9/30/2015

ALL WRAPPED UP

ALL WRAPPED UP
Pine Mountain series, book #6

Talk about a hot lead…

Christmas is coming to Pine Mountain—and it has a way of stirring up memories, good and bad. Nick Brennan may manage the Double Shot bar smooth as good whiskey, but his past is a hot mess. When he runs into a burning building to save a little boy, some people start thinking there’s more to his heroism than holiday spirit. And then the local reporter assigned to the story turns out to be gorgeous Ava Mancuso, the girl who got away.

Ava knows what it’s like to have a past. But the changes she’s seen in Nick since she knew him do more than set off her natural curiosity—his warm eyes and gruff charm have her instincts fired up. Still, all the chemistry in the world doesn’t erase history, even when Nick invites her to his little sister’s mistletoe wedding. Does he have a heart under all those secrets? Or is this going to be just another Christmas past?

Read a Little, buy the Book
FIND KIMBERLY
Website   Facebook   Amazon   Twitter @KimberlyKincaid  Previous GLIAS interviews

KIMBERLY KINCAID writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Her digital Line series is all about the hot cops and sexy chefs of Brentsville, New York. She is also the author of the Pine Mountain series, which follows small town singles as they find big-time love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters. Visit her any time.

COME TO THE PARTY

WOW -- See those names? 
6:00 - Molly O'Keefe - Everything I Left Unsaid 
6.30 - Chistina Lauren - Dark Wild Night 
7:00 - 
Nalini Singh  - Rock Redemption 
7.30 - 
Kimberly Kincaid - All Wrapped Up
8:00 - 
Sonali Dev - The Bollywood Bride
8.30 - 
Jessica Lemmon - A Bad Boy For Christmas
9:00 - 
Kate Meader - Playing With Fire
9.30 - 
Lauren Layne - Irresistibly Yours
(Times are US Eastern Standard Time)

HERE's the party link: FALL INTO ROMANCE FACEBOOK TAKEOVER

WHY SHOULD YOU GO?   That's where the prizes are !
$50 Amazon gift cards + Books, Books, and more Books!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR KIMBERLY?
RECKLESS
Rescue Squad
Pre-Order the book for January 2016


ANGI'S back Wednesday 10-14 with
debut author CINDY CHARITY
UP NEXT ON GLIAS:  Kay Thomas
Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook
or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories


KIMBERLY WANTS TO KNOW: Do you like story series? And…I hope you’re coming to the Facebook party.


9/29/2015

E.E. Burke's Best of the West with Kathleen Bittner Roth

Available from Amazon, B&N
and in stores
For today's BEST OF THE WEST, I'm featuring a luscious historical romance set in old New Orleans. JOSETTE, a brand new release from Kathleen Bittner Roth, is Book Three in her series, When Hearts Dare.

Across the oceans, between worlds old and new—two lost souls find themselves at a crossroads. 


Josette LeBlanc left behind her poverty-stricken life in a Louisiana bayou after marrying the wealthiest man in New Orleans. Now a widow living in luxury, Josette should have it all. Nothing could be further from the truth. Polite society's scorn has forced her into a lonely existence. When a wayward niece overwhelms Josette, she grudgingly turns to someone she once adored—the man she believes to be the girl's father.

Wealthy shipping magnate Cameron Andrews possesses everything a man could want, but tragedy shrouded his heart in darkness. He has every intention of escaping a life more suffocating than the sultry heat of the French Quarter. Fate, however, has something else in mind when a precocious young girl storms into his life claiming to be his daughter. Not only is the girl a Cajun raised in the bayou backwaters, she is also the granddaughter of a wicked voodoo priestess.

Like a rose bush filled with prickly thorns, an unwanted attraction blossoms between Josette and Cameron. While denying the passion that sparks between them, their verbal sparring heats their blood as nothing ever has, but treacherous forces are at work. Soon, Josette and Cameron are caught in a tangled web of passion and betrayal that could cost Cameron his life.

Here's a book trailer and excerpt:

 
   “Monsieur Andrews, welcome to my home.”
    At the smoky, velvet sound, Cameron swung around. Every function in his body—heart, breath, blood—ceased to function.
    She was lovely. 
    More than lovely.
    Tendrils of raven hair framed a face so exquisite, it disarmed him. Her mouth, a soft, dewy pink, as though she’d pressed rose petals to her lips, parted. And those eyes, as dark as Creole coffee, intelligent and assessing, roamed over him and then back to take hold of his. But it was her complexion, as flawless as a newborn’s, and with a soft glow to it that mesmerized him, that made him want to step closer and stroke her skin.

Meet Kathleen

Kathleen Bittner Roth creates evocative stories featuring characters forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. 

A PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Kathleen was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest. 

Contact information:

Twitter: @K_BittnerRoth

E.E.: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?
Kathleen: When I’m writing a story (which is all the time—one after the other) I live with my characters 24/7. I reside in Budapest, Hungary which has one of the finest public transportation systems in the world along with some of the best sidewalk cafes around. Both are perfect venues for people watching. I’ll purposely ride the trams and trolleys around town and hang out at the cafes so I can watch people and pick out strangers 

E.E.: What’s the best birthday (or any holiday) present you ever received? 
Kathleen: Oh, this is easy. I sent a query to Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency early December of 2011, never expecting a quick response, if one at all. She wrote back that week asking for a partial. A few days later, she requested the full. The week before Christmas she emailed wanting to talk about representation. I signed with her agency on Christmas Eve, 201. My best present ever! A DUKE’S WICKED KISS went on to become a Golden Heart finalist and my first publishing contract. 

E.E.: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?
Kathleen: The two secondary characters I would most like to invite to dinner would be René and Bastien Thibodeaux, Josette’s hot, bad boy brothers from the bayou. They are wicked, wily, sexy and conniving, but oh, what handsome and enticing rogues. They were so entertaining in JOSETTE that my editor asked me to write their stories. Who would I least like to invite to dinner? Their mother, Odalie. She’s a voodoo priestess with a heart as hard as stone

E.E.: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met? 
Kathleen: My friend, Janos Horvath. In 1944 he was a leader in the Hungarian Student Resistance Movement against the Nazis. He was captured and endured unbelievable torture for nine days. He was to be executed on Christmas Day but the Russian army moved into Budapest on Christmas Eve. As the Russians advanced through the city, Janos managed to escape in all the confusion. After his escape he was elected to the Hungarian Parliament at the age of twenty-four. When the communists began their takeover, he was charged with conspiracy and again tortured and sentenced to four years in prison for being "an enemy of the people". In 1956 he became a political leader of the Hungarian Revolution. After the Soviet army crushed the Revolution, he escaped to the United States to tell the true story of the Revolution to the U.S. Congress and to the United Nations so as to challenge the lies that were being perpetrated by the Soviets. He hoped to seek help for the Hungarian cause and return home within a few weeks but he was not permitted to return until the wall came down many years later. He remained in the United States, earned a PH.D in Economics at Columbia University, and taught at the university level until his retirement in 1997. In January 1998 he returned to Hungary, and was again elected to the Hungarian Parliament. Last year at the age of ninety-two, Janos Horvath retired as the oldest Member of Parliament. A true survivor and hero if I ever met one.

E.E.: What turns you off like nothing else?
Kathleen: Cigarette smoke. I love living in Budapest, the most romantic city I’ve ever spent any time in. Unfortunately, Hungarians are heavy smokers. It’s been outlawed in restaurants so they smoke on the street in droves. Ugh. I’ve lost loved ones due to the awful stuff. If I could rid the world of tobacco, I would.

E.E.: What sound or noise do you love?
Kathleen: I love the sound of running water—a babbling brook, waves lapping on a sandy beach, a water fountain in a park or even a small table top fountain on my desk—they are all soothing. I once read that if a person were to sit on the beach for three days running, the flow of blood in the body would match the rhythm of the waves in the ocean. I lived for four years in Opatija, Croatia, a lovely baroque town along the beautiful Adriatic. My memory of my time spent there is always one of a sense of tranquility because of the lovely scenery and the calming waters.

E.E.: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Kathleen: I start the next one, even if it’s only the first paragraph. I make sure I get something nailed down before I go to bed. Or I’ll fiddle with the title and characters’ names. Once I get those and a bit of a bio on each person, they come alive for me and write the story themselves.

E.E.: Where do you read and how often?
Kathleen: I like reading in bed and I do so every night without fail. Three years ago, I had a freak accident where a metal pipe dropped on my eyes. I endured some scary weeks of not knowing how the surgeries would turn out and having to face the notion of “what if I cannot see?” Fortunately, there is a genius of an eye surgeon here in Budapest who restored my eyesight (when others said it was impossible). I take good care of my eyes now.

I mentioned I live in Budapest. The Hungarian language is considered the second most difficult language in the world to learn, yet I have managed to live here quite contentedly for five years.

My question for the reader: How do you think you’d fare if you were to suddenly find yourself living in a country where you didn’t know anyone and did not speak the language?

Kathleen is giving away a digital copy and a print copy (mailed in the U.S. only) of her new release. Just let a comment and enter the raffle.

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9/28/2015

Get Lost in The Poet's Secret






The Poet’s Secret is a novel powered by two remarkable yet fractured characters:  Elia Aloundra, a young lit student, and Cameron Beck, the reclusive, suicidal poet she is on a quest to find. Decades earlier Beck penned his acclaimed masterwork inspired by an anonymous muse, only to thereafter disappear. Elia always found sanctuary within the words of the literary greats and considered Beck worthy of that pantheon.  Hoping that the poet will unveil the secret to eternal love, Elia faces off with Beck’s protective circle on an exotic island hideaway, the same island where decades earlier a Spanish shipwreck entombing mystical Aztec relics was found. What Elia cannot fathom is that Beck’s secret will change both their lives forever.

Kenneth Zak was born in Parma, Ohio in 1962 and resides in San Diego, California. The original manuscript of The Poet’s Secret was selected a Golden Heart® Finalist in romantic suspense by the Romance Writers of America.  The poem Two Bits from The Poet’s Secret previously appeared in Kelp Magazine.  His short fiction A Promise appeared in A Year in Ink, San Diego Writers, Ink Anthology, Volume 4 and his short story Thea appeared in A Year in Ink, San Diego Writers, Ink Anthology, Volume 8.

The Poet’s Secret is his debut novel.


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


Ken: If I were to recommend a playlist as a back drop for reading The Poet’s Secret, it would be a combination of the soundtrack from Luc Besson’s 1988 film The Big Blue (about the relationship and rivalry of two free diving competitors) and instrumental selections by Shigeru Umebayashi, Yo-Yo Man and Tan Dun (from a variety of Chinese film soundtacks, including songs like Star Crossed Lovers, Confession II, Moon Explains, Season Change, Silk Road and The Eternal Vow).  I suggest symphonic, instrumental arrangements serve as the best backdrop for reading The Poet’s Secret.  I actually wrote portions of the novel with The Big Blue soundtrack in the background, particularly the aquatic and diving scenes.  I don’t technically “listen’ to music while I write, but more absorb it into my consciousness on occasion to set a mood and drop into a particular scene.   

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love?

Ken: I love the sound of flowing water in all forms, including everything from a silky drizzle to a torrential downpour (I’m writing this in Kauai and we are getting plenty of both), from a gurgling stream to a gushing waterfall, and from a lazy tide to the thump of a wave.  The sound of water soothes me, excites me, provokes me and often envelopes me, so much so that I try to be in and around the water every day.  I even love the quiet between the sounds of water.  There are moments when even the tides fall silent.  The lull between sets of waves can also be exquisite, providing a peaceful perspective.

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

Ken: Wow, picking a favorite movie can be difficult.  But if I were to shortlist a few they would include The English Patient (directed by Anthony Minghella and based upon Michael Ondaatje’s novel), In the Mood for Love (directed by Wong Kar-wei), The Darjeeling Limited (directed by Wes Anderson), and Vickie Christina Barcelona (directed by Woody Allen).   Themes I am drawn to are the scope and depth of passion, adventure, romance and contemplation.  I love broken characters in difficult situations trying to make some sense of their existence.

Jillian: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

Ken: There is a cool book trailer for The Poet’s Secret by Kenneth Zak on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IS8PwKiW7w

Jillian: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

Ken: I would become a vintner.  There is a novel revealed in every bottle of wine.  I think that great vintners understand the interplay between soil, grape, climate and humanity and mix these ingredients much like a storyteller weaves together a story.  The same can be said of whiskey distillers and craft brewers, but the grape remains nearest and dearest to my romantic heart.

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Ken: I usually let out a long sigh.  Finishing the first working draft of a book brings on such a unique set of emotions.  There is a sense of loss, of ending a long creative journey and relationship with the characters, all the while knowing there is much still to be done.  I become so involved in that fictional world I miss it almost immediately (and thankfully for revisions know that I will be visiting again and again and again). There is also a sense of “mission accomplished,” at least for the moment.  But part of my immediate processing includes not just that initial long sigh, but soon thereafter an even longer swim or surf session.

Jillian: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and specifically why?

Ken: I would like to travel through Prague from 1900-1950, since that is part of the setting of my next novel.  My ancestors come from a small village outside of Prague that I have visited and intend to return to next year.  There is a something powerful about sifting through your fingers the soil from your family’s origins.

Jillian: What does it mean to love someone?

That is a great question. For me, loving someone is challenging yourself and your lover to live life to its maximum, from passionate adventure to quiet solace to forgiving honesty and humanity.  I want to be challenged by my lover and confident that by sharing and growing our love we will both harvest something otherwise unobtainable.  Once you have found that, love becomes a state of awareness, a sense of being, a golden glow around out every thought and deed.

As you know, we turn the interview questions around at GLIAS and encourage our featured authors to interview our readers! In that spirit, Ken has a question for commenters: What is your favorite (non-physical) attribute of a lover?

You can contact Ken here: www.kennethzak.com and Kenneth Zak Author (Facebook)

The Poet’s Secret is available both in print version and eBook on Amazon and select bookstores (Published by Penju Publishing and distributed by Ingram).

9/25/2015

Through My Lens: Dalhart

I am super excited. 

Two cool things are happening soon. I have a road trip in New England and...

My birthday is coming up!

I'm super hyped about spending time in Philadelphia and then driving through New England during the fall colors. It's one of the things I've had on my "to do" list since...well, forever. Expect lots and lots of pictures from me later.

And to celebrate my birthday I'm having an event for my readers. Anybody can join...but there's the catch, you have to want to join a facebook group. Angi's Friends is a closed group for those who want special updates and extras about my releases. It's not a street team...just a place where I'll share wants going on with stories and special giveaways. I'll also be inviting friends when they have a new release to share. It should be a fun group.



I'm kicking off the group with a special giveaway of a Sterling Silver necklace worth $50.00.



How do you join? Send me a Facebook message or look for the group (Angi's Friends) and send a request.

Here are so pictures from my May road trip to DALHART, Texas. Dalhart and the surrounding area is the location of SHOTGUN JUSTICE releasing in March. It's book 2 of my TEXAS RANGERS: ELITE TROOP series for Harlequin Intrigue.

DUTY, DESIRE AND WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE 
As a Texas Ranger, it was Jesse Ryder's duty to protect her. As a man, it was all he could do to avoid the temptation of Avery Travis. The Snake Eyes Killer was on Avery's trail, but the independent deputy didn't want Jesse's help. And he couldn't blame her; he had walked away from her the night she'd offered him everything.  
Avery knew Jesse would always think of her as his best friend's little sister. However, she was fully capable of taking care of herself…and knowing what and who she wanted. Their lives might be in jeopardy, but the true tragedy would be to never have one more chance with the sexy Ranger.








 

















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HAVE A GORGEOUS WEEKEND no matter where you are or whatever you're doing !! 


9/24/2015

Harlequin Intrigue Author Barb Han Returns to the Blog!


USA TODAY Bestselling Author Barb Han lives in Texas-her true north-with her adventurous family, a spunky golden retriever/poodle mix, and too many books (if there is such a thing). She loves romance novels, thriller movies, and cooking. Her favorite hobbies include hiking, swimming and skiing.

Let's find out a little bit about her latest release, TEXAS PREY!



The hunted becomes the hunter as the past threatens a small Texas town once again… 


Rancher Brody Fields stops cold when he receives a plea for help from Rebecca Hughes. The onetime love of his life, who was abducted along with her brother fifteen years ago, now believes the kidnapper has returned to tie up loose ends. Rebecca needs Brody's help bringing the kidnapper—or killer—to justice. 

For Brody, the job is risky, but the real danger is their unexpected Texas-sized attraction. As they uncover answers to difficult—and deadly—questions, Brody has a question of his own: Can he trust the woman who once shattered his heart?



READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK


Jan Schliesman: How often do you Get Lost In A Story?
Barb Han: Great question! I read almost constantly and I read most genres. Currently, I’m reading (and loving!) THE VINES by Christopher Rice. It’s the perfect read to carry me into fall.  

Jan: What’s the best part about living in Texas?
Barb: Hands down, it’s the people.

Jan: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Barb: I’m a hybrid. I outline but then I let the story take over as I’m writing.

Jan: I can’t read a book that doesn’t have a happily-ever-after…damn you Nicholas Sparks. Have you always been drawn to the HEA?
Barb: Ha! He really can be cruel! I have always been drawn to HEA because I read for pleasure. If I wanted to be depressed or sad, I’d watch the news.

Jan: Do real life experience eventually work their way into your stories?
Barb: Absolutely. Writing is so much a part of who I am that it would be impossible to completely separate my fictional world from my real life.  

Jan:  How did you meet your husband?
Barb: I was out celebrating my birthday and (recently single) had just told my friends that I’d never dated a guy with black hair before. I literally looked up at that moment and he walked right past me. My friends laughed and said I’d never go talk to him. I took that as a dare, so I plucked up the courage and we’ve been together ever since.
Image result for m&m pictures

Jan: What beverage and snack always find their way to your desk?  
Barb: Plain M&Ms are creative fuel! As for a drink, I go with Chai Tea Lattes (YUM!).

Jan: Tell me about the first message you received from a fan. Did you jump up and down or dance around the room?
Barb: The first piece of fan mail I received was actually an e-mail from a male fan. It was thrilling and there was excited screaming! My daughter wrote his name on my whiteboard so I could see my fan for inspiration anytime I wanted. She literally kept the list going until it took up the entire whiteboard. I have the best fans!

Jan: Speaking of dancing, which one was more fun…your wedding reception or the Harlequin party?
Barb: Well, this is obvious…the Harlequin party, of course! Ha! What can I say? Harlequin knows how to throw one heck of a party. Plus, my husband and I eloped in Las Vegas.

Jan’s GOTTA ASK: 

Barb’s GOTTA ANSWER: I feel like my answer is kind of boring but I LOVE chocolate chip ice cream!


Next up : TEXAS TAKEDOWN, book two in the Mason Ridge Series:
For security expert Dylan Jacobs, his little daughter is a light against the shadows of his past. But when the sexy ex-soldier locates missing Samantha Turner, the shadows return. Samantha is convinced their childhood nemesis—the Mason Ridge Abductor—is back. And that he's hunting her. 

Amid a hail of gunfire, Dylan commits to keeping Samantha safe—then nearly crumbles when his own child disappears. So when the villain poses a vicious ultimatum—turn over the woman he loves or never see his beloved toddler again—Dylan knows what he has to do. Put plan B into action


THANKS SO MUCH, Barb, for giving us a peek into your writing world!  Readers, check out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to WIN one of Barb's books!



FIND BARB HAN:
Contact    Website   Facebook   Twitter @BarbHanAuthor



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9/23/2015

KC Klein & The Dark Future Series Tour


TO BUY A WIFE
Dark Future Series, book 1

In a harsh land where corruption rules and women are few, cold realist Hudson Land must purchase a wife to save his farm. Instead of an auction, he witnesses the start of an execution. With his first look at a beautiful woman in years, Hudson knows he has to have her—no matter the cost. 

Lake, a chemist and a rebel fighter, is resigned to her death, but when some back-hill farmer rescues her from the chopping block she has no intention of simply becoming his wife. She’s pledged her life to the Rebellion and being bought for some stranger’s bed doesn’t change a thing, even if his soft caresses are damn distracting. 

As lies and secrets build between them, are the quiet moments they’ve shared enough to stand against two warring factions in a world where only the strong survive?

CURRENTLY FREE
Amazon   Kobo   iBooks   B&N

TO KEEP A WIFE
Dark Future Series, book 2

In the shards of civilization ruined by a global war, Lake has gotten the life she never dared dreamed of—a safe haven, and the love of a good man, her husband, Hudson Black Creek. But Lake’s hard-won happiness doesn’t last long when powerful Elders lay siege on Black Creek Manor in retaliation for a past defiance. As Lake watches everything she loves go up in flames, she sacrifices herself for the chance to keep Hudson and her brother alive. Syon, a diabolic Elder with his own agenda, will push Lake to her breaking point, forcing her to compromise—heart and soul— in order to survive.

Hudson wakes from a head wound to find that his whole world is reduced to ashes. With no memory of why he’s sacrificed everything for a woman whose name is tattooed on his chest, Hudson is determined to make his heart match the emptiness of his mind, and wipe out everything except the hatred for those who are to blame—the Elders and the wife he sought to protect.

As evil and fear spread across a war-torn land, Lake and Hudson are tested like never before, and both will have to forgive betrayals and risk greater heartbreak if they want a chance at saving their lives… and their love.

Amazon   Kobo    iBooks   B&N

DARK FUTURE
Dark Future Series, book 3

A woman caught between two futures…
Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go travel in time to save the world–and his life. Of course, her future self doesn’t tell her who he is just sends her into the darkness and straight into an alien invasion.

…must choose between the man who has her heart…
 He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting military commander of Earth’s army and the world’s last defense. There’s only one way for Smith to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy–slice her throat. Except, he didn’t anticipate the desire he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman.

…or the fate that saves the world...
 As Kris and ConRad struggle to trust each other in a world on the brink of destruction, they each will have to face the ultimate choice of whether to fight or die… survive or forgive.

Amazon   Kobo    iBooks   B&N

KC KLEIN has lived most of her life with her head in the clouds and her nose buried in a book. She did stop reading long enough to make a home with a real life hero, her husband, for over seventeen years. A mother of two children, she spends her time slaying dragons, saving princesses, and championing the belief in the happily-ever-after. Her debut novel, Dark Future, was a 2010 Prism finalist and has been honored with a reviewer’s choice award. She’s the author of the sexy cowboy Texas Fever series, which starts off with, Texas Wide Open, available now, and Hustlin’ Texas, due out December 2013, and also a contributing author to the fun, sci-fi romance anthology, Hotter on the Edge and Hotter on the Edge 2. KC loves to hear from readers and can be found desperately pounding away on her laptop in yoga pants and leopard slippers.



Twitter  @KCKleinbooks




KC WANTS TO KNOW: Would your future self tell you to change an event in your life?