Got the final galley from The Wild Rose Press for Cruel Charade today…probably means a summer release. Been working on this one for four years. *sigh*
But COMING SOON.
Miami attorney Bet Lenard has had a rough year. She’s battling an unknown illness that drives her to drink to cope with her pain. Her lawyer husband has divorced her and taken the best part of their business, their home and their children. On the night of May 16, 1996, Bet finds herself in the Everglades in the middle of the night, drugged, lost and next to a burned car with a dead body in it.
Hoping she’s hit bottom, Bet must drag herself out of her living hell and discover who tried to kill her. Was it her ex-husband, not satisfied with stealing everything that mattered? An angry client, unhappy with the outcome of their case? Her best friend’s husband, livid that Bet’s restraining order kicked him out of her life forever? Police officers fuming that Bet helped a client convict a dirty cop who was their friend? She has no idea.
As she tries to sort out the motives behind her would-be killer, even more suspects come to light. The only thing keeping Bet sane is her relationship with her therapist, who encourages her to struggle and survive, despite everything that’s gone wrong. How will Bet discover the truth and bring her enemy to justice before they strike again and, this time, succeed?
Thanks, N.N. Light’s Heaven for selecting REMNANTS OF FIRE asBest Fiction Book reviewed in 2023! In a previous version, this story languished in a small publishing house that never really wanted it. But after some redding up, now it’s an award winner! Check out the excerpt, and enjoy!
Looking for a fresh start, Sara Woods takes a job as a news reporter in a small town. Her first assignment for the Ralston Courier is to investigate of a string of deaths, all young women, all her age.
To deal with chronic back pain, she seeks help at a local healing center. She soon becomes convinced that there is something strange about the Goldstone Clinic. Its doctors and nurses are all the picture of perfect beauty and health, while their patients at first seem to improve and then mysteriously deteriorate.
Dr. Rick Paulsen, a physician at the local hospital, offers to teach Sara how to access her internal power, enhancing hidden skills and revealing secrets from her past.
Police officer Brendon Zale also takes an interest in Sara, watching her every move.
The deeper she digs into the Goldstone, the harder it is to deny links to the paranormal. Can she figure out what is going on and who to trust before it’s too late?
Click here for buy links, excerpt, information, video, and reviews:
I try not to be super “HEY LOOK AT ME!!!” here, even though I suppose that’s what the purpose of the blog is. LOL. But on this occasion, I just can’t help it.
I chose to ask for my rights back for three of my books that had been with diverse small press that were not helping me sell books, or even listing them correctly at Amazon. Tired of being the red-headed step-child, if you will, I found a new publishing home, totally rewrote them and got them on the publishing track again.
One of the three is supernatural thriller REMNANTS OF FIRE, which came out in September from Dragonfly Publishing.
Here’s the story: Looking for a fresh start, Sara Woods takes a job as a news reporter in a small town. Her first assignment for the Ralston Courier is to investigate of a string of deaths, all young women, all her age. To deal with chronic back pain, she seeks help at a local healing center. She soon becomes convinced that there is something strange about the Goldstone Clinic. Its doctors and nurses are all the picture of perfect beauty and health, while their patients at first seem to improve and then mysteriously deteriorate. Dr. Rick Paulsen, a physician at the local hospital, offers to teach Sara how to access her internal power, enhancing hidden skills and revealing secrets from her past. Police officer Brendon Zale also takes an interest in Sara, watching her every move. The deeper she digs into the Goldstone, the harder it is to deny links to the paranormal. Can she figure out what is going on and who to trust before it’s too late?
Still wondering? Don’t take my word for it– after multiple 5-star reviews, the book has been nominated for Fiction Book of the Year at well-known review site N.N. Light’s Book Heaven. We’ll know next week how we did, but I’m beyond excited.
Stay tuned for updates. And please let your friends and family know about this book. Better yet, it’s on sale for those with ereaders from now through December 31 at smashwords for 99 cents!! As my dad used to say, you can’t beat that with a stick! Although I don’t know why you’d want to… he said a lot of weird things, come to think of it.
ANYWAY. Please check out the book, now that it’s done right. Thanks, readers, and Happy Holidays!
Just in time for the season–a collection of bright novellas and short stories to decorate your holiday mood. Author C.L. Hart shares her story UNEXPECTED ANGELS and the rest of the volume with us today. Check out the contents:
Book Blurb:
Bake your cookies, light some candles, trim your trees, and be enchanted with thirteen sweet-to-spicy Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s novellas that will sweep you from colonial days to contemporary times—each bearing a gift of happily-ever-after grand finales. This joyous collection is…
A Winter Mating by Lia Davis. He returns to Willow Glen with one goal, to claim his mate. Convincing her that she belongs to him will be his toughest challenge, but he’s not above using seduction to get what he wants.
One Night at Christmas by Danica Winters. As the busy owner of a veterinary clinic, Emily Avery always has her hands full of puppies but empty of the one thing she really isn’t sure she wants anyway—a man. When the kind-hearted Derek Night makes an emergency call to help his mom’s naughty pup, they both must step outside of their shells and let the magic of Christmas and one mischievous pup bring them together.
The Christmas Crash by Tessa Lyons. Sparks fly when a relentless optimist and a grieving veterinarian are snowed in together at Christmas. Can they rediscover the magic of the season and find love in the most unexpected place?
His Christmas Date by Sara J. Walker. In this heartwarming story of seasoned romance, Dino Dudley and Hilde McQuire must navigate family drama and their own emotional baggage to find true love.
Jordyn’s Christmas Gift by Marie Morton. Jordyn Billings, a busy marketing executive, is gifted a holiday getaway to Chateau D’Or by her family, where she discovers an unforgettable and life-changing Christmas gift.
Four Chanukahs and a Wedding by Merrie Angel. Widowed and alone in 1973, Millie explores a professional photographer’s life, and stumbles upon Adam–an insatiable adventure seeker related to Jackie Kennedy. Will they find a way to ignite a flame that burns far beyond Millie’s expectations and set ablaze their own festival of lights?
Recipe for Romance by Gloria Ferguson. Ashley McClain wants to win the Holiday Bake-Off with her late mom’s cupcake recipe. Can she join forces with her friend and neighbor to claim the prize and a bit of romance just in time for Christmas?
Before the Rising Sun by V.L. Czerny. Their romance blighted at a colonial ball, Gertrude and Nicholas, forgetting their past acquaintance, are maneuvered by the Christmas spirit to set love loose and so refashion time’s expected plans.
Unexpected Angels by C.L. Hart. Sometimes the best things come together when everything is falling apart.
Christmas Market Magic by Tessie Benton. Sydney Hawthorne hires an escort for a business date, but he’s not what he appears to be, and their mutual deception sparks desire while careers hang in the balance.
A Merry White Christmas by Sally Murphy. Merry London, tasked with organizing an opulent Christmas ball for the McPhersons, faces an unexpected challenge in the form of Joel McPherson, whose fiery charm threatens to melt her icy exterior and unravel her meticulously laid plans.
Lavender and Love Restored by M.J. Gates. Chief architect Jess Carlson is restoring a haunted historic hotel and helping a friendly spirit while reclaiming her life and love before the hotel’s grand reopening on New Year’s Eve.
Marry Me by Midnight by Leah Miles. Navy SEAL Kendall Nelson can’t manage a successful proposal, and single mom Luisa Sanchez has no time for romance.
Proceeds benefit the First Coast Romance Writers, an independent non-profit organization helping writers hone their craft and expand their knowledge of the publishing industry.
BUY LINK AT AMAZON
Here’s an excerpt from UNEXPECTED ANGELS:
“Gran, is Helen feeling up to joining us for dinner tonight, or should I fix her a tray with soup and crackers?”
A sturdy woman in her early thirties stood in the doorway of a large, cluttered kitchen filled with various cooking implements and both working and non-working appliances. She wore a goldenrod-hued apron with an image of a large lemon on the front over a short-sleeved red flannel shirt and black leggings. She reached up to run her hand over her metallic silver pixie shag and groaned.
“Crumbs—now my head is going to smell like French fried onions,” she sighed.
“Are we having a Thanksgiving-style dinner, Dear?” an older woman dressed in black jodhpurs and a short-sleeved black sweater with a white lace collar inquired. The lady’s cheap-looking bouncy black bob wig sat cockeyed on her head.
“Miss Helen, your…” the younger woman started, unconsciously gesturing at her own head. When the lady gave her a puzzled look, she changed the direction of her conversation.
“I’m glad you’re up and about,” she said. “Will you be joining us for dinner?”
“Well, Darling, as my Pete always said, I haven’t a bigger appetite than a bird. Though I did read in one of those clever books written by that delightful science gentleman that birds eat their weight in food every day. If I might just have a yam and a garden salad, that will be enough for this old girl.”
“Come, Helen, your coif is askew. Let’s get you fixed up,” a second elderly lady suggested, turning to give her granddaughter a conspiratorial wink. The younger woman mouthed the words “thank you,” and returned to dinner preparations.
“Where has that grandson of yours gotten off to, Rana?” the first woman inquired.
Author bio and links
About the Author:
C. L. Hart, the owner and sole employee of Naughty Netherworld Press, is spoken of in hushed tones. She is described as The Mad Scribe of the Northeastern Colorado Plains, The Terrible Old Woman, and The Author That Should Not Be.
When not penning sanity-destroying works of dystopian fiction, Lovecraftian fantasy, or old-school horror with the occasional sweet romance thrown in to upset the cosmic apple cart, Ms. Hart enjoys creating baked goods she hopes will be considered palatable.
Ms. Hart shares a home in a remote rural town of 134 souls with her adult son and three cats. Her sense of fashion is best described as Early Twenty-First Century Unmade Bed. This disabled former nurse can usually be found arguing with herself about subplots or rehabilitating eldritch horrors.
Thanks, Karina Bartow, 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.
On a professional level, I’ve been writing novels for fifteen years and have been traditionally published five times since 2015. I’m living in my childhood home in northern Ohio and am an auntie or “Nin Nin” to two. I also have a very spoiled and feisty parakeet.
Are you a coffee fiend, or do you have another “addiction” you must have on your desk at all times?
Coffee all the way, specifically iced mochas.
Is your education relevant to your writing, or have you branched off in something entirely different to create? How would you best describe your books?
I didn’t attend college, but I trained to be a bridal consultant back in the day. Deep down, though, I always wanted to write, so I also took some honors writing classes in high school. My bridal consultant course gave me a few good tips about sculpting family drama in my plots!
I’ve written a mix of mysteries and love stories. In all of them, I try to entertain readers as well as make them feel something. I also like to add laughter here and there.
Tell us about your most recent publication.Accidental Allies is the third installment of the Unde(a)feated Detective Series , which follows deaf detective Minka Avery. In its forerunner, Minka left the police force to be a stay-at-home mom to her daughter, Caela. Accidental Allies jumps ahead about four years, with Caela starting kindergarten. Conveniently, a position for a detective at her former precinct opens up, paving the way for her to return to the career she loves. She doesn’t have a very quiet reunion, however, as the county courthouse is bombed the night before she reports for duty.
What inspired you to write this story? What interesting thing did you learn or research to write it that you didn’t know before?
When I decided to bring Minka back to the police force in Accidental Allies, I wanted her return to be suspenseful, much like her departure was in Husband in Hiding. Thus, I set it around an explosion. You can’t get much more action-packed than that, right? Given the crux of the plot revolves around a bombing, most of my research pertained to that…to my mother’s chagrin! I won’t elaborate on what I learned in doing so, but considering I only have one working hand with very little coordination, everyone can rest assured I won’t be putting my knowledge to use!
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?
At its heart, the Unde(a)feated Detective Series is about family, and Accidental Allies stays true to that, with an emphasis on friendship. I really enjoyed paying homage to a few of my cherished friendships. As far as a special memory goes, I was able to scout out the area of Orlando around the courthouse and its surroundings, which was fun. We even ate at the diner I feature, so my research was full-sensory.
What do you most like about writing? Least like? When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
I love being able to create your own world, and there’s no right or wrong—just room for improvement. The part of the gig I don’t particularly love is marketing and self-promotion because it’s really out of my comfort zone.
I first knew I wanted to be an author when I was nine years old, after my mom took me to meet a children’s book author at our local library. Her passion for writing rubbed off on me, so that became my dream from then on.
Do you belong to any writing groups? Are there any writing websites you find particularly useful?
No, I don’t belong to any per-say, but I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with other authors, such as TG Wolff on her Mysteries to Die For podcast and book series. I also subscribe to Authors online magazine and AuthorsPublish.com for new opportunities and helpful tips.
Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? How does it inspire you?
I love music, but I can’t write with it on. I like to focus on one thing at a time. However, I was listening to a fairly unknown Daughtry song called “Undefeated” as I mulled over what to name my series, and it hit me—The Unde(a)feated Detective Series!
Do you belong to a critique group? What do you find most valuable about the experience? I’ve always been a bit insecure about my writing, so a critique group terrifies me. My family isn’t even allowed to read my books before they’re published. That said, I’ve entrusted an astute and beloved former teacher of mine to read my work before I submit it to anyone, and her guidance has benefitted me immensely. She even impelled me to write my 2022 love story, Wrong Line, Right Connection.
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?
Husband in Hiding, my debut novel, was the third book I’d written but the first one that I took seriously about publishing. I submitted it to 120 publishers and agents, receiving fifty rejections and the rest going unanswered before I landed an acceptance letter. I think the key was persistence as well as taking into account the few suggestions that were offered to me. In the four books published since then, thankfully, I haven’t racked up rejections like that. I’ve still had to change publishers a couple of times.
What are you writing now? What’s next for you—will you be making personal appearances anywhere our readers can find you?
I’m working on another novel in the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, as well as two mini-installments in the form of short stories for TG Wolff’s Mysteries to Die For series. Anything else you would like to add?
Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!
My latest book, Serpent’s Kiss, is dedicated to my father. He has been gone for for nearly fifteen years, but I still feel his presence, every day. During the time since his passing, the pain of loss has healed. I’ve come to understand that he’ll always be with me, in my memories and in my heart.
More than any other individual, it was my dad who inspired me to read, and to write. He had the gift of words, and passed it on to his children. I recall him reading aloud to my siblings and me, folk tales, fairy stories, adventures like Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe. He told his own stories, too, inventing worlds and characters for our pleasure. There were the Gulkons, terrible demons who lived in the fire on the hearth, and Houligan, the god of snow. (I grew up in chilly, stormy New England.) I still remember sitting spellbound while Dad recounted his story of the hapless wizard Thomas Carl Sefney who had to touch his wand to every one of the monster’s thousand tentacles before it consumed him.
Both my parents encouraged me to write. My first poems date from about third grade. During my childhood I wrote fantasies about Martians and ghosts, and plays about the Beatles and politics. In my adolescence, too shy to speak to any of my crushes, I poured out my adoration in anguished free verse. In my twenties and thirties, I wrote science fiction and first tried my hand at romance. Finally, in my forties, I actually managed to publish something (other than in my high school newspaper). My first thought was to call my father.
My dad and I shared favorite books, characters and authors. When he and I got talking about Sherlock Holmes or Frodo Baggins, H.P. Lovecraft or Edgar Allen Poe or Anne Rice, the rest of the family would roll their eyes and leave us to our obsessions. I never had any difficulty figuring out what gift to get him for his birthday or Father’s Day. There was always some book that I had seen or heard about that I knew he’d love.
I never did introduce him to my erotica, though. I was so tempted to show him the pile of paperbacks with my name on the cover, the multiple volumes I had penned or edited. I wanted to autograph him a copy of my first novel, telling him how much he had contributed to my literary endeavors. I wanted him to be proud. However, I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. I recalled the way he reacted when I gave him Anne Rice’s BDSM classic The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty – an embarrassed grin and a “oh, that’s interesting”. We didn’t discuss that book much. Though I would have welcomed the opportunity to open up to him about my own pursuits in the world of sex and sensuality, dominance and submission, I sensed that he would rather not know.
I guess that there are just some things you can’t share with your parents, no matter how close you are. But at very least, I can acknowledge him as my lifelong inspiration.
OUR STORY:
When a woman atoning for past sins heals the human avatar of an ancient god, she’s drawn into a perilous dance of destiny and desire.
From the first, Dr. Elena Navarro senses that the wounded man she discovers outside the gate of her rural clinic is not an ordinary mortal. With his chest ripped open, Jorge Pélikal still demonstrates unnatural strength and power. Elena is irresistibly attracted to Jorge, although he warns her their coupling could open the gates of chaos and cost her life. Despite his dire predictions, they fall in love. Gradually Elena comes to understand that Jorge is a supernatural player in a cosmic drama that will determine the fate of the earth and of mankind—and that even if he triumphs in his apocalyptic struggle with his nemesis, she may lose him forever.
Note: Serpent’s Kiss was previously published by Totally Entwined. This new edition has been re-edited, revised and expanded.
Reader Advisory: This book may not be appropriate for individuals with a fear of snakes.
Excerpt :
“Doctora!” The voice rose out of the darkness—the voice of the man who had vanished that morning from a sealed room, leaving no trace but a brilliant, multi-colored feather. As if conjured by her thoughts, Jorge Pélikal emerged from the shadows. He waited at the foot of the steps, mutely requesting her permission to ascend.
He looked far healthier than when she had seen him last. His step was firm and strong, with no indication that he was in pain. His hair cascaded over his shoulders, gleaming in the light of the rising moon. She could not see his face—he was still too distant—but she could smell him. Vanilla and wood-smoke—the same scents that were evoked by the mysterious token she had found under the bed.
He was dressed in rough-woven trousers and a peasant’s cotton tunic, all in white. His skin, in contrast, was a deep cocoa-brown.
Elena’s heart rose into her throat. He was beautiful. He was dangerous—she sensed this—not because of what he might do, but because of who he was. But who exactly was he?
“Jorge! Why did you run away?” She gestured for him to join her on the porch. In an instant, he stood in front of her, a half-smile on his full lips.
He grasped her hands. His skin was cool now, and moist like the jungle night. His fever is gone, she thought gratefully. Joy bubbled up in her chest. She almost laughed. She had thought that she would never see him again.
“I had no choice. I was in grave danger. And by remaining in your clinic, I was placing you in danger.”
“Moving when your chest has been ripped open and is held together by nothing more than a few feeble stitches wasn’t exactly the safest thing to do,” she scolded. “But I’m happy to see that you’re so much better.”
“Much better, thanks to you…Elena.” He squeezed her hands. Desire raced through her, sharp, irrational, irresistible. “I’m sorry that I had to return and place you at risk once again. But I left something behind. Something important.”
“I know. I have it, hidden safely away.”
He searched her face, apparently trying to determine how much she knew about the feather. “Give it to me, then, and I’ll leave you in peace.”
“No.”
“What?”
“No—I don’t want you to go. I’ll give you the feather, but only if you promise to spend the night with me.” Listening to herself, Elena was appalled. What was she saying?
She had not planned this. She was keeping the feather for him and had honestly intended to return it. But now she wanted him, with a single-mindedness that drove out all reason. She would do anything to satisfy this uncharacteristic craving. She could not let him escape again.
He cupped her cheek in one of his strong brown hands. Elena nearly swooned.
“You don’t know what you’re asking. It’s not possible.”
“I know what I want. What I need. And I won’t return the feather until you give it to me.”
He removed his hand, leaving her mourning for his touch. “I could force you.” Though his voice was soft, his words rang with power.
“Go ahead and try.” Elena’s words were defiant, but there were tears in her eyes.
“You don’t understand what you ask. If we couple, you and I, we will open the gates of chaos.” He hovered close, leaning over her, gazing into her eyes. His scent made her dizzy.
“I don’t care. So be it.”
“No. I dare not, Señora.” Taking a step backward, he glanced around the porch, as if seeking a way to push past her and enter the clinic. She moved to block the door, legs apart and hands on her hips.
Perplexity marked his handsome features. She didn’t doubt he was strong enough to physically overpower her, but he seemed reluctant to do so.
“Please.” Now his voice held a note of supplication. “Be reasonable, Elena.”
“Don’t you want me?”
“What I want does not matter. I must do my duty and refuse you. The tasks before me will be difficult enough without the distraction of love.”
Love? That wasn’t what she was asking for, was it? The desire that raged through her seemed as far from love as a fierce hurricane from a gentle spring shower. At the same time, her intuition told her that a single night in Jorge’s arms would never be enough.
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, LGBTQ, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Who wants to tour a haunted hotel? You should all have your hand up! After all, it’s Halloween season.
While I write paranormal mysteries that are pure fiction, I love a good ghost story based on reality. My tour of The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, fed those cravings. I’ll tell you upfront that I did not see any spirits with my own eyes (insert disappointed foot stomp here), but the whole time spent had a spooky vibe, which I loved.
The first surprise about the hotel is that it’s a stone’s throw from the town of Estes Park. As hauntingly beautiful the drive to The Overlook Hotel is depicted in Stephen King’s The Shining, it is not off by its lonesome. Rolling up to the actual structure, however, wiped away any disappointment as the hotel is simply majestic.
Of course, there were many touches referring back to the original movie, despite not being filmed there. It surprised me to hear from the tour guide that Stephen King and his family only spent a single night. The author received enough inspiration from the setting and the stories told by the staff that he wrote the novel.
My tour guide not only believed in spirits, but related personal encounters she’d had at The Stanley. She also shared pictures of apparitions that were sent to her from previous guests. Room 217 has been renamed after the famous writer who stayed there, and reservations for the suite are booked out two years. The only paranormal experience I had took place in a large room on the ground floor, which had once been the bar. Immediately upon entering, most guests (myself included) felt a heaviness to the air.
Many of the historical facts about the two Stanley brothers, who built the structure, can be found online. My attraction for the place lies in the paranormal aspects attributed to the hotel. As a writer, much of my own inspiration comes from places I’ve lived or visited. Every trip I take leads me to create plot lines, scenes, and even mishaps which could find their way to the pages of my books.
Today’s release of Manatee Soul, The Marni Legend Series Book 2, came about from a girls’ trip to Crystal River, FL. My two main characters, Marni and her sister, Gloria, participate in some of the tourist activities I enjoyed. While my travel companion and I both willingly ventured into the water, Gloria didn’t have quite the same enthusiasm, as you’ll discover. Add in Phil, a snarky ghost demanding the sisters’ attention, and you’ll embark on quite the aquatic adventure.
Book & Author Details:
Title: Manatee Soul
Author: Terry Segan
Blurb:
Marni Legend has embarked on the most perilous journey of her life—a vacation with her sister. The women are like two peas in a pod, providing each pod came from a different mother ship. One day into their Florida adventure, Marni questions her choice of travel partner. Gloria strives to understand her carefree younger sibling while kayaking and snorkeling without chipping a nail.
