They bought men from a prison to fulfill their every need. What could
possibly go wrong with such a simple little purchase?
WARDS OF THE WOMEN introduces three desperate girlfriends who, on the
surface, appear to have it all, but underneath are in the midst of
various crises. Mysterious deaths, extortion, straying husbands and
illegitimate children have suddenly overtaken the lives of Violet
Christianson, Shayne Wentworth, and Fifi Gentry. Eventually, when
Violet becomes fed up with all of their circumstances, she does what
any sensible woman would do—blackmails the state prison warden into
letting each of them buy an inmate from the jail for their own
personal fulfillment. But never in their wildest dreams did they
imagine all the chaos that would ensue from a simple little purchase…
Denise N. Wheatley is a lover of romance, happy endings and the art of
storytelling. She’s best known for her chick lit novel I WISH I
NEVER MET YOU, which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2004.
She has since traditionally published several novels and novellas,
including contemporary, suspense and paranormal romance. She strives
to creative characters who are strong, colorful and relatable, and
tell entertaining stories that embody matters of the heart.
Denise received a B.A. in English from the University of Illinois at
Chicago, the city where she was born and raised. She’s written
screenplays and ghostwritten for some of your faves, and when she’s
not sitting behind a computer, you can find her in a movie theater,
on a tennis court, watching true crime television or chatting on
social media.
Carol Schoenig is another of the Mystic Desires authors from Black Velvet Seductions. She write contemporary romance.
Author Bio
Carol Schoenig the author of The Caretaker a story of finding love in your golden years and Love that Binds. A Short Story – Part of the ‘Mystic Desire’ Anthology with Black Velvet Seductions to be released October 1. Carol reads and writes Contemporary Romance, Aged to Perfection Romance and Romantic Suspense.
Carol has a Master’s Degree in Organizational
Leadership and Development. She had started writing in her earlies twenties and
gave up when she failed to win a contest. Once she retired from her
professional human resources job, she began to seriously pursue her dreams of
becoming a writer.
Carol celebrates over 50 years of marriage, has
two sons and five grandchildren ranging in age from five to twenty-one. She loves reading, music, nature, and
animals. Millie her golden doodle is always at her side.
She loves to read romance stories and is a Hallmark Junkie. My hobbies are sewing and reading as well as singing in her church choir.
Tell us about yourself.
Not much to tell. I have one novel published The Caretaker and a short story in the Mystic Desire Anthology. Married 51 years, two grown sons and five grandchildren. I like to read, write, sew, sing and have fun in between.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
In grade school when we were required to read the poem,
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
The imagery and beauty inspired me in a number of ways,
first I love trees and second I wanted to write words that would inspire others
and touch their hearts.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I enjoy reading Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, once in a while Erotic Romance and Mysteries. I write Contemporary and Romantic Suspense. I could see myself writing mystery.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Adults.
What is your current release or project?
Mystic Desire Anthology, I have a short story included Love that Binds. Early 2020 I’ll be ready to release Bought and Paid for Fiancé.
Tell us about the key characters.
Ianthee is a young girl, being chased and bullied by classmates. Ianthee is a quiet girl that loves nature.
Hauck is a sixteen-year-old boy, smart, handsome and
athletic. Yet a bit of a loner and has a tender heart. He comes to Ianthee’s rescue when she falls
in the mud.
Share an excerpt
Ianthee pulled the key from her pocket, picked up her bags, walked up
the front steps and unlocked the door. As she slowly pushed it inward it
squeaked. She heard scratching sounds and a few mice ran out the door. Well, at
least there was someone living in the house. She made a mental note to get a
cat.
Ianthee trailed her hand along the wall until she found the light switch
and flipped it on. Dim bulbs in ancient fixtures came on illuminating the rooms
with a dull glow. There were layers of cobwebs and mouse droppings everywhere.
The broom leaned on the hearth the way it always had. Picking it up she swatted
the cobwebs off the table and placed her bags on it. There was a chill in the
cottage and a musty smell that made her shiver. Ianthee left the door open and
used the broom to clear away more cobwebs around the hearth and into the
kitchen.
As she went about her work, she could hear the taunts of the girls
calling her ‘witch’. She’d sweep harder and faster working up a sweat. They
would not win this time, she vowed to herself.
She went outside to find a few branches to build a fire in the fireplace.
The cottage was inadequate, for now, but she would pull it together. The sun
had almost dipped below the horizon, but she managed to get the fire
going to heat a cauldron of water for washing up
In the meantime, she went upstairs and see if her bedroom
could be slept in. Her room was to the right and the ‘forbidden
room’ to the left. She turned and looked at the closed solid oak door. She
heard her grandmother’s voice replaying in her head, “You’re not permitted in
there. It’s where we mix the oil to give to those who need it. Some are
delicate and strong. I’ll teach you when you’re older.” But she never
had. They’d had to leave it all behind.
Ianthee tried the door, but it was locked. She ran to her bedroom and
retrieved a long pin she used to collect leaves and things. She knelt down in
front of the door and inserted the pin in the keyhole. She turned it one way
and then the other until she heard a click.
Holding her breath, she carefully opened the forbidden room door. The
door creaked as she pushed it back and with one foot in front of the
other stepped into a room covered with dust and cobwebs.
