Happy Book Birthday to BRAVING THE ELEMENTS #Fantasy #anthology #RoaneBooks

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO
BRAVING THE ELEMENTS!

Braving the Elements

A Fantasy Anthology

By Various Authors

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: September 8, 2017

 

Claire Davon – The Dragon, the Witch, and the Swordswoman

Michael Siciliano – Forging Mettle

Kelly Said – The Myth of Mount Agony

Terri Rochenski – Mist Weaver

Rebecca Hart – Alice and the Egg

 

 

The Dragon, The Witch, and the Swordswoman

By Claire Davon

As the person responsible for calling the bronze dragon that destroyed her village, Losha is tasked with killing it. Failure to do so means she will be outcast from everything she has ever known. Yet one she is on the road, two local women in tow, she finds that she is strangely reluctant to harm the beast that lurks in her mind.

After an encounter with an oddly familiar old woman and a knight in a small hamlet Losha is more confused than ever. On one hand, failure to slay the dragon means she cannot return to the promise of marriage from a local boy yet the more she learns about the dragon the less she wants to harm it.  It, like the bronze sword that is her only defense, speaks to her in a way nothing else has.

The stage is set for a final showdown between knight and beast when the knight’s true quest is revealed and Losha must choose between all she has ever known, or the companionship of an old woman…and a dragon.

Forging Mettle

By Michael Siciliano

Xander, a teenaged street thief in the grimy slums of Low Town, discovers he has an innate magical talent on the same night his father is killed. Intent on getting revenge, he attempts a risky robbery which goes bad. Rather than face the hangman’s noose, Xander agrees to accompany a group of soldiers intent on finding a powerful magical artifact. But the Beggar’s Hand isn’t what the King’s sorcerer thinks. Deep in the mountains, Xander must make life and death decisions, not just for himself, but the Kingdom he calls home.

The Myth of Mt Agony

By Kelly Said

Meadow’s mere presence ensures the Morningstar farm produces with preternatural abundance. A dirt-dusted foster-child, she hungers for harmony with Auric’s lands.

Valcone is the reclusive prince of Auric. Confined to his room—for the safety of his subjects—he craves control over his persuasive powers.

The prince and the farmgirl’s powerful personalities will collide with epic force when a war erupts between Auric and a neighboring kingdom. With Auric’s fate on the line, Valcone tests the limits of his ability. He amplifies his steady push into a forceful shove against Meadow’s gentle Nature. The Earth-shaper finds herself between a rock and a hard place, literally, where the only choice to save her family may lie in surrendering to the destructive force of her ground-breaking ability.

Mist Weaver

By Terri Rochenski

Dolan wants nothing more than to escape his village for the big city where his small stature and unpleasant features won’t make him the recipient of constant ridicule by the lord of the manor and his heir, Gilroy. The mist that dances to the sweet notes of Dolan’s flute is his only camaraderie and the only beauty in his life—except for Keavy.

When the kind milkmaid is faced with unwanted attentions, Dolan must defend her honor with a choice that will ultimately change his life.

Alice and the Egg

By Rebecca Hart

Alice would do anything for her father, the only parent she’s ever known since her mother’s death in childbirth. When he falls ill, Alice doesn’t hesitate when the opportunity to barter her life for his is presented by Jayden, the prince and only heir to the Dragorean throne.

It doesn’t take long for Alice to realize the palace has secrets. Ones that relate to her own past more than she could ever have imagined. If she can find a way to play the game of secrets well enough, not only could she save her father, she just may manage to save herself as well.

 

~~~oOo~~~

 

PURCHASE LINKS

 

Blog Tour Schedule

 

September 4^th

Release Day Blitz

Scribbler’s Sojourn – Top
Two List

Jennifer M. Eaton – Favorite Five List

September 5^th

Mythical Books – Ebook giveaway 

September 6^th

Reviews by Crystal – Author Interview 

September 7^th

Liz’s Reading Life – Author Interview

Sharon Hughson, Author – Author Interview 

September 8^th

Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm
– Review

~~~oOo~~~

GIVEAWAY!!

A $50 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use a RoanePublishing.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

eARC #Giveaway Event for ACCIDENTAL VALENTINE: Get your #Romance on!

