by Sarah | Apr 1, 2013 | Book Release, Guest Authors, Writing
I’m so excited to have Jennifer Simpkins stop by again! Today is release day for the second book in her series, Loving Patience. I just started book 1 (Forgiving Patience), and already have Loving Patience on my list for ‘must buys’ when I stock up again next month.
*~*
Blurb for Loving Patience, Book 2 in the Patience Series:
Liza Dyer has spent her career counseling and guiding her patients towards a more fulfilling life, so it’s a shock when she can’t stop her own life from falling apart. After a cheating ex she decides to escape to Patience, Tennessee. Instead of confiding in her long-time friend, she finds herself revealing her painful secrets to sexy, ladies’ man Tex Avery.
Tex is a confirmed bachelor every woman in Patience is trying to catch. He is the last thing Liza needs, but once again she can’t help herself—especially when he shows up at her hotel door looking depleted and leaving her breathless. It’s in her nature to want to help with the emotional pain Tex is going through, but her counseling is not welcomed. Liza is determined to not give up on him…but will their connection be enough to convince her to once again put her heart on the line.
Excerpt:
It was over way too quickly. Tex took a step back while she gulped oxygen and tried not to fumble her next words. While his kissing was pretty hot, much like the rest of him, she couldn’t let him off too easy. She had a reputation to uphold and no man—hunk or otherwise—got by with planting one on her without permission.
“What was that?” Okay, maybe that came out a little breathy and not all tough like she wanted.
“Don’t tell me a woman like you has to ask that question.”
“Don’t be smart. I mean, why did you do it? Why did you kiss me?”
Yay—relieved that she actually sounded fairly composed and not someone who would be considered drunk by any law enforcement.
“Besides you being the best damn thing I’ve seen in Patience in a long time, I did it because you looked like you needed me up close and personal to know I’m not drunk. So while I would love to stand out here and argue with you, I have someplace I need to be.”
It was none of her business where he was headed this late at night. Even though he’d just invaded her mouth, he didn’t owe her an explanation of who he was going to see or why he was going to see them. “Well, since I didn’t bite your tongue when I had good reason to, you can tell me a little bit more about yourself.”
He crossed his arms and didn’t try to hide that he found her more amusing than annoying, which was the complete opposite expression she got from most people she met. She was a very capable woman, and while most men found her attractive, they didn’t find her cute and amusing by any means. Most men expected her to look pretty and say all the right things, but where was the fun in that? She did things her way and maybe that was why she was still single.
“Okay, Liza, here’s the rundown. I run my own business, I drive a Ford because…well my first truck was a Ford, and once you start with a Ford you can never go back. It just goes against everything southern. I love my mama and I’m single, so don’t go thinking you’re going to have some crazy wife or girlfriend stalking you because we kissed or because I gave you a ride to the hotel.”
“Why is it I think you just described every other man in Patience? What’s your last name?”
“My last name is Avery, why?”
“Because that is something personal, not so generic, and I have a feeling you are the only Tex Avery in town.”
“So does that mean you trust me?”
“That means you can drive me to the hotel. Don’t confuse that with trust. I just think you can probably get me there a lot safer than I can. Men are very untrustworthy.”
“Says who?”
“History, that’s who. Brad cheated on Jen, Bill did it to Hillary, and Leroy Anderson kissed my ex-best friend when I was in sixth grade.”
“I’m surprised a boy named Leroy could get even one girl, let alone two,” he laughed. He pulled his keys out of his front jean pocket and twirled them around his finger.
Tex guided her to none other than a soft gray, 4-door Ford truck. “I thought when I heard my granddaddy talk like it was a sin because another man drove a different make of vehicle it was just that…talk. But you are serious?”
“Absolutely. People around here take that kind of offense seriously. Believe me, you don’t ever want caught even thinking of switching sides,” he commented, opening her door and waiting for her to climb in.
Because she wasn’t completely drunk, she climbed inside with minimal help from Tex. He touched the small of her back to make sure she didn’t slip, and a hum shot all the way to her core. She didn’t even want to think of the ways her body would respond if he touched bare skin. After he closed her inside, she took a steady breath. The more air she inhaled, the more her body reacted to him and the scent his cologne left lingering inside the truck.
He slid in behind the steering wheel and brought his truck to life. It was loud and big—and very sexy. It was a real man’s vehicle, not like the compact car Greg poked around in.
