Max is baaaack! LIFE AFTER DEATH by Sharon Saracino

She's baaackkk! Max Logan returns...Happy New Year!

 

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Publisher: WhiskeyCreek Press

Release Date: January 1, 2014

Click to check out LIFE AFTER DEATH!

 

 

 

Maxine Logan made her initial debut in Death Benefits. She has a dry, edgy sense of humor that I grew to love and I can't wait to read more about her in Sharon Saracino's newest release, LIFE AFTER DEATH.

 

To help Sharon celebrate Max's return I've asked her to share the blurb and excerpt!

 

Life After Death:

 

After artfully arbitrating her return from the dead, Max Logan considers her experience with the afterlife a thing of the past. But Max's success as a temporary Superintendent of Spiritual Impediment was no accident as she discovers when the permanent SSI shows up in the middle of the night to reveal that Max has a genetic predisposition to a supernatural calling. When Max's ex-husband and current boyfriend, Roger-the-Proctologist is lost in a plane crash due to an inept Reaper gone rogue, Max has no choice but to venture back into the sweet hereafter in an attempt to rescue him. Throw in a freak blizzard, a hot Grim Reaper, and the last person on Earth Max would choose to save, and Max will be lucky to escape before her time runs out and she becomes a permanent resident of the Between.

Excerpt:

     The annoying luminosity I'd mistaken for the early afternoon sunlight was, in fact coming from Alicia who, when the mood struck her, could glow like a radioactive Christmas tree. On steroids. I hadn't seen or heard from her since that happy day months ago when I'd been relieved of my duties as SSI. It was a temporary position I'd been obligated to assume to regain my status among the living after my untimely Death in Error (D.I.E) caused by an overeager Grim Reaper in Training (G.R.I.T.). Turns out the bureaucrats in the afterlife are quite enamored with acronyms. Who knew? Anyway, I hadn't seen Alicia in all this time, and frankly, I hadn't exactly been complaining. Not that I had anything against Alicia personally, it was only that I preferred to relegate that period of my life -- or death, depending on how I chose to look at it on any given day -- to the been-there-done-that file. I mean, c'mon, wouldn't you? I'd never shared my life after death after life experience with anyone; not even Roger. First of all, even I wasn't completely convinced the entire episode was real after the fact. In the first place, my black Italian marble shower with the Chastings Corque Corian Square Ceiling Mount Showerhead and I came together quite dramatically in a completely involuntary manner that cracked my skull hard enough to scramble my brain into a convincing three-dimensional hallucination that could be misinterpreted as a near death experience. Secondly, who in their right mind would believe me? Sure, I'd emerged from the experience a kinder and gentler Max Logan, filled with insight and forgiveness, ready to own up to my own part in the misery that had become my everyday existence, but those who knew me best were far more likely to attribute it to a temporary psychotic break than any supernatural intervention.
     "Alicia, I'm going back to sleep for at least the next five hours. I'm returning to the place where I'm always thin, never run out of money, and am sitting on a private beach with hot cabana boys who bring me exotic cocktails with little paper umbrellas. Do not attempt to wake me again or my Teddy Bear will attack," I threatened in a sleep-thickened voice.
     "You don't have a Teddy Bear," my uninvited visitor pointed out reasonably.
     "Totally irrelevant, Glow Girl. Come back later."

Sharon Saracino

 

All roads lead to happily ever after, some just have a few unexpected turns!

 

 

You can follow Sharon here:

 

Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

 

 

 

 

 



 

A chat with Katheryn Lane!

Katheryn, welcome! So happy to have you here! You've written some amazing stories set in exotic locations with exotic men, and the Katheryn Lane dynasty continues with a cowboy in...

THE TEXAS COWBOY

 

 



 

 



Katheryn, can you whet our appetites by introducing your hero and heroine?

 

The hero's name is Jack Cassidy. An awful previous relationship has left him resigned to living the life of a lonely cowboy whose only female company is his horses. However, he meets Vicky and he begins to wonder if he should reconsider.

 

Vicky's from England where she has a low-paid clerical job. However, through a social networking site, she manages to contact a distant cousin who lives in Dallas and Vicky flies out to see her. Once in Dallas, Vicky is immediately thrown into a world of money, shopping and sexy cowboys!

 

What was your favorite thing about writing this story?

 

Although I live in the Middle East, I have visited Dallas several times and I really loved doing the research for this book. Amongst other things, I was lucky enough to visit a ranch and ride one of the horses. However, my husband said that getting together with a sexy cowboy was off limits!

 

The other thing I loved about writing The Texas Cowboy was seeing the hero and heroine overcoming their problems and falling in love with each other while I was writing (though this is true of all my books). There's nothing quite so wonderful in the world as watching two people finding the happiness that comes from being truly, deeply in love.

 

Do your characters have any particular quirks?

 

The quirkiest character is Cassie, Jack's ex. She's gorgeous - Jack and Cassie once looked like the perfect couple - but she's absolutely wild! I can't give too much away, but she has caused and continues to cause Jack endless harm.

 

The blurb for your book hints at a lot of conflict that your hero and heroine have to deal with. When you were writing this story, was there ever a point where you thought that these two characters were never going to resolve the obstacles?

 

There was! At one point I stopped writing and almost gave up as I couldn't see how Jack and Vicky were going to overcome their difficulties. As well as having to deal with Jack's ex, they also have to deal with Vicky's cousin, Laura, who does everything she can to stop Vicky seeing Jack. This is because Laura thinks that Jack is just a poor ranch hand and Vicky should be dating Laura's extremely rich friend instead.

 

Sometimes our characters take the story in a complete different direction than we planned. Did that happen to you with this story? If so, did you have to show them who was boss, or was it the other way around?

 

Before I start a book, I draft an outline of the plot. However, once I begin writing, the characters can take over. For example, as I'm writing, I realize that a character would never do what I originally planned, so I let them do something else which is more in keeping with their personality. For example, at one point in The Texas Cowboy, Jack is really upset. In the original plot he was meant to go out to the stables on his ranch to spend time with his favorite horse, but once I started writing the scene, I realized that he was too angry to do that; what he really wanted to do was have a drink. Therefore, instead of going to the stables, he searches around in his kitchen and finds a bottle of whiskey, an action which he regrets in the morning. Sometimes my characters take over, but not always to their benefit!

 

What project(s) are you currently working on?

 

I'm thinking of writing a sequel to The Texas Cowboy. Although it was originally written as a stand-alone novel, with Jack and Vicky finally together, their marriage is only implied. Since the book was published, several readers have started to ask about their wedding and if Vicky's cousin, Laura, will take over their wedding plans. I'm still trying to work out the details, but Laura will probably try to turn their wedding into a huge Dallas social event and Jack's ex, Cassie, will definitely make a dramatic appearance. At the moment, the book has the provisional title of The Texas Bride.

 

Thank you very much, Jan, for hosting me on your wonderful site!

 

About Katheryn Lane:

 

I'm a wife, teacher, author and mother of two boisterous boys, so most of my days are taken up with finding lost school shoes, getting stuck in traffic and wondering why I always join the queue that doesn't move in the supermarket. However, I try to forget these daily problems (and the fact that I burnt the toast again this morning) by losing myself in a good book and writing novels that give readers a break from everyday life.

 

Open one of my books and escape on an adventure to an exotic location, because it's easier to buy a book than it is to book an air ticket.

 

Have a break, read a book!

 

To find out more about me, you can:

 

Visit my blog: http://Katheryn-Lane.blogspot.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KatherynLane

Visit my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/KatherynLane.Author

See my inspiration on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/KatherynLane

Visit my Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/KatherynLane

 

About The Texas Cowboy

 

From the #1 Amazon bestselling author, Katheryn Lane, comes an unforgettable romance set in the heart of Texas.

 

Everything's bigger in Texas, including the problems.

 

When Vicky flies into Texas, she immediately falls for the charms of local cowboy, Jack Cassidy. However, her wealthy Dallas cousin, Laura, has other ideas and will do everything she can to steer Vicky away from Jack and into the arms of a rich oilman.

 

Jack is resigned to living the life of a lonely cowboy whose only female company is his horses -- that is, until he meets Vicky. However, Vicky isn't the only person with a claim on his heart. Jack wasn't always alone and his ex is about to make a dramatic comeback.

 

Every cowboy has a past and this cowboy's past is about to destroy his future.

 

The Texas Cowboy is available from all Amazon stores including:

 

Amazon USA 

 

Amazon UK

MARRIED TO MAGGIE! (Texas Men Falling Fast series - Book One: Tysen)

MARRIED TO MAGGIE is coming soon. This is the first book in my Texas Men Falling Fast series. I'm so excited to do a series (my first) and I'm over the moon happy to share Tysen and Maggie's story!

This amazing cover was created by: 

TugBoat Design 

Cover Reveal for LIFE AFTER DEATH by author Sharon Saracino

(Max Logan #2)

Today I'm helping author, Sharon Saracino reveal her cover for her upcoming novel, LIFE AFTER DEATH.

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Release Date: January 2014







LIFE AFTER DEATH
After artfully arbitrating her return from the dead, Max Logan considers her experience with the afterlife a thing of the past. But Max's success as a temporary Superintendent of Spiritual Impediment was no accident as she discovers when the permanent SSI shows up in the middle of the night to reveal that Max has a genetic predisposition to a supernatural calling. When Max's ex-husband and current boyfriend, Roger-the-Proctologist is lost in a plane crash due to an inept reaper gone rogue, Max has no choice but to venture back into the sweet hereafter in an attempt to rescue him. Throw in a freak blizzard, a hot Grim Reaper, and the last person on Earth Max would choose to save, and Max will be lucky to escape before her time runs out and she becomes a permanent resident of the Between.

Sharon Saracino resides in the anthracite coal country of Pennsylvania with her long suffering husband, funny and talented son, and two insane dogs. When she is not reading, writing, or enjoying photography and genealogy, she brews limoncello, dreams of living in Italy and works as a Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse.



All roads lead to happily ever after, some just have a few unexpected turns!

** Life After Death is the sequel to Death Benefits **

You can find Sharon here:

Website    Facebook    Goodreads    Twitter       

He tried not to notice that she was pretty - in a wild child, kind of way!

 

One of my favorite things about writing is creating characters! I'd like to share with you Maxwell August's description of Libby Griffin -- from my latest release, MR. AUGUST

 

 

He tried not to notice that she was pretty -- in a wild child kind of way. Her long eyelashes were thick with mascara and her eyelids were lined so they swooped at the end. He wasn't fond of eye goop, but he had to admit, the dramatic look wasn't bad. His attention moved to the hand that was splayed across her chest. No ring. Great chest. He sighed. Why was he taking note of anything about the woman? He wasn't interested, nor did he want to be.

 

He tried to tune back into the conversation but his eyes caught the thin, black leather choker around her neck. He'd seen some thin leather bands at her wrists too. She looked like a free spirit, untamed and alternative, but there was softness in her voice and mannerisms. And dammit to hell and back, he found it all sexy, including the bizarre pink streaks in her hair.

 

** I loved writing Libby Griffin. She's different all the way around from the heroines I normally write. I had fun with her and Maxwell. Both are about as far from perfect as you can get but they found perfect love...eventually. ** 

 

 

Available from Amazon

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog to read about Libby Griffin! Please come back soon!!

 

~ Jan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maxwell August, Libby Griffin and Grand Lake St. Mary's

 

Lighthouse at the northwest corner of Grand Lake St. Mary's

(located in Celina, Ohio)

 

 

 

When I was a kid my parents would occasionally take us to Grand Lake St. Mary's for a day of swimming and fun. Those were special times etched forever in my memory. I was fortunate to get reacquainted with the lake the past two summers and I felt the same magic I did back then. I've fallen in love with the lake all over again. 

 

There is something calming about rippling waves that crash into the shoreline. It's hypnotizing and romantic. Imagine a hot summer morning, a cup of coffee and the sun rising above the water, or a campfire under a starry sky with the sound of water slapping the rocks. 

 

 

 

Last autumn, I walked through the campground on the south side of the lake, admiring the reds, oranges and yellows of changing leaves and a story popped into my head. I pictured two people who needed to get away from the grunge going on in their lives. They each chose the privacy of a cabin on Grand Lake in the off-season to try to regroup. With months of quiet solitude they would heal from their mistakes and chart their futures. Neither one wanted to be bothered. 

 

Introducing: Libby Griffin and Maxwell August.

 

Here is their story:

 

Fashion designer Libby Griffin has had the week from hell--terminated from her job and heart-wrenching news from the doctor. Hoping for time alone to regroup, Libby rents a cabin on Grand Lake St. Mary's for five months. Right away she meets the most irritating man on the planet, who also happens to be drop-dead delicious.

Recently divorced author Maxwell August has a book due, and his muse has gone into hiding. With a chip on his shoulder, his writing in stuck-mode, he heads to the lake only to encounter a monumental distraction with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

Will these two right-brainers allow the off-the-charts attraction brewing between them to grow? Or deny it to focus on the things they think are more important and miss a chance at forever?

 

 

 Amazon

 

 

Excerpt:

 

     "Watch what you're doing." Mr. August still looked like he wanted to bite her head off.

 

     Libby squared her shoulders. "I was here first." He'd shooed her away twenty minutes ago and was trying to do it again in the grocery. She matched him frown for frown.

 

     "Maybe so, but you can't stand there for ten minutes reading the side of the carton."

 

     "I can take as long as I need." She'd only been there a minute or two. Clearly the man had no concept of time.

 

     "You're holding everyone up."

 

     Libby looked around. There was no one else waiting for her to move. She took a half-step away from the juice and motioned for him to go at it.

 

     "Seriously?" He crossed his arms at his chest.

 

     How much room did he need? Libby stayed exactly where she was and they engaged in a childish game of who would blink first. In the span of those few seconds, her subconscious filtered more information. Actually, it poked her hard enough to make her the first to blink -- while this guy was a giant pain, he had a voice that was part gravel, part silk. She'd missed it when they spoke at the cabin, now it was all she could focus on; well, that and his scent. Libby tried not to breathe him in. His musky fragrance floated in front of her nose until she had no choice but to take a few whiffs.

 

     A momentary look of amusement raced across his features, like he knew she was taking stock of him. A low growl formed in the pit of Libby's stomach and she was close to hitting him with her cart. "Are you stalking me?" Oh my God, she didn't say that, did she?

 

     Maxwell narrowed his eyes so tight they almost closed. "You wish."

 

 

** If you would like to experience the romance, conflict and adventure of Max and Libby at Grand Lake St. Mary's, you can find it on Amazon . 

 

May your days be filled with joy and romance and special places that bring you peace!



 

~ Jan 

 

 



 

 

 

Cover reveal...THE CHRISTMAS CONTRACT

Prompted by love, guilt and desire to own their own business, the Dawson triplets enter into a contract that will change their lives forever!

** Sweet Christmas romance without the spicy love scenes **


(Coming soon to an e-reader near you!)

 

Cover art by: Tugboat Design

Sharing my passion for writing!

I recently had the pleasure of being one of seven authors who spoke at the Putnam County Library in Ottawa, Ohio. We shared our writing experiences, talked about our books, offered tips to aspiring writers, and signed books.

Writing stories and creating characters is amazing! Meeting fans and discussing those stories and characters is out of this world!! 

Of all the men on the planet, why him?

Kiss Me!

 

 

Lacy pounded the steering wheel. "It doesn't matter." Salty tears burned her eyes but she swiped them away before they streamed down her cheeks.

 

As far as she was concerned, Jared Kelly could step in front of a bus. So could Angela. Maybe the two of them could hold hands while they stepped in front of a bus.

 

Slumping against the back of the car seat, the painful truth slinked in. You did this. You're to blame for everything. Not them. The admission didn't set well. And it was a good thing the windows were up because the half-groan, half-moan would've scared anyone walking by. But the old saying that the truth hurts was dead-on. It hurt more than Jared's rebuke of her. It was certainly more disturbing than Angela always trying to trip her up. She was the sole architect of her woes. Stupid things kept happening because she let them happen. And all she had to do to confirm it was to recall what happened the second she came home. She went whacky over the first guy she came in contact with -- a cop. Of course, he couldn't be any cop. This one wrote her a ticket...and dated her sister.

 

Her inner critic tried to sort it all out. Why him? Of all the men on the planet, why him?

 

** You can find Lacy and Jared's story at:

 

Amazon 

 

Barnes and Noble

 

Champagne Books

 

Stay Close, Novac! - leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy

Love and romance are at the center of my story, but there's also a little suspense and a dollop of humor!


Small snippet:

Like a fool, Jessi had given Ian some latitude on the whole stalker-nut job thing. Total lapse in judgment. She needed to remember that wacko's didn't necessarily look hideous; sometimes they came with curly blonde hair and dark green eyes.


 ** For a chance to win an e-copy of Stay Close, Novac! please leave a comment about what you like most about romantic suspense. Do you prefer darker stories that keep you on the edge of your seat? Or do you prefer a lighter whodunit with some humor? **  (I will draw a winner on Friday, August 9, 2013. Please leave your email address so I can notify you if you win.) 

Have a great week!

~ Jan


www.authorjanromes.com

 

 

An interview with prolific author, Amy Gregory!

Today I'd like to welcome author, Amy Gregory, to my blog with an interview. She comes with great news regarding her Racing to Love series -- she has just released the fourth installment to the series: Eli's Honor.

 

 

 

 

 

Amy: Oh Jan, it is an honor (no pun intended - I promise!) to visit your blog. I fell in love with your work and pounce each and every time you release a book! Above and beyond that, I'm so proud to have gotten to know you, and call you my friend!

 

Jan: Thank you so much, Amy! Happy to have you here.

 

Amy, your Racing to Love series is obviously geared around racing. Can you explain what kind of racing and how this awesome series came about?

 

There are several types of racing, so great question! This series pertains to dirt bike racing. To give you an idea of what these bikes can do, our son races on the "little bikes" on a KTM 50cc bike. It will top out at about 67mph - for an 8 year old. LOL He's always had a fascination with racing and we've always enjoyed watching the pros race, as well as the freestyle variety where backflips are pretty common!

 

You have four books in the series: Carter's Treasure, Jesse's Soul, Brody's Love, and Eli's Honor. Are the characters that inspired these books real people? Or characters that came alive in your imagination once you came up with the idea for the series?

 

These books and events aren't based on anyone, although, there probably is more of me in each of the girls than I'd like to admit. In Eli's Honor, there is a secret that is revealed that leads to the final book in the series - Alex's Destiny, due to release this November.

 

I will admit freely, I set out with very little in mind when I write. I do prefer to write in a series, so I had each of the characters names, but there is no plotting that I do in advance at all. I start typing, then one scene leads to another twist, and that may bring in a new person and so forth.

 

What inspired the first book?

 

Initially, it was due to lack of sleep! My husband travels a fair amount for work and so between tossing and turning, over the course of that week, I kept having this recurring dream, but each night more was vivid, the story more real. I woke and started just sketching it out so I didn't forget it -- to this day I don't know why I did that. I'd never written before so it was just a whim, that when I was finished I had over 400 written pages. I couldn't give up on it and shove it in a drawer. I learned the hard way how to publish and so now here I am.

 

Are there more stories brewing to continue the series?

 

The final book in the series is Alex's Destiny. I've been pretty quiet about that book, mainly because of a secret twist to the series. I couldn't answer any questions about it without giving away that big "secret". Everyone asks about my guys, Carter, Jesse, and Eli...well those that have now read Eli's Honor -- are in on it.

 

I love this family so much, I won't say that I won't revisit them with some short stories, but I will say that there is a certain detective that not only I fell in love with, but I had several requests for more of him. So the series will spin off into my second series -- Finding Perfect. The first book is about Detective Mike Sterling! Yes...He's back ladies and gentlemen. That book will actually release in September, I think.

 

You lead a very busy life. Do you schedule writing time? What helps you get in the writing zone?

 

Well, I will admit, this summer has been my "off time" because I require silence to write. So with three kids -- that's impossible. I used to get up at 4:00am and write, but after awhile, my body decided sleep was going to happen one way or another! LOL. I will say, for Christmas last year, my husband gave me a unique gift that I never would have asked for. A really nice set of noise cancelling headphones. So now, when I am taking kids to and from activities and have to stay due to distance, I can sit comfortably in a local Starbucks and the headphones allow me to write during those several hours that were before wasted time.

 

What is your biggest writing challenge?

 

Honestly, I am probably my editor's worst nightmare! I can write a story -- no problem! However, everything I learned in school regarding grammar, sentence structure, story structure -- yeah, all of that is gone...I remember nothing.

 

You've whet our appetites for Eli's Honor. Can you share the blurb and an excerpt?

 

Happy to!

 

 



 

Blurb:

 

How can you miss something you never had?

 

Retired pro motocross racer Eli Hunter had it all; at least that's how he chose to look at things. His life revolved around the sport he loved and he had been catapulted to rock star status. Eli loved the feel of a bike under him as he raced, even...when it almost killed him.

 

After fighting back from a debilitating injury, Eli has devoted his life to The Noland Racing Academy. As far as Eli was concerned that was all he'd ever need, that is until he sat across from Dallas, a young up and coming racer, and his widowed mother, Honor. It was then that Eli realized exactly what he had been missing.

 

The prospect of sending her son off to The Noland's Racing Academy was daunting enough without being faced by the devil in a pair of blue jeans. When Honor held the door open for Eli Hunter she knew she was letting him walk right into her life, but she refused to let him into her heart.

 

Eli has never backed down from a challenge and he wasn't about to stop now. Not when those long auburn curls and shy violet eyes were the answer to his unspoken prayers.

 

Excerpt:  (Airport)

 

     Eli paced. Checked the monitors for arrivals, looked at his watch and paced again.

     The movements had been the same for over the last half-hour. The plane was due any minute, and Eli felt like a little child impatiently waiting on the word go to open a present. When he had spoken to Honor on the phone the previous night, she gave him no reason to think she'd back out, but a piece of him wasn't going to be at ease until he saw her with his own eyes. 

     The anticipation of the plane's arrivals was also uncommon. Most students that came to the academy came for a week. Most students that came were brought by their parents in an RV, hauling their bike or bikes, depending on their financial situation. Most students came with a need to improve on the basics or their parents had the money to send them because of the academy's reputation.

     Dallas Graham wasn't...most students.

     Once in a lifetime there was an exception to every rule, and Dallas was that exception.

     So was his mother.

     Eli grinned picturing the sweet shock that had swept across her face when he'd grabbed her hand. He'd fallen for the way her violet eyes went wide in surprise at his touch, the tilt of her chin waiting on his reason for holding her hand. Eli melted at the soft surrender he witnessed in her when he'd whispered the one word please. In that simple moment, she let out a faint sigh, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she gave a slight nod.

     Even with Molly's words in the back of his mind, he had gone to their home prepared to meet a mother who was going to beg him to help her son. Instead he stood begging her to come to him. Seeing the plane's nose, he grinned to himself and his heart sped at the sight of the plane slowly lining up at the gate.

     They finally arrived.

     Suddenly his head went blank, he blinked several times and felt his palms go clammy. If he didn't know better, he'd think he was having a heart attack, or at the very least a panic attack. He knew differently.

     He was nervous.

     Excited but nervous. About a girl. Actually a woman, but still, same damn effect. Cruising down the straightaway and getting closer every day to the big three-O, one would think he'd outgrown that by now, but as he watched Dallas come around the corner of the jet way, his pulse quickened with anticipation. Seeing Honor round it just behind him had Eli's heart pounding double-time.

     She looked beautiful. Her hair was down this time and his breath caught, seeing the long, loose waves that reached her lower back. She had worn very little makeup when he'd met her last week, looking very much the girl next door, but today she was anything but. She was in nothing more than a simple t-shirt and jeans, but her eyes were killer. She looked amazing.

     Unfortunately for Eli, his wasn't the only head that had turned. He watched as the man behind her tried several times to strike up a conversation just in the short time it took to walk up the jet way. Eli chuckled to himself watching her politely nod then ignore the man, getting more visibly frustrated with each passing moment.

     Always one to help a lady out, Eli swooped in.

     As she walked out of the secured area with the stranger still on her heels, Eli snaked his arm around her waist, pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

     "Hi, honey. I've missed you so much. I'm so glad you're home." His voice was loud enough for the eavesdropper and laced with the promise of welcome-home sex.

     He nuzzled against her, keeping eye contact with the stranger behind her. A little old-fashioned, but he claimed her publicly for all to see. He had marked his territory.

     Honor's face went wide with surprise, but quickly relaxed. He assumed she'd caught on to his ploy. Eli nodded to the man not far behind her, tempting him to dare say another word to the woman he still had in his arms. Eli guessed Honor thought it was an act, but in reality he didn't like the thought of another man around his woman.

     His.

     That thought would have scared the shit out of him years ago. Hell, even a few months ago. Just like Carter and Molly, then Jesse and Emery, it was the right person at the right time. Eli thought about Honor for days, processed his feelings, and came to the conclusion with absolute certainty. Honor was his. He was pretty sure that she was entirely unaware of the fact but he had a month to convince her. A month to make her fall in love with him. A month to persuade her to stay in Pennsylvania.

      Suddenly the confidence he had in his plan wavered. A month didn't seem like near enough time.

     "I missed you too, Eli." Her voice was quiet and sweet, not nearly as embellished as Eli's had been.

     His stomach clinched at her admission, reading way more into what she probably meant, but it was music to his ears.

     With her back to the stranger, the other man couldn't see the deep red in her cheeks, but it made Eli's heart soar. Something about the flush and embarrassed smile made her seem innocent and young. Poor Dallas had turned his back to keep from laughing, and Eli took a long minute to take in Honor's presence. The gaze proved to be too much for her. She grinned and broke the eye contact.

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Amy Gregory leads an incredibly active lifestyle in Kansas City with her husband and their three fantastic kids who keep them running in three very different directions. Amy is known for her snarky, off the cuff sense of humor, which you'll find shining through in the characters she's created.

 

 

I've spent my whole life trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and now I've finally found it. -- Amy Gregory

 

 

Blog:  http://amygregory548.blogspot.com

 

Twitter:  @amygregory548

 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Gregory/e/B008AV4NM2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel-1

 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/amygregoryauthor548?fref=ts

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4809074.Amy_Gregory

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 





With exaggerated mutiny...

This is one of my favorite scene's from...

LUCKY DUCKS

     In two fluid strides Kasen was at the small, round table injecting them with suspicion. "What the hell are you two up to?" Before either could formulate a response, he bit into Riggs. "I know what you're up to." He moved on to Claire.

     Before he could zing her, she zinged him. "Riggs and I are having a clandestine affair, you pinhead." She cranked up the volume. "He was about to ring my bell right here in this coffee shop."

     Kasen's eyes turned a murky shade of blue.

     Riggs threw a blanket on the inevitable fire. "As fun as that sounds, Claire, you might want to rethink the fib." He chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Kasen will toss me into a wood chipper if I touch the love of his life."

     "Love of his life? Ha!" The concept made her tremble but Claire was determined to stay in control. With exaggerated mutiny she slurped an overlarge sip of coffee. Oww! Oww! Oww! The coffee scalded her tongue and possibly gave her taste buds third-degree burns. Foolish and stubborn, she swallowed the coffee and tipped her chin. Her defiance was short-lived when their eyes met again. For a few remarkable seconds she saw beyond the shadowy depths of his anger, and detected...pain?

 *If you'd like to experience Claire and Kasen's story, you can find it at:

The Wild Rose Press

Amazon

www.authorjanromes.com 

If he wanted to play this silly game...

A fun snippet from:

 

THE GIFT OF GRAY

 

(Alexis is filling in as a masseuse at her friend's matchmaking ranch for busy professionals to make some extra money. Gray is an overworked advertising executive that has paid big bucks to meet the woman of his dreams. Neither of them counted on meeting the one person who would turn their life upside down.)

 

 

Goose bumps coated her arms, and the chill was enough to snap her out of the lust haze. The bastard was doing a striptease of sorts, and while it thrilled her, it also ticked her off. If he thought he could turn her on and get lucky, he was dead wrong. "When you're done dillydallying with your clothes, hop on the table and let's get this thing underway."

 

Gray's laugh was hearty and filled with more confidence than any one person should have. "Do you have to be somewhere?"

 

Anywhere but here. "Just get moving, pokey." Mild insults wouldn't get her in trouble with Tish and Jeb, and it would keep her interest for him at bay. Hopefully.

 

Gray stepped out of his boxers and Alexis tried not to look at the forbidden zone. She handed him a warm towel. To her dismay, he dropped the towel at the end of the massage table.

 

Okay. If he wanted to play this silly game of look-at-me, then game on.

 

 

The Gift of Gray is a fun, heart warming story about finding love when you least expect it.

 

If you'd like to read more, you can complete Alexis and Gray's journey to love at:

 

The Wild Rose Press

 

Amazon

 

Barnes and Noble

 

...and many other retail venues

 

 

 



He was still being a wildebeest!

I wanted to share a little bit of Claire and Ian with you -- 

LUCKY DUCKS

Air in. Air out. Simple. At least breathing was supposed to be simple. But the sight of Kasen Isaak coming toward her with an unyielding look of annoyance made her breath catch somewhere between her lungs and windpipe.
 

The closer he came the more she felt like she was going to choke.
 

"Good morning, Miss Stone."
 

A night's sleep obviously hadn't improved his disposition. He was still being a wildebeest. The urge to be surly back was knocking at her door. Actually, it was pounding. She tried to ignore it with another pep talk. Put on your big girl panties and deal with it. She snickered inwardly at the thought of her panties -- ducks again today. Although these ducks were wearing colorful hats with matching plumes instead of sunglasses like they were yesterday. The days-of-the-week ducks were a moving-away gift from her best friend, Ginny. They were supposed to be lucky-ducks. So far the luck part hadn't kicked in.
 

Even though her breathing still hadn't leveled out she managed a reply. "Good morning, Mr. Isaak." She bit her bottom lip and then offered him a cheery grin.
 

Kasen narrowed his eyes.
 

Zing! Nothing irks a sour person more than a smile.
 

"Follow me." He spun about and heavy-heeled it toward his office.
 

Her father's comment about Kasen having a chip on his shoulder surfaced. Pfft. The man had more than a chip of wood setting there. He had the whole darned tree. But she wasn't responsible for putting it there and he shouldn't be goading her to knock it off.
 

She scowled after him. He didn't like her. She didn't like him. So what was the point of working there? He was going to try to trip her up, and she was going to try to keep her balance. Grr.
 

Trailing behind him trapped his scent in the small space between them. Claire instinctively inhaled the heady fragrance of musk. Mmm. Scent messed with her senses - her common sense would go by the wayside and things that were supposed to make sense didn't. Like now. She enjoyed the smell of the guy who most likely had plans to bind her to a chair and shine a flashlight in her face to see what she'd learned overnight. That visual made her snort out loud.
 

Kasen glanced over his shoulder.
 

There was absolutely no way to explain the inadvertent noise, so she smiled instead. His eyes thinned even more.

 

The wildebeest took several more loud steps...



** If you'd like to immerse yourself in the rest of the chaos that Claire and Kasen find themselves in before they finally get their happily-ever-after, you can find their story at:   (click on the links below)

The Wild Rose Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
...And many other retail venues

Special note:  Lucky Ducks is also an audio book. You can buy it on iTunes or Amazon via Audible.com

www.authorjanromes.com




 

One false move...

Happy to share a small snippet from -

STAY CLOSE, NOVAC!

 

 

 

Adrenaline pumped through Jessi with as much velocity as gale force winds and she got an instant headache. While she rubbed her temples she did some erratic pacing from the back door to the front door to the bathroom, waiting for the slightest sound that would indicate she was under siege. The same helpless feeling that plagued her in New York had returned. The only difference was instead of being surrounded by millions of New Yorkers, she was isolated on a lonely stretch of beach where no one would stumble across her until the stench of decomposition attracted attention. A worse thought played across her mind – what if Ian and the fancy pants thug turned her into a shark snack? Oh God! She thought about her parents. While they drove her up a wall with their constant bickering, she still loved them and didn’t want them to suffer the pain of losing their only child.

Well, she wouldn’t go down easy. She wrung her hands and tried to come up with a brilliant plan.

She needed an equalizer.

A quick rummage through the kitchen drawers produced a mountain of plastic spoons.  Great. Ian Alexander and his accomplice better watch out. One false move and they’d be pulling plasticware from their ribs. Jessi groaned.

 

 

If you'd like to read more about Jessi and Ian, you can find their story here:

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

'Of course you're capable, knucklehead...'

New excerpt for ONE SMALL FIB...

Enjoy!

 

 

(This is Allie Blue's first encounter with billionaire, Kiptyn Thomas) 

 

 

 

 

     The dark-haired, thirty-something billionaire appeared oblivious to anything except moving through the narrow aisleway with his carry-on.

 

 

     "Please. Let me help you." Allie reached for his bag.

 

 

     His head snapped up and gray-blue eyes hooked onto hers. "I'm quite capable."

 

 

     Of course you're capable, knucklehead, but I have orders to pamper you. Allie dug her teeth into her bottom lip.

 

 

     Kiptyn Thomas settled into his seat without buckling his seatbelt, and Allie wondered if fastening it for him was part of the pamper-package. She shook the thought away. No way. She was not reaching across a broad-shouldered man to secure his seatbelt.

 

 

     "Would you like something to drink, Mr. Thomas?"

 

 

     He hawked her name tag, and in a voice deep with gravel and authority, he said, "You're new."

 

 

     Allie instinctively slinked back a half-step.

 

 

     A momentary ember of interest fired in his eyes, and Allie continued to smile while gritting her teeth.

 

 

     "Having to tell a different person every week what I want or what I need is getting old." His dark, bushy brows dipped together so tight they formed the letter V. "I like things to stay the same. I fly to San Francisco on Monday and return to New York on Wednesday. I want the same plane, the same seat, and the same flight attendant. Is that too much to ask?"

 

 

     A little obsessive-compulsive there, bucko. Allie had listened to the other attendants complain about this gem. Funny how they failed to mention he was also neurotic. "I totally understand," she chirped like his imposing attitude didn't bother her in the slightest. "What would you like to drink?"

 

 

     "Scotch. And stop saying totally. I hate that word."

 

 

     "Yes, sir." Ack. The reality that she had to mollycoddle this privileged philanderer for six long hours made her want to strap on a parachute and jump out over Newark. Or really get in his craw by saying totally every chance she got.

 

 

     Before she hurried to do his bidding, she shot him a congenial smile that said, "Relax, enjoy, I'll be right back." But she made sure her eyes said something different: "Get a life" and she looked directly at him so he could hear what they were saying.

 

 

     On her way to the service area, she questioned the sanity of that look. Why couldn't she ward off the urge to bite back? She pulled in a breath because she knew the answer -- because she was missing the putting-up-with-crap gene, that's why.

 

 

 

 

Available from:

 

The Wild Rose Press

 

 Amazon

 

Barnes and Noble