Here at last! A great new #romance #chicklit from @StacyJuba

Do you love sweet romance novels that make you laugh? Then you'll want to check out Stacy Juba's brand new chick lit novel, Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty, the second book in the Storybook Valley series. The book was released March 5, and while it's a follow-up to the popular Fooling Around With Cinderella, both novels can also be read as stand-alones. Come discover Storybook Valley, a fictional theme park in the Catskills of New York. If you love small town romance with humorous characters, theme parks, fairy tale fun, and amazing love stories, then Storybook Valley will be your new favorite series.

This Sleeping Beauty isn’t sure she wants to wake up…

Dance instructor Rory Callahan likes to play it safe. When she meets Kyle, he’s impulsive, persistent, and her exact opposite. He’s pushing her to tango way past her comfort zone and keeping Rory on her toes more than twenty years of dance teachers ever had.

Unfortunately, he’s the grandson of her family’s arch-rival and she doesn’t want to disappoint them. After all, her parents imagine her as a proper princess - hence her namesake Aurora, AKA Sleeping Beauty. Complicating matters, Rory’s also dealing with a surgeon boyfriend who’s perfect for her (sort of), an obnoxious boss, and desperate dance moms. Kyle wants to change her whole life, but Rory doesn’t like the stakes. After all, princesses are the ones who get the happy endings. . .aren’t they?

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Excerpt:

Twilight had descended over the strip mall which also contained a pizza place, children’s art studio, New Age shop, bakery, and a consignment store with identical brick facades. A long sidewalk connected the storefronts. Rory’s phone chirped and she scanned a text as she strolled through the parking lot. A message from her older brother Jake, who lived in Maine.

Happy 25th. What new rose crap did you get this year?

Instead of making her chuckle, his joke elicited a sigh. She missed Jake and his toddler Quinn, but he never came home anymore thanks to a stupid fight with their parents. They went ballistic after he got a girl pregnant and accused him of ruining his life. Jake and the mother broke up, not surprising since she was a total flake, but he got an apartment a couple blocks away from her to be near his daughter. His absence meant he couldn’t take over the theme park, leaving room for Dylan to step forward.

Heading toward her car, she replied: Don’t know yet. I’m on my—

Augh! Rory stumbled over something and toppled to the ground, her phone sailing through the air. Her right hand slammed against the pavement, and pain seared through her. Sitting up, she glared at the object that had blocked her path. A spiky creature in a plastic carrier glared back at her.

Rory blinked. She could accept a black cat crossing her path, but she owed her unceremonious spill to a needle-infested rodent?

“Who leaves a porcupine in the middle of the parking lot?” she demanded.

“Who trips over a huge animal carrier? Oh, right, someone who’s texting while walking.” A brown-haired guy in a khaki zookeeper uniform and boots loomed over her. She stiffened at his words until she noticed the dimples sprinkled with cinnamon freckles. He wasn’t mad, just amused. “And it’s not a porcupine. It’s a hedgehog.”

“What’s the difference? It was still in the middle of the parking lot.”

He crouched beside her. “For starters, hedgehogs have shorter quills that can’t easily come off their bodies, while a porcupine’s quills can easily detach themselves. On average a hedgehog has 7,000 quills while a porcupine has approximately 30,000. And a porcupine can grow to triple the size, between 25-and-36 inches.”

“It was a rhetorical question.” Rory risked a glance at her throbbing hand and winced. Blood dripped down her finger.

“I’ll admit that you’re worse off than Turbo. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll get the first aid kit.”

Mr. Porcupine Expert disappeared into a green van so garish, it almost distracted Rory from her pain. Painted animal heads peered out of big circles and orange letters proclaimed the monstrosity a Zoo Mobile—with paw prints forming the double ‘o’ in zoo. It wouldn’t surprise Rory if a white rabbit in a waistcoat popped out from the Day-Glo monstrosity, muttering about being late . . . for a tea party at her house using Wendy’s bumpy place-mats. She groaned, deciphering the smaller words beneath the paw prints. ‘Duke’s Animal World.’

She’d always considered her family’s rivalry with Duke Thorne a bit ridiculous, but now Rory related to her granddad’s agitation. Thanks to sprawling over one of Duke’s stupid hedgehogs, she might have sprained her finger.

Shifting position, Rory glowered through the cage at the spiky black ball that had caused all the trouble. It huffed and puffed, quills poking outward, a breathing pincushion. My . . . she hadn’t realized hedgehogs had such tiny eyes. And what a cute button nose. This little guy—Turbo?—seemed skittish.

“Hey, there, Turbo,” she murmured. “Guess it was my fault, too. Did I scare you?”

“He’ll be okay.” The dimpled zookeeper reappeared with her cell phone, along with a toolbox-sized red first aid kit. He unlatched the kit, opened a box of gauze pads, and bent beside her. “Let’s apply pressure to stop the bleeding.”

“I can do it.” Rory squashed the pad against the cut, her cheeks heating, whether from his boyish good looks, or the mortification of falling over a hedgehog, she didn’t know. She hoped he couldn’t detect her blush under the lampposts’ dim glow. She rested her wrist on her knee. “What are you and Turbo doing here, anyway?”

