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Rochelle Weber: Character Interview Kristen Jensen of The Thin Person Inside
Wednesday, August 30th, 2017

The Interview

Q:   What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about YOU?

KJ: I guess the reason people would want to interview me is because of the unique way I met Sean Wesley. His manager pulled strings to get him into treatment at the Danville, Illinois, VA because he was having trouble staying clean after he ODed during a recording session. I was there to address my food addiction.  I weighed three-hundred pounds when we met. Who’d ever expect a rock star like Sean to fall for someone that fat?

Q:   Can you tell us about your hero?

KJ: Sean’s tall, and drop-dead handsome with black hair and incredible blue eyes. He’s one of the lead singers of The Haystack, and I was in love with his music long before I met him. He’s kind, and intelligent, and incredibly brave. Can you imagine a pianist making a comeback after losing a hand?

Q:   What problems do you have to face and overcome in your life?

KJ: Having been morbidly obese most of my adult life was a pretty big one, pun not intended.

Q:   Do you expect your hero to help or is he the problem?

KJ: Sean and I support each other.  We have different addictions, so we’re not binge buddies.  Although, he says he was a fat kid and he has to watch his food, so I guess I’m a good influence on him.

Q:   Where do you live?

KJ: My apartment’s in Rantoul, Illinois.  It’s about 125 miles south of Chicago, ten miles north of Champaign, and forty-five miles northeast of Danville.  I was raised in Chicago, but rents are less down here and I’m close to my daughters.

Q:   During what time period does your story take place?

KJ: You would call our romance a contemporary one.

Q:   How are you coping with the conflict in your life?

KJ: Aside from having had a heart attack recently, I’m doing okay. I’ve lost about a hundred pounds so far and I’m still losing. I work out along with Sean when he does his physical therapy, and I’m healthier than I’ve been in over twenty years. My kids aren’t embarrassed to be seen with me anymore. 

Q:   Those’re all the questions we have for you. Thank you for speaking to us.

KJ: You’re welcome.  I really think Sean is much more interesting than I am.  After all—he’s the rock star.

 

THE THIN PERSON INSIDE

Kristen Jensen, a Navy veteran, tips the scale at a crippling three hundred pounds. In desperation she asks her VA therapist if she can go into addictions treatment with the guys where she meets Sean. With black hair, blue eyes, and a perfect body she figures the reason he’s speaking to her is that she’s the only other person in the room.

The Haystack told their lead singer, Sean Wesley, to get clean or get out. But none of the big-name clinics worked. Sean’s a Desert Storm vet, so they send him to a VA in the middle of nowhere. When he meets Kristen the first day, he thinks it’s tragic such a pretty girl’s trapped in a huge body. And her honesty, intelligence, and bravery are even more impressive. Sean’s drawn to Kristen, but she’s had decades to build layers of defense.

Review:

***** Amazon Review by Heather Haven September 12, 2015

Well done, Ms. Weber.

This is a raw and revealing account of addiction, with a sweetness to it that pulls the reader in from the first. http://www.amazon.com/review/RJPHI5QOBJPTH

Excerpt:

Sean Wesley went into the snack room to help himself to coffee and a roll. He’d probably gain weight while he was here without his personal trainer and weight room. He’d been a fat kid—always the last to be chosen for games, and stuck in right field when he did play. He’d been saved from a life of obesity by a growth spurt in his late teens, a judge who gave him a choice between jail and the Marines, and switching addictions from food to booze and then cocaine.

By rights, Sean shouldn’t be at a VA facility. Celebrities like him usually got sober at places like the Betty Ford clinic or Hazelden. Actually, he’d come from Betty Ford, but he’d still felt shaky so his manager, Don Nelson, had done his homework. Danville, Illinois, was in the middle of nowhere. The program was different, based on Rational Emotive Therapy, and Sean was a veteran. While he made too much money to be treated at the VA, there’s money and then there’s money. Sean had money—the kind that opens doors and breaks down barriers. The kind that makes even the Federal Government say, “We’ll see what we can do,” and then do it.

So here he was in the middle of a cornfield in bum-fuck Illinois at a shabby old VA hospital. An enormously obese woman came into the snack room interrupting his reverie, and Sean thought, That could’ve been me. What a shame—she’s so pretty.”

* * * *

Kristen noticed the table of goodies and the drop-dead-gorgeous man perusing them in the break room when she went in there to put her lunch in the refrigerator.

“Want one? I heard they send ’em over every morning. I guess they’re yesterday’s leftovers.”

That’s right. Offer sweets to the fat lady. She managed a tight grimace. “Thanks, but I’m here because I’m a food addict.” She held up her orange.

“I’m Sean.” He prob’ly wouldn’t give a fat chick like me a second look anywhere else. Still, what is it about men with black hair and blue eyes that makes me go all mushy?

“Hi.”

“I’ve heard of food addicts, but what makes ya call yourself that?”

“When my kids were little, I left them without a babysitter while I went to the store and wrote a rubber check for ice cream and M&Ms. I’d say I’ve been about as desperate for my fix as any addict or alcoholic.”

