26 Friday Mar 2021
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Booksprout, fantasy romance, free eBook, historical romance, Judith Sterling, medieval romance, paranormal romance, read and review, Soul of the Wolf, The Novels of Ravenwood
Just a quick note to let you know that Soul of the Wolf is available to read and review on Booksprout for a limited time. Check it out here!
Wishing you a beautiful day and a great weekend ahead! 🙂
03 Wednesday Mar 2021
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Tags
Booksprout, Flight of the Raven, Judith Sterling, medieval romance series, NetGalley, paranormal romance, read and review, Return of the Raven, The Novels of Ravenwood, time travel romance
If you want to read and review free books, I’ve got good news! My new release, Return of the Raven is available on NetGalley for the next two weeks. Find it here!
Flight of the Raven, the first book in the same series, is still available on Booksprout here. So there’s another free read for you!
Happy reading, and have a great day! 🙂
20 Wednesday Jan 2021
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Tags
Kristal Dawn Harris, new release, novella, paranormal romance, The Wild Rose Press, vampire romance
I’m excited to share with you the latest novella by Kristal Dawn Harris, a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press). If you love paranormal romance and/or vampire fiction, you’ll want to check out Rise for Me, which releases on February 1st. Here’s the scoop on the story:
A peek Vampire and warlock, Roman Lee, spent centuries alone as ringmaster of the carnival. After befriending and healing a scarred, young woman, Roman realizes Mariah is his mate. He waits for her, but when she departs from his life, his torture knows no bounds. Now he’s risen, unforgiving and angry, forced from his grave by the one woman who captured his heart, but will another secret and the call of his mate change everything?
The steady call of Roman’s blood and the promise of peace brings Mariah Stone home to the carnival and the vampire she left behind. He ignores her until she forces him from the grave with her blood. His anger crushes her already broken spirit, but she is determined to win Roman’s forgiveness and free him from their bond. Denied passion leads them down a path of magic and desire, while a devastating secret threatens eternal love.
A peek between the pages:
Roman studied the perfection before him with something akin to regret filling his spirit. It should have been different between them. He momentarily questioned his decision before setting the ruby stone on her bedside table. In a whisper, he began to chant the words that would strengthen their connection and seal Mariah’s healing so it couldn’t be undone by anyone, ever.
Blood exchanged will seal my gift
The flesh will stay, no spell will lift
Let the night be filled with dreams
So she won’t remember it was me
Roman lifted his hands, palms up, to begin the next part of the spell using the stone, but when Mariah moved in her sleep and threw one leg out from under the covers, he didn’t know if he could do it. Bare flesh, creamy and soft, slid along the quilt as Mariah moaned in her sleep and spoke his name. A dull light formed inside the ruby stone, strengthening with Mariah’s moans. Roman closed his eyes against the onslaught of desire brushing against his body and soul. It sought entrance, control, and a response. She must be dreaming of him. It was the only explanation. His eyes snapped open when the bed creaked. Heavy-lidded, sleepy eyes opened with a reddish glow lighting their dark depths.
“Mariah?” Roman spoke her name as a question, not fully understanding what was happening, but the stone did. Brilliant red light shot from the ruby’s rough edges, saturating the walls, the floors, and everything in between in its glow. Roman tilted his face as Mariah rose from her reclined position to sit on the side of the bed. A trickle of unease sped down his spine. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Mariah was using the stone against him, and her desire magnified his own, fed off it, and seduced in strong waves. Roman groaned as his cock swelled painfully and his body clenched with need.
“Do you come to me as a warlock, vampire, or as man?”
The question was asked so softly Roman wasn’t sure he heard her voice. Mariah’s eyes blazed with color. She was a temptress, a woman bent on crushing what remained of his heart, and he hated her for it. Roman pinched the bridge of his nose when the truth reared its ugly head, forcing him to accept what was meant to be. He craved her like no other. This would be the one and only night they ever spent together. The spell was cast, and she shouldn’t remember anything, so for once, he let the caged passion soar. “I come to you as all three.”
More about Kristal:
Kristal Dawn Harris is an award-winning, Rone nominated, American romance author. She has been married for 27 years and has two children. Kristal finished a degree from Miami University in Accounting Technology, but quickly realized she preferred words over numbers. She is an avid reader and, in particular, loves darker paranormal romance. Her hobbies include coin collecting, physical fitness, stained-glass art (beginner), poetry, and song writing.
Kristal primarily writes for her publisher, The Wild Rose Press, although it should be noted she has self-released several books. She writes paranormal, fantasy, erotic, as well as contemporary romance in different lengths.
Fun facts:
Favorite color: Red
Favorite Movie: Under the Tuscan Sun
Favorite Paranormal Author: Christine Feehan
Favorite ice cream: Butter Pecan or Mint Choc Chip
Favorite Chocolate: Dark chocolate
Favorite Candy: Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate
Favorite Vacation: Badlands, South Dakota
Favorite Genre Romance: Historical romance
Favorite female actor: Kate Winslet
Favorite male actor: Alexander Skarsgard
Favorite TV shows: Ancient Aliens, What on Earth, UFO Files, The Abandoned, The Unexplained. (I’m a true nerd, and embrace it fully…lol)
Where to find her:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube | BookBub | Amazon | Pinterest
Wishing you all the best with your new release, Kristal! 🙂
11 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Author Interview, contemporary romance, cozy mystery, Debby Grahl, His Magic Touch, Judith Sterling, Mountain Blaze, North Carolina, paranormal romance, The Silver Crescent, The Wild Rose Press
I’m excited to welcome another sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) today. Say hello to award-winning author Debby Grahl! Her latest release is Mountain Blaze, and I’ll give you the scoop on that in a moment. But first, let’s learn more about Debby herself.
Thanks so much for joining me today, Debby! At what age did you write your first story? Around sixteen. I used to entertain my girlfriends with my stories as we walked to school.
A fun way to liven up your walk! Tell me, which genre was the first to hook you? I’ve always loved mysteries. The first manuscript I submitted was a mystery cozy. The editor at the time told me that type of book wasn’t selling. If I wanted to get published, I needed to write romance. This is a genre I also liked, so now all my books have both a mystery and romance.
What was your first published book? A paranormal romance titled The Silver Crescent. The story has romance, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and Victorian ghosts.
Sounds like an exciting read! What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing? I enjoy both outlining and writing. Although, my outline is pretty short. I decide on location, my characters’ personalities, and plot. After that, my imagination takes over.
What are you working on now? Island Heat, which takes place on Hilton Head Island, is the sequel to Mountain Blaze.
Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite and why? This would have to be New Orleans. My husband and I first went to the French Quarter in 1988 and fell in love with the city. Since I love ghosts, witches, and legends, there couldn’t be a better setting than New Orleans. Not to mention the great food, fun atmosphere, and unique people.
I’ve always wanted to go there! Speaking of things otherworldly…if you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be? Agatha Christie. I’d love to hear how she comes up with her plots.
I’d love to meet her too! If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be? I’d have two choices: Regency England, and London during the Twenties.
Both of those would be amazing to experience firsthand! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose? Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple series. These take place in Britain during the Twenties. I’ve always wanted to be a flapper.
That would be so cool! If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request? A thatch roofed cottage in the English Cotswolds.
Gosh, I’d want one of those too! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites!
Sound: laughter
Eye color: deep blue
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!): Italian
Song: “Mony Mony,” by Tommy James and the Shondells
Book: Love Story
Movie: French Kiss
TV show: Alias Smith and Jones
Cuisine: Italian
Cookie: peanut butter
US location: New Orleans
Foreign location: England
And finally, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee? coffee
Cake or pie? pie
Halloween or Christmas? Christmas
Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Sherlock Holmes
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? mortal
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? English gent
I love your answers! Now, let’s learn more about your recent release, Mountain Blaze:
Disillusioned by his wife’s betrayal, rodeo star Dillon McCoy comes home to the mountains of North Carolina to lick his wounds. When he agrees to take over the family ranch, the Lazy M, he’s unaware danger waits.
Diana Thompson is having doubts about her engagement to Trent Sawyer. She agrees to leave Chapel Hill and spend Thanksgiving with her friend Jenn at the Lazy M. When Diana and Dillon meet, neither can deny their attraction, but both must resolve past relationships while fighting their growing desire.
After Dillon turns down an anonymous offer to purchase the ranch, attempts are made on his life. When a body is found, Dillon sets out to discover who wants the McCoy land enough to commit murder.
A peek between the pages:
Dillon smiled and Diana thought it the sexiest smile she’d ever seen. There was a slight cleft in his chin, and fine lines formed at the corners of his eyes. Diana inwardly groaned. The butterflies were back.
“I’d hold onto you. I wouldn’t let you fall,” he softly said.
With his slow southern accent, the words sounded like warm honey rolling off his tongue. The depth of his eyes and the sound of his voice mesmerized her.
The horses stood side by side. Her and Dillon’s legs touched. He leaned toward her, and the light aroma of wood smoke, hay, and his spicy cologne filled her nostrils. Diana knew what he was about to do but had no willpower to stop him. He cupped her cheek and their lips met.
Gentle at first, his lips glided over hers. He increased the pressure until she opened her mouth and his tongue slipped in. Diana moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms around her waist, he deepened the kiss. Before she realized what he was doing, without breaking their kiss Dillon lifted her from Flora and placed her across his lap.
Cradled in his arms, Diana clung to him, delicious sensations filling her. Her body came alive in a way that surprised her. The only thing that mattered was this man and this moment.
Flame moved, bringing her back to reality. Diana’s eyes fluttered open, and she stared into Dillon’s, deep with passion and need.
Buy the book on Amazon!
More about Debby:
Award winning author, Debby Grahl, lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books. His Magic Touch, a paranormal romance, was released by The Wild Rose Press December 5, 2018. Her latest book, Mountain Blaze, was released November 2.
Where to find her:
Website | Facebook | BookBub | Twitter | Goodreads
It’s been a pleasure having you here, Debby! Wishing you all the best with Mountain Blaze.
04 Friday Sep 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
cover reveal, Judith Sterling, Maraschino Marriage Pact, One Scoop or Two, paranormal romance, Tamela Miles, The Wild Rose Press
I’m excited to announce the new release of sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) Tamela Miles. Isn’t this cover beautiful? Maraschino Marriage Pact is part of our publisher’s One Scoop or Two series, and it sounds like a great addition! Here’s a little about the story:
Mikayla DiAngelis has spent the past two years traveling the world and avoiding the demands of her overbearing warlock father. A confusing kiss from her former bodyguard is yet another reason for her to stay two steps ahead on the run.
Warlock bodyguard Austin Luca will stop at nothing to bring Mikayla home. His loyalty belongs to her family, but his heart belongs to her, even though he has ties that bind him to his own family responsibilities.
Their encounter was inevitable, and Mikayla is soon caught up in Austin’s passion and the world she vowed to leave behind. Will surrendering to her former protector cost her the freedom she needs?
A peek between the pages:
“You know better than to use your magick in public, Mikayla. What if I was some ordinary human passerby?”
Mikayla froze midmotion. That deep, amused drawl had been with her since she was a child. She slowly turned around, scowling. “I knew I shouldn’t have come back here for the summer. Am I that obvious, Austin?”
The tall, leanly muscled man with straight dark hair and piercing chocolate-brown eyes shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “I lost track of you last year in Rome. Kudos for managing to give me the slip, considering I taught you every trick you know. I bet on your sentimentality about this place bringing you back.” He gestured at the skimpy black sundress she wore. “You’re looking well.”
She nodded. “Thank you. You haven’t changed. You never do. Why can’t every warlock age as gracefully as you do?” Sighing heavily, she placed her hands on her hips. “If you tell me again to come home, I’m hopping off this pier.”
His face shuttered. “I have news about your family, Mikayla. This time, it’s serious.”
More about Tamela:
Tamela Miles is a school psychologist with Ed.S and PPS credential and a graduate of California State University San Bernardino and California State University Dominguez Hills. She is also a former flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California in that tumultuous time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland Empire, CA. She’s a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good having her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why they can never seem to change their wicked ways.
She enjoys emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or her Facebook page, Tamela Miles Books. She also welcomes reader reviews and enjoys the feedback from people who love to read as much as she does.
Connect with her:
On Twitter: @jackiebrown20
On Instagram: Tamela Miles Books
30 Thursday Jul 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
fantasy romance, Greek mythology, Heaven and Earth, Jeny Heckman, Judith Sterling, paranormal romance, The Catch, The Warrior's Progeny, The Wild Rose Press
I’m excited to feature another sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) today. Please welcome Jeny Heckman, author of The Warrior’s Progeny. I have lots of questions, so let’s get to it!
At what age did you write your first story?
I was a very busy thirty-six-year old mom of two, and I wrote it just to see if I could.
Which genre was the first to hook you?
Historical – Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was eight.
What was your first published book?
It’s called The Catch. I just wanted to see if I could write a book, and my favorite show at the time was Deadliest Catch. The book is about Faith, a woman crab fisherman, which is not only unusual but superstitiously unlucky. So, I wanted to write her story.
Sounds interesting! What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
Great question, Judith! Really, it’s the writing. I love sitting down with a white screen and no interruptions, and creating a story until my arms and fingers literally want to fall off. There’s nothing better. So often it’s all the other things that get in the way.
What are you working on now?
In fact, I’m beginning the edits with my publisher on a spin off novella from the Heaven & Earth series, entitled Dee’s Cornucopia. The fans voted overwhelmingly to know her story. Between releasing and promoting The Warrior’s Progeny and those edits, I’m re-working The Catch to get it just perfect and then re-release it as well. In all, I hope to have four books out this year and I’m down to two!
Whoa! That’s a lot of books for one year. Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite?
Oh, it’s got to be Kauai, Hawaii. I even had to go there to do “research” for The Sea Archer, book one of the series. I fell in love with the Garden Island and the Hawaiian Monk Seals!
Cool! Have you ever dreamed about a character you created?
Ha ha, all of them! They bug me all the time, and yes, even in my sleep!
If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?
Seriously, it would be my father-in-law, Chuck Heckman. I wrote The Catch while he was in the last stages of his cancer, and as he passed. He was an incredibly warm and loving man, who had no judgement. I would give anything to sit down and talk with him again.
I truly wish I could grant you that wish. How about another? If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be?
Well, both of my kids are now grown. I’d either go back, just to do it all again or go back to the times when our country was first being formed and all that history was being made.
Great choices! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?
It’s got to be Outlander, right? I am in love with Scotland and always have been, the greatest trip of my life was going there and staying a month. Seeing the history of that land and the lasting structures is really nothing short of amazing.
I studied Scottish history at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and LOVED living there, so I’m with you! If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request?
Okay, I’m going to be really awful and boring here but say a new body, especially feet and knees! Very unsexy, I know but there it is!
A new body…not a bad idea! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites!
Sound: My kid’s laughter
Eye color: Green
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!): Gaelic
Song: I love powerful songs with huge meaning like Hurt (Johnny Cash), or show theme songs like Woke up this Morning (Sopranos) or Outlander’s original theme song (I know I’m weird). Then it’s country.
Book: Outlander
Movie: Pride and Prejudice and The Full Monty
TV show: So many! Game of Thrones, Soprano’s, 30 for 30’s
Cuisine: Italian
Cookie: Chocolate chip
US location: U.S. Virgin Islands
Foreign location: Scottish Highlands
And finally, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee? Triple Grande Nonfat Caramel Macchiato
Cake or pie? Lemon Meringue Pie
Halloween or Christmas? CHRISTMAS!!!!
Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Nancy Drew
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Mortal
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? Scottish Highlander
I’d like to truly thank Judith and all her readers for having me on today. I’m truly thankful for your time! Cheers!
It’s been a pleasure having you here, Jeny. I wish you all the best with your new release! And now, a little more about The Warrior’s Progeny:
Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn’t know what to think.
A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends’ wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. Lilly struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future.
Strange events occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love developing between them natural, or part of a larger prophecy?
A peek between the pages:
“You couldn’t have known,” Colt said.
“I’m a doctor,” she retorted. “I’m trained to know.”
“Oh, bullshit.” She drew her brows together and looked at him with irritation. Undaunted, he continued. “You were his wife, not his doctor.” Glancing back at the picture, he drank from his glass. “He was a young guy…looked fit…father of two.” Colt turned to look at her again. “Young, fit, fathers of two don’t get stage four pancreatic cancer and die in ten months. He wasn’t your patient, Lillian, and you weren’t looking at him like a patient. He was your husband, and he died.”
“Colt.” She took a breath, placed a hand on his, and backed up a little. “Look, I know you want something, but we’re broken here, and I can’t give you what you…”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit. It’s how I feel. I’ve got kids to think about and responsibilities. You want easy and I’m not that.”
“You don’t even know me, Lilly.”
“I know. That’s what I’ve been trying to say.”
“No, that’s what you’re trying to use as an excuse. Those kids aren’t damaged because of their dad, you are. Those kids have a mom who loves them and makes damn sure they aren’t damaged. You’re afraid to try, so you hide behind your dead husband.”
“How dare you be so callous?”
“How dare you use your husband to get out of trying again? You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman and your life isn’t over.”
Buy the book:
Amazon Kindle | Nook | iBooks
More about Jeny:
Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
She wrote her first book, the Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.
In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.
In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series.
Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.
Where to find her:
Website: https://jenyheckman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heckman.jeny
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenyheckman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenyheckman
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenyheckman17
GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3fd8RJA
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeny-heckman
YouTube: https://bit.ly/30vNfUI
Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/dDTPI9
21 Thursday May 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
new release, One Scoop or Two, paranormal fantasy, paranormal romance, romance series, Root Brew Float, summer reading, Sydney Winward
I’m excited to welcome sister Rose (published by the Wild Rose Press) Sydney Winward back to my blog! We’re spotlighting her new release, Root Brew Float, which is part of our publisher’s summer series, One Scoop or Two. Here’s the story:
Josephine Brevil has lived hundreds of years haunted by the horrors she experienced during the Salem Witch Trials. She takes great care to hide her powers, though serving a Root Brew Float laced with a magic potion now and again never hurt anybody. The Order sends her to Massachusetts to deal with a paranormal threat, and she meets the young and handsome widower, Clarence Watts. However, being with him comes with a choice. How can she choose between the man she loves and the magic she holds dear?
A peek between the pages:
“There’s a reason we’re inside the circle. Nothing can touch us in here. Now close your eyes and listen to my voice.” She paused for a moment to take a deep breath, channeling the magic swirling within her core. “Clarence Watts, our task here is to send your deceased wife into the afterlife, beyond the door and into the next realm. If you have done as I previously instructed, you have gotten rid of many of Heidi’s earthly belongings, which is a crucial step to letting her go. Now, imagine a rope that connects you to Heidi. Cut it and sever the tie.”
“It can’t be that simple.”
“It’s not. It’s symbolic of freeing her, but the act of letting go is another story altogether.”
“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to let her go.”
“Cling onto something else you care about. It usually helps.”
His hands tightened around hers. She cracked her eyes open, her heart racing as she stared at their conjoined hands. The word home echoed in her mind again, and when she tried to push it away, it slammed back into her stronger than before.
Home is with the Order, she insisted.
Yet, her pounding heart didn’t believe her.
Intrigued? Here’s where to buy the book:
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Applebooks
A little about Sydney:
Sydney Winward was born with an artistic brain and a love of discovery for new talents. From drawing to sewing to music, she has loved to explore every opportunity that comes her way. At a young age, Sydney discovered her love of writing and wrote her first book at twelve years old, and since then, she hasn’t been able to stop writing. Her active imagination and artistic mind take her away to different worlds and time periods, making every new story a fantastic adventure. When she is not writing (or fawning over animals in the neighborhood) she spends time with her husband and children at home in Utah.
Where to find her:
Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Instagram
Thanks so much for sharing your new release with us, Sydney. Wishing you all the best with it! 🙂
04 Saturday Apr 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Bear With Me, cover reveal, debut novel, Judith Sterling, Kentucky, Marilyn Barr, paranormal romance, secular homeschooling, sensory processing disorder, The Wild Rose Press
Marilyn Barr is a new sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press), and today, she’s revealing the cover of her debut novel, Bear with Me. Here’s the scoop on this paranormal romance:
Blue eyes, dimples, and silky brown hair; Grant Luther has all of Alison’s weaknesses.
When he asks for one last chance to save their marriage, she agrees to relocate their family to isolated Strawberry, Kentucky in pursuit of his career dreams. Grant views Alison’s sensory issues as limitations and protects her from outside threats. When he finds his new job includes changing him into a shifter in a war against the soul-sucking Sluagh he vows to keep the changes a secret. What he doesn’t know is Alison has been hiding a magical secret of her own. One that makes her a target of the Sluagh.
Will Alison emerge from Grant’s shadow to protect her family? And can Grant learn that being different can be a strength not a weakness?
Check out the trailer!
A note from Marilyn:
Bear with Me was originally a journal entry describing my family’s first full day after moving to Kentucky in 2015. Main character Alison’s struggle to act normal with sensory processing disorder mirrors my own challenges. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a dysregulation of how the body perceives the world and its use of our seven senses. Each person has a different combination of over-responsive and under-responsive senses.
Alison has the same combination as myself, where we are overly sensitive to smells, tastes, and hearing. Social events that involve eating are a nightmare. It is not that I am a picky eater, but that different food textures scrape along the inside of my mouth to varying degrees. I will cook a large repertoire of foods but would only eat five different meals when I went to college. I knew my husband was “the one” when he didn’t make fun of my eating in our college cafeteria.
While I have normal eyesight with contact lenses, Alison and I are under-sensitive to touch, proprioception, and vestibular senses. This is where most of my social problems occurred growing up. I cannot feel if my shoes are on the wrong feet, my clothes are on backward, a sign has been placed on my back, or a teen boyfriend was grabbing my behind. Because of these issues, I decided to turn this aspect of SPD into Alison’s superpower. The last two senses describe where our bodies feel they are in space. Those of us who are under-responsive fidget, dance, and use grand hand gestures to verify the gravitational input most people receive naturally. You can imagine the trouble I had sitting in a desk at school.
In addition to SPD, Alison and I homeschool our autistic sons; both boys have savant syndrome. This portion of the autism spectrum is characterized in television shows like The Good Doctor and movies like Rain Man where the person has one outstanding area of expertise to the detriment of other skills. In Bear with Me, Henrik is a musical savant with behavior troubles in public school. He sings, composes, and plays the piano at a virtuoso level. My real son is a linguistic savant. He excels in the areas of grammar and syntax, not only in English but in many foreign languages as well.
I hope to show readers a growing section of the homeschool community in Bear with Me referred to as secular homeschoolers. These families homeschool for reasons other than religion. The children of rural Strawberry are an hour’s drive from the nearest school, so each parent teaches their area of expertise with all the children in the community as classmates. In real-life Kentucky, we call these groups of families “cottage schools” or “parent-lead co-ops,” depending on whether parents exchange money. In Strawberry, the parents exchange teaching classes but do not pay each other monetarily. Green Witch Alison teaches math and science. Pizzeria owner Rosie Paulino teaches language arts and Italian. Also, her son Henrik takes online classes from a local university in his area of expertise (as my son takes foreign language classes from Outschool Professors in different countries).
Connect with Marilyn:
04 Wednesday Dec 2019
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
bestselling author, Charm Me Again, Colorado, excerpt, Judith Sterling, new release, paranormal romance, pre-order, Scottish Highland ghost, Tena Stetler, The Wild Rose Press
I’m excited to feature a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) today. Bestselling author Tena Stetler has a new release, Charm Me Again, and it looks like a great read. Here’s the scoop:
For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery.
As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.
Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?
A peek between the pages:
Suddenly the wind increased and changed direction bringing a cold chill to the warm day. She tugged her sweater close around her as a thin maroon line formed along the flat bottom of a dark, boiling cloud spreading across the sky. Moments before there’d been only an occasional fluffy white cloud floating in the bright blue sky. Oh, no, not again.
The line slowly drifted to vertical and spread open to reveal a sparkling interior. Four striking creatures, sharp-angled features with fierce expressions on their inhumanly handsome faces appeared. Gleaming swords hung at their sides as they slipped out of the cloud and stepped onto the ground not more than fifty feet from her and Daylan along the tree line of the property. Holy shit. This can’t be happening.
She rubbed her eyes but when she opened them the men were still there. Dressed in heavy boots, jeans, and formfitting leather vests, shimmering silver bands adorned their muscular upper arms. Two of them had thick shoulder length blond hair, the others had jet black hair hanging in waves past their shoulders.
She jumped up and opened her mouth to scream. But Daylan reacted faster clapping his hand over her mouth while still facing the advancing creatures. To her surprise, a soft giggle escaped from her lips. They look like a group of medieval bikers. Their apparent leader, his reddish sable hair hung well beyond his shoulders in waves, paused a few yards in front of them.
Available now for preorder:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
More about Tena:
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance novels. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends.
With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and strong mystical males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Where to find her:
Author Website, Facebook, Twitter,
Bookbub, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page,
Authors’ Secrets Blog, My Say What Blog
Quarterly Newsletter Sign up, Pinterest, and
Best of luck with the book, Tena! 🙂
12 Saturday Oct 2019
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Amazon gift card, Bookwrapt, Judith Sterling, Kindle Fire, literary giveaway, paranormal romance, Secret Magicks Giveaway, urban fantasy
Paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and urban fantasy lovers, how would you like to take home a Kindle, Amazon gift card, or ebook prize pack where you get to choose the list of books you want from Amazon? Enter now for your chance to win!
Plus, check out the Secret Magicks Book Fair for a scavenger hunt game with a personal, leather-bound spell book up for grabs, and a huge shelf’s worth of page-turning vampire, angel, shifter, witch, fae, and other reads for 2.99 or less, some FREE!
https://bookwrapt.com/secret-magicks-book-fair/
Authors Sponsoring this Event:
Alex Gordon • Amanda Uhl • Angelica R. Jackson • Bernadette Rowley • C.D. Gorri • Carrie Pulkinen • Christa Paige • Christina McKnight • D. Lieber • Dawn Marie Hamilton • Denise D. Young • E.B. Black • Eichin Chang-Lim • Elizabeth Rose • Erica Monroe • Greg Alldredge • J.L. Myers • JC Andrijeski • Judith Sterling • Karen Michelle Nutt • Karina Kantas • Katherine Gilbert • Kerry Blaisdell • L.E. Harrison • Lisa Voisin • Megan Starks • Mimi Barbour • N.D. Jones • Rebecca Hefner • Sedona Venez • Sharon Ashwood • Stephanie West • Zoe Dawson
