Thursday, September 18, 2014

Double Major is LIVE

Double Major is a novella of second epilogues to books 1-4 of the Portland Storm series. It is approximately 35,000 words long.

It's the NHL's draft day, but the whole Portland Storm team is back together for an entirely different event. Complete with a double wedding, an unanticipated guest, overdue apologies, unexpected goodbyes, and fresh starts, this big day has the potential to get them all called for a Double Major.


Buy it now at:

Amazon
iBooks
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

Also, IN THE ZONE is available for pre-orders at the big ebook retailers.


Here's the working blurb (subject to change):



It was supposed to be one night of fake names, half-truths, and anonymous sex. Neither of them was prepared for it to turn into so much more. Keith Burns, star defenseman for the NHL’s Portland Storm, was just looking for a way to pass the time and ease the loneliness of his lavish lifestyle. Brianna Hayden wanted to find herself again after health issues changed everything. That one night turns out to be so much more than either Keith or Brie expects, but anonymity is the name of their game, and the rules were laid down at the outset. Pushing for the truth might land Keith a permanent spot in Brie’s penalty box, but it’s a chance he’s willing to take. Once he gets In the Zone, he’ll be on the forecheck—but Brie’s heart is the goal he’s seeking.


You can place pre-orders at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. It releases on November 20, 2014.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Box Sets, Box Sets, Box Sets!

They're all live! If you didn't pre-order them, go out and snatch these box sets up now. They're each only $0.99, and they're only available for a limited time.



Seven best-selling New Adult romance authors offer the first books in their series. From tattoo artists, to billionaires to rock stars, and everything in between, you're guaranteed to get hooked on one or more new series. 

This compilation contains more than 450,000 words, all for 99 cents! 

The contributions are: 
Tall, Tatted and Tempting by Tammy Falkner
He's a tattoo artist in NYC. She's living on the streets, and spends her time busking for change in the subway tunnels. One broken nose later, and he takes her home with him to keep her safe. But she has secrets, and she's not willing to share them so he can help her. Not until she absolutely has to in order to protect someone he loves. First in the Reed Brothers Series. 

Live for You by Marquita Valentine
For years, I had the perfect life and the perfect career as the reigning princess of country music, Violet Lynn. Then after one drunken night, my mug shot went viral. Unable to withstand the questions from the press or the sight of my ex-boyfriend with my ex-best friend, I ran... straight into the arms of one bad boy bartender, Cole Morgan. The first book in the Boys of the South series. 

At Any Price by Brenna Aubrey
An online virginity auction. A geek girl virgin. A sexy CEO. When he's the winning bidder, she gets more than she bargained for. Is he playing her or is he playing for keeps? First book in the Gaming the System series. 

The Trap by Beverley Kendall 
I always thought Mitch and I were the kind of couple who could make it through anything. I didn’t think anything could come between us, including the hundreds of miles that separated us when he went away to college. 
It took getting pregnant for me to realize how wrong I was. First book in the Trapped series. 

Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick
Can a famous girl step away from the spotlight and have a normal life? Hailey Bloom is going to find out . . . only she never expected to find love along the way. The first book in the With Me series. 

Breakaway by Catherine Gayle
Dana Campbell's panic attacks make it impossible for her to have a normal relationship with a man, at least without someone to help her through them. Her older brother's best friend, Eric Zellinger, is the only man she trusts enough to ask. As the captain of the NHL's struggling Portland Storm, he can't afford to lose focus--but he can't say no to Dana, either. First book in the Portland Storm series. 

The Trouble with Goodbye by Sarra Cannon
One terrifying night in Boston changed everything for Leigh Anne Davis. She heads home to the small town of Fairhope, Georgia to reclaim her old life, never expecting to meet a guy like Knox Warner, the troubled newcomer with eyes as haunted as her own. She's drawn to him, but if she wants to save what's left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.Only the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it's about courage and sometimes it's about fear. And sometimes you're too broken to know the difference until it's too late. First book in the Fairhope series.

