Book Bloggers Survey & Giveaway active until March 15th
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My Reckless Surrender by Anna Campbell open til Sunday March 26th
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Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Today we are welcoming Trish McCallan, author of Forged in Fire to the blog. She’s dropping by to answer some questions and is offering up a $10 GC and an ecopy of her book! That means the giveaway is international – so all of you non-North American readers, be sure to enter this one!
You all know how attracted to covers I am 
I think this one is yummy! and indicates a good read. Let’s learn more about Trish!
Barb - Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing.
Trish - I’ve been writing on and off for most of my life, but from the moment I started writing romances, my plots mixed suspense with paranormal. In the early days, this mixture wasn’t welcome. I was told by every agent who read my first completed manuscript that a premise involving a psychic wouldn’t sell. They all recommended I strip the paranormal out of my books, and concentrate on the suspense. But straight suspense just felt boring to me, so I kept writing the books I wanted to write, and now these elements have come into demand.
Trish – Forged in Fire is the first book in a series of high octane romantic thrillers. The heroes throughout the series are officers of SEAL Team 7. In FIF—the first book—the hero and secondary heroes are inadvertently drawn into a global conspiracy when the plane they are boarding for a Hawaiian vacation is marked for hijacking.
Trish - The research was the most challenging. I wanted my heroes to read as authentic as possible, but it’s difficult to find actual Navy SEALs who are willing to talk to you. Ditto for FBI agents. I’d made contact with two different federal agents, they both took my list of questions and said they’d ask around and get back to me. (The questions involved how an investigation into a hijacking would be conducted, what agency would lead the investigation, who would head the task force—things like that) I never heard back from either agent. Later, I was told by a retired agent, that they’d probably been told to drop contact because the questions I was asking were of a sensitive nature.
Barb - What is your favorite part about writing?
Trish - I love revisions, I love playing with the language and shaping the image and bringing the characters and story to life. I always have this clear mental picture of every scene, but it’s only during the revision process that the scene on the page begins to resemble the picture I’ve been holding in my mind.
Barb – What is your least favorite part about writing?
Trish - The first draft is my least favorite part of writing. I find the first draft frustrating. The emerging story never matches the idea I’ve been living with in my head. The characters feel shallow, the plot stupid. I have this mantra I chant when I’m writing the first draft—“you can fix it later, you can fix it later.”
Trish - The action scenes are hard for me because I tend to bog them down with too much detail. Then I have to go back in and cut. And cut. And cut. Even after I think the flow is fine, my crit partners will highlight areas that read slow to them and I’ll end up cutting even more.
Trish - I have done both- but the way I currently work is to just sit down and fast draft the first draft with no outline. I let the characters have their head and see where it leads me. I’ve found this approach brings my characters to life. The plot takes more imaginative twists and turns, it seems to grow organically from the characters themselves. I think my work has more depth because of this. Once the first draft is down, and I have the rudiments of a plot/premise- then I do a detailed chapter by chapter outline and fix all the plot holes and inconsistencies that occur as a result of having no clue where the characters and plot are taking me.
Trish - My Favorite character is Commander Jace (Mac) Mackenzie, from Forged in Fire. But I’m not sure why. The guy is a serious ass. He’s a misogynist, with a huge chip on his shoulder and nasty temper, but he intrigues me. He’s intensely loyal to the people he cares about and would do anything for them. He’s highly intelligent, bluntly honest, and politically incorrect. All of which makes him an interesting character. He is in a position of authority, but one that requires a certain amount of kiss-assery—which he refuses to do. This puts him in constant conflict with his superiors.
Trish - I encourage myself to keep writing. Nobody has the kind of influence over me that I have over myself. Nor does other peoples’ support or encouragement bolster me in the long run, I have to push myself. I’m the only one who can keep myself writing during the hard times.
Trish - I will be posting updates to my website which can be found at www.trishmccallan.com
Barb - Where are your books available?
Trish - My books are exclusively available through Amazon.com
I’d like to thank Trish for dropping by and sharing today! I’ll leave you with a blurb to Forged in Fire! Fill out the form if you are interested in winning a copy!
Beth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions until she dreams a sexy stranger is gunned down during the brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. When events in her dream start coming true, she heads to the flight’s departure gate. To her shock, she recognizes the man she’d watched die the night before.
Lieutenant Commander Zane Winters comes from a bloodline of elite warriors with psychic abilities. When Zane and two of his platoon buddies arrive at Sea-Tac Airport, he has a vision of his teammates’ corpses. Then she arrives—a leggy blonde who sets off a different kind of alarm.
As Beth teams up with Zane, they discover the hijacking is the first step in a secret cartel’s deadly global agenda and that key personnel within the FBI are compromised. To survive the forces mobilizing against them, Beth will need to open herself to a psychic connection with the sexy SEAL who claims to be her soul mate.
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Today we are welcoming Donna Cummings to the blog! She and I were talking about luscious highwaymen in romance novels and how there doesn’t seem to be enough of them. All a Highwayman needs to bring him around is a good woman – we all know this from the stories that we have read. Really, a man dressed all in black robbing a damsel at gunpoint but is so gallant that he leaves her with a kiss on the hand – swoon worthy, isn’t it.
Donna has a great book out, Lord Midnight. You can tell the book is good from the cover (at least in my opinion!) She is offering a copy to one lucky reader. Just fill out the form at the bottom of this post to be entered! This giveaway is international as it is an e-book being given away!
Let’s find out what she has to say about our subject today!
The Hero-Villain Spectrum by Dona Cummings
Every story needs at least one hero and a villain. They are opposing forces, trying to move toward a goal while keeping the other from reaching his or her objective. It’s the push-pull of their efforts that keeps us turning pages when we should have turned out the light hours ago.
However, the hero isn’t 100% pure goodness, nor is the villain 100% nasty evilness. That would be 100% predictable, and probably 200% boring. It’s a lot more interesting when there is a 51%-49% split, with that 2% determining who is praised as a hero and who is booed as the villain.
In my Regency historical, Lord Midnight, Gabriel is a highwayman, living on the wrong side of the law. He does so because he has been robbed of his birthright and nearly killed by his uncle Edmund. Since Gabriel can’t get justice, he seeks revenge, plotting to seduce his uncle’s bride-to-be, in the home that once was his own.
Edmund has his own goals, ones which he considers worthy, even laudable. He wants a son to inherit his estate, the very one he stole by trying to kill the rightful heir. However, the world believes him to be a highly respected peer of the realm, a trusted adviser to the Prince Regent.
On the surface, Gabriel would seem to be more villain than hero, since he robs coaches for a living. He’s also plotting revenge, and while it is based on righteous reasons, it would completely ruin an innocent’s life. Gabriel has to decide if he is willing to let an act of vengeance transform him into the sort of person he has despised for years.
A villain, on the other hand, is not likely to struggle with the moral rightness of his motives. Edmund is convinced he’s on the correct path, and when he thinks someone is trying to thwart him, he’s genuinely hurt and puzzled. He’s capable of tender emotions, just not for the same things that touch a hero’s heart.
Here’s a scene where the heroine, Marisa, has had to decide quickly who is villainous, and which man she can actually trust. She’s just gotten Edmund to leave her bedchamber before he could discover Gabriel was hidden in her bed:
She whirled around at the sound of the laughter emanating from her bedcovers. The interloper lounged on her bed, his head resting on one upraised hand. Her knees nearly buckled from his heart-melting smile; the devilish blue eyes peering at her left her unaccountably breathless.
She could only assume her reaction was the aftermath of her experiences, first at seeing the highwayman in her bedchamber, followed by Edmund’s unwelcome visit. Yet she had never responded to fear in this fashion, and it made her waspish.
“What do you think you were doing?”
“Hmm.” He tossed the entangling bedcovers aside. “I think—no, I’m fairly certain on this point—I was nibbling on your delectable skin.”
Her stomach plummeted, causing a tingling in regions of her body that seemed only remotely connected. How did he manage to cause such a wealth of unfamiliar sensations? Edmund had never incited such responses.
“You might have given yourself away,” she chided.
“No, my sweet, you would have given me away.”
“And well I should have,” she retorted, knowing she was unable to do so. “It took all I possessed to retain my composure.”
“A most admirable feat,” he said as he approached her. “I must offer my abiding gratitude for your brave deed.”
Marisa’s gaze roamed the wickedly handsome man. He towered over her, yet not in the menacing fashion Edmund did. His smile was not a dastardly one, not with that dimple. And Marisa was certain real villains did not possess such startling white teeth.
Would a genuine scoundrel be the cause for the fluttering in her stomach, that unsettling feeling that something momentous was about to occur?
“Have you a weapon?”
His lips twitched as he reached into his boot. “I have this wee pistol, but in my profession, it is more for show than to do real harm.”
Marisa watched as he replaced the gun.
“I do not possess the nerve to place the loaded thing into my boot, for I am dashed fond of my toes.” His theatrical grimace made Marisa laugh. “And you could be safe in the next shire in the time it would take for me to ready the shot.”
Marisa sighed.
“Are you frightened of me, angel?” He lifted one of her curls with his index finger.
“Not of you, no. Had I known of the pistol’s proximity earlier, however, I might have prevailed on you to dispatch my betrothed.”
He raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated fashion. “A bloodthirsty lass. Perhaps it is I who should be frightened of you.”
Marisa laughed aloud. “I am the spawn of the devil. Or so Father has told me time and again. Unfortunately I cannot convince my father that the commotion attributed to me is not my fault, at least not due to genuine sinfulness.”
“Indeed.” He twisted her blonde curl about his finger, as spellbound as he had been during the robbery. “Perhaps it is because you are afflicted with other character defects as well.”
“I will admit that my quest for knowledge has often led me down paths avoided by the fainthearted.” Her curiosity could not be contained a moment longer. “Why are you here? Should you not be on the roadways?”
“I am a different sort of highwayman,” he answered.
“Then you could take me with you! I could ride with you, just until I am so far away from here that Lord Westbrook is unable to find me. You would not need to concern yourself with me any further.”
“It grieves me to refuse such a delightful invitation, but I fear I must.”
“Why? I shall be no trouble. And I shall not sound the alarm against you. I have proven myself in that regard already. Twice in fact.”
He studied her for several long moments. Hope and fear mingled together in those long moments of indecision.
He did not frighten her. Perhaps it was because her instincts assured her she would come to no harm with this man. He had had numerous opportunities, when he had stopped her carriage, and again when he had entered her bedchamber. Yet he had not availed himself of any, even when she was at the most vulnerable.
In truth she viewed him as an ally, unlike her traitorous brother. She could not pass up this chance to flee, to rescue Aunt Althea from the dire fate that awaited her if Marisa were to fail. It was not likely the highwayman would continue to appear each time she sent a prayer heavenward, asking for deliverance, so she had to avail herself of this opportunity.
At last he shook his head. “I cannot bring you with me. It is much too dangerous.”
“It will not be dangerous, I assure you. I am an excellent horsewoman.”
“It is dangerous for me as well,” he said. “I have already tempted Fate more than is wise this evening. I must leave, and I must leave you behind.”
“Of course,” Marisa said, ducking her head, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.
What had she been thinking? It had been a reckless notion, one she would have left unexpressed were it not for the need to take quick action. She was grateful he was a highwayman, and thus possessed of the chivalry to deny such a wild request.
So tell me, who are your favorite heroes? What type of villains do you like best? One lucky commenter will receive an e-copy of Lord Midnight.
Donna Cummings: I have worked as an attorney, winery tasting room manager, and retail business owner, but nothing beats the thrill of writing humorous contemporary and historical romances.
Currently I reside in Massachusetts, although I fantasize about spending the rest of my days in a tropical locale, consuming mojitos for breakfast and wearing flip flops year-round.
I can be found on Twitter (@BookEmDonna), talking about writing and coffee, or on my blog at www.AllAboutTheWriting.com.
My books are available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.
GABRIEL DeVAULT, a dashing highwayman, lives to avenge himself against the uncle who stole his title and tried to kill him as a child. One night’s robbery yields unexpected riches when his uncle’s spirited bride-to-be falls into Gabriel’s arms. Now his plans for vengeance include seduction of the innocent miss, in the home that once was his own.
MARISA DUNSMORE is blackmailed into wedding the cold and calculating Edmund DeVault, Lord Westbrook, to protect her beloved aunt. When her attempts to escape the upcoming marriage fail, she turns to the man she knows as Lord Midnight, entrusting him with her love, and her future.
Soon Gabriel must choose: saving the woman who stole his heart, or destroying the man who stole his life.
I’d like to thank Donna for dropping by and sharing! If you are interested in winning an e-copy of Lord Midnight, please fill out the form. You’ll notice that I’m adding extra points for anyone who follows Donna on Twitter
Good luck!
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Today is a review for a book that I LOVED!!! I loved it so much that I’m giving away my copy to someone who will hopefully love it as much as I did! Be sure to fill out the form at the end of this post to be entered. Hopefully you also noticed that I’m doing a survey of book bloggers. If you are a book blogger and fill out my survey I’ll give you extra entries into this giveaway!
Several months ago I won a book from Anna Campbell (Midnight Wild Passion) and was totally amazed that I hadn’t stumbled upon her books before. This is the second book that I have read from her, and I have a third on my TBR pile. Midnight’s Wild Passion is the first book that I read by Ms. Campbell. Feel free to check out my thoughts on the first book and stay tuned for the third book, Captive of Sin (doesn’t that sound simply delicious?)
Enjoy!
My Reckless Surrender by Anna Campbell
ISBN: 0061684317
Publisher: Avon Historicals
Release: May 25, 2010
Source: I won a copy of this book in a giveaway
A well-practiced rake, weary of easy conquests and empty pleasures, Tarquin Vale, Earl of Ashcroft, knows women – and his every instinct warns him to beware of this one. Diana Carrick’s brazen overtones have thrown the haunted, sinfully handsome lord completely off his guard. Why, the exquisite temptress stated outright that she wishes to be his lover. But it is neither Diana’s boldness nor her beauty that ingrigues him so – it is the innocence he senses behind her worldly mask.Intent upon the seduction that will finally free her, Diana has set her sights on the notorious Ashcroft – never dreaming that there is much more to the enigmatic rogue than sin and deviltry. His kiss is bewitching, his caress intoxicating – and even the dangerous secret Diana must protect cannot shield her from Ashcroft’s dark allure.
Unwittingly yet most willingly, they are playing with fire. Now the fuse has been lit and there is no escape…except surrender.
Imagine Tarquin Vale’s surprise when a woman shows up unannounced at his town home and announces she wants to be his mistress! Even a practiced rake like Tarquin is taken aback! The veiled woman in widow’s weeds has an air of innocence that he can sense, and her story doesn’t hold water. The hair on the back of his neck is on end, and he sends her on her way, quite rudely. Although Diana is upset at the lack of success at her first meeting with Tarquin, the presence of Lord Burnley waiting for her when she returns cements her desire to succeed at her mission.
A totally intriguing start to a story! It is interesting to start a story, and be struggling to figure out the hidden details right from the story. Everyone has secrets! Lord Tarquin isn’t who he seems. Why is Diana really trying to seduce Tarquin. Why is Lord Burnley pushing so hard? I’m the impatient sort at times, but I resisted flipping ahead some pages to get the answers to my questions! The answers gradually became clear, as the relationship between Diana and Tarquin scorched up the pages!
This is the second book that I have read by Anna Campbell and I am just as impressed by this book as I was by Midnight’s Wild Passion. The characters are absolutely outstanding! The characters of Diana and Tarquin are great of course – their interaction sparkling and incredibly hot – but they are simply the tip of the iceberg! Diana’s father is a wonderful character. So determined to keep her on the straight and narrow, and so disappointed when he feels that she has fallen off the path. The character of Lord Burnley is SOOOO evil! He is written so vividly that you want to reach through the pages, grab him by his scrawny little neck and shake him.
The action of this book proceeds at a calm, deliberate rate – it’s only the reader who is rushing through the pages trying to put all the pieces together and hope that good triumphs over evil! I had great trouble putting this book down for normal activities like sleep and work. I highly, highly recommend this book and this author! So far she has hit two out of the ball park, and I have a third sitting mocking me from my bedside table
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
Welcome also to Series Sunday!
This is one of my most favorite days of the week – the day I get to talk about the latest series I’ve been reading! Since I’m currently reading the last of The Hellions of Halstead Hall series by Sabrina Jeffries, I’ve decided to repost the reviews that I’ve already posted, and then introduce you all to the newest and last book in the series.
Last week I started the series with my review for the first book in the series, The Truth About Lord Stoneville. If this series is new to you, please click back and find out what I had to say about that book. To give you a brief overview, this is a series about 5 siblings that lose their parents at an early age and are raised by their maternal grandmother, Hetty Plumtree. She is getting older, and has given an ultimatum to her grandchildren – marry within the year or they all are written out of her will. Enjoy!
A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries
ISBN: 978-1-4391-6754-0
Publisher: Pocket Star Books
Release: Sept 21, 2010
Source: I purchased this book to read and review
Furious at his grandmother’s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck—and his heart—at the card table against a most unlikely opponent. Mired in scandal after his parents’ mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family’s brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can’t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family’s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans…and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one—and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.
A Hellion in Her Bed is the second book in Sabrina Jeffries’ latest series called “The Hellions of Halstead Hall”. This book is about the second son of 5 children, Lord Jarret Sharpe. The Sharpe children were orphaned when their parents died some 20 years before the timing of the book. When their parents died, they were taken in by their maternal grandmother, Hetty Plumtree. Hetty is a working class woman who runs the family brewery. Jarret and his older brother Oliver are sent away to school at Eton where they stay in Halstead Hall. Jarret discovers that he has a knack for gambling and that is how he manages to survive in the rough and tumble world of boarding school! He finds he isn’t cut out to be a barrister like his grandmother would like, but he manages to keep himself afloat by gambling.
Our series starts when Hetty, sick of watching her grandchildren run amuck and wanting great grandchildren makes an ultimatum. All 5 siblings must marry in the next year or none of them will inherit her money. Oliver marries in the first book, The Truth About Lord Stoneville. Jarret manages to make a deal with his ailing grandmother to be exempt from her demands if he agrees to manage the family brewery for the next year.
Annabel Lake is a woman with a secret and a mission. She is desperate to keep her family’s small brewery afloat despite the fact that her brother spends all his days drinking himself into oblivion. She, her sister-in-law and her nephew travel to London hoping to speak to Hetty Plumtree about a deal to mark their beer to East India company ship captains. Something that she feels would benefit both companies. To her dismay, she finds herself having to speak to Jarret instead of his grandmother. Not trusting that he will talk to his grandmother about their conversation, she finds herself following Jarret and ultimately gambling with him to get her way and winning. This sets of a chain of events that I’ll leave you to read.
In this book the deaths of the Sharpe children’s parents are investigated further and we learn more about what may have happened. Jarret is such a wonderful character! A gambler, but ultimately a gentleman. He is well written and an interesting character to cheer for. Annabel is one of my favorite heroines! She is small but spunky! She has secrets that she is desperate to keep hidden, a family to protect and a family business to run. She has her head on straight and she is a wonderful partner for Jarret! The chemistry between Jarret and Annabel is almost immediate and it sizzles. The way they dance around each other is so well written it was almost impossible to put down!
We also learn more about Hetty, the grandmother. She has lived a hard life and doesn’t apologize for decisions that she has had to make. She is quite the character! The sparks fly between Hetty and Jarret – so interesting to read about their interactions! I am looking forward to reading about Minerva’s story and finding out more about the parent’s deaths.
I hoped you enjoyed my thoughts about book 2 in this series and will come back next week for book 3!
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
Welcome also to Steamy Saturdays!
This is the day of the week where I post a review of a book that is on the steamier side of romance. Today’s selection, To Sins With Scandal by Tamara Gill, is a book that I reviewed for The Romance Reviews some time ago. Great choice for a short read!
To Sin with Scandal by Tamara Gill
ISBN: 9781605922225
Publisher: Noble Romances
Source: I received a copy of this book from TRR to read and review
One night of passion with the notorious rake, Lord Scandal. Every need satisfied, nothing expected in return. All Lady Miranda Fitsimmon has to do is keep her rendezvous with the man secret from the ton and her heart inured to the memory of their past.
Lord Scandal, otherwise known as Lord Sedley, no longer desires such meaningless liaisons in the ton. His taste for bed sport has changed. He only desires one woman to warm his sheets. And when the woman he thought never to see grace his home walks into his library and expects all her desires to be sated, his resolve to redeem himself is tested.
Can one night of sin give them both what they crave the most? Or will past wounds be too deep to forgive and forget?
To Sin with Scandal explores the topic of ‘One More Chance At Love’ when Miranda sees an opportunity to recapture what she missed out on with her first love, Merrick. Have too many years passed for them to recapture their love, are there too many hurt feelings? Enjoy finding out in this chemistry rich, fast moving story!
To Sin with Scandal was a completely delightful read! Lady Miranda Fitsimmon has been in love with Merrick, Lord Sedley since she was young. After seeing him in the arms of another woman, she rashly agrees to marry another man. Now that he husband is dead, she is free and her year of mourning is past. She is determined to do what society’s rules prevented her from doing all those years ago – have one steamy night with Merrick!
After the disappointment of losing Miranda to another man, Lord Sedley has immersed himself in a life of meaningless sex – becoming better known as Lord Scandal. Recently, however, things have changed, he has decided that he is tired of that life and means to change.
This 22 page short story is filled with detail. It feels longer than it is! The characters of Miranda and Merrick are very well written. The turmoil that the young Miranda goes through is completely fitting with her age. Although I think Merrick should have pursued Miranda more vigorously, he didn’t. As a result, they are in the position they are in now. And as they are adults they can follow their desires when they couldn’t when they were younger. The action is colorfully written. The reader can envision themselves standing in the ballroom listening to the conversations!
Although this book is short, it packs a punch. Although I wish it was a longer story, it held it’s own as is. A great little read to pick up and provide entertainment for a short time!
It is currently prices at $1.50 at Amazon so snap up a copy!
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
2 CommentsWelcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
Today we are welcoming Cari Quinn to the blog! Cari is the author of a number of books, but is here specifically to talk about her newest release – Heart Signs – a steamy book – my favorite kind! I hope you enjoy hearing about this interesting sounding book!
Cari – Thank you so much for inviting me to visit Sugarbeat’s Books today!
Barb - Tell us a bit about you and your writing – it seems that you have several books published!
Cari – Yes, I do. I just signed a contract for my 13th book and also have two self-pubbed projects I’m proud to be a part of. I mostly write erotic contemporary romance, although my next release is a sexy contemporary novel that, while definitely spicy, doesn’t quite reach the realm of the erotic. I enjoy writing both and look forward to hopefully branching out to paranormal and maybe even romantic suspense at some point in the future. My work is usually sexy, fun, quirky and emotional, with varying degrees of spice!
Barb - Tell us about your newest release – Heart Signs.
Cari – Heart Signs is a story that came about from a weird jolt of inspiration. I was driving one day and spotted a billboard from a young woman looking for a sugar daddy. From there, I started wondering what if the billboard was written by a man writing love notes to his wife? What if his wife was dead, and they had been estranged before her death? And what if the woman who took his billboard orders found herself falling in love with his words…all before they’d ever met in person? That, in a nutshell, is Heart Signs. It’s one of my favorite stories I’ve ever written. I even cried writing it–and I never do that!
Barb - Do you normally start your writing with an outline or do you just let the characters tell the story?
Cari – My characters seem determined to lead the way whether or not I try to rein them in. I do write outlines now and then, especially when I’m trying to sell a story to an editor, but more often and not the characters veer off and do their own thing. But I keep trying to get better at outlining!
Barb - What is your favorite part of writing?
Cari – There are lots of things I love about writing, but by far, my favorite thing is writing the blurb. I worked in advertising for twelve years so I think I honed my ability to condense the “good stuff” in a story into an appealing blurb to hook a reader. I think a strong blurb is one of the best ways to sell a book and I enjoy highlighting the important elements in my story. Plus they’re just fun to put together!
Barb - What is your least favorite part of writing?
Cari – Writing is truly my dream job, and right now I’m getting to do it full-time, something I never believed would happen! That said, outlining is probably my least favorite part, simply because I know my characters know their story better than I ever could!
Barb - Do you have someone who keeps you writing – someone that cheers you on from the sidelines?
Cari – Several someones, luckily enough. But by far, there are two people who always cheer me on–my mom and my best friend and CP, Taryn Elliott. They’re both my staunchest allies and always believe in me when I don’t believe in myself. (And by the way, Taryn’s first two books are releasing soon…and they’re incredible! She’s an amazing writer.)
Barb - Although I realize that many authors feel their characters are like their children, can I risk offending you and ask if you have a favorite character in Heart Signs
Cari – LOL, no offense taken here. Wow, that’s a tough one. I’d have to go with Rory, the heroine, though it’s neck-and-neck with Sam, her hero. Rory edges him out for me because we’re so much alike in a lot of ways. Trying to be strong and brave and not always succeeding. And we both love sports! Her favorite sport is football while mine is basketball, but still. We’re also very different in several ways but I loved that she could lay it all on the line when it really mattered. She’s way tougher than me in that respect.
Barb – Where can your fans find your books?
Cari – My books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance ebooks and Fictionwise, but they can always check my website as well for buy links, excerpts and other fun stuff like letters Rory and Sam from Heart Signs wrote to each other. J Now I just need to get my website updated!
Barb - How can your fans keep in touch?
Cari – I can be reached through my website or they can chat with me on Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook. My user name on those sites is the oh-so-creative Cari Quinn. I’m always eager to make new friends!
Barb - Anything else you would like to add?
Cari – Just that I appreciate every person who has ever tried or considered trying one of my books. You’ve made it possible for me to live my dream and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Visit Cari Quinn at Her Website or Twitter or Facebook
I’d like to thank Cari for dropping by and answering some questions today! I stole the blurb for Hearts Signs from Cari’s blog so that not only you can find out more about this intriguing book, but you can see an illustration of how good Cari really is at creating blurbs…..really makes you want to run out and get a copy!!
The heart has a language all its own…
Rory Fowler has taken Sam Miller’s billboard orders for the last two years, but they aren’t to advertise, they’re love notes to his wife. Sam’s most recent billboard about his wife’s passing hits Rory hard. When she calls Sam to offer condolences, it sets off an unexpected chain of events that ends with Rory in Sam’s apartment —and his arms.
Reading Sam’s love letters tugs Rory into the romance between him and his estranged, now-deceased, wife. Their lives soon intertwine so completely that Rory wonders how she’ll ever forget the man who makes poetry out of emotions she’s fought to dismiss. And plays her body even more skillfully than he writes love notes.
Consumed by guilt and grief, Sam is shocked by the feelings Rory arouses in him, sexually and otherwise. Now he’s not thinking about yesterday as much as he’s looking forward to tomorrow. He’s just not sure if he’s capable of moving on… or if the woman who helped him find the will to really live again will be by his side.
Related articles
- Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Cari Quinn (lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com)
- Book Review: No Dress Required (thecaffeinateddivareads.multifacetedmama.com)
- Guest Post with Cari Quinn & Giveaway! (theforbiddenbookshelf.com)
Romance Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Bookseller, Voracious reader, Student of WordPress and learner of SEO…..
I’d like to congratulate the last of the latest set of winners of giveaways on my blog!
Cindy is a winner of a signed softcover version of The Sacred Path of Tears by M. B. Tosi. The book is in the mail, and I hope that Cindy likes this book. Please read about this book HERE.
The winner of an ecopy of Tessa Armytage’s book, Bess, Nicolas & A Dog Called Bones is my friend AOBibliophile. Please drop by AO’s blog and say hi! This book sound quite intriguing. I posted an excerpt on my blog HERE. Have a look and see if this book would appeal to you.
The last set of winners is for a copy of Shana Galen’s The Rogue Pirate’s Bride. This is one of the more popular giveaways I’ve hosted on my blog in a long, long time! Shana was kind enough to answer some questions for me and all of you! Have a look at that post HERE.
Isn’t a Pirate the ultimate bad boy?? Having a look at this cover, is a wonder that so many people were trying to win a copy of this book? Really, a yummy looking man and woman who carries a sword. Gotta be a good book!!
Although I’m sad that I couldn’t give away a copy to everyone who entered, I am happy that I was able to give away 2 copies!
The first copy went to Karen – I hope she loves the book as much as I did!
The second copy went to Babs. Babs has a blog Babs Book Bistro. Drop by and say hi! Hopefully you’ll be able to read her thoughts on it as well soon!
I’d like to thank everyone who entered my giveaways recently! Stay tuned, as there are more coming in the next few weeks!
I’ll leave you with some links to reviews that other bloggers have done. Enjoy!
Related articles
- Review: The Rogue Pirates’s Bride by Shana Galen (readaholicsanonymous-mustread.blogspot.com)
- Review: The Rogue Pirate’s Bride – Shana Galen (books-forlife.blogspot.com)
- Month of Love Giveaway: Sons of the Revolution series by Shana Galen (paperbackdolls.com)
- Book Review: Bess, Nicholas & A Dog Called Bones by: Tess Armytage (bibliophilicbookblog.com)
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Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
Dylan by C.H. Admirand
ISBN: 978-1402258077
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release: Dec 2, 2012
Source: I received a copy of this book to read and review from Sourcebooks
Desperate times call for desperate measures… When Tyler Garahan said he’d do anything to save his family’s ranch, he never thought that would include taking a job as a stripper at a local ladies’ club. But the club’s fiery redheaded bookkeeper captures Tyler’s attention, and for her, he’ll swallow his pride…
And one good turn deserves another… Emily Langley feels for the gorgeous cowboy. It’s obvious that he’s the real deal and wouldn’t be caught dead in a ladies’ revue if he wasn’t in big trouble. And when he looks at her like that, she’ll do anything to help… Working days on the ranch and nights at the ladies’ club, Tyler is plumb exhausted. But could it be that his beautiful boss needs him just as much as he needs her…
Dylan is the middle book in the latest trilogy by C.H. Admirand. The first book Tyler was released last March and the last book Jesse, is due to be released in July of this year. These three books form the story of three Garahan brothers that are brothers who grew up ranchers and now run the family ranch. Times are tough and each brother does what they can to keep everything afloat. This book is about Dylan’s story.
Dylan has taken some work as part of the stage show in the bar in town. He’s part stripper, part dancer, part carpenter and part rancher. Emily meets him when she is lassoed as part of her birthday celebrations. Dylan hasn’t met Emily before, but knows that she will be blindfolded and easy to pick out of the crowd. He’s surprised to be so attracted to someone he’s never met before, and can’t resist stealing a kiss when he pulls her close enough. She isn’t very appreciative of his kissing and manages to get in a few kicks to his shins before he lets her go. The crowd in the bar goes wild! What she doesn’t realize is that he’s the man going to show up the next day to fix the damage vandals did to her store. She’s far too hung over from her birthday celebration to deal with him again so soon without kissing him.
Dylan is young and has the tenacity of the Irish, not to mention their ability to charm. Emily is out of a bad marriage with a man who strayed, and not interested in dipping her toes in the relationship pool again so soon! The problem is her grandmother claims that she is destined to marry an Irishman and have twins. She try to outsmart her destiny by marrying an Italian man first time around, but now finds herself confronted by an Irishman that she can’t seem to resist!
This is a great steamy story! The characters are well written and work well together. The interaction between them has enough conflict to keep the reader entertained and moving forward with the story. I’ve been reading alot of historical lately, and enjoyed the change up with this contemporary romance. I’ve always been a sucker for a story with cowboys and horses and this story did not disappoint. Although it is part of a trilogy, I didn’t have any trouble reading this book without having read the first book in the series. I am looking forward to reading both the first book and the third book so stay tuned for more reviews from this author.
Related articles
- The Allure of Cowboys by C.H. Admirand (and GIVEAWAY!) (lauragerold.blogspot.com)
- Contest & Interview with Contemporary Romance Author of The Secret Life of a Cowboy Trilogy, C.H. Admirand (romanticcrushjunkies.com)
- Review of Dylan by C. H. Admirand (vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com)
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Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Welcome also to Series Sunday – the day of the week where we look at a series of books that I’m reading. Today we are revisiting a series that is just ending.
Don’t we wish that our favorite authors could write faster?
The Hellions of Halstead Hall is Sabrina Jeffries latest series. The first book was published in January of 2010 and I’ve just gotten a copy of the last book of this series. I thought I’d repost the reviews that I’ve already posted, and talk about this series as a group.
The Hellions are a collection of 5 siblings who lost both their parents to what was assumed to be a murder/suicide, but as we work through the books, we find out more about this. The siblings are raised by their maternal grandmother, Hetty Plumtree, a no nonsense woman who owns a brewery. The series starts with the story of Oliver, the Marquess of Stoneville.
The Truth About Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries
ISBN: 978-1-4391-6751-9
Publisher: Pocket Books Romance
Released: January 2010
Source: I purchased this book to read and review
The oldest of the scandalous Sharpes—five hell-raising siblings tainted still by the gossip surrounding the “accidental” deaths of their parents two decades ago-—Oliver Sharpe, the Marquess of Stoneville, like his brothers and sisters, has lived life on his own terms. In his case, as an unrepentant rakehell. Or so life had played out until Grandmother Hetty got a bee in her bonnet. Now the five Sharpe siblings face a daunting ultimatum: Marry by year’s end—or kiss their inheritance good-bye.
Oliver vows to fulfill the bargain in true Sharpe style—by bringing home a fake fiancé from a brothel! But his scheme backfires when he foils a robbery and rescues an American beauty instead. Maria Butterfield came to London to find her missing fiancé, but her prior engagement won’t stop Oliver from getting what he wants: Maria in his bed. His rebellious charade may just call Hetty’s bluff, but not before it become all too real—stirring up a love that tempts him to be a hellion no more.
The Truth About Lord Stoneville is the first book in Sabrina Jeffries’ latest series of books. Being a long time fan of Sabrina Jeffries, I snapped up the first book when it hit the shelves and sat and read it in one (long) afternoon!
Sabrina Jeffries fans may recognize that Lord Stoneville is a character from the School of Heiress series. (Ms. Jeffries talks about how many requests she got to write Lord Stoneville’s story in an interview I’ve read)
Oliver Sharpe, the Marquess of Stoneville is the eldest of 5 siblings who lost their parents early. He and his siblings are raised by their grandmother, Hetty Plumtree. It is now 20 years after the day that the parents died. The death was the great scandal of the time, but the actual details of the day their parents died seems to be somewhat of a question. Oliver, as the eldest, bore much of the scandal. He was sent away to boarding school – and we readers of historical romances know how nasty boys at boarding school can be!
Oliver’s grandmother, Hetty, is tired of waiting for her grandchildren to marry and has decided to issue an ultimatum: If they don’t all marry by the time she dies, none of them will see any of her money. Oliver decides to teach his grandmother a lesson in meddling by choosing his bride from a brothel! He has no real interest in actually getting married as he has learned from the horrible example his parents set.
Maria Butterfield is an American who has come to England to track down her missing fiance. She has a run in with Oliver at a whorehouse and decides to take him up on his offer: his help finding her missing fiance for posing as his wife to be. Really, how hard could it be??
The resulting story is hilarious at times, heart wrenching at times, and overall an excellent read!
The character of Maria’s cousin Freddy is wonderfully written. He is so wanting to be a protector. I can see him like a little puffed up robin trying to protect his chick! He would just blurt out whatever was on his mind. So funny! The various parts that dealt with Oliver’s parents’ deaths were absolutely painful. I found myself hurting for that little boy left in that situation, and cheering for him to recover under the ministrations of Maria.
Although I haven’t met a Sabrina Jeffries book I don’t like, I really enjoyed reading this first look at the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. The characters, whether likable or not so likable are well written and well developed. The love scenes steam my glasses, and I find myself lost in another world a mere few pages after beginning. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
Cruise over to Sabrina Jeffries’ website to read more on this series of books and come back next week for the next book in the series!
Related articles
- Early Review: To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries (csilibrarian.wordpress.com)
- TO WED A WILD LORD by Sabrina Jeffries…review…. (mybookaddictionreviews.wordpress.com)
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