Roane Publishing is giving away 3 eARCs of  their latest romance anthology, Accidental Valentine!

Accidental Valentine

a Romance Anthology

by Various Authors

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: February 13, 2015

Guiding Hearts by Claire Gillian

Description: Is a lonely woman’s GPS sentient or is her subconscious taking her by the hand to help heal a scarred heart?

When Jemma Ernst’s GPS malfunctions and sends her to the home of handsome and engaging Gabriel Nash, she writes it off as a fluke. But she can’t seem to reprogram him out of her thoughts nor her GPS.

Better Latte Than Never by Katrina Sizemore

Description: Single and cold on Valentine’s Day, Hailey Merritt is not looking forward to working all day at the coffee shop while everyone around her is cheery with romance and she’s stuck trying to figure out her next step in life.

But, when a special bouquet arrives for her from a secret admirer, she decides to reserve judgment on this holiday and find whomever sent the flowers.

Maybe Cupid has a plan to make this her favorite Valentine’s Day ever.

Dream Architect by S.L. Hughson

Description: Taylor and Sons Custom Design keeps ASHLIN TAYLOR at arm’s length from her dream job. If only she were a son, she could follow her architectural dream. In the Taylor creed, girls get married and boys have careers. DYLAN CUTRIGHT focuses on finishing college and landing an architectural engineering job in a large firm. Minus emotional ties.

After their accidental encounter, their attraction is amplified during their work interaction. 

Unlike her family, Dylan encourages Ashlin to pursue her dream by enrolling in college. He even argues her case with Uncle Mike. All of this support confuses Ashlin because when she moves closer to him, he rebuffs her for reasons she can only speculate about.

Valentine’s Day might be the perfect opportunity for Ashlin to make him notice her. They are working together – alone – on the most romantic day of the year. Dylan builds her dream of career, but will he ever lower his walls and become more than just the man IN her dreams?

One Hot Angel by Jaylee Austin

Description: Oblivious to Tiffany Jenkins in three short weeks her life will end—unless she makes the perfect choice. Will she chose revenge and expose her ex-husband? Or chose love and surrender her heart to the only man who can save her?

Rock My Bones by Wendy Sparrow

Description: Jared has been eyeing the sexy mural painter from inside the museum’s paleontology lab, but she’s way out of his league. He can’t let her paint that obviously misplaced fern, though…even if it means initiating contact.

