Get Lost in Sarah Richmond's new release, Past Forgetting

Buy links:  Amazon   Smashwords

Friends believe Joanna Blake suffers from agoraphobia. Joanna wants to live a normal life but when she steps outside, she finds herself in the past…

When the vicar sends the new doctor around, she is dismayed. Here is another well-meaning person who’ll try to talk her out of her house.
Dr. William Thomas is bent on revenge. Malcolm Blake, Joanna’s grandfather, cheated his family, condemning them to a life of poverty. According to his family, the Blake’s stately mansion belongs to the descendants of Captain Thomas, his grandfather, who was hung for a murder he didn’t commit.
Will finds Joanna suffering from anemia and in need of immediate medical attention. Joanna takes a leap of faith and confides her time travel to Will. He listens to her story and convinces her to take him to the past.  Surprisingly, she agrees. She is attracted to his determination and strength and believes he intends to help her find an answer to the curse she lives under.
        Will thinks Joanna will confront her illness when nothing happens when they go outside. Much to his bewilderment, he also travels in the time slip. They stop to ask the date, and people throw stones at them. Will is injured and he and Joanna run back to the safety of her house.
        During a visit his parents, Will asks for more information about what happened between the two grandfathers. Will’s father shows him an IOU. The IOU claims the Blake mansion as collateral for a loan to Malcolm Blake from Captain Thomas. Will shows the note to a solicitor who advises him to drop his claim. There is no way to verify the authenticity of the IOU after so many years have passed.
        Will sees the time travel as a great opportunity to confront Malcolm Blake and claim what rightfully belongs to his family. His growing attraction to the heiress complicates this task. Even though he feels guilty about not telling her why he wants to go back to the past, he knows she will refuse to take him if he tells her the truth. 
He can’t go back without her.
Caught in a web of lies and deceit, Joanna and Will must solve the mystery of what happened so long ago. Will their courage and love forge a bond that transcends all time?

Sarah Richmond is the author of ten published historical romances. She was listed as #4 in historical romance sales on Amazon.com for her Edwardian novel: A Most Ineligible Suitor. A resident of Southern California, Sarah just bought a house she is trying to restore to its former glory. She’s a member of RWA- San Diego chapter and the Faith, Hope and Love RWA chapter.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love? 
Sarah: Laughter, especially from those who have been hurting. Recently, I was sitting with friends and a man who hadn’t been very happy in a long while started laughing. It was the best sound ever.     

Jillian: Who is your favorite villain?
Sarah: Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo. No amount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this man’s obsession to harass Jean Valjean who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served out his prison sentence. It reminds me of labels that are stuck on people when they are young and continue all through their adult life as if they could never change.


Jillian: What is your favorite kind of story to get lost in? 
Sarah: A story with fascinating characters, terrible villains and a sense of irony.

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish a book? 
Sarah: Rewrite. For me writing is a process and never ends. Readers tell they want to know more about what happens to the characters after the book ends which is very satisfying to me.


Jillian: If you had a chance to travel to the past where would you go and why?
Sarah: Apart from killing Hitler, I would like to travel back to the Edwardian Age. I could take place in my very own costume drama wearing enormous hats and lovely dresses. The age of the Edwardians was a time when women were agitating for their rights and succeeding--which would suit me.

Sarah has a question for readers: 

What character would you like to have been on Downton Abbey? 

Sarah is giving away a copy of one of her books. Winner picks the title! Remember to leave your email contact information with your comment. And please note that Past Forgetting and Mexican Spur are only available as ebooks.

Buy links:  Amazon  Smashwords

Twitter: srichmondwriter; 

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SarahRichmondHistoricals; Montlake Authors

Goodreads: Sarah Richmond

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in a World Full of Danger and PSI Sentinels.

Purchase Link: Amazon

PSI Sentinels: Guardians of the Psychic Realm
Extraordinary senses in a world full of danger.



Welcome to the world of the PSI Sentinels.

The Institute for Psychic Studies - IPS, ran inside an old, stone mansion on extensive grounds in a remote area of Minnesota - is where professors and scientists work to find answers to the whys and wherefores of human psychic ability. 

However, IPS is also a cover for a private, secret agency operating in tandem with the federal government. Their agents work in the background to defend and shield unwary victims against the twisted underside of a psychic society bent on exploiting an unsuspecting, mundane civilization.

A V A I L A B L E   N O W :

Stolen Spirit
PSI Sentinels: Guardians of the Psychic Realm /Book One

Hearing his dead ex-girlfriend’s voice in an empty room is enough to make a man question his sanity. Worse is when that ex insists she shouldn’t have died. Broken cop Jake Carrigan has no interest in delving into a past full of heartache and regrets. But he can’t deny she still matters, even if she’s simply a voice in his head.

 Hannah Dixon is having a hard time believing she’s dead. How can she be when she feels so much inside? She can see Jake, can talk to him, but she can’t touch him. And right now, touching Jake is all she wants.

 Jake’s probe into Hannah’s death stirs up a sinister psychic link, something dark that will stop at nothing to keep its secrets. To protect her own heart, Hannah left Jake once. Can she leave him again to protect his life?

Purchase link: Amazon 

Also Available Now:

Elsie's Secret
A PSI Sentinels Novella

His secrets tore them apart. Hers might get them killed.

A PSI agent, Sebastian Alexander has secrets that once came between him and the woman he still loves. Finding her prowling around where she doesn’t belong turns his simple reconnaissance into a rescue mission threatening to blow everything apart. Is he willing to risk his secrets to save her life?
Elsie Quartermaine has one goal. Save her nephew from a sadistic kidnapper. Sebastian is the one man who can help her. But divulging her secret puts more than her life in jeopardy. Can she trust Sebastian with her nephew’s life? Her own? What about her heart?
As dawn creeps over the horizon, can they find enough trust in each other to stay alive?

C O M I N G   S O O N : 

Blind Sight

Death plagues Gabe Nicholetti’s dreams. But he can’t save the people in his visions. The most he can do is bring their killers to justice. This time, though, this victim makes it all personal. 

Rily Carrigan is a dead woman, or she will be in a matter of days as her past rushes forward to shatter her carefully constructed world. But Rily doesn’t believe fate is absolute. How is she going to convince the man who’s seen too many die that it’s possible to save her life?

 Just outside a small, Oregon town, something malevolent lurks, waiting to seize what was once promised then stolen. Together, Gabe and Rily need to find a way to deny fate and keep Rily alive.


About the author, Pam Moran

Whether painting, out on a photo shoot or writing, Pam has always had a bend toward the creative side of life. Her favorite is when she can combine any of those with travel. Places get into her blood and she loves to explore the possibilities, always with characters and a story in mind. 

An astrologer for most of her adult life, Pam has been known to see auras & the occasional ghost. Considering she lives in a haunted house in the mountains of southern California, this keeps life interesting.

Jillian: What’s the first book you remember reading?  
Pam: One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. The paperback book was old and worn when it came into my possession, I don’t even remember who gave it to me, but as a kid I read it so many times I wore the cover completely off the book. I think I might even still have the book in a box somewhere in my attic. I loved the characters and didn’t want to leave them. 

As I got older, I didn’t reread as many books and today, with so many on my TBR pile and not nearly enough time, I rarely reread anything. But that story still stays with me, still makes me smile whenever I think about it.

Jillian: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Pam: That’s such a hard question to answer! I’ve had a love affair with all fairy-tales since I was a kid. Maybe it’s the myth kind of thing, the Greek and Roman Gods, the life lessons all wrapped up in a story. 

Today, some of my favorite stories to get lost in are ones that retell the fairy tales we grew up reading, and the ones that have elements in them of those fairy tales. 

Jillian: Describe your favorite kind of hero to read/write?
Pam: Well ... sexy, alpha types just vulnerable enough to keep them from being too arrogant. The kind that gives me shivers and breaks my heart with sorrow over their predicaments. 

But if you ask my critique partners about the heroes I write (and I did!), they say my heroes are hunky and tortured alpha males who just need the right women to heal their hearts. They also offered to help .... 

I have one hero, Ramon Ortega, who has tried to take over every single story he’s ever appeared in. As Craig Carrigan’s cop partner, he feels a deep responsibility for the man’s death and because of that, a profound connection to Craig’s remaining siblings. Jake Carrigan is the hero in STOLEN SPIRIT and Rily Carrigan is the heroine in the upcoming BLIND SIGHT.

I hadn’t planned on writing Ramon’s story for awhile, but because of his sheer presence, I’ll be working on his comeuppance, I mean love story, next. HEALER’S EDGE should be out in Fall 2014.

Jillian: Who’s your favorite villain?
Pam: In books or movies, a good villain is so much fun! 

My favorite is Khan of Star Trek fame. He is the best kind of villain, the kind who is definitely the hero of his own story. He has his reasons and they’re as real and important to him as Kirk’s determination to stop him. 

Jillian: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Pam: I hope you all enjoy the world of the PSI Sentinels as much as I’ve enjoyed exploring it in their stories.

While I like to say the PSI World is a psychic world gone wild, I try to keep its basics grounded in reality. Of course, the fact I see auras, I’ve had my psychic moments and I live in house with its own ghosts might make my reality a little more out there than others, ;o) my stories do follow specific world rules and that’s important to me. 

The same goes for the cop parts. I’m married to a cop and one of my critique partners is also a cop who has worked with several different federal agencies. They tend to keep me straight on that stuff. 

We’ve had some really interesting conversations in some really interesting places. 

My favorite was the waitress who kept scurrying by and couldn’t decide if she should call the police or ask us just whose upcoming murder we were discussing! We finally took pity on her and told her it was for a book – that we really weren’t going to be killing anyone. The relief on her face was palpable. Then, since we were the only customers in the place, she sat down and demanded to know all the details. She asked some really great questions! Made me wonder about her....

Jillian: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?
Pam: My most interesting quirk...that’s something else I asked my critique partners and I’m not sure I liked the smirks on their faces! Or the fact they just shook their heads and refused to answer.

Pam has question for commenters: If you had a PSI ability, what would it be? Why that one? Pam is giving away an ebook copy of ELSIE’S SECRET to one lucky commenter, chosen by Randomizer. Please remember to leave your contact information if you want to be included in the raffle.

How to connect with Pam online: 

www.PamelaMoran.com
www.facebook.com/PamelaMoranAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/PamelaMoran
Twitter: Pam_Moran

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Barbara Barrett's Driven to Matrimony

Buy links:  Amazon   The Wild Rose Press  

Dina Maitland spends almost as much time extricating her movie star mother from personal messes as she invests in her forensic accounting job. So much time, she may no longer have a job once she cleans up her mother's latest fiasco, her engagement to a twenty-something film student. Vowing it's the last time she puts herself on clean-up duty, Dina sets off for South Carolina to stop the pending nuptials, and along the way, almost literally, runs into the father of the groom.

Ben Cutler has troubles of his own with his business under attack from competitors and a government audit looming. Not one to trust women, he must team up with Dina to balance his books as well as stop the wedding.

Though unwillingly thrown together, Dina and Ben are surprised to find their interest and passion for each other growing. Can they face their pasts in order to create a union of their own?

Excerpt:

     “One. Two. Three.” 
     “What’s taking so long?”
     “I’m stopping after each step to test whether there’s anything in front of me. Just in case your instructions are off. If I recall, you weren’t so hot remembering how to get us to the island.”
     “Give me a break.”
     “Four. Fiiiii—”
     “Hey, watch out!”
     “Eowww!” He toppled into the tub almost on top of her, his eyes flying open as he landed. For a suspended moment, he stared at Dina. A completely naked Dina.

Barbara Barrett spent her professional career as a human resources analyst for Iowa state government, and that training has stayed with her in her writing of contemporary romance fiction. Now retired, Barbara spends her winters basking in the Florida sunshine and returns to her home state of Iowa in the summer to “stay cool.” Her third book, Driven to Matrimony for The Wild Rose Press, will be released worldwide on January 15, 2014. Her first two books were The Sleepover Clause and And He Cooks Too. She is currently serving as Website Liaison for the Kiss of Death RWA chapter and as Treasurer for the SpacecoasT Authors of Romance chapter. 

Jillian: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Barbara: Heidi. Of course, I read all the “Dick, Jane and Sally” books, but this is the first “long” book I remember. I started reading at a young age, loved to go to the library, yet I’m embarrassed to admit, I don’t recall much about what I read, either the title or the story. What does come back to me is how frequently I turned to books for escape, not because I had a difficult childhood or was terribly shy, because neither apply. I just loved to read. Sometime around age ten, maybe a little later, my parents built a cabin on the Mississippi river about an hour away from our home. This was in the days before portable TVs and phones, so rather than enjoy the fishing or swimming, I’d go off to the “boulder” on the beach, climb on top, and read until my back end went to sleep from the hard surface beneath me.  

Buy Links:  Amazon   B&N   ITunes   Kobo

Jillian: What’s your favorite “love” word? 
Barbara: What a delicious question. I’ve never given it much thought, but I’ll bet if someone took the time and trouble to search the words in my books, they’d find “caring,” “attraction” and “commitment” near the top of the list “love-related” words that show up, so I’d say those qualities matter when I’m writing about love. When I was a child in Sunday school at church, I memorized I Corinthians 13. Some of those words come back to me now in answering your question. “Love is patient and kind.” “Love does not rejoice in the wrong but rejoices in the right.” But my favorite “love” word? And by that I’m taking your question to mean what’s the most important element of love, I’d have to say “relinquish.” It’s the best word I could come up with that encompasses the theme of giving oneself over to the greater good of the other. I don’t think I’ve ever used this word in one of my stories, but now that you’ve made me dig this deep, you can plan on seeing it in at least one future story.

Jillian: Describe your favorite kind of hero to read/write? 
Barbara: I just received the first season of “The Newsroom” for Christmas, so Jeff Daniels’ character of Will McAvoy is clear in my mind. He appeals to me because he is so complex – troubled, brilliant, articulate (thanks to Aaron Sorkin), and not so bad to look at. If he were a little more caring, he’d be a near perfect hero, but for reasons yet unknown to me, the viewer, his lack of people skills is why he’s “troubled.” Can’t wait to find out what happens next with this guy and how he and his love interest, his new executive producer, bring their newsroom alive again. This is the sort of story I get lost in. It doesn’t hurt that there is a back story behind his relationship with the EP, that it very clearly went south a few years back but is just as clear there is unfinished business between them, she has her own devils to deal with and he is probably her salvation. Finally, although the stories they deal with are timely and largescale, their demons and challenges are intimate yet universal. 

Jillian: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Barbara: “West Side Story.” I was probably around fourteen or fifteen, the most emotional time of a girl’s life, when I first saw this film, so that may explain some of its appeal for me. Since there is no happily ever after in this one, you might wonder why a romance writer would select this story. I also love musicals and dance numbers; this movie has both, and they are uplifting, catchy, memorable, and I love that mambo scene in the gym. It suggests fun and animal passion all in the same rambunctious scene. I also love “The Sound of Music,” and it does have an HEA, but the real reason I love it is this split-second look exchanged between Maria and the Baron when they are dancing and they both seem to recognize at the same time that something universal and timeless is happening between them. That look is what I strive to achieve in words in my stories when one or both of my main characters realize “this is it.” Keep in mind, this is a naïve young woman who plans to become a nun and a world-weary widower who believes his time to love has passed; it’s not two sexually-aware and active players. What they experience is “innocent” and “real” at the same time.    

Jillian: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Barbara: To truly enjoy romance novels, you have to be open to both hope and disappointment. My writing style is light. I love to write comedy. Sometimes that manifests itself in physical scenes, which though difficult to write, I can’t resist – probably a legacy of my early years watching “I Love Lucy,” “My Little Margie” and “Laverne and Shirley.” I think I’m better at writing humorous, I prefer the word “witty,” dialogue than slapstick. However, to make this lighter side resonate, I’ve learned I also have to include a bit of the “dark” side in my stories. Not evil, just human foibles. Out of trials and tribulations comes optimism and the will to go on, which makes a romance sing. So that’s what you can probably expect from my books, at least the next several.

Buy links:  Amazon   B&N   Kobo

I’d also like you to know I’m available to speak via the Internet or phone to book clubs. You’ll read more about my own book club in a later question, but suffice it to say here, I believe in book clubs as one of the best ways for an author’s work to become better known to readers. I also believe it’s important to connect directly with readers whenever possible to learn more about what I’ve written. Yes, that’s right. My readers see things in my writing even I miss – layers, illogic, potential for future stories. So, if your book club is interested in talking with me, see the contact information later in this post.

Jillian: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Barbara: I read a lot of romance novels and mysteries, especially cozy mysteries. To get lost in a romance, the characters have to be compelling and relatable, and the conflict has to be believable and not just a lot of male-female parrying, although that element is certainly necessary. For me to get lost in a mystery, solving whodunit is paramount. All the clues need to be there, just beautifully and masterfully hidden. 

Because I spend so much time in romances and mysteries, I’m glad I am also part of a book club. I never would have taken the time to read some of the books the group has selected had it not been for this experience. I’m currently reading Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Almost done. By the time you read this response, I will have finished it and figured out what in the heck was happening. There are so many layers and players in this story, I just had to keep reading to find out how they were all related and how the puzzles would resolve themselves in the end. Although I wouldn’t describe it as a love story per se, because I’m not sure there’ll be an HEA, the evolving relationship between the two protagonists definitely underpins the plot line. Throughout what I’ve read thus far, I’ve gotten the feeling there is more going on here than what I was picking up on, which is what keeps me reading more, in other words, “getting lost” in this book. 

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Barbara: In a phrase, I tear up, at least if that last paragraph, that last sentence effectively sums up my story the way it was meant to end. Following that, I tend to send the time and date to one or more of my writer friends to mark the occasion. Then I collapse in a heap. (Writing’s hard, especially that last paragraph.) 

Jillian: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Barbara: Writing is such a solitary endeavor, I tend to unwind and relax in the company of my spouse or friends. I play Mah Jongg twice a week (two versions) to keep the brain nimble and cultivate humility, because I’ve been losing a lot lately. I also go to the fitness center to use the treadmill and stationary bike (deathly afraid of the ellipsis, though it fascinates me) or to lunch with friends. Recently, I’ve been finishing a needlepoint stocking for my latest grandchild before going back to knitting. Though both crafts take concentration, I find story ideas and character development take shape in my head during these times. 

Barbara has a questions for commenters:  Consider the last one or two romance novels you’ve read. Where did you hear about them? 

Barbara is giving away a copy of Driven to Matrimony to one lucky commenter. Please remember to leave your contact information if you wish to be in the raffle. 

Website and blog:  http://www.barbarabarrettbooks.com

Email: barbarabarrett747@gmail.com

Facebook:  http://on.fb.me/11jvO3Q

Twitter: http://bit.ly/186AfCE

Amazon Author Central page: http://amzn.to/GYGkHr

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Brenna Aubrey's At Any Price.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin



When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.




Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO 



Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.



Brenna Aubrey is an author of New Adult contemporary romance stories that center on geek culture. Her debut novel, AT ANY PRICE, just released in December.

She has always sought comfort in good books and the long, involved stories she weaves in her head. Brenna is a city girl with a nature-lover’s heart. She therefore finds herself out in green open spaces any chance she can get. A mommy to two little kids and teacher to many more older kids, she juggles schedules to find time to pursue her love of storycrafting. 

She currently resides on the west coast with her husband, two children, two adorable golden retriever pups, two birds and some fish.  

Add to Goodreads  Buy links:  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  iTunes  All Romance  Kobo 

Jillian: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
Brenna: If I were to pick one “theme song” from my playlist to exemplify the story I’d say it was “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak for obvious reasons.

I actually made a playlist of three songs mentioned in the novel and pinned it at pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/120752833732756078/) They are “Pleasure Little Treasure” by Depeche Mode, “Walk Away From Love” by Yaz, and “Keeps Getting Better” by Christina Aguilera.  On the playlist I created for inspiration, there are a lot more songs but those three were also included. 

I’ll post the whole playlist on my webpage for the book. http://brennaaubrey.net/books/at-any-price

Jillian: Where do you read and how often?
Brenna: Every night. Mostly before I go to sleep but pretty much everywhere I can. I’m an eBook hoarder and very rarely read paper books nowadays!

Jillian: Describe your favorite kind of hero to read/write?
Brenna: Alpha heroes all the way! They are my favorite. But they can’t be “over the top.”  They have to be modern men who like smart, strong, independent women. But they also have to be men who know what they want, go after it and do not settle for anything less.  Adam is very much this type of hero.

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?
Brenna: Many New Adult Novels, though written in first person, do offer alternating points of view. For story-telling reasons, I made the choice to stick entirely with the heroine, Mia’s POV for this first novel in the series. The second novel will be in the hero’s POV.  I love sticking with one character throughout the duration of a story and experiencing the events through their eyes. I think the first person POV offers a lot of intimacy for the reader that isn’t readily available in third person.
Jillian: I agree! There is a kind of intimacy in first person than you don't quite get in third person. I love writing in first person for my contemporary romance novels.

Buy links:  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  iTunes  All Romance  Kobo 

Jillian: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Brenna: Mostly I love to read—all genres, but mostly romance, science fiction or fantasy. I geek out to online video games, watch nerdy movies or reruns of old TV shows like Firefly and Star Trek. Or go camping. I have wide and eclectic range of interests. 

Jillian: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Brenna: Adam because he’d take me somewhere expensive and then pick up the bill. HAHA.  Actually, I think it would be more fun to dine with Mia’s best friend Heath because he’s so hilarious. I’d probably laugh the entire night.

Brenna has a question for readers: Who is your favorite “alpha-hero” or “book-boyfriend” and why? One lucky commenter chosen by randomizer, will win an ebook copy of AT ANY PRICE.

For more about Brenna and her novels: 
http://www.BrennaAubrey.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BrennaAubreyAuthor
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/BrennaAubrey

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Chris Marie Green's The She Code

Purchase Link:
http://tinyurl.com/lwtsvrw
 

Every girl should know the rules...

Mandy Halsey is fresh out of college and determined to go from being a receptionist at the assembly line comic book house where she works to being a real-live penciler by the end of the year. That’s the plan, anyway.

But life isn’t cooperating. First, her job feels like a dead end. Second, her personal life isn’t exactly on fire, either, especially since her best friend seems to be moving in on every guy who catches Mandy’s eye. Is it just Mandy’s imagination or has Sheila totally changed since graduation, becoming someone who’s almost a stranger?

No way, because the BFFs grew up with The She Code. See, girls have rules with each other, so surely the friend Mandy grew up with wouldn’t ever break the Code—and break Mandy’s heart at the same time...

THE SHE CODE, a new adult/chick lit/geek lit hybrid, is all about the bright side of angst—because there definitely is one! Featuring sketches and comic panels by Billy Martinez of Neko Press Comics.

Yay! An Excerpt:

I found Marco sitting on the outside steps leading to the lobby.  He hunched forward, his elbows on his thighs, a page of paper in one hand, an envelope in the other. Twilight wind ruffled his dark T-shirt and hair.

I couldn’t help smiling.  “I’m back to haunt you.”

He grinned back at me and patted the step beside him.  “My favorite neighbor.” 

I didn’t mean to sit so close to him, but I sort of accidentally brushed against his arm.  Imagine that.  I liked how it wasn’t very hairy, could easily imagine how his muscles would bunch while he paddled on his surfboard through the water, droplets sparkling over his skin, salt mingling with sand and sweat.

“So I saw you at The Field the other day.”

He went back to leaning his elbows on his thighs, closing himself off. “You should’ve said hey to me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you.”  I didn’t want you to think I was with my ex, or break in on you and your grandpa or... Who was that man, Marco?

For a second, I wasn’t sure he was going to elaborate, but then he said, “That was my real dad.”

Body language alert: His personal security reading had just shot up two notches to “Orange.”

“I see.” I was being so good, trying not to pry. There are certain things you just don’t ask: Marco, I saw how much you cared for the guy, so why do you seem so sad? Marco, does he have anything to do with your emotional deadlines or your inability to commit?

He stood—conversation over. “I wish you hadn’t seen me there.”

“I understand.  Say no more.”

He lifted a hand, palm upward.  “Listen, sis...”

“I’m not your sis.”

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows.  

      “That’s true,” he said.  “Makes things kind of tough because I’m not really sure what you are, Mandy…”

Purchase Link:
 http://tinyurl.com/py3ckk7  

Chris Marie Green is the author of the upcoming Ghost for Hire series (Feb. 2014, Only the Good Die Young), which features a fun-loving spirit from the 80s. She also wrote the urban fantasy Vampire Babylon series (including RAISING THE DARKNESS and IN BAD SPIRITS) and the New Adult/Chick Lit THE SHE CODE. Under her “Crystal Green” pen name, she writes romances, including the Rough & Tumble series, which will debut with the Berkley Intermix line in 2014.

Chris tries her best to avoid international incidents whenever she takes a break from her first love, writing, and cheats on it with her other true love—traveling! 

Connect with Chris at the following sites: 

Twitter   Facebook   Pinterest   Goodreads  

Jillian: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Chris: Thanks to my young nephew, I have become enamored of TEEN TITANS GO! on the Cartoon Network. My favorite is Robin because he is a hilarious Type-A weirdo and has a full-throttle determination to be the best superhero he can be. Also, he’s the only Teen Titan not to have superpowers, so he has to try extra hard. <G> He’s followed closely by sarcastic, kick-butt Raven.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love?

Chris: I love the sound of a lawnmower! This is no doubt because I associate the noise with the freshness of spring, and the lovely scent of cut grass comes along with it. Things feel lazy and cool when I hear a lawnmower.

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

Chris: Well, I have an ever-evolving favorite 10 ten, but the original STAR WARS movies are always at the top. And, yes, I am considering STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and RETURN OF THE JEDI to be one movie, LOL. Even if you locked me in a box and made me choose just one movie before you’d let me out, I wouldn’t be able to decide between STAR WARS and EMPIRE! (That’s because STAR WARS makes me so dang happy and EMPIRE plucks at my heartstrings. How can a girl choose?)

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

Chris: When I pick up a first-person POV story, I’m so willing to be swallowed up exclusively by the heroine’s thoughts and emotions. I wrote THE SHE CODE in first-person, and it’s almost like sitting down with a good friend and hearing her tell an amusing story that (hopefully) makes you laugh while you feel all of her heartbreak firsthand. When I used first-person in my urban fantasy novelette for the KICKING IT anthology, I wanted to get the reader deep into the heroine’s head so we could really experience her confusion and isolation at waking up in a strange place and not knowing who the heck she is. So, in a word…no, I don’t always miss that hero’s POV. I know I can get a guy’s side in a different type of book. 

Purchase Link: KICKING IT

Jillian: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Chris: I am a TV freak. I love to collapse on my comfy couch and watch everything from THE WALKING DEAD to SONS OF ANARCHY to TOP CHEF. I also love to walk and hike, although I can’t say I’m always relaxing during those activities, LOL. I get some great story ideas and fill plot holes then, so I’m also working.

Jillian: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?

Chris: I think having a holiday meal with my Vampire Babylon heroine, Dawn Madison, would be the most interesting! Especially if she brought her monster hunting team with her. They’d have some great stories to tell (although we’d probably want to save the goriest ones until all the food has been served!). Also, Dawn and the team shut down all the vampire undergrounds a few years ago in London, and I love to reminisce with people who have traveled there, too. It’s a city that’s full of hauntings and I could chat for hours about it!

Chris has a question for commenters: Who is your favorite comic book hero or heroine? Why? 

Giveaway prize: a signed copy of the first Vampire Babylon book, NIGHT RISING to a commenter chosen by randomizer. Remember to leave your email contact information with your comment if you wish to be entered in the raffle.

Connect with Chris at the following sites: 

Twitter   Facebook   Pinterest   Goodreads  

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in R. Ann Siracusa's latest release, All For A Blast Of Hot Air

ISBN: 978-1-77101-176-1
E-Book only
Breathless Press Buy Link
Amazon Buy Link
Barnes&Noble Buy Link
All Romance eBooks Buy Link

A secret prenuptial honeymoon, a hot air balloon safari, and a plot to kill the US president all come together at a Vatican wedding. 

Excerpt
: 

     Ssss!
     The hiss close to my ear and an unpleasant odor sent a spike of adrenalin tingling along my nerves. Gagging and shuddering with revulsion, I opened my eyes to an open maw full of sharp, yellow teeth and long incisors surrounded by a nimbus of grayish hair a few inches from my face.
     A blue and red nose surrounded by a thick mane. Close-set beady yellow eyes. Stinky monkey breath.
     With a screech of alarm, I jerked backwards, the sudden motion wrenching my body out of the crotch of the tree. I tumbled, ass over teakettle, down the trunk, bumping and scraping my arms and legs along the rough bark.
     I hit the ground with a resounding thud and remained there on my stomach, whimpering while the baboon peered down from the high branches grunting and hissing in triumph.
     Above me, high in the distance the red, green, and black balloon drifted farther away. My heart pounded with fear as I watched it diminish in size. Then I dragged myself into a sitting position and struggled to free the backpack which had twisted around me in the fall. In my mind, I replayed what had happened, step by step.
     I had been foolish to lean out of the basket. No question there. But as I thought about it, I reached the only possible conclusion.
     Peter tipped me out of there on purpose. The realization left me breathless and without resources.    Why would he do such a thing?
     I blew out a long breath and fumbled in the backpack for my water bottle. I took a deep swig and swallowed my panic along with the tepid but refreshing water. Even if my cell phone, which had preceded me in reaching the ground, had died a premature death in the fall, even if I couldn't find it, the internal GPS would continue to send its signal.
     Whatever Peter's motive, before they'd gone far, Will would force him to land the balloon whether he wanted to or not. Will would come looking for me. Until then, I needed a somewhat safe place in the vicinity, out of the sun, where I could hang out for a while. Encouraged, I recapped the bottle and put it away.
     A loud screech from nearby caused my breath to catch. My head jerked, and I shifted my gaze across the meadow. There, about fifty feet away, two dark-brown baboons tussled in the undergrowth, one smaller, one much larger. The small one screeched and clutched something in one hand, trying to fend off the other. The bulky aggressor smacked it in the head. With a cry, the little one skittered away, loping toward me with the large male in hot pursuit, both of them howling.
     Holy poop. They're coming right at me.

R. Ann Siracusa is a California girl who earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from UC Berkeley, then went immediately to Rome, Italy. On her first day there, she met an Italian policeman at the Fountain of Love, and the rest is history. Instead of a degree from the University of Rome, she got a husband, and they've been married going on fifty years. In Rome, she worked for as an architect and planner for a land development company for several years until she and her husband moved to the US.

Now retired, she combines her passions—world travel and writing—into novels which transport readers to exotic settings, immerse them in romance, intrigue, and foreign cultures, and make them laugh. Her most recent release from Breathless Press, All For A Blast Of Hot Air, is the fifth book in a five book romantic suspense series, Tour Director Extraordinaire.

Jillian: How often to you get lost in a story?
Ann: I'd say about fifteen percent of the books I read keep me enthralled. Writing has spoiled reading for me a little, since I tend to edit and analyze everything now. When I don't do that and read right over the errors and problems (if any), I'm lost in the story.

Jillian: Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Ann: As far as comic strips go, I always liked Hagar the Horrible and Pogo [I'm really dating myself, aren't I?].

Jillian: Where do you read and how often? 

Ann: My favorite time and place to read is on a rainy day when I don't have to do anything or go anywhere, sitting in front of a fire in the fireplace with a glass of wine (or hot chocolate). 

Since this doesn't happen often enough, I most frequently read in bed, in waiting rooms of Doctors' offices, or in the bathtub [at home – not in the doctor's waiting room].

 I read in spurts; sometimes I read book after book in rapid succession, then not at all for a week or two. It depends a lot on whether I'm reading for relaxation or information and what else is going on in my life. When I'm judging finalists in writing contests, for example, I don't have the energy to read for pleasure.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love? 

Ann: Soft rain and the waves moving in and out at the beach are among my favorites.

Jillian: Describe your favorite kind of hero to read/write?

Ann: I tend to like the Alpha males when they have some inner vulnerability; men who are slightly over-the-top toward the unbelievable side.

 

Personally, I believe that women—no matter how good they are at writing the male point-of-view—still create male characters the way women want them to be, not how they are. Men just don't think the same way, and it always shows. But...who wants to read about men who burp, fart, think about sex every six seconds, and can find the mayonnaise in the refrigerator even when it's right in front of their eyes?

Jillian: Who’s your favorite villain?  
Ann: Anthony Hopkins as Hannible Lecter

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Ann: If we're talking about a first draft, I put it away for a few weeks to a month (during this I'd start the next book), then print it and read it straight through in print without stopping or commenting [for continuity and pacing and thematic statement]. Then I read it through a second time, marking up the manuscript, and start rewriting and editing.

Jillian: What question are you never asked in interviews, but wish you were?
Ann: Easy. Heh-heh! How do you stay so beautiful? LOL I'm sure you can figure out why it's never asked.

Jillian: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?  
Ann: These days, it's hot coffee with sweetener and creamer, but I never drank it until I was in my mid-thirties. I like both hot and iced tea, also, and take it with nothing in it.

Jillian: What does it mean to love someone?  
Ann: To me, it means putting that someone's welfare and best interests before your own. You've got that person's back, and you'll do anything for that him/her.

Ann has a question for commenters: What foreign country or other culture would you like to read about? Leave a comment and your e-mail address, and you'll be entered in a drawing for the first two e-books of the Tour Director Extraordinaire series: All For A Dead Man's Leg and All For A Fist Full Of Ashes.


Website:  http://www.rannsiracusa.com  
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1358230809  FaceBook Link  
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GoodReads GoodReads Link http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2993012.R_Ann_Siracusa

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnnSiracusa
Family Secrets  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53ZnnJzeR2s

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.