Book Spotlight- Every Kiss

Hey Readers, 

I hope that you'll like this story as much as I do.

Here's an excerpt.

EXCERPT:

“I have an even better idea.” Ian lowered his voice into a honeyed drawl and his attention again dropped to her lips and stayed there. “We could forgo all bets and mistletoe. No one else is around. You can kiss me now for thirty seconds, a minute, but if you want it to go on longer, we’ll have to retire to your office and shut the door.” His mouth curled into a half-smile. “I promise I won’t tell.”

Gia gasped and lifted a hand to her throat, only half-pretending. “Are you propositioning me, Mr. O’Connor? I’m shocked, not to mention appalled, that you’d go to such sordid lengths to win a bet.”

He eased closer and his heated gaze drifted over her face and along her neck, as if he couldn’t decide where he wanted to start nibbling first. “You have no idea what lengths I’ll go to for you, Ms. Hellman.”

Her breath caught and it had nothing to do with pretending. Her blood raced faster, suddenly too hot, and a tingling invaded her lips, as if he’d already kissed her, hard and hungry, and left her wanting more. Holy crap, the man was a menace. And she couldn’t stop looking at his mouth, couldn’t stop wondering if he could truly deliver on all the decadent, delicious promises in his darkened eyes.

Probably. But she wasn’t willing to lose the bet to find out.

Subtly, as if drawn against her will, she leaned nearer, keeping her attention on his mouth. Even with her four-inch heels, she had to lift her chin to bring her lips closer to his. Gia made her voice soft and sultry. “Mistletoe or not, I won’t be kissing you. Not today, tomorrow or any time on Saturday.” She patted his cheek. “Get used to losing.”

He captured her wrist before she could withdraw her hand, keeping her gently captive. His eyes were blue fire. “I never lose.”

Doesn't that sound fun? To celebrate its release--Every Kiss is just 99 cents! To find out more about Every Kiss or it's author, here are some links. 

C.J Burright is a native Oregonian and refuses to leave. A member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal special interest chapter, while she has worked for years in a law office, she chooses to avoid writing legal thrillers (for now) and instead invades the world of paranormal romance, fantasy, and contemporary romance. C.J. also has her 4th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and believes a story isn’t complete without at least one fight scene. Her meager spare time is spent working out, refueling with mochas, gardening, gorging on Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners…always with music. She shares life with her husband, daughter, and a devoted cat herd.

You can find C.J. at her website or at Totally Bound Publishing. To stay connected, follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Bookbub, subscribe to her newsletter here and follow her blog here.

Eilis Flynn Brings Japanese Ghosts and Death Rituals to Sakuracon 2019!

“Japanese Ghosts and Death Rituals” returns to Sakuracon this year, and I’m working hard right now on making a spiffy PowerPoint presentation so attendees can see what I’m talking about this year! (Technology! Scarier than ghosts!)

Last year I was stunned -- stunned, I tell you -- to have filled the (very large) room last year, and I’m determined to provide an even better show in 2019. (I may have a ghost of a chance.)

There are ghosts along the Silk Road. And they're fascinating!

Which ghosts have one eye in their butt? Which ghosts are a demon and a fairy? Which ghosts are a lot like one you know from Harry Potter? Come to the panel and you'll find out!

It’s Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 4pm in 4C-4 at the Washington State Convention Center, so mark it down. And there’ll even copies of my book, Ghosts Along the Silk Road...and Beyond for sale (if you haven’t already purchased it from all the usual online sellers). 

There’s even a giveaway – a copy of Dragons Along the Silk Road!

Looking forward to seeing you again!

Non-fiction by Eilis Flynn with Jacquie Rogers:

Ghosts Along The Silk Road… And Beyond: Central Asia (paperback)(eBook) | 

Dragons Along the Silk Road…And Beyond (paperback)(eBook)|Vampires & Zombies Along the Silk Road…And Beyond (eBook)

Fiction by Eilis Flynn:

Festival of Stars (paperback)(eBook) | The Sleeper Awakes (paperback)(eBook) | His 30-Day Guarantee (paperback)(eBook) | The Riddle of Ryu (eBook)| The Sonika Stories (paperback)(eBook) | Dreaming Beauty (World of Sonika) (paperback)(eBook) | Christmas in the Rain (eBook)| Halloween for a Heroine (eBook)| Static Shock (paperback)(eBook) | 

With Heather Hiestand:

Wear Black (paperback)(eBook)| Dancing in Red (a Wear Black novella) (eBook)

Get the Calloway boxset for two days only #$1.99 (Books 1-3)

December 13, 2018

The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou Boxset




It includes the first three books in the series:

When the Right One Comes Along (Ridge and Buffy)

Too Good To Be True (Luc and Delilah)

Only the Heart Remembers (Nick and Brenna)

What a deal! The #newrelease the Calloways of Rainbow Bayou Boxed Set (books 1-3) is on a quickie sale for $1.99 (regularly $7.99) Pick it up today.

This book will get you started on the series (currently seven books including the newest release.) If you love stories with love of family and community, a bit of suspense and of course, hunky heroes with a heart of gold, you’ll enjoy the Calloways.

Genre: Womens fiction/ romantic comedy/ romantic suspense/small town military romance

Blurb:

In the small town of Rainbow Bayou, the Calloways are larger than life, a military family that doesn't see obstacles…only possibilities.

Excerpt from Only the Heart Remembers

Brenna and the stranger left the safety of the wall and step by excruciating step trudged toward the bedroom. Every muscle in her body complained as she struggled to keep him upright. They pushed against each other like two adversaries in an Olympic wrestling match but managed to stay upright until he toppled onto the massive oak bed, cursing as he landed.

 She placed the covers over him and spoke in a soothing voice, “Easy, there. You’re okay now, just rest.” The lines between his eyebrows eventually eased as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

After checking the fire and gathering up the soiled linens and pieces of clothing from the floor, she stuffed them into a garbage bag and placed it in the laundry room until the power was restored. But when she returned to the bedroom, Brenna found the big man shivering violently under the covers and thrashing about.

What was going on? She stretched more blankets over him. His complexion looked gray in the light of the candle instead of its earlier bronze and he was hotter than Hades.

“This just keeps getting worse.” They both needed rest. Had it been just two hours? It felt like two days.

The rain still lashed at the window panes with the lightning not as frequent and farther off, but Brenna knew there was more bad weather to come. They’d predicted several days of this as the low moved across the lake. Ironically, the presence of the big man in her bed seemed to lessen her fear.

An hour later he groaned and tried to rise but Brenna stopped him. “You need to rest.”

“I need a shower,” he said, sounding remarkably clearheaded.

He might, but he wasn’t going to get one. “You’ve been sick and I’m not about to let you get in the shower.” There she went again in that voice fit only for children, a voice even she didn’t recognize.

With a touch of petulance, he said, “But I always take a shower every night before bed. You know that.”

Her eyebrows rose and her head tilted studying him. She knew that?

“Well. . . not tonight, okay?”

He swung his legs to the side of the bed and stood, a trained decathlete would run a poor second to his sculptured beauty. Then he strode down the hallway. Brenna just stared after Hunky Burglar as he took off in the direction of the bathroom once again. Was he moving on instinct or did he remember? She followed since there didn’t seem to be much else she could do. He seemed to have come out of his stupor in command of all his faculties.

A sharp noise came from outside as they reached the living room. All at once, he pushed her against the cabinet, extending his hand as if it held a gun. He crouched low, searching the room, a sleek muscled panther sniffing the air placing himself between her and some mythical threat.

“Hey, it was just a limb hitting the roof,” Brenna said, careful not to startle him. Each sleek powerful line of his body was rigid with tension. If anyone had told her she wouldn’t be laughing at a naked man crouched in her living room with his finger pistol, she wouldn’t have believed it. He obviously took this protection business seriously.

She tried again. “Come on. Put the uh, ‘gun’ away.” His intensity was spellbinding. She placed her hand tentatively on his arm and said, “I think it’s okay now.” He dropped his gun hand to his side and rubbed his head with the other.

After securing a promise from him to call if he needed her, Brenna left him in the bathroom. She didn’t hear a large body hitting the floor so she waited. He’d finished brushing his teeth and was running a washcloth over his chest when she opened the door.

He turned slowly, giving her another perfect view of his. . . physique and winked. His molten gaze made heat race through her limbs and pool between her legs. Heaven help her, but he was whoopee on a stick, totally boinkable.

And totally off limits.

“Sex is the mother of all distractions," her friend Godiva had said one evening and Brenna was keenly aware that this handsome distraction was blowing her fear away as effectively as a strong north wind.

Get the boxed set on all your favorite eBook stores

Books 2 Read  https://books2read.com/CallowaysRBBox 

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KWH3J7V

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KWH3J7V

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KWH3J7V

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07KWH3J7V

Apple Books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1444702855

Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1129942996

Kobo  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-calloways-of-rainbow-bayou

Constance Bretes Talks About Her New Release--The Christmas Ballet

It’s my pleasure to host Connie Bretes. I talked to her about her new release The Christmas Ballet. After you read her interview, I'm betting you'll be interested in her latest story. 

How would you describe The Christmas Ballet in only three words? Heartwarming and romantic

Do you listen to music while you write? Sometimes

What are some tunes on your playlist? It depends on what I’m writing and what scene I’m in. Lately, it’s been Like A Rock by Bob Seger.

What scene from The Christmas Ballet was the most fun to write? There were several, when Maria and Laura went down in the hill in a sled, and when Stefan told Laura he was taking her to the holiday office party.

How did come to be? What was your inspiration to write the book?  I love Music Box Dancer, by Frank Mills. I used to have his record with this tune on it, but my husband sold all our records and we didn’t have a record player. I found the music on a YouTube video one afternoon, and began imagining a little girl getting a music box with a ballerina in it for Christmas. Then it progress so that the little girl was a ballerina and she did her first solo with The Music Box.

What do you hope readers take away from your work? The enjoyment of reading a holiday romance.

What are you reading right now?  Two Weeks Notice by Whitney G.

What writing advice would you give a fellow author? Surround yourself with other authors and don’t give up.

Quick Draw:

Jeans or sweats?  Sweats

Coffee or Tea?  Coffee

Chocolate or Chips?  Chips

Boxers, briefs or commando? briefs

Chocolate or vanilla?  Both

 Constance Bretes is an author of contemporary romance and suspense. Her romance books are often set in different parts of the country, but her favorite site is Montana. She retired from the State of Michigan after 38-plus years of service and now writes and researches full time. She is married to her best friend and has recently moved from Montana to Alabama. Her hobbies include basket weaving, sapphire digging, and checking out old ghost towns.

The Christmas Ballet By Constance Bretes

Constance has 2 $10 gift certificates to Paparazzi Accessories to giveaway during the tour. 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 https://goo.gl/taJJDH.


  About The Christmas Ballet:

Laura Hemmingway cut herself off from men and her family when the man she loved married her sister. She moved across the country and was doing just fine until she received a devastating call to return to New York. She had to face the death of her sister, her sister’s little girl, Maria, and Maria’s father, Stefan—the man she had once loved. She figured she would pay her respects and leave as soon as possible. She never anticipated on the beautiful little girl stealing her heart. And she never expected that seeing Stefan again after twelve years would stir up old feelings. Stefan’s life was complete. He had a successful career as an attorney, a beautiful wife and an adorable six-year-old daughter. Although he and his wife had been married in name only for the past several years, he cared for her deeply. Then her unexpected death brought him face-to-face with his former lover, and the guilt he’d carried for years. Stefan is still in love with Laura and wants to give her everything she deserves. He and Maria are racing against time to convince Laura to stay with them in New York. Can a little girl’s love, and the true magic of Christmas, help Stefan convince Laura to stay and give their relationship another chance? Content Warning: contains some sexual content Genre – Contemporary Romance Heat Level - Hot

• Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2qPPQWB

Excerpt from The Christmas Ballet: He smiled as he thought about the look on her face when he’d stroked her. Maybe she was more interested in him than she either believed or cared to be. Then he thought of something. “One more thing, Laura,” he called out to her, and she stopped at the door and turned around. “On the nineteenth, the law firm is hosting the annual Christmas party. It’s quite grand and lasts all evening long.” “You want me to be sure to be available to babysit Maria,” Laura said. “No. I want you to plan to come with me.” “What?” “Remember that beautiful, green, velvet dress we saw at Macy’s? I want you to get that dress, and the accessories to go with it, and attend the party with me.” “Stefan, really. You know I don’t go to those types of events, and I don’t wear those kinds of clothes. I’m not comfortable with either of those things.” “You need to get comfortable.” He smiled. “This is not a part of a job for the nanny and teacher. It’s out of the range of the job description. You need to get Ginger to go with you. I’m not going.” She gave him a defiant look. “Laura, I want to take you to this event. I’m not taking no for an answer. I will arrange for Rhonda to take you shopping to help you get what you need. You will charge all the purchases to a credit card I will give you that’s for your use only. This is the first of many social parties you will be attending.” He watched her as she clenched her hands into fists and released them. “Who do you think you will get to care for Maria on these…occasions?” “Usually Lillian is available.” “Stefan, it’s my job to care for Maria, not be your date to your parties. I don’t like being told what I will or won’t do. I don’t like social parties, and I don’t like wearing expensive clothes. It’s not me, and you’re not going to change me.” “I don’t want to change you. I want you to attend an event by my side. It won’t hurt you to have some beautiful clothing to show your feminine side. I want the world to see the beauty I see. Be glad I want to show you off. Some men might decide they don’t want others to see what they see.” “Flattery doesn’t work with me. You can tell me what to do as far as Maria is concerned, but my personal life is off limits to you.” “That’s good to know. At least I know you won’t get carried away and escape my grasp by someone making flattering remarks to you. Your personal life interests me.” “Stefan, you just don’t get it. I am not going to this party,” she said, enunciating each word slowly and carefully. “Besides, your mother would be horrified to see me walk in with you.” Her face hardened as she stared at him. “Look at it this way—you’d be doing me a big favor.” “How?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not interested in the other women that come to this social party looking for an eligible bachelor. With you on my arm, it would send a clear message to all the others that I’m taken.” “God, you’re impossible. Ginger is more than capable of providing you that kind of service.” “I don’t want Ginger. You have the grace, quiet beauty, and finesse I want in a date, and I will not take no for an answer. After Maria’s recital, you and Rhonda will set a shopping date. And one more thing. When you get your hair done, I’d like you to wear it down.” He smiled at her. “This is not going to happen.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “It will. I’ll just have Maria work on you.” He eyed her. “What?” Stefan grinned. “You heard me. You’d never turn down anything from Maria.” “Grrrr.” She growled and stomped up the stairs. He laced his hands and put them behind his head. Oh yeah, it’ll be a night she’ll never forget.

If you'd like to contact Connie or learn more about her other stories, here are her Social Links:

• Website: http://constancebretes.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conniebretes/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConstanceBretes
• GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7737457.Constance_Bretes
• Email: bretesc@gmail.com
• Beachwalk Press: http://beachwalkpress.com/constance-bretes/
• Instagram: #constancebretesauthor
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Constance-Bretes/e/B00IKSKRES

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Festival of Stars is reissued!

This is the book of my heart. Within its pages, I retell the ultimate romance -- taken from the Japanese folktales with which I had grown up, but set in the United States of contemporary times.

It took time to find a publisher who didn't tell me that mainstream readers wouldn't be able to relate to it because of its theme of biracialism and bigotry. Some editors to whom I submitted it literally told me that Asians didn't read! (You can imagine my surprise, as I looked at my mountain of books, and shared this story with Asian friends and relatives, all tripping over their own mountains of books.) This may have been the case with the publisher who eventually brought the book to market in 2007. It did not find its readers then.

So I have recaptured the rights to publish this work, and I think the timing is perfect. Times have changed a bit. It's okay to be different. And being biracial no longer confuses people. Just look at our entertainers -- who isn't familiar with Keanu Reeves, Nicki Minaj, Chrissy Teigen, Dwayne Johnson, Olivia Munn, and Meghan Markle? (Markle even proves that fairy tales might come true!)

Festival of Stars is a fairy tale set today -- one that Asians will recognize, but one so universal that the longing its characters feel is tangible. My characters must struggle with their heritage and what others think about them (those who love them and those who don't). Their own mixed ancestries serve to both bring them together and pull them apart.

In this year of diversity, now is the time for such a story. I hope you'll join half-Japanese Kristin Olafsson and half-Swedish Dare Borodin on their journey to find love and their heritage with the help of the star ravens.

The book is available now digitally, and will shortly be published as a print book (I'll let you know, I promise). I especially like the cover. It's adapted from the 1857 woodblock print by the great Hiroshige, "The Tanabata Festival in the Flourishing City," from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo. If you, love this traditional art form as much as I do, I hope you will love the cover as much as I do. (I'm also just a skosh fond of the cover designer -- my spouse, Mike.)

This is the book of my heart. I hope it will be one of the books of yours.

Years ago, Jacquie Rogers and I came up with an interesting idea for a series of workshops to pitch to our local conferences that might also help our book sales. We decided to look at various myths and legends that are commonly explored among our author friends, and how they morphed around the world depending on location. We decided that the Silk Road, with its ancient trek for travelers and merchants, would be a good place to start. She would take the western cultural myths and I would take the eastern ones, and it would be fun.

The first workshop we pitched and presented to a local writers' group was on faeries and dragons. This was a great place to start, particularly because Jacquie had a series of faery romances she was writing at the time. If I recall, the dragons part was because dragons are fun. (I dare you to say otherwise.) We gave the workshop, got feedback, and we were off.

Over the next few years, we gave a series of workshops along the same theme with different topics: ghosts, angels, demons, werewolves/shapeshifters, vampires, water beasties ... somewhere along the way, we managed to explore a lot of mythology. Never much money, but it was fun. And somewhere along the way, Jacquie realized her interest was really in writing westerns. And I realized my interest was actually in those myths, not a surprise, considering my college major was in anthropology. So I continued to add to the original workshop material, because hey! It was cool!

We continued to give those workshops from time to time to yet more writers and thought nothing more of it until I was laid off from my longtime position at a magazine and found myself editing for myself full time. And as I gave one of these workshops, an audience member commented that I had so much information, and it occurred to me that I had time at long last — time to expand.

And so the workshops became books.

Here's the first of the series, Ghosts Along the Silk Road ... and Beyond, with Dragons Along the Silk Road ... and Beyond not far behind. Check it out!

Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire 

by Kayelle Allen

**FREE March 23, 2018  - March 27, 2018 ONLY **

About the Book: 

When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that's the problem. He's not.

Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped inside their pods and it's up to Pietas to free them. He can't release one at a time. It's all or nothing. He's facing over five hundred thousand hungry, thirsty, homeless immortals who will call on him for rescue and he has no way to answer.

It's not all bad. The beautiful telepathic warrior he's loved for lifetimes is at his side. He's bonded with a sentient panther. He hates humans but the one dumped on this planet with him has become a trusted friend.

Before Pietas can build shelter, figure out how to grow food, or set up a government, he must take back command from a ruthless enemy he's fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.

Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever... "WARNING"

Contains humor, sweet romance, betrayal, angst, vengeance... and a ginormous, sentient black panther who wants to be Pietas's "kitty."

Genre: science fiction, sci fi, scifi romance, action adventure, space opera, military science fiction

ASIN B077BRSRP4

ISBN 1981328327

Released: Dec 27, 2017

Publisher: Romance Lives Forever Books

Pages: 236

Print pages: 297

Wordcount: 75,831

Suggested keywords:

Kayelle Allen, Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire, science fiction romance, immortals, Pietas, sci fi, space opera

Suggested hashtags:

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #Pietas

Buy Links: 

Amazon https://amzn.to/2pzB0Dv

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077BRSRP4

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B077BRSRP4

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B077BRSRP4

Check out a great Excerpt Here:  https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc2-chapter1-sample.pdf

Book page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-origin