“Wow! Yeah, I guess so.” He held the door for her as they exited and then followed her into the Day Room.

Kristen sat on a love seat, taking up the whole thing, while Sean sat in the chair on the other side of the end table next to her. They were the only two people in there since there were classes going on. She was sure the minute other people came out he’d find someone else to talk to. She pulled out her crocheting. She was fairly certain Eric would propose to Viki at Christmas and had already begun work on a tablecloth for them. She worked on it a minute and then decided to be polite. “So, what’s your drug of choice?”

“Cocaine. I’ve been clean a coupla months, but it’s hard ta stay clean.”

“I’ve heard that. I was at a halfway house fundraiser and they said it takes something like over a year for cocaine to completely leave the body, and during that time a person can still have random cravings. They were raising money for an extended treatment program.”

“That explains why I’ve been having such a hard time. I hope this treatment helps.”

“Yeah.”

People started coming into the Day Room from classrooms just down the hallways. Several of them gave Sean and Kristen curious looks. Yeah, what’s a great looking guy doing sitting with a fat chick?

Rochelle Weber Biography

Rochelle Weber is romance author, a Navy veteran, and holds a BA in Writing from Columbia College, Chicago. Her two previous novels, Rock Bound and Rock Crazy are available in all formats.

Ms. Weber has over twenty year’s editing experience and publishes the Marketing for Romance Writers Newsletter, winner of the 2013 and 2015 Preditors & Editors Readers’ Polls for Best Writers’ Resource. She battles bi-polar disorder, quipping, “You haven’t lived until you’ve been the only woman on the locked ward at the VA.” She lost about a hundred-fifty pounds and has kept it off for about three years, and has incorporated these experiences into her books. Ms. Weber lives in Round Lake Beach, Illinois. She has two married daughters, eight assorted grandchildren and step-grandchildren, and a cat who has her very well-trained.

Contact Rochelle At:

Website:  www.rochelleweber.com
Blog:  http://rochelleweber.blogspot.com
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/rochelle.weber2
Facebook Author Page:  http://www.facebook.com/Rochelle.Weber.Author
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/RochelleWeber
Amazon Author Page:  http://amazon.com/author/rochelleweber

THE THIN PERSON INSIDE:

Trailer:  https://youtu.be/DLJBtjXWwRk

Buy Links:
MuseItUp Publishing, Inc.:  http://tinyurl.com/rwmusettpi
Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/rwttpiamz
BN:  http://tinyurl.com/rwttpibn

N.J. Walters: Small Town Living
Monday, August 28th, 2017

Like anywhere, there are pros and cons about living in a small town. On the upside, you know your neighbors, or at least many of them. (That can be a downside too.) There is a sense of community in most smaller towns, a sense of pride in the place.

Of course, gossip is always alive and well in small communities. A person’s reputation can be easily called under scrutiny for the slightest infraction. There are always certain people who seem to have their heart on the pulse of the town, while others will have more control, more sway in the local politics. It’s not easy to keep a secret, but they are always there behind closed doors.

Services and shops can be limited as well. Many small towns have the basics—grocery store, pharmacy, diner, hair salon, hardware, and usually a few more businesses thrown in for good measure.

Small towns are interesting and have personality. They are also filled with people who have a story to tell. It’s one of the reasons I created my fictional town of Jamesville more than 20 years ago when I wrote Discovering Dani. That book wouldn’t get published for another 10 years. Eventually, I wrote 7 books in that fictional town. I love all the characters who allowed me to tell their stories.

I’m even more thrilled that the series is getting a second life and is now available once again.

Books in the series: Discovering Dani, The Way Home, The Return of Patrick O’Rourke, The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke, A Legal Affair, By the Book, and Past Promises. (The first two books in the series are “sweeter” in tone. The rest are all steamy.)

Discovering Dani

 

Jamesville, Book 1

Dani O’Rourke is no stranger to hard work. She’s been raising her two brothers alone since their parents died and she owns and operates her own business, O’Rourke Cleaning Services. Spending all her time working and looking after her family means she’s never had time for men. And if she was going to look for a relationship, it wouldn’t be with an arrogant and cynical man like Burke.

A brush with death has successful businessman Burke questioning his priorities. He’s come to Jamesville for some peace and quiet to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. Catching a woman breaking into his cabin certainly isn’t part of his plan, nor is being attracted to her after her finds out just how wrong he was about her.

Burke finds himself caught up in Dani’s family, but is there room in such a gentle woman’s life for a man as hard as him?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DYVLJF
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/discovering-dani.html
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/discovering-dani-n-j-walters/1013241610?ean=9781640630048

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/discovering-dani/id1265731269
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/discovering-dani-2

To find all the books in the series, as well as links to other venues, just go to my Author Page at Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/author/n-j-walters

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

Shannon Nemechek: WARRANTED PLEASURES
Sunday, August 27th, 2017

Hello and Happy Sunday All….

So I thought I’d share a little of what I’ve been dealing with lately then share a little about my books.

