True: A Bluebird, Texas #Romance by Ann Everett @TalkinTwang

True

A Bluebird, Texas Romance

by Ann Everett

Ann is giving away five awesome prize packages. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win one of the prize packages. You may find the tour locations here.  About True: Sometimes it takes losing everything… True Shanahan must be the unluckiest woman in the world. Either that or she’s cursed. After another failed relationship, True leaves Dallas with a broken heart and new attitude. It’s time to walk on the wild side. But when she makes a wrong turn and ends up in Bluebird, Texas, the only man she wants is anything but reckless. …to find all you’ve ever wanted. Ritter Malone is the town’s favorite son and has the local hero awards to prove it. Seems he’s always in the right place at the right time. But when he crosses paths with True, his life takes a turn he never sees coming. Her songwriting skills may be questionable, but her ability to turn him inside out is indisputable. Welcome to Bluebird, Texas. Where a chance meeting gives two people a chance at love. Amazon Buy Link

Excerpt:

When Ritter arrived at the gym, he spotted Cole jumping rope. He stopped and glanced at the wall clock. “You’re late. Roommate didn’t have you tied up, did she?”

“Very funny. We got a dog. Stayed up playing with him. I hit the snooze one time too many.”

Cole ran a towel over his face, then his lips curled. “That’s not good.”

“What? Getting a puppy?”

“Naw. The we in that sentence sounds like a contract extension.”

Ritter stretched. “I won’t lie. I’ve gone home to an empty house so long, thought having someone there would drive me nuts, but it hasn’t—for the most part.”

Cole stepped on the nearest treadmill, turned it on, and ran a steady pace. “I gotta hand it to you. You’ve managed to sleep with her and keep your hands to yourself. Or have you?”

Ritter climbed onto the machine next to Cole’s and matched his stride. No need to confess he hadn’t exactly resisted, but he’d not passed second base—by much. Had it not been for the phone call, he would have hit a home run. He’d had the wood for it. “No.”

“Come on. No way you haven’t hit that. Especially after what you told me about her coming on to you.”

“That’s why I can’t let her stay. My resistance is wearing thin.”

Ritter and Cole’s phones sounded a text at the same time. Ritter read his, then shot Cole a look. “Turns out, we’re off this afternoon.”

Cole dropped his cell back into the cupholder. “I’ve never been to New Jersey. You?”

“Nope but looks like the storm is calling us there.”

NAME THE TWINS CONTEST:

Submit your name choices via comment Ann's blog post, http://www.anneverett.com/2018/06/15/contest-and-new-release/ or to her email ann.everett @rocketmail. com. (without spaces)

About the Author:

Award winning author, Ann Everett embraces her small town upbringing and thinks Texans are some of the funniest people on earth. When speaking to writing groups, businesses, book clubs, and non-profit organizations, she incorporates her special brand of wit, making her programs on marketing, self-publishing, and the benefits of laughter, informative and fun.

Social Links:

Website: anneverett.com Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorAnnEverett Twitter: twitter.com/talkintwang Blog: anneverett.com/blog/

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Check out #MFRWHooks for The Skeleton Canyon Treasure: #Romance and #Suspense

I’ve previously shared part of the first chapter from The Mad Monk’s Treasure, as well as the opening and a later excerpt from The Dead Man’s Treasure. These novels are part of my Southwest Treasure Hunters collection. Each novel stands alone in this series mixing action and adventure with romance. Today’s excerpt is from the third book:

The Skeleton Canyon Treasure

When Camille Dagneau surprises a strange man in the college machine shop she runs, she is ready for battle. Ryan MacAllister seems equally suspicious of her, but he insists he’s merely looking for his missing uncle, who has disappeared while hunting for a lost treasure. He believes Camie is the key to finding the treasure, and his uncle. But Camie – beautiful, brilliant, and prickly – isn’t about to trust this oversized geologist, or the attraction she feels.

Following the clues in the missing man’s journal will take Camie, Ryan, and the cat Tiger on a trail through New Mexico and Arizona. They’ll visit the Tombstone graveyard at night, uncover clues in museums, and ultimately wind up in Skeleton Canyon, where rumor says nineteenth-century cowboy bandits secreted their treasure in a cave. To rescue Ryan’s uncle, they’ll face steep cliffs, twisty tunnels, and worse dangers in human form, but trusting each other may be the biggest challenge. And they’re running out of time ….

If you love suspense and romance, don’t miss this gripping adventure! The Southwest Treasure Hunters novels include The Mad Monk’s Treasure and The Dead Man’s Treasure. Each novel stands alone in this series mixing action and adventure with light romance.

Praise:

“The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is a light, breezy action/adventure/romance that's perfect for summer reading.”

"A great mystery, love story, and search for a treasure.”

Chapter One

Camie let herself into the darkened building, reveling in the silence. At 10 PM on a Friday, the engineering department was abandoned, exactly the way she liked it. A few hours of work without distractions and she’d get her invention running.

A faint light shone in the darkened hallway. The glow spilled through the small square of glass in her door, a warning beacon coming from inside her machine shop. She hesitated. Had she forgotten to turn off the light when she left for dinner? Plausible but unlikely. Slapping the light switch on the way out was habit, and she’d been extra careful since the break-in a few nights earlier.

A few other people had keys to the college machine shop, but the cleaning staff would be long gone, and her student interns spent Friday nights at the bar. Camie returned after hours to work on her own projects because inspiration required solitude. So why was her light on?

She crept forward, as silent as the sleeping building around her. The ten-inch window was cloudy with age and threaded with wire mesh, but it didn’t completely hide the sight within. A large man stood on the far side of the room, hunched over one of her workbenches. She didn’t recognize him. Easily several inches over six feet and a good 220 pounds of mostly muscle, he would stand out in any crowd. Among the young geniuses of a science and engineering college, he was a mountain lion among prairie dogs.

Her eyes narrowed and she gave a low growl. What was he doing here, in her machine shop, messing with her equipment? He had to be connected to the earlier theft. Why would he come back when he already had her invention? He couldn’t know she’d already started rebuilding it. Maybe he wanted to steal her notes and the provisional patent application forms. Without them, she’d have a much harder time proving she’d been the original inventor.

She considered her options, calling campus security or the police being the most obvious. Campus security would be faster, but the police would have guns. Problem was, she’d left her phone inside the machine shop. She’d have to leave to find another phone, and he might escape in the meantime, with her notes, and the new version of her device. She didn’t trust the authorities to track him down once he got out of the building. More likely they’d take a report and do nothing. And she did not want to start over from scratch yet again.

And then the man actually reached out and picked up her baby, her new version of the invention, only partway rebuilt. All thought of options and smart choices vanished.

She barreled through the door.

The man spun around, still holding her machine. At least he didn’t drop it, and his hands were occupied so he couldn’t easily go for a weapon. But if he tried to get past her, she’d have to risk damaging her invention in order to stop him.

He gaped at her, several expressions flitting across his face as if unsure which one belonged. Finally he settled into a cocky grin. It didn’t make him good looking. But despite his size and her own keyed-up nerves, she didn’t get a sense of threat. She was usually good at reading people that way.

Still, she didn’t relax. “Well?”

He looked momentarily startled. What kind of greeting had he expected, a warm welcome?

Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks - You might find your next great read!

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. E-books are available from $.99 to $3.99, or free with Kindle Unlimited. 

Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a legendary treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Kris Bock’s Newsletter signup

Kris Bock website

Kris Bock’s Amazon page

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Kris Bock on Pinterest

#MysteryExchange – sign up to exchange mystery or suspense blog posts

This information is for a blog hop. Authors of mystery, suspense, romantic suspense, and similar novels are invited to join. The goal is to gain exposure for your books by cross-promoting.

Here's how it works:

1. You sign up and agree to host others on your blog in the comment section. Include the following :

·         your name

·         email address (You may wish to format e-mail addresses like this: name (at) site (dot) com)

·         genre with any sub genres

·         any information that might make your book not appropriate for certain blogs, such as explicit sex or a high level of violence

·         any limits on who you'll accept as guests, such as G-rated books only, only books with a romance or only books without a romance etc. (Many people read across genres so I hope we don't need to be too restricted, so long as we let readers know what they're getting.)

2. Signup will close June 25.
3. Then email others on the list and let them know that you are interested in doing an exchange. Please put Author Exchange in the subject line so they won't think you are spam.
4. Give dates you have available to host them and if you have a preferred date, request it. Agree on dates.
5. Write and exchange posts. Send:

- A title. Post titles should included the hashtag #MysteryExchange (one word). This is to make it easier to retweet.
- your cover and/or other appropriate images
- author photo

- blurb up to 300 words
- excerpt up to 500 words
- Purchase links up to 5
- author short bio  up to100 words
- author links

The Exchange runs through July, although if you prefer to ask for a specific different date (such as when you have a new release), that's fine. Check back on June 25 for others who have signed up for the exchange.  

Please share your guests’ posts throughout your social media networks, and when you are a guest, share that blog link with your networks. In addition, search for the #MysteryExchange hashtag and share other people's posts.

If have any questions or problems comment below.

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance featuring outdoor adventures in Southwestern landscapes. E-books are available from $.99 to $3.99, or free with Kindle Unlimited. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. 

A #MFRWHooks for What We Found #Romance and #Mystery

I’ve been sharing excerpts from What We Found. See the first and second posts.

Last week I shared an excerpt from What We Found. Here's another, from a bit later in the book.

Drugs, abuse, religion. How did it all fit together? Or did they fit together? Were we missing something else much more important?

One thing was clear. Our pleasant visit had turned somber and edgy. This family had enough trouble without us making it worse. I needed time to think everything through, and Ricky seemed out of questions for the moment.

I rose. “We should get going. Thanks for the tour and the cookies.”

Ricky hesitated and then got up, too. I didn’t have to prod him to add his thanks. Mom had him well-trained in manners.

“Come back some time,” Nancy said. “Kyle can take you out on a falcon hunt.”

Ricky looked at me hopefully, so I nodded. “We’d both enjoy that, thanks.”

“Let me give you my number,” Kyle said. “Call or text me anytime. Nancy or I are out almost every day.”

By the time I’d programmed his number into my phone, Daniel had a baggie of cookies for us to take home. As we pulled out of the driveway, I said, “Those are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. One thing is certain, none of them had anything to do with the murder.” Something loosened in my chest as I said those words. Whatever the rumors about Kyle, I couldn’t believe he had intentionally hurt another person, let alone his sister.

 At the top of the hill, we headed into town. The first stoplight turned yellow ahead of me. I could almost make it, but to be safe I pressed on the brakes.

 The car didn’t slow.

 I pushed my foot to the floor. My heart stuttered as I clutched the steering wheel and pressed back into my seat. A big white truck sat at the crossroads, ready to pull out into the intersection. We slowed a little since I wasn’t on the gas, but the car wasn’t stopping.

 The light turned red as we hit the edge of the intersection. The white truck started forward.

 I jerked my hand from the steering wheel rim and slammed it hard against the center. The horn blared.

 The white truck loomed in the passenger-side window. Heading right for Ricky.

I jerked the wheel hard to the left. My car swung erratically across the intersection, throwing me to the right. The seat belt scraped against my left shoulder, and I almost lost control of the wheel. An oncoming car I hadn’t even noticed jerked to a stop with a screech of tires.

The scene outside the window swam crazily, a blur of color and motion. We bumped off the road onto the sloping gravel alongside. The car tilted and tree branches slapped the windshield. If we rolled, Ricky’s side would hit first. If we hit the trees, his side would take the most damage.

What We Found

Finding a dead body changes a person.

22-year-old Audra Needham is back in her small New Mexico hometown, ready to work hard, fit in, and help her younger brother. Going for a walk in the woods with her former crush, Jay, seems like a harmless distraction … until they stumble on a body.

Jay, who has secrets of his own to protect, insists they walk away and keep quiet. But Audra can't simply forget what she's seen. The woman needs to be found, and her story deserves to be told.

More than one person isn't happy about Audra bringing a crime to life. The dead woman was murdered, and Audra could be next on the vengeful killer's list. She’ll have to stand up for herself in order to stand up for the murder victim. It’s a risk, and so is reaching out to the mysterious young man who works with deadly birds of prey. With her 12-year-old brother determined to play detective, and romance budding in the last place she expected, Audra learns that some risks are worth taking – no matter the danger, to her body or her heart.

Praise for What We Found:

“Another action-packed suspense novel by Kris Bock, perhaps her best to-date. The author weaves an intriguing tale with appealing characters. Watching Audra, the main character, evolve into an emotionally-mature and independent young woman is gratifying.” – Ellen R.

“This book had me guessing to the end who was the murderer. Well written characters drive the story. Good romance. Exceptional and believable plot twists and turns. I loved it! I recommend this book highly.” – Suzanne B.

“This is a nonstop suspense. Love the characters and how real they seem with every episode played out. This is a love story and suspense all in one.” – Pam

Learn about the true experience that inspired What We Found.

Sample or buy What We Found on Amazon.

Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks - 
You might find your next great read! 

An #MFRWHooks excerpt for What We Found: #Romance and #Mystery in New Mexico by @Kris_Bock

Last week I shared an excerpt from What We Found. Here's another, from a bit later in the book.

As I pushed through the door, something moved on my bed.

I gasped and jerked back, banging into the doorframe.

“Audra! It’s me.”

A whimper came from my throat. I clung to the doorframe as my legs threatened to collapse. My brain recognized the voice, but it couldn’t control my body’s reaction.

My bedside lamp flicked on. Ricky, sitting cross-legged near my pillow, grinned at me. “I’m sorry I scared you. I didn’t want Mom to know I was in here.”

I closed the door and staggered the three steps to the narrow bed. “Ricky. What are you doing here? Everything’s all right. Go to bed.”

“But I want to help!”

I rubbed my hands over my face. Half my brain was already asleep and the other half wanted to join it. “Help with what?”

“Help investigate! Help you find out what happened to that woman.”

“What?” I shook my head and sat on the end of the bed. “No. That’s the police’s job. I told them what I know. I’m done.”

“But they have a lot of cases, hundreds, probably. Those guys aren’t even local. They could use our help. They don’t know what’s really going on here, in our town.”

His words created an odd echo of something Jay had said. “What do you mean? What’s going on here?”

“I hear stuff in school, you know, who’s selling drugs or who got knocked around by her dad or whatever. Stuff the police don’t know.”

I remembered hearing rumors like that in school as well. I hadn’t always understood all the slang and innuendo, but Ricky, curious boy, would have figured it out. “But that stuff doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Maybe it does! You have to keep an open mind when you’re investigating. You have to look and listen. I can do that at school and around town. You can do that at the resort. Then we can put together what we learn and figure it out.”

It was too much. Too much pressure, too much risk, simply asking too much. “That’s crazy! I don’t know anything! I don’t know what I’m doing or—” I broke off, trying to hold back the tears.

Ricky got up. He stood beside the bed and smiled gently down at me. “You’re tired. We can talk about it tomorrow. You’ll see what a chance this is.”

What We Found

Finding a dead body changes a person.

22-year-old Audra Needham is back in her small New Mexico hometown, ready to work hard, fit in, and help her younger brother. Going for a walk in the woods with her former crush, Jay, seems like a harmless distraction … until they stumble on a body.

Jay, who has secrets of his own to protect, insists they walk away and keep quiet. But Audra can't simply forget what she's seen. The woman needs to be found, and her story deserves to be told.

More than one person isn't happy about Audra bringing a crime to life. The dead woman was murdered, and Audra could be next on the vengeful killer's list. She’ll have to stand up for herself in order to stand up for the murder victim. It’s a risk, and so is reaching out to the mysterious young man who works with deadly birds of prey. With her 12-year-old brother determined to play detective, and romance budding in the last place she expected, Audra learns that some risks are worth taking – no matter the danger, to her body or her heart.

Praise for What We Found:

“Another action-packed suspense novel by Kris Bock, perhaps her best to-date. The author weaves an intriguing tale with appealing characters. Watching Audra, the main character, evolve into an emotionally-mature and independent young woman is gratifying.” – Ellen R.

“This book had me guessing to the end who was the murderer. Well written characters drive the story. Good romance. Exceptional and believable plot twists and turns. I loved it! I recommend this book highly.” – Suzanne B.

“This is a nonstop suspense. Love the characters and how real they seem with every episode played out. This is a love story and suspense all in one.” – Pam

Learn about the true experience that inspired What We Found.

Sample or buy What We Found on Amazon

Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks - You might find your next great read! 

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Guest @LisabetSarai shares The Witches of Gloucester

Welcome Lisabet Sarai!

It’s not about power. It’s about love.

The Witches of Gloucester by Lisabet Sarai

The historic port of Gloucester, Massachusetts has a special charm, due at least in part to its resident witches. For decades, raven-maned Marguerite and red-headed Beryl have lived among its hard-working inhabitants, making magic and mischief. Love and sex fuel their supernatural abilities, but duality limits their power. To reach their full potential, they need a third witch to complete their circle.

Rejected as a nymphomaniac by her puritanical boyfriend, Emmeline escapes to Gloucester to work on her PhD thesis. From the moment she arrives, Marguerite and Beryl sense her erotic vitality and unrecognized paranormal talent. The platinum-haired beauty may well be the enchantress they have been awaiting for so long. Now they need to show Em that her prodigious libido is a gift, not a liability, and to persuade her that her destiny lies in the sea-girt town they guard, and in their arms.

SPECIAL BONUS: Also includes "Late Show", a contemporary FF erotic romance tale about second chances.

19,000 words

Genre: Lesbian paranormal erotic romance (FFF)

Heat level: Explicit (5 flames)

Buy the book: 

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Goodreads

Excerpt

“Will she come, do you think?” Marguerite gestured toward the 1930’s brass Commodore clock on the mantel, which read ten minutes past four. “She looked so nervous yesterday – as if she thought we’d eat her alive.”

“Well, actually, when you put it that way...” Beryl allowed herself a lecherous chuckle.

Her companion gave her an exasperated grin. “This is not a joke. You know as well as I what is at stake.”

“Don’t worry, Mar. She’ll be here, though she may have to wrestle a few doubts into submission first. She feels the pull, just as we do, even if she doesn’t understand it.”

“Well, I do hope she arrives soon.” Marguerite surveyed the elegant table she’d set. She picked up a Blue Willow porcelain teacup and wiped away an imaginary smudge. “The icing on the petit fours is melting.”

As if in answer, chimes tinkled at the front of the house and a hint of fresh air slipped in the open door, bringing the ubiquitous tang of salt. From his corner cage, Marguerite’s mynah, Jonah, exactly mimicked the sound of the doorbell. Beryl jumped to her feet. “I’ll go show her to the parlor.”

“No, no – let Gloria do that. We don’t want to spook her with excess enthusiasm. Settle down and compose yourself. Remember, you’re a member of the Ladies’ Welcome Brigade. Refined. Polite. Proper.”

“Proper?” Beryl grinned....

About Lisabet Sarai

LISABET SARAI writes in many genres, but F/F fiction is one of her favorites. Her lesbian erotica credits include contributions to Lambda Award winner Where the Girls Are, Ippie-winning Carnal Machines, Best Lesbian Romance 2012, Forbidden Fruit: Stories of Unwise Lesbian  Desire,  and Lammy-nominated Coming Together: Girl on Girl. Her story “The Late Show” appears in the recently released Best Lesbian Erotica 2015.

Lisabet holds more degrees than anyone would ever need, from prestigious educational institutions who would no doubt be deeply embarrassed by her explicit literary endeavors. She has traveled widely and currently lives in Southeast Asia, where she pursues an alternative career that is completely unrelated to her writing. For all the dirt on Lisabet, visit her website (http://www.lisabetsarai.com) or her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com).