“The art studio had a zoo night. The kids decorated animal statues and then I did a presentation. I was just about to load my last animal, Turbo, into the van when you went flying.” He jerked his thumb toward the Zoo Mobile. “I’ve also got a red-eyed tree frog, bearded dragon, chinchilla, and domestic rabbit.”

“Is it a white rabbit?” Rory muttered.

Mr. Porcupine Expert elevated a brow. “Not this time. What’s your story? What were you doing here?”

“I’m an instructor at the dance studio. We were having an open house. I got a text, and apparently, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Rory battled the temptation to peek under the gauze.

“Let me get this straight. You’re a dancer? I thought dancers were graceful.” His brown eyes crinkled with amusement. Their shade reminded her of a caramel latte, warm and inviting.

“I am graceful! This was an isolated incident.”

“Uh-huh. I’m Kyle, by the way. And you’re . . .?”

“Rory.”

“How about I make it up to you with free zoo tickets? You can come meet Turbo’s parents. I’m sure they’ll forgive you if I explain that you’re a dancer with two left feet.”

He wore such a deadpan expression that Rory almost laughed. His dry comic delivery must enliven his presentations. Her grandmother Lois, Storybook Valley’s self-appointed entertainment director, would remark that Kyle had charisma.

Rory might enjoy touring the zoo with him, but her granddad would lock her in with the lions if she ventured onto his rival’s property. Growing up, she had never been allowed to visit Duke’s. “Thanks, but that’s okay. As I was telling Turbo here, it was my fault. I should have been more aware of my surroundings.”

She peered into the cage. Was it her imagination, or did Turbo look calmer now in Kyle’s presence? His quills had relaxed, laying down and pointing toward the back.

Kyle picked up the animal carrier and straightened to his full height. “How about I show you my passengers while you’re applying pressure? The least I can do is keep you entertained during your misery.”

After a hesitation, Rory climbed to her feet and trailed him to the Zoo Mobile. With her left hand, she finished a clumsily misspelled text to Jake, omitting mention of the accident. Otherwise, her brothers would ask her for the next month if she had tripped over any hedgehogs lately.

She leaned against the van as Kyle slid the bearded dragon’s carrier out the side door and positioned Turbo’s cage in its place. Over the next ten minutes, he explained how many bearded dragon species existed (nine) and what they ate (insects). If Rory ever appeared on a TV game show, she hoped they quizzed her on bearded dragons, porcupines, and hedgehogs.

Kyle discussed animals the same way Brad talked about robotic-assisted surgery. She wondered if Kyle had a college degree. Her guess was no. After all, how much schooling did it take to drive a Zoo Mobile? Once you memorized the spiel and learned how to care for the animals, what else was there to learn? As an employee that far down the company ladder, Kyle probably wasn’t aware of the Callahan feud.

After the bearded dragon lecture, Rory washed her cut and rubbed in bacitracin ointment. Kyle unwrapped a large Band-Aid, but instead of extending it to her, he pressed the patch over her skin. As their fingers touched, a shivery sensation whispered down Rory’s spine.

I am not attracted to the zoo guy.

Buy it on:

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---

Ever wondered what those cheerful theme park princesses are really thinking? When twenty-five-year-old Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom...

Check out the Storybook Valley series at these retailers:
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iBookstore
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And if you discover that you love the Storybook Valley books, be sure to join Stacy's street team, the Storybook Valley Sweethearts, on Facebook for book launch activities and exclusive sneak peeks. Members will get to hear the latest Storybook Valley news before anyone else, and even read excerpts of works-in-progress and give input on cover design.

Award-winning #Romance. New cover. New low price from @ManicScribbler #MRFWAuthor

Revamped and re-launched, The Apple Tree is my first contemporary romance, which won a writing award and publishing contract from Prism Book Group (formerly Inspired Romance Novels) at the end of 2011.


It's now available again from Amazon at a special low price of $0.99 or £0.99.



Here's what some readers said recently in their 5* reviews:

"It is a fantastic read! Reminded me somewhat of a Danielle Steele novel"

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it held my interest and loved the characters, would highly recommend"

"I highly recommend this soul searching novel"

"I loved the characters in this book. I cheered for each of them. Lynette Sofras had me on a roller coaster ride with them, and the heart-stopping trip was worth it"

The Apple Tree

Escaping from your past is never easy, as junior hospital doctor Juliet discovers when she tries to start afresh, leaving both her marriage and her career behind.

Love blossoms rapidly when she meets the mysterious and forthright Nicholas, who seems to herald the new beginning she craves.  But Nicholas isn't quite what he seems—and also holds strong views on the subject of marriage that she fails to take seriously.

The past quickly dissolves into insignificance as their all-consuming romance propels them forward, but Juliet has to learn the price of happiness in the cruellest way possible.  Will she be able to tackle the painful roots of her past in order for her future to grow strong and healthy?

Buy The Apple Tree from Amazon

To read an excerpt on my website

The Nightclub - a New #Romance with #Suspense by Lynette Sofras @ManicScribber - ARCs now available

I'm very excited to announce my forthcoming release - a modern romance with suspense and to be able to offer advance review copies for interested readers.  The book will be on sale in mid-June.

The Blurb

Trying to make a living for her teenage sister and herself, Laura Hamilton accepts a job offer as a hostess at an infamous nightclub. As she struggles to survive in a world of sex, drugs and corruption, she certainly doesn't expect to find her own knight in shining armour in the club's owner, Julian. But will he really save her from a future as a fallen woman? And is he involved in the criminal organisation that threatens not only her sister's life, but will change her own fate forever?


Excerpt

Julian left the Inner Sanctum and let himself back through the office and into the club.  A few cleaning staff were still at work, vacuuming the acres of blue carpet and wiping down tables, but Lucy-Laura sat huddled at a side table, fully dressed now, her body language clearly speaking her dejection.  She looked very different from the delicious creature who'd danced in his arms to song after song last night.
'Hi,' he said, sitting down opposite her.
'Hi to you, too, Mr Manager.  So you work here, Julian, just-call-me-James.'
'Yes Laura, my-name-is-Lucy, or at least, I will do so as from Tuesday.'
'All the girls here change their names, for obvious reasons.  But I didn't know the staff went around tricking them into talking about the club for their own sneaky reasons.  It isn't fair.'  She gave a little aggrieved sniff, which made him smile.
'I know it was a shabby trick, and I'm sorry, but I wanted to get a holistic feel for the place.  You didn't talk yourself out of a job, if that's what worries you.  I was impressed by your honesty and discretion, actually.'  And quite a lot more besides.
'Thank you.  But why did you choose me… or did you just ask Loz to bring you any girl?'
'He has a bit of a soft spot for you, you do realise?  But yes, I did ask for you.  I saw you with Ken Featherstone the other night and thought that if you could charm that old lush, you must be worth getting to know.'
She smiled for the first time and he liked the way this lit up her face.  'Then I'm sorry if I disappointed you.  I have no idea what to make of Ken.  When Loz took me to his table on my first night, he was with another woman.  I presumed she worked here, but she left after a while, seemed to be going on somewhere by herself, and I haven't seen her since.  I don't know why he asks for me when most of the time he's too drunk for coherent conversation and when we dance, I practically have to hold him up.'
He laughed.  'Well you'll soon build up your upper body strength that way.  He must weigh twenty stones.'
Laura gave a little giggle.  'And some.  And the other night, he kind of slumped down on my arm and then—can you believe this—he bit me.'  She pulled up the sleeve of her T-shirt and displayed an angry, deep purple bruise on her upper arm.
Julian stared at the welt in shock and disgust.  He stretched out his hand and touched it gently with his finger.  'He did that to you?  You could have him arrested for that.  You should have reported him.'
'To whom?  I'm probably the one who would have been shown the door.  He's a valued customer, I'm just… the hired help.'
'He's not that valued.  Not after this.  I'll make sure he doesn't come back.'
'No, please don't.  He's not a bad man; he just drinks too much and loses control.  I know he wouldn't hurt someone otherwise.  I'm sure he's a lovely person when he's sober.  He's probably just one of the lost and the lonely.'
He gave her a quizzical look.  'Lost and lonely?  That sounds very sentimental, maudlin, even.'
She gave him a little smile.  'My stepmother had this favourite song.  If she wasn't playing it, she was forever singing it.  It was about some woman in a nightclub singing songs "for the lost and lonely".  That's how I think of him.  I'm sure he must have a good reason for drinking himself into oblivion.  From what I understood the other night, he holds quite an important post in some government health agency.'
Julian shook his head.  'I think Mel's right.  You do belong in church: Lucy-Laura, Little Miss Do-gooder.  Well, he's certainly going to receive a strong warning that if he gets too drunk, he's out.'
'Now that's a far better idea, James-Julian, Mr Do-gooder.  So you're going to manage Ferriby's Nightclub and sober up all your customers?  That's a novel way to do business. You told me you were in the music industry.  Were you telling the truth?'
'I was, and still am, since I won't be abandoning it entirely.  If you can juggle two jobs, I'm sure I can.  Now, are we still friends?'
She smiled up at him looking sweet and trusting.  Dammit, he thought, don't get involved.  But something stirring within him told him he already was.

If you are interested in receiving a review copy, please contact me at ManicScribbler@gmail.com

Wednesday's Writer - Danita Cahill

Danita Cahill

I'm very privileged here today to have the multi-talented author, Danita Cahill as my Wednesday's Writer. Being an avid reader,I always like to try to get to know a little bit more about the inspiration behind the written word.  Here's what Danita told me when I interviewed her for this post.

Welcome, Danita.  First things first, what inspired you to write your first novel?

I had a nightmare about feral, red-eyed dogs chasing me along a fog-shrouded coastline (I grew up on the Oregon coast). About the same time, I gave birth to my second child. Six months later, my mom passed away. Those three life events swirled together were the catalyst for Mist. 

Three very traumatic and extreme events as well.  That must have been a very difficult time for you.  Did you know then that your genre would be romance?

I was a member of Romance Writers of America for years and attended various regional and national conferences. I also belonged to a local RWA chapter and an online RWA chapter. So, it was pretty much pre-ordained that romance would make its way into my stories! 

And is this reflected in the type of stories you like to read? 

I like to read stories involving relationships – the same kind of stories I like to write. The relationships might be between a man and woman, between a mother and child, or between a grandmother and granddaughter (Mist has all three). I like reading and writing about how people interact with one another. 

Me too - such an important part of modern fiction and romance in particular.  Has any part of yourself crept into the heroines of any of your romances?