“So why are you here…in Patience, I mean?”
“To be honest…a cheating asshole and a best friend.”
* * * *
Connect with Jennifer:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest
by Sarah | Apr 1, 2013 | All About Me
I’ve started this crazy thing called the April A-Z Challenge. As my writing blog has taken off and is keeping me very busy, this poor old blog has been neglected. I thought that the A-Z challenge would be a great way to get my mojo moving again, as it gives me a clear guideline for every day but Sunday. Maybe that will give me time for nice weather and me actually living again to have blog posts to write (a sick & cabin-fever filled house is not inspirational). And so…it begins.
I’m not much of a drinker.
Really.
Ask anyone I know and they may be hard-pressed to think of a time I was actually drunk, and if they can it was many moons ago and I wasn’t really drunk.
I believe I can still, at 36, count the number of times I’ve been truly and deeply drunk on one hand.
I enjoy an occasional glass of super-sweet wine. A random margarita or sweet martini. (Are we sensing a trend?)
I’m the one at the party that sips her mixed drink (or, more likely, pop).
I have no great drunken tales to tell.
My best story is about the time I was walking with a guy that thought he might have a shot (he soooo didn’t) around the hotel at the Star Trek convention (yup, nerd-alert). I was pretty buzzed, and talking away happily. The sober voice in the back of my head was still active and made me stop mid-sentence and turn to face the guy. I looked him dead in the eye and said. “I know I sound like an idiot. I can’t seem to stop the words from tumbling out. I swear I’m not an idiot.” The turned and picked up the sentence I’d dropped and kept talking. Soon as we got back into the lobby and I saw my friend I abandoned him for her and we went around offering everyone in the hotel pretzel rods with a ridiculously pitiful attempt at a leer.
And I remember every minute.
And I never passed out.
And that is true of all the times I’ve been ‘drunk’.
by Sarah | Mar 31, 2013 | Books, Challenge, Hybrid, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week was Funny. Of course, considering the MC’s in this piece are in the midst of a dramatic reveal…Funny was an interesting challenge to fit in, but I did it 😉
Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!
Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
“This had better not be a joke. Because if it is, it’s not in the least bit funny.” Hot prickles of anger rushed up my chest to my cheeks. If my face wasn’t red before, it sure was now. “Tell me the truth, Father. What happened?”
“As the last natural born dragon, you already know the answer to that.” Jdyn sat on the ground near my feet. Fingers twined together, he flipped his hands and stretched his back, his entire form growing several inches with the action. More scales began to appear beneath his thinning human flesh.
“But I’m not dragon. Not entirely.”
“No. You’re unique.”
“You mean I was.”
“You still are.” He frowned. “They didn’t clone you. You are still the only natural born of your kind, you are still the only one just like you. For the others they…”
“What, father?”
His nose twitched, his lip curled. “Understand that I am paraphrasing, Jyoti. As Laewyn put it – they perfected the mix with the help of you. Griffin blood only helped make it all hold together, as a natural hybrid itself.”
My stomach churned and I wrinkled my nose. “Laewyn always had the greatest contempt for what I am. For what you created with the help of my weak mother.”
“You mother lay with dragons. She was far from weak.”
I joined his chuckle and dropped next to him with a heavy sigh. “And this is why Alatus fights now. How he has gathered so many close. The hybrids can’t properly transform. How old is the oldest?”
“Two hundred years.”
“When a dragon doesn’t return to form for that long, it looks suspicious. I would say I’m surprised Alatus hadn’t noticed sooner, but he as always rather self-centered.” I studied the lines on my hand. “So he has raised the ire of the masses. For the flock of hybrids you brought to our people.”
“I believe all will see in time that there was no choice. It was this, or we die off completely. The last born true dragon is almost a thousand years old now.” He sighed, a hand that now revealed claws folded over hers. “I wanted our race to live. Even if it meant by carrying on our line through hybrids. Many agreed, they were the sires.”
“Kryztalia sheltered them, didn’t they?”
“Not all of them. But it was a better location to live. The weather and land was more vibrant and green than most of our other cities. At the time of the attack, there were five hybrids restoring their energy there.”
I curled my hand over his. “Alatus will attack the Terran plane, because that it where most of the hybrids live and thrive.”
“Yes.”
