The Review of Amber's Book

KISS ME SLOWLY
Amber Lea Easton
BookStrand
Contemporary, Romantic Suspense
94,228 words
Spicey.

Book provided and review requested by author

Review: The first four words of this novel set the tone for the whole story. Every word offered has been chosen with care and not one of them is overwritten. If you are looking for a quick read, then not only the length but the content of this book will not give it to you.

This is a book to savour; to take into a corner and read without interruption, but not one to be rushed. In her debut novel Amber Lea Easton provides a quality of writing and story content many writers strive for. Her characters are full bodied, three dimensional, with their faults, their dreams and their goals. And as is the way with any good story, and this is a good story, all those go to the wall when the author chucks in curve-balls the size of Everest.

At a time of global bank scandals, and lack of trust in the financial world, this story of illicit diamond smuggling, dirty money, false trails and a host of interested parties intent in silencing Ms. Easton’s hero, Jonathan Alexander and his ex-girlfriend, now the only person who can possibly keep him alive, Grace Dupont.

Chuck in the Florida Keys heat and sizzling romance and you have all the ingredients for a fast paced suspense romance, which Ms. Easton supplies.

For readers who enjoy suspense novels, consider this book. For those who look for romance and something more, consider this book. For those on the lookout for new author to read, then consider this book. And watch out for more from this exciting new writing star.

Amber Lea Easton's website http://www.amberleaeaston.com

book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI89yCQHrHg

bookstrand website is: http://www.bookstrand.com/kiss-me-slowly

Also available at Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/vafDAb

Charater Interview # 4 Meg Mims

What do you get when you pair up a wealthy, well-bred heiress – sheltered and educated with an impulsive streak – and a gambling, mercenary Texan cowboy?

Double Crossing is a twist on “True Grit” but it takes place on the 1869 Iron Horse – months after the Union and Central Pacific railroad lines joined at Promontory Point. Nineteen-year-old Lily Granville is stunned with her father is murdered and vows to track the killer across the country to California - who also stole a valuable gold mine deed.

Once Lily arrives in Omaha, she discovers that someone is now tracking her. Could it be the killer? And why? Lily decides to enlist “Ace” Diamond, who agrees to protect her – for a price.

Q for Lily – how did you feel when you first met Ace?
A – Since he literally crashed his way into my life, I did feel a twinge of compassion… he was injured, and I felt my Christian duty was to help… until I caught sight of his Confederate belt buckle with the Texas Lone Star. I *know* my father would never have approved of an ex-Rebel soldier – and that deepened my guilt. However, after someone searched my hotel room and my personal belongings, I had no choice but to hire Ace Diamond for protection. He was the most unlikely “angel” as an answer from God after I’d prayed for help! I suppose beggars can’t be choosers, though.

Q for Ace – what was your first impression of Lily?
A – First time I set eyes on that pretty filly, all golden-haired and sweet, with the most kissable mouth, I was bushwhacked. Couldn’t remember my own name.

Q for Lily – were you surprised that Ace bargained with you over his fee?
A – To be truthful, I was. I offered him a fair wage, but then he demanded an exorbitant amount in addition to the expense of a Pullman ticket! But it made sense that he had to be near on the train. Still, he insisted on a bonus once we reached California. And I was furious when I discovered that Ace had bragged to the other gentlemen in the smoking car about that bonus I promised my uncle would pay - him when we arrived in California! And that was before we were halfway across country. Really, Mr. Diamond was quite presumptuous. And forward, given his roving—well, let’s just say he’s no gentleman. I shouldn’t have been surprised at that!

Q for Ace – why did you accept Lily’s offer?
A – Easy as ropin' a baby steer, riding shotgun on a train. But that stubborn little gal sure fooled me. I earned my fee. And then some.

Q for Lily – before the railroad trip, what was your dream for a happy future?
A – I wanted… well, I wasn’t really certain what I wanted and whether I'd be happy becoming a missionary to China. I know my father wanted me to marry and provide him with grandchildren. He believed I deserved a decent man, a good provider and one who supported my ideas. I did want to experience adventure and independence, since I'd lived a sheltered life in Evanston, just north of Chicago, but I also wanted to come home again where I felt safe. I so enjoyed long talks with Father, sketching my pet lizard in the lovely garden and watching the leaves change in fall and the snow fall in winter. Father’s death changed everything, however. I was devastated. And I *had* to see that justice was done.

Q for Ace – what about you, same question?
A – A good woman in a nice, cozy bed. I’ve got my eye on a certain woman now.

Hmm -- seems Ace is a man of few words. Lily will soon find herself in hotter water in the sequel, Double or Nothing -- I hope readers are looking forward to more adventures!

W
Where we can find your book?
Astraea Press – http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=5907170
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Double-Crossing-ebook/dp/B005GWEMCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314051844&sr=8-2
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-crossing-meg-mims/1104769443?ean=2940013174597&itm=14&usri=double%2bcrossing

Find Meg at;  http://www.megmims.com
and
http://www.double-crossing.com   

Amber intrviews Grace and Jonathon

Setting: Sorry, I’ve been sworn to secrecy. All I’m allowed to say is that the humidity is like a layer of sticky lotion on my skin, the rum punch is excellent, the Caribbean is lapping against a white sand beach not far from where we’re sitting and the sound of steel drums blends perfectly in rhythm with the swaying of the palm trees.






Me: I’m sitting here this afternoon with Jonathan Alexander III and Grace Dupont, the stars of Kiss Me Slowly. Thanks for meeting me. I know it wasn’t easy getting here.

Grace: If it were easy, then it’d be boring, right?

Jonathan: And we’re definitely not boring.

Me: That’s an understatement. (Laughter all around as the waitress brings us another round of rum punch.) Tell me, Grace, what was it like seeing Jonathan again for the first time after he broke your heart years ago?

Grace: Ooo...you’re going there, huh? Okay. Well, it was like a sucker punch to the gut. A part of me enjoyed seeing him desperate and in trouble...on your knees, boy, beg for my help--

Jonathan: I never begged, by the way. She likes saying I begged, but that never happened. I asked. Politely.

Grace: He begged...I should have made him crawl, but I didn’t think about that until afterward. Anyway, there was another part of me that wanted to lash out, hit him maybe, have an all out argument and then spend the rest of the night making up. (She smiles and pokes the ice in her glass with a straw.) What’s that cliche? There’s a thin line between love and hate?

Me: What made you go to her, Jon? I’m sure you knew she’d feel that way.

Jonathan: I didn’t trust anyone around me. I felt trapped. Grace is and always has been the best at whatever she does, whether it’s sailing or forensic accounting. I had faith she’d put our history aside and prove my innocence.

Grace: For a pessimist, that was an awfully optimistic thing to do.

Jonathan: I guess it was, wasn’t it? How unlike me. (He laughs as he links his fingers through hers on the table.)

Me: Grace, did you ever consider the possibility that he wasn’t as innocent as he seemed?

Grace: Who is? We’re all liars in one way or another. There are more gray areas than not in life. At least that’s how I see it.

Jonathan: (rolling his eyes) Please, don’t get her started about justice and gray areas...she’ll get all worked up and not in a good way.

Grace: What’s that supposed to mean? Are you suggesting I have a problem with justice?

Jonathan: Not suggesting...stating.

Grace: Yeah, well, thankfully for you I question the black and white and believe in gray areas. It’s what I do...look beyond the obvious to what lies beneath.

Jonathan: Yeah...I’m thankful for that and many, many other things about you. (He smiles at her and squeezes her hand.) I would have crawled...if you’d have asked, I would have crawled.

Grace: I’ll keep that in mind for the future.

Jonathan: (Looks at me with raised eyebrows.) See what I’m dealing with? The Dupont ego is legendary.


Grace: You like my ego just fine. (She laughs.) And, for the record, I like it when you’re on your knees.

Jonathan: Oh, I know you do, babe. I know. Likewise.

A brief excerpt from Kiss Me Slowly below:
“I’d prefer whiskey.” He drank the water, but couldn’t take his gaze from the blood that stained her. His blood on her. “Dead or jail by Monday. I knew it.”

"You’re not dying.” She tugged his T-shirt over his head. Her eyes snapped with an inner fire that hypnotized him. “If you’re going to be teamed up with me, I need you to fake some optimism.”

Regret washed over him for the things he had never said, for not following through with their plans, for not being the man she had expected him to be, for years of wasting time with if-onlys. Bad timing for regret.

“Bloody mess,” she whispered.

He glanced at the blood dripping down his chest and used his fingers to find the bullet wound that had taken a good chunk out of the top of his left shoulder. He finished the water and carefully set the glass aside while avoiding looking at her face.

Her hands were on him, too, examining his shoulder. When she leaned across him, her breasts brushed against his face. Perfectly round and tan, barely concealed by the plunging green fabric.

God, what he wouldn’t give for a taste. God, what he would give for an ounce of his sanity to return. No time for this kind of thinking. No time.

Kiss Me Slowly by Amber Lea Easton

Available at http://www.amazon.com/
and, for all other PC and ebook formats, at http://www.bookstrand.com-kiss-me-slowly/
Also available at Barns and noble: http://bit.ly/vafDAb
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI89yCQHrHg

Character Interview #2 Please welcome Chicki Brown...

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME by Chicki Brown

On Kindle and Nook: http://amzn.to/dWZSxA & http://bit.ly/k4Z172

Seven very different singles – four women and three men – rent a New Jersey beach house for the summer: author Shontae Nichols, self-employed accountant and realtor, Linda Harris, Linda’s sister, hip-hop video dancer Kinnik Watkins, cosmetologist, Jovita Blassingame, Calculus professor Curtis “Doc” Whetstone, actor and drama instructor, Kip Lee, and new housemate, up and coming film actor, Devon Burke.

During their two month stay, romances bloom, friendships are tested and when a tragedy strikes one of the housemates, they all learn the answer to the age-old question: Can men and women

Interview with Kinnik Watkins, the female antagonist in HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME

I have been invited to Beach Haven, New Jersey to the house where Kinnik Watkins and her friends are spending the summer. To give us some privacy, we cross the beach and sit in the gazebo about 100 feet from the house. All the tall, voluptuous bronze goddess is wearing is a microscopic bikini and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

Me: (I stand and introduce myself.) Before we get started, can you tell me the correct way to pronounce your name?

Kinnik: (with a coquettish smile I find a bit strange.) It’s Kinnik. It rhymes with unique.

Me: You’re my second interview. As I explained to Shontae, I write for a magazine that wants to do a story about real singles living at the Jersey shore, considering how the TV show has become such a big hit.

Kinnik: (She slides her shades to the end of her nose and glances at me with soft, light brown eyes.) Something’s always on and popping on that show. I love it.

Me: (I sit on the chaise next to where she is reclining.) Thanks for agreeing to talk with me.

Kinnik: (flashes a captivating smile and runs her manicured fingers through the long strawberry blonde hair that complements her café au lait complexion) Sure, why not? You’ll probably need me to straighten out whatever Shontae told you anyway.

Me: I’m going to ask everyone the same questions, and I’ll be taping this, if you don’t mind.

Kinnik: (She crosses legs that make me want to hurry and call the nearest plastic surgeon for an emergency liposuction appointment.) No problem. I’m used to being recorded.

Me: I understand this is your third year together, so you must know your housemates pretty well. Can you tell me a little bit about each of them?

Kinnik: I guess this is the best they can do when it comes to vacations, considering none of them are really big money. I’m only here because my sister begged me to come. Personally, I think she has something up her sleeve.

Me: (checking my notes) Linda’s your sister. Is she older or younger?”

Kinnik: (rolls her eyes) Older, and she always has to make it a point to remind me. “She says she wants to talk to me about my career. Since she paid my rent for the summer, I couldn’t very well refuse. Linda doesn’t like me dancing, but I am not a nine-to-five person. She forgets that I make more than she does in a year, and I have two kids to take care of.”

Me and Jo have been friends for years. She’s for real people, the only one in this house that doesn’t judge every more I make. Jo is my makeup artist and hair stylist and she’s got mad skills. She’s just here to chill and see if her old man is going to pop the question.”

Me: Tell me about the men.

Kinnik: (Flips her hair over one shoulder) “Kip is my boy. We spent some time together during our first summer in Beach Haven, but that’s ancient history. Kip’s here to see how much coochie he can conquer in eight weeks. Doc, well there isn’t much I can say about him. When he doesn’t have his nose stuck in a book, he’s sniffing after my sister. Linda is the only reason he’s here, but he’s wasting his time, if you ask me. Kip and Devon provide the testosterone. They’re both so fine; you can hear the panties dropping when they walk into a room.

Me: You forgot Shontae.

Kinnik: (with another eye roll) No, I didn’t. She’s just not worth mentioning.

Me: Why is that?

Kinnik: “Because she’s easily forgettable.”

Me: “That’s funny. Shontae seemed very pleasant.”

Kinnik: (stiffens and haughtily raises her chin) “That’s because you don’t know her. That bitch is boring as hell and thinks she’s better than everybody else. I can’t understand why. All she does is stay closed up in the sunroom banging on her laptop. She lives in her little fantasy world cooking up stories in her head. Shontae wouldn’t know how to deal with a real man if her life depended on it. She thinks she’s better than everyone else. I can’t stand her cheap dressing, snobby ass.

Me: Do you think each of your housemates has a motive for being here this summer?

Kinnik: They sure as hell do. Doc is chasing Linda. Jo says she’s researching her new stylist business, but she’s really waiting for Walter to ask her to marry his dusty old ass. She’s been waiting for five years. Devon is rehearsing for the lead role in the new movie Denzel’s directing, and he needs to study the script.

Me: (smiling at the way she’s avoided telling me about herself.) “So what about you, Kinnik? Why are you here?”

Kinnik: I’m just breezin’ in and out when I’m not in the Hamptons with Q. I’d much rather be there.”

Me: That’s Q.E., Quentin Edwards, the rapper?

Kinnik: (a proud smile lights her beautiful face) That’s right. I’ve been staying with him for the past couple of months, but Linda insisted I spend some time with her.

Me: Isn’t Q.E. the one who was recently assaulted his personal assistant?

Kinnik: (puckers her lips then sucks her teeth) That’s never going to court. The heifer is still working for him, so she can’t be too upset about him clocking her in the head and pushing her into the pool. (Her face spreads into a proud smile.) “Yeah. This place is okay, but his estate is off the chain. It’s all about luxury. The food is better, and I don’t have to do any housework when I’m there. His chef and butler wait on me hand and foot.”

Me: “So are you two a couple.”

Kinnik: (her eyes becoming flat and unreadable as stone before she picks up her sunglasses and puts them back on.) “When we’re together, we’re a couple.”

Me: (the thread of warning in her voice lets me know it’s time to end the interview.) “Kinnik, it’s been a pleasure. As I mentioned to Shontae, maybe I’ll be back at the end of August to hear what actually happened during your vacation.”

Kinnik: (rising to her impressive full height. Adjusts her bikini to make sure it’s covering everything important.) Yeah, check in and see who’s left standing.

You can follow Chicki Brown at:

Website: http://www.chicki663.webs.com
Personal Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@Chicki663
Facebook: : http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown

Amber Lea Easton tells us why she writes

Please welcome Amber Lea Easton today, when she tells us 'why she writes'.

 Why I write romance

I’m a firm believer in romance and love. Call me naive if you’d like or a Pollyanna if you choose, but there’s something about a happy ending that really lights up my world.

Let me tell you about my own love story. When I was twenty-seven, I met a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed mountain boy named Sean. He swept me away from our first meeting and proposed to me only three weeks later after filling his apartment with wild flowers he’d picked along side the road. I said yes without hesitation.

My “yes” sent my friends into intervention mode. I was never the relationship type...and my friends knew this. I couldn’t care less about having a boyfriend, let alone getting married. Oh, I loved men, that’s true. Back in my twenty-something days, I had more guy pals than girlfriends. I was okay with being single. But Sean...wow...the man sent my nervous system into electrical overload.

Long story short--we married six months later and ended up having two gorgeous kids. Happily ever after, you ask? No. He died six years ago, leaving me a widow with two kids to raise solo.

I still love him.

So, you see, I write romance because I believe in true love, soulmates and passion. I know love exists. I also believe that, if you’re not in love with something whether it be your hobby, your life, your pets, yourself...if you’re not passionate about something...then what’s the point? Yes, I’m a widow who’s flying solo at the moment, but I love my writing, my kids, my pets, the view outside my window, my ability to laugh at myself...I love.

To me, love is all that matters at the dimming of the day...and that’s why I write romance novels.

Please come back tomorrow when Amber interviews Grace and Jonathon. 

Blurb:
Neck-deep in a set-up that could have him in jail or dead by Monday, Jonathan Alexander trusts no one in his inner circle. It’s Saturday. His only hope is Grace Dupont, the best forensic accountant in Miami. But there’s a glitch with that idea. She's also his ex-girlfriend who would rather watch him drown than throw him a life vest. Going to her feels desperate...because he is.

Grace enjoys seeing Jonathan squirm. On your knees boy, she thinks as he pitches for her help. Always a sucker for the dark-haired-blue-eyed boys, she risks her precariously balanced life of secrets to help him. Helping him slaps a target on her back--she's the key to proving his innocence and that's a bad, bad thing.

Trapped in whirlwind of conspiracy, murder, million dollar money trails and diamond smuggling, Jonathan and Grace flee to the sea to stall for time to prove his innocence. Romance sizzles beneath Florida Keys’ sunshine. Both scoff at happy endings. Both doubt justice. Both know each kiss could be their last.

Amber Lea Easton, author of Kiss Me Slowly available on
www.amazon.com and
http://www.bookstrand.com/kiss-me-slowly.
Follow Amber Lea on
Twitter as MtnMoxieGirl,
Facebook or her website at http://www.amberleaeaston.com

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI89yCQHrHg

Character Interview Series #3 by Jennifer T. Alli

Interview with a Vampire.

I suppose I should tell you a little about me. My name’s Jennifer T. Alli, feel free to call me Jen J. I write paranormal romance novels and am getting quite prolific. Not anywhere near as many as Kresley Cole or Gena Showalter who I adore, but still…I have 5 books under my belt and a sixth on the way. I realised the other day that I’ve written over half a million words and I think anyone would agree that’s a lot. I’ve been writing for quite some time, initially I kept my writing private but then I discovered the internet and made everything public. The internet is awesome and I met some lovely people by posting my work online but after 3 separate cases of plagiarism I decided to start self publishing and so here I am.

I think that’s probably quite enough from me we’re here to have an interview with a vampire not listen to my ramblings. If you’ve not read anything in my Elemental Passions series then I suppose I should introduce you to Lucian. I still don’t know whether I’d be intimidated or enticed if I met him in a dark alley late at night. Dark hair, even darker eyes, tall and wide with a no nonsense mouth that only a certain someone has ever managed to make smile. If I’m honest he has a bit of an attitude problem so bear with us I’ve had to coerce him into this interview but here goes.

JTA: “Evening Lucian, how are you tonight?”
Lucian: “Busy. Just ask your questions so I can be on my way.”
JTA: *mumbles to herself* “Rude much?”
Lucian: “I’m a vampire, I can hear you.”
JTA: “Fine, tell us a little about yourself.”
Lucian: “Are you serious? If that’s the sort of question you’re going to ask then I’m leaving.”
Sara: “Lucian, you agreed to do this remember? If you don’t want me to wear my sword crafting clothes you’re going to do this. Ask your questions Jen.”
JTA: “Okay, so we’ll try that again. Tell us a little about yourself.”
Lucian: “If you haven’t already guessed I’m a busy man. Wars don’t win themselves.
JTA: “War? Do tell.”
Lucian: *Sighs* “I’m not going to be able to get out of doing this am I?”
Sara and JTA: “No.”
Lucian: “Fine. I’ll tell you about myself. I’m a vampire. The oldest of my kind and I’ve spent hundreds of years at war.”
JTA: “Why?”
Lucian: “Because I got sick of people trying to take my head when I was asleep. My people needed a leader otherwise we were going to get ourselves all killed by silly humans like you. For the sake of pride if nothing else. We don’t need to kill as we feed. William didn’t quite understand that but don’t worry, I fixed that problem easily enough.”
JTA: “You’ve made me want to know more. Spill it! Tell us what happens to you in your story.”
Lucian: *groans* “This is going to take much longer than I was told it would…If you must know I was trying to win a war when this woman shows up and ruins everything…Well at the time I thought she was going to ruin everything. I know better now. But it still stands that she was a distraction. One that literally came into my life and turned everything upside down. I wanted to bite her so badly…She was a walking, talking temptation especially in those ridiculous clothes she uses to craft her swords.
JTA: “You’re a vampire, you’re meant to bite people and you said it yourself you don’t need to kill as you feed. I’m not seeing the problem. If you wanted to bite her you should have just done it.”
Lucian: “You sound just like Sara. It was complicated.”
JTA: “Complicated? That means interesting. Spill the beans.”
Lucian: “I’m not telling you anything. Why would I want to publicise my one and only weakness?”
JTA: “Good point, good point…But we do find out what it is if we read the book right?”
Lucian: “Sadly I can’t kill everyone who knows the secret all I can do is keep it contained.”
JTA: “Fine, next question. Tell us about your relationship with Sara.”
Lucian: *A small smile touches his lips.*
JTA: *mumbles to herself* “A smile like that should be illegal, it’s a lethal weapon. Yup, I’ve decided if I met him in a dark alley I’d definitely be enticed…”
Lucian: “My relationship with Sara is complicated. The relationship between a vampire and his bride always is.”
JTA: “Details!”
Lucian: “I didn’t want her. The first time I saw her, smelt her blood I knew she was the one but I left her…unconscious on the street.”
JTA: “You did what? You really left her passed out alone on a street? Anything could of happened to her!”
Lucian: “But it didn’t. I assigned someone to watch her but I knew without even speaking to her that she was going to be trouble. She was on fire and calling out for help. What normal person does that?”
Sara: “I was cursed at the time.”
Lucian: “You’re not really saying anything that contradicts my point. In fact, that’s another point. I was trying to win a war and this woman, who I didn’t even want anywhere near me forces her way into my life and says that I’m the cure to her curse. If that isn’t a distraction then you tell me what is.”
JTA: “So you don’t want her then?”
Lucian: “………If you ever make such a suggestion again I’ll cut your tongue out so that you can’t ever ask such a ridiculous question again. She’s mine.”
JTA: *mumbles to herself* “Changed my mind, I’d be terrified if I met you in a dark alley. I don’t think I’m ever leaving my house at night again.”
JTA: “Fine, so you want her. That’s fine, keep her. If you had to describe Sara in one word then what would it be?”
Lucian: “I’ll describe her in three.”
JTA: “But I said one…” *Remembers the flash of red in his eyes* “Fine, have three.”
Lucian: “In a nutshell Sara is brave, fierce and a menace to my sanity.”
JTA: “That was more than three…but moving on. Sara, I know we’re technically not interviewing you but could you describe Lucian in a word?”
Sara: “Determined.”
JTA: “Well I was going to go for rude but to each her own…”
Lucian: “Are we done yet? Some of us have better things to do.”
JTA: “Fine, you can go I just have one last question for Sara.”
Lucian: “I told you she was a menace to my sanity. I can’t leave her anywhere by herself. She’s a magnet for trouble. Just ask your question and we’ll both leave.”
JTA: “Fine. Sara, can you tell us a little about the Elemental Passions series as a whole?”
Sara: “Well the Elemental Passions series is about four people who have each been cursed. Each curse is different and we’ve got to try and figure out a way to break it. Lucian was the cure for my curse but I needed the one to cool my flame and who better than a vampire? If he’s not touching me he can be freezing at times. Is that everything?”
JTA: “Just one last thing I promise. What was your curse?”
Sara: *Smiles as she gets to her feet* “If I hadn’t met Lucian I would have died. If you want to find out more about my curse and my three siblings of the soul then the information is out there somewhere right?”
JTA: “Yeah, it’s on my blog.”
Sara: “Perfect.”
Lucian: “Can we go now?”
JTA: “Yes, go.” *Waits until they’re both gone* “I think I’d rather be dead than tied to that man for all eternity…to each her own I suppose.

To find out more about Jennifer T Alli  visit her at: http://jennifertalli.wordpress.com/

Day 3 Joselyn Vaughn's Hauntings of a Heart - The review

Title: Hauntings of the Heart
Author: Joselyn Vaughn
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Mainstream Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Length: Full 210 pages
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 5

Review requested, and book provided, by the author.



Review: Hauntings of the Heart is a romance with a difference. Yes, boy meets girl, but then the author fast forwards fifty years…

Ms. Vaughn pitches her readers in to the world of ‘silver-surfers’, committee meetings and fund raisers. And a townful of gossips.

What would you do if you were offered one million dollars for something you loved? When a lawyer, on behalf of her unidentified client offers Minnie Schultz that much money she refused, although in dire financial straits at the time. She’d bought the bed and breakfast property that once belonged to the family of the only man she ever loved and did not intend to let it go to some nameless, faceless client with more money than sense.

Gordon Anderson is on a mission to reclaim his family home before his mother’s health fails completely. The longer the present owner holds out against his offer the more distressed his mother becomes, so he decides to take matters into his own hands and returns to the town his family fled from fifty years ago.

And a lot can happen in that time. Ms. Vaughn fluently weaves in the back story with the present day events. Not only does the author create a charming story peopled with captivating characters, she chucks in enough conflict to have her heroine’s head spinning. The hero, on the other hand, has made his mark in the world, has children and grandchildren. And yet his world feels incomplete until he confronts Minnie at her home, his former home.

As if ghosts from the past are not influential enough in this story, Ms Vaughn adds contemporary ghosts to the mêlée. And of course where you have a current ghost you have ghost hunters.

The Hauntings of the Heart is populated by a vibrant cast of loveable characters, with perhaps one exception, and even then, Ms. Vaughn entices her readers to feel compassion for the woman.

The author’s writing style is both vibrant and fluent, filled with passion and pace, and the result ends in a book you can return to many times when in need of a heart-warming HEA story that will leave readers feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

Buy Links:
Astraea: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7355585

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B005Z8WJRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319568032&sr=1-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1106922258

Contact Links:
Email: jvaughn@joselynvaughn.com
Webpage: http://joselynvaughn.com
Blog: http://joselynvaughn.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/joselynvaughn
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/joselynvaughn

Adora returns ~ Character Interview series

Character interviews: Today Adora has another revealing character interview with Mac Caldwell, hero of Now and Forever 1, a Love Story:

Adora: So, Mac, hunky guy, how are you today?
Mac: A little annoyed, Adora. Danny Maine said he got his name in the title of his book by sleeping with Jean. Well I’ve been sleeping with Jean for a much longer time and I don’t have my name on a book though she said she would!
Adora: Really, Mac. Grow up. Jean is telling you what you want to hear, just to get at your hot body. And it is hot, I’ll admit that!
Mac: *blushes* Thanks, Adora. She has actually said I’m her favorite hero. Oh, don’t tell Callie about Jean and me. I haven’t slept with Jean since I started sleeping with Callie. Don’t want to get them confused, Jean might write Callie out of the next book and I’d be a horny and frustrated guy. Not to say I don’t love Callie…
Adora: Yeah, yeah Mac. We get it. You love Callie’s body, be honest here.
Mac: Callie is more than a body to me, Adora, you know that. Why are you trying to cause trouble between us?
Adora: Okay, okay, Mac. No harm meant *Adora holds up her hands*. Geez. Sensitive aren’t we? So tell me, what is your favorite position with Callie?
Mac: Any position. I love making love to her anyway I can. And you can print that…wait…is Jean going to read this? *Mac starts to sweat.*
Adora: She better read this or I’m quitting!
Mac: Then maybe you should take back what I just said.
Adora: *wearing an evil grin*, Too late, Mac. It’s already in print.
Mac: Oh, crap!
Adora: So how many times a week do you and Callie make love *Adora picks up pen, poised over paper*
Mac: What? I’m not going to answer that. Jean said you’d try something like this. She said to stick to the plot of the book. Ask me about the drug gang…or how I felt about Callie doing things without telling me…
Adora: Doing what things? Is Callie sleeping with someone else?
Mac: She is? Where is he? No, no, that’s ridiculous. Callie would never…
Adora: Is she sleeping with Danny, the hero of Now and Forever 2?
Mac: She’d never do that! Eliza would kill her. I would kill her, then we’d both kill Danny. *Mac comes halfway out of his chair*
Adora: Had you going there, didn’t I?
Mac: Danny said you were a real ball buster and I didn’t believe him. Maybe I should ask you who you’re sleeping with…there’s a rumor you made a play for Danny but he turned you down.
Adora: *blushes* That’s all we have time for today *gestures neck cutting with her hand to cameraman.*
Mac: You don’t get off that easy. I want to talk about the book.
Adora: Come back again soon, Mac. For “Love Talk”, this is Adora Smutz, signing off!

Check out the book on my www:jeanjoachimbooks.com

Six Sentence Sunday

Today is the ending of Thanksgiven, my short story.  Thank you to everyone who has been following it every Saturday and Suday this month.  I hope you enjoy this final snippet.

And thank you for your company and comments, every week, they are all appreciated. 

"Did you really say you've always loved me?"

He nodded, captured her carressing hand and kissed her palm.  "Always and forever, only you."

"Good," she said, reasting her head against his shoulder.  "I feel the same way about you."

"Then let's go home," Luke suggested, and gave thanks his love of a lifetime lay cradled in his arms.

Thank you for following my short story, Thanksgiven all this month.

You'll find hundreds more great snippets at Six Sunday Sentence. 

Minnie Schultz interviews author Joselyn Vaughn

Today Minnie Schultz, from Hauntings of the Heart, interviews Joselyn Vaughn the author.

Minnie: Everyone probably wants to know why you write romance, but I think the answer to that is obvious. Romances are wonderful stories. What’s better than a happy ending?

Joselyn: Not much. I have to agree.

Minnie: So let’s get to the real dirt. How did you meet Mr. Vaughn?

Joselyn: We first met my freshman year in college—

Minnie: And it was love at first sight.

Joselyn: Umm, no. We didn’t talk again for two years.

Minnie: Why not? He’d awfully cute. Someone could have snatched him away from you.

Joselyn: Not a chance.

Minnie: Why not?

Joselyn: One word. Mullet.

Minnie: Ah-ha. I see. No wonder he was still available two years later. I hope he rectified that unfortunate hair decision.

 

Joselyn: Well, he shaved his head and grew a goatee. But it’s a much better look for him.

Minnie: So then what happened?

Joselyn: He ran down three flights of stairs to hold the door open for me as I was moving into my apartment at the beginning of the school year.

Minnie: A good ploy. Did you drop the box so he could carry it for you? That’s my go-to suggestion.

Joselyn: No. I didn’t see him much after that.

Minnie: But didn’t you live across the hall from him?

Joselyn: Yes, but I travelled a lot with the cross country team.

Minnie: Well how did you finally get his attention? I can’t believe you didn’t call me for help. My friends and I could have straightened this out in two shakes.

Joselyn: My roommates and I tried to get him to come over to fix things, but every time we’d knock on the door we’d get one of his roommates.

Minnie: Were they single?

Joselyn: Yes, but they had committed much worse hair atrocities than mullets. I can’t even describe them, besides there was only one man over there I was interested in. So finally, it came down to the Christmas banquet. Somehow my roommates and I decided I should ask him. Roommate #1 said she would ask him for me (since she was friends with him), but she was already in her porky pig pajamas and she wasn’t going across the hall dressed like that. She said she would call. Roommate #3 was on the phone, so Roommate #2 went across the hall to borrow their phone. (This would have been so much less complicated after the advent of cell phones. J) Roommate #1 tried to call, but the guys wouldn’t answer their phone, thinking it was something weird with their phone being used in our apartment.

Minnie: Did you finally get him to go to the banquet with you?

Joselyn: Yes. If I remember, I had to call him myself when our phone was free. Mr. Vaughn was oblivious to all the previous adventures as he was studying for a Spanish test. Hey, what are you writing?

Minnie: Oh nothing, never mind me. And what exactly did you do after that?

Joselyn: Give me that notebook. Hey! Minnie! This better not end up on your blog. Where are you going? Come back here.

I can’t believe she can run that fast.

Blurb:When lost love shows up on your doorstep, what do you do? Minnie Schultz slams the door in his face. She and Gordon Anderson have a history—close to ancient history, given the fifty years since their last encounter. After all that time, it might seem like water under the bridge. But the water pours from the plumbing in Minnie’s bed and breakfast, the Lilac Bower, uncovering all the secrets and heartache between them. With the help of some paranormal investigators, an Elvis impersonator and a couple of nosey friends, can Minnie and Gordon find the future they were meant to have?

Buy Links:

Astraea: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7355585 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B005Z8WJRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319568032&sr=1-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1106922258

Contact Links:
Email: jvaughn@joselynvaughn.com
Webpage: http://joselynvaughn.com
Blog: http://joselynvaughn.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/joselynvaughn
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/joselynvaughn

KathleenGrieve's character interview with Dr. Cruz Avery

WHY DIDN’T I GET THE GIRL? BY DR. CRUZ AVERY

Every day for the next few weeks a different author each day will post an interview with one of their characters.
I hope you'll keep coing back to join everyone each day.  Thank you.

Today author KathleenGrieve's interviews  Dr. Cruz Avery.

“Hello, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Dr. Cruz Avery and you will meet me in Kathleen Grieve’s current release, Dating 911. It is the story of my twin brother, Jett and how he doesn’t use the best judgment when dealing with his post traumatic stress disorder after he lost his best friend in a fire.”

“But has Jett ever used good judgment?” A bitter laugh escapes full, sexy lips. “Hell no! I remember the time when we…”Cruz shrugs and shakes his head. “Never mind. So. He steals my girl and I get stuck at a dinner party with one of my Mother’s “choice” dates, who by the way was no peach, not even if you counted the fuzz growing on her chin. Why would I be pissed off? Well, Roxanne wasn’t exactly mine…but she would’ve been if Jett wouldn’t have come barging in, fire hose blazing…”

Cruz paces the new office he was recently given when he was promoted as the Director of Phoenix General’s Emergency Room. It’s small, windowless, with only enough room for a generic desk, bookshelf crammed with medical texts and budget binders, and a chair for a guest, but he spans the 5x10 room anyway.

He turns to me and pierces me with those penetrating grey eyes. “Why didn’t I get Roxanne and not Jett? Was it because he was so tragic? Lost? Women fall for that sort of thing, I guess. Do I sound like a bitter asshole?” He straightens and smoothes the dark blue silk tie and black Armani suit jacket he is wearing. “I’m not hurting for dates. I have more women than I know what to do with. I am Dr. Cruz Avery, after all.” He winks.

It was my turn to shrug. As his creator, I’m fully aware that Cruz doesn’t want to hear my answer, as he sits back behind his desk and shuffles some papers.

“Work. That’s what I need. Forget women…Forget dating all together. This ER is a complete mess and I intend to make some real changes here…”

Poor Cruz. What happened to him in Dating 911? Did he deserve Roxanne’s love? What’s in store for him in Book 2 of my Dating Series, Dating Impossible? Will he finally find the happiness he deserves?

Before I go I’d like to thank you for having me here today! I’d like to leave you with a picture of Dr. Cruz Avery looking a bit more relaxed…

When you look like this, I can see why Roxanne had a really hard time choosing between these hot twins! Dating 911 is available now at http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

To find out more about Kathleen Grieve and her books, you can stop by her blog, Keeping A Pulse On Life & Romance at: http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com

Her website: www.kathleengrieve.com


Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathleen-GrieveAuthor/251669291518939


Follow her on Twitter: @KathleenGrieve

Have a great day!
Kathleen

Sweet Saturday Samples 26-11-11

Welcome back to another  sample of my Thanksgiving story. 

All this month in celebration of Thanksgiving, I've been posting snippets of my short Thanksgiving story every Saturday and Sunday.  Today's is the penultimate offering.  The final coming tomorrow in the Six Sentence Sunday. So today I am carrying on from where I left off last Sunday.

Before I do, I'd just like to thank you to everyone who visits THoR , and leaves comments I apprecaite everyone of you.

He had to go to her. Had to find her. Until he did, his soul would never rest, never be whole again. He called his foreman and asked his wife to stay with his girls.

Luke edged his truck through the muddy water swilling across the access road to the house. The curtain of rain obscured her vehicle until he almost ran into it. His headlights shone on the flat tyre, but failed to reveal any sign of the driver. Fear drove him from his truck to the car, and relief buckled his knees when he saw her curled up on the back seat. Alseep.

He yanked her door open, hauled her from the car and wrapped her in his arms, and vowed never to let her go again.

"I'm so sorry. So Sorry. She tricked me into thinking Alice was you, and all I wanted was to marry you and make you mine. I thought it was you with me when we ran away."

He didn't know whether Alex heard or understood. "She tricked me! And I've had to live with that for all these years. I thought I'd never see you again, never hold you in my arms. Do you understand? I love you.  Have always loved you. Only you. Can you ever forgive me?"

Alex groaned, shivered and moved in his arms.  When he looked into her face she gave him a radiant smile.

"Luke? Luke?  Is that really you?  I thought I was dreaming."  She raised one hand to his cheek and ran her finger over his stubbled chin.

To read more super samples head on over to Sweet Saturday Sample.

And please come back tomorrow for the conclusion of Thanksgiven

Day 1- Please welcome Joselyn Vaughn

It is my pleasure to welcome fellow Astraea press author Joselyn Vaughn, who will be with us for the next three days.

Author Bio:
I live in the Great Lakes State with my adoring husband, three energetic and ambitious toddlers, and two of the laziest beagles.
I believe there is nothing better than a warm hug, a good romance novel and chocolate.
When not changing diapers or removing a toddler from a precarious situation, I enjoy sewing, running, shopping at thrift stores and reading books longer than thirty pages.

Blurb:

When lost love shows up on your doorstep, what do you do?  Minnie Schultz slams the door in his face. She and Gordon Anderson have a history—close to ancient history, given the fifty years since their last encounter. After all that time, it might seem like water under the bridge. But the water pours from the plumbing in Minnie’s bed and breakfast, the Lilac Bower, uncovering all the secrets and heartache between them. With the help of some paranormal investigators, an Elvis impersonator and a couple of nosey friends, can Minnie and Gordon find the future they were meant to have?

Excerpt:
Edith smoothed down her more--‐‑salt--‐‑than--‐‑pepper coiffure and reached for the specials card clipped to the jellies. “I didn’t think he’d ever set foot in Carterville again.”
“Who?” Minnie asked, already knowing the name that would spill from Edith’s lips.
Edith slapped the menu down on the table. Her eyes slid both ways, then she leaned across the table. “Gordon Anderson.” She raised her eyebrows conspiratorially.
“I had hoped he wouldn’t.” Her stomach roiled. He’d been here sixteen hours and already she was jumping out of her skin at every sound, expecting him to appear whenever she turned her back. She attributed it to loathing, but it felt like a high school crush.
Rachel arrived at their table and flipped their sturdy brown coffee mugs over. “Just decaf today, ladies, or half--‐‑and--‐‑half?” She held the orange--‐‑rimmed carafe poised over Minnie’s cup.“It’s a half--‐‑and--‐‑half day,” Edith said. “Any day Gordon Anderson comes to town requires a dose of caffeine.”
Minnie snorted. “It requires Jack Daniel’s, but it’s a little too early in the day.”

http://joselynvaughn.com    Sweet, small town romances  Indulge your softer side

Buy Links:
Astraea: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7355585

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B005Z8WJRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319568032&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1106922258

Contact Links:
Email: jvaughn@joselynvaughn.com

Webpage: http://joselynvaughn.com

Blog: http://joselynvaughn.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/joselynvaughn

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/joselynvaughn

Please come back and read Joselyn's interview with Minnie

Thanksgiving with an English Mum

Thanksgiving with an English Mum
By Kay Springsteen



The picture is one of my family taking after a Thanksgiving meal...aren't we a happy (ha ha) looking bunch. My mother is front and center, a petite ball of British energy. And I'm in there, too. Can you find me?

There is just something about holidays in America. There are seven main holidays in the United States – meaning most companies offer these days off or offer extra pay for working them. New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are a myriad of others that are referred to as “bank holidays” (an outdated term), in which if you work in a government office you will be granted those days off but frankly many people don’t celebrate them, and I’ve run into more people lately who don’t know what these holidays ever are or what they were started for. And there are holidays that are celebrated like crazy but time off and/or overtime never figures in – such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween… Add in Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and you have 12 months of Greeting Cards. But also 12 months of fun. 

One of the American holidays I grew up taking for granted is Thanksgiving. As a youngster, it was fun only in the morning when my dad would turn on the TV and we’d all watch the parades together. This was back in the days where the parades were more about the elaborate floats and less about the personalities hosting them or the acts that would stop the parade while they performed. It was simpler, and in my opinion, much more fun to watch. In school for the week or two prior to the holiday, we had learned about fall things, harvests, Pilgrims and Indians – and the specifics of what we learned depended on our ages and grades. But

But I never fully understood that Thanksgiving, from my mom’s perspective, was a non-holiday. Not until I was older and learned that she had emigrated from England in 1947, and that England did not celebrate American Thanksgiving did I “get” that we were not the center of the universe, that other people in other countries had their own celebrations and American Thanksgiving was…well, American. My mom embraced the holiday as one where we would gather as a family, and we had our traditions of turkey and all the embellishments of that meal. The house smelled incredible starting the week before because Mom would bake pies and cookies every day. The lingering scent of sugary treats baking mingled with the savory aroma of roasting meat on Thanksgiving morning, and our stomachs were all growling by midday.

But though she embraced the traditions, my mom admitted to me that she simply didn’t understand the holiday. It was her belief, you see, that every day should have time set aside for giving thanks, not just one day out of a year. With that thought, I saw things more clearly. And yes, I still enjoy the traditions of the holiday. But my mother instilled in me an “attitude of gratitude” that I try to hold onto all year long. Because we shouldn’t remember to only give thanks one day out of the year.

Here is a peek at my latest book, Operation: Christmas Hearts, released tomorrow by Astraea Press, just in time for Christmas

Blurb:
Ashley Torrington never cared all that much about Christmas before. But this year she’s having a particularly blue holiday because Marine Special Operations Team member, Captain Nick Turner got under her skin just before he was deployed to Afghanistan. With Bella, her neighbors’ precocious daughter, volunteering Ashley for a special project at school, and a mysterious white-haired woman named Estelle in town buying gifts from Ashley’s shop, not to mention the odd assortment of presents Ashley’s been receiving from an anonymous source, she shouldn’t have time to worry about her guy. But when he and his team go missing the week before Christmas, she realizes only a Christmas miracle will reunite them.

Nick Turner didn’t back down from challenges—on the battlefield or in his personal life. But he’d never met a challenge like Ashley Torrington, who told him up front she didn’t like being left behind and didn’t want to be anyone’s “girl back home.” Now here he was on the other side of the world, wanting to be anywhere but in Afghanistan for Christmas. About to embark on one of the most dangerous missions of his life, he needed Ashley to know she was so much more than the girl he’d left behind. And he did plan to come home to her. But in the meantime, a little Christmas magic would be appreciated. Little does he know, he’s about to get his wish.

http://kayspringsteen.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Wordz.n.Pix
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kay-Springsteen-Author-of-Romance/143469035711422


Find Kay Springsteen here: Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble