Author Spotlight on Allyson Carter and her Book Wounded Hero

Blurb

After a bitter divorce, Shelby Johnson is looking to rebuild a life for her and her daughter, Hannah, while avoiding the thing she mistrusts most: men. Her resolve is tested, however, when her brother’s best friend, Mark, moves in across the street and her long-buried feelings for him return. Can she possibly open up her heart again? Is she willing to let herself love? When someone threatens her life she quickly realizes that her heart isn’t the only thing on the line and she turns to the only man she feels she can trust.

Reliving everything he lost overseas, Mark Daniels goes back to his hometown to try and live a peaceful life but instead gets caught up in Shelby’s troubles.. He knows she needs someone to protect her but can he be that man? Except, being near Shelby again is making him feel things he’d rather never feel—again. When his past comes to haunt him in a way he never excepted, he vows to protect Shelby and her daughter until his last breath. 

Excerpt 

“Stay right here, sweetie.”

Reaching in, she picked up the paper. At first the words written on the thing didn’t register. She had to re-read them twice.

Keep quiet or else.

Her hands shook. A lump formed in her throat. When Mark walked out to the car, their gazes met. She noted the concern on his face as he stared at her.

“What’s the matter, Shell?”

She tried to talk, but nothing would come out. When he rushed to her side, she gave him the note. The words had been created with letters out of magazines or something, glued to the paper. She tightened her hold on Hannah. Someone had put the paper there when they were a few feet away. Why?

“Take Hannah and move to the sidewalk.”

Shelby nodded then moved to where he told her. He pulled out his cell and punched in a number. Mark moved with determination as he talked on the phone with the police. Within moments, a squad car showed up. So much for not having attention on her while she was out with Mark. Who had put the note in her car? Better yet, how did they get in when she’d locked the car?

“Shelby, do you have someone mad at you?” Detective Moore asked as he shut the door to his car and made his way over to her.

You can buy Wounded Hearts here. 

 

Author Bio

Allyson writes in the sweet, suspense, and Christian romance genres. In her books, you’ll find emotionally stirring story lines, as well as suspense with faith mixed in. She resides in Missouri with her loving husband and four wonderful children, and three cats. When not spending time with her family, you can find her knitting, and watching way too many suspense shows and reality TV

Allyson can be found around the internet at Facebook, Twitter and her website.  

Please welcome author Laurie White

Fellow SCP author Laurie White is my guest today...

 

Thanks for hosting me, Sherry! It is always nice to guest on a fellow author's blog.

Author Bio:
Laurie White is the author of two romantic suspense novels from Sweet Cravings Publishing. Her latest novel, WITHOUT A TRACE, was released January 30, 2014 from Secret Cravings Publishing.

Laurie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers.

Aside from writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with family, traveling, and watching movies. She is the proud mama of four adorable cats and lives in the hills of Tennessee.

I write romantic suspense, which is also my favorite genre to read... I just love that combination of danger and passion, and it's pretty fun coming up with a nasty, evil villain in addition to a smoldering, seductive hero and a feisty, sexy heroine!

Rachel and Matt are both trying to put tragic pasts behind them, yet are drawn to each other despite their misgivings. I do hope your blog readers will check out WITHOUT A TRACE! 

Blurb:

Magazine journalist Rachel Bennett has a reputation for getting to the heart of a story. However, when her sister disappears and is suspected of embezzling from her employer, the story has suddenly become personal. The last thing Rachel wants right now is the distraction of Matt Romero, the detective assigned to the case. She wants a “safe” man…and Matt is anything but that.

Matt accepts the risk that goes with his job. Two years ago, his wife was murdered, a tragedy he blames himself for. He's vowed to protect his family and friends because he doesn't want to go through the pain of loss again. However, the lovely journalist soon begins breaking through the icy wall around his heart.

As Rachel and Matt search for answers in order to find her sister, they uncover a corruption that puts them both in danger – and a passion that puts both their hearts at risk.

 

Excerpt:
 
Something wasn't right.

 

Rachel Bennett felt uneasy from the moment she'd set foot in her sister's apartment. A bead of perspiration trickled between her shoulder blades. 

She'd been unable to reach her younger sister Paige for the past three days. She hadn't even shown up at work. Rachel cut short a long-awaited Palm Springs vacation out of concern for her. The three-hour drive back to Los Angeles this morning was a blur. 

“Paige?” 

Something made her almost whisper the word. She paused outside Paige's half-open bedroom door before peering into the sun-splashed room. A hint of Paige's signature scent, Ed Hardy, hung in the air. The bed, normally covered with a cheerful floral comforter, sat unmade in the messy room. Unusual for her neatnik sister. 

She would never just take off like this. At least not willingly

What's happened to my sister? 

Rachel noticed several black smudges on the wall by the window. A nervous feeling gnawed at her. Slowly, she stepped into the bedroom, toward the telephone. She needed to call for help. 

“Police! Stop right there.” 

The resonant male voice was strong and authoritative. Rachel froze, confused, blood pounding in her head. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. “I'm Rachel Bennett. My sister, Paige Bennett, lives here. I have a key.” 

“Okay. Turn around.” 

In slow, careful movements, Rachel complied. Her pulse thrummed even harder as she came face-to-face with the most overwhelming man she'd ever laid eyes on. His features were rugged and darkly handsome, his hair black as sin. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she'd been holding. 

A twinge of wariness assailed Rachel as her gaze took in the man. All in all, he made a dangerously sexy package despite his ordinary dark gray suit and tie. He looked like no cop she'd ever seen, but his open-legged stance and the familiarity with which he held his pistol—aimed at her—seemed to show years of experience on the force. Or simply a lot of practice using a gun. 

Certainly he won't shoot, she told herself, heart crashing hard against her chest. “Can I see your ID?” 

The man's steely dark eyes never left hers as he unclipped the gold badge from his belt and held it out to her. 

“Matt Romero, LAPD Detective Support and Vice,” he said. 

Rachel studied the badge. In her work as a writer for Southland Life magazine, she'd seen enough cop badges to know this was the real thing. What sort of trouble could Paige be in? 

“How did you…” 

“The apartment manager let us in. We had a search warrant.” He lowered his gun, then clipped his badge back onto his belt. 

“Search warrant? Has something happened to Paige?” A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Although a part of her didn't want to know, her reporter's instinct demanded answers. 

Skepticism flickered across Romero's face, but as he studied her he seemed to relax. He holstered his weapon. “I saw a photo on the desk over there of you with your sister. You resemble each other very much. Why don't we sit down?” He motioned toward the living room. 

Rachel trudged down the hallway, struggling to prepare herself for whatever this man was about to tell her. Horrifying possibilities whirled in her mind. Had Paige been arrested for some reason? Worse yet, badly hurt or even—no, she couldn't allow herself to think about that last one. A shudder rippled through her. 

Then she felt one of the detective's large hands on the center of her back. The guiding gesture, although gentle, unnerved her. The heat from his palm burned through the thin fabric of her blouse. She walked a bit faster. 

In the living room, Rachel sank into Paige's comfortable powder blue sofa. She took a deep breath to calm herself, but her stomach knotted up when Romero settled into the chair beside the sofa, right next to her. 

“Why are you here, Detective? Where is Paige?” 

“That's what my partner and I are trying to find out, Ms. Bennett.” 

“What do you mean?” she asked, managing to sound a lot less anxious—and a lot less aware of the man across from her—than she really was. 

He looked her dead in the eye. “Your sister is missing, Ms. Bennett.”

 

You will Find Laurie White at:-

Web page:

Blog:

Facebook:

Twitter:

 

BUY LINKS:

Secret Cravings:     Amazon:       B&N:     Bookstrand: 

 

All Romance E-books: 

Giveaway

I will give away an e-copy of WITHOUT A TRACE to one commenter.

*******

 

My other books:-

PUBLISHED NOVELS:

TWIST OF FATE - February 2013 from Sweet Cravings Publishing

DESERT HEAT - October 2012 from Sweet Cravings Publishing

 

Where am I?

And the Winners are ====
Angie Adair
$10.00 worth of your choice of Secret/Sweet Cravings Books

2nd Prize goes to ===Eva Flowers
A pdf copy of No Job For a Woman

3rd Prize goes to ==
Mel Bourn
A handcrafted Selenite Pendant


4th & 5th Prizes go to =Katherine F White &
Flossie Benton Rogers.
Both winners will each receive a handcrafted book thong.

 

8th October 10am BST
The competition is nowclosed and the winners will be announced after 1pm

To be in with a chance to win some spectacular prizes in this amazing Secret Cravings Publishing Blog Hop all  you have to do is answer the questions correctly that a bunch of  Secret Cravings Publishing authors have set out on their own author blogs.
You'll find a list of participating authors at the Secret Cravings Publishing blog. Please remember to include your email address with your answers.

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com

but before you hop over there please browse down for a chance to win one of my four prizes on offer

Thank you and enjoy :-)

Study the clues below about where I live,

Comment with your answers to the questions

(don't forget to include your email address)

and you'll be in with a chance to win a copy of my Regency Romance,

No Job For a Woman

and other prizes..

The British queen spends every Cristmas holiday here. 

What is the name of this, her personal holiday home?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

A large area of this English county is famous for its Broads. 

 

What are they, and how did they come about, and who uses them now?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

The cathedral in the county's major city has the second tallest spire in Britain

 

Which British cathedral has the tallest spire, and what is the difference in height?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

This is the only English county  where part of its coastline faces west, therfore offering some spectacular sunsets. 



Where am I?

 

Don't forget to leave a comment, including your email address,

for a chance to win a prize.

 

 

Here is

 a short excerpt from

No Job for a Woman.

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?

Excerpt:

Julian Fanshaw ignored the other letters in front of him when he recognized one from his long-time friend Freddie Dalrymple, now Lord Worth. He broke the seal and scanned the single sheet with growing concern.

Julian, my friend, I am writing to implore you to put aside whatever plans you have in hand and to set out immediately to stay with us for an indeterminate period of time.

Thoroughly alarmed, Julian flipped the page in his hand to discover it had been dispatched more than a week ago.

If I bring to mind a certain student up at Oxford with us, and reveal that he and his wife are, and have been, my sister’s neighbors for several years, it will give you but an inkling of the root of my concern.

It has come to my attention, due to the arrival of his brother upon the scene, and recent events concerning my sister, Deborah, I am persuaded you need not only to know what is happening here, but be on hand to assist in circumventing any consequences of actions taken against her.

I have taken the liberty of gathering some friends together for a couple of shooting parties, thereby creating a reason for your presence.

Since his return from the Peninsular, Julian kept promising himself a trip to Worth’s Norfolk estate. Unfortunately in the last eighteen months, time and circumstances had worked against him.

Casting the letter aside, Julian strode to the door and called for his butler.

“I am leaving immediately for Norfolk. Please see that my bags are packed and have my horse ready within the hour.”

“You do not intend to use your chaise, sir?”

“No. I’ll ride, with a stop to visit Mr. Sewel. Arrange for Becket and French to follow me in the chaise with everything I’ll need for a month.”

Not by so much as a flick of an eyelid did Thomas reveal he recognized the name of his master’s man of business.

“Very good, sir.”

My Prize Details...

First Prize = $10.00 worth of Secret or Sweet Cravings Publishing books of your choice

 

Second Prize = A pdf copy of No Job For a Woman

 

Third Prize =   A Selenite Crystal Pendant, handcrafted to order

 

Forth & Fifth Prizes = One handcrafted book thong

 

all winners will be chosen using Random.org 

And now...

for a chance to win lots more prizes hop over to

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com

to discover where lots more

Secret and Sweet Cravings Publishings authors can be found.

Welcome to - The premiere of "Love Talk" with Adora Smutz!

“Love Talk” with Adora Smutz, Interviewer Extraordinaire

Adora: Today I’d like to welcome, Captain Danny Maine, hero of Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny. Hey, guy, you even got your name in the title. How’d you do that?

Danny: It’s easy Adora when you’re sleeping with the author. Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone, okay? I’ve got a girlfriend now and…I haven’t slept with Jean since Eliza and I got together.

Adora: Right, Danny *winks*, you’re secret is safe with me. Hummm, now where were we. Oh, yes, your new book. Tell me about Eliza. Is she good in bed?

Danny: What?

Adora: You heard me. Is she hot? She looks hot

Danny: Hey, that’s over the line. I’m not going to tell you about Eliza in bed. Geez. I thought we were supposed to talk about the book?

Adora: You sex life is well detailed in the book. I understand you even raised the number of flames over the first Now and Forever book. How does Mac feel about that?

Danny: *Grinning*, when you’re hot, you’re hot, Adora. What can I say? Don’t quote me to Mac on that, but hey…

Adora: You certainly are hot, Danny. *fans herself*, could someone open a window in here?

Danny: I’m taken, Adora, remember that. Now do you want to talk about how it felt to go from the battlefield to the classroom or what?

Adora: People don’t want to hear that crap. They want to know what your favorite position for sex is.

Danny: Both battlefield and classroom inspire fear…in different ways.

Adora: You’re not answering the question, Danny. Jean assured me you’d answer the questions. It’s not too late to take your name off the book title you know, *trains a frosty stare at him*.

Danny: What! Take my name off? No way. Okay, what do you want to know.

Adora: About Jenny…

Danny: Can’t talk about her.

Adora: Why not?

Danny: Jean said that would give away too much of the plot.

Adora: Oh, right. So getting back to your favorite position…

Danny: I like them all, Adora.

Adora: (chokes on her saliva) All!

Danny: Yeah, put that in your pipe and smoke it. Let’s just say I never met the position I didn’t like.

Adora: Oh *face turns red* well. Uh. I guess that’s all for today.

Danny: Hey, aren’t you supposed to tell people where they can get the book?

Adora: Oh, heck, I forgot. You can find, Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble and the Secret Cravings Publishing website. (Links below)

Danny: Thanks, Adora. Always a pleasure talking to you.

Adora: Me, too, Danny. If you ever break up with Eliza…give me a call.

Danny: You won’t be lonely. I posted your phone number on my squad’s Fb page. You should be getting a few…

(Phone rings)

Adora: Excuse me, Danny. Hello? Yes, this is Adora Smutz. You want to what? Say who are you? How tall are you? Blond? *she smiles and sits back in her seat*, tell me more, Corporal.

Danny: I think she’s going to be tied up for a while. Thank you for coming and listening to my interview. Jean…I’ll get you for this. Goodnight.

Blurb:
Barely surviving the Iraq War and his tragic childhood, sexy sharpshooter, Captain Danny Maine becomes a professor at Kensington State University.
Haunted by nightmares of the deaths of members of his squad and his brother, Danny is desperate to create a normal life in the sleepy town of Willow Falls. He doesn’t expect to find love behind the first door he knocks on until he meets lovely Eliza Baines, a dean at the university. Is true love with one woman possible for the damaged man Danny has become or is it just out of reach, only an illusion created by his passion and desire? Driven to find love, stability and recovery, Danny faces down demons from his past to save those he loves on his journey to a new life. Is violence still his only protection or can he rise above his deadly past?

Excerpt: (PG Rated)
When he got to Willow Falls, Danny checked into the only motel in town. The next
afternoon, he left the motel and hiked the three miles to the reception for new professors. The walk couldn’t compare to the long, hot, dry treks with a seventy-pound-pack on his back he endured in the desert.
While he walked, Danny wondered what kind of women he would find here. Danny dated and bedded lots of co-eds in college and graduate school. He achieved an enviable sex life by reciting love poetry by heart and discussing books with young women. Unfortunately, when his lovely bed partners discovered he planned to fight in the Middle East, they dropped him.
Overseas, he got to know only prostitutes, a group of desperate women doing whatever they needed to for survival. He turned to alcohol and women to deal with the pressure, to dull his senses and escape the horror of reality.
He arrived at the dean’s house twenty minutes late for the party. The colonial house loomed larger than some in the neighborhood, painted beige with white trim and black shutters. When he rang the bell, an angel answered the door–Dean Eliza Baines, dressed in a chiffon print dress of aqua and soft green, matching her eyes. Her short blonde hair glistened in the afternoon sun,framing a delicate face, a small nose and sensuous lips. The gentle fragrance of gardenia flowed from her slender neck down to the tips of her pink fingernails. Danny couldn’t find his voice. He never expected such beauty to be standing right in front of him in the middle of nowhere.
“You must be Dan Maine, I’m Eliza Baines.”
He shook the hand she offered, unable to stop himself from staring. “How did you know?”
“You’re the last one,” she said, her eyes looking him up and down quickly.
“I didn’t realize your house was such a long walk from my motel,” he said, embarrassed.
“Why didn’t you call me? I would have picked you up.” Please come in. You must be
thirsty.”
Eliza took his arm and eased him through her living room to the patio in the back. About a dozen new professors stood around with cocktails, eating hors d’oeuvres and chatting. Looking for a woman rated as a top priority in Danny’s life, but in this group, no one came close to the beauty the dean possessed. The other professors were sunk deep in conversations, so Eliza turned to him.
“What are you teaching?” she asked.
“Freshman English,” he said. “You’re the dean?”
“I split the undergraduate students with Mac Caldwell. My field is biology,” she said,
stealing an admiring glance at his chest and shoulders.
Danny thought he would like to study a little biology with her as his gaze traveled over the length of her...again.
“You’re spear-heading our new literary magazine, aren’t you?”
“A challenge I’m looking forward to. Do you miss teaching?” he asked, turning his attention back to her face.
“Sometimes I do. You have a more interesting life, let’s talk about you. I hear you just got out of the military?” she said, turning the conversation toward him again.
“Released three days ago.”
“Released? Not discharged?” she started, her brows knitted.
“I meant released from the hospital,” he corrected.
“The hospital? What happened?” Eliza asked, putting her hand on his arm.
“Just some shrapnel and a concussion. I couldn’t hear for a week, but I’m okay now,” he explained, shrugging.
“What about your family?”
“I’m on my own. I don’t have anyone,” he said, focusing on the beer he held to cover his discomfort.
“I guess Kensington State will become your family,” she said, squeezing his arm and
looking into his eyes.
He put his hand over hers.
Danny’s plight touched Eliza, wounded in the war and all alone. He seemed to be a self- sufficient man, strong, energetic and good looking, too. Eliza noticed how the green flecks in his hazel eyes danced when he smiled. She guessed his age to be around thirty, much too young for her, though she felt strongly attracted to him. Something vital and alive about this new professor crackled in the air, he exuded a power, electricity, a sensuality that grabbed her. She found herself staring at his lips and wondering what pressing hers against them would feel like.
“Can I help you clean up?’ Danny asked.
“Not necessary,” she said, gathering up dirty dishes.
“I want to,” he said, picking up more dishes and bringing them into the kitchen. They spent an hour washing dishes, cleaning and straightening up.
“Are you hungry? I’m making a salad for dinner.” Her warm smile and shining eyes invited him to stay.
“Great, thanks,” he replied, returning her smile before glancing again at her chest.
Together they chopped, sliced and tore up ingredients creating a tempting salad, then sat down to eat.
“I’m sort of an idiot about computers. Does the school have a special system?” he asked, passing bread to Eliza.
“We have an easy one. A professor from the computer department put together a manual, but you have to be a geek to understand it. I’d be happy to give you lessons,” she offered, her gaze straying to his lips, again.
“That’s great. You may have to give me several lessons. On some things, I’m a slow
learner,” he said, grinning.
“That could be arranged,” she said, lowering her eyes. “When would you like to start?” She passed the bread back to him.
“How about right after I take you out to dinner, tomorrow night?”
“You don’t have to—” Eliza said, a little color suffusing her cheeks.
“But I’d like to.”
“I’d like that,” she said. “Six thirty?”
“Fine,” he agreed his heart beating a little faster after their hands touched passing the butter.

To Buy:
http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=13&products_id=170&zenid=d0b1c4698380f5765159dfc8da69466b
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Now-Forever-Love-Story-ebook/dp/B005FGATE6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312369854&sr=1-1
Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/aprils-kiss-in-the-moonlight-jean-joachim/1034987873?ean=2940013279179&itm=1&usri=april27s%2bkiss%2bin%2bthe%2bmoonlight

Jean's website: Website: http://www.nowandforeverbooks.com
Jean's Blog: http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929
Publisher: www.secretcravingspublishing.com

Author Bio:
Jean Joachim is an author, married, a mother of two boys and owner of a rescued pug named Homer. She lives in New York City. Her latest contemporary romance, Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny (sequel to Now and Forever 1, a Love Story) has just been released by Secret Cravings Publishing.

Her other works include, Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights, a sweet contemporary romance and its sequel April’s Kiss in the Moonlight, both are available as ebooks, in paperback soon. The first in the New York Nights novels series, “The Marriage List” is on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com for only $.99.

She also has seven non-fiction books published.

Jean has been writing non-fiction for over fifteen years and fiction for two. Her review column, "Movie Choices for Kids" has been syndicated in weekly and parenting newspapers and on websites for the past eleven years.