Have a #RockingSummerRomance with Shadows of the Past

A few quickie questions first from Carmen Stefanescu.


Ice Tea or Lemonade?

Lemonade. I love the tartness of lemons.

Lake or ocean?

I prefer the lake. Shores are easier to reach in case of storm or any kind of incovenience.

Sandals or Flip flops?

Flip flops as they are typically worn in casual situations, such as outside or at the beach. Implying carefree time, holiday.

Sit in the shadow of a tree or on the front/back porch?

The shadow of a tree. I imagine myself reading a book under the crown of the tree, listening to the rustle of the wind in the branches and birds’s chirping. Simply, relaxation.

Ball cap or floppy hat? 

Floppy hat. It reminds me of DYLAN SCOTT’s song "Ball Cap": Baby got a ball cap on, sure knows how to pull it off, Sun out of them hazel eyes, looking so good...

Carmen Stefanescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.
            Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books. 

            She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Author Links
 Carmen Stefanescu's Site:

 http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Stefanescu-Books/499245716760283

Twitter  @Carmen_Books

http://www.pinterest.com/carmens007/

                      Shadows of the Past

Publish date: 4^th December 2012

Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

Genre: paranormal/light romance/light horror.

                       Blurb

Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

                           Excerpt

"Come, we should leave at once," she said and glanced nervously over her shoulder. "Something terrible happened after you left for town. I think the Abbess found out about us. Our meeting in Uncle Ryan's cabin is no longer a secret. We have been overheard. For all I know someone spies on us even as we speak. I think the Abbess, or one of her 'friends,' is hovering somewhere nearby and listening to every word."

Andrew pulled Genevieve to his chest. "Do you regret you've come with me?"

Passion smothered Genevieve's doubt and guilt. "Never," she answered, aware of her body's response to his touch, and she succumbed to his embrace.

Calming the gnawing unease in her mind and the thought of Sister Dominica guessing she was the dough of a sinner, Genevieve repeated, "Never."

With her eyes closed and their bodies touching she became, for the very first time, simply a woman. She melted in his embrace in spite of the invisible vicious threat breathing around them. Aware they might never be alone again, she fought hard to silence the voice of conscience berating her.

"Oh, God. Please forgive me," Andrew muttered under his breath when he bowed his head to kiss her. Their lips met in a passionate first kiss.

Genevieve's spirits fell and her heart skipped a beat when, a couple of seconds later, she opened her eyes and her gaze fell on a knot strangers. 

                            … . . .

            Tears welled in Anne's eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn’t explain them, or the sudden sadness seeping into her heart. This should’ve been a moment of happiness or, at least, contentment. She was with Neil again, and the outcome of their trip together should, very likely, bring their reconciliation. Why then did she seem detached from where she stood?

Anne shivered. Why the deep feeling of having seen this place, this forest before? And why the eerie sensation of being present here only in the body, while her mind was far away?

Away from the forest.

Away from Neil, the man who'd betrayed her trust and her love.

            An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her.

Anne edged cautiously closer to the rim of the bare cliff. Her foot tapped the edge. It seemed solid. She stared into the darkness of the abyss at her feet. It echoed the shadows in her heart.  An unusual curiosity took hold of her. Should she step ahead? What was down there? Other human bones? Another mystery? The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. The vines of fog folded around her, dragging her to the depth. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.

Megan's face contorted, the voice no longer pleasant. A hoarse gurgle, spluttering distorted words, "Yes, come... I'm waiting... I've been waiting for you for such a long time..."

Buy Link: Wild Child Publishing

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84&products_id=410

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84&products_id=410

Buy Link: Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-of-the-Past-ebook/dp/B00AK2D9I8/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354874514&sr=1-15&keywords=shadows+of+the+past

Buy Link: Barnes & Noble

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-the-past-carmen-stefanescu/1113910162?ean=2940015715026

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadowsofthepast-1013184-140.html

Trailer: Shadows of the Past

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LmY-9yDl5s


Thank you for Carmen, for sharing and have a great summer,


Tina

Five Quickies from #MFRWAuthor Sierra Avalon for a #RockingSummerRomance

Questions -


Ice Tea or Lemonade? Lemonade (spiked if possible!)
Lake or ocean? Ocean
Sandals or Flip flops? Sandals
Sit in the shadow of a tree or on the front/back porch? Back porch
Ball cap or floppy hat? Floppy hat

 Always Rayne

by Sierra Avalon

Blurb:

Would you spend ten days traveling the country with someone you despised if he promised to pay off your student loans?

Recent college graduate, Harper Leigh, can barely make ends meet working as the books editor for a new online entertainment magazine, Chatter. With $85,000 of student loan debt about to go into repayment, she has no idea how she'll get by.





