Monday, May 11, 2015

Spotlight and Character Interview with Iris Blobel

Today, I'm interviewing Iris Blobel's hero in her book Love Will Find You. Iris is a contemporary romance writer from down under. Her new sports romance is out plus her it's now going for free on Amazon. Don't miss out. Links to follow.

Love Will Find You
By Iris Blobel



Blurb:

Can their new love survive the scrutiny of the public eye?

After his father’s heart attack, Australian Football League player Tyson Gaspaldi takes his parents on holiday to a small place at the New South Wales coast.

One morning, following a surfing session, he comes across a crying woman on the beach. Everything about her intrigues him, and he can’t walk away. She’s not only sexy and humble, but, as he soon finds out, vulnerable as well.

It’s only been a few months since Katie Cassidy lost her sister in a car accident.

Still overwhelmed by the loss, a chance encounter on the beach with an attractive stranger awakens unexpected emotions inside her. She’s instantly drawn to his caring nature, but also his looks.

However, Tyson’s past quickly catches up with them, causing Katie’s childhood demons to return, and the road to romance becomes anything but smooth.

Author Bio:

Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London, as well as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper only emerged a few years back, but now her laptop is a constant companion. Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as their dog. Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

Buy Links:


Where to Find Iris:

Twitter: @_iris_b

Excerpt:

Prologue

Tyson held the Brownlow Medal in his hand, but celebrating was the last thing on his mind. His fake smile was as much a lie as the last message he’d sent to Katie the day before. As a result, it was his mother who sat in the crowd amongst his teammates, his friends, the footy world, reporters, and whoever else was important—and not Katie. His gaze wandered around the ballroom, with all the round tables neatly positioned in nice rows. Each table was beautifully set with dinnerware, menus, and a floral arrangement. The TV screens on either side of him showed a close-up of the stage, and as he tried to protect his eyes against the bright lights, he watched them all, making toasts, their glasses filled with the best champagne, applauding his achievement.
The crowd settled and awaited a speech. His speech. Nervousness crept up in him as he stared into the audience. His throat burned as the acid in his stomach churned.
The Brownlow Medal was awarded to the best and fairest football player of the season, yet he didn’t think there was anything fair about the way he’d treated his girl.
Tyson Gaspaldi took a deep breath, unfolded his little note, and cleared his throat. The first word he focused on was her name, Katie. He blinked to refocus and thanked his mother as well as his family. It came effortlessly once he was past the initial hurdle and in only a few minutes he finished, held up his medal, and walked behind the stage.
Why had he said the things he had? Why didn’t he just answer her question?
A short time later, Tyson joined his friends and his mother at the table again.
“Congratulations, darling.” His mother took his face into her hands and gave Ty a kiss on his cheek. Only a few years ago, he would have been embarrassed by such open emotions in front of a crowd, but since his father’s death earlier in the year, he welcomed every sign of affection by his mother.
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Dad would be so proud of you.” Caroline Gaspaldi took a step back and gazed at him. Pride radiated from her eyes. “Look at you. You should wear a suit more often.”
His friends around the table gave him a quick clap on the shoulder and congratulated him before sitting down to proceed with the evening. Ty noticed his phone buzzing and with a flick of his finger, he scrolled down his messages. He stopped at Katie’s message from earlier in the day.
I don’t believe u!
With a heavy sigh, he switched off the screen, ignoring all the other new messages and the phone into his pocket. He took the beer in front of him and tried to concentrate on what the guy on stage was saying. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a woman at the other table. She looked incredible in her shimmering silver evening gown. The décolleté of her dress revealed tanned skin upon which a delicate necklace hung. Her curly brown hair was pinned up in a ponytail which made her look very sexy. When she smiled at him, he winked at her in return.
“What are you doing, Ty?” his mother whispered into his ear.


Character Interview:

~~ Tyson Gaspaldi ~~

What’s your favourite part of the day? Morning, afternoon or night?
Morning. I love to run along the beach when the sun just comes up over the horizon.

If you had to take anyone with you on a long journey away from home, who would it be?
My Katie girl.

What is your motto in life?
“Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “Holy shit, what a ride!”

Name one of your weaknesses that you’d like to work on.
Jumping to conclusions.

What question would you like to ask your creator?
Mate, honestly, why did she have to give me such a vindictive ex-girlfriend? I thought I’d deserve better.

If you could do anything over again in the book, what would it be?
If I could turn back time, I would answer Katie’s question without wondering about her reasoning. I’d fight more for her to stay. But you can’t turn back time, and you learn from your mistakes. I certainly have.

If you were able to invent something totally new for your world, what would it be, and why do you think it’s needed?
I like sports. I leave all these fancy inventions to other people. There’s some great stuff out there and some really, really intelligent people, so I’m sure we’ll see many more great inventions over the next decade.

Give a memory from childhood.
I loved going to the beach with my family and my buddies. Going surfing, hanging out with the girls, great ice cream. Yeah, that was great.

Is there anything you’ve always secretly wished for but isn’t mentioned in the book?
For my football club to win the finals. Oh man, that would’ve been great. But hey, I got the medal for the best and fairest player. You can’t have everything, right?

If you could commission a painting from a famous artist, what would it be of?
Van Gogh’s Irises

What’s your most embarrassing moment?
Man I tell ya, when Scottie did that tackle, grabbed my shorts, and ripped them near off me — leaving me half naked on the field. Yup, that was embarrassing. Of course, there are a few others, but, hey, some things just need to stay private. *winks*

Are you similar to how you were as a child or have you changed significantly? If you’ve changed, what changed you?
Hahaha … of course I’ve changed. You mean as in my character? Nah, mate, I reckon, I’m more or less the same. I’ve probably got more patience than when I was a child.

What is the most sacrificial thing you’ve done for someone else?
Oh wow, this is deep and meaningful. Sacrificial thing. I couldn’t tell you. Honestly, I wouldn’t know. I like helping people, it’s in my nature, it’s how I’ve been raised, but sacrificial? Let me think about that.

What do you prefer? Rock, classical, jazz, country or other?
Rock, although, Katie’s a real party pooper when it comes to having loud music at home… She likes the soft pop … *gives an exaggerated shiver*

Cat or dog person?
Dog! No doubt. Cats are for girls.



Friday, May 8, 2015

Helen Pollard - Spotlight for Holding Back


Today, I want to welcome Helen Pollard on my blog. She's been here before for an author interview and the release of her debut novel. She writes amazing contemporary romances. Her second book has just come out. It's called Holding Back.


Blurb:

The last thing they're looking for is love …

Laura Matheson is a natural at avoiding romance, so when she is drawn to mystery guest Daniel Stone while helping out at her friends' hotel in Portugal, she assumes all she needs is a little extra willpower.

Daniel is at the hotel on business. The demands of work and a manipulative ex-girlfriend mean he doesn't have the time or energy for romance, but Laura is a distraction he finds hard to ignore.

As they negotiate a minefield of misunderstandings and mutual attraction, will they both continue to hold back? Or will they finally allow love into their lives?

Buy Links:

Amazon US: 

Amazon UK:

Barnes & Noble:

Kobo:

Smashwords:


About the Author:

Helen Pollard writes contemporary romance with old-fashioned heart. She believes there will always be a place for romantic fiction, no matter how fast-paced and cynical the world becomes. Readers still want that feel-good factor - to escape from their own world for a while and see how a budding romance can blossom and overcome adversity to develop into love ... and we all need a little love, right?

A Yorkshire lass, Helen is married, with two teenagers and a psychotic cat. When she's not working or writing, it goes without saying that she loves to read. She also enjoys a good coffee in a quiet bookshop, and appreciates the company of family and close friends.


Find Helen at:
Website & Blog:  http://helenpollardwrites.wordpress.com     
Facebook:  http://facebook.com/pages/Helen-Pollard/372986142839624
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/helenpollard147
Tsu:  http://tsu.co/HelenPollard
Goodreads:  http://goodreads.com/author/show/8647878.Helen_Pollard
Amazon:  http://amazon.com/author/helenpollard


Excerpt from Chapter Two:


Laura's mind raced as her footsteps slowed. What on earth was he doing here? The unlikely hope he might be passing by—perhaps he'd called in for directions to somewhere else?—was immediately scotched as he lifted his luggage from the car. Reminded of their encounters at the airport, she could have squirmed with embarrassment at how out of character she'd acted, making mistakes and being so snappy about them.
Well, he wouldn't see her like that again. If Daniel Stone was a guest here—and it seemed there was no escaping from it—then she must make him welcome. For goodness' sake, she was used to dealing with awkward situations every day at school!
He turned at the sound of her footsteps. Forcing a calmness into her voice that didn't extend to her stomach, she stepped forward and held out her hand.
"Mr. Stone? Welcome to the Quinta Maria."
Closing the car, he straightened up to his full six-foot-something and reached out to shake hands. For one brief, glorious moment, Laura thought he might not recognise her now that she was spruced up a little, but any hope of that disappeared as his eyes narrowed in sudden recognition and his hand dropped to his side as though it had been burned.
"It seems you have the advantage over me, knowing my name," he said. "Since you're determined to turn up like a bad penny wherever I go, perhaps you could enlighten me with yours?"
Incensed, Laura bit back a response. They were no longer on neutral ground, and as his host, she could hardly give him a piece of her mind.
"I'm Laura Matheson," she replied as evenly as she could. "If you'll excuse me, I'll get your key and then I'll show you around."
Disappearing into reception before he could find further fault with her, she crossed to the desk and raked her tired eyes over the reservations spreadsheet with a growing sense of disbelief. Not only was Daniel Stone booked in for a full fortnight, but he'd been allocated the room next to hers. Even Paulo and Rachel were unknowingly conspiring against her!
"You're in room eleven," she announced, sensing his presence in the doorway. "Your other party checked in earlier. Will you require a second key?"
"My other party?"
Something in his tone made her glance up. She recognised the travel weariness in his stance, but his face showed only bewilderment.
"Yes." She squinted at the computer screen again. "Miss Hartman."
His eyes froze to a dangerous dark blue. "Natalie Hartman?"
"That's right," she confirmed, double-checking the name. "Is there a problem?"
"What time did she check in?" His mouth was a hard, thin line.
She frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
"You don't know?" There was incredulity in his voice, along with displeasure and a hint at incompetence on her part.
Laura didn't like it, nor was she going to take it. "I don't know because I wasn't here in reception when she checked in. As you're aware, I only arrived here a short while ago myself. I …" She stopped. There was no need for her to explain herself. Frankly, she couldn't understand why he didn't just go and talk to his companion. After all, they were sharing a double room.




Friday, May 1, 2015

Home Grown Apples

As the season turns toward winter, our apple tree offers us a gift of bright red, shiny apples. Pity that the birds and insects get to them many times before we do. The best apples are at the top of the tree. As the saying goes, the girls who are harder to get are the nicer ones just like the best apples are at the top of the tree. The rotten ones on the ground are quick and easy. A funny saying, but it's definitely true of apples. Anyway, my kids went up the tree and shook the branches. Our dogs waited expectantly at the bottom to catch some treats. They love apples. The kids used sticks and rocks to knock the apples off. We collected them into a basket and then the next day, I cut them up and made an apple pie filling in the crockpot. Of course, the amount of good flesh I got out of them wasn't huge, but it was fun.

Here's a pic of our apples - they come in a great variety of shapes and sizes, like us human beings.


In the Fall anthology that came out last year, I wrote a story about a rich lady who owned a gorgeous home with apple trees. Because she didn't know what to do with all the apples, she hired Mr. Craigson, a handsome handyman, to cut them down. A romance blossoms between the unlikely pair.

Here's a short excerpt from my story:

The best antidote was to spend the rest of the week indoors—not her favorite seeing she pottered around her garden to keep sane—but she had no other solution. He couldn’t know how much she liked him, since he thought of her as a married woman. If he found out her secret, he might seduce her and then take all her money. And what would she do then? She hadn’t worked a day of her life. The inheritance from her father had kept her going all her adult years.
Sucking in a breath for strength, she went to the kitchen to begin a baking day. If she busied herself with flour, eggs and butter, maybe she wouldn’t keep on wanting to look out the window. Problem with her stylish modern house—every room had plenty of large windows, most giving a beautiful view of the back. She tried to bury her head in the recipe book and the bowl, but kept on looking up to see what Mr. Craigson was doing. He hadn’t gone home. In fact, he kept very busy cutting trees and using those biceps and triceps and all the other ceps. Halfway through the morning, he removed his shirt, and she stared through the window, mesmerized by the play of shadows defining the ripples of his upper torso.
“Oh!” Tears came to her eyes as he turned and stared right at her. “I’m such an idiot,” she mumbled to herself.
Cheeks throbbing, she spooned the cupcake mix into the holders and placed them in the oven. A knock sounded on her kitchen door.
“Come in,” she chimed, not expecting Mr. Craigson to be there so fast.
“Smells amazing.” He stood in the doorway, his bare chest clearly visible for her errant eyes. Sweat beaded his bronzed skin, and a brush of hairs added texture to the glorious sight. She swallowed and choked. He was by her side in a moment and hit her back.
Scent of male, sweat, hard work, trees and grass seared through her. She coughed several times then composed herself.
“Who are you baking for?” He looked at her, humor in his eyes.
“Um…myself.”
He took a good perusal of her figure. “Really?”
“Well, I just bake for fun. And for my husband. When he comes back from his business trips.”
“And when will that be?”
She couldn’t look at him but instead turned to the sink full of dishes to busy her hands.

“Um…I’m not sure. Next month, I think.” How come all her usual stories about her “husband’s” business trips went flying out of her mind? She even kept a diary of his supposed flight schedules so she didn’t make any faux pas with her friends or anyone else who asked her. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember any of the dates.


The anthology is still on sale on Amazon for only $0.99 until the middle of May. Here's the link:  Amazon - Autumn's Kiss


Sunday, April 26, 2015

A Treasure Tucked in the Middle of Africa

I think setting is a vital part of a book, don't you?

There's something wonderful about being taken into an unknown part of the world and experiencing life through the characters there. And isn't a familiar setting also fun? I love reading a book set in a place where I've lived before. There are so many "aha, yes, I remember that" or "oh, yes, that's so true " moments.

Most of my books are set in my home country, because, well, I feel comfortable doing that as I know the culture, and to be honest, I'm a little lazy and don't always feel like doing the extra research that comes with a new setting. Anyway, I am getting braver in that regard and my latest book is set in Italy. It's taken extra long to write this book, but I have to say, the reward and sense of satisfaction is worth it. Plus it's been great fun - I've been touring Italy from my chair and even tasting all its wonderful foods in my imagination (this is a foodie romance).

Writing a book set in Zambia was a bit of a challenge for me. I spent seven years of my life there but that was ten years ago and things have changed. Zambia's economy has grown and the country is doing really well. While countries around it like Zimbabwe and even South Africa a little ways down are struggling and still haven't come out of the financial depression of the last few years, Zambia seems to be thriving.

Z is for Zambia. Thank you to Storyteller Alley for inspiring this post as part of the A-Z challenge.

So, today I'm going to give you some interesting facts about the country tucked away in the southern centre of Africa. I don't think many people know about the place, so here goes:



1. Zambia boasts the Victoria Falls, a huge waterfall. In fact, it's the largest waterfall in the whole world with the largest sheet of water flow. It's not the highest or the widest waterfall but the combination of its width and height is the largest in the world. And I've been there. The native name for the falls are Mosi-oa-Tunya which means "the smoke that thunders." And boy, is that true. We stayed in a campsite a few kilometres away and you could hear the roar in the distance. We walked on a draw bridge over the canyon and had to wear raincoats. For someone who hates heights that was pure torture. It really is a stunning part of the world. Check out this link: http://www.tothevictoriafalls.com/vfpages/gallery.html

2. Another interesting place to visit in Zambia is Lake Kariba which used to be Africa's largest man-made lake. It's so large that some people think it's the ocean when they look out at it from the shore. It was a beautiful place to visit - we went there too.

3. From November to April, Zambia experiences severe rainfall which can be compared to the Asian monsoon. It literally rains for days on end. October is the hottest month of the year - hot and dry before the rains appear.

4. The world's largest mushroom grows in Zambia and can reach a yard in diameter. (This little fact I didn't know before.)

5. A fact that may disturb those with sensitive constitutions - Zambia has many bugs and they thrive in its tropical climate. One of the them is the horrible malaria mosquito which causes many illnesses and deaths. The other, which is mostly harmless, but rather icky - the putsi worm. Its tiny, too-small-to-see larvae burrow into your skin from clothing or towels and start to grow inside you. You eventually develop this swollen, red lump that looks a bit like a very large pimple or spider bite. It's itchy and sore. The only way to get rid of it is to block out its oxygen. We use to cover the spot with vaseline and wait about 5-10 minutes. It would poke through your skin searching for air and you can grab it's head with tweezers and take it out. Once out, it looks like a maggot! I know, horrific. But harmless. Well, I can't vouch for it being harmless if it gets left in there but I've never known anyone who chose to leave it inside their skin. I shall move on...

6. Typical Zambian foods - nshima which is cornmeal cooked into a firm lump - it really is delicious. Another one is relish which is usually made from rape - pronounced rep (a type of spinach), tomato and onion or peanuts. The relish is often served with the nshima. And they loved the little dried fishies called kapenta. Ew, they smelled so horrible when being cooked. But each to their own. I don't like to steal photos from other people's blogs, so I'll just put in the link to their blog so you can see what the food looks like: https://francisawong.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/the-inevitable-food-post-part-one/

7. The Zambians are very creative people and their art comes out in their handiwork and even in their dresses. The women use the chitenge which is like a wrap made of colourful fabric. It's made into a skirt, dress or used to carry a baby on their backs. They always kept their babies close. Nowadays, the fabric is made into all sorts of interesting designs.

8. Other things they were great at designing were their wood carvings and paintings. We used to go to a local market every month and the beautiful wares there were so unique. I wish we'd bought some and kept them - specifically the tall giraffes which stand about a metre high. Take a look at this link: http://www.zambia-the-african-safari.com/african-art.html

9. Zambia used to be called Northern Rhodesia but then they got their independence from being a British colony in 1964.

10. Copper is one of Zambia's top resources and is mined throughout the Copperbelt Province.

That's all folks.

Here's a link to my book which is set in Zambia in the first half: The Dance of the Firefly









Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Nana Prah - Character Interview and Review

Today, I have Nana Prah, my writer friend, talking about her book, Destiny Mine, the second in her Midwife to Destiny series books by Decadent Publishing's Ubuntu Line. She's given her character interview and I'm putting my review of her book at the end. She's also offering a great giveaway so enter the rafflecopter below!


Destiny Mine by +Nana Prah
Destiny series book 2
Published by +Decadent Publishing
Genre: contemporary, medical, multicultural romance

Add to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25063012-destiny-mine?ac=1


BLURB

Extraordinary midwife, Esi Darfour, is looking to get married.  She’s a master matchmaker but has no luck when it comes to her love life and has yet to find a man worthy of her. Until she has to deal with gorgeous Dr. Adam Quarshie outside of work.

Adam is a player who refuses to get married—ever.
His interest lies more in getting her into bed than in having any kind of committed relationship. Esi’s matchmaker instincts warn her to run in the other direction as quickly as possible, but her heart insists she stay…get closer…and see if what they feel for each other can change his mind.


EXCERPT

Enjoy the following excerpt for Destiny Mine:

Her gaze travelled down his muscular body.
Unlike many of the other doctors who tended to gain a belly as they grew older and settled into the comforts of married life, Adam Quarshie could overshadow any man in his late twenties. His stomach had remained flat and his muscles strained against his yellow button-down shirt when he moved.

She took her time raking her gaze up his body and to his face. Her gasp of embarrassment stuck in her throat as her eyes met his.

Why did he have to have such an adorable grin?
God could’ve at least rotted his teeth to save the hearts of women all over Ghana.

“See something you like, Esi?”

She cleared her throat. “Yes, I do. Your shoes are nice. Where can I get a pair for my brother?”

He chuckled. “My shoes. Hmm. I got them on Oxford Street in Osu.”

“Thanks.”

He moved towards her, and she refused to step back as he crowded her. He smelled amazing, like he was fresh from a shower. She struggled not to move closer or inhale deeper.

“Or I could take you.” His voice came out soft yet had a distinct rumble.

Did the man not know how to be anything but seductive?

If she checked her pulse, she knew it would be way above the normal range. She snorted as she stepped around him and went to the patient’s bedside. “I’m going home. You did a great job.” She tilted her head to view the child’s face cradled in the new mother’s arms then smiled at the newborn’s mother. “You were able to gather the strength to push the baby out. You are a strong woman, Ama.”

The woman ducked her head. “Thank you.”

Esi turned to Adam, not bothering to hide her annoyance. “Are there any other patients you want to see?”

“I’ll come back to do ward rounds later. How about going to Osu?”

“I’d rather…rather….” Fatigue had blocked her brain. Later on in the day, long after it was too late, she’d think of any number of things she could have said to put him in his place.

He raised an eyebrow. Their perfect arch sat over slanted dark brown eyes. “You’d rather what?”

“Eat a live snail.”

He scrunched his face. “Disgusting. No Osu for you, then. Next time, I’ll ask to take you somewhere that won’t make you prefer eating something raw and slimy over hanging out with me.”

“No such place exists, Quarshie.” They walked, rather, she stalked while he strutted, down the hallway towards the nurse’s station.

“I’m sure there is somewhere, and one day I’m going to take you there.”

She didn’t bother to look at him. “In your dreams.”

He winked. “Always in my dreams.”

Her heart skipped a beat as Sade’s classic song “Smooth Operator” came to mind. She regarded him through narrowed eyes as he headed towards the door. His heartbreaking ways didn’t appeal to her at all. Everyone knew relationships weren’t his thing. She’d never even consider going out on a date with him. She knew too many casualties of his charm. The type of guy who would go to all sorts of lengths to get a woman on his radar. Once he caught and used her, he moved to the next one…or two. After having once dated a womanizer, she wouldn’t subject herself to that kind of man again.

No way. Not her. Never

TEASER


BUY LINKS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nana Prah is a multi-published author of contemporary, multicultural romance. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s reading, indulging in chocolate, and enjoying life with friends and family.

Contact Details:
Twitter: @NanaPrah
Facebook: Nana Prah, Author
Goodreads: Nana Prah
Google + :  NanaPrah 

Character interview of Dr. Adam Quarshie from Destiny Mine

The author interviews her yummy hero in the book.

Can I call you Adam or would you prefer the official Dr. Quarshie?
Adam will do. I’m not all that formal unless I’m at work.

Thanks. How are you today?
Chale, I’m beat. I had to do there emergency surgeries last night. One a Caesarean Section. All of the patients are alive and well thanks to me. Just kidding. Of course I have to acknowledge the wonderful hospital staff.

Sounds like a busy night. Why did you call me Charlie?
*Chuckle* Sorry about that. It slipped out. It’s pronounced Chaa-ley. A form of Pidgin English we use in Ghana. In place of the term buddy or pal, we say Chale.

I think I like it. Tell me how you met Esi.
We’ve worked at the same hospital for years so I’ve seen her around. It wasn’t until my best friend Jason got involved with her cousin, Ora, that I got to know her.

What’s that grin all about?
I remember the first time I first spoke to Ora, I asked her to introduce me to Esi. She refused, saying that Esi was too smart to fall for a player like me.

Wow. That sounds harsh.
I took no offense. What can I say? I like women.

Then how did this whole thing with Esi come about?
I did an obstetrics rotation. As you know she’s a midwife. Don’t tell her, but she’s one of the best I’ve ever encountered. She didn’t want anything to do with me, even though I knew she was attracted. I mean look at me, who wouldn’t be? But she fought it all the way. To be honest all I wanted was to sleep with her, and then things got all twisted on me.

The hunter got trapped?
Exactly.

I know you’re tired so I don’t want to keep you too long. Anything you’d like to say to my fans?
I’d like everyone to read my story. It’s the best romance that’s ever existed. How could it not be? I’m the hero. *wink* Seriously, though. I hope you enjoy what I had to go through to end up with Esi. It was worth it. She’s a ball buster on a good day, worse when she’s dealing with me.
Thank you for taking time out  to be  here.



GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Review

Destiny Mine is the second book in a series but I'm sure it could be read as a standalone. I've read the first book which I really enjoyed although I have to say I enjoyed this one even more. I loved the characters. Esi is bouncy, full of life but a strong determined woman who doesn't want to have her heart broken by player, Adam Quarshie (oh, I love that name!). Anyway, Quarshie really is a player. And he's a nice guy but he has this horrible fault - he doesn't want to commit to one woman the rest of his life. But somehow, the author manages to make me sympathise with him. I mostly don't go for the bad guys in books unless they have lots to redeem them and Quarshie does. And he's just so sexy, how could the reader not fall for him? This book is very sensual and there's plenty of sexual tension. There is also a depth in their physical relationship which makes it so much more respectful. I really enjoyed this love story. I enjoyed entering into the Ghana culture. I love the way they talk! It was fun learning more about the country and entering the world of midwives. This one didn't disappoint in that regard. All in all, a great read.




Thursday, April 2, 2015

It's Fall

For any of my friends or readers who live in the southern hemisphere, I'm sure you're aware that's it's fall already.

For the last ten years, I've lived in a part of Africa that experiences the four seasons. Africa is a largely tropical continent so it's not a common occurrence to go through them. Even when I lived in Durban, the warm Indian Ocean made it more like summer three-quarters of the year and a mild winter for a few months in the middle. Here, at the foothills of the mountains, although our summers are still long and very hot, we do have real fall and winter. The trees shed their leaves and many of them turn beautiful shades of orange, red and brown. The mornings are crisp, and toward the end of fall, we experience frost and need to bring out our warmer clothes. This year, it seems that summer is lingering long.

Last year during our spring and the northern hemisphere's fall, I joined a group of sweet romance authors to publish an anthology called Autumn's Kiss. I'm sure if you've been following my blog you will remember me talking about it. Anyway, to make the southern hemisphere readers happy, it's going on sale until the end of May for $0.99. And for those in the northern hemisphere who feel like reading it anyway, enjoy.



Here's an excerpt from my short story set right in my home town:

Seth spotted her from a distance, and she stood out from the crowd. For him, anyway. She epitomized the typical country girl with her soft mannerisms—the way she smiled sweetly at customers, bent down to talk to a child and supported an elderly lady with her walker. She took time to chat openly with each customer, never losing patience or looking harried. He made a beeline to her stall, pushing through the rows and rows of people in the dusty winter festival. Bodies of people he’d never met pressed against him, but he didn’t care.
The Newcastle Winter Festival came every fall when the trees turned fiery colors and fires burnt the grasslands of Northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He’d only lived there two years, but knew how much the town revolved around the occasion. He still couldn’t figure out why the festival was coined “The Winter Festival.” The weather had turned cooler, but the frosty mornings hadn’t set in yet. No, fall was in full force, turning the tree-lined Drakensberg road into a kaleidoscope while the days still blew warm.
“I make them myself,” the pretty lady said, handing a bar of soap in a gauzy, glittery bag toward a customer.
The older woman sniffed the cream bar dotted with green flecks. “Mmmh, smells like lemon grass.”
“That’s exactly it.” Her face lit up, making her eyes comets in a sky of ordinary stars, and dimples pressed at the base of full cheeks. Something stirred within him as he watched the exchange, and his whole body became alert. “Lemon grass and coconut oil. Great for your skin as the air turns dry this time of year.”
“How’s your husband?” the customer asked. “Away as usual?”
Could he have imagined the woman spoke of the pretty soap lady? The one he couldn’t help watching?
She merely kept her gaze turned down toward her wares. The table was laden with a variety of soaps, jars of creams, or so he presumed, and about a hundred bottles of apple sauce and chutney.
Then he spotted it on the pretty lady’s hand, on the ring finger—a huge stone the size of the Gibraltar rock. His heart sank and he turned away.
He should have known by the way she dressed. Top class—sleek cashmere sweater, hair salon-sculpted, classy make-up and hot-potato-in-the-mouth speech. The faded denims didn’t match though. He sighed and went back to his stall. Maybe a good thing, he realized, as he neared the stand. A group of people harassed his assistant, Bongani, and the man looked flustered.
“Just hand out the flyers, Bongi,” he said, patting the youth on the back.
“They’re asking lots of questions. Like do you fell trees, clean gutters, burn fire breaks?”
“What?” Burn fire breaks. Why would they think he did that?
“Okay, everyone,” he announced to his new audience, “one question at a time.”

Once everything had calmed down to a steady stream, he chanced a last glance at her. Strange, he’d never thought of her as the married-to-a-rich-guy type. She looked too sweet, too approachable and way too lonely.


You can buy the book here:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
Kobo



Monday, March 30, 2015

Libby Waterford and Sweet Imperfection

Welcome with me Libby Waterford, Decadent Publishing author of steamy contemporary romances, talking about her second book in the Weston University Series Novellas. She's giving away a $20 Amazon card too!

Sweet Imperfection by Libby Waterford
Available from Decadent Publishing  March 31, 2015

A contemporary multi-cultural erotic romance novella


Blurb

Single and childless, Emma Chen-Delvaux is finding her ten-year college reunion almost more than she can handle. Running into recently divorced Nate Hirsch is a welcome distraction, especially when the old friends’ flirtation escalates from banter to the bedroom. Nate and Emma have off-the-charts chemistry, but will their imperfections end their affair after one red-hot reunion weekend?


Excerpt from Sweet Imperfection (18+)

She told herself a woman was entitled to change her mind and that going to Nate’s room close to midnight didn’t make her slutty. Some of the things she wanted to do to him once she got there might qualify her for the designation, but that would be between them. God, it had been so long since she’d had sex she was practically wet just thinking about making out with him.
She barreled into the building since the door was conveniently propped open, but then stopped. She didn’t know which room he was assigned to. She’d meant to get his phone number, but had been so flustered by the kiss it had slipped her mind.
Oh well, she’d have to do this the old-fashioned way.
“Nate!” she called in a fairly loud voice as she trailed through the first-floor hallway. “Nate!”
The hallway was dead quiet, so he was either ignoring her or the floor’s occupants were very sound sleepers. They were probably all at the party in Ashworth 10.
She climbed to the second floor, calling his name, feeling slightly foolish, but also pretty horny, which was more important.
“Nate!”
A woman came out of the bathroom and looked startled when Emma rushed up to her.
“Hey, do know what room Nate Hirsch is in, by any chance?”
 “Um, no, sorry,” she said, then scurried back to her room on the opposite side of the hall.
Emma wasn’t giving up so easily and again called, “Nate!” She was about to climb the stairs to the top floor of the building when the door of the corner room opened and Nate stuck out his head.
“Emma?”
“Nate.” She rushed up to him, relishing the confused but cute smile on his face and the crinkles it formed around his eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m an idiot. I thought it would be taking things too fast, but we’ve known each other forever. Plus, there’s a rager going on right outside my room, and I’d rather get no sleep this way.” She planted an open-mouthed kiss on him that had them both stumbling backward into his room. The door clanged shut behind them; Emma paid no attention to anything except the fierceness with which Nate’s arms clamped around her, holding her to him as if for dear life.

Buy Links

About the Author
Libby Waterford writes steamy contemporary romances. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons, where she works off her weekly pilgrimage to In-N-Out by swimming and climbing the city's secret staircases.



Author Links

Email: libby@libbywaterford.com

The Weston University Novella Series

Book One: Passionate History

Giveaway (March 23 – April 3)

Monday, March 16, 2015

What's Most Important in Life

Sometimes, I can be philosophical and think deeply about life. Life gets busy and we get caught up in the rat race, but every now and then, we feel this emptiness and wonder what it's all about.

I've been thinking lately. What is my real purpose in life?

Yeah, sure, I'm a writer. That's what I spend most of my time doing nowadays (except for mindless housework). My kids are bigger now and they do most of their school work independently. I also feel, in a way, that as I work hard on my writing and persist even when it's hard, I'm setting an example to them of hard work even when I don't see big results straight away.

But really, in the end of my life, am I going to be satisfied with just being a writer? As a Christian, no. That's not enough for me. I want to feel like I've changed the world - made it a better place, somehow.

On the weekend, we went to visit friends of ours who are starting an orphanage. They've been building for three years and have gone through many trials with getting approval and funding for their project. But now they have a house up which they live in that has three rooms with beds in for some orphans. They have a games room and dining room with fitted kitchen and a small room for a preschool. They even have some jungle gyms up. The place is rustic, but it's awesome! It's away from town in the middle of nowhere, but I know it's going to be full of life. I felt quite taken aback by the way they've laid down their lives for helping children who are born to less fortunate circumstances to what we or our children have been born to. They're not living in the easiest spot. I really respect their dedication and love. I chatted with my friend and told her, "I don't do anything for God." Yes, I used to be involved in mission work in Zambia (more education as opposed to mission.) And I did teach Sunday School for many years and even worked in a church, but of late, I've become so busy being a wife, Mom and writer, that I've had little time to impact my world. It kind of feels dry and lonely.

So, I've determined in my heart to impact my world in some way. Even if it's in small ways like loving other people, helping other authors, taking time to listen to a friend, giving them a small gift, anything. I also pray that God uses my books to touch people's lives in some way. Some of what I've learned about life comes out in my books and I hope that springs forth into someone's soul and they feel a measure of hope or anything good from my books.

Maybe one day, God will open the doors for me to do something really grand. Maybe not. But even if He doesn't, I'm going to try my best to do good with the small tasks I have every day.

I think that's a little bit what Alicia learnt in my book, A Better Promise. She had such grand ideas as a young person of what she was going to do for God. I know I did. I thought I was going to be a missionary or pastor's wife. I'm really glad I'm not either of those because they're not my gifting. But Alicia thought God had called her to be single and only concentrate on His work. God brought Braedon to show her He had other plans. Isn't love what it's all about? Whether it's love for our spouse, our kids, our friends, a stranger in the shop, that's the foundation of how we can impact our world. It's not about grand deeds (although they're good) but about doing the little things every day to make it a better world.

A Better Promise comes out tomorrow. You can purchase it at Decadent Publishing now or pre-order it on the other sites:

Decadent Publishing
Amazon
Kobo
Google Play
Itunes

Opal from Videos by O designed a book trailer for me. Check it out here.


Thursday, March 5, 2015

Pre-release News

Phew, I've been a bit AWOL on my blog writing lately. But guess what that means? I'm upping my book word count, which is great news. I've had a breakthrough with a book that started off very difficult in the beginning - Book # 2 of The Album series. Pauline and Xaden are going to make for great sexual tension. There's nothing more fun than forcing two people together who don't want to be together yet are attracted to each other. Bound to have many sparks fly.

Anyway, that's not why I'm posting today. I'm just letting you know that my third book in The Creator Series is now available for pre-order. It's on special while on pre-order at only $0.99 which comes to $3.41 for us in South Africa (don't taxes and surcharges stink?) But really, that's only like R40 or so. Which for a book is nothing. Here says someone who often doesn't buy books because well, I don't always have the extra for luxuries. But I'd love a big fat Amazon voucher for my birthday coming up. *hint, hint*

Talking about my birthday, my book is releasing on my birthday this year. I was born on St. Paddy's day so lets think of green, four-leafed clovers, leprechauns.



Okay, seriously, I'm going off on way too many tangents. Seeing it's my birthday coming up, I'm feeling generous too. I'm going to gift someone a copy of Book 2 of The Creators series just for fun. So up until the 16th March, if you comment on this blog post, you get entered into the chance to win The Dance of the Firefly.

So here's to what I'm really posting about:



A Better Promise

When Braedon hires shy and serious Alicia as a secretary in his furniture business, he falls for her instantly. Alicia admires Braedon for his kindness and warms up to him despite her decision not to. There’s just one problem—Alicia has plans to enter the mission field and follow her vow to remain single the rest of her life. When she takes up an offer to help teach the Basotho teenagers in Lesotho, things don’t go as smoothly as she hoped. Braedon soon gets wind of her troubles and joins her. But will Alicia open her heart to love or hold fast to her childhood pledge?

An Excerpt:

Braedon smiled. “Have you had anyone special in your life?” he asked.
Alicia’s face burned, and she turned her eyes away from his gaze. Braedon was the most forward and open man she’d ever met, and he made her feel like she lived in a foreign land with strange people, having to adapt to strange customs. She braced herself.
“As a teenager, I wasn’t into boyfriends and guys like the other girls—I studied my Bible and distant countries because I believed God had called me to something special. When I reached twelve, I made a vow to the Lord to remain single so I wouldn’t be distracted from my work for him. I didn’t want to be bogged down with duties at home and with children. I have so far stuck to my vow.”
Braedon kept silent, and she suspected he despised her for her radical views. Everyone had. That’s why she didn’t talk about them anymore. Safer to keep them to herself. She daren’t look at him, in case she found the disdain in his eyes.
He spoke, his voice clear. “Kirsty was the only true love in my life, and I lost her because I feared telling her about my true self. I’ll never make that mistake again. It’s always good to be upfront with people. Well done for being honest with me and telling me such a private thing—I know you found it difficult. You were very brave to tell me that.”
Alicia nodded and offered him a small smile. He seemed to reassure her in any way he could, turning any negative into a positive, if he had a chance. He also had the uncanny ability to get things out of her she preferred to keep trapped inside.
The room seemed to close in on her. The feelings for Braedon were magnifying with every moment she spent with him. She shouldn’t have turned back and come to him when he asked. She should have made some other excuse about having to get back to her work. Learning about him hadn’t helped. Kirsty was a crazy chick. Why had she given up on Braedon and not given him a chance? If she were free to date him, she would have given him a second chance. She couldn’t date him though because she’d bound herself to a promise.
Braedon reached out to touch her hand resting on the desk. To her greatest relief, the doorbell rang, and she sprang up to meet the customer before he made any contact with her skin. 

Pre-order Links: