Books & Writing
Update!
So technically I reached the end of Don’t Touch yesterday but I’m not going to toot that horn just yet because it needs three more scenes to flesh it out. I am however sharing that I just started a new project I’m super excited about. And I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t won the Cover Designer Directory’s free cover contest.
Through them, I found Stephanie from Alt19 Designs who did a super fun cover for a romcom spin off of the Rogues series. It’s the further adventures of Ransom and Rosamie, the sidekicks from The Mercenary Next Door. I’ve written next to nothing but I can already tell these two are going to be soooo much fun!
Be prepared for laughs, lots of steam, wacky adventures, and murdery hijinks!
Love and Devotion San Diego will be on Feb 19th!
Join me and all of these other authors and models for the funnest meet up in a beautiful setting! By law we will be masked, and we’ll be in the big ballroom so they can really space us out. These ladies are a ton of fun and those models are very charming so mark your calendars and order your tickets today!
Meet Sadira Stone and Experience Christmas in July! 1
Hello everyone! I have a special treat for you. One of my awesome author friends has a Christmas in July Sale for her Rone-Nominated romance Christmas Rekindled. If you’re in the need of a little escape from this summer heat pick this up and think Christmasy thoughts 😘
Thanks so much, Lucy, for hosting me today, and hello to Lucy’s readers!
We’re halfway to Christmas, and some of us (waving hand wildly) are already looking forward to the holidays—especially after last year’s sad pandemic holiday season. If you’d like a sweet and steamy hit of Christmas romance, check out Christmas Rekindled: Bangers Tavern One, ebook on sale for 99¢ throughout July on all the major online booksellers. AND—Christmas Rekindled is a finalist for this year’s RONE Award, given to outstanding indie authors. (Squee!) Get your copy of this sexy, snarky, enemies-to-lovers holiday romcom here.
When two Scrooges unite to save a bar in trouble, a kiss under the mistletoe sparks the sexiest Christmas miracle ever.
Bartender River Lundqvist has a damn good reason for hating Christmas. Bangers Tavern is the perfect place to lay low over the holidays—until Charlie walks in. His first encounter with the saucy server nine years ago was utter humiliation. Her reappearance stirs up powerful desires and hopes for a new start. But the timing is all wrong.
Back in Tacoma to care for her estranged dad over the holidays, freelance web designer Charlie Khoury braces herself for the suckiest Christmas ever. A temporary job at Bangers Tavern gives her a chance to escape Dad’s criticism and blow off some steam. But why does the hunky bartender seem to hate her?
A pretend girlfriend is just what River needs to keep his family off his back—until a kiss under the mistletoe flares hot enough to melt the North Pole. When greedy developers threaten Bangers Tavern, River and Charlie must team up to save it. Their sizzling chemistry feels like the real thing—but everyone knows rebound relationships don’t last.
Come to Bangers Tavern for an enemies-to-lovers tale of reconciliation, found family, holiday cocktails, and the steamiest Christmas miracle ever.
Excerpt:
Lucy, I’m including two so you can take your pick.
Short Excerpt, rated PG (262 words)
Her low, throaty chuckle made him want to kiss her again. Though he pretty much wanted to kiss her anytime she was within range.
She laid her hand palm-up on the center console. “The thing is, I’m not looking for a relationship.”
Remembering a bit of Dawn’s wisdom, he nestled his hand into hers. “You never find a relationship when you’re looking for one.”
Her gaze softened, open and vulnerable. “Are you looking?”
Warning sirens blared inside his head. This was a question to answer very carefully. “If you’d asked me a month ago, I’d say, ‘No way.’ But then, I kissed this girl under the mistletoe, and…”
She closed her eyes, lifted his hand, and pressed it to her sternum. Beneath his palm, her heart thudded fast. His pulse sped to match hers. He held his breath.
“I like you, River.” Her whisper matched the brush of snowflakes against the windows.
“I like you too.”
She inhaled deeply, then met his gaze. “Enough to be my friend?”
He nodded, mesmerized.
“Because my life is a mess right now, and I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing.”
Her coarse language stirred up a heady swirl of laughter, sympathy, and arousal. He scooted as near as the center console allowed and placed his lips close to her ear. “I’ll tell you a secret. Me neither.”
Fire flickered in her eyes’ inky depths. Her lips parted. A golden thread wound around his heart and tugged him toward her. His thumb stroked the delicate line of her jaw as he closed the distance.
Short Excerpt (rated R—contains the word dick. 293 words)
Passing with a keg of beer on a hand dolly, Eddie grunted and pointed up, grinning. Above the bar’s corner hung a clump of mistletoe, tied with a red ribbon.
River dropped his gaze to Charlie. Should he move in for that kiss he’d been fantasizing about since yesterday? Or wait for her to initiate?
She shrugged. “Can’t break tradition.” She took a step toward him. His heart double-timed in his chest. His vision went all soft and blurry. Nearer still…
She pivoted, grabbed Eddie’s jaw with both hands, and planted a loud smooch on his mouth. “Mwah. Merry Christmas, Eddie.”
The barback stumbled and nearly fell on his bony ass.
River didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Cursing softly under his breath, he trudged toward the bar. I push her father all the way down Sixth Ave, and she kisses Eddie?
A soft hand grasped his bicep. “C’mon, River. Don’t be mad.”
He turned, and she stepped in close. Really close. Her fingertips rested on his chest. Huge dark eyes twinkled with mischief. “I had to pay Eddie back for being a troublemaker.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Kissing me is trouble?”
Her hand slid to his nape. “Probably. But, you know, tradition…”
Her heaven-soft lips brushed his, and the din around them faded away. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Her tongue might be sharp, but every inch of her was warm, soft, luscious. A low, hungry sound deep in her throat called his dick to full attention. She angled her head and kissed him again, long and lingering. But when he touched the corner of her mouth with the tip of his tongue, she sucked in a breath and pulled away. “See, told ya.” She tapped his sternum. “Trouble.”
Grab your sale copy of Christmas Rekindled HERE.
About the author:
After a teaching career in Germany, I returned to the U.S. (culture shock!) to start my second chapter in life, writing steamy contemporary romance set in this beautiful region.
Confession: I have a small business fetish. My Book Nirvana series centers around a quirky bookshop in Eugene, Oregon, and the Bangers Tavern Romance series is set in a neighborhood bar in Tacoma, Washington, where I live—the town, not the tavern! Each story features a holiday celebration: Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween…
I love the found family that develops in close-knit workplaces like these, and the chance to fill my imaginary businesses with quirky characters. Each volume of the Bangers Tavern series includes tasty cocktail recipes I’ve personally tested and tweaked—a tough job, but I do it for my readers. 😉
I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials.
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Updates!
So I think I’m going to be bad and write the Millionaire’s Mechanic (Rainer Torsten) before Burned Deep (Donovan Carter). I’m just feeling this story more and I have to keep the muse happy to make the words flow faster. I will try to write them at the same time, but I think MM will win cause I have things to say there, although I *must* finish To Hell and Back next because that’s a hard deadline with the ‘Zon.
Knight Takes Queen, R&R3 clocked in at 71K for the rough draft which I finished this Sunday. I will ignore it for the rest of the week before picking it back up. Factoring in my editor’s schedule I am guessing that’s going to be a May release now instead of October. Stay tuned—as soon as I get my act together I’m going to have Mercenary Audiobook review codes in my Street Team on Facebook.
Get a signed book! Offered for the 1st time 😉
I’m participating in a 💋 VIRTUAL SIGNING! 💋
On May 16th, your favorite authors will be participating in a virtual signing in the Love & Devotion Group.
We’ll be setting up our tables, chatting with you, hosting giveaways and signing books for you LIVE on FB!
When it’s all over, we’ll mail you your books along with fun SWAG! We know it’s not the same as an in-person signing, but hopefully this will take some of the sting out of having to miss out on so many events this year.
Here is a link to the order forms for the authors confirmed as of now. Orders will stay open until May 18th (unless specifically stated otherwise) to allow us authors plenty of time to stock up on books/SWAG. (spoiler alert – I don’t have much swag but I do have gift cards!)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovedevotionevents/permalink/638411563398375/
My pre-order form:
https://forms.gle/mfdSRx8QjfXMWUN16
All authors:
Regarding the RWA and my RITA entries…
For those of you who don’t know, the Romance Writers of America is a hot mess right now. I don’t know the main actors at all, I’ve never even been to a chapter meeting yet, and if you want to know what’s happening in detail you have to google because I am not an authority. Suffice to say that I sympathize with the people who are unhappy about the board’s handling of the matter, but honestly I didn’t even know who the president-elect was till yesterday.
After the Silicon Valley debacle, we coasted back to San Diego on fumes, our bank accounts wiped out and with only a few hundred dollars of credit to spare. Nevertheless, after much discussion, my husband and I agreed WE HAD TO ENTER THE RITAs.
I’ve done decently in Reader’s Favorite multiple times and I’ve always wanted to try entering the RITAs. Even being a finalist would be a boon, or so I thought. Plus, I joined RWA earlier this year because of Cocky-Gate so we went for it and entered Peyton’s Price and Codename Romeo. Honestly, the $125 fee didn’t hurt compared to the mountain of debt we accrued since the move. It’s a drop in the tsunami.
And then the RWA implodes. It’s like watching the surface of the sun roil and bubble.
Codename Romeo is doing okay and as long as we aren’t in Silicon Valley I’m confident we will climb out of this hole…eventually. Truthfully, it will take years. But for the short term, I’m kind of hoping at this point the RITAs get canceled in their entirety and refunds will be issued. I haven’t come right out and asked for a refund yet because the situation is evolving quickly but with so many resignations and withdrawals, all outcomes look bad.
Anyways. Not sure any of you wanted to know this, but this is kind of all I’m thinking about when I really should be working on Earth…
Ethan’s Book Official Cover Reveal!
All FBI agent Ethan Thomas wants is to come home to his new apartment venture and enjoy the luxury of his new flat screen TV and some frozen pizza. Encountering a tiny toddler alone in the hall changes everything for the rough and rugged agent. Relief sets in when the child’s mother appears. But when she collapses at his feet just before a blizzard hits Boston, Ethan’s in over his head.
Now, Ethan’s changing diapers and playing doctor…and loving every minute of it. The mother and child need a place to stay, and Ethan can’t possibly turn them away. But this investigator knows people–and the woman he’s falling for is keeping secrets. Can he uncover the truth while protecting them from the dangers of his job?
So many books, so little time.
I’d like to announce that Ethan’s book is with the editor! I’ve also renamed his series. Codename Romeo, Rogues and Rescuers Book One, will drop sometime in December if all goes as planned. Stay tuned for a cover reveal next month (i hope)!