UPDATE: The winners are…ALL 5 commenters!
*~*~*

Thanks for having here today to talk about the box set reissue of The Anthem Trilogy from Pride Publishing. This is a real pleasure for me, as the Anthem books are very close to my heart. I spent the best part of three years working on the trilogy, and the characters became part of the family for that time.

My original plan was to write one big novel, but I realized very quickly that would be commercially impossible. No romance publisher would take a 600-page book at that time, and instead, I set about telling Daniel and Elijah’s love story across three books. I always plan my books in advance, working out all the character and plot details, and that was even more important when telling such a big story. The three novels are thrillers as much as romances, and I had to make sure that all the elements fit in place before I began.

But at the heart of everything is Daniel and Elijah. I love these guys. They meet in the first book while working on a luxury cruise ship. Daniel is a singer, Elijah a comedian, and they hit it off right away, but it’s far from smooth sailing for this pair. Across the three years in which the story takes place, I put them through hell. The guys get caught up in a horrific storm at sea, murder, betrayal, and revenge.

The timing of this reissue is kind of fitting, too. I should have been on a cruise right now, but like everyone else, those plans are on hold indefinitely. So why not join Daniel and Elijah onboard the Atlantic Anthem and take a trip to sea with them? It will be a bumpy voyage, but definitely worth the risk.

THE ANTHEM TRILOGY

1. Anthem of the Sea
2. Anthem of the Dark
3. Anthem of Survival

When Daniel Blake meets Elijah Mann the attraction is instant. Handsome and talented, they are immediately drawn together. The perfect men for each other. Daniel has never been in love before. Most of his adult length has been focused on his career, first in a failed boy band, before cutting his teeth on the cabaret circuit and finally finding success on a TV talent show. At twenty-nine, he’s achieved more than most. The time is right to focus on his personal life. Tall, dark, sexy and funny, Elijah has it all and Daniel can’t resist him.

But a figure from Daniel’s past comes back into his life just as he meets Elijah. Jealous, bitter and twisted, Oliver Gill has never forgiven Daniel for his success. A success that was rightfully his. Fueled by hatred, Oliver’s actions set in motion a catastrophic chain of events that have far retching consequences for Daniel and Elijah, a threat not just to their happiness, but to their lives.

GET IT NOW:
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Pride Publishing
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

Contest

Comment for a chance to win one of THREE copies of the ANTHEM TRILOGY!

About Thom Collins

Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, Gods of Vengeance, Silent Voices and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page-turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and promptly confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels. He is currently working on a new series.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night!

Links:
Website: www. thomcollins.co.uk
Twitter: @thomwolf
Instagram: ThomCollinsAuthor
Email: thomcollinsauthor@aol.com

An interesting thing happened the other day. (No, this has nothing to do with the six hours my son recently spent in the ER but if you’d like to hear the whole crazy hopefully never to be repeated saga, let me know).

I’m nearing the end of my latest hot romance and was barreling ahead getting closer and closer to the climactic scene, when suddenly, I couldn’t get a single word to stick on the monitor. I spent an entire day finding other things to do and was giving myself mental kicks. I tried on an excuse I’ve used a lot of lately, specifically, that an offspring’s health was of primary importance. But he’d recently gotten some good medical news, and I’d felt a surge of creative energy. I wanted to write. I NEEDED to. Riding high on that energy, I wrote for about a week only to hit a wall. Why couldn’t I find a single workable word to come off my fingers? Browbeating myself, I spent the evening staring at the TV.

The next morning while in the shower, something started knocking on my brain. This has happened enough times that I know to pay close attention. I swear my muse lives in the shower. As I ran up the water bill, it came to me. A simple thing really. No need to start the danged book over. Without realizing what I’d done, I’d taken a minor character in a direction that didn’t fit. My narrative about his background was all wrong, nothing my h/h could springboard off. Yes, it was a fascinating story, and one I’d like to explore, but it had nothing to do with helping my h/h get to know themselves and each other.

Fixing said minor character was a simple matter. I needed to jettison his hang-ups and give him new ones that would dovetail with the main storyline.

I deleted a couple of hundred words and replaced them with superior ones my h/h are more than happy to hang their hats on. They can relate to said minor character because they now see themselves in him.

Well duh, Vonna, you’ve been at this writing game to know all the pieces of a story need to fit together. No going off on unrelated tangents regardless of how pretty they appear.

Tomorrow for sure I’ll write THE END.

Then after edits I’ll start the journey again. That’s how this writing gig works.

P.S. I’ve been pimping a couple of spanking stories I self-published, but it’s time for a change. Carnal Days is as dark as I’ve ever gone. I gave it a BDSM label, but that really isn’t what this story about a sex slave training facility is. There’s no HEA. Instead, it documents a new reality for a woman caught in a world not of her making.

A Dark Thriller: Carnal Days

A commanding man hires Carnal Incorporated to provide him with a pleasure-trained submissive woman who will see him as her master.

Two experienced Carnal operatives capture quiet, beautiful Shari Isle. It’s more than a job for the pair of trainers. There’s nothing they’d rather do. The reclusive artist is forced into a world of restraint, lessons, revelations, and unrelenting sexual stimulation.

Shari has no choice except to submit, but it’s far from a nightmare. Day by day she slips deeper into the dark lifestyle she’s been forced into. Far from being horrified by her new reality, she opens herself to the reality of being owned and used. She obeys, not simply because she has no choice, but because the dark side of BDSM is so seductive.

Her time at the training facility ends, and she’s delivered to a dominant man haunted by demons he has no intention of ever sharing. Escape and freedom for Shari? Impossible. Life with a powerful man who sees her body as his playground? Yes.

Carnal Days taps into many women’s fantasies about giving up control. That’s the keyword, fantasy. In no way does Vonna condone such behavior in the real world. She writes escapism for a mature audience.

Get your copy here!

Are you ready for more great Hot SEAL stories? Well, begin the new series right here with Elle James’s Hot SEAL, Bachelor Party! Meet the team and dive into some wedding fun! Get your copy today, then settle in for the ride. All book links are below!

Hot SEAL, Bachelor Party

If you want something done right, pick the best man for the job

As the best man, Navy SEAL Jacob “Rooster” Fowler is only responsible for two things—the bachelor party and getting the groom to the wedding on time. Enlisting the help of the wedding planner, he has a hell of a bachelor party planned. While trying unsuccessfully to keep his hands off the wedding planner, he’s in charge of a party complete with a stripper popping out of a cake. What could possibly go wrong?

What can go wrong will, at the worst possible moment

Casey Wesson promised the bride, the groom and a potential client that she’s an expert and can manage a wedding beautifully. Her friend is counting on her, the groom trusts her, and her business depends on this wedding going off without a hitch. When the stripper doesn’t show up to jump out of the cake, Casey has no choice but to fill in. One thing leads to another and she ends up in bed with the best man, waking up to a missing groom the day before the wedding.

On a mission to locate the groom, the best man and the wedding planner discover a plot to stop the wedding and a love they never expected.

** BACHELOR PARTY ** is part of the Brotherhood Protectors Series. It is also in the “SEALs in Paradise” connected series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone. They do not have cliffhanger endings and do not have to be read in any particular order.

More Hot SEALS on the way! Pre-order now!

Hot SEAL, Bachelor Party by Elle James
Amazon: https://bit.ly/BPHSBPAMZ
iBooks: https://bit.ly/BPHSBPAPPLE
Nook: https://bit.ly/BPHSBPNOOK
Kobo: https://bit.ly/BPHSBPKOBO

Hot SEAL, Decoy Bride by Delilah Devlin
Coming May 19th!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36Ks291
APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1497210586
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-decoy-bride-delilah-devlin/1136286286
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-decoy-bride

Hot SEAL, Runaway Bride by Cat Johnson
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-SEAL-Runaway-Bride-Romantic-ebook/dp/B07XB3J3QJ/
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-runaway-bride/id1462469622
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-runaway-bride-cat-johnson/1132250756?ean=2940161402375
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-runaway-bride

Hot SEAL, Cold Feet by Becca Jameson
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084D76SXM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i31
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-cold-feet
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-cold-feet-becca-jameson/1136295939?ean=2940163059751
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-cold-feet/id1497397358

Hot SEAL, Best Man by Parker Kincade
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uTjL5m
Apple: https://smarturl.it/HSBMAPPLE
Nook: https://smarturl.it/HSBMBN
Kobo: https://smarturl.it/HSBMKOBO

Hot SEAL, Confirmed Bachelor by Cynthia D’Alba
Amazon: https://amzn.to/37L3U7B
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-confirmed-bachelor
books2read.com: https://books2read.com/u/bpOKgk (THIS ONE LINKS TO ALL OF THEM)
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940163031887
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-confirmed-bachelor/id1497356729

Hot SEAL, Taking the Plunge by Teresa Reasor
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3b0zv7i
Apple: https://apple.co/2UiSZxV
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2UgX0TR
Nook: https://bit.ly/2RPwteo

Hot SEAL, Undercover Groom by MaryAnn Jordan
Amazon: https://smarturl.it/MaJGroomSSAmazon
Apple: https://smarturl.it/MaJGroomSSApple
Kobo: https://smarturl.it/MaJGroomSSKobo
Nook: https://smarturl.it/MaJGroomSSNook

Tread lightly . . . This subject is not for those wanting to hide under a rock—out of sight, out of mind. My mission is to bring awareness to a dark topic that can turn quickly to death, destruction, and chaos. I’m okay with that. We can no longer push this dirty little secret under the rug. Photos of kids show up daily in media/social media—“Help find this missing child.” I wrote Hart’s Girls as the first of a series that strikes against what is most dear, sacred—our children. I don’t want to ever feel I’m profiting from someone’s pain. This book is my strike against this most heinous crime.

I’ve worked hard to become a spinner of romantic mysteries and studied this subject with an FBI agent who specializes as a Human Trafficking Investigator. Before that, she was a cop for 15 years first in Germany then Colorado working Vice & Human Trafficking Unit, focusing on underage sex trafficking. I have researched the trafficking industry extensively. I’ll delve into aspects of a real case to help relate and understand trauma-bonding, loyalty, love and the perpetrator mindset.

How do we triumph over this evil? My goal in getting this information to the public is to make a lasting impact and save human lives. We can do this by:

•  Shed light on the subject.
•  Become situationally aware.
•  Educate parents, children, and schools.
•  Provide awareness training to industry professionals with opportunity to spot trafficking
•  Help prevent further spread of this disease.
•  Help victims heal.
•  Empower those who have lost power.

Our children are NOT FOR SALE.

About the Book

HART’S GIRLS BY AWARD WINNING AUTHOR, LYNDA REES

The highly profitable, disgusting human trafficking industry puts children in all neighborhoods at risk, especially prevalent along the I75 corridor. FBI Special Agent Reggie Casse and U. S. Marshal Shae Montgomery are determined to stop abductions of innocents in and around Sweetwater, Kentucky. The professionals clash. Antagonism turns to attraction they can’t act on without putting lives in danger. A break in the investigation leads to powerful players. Return of Shae’s ex-fiancé, relocation of a WITSEC witness and wedding plans interrupt any possibility of romance.

♥ AMAZING!!! Once I start reading one of Lynda’s books I CAN’T put it down. Karen Dawn

♥ I live vicariously through books like yours, Janet Evanovich, and Sue Grafton. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. From an avid reader,

Thank GOD, Sincerely N. Anderson

Order Yours NOW! Here’s the link.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086FSRLLT?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

Love is a dangerous mystery. Enjoy the ride.

Lynda Rees
www.lyndareesauthor.com
lyndareesauthor@gmail.com

MY LINKS:
https://amazon.com/author/lyndarees Amazon
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lynda-rees Bookbub
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17187400.Lynda_Rees Goodreads
https://eepurl.com/cTtS09 Become a VIP, get FREE gifts and latest news
https://www.lyndareesauthor.com Website
https://twitter.com/LyndaReesauthor Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/lynda.rees.author/ Facebook
https://www.pinterest.com/lyndareesauthor/pins/ Pinterest

UPDATE: The winner is…flchen1!
*~*~*

Open Contests! Enter while you still can!

1. Poll About Prizes & a Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. A Reminder, a Puzzle, and Another Chance to Win! — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Simple Delights (Contest–3 Winners!) — Win a recent release or a short story!
4. Angela Addams: Dream Cast for Wicked Disclosure (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

Another Month Gone

Whew! Someone on Twitter said that March seemed to last months but April lasted a day. Was it the same for you? Self-isolation, truthfully, hasn’t been so hard for my family. They’ve adjusted, and even thrived.

For me, already a hermit writer, not going out in public was barely a change. The kids, at first, felt like staying home was a vacation. However, as soon as online school and AMI packets became the daily routine, the vacation aspect ended, but they’ve been troopers. My dd took advantage of having so many home to do all kinds of domestic chores and projects. The big event in April was purchasing a pair of baby goats.

The older kids helped build the pen. Everyone has pitched in feeding them and watching them when they are put out in bigger fields to eat leaves and brush. I think the kids will have many good memories of this time.

We’ve had movie nights, special meals, game nights… And while they’ve missed their friends, they have kept in contact using FaceTime, TikTok, and phone calls. As restrictions ease this summer, we plan to keep isolating, but the kids will be allowed to have a “designated” friend come enjoy the pool, only one guest at a time, and only after we make sure their parents aren’t being stupid about safety.

I have been challenged to find time to write with so many people in the house all the time. However, I did write and publish one book, so far. Here’s just a reminder about my April release, the sequel to New Orleans Nights, and the first of a new New Orleans Nights series…

NEW RELEASE! FREE IN KU!
🔥🔥Things get complicated in a hurry between a NOLA cop freelancing as protection for visiting dignitaries and a reporter determined to get her story…🔥🔥
https://amzn.to/2VVrIB9

I hope you have all picked up a copy. It’s very sexy, filled with action and humor. You know, something I would write. 🙂

Right now, I’m chugging away at the book that will release on May 19th! Here’s hoping I get there on time!

Click on the cover to pre-order your copy!

More fun there. Also set in New Orleans, with connections to my Montana Bounty Hunters through the RIP agency, which will have its own series beginning sometime this year.

For my sanity’s sake, I’m also plowing into some other artistic pursuits. I’m taking online watercolor classes. I’m working on the #100dayproject challenge which requires that I produce some small painting or collage every day. I’m learning a lot, which is keeping me looking forward to more days spent in isolation because if I was out and about I’d never apply myself so well!

Contest

Let me know how you guys are dealing with the lockdown and how you’re preparing for the easing of restrictions for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card!

Due to a power outage, I wasn’t able to tell you on Tuesday that I have a new release! And it’s one I know you will enjoy! If you’ve read New Orleans Nights or my Montana Bounty Hunters, you will enjoy the hell out of this story, too! It’s filled with action, a sexy hero who is to die for, a feisty heroine who can take care of herself, thank you very much, and it’s set in New Orleans!

Lots of exclamation points, I know, but I’m eager for you to let me know what you think. I have more books coming in this series. The prequel book, New Orleans Nights was something many of you let me know you loved. There are five siblings in the Cyr family, plus a very interesting man by the name of Justin Ballard, who owns a security company… Well, you have to read this book to find out who he is and why I think he needs a book in this series, too!

Anyway, this is the book. I hope you give it a read. And I’d love to know what you think. Nuff said. 🙂

One Hot Night

NEW ORLEANS NIGHTS:
Hot Sultry Nights, Hot-Blooded Heroes…

Part of the private security team hired to keep visiting international dignitaries safe, New Orleans detective, Remy Cyr, has several interesting run-ins with a certain local reporter hellbent on crashing the convention’s nighttime events. While she’s certainly a nuisance, sneaking inside in a variety of disguises, he can’t help admiring how resourceful and stubborn she is. As sexy as she is pretty, he soon can’t resist her attraction.

A socialite determined to earn her own way in the world, reporter Stacia Rice is determined to dig up dirt at the convention, anything to earn her a spot on her newspaper’s front page. But one handsome, dogged cop keeps getting in her way. When they find themselves alone, neither can resist the intensity of their instant attraction.

When a group of armed men invades the venue and takes the dignitaries hostage, Remy realizes that he and Stacia are the only ones who know, and the only ones who can save them…

Get your copy here!

UPDATE: The winner is Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

ZERO HOUR (Heroes Rising, Book #2)
They are always heroes, whatever the situation
**Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of DESPERATE DECEPTION (Heroes Rising, Book #1)

My love affair with SEALs began… I think with the movie about them, but then I watched the series on television every time it was shown. And of course, now we have SEAL Team, to which I am addicted. How can you not be in love with dedicated warriors whose motto is: “The only easy day was yesterday.”

I’ve been writing about SEALs off and on for a long time, as part of my fascination with military heroes. But then I met former SEAL sniper Jack Carr, himself a best-selling author of The Terminal List series, and I was inspired even more. I discovered they are heroes in many, many ways. Especially as they struggle to fit into society again. Things change, life changes, and they have to find a way to change with it.

That’s how my series HEROES RISING was born. I wanted stories to show the struggle to find new footing yet at the same time be dedicated to the ideals of the SEALs. Sheriff Alex Rossi is rebuilding his office in the Crazy Mountains of Colorado, an office that was riddled with corruption, except for one deputy.

Slowly, he has reached out to other SEALs out of the service and searching for a new niche in life. I hope I am able to show the quality of these men despite their circumstances, and how that always rises to the surface.

You can find all the books in Elle James’ Brotherhood Protectors World.

Oh, and one other thing. I held a contest in my reader group to have a character in one of my books named for you. The winner is a longtime fan, Teresa Fordice. I hope I did her proud.

ZERO HOUR

Teresa Fordice didn’t want to go, rogue but.…

Arms manufacturer Reed Morgan’s secret money man is dead and wild rumors of a dangerous plot are floating. Tasked with finding out what it is, ATFE agent Teresa Fordyce must flee for her life. She ignores the order to come in from the field, instead she runs to Montana and the place where Morgan’s secret plan is being hatched. But finding Jesse Donovan there, the man who walked out of her life, complicates things even more.

He might have left the SEALs but the memories of battle still haunt him…

The recurring nightmares made Jesse Donovan walk away from the best woman he ever met but now Fate has thrown them together and he has a chance to redeem himself. Can he get past the memories to help her on her mission to take down a man who may be plotting against the country?

Zero Hour…

What is it? When is it? What is Reed Morgan planning? Can Terry and Jesse find out in time and can they stop him? And what will happen with them after that? Can he walk away again? Will she let him?

Get Zero Hour here!

Excerpt from Zero Hour

“Have a seat.” He indicated one of the two chairs in front of the desk.

“Am I in trouble?” she asked at once.

“Only if you say no.”

She studied his face, trying to discern if he was kidding or not.

“Okay, tell me what’s up.”

“We have a problem, and we’re running out of solutions.”

Terry lifted an eyebrow. “What kind of problem and how can I possibly solve it?”

“We’ve had our eye on Reed Morgan for some time. You know who he is, right?”

“Yes, I’ve read about him. Former military. Left the Army and opened an arms manufacturing company, which has grown to be a monster. Lots of guesses on where his financing came from. Outspoken critical of the government, which he calls too liberal.”

Max rubbed his jaw. “That’s the guy.”

“Then yes, when I joined the ATFE I was aware he had been a priority for some time.”

“Yeah, we’ve had our eye on him, watching his activities. The watch on him has been bumped up several notches in the past year. You know Morgan is considered a hard-liner. Among many other things, he’s been lobbying hard to overturn some of the recently passed gun laws, and his disdain for the government is well-known.”

“The whole agency knows Morgan Arms Manufacturing is one of the largest businesses of its kind in this country. They also own retail stores, plus they supply some of the arms to our military and even more go overseas. Lots of rebellions going on in the world. But I’m guessing you called me in here because something has pushed this to the forefront.”

“It has.”

“I know he’s spoken loudly about what he sees as the failure of America to enforce its laws, and the subsequent rise of crime.” Terry shook her head. “About the increasing numbers of what he called ‘soft’ laws that barely punished the criminals. But speaking out isn’t a crime, although for some people I think it should be. So, what’s changed here?”

“Our sources tell us Morgan Arms is suddenly buying a lot more steel, plastic, and aluminum than usual,” he told her, “so a lot of questions have floated in the air. That was the first thing that caught the director’s eye.”

“Has his client list increased?” Terry asked. “Have his orders from overseas clients gotten bigger?” Max rubbed his jaw. “After all, there is always a rebellion going on someplace and some army, legitimate or otherwise, that needs weapons. Or maybe they’re preparing to release a newly designed instrument. Or finally, is there another reason we don’t know that means trouble for everyone? I agree none of those possibilities are appealing. That’s for damn sure. But buying more raw materials and railing against the government isn’t a crime. If it was the jails would be full all the time.”

“True,” Jaeger agreed. “But here’s something you don’t know. For some time, Morgan’s been gathering a group together, first his closest friends and then people who we think share his beliefs about the way this country is run. You know there have been attacks by these off-the-wall militia groups and, based on what we learned, we’re afraid Morgan’s plotting another one. Anyway, over a year ago we managed to plant someone in Morgan’s group. We needed to find out what the hell was happening. He’s deep undercover, and sometimes we have to wait weeks for a word from him, which doesn’t help..”

“Damn!”

“No kidding. When my guy does get word out to me, he says Morgan’s running this like it’s the military, which is what we figured. I think Morgan’s made this group his own private militia, kind of an outlaw posse comitatus. He also has three or four specially selected men who he calls his ‘guard’ who watch the rest of them like hawks. He’s been making trips recently to the land he owns in Montana, a spread in the Crazy Mountains. Each time, he takes a few of his group with him. Our undercover got taken there once. He managed to get a message out that they train. All day. Every day. Exercise. Firearms. Hand-to-hand combat. And they study explosives.”

“Explosives.”

“Yeah, but they don’t actually detonate anything. I’m sure the neighbors would complain.”

“Still… Are they preparing for war?”

“That’s what we need to know. And it’s been a while since our guy communicated with us.”

“He must be in danger. If Morgan finds out who he is, he’ll kill him.”

*~*~*

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