New Year, Good Times

The chatter continues as the date for the 2022 Capital City Author Event approaches. It's happening May 20 - 21 in Montgomery, Alabama so set aside some time to meet your favorite authors and take home a good book or two.

Get acquainted with some of the attending authors and see a sample of their work here. This is a group created to keep the readers up-to-date with all the info surrounding the event.

Capital City Author Event Reader Group 

Check out these links for events, times, and tickets. 

Event Tickets: https://ccae2022.eventbrite.com

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CCAEReaderGroup/

Here are some of the books I will have to offer. Stop by my table for your free gift with every purchase!

Release Day!

It's release day for Heiress to the Flame!

Roxie Sanders has dodged a few dangerous situations dating back to her teen years. After being rescued from certain death, she becomes a private investigator as a way of helping others and paying her blessings forward.

Nelson Crawford, part of the PI team who helps her escape a harmful situation, serves as her role model. The two form an immediate bond partnering on many cases and along the way, a flicker of attraction ignites between them, refusing to be snuffed out no matter how hard Roxie tries. Shadows from Roxie’s past pop up to haunt her and when a case involving a kidnapped child takes them to the place where all her troubles began, her hometown of Osyka, Mississippi, she finds that trouble waiting for her.

When Nelson is kidnapped, Roxie can no longer deny her feelings for the man and will stop at nothing to gain his freedom, even awakening the power of the flame sleeping within her. Will her efforts pay off or will her dreams go up in smoke?

https://amzn.to/2FXpuga

Thursday's Tasty Temptations

I've been a slacker keeping Thursday's Tasty Temptations rolling along at a consistent pace. Now, I'm back again and as a reminder, or to introduce you to the idea of these posts, my daughter remarked after reading my books that they always made her hungry. A reference to the number of times food is mentioned which made me wonder just how many times my scenes centered around food and family conversation.

I decided to look at my first book, In My Wildest Dreams, and get a count of food references. My last post, a few months back, covered chapter fourteen. Here's an excerpt from chapter fifteen:

“Good morning, you two,” Layne’s daddy said in a boisterous tone as we entered the kitchen. “Son, you’d better grab some plates before Woods here polishes off all the food.”

Unbelievable. Woods was better, much better than I remembered. No evidence of the near-death experience I witnessed last night remained. His only response to the comment was to help himself to another stack of Olive’s pancakes with a satisfied grin. He did stop eating long enough to stand and address me as I came into the room.

“Good morning, Ms. Lynzi. I want to thank you for all your help last night. Those two would as soon killed me as to look at me, I think, and they left me in no condition to transport out of there on my own. If you hadn’t been in the barn I-I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

“I’m just glad we got you out when we did, Woods,” I answered, amazed at the rapid recovery.

“We both are,” Layne added. “What can you tell us about why they chose last night to confront you?”

We took seats at the table and listened as Woods told his side of the story. “They’re unhappy I’ve not handed Ms. Lynzi over to them yet. They want to use her to bargain with you about ownership and control of the land.”

“It’ll be a cold day in hell before they get their hands on Lynzi again, and the land belongs to the folks here, not to any one man.” Layne leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “Lake, any word from the teams running down the latest leads this morning?”

“Yeah, they checked in, nothing new to report though I’m sorry to say.”

They consumed pancakes as fast as Olive could turn them out. It always astounded me how much these guys could eat at one sitting so it was no time at all before the table was clean.

“Olive, you’re spoiling me here. When I go home, I’m going to have to do all this myself again and I’m not going to remember how,” I said to her as she gathered the last of the plates from the table and scurried off to the kitchen with them.

“Now don’t you go thinking about going back so soon, sweetheart. We still have lots to do here.” Layne leaned in and nuzzled his face in that spot on my neck that sent me into melt down mode as his warm breath bathed my skin. His hands slipped around my waist.

“Mmm, Layne,” I breathed. My eyes closed and my head tilted, giving him full access to my neck. My hand snaked up around his neck and tugged him even closer.

“Oh, geez. Don’t you two have a room?” Lake snorted.

“Don’t you have work to do?” Layne addressed Lake with a none-too-pleased expression and a hint of irritation in his words.

“Of course I do. Let me get my instructions from my boss. Oh, wait, that would be you. Well, what do you say, boss?” Lake was begging for a brotherly tussle if you asked me.

After a long pause, Layne shook his head and continued. “Well, Lake, I need the training room set up for kickboxing and the range for cross bow,” Layne said as we finished our coffee. “Lynzi’s gonna start some light training today.”

More coffee. No surprise there! In addition, breakfast consisted of pancakes. Stacks and stacks of pancakes! How do you like yours?

Now, this is a stack!

Whipped cream?

Hot fudge and banana?

Fruit?

Funny face?

Thursday's Tasty Temptations

In My Wildest Dreams

Food is a major part of our everyday lives. It sustains us. Whether it's a quick lunch to get us through the afternoon or a leisurely gathering with friends, food is always included.

What better way to make the characters in a book real than to have them gather in the kitchen to cook and enjoy a meal together?

Apparently, being kidnapped and dragged through the woods in your nightgown curbs your appetite since we don't have see a food reference until chapter thirteen. Here, Lynzi is introduced to another member of the family, Aunt Pet and a couple of her magical healing recipes. Let's take a look at what's cooking.

