Cold Nights and Hot Reads Blog Hop

Oh my! It snowed here in so east VA and I was so caught up in the beauty I forgot to set this up last night! How bad is that?

I'm also excited to let everyone know that my book Honorbound is also on sale at ARe during the blog hop! Here's the link.https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-honorbound-566009-143.html

So here's the excerpt I promised...the chance to win will be below it.

Hidden Desire:

Heather and Storm have had their looks altered and are trying out for a Elite security team.

Excerpt:

She sensed him before she saw him. He must have sensed her too, because she saw him looking around. A smile spread across his face when he spotted her. Great, he was going to give her location away. It surprised her when he disappeared from sight. Then she felt his breath on the back of her neck.

“I see you have waited for me.” He slipped his arms around her.

“Not for you, Luprin, but for my partner.”

He pressed a kiss against her mark. She sucked in her breath as her body tightened. “I see you also learned my name.”

“Those handhelds have all kinds of information if you know where to look for it.” She turned in his arms. “They also seem to know everything we’re doing.”

“You mean things like this?” He captured her lips with his, pulling her up against him as he deepened the kiss. His tongue dipped into her mouth, caressing and searching for hers. They got lost in the sensations for a moment. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “I wish I could take advantage of this, but we have jobs to do.”

“So I need to be careful of being alone or you might take advantage?” She looked up at him and smiled. “I guess I’m going to have to find spots like this more often. How many times can I push before you come through on your promise?”

He grinned. His fingers slid along the seals of her uniform, opening the upper section enough for him to slip his fingers inside. “Oh, my heart, if you want to challenge me you know I’ll take that challenge.”

She felt his caresses all along her upper torso and knew where he was headed. She stepped back, trying to get him to pull his hand out. “Okay! Time to get to the task at hand.”

“I am.” He captured her lips with his once more while his fingers slipped into her folds. Her breath shortened as those caresses caused her heart to beat faster and her desire to spike. “This is just a taste of what I want to do to you, but I want to take my time with you, find out what you like, get to know you as intimately as possible.”

“You aren’t fighting fair.” Her voice came out soft as his hand continued to work its magic.

“I know.” His voice deep because he was as affected as she was. “They will give us a safe place to sleep tonight. Wait for me and I’ll give you so much more.” Storm captured her lips once more before he released her so she could pull her uniform back together.

Heather took a moment to compose herself. “I will pay you back for that.”

“I sure hope so.” He grinned devilishly. He looked over her head for a moment. “Looks like your partner has arrived.”

Heather turned to look. Loki was standing in the center of the area searching for her. When she turned back to Storm, he was gone. A sigh escaped her as she caught Loli’s attention. The young woman joined her in her hiding place.

“Um, you didn’t seal your uniform right.”

Heather looked down and grinned. Her mate was the only one who could break through her control, and he was having a little too much fun with this. “Right.”

So I have two things I'm asking one is easy - Heather's is now known as Nusi - who is Luprin? 

The second one is I'm asking all entrants to follow my blog. 

See? Both are easy. The Prize? How about an electronic copy of one of the books in my series? That way if you have several you can choose the next one in the series you don't have?

Barb:)

contest is now over

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Brr...with all the snow and cold temperatures out there it's great to have a hot book to warm up with!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1f1a4a0822/

Comming up this weekend - Cold Nights...Hot Reads

Hi All!

I am participating in another Blog Hop through RHACafe, It starts on Thursday and runs through the first of March! We have some great prizes and wonderful authors participating. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to give away but I promise it will be good!

Hope to see you at the hop!

I will be giving a sneak peek of my new release...Hidden Desire

Meet my Latest Guest - Connie Vines!

I want to welcome Connie Vines. First, I'd love for you to introduce yourself.

Barbara, I’d like to thank both you and your blog followers and visitors for inviting me here today.

I reside deep in the quirky suburbs of Southern California in a butter-yellow house shaded by mimosa and magnolia trees with my husband.  I’ve published over one hundred fiction and nonfiction articles, eight genre novels and educational student activity books.  I have also worked as a ghostwriter of literary fiction and one screenplay.  I am a member of the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers. I’ve served on the executive board of the International Chapter of Romance Writers, and I am currently the president of the Gothic (GothRom) Chapter of Romance Writers.

