Always a Booklover

The magic of books just enchants me. I love reading, what more can I say?

Blog Tour: Valkyrie's Vengeance by Suzie Grant - Giveaway + Excerpt



Hey guys! Welcome to my stop of Valkyrie's Vengeance. It is the first book in the Maidens of the Shield series. The sub-genres are: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Published by Night Shift Publishing, Valkyrie's Vengeance is 70,000 words long and it simply looks fantastic! Today, I will be featuring an excerpt and a giveaway so do stick around for it! :D Enjoy!




Valkyrie's Vengeance by Suzie Grant


Stranded on foreign soil. Rescued and raised by the enemy. Tyra Svensdottir declares war on her own people after witnessing the death of the very woman who’d saved her life. Kidnapping the man who wields the sword of the underworld — Hel’s Hammer — Tyra forces him to repair her shipwrecked vessel. Her quest to kill the swordsman’s king takes them across frigid waters on a myriad of adventures and a voyage of sensual discovery.

Rorik Thorlicksson uncovers treachery within his clan but in order to return home to warn of the impending attack, he must yield to the woman holding him captive. Along their voyage he unravels the mystery behind his captor. He discovers she is the woman promised to him in wedlock at birth though her disappearance years ago released him from his betrothal. Dissuading the little heathen from her purpose and into his bed becomes a more appealing prospect with every passing day.

Blood vengeance brings them together even as desire binds their hearts. Amongst the secrets and obscurities of their destinies, they find a love that spans a lifetime as well as an end to A Valkyrie’s Vengeance.

Buy it from Amazon | Smashwords

Check out the book trailer here!



Suzie Grant


Suzie still believes in happily-ever-after and after growing up reading classic adventure literature like Treasure Isle, Robinson Crusoe, and The Swiss Family Robinson tales, as well as epic novels like Gone with the wind, Suzie would dream up adventures of her own.With her love of history she brings the action of thrillers to historical romance with steamy, love scenes and a pace that will leave you breathless!

She lives happily ever after with her new beau, three boys and one little Shih tzu named Peppy Le’Pew in NC. One day she plans to retire and sail along the east coast an adventurer to the end.

Website | Blog


Time for a short excerpt!

Rorik wasted no time in gathering three men to follow the girl at his King’s request. The rest could follow at their leisure. He didn’t wish to lose her trail. He picked up her slight prints in the mud easily. Oleg knelt beside him and pointed to the tracks. “She heads north toward the cliffs.”

“Aye.”

They weaved through the myriad spires of oak, elm, and pine trees, their heavy boots snapping twigs and limbs beneath their feet. They did not seek to conceal but instead moved quickly, hoping to catch up to her.

A trickle of water alerted him to the stream before he stumbled upon it. Immediately, they lost her tracks. She’d entered the water and walked up or down stream, for they found no tracks on the opposite embankment.

“We’ll split up, you two search back down stream and I’ll search north. She had to come out of the water eventually.”

So the girl was resourceful and smart. He would just have to be more resourceful and much smarter than she.

Rorik broke away from the other men and sloshed through the knee-high water. The center of the stream couldn’t have been any higher than his waist, easy to navigate. He carefully studied the muddied earth on both sides of the bank as he meandered up stream.

Picking up her tracks again minutes later, he increased his pace. He slogged out of the water to follow her. She turned due west. Emerging from the trees, he found a tiny nestled cottage as the stream curled sharply behind it.

The woman slammed out of the dwelling carrying a bundle of items in her arms. Reaching the edge of the stream, she dropped her load and scurried to braid and tie her wet hair.

Pausing, unwilling to reveal his presence just yet, he hovered behind the leafy brush.

She stripped off her soaked dress and his heart came to a stuttering halt. His vision focused on the smooth ivory back, the gentle curve of the side of her breast and heat plunged through his veins. A fire roared to life inside his body unlike any he’d ever experienced before.

He peered through the branches of the elm tree as she tore long stripes out of the material. She slipped on a pair of knee length braise, the Saxon men were known to wear and wrapped one of the bands of material around her chest, binding her breasts. With her back still turned away from him, she smeared mud over every inch of her body. Blood began to pound inside his head like a heartbeat.

A fever swept through him and he clenched his fist at his sides. Would her skin be soft? He wanted to taste her flesh, her lips and run his hands up those beautiful legs, wrapping them around his waist.

Her hands smoothed the mud almost lovingly across her flesh, and he imagined it was his own hands caressing her. He swallowed. Who would have imagined wallowing in the mud like a pig could be so erotic but somehow this Viking maiden managed to do so effortlessly.

When she was finished, she wrapped her boots in the rest of the material securely and hefted her bow and quiver. Replacing her sheathed dagger at her waist, she tied on a sword much more suited to her size.

The Valkyrie readied for war.

Against her own people.

He frowned and moved to get a little closer. The crunch of the needles beneath his feet alerted her. Her head jerked up, like a doe in danger. She peered cautiously in his direction.

He supposed now was as good a time as any for introductions.

Bursting through the brush, he raced toward her. She leapt to her feet and sprinted in the opposite direction. Scurrying through the trees ahead of him, she darted through the foliage, and he lengthened his stride crossing the glade in mere seconds.

They weaved in unison through the trees like a timeless dance. He caught glimpses of her muddied head in the distance until she seemingly disappeared. Rorik came to a halt at the edge of a cliff and peered around, trying to catch his breath. Where in Thor’s hammer had she gone?

His gaze searched the surrounding area for tracks but found nothing. It was as if she’d just disappeared. By Odin’s wrath that was impossible, he had been right behind her. She couldn’t have vanished.


At last, its time for the giveaway!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

The Reluctant Marquess by Maggi Andersen



Hey guys! Welcome to my stop of The Reluctant Marquess. The Reluctant Marquess is a historical romance and it simply looks amazing! Today, Maggi will be joining us with a guest post about why she chooses to write historical romance. Do stay around for it! Oh and there will be a tour-wide giveaway at the end so do stick around for it! Without further ado, let's begin!



The Reluctant Marquess by Maggi Andersen



Charity Barlow wished to marry for love.

The rakish Lord Robert wishes only to tuck her away in the country once an heir is produced.





Maggi Andersen



Maggi Andersen is an Australian author. She lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales with her lawyer husband, their cat and the demanding wildlife. Maggi has two degrees, a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing. Georgette Heyer, Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart were strong influences on her writing. She began her career when her children left the nest and writes in a variety of genres. Her historical romances are set in the Georgian, Regency and Victorian era.


Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook


Time for a short excerpt!



“Nefarious dealings go on next door,” Robert commented almost to himself as he and Charity crossed the footpath to the front door.

Charity’s eyes widened. “What sort of dealings?”

He felt unsure whether to tell her and wished he hadn’t spoken. “A house of ill-repute,” he finally said.

“Is that all?”

He held the door open for her to enter the vestibule, annoyed that she wasn’t impressed or shocked by such a revelation. “They are said to charge barren couples quite a lot of money to assist them in their quest for a child. With the use of special beds.”
“Oh.” Charity bit her lip. She put her head down and continued walking.

Bemused, Robert wondered how an innocent comment could stir up a veritable nest of unspoken feelings. “It mainly serves as a brothel offering no end of delights,” he added striding to catch up with her. His somewhat callous remark was an endeavor to guide their conversation in a safer direction. But it only served to make him recall the night of passion they had shared. A glance in Charity’s direction confirmed she was thinking of something similar, for her footsteps had faltered, and her eyelid’s looked heavy as she flicked her bottom lip with her tongue. He suffered a strong urge to draw her into that dark corner and kiss her. He found himself seriously considering it, and far more. Raising her skirts and…

He took her arm. “Charity?”

“Yes?”

A door opened at the end of the corridor and a servant poked his head out. “Please come in, Lord and Lady St Malin.”

Robert took off his hat and held it somewhere near his groin. “Shall we go in, my dear?”

Charity nodded her eyes a little vague.



And now, let's welcome Maggi to the blog!


Why I write historical romance


I can’t remember when I didn’t want to be a writer. I wrote my first story when I was sick in bed aged eight. When I was a teenager I read all my mother’s Georgette Heyer books. I loved the characters, and the Georgian and Regency periods she captured so well. I re-read them over the years, plus other writers setting their books in the same period. I also read my father’s crime novels, Frederick Forsyth was a favorite, but I always liked a touch of romance. While raising my family, I completed two degrees, a BA in English and Fine Arts, and an MA in Creative Writing, with a view to taking up writing seriously. My first novel was a crime/ mystery, but I couldn’t get it published in Australia. I edited and rewrote it many times before I decided to put it aside. It was quite an ambitious story for a newbie writer to tackle, but writing it proved to be a great learning experience, although I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I then wrote a Regency romance novel Rules of Conduct, which I submitted to Mills & Boon. It didn’t fit their requirements, but they were very encouraging. But I still wasn’t published. I dashed off a Regency novella in a matter of weeks and was surprised when an American e-book publisher took Stirring Passions and asked for more. I like writing about alpha males and I’ve since written more Regencies and Victorian novels and novellas. I’m fascinated by the past, and enjoy the research and the period detail, the architecture, fashion, interiors and the mores of a society so different from my own.

The Reluctant Marquess is pure romance set in the Georgian era. But most of my stories have elements of crime, be it a murder or a mystery or an intrigue. At present, I’m working on a three book series, The Spies of Mayfair for Knox Robinson Publishing. Book One: A Baron in Her Bed comes out September 6th. Here’s the blurb:
London, 1816. A handsome baron. A faux betrothal. And Horatia's plan to join the London literary set takes a dangerous turn. Now that the war with France has ended, Baron Guy Fortescue arrives in England to claim his inheritance, abandoned over thirty years ago when his father fled to France after killing a man in a duel. When Guy is set upon by footpads in London, a stranger, Lord Strathairn, rescues and befriends him. But while travelling to his country estate, Guy is again attacked. He escapes only to knock himself out on a tree branch. Aspiring poet Horatia Cavendish has taken to riding her father's stallion, "The General", around the countryside of Digswell dressed as a groom. She has become bored of her country life and longs to escape to London to pursue her desire to become part of the London literary set. When she discovers Guy lying unconscious on the road, the two are forced to take shelter for the night in a hunting lodge. After Guy discovers her ruse, a friendship develops between them. Guy suspects his relative, Eustace Fennimore is behind the attacks on his life. He has been ensconced in Rosecroft Hall during the family's exile and will become the heir should Guy die. Horatia refuses to believe her godfather, Eustace, is responsible. But when Guy proposes a faux betrothal to give him more time to discover the truth, she agrees. Secure in the knowledge that his daughter will finally wed, Horatia's father allows her to visit her blue-stocking aunt in London. But Horatia's time spent in London proves to be anything but a literary feast, for a dangerous foe plots Guy's demise. She is determined to keep alive her handsome fiance, who has proven more than willing to play the part of her lover even as he resists her attempts to save him.

My late Victorian romantic suspense novel The Folly at Falconbridge Hall is released on 6th December.
The novelists writing in the Regency and Victorian periods that I enjoy reading are C.S Harris, M.M.Bennett, Deanna Raybourne, Tasha Alexander and Joanna Bourne.

Thank you for featuring me on your blog.

Maggi



Maggi will be giving away a $10 Amazon GC to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour. So do leave a comment and possibly win a prize! To leave a comment, just click on the title or the comments button at the top of the post! Thanks:)

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D


Safari Moon by Ann Christine




Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour. Sorry this post is a little late, I was in school. Yep, so let's welcome Christine and her wonderful book, Safari Moon! My review isn't done yet, but expect it in a couple of weeks! Sorry, I have like crazy amounts of tests:(




Safari Moon by Ann Christine


Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska. Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him. Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women. He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington.

In love with Solo for the past ten years and knowing he doesn't return her feelings Nyssa doesn't want to talk to Solo. She knows if she accepts his phone call, she will not be able to resist the temptation to hope again.

Buy it from here!



Christine Young writing as Ann Christine


Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Publisher


Time for a short excerpt!

Wanted: A professional wildlife photographer to take pictures in the Alaskan wilderness. Experience first hand a real safari moon. Call(555)381-1252 or send resumes to 2286 Main, Suite 2D Bend, Oregon.

Solo St. John was in the middle of an erotic dream about his buddy, Nyssa Harrington, when the click of his front door shutting brought him to instant alert mode.

Solo looked up, caught a flashing glimpse of a good deal of naked flesh; long legs, perfectly rounded derriere, and a waist he could span with his hands. The intruder's long blond hair curled around her shoulders an inch above the ties of her bikini top.

Then he saw the skunk. He blinked twice.

This woman and the skunk were not the subject of his brief and very strange dream, a fantasy that made his mind speed along at sixty in a residential zone. This was someone he had never seen before and he resented the intrusion.

"Hello," she cooed seductively from his living room. "Will you come out and play?"

The skunk stuck a black and white head around the open door to his bedroom. A second later the animal turned and lifted his tail before disappearing into the living room.

Solo was out of bed and pulling on his jeans before the count of five. Yet in that short time, the lady in question, along with the skunk that was now exploring his fireplace hearth, had taken over his living room.

The lithe, supple blond sported an expensive camera, and all the while the lady in question babbled nonsense words.

"I'm willing, able, and eager." She posed for him, a pose meant to entice.




And now, let's welcome Christine to the blog!


Inspiration
Wikipedia:
Inspiration or Inspire may refer to:
▪ Artistic inspiration, sudden creativity in artistic production
▪ Biblical inspiration, the doctrine in Judeo-Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible
Creative inspiration, sudden creativity when a new invention is created

On todays blog we will consider artistic inspiration. So what inspired me to write Safari Moon? Or to write anything?

My inspiration, in general, comes from life and watching things, people, animals... A beautiful spring day can inspire a love scene. From the love scene the characters might come to life within the pages of a book. I find inspiration from photographs, books, traveling, visiting other countries. Books from tiny bookstores in out-of-the way places can inspire all types of characters, scenes, descriptions and conversation. When in Scotland and visiting the Edinburgh castle I found a book on haunted castles, how the ghosts died and how they haunt the home they once inhabited. From this one purchase I have at least three books waiting to be written. In Astoria, Oregon I found a book about prostitutes who lived in the American west. This book and some of the secondary stories was an eye-opener for me. Many of these women did many charitable acts and most had not become prostitutes because that was their life's dream. Very interesting were the stories about how they arrived at the brothels and what they made of themselves afterwards.

