New Review for Angels of the Heart!!!

Happy to share this review!! Thank you Matilda and Coffee Time Romance!! Very special thanks to Jen Ranieri from Desert Breeze Publishing for the glorious cover art!!!

http://bit.ly/rAOHnl

Sterling Lakes Book Series
Book 1: Light Of The Heart
Book 2: Angels Of The Heart

ANGELS OF THE HEART
Sterling Lakes Series- Book 2
REGINA ANDREWS
ISBN- 978-1-61252-064-3
August 2011
Desert Breeze Publishing

http://www.DesertBreezePublishing.com

E-book
$5.99
105 Pages
Inspirational Romance
Rating: 4 Cups

Maryanne Lynch lives in a small town, is a television journalist, is engaged to a great guy and enjoys her life. But all of that changes when she hears of a renovation plan that will destroy a landmark in the town that means so much to many. She cannot let that happen.

Travis Collimore is the developer of the proposed church renovations. He also knows Maryanne from high school. Lately, he has been feeling that his life is not fulfilling and that he is not living the way he should. He has questions about his faith, his job, and now his feelings for Maryanne.

With Maryann and Travis on opposite sides of the renovation project as well as the faith issue, you would think they would be butting heads, but surprisingly things are failing into place, that is until a slight misunderstanding puts them at odds. But God’s plan is for more than they can guess.

What a sweet and tender love story. Filled with choices and decisions that sometimes we all have to make in order to both keep the past alive and move forward in our quest. I love the characters in this series and look forward to reading more about them in the upcoming books Ms. Andrews has planned. My only complaint about this story is that I would have liked to see a bit more depth. I just felt things progressed way too quickly, but I suppose they can happen quickly in life, too.

Matilda
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Look for “Praise of the Heart” Sterling Lakes Book Three, Jan 1, 2012

Read Full Post »

Welcome, Author Shawna K. Williams!

Today I am so very happy and thrilled to welcome author Shawna K. Williams! She’s here to visit and to discuss the release of her new book, “The Good Fight”, from Desert Breeze Publishing. Welcome, Shawna!

 

How did this story come to you?

After the release of No Other, my debut novel, I had several readers ask me if the sequel, In All Things — which was already under contract based on a proposal — was going to be about Roger, Jakob’s rival in No Other. When I told them that it wasn’t, they expressed disappointment. While writing In All Things, however, his character crept in unexpectedly, and in a rather profound way. He was hardly present throughout the book, but his name and the impact he’d had on Jakob in the previous book kept coming up. When In All Things released, once again I had readers asking me if I was going to write a book about Roger. As I looked at certain elements of the story, I realized that the relationship between Jakob and Roger wasn’t quite finished, and that it would also serve as the cohesion in a three book series if I chose to write another book. Furthermore, Roger was a rather interesting character with a unique angle from which to explore. So, here it is. The Good Fight is the third book in what I’ve dubbed, “The Series I Didn’t Intend to Write but My Readers Made Me Do It.”

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

There are a few. First, judgmental attitudes come in all sorts. In the story Pennye has been a victim of this, but she’s also just as guilty. When she first meets Roger her reaction is to clump him into a category and her reaction toward him is affected by the judgments she made.

The second is to understand that when we give our lives over to the Lord, we are transformed into something useful and beautiful, imperfections and all. Regret is a powerful emotion and can often dominate and define a person’s life. God takes our experiences though — good and bad — and turns them into wisdom. They become something to use for His glory, and thus He removes our regret by bringing us to the realization that, in Him, we are a new creature, molded from the old. Our past is the clay from which we were made. But we can let go of the shame of that past, embrace Grace and rejoice in the beauty God creates as all things work together for His glory. This is a theme that runs through all of my stories. It’s something that I firmly believe in.

 

 

Cover blurb:
Roger Talbot’s life is defined by his devotion to public service. Having just successfully prosecuted a brutal murder case, Roger turns his attention to discovering the shady dealings of Niles Parker — the town’s former mayor, Roger’s old boss and the father of the woman Roger almost married.

 

Pennye Carrington ran away from Port Delamar with plans never to return. However, learning that her brother had murdered a family member of a famous movie star changed those plans. Pennye comes back with the hope of bringing stability to a family in disarray, but facing the torment of her childhood may be more than she can handle.

 

Roger’s mission to bring down Niles Parker and Pennye’s desire to keep her brothers out of trouble create a middle ground, where two people who couldn’t be further apart, embark on a danger-filled journey of discovery to find themselves and each other.

Can you tell us about your other books?
I have four books that are published and one that’s about to be under contract. Three of my books, including my latest release are a series. As I mentioned, the series doesn’t have a title though because initially it was only going to be two books.

All three of these books center round the small, but growing town of Port Delamar. It’s a fictional town based on Baytown, TX — the area where my husband grew up. The themes of these stories revolve around forgiveness and acceptance. There’s a tapestry woven in how the characters’ lives intertwine, and tragic events lead to good. I’m not so sure there won’t be other books in the future that tie into this town and these characters.

I have another book called Orphaned Hearts. It’s a Christmas story, but enjoyable for any time of year. It also has a similar theme of acceptance (mainly of ourselves). The story is very much about seeing the beauty within. It was inspired by my granddad, who grew up in an orphanage during The Great Depression.

What are you working on now and what’s next for you?

I edit for two publishers, so at the moment I’m playing catch-up on some work, but I’m about to sign a contract for a sequel to my Christmas story Orphaned Hearts, which released last December with Desert Breeze. This new story doesn’t have a title yet, but it’s about Caleb as a grown man, and the baby girl of the family who almost adopted him when he was a boy. Good thing they didn’t.

I’m also working on a story called Memoirs of a Ghost Town. It’s literary fiction, and it blends a contemporary story with one set in the past. I’m unsure right now as to where I’ll pitch it. I need to finish it first.

Parting comments:
Regina, thank you so much for hosting me. I love your books. I’m a little behind on reading your latest series, but everything I see about it looks wonderful, so I’m looking forward to the holidays and having some free time on my hands.

I’m hosting a contest to win a free Kindle and a $25 Amazon gift certificate. If you’re interested, details are here: http://shawnawilliams-oldsmobile.blogspot.com/2011/10/kindle-giveaway-with-new-book-release.html

For more about me:

http://www.shawnakwilliams.com/

http://shawnawilliams-oldsmobile.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/shawnakwilliams

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1059888544&ref=tn_tinyman#!/pages/Shawna-K-Williams/236629884245

About Shawna K. Williams:
Shawna K. Williams is an inspirational novelist who loves telling a story through flawed characters – the only kind she can relate to. She also likes a good dose of nostalgia, which is why many of her stories are set in rural America during the first half of the 20th Century. However, being a fan of other genres, including Science Fiction and Suspense, she has a few surprises planned for future works.

When not writing, Shawna spends time with her husband and three children enjoying life on their ranch. She’s also an avid reader, book reviewer, blogger and jewelry designer.

Note from the host: As many of you know, I work for a high-end national jewelry retailer. So of course I noticed Shawna’s gorgeous necklace when she forwarded her photo for this post. I asked her about it, and the answer? Yes! She made it herself! Shawna, you are a wonderfully multi-talented individual!! Please come back again soon and visit. Best of luck with your new book!

Read Full Post »

Welcome, Author Ann Tracy Marr

It’s a joy to welcome author Ann Tracy Marr today!   I am convinced you’ll be as enthralled as I was when you hear about “To His Mistress”, one of her romances. Welcome!

Thank you to Regina Andrews for offering me this spot in her Blog-String Fest. I like meeting people and consider this a great opportunity to do so. I assume you are a mix of writers and readers (as if writers don’t read). How shall I virtually bend your ears? Would you like to know how I conceived the plot of To His Mistress, one of my books?

I started with the hero, Alexander Stanton, the Earl of Shelton. He lives in England in 1814 when women wear romantic long gowns and unromantic corsets. Gentlemen gamble, ride horses, and have mistresses, as in prostitutes, to take care of their, ahem, needs. Prostitutes are for fun, not marriage.

That is how I began. Shelton has lots of experience with women, all of the whorish persuasion. Ladies — sisters, mothers, friends’ sisters and mothers — are set on a pedestal. Shelton stays far away from them because one step wrong and you end up married to them. Ladies are strictly chaperoned. They probably haven’t been kissed; God forbid some guy has touched them other than on the hand. They are to be as pure (and as sexually ignorant) as the white dresses they wear. Shelton has a mother and a budding desire to marry Lady Clarissa, daughter of another earl. He hasn’t done anything about it yet, because Shelton doesn’t really want to get married, but Clarissa looks pretty good.

Staying at an inn (think hotel off the interstate), Shelton goes to his room and finds a female in his bed. Like the guy on that TV commercial for Caesar’s Palace, he thinks he has gotten lucky, and wakes her up. Instead of snuggling, the female (her name is Katherine) screams, bringing her uncle on the scene. Uncle makes such a fuss he wakes the house and creates a scandal.

“Have you hear the latest scandal?” Gossipy old ladies will twitter. Everyone will have a field day talking about him. Laughing at him. You don’t think Shelton will like that, do you? Especially when it turns out that screaming meemie Katherine is not a whore; Uncle is a baron, there is no money to boast of, but she is still a lady, as in a never been kissed, stay away from or else you’ll end up married to her lady.

And that is what happens. Shelton has to marry her.

This is a pretty standard setup for a Regency — the forced marriage. What I did differently is that Shelton remains convinced Katherine is the next best thing to a whore. Her background isn’t distinguished; her uncle skates on the rim of disreputable. Not Katherine, but her uncle. Katherine is a perfectly nice, should be on a pedestal girl, but not to Shelton. Her uncle made such a vulgar stink at the inn, Shelton is sure it was deliberate. Katherine set him up, took advantage, forced him to marry her. Of course, she did it for his money. He doesn’t get happy with the marriage; he doesn’t fall in love and decide they can live happily ever after.

No, he wants a divorce. Then he can have the best of all possible worlds: marry rich Lady Clarissa and make Katherine his mistress. With all the Regencies I have read, I have never seen that plot.

Part of what is unique to the plot is the way Shelton treats Katherine. Remember, ladies and mistresses are not treated the same. A hero can slap a whore without the reader batting an eye, but he can’t raise a finger to a lady. Don’t swear in front of a lady, don’t stare at her breasts. Treat her like a nun or precious Waterford crystal. Have fun with the mistress — have lots of hot, steamy sex, don’t mind your tongue, relax and enjoy.

