Sunday, May 28, 2017

Motto for Life—#OpenBook Blog Hop



I discovered my motto in the past six months. Don't ask me why it took so long to find it, but  it fits my life perfectly.

"Screws fall out all the time...the world's an imperfect place."

It comes from the movie "The Breakfast Club." But I like it better swapped around: "The world's n imperfect place, screws fall out all the time." It's a better version of my earlier version: "Life happens."

You know that feeling. You've worked hard and made all the right plans and all the right preparations when 'BOOM' something breaks. And there's not a darn thing you can do about it.

It's the 4th of July and you decided to take a trip to the mountains? Boom and it's snowing. The roads aren't closed but the picnic tables are coated with the white stuff. Yep, that was the sound of a screw falling.

Or for months you've planned to go to the beach. You checked the weather reports and made your reservations for a nice little cottage on the shore. You bought flip-flops and and new bathing suit. Heck, you even remembered to buy suntan lotion. What could go wrong?

You guessed it.That rare April tropical storm moves in and the cottage is flooded. BOOM! There went another screw.


But sometimes they are just tiny screws. The roast you were cooking needed a few more minutes but the rest of dinner was ready. Your favorite pair of pants loses their button when you put them on. Someone didn't replace the empty roll of toilet paper.

And some days multiple screws fall out. Maybe not all at once, but one here and one there. Those are the days you want to go back to bed and pull the covers over your head and shut out the rest of the world. Not that it will do any good, the world will still be there when you emerge from your fortress.

So what do you do? My best advice is to learn to roll with the punches and meet challenges with a sense of humor. And don't forget to carry a screwdriver wherever you go.

What's your motto? Let us know in the comments. And let's go find out what the other authors' words of wisdom are by following the links below.


May 29, 2017 – What’s Your Motto For Life?
What words of wisdom do you live by? Use those as inspiration for sections and flesh out a post that shares your philosophy.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:



Custom Blog:



An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Clare Dargin—Joy to His World

I'm tickled to welcome Clare Dargin and her new book, Joy to His World

PRE-ORDER!

AVAILABLE: Tuesday, May 23rd

[Siren Menage Amour: Erotic Consensual BDSM Menage a Trois Paranormal Romantic Suspense, M/M/F, HEA]

Chris Spinell, Jilly Reimers, and Chris 'Nate' Poole are happily married. Now, living in a small town run by The Love Play Matchmaking Service, Chris Spinell hopes his family is safely away from the possible dangers that come from living in a big city.

Jilly and Nate cherish the life they have with Chris. They even love the fact that he is their Dom. BDSM gives them the structure and sense of belonging they've always wanted. However, life in Minaqua doesn't give Chris the peace of mind he needs in order to quell his anxieties. The scars from his time in Afghanistan run so deep, Chris' PTSD will not allow him to escape the fears that his family is at constant risk for harm.

When a stranger comes to town seeking to harm Jilly and Nate, Chris' protective instincts are put to the test. Will he deal with this reasonably, or will he do whatever it takes to defend his family, including breaking a solemn oath?

A Siren Erotic Romance




STORY EXCERPT

He thought about how far his life had come in such a short time. In less than ten years, he’d gone from an ex-Special Forces soldier searching for his place in the world, to an MIT graduate, to owning the second largest independently owned and operated software integration firm in Michigan. But all of that was nothing compared to the real change that happened when his sister had recommended that he join a dating service to cure his less-than-stellar love life. And Love Play had done that and much more. In their own mysterious way, they’d managed to look into his heart and find the man and woman of his dreams. Literally. The images of Jilly and Nate had haunted his dreams after he returned from Afghanistan. During that time, he didn’t know it was them, but after he met them and they spent the night together, he knew they were the ones.

How his Eros, his matchmaker at Love Play, had known baffled him. Nevertheless, he was profoundly grateful that the man or woman, or whoever his Eros was, had put the three of them together. Now, they were married, and he was happier than he’d ever been in his life. Add to it that their love had become so deep that it had blossomed into a beautiful dominant-submissive relationship with them.

The car’s internal phone rang. It was Jilly. He pressed the icon on the car’s dashboard screen and answered.

“Hi, honey, what’s up?” he asked. He was always glad to hear Jilly’s voice.

He grasped his chest, hoping the ache would fade as he longed to see her.

“I was going over the arrangements for the party,” she said. Her sweet voice was a dulcet tone that calmed him.

“I’m thinking about how people should dress,” she said, “and the basic rules for the party.”