So what inspired Safari Moon? I have always toyed with the idea that best friends can evolve into a romantic couple. After all isn't this what happens in modern day romances? I created Solo St. John: rich, born with a silver spoon, handsome, creative, photographic memory, confident in everything except romance and relationships. Then I paired him with Nyssa Harrington. She is in most ways opposite Solo. She grew up poor, gorgeous but didn't know it, over-the-top intelligent, left-brain. I create opposite personality profiles wherever possible. From this point the story evolves.

The bicycle tours were inspired by the real life adventures of my parents. I was always so jealous. They began riding after they retired. From short rides around town they progressed to longer rides, including Bike Oregon, then went on to tours all over the world. On the tours they would ride an average of 60 miles per day. The tour company provided back up vans to help with flat tires, mechanical problems as well as fatigue. Their adventures took them to places including Alaska, New Zealand, Greece, Bali, Tasmania, the Natchez Trace and New England to name a few. In Safari Moon the book is set mainly in Alaska and the tour Nyssa is training and studying for is in Greece.
My artistic side created Solo's career as a wildlife photographer. I have always been a bit envious of the photographers who shot the wonderful pictures in National Geographic. And in Safari Moon Solo is looking for that one perfect picture that will be remembered.

Among my favorite authors are Stella Cameron, Susan Wiggs, and Heather Graham. I had the honor of meeting Stella and Susan at a conference put on by the MidWillamette Valley RWA several years ago. They are warm generous women who were a joy to visit with. Heather Graham I have not met, but her book, Pirate's Pleasure, was the first romance I read and I instantly fell in love with the genre.

I would like to thank Always a Book Lover for hosting me today. And I hope everyone who stops by here will leave a comment and perhaps check out Safari Moon by Christine Young writing as Ann Christine.



Ann Christine will be giving away the following prizes:

* A Safari Moon bookmark to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop.
* ebook copy of The Gift (part of A Valentine Anthology) and Star Crossed (part of St. Patricks Day anthology) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
* One commenter during the tour will win the right to have a character named for them in her next release--either Ghost Dance (a western historical romance) or Rebel Heart (science-fiction romance)
* Two randomly drawn commenters during the tour will each win a $25.00 GC to Starbucks
* The host with the most comments (excluding the author's and the host's) will win a $15 GC to Starbucks


Go here to check out the other stops!

So yep, that's about it for today! Do leave a comment and stand a chance to win some prizes!

Giveaway Winner!

So, the giveaways for The Second Son and Back To You is over!

Surprisingly, we have the exact winner for both! Ok, Rafflecopter loves this person! I think you can guess who, heh!

Congrats Raven De Lajour! You've won a copy of both books! I'll get in contact with the organisers and they'll get back to you! :D

Thanks guys for participating in the giveaways! You guys rock:)

Before the Lights Go Out:11 Keys to Achieve Real Physical Intimacy by Quiniece Sheppard

Hey guys! Today, I'll be featuring an author and her book on my blog. It's non-fiction, but I would love it if you would check it out! :D It really looks good, I'll talk more about it later!



Before the Lights Go Out:11 Keys to Achieve Real Physical Intimacy by Quiniece Sheppard


Physical +emotional + spiritual connection=intimacy. Intimacy will stop the cycle of failed relationships. Intimacy is the answer to a long-lasting, healthy and fulfilled relationship with God, yourself and others.



Quiniece Sheppard

Quiniece Sheppard is the author of “The Seven Deadly Sexual Sins”, published in April 2009, co-author of an e-book anthology titled “Christmas is More than a Myth: There is a Reason for the Season, published as a free e-book in December 2010, author of an e-book titled “Walking the Path to Real Love: 12 Steps to Practicing Abstinence and Celibacy, published as a free e-book in January 2011 and author of “Before the Lights Go Out: 11 keys to Achieve Real Physical Intimacy published in June 2011.
Ms. Sheppard also established Chasing books Book Club in March 2011 for African American self -publishers and independent authors. Ms. Sheppard is founder/CEO of “I Am the Chase Ministries, LLC”: a single women’s ministry whose mission is to promote abstinence and celibacy. Ms. Sheppard wants to help every woman define and understand her self-worth and value so she can live out her purpose and destiny.

Ms. Sheppard has spoken at several women’s conferences, a parent-teen retreat speaking on abstinence, held her own seminar in September 2010 and held her first single women’s conference in April 2011. Ms. Sheppard currently resides in Alexandria, VA but frequently travels as a motivational speaker to deliver messages of inspiration, transformation and enlightenment to make a lasting impact to audiences everywhere. Ms. Sheppard speaks at workshops, conferences, seminars, book clubs, churches, youth groups and more. To contact Ms. Sheppard, please visit her website at www.iamthechase.com or www.chasingbooks.com for more information about her ministry and book club.

Time for a excerpt!

Before we get into the eleven principles, let’s first talk about intimacy because this
will help us put these principles into practice. What is intimacy? First, let’s take a closer
look at the word.In-ti-ma-cy translates to mean “in to me.”Do you see that? This is where
the person you’re dating is able to know your thoughts, feelings, goals, dreams, desires,
and so forth. In other words, he has an emotional and spiritual connection with you. Some
would say, “I’ve found my soul mate.” A soul mate is someone who you share
commonalities with and have the same beliefs and attitudes. Once you establish a mutual
liking towards one another, you are emotionally-bonded to the person you are “into” and
that emotional bonding attaches to your soul, thus forming a soul tie. Yes, we are going
to go there!

A marriage is a soul tie as the bible states that two shall become one. In other
words, two souls are linked together to become as one. Any relationships outside of
marriage, (fornication) and against God’s will (disobedience) is what I call an illegal soul
tie. Uh oh. It’s getting ready to get tight now. (I talk about illegal soul ties in my first
book, The Seven Deadly Sexual Sins) If God hasn’t put the two of you together, then
your relationship is illegal, meaning it is not ordained by God nor is itin His will. There
are so many relationships that are dissolving because people are tied to the wrong person.
Be careful who you link up to as linking up with the wrong person can break you
spiritually, emotionally and also physically.

Remember as children we played this game called Red Rover. There were two
teams comprised of ten or more people who would join hands, face each other and stand
in two lines. (This was played outdoors) Someone would go first and choose a person
who they thought was weak and fragile to charge through the opposite line from the one
you were standing in to break or separate those who were joined hands. You would say,
“red rover, red rover, send Tiffany right over”. Y’all remember that game? If you broke
through the joined hands in the circle, then those hands that you broke through were part
of your team. If you didn’t break through those hands that you tried to break through,
then they stayed in their line. You would do this until there were no more joined hands to
break through and there was a single line. Well, what’s my point? My point is that you
betta be locked or joined to another strong hand because if you aren’t, then the
relationship will break or fall apart. If you are connected to the right hand, then your
relationship will not be easily broken. As we go through this book, I hope you will shake
yourself loose from an illegal soul tie and allow God to tie you to the right one, which is
your soul mate. The tie has a knot in it, so you can’t easily take it apart. That’s the type
of relationship you should strive to obtain. Okay, we got a little sidetracked, so back to
the conversation.

How do I know if the relationship is serious enough, where couples can take it to the
next level—engagement?Well, I’m glad you asked.Before you can be physically intimate
with someone, you have to be mentally and spiritually connected.If all you have in
common with the opposite sex is sex, then all you have is sex without the intimacy. Two
people can have sex. Yet, the question arises: Is sex physical intimacy or is it just
physical?

Sex without intimacy is just a physical encounter, not a relationship.
In society, we view the term, physical intimacy as someone having sexual relations
or being sexual with someone because there is an exchange of emotions and bodily
fluids.However, couples can experience empty exchanges, where one feels empty, lonely,
unfulfilled, unloved, unwanted and undesired, even after sex. Wow! I thought that sex
was supposed to make me feel good and wanted. Well, here’s the deal.Ladies, let’s say
that you meet a young man who shows you the attention and affection you’re seeking, but
don’t give it to you. In other words, giving is aninward expression, whereas showing is an
outward expression.For example, he can buy you flowers, candy, cards, etc. as an
outward expression of showing that he loves you, but not necessarily meeting your
spiritual and emotional needs, which requires giving.Consequently, showing ignores the
thoughtfulness and consideration in which the woman longs for.Basically, he spends his
money on you, instead of the quality time that it takes to get to know you. Others would
say that he is not “into you.” He meets your wants, but not your needs.In other words,
you want flowers, gifts, pedicures, manicures, candy and dates, but those things are
tangible.They can be replaced.However, what about meeting your spiritual and emotional
needs?

Overall, women desire to be loved, cared for, appreciated, valued, and to feel
special. Consequently, he is showing the woman that he loves her, and she also desires to
feel needed. In the relationship, couples need to express love by showing and giving to
one another.You can endow your mate with gifts and also spend quality time and
affection with the person you love. Giving requires time, effort, energy, and
consideration. I’m talking about putting in the time that it takes to get to know someone,
for real.Aside from the gifts, candy, money and dates, a lady needs a man to be into her
and discover what type of person she really is.

Showing is an outward expression of love. Giving is an inward expression of love. You
need to have both to have a solid, healthy relationship.

Money cannot replace intimacy and cannot buy love. If someone had all the money
in the world, he still would be looking for love elsewhere because loving someone is
more of an inward expression than it is outward.We have to connect with our emotional
and spiritual side for real intimacy to take place.

We have confused intimacy with sex. This is why there are sexual perversions today.
We have many sexual partners because we have not realized that sex does not make a
relationship. Some of us focus on the good sex that we’ve had with our partner, but
cannot get along with him. We have our differences. We argue all the time. We disagree
about everything. We have completely different outlooks on our goals and dreams. We
then realize that the both of us are on two separate pages in the chapter of life. The
problem is that we have no bond or true intimacy in our relationship.When the sex is
over, women need someone whom they can talk to, and who will listen. Women need
someone whom they can laugh with, or cry with. Women desire someone who shares
common interests and similarities. Moreover, women want to be with someone whom
they can spend their lives with and learn from. These things are what intimacy is about.
When we have sex before developing intimacy, then all we have is just sex.Does this
make sense to you? Am I helping you discover what intimacy is really about? Let’s go
deeper into this topic, because intimacy requires us to go to a deeper level.

To be intimate with someone means you are so comfortable being around this person
that you expose your vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Intimacy requires a person to be
open-minded. Your mate will reveal secrets to someone that haven’t been revealed to
another person.Intimacy requires trust.Additionally, intimacy can reveal one’s
weaknesses.What are some issues that you find hard to get over? What are some things in
your life that you do repeatedly even though you know it does not feel right?Vulnerability
refers to openness and honesty, whereas, weakness refers to lack of control or discipline.
Vulnerability and weakness define real intimacy in a relationship.Without these two,
there can be no intimacy in the relationship and the couple will have a difficult time
staying together.The same reason God requires us to be intimate with Him is the same
reason we need to be intimate with our significant other.Intimacy draws us closer to God,
and draws us closer to our significant other.

Don’t reveal your weaknesses or vulnerabilities until you have complete trust in the other
person. Protect and guard your heart and don’t reveal too much too soon. Only reveal a
little bit of yourself at a time.

Here are a few scriptures that show us howintimacy allows us to connect with the
other person.Psalm 42:1 reads, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul
for You, O God.” To pant means to long eagerly for something like you are desperate for
it.It also means to throb, labor or intensify your speed for something that you eagerly
desire and seek, likehow a deer pants for the water to quench his thirst or appetite.David,
the author of the book of Psalms, compares his thirst for God like a deer thirsts for
water.In other words, he is longing for intimacy with God because his soul needs
replenishing and his thirst for God needs to be quenched.He is longing for a connection,
bond and personal relationship with God. His soul yearns for the love of God, not
anything physical or tangible.He asks God for His Holy Spirit to reside in him, make
provision for him, and to renew his heart and mind. David is longing for spiritual
intimacy.

James 4:8 reads, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”This scripture
speaks in volumes, where we have a clearer understanding on the termintimacy.To draw
means to attract, to pull towards you, to sway someone else towards your side, to allure
someone else towards you and to cause someone to come in your direction. Therefore,
God will draw us to him, but to get closer to Him or more intimate with Him, then we
must pray, attend church regularly, meditate, fast, and read God’s Word.All of these
things require time and effort.Didn’t we just talk about time and effort earlier?
Time and effort both develop intimacy. If a man is spending time with you such as
talking to you on the phone, praying with you, taking you out on a dinner date, sending
you texts and emails, and doing other affectionate and meaningful things to get to know
you, then you will achieve the level of intimacy in your relationship.However, you must
do it on a regular basis to stay connected to the person you have been drawn to. Once a
person is drawn to you, it is harder for him to pull away because he is attracted to you.In
other words, now that you have connected with this person, a bond is formed and it is
harder for this bond to be broken. God is drawn to us because He cannot resist someone
who is showing Him affection, attention, love, and admiration. In addition, God is drawn
to someone who worships and praises Him. God does not turn away from anyone who is
drawn to Him. He will draw to us and grant us the desires of our heart. Again, the same
concept of intimacy with God applies in our relationships.

When we draw someone to us, this means a person propels the attraction and feels
obligated to be in an intimate relationship.Intimacy forces you to keep digging, searching,
and focusing until you have concluded that the person is “into you.” This makes the
relationship have a stronger bond, where you don’t want out. Consequently, many
relationships end because of irreconcilable differences and infidelity, which happen when
there is a spiritual and emotional disconnect. In other words, there is a lack of
communication. If you have difficulty relating to one another, resolving disputes and
respecting each other, then that means that your “fire” (intimacy), has gone out in the
relationship and needs to be rekindled.

A person who is drawn to you is least likely to leave you because there is a force within
him that makes him stay.That force is called intimacy, which means he is “into me.”

Doesn't that sound interesting? I've always wanted to know more about intimacy, especially in Bible contexts. Call me weird, but I'm not joking! It's always been something that has been bugging me for a long time especially intimacy in the current world. I was offered to review it, but I know for a fact that I won't be able to write this review well. Coupled that with the fact that school is extremely hectic, I decided to pass on it! Oh well, maybe I'll buy the book!

Buy it from Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blog Tour: Truly, Madly, Deeply You by Cecilia Robert - Guest Post


Hey guys! Welcome to my stop of Truly, Madly, Deeply You by Cecilia Robert! :D This is a contemporary romance and it sure looks great! :D



Truly, Madly, Deeply You by Cecilia Robert


Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.
What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend?



Cecilia Robert


Cecilia Robert enjoys the play and weave of words that make up a good story. She enjoys creating fantastical worlds and getting lost in them. She often meets a prince, a princess, a pirate, ordinary and badass boy or girl who take her through the wonderful world of dreaming and fantasy.

She doesn't have particular leanings to any kind of story as long as it captures her attention She reads and enjoys urban/dark fantasy romance, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi, mystery or horror as much as her children's school books.
Some nights, you can find her reading Puss in Boots for her daughter, or trying to understand how to read Manga comics from her son.


Website | Publisher Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Time for a short excerpt!


“You all right, Li?”

She nodded as her eyes swept the room, then back at him. “Really, Frey, you didn’t have to do all that. I was going to clean after the four days.”

He shrugged. “No worries, sweetheart. What are friends for?” He smiled and beckoned her to him with his free hand. She followed the delicious smell of food more than she obeyed him, and stood beside him. He smiled at her, and pulled her into one arm hug and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Feeling better?”

She nodded, peeking inside the pot. “Yes, I am,” she said, hoping her voice came out cheerful. She didn’t want to have him worried. “Smells good. What’s this?”

“Healthy food.” He turned his attention to the pot of whatever delicious concoction he was cooking and continued stirring.
Liese glanced around for something to do while he went about preparing the meal. She frowned, as her gaze zeroed in on the sofa.

“Er, Frey, what’s that?”

He glanced up from the pot, and followed her pointing finger. “Oh, that. My overnight bag,” he said nonchalantly. “Didn’t I tell you I’m staying here for those four days? No? Well, I am.” He turned, unconcerned, and continued stirring, dipped two fingers inside the array of bottles of spices in front of him, pinched small amounts and sprinkled dashes into the pot. He repeated the action a few more times before he grunted in satisfaction.

She glared at his back, watching the rise and fall of the muscles there. “No, you’re not.” She glanced up, then poked his arm with her finger to make her point. “You can’t do this to me, Frey. Another time, but not these four precious days. I need to be alone.”

Frey tilted his head slightly, his midnight blue eyes gentle and kind as they’d always been. “Sorry, I’m not leaving. Get used to the idea, Li. Besides, I have five votes from your mom and dad. We voted who should come over and stay with you. I won.” He grinned, and turned away to stir what she now saw was red sauce. The scent of mint filled the air, and her stomach grumbled.
She ignored it and twisted out from under his arm. He snatched her back and held her snug and tight against the length of his body. She leaned into his soothing touch, savouring the comfort of his fingers as they caressed up and down her arm. Her body began to relax. “If I needed you, I’d have called you and asked—”

“Eat, and then if you want to talk later, we’ll talk.” Frey pecked her on the forehead once again, then brought his hand to her face and tucked a few strands of her wayward curls behind her ear. He let her go. “Now sit over there like a good girl.”
She grunted in frustration and stalked away, well, as much as her weakened body would allow her to stalk without losing her pride. She plopped down on the sofa. “You’re no better than my parents.”

He chuckled. “You bet I’m not. I’m worse.”



And now, let's welcome Cecilia to the blog!


Beta Heroes need love too

Thank you, Victoria for hosting me on Always a Booklover.

When I started out outlining ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply, You’ I thought of a sentence for the male lead in the story. So I came up with Beta heroes need love too. Haha. Not original, I know, but very true.

In most stories, Alpha heroes get the woman at the end of the story. Yes, I love reading a story which has an Alpha male as the lead. And yes, it’s so much fun. Half my library is loaded with those books. I also have stories where the lead is a beta (best friend) male, and he would do anything to protect his friend. And loves his best friend to pieces.

In Frey and Liese have known each other for a long time. He is faithful, supportive and tolerant (which I know might be annoying to some). He knows Liese like the back of his hand, and so does Liese. Frey has managed to hid his love for Liese for years, believing she was happy with her boyfriend, and later on husband. And the only time he reveals his love is when she is no longer attached to anyone. As his best friend and someone he cares deeply for, all he wants to do is heal her of whatever hurting she is going through. Once the best friend (beta) gets his girl and they decide to take their friendship to the lovers level, everything changes, and marks the beginning of a challenging relationship.

That’s they beauty of love, isn’t it?

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Blog Tour: Consoling Angel by Denise Alicea - Promo


Hey guys!

Welcome to my stop of Consoling Angel today! So this is just going to be a short promo. I was supposed to do a review, but as you have probably already guessed, school is crazy. My 1 week hols have just started, but let me tell you, its not a holiday. I have like a million assignments. Well, this post isn't about school, so I'll just keep quiet right now! Back to Consoling Angel! Consoling Angel is a YA short story, with time travel and romance aspects. It sounds and looks really great and I really can't wait to read it! Watch out for my review:) So without further ado, let's begin the blog tour!



Consoling Angel by Denise Alicea


Mira did not know what she had in store the day she fell asleep while wanting to escape her current situation. Overcoming the death of someone close and burying herself in school and an internship has kept her somewhat awake and alive.

An admiration for the actor James Dean was all that kept the memory of her father alive. If she couldn’t be with her father, she could at least remember what they shared. She always wanted to meet James Dean.

Be careful what you wish for. It may just come true.




Denise Alicea

Born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Connecticut, she found that she was more interested in what went on in the past, than in the future. Denise always enjoys reading a variety of book genres such as ancient history, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, and romance. She has a great respect for the arts, her first love being drawing and painting. Writing is a medium that would inspire her to share the ongoing stories in her head.


Check out her Website | Twitter | Facebook


Time for a short excerpt!

My life couldn’t be more complete. As we reached the apartments, I slowly got off the bike, surprised at myself that I had done this. Ordinarily, I’d never get on a motorcycle. James leaned over and caressed my cheek. Before I could open my mouth to tell him what was to happen to him, he gave me a quick peck on the lips. I couldn’t let James walk away, not now.

Something in me grasped his wrist; my breath caught in my throat. I no longer cared about the rain. I must have looked like a drowned rat to him. “I have to tell you something,” I blurted as I waited for his reaction.

James smiled, then chuckled as he caressed my face. The rain was preventing me from seeing clearly. “Sweetheart, it’s raining and you’re soaked. I hope this is important.” Pulling him toward me, I faced him. I could change history. I could have him live out his life as he was meant to. If I couldn’t save my father, I could save him.

“In the future, when you become famous, please be careful. Remember this: there will be a day that you are off to a race. You will not see a car until it’s too late. James, please promise me. It could mean your life.” I must have sounded like a complete and total idiot to him. Geez! I think I watched Back To The Future too many times. I sounded like Marty talking to the professor about his impending death.

Chuckling, he shook his head, expelling the rain off his head and onto me. Laughter erupted between us as I covered my face. He then cupped my face, kissed my forehead. “Are you sure you’re not an angel? I cannot promise anything, but baby, I can promise I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll pick you up here and you can ditch your responsibilities. Ride with me.”

Sighing, now I knew how all those girls felt when they looked at him. What an offer that would be. Ditch school to ride with the man who was loved by so many. I was determined he’d listen to me. Gripping his hands from my face, I gazed into his eyes. “I’m serious!”

Before I could utter another word, his lips descended on mine. My body went toward him and melted. I couldn’t help but respond as I brought him closer. I was lost in his warm lips as they caressed mine. Lingering near my lips, he breathed, “I know you are.” Then, winking as he kissed me again, smiling that beautiful smile of his, “How else can my angel guard me if she isn’t with me?”


Want to buy the book? Here are some buy links!

Amazon , FictionWise , All Romance

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Winner of Giveaway of The God King

Ok I know how late this is. So yep, without further ado let me announce the winner of The God King giveaway! Congrats Raven De Lajour! You won again heh! :D in any case, I've already sent your email to the organiser. Actually, you should already have gotten your book!

So yep, once again, congrats! And thank you to all who participated! :D It really makes my day thinking about the fact that people from all around actually take time to read my blog. Especially since I've been such a bad reviewer and have not been reviewing recently! I will, I promise, I have 3 books recently read that are not reviewed!

Love you guys:D

Victoria!

Blog Tour: Return of the Legacy by KH LeMoyne - Guest Post + Excerpt


Hey guys!

Welcome to my stop of Return of the Legacy today! Return of the Legacy is a fantasy romance that looks really intriguing. I was supposed to publish a review today, but due to school, its not done yet. I promise I'll publish a review sometime soon! So yep, without further ado, let's begin! Oh yes, there are prizes to be won!

PRIZE INFORMATION

The author will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments (excluding the author's and the host's). Additionally, she'll choose two randomly drawn winners of the Dragon Rider’s Gift eBook (A Portal Tale), due for release May 1, 2012.

So yes, please help me to win? And you could win too! $25, imagine how many books you could buy with it! *wink* Yep, please do leave a comment. Be it short or long, I still love it all the same:) My day brightens up when I see a new comment! As cheesy as that may sound, it's true! :D


Return of the Legacy by KH LeMoyne


Three magical dimensions…Two mystical bloodlines…One undeniable destiny.

Born a magical empath, Logan MacKenzie has spent his life protecting his family from discovery. Evil has found them anyway. What begins as Logan’s search for answers on Earth becomes a race for survival in the magical dimension of Loci.
The battle to save those he cares about will reveal his true lineage—the bloodline of the Makir, one half of a pair of sentinels chosen to guard the mystical portals between dimensions. The price of his acceptance: a love he never imagined possible and a heartbreaking choice.

Her family attacked, her home destroyed, and now stranded on Loci, Briallen of Tir Thar, descendant of a magical race, has only to summon the power within her to return to her own dimension—or so she had hoped. Unfortunately, her powers aren’t cooperating, and the sorcerer bent on her family’s destruction will stop at nothing to possess her.
Raised without knowledge of the portals, the Makir guardians, or her own destiny, Bri takes a leap of faith in an alliance with Logan. Embracing an uncertain power and accepting his goals as hers offers her the only way home. If they fail, the consequences of allowing the portals to fall to evil are unthinkable—the destruction of every magical dimension throughout space.

Warning: This is a fantasy romance, containing magic, love, and courage. The omission of vampires and shapeshifters is intentional.




KH LeMoyne

A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne now writes romance fulltime with series in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper.

Check out her Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |


Time for a short excerpt!

It took several minutes for Logan’s pupils to adjust from sunlight to the interior of the cottage. Even so, it took several more minutes for Logan to interpret what he saw when he looked at the little girl. When he did, fear drove spikes through his muscles as he lunged across the room.

“No!”

A smoky glow, black and oily, clung to the girl’s face, seeping into her nostrils and the small crack between her lips. The black fabric quivered like a sick caress along her skin.

Without thinking, Logan tried to pull her to him. No clear plan of attack threaded through his thoughts, only the heart-pounding need to stop the evil infection from permeating the tiny body.

Instead, her body refused. A ton weight resisted his efforts to surround her with protection. The confused voices behind him rose as the child’s eyes snapped open. Red flames stared at him, a fierce, possessive force, hungry and angry at his interference.

Logan’s ring burned and glowed as he forced his hand to touch her face. His fingertips barely grazed her cheek when the child opened her mouth and roared. The hoarse projection of sound, a violent expulsion of energy, sent Logan flying backward across the room. His spine and head contacted with rock in a sharp, heavy crack that swept the air from his lungs. Body stunned but conscious, he turned his head as Bri dropped to her knees beside the twisting girl.

His mouth didn’t work to warn her.

Frozen, he could only watch while she strained to close the distance—two magnets repelling connection. The spikes of gold swirled in a fury around her, a merry-go-round of energy out of control, stronger than the blackness surrounding the girl. Tips of green and blue absorbed the fringes of the gold as a swath of bright red pulsed stronger and deeper within the core. She enclosed the girl in her arms and bent her face to the child’s neck. The variegated colors squeezed and pulsed. Each contraction of the womb around the girl forced the smoke to release and expel.

The evil struggled. The girl’s small limbs twitched with the battle. Bri held tighter. The colors around her brightened, clenched, and grew stronger.


And now, let's welcome Kate to the blog to share with her about why she writes romance and what she loves about them.


What I love about writing romances and why I write them?
Victoria, thank you for having me on Always a Book Lover for my tour!

Ah, this sounds like it should have an easy answer. After all, everyone loves a happy ever after ending, right? And I read across many genres and enjoy them so why romance?

I’ll step back a bit because I didn’t start as a writer. I started years ago as a teenage reader. And the stories I love, those I remember and wanted more of, were all wonderful romantic struggles of challenge and hardship. I’m not talking about brutal violence or anything, though I read a lot of historical romances and they have their fair share of unrest and villainous threat. It’s part of the territory.

But my focus was the interactions. I soaked up the witty or clever dialog between characters and devious plot twists. I poured over pages of sensual teases between would-be lovers as their minds confirmed the solid connection their hearts already recognized. I lingered over the way they showed their love, which for the best stories wasn’t the physical sex but the unspoken touches, thoughts, and actions. I enjoyed many stories, but certain characters and plots took stronger hold of me than others. I could see fully fleshed-out characters in some books that seem real enough that I felt like I knew them.

At first I read everything I could find. I developed lists of favorite authors. But I reached a point where the next book in a series wouldn’t be in print for many months or the end of a book wasn’t always enough for me. I found myself imagining longer endings to the stories I enjoyed, mapping out stories for secondary characters whose adventures and happy endings never made it to print. Even in my mind, these efforts played out as fan fiction, though the words never made it to paper.

Then the inevitable happened and I started to fiddle with characters of my own, settings and worlds that fit scenarios and conflicts I felt compelled to write, and endings and sequels I could control. As the writer, I get to manipulate all the elements. My own little fiefdom you might say. Yes, a ruler in a kingdom of one! Okay, perhaps some of my characters are in the kingdom as well, so it’s a bit larger, if fictional empire.

Romance is supposed to deliver that satisfied feeling at the end of a book, when characters I root for finally win the person who has become the other half of their heart. The experience of developing worlds, challenging characters, constructing unusual plots, and struggling to find unexpected ways to deliver a happy ending—and sometimes a little justice—is exhilarating. Writing romance is my first love. Given that I’m a full-time writer, it’s a good thing I don’t mind spending eight to ten hours a day coercing fictional characters to find their happy ending.

I imagine my reasons for loving romance and writing it is the same reason readers enjoy reading romance. Our roots are the same and our purpose is as well—to put aside reality, escape for a few hours and enjoy two people’s journey to well-earned happiness.

~Kate
KH LeMoyne


Want to get the book? Available in ebook & paperback from: Black Opals Books, Amazon, B&N, All Romance/OmniLit, Smashwords. So why wait? Go to those sites to get the books!

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D


Blog Tour: Shadow of Deceit by Mal Olson - Promo + Author Interview

Hey guys!

Welcome to today's stop of Shadow of Deceit. Shadow of Deceit is written by Mal Olson and it's a romantic suspense! It looks really good, doesn't it? I'm sorry this is up so late, but I was out at school the whole day and couldn't find the time to post this!



Shadow of Deceit by Mal Olson

Can an FBI agent obsessed with redemption and a grieving widow desperate to clear her husband’s name learn to believe in love again?

Shannon Riedel faces down danger when a gunman breaks into her office claiming her dead husband swindled him. When FBI agent Tony Crazaniak arrives to investigate, sexual heat sizzles. The ex-Delta Force operative’s massive presence and dark eyes trigger an attraction the young widow finds unnerving.

When Crazaniak convinces Shannon she needs his protection, they partner to unearth secrets her husband left behind—secrets involving a Tanzanian mine that yields perfect blue diamonds coveted by dealers around the world—secrets connected to a terrorist leader Crazanaik has vowed to take down.




Mal Olson


Mal Olson writes adrenaline-kicked romantic suspense. When her consuming passion for writing allows time, she enjoys reading, flower gardening, jamming with friends on the mountain dulcimer, and hiking in a nearby state forest (or in the mountains somewhere). She has three grown children and one granddaughter and resides with her own special hero in southeast Wisconsin where she juggles writing time with her freelance landscape design business.


Check out her Website


Excerpt time!

Excerpt 1:


Shannon sat, stalled, her heart pummeling like prey snagged in an icy hunter’s trap.
Someone knocked on her window.

Heart in her throat, every muscle in her body tensed as she jerked her head toward the passenger side and looked through frosted glass into the face of Special Agent Tony Crazaniak.

Relief uncoiled the knot in her stomach. She’d never been so happy to see anyone in her life. She unlocked the door, and he opened it.

“Jesus, what the hell was that all about?” He dipped his head and plunked a snow-clogged foot onto the floor mat as he grabbed her bags and tossed them over the seat.
“I don’t know, and I wasn’t sticking around to find out.”

Cramming six-foot-plus inches of man into her Porsche was like stuffing two hundred pounds of prime beef into a picnic cooler. But he managed not only to squeeze in and make himself comfortable, he took charge.
“Traffic’s moving, go!”

She eased the accelerator, launching forward into an ice-jammed gridlock of traffic crawling west.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?” His shoulder brushed against hers when he shifted in the seat.
“I would if I had the slightest clue.”

His heat made her nerve endings prickle. And as far as telling him what was going on? The “would if I could” may not have been the entire truth, but it was close enough. Besides, she didn’t want to tell him anything. Yet.
What did she actually know?

Snow bunched on the windshield as the wiper blades plowed through thick gruel, as her brain churned, as she tried to come up with an answer the FBI operative would buy. “Obviously someone’s after me.”

“Obviously. But, who?”

“I don’t know.”

“Jilted lover?”

Snapping her head around, she glared at him. The full effect of his intense eyes sent heat waves rippling down her spine.
“No.” Cheeks blooming hot, she tugged her glance away and added, “No lovers.”

She felt his scrutiny slow-slide over her. The bloom that heated her cheeks spread down her neck.
“You ought to fix that,” said Tall-Dark-and-Scrumptious.

And the fact that she noticed that he was scrumptious flustered her. She wasn’t looking for…anything. Although, she could use his broad-shouldered, don’t-mess-with-me attitude and his FBI badge riding shotgun until she ditched the Lexus.
“Listen, I’m not…I mean…” What did she mean? “Not in the market…All I want is a guard dog until I lose the lunatic in the Lexus.”

He shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” His smile slammed the scrumptious meter so high she heard bells ring, which made her reconsider her comfort level. She realized she would be safer, at least on an estrogen-to-testosterone level, without his massive presence and raw animal magnetism steaming up the Porsche’s windows.

Looking into the mirror, she couldn’t see the Lexus. She turned around and still couldn’t spot it. Even if it were there, it couldn’t pass four cars on Wisconsin Avenue on a good day, let alone in this snowy mess.

“On second thought, why don’t I pull over at the next light and you can hop out. If I want help, I’ll whistle.”

“I don’t think so.” He swiveled to look out the rear window, his mouth nearly brushing her cheek.

Too close. Too hot. Too dangerous.

She couldn’t pull over without getting stuck in the slushy excuse for a right lane, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t stop, and that he couldn’t let himself out.

When the line of traffic stalled again, she eased her foot on the brake and said with a prick of guilt over ditching him in calf-high muck, “End of the ride, Agent Crazaniak.”

He shook his head.

“I can make it home from here. Thanks for your concern.” Too bad he hadn’t worn boots.
He settled his broad shoulders against the seat.
“I no longer need your assistance.” She glanced over her shoulder again. “The Lexus is gone.”

“Not my style to leave a woman in distress.”

“Distress?” At the moment, he was the cause of her distress. All she wanted was to get rid of FBI Agent Tony Crazaniak.
Her attention snagged on the Tahoe in front of them, which attempted a jackrabbit start, fishtailed, and landed in a snow bank.
“Maybe when you get out, you could give the guy in the Tahoe a hand.”

“You need protection.”

She reached into the glove box and whipped out a gold lipstick tube. “I’ve got it.” Pepper spray. She waggled bouquet de Red Hot Chili Pepper at him.

“You need my protection.”

“How do I know you’re really an FBI agent?” She flipped off the top.

He eyed her small but effective weapon.

“Come on, Shannon, don’t mess around.” Raising his hands in surrender, he leaned away and grasped the door handle. “I don’t think you want to do that.”

“All I want is to go home. Alone…please.”

A nanosecond later, she found herself watching him stuff her pepper spray into his pocket. She didn’t know how the exchange had happened. Other than fast.

“Protective custody.” He patted his pocket. “I’ll get you home safely, and you won’t even have to whistle.”

Dear God, she was trapped in her car with a man who oozed so much male charisma she felt like she was drowning in testosterone.

“Seriously, how do I know your ID is legit? You could be an ax murderer for all I know.”

“You want to call the Bureau?” He offered his cell phone. “You can get the number from information. You wouldn’t want to trust a suspected mass murderer for the correct number.”

She rolled her eyes.

“It’s listed under Federal Bureau of Investigation. They’ll vouch that I’m a really nice guy.”

When she took the phone, his body heat clung to it and warmed her palm, irritatingly so. “Are you, really?”

“What, hiding an ax under my jacket?”

“No.” She scowled and thumbed in 411. It didn’t hurt to check him out. “Are you really a nice guy?”
“What do you think?”

She thought he wanted to interrogate her. And none of the nice guys she knew were pumped like Hercules. Rather than answering him, she spoke into the phone, “I’d like the number for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
The car behind them honked, and she turned her attention to driving and squeezed past the stranded Tahoe. While edging into the intersection, she concentrated on the snow squall, the taillights of the car ahead of them, and on memorizing the numbers the automated voice was reciting in her ear.

“Look out!” Crazaniak yelled as the Lexus materialized from the right, racing toward them. “The bastard must have turned off somewhere and circled around.”

“Jeez, he’s going to ram us!” Shannon dropped the phone and stomped the gas pedal. The tires whined and spun and finally dug beneath the slush. But when rubber found traction, the car catapulted forward too fast.
Streetlights whirled.

Her 944 swapped ends twice on the glazed surface and came to a dead stop in the middle of the intersection.

The Lexus revved its engine, its wheels pelting ice. Then rocketed toward them for a second attack.

Paralyzed, Shannon froze in terror. Every muscle in her body locked up. Static electricity lifted the hair at her nape. An image of the accident two years ago flashed through her mind.

“Hit the gas! Hit the gas!”


Excerpt 2:

The gun Shannon came across at the bottom of a neatly folded stack of masculine attire on her bed shouldn’t have surprised her. She’d seen the agent’s Glock earlier.

Intrigued, she reached for the pistol, an object that seemed so out of place in her bedroom. As though she were familiar with handling firearms when she wasn’t, she wrapped her hand around the grip then jerked her head toward the bathroom door, conjuring up thriller fantasies.

But she didn’t have to conjure anything when she noticed a letter poking out of Crazaniak’s inside jacket pocket. Nor did she have to imagine the fact that the closet door stood slightly ajar. Her stomach clenched, a mix of anger and unease. Had the FBI agent been nosing through Tyler’s belongings?

Tit for tat—the urge to sneak a peak overwhelmed her. Her heartbeat ratcheted up as she shifted the gun to her left hand and reached for the letter.

At that instant, she sensed a presence behind her. Even as the sound of water pounded the walls of the tub enclosure, Shannon knew in her heart of hearts that six foot-plus of dripping wet, naked man stood not relaxing under the water jets, but hovering five heart-palpitating feet away.

“Want to toss me my clothes?” he asked.

Unwilling to face him, she remained quick-frozen like a pillar of ice.

“Tell me you weren’t snooping in my things,” he rumbled.

“Tell me you weren’t snooping in my closet.”

“ I wasn’t snooping.”

She eyed the edge of the letter. “I thought I’d treat your duds to some suds. You want to hang out in my robe for a few?”

“Not enough material there to cover my manly attributes. I’ll settle for day-old Jockeys, and what the hell were you doing with my pistol?”

“Nothing.” She almost turned around.

Her chest thumped. The thought of Crazaniak au natural not only spiked her pulse, it titillated her imagination. She waited for a chord of guilt to strum across her heart. It didn’t happen. Instead, discord fluttered low in her abdomen, and she sensed him moving closer.


And now, let's welcome Mal to the blog for a short interview! :D



Hi Mal,  it’s lovely to have you on the blog today!

For starters, why not tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?
MO: First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to be a guest on your blog.

Very few people know that I played the accordion all the way through school, and that my first job (during high school) was teaching accordion lessons at a music studio.  (Maybe people don't know that because I haven't played the instrument in years.).   

What made you want to become a writer?

MO:  Writing is in my blood. It seems I can't not write.  For so many years, it's been my dream  to be able to share my stories with others.  Finally, with my debut--Shadow of Deceit--I will be seeing that dream come true.

Did you have other aspirations/dreams in the past, or have you always wanted to be a writer?
MO: I always loved to write, and during my senior year in high school I was editor of the school newspaper. For many years, writing was simply a pass time, dabbling here and there, participating in writing groups and taking classes in creative writing. Then one day my oldest daughter and I decided to write a romance novel together.  As a matter of fact, we co-authored two romantic suspense novels. Then we branched into working on individual projects.  We still critique each other's work. (I'd be lost without her input.) From the minute we started those projects, I've been totally focused on becoming a published novelist.  It's been a long time coming, but now I am one.  :)

When coming up with your characters, who or what is your biggest inspiration?
MO: I suppose I'm subconsciously inspired by real life people, as well as favorite characters in movies, books, and TV.  From that inspiration, my adaptations and reincarnations seem to brew in my thoughts until a character just shows up on my page.

How do you get your ideas for your story?
MO: A newspaper article will sometimes  get my creative juices flowing, as well as lyrics in a song, or a unique setting while traveling.  The ideas come from everywhere.

Could you tell us a bit about your book and why it is a must-read?
MO: FBI agent, ex-Delta force operative, Tony Crazaniak risks his career when he collaborates with a young widow.  Shannon Riedel is desperate to prove herself and her husband innocent of diamond trafficking with the terrorists who  killed Crazaniak's Delta Force team three year before.

 A must read?  I like the way one of my reviewers put it: "Non-stop action, sexual tension, and an adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat . . . A fantastic book that had me from page one. A must read, and a book you just have to have!!" This was a five star review from someone who reviews 150 plus books a year and gives very few five stars.   

What do you love most about the writing process?
MO: It's exciting to work out a completely new plot and story.

And of course, do you have a particular favorite character? I know an author will love most if not all of the characters he/she creates, but I’m sure there must be a favorite of yours! So who is it, and why?
MO: I love Tony Crazaniak for the same reasons Shannon grows to love him, because he's hard-as-granite tough, yet human enough to be afraid of exposing his demons.

Will you tell us a little about your plans for the future?
MO: Finishing more of my favorite kind of story—adrenaline-kicked romantic suspense—that's my goal for the future.  My WIP is another stand alone RS centered around a female rookie sheriff, her field-training officer and a police dog  named Rambo.

I've also got the adrenaline series in the works--stories about men and women who are members of a CIA counterterrorism team, the risks they face, and the romances that spark on the brink of danger.  Edge of the seat suspense, edge of the heart romance.

And of course, are there any other books that are in the works? (Ideas thought out, perhaps even a rough draft?)
MO:  Guess I jumped the gun on that last question, so I'll tell you about two freebies I'd love to share with my readers. Me and Brad brings together a cop, a lonely young woman, and a forlorn canine. It's a feel-good short story that you'll find on  amazon.com, smashwords.com and on my website—www.malolson.com--and, another action-packed romantic suspense, a  short story, where a female Air Force pilot and an ex-Delta Force operative (one of the supporting characters from Shadow of Deceit) survive a rock 'n roll landing on an icy runway and chase a could-be terrorist into the Danger Zone.  This is also free on my website, at smashwords.com, and I'm waiting for amazon.com to "price match" it so it'll be free there also.

And now, just some little random questions!

Favorite colour?  Lavender

Favorite place? Everywhere in Norway

Favorite book? everything by Suzanne Brockmann. If I had to pick one, Breaking Point

Favorite thing? You got me there.

What you do when you’re free:   read, hike in the nearby natural areas, play the mountain dulcimer, watch Packer football.

Favorite day? Sunday

Favorite Sport? football  (as a spectator, of course)

Hmm, I think that should be about it for today! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog today, Mal! Wishing you all the best in your career! :D

MO: Thank you! It was a pleasure to be here.


So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

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