Shelton treats Katherine like a mistress. He plays with her body, acts out fantasies, and insults her, paying her back for tricking him into marriage. For the first part of the book, he is the villain. It isn’t until Katherine begins to understand the man that the reader begins to see that Shelton can be a hero. You are cheering for Katherine to win and she insists that you include Shelton in your prayers.

The result is a Regency that veers in a different direction. If you thirst for reality in books, Shelton and Katherine fill the bill. The characters are real people in a realistic situation fueled by misconceptions that fit their personal bugaboos. To satisfy those who want a little fantasy with their story, I incorporated two magicians — Shelton’s not-so-fond Mama and her butler — wagering on the success of the marriage. No spells barred, they do what they can to influence Katherine and Shelton, but they do it so subtly, you can read the book again and again without identifying the magical twists (or misidentify twists as magical).

Through it all, Shelton stubbornly insists on divorce. Oh, yes, Shelton is stubborn. He gets that trait from my husband.

When he can no longer deny that Katherine is a dyed in the wool lady — when he has to admit that he should not have treated her like a whore — Shelton has dug a pit so deep he might never manage to crawl out. How many times has a man you know done the same?

~~~
Ann Tracy Marr writes fantasy Regency romance. To His Mistress, the third book in her Banshee Brigade series, debuted in paperback October 25. Keeper of the Grail is in the works. A computer consultant in the Midwest, Marr lives with her husband, two cats, and plots that bounce off the wall.

Visit her at http://www.anntracymarr.com
Buy her books at http://www.awe-struck.net/authors/ann_tracy_marr.html

To His Mistress Ebook ISBN: 978-1-587497209
Round Table Magician Ebook ISBN: 978-1-587496066
Thwarting Magic Ebook ISBN: 978-1-587496479
Keeper of the Grail Awaiting release

Read Full Post »

Welcome to E.A. West, author of “The Key to Charlotte”

Today I am so happy to welcome E.A. West, author of The Key to Charlotte as she celebrates the release of her new book. Welcome!

Please tell us about your latest release.

My latest release is The Key to Charlotte, an inspirational romance. The heroine, Charlotte Harris, is a mute autistic who cleans her church twice a week. Zakaria Rush is the new director of children’s ministries at Charlotte’s church. More than anything, Charlotte wants to be able to carry on a conversation in her own voice, and Zakaria longs to help her achieve that dream. But will his efforts lock away his chance for a relationship with Charlotte?

Do you have any other books?

Yes, I have three other ebooks currently available. My two other inspirational romances, Dreams Do Come True and Healing in Haven Falls, can be purchased from Pelican Book Group (http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ec) and Amazon.com. Riley’s Mission, my sweet romantic suspense, is available from The Wild Rose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com) and Amazon.com.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I’ve been reading since I was three years old, and I have loved making up stories just as long. Writing gave me a way to share the stories I made up. It also allowed me to take my love of books in a new direction. Instead of just having a love of reading books, I discovered a love of writing books as well.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing?

I wish I had known the importance of critique groups. When I first started writing, I thought I knew how to write. My friends and family were very encouraging about my writing, so I started submitting my work. Every submission was rejected and I finally joined a critique group. At that point, I learned just how much I didn’t know about writing. My critique partners provided the constructive criticism and advice I needed to grow as a writer so my work was publishable. Although it was a bit of a shock to go from hearing my loved ones say my writing was great to receiving rejection after rejection, joining a critique group is one of the best things I’ve ever done. Without their guidance, encouragement, and honest words about my writing, I doubt I would have ever gotten anything published.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

You can learn more on my website http://eawest.mcphitty.com and my blog http://thewestcorner.wordpress.com. If you’re on Facebook, please “like” my author page for periodic updates and thoughts from my writing life http://www.facebook.com/pages/EA-West/34280264617. I’m also on Twitter http://twitter.com/eawest and ShoutLife http://www.shoutlife.com/eawest.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you, Regina, for having me on your blog today! I hope you and the readers have enjoyed this interview as much as I have.

And here’s a blurb and an excerpt:

Charlotte Harris can’t speak due to a quirk in her autistic brain, but that doesn’t stop her from communicating with others. Unfortunately, it prevents her from achieving two of her dreams–to praise God through singing and to carry on a simple conversation with her own voice.

Zakaria Rush is the new Director of Children’s Ministries at Charlotte’s church, and he can’t keep his thoughts off the partially mute blonde with a love for guitar music. Her innocence and love of the simple things in life intrigue him and make him long to give her what she wants more than anything: her voice.

Can Zakaria help Charlotte find the key to unlocking her ability to speak, or will his attempt to help her only lock away their chance for love?

 

Charlotte switched off the vacuum and breathed a sigh of relief. The silence in the small church was pure bliss. She pulled the plug from the wall and coiled the cord around the top of the vacuum, then returned it to the janitorial closet in the basement. Turning around, she pulled out her cell phone and checked for reminders.

Take the rag bucket home.

Yes, she needed to wash the rags and kitchen towels. She returned the phone to her pocket and grabbed the bucket handle. As she headed upstairs, she heard the sound of a guitar coming from the sanctuary. Was someone playing a CD? It sounded like live music, but she’d never heard anyone in the church play a guitar.

Drawn by the soothing strains of the strings, she turned right at the top of the stairs.

