I had so much fun being part of the Summer of Love Book Giveaway last year, that I’m doing it again this year. 2 grand prize winners will receive 16 paper books! Other winners will receive paper books and there are daily prizes to be had. The contest opened May 1st and closes to entries May 7th and your chances of winning are high. Over 20 authors are participating. For full details and to enter, click the pic!
What are our favorite Christmas Treats? Books, of course! Stop by each blog for a chance to win fabulous books & gifties for the Holidays!
As part of the Christmas Treats giveaway hop, I’m giving away an ebook copy of Tidings of Love: 7 Holiday Romance Novellas, which contains my Winter Fairy, AND a $5 gift card to Starbucks so you can treat yourself to a yummy coffee drink.
As the end of the year giving season grips so many of us in its clutches, I’m often struck by the absurdity of the Christmas morning ritual of ripping off piles of shiny wrapping paper to unearth items I bought for myself a month ago. Since reaching adulthood, I tend to get a lot more presents rather than gifts. What is the difference you ask? I’ve given this a lot of thought. Probably too much thought for the relative weight of the issues, but here goes.
A present is presented to you. The giver gives you something you requested. They spent the money to buy a specific item on your list. Or maybe, they wrote you a check or gave you the cash to buy the item for yourself for the express purpose of having something to unwrap on Christmas morning. There is not much thought behind a ritual presentation of an item you want, but a present shows the giver listened.
A gift is an item given from the giver’s heart. It is unexpected but thoughtful. The gift can be big or small, useful or not, but it expresses the relationship between the giver and the recipient.
I love giving gifts, but find it hard this time of year when I am under the obligation to shop and buy specific items for so many people. I spend a lot of time buying presents, but I try to include a few gifts as well. I shop for gifts year round, or more to the point, gifts shop for me. I can be purchasing the most banal household items and something will catch my eye. It could be a goofy paper napkin pattern or a sale on a flavored coffee that a dear friend loves. A gift something that will bring joy to a recipient, which in turn gives joy to the giver.
Books make terrific gifts and terrific presents. There are loads of books and other goodies up for grabs in the Christmas Treats hop. Enter my rafflecopter here to be entered for the ebook and giftcard and be sure to visit all the authors through the linky-list.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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My giveaway for a $10.00 gift card to the winner’s choice of either Barnes&Noble or Amazon ends November 6, 2015.
Lucky Traveler available now for $2.99 or less at
Lucky Traveler releases today! As a writer, launching a project into the wild is both exciting and scary and Lucky Traveler was a bit of a departure for me. Why? For one, it’s short. I tend to write short, but not novella length. The character development process is different, but I enjoyed it so much, I’m working on some other shorter works.
Second – it’s sexy. When I first started writing, the idea of writing a sex scene made me nervous. It still does, but I let my characters dictate the story and Logan and Keira had some specific ideas about what they wanted to do.
I hope my readers, new and returning, will enjoy Lucky Traveler.
To celebrate, I have a month long giveaway for a $10 gift card. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Here are a few places you can get Lucky Traveler. Enjoy and let me know what you think in a review or through sharing. Amazon AllRomanceEbooks iTunes
Spring is here and it’s time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 11 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack ($280+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Many of the shops offer items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs.
The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway.
Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with you.
Giveaway runs May 4th – 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.
May isn’t simply a month for pollen and mothers. This year, there seems to be a lot of goodies up for grabs so I’m highlighting giveaways! Get your virtual entries ready and good luck. In all cases, click the picture to get more details and enter.
1. Summer of Love – I’m one of many authors participating. Three grand prize winners will receive a paper book a week all summer long. The contest runs through May 15th.
2. Get Clean with the Summer of Love – this one is mine and also runs through May 15th. I have fabulous Gray Duck Soap and double dip those entries. Signing up for my newsletter (and completing the other contest form) gives additional entries to both the soap and the Summer of Love.
3. Thinking of newsletters, one bar of Gray Duck Soap will go to a random subscriber to my newsletter. You’ll have to be subscribed and open the email to find out the winner.
4. I’m not the only one with giveaways. Irene Preston, Rebecca Royce and 5 other contributors to “Romancing Austin” put together a giveaway for a $75 Amazon Gift card. Click the pic for details.
5. And last, but certainly not least, Kristina Knight is part of the Shades of Desire bundle releasing June 1st. To celebrate, the authors have a giveaway for a Kindle Fire.
So there you have it – a whole bunch of terrific giveaways to make your May special. Good Luck!
Love to read romance? I’m thrilled to share the “Summer of Love” contest.
Who are we and what is this? We’re a group of romance writers who want to share our love of romance! We came up with the idea to give away one print romance a week for the entire summer to three lucky winners. That’s 16 books for each Grand Prize winner—an entire summer’s worth of love and passion. But that’s not all! We’re also giving away packages of 5 print books to at least two lucky winners! You can enter the contest and find all the details at the main website. http://summeroflovebooks.com/
But that is not all! I have a concurrent Rafflecopter (April 1-May 15th) to decide which lucky duck will get a $5 Amazon gift card and which lucky duck will get to enjoy two bars of handcrafted Gray Duck Soap. Made in Minnesota (or the land of 10,000 duck ponds), these soaps smell even better than they look, and that’s saying something! I see you doing math – yes, there are four bars.
From left to right
Lilac Way (strong scent)
Rainbow (Nag Champa—medium oriental-type scent)
Margarita (with salt on top, lime-light scent)
Minneapolis Magnolia (strong scent)
In addition to the Rafflecopter, one newsletter subscriber will get a soap and the last? I’ll give it away somehow.
p.s. – sorry to say for fans who live elsewhere, the soaps are open to legal U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older. The gift card is open to everyone.
Today I’m talking with Heather Thurmeier. Her newest contemporary romance, The Wedding Hoax sounds like a lot of fun. 
What types of books do you enjoy reading? What is on your nightstand?
-I have sort of eclectic reading taste. Of course, I love to read romances (paranormal, NA, and contemporary), but I also love dystopian and adventure. Give me a treasure hunt or a horde of zombies and I’m set for the night!
You are amazingly prolific. How do you make time to write?
– I write when the kids are at school. As soon as the bus drives away, my office hours start. I try to get as much done then as I can. Sometimes I will have to work when they’re home, but I try not to. I will bring my work to after school activities is necessary so I can watch dance class and answer interview questions at the same time. (cough) Once in a while I will work at night after bedtime, but usually by then, I’m so darn tired, I can’t think straight! I know that feeling!
What is your favorite part about being an author?
-The freedom! I love the freedom of being able to write on my own schedule. No one tells me when I have to get my work done. I might have a deadline, but I still choose when I sit down and get the work done. It allows me to still be the stay at home mom I want to be, to run to the school on a whim when the kids fall in a mud puddle and need new clothes. (That happens more often than you might expect!)
-The other thing I love about being a writer is getting to live in new worlds all the time. I love getting into a new world of characters and having them in my head while I write their story! It’s so fun to research new places and imagine experiences I’ve never been through in my real life.
If a celebrity did the audio book reading, who would you pick and why?
-Oh, mmmm… I can’t even answer this question without smiling. If you know me in real life, it’s no secret that I have always loved Bruce Willis. It doesn’t matter that there’s a huge age difference. That man is sexy… his lopsided smile, those eyes, and that voice. *happy sigh* He’d definitely be one of my top choices to read The Wedding Hoax. I could totally listen to his voice for hours.
Nice pick. Before we find him and ask if he’ll do the audio, let’s play “Dump the purse” – what’s in yours?
-Oh God. This could be a dangerous game for some people! LOL. But for me, it’s pretty tame. There’s the basics: wallet, sunglasses, tissues, tic tacs, pens and keys. Then there’s the few extras for writing that go everywhere with me: ear buds, business cards, and my idea book. It goes everywhere with me since you never know when inspiration might strike.
Let’s take it to a bar with your hero and heroine, what are they drinking?
– Not surprisingly, they enjoy my favorite drinks. Cole would be drinking a Rye and Coke. For those of you who don’t know, Rye is Canadian whiskey. It would be Crown Royal, to be exact. But in the book, it’s rum because the editor felt that was more commonplace. Daisy would be sipping a strawberry margarita. Delish!
My kids built a time machine out of Legos. When and where are we headed and why?
-We’d be off to the future! We already know what happens in the past, so I see no reason to spend time there. But the future is a mystery and I’d love to know what it was like. But since I don’t have a time machine, I guess I’ll have to become a vampire so I can live forever and see the future in person. And becoming a vampire is probably less painful than a Lego time machine.
Dessert time! Give me your “either—or” answers
Heather, what is The Marriage Hoax about?
A satisfying category romance from Entangled’s Lovestruck imprint…
To save their companies, they’ll plan the fake wedding of the century…
Meet the bride…
Daisy Willows is a wedding dress designer who longs for her own happily-ever-after. In the meantime, she’s struggling to keep her business going even as she covers her mom’s increasing medical expenses. So when a bridal show expo owner offers to help her out, she can hardly say no. And all it takes is Daisy pretending she’s back with her playboy ex. And that they’re engaged…
Meet the groom…
Cole Benton works for his father’s bridal magazine, which is on the verge of downsizing. All he really wants is a crack at an outdoor lifestyle magazine, and if he has to fake-marry Daisy to make it happen, he’s definitely in. Now Daisy and Cole are playing up their fake engagement, shopping for rings, and even kissing upon request. All of which is makes it a whole lot harder to remember that their big white wedding is a big white lie…
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://ow.ly/BnurJ
Nook: http://ow.ly/BnuST
Kobo: http://ow.ly/BnuCI
iTunes: http://ow.ly/BnvsN
That’s a beautiful bracelet, by the way. Thank you, but it’s not mine. It’s a give away inspired by my heroine Daisy!
Fab! Here’s the Rafflecopter link. The giveaway runs through October 20th.
You can find Heather online at
Email: heatherthurmeier@gmail.com
Website: http://heatherthurmeier.com
Blog: http://heatherthurmeier.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hthurmeier
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherThurmeierAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/HeatherThurmeier
Newsletter: https://madmimi.com/signups/91094/iframe
Today I’m shining my spotlight on Sara Daniel and, A Model Hero, aka Mr. September in the sizzling Calendar Men series. Sara answered the tough questions a few weeks ago, but I invite her back to find out about her latest.
Time to pull out your Calendar Men calendars. While you’re doing that, I’ll give you some background on how they came into existence…
Leonidas Russo is a former US Marine-turned-fashion model. He uses his connections in the fashion world to put a call out for models to be featured in a charity calendar he’s put together to honor the memory of his brother, an Army soldier who died in the Afghan war. Proceeds for the calendar in the stories will benefit The Fallen Warriors Family Fund, a charity that gives scholarships and assistance to the families left behind.
All together now, flip the calendar page up and gaze in adoration and unabashed lust at the ripped physique and chiseled face of Mr. September. This is his story… 
Gretchen Meyers is a full-figured woman living in a model thin world. Desperate to end her mother’s constant, nagging stream of dieting and fashion “advice,” Gretchen tackles the challenge of reviving her mother’s faltering modeling agency. All she needs is to woo back Kyle Ramsey, once the hottest model in the country.
Making the preemptive choice to turn his back on his career seemed Kyle’s only option until Gretchen comes calling. He doesn’t care what she wants to offer him, the answer is no. Still, he’s intrigued by her refreshing personality and all her lovely, lush curves.
When tragedy strikes, Kyle finds comfort and healing in Gretchen’s arms. But he can’t trust her with his career-ending secret and she doesn’t believe their relationship will survive the long term. He’s perfect and she’s not even close. Can the fragile ties holding them together survive Kyle’s opportunity to become a true model hero?
Read on for a sample! Excerpt:
The restaurant scene, then, had done its job. Gretchen would have to send Jamie flowers. No, she’d send a box of fattening chocolates instead. “Did you enjoy your evening after I left?”
Kyle’s gaze narrowed, he pushed himself out of the chair. “Did you arrange with Jamie to drop by our table?”
“How could I, when I had no idea where we were going for dinner until we were there?” Not to mention, she’d have preferred to sever essential body parts than ask Jamie Feldman for anything. But her irrational possessiveness was her own problem. “The important thing is you had a good time, and you’re ready to make up for everything you’ve been missing over the past year.”
“Those things aren’t important at all.” He advanced on her slowly.
She took a step back and came up against the door she’d closed a moment before.
Kyle flashed a predatory smile. He took her purse and briefcase from her shoulder, setting them aside. Then he rested his forearms on either side of her head and stared into her eyes, his lips a scant inch from hers as he spoke. “I’m here for you. Our date deserves another shot.”
Her heart thundered. The thick eyelashes framing his gray-green eyes mesmerized her. He stood too near for her to formulate a coherent response. This much physical perfection and sex appeal should be outlawed. Her mind was not equipped to handle it.
“What do you say?” he asked.
Yes, take me. “I say, why me?” Her voice rose with an embarrassing squeak as she struggled to compose a rational argument and remind herself she was in her office, just feet away from her employees who’d never seen her anything less than one hundred percent professional. “I get why you went out with me on Saturday. You’d shut yourself away from the world, and I was the first woman to find you. But you’ve been reminded you can have Jamie or anyone else you crook your finger for. Why do you still want me?”
His gaze softened with a tenderness that pierced her heart. He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “How could I not want you, Gretchen? You’re smart and funny and beautiful and not afraid to let a guy who has no idea what you like order for you on a first date.”
Buy Links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Model-Hero-Calendar-Men-ebook/dp/B00MYJPP5A/
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-model-hero
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-model-hero/id911835986?mt=11
Decadent Publishing http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=980&osCsid=ikh5q70apmn539c8aasam1tp61
Sara Daniel writes what she loves—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She lives her own happily-ever-after romance with her hero husband. Connect with her online at:
Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rx_AL
Website: http://www.SaraDaniel.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShafer
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SSaraDaniel
Blog: http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/
To celebrate A Model Hero’s release, Sara’s giving away a $20 Amazon gift card. Fill out the Rafflecopter form here or on her Facebook page to enter. http://tinyurl.com/nn757av
Today I’m talking with Terri Herman-Poncé about the rerelease of her novel In This Life.
In This Life is one of those hard to categorize books but one worth seeking out. Check out that evocative cover and did you notice the tag line? I’m a sucker for a good series. This one promises a love triangle and past lives in Ancient Egypt. Be sure to comment for a chance to start The Past Life Series with your own copy of In This Life.
Terri, what types of books do you enjoy reading? What is on your nightstand?
I have an eclectic mix of books I love to read, but I gotta tell you that fiction absolutely, positively has to grab me by the throat. I’m a HUGE fan of Robert Crais and Harlan Coben (to me, they’re masters and my biggest influences). In fact, I’m such a fan of Crais that I’ve reread all his books 3 or 4 times! Now, have any of you read Gone Girl? Well, that book is up there as one of the most amazing stories ever written. That story Grabbed me, with a capital ‘G’. But right now, on my nightstand? Hmm…Missing You by Harlan Coben. Peace of Mind by Thich Nhat Hanh. The Mediterranean Prescription by Angelo Acquista, M.D. Howzat for eclectic?
I Loved Gone Girl. I suspect neither one of us has a purse as interesting as Amy Dunne’s but let’s play “Dump the purse” – what’s in yours?
Hmmm. Well, now that I’ve made a mess on my desk, I guess I should share it. Lip gloss. Hand sanitizer. Wallet. Keys. My monthly train ticket and MetroCard for the subway. Oh…my iPhone! And last but not least, the backup flash drive with all my novels and works in process, book covers, book photos, and pictures for character inspiration on it – some of which are, um, racy. *cheeky grin*
Oh dear. You’ve made me blush. Let’s move to something more… wholesome. If your hero or heroine were babysitting my kids (age 6 & 10) what would the night be like?
If David were babysitting your kids? He’s an ex-Marine turned professional soldier so he’d have the nerf guns out. If one of them got out of line? He’d probably tower over them, deepen his voice, and reprimand them for disrespect. Then he’d drop down to eye level and ask if they were ready to get back into the game.
David’s hired! Which is good, I could use I night out.re at a bar with your hero and heroine. What are they drinking?
Ha! They’ve recently been turned onto sipping tequila. And David Bellotti’s favorite is Herradura Suprema. And Lottie would be right there drinking it with him, sip for sip.
Impressive. Thinking of which, my kids built a time machine out of Legos. When and where are we headed and why?
Ancient Egypt! I know I have a romanticized view of these amazing, beautiful people, but their concept of the afterlife intrigues me. The beauty of their texts and hieroglyphs. Their fascination with the cosmos (which I also share). The breathtaking pyramids…the mystery behind how they were built. Then there’s Nabta Playa, which has religious ties to ancient Egypt and is one of the world’s earliest known astronomical devices. It also predates Stonehenge by millennia, with astronomical monolithic structures and everything. How cool is that?
I know nothing about Nabta Playa. I’ll have to research but after dessert time! Give me your “either—or” answers
Chocolate, fruit or other? – Chocolate. DARK!
Warm or cold? – Warm cake or pie on the bottom, AND cold ice cream on top. Yummm.
Buttercream or fondant? – Buttercream because I can lick the spoon.
Cookies or brownies? – Brownies! omg…BROWNIES!!!
With nuts or without? – Without, thankyouverymuch.
Excellent choices! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Thank you for having me here! I had a great time answering your questions and hope it was enjoyable for your visitors. And in honor of my re-release, I’m happy to gift a free copy of In This Life to one commenter. So come on…get in on the fun!
In This Life Blurb:
Hidden memories. Buried secrets. Resurrected revenge.
Psychologist Lottie Morgan knows something is wrong when she relives memories of a lover she’s never had. At first she attributes them to fever-induced dreams. But when the fever disappears and the visions don’t, Lottie realizes something else is going on.
Then she meets Galen. Their first encounter is as intense as it is eye-opening, and his revelation that they shared a passionate relationship thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt entices Lottie into wanting to learn more about her past. Her decision, however, comes at a price. Galen may hold the answers but he could destroy the devoted, lifelong relationship Lottie has with her current lover, David.
It also could mean her death—again.
Someone is protecting millennia-old secrets, determined to keep them buried while exacting a revenge on Lottie for a mistake made a very long time ago. A mistake she could be destined to repeat.
Take a trip to mysterious ancient Egypt, where Lottie becomes caught between two lifetimes, two men, and long-buried deceptions. Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity-winning author, calls this paranormal suspense about reincarnation and finding your soul mate “Inventive, original and thought-provoking; this mystically romantic mystery will instantly intrigue.”
More about Terri Herman-Poncé
Terri looks for any opportunity to make stuff up, and thinks anything that can’t so easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer. Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with ancient Egypt.
Terri’s a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and you can read about her at http://terriponce.com/. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter. Come visit—she’d love to hear from you!
Be sure to comment for your chance to win. Please include your email in a name at place dot com type format. Can’t wait to read In This Life? You can get it now
Lola Karns 