Sometimes, I peruse photo sites without any particular purpose in mind. I find photos for projects I’m working on that I think might be used for covers. Then there are photos like the one below that I just can’t resist, because I know there’s a story waiting to be written.

Tell me a story! Doesn’t have to long. Doesn’t have to be good. Have fun with it! I’ll choose one winner who’ll get her choice of any of my downloadable backlist (already published) stories!

Every November, social media is flooded with people listing all the things they’re thankful for. Family. Friends. Small things. Big things. It’s always interesting for me to see what matters to people.

It also makes me think about what matters to me. Giving thanks is not something I do consciously most of the time, but it is something that matters. I have young kids. Kids that I’m trying to teach manners to. I want them to be polite, but I want them to be sincere also. Saying thank you only matters when you mean it.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Most of us do. You don’t have to look far to find a person who has it worse than you do, or better, but being grateful for what we have is important.

I’m thankful for the innocence of my kids. My son, who’s seven, found out recently that I was adopted. When I asked him if he knew what that meant, he said, “Yeah. It means they put you in a box and your parents came by and picked you from all the other kids.” Not quite. But only a kid could come up with such a sweet and innocent explanation of something that is hard for so many of us to think about.

I’m thankful for the love of my parents. It’s been a little over two years since my family moved closer to my parents. Instead of 800 miles away from them, we’re now less than three. Over the last two and a half years, I’ve grown closer to my parents. They’re there for my family in ways they couldn’t be when we lived so far away. They are always supportive of us and I love being close to them.

I’m thankful for my health. I’m quickly approaching the (hopefully) one year anniversary of being in remission. Nothing makes you appreciate your health more than beating stage IV cancer and being able to tell your story.

I’m thankful for my career. Maybe that’s a weird one to be thankful for, but being a writer has given me so much. My previous job was one that was slowly sucking the life out of me. I truly believe it would have killed me if I hadn’t gotten out. Being a writer is the exact opposite. It’s brought new friends to my life, new opportunities, and a new connection with people. I love what I do, and consider myself very fortunate to have this job.

Lastly, I’m thankful for my husband. He’s always there for me. Whether it’s a plot problem I need to talk through, an extra hand around the house (yes, he cooks and sometimes cleans), or just someone to watch a movie or a tv show with, he’s always there for me. He’s been my best friend for fifteen years, and I know he’ll be there for me forever. I’m lucky to have him, and yeah, he’s pretty damn lucky, too. I remind him of that regularly!

What are you thankful for?

*~*~*~*

Now available free – Love The Wine You’re With

He could be just what she needs…

Alyssa Wright has one goal before she leaves for college. She refuses to go carrying her v-card. She just has to find someone to give it to in the next six weeks.

When she runs into Jake Monroe, almost literally, she knows he’s different. She thinks about him constantly, and not in the way she’s thought about any other guy.

She might be what he’s looking for…

Between his new job and helping his best friend’s widow, Jake doesn’t have time for romance. But there’s something about Alyssa he can’t resist. He’s torn between the light Alyssa brings to his world and the promise he made to his best friend.

Is it enough to keep them together…forever? 

What they want doesn’t matter. There’s a ticking clock, counting down the days until Alyssa leaves. Maybe for good.

 Get it free today – Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | B&N | Smashwords

About Mary

Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight on as she hid under the covers, trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her eReader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book.

When Mary’s not reading, she’s playing with her two kids or living out her own real life romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. Unless there’s wine. Then everything is okay.

Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple of adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah, she thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise their kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.

Find me online: Website, Facebook, BookBub, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Newsletter

November’s shaping up to be one busy month!

First, November is NaNoWriMo—which is a writing challenge that causes authors around the world to lose their minds as they rush to finish 50,000 words! Yes, I accepted this year’s challenge. Nag me to make sure I hit that mark! As of this morning, I’m at 7029 words! Woot!

Next, I’m leading a FREE Mind Mapping workshop for authors November 6-12. If you’re a writer wanting to take a hard look at all the things you want to accomplish in 2018—start with this fun exercise!

Then, of course, there’s Thanksgiving… I am heading to Virginia with my dd’s family to celebrate with the rest of the Devlin clan. Vacay doesn’t mean I won’t be writing! Let’s see if I can figure out how to fit it all in!

Lastly, I have three releases this month! The first came Thursday. Love cowboys? Love reunion stories? Older woman/younger man? Well, you should enjoy this one! Ignore the clunky title. I promise it’s sexier than it sounds! ~DD

The Cowboy and The Widow

Following her husband’s death, Maggie McDermott faces the onerous task of running the family ranch. She’s through mourning her husband and the children they never had. The problem? She doesn’t know the first thing about running a ranch, so she knows she needs a capable hand. When Daniel Tynan applies for the position, she’s flooded with guilty memories of the time she tempted the younger man.

Daniel is more than willing to show sweet Maggie the ropes. His gentle ways melt her heart, and his sensual passion burns away her inhibitions. He may be younger, but he’s not without the right kind of experience…

Order your copy here!

All the Texas Cowboys, so far…

I can’t resist sharing this pretty picture… 🙂

Also this month…

Just click on the pics to pre-order!

November is here and that means the days are getting shorter and colder. Sometimes you just want a treat. If you have a family or a significant other, you can bake a cake or pie and share it. But if you’re a single person it can be a little more challenging. I mean, who wants to eat an entire cake or pie? Okay, I may want to, but I know it’s not good for me.

I discovered a great recipe for a mini apple crisp over at the Taste of Home website. Not only is it yummy, but if you eat it warm, it’s even better. If you want, you can top it with cream.

Ingredients:

Medium apple, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of butter
2 Tablespoons of quick-cooking oats
1/8 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Place apple slices in greased baking dish. Combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add oats and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apple slices. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes (or until tender)

Maybe on some cold evening, you’ll whip yourself up a mini apple crisp and curl up with a good book. If you’re looking for a steamy vampire tale, you might want to check out Eternal Brothers.

ETERNAL BROTHERS

Dalakis Passion, book 4

When an anonymous late-night tip sends reporter Sophia Daring to the cemetery, she isn’t prepared for what she finds there—a grisly murder scene and the body of a woman completely drained of blood. Sophia’s never been scared off a story before, but this time all the clues point to one disturbing conclusion: this was the work of the mysterious and dangerous Dalakis brothers. And just as unsettling for the fiercely independent Sophia is the irresistible pull of the stranger also working the case, the sensually compelling Zane York.

A ex-cop, Zane has made it his personal mission to prove that the secretive Dalakis family are powerful vampires and ruthless killers. But when his investigation takes him to New Orleans and their latest victim, he begins to suspect that the Dalakis are being framed by an enemy as dark and mysterious as they are. And even as he struggles with his doubts about the family, there’s no doubt about his hungry response to the hauntingly beautiful Sophia. He knows he must make her his own, whatever the cost.

As the smoldering chemistry between Sophia and Zane ignites in a delirious haze of passion, they will find themselves immersed in the Dalakis family secrets and the trail of murder that leads to their door. And as their fears and suspicions war with an unquenchable desire, she and Zane will discover that a secret from the past may pose the deadliest threat yet . . .

This is a revised edition of a previously published book.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076DHK161/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/752959
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eternal-brothers-nj-walters/1019316301?ean=2940158767982
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/eternal-brothers-1

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Group: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/awakeningdesires/info
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

I’m getting ancient.

My children bless their hearts, call me the Chief Wrinkly.

And that made me think, obscurely, about achievements in my life.

I wrote my first book about 20 years ago when I had just completed a development project in Sri Lanka and was awaiting my new assignment.  I was living on the edge of a huge coconut estate, and indeed my garden was three acres of mostly coconut trees.  There was a family of miner birds living in a hole in one tree on the edge of the small lawn in front of the house, and there was a verandah overlooking the lawn so that my breakfast was frequently taken on that verandah.

I used to tempt the miner birds onto the lawn by placing most of an overripe papaya fruit on the lawn.  Miner birds are great squabblers, and love papaya, and made a lot of noise as they competed to gobble as much of the papaya as they could.

The book?  I didn’t get that one published until 2014, just three years ago.  Since then I have written and published another 30 novels.  I can’t claim best seller status, but I did get a few good reviews, so please have a look at my website:

http://www.adammannauthor.com

You can also find my books on Amazon and Smashwords:
https://www.amazon.com/author/adammannauthor.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AdamtheMann

Motivation. Along with goals and conflict, it’s a major component of a great romance. A few years ago, I decided to write a series about some hot, successful football players whose unusual interests (call them fetishes if you must) played huge roles in how they lived their personal lives. GRIDIRON KINK includes the four BDSM romances that illustrate what events motivated each hero and heroine to embrace fetishes some readers may find strange—even a bit bizarre.

