Friday, November 28, 2014

#BlackFriday Deal .99: New Holiday #Romance Release: CHRISTMAS WEDDING WISHES by Debra Elizabeth


Blurb:
After being left at the altar, Callie Spencer needed a fresh start. She accepted a position as the Children's Librarian in a small Vermont town determined to leave the bad memories behind. After tragically losing his wife, single dad Tom Sullivan is too busy raising his 4-year-old daughter to look for love, that is, until he meets Callie. Can these two fragile souls find love and heal their broken hearts?

Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime: Borrow the book for FREE. 


Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wedding-Wishes-Debra-Elizabeth-ebook/dp/B00Q99XBHU



#BlackFriday Deal .99: New Holiday #Romance Release: SECOND CHANCE CHRISTMAS by Debra Elizabeth


Blurb:
Megan Duffy needed to get away from the city after a broken engagement. A few days at her family's cabin could be just what she needed. She's looking forward to the peace and quiet, that is, until she meets hunky general store owner, Ryker McCabe. Can Ryker put the light back in her eyes and heal her broken heart? 

Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime: Borrow the book for FREE. 


Amazon buy link: ONLY .99
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Christmas-Debra-Elizabeth-ebook/dp/B00Q99X6KM

Thursday, November 27, 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Be safe if you're traveling this holiday.  Enjoy the time with your family and friends!








Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Interview with Sunniva Dee, PANDORA WILD CHILD


Hi everyone! Thanks, Two Ends of the Pen, for having me!

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Ah, yes. Pandora Wild Child is my third book although it’s published before my second book. Confused? No worries—I’ll explain a little bit further down. Pandora Wild Child is the quintessential New Adult book, treating the issues and hilarities and passion ensuing from being a young woman who’s finally away from home and FREE! Pandora is everything most of us have a sliver of. She’s daring, wild, charming as hell, and gets herself into all sorts of trouble in her first year in college. Some of it being some serious boy trouble. There’s the strong relationship between Pandora and her girlfriends, and the pretty explicit passion. I loved writing this book, and I’m so excited over the response it’s received.

Do you have a favorite character?
I don’t, really. They’re all so different, and when I write, I want to get to the marrow of every character in such a way that I love them with their perfections and their flaws. Pandora is loveable, annoying, funny. Dominic is hot as hell but so is Leon in all of his twisted, dark glory. I can’t choose. J

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Yes, I have. It’s what happened to Leon, but instead of changing the direction of this novel, I just finished the first draft of his own novel, Leon’s Way, which will be out hopefully in December.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Yes, I did! It’s a lot of hard work, but you really grow both as a writer and within the promotional area when you try to meet their standards. I recommend this route to every author who is serious about their writing—for the road to get there, not necessarily for the goal of having such publisher or agent. It is worth it. My first two novels are with a medium-sized publisher, Wild Rose Press. The new adult paranormal, Shattering Halos, was released February 22nd, and the second one, a standalone sequel about a side character all my readers loved—Stargazer—will finally, finally be published November 21st! With Pandora Wild Child, though, I decided to try the indie route for the first time. I’m loving it, because I get to decide everything myself. Leon’s Way, Pandora Wild Child’s standalone companion novel, is definitely a self-published one as well!

How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?
Yes, it was for my first novel, Shattering Halos. It took me about 9 months, I think, between starting the process and signing the contract. Before that, though, I revised and rewrote the book probably 10 times, because obviously, your first try at a novel isn’t going to be perfect. It was damn polished by the time it went out to the agents and publishers.

What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?
I was sick of waiting. Haha! The Wild Rose Press was big, and I knew I wouldn’t get in with the biggest five without an agent or without having a name already. I wasn’t ready to self-publish yet and needed the confirmation that such a big publisher thought my work was talented enough to take on. They gave me that confidence. Even more once I’d signed for Stargazer, the second book, because it was too edgy for them, and they still took it on because of the merit they saw in it. Now, I feel deserving of the readers in a different way.

Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?
I am now, as of October 28th, officially a happy hybrid author! I don’t have any future manuscripts under contract with anyone, and I am going to keep it that way! Unless I get an offer I can’t reject from Atria at some point in the future. That would be the dream. ;-)

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?
Freedom, freedom, freedom! Which is why Pandora Wild Child was the perfect choice to start this new journey with. She’s free, as am I!

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
Thankfully, my publishing house respected my fear of not getting a cover I could live with. Because of it, they went outside their normal procedures and let me work directly with an awesome designer, Diana Carlile. I was very involved, and I adore my covers for Shattering Halos and Stargazer. With Pandora Wild Child, I knew  I needed the same sort of communication with my designer, and with Clarise Tan, my cover artist as a self-published author, I was allowed to try out even things she knew would not work. I love her so much, and again I am just insanely happy with my cover for Pandora. Can’t wait to have Clarise work on Leon’s Way with me in a couple of weeks. We’re almost there, Clarise!

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
Yes, oh, absolutely. I can’t imagine having to spot every logical issue and understand what others would understand of my writing without a support group. With my first book, I “used” 7 fellow authors as my soundboard. Now that I’m finishing up my 4th book, I’m down to 4 very critical and honest authors with amazing writing and editing skills. My work is safe with them. I’m able to publish the best I have to offer at this point in my career with their backing. I will never take them for granted, and I hope we always work together! I also use a group of beta readers afterward, who are great at giving me feedback.

What’s next for you?
Watch out for STARGAZER, coming November 21st, another super-hot, angsty New Adult book with a paranormal element. If you liked SC Stephens’ Thoughtless, if you enjoy the show Vampire Diaries, Stargazer should do it for you. I’ll take you for quite the ride in this book, but I promise that everyone will land on their feet; I can’t picture myself ever write something without a HEA. I adore these characters, and as crazy as it sounds coming from their maker, I’d love to meet Cassiel and Ka in person. They are… something else. ;)

Then there’s LEON’S WAY. My estimated release date for this book is December 19th, but it all depends on logistics. If you liked Pandora Wild Child and are dying to learn more about Leon, this read should give you a fill you won’t forget any time soon. For the actual release date, sign up for my no-spam new-releases-alert newsletter: http://bit.ly/sunnivasreleases

Thank you so much!

Xoxo
Sunniva


Book & Author details:
Pandora Wild Child by Sunniva Dee
Publication date: October 28th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis:
I’m free. Fucking free!

I’m in college with my best friends and far, far from home!
With my Scheuermann’s disease as the excuse, my father kept me locked up at home all through high school. Here in Deepsilver, I can finally be me, Pandora, so—
Why the hell should I hold back?
They accept our fake IDs at Smother, our local haunt. I’m the life of the party, everyone loves me—hell, I could get away with murder in this place! Drunk off my ass, I dance on the bar, and—
I’m on top of the world!
I need to get my shit together, though. If I don’t pull off good grades, my father won’t pay my tuition. There’s no way I’m moving back into his “fortress.”
At the bar, I set my eyes on a gorgeous stranger. My plans don’t involve him long term; one night should be enough. But Dominic is more than I bargained for. God, I’m so drawn to this man. My skin hums at his touch because—
He expels the shadows of my past and replaces my pain with desire.
Perfect Dominic. Beautiful, graduating, soon-to-move-on-with-his-life Dominic.
I’m a wild child. A hot mess. Not grownup and focused like him. He’s addictive, and I am weak, but—screw this; I can wean myself off him! With the right antidote—
Addictions can be broken.


Purchase:

AUTHOR BIO:
I write New Adult fiction with a paranormal twist and don’t shy away from romance and heart-wrenching passion when necessary.

I moved from Norway to the United States in 2001, and the first awesome five years I spent in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. Then I read “The Book,” aka Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which spurred my husband and me to move cross country to beautiful Savannah, Georgia.

I’m currently on my seventh year in the Deep South, where I enjoy the heat and the humidity. Besides writing, I spend my time with our “petting zoo” as in an opinionated parrot, a herd of cats that are experts on keyboard shortcuts, and puppies that…uh, bark.

I hold a Master’s degree in languages, with concentrations within literature and linguistics. I taught at college level for a decade before settling in as a graduate adviser at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Writing is my passion, my joy, and my addiction. When I’m not writing, I read.
Shattering Halos is my debut novel, and its standalone sequel, Stargazer, is due out later this year.

Author links:

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • 50$ Amazon Gift Card
  • Signed copy of Pandora Wild Child
  • 5 eCopies of Shattering Halos

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

MOONLIGHT IN WINTER PARK


Excerpt:

Hope couldn’t believe it, but she readily reached out and put her hand in his.  “Then I guess this place is aptly named.”
Beckett carefully pulled her to her feet.  “What do you mean?”
“I saw some of the signs as I was walking down the driveway earlier.  This place used to be called Winter Park.  If the view is how you described, I’m just saying that name is fitting.”
Beckett didn’t respond, but he did pull her in close.  “You scared the hell out of me earlier, you know that right?”  His arms slowly slid around her waist.
Hope’s breath caught in her throat.  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” she said softly, looking up into his dark eyes. 
“I know.  You meant to piss me off,” he chuckled softly as one hand came up to caress her cheek.  “I’m glad I found you.”
“Me too.  I can’t even being to think what would have happened if you hadn’t come when you did.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said quietly, and bent his head toward hers.
“Beckett…”
And then his lips touched hers and silenced her.  Hope was too surprised to react at first.  It was everything that she remembered – soft, exciting and very arousing.  The man certainly knew how to kiss.  As if they had a mind of their own, her arms came up and rested on Beckett’s broad shoulders.  They were pressed together from head to toe. 
His lips were slowly sipping from hers as if he was giving her time to say no or to push him away.  Hope knew this instinctively and raked a hand up into his hair and pulled him closer- making sure he couldn’t misinterpret her decision.
***

Book & Author Details:
Moonlight in Winter Park by Samantha Chase
Publication date: November 24th 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
“Moonlight in Winter Park” – A modern-day Beauty and the Beast style Christmas.
All Hope Cooper needed this year was to have the kind of Christmas her family always cherished. But with her parents gone and her only brother having to work, it doesn’t look like it’s going to work out for her. There’s nothing she can do about her parents, but she most certainly can voice her annoyance at her brother’s boss for making him work out of town all through the holidays.

Beckett James hates the holidays and everything that goes with them. They were important at one time, but now the only thing that mattered was his company and it’s continued growth and anyone who worked for him better feel the same way. If not, then they could find employment elsewhere and good riddance. With a major expansion deal on the line, Beckett needs to focus. What he doesn’t need is Hope to come barging into his mountain retreat demanding that her brother come home immediately due to an emergency.

Suddenly it’s two alone in a snowstorm. Two alone for Christmas. And two alone to fight an attraction that had been there all along. Hope soon begins to realize she may have misjudged Beckett while he comes to see that there really is something special and magical about Christmas. But once they leave their private winter wonderland and return to their normal lives, will the magic still be there?


Purchase:


AUTHOR BIO:
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Author links:

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
  • 100$ Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway



 

Book Tour Blitz: A DATE TO DIE FOR (Episodes 5-7) by Bonnie Paulson

AdatetoDieforReleaseDay5-7

Release Day - A Date to Die for: 5, 6, & 7: Dirty Twist, Check Mate, & Last Chance On Sale $.99!!

 

Don't forget to pick up A Date to Die for: 1-4 $2.99 Date to Die for: 

3dSeries #1 When dating ends in deaths and threats, Molly might be better off staying single. During one of Molly’s weekly meet-ups with her girls at their regular bar, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends and begins the aggressive dating they sign her up for online where the pairings are questionable… and dangerous. They’ve entered her in an evening of speed dating. But at the end of the evening she finds an item from her past that raises questions, grief… and danger. When the number of deaths surpass Molly’s goodnight kisses, her past pushes into the present and Molly loses much more than she gains.  A stalker has focused on Molly and refuses to let anyone else date her. But she refuses to be single for the rest of her life. Is Molly doomed to a life of singledom wrapped in fear – or will the stalker turn on her  

#2, Oh No, He Didn’t! Molly is ready to meet up with her first date – Crisco Ethan. But first she has to survive threats at work and fear at home. Will Brad-the-bartender make a move or flirt from afar? The stalker is closing in and Molly has a terrible feeling she won’t stay untouched for long. Can she lean on Brad or is her heart pushing her toward danger?  

#3 Dinner for Two Getting ready to message her next date, Molly comes across an email from the stalker that might tear her apart. The aftereffects swallow her sanity and she struggles to stay in the everyday while battling the knowledge that he can find her anywhere. Nowhere is safe. Is Brad as involved as circumstances suggest? Or is a man out there that wants nothing more than to keep her all to himself – dead or alive?  

#4 Don’t Look Back! At work, a special delivery slams home the seriousness of the situation. How many more lives will be affected by the man’s obsession with Molly? Molly’s stalker attacks close to home. Can she find safety? Can anyone?  

#5 Dirty Twist The stakes are high and Molly has learned how desperate her stalker has made her. Tormented with more kidnappings and deaths, Molly searches for answers in all the wrong places. Will she find what she’s looking for? Or will her fear continue to paralyze her, leaving her open for the ultimate end?  

#6 Check Mate What precautions can a single girl take to protect herself from a sociopath? Why, move in with the crush and bring his ass in to play the game, of course. Even with all the bravado, Molly still learns she has a lot more to lose. Can she come back from the turmoil? Or is she doomed to misery for the rest of her short life?  

#7 Last Chance In a desperate attempt to save someone she cares about, Molly faces her would-be killer. But who it is devastates her. If the killer has their way, Molly will die at their side. Can Molly escape or will she finally be on a Date to Die for?  

Bonnie 


Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.  

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Favorite Recipes from LOVE, LAUGHTER and MERRILY EVER AFTER



Alannah’s Favorite Holiday Recipe
Pineapple Cookies

2 Cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Few grains salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter/margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Drain pineapple well, reserving liquid for icing. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Dissolve baking soda in pineapple. Mash butter until smooth, add sugar – blend well. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Gradually add sifted ingredients – mixing after each addition. Blend in pineapple
Bake 6-8 minutes at 375

Icing:
2 Cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons pineapple juice

Mixed together powdered sugar and pineapple juice and glaze cookies.



Karen’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Okay, I'm a total cheater. When I make sugar cookies with my kids, I use the Betty Crocker sugar cookie pouches. It's just so much easier! We can bust those cookies out in no time. But I do make homemade frosting and the secret I learned from my grandma to make the frosting taste extra delicious? Include a splash of coffee. Yes, coffee! Sadly, she doesn't make sugar cookies during the holidays anymore but I do. Trying to keep up the tradition!

Frosting recipe:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick salted butter
1-2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Splash of coffee

Stir until desired thickness/consistency. Taste test to make sure it's sweet enough to your liking! Then get to frosting all those cookies. ;)

Here's a link to a photo from a couple of years ago - me making all the cookies and various holiday goodies and the mess I leave behind (note the diet Coke in the photo, too funny): http://karenwritesromance.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/misc-010.jpg

  
Mari’s Favorite Holiday Recipe
Cream of Crab Soup

Ingredients
¾ cup butter
¾ cup flour
2 chicken bouillon cubes (crushed)
dash of white pepper
salt to taste
1 tablespoon Old Bay
1 quart whole white milk
1 quart half and half
1 pound back fin crabmeat

Directions
1. Remove cartilage from crabmeat.
2. In a Dutch oven, melt butter. Blend in flour, pepper, and Old Bay. Stir and simmer over low heat 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add milk, half and half, and bouillon. Simmer and stir constantly until bouillon is absorbed and the mixture thickens enough to coat a metal spoon. 
4. Salt to taste, then add crabmeat. Heat through; do NOT boil.
Note: You can simply double recipe for a bigger amount.
  
Book & Author Details:
Love, Laughter, and Merrily Ever Afters Collection
Publication date: November 25th 2014
Genres: Romance

Synopsis:
TEN fun, romantic holiday novellas by ten New York Times & USA Today bestselling authors

An all-star gathering of some of today's most popular NYT and USA Today bestselling romance authors in a fun-filled collection...holiday style! With the overwhelming response to the chart-topping summer boxed set, we've brought together even MORE of your favorite authors for a winter compilation, and this time, we've giftwrapped TEN stories for you all. From the funny & sweet, to the STEAMY & heartfelt, each novella is packed with a whole lot of romance, and hand-picked to infuse perfectly-portioned holiday cheer into your busy days this season...along with hot bursts of holiday steam for those winter nights.

And at just ***99 CENTS USD*** that's a huge savings of over 95% off retail for the individual books sold separately! This is an extremely limited edition bundle available for just 5 weeks so get your copy today!

THE BOXED SET INCLUDES: 

IF I RETURN -- by USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett
WILD IRISH CHRISTMAS -- by New York Times bestselling author Mari Carr
SEDUCING SANTA -- by New York Times bestselling author Janelle Denison (aka Erika Wilde)
DECKING DREW -- by New York Times bestselling author Violet Duke
FAIRIES & WISHES -- by USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson (aka Monica Murphy)
TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS -- by New York Times bestselling author Jessie Evans (aka J. Evans)
HOLIDAY SPIRIT -- by New York Times bestselling author Cathryn Fox
UNWRAPPED -- by New York Times bestselling author Melody Grace
A CHRISTMAS HEAT WAVE -- by New York Times bestselling author Alannah Lynne
HIS CHRISTMAS WISH -- by New York Times bestselling author Marquita Valentine


Purchase:
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/MerrilyEverAfter-iBooks

GIVEAWAY




Blitz-wide giveaway 
(Open to US/CA/AU/GB/UK)
  • 1 Kindle Fire HD 6 Tablet AND 1 $100 Gift Card

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