Winner!

Sandra

wins a digital copy of Love a Little Sideways by Shannon Stacey and a $50 GC

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

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Love a Little Sideways by Shannon Stacey – Guest blog and giveaway!

Liz Kowalski is heading home to Whitford, Maine—this time for good. Eager for her family, a fresh start and some fun, she doesn’t count on being rescued by the chief of police her very first night back in town. Drew is everything she’s not looking for…so why is she still so attracted to him?

After a brief, forbidden rendezvous at her brother’s wedding, Drew Miller expects Liz to return to New Mexico and stay there. He’s searching for someone to settle down with, not a casual fling with his best friend’s sister. But when they’re stuck together on the annual Kowalski camping trip, things start going a little sideways. Keeping their hands off each other proves just as impossible as keeping their secret from becoming public knowledge.

Amid family, mud and melted marshmallow, Liz and Drew try to fight what’s growing between them. But a little time alone, a lot of chemistry and too many opinions might be just what it takes to bring together two people so determined not to fall in love.

~*~I’m often asked about my inspiration for the Kowalski series and/or whether or not it’s drawn from my real life. Well, they say to write what you know, and I know the Kowalskis. Not literally, of course, because that would mean either I’m crazy or there’s a real Kowalski family that’s probably pretty mad at me by now.

But I know close-knit families who bicker and laugh and love one another no matter what. I know four-wheelers and mud and dodging flaming marshmallows at the campfire. I’ll confess that the snowmobiling that goes on in some of the books isn’t writing what I know, seeing as how my winter sport is reading, but my husband’s an avid sledder, so I nag him into helping me with the snow scenes.

We visit the scenic overlook that inspired the Kowalskis’ favorite picnic spot quite often. It’s a good place to sit and contemplate life. Or build those little piles of stacked rocks that, for some reason, makes us yell “Aliens!” every time we see them. I have no idea why we do that. You guys do that, too, right?

Camp wouldn’t be camp without practical jokes, like the time I woke up to find my ATV wrapped in caution tape. (I believe the occasion was my 40th birthday and payback for that little stunt is still pending. But it will come.)

And what’s happiness? A Blackberry Merlot slushie in a frosted Boston Bruins mug with a Dunkin Donuts straw in front of the campfire at the end of the day.

So tell me, what’s your happy drink? Whether it’s summer or winter, outdoors or inside, what drink do you savor at the end of a long day? Or maybe one of each. I like that wine slushie after a summer ride, but nothing beats Dunkin Donuts Hot Cocoa K-cups on a cold winter evening. Tell me yours!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, knitting, football & watching way too much TV. She can also be found blogging (almost) daily on her website, www.shannonstacey.com and is often spotted running amok on Twitter and Facebook.

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For the chance to win a digital copy of Love A Little Sideways and a $50 gift card to Amazon or B&N, just leave a comment below. The winner will be drawn on Sunday. Good luck!

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Winners!

Jolanda W.

wins a digital copy of Chaos Born by Rebekah Turner

*

Kare, Maureen, and Amy Rickman

win their choice of ebook from books 1-5 in the Six Pack Ranch series by Vivian Arend

*

bn100

wins Flash Forward by Juliet Madison

*

Diane Mc, Mary Preston, Glittergirl, and Colleen

wins a digital copy of the Midnight Ink anthology from Sidney Bristol

*

Quilt Lady

wins a digital copy of Hero’s Homecoming by Rebecca Crowley

*

Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

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Guest blog – Catherine Bybee

No ordinary hero can save Amber from death…it will take a Highland Protector

Amber MacCoinnich’s survival depends on her traveling to the twenty first century, or so her mother’s premonition told her. Death taunts Amber and offers peace in her endless pain. Without the mysterious savior her mother spoke of, Amber prepares for death only to wake with a handsome, dark stranger in her bed.

Gavin Kincaid spends his life shifting time in order to preserve and protect the MacCoinnich family and their line even though he’s never met one living MacCoinnich. A haunting portrait of a beautiful woman captures his attention and he embarks on a quest to put a name to the picture. When a colleague vanishes, the time-stream forces Kincaid to the twenty first century where he finds his mystifying woman close to death. His Druid gift can save her, but at what price? And when they both find themselves emotionally linked, the truth behind Kincaid’s heritage just might kill them both.

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Top 5 Moments You Would Revisit If You Could Time Travel

 

Well, let’s be perfectly clear… I wouldn’t revisit any time I’ve ever been in. Two souls being in the same place at the same time can’t be good. The paradox you know.

 

However, if there are five moments in time I could visit they would go like this: And mind you, I must be assured that I’ll return to my own time before hell breaks loose.

 

5.) How about the week before Noah finished building the arc? I’d like to see the animals that didn’t make the cut.

 

4.) I’d like to sit in on the meeting that decided that the Golden Gate Bridge was going to be painted red. Were they smoking crack or what? On another thought, the seller of the red paint must have done some serious side-stepping to get that job.

 

3.) I’d kinda like to meet Joan of Arc about a year before she considered leading the French to tell her that dressing up as a boy was going to backfire.

 

2.) I’d like to kick back with some really awful wine and Nostradamus sometime when he was predicting the future…again, to see what didn’t make it into modern literature.

 

1.). I’d like to sit down with Ian and Lora MacCoinnich (From my time travel series.) when they first meet to tell them just how important their family was going to be for the safety of their race.  (What? You didn’t expect this entire post to be about real stuff, did you?)

BIO:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.  

 

 

CONTACT LINKS:

http://www.catherinebybee.com

catherinebybee@yahoo.com

catherinebybee.blogspot.com

twitter.com/catherinebybee

facebook.com/authorcatherinebybee

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For a chance to win an Amazon gift card in Catherine Bybee’s blog tour giveaway, just click HERE.

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Hero’s Homecoming by Rebecca Crowley – Guest Blog and Giveaway

Six months ago, being snowed in at Christmas with the amazing woman he met on R & R at Fort Riley would have been a dream come true, yet now, as a blizzard swirls outside Beth Tate’s house, Captain Chris Walker knows he shouldn’t be there. Blinded in combat and emotionally scarred, he never wanted Beth to know the man he’s become–but stranded by the storm, he had no one else to call.

Hurt and bewildered when Chris abruptly ended his faithful contact from Afghanistan, Beth tried to put him and their whirlwind romance out of her mind and prepared for a quiet holiday alone–until the phone rang. Now that he’s here, she’s more confused than ever, torn between love for the man she once knew and anger at the one who broke her heart.

A life with Beth was everything Chris wanted, but the wounds of battle are nothing compared to the agony of heartbreak. It will take more than mistletoe, but perhaps this holiday season Chris will find his way home.

 

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The first time I wasn’t home with my family for Thanksgiving was when I was 20 and studying abroad at Oxford. I took a bus down to London to meet up with some college friends who were also away from home and we had a mid-afternoon Thanksgiving dinner hosted by an alumna. It was incredibly generous of her to open her home to us, but she had a real family to feed, and gently ushered us out around five o’clock. We drifted around the city for a while, had a subdued pizza dinner in Soho, and then I made the hour-long bus trip back to Oxford.

 

At that point, breaking two decades of Thanksgiving tradition felt like an irreparable sacrilege, and if you’d told me at the time that I only had one more hometown Thanksgiving to look forward to I would’ve been horrified. Yet sure enough, we grow and change and our traditions have to adapt. After college I worked in New York City and decided to hoard my vacation days for a longer break over Christmas, and then I moved to London, where trekking all the way home to Kansas was out of the question.

 

My holiday novella, Hero’s Homecoming, released yesterday from Carina Press as half of the Gifts of Honor military holiday duology. The heroine, Beth, is planning to spend Christmas on her own as her parents have retired and are on a Caribbean cruise, and her sister is stationed in Korea with her air force-officer husband. She has let go of old Christmas traditions and created new ones to suit her changing life – but they fly out the window when she gets a call from Chris, the infantry officer with whom she had a whirlwind romance six months prior, and who broke it off with barely a word.

