Wednesday, June 15, 2016

A Toast to Summer Reading


This summer is shaping up to be great for readers a. I keep finding lots of interesting new books that I want to read. Today's book that's in our spotlight sounds like a real winner. My guest in My Writing Corner is Cathy Perkins, an author who caught my interest with her newest release, Malbec Mayhem.  She combines two of my favorites, a Northwest setting and a good red wine!



Cathy tells me that she started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her commuting daydreams. Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories. With four romantic mysteries published and two more in the process, she’s looking forward to leaving her full time financial job and writing full time.

When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, the setting for CYPHER, HONOR CODE and THE PROFESSOR, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.  


Her latest story, MALBEC MAYHEM, is a novella featuring a secondary character from SO ABOUT THE MONEY.

Alex Montoya wanted his own happily ever after, but needed a strong woman who could go toe-to-toe with him over careers, while sharing his fiery, passionate approach to life.

 

Here’s the blurb:

Successful restaurateur Alex Montoya's charmed life has hit a snag. His trust business partner turned out to be not exactly trustworthy, and Alex could be facing jail time over some of his partner's shady financial deals. As if that weren't bad enough, creditors are calling loans he didn't know he had and he's desperate to prove his innocence before all his businesses are repossessed.

After a career-building stint in Napa Valley, Sofia Pincelli has returned home to eastern Washington to take over the family's winery. Running the family business, however, means dealing with her ailing father's continued micro-management--and his disapproval of Alex.

Her father's condemnation of Alex's rumored involvement in his business partner's schemes runs so deep it threatens Alex and Sofia's blossoming romance... along with the Pincelli family's signature red wine. Sofia needs Alex's crop of Malbec grapes to show her father she has what it takes to make award-winning wine--and save the reputation and finances of the Pincelli winery.

When the Malbec grapes go missing, Alex and Sofia must join forces to find the fruit before it spoils--or risk destroying both of their businesses and their hearts.  


Let's get an excerpt:



"If that's how you feel about me." Alex stalked to a file cabinet, jerked open the top drawer and grabbed a scrap of black lace. He threw the panties at Sofia. "You might want these 'delivered' too. You left them here the other night."

"Oh for God's sake, be serious." She rolled her eyes and thrust her fingers into her hair.

"Why?" He tried to ignore the way her upraised arms pushed her chest forward. "You're the one who wanted a 'fun' relationship."

"I'm talking about business. Business is serious."

"What? You like the sex, but not me?" The file cabinet drawer slammed with a satisfying whack. "What is it with you women?"

"It isn't 'us women'. It seems to me, it's you. You have a problem with intelligent women."

"Bullshit. I prefer intelligent women."

For a long moment, she studied him. Then she plucked the panties off the floor and stepped toward him. A smile hovered around the corners of her mouth.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes, glaring, more to keep her on-guard than to warn her off. Usually he liked not knowing what she'd pull next, but she loved a challenge—and to win—as much as he did.

She also liked make-up sex as much as he did.

"Nice shirt." She trailed a finger inside his collar and paused at the first button. "You should wear this color more often. It sets off those gorgeous brown eyes of yours."

She worked open the button. "Your olive skin..."

Desire rippled down his spine. "Thanks," he managed. He eyed the open door behind them. Not that he cared who walked in.

She leaned closer. Her full breasts brushed his chest. Warm breath tickled his ear and sent a message straight to his groin. A cool scrap of fabric slid into his palm and her fingers closed his around the silk. "You might want to keep these."

"Oh?" He managed to keep his tone merely interested while heat flamed through his body. If she kept this up, he could sweep all the papers off his desk. Or there were the chairs. The floor. Up against the wall...

"You keep up that crappy attitude though."

His brain recalibrated. Problem, problem...

Soft lips brushed a series of kisses against his jaw. "And it'll be a while before you see a new pair."

 
Cathy's book is just out at Amazon ~ at a special release week price! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GNHM2AE

 

 Cathy says:   "I love to chat with readers. They can sign up for my email list on my website (http://cperkinswrites.com) or through my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCathyPerkins).

 

I can also be found at these social media sites:

 

Twitter                       @cperkinswrites

                                    https://twitter.com/cperkinswrites

Facebook Page          https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCathyPerkins

Goodreads                 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5367341.Cathy_Perkins


pinterest                     https://www.pinterest.com/cperkinswrites/


Thank you, Cathy, for being my guest.  Questions or comments for Cathy?

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

A Sweet Romance Read for Summer


It's time to relax outside on the patio or head for the beach with a good book to read so this week we're continuing our summer reading tour, looking for new and different authors. Our guest in My Writing Corner today is romance author, Nell Castle. Please tell us a little about your publishing journey and what it took to get your first book published.

I was fortunate to be accepted by The Wild Rose Press with A Leap of Faith, my first submission. But I blush to think of what I put my poor editor through as she patiently explained to me everything I didn’t know about the editing process. I can’t imagine a more supportive publisher than TWRP or a more welcoming environment for a brand new writer.

What made you want to be a writer?

I couldn’t find anyone to pay me for just reading books. (I am really good at reading.) Even as a kid, I dreamed about being a writer. I just couldn’t figure out what to write, outside of whiny journal entries. As an English major, I read the greatest writers of all times, and I wanted to write just like them. A tall order. I only became a writer when I dropped the exalted expectations and allowed myself to write a love story with the kind of romantic scenes that had peppered my daydreams since I was a girl.

Tell us about your book, A Leap of Faith, and where you got the idea for it.

Motivated by a friend who’d made her own creative dreams a reality, I decided to write a romance novel. At our annual St. Patrick’s Day green beer breakfast, I asked my friends to share some of their most romantic moments. The conversation flowed even faster than the pitchers of green beer. One friend in particular inspired me with a story of lost love. I chose to base the character of Sophia on this friend, creating a whole new love interest for her and gifting the character she inspired with a happy ending.
What a great premise. Stories of lost love always make wonderful romances. What do you like best about your heroine and hero?

Like the people I respect most, Sophia and Jackson care about the world they live in and want to make a difference. In fact, they’ve spent so much time nurturing others that they’ve neglected or even sublimated their own desires. The passion they ignite in each other, then, is even more explosive and life-altering.

What is your writing process – outlining or just writing?

Lots of outlining. I work out the plot points and the character arcs of the entire story in the mornings while walking my two old dogs in a field near my house. Something about strolling with my dogs seems to untangle the knots of my narrative. I keep a highly detailed outline next to me as I write the manuscript, but I’m not afraid to stray from it when the story takes an unexpected turn during the writing process.

Any advice for other new writers?

Only you can make it happen. Stop dreaming and start doing.

What is your next project?

I’m awaiting news on my second completed manuscript with the working title of Turning the Tides. Set on a chain of islands on Florida’s Gulf Coast, its impulsive heroine and playboy hero are a quite a departure from the virtuous Sophia and Jackson.

How about a blurb?

Special events coordinator Sophia Anton hears her biological clock ticking louder every day. If only she could lose more weight, she’s sure an old crush would see her as more than a friend. But just as her crash diet starts working its magic, Sophia’s head is turned by Jackson Thomas, the new minister in town. An avowed celibate after a secret tragedy, he never expects to burn for the dark-haired beauty volunteering at his church.
Jackson is dedicated to his ministry. Sophia is pledged to another man. Can they find the courage to follow their hearts and embrace their own desires? Only with a leap of faith.</>
That sounds like the sort of heartwarming story that is perfect for a summer read. Thanks, Nell, for being my guest today and good luck with your first book. . A Leap of Faith is available at  www.thewildrosepress.com and amazon.com.   Are there any questions or comments for Nell?

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

A Supernatural Start to Summer Reading

The summer reading season is upon us and that means the search for new books to read is on! 


How about trying something from the supernatural world -- a new paranormal romance from The Wild Rose Press and author Charlotte Copper? Charlotte is our guest today.  She's a Canadian author who currently lives in Ontario, Canada.  Charlotte tells us that when she isn't working at her full time job, she likes to craft, read, go to movies and write.  She's a wife, mother, step-mother and breast cancer fighter who  hopes to one day have all of her stories published, because as a romance writer, she believes in happy endings.


Charlotte has written a number of romance novellas, and her latest looks like a real treat for summer reading. It is a New Adult Contemporary, Love Supernaturally, a romance that she says is on the spicy side.  Here's a blurb:


Cassandra Wilson, angel and first-year nurse, spends her days helping other people. Day after day. Life after life. While her best friend feels the young nurse needs a little love in her life, Cassie avoids serious relationships. She saw what her mother went through, and unless Cassie can find another angel to spend her life with, love and a family are not in her future.

An innocent night out with Fraser, a university junior and varsity hockey player, leads to something more serious and Cassie begins to experience feelings she’s been trying to avoid. But the sudden discovery—by both herself and Fraser—that Fraser is a witch, combined with his need to please everyone around him, poses a challenge to the couple’s happily ever after.


Want more?  Here's an excerpt:


Cassie took the stairs two at a time and almost ran into her roommate as she came to the small landing at the top.
“Whoa,” said Gabriella. “What’s got you in such a hurry?”
“Nothing.”
Gabriella folded her arms across her chest and tapped her tiny bare foot.
“I’ve gotta shower. I’m going to the movies.”
Pink toenails beat an impatient pattern on the hardwood.
Did the girl have gypsy blood? Her psychic abilities were uncanny.
“With a hockey player,” Cassie explained.
Gabriella’s foot stilled and her eyes widened. “Which one?”
“Fraser something. I didn’t get a last…”
“Tall, with dark, curly hair?”
“That’s him.”
Gabriella laid a hand on Cassie’s arm. “Be careful, he’s a player. And I don’t mean hockey.”
That wouldn’t be a problem. She didn’t want a relationship and this wasn’t a date. And if the night did end with sex, well, she’d welcome a little…distraction. After all, she was an angel not a nun.

Looks like another great read from The Wild Rose Press.  Thanks for bringing us your book, Charlotte.  If you would like to get in touch with her, here is the info and the buy links for Love Supernaturally and Charlotte's other TWRP titles.


Email:  charlottecopper.author@gmail.com
Website:  http://charlottecopperauthor.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.copper.52
Twitter::  @charlottecopper   https://twitter.com/CharlotteCopper


http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1068


Any questions or comments for Charlotte?



Getting Into The Story

I've said it before, but it bears repeating--one of the reasons I began doing a blog on writing and writers was because I loved the idea...