Tell us about your latest release.

"Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow,” Book 1 of my Sassy & Fun Fantasy Series.

Blurb: Alive, Steampunk novelist Meredith Misso worked hard at living the perfect SoCal celeb life. Now that she is a Zombie, it’s all about the make-up, non-vegan lifestyle, and her soon-to-be ex, who somehow managed to Velcro himself back into her life.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

My favorite villain is the wicked witch of the west from "The Wizard of Oz".

Why is she my favorite villain? She covets (a vice both adults, and children, can identify and understand). She wants Dorothy’s ruby slippers and she will whatever she must. She is a real threat to everyone in Oz. The Wizard believes the Witch’s magic is so powerful that she could kill him if he goes near her.

The Wizard finally offers Dorothy a trip home if she will kill the Witch. That shows how loathsome she is to the embodiment of good in Oz. The Witch actively tries to kill Dorothy and Company several times, with wolves, bees, the winged monkeys, crows. She captures the Cowardly Lion and tries to starve him to death. She tries to burn the Scarecrow to death. She does all of this to force Dorothy to give up the ruby slippers. She steals one of Dorothy’s slippers, by tripping her over an invisible bar. Dorothy finally has enough and throws a bucket of water on her. Why does it kill her? Because water is pure. The Witch is corruption in all respects, and thus the embodiment of impurity.  

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

This is such a difficult decision.  All of my characters are my favorite.  I had such a great time with Meredith, of “Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow”—she is so sassy and seems to make the best of all life tosses at her.  I must confess that Lynx Maddox, my hero in “Lynx” Rodeo Romance, Book 1 is my favorite.  A Texas rodeo cowboy who. . .well, the French say it best: “Un si beau Texan!”

3.) What genre do you write?  What made you pick that one?

I write in multiple genres. I began writing my career writing fiction and nonfiction in children’s and young adult magazines.  However, romance (women’s and YA) is my main genre.

4.) What are you working on now?

As a rule, I work on two books and a novella/YA novel at a time.  My next release is an anthology titled: “Gumbo Ya Ya -- for women who like romance Cajun & men Hot & Spicy”.

  

5.) What got you to start writing?

 My family tree is dotted with novelists, playwrights, professional musicians and composers.  Therefore, it would have been odd for me not to have an interest in a creative form of expression. 

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I have a sense of time and place (when I am on vacation, a photo may trigger something), then I hear a conversation in my head.  Like when you walk past a table at a coffee shop and catch bits and pieces of a conversation.  I was visiting my youngest son and family in Yucaipa, CA when I spotted a bag of “Zombie Popcorn” inside an organic roadside produce store.  Then, several weeks later, when I was at the dentist’s office (coincidence, it had nothing to do with the popcorn, promise), the x-ray tech was sharing her experience at the Long Beach Zombie Walk.  Then, ZAP, I had the nucleus of my story.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

 My readers wouldn’t be surprise if I divulged that I collected “Monster High Dolls” but they might be surprised to learn of my gingerbread collection.  In fact, one of my Pinterest boards is Gingerbread Boys Love Gingerbread Girls.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

I have freelanced many a time as a writer.  At one point, I worked as a fragrance consultant at a perfumery.  I tested women’s PH levels by touching a wand (not magical) to her wrist and developed a list of compatible fragrances. To learn more, you will need to read my next release.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Never give up.  Never miss a chance to improve your craft.  Write, Write, Write!  Why do I remember these words of wisdom?  Because there are no short cuts in life.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

I know I should select a Plato. . .or Jonas Salk. 

However, I’m going to name Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (Coco Chanel) a French fashion designer as my person of choice.  After all, she was the designer and founder of the Chanel brand. She is the only fashion designer listed on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

"Walking on Sunshine" and on some occasions, possibly, “Weird Science”.

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A Spotted Saddle horse. I was toying with the idea of returning as a black Gypsy Horse with a flowing white mane and feathering on my legs—until I remembered these horses are on the chunky-side.  I’d prefer not to live another life worrying about the size of my ‘behind’.

Excerpt, "HERE TODAY, ZOMBIE TOMORROW".

“You and Elvis have done a great job on this house,” Meredith said as her older sister led the way downstairs toward the kitchen where the tour began. “Sorry I couldn’t get over, until now, but I’ve been sort of… well, busy.” Slipping her Juicy Couture tortoise-shell framed sunglasses into a bright pink case, Meredith crammed them into her black Coach handbag. She hoped her sister didn’t ask her to define busy. Becoming a zombie, and dealing with the entire raised from the dead issue over the past six months, was not a topic easily plunked into casual conversation. 

Pippa waved the comment aside. “I’m glad you like it. We had such fun decorating. Of course, we couldn’t do it all at once, but it’s more satisfying putting it together treasure by treasure.” 

Meredith glanced from Pippa’s impish features and short spiky black hair to the perimeter of the room. Taking in every detail and nuance of Pippa’s decorating talent, she let her gaze rest on a collection of figurines by fantasy artist Jasmine Beckett-Griffith crouching at the top of the ebony stained cabinets. A black arch-top fireplace mounted against the wall, flames flowing from a bed of clear river stones, and HOME SWEET HOME embroidered on a sampler with a tiny vine of blood-red roses tangling though out the letters completed the focal point of the room.

Even though Meredith was on the best relations with her sister, she couldn’t help but feel a sharp nip of jealousy. It hadn’t been so long ago that she’d had her own happy home. Unfortunately, she’d filed for divorce from Viktor and then there’d been that bizarre little accident where she’d ended up dead, and then undead. 

While Pippa’s two kids, Ethan and Emma, played in the living room, to the accompaniment of 1960s rock-and-roll musical on TV, Meredith sat in the kitchen with her sister, fiddling with the end of the tea bag that dangled from the rim of her China cup.

Since her sister was contemplating the contents of a tin filled with Danish cookies, Meredith found herself cataloging the events that led up her ‘accident’.

A charter member of the SoCal Arts Association, she’d been participating in the annual Zombie Walk Festival in Long Beach when it ‘happened’. Crowds always made her uncomfortable, but this particular event was to raise money, so she was obligated to attend. And, it only went to reason; this year’s participation broke all past records. 

Twelve-thousand gleeful ghouls stormed Long Beach’s renovated Promenade. The crowd became so large that it spilled out over Pine Avenue for an all-out downtown invasion. Meredith didn’t recall much about the accident, nor who or what, reanimated her. She remembered over-hearing a security officer informing a pungent-smelling zombie that he couldn’t purchase an alcoholic beverage (apparently he didn’t match up with his photo ID). Within moments, a shoving match between the two men ensured, quickly escalating into zombie chaos: shouting, running and chomping.

www.novelsbyconnievines.com

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https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-heretodayzombietomorrow-1645148-177.html

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/here-today-zombie-tomorrow/9781771453066-item.html

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Writing Down the Bones: The 10 Commandments of Fiction Writing - Session 2

Sorry I missed last week - but I'm back and have the next two commandments for you:

3.) Write your passion: Most of us do, but the key here is to write what moves you. Don’t chase the trends. Unless you have the book already written and just sitting there waiting for the perfect moment, you run the risk of cutting corners and compromising your work by pushing to get the book done. Instead stick to what you do best. Writing from your heart.

4.) Love the Process: Writers are a different breed. We think far too much and about things that don’t exist. There are days when you sit down in front of your computer and nothing comes out. There are days when it’s flowing so fast you can’t write quick enough. Whether it is feast or famine you do it every day. You have to or your characters will haunt you.

Meet My Latest Guest - Diane Burton!

I want to welcome Diane Burton. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

Thanks for having me here, Barbara. I’m a wife, mom, grandmother, and a writer. Not necessarily in that order. Apologies to my grown children and husband, but Nana duties come first. <g> I write science fiction romance and romantic suspense. The commonality between my books is adventure. I love action/adventure movies, especially if a relationship develops between the main characters. Romantic comedy movies is another favorite, so I try to incorporate humor in the stories I write. I live in West Michigan and can never get enough watching Lake Michigan sunsets.

Tell us about your latest release.

The Case of the Bygone Brother is a PI mystery. It’s the first in what I plan as a series of adventures featuring Alexandra (Alex) O’Hara as a private investigator carrying on her retired father’s business. You won’t believe the scrapes she gets into trying to find a missing man.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

Professor Snape in the Harry Potter books. I know he isn’t really a villain, but he acts like one until the end of the series. He is so skillfully written that the reader doesn’t know his intent.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

Oh, gee. That’s like asking me my favorite child. I always love the heroine in the book I’m writing. Jessie in Switched has a special place in my heart. Her story was my first published book.

3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

As I mentioned above, I write sci-fi romance. I fell in love with Star Wars. Action, adventure, and romance all in one. That’s the kind of science fiction I love to read—not weighty tomes with so much technical data that I’m put to sleep. (I know others love that. Just not me.)

I also write romantic suspense, which I love to read. My PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother, has a little romance, but it’s more mystery oriented. Again, I write what I like to read.

4.) What are you working on now?

I’m working on the 3rd book in my Outer Rim series—stand-alone stories connected by the locale and recurring characters—about strong women on the frontier of space. In this one (no title yet), the heroine tries to take down a slave ring that dares to come into her colony.

5.) What got you to start writing?

The prospect of an empty nest. My children were in their last years of high school and would be going off to college. I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom and was a volunteer in sports, scouts, school, and church activities. I kept the family together through all the moves with my husband’s job. I figured it was my turn to do something for me. I loved to read so how hard could it be to write a book? LOL I found out.

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I don’t know. I used to clip newspaper articles that I thought would make a great story. I never used them. I think my Muse must work overtime, whispering in my ear while I sleep.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

That I hated science in high school. And now I write science fiction romance. Go figure.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

Besides being able to quote movie lines? LOL I love to garden. I always took small sections of plants from my garden at one house to the next. I still have plants that originated in my grandmother’s garden (lilies of the valley) and my mother’s (irises, tiger lilies, and Shasta daisies). Arthritis in my knees and back make gardening difficult, though, so Hubs does the work while I “supervise”. I also like to quilt and hope to get back to it soon.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Don’t give up. We all hit bad times, either in our writing careers or personal life. Persistence will win. Friends from my writers’ group (Mid-Michigan RWA) had to remind me of that advice when I was going through a bad personal time a few years ago.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Madeline L’Engle. I read A Wrinkle in Time to whatever elementary class I was teaching when it came out. I would ask her what inspired her to write that series. It was so far ahead of anything I’d read at the time.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

You Don’t Always Get What You Want.

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A family dog. Faithful, loyal, and fetches slippers. LOL At least I wouldn’t have to cook.

The Case of the Bygone Brother Blurb:

After taking over O’Hara & Palzetti, Confidential Investigations from her dad and his partner, Alex O’Hara’s bottom line has taken a plunge. So when a femme fatale offers her the case of a lifetime along with a huge advance, Alex sees her finances on a definite upswing. But someone doesn’t want her to find the long-lost brother. Complicating matters is the return of Alex’s old heartthrob, Nick Palzetti. Is he really there just to see her or does he have an ulterior motive? The Lake Michigan resort town of Fair Haven is abuzz with the news that O’Hara & Palzetti are together again.

Excerpt:

“Hello, gorgeous.”

I whacked my head on the display shelf.

Well, what would you do if you were lying across the top of a four-drawer lateral file cabinet, and your arm—yardstick attached—was wedged between the wall and the cabinet, trying to retrieve the license renewal application that if you mangled, crushed or couldn’t get would mean the end of your business, and the ex-love-of-your-life stood in the doorway looking at your butt?

The shelf shook on its braces from contact with my head. Never mind that the encounter didn’t do much for the aforementioned body part. The Fair Haven Chamber of Commerce awards rattled, and signed Detroit Tigers baseballs pelted my head, shoulders, and the back of my thigh. I dropped the yardstick and swore.

“I thought you promised your mother you wouldn’t swear anymore.” He would remind me of that vow.

“Relapse,” I muttered as I looked over my shoulder.

In that loose-limbed, cocky manner I once thought scary, sexy, and so cool, Nick Palzetti stood in the doorway to the spare office. He even dressed the same in a black leather jacket, black knit shirt, and jeans that molded his hips. Lordy, he could still make my mouth go dry.

As I wiggled back and sideways across the long cabinet, I felt my skirt ride up. Of all days to wear a skirt. With my foot, I searched for the desk chair I’d climbed to get on top of the cabinet. I’d kicked off my high heels before standing on the chair, probably the only smart thing I’d done so far.

“Red panties, you naughty girl.”

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00P1GPR0Q

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/489085

Bio:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and The Case of the Bygone Brother, a PI mystery. She is also a contributor to the anthology How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and two grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/

Hidden Desire Cover Reveal

I am so excited! I've been waiting to reveal the cover for my next release Hidden Desire! It is gorgeous! And I finally got the final copy of my cover today!

Here's the blurb:

Heather wants to fight beside her people, not watch from a safe distance. So when her brother comes up with a way to disguise her she jumps at the chance. Now she can try out for an elite team to help defeat Reasta, who has a stronghold on their planet. No one knows who she is, including her mate, who has also been disguised. They must find each other, qualify for the team and help rescue the elders without being found out.

And here's the cover...

Meet My Newest Guest Kathryn Jane!

I want to welcome Kathryn Jane. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

Tell us about your latest release.

Voices is Quinn and Rachel’s story. Rachel has a few quirks—like she hears voices, and she also had a healing gift she doesn’t quite understand. Quinn is a psychologist who works with people suffering from PTSD. When his wife, who’d disappeared two years earlier, shows up needing his help, he’s determined to hang on to her this time, but she’s determined to get him and his family’s security firm involved in solving a bizarre string of accidents with racehorses that’s left their handlers dead. They begin with an adventure, and discover there’s much about each other they didn’t know. Details that may prevent them from ever having a life together.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

I don’t like villains, so this is a hard question for me. Hmm. Ah, I’ve got it, Sylvester the cat who’s always trying to capture Tweety-bird.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

Oh but I love them all! I suppose Cass, from Do Not Tell Me No, because she has so darned much gumption, and she’s funny. But then there’s…Rachel, Grace, and Liz, and I can’t wait to write Angie’s story…But wait! There’s the men. And well, what’s not to love J

3.) What genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

Romantic suspense/adventure/paranormal/humor. I always sat down to write a mystery, but a romance would creep in. So now, I celebrate both by writing romantic suspense with side dishes of ESP and humor.

4.) What are you working on now?

One of the first full length books I wrote. I absolutely adored the story so it deserves a rewrite for publishing.

5.) What got you to start writing?

I’ve always written to purge pent up emotions. A few years ago I dug some of it out to see what it looked like and oh my, the sad and dark writings of a teenager should never see the light of day!

As for books, well, I confess, I was about to turn fifty and thought, my goodness, what have I got to show for fifty years? I’d always said that one day I’d write a book, so I sat down at the computer, and in less than two months, I’d done it—felt like I’d just scaled Everest and I wanted that feeling again so I wrote another book. And another, and so on. I’d written six before a friend read them and asked why I wasn’t getting them published. That’s when the next adventure began.

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I have no idea. My stories always begin in my head with a character. I see and opening scene and begin to write so I can find out what happens next.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

I don’t like to be the center of attention. Unless I’m teaching, that’s different.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

For over fifteen years I made my living training racehorses. I had an affinity for, and great success with the ones others had given up on.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

You can’t fix a blank page, so just write…it’s true. As long as you put words on the page, you can always fix them later.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Oprah, and I’d ask her what she knows for sure.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

If you’re goin’ through hell, keep on moving, don’t slow down, if you’re scared don’t show it…

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A cat – I adore cats, their attitudes, their supple bodies, their freedom, their confident ability to seek attention, or shun it as they please.

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