Debut Author Jacqui Nelson

Can the pursuit of an old enemy lead to a new love?

In a race for riches, anything can happen. Five years after the Civil War, a Kansas railroad race heats up as former Rebel spy Adella Willows receives her mission from a Washington senator—play havoc with the Katy Railroad and derail its bid to win the race. The senator craves wealth. Adella craves revenge against the man responsible for her brother’s death. But her plans crumble into chaos when she matches wits with the railroad’s foreman, a handsome Irishman torn between two desires: winning the race or winning Adella’s heart.

Adella’s Enemy is a standalone novella and also one of three interlinked stories in the Passion’s Prize anthology. This anthology, written with Romance Writers of America Golden Heart sisters Jennifer Jakes and E.E. Burke, is the first in a new series, Steam! Romance and Rails.

EXCERPT

   Adella’s fingers brushed the telegram hidden in her cleavage and she went as still as Cormac. Blast! She’d

forgotten about the telegram! She needed Cormac to stay in her hotel room, but she couldn’t let him see the telegram.

   “How do you know what I want?” she whispered, stalling for time.

   “I don’t. But this is what I want.” In two strides, he devoured the gap between them. Then his mouth claimed hers in a hot, heady possession.

   Pressed against the door, all she could do was kiss him back. She did so with abandon. Her skin tingled, and her blood raced as if her body had woken from years of sleepwalking. She didn’t want the feeling to stop. She wrapped her arms around Cormac’s neck and pulled him closer.

   He suddenly lifted his head. “I want more than one kiss,” he murmured against her lips. “And I don’t mean merely claiming everything that’s under this dress.” His hand slid up her ribcage to cup her breast.

   The telegram! With a gasp, she covered her cleavage with both hands. The corner of the telegram brushed her palm. Thank Dixie. It was still there. But had he seen it? She pressed back against the door.

   Cormac retreated as well, lifting his hand to rake it through hair that was already disheveled. Had she done that? He reached for the doorknob and she jumped aside.

   “Stay away from the worksite, Adella.” He opened the door without his customary restraint. It banged against the wall. “And, for God’s sake, stay out of trouble. Don’t provoke a man beyond his patience.”

Jacqui Nelson writes historical romantic adventures set in the American West and Victorian London. Her love of Western stories came from watching classic Western movies while growing up on a cattle farm. Her passion for Victorian London wasn’t far behind and only increased when she worked in England for four years and explored the nooks and crannies of London on her weekends. Jacqui currently lives in Victoria on the west coast of Canada where she works as a book seller. Her previous jobs have included animator, systems analyst and fundraising event coordinator.

Her debut release, Adella's Enemy, is part of the Passion's Prize anthology and the Steam! Romance and Rails series. She is a Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® winner and three-time finalist.

CLOVER: It was so fun to meet you in person in Atlanta. So tell us, how often do you get lost in a story?

JACQUI: It was wonderful meeting you in Atlanta as well, Clover! Can I say again how much I love your name? Okay, how often do I get lost in a story? Not as much as I’d like! I work in a bookstore and sometimes its torture shelving all the lovely books and listening to customers recommend their favorites. My ‘to be read’ list is huge! 

CLOVER: Working in a bookstore? Best job ever! I’d never get anything done. Okay, who’s your favorite villain?

JACQUI: I’m not sure if he is a villain, but he isn’t a hero either. He is so many things and for me that’s what makes him so fascinating. He’s Al Swearengen (played by Ian McShane) in the TV series, Deadwood.

CLOVER: Aw, Deadwood. *grinning* You write about both Victorian London and the American Frontier. What about these time periods and places do you find fascinating?

JACQUI: I love the adventurous spirit of London and the American Frontier. And, even though they are both dramatically different places, they both feel like home. You see, I spent the first eighteen years of my life on a cattle farm. The fields, forests and barnyard were my playground. Then, not too long ago, I had the opportunity to work in England and make London my playground. 

CLOVER: It’s one thing to put your heroes and heroines in the past. If time-travel was possible, where would you want to visit and why?