“Lynzi, dear, how are you?” Layne’s mama asked with genuine concern as she stroked my hair and kissed me gently on the forehead.

“Better, thank you, now that I’m here,” I said in Layne’s direction.

“I’m so relieved you’re safe again. I can’t believe this happened. Pet and I are working on stronger safeguards now. We will not allow this to happen again, I promise you. Oh, dear, this is our Aunt Pet. She’s a wonder with magic and herbal remedies and has made some special tea to help your body heal.”

A petite woman, Aunt Pet stood no more than four feet tall, with silver hair drawn into a bun at the nape of her neck. When Layne had said she was old, I expected her to be pushed in a wheel chair or walking with the help of a cane but she was surprisingly youthful, spunky even.

“It’s so good to meet you, Aunt Pet, and thank you for the salve. We’ve put some on my cuts and they are better already. What did you use in it?”

“It is my pleasure to at last meet you, little one. You are so welcome. I used herbs in the salve such as amaranth, bitterroot, calendula, and cantella. They make an excellent salve for soothing and healing the skin.” I tried to place her accent and to figure out why she had an accent. Hungarian? Romanian? Perhaps she had spent time in that area of the world. She was cute as a button, to be sure.

Layne poured the tea into a cup and passed it to me as the ladies watched with concern.

“The tea is more effective if you drink it without sugar or milk, little one,” Aunt Pet said.

I took a sip, prepared to put on my best fake pleasant face in case the tea tasted bitter or otherwise mediciney, but I found the drink quite flavorsome and soothing. “Mmm, tell me about the tea, Aunt Pet. It’s delicious.” I tried my best not to sound too surprised or show my extreme relief.

“The tea contains blackberry leaf, cinnamon bark, damiana leaf, a little yohimbe, and a touch of magic for good measure,” she answered with a curious smile.

Layne’s mama placed her finger to her lips and made an effort to stifle a giggle.

“Aunt Petunia,” Layne said, his voice increased an octave as the last letters of her name rolled off his tongue. He raised an eyebrow as if he were about to scold a child for taking a second cookie before supper.

I gave him a questioning look as I sipped more of my yummy tea.

“I’ll explain later, sweetheart,” he said, grinning and shaking a playful finger at his aunt. “And you promised you would be good.”

Her expression said she hadn’t a clue. “I have only the health and well being of our precious little one in mind, my darling,” she replied with a playful pinch of his cheek.

“Well, Aunt Pet, I find all these home remedies fascinating. I’d like to learn more about herbs one of these days if you have time and don’t mind teaching me.” Genuinely interested in herbs for healing and other remedies, I had always wanted to learn more. Now I could learn from a master.

An expression between pride and sheer delight blossomed onto her face. “I would be delighted to teach you all I know about herbs, my little one.”

“Aunt Pet, I think we should go and let Lynzi get some rest.” Layne’s mama seemed in sync with the strange goings on here. I had to be the only with little to no clue.

“Of course, of course. Now little one, you be sure and drink all the tea so your injuries will heal as quickly as possible,” Aunt Pet said as she stroked my hair.

“I will, Aunt Pet. It was good to meet you and thank you both for everything.” I forced a smile, even though my face hurt like the dickens.

“It is wonderful to have the love of our Layne’s life here with us after all this time.” She blew a kiss in our direction as the two of them stepped out.

Layne made certain I saw him lock the door behind them. I was safe with him at my side but the message was clear. He would protect me.

He sat beside me on the couch and watched as I sipped the last of my tea.

“Something you need to tell me?” I asked as I examined the inside of the empty cup, curious as heck to find out the whole tea story.

“Uh, yeah, about the tea . . .” Layne shook his head and chuckled.

“What was all that about?”

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “In addition to being our doctor of sorts, Aunt Pet fancies herself as a bit of a match maker.”

“Sorry to waste her time but the match is already made here.” In my mind it was a done deal, so to speak.

“The ingredients in the tea . . .” He paused as if to formulate the best explanation.

“Are not going to heal my cuts and bruises? Oh no, it’s not going to put hair on my chest, is it?” I grinned to let him know I wasn’t worried about any unwanted hair growth.

He shook his head. “Oh no, the herbs she used are extremely good for the healing process. But the yohimbe she mentioned is actually an . . . aphrodisiac,” he said, waiting for my reaction with a raised brow.

“Oh? An aphrodisiac?”

“Yeah, it won’t hurt you.”

I glanced down at my legs and arms. The cuts and bruises had begun to heal somewhat. Less than an hour had passed since Layne put the salve on my cuts but they were, in fact, healing as if days old instead of hours. I was impressed and thankful for the results. No more pain is a good thing.

“Well, it seems she was right about the healing herbs.”

“She is good at what she does.”

I placed the cup on the tray and scooted closer to Layne on the couch. “Well, we’ve established the healing herbs are working so I can’t wait to test the extra herb she included in the tea,” I said, sliding my arms around his neck. The sensations from his touch in the shower earlier still sparked inside my body.

“Are you sure you’re up to fooling around?” Layne slid his arm around my waist.

Well :) Sounds like that tea really works. Wonder which one of these ingredients is Yohimbe?

Thursday's Tasty Temptations

I scanned chapter three of IMWD for any mention of food to talk about today. Lo and behold, dark chocolate! Dark chocolate M&M's to be exact. What's not to love?

