Friday, December 27, 2013

COVER REVEAL SQUEE!: SK8ER BOY - GO BIG OR GO HOME SERIES

I am so excited to finally share this cover with you! Sk8er Boy begins a new, new adult trilogy--Go Big or Go Home. There will be three books in the series to start, but plan to have many Mavrick Allstar novels featuring more athletes and their sports agents.

Series Overview

Helena "Lena" Mavrick is just out of college along with her two best friends, fellow sports agents, Trista and Hannah. With schooling over, Lena's fortunate enough that her father owns the internationally successful agency - Mavrick Allstars. Now, Lena has a plan to get her two friends on board at Mavrick's. But it'll mean signing elusive Gunner Smith and a wily bet with her father.

Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews Tours has arranged for a Sneak Peek and ARC Tour for the novel, so head over and sign up if you are interested in participating.

Here is the cover:

  This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18917943-sk8er-boy
Please take a moment to add Sk8er Boy to your Goodreads Shelf!

Genre:  New Adult Contemporary

Release Date:  February 17, 2014

Description:

Fresh out of college with her Masters in Sports Management, Helena “Lena” Mavrick is ready for her first client. Fortunately, she already has a job since her father owns Mavrick Allstars, an international sports management company. Lena has her sights set on twenty-year-old Gunner Smith, a talented, just-on-the-cusp champion ready to take the world of skateboarding by storm. Problem is that Gunner is also taking her by storm. He’s harboring a painful past in those deep blue eyes of his. She suspects that pain comes from his bully of a father and her heart hurts for him. When things turn tough and violent, can Lena get him to lower his defenses and trust her? Can she remain professional or will she lose herself in the deep ocean of his eyes?

Gunner’s father doesn’t trust sports agents, but tenacious Lena Mavrick convinces Gunner that she can take him to the pinnacle of success and make his dream of skating to the top a reality. Going against his father’s wishes could cause problems in Gunner’s personal life, but he's determined to break away from his father's tight, punishing hold. As he gives his battered heart and himself over to Lena body and soul, will she keep her promise and go the distance with him? Or will his father ruin everything in an attempt to control Gunner once again.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

RELEASE DAY FOR A PERFECT MISTAKE

OUT NOW!

The second book of my Hope Parish Novels in the A Perfect Secret Series is ready for you to consume. I enjoyed writing Boone Outlaw very much and he might end up being my favorite brother. Not sure yet because Braxton is next and his volatile relationship with River Pearl. Going to be interesting how that plays out. The toughest of the Outlaw boys meets his match.

Verity and Boone do some soul searching, go through some turmoil, and when it all comes down to her revealing her secret to Boone, can they overcome anguish and the heartache? Will Verity sacrifice Boone to her secret?


This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

Please take a moment to add A Perfect Mistake to your Goodreads Shelf

Where to buy


Genre: New Adult Mystery

Release Date:  Now

Description:

How can they have a future when their past is based on a lie?

The perfect preacher’s daughter, Verity Fairchild, has something that only she and God know about and she wants to keep it that way. Her mistake was easy to keep secret when she was out of town, but now that she's come back to Hope Parish for the summer, she comes face-to-face with the guy responsible for it all. Boone Outlaw nearly ruined everything for her and despite the fact that he's now working at her father's church, she's determined to stay as far away from him as possible.

Boone Outlaw doesn't understand Verity's anger towards him. He barely knows her. In high school she was Holy Mary Verity and she was off limits - except in his dreams where Verity seems way too real. Most of the time he was wasted in high school, not the type of boy Verity would ever look at twice, but he can’t shake the feeling that something might have happened between them. He’s going to break his own rules to get the answers he needs straight from Verity.

What will Verity do when she finds something in Boone that she never knew existed and her perfect mistake is the only thing that could stand between them and their happiness? Will she sacrifice Boone to keep her secret?


Friday, December 13, 2013

COVER REVEAL SQUEE!: THE STARBUCK CHRONICLES, AFTERLIFE!

I'm introducing you to a new world with the first book in my new Urban Fantasy, The Starbuck Chronicles: AfterLife! This story is about Lily Starbuck, a witch who has totally lost her memory. The change in her life is drastic and heartbreaking when she finds that her business partner of three years has betrayed her and cleaned out their bank accounts. Lily can get no answers when she finds her dead. Her partner's death sets her on a path of danger, intrigue, and the fantastical. Will Lily survive long enough to discover who she is?

Here is the cover!

Thank you so much to Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews Tours for arranging the cover reveal today. If you see it around, please comment, retweet and share so we can get the word out to everyone.

   This cover was designed by the patient, talented and fabulous Jessica Allain.

Please take a moment to add AfterLife to your Goodreads Shelf!

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Release Date:  January 20, 2014

Description:

Series Overview

The fine thread between reality and the fantastical has snapped. The mortal and supernatural must learn to co-exist in post-reality Minneapolis/St. Paul where video games leak monsters into the night, demons roam, thirsting for more than just blood, people are not who or what they seem and a diabolical evil plots and plans to devour the world.

AfterLife

Lily Starbuck’s day doesn’t start well with blood on the horizon and a grumpy werewolf who refuses to pay his catering bill. Her day only gets worse when her catering company business partner turns up dead after cleaning out their bank accounts. Lily is now heartbroken and flat broke.

Enter the Fairy Dust Administration (FDA). Fae dust hounds hot on her partner’s trail for dealing in illegal dust now turn their attention to her. Their leader, sexy Talon Sunstrike, takes a particular interest in her and is hard to shake.