You could call her a paleontology groupie, but Shay Meyers is interested in a more modern specimen. An adult male Homo Sapien to be exact—one who needs to be dragged out of his lab for a practical course in mating rituals. If she’s lucky, this will be the Valentine’s Day she rocks his bones.

~~~oOo~~~

Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ARC copies to three lucky winners!

You don’t even have to be a blogger.

If you are willing to leave an honest review between the dates of February 13th and February 27th, you are eligible to enter. How? Simply fill out the form!

You have until Midnight of January 24th when three winners will be chosen by random drawing.

Spooktacular Seductions Blog Tour: An Excerpt from Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa #Romance #Paranormal #Halloween

Hey, everyone! It’s me again. I said I would try to be a good girl and post more often, and LOOK!! Here I am again. Go me!

Enough about me… Today I have a nice little treat for you all — a lovely teaser excerpt from Roane Publishing’s most recent anthology release, SPOOKTACULAR SEDUCTIONS. The anthology features stories from eight authors, and today I get to share Anne Higa’s story, Do you Believe in Ghosts. But, we’ll get to that in just a minute. We must start at the beginning, yes?

Here are all the juicy tidbits on the anthology…

Spooktacular Seductions
A Halloween Anthology

Author: Various Authors

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Keywords: Paranormal, Romance, Ghosts, Witches, Hags, Cemetary, Short Stories

Blurb: Falling in love can be terrifying.

Eight tales of spooky romance brought to you just in time for Halloween.

• Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll-Bradd
• Garden of Souls by Michelle Ziegler
• If This Be Madness by Echo Shea
• Encantado by Havva Murat
• Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa
• Ghost of a Chance by Lily Carlyle
• Where Angels Tread by Christy Thomas
• Spooky Hollow Café by Lisa A. Adams

Now, that you know a bit more about the anthology, let’s take a peek into one of the fantastic sounding stories, Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa.

Do You Believe in Ghosts? – Anne Higa

 Blurb: Jeff Austin-LeGrange has been fleeing from the remnants of his dark and haunted childhood his entire life. The past always catches up to us, and his is no exception.

Alice Hopkins, Jeff’s high school sweetheart, has tried to forget him and tried to move on. You never forget your first love.

When Jeff’s mother dies and Alice’s father falls ill, the two are forced to confront their mutual history and their deepest desires. One thing is sure: neither of their lives will ever be the same again. Perhaps, the past can be overcome. Perhaps, it is not too late to believe in miracles. Perhaps, more than one couple will be reunited this Fall.

Who can say? With a little magic, anything is possible. 

Excerpt:

The Whitecourt Diner had a row of tables against the windows overlooking the park across the street. He scanned the string of seats, searching for the perfect evening view, and suddenly there she was, seated alone at one of the tables. She sipped a mug of coffee, maybe tea, her eyes focused out the window.

A glimmer of pleasure tingled across the back of his neck.

Alice looked at him and a warm smile lit her face.

The years had been kind to her. She still had the same dark hair, like the ocean at night, and her firm body sat upright in the chair. He could still remember the sweetness of having her in his arms. They had been one another’s first time, and he had never forgotten her, never really gotten over her.

* * * *

At first, Alice thought she might dreaming. Everyone knew Jeff had left town, and she knew better than most. He still looked good, was still the man she had once loved. There were a few more lines around his mouth, and he wore business casual as opposed to t-shirt and jeans she was used to, but otherwise it was definitely him. The starched white shirt and dark blue slacks gave him a neat and professional appearance.

He had gone to Columbia University, while she went to Penn State. After that, they had slowly drifted apart. She graduated with her Art History degree, and he earned his CPA. That was the last she heard of him.

His eyes met hers with a flicker of recognition, and she smiled uncertainly as he walked over to her. “Jeff? I didn’t know you were back in town.”

“Alice.”

For a brief awkward moment they gaped at each other, and Alice wasn’t sure if they should shake hands, or just nod politely.

 

The anthology is available NOW, so swing by any of the below retailers to pick up your copy. Paperback and eBook versions are both available.

BUY LINKS:

Print or Digital Edition

Roane Publishing

Print
Createspace
Amazon

Digital Edition
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
Bookstrand

 

Author Bio: Anne has been writing fantasy fiction since she was ten years old.

Currently, she lives in Harrisburg, PA where she works from home as a ghostwriter and occasional haunter of neighbor’s houses. She has three cats, and a lot of dreams.

Anne’s Links:

Website/Blog: http://annehiga.wordpress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8293030.Anne_Higa

Amazon Author Profile: http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Higa/e/B00MD5HEZY

Beach Reads Blog Hop: What are you reading this summer? #Giveaway #InquiringMinds #Kindle

 

Welcome one and all to my little corner of Roane Publishing’s Beach Reads Blog Hop. Glad you have you with me.

Blog Hops are a great way to get to know knew authors, score some sweet prizes, and in the case of my blog, share your summer read for this year.

That’s right, in order to score a chance to win my giveaway, you’ve got to comment below with what you will be reading this summer. What book has you psyched to hit the beach?