JACQUI: I would visit the Western frontier. I think the land, with all its untouched beauty and abundance of wildlife, would truly be a sight to see. But then again, Victorian London would also be tempting…I have some story details I’d like confirmed.

CLOVER: Story details. That could get interesting. What’s the first book you remember reading?

JACQUI: I read so many books when I was kid that I can’t quite remember where the start began. At one point my mom started hiding my books because she worried I’d ruin my eyesight! But I do remember the first book that I fell in love with so much that it still sits on my bookshelf—Judy Van der Veer’s Hold the Rein Free. The price says $0.75 on the cover. For me as a kid, its worth was priceless.

CLOVER: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

JACQUI: I don’t usually listen to music while I write. But on occasion I have a compulsion to listen to the Moulin Rouge soundtrack and in particular the song “Bolero” from the closing credits. It has a build in tempo that really inspires me.

CLOVER’S GOTTA ASK:  What are the next five books on your ‘to be read’ pile?

JACQUI’S GOTTA ANSWER:   

I’ll pick from the books I brought home from the RWA conference in Atlanta…

Abigail Sharpe’s Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy?

Jennifer Bray-Weber’s Blood and Treasure

Lena Diaz’s Simon Says Die

Shea Berkley’s The Fallen Prince

Shelley Adina’s Her Own Devices

NOW IT’S JACQUI’S TURN TO ASK US:

Much of my writing inspiration comes from watching movies and TV series. My current favorite is Hell on Wheels, but I also adored Deadwood. And then there was my fascination with Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and a series called Space: 1999. Oops, I think I just dated myself. Moving on! Do you have a series (old or new, and of any genre) that you love?

Website  Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads  Pintrest  Blog   Amazon

So what do you have coming up next?

Before the end of 2013, I plan to release two Western historical romance novels: my 2010 Golden Heart winning manuscript, Between Heaven and Hell, and my 2013 Golden Heart nominated manuscript, Between Love and Lies. In December 2014, I plan to release my Victorian London-set Angel Street Agency series.

Jacqui will be giving away an Amazon gift ebook copy of  Adella’s Enemy to one lucky commenter. 

(The winner of the ebook is bn100. Congratulations!)

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON'T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes.   ~ Clover 

Get Lost in Mia Marlowe's 20th book, PLAID TO THE BONE!!!

 

 

 

 

A Bride Comes to Bonniebroch

 

But Cait Grant is hardly dreaming of wedded bliss. As a duty to her father, she must marry Adam Cameron, laird of Bonniebroch. And then, because of a blood oath to her clan, she must murder him. . .

 

If only her new husband weren’t so devilishly handsome. If only she didn’t have to play the loving wife for one long, languorous month. If only she didn’t surrender to his softly sensual touch, she would be able to fulfill her oath. If only she didn’t fall in love. . .

 

 

Today on the blog, I’d like to help Mia Marlowe celebrate the release of her 20^th book, Plaid to the Bone. 20 books, people! That’s quite an accomplishment, and honestly, I’m a little in awe (says the girl who’s only written three). Not only are they 20 books, but they’re 20 GREAT books, as any who have read Mia’s work can attest.

I like them so much, that on my own personal blog during the month of September, I’ll be celebrating each of Mia’s 20 books all month long, and at the end of the month, giving away 5 of her books to lucky readers. Be sure to come by www.HeatherSnowBooksReaderSalon.blogspot.com starting September 1st!

Until then, Mia is hosting her own 20 blog celebration party! You can win different books every day, as well as have a chance at a Kindle Paperwhite. Be sure to check out the details at her blog:

http://miamarlowe.com/blog/

While you're here, why not enjoy an excerpt from plaid to the bone...

 

Excerpt

 

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It May Be Snowy Creek...

but there's nothing COLD about this book!

PIECES OF YOU

A Snowy Creek Novel

An ex-con, wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime, returns to a small mountain town determined to prove his innocence, reclaim the heart of the woman who helped put him behind bars, and win back the right to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. But his arrival stirs up dark secrets and re-ignites a fierce and consuming passion that just might get the woman he loves, and his child, killed.

~ ~ ~

Sometimes a contract to forget can be as powerful as a promise to remember...

Nine years ago Rachel Salonen and Jeb Cullen were soul mates--deeply, irrevocably in love. Until the night two young women went missing from a party in the woods. One was found raped, beaten and pregnant with no memory of what happened. The other is still missing. A small mountain community was torn apart and a young relationship shattered when nineteen-year-old Jeb was arrested for the heinous crime, and Rachel was forced to help put the man she loved behind bars.

Now, nine years later, Rachel believes she's finally put the past to rest when her sister dies suddenly in a fire and she's made guardian of her adopted niece. A child, she learns, who was conceived that terrible night of violence, a child whose DNA was used to convict Jeb. And when Jeb is unexpectedly released from max security, Rachel sees that the past has only just begun...

... Because Jeb has come straight home to Snowy Creek. To prove his innocence, reclaim his life, his home. And to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. A daughter Rachel will do anything to protect.

And when the town turns violently on Jeb, Rachel will once again be forced to take sides. This time she chooses with her heart. But her decision could cost everything she holds dear--including her niece's life. Because someone in town will do anything to keep the truth buried...even kill.

Here is a link to a little bit of PIECES OF YOU:

LORETH ANN WHITE hails from southern Africa, but now lives in Whistler, a ski resort in the moody Coast Mountain range. It’s a place of vast, wild and often dangerous mountains, larger-than-life characters, epic adventure, and romance — the perfect place to escape reality. And the perfect inspiration for her Snowy Creek series!

It’s no wonder it was here she was inspired to abandon a 16-year newspaper career to escape into a world of romantic fiction filled with dangerous men and adventurous women.​ When she’s not writing you will find her skiing, biking or hiking the trails with her Black Dog, and generally trying to avoid the bears – albeit not very successfully. She calls this work, because it’s when the best ideas come.

Loreth has won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s choice award, is a double Romantic Times Reviewers’ choice award finalist, a double Rita finalist, a double Daphne Du Maurier finalist, and multiple CataRomance Reviewers’ choice winner.

MEET MY NEW BEST FRIEND

(Loreth loves a black Lab! She has to be my BFF)

ANGI: How often do you get lost in a story?

LORETH: I think I'm always lost in a story. I have a problem staying in reality J

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 

LORETH: THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE by Enid Blyton. I'd read other books before that one, but this is the book I really remember reading by myself. Enid Blyton was the JK Rowling of my youth. I moved quickly into her FAMOUS FIVE and SECRET SEVEN series, and Willard Price's ADVENTURE series. How could you not be drawn by titles like: Cannibal Adventure! Safari Adventure! ? I think those stories shaped my lifelong love for mystery, suspense and tall adventure tales. Mary Stewart set me on the road to things more romantic.
ANGI: I READ EVERYTHING of MARY STEWART's.

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?

LORETH: Empathy

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

LORETH: Ratatouille! … But does he count if he's in an animated movie?

ANGI: Sure he does !!

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

LORETH: Heroes come in so many forms I think we forget sometimes about the quiet ones, the quiet struggles, where people are selfless in their help of others. Their stories are unsung. They're our neighbors, our townsfolk, and of these sorts I have met several. It gives me faith in the human condition.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

LORETH: Beauty and the Beast - I play with this theme in my RITA nominated book, THE SURGEON SHEIK'S RESCUE

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?

LORETH: I love that Jeb is seen by his fellow characters as dark, very dangerous, and mysterious, but inside he's as vulnerable as the rest of us. He's misunderstood. He's the renegade from the wrong side of the tracks.

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

LORETH: I used to write to music, but now I prefer silence, so no, I don't have playlist for PIECES OF YOU. I think I'd pick something from Susan Agluklark for Jeb, though. From her THIS CHILD album.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?

LORETH: The sound of a rushing river, or wind through a forest, or the crunch of the ocean against a shore.
ANGI: I just happen to have a picture of the waves...now everybody use your imagination.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?

LORETH: I like to read best lying down. On the couch, or in bed. I try to read daily, even if it's just a little sip.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

LORETH: Combo.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?

LORETH: I suspect if was a teen now, I'd be into creating Manga because the first 'stories' I created were drawn. I was inspired by Archie comics. And yes, some were romances.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

LORETH: Gladiator. Hands down. Sooo, deeply, incredibly, poignantly romantic and heroic and epic.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?

LORETH: Hannibal Lector.

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?

LORETH: Ah, tricky question. I think it's to overanalyze, to never accept anything at face value. I don't trust easy J

ANGI: Is there a “Blooper” in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?

LORETH: There is! I have a character named Beppie in the story and there's one place where I call her Lily in error. A friend just pointed it out to me. Argh. There were also  some typos in the early release that my proofer did not catch, but those have been cleaned up in all versions available now.
ANGI: Whew...

ANGI: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?

LORETH: You serious? What's not to like???

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: In one of your emails you mentioned we share a love of black dogs. I have two: Tex & Roxie. Do you have a picture to share and a story behind it?

LORETH'S GOTTA ANSWER: Hudson! My hero. My love. My muse. My frustration. By Black Beast of a Labradog J. He's consumed my life for the past 3.5 years. We’ve done tracking, search and rescue training camps with the Mounties that involved getting up at ridiculous hours and travelling insane distances and working for hours in freezing rain and slush in wild mountain environments. We've done goose chasing. We go skijoring/cross country skiing every single day for 3 or 4 months of each year. We bike and hike and swim the rest. He's taken me places and introduced me to people I'd never have met otherwise. My new publishing venture is named in his honor -- Black Dog Ink.

FIND LORETH

Contact    Website    Facebook

Twitter @loreth    Goodreads

Blogs    Previous GLIAS interviews

UP NEXT for LORETH

Out in September and available for pre-order now is THE MISSING COLTON, book three in the Coltons of Wyoming miniseries from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

Following that, available this fall, is SHATTERED INTO YOU, the prequel to PIECES OF YOU, Piper and Dracon's story. Next up will be Constable Annie Pirello's story. We meet Annie and Piper and Dracon in PIECES OF YOU.

PREVIOUS RELEASES by LORETH 

Take a peek at her back list

SAHARA KINGS SERIES

THE SHEIK'S COMMAND

SHEIK'S REVENGE

SURGEON SHEIK'S RESCUE--RITA nominated book

GUARDING THE PRINCESS 

LORETH is giving away three (that's right 3!) digital copies of PIECES OF YOU, the first in her Snowy Creek series. International giveaway, make sure you leave your email address.

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be emailed to international  participants who leave a comment on the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join us Friday when our Unsinkable sister Jacqui Nelson joins us with her debut release.  And come back tomorrow when we take a minute to welcome our newest crew members: Lara Lacombe & E.E. Burke. ~Angi

LORETH WANTS TO KNOW: what are your favorite romantic suspense reads and why?

JoAnna Grace visits us on her first Release Day

The gods work in mysterious ways…

Avery McClain is normal. Or so she thinks.

Until her life is shattered and she is rescued by a Thracian warrior. He takes her to the Haven, a realm of safety for the magical race of Olympians. There she discovers her life was meant for a higher calling as the mate of an Olympian Prince.

Her choice will change everything.

Ryse Castille has one job: convince Avery to step into her role as a Divine Grace. As with any mission, there are obstacles to overcome. Including the fact he is captivated by her. Of all the gifts the gods have given him, romance was not included. But Avery belongs to him and he will stop at nothing to protect her.

The enemy might be closer than they think.

Can Avery find the courage to embrace her destiny? Or will evil separate them for eternity?

Read an EXCERPT  of Divine Destiny 

I’m excited for y’all to get to know my friend JoAnna Grace. We met at the Dallas Area Romance Writers convention last fall. She’s sweet and snarky and has the prettiest business cards I’ve ever seen. 

From the time she started holding a crayon JoAnna began to create magical worlds. Her very first book was a series of pictures about a puppy princess. The story changed each time she told it, but there was always a happy ending! Her first written story was about girls who changed into tigers. Hmmm… some concepts must've stuck with her.

