L.V. Lewis's Blog, page 26

Since I began my self-publishing journey last year, I’ve met some amazing authors who are doing what I do, be it through self-publishing or traditional publishing avenues. Many have been at it quite a while longer than I have, and I am so very thankful for meeting all the authors I get to call my friends these days. One of them is author Ambrielle Kirk who writes paranormal romance, urban fiction, and contemporary romance.

We were having one of our four-way conversations one night with a couple other authors we chat with and share writing triumphs, woes and whatnot together, and somehow emerged from that with the idea to do a reciprocal host on our blogs.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you guys to Ambrielle Kirk through an interview, and later, at the end of this post, share an excerpt of her new book:

INTERVIEW

L.V.: How would your friends describe you?

A.K.: My closest friends would more than likely describe me as a very patient person. It takes a whole lot of foolishness for me to lose my cool. I’m not the talkative person, but I’m generally the person that they come to for an opinion or just to talk things too. I listen without throwing stones and criticizing and sometimes this is hard to find.

L.V.: Where were you born, and where do you currently reside?

A.K.: I was born in the South and still reside here. I’m not well traveled, as I like to keep in my comfort zone. I do hope to travel overseas more than a few times before I get too old. I won’t say how old I am now though. Lol! I currently reside in metro Atlanta, GA.

L.V.: What are thing things in life that give you the most joy?

A.K.: Things that give me the most joy in my life are my family members. I can generally always rely on them when I need somebody to whine to or some major advice I can trust. I also love surprising those I love the most by putting a smile on their face and that’s what makes me happy.

L.V.: When did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do?

A.K.: Writing was not something I decided to do, it was just something I did without much thought to it. Sometimes our life unfolds before us and we just go with the flow. I can’t imagine life without writing. Of course, there was a period in my time where writing fiction was not a top priority, and that was during my years in undergrad and grad school. The thing that mattered to me then was earning my degrees and nothing was going to stop me.

L.V.: What does a day in your writing life look like?

A.K.: I generally like to write at night or around noon. Those times are when the creative mojo flows right. I look at my writing life as a business now, aka, a career. As of early last year (2012), I now write to a release scheduled. I generally know what projects I’m supposed to be working on in any given month. I’ll open up the work in process that calls to me the most and put fingers on keys. I aim to write something, even if it’s just a few sentences. Sometimes my few sentences only turns into a few words, and if I’m really on a roll the few sentences most often turns into more than a few pages. If I get stuck and none of my manuscripts call to me, I take time out to work on other aspects of the writing business such as marketing, promotion, research, and learning about the craft.

L.V.: Tell us a bit about your current book.

A.K.: My latest release is titled, Drive by Desire, and it’s the first in a series called Rugged Riders. It’s contemporary erotic romance featuring an African American couple. This story will appeal to true romantics who like a bit of edge to their romance. Here’s the blurb:

Tanya gets in way over her head when she decides that the cure to her lovesickness includes playing the field to her advantage. She vows to enjoy one reckless night with a man to help rid her mind of the ex who trashed her heart. There is one who fits the bill…

Marcus is the complete opposite of Tanya’s ex. As a member of Rugged Riders, a notorious biker club, he and his brothers are known for their street-savvy swagger and their wicked ways with women. When they first meet up, Tanya and Marcus attain a mutual understanding, and she knows just what to expect from him–a thrill ride when she needs it and nothing more. When Tanya finds out that Marcus has more in common with her ex than she thought, she sets up even more barriers to guard her heart.

Not only is Marcus a beast in bed and a thrill seeker behind his bike, he dominates in the boardroom as CEO of multi-million dollar company, Svelte Technologies. He’s no stranger when it comes to the game of pursuing what he wants. And Marcus wants Tanya for real and in his life exclusively.

Tanya will need more than just a helmet when she’s driven by desire.

L.V.: What inspired you to write this book? What motivates your writing in general?

A.K.: I had an idea spark for a woman who wanted to enter the dating field again after a nasty breakup. She decides that it was a waste of time to she spend all day thinking about what she did wrong in her past relationships. She steps out of her normal boundaries and she gets more than what she bargains for. I do love when opposites attract.

Anything can motivate me. It might be lyrics from a song, something I spied while driving to work, conversations picked up on while perusing the stores…almost anything or anyone around me.

L.V.: Are you a proponent of writing what you know, stepping outside the box, or both?

A.K.: There is this saying, “Write what you know…” but I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know everything. I will step outside of the box, as most of my works cross genres. I’m not afraid to push boundaries, and I’m not afraid to stand out and be different in this industry. My characters are diverse because I target a diverse group of readers. And for what I don’t know…Google is my friend.

L.V.: What books do you currently have in your eReader or on your nightstand?

A.K.: Dozens of books, and even hundreds more in my home. I’m an impulse buyer and will purchase a book even if I liked just one thing about it. I like to have a wide selection of books to choose from to suit my mood and ever changing preferences. I may write romance novels, but I’ve been known to read outside of that genre a lot.

L.V.: Who are your favorite authors and what works of theirs have you enjoyed most?

A.K.: LA Banks’ (Leslie Esdaile Banks) Vampire Huntress series

Lora Leigh’s Breed series

Kimberley Kaye Terry (all of her contemporaries)

Dyanne Davis’ (FD Davis) Adam Omega series

Bette Ford (all of her contemporaries)

Kayla Perrin (all of her contemporaries)

Anne Rice’s Vampire Series

L.V.: What is the single most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve been given that you always share with others?

A.K.: Never give up.

L.V.: What are you working on now?

A.K.: I’m currently working on three concrete projects:

Wolf’s Strength, Book 5 Caedmon Wolves

Donor Reloaded, Book 2 Dresdan Coven

Taken by Temptation, Book 2 Rugged Riders

L.V.: What can we expect from you in the future?

A.K.: I try not to be so predictable, but my schedule for 2013 and 2014 are pretty full. I will continue to release contemporaries, paranormal, and urban fantasy of various lengths in the future, to include novels and novellas.

~*~

Blurb:

Driven by Desire (Rugged Riders, 1)

Tanya gets in way over her head when she decides that the cure to her lovesickness includes playing the field to her advantage. She vows to enjoy one reckless night with a man to help rid her mind of the ex who trashed her heart. There is one who fits the bill…

Marcus is the complete opposite of Tanya’s ex. As a member of Rugged Riders, a notorious biker club, he and his brothers are known for their street-savvy swagger and their wicked ways with women. When they first meet up, Tanya and Marcus attain a mutual understanding, and she knows just what to expect from him—a thrill ride when she needs it and nothing more. When Tanya finds out that Marcus has more in common with her ex than she thought, she sets up even more barriers to guard her heart.

Not only is Marcus a beast in bed and a thrill seeker behind his bike, he dominates in the boardroom as CEO of multi-million dollar company, Svelte Technologies. He’s no stranger when it comes to the game of pursuing what he wants. And Marcus wants Tanya for real and in his life exclusively.

Tanya will need more than just a helmet when she’s driven by desire.

 

Excerpt:

“So…what do you propose we do about this attraction?”

“I’ll call you tonight and we can discuss our next date.”

She grinned. “Are you asking me out?”

“Are you going to accept?” he teased.

“We can discuss tonight.” She gathered up her stuff, tucking her cell phone into her purse. “I’m going to be late for class if I don’t leave now.”

Marcus wrapped up his half-eaten sandwich and got up with her. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“That didn’t sound like a question, but you may.”

“That sexy mouth of yours has a crafty reply to everything I say.”

Tanya had parked in the garage directly across the street, so it didn’t take long to reach her little white Corvette.

“Nice,” he said, as they stood next to the driver side door. “You like fast cars, then?”

“Yeah, but not as exciting as your motorcycle, I’m sure.”

“I’ll have to take you on a ride and you can see for yourself.”

His gaze fell on her mouth, and in that moment her knees became weak as the tip of his tongue slid across the seam of his lips.

“Marcus, I…”

He kissed her, taking her mouth passionately and demanding entry. He tasted just as good as she remembered. The freshness of his aftershave and spiciness of his cologne surrounded her, and in that moment she could think of no place she’d rather be than in his arms. He teased her with his lips over and over again, kissing her as though it were the first and last time he would see her. His gentle touch at the back of her neck felt blissful and for a moment she forgot she was in the middle of a parking garage.

Tanya pulled away from the kiss, placing her palm against his chest followed by her forehead. It took her some time to catch her breath. He, too, breathed hot and heavy against the top of her head.

“I’ve gotta go,” she said, finally lifting her head.

“Yes.” He nodded. “You won’t stand me up again and I should expect my call to be answered tonight?” This time, his inquiry did come out like a question and not a mandate.

“You should expect this,” she confirmed, then picked up his royal blue tie, and straightened it so that it was perfectly aligned on his chest. She couldn’t help but think back to how they first met back in Ocho Rios. “Blue. The color exudes power, loyalty, and authority. Good choice.”

“And the man wearing it? What does he exude?”

“I haven’t quite pinpointed it yet, but whatever it is…it works for me.”

~*~

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON

ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

As many of you know, Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever is in the process of being produced as an Audiobook. I am very excited to offer the book in a new venue for readers who prefer to listen to stories.

Narrator Marie Helene is doing a fabulous job bringing the characters, Keisha, Tristan, Jada, Nate, Jorge and Clara Lee– all of them–to life!

Please join us in listening to these snippets as she prepares them for our listening pleasure. And let us know what you think!

Here’s the first link:  https://soundcloud.com/marie-h-l-ne-1/50-shades-of-jungle-fever

I’ll add more as they become available

Hollywood Lies takes you into the seamy underbelly of the glitzy and glamourous patina that is the Hollywood we mere mortals don’t see up close and personal. It is very similar to the tabloid accounts that line the shelves of grocery store checkout lanes, Hollywood insider TV shows and celebrity blogs. In fact, parts of the story felt as if they were ripped from recent headlines: unassuming young star is “discovered” by a successful older female director, whose decision to cast him in a hot new YA movie series make him into an overnight sensation. Devon goes from being a truly starving artist to being a star.

What makes this story better than the run-of-the-mill story about a star being born, is the fact that the director isn’t fabricating a career for him because she’s had her wicked way with him on the casting couch. He truly is a talented actor who has something to offer to the masses, but he isn’t as ready as he thought he was to navigate the murky waters of super stardom. They embark upon an affair which is fraught with all the issues one might expect for the May-December couple. As a younger and idealistic man, Devon wants to have a real relationship with this icon that he grew up idolizing in the industry. She’s a truly tortured soul who’s been through all the ups and downs and knows all the ins and outs of tinsel town, and has lived through an horrific twenty-four hours of victimization in her past that has left her truly wounded. Devon doesn’t understand Cole’s reluctance to authenticate their relationship to the world.

When a clause in his contract requires Devon and the young starlet, Liliana, from the YA movie series to have an off-screen romance, Devon naively believes it will be the perfect foil to cloak his true relationship with Colette or Cole. His inability to see himself as her equal, and a miscommunication during an act of intimacy creates a rift in their relationship they aren’t able to work through. Thrust into his new manufactured proximity to his movie co-star, Liliana, a relationship develops between them, which Devon believes is the answer to his dissatisfaction and eventual demise of his relationship with Cole.

The young Liliana wants the visibility and the attention of the Paparrazi with the same vehemence that Cole abhorred it. At first Devon finds this refreshing, but when he learns just how much Lili wants the fame and notoriety–to the utter detriment of their relationship, he begins to yearn for the truth he’d found, and had taken for granted in Cole. As another ripped from the headlines situation occurs, Devon yearns to step out of the spotlight to decompress and allow the professionals he was encouraged to hire by Cole to do their work and spin the disaster that threatens to derail his acting career. When he does, he receives assistance from the most unlikely of places, and perhaps an opportunity for a second chance.

As emotionally exhausting as the sex was (almost) physically exhausting, Hollywood Lies, deals with some real issues that actors in each of their places in life might experience in this situation. From Devon’s early hookup with the Assistant, Julie, who sells her boss out because of jealousy to the situation of Devon calling his sanity into question when he knows intuitively that his relationship with Liliana is in serious jeopardy, this story was rich with true-to-life conflict.  In my opinion, Devon and Cole were better and more completely drawn characters than Liliana. I found it difficult to connect with her, possibly because she was introduced early on but then left out of the storyline so long, when she was reintroduced it was hard to play catch-up and establish the type of rapport with her we were privy to with Cole and Devon. Lili came across as shallow and one-dimensional, which might have been intentional.

Overall, Hollywood Lies was a great read. It kept me engaged and wanting to figure out along the way what conflict would emerge to rock the worlds of these characters I’d grown to care about so much. I give Hollywood Lies four stars.

~~~~~

Available at These Retailers:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

~~~~~

STORY SUMMARY

In a world where make believe is a multibillion dollar industry, it’s hard to know

where the fantasy ends and real life begins. When Collette Stroud, an influential

Hollywood actor and director, takes a chance on two young actors for her romantic

teen movie, three lives converge in a complicated web of publicity, passion, lust,

and lies.

The web is cast when Stroud, a woman with a few skeletons in her closet, hires

two young artists in her low-budget film. She handpicks Liliana Addison and

Devon Maddox to be Hollywood’s next big stars. Former child star Liliana has had

limited success with her previous roles but hopes to take the world by storm under

Collette’s tutelage. While Devon is an out of work actor, he never stops dreaming

about making it big. The director’s interest in him assures Devon his dreams are

about to become reality.

Sparks between Collette and Devon set their lives ablaze, but the studio has other

plans. Executives concoct a fictitious romance in order to drive box office sales

and launch careers between Devon and Liliana. When the studio offers to make the

young actors into bona fide stars, will the price be too high to pay, or will the deal

be too sweet to pass up?

Can the trio handle the pressure of a hidden romance coupled with a phony public

relationship? Will love be enough to conquer the promise of fame, fortune, and a

lasting legacy, or will it be an easy sacrifice?

All three will tread the thin line of Hollywood Lies and genuine passion on the

most important red carpet walk of their lives.

About the Author

N.K. Smith

Based in the American Midwest, N.K. Smith is a Technical Writer for a Fortune

100 company. The author of the Old Wounds Series, she is a mother of two who

finds the time to write very early in the morning when the rest of the world is still

fast asleep.

An avid lover of history, art, music, books, and people, she is interested in telling

stories that speak to the human condition.

Beautiful, bold, and born with a silver spoon firmly planted in hand, Melanie St. John is, by all outside accounts, the picture-perfect Texan Oil Princess. An independently wealthy daddy’s girl through and through, Melanie has spent her adult years flitting from one exotic, exclusive locale to another, being wooed by handsome, successful men, and in the dizzying center of dazzling, diamond-encrusted society life.

But behind the glittering façade of her debutante life lays a very different story.

In Stupid By Choice, this summer’s must-have beach read from author Leighton Summers, we follow the fictional and fabulous Melanie as she attempts to find true, lasting love amongst the wealthy, jet-set, spoiled, sought-after playboys in the elite social circles of Texas, Monte Carol, Manhattan, Newport, and Palm Beach.

Facing one destructive love affair after another, as well as financial troubles, family drama, unplanned pregnancy, and more, Melanie and her friends traipse through the high high’s and low low’s of elite society, all while negotiating the blows they’re dealt with vulnerability, extravagance, and a resilience that every woman, regardless of social strata, will recognize as her own.

“Stupid By Choice is pure fiction, but it’s entirely inspired by the affluent, privileged world that I grew up—and still live—in,” says Summers. “All that glitters is not gold. It’s easy to get caught up in the glamour of it all, but no matter what your age or station in life, we all have to learn—as Melanie does—to not be ‘stupid by choice’ and stay stuck or settle if we’re not happy.”

A celebratory romp through the lives of ladies who have, lose, and ultimately triumph over it all, Stupid By Choice is as juicy a summer read as they come—equal parts entertaining, thought-provoking, and emotionally gripping. Among the topics and themes explored in it are:

Don’t mess with Texas! An insider’s look—good and bad—at what socialite American society life is really like from a Texans’ P.O.V.
The ‘problem-free’ lifestyles of the rich and well groomed: does money solve as many issues as one might think?  Or does it just create more?
Handling divorce, infidelity, family problems, motherhood, and career goals with grace and fearlessness
Finding courage in the face of the unknown, taking risks, and following your heart!

~vMv~

About the Author:

 

Leighton Summers is a sixth generation Texan who has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe throughout her whole life. During her travels, she was always surrounded by interesting, successful (and often eccentric) people who encouraged her to find her passion and live life to the fullest. Writing novels always intrigued her, and so one day while in New York City she took out her laptop in a café and decided to jot down some notes about how a female character, created from her own world, could “love smarter.” Over the next four years, those notes turned into both funny and sad adventures of a woman’s quest to find friendship, love, self, and family and became Stupid By Choice, Summers’ debut novel.

 

Stupid By Choice is available as an e-book from Amazon.

 

Website: http://stupidbychoice.net/

~vMv~

Stupid by Choice is a self-deprecating portrait of dysfunction in the upper echelons of society. The book follows Melanie, a thirty-something Texas debutante who has all the trappings of success in New York through her personal “aha” moment. The story opens with her inviting movers into her home to relocate her from a bad marriage as stealthily as they can. As the three apply their muscle to packing up her belongings, Melanie unpacks the baggage of all that has transpired to get her to that place.

The story is all at once funny, dramatic, sad and everything in between as we relive Melanie’s life from Texas, Monte Carlo, Manhattan, Newport, and Palm Beach, where she faces destructive love affairs, financial trouble, family issues, unplanned pregnancy, and more of the same with her sister and her friends.  Her father, Oldie, is a figure who could be compared to the Rock Hudson character in the classic movie, Giant, and her mother the Elizabeth Taylor character. Her parents raise her as they were before her, as spoiled children of entitlement who have to learn to separate reality from the trappings of privilege to which they have grown accustomed. Melanie suffers a lot of the same trials and tribulations as women of lesser means, despite having been born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth.

With a surprising and unprecedented opportunity to have lasting love with the most unlikely person, will Melanie squander it on principal or will she experience the epiphany she needs to free herself from being “stuck on stupid,” or will she remain “stupid by choice?” Find out for yourself. Make Stupid by Choice one of your summer reads.

I give Stupid by Choice 3.5 Stars.

The First edition was approximately 164 pages. This new edition is 266 pages! Enjoy!

I’ve posted my email from Amazon which provides instructions on how to get your updated version:

Hello L. V. Lewis,

An updated version of your past Kindle purchase of Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever (The Ghetto Girl Romance Quadrilogy) by L. V. Lewis is now available.

The updated version contains the following changes:

Significant editorial changes have been made.

You can get the updated version of this book by going to Manage Your Kindle. Find the book in your Kindle Library, click on the “Update Available” link next to the book’s title, and then follow the update prompts. All your devices that have the eBook currently downloaded will be updated automatically the next time they connect to wireless.

We thank you for your business with Amazon.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Department

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com

 

FYI regarding Exit Strategy’s impending release:

As of 6/26/2013: Regarding the second book of my quadrilogy (which is really a tetralogy as a very well-meaning blog poster who didn’t understand this was a parody told me recently), I want to keep a post on the page to answer the burning question: When is book 2 coming out? All I can say in answer is later this summer I don’t want to reiterate all the various and sundry reasons why, but when I get a date, I’m going to post it EVERYWHERE. But first I have to finish my contract season out at work and get back to working 40 hour weeks, so I can have ample time to complete it.

Thanks so much for sticking with me through my accident, my writer’s block, my editorial issues, and now my work schedule. I promise there will be a book 2. The audiobook is also forthcoming!

Title: The Domino Effect (The Domino Series)

Author:  Jill Elaine Hughes

Genre: Erotic Thriller

Publication Date:  March 24, 2013

Event organized by: Literati Author Services

Synopsis

 

Twenty-one-year-old college student and aspiring journalist Nancy Delaney’s nose for news smells a hot story idea when it comes to international playboy and artist Peter Rostovich. But as she works to get her story, she soon becomes intimately entangled with the mysterious Rostovich, who finds her irresistible. He becomes Nancy’s ticket to sexual awakening, and she soon discovers she has an appetite for bondage, too.

And there’s far more to Rostovich than just his art — he’s involved in a strange, violent criminal underworld that kidnaps Nancy and spirits her halfway around the world, where she’s held prisoner and made to serve as private Dominant-for-hire somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Will the sexual powers Rostovich helped awaken in her be Nancy’s only hope for escape?

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17204860-jet

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon UK:

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Sony

Kobo

 

About the Author

JILL ELAINE HUGHES is a professional journalist, playwright, memoirist, and fiction author. She has written for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Washington Post, Cat Fancy magazine, New Art Examiner, and numerous other media outlets. Her plays have been widely published and produced by theaters in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, the United Kingdom, and Australia. She is also the author of several New Adult fiction books. Ms. Hughes also writes erotic fiction under two pen names: Jamaica Layne and Jay E. Hughes.

 

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.jillelainehughes.com/

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Elaine-Hughes/143011855875936?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JillEHughes

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878146.Jill_Elaine_Hughes

CLICK TO ENTER KINDLE GIVEAWAY

Today’s Sunday Sneak Peek comes from Sydney Logan’s upcoming release, Mountain Charm. 

She was just running toward the goal for a layup when she heard a voice. “You look sexy in those shorts.” Angelina gasped, and the ball flew upward, hitting the bottom of the rim. So much for distractions.“You scared the crap out of me, and you made me miss my shot.” 

Dylan smiled and grabbed the rebound before passing the ball back to her.   

“You play?” he asked. 

“Play is a little strong. I shoot, and sometimes, if I’m lucky, it goes in the hoop.” 

Angelina tossed the ball toward the net, and this time, her aim was perfect. 

He nodded approvingly. “Nice shot. I played a little in high school.” 

“Were you any good?” 

“I was a good bench warmer. Does that count?” 

She grinned and tossed him the ball. “In that case, I suppose you’re allowed to play with me.” 

“That’s my dream come true, you realize.” 

Her heart fluttered. Fluttered. 

“Just shoot the ball, Casanova.” 

Dylan haphazardly threw the ball, and she laughed when it completely missed the rim. 

“Wow, you are terrible.” 

Dylan glared at her and tossed the ball in her direction. Bouncing it twice, Angelina lobbed it into the air, banking it off the backboard and through the hoop. She caught the rebound and passed it back. Dylan moved to the foul line and took another shot. This time, he missed the entire goal. 

“This is embarrassing,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe I just need some motivation.” 

“Like what?” 

Dylan hoisted another awkward shot into the air. “Each time I score, you have to tell me something about yourself that nobody knows. Something I can’t find in my research.” 

Angelina smirked. “Since you’ve yet to hit one basket, I think my secrets are pretty safe.” 

“Maybe,” he said, shrugging. “And if you make your shot, I’ll tell you something nobody knows about me.” 

So tempting. 

“If, by some miracle, you happen to make a bucket or two, will my secrets be in your article?” 

“No, Angelina. These secrets are just for me.”

The way he said her name made her spine tingle, but she shook it off.  She had a basketball game to win.

“Deal.”

Release Day – July 4

Read Reviews on Goodreads  
 
Pre-Order Mountain Charm at TWCS

Purchase on Release Day at Amazon

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludes compilation. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

 
Find Sydney Online

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Title: Beside Your Heart

Author:  Mary Whitney

Genre: New Adult Romance

Publish Date: June 17, 2013

Event organized by: Literati Literature Lovers

Purchase Link: Amazon , Barnes & Noble

Book Description: Late one night Nicki Johnson plays with emotional fire and Googles her high school love, only to find his name splashed across the British gossip columns. Back in his native England, Adam Kincaid is successful and dating a woman from an aristocratic family like his own. With a career in politics, Nicki’s no slouch, but she knows Adam is living a world away from her life. Yet there was a time he was no farther than the next locker. Nicki will never forget their year together in high school—the year of her sister’s death, the year her mother checked out. Adam helped Nicki through suffocating grief, and she led him through a coming of age. Was it just high school, or was it something more?

 

Author Information :

Mary Whitney’s Author Bio

Even before she graduated from law school, Mary knew she wasn’t cut out to be a real lawyer. Drawn to politics, she’s spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist, and nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters and real lawyer husband.

Social Media

Blog |Twitter | Facebook |Amazon Author Page | Pinterest |Goodreads | Author Page

There are two giveaways attached to this Blog Tour, Mary’s tour-wide Giveaway and Mine! Click both images below to enter!

Mary is giving away three signed copies of  ”Beside Your Heart” and a $70 Gift Certificate!

I’m giving away one (1) e-book of  ”Beside Your Heart” and

three (3) e-books of the New Edition of  ”Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever!”

Oh, and Omnific, Mary’s Publisher Has This Kindle Giveaway!

Click the “Pay It Forward” Graphic to Enter

And this one is open Internationally!!!!

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

MY REVIEW OF “BESIDE YOUR HEART”

First, I just have to say that I have been enamored with Mary’s cover ever since I was presented with the opportunity to host her blog tour. Her cover is quite possibly one of my all-time favorites. It is sweet, sexy, colorful and speaks to the kind of relationship that Nicki and Adam had.

Having lived in Texas once upon a time, I am quite familiar with the city of  Bellaire which sits right smack dab in the middle of Houston. We used to call it the city within the city. Imagine my delight when I realized this story was set there. It made me all the more eager to read it. I was college aged when I lived there, so it wasn’t difficult for me to remember the culture and atmosphere that didn’t change much from the eighties to the nineties in Bellaire.

The story opens with Nicki Johnson being brought up to speed by a couple of friends on Adam Kincaid, her first love who was an exchange student from England while she was in high school. Just prior to their senior year, Nicki and her mother survived a tragic accident that took the life of her only sister. Her game plan early on was just trying to survive that tragedy. She didn’t bargain on Adam Kincaid, the boy she had a bit of a crush on, becoming the friend who would help her through this difficult time.

When they became friends, Adam was attached to another more popular girl at Bellaire High School, and while Nicki wasn’t looking necessarily to split them up, she found herself longing for something more with him as they both came to realize they had a lot in common. It takes a visit from Adam’s cousin who also takes a shine to Nicki for them to finally come to the realization that they should be spending the time he has left in the states, together.

I wasn’t sure if the device of Nicki reminiscing the entire early relationship was a good choice, but the book opens and closes with her and Adam as adults, navigating the treacherous waters of demanding careers on both their parts, parental expectation on his, and the span of years they’ve been apart. The ending sets up the next book in the series well, making the reader anxious to see how Adam’s immersion in scandal back in the UK brought him back to the states, while Nicki has gone on to work on the staff of the POTUS.  It is my guess that in the next book Mary will be back in stride as book two promises to be a political romance that rivals her other novels of this genre.

I give Beside Your Heart 4 out of 5 stars.

Title: Fireworks

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads Link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17902635-fireworks

 

Publication Date: June 20th, 2013

Summary:

Sophie McKibbin finds herself back in Sam Crawford’s life after ten years. Unfortunately, Sam is dating Lola, Sophie’s high school nemesis. Lola dumps Sam the day before he was supposed to introduce his mystery girlfriend to his family over the Fourth of July holiday. With the looming fear of disappointing his mother once again and his long held feelings for Sophie, he asks her to take Lola’s place. With family feuds, an old flame, and feelings that have been locked away for a decade, there is bound to be some fireworks.

“Fireworks” is a novella, approximately 22,000 words.

Author Bio:  

Lindsey Gray dreamed of being several different things as a child such as a doctor, an actress, and a chef, but none held her attention like putting pen to paper and creating her own world through words. She has written three full-length novels and one short story for The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House and is now taking the self-publishing leap with her novella, “Fireworks”.

A mid-west native, Lindsey enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading almost anything she can get her hands on, and making life interesting at each and every turn.

Contact Links:

Blog:

http://lindsey-gray.blogspot.com/

Facebook:

https://facebook.com/LindseyGray11

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LindseyGray11

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Lindsey-Gray/e/B004MSX224/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Other titles by Lindsey Gray available through The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House:

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/authors/detail/9

Purchase Link:

Live link will not be available until June 20th. If you are scheduling a post, please post the link to my Amazon Author Page.

http://www.amazon.com/Lindsey-Gray/e/B004MSX224/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Excerpt

When Sam’s phone beeped with a text message, he took it out to read. It was Lola letting him know she was going to bed after her study session and to say goodnight. He slipped it back into his pocket and realized before anything else happened, he needed to fess up.

“Um, Sophie?”

“Yes, Sam.” She sipped on her milkshake.

“Do you remember Lola Dennison?”

Sophie knew exactly whom he was talking about and her distaste showed on her face. “Yes, she was a class below me and Caroline. Why?”

“She’s getting her Master’s in Child Psych, and we bumped into each other while she was doing her clinical rotation. We’ve been dating for a couple months.” Sam watched as Sophie’s eyes turned the shade of ice blue, and she scrunched up her face.

“Does Caroline know?” Sophie tried to rein in her anger, but was having a difficult time.

“No, I haven’t told anybody yet. I guess her mom and my mom had a big falling out years ago, and it’s still pretty rocky between them. We kind of want to see where it goes before we bring the families into it.”

Sophie’s gut twisted in unimaginable ways. The younger and more popular Lola bullied Sophie and Caroline for three years during high school. Caroline never stood up for herself, but Sophie, on the other hand, gave as good as she got. That caused more than a few tussles in the Halston High hallways.

She calmed herself down and took a deep breath. “I see.”

“You don’t approve?”

“Um . . .” Sophie looked up at him as his question hung in the air. “It’s really none of my business. But when you do tell Caroline, make sure you’re alone. The two of them didn’t get along well.”

“Lola’s never said anything.” Sam wondered what could have happened between the two.

“She probably doesn’t want to think about it.” Sophie dropped her chin to her chest and mumbled, “I know don’t want to.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Look, thanks for dinner. I really needed something greasy like this after tonight.”

Sam could tell she was ready to leave so he reached for the bill folder. “No problem. I wouldn’t mind hanging out again. That offer for drinks is still on the table.”  He stuffed some cash in the bill folder and placed it back on the table.

“Yeah, we’ll talk later.” Sophie smiled while trying to stop her heart from hurting.

“I’d like that.” He meant it, too.

Sam knew that dating Lola was a risk, but knew he couldn’t pass up the chance to have Sophie in his life.

~*~

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO ENTER GIVEAWAY!!

One of the themes of Stupid By Choice is judgment, the kind many people do to others every day based on how they look, dress, or where they are from.  Judging anyone, for any reason, is unfair and wrong, and it’s a shame people are often so judgmental of another’s differences.  We should embrace another’s differences, for knowing people who are different from us is what keeps life interesting and helps us to learn about other people’s views and lifestyles better.

The best example of this in the book is the character of Beau, who goes from being one of the most popular, handsome, and sought-after wealthy bachelors in all of Texas (if not the world) to being shunned and basically an outcast once he becomes a quadriplegic due to an accident.  People can be so harsh when they don’t understand a situation, and so they end up judging a person who looks different from them (and often doesn’t want them to be around) instead of giving the person a chance to show they are really the same on the inside even if they now look vastly different on the outside.

Another example of this is the character of Eva who is judged as being an “exotic beauty” (and not always in a ‘good’ way) instead of being the typical, all-American “blond bombshell” most Texan girls are.  A man would be happy to have his ‘fun’ with her, but not want to take her home to meet his parents (or even ever have his parents accept her as “good enough” as her doctor husband later learns), and unfortunately many people can relate to this kind of feeling of seeming “different” in different circumstances by others.  But what is the point of making others feel bad for how they look or where they’re from?  From my viewpoint there isn’t one.

Being different through looks, social status, economic means, or whatever the circumstance shouldn’t ever determine how someone should be treated.  People should all be treated the same.  But everyone knows they are not.  Even people with great wealth judge others in their own social circles on how “wealthy” they all actually are and create levels of status based on that sole circle of wealth, but it’s still not right, for money is just money no matter how much you have of it.  It doesn’t make someone better or worse to have less or more of it.  And neither does judging anyone for any reason.

I hope readers come away from Stupid By Choice with an open mind to give everyone, regardless of looks, appearances, or status, a chance.  For everyone deserves that.

Q & A with Stupid By Choice author Leighton Summers:

1. How long have you been writing, and when did you know that you wanted to become a writer?

I started writing this book about four years ago, but to be honest when I first started writing down ideas for the main character of Melanie St. John, I never really knew at the time they would turn into a novel.  I was never trained or studied to be a writer, but for some reason writing novels always intrigued me.  So one day I just started writing down notes and ideas from things I saw or imagined and then worked on them until they turned into a whole bunch of little, separate stories centered on Melanie.  Over time the stories kept coming, and I kept writing them down off and on for about four years.  I showed them to friends who liked them and they encouraged me to keep writing.  I never thought it would become anything really, but then people kept encouraging me to turn my stories into a novel.  I found an editor to help me and we turned all my notes and individual stories into one complete, more structured story, and then this, my first novel, was finally finished.

2. Who’s your favorite author, and why?

I actually have several so it’s hard to choose one, but F. Scott Fitzgerald and Earnest Hemmingway are both top favorites because of their fantastic writing styles.  I even went to the Florida Keys once and saw where Hemmingway wrote and got his inspiration from.  It was very inspiring just to be there!

3. Tell us about your current book.

Stupid By Choice centers around a hopeful debutante Texas Oil Princess’s struggles from her high school years to her late-thirties as she attempts to find true, lasting love amongst the wealthy, jet-set, spoiled, sought-after playboy bachelors in the elite worldwide social circles of Texas, Monte Carlo, Manhattan, Newport, and Palm Beach.

4. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your current novel, which one would it be and why?

The first love of Melanie’s life, Hunter, because I would want to know why in the world a man like him—or any man actually—would lead a woman on for seven years, promising he was going to marry her and build a life, but then never do it and end up running off with a Las Vegas blackjack dealer who dresses up in a bunny costume every night instead.  What would make a man string a woman along for so many years and keep breaking her heart over and over when he knew deep down the woman truly loved him?  I know this happens a lot in all walks of life and I feel many women would like to know the answer to this, but sadly, you sometimes never know why, as Melanie finds out the hard way.

5. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your stories?

I was born and raised in Texas in this same kind of upscale, privileged world, and I’ve continued to stay living in it throughout my adult life, so it’s mostly all I know what to write about… I really don’t know anything different.  And like most writers who start out writing mainly about what they know, I decided it was as good a setting as any to place a story in (at least for my first book).  I was also inspired and encouraged by many good friends and my husband to write about this particular world, for we all knew there were lots of situations we had all seen too many times that could easily be recreated in a fictional story set in this world.

6. What is the best thing for you about being a writer?

Even though this is pure fiction, I learned a lot through the process of writing down my thoughts that all writing is really like therapy.  And with fiction you can write just what you want to have happen.  You can even let out demons if you need to.  It was a very satisfying experience just to write in general actually.

7. If we asked your closest friends to describe who you were, what do you think they would say?

What I hear a lot, that I’m very vulnerable, shy, and private.  But also that I enjoy traveling, I never give up on my goals (like finishing this book after four years!), and I always like to get to know interesting people who have something worthwhile to say and don’t want to just indulge in idle gossip (that drives me crazy).  I’m also always misperceived by the way I look, for people are surprised when they get to know me that I’m actually smart even though I’m blond and always dressed to the nines.

8. Why did you decide to go the self-publishing route?

I thought a lot about this, but ultimately decided on self-publishing Stupid By Choice because the publishing industry is changing so much with book stores closing constantly and big publishers merging together just to stay in business themselves.  And after taking four years to write the novel, I also didn’t want to spend another couple of years waiting around for a publisher to have to “discover” it.  I just wanted to get it out and into the hands of people who hopefully would want to read it, and self-publishing was the quickest way towards that goal.  And since technology is also changing the way people are reading now-a-days, I decided to release it first as an ebook too to keep up with the current times.  (But just so you know, a printed version is in the works as well, hopefully by early fall.)

9. What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given or given to someone else?

My current editor has given me lots of great advice and help with finishing Stupid By Choice, so my advice for any writer—especially a first time one like myself—would be to find a great editor to help you if you need it.  I went through other editors before finding my current one and know the great ones are hard to find, but keep searching until you find the right fit, both personally and creatively.

10. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made as an author?

Spending way too much money and time on people I thought I could trust to help me with this project in the beginning stages of turning it into a novel.  They ended up stabbing me in the back big time instead of helping me to finish it.

11. What’s next on the agenda for you?

A lot actually—I’m excited to be promoting Stupid By Choice all summer long (hopefully making it “the” summer beach read for 2013!), and I’m also working on two more book ideas.  Once you start writing you really can’t stop.  And since I learned a lot about the “do’s and don’ts” of writing from my first novel, I’m hoping the next one won’t take as long!