For me, I am looking forward to digging into the ARC copies I managed to score at BEA this year. Tops on the list — THE SWEET SPOT by Stephanie Evanovich (who I loved meeting at BEA, coincidentally).

What page turner can you not wait to tear into this year? Share your pick and you could win one of two prizes…

My grand prize…

A signed PRINT copy of FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY anthology, which includes my story, A Slippery Slope.

I’m also offering a 2nd place prize of one eBook of choice from my backlist. You can find a listing of my titles in the blog’s sidebar on the left side of the page. The eCopy can be in ePUB, MOBI, or PDF.

So make sure you tell me what book you’re looking forward to reading this summer. Make sure your answer is unique. Copied and pasted entries will be disqualified.

Couldn’t be more simple, right?

Oh!! Almost forgot… Be sure to leave me your email address, so I can get in touch with you should you be chosen as the randomly selected winner of either of the prizes I’m offering for the hop.

The blog hop host, Roane Publishing is offering up a Kindle Paperwhite as a grand prize, so make sure you swing by there and enter that giveaway once you’ve left your reading suggestion in the comments below.

Here’s a link to the giveaway to make it easy for you. 🙂

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

While you’re there entering the giveaway, make sure you hit up the Link list below and visit all of the other sites participating in the hop. There are a slew of amazing prizes to be had.

Click here to view the Linky Tools list…

The hop ends July 18th, so be sure to get your entries in before then.

Best of luck in all the giveaways!!!

 

Portals Blog Tour: Top Two Fantasy Movies #Fantasy #NewRelease

Welcome back to the blog.

Today, I have a treat for you all. In getting ready for the Portals tour, the authors and I talked about our favorite fantasy movies and compared notes. Today, I get to share their favorites with you all.

Before I get to their responses, think for a minute about what two fantasy movies you would pick if you have to choose only two favorites.

I’ll share mine once we hear from the amazing Portals authors and I’ve had a chance to share their new release with you all.

Here is what the Portals authors had to say:

Michael Siciliano:

1. The Princess Bride

Vizzini: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders—the most famous of which is, “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”—but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line”!

2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Minstrel: And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, ‘O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.’ And the Lord did grin. And the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths, and carp and anchovies, and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit-bats and large chu…

Maynard: Skip a bit, brother…

Minstrel: And the Lord spake, saying, First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out! Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.

Havva Murat:

Pan’s Labyrinth and Stardust

Echo Shea:

“Green Mile” and “From Dusk till Dawn”

Anna Simpson:

Willow (1988) – The only character I saw was Val Kilmer. I had to watch it a few more times before I noticed all the magic, brownies the size of Barbie dolls, a two headed dragon, and a crazy crew of heroes that had no chance of success. Then and now, they are the only kind of heroes worth watching; all facing enormous odds for sake of a child’s life.

DragonHeart (1996) – Sean Connery’s voice did more than a voice-over in this film. I’ve never seen betrayal played better than when David Thewlis. Oh, how I hated him as he broke free from the goodie goodie prince role and became king. What brought them together and what kept them a part made for an outstanding story that still makes me look to the sky with a quivering chin. I do believe in dragons and always will.

Christy Thomas:

My number one Fantasy movie is definitely John Carpenter’s ‘They Live’. Aliens are frightening, but the idea that they could so easily control the world is creepy.

Another favorite is Matrix. Neo had been given the ultimate choice, to see the truth, or remain in the illusion. I would hope I would be courageous enough to take the red pill, but I think there are many people that would be happy to take the blue one because it’s easy to ignore the truth, especially when it’s hard to swallow. (Pun intended)

Laurie Treacy:

Lord of the Rings series and Labyrinth.

* * * *

There are a few listed above I hadn’t even thought of until this came up — two of which I consider on my tops lists… The Princess Bride and Labyrinth

My top two picks (before checking out the others) are:

THE NEVERENDING STORY and THE DARK CRYSTAL — Yes, I did (and still do) have a slight obsession with Muppets and muppet type creatures 🙂

Would love to hear some of your favorites… do you have some that aren’t on the list?

* * * *

Now that you have a bit of an idea of the authors’ taste in fantasy flicks, as well as my own, let’s take a closer look at their new release, PORTALS.

Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)
Publisher:  Roane Publishing

Release Date: June 5, 2014
Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea

Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat

Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy

The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano

 

BUY LINKS:

ROANE PUBLISHING (Print or Digital)

PRINT
Createspace
Amazon

Digital
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
Bookstrand

 Group Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Portals

Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/fe3b508/

