Thursday, July 25, 2013

Meet Me at Fountain Park by Mindy Killgrove: Blogger Book Fair #BBF

featuring

Meet Me at Fountain Park

All this week I've featured Blogger Book Fair authors and their books, and today we have Mindy Killgrove. She's the author of Meet Me at Fountain Park and is the creator of the blog: Mindy’s Thoughts on Love and Other Funny Things.

Mindy Killgrove
Meet Me at Fountain Park is the second offering in the Missy Lawrence Trilogy. Meet Me at the Pond, the first installment, was named the Reader’s Choice Award for Women’s Fiction during the bi-annual Blogger Book Fair.

Killgrove is a former journalist and non-fiction author. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children, where she teaches high school English.

Connect with Mindy Killgrove on Facebook, Tumblr, or on her website. Follow her on Twitter.

Jacquie: Give us a brief bio and tell us what has driven you to write in your genre.

Mindy: I’ve always considered myself a storyteller. A few years ago, I was in the midst of spinning a yarn when one of my colleagues suggested that I write a book. I’d been writing my own little novels since I was a child, so this was not the first time that I’d thought about putting my words on paper. Now, a few years after creating an idea for a book series, I’ve accomplished my goal and had two books published.

Jacquie: Please share the cover blurb for Meet Me at Fountain Park.

Mindy: Everything changes, or at least that’s what they say. For Missy Lawrence, this old adage just doesn’t fit. Her life has come to an unsolicited standstill. Her job as a news reporter for WSTA-Charlotte is miraculously mundane and her love life is practically non-existent. Even though she tries, she can’t seem to pull herself out of this rut.

While she’s stuck in between, all of her friends are finding themselves in a flurry of activities: Brooklyn’s moving in with Duke, Benson and Jack are heading across the country in search of stardom, and Adair is preparing to walk down the aisle and wed the man of her dreams. As her social engagements pile up, she notices that her calendar has reached maximum capacity because of her friends and their obligations. Missy now realizes that she is going to have to make a huge decision: Will she stay in the past or will she join her capricious pals and take a leap of her own?


Jacquie: Why do you write in the romance genre? 

Mindy: I elected to begin my writing career in the romance genre because it’s just so much fun to read (and to write). I wanted to start by writing something that my friends would read. I aimed to create a light piece of fiction that would be fun to read at the end of a long work day.

Jacquie: If a person who had never read a romance asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why?

Mindy: I love media. I’m a huge movie buff and I have to read something every single day. My favorite author is Charlaine Harris- at the moment. Everything she touches is pure golden. The Sookie Stackhouse Series is truly her best work, but I’m in the midst of enjoying the Harper Connelly Series as well. As for movies, the BBC version of “Pride and Prejudice” is my favorite romantic movie. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, try Just Friends, starring Ryan Reynolds.

Jacquie: Why must Missy Lawrence take this particular story journey?

Mindy: In Meet Me at the Pond, Missy learns a lot about falling in love and allowing past relationships to provide stepping stones. In the first book, she has a lot of relationship background to build. In this book, Meet Me at Fountain Park, Missy has to start making decisions that will lead to her own happiness. First, she gets the knowledge, now she has to be ready to put that information to work for her own good.

Jacquie: What’s next? Is Meet Me at Fountain Park a part of a series?

Mindy: Absolutely. This is the second book in the trilogy. Meet Me at Rock Creek will be the final adventure for Missy Lawrence and her crew. These ladies have grown together (and in some cases drifted apart), but in the final installment, all of their questions will come to the final point: “Love is like running a race—it isn’t easy for anyone.”

Contest!
Mindy is giving away three copies of each book. All you have to do is enter on Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out these
Blogger Book Fair authors
July 22: Dawn Chandler
July 23: Haley Whitehall
July 24: Marsha Canham
July 25: Zrinka Jelic
July 26: Mindy Killgrove

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Love Remains by Zrinka Jelic: Blogger Book Fair #BBF

features
Love Remains
by Zrinka Jelic

It's been fun participating in the Blogger Book Fair all week. Be sure to check out the posts of the other BBF authors that have visited my blog this week: Dawn Chandler, Haley Whitehall, and Marsha Canham. Tomorrow, please join Mindy Killgrove. Today, I'm turning my blog over to Zrinka Jelic.


Hello, Blogger Book Fair hoppers!

I’m very delighted to meet you. My name is Zrinka Jelic and I’m author of three published books, Bonded by Crimson, a paranormal romance, and Treasured Chest, a historical romance. Plus my work appears in an anthology titled Angles Cried dedicated to tiny victims of unimaginable and senseless violence of Sandy Hook School.

Today I’d like to talk about my newest release, a time travel romance titled Love Remains. It was published by Crimson Romance on July 15th.

It is dedicated to all women, but especially working kind. It takes a lot of skill and energy to juggle career and family, and to keep going day in and day out. When kids are sick and we have to stay at home with our little ones, we face the employer’s scrutiny and in some cases even losing jobs. The treatment of working mothers in the corporations got me thinking and I’ve decided to show my findings (at least the way I was treated when faced with the issue) through my writing. And since I am a romance writer, what best way to do it than through romance. Of course, being of Croatian descent, I have to throw something Croatian in the mix. Would you sacrifice your family for the sake of your career? Is it OK for corporations to dispose of women who put their families before their jobs? Is there a golden middle?

I hope you’ll find Love Remains a thrilling read as I found it when I wrote it.

Here’s the book’s blurb

Olivia Owen, a busy, single, high-functioning, corporate executive officer, is not afraid to die a spinster for the sake of her career. But in an alternate reality world, bridged by the angel of her Down’s syndrome sister, she meets Tom Medar, a dedicated, Croatian defense attorney who dreams of the right woman, but never has time to find her. Together they foil an adulterous murder plot while discovering there’s room for love and family in their busy lives—but not before they are separated again.

When they awaken from their alternate world, will they be able to cross countries to find each other again?

Love Remains is now available on Amazon.

Prizes!
Also, there’s a little giveaway on my blog and since I’m in Canada I’ll have to make it digital. So a copy of Love Remains for your e-reader and $5.00 Amazon gift card. Just drop by my blog Hello Romance and leave me a comment, join my blog, or like my Facebook page.

And a bit about me

Zrinka Jelic
Zrinka Jelic lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and two children. A member of the Romance Writers of America and its chapter Fantasy Futuristic &Paranormal, as well as Savvy Authors, she writes contemporary fiction—which leans toward the paranormal—and adds a pinch of history. Her characters come from all walks of life, and although she prefers red, romance comes in many colors. Given Jelic’s love for her native Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, her characters usually find themselves dealing with a fair amount of sunshine, but that’s about the only break they get. “Alas,” Jelic says, with a grin. “Some rain must fall in everyone’s life.”

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Across A Moonlit Sea by @MarshaCanham - Blogger Book Fair #BBF

features
Across a Moonlit Sea

Welcome to my stop along the Blogger Book Fair!  I'm featuring terrific authors all week.  Dawn Chandler and Haley Whitehall kicked off the BBF here, and today, we have a longtime favorite author, Marsha Canham!

Jacquie: Give us a brief bio and tell us what has driven you to write in your genre.

Marsha Canham
Marsha: Pirates have always fascinated me, starting with Errol Flynn as Captain Blood and travelling down through the years to the amazing Pirates of the Caribbean. When I wrote Across A Moonlit Sea, I was swashing and buckling right alongside the main characters and had such a grand sail, it has resulted in two sequels, The Iron Rose and The Following Sea. Not only that but I am currently working on the fourth book in the series, tentatively titled The Far Horizon. Love my pirates. Love my Dante men. Love my heroines who not only keep up with the Dante men, but prove they are every bit as strong and dangerous.

Jacquie: Entice us! Tell us about Across A Moonlit Sea.

Marsha: A rip roaring high seas adventure set in Elizabethan England when dashing privateers known as sea hawks banded together to guard their country and their queen against the Invincible Armada being amassed by Spain. Simon Dante, the Pirate Wolf, meets his match in battle and in love when he crosses swords with Isabeau Spence. Together they join forces with Sir Francis Drake on a daring attack on Cadiz.

Jacquie: Why do you write in the historical romance genre? What aspect of life in this genre intrigues you the most? Did you work that into Across A Moonlit Sea?

Marsha: I've always loved the old black and white adventure movies and heroes like Errol Flynn, Douglas Fairbanks, John Wayne. I loved Robin Hood and Zorro and Sir Lancelot, so it just felt natural to write about what I loved. My books are filled with that same kind of woo hoo action and adventure that hopefully takes readers on a wild, satisfying ride.

Jacquie: If a person who had never read a historical romance asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

Marsha: I would probably recommend Braveheart, with Mel Gibson. Or Robin Hood with Russell Crowe. Both movies put the viewer right into the gritty heart of the era. No pretty makeup or false eyelashes on the heroines. And the heroes..? *swoon*

Excerpt!
Here is a brief excerpt from Across A Moonlit Sea, where the hero Simon Dante discovers that Isabeau Spence is far from being the captain's meek daughter.

Across A Moonlit Sea
by Marsha Canham

While every man within earshot held his breath and waited, Dante stared at Spence, at the wide slick of blood that streaked his throat and spread across his collar. Something in the fierce, burning topaz of the captain’s eyes made Dante look down to where Beau was still crouched on the deck. He took a casual step toward her and used the barrel of his musket to lift her chin, and there was no mistaking the similarity in the bright, hot sparks of amber that flared up at him. His own gaze narrowed in speculation as he glanced back at Spence.

“Such rare coloring,” he mused. “Unlikely there should be such an exact match within a thousand miles … unless the two were related somehow. She appears to be too young and fresh for a sister. A daughter, perhaps? One with a long, shapely throat more than suitable for slitting in order to ease you of some of your stubbornness.”

Spence stiffened perceptibly. But instead of bowing to the implied threat, he allowed a wide, somewhat contemptuous grin to settle across his face as he folded his arms across his barrel chest.

“A clever deduction, Cap’n Dante. And, aye, Beau’s my daughter. The sweet fruit o’ my loins. Mayhap that’s why she doesn’t take any kinder to threats than I do.”

Dante felt a sudden, sharp intrusion of steel next to his skin and his body froze even as his gaze was drawn slowly downward again. Beau’s golden eyes were still staring up at him, but it was her hand that won his full attention, and more specifically, the stiletto clutched in her fist. The point had already pierced through his hose and was resting like a cold sliver of ice across the impressive bulge of his manhood. A flick of a slender wrist would reduce that impression considerably.

“We seem to have reached an impasse, Cap’n Dante.” Spence chuckled wryly. “Unless, o’ course, ye’ve no objection to pissin’ out a hole in yer belly. She’s a fair hand at carvin’, an’ blow me dry, but look at them eyes ye were so admirin’ of a minute ago—I’d say she were in a ripe fair mood to prove it, would ye not agree?”


Jacquie: What’s next? Is Across A Moonlit Sea a part of a series?

Marsha: There are currently three books in the Pirate Wolf Series: Across A Moonlit Sea is the first, followed by The Iron Rose and The Following Sea. I am working on the fourth installment of the Dante saga as we speak, The Far Horizon.

Thank you, Marsha!
Where you can find her:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Grits and Glory by @HaleyWhitehall, Blogger Book Fair #BBF

featuring

Grits and Glory

All this week I've featured Blogger Book Fair authors and their books, and today we have Haley Whitehall,  author of Grits and Glory.  Here's her bio:

Since the age of four, Haley Whitehall always wanted to be a writer. She went to Central Washington University and majored in her other favorite subject: history. She has social studies and library endorsements. Now she pairs her two passions into writing historical fiction set in the nineteenth century U.S.

She writes what she fondly calls "out of the box" stories. Forgotten history and the complexities of human nature inspire her characters and plots. Mark Twain serves as her writing mentor. Haley loves coffee a little too much. Perhaps that is why she is a night owl. Cats, good books, and a view of the mountains make her happy.

Jacquie: We'd love to hear about Grits and Glory!  

Haley: During the Civil War, Peter Warren, a tender-hearted, disowned Southern gentleman, spies for the Union Army in Fredericksburg, Virginia — a region where he is well-known. Plagued by memories of his father’s brutality on their plantation, he has vivid recollections which could betray his identity with a slip of the lip. He fears being recognized as an Underground Railroad conductor since posters blanket the South with his picture. Once he is trapped on the Confederate side of the frozen Rappahannock, will Peter choose to save his skin or fulfill his duty?

Jacquie: Why do you write historical fiction set during the Civil War? What aspect of life during that time intrigues you the most? Did you work that into Grits and Glory?

Haley: I have a B.A in history and specialized in American History. The more I researched the Civil War the more I wanted to learn. I’m not sure why this time period called to me more than others. Being my favorite, it is only natural that I write historical fiction set during this conflict.

I’m intrigued by the fact the war pitted friend against friend, brother against brother, and father against son. I have a tight family and I can’t imagine what that would be like. I mean family dynamics are difficult enough in peace time, right? I worked in the split family loyalty into Grits and Glory from page 1. Peter’s father owns a big plantation and Peter is a radical abolitionist. His sister’s husband serves under Peter’s former neighbor in J.E.B Stuart’s cavalry.

Jacquie: If you lived during 1862, what would you visit first? Is there something you’ve been curious about that you can’t find in your research sources?

Haley: I would definitely visit the White House and see Abraham Lincoln. Back then the White House was open and people could walk right in and request to see the president. It would be amazing to shake his hand. I’m not sure if Abe would listen to me, but I’d try to warn him not to go to Ford’s Theater.

You would think I’d be curious about many things. I’ve done a lot of research. I have my own Civil War/Western library and it is starting to take over my house! I know I’ve gotten frustrated trying to determine small historical details, but at the moment I can’t think of a burning question. I’d like to hide on the deck of a blockade runner to experience just what that was like.

Jacquie: If a person who had never read a Civil War historical novel and asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

Haley: I know a lot of people would be screaming Gone with the Wind, but that story was never one of my favorites. Scarlett was too whiny, and although it was never shown, I don’t think she ended up with Rhett at the end. I would recommend Rifles for Watie — the YA novel that got me interested in the Civil War. It is a classic (won the Newbery Medal) and I have read it numerous times since then.

Harold Keith did miraculous research into the Far Western front. I felt sucked right into the time period, right into Jeff’s shoes. He is a 16-year-old Kansas farm boy who grows from being impatient to get a taste of war to disillusionment with the destruction caused by both sides. He forms friendships with people on both sides of the conflict and falls in love with a Cherokee Southern Belle. I was often either biting my nails worrying about him or cheering him on. I love how it presents both sides of the war realistically.

Jacquie: Why must Peter take this particular story journey? What does he have to prove? How does the Battle of Fredericksburg affect his journey?

Haley: Peter grew up as a privileged Southerner, but life was not rosy. His mother died giving birth to him and he was raised by Aunt Ruth, the mother of his manservant. His father was as abusive to him as he was to his slaves. Peter had to fight for the Union because he wants to destroy the institution of slavery and get back at his father.

Peter needs to prove to himself and to his family and friends that he is not a coward. Being a Southerner is the Union Army puts him in a unique position. He also needs to prove where his loyalty lies.

Peter grew up right outside of Fredericksburg, so this battle takes him home. He has to confront his sister, old friends, and his own nightmares. This battle also changes the course of his journey by getting him into espionage.

Excerpt from
Grits and Glory
by Haley Whitehall

When Peter stepped inside, his breathing slowed to a halt, and he forgot to salute. Colonel Palmer sat at the desk. Lieutenant French sat on the campstool to the left of him.

“I think I have the man you’ve been looking for,” Captain Morton said. “Sergeant Warren was born and bred in Fredericksburg, Virginia.”

“What am I the man for, sir?”

“General Whipple is recruiting scouts,” Colonel Palmer said.

Peter’s heart knotted inside his chest. “Isn’t scout a fancy word for spy, sir?” he asked, unable to keep the nervous twinge out of his voice.

“You’ve a southern accent and you know the area. You are the only soldier in General Whipple’s command with both those requirements.”

Peter’s legs quivered and the rhythm of his pulse surpassed the quickstep. Sweat coated his palms in a sticky, wet film.

“Are you okay? You seem a bit pale,” Captain Morton said.

“A bit?” he shouted. “Sorry, sirs. I shouldn’t have raised my voice.” He paused to regain control of his emotions. “I don’t want to be a spy. I-I can’t. I’m wanted in the South.”
 ~^~

Jacquie: What’s next? Is Grits and Glory a part of a series?

Haley: Yes, Grits and Glory is the first book in the Plantation Shadows trilogy. I’m in the process of writing a historical romance series for Liquid Silver Books so I have had to put this project on hold, but I haven’t forgotten it! I hope to publish In Dixieland’s Grasp, the second book in the series in 2014.

Contest!
Two commenters will win an ebook copy of Grits and Glory and a copy of my newest release Journey to Glory: A Civil War Short Story. Ebooks will be available in any format.

Check out these
Blogger Book Fair authors
July 22: Dawn Chandler
July 23: Haley Whitehall
July 24: Marsha Canham
July 25: Zrinka Jelic
July 26: Mindy Killgrove

The Dark Lady by Dawn Chandler: Blogger Book Fair @DawnChandler #BBF

featuring

The Dark Lady

All this week I've featured Blogger Book Fair authors and their books, and today we have Dawn Chandler, so here she is!

Jacquie: Give us a brief bio and tell us what has driven you to write in your genre.
Dawn Chandler

Dawn: I grew up on Murtaugh Lake and spent most of my days in the water. I wrote my first full length novel in middle school, no surprise it was about a mermaid. I have been writing for most of my life, but just recently thought about getting my work published, at the encouragement of my husband. I have always loved doing research and England is my favorite place to research. Knights have a special place in my heart. They are ferocious barbarians, with a strong sense of loyalty and honor.

Jacquie: Please tell us a little about your book.
   
Dawn: Van’s mother, in an act of revenge steals Van away from her father when she is only one. To keep her hidden she forces her to pretend to be a boy. She excels in her charade and soon garners the attention of the king, and is thrilled to receive her knighthood. But after three years of living as a dangerous knight, she must follow her mother’s dying wish. Leave the knighthood behind and become a wife.

Van must leave the dark secrets of her past behind her or risk losing all she cares about.

Jacquie: Why do you write in the historical romance genre?  What aspect of life in this genre intrigues you the most?  Did you work that into The Dark Lady?

Dawn: I have always enjoyed research. I read extensively and history is one of my favorite genres. I think I enjoy historical the most, especially when it comes to romance because of the role that women play in society. England, London in particular, was a fascinating time. Contemporary romance does not hold the appeal for me, because modern women can do what they want, say what they want and society does not frown upon marrying who you want. In old England, women were bought and sold, traded and married off to the highest bidder. It was a struggle to make it through the day to day life, let alone find that perfect man to spend the rest of your life with. And yes, that is worked into The Dark Lady, and most all of my romances.

Jacquie: If you lived in 12th century England what would you visit first?  Is there something you’ve been curious about that you can’t find in your research sources?

Dawn: I would just like to meet the knights face to face. They are such complex people. I do not understand how such a rough and dangerous group can also be so loyal and so full of honor.

Jacquie: If a person who had never read a historical romance asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why?  What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

Dawn: I would have to recommend Catherine Coulter. I don’t think I can pinpoint one thing that she did to make the story come alive. I can narrow it down to her characters. They are vibrant and I always cringe when I come to the ending pages. I don’t want to put it down.

Jacquie: Why must Van take this particular story journey?  What does she have to prove?  How does Peter affect her journey?

Dawn: Her mother’s dying wish throws Van’s life into a tailspin, but it is more than her honor that forces her to leave the knighthood behind. She knows that her days as a “man” are numbered. She feels she has no choice but to become a wife. She expects to go to her new husband with the knowledge that if things go badly she can leave him. When she realizes Peter is her new husband, she is bound by feelings that she cannot explain. She wants to go to him, but is unsure if he feels anything for her besides anger. She is also unwilling to trust him with the secrets of her past for fear that it will turn out disastrous.

Jacquie: And now for the excerpt!  Please set the scene for us.

Dawn: When Van’s friend is hurt, Van puts aside the fears of her secret past being exposed and goes to her rescue.

Excerpt
The Dark Lady
by Dawn Chandler

Vanessa grasped the material and pulled. Peter heard the long tear as the skirt fell open completely on the side, baring her leg from thigh to ankle. During it all, she never broke her stride.

Peter called out as her huge destrier thundered past him, screamed for her to watch out. Beast began to slow until Vanessa whistled again. He regained his speed, tearing straight for her. Peter’s breath caught in his throat as he knew he would not be able to save her.

She reached out a long arm, gripping the coarse waving mane as the animal thundered past, and smoothly swung herself onto his massive back.

Peter felt a jolt of fear as she wobbled slightly on the racing stallion, one creamy white leg glistening in the dim sunlight. Shadows played off the thick muscles as they rippled in her effort to stay on the unsaddled mount.
♥ ♥ ♥

Jacquie: Sounds great!  What’s next?  Is The Dark Lady a part of a series?

Dawn: Yes. The Dark Lady is book one of The Dark Books. As it sits now it is a five book series. The second in the series is From Under a Dark Shadow. How do you deal with growing up as a young and proud man when the dangerous Dark Knight…is your mother?

Jacquie: Anything else you’d like to add?

Dawn: For anyone interested in learning more about Van’s adventure you can go to my website and read the first three chapters.

Thank you for having me. I enjoyed it.

Contest!
Want a chance to win a free copy of my novel The Dark Lady. Like my Facebook page and leave a comment on the page. To be eligible to win you must tell me your favorite part of history and why.

Be sure to visit the other 
reviewers and authors at the

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

New release! Wolf Creek 6: HELL ON THE PRAIRIE #western #anthology #amreading


Hell on the Prairie
Wolf Creek: Book 6


Released today!!! Wolf Creek: Hell on the Prairie. It's an anthology of seven short stories, all featuring characters in or connected to the Wolf Creek series, and offering  in-depth understanding of your favorite Wolf Creek residents.  Check out Romancing The West, where there'll be giveaways on each day this week.

If you're not familiar with the Wolf Creek series, you're missing out! Written under the house name Ford Fargo (the house name for Western Fictioneers), each book is the collaboration of some of the best western writers in the business, steered by Troy Smith, who also writes two WC characters. Links to all the Wolf Creek books are at the end of this article, just above the contest announcement.  For more information on the story world, visit Wolf Creek, Kansas.

My story is Muleskinners: Judge Not.  Here's the official blurb:
"Muleskinners: Judge Not" by Jacquie Rogers. Elsie Parry and her father were only passing through Wolf Creek — but they did so right in the middle of the outlaw raid portrayed in Book 1: Bloody Trail. A raid that has a lot more to do with them than they knew...

You can read blurbs to all the stories at the Western Fictioneers blog.

^^^^^^ BUY LINKS ^^^^^^

Wolf Creek: Hell on the Prairie
Available in print, or ebook at
and soon at other online stores

^^^^^^ ALL WOLF CREEK BUY LINKS ^^^^^^

Wolf Creek, Book 1: Bloody Trail
Wolf Creek, Book 2: Kiowa's Vengeance
Wolf Creek, Book 3: Murder in Dogleg City
Wolf Creek, Book 4: The Taylor County War
Wolf Creek, Book 5: Showdown at Demon's Drop
Wolf Creek, Book 6: Hell on the Prairie