With nothing but eternity on his hands, Phil insists the sisters resolve the circumstances of his untimely demise. The wise-cracking spirit leads them on a trail filled with bartenders, bikers, and the promise of a hidden treasure.
Her greatest challenge will either be enduring a week with Gloria or surviving the thugs searching for the stolen booty. Can Marni figure out who to trust, who to avoid, and who she’d most likely want to be trapped alone in an elevator with?
EXCERPT
“What’s wrong? Can’t hold your liquor?” Phil quirked from beside the outer rail.
“You are not allowed to comment,” Gloria rasped.
“Why not? This is terribly amusing.” Phil stood with arms crossed.
“We went to the bar because of you,” Gloria said.
“And did I make you down several beers and shots of tequila?” Phil asked.
Gloria put a palm to her forehead. “Can you talk quieter? I can’t handle shouting right now.”
Phil snickered.
“Phil, give her a break. She’s not used to playing the wild girl.”
“And I’m not used to playing the dead guy. Guess we all have our issues. At least she’ll recover from hers.”
She sucked down more soda. “Why is he still here?”
“Because you haven’t helped me to move on. You really are slacking on your responsibilities.” He shook his head.
Letting out a loud gasp, Gloria said, “I don’t mean here, like still on this planet. I mean why are you still here on our balcony? If you don’t stop prattling, my head will explode.”
Phil rubbed his hands together. “Now that would be fun to watch. And by the way, I do not prattle.”
“Just let me die in peace.” Did she end that comment with a growl?
“If that were to happen, then we’d be together for eternity.” Phil clapped his hands together like an excited toddler. “Marni, quick, more tequila.”
Terry Segan, originally from Commack, NY, now resides in the desert where she’ll never require an ice scraper or snow shovel again. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries. Growing up immersed in sarcastic humor and science fiction movies, Terry’s goals are to cause her readers to laugh out loud, cry with joy, or cower under the covers wondering if the noise under the bed was real or imagined.
In my latest book, REMNANTS OF FIRE, one of the clues Sara Woods has to use in her investigation of the Goldstone Clinic is the history of the lead doctor, Francesca Ruprei. From the first moments Sara enters the clinic, she is struck by paintings which were made by the doctor.
“Abstract oil paintings lined the walls, bearing angry, thick strokes of paint, jagged thrusts in vertical lines of red, gray and black. I did not like them in the least, but they were strangely compelling. I had to tear my eyes away.”
Is it possible that the doctor encoded these paintings with magic commensurate with her own powers? Why else would someone have such a visceral reaction?
Looking through some pictures this week at Depositphotos.com, I came across these examples, finding them quite like what I had in mind. What do you think?
Welcome sister lawyer author Seelie Kay and her latest, SAINT CON!! Let’s get to know her first.
Q. Why do you write romance? It began as a way to relieve the stress of a career as a lawyer/journalist and dealing with MS “on the side.” Writing has always been my outlet and the best way to break away from reality for a bit was to write romance. Plus, I love happy endings. I get rather emotional (yes, I’m a crier) but it’s a wonderful release. Q. Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero? I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a lawyer, a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, they have to be paired with strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love. And brains over brawn, every time! Q. Why did you write “Saint Con?” It all began when I woke up to an AMBER and SENIOR alert on my phone. For some reason, I began to wonder why I never saw an alert for an able-bodied adult gone missing. I did a little research and found that in WI, only proof of harm or the passage of 72 hours will trigger a missing person’s investigation. The burden of finding an able-bodied adult falls on friends and family. That just seems wrong, because most people don’t have the skill or resources to conduct an investigation. However, as you learn from crime shows, the first 72 hours are critical to gathering evidence and finding a missing person. Suddenly, I had the plot, and I knew I wanted to incorporate a character I had been playing with, a street lawyer for the homeless. “Saint Con” was born. Q. You pretty much use lawyers as your main characters. Why? It’s what I know. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great stories. Even in this book, I find a way to explore social and criminal justice issues.