Measuring spoons, jars, and pipette on the table. The table and shelves heavy
with dust. Bottles of flowers, herbs, and liquids were neatly placed. Cob webs
hung in the corners of the room and she brushed away a cobweb hanging from the
ceiling and made her way over to the table.
When she was young, her grandmother had taken her to the woods and
gardens and told her about the different species of plants and flowers. She
remembered how when she and Gram touched them; the plants seemed to come to
alive in their hands.
On the table lay a leather journal with a ribbon sticking out at the
end. It was Grandma’s magical book containing recipes that Grandma had used to
heal people’s ailments. She remembered Grandma’s words about working in the
soil. She’d said that the plants took our energy, grew, and
then gave back life and healing. Curiosity about the magical book
consumed her.
Ianthee hesitated to pick it up for fear that the pages would
disintegrate. Instead, she let her fingers delicately caress the
front of the book. The sensation of someone with her in the room gave her
goosebumps as if granny herself was there.
She held the ribbon and eased the book open. The heat of excitement
bubbled up within her. Grandma used to tell her stories of a special love
potion. She had always believed it was fantasy and her grandmother
teasing her about love but there was also professional curiosity.
Ianthee flipped through a few pages and read in awe. Mrs. Trotter’s
bladder cancer showed signs of improvement after rubbing Frankincense on her
stomach as well as the pressure points at the bottom of her feet twice a day.
We also suggested she put 3 drops under her tongue. It tastes awful but does
her good. There were more cases, documented in Grandma’s careful hand.
Do you have a favorite scene?
I have several. I like the beginning when they meet. And the end because it takes them back to where they met.
What advice would you give a beginner?
No matter how hard the writing gets, the frustration, the lack of confidence… don’t give up.
Nicole Morgan, Desiree Holt, Krista Ames & Deelylah Mullin
Rhett Fortune settled on the small parcel of land he purchased in 1858 with
his wife Clara and founded the beautiful landscape that surrounded
his newly built home and what is now known as Fortune, TX. A veteran
of the United States Army and as a Colonel who served with honor in
the Mexican-American War, Rhett and Clara raised a large family. Sons
and daughters, and grandchildren to follow, their clan grew
throughout the decades.
Now in the 21st Century, two of their descendants remain at the helm.
Chance Fortune, a former member of the Army’s Delta Force and
co-founder of Soldiers of Fortune, has an innate duty to serve and
protect. Working with his brother, RJ Fortune, a former Navy SEAL and
wounded warrior, they take the cases that their government won’t.
And vow to protect the civilians that no one else can.
They have quietly put out the word and now, after three years, other
former brothers-in-arms have contacted them bringing situations that
span not only the country but the globe. On Fortune family land they
have built a facility out of the public eye for their office, a
helicopter, a gun range, and whatever else they might need.
They are the Soldiers of Fortune… and these are their stories.
Including:
Rogue’s Return by USA Today & Award Winning Author, Desiree Holt
Sacrifice by USA Today & International Bestselling Author, Nicole Morgan
Operation Unknown by International Bestselling Author, Krista Ames
Rage Against the Machine by International Bestselling Author, Deelylah Mullin
Nicole Morgan, Krista Ames, Deelylah Mullin, Joanne Jaytanie
Sacrifice: Part 2 by Nicole Morgan
Ever Since she entered the picture, his mission has changed.
Eddie Peterson’s mission had been to take down the nearly untouchable
drug lord, Rojas. Years of being underground, with no protection from
his country, he is left to fight off the cartel on his own. It was a
job he thought he could handle.
With Marissa Rojas nothing is simple. The only daughter of a ruthless drug
lord leaves little opportunity for a wholesome upbringing. Her life
is complicated and thanks to her bodyguard, Eddie, things are about
to get a whole lot tougher.
Now, it is no longer Eddie’s mission that is in jeopardy. It is their
very lives.
Operation Undercover by Krista Ames
Don’t get caught under the covers.
Killing Me Softlyby Deelylah Mullin
With only gunfire and each other to keep them company, can Jorden and Luke
save the innocents without complicating things?
When Jorden Mane met Luke Garrett, there weren’t wedding bells ringing,
choirs singing, nor fireworks exploding—unless you consider the
gunfire. But, as she got to know the mysterious man behind the stoic
facade, she fell for him. Hard.
But, it didn’t matter. They needed to get to find El Capitan—the
mastermind behind the decimation of the small villages they’d
encountered.
As Luke Garrett used his special ops training to defeat the bad guys, he
sensed a familiarity in the attacks—like they were the plans of a
previous mission leader or commanding officer.
Which made him shudder at every turn.
It also made him have to think outside-the-box with regard to defensive
tactics.
All of it made his head spin, but the constant was Jordan. He didn’t
know when or how it happened, but he’d grown to care for her.
Which was a bad, bad thing when they were on the outskirts of the law.
Will Jordan and Luke make it through the next siege? Can they keep their
feelings for one another out of the mix? Or will passion fuel the
flames of their survival?
Dogs of Fortune by Joanne Jaytanie
The Baker Corp. has recruited Blair Sellick, a nationally known dog
trainer with truly phenomenal skills, to provide exceptional training
for service dogs. The project would supply highly intelligent animals
as partners for victims of PTSD and other disabilities. Or would it?
The answer has disappeared along with Blair, her fellow dog trainers, and
all the dogs.
Ex-SEAL and canine handler Zane Kelly is done with war, with dogs, and with
the Soldiers of Fortune. Coerced, cajoled, and eventually intrigued,
Zane finally capitulates to the Soldiers of Fortune recruiters for
just one project, to find Blair Sellick. The mission is clear, the
dog trainers are dying, and nobody has heard from Blair for weeks.
Zane has failed only one mission, and that failure cost his canine
partner Axel his life.
This time Zane has no intention of leaving anyone behind.
Nicole Morgan is an international and USA Today bestselling author who
has been writing since 2009 and is an author of erotic romance
novels, which more often than not have a suspenseful back story.
Erotic romance mixed with good old-fashioned whodunit.
Deelylah Mulin is empty-nesting with her hubby, Mr. VampBard. When she’s
not reading or writing, she’s likely at the movies or finishing a
home improvement project.
Joanne Jaytanie writes romantic suspense and paranormal. A transplant
from upstate New York, Joanne lives with her husband and Doberman, on
the Olympic Peninsula with a panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains.
In her prior life Joanne showed dogs and managed her husband’s
forensic engineering firm.
With bills to pay, an orphaned niece to raise and her job on the line,
Gemma Fitzgibbons needs a front-page story in order to keep her job.
A serial killer and a corrupt detective, whose father was accused of
corruption, offer headline possibilities, but when she confronts Jack
Donahue, the detective is nothing like she expected.
Jack considers reporters to be bottom-feeders, and deep into the
investigation of a series of murders in which the victim is posed
with a wedding veil, he doesn’t have the time or inclination to
delve into the scandal that ruined his father’s career. But Gemma
won’t take no for an answer. Neither will she stop investigating
the Wedding Veil Killer. When she attracts the attention of the
killer, Jack is assigned to keep her safe. But Gemma isn’t about to
hide away. She intends to use the leads she’s developed to help him
track down the person responsible for the gruesome murders.
Torn between his dislike of reporters and his admiration for the smart,
sexy, reporter he’s drawn deeper into the scandal in his father’s
past–a scandal that someone will kill to keep hidden.
But, when Gemma uncovers secrets about the scandal, and her life is
threatened, Jack is determined to protect her. It’s also time to
make a choice–leave the past buried or fight for the future.
Kelsey Tremayne’s life unraveled in the summer of her 16th year when she
and a friend were abducted. She came out of the experience alive, but
without memories of her abduction and her friend was never found.
Rumors that she’d killed her friend in jealousy, and that she was
mentally unstable, started and eventually her parents moved her away
from Carville. Now, she’s back in Carville to settle her aunt’s
estate. However, someone is watching her, playing with her mind.
Could it even escalate to murder?
One man is willing to stand by her, protect her, and breach the barriers
that have guarded her heart for so long.
Sam Carmichael stays focused on the job and keeps his personal
interactions limited. The emotional instability of his wife and her
subsequent suicide have made him leery of getting deeply involved
with anyone. Even so, someone is targeting Kelsey Tremayne and the
roots go back twelve years to an abduction that was never solved. As
Sam is drawn deeper into the case, he can’t help admiring Kelsey’s
strength and compassion and he vows to do everything he can to find
the truth and bring her kidnapper to justice.
Can two people hurt by their pasts survive a criminal’s web to find a
future together?
Angie Rossi is a first grade teacher with a large Italian family that is
about to celebrate her grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary at a
resort in the snowy Catskill Mountains of New York. She’s wrangled
her neighbor into playing her date for the weekend. Only, when she
opens the door she finds Joe Vanetti, a nemesis from her childhood,
ready to be her escort.
Joe Vanetti is a cop intent on tracking down a jewel thief from his past.
He’s gotten word that his suspect will be at the hotel where
Angie’s grandparents are holding their celebration and where a
famous violinist with an equally famous emerald necklace is set to
perform. Joe persuades Angie to let him be her date. This Christmas
will be one neither will forget, assuming they live to see the day.
Zia Westfield creates suspenseful, exciting stories with romance at the
heart of them. There is nothing more thrilling than watching two
people fall in love despite the odds and the danger surrounding their
every move.
She makes her home in Tokyo with her husband and three sons. She holds a
full-time job, volunteers too much because she doesn’t know how to
say “no,” and generally finds peace.
Aurora Goldberg Stein is lost in grief. Her beloved husband, Jake Stein, has
just died in a tragic car accident and her sorrow is overwhelming.
But is this really the end? Perhaps, perhaps not. She hears his
voice. She sees his ghostly presence. She travels back in time to
another life with Jake. What is going on? What is the message?
Jake Stein, a dashing Texan, sweeps Aurora off her feet and changes her
life. A Brooklyn born actress, she moved to NYC and does temporary
work to pay her bills. On this particular assignment, she
accidentally meets Jake Stein, who is her dance with destiny. Leaving
everything she knows, she marries him and moves to Austin, Texas. No
longer struggling to make ends meet, Aurora wiles away her time bored
and lonely, and trying to recapture the excitement she once had with
this man. And then suddenly, it’s all over, her life, her future is
gone. Vanished are all her hopes and dreams.
