Cassandra Carr tells us how to put the pieces together.

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Today I have the talented Cassandra Carr on the blog. And she's telling us how to put the pieces together with a story.

To learn more about Cassandra and all her latest releases, be sure to check out her website where you can find blurbs and buy links to all her books.

http://booksbycassandracarr.com/

Putting the pieces together

By Cassandra Carr

I tend to write in a linear fashion. I start at the beginning and I write until the end. I know there are other authors who write a series of scenes, sometimes in the right order and sometimes not, and then write bridges between those scenes to make the story flow.

I’d want to stick hot knives in my eyes if I had to do that.

Each writer is different. The process that works brilliantly for one author makes another want to pull their hair out. And that’s fine. That’s what makes the world go ‘round. But did you ever stop and think about how all these different methods for writing still seem to arrive at the same endgame? Cool, huh?

It’s funny: there are so many different writing styles, but all writers are telling a story. Whether there’s a tight focus on the hero and heroine (which there tends to be in my books) or there are a million quirky characters or subplots, the story still gets told. You guys as readers oftentimes don’t even realize how different the writing styles are, you just know whether or not you liked the story.

And that’s the whole point…

Do you notice writing styles? Can you tell where the writer has made an effort to fit all the puzzle pieces together?

 

Behind the scenes of a sex scene

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Today I have Cassandra Carr on for a chat. Have you read her newest yet, Caught? You really should. Its a fun holiday BDSM that will leave you panting!

Behind the scenes of a sex scene

by Cassandra Carr

Quick poll: how many times have you read a sex scene and thought to yourself, “Yes, please! I’d like to order me one o’ those!” Did you ever stop to think about how that scene came to be. Why was it placed in that location in the book? How did the author decide what to have our intrepid hero and heroine do?

Well, lucky for you, I’m here to answer some of those questions!

So first – how does an author know where to place a sex scene? For me, this is surprisingly organic. I’m not a plotter – I don’t have billboards full of index cards or a complicated scene spreadsheet. My characters have sex when it makes sense for them to have sex. Whether that’s early in the book, early in the day – whatever – as long as it works for the story, I go with it.

All right, so I’ve decided my characters should get busy. What should they do? Well, that depends on what type of romance you write. A women’s fiction book will probably gloss over details and make the scene itself short, whereas an erotic romance will likely have plentiful, graphic, detailed sex scenes. Sex scenes in books like that have to be different from each other or the reader is going to get bored. Insert Tab A into Slot B just doesn’t cut it anymore. Readers expect interesting, inventive sex and if you don’t have it your book will be hurled across the room. Trust me, no author wants that…

What do you feel are the components of a truly exceptional sex scene?

About The Author:

Cassandra Carr is a multi-published erotic romance writer who lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her debut novel, Talk to Me, was released by Loose Id on March 22, 2011. Head Games, Buffalo Intimidators book 1, released on November 2, 2011 from Siren Bookstrand. Caught released December 6, 2011 from Loose Id, and Impact is coming in early 2012 from Ellora's Cave. For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

BUY LINK:

http://www.loose-id.com/Caught.aspx

Be sure to click the read more to get a look at chapter 1 of Cassandra's novella, Caught.

Fool Me Once by Lacey Wolfe

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Lacey Wolfe has a new book out and it just happens to be kicking off her new novella series Hot Bods. From checking out her website, I see that the second book is right around the corner for release in early 2012.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… 

Drew is the last person Skylar wanted to see across from her at a local bar. A month ago he'd wined and dined her all weekend, leaving her feeling fully in love, but then she awoke alone in an empty hotel room and she hadn't heard from him since. 

The weekend Drew spent with Skylar was phenomenal. There had never been anyone who made him feel as complete as she did. He shouldn't have disappeared, he should have called, but his feelings for her scared him, so he distanced himself. But when he saw her again, he knew he couldn't stay away any longer. 

Skylar's determined not to give Drew another chance to hurt her, but he's just as determined to win her back. Although it won't be easy, he's up to the challenge, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal. 

Content Warning: Explicit Sex


Excerpt:


What the hell was he doing there? Skylar was finished with her aerobics class. Grabbing a bottle of water and squirting some in her mouth, she checked her schedule. She had an hour before her next class. That meant she had an hour to figure out what he was doing at this gym.

Taking a towel, she wrapped it around her neck and wiped off the sweat. She headed out of the room, intent on finding him. He was easy to spot. He was in the cardio area, in the back row like a typical man, watching the ladies' butts jiggle as they worked out. Rolling her eyes, she started his way.

"Hi, Drew," she said sweetly.

He turned off his machine and grabbed his water bottle. She watched as he touched it to his full lips, taking in a long sip.

"If you're done, do you mind following me so we can talk a minute?" she asked. She knew a confrontation in the middle of the gym wouldn't look good for either her or the business.

"Sure."

Spinning around, she headed toward the staff only break room. Once there she stepped aside so he could come in. Luckily the place was empty. She shut the door and locked it.

"What are you doing here?" She placed her hands on her hips, trying to portray she was irritated by him, when all she really wanted was to feel his mouth on her again.

"Honestly, I had no idea you would be here."

"Yeah, and I should believe that. I haven't seen you in a month until last night and then today you show up at my work place."

He took a seat, clearly worn out from his run. "My company just switched gyms. I was having a tough morning, so I wanted to blow off some steam by taking a run."

"Sounds convenient," she retorted.

"Shit, I didn't know you would be here. It's a plus though." He eyed her belly, and she imagined his tongue there, licking her sweat off.

Silence filled the room. She didn't know whether to believe him or not. His explanation sounded logical, and she would hate to think fate worked this out. Fate was what she first thought brought him into her life to begin with. He seemed so perfect for her. When they made love, it was so hot it almost seemed like sparks were flying off their bodies. At least at the time she considered it making love. Now she knew it was just sex to him, nothing more.

"Come here." He motioned to her.

She snickered. "I don't think so."

"Please, I just want to feel you again."

"Ain't happening, buddy. You had your chance." She knew all she had to do was resist him; that was the hardest part.

He reached out, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to him. Yanking away from him, she took a step backward.

"Come on, Sky, I know you still have feelings for me."

"Oh, I definitely have feelings for you, just not the ones you're hoping for."

He chuckled. "You know, there's a thin line between love and hate."

"That line is pretty thick for me."

"I'm not so sure."

"I am." At least she hoped.

He stood, closing in on her. As he stepped toward her, she found herself once again flat against the wall. Shit, how does this keep happening? His mouth was too close for comfort. Her eyes drifted to it for just a second, knowing it was a mistake.

"This is not a good idea," she whispered. Desire stirred in her.

"I want to have you. I need to have you. You're all I have wanted."

Placing her hands on his toned chest, she pushed him back. "You're not doing this to me again, got it?"

"I will win you back," he said.

******
Buy Links: Amazon / Nook / BeachwalkPress/ _AllRomance / Bookstrand

Excerpt: Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

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Today I have an excerpt from Heather Wardell's newest book, Blank Slate Kate. Below you will find chapter one. Its a good chapter! Don't worry, I included buy links at the end. :)

Chapter One

My mouth tastes awful, like a thousand people have used it as an ashtray and garbage can. As I try to work up enough spit to swallow, my head begins to pound and my stomach churns. The flu's been going around my high school and I must have caught it. I want to yell for Mom but my throat's too dry, so I force my sleep-sticky eyes open so I can get out of bed.

Horror fills me, shocking the sick feelings away.

I'm not in my bed. I'm in a strange bed facing a sleeping guy. A guy I don't know. An old guy.

I can't breathe. Did I lose my virginity to him last night? I was going to wait until I got married. What happened? How did I end up here?

I scrabble backward and half-fall out of the bed, but before I can run away dizziness sweeps me and I throw up on the worn rug between my feet.

The guy blinks and sits up. "Kate? You okay?"

Chasing Her Trail by Keri Ford

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Publication Date: November 9, 2011
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Heat Level: R
Format: E-Book
Series: Uninhibited in Apple Trail, Arkansas (#6)

Blurb: Jessie McBride barely survived the unexpected death of her loving parents. Forced to fend for herself with few people to depend on while raising her younger cousin, Jessie learned to be self-sufficient. She kept a few friends close and pushed the rest of the world away, along with that helpless, dependent girl she was once. Been there, done that, never again.

It works until Henry Green enters her life, with sentimental tales of his grandpa and family. Jessie is drawn in as Henry strives to take care of the man who raised him. But while Henry is putting things in place for his grandpa to retire, his well-intended controlling ways are smothering Jessie. 

Can Henry’s invitation back to life and love tempt Jessie to drop the emotional wall, or will Henry give up on chasing the girl she once was?


My Thoughts: This is the last of the Apple Trail series that many of us have fallen in love with. We started with Through The Walls and have not finished with Chasing Her Trail. I have read each of them and enjoyed each very much. But, it isn't like Keri Ford is done, nope she already has another series all lined up for us as we are in withdrawal from this one.

In Chasing Her Trail, Jessie finally gets her turn. Jessie has done everything herself for a very long time and plans to continue. She doesn't take crap from anyone. She has never been told what to do -- until Henry comes to town. Henry comes looking for land to build a house on for his father, but he finds a whole more. Henry is a fixer and he wants to fix Jessie, but she doesn't make it easy. This is a fun little romance as we watch these two battle it out before they finally just give in to what their feeling. While I read this I really just wanted to bop them each across the head and have my own talking to with them.

And since this is the last book, Keri Ford tied it all together in a neat little bow. She gave us updates on them all and it was nice to see all twelve characters together at one time and see how they interacted.

Don't miss this one!

www.keriford.com
Buy Links: Amazon / Nook / TMP / AllRomance




 

Winners!

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I had two giveaways end so that means its time to announce some winners!! That is the fun part!

The first giveaway winner is for The Lonely Dominant by Ella Jade
Patricia

The second giveaway winners are for Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown
Tanya
Debby (please message me your e-mail)

Congrats to the winners and if I have your email I will be e-mailing you shortly.


 

*Giveaway* Guest Post: Carolyn Brown - Hot Sexy Cowboys!

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Today I have Carolyn Brown on the blog talking hot and sexy cowboys! Best of all, Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway of Darn Good Cowboy. I am going to do the giveaway differently then usual. Tell me and Carolyn  if you love cowboys, police officers, military men, etc. There will be two winners and I will announce them on December 7th, 2011. This giveaway is for US and Canada only.

*****
Good morning! Thank you for inviting me to your blog to visit for a while today about my cowboys. It’s always a delight to talk about cowboys, to write about them, to visit with them and to watch them!

When y’all invited me to your blog today, you asked me to talk about what real life cowboys inspire me to write all these books about hot cowboys. I’ve thought about that a lot and decided that to name all the cowboys who inspire me would take several volumes because there’s something about every cowboy I’ve ever met that has inspired me. Many of whom I have no idea what their names might be and they have no idea that their walk, the way they opened the grocery store door for a lady, the way they tipped their hat at an elderly woman on the street…all those things were an inspiration for a character in one of my cowboy books.

From the cowboy who struts across the rodeo grounds to mount up on a wild bull to the one I met in McDonald’s out in the panhandle of Texas. He was about sixteen and he said, “yes, ma’am,” in that deep Texas drawl that I feel certain already had all the teenage girls swooning. We visited for a while and he became the inspiration for a young Raylen O’Donnell in Darn Good Cowboy Christmas.

Then of course, there’s my son, Lemar Brown, who is a real life cowboy down in southern Oklahoma. His spread might not be as big as the O’Donnell horse ranch in Ringgold but he’s a cowboy through and through. Maybe it comes from all those Louis L’Amour he read over and over again.

And my son-in-law, Todd Morgan, who lives five miles from where Darn Good Cowboy Christmas was set, who is a cowboy at heart! Both those cowboys are my inspirations and I swear they are so cowboy that they strut in their sleep and drawl when they laugh.

But in addition to real life cowboys there are those who are real to me even if they are just characters in books, movies or television shows. The first one that comes to mind is John Wayne in The McClintock. It’s one of my very favorite western movies. I saw it when it first came out on the big screen and have seen it many times since and like it just as well as an adult as I did as a child.

And then there is Timothy Olyphant from Justified. That fellow wears his jeans and his hat just right and his southern accent would make a woman’s panty hose start to creep down toward her ankles. He would be a cowboy in Texas as well as the hills of Kentucky or in Wyoming as well as the beaches of Florida. You can take the cowboy off the ranch and out of the saddle but you can’t take the cowboy attitude out of a real cowboy. And that’s what is the true inspiration.

Oh, and the Sackett brothers in Louis L’Amour’s books are as real to me as the cowboys who walk down the streets of Davis, Oklahoma. The movie, The Sacketts, was fantastic with Tom Sellack playing Orrin Sackett and Sam Elliott as Tell Sackett. Whew! Now those are two actors that make their cowboy characters as real as the ones I see every time I leave the house in my part of the world.

When I’m writing sometimes I can talk Sam Elliott into being my muse. He sits behind me and tells me if I’m getting the cowboys described just right. With his deep southern drawl, his voice has been the inspiration for many characters. And Tom Sellack: put him in cowboy boots and a hat and he is a real cowboy in my eyes. With that cocky grin, I bet he’s inspired more than one western writer!

Now put them all together. Sam’s voice, Tom’s dimples and cleft in his chin, Timothy’s swagger and John Wayne’s force and it creates a very real cowboy like Raylen O’Donnell who graces the front of Darn Good Cowboy Christmas.

As a reader, what is it about a cowboy, real life or character that you like? What makes you grab that book from the shelf in the bookstore that has a hot cowboy in a hat, boots and a silver belt buckle with a bull rider or a bronc rider on it? Is it the anticipation of reading about a man with a deep drawl and feeling his strong arms around you as you read?

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown—In Stores NOW!

He’s One Hot Cowboy

Raylen O’Donnell is one smokin’ hot cowboy. He could have any woman he wants, but he’s never been able to forget a certain dark-haired girl who disappeared from his life. So when she suddenly returns to the ranch nexct door, Raylen’s not fixing to let her get away again…

And She’s Out for a Sizzlin’ Christmas

Raised in a traveling carnival, Lizelle Hanson thought all she wanted was a house that didn’t have wheels and a sexy cowboy for her very own. But settling down’s going to take some getting used to, and cathing Raylen, the hotter-than-hell cowboy next door, might just take a little holiday magic… 

About the Author

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than forty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma, where she is working on her next book, One Hot Cowboy Wedding, which will be in stores in April 2012. For more information, please visit http://carolynlbrown.com/. 

****

Leave a comment about what type of man you find sexy to enter the giveaway. Thanks!

 

Interview & Giveaway: Ella Jade - The Lonely Dominant

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Welcome to Beck’s Book Picks. I am very excited to have Ella Jade here today.

Tell us a little about yourself?

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. As a child, I often had a notebook and pen with me and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in my head, but I never knew what to do with them. That all changed when I discovered the eBooks industry. I started penning novels at a rapid pace and now I can't be stopped.

I reside in New Jersey with my husband and two young boys. When I'm not chasing after my kids I'm busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing and scrapbooking.

Tell us a little about your latest release and how you came up with the idea?

The Lonely Dominant is a BDSM Contemporary Romance.  I have a current BDSM story out called Be My Everything and when I started researching the elements of that particular lifestyle, I gathered so much information I really couldn't fit it all into one story, so I decided two separate novels were appropriate.

Blurb

Successful businessman Alec Carter realizes his life is less than fulfilled when he meets beautiful Princeton University senior Clara Whittaker at a local coffee shop. Alec experiments in the BDSM lifestyle but doesn't consider himself hardcore until he crosses paths with the obviously submissive Clara. The more time Alec spends with young Clara, the more his dominant tendencies push to the surface. She could be what has been missing.

After her grandmother's death, Clara ends up a guest in Alec's home until she can finish school. She quickly learns she's a natural submissive and decides she wants to explore this new side of herself with the man of house. Alec shows her a life she never knew existed as they enter into a world of role playing, fantasy, and desire. Alec may be the Master, but Clara holds the key to his heart. 

As the semester comes to an end, so does their arrangement. If Alec doesn't admit his true feelings for Clara, she could walk out of his life forever. But, Alec isn’t sure which she craves more . . . his dominance . . . or his love.

Do you only write this one genre or have you branched out?

I pretty much stick with Romances but the sub-genre changes from time to time. I've done BDSM, m/m and contemporary.

What are you currently working on?

I'm about 20K into what I hope to be a 50k love story. Crossfire of Love is an idea I've been thinking about writing for quite some time. I've finally worked out the kinks and hope to have it submitted to a publisher by the end of the year.

Do you have any writing quirks?

Not really. I kind of just go with the flow. I keep my laptop on the dining room table, so if dialogue or a plot idea strikes me while I'm cleaning, running in from the supermarket or folding laundry, I can write it down. I've completed full chapters throughout the day just by running back and forth to the computer.

What gets you into the mood to write?

When I really get into the writing zone, I need total silence. My kids are in school full-time now so I pretty much have the days to myself. I try to write for at least 5 hours a day.

Favorite snack or drink while you write?

Starbucks Iced Tea! I put the kids on the bus and head to Starbucks before my writing routine begins.

Any words of advice to aspiring authors?

Be patient and write as much as you possibly can. The more work you put into your book, the more it shows. Don't get discourage if you don't get a contract right away. Keep trying. It will happen! Don't give up.

Also, start creating an on-line presence for yourself now. Get to know fellow authors by tweeting and Facebooking. I can't stress enough how important it is to get your name out there.

What are you currently reading?

Sadly, nothing at the moment. My Kindle is sitting lonely. I've recently completed a 75K manuscript and then I jumped right into the next one.

And finally, is there anything you would like to share?

If you’re a fan of the m/m genre, I have a book due out on 12/19/11 with Beachwalk Press. It's called Embracing the Unexpected. Here's the blurb…

Sometimes love can be found where we least expect it.

Successful attorney Parker Phillips has always been straight, but he's having trouble finding the right woman. Failed relationship after failed relationship has proven that.

Brilliant and charismatic Dr. Jace Cross is comfortable in his sexuality, but has been single for some time. He throws himself into his work to fill the lonely void. He's drawn to Parker in ways he knows he shouldn't be.

When one bad decision lands Parker in Jace's court-appointed anger management course, sparks fly. Parker isn't willing to embrace his feelings. Can the sexy doctor help him discover who he truly is?

For more details…

http://beachwalkpress.com/embracing-the-unexpected/

I love making new friends so please connect with me at http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com

Thanks for having me!

The Lonely Dominant is currently available at Noble Romance for purchase, but will soon be available on amazon and nook.


 

Beachwalk Press Holiday Tour: Ella Jade *Giveaway*

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Domestic Goddess or Romance Author?

by Ella Jade

Can’t I be both?

Hello everyone. My name is Ella Jade and I’m thrilled to be here during this magical time of year. The holiday season is upon us and there’s so much to do. There are cookies to be baked, presents to be bought and wrapped, a house to be decorated, and stockings to hang by the chimney.

Geesh…looks like I’ll be a busy girl. I don’t mind because I like this kind of busy. The holidays can often be stressful, but I try to take a step back and relax. I want to do as many fun and exciting things as I can with my family during the month of December. One of my favorite things to do is working the Holiday shop at the kids’ school. I love seeing kids’ little faces light up when they’re buying a little trinket for their mom, dad, aunts, uncles, or pets. They’re so cute and innocent. Another special thing I like to do is bake cookies with my mom and kids. We dedicate an entire Sunday to making all sorts of cookies. It’s messy, but fun! And I think we eat more than we should!

Watching holiday movies and specials are also a big tradition in my house. We even start with Elf the weekend before Thanksgiving so we can squeeze them all in throughout the season. Some of our must-sees are Jingle All the Way, Christmas Vacation, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Miracle on 34^th Street. We light a fire, make popcorn, and just snuggle under the blankets. The rest of the year is always so crazy with school, homework, sports and anything else that pops up, so we try to schedule as much family time as possible during these few special weeks. I want my kids to have memories that will last a lifetime.

I’m also hosting Christmas dinner this year. I’m cooking for twenty guests! I’ve just finished cleaning up from the massive Thanksgiving dinner I cooked, but the wheels are already turning. What delicious concoction can I come up with? What will my centerpiece be? How will I dress the table? My husband says we don’t have time for me to have a “Martha moment” because we’re busy enough. But I LOVE to entertain and make people feel welcome in my home. Hmm…I’m thinking some sort of white chocolate, raspberry cheesecake will need to be created, and I really can’t forget the Pomegranate martinis, can I?

With all of the planning, organizing, and creating during this time of year, I still make an effort to write. I’m a romance author after all, and so much inspiration can be found around these next few weeks. The smell of a fresh Pine wreath, mistletoe hanging from a doorway, a cup of hot chocolate by the fire, or even the reflection of the lights from the tree all serves as wonderful writing prompts for me. So, as busy as I am, I always make time when everyone else is asleep and the house is quiet to sneak downstairs, turn on the lights to the tree and mantle, and let the season get my creative juices flowing.

I hope you find inspiration this holiday season in every aspect of your life. I wish you all a happy and safe holiday.

And if you’re looking for something naughty to read on these cold nights, check out my newest release, Embracing the Unexpected.

It’ll be out just in time for Christmas.

You can find it at http://beachwalkpress.com/embracing-the-unexpected/ on December 19, 2011.

__________________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her, and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed about two years ago when she found a fan fiction website and decided to spin her own version of a popular vampire series. That experience gave her the courage to start submitting her own original stories to publishers.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she’s not chasing after her kids, she’s busy writing, kickboxing and scrapbooking.
She also loves making new friends and would love to connect with you. You can find her on the web at the following places:

Ella’s Blog: http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100001950837414
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ellajade1

Spicin’ It Up Blog: http://spicyauthors.blogspot.com/

__________________________________________________________________

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY:

Beachwalk Press will be sponsoring giveaways at the end of this blog tour. Everyone who comments on a post will have their name placed in a drawing (be sure to include an email address so we have a way to contact you). On Monday, December 19th we will randomly choose four people who will win a Beachwalk Press eBook of their choice from any of the authors who participated on the tour. The more blogs you comment on, the more times you are entered to win! For a list of all the blogs we will be visiting on this tour, click here: http://beachwalkpress.com/2011/11/beachwalk-press-holiday-blog-tour/

BEACHWALK PRESS HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT:

During the month of December, Beachwalk Press will be hosting a Holiday Scavenger Hunt. There will be multiple winners, and the prizes will include gift certificates, Godiva chocolates, and a Kindle Fire! Visit our website for more information. http://beachwalkpress.com/





  http://beachwalkpress.com/2011/11/beachwalk-press-holiday-blog-tour/

Tall, Dark, and Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy

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Publication Date: November 1st 2011
Genre: Western Romance
Heat level: R
Reviewed For: Sourcebooks

Blurb: SHE'S LOOKING FOR AN OLD FRIEND... 
In the wake of a nasty divorce, Lacey Bradford heads for Wyoming where she's sure her old friend will take her in. But her high school pal Chase Caldwell is no longer the gangly boy who would follow her anywhere. For one thing, he's now incredibly buff and handsome, but that's not all that's changed... 

WHAT SHE FINDS IS ONE HOT COWBOY... 
Chase has been through tough times and is less than thrilled to see the girl who once broke his heart. But try as he might to resist her, while Lacey's putting her life back together, he's finding new ways to be a part of it.


My Thoughts: This was a fun read. In the beginning I was a little unsure if I liked Lacey or not. But, I love Joanne Kennedy and I knew she wouldn't fail me. And she didn't. A few chapters in, I started to understand Lacey and was rooting for her to find herself and love all at the same time. Chase also starts out a little unliked. But, I can see why he reacted to Lacey the way he did. But don't worry, it doesn't take these two very long at all to get lip locked and realize they want each other very much.

Besides the hot and steamy romance, there is a lower lining plot. Lacey has left home because her ex-husband has taken advantage of a lot of people. Since he's disappeared, they are coming after her. One man inperticular is after her, and he has a history of hurting her in the past.

This is a book you can easily read in an afternoon. You will be sucked in and when its over, your going to be wishing for more.



 

Cruising Toward Love by Christi Barth

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Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: E-book
Heat Level: PG-13
Reviewed For: the author

Blurb: Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance - and endless buffets - of a tropical cruise? When her sister is left at the altar, small town librarian Zoe Balis jumps at the chance to take the bride’s unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise. But she didn't count on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago! 

Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted - or the real reason why he dumped her on prom night after a year as high school sweethearts. And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind. Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made? After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if he can convince her to move past ten years of bitterness and hurt. 

Once aboard the luxury liner, Zoe befriends a bored Internet mogul with more heart than tact. Nate vents his problems to a ship’s photographer battling PTSD. The four team up on an island hopping treasure hunt. The stakes grow higher with each of Zoe’s mysterious brushes with death. They race to discover why she's a target and who's behind it, while still competing in the treasure hunt. 

Zoe’s never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life. But she already lost him once. She’s not willing to risk loving a man whose career keeps him in a combat zone. Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart? Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!


My Thoughts: This story is a fun story. It grabs a hold of you from the beginning and when your not reading it, your ready to get your hands back on it and read some more. Zoe and Nate have a history and it ends badly. Nate who thinks he did the right thing had no idea he left Zoe so bitter. But she is. There is so much flirting and chemistry in this book you often find yourself just sitting there smiling as you read it. After Zoe's sister gets left at the alter, she takes her sisters honeymoon ticket and goes on a cruise. Nate gets the grooms ticket. And the whirlwind romance starts.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes romance and wants to get swept away in a story that will steal your heart. This is a long book and when I read the last two words, The End, I wasn't ready! I'd love a follow up on these two. Maybe a short novella...hint hint :)

To learn more about this book and the author, check out her website http://www.christibarth.com/




 

Review: Live Out Loud by Heather Wardell

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Publication Date: August 31, 2011
Genre: Fiction/ chick-lit
Format: E-book
Heat Rating: G
Reviewed For: The Author



Blurb: Amy's a hobbyist songwriter with big dreams, but not the usual 'making it as a musician' kind. No, Amy wants to honor her late best friend by finally starting the support center for teenage girls they'd dreamed of when they were just girls themselves. She doesn't know where to start, but when one of her songs becomes an overnight internet sensation she sees a quick path to the money she'll need to make the center a reality.

As white-hot pop sensation Misty Will, Amy finds a whole new world opening to her and realizes she loves being on stage holding an audience spellbound. She also loves how her young fans look up to her and draw strength from her songs, but of course they don't know the awful thing she did after her friend died and how badly she could have used a support center herself. She knows, though, and also knows that she simply has to leave her new pop princess identity behind and become Amy the center director as she's dreamed of for eight years.

Doesn't she?


My Thoughts: This is one of those books that in each sitting you get completely caught up in what is going on. Amy is a singer in the beginning and only sings locally. One night she dresses in a pink mini-skirt and matching wig and makes it big. Over night she goes from Amy to Misty Will. She gets a new home, a trainer, someone to help her write her songs, and more. Its a dream come true. As a reader you wonder, okay she got what she wanted, now what. Well, it isn't all Amy thought it would be. You get an inside look on how the fame isn't what she wants. She wants to be making a difference in the lives of her listeners. While her life looks glamorous, its actually falling apart all around her. Her boyfriend-who I thought was the biggest jerk-leaves her. She really wants Tim, the song writer, but that just isn't working. Her friends are fake, and on top of that, she is being stalked by someone sending her letters.

Like I mentioned above, this book is going to suck you in. When you lay your e-reader down, your thoughts are going to be drifting back to this one. So before you start it, make sure you have to time to devote to it.

To learn more about the fantastic Heather Wardell, visit her website http://www.heatherwardell.com/ . There hasn't been a book by her yet that I haven't liked.




 

Keri Ford: Apple Trail - Small Town and Sexy!

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I'm very excited to have Keri Ford on the blog today. The last book (#6) in the Apple Trail Series just released. But don't worry, Keri has another series already lined up for her eager followers. Be sure to visit her blog at  www.keriford.com to get a sneak peak at the HOT book covers.

If your a fan of hers or even if you haven't read one (which is just crazy), sit back and enjoy this post as she rounds up the series. Best of all, Keri is offering a giveaway to a lucky commenter.

Small Town And Sexy!

When I started the Apple Trail series, I envisioned a small town like mine. While Apple Trail is way smaller (2-3k) than my home town (18k), I mirrored the town square off my home town. Take the tiny picture of the courthouse here for example. Look familiar? I loosely based Apple Trail’s courthouse from Making Her Nights off it. I spoke of the trees, the white building and long sad eyes. I added the engraved apples on the building. And the vulture. Or maybe the vulture. I’m sure there’s been a couple those around our court house too. Lord knows they’re flying over my house enough (No one dead here birds!).

But it’s the town shops along the square that brings Henry, hero of Chasing Her Trail, to Apple Trail and to the heroine, Jessie. Henry’s grandfather raised him and his grandfather was raised in a small town, with a small square just like this one.One with trees along the sidewalk, overhang things and shops next to one another. In Apple Trail there’s men drinking coffee at a picnic table outside a diner during the day and a beauty parlor a couple shops over where you know the women gather.

Apple Trail’s town square is very contained. If you read In The Hay, you got to ride around with the hero as he drove past the courthouse, the few shops and then…that’s pretty much it before he entered the surrounding neighborhood. Beyond that are the train tracks and fields (a big grin here. For those who’ve read In The Hay, you know why I’m grinning).

If you were flying overhead and looked down, you’d see Riley Hamilton’s farm along one side (On The Fence) and the town square in the center. The Iverson property would be just outside of town and wrapping around behind it. Beyond that you’d find Jessie’s land and Mike and Tiffany next to her.

The town population is small. The land often sprawling at times. And the people like to get dirty in their backyards when no one is looking.

 Leave me a comment and be entered for a chance to win your pick of any of the Apple Trail stories!

***

Jessie McBride barely survived the unexpected death of her loving parents. Forced to fend for herself with few people to depend on while raising her younger cousin, Jessie learned to be self-sufficient. She kept a few friends close and pushed the rest of the world away, along with that helpless, dependent girl she was once. Been there, done that, never again.

It works until Henry Green enters her life, with sentimental tales of his grandpa and family. Jessie is drawn in as Henry strives to take care of the man who raised him. But while Henry is putting things in place for his grandpa to retire, his well-intended controlling ways are smothering Jessie. 

Can Henry’s invitation back to life and love tempt Jessie to drop the emotional wall, or will Henry give up on chasing the girl she once was?

Keri Ford is the author of six sexy contemporary novellas set in the small town of Apple Trail, Arkansas. She’s got 3 more novellas currently scheduled for 2012 and a series of single-title romantic mysteries coming 2013.

Her latest release is Chasing Her Trail and is available at TMP | Amazon | Smashwords | AllRomanceEbooks | Bookstrand (will be available in more places soon! distribution times and all that)

To keep with the latest on Keri, check out her website (http://KeriFord.com).

Twitter (http://twitter.com/KeriFord)

Facebook (http://facebook.com/AuthorKeriFord)

 

Interview: Wife by Wednesday by Cathrine Bybee

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Welcome to Beck’s Book Picks. I am very excited to have Cathrine Bybee here today, who just became an Amazon bestseller!

I'm excited to be here. Thanks for having me.

Tell us a little about yourself?

Let's see, my Twitter page says I write sexy, sometimes snarky, but always believable romance. I'm a wife, mother, and wine drinker… not always in that order. So yeah, that about sums it up. LOL

Tell us a little about your latest release and how you came up with the idea?

Wife by Wednesday was born from the idea of a modern marriage of connivance and a millionaire with a title. I wanted to throw two mercenaries together and let love prove to them that they can't always predict how life is going to be.

Do  you only write this one genre or have you branched out?

This is my first straight contemporary romance. I'm more known for my highland time travel romance and paranormal romance books. But alas, I love to read all romance so writing outside of any one genre was always my plan.

Interview: Joanne Kennedy

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Welcome to Beck’s Book Picks. I am very excited to have Joanne Kennedy here today.

1.       Tell us a little about yourself?
JK: I live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the cowboy capitol of the West.  I write contemporary Western romances filled with humor and heart plus a dash of suspense and some spice to keep things interesting.

2.       Tell us a little about your latest release and how you came up with the idea?
JK: Tall, Dark and Cowboy is the story of Lacey Bradford, a runaway trophy wife who flees her crooked ex-husband and ends up in Wyoming with nothing but a beat-up muscle car and an ugly dog. She’s hoping for some help from her old friend Chase Caldwell, but Chase has changed—mostly because Lacey broke his heart years ago without even realizing it. When Chase won’t help her, she has to create her own place in his small-town community—and he can’t help admiring the way she goes about doing it. It’s a book about forgiveness and love that lasts in spite of all the roadblocks we throw in its way.

The idea came from Lacey herself, who has been hovering in my subconscious for years and refused to go away until I found her a story—and a cowboy of her own. She’s not the kind of character I normally write about, but she ended up being my favorite heroine ever. Lacey grew up rich and privileged, but she has a conscience that never lets her take the easy way out.

3.       Do you only write this one genre or have you branched out?
JK: Western romance is my first love, and I intend to stick with it. But I write other things too. I have projects in progress in romantic suspense, and I’ve written a couple of paranormals. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of YA and I’d love to write in that genre.

4.       What are you currently working on?
JK: I just finished Cowboy Crazy, which features a rodeo cowboy and will come out in June 2012. Now I’m working on my sixth cowboy romance, tentatively titled Cowboy Tough. It’s about an artist who comes to a dude ranch to lead a painting workshop in the Wyoming backcountry. It’s a fun book because the ranch is a community all its own, and there are lots of quirky secondary characters among the ranch hands and art students. Plus there’s a hot, hot cowboy leading the way!

5.       Do you have any writing quirks?
JK: In some ways, writing is a quirk. My stories and characters are almost always on my mind. Half the time my husband can’t tell if I’m talking about real people or fictional ones.

6.       What gets you into the mood to write?
JK: Reading. Reading fiction puts the rhythms of narrative and dialogue into my head and helps me start seeing the story in the right terms.

7.       Favorite snack or drink while you write?
JK: It used to be Diet Coke, but now I’m trying to drink more water. I don’t eat while I’m writing; I take a break for lunch so I don’t get crumbs all over the keyboard. Kinda dull, I know – but when I’m writing I tend to forget about physical needs like food and, sadly, exercise!

8.       Any words of advice to aspiring authors?
JK: Don’t give up! If you are reasonably talented and willing to work hard both at writing and the business of writing, you will eventually succeed. I think the ease of electronic publishing has caused a lot of people to give up too quickly on the goal of getting a New York-style publishing deal.  The rejection process is an ordeal, but it forces you to write your very best book. Professional agents and editors are partners in making sure you’re putting out the best possible product—one that readers will love and you will be proud of. It’s worth the wait and the work and the heartbreak of rejections to be the best you can be.

9.       What are you currently reading?
JK: I just finished The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas. I love her small-town romances and was happy to return to Harmony, Texas and visit with the friends I made in the first two books in the series. Next I’m reading Sandra Kring’s The Book of Bright Ideas.

10.   And finally, is there anything you would like to share?
JK: Yes! I’d like to say how grateful I am to all my readers for their support, and also thank all you bloggers and reviewers for working so hard to promote the romance genre. It takes a lot of dedication to create websites like this one where readers and writers can connect.

Tall, Dark and Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy—In Stores November 2011

She’s looking for an old friend…

In the wake of a nasty divorce, Lacey Bradford heads for Wyoming where she’s sure her old friend will take her in. But her high school pal Chase Caldwell is no longer the gangly boy who would follow her anywhere. For one thing, he’s now incredibly buff and handsome, but that’s not all that’s changed…

What she finds is one hot cowboy…

Chase has been through tough times and is less than thrilled to see the girl who once broke his heart. But try as he might to resist her, while Lacey’s putting her life back together, he’s finding new ways to be part of it.

About the Author

Joanne Kennedy is the author of three previous contemporary Western romances for Sourcebooks. She brings a wide variety of experience, ranging from chicken farming to horse training, to her sexy, spicy cowboy stories. She is a 2011 finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of American RITA© Awards, for One Fine Cowboy. Joanne lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she is working on her next book, Cowboy Crazy (June 2012). For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/.