11/30/2016

Meet Susan Hayes

The greatest thing about a reader's conference is getting to know the people who love to read. The second greatest thing...getting to know the people who write the stories. SUSAN HAYES is a new friend of mine. LLLLLOVE this CANUK!!!  Bet you will, too!

ALL IN
When love is the prize, the only way to win is to go all in.

The Resource Wars may have ended, but for the cyborgs created to fight in them, the battle for acceptance is far from over. Former soldiers Toro and Jaeger have been on the move since they left military service. They’re looking for more than their next payday; they want to find a place to call home.

Cynder Armas co-owns the Nova Club with her two cyborg siblings. The club is more than her business; it’s her home— filled with everyone she cares about. Life on The Drift isn’t easy, but it is profitable, and it keeps her too busy to dwell on the losses in her past.

When these three battle-scarred warriors meet, there’s no denying their attraction, but it takes more than a spark to keep a fire burning. To hold onto each other, they’ll have to find a way to let go of their old lives and embrace the future, together.


     Jaeger stopped outside another locked door. “We’re here.”
     He passed his hand over another scanner, and the door slid open. Warm air flowed around them, carrying the scent of green, growing things. It had been so long since he stepped foot on a planet, Toro had almost forgotten what it was like to breathe something other than recycled air.
     “What in the worlds?” Cynder’s voice was tinged with wonder as she peered past the doorway to the wonderland beyond.
     The door opened out onto a landing near the bottom of a sphere more than fifty feet across. The walls were lined with row after row of brackets, all of them full of plants bathed in constant light from the hundreds of lamps shining down on them from a few feet above the tallest leaves. The brackets were divided into sections by marked pathways, and a catwalk spanned the midsection of the sphere, linking to of the main paths.
     Jaeger gestured for Cynder to enter the sphere. “Welcome to Astek Station’s atmospheric farm, or as I’ve decided to call it, the atrium.”
     “I had no idea this place existed. I’ve seen the outside of the station plenty of times, and I’ve never seen any sign this is here at all. How did I miss it?” Cynder stepped over the threshold, then turned and beckoned them to join her inside, her face wreathed in smiles.
     “I wondered about that myself, so I looked up the plans for these stations. It turns out that only half of it is visible from the outside.” He pointed over their heads. “That portion appears as a hemisphere at the bottom of the station. The part we’re standing on is inside, out of sight.”
     Toro groaned. “We’re standing upside-down right now? Is that why we were walking on the wall earlier?”
     “They do some funky things with the gravity down here. I get it; they can use more of the space this way, but only away from the inhabited areas.”
     “I can’t believe they still use organics as part of the oxygenation process. No one does that anymore, do they?” Cynder wandered over to the edge of the landing and ran a gentle hand along the leaves of one of the plants. “I’d forgotten how pretty greenery could be.”
     “This station is older than it looks. The system still works, so I guess no one’s bothered to modernize it.” Jaeger pointed to a section of plants that looked different from the others. “I think that’s a herb garden, and on the other side I found some flowering plants I suspect are what they sell at the florist shops on the station.”
     “I always wondered how they managed to get fresh flowers this far out. My brothers will cry when I tell them they’ve been spending a fortune on posies that were grown under their feet instead of on a planet.”
     “I doubt it. If flowers make Zura happy, I bet Luke and Kit would pay any price. They clearly love their wife and would do whatever it took to please her,” Toro said.
     “You got that right. She could probably ask for a moon of her own, and they’d try to get it for her. Lucky for all of us, Zura’s not that kind of woman. If she was, the club might be bankrupt by now.”
     Toro crossed the landing to stand behind her, trapping her between himself and the plants she was caressing. “What would it take to please you, Cyn? What would make you happy?”
     She glanced back over her shoulder and smiled at him. “I’m a simple girl. I don’t need flowers, or moons, or presents of any kind. I don’t take time for myself very often. My brothers would say I don’t take it at all. Spending time with the two of you is making me happy. No club. No worries about unlicensed pharma, or security, or balancing the books. More of this would make me very happy.”
     “We can do that. All I need for you to make me happy right now is for you to tell me I can kiss you again.”
     “Yes.”

