I'm fangirling here. I love LOVE this series. Ms. Centeno has such a vivid world where two people are kept apart by more than differences, but their own secrets. This latest story, like her first in the series, Secrets of the Moon, is told from Marjorie's point of view and gives us some details on her thoughts and feelings as well as the cliffhanger about Kyran's twin. But I'll let her book tell you the rest....

Blurb:
During her darkest hour, will she find the courage to seek the light?

Marjorie has eluded both capture and death yet again, but her days are numbered. The old threat has resurfaced to endanger everyone she cares for and only a forged alliance with a member of royal blood will guarantee their safety and hers.

However, in the midst of accepting who she is, Marjorie has to come to terms with the fact that those she considered friends may be anything but, and the mother she thought dead may have been missing against her will.

A relationship in turmoil, a storm brewing in the distance, a shattered tranquility...will she find the courage to save her loved ones even if that means losing her humanity?

Excerpt:
I sat on the edge of Kyran’s bed, with the huge book containing historical facts about the ValKhazar family on my lap, turning page after page, skimming through the contents of the first 100 pages. A lot of the written material was in reference to the queen, Ellora ValKhazar. Apparently, she was the one suspected of passing down her genetic differences to her descendants. Beginning with her sons Dorian and the infamous, Lykos.

In reality, I was only reading about Ellora because I was trying not to turn to the page where my mother’s painted portrait supposedly was. After Bray shared one of the many memories he had of Mom, I was more than a little hesitant.

Seeing it would confirm what I already suspected. Bray was being truthful. Mom was his cousin, granddaughter of the queen herself. Denying our bloodline seemed pointless. Chances that Mom kept her identity secret along with mine in order to protect me—well, that was something a concerned, caring mother would do for a child.

Did she leave to protect me? Or was I trying to cover the sun with one finger?

Deep down I wanted to believe her departure had everything to do with this war brewing and her need to protect her only child, but doubts filled my head with all kinds of different scenarios and what if’s.

Alone, I could finally release some of the pent up anger and frustration I’d been feeling for a while now. My mother? An immortal descendant of a royal werewolf family? Of all the scenarios I’d imagined, this had honestly never crossed my mind as being the reason why she abandoned me.



Am I right? You want to buy it! Here's the links:
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
B&N
Kobo

And here's some information on Kristy Centeno, if you want to bug her about what happens next.....or ask her to keep writing more!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kristy Centeno is an author of paranormal romance, young adult, new adult, horror, and contemporary romance.

She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. In her journey to create memorable reads, she has delved into several genres, creating fictional characters meant to entice readers and captivate the mind.

She is currently working on finishing off the Secrets of the Moon saga among other projects, which include sequels to her published work. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.

Website: http://booksbycenteno.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KristyCenteno
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KrissyGirl122
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KristyCenteno
Blog: http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/kristycenteno
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/kristycenteno/
Skillpages: http://www.skillpages.com/kristy.centeno
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/krissygirl122/

Alistair is the last of the Shrivers, the Church's elite core of confessors. An emotionless killer, he confesses and executes his marks without mercy.

Raised in an atmosphere of luxury and wealth and a member of the Lilith brood, Saryl wants for nothing more than a night of freedom from the stifling rules of Stygian etiquette -- until she meets a dark and lethal man from the mortal realm...Her executioner.

Something goes terribly wrong and now as danger closes in on all sides, the forbidden attraction between Alistair and Saryl proves hard to resist... A passion that could doom them both.
Release date worldwide: 11/20/15



Doesn't this look like an amazing story?? Can't wait to see more!

I love anthologies because it's a great way to meet new to you authors and fall in love with their characters, writing and stories. I asked two of the authors in this anthology just three questions. Here's their responses.....

LD Blakely
1. What makes a man an alpha?

To me an Alpha man is someone who's completely comfortable in his own skin. He's passionate and driven about everything he does and everyone he cares about. He’s clever, honest, and never afraid to own up to his faults. An Alpha man definitely has a dominant personality, but he's not domineering – a distinction that is of utmost importance.

2. Are all men able to be alphas?

Absolutely. What makes a man an Alpha comes from within. Although we do tend to picture the stereotypical Alpha male as a towering, muscle-bound figure, there’s no reason at all that a man who’s shorter of stature and slighter (or stouter, for that matter) of figure can’t also embody what makes an Alpha.

3. Why do women love alphas?

Because there really isn’t anything in the world that’s more sexy than confidence. A man who is comfortable and secure with who he is isn’t going waste time trying to prove himself – you either love him, or you don’t. But let’s be honest, you probably do ;-)

Destined by L.D. Blakeley

Caleb Stokes has had a shit night. Too bad catching his boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the club DJ isn't the worst thing he’ll witness before the night is through.

Marick Gevrees has no time for romance. He has even less time for a tipsy twink looking for a man to fill some Daddy fetish. But what the hell is he supposed to do when said twink wanders head-long into the middle of a bloody vendetta that could result in the exposure of his clan?  


Excerpt 1:

Without another thought, Caleb turned and ran back toward the big, black truck. The sounds of ripping flesh and carnage were all he could hear as he ducked down and crawled beneath the truck, hoping it would provide some kind of shelter.

Jesus Christ! When he’d bitterly wished ill on Anthony and his new boy toy, this sure as fuck wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

Terror and the night air had double-teamed Caleb with a ghastly chill and he couldn’t quell the uncontrollable shiver that now wracked his body. He hadn’t been to church in years, but Caleb was seriously contemplating prayer. Surely someone would come out and find him. He wriggled around enough to grab his cell phone from his pocket to check the time. 1 am. Dammit. Another hour until last call. What the hell was he going to do? Call 911? Yes! Call 911. Cops carried guns. Guns could shoot whatever the hell that thing was and Caleb could go the fuck home.

As he swiped the phone to wake it up and dial, Caleb heard a high-pitched feral yelp followed by… nothing. The hellish noises had stopped. Was the creature gone? Could he--oh fuck! Caleb held his breath as he saw the sturdy gait of the animal as it crept toward the truck. He could only see its legs and its dark, dangerous claws, but he didn’t need to see more to know this wasn’t going to end well. A loud thump drummed overhead and the truck’s heavy shocks groaned.

Jesus Christ! Was that a body?

Caleb screwed his eyes shut and started that prayer.

“You can get out from under my truck, now.”

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

Jocelyn Drex
1. What makes a man an alpha?

Traits I relate with alpha males are dominance, assertiveness, confidence, protectiveness, passion. They are strong leaders and will stop at nothing to get what they want and to protect the people they love. They are men who take charge and have your best interests at heart.

2. Are all men able to be alphas?

I think our basic personalities are pretty much ingrained in us. So, if you are naturally a beta man, I’m thinking it would be difficult to suddenly switch.

3. Why do women love alphas?

Well, some don’t. Ha. The ones who do, I think maybe it’s the knight-in-shining-armor fantasy. A man who can sweep you off your feet, save you, protect you, do things to you in the bedroom no beta would dream of doing. I could be wrong though.

Let’s ask your readers… Why do you love alpha males?


Alpha’s Vixen by Jocelyn Dex
Dax is overwhelmed by desire when he catches the white fox trespassing on his land, and that totally pisses him off. He refuses to mate, no matter how much the fox inside him wants it, Dax definitely does not.

Opal is instantly enamored with the menacing black fox, but isn’t surprised when he chases her away—no one ever wants her, the freak-of-nature albino.

When theft and violence bring them together again, will they give in to passion, or will their hang-ups force them apart?

BAD ALPHAS Anthologies

Two Multi-Author Anthologies

from Evernight Publishing

Bad Alpha features a select collection of stories with shifters so ruthless they will stop at nothing to protect their pack. These aren't sugar-and-spice heroes. Our alphas are feared, inked, and don’t ask questions first. They take what they want, never give in to their enemies, and think love is for the weak—until they meet their mate. Are you ready to learn how to tame a savage heart?
***
Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition features a select collection of stories with shifters so ruthless they will stop at nothing to protect their pack. These aren't sugar-and-spice heroes. Our alphas are feared, inked, and don’t ask questions first. They take what they want, never give in to their enemies, and think love is for the weak—until they meet their mate. Are you ready to learn how to tame a savage heart?

Buy links: 
Bad Alpha    Amazon

 Bad Alpha Man Love    Amazon

*   *   *   *   *

Bad Alpha Regular Edition:

 “For Blood” by J.R. Gray

The only way to end the war and stop the bloodshed is to marry the enemy. Every fiber of Roman wants to hate Victoria, but the more he sees, the more he craves her. Can he fight their past demons to be with her?

“Destiny Realized” by Khloe Wren

Leonardo has been the clan's alpha for 300 years. Ruling his people has always been his one and only priority. Until he, along with his brother and sister, stop at a broken down car near their home in the Flinders Ranges on the edge of Outback Australia. The woman they rescue turns both Leo and, his brother, Valentino's lives upside down. A mate was the last thing Leo wanted, and everything Val had ever hoped for.

Felicia is on the run. Again. Her baby's daddy broke her daughter's arm the last time he caught up with them so she's desperate to stay ahead of him. But her car breaks down and trouble finds her. A killer takes advantage of her failing vehicle and she fears all is lost for her and her little girl, until another car stops and she finds herself in a whole new world where she may just have found the future she's always wanted but never dreamed she'd have.

“Exiled Alpha” by Amber Morgan

Rachel Jacobs is a wolf on a mission. To save her pack from destruction, she's turning to the werewolf who nearly destroyed it once before. Arkady Gusev is everything her father ever warned her against - so why does she find him so irresistible?

Arkady Gusev isn't looking for a pack or a woman. But when Rachel walks through his door, she throws down a challenge he can't resist. Is this exiled alpha about to come home?

“Drakon’s Prize” by Moira Callahan

Being the Alpha of a misfit clan of Dragons comes with its share of troubles. When the supernatural Council comes to Drakon Blackwood with yet another false claim against his clan he knows it’s time to make someone pay. Preferably with their life.

Allegra Hanson doesn’t work for the Council, and yet she’s been roped into assisting them in their investigation into the Blackwood clan’s supposed activities. Against her better judgment she goes to the clan’s lands to do what she can. What she never planned on was her visceral reaction to the Alpha.

The Blackwood clan land is valuable. Not for its location, but for what lies beneath the earth’s surface. Many will do anything to get it, one will stop at nothing, and is willing to kill Drakon’s woman to get it. Allegra is his, and there’s no way Drakon will lose the most precious prize of all.

“Tiger’s Mate” by April Zyon

Streak politics, and differences in opinions forced Kurt Owens to choose his own path. While it may be outside of the law in many regards he sees it as ensuring justice for the true victims of crimes when the system fails them. It’s his way of seeing the guilty pay, and keeping his own inner beast in check with the violence, and blood it craves.

Everyone thinks having a super power would be great. Alexa Harold would beg to differ. She’s been cursed to see ghosts, the dead not yet having gone to their final resting place, or judgment, or wherever they belong. They track her down, and harass her until she’s ready to go mad. Learning early in life what she needs to avoid has been the only saving grace in keeping her sanity intact.

Then she sees a man who couldn’t possibly be real. It was just her luck that such a prime specimen would in fact be deceased. Only he isn’t, and he’s taking notice of her. With a little temptation, some mystery, and a taunt he leaves her wanting more.

Kurt never thought he’d find his mate outside of the streak, or streak functions. While those of a supernatural inclination aren’t exactly rare, they have had to be careful and keep their population down. Alexa is the woman for him the only one he could ever want or need. And when her life is put in danger by his own past Kurt won’t stop until everyone understands to get to this tiger’s mate, they’ll have to get through him.

“Dark Heart” by Elyzabeth M. VaLey

The world is changing. Vampires are coming out and they’re not remotely similar to the sensual Hollywood portrait made of them. Little by little, Shifters are being unmasked and integration is waning. Panic is spreading. The government is losing control. Private agencies, such as SOA struggle to find a solution, but as the darkness grows, can one even exist?

Ten years ago, Daryl Jones lost his pack to a group of demon vampires. Since then, he not only lost his will to battle for good, his life has become a spiral of drinking, fighting and fucking anything in sight. In his opinion, a pretty perfect existence. Until, he meets the new SOA representative sent to convince him to go back to the lab. With mile long legs, a tight little ass and a smile to kill for, when she offers him a bargain, how can he possibly refuse?

Silvia Adams, has one mission: convince Daryl Jones to work for SOA again. The agency needs him to get back into the lab and help develop a serum to neutralize the growing number of vampires. She knew it wouldn’t be easy task, but with her job on the line, she’ll do anything it takes, including, bargaining with the shifter and surrendering to her deepest desires. Only problem is, she might have bartered for more than she can handle.

“Resisting His Mate” by Lynn Burke

Warrick Keaton eludes a forced pairing with one of his kind. No one is going to choose his mate for him, not when he wants nothing to do with being tied down to a woman. He never expects fate to intervene in the form of a freezing, barely alive female. With his independence in jeopardy, Warrick fights his inner hawk's desire to stake a claim on her.

Clare Byron longs to escape her domineering ex-husband, a jealous bear shifter determined to keep her prisoner. She seizes the opportunity to run and lands in the arms of another alpha—exactly what she doesn’t want or need.

For Warrick, Clare is everything he's ever wanted in a mate and all that he's run from.

For Clare, Warrick is freedom in a way she never dreamed possible—the one man who will own her heart yet give her wings to fly.


“Alpha’s Vixen” by Jocelyn Dex

Dax is overwhelmed by desire when he catches the white fox trespassing on his land, and that totally pisses him off. He refuses to mate, no matter how much the fox inside him wants it, Dax definitely does not.

Opal is instantly enamored with the menacing black fox, but isn’t surprised when he chases her away—no one ever wants her, the freak-of-nature albino.

When theft and violence bring them together again, will they give in to passion, or will their hang-ups force them apart?

“Always Midnight” by Ashlynn Monroe

Taryne Michael is all her younger brother Travys has ever had for stability. When fifteen-year-old Trav doesn’t come home after he fights with her she spends the next week searching for him. He finally comes home he’s not the same boy who slammed the door the night he left. Something is very wrong and when she discovers he’s been transformed into a werewolf she’s at a loss as to what to do. The violent, angry boy isn’t the little brother she knows how to deal with. Teenage hormones are nothing compared to the animalistic young man emerging from the boy she’d raised.

Ax Greyson is a lone wolf, an alpha without a pack. He enforces laws non-shifters don’t know about. Celo Valley, is a place where two species co-reside. The werewolves keep the humans blind to their existence by being careful. Someone isn’t following the rules. Someone is killing, with no regard for secrets. When killing the woman seems like the only way to keep his people’s secret until Ax’s instincts find another way.

Mate…the word is the only thing that can scare a man like Ax.

“Becoming His Mate” by Harper Shaddock

*    *   *   *   *

Bad Alpha Manlove Edition:

“Bully Boys” by Nicola Cameron

When Victorian solicitor Arthur Finter is forced to cut down   dangerous London alley after work, he stumbles upon pit bull shifter Alpha Gunner Jones in the middle of a dogfight with a rival shifter pack. The hardnosed bully boy scents Arthur and recognizes him as his mate, but will events orchestrated by the other pack separate them before Gunner can lay final claim?

 

“The Alpha’s Assassin” by Doris O’Connor

Bear shifter Zayden Reid makes his living doing what he does best—killing people.  The sought after assassin doesn’t have to think twice when he’s offered a lot of money  to kill the Alpha  of a wolf pack, until he scents his mate.

As the Alpha of his pack Quinton Thorn is used to giving orders. He may be gay, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak, and he’ll squash any challenge to his leadership with ruthless efficiency. When the threat comes from a source he trusts, however, can he afford to give into his feelings for his mate, knowing that he’ll endanger everyone under his protection?

The mating bond cannot be denied, no matter what the consequences, and they might well kill.

“Discarded Pup” by Angelique Voisen

Betrayed by his beta and abandoned by his pack, Cole Reyes wasted the last ten years of his life rotting behind bars. A cage is no place for a wolf, and wounds left open, fester. Cole has zero tolerance for mercy.  The time Cole spent in prison didn’t just bleed out all the decency he once possessed.  It broke him. Made him hard and unforgiving. Cole’s vengeance starts now, beginning with his beta’s new toy.

“Yellow Eyes” by Gale Stanley

The brutal war between shifters and humans is over, but each side still sees the other as a threat. The only thing they can agree on, is that they can’t agree. Humans live east of the bridge, shifters live west. Camden is a halfbreed, the product of a rape that happened during the war. Neither side wants him, but he lives with his human mother. The night she dies, Camden goes west looking for revenge. He knows he won’t find his father, and he’ll probably get himself killed, but he doesn’t care. As long as he takes a shifter with him, he’ll die happy.

Wyat is alpha of the pack living in the west. He’s a warrior who believes in separation of the races. Then on the night of the full moon, he discovers a half-breed hiding in the alley. The man’s scent makes him burn with lust, and against his better judgement, he takes him home—and discovers that sleeping with the enemy might just lead to a better future.

 

“Destined” by L.D. Blakeley

Caleb Stokes has had a shit night. Too bad catching his boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the club DJ isn't the worst thing he’ll witness before the night is through. Marick Gevrees has no time for romance. He has even less time for a tipsy twink looking for a man to fill some Daddy fetish. But what the hell is he supposed to do when said twink wanders headlong into the middle of a bloody vendetta that could result in the exposure of his clan? 

“Trouble” by James Cox

Tremarc is sleeping his way through the entire Bear Shifter Clan. He’s sent to the moon, under the colonized dome to stay out of trouble. When he meets sexy alpha Lyon and his mated human, Quinn his life takes a sharp turn that may just find him his happy ending or get him kicked out of yet another bear shifter clan.


“Outlaw Wolf” by Elizabeth Monvey

 Dekker ran away from his pack in an order to protect his lover and Alpha, Grey, when he overheard two higher ranked wolves talk about killing him.

When Grey finds him six months later, Dekker tries to convince the man he loves to go away. But Grey won’t take no and as the two talk it out, their mutual attraction overwhelms them. 

In desperation, Dekker renounces Grey as his Alpha. But when another force tries to punish Dekker by silencing him forever, Grey must choose which stand he’ll take…being the alpha for all his pack, or being the man Dekker needs, even if it means breaking the rules.

The Protector (An Outer Rim Novel)
by Diane Burton
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | Smashwords
Genre: Romantic Adventure/Science Fiction
Release Date: July 24, 2015
Length: 370 Pages

After tavern owner Rissa Dix rescues two girls from a slave ship, she must rally the townsfolk to prevent traffickers from raiding the frontier colony. She’s met with apathy and disbelief. Because she lost her own baby to traffickers, she’s determined that no other mother will suffer the same heartache. 

Industrialist heir Dillan Rusteran aids her in rescuing more children. Little do they know they’re about to tangle with a trafficking ring that puts Rissa in danger. Dillan’s loved her for years despite her claim she’s too old for him. As they fight the traffickers, will she finally see him in a new light?

EXCERPT:
When she heard the rustle, Rissa stopped in the middle of the sanitary. “Whoever you are, come out. Right now.”

Another rustle then the sound of feet lightly hitting the floor. The lock slid open then slowly the door moved.

“Please,” a soft voice whispered. “Don’t hurt us.”

That sounded like a young girl.

“Come out where I can see you.” Rissa, too, whispered.

A tall, dark-haired teen stepped out, followed by a smaller girl with light brown hair. They both looked terrified. Their hair was matted and dirt smudged their faces. Their clothes were filthy. The smells emanating from them contributed to the general san-fac odors. Rissa did her best not to react.

Holding the other girl behind her, the tall one stepped forward, jutting out her chin. “We are not going back.”

“O-kay. Back where?”

“You can’t make us. We’ll escape again.”

Rissa had to admire her bravado. “You escaped? From where?”

“Did they send you in here to get us?”

Since the taller one seemed to be the spokesperson, Rissa kept her eyes on her. Something about her was compelling. Rissa could be looking at herself at the same age. Then it hit her hard, like a blow to the stomach. That was what Miri would have looked like at that age. Same strong Traishan features—olive skin, dark hair and eyes. Same strong will.

Rissa took a deep breath to steady herself before locking the outer door. “Nobody sent me. You asked for help. What can I do?”

“Get us out of here before they discover we’re gone.” Despite the strength in the tall girl’s voice, she worked hard to keep her chin from wobbling.

“Who?” Rissa was afraid she knew.

“Those men. The Chellians. We can’t go back. We won’t.”

By the Matriarch, traffickers.

Her lungs seized, her heart hurt so badly Rissa clutched her chest. Be strong, she told herself. Pull yourself together. No traffickers had ever come to Astron Colony before. Or even to Galeriana. She had to help the girls get away.

She glanced at the window on the far wall.

“We couldn’t open it,” the smaller girl sobbed. “We were trying when you came in. We thought you were them.”

Since Rissa was taller, she could easily reach the window. With a shove, she got it open. “Come.” She motioned to the tall girl. “You first. You can catch your friend. She’s too small to catch you.”

She cupped her hands for the girl’s foot. “Hide outside. I’ll come around and take you somewhere safe.” At the girls’ wary looks, she added, “I promise. Now go before someone comes looking for us.”

Rissa boosted her up to the open window. The tall girl hoisted herself through, disappeared for a moment then stuck her head inside.

“The ground is higher out here. Come, Anaris.” She held out her arms.

The small girl, Anaris, gave Rissa a panicked look. “You’ll come for us?”

The door rattled. “Hey,” a male yelled. “Open up.”

Anaris gave her a panicked look.

“Gimme a min,” Rissa yelled back.

“I promise to come for you,” Rissa whispered then gave her a boost. Like the tall girl, Anaris disappeared through the window.

As Rissa reached to close it, the tall girl was there about to do the same. “Thank you.” She shut the window and ducked out of sight.

Hoping they would wait for her, Rissa walked out of the san-fac. A mech glared at her. “Whadda mean by locking the door?”

“Didn’t want you walking in on me.” She glanced over at a commotion near the freighter where she’d delivered the supplies. “What’s going?”

The pilot was yelling and his two crewmen were darting between ships, searching.

“Damn offworlder.” The mech brushed past her into the san-fac.

When the pilot saw her, he yelled, “What did you do with them?”

Rissa looked around to see who he was shouting at.

“You there.” He stormed up to her. “Where are those two girls?”

She affected a confused expression. “What girls?”

“My cargo, I mean passengers. Damn you to Lexol’s Fire. How did you get them out?”

The pilot’s slip confirmed what Rissa feared. The girls she helped escape had been cargo. The pilot and crew were slavers, bastards who trafficked in children. A primal urge swept through her. Kill them. Kill them now. 

About Diane Burton
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

I grew up in the Detroit-area and have lived in Portage (MI), Sedalia (MO) as well as a brief stint in Chicago-land.  I've been a Parks & Recreation supervisor, an inventory clerk for a flute store, and a long-time volunteer for Girl Scouts. My last job was for an oil and gas exploration company where I discovered the cure for insomnia—reading oil and gas leases.  My longest-running gig was as a teacher where I taught elementary kids for over 10 years.  I am a member of Romance Writers of America and the Mid-Michigan and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapters of RWA. I met my own hero on a blind date. It was love at first sight--for me. It took him a little longer. We currently reside in West Michigan and have two grown children and three delightful grandchildren.

I’ve been a reader all my life, and I love movies, especially action adventure, mysteries, science fiction, and romantic comedy. Castle, Firefly, and NCIS are my favorite TV shows. So is it any wonder that I write science fiction romance and romantic suspense, both with comedic elements?



The Giveaway - $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

Buy Links: Beachwalk Press   Amazon  Barnes & Noble  All Romance eBooks

I'm so excited to share an interview with Charmaine with you. She was willing to sit in the hot seat and share some insights into herself and her writing.

What television sitcom is most like your family? Why? I never watch sitcoms, not even when I worked on One Life to Live, All My Children and Another World.

I loved Another World. We need to talk about all the dirt. But later... in secret! What’s your favorite thing to do to relax? Relax? What’s that? I’m extremely busy and every summer my daughter, who is a fine teacher, takes my granddaughter and me to the beach. Yippee! Where I also write and dance.

If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? Don’t get married so fast. Find a career, be a real person before settling down but this was many years ago when girls married oh so young.

For what are you grateful? My two youngest kids who are closest to me after the loss of my sweetheart and then my dear second husband. Also I’m grateful for my granddaughter whom I’ve raised since birth.

At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy? #1 my first love-37 tears of happiness until I lost him. Then acting for 12 years-what I call the Sweet Time where I met Mike Nichols, Billy Crystal, Harrison Ford and Anthony Hopkins and so many more.

OOhhh... now there's more dish to tell! What is the number one lie you tell yourself? Someday I’ll be well known as a writer. How is that working out? So far, not too well.

Now about you as an author…What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult? John Sandford and Elmore Leonard

Did anyone in your life influence you or encouraged you to be a writer? (teacher, family member, friend) No way. Be a mother, they said. YIKES!

What is your favorite aspect on writing? Your least? I love writing. I finish one book and two days later I begin another story.

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing? No. The cats, all three of them find a place and get comfy while I write.

Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books? I write about real people in real situations with lots of humor.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business? Promo sucks, for me writing is the easy part. I’d love to know eventually readers will know my name.

Tell us about your latest release: (blurb, excerpt, cover)
When Double Becomes Single

Blurb:
Before that awful night, Sharon Michaels had never even driven herself at night… eaten at a table for one… or made plans on her own. Alone after losing her husband – her rock– she’s left with a business to run, a great son and his wonderful wife and children – far away in Denmark, a bad son and his nasty wife, and two teenage grandchildren she barely knows. Step by step, she finds her way into the world of singles and learns to Survive and Thrive!

Available in all eformats and amazon and B&N paperbacks

EXCERPT:
The touch of her husband’s lips on hers warmed Sharon Michaels all the way home from the hospital. Remembering his whispered I love you before she left released a cascade of tears. She groped in her bag for a tissue, found none and used the sleeve of her good winter coat as a blotter. Mac would fix Barry. Their favorite doctor always knew the magical potion to apply. Even when Fred, their difficult teenager now in his thirties, started using marijuana and refused to stop, Mac knew what to do. Tough Love was the prescription. No driver’s license and other privileges allowed until he straightened out. So Barry’s bad cough should be easy like the croup. Hmm. Fred still held a grudge against us. Get home and go to sleep.

Exhausted after hours visiting with her husband at Community Hospital in Suffern, New York, Sharon stripped and pulled on flannel pajamas. Too tired to shower, she brushed her teeth, washed her face and slipped under the comforter on this chilly night. The phone rang. She picked it up. Mac Bloom, the family doctor said something she couldn’t quite hear.

“Crisis? Is that what you said? What do you mean crisis? I left him at the hospital about an hour ago. We kissed and said I love you the way we’ve always done for thirty six years.”

Their doctor for many a long time sighed. She heard urgency and sadness in his voice. “Sharon, is anyone at home with you?

How did you decide on your story plot? It came to me, demanded to be told and so I wrote page after page until I finished.

How did you choose your characters names and location for your story? The story takes place right here in Rockland County, New City, NY.

Do you have a favorite scene? She goes to the dog park with her two big rescue dogs and meets a man, an actor in the latest show Chicago. By chance she invites him for dinner. He notices the piano and tells her he has an audition for Amos to sing Cellophane. Would she help him? She hasn’t played in a long time but after a few bumbles, she helps him with suggestions. He gets the part.  Why? It removes a barrier in her life. She joins a band to play at Old folks' home and more-a way to give back.

Do you have a character that you identify with? Oh yes. The heroine and I share many characteristics. Who and why? Read it and see. In fact, I’ll gift a copy to you, my friend.

You can contact Charmaine at: Website | Twitter | Facebook

I still remember my first boyfriend, my first love. Even though we haven't been together in over 35 years *cough- I'm not that old!*, I still have the same strong feelings for him. I think that's why I love Tail Lights and Tear Drops. I "get" Preston... Here, let me share the blurb and you'll understand.

Bruised and battered hearts can keep beating. But can they heal?

Preston and Nick endured the breakup of all breakups when Nick accused her of cheating on him. He insisted, and she denied while the rain pounded against her driveway and thunder roared in the distance. Then they both ran—Preston to a life of Rock & Roll, and Nick to a career in the Army.

Four years later, they’re damaged and broken almost beyond repair. He’s carrying baggage from his military days, and she bears the scars of living a lifestyle she’s grown to hate.

When Preston’s label forces her to take time away from music, their paths cross in a parking lot not twenty-four hours after her hometown return, anger and sparks flying in a confusing blend. But regardless of the feelings neither has been able to shake, too many lies and secrets stand in the way of the one thing they need in order to recover.

Each other.


Sounds great, right? Let's see the cover....

Don't forget to keep up with Connie L. Smith... She also has an amazing YA romance called Jivin' Tango. You'll fall in love with her characters....


About the Author:
Connie L. Smith spends far too much time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Her music of choice is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and is currently working on her MA.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clsmithbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/clsmithbooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/conniel0194/
Blog/Main Site: http://clsmithbooks.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257320.Connie_L_Smith

I really enjoy seeing the variety of covers that authors come up with for their books. Sometimes they have a lot of input and the cover shows their idea of the story. At other times, not so much. We've all seen a cover and fallen in love, picked up the book and HAD to read it.

Today I'm sharing a wonderful new cover for an upcoming YA Fantasy Romance by MS Kaye. The story sounds so exciting..... here's the blurb...

A Sumerian water and sky god myth collides with a modern high school.

Ayanna is a math nerd, logical and rational, even cold, but Calder makes her feel things she never had before. Somehow, she’s able to accept it when she discovers he’s a reincarnated Sumerian water god. Will she be able to accept the full truth, that the story of Enki and Inanna has been reborn in a modern Ohio high school?


Well, what do you think? Want to see the cover??

Great, right?? Why don't you follow MS Kaye to find out more about her book and maybe get some extra sneak peeks at Clouded, releasing on Sept. 12th!

About the Author:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.

What happens when you are left on Earth when Aliens invade? Would you be able to stop them? And what if your only help is the hunky guy you've been drooling over??

The last guy on earth is the last person she expects. Will she give up her dream guy to save the world?

Juliette Lewis is going nowhere fast. Responsible for the care of her disabled mom, she faces a life of working at Save ‘N Shop and stalking Gale Williams, a hunky movie star, on Twitter. While all of her friends are getting ready for college, she’s memorizing produce codes.

Her future changes when an asteroid hits her campsite and she finds an alien rune in the wreckage. Two days later, everyone on Earth disappears. But, she’s not alone. Besides the pale beings stalking her, there’s one person who survived, and it’s the last person she’d expect--Gale Williams.

Together they have to save the Earth before humans become a lost memory. But, can she hide her secret infatuation? Will she give up her dream guy to save the world?

EXCERPT:

Someone at the other end of the party screamed, and my stomach turned to ice. It wasn’t an I’m-having-fun scream like on a roller coaster. It was more like the screams in horror movies before everyone died a horrible death.

Mike shouted profanities and pointed to the horizon.

“Holey friggin’ moley.” Hailey’s mouth dropped open.

I followed her gaze to the sky above the bonfire. One of the stars plummeted toward Earth, trailing cosmic dust. The falling star glowed red orange, turning into a fireball as it burned through the atmosphere. It grew to the size of my fist then the size of my head.

A weird part of my subconscious reminded me to make a wish. The falling star grew larger, and I realized it wasn’t a star at all. It was an asteroid. An epic, Herculean one.

“Get up!” I stood and tugged on Hailey’s sleeve as she toppled over, drunk. “It’s headed right for us.”

Chaos broke out as everyone scrambled. I pulled Hailey into the forest. She stumbled, weaving like she didn’t know why we couldn’t stay by the warm fire. I caught her and dragged her behind me.

Branches slashed my face as Hailey cursed behind me. I tripped and skinned my knee on a boulder, and pain seared my leg. I clutched my calf as a thunderous rumble roared above us. Heat scorched the forest, burning my skin. Fear welled up inside me. What if I die? Who’s going to take care of my mom?

Seconds later, a tremor knocked us to the ground. My face hit the dirt path, and pine needles pricked my cheeks as I buried my head in the pine needles and dirt and held my breath.

Silence rang in my ears, and I gasped. The temperature seemed to rise ten degrees. Was I still alive?

I picked my head up slowly, examining the reddened skin on the backs of my hands. I glanced over at Hailey. While my face had hit the ground, hers had turned toward the sky. Her forehead and cheeks were swollen and red. I crawled over to her and smoothed her blonde hair. My fingers shook. So much could change in a heartbeat. If we’d stayed for ten more seconds, we’d both be dead. “Are you all right?”

She opened her mouth, but I couldn’t make out what she said. The explosion had deadened my hearing.

Run to get your copy today!! Ebook and print from these fine retailers....

Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Itunes
All Romance Ebooks

Summer, 1976. Luz de Rueda returns to her beloved Spain and takes a job as the biographer of a famous artist. On her first day back in Cadiz, she encounters a bewitching, passionate young gypsy, Leandro, who immediately captures her heart, even though relationships with his kind are taboo. 

Haunted by this forbidden love, she meets her new employer, the sophisticated Andres de Calderon. Reserved yet darkly compelling, he is totally different to Leandro – but almost the gypsy’s double. Both men stir unfamiliar and exciting feelings in Luz, although mystery and danger surround them in ways she has still to discover. 

Luz must decide what she truly desires as glistening Cadiz, with its enigmatic moon and whispering turquoise shores, seeps back into her blood. Why is she so drawn to the wild and magical sea gypsies? What is behind the old fortune-teller’s sinister warnings about ‘Gemini’? Through this maze of secrets and lies, will Luz finally find her happiness … or her ruin?

Luz set eyes on him for the first time from her seat on Zeyna’s back as the fine white Arab mare stepped down the narrow path from the cliff that led to the beach. He was sitting on the edge of the track, leaning nonchalantly against a wild carob tree, watching her while chewing on a sprig of heather. As she drew nearer, she met his steady gaze, spirited and wild. At that moment she had no idea this man would have the power to change her world and create such havoc in her heart, that she would emerge from the experience a different person. Fate had not yet lit up the winding pathway of her life nor the echoes of history along it, but now, in front of this stranger, a disturbing awareness leapt into flame deep inside her and began to flicker intensely.




Purchase links
http://www.amazon.com/Masquerade-Hannah-Fielding/dp/0992994365
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masquerade-Andalucian-Nights-Trilogy-2/dp/0992994365
 

Hannah Fielding is an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own. Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now. Today, she lives the dream: writing full time at her homes in Kent, England, and the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breath-taking views of the Mediterranean.  

Social links
Website: www.hannahfielding.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fieldinghannah
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fieldinghannah
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5333898.Hannah_Fielding

The author will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $15 Amazon/BN gift card.

Tell us about your latest release: (blurb, excerpt, cover)

Blurb - Cole Jackson spends fifteen years in prison for a murder he did not commit, the murder of his wife, Lindsey.

His talent as a songwriter and an avid reader save him from the loneliness of the cold, dark and unforgiving prison walls. But as he joins the world of the free again, he struggles with his once again fame, because of his rock-n-roll band, of being a convicted killer and the fact that his self-esteem and self-respect were lost years ago. Prison will do that to you, not to mention drugs, alcohol and an unfaithful wife. He no longer has the drugs, the alcohol or the unfaithful wife. What he has is a tarnished reputation and the determination to find the true killer and restore his life.

Shannon Gallagher's hard work as a writer has finally paid off. She believes her life is complete living in her dream home on the ocean until she meets Cole Jackson. She idolized him at sixteen, cried at twenty-one when he went to prison. Now at thirty-six she meets him and falls instantly in love. But as Cole gets closer to his wife's killer, he puts Shannon's life in danger. Can he expose the murderer and keep Shannon safe?

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

PROLOGUE 

Groping the wall blindly, hoping to steady his rubbery legs, Cole Jackson swore as he realized he was totally wasted. The hotel hallway seemed to sway violently like a ship caught in a serious gale—the kind small boats don’t survive intact.

“Shit,” he yelled as he collapsed to one knee then slowly raised himself up and continued shuffling toward the room he shared with his wife, Lindsey.

From a distant haze, voices pummeled through the buzz surrounding his brain. Faces blurred and flashed in and out and around the black spots plaguing his eyesight.

One person asked, “How’d the show go tonight, Mr. Jackson?”

“Great, just great,” Cole thought he replied. The words formed in his brain—he just wasn’t sure they managed to escape his mouth.

Another man remarked, “Do you need any assistance?”

“Hell no,” Cole muttered aloud this time as he tripped along mumbling to himself. Why did everyone assume he needed assistance just because he had a damn good buzz on? It was his life, wasn’t it? And if he chose to blur it with alcohol it was his business and nobody else’s.