CLOVER: Tell us a little bit more about you.

Now my stories have become a bit more complex! And I’m glad to share them with you.

My tales are spun in my home in East Texas where I live with my husband, three kids, a couple dogs and a few fish. When I’m not hiding behind my computer screen you can find me camping, boating, and shopping. I’m active in ministry and hope to pass on the unconditional love given to me to others. Occasionally I get to sing and no one runs screaming, so I guess it’s not too bad!

Member of the East Texas, North Texas, FFP, & PRO chapters of RWA, Texas Association of Authors.

CLOVER: So JoAnna, how often do you get lost in a story?

JOANNA: When I started reading Nalini Singh's Psy-Changling Series I actually lost an entire week of my life. I don't remember eating or feeding the kids. I don't remember sleeping- I might not have! There was something so addicting about those books that I was completely enthralled. Who knows what all I messed up that week! I did the same with Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy. Totally checked out from reality.

CLOVER: I love it when a good book can do that to you. Family probably isn’t thrilled though. What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

JOANNA: CELEBRATE! I don't care what it looks like, but it's done! There are so many great writers out there that have a fear of finishing the dang book. Because that means you now have to put it out there! That's a scary thought!!! So to cross that threshold is something to celebrate.

CLOVER: What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you passed on to your children?

JOANNA: I love Christmas morning! It brings out the kid in me. And when I was a child my mother would get up and make beignets for breakfast. It's a Cajun donut- powdered sugar, cinnamon, yum, yum, yum! Now- because I can't cook a lick- my mom comes to my house and makes them for my kids. LOL! What can I say, I don't cook and I don't garden. My husband loves me anyway!

CLOVER: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

JOANNA: Steel Magnolias. Hands down. I love how this movie addresses heavy, heart wrenching topics with humor that still makes me hold my sides from laughter. I have a 97 yr old grandmother that is living with dementia. In her early stages she would accuse my 6'4, 300 lb step-father, Bill, of crawling through her windows and stealing her shoes. She even tried calling the police about it. I would just laugh it off because Bill couldn't get through her windows even if he tried. When Bill passed away Mom and I were talking about the fact that my grandmother was still alive and how shocked she was going to be when she reached the pearly gates and saw Bill. I told my mom I could hear the conversation. Grandma: What the hell are you doing here? Bill: I came to steal your shoes. My mom started crying and cackling at the same time. In that moment of sorrow we found laughter and somehow it made facing our sadness easier.

CLOVER: What is something that not a lot of people know about you?

JOANNA: Hmmm… I actually have a fear of new places. In the last couple of years I've had to get over it because of all the traveling I've done to various conferences. But at one point I would have mild panic attacks if I had to drive alone to somewhere that I've never been. Weird, I know. I decided I needed to get over this so I booked a week long trip to Seattle all by my lonesome. Nothing to make you face your fears like flying across the country alone! I still *hate* driving in city traffic, but I don't let it hinder me.

CLOVER: Good for you, Joanna! So what’s your favorite kid joke?

JOANNA: My kiddos are a non-stop running script of comedy. We are the jokes!

CLOVER’S GOTTA ASK:  What’s the best present you ever received?

JOANNA’S GOTTA ANSWER: LOL! I will be in deep trouble if I don't answer this correctly! This past April my hubby and I celebrated 10yrs of marriage. He picked me up in a limo, bought me Pandora, took me to a ritzy restaurant, imported the champagne we had on our first anniversary from Italy, and showered me with roses- my fav! Yes ladies, be jealous. He's all mine! LOL!

CLOVER: Wow. He sounds like a keeper! With that kind of guy around for inspiration, what are you working on next?

JOANNA: The first book of my Blake Pride Series, Pride Before the Fall, will be out around October

Website     Facebook      Twitter       Goodreads       Blog

JoAnna will be giving a lucky commenter an eBook copy of Divine Destiny so be sure to answer her question.

JOANNA: What books make you laugh? What books can change your mood for the better?

Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address. 

DON'T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes.  And join us tomorrow as Angie hosts Loreth Anne White  ~ Clover