You can buy Beginnings now at AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooks, and Kobo.

Next up, we have Playing for Passion: A Limited Edition Collection of Bestselling Sports Romances.

Love is the name of the game in this limited-edition boxed set of sizzling sports romances. Twelve New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and award-winning authors put you right in the action with scintillating stories of hot athletes and the women who prove love is the ultimate game-changer. 

Dare to Love by Carly Phillips: Riley Taylor believes herself immune to domineering men—until charismatic team owner Ian Dare turns a kiss into an assault on her senses and she learns she likes his brand of control in the bedroom. They complete each other, but Riley's past is closer than she cares to remember—and her struggles against Ian’s dominance might cost her everything.
 
Breaking Away by Toni Aleo: Phillip and Reese are happy in their single lives. They do what, who, and how they want, but from the moment they meet, attraction is undeniable. Soon, they’re willing to get tangled in the sheets. But one night turns into two, and two into three, until they find themselves in a repeated dance of “One Last Time” that has the potential to be more. 

Hook Me by Chelle Bliss: Michael Gallo found his calling in life—he wants to kick ass. The title is no longer enough—he must capture the woman of his dreams. 

Bigger than Beckham by V.K. Sykes: Sports mogul and soccer star Tony Branch takes one look at sexy Martha Winston and her soccer team and decides he wants both. But Martha has no intention of submitting to Tony’s demands—until he gives her no choice! 

Love Bats Last by Pamela Aares: The baseball diamond isn’t the only field for all-star Alex Tavonesi; he also runs his family’s prestigious vineyard. But what he can’t seem to run is his love life. When love’s in the game you can’t play it safe... 

Schooling the Player by Allie K. Adams: Women throw themselves at star pitcher Zach “Breaker” Evans, and he plays the field. When curvy Becca Porter moves in next door and treats him as nothing more than a neighbor, he goes all-out for her attention. One night, one party, and one winner-takes-all bet, changes everything. 

Crashing the Boards by Jami Davenport: Professional party crasher Izzy Maxwell needs team captain and reluctant party guest Cooper Black’s cooperation, but he can’t get past his hockey team’s relocation to Seattle. Can Izzy melt his frozen heart or will this party crash along with her fledgling business? 

Breakaway by Catherine Gayle: Dana Campbell’s panic attacks make it impossible for her to have a normal relationship with a man. She asks her brother’s best friend, Eric Zellinger, for help. As the captain of the struggling Portland Storm, he can’t lose focus—but he can’t say no to Dana, either. 

Perfect Pitch by Mindy Klasky: When cocky star pitcher DJ Thomas slams reigning beauty queen Samantha Winger in an interview, Sam seduces him even as she uses their notoriety to promote her kids music program. Can Sam and DJ's blazing relationship survive when DJ's son begs to trade Little League for music class? 

Inside Heat by Roz Lee: Identical twins Jeff and Jason Holder share everything on and off the field, including Megan Long. When Jeff is injured, he could lose everything he loves: Megan, his brother, and his career. It’s going to take more than physical therapy to mend relationships and get him back on the mound. It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love. 

Fire on Ice by Dakota Madison: Firestorm Center Kian Kavanagh dominates the ice like a rock star on stage. After Taylor Thompson's heart was shattered by her high school's most popular jock, she vowed never to date another athlete, but after a chance meeting with Kian, Taylor's walls are in danger of being burned down by Mr. Fire on Ice. 

Game Misconduct by Bianca Sommerland: Oriana Delgado’s father owns the Dartmouth Cobras, but he doesn’t own her. When he treats her future like another play, she changes the rules and picks her own lineup. But the intended deke turns into the real thing, and the game can’t be won in one lusty night.

Buy Playing for Passion now at AmazoniBooksBarnes and Noble, and Kobo.



And finally, we have From the Ballroom and Beyond.

