Adam's Treasure Proud to be an American Historical

Excerpt:

Never, in her wildest dreams, did she imagine witnessing something like this. Seeing the four naked Indians toss Adam off the bank and into the river had frightened her beyond measure. When she saw that he could not swim, she had considered saving him, but the Indians had pushed past her.
In moments she realized that they had decided, for some unknown reason, to teach Adam Skelding to swim. The rest of the afternoon she sat under the oak trees and watched the antics of five very naked men.

Now, the man who captured her attention the most lay next to her. Water glistened on his olive skin. She couldn’t keep her gaze off the hills and valleys of the muscles across those broad shoulders, back, and tight rear end. He breathed hard, making everything ripple just slightly. Entrancing to witness.

With effort she focused on his face, but he had closed his eyes.

“Adam?”

“Mmmph?”

“Why did they do that?”

The Indians had also emerged from the water and donned their loincloths and moccasins once more. The eagle, which had remained perched in one of the trees nearby during most of the day, lifted from its leafy shelter and circled the group of Indians.

First one blue eye opened and then the other. Rolling on his side to face her, Adam propped his head on his hand, resting his elbow on the ground.

“Because I could not swim. Black Wolf and the others knew this.”

“How did they find out?” Marilla hoped he would confide in her enough to tell his story. Curiosity just about ate her up.

He sighed and rolled onto his back, totally distracting her once more. His manhood grew stiff…and big…and swollen, unlike the Indians. She swallowed hard. He appeared not to notice her interest and seemed very comfortable lying nude.

“During the war, my partner, Pamela, and I worked in Richmond. We discovered that the Confederates had built a secret weapon. We had to get that information to the North. But after learning about this weapon, Pamela disappeared. One of my agents saw her leaving town with a Confederate officer. I thought she had been kidnapped, so I rode to the rescue, fool that I was. In the struggle I ended up in the river. Black Wolf and his friends arrived in time to pull me out of the water.”

Sitting up, Adam reached for his shirt, which Marilla had spread to dry on the grassy bank, and started to dress. She found herself wishing he wouldn’t cover his magnificent body, but said nothing to stop him. The idea would be unseemly.

Adam turned away and headed toward the Indians, who had gathered around the wagon to feast again, feeding scraps to the bird on Black Wolf’s arm. Marilla watched him walk away. He had loved Pamela. His obvious pain said so.

A combination of guilt and self-doubt hit her hard. Her Carl was gone, too. It had hurt at the time to lose him in the war, but her grief had faded quickly…too quickly. Maybe she didn’t really know what love meant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Links to Buy Adam’s Treasure

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Adams-Treasure-Diane-Wylie/dp/1601547536/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275605869&sr=1-6

Barnes and Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Adams-Treasure/Diane-Wylie/e/9781601547538/?itm=2&USRI=Diane+Wylie

TWRP ebook

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/adams-treasure-p-4051.html?zenid=1991f2359a47790200bf700f9f17bb0e

TWRP Print

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/adams-treasure-paperback-p-4064.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek!

Hugs,

Diane Wylie

http://www.dianewylie.com

The First Five Pages

I love this time of year. The days are getting shorter, leaves are falling, and the holidays are just around the corner. Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite celebrations. I began working at The Wild Rose Press around this time several years ago. My name is Anne Seymour, and I currently work as an editor on the Crimson Rose line. I always love a good mystery, especially when the hero is as hot as the suspense.

The one aspect, in my opinion, that marks the difference between just a manuscript and a GREAT MANUSCRIPT is THE FIRST FIVE PAGES. During this critical point in a story, the author must pull the reader in and hook their interest, or the reader will become apathetic toward the characters—and probably not finish reading the book.

Sounds shocking, right? How can an author open a grand story, introduce sympathetic characters and evil villains, begin the action and conflict, but yet confine all above mentioned aspects to a mere FIVE PAGES? An insurmountable task one might say, right? But maybe not; let’s discuss the basics now.

First, we must unlearn all that we have learned previously about writing. I studied all the great works in Literature during college. James Fennimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Henry James, etc. wrote stories in omniscient point of view employing the writing method of “telling” the action instead of “showing” it. This technique removes the reader from the action of the story instead of insisting the reader to take part with the characters in the act. A reader must be immersed in the action and emotionally involved with the characters by the end of the fifth page of a story. Make the reader unable to do anything but participate with your characters.

Next, find an opening line that will grab attention. For example, “Take it easy. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” Sunny jerked her arms back hoping to slow the pace of the large-framed detective who continued to drag her from the bar with unwavering force. “Calm down, Wildcat. You’re only making it harder on yourself.” He didn’t slow his stride, or ease the firm grasp he had on her arm as he walked beside her.” In this example, (Some Like It In Handcuffs by Christine Warner—coming soon from The Wild Rose Press) the author introduces the hero and heroine within the first four sentences while adding humor and sexual tension. The reader is hooked now, determined to learn more and join the story.

Finally, make sure to include ONLY necessary information at this time. The first five pages are not for any of the following:

n Back-story: while back-story will be needed in any novel, it should never appear in the first five pages! Use back-story sparingly and only when needed throughout the novel, but never allow it to be longer than a few paragraphs at a time.

n Secondary Characters: Introduce these characters later in the story. Reserve the main characters (hero, heroine, & villain (if there is one)) for the beginning.

n Descriptive or Non-Action Scenes: Describe the setting later. The first five pages should not be filled with paragraphs of how beautiful the sky, trees and meadows are. Also, no Non-Action scenes! Start with a fight scene, a murder, etc. Grab attention.

While this is a brief overview, I hope I’ve mentioned good points to consider. If any are interested in another more in-depth discussion, please comment and let me know. I would be happy to offer another blog discussing this further. Until then, enjoy the season and keep writing!

Anne Seymour

Release day for Romancing the Hero!

I'm so excited - release day's finally here! Today, The Wild Rose Press released Romancing the Hero, a contemporary fantasy, as part of its Faery Rose line. Romancing the Hero's a novella, but its 70 pages are packed with fun and romance. And oh yeah, I can't forget mayhem. It's nearly as much fun as the romance!



Here's the excerpt:

“Jody Feather?” The deep voice rushed at her like a hot breeze, reverberated through her, and stopped her where she stood.

“Ye—” Her gaze climbed the long legs clad in well-fitting jeans, pumped torso outlined through his tight tee, to the gorgeous model face. Someone might have stolen a cardboard cutout of the perfect hero and breathed life into it, and that’s who stood on her doorstep.

“Yowsa,” she said on an exhale.

He cocked a delighted brow. “Pardon?”

“May I help you?” Please say yes.

“I believe it’s the other way around.”

“Really?” Thankyouthankyouthankyou! “I mean… what do you mean?”

The timbre of his deep voice filled the space between them. “I’m here to help. Use me.”

Wait. This had to be a prank. “I get it. Mimi sent you.”

His brow furrowed. “Mimi? No.”

Patience waning, she heaved a sigh. “Who are you?”

“I think you know.” He leaned a ripped bicep against the doorjamb in a move that seemed scripted—by her.

“No. Tell me.”

“Jake? Ring a bell?”

She might have guessed. “Oh right. Jake Emerson?”

He clucked his tongue. “The one and only. I knew you’d recognize me anywhere.”

“Even at my own condo. Go figure. So why are you here? As a prop for the signing?” Damn, he fit the role perfectly, too. She couldn’t have picked a better actor. She jotted another note to ask Mimi if he could pose for the next cover. A cardboard cutout would be perfect for signings.

“Is that what you need?” he asked with a hint of disappointment.

She peered past him. “No bags?”

“I travel light.”

“Didn’t she tell you? There are several events. Dinner, the keynote, plus the signing itself. You might want a change of clothes.” Though if anyone could pull off wearing the same outfit every day, he could. She could claim it was Jake’s brand, his image, an intentional move to make him recognizable to conference attendees. Mimi always droned on about the brand, the brand.

Besides, who’d notice his clothes? They only wrapped the prize beneath. And what a yummy prize. She had to hand it to Mimi, the marketing genius.

Musing aloud, she murmured, “Where did they find you?”

“They didn’t. I’m Jake.”

“Right. And I’m Lara Croft.” Not even her Halloween costume could turn her into the sexy heroine.

He chuckled. “You’re better than that bimbo.”

Oh boy. “Let’s not get carried away, shall we? It’s temporary.”

“Why? Do you plan to kill me off?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve read the series.” All that and a reader to boot.

“I don’t need to read it. I live it.”

His devilish smile almost blocked out his words, which hit her like a slap.

Yikes. “Listen, Mr…” Rolling her hand, she prompted him to finish.

“Emerson.”

Method actor, apparently. She’d play along for now. “Sure. Mr. Emerson.”

A car horn sounded outside.

“The taxi.” And she hadn’t remembered whatever she’d forgotten. Too late now. “Give me two seconds.” She hurried to grab her jacket.

“Take all the time you need, baby.”

The endearment brought her to a screeching halt. “Hold on. I get that you’re ‘Jake Emerson’ but when we’re together, address me as Ms. Feather. I am not your baby.” Or anyone else’s, unfortunately. After this weekend, she’d change that.

His mouth curled down in a brief frown. “Pity.”

“Give it a rest.” She’d written this scene in the second novel, when Jake first meets that leading lady. How many scenes had he studied? Hopefully he wouldn’t reenact too many. Sure, she loved her work, but not so much she wanted to live it. Except for certain parts, like the shower scene in book three… You don’t have time for this.

After grabbing her bag, she said a quick goodbye to Frank. “It’s only for the weekend. See you Monday.” She glanced at the man waiting at her door. “Tuesday at the outside.” Never rule out any possibilities. Her parents taught her that. And she’d made it Jake’s motto, one of the reasons fans loved him. Time to make it her own motto as well.

The saying had given her the strength to leap from journalism into fiction. If they only knew what she considered leaping into now… well, she was old enough to face those consequences. And enjoy them while they lasted.

Holding a hand to his sculpted abs, he bowed. “May I carry your bag, Ms. Feather? Or are you too liberated for such a show of chivalry?”

Wiseass. He had that aspect of Jake down pat. “Please. Take it, with my gratitude.” It gave her a chance to follow him down the walkway, and admire his rippling biceps and tight end, made more luscious by his swagger. She paid particular attention. She had to, or she wouldn’t be able to describe it in all its vital deliciousness in a later novel.

Oh yeah, she loved being a writer.

Get your copy today from The Wild Rose Press!

For the love of a sweet romance...

RT Book Reviews has a fascinating article in its November issue entitled "A Mild Ride: Why Sweet Romances -- Inspirational and Otherwise -- Are a Hit."

Think sweet romances are dead and erotica is all? Not so, according to the article by Faygie Levy and Elissa Petruzzi. Where can you get some satisfying sweet reads? At the Wild Rose Press, check out the Sweetheart Rose line, near and dear to my heart, as that is where my book, Movin' Up With J.J., can be found. Check it out. Then share it with your daughter, your mother, and your grandmother. This line is safe for all sensitivities. :-)

Characters Revealed: Noah Clark

Dear Reader,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Noah Clark, the lead singer/songwriter for the rock band Black Phoenix. Perhaps you’ve heard of us. About ten years ago we topped the Billboard charts—a multi-platinum band whose last album was the most successful of its century. But that was before everything went to shit. Back before the sex, alcohol, and rock and roll took away my best friend and drummer, Danny Treybourne. Afterwards, I gave up the lifestyle, the world tours, hell, I gave up the band. I headed back home to London and committed myself to leading a normal life, one without music as its driving force.

For ten years, I was miserable.

So I’m back to making music. I crossed the pond, settled in a place called Auburn, California and began the preparations to reunite Black Phoenix. We hired a new drummer, set up a meeting with the record company, and I went in search of a private, reputable studio to record a demo. I found one in Long Island City, just up the road from a pub named Izzy’s Bar. Where one night, after midnight, I wandered in and set eyes on its namesake.

Damn…Isabeau Montgomery, child prodigy pianist, hiding behind a lie of her own making. She has the most pale, haunted eyes I’ve ever seen, and dark, golden skin. The first time she set those eyes on me and smiled, I was lost. I’m a songwriter, but the way she affected me, I haven’t words.

A detail about me you should know, I was born with a one track mind. I want something; I go out and get it. From the moment I first laid eyes on Isa I wanted her. I wanted to show her what she was missing, ignoring her music the way she did. I wanted to share with her everything I spent all those years figuring out: Denying who you are is nothing but a waste of time, time a person can never get back. Problem is my one track mind got me in trouble. I became so focused on saving her from herself, I didn’t see the whole picture. I pushed her too hard. And in the end, I pushed her away.

Hopefully, one day she’ll forgive me for being such an ass, because Isabeau…Isa completes me.

In a way even my music never could.

Reviews for AFTER MIDNIGHT:

"After Midnight was a compelling, sensual page-turner and I was sorry when it concluded."— 5 Bookies, Book Lovers, Inc

"Excellently written, memorable characters, a romance that builds until it erupts, and a pace that will keep the pages turning until the very end."— 5 Stars, Fire Pages


"After Midnight is a must read for anyone that enjoys contemporary romance stories."— 4 Stars, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

"This was a fantastic story, full of love and with the right amount of drama to make it interesting but not angsty. Ms. Grimm has a great voice and I can’t wait to read her next book, which hopefully will be Dominic’s. I recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance and dreamy rock stars."— 4 Stars, Romance Around the Corner

Cherie Marks: RELEASE DAY FOR INTO THE FIRE!

Cherie Marks: RELEASE DAY FOR INTO THE FIRE!: It's finally here: RELEASE DAY! Can you feel my excitement? I honestly wasn't sure it would ever really arrive, but here it is. Woot-woo...

Can't wait till Romancing the Hero releases!

Romancing the Hero, my contemporary fantasy, is so much fun! I can't wait till October 26, when The Wild Rose Press will release it. And I can't thank my editor, Kelly Schaub, enough for her guidance and enthusiasm on this story. And wow, cover artist Diana Carlile outdid herself on this cover - I still swoon every time I see it, lol.

I just finished the book video:



Here's the story blurb:

For romance writer Jody Feather, love is wonderful—on the page. Her books are instant bestsellers and readers love her delectable hero, Jake Emerson. He’s the kind of man who knows exactly how to please a woman. The kind of man who doesn’t really exist. Or at least not for Jody—she’s too busy writing about delicious heroes to find one of her own.
When a man shows up on her doorstep claiming to be Jake Emerson, Jody’s hormones shoot sky high. This would-be hero is everything she imagined him to be, and when Jody takes him to her book signing, readers swoon. But Jake only has eyes—and compliments—for her. Before long, Jody stops doubting his story and starts doubting her sanity.
When Jake convinces her she is overdue for love, Jody begins to wonder—instead of just writing about adventures, has she conjured one?

And the excerpt:
“Jody Feather?” The deep voice rushed at her like a hot breeze, reverberated through her, and stopped her where she stood.
“Ye—” Her gaze climbed the long legs clad in well-fitting jeans, pumped torso outlined through his tight tee, to the gorgeous model face. Someone might have stolen a cardboard cutout of the perfect hero and breathed life into it, and that’s who stood on her doorstep.
“Yowsa,” she said on an exhale.
He cocked a delighted brow. “Pardon?”
“May I help you?” Please say yes.
“I believe it’s the other way around.”
“Really?” Thankyouthankyouthankyou! “I mean… what do you mean?”
The timbre of his deep voice filled the space between them. “I’m here to help. Use me.”
Wait. This had to be a prank. “I get it. Mimi sent you.”
His brow furrowed. “Mimi? No.”
Patience waning, she heaved a sigh. “Who are you?”
“I think you know.” He leaned a ripped bicep against the doorjamb in a move that seemed scripted—by her.
“No. Tell me.”
“Jake? Ring a bell?”
She might have guessed. “Oh right. Jake Emerson?”
He clucked his tongue. “The one and only. I knew you’d recognize me anywhere.”
“Even at my own condo. Go figure. So why are you here? As a prop for the signing?” Damn, he fit the role perfectly, too. She couldn’t have picked a better actor. She jotted another note to ask Mimi if he could pose for the next cover. A cardboard cutout would be perfect for signings.
“Is that what you need?” he asked with a hint of disappointment.
She peered past him. “No bags?”
“I travel light.”

Thanks for reading! Keep watch on my blog for news of release day giveaways, and more fun like Casting Call, my blog series showing who I imagined in these roles.

Reviews for "Across the Winds of Time"

My newest release, "Across the Winds of Time," celebrates the last few years where I lived in the Midwest.  Many of my ancestors are buried there.  

Who wouldn't love to have a "helpless" nineteenth century man fall right into one's lap? I know I would!! If you can't "do," you write books. So, that's what I did...while I'm waiting for my nineteenth century man to travel forward in time for me.... :-)  You can read the blurb and excerpt at the following link.  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4621

And here are the links to two very lovely reviews for "Across the Winds of Time!"  Please follow the links for the full reviews...

"Ms. McBride writes with her usual flair and unique spin on time travel.  The reader is genuinely satisfied with the quirks and awkwardness expected with the 100 year age time difference...."  http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-across-winds-of-time-by-bess.html

I have to say that Ms. McBride has outdone herself yet again. I love her creative storylines and her well developed characters. She created such an engrossing story that I found myself hanging onto her every word and I eagerly couldn’t wait to see what happened next for Molly, Sara and Darius.  http://www.nightowlromance.com/nor/Reviews/Diana-Coyle-reviews-Across-The-Winds-Of-Time-by-Bess-Mcbride.aspx

Muddy Waters earns high praise from Siren's Song Reviews

Great news arrived today. MUDDY WATERS, my latest romantic suspense, earned a smashing 5 Star review from Siren's Song Reviews. I'm over the moon about the review. Here it is:


Is someone watching her?


Roxie Whitaker is struggling to make her grandmother’s real estate business a success. When her coastal home is burglarized, her rosy worldview dims. Atlanta security expert Sloan Harding distracts her from her troubles, but is Mossy Bog’s former bad boy serious about her?

Never one to shy away from muddy waters, Sloan is determined to find his alleged missing inheritance. Sparks fly as he enters into a business arrangement with Roxie to oversee the restoration of his childhood home. With her help, Sloan resurrects old secrets while a dangerous predator stalks them.

My Notes: After reading the blurb I was interested to see about this lost treasure Sloan Harding was looking for. Is Sloan still the “bad boy” of the town? I had to find out.

Summary: Roxie is a real-estate broker in a small town in Georgia. The bad boy Sloan comes back to town to find his lost inheritance. A mysterious man from SC wants to buy Sloan’s home. Weird things start to happen once Sloan is back in town, things that might hurt Roxie in the long run. Who can she trust?


Review: I enjoyed this read for several reasons. The romance and the suspense worked well together. I was anxious to know about this lost treasure Sloan has always heard about, but never thought it really existed. I liked the banter between Roxie and Sloan—she kept him in his place.

At first they have a roller coaster relationship. They each find it hard to trust the other and misjudge a few things along the way. Sloan’s dog, Max, was cute as well. I loved the small town feel in Georgia. My mom is from a very small town in Georgia and I could relate to the charm and gossip.
I like the writing style of this author. I will be looking for more books by her. I enjoyed the story and really didn’t want it to end. This is another book I can add to my tiny “read again” stack.

See the review: http://sirenssongreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/muddy-waters-by-maggietoussaint.html?zx=9b68397a988172c9

Don't miss this book or my other fab titles from The Wild Rose Press, House of Lies (now bargain priced) and No Second Chance! See my author page at TWRP: http://tinyurl.com/64ys5wv
 
Maggie Toussaint


Mix a bad boy in with small town gossip and a lost inheritance and you’ve got MUDDY WATERS

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/muddy-waters-p-4271.html

http://www.maggietoussaint.com/ and http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/

Release Day: The Beast's Redemption

I've always admired adaptions and inspired by stories - when they are done well. There's something about taking elements or an overall story and making it your own which inspires and challenges my creativity.

The Beast's Redemption is one of those stories. A modern retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. TBR is more of an "inspired" by story since it isn't a retelling, but contains elements from the original fairy tale.

One element I enjoyed playing with is the rose. Three roses appear and play an important part in The Beast's Redemption.

The Beast's Redemption by Angie Derek. A miniature rose from the Black Rose line. 

Cursed shape shifter, Alexander Léandre, is resigned to his fate, but that doesn’t stop him from hunting down the descendants of the sorceress who bewitched him in hopes of obtaining a cure.

Belle Beaumont is used to men never looking past her curvy figure and pretty face. She dutifully agrees to befriend Alexander in order to protect her father’s herbal company.

A single touch changes all. Passions flare. When Belle discovers what Alexander is truly after and why, will she accept him for what he is? And will her love and family knowledge be enough to break a hundred-year-old curse?

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=4632

"Across the Winds of Time"

Who wouldn't love to have a "helpless" nineteenth century man fall right into one's lap? I know I would!! If you can't "do," you write books. So, that's what I did...while I'm waiting for my nineteenth century man to travel forward in time for me.... :-)

While on a genealogical research journey through the Midwest, Molly Hamilton impulsively buys a 100-year-old Victorian house in the middle of a cornfield, and falls in love with the house’s owner...the original owner, that is. Can he be a ghost? The handsome, intriguing attorney certainly feels solid—and somehow her soul knows she has always loved him.

Darius Ferguson has no idea how he has come to present-day Iowa. The last thing he knew, the year was 1880, and he had just buried his fiancée, who happens to look exactly like Molly. He cannot separate the two women in his heart—to him, they are one.

In spite of being drawn to him, Molly thinks Darius is unhinged. Darius wonders if he has joined his fiancée in purgatory. If time travel is possible, will love be enough to build a future together?

(Time Travel)
Rating: Sweet
Page Count: 308
Word Count: 89994
Print ISBN: 1-60154-970-9

Excerpt:

“Molly, wait!”

I froze in place for a moment. It was definitely a man under the tree though I couldn’t see his face...and he knew my name.

“Do I know you?” I called in an unsteady voice. It seemed, though, as if my words were taken by the wind. Who was this man? And how did he know my name?

He moved away from the tree with a tentative step. His clothing was formal—a dark suit and white shirt—as if he had just been to a funeral. I hadn’t remembered seeing a canopy for a funeral on the grounds, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off the stranger for one instant to confirm that suspicion.

I thought I saw a flash of white teeth from under his dark mustache, but he was still some distance away. Golden highlights in his chestnut hair caught the sunlight, and my mouth dropped open. He was undoubtedly one of the most handsome men I had ever seen in my life. My stomach rolled over at the sight of him, though not exclusively with admiration of his good looks. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and I put my hand to my mouth as if to hold back the morning’s breakfast...if I’d had any.

For here—in the flesh—was the man of my dreams. Not just any dreams. More specifically, my dreams of the previous evening. Yet I couldn’t for the life of me remember ever seeing him before until this moment.

“Be careful what you wish for,” I muttered behind the hand that covered my convulsing mouth.

“Molly, do not be frightened. I can see that you are. I do not want to scare you.” He took another step forward and held his hands up palms out...as if to show me he wasn’t armed, I thought hysterically, or to calm me down. Either way, it wasn’t working.

Buy link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4621

NOT WITHOUT RISK Wins Silver!

He has a killer to find and doesn't need a leggy brunette clouding his investigation. She wants to know who murdered her friend. As Paige and Justin try to stay one step ahead of a madman, love comes...
Not Without Risk.

NOT WITHOUT RISK has been awarded the Silver 2011 Readers Favorite Award in romantic suspense! I'm absolutely thrilled because this is the first book I ever wrote from Chapter One to The End!

Check here for more details on the win.

http://readersfavorite.com/2011-award-contest-winners.htm#Romance-Suspense-a

BLURB:

Six agonizing months after a slug collapsed his lung, Sergeant Justin Harrison manages to return to the one place where he shines—the San Diego homicide division. Nothing will stand in the way of proving he is fit for active duty. Especially not the long-legged brunette who just stumbled into his crime scene.

Photographer Paige Conroy spent years hiding from her past. Then a late night telephone call brings it crashing back. An old friend is in town and needs her help. When she arrives at his hotel room four hours later, he's dead. Suddenly, she's the target of a madman, and Paige must turn to Sergeant Harrison for protection.

But who is the bigger threat to her... the faceless assailant she fears will steal her life or the dark-eyed detective she knows could steal her heart?

Thanks for reading!
Sarah Grimm

The Wild Rose Press and Marines in Afghanistan

How neat is that?  The two guys on either end are my sons' best friends who served in Afghanistan last year with the U.S. Marine Corps.  Their Unit spent over 9 months fighting for our country in some pretty nasty conditions but thankfully they are both home safe and sound and enjoying a much easier summer.  While they were gone, my family sent a package over every week of goodies and at one point they told me if I sent TWRP t-shirts in large sizes they'd pose in them for me.

So here they are - some of our country's toughest guys in pink t-shirts promoting The Wild Rose Press a world away from home and family. Is it only me or would they make some pretty amazing book covers?

To all of you who have loved ones still overseas my prayers go with you and with them.  The sacrifices our servicemen and women make is unbelievable and the unsung sacrifice of the families they leave behind is sometimes even tougher.

Seduced By History: Dr. Susan Anderson

Seduced By History: Dr. Susan Anderson: "By Anna Kathryn Lanier" Join me at Seduced by History for my monthly blog on a real "Pioneering Woma of the West."

Stone Heart's Woman Book Cover

Because this will be my first e-book publication, I'm really excited about getting a copy of my cover. It depicts beautifully the area in which the story takes place.

Fort Robinson, Nebraska once known as Camp Robinson, is a huge military outpost. There a few bedraggled remnants of the great Northern Cheyenne, known as the Beautiful People, are being held hostage. They have been pursued for 1500 miles as they escaped from the Indian Nation and headed for their home in Montana.

Stone Heart is the son of George Armstrong Custer and White Dove, a Northern Cheyenne. His hatred of his father drives him to rebuke his white heritage and swear never to speak the white-man's language again. Until he meets Aiden Connor, a red-haired Irish lass abandoned in the remote town of Benson by the man she loved.

Their meeting in a shack on the high plains is less than charmed. Stone Heart is recovering from wounds received during the final breakout at Fort Robinson when Aiden stumbles onto the sod house:

A shuffling of feet, movement of some kind, startled him fully awake. He had no idea how

long he had slept, but someone was coming. Tilting his head, he listened. Not an animal, nor a

big man. Someone small, weary. Even with his wounds, he would have no trouble overpowering

this one and slitting its throat. The musket lay in the dark corner, for he had not yet loaded it. He

hoped this was a white man approaching, for he desperately desired to count coup, repay the

slaughter of the day before. Ignoring the lancing of pain, he crept toward the door, waited out of

sight until his prey entered. The only light filtered into the gloom through that opening, and he

could be upon the enemy without ever being seen.

The fur-shrouded figure that stepped into sight radiated fire about its head, rays of sun

brilliant in long strands of tangled red hair. Already in motion, his arm clamped about its throat,

cut off a high scream.

A woman. A white woman.

The robe slipped from her shoulders when she clawed the air and kicked furiously with

both feet, her full weight swinging on his forearm. One pointed boot toe struck his shin, another

cracked his knee painfully. Gritting his teeth against passing out, he leaned against the wall and

hung on, pressed the blade of his knife hard against her mid-section.

Hissed in her ear, “Stop fighting or I’ll gut you.”

The galleys came last week and I've finished editing them. What a great book this is! Talk about Blatant Self Promotion. Well, I've always believed if we didn't like our own work no one else would either.

I don't have a release date yet, but it will be sometime within six months, I'm told. I'll celebrate with something special for my readers. Time will tell what that will be. I once gave away and silver and turquoise ring from New Mexico to a lucky reader. I'll come up with something.

Hot Authors! Free Reads! Contests! Prizes! Fun! Laughs!

Set Your Summer on Fire

at Our Smoldering Summer Love-In!

* Hot Free Reads * Sizzling Excerpts *

* Fun Contests * Laughs * e-Book Giveaways *

Come Chat With Us Thursday, July 14th!

One Lucky Person Will Win $25 eBucks from ARe.

All You Have to Do Is Join Our Chat…And Chat!

We'll Pick One Name @ 8PM Eastern Time

As The Lucky Winner!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SummerLove-In/



Fun!



All Romance e-Books, Ayersbooks, Extasy Books,

Loose Id, Phaze, Passion in Print,

Pink Petal Books, Siren-BookStrand,

and The Wild Rose Press.

Passion, heat, and adventure await! Don't miss it!

Michele Hart

Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance Author
~ Walk Another World ~ http://www.ILoveShapeShifters.com/

What do you do when you can't throw someone down a flight of stairs? Write a story about it.
The Wild Rose Press * NO FUNNY STUFF! * All Romance e-Books * ZERO-G

Siren-BookStrand * VIGILANT * GANGBUSTERS coming soon
Siren-BookStrand * LUMINOUS NIGHTS-a 2011 Golden Quill Contest finalist/Best Sci-Fi!
Siren-BookStrand * LOOKS ARE DECEIVING * MIND-BLOWN

Win a Kindle

Digi Books Cafe and authors of the Wild Rose Press are giving you three chances to win Kindles!

Enter the Win a Kindle Summer Hunt
3 months; 3 hunts; 3 Kindle eReaders
2 easy ways to win.
Visit Digi Books Cafe for Details.

http://www.digibookscafe.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=9

Release Day! GIFTS GONE ASTRAY, Regency comedy

Today is the release day for my latest Regency comedy novella, Gifts Gone Astray.

BLURB:
A gift is a wonderful surprise. Or maybe not.

At the Earl of Langley's family gathering, everyone receives a gift, including the servants. Tutor Stephen Fairfax expects a small token, but the present from family member Mrs. Anne Copely, the widow who's caught his eye, is a dream come true.

Until he opens it. What a gift! How did that demure lady acquire such a book? And she wants to "study" it with him? If he accepts her offer, tempting as it is, he could lose his job.

Anne has no idea why Mr. Fairfax is in such a flutter. Her present is a simple book of illustrations. The subject interests them both, and she would like nothing better than to examine the book--and Mr. Fairfax--more closely.

EXCERPT:
She glanced at the mantel clock. "Oh, look at the time! I must return to the drawing room. So much to do before the family party tonight. But, before I leave..." She swallowed. "We had some trouble with the gifts today. Yours went missing. I apologize—"

"But I received a gift. Someone left it outside my door."

"Thank the stars." She pressed her hand to her bosom.

Stephen's gaze followed her hand down and his throat dried.

"I worried your present was lost."

She worried about me. Capital! He tore his eager gaze from her breasts and lifted his head. "I have not yet unwrapped it. A book, I take it?"

"Yes. The volume belonged to my husband. He was a scholar, and that book was one of his favorites. Mine, too. We spent many happy hours enjoying it." Another dazzling smile curved her lips. "I selected it with you in mind."

His pulse thumped. I have a chance. "You flatter me with your consideration."

"My pleasure." She flashed another of her heart-stopping smiles. "As much as I long to, I will not ruin the surprise by telling you what the book is." She smoothed her face into a blank stare, but her glorious chocolate eyes twinkled.

So, she wanted to play games. He gave an inward smirk. He would love to play games of a different sort. But he would settle for a guessing game. For now.

Available at:

The Wild Rose Press

Note, depending where you are, the links might not yet be active.

Thank you all,
Linda
Linda Banche
Welcome to My World of Historical Hilarity!
http://www.lindabanche.com

New Zealand bush - Lethal Refuge

My romantic suspense (Lethal Refuge) that I'm doing final edits for now, is set in the Auckland area of New Zealand. I've downloaded a couple of images of the area where it takes place. It's called the Waitakeres i.e. the Waitakere Hills outside Auckland. Okay, hard to say, huh? It's a Maori word that's pronounced "Whytackuray." That's the closest, as a European, I can get.

In Arthur Lydiard's coaching days (the great runner coach), good runners used the Waitakere Hills as an exacting weekend run. Hills like you wouldn't believe, not too much traffic if you start early enough, and bushland as far as the eye can see, dotted here and there with houses. That bushland is very, very thick. It's not like the Australian bush for example where you can see through sparse groups of gum trees. No, it's more like Canadian bushland. Believe me, you can easily get lost in bushland in New Zealand.

In LETHAL REFUGE, Celie runs away to evade a killer and ends up going round in circles in the Waitakere bushland. She comes very close to being killed there; in fact someone is killed, but it's not Celie.

FOREVER FREED Release Day & Giveaway & Reviews!

It's release day for my debut paranormal romance, FOREVER FREED! I'm so excited because this was the first novel I wrote and the first I sold, and it's so scary and thrilling to have it out there in the world!

And quite a release day it is!

1. I'm doing a giveaway over at My Eclectic Books, and my appearance is part of their month-long Author Extravaganza!
2. Forever Freed has already received four excellent reviews!
3. For the third day in a row, the Kindle ebook of Forever Freed has held a place on the Paid Kindle > Books > Gothic list! It's #80 right now, but has been as high as #49!
4. As per the picture above, my box of books arrived in the mail today so I actually got to HOLD my book (and smell!) on release day! *grins* Truly thrilling!

To buy Forever Freed, with a discount no less!, just go here:

The Wild Rose Press: Available from TWRP in PRINT or EBOOK! + get 25% off through 5/31 on all formats/titles! Use code 18b632d0b0 (those are zeroes)!

BLURB:

A heart can break, even one that no longer beats.

I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.

But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation—talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.

Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can…

Thanks for reading!
Laura Kaye

Regency Ladies and Double-Barrel Flintlocks

In my Regency Romance, The Guise of a Gentleman, my Regency lady was faced with a group of bad guys. Since I'd done my research, I knew if she were to defend the man and boy they were trying to kill, she'd only be able to get off one shot because of the time and difficulty loading guns. So, I'd decided to either have her ride with two loaded guns or have a groom riding with her. Then I found just what I needed: a double-barrel flintlock which could fire two shots, without having to reload. Huzzah!!!


Most Flintlock pistols were from 10 to 16 inches long, from butt to barrel muzzle. They would weigh from one to four pounds, depending on the caliber and the number of barrels. There were a number of double-barreled pistols during the Regency, but they were generally big and heavy. There were two types, the over and under, with a revolving lower barrel, but only one hammer, so that the pan had to be primed before firing again. Ladies’ pistols were generally six to eight inches long. Here is a small example that was only eight inches long, making one of the smallest of it’s kind and close to a ladies’ pistol.A bullet would be no wider than this: / /.

The real problem was that the flint, amount of powder, and mechanisms has to be smaller, which made them firing them successfully more difficult.

Here's a picture of small or woman’s pistol. It's is six inches long. You can see that too small to hold a ramrod. The ladies’ pistols weighed between 12 oz to one and a half pounds.


Here's a shotgun, circa 1798 to 1804. Overall length is 44 1/2", barrel length is 29", and the gun weighs 7.3 pounds.

It has a side-by-side barrel, like a double-barreled shotgun . And like the shotgun, it has two hammers, though you can't see the second one behind the first. It also has two triggers, one for each barrel. It's a .54 cal. and the damascus barrel is nine inches long and weights close to three pounds.


This Double-Barrel Flintlock Pistol of Napoleon is a replica of the original of this side-by-side double-barreled flintlock pistol from Napoleon's private armory and bears his insignia on both sides of the grip. Made by Gribeauval, Napoleon's personal gun maker, the pistol originated in the French unmaking center of St. Etienne in 1806. Unusual for its day, the double-barrel configuration provided a decided advantage over its single-barreled counterpart, given the notoriously slow reloading procedure for flintlocks. The barrel is just under eight inches long and it weighs about 2 pounds .

Even though ladies’ pistols and double-barreled pistols look different, they were loaded the same way as all flintlocks. Most all flintlocks were smoothbores. Some were rifles, with spiral rifling in the barrels. They were difficult to load because the bullet had to be seated against the rifling groves to actually spin the ball, so it was hard to ram home. Cloth or leather was wrapped around the ball, and the cloth against the rifling was easier to get down the barrel.

So, if you wondered what Elise used to save the hero and the boy from the cutthroats about to kill them, here you are, proof and everything.

The Guise of a Gentleman, winner of the Golden Quill Award

"Combining Jane Austen with swashbuckling adventure, The Guise of a Gentleman is a fine specimen of pirate romance!" NY Times bestselling author Jennifer Ashley

The widowed Elise is a perfect English lady living within the confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for freedom and adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret.

But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret. A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared accepts one last assignment before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit. She may not survive the revelation of Jared’s past…or still love him when the truth is revealed.

Forbidden love and Champagne

I'm giving away a copy of my novella, Let's Misbehave, over at Minxes of Romance today. Stop by and leave a comment on today's blog post to win: http://minxesofromance.blogspot.com

This Vintage Rose novella is the tale of a forbidden love, set against the backdrop of London in the Jazz Age, when champagne flowed, jazz music played, and girls with bobbed hair danced the Charleston.

You can read more about Let's Misbehave here, including reviews and excerpts.

The winner of this ebook will be announced at the end of the week.
Good luck!

apology from Lynnette Baughman

I'm trying to post to my OWN blog -- I haven't done it for a LONG time. And apparently, I accidentally did all this work -- and it went to The Wild Rose Press blog instead. I apologize. (And I don't know how to move it!!!)
Lynnette Baughman

WHAT "Rainshadow"??

May 7, 2011. First, I'm not complaining about our weather. No, no. Not when I turn on the TV and see the Mississippi River flooding and Texas dry as tinder (the part that hasn't burned yet, that is), and utter, horrible tornado devastation over so much of the southeast. No, our weather in the northwest is beautiful. But the name of this blog, and our famous weather pattern, is "rainshadow." Port Angeles, only 15 miles to our west, gets substantially more rain than we do. Well, that has changed this winter/spring. The Olympic Mountains (always snow covered, including glaciers at the center) have almost 200% of average snowpack now. Sequim (often called Sunny Sequim, as if that's our town's full name) has a little more than 8 inches of rain so far this year, and Port Angeles has a litle LESS than 8 inches. Strange.
Sequim's usual is 12-15 inches per year, 12 last year. And even though it seems very wet so far, a dry summer might bring us closer to the average. It has been chilly, though. Crops and flowers are coming in late. But hey -- at least they're coming in! Look at poor Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, etc.
My rhododendrons haven't bloomed yet, but I'll post a picture from last May. The dog is Bailey, our mostly black Lab. She's a sweet girl. We rescued her in September 2009. We figure she'll be 5 in September this year.

Enter the HEARTS IN DARKNESS Sizzling Read Giveaway!

HEARTS IN DARKNESS won the distinction of Sizzling Read of the Month over at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews! 

I'm beside myself with excitement!!!!!!!!

Look for me all month at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews:

May 3: Bag of Hearts Giveaway Announcement

May 6: Hearts in Darkness Book Feature

May 13: Author Interview

May 22: Caden Grayson Character Interview

May 27: Hearts & Heroes Guest Blog (meet all of Laura's romantic heroes!)

May 31: Author Feature & Giveaway Winner Announcement!!!

Here's how the giveaway will work, quoted from the Sizzling page:

Laura Kaye is giving away a bag of Hearts in Darkness stuff from her Cafe Press store, and print copy of Hearts of Darkness. The contest will last until May 31st since we are spotlighting Hearts of Darkness for the month of May.

Contest is only open to US and Canada residents.

To be entered to win you must fill out this FORM.

Extra entries:
+2 for being a follower of Sizzling Hot Books site
+2 for being a follower of Sizzling Hot Books on Facebook
+1 for filling out the form
+1 entries for tweeting about this contest, blogging about it, etc. 

Visit Sizzling Hot Book Reviews to enter, and participate in all the fun!

PLUS, follow my blog--I broke 10,000 site visitors today and I'm doing a special giveaway tonight at 8 p.m. in appreciation, and all blog followers are eligible!

Thanks for reading,

Laura