It was a night dreams are made of, until the man of Jessica Knight’s dreams disappears.
Genre: Romantic Suspense
It was a night dreams are made of, until the man of Jessica Knight’s dreams disappears.
When self-proclaimed good girl Jessica Knight literally bumps into apparent bad boy Connor O’Brien in a suburban Milwaukee wine bar, she is skeptical—of his intentions and the prospect for real love. A former priest, Saint Con is now a street lawyer for Milwaukee’s homeless. After a night of sizzling romance, Jess begins to thaw, and in the days that follow, she is so charmed by Con that she allows herself to start falling in love. Unfortunately, on their first real date, Con fails to appear. Jess doesn’t know if she’s been ghosted or if Con was unavoidably detained, but she leaves their meeting spot devastated.
Until she discovers that Con is missing. Really missing.
The police won’t help because he’s not a vulnerable adult nor is there proof that he has been harmed. So, it falls to Jess and her friends to find him. After surmounting numerous obstacles, Con is finally found, gravely injured and in a coma. Suddenly, it appears a promising love match may be over before it really began.
Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes scintillating tales of lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.
Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in more than 24 works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.
When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!
Shea O’Bannon feels like a fifth wheel around her romantically paired-off friends, but there’s too much slime in the dating pool for her to bother with it. Then she sees her two-timing ex, Trevor Madero, serenading the mostly female crowd at a live-music bar. God knows trouble follows him around, but her desire for him rushes back in anyway. After he rescues her from a handsy drunk, temptation takes over.
Determined to prove he never stepped out on Shea, Trevor slides back into her life—and her heart—with forever in mind. Even with the wall he keeps up to protect her, his secret criminal life weighs heavy on his soul and drives a wedge between them.
When the truth comes out and his enemies target them both, they’ll have to fight for their love, or kiss it goodbye.
Tagline: Will the truth send her running, or will she fight for the man she loves?
EXCERPT:
Trevor cracked the billiard balls with a hard, steady strike of the cue and grinned as two strips landed in the corner pocket. As Radster grumbled a curse, Trevor circled the green-felt pool table in the back of Slayers and twitched his nose from the godawful stench of beer, body odor, and cigarette smoke. He narrowed his gaze and blocked out the blaring sound of thrash metal coming from the stereo as he took the shot. The cue ball hit the eleven red-striped ball at the perfect angle, but a solid followed the eleven home into the middle pocket.
“Too bad, Alto. Let a master show you how it’s done.” Radster chalked his cue from across the pool table and struck three solids into the pockets. “Beat that, man.”
Damn. Trevor eyed the one hundred dollars on the edge of the pool table that he’d laid down for the bet. Radster could kick anyone’s ass at pool, but once he got a few beers in him, his winning streak always turned south. Had he not drunk enough? Trevor glanced at their booth where a dozen empty bottles cluttered the tabletop.
K-Pic and his latest flavor of the month made out hot and heavy on the bench seat as though Trevor, Radster, and a dozen-plus pricks in leather and dog chains weren’t hanging out in the seedy bar. Some of the bikers were getting busy with their chicks, too, and giving everyone else a show.
He turned back to the game as Radster missed what should’ve been an easy shot.
“Aw, hell.” Radster ran his hand over his short hair.
“Perhaps you should have another beer?” Trevor examined the placement of the balls. “It might clear your head.”
“Screw you, dude.”
Trevor chuckled and aimed his cue. The hair on his nape prickled. He looked up and spotted Shea a few feet away near the long, scratched-up counter that stretched along the right side of the room. Shock sucker-punched him. He fell against the table and accidentally took his shot. The cue ball went wide and hit one of Radster’s balls that bounced off the edge. His pal laughed in triumph, but Trevor didn’t care. He stomped to Shea.
“What are you doing here?” He gripped the cue so hard his knuckles smarted. “How did you find me?”
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
Alana Lorens, author 