But destiny comes in many forms, and when Aurora moves to a new house,
she discovers that the previous owner has never left. The ghostly
presence of Viola Parker looms large and becomes Aurora’s guide
through time revealing to her the mistakes she’s made with Jake Stein
through the centuries. This time, maybe this time, Aurora can get it right.
I get so much satisfaction in the writing process. I take care to
choose just the right word, to make sure each sentence has the right
cadence. I appreciate other writers who respect the craft in this
way, and I hope my readers do so with me. Writing is a need, a desire
for expression, and springs from well within my subconscious mind.
Thoughts rise up, scenes rise up and blend in with the over-arching
story. These thoughts emerge whenever they want to and wherever I am
and probably not when I am at the computer. The computer is for the
craft, the technique. The thoughts come during walks, or while
driving the car, or at the grocery store. I am the willing recipient
of these thoughts and so they seek me out. It’s a mystery this
business and art of writing and it keeps me enthralled.
Angel Nyx and I met through social media. She’s doing a beautiful thing – she’s put her book on sale for 99 cents and will be donating the proceeds for September and October to Breast Cancer Research Foundation!
Author Bio
Angel Nyx writes in multiple genres, including Paranormal, Contemporary, and Historical Romance, Romantic suspense, and Urban Fantasy. Her passion for literature was instilled in her at a young age when her mother read her fairy tale stories at bedtime. Her vivid imagination helps her get in tune with her characters to bring them to life for her readers.
She was once told that her ‘OCD is queen’ because it allows her to find errors in written word others miss. As a result, she has recently branched out to offer her proofreading services to other Indie authors.
When she’s not working or writing, she’s usually reading, gaming, listening to music, or finding new authors to fall in love with.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a mom, a Nana, and a furmomma, but don’t ask me which I
like more because I’ll plead the fifth! I like to call myself an OG Gamerchick
because I’ve been gaming since my daddy brought an Atari home way back in 1977.
I know, I know, I’m dating myself! Let’s see, I’m very outspoken about the
things that matter most to me, sometimes to the point that I have been called
blunt and abrasive, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, and I am unabashedly
retro. I’m a huge fan of Star Wars and Harry Potter and a lover of all things
LOTR. Part of my pen name comes from the tattoo I have on my left shoulder. It
says ‘Angel’ in Tengwar cursive, which is the script used on the One Ring in
LOTR. A lot of people, when they find out, are surprised to learn that I suffer
from marked hearing loss. I lost the hearing in my left ear at the age of three
and over the years the hearing in the right has gotten damaged due to having to
try to compensate.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve loved to write since I was a teenager. Back then I wrote poetry, and right before I started becoming a mom I wrote a book that was almost finished, but life happened and I lost everything I’d written. It took close to 30 years to finally pursue this dream, but I’m glad I finally did it.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I read a variety of genres. Paranormal romance, urban
Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Crime Thrillers, Murder
mysteries, even Horror. It all depends on my mood. The only genres I don’t
write in are crime thrillers, murder mysteries, and horror.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Adults. Definitely adults!
What is your current release or project?
Well, it’s not a current release, per se, as it came out in
February, but it’s a special project for me. I wrote Whispers of Hope as an
homage to the women and men—past, present, and future—who face breast
cancer and all that comes with it. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, I decided to put it on sale for 0.99 for September and october and
donate proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Tell us about the key characters
Emma Kaine, the heroine, is 26 when she learns she has
breast cancer. Her grandmother died from breast cancer and her aunt had to have
a double mastectomy. Needless to say, Emma is freaked. In her professional
life, she has to be in control at all times, but in her personal life she prefers
to give up control. As a result, she is a member of Club Equinox, a kink club.
There is one Dom she has always been attracted to but, because she’s curvy and
she’s only ever seen him with petite blondes, she thinks she doesn’t stand a
chance with him. She couldn’t be more wrong.
Griffin Frost, the hero, is the Dom Emma is attracted to, He
tends to be a heavy-handed player so he doesn’t play with a sub who has little
to no experience. This is the only reason he’s never approached Emma. it’s not
until the perfect opportunity presents itself that he does so, and when he
finds out about her diagnosis, he vows to be at her side through it all.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Club Equinox – Where your darkest desires are met!
Emma Kaine
Strong, independent and
successful in her professional life, in her personal life, Emma prefers to
submit. When she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, the same disease that took her
grandmother at a young age, her world
crumbles. Through her submission, she learns to lean on those around her and
realizes that maybe she really can have it all.
Griffin Frost
A long-time member, and Dominant, at Club Equinox, Griffin knows exactly what he wants. What he wants is Emma. When her world is turned upside down and she needs someone the most, he won’t let anyone else be the one to hold her. When cancer threatens to take her from him, will their love be enough to see them through?
Share an excerpt.
The fear in Emma’s voice, the terror in her eyes, had me reaching
for her. I pulled her close and just held her. “You’re not going to die, Emma.
And you’re not going to have to face this alone.” I could feel her shaking as
my arms enfolded her and it brought my protective nature to the forefront. I just
wanted to take care of her and make her feel safe.
“I
know. I’ll have Kate, but…”
“I’m
not talking about Kate. I’m talking about me. I’ll be right there, holding your
hand, every step of the way.”
“I
can’t ask you to do that, Griffin.”
“You’re
not asking me to. I’m offering. I’m not letting you face this battle alone.” My
hand lifted to caress her cheek. “We’ll get through it together.” There was no
way in hell I was letting her face this battle by herself.
“I’m
still not sure I understand this. You’ve never – not a single time – shown any
interest in me before.”
“That’s
where you’re wrong. You’ve just never noticed it before, Emma. I’ve watched you
from day one.”
“I’ve
been coming here for five years. Why now? If you’ve watched me for so long, why
did it take you five years to make your move?”
“I’ve
been in the scene for almost two decades, Beautiful. I learned, over the years,
that I can often be too intense for those who don’t have any experience playing
with others. I made the decision to not play with inexperienced submissives. To
not get involved with a woman who has
little to no experience.” There was a reason behind that but tonight wasn’t the
time to get into it.
“What
changed?”
“You’ve
gotten some experience. I watched the scenes you and Seth have done. I know you
can handle my intensity.”
“I
can handle anything you can dish out.”
The
cheeky grin she gave me made me chuckle. “That’s my girl.”
“Your
girl? I think I kinda like that idea.”
“If
you want to be. There is a lot for us to discuss. What do you say we get you
dressed and get out of here? We can go somewhere neutral and talk things over.”
“That
sounds like a great idea.”
There was a sincerity in her voice that told me she was being
genuine. It was so damn refreshing.
Do you have a favorite scene?
I think my favorite scene in the book is one that takes
place after the heroine, Emma, has had a double mastectomy. When she looks at
herself, she doesn’t see a beautiful woman anymore. She’s dealing with so many
emotions from the surgery, along with recovering from chemo and radiation, and
the hero, Griffin, decides that he needs to show her she is still beautiful to
him. He does it by loving her, by touching her with reverence. it’s such a
moving scene.
What advice would you give a beginner?
First, don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are no dumb
questions, because we have all been there at some point. Second, find your
tribe. For some of us, that can take awhile, but you need to find those people—fellow
authors as well as fans—who will have your back. Third, learn
everything you can. This goes back to asking questions, but there is more to it
than that. If you’re writing about a specific area/culture, research. If you’re
using a language you don’t speak yourself, DO NOT use google to translate it.
Find someone in the writing community who knows the language. Otherwise, you
risk having incorrect translations and angry readers.
Don’t be afraid to step outside the box when
deciding to write about a particular trope. When I decided to write my shifter
series, I knew I wanted to focus on them as people first, shifters second. This
isn’t the norm among shifter books. They tend to be more animalistic. It was
the same with my Mafia series. My mobsters aren’t cold, unfeeling monsters.
They’re vicious toward their enemies, but with their families and the women
they love they’re loyal and passionate. I also did this with my demons in my
Hellfire series.
Also, you don’t have to ‘write what you
know’, but write what you love. If your passion is in reverse harem, write it.
Do you love MM or menage? Write it! Don’t be afraid to let your passions guide
you!
Stranded on the side of a highway, Dani, a young fashion designer and IT
expert, calls to reschedule an important interview, only to discover
that her future boss is in the hospital. Nicholas, playboy and heir
to Galfrey’s, can’t help but be intrigued by the young woman’s
voice on the phone and races to her rescue.
Attraction is immediate and mutual, but whereas Nicholas has never waited for
anything in his life, Dani quickly dampens his enthusiasm by refusing
to be rushed into a casual liaison.
Sams is handsome, ambitious, and rich, but also self-centred, with huge
self-entitlement issues, manipulative, and believes Dani belongs to
him. A master programmer, he is also no fool and realises that he is
about to lose what he has never had; Dani, and so begins a dangerous
stalking game. It is up to Dani not only to outsmart Sams, but also
save Galfrey’s and herself, as Sams is the keeper of a secret,
which he hopes will coerce her into submitting to his twisted desires.
Benjamin Powell believes
he has begun an empire. He has three sons and owns the most
successful construction company. But it all begins to crumble when he
chooses to manipulate their lives. Twenty-seven years later, the
consequences of his decisions are still being felt.
Three women enter this world and fall in love with the Powell men
– Sofia, Christie,and Gloria –
they will suffer, fight, win, and lose. Can one or all find their way
back to happiness; whether with the man she loves, or with someone else?
After losing her mother to cancer, Gabrielle swears off love. Because
loving hurts too much when things go wrong. Then, she travels to
Africa to meet her father – a man whose existence she was oblivious
to. Before long, there is also a baby sister to look after, and
intuitively she knows that she needs to protect her. Promptly, there
is another tragedy, and more than ever, Gabrielle realises how wise
she is to lock away her heart. But that was before she met Jonathan
Knight, a man who amuses and confuses her, and Paul, his best friend,
who is just as smart and funny. Through an unfortunate sequence of
events, she finds herself in a troublesome situation, but being who
she is, she tries to handle it alone, unwittingly sinking into a
morass of danger. A solution comes in the form of Paul, who makes a
harebrained suggestion, which Jonathan – for reasons of his own –
grabs and presents her with the providential arrangement.
