet, there’s still time! And I have two other books up for pre-order coming to you in May. May 16^th is Montana Dog Soldier and May 31^st is Wyatt’s War. If you love military heroes and romantic suspense pre-order your copies now!

Hope to see you soon! Happy Reading!

WHO’S YOUR DADDY – Texas Billionaires Club Series Book #3

Sexy advertising executive lays out a plan to have a baby without the complications of a husband. A billionaire cowboy is just the man to complicate her neatly laid plans.

Amazon | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

MONTANA DOG SOLDIER – Brotherhood Protectors Series #6

Prior-service Army Dog Handler Joseph “Kujo” Kuntz and his dog Six team with a female FBI agent to locate and neutralize a training camp for ISIS terrorists

Amazon |  Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

WYATT’S WAR – Hearts & Heroes Series Book #1

Army Special Forces soldier tasked with augmenting security at a high-profile international trade convention teams with the sassy convention planner to protect the delegates from terrorist threats

Amazon | Kobo | Nook | IBooks

Hi, all! Thanks go to Delilah for allowing me to take over her blog on this Wednesday.

I’m going to talk about my penchant for using unusual supernatural beings in my exciting new release No Ordinary Fairy.  I will also give you the opportunity to win an ebook of the novella and an Amazon gift card!

Whenever I set out to write a story I first look around to myth and fairy tales to see what people or elements I could utilize that are a little fresher. I have nothing against vampires and werewolves and do include them in my stories, but I feel like they’ve had their place in the sun. So instead, I look for unusual creatures who don’t normally grace the pages of fiction.

For No Ordinary Fairy, which is a novella setting the stage for a shifter war series I turned to Polish myths and the stories of the Vila/Vilas, who are supposedly deadly…but I think they’re misunderstood. Pani, the heroine of NOF, is one such being. She is just trying to live a quiet life when she encounters Rafe, a gorgeous mountain lion shifter who has lost his ability to shift. Vila are not normally written in paranormal romance, which is one of the things that appealed to me about them. There are so many tales about them: that they are the spirits of women who had died. Alternatively, they have control over the winds, and make the earth shake from the force of their magic. When angered, they will entrance and dance men to death.

Whew! Some kind of fairy, huh? I hope that you enjoy Pani and Rafe as much as I enjoyed writing them. They are the first story in a larger series arc that will take the shifters in this world to the point of war. I will be looking for other unusual and interesting paranormals in the years to come. There are so many! If I could write about them all I would, but I’d need unlimited time. It’s times like these I wish I were one of my immortal Elementals.

Here is a taste of No Ordinary Fairy:

She felt a tug again, a presence to the right, deeper into the woods. There was something else too, a spirit she couldn’t identify. Not a shifter. Pani focused. She could feel shifter birds and foxes scattered around the area, but those weren’t what drew her attention. It felt like a shifter, but not a shifter, and its signature danced on the wind like a blast of cold Arctic air.

“Rafe, do you sense that?”

He looked at her with a dash of gold in his green eyes. For a moment, the cat looked at her, pleading, begging her to release it. He lifted his head and sniffed, so like a cat that she felt the presence of the lion surround her. Her Vila flowed out, the crown of gleaming gemstones beginning to take shape on her head. If she could reach the cat, maybe she could free it.

There was a mournful howl, unearthly and shrill, from somewhere in the distance.

“That’s not a coyote. Or a wolf,” Rafe said. “That sounds almost human, but not like any human I’ve met.”

Using her summoned Vila senses, Pani flowed out toward the sound, but could find no trail to lead her to the noise. It, and the strange sense of malevolence, vanished. She tested the air, trying to capture the feeling of the “other” so she could identify it again. Whatever it was, she didn’t like it.

Rafe growled deep in his throat and she turned back to him.

“Do you have any of your abilities?” she asked, looking up at him to see frustration crawl across his face.

His fists clenched and his body was so tight she thought his muscles might explode.

“I still have better reflexes, and acute senses of smell and hearing. I have enhanced tracking, superior to any human. But I can’t shift. My cat paces around inside me, but he can’t get out.”

He ground his teeth and he slammed one fist into another. He looked over at her with those eyes so like the color of her favorite forest trees.

“I thought you would know where he was. You’re a Vila. You like dogs.” He looked at her for a long minute. “You’re supposed to make men want to follow you anywhere, but you don’t seem to be that dangerous.”

Mocking laughter. Touching. Unwanted hands. The savage compliments that tasted like rage. The chase. The lure. Deep. Deeper. Into the forest. Come, little man, come. Teasing. Dancing. Deeper. Deeper. The forest. The forest. The forest. Screams. Pleas.

Nothing.

Pani looked at him, glad he didn’t have psychic ability, glad that his powers were diminished at the moment. If he hadn’t been stunted, she wondered if he’d be able to smell the past on her, the wrongness of what had happened.

Of what she’d had to do.

Contest

Want to win a ebook of No Ordinary Fairy as well as a $10 Amazon gift card? Just leave a comment on my Facebook author page between now and the end of the month, and I will draw one random name as the lucky winner. As always I welcome feedback. If you care to drop me a line either at my website (www.clairedavon.com) or on my Facebook author page.

Thanks again to Delilah for hosting me! I had a blast!

Happy reading!

Claire Davon