So last Saturday night while I was sleeping at 11:54 Illinois, but 9:54 LA, California time, a hacker hacked my bank account, and by this past Thursday had hacked into all my accounts.  Now, you would think that after the first one when I had asked my bank if my other accounts were safe and after going through and changing passwords, etc., that everything would be okay.  That was a BIG FAT NO.  By the time the hackers were done, all my accounts were frozen and in the negative by, oh yes hold on to your panties, almost 11,000 dollars.  YES, $11 Grand.

So, here I am a Veteran of 23 years in the US Army; I am a 100% disabled Veteran; and now, I have no access to my money well for, as of today, 9 more days at the least and max time 24 more days.  Now, having 3 kids in college and paying for books, etc., there are no savings anymore, so I sit, and I wait.  But the reason I am telling you this is to recommend that you get credit monitoring, get bank monitoring, and watch your accounts.  Now, I have been informed that the hackers most likely got mine, my husband’s and my children’s information from the Pentagon and the Office of Personnel Management Hacking from last year.  Which would explain how the hackers were able to pretend to be my husband and create a profile connected to our accounts through our bank. Yes, the hackers called our bank and set up a profile linked to our account.  How did they do this?  Well, they had all the information from mine and my husband’s security clearances from the Army, so it was easy for them.  I was not the only one affected in this hacking. There were other Veterans and Active Duty personnel who also got hit.

So, what I am telling you is this: I did have all the monitoring available through Experian and through my bank.  So, pay attention! Do not rely on these companies to protect you, because like what happened to me, they were able to fool the bank into thinking they were talking to my husband.  Now we have safe words and sentences that the bank has to ask, and get the right response from us, in order to discuss anything with that person. So the public service warning is, always beware and be on guard.

A Little about Me…..

If I’m new to you I will go through the whole speech. ???????? I hope you don’t mind. ????????????

I served in the US Army for 23 years, and well, at 45 I decided my time had come. I retired out with a 100% service-connected disability. long story. So, now I am here to introduce you to my work and to me. (Scary I know but hold on for a wild ride)

I write Military Romance with SMOKIN’ ALPHA males and STRONG ALPHA females mixed with some suspense. I will always have strong male and female characters in my stories. Romance and action will always grace my stories, as well as some suspense and mystery. ALWAYS, ALWAYS my stories have an HEA—A Happy Ever After.

I am currently working on my second novel of the Warranted Series called Warranted Desires, due out in soon.  My first Book Warranted Pleasures is being released by Limitless Publishing July 25th. And I am an author in four upcoming anthologies. Craving Soldiers and Craving Secrets, which release on Aug 29th. Craving Christmas releases Nov 29th, 2017, and Counting Stars around Feb 2018.

I started my writing career while still serving in the US Army. I am a mother of 4, grandmother of two little girls, and a wife of 24 years.

I have made it a MISSION of mine since retiring that I recognize Fridays As “Buddy Check Friday’s”. Where not only do I call or text fellow veterans and family, but I put a post on my group page, my author’s page, and my personal page to remind all to check on your Battle Buddy. As a Veteran and sufferer of PTSD, I recognize first and foremost how important friends and family are, and to know to remain vigilant, and to seek help when I need it. That is where fellow Veterans, friends, and family come in, because we will a lot of times not seek you out. You must seek us out.

Now, let’s Be Book Buddies!

Like me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/srnemechek
My Readers Group Shannon’s Sinful Sirens:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/603162766528399

The Men of the 9th

So, I am going to introduce you to a couple of the Men of the 9th today. My first one is kinda my favorite. I guess it’s because he was my first. He broke my writing cherry. 🙂

Who wants to meet Chief Warrant Officer Raleigh Fitzgerald? He is my Alpha, all male, and the main lead in what is now becoming a whole new series about the 9th Special Forces Reapers.”Bringers of Death and Destruction” is their motto.

Eventually, it will be an entire world of hottie, alpha and the strong women who fall for them.

Ok, this, my dears, is my Raleigh from my Warranted Series. I seriously want to lick him. I really don’t care where! LOL We can stare at him for a moment then I will show you an excerpt from Book 1 of Samantha and Raleigh’s story. The insignia next to each is special forces unit insignia, and the other is the warrant officer branch insignia.

So my novella, Snowed In, introduces you to the youngest member of the 9th Special Forces. I think you’ll like him. He’s a cutie from Georgia—a young and all Southern stud. 🙂

This novella is set during the time that Warranted Pleasures is set and is the story of Jackson and Annabelle. Jackson is a member of Raleigh’s SF unit.

Like my  Men of the 9th Facebook Fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/menofthe9th/

Warranted Pleasures

★‿¸.•*´´*•.¸(*•.¸¸.•*)¸.•*´´*•.¸‿★

Excerpt  WARRANTED PLEASURES

★***•.¸.•*(¸.•*´`*•.¸)`*•.¸.•***★

4.7 out of 5 Stars on Amazon

57 ★★★★★ Ratings

http://a.co/751Dj8u

Raleigh opened the door to O’Shea’s Pub and walked in. He scanned the bar—no Sam. He scanned the tables—no Sam. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her as she emerged from the bathroom. Her long, blonde hair draped over her bare shoulders, and her legs were so long they could almost reach the sky. She was tanned from head to toe, and the dress she had on left nothing to the imagination. It melted into her skin like it was made for her. The heels she wore inched her almost as tall as him. WOW! She is amazing! He could lose himself in those eyes and that smile. He could forget about everything this world offered and just concentrate on making her every wish come true. Because right then, at that very moment, she was everything he had ever wished for and so much more. He wanted so badly to take her in his arms and whisk her away to a remote island and make her his forever. He could feel himself shake as he walked towards her. He knew he had to get it together, or he would look like a fool.