No one ever came in the church while she was cleaning. The entire congregation knew her schedule—Tuesday and Saturday afternoons—and they always made sure to come at a different time. Charlotte had never been sure if it was because they didn’t want to get in her way or if her parents had talked to them about the importance of routine for her. When she was little, she’d gotten upset by people showing up unannounced, but now that she was twenty‐three, she liked to think she could handle surprises a little better.

She peered through the open doorway and saw a man sitting on the edge of the platform by the plain wooden altar playing a battered acoustic guitar.

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart raced as she studied him. Not only was he a talented musician, he was gorgeous, more gorgeous than anyone she’d ever seen in this small Indiana town. His black hair was a little shaggy but stylish; his straight nose, high cheekbones, and tan complexion made her think of Native Americans and Italians; his lean build clothed in faded blue jeans, an olive green T‐shirt, and worn‐in sneakers made him look laid back. Peace filled his face as he strummed his guitar. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, making Charlotte wonder if the sound of a guitar brought him as much joy as it did her.

Suddenly, he stopped playing and looked up at her. She tightened her grasp on the bucket handle.

He studied her with the most beautiful, warm brown eyes she’d ever seen. His smile caused her heart to flutter. “Hi there. Are you Charlotte?”

She nodded.

He didn’t seem to mind that she shifted her weight back and forth. Just as well. If she didn’t rock to release it, the nervous energy building under his gaze would make her cry.

“Pastor Ed told me I might run into you if I came this afternoon. I’m Zakaria Rush, the new director of children’s ministries.” He laid his guitar across his knees and chuckled, a deep, rich sound that warmed Charlotte clear through. “It’s a fancy title for a guy who didn’t want to grow up and found a way to turn it into a career.”

About the Author

E.A. West, author of sweet and inspirational romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she discovered the wonders of sharing her stories with others through writing. She picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. Her love of writing encompasses not only the romance genre but also a variety fiction and non-fiction styles.

Born and raised in Indiana, she still resides there today with her family and a small zoo of pets that includes the typical dogs and cats, and the more unusual African water frogs and a ribbon snake. Her interests are as varied as her critters. She has been known to carry on conversations about everything from politics and current events to gardening and theology. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her working on her latest knitting or crochet project.

Thank you so much for visiting today and best of luck with your writing!

Read Full Post »

Welcome, Joyce DiPastena — Twelfth Stop in the 2011 Blog-String Fest

Today I am so happy to welcome author and Medieval enthusiast Joyce DiPastena to the Blog-String Fest. Joyce is an accomplished author and shares another side of herself and her talents with us here today. Welcome, Joyce!

Silly + Cake = FUN

Let’s admit it. Even grownups need to be silly sometimes. And as a medieval history geek, one of my favorite silly things to do is to celebrate Norman Conquest Day each year. On October 14, 1066, the Norman army, led by Duke William of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror), invaded England and in a great battle now known as The Battle of Hastings, defeated the Saxon rulers of England. On December 25, 1066, William was crowned King of England.

William’s defeat of the Saxons imposed a French speaking monarchy and aristocracy on the Saxon population. Eventually, the two races intermarried, blending cultures and languages into one. It’s popular in modern literature to paint the Saxons as noble and peace loving and the Normans as murderous and bloodthirsty. Needless to say, this is a very simplistic view of the whole subject. And in the end, whatever your opinion of the Normans vs the Saxons, the bottom line is, without the Norman Invasion, those of us with English ancestors, quite simply, would not be who we are today.

Also if the Normans had never invaded England, when we went to a restaurant, instead of ordering “beef” (Norman), we would have to order an entrée of cow (Saxon). Instead of ordering a pork chop (pork/Norman), we would have to order a swine chop (swine/Saxon). Personally, I’d much rather eat a pork chop than a swine chop!

Now for the silly part. One year, just for the silly fun of it, I decided to buy a cake to celebrate Norman Conquest Day and decorate it with some little pewter knights I’d collected through the years. It has now become an annual tradition. Here’s a picture of my Norman Conquest Day cake this year. (I used plastic soldiers instead of pewter ones this year, just to be different.)

Everyone should have one day a year to celebrate something silly. It can be a historical event like mine. Or you can choose a truly silly day by checking out this link (http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm), where you will find such silly “holidays” as Bubble Bath Day (January 8), Mother Goose Day (May 1), Wiggle Your Toes Day (August 6) and more! Just don’t forget to include a cake.

If you’d like to see my Norman Conquest Day cakes through the years, you can do so on my JDP NEWS blog at this link, http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Norman.20Conquest.20Day

<strong>Joyce DiPastena fell in love with the Middle Ages when she first read Thomas B. Costain’s The Conquering Family in high school. A graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree specializing in medieval history, she is the author of two sweet medieval romances: Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award finalist) and Illuminations of the Heart (a 2009 Whitney Award finalist.) Her third medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, will be released in January 2012. (All of her titles are available on Amazon.)

Joyce lives in Arizona with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov. Read more about Joyce and her books on her website at http://www.joyce-dipastena.com, check out her author’s blog, JDP NEWS, at http://jdp-news.blogspot.com, or follow her as she researches her novels at Medieval Research with Joyce, at http://medievalresearch.blogspot.com.

Read Full Post »

Welcome, Author Tina Pinson – Eleventh Stop in the 2011 Summer Blog-String Fest!

Today I am just delighted to welcome the amazing individual and fantastic author Tina Pinson to the Summer 2011 Blog-String Fest! Tina is an accomplished author and has a wonderful sense of humor. Her writings and her posts are always so interesting. Thank you so much for visiting and welcome, Tina!

Just Breathe.

I’ve just had one of those extraordinary weeks. You know… the kind everyone dreams of?

Okay maybe not…

My week could have been better. It started off great. After singing with hubby at church, we rested and had a wonderful day together. Then while cleaning my teeth like a good girl, a chunk of my back molar broke off. OOOh Yay.

I decided I could handle the pain since it wasn’t too strong and of we didn’t really have the money to bother with it. Then Monday, I woke up with a touch of a headache, by the end of the day it had blossomed into a full-fledged migraine. It lasted through the night into the next day taking any chance for a decent night’s sleep along with it. And if that wasn’t enough… my tooth began a dull throb.

The migraine subsided, but the tooth ache hung on and I decided to call a dentist.

Can I just stop here and say UGH… Dentists are not big in my vocabulary, even though it seems I’ve spent quite a bit of time there. And because we are new transplants to Arizona, I didn’t even get to go to my usual dentist.

So I looked on the internet, and called around for an opening, then spun the wheel and headed out to meet my new best dental friend. After getting through a series of xrays (I have a horrible gag reflex so I really love those little film cards in my mouth) and a bit of prodding with the dental pick, I was told that I needed a few thousand dollars-worth of work.

Some crowns and a couple of fillings add up to a few thousand. Amazing. I am in the wrong business.

And boy was I excited. I was looking forward to setting in that ol chair, leaning back with mouth open waiting for the stab of a needle so my mouth would go numb, and I would get to listen to the whirr and hiss of all the drill and such.

But alas, I had to wait. First, I had to meet with a specialist so he could ascertain if I needed anything else. And guess what?

He found another two thousand in the form of root canals to tack on to the bill.

We moved to Arizona because of the economy and still trying to get caught up, so you imagine that this news overjoyed me.

I wanted to cry. I thought about running down and buying a few lottery tickets or maybe go hunt for a money tree.

Instead, I decided to do something constructive to take my mind off everything. I sat down to work on my stories.

I found that every cog in my head was clicking on the beat. I was so focused. Everything came together. The flow was precise, the editing went well and my characters were following my lead.

I was pumped.

HAHAHAHAHA…. NOT

Nothing was coming together. My thoughts were all over the place. My characters were rebellious. I’d start looking at one story and move onto another one because I couldn’t focus. I was ready to pound my head with the keyboard

So I did what many of do… (Throw my computer across the room and watch it shatter on the far wall in little pieces)

Okay so… I didn’t do that.

Actually I stopped what I was doing, turned my mind off as best as I could and breathed.

Just Breathed.

In through the nose and out through the mouth. One… two… three… four… Slowly, I took long deep breaths to clear my mind. And with each breath… I prayed.

In writing, like life, we can get over run with thoughts and frustrated because nothing seems to be working in our story lines, it’s then we need to stop and simply breathe.

Breathe and let the Author of our life and imagination infuse us with peace and clarity.

Life is going to happen. Things don’t always go as planned, when it doesn’t go quite the way it should, I hope you’ll give yourself the break you need and Breathe.

Just breathe.
*****

Here’s where you can find Tina and her writings:

For In the Manor of the Ghost
Desert Breeze Publishing

HTML, LIT, PDF, PRC
Barnes and Noble
Nook
Amazon
Kindle Edition
Sony Reader Store
Sony e reader
All Romance Ebooks
Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket
Books On Board
Adobe Digital Edition
OmniLit
Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket
Apple ibookstore
iPad, or iPhone/iPod Touch with upgrades to have ibookstore app access.
Borders Estore
kobo

Touched By Mercy

Sony Reader Store

Amazon

All Romance Ebooks
My website — http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook– http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103
Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze Bookstore.
Touched By Mercy http://tiny.cc/0rgkm
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/we4ul

Amazon:
Touched By Mercy http://tiny.cc/k5tgw
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/doc8w

Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy—available soon
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/oh767

Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy – available soon
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/4u5h9

Read Full Post »

Welcome, Author Karen Wiesner — Tenth Stop in the 2011 Summer Blog-String Fest

Today I am so happy to welcome the fabulous, accomplished author Karen Wiesner, as she discussed her new release, SHARDS OF ASHLEY, Book 5 of the Family Heirloom Series. Karen will also be giving away a download of BABY, BABY, Book 1 of the Family Heirlooms Series to one commenter. Welcome, Karen and thank you so much for visiting today!
Here’s a story recap and a blurb from SHARDS OF ASHLEY for you to enjoy.

SHARDS OF ASHLEY, Book 5 of the Family Heirloom Series
Karen Wiesner
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Whiskey Creek Press
978-1-61160-017-9 (trade paperback); 978-1-61160-016-2 (download)

Find out more about this series: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/fiction9.html

Book Five Family Heirloom: Learning Trust

In order to reconcile her past, she must face the terrible truth she buried long ago…and, in doing so, she gambles with her heart and the salvation of her own soul.

Ashley Savage grew up in a troubled home with a competitive, pampered sister and an abusive, ridiculing mother who played at being a Christian when she needed to…and led Ashley to more addictions than one child could handle. As an adult, Ashley tells herself she’s put the extreme fears of the past behind her, but she spends most of her time repairing the crumbling wall holding back the horrors she’s not willing to face ever again. She’s become a woman against the world.

The one man who has the annoying habit of getting through her defenses is Jay Samuels, a military chaplain and soon-to-be pastor. Much as Ashley wants to leave him behind like she believes she has the rest of her past, Jay is ambitious to a fault where she’s concerned. He hears only what he wants to hear—and he doesn’t want to hear that she doesn’t love him as much as he loves her.

But even Jay doesn’t realize the extent of all she’s buried deep inside her own subconscious…and what keeps her from giving herself willingly to the God she knows is drawing her inexorably to Himself, to the one place she can’t run, where she can no longer hide…

Excerpt:
© Karen Wiesner

Jay Samuels knew exactly where to find his girlfriend. Not in the waiting area, eager to throw herself in his arms the minute he deboarded the plane and appeared. No, Ashley would be in the gift shop, trying to convey blaringly that picking him up was an afterthought. She’d act like coming to get him from the airport (twice a year or so) was a major inconvenience to her. Maybe it was. Maybe he’d prefer to have her tackle him with enthusiastic love. But he’d always delighted in Ashley’s mystery, her unfathomableness.

He smiled eagerly, making his way around other passengers in the tiny La Crosse airport. Even knowing he and Ashley would spend the entire week he was on leave butting heads, he couldn’t wait to see her. Since she’d moved to La Crosse when she was seventeen, he’d had to take charge to get what he wanted. She never made it easy, never fell in line with his plans without a good argument. He had a big one on his hands tonight, but he was up for it. He was spoiling for it.

Still grinning, he entered the gift shop and saw her immediately. A woman as elegant and breathtakingly gorgeous as Ashley Savage was hard to miss. She wore an utterly feminine, utterly sophisticated expensive business suit that she couldn’t have imagined even touching a decade ago. The suit she wore today was in shades of pink, a floral print, with a form-fitting jacket that followed her exquisite curves, and a little skirt. Three inch pumps showed off deeply tanned, mile-long legs. She was five-ten, only a few inches shorter than him, but taller than most women, especially in the heels. As usual, she wore her waist-length, champagne blond hair in a twist at the back of her head. Wisps hung around her delicate face. He had the feeling she thought tying up her hair the way she did made her unapproachable and unattractive to men. She couldn’t have been more wrong. While she didn’t need the make-up she wore, he had to admit she applied it with an expert hand. She looked completely natural, as if she wore no cosmetics at all. He wondered if she had any idea how beautiful…and intimidating…she was to men. Heck, she probably intimidated women just as easily. But he expected that was her goal. She didn’t allow anyone or anything to get to her.

An ache started inside him that he knew would only get stronger with every minute they spent together in this short time. Does she have any idea what she does to me? For him, no other woman could come close to her. That had never been what she intended, of course, and he’d well known it after they graduated high school and started independent lives. She’d purposed for them to become separate from each other in every conceivable way.

She’d met rich-from-birth humanitarian Amanda Grant, who’d hired Ashley at her interior design company and taught her the ropes. In a very short time, Ashley had obviously learned a lot from her mentor—she’d mastered how to dress and talk properly, but she’d also designed her own style and it was worth gold. Amanda’s clients had fallen for Ashley left and right, and she’d become a success in every sense of the word.

Since then, Jay had to concede that what they’d shared no longer fit—she’d been right about that, in not so many words. He’d ceased to harbor any more illusions about befriending someone who’d seen so much pain. Plain and simple, friendship could no longer satisfy him. Not when he’d seen her strength, the way she’d picked up the pieces of her shattered life and rebuilt herself from scratch. Wanting their relationship to move into something more romantic had become a priority to him, but she hadn’t made it easy for him. To this day, getting anything from her was a never-ending battle, but a worthwhile one that he hadn’t and wouldn’t tire of, not when she allowed him to be with her despite “the inconvenience.” I never made it easy for her either. Just the opposite. I was hell on her when we were younger—just because I enjoyed our sparring so much. Unfortunately, he couldn’t deny that he still derived pleasure from that. But sparring wasn’t all he desired anymore.

Jay’s hands clenched. He loved her, wanted her. While that desire felt old and familiar, the torture in his longing was new and nearly unbearable. The feelings between them used to be so light and fun. The last time he’d come home… Being with her constantly wasn’t enough. Having her next to me, allowing me to touch her…the ache to kiss and hold her won’t be satisfied until she belongs to me wholly. At the time, he hadn’t been sure how to make that happen. He’d wondered countless times what she would do if he told her the only future he could envision beyond being a chaplain and a minister outside the military was all about her. If his life didn’t include her forever, he wasn’t interested. This time, he’d discover one way or another what she would do when she learned he’d already taken a step into a permanent life with her. He planned to ask her to take a step of her own.

Looking at her guarded face now, he already knew the answer to that. She saw him standing here, aware he was watching her, but she wouldn’t admit it a moment sooner than she willed. She wanted to make him wait for her. That was all right with him. Her control issues had given him a chance to look at all he’d missed for months on end.

In a calculated move, she glanced up from the magazine she was perusing, pretended she’d just now realized he’d arrived, and murmured, “Oh, you’re here. Let me pay for these, then I’ll take you home.”

She dropped another fashion magazine into the basket she carried. Jay followed her to the checkout counter, stepping right in front of her just before she got there. Her expression was irritated, just as guarded as before, and it should have reminded him of something hard as ice or stone. Ashley’s intentions to keep everyone away no longer worked on him. Everything about her spoke of soft femininity to him.

“Not exactly the hello I was hoping for,” he said under his breath. He pressed up against her, and she glared at him.

“Can I help you?” the clerk called pleasantly.

Ashley stepped around him, effectively dodging his embrace to put the basket on the counter. Undeterred, Jay put his arms around her from behind. She stiffened defensively, but he held her a little tighter. He put his mouth right against the shell of her ear while the clerk went about the business of tallying her purchases. Breathing in her expensive, mesmerizing perfume, he murmured, “I’d rather not go to my parents’ right away.”

“They miss you.”

“I miss you.”

Impossibly, she stiffened even more. He nuzzled her neck, becoming increasingly intoxicated by the scent and feel of her so close. He wanted to get out of here. Now. I need to be alone with her. This wasn’t the time or place, but he couldn’t get himself to back off. Instinctively, his counselor brain started to analyze both of their actions, but he shook off the need to do that with her. When he was home, he wanted to relax and enjoy his time with her.

She paid and took the bag the clerk handed her. Gently, she nudged him away, turning to ask, “Have you gotten your luggage?”

“Nah.” Seeing Ashley had been his first and last thought when the plane landed.

She led the way to the baggage return across the lobby from the gift shop. When they arrived and watched the bags coming through, she said, “I have to drop off this fabric sample book with a client and then go back to the office…”

He didn’t care to hear the list of things she’d prepared to keep them apart. He slipped through her defenses and put his arms around her while she was still talking.

Read more:

http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/SOAexcerpt.pdf

What’s coming next:

WORLDS COLLIDE, Book 6 of the Family Heirloom Series
Karen Wiesner
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Whiskey Creek Press
978-1-61160-019-3 (trade paperback); 978-1-61160-018-6 (download)
Coming March 2012

Book Six Family Heirloom: Persevering in adversity

Dr. Marcus Samuels is a medical missionary in Japan, and his life has been God’s work despite a severe anxiety disorder associated with being far from home. After twelve years of watching his happily married siblings and their children, he can no longer deny the chronic ache inside him and knows he should start his own family life back in the States—though he has serious doubts about his wife-hunting abilities at the age of forty. Spurred into motion by his mother’s sudden illness, he’s caught off-guard when he realizes just how much he’ll miss Keiko Oichi and her brother Haruki, fellow pediatricians at the Children’s Christian Mission Hospital. The two have not only been his lifeline while in a foreign, distant place, but have also become family to him.

Keiko and Haruki grew up in the United States as foreign exchange students. It was through their host family that she and her older sibling became Christians. Her conversion to Christ, as well as getting to know Marcus, have radically altered her emotionally-detached acceptance of her traditional Japanese future. When Marcus says he’s leaving Japan for good, she feels lost at the prospect of living without her closest friend. Only with Marcus can she be the woman she truly is inside—if she can shed the cocoon of lifelong familial tradition and impossible expectations and be free.
Knowing Keiko has been betrothed since she was a child, Marcus had trained himself not to see her as a potential mate. But learning of her unhappiness and fear of being unequally yoked to an immoral man she can never love opens his eyes to possibilities he hasn’t allowed himself to consider. Who better to fall in love with than your very best friend? When Keiko’s parents learn of her conversion and feelings for a Christian man, the couple faces a crossroads in love and faith that will change both of their lives irrevocably.

Return to the quaint little town of Peaceful, Wisconsin, from Karen Wiesner’s award-winning Family Heirlooms Series, where you first met and fell in love with these colorful, lovable friends. Now you can read the stories of those secondary characters in an all-new spin-off series. Nuggets of faith can be passed down as heirlooms from friend to friend, heart to heart, soul-mate to soul-mate.
Check out this upcoming series (including back blurbs, covers, and details) here:

http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/fiction9a.html

About the Author:

Karen Wiesner is an accomplished author with 85 books published in the past 13 years, which have been nominated for and/or won 114 awards, and 13 more titles under contract. Karen’s books cover such genres as women’s fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, paranormal, futuristic, gothic, inspirational, thriller, horror, chick-lit, and action/adventure. She also writes children’s books, poetry, and writing reference titles such as her bestsellers, First Draft in 30 Days and From First Draft to Finished Novel {A Writer’s Guide to Cohesive Story Building}, available from Writer’s Digest Books. Along with her writing, Karen enjoys designing Web sites, graphics, and cover art. For more information about Karen and her work, visit her Web sites at http://www.karenwiesner.com, http://www.firstdraftin30days.com, http://www.falconsbend.com and http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com. If you would like to receive Karen’s free e-mail newsletter, Karen’s Quill, and become eligible to win her monthly book giveaways, send a blank e-mail to KarensQuill-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Read Full Post »

“The Blue Jacket Scandal” by Laurean Brooks – Eighth Stop on the 2011 Summer Blog-String Fest

Hi there. Most of you probably know me. But, just in case, I’m Laurean Brooks, writer of inspirational romance with a big dash of humor.

You may look at my picture and say, “Surely this is a woman schooled in social graces.” But to the contrary, this woman would never win an award for implementing Emily Post’s Rules of Proper Etiquette. Instead, in my circle, I’d likely receive a statue portraying a contorted woman with one foot shoved in her mouth.

My desire to make people laugh was inherited from my dad. The difference is he specialized in playing silly pranks and telling funny stories; my humor relies on seizing the right moment to implement a snappy reply. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing folks laugh. But sometimes these “supposedly” funny remarks are taken the wrong way.

“A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15: 1

Now there’s one I often apply. Sadly, it’s usually after the fact. The scenario goes like this. I say something (I think is) funny, a harsh voice replies in anger, and I apologize. Most of the time the person accepted my apology. A few didn’t. That’s when I promise to try to keep a stronger hold on my tongue.

“Proverbs 25:11 puts me to shame. It reads, “A word fitly spoken and in due season, is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Know why this verse makes me cringe? Because it was probably written to admonish someone whose mouth shifts into gear before her/his brain engages. Someone like…uh…me.

I could give example after example of embarrassing scenarios, results of my impulsive quips. But that would take all day. I’ll confess only two.

The most retold incident (by my family) occurred when my niece and son were toddlers. “Aunt Laurie” (or Mom) was in great social demand in those days, especially at the supermarket. Why? Because I loaded the little ones into the shopping cart and whizzed through the produce aisle, cutting figure-eights around the banana stalks and watermelon rack. The squeals from Jeremy and Mandy kept egged me.

So, it came as no surprise while on a trip to the local IGA, two-year-old Mandy peeled her mother’s fingers from the cart and yowled, “Want Aunt Lau-rie ta’ push!” My three-year-old, Jeremy, joined in protesting from his seat at the bottom of the cart. “Mom! We want Mom!”

Miffed at her daughter and my nephew’s rejection, my sister stepped aside and huffed, “Well! I know when I’m not wanted!”

I grinned impishly and gripped the cart while Emily followed. I pushed it a few feet when a sassy jibe came to me. I craned my neck to look behind, fluttered my lashes, and oozed in a sultry voice, “M’dear, are you feeling lonely and forlorn?”

Before the words left my mouth, a brick wall smashed against my cheek. I whirled to find a 6′ 4” college-aged guy gaping down at me. His face registered something akin to “horror” and “Woman-you-are-crazy!”

I slapped a hand to my burning face and hurried to explain. “No-no! I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to my sis–” I scanned the area, but Emily had vanished! Coward!

The young man jaunted away, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Emily stole out from the canned vegetables aisle. The hand over her mouth and tears streaming down her cheeks gave her away. My sister was laughing at me! She squealed, “That was hilarious! You had your head against that…that guys chest…gazing up into his eyes. What did you say to him?”

When I relayed my humiliating indiscretion, she shrieked, “You mean…you propositioned that guy?”

What could I say? “Uh-h…it did sound that way.”

The second embarrassing moment occurred when a couple of men waltzed through the doors of the textile plant where I worked. Both men were casually dressed. The older, a distinguished, gray-haired gentleman, paused in front of my work area and asked, “You don’t mind if we walk through, do you?”

My retort? “As long as you aren’t salesmen or politicians. All others are welcome.”

The older gentleman walked past, but the younger man stopped in front of me and whispered, pointing to the older man. “I’m not a politician. But he is. He’s the county judge.”

When he spoke the man’s name, I slapped my hand over my mouth.

The judge must have noticed my embarrassment because he traipsed back to me and placed a consoling arm around my shoulders. “Honey, is something wrong? Anything I can do to help?”

All I could do was shake my head and murmur, “No-o.”

At our family get-togethers, much to my chagrin, Emily brings up the supermarket incident, then adds, “Going shopping with Laurie was always fun. You never knew what would happen.”

There, you have it. I have “Foot In Mouth” disease. What about the rest of you? Have you ever committed public blunders? Oh come on, ‘fess up! I hope I’m not the only one.

Here are links to my books. In Journey To Forgiveness, http://www.whiterosepublishing.com/ my sassy heroine has the same problem with her tongue. Jenny gets into some interesting predicaments as a result.

E-books:
OVER THE COALS- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/44638/
JONQUILS IN THE SNOW- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9341/
SEVERED HEARTS- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73123/

Read Full Post »

“Angels of the Heart” Sterling Lakes Book Two August Release by Regina Andrews

With great joy, I am finally able to share the cover of my second book in the Sterling Lakes Series, “Angels of the Heart”.

The cover was ready on time and the book released on time…but my computer decided to…go on vacation. Not in good time, in my opinion!

This was so not easy, being on the dark side of the moon! And with the third manuscript in the series due September 1st. I almost can’t talk about it, because as soon as I start, you just know I won’t stop.

Suffice it to say all seems to be in order now. But I will be backing up my current ms on a disc, as well as my flash drive, that’s for sure!

To be continued.

Read Full Post »

“Light of the Heart”

It’s always exciting to finish a book and wait for the release date. When that time finally arrives, I always feel a great sense of relief.
In the case of “Light of the Heart,” I have felt a bit more anxious, since it is the first book in a nine-book series. Hearing feedback from readers is ultra-important. I welcome input all the time, especially now with the series taking off. Writing is a a rather isolating process, and I grapple with keeping my perspective. Am I too ensconced, or will my readers get it? That’s the balance a writer always has to maintain.
Having this book come out one month before the second book in the series is due to my publisher has given a limited amount of time for reader feedback.
Did I hit the mark? Were there issues? What do readers respond to? Anything in the first one that will impact the second one? All these questions swirl in my mind.
So you can imagine how I felt when I saw this review today.

http://bit.ly/8YHGe8

She got it Thank you!
Excuse me, though, I have to go get another Kleenex.
“Light of the Heart” is available at Desert Breeze Publishing rhttp://bit.ly/gQ9czn

Read Full Post »