31 December 2012

Happy New Year

 
Best wishes to all my friends, famiy and readers for a
Happy New Year
 
 

29 December 2012

After all the hustle and bustle of Christmas many people received ereaders in one form or another this year and are now focues of looking for a good read at a reasonable price. At the same time many authors are offering bargains right now, so below I will share a list of stories on special offer or originally priced low.

Vidal's Honor is a full-length Regency adventure/suspense romance at only

$0.99c from Amazon

and £0.49p from Amazon UK

$0.99c at for Nook

£0.72p at Kobo

BLurb: When plunged into a world of spies, agents and espionage during the Peninsula wars, Honor, Lady Beaumont, flees for her life when the French capture her husband at Salamanca, and relies on his batman to arrange her safe passage back to England.
Viscount Charles Vidal is ordered by Robert Dumas, the First Lord of the Admiralty, to travel to Spain and escort the only woman he’s ever loved, Lord Devlin Beaumont’s widow back home before the French discover her whereabouts.
Their journey is fraught by danger, least of all knowing whether they are surrounded by friends or foe. Will they survive long enough to explore the possibility of a future together or will whispers of treason be enough to see Honor dispatched to Tyburn first?
~~~~~~~~

Books One and two of The Gasquet Princes-->


From Now Until Forever - Book 1
Liam Gasquet, youngest brother of four princes finds himself faces with unexpected consquences after his bid for freedom from the constant demands has on his royal lifestyle



And is available for
£1.45 at Kobo.                        $1.99c at Nook

$1.99c at Amazon      and      £1.30p at Amazon UK

and

His Chosen Bride - Book 2
Henri gasquet, heir to his father's throne, isn't looking for a bride, indeed, has left the task to his parents, so when he meets Monica he's not ready for any kind of commitment, which is available
for
$1.99 Amazon             £1.30 Amazon UK
$1.99 Nook                  £1.45 Kobo

25 December 2012

 
I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas

19 December 2012

The Christmas Dare Blog hop

 

AUTHOR Bio
Joan Chandler is a Florida native who has lived in the Deep South all of her life. She is married with two children who are her pride and joy. She lives a double life of sorts, holding down a nine-to-five job during the day, and writing steamy romance at night—often with her black cat curled up in her arms as she types.
 
When she’s not spending her spare time working on her next novel, she loves to go camping, sharing girls’ night out with her friends, walking her two dogs, and watching football.
 
 
BLURB:Self-professed Christmas addict Gia Dixon, and by-the-book Ethan Castle have been best friends all their lives. When tragedy strikes Ethan’s family, Gia’s the rock he depends on to pull him through the darkest days. Then, a shared, long-forgotten memory leads to an unexpected yet tender kiss.  Can a simple Christmas dare help them find true love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:She made a face at him as she prepared to get out of the car, and then flipped around to her knees to reach between the seats to gather up her packages. As she pulled everything forward through the gap, she leaned over to kiss his cheek.
 
He caught her by surprise when he turned to face her, causing their lips to meet. Her eyes widened, while his turned dark.
 
“Gia,” he said, the name coming out of his mouth in a low rasp.
 
She closed her eyes but didn’t move. She couldn’t speak. Then she sensed when he was about to kiss her again. She tilted her face up to receive it, her lips parting to let him know she wasn’t opposed.
 
Ethan put his hands on either side of her head, his long fingers wrapping around to bury themselves in her thick, blonde hair. “Gia,” he whispered again as he closed his mouth over hers and slipped his tongue inside. She twirled hers around it, gently sucking. They were lost in the moment, oblivious to whether anyone else was around or not. They forgot where they were. They even forgot who they were. And in their place, these two sensual, passionate creatures tangled their arms around each other and kissed as if their lives depended on it.
 
Finally, Ethan sighed and pulled back a little. “Tell me that this is okay with you. Please say that it is.”
 
Gia had trouble finding her voice, so instead she pulled his mouth to hers again and greedily kissed him. When it ended, she asked breathily, “Does that answer your question?” 


 

BLOG:  www.joanchandler.wordpress.comTwitter account:   @joanchandler1
 
Find me on facebook:  Joan Chandler
Previously published works are Perfectly Imperfect, and No Regrets.  Both are available at:
Joan will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card, winner's choice, to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 gift card to Bath & Body Works to a randomly drawn host.
Why not follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Amber Kallyn’s Birthday Bash - Blog Hop

http://wp.me/p10Tqd-p2
Welcome to Amber Kallyn’s Birthday Bash

We’ve got some great giveaways for you to win!
I love the holidays, but not necessarily having my birthday fall smack dab in the middle of them, LOL. But this year, I’d like to do something special for my readers. Over 25 authors and bloggers have come together to celebrate my 24th birthday (I won’t mention how many years I’ve turned 24 again ;)

 

 
We have some wonderful prizes, and all you have to do is leave a comment at the participating blogs to win. Easy.