***

Sitting here with Raleigh was almost a dream come true. She could smell his musky scent from across the table; the smell enticed her senses. She could feel her skin get warm and beads of sweat made their way between her breasts. Thoughts crept into her mind of all the heavenly things she would do to him if she got him alone in a room. It had been too long since Sam had felt a man’s touch—a real man’s touch. She wanted to be taken—body, mind, heart, and soul. Her heart ached for the love and tenderness of a man; Raleigh reminded her of the emptiness she had been feeling for quite some time. Could a guy like Raleigh make all her hopes come true? Or for one night, make her forget all her troubles and be a woman again? She didn’t care either way. There were carnal, sexual needs that she wanted to follow.

As she sat so close to the man of her dreams, the man who could fulfill her deepest desires and the fantasies she had yet to share, she had a feeling she could share any one of them with him and he would be more than willing to make them all come true.

In his deep southern twang, he asked, “Have you ordered yet?”

“Just a drink. I thought I would wait to order food once you got here.” Sam’s voice trailed off as she felt the distinct touch of Raleigh’s leg against hers. The heat she felt skyrocketed to pure pleasure. Is that by accident? Or is he playing with my emotions? She moved her leg just inches, testing the hypothesis that his touch was an accidental one. But his leg moved between hers and pressed them apart. Her heart quickened and her breath hitched. Without control, she had allowed his leg in deeper and could feel her wetness envelop her. She had deliberately gone without panties to avoid panty lines; now she worried he would inch ever so close feeling the wetness soak his jeans. The tablecloth had hidden what was going on under the table, so Sam was happy to oblige Raleigh’s advances. For one night only, she would put away her emotions and her inhibitions and just let the chips fall where they may. She already had a few drinks in her before Raleigh arrived. She was now relaxed enough to let herself go and enjoy where this may go. If she ended up in his bed, she would count it as a notch and let it go. She couldn’t fight her feelings anymore. She needed to be taken, and she needed it now.

The table hid Raleigh’s intentions, and he slid one hand on Sam’s leg and up the length of her thigh. The higher he moved up, the warmer it got. He hoped once he reached her spot, she would be ready and willing to take his length and the pleasure he had secretly sworn to give her the moment he laid eyes on her. He could feel her legs tighten as he inched closer and felt her breath quicken the closer he got to her folds. I pray she isn’t wearing panties. As he reached within centimeters of her warmth and folds, the waitress arrived.

http://a.co/751Dj8u

Follow my Amazon Author page:
http://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Nemechek/e/B0179RK5N8/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Craving Soldiers

Craving Soldiers
Operation Codename Wolverine
Unedited Excerpt

amazon.com/dp/B073KM3H7H

Sergeant First Class Logan Macalister stood steadfast as the dust and sand flew and laughed as he watched the young woman fumble around.  He had been waiting for this CIA agent for the last few hours, and he was ready to get back to the poker game he and the guys had started.  He was ahead a few hundred dollars and didn’t want to miss out on his winning streak.  He couldn’t see her quite well, but he could make out the figure and damn it was impressive.  “What I wouldn’t give to have those legs wrapped around my neck.  If the rest of her looks are as good as they are from the neck down we in business.” He thought as she approached him.  It had been months since he had seen a woman let alone been with a woman so lucky for him she was extremely nice to look at.

“Are you SFC Macalister?” she asked

“Yep, that’s me!” he said as he held his hand out to her “Logan Macalister, but everyone calls me Wolverine.”

“Well, Wolverine how about getting me out of this dust-up and inside so I can sit down.”

“Yea, no problem.  Let me take your bag for ya.” He said as he reached for the bag draped over her arm.  “Looks heavy.”

“Yea, a bit!  I’ve been lugging it around for the last several hours.  I am beyond bushed.  I need a shower a bed and a drink.” She complained as she handed him the bag.

Logan grabbed the bag then motioned her to follow him.  “Follow me, ma’am, I will get you over to the command tent first.  You need to report to the commander first then personnel will get you set up with a bunk and a private area.  Once you get set up, I can show you where the shower facilities are.”  As they walked into the small makeshift building that looked as though it had been put together with cardboard and duct tape a blast a cool air finally hit her face.  “Whew, finally.” She thought as she stopped for a moment to take it all in and to take the scarf down from her face.  Realizing she was no longer following him Logan stopped and turned just in time to see Mackenzie as the scarf fell

His breath hitched, and his heart raced as he took the sight all in.  “My God! he thought she’s the most beautiful women in the world.  Why the hell is she in this rat hole?  Yep, he thought definitely have to get those legs wrapped around my neck.”  When she looked up at him, he realized her eyes were the darkest brown eyes, and her hair was long and dark drown with hints of auburn scattered about.  Then she smiled at him looking up thru her eyelashes, and that smile reached down to his dick and pulled it up and stretched it hard.  He now had a hard on from hell, and there was not a thing he could do about it.