Or you can click here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover and Blurb Reveal – Portals: A #Fantasy Anthology @Roanepublishing

Today I have the (less and less) rare opportunity to share in a cover reveal for a cover I actually created. This one is for Roane Publishing’s upcoming fantasy anthology, PORTALS, which releases June 5, 2014. In addition to having the priviledge of sharing the cool cover with you all, I also have the descriptions (blurbs) for all the stories to be featured in the anthology.

So, without further ado…

PORTALS
A Fantasy Anthology

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: June 5, 2014

Keywords: Anthology, Short Stories, Fantasy, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, and what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Story Blurbs:

Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas

Blurb: The Grand Wizard has decreed Maronda enter the Portal of Life to embark upon a quest of great importance, but despite her Ma’s claims it is a blessing, premonitions of danger persist.
Lenox works to prove his worth to wed her, his true love, but it appears a wizard plots to remove him from Maronda’s life forever. To secure their future together, Lenox decides to accompany her on the quest, even if forbidden. He must ultimately choose between using his dragon fighting skills which could lead to his death, or give Maronda her greatest desire.
In the end, it’s Maronda who must learn to live with the consequences of his decision.

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

Blurb: Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.
Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade?

Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea

Blurb: A guardian to the entrances between worlds, Gladys has been called to bring a little girl back from Fairyland. Passing through the Entrance of Lost Souls is no fun, neither is hunting down a deranged banshee, but what is a guardian to do?
And, is the banshee really kidnapping the girl…or saving her from something else?

Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat

Blurb: After losing both his parents, his entire fortune and his childhood sweetheart, Master Bartholomew Battlesby sets out into the wilds of Northern England to make the acquaintance of his only surviving relation, the landed recluse, Mr. Horatio Grimsby who has an eerie penchant for both tinkering and clockwork. But, on finding his relation dead, with a gaping hole in his chest, and the beautiful, but scornful, Miss Evangeline Witherop ruling in his place, Bartholomew learns there is more than one way to lose your heart.
Can Bartholomew reignite the spirit of love and mercy within Miss Witherop, or will he suffer the same fate as his poor, heartless cousin?

Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy

Blurb: Imagine a new neighbor moves next door, a creepy guy who gives fifteen year-old Amy Silva the willies? Amy wonders what the stone archway in the backyard is for. Her life becomes even more stressful when her family reveals they’re witches. Could Amy’s new neighbor have anything to do with a local girl’s disappearance or be a threat to her magical loved ones?

The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano

Blurb: The land of Mershinka has been thrown into perpetual night. Their King is dead and a moon witch, known as The Night Queen, rules from the royal palace in Grosnov. An endless fog shrouds the land, killing crops and starving the populace. Cold-eyed enforcers put down rebellions while volksa, twisted wolf-creatures, roam the mists looking for prey. Many have given up hope and wait for the inevitable end. All seems lost.
Two teenagers, Pavel and Tamara, devise a plan to kill Vazya the Night Queen when the moons Kainsk and Seresnya are down, end the stifling enchantment, and bring the sun back to their dying land. But, they need a watch to tell time, a compass to guide them through the mists, weapons to fight off Vazya’s minions, and all the courage they can muster.

Add to Goodreads

 

 

Happy Book Birthday to For the Love of Murphy (and me :P) #Romance #NewRelease #Sweet

Yes!! It’s finally release day for the sweet romance anthology, FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY, and the debut of my tale, A Slippery Slope.

So excited to be sharing space with some fantastic authors for this one. Let me share the details, and you will see why…

FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY
A Sweet Romance Anthology

Author: Lisa A. Adams, Michelle Ziegler, Annabelle Blume, Rebecca Hart, London Saint James

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: TODAY!!

Description:They say love conquers all, but whoever “they” are, must not have heard of Murphy’s Law — whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.

These five tales of sweet, accidental romance prove Cupid’s arrows are a lot tougher than they seem, and sometimes it pays to be unlucky.

• No Wrong Turns – Lisa A. Adams
• Falling for You – Michelle Ziegler
• Coffee and Cufflinks – Annabelle Blume
• A Slippery Slope – Rebecca Hart
• The Shamrock Incident – London Saint James

No Wrong Turns by Lisa A. Adams

Jessica Brannah is escaping from her last heartbreak with a loaded car and a new address. But, when Murphy’s Law finds her stranded in a back country town, she realizes there’s no outrunning love.

Falling For You by Michelle Ziegler

Darci’s ready to move on. Too bad the dating pool stinks. Until, a ghost from her past resurfaces—the man she missed out on in college.

Andrew was the one man she’d always loved, but neither of them ever made a move. But, old feelings aren’t the only thing resurfacing of late. Darci’s ex comes crawling back at the most inappropriate time, and with all the testosterone flying, she might not end up with either man.
Coffee and Cufflinks by Annabelle Blume

Fresh out of a failed relationship and exhausted by a constