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Thursday, August 31, 2017

Must Love More Kilts by Angela Quarles - Book Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!



Hello lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Angela Quarles and her new book, “Must Love More Kilts”!

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a Gift Basket including a signed copy of the featured book AND souvenirs!!  See below for more details.  Also, come back daily to interact with Angela and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Please note that this giveaway is only open to USA residents.  Sorry INTL – please check out other giveaways on this blog!

Must Love More Kilts
Angela Quarles
(Must Love #4)
Publication date: August 29th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel
What if your husband turns out to be the man sent to kill your ancestor?
A choice to make…
Highland Games fanatic Fiona Campbell believes her only compelling quality is her family’s history, myths, and legends. So when she travels back to 1689 Scotland and discovers she’s the Fiona of family legend, you’d expect her to be excited. And she is. Except that the legendary warrior she’s to save her ancestor from is the hottie in a kilt she just handfasted. 
A heart to heal…
Duncan MacCowan trusted his heart once to the wrong woman, but when a strange lass drops into his life and pries opens his heart once again, he impulsively handfasts her. Yet before visions of domestic bliss are even done dancing in his head, she flees on the night of their wedding, leaving him brokenhearted and even more convinced that he can’t trust his own instincts when his heart is involved. 
A family legend that will tear them apart
Fiona wants to shake her fist at Fate–she finally meets the man of her dreams but can’t have him because of the family legend? Not cool, Fate, not cool. Duncan believes he’s just terrible at picking women and is resigned to being alone. But as their attraction proves too strong, they dare to tempt Fate, but can Love conquer Fate? 

EXCERPT:

CHAPTER ONE:

“So you’ve returned,” Duncan rasped, the words catching, slicing through a too-dry throat. “The woman who one moment handfasted with me”—he swallowed to ease his throat and blinked, hoping to keep the phantasm in view—“and the next turned me out of bed in disgust.”

Was…was the lovely nighean wiping his brow indeed his Fiona?

His Fiona.

Ach, fever-addled his mind was. The handfasting, her disappearance… But that was several weeks past. More events had transpired, he was sure.

Sharp pain speared his shoulder and filtered across his chest, a reminder.

The battle…
“What happened?” The words scratched past his parched throat, but he’d be damned if he let that stop him. Wincing, he rolled upward, but his muscles protested, and he dropped back against the unforgiving mattress, jarring the pain in his shoulder. The movement set his world spinning, his head strangely a-whirl. Mo Chreach, what ailed him?

He clamped his eyes closed, as if to shield his roiling stomach.

A warm hand pushed against his chest, the touch gentle but firm. “Easy now,” her melodious, oddly accented voice said near his ear.

Day and night that voice had haunted him since first he’d heard it.

She pushed her arm under his shoulders and gripped him tight, the fabric of her clothing cool against his heated skin. Her scent, like the freshest grass in spring and the sweetest flowers, enveloped him. “Try to drink this.” She raised him slightly.

He cracked an eye open again. Aye. ’Twas Fiona. Feverish he might be, but never could he be forgetting the night she secretly pledged herself to him and then pushed him away.

Nor could he ignore how her nearness now acted as a balm. A balm which soothed his confusion and pain.

His eyes had a dry, dragging weight to them. He blinked. Forced them open. Though darkness cloaked the room, save a lone, flickering candle near the bed, he recognized the bare stone walls and sparse furniture of his own chamber. How…?

“It wasn’t disgust.” Her voice was small, tentative.

Before he could reply, she pressed the tin cup to his mouth, the metal cool against his parched, dry lips. He took a sip, quickly swallowing. Bitter. Metallic. Not as putrid as old Hamish’s concoction. Och, she could be poisoning him, to be sure, but his mind was so clouded, his body so racked with pain, that he cared not.

He eased back against the pillow and closed his eyes, the exercise strangely exhausting.

“What happened?” he asked again.

“What do you remember?”

Smoke from the discharge of hundreds of rifles and the scattered cannon of the Williamites. Confusion as the battle waged in the twilight. The vacant eyes of their chieftain fixed on the blue-night sky. And then… “Yourself. And Traci appearing at the battle. Dundee, shot.”

“No,” she whispered. He shouldn’t find even the tone of her voice lovely, but curse him, he did. “You were shot. You took the bullet meant for him.”

Shot. He edged his hand up his chest, the action disconcertingly hard to achieve. His fingers searched, touched. Met with stiff fabric. That explained his shoulder. The ungodly pain. But he’d suffer that and more if it meant Dundee lived.

Did he? “And Dundee? Iain?” He dropped his arm back to his side.

“Both survived the battle.”

A light feeling suffused him, the relief easing the last of his tension, though it highlighted the pain clamping down on his shoulder, throbbing. “I must be going to the great hall. Help me arise, woman.”

She pushed against him, her enticing scent shrouding him anew. Near her elbow, the candle lent enough light to caress the gentle, sloping line of her neck, delicate jaw, round cheek, and…

Holy Mother. Those eyes. Those gray-blue, intelligent but playful eyes. Eyes that had also drawn him that first night they’d met.

So enthusiastic, she’d been. Her smiles. Och, made just for him they seemed, though he’d told himself it couldn’t be so. But as the night spun onward, and his defenses crumbled, he’d thought… Well, he thought he’d finally found the one person who made him feel wanted for himself, not for what he could do for them. Aye, he’d finally and inexplicably felt at home.

As they handfasted in secret, trusting his instincts, he spun fancies as to the shape of their shared life. The little ones they’d create together. The belonging he’d feel. Already felt.

However, when they were to lay together, she recoiled, and he cursed himself for a fool. Cursed the whisky he’d consumed. For he’d forgotten his heart’s poor judgment. Longing speared through him anew, rivaling the pain in his shoulder.

Concern marred her forehead, but he’d be unwise to believe it meant anything more. They’d handfasted, aye, but that meant nothing if the other didn’t acknowledge it. Especially in these modern times with the Kirk frowning on such declarations, and with no witnesses.





AUTHOR BIO:
Don't miss Angela's next release! Sign up for her newsletter http://bit.ly/1sde3Qi and be notified when the next book goes on pre-order/sale, and also receive exclusive content! 
Angela is a USA Today bestselling author. Her debut novel MUST LOVE BREECHES swept many unpublished romance contests, including the Grand Prize winner of Windy City's Four Seasons contest in 2012. Angela loves history, folklore, and family history, and has been a hobby historian for twenty+ years. She decided to take her love of history and her active imagination and write stories of love and adventure for others to enjoy. When writing, she's either at her desk in the finished attic of an historic home in beautiful and quirky Mobile, AL, or at her fave spot at the local Starbucks. When she isn't writing, she's either working at the local indie bookstore or enjoying the usual stuff like gardening, reading, hanging out, eating, drinking, chasing squirrels out of the walls, and creating the occasional knitted scarf. 

GIVEAWAY!


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party.  Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Xpresso Book Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette.  The featured author and Xpresso Book Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

XBTBanner1

Vigor by J.C. Valentine - Book Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!



Hey lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host J.C. Valentine and her new book, “Vigor”!

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!!  See below for more details.  Also, come back daily to interact with J.C. and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Vigor
J.C. Valentine
(Spartan Riders #3)
Publication date: August 29th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
USA Today and International bestselling author J.C. Valentine is back with the latest in her electrifying, dangerous, and provocative world of the Spartan Riders MC… 
After escaping an abusive marriage, Spartan Riders bartender Ginger “Red” Mercury is determined to live life on her own terms. When the club’s VP declares her untouchable and stakes his own claim on her, she finds herself ready to wage war.
A year after inoculating the threat from notorious cartel leader Ricky Cruiz, Garrick “Repo” Stone, the last-standing original member of the Spartan Riders MC, has his focus on something else: monogamy. Having decided to settle down and take an ol’ lady, he has his sights set on Red…and he has his work cut out for him if he hopes to win her. 
When a new threat makes itself known, threatening everything the brothers stand for and care about, they’re left scrambling to find out who’s behind it before it’s too late. With the high-stakes game of war looming over them, will Red be able to open her heart to love before outside forces pull her and Repo apart?

EXCERPT:

The bastard had fallen asleep on her couch. Ginger glared daggers at his skull, willing him to wake up before she resorted to violence. He couldn’t sleep there!

But he was also so peaceful looking, she couldn’t bear to wake him.

Oh, the struggles of a single, horny woman!

The options were many, including but not limited to, hitting him over the head with a throw pillow. But that handsome face, so gentle and sweet in repose, was killer on her heartstrings. There was only one answer to why she was even debating it, and it was that she was going soft.

How many men had she kicked to the curb over the years? Dozens. Granted, they’d all been at the compound, because she flat out refused to allow men into her apartment, but still. A room was a room, and personal space was personal space.

And Repo was Repo.

Correction: Garrick.

He was a stubborn fool on his best day, and besides…she liked him. Kind of. Maybe.

Okay, she did. A lot.

But he didn’t have to know that!

She found herself staring at his mouth. Those shapely lips, outlined by a beard so soft and white it often earned him references to Santa Claus, had been between her legs last night, giving her such pleasure she’d thought she’d go blind.

The memory itself gave her shivers.

She shouldn’t, but she wanted more.

Touching her own fingers to her lips, she remembered the way his felt on hers, and even further back to when his body had had hers. They’d been together multiple times over the years, but none were as memorable as that one night so long ago. It was so hard not to relive it, and she’d spent years trying. The problem was, Garrick was a man who left an impression. Everywhere he went. It was the reason so many women fell to their knees before him—literally. Once you had a taste of Garrick Stone, everyone else was a poor substitution.



AUTHOR BIO:
J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn't sorry. 

Living in the Northwest, she has three amazing children and far too many pets. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor's in English and when she isn't writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors. 

Sign up for J.C.'s newsletter and never miss a thing! http://bit.ly/1KxXWWB

GIVEAWAY!

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party.  Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Xpresso Book Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette.  The featured author and Xpresso Book Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

XBTBanner1

Winter Signs Sarah Gai - Book Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!



Hi lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Sarah Gai and her new book, “Winter Signs”!

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!  See below for more details.  Also, come back daily to interact with Sarah and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Winter Signs
Sarah Gai
(Season Named, #2)
Publication date: August 31st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
‘She may not hear, but her world is far from silent’
Winter Harris had everything she ever thought she needed–a soulmate, a best friend, and the one person in this entire world who made life worth living. He was her everything–until he was ripped from her life. 
Nolan Reed never thought he would lose his heart the first day at his new school, but he had no choice the moment he laid eyes on Winter Harris. The only problem was, she wasn’t his to love. 
When a tragedy occurs, lives are changed in ways they can never come back from. Will the years gone by be enough to fix the shattered pieces of Winter’s heart? Can Nolan ever be enough to help heal it? 
‘A delicately handled heartache, that will leave you breathless and thinking about it long after you have finished reading’




AUTHOR BIO:
So this is me in short. I'm plus size and completely adorable (or so my husbands tells me) A momma of three princes who light my world. I drink way too much coffee, chocolate is a staple. I love to write after midnight and my love for short stories will never fade. With such a limited amount of time to enjoy quiet writing, I have mastered the skills of fitting a lot into a small amount of pages. Humour keeps me smiling and well.. if you've read my books you'll know that I put a lot of myself into the characters. And to answer your questions. My best friends and I forgot the part about growing up and love every minute of it. Aside from writing I also run a publication IndieLove Magazine, promoting Indie Awesomes from a range of fields and professions. Check it out at www.indielovemagazine.com
In 2017 I will be saying goodbye to Chick lit for a while and heading into Contemporary Romance. I hate to be put in a box! Join my street team at www.sarahgai.com and come have some fun! 
Love to all xo. 
Wanting to write for all the women out there who want a good short read about strong friendships, romance and body positive, love the skin you're in kind of fiction. Check out http://Facebook.com/sarahgaiauthor or www.sarahgai.com

GIVEAWAY!

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party.  Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Xpresso Book Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette.  The featured author and Xpresso Book Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

XBTBanner1

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The MacBrides: Logan and RJ by J.L. Petersen - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host J.L. Petersen and her new book, “The MacBrides: Logan and RJ”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with J.L. and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


The MacBrides: Logan and RJ
by J.L. Petersen

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

Logan, the eldest of the MacBride clan, is thrilled at his brother Clay’s pending nuptials to Sandy. But when Sandy’s sister RJ arrives at the family’s ranch, Logan’s world is turned upside down. However, the sisters’ shared past has created scars and barriers against love testing Logan’s ability to push aside his need and patience to win RJ’s trust and ultimately her unwavering love.

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EXCERPT TWO:

Logan studied the woman. He’d bet his favorite horse she thought she was portraying herself as stoic. All he saw was a woman on the verge of breaking. Remorse filled him. He jumped in thinking he knew where the trouble was as he had done with virtually all his siblings since their father died. Now he wasn’t so sure he had approached this situation right. Straightening, he rubbed the back of his neck and tried again.

“Look, I may have jumped the gun a bit. There’s obviously something wrong that has both of you in tears. Can’t I help?”

Frowning at his words, RJ tried to determine if the man was playing her. She’d been burned before by family trying to manipulate her with caring to get what they wanted. Studying him, she captured his image as she would one of her pictures. Studying it for all the nuances not readily seen. Tall, lean with a broad chest, he stood with an ease many would envy. His hair was mostly covered by his cowboy hat, but black locks escaped at the back of his neck. His face was all angles with sharp cheekbones, strong forehead and a nose that looked like it had been broken along the way. His lips were firm and his eyes deep blue.

The eyes held her. There seemed to be sincerity in them but something else was pulling at her. When her mind grasped what that was, she sucked in her breath. Want. And, as if he realized she saw his wanting her, his eyes narrowed and became more intense. She pulled her gaze away quickly, and once again, turned towards the balcony doors. Gathering herself from the shock of his wanting her, she realized her body was tingling. Not good.

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not something I want to discuss with a stranger.”

Logan was stunned to know she saw his desire for her. It only seemed to heighten his need to grab her and hold tight. When she spoke, he knew he needed a bit of space to process what was happening to him. “I can appreciate that. But don’t be hasty about leaving. Why don’t you join us at the ranch for dinner tonight? If you come about four, you and Sandy can have some private time to talk.”

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GUEST POST:

Who Inspired My Love for Books

I’m not sure one person in particular inspired my love of books. My mom always made sure I had books as a child and especially as a pre-teen/teenager. I found books as a way of providing me with entertainment when I had no other forms. I’m an air force brat and there were many times during a relocation I had no friends. As I worked to cultivate friends in the neighborhood or school, I had my books to keep me entertained. I migrated to YA type romance in my teens to Harlequin and the like in my college years.

When it came to writing, from an early age, I would imagine being the heroine in those stories. Eventually, I would find myself starting to think about the storyline while lying in bed and rework them a bit.  I actually got to the point that I would fall asleep building whole stories in my head and I would try to write those stories down.

I married straight from college and relocated to Colorado, following my husband to his new job. Once again, books helped me through those first months of not knowing anyone. I worked at writing stories during my free time but never quite seriously. As life would have it job, career success, kids etc. took over and writing was put to the side. But a few years ago, I was involved in a self-discover weekend with some girlfriends where writing surfaced many times. It was if the place I was in in my life and my buried passions finally came together and presented the opportunity. From there, I challenged myself to actually take the time to complete a book. Now, I just published my fourth book.

I love this place I’m at in my life. The ability to be fearless in writing my stories and putting them out there for others to, hopefully, enjoy. It’s a wonderful feeling.

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AUTHOR BIO:


J. L. Petersen lives in Denver with her husband. She finds inspiration in her adopted state of Colorado. She's enjoyed reading all types of romance for years and finally found the courage to start telling her own stories. Ms. Petersen believes love is the strongest, most powerful of emotions. It allows us to trust, believe, forgive and have hope. Her stories try to bring those emotions to her characters.

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CONNECT WITH J.L.:


Publisher Website:

Email:
jpetersen0313@gmail.com

Facebook:

Twitter:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle:

Amazon Paperback:

Barnes and Noble:

Kobo:

Apple iTunes:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

J.L. will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Escape from Heartland by Jacquie Gee - Book Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!



Hey lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Jacquie Gee and her new book, “Escape from Heartland”!

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win exciting prizes like an assortment of sweets (flag sugar cookie & chocolate hearts), stylish sunglasses, $25 Amazon/or Apple Gift Card, eBook copy of ‘Escape from Heartland’, hot pink lip gloss and matching nail polish, and a Shine Bright bookmark!!  See below for more details.  Also, come back daily to interact with Jacquie and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Please note that this giveaway is only open to USA and CA residents.  Sorry INTL – please check out other giveaways on this blog!

Escape from Heartland
Jacquie Gee
(Heartland Cove, #2)
Publication date: August 22nd 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
We hardly know each other, yet somehow, on some unexplainable level, it feels like we’ve known each other forever. 
Jules Bates is a fish-out-of-water in conservative, small town, Heartland Cove. A modern girl with modern dreams that have so far taken her all the way to father’s bait shop at the end of town. There, she spends her days, elbow-deep in worm dirt. She can’t remember the last time she’s been on a date, or dressed in anything but a lumberjack shirt and hip waders. Her life seems to be at a stalemate. It’s like her best friend said, “The perfect guy doesn’t just walk through your door and sweep you off your feet, you know?” 
Or does he? 
Jayden Sievert is on a mission, to solve the mystery of his life. But first he needs to track down a ghost. One in particular. The legend of Heartland Cove. Arriving in the small town, with his ghostbuster wannabe equipment in hand, he purchases the Caldwell place, much to the horror of the townsfolk—a stately Georgian Manor overlooking the sea, with a less than pleasant past. No one’s been brave enough to set foot in that place for over a decade. 
Is this man mad? Or perhaps just a little crazy? 
Jayden ignores them all. He knows the key to his success lies in his ability to minimize distractions, but then he meets Jules. Could she be the answer to the long-buried secret that Jayden’s spent a lifetime searching for? 
The second in the series of sweet romances set in fiction Heartland Cove, this contemporary coming-of-age romance features a deliciously unexpected paranormal twist!

EXCERPT:

“Maybe she was here and left. I was supposed to be here sooner. Maybe she thought I was a no-show.”

“Maybe. But she would have texted. Anna’s not one to give up that easily on a sale.”

“Well, then, I guess we’d better keep looking for her.” I lean against the doorjamb, feeling the cold air encroaching on us again.

The muscles along the sides of Jules’ jaw twitch, as lightning snakes across the front bay windows. Then, without warning, the air hits Jules in the back, tossing her forward into my arms. I instinctively catch her as thunder strikes and it appears she’s leapt into my arms because of it, but it’s actually the ghost at play. He’s tossed her into my arms.

“What was that?” Jules cranks around looking very distressed.

“I dunno for sure.” I shake my head. “But you better stay close.”

She clings to my chest. No argument there.

Lightning strikes again and thunder crashes. “She’s an angry one and she’s close.”

“Ridiculously angry,” Jules adds.

“Is this a typical Maritime thing?”

“No,” she snaps, trembling. “I don’t remember rain even being in the forecast!”

Another crash of thunder and she scowls, looking deeply troubled. It sounds like it’s hitting right outside the door. “You’re right.” Jules’ eyes look like they’re about to pop from her head. She talks a mile a minute. “Anna must have left. Otherwise, we’d have seen her jeep. She can’t be here, or she’d answer me. We should go.” “She whirls around, ready to bolt from the building, and I catch her by the waist.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” I say into her ear, pulling her to me, her feet still kicking. “No sudden movements, my friend. Besides, we can’t go out there right now in the middle of all this.” I look again to the lightning streaking the panes of the windows, like fireworks now. Every window of the house is affected, illuminating in rapid sequence. Thunder booms all around us, shaking the rickety old structure.

“Well, we can’t very well stay here.” Jules glowers into my eyes, as I lower her to the floor. “I’ll take my chances.” She turns, about to bolt again, and a particularly loud crash of thunder sends her screaming back into my arms.

“I think it’s best if we let things die down out there a bit.”

“I think you’re right.” She buries her face in my chest. Her skin is warm and soft in contrast to the cold air around us, closing in tighter with every moment.

Jules looks up as lightning slashes the windows again. She lets out a small shriek and digs her nails into my chest.

“It’s only a storm,” I say, trying to comfort her.

“I don’t think so,” she gasps. The lights above the staircase flash on and off again. A strong crack of thunder hits, driving a gasping Jules to crawl the fronts of my shins. “Okay, look,” she says, breathlessly, fearfully, staring up into my face. “There’s something I should have told you. This place is haunted, okay?” Her words come out fast and slightly garbled, her voice trembling as hard as her hands. “I probably should have told you that on the drive up here, but Anna said she really needed the sale, and there was the possibly of her winning the trip to Hawaii to consider and—”

“I know.” I gaze down at her.

“You know about the trip to Hawaii?”

“No.” I laugh. “I know about the house.”

“You do? And you came to look at it anyway?” Jules scowls. Her voice cracks.

“Call me crazy—”

“Evidently!”

“And you’re a very good friend, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Thunder crashes again and she snuggles close. The cold air presses us even closer.

“I’m… ah…” I start, feeling as though I owe her some sort of explanation. I can’t tell her all of it, but I should tell her something. “I sort of fancy myself a bit of a paranormal sleuth,” falls out of my mouth. It’s not completely the truth, but it’ll have to do for now. I feel guilty lying to her, but I swear when this is all over, I’ll tell her the truth.

“So, like a ghostbuster wannabe, is that it?” Jules pulls back, her voice nearly shrieking.

“Something like that—”

“You knew this could happen, and you dragged me up here?”

“No!” I frown. “I—I had no idea this would happen.” I run a flustered hand through my hair. What does she think I am, a monster?

“Unbelievable.” She drops her hands from my chest. “I knew this was too good to be true.”

“What was?”

“Never mind.” She turns her back to me.

“Look, i-if it’s any consolation, this is not what you think.” I move closer. “It’s not voluntary. I have a gift or something. I—I see things—”I stammer, trying to explain the unexplainable.

“Omigawd, you see dead people?” She melts away from me.

“No, no—not like that. Well, sort of—”

She glares back at me, panicked.

“Okay, no, that’s not it.” I put up a hand. “No, that’s exactly it.” Jules gulps. “But only sometimes, and especially when they’re related to me—”

“Fantastic. So, what? You know the guy that haunts this place?”

“In a roundabout way, yes.”

The wind picks up, throwing the chimes that hang on the porch outside sideways into the wall, causing both our heads to snap around. A second gust of wind drives the chimes into the door and Jules back into my arms. The cold air intensifies, engulfing us like a blanket.

“It’s a long story,” I whisper in her ear. “Maybe I’ll tell you sometime over a beer—”

“I don’t drink beer.”

“Okay, fine, what do you like? Wine?”

“Moscato.”

Another resounding crack.

Jules screams. “I have to get out of here!”

“No, wait!” I reel her back when she tries to run again, catching a flash of green glowing light out of the corner of my eye. I pull her even closer than before.

“So, let me get this straight,” she clings, her breath jagged. “You make a living by talking to dead people?”

“No, not usually.” Gawd, I hate lying to her.

“But that’s why you’ve come to the Cove. To talk to a dead person.”

“One in particular, yes.”

“Why is that?” She glares up at me.

“Well, I was hoping this could wait till our second date, but, okay …” I glance briefly at the floorboards then back up into her eyes. “I came to talk to a ghost about my heritage. I’m hoping to find out exactly who I am.”

Thunder cracks so loud it drowns me out. I’m not sure that she’s heard me.

“And this ghost, he’s here, now?” Jules voice wobbles.

“I dunno for sure.” I glance around.

Thunder booms and lightning flecks like a light show. Hinges creak, and both our faces snap around and stare at the door, gape-mouthed and terrified, as it grates slowly open, revealing the raging storm outside. Wind howls within. The door gasps open and closed.

“I think it wants us to go.” Jules swallows as lightning wildly stripes the sky.

“I think you might be right.” A blast of thunder shakes the floorboards, and I grab her hand and step forward, as the door slams furiously shut, and the lock falls with a clunk. Jules’ body shakes at the end of my arm. “What do we do now?”



AUTHOR BIO:
Jacquie Gee is the alias of Jacqueline Garlick. Maybe you’ve read her? 
We are one and the same. Two faces of one author with very different writing styles. That way, I keep readers happy by keeping my writing passions separated. 
On a personal note, I love to talk… strange for a writer, I know, but I do. I’m told I can be pretty funny, though, my kids see things in a different light. I love to write romances with a strong, sassy, heroines, and scrumptiously, gorgeous leading men. I write sweet romance surrounded by chocolate and an overweight sheltie. Neither of which are related. And there are always with fresh flowers in the room. Raised in a small town in the country myself, I like writing about them best. I mean, who doesn’t love a small-town? Enough about me, what about you? 
Drop me a line and let’s get to know each other. 
jacqueline@jacquelinegarlick.com I love to hear from readers! 

GIVEAWAY!

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party.  Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Xpresso Book Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette.  The featured author and Xpresso Book Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

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Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Ivar’s Prize by Amy Pennza - Book Blitz - Guest Post - Interview - Giveaway - Enter Daily!



Hi lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Amy Pennza and her new book, “Ivar’s Prize”!

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!!  See below for more details.  Also, come back daily to interact with Amy and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Ivar’s Prize
Amy Pennza
Publication date: July 10th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction
Nadia Green has everything–power, prestige, and a fiancé. That all ends when she’s sentenced to life on the prison planet Tolbos. Within hours of landing, Nadia finds herself captured, stripped, and placed on an auction block, where she’s purchased by Ivar Holok, a brutal warlord with golden eyes and an ability to wield kaptum with a mastery unlike anyone she’s ever seen. 
Ivar is instantly attracted to the beautiful slave, but he suspects her presence on Tolbos has sinister implications. The Council wants him dead, and what better way to achieve its goal than by planting an irresistible assassin in his bed? No matter how much he wants to trust her, Ivar has to protect his people–even if it means denying Nadia her freedom. He vows to keep her enslaved and at his mercy until she confesses her involvement in the Council’s schemes, but he didn’t count on the slave enthralling her master. 

EXCERPT:

Ivar Holok watched the auction from the edge of the crowd. All around him, men cheered and laughed as the woman on the platform twisted and fought to free herself from the manacles.

Ivar could have told her that was pointless. He knew they were reinforced with kaptum. Dario might look like he was short on brains, but he was a savvy businessman. He took no chances with his merchandise.

And this female was a prime specimen. Taller than average, she had long, lithe legs that flared into gently curving hips. Her full breasts were proud and high, her small nipples a becoming rose color. His cocked twitched as he watched her breasts bounce with her movements.

Dario faced the crowd as he rattled off the woman’s attributes. An appreciative murmur ran through the assembled men when she aimed a kick at his ass, her booted foot nearly connecting with her target. She threw her head back and screamed.

Ivar winced. Healthy lungs.

“Better watch out, Dario!” a man near the front called. “If looks could kill, you’d be a dead man already!”

The merchant gestured to Axos, who grabbed her legs and jerked off her boots and socks. He sailed the boots one by one into the crowd, followed by the pants that had puddled around her ankles. One man brandished them in the air like a trophy.

Now fully divested of her clothing, the woman gazed across the crowd, her eyes searching and desperate. Her long red hair had fallen over her shoulder in her struggle with Axos, and one dusky pink nipple peeked through the bright strands. The sleek muscles of her legs flexed continuously as she struggled to remain on her toes. Even after such a short time on the pole, Ivar knew her arms had to be on fire from bearing almost her full body weight.

Dario sidled up to her and swept her hair away from her breasts. “As you can see, gentlemen, this one is hot as flame!” He moved his hand to her flat belly, then slid it lower and cupped her bare sex. “As to whether she’s a natural redhead, you’ll just have to take my word for it!”

The woman jerked away from his touch, giving the men a look at her shapely ass as she twisted sideways. Her chest was a mottled red, and her breasts heaved as though she’d just run a long distance. Ivar discreetly adjusted himself.

He looked out over the crowd, which had swelled with the nude woman displayed on the platform. She raised up higher on her toes, her small, delicate features twisted in obvious pain. Dario attempted to pry her lips apart to show the men her teeth. She snapped at his hand, and he danced back. The crowd guffawed.

Ivar narrowed his gaze. She didn’t lack for courage. Most women would be weeping and begging for mercy by now. Most men too. But she kept her head high as she looked over the leering, boisterous crowd.

Her gaze connected with Ivar’s, and it was like a punch in the gut. He sucked in a breath. It was impossible to see her eyes clearly from where he stood, but he couldn’t look away. It was as though she held him captive with her stare. He crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at her, then watched, astonished, as her chin rose a notch higher.

“It’s a shame such beauty fell into Dario’s hands,” Porter said next to him, ending the unsettling moment. “He’ll sell her to the highest bidder without a second thought.”

Ivar looked at his second-in-command and grunted. “That’s the way auctions generally work.”

Porter gestured with his chin toward the other side of the crowd. “Not this one. Not with him here.”

Ivar followed the direction of his gaze. A small group of men strode to the edge of the crowd and began shoving their way to the platform. Their leader punched a man in the back of the head, making him crumple to the ground and then kicked him out of the way and kept moving. The crowd immediately parted. The leader swaggered toward the platform, his long black hair loose over his shoulders.

Dario’s face split in a broad smile that didn’t fool Ivar. The fat little merchant made his way down the steps, moving quickly despite his girth. “Raddoc! We are honored by your presence!” He bowed, his nose almost touching his knees.

Behind him, the woman stilled, her gaze now fixed on the huge man dressed all in black. The long column of her throat convulsed as she swallowed.

“How much?” Raddoc asked in a deep voice, his gaze never leaving the woman. One hand rested on a broadsword at his hip.

Dario wrung his hands. “Ah…well, we haven’t started the auction yet. If you wish to bid—”

“Five liters.” Raddoc snapped his fingers, and one of his men flung an old rucksack to the ground. It fell open on impact, revealing five canisters beaded with condensation.

The crowd gasped. The men closest to the canisters jostled each other as they tried to get a better look. One man crept close, his hand outstretched, only to be sent sprawling to the ground by another of Raddoc’s men.

“I do believe that’s a record bid,” Raddoc said, gesturing to the precious water.

Dario stared at the canisters, and Ivar could almost see the gears turning in his brain. In a blink, his expression changed from subservient to calculating. He glanced back at the naked woman. “It’s a princely sum, to be sure. But as you can see, this slave is fit for a king. Everyone should have a chance to bid—”

A meaty hand fastened around his throat. Raddoc lifted him off the ground, the muscles in his arm bunching. Dario’s legs flailed.

The merchant sputtered and coughed. “P-please.” His eyes bulged.

Raddoc paid him about as much attention as a gnat. Still clenching the merchant’s throat, he pivoted slowly, his black-eyed gaze falling on the crowd. “Who here can match my price?”

A tense silence fell over the crowd, the only sound Dario’s gurgling protests. All around, men lowered their eyes. A few turned and shouldered their way out of the gathering.

Ivar glanced at the platform and caught his breath. The woman was staring at him again. For the first time, she looked afraid. She sagged against the chains.

Raddoc pulled Dario forward until they were eye to eye. “Looks like I won your auction, fat man.” He opened his hand, and the merchant fell to the ground, his face an angry purple. His mouth gaped as he sucked in air. Raddoc snapped his fingers at one of his men and pointed to the platform.

“Go fetch my new slave.”

Ivar uncrossed his arms. “Ten liters!”

* * * *

Nadia watched as heads jerked toward the warlord standing on the edge of the crowd. Up until now, he’d been so still, she’d wondered if she was imagining him. The only thing he’d seemed to move were his eyes, which occasionally roved down her body with a heat that made her cheeks burn until she was certain they were as red as her hair.

Even with the distance between them, she could tell his eyes were an unusual color—a pale, glowing gold that reminded her of the holo-vids she’d seen of lions that had once roamed Earth. His hair was shaved so close to his head it was impossible to tell the color, but everything else about him was golden, from his strange eyes to his tan skin.

He shouldered the men in front of him aside. Murmurs rippled through the crowd as he and another man moved toward the platform, their pace unhurried.

Raddoc scowled and put his hand on his sword hilt. “The auction’s over, Ivar,” he growled. “The slave is mine.” The wind caught at his long mane of hair, sending the lank black strands whipping around his shoulders. At first, she’d thought his face was dirty, then she’d realized it was tattooed with strange swirling symbols a few shades darker than his skin. His men bore the same markings, although none had his monstrous teeth, which were filed to sharp points.

When he’d grinned at her, she’d felt truly hopeless for the first time since the head magistrate had read her sentence back on the starship. Until that moment, she’d thought that being stripped naked and chained to the pole was the worst thing that could happen to her. Then the black-haired warlord had flashed his razor-sharp smile, and she’d nearly given in to the blackness that beckoned at the edges of her mind.

For some reason, she’d sought out the golden warlord on the edge of the crowd. Their eyes had locked, and he’d stepped forward just as she’d begun to slump into a faint.

Now he and his companion had reached the space in front of the platform where Raddoc stood surrounded by his men. The golden-eyed man stepped deliberately over the canisters and stood over a still-gasping Dario. He gave the little merchant a considering look, then lifted hard eyes to Raddoc.

“Ah, Raddoc. You never did like playing by the rules. You heard our friend here. The auction hasn’t started.”

Raddoc’s hand tightened on his sword, and he took a step forward, bringing the two men toe to toe. Seeing them like this, there was no question they were both warlords. If Axos and his men were giants, these two were inhuman. They towered above the men around them, their big bodies roped with muscle. More than that, they practically bristled with weapons. Sunlight shined off the edges of blades tucked into belts and pockets. Like Raddoc, the golden warlord had a broadsword, but he wore his strapped to his back, its thick hilt a visible reminder that this was clearly not a man to be trifled with.

“I bid five liters,” Raddoc said, his eyes glinting. Metal flowed down the insides of his arms and formed into knives. His men stirred but didn’t pull any weapons.

The warlord he’d called Ivar leaned into him. “And I bid ten.” Behind him, his companion drew a short sword from a sheath on his leg. It rippled and sprouted a jagged edge where it had been smooth a moment before. Nadia gasped. Kaptum could transform, yes, but the transition had been flawless—like living art.

“You’re outnumbered, Ivar.” The pointed teeth flashed. “I could kill you where you stand.”

Ivar’s reply was so quiet, Nadia had to strain to hear it. “Do it. You and your people will be dead in a week.”

Something on his arm drew her eye, and she squinted as she tried to make it out. At first, she thought it was an insect, but that was impossible. There were no insects on Tolbos. A darkly-inked tattoo slid from his biceps to his forearm, where it curled around his skin like a snake. She blinked and shook her head, trying to figure out what she was seeing.

The wind whipped around the platform. Nadia sucked in a breath, waiting for either man to make the first move. Raddoc stepped back, and she exhaled on a shudder. He glanced at her, then leaned to the side and spit. A wad of glistening saliva hit the ground with a wet smack. Without another word, he pivoted on his heel and walked away, the knives dissolving and slithering back up his arms. His men gathered the canisters and then hurried to catch up to him.

Ivar watched them go before casting his gaze over the crowd. “Does anyone else wish to bid?” Men shuffled their feet and kept their eyes trained on the ground. Seemingly satisfied, he reached down and hauled Dario to his feet. “You know where to find me. I’ll have your ten liters waiting.”

The merchant massaged his throat and nodded, his bald head shiny with perspiration.

The golden eyes fixed on her. She tensed. The weight of his stare was even more intense up close. He strode to the platform, planted a hand on the wood, and vaulted his body over the edge. He stopped in front of her, and she fought the urge to shrink away from him. Instead, she forced herself to look at him, craning her neck back as her eyes traveled up and up his body. He stared down, his cruelly handsome face a mask that revealed nothing of his thoughts or feelings. His gaze dropped to her breasts as he reached a long arm up and tapped the manacles. The metal bracelets snapped open, startling her.

She fell forward, and he caught her, mashing her breasts against his chest. Big hands massaged her arms and shoulders.

“How…” She stared at his chest. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

She tried to pull back, but he held her in place, his fingers still kneading her arms. “The manacles. You just touched them and—”

“Ask your questions later.”

She snapped her mouth shut. His order rankled, but she was hardly in a position to argue with him.

He stopped kneading and slid a hand to her wrist. “Come.” He pulled her to the platform’s steps.

“Wait!” Her bare feet skidded on the rough wood.

He rounded on her. “What?”

She stepped sideways so his body blocked her from the crowd’s view. “I…I’m not wearing any clothes.”

His gaze flicked to her chest. “I noticed. Now, come.”

GUEST POST:

10 Things Every Aspiring Writer Should Know

As a new author, I’m still navigating the publishing journey — and when I say “navigating” I mean stumbling around and banging into everything, occasionally knocking stuff over. Each step on the path to publication has featured a steep learning curve, but the good news is there has never been a better time to sit down and write something you feel passionate about.

If you’ve been bitten by the writing bug, first: put something on that so it doesn’t get infected. Second, relax because the internet is a goldmine of resources. The title of this post could easily be “Everything I Needed to Know about Writing and Publishing I Learned Online.” Okay, not everything, but I owe a lot to authors who have come before me and generously offered advice and tips on the web. Here are the top 10 takeaways I’d like to share from my own writing adventures.

1.   Write the Book First

When you’re just starting out, creating characters and devising plot elements, it’s tempting to dream about what your book’s cover will look like. Who hasn’t stood in the shower, fantasizing about the dedication page for their first novel? To everyone who said I wouldn’t make it — suck it. These are fun exercises, but you’ll never get to do them for real until you finish that first manuscript. When I really buckled down and got serious about writing a book, I didn’t allow myself to google literary agents or publishers. My only goal was to finish a manuscript. Take it step by step, and make writing the first one.

2.   There Are Many Paths to Publication

The traditional route to publication involves submitting your manuscript to literary agents, securing representation, and freaking out waiting while your agent submits your manuscript to editors at publishing houses. There is nothing wrong with this approach, but it’s not the only option these days. Don’t overlook small publishers and digital-first publishing houses. They put out high quality books, and many don’t require authors to have a literary agent to submit manuscripts.

3.   Write Every Day

This is advice I see often. It’s simple, but it’s spot on. Carve out time to write every day. Even if it’s 100 words — even if it’s 10 — get something on paper (or computer screen) somehow. Write on a cocktail napkin if you have to. Writing is like working out: it’s easier and more rewarding if you do it all the time. It’s also easy to get out of the habit quickly if you stop.

4.   The 30,000-word Slump Is Real

Slump…hump…whatever you call it, there is a “sticking point” in every first draft that makes you want to give up and swear off writing forever. You get to about the 30,000-word mark, and you run out of steam. Suddenly, your plot is like overcooked macaroni noodles — all stuck together and unappetizing.

For me, the way out of this is to go at it like a mom determined to get the doorbuster on Black Friday. I just keep shoving doubt and obstacles aside until I get that sweet, sweet word count in my cart. Other people like to jump to a different part in the book and write a scene they’re excited about. However you handle it, know that a lot of writers experience (and overcome) it.

5.   You Probably Can’t Quit Your Day Job (at Least Not Right Away)

Unless you write the Great American Novel and sign a deal for a six-figure advance, you’re probably not going to make enough money to quit your regular job. The phrase “starving artist” isn’t exclusive to painters. There are many, many authors publishing many, many books. However, if you’re persistent and talented and willing to hang in there and continue improving your work, you’ll be successful. Maybe not “dining on a private yacht on the French Riviera with Oprah” successful, but successful enough.

6.   There Is No Right Way to Write

Does your favorite author post Instagram photos of her antique writing desk on the veranda of her beach house on the Nantucket Sound, complete with Cocker Spaniels and mugs of Earl Grey tea? It’s probably a kick ass writing environment, but that doesn’t mean yours has to look like that. In other words, do what works for you. James Joyce wrote in blue pencil and sometimes crayons. Charles Dickens wrote his manuscripts in longhand (not that he had much choice) in a pronounced downward slant. Sir Walter Scott wrote on horseback. Lewis Carroll wrote standing up.

There is no magic formula for writing, nor is there an ideal environment for getting words on the page. Whether you write at the kitchen table, in your car during your lunch break, or in between the kids’ naps, what matters is that you’re making progress.
 
7.   Be Willing to Hustle

Once you’ve written your book, landed a publishing deal, and watched your precious manuscript launch into the literary world, your job as an author is far from over. Being an author today means promoting your work — and yourself. Many authors are naturally introverted, so self-promotion can feel as awkward as a sixth grade dance. Be willing to invest time (and some money) into things like social media and advertising.

8.   Focus on Writing Before Anything Else

“Wait. Didn’t she already cover this in #1?” Yes, I did, but it’s worth repeating because it’s so important. If you talk about writing and dream about writing and think about writing, but never actually write the darn book, you never will. Don’t let that happen.

9.   Don’t Get Derailed by Rejection

Subtitle: Get a thick skin, fast. In elementary school, we called this “I am rubber, you are glue.” Rejection is a reality for all writers. At some point in their career, every author you’ve read and admired was just starting out. Most likely, they heard “no” more than once. Heed agents and editors who take the time to offer critiques — they usually only do that if they see promise in your work. But don’t let rejection shut down your creativity (or your soul). You can hear no a thousand times — all you need is one yes.
  
10.  Patience, Grasshopper

Few aspects of writing — and the business of writing — happen quickly. It takes months (or more) to write a manuscript. It can take just as long to find a literary agent or publisher. Once you’ve secured a publishing deal, you can expect multiple rounds of editing. And then, when you’re finally published, growing your career as an author takes— you guessed it — time. Like most good things, however, the end result is worth waiting for.

INTERVIEW:

Good morning Amy!  Welcome to Fabulous and Brunette!  We are thrilled to have you here and can’t wait to learn more about you and your new book, “Ivar’s Prize.”

Why do you write romance?
I always answer this by replying, why not write romance? What’s not to love? There are so many genres of romance, from historical and sci-fi to young adult and suspense. In the past, I think it was de rigueur to downplay romance as a “women’s genre” or somehow “lesser” than other genres. Fortunately, I think a lot of that attitude has gone away as people realize that romance offers a mix of just about everything. If you like thrillers, you can find that in romance. If you’re a fan of dystopian fiction, romance has that, too. It takes talent to weave a romance into a secondary plot, and I think many readers see that now. You can even see it in the sales. According to Romance Writers of America, romance books netted $1.08 billion in 2013.

Do you write full-time?
I do, but my day job is copywriting. People often ask me if I get burned out with writing because I spend all day writing marketing material for companies and national brands, but I really haven’t experienced burn out. If anything, copywriting is good exercise for fiction writing. In copywriting, every word matters — and excess gets cut. You have to maintain high quality, but you also need to be fast because someone is paying for your time. I guess you could say that copywriting is like a work out and penning fiction is like strutting around in a bikini — you feel a heck of a lot more confident doing the latter because you put in the hard work on the former. (That’s totally metaphorical, by the way. You’ll never get me in a bikini.)

Are your books based on your life?
This always makes me smile…then I feel kind of awkward because my books feature high heat levels and mega sexy time. Ivar’s Prize is about a sex slave auction on a prison planet in the dystopian future, so I can’t say I drew from personal experience for that one. So far, my plots spring solely from my imagination.

What does your writing day look like?
Well, I’m very fortunate in that I work from home, and I have a flexible work schedule that allows me to take breaks and type out a scene in the middle of the day if inspiration strikes. Most days, however, I work a normal “office” schedule from around 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with breaks to get the kids from school and make sure the cat isn’t eating my houseplants. Once the kids are in bed, I switch to fiction mode. My goal is 2,000 words per day, but I don’t always hit it. I find that after about 2,000 words, I’m out of steam and need to recharge my brain (and remember to eat).

Where do your ideas come from?
Honestly, they really do just pop into my head. Inevitably, I’ll get two or three new ideas while I’m working on a first draft. It’s super tempting to drop what I’m doing and chase after the shiny new idea, but I force myself not to do that. I’m also a big proponent of shower plotting. I always seem to untangle the biggest plot snarls when I’m standing in the shower. It must be because your brain is on autopilot when you’re in there. (And it’s way safer than driving plotting.)

How much research goes into your books?
Quite a bit, actually! I am a huge fan of books with detailed worldbuilding. Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs are two authors who do a phenomenal job with this. Even if you’re writing a book set in your hometown, you have to make readers feel like they could visit and immediately recognize the “set.” For Ivar’s Prize, I wanted people to have a strong sense of how desolate Tolbos — the prison planet — is. I read about surface conditions on Mars, as well as studies and conjecture about ways to power space shuttles across an interplanetary system. It’s subtle, but there is a global warming/climate change theme running through the book, and it is very much intentional. Research is probably the most exciting part of starting a new book.

What is the hardest thing about writing?
For me, it’s sitting down and writing every day no matter what. Writing really is like a muscle — if you don’t exercise it, you get kind of flabby and just generally blah. There is no “perfect” time to write for anyone. We all have a million responsibilities: kids, work, taking the dog to the groomer, etc. Most people have to sacrifice at least one thing they enjoy doing to make time for writing.

What surprised you about the publishing process?
The sheer number of choices authors have today — and this is a great thing! I’ve wanted to write since I was old enough to know what that means. When I got serious about publishing a few years ago, ebooks were still sort of new, and most publishers were just starting to switch to email submissions. I feel very fortunate that authors have more paths to publication today, whether that’s traditional publishing with a big house, a smaller publisher, or self-publishing. As a reader, there are never too many books!

Your book, Ivar’s Prize, is a sci-fi romance. Is there a specific reason you chose science fiction?
I really love smart, strong female characters, and I wanted a setting where the heroine isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with an Alpha male. And I thought, “What conflicts and crappy situations can I throw at her to make her personality traits shine? How can I make this guy admire her right from the start?” Without giving too much away, I can say that Nadia is sent to a futuristic prison planet and given the choice between taking the easy way out but compromising her beliefs and working in grueling conditions but maintaining her dignity. I needed an extremely harsh, brutal world where the inhabitants are forced into a “survival of the fittest” environment to survive. That sort of world worked best in a dystopian future. I also love worldbuilding, and sci-fi gives you a fantastic opportunity to do that.

What are you working on now?
I’m wrapping up the first in what I hope will be a three-part series on werewolves with special “gifts” and an ability to form lifelong bonds with their mates. The first book has been so much fun to write, and I am smitten with the hero — an Alpha in every sense of the word. Seriously, some of these scenes are scorching hot, and I can’t wait to send this one off to my editor!

Thank you so much for spending time with Fabulous and Brunette readers and sharing your exciting new book with us!  We wish you all the best on your book tour!


AUTHOR BIO:
Amy Pennza is an author of romantic fiction that’s not afraid to turn up the heat. A lawyer-turned-copywriter, she’s much happier behind a keyboard than she was in the courtroom. A mom of four, including a set of twins, she always has a granola bar and a package of baby wipes handy. After years in Tornado Alley, she now makes her home in the Great Lakes region with her husband, kids, and one very persnickety cat. You can visit her at amypennza.com

GIVEAWAY!

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party.  Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Xpresso Book Tours.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette.  The featured author and Xpresso Book Tours are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

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