“You good? He asked can we head on?” he knew he sounded like an ass, but he also didn’t want to stand around too long and reveal the raging hard on he had that was pushing against his pants.  It seemed obvious to him that his cock was trying to inch its way closer to her.  “Down boy.” He whispered to himself.

“What was that, Sergeant?” she questioned, looking back at him over her shoulder.

“Nothing all good back here!”

“Oh ok, I thought you said something to me!”

“Nope, all good back here.” He said as he pushed down at his crotch

“Good.  How much further to the commander’s office?”

“Just turn to your right up there, and he’s in there.  I will wait out here.” He said fumbling with his waistband.

“You’re not going in?” 

“Nope, no need. I’ll wait for you out here.  Would you like coffee or water?”

“Water, please. As she turned into the commander’s office, I’ll grab it when I come out.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073KM3H7H

Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/srnemoauthor

Craving Secrets 

Craving Secrets 
Breach of Trust
Unedited Excerpt
http://a.co/g0VBHhj

Madison’s heart sank when she heard her name. She was frightened, so she grabbed the broomstick again and prepared to smash whoever popped their head through the exposed hole in the old building. Gretchen grabbed Jasper. Madison hoped he would not bark, but it was too late. He was a small, strong little dog and had easily jumped from her arms and into the opening in the bricks.

Jasper’s barks echoed throughout the building. Madison could hear the man’s voice calling for her. As he got closer to the opening, she heard him say, “Madison, if you are in there, this is Chance Maxwell. I am with the CIA. Agent York sent me to come get you. I swear I will toss you my wallet so you can see I am who I say I am.”

Chance tossed his wallet toward the opening, and Gretchen popped her head out to retrieve it. Chance grinned as the old woman snapped him a look of disgust then went back into the building. Handing Madison the wallet, she then popped her head back out like a turtle from its shell.

“Is it him?” she asked Gretchen.
“Yes, child, it is the same man,” Gretchen answered.
“Okay, let him in,” Madison said.

Gretchen leaned back out of the hole, “Okay, you can come in,” she said. “But watch what you do, or Jasper will bite your cock off.”
***
Chance laughed.

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I am only here to help Ms. Madison,” Chance replied.

Chance crawled through the opening, his head down, watching for hidden items in the rubble that might hurt the knee or hands as he crawled through. Once he got all the way inside, he looked up then over to the right, and he saw her. She was even more stunning in person; her hair was a mess, her clothes torn, and she had on a pair of mismatched shoes. Her makeup had long since run down part of her face, but despite all of that, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. Her eyes were deep green, and although her hair was disheveled and matted, it was blonde and hung past her shoulders. Even in this state, his cock took over his mind, and his cock started to thicken. What the hell, man? Get a fuckin grip. This is a woman in need of help, and a bath. He grinned to himself.
***
Madison peered at him, still holding the broken broom handle at the ready. “And what the hell are you laughing at?” she asked, waiting still holding the broomstick above her head.

“I am laughing at you, miss. Do you seriously think that would do any kind of damage whatsoever?”

“Well, it could, if I hit hard enough,” she replied.

“Doubtful, but I’ll take your word for it,” Chance replied, standing up and walking over to her and grabbing the broom handle.

“If you don’t mind, I will take that. I have something that will do a little bit more damage than that, so you are perfectly safe with me. I promise,” he said, winking at her then focusing on the small barking dog at his feet.

“Now, who is this little guy?” He bent down to pet Jasper’s head and scratch his ears. Jasper was now on Team Chance and was currently in the process of rolling onto his back for a belly rub.

Gretchen replied, “That, my dear, is Jasper, my guard dog. This is our home. Welcome. Welcome, young Chance, my name is Gretchen.”

“How long have you and Jasper been here?” Chance asked.

“Oh, we have been here for, oh, say, ten years. Well I have had Jasper for only four years. I found him abandoned down at the city center, not far from the cathedral. We have been together since. He protects me, and I protect him,” she answered.

“Well, you have a very nice home, Frau Gretchen.”

“Ah, poppycock! It’s a shithole, but thank you for saying so,” Gretchen announced as she laughed.

Pre-order Aug 19th
Releasing Aug 29nd
http://a.co/g0VBHhj

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I really hope you will consider giving me and my stories an look through.  I know I am most likely new to you but I hope you will allow me to entertain you.  I know you have tons of choices but i would be honored if you chose me.

Love and Hugs,

Shannon Nemechek

Desiree Holt: What’s old is new again…and still suspenseful! (Contest)
Friday, August 25th, 2017

Note: this is a long blog but worth it!

Leave me a comment. Someone will win a $10 GC plus one of my ebooks of their choice.

Ready for some history? In 2004 I finally sat down to write a book. It would be the realization of a dream finally come true. And of course, it would be easy peasy. Nothing to writing a book, right? I think  my head still hurts from banging it on the desk!!

First of all, I had planned to write a straight mystery, because, along with my mother and sister, those were the books I had always read. I even had that first book plotted out, chapter by chapter. So computer, I said, here I come.

Turns out writing a book is a lot harder than it looks. After three months I still had only three chapters written and the head banging began. But then I read Cry No More, by Linda Howard, and a whole new world opened up to me. I wasn’t meant for mysteries. I was meant for romantic suspense. So back to the computer I went, and I wrote that first book in an effort to create a hero as memorable as Diaz in Cry No More.

And I wrote it in a week! 85K words!

Of course, I was the only one who thought it was so wonderful. But it did prompt me to reach out and find the local RWA chapter, which is where I met the fabulous Delilah Devlin and was privileged to be in the critique group with her. The  biggest thing I learned? I had a lot of work to do on that book.

Time marched on. I wrote other books. Eventually a publisher even bought some of them. Wow! I was a published author. But that first book that began my writing life, Run For Your Life, still sat on my hard drive, getting constantly revised.

After five years it was finally contracted as Target and it became the initial book in a series called The Protectors. Well, time marches on and the four-book series did okay, but it became outdated and my style of writing changed and, I hope, improved. So this year my editor at The Wild Rose Press and I dusted it off, I revised every one of the books (one of them with a whole new twist) and we are rereleasing them as Guardian Security. Four hot, suspenseful stories. Four hot, hot heroes.

Take a look. OH, and Run For Your Life/Target is now Moving Target and is set in the town where I lived in Texas for sixteen years, and Quinn’s house is actually my house. Just so ya know!

Oh, and be sure to let me know if you think Quinn is oh so sexy.

Moving Target

Kathryn Burke knows only that she has to get far away as fast as she can. In a frantic, cross-country odyssey, she transforms from pliable Kathryn to feisty, determined Kate Miller, staying one step ahead of the killers on her trail. Then Fate delivers her into the hands of a dark knight with a tortured past. The safety he offers is as tempting as he is. After having his perfect life ripped apart, recluse Quinn sees protecting Kate as his chance for redemption. He never plans on wanting the guarded beauty, never mind falling for her. Denying the explosive chemistry between them is useless, and as danger closes in he must fight to expose the killer or risk history from repeating itself.

Silencing Memories

Just when architect Lindsey Ferrell thinks she’s gotten her life back on track, the terrible nightmares return, and out of nowhere, a stalker sends note to her office. Photos follow, then emails, and she can’t dismiss the threat any longer. Hiring security seems the logical answer, but there’s nothing logical about her body’s reaction to the sinfully sexy expert bent on keeping her safe. Guardian Security partner Nick Vanetta believes there’s more behind the situation than a simple fixation, and he wonders if the answer is buried somewhere in her past. As they dig deeper into her family history, the sizzling attraction between them burns hotter and the job becomes much more than playing bodyguard to this headstrong woman. To protect the woman he loves, he must find the stalker…before it’s too late.

Killing Lies

After her husband was killed and she lost her unborn child, Sarah Madison believed she’d never find love and happiness again. Instead, she has channeled all her energy into her job as assistant to the sexy CEO of Guardian Security. When he proposes a marriage of convenience, the chance to become a mother is tempting, and so is her new prospective husband. His only flaw—the distance he keeps between himself and his sweet little daughter.

Reno Sullivan’s life is a mess. His first marriage was based on a lie, and the fiery death of his wife left him to raise a baby—a constant reminder of his wife’s deceit. He desperately needs someone to mother the child and take charge of his personal life, and his no-nonsense assistant is perfect for the job. Unfortunately, the alluring woman in the bedroom next to his chips away at his determination to maintain the hands-off clause in their agreement and the ice around his heart. A near-tragedy and Reno’s fear of love could kill Sarah’s hopes of turning their fake marriage into happily ever after…

 

Check them out here:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=The+Guardians+Desiree+Holt

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Desiree+Holt+The+GUardians?_requestid=499583

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Guardian+Security+Desiree+holt+Google+Books

Heather Long: Should’ve Been a Cowboy (Contest)
Thursday, August 24th, 2017

Some days I feel old because I remember long before Internet, long before video on demand and MP3s, I listened to .45 records, watched black and white westerns on Saturdays and had showdowns in the apartment complex corral everyday as we battled it out for the roles of cowboys and Indians.

The Simple Joy of Being a Cowboy

Cowboys always seemed to have the freedom to live life on their own terms.  As an adult, I recognize that living on your own terms also means surviving against the odds.  Beyond the simple romance of riding the trails, there were the sore muscles, the threat of disease, the lack of medicine, the constant search for viable drinking water, dealing with wild animals, hostiles and again, the natural fury of Mother Nature whether it was a storm, the landscape or something else.

Yet, cowboys remain romantic.  They are the dusty knights of the Old West, with jingling spurs instead of suits of armor and six guns instead of swords.