A part of me creeps into every character I write. In the case of Mist, the heroine is loosely based on my mom, although Dianne Harris is a younger, hipper version. 

A lovely tribute to your mom - I'm sure she would be very proud.  What is the most desirable characteristic you've bestowed on the hero of your latest romance?

Kevin McCoffey – the hero of Mist – is tall, muscular and has a sexy southern accent. Definitely all nice qualities, but I think his most attractive characteristic is his desire to take care of others and keep them safe. Because of what happened to his dad when Kevin was a boy, Kevin now has a driving need to be a hero.

A nurturing man - my knees are melting!  Do you think you'll always write in the same genre and style or do you have desires to experiment and if so, in what way?

Whenever I write fiction, there will be some sort of love story involved. My current WIP (Work In Progress), called Daisies are True, is a story of love and magic. 

By day I am a freelance writer, reporter and photographer. As such, I also have non-fiction stories to tell, too. When Daisies is done, I’ll get crackin’ on a non-fiction project called Confessions of a Country Girl – Inspiring Stories of Growing Up Rural. 

That sounds like an interesting and ambitious project and I wish you the best of luck with it.  I hope you'll be using your own photographs as illustrations.  Now I'm intrigued to learn a bit more about Mist, with its short but very effective title.  Can you tell me a little bit more about the inspiration behind it?

I started writing this book a month after my mother’s death. It was my way of moving through grief and healing. When my grandmother died years ago, I got stuck in the grieving process and had a hard time moving forward with life. My hope with this thriller novel is that it not only entertains, but helps others push through the tough days, weeks and months after losing a loved one.

There may be evil red eyes in the mist, but there is also light at the end of the tunnel.

Here's the Blurb

It’s Thanksgiving, but the Roseland community doesn’t feel particularly thankful. Not when citizens of their Oregon coastal town keep disappearing. Is it aliens? A serial killer? Or a pack of evil, red-eyed dogs? Detective Kevin McCoffey is determined to solve the case.

When young, widowed photographer, Dianne Harris and her infant daughter find themselves face to face with the killer, Kevin races to yank them to safety. But is he too late? 

With help from both the town’s fortuneteller and the ghost of Dianne’s dead grandmother, Kevin and Dianne battle their own demons and their shared past history as they rush to save Dianne’s baby from the killer’s grip.

Excerpt from Mist:

    

I strain my ears to listen. The barking again. Is it getting closer?                 

Something else. In the distance. A crunching sound. What is that?

  

I check my mirrors. Search outside the windows. But the fog is so dense now, I can’t make out anything further than three or four feet beyond my vehicle.

The crunching is getting louder. Closer. My heart jumps into my throat. Perspiration dampens my palms. Is it the dogs?

I search my rearview mirror. Only thick white air. Nothing else.

  

Wait. What’s this? A light. Drawing closer. No, make that two lights. And still the crunching sound. Wet crunching.

  

Tires over a rain-soaked gravel road.

  

My heart settles back down. It’s an approaching vehicle, although not loud enough or heavy enough to be a tow truck. It crunches to a halt behind me. A door opens and closes. Footsteps.

   

Who could it be?

  

What if it’s the Roseland serial killer come to grab Megan and me? My heart beats staccato again.

  

The footfalls draw nearer. Not daring to breathe, I stare straight ahead. I don’t want to make eye contact until I know who it is and what they want.

  

A dark form appears at my window. I can see it with my peripheral vision.  The form bends at the waist. A face appears, so close that the person’s breath clouds the glass. My heart pounds harder.

  

“Excuse me, Ma’am. Do you need some assistance?”

  

The pattern of my heartbeats change from stark fear to something lighter, giddier; like the slap of a child’s salt-water sandals running over hard-packed sand. “Kevin!” Am I ever glad to see him. I can’t roll down my window without power, so I fling open the door.

It catches him in the shin.

  

“Ouch!”

  

“Sorry. Are you okay?”

  

Kevin holds his lower leg and groans.

“Oh, Kevin. I’m so sorry.”

  

“It’s…fine…really,” he says through clenched teeth. He lets go of his leg, straightens with a grimace and forces a smile. “Injuries are expected in the line of duty.”

  

Duty? Is that how he thinks of me now, as a duty?

  

“Are you alright?” he asks. “Your message sounded scared.”
   

Damn skippy I was scared. Still am. I glance in all three mirrors. The dogs and their red, glowing eyes are nowhere in sight. I don’t want Kevin thinking me a nut case, so I don’t bring up the dogs.

I feel safer with a cop nearby, although sitting here with my door ajar and Kevin standing outside in the open still makes me jittery. I keep my right hand tucked in my lap so he won’t see the bloody napkins wrapping my thumb. “I’m okay. I ran out of gas. Stupid, I know.”

“It happens all the time,” Kevin says. “I don’t have a gas can with me, but I’ll go get one and fill it. You and Megan can ride along so you don’t have to wait here in the cold. Besides, I don’t want you getting hit if someone drives up too fast. With this fog, I couldn’t see your SUV until I was right on top of you.”

  

Kevin on top of me. Now that conjures up all sorts of erotic images. My face heats. I clear my throat. 

“Thanks for the offer, but there’s a tow service on the way.”

  

I should tell him about the dogs. 

  

“No problem.” Kevin crinkles his chin and looks deep into my eyes. “You sure everything’s alright?”

I decide to come clean. “Well, there are these d…”           

Kevin’s cell rings. He pulls the phone from its holder on his belt and answers. Kevin holds his hand over the mouthpiece. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. You’re positive you’re alright?”

I look up into Kevin’s familiar gold-brown eyes. “I’m okay.” At this precise moment, with him standing guard, I really mean it.

   

He turns to leave. Stops. Hesitates. Spins back around. He leans down into my open doorway and kisses me full on the mouth. His lips are warm and firm against mine.

  

“Oh,” I say when he draws away. “What was that for?” My lips tingle where his lips touched mine. 

  

“For luck.” Kevin vanishes behind me into the mist. His headlights spear into the fog then disappear as he turns his patrol car around and speeds away.

  

Kevin knows I don’t believe in luck. But the kiss was nice. The lip tingling spreads, sending pleasant ripples through my body.

  

Very nice.

Wow!  I have to agree with that - very nice indeed.  What a great excerpt filled with drama, tension, humour and romance.  This goes straight onto my TBR list!

More about the Author:

Danita Cahill is a full-time, multi-published, award-winning freelance writer and photojournalist. At age 14 she sold her flute and bought a word processer to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Danita lives in the Pacific NW on a small Oregon farm with her husband, two sons and their animals - a horse, several cats and guinea pigs, a herd of alpacas, and two dogs (thankfully neither dog has red eyes). Besides running children to and fro and caring for her gardens, critters and family, Danita stays busy working on magazine assignments and her next book.

Danita is a member of the Central Oregon Writers Guild, and the Willamette Writers Guild. She grew up on the Oregon coast        

You can read more about Danita at her Amazon Author Page

Mist is available as a print or e-book from Amazon.com

Thanks so much for having me here today, Lynette!

Wednesday's Writer - Mona Risk

Today's guest is award-winning and best-selling author Mona Risk talking about series in general and her own latest series in particular.  

Series by Mona Risk

Years ago I read a series of six Regency novels by Stephanie Laurens who at the time was my favorite author. Later I became disappointed with series where the books tend to have similar stories and similar characters. I promised myself that if I wrote a series, my stories would be completely different from each other and would suit the character of each heroine.

When I published CHRISTMAS BABIES as Book I of the Holiday Babies Series, it was received with a huge success. I couldn’t believe the number of emails requesting Book II. So I wrote VALENTINE BABIES. The story flew from my mind and practically wrote itself. Readers loved it and asked for the next story.

CHRISTMAS BABIES is Madelyn’s story, the hard-working Dr M. Ramsay who suffers from an unexpected health problem. 

VALENTINE BABIES is Roxanne’s story, the head-strong and independent, second Ramsay daughter, who roams the world as a TV reporter. 

MOTHER’S DAY BABIES is Barbara Ramsey’s story, the mamma who looks like her daughters’ oldest sister. Barbara is attracted to Roxanne’s boss, Lou Roland, the powerful TV director. But how can a mother of five grown up daughters and a widow loyal to her husband’s memory abandon her kitchen’s haven and jump into dating mode after so long? 

My stories are heart-warming but funny. You may wipe a tear but you’ll laugh and smile a lot. The heroines have only one common trait: They are strong and won’t let obstacles stand in their ways. The heroes are very different from each other. Dr Nick Prescott who’s been in love with Madelyn for several years is a charming playboy, dedicated to his patients. Dr Greg Hayes is a quiet, reserved young man who can’t help falling in love with the sassy Roxanne at first glance. Lou Rolland, the powerful TV Director, longs for the cozy family atmosphere the vivacious Barbara creates around her.

And there may be more stories to come with two daughters still not married.

CHRISTMAS BABIES: 

A heartwarming holiday story, set in South Florida, CHRISTMAS BABIES spent two months on the bestsellers' list with an Amazon rank between 200 and 500 and garnered 95 reviews. 

Dedicated to her patients, the serious Dr Madelyn Ramsay never had time for fun. An unexpected health problem jolts her into the realization that there's more to life than just work. She longs to surrender to the magic of Christmas. But can she handle the charming and secretive Dr Nick Preston who carries his own package of disillusions? Can she allow two newborn twins to worm their way into her heart?




VALENTINE BABIES is a heart-warming story that will take you from the heart of Kentucky to South Florida and Atlanta, and then to Iraq and Germany.  VALENTINE BABIES spent one month on the bestsellers' list with an Amazon rank between 300 and 500, and garnered 44 reviews.

Fearless reporter, Roxanne Ramsay, doesn’t think twice before traveling for important assignments, even in a war zone—until her last trip leads her to a life-altering mistake.

At his best friends’ wedding, Dr Greg Hayes, who has a serious phobia of planes, can’t take his eyes off the lovely maid of honor. But why is Roxanne blinking away tears? Getting involved with the strong-headed and too generous reporter involves more complications than the bright doctor has ever faced in the OR. Yet what wouldn’t he do to save the love of his life and her baby?

Excerpt from Chapter One of VALENTINE BABIES:

“Go now. And smile for heaven’s sake,” the wedding coordinator sputtered against Roxanne’s ear. “It’s your sister’s happiest day.”

The Mendelssohn Wedding March chimed through the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington, Kentucky.

Roxanne Ramsay plastered a wide smile on her face and clutched her poinsettia bouquet to stop the trembling of her hands. God only knew how happy she was for Madelyn and Nick.

But why did she have to receive that horrible email yesterday? Two days before Christmas. Last night, she’d claimed to suffer a twenty-four hour bug to avoid the church rehearsal and dinner. Honestly, she didn’t have to fake stomach cramps. Her guts had twisted the moment she read and re-read the missive announcing Nabil’s death. Alone in her room in the big empty house, she’d cried her heart out.

A new bout of tears invaded her eyes. She blinked furiously and shuffled forward. Had the aisle lengthened all of a sudden? Gliding on the white carpet, she thought she’d already covered a mile. Behind her, the four bridesmaids progressed at the same snail’s pace.

Finally Roxanne reached the altar and sidled to the left. The fresh pine scent of the Christmas trees decorating the church mingled with the sweet fragrance of white roses in two vases adorning the altar. A delightful smell. Her stomach heaved.

Oh God, no. She braced herself and swallowed. The nausea passed.

The ushers and bridesmaids smiled as Nick took Madelyn’s hand. Roxanne’s face hurt from the effort of stretching her lips. In the first row, Mom sniffled and wiped her eyes with a lacy handkerchief. Could the sister of the bride cry as freely without attracting attention?

Why should she smile? There was no groom and no happy ending in her future.

“Since when were you such a mushy one? You’re crying even more than Mom,” her sister Heather mumbled in her ear.

“Sorry. It’s a... a special moment.” She exhaled and almost hiccupped. Please, God, help me stop crying.

“Still people are wondering,” Heather muttered in the same hushed tone.

“What people? We’re facing the altar. Father O’Brien is too busy reading his holy words.”

“The man standing next to Nick’s dad’s wheelchair hasn’t stopped staring at you.”

Roxanne’s head spun to the right. That gorgeous groomsman in a black tux and neatly combed brown hair?

His hazel eyes captured her gaze. She hadn’t attended last night’s rehearsal and hadn’t met Nick’s friends. His frown relaxed and he smiled. She tried to avert her eyes, and then threw another glance in his direction. He winked.

Her nerves already a shambles, she burst out laughing and caught his silent chuckle.

About the Author

Mona Risk

When her Ph.D. and work in chemistry landed her international contracts to refurbish laboratories, Mona Risk traveled to more than sixty countries on business or vacation. To relax from her hectic schedule, she avidly read romance novels and mentally plotted her own books. Eventually she left a scientific career to share with her readers the many stories brewing in her head. M. Risk likes to set her novels in the fascinating places she visited, from exotic Belarus, and historical France, to the beaches of Greece, the monuments of Egypt and the mysterious Islands of Seychelles. 

Her books have garnered: Top Picks; Outstanding Read; Sweetheart of the Week; Best Book of the Week at various reviewers, received two mentions in Publisher’s Weekly, and have won several awards, from Best Contemporary Romance of the Year at READERS FAVORITE, to Best Romance Novel of the Year at Preditors & Editors Readers Poll.

Mona Risk continues to write and read while traveling and discovering unchartered territories and fresh inspiration for new stories and different settings. 

Find out more about Mona from her website and/or her blog.

Wednesday's Writer - Elysa Hendricks

I'm very pleased today to introduce the very talented Elysa Hendricks and find out a bit more about her latest contemporary fantasy romance Cupid's Apprentice.  Before we get onto that, however, I gave her a bit of a grilling about her writing in general and am sharing her responses to my questions below:

Q: What inspired you to write your first novel and did you always know your genre would be romance?

A: I've been writing for so long now I can't quite remember what "inspired" me to try writing a novel. I do remember my hubby teasing me about the number of romances I read, telling me I should write one myself. So one night I just sat down and started writing what I thought would be a short contemporary romance. When the heroine turned out to be a winged, telepathic alien who stows away on a passing Earth ship, I realized that while I loved romance, I also enjoyed stories with something "extra." That first book is hidden away under my bed guarded by killer dust bunnies.

Q:  Like me you seem to cross genres a little - does this reflect what you like to read yourself?

A: I'm a voracious reader. I'll read anything from historical non-fiction to bizarre futuristic fiction. Westerns to mysteries. Inspirational to fantasy. I tend to gravitate to stories that deal with people and their relationships, and I'm a sucker for a happily ever after ending, so it's not surprising that my books tend to be various sub-genres of romance. I have written straight sci-fi stories and have a children's series I've been mulling around in my head.

Q: When it comes to romance, do you have specific views on what should and shouldn't be included in romance novels?

A: As long as the story centers around people (m/f, m/m, f/f, etc.) falling in love, and includes a HEA or happy for now ending, I'm open to pretty much any flavor of romance.

Q: Has any part of yourself crept into the heroines of any of your romances?

A: I think most writers include parts of themselves in all of their characters, either the parts we have, the parts we wish we had, as well as the ones we wish didn't have.

Q: What is the most desirable characteristic you've bestowed on the hero of your latest romance?

A: I give all my heroes a sense of humor. That's what made me fall in love with my husband and has kept me in love with him for over forty years. Strength, honor, courage are all important in a hero, but without a sense of humor they don't appeal to me.

Q:  Do you think you'll always write in the same genre and style or do you have desires to experiment and if so, in what way?

A: I think I'll always write romance of some kind, but I also want to try other genres of fiction. Some of the fantasy and sci-fi ideas I have don't lend themselves to romance, and there's the children's series I want to do. I love trying new things, stretching and challenging myself - at least with my writing. In "real" life, not so much. :-) My motto is: Boring is good. Excitement is vastly overrated.

Thanks, Elysa.  Some thought-provoking answers there.

Now here's the blurb from Cupid's Apprentice:

To earn her wings, Cupid's apprentice Medarda "Dar" has until Valentine's Day to match two-time Loser Laura Quinn with Boring Brian Hoffman. When Dar's love arrow goes astray and hits the sexy PE teacher Flynn Sullivan instead things get interesting.

Laura loves teaching high school in the small town of Council Falls, but knows it's only a matter of time until her famous mother shows up and the quiet life she's created comes crashing down around her ears.

PE teacher Flynn Sullivan's been interested in the shy history teacher for a long time, but it isn't until they're forced to chaperone the Valentine's Day dance together that he gets the opportunity to make his dreams come true.

With time running out can one bumbling Cupid's Apprentice bring together a Jock and a Brain?

Excerpt:

In the excitement of Rachelle's near fall and her reminiscing about her failed love life Laura missed the rest of Sarah's announcement. Laura sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was chaperone a couple hundred hormone driven teenagers, but once Sarah spoke there was no appeal. Even the district superintendent didn't try to override the woman.

"Guess we're stuck on love and booze patrol duty together," Flynn said.

"What?" Laura's head snapped up.

"I'm the other facility chaperone." His dark eyes sparkled with repressed humor, probably at the horrified expression she knew was on her face.

"That's nice."

"You know we'll have to coordinate with Sarah and the student committee about the refreshments and decorations?"

"Of course." Oh no! That meant hours spent in the man's disconcerting company. How would she keep from making a complete fool of herself?

"How about we get together tomorrow night to discuss things?"

Without thinking, Laura nodded. Tomorrow was Friday. They could meet in her classroom.

"It's a date then. Dinner at Max's." He mentioned the diner in town. "I'll pick you up at six"

A date? With Fabulous Flynn? In town? Where everyone would see them? The thought sent another wave of heat up her neck. Her lunch forgotten she ducked her head to avoid the laughter she knew lurked in the man's eyes and scrambled to her feet. "Yes. Right. Okay," she managed to mumble.

"That wasn't nice, Flynn." She heard Jared chide his friend.

"What did I say?"

Damn if the man didn't sound clueless. She bolted out of the room.

Well that certainly makes me want to read on, how about you?  Cupid's Apprentice is available from:

http://www.amazon.com/Cupids-Apprentice-Holiday-Council-ebook/dp/B00B0OL2ES and

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/274320

And here's a little bit more about the author:

Elysa Hendricks is 5'6" tall. She has brown eyes and curly hair. She's an author, a wife, a mother and a daughter. Everything else is subject to change without notice. If you want to know more about her books visit her at her web site: http://www.elysahendricks.com or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elysa-Hendricks-Author/137316289643103

Wednesday's Writer - Victoria Pinder

Now that Christmas is over, I suppose Valentine's Day is the next big event we can look forward to.  I know it's one I'm looking forward to as I have a big party organised and for me a party is always a great excuse to abscond from boring domestic chores and let professional cleaners and caterers take control of my house.  Well someone needs to!  I'm not  saying I'm lazy but I'd far rather be writing or chatting to writer friends than dusting shelves and polishing silver!

And today I'm getting myself into the mood for the season of romance by welcoming romance writer Victoria Pinder to my blog.  Victoria also writes science fiction and fantasy as Greta Buckle. She grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She worked in engineering, then became a lawyer. After realizing she hated clients, she became a high school teacher. Teaching was fun, but writing was her passion. She wrote one hundred and one fan fiction stories online before deciding to transition into writing her own stories. Never ask her to republish her fan stories from age eleven- horribly written stories of princesses!  Victoria dreams of writing professionally, where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach can motivate her tales. Theseus story came to her when she was a freshman in high school as her English teacher,a nun, told her how life was hard and tragedy teaches lessons. Victoria’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused. How is she crazy? The voices in her head are characters in novels and she’s not insane.

Returning for Valentine's Day is a short contemporary romance which is now available from Amazon.

Blurb:

Everyone deserves to find love on Valentine’s Day.

Beth Corsini loved Nathan all her life. Last year, at her friend’s wedding, everything changed. Nathan disappeared. She lost all hope in love, but she’s over the heartache. Ready to move on, Beth signed up for a speed dating event. She never expected Nathan to be there.

Nathan never thought Beth was serious about him, and she never acted like she cared one way or the other. But when he heard she broke up with her boyfriend, Roberto, he decided to to go for it. Beth’s been the love of his life, all his life. Can he convince her on Valentine’s Day to marry him? Can she ignore his mother’s disapproval and accept love matters more?  

Intrigued?  I know I am, so here's an excerpt from Returning for Valentine's Day:

Valentine’s Day should not be spent alone. Everyone deserves love.

Beth Corsini applied one more layer of her ruby red lipstick and glanced in the mirror. She looked good. She finished brushing her sandy brown locks. Valentine’s Day beckoned.

Her phone rang. Beth picked up the phone as she stared at her dress one last time. “Hello,” she said.

“I am so sorry I can’t go.” Her friend Nellie’s voice came through the line. “Work sucks.”

“I’m going alone then. Valentine’s Day signals my start to the new year.”

“Okay, I hope you find your true love.”

Nathan. Every Valentine’s Day, and every other day, she pictured him in her head. But he always said no. She shook her head. “Whoever I meet tonight, it doesn't matter. Every single woman over the age of twenty-five should go to one of these eight-minute date things in her life. No one is in my house besides the Dark Lord, Squiggles. I need to go out.”

“Call me and let me know.”

Beth hung up the phone. Sitting at home tonight would haunt her forever. New life, new adventures. Her New Year’s motto rang in her ears. She needed to go out after work.

She pet the Dark Lord, found her spiked silver heels, ran through her mental checklist one more time, and drove to the event on Main Street at the local bar she rarely visited.

               She was early on purpose to give her time to scope out the venue. If she stayed home, she’d have talked herself out of going, poured wine, and thought about how Nathan never cared about her. Better to go and see how speed dating worked, and form a battle plan. She sat at the corner of the small country bar, a band setting up on the stage to the right. An open floor where a large group could  laugh and line dance.

Beth squirmed uncomfortably. The lights were more flashy than she had expected, and the line dancing unique. Growing up in the big city made her sound more uptown than she was.  Country did not mean she had to be scared. She walked to the bar and asked in a squeaky voice, “I’ll have a vodka tonic.”

               The bartender hadn’t even noticed her nervousness.

Scanning the room while she waited for service, she saw happy couples ignoring the world. Lucky them. Cowboy hats filled the place. Who knew so many people lived on the Broward and Miami border town? South Florida never equaled country, not to Beth.

Her drink arrived, and she pulled out her credit card. The man nodded at her and returned to the register. She noticed the sign on the back room upstairs with the words, ‘Singles Club.’ Putting her drink in her mouth, she took a breath.

Her turn.

New life.

She signed the receipt, put her card away in her coach bag, and picked up the glass. Someone watched her, and her body perked with excitement. Nathan? No--impossible. 

Her eyes raced through the group, looking around for anyone who might know her. No one met her eyes. Gathering her courage, she walked up the stairs to the private rooms.

               Once in the singles room, Beth grabbed a seat near the door, watching the women enter. The men must be in a different room. She glanced around. The women all appeared to be much older than her. Guess Prince Charming wouldn’t arrive after all, but Beth intended to enjoy the evening. She'd paid to have a few dates, speak to men, and then she would go home.

               Ten minutes later, some young woman, might be a teenager, pinned the number seven to her chest, and gave the women a pep talk on speed dating and how it fits into today's singular lifestyle. One woman pulled her to the side when they were all told what table to go to, and told Beth, “I’m so excited for tonight.”

               “Why?” Beth had no hopes for tonight other than to not think about Nathan. “It’s just a few eight minute dates.”

               “I met my husband, Jeffrey, at one of these events twenty years ago.” The woman wiped a tear from her eye.

               “Then why are you here if you are married?” Beth let the question fly out of her mouth.

               “Jeffrey died last year.” Once again, Beth put her foot in her mouth.

               “I’m so sorry.”

               “It’s okay, dear. Jeffrey told me to go to more of these events, to both find love and be there for when other women find theirs.”

               The teenager moved her hands to get them to sit. Beth smiled at the woman. At least love came for some people. “It’s a sweet thought from a sweet person.”

               The woman smiled and walked away to her seat.

               Guess hope survived for some. Beth had lost any hope after her friend’s wedding where she'd let her guard fall, and she let her crush for Nathan destroy her. Having sex with a man she secretly craved with every part of her soul, then having him walk away was a pain, Beth never wished on anyone. 

Beth had been wrong. Having sex with him could never be casual. After years of not telling him how she'd always loved him, drinking too much at a party made her lose control. In the morning, she had tried to pretend to be normal, but he became quiet and left. She never saw him again. She waited till she arrived home to cry, but she'd lost everything, including her best friend that night.

Shaking Nathan needed to happen. New Year. New life. Her short term ex-boyfriend had been all wrong for her. Why was she still so hung up on Nathan? She had come to the bar tonight to start moving in the right direction. The ‘single mingle’ room allowed for complete privacy from the rest of the club, so unless someone paid the admission price, no one would find out she was here.

The band played softly downstairs, giving the room a nice ambiance. Fixing her hair one more time, she waited for the men to arrive. She felt too nervous to even drink her vodka.

A bell rang indicating the speed dating had begun. Pasting a smile on her face, she’d see what fate had in store.

Well that has certainly got me gagging for more!  It sounds intriguing, Victoria and I wish you the very best of luck with this story.

Visit Victoria online at:

Authors Website:  http://www.victoriapinder.com Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Pinder-also-writing-as-Greta-Buckle/294685373900979 Twitter:    http://twitter.com/victoriapinder Tumblr:    victoriapinder.tumblr.com  Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/victoriapinder/ Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=200859737&trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Google+ https://plus.google.com/105161432419802350109/posts/p/pub

YouTube Trailer:

http://youtu.be/n4QFL1dN7Ls