It’s official–PROPHECIES AND PROMISES releases May 30!
Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her?
Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission.
A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.
The book will be available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the usual indie stores by special order.
When Elias Król competed in the El Paso Decathlon on an August day in 1978, he was proud to take first place. Little did he know the best prize wasn’t his hard-won trophy; it was the bond he would form with the sweet young woman taking his order at the fried chicken booth.
Madison Sanders wasn’t looking for love while working at her family’s concession stand, but love was about to find her in the form of a lanky red-haired athlete.
This short and sweet (5900 words) interracial romance with a guaranteed Happy Ever After is part of a developing series but it can also stand on its own. With a very low heat rating and no profanity, it is appropriate for both teen and adult readers.
Excerpt
When asked on his fortieth wedding anniversary what had initially attracted him to his wife, Elias Król did not hesitate to say that it was her smile. The Yoakam native had just taken first place in the decathlon at the big all-state track and field competition. Now it was time for him to relax and celebrate.
The smell wafting from the food vendor carts drew Elias in. He didn’t want to eat too much too quickly after his 1500-meter sprint, but he thought it would be nice to have a cool drink to sip and a little something to nibble on. The lanky ginger’s body was full of adrenaline and a welcome breeze made him feel like he was riding high on a cool wave above the clouds.
As he crested the hill approaching the food vendors, Elias heard melodic laughter, and that was when he saw her. He knew that the fare from Shack’s Famous Chicken was killer, but it wasn’t the tantalizing scent of savory meat moving his feet towards the booth. It was the glorious ebony queen’s enticing smile and welcoming aura.
She was a big girl, and as such Elias knew that she’d experienced more than her fair share of bullying, but it didn’t stop her from dishing up happiness with every order she served. Her co-workers were a melancholy young man who the kind-hearted angel was making it her mission to cheer up and an eager chap who had Down syndrome. Everyone who stopped at the booth left with a smile.
“I probably shouldn’t be eating fried chicken, but what the heck?” Elias reasoned. “She’s all lovely laughter and licorice, and I want to be close to her, even if only for a moment.”
C.L. Hart is a 57-year-old disabled former nurse living in a remote town on the plains of Northeastern Colorado with her adult son and three cats. When not writing gloomy Lovecraftian fantasy or doomy dystopian fiction with the occasional sweet romance thrown in to shake things up, Ms. Hart enjoys baking (results may vary) and drawing (admissibly badly.)
Welcome to sister Wild Rose Press author Darlene Deluca and her cookie collection book!
—“Here, let me take your coat. Just dump your bag. I’ve got tons of chocolate and snacks.” Helen steered Alana into the spacious great room, which opened into a fabulous light and airy kitchen. Alana loved her aunt’s home—old and stately on the outside but completely updated and contemporary on the inside.
“Wow, Aunt Helen, this is gorgeous. You didn’t tell me you changed your color scheme. That tree is amazing.” The towering Christmas tree shone with white lights and hues of blue plus silver and white. “It’s festive and, I don’t know, tranquil at the same time.”—
That’s one snippet from my new Christmas novella, Cookie Collision, just released by The Wild Rose Press. It’s a sweet romance that’s part of a 50-some collection of holiday stories that all feature a cookie theme.
Isn’t it amazing how every Christmas tree has its own look? Almost like snowflakes or a fingerprint, no two are exactly alike. A thousand people can start with the same basic tree with green branches and make it fit their personality, taste, style and decor.
When my husband and I first got married, we had no particular style. We bought basic glass balls for ornaments and hand strung popcorn-and-cranberry garland to decorate our early Christmas trees. (We didn’t have much money, either.) Through the years we changed it up. For a while, we chose a red and silver color scheme. Then we switched to a more sophisticated look with rose and gold ribbons and ornaments. Then one year I found some blue and green ornaments that I absolutely loved, and a whole new “look” was born.
I love seeing how people trim their trees—colored lights or white, solid or flashing, handmade ornaments from the kids or high-end designer baubles. In the last few years, I’ve seen a lot of fun trees in pink and white and some beautiful, more traditional trees in reds and golds, and it makes me wish I could have a different tree in every room!
Do you have a favorite theme or color scheme? I’d love to hear about them!
And here’s another little peek at Cookie Collision, my newly released Christmas cookie novella.
—“Ooh, I love these. Sweet and savory at the same time.” Alana picked up a pretzel rod dipped in dark chocolate and set it on a small dessert plate.
“Yeah, those are good, but I’m in the mood for something sweet.”
“I think I can help with that.” She plucked one of her frosted snowman cookies from the plate.
A slow smile spread across his face. “Nah, I’m going to need that red stocking.”
“Well, okay. Picky, picky.” She placed the snowman on her own plate and lifted the other one.
“Reminds me of you.”
Her brows pulled together, and she gave a little laugh. “A Christmas stocking? And why is that?”
“Reminds me of how we met.”
“Ah, yes. Those snazzy red slippers. Those are some keepers, for sure.” She remembered his warm hands on her leg as he’d gently slid the socks on. She glanced back and saw they were partially blocked from view by the Christmas tree.
Justin bit into the cookie and chewed. “Yeah, that’s good. But I was thinking of something even sweeter.” He pulled her closer and brushed a thumb across her cheek.
When her eyes fluttered closed, his lips covered hers, and she wound her arms around his neck. Mmmm. Sweet, indeed.—
Book Blurb:
Before she can let up and enjoy some holiday cheer, real estate agent Alana Drake has work to do. With Christmas moving in fast, she has clients to meet with, houses to show, and cookies to bake. Every open house deserves her special touch—homemade and hand-decorated sugar cookies for a warm welcome. And she needs several dozen for upcoming holiday events and open houses.
But a poorly timed stop at the grocery store could upend more than her bag of groceries. Running into Doctor Justin Teague—literally—shakes up Alana’s tidy world. The chance encounter leaves her with a bum ankle, forces her to reconsider some dating ideals, and reveals new information about a longtime nemesis.
When all she wanted was to bake some cookies…
Excerpt:
Justin moved into the room, set the things on a side table, and perched on a chair. Watching her, he could practically see the pain fade from her face. Her brow smoothed, and the tension he’d noticed around her lips disappeared. He fought the urge to brush a kiss across her forehead. She looked way too peaceful to disturb. But now what? Sit here and watch her sleep? Sneak out the door? He couldn’t leave it unlocked, and he had no idea whether she’d be down for the night or if she did power naps.
Finally, he took off his shoes and quietly padded to the kitchen to deal with supper. For now, everything could go in the fridge. Feeling like an intruder, he moved stealthily around her kitchen. With that task completed, he grabbed a newsmagazine from a basket and settled into a chair across from his patient…and/or dinner date.
Twenty minutes later, Alana stirred. She pulled up her arm and adjusted her position. Then her eyes opened.
“Hey,” Justin whispered.
She bolted upright. “Oh, my gosh. Justin. Did I fall asleep? I’m so sor—”
He held up a hand. “Shhh. No worries.” He handed her the glass of water and tablets. “Why don’t you take a couple of these then I’ll wrap your ankle.”
For him, the biggest issue was not the condition of her ankle but trying to stay in professional mode and ignore the feel of her smooth leg under his hands. Seated on the table in front of the sofa, he forced his eyes to focus on the strip of fabric as he wound it around both foot and ankle and secured it firmly. “How’s that feel?”
Alana nodded. “That’s amazing. It’s better already.” Luminous eyes met his. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Keeping it tight is the key.” He couldn’t help himself. He reached out and touched her hair. “Sorry you had a bad day.”
A light sparked in her eyes, and she sat straighter. “I didn’t have a bad day.”
Frowning, he cocked his head. “You didn’t? Looks like the ankle was, well, a big pain.”
She grinned. “It was. Except for this stupid ankle, I had a great day. I got two offers on the house, and another couple that’s interested is supposed to let me know tomorrow. That means we could have a bidding war and get more than our asking price. And that is a good thing.”
Justin couldn’t help laughing. He held up his hand for a high-five. “Very nice.” He loved her triumph-over-adversity attitude.
“Hey, food’s in the fridge. Easy to heat up whenever you’re ready.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.” She glanced toward the kitchen then met his eyes again. “Are you— Can you stay?”
He felt a pull deep inside as those questioning blue eyes leveled on him. Yeah, he wanted to stay.
Author bio:
Darlene Deluca writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction, and likes to explore relationships – what brings people together or keeps them apart.
Her intent is to bring to life interesting characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama (with perhaps a tear or two), and big helpings of friendship, love and self-discovery, and will leave readers either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as they turn the final page.
The Kansas City author enjoys getting lost in a good story with a glass of tea, a bit of dark chocolate and a warm, sunny beach.
Thanks for being with us today. First, would you tell us a bit about yourself? What area of the country do you live in, do you have a family, pets, etc.
I live on the Atlantic Coast of Canada with my husband and daughter. We also have a rambunctious three-year old Yellow Labrador.
Are you a coffee fiend, or do you have another “addiction” you must have on your desk at all times?
I don’t drink coffee or tea, but my go-to caffeine addiction is hot chocolate. I have a cup of hot chocolate every day, and my favorite is flavoured white hot chocolate.
Is your education relevant to your writing, or have you branched off in something entirely different to create?
I studied administration in school and followed that path in my career, which led to a position as Director of Administration and Marketing. My writing stemmed from English classes when we had to write essays on books.
How would you best describe your books?
Contemporary Sweet Romances.
Tell us about your most recent publication/whichever book you’d like to talk about today?
Cherry Red is about a woman who owns an ice cream business. Carly has no time in her life for a relationship…until Noah strides into her life and she is forced to pretend he is her boyfriend.
This summer, ice cream entrepreneur Carly Redd’s only focus is expanding her business—until she’s coerced into attending her ex’s engagement party. Showing up without a date is unthinkable. She reluctantly agrees to be escorted by her brother’s co-worker, although doing so breaks her rule of not dating firefighters.
The daughter of the town’s fire chief should wear a Do Not Touch sign, but firefighter Noah Harding’s interest blazed the moment he saw Carly. Agreeing to be her fake boyfriend is a no-brainer, but convincing Carly to trust him with her heart is harder than extinguishing a fire.
Overstepping the platonic-only rule is as dangerous as fire and ice swirling into a tempting combustion.
What inspired you to write this story? When I learned my publisher was looking for ice cream stories to fit their One Scoop Or Two series, I thought about the perfect storyline to fit the theme.
What interesting thing did you learn or research to write it that you didn’t know before?
Researching ice cream was so much fun!
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?
I love the characters I created from the main characters (Carly and Noah) to the whole cast. They were enjoyable to write about.
What do you most like about writing? Least like?
I like getting into the story and seeing the characters grow and interact. I don’t like editing. It’s painful and tedious.
When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
I wrote a short story for my high school English class and enjoyed developing the plot and characters.
Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? How does it inspire you?
I listen to the radio while writing. It’s on but not very loud. Music is very therapeutic.
Do you belong to a critique group? What do you find most valuable about the experience? I am part of a beta group. I don’t know what I would do without their input.
To encourage those still on the path, tell us a little about your path to publication. How many books have you published? How many books did you write before selling one? What do you think was the key to selling that first book?
The main thing is to stay positive, even when rejections hit hard. The key to selling my first book was perfecting the writing craft – reading and learning as much as I could. Cherry Red is my eighth published book
What are you writing now? What’s next for you—will you be making personal appearances anywhere our readers can find you? My ninth book, Finding Home Again, received a contract and is currently with the proof-reading department. Once proofing is done, it will be formatted, and I’ll receive a release date. I am writing book ten, which brings me back to Redford Falls.
Anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for the opportunity to share Cherry Red with your followers!
Bio: Darlene resides on the Atlantic Coast of Canada where the summers are too short, and the winters are too long. An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to develop the many stories coming to life in her head. She writes contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When not working on her next book, she can be found with her husband, her daughter, and her yellow Labrador. Darlene’s favourite pastime is taking summer daytrips to the Valley to soak in the small-town feel.
Alana Lorens, author 