With Lily’s very livelihood in jeopardy, she has no choice but to discover who killed her partner and try to track down the cash with only a cantankerous gnome who delights in going invisible on her as backup. Clues lead her to an open case being investigated by Otherworld Security (O.S.) and the tough O.S. Warden, shapeshifter, Rayne Parish.

It seems a rogue mage has created a video game that is unwarded and game monsters are being released to terrorize the citizens of the Twin Cities. Trouble is Lily has reason to believe that this mage killed her partner.

In this world gone mad, Lily’s biggest challenge…is to survive

Excerpt

“I don’t go around giving out my cream puffs for free,” I said.  My hands landed on my hips, a good sign that I was agitated.  The wood decking of my client’s patio was vibrant beneath my feet, sending power up through bone and tissue with perceptible warmth.  A wisp of my blonde hair had escaped the haphazard bun and caught in the gentle, but chill early morning breeze that sailed past me to play hopscotch with the dead leaves.  With a fitful gust, the wind lifted the leaves off the deck and threw them out into the backyard, like feathers from an angel’s wing.

The accusation hung between us like a portent of danger.  Mr. Bailey’s muscles tightened.

The full moon was just setting behind the tall buildings of St. Paul, and the soft glow of dawn played peek-a-boo with the horizon. “I can’t believe you’re trying to stiff me on the bill.”

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

That was a really good question. And because there was a black hole where my memory should be, I didn’t really know the answer.

Mr. Bailey was sprawled in a chair on his deck, having just turned back from a werewolf into his human form.  He looked spent and effectively partied out.  Sweat dripped from his shaggy black hair onto his bare shoulders and slid down his well-muscled chest.  The chill breeze didn’t seem to affect him at all.  I stared at Mr. Bailey and he focused on me with piercing blue eyes that transitioned from contented to puzzled.  He didn’t answer, looking to the rising sun as if he was contemplating his next words carefully.

I followed his gaze and took a quick intake of air.  The sky was tinged a bloody red.  The ominous sign made the back of my neck prickle with fear.

After a moment, our eyes met and Mr. Bailey’s deep blue ones were guarded.

I sighed, my hands flexing on my hips.  Was I a good witch or was I a bad witch?

Glinda had it right, but when she asked Dorothy that question there wasn’t any turmoil for that goody two-shoes from Kansas to ponder.  Me, on the other hand...I was the witch in this story.  At the moment, rightly acting so, but I’d lost my memory and had no idea how to answer that question.

I could blast Mr. Bailey, or I could reason with him.  If my inclination was to blast him, was that about anger at not getting paid, or some kind of bad witch character coming through?

Maybe if I clicked my ruby slippers a couple of times, that answer would come to me?

Then again, I figured it was more prudent to ask questions first, blast second.  Otherworlder Security usually frowned on blasting as a means to handle disputes.

Not many, supernaturals or humans alike, wanted to be on the wrong side of the O.S. But I had a few tricks up my witch’s sleeve.

 “Kitchen Witches is a business, Mr. Bailey, not a charity,” I said pointedly, ignoring his expression.

He looked at me, incredulous.

My partner, Olivia Vesta had been generous enough three years ago to bring in an unknown Starbuck’s employee with no memory.  She had mentored me and nurtured me into the kitchen witch I was today both in food and in the craft.  Together we had built the business from the ground up.  She had taken me in and provided something concrete when my world had vanished.

She had given me my afterlife.

Olivia had taken this job for her main supplier Mr. Chris Bailey, and this full moon party had been a howling good time thanks to our food and drink.  I was bone tired, which didn’t add to my disposition or my patience.  It was almost morning and I wanted to sleep.  My anger was taking on a life of its own.  Growing.  Imposing itself.  His silence incensed me.

With my elfin features most people mistook me for fae, but I wasn’t one of the fairy folk.  I was one hundred percent witch.

As to who I was and where I came from?  That was a mystery that I hoped to solve someday.  Right now, I was being stiffed.

“Look, Mr. Bailey, I’ve been up since five o’clock yesterday morning preparing to make your party the hit of the season.  Judging by the happy members of your pack who have just left, I’d say that mission was accomplished.  Now, it’s time to pay the piper.”

“Ms. Starbuck, I think there’s been some kind of a miscommunication here.”

“Oh?  How so?  Because usually when someone provides you with a service, you pay for it.”

Easy does it.  There’s a reason that witch rhymes with bitch.  Lest you make him feel cornered and then you will have an angry werewolf on your hands.

His expression didn’t change, but he conceded a nod, “Yes, that is true. . . .”

“Wasn’t everything to your satisfaction?  From the appetizers to the dessert?”

“Well, yes, exquisite.  The meat had that just killed flavor and was perfectly raw.  The cream puffs were. . .words escape me.”  He waved a hand.  “That isn’t in question.”

“Well, then it seems that we’re at an impasse, Mr. Bailey.” I spread my legs and balanced my weight. “I’ll take the remainder of the bill now, Mr. Bailey.”  I said quietly.  Tacit promises, should he refuse, in my tone.
I would have used my womanly wiles on him.  Being five foot ten gave me the advantage of a tall and willowy frame, my figure full in the right places.  But my hair was up in a messy topknot, my Kitchen Witches apron splotched in different places with hot buttered this and creamy that.  Nondescript baggy jeans, and sneakers didn’t exactly scream sexy.

I didn’t get the expected reaction from him.  He stood, but I held my ground.  Attitude was everything.

My show of strength would either be something he took offense to or admired.  I wasn’t about to back down from a client no matter who or what they were.  I had a car payment due.  Just this morning the landlord called about our commercial property and said he hadn’t received the rent this month.  So now my stomach was starting to clench.

The transformation from virile human male to snarling were happened in a twitch of Samantha’s nose.  Before I could say anything or backpedal away from him, he sprang.

I braced for the impact.  The strength of him was evident when he hit me and knocked me to the deck, his paws heavy on my shoulders.  He effectively pinned me down.  His breath was hot on my face; the smell of feral had quite a distinct, lethal odor.

My heart pounded.

I grinned and spoke one word. “Permoveo,” and invoked the spell I had stored in my chi  with the softly spoken word.  The power word was whispered into the cauldron at the precise moment it becomes the spell.  If it wasn’t done right, the spell would either be too weak to work or ruined and the witch would have to start from scratch.

Mr. Bailey found himself kissing air on the deck as I viewed him from a safe perch on his balcony.

He looked up at me and I smirked taking any chance that I could to practice the fine art of smirking.

I might not know if I was a good witch or a bad witch, but I was definitely a prepared witch.

“There aren’t many who can surprise me.”

I shrugged.  “I’m not much of a roll-over-and-show-you-my-tummy-kind-of-gal.”  I gave him another one of my perfected smirks.

His eyes darted behind me and, too late, I felt the push of two strong hands as I tumbled off the balcony.  I only had a moment to invoke my levitation spell before I hit the unforgiving wood of his deck and broke my stupid neck.  Just before I hit, the spell took effect and I found my nose only inches from the heavy wood deck.  Righting myself, I looked up to find a beautiful female I had seen hanging on Mr. Bailey at the party.  She narrowed her golden eyes at me, morphed into a were and jumped from the balcony to the deck with the ease of a cat.

She stalked towards me, her lips pulled away from her very sharp teeth.  She growled low beneath her breath and leapt at me.  This time I was sure it wasn’t to just teach me a lesson.

Great, double-teamed by a pair of weres. The anticipation of besting them was probably a good sign that I was a bad witch. A bad-ass, bad witch. Now if I could just avoid getting my throat ripped out long enough to collect my due.

That was always the trick in this new world order...survival...

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

BTS and Wild Child Publishing Present: Christmas Paws Blog Hop


 December 3rd - 10th

Grand Prize of $200.00

My furry baby is our Little Cat. She's about nine years old and as cute as a button. She still only weights about ten pounds and fools around like a kitten. She's a gray tabby with this gorgeous tan color and has green eyes. She loves to be loved and when she thinks she's not getting enough attention, she lays on her back with her paws curled (we call it bunny feet) and looks at us like, "Yeah, you know you want to pet me." :-)

Although I have a cat, I've written quite a bit of romantic comedy that involve dogs. It's Sex in the City meets the Dog Whisperer. Here are the books in the series. The first book is Leashed and it's free.

Here's what Leashed is about:

 And they call it puppy love!

When Jack falls head-over-paws for cute and cuddly Jill next door -- that creamy coat, those soft brown eyes, and, yowza, those long legs, he simply cannot help himself.  Bing, bang, boom, a few weeks later, Jack has some 'splaining to do when that cute female is with puppies.  Jack's going to be a father, trouble is his lady love's owner and his owner need a little shove into love.  Being a large and in-charge Great Dane, that's no problem for Jack.  With a little cooperation and a little matchmaking, some nudging, whining and puppy dog eyes, hopefully, everyone will live happily ever after together.



You can check them all out here on my Goodreads page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6549322.Zoe_Dawson

I also write New Adult Contemporary Romance


A Perfect Mess is available and A Perfect Mistake will be out in December!

http://newadult12.blogspot.com/p/zoe-dawson.html
Currently on sale for 99c
Click for more info and check out the other 12 NA's of Christmas novellas while you're there!

I will be giving away a pet themed necklace and a treat for your pet. Be sure to leave a comment on this post so that I can get in touch with you if you win! That's it. Happy Christmas Paw Hopping!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can go here to enter in the grand prizes and to find more links to hop!
 

Sunday, December 1, 2013

The 12 NA's of Christmas Sale!

THE 12 NA'S OF CHRISTMAS!

http://newadult12.blogspot.com/
Click for buy links on all books.

The sale begins today! All the books will be .99. A little Christmas present from all of us to all of you! Enjoy!

http://newadult12.blogspot.com/p/zoe-dawson.html
Click for buy links

What it's about:

In the season of hope, in the season of giving…

How far would you go for your friend?

Alissa Thompson has been the good girl her whole life. Her uninterested parents don’t understand her hopes and dreams. But this Christmas when her steadfast childhood friend Charlie needs her more than ever, she can’t back down. Crossing the line means being braver than she has ever been in her life. It means changing and growing and taking a stand.

Dakota Gray was brave in the face of debilitating fear. But he lost himself in that blood soaked day and has shunned everything he once knew. Now shattered and broken, he hides out in isolation, his wounds beyond healing. His heart closed, his emotions buried, he’s a man on the edge of self-destructing. Little does he know that courage would be found in another searching for the strength to be brave.

Now snowbound in the Colorado Rockies one week before Christmas, Alissa thought this was about her journey and her friend, about setting him free. But from the moment she meets Dakota, she learns about what real bravery is all about. What real love is all about. But is the season enough, her courage enough, her love enough to heal this hero’s brave heart and in the end set herself free?

CHECK OUT THE AUTHORS!

About Magan Vernon and OFF THE MARKET:
Etta Davis must decide if a second chance with an old flame is worth taking her house, and her heart, off the market.

About Tiffany King and CROSS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS:
A hilarious, heartwarming Christmas tale about finding love in the least likely situation.