And don’t forget, Bloodstorm (Heart of a Vampire, Book 1) is currently free right now for an early present : )

Grand Prize

One commenter will win their choice of a NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight or a Kindle Paperwhite (Up to $140 value)

Ebooks from the following Authors
Paloma Beck (Coming Home, Contemporary romance)
Jami Grey (Shadow’s Edge and Shadow’s Soul, Urban fantasy)
Zrinka Jelic (Paranormal romance)
Christine Fairchild (An Eye For Danger, romantic suspense)
Marian Lanouette (If I Fail, Mystery)
Sylvia Hubbard (5 Ebooks)
Kenra Daniels (Safe Heart and Kassern, Paranormal romance)
 
A $40 Gift card to either Amazon or B&N

Plus, there will be giveaways at some of the other blogs : )

How to win
The contest is open from Dec 19th to Saturday the 22nd.
Hop to all the blogs. The winner will be chosen from the commenters on all participating blogs.
Leave a comment at each blog for additional entries to win. That simple : )

                            Winner will be drawn on Sunday the 23rd.
 
Enjoy meeting new authors and book bloggers, and good luck on winning the Birthday Bash Prizes.
 
Blogs

17 December 2012

Tuesdays Tales - Picture Prompt

As this is the final Tuesday's Tale for 2012, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who's visited, read and shared their thoughts on my offering during 2012.
I've loved being part of such an awesome group of authors, and been amazed by the number of published stories - some full-length novels, others novellas that started their life here in the Tuesday's Tales arena.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday/Christmas and look forward to seeing you all back to read more Tuesday's Tales in 2013.
 
The picture prompt is slightly different from the regular prompts, in as much with picture prompts we are limited to 300 words to tell our tale. :-0
 
 ~ ~ ~ ~

No babies! 

Alex had made it clear when he asked her to marry him, he didn’t want children. And at the time she’d agreed— she had a career to follow.

But now?

The warmth of her hand, resting on the slight mound of her belly, caressed and soothed.

Now, three months after the night, crazed with grief after his father’s funeral, they spent in a frenzy of passion, she’d finally faced up to her denial and taken a test.

Confirmation, she told herself. Of what, a silent voice in her head demanded. Yes, she’d known; almost from the moment she’d woken the next morning and smelled the sugar in the bowl, she’d known.

Pregnant! And loving it, loving the baby, and still she hadn’t told Alex.

Crossing to the window of their secluded holiday cabin, she stared out at the pristine carpet of snow on the ground. Another reprieve?  The snow must be all of two feet deep, and where the road cut through the ravine, probably deeper still.

She’d intended to tell Alex last week, well not tell him precisely, kinda ease him into the possibility; sound him out.  She sighed and rested her forehead against the cool glass.

Would he demand a divorce? She couldn’t bear the thought. Salt on her lips alerted her to her tears.  She never cried, now she never stopped.

The sound of a helicopter in the distance barely impinged on her grief. Would she become a single parent, separated from the only man she loved by the child they’d conceived? The child she already loved.

“What am I going to do?” Her voice echoed round the room and hung in the silence.

“How about coming home and letting the man who loves you both look after you?” Alex asked from the doorway.
 
Click HERE to visit the other authors :-)


Winter's Magic Blog Hop

 
AUTHOR Bio-
Home is where you hang your hat. A native Missourian, my family relocated twice during my teenage years, taking me from a high school freshman class of over 1,200 students to living in a small town in Kentucky with a total population of less than 1,000.
Home is where your heart is. Despite the culture shock and challenges of those shy, teenage years, I met my true love in that tiny town and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to experience a community where everyone waves, calls you by name, and treats you like family.
 
My husband and I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our eighteen-year-old son and three dogs. When I’m not working or writing, I can be found with family and friends. I love to bake in the winter, grill in the summer, and on occasion, I sneak away from everyone and curl up with a good book.
 
I hope you enjoy my stories. Each one touches on modern day issues, fears, and challenges that women face every day. And each one illustrates that love is within reach if you let down those walls and allow your heart to open. Our lives and experiences are so much more meaningful when we have someone to share them with.

BLURB:Beth Sergeant and Nick Chester come from opposite ends of the social food chain. While he sees a rare beautiful woman without an agenda, she sees a wealthy playboy. Can he convince her to let go of her insecurities and take a chance on love, when challenges from his past force her to reveal her most guarded secret?
 
Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world.
 
After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda.
Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women Nick's dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick's past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.
 
Excerpt:
“So, are you still free for dinner tomorrow night?” Nick asked.
 
“I am.” Beth could just imagine what she looked like, standing in front of the craft store with a grin that wouldn’t stop. The temperature had dropped to thirty degrees and flurries had started to fall a few minutes before they’d arrived. She loved the winter. Loved the holidays. A ripple went through her stomach at the thought of possibly sharing Christmas with Nick this year. She quickly stamped it out. She could give in and let herself be excited about the date, but thinking further ahead than tomorrow could be a very bad idea.
 
“We have reservations at Carlino’s for seven o’clock if that works for you.”
 
“Really? You’ll have to tell me your secret. I didn’t think you’d be able to pull it off.”
 
She heard him laugh. “I can’t tell you all my secrets. My grandfather’s cook was a big stretch.”
 
“I bet I can get the truth out of you by the end of dinner.” Beth couldn’t believe her own flirting, yet he played along. Something about him drew the words out of her without thinking.
 
“Hmm. I don’t know.” He paused. “I might be willing to trade secrets. You’ll have to go first, since I’m already one ahead.”
 
“What if I don’t have any?”
 
“Everyone has secrets.” He chuckled.
 
She loved the sound of his voice. And his laugh. Warmth filled her, despite the chill in the air and the snow continuing to fall.
Reveiw:Cynthia Gail’s Winter’s Magic is a captivating read, full of passion, characters you can connect with and vivid descriptions, and her way with words is evident as she enchants you with her ability to weave romantic magic.  It was easy to identify with Beth Sergeant and fell absolutely in love with Nick Chester, the first time they met.
 
Her writing style is gentle and yet full of impact.  If there are a few places where the phraseology had me re-reading, it didn’t pull me out of the story enough to be irritating.
 
Her heroine, Beth, and her hero, Nick, both drew me n from the beginning. Both had the capacity to take life easy, but both embraced life to the full, but when it came to personal emotions… then they were both challenged to face and overcome their trust and identity issues.
It is how the author guides her characters through these challenges, that makes her story so believable. Emotions may rule in Winter’s Magic but there’s nothing sappy about Ms. Gail’s writing or her characters. The twists and set-backs are well paced and believable and the author’s characters all reveal deep and understandable reactions that are displayed from several different view points.
The romance between Beth and Nick is intense and hot, the dialogue between all the characters is lively and delightful in every aspect. The author introduces her readers to a varied cast of characters, as has them playing their parts in moving the story on, to perfection.
This is a delightful, captivating read that is hard to put down once you start reading.
Winter’s Magic is the first of four books in her Music City Hearts series. Spring’s Surprise, Summer’s Family Affair, and Fall’s Redeeming Grace will follow in 2013.
 
LINKS
Amazon  
 
 
 
Cynthia will be awarding the following prizes to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour either one $10 Starbucks GC, one $10 Amazon GC, or one $10 Soul Mate Publishing GC. 

Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/
 Christmas Blog Hop

FROM DECEMBER 14th - 17th
Winner announced on the 15th
 
Now isn't tha pic just the cutest? A little furry kitten looking for affection.
Here iin the UK lot's of families/parents look to buy their child a pet for Christmas.
Isn't that lovely?

Well, sorry no it's not.

For every pet bought as a Christmas present, here in the UK, a huge percentage of older (no longer wanted pets) are left at animal shelters. Afraid, bewildered and firghtened.  Why am I talking about such a morbid topic at a time of merriment and cheer?

Because, it doesn't hurt to think of those less blessed than ourselves at this time. To take a moment out of time to remember how fortunate we are, regardless of our setbacks and stresses.

In my latest story, Vidal's Honor, my heroine, Honor, Lady Beaumont faces treachery, betrayal, the murder of her husband, the prospect of being accused of treason and yet she keeps moving forwards, keeps hoping in the future, in the goodness of truth.

Tagline:Which will Honor lose first? Her head or her heart?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blurb:




When plunged into a world of spies, agents and espionage during the Peninsula wars, Honor, Lady Beaumont, flees for her life when the French capture her husband at Salamanca, and relies on his batman to arrange her safe passage back to England.

Viscount Charles Vidal is ordered by Robert Dumas, the First Lord of the Admiralty, to travel to Spain and escort the only woman he’s ever loved, Lord Devlin Beaumont’s widow back home before the French discover her whereabouts.

Their journey is fraught by danger, least of all knowing whether they are surrounded by friends or foe. Will they survive long enough to explore the possibility of a future together or will whispers of treason be enough to see Honor dispatched to Tyburn first?
 
Excerpt:

While Vidal joked with his cousin, the viscount scanned the room. The smell of fine wine, whiskey and cigar smoke blended into a rich aroma that was as much a part of Whites as the card games, the background chatter, and outbreaks of lewd laughter from the younger members of the club.
One member in particular interested Vidal tonight, and he watched Robert Dundas, second Viscount Melville, and First Lord of the Admiralty, take leave of his friends and head in his direction.

He wondered why the man spent the best part of the night watching his every move, and paused in the act of fobbing his snuff box while he waited for the viscount to join him.

“Take a walk with me?” Although couched as a question, Vidal noted the quiet steel of command in the other man’s voice. Dundas laid a hand on his arm; a companionable gesture for anyone interested enough to observe the two men leaving the club together. “I believe I live not far beyond your own house. I’d appreciate your company, and this is not the place for such a discussion. ”

With an indolent twist of the wrist Vidal returned the modish lacquered box, unopened, to his pocket and nodded agreement. A man’s club was no setting for private conversation, and it was plain the man wanted to talk about something away from flapping ears.

Together they strolled across the room stopping to take leave of several mutual friends.
 
What are people saying about Vidal's Honor?
"This is a full-length novel, not a traditional Regency but a surprisingly intricate cloak-and-dagger, spy-and-adventure story with a generous splash of romance. The amount of plotting, organization, and research that went into this book's preparation leave me astonished. The clever, well-sorted resolution, and the sweet romance, are more than satisfying."
 
You can buy Vidal's Honor from:
 Amazon.co.uk  http://tinyurl.com/cgonnnk
 
 
 
 
 
Giveaway
I am giving away two pdf copies of Vidal's Honor
All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment and include your email contact.
 
To visit other participants in the hop please return to http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/


 
 
 

15 December 2012

My Five Favourite things

Secret and Sweet Cravings Publishing's authors have banded together in ths blog hop to share Five of their Favourite Things

There are lots of prizes/giveaways up for grabs :-)  All you have to do - is to leave a comment sharing your favourite thing(s), remember to include your email contact address, to be in with a chance of winning!  Simple!

So, what are five of my favourite things?

1) Watching the sun rise, and set, watching the stars at night, been delighted with the display of meteor showers going on these last few days :-)

2) The treasures of friendship.

3) Family, immediate and extended.  

4) My pets, past and present.  Some may be gone but their memory continues.

5) Writing, and reading. Yes, both transport me to places I've longed to visit, and both introduce me to some fabulous characters :-)

I've shared my heroine's life and adventures for several years before I submitted and Sweet Cravings Publishings accepted No Job For a Woman, and over that time I watched her live evolve, change, shift and coalesce until it came true in Deborah's story.
Blurb:
Julian Fanshaw answers a call for help from his life-long friend Lord Worth to help keep his friend’s widowed sister, Deborah, safe from her increasingly vindictive neighbours. It doesn’t take long to realise him or Freddie long to realise the Grangers aren’t using her as a long-promised act of revenge against them; but are playing a deeper and far more sinister game of their own.

Deborah Stavely is determined to overcome the increasing harassment from her neighbour without calling on her brother for help. So she is not pleased when Freddie intervenes and involves his friend, Julian Fanshaw.

Circumstances demand Julian and Deborah learn to work together and Julian dares to dream that he might gain the love of the only person he’s ever given his heart to.

But will Deborah live long enough to discover that by releasing everything she values, she will gain everything her heart desires?

Other SCP authors participating in the blog event

Head over to the SCP facebook fan page and the SCP Readers' Group page for more authors. contests.

Giveaway
One pdf copy of No Job For a Woman will go to the winning commenter - as chosen by random.org

10 December 2012

Francene Stanley is my guest today :-)

Please welcome friend and fellow author Francene Stanley today as she talks about her life and her books.
Take it away Francene,


At the age of forty five, I arrived alone in England, prepared to work as a nanny as a way to support myself after a disastrous failed marriage. Within a week, I landed a job with an advertising executive (similar to my husband's job) and a film representative.

During my time off, I visited Cornwall, the place of my forbears. The area stirred my imagination as did England, the green and pleasant land, so different to the blasting heat and withered plains of Australia.

During the year of working with their baby, I accompanied the family around the world, stopping off to stay with my mother in Adelaide, S.A. for a week.

After a new marriage and extensive travels, I started writing, using my heritage, my experiences and a star moonstone ring set in pure gold, which intrigued me with two cuts in the finger shaft.

My first book, Still Rock Water, echoes my life except for the ring projecting my main character into visions where, unable to control her own life, Liliha works out how to help others in difficult situations.

Members of the Internet Writers Workshop helped me hone my writing skills, and there, I formed a close link with Edith Parzefall. Her first novel, Strays of Rio, inspired me so much I wrote one of the vision encounters based on a character in her book. Edith and I formed a writing partnership and co-wrote a series of post-apocalyptic adventure novels, two of which have been published to date. Wind Over Troubled Waters

Two more will follow six months apart. All four mentioned books have been published in the past year.

You can find Francene at:
Website: http://francene--wordstitcher.weebly.com/


 
To buy links for Still Rock Water:

Solstice:           Smashwords:           Amazon:

Fictionwise:      Barnes & Noble: