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Allie Boniface: Summer’s Song Brings Small-Town Summer Heat (Giveaway)
Sunday, August 20th, 2017

What better way to celebrate the dog days of summer than with a small-town romance series filled with heat and suspense? Welcome to Pine Point, where secrets abound. I’ve always loved writing about the quirky wonderfulness of small towns, probably because I grew up in one. They’re charming, often picturesque, and filled with characters who know, love, hate, and have all kinds of juicy gossip about each other – some that goes back generations! So yes, Pine Point is one of those towns.

This series was originally published by Samhain Publishing from 2009-2016 but has found a new home with Entangled Publishing and will be officially releasing tomorrow! (Though you can pre-order all the titles now).  In addition to shiny new covers, each book has updated content, especially Summer’s Song, which has a whole new beginning: a sneak peek at Summer as a child, a pre-teen, and an angsty adolescent. I loved writing it and can’t wait for readers to see it!

In Summer’s Song, our heroine comes home to Pine Point after 10 long years away. She doesn’t have plans to stay, but that changes once she meets a local hunky handyman. But like almost every main character I seem to create, these two have secrets waiting for them. Each title in the Pine Point series is on sale from now through August 27 for only $0.99, so you can treat yourself to this entire collection for less than $4.00! Even better, I’ve joined with 7 other Entangled authors to create a Hot August Nights giveaway, and I’ll hope you check out the webpage below for more information about that.

Enjoy this excerpt of Summer’s Song, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Summer’s Song

Summer Thompson doesn’t remember the night her brother died, and she certainly doesn’t want to go back to Pine Point and face any memories that might be awoken there. But ten years after leaving her small hometown, she’s back to settle her estranged father’s estate and be rid of the half-renovated mansion she’s inherited. What she doesn’t expect is to find the house occupied by a hunky handyman reluctant to talk about his past.

Damian Knight has been helping his mother and sister hide from a brutal stalker, but now the peace and carefully guarded safety they’ve found in Pine Point is in danger. The refuge they live in is about to be sold out from under them by the lovely but haunted Summer, a woman who quickly finds her way through Damian’s defenses and steals his heart.

But in a small town full of powerful secrets, the past won’t remain buried. Summer has to face her memories and could lose the man she loves, and maybe even her life.

Each book in the Pine Point series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed in any order:
Book #1: Summer’s Song
Book #2: Winter Wonder
Book #3: Spring Secrets
Book #4: Autumn Allure

Summer’s Song Excerpt:

“Hey, you can’t go up there.” A strong hand grabbed her elbow.

Summer turned with a start. “Why not?”

“Not safe yet.” He motioned to the steps, and when she looked closer, she saw a missing riser that gaped like a placid crocodile, ready to snatch up her unsuspecting foot.

“Oh.” She smiled an apology at Mac’s assistant.

He was tall, with light brown hair and deep blue eyes, and his broad, shirtless chest shone with sweat. Muscular biceps, no doubt made strong from summer labor, twitched as he reached for an itch between his shoulder blades. Summer swallowed and tried to chase away a crazy urge to scratch the spot for him.

“I’m Summer Thompson, by the way.” She reached out a hand in greeting. “The—ah—the new owner of this place.”

He studied her with a serious expression. “So I guessed. Damian Knight.”

The one who’s renting the farmhouse. “Listen, I…” She meant to talk to him about that, but she couldn’t quite process the words as his blue eyes locked with hers. He hadn’t yet dropped her hand, which she didn’t mind in the least. Strong. Warm. Sending electricity straight through her.

“Summer!”

Mac’s hand on her shoulder broke her reverie. Summer turned and plastered on a smile she hoped looked normal. “Hi, Mac.”

“Shit. Can’t believe you’re here.” He shook his head and grinned, and she glimpsed the chipped front teeth she remembered from high school.

“Well, I wanted to see the house. I just…” She faltered. “I just found out about it.”

“I know. Your father wanted it to be a surprise for you. Sorry about your loss, by the way.” He looked over his shoulder. “He did a great thing, buying this place. Wish he could have seen it finished.”

She wasn’t sure it was a great thing at all, and still didn’t understand why her father had saddled her with it, but she kept her mouth shut. Maybe someone else would find beauty in it. Maybe someone else would want the story that came with owning such an estate.

Mac gestured around the yard. “We’re working on the roof today, obviously. Got another day or so before it’s done. There’s some interior work to do after that. And don’t use these front steps, okay? We still gotta replace a few.”

She nodded. “It looks…” Like nothing I would ever want to live in? Like the biggest mistake my father could have made? She wasn’t sure what to say.

“It’s a helluva lotta work,” Mac interrupted her thoughts. “But your father paid us through Labor Day, and we’ll probably finish most of the major structural work by then. ’Course, I don’t know what your plans are. If you’re gonna sell it as is, or…” He stopped and waited for her to finish the sentence. She didn’t.

“Can I see the inside?” she asked instead. She wanted an idea of the mess she was dealing with. But her doubt grew as she looked around. The needed repairs seemed overwhelming, and those were just the ones she could see.

“Sure.” Mac glanced at his watch and turned to Damian. “You’re leaving early today, right?”

“Yeah.” But Damian didn’t move. Instead he ran one hand through his hair and sent a cloud of sawdust flying. A grin touched his eyes and, for a brief second, Summer saw her own reflection in his gaze. She looked small and dark, a little girl floating on the blue of his iris. He smiled, and in the sunlight, the blue deepened until she felt like she was falling inside it, floating, forgetting who and where she was. Something jumped in her stomach, and her palms tingled. Knights in Pine Point? There hadn’t been any for as long as she could remember.

Don’t fall for the guy whose heart you have to break tomorrow.

Buy Links:
Entangled Store: https://entangledpublishing.com/summer-s-song.html
Amazon: http://bit.ly/SummersSongAmazon
Apple: http://bit.ly/SummerSongApple
B&N: http://bit.ly/SummersSongNook

The Giveaway

Hot August Nights Giveaway Link: http://entangledauthors.myforeverhea.com/

About the Author

Allie Boniface is the USA Today best-selling author of over a dozen novels, including the Cocktail Cruise, Hometown Heroes, and Pine Point series. Her books are most often set in small towns and feature emotional romance with relatable characters you’ll know and love.

A graduate of the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University, Allie is a full-time high school English teacher in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she and her husband love to travel.

Take some time to browse around Allie’s website, check out new and upcoming releases, and sign up for her newsletter. You can join Allie’s All-Stars too, an exclusive readers’ group on Facebook where fans and friends chat about life, characters and story ideas, and have exclusive access to prizes, giveaways, and early sales!

Author Links:
Website: www.allieboniface.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorAllieBoniface
Allie’s All-Stars: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllieBonifaceAllStars/
Twitter: @AllieBoniface1
Newsletter Sign-up: http://bit.ly/AlliesNews

Jennifer Kacey: Man’s Best Friend (Giveaway)
Friday, August 18th, 2017

I’m not just talking dogs here, and I’m not just talking dudes. I want to talk about all creatures big or small that fall into the pet category. And that’s for every man, woman and child out there.

I love writing animals into books. I think they’re wonderful and comforting and familiar. Sometimes even nostalgic.

One of my favorites I’ve ever written is Voldemort the cat in No Place Like Home.

Amazon – https://goo.gl/GIyFb7
B&N – https://goo.gl/wcV6C3
Smashwords – https://goo.gl/jRKlEW
Kobo – https://goo.gl/0dVBvO
Itunes – https://goo.gl/VhAjtS
Print Amazon – https://goo.gl/Py49Jo
Print Createspace – https://goo.gl/wynedM
Website – http://www.jenniferkacey.com/books/cominghome/no-place-like-home.html

I got to throw “the Dark Lord” jokes in the book and “meow” for conversation and picture how warm and cuddly he is with a tiny character named Addison.

One of my favorite animals I’ve ever had was named Oscar. Also a cat. He had some of the most beautiful striped markings I’ve ever seen. And he used to stand on the counter and meow at me until I stood in front of him so he could hug me. He was an awesome cat!

Currently I have a 60-gallon freshwater fish tank with around 40 fish in it. Some of them glow under black light, and we also have a 14” sucker fish who is…..hmm……..9 years old.

So I want to hear about your pets! 4 legged or two, furr or feathers, cluck or bark! What do you have now, what do you love, what would you LOVE to have??

Let’s have a giveaway with an AWESOME bag of goodies for one lucky poster! Three print books and lots and lots of other swag and kinky goodies! Plus a tshirt and a pretty purple WIP bag to hold it all!

**GIVEAWAY – US ONLY** – Just look at all the awesomeness you could win!! So tell me the story of your favorite animal!!

I’ll pick a winner on Monday the 21st!! Good Luck!! PS –It’s always great to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you! Hate not being able to give winners their goodies!!

Decadently Yours,
Jennifer Kacey

About the Author

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her miniman in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website Newsletter The Decadent DivasAmazon Page

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Jessica E. Subject: The Planets of Beyond Reach
Thursday, August 17th, 2017

Some of my sci-fi romances take place on a single planet. Many of them on Earth, such as Hey, Santa and Alien Kisses at Midnight. Other times, I’ll have my characters exist in an alternative Earth, like It Took a Zombie Apocalypse. But, sometimes I decide to have my characters visit several planets, the differences between their destinations helping to bring conflict into the story. As a reader, I love visiting new destinations in the books I read, and I try to make it just as fun for my readers.

These are the main planets mentioned in Beyond Reach, most of them visited at some point during the story.

Carbae

– where the story begins
– not an actual planet, but the moon of Ubetron
– the inhabitants, originally from Ubetron, live in homes built into the ground
– cold climate
– where the hero is from

Ubetron

– a planet in the Petrogeous galaxy
– natives are humanoid with blue skin, their hair ranging from gold to dark brown

Schedar

– known as the pleasure planet
– home of ipsum, a naturally-grown drug that helps people to relax and reduces their inhibitions
– also home of the Suavitas, those who practice the art of sensual massage
– natives have golden brown skin
– population numbers vary, as over half the people on the planet at any time are tourists
– where the heroine is from

Tenebrae

– a planet containing only a prison colony
– often used as a threat to misbehaving children

Earth

– the planet we live on, but in the future when governments are trying to make trade deals with other planets rather than other countries.

Tell me: If you had the chance, what planet would you like to visit? (Can be one from fictional books/movies or real.)

LOVE IN A NEW WORLD

New Adult Romance on Earth and Beyond
Release date: July 31, 2017
Genres: New Adult Romance, Anthology
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-988428-07-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-988428-06-2
Cover artist: Fantasia Frog Designs

An alien prince, a farm girl, two university students from a small town, and more are all ready to begin their lives as adults. They have everything planned out. But when drastic events crush their dreams, they must carve a new path. And they just might find unexpected love along the way.

Includes the New Adult Romances Beyond Reach, Accidental Romance, It Took a Zombie Apocalypse, Hey Santa, and bonus story Alien Kisses at Midnight.

EBOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon UShttps://www.amazon.com/Love-New-World-Romance-Beyond-ebook/dp/B073Q8X8DM/
Amazon UKhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-New-World-Romance-Beyond-ebook/dp/B073Q8X8DM/
Amazon Canadahttps://www.amazon.ca/Love-New-World-Romance-Beyond-ebook/dp/B073Q8X8DM/
Nookhttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-a-new-world-jessica-e-subject/1126693038
Google Playhttps://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jessica_E_Subject_Love_in_a_New_World?id=6eEqDwAAQBAJ
iBooks – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/ love-in-a-new-world/id1255708226?mt=11
Kobohttps://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/love-in-a-new-world

PRINT BUY LINKS:

Amazon UShttps://www.amazon.com/Love-New-World-Romance-Beyond/dp/1988428068/
Amazon UKhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-New-World-Romance-Beyond/dp/1988428068/
CreateSpace – https://www.createspace.com/7323838
Barnes & Noblehttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-a-new-world-jessica-e-subject/1126704115
IndieBoundhttp://www.indiebound.org/book/9781988428062

Add to Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35613379-love-in-a-new-world

EXCERPT from Beyond Reach

Walking into the silky rear-end of an uidiss, she came to an abrupt halt. The creature had been walking at a steady pace and then stopped. She’d failed to notice in time. Wiping fluff off her face, she turned around and walked into another hard body. “I’m so sorry.”