About Chelsea Cameron and CHRISTMAS CATCH:
She swore she was never going back to the tiny fishing village she came from. So did he. But when they’re both dragged back to Saltwater, Maine, they might realize it’s where they belong. Together…

About Breena Wilde and FROSTED MIDNIGHT:
Willow St. James needs a miracle and an encounter with Austin Merrick at midnight on Christmas Eve may be just the answer she’s looking for.

About A. Meredith Walters and WARMTH IN ICE:
 Clay and Maggie struggle to build a future while overcoming the demons of their past. And during the heat of a Florida Christmas they are reminded that theirs is a love worth fighting for.

About Sawyer Bennett and IF I RETURN:
What was supposed to be a quiet Christmas holiday turns into a life changing event for Hope and Jack. The only problem? Jack is headed off to war, and there is no guarantee he will come back.

About Shelly Crane and WIDE SPACES:
When they found each other, they knew that life had given them a second chance. But a life together that saved them will become a life they think is lost forever.

About Addison Moore and WINTER KISSES:
 Having a one-night stand with your ex is never easy. She thinks its revenge sex. He thinks its make-up sex. Things can only go wrong from here.

About Marquita Valentine and ALL FOR YOU:
The only thing West Diaz wants for Christmas is McKenzie Walsh’s forgiveness, but she’s not ready to make nice, until, that is, he willingly humiliates himself in public to prove he’s not the same guy who bullied her in high school. But can one simple act overcome years of torment?

About Sarra Cannon and A SEASON FOR HOPE:
After a devastating breakup, Bailey Houston just wants to give up on life. But can sexy med-student Judd Kohler teach her that Christmas really is a season for hope?

Monday, November 18, 2013

RELEASE DAY FOR FETCHED!

Out Now!


This cover was designed by the fabulous Robin at Robin Ludwig Design


When I was writing Collared, Book #4 in the Going to the Dogs series, it was my intent to include Poe's wedding and the birth of her child. But as I progressed through the novel, the wedding scene was cutting too much into Harper and Caleb's romance. I wanted to start off with them. So, I removed the wedding and baby stuff. That's when it hit me, why not do Poe's continuing journey to her own self-discovery through the novella. I had conflict! I had a wonderful honeymoon destination. And, I had two characters I loved to write about - Poe and Jared. Writing this novella from their POV was also much better than getting it second-hand from Harper. So there you have it. As a result of conceptualizing this novella, I decided it would be a stellar idea to write all the weddings and honeymoons of all my dog park babes in the order they get married. So, you can go here to see what will be happening with the other three girls. Now, onto Poe and Jared.

 
 
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

A companion novella to Hounded, Going to the Dogs, #3. Your reading enjoyment would be enhanced if you've already read Hounded.

Poe is getting married and she’s having Jared’s baby. She’s gotten her happily ever after, but everything happened so fast, she’s barely had time to take it all in. She’s worried about her ability to be a good mother. Will her doubts overshadow these joyous occasions—her marriage and honeymoon with her sexy cowboy?

But, she’ll have to catch her breath on the run. Before she can say Zombie Apocalypse, she’s off to Vegas where all her friends and family are assembling. They have to put a wedding together in a week. Can the dog park babes come to her rescue to get this hitching to come off without a hitch?

Ah, wait, The Terrible Two are involved.

Sneak Peek

Poe sat on the front porch of Jared’s pappy’s ranch, rocking back and forth as the sun peeked over the horizon. She sipped a cup of the coffee that Jared’s pap, Roy, had made before he went out to do his chores. The Terrible Two and Daisy had only raised their heads as she’d left the room. Lazy little rascals

She’d left the wonderful warmth of Jared’s body because she couldn’t sleep. Part excitement, part disbelief, and part anticipation had pushed her out of slumber.

She was pregnant.

Having a baby.

With child.

Knocked up.

Oh, God.

And!

She was getting married.

Hitched.

Tying the knot.

She rocked back and forth some more and told herself to shut the hell up.

She wanted to marry Jared. She was ecstatic to be cradling their child inside her body, so why did she have this terrible feeling of disquiet, why did the feeling persist, constantly knotted between her shoulder blades?

They would be leaving for Vegas early tomorrow morning. Jared’s pappy was going to drive with them, then fly back to Texas after the wedding. She grinned at the thought of getting married in Vegas, her insides bubbling with glee. She’d always wanted an unconventional Vegas wedding.

Harper, Brooke, and Callie would meet them in Vegas, and Poe’s mother was flying in with her brother Wilder and her sister Austen. Jared’s brother Nate was scheduled to arrive about the same time. Then there would be a number of other friends attending, most of her St. Mark’s colleagues and staff, were coming as well, including Mr. Leonard. He and the cute cockapoo that he’d adopted, Binky, were doing really well together. They were also expecting several people from the shelter where she volunteered—all coming in spite of the short notice. She hadn’t even started her director’s job at the new clinic yet, and wouldn’t until she got back to the city.

Another thing she had to think about. How much did she want to work after the baby was born? Drawing a deep, shaky breath, Poe closed her eyes and leaned back, her insides trembling. And there was that ugly dread again.

She set her cup down with a snap and headed toward the barn. When she got there, she found Roy un-baling hay, getting it ready to spread around three freshly mucked stalls.

“Ahhh, looks to me like you got the same kinda timin’ as my son.” He gave her a wink.

Poe giggled. “I can help with spreading the hay.”

“Well, that’s sumpin’, then.”

She grabbed handfuls and started scattering it around the first stall.

“You fretting?”

“About what?”

“You’re usually snuggled up to my son ‘bout this time of mornin’ You tell me, little gal.”

“Kumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, either forming the genus Fortunella, or placed within Citrus sensu lato.”

Roy didn’t bat an eye. He was as used to her spouting off random nonsense as Jared was.

“Sumpin’ tells me it ain’t kumquats that’s got your rope in a twist.”

She managed a wry smile that didn’t have a whole lot of energy behind it. “No flies on you, Pappy.”

“Life changes ain’t easy. ‘Specially when they’re unexpected and as serious as having a baby and pledgin’ yer life to someone, young lady. But I remember what it was like when my wife was pregnant with Jared,” he said, a soft, reminiscent smile tugging at his mouth. “It can be nerve-wracking, but you ain’t seen nuttin’ yet. The hard work is after they’re born. Then, before you know it, you got yerself two strappin’ boys and they’re making you prouder than a peacock.”

“Well, this is something I don’t see every day. Poe out here doing chores when she could be sleeping. I’d rather she had been. I like waking up to my snugglebug.”

Jared stood in the barn doorway resting one broad shoulder against the frame, his thumbs hooked in his pockets as he studied her, a glint of amusement in his wonderful moss-green eyes. Smelling freshly showered and shaved, his t-shirt stretched over his wide chest, his smooth throat and arms tanned from the sun, he drew the eye and the senses.

From deep inside an upwelling of love hit her so hard she almost staggered. He regarded her with those compelling eyes. Then he stepped toward her as if his Pappy wasn’t standing there watching, and Poe waited for him, feeling as if the magic between them was as wonderful and new as the day he first laid eyes on her. When he reached her, his eyes crinkled up at the corners, and he bent his head and kissed her mouth.

She pressed herself against him, suddenly feeling like weeping. Needing his strength, and at the same time overwhelmed by it.

He lingered over her mouth, and when he pulled away, he said, “Good morning, beautiful.”

She cupped his jaw and smiled. “Good morning. Where are The Two and Daisy?”

“Chasing butterflies again and being a general nuisance to the livestock,” he said rolling his eyes.

“I think they’re going to miss being here when we leave tomorrow.”

He nodded, and suddenly his gaze sharpened. “You okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, trying to dismiss that stupid, overbearing feeling. She was never morose. For her, Goth was a way of dressing, not a way of being. She smiled to alleviate his sudden tension.

He gave his pap a sidelong glance, but Roy had turned away and was heading for the third and final stall.

Jared bent down to grab a bale, his biceps bulging. He followed his pappy, flashing another grin over his shoulder. “I wanted to give you a proper wakeup call this morning,” he whispered.

She smiled and giggled. “You’re so bad.”

“No, darlin’. I’m good, and if you’d hung around this morning, you would have experienced all the goodness I had to offer.”

Poe glanced over at Jared’s father. “Well…” she said softly. “I’m feeling a bit tired…you know, with the pregnancy and all.”

He grinned from ear to ear.

“Git along then, cute lit’l doggie and I’ll…um…finish helping my pap and be there before you can say Old McDonald.”

She glanced down at his groin with an appreciative look on her face. “With the whole farm? I’m feeling the urge to moo right now.” Heat sizzled through her and she fanned herself. “I’m gittin’! And then I’ll be gettin’. Oooh, hurry up with the hay.”

Where to buy:

As of this post, Fetched is at the following retailers:


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS HOP!



Cinnamon permeates the air. The unmistakable aroma of homemade smells signals that the holiday season is kicking off. Armed with a rolling pin, flour, water, and shortening and pumpkin, I create one of my most favorite treats for the holidays -- Pumpkin Pie.

I make my own crust taught to me by my grandmother. She was a painstaking and patient teacher, gave me her inside tips and each year when I make this recipe I feel so close to her. The traditions of the past manifests in her grandchild. Thanks, Gram. I love you.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    2 large eggs
    1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin pie filling
    1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
    1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
    Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.



To get into the holiday season, here's my Christmas Novella. I'm part of the 12 NA's of Christmas. Definitely check out the other authors! You'll want a bigger stocking!

http://www.newadult12.com/ 
 This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

***Brave is proud to be a part of The 12 NA's of Christmas***
12 New Adult Novellas. 12 Bestselling Authors. November 2013
***********

In the season of hope, in the season of giving…

How far would you go for your friend?

Alissa Thompson has been the good girl her whole life. Her uninterested parents don’t understand her hopes and dreams. But this Christmas when her steadfast childhood friend Charlie needs her more than ever, she can’t back down. Crossing the line means being braver than she has ever been in her life. It means changing and growing and taking a stand.

Dakota Gray was brave in the face of debilitating fear. But he lost himself in that blood soaked day and has shunned everything he once knew. Now shattered and broken, he hides out in isolation, his wounds beyond healing. His heart closed, his emotions buried, he’s a man on the edge of self-destructing. Little does he know that courage would be found in another searching for the strength to be brave.

Now snowbound in the Colorado Rockies one week before Christmas, Alissa thought this was about her journey and her friend, about setting him free. But from the moment she meets Dakota, she learns about what real bravery is all about. What real love is all about. But is the season enough, her courage enough, her love enough to heal this hero’s brave heart and in the end set herself free?


 Now what are those prizes and how do you enter?

This is very important. You must leave a comment with your email address. Each blog you visit and comment on is an extra entry into the drawing. We need the information so that we can contact you.

I'll be offering a prize in addition to the grand prize. I'll choose a winner at random and contact by email after the giveaway is over. Good luck!

My Prize
one snowflake necklace

Grand Prizes
Grand Prize Shopping Spree: $450+ Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Second Place Grand Prize: (1) E-Book from every participating Author

Hop along with us and discover authors who create the type of reading experience you're looking for by going to this link HERE!


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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Spotlight: Suzan Collins

Please welcome to my blog, Suzan! We met on Facebook. Check out her newest release!


Blurb:

Is someone you care about in a care or nursing home right now? Or receiving care at home? Or in hospital?

Are you confident that your loved one is getting good, compassionate care?

If you have concerns, what have you felt able to do about them?

With 33 years’ experience in health and social care Suzan Collins believed she could ensure good care for her mother, and her family relied on her to do so. She was actually delivering training on best practice when she was first contacted with the news her mother had broken her leg at her nursing home and been transferred to hospital. This is the story of what followed – the gradual revelation of a whole ongoing chain of bad practice and poor care that Suzan, with all her knowledge and experience of ‘the system’, could not influence.

In this highly topical book, Suzan shares her story from her personal and professional perspective and looks ahead to how we can all contribute to keeping vulnerable people in the health and social care system safe from harm.

About Suzan



Where to find Suzan

Website
Facebook
Facebook Page
Twitter: @suzancollins
Blog

Where you can find Suzan's books:

Amazon U.K.
Amazon U.S.
Waterstones
Eddington Hook

Friday, November 1, 2013

RELEASE DAY FOR BRAVE - THE 12 NA'S OF CHRISTMAS!

Out Now!


Brave is proud to be a part of The 12 NA's of Christmas
12 New Adult Novellas. 12 Bestselling Authors

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS JUST GOT HOTTER!

This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

GO HERE FOR ALL THE NOVELLAS

 YOU'LL NEED A BIGGER STOCKING!

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

In the season of hope, in the season of giving…

How far would you go for your friend?

Alissa Thompson has been the good girl her whole life. Her uninterested parents don’t understand her hopes and dreams. But this Christmas when her steadfast childhood friend Charlie needs her more than ever, she can’t back down. Crossing the line means being braver than she has ever been in her life. It means changing and growing and taking a stand.

Dakota Gray was brave in the face of debilitating fear. But he lost himself in that blood soaked day and has shunned everything he once knew. Now shattered and broken, he hides out in isolation, his wounds beyond healing. His heart closed, his emotions buried, he’s a man on the edge of self-destructing. Little does he know that courage would be found in another searching for the strength to be brave.

Now snowbound in the Colorado Rockies one week before Christmas, Alissa thought this was about her journey and her friend, about setting him free. But from the moment she meets Dakota, she learns about what real bravery is all about. What real love is all about. But is the season enough, her courage enough, her love enough to heal this hero’s brave heart and in the end set herself free?


About Magan Vernon and OFF THE MARKET:
Etta Davis must decide if a second chance with an old flame is worth taking her house, and her heart, off the market.

About Tiffany King and CROSS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS:
A hilarious, heartwarming Christmas tale about finding love in the least likely situation.

About Chelsea Cameron and CHRISTMAS CATCH:
She swore she was never going back to the tiny fishing village she came from. So did he. But when they’re both dragged back to Saltwater, Maine, they might realize it’s where they belong. Together…

About H.M. Ward and A LITTLE CHRISTMAS ROMANCE:
A sexy and sweet holiday treat.

About Breena Wilde and FROSTED MIDNIGHT:
Willow St. James needs a miracle and an encounter with Austin Merrick at midnight on Christmas Eve may be just the answer she’s looking for.

About A. Meredith Walters and WARMTH IN ICE:
 Clay and Maggie struggle to build a future while overcoming the demons of their past. And during the heat of a Florida Christmas they are reminded that theirs is a love worth fighting for.

About Sawyer Bennett and IF I RETURN:
What was supposed to be a quiet Christmas holiday turns into a life changing event for Hope and Jack. The only problem? Jack is headed off to war, and there is no guarantee he will come back.

About Shelly Crane and WIDE SPACES:
When they found each other, they knew that life had given them a second chance. But a life together that saved them will become a life they think is lost forever.

About Addison Moore and WINTER KISSES:
 Having a one-night stand with your ex is never easy. She thinks its revenge sex. He thinks its make-up sex. Things can only go wrong from here.

About Marquita Valentine and ALL FOR YOU:
The only thing West Diaz wants for Christmas is McKenzie Walsh’s forgiveness, but she’s not ready to make nice, until, that is, he willingly humiliates himself in public to prove he’s not the same guy who bullied her in high school. But can one simple act overcome years of torment?

About Sarra Cannon and A SEASON FOR HOPE:
After a devastating breakup, Bailey Houston just wants to give up on life. But can sexy med-student Judd Kohler teach her that Christmas really is a season for hope?
 

Monday, October 28, 2013

COVER REVEAL SQUEE!: A PERFECT MISTAKE

The second book in my A Perfect Secret Series is revealed! Boone and Verity have a rocky, romantic, tough, heartbreaking journey to make. My second Outlaw brother is more sensitive, intuitive, heroic, and down right hawt!

More information will be revealed about their family; what might have happened to their father; and Boone's troubled past.

Here is the second cover. And, I'm thrilled to present it to you all.

Thank you so much to Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews Tours for arranging the cover reveal today. If you see it around, please comment, retweet and share so we can get the word out to everyone.

  This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations.

Please take a moment to add A Perfect Mistake to your Goodreads Shelf!

Genre:  New Adult Mystery

Release Date:  December 22, 2013

Description:

 How can they have a future when their past is based on a lie?

The perfect preacher’s daughter, Verity Fairchild, has something that only she and God know about and she wants to keep it that way. Her mistake was easy to keep secret when she was out of town, but now that she's come back to Hope Parish for the summer, she comes face-to-face with the guy responsible for it all. Boone Outlaw nearly ruined everything for her and despite the fact that he's now working at her father's church, she's determined to stay as far away from him as possible.

Boone Outlaw doesn't understand Verity's anger towards him. He barely knows her. In high school she was Holy Mary Verity and she was off limits - except in his dreams where Verity seems way too real. Most of the time he was wasted in high school, not the type of boy Verity would ever look at twice, but he can’t shake the feeling that something might have happened between them. He’s going to break his own rules to get the answers he needs straight from Verity.

What will Verity do when she finds something in Boone that she never knew existed and her perfect mistake is the only thing that could stand between them and their happiness? Will she sacrifice Boone to keep her secret?

Excerpt

Verity

Please don't let it be Boone Outlaw

I whispered that like a prayer.

When I heard the car behind me, my first thought was thank God. I knew absolutely nothing about changing a flat tire. I could probably have figured it out, though. But when I turned around at the sound of the truck pulling up behind me, I saw in bold white letters stenciled on the side of the truck, Outlaw Landscaping.  I groaned. The anger I tried to keep under wraps surged up.

I guess the odds that it wasn't Boone just weren't in my favor. I was on the road home and Boone was working for my father. He was bound to be heading to work right about now.

I had watched him almost every day from my window doing his sketching, planning out his work and I was struck by how much he’d changed since high school. Then, his hair had been long, too long. The black silk had obscured his face and always seemed to be in his eyes.

The anger I wanted to hide from him welled up in me and I cursed my stupid car, the tire and whatever had pieced it straight to hell.

“Need a hand?”

“No,” I blurted out too abruptly and too harshly. Boone’s blue eyes narrowed as he took in the jack and the other piece of the jack I hadn’t yet figured out.

He came up beside me and my skin tingled at his nearness. Damn Boone and his gorgeous hide. He sauntered past me. Boone always seemed to do that. Move slow and sexy. He would have to be wearing a tank top and those sinfully tight jeans. They molded to his backside and left nothing to a girl’s imagination. His biceps stood out even though his arms were relaxed, his chest had filled out in the year I had been away, and his voice had deepened even more. He squatted down and surveyed the damage to my tire.

"Verity, you have the jack backwards," he said it matter-of-factually without any condescension.

"I would have figured it out," I snapped.

He turned to look up at me, his eyes a startling blue in his handsome face. Wait. That wasn't exactly right. Boone was beautiful. All that dark, shaggy hair, his broad shoulders tapering down to his lean waist, and the muscles that bunched in his thighs. I didn't want to notice. I wanted to hate everything about him.

"There's no need to get snappy, girl."

 "I'm not a girl." I huffed out. What I had gone through in the past year had irrecoverably changed me into a woman. I had groceries in the car. Ice cream. I’d be a fool not to accept his help. “All right,” I said grudgingly.

He glanced back at me and I abruptly averted my eyes. Even though I was so pissed at him, he made my insides jingle jangle. What he did to me last summer just couldn't be forgiven.

Suddenly thunder rumbled and I looked up. “Great, a storm.”

“It always storms here, Verity.”

I wished he wouldn’t say my first name. It always made my stomach jolt the way his soft, unhurried Southern accent wove around the syllables.

"Get in the car. I'll take care of this for you." He didn't even give me a chance to respond, just turned his back and started to fix the jack. I murmured something about a damn, pushy Outlaw and stalked past him to my car, wrenched the door open and huffed myself inside. Slamming it didn't alleviate the mad that was hammering through me or the attraction that was humming along my nerve endings. It started to pour and I bit my lip. Why did he have to be such a Good Samaritan? It made me feel like such a colossal bitch. But I was the victim here. After what he put me through, I didn’t want to be in his presence another moment. I was determined not to let all his charm affect me.

I watched in the rearview, hoping and praying he would just fix my tire and get the message and leave. The memory of the Graduation Party last year intruded on my thoughts. Boone had been there, wasted as usual, looking so delectable and forbidden, my stomach clenched from the memory.

With a rush like the sound of a waterfall, the skies opened with a heavy deluge.

I sat in the car waiting for him to be done. When the passenger door opened and he slipped inside, my head whipped around. Boone, all soaking wet, six feet, two inches of sexy, angry Outlaw settled into my seat.

“What the hell! You’re getting my seat all wet!”

"You're freaking welcome, Verity." He glared at me, something I'd never experienced until just now. It seemed that everyone had a breaking point and I just pushed the wrong button on Boone.

“Why are you pissed off at me, Verity?”

“Thanks for fixing my tire, but I’ve got ice cream in the back seat for the church social and I have to get it home.” My voice was not at all sincere. It was flat, the anger coloring it even though I tried with all my might to keep it out. All I had to do was get through this summer with my parents, convince my father to let me go to college, and blow out of Suttontowne like it was nothing but a bad memory.

He just stared at me for what felt like an eternity.

"What the f**k. You aren't going to answer me."

"I'm not angry at you." I said like an idiot. It was so clearly blatant that I was madder than hell at Boone. He was intelligent and perceptive. Of course, he knew I was lying through my teeth.

His black hair was wet and clinging to his cheekbones, a frisson of heat settled in my gut as droplets of water slipped over his finely formed lips. The t-shirt he wore clung to his hard chest and I could see the muscles delineated there, his skin glistening.

The tension in the car shifted and my eyes fused to his. His chest was heaving and I found that my breathing was more shallow.

"I didn't take you for a liar, Verity."

No, he only took me past the danger zone. I said nothing. I had too much to say and it was all trapped in my throat, in my chest, and in my heart.

He swore softly, pulling his eyes away from me and dropping his head. All of a sudden and completely against my will, I had the urge, no the craving to reach over and send my fingers into all that wet, tumbled mess of midnight black. Tears pricked my eyes and I promised myself I wouldn't shed one more tear over Boone. “Nothing and no one in this town ever changes,” he growled under his breath. He opened the passenger door and glared at me again. “You would think I’d be used to it by now.” He stood in the rain and gave me such a heartbreaking look and the tears gathered anyway. I couldn't help but be affected by it.

He turned then, slamming the door and stalked away. I watched him in my rearview mirror as he kicked dirt and stones on the side of the road, got back into his truck and peeled off.

Tears slipped down my cheeks. I guess my promise to myself was broken. For a split second, I remembered Boone at that party, and guilt and shame washed through me.

Boone Outlaw ruined my life. There wasn’t any way I was cutting him any slack.



Friday, October 18, 2013

COVER REVEAL SQUEE!: BRAVE - THE 12 NA'S OF CHRISTMAS NOVELLA

Brave is proud to be a part of The 12 NA's of Christmas
12 New Adult Novellas. 12 Bestselling Authors.


I was extremely fortunate to be invited to participate in this collection of Christmas novellas by some of the best voices in New Adult Contemporary Romance!

There are 12 novellas for you to devour and you'll want them all. Yup, you're going to need a much bigger stocking this Christmas.

I am immensely proud of this book. It's not your typical romance. It's tense, gripping, and heartbreaking. There's a lot of darkness here, but the message is that love is the biggest, most potent healing force on the planet.

I was blown away by the talent of Sarah Hansen when she presented me with this beautiful cover! Thank you, Sarah for your creative moxie. So without further ado, here is Brave.

This cover was designed by the fabulous Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

Please take a moment to add Brave to your Goodreads Shelf

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date:  November 1, 2013

Description:

In the season of hope, in the season of giving…

How far would you go for your friend?

Alissa Thompson has been the good girl her whole life. Her uninterested parents don’t understand her hopes and dreams. But this Christmas when her steadfast childhood friend Charlie needs her more than ever, she can’t back down. Crossing the line means being braver than she has ever been in her life. It means changing and growing and taking a stand.

Dakota Gray was brave in the face of debilitating fear. But he lost himself in that blood soaked day and has shunned everything he once knew. Now shattered and broken, he hides out in isolation, his wounds beyond healing. His heart closed, his emotions buried, he’s a man on the edge of self-destructing. Little does he know that courage would be found in another searching for the strength to be brave.

Now snowbound in the Colorado Rockies one week before Christmas, Alissa thought this was about her journey and her friend, about setting him free. But from the moment she meets Dakota, she learns about what real bravery is all about. What real love is all about. But is the season enough, her courage enough, her love enough to heal this hero’s brave heart and in the end set herself free?

Here are all the other covers! Now where is that huge stocking I just bought!

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS JUST GOT HOTTER!


See them all here!

EXCERPT:

 

I turned to reach for my shirt. She was about 20 yards away, too far to shout and be heard above the wind. Her long white blonde hair rippled like the flutter of angels wings against the backdrop of winter white. Distracted by her and why she was here, I dropped my axe. Trudging through the new powder, she trailed a backpack, slogging slowly towards the cliff through the fresh snow. Anger boiled through me and my shackled demons laughed.

Not a woman. Not here. I couldn’t bear it

If I lost my numbness, my equilibrium, it was open season on me.

Even this glimpse of her disturbed my peace, and I desperately needed my peace. Heavy snow obscured my vision and, with a shot to my heart, I realized I couldn’t see the horizon.

The blizzard was already here. The snow blanketed everything. It had blindsided me. The monster was here.

I quickly headed toward the cliff, cutting our distance in half. Why was she on my property, and what did she want? Didn’t she realize that this was private land!?

I was just about to call out. I had almost made it to her when I heard her piercing scream. She must have gone over the cliff! And I was too far away to help.

I stopped dead. That scream echoed in my head, mingling with the screams, shouts, and gunfire that came boiling out from behind the locked door in my mind. I looked around and the snow vanished. I was surrounded by people running, screaming and dying, their blood flowing like water. A voiceless panic hung at the back of my throat. My head hurt. I could hear my own pulse in my ears. The dread in me escalated suddenly to cold-sweat terror. I clenched my teeth against a moan of fear and dropped to my knees. I would have prayed if I could have uttered a word past my frozen lips.

The man from my nightmares was there, his flattened, broken nose, the scar that ran from the corner of his mouth. I knew his pockmarked face as well as I knew my own face in the mirror. As vividly as the endless nights of beatings and torture at his cruel hands. I was chained and I couldn’t move. The manacle cut into my wrist as I fought to get free. I couldn’t get to her. She was too far away. My head ached from the butt of the rifle that drove me to my knees. I couldn’t get to her, save her…I promised…Elsa! Death breathing on the back of my neck, it was so close. I covered my ears, but it did no good, the screams were trapped inside my head. I could still hear them, see her face, see what they were doing to her. The horror and the helplessness crashed into me. Stop it! Stop it! I can’t bear it.

My skin was burning with cold as I came to awareness lying in the snow in a fetal position. The fury and the terror ebbed away like that fading scream. The woman! The cliff. My training kicked in and I staggered to my feet and ran.

God, please don’t let her be dead at the bottom.