Jilly had the great idea to plan a Christmas party for them and their BDSM friends to be held at Love Play’s mansion. When she’d mentioned it in August, he hadn’t been wild about the idea. But after a lot of cajoling from her and Nate, they’d convinced him, and he’d given her the permission to go for it, which meant they were going to attend, too.

“High protocol is not something we do, but there’s no reason that should stop other Doms from having that with their submissives. As for clothing, you know my rules for you, too. You aren’t allowed to wear anything too revealing. The only person allowed to see your ass is me and Nate, and that’s when he’s not in trouble.”

It wasn’t as if he made them walk around with bolts of fabric hanging off their bodies, but their sexuality belonged to him.

“Dueño, that was a long time ago,” Nate said, pouting.

“It won’t happen again.”

Right after Chris had collared them, Nate bought Jilly a pair of tight jeans, high heels, and a shirt that was so form fitting it showed everything the Lord had blessed her with in the chest and told her to wear his prized choker collar. Chris had damn near had a heart attack when they came home from a late lunch in Cutlerville.

“Dueño, I know what your rules are for us. What about the party? Kink for everyone?”

He had no appetite for that yet. He cared for his friends, especially his army buddies, the Propietarios who were into BDSM, but he wasn’t ready to see them go all out.

“This is casual, vanilla only. Leather is permitted but please do not go all out,” Chris said.

“All right, got it.”

“How are you feeling?” he asked, worried. “Still feeling worn down?”

She was at home trying to get over the remnants of a cold that lingered, giving her all sorts of problems like a fever and upset stomach. She’d feel good one moment, and then, wham, she’d have to rest because she’d be too tired to move. Despite his protests, she refused to go to the doctor again.

“Somewhat.”

He sighed. “Don’t wear yourself out today. Get some rest. That’s an order. If you aren’t better by tomorrow, we’re going downtown.”

The DMC, Detroit Medical Center, was the major medical complex in the area. It was over an hour away, and he would gladly drive her to find out what was wrong. He was not willing to risk her well-being for her selfish pride or a dumb party. He hated when she was not feeling well or was in pain. He wanted to be able to shield her from the worst the world could give so she’d be able to live a life of love and happiness. She deserved that much and more. To say he loved her would be an understatement. Heck, it wouldn’t even describe the depths of his intense feelings for them. They owned him as much as he owned them. It didn’t feel right if they weren’t healthy and safe.

“I will take it easy.”

“Okay. I love you,” Chris said.

“Love you, too,” she replied. “Love you, too, Nate.”

“I’ll call you later on to see how you are doing,” Nate said.

Chris ended the call.

“Do you think she’ll obey?” Nate asked.

---


Blog Links-
Clare's Blog 2: The Haven- https://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com
The Embraced: Scribal Love- https://theembraced.blogspot.com

Social Media Links-

Google Plus- https://plus.google.com/u/0/104105806378510076277


Monday, May 22, 2017

Bucket List— #OpenBook Blog Hop




If you've hung out with me for any length of time, you already know I don't have a bucket list. That doesn't mean that I don't have a list of things I'd like to do before I die.

The first few should come as no surprise.

I'd like to visit the John Denver Sanctuary in Aspen. Seems like a fitting way to pay tribute to the man, his music and his legacy.



I'd also like to go on a guided trail ride deep into the heart of the Rocky Mountains, somewhere you can only get to by horse or on foot.  Maybe sit beside a mountain lake and write for a week or so. I wonder how many notebooks and pens I'd have to to take along?



What else? I've already done so many things. I've wandered the redwoods, played in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, driven the US from coast to coast. But a trip back to the redwoods sounds appealing. So I'll add it to the list.



I want to have have enough money to help the many young people I see struggling.

I want to watch my grandchildren grow up and grow strong.

I'd like to learn a martial art. I might not be any good at it, but I'd like to try. I've wanted to do this ever since the TV show back in the 70's.



And one more—I'd like to make a best seller's list. I keep trying, but I haven't made it yet. Not even close. Maybe the next book.

What's on your bucket list? You can share in the comments. And now I'm off to see what the other authors on this loop are wanting to do.



May 22, 2017 - What Is Your Bucket List?
What kinds of things do you want to do before you kick the bucket? Dream big. Life is full of exciting things to do.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:



Custom Blog:



An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Monday, May 15, 2017

What Inspires Me- #OpenBook Blog Hop



What inspires me?

I bet you think you know the answer. And I'm betting you're right. I can answer in one word.

Nature.

If you said the mountains, that's close enough. I'll give you full credit. But it's so much more than the mountains. It's the flowers and trees and sky and wind. It's the grass beneath my feet and the birds flying overhead. It's sunshine and rain and snow, creeks and rivers and lakes and oceans.
It's sand between my toes at the beach and the dirt stuck under my fingernails after I've been gardening.

It's the redwoods stretching into eternity and the aspens quaking in the breeze. It's dandelions in the spring and black-eyed susans in the summer. It's the robins chirping early in the morning and crows calling in the heat of the afternoon. It's the thunder rumbling from miles away and far-off lightening flashing in the darkness.

It's the smell of freshly-cut hay and the subtle scent of apple blossoms. It's the sweet-sharp flavor of  just-picked wild strawberries and the tang of spearmint plucked in the shadow of old oak. It's the prick of the thorn on a rose stem and the soft, velvet-like petals on the rose itself.

And yes, it's the mountains. The peaks covered in snow in the dead of winter and glistening with thousands of beams of reflected sunlight or in the height of summer, swathed in green. It's the rugged tops calling to me from the distance and the welcoming meadows up close.

And that's what inspires me. Nature feeds my soul and makes me who I am. How about you?






May 15, 2017 – What Inspires You?
This is an easy question that opens up for some awesome creative post ideas. And why do those things inspire you?
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:



Custom Blog:



An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Dawn Altieri & Burn

I'm really happy to host Dawn and her new release today, because I got to see the book in it's early stages. To see it come all the way to publication tickles me to no end! So, without further ado, here's Dawn and Burn.



BURN

Falling for him is playing with fire…
Chloe Addison is on the verge of a promising career in real estate development until an explosion destroys her first major project and casts suspicion on her in an arson investigation. Her career is suddenly at risk—and possibly her life.
Firefighter Ryan Monroe wants a spot on the arson team, and getting close to Chloe might be the best way to solve his first investigation. Despite a painful past of his own, Ryan has dedicated himself to saving people, and when he realizes Chloe is in danger, she’s no exception. He just might be the perfect guy to rescue her, but their attraction could bring them both down in flames.



EXCERPT:

Since you rejected my suggestion of drinking till you pass out”—Ryan stepped down off the bar stool and held out his hand—“dance with me.”
What?” Chloe’s mouth fell open as she gave her head a slight shake. “No, I—”
He took her hand, and even though his tug was gentle, her arm tensed. He glanced down to where their hands were joined. He’d felt it, too. “Come on.” He threw a glance at Jeremy and Lizzie, with their arms wrapped around each other as they swayed carelessly to a country ballad Lizzie had selected. “Your friend’s obviously not going anywhere for a while, so why not?”
She hopped down from her seat, and he walked backward, leading her to an area near the dartboard—clear of tables, though not quite a “dance floor.” He pulled her into a loose embrace, and her skin warmed at the firm hand curling over the small of her back, at the calloused fingers gently gripping her freshly manicured ones in the other.
He gazed down at her, still with that reassuring smile. “See? Not so bad. I’ll have your mind off that crap in no time.”
She couldn’t fight the grin teasing her lips as she raised a hand to his shoulder, settling in a little closer. “You do this often? Dance with girls to help them get their minds off their problems? You really are a hero.”
I do what I can.” He stepped back and twirled her underneath his arm before pulling her into him.
She laughed as her palm met the hard plane of his chest, and she quickly swept it to the side until it landed on his bicep. As if that was any less distracting. The guy was a solid wall of muscle. “Is it working?” he asked.
Slowly, the tension drained from her shoulders. She tipped an eyebrow. “Maybe a little.”
Only a little?” He pulled her tighter to him, tucking their tangled hands between them against his chest, and whispered in her ear. “Then I’m not doing my job.”





BURN is available now!
Amazon Kindle - http://amzn.to/2p5Z0Mr
Barnes & Noble Nook - http://bit.ly/2oVNWoj

About the Author:

With an overactive imagination and a slightly twisted mind, Dawn Altieri has been scribbling stories practically since birth. When she’s not curled up on the sofa with her laptop, her latest story, a box of chocolates and a cup of tea (or a glass of wine, depending on the time of day), she can be found volunteering in the world of animal rescue. She shares her home with her husband and daughter, and a menagerie of rescued fur-babies.

Connect with Dawn Altieri here:



Monday, May 8, 2017

Tina Glasneck and A Dragon's Desire

I'm tickled to present Tina Glasneck and her book, A Dragon's Desire

A Dragon’s Desire: Blurb

When you make plans, the gods laugh. All decisions come with consequences.

 In this second book of the Dragons series, time travel and fantasy weave together in a fantastical romance.
 Although Jaz is a dragon, the fact that the paranormal exists hasn't made life any easier. The Norse gods are a little too active in her life, and her lover, Erich, the necromancer, a Viking and demigod, is acting distant. His going from extremely hot to cold has her second guessing everything, and wondering if his proclamation of love was just simple manipulation, and if their relationship has lost its like new car smell.
When trouble comes, it comes in heaps, and right at Jaz's feet. This trouble happens to send her back to 1799 to Étretat, France. The political upheaval combined with Napoleon's forces and the threat of the Reign of Terror leaves her wondering who she can trust -- one wrong move and she'll lose more than her dragon head. 





A Dragon’s Desire Excerpt:

Relationships are built not only on the love that the couple has for one another but also on their shared experiences. In 1520, while back in time learning about the great Black Knight, I’d also learned a lot about my handsome man. Staring at his profile now, his dark brown hair no longer flowed as it had, but his austere appearance did not mar the attractiveness of his strong features. A neatly trimmed beard rested along a strong jaw and if I told a joke or two, I was sure I could get those gray eyes to turn silver. I loved him, and he kept my heart safe. I’d do whatever it took to keep those seeds of love alive.
His eyes grazed over my body, and in one nanosecond, all the magic I’d been storing up formed into a tight, bright orange ball and then exploded around us.
“What did you do?” Tink asked.
Her question made me stop giving Erich my come-hither stare. Would I be a bad friend if I admitted that I wanted to kick out Tink, his non-blood relation who he called sister on this earthly plane, so that I could explore where his hot gaze might lead?
Tink snapped her fingers before my eyes.
“Jaz,” she screamed. “What did you do?” She backed up until the kitchen table jammed into her side.
It was then I noticed the army of fire ants that paraded down the wall and marched toward her. Climbing on top of each other, they quickly formed a three-dimensional shape resembling a moving wave.
“Make it stop!” she said.
I had no idea how to make fire ants obey me. Hell, I didn’t even know I could conjure them up. Like a madwoman, I gathered pots and pans and began to scoop them up, while saying every Latin word I could think of. “Sic semper tyrannis,” I said, as if the motto of the Virginian flag might help. 
Instead the ants continued to pile on top of one another. Tink scampered away, and still they came.
She followed my lead and started to bang together pots and pans to knock them away.
“Say something to stop this,” I said.
Tink waved her hands. Nothing happened. “I can’t. You’re magical. Your magic is not like anything I’ve ever handled. You have to learn how to hone in and control it."
Brutum fulme” I then shouted, as if calling forth senseless lightning would cause a bolt to come through and fry the pesky things. Still nothing happened.
“I’m so not qualified for this,” I screamed. Frustration caused a tingling in my fingers, which rose up my arms like I’d touched a hotplate.
“Jaz,” Erich interjected, “concentrate.”
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and focused on the dragon resting just below my skin. I felt her stir, awaken. Fire grew in my belly. My lips puckered and uttered the words the beast had whispered to me,  "Carpe noctem.” Seize the night!
The ants stopped mid-step, frozen. 
Hearing the beast, I repeated what it ordered: “Transit umbra, lux permanet.” Shadow passes, light remains. The fire ants disintegrated, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.
Tink hurried to her cauldron, which was boiling over, vomiting a cloud of what looked like pixie dust on to the counter and removed her black choker with Chakra stones. “I’ve read of many wearing talismans until they are able to get control of their powers. This will protect you. Do NOT take it off, do you hear me?”
“Sure, sure,” I nodded my head, but really, I just wanted to push her out of the door. “Thanks, Tink.”
Tink looked first at me and then at Erich. 
Instead of moving towards the door, I wished for it to open, and it did.
“I guess that’s my sign to leave,” she said and quickly packed everything into her wicker basket. 
“I didn’t know I could do that.”


Buy link:



Tina Glasneck Bio:


Tina Glasneck is a writer of crime fiction and fantasy romance. Her imagination thrives when it comes to hot coffee, great music and laughter. She believes in miracles, the power of positive thinking, and that in each of us a dragon lurks. Learn more about Tina on her website: http://tglasneck.wixsite.com/tglasneck

Sunday, May 7, 2017

What's on your Reading List? #OpenBook Blog Hop




An interesting side effect of becoming an author was being introduced to other authors who haven't made it to the big time yet. And that means finding a ton of books just waiting to be read.

So while I can't say I have a reading list for the year, I do have more than a few books lined up to be read. In a way, I'm hesitant to even reveal my list, because I'm half- afraid I'm going to accidentally miss mentioning someone who deserves to be listed. I'm also worried that the list could go on forever. So if I know you, and your name isn't on the list, please forgive me!

First up, Cornelia Amiri. Cornelia writes an interesting mix of steampunk and stories based on myths and legends.. (Not necessarily in the same book!) She just released a compilation of stories called Cogs and Kismet. I've got the set, and need to find time to read it! You can purchase it on Amazon, Cogs and Kismet



Another book on my TBR list is another new release, Burn, by Dawn Altieri. I actually helped to critique an early version of this story, so I'm excited to see how it turned out. It's a romance and I'm a sucker for a happy ending. You can get it here:  Burn

Of course I need to mention the other authors who do the hope. PJ Fiala's motorcycle series ans well as her new Chandler County stories. I've got to find time to read this one.
Missing The Point

Then there are Stevie Turner and Lela Markham and K. Williams. Hopefully they are participating in the blog this week, and you can discover their books by following the links below.




But there's a book I hope you will add to your own list for the year.  I just released The Baron's Cufflinks, the third book in the Oak Grove Mysteries, and Harmony is up to her normal antics. It took be a long time to get this book written and polished, and I hope you'll enjoy it. You can find the links of where it's for sale here: The Baron's Cufflinks.




I'm looking forward to seeing what the other authors are reading, and seeing what I need to add to my list!

May 8, 2017 – Do You Have A Reading List For The Year? What is it and why?
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:



Custom Blog:



An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Friday, May 5, 2017

Happy Release Day!





It's finally here! Welcome to release day for The Baron's Cufflinks, Book 3 in the Oak Grove Mysteries. Harmony Duprie is up to her usual antics yet again.


What starts as Girl's Night Out ends in murder, and Harmony Duprie is a suspect.
She's innocent, of course, but with no alibi, the sheriff's department won't remove her from the list of suspects. It doesn't help when a waitress from the bar gets beaten up and the only clue is a slip of paper with Harmony's name on it. Throw in a rookie deputy dead set on building his reputation and Harmony must tread carefully.

But caution isn't Harmony's middle name and she plunges head first into danger to defend her honor.

What she finds is a web of half-truths and suspicions implicating several law enforcement agencies, with Jake, her ex-lover, stuck in the middle of it all.


Can Harmony rescue Jake and find the real culprit before she becomes the next victim?


  Here's a quick excerpt: Harmony decides to bring in help from Agent Felton of the FBI to helpclear her name.

Not that I particularly liked Agent Felton. But I only knew two FBI agents and couldn't tolerate the other one. Although Felton didn't count as a friend, he wasn't an enemy either. Still, it surprised me when he agreed to meet for lunch, no questions asked.
I spotted him right away when I entered the small Chinese buffet place, his suggestion, near his office. He stuck out like a sore thumb amid the crowd of secretaries having lunch. It had been a few months since I’d seen him, and gray hairs were now scattered in with the brown. Meeting him on his home turf meant I'd need to be on my best behavior, but I was good with that.
The restaurant’s Shanghai soup dumplings were a treat and I was on my second serving when Felton wearied of our sporadic chit-chat. “You didn’t call me to talk about the weather. Or to tell me you’ve realized that you’re deeply in love with me. What is it you want, Miss Duprie?”
I could play it for kicks or play it straight. The choice seemed obvious if I didn’t want to tick him off. I swallowed and looked him square in the eye. “Information. Do you know anything about a guy by the name of Tadd Foard?”
The agent leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and thought for a moment. “Can't say that I do. Why?”
“He was murdered a few days ago.”
“And you care why? Are you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong again?” He grinned as he raised a spoonful of the egg drop soup towards his mouth.
“I may be a suspect.”

We spent the next few minutes cleaning up the soup that had sprayed everywhere.


You can buy the book at major ebook retailers





Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Cover Reveal! The Baron's Cufflinks



The Baron's Cufflinks Cover Reveal

Official Release Day for the third book in the Oak Grove Mysteries is only a few days away, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the cover before Friday.

First, here's the book's description. Yes, Harmony Duprie is up to her usual antics.



What starts as Girl's Night Out ends in murder, and Harmony Duprie is a suspect.


She's innocent, of course, but with no alibi, the sheriff's department won't remove her from the list of suspects. It doesn't help when a waitress from the bar gets beaten up and the only clue is a slip of paper with Harmony's name on it. Throw in a rookie deputy dead set on building his reputation and Harmony must tread carefully.

But caution isn't Harmony's middle name and she plunges head first into danger to defend her honor.

What she finds is a web of half-truths and suspicions implicating several law enforcement agencies, with Jake, her ex-lover, stuck in the middle of it all.


Can Harmony rescue Jake and find the real culprit before she becomes the next victim?

My thanks go to K.M. Guth, for yet another fine job.


And now, here it is!










I'll post buy links later this week. Stay tuned!