Featured Author – Ella Grey

It’s another Featured Author Friday! This week is Paranormal Romance author Ella Gray. Her new release is available now. Check it out!

Overview

All Aubrey Tull wanted to do was settle down with her mate, Liam Willingham, but he was determined to fight the mating bond. The night he left the pack destroyed a part of her, and she became determined to find out who she was without him.  

University should have been a step in the right direction—but that was before her mating heat kicked in. One night out at a club with her friends brings her the unwanted attention of the Joy brothers. She ends up putting them into the hospital and gets herself behind bars.

Liam thought he was doing the right thing when he left the pack. He wasn’t good enough for Aubrey, and he didn’t expect to live through the illness that racked him. Aubrey was too young, too innocent, for that kind of burden. Now he’s recovered, but then Henri tells him she’s been arrested. Liam’s probably the last person she wants to see, but in the end he’s the only one who can help her.

Unfortunately, the Joy brothers aren’t finished with Aubrey…

Excerpt:

Liam moved his arm enough to peek out from underneath it. A man with dark red hair, almost black, stood by the door, and looked around the room in obvious disgust. The effect of being in the presence of his Alpha made his wolf cower. Being in the presence of his best friend overruled the natural urge. He readjusted his arm and closed his eyes. “How dd you find me?”

“You weren’t hiding.” Henri walked across the room, and Liam sensed the movement to take his bottle. A growl rumbled in his chest, but it was for show. If it came to a fight Henri would hand him his ass, and he knew it. “I need a fucking drink. Where do you keep them?”

“Fridge. I buy these things in bulk.” As Henri turned away, Liam risked another look at him. Another reason he couldn’t pursue Aubrey. They’d been best friends close to forever. What idiot went after his best friend’s little sister? Even when she turned eighteen? “Aren’t you on parental duty? How’s the rug-rat?” He caught the grimace which crossed his friend’s face and frowned, sitting up. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

Henri didn’t say anything until he retrieved the bottle and sat down next to him with a huff. He twisted the cap off and took a long swig from it, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “Alexa is an angel. It’s Brey who’s the problem.”

“Brey? You didn’t have twins and forget to mention it, did you?”

He shook his head. “Brey would be the name Aubrey likes to go by since you ripped her heart out and ground it into dust under your boot.” He took another drink and grimaced. “Damn, this is terrible.”

Guilt twisted in the pit of Liam’s stomach. “Nothing happened with her, Henri, I swear. No lines were crossed.” He dropped his own bottle to the ground with a thud and managed to sit up properly. “What happened?”

“She’s in jail. I’m tempted to leave her there for a bit to learn her lesson, but it would be a bad idea.”

The feeling of being buzzed faded quickly. “What happened?” 

“A Sheriff Taylor called me; said she was at a club when a man tried to make a move on her. Unwanted.”

“Since when does Brey go to clubs? Why is she the one who’s in jail?” “Because she put the man who touched her and his brother into the hospital.” Henri sounded proud before he looked a little embarrassed.

Buy Links

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/the-wolf-and-her-mate-by-ella-grey/

Follow Ella to keep up with her new releases!

Facebook Group

Twitter

WordPress Site

Music or No Music?

Given a choice between music or silence, I’ll choose music every single time.

I’m a terrible singer, but you can expect me to jam along with whatever I’m listening to while I’m writing, reading, doing the dishes, or pretty much anything else. I’m not even that picky when it comes to music; I’ll listen to anything.

I was a gymnast for years, so I grew up listening to a lot of jazz/instrumental when I would select music for my floor routine. Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and feel the music (and yes, I know it sounds strange…) without being distracted by lyrics.

If you catch me in the car with my kids, I usually have the radio tuned to a country station. If I’m alone, it’s almost always hard rock/metal. Love some Five Finger Death Punch. For those of you that read Escape, you may have already guessed that. And on that note – my hubby surprised me with tickets to their concert in Columbus at the end of November as a late birthday gift! Stay tuned…. I’ll let you know how they are in person!

xoxo

Epilogue or No?

Ever flip to the back of a book to see how many pages you have left before the story inevitable comes to an end?

Yeah. Me, too.

Sometimes I’m just not ready for a book to end, whether I’m writing or reading. Good characters are like that. They draw you in, make you fall in love with them, and it’s hell to let go. Every once in a while, I need the closure, and a little extra scene at the end is just the way to do that.

Just like with my Frozen in Time Trilogy (coming this Winter!), I wasn’t ready to let go. Jack and Mia got to me, and I felt like they just needed a little bonus scene at the end. I hope you guys will love them just as much as I do. Stayed tuned for some teasers coming soon! xoxo

Prologue or No?

Typically, I just jump right into my stories. The Devil You Know was a little different, though. I knew right from the onset that I was going to have to set the scene since something that had happened 10 years prior affects Victoria’s life forever.

I’m not typically a fan of stories that jump around from past to present, either. It makes it a little difficult to follow and hard to get into. As far as a prologue, though, I think it’s okay to give a little background. Sometimes it helps to draw readers in and explain why the main character is now they way they are. Much like with Victoria–She experienced something traumatic and was forever changed.

Will I use more prologues in the future? Who knows? You’ll just have to read on to see. 🙂

Author Feature – Beth D. Carter

Beth D. Carter is bringing us another AMAZING romantic suspense from Evernight Publishing!

Untraceable is the second book in the World of Danger series. These men will risk everything to keep the women they love out of harm’s way.  Book One: Invincible (out now) Book Two: Untraceable (new release) Book Three: Ruthless (out 2020).

Blurb:

Mae Sawyer has a huge crush on her boss, JD Harlan, but he doesn’t even know she exists. She blends into the background of her data entry job, living for glimpses of him walking through the office. Then one night, everything changes. While working late, she’s caught up in a plot to kidnap him…and gets taken as well.

They wake up in an underground bunker. No electricity. No way to be traced. Alone, they have to rely on each other to stay strong until their captor decides their fate. Danger lurks outside the bunker, waiting for a moment of vengeance.

Buy Links:

EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING- https://www.evernightpublishing.com/untraceable-by-beth-d-carter/

AMAZON- https://www.amazon.com/Untraceable-World-Danger-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07Y2NVP3G/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Untraceable+beth+d.+carter&qid=1569694860&s=gateway&sr=8-1

SMASHWORDS- https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/958960

Author Info:

I like writing about the very ordinary girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances, so my heroines will probably never be lawyers, doctors or corporate highrollers.  I try to write characters who aren’t cookie cutters and push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box.  I love writing characters who are real, complex and full of flaws, heroes and heroines who find redemption through love. I love to hear from readers so I’ve made it really easy to find me on the web:

https://twitter.com/BethDCarter
https://www.facebook.com/bethdcarterauthor

https://www.instagram.com/bethdcarter

http://bethdcarter.blogspot.com

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/beth-d-carter

Amazon author page:  http://www.amazon.com/BethD.Carter/e/B00EOTD1T0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1385417145&sr=8-1

Author Feature – Megan Slayer

Hey, lovelies! Happy Saturday 🙂

Things have been crazy busy, so I’m trying to get back to the swing of things over here starting with… ta-da! Author features! Today, the beautiful Megan Slayer is sharing her new release Scoring in Cedarwood. For those of you that are into M/M romance, definitely check it out! Here’s a little teaser below.

  • Scoring in Cedarwood by Megan Slayer
  • Cedarwood Pride, book 3
  • Contemporary LGBTQ Romance
  • M/M, Anal Sex, Masturbation
  • From Pride Publishing

Book three in the Cedarwood Pride series

Tanner Fox wasn’t sure being traded to the Cedarwood Wildcats was the right path for his life, but if Dr. Dane Bloom is part of the package, then he’ll play for keeps.

Tanner “Foxy” Fox knows he can do one thing—play baseball. His days in the outfield are numbered, but he’s a fan favorite. Everyone wants a piece of Foxy—almost everyone. The Anti-Gay Coalition wants nothing of a gay player on the town baseball team, but Tanner isn’t about to back down, especially when he lands sponsorship from the silver-fox doctor in town.

When Dr. Dane Bloom opts to sponsor the baseball team, he knows he’s going to be asked to sponsor a player. Having a younger man living in his home and invading his trust? Why not? Dane’s not wild about opening up, but when he sees Tanner, something in him shatters. He wants to get to know Tanner, beyond the Foxy façade to the man inside. Can he and the player find a way to score in Cedarwood, or will the coalition and self-doubts keep them apart?

EXCERPT:

©Megan Slayer, 2019, All Rights Reserved

“Are you trying to fix me up? Or get me to sponsor him?” Dane narrowed his eyes. “You’re being rather persuasive.”

“You can’t date him.”

“Ah.” Good to know. He wasn’t looking for a boyfriend and preferred knowing Devlin wasn’t trying to hook him up. Still, he couldn’t shake his irritation with Devlin. Why hadn’t his friend told him about butting into the relationship with Phillip? Why keep his intrusion quiet for so long? He appreciated Devlin caring enough to get him out of a bad situation, but he could’ve said something.

“Well?” Devlin pointed to the tablet screen. “Tanner?”

“What do I have to do?” He couldn’t believe he’d capitulated. Then again, he hadn’t seen much of a reason to say no.

“Feed him, give him a place to stay and be supportive. That’s it. If you want, we have an app that shows you how he’s playing and when he’s in a game.” Devlin grinned. “He’s got his own transportation, so you don’t have to drive him anywhere.”

He should consider this decision longer with careful, thoughtful musing. He wasn’t one for snap decisions. “Sure.” Had he just agreed? So much for considering his options and thinking this through. According to Devlin’s widening grin, he’d not only agreed but must’ve looked pleased, too. Well, shit.

“I’ll give him your address and he’ll report to you tonight.” Devlin shook Dane’s hand. “You won’t regret it.”

“How can I? If this is as painless as you claim, I should be fine.” He stifled a groan. He’d just optioned to have a minor league baseball player live with him. He liked the sport and always wanted to play, but never thought he’d sponsor a member of the team. His fellow doctor at the medical group, McCormack Stevens, loved baseball. He should be the one sponsoring a player. He’d been the one to suggest the practice put their money and name into the team. He probably already had a player living with him, but still.

He shook hands with Devlin. “He’ll be at my house tonight?”

“Yes. I’ll send the information to you both. He’ll learn about you and you’ll know everything about him. Deal?” Devlin asked. “It’s a good pairing. You’ll temper him and he’ll bring you out of yourself.”

“Yeah.” Hadn’t Devlin said something about them not dating? If he was going to be good for Tanner and vice versa, there had to be more than just living together involved and that was off limits. Still, he couldn’t tamp down his giddiness. “I’ll look for the email.” He’d just opted to take in a baseball player. Swell.

Available from these fine etailers:

Pride Publishing: https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/scoring-in-cedarwood

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AxY2N

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TW9P5WQ/

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/scoring-in-cedarwood/id1471687528?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scoring-in-cedarwood-megan-slayer/1132306534;jsessionid=C107168F6320F8FD2DED00F216C4004D.prodny_store02-atgap12?ean=9781786518019&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/scoring-in-cedarwood

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Sg-gDwAAQBAJ

Did you know…?

She also writes under the name Wendi Zwaduk!

Wendi Zwaduk – White Hot Second Chance Romancehttp://wendizwaduk.com/
http://about.me/wendi_zwaduk
&
Megan Slayer – It’s Always Fun to Squirm
http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htmSubscribe to our newsletter ~ http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj
It’s always better on dirt!

Kitten Fever

If you follow me on social media, most of you probably know that my husband and I bought about ten acres of land out in the country a few months ago. It’s been a heck of a project so far, but more about that later…

So, there’s an existing log cabin on the property which my father in law now lives in…. along with a few stray cats. As you might guess, one of the cats starting growing around the middle. (Someone’s been slutting around, apparently… lol)

We now have 3 furball additions to the family. I spent the evening giving these little guys a flea bath and getting them settled in their new home. Needless to say, my kiddos are having a blast loving on them. Now I just need to find homes for them before we get too attached…

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER!

Looking for the perfect treat for, well, everything? Here’s the perfect recipe for homemade chocolate chip cookies! Make sure to check out the tips and tricks at the end for best results!

¾ cup granulated (white) sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs (large, room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 ¼ cups flour, sifted
2 cups chocolate chips
(Optional: walnuts, M&Ms, etc.)
 
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, beat sugars and butter at medium speed until well blended.
Add eggs, one at a time. Beat low/medium until just combined.
While mixing, add vanilla extract.
Gently add dry ingredients, ¼ cup at a time until mixture is fully combined.
Fold chocolate chips, M&Ms, walnuts, etc. into mixture
 
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. (Middles may still look a little gooey.)

 

Tips and tricks:
Start prepping approximately one hour before baking. Set butter and eggs out to cool. It’s best for these to be close to the same temperature when blended.
I make my dough a couple days prior to baking – this allows the butter to redistribute throughout the mixture. It gives the cookies that perfect sheen rather than the fluffy texture you get when baking immediately after mixing!
If you’re only planning to bake a portion, seal the remaining dough in an airtight container and refrigerate. (Mine usually keeps up to about two weeks.)
DO NOT, I reiterate, DO NOT OVERBAKE. <<<<< This is my pet peeve. If the cookie is completely brown coming out of the oven, you’ve baked them too long. The dough will continue to bake for a few minutes after coming out of the oven – as soon as the edges begin to brown, pull those babies out! The inside will look a little gooey, but that’s okay! Once they cool, they’ll be perfectly soft and chewy! I promise!

For a (slightly) healthier alternative, you can sub applesauce for the eggs. I typically use about one cup applesauce with a tablespoon or so of baking powder. This gives the dough a slightly better consistency than using applesauce alone.

Like anything else, baking takes time and practice. Every oven is different, too, so your time may vary by a minute or two. I have a convection oven, so I use the “fast bake” function at 325 and bake for 11 minutes. If you have a regular oven, try 350 for 10-12 minutes. If one side begins to brown faster than the other, wait until they’re AT LEAST halfway through. Opening the oven changes the temperature and jeopardizes the baking process. I typically turn mine when there’s about 3-4 minutes left on the timer.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Hey, y’all! Summertime is finally here and I’ve decided to kick off my favorite season by posting one of my favorite recipes.

If the idea of lemon freaks you out – trust me, it’s amazing. It’s not tart or overly sweet, it just gives the cheesecake this incredible light, fresh taste that’s perfect for summer. (I actually use almost triple what the recipe calls for.) It’s super easy and turns out perfectly every time. (Just follow the directions to a tee and be sure not to overbake it – Jiggly in the middle is good!) If it begins to crack around the edges toward the end of baking, no worries. I promise as it cools, it will settle and the cracks will all but disappear.

Clink on the link below for the cheesecake bars and check out some of the other awesome recipes on Jenn’s site. You’ll see it more than once, because I pull a ton of inspiration from her page!

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/cheesecake-bars.html

You can thank me later. :o)

Featured Author – Lacee Hightower!

If you guys haven’t checked out Lacee’s stuff, you definitely should! Her newest release, Intrigue Me, is a little dirty, a little erotic, and a whole lot of fun! Check it out:

I grew up wealthy, a spoiled rich kid some would say, blessed with a natural athletic physique and erotic good looks that could get me into the panties of just about any girl I set my mind to.

I wanted … what I wanted.

And that meant one thing: the beautiful brunette from study hall—but she left me high and dry.

Today, I have a heart made of stone.  I’m angry, a professed lifelong bachelor, and a sexual sadist.

My soul is a cold river.

Eight years later, she’s back in my life and holding secrets that are ruthless, unforgiveable.

I want to punish her, make her cry, watch her suffer.  I want to hate her for what she’s done.

But I want my hands on her.

Mine.  All mine.

I simply want … Ava Montgomery.

Excerpt:

 I ached for him with such a depth that it was a visceral kind of pain. I wanted his hands on me, touching me everywhere, taking me to that place I’d fantasized about for years.

“It’s your decision, doll.”

“Are you going to tear up my butt? Leave bloody marks on my back? Ruin my nipples? Are you…” My voice faded into silence as I stared at his focused expression that was so sure, so certain, his eyes that sent shimmers down my spine, his body that made me cave with pleasure every time it came near me. Heat flowed through my veins. “Yes. God, yes. I want to know everything. I want you to…”

Before I finished the words that were caught in my throat, his lips were on mine, crushing his mouth against me with a scorching kiss that felt like he was ravenous. His hands twisted fiercely through my hair, my body arching into him as he licked into me, purging deep, kissing me for long minutes like he wanted me more than any one thing in his existence. 

I wanted this so badly that it hurt.

His lips fell to the sweet spot just underneath my ear. “You wouldn’t happen to still have that blindfold by any chance?”

Another whimper rose up my throat as I collapsed into his chest, turning to soft liquid and ceding in submission.

Of course, I still had the blindfold. I’d stared at it a dozen times. Fantasized about what it would feel like being bound, in the dark, his hands on me, oblivious to his next move, and if all my daydreams were a reality … or a fool’s paradise.

“Yes,” I breathed, captivated.

“Grab it, kitten. And follow me.”

Blistering heat flooded my core as he trailed kisses across my neck.

“And, Ava,” he added in a hard tone, “before the night ends, my marks will be all over you.”

Buy Links:

Evernight:  https://www.evernightpublishing.com/intrigue-me-by-lacee-hightower/

Amazon:  https://amazon.com/dp/B07SSYJTQK

Books2read(Universal link):  https://books2read.com/u/bQ6qAd

Social Media Links:

Facebook:  Facebook

 Twitter:   Twitter

Instagram:  Instagram

Website:   laceehightower.com

BookBub:   Bookbub

About the Author:

Lacee Hightower is an American writer and romance novelist, referring to her style as contemporary romance with a nice big pinch of kink.  Living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, she describes herself as a foodie that can’t cook, a large lover of fashion and shoes, and an enormous hopeless romantic.  Since she was old enough to know what the word meant, she loved the whole concept of romance and happy endings. Even though she has always enjoyed writing, life got in the way and she never really thought of pursuing it seriously until she decided to write her first book after both her children were grown in 2017.  Now with a nice glass of wine in hand, or not, she is learning to love bringing the characters in her head to life on paper for those who enjoy peeking into another world.