Book Releases

Holding On (Colorado High Country #6) —
The Colorado High Country series returns with Conrad and Kenzie's story.

A hero barely holding on…

Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help. He’s the last person in the world she should ask to foster this little furball. He’s barely capable of managing his own life right now, let alone caring for a helpless, adorable, fluffy puppy. But Conrad has always had a thing for Kenzie with her bright smile and sweet curves. One look into her pleading blue eyes, and he can’t say no.

The woman who won’t let him fall…

Kenzie Morgan’s life went to the dogs years ago. A successful search dog trainer and kennel owner, she gets her fill of adventure volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team. The only thing missing from her busy life is love. It’s not easy finding Mr. Right in a small mountain town, especially when she’s unwilling to date climbers. She long ago swore never again to fall for a guy who might one day leave her for a rock. When Conrad returns from a climbing trip haunted by the catastrophe that killed his best friend, Kenzie can see he’s hurting and wants to help. She just might have the perfect way to bring him back to the world of the living. But friendship quickly turns into something more—and now she’s risking her heart to heal his.

In ebook and soon in print!


About Me

My photo
I grew up in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, then lived in Denmark and traveled throughout Europe before coming back to Colorado. I have two adult sons, whom I cherish. I started my writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor of two different papers. Along the way, my team and I won numerous state and several national awards, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, I was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism. Now I write historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense.

Members

Seductive Musings

Monday, October 28, 2013

STRIKING DISTANCE — The Last Excerpt! Plus a coupon for FIRST STRIKE



I promised one last excerpt before the Nov. 5 release of Striking Distance, and I am an author of my word. I’ve been a little stingy with excerpts because it’s been hard to find section of the story I can share that don’t contain spoilers, either for First Strike or for this book itself.

Many of you have read First Strike by now, and so you know how Laura and Javier meet. You also know about the connection between Javier and Nate West, the hero from Skin Deep. If you were paying attention, you also got a little time with Nate prior to the IED blast that left him so horribly scarred.

But before we go there, just a reminder that the ebook version of Breaking Point (I-Team 5) is on sale for $1.99 through tomorrow only! That’s only 2 days left on this special deal. Get it for Kindle, Nook,  Kobo and at iTunes.

So how does Javier meet the I-Team guys? Let’s check it out...

From Chapter 4 of Striking Distance


Javier shook Zach McBride’s hand.  “It’s an honor to meet you.  It’s not every day a man gets to drink beer with a Medal of Honor recipient.”

Javier had read about McBride’s heroism and the catastrophic mission that had claimed the lives of McBride’s men and left him for dead.  Every SEAL had.

Tall with short dark hair and a strong handshake, McBride met Javier’s gaze through sharp gray eyes.  “The honor is mutual.  West told me how you were there for him, how you pulled him out of the burning debris, stayed with him.”

And Javier knew that McBride and Nate were close.  That wasn’t a story Nate shared with everyone.

Javier grinned.  “He talks too damned much.” 

McBride chuckled.  “How long have you been with the Teams?”

“Fourteen years.”

“Going for twenty?”

“That’s the plan.”  

For a while the two of them traded stories—instructors they’d both had in BUD/S, the joys of eating sand with their MREs in Iraq, the scorching heat and freezing cold of Afghanistan.  It was always like this when Javier met another SEAL.  Each and every one of them was like a brother, the bond between them forged from the unique challenges, risks, and deprivations that came with wearing the Trident. 

And for a moment Javier forgot about Laura.  

Women’s laughter drew McBride’s gaze.  He gestured with a nod of his head toward a pretty dark-haired woman who was sitting next to Megan, the two of them reading something.  “That’s my wife, Natalie.  She’s decided she wants to write fiction—romance novels.  I hope that means I get to help with the research.”

Two heads came up, and Natalie glared at McBride.  “The books are not just about sex.”

Javier lowered his voice.  “I guess you said the wrong thing, man.”

The doorbell rang again, and Megan rose to answer it.

Javier’s pulse skipped.

You’re excited to see her, chacho.  Admit it.

Sure, he was.  Not a day had gone since the night he’d helped rescue her when he hadn’t thought of her.  Yeah, he was excited to see her again.  And more than a little tense.

When Megan returned, it wasn’t Laura walking beside her.  Instead, Javier was introduced to Julian Darcangelo, a tall son of a gun with a dark ponytail who’d once worked with the FBI but was now head of Denver’s vice unit.  He’d brought his family—his wife, Tessa, a sweet thing with long, curly blond hair and a mother’s soft curves, a little girl and a baby boy.

The doorbell rang again.

This time it was Reece Sheridan, the state’s newly sworn-in lieutenant governor, his wife Kara McMillan, and their three school-aged kids.  They were followed not two minutes later by Kat James, a pretty Navajo woman, her husband Gabe Rossiter, and two little ones under the age of two.  Then Nate’s brother-in-law, Marc Hunter, Denver’s SWAT captain, and his wife, Sophie, arrived with their two kids. 

Between the adults talking and children running and squealing, it was chaos.  It might have bothered some guys, but Javier felt right at home.  He came from a big family with two brothers, three sisters, six nephews, and nine nieces, not to mention aunts, uncles and a few dozen cousins, most of whom had kids.  When they got the whole family together—which they did whenever Javier was on leave—the laughter, music, and conversation were loud and lasted late into the night.

He found himself on the deck shooting the shit with Hunter and Rossiter, while everyone got ready for an afternoon of skiing, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides.  

Rossiter, who was a climber and former park ranger, was talking about his grand plan for the afternoon.  “You can ski some incredible places with a paragliding sail strapped to your back.  It’s like flying, base jumping, and skiing combined.”  

Ski paragliding wasn’t a sport that interested Javier, in part because he couldn’t see the point.  He shook his head.  “I don’t know—strapping some kind of ’chute to your back and letting the wind pull you down the mountain?  Either ski or jump.”

Hunter chuckled, pointing to Rossiter.  “You wouldn’t believe the sick shit I’ve seen this guy do.  If a sport involves gravity, snow in any form, and a high likelihood of death, he’s in.”

A flash of short platinum blond hair—and a body that could kill.  

It wasn’t Laura Nilsson, but…

Javier gave a low whistle.

Hunter and Rossiter looked over their shoulders, then back at Javier.

Hunter shook his head.  “Oh, no. No, no.  Don’t even think about it.”

“He’s human.  He’s male.  He’s going to think about it.”  Rossiter grinned.  “That’s Holly Bradshaw.  She’s one of the paper’s entertainment writers.  She’ll chew you up and spit you out.”

That didn’t sound so bad.

Hunter looked over at her.  “What she needs is to fall for a man who refuses to sleep with her.”

Javier was about to say a guy would have to be gay as a daisy to turn down a woman like Holly, when suddenly she was there. 

His heart skipped again—and gave a thud.

Wearing jeans and a white blouse beneath a blue angora cardigan, Laura shook hands with Nate and McBride, then Natalie, her pale blond hair catching the light, the smile on her face hitting Javier in the gut.  She shook Megan’s hand, knelt down to talk to Emily, giving the little girl her full attention.

¡Ea Diablo!  She was beautiful. 

Hunter and Rossiter saw her, too.

“Oh, hey, she came.”  Hunter sounded surprised to see her.  He lowered his voice.  “Sophie said she didn’t think Laura was going to make it.  Derek Tower—the asshole who owns the security company that was supposed to have kept her safe in Pakistan—accosted her in the parking lot outside the paper last night.  He forced his way into her car.  She drew on him—a double-deuce—but he tore the weapon out of her hands, even left bruises.  She filed a report with DPD last night.  Uniforms went looking for him, but haven’t found him.”

Javier had heard of Derek Tower, hadn’t known what to think of him.  Now he hated the bastard.  His gaze snapped back to Hunter.  “Doesn’t she have protection—a bodyguard?”

Hunter shook his head.  “Sophie says the FBI doesn’t believe she’s in any real danger, and she can’t afford to pay for protection herself.  Sophie wants me to talk to Old Man Irving—Denver’s chief of police—and have our local boys fill in.”

“Not a bad idea.”  Javier had never understood how the federal agencies worked.  It all seemed like red tape and bullshit to him.

“Let’s go say hello.”  Hunter opened the sliding patio door and walked inside, Rossiter behind him.

Javier followed the two men indoors, but hung back, watching while the others introduced themselves. 

She probably doesn’t even remember you.

“Welcome to the Cimarron.  It’s a real pleasure to meet you.  Make yourself at home.”  Jack pressed her hand between both of his.  “Can I get you something to drink—wine, beer, scotch, soda, some overpriced bubbly water?”

Laura smiled, a genuine bright smile that put dimples in her cheeks.  “Overpriced bubbly water would be lovely.  Thank you.” 

Jack turned back to the kitchen.

Hunter stepped forward, held out his hand.  “Marc Hunter.  I’m Sophie’s husband. Sophie has said great things about you.”

“Thank you.  She’s said good things about you, too.”

“All true, I’m sure.”  Hunter grinned.

 “I’m Julian Darcangelo.  I head up the DPD’s vice squad.  My wife, Tessa, is a big fan of yours.  She’s an investigative journalist herself and has written a few books.  She used to be on the I-Team before she went freelance.  I can’t believe she hasn’t found some excuse to visit Sophie at the paper so she can meet you.”

“Sophie has mentioned her.”  Laura’s eyes narrowed.  “You say she’s written books?  Wait—is her name Tessa Novak?”

Darcangelo nodded.  “That was her maiden name.  She still uses it for journalism.”

“I’m a fan of hers.  I read the two books she wrote about human sex trafficking.  She inspired me to look into the issue in Pakistan and India.”

“Hearing that is going to make her day—hell, her entire year.” 

Rossiter pushed his way forward.  “Gabe Rossiter.  I’m Kat’s worse half.”

Laura took Rossiter’s hand, smiled that beautiful smile of hers.  “I’ve heard about some of your adventures.”

“He’s the most famous one-legged extreme athlete in the world,” Hunter quipped.  “Just ask him.”

That made her laugh.  

Her gaze shifted to Javier.  The color drained from her cheeks, and her eyes went wide, her lips parting as she stared up at him.  “It’s... It’s you!”
~~~

So there you have it — the last excerpt before the release of Striking Distance on Nov. 5.

Here are the links to preorder. The mass market paperback version is still $4.79 on Amazon at the moment. Not sure how long that will last.

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/1bQClXr
Books-A-Million http://bit.ly/GYBbPE 
Powell's Books http://bit.ly/1bQCv0Y 
IndieBound http://bit.ly/1aANlWl 





And don’t forget First Strike! As a special treat for readers of this blog, I am offering a coupon for a free download  of First Strike in the e-reader format of or your choice from Smashwords.com.  If you already have the story, you can gift a copy to a friend for free.

Go to Smashwords and use Coupon Code RP24W.

The coupon expires on Nov. 4!

Just remember that First Strike is an erotic short story and ends with a big cliffhanger.

Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013

It's Raining I-Team! Plus a giveaway!



1. The ebook edition of Breaking Point (I-Team Book 5) has been marked down to $1.99 for one week only on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo! 

2. First Strike (I-Team After Hours), the super-sexy prequel to Striking Distance (I-Team Book 6) is only 99 cents and getting great reviews.

3. Striking Distance (I-Team Book 6) will be out on Nov. 5 and is still on sale at special pre-order prices on Amazon for $4.79 (paperback) and $5.99 (Kindle)!

That’s what I mean when I say it’s raining I-Team. You wait more than a year for me to have a new novel, and all of a sudden there’s a new novel, a new novella and a HUGE markdown on one of the most popular and critically acclaimed books in the I-Team series.

It’s the perfect storm of I-Team, an I-Team orgy, an I-Team extravaganza.

It’s a chance for those of you who haven’t read Breaking Point to get caught up on the series before Striking Distance comes out.

Breaking Point was honored by Amazon as one of the Top Books of 2011 and has 99 five-star reviews on Amazon. It also received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Apart from that, it’s known for its completely drool-worthy cover. I want you to know that it was my idea to make the model all sandy and dirty. You’re welcome!

You can read an excerpt or head on over to take advantage of the sale for yourself or for a stubborn friend who hasn’t listened to you when you’ve told her she needs to read this series. Grab it before the sale ends on Oct. 30. Here are the links:

Kindle: http://amzn.to/16rdJX1
Nook: http://bit.ly/17eGjeR
Kobo: http://bit.ly/HgsOi1
iTunes : http://bit.ly/1gD3sv7





First Strike, the erotic prequel to Striking Distance, just came out on Monday, A 17,400-word novella, it tells the story of how Laura Nilsson and Javier Corbray, the journalist heroine and Navy SEAL hero in Striking Distance, meet and share a mind-blowing weekend of no-strings-attached sex that changes both of their lives forever.

This was my first foray into writing erotica, and I had a lot of fun with it. For those who are a bit skittish about reading something labeled “erotica,” let me just say that it does not involve dinosaurs, step-fathers, animals of any kind, whips, fluorescent light bulbs, chains, more than two people, or anal sex. What else is there, you ask? You’ll just have to read it and find out!

At 99 cents, it’s a must-read for those of you who are waiting breathlessly for Striking Distance. So far, the cover has gotten my ads for it banished from Facebook — beheadings are apparently okay, but people in underwear embracing are not — and readers seem to enjoy looking at it. I guess that matters more to me. Right now, the story has 24 five-star reviews on Amazon, and it just came out Monday.

You can read an excerpt or follow these links to one-click your heart out.


Kindle: http://amzn.to/1gwJHFw 
Nook: http://bit.ly/16p0el8
Smashwords (all ebook formats, including Kobo and iBook): http://bit.ly/16p0nVV





Last, but certainly not least, is Striking Distance (I-Team Book 6), which will be out on Nov. 5 — less than two weeks from today! 

This full-length novel tells the rest of Laura and Javier’s story, carrying them through to their happily ever after. One of the most difficult books I’ve ever written, it took almost a year and half for me to finish the story. I was thrilled when I learned the book had received a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews

Striking Distance will be released in mass market paperback, ebook, and audiobook on the same day. The talented Kaleo Griffith is once again narrating the story, so those of you who need a Kaleo fix to help you with your OKD (Obsessive Kaleo Disorder) are in luck!

Read an excerpt, or head over to one of these links to pre-order a copy. Amazon currently has a sale on pre-orders, cutting $3.20 off the paperback price and $2 off the regular retail ebook price.

Here are the links:

Audible http://bit.ly/16r9kxZ 
Kindle http://amzn.to/1b8Fhh7 
nook http://bit.ly/1b8FT6v 
iTunes http://bit.ly/175u3uW 
Amazon http://amzn.to/1aAPFfX 
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/1bQClXr 
Books-A-Million http://bit.ly/GYBbPE 
Powell's Books http://bit.ly/1bQCv0Y 
IndieBound http://bit.ly/1aANlWl


And there you have it — a harmonic convergence of I-Team. I hope it helps make up at least in part for the fact that I’m such a slow writer — and the fact that you’ll be waiting a while for the next I-Team novel.

To make this more fun, I’m giving away five more copies of First Strike! Just share the news, tell me where you shared it, and leave your email address below. I’ll pick five winners a day today, Thursday, and Friday!


Coming soon:
One last pre-release excerpt from Striking Distance.


Sunday, October 20, 2013

FIRST STRIKE is out! Celebrate with a giveaway!



Today is one Monday that will suck just a little bit less.  First Strike is out — one day early!

The story is available on Kindle and Nook, as well as Smashwords, which offers all ebook formats without international restrictions. It will soon be out on iTunes and Kobo, as well, though both of those formats are already available on Smashwords.

For those who’ve missed prior posts about this 17,400-word e-novella, it is the erotic prequel to Striking Distance (I-Team Book 6), which will be out on Nov. 5.

It was originally one of the prologues to the story. I cut it, saved it, and have expanded it for release as a stand-alone novella that introduces us to Laura Nilsson and Javier Corbray, the heroine and hero from Striking Distance, and takes us along for the crazy weekend when they meet in Dubai City—and can’t keep their hands off each other even though it means risking a flogging and prison.




Here’s the description:


Just a weekend…

Laura Nilsson knows what she wants: a successful career as a broadcast journalist—and a little fun between the sheets now and again. What she doesn’t want is marriage or kids. When a ripped and sexy stranger intervenes to stop a couple of drunks from harassing her in a hotel bar in Dubai City, all she can think about is spending the rest of the weekend with him—in her bed. There’s just one little problem. Unmarried sex is illegal in Dubai.

… of no-strings sex …

Navy SEAL Javier “Cobra” Corbray is on his way home from a rough deployment in Afghanistan when he finds himself having dinner with “the Baghdad Babe.” What she wants from him—sex with no strings—could land them both in prison. Still, he’s more than happy to oblige her. She’s confident and sexually assertive, and he’s secure enough to lie back and let her make the first strike. But, as she’s about to find out, he’s more than her match.

… or the beginning of something more?

Yet, neither Laura nor Javier has any idea what lies ahead—or how this weekend of mind-blowing sex will impact their emotions. Will they act on their new-found feelings in time, or will they let something special slip away… perhaps forever?





I had a lot to work with before I started working on First Strike. It was already very long—for a prologue. And it helped that I knew everything there was to know about Laura and Javier’s story, having just finished Striking Distance.

But what took me by surprise as I wrote it was how poignant the story felt to me, knowing, as I did, what lay in store for them. I found myself getting choked up several times. I suggest reading it again after you finish Striking Distance, and you’ll see what I mean. The last sex scene actually made me cry. And be warned: This story ends with a cliffhanger, binding it to the action in Striking Distance.

I hope you enjoy it! I am so excited to share this story with you and absolutely giddy to think we’re only two weeks and change away from the release of Striking Distance, which completes Laura and Javier’s story.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the giveaway! To celebrate the novella’s release, I’m giving away FIVE ebook copies of the story. What do you have to do to win? If you want to help spread word about the story, that’s great. Otherwise, just comment below, leave your email address, and tell me what you think makes a love scene in a romance sexy.

Simple question, right?

Have a fabulous day!




Follow Me

Search

Seduction Game

Blog Archive

Labels

Favorite Writing Quotes


"I am an artist. I am here to live out loud."
—Emile Zola

"I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day."
—James Joyce

"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery."
—Jane Austen

"Writers are those for whom writing is more difficult that it is for others."
—Ernest Hemingway

"When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth."
—Kurt Vonnegut

"The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar is the test of their power."
—Toni Morrison

"No tears in the author, no tears in the reader."
—Robert Frost.

"I'm a writer. I give the truth scope."
—the character of Chaucer in
A Knight's Tale