SUSAN HAYES lives out on the Canadian west coast surrounded by open water, dear family, and good friends. She’s jumped out of perfectly good airplanes on purpose and accidently swum with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef.

If the world ends, she plans to survive as the spunky, comedic sidekick to the heroes of the new world, because she’s too short and out of shape to make it on her own for long.
 
To contact her about her books or to arrange end of the world team-ups, you can find Susan …  Website   Facebook   Amazon   Twitter: @SHayesRomance   Facebook Reader Group   Newsletter Signup

THE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD Q&A
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
SUSAN: I love that feeling of getting lost in the words and not coming back to reality until the book ends. I try to read every day.

ANGI: Hugh Jackman or Chris Pine?
SUSAN: Tough call, but Hugh Jackman wins.

ANGI: What's your most favorite thing to do in your state?
SUSAN: Watching the winter storms whip up the Pacific Ocean. Storm watching is amazing.

ANGI: What’s your favorite meal?
SUSAN: I love food (more than I should) My current favourite is duck confit poutine. (For you non-Canadians, that’s fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds with crispy duck on top.)

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?
SUSAN: Toro and Jaeger are far from perfect, but they want to be better and keep working toward that goal. I think that’s someone everyone can relate to.

ANGI: Sand or Snow?
SUSAN: Sand.

ANGI: What might we find in your heroine's purse?
SUSAN: Cynder prefers pants with pockets and a couple of knife scabbards over carrying a purse.

ANGI: Superman or Batman?
SUSAN: Superman

ANGI: Would you rather be in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
SUSAN: I’m a sucker for Prince Charming in any incarnation. Sign me up for the Fairy Tale!

ANGI: What’s your favorite rerun on television?
SUSAN: M.A.S.H  I still watch it whenever I can.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
SUSAN: The Princess Bride

ANGI: What drinks or snacks are always on your desk when you’re writing?
SUSAN: Drink: Coffee   Snack: Roasted chick peas.

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
SUSAN: Prince Humperdinck  (Princess Bride)

ANGI: Hiking Boots or Dancing Heels?
SUSAN: Heels

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What’s one thing from your bucket list?
SUSAN’S GOTTA ANSWER: Fly somewhere in the first class section (it looks so comfy up there! A great place to catch up on my reading.)

PREVIOUS RELEASES by SUSAN  
DOUBLE DOWN 
The Drift, Book 1

When it comes to love, sometimes the best bet is to double down.

Kit and Luke Armas are cyborgs created for one purpose, battle. Now that the war is over, they must fight to carve out a place for themselves in a universe they were intended to die for but never be a part of.

Cargo pilot Zura Watson came to the edge of civilized space to start over. The Drift is a haven for the hunted, the lost, and those seeking second chances. It was also the last place in the cosmos Zura expected to find love.

When the shadows of the past threaten to eclipse this trio’s future, they’ll have to fight for their chance at love and the life they’ve always dreamed of.

CARNAGE
Hell Hounds MC 1

Hell’s best bounty hunter is about to meet his match…

After five centuries of service to the Devil, Carnage must decide if he will renew his contract or retire as the leader of the Hell Hounds. Before his time is up, the Devil has one more assignment for the hellhound shifter: track down a woman named Leta and deliver her to Hell.

Leta Fury should never have been born. Half angel, half demon, and all attitude, she can hold her own against anything the supernatural world can throw at her…until she meets an arrogant bounty hunter named Carnage.

It should have been a simple retrieval mission, but nothing is ever easy when you work for the King of Hell. 

SUMMONED AND SOLD
Summoned Series, Book 1

Torn from her world and enslaved by magic, Vela’s life is shattered in the name of greed. Born of a fae race of shifters, her exotic beauty and unique powers have damned her to a life of slavery. But as a true Feral, she will never allow anyone to enslave her spirit or claim her soul.

Torin is the Prince of Stryx, forced to watch as his father’s madness pushes the kingdom closer to the brink of destruction. Strong and true, Torin’s flaw keeps him from being the leader he is meant to be. Upon learning of his father’s plans to breed Vela’s fae abilities into the family bloodline, Torin agrees to marry her rather than subject her to the cruel perversions of his father’s bed.

Worlds collide under the king’s dark reign, but when Torin sets eyes on his bride, her beauty and courage ignite his passions. He knows that he will do anything to keep her at his side and in his bed, but how can Vela ever learn to love a man she is forced to call her master?

SUSAN is giving away a digital copy of her new paranormal short story,  CARNAGE. International giveaway

ANGI'S back next Friday
For the 6th BLOG BIRTHDAY of GLIAS
 Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook
or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories
UP NEXT for SUSAN
Wild Card
Series title & book #  The Drift, Book #3

SUSAN WANTS TO KNOW: If you were given a chance to become any kind of shapeshifter, what would you want to be? A classic creature, like a werewolf? Or something exotic, like an eagle or a tiger?

11/29/2016

E.E. Burke's Best of the West: Meet A Cowboy Under The Mistletoe

Purchase from Amazon

Are you ready to settle down in front of the fire for some great holiday reading?  

A Cowboy Under The Mistletoe is a boxed set of six Christmas novellas about two of our favorite subjects—cowboys of the old west and Christmas. 

Stacey Coverstone, Livia J. Washburn, Donna Alice Patton, Kaye Spencer, Gail L. Jenner and Tanya Hanson come together to bring you six heart-wrenching, sigh-worthy tales of love under the mistletoe. 

With poignant stories of rediscovered feelings and unexpected new love during the holidays, Prairie Rose Publications is proud to bring you this special boxed set of seasonal tales that will have you reading far into the night. 

Here's a sneak peek at what's included:

A CHRISTMAS GROOM by Stacey Coverstone

Her past or her present? Who will Mariah choose as her Christmas groom?
Having fought nearly three years for the Confederacy, Captain Tom McCann returns to Arizona Territory just in time for Christmas with plans to marry his sweetheart and buy a ranch. More than one surprise awaits him, however…including the news that Mariah is to be wed on Christmas Day. Shock at Mariah’s decision grips him, but he gradually realizes that everyone believed him to have been killed in the war.
Heartsick at the promise she’s made to another, Mariah feels honor-bound to go through with her wedding. But Tom’s waited too long to get back to his one true love and his dream of owning his own spread to give up without a fight. Now, the entire town waits to see who will be A CHRISTMAS GROOM…

Stacey Coverstone wrote her first novel in 2006 after an inspiring week at Cowgirl Camp in New Mexico. When that western romance was quickly accepted for publication, there was no looking back. She now writes in several genres, but historical western romance remains her favorite to write and read. Stacey is also a freelance fiction editor.
She and her husband call the charming lakeside town of Mount Dora, Florida home, where she works in Special Events Sales at the historic 1883 Lakeside Inn. Stacey enjoys the beach, bicycle riding, camping, traveling, photography, and her rescue dog, Buster.

WIDELOOPING A CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Livia J. Washburn

Will he rescue the beautiful outlaw leader just to have her steal his heart?
When Clay Terrell rescues Jessamine Barlow from a Comanche raiding party, he has no idea how much trouble he’s letting himself in for—because once the beautiful blonde dons range duds, and buckles on a gun belt, she’s also known as Jess Barlow, leader of a fierce outlaw clan from Kansas. Clay may have to make the hard choice of defending his range or protecting the family of the woman who has stolen his heart—and some of his cattle!
Jess Barlow knows that Clay will be better off without her. Grateful to him, Jess figures the best way for her to repay him is to make sure he doesn’t have a chance to fall for her. But when they wind up under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve, what comes next may make it impossible for the two of them to ever be apart!


Livia Reasoner has been writing professionally for more than 30 years. Under her maiden name Livia J. Washburn, she received the Private Eye Writers of America award and the American Mystery award for the first Lucas Hallam mystery, WILD NIGHT, and the Peacemaker for her short story, Charlie’s Pie. She lives in the small Texas town she grew up in with her husband, NY Times bestselling author James Reasoner, and a pack of rescue dogs. Her website iswww.liviajwashburn.com.

ANOTHER AULD LANG SYNE by Donna Alice Patton

Christmas Eve, Mistletoe and a love from the past—will Hudson Meade make it home to Another Auld Lang Syne?
It's Christmas Eve, and Hudson Meade is hurrying home to his family.  A brief stop in Stockton to escape the biting cold for a few moments leads him to an unexpected meeting with an old flame he’d thought never to see again. Will seeing Aurelia again and the memories of another long-ago Christmas Eve leave him with regrets about what might have been? One last parting kiss under the mistletoe results in yet ANOTHER AULD LANG SYNE…and his eager desire to be in the arms of the one he truly loves beyond all reason…

Donna Alice Patton is a gardening and history enthusiast from the Midwest who has won numerous ribbons and trophies for her flowers and vegetables. In the winter when she can't play in the dirt, she soothes her creativity by writing instead.  She is the author of five books for children including: Saddle Up! based on a real California horse camp, and Snipped in the Bud: A Tale from the Garden of MysteriesFind out more at: www.donnaalicepatton.com.

SILVER AND GOLD by Kaye Spencer

All he needs for Christmas is a big bag of dynamite...
Bad luck and wrong turns make up the greater part of ex-con Joe Halden’s past. When he learns he has a five-year-old son Joe knows he can do something right by giving the boy a decent home. But the only way he can save him is to employ the trade that landed him in prison—explosives expert. Sydney Allard’s heart is hardened against the townspeople she blames for her husband’s death. When a fire destroys the town near Christmas, Sydney wants to continue harboring her hatred, but her conscience won’t let her. Two strangers share a journey of self-discovery. In this season of SILVER AND GOLD, the hurts of the past can lead to love if they open their hearts and give their trust to each other.

Native Coloradoan Kaye Spencer lives in a small community located in the heart of the infamous Dust Bowl area of the 1930s. While drawn to cowboys and the Old West, all genres and time periods are within her story-creating realm. Growing up on a cattle ranch and reading Louis L’Amour’s westerns and listening to Marty Robbins’s gunfighter ballads all influenced her love of the American Old West. Retired from a career in education, Kaye lives the dual life of writer and spoiler of grandchildren. Afflicted with ACDD (Accumulative Cat & Dog Disorder), she always has a houseful of furry friends.


THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT by Gail L. Jenner

Sometimes the most perfect Christmas gift is not what we expect—and comes as a great surprise.
Katherine Jessup has come west with her dashing, perfect husband—but she is devastated when he leaves her to seek his fortune. R.J. Crawford has traveled west to escape his own past. After rescuing Katherine Jessup from a fall, he finds himself entranced by the young bride. When he takes a job as a sheriff,  he must bring a murderer to justice—and that trail leads him back to Katherine and the hope that he can provide her with THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT.

Gail L. Jenner is the wife of a fourth generation cattle rancher. Her first historical novel, ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS, won the 2002 WILLA Literary Award and was re-released by Prairie Rose Publications in 2013. She has coauthored five nonfiction histories in addition to writing several stories for Prairie Rose Publications, including “July’s Bride,” “The Prettiest Little Horse Thief,” “Just in Time for Christmas,” and “Valentine Angel.” Her work has appeared in a number of magazines, and she writes for Jefferson Public Radio. She has appeared on History Channel, PBS’ “Oregon Experience,” Fox’s “Legends and Lies,” and “Mysteries at the Museum.”

EVERY KNEE SHALL BEND by Tanya Hanson

The greatest Christmas miracle is the gift of love.
When vagabond Alder Dale arrives at his brother's Colorado homestead for Christmas, last thing he expects to find is a beautiful widow raising kids who don’t belong to her. Suddenly, the wide-open range he loves seems cold and lonely. Walls and hearth call out to him.
Mail-order bride Sadie Dahlstrom leaves Kansas for a new life, unprepared for widowhood. When she tends the war wound of a rugged, yet gentle, stranger, her heart swells with a warmth far different from a Christmas fireplace. Can her journey have a happy ending after all? It’s said that miracles happen on Christmas…

California beach girl and country grandma Tanya Hanson is blessed to live with her firefighter husband on the central coast. They enjoy family and travel, and she stays busy volunteering at the local horse rescue. This story is dedicated to her dear friend, Karen M. Berkeland, who now celebrates Christmas in heaven. You left us far too soon, my friend.

Today, we'll be giving away 2 copies of A Cowboy Under The Mistletoe. Enter the drawing and leave a comment.

What was your most memorable Christmas, and why?

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