So we're three for three on our search for food in In My Wildest Dreams. I'm curious about the total.

Here's the excerpt with one of Lynzi's dreams about finding Layne.

Tuesday morning? A no go as far as going to work since I was unable to walk any faster than at a snail’s pace. Every muscle in my body screamed with pain at the slightest movement. I must have jarred my spine worse than I thought when I collided with the sidewalk.

I’d only received three calls from Allison to check up on me and offer to bring me food, first-aid supplies, or the first-aid product to beat all first-aid products . . . chocolate. “I could bring some dark chocolate M&Ms? Your favorite,” she sang out in a tempting tone.

I considered my hips and waistline, thanked her kindly, and convinced her I had everything I needed.

For the rest of the day, I alternated between my chair and the bed for short periods to avoid getting stiff.

***

I found myself in my peaceful place again but not at the pond. I stood at the door of the barn, peering inside, into the vast darkness.

I scanned the areas to my right and left, taking a survey of all the animals. Animals always made good judges of situations. They would instinctively become agitated if any danger approached. Yet, they remained calm, going about their business eating, scratching the ground, sunning in the dirt near the edge of the barn. Comfortable with their surroundings, nothing alarmed them.

I had to go inside again. Some force compelled me, drew me into the barn. If I opened a window, I’d be able to glimpse deeper into the barn. Get some idea of what lay hidden farther inside.

I had to see the man again. I had to see Layne. Why didn’t he show himself to me? Maybe he avoided me because he didn’t want to talk to me. Was I setting myself up for more hurt? Layne had left me without any explanation all those years ago. Later, a failed marriage had left me alone again. That’s great, I thought, now men are avoiding me in my dreams. You’re a real winner, Lynzi Lancaster.

The old feelings of rejection and disappointment started to creep into my mind. Maybe I should just go and leave well enough alone. The hurt from all the neglect had healed, more or less. At least I had learned to live with it. So why open those old wounds again? But, go where? I had no idea how I got here so I couldn’t possibly know how to leave. No! I thought, I’m here. He’s here . . . somewhere, and I’m going inside.

Time and life experiences had made me strong, at least that’s what I kept telling myself. After all, as the saying goes, ‘That which does not kill us only makes us stronger.’ So there you go. Either I would be strong or . . . dead. How . . . comforting.

With that encouraging thought, I eased my way toward the first stall, both hands outstretched, and touched the corner post of the stall. I groped my hands along the top rail to the stall door, found the latch, opened it, and stepped inside.

I detected no sounds and sensed no occupant in the stall. With my back to the railing, I sidestepped my way to the right, inching along the sides of the stall until I reached the far wall.

I slid my hands over the wall. Please . . . no spiders, no spiders, no spiders. I located the bolt on the window and slid it open. Giving the heavy, slatted covering a shove, the window swung open.

Ah ha! Light. Now let’s get an idea of what we have here.

I stepped outside the stall and into the center of the massive structure, surveyed the area to find any clues held in the barn, and if those clues would lead to Layne and the answers I was so desperate to find.

It was still so dark I couldn’t get past that third stall on either side. I had taken a couple of steps toward the next stall when footsteps deep in the vast barn stopped me in my tracks.

Fear gripped me. “Hello?” I called out. No answer. “Hey? Anybody there?” Still, no response. A cold chill washed over me and the desire to be out in the sunlight overcame me. I hurried outside.

Thursday Threads

Trying my best to get back on track!

This is the April 30 thread but I am pushing myself to wrangle work, family, and unexpected life events to regulate my blog schedule.

Char Chaffin is the featured author this week. Check out the cover and a little about Char.

UNSAFE HAVEN
By Char Chaffin

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Heat Level: Sensual

Blurb:

For Kendall Martin, a small, remote village in Southwest Alaska seems like a good place to start over. On the run from an abusive relationship, she leaves everything familiar behind and begins a new life as owner of a small souvenir and sportsman trading post in picturesque Staamat.

Denn Nulo knows everyone in town: he's the Chief of Police in Staamat. He's lived there all his life, except for his college years, spent in Anchorage. Originally planning on practicing criminal law and living in Anchorage permanently, Denn is forced to change his plans when he receives word that his widowed mother has passed away, leaving his young sister, Luna, alone. Denn comes back to Staamat to care for Luna.

When Kendall meets Denn, she begins to believe there are truly good men in the world. Denn is everything she wants: strong, loving, dedicated to family, protective . . . and patient. There is instant attraction between them, but Kendall is leery of men, and Denn craves a serious relationship that includes marriage and children. Their courtship is a conflicting mix of hesitancy and passion, with Luna, desperately needing a mother figure in her life, cheering them on.

As Kendall learns how to trust again and her romance with Denn grows more intense, a local woman who's had her eye on Denn for years releases a torrent of damaging jealousy . . . and the nightmare from Kendall's past discovers where she's hidden herself.

Excerpt:

"Ah, Christ. You're killing me." He fumbled for the nearest wall, propped her against it, and took her mouth hungrily. She fisted her hands in his hair, nipping his full bottom lip. The kiss went deeper, and she could have sobbed from the glory of it.

They broke apart, both panting. Kendall slowly unwound her legs and Denn loosened his hold, letting her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor. She felt every hard muscle along the way.

"Hell." He sucked in a shaky breath. "I don't want to leave you here."

"I'll be all right," Kendall lied. She wanted him to stay, wanted him in her bed, all night, and then she wanted to awaken in the morning, safe in his arms. They'd known each other less than two months, and she wanted forever.

I must be crazed with lust. That's the only explanation.

"You know, you don't have to stay here alone." He caressed her cheek as he gazed at her, still pressed intimately against her. "You could come home with me."

"Eventually I have to live here, Denn. By myself. I have to get used to it," she pointed out.

"But not tonight, okay? Come home with me, Kendall. Stay with me, tonight."

"We'll end up in bed together." It was a question and a statement.

He slowly nodded. "Yeah."

She whispered into his shirt, "We'll end up making love."

"I can just about guarantee it."

Fascinated by the strong, steady pulse at the side of his neck, she shuddered to think of what lay ahead, if she said ‘yes.' Most of the shudders were from excitement.

He waited patiently in her dimly lit store while she battled inner demons he might never understand or be able to accept.

"Kendall . . ." His voice held a rough plea.

She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to his. "I should pack a few things." She hesitated, and took the final plunge. "I'll need my contact lens case, too."

His smile, wide and happy, blinded her. "I can wait."

Links:

Book Trailer for Unsafe Haven:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJieck3U17Y&feature=youtu.be

My website: http://char.chaffin.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/char.chaffin

Twitter: http://twitter.com/char_chaffin

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5337737.Char_Chaffin

Soul Mate Publishing: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/char-chaffin/

My Website: http://char.chaffin.com

Soul Mate Authors Group: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com

JESSE'S GIRL, Available from Soul Mate Publishing and Amazon

PROMISES TO KEEP, Available from Soul Mate Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

UNSAFE HAVEN, Available from Soul Mate Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

RONE Award Nominee!!

Rescued has been nominated for a RONE award in the paranormal category from InD'tale Magazine!

RONE Award Nominee

Voting takes place over the next six weeks with a few categories featured per week. The paranormal category is up on week one. Voting begins tomorrow April 13 and goes through April 19. Click the link below and register to be able to vote.

http://indtale.com/2015-rone-awards

Here's a snippet from InD'tale's review:

The characters are well-liked and nicely developed, with an interesting storyline that deftly tackles real life issues. With the suspense kept high, this definite page-turner keeps the reader on the edge of their seat while compelling them to finish the book in one sitting!

Read the full review at InD'tale Magazine
http://indtale.com/reviews/paranormal...

RESCUED:

Fiercely independent and determined to be taken seriously in a man’s world, PI Rose Baxter will do whatever it takes to find the kids who are disappearing from the streets and bring them home safe, even teaming up with PI Marty Brown, a man hot enough to burn whatever part of her gets too close—her fingers, her sheets, her life, and her other nature’s whiskers.

But her other nature knows whiskers grow back and will accept nothing less than this man as her mate for life, a plan Marty’s all in on. Sparks fly when she refuses to be the little woman. Besides, those kids need her and their time’s running out. But, thrown together 24/7, can she fight their growing attraction?

Kindle ‧ Paperback

Happy Ever After Endings

Everyone, especially in a romance, is looking for their happy ending. Their perfect life. By the end of a book, happiness reigns, all problems are resolved, and life is good. Realistically, we all know problems and challenges arise sometimes on a daily basis. As problem solvers, we tackle obstacles as they arise and move forward. Here are some challenges my characters face.

RESCUED

Fiercely independent and determined to be taken seriously in a man’s world, PI Rose Baxter will do whatever it takes to find the kids who are disappearing from the streets and bring them home safe, even teaming up with PI Marty Brown, a man hot enough to burn whatever part of her gets too close—her fingers, her sheets, her life, and her other nature’s whiskers. But her other nature knows whiskers grow back and will accept nothing less than this man as her mate for life, a plan Marty’s all in on. Sparks fly when she refuses to be the little woman. Besides, those kids need her and their time’s running out. But, thrown together 24/7, can she fight their growing attraction?

Available from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/l9hlshp

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

The vicious slaughter of cattle brings Lynzi Lancaster and her fiancé, Layne Brady, a Fae raised in the human world, to the aid of his human parents. A neighbor with a grudge has returned to the area to settle a score. Lynzi is only mildly shocked to find the tall tales her granddaddy had told so many years ago about black panthers roaming the woods near their home were not only true but also had a twist. The animals were werepanthers. The renegade panther believes Lynzi is a witch and threatens her life when Fae magic is performed nearby. Now, it’s up to Lynzi and Layne to bring down the big cats and keep her alive.

Available now from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/kw4ujfe

IN MY WILDEST DREAMS

When she becomes the victim of several life-threatening incidents all in one week, it seems fate is out to put an end to Lynzi Lancaster. Her close calls with death trigger a series of dreams about a magical place and a certain man who broke her heart twenty years ago, Layne Brady. Could her life get any stranger? When the star of her dreams announces, in person, that he had faked his death for twenty years in order to protect her, oh, and that he’s not actually human, the fireworks begin. Does she believe his extraordinary story of another world, the magical world of the Fae? Do fairies really exist? Should she trust her heart? Could her dreams come true?

Available now from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mqwezx2

What's your happy ever after ending?

Spotlight on Sophia Kimble

I'm so happy to welcome Sophia and share a peek into her latest book. Protect Her is the first book in her Druid's Curse Series. Take a look at the cover, read a snippet from the book, and get to know Sophia!

Blurb:

Golden Alexander is trapped in a nightmare.

Trying to flee her hallucination of a demon, she runs heart first into the brooding alpha male she’s been dreaming about for years, and then her nightmare really begins.

Kris Pietka is done with women...he’s broken. But when he meets Golden, an overwhelming need to protect her tests everything he thought he knew about himself, and the paranormal.

A bond forged centuries ago thrusts them together as they search for a way to break an ancient Druid curse prophesying their demise. Racing against the clock, they travel from Vermont, to the Carpathian Mountains in Poland, and the Scottish Highlands in search of answers and a way to break the curse.

But something evil watches—it covets, and time is running out.

Will fate allow love to prevail against unbeatable odds, or will Golden wake to find it was all a delusion?

Excerpt:

The side door to the house opened behind her.

"Matka? Dzien dobry? Ma? Hello?"

The deep male voice filled the kitchen. Filled her. Her muscles tightened, her arms vibrated like she'd been doing yard work for the last hour and had just turned off the weed whacker.

Mary raised an eyebrow in her direction before looking past her to the door. "Kris, proszę meet Golden. Come, come."

Heavy boots sounded on the wooden steps. The loud thumping stopped as if in mid-step and an invisible electric current slammed into her back. Heat spread through her and settled in her belly.

"Matka, what's going on here?"

"Golden is your Babci's new caregiver." Mary enunciated as if she were speaking to a five-year-old. "I told you last week she answered the ad and was coming today. She'll be starting on Monday."

Mary glared at Kris and then turned to Golden with an apologetic smile on her face. Kris moved around the table and stood next to his mother.

Her mouth fell open.

He narrowed his piercing blue eyes at her, and a lock of sandy brown hair fell from behind his ear.

Holy shit.

He looked exactly like the man she'd been dreaming of for years.

The once cozy kitchen felt tiny. Airless. Too hot. Using the table as a lever, Golden forced herself to stand and shot a glance in Mary's direction, worried she was hallucinating her dream man and looked delusional. It wouldn't be the first time she'd acted crazy. Okay, Mary didn't act like her new employee was tripping her ass off. Good to know.

Words in a language she didn't understand flew out of his mouth, his unfriendly gaze fixed on her. Wow, angry much? He was obviously talking about her in a not so nice way, which pissed her off. Combined with her confusion, she was a hot mess. And all the while her emotions were ping ponging, her body pulsed, begging for this jerkoff to touch her.

His brows furrowed, and he ranted as though she weren't in the room. Rude. New plan. She'd figure out how she'd dreamt of him later. First, she wanted to know what he had against her and why she reacted to the jerk like he'd brought her a dozen roses while hanging out the sunroof of a limo.

Mary cut him off with a single word. "Dosyć!" She closed her eyes and whispered, "Enough."

Kris sucked in a breath, and without another word, pivoted on his heel and walked deeper into the house.

What was wrong with him? Ever hear of anger management classes? And what was wrong with her Benedict Arnold body? Pick an emotion and stick to it. Anger, that's what was called for here. Not, gee you're hot, I've been dreaming of you for years. Want to hook up?

Figures, the one guy that finally made her wake up and say hell yes was a total turd.

Sophia:

Sophia Kimble has always wanted to be an author, but for years, life got in the way. She wouldn’t change a thing about how her life turned out, though. Her family keeps her laughing and loving. Her wonderful husband and two extraordinary children stand beside her every step of the way and make this journey called life worth living.

Sophia has worked as a nurse for twenty years, but has put that career path aside to devote her time and imagination to writing down the stories that keep her up nights.

She takes her love of the paranormal, history, and genealogy, and weaves them into tales of family, fated love, and supernatural occurrences.



Connect with Sophia at the following sites:

Website: http://sophiakimble.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiakimbleauthor

Twitter: @SophiaKimble

Thursday Threads features Maggie Mundy

This week's featured author is Maggie Mundy here to show off her new release, Unknown Protector. Check out the cover. Now, that's what I call a protector!

Blurb Unknown Protector:

Two things have helped Nicole cope since the murder of her husband a year ago. One is running her detective agency, and the other is her guardian angel, Mira. When Mira is killed by a demon, Nicole accepts the help of a Ridge.He is a long haired, cigar smoking diamond in the rough with wings. Things go from bad to worse when a replacement guardian cannot be found. She has to trust Ridge, which is tricky when she realizes there are no demons or angels, just parasitic aliens that humans have built the myths of these celestial beings around. Ridge isn’t an angel or a devil, but an alien half breed known as a Midworlder.

Nicole finds herself fighting off a Demonic Midworlder who wants to impregnate her so his alien boss can come to Earth. Plus she has an ex priest who wants to attach a demon to her so he can save his friend. She is tough, but has to admit she could do with some help from Ridge, who is as alluring as he is annoying. Amongst all the fighting they manage to fall in love, but nearly lose each other, and their unborn child. What they don’t know is that if they stay together things may change not only for them, but for the future of the world. New rules will have to be drawn up as aliens, humans and Midworlders learn to live with the situation. This book is the first in a trilogy about other Midworlder couples.

Excerpt:

“Please don’t drop me, please don’t drop me,” Nicole repeated as she closed her eyes. She didn’t like flying in planes, let alone being dragged through the night sky by an oversexed scruffy angel who was too hot for his own good. Or was it her own good.

“I won’t let you fall. Look around before we go over. I reckon you’ve guessed the events of tonight aren’t the way we normally do things. Humans aren’t meant to be aware of our flying through the night sky which means I can’t let you remember any of this.”

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. His face was close to hers as he gripped her tight around her waist. It was too dark to read what he might be thinking from his expression. His lips were so close and her own were parting at the thought he might kiss her. She trembled, but not from fear anymore and hoped he couldn’t read her mind. They were being hunted and she wanted a kiss, no she longed for it. He had to be putting the thoughts in her head.

She needed to get her mind off him so she gazed down at San Francisco. Her adopted city stretched out below with steep streets reaching down to the harbor, while the lights on the Golden Gate Bridge shone in the distance, reflecting on the water below. She smiled as a tear flowed down her cheek. She had never seen it this way before. For a moment she forgot others were after them or after her in particular. She peeked over Ridge’s shoulder and glanced back over his wings as they glided through the sky. Three dark, winged shapes were following and could be seen against the light of the full moon. Maybe the full moon could explain why strange things were happening, because this was like staring at a scene from a horror movie, except it was real.

The shapes of their pursuer’s bodies blurred. She turned back to the city but the lights of San Francisco were disappearing. In the moonlight she focused on the face next to her. Ridge smiled and touched her cheek with his.

“It’s okay. I’m gonna get you a new guardian and all of this will go away. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

She didn’t want a new guardian, she wanted Mira back. It went dark and reminded her of when she went adventure-caving in Australia. The absolute darkness of underground where not even a trickle of light breaks through, no matter how hard you look. She couldn’t see Ridge anymore, but the closeness of him and the darkness amplified the sound of his wings. For a moment they were all that existed in the universe. His lips touched hers and her mouth opened to him only to have him pull away. Did he mean to do that?

“I suggest you close your eyes and give your mind over to me,” he whispered.

Nicole shook her head and tried to get herself back to reality, whatever that was. “I’m not going anywhere with my eyes shut after tonight, and from what I’m picking up at times your mind seems a bit murky to let you in again.”

“Suit yourself darling, but don’t blame me if you pass out.”

Pain sliced through her temple. She squeezed her eyes shut and instinctively hugged Ridge tighter. His thoughts were in her head again telling her to relax, but this time it wasn’t working. She tried to hold down the rising alarm of what would happen next. Somehow she had an inkling it wasn’t going to be good.

Contact Maggie!

http://www.pinterest.com/maggiemundy/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5428101.Maggie_Mundy
http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/
http://www.maggiemundy.com
https://twitter.com/MundyMaggie
https://www.facebook.com/MaggieMundyAuthor
http://tinyurl.com/lfy3ymr Amazon Link
http://maggiemundy.blogspot.com.au

Ryan Jo Summers' new release: Shimmers of Stardust

A few weeks ago, Ms. Summers invited me to make an appearance on her blog and now I am welcoming her to my place to sit a spell. The fact she's brought along an enticing book cover is a plus. I can almost hear the tinkling sounds and feel the tingle of the magic.

Time travel. Haven't we all wished we could travel back in time to correct a mistake or say something we should have said? Check out the excerpt and see how Logan and McKenzie meet.

Blurb:

Civil War hero turned renegade, Logan Riley, is hanged by the law in 1869. His story should have ended there. Except Anthropologist Dr. McKenzie Lynne is hired by a team of physicists, protected by the military, to find a missing link to their time travel theories. She finds Logan, in the back on a cave, buried in glittering gold dust, very much alive and very handsome.

Taking him back to the base camp, she learns what they really want him for. Horrified, she reacts, grabbing his hand and making a run for it.

Now pursued by the military and the obsessed physicists who will stop at nothing to get their living treasure back, and to teach her a lesson, Kenzie and Logan must fight to stay alive and stay hidden. Covering distances in the deserts and mountains of New Mexico and Arizona, each moment is a challenge to stay alive and stay safe.

Meanwhile. Kenzie's strong Christian faith works on Logan's bad-boy heart, convicting him of his lawless past. With Kenzie's help, he tries to allow the grace of God into his life while fighting to preserve both of theirs. Staying free means a lifetime on the run, but getting captured means a lot worse.

Undeniable affections bloom between them as tense moments turn into longer periods of growing love. Can their newly formed love survive the coming showdown between the military closing in, Kenzie's Christian morals and Logan's nineteenth century code of justice?

Excerpt:

“I might be wrong about this, but aren't you supposed to be staying between them white lines?” His voice, light and teasing, drew Kenzie back from the edge of sleep.

Righting the wheel, she covered a yawn, sliding him a tired glare. “Tough talk coming from someone who doesn't know how to drive.”

He tried to look insulted, but the look didn't quite come off.

“What makes you think I can't? I can drive a six-hitch team. That's a heap of horsepower. I even one time drove an eight mule freight wagon. That's a heap more power. How much harder can this be?”

Six horses? Eight mules? Really? Suddenly curiosity overrode her fatigue and she slowed the SUV down, pulling off to the shoulder. “You are about to find out,” she promised. “Logan, it's time you learned how to drive a car.”