Just when she thinks things couldn't get worse, Harper's boss decides to embed her in the North American tour for the hot rock band, Always Rayne. Ten days on the road with the band for her to get an exclusive story. But Harper's a homebody and the last thing she wants to do is go on the road with a rock band. And she definitely doesn't want to spend ten days with the notorious bad boy and band front man, Nic Rayne.



When Nic proves to be too much for Harper to handle and she threatens to quit the assignment, Nic decides to sweeten the pot. If she stays with the tour for all ten days, he'll pay off all of her student loan debt....but there's one small catch.



Harper also has to sleep in his bed every night.




Excerpt:

“What’s up?” Nic says.
I’ve seen him in movies so I knew he was tall and muscular. I guess it never occurred to me how tall and muscular he really is. The guy is towering over me and I’m not that short. I’m five feet six inches. Nic has got to be at least six inches taller than me.
“Did you see where my friend went?”
He nods but doesn’t say anything else.
“Okay. Would you mind telling me where she went?”
“With Leo.”
I assume he means Leo Donovan, his cousin and the guitar player in Always Rayne.
“Hey, Rayne.” Xander Donovan, Nic’s other cousin, and the band’s drummer, places a hand on Nic’s shoulder. “Pick the girl you want and let’s go. We’re all headed over to Troy.”
Troy is the trendiest club in the city. I’ve heard a lot about it but haven’t been able to afford the stiff cover charge and the fifteen dollar drinks.
“Come on,” Nic says and turns to leave as if I’m supposed to follow him.
He takes a few steps before he realizes that I’m not following him. Then he turns back around and gives me an odd look. “Aren’t you coming?”
I shake my head.
“Why not?” He actually looks puzzled.
“Do you want a list?”
His eyes narrow and then he walks back over to me. He gets so close I can smell his masculine scent and what’s left of his spicy cologne. “What’s the list?”
I gulp. I wasn’t actually expecting him to ask for the list. I thought he’d just get disgusted and find some other girl to go with him.
“Well, you’re not my type. I don’t find you remotely attractive. Or particularly interesting. I don’t like your music at all. And you don’t seem very smart. And I don’t sleep with guys I don’t know. So, maybe you should just find some other girl to take to Troy.”
He’s doing his best to bite back a grin. The smug asshole actually finds what I’ve said funny. I didn’t think I could dislike him more but he’s really pushing my buttons.
“I’m not your type, huh?” He leans in even closer. So close, I can feel his breath on my neck. “I’m everybody’s type.”
I try to swallow but I feel like there’s a golf ball stuck in my throat.
“You don’t find me attractive, huh? Then why are you sweating?” He places his hand right over my heart. “And your heart is beating a mile a minute. Maybe you should listen to what your body wants instead of what your brain is telling you.”
I take a step back and try to collect myself. I wipe my brow and realize I really am sweating. And he’s right, my heart is racing. What the hell is going on?
“I’m not some groupie who’s going to do whatever you want because you snapped your fingers.”
He looks me up and down. “I can see that.”
I place my hands on my hips. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He actually has the audacity to laugh. “No one would ever mistake you for a groupie that’s for sure.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Your clothes are like some crazy mash-up between a hippie and a school librarian.”
I glance down at my flowered skirt and strappy sandals. He has a point. I’m not exactly a fashion whore like my roommate. Not that I have the money to update my wardrobe even if I wanted to.
He steps closer again. He’s got a habit of getting right into my personal space and it makes me uncomfortable every time he does it. When I look into his deep brown eyes, I have the feeling that he’s doing it just to get a rise out of me.
“What are you doing here?” he asks. For the first time since we’ve met, he actually sounds sincere.
“I came with my roommate. She won tickets from the radio station. She wanted to see you. And your cousins.”
“I asked what you’re doing here.”
“I guess I’m here for moral support,” I stammer. And I have a press pass.”
I’m not sure why I tell him that. I guess I feel like I need some kind of excuse to be here because I’m definitely not here for the music.
“Why am I not surprised? You look like a writer. Or a librarian.”
I dig around in my purse and pull out my press pass. To my surprise, he grabs it from my hand. “Chatter. Never heard of it.”
“It’s an online magazine. A start up.”
He nods then hands me back my credentials.
“Do you like it?”
“Like what?” I’m surprised by the question.
“Writing. Working for a magazine.”
I shrug. “I’ve never thought about doing anything else. My parents named me Harper Leigh. I was kind of destined to be a writer.”
He’s looking at me with a blank stare. Maybe he really is as brainless as I think. And for some strange reason that disappoints me.
“Harper Leigh,” I repeat. “I spell my name differently but she was a writer.”
He’s still looking at me with a blank expression.
“She won the Pulitzer Prize.”
Then he smiles. “I know who Harper Lee is. To Kill a Mocking Bird. Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. She was also good friends with Truman Capote. She helped him with the research for In Cold Blood.”
I can feel my jaw drop.
“I guess I’m smarter than you think.” He leans in close again. “And I’m also a great actor apparently because I had you fooled.”
I want to say something in response but no words come out of my mouth.
“Rayne.” It’s Xander again. “Come on. We’ve got to bounce.”
“Does everyone call you Rayne?”
“Always.”





Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/Always-Rayne-ALWAYS-SOMETIMES-Romance-ebook/dp/B00KY0YZAC/





More about

SIERRA AVALON writes contemporary romance novels with a little sass and lots of spice. She lives in a small town outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their bloodhounds.



Blog: http://karenmuellerbryson.tumblr.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarenMuellerBrysonAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenmbryson









Thanks for sharing your book with us,


Tina

#RockingSummerRomance - The Dream Series by J.J. Dibenedetto's #MFRWauthor

Five Quickie Questions for J.J. Dibenedetto

Ice Tea or Lemonade? Iced Tea (lots of sugar!)me too. me too.

Lake or ocean? Ocean

Sandals or Flip flops? Flip-flips

Sit in the shadow of a tree or on the front/back porch? Porch

Ball cap or floppy hat? Floppy Hat

Now, for more about J.J.

J.J. (James) Dibenedetto's fans would swear he's got a sixth sense when it comes to seeing into the minds of others and often wonder if his stories could possibly be fiction. He enjoys suspending disbelief with suspenseful paranormal tales that are a perfect blend of reality meets fantasy.

His popular Dream Series continues to delight readers with each and every exciting installment.

Born in Yonkers, New York, he currently resides in Arlington Virginia with his beautiful wife and a cat he is sure has taken full advantage of its nine lives. When it comes to the cat, he often wonders, but then again it might just be his imagination.

Social links are:

http://www.writingdreams.net

https://twitter.com/jjdibenedetto

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dream-Series/107699179403603

 

 

Buy Links:

http://getBook.at/WakingDream

http://viewAuthor.at/JJDiBenedetto

 

 

About the Dream Series

What if you could see everyone else’s dreams?  That’s the question Sara has to wrestle with in the Dream Series.  We first meet her as a shy, bookish college student who doesn’t think there’s anything extraordinary about herself.  And then the dreams start…

Over the course of the series, Sara learns to live with these supernatural dreams and all the trouble they plunge her into.  At the same time, she grows from a student to a practicing doctor; and from a single girl to a wife and mother.  But every time she thinks she’s got everything figured out, life – and her extraordinary dreams – teach her that she’s always got more to learn…

 

Blurb for Waking Dream (book 5 of the series, and probably my favorite of them)

 

“Oh, God! We can hurt each other. Whatever we do to each other in the dream, we’ll do it to ourselves for real…” 

When her own dreams are visited by a mysterious woman in a red dress, Sara realizes she has something she never expected: a counterpart, someone outside her family who shares her talent to see other people’s dreams. 

When the woman in red keeps showing up in other dreams as well, leaving ruined lives in her wake, Sara knows she has something she never imagined: a nemesis. 

Now, Sara must track the woman in red down in the waking world, before she’s forced to fight for her life in her dreams… 

“Waking Dream” is the exciting fifth novel in the “Dreams” series.

 

Excerpt:

 

Where’d she go?  There was someone, I wanted – needed – to know who she was, where she was going.

It was a dream.  Brian’s dream.  And there was a woman, a woman in a red dress.  He was dreaming about a woman.  A woman who isn’t me…

No, that’s not right.  That’s insane.  Brian has never, ever given me the slightest reason to be jealous, and he never will.  Except – I was there, in his dream, and he had to hide her from me.  Right?  I was watching him give his presentation, everyone in the room was completely focused on it, they were all sitting there, mesmerized.

And then the door to the meeting room opened.  Someone inside the room opened it.  That woman, with her red? – yes, definitely a red dress.  And red shoes, with at least two-inch heels.  Not Brian’s type at all – nobody is his type, except me. 

But she wasn’t sitting at the table.  There were a bunch of his co-workers, all men, all wearing suits.  And there were a bunch of Air Force officers, and they were all wearing their uniforms.  Nobody in a dress at all.

Until there was.  And nobody else seemed to notice her.  Nobody even looked up for a second to see who was opening the door.

“Brian?”  I grab his shoulder, shake him awake.  It’s three-thirty in the morning, but I have to know. 

“Wha?”

“You were dreaming.  Just now.”

“Let’s take a quick break,” he mutters.  He’s still mostly there.

“Brian!”

He turns to me, his eyes slowly focusing.  “Quick break,” he murmurs again, then he finally realizes he’s not at work.  “Sara?”  Fear suddenly spreads across his face.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I say, too quickly.  Now he looks terrified.  “Just – you were dreaming.  Can you remember?”

He rolls over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling.  “I was – uh, in a room, a big glass room.  Giving – I was doing my presentation.  You know, the one I’ve been working on.”

“I know.  I was there.”  Now the fear vanishes, and it’s replaced by puzzlement.  “Do you remember who was there?”

“Didn’t you see?  Sara, what’s going on?”

“Humor me,” I say softly, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm him – and myself.

“Uh – just my team.  Rick and Alex and Joe and Dave.  And there were four – no, five people from the Air Force.  General Kelley was there, and the rest of them were his aides.”  He sits up, and so do I.  He’s staring hard at me.  “Sara, I don’t understand.”

Neither do I – except that I think I do, and I’m afraid to say it.  It’s impossible – but it’s impossible for me, too, and I can still do it.  “There wasn’t anybody else?”

“No.  That was it, just who I said.”

I’m staring hard right back at him, holding his eyes.  “You’re sure?  Nobody else?  Not a woman in a dress, a red dress?”

He has no idea what I’m talking about; I can see it all in his eyes.  “No.  Why would you think…?”  His jaw drops.  “No.  You don’t mean what I think you mean?”

“I saw her, but you didn’t.  Nobody else in the room did, either.  The same way that you didn’t see me, and neither did anybody else.  The way nobody ever notices me.” 

We’re both silent for a moment, then we speak the same words, exactly in unison: “Oh, my God…”

 

 Thanks James for sharing,

Tina

 

 

Hooked on a Book with #MFRWauthor, Who Has a #RockingSummerRomance

I'm enjoying playing golf this summer when I'm not writing or reading a great book.

I love the trees which remind me of my book - Summer's Growth. I chose the cover because of the beautiful tree and how it represents the deep family roots of the Winston family.


With family spirits guiding her, Amber has to make some tough choses.


Blurb -


In the spirit-haunted Winston estate in Ohio, rooted in time and occupied by the lingering ghosts of a great family, the torch is about to pass...

Mattie Winston, sober, sensible, and steady, has served as Keeper to the family for decades. Amber Harrison, hovering on the edge of flunking out of college, unsure what she wants out of life, has barely even heard of the Winston estate. The family, however, has decided that it's time for the changing of the guard. These two exceptional women soon find themselves dealing with violence, murder attempts, and old family mysteries while each finding the love of her life. Two romances and a growing friendship, all twined around a brooding family tragedy, make for an outstanding paranormal offering depth and charm beyond the commonplace. The growing love of Amber and Carter and of Mattie and Quincy offer readers a tender and engaging first novel in a winning new paranormal series.

Read the first chapter at

http://www.tinagayle.net/SGchapter.html

Excerpt:

Standing by the bay window in the front room, Mattie watched the car approach. Her new recruit’s arrival had goose bumps popping out on Mattie’s skin, adding to her anxieties.

She wanted to run, but instead glanced at the kindhearted spirit of Opal, her distant grandmother. Dressed in her best early American gown, the many layers of her petticoat swished with a soft hiss when she moved.

“There’s no reason to be nervous. Once you meet Amber, you’ll see she caps the climax,” Opal voiced in a soothing tone. “Your Aunt Rachel is absolutely thrilled to have a descendant from her branch of the family as keeper.”

Looking beyond her at the rest of the room, Mattie searched for the other members of the family council. They always offered her their support when she faced a big decision. Yet, today they were conspicuously absent.

“Don’t worry. The whole family is behind you. We just thought it better if we didn’t all hover.”      

Shifting from foot to foot, she wrung her hands together. A simple process of a changing of the guard for them, Amber’s arrival marked the end of the life Mattie loved.

The beautiful spirits around her didn’t understand how cruel humans could be to each other. What if she screwed up and the girl left? Or the girl hated living with a house full of spirits?

Unease pricked at Mattie’s mind. She had no experience in dealing with strangers. All her business associates understood her likes and didn’t force her to attend any social events.

A quick glance out the window, and a car rounded the fountain. She wasn’t prepared to entertain Amber. How could she be? She never invited guests to the estate.

“Now, Pumpkin, there’s no need to worry. It’s time another branch of the family realize what a pain it is to be keeper.” Opal smiled, offering her special form of reassurance. “We’re all here to help with the transition.”

The high notes of Beethoven’s Fifth sprang from the piano. Mattie jumped in surprise at the sudden noise. She whipped around to see Uncle Samuel, the artist of the family, standing next to the piano.

“The game is afoot.” He arched his eyebrows and grinned, then disappeared.

“I’d better leave.” Her aunt patted Mattie’s shoulder. “Just remember, the girl is uneasy too.”

Opal disappeared.

With a deep breath, Mattie turned and gripped the cold metal knob in her hand.

Soon her home would belong to a stranger, and then what would she do?

Purchase ebook at:
More Links coming soon.

www.smashwords.com
www.amazon.com
www.BN.com
www.kobo.com
www.itunes.apple.com



Purchase paperback at www.createspace.com
or www.amazon.com

 Hope you have an awesome summer,


Tina

Tina's Tidings - Deep Sea Fishing Adventure - A Sad Fish Story

This past week, my husband and I decide to go deep sea fishing.






For me it was a test, to see if I could be on a boat all day and not get sea sick.


Everyone claimed that if you take ginger tablet that you would not get sick...Well, I can say that is a 100% true.  Because about half way through the trip I was ready to hurl. Luckily, I had a very kind gentleman offer me a Dramamine, which did the trick.


I also had a great time. I love to fish. We caught some red fish with spikes. Told that they are very taste. I, now have fillets in my freezer.






The worst part about the trip was that you can't keep anything over a certain size. Not a problem unless you have a greedy pelican nearby.


Here, I caught a cute, little fish, "Albert." I told him I was going to let him go and he could go back and play with his friends.


When I threw him back in the ocean. "Pete," the greedy pelican, dove in and grabbed him, downed poor Albert in one gulp.


Yelling at the Pete did nothing.


So there's my fish story.






Over all, though I had a wonderful time with my shipmates and my husband.


Read more about my adventure on my website www.tinagayle.net


Hope you are having fun this summer too,


Tina

#MFRWAuthor Hopping Into A Fabulous Summer

Welcome to the MFRW Summer Vacation blog hop! If you got here another way, and want to know more, click the butterfly button to join in the fun. Our interactive ribbon will take you to all the sites. You don’t have to do anything except read and enjoy the ride!






I started off the summer with a trip to Tennessee, Georgia and Florida in May.




Fun on the coast of Georgia. This is from the boat on our trip to Cumberland Island.







This picture makes me think of my book "Fallen Leaves."


Can you imagine the color in fall?


I love being outside and enjoying nature.  I post all the pictures I take on my wordpress blog. Stop over if you'd like to see them. http://tinagayle.wordpress.com/


Now for Fallen Leaves.

Fallen Leaves Blurb -

 

As autumn comes to the Winston estate in Ohio, Amber Harrison learns further lessons in her new position as keeper for the spirits and ghosts who haunt the estate--and further lessons in love, too. She and her love, Carter Miller, grapple with the fears and passions of new love, while caught up in the storm of ancient family drama.

 

 

 

This is the second book in the unfolding saga of the psychics and talents associated with the Winston estate, a sheltered place where past, present, and future are woven into a single dramatic tapestry of love and desire. The tale spans multiple generations, multiple eras, and offers something special for all ages of reader. A sexy, erotic winner, with an assortment of couples to appeal to most tastes.


Excerpt:

 

“How long before you install the new cabinets?”

 

He turned on the ladder. His dark brown eyes captured her, engulfing her in an encompassing warmth. She melted under his heated gaze, which ran from the top of her head to the white socks on her feet. He lifted a brow at her attire, but he didn’t comment on her pink sweat suit.

 

“With the old cabinets out of the way, I need to knock down this wall and tear up the flooring. The electrical work is next on the agenda.” He climbed off the ladder, yanked off his gloves, and slid a hand through his thick, wavy hair.

 

“It might be awhile before we install the new cabinets. Right now, we’re simply working to remove the old stuff so we can start fresh.” He smiled, which didn’t hide the dark circles under his eyes or the fatigue in the slump of his shoulders.

 

“There’s no hurry. If you’re busy with something else, this can wait until your Dad and Mattie come home next week.”

 

“No, Dad doesn’t want her dealing with this mess.” Carter unbuckled his tool belt and placed it on a workbench. “I promised him I’d have it done.”

 

“Is Grant helping?” Amber stepped around several pieces of sheetrock and stray bits of wood, to the bottom of the stairs.

 

He walked to the backdoor. “Friday, his classes are over at noon.”

 

With his hand resting on the doorknob, he appeared anxious to leave. “I’m headed to lunch, and then I need to drop by the office for a while. Are you sure you’re okay here by yourself?”

 

Amber toyed with the idea of saying no. She missed the taste of his lips and the strength of his arms, but she nodded instead. “Yes, I’m fine.”

 

After opening the door, he paused. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

 

She waved and turned to head to her room, satisfied she’d at least gotten him to talk. Her leaden feet trudged up the steps. Unexcited, she contemplated her latest assignment from the family council. How could she achieve such an impossible task of convincing her great grandmother’s ghost to cross over?

 

Purchase ebook at:

Smashwords | Amazon |
B&N | All Romance | 
 

Or read the first chapter at: http://www.tinagayle.net/FLchapter.html

Hope you have an awesome summer and stop back by, all summer I'm host romance authors on my site.


Here's to a #RockingSummerRomance,


Tina

Tina's Titillating Teaser - Evidence of Trust by @StaceyJoyNetzel and @GoddessFish

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Stacey will be awarding a $20 gift card (winners choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter at the end of this post. Please click the banner to see the other stops on this tour.

Sparks fly when a headstrong wrangler and an alpha park ranger are thrown together while he searches for evidence to stop the poacher killing animals in RMNP. When the monster turns his sights on Brittany, Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.

Book 1 of the exciting Colorado Trust Series

Enjoy an excerpt:

Something shifted in his eyes. Light seemed to collect in the gold flecks around his irises. They softened—no, heated.

He took a step closer. “You really want to know why we can’t be friends, Brittany?”

She wanted to say no, but her voice wouldn’t work. Wanted to back up, but her feet wouldn’t move. His voice had lowered to a sensual, mesmerizing pitch that held her rooted to the spot while he closed the remaining distance between them.

“You are frustrating as all hell and drive me nuts.”

Nothing like the truth to break the spell. Now she could move. Except when she took a step backward, the hitching rail brought her up short. Next thing she knew, Joel had braced a hand on either side of her, caging her in the circle of his arms.

“You don’t like me. Fine, I get it.”

“Do you?” he asked softly. “Really?”

She thought she did—until he leaned in as if he was going to kiss her.

“Yes,” she said quickly, wishing her voice hadn’t come out so breathless. As if she wanted his mouth on hers. She raised her hands between them, but hesitated to press her palms against the soft cotton covering his muscled chest. “The feeling’s mutual, by the way. And I don’t want to be friends anymore, anyway.”

The barest hint of a smile curved his lips. “Good.”

Then he brought his hands to her face, threaded his fingers in her hair, and tilted her head for a full-on, passion-infused kiss that scrambled her brain and left her aching for all of him. Confusion was incinerated by desire and any thought of resisting went up in smoke.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stacey Joy Netzel is an avid reader and loves all movies with a happily ever after. She lives in Wisconsin with her family, a couple horses and some barn cats. In her limited free time she enjoys gardening, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North), at the family cabin on the lake.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SJNnewsletter

Website and Blog: http://www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaceyJoyNetzel

Twitter: http://twitter.com/StaceyJoyNetzel

COLORADO TRUST SERIES

Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.

Evidence of Trust, Book 1 - Special Sale price $0.99 (regular $3.99)

Trust by Design, Book 2

Trust in the Lawe, Book 3

Shattered Trust, Book 4

Dare to Trust, Book 5

EVIDENCE OF TRUST

Amazon: http://bit.ly/EOT-AAmazon

Apple: http://bit.ly/EOTApple

BN: http://bit.ly/EOT-BN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/EOT-KOBO

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-evidenceoftrustcoloradotrustseries1-1464828-149.html

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IZMQJXM

CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00IZMQJXM

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00IZMQJXM

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#RockingSummerRomance Authors Come Join the Fun #MFRWauthor

Authors do you have a book you'd like to share?


Readers would you like to discover new books to read?


Then join the fun.
All summer long, I'm planning to have books on my site that will create a Rocking Summer of great reads. (June 19 to Sept. 22)


Readers, you have the easy part just drop by and check them out.


Authors, you can join the fun by doing an author exchange where you answer a few simple questions.


Ice Tea or Lemonade?

Lake or ocean? 

Sandals or Flip flops?

Sit in the shadow of a tree or on the front/back porch?

Ball cap or floppy hat?

Also email me - link to your book cover, blurb, 500 word excerpt, buy links, short bio, social media links. I'll send you the same and we'll both chose dates to exchange our posts.


I'm looking forward to a great summer.


My email is tina9561@yahoo.com


Thanks,


Tina

Tina Tidings - Writing Something

Hi everyone,


I wanted to schedule a post then forgot to write something.


Isn't this the way it is some days when you promise to write something on your book.


You have plan to spend some time writing and life gets in the way.


Or you sit down and nothing comes. You can't decide what you want to write. The scene is not going where you want it to, so you quit writing. You decided your time can be better used by doing something else.


Don't.
I understand why you want you're time writing to produce great content. If your writing is clicking, then you feel as if you're making progress.


Writing less than perfect content is not bad either. I believe it is the way to make your writing grow. By writing down the story, you have a chance to get ideas on paper, then when you go back you can take the story a little farther.


I'm currently working on the last story in the Executive Wives' Club series.


Having written out an outline, I find when I write that certain events pop into my head that aren't in my outline. Usually, I add them to my story.


Example is this scene... (remember this is just part of my rough draft)

Lyndsey smiled and made a comment that drew his attention to her. Like a spotlight switching on in his head, he suddenly saw his relationship with Lyndsey from Knox’s point of view. Where Knox had made no secret about wanting to marry Marianne, Travis had made no promise to Lyndsey about the future. In fact, he suspected if he even mentioned anything other than having a short-term affair she’d bolt.

His gaze jumped back to his mother. She’d warned him not to become involved, not because of her relationship with Knox. No, she claimed it might damage Lyndsey’s relationship with her father.

Until this moment, Travis hadn’t seen how. Did Knox feel as if he no longer had a place in Lyndsey’s life too?

Shoving aside everything else but his need to protect his mother, Travis stepped forward. “Mom, if you want I can head over to Jason tonight and tell him.”

His mother turned. She laid a hand on Knox’s shoulder, moved around him, and walked forward. A sad smile covering her lips, she stepped to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

A very intense scene -- Travis is trying to adjust to the news that his mother might have cancer.


Remember to write something. It's better than facing an empty page.


Best of Luck,


Tina

Tina's Titillating Teaser - A Brand New Address by @RowlandKathleen

Short blurb:

During Earth’s Second Ice Age, Yardley Van Dyke promised her dying mother she'd care for their family by growing food in their greenhouse.  Her family dynamics change when her dad’s fiancé pushes him to sell it.  Hoping to prove her intergalactic garden works in space, Yardley joins a shuttle going to the planet Venus.  She knows the show-off captain, Marchand LaFond, her brother’s best friend.  He’s a thief. 

 

Buy links A BRAND NEW ADDRESS:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/438174

http://www.amazon.com/A-BRAND-NEW-ADDRESS-INTERVENUS-ebook/dp/B00KC86N2O

Chapter One excerpt:

From the living room Dad’s voice charged its way to the front porch swing. He and his fiancé were at it again. Just terrific.

Hunkered under a fur-lined quilt, Yardley Van Dyke’s head pounded, worsened by the frigid air. As if trapped in a vise, pain squeezed hard from both temples. On the swing she faced forward with her back against the house. Against them. Between them. With their fight on its fourth day, they battled over her late mother’s greenhouse.

Yardley tended it all day, every day.

His fiancé, Pinky Hazelton, wanted to sell it and move into the Biosphere with its profits. Powerless with her at the top of the pecking order, her mouth strained. Around Pinky, she forced it into a straight line.

Why did Dad ignore her promise to her dying mother? For three years, she’d grown food for the family. Mom’s hodge-podgy structure protected plants against the freeze of Earth’s second ice age. Yardley met the challenge of gardening in the frigid hinterlands, but without a surplus to sell, she had the low pro of a subsistence gardener. She reined in ideas to maximize sunlight although her latest effort worked.

Discarded Mylar balloons reflected light. With fifty mounted, she pinched fewer dead leaves. Under the quilt she balanced a basket of peas on her lap, proof of success from her dirt-candy world. Yardley took a pod, tore down the string, and dumped peas into the basket.

Inside the cabin Pinky screamed, “Time is running out.” Timeliness, a variation of her hammering technique, arose with every current event.

“I’ll think on it.” Dad’s voice razzed like a trombone.

“Better be quick.” As Pinky squawked about the essence of time, the trombone cranked louder and louder. Their bombardment sent Yardley a wakeup call.

Her hands shook, and she stopped shelling for one reason. She predicted their routine. Dad blew a gasket before giving in. After that, Pinky won.

He yelled, “Stop needling me, Pinky.”

Hearing a smash, Yardley jerked upright. A crashed dish against the wall? She had no idea what would come next. A flipping of a table?

His fiancé screamed, “Yeah? Put this in your data bucket. An ice cap moves south.”

She imagined Dad’s face turning beet red as he fumed just short of a gasket-blow.

Rubbing one side of her head, she faced the frigid combination of family tension and the twenty-second century ice age. Their now quiet cabin in Newport Beach, California sat in an Arctic spruce forest with northern Siberian climate suffering an annual drop of five degrees.

“Cold, colder, and about to be coldest.” Pinky filled the vacuum with truth, but was timing immediate?

“You know, Pinky. While I tested you out, you took over.” Dad’s off-topic roar revealed bitterness, but he’d come around to her side.

“Good thing I did. Want to sit on a polar ice cap? It kills everything that’s not dead.”

Sick of listening to them, Yardley’s gaze shifted to the porch steps. With the inclement weather, they’d turn slick. She’d slip and spill her peas if she stepped down them to walk the path to the greenhouse. Not quite done shelling, a syrupy voice came through the rough-hewn triple-plank wall.

“I don’t want you dead, sweetheart.” Pinky’s wear-down entered its completion stage.

An icy gust blew strands of hair across Yardley’s face. She groaned and let it be. If she moved her hands, she’d spill the pods. Her thoughts shot from the greenhouse issue to a parallel problem. Without the greenhouse, she’d be a non-contributing eighteen-year-old still living at home. Pulling the quilt over her head, she preferred the ice-age temperature to hanging out with them.

Using a chipmunk voice on herself cheered her up. Yardley, there’s no work for you. Run along, won’t you?

Inside the cabin Pinky fueled her hissy fit with a nightmare. “Oh, Robert,” she said, “I had a bad dream.” Pinky’s premonitions often came in this form. “If we stay here, we’ll die of full-body frostbite.”

The chipmunk squeaked in her mind. Bit of a cold snap.

“No one wants that.” Dad’s tone warmed up.

Yardley’s throat tightened. She swallowed a lump of raw emotion but refused to cry or give into defeat. She listened to Dad’s steady voice as he brought up hidden expenses at the Biosphere. “Selling the greenhouse might get us in, Hon. But can we afford it long term?”

Right on, Dad. Don’t give up.

“Sweetheart, we need a contract.” Within the cabin, the drama queen spoke matter-of-factly. “I know people at BotGen Incorporated.”

Yardley cringed, wishing she had the means to incorporate the pink-yappy hour. Since when had Pinky become a member of Botany General’s inner circle? A few minutes passed, and they stopped talking. Was smooch-kissy-face going on? Great.

Somewhere inside, her twin brother wandered about. At times like this, Skeeter bugged the crap out of her. Nothing about Pinky bothered him including her obsession to watch century-old movies. A few nights ago he’d shared his crush on a girl who lived at the Biosphere. Yardley had nowhere to go.

During the feature, BRING IT ON, Pinky turned into a cheerleader with rah-rahs for Sharlene Mantis. Snobnoxious Sharlene wore brand new argyle sweaters and talked about how much they cost. Ugh. Yardley pressed a palm against her stomach. The idea of fitting in with the Biosphere’s upper crust made her want to hurl. Didn’t Skeet know? Without money and status, their family was low on both counts. She didn’t share Pinky’s worship of BioGen’s tippy top, particularly Sharlene’s grandmother, Gwendolyn Mantis. After a run-in with the octogenarian CEO, her late mother had stood up for herself, a singular rarity.

From far away, her dog barked, alerting her of someone’s approach. She decoded all of Honeydog’s vocalizations, and this one didn’t imply danger. Guessing a hunter and not a charging moose, she didn’t unsheathe her paring knife. Willing herself to calm down, she centered her thoughts on the prize she’d won for her gardening talent.

If her mom were alive, she’d bring out the china plates and the linen tablecloth for a dinner in her honor. Her inner chipmunk started up. You rock, Yardley. Your awesome prototype will make you famous.

When? She gazed at the trees, and brittle branches danced in the squall. Balancing on the swaying porch swing, she folded and refolded her certificate. She wanted to crawl into its pleats and cuddle up against words such as congratulations, bestow upon, and honor. Wiping an angry tear from her cheek, she held the precious paper against her swelling heart. The sensation made a gradual change into rigid pride.

Would her BotGen certificate, proof of her accomplishment and hers to keep, lead to concrete recognition? Job independence had to come next, the only way to be these days. The check’s intended purpose of college tuition had to be bypassed. Dad needed the ten thousand for expenses. Not enough to move into the Biosphere, the greenhouse sat on Pinky’s auction block.




Author Bio:

Kathleen Rowland writes multicultural, heart-stopping romantic suspense. With an M.S. in Computer Science, she outlines characters and flow-charts plots before weaving fast-paced action. A regular presenter of on-line point of view classes for Romance Writers of American chapters, Kathleen also teaches writing at her local library in Southern California. Her publishing credits include adult romantic suspense with Amira Press, Whiskey Creek Press, and Eternal Press. When her grandchildren asked to read her stories, she switched to writing a new series for teens.

Her YA/NA INTERVENUS series captures the essence of two futuristic locals, ice age Earth and newly habitable planet Venus. Up against powerful Botany General Incorporated, rugged protector Marchand LaFond and intergalactic gardener Yardley Van Dyke use all the skills at their disposal to survive. As they figure out who they are, they search for answers, sometimes clash, fall into danger— and into love.

Coming from a long line of storytellers, writing fiction comes naturally to Kathleen Rowland. Always looking for adventure, she cherishes time with her husband, Gerry, whether it’s sailing, world travel, or walking the dogs. Having raised three sons and two daughters, they are empty nesters whose family is a huge source of pride and enjoyment.

Keep track of Kathleen at the following sites:

www.kathleenrowland.com

www.kathleenrowland.wordpress.com

www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com

         twitter @RowlandKathleen

Thanks Kathleen, I love having your book on my site,

Tina