Where Romance and Suspense Collide

Tag: Romance (Page 2 of 2)

New Release & Series by Cynthia Woolf

I am thrilled to post about my friend Cynthia’s new release, Redeemed by a Rebel the first book in her new series, Destiny in Deadwood. Cynthia is an Amazon Bestselling Western Author among other genres. Please take a moment to check out her note below.Redeemed by a Rebel 300 dpi

I’m so pleased to announce the release of my new book, Redeemed by a Rebel. This is the first book in the Destiny in Deadwood series. Although I was inspired to write the book because I fell in love with the TV series Deadwood, that’s where the similarities end. I don’t have any of the language like they did in the miniseries or anywhere near the amount of sex, although there is some.  🙂 

Jake Anderson killed a man defending his fiancée from a brutal attack, but lost her and his freedom in the process.  Now he’s on the run, hunted by one of her murderers and tormented by the need for vengeance.

Becky Finnegan will do anything to escape her drunken father’s fists, including slave away at their mine.  Her only hope is to strike gold and make a new life for herself somewhere far, far away from Deadwood.  But then Jake arrives and does the unthinkable…forces her to feel, to hope…and to love.
Jake would give his life to protect Becky, but all he can offer her is a broken heart, a criminal’s life, and a past haunted by failure.  How can he save her when he’s already lost himself?  Will he destroy everything, or can the beautiful rebel redeem Jake’s lost soul?
 

Here is a link to Cynthia’s website for a quick excerpt:  Redeemed by a Rebel

Here are the buy links if you’re ready to take the plunge:

Amazon – http://amzn.com/B00I1GZAU0

Barnes & Noble – http://tinyurl.com/klf5546

Google Play –https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Woolf_Redeemed_by_a_Rebel?id=OXGpAgAAQBAJ&hl=en

All Romance eBooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-redeemedbyarebel-1404938-158.html

Upcoming Sneak Peek

Want a sneak peek of the soon to be released Gathering Clouds, the next book in the Colorado Dreams and Desires series?

You do? Well, you’re in luck. This Thursday, January 23rd I’ll be posting a sneak peek on the RomCon Blog site.  Stay tuned for the link early Thursday.

As always, Happy Reading!romcon badge

SMJ Wants YOU to Read

SMJ Chilling at Home.jpgSock Munkee Jr, checking in with all my blog and Facebook friends. I’ve been having a lot of fun this summer. I hope you have too, and I promise there will be more summer pictures of my adventures posted soon.

But first,

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we need to get some important business out of the way. See, I even have a tie on, so this is important. Pay attention.

 

I’m sure you’ve heard my aunt’s next book is coming out soon. I do mean soon, it will be available on September 3rd, though you can pre-order it now by clicking one of the links below. Here’s a picture of me holding the proof copy. Cool cover, huh?

008     A Daring Proposal - Sandra S. KernsSmashwords  Kobo

 

  As you may know … I am an avid reader.  I’ve read all of my aunt’s books. Like Callaghan’sConundrum. You could pick it up and read it while you wait for A Daring Proposal to pop-up on your e-reader next week. You won’t be disappointed.

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Sam Callaghan planned a quiet holiday weekend with his son. Then he got a call from his partner about a sniper at a local mall. You know what they say about the best made plans, yep, they usually get blown out of the water. See what happens to Sam and the rest of the characters in Callaghan’s Conundrum on a holiday weekend in Colorado.

I really want to encourage you to pick up a book, even if it isn’t one of my aunt’s, and get lost in a good story. There’s nothing like it. Until my next post . . .

Happy Reading everyone!                                                                                                                                                                                           SMJ

 

 

More Retailers Offering Pre-order of A Daring Proposal

The first book of my new series, Colorado Dreams and Desires, is now available for pre-order at even more on-line retailers including the Apple iBookstore. Click the link to your favorite on-line book seller and snatch it up today!

A Daring Proposal begins a new series of stand-alone-books in which the heroes and heroines can only bring their deepest dreams and desires to life in beautiful Colorado. Jump up on Sterling’s saddle (the heroine’s favorite horse) and pre-order now so you can be one of the first to ride through this tale of betrayal, secrets, and love denied.

Please enjoy the excerpt below.

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A Daring Proposal - Sandra S. Kerns

 Smashwords

Kobo

Three steps down the center aisle, in her painfully pink maid-of-honor gown, Chaney’s smile faltered. If not for the bride waiting behind her, she would have turned around and marched out the front doors. No, she wouldn’t give the surprise best man the satisfaction. She kept walking. She moved her focus to the groom. The fire burning in her eyes should make her soon-to-be brother-in-law burst into flames any minute.

He knew how she felt about Jed. Her sister did too. How badly Jed had hurt her. Okay, maybe they didn’t know how badly he hurt her. No one knew that. However, everyone knew she wanted nothing to do with him.

Besides, didn’t she have enough problems with the ranch, their father’s death, and Belle’s wedding? Chaney reached the front of the church. She turned to watch her sister walk down the aisle, and all her anger melted away.

Belle looked every bit the fairytale bride. The white as high-peak snow antebellum gown and jeweled tiara veil were perfect. The smile on her face brightened as she walked toward the man she loved. An odd mix of joy and jealousy knotted in Chaney’s stomach.

She wasn’t jealous of Belle. Her sister’s happiness meant the world to her. The jealousy came from knowing love wasn’t in the cards for her. Shaking off the stupid self-pity, she turned as her sister reached the groom’s side. Doing so put Jed in her line of vision again.

How dare he meet her gaze and smile? The knot in her stomach intensified, but Chaney didn’t let the pain show. This day belonged to Belle. Turning her gaze back to her sister, she clenched her jaw and prayed for strength while the bridesmaids whispered and giggled behind her. There was no mistaking what man they were whispering about. Women always fawned over Jed.

Even you.

Her hand strangled the bouquet she held with the unwelcome reminder of her and Jed’s past. A quick glare over her shoulder silenced the girls. As she turned back, the preacher asked who gave Belle’s hand in marriage.

“I do.” Chaney’s face flushed when the words croaked out of her dry throat. It should be their father giving his favorite daughter away. He hadn’t liked Belle’s choice of husband. Marrying the son of the man their father had quarreled with as long as she could remember should have been an insult. The only explanation was their father had been too sick to fight about it by the time Steve asked for Belle’s hand. They had no doubt waited until after he died to decide on the best man. If Dad had known they were planning to have Jed stand up, there would have been hell to pay. Dad made no bones about his feelings toward the man. He would have forbidden it.

The ridiculous thought had her hiding a grin behind a fake cough. Dad had never said no to Belle. To be honest, Chaney couldn’t remember ever saying it to her sister either. Even if she had known about Jed’s part in the wedding, she wouldn’t have this time. When their mother died soon after Belle’s birth, Chaney made Belle’s happiness her main goal.

At least you’ve succeeded at one thing.

The reminder of what a shambles the rest of her life was, made her pull her shoulders back, and stand taller. She didn’t know the meaning of the word quit. It didn’t matter what absurd challenges her father, Belle, or anyone else threw at her. She’d never backed down from a dare in her life, and she wasn’t about to start now. With renewed determination, she met Jed’s gaze straight on, daring him to look away first.

# # #

Jed held Chaney’s stare across the space between them. Her features remained calm, but her gaze held no warmth. Angry heat, yes. Warmth, no. Not when aimed at him, but every time she looked at Belle, her demeanor softened. When she glanced his way, hard didn’t quite define it.

It was obvious she hadn’t known he was the best man. The hate heating those caramel eyes was proof. Of course, she’d probably been too busy with her precious ranch to ask about details. He knew exactly how important the ranch was to her. God he hated that place.

Still, the heart he thought dead except regarding his daughter had been jump-started seeing Chaney again. The way the light through the stained glass windows danced on her sun-streaked brown hair. Her trim but well-proportioned body was temptation personified. The warmth of her melted caramel eyes . . . .

Warmth? Hah! Her eyes were hot. The kind of hot that would burn the flesh off a man from twenty paces. If luck were on his side, most of the wedding traditions would be overlooked. Like the bridal dance, and riding to the reception together. Being that close to Chaney might break the tight rein he kept on his control these days.

“May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Sampson.”

The preacher’s pronouncement jerked Jed back to the ceremony. He joined the rest of the congregation in applauding the happy couple, while berating himself for letting his mind wander. At least he’d focused on the ceremony long enough to hand Steve the rings. When his cousin and Belle started down the aisle, Jed’s gaze once again found Chaney.

He took the few steps to meet her in the center of the aisle. Offering his arm, he swore sparks shot through the sleeve of his tuxedo at her touch. Obviously, the disastrous ending to their relationship hadn’t dulled his awareness of her.

Was there ever any doubt?

“Steve told me you knew,” he whispered.

“Of course I knew. Who else would Steve ask to stand up for him?”

Jed couldn’t hold back his grin. “You never were a very good liar.”

“It doesn’t matter. You would do anything for Steve. I would do anything for Belle. So, here we are.” She lifted her chin toward the new couple. “This is their day. It’s not about us.”

True enough. There were only two people Jed would do anything for: his daughter and Steve. Coming to Colorado to stand up for his cousin, despite all the unpleasant memories brought on by the place, was easy compared to what he needed to do for his daughter. However, he had to do something or his ex would take Ashley out of his life for good. It wasn’t because his ex cared about their daughter. No, to Johanna their daughter was a tool. A tool she could use to hurt Jed. If there was anything his ex loved, it was causing him pain.

He and Chaney reached the foyer of the church. Her hand disappeared from his arm as she ran to her sister, wrapping her in a hug. Jed remembered many such moments when they were younger. The two women were very close despite their differences. Watching them had often made him long for a sibling. Of course, to have siblings you had to have parents. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to push the old depressing thoughts down. He had enough going on without reliving a hopeless childhood.

“Hey, big guy. Can a bride get a kiss?”

Jed’s eyes popped open and he smiled easily at the cheerful blonde before him. He stepped up to his new cousin and gave her a kiss then hugged and slapped Steve on the back. After a minute, he stepped back and allowed others to congratulate the couple. Eventually, the church emptied and the wedding party returned to the sanctuary for a half hour of picture taking.

While he smiled and laughed, his mind churned with ways to win the upcoming custody battle. He watched the photographer take one last picture of the happy couple in front of a stained glass window. Love, as much as the sun through the glass, made the air around them radiant. He turned and saw the colored light cast a soft glow on Chaney’s face. His heart clenched for a moment as an outrageous idea came to him.

~ ~ ~ ~

I hope you will join Chaney & Jed for a wild ride and pre-order A Daring Proposal today.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

 

 

An Interview with Multi-published Author, Annette Brownlee

Sandra Kerns: Why did you start writing and why paranormal romance? Is there a story behind it?

Annette Brownlee: I’ve written on and off all my life. However, when I turned 29 I had a mini mid-life crisis. I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish in my life. At the top of my list was publishing a novel. It actually took me by surprise. I hadn’t thought much about writing before that. I dove in and wrote a novel. It wasn’t very good but I received enough positive feedback from agents and writing instructors to continue. I also published a short story in a national magazine which provided me with additional motivation to continue writing.

My second story was prompted by a true tale of a young boy’s death. My love for the paranormal branched from a visit by that young boy. Yep, I was visited by a ghost. I hadn’t given much thought to ghosts and the afterlife before that, but you can’t deny it when one is standing in your kitchen.

 

SK: The characters in your new Spirit Savers series are quite varied. Can you tell us what inspired them, their names, and the title of the series?

AB: I like writing about strong women who shoot from the hip. Many of my favorite characters are missing a filter – they say what they think without pausing to assess the potential consequences. They’re the people who say what you’re already thinking but are too polite to verbalize. Chaos is a little like that. She’s socially awkward and not concerned about making friends. As for her name…well she earned it. The characters seem to choose their own names.

The series is titled “Spirit Savers” because the group itself began as a means to help spirits cross over. They’re not traditional ghost hunters. There are many who believe that a spirit’s energy can be trapped after they die. It seems much more compelling than traditional ghost hunting and it gives the characters a purpose.

 

SK: What came first – the idea or fun research? Do you believe in ghosts? What kind of research did you do for such an interesting topic?

AB: The idea came first. There’s a big difference between believing in ghosts and wanting to go out and make contact with them. However, when you’re writing about ghost hunters there’s a lot to know. They use specialty equipment. They have systems and practices, and each ghost hunting group is a little different. Sure, there are a lot of television shows about ghost hunting but that’s like using CSI as your crime scene research. It’s just not a replacement for real world knowledge.

So…I signed up for a ghost hunting class. I spent a weekend at a haunted monastery. During the day we’d learn about the different technologies and how to debunk the most common claims. At night, we’d hit one or two of the buildings and hunt.

I expected the weekend to be creepy. I mean, you’re walking around in the dark in abandoned buildings looking for ghosts. That’s the kind of stuff horror movies are made of. But it wasn’t creepy at all. It was actually a bit tedious. You need to be patient and there’s very little instant gratification. In most cases you don’t know if you have any evidence until you go back and review the audio and video recordings and the photographs taken during the investigation. We did have some fun experiences that weekend and I walked away with an appreciation for paranormal investigators.

 

SK: If you could be any animal in the world what would you be and why?

AB: Oh, goodness. I have no idea. I guess I’d be some type of bird. I enjoy being in the sky. I spend a lot of time on mountain tops.

 

SK: In your opinion, what are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

AB: I grew up with a very strong mom who took good care of herself. Self care – and that means time off, exercise, and healthy food, not to mention laughter and friends – is essential not just for writers but for everyone.

 

SK: Why e-books?

AB: Why not? I’m a bit of a control freak and a bit impulsive. If I feel like doing something, I usually dive right in. The digital industry has taken off and it seemed like a fun thing to try. I love writing and will always write. Digital publishing provides authors the ability to take immediate control of their careers and their books.

 

SK: Are you athletic or a couch potato?

AB: Athletic, I guess. Not intentionally, and I certainly don’t have any particular expertise, but I love trying new things and challenging myself. I have tried just about everything including mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing, and fitness dance. Within the past year I was introduced to CrossFit and I’m hooked. It satisfies my need for intensity and variety. You rarely do the same workout twice. It’s so much fun.

SK: I’m looking forward to the next installment in the Spirit Saver Series. That said, do you have any other books in the works for us to look forward to? While we’re waiting for both, do you have favorite authors to recommend to us and why?

AB: I am putting the finishing touches on a book I actually wrote several years ago. It features another strong and somewhat crazy heroine, an airplane accident, a haunted watch and a seriously sexy Irish attorney. It’s the first in another series. As for favorite authors, I’m a bit varied in what I read but will buy anything by Ilona Andrews and Charlaine Harris. Ilona writes fantastic urban fantasy with a kick butt heroine. And who can resist Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse? Can you tell I’m fond of strong and quirky heroines?

SK: Yes, I think we got that. 🙂  Thanks for visiting with us and continued luck on your writing journey.

Check out Annette’s latest release, Deadly Chaos.

Trouble, death, and mayhem are attracted to her like water to the shore. When a stalker becomes deadly, Chaos defends herself, leaving another body in her wake. But this body won’t go away. He’s stalking her in death too. To get rid of her ghost, Chaos employs Dakota Santiago and the Spirit Savers, a ghost hunting group devoted to helping lost spirits find their way.
Dakota Santiago knows she’s coming. He’s been warned in his dreams. Yet nothing in his past prepares him for the trouble Chaos brings. She tests his patience, his faith, and his abilities. He may have to pull out all the stops and risk everything to save a woman called Chaos.

– OR –

If you’re a romance writer yourself, you might want to look into her writer’s craft book, 1001 Romance Story Starters and the website she hosts offering guidance to other romance authors: http://makealivingwritingromance.com/about

 

 

 

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