Jumping down, she moved around to the passenger's side, climbing back in. He slid over to her vacated driver's side, hands going to the wheel, apprehensive smile on his face.

“Okay, now this is your gas pedal, it makes the car go. And that's your brake, it makes it stop. You press them down with your right foot. Only one at a time though.”

Leaning close, she pointed out the various gauges on the dash, the turn signal and the headlights. “Now this is the shifter,” she said, moving his hand to the knob. “It is used to control the different gears like park, reverse and drive....” Her voice trailed off as she looked into his eyes, held by the light shining from within, transfixed.

Sleepiness driven away, it was replaced with electricity as her hand held his to the knob and his eyes held hers. Her lips parted. Was he going to kiss her? Darn her, but she wanted him to. Truthfully, she yearned for him to. She ran her tongue over her lips, remembering his taste from before.

He leaned closer, his smile bright in the growing darkness

around them. She could smell the ever-present coffee on his breath. He was never far from his last cup of coffee, she thought whimsically.

A car sped by, shaking her. Pulling her gaze from his, she followed the car's wake. It reminded her what they were doing out here on the New Mexico desert highway at this hour.

“We need to make some distance tonight,” she said, looking back at Logan, disappointment ringing in her ears.

“Reckon so,” he slowly drawled, glancing down to where her hand still held his on the knob. “So what does this stick do again?”

Bio:

Ryan Jo Summers is a lover of words and stories. Her earliest memories are of books and the characters coming to life. She took to writing thinking it was a natural thing all book readers did. It wasn't until her early teens she made the move to think of publication. She enjoyed small successes with free lance work and short stories. It wasn't until 2013 she sold her first novel. After that, she tore up the return ticket of the author-train, deciding this ride was only going one way---forward.

Today she lives in the mountains of North Carolina with a menagerie of pets. Outside of writing, she enjoys cooking, travel, friends, houseplants, digging in the dirt and escaping to the National Forests near her home. She likes word-find puzzles and baking and painting everything from ceramics to canvas to cartoons. She writes poetry for the therapy it offers.

Shimmers of Stardust is her second novel. A third, When Clouds Gather, is set to be released this winter by Soul Mate Publishing as well.



LINKS:

www.ryanjosummers.com
blog: http://summersrye.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Jo-Summers-suthor-page/312875648810797

Thanks for stopping by Ryan Jo! I'm stalking Amazon.com until I get my copy!

Spotlight on Rachel Sharpe's LOST DISTINCTION

I read the first book in Rachel's Jordan James, PI series titled Cold Ambition and I'm thrilled to let you all know that the second book, Lost Distinction will be out this fall. I can't wait to get my hands on it and see what Jordan is up against next.

Let's find out more about Lost Distinction.

"LOST DISTINCTION" Blurb:

"It all started with a favor..."

When private investigator Jordan James agreed to search for the missing son of a U.S. Ambassador, she didn’t realize she was walking into a case one hundred years in the making. The deeper she delves into this unusual assignment, the more shocking, and the more dangerous, it becomes. With time running out and lives at stake, Jordan must race to identify the culprit of an elaborate plot while also uncovering a far more personal truth too intimate to ignore...

"LOST DISTINCTION" Coming Fall 2014 from Soul Mate Publishing!

LINKS:

"COLD AMBITION" Available Now on Amazon! www.amzn.com/B00L2OLQPG

"LOST DISTINCTION" Coming This Fall!

Website: www.rachelsharpe.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpe
Twitter: www.twitter.com/RachelCSharpe

Cold Ambition

This week, Thursday Threads is featuring Rachel Sharpe's, Cold Ambition. I'm happy to say, I just finished reading CA and it was fantastic! I loved Jordan James! A strong woman who goes after what she wants even if she does have to brave snowy weather, be chased by bad guys, and have a gun pointed in her face along the way.

Take a look at the excerpt and see what I'm talking about :)

Title: "Cold Ambition" (Jordan James, PI series)
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Heat Level: Sweet
Buy Link: http://www.amzn.com/B00L2OLQPG/

Blurb:

"It was my life-long dream to become a private eye. Little did I know that with my very first case, that dream would become a life-threatening nightmare..."

When Jordan James decided to embark on a career as a private investigator, she never could have imagined that a chance encounter would lead to her staring down the barrel of a gun on the roof’s edge of a high-rise building. As she begins to investigate her first case, the puzzling murder of a prominent businessman that has left Boston’s finest mystified for more than two decades, she finds herself suddenly immersed in a treacherous underworld brimming with betrayal, raw greed, and political subterfuge of international proportions. In the midst of this, she discovers she is falling for her mysterious client despite the hints of his dark past. Can this feisty Southern girl with a penchant for trouble solve this baffling case or is she doomed to become another tragic chapter in an international conspiracy?

Excerpt:

We sat there in silence and heard Ace stumble towards the door and fumble with the lock.

"Yeah?"

"Is Jordan James here?" a muffled voice inquired. I strained to hear, but the distance between the rooms and the closed door made it nearly impossible.