Cole slid the stupid plastic key card in the door for the third time. “Damn, damn, damn.” He pounded the door with his fist. “I need sleep. All I want to do is crawl into bed. Come on, fourth time’s the charm.”

As he turned the knob, he prayed Lindsey slept alone. He’d stayed away as long as he could without passing out in the hotel bar. Not like he’d never done that before.

“What the hell,” he swore as he shoved the door open, banging it into something. Once inside with the door shut, he looked down, blinked several times, forcing his eyes to focus, and saw Lindsey lying on the floor. A deep red stain encompassed her chest and a potent metallic smell suddenly floored his senses. Cole swayed and tried to steady himself as blackness descended, swallowing him up. The last thing he remembered as he collapsed next to Lindsey was his hand landing in something warm, wet and sticky.

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

How did you decide on your story plot? It was more like the plot chose me. The story just appeared in my head one day.

How did you choose your characters names and location for your story? The location was easy. The story is set on the southeast coast of Massachusetts near the Cape Cod Canal. It’s where I live and where I set many of my contemporary books. As for character names, I pull up name lists on line and play with them.

Do you have a favorite scene? Why? My favorite scene is when Cole Jackson shows up unexpectedly at Shannon Gallagher’s hotel room and takes her dancing.

Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why? I would have to say Shannon because she is a romantic suspense writer who is also a mother of a teenage son, to which I have four sons.

Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you…
Christinedonovan6@verizon.net
http://www.christinedonovan.org/
https://www.facebook.com/christine.donovanauthor

Is there anything else that you want to share… feel free!! Thank you for inviting me to be your guest, Melissa. I had a great time.

About the Author

Christine Donovan is an International Bestselling Author and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. She lives on the Southeast Coast of Massachusetts with her husband, four sons, one granddaughter and four cats. In addition to writing Contemporary Romance, she writers Regency and Paranormal Romance. When she is not writing or reading, she is either painting or gardening.

Her latest book is the contemporary romance, BlackJack.

For More Information

• Visit Christine Donovan’s website.
• Connect with Christine on Facebook and Twitter.
• Visit Christine’s blog.
• Contact Chistine.

Hello, Christine Donovan and thank you for visiting today.  Tell us a little about yourself.  I have lived on the southeast coast of Massachusetts my entire life. I’m married to a wonderful man and we have four great sons and one granddaughter. As well as writing, I work part-time at an optometrist office.  I’m also a painter and, of course, an avid reader. I love to travel, spend time at the beach and attending concerts. I never miss Country Fest at Foxboro Stadium.

Thanks! It sounds like you have an interesting life. I wish I could paint.  Now on to some personal questions. If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? Don’t be so shy, self-conscious or worry about what people think about you. Be true to yourself, relax and enjoy life.

For what are you grateful? I’m grateful for my family. Not just my husband and children, but my mother, sister and brothers. Without all of you I wouldn’t be where I am today. And my late father, he was the best dad ever.

If a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? And what would you do to postpone the inevitable? I would do what they do on The Walking Dead. That ought to keep me alive for a good longtime.

What television sitcom is most like your family? Why? I’m going back a while to Home Improvement.  The hectic life of raising boys, the funny moments of doing home repairs and failing and the overall craziness of life.

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?  I’d have to say reading. Nothing relaxes me more than being engrossed in a good book to take away the stresses of everyday life.

Let’s find out a little bit about you as an author. Did you always want to be an author? Not always. I was an avid reader growing up, but never thought about writing a book myself. Then one day I woke up with this story in my head and I needed to write it down. I haven’t stopped writing since.

What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult? Growing up I read romances by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Jennifer Black to name just a few, which began my love affair with romance. As an adult I read more than romance, but the authors who have the most impact on me are Nora Roberts, Suzan Brockman, Lee Child, J.R. Ward to name a few. It is so hard to narrow the list down to only a few.

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing? The only must have is great music. I need background noise to write.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business? It is hard. Before I was published, I took my writing seriously, but it was different. Now, I have strict deadlines and goals. I work with editors and designers who all have tight schedules. I’ve learned that I work better under pressure. I book my editor and then push myself to get the book written and polished to make that deadline.  It works for me.

Title: BlackJack
Author: Christine Donovan
Publisher: Christine Donovan Books
Pages: 336
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook

Cole Jackson spends fifteen years in prison for a murder he did not commit, the murder of his wife, Lindsey.

His talent as a songwriter and an avid reader save him from the loneliness of the cold, dark and unforgiving prison walls. But as he joins the world of the free again, he struggles with his once again fame, because of his rock-n-roll band, of being a convicted killer and the fact that his self-esteem and self-respect were lost years ago. Prison will do that to you, not to mention drugs, alcohol and an unfaithful wife. He no longer has the drugs, the alcohol or the unfaithful wife. What he has is a tarnished reputation and the determination to find the true killer and restore his life.

Shannon Gallagher's hard work as a writer has finally paid off. She believes her life is complete living in her dream home on the ocean until she meets Cole Jackson. She idolized him at sixteen, cried at twenty-one when he went to prison. Now at thirty-six she meets him and falls instantly in love. But as Cole gets closer to his wife's killer, he puts Shannon's life in danger. Can he expose the murderer and keep Shannon safe?

For More Information

• BlackJack is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.