Hands clamped down on her arms. “Are you all right?”

She stared up into deep brown eyes. Chewing her bottom lip, she nodded. If this man hadn’t been holding on to her, she would have fallen to the ground. The word swoon held no meaning for her until now.

Am I only like this because of the ipsum I inhaled back home? Or was there something more she found heart-racing about the blue-skinned, well-muscled hunk of an Ubetron who held her up?

No, she couldn’t feel anything for him. Their races had been sworn enemies for years. Everyone across the galaxy knew that. Yet here she was, standing face to face, gazing intently at him, with no will to move.

He smiled at her, drawing her attention from his eyes to his lips. How would they taste? She’d never kissed anyone intimately before.

“You look familiar. What’s your name?”

Name? Gods, what was her name? “Ni…Nixie.” Had she told him, or only thought the word?

He released her arms to brush his fingers along her jaw line. How she remained standing, she had no idea.

“Nixie. A beautiful name belonging to a beautiful woman. Have we met before?”

Moisture pooled between her thighs. Her cheeks warmed. “Thank you, but no.” She’d definitely remember meeting him.

As he trailed a hand down her arm, she sighed. Her entire body tingled from his gentle touch.

“Okay, weird. You must remind me of someone else. Now tell me, why were you in such a rush that you walked into the rear end of that slow-moving beast? We’re supposed to be on vacation, enjoying all this planet has to offer.”

Laughing at his description of the uidiss, she leaned against his arm. Never before had she enjoyed a man’s attention like this. “I’m not visiting. I live here. Have my whole life.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really? So, what was it like growing up on the pleasure planet?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to go to fitness class and walk her Great Pyrenees/Retriever her family adopted from the local animal shelter.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website – http://jessicasubject.com
Newsletter – http://eepurl.com/eX1Zw
Twitter – http://twitter.com/jsubject
Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370
Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/jessicasubject/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jessicaesubject/
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/100079570422204018357/
Amazon Author Page – http://amazon.com/author/jessicasubject
Goodreads Page – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject
Authorgraph – http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/jsubject

Adriana Kraft: How old should an erotic romance hero be?
Monday, August 14th, 2017

For those who don’t know, Adriana Kraft is the pen name under which my husband and I write erotic romance, among other things. Baby boomers ourselves, we often feature characters in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s and beyond. If that’s not what trips your trigger, this book isn’t for you – but, with any luck, all of us will reach these ages eventually, and we hope our readers do so with vim, vigor, and yes, a vibrant and active sex life. We like to think some of our characters can light the way.

Zachary Cullen is just such a character. Here are some snippets about him from our heroine’s point of view:

Not for the first time, Josie wondered why the highly successful fifty-something entrepreneur invested so much time and money trying to find the next Broadway star…

Lost in her own thoughts, Josie startled at the gravelly sound of Zach’s deep voice. It was that slow, strong drawl that had appealed to her since the first time they’d met. That, and his burning eyes that seemed capable of peering into her soul…

She had to admit his broad shoulders and tapered hips triggered her own lusty imagination. Damn. She hated the fact that she had difficulty ignoring his manliness, and he never even looked at her as a woman. Apparently, he only saw her as a conduit for helping his protégés advance their careers.

A Woman for Zachary

Meghan’s Playhouse, Book Two
Four Flames: Explicit sex, MF, FF; Ménage, FFM, FMF
Erotic Romance: 26,000 words
Extasy Books: August 4, 2017

BUY LINKS: http://www.extasybooks.com/a-woman-for-zachary/

It’s New York! Broadway beckons, but Meg has more fun keeping an erotic triangle going with her current flame, Zach Cullen, and her drama coach, Josie Patrice.

Zachary Cullen has ignored Josette Patrice’s overtures for years, but she agrees to take on his latest protégé-slash-arm-candy Meghan Keenan in her off-Broadway workshop theater. Though the girl has incredible talent, Josie would stake her reputation on that little thing being a switch-hitter, like herself, and she doesn’t want Zach to be duped. Josie sets out to seduce Meg and expose her for what she is, but all bets are off when Meg turns the tables on Josie to hook her up with Zach.

EXCERPT

Josie was shaking her head back and forth before Zach finished speaking. “That’s not enough.”

Zach closed the distance between the two of them.

She pressed her back against the wall, and he placed his palms against it, framing her head. She licked her lips.

What was he doing? She’d imagined him being this close countless times, but not in this way. Not in anger. Not struggling with his sense of fairness over sharing another woman. She kept her arms locked at her sides.

“That’s exactly what Meg said. What is enough? Do we draw lots for her?”

Josie shook her head.

“Maybe I can have her even days of the month and you odd days.”

“That might work.” Josie could hardly breathe. Zach’s male scent was overpowering. She’d agree to almost anything, if he just stayed where he was. She should be afraid of him, but she wasn’t. This was a man she’d known for a decade. He might be very angry, even deeply pained, but he wouldn’t hurt her—at least not physically.

“It works for parking cars in the winter. It’s a beginning, I guess.” His eyes darkened with a passion she couldn’t decipher. She watched his eyes shut and re-open.

And then his mouth was crushing against hers. She tried to breathe through her nostrils. His muffled groans filled her mouth. Tentatively, she lifted her hands to his shoulders. It was as if he was in a trance. She sighed and pulled him closer. Maybe she was, too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winner of the 2014 Bisexual Book Award for erotic fiction, author Adriana Kraft is a married couple writing Sizzling Romantic Suspense and Erotic Romance for Two, Three, or More.

One man, one woman, danger and intrigue – always a happy ending, but oh, what a ride! Readers can count on our Romantic Suspense line for “warmth, blazing hot sex, and well-developed characters” (Romance Junkies Reviews) as our hero and heroine battle outer threats and inner demons to stay alive and fall in love.

A man, a woman (or two), or another man, threesomes, foursomes, what’s your fantasy? We write our Erotic Romance stories to entertain, of course, but most of all we write them because we believe in happy endings for all who fall in love, whatever their gender, sexual orientation or numerical combination. Here you’ll find multiple partners, three-way, four-way and more, swing lifestyle, lesbian, bisexual, ménage and polyamory, in both contemporary and paranormal settings: “scorching hot…refreshing…something to read when you want straight up hotness” (Long and Short Reviews)

Together we have published more than forty romance novels and novellas to outstanding reviews. We love hearing from readers at adrianakraft99@yahoo.com, and here is our website:

When It’s Time to Heat Things Up http://adrianakraft.com

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Blog: http://www.adrianakraft.com/blog
FaceBook Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adriana-Kraft/182846025133440
Twitter http://twitter.com/AdrianaKraft
GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1578571.Adriana_Kraft
Newsletter http://eepurl.com/uRvCr
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/adrianakraft
Google+ https://plus.google.com/102791537641895264573/posts

Cailin Briste: Price Drop! It Takes a Cat Burglar 99¢ – a thief in love suspense romance!
Sunday, August 13th, 2017

It Takes a Cat Burglar is now $0.99 permanently. That’s right, the price drop is here to stay. It’s available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, and Kobo.

It Takes a Cat Burglar: A Thief in Love Suspense Romance
By Cailin Briste

Buy Now: https://books2read.com/cat-burglar
Add it on Goodreads.

When Darcelle Lebeau throws off the invisible chains that keep her bound to her family, she discovers a new vocation. Tempted to enter the illegal playground of a man she nicknames Matou, she becomes a cat burglar in training. Deeply ensnared with each task he entices her to fulfill, she fails to discover his identity and true intentions.

Sebastian St. Croix, a wealthy businessman, has a dark side. He’s a thief, a cat burglar who steals art and historical objects. For one year, he trains Darcelle to become his assistant, remaining incognito, observing her from afar. His admiration grows along with his desire for her with every phase-one challenge she completes. Phase two will test the limits of his control. Hands-on personal training? Yes. Sex? No. With his sister’s happiness at stake, nothing, not even the tempting Darcelle Lebeau, can interfere with accomplishing the biggest break-in of his career.

Excerpt:

DARCELLE STEELED HERSELF before entering the study. She’d been shocked to discover her own clothes laid out for her. This stranger had insinuated himself deep into her life, and she was determined to find out why.

He was seated at a large desk, hands behind his head, long legs stretched before him, and feet propped on the desktop. Arrogant man. Before her strides brought her to stand across from him, he pointed at a chair positioned at an angle to the desk. It was straight in line with his gaze, so he could study her at his ease.

“Sit there.” He returned his hands to the back of his head.

Darcelle ignored the command, stopping at the edge of the desk. “Who are you?”

A glimmer of heat flashed. “If you want your questions answered, you will sit. Do not defy me. There will be consequences.”

Unmoved by the threat, she pressed her lips in a tight line and narrowed her eyes. If it was a battle of wills he wanted, she’d be happy to oblige.

He stared pointedly at her. “Do you want answers?”

She balled her hands into fists. He had her. Without looking at him, she sat.

“Good girl.”

She shot her gaze up to him. Gods. I’d like to wipe that smirk from your face. Or kiss it away. What the hell was wrong with her? She should look out for herself not sink deeper under his thrall.

He abruptly dropped his feet to the floor and sat forward, his gaze aimed so sharply at her that she jerked back.

“There’s a price for my services. It’s time for you to pay.”

Buy Now: https://books2read.com/cat-burglar

About Cailin

Cailin has been writing fiction for six years and non-fiction for two decades. Her non-fiction work has been published in magazines and in a non-fiction anthology. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, the RWA Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter, and the RWA Passionate Ink Chapter.

Cailin likes to flip convention on its head, creating a universe in which each planet is a study in different what ifs. What would happen to alpha men on a matriarchal planet? How would society handle it if girls born on their new planet developed empathic senses?

She is currently writing the third book in her Sons of Tallav sci-fi erotic romance series. Shane: Marshal of Tallav and Maon: Marshal of Tallav were released in 2016 by Loose Id. Educated by the Master, a Sons of Tallav novella, will be released in October in the Cosmic Love Cabaret anthology.

For information about Cailin’s new releases, sale prices, and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter.

Social Media Links:

Website http://cailinbriste.com/
Blog http://cailinbriste.com/category/all-posts/ 
Street Team http://cailinbriste.com/cailins-street-team/
Twitter http://twitter.com/CailinBriste
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cailinbriste/
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/102592935378667862505
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/cailinbriste/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7413817.Cailin_Briste
Bookbub Author Page https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cailin-briste
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Cailin-Briste/e/B00GSX9QVW

Kat Henry Doran: Paying It Forward
Friday, August 11th, 2017

A little over a year ago I had one of my short stories published with a series called Candy Hearts and released by the Wild Rose Press. Each story in the series revolved around Valentines Day, and each had to contain reference to the heart-shaped sugar candies with the goofy sayings on them like: Love U Forever; Be Mine; Take Me, I’m Yours. You get the picture. My story was titled For Keeps and it was a lot of fun to write.

When it came time to promote the story, the other Candy Hearts authors were willing to visit my blog but they only wanted to give me what they called a Media Kit. If I wanted to visit their blogs to promote For Keeps, I had to supply a Media Kit. Known among my friends and family as the Woman Who Needs to Get Out More, I had no clue what to do and was ready to hang it up.

So I asked and one of the authors very kindly showed me how to create a Media Kit. Step by step, cut and paste, be imaginative, she said. And whaddya know, it worked. Within one year I was teaching others how to create a Media Kit for each of their books. I call that Paying It Forward.

Now we come to Twitter, Tweeting and other similar social communication which do not involve dialing a phone. Up until six months ago I had no clue what Twitter or Tweeting meant, beyond a classroom of giggling eight year-olds who recently discovered Justin Timberlake or that man-child Bieber person. Okay, I’ll admit to hearing about tweeting when I tuned into Mike & Mike on ESPN every morning. These two guys tweet their . . . posteriors off several times a day. And it works—for them. Not me, I swore. I’d swallow my tongue before I did this “at hash tag whatever”. Like that’ll work.

Then I was invited to join a group of six authors to create stories for a box-set anthology set in a casino-resort near Niagara Falls in Western New York. One of the rules was each participating author was expected to tweet often, like daily. Okay okay, I grumbled. I’ll do this if I have to. If it kills me. I researched, I practiced, I learned. Now I’m helping others tweet. Wahoo. Let me tell you, I can re-tweet anyone’s butt off.

Facebook? Learned that one, sort of, after much trial and error. Then passed it on.

Pinterest? That, I learned, is soooo much fun, just like friends had been telling me for years. I now have Pinterest boards for each of my books, and I’m scheduled to present an on-line course in the value of creating Pinterest boards—not just for authors but for anyone interested.

By far, the best Paying It Forward concept I now employ is making seat belt cushions for patients who undergo chest surgery [mastectomies, pacemaker insertions, PICC line insertions for chemotherapy]. What began as a simple survival technique to stop the whining from the back seat, “this strap hurts my neck, Nana. Can’t I take it off?” evolved into helping others infinitely less fortunate than I.

Paying It Forward. It works for me.

Hey, you never know.

*~*~*~*

I love to hear from readers.

You can find me at:

KatHenryDoran@yahoo.com

my blogs:  www.WildWomenAuthorsx2.blogspot.com
www.ApronsWithAttitude2.blgspot.com
Pinterest:  www.Pinterest.com/KatHenryDoran
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WildWomenAuthors

Thanks for inviting me to stop by, Delilah. I appreciate it very much!

Kat

Beverley Bateman: By Design
Sunday, August 6th, 2017

Thanks Delilah, for having me.

We’re snowbirds. Every year when it gets cold up north we head for the sunny south. Our resort has multiple activities and crafts.  Each year I try something new – watercolor painting, ukulele, and two years ago I tried glass fusion, and now I’m addicted.

Glass fusion is the technique used to join at least two glass pieces together by partly melting the glass at high temperature in either a small kiln or a large kiln.

I started by making earrings. I thought they would be easy. I learned to find a design, pick the glass and the colors. Since you need at least two pieces of glass it’s usually a color plus a clear piece either on top or underneath. You need to find or make a pattern and the two pieces have to match up when placed together. For jewelry they are placed in a small kiln for over four hours. After they cool down you add the backing or posts.

Last year I advanced to trays, serving dishes and bowls. The process is the same, just on larger surfaces. I’m a panda person so my favorite piece is my panda  plate. I used a decal which you put on prior to fusing. I do it for fun, but many people do it and sell their pieces. I didn’t use glass fusion in my last book but I’m considering adding it to a new one. My latest book, By Design, came out in June. By Design is about cloning.

*~*~*~*

By Design

 

Nurse Evie Dalton succumbs to greed and a chance to work with sexy Dr. Adam Marsden. She accepts a position at an isolated hospital with an onsite animal farm, screams in the night, and mysterious limos arriving in the dark. People disappear and turn up dead. There’s no way to leave and no communication outside the town.

Dr. Adam Marsden left his past behind. Now he has it all; a great job, money, and a chance to buy his own hospital. But he hadn’t counted on Evie Dalton. Because of him, she’s at risk and might be the next victim.

Excerpt

A slender woman, maybe in her mid-thirties, wearing a simple, but very expensive designer black suit and hat, stepped out and tripped up the stairs in her four inch heels. Diamonds flashed on her wrist and her ears.

The driver closed the back door.

When she reached the top step she turned toward the driver. “Charles, check with my husband in about a week. I should be ready by then.”

“Yes ma’am.” He nodded, slid back behind the wheel, and turned the key. The engine purred quietly as it slid down the driveway. The taillights disappeared into the night.

Grethe Byrne watched the car fade away.

“You have what we want?” the woman asked.

“Of course, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Nurse Byrne snapped.

“No. I mean exactly. Do you have exactly what we ordered? White blonde hair, sky blue eyes, IQ of at least 130?”

“Yes. Don’t worry. It will be exactly what you ordered. Did you bring the balance of your payment? In cash and small bills?”

“Yes of course. I’ve kept my part of the arrangement. You had better keep yours.”

Buy Links:
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Design-Beverley-Bateman-ebook/dp/B0711TRG13/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495487690&sr=1-1&keywords=By+Design+by+Beverley+Bateman
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/by-design/id1237611343?mt=11&ls=1&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/by-design-12