Instinctively, she declines the proposal, but Jonathan is persuasive
and paints a wonderful picture of security. She accepts out of need,
but soon, Jonathan’s ulterior motives unravel, and nothing is as it
should be. But she can’t disclose the truth, for her secret could
undo the safe future she is trying to create for her little sister.
When Jessie meets John at college, they begin a friendship that should
have never happened, for the Stevens and Barrymores parted ways 60
years ago, under acrimonious circumstances.
Then, John complicates things further by taking her to the family home and
hiding her identity from his family. She meets his three brothers,
and soon finds herself embroiled in four very different
relationships.
Which one will be the love of her life? James, the heir to the Barrymore
fortune. Mathew, the heartbreaker. Mark, the one who gives her
sleepless night, or John, her best friend?
But can anything meaningful come out of these fateful encounters, when it
has all been started on the shaky ground of subterfuge?
Athina Paris lives in South Africa but spent her formative years in
Mozambique, where she was born and went to school. Years in convents
and boarding schools prompted a deep curiosity and the need to
liberate her mind, which quickly developed into an avid interest in
reading and storytelling and led to a lifelong obsession with the
written word and books. By fifteen she had read most of the classics,
discovered ancient civilizations and became fascinated with various
mythologies; a love she has kept to this day.
Raised in a culture where meddling is seen as ‘caring’, she became a
spectator of human nature. Quiet and shy, she preferred recording
conduct rather than participating in what she calls familial mass
hysteria, and so built a treasure-trove of relationship observations
from which she eventually drew backgrounds for the characters in her
romantic novels.
She studied Interior Design, but soon felt the pull of her dormant talent
and turned to Creative Writing, as she realised the significance of
those notebooks packed with ideas. She soon followed it with
Scriptwriting.
Set in faraway and exotic places, Athina’s epic romantic work takes her
characters on voyages of self-discovery while dealing with
catastrophic love lives and an imperfect world.
A stint as a high school English teacher polished her skills. However,
she has recently vacated the position to concentrate on her
professional goals of writing, editing and proofreading.
Kimberly and I met on a group and had a wonderful conversation off the group with both of discussing different options for marketing.
Author Bio
Kimberly’s first book, Finding Kylie, was published
in 2008. It received numerous positive reviews and was converted into a
screenplay, with the help of award-winning film producer, John Schwab.
They are now in the process of making their final edits before
hitting the film market.
Currently, Kimberly is getting ready to release the third book in the spiritual gifts series. Blind Instincts should release by the end of 2020. Kimberly also has a new faith-based script she’s shopping out called ‘Miss Givings.’
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a military brat who has lived overseas and from coast to coast. I’ve been in Oklahoma City for close to 30 years. I’m happily married with one son. I’m a screenwriter as well as an author.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I have been a storyteller since I could pick up a crayon and draw. I knew I wanted to be an author when I won the ‘best author’ award for my school district when I was asked to enter a writing contest by my teacher. I wrote my first book, won the award, and was hooked.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I prefer clean reads without graphic sex scenes or too much language. I love romantic suspense and contemporary romance. I enjoy a good mystery from time to time. I am a multi-genre author, so yes, I also write romantic suspense. I also write Christian fiction, paranormal romance, and family saga. My latest release also falls into the action-adventure category.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
My books are for those that are 16+
What is your current release or project?
My WIP is the third book in my Spiritual Gifts Series. Blind Instincts is halfway done but by no means close to being done. We all know we will write, re-write and write again. I also have three original scripts that I’ve been shopping out. One of my books is optioned which means it’s under contract for a film but still hasn’t found funding yet. It may get produced – or it may not. Either way, it’s an honor that someone wanted to try.
Tell us about the key characters
Agent Anderson Evans is the All American male, yet under all the layers he’s built for himself he is tender-hearted. If I had to give him a motto – it would be ‘I’ll die trying.’ He’s hardworking, thrives off adrenaline, and truly loves his job. He and his partner are more like brothers, and he loves his family as every good son should. Savannah Miles is a feisty ‘I am female hear me roar’ girl with a soft spot for the underdog. She’s tough but tender but doesn’t let most people in to know that about her. She’s a successful entrepreneur with a secret penchant for singing and is as directionally challenged as they come.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
After awakening from a coma, Agent Anderson Evans struggles to see things clearly as visions plague him throughout the day. The only way to distance himself from his premonitions is to ride cross-country, where he is free from the intermittent flashes that appear from the occasional touch in the crowd. If only he could avoid the reoccurring vision of a woman struggling to survive, but she haunts him as if calling to him.
Savannah Miles never expected that by taking on another bridal client, she’d be signing her death warrant. She soon finds herself caught up in an elaborate underworld that has her fleeing for her life under the dark of night. After barely escaping with her life, Savannah calls her cousin for help, who arranges for a bodyguard. Only she didn’t expect anyone like Anderson and didn’t have a clue that the two of them would be in over their heads.
Could Anderson’s visions become the divine intervention they need to overcome the curse in their lives? Or will the pair run out of luck, out of time, and find themselves at a dead-end?
Share an excerpt
Savannah would never forget the day she stepped into the dimly lit club. The music vibrated so loudly, it pulsated within her chest as well as everywhere else throughout her body.
A bright purple haze illuminated the stage as a young girl who couldn’t have been more than seventeen, slid to her knees to give the front row a show. When Savannah saw her, her mouth dropped.
“See something you like?” She heard a raspy voice from behind.
Although he intended to sneak up on her, the stench of stale beer and cigars gave him away. Savannah spun to face him, thinking he must have been at least seven feet tall. His square jaw and crooked nose gave him the appearance of an extreme fighter.
“No. I’m here for Jade.” Savannah cleared her throat.
When he said nothing in reply, Savannah pursed her lips and waited. His gaze slid down her body as if he were memorizing every detail.
Her first instinct was to flee to her car for safety, but she stood her ground, refusing to let him intimidate her.
Finally, he nodded toward a dark hallway to the left. “Back there. Third door on the right. Don’t enter the one on the left. It’s off-limits.”
Savannah nodded and backed away, eager to put as much distance between them as possible. As she turned toward the back of the club, he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.
Do you have a favorite scene?
I have many favorite scenes. Because Anderson is a spy – I had to create all sort of fantastic gadgets and figure out how they applied to the storyline. Each scene where I inserted something that was completely made up but could be a reality became my favorite scene. Invent something new and inserting into a storyline was so fun.
What advice would you give a beginner?
To never give up! And when the time is right – and you’re just about ready to publish find a set of beta-readers to help you polish, give you critical feedback, and push you to get better.
A virgin librarian with hot-chick potential, the conflicts in her story
won’t let you put the book down. Be prepared for an all-nighter…
She watches the mob kill her twin and is too frozen with fear to stop
them. How can she live with that cowardice eating away at her
self-respect? Revenge claws at her sheltered existence until she
can’t breathe. Though she’s naïve, she isn’t stupid. When she
finds a stash of loot in her brother’s gym locker, she has the means.
Now all she needs is the guts to make every one of those low-life gang
members pay.
People might think detectives are hard-assed cops with no home life, but
Trace McGuire has a dying mom he loves fiercely. Already stressed
over his personal problems, he takes a bullet for a virgin beauty
hiding while mobsters shoot her brother.
This chick draws out every protective instinct he thought had
disintegrated over years on the job and he becomes invested – in
her hot body, her plans for retaliation and her fighting spirit.
Helpless, he watches her enter the seedy underworld that’ll eat her alive.
Cassidy Santino is closing in on the mobsters who murdered her brother and
there’s no way she’s giving up her quest for revenge. She’s
working at a seedy bar where the gang members hang out so she can dig
up information that might lead to finding his killers. When jealous
hookers and sleazy barmaids try forcing her to leave, she fights
back. For the love of an old rascal who owns the neighborhood gym,
she helps train his protégé in the boxing ring. For her sanity, she
clings to her relationship with the one man who makes life worth living..
Detective Trace McGuire loses his mother, the person who’s meant everything
to him until Cassidy Santino explodes into his life. This chick’s
got him so tied up that he’s willing to shirk responsibilities in
his job and cut her slack for interfering in his investigation. But,
when Cassidy keeps putting herself in danger from the lunatic who
owns the bar where she works. That’s where he draws the line. He’s
determined to protect her, even if she fights him every damn inch of
the way. And man… can this girl fight!
Cass is determined to find the female who was there the night the gang
murdered her brother. If the missing woman turns out to be the
killer, then she has to pay. Walking the nightly tightrope at the bar
where she’s employed, staying out of the clutches of the she-devil
boss who wants her, and dealing with the L.A. scumbag who’s taken a
dislike to her, the battles are constant. One thing she can’t bear
to lose – the affections of the detective whose patience with her
stubbornness is fragile. When he’s taken hostage, life goes into an
even deeper spiral of conflicts and tension.
Detective Trace McGuire can’t bear to watch the love of his life being sucked
into the darkness and dysfunction of the Lipstick Club where she
bartends. He wants her free of the nightmare and goes to great
lengths to make it happen. But when they take him prisoner, how can
he help her?
The challenges that Cassi faces in this last book are enormous. Trace has
been kidnapped, and every passing day destroys her hope that he’s alive.
The US Featherweight Champion seeks revenge in a rematch that Cassi
refuses to even talk about. But she worries how her rejection will
affect Arlene and Rusty.
The female witness of her brother’s murder is still at large. Always in
the back of Cassi’s mind is the craving to learn the truth and
finally get her revenge.
The Vegas mob she works for is entangled in a gang war, and patrons of
the Lipstick Club become even more dysfunctional. She’s forced to
hide from the crazy-assed, she-devil gang boss who wants her and is
closing in.
All Cassi yearns for is that Trace will soon come back to her – alive.
Trace faces his imprisonment with an intense determination to break free –
but how? His cell is impregnable. Every waking moment, he’s filled
with the need to get back to Cassi. Though the girl fights like a
hellion, she’s as soft-hearted as an angel, and he can’t stand
the thought that he might die before ever seeing her again.
Visualizing her world of turmoil and danger, he won’t give up.
Hooker turned nanny, Faith Whitely, known to her johns as Sunshine, has
struggled to be a decent person all her life. And her options were
never the same as the good girls in town. Growing up with a sick
mother and limited resources, she does the best she can until a man
she loves dies in a violent, intolerable situation where she blames
herself. Then her world crumbles into drugs and self-hate. She’s
saved by the sound of a baby’s cry, an unmanageable child who she
bonds with and then needs as much as she wants his daddy.
Any luck Steven Corella has with the women in his life has been all bad.
Sensitive, a man who works in a job unsuited to his inner nature, he
manages to fool the world. When he finds he’s to become a daddy,
the tough-guy personality he’s been portraying all along turns
real. He hardens his heart and hides behind thick walls of protection
he’s carefully erected. And then Sunshine enters his world, and
nothing makes sense anymore.
Leni Santino’s happy life turns upside down from five words uttered
carelessly, “Sergio Mandalas killed your cousin.”
Stunned speechless, her heart closes and the hard facade she’d warn in the
past returns. Everything she loves becomes meaningless.
While her wonderful Mani, the man who gave up his future for her, died
senselessly, how can she carry on, knowing his killer walks free?
When her long-lost mother, a woman she’d never met, appears to warn her
that a blackmailer has found out the family secret, everything spins
unbearably out of control.
Detective Mike Kowalski loves the spirited boxing chick in every way a man can
idolize his woman. But he feels her slipping away. With the help of
their friends, he tries to keep her safe. In the end, the choices
were hers to make. All he could do was stand by and watch…
Mimi is an incredibly busy NYT and USA Today award-winning, best-selling
author who has seven series to her credit. The Vicarage Bench Series
– Spirit/Time -Travel tales that have a surprising twist / The
Angels with Attitude Series – Angels Love Romance / The Elvis
Series – Make an Elvis song a book / Vegas Series – 6 books full
of romantic suspense, humor and gritty conflicts / and… the
fast-paced, edgy, humorous, romantic suspense, Undercover FBI Series
/The Holiday Heatwarmer Series – puppies become cupids. And the
latest, explosive Mob Tracker Series – six books full of conflicts
and characters you’ll hate to leave.
Mimi lives on the East coast of Vancouver Island with her husband and
writes her various romances with tongue in cheek and a mad glint in
her eye. She’s been known to say: “If I can steal a booklover’s
attention away from their every-day grind, absorb them into a fantasy
love story, and make them care about the ending, then I’ve done my job.”
**1st place prize of the 2015 – Chanticleer Reviews – Clue Awards. Special Agent Francesca
**A TOUCH OF PASSION, has just become the 2016 WINNER of The Romance
Reviews Readers’ Choice Awards.
Eddie Morgan, the Harley-riding owner of Manhattan mega-club Beyond
Paradise, has a secret. Illegal, underground cage fighting in dingy
basements. It keeps the dark days of addiction at bay and quiets the
static in his brain.
Paige Drake, New York heiress to the Drake Hotel dynasty has one last
chance to prove her worth in the family business. Upgrade the
outdated hotel bars.
When a dinner party from hell throws these total opposites together their
tantalizing teasing and sparring words awaken deep feelings neither
one knew existed.
Even though the Long Island socialite is way out of Eddie’s league, he
can’t resist the challenge, and soon Paige finds herself zooming
out of her buttoned-up life on the back of Eddie’s Harley. He
agrees to help Paige with her business venture but soon realizes that
her club promoter is a member of a vicious Russian drug cartel using
Paige’s bars as a front for their drug operation.
Is Eddie willing to throw himself back into a life that nearly destroyed
him to save Paige? And is Paige willing to face the seedier side of
Eddie’s world and accept his gritty methods of dealing with the
cartel?
Eddie and Paige’s story twists and turns as two divergent people struggle
to find common ground in a world where rules do not apply.
Jonny Vallone, the dark, brooding owner of Manhattan nightclub, Beyond
Paradise, doesn’t need any more complications in his life, or
women. Then savvy con artist Cheryl Benson, barges into his office
and spits out a confession that would make most men run for cover.
Cheryl’s fast-paced, out-of-control life is closing in, and her only hope
against a ruthless crime boss is bad boy Jonny and his powerful
connections. Her knight in black Brioni has a body made for sin with
enough baggage to fill a 747, but when a near-fatal attack throws the
two together, they implode in a night of steamy, sheet-gripping passion.
Jonny can’t resist the beautiful blonde with the pleading green eyes plus
he has his own agenda with the underworld thug who owns a piece of
his soul.
Their wild ride whisks them from the high-powered glitz of Manhattan to the
sultry beaches of Miami in a desperate attempt to break free of their
shady pasts while trying to tame their fiery passion and the
dangerous deceptions swirling around them.
Barbara Nolan has enjoyed writing most of her life. She became serious about her craft
over the last five years.
Coming a bit late to the game, Barbara made up for lost time by acquiring her Certificate
in Creative Writing from NYU and devouring any and all webinars and online courses available.
She’s also had the help and influence of many talented professors and editors along the
way.
Her passion for reading and words, in general, make this a journey of love. There is
nothing she would rather be doing than reading or sitting at the
computer writing and editing.
She considers reading a luxury and writing a necessity.