Back in Time

When it came to writing Marshal of Hel Dorado, I imagined that I was diving into a novella, a short romp back in time to world that mingled the spaghetti westerns of Clint Eastwood with the sweeping epics of John Wayne and some good old-fashioned Saturday afternoon fun ala Big Valley and Bonanza (both series that heavily featured brothers), but an odd thing happened when I started to write.

I immersed myself, I found that by eliminating modern conveniences, a ten-mile ride on a horse could take half a day or more instead of twenty minutes in a car. These opportunities were tremendous for character interaction and development, but also challenging because the very elements that attracted me to writing the story were the same elements that stretched my novella into a full-length novel.

But the best part of Marshal of Hel Dorado was taking those risks, taking the time to ride for weeks, to take risks in an unfriendly environment.  I would find myself imagining the soreness after riding all day (fortunately, I rode horses for years so I knew what would hurt) as well as spending time trying to figure out what you can eat when you’re on a trail all day, what options you have for treating wounds and better yet, what kisses were like if they weren’t drugged kisses…

A Whole New Adventure

I think the Fevered Hearts series represents a personal challenge, but it’s also a chance to go back to those days when I played cowboys and Indians, when there was a distinct line between right and wrong, honor meant something and the world was doused in shades of gray.

Admittedly, it doesn’t hurt that the brothers are hot.  Some are bad boys, some are easy-going and more than a few have hidden mysteries.  If I’ve piqued your curiosity, you meet most of the boys in Marshal of Hel Dorado.

Won’t you come play cowboy with me?

Marshal of Hel Dorado Excerpt 

A welcoming whicker from Dawn jerked her eyes open and lightning split the sky wide open, backlighting the figure filling the cave entrance.

She couldn’t believe it.

Sam stalked inside the cave, water rolling off the brim off his hat and dripping down the sides of the horse he led inside. He dropped the reins and pounced her before she could go for the gun.

Water from his oil coat soaked through her britches and undershirt as he plucked the gun from the holster. She scrabbled, but he was already flipping her over, sitting on her abandoned rock. She landed on her stomach, across his knees. She turned her head, glaring up at him.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh wouldn’t I?”

She yelped as his hand landed on her backside with a stinging slap.

“That’s for running.”

The second slap wrung tears of surprise and outrage from her eyes.

“That’s for hitting me.”

The third set her lower lip trembling as a fire of tingles burned through the numbness of her backside.

“That’s for charming Micah into letting you keep going.”

By the fourth slap, Scarlett’s cheeks burned in humiliation and fury.

“That’s for taking my damn gun.”

He stood, dumping her onto the rock floor in front of him before retrieving his gun and going to his horse. Her ass stung worse than the time Wyatt had switched her for nearly burning down the outhouse.

With Wyatt in it.

Sam stripped off the horse’s gear, rubbed him dry and pulled out a pouch of feed from his saddlebags. She eased over onto her side, careful to not sit. Her bottom protested even that little movement. It took Sam minutes to feed both horses and then he was turning back to her, walking over, and reclaiming the rock to sit on.

Even in the half gray light of the cave she could read the thunderous look on his face, the tightness to his jaw, the outline of a bruise on his cheek and the red lump swelling just below his hairline. He opened a canteen, a twin for the one that Micah passed off to her, and held it out to her.

“Now, you were going to explain…”

Giveaway

One lucky commentator will win their choice of an eBook copy
of a Fevered Hearts story.

About Heather Long

You can keep up with Heather and her releases via her website at http://www.heatherlong.net Heather Long lives in Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.

Elle James: Montana SEAL Daddy
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017

MONTANA SEAL DADDY

A Brotherhood Protector Novel #7

Tidbit: Did you know my mother was born in Montana? I have family who still live in that beautiful state and I love to visit.  I spent the first five years of my life on the plains of eastern Montana while my father was in the US Air Force. 

Former Navy SEAL enters the fight of his life to protect the mother of his child from killers who wish to silence her testimony in a murder case

After the sudden disappearance of the amazing woman he fell for on vacation in Cozumel and nearly losing his own life on a politically volatile mission in Syria, Brandon Rayne “Boomer” leaves the SEAL brotherhood and signs on with the private security agency Brotherhood Protectors in Montana. Determined to forget the girl and maybe even try for a real life and start a family, he embraces his new life.

While on vacation in Cozumel, Daphne Miller fell in love with a handsome SEAL. On the verge of committing her heart and life to him, she becomes the unwitting witness to murder. Forced into witness protection, she doesn’t realize she’s pregnant, the product of the hot fling with the sexy SEAL. A year later, still pining for what could have been, with a baby girl to protect, Daphne’s safe house is compromised. In an attempt to evade the people trying to kill her to keep her from being a star witness in a big court case, she heads to Montana to find the only person she knows can help, the baby’s father.

Determined to put his desire for Daphne on the back burner, Boomer focuses his skills and cunning on keeping her alive long enough to testify. Together, they vow to protect baby Maya from being used as a pawn to control the outcome of a critical court case.

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

Susan A. Royal: Not Long Ago Interview (Contest)
Monday, August 21st, 2017

UPDATE: The winners are…Debra and Tamara!

* * * * *

Author’s Note: When Erin found out I’d been invited to do her character interview, she insisted on writing her own article. Go figure.

My name is Erin. Just out of college. Young, energetic, enthusiastic. On the threshold of adulthood. All about finding THE job that’ll make four years of working my butt off worthwhile.

You’d think being in the top ten percent of my class would help, but no luck so far. Maybe it’s my major. Research and Development Management. My brother, Aiden, tried to talk me into something else. Maybe I should have listened.  He says I’m stubborn. I prefer to call it determined.

He’s the only family I have. When our parents died, they left him to handle an impulsive, immature teenager with a chip on her shoulder. Before long before we came to the mutual agreement that he’d be better off going back to work overseas, while I stayed with the housekeeper who’d been in our family for years.

Don’t get me wrong. My brother would help in a heartbeat. All I had to do is ask. Only that wasn’t happening. It was time for me to learn to take care of myself.

That’s how I ended up at a temp agency, looking for a job to pay the bills until something better came along. After hounding a friend who works there, she finally consented to let me interview with an author writing a novel set during the Middle Ages.

Talk about a dream job. Once I convinced March to hire me, I found myself cataloguing mountains of information about medieval weapons, castles and their inhabitants. Even learning to dance and loving every minute of it.

Until all hell broke loose. In the middle of examining an artifact during a terrible thunderstorm one night, lightning zapped March and me into the middle ages. I’m talking time travel. He considered it a wonderful opportunity to observe history in action, but I had my doubts. Especially after he convinced me to masquerade as a young boy.

We found work at a nearby castle. A place to sleep and regular meals while figuring out how to get home. Only being a squire, even on a temporary basis was not my idea of fun. Even though Sir Griffin was a patient, kind man. Not to mention handsome. And, yeah, I fell for the guy. Against better judgement.

In the end, my little adventure taught me some things. Like how to stand on my own two feet. And face my fears. Best of all it helped me realize what I really wanted out of life.

If you love time travel adventure with a twist (and a love story) I’m giving away ebooks of Not Long Ago to the first three people who comment on this blog (Be sure to include your email address). You can continue Erin and Griffin’s story with From Now On, and I’m working on the third book in the series. I can promise you it will be an adventure.

Not Long Ago

Erin has met the man of her dreams, but as usual there are complications. It’s one of those long distance relationships, and Griffin is a little behind the times– somewhere around 600 years.

Erin and her employer, March, are transported to a time where chivalry and religion exist alongside brutality and superstition. Something is not quite right at the castle, and Erin and March feel sure mysterious Lady Isobeil is involved. However, Erin must cope with crop circles, ghosts, a kidnapping and death before the truth of her journey is revealed.

Forced to pose as March’s nephew, Erin finds employment as a squire for Sir Griffin.  She’s immediately attracted to him and grows to admire his courage, quiet nobility and devotion to duty.  Only she must deny her feelings.  Her world is centuries away, and she wants to go home.  But Erin can’t stop thinking about her knight in shining armor.

Mini-Excerpt:

I am a stranger in this world, even though I’ve traveled this way before.

Fate and not design brought me the first time. It hurled me into a distant future, with no idea how or why, taking me from an existence dependent upon modern technology to a place where people fear such things and those who use them. While searching for my way home from this harsh and sometimes violent world, my admiration for its inhabitants who valued honor and duty above all else grew into admiration and respect. I found myself drawn to one in particular, a man who saved me more than once. Only I never expected to fall in love with him.

Torn between my feelings and a longing for home, I returned to my time with only vague memories of my experience. My life went back to normal, but part of me sensed the loss of something more precious than anything I’d regained. Until one day, I saw him again.

This time I’ve come by choice, and it is where I’m going to stay.

Fate willing.

Links:

Not Long Ago (time travel, adventure, romance): http://tinyurl.com/85vgye3
Book trailer: http://youtu.be/vOIQVdWUigU/
Susan’s website: http://susanaroyal.wordpress.com 
All books available at MuseItUp, Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

About the Author

Born in west Texas and raised in south Texas, Susan shares a 100-year-old farmhouse in a small east Texas town with a ghost who harmonizes with her son when he plays guitar. She is a mother of three and grandmother of five unique and special children. Her family is rich with characters, both past and present. Susan’s grandmother shared stories of living on a farm in Oklahoma Territory and working as a telephone operator in the early 20th century. She learned all about growing up in the depression from her father and experienced being a teenager during WWII through her mother’s eyes.

Susan loves taking her readers through all kinds of adventures. So far, she’s written two books in her It’s About Time series, Not Long Ago and From Now On, and is working on book three. They are time travel adventures about two people who fall in love despite the fact they come from very different worlds. In My Own Shadow is a Fantasy adventure/romance. Xander’s Tangled Web is a YA fantasy with romance. Look for her books at MuseItUp/Amazon/B&N.

Want to know more? Visit susanaroyal.wordpress.com for a peek inside this writer’s mind and see what she’s up to. You never know what new world she’s going to visit next.