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
by Sarah | Mar 28, 2013 | Author Interview, Guest Authors, Writing
L.B. Shire is here today with a look at herself, and a glimpse into her new Historical Western Romance, The Damned. So sit back, relax and get to know her a little…
*~*
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
First off, Iʹd like to thank Sarah Cass for having me at her blog today! Thank You Sarah 🙂 Ok, a little about me. My name is L.B. Shire and Iʹm a writer of western historical romance. I love to write stories set in the wild west that have feisty women, horses, and cowboys (or outlaws) to die for! To date, I have four western romances out: Devil Wears Lace, Game of Hearts, Stealing the Sheriffʹs Heart, and my newest release, The Damned.
2. Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I started out as a panster, but with experience I find it easier to plot. I keep a spiral notebook full of character backgrounds and story lines.
3. Can you tell us about the challenges you faced getting your first book published?
Mine was self esteem. Is this manuscript good enough? Am I crazy to think someone would want to publish this? Finally, one day I closed my eyes and hit the send button. My first novelette, Devil Wears Lace was published by Breathless Press February of 2012!
4. Were all of your characters easy to write, or did some of them give you trouble? Any particular character you didn’t like at all?
I loved all my characters when I wrote The Damned. There was an occasional moment when Iʹd want my hero to be a certain way, and heʹd surprise me by doing something totally different. Youʹd think you could make them behave with the stroke of your keyboard…Not true 🙂
5. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Write, write, and write lots more! Itʹs the best way to learn your craft. With each book you write, youʹll notice how far youʹve come!
6. Narrow down your novel. Why must we read it? (besides the obvious, it’s awesome answer…because of course it is!)
If you love a little adventure set in the old west, with outlaws, a sexy hero and a woman worth fighting for, then The Damned is for you!
7. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?
Well aside from writing, I love taking pictures of horses. My horses tend to be my victims quite often 🙂
8. Do you have another book coming out soon?
I submitted another western romance novelette this month, and Iʹm anxiously awaiting an answer from the publisher. (bites nails)
*~*~*~*
Buy: [amazon_link id=”B00AZYTSIG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | Breathless Press
Blurb:
Sometimes, what a man needs is a little hope…
Travel worn, and weary, Shane Gregor rides into Hell’s Hollow for a drink and answers. On the run for a crime he didn’t commit his days are numbered unless he can find proof. What he discovers instead is a green eyed enchantress and a sheriff who’s out for blood. When the law catches up to him, can he put his hopes in a woman he’s only just met?
A widow who has fallen on hard times, Josie Talbert became a soiled dove for the sake of survival. Her life changes in the course of a night, when a dark and dangerous cowboy steps through the doors of the Dead Horse Saloon, a death sentence looming over his head. Can his words of innocence be trusted? Can a lone woman change the course of fate?
Excerpt:
Tension gnawed at Shane’s soul. The door to the holding cell slammed shut behind him. This must be what a caged animal feels like. He glanced around the room. All ready the walls were moving in on him.
“I’ll talk with you later, Gregor,” the sheriff told him before leaving him alone with only his thoughts in the darkness. Shane didn’t respond, but listened in silence while the sheriff’s boots clicked across the wooden floor. With a heavy sigh he laid on the cot. He knew he was in a heap of trouble.
Shane needed to convince the sheriff of his innocence or he’d be a dead man by the end of the week, so they’d told him. He couldn’t let Mort win so easily. The man had managed to ruin his life in one fail swoop and at present it didn’t look like there was a damn thing he could do about it.
The night dragged on in insufferable silence. His thoughts flitted to earlier in the evening. When he had entered the saloon—when he’d first laid eyes on Josie… His mind wandered as he recalled how her curls bounced about her shoulders when she moved, and those eyes—she was a brazen one. Her hands on his skin when she washed him—stop, his mind screamed. The memories were pure torture.
Josie, he had to admit, intrigued him. He hadn’t given any woman a second thought for some time. He shook his head to clear it off the woman. It would do him no good to dream of her, he was a dead man.
Shane wondered if morning would ever come. The cell had no windows to let him know the time of day. But when the sheriff came through the front door, a hot cup of coffee in his pudgy hand, he knew he’d survived.
“I’ve sent word to the judge up in the next county. Said he should be here by the end of the week. Then there’ll be one less lousy gunfighter roaming the territory.”
“Will I have a chance to plead my case?” Shane asked. He gripped the bars of the cell until his fingers turned white. He gathered his answer by the unsympathetic smile on the sheriff’s lips.
“No trial is needed, son.” The man snorted, his chubby chin wiggling. “They start construction on the gallows today.” The sheriff took a sip of his coffee and stared at him with a look of contempt over the rim of his cup.
“The judge coming out here is to make it all official. He’ll sign the documents and so forth,” he said, matter of fact.
Shane stepped back from the bars. So it was over for him.
“So this is how it ends,” he murmured under his breath. He would need to send word to his brother and let him know what had happened to his sorry ass. Without another word he returned to the cot placed in the corner of the cell and sat down.
He rubbed his temples, wariness of the situation made his head throb.
“I’ll get you a bite to eat after a bit,” the sheriff called over his shoulder. “I’ve got stacks of paperwork to sift through on my desk first.” His voice echoed down the empty hall.
No longer hungry, Shane laid his head in his hands. A sense of despair that he couldn’t shake off overwhelmed him. Giving into his fatigue, he lay back on the cot and closed his eyes. It would be a long week.
Author Bio:
L.B. Shire has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. A lover of most all genres, her favorites include: Western Romance, YA, Paranormal and Shifter stories, to name a few!
When not writing or researching, L.B. enjoys spending time with family, riding one of her horses, and, of course, reading anything that is set before her! She currently resides on the West Coast in a sleepy little mountain town. There, in the midst of all that beauty, she plans her characters’ next adventures.
For more information on L.B. Shire, please visit her blog @http://www.lbshire.com/ or visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/authorlbshire?ref=hl
I love visitors and comments, so please stop by and say hi!
http://www.lbshire.com/
by Sarah | Mar 28, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post
I’m doing things a little different today with this post. I normally post my Guest Author posts over on Sarah’s Storylines – but due to the nature of the subject and the approach the wonderful Paloma took with it, it’s very relevant to Redefining Perfect, and I’m beyond honored to have Paloma here speaking on this subject in honor or her novel, Hold My Hand.
Thanks to Sarah for having me on Redefining Perfect today. This is the perfect place to share about my heroine’s past and talk about how she learned to redefine herself… with a little help from a deliciously alpha man.
Hold My Hand is about Aubrey, young woman coping with the remnants of being an emotionally abused child. Aubrey begins the steps of moving forward with a little help from a man who teaches her to redefine her idea of perfection. In his own unorthodox way, through an alternative lifestyle, he gives her a new chance to live the life she dreams of.
Sadly enough, far too many young girls are emotionally abused by their fathers. Because their fathers never acknowledge their responsibility, and most of their relatives often never believe such abuse was even possible, the girls go invalidated. The abuse affects them for the remainder of their lives in deeply seeded ways and the then-grown women are left to cope on their own.
Psychological, or emotional, abuse is defined as “deliberately making someone feel afraid, demeaned, degraded, subservient, or humiliated.” Emotional abuse tends to occur far more frequently and with more lasting negative effects than violent physical abuse. Most often, emotional abuse of daughters is preceded by the emotional abuse of their mothers.
The abuse typically happens with the intention of controlling, dominating, isolating, or intimidating and escalates as the daughter becomes more independent, seen to have a mind of her own her father is less able to control. Her father will use insults though they aren’t necessarily directly related to her behavior. The difficulty multiplies then because there’s no way for the daughter to predict what would set him off and avoid the abuse.
For Aubrey, like with so many real-life daughters, her father would yell at her, accuse her of not being bright enough, pretty enough and of not treating him right. One of the people meant to build her up would put her down and make her feel she could do no right. She was made to feel worthless and emotionally exhausted.
The most confusing part is the father’s poor treatment then followed by exhibits of love and tenderness, sometimes going so far as to spoil his daughter. This extreme behavior confuses the daughter. Then if there is an apology at all, the apology is softened with self-righteous justification such as “You pushed my buttons,” or “It’s hard to be nice to you,” or “Stop being so sensitive.” Never is there validation for how the daughter’s feelings.
I hope, by including this topic in Hold My Hand, to increase awareness of the emotional abuse of daughters. This is just the beginning of Aubrey’s healing. Book two – Heal My Soul – will be the continuation of her journey as she confronts her family.
BLURB
A story about Aubrey & William. Aubrey has been hurt in the past, discouraged by her family and degraded by a heartless father. Still, William sees something in her that won’t allow him to walk away. Instantly drawn to her but intuitive enough to take it slowly, he courts her. Then he bargains, persuades and seduces until his commanding nature ensnares her. Despite the fight she puts up in accepting William’s lifestyle, the bonds he places on Aubrey give her a freedom she desperately needs. Together, they heal old wounds and find their perfect love.
HOLD MY HAND is a contemporary BDSM-lite Romance with consensual Spanking Elements. Enjoy at your own risk.
EXCERPT ©Paloma Beck, 2013
“Aubrey.” William’s voice wafted through the line, the warm sound sliding down my tummy. “I’m held up in a meeting. Baylor will deliver you to my home and I’ll be there shortly.” I could hear voices in the background, hushed but present. I made a note to ask William soon what type of business he was in.
“Ok. That’s fine.” I wasn’t sure about being delivered; the term made me feel like a package. Perhaps I’ll try to think of myself as a special delivery. I shook my head at the absurdity of the thought. When had I ever been something special? Sometimes you’re just a waste of space, Aubrey.
“Good. I’ll see you soon. Baylor will attend to you, whatever you need.”
“Thank you.”
I thought he’d simply click the phone off then but he cleared his throat, “And Aubrey,” he paused, “I-I am sorry. I didn’t want us to begin this way.” I was still processing his apology when the call ended. I returned the phone to Baylor, grabbed up my coat and purse and followed him to the car waiting outside the door.
William’s voice – his apology had been so sincere. I couldn’t imagine it mattering that much to him. I wasn’t important enough for someone to worry over. No one had ever been concerned for me like that before. It unnerved me to consider William might actually like me enough to worry. Would he care for me eventually? I couldn’t dare believe it.
The car pulled up outside a large brick and stone home. It was big enough for a full family. The ride had been about twenty minutes so we must’ve been in one of the smaller suburbs framing Boston. As Baylor opened my door and offered his hand, I unfolded my body from the car and stood beside him, certain my mouth was hanging open.
“This was William’s home?” The quiver in my voice certainly gave away my uncertainty, my complete disbelief that this man I’ve met and have now agreed to date –if in fact, that’s what I’ve agreed to– lived in this home more suited for a full family of eleven.
“Yes ma’am.”
“He lives here?” I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing though it was right in front of my eyes. The house where I’d been raised could sit well inside this massive structure, which left me feeling small, tiny and insignificant. If nothing had yet to do it, this was the moment where my inadequacies smacked me square in the face. You’ll never be anything, Aubrey.
Baylor seemed to sense my unease, shuffling his feet next to me and waiting. He cleared his throat. “He also has an apartment in the city for times he can’t get away. This was more his weekend residence.”
“Oh,” I answered, took a deep breath and gave myself a moment to absorb this. It was so far from my reality. I could hardly make sense of it.
Hold My Hand is currently only available through Smashwords, but will release at all other major ebook retailers on April 1, 2013. You can check out Aubrey’s Pinterest Board and mark the book as WANT TO READ on Goodreads today!
About Paloma
Paloma Beck is a Romance Author living a life of contradiction… she’s a happily married carpooling mom writing erotic romance. It’s almost naughty! Paloma writes in both the Contemporary and Paranormal realms, journaling the stories her characters tell her, and they are anything but PG. She dabbles in vampires, witches, ménage, spanking and bdsm – all in her books, of course. Paloma believes a daily dose of espresso and a good book make any day better.
She is currently working on a contemporary romance series about three brothers. Finding Home, book two, will be released sometime in 2013 with Secret Cravings Publishing. She also has a paranormal romance series, The Seven Sin Sisters, contracted with Secret Cravings Publishing, which will be released sequentially between August 2012 and August 2013.
Connect with Paloma
WEBSITE http://palomabeck.weebly.com
TUMBLR http://palomabeck.tumblr.com/
BLOG http://RomanceBeckons.blogspot.com
TWITTER https://twitter.com/PalomaBeck
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/PalomaBeckAuthor
PINTEREST http://www.pinterest.com/PalomaBeck
GOODREADS http://www.goodreads.com/PalomaBeck
AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Paloma-Beck
Recommended Read
For more information on this topic, [amazon_link id=”1440504636″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and to Respond[/amazon_link], Patricia Evans is a useful guide. I encourage anyone living with any form of abuse seek professional help.