 

Chris is heading home for a traditional family Christmas on his parents’ ranch in northern Kansas, and although the festivities will be the same, this year something is very different – two months earlier he was severely wounded in combat, and lost his eyesight as a result. When a blizzard strands him at the regional airport he has no choice but to contact the woman who meant everything, and whom he has to protect from the burden of his disability at all costs.

 

Neither Chris nor Beth end up having the Christmas they expect – but they both get the homecoming they need.

 

I had two major milestones this year that will shape my holiday season: I moved to South Africa, and I got married! So this will be my first Christmas away from Kansas, my first one with my husband, and my first one in the southern hemisphere – which means palm trees and 80-degree temperatures on Christmas morning! Of course I’m nostalgic for old traditions, but I’m excited about forming new ones. How have your holiday traditions evolved as you’ve grown older? Are there any you wish you could recapture – or any you’re so glad you created? One commenter will win a free copy of Gifts of Honor!

 

Hero’s Homecoming is available individually: Carina Press * Amazon * Amazon UK * Barnes & Noble * ARe

 

And as half of Gifts of Honor: Carina Press * Amazon * Amazon UK * Barnes & Noble * ARe

 

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Rebecca Crowley inherited her love of romance from her mom, who taught her to at least partially judge a book by the steaminess of its cover. She writes contemporary romance with smart heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City and London, Rebecca recently relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Sidney Bristol and Midnight Ink

Thanks so much to the Romance Reader at Heart team for having me here today!

I feel a bit like this whole week is one long party. You see, earlier a group of seven other authors and myself hit publish on an original set of stories we’re calling Midnight Ink. I’m so excited about these books, and in the New Orleans spirit, we’ve been partying it up all week. Okay, so honestly, we’re going to keep this party rolling for a while because who doesn’t like a good reason to party?

The title for this collection is Midnight Ink, which is also the name of the tattoo shop featured in all of our stories. You see, these aren’t just books that happen to have ink in them, they are all related. Yes, there are cross-overs, characters in one book appear in another. It’s like one big rolling story spanning eight different couples, in eight different perspectives, with eight different chances for a happily ever after!

Not too long ago I was—again—talking about this project and the person I was talking to stopped me mid-sentence. In all fairness I was probably talking way too fast or way too much. This person asked me, “Okay, explain it to me. Why are tattoos sexy? I just don’t get it.” In all fairness this individual wasn’t tattooed and is probably outside of the demographic that will ever get inked, but I like talking about tattoos and so I took this challenge on and the conversation went to some interesting places.

Most importantly, it got me thinking.

Why are tattoos sexy?

Tattoos are one of those things that every culture shares, sort of like alcohol and religion, we just mention them less. Trivia fact—did you know the oldest human remains ever recovered have tattoos? In the early days there were many reasons people were tattooed. Among some of the staple reasons you see across early cultures is that tattoo symbolize accomplishment or achievements. Sometimes they denote rank. You could look at someone in your tribe or clan, and see who they were written out in ink.

In our modern times, the perspective of tattoos is ever changing. A couple of decades ago the mentality was that the only people who got tattoos were criminals. In the last decade, or even the last handful of years, the culture is shifting even more to accept the statistics that one out of every four Americans is tattooed.

But why are they sexy? What about a little ink in the dermis do we find so appealing?

For different people, the reasoning varies.

There’s the art of it. The beautiful images captures on flesh that are given life by the person wearing them. I have a friend who has a large warrior on his back, and when he moves it’s as if the warrior is fighting.

The process of tattooing is painful, and there’s a certain bad-ass view of people who undergoe that much pain for their ink.

And then there’s the appeal of fitting into a subculture, or the idea of a subculture, where the tattooed people are artistic or tough.

For me, I enjoy the art of it. Tattoos tell a story, even if it’s one someone walks into a shop and picks off a wall. There’s a reason behind it and I always find it interesting to learn these stories. Also, because I am a heavily tattooed person myself, there’s an appeal because that other tattooed person knows the sensation of being kissed by a needle, the adrenaline rush and all the endorphins.

But let’s face it—a hot guy with tattoos is just pretty to look at!

Do you think tattoos are sexy? Why?

Jayne Rylon

Report For Booty

When Burke Levine got marching orders, he couldn’t bear to make his girlfriend Chavon White a military widow. Years later, discovering his name tattooed on her perfect ass via a New Orleans’ artist’s portfolio confirms his epic mistake. Will Midnight Ink’s New Year’s Eve party grant them a second chance?

Sidney Bristol

Picture Her Bound, a Bayou Bound novella

She’s a police officer desperate enough to break the rules. He’s the bounty hunter standing between her and ruin. Picture Her Bound is —the first book in the brand new Bayou Bound series from Sidney Bristol—a story of right, wrong and binding pleasures.

Robin L. Rotham

Not So Over Eli

Paramedic Bart Rigger finally has the life he wants rather than the one his father dictated, thanks to hot new fiancée Rhonda Giannetti. But a whirlwind trip to New Orleans puts it all at risk when he’s forced to confront unresolved feelings for his first love, tattoo artist Elijah Bell.

PG Forte

Inked Memories

All Sophie wants is a tattoo to commemorate her battle with cancer. What she gets is celebrity tattoo artist Declan Ross, the same sexy bad-boy who used to rock her world. This time, they’ve both got scars and it’s still the ones you can’t see that are the hardest to cover.

RG Alexander

To The Bone, a Bone Daddy novella

Etta Santos has one resolution—to cover up the last visible evidence of her past. When Christie Ryder, sexy musician and new owner of Midnight Ink, pursues her, he seems too good to be true. His music touches her soul, but can she risk trusting another bad boy with her heart?

Eden Bradley

Dangerously Inked, a Dangerous Romance novella

When the tattoo artist Finn Carter lined up for his visit to New Orleans turns out to be the mysteriously alluring sub he played on New Year’s Eve at The Bastille, the city’s BDSM club, more than his skin will be marked forever—and Rosie is just the woman to bring this playboy to his knees.

Carrie Ann Ryan

Ink Inspired, a Montgomery Ink novella

In Carrie Ann Ryan’s Ink Inspired, the prequel to her upcoming Montgomery Ink series, Ice Princess Shea Little wants ink and a change. Shepard Montgomery not only wants to ink her, but get through that icy exterior.  Together, they’ll heat up the streets of New Orleans…and each other.

Mari Carr

Blank Canvas, a Big Easy novella

Disillusioned by divorce, Jennifer’s about to discover her wild side, starting with a tattoo from Caliph. And continuing with submission, spankings, wax play…all under the skilled hands of her wickedly sexy tattoo master.

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It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

Website | Release Announcements | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | YouTube | Pinterest

Buy links:

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GR272ME/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_bw.Isb0VD2XE5

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/midnight-ink-boxed-set-jayne-rylon/1117445972?ean=2940148854456

ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-midnightinkboxedset-1350513-166.html

Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/midnight-ink

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For the chance to win a digital copy of Midnight Ink, just leave a comment below. 4 winners will be drawn on Sunday. Good luck!

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Juliet Madison – Guest blog and giveaway

5 Things My Character Probably Shouldn’t Have Done

Kelli, the character in my novel FAST FORWARD, gets herself into a lot of tricky situations, and here are the top 5 things that might have been best for her to avoid… But first, here’s an overview of the plot to give you an idea of the set up:

Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.

Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband and hideous support underwear forever?

So, the top 5 things Kelli probably shouldn’t have done are…

 

1. Gone bungy jumping after eating eggs for breakfast

She didn’t really want to go bungy jumping in the first place, but there’s a reason why she feels she has no choice – she thinks it will catapult her back to her 25 year old self. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

But after a gourmet birthday breakfast served up by her geeky husband and son she’s never met before, Kelli feels a little queasy when it comes to taking that leap of faith…

“Take a deep breath, Kelli,” Ben instructed. “And then allow yourself to simply fall forward.”

I didn’t know whether to cry or vomit, or both. I imagined my half-digested yolkless eggs going on a bungy jump of their own, only without the cord, landing in the water below with a big splosh. That made me want to vomit even more.

 

2. Thrown herself at the boyfriend from her youth when she finds him in the future

Imagine this… you’re a guy, you’re with your gorgeous new girlfriend out on the town, and some strange middle-aged woman runs across the busy road and launches herself at you, declaring to have come from the past and saying “I know you still love me”?

Yeah, not the best way to win a guy over is it?

Poor Kelli, she’s had to leave her boyfriend behind in the past as now she’s married to someone else; the nerd she used to tease in high school, but she’s not quite ready to accept her new reality. Not only does she cause a bit of a scene with their reunion, but she trips over a cafe table and falls onto the back of a large man who has forgotten to pull his trousers all the way up, who then falls onto someone else, creating a human sandwich.

Nice one, Kelli.

 

3. Tried to squeeze into the dodgy SlimFX Magic Suit to look slimmer

As a 25 year old model trapped in a body twice her age, Kelli’s never needed support underwear. Until now. In order to fit into her favourite red dress she’s kept for 25 years so she can wear it to her 50th birthday party, she’s going to need a little help.

Enter, the original SlimFX Magic Suit (unfortunately she hasn’t yet discovered the new and improved version 2.0).

Problem is, she soon discovers she might need a support suit to fit into the support suit, and that could go on and on. She’d be her own Russian doll.

Despite the challenges, she gets it on, but can’t breathe, so she has to try to take it off. That’s when the real challenge begins…

I grabbed the edge of the fabric again, pulling as hard as I could, but only managed to squash my face, my upturned nose now practically touching my forehead. I must have looked like one of those criminals who cover their face with stockings. I could rob a bank in this thing, only I’d need an accomplice—or a guide dog—to show me where the hell I was going and possibly an oxygen tank feeding me air through a straw.

Oh my God! What was I going to do? My mind swirled in one chaotic haze, as panic rose within and the chances of getting out of this predicament alive seemed slimmer by the minute. Unlike my abdomen.

Crazy images flashed through my mind of Will finding me passed out on the floor of the bedroom, the magic suit still covering my head, arms still stuck up in the air … paramedics whisking me off to hospital …. Will waiting anxiously outside the operating room and the doctor emerging with an expression of defeat, pulling the mask off his face in resignation.

‘I’m sorry, Mr McSnelly. We did everything we could. We managed to remove some of it, but couldn’t get it all, I’m afraid. The situation was too far advanced and she couldn’t fight any longer. I’m very sorry.’

Will would collapse in tears and the doctor would go back to the operating room and sign my death certificate. Cause of death: Asphyxiation by SlimFX Magic Suit.

 

4. Been mean to her sister when she was younger

Kelli’s sister Kasey is the complete opposite to her. As a child, Kasey was obsessed with bugs and would spend hours in the garden studying them and collecting them, while Kelli would spend hours teasing her. The sibling rivalry continued into adulthood, and they have a big argument the night before Kelli’s 25th birthday – the night before Kelli wakes up in the future as a 50 year old.

Kelli’s in for a few shocks in the future when she sees her middle-aged sister, and let’s just say, Kasey is responsible for a huge scientific discovery that makes her a kind of celebrity in her own right, with no financial worries at all and a hot husband to boot. Take that Kelli. 😉

 

5. Stood behind her daughter who’s in labour

If it wasn’t enough of a shock for Kelli to wake up double her age and find out she’s a mother to two grown children, she discovers she’s about to become a grandmother too…

This couldn’t be happening. Real grandma’s knitted and had short curly mauve hair and stored tissues up their sleeves, didn’t they? I was too young for this. Two children and a grandchild-to-be all in one day? I needed Valium. Preferably intravenously.

And when her daughter goes into labour while wearing a fairy costume at Kelli’s fancy dress party, the maternal instincts she never knew she had kick in. She takes her daughter to the hospital, along with her costumed-up husband and son-in-law, but unfortunately takes position behind her to support her back and help her walk through the doors of the hospital…

“Quick, inside before another one comes!” Jason urged, draping his wife’s arm around his neck and the other one around Will’s while I held onto her back as we scurried rather pathetically towards the entrance.

We entered through the automatic doors when Diora stopped suddenly in pain, the broken corner of her wing poking me in the eye.

“Ouch!” I instinctively flung my hands at my eye, but Diora lost her balance so I quickly returned my hands to her back, squinting my injured eye madly with the pain. “Holy hell!”

When Diora regained her ability to stand, I finally opened my eye to find hospital staff looking at us with a combination of shock and amusement on their faces. You’d think they’d never seen a woman in labour before. Then I realised it wasn’t every day you saw Superman, Dumbledore, a pregnant fairy with a vomit-stained dress and broken wing, and a middle-aged wannabe model with a ripped dress and deformed eye walking through the doors of a hospital.

 

As you can see, Kelli goes through quite a lot in one day! And there’s plenty more where that came from. But these challenges are necessary for her to learn a few lessons and discover why she’s been launched into a future that is the opposite of what she wanted. Hopefully Kelli finds a light at the end of the tunnel!

 

Fast Forward is published by Harlequin Australia’s digital imprint, Escape Publishing.

Juliet Madison is a naturopath-turned-author with a background in dance, art, internet marketing and perfume sales (yes, she was one of those annoying people in department stores who spray you with perfume). Nowadays she prefers to indulge her propensity for multiple careers by living vicariously through her characters. She likes to put these characters into extraordinary situations and take them on a challenging journey to discover their true passion and inner strength, weaving in some laughs, tears, romance and sometimes a touch of magic along the way.

Living near the beach on the beautiful south coast of New South Wales, Australia, Juliet spends her days homeschooling her son and running her internet business, and her nights writing fiction while doing her best to avoid housework.

Visit Juliet online:

Website http://www.julietmadison.com
Blog http://www.julietmadison.wordpress.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/julietmadisonauthor
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/juliet_madison
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/julietmadison/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6889443.Juliet_Madison

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For the chance to win a digital copy of Fast Forward by Juliet Madison, just leave a comment below. Good luck!

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Vivian Arend – Guest Blog and Giveaway

One of the joys of writing a series that includes a large family is getting to revisit the heroes and heroines from previous books, as well as slowly getting to fully know the members who have made cameos in the past. One of the heroes in ROCKY MOUNTAIN FREEDOM, Travis, has been around for five stories, so there is a lot of history to cover. That also, though, presents a challenge in terms of making the story understandable to all readers. I’m a firm believer that if possible all books should “stand alone”, ie, be a good book even if it’s the first of the series you’ve read.

 

There are many ways to provide the missing information from previous stories. It was so enjoyable for me as a writer to be able to return to a scene from book four. During ROCKY MOUNTAIN ANGEL Travis had stumbled into his cousin Gabe’s cabin under suspicious circumstances. FREEDOM retells the scene from Travis’s point of view, and finally fills in the missing details.

 

Sometimes this ‘revisiting’ comes in the way of a kind of flashback, or a return to the original time. Or it can be a conversation, like takes place between heroine Vicki from book 5 (REBEL) and the current heroine, Ashley. The two of them met each other previously, and as their friendship grows, it’s natural to discuss incidents that occurred in their past.

 

This kind of storytelling means all readers can enjoy the book. People who haven’t read the earlier stories aren’t lost and get to immerse themselves in the story without feeling they’ve been left out in the cold. At the same time readers who have faithfully followed the series get to find hidden “Easter Eggs”. Special moments of deeper understanding. Like they’re part of the family.

 

Whether you’re new to the series, or coming back to see what’s happening with your favourite characters, I hope you enjoy this story of finally breaking free from past pains. Of finding real love—real, enduring, and unconditional love.

 

Welcome to the SP Ranch. Make yourself at home!

 

 

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Rocky Mountain Freedom
Six Pack Ranch, Book 6

 

Three hurting hearts. Too many secrets. One chance to conquer their fears.

Over the past year, Travis Coleman lost the two people he allowed closest to his heart. Both gave him ultimatums—then left. Hell if he needs that kind of pain again. Time to move forward without the friends he thought might save him from his dangerous cravings.

When Ashley Sims returns to Rocky Mountain House, her rambling lifestyle isn’t all she’s hoping to change. Travis snagged a piece of her, and while getting tangled in his issues again might be crazy, she hasn’t given up on him.

Nine months ago, Cassidy Jones walked away to stop his best friend from making a huge mistake. Temptation lingers, though, and when Travis shows up on his turf accompanied by a sensually uninhibited woman, the combination tosses fuel on the banked fire.

Passion flares among the three of them, as hot as the summer days. But are they willing to push the limits, and fight for love?

Warning: Dirty fighting, dirty talk, dirtier sex—secrets are coming out. Get ready for ménage a trois and cowboy-on-cowboy action, with ropes and crops and the kind of relentless love strong enough to set a man free.

 

 

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DIGITAL

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble
 | Samhain | Kobo | iTunes

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Vivian Arend: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter

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Haven’t tried the Six Pack Ranch books yet? Or are you behind on the series? Three readers will win their choice of ebook from books 1-5 in the series.

SIX PACK RANCH

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Rebekah Turner – Guest blog and giveaway!

Lora Blackgoat, smuggler and mercenary, has been laying low after a job gone bad has made her a laughing stock in the industry. When a childhood friend turns to her for help, Lora leaps to restore her reputation by hunting a killer stalking the gas-lit streets. Her path crosses Roman, a dangerous yet attractive half-angel warrior who also hunts the killer, and serves the sadistic militant Order of Guides. When Lora discovers the killer is hellspawn who have broken the laws of magic to enter the city, she also uncovers a conspiracy that leads back into her own dark past. 

 

 

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What the World in Chaos Born Is Like 

Beyond our world and through the candy-striped tollbooths of the bear-men lies The Weald: a hidden pre-industrial realm that acts as a refuge for the mystical races. In the bustling city of Harken, Lora Blackgoat earns her coin as a mercenary and recreational smuggler. Lately, she’s been laying low after an unfortunate incident left her a laughing stock with her co-workers and a target for assassins. Behead just one client and suddenly everyone’s a comedian.

When I was creating the fantasy realm to base Chaos Born in, the main characters came to me first, while the world crystallised around them in the re-writes. My heroine, Lora Blackgoat, is a cranky anti-heroine who uses her sharp sense of humour to slice through the bleak times. She has two love interests; a fallen demon with a hidden agenda and a bloodthirsty nephilim warrior, and all three sit at the core of the story.

The city of Harken is influenced by our world, but has a ruling government who clings to the old traditions. Deep inside Harken lies the Applecross quarter, with its shadowed streets home to those ignored by polite society — the satyr, elves, goblins and otherkin; creatures with mixed blood of the mystical races. Witches and warlocks also tread the streets of Applecross and live in fear of the Order of Guides, a bloodthirsty militant order dedicated to eradicating heretics from the city.

The city of Harken would be an exciting place to visit, and I’d never turn down having a brew with Lora after a hard days graft, but I think I’d probably leave when the fists start flying!

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For more information, visit rebekahturner.net. And for a chance to win a digital copy of Chaos Born, just leave a comment below. Good luck!

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Winners!

MARY MARVELLA

wins an ornament from Cynthia D’Alba.

Please email cynthia @ cynthiadalba.com

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brandylrivers

wins a print copy of Goddess With A Blade by Lauren Dane

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jessifay

wins a signed copy of Her Dark Knight by Sharon Cullen

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Pat Cochran

wins a digital copy of Pleasuring the Lady by Jess Michaels

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Lori H

wins a digital copy of The Secret Diary of Lady Catherine Bexley by Viveka Portman

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Congrats! To claim your prize, please email mad @ romancereaderatheart.com (without the spaces). You have 48 hours to email before a new name is chosen.

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