Romance is a must for me in everything I write, no matter what kinky actions turn my story people on. I lean toward conjuring up one hero, one heroine story lines, though there’s room for modification of that rule in some of my BDSM tales. In the GRIDIRON KINK series, I set out to write the stories of four mainly heterosexual couples for whom exploring their mutual fetishes—psychologically as well as literally—were integral parts of their journeys.

I hope readers will enjoy the four independent but connected short novels. In END ZONE, Jack and Tawny are young lovers who have embraced her 24/7 control over his sexual urges for his own good. Sid’s submissive dream girl learns to welcome his style of control by sensual rope bondage in place of her former master’s brutality in BEST RECEPTION. Jimmy miraculously finds his fantasy lover in the flesh, straight off advertiser’s billboards, in SACKMASTER. Finally, Matt is Keisha’s happy 24/7 slave, until circumstances force a switch of the D/s dynamic to save her life.

These stories have been updated and sanitized for their re-release in a brand-new box set featuring cover art by the fabulous Original Syn. I hope readers will enjoy all four in one handy package! Brand new and only $3.99 (or read for free with Kindle Unlimited) so get your copy now!

Website: http://annjacobs.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnJacobsAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/authrannjacobs
Email: ann@annjacobs.net

I might have mentioned that I am a huge NERD! But I have been a comic superhero fan for most of my life. I’m a Marvel and DC girl, I’ve followed lots of different storylines, celebrated their triumphs, mourned their losses, and cheered when they rose again. Needless to say, since the launch of the MCU, I’ve been able to indulge my passion and fantasy with every new film.

This week, we get Thor:Ragnorak, the third of the Thor films, and his fifth appearance in the MCU. In no particular order, we’re celebrating Thorsday a couple of days early this week, as I’ll be spending Thorsday itself in the theater watching the movie!

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1. Thor brings his hammer to the party and he’s loud, boisterous, and fierce—but he’s also loyal, powerful, and not afraid to fight.

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2. Hulk is in the movie! Hulk is in the movie! Hulk is in the movie!

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3. Loki is in the movie! Loki is in the movie!

SPOILER ALERT – Clip below

4. Brotherly love is always a win!

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5. We’ve seen Asgard at its finest, we’ve seen Asgard invaded, and we may see Asgard destroyed, but another Thor is always a win.

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6. Sorry, did I mention Chris Hemsworth?

7. Jeff Goldblum brings his particular magic to the rich canvas that is the ever expanding MCU!

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8. Hello Hela! Badass villains welcome!

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9. New alliances!

10. And as super stoked as I am about Thor: Ragnorak, and I am over the moon stoked! Thor’s arrival means we’ll be getting to these beauties soon!

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Are you ready for Thor: Ragnorak?

About Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family.

She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Heather is best known for her 18-book paranormal romance series Wolves of Willow Bend, which begins:
Prequel: Wolf at Law
1: Wolf Bite
2: Caged Wolf
3: Wolf Claim
3.5: Wolf Next Door
4: Rogue Wolf
5: Bayou Wolf
6: Untamed Wolf

Heather’s other fantasy romance series include the paranormal westerns Fevered Hearts starting with Marshal of Hel Dorado, Black Hill Wolves which start with What a Wolf Wants, Witches of Mane Street, Mongrels, and the forthcoming Bravo Team WOLF series.

Her contemporary romance series include: Always a Marine, Going Royal, Elite Warriors, The Love Thieves, beginning with Catch Me and Lone Star Leathernecks, beginning with Semper Fi Cowboy.

Heather is well-represented in fantasy wither her superhero series Boomers, a sci-fi western called Space Cowboy Survival Guide, an urban fantasy series called the Chance Monroe Adventures, and a stand-alone ghost novel titled Haunt Me.

Contact Details:

Website: http://www.heatherlong.net
Email: heather@heatherlong.net
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heather-long
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Long/e/B002BMBCUC/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeatherLongAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HVLong
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iKxQ5