Nine best-selling, award winning authors bring you a limited time collection of full length, sexy stories of Regency Romance. Lose yourself in nine historical tales of passion, laughter, desire and intrigue, right along with a breathtaking group of scoundrels, rogues and libertine lords—and the spirited ladies who tame them. This box set includes: Ava Stone's A Scandalous Past, Rose Gordon's His Jilted Bride, Jerrica Knight-Catania's More than a Governess, Catherine Gayle's Twice a Rake, Deb Marlowe's The Love List, Julie Johnstone's Bargaining with a Rake, Claudia Dain's Much Ado About Dutton, Jane Charles's A Reluctant Rake, and Christi Caldwell's My Lady of Deception!

Buy From the Ballroom and Beyond at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks.

Only two more days until Double Major releases! Go snag it, too. :)

Thursday, September 11, 2014

New Book, New Sneak Peek, New Links

In all the insanity of my life in the last couple of weeks, I forgot to update my blog with the links for purchasing Taking a Shot, which is available now. You can buy it at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo US, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords.

And in one more week, you'll be able to buy Double Major, the novella that is a second epilogue to all of the previous books in the series. You can pre-order it now at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo US if you don't want to wait. :) Here's the third and final sneak peek into that book.



DANA:

We really shouldn’t have left Laura in charge of the bachelorette party, despite the fact that she was one of my best friends—and one of our joint bridesmaids—but somehow she’d finagled her way into that position, anyway. I should have tried harder to insist that Sara would be better suited to the task and had Laura deal with the bridal shower. Instead, the pair of them had ended up in charge of the exact opposite event we had been hoping for.
Laura meant well, but she’d had so much on her plate lately with Katie’s illness and graduating high school, and then also with Dave retiring and moving into a different part of his career, that she had forgotten some things—like my panic attacks. Even now, she seemed so caught up in the moment that she wasn’t aware of my extreme discomfort.
That was how I ended up in my current predicament. Not only did I have to figure out a good excuse for turning down wine and other drinks at every turn, but I also had virtually nude men shaking their thong-clad backsides in my face in the hope that I’d shove a bill in the string. That wasn’t going to happen. I’d come a long way in the last year and a half but not so far that I had any intention of touching a strange man’s ass. But because I was one of the two brides, the strippers were paying particular attention to me, no matter how many times I refused to participate. At least they didn’t touch me. They just hoped I would touch them—and at least that left me in control of the situation.
Sara would have probably found a classier bar to take us to instead of a strip club. Then I would only be dealing with the alcohol aspect of this uncomfortable night. It was too late for a change of plans, though.
Once the current stripper gave up and went to shimmy for Rachel, our waiter came over. He was wearing pants, thank God, but no shirt, just a bowtie, leaving his waxed chest bare.
“You sure I can’t bring you something, sugar?” he asked, giving me what I was sure he thought was a seductive smile. To me it only seemed smarmy. “Brides drink free at bachelorette parties here. I could get you a sauvignon blanc…a sex on the beach…maybe a pomegranate cosmo?”
Katie leaned over so she could whisper in my ear. “Get something and give it to me if you don’t want it. Mom won’t notice tonight. She’s…distracted.”
I rolled my eyes at her and turned my attention back to the waiter. “I’m sure. Just water for me.”
“Spoilsport,” Katie muttered, but she was grinning. She knew there was no chance I was going to give her alcohol with her mother sitting three seats over. She should just be glad that her father didn’t know she was here. Yeah, he knew she was with us, but I doubted Laura had filled him in on the precise details of her plans for the evening.
Katie was eighteen now, so she was a legal adult, but that didn’t mean he was any less protective of her than he always had been. Especially not after she’d just been given a clean bill of health.
The waiter worked his way through the rest of our group getting more drink orders, and a new song came on, signaling a new stripper coming to the stage. I tried to brace myself for another onslaught of naked man-flesh wobbling in my face.
“So why aren’t you drinking?” Katie asked, sipping from her Shirley Temple. She kept her voice down so she wouldn’t catch anyone else’s attention. “You never drink much, but you usually drink some.”
Her mother had asked me the same question earlier, narrowing her eyes on me as though that would give her X-ray vision into my mind. I’d managed to brush Laura off long enough for the show to start up and drive her attention away from me.
I would have thought the show would distract Katie, too. She was only eighteen, and I was pretty sure she’d never been to a strip club before. Yes, Portland was the strip-club capital of the United States, but they were almost all clubs with female strippers. I only knew of one that had male dancers, and it was a gay club that only catered to clientele with XY chromosomes.
“I just don’t want to be hungover tomorrow,” I hedged. “Not for my big day.”
“One glass of wine isn’t enough to give you a hangover.”
“But one leads to two…”
“You’re pregnant,” Katie whispered. “Aren’t you?”
Before I could answer, a naked butt cheek was waving in my face, nearly whacking me in the nose he got so close. In my haste to get away, I leaned back in my chair so far I almost knocked it over and fell onto the lap of whoever was sitting behind me. I had to close my eyes and concentrate on remembering to breathe so I wouldn’t start having a panic attack. That wasn’t exactly how I wanted to spend the night before my wedding.
Katie helped to right my chair, and my eyes shot open wide. She took one look at me and then leaned across the girls between her and her mother. Laura had a fistful of dollar bills, and Katie whipped two of them free. She shoved them into the dancer’s thong and smacked him on the ass, and he went away.
“Aren’t you?” she repeated as soon as he was gone. She was acting as if what she’d just done had been no big deal, like it could have been an everyday occurrence. How could she be so calm about something like that?
“You can’t say a word to anyone,” I hissed at her. “I might not be. I don’t know yet, I just think I might be. But no one knows, no one at all, and Eric should be the first to find out about it if I am.”
I’d just realized this morning that I was almost a week late. With everything leading up to the wedding, it hadn’t even crossed my mind. Eric and I always used protection, but nothing was one hundred percent fail-safe. It could just be the stress of wedding planning that had thrown a wrench in my cycle, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
Katie grinned. “But you don’t want to take any chances tonight in case you are.”
“Right.”
“Our little secret. Not gonna say a thing to a single soul.” She shot her eyes over to Sara, and her lips twisted into a bit of a grimace, and I knew without her saying another word that she was thinking the same thing I was. Sara had just miscarried a couple of months ago. I didn’t know how she’d take it when she found out I was pregnant—if I was pregnant. She’d been through a lot of counseling, but this was definitely going to be a blow. I wanted to make sure I handled it well, if and when it was time to let her in on the happy news.
Things like this were just one of many reasons I really liked Katie. She was young, but she was very sweet and thoughtful.
“We should get one of those tests,” Katie said. “You should find out tonight so you can tell Zee tomorrow.”
That was actually an excellent suggestion. If there was one thing that would make tomorrow more perfect than it already should be, it would be being able to tell Eric I was going to have his baby.
I nodded and winked at her now, and she turned her attention back to the stage. None of this seemed to be fazing her, even though it was shocking me to my core. I mean, there’s a difference between knowing strip clubs existed and experiencing all they had to offer half an inch away from your face. I kind of wished I could go back in time and revert to the knowing-they-exist phase.
We had more than just the women in the wedding party here tonight. Several of my former teammates from my high school and college hockey teams had joined us, as well as some of the women I’d worked with at Love Handles when I’d still lived here in Providence. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves, at least—much like Laura and Sara were. Rachel kept blushing, her cheeks turning as bright red as her hair, and Katie seemed almost immune. And then there was Noelle Payne, who had her back turned to the whole thing so she could talk to the woman behind her. I had to laugh at her ability to tune it all out. She might as well be at home or at work, or anywhere but with a bunch of almost-naked men gyrating nearby. She was oblivious to it all in the best possible way.
I made up my mind to try to be more like her for the rest of the night. Whatever it took, I wasn’t going to let any of this get to me. I wasn’t going to let it set me off. I’d been doing too well lately, and the last thing I wanted to do the night before I got married was allow something as silly as this to cause me to take a step backward.
I turned back to Katie. “So…you and Babs. When’s this going to become a real thing?” I understood all the reasons they hadn’t become an official couple before now, but those reasons seemed to have all evaporated. Katie was old enough now and wasn’t in high school anymore. The cancer was gone. Her dad was going to be one of Babs’s coaches now, not his teammate—but Sara and Jonny had already tackled that hurdle and come out all right in the end. There didn’t seem to be anything else standing in the way of the two of them becoming the couple we all knew they were destined to be.
She turned big doe eyes on me—sad eyes—and my heart ached for both of them before she even opened her mouth.
“I don’t know if we will be a couple. I don’t want to hurt him, but I just…”
I couldn’t make heads or tails of that. Those two belonged together.
“You just what?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “It’s just that Jamie should be the first to find out.” She brushed a tear away from her eye, and then she forced whatever was breaking her heart out of the way for now. “That’s not what we’re here for. We’re here to have a good time.”
I didn’t know if that was possible for me, but I grinned for her benefit. “Okay. But if you need to talk…”
“I know. But let’s focus on you for now.”
        I couldn’t stop myself. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to me for a side hug. “Just don’t hurt yourself unnecessarily.” That was something I had experience with—not my fault, of course, but still. I didn’t want to see her run away from something she ought to be running toward.



Finally, I know I've told you at least a little bit about Comeback and Dropping Gloves (the 6th and 7th novels in the Portland Storm series), but here's a working blurb (subject to change) for each of them.

Comeback:

Nicky Ericsson has had a long fight with addiction, and because of it he lost his spot as the Portland Storm's top goaltender. He's on the road to a comeback--both in his personal life and on the ice. He's throwing himself into charity work, recovery group meetings, training...all the things he needs to do to become the best version of himself he can be, and to keep himself clean. He has no other choice.

Jessica Lynch has been running the Portland office for the Light the Lamp Foundation for a few years, so she knows a thing or two about addicts. One of the main things she's learned is that even when they try to turn their lives around, sometimes the addictions get the better of them. Because of that, she takes a hands off approach, keeping her heart out of things.
Nicky's attempts to better himself puts him in directly Jessica's path more often than not, and their attraction is instant and mutual. Can he prove that he won't fall back into old habits, and complete the perfect comeback?
Jamie Babcock has done everything possible to let go of Katie, but she keeps coming back, and she keeps crushing him all over again when she leaves. There are only so many times he's willing to let his heart be trampled on. At some point, he has to draw the line. Doesn't he? Only, when it's Katie, he's not sure that's even possible. She's back, but for how long he can't be sure.
But Katie will stop at nothing to convince Jamie she's back for good--even dropping gloves--because in the game of love, all bets are off.



Available on February 19, 2015.

Pre-order links: Barnes and Noble, iBooks

Dropping Gloves:

Katie Weber left her heart behind in Portland when she left to follow her dreams in Hollywood. Now she's back to sing the national anthem for the Portland Storm during their annual Hockey Fights Cancer night. One look to the bench while she's singing is all it takes for her to know that Jamie Babcock is still hurting just as much as she is. She's done the Hollywood thing, though, and she's over it. She knows what she wants.

Jamie Babcock has done everything possible to let go of Katie, but she keeps coming back, and she keeps crushing him all over again when she leaves. There are only so many times he's willing to let his heart be trampled on. At some point, he has to draw the line. Doesn't he? Only, when it's Katie, he's not sure that's even possible. She's back, but for how long he can't be sure.

But Katie will stop at nothing to convince Jamie she's back for good--even dropping gloves--because in the game of love, all bets are off.



Available on April 23, 2015


Pre-order links: Barnes and Noble, iBooks