"Who?" Ace laughed. Suddenly, there was a strange sound. It sounded like a firecracker had gone off. This sound was followed by a loud thud which echoed through the apartment. In an instant, Rick and I were on our feet. Rick turned off the light and grabbed the tape from the VCR. I searched the room vainly for a place to hide. Outside the room, I heard shoes echoing on the floor and the sound of doors being opened. Before I had another moment to think, Rick grabbed me and practically carried me to the far corner of the room by the soundboard. Next to the soundboard was a thin wall covered in soundproof foam. Three of the walls had this soundproof foam but the wall contiguous with the door did not. It appeared Ace was still installing it. He pulled it back to reveal a small closet- sized room.

He brought me inside and replaced the wall, closing us in. We huddled together in the corner. Looking around I realized that this was the room in which Ace occasionally recorded. Suddenly, faintly, I heard the door to the media room open. I heard footsteps making their way around the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the intruder spoke.

"She's not here," the muffled voice stated. "Yes, she came into the building with Michaels' kid. No, they can't be far. Don't worry. We know where their car is parked.

If not before, we'll get them when they go back for it."

Links:

www.rachelsharpe.com
www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpe
www.twitter.com/RachelCSharpe

Time off!

Thursday Threads is taking some time off this week but will return on Thursday June 19.

In the meantime, I'd like for you to take a look at the cover for my upcoming release, Rescued. I'll have more details later with the blurb, an excerpt, and the all important release date!

In My Wildest Dreams

In My Wildest Dreams is at the special price of 99 cents for a limited time! The sale ends January 27, 2014 so head on over to Amazon, pick up your copy, and enjoy.

Don’t forget that Lynzi and Layne’s adventures continue with Dreams Do Come True scheduled for release this Summer from Soul Mate Publishing!

Limited Time Sale Price!

Only three days left to get In My Wildest Dreams at the special price of 99 cents! The sale ends January 27, 2014 so head on over to Amazon, pick up your copy, and enjoy.

Don't forget that Lynzi and Layne's adventures continue with Dreams Do Come True scheduled for release this Summer from Soul Mate Publishing!

Free on Amazon!

Who doesn't love free? And when it's a book that warms your heart with a story of a couple who are reunited after an extended time apart, that makes it all the better. In My Wildest Dreams will be free on Amazon July 26 and 27 in ebook form.

Lynzi and Layne are a young couple who have dreams of a future together. Those dreams are crushed when Layne disappears from Lynzi's life without a word. Like any strong woman, she moves on. Not that she has it easy. Life is . . . life. It has its ups and downs.

She discovers years later that Layne had died in an accident of which she was completely unaware. Another fact of life to deal with, but when Lynzi's life is threatened several times in the span of a week, her world takes on a magical twist as well.

Here's a sample.

My pulse went into overdrive and my chest squeezed tight, making it difficult to draw a breath. He gave a slight movement of his hand to bring our attention to the danger in his grip.

The man came to a halt at my side. “Give me your wallets and be real quiet about it, ladies. Don’t make any stupid moves and everybody will be good.” He had the gall to offer a toothy smile as he spoke.

He stepped closer, grasping the nape of my neck with his hand, and jamming the barrel of the gun into my side. I sucked in a frightened breath and tried to free myself from his hold.

Allison gasped and took a step away.

He gritted out a second warning. “Be still, Blondie, or I will shoot her.”

Just then, Ben came out of our building, bounding down the steps, cell phone in hand, and realized what was happening. “Hey! Hey you!” he shouted as he sprinted toward us.

The gunman glanced toward the sound of Ben’s voice. In that split second, my arm shot up to meet his nose with the heel of my hand.

Crunch!

He dropped to the sidewalk holding his nose with both hands. “You bitch! You broke my nose!” he whined through hands cupped over his nose and mouth.

The point of impact sent his gun skidding across the sidewalk and coming to rest against the side of the building. By the time he hit the ground, Allison had grabbed the pepper spray from her purse and taken aim at the whimpering robber.

Lynzi finds out a few days later that she'd had some magical assistance in downing the would be robber. Can she adjust to her new life?

It's free to find out. Enjoy!

Chapter Chicks Book Club

I will be attending a meeting with a local book club next week to discuss their recent read and hear feedback.

In May, The Chapter Chicks decided to use In My Wildest Dreams as their monthly read and I was de-lighted! Now, we are going to meet and discuss their thoughts on my book. This is going to be invaluable to my current and future writing projects and I do appreciate the opportunity.

I am so excited! I'll post pictures next week!

It finally happened!

In My Wildest Dreams was released on Amazon.com in the late hours of April 16 and I couldn't be happier. Such a wonderful surprise even though I knew it was coming.

Two of my chapter mates, Meda White and Christine Glover have been so kind as to help me promote my new book by posting interviews with me on their beautiful blogs. Stop by and leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

http://medawhitewrites.blogspot.com/

http://verandaview.blogspot.com/

Here's the cover and a hint of what it's all about.

Kindle / Paperback

When she becomes the victim of several life-threatening incidents all in one week, it seems fate is out to put an end to Lynzi Lancaster. Her close calls with death trigger a series of dreams about a magical place and a certain man who broke her heart twenty years ago. Layne Brady. Could her life get any stranger?

When the star of her dreams announces in person that he had faked his death for twenty years in order to protect her, oh, and that he’s not actually human, the fireworks begin. Does she believe his extraordinary story of another world, the magical world of the Fae? Do fairies really exist? Should she trust her heart? Could her dreams come true?

Enjoy!