Book Promo and Updates! – Page 57

The Last One. . .It’s a Little Bit Country

March 23, 2015 No Comments

I was raised on an eclectic mix of music, mostly popular, but with a dash of just about everything else. The most country we got though was probably Glen Campbell or Dolly Parton.

When I moved to Wisconsin in 1992, we discovered we were in the heart of country music territory. And it was a good time for country music, too: the Judds had just retired, but everyone else was exploding. It was the heyday of Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Reba Jackson.

Although my attention to the country music industry has waxed and waned over the years, I’ve stayed loyal to a few of my favorites, including Brad Paisley. I was deep in the writing process for The Last One last summer when I went to see Brad’s show with my daughter. I already knew Sam and Meghan’s playlist was country, and I’d chosen most of the songs, two I heard that night became for me the epitome of Sam and Meghan’s story. The first was Trouble Is by opening act Charlie Worsham. It so perfectly captured how Sam felts about Meghan that it gave me shivers. The second was Beat This Summer by Brad himself. I fell in love with that song. It’s about summer, and a summer love that might not make it to autumn.

The playlist for The Last One is one of my favorites. When I listen to it, I’m transported to the summer of 2014 and the town of Burton, Georgia.

Check it out here. OH–and don’t forget, right now The Last One is free on all venues. Grab it up now before The Only One comes out April 7th.

Teaser Tuesday

The Only One Tease Part 1

March 17, 2015 2 Comments

Today you’re getting a twofer teaser: a little bite of The Last One, because we’re celebrating it being free now on all venues! And then a tantalizing sneak peek of The Only One, which releases three weeks from today on April 7th.

First. . .The Last One. Sam and Meghan’s meeting alongside a dark highway in Georgia. . .

“Okay, let’s get you on your way.” I stood in the open driver’s side door. “Why don’t you shove her a little more my way, and I’ll just carry her to the car?”

“You sure?” Laura’s eyebrow rose.

“Yep, it’ll be easier all around. Here.” I handed her the Chevette keys. “Go open it up, and I’ll bring her over.”

I slid my left hand beneath Meghan’s knees and at the same time wrapped my right arm around her back and tugged her toward me. She moaned as I lifted her off the seat, settling her against my chest.

Wide green eyes, clouded with confusion, stared up at me. She struggled to free her arm where it was pinned between her side and my stomach. When she could move it, she reached up and touched my face.

I couldn’t jerk back, even though the feel of her fingers on my jaw, coupled with the tantalizing view of cleavage I was getting from this vantage point, sent unsettling feelings down my body.

“It’s you,” she murmured, and the whisper only added to my arousal. Her lips curved into a smile before her eyes shut again.

I stood rooted to the ground for a minute. I couldn’t remember where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to be doing.

“Hey, are you all right?” Laura had opened the passenger side of the Chevette, but now she walked over to me. “She’s okay, isn’t she?”

I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I was just making sure I had a grip so I didn’t drop her.” I strode over to the car and eased Meghan onto the seat. She made a small sound, almost like a kitten, and her hand trailed down my chest on its way to settle in her lap. The jean skirt had hitched up until I could almost see her—

“Thanks, I’ll get her buckled in.”

And now. . .The Only One. Mason and Rilla are meeting at his bar to discuss her proposal for some promotions work.

“Did you come from a funeral?”

She frowned, her light brows drawing together. “Excuse me?”

“You’re all in black. In the middle of the day. I thought maybe someone died.”

Rilla looked down at herself as though surprised. “No. I didn’t come from a funeral. This is business attire. I’m here to discuss advertising and
promotion, and I’m dressed as I should be when meeting a client.”

I shook my head. “Darlin’, you’re at a bar. Well—” I hurried to amend what I’d said before she turned tail and ran. “A restaurant. But a casual one. You could’ve worn jeans. I still would’ve taken you just as seriously. Maybe more so than looking like you’re playing dress up in your mama’s clothes.”

Her mouth dropped open for a heartbeat before she shut it with a snap. Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not playing dress-up. I’m sorry if you’re not used to dealing with people who know how to dress for the occasion, but I won’t apologize for doing what I know is right.” She glanced off to the side before she added, “Besides, I don’t own a pair of jeans. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have worn them here today. I understand you’re more used to women who dress in micro-mini skirts and tight ripped jeans—”

“Whoa, whoa there, darlin’. I’m not used to women who dress that way. What the hell gave you that idea?”

Her face turned an intriguing shade of pink, and yep, there went the thumb to her lips. “I’m just making an assumption based on what people wear to bars like this. And please don’t swear. I don’t like it. A gentleman doesn’t swear in front of a lady.”

Holy shit, was this chick from some kind of time warp? I tried to remember the last time a woman other than my mother had scolded me for cursing in front of her. I couldn’t. But here stood Miss Prim and Proper in my bar trying to tell me how to talk.

Darcy rounded the corner in time to hear her last words. The waitress glanced from Rilla to me, and a slow grin grew on her face. “She’s right, Mason. A gentleman doesn’t use those kinds of words in mixed company. If you were my son, I’d slap you upside the head.”

My eyes widened. This from Darcy, who could out-swear the worst of us when the challenged? I opened my mouth to say as much, but she folded her arms over her chest and stared me down, one eyebrow raised, until I finally shook my head and sighed.

“Okay, fine. No swearing.” I ran my hand over my face. “Darcy, we’re going to sit at number twelve. Can you tell Suze?”

“Sure.” She pivoted to face Rilla. “I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Darcy Hade, and I head up the wait staff here.”

“Hi, Darcy, nice to meet you.” Rilla stuck out her hand. “Rilla Grant. I’m going to be handling advertising and promotion for The Road Block.”

“No sh—no kidding.” Darcy didn’t even blink at her near-slip, and neither did Rilla, I noticed. “That’s cool.”

“If I decide to hire you.” I felt the need to reassert my control of this situation.

“Oh, you’re going to hire me.” Rilla turned her head and for the very first time, she smiled at me, full on, without a hint of shyness or self-doubt. My breath caught and my stomach felt as though I’d just stepped off a rollercoaster. What the hell. . .

The Only One releases on April 7th, but you can preorder it here! Don’t wait. . .

Amazon/iBooks/BN

Mason Wallace left his hometown to live his dream: he had the perfect career, a gorgeous wife and a beautiful baby girl. He was on top of the world, until it all shattered with the sudden death of his wife. Now he’s back in Georgia, running his bar and trying to take care of his family. And he needs all the help he can get.

Rilla Grant’s never been farther than twenty miles from her family’s farm. Her overprotective father wants her to marry their church’s youth pastor and settle down into the life he’s chosen for her, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants anymore. Rilla’s chafing to make her own choices, and that includes starting her own PR business and maybe even moving off the farm, no matter how much her dad hates it.

When Mason asks Rilla to work on some promotion for his bar, she’s both excited and terrified. Excited, because it’s just the opportunity she’s wanted, and terrified because Mason, with his electric blue eyes and drool-worthy body, is the kind of guy who makes her knees weak and her heart pound. He’s the only one who’s ever tempted Rilla to defy her family, and when she does just that by moving in to help take care of his daughter, they’re both forced to make a decision that’ll change their lives forever.

Sometimes love isn’t the easy choice. Sometimes it’s the only one.

Uncategorized

Music is Just Desserts

March 16, 2015 No Comments

Just Desserts is the book that was never supposed to be written.

I told you last week that the basic plot for Best Served Cold came from a song. At this point, I’d written The King Series and The Posse, and I knew by the end of The Posse that I’d write more Crystal Cove books (they’ll be out this year). I was determined to write a stand-alone contemporary romance, and Best Served Cold was supposed to be it.

Wrong again.

I was shocked. . .truly and well shocked when it came out that Ava had a secret she’d been keeping from Julia in BSC. I was even more shocked when I realized that this secret was going to mean that Ava got her own book. . .especially because I really, really didn’t like Liam. See Liam Bailey was actually based on someone I knew in real life, and I had no desire to give him any kind of redemption or closure.

Turns out I didn’t have a choice. Liam not only was the main character in the next book, he totally got redeemed, to the point that I fell into literary love with him. I love Liam and Ava enough that I gave them a second book, when it was request by readers: I Choose You is Ava and Liam’s wedding story.

Music is huge in the relationship between these two, and their playlist had to reflect that. For the first time, I did a playlist with a single artist: Frank Sinatra (full disclosure: while writing, I also listened to Sinatra covers by Harry Connick, Jr. HC swings).

Go check it out here.

Next week. . .the playlist for The Last One. Get ready to get country.

Promotion and Publicity

March Madness Book Frenzy

March 15, 2015 8 Comments

Come join best-selling authors, Indie authors, and readers for a chance to meet authors, win prizes, learn about new releases, and make new friends.

Plus. . .we’re giving away TWO Kindle Fire 6’s.

What? A day-long event featuring best-selling authors playing games, giving away books and sharing fun book tidbits!

When? Sunday, March 15th, 11 AM-12 Midnight EDT

Where? Facebook

You can enter here, but in order to win, you MUST join the Facebook party and participate at least once between 11 AM and 12 midnight on March 15th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday

The First One Tease

March 10, 2015 No Comments

Tuesday is Tease Day! Today we’re going to check out a little of The First One, Book 2 in The One Trilogy.

The One Trilogy is very near and dear to my heart. These characters have wormed their way into my heart, so that I think we may be visiting the small Georgia town of Burton more in the future.

In The Last One, we met Sam’s little sister Ali, who’s worked side-by-side with him to keep their family farm afloat. She and Meghan become friends, and Ali confides that the father of her little girl Bridget is not the guy she married suddenly seven years before; it was actually her high school boyfriend, Flynn Evans, who left town never knowing he was going to be a father. He broke Ali’s heart, and although Sam has no idea that Flynn is Bridget’s father, Ali confides in her brother that she never got over her very first boyfriend.

When Flynn returns to Burton in The First One, he’s in for quite a few surprises. It’s not smooth sailing by any means; both Ali and Flynn have years of hurt to overcome. But one day Flynn and Bridget surprise Ali with a picnic. . .

Flynn lay back on the blanket with groan. “I don’t think I can move again for at least a week. You’ll have to stand guard over me until I can get up.”

I laughed. “You’re on your own, buddy. I happen to know the mosquitos’ve started coming out, and down here they bite like a son-of-a-bitch.”

He feigned shock. “Why, Miss Reynolds, such language. And in front of your child.” He shook his head, tsk-tsking the whole time.

“She can’t hear anything from down at the water, and she’s not paying any attention to us at all. She’s playing water sprite.”

“Well, in that case. . .” Flynn reached for my hand and threaded his fingers through mine. “I’ve been waiting all evening to hold your hand.”

I couldn’t help my smile. “Oh, really? Well, you’ve shown great restraint, then.”

“I’d say so.” He tugged a little, throwing me off balance so that I landed on his chest, my boobs pressed against him and my hand pinned between us. “Now, this is even better.”

“What’re you doing, Flynn?” I swallowed, wondering if he could feel my heart pounding against him.

“I’m holding you. I’m enjoying feeling you against me. You might even say I’m canoodling with you. Isn’t that what people do on picnics, after they eat? They canoodle?”

I shifted, bringing my head back just far enough that I could see him better. “I don’t know. Is that what’s traditional?”

He rubbed his hand in slow circles, up and down my back. “I remember being on a picnic with you, at another spot on this very river. Just the two of us. And after we ate, I undressed you. And kissed you. And touched you here.” He slid his hand to cover one of my breasts. “And touched you here.” The same hand shimmied lower, to cup me between my legs. “And I made you come for the first time. Do you remember that?”

My breath was coming in shallow gasps. “Of course I do.”

Flynn lifted his head to whisper in my ear. “If we were alone right now, I’d do it again. I’d make you come, over and over, until all you could remember was my name and all you could feel were my fingers and my lips.”

“Mommy? What’re you doing?”

I jerked away from Flynn, trying to sit up, but he had a grip on my arm. “Mommy’s fine, honeybunch. She’s just canoodling with me.” He grinned, and I was pretty sure my whole body was about to burst into flames.

“What’s canoodling?” Bridget crossed her arms over her chest, one eyebrow raised in skepticism.

“It’s what two people—two grown-up people—do when they like each other very much. And I like your mother very much.”

My daughter shifted her stare to me. “Do you like Daddy very much, too?”

I licked my lips, and Flynn rubbed his hand on my hip. Like I needed another distraction. “I—yes, Bridget. I like your daddy very much.”

She nodded. “Okay, I guess that’s all right. Is it time for cookies yet?”

Flynn pushed himself to sit up, holding onto my hand all the while. “I think we can make that happen.” As he reached for the basket, he lowered his voice so that only I could hear him. “Funny, I was just wishing for the taste of something. . .sweet.”

I swatted his arm. “Flynn Evans, you’re incorrigible.”

Laughing, he brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “Oh, I try, sweetheart. I do try.”

The Only One releases on April 7th, but you can preorder it here! Don’t wait. . .

Amazon/iBooks/BN

Mason Wallace left his hometown to live his dream: he had the perfect career, a gorgeous wife and a beautiful baby girl. He was on top of the world, until it all shattered with the sudden death of his wife. Now he’s back in Georgia, running his bar and trying to take care of his family. And he needs all the help he can get.

Rilla Grant’s never been farther than twenty miles from her family’s farm. Her overprotective father wants her to marry their church’s youth pastor and settle down into the life he’s chosen for her, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants anymore. Rilla’s chafing to make her own choices, and that includes starting her own PR business and maybe even moving off the farm, no matter how much her dad hates it.

When Mason asks Rilla to work on some promotion for his bar, she’s both excited and terrified. Excited, because it’s just the opportunity she’s wanted, and terrified because Mason, with his electric blue eyes and drool-worthy body, is the kind of guy who makes her knees weak and her heart pound. He’s the only one who’s ever tempted Rilla to defy her family, and when she does just that by moving in to help take care of his daughter, they’re both forced to make a decision that’ll change their lives forever.

Sometimes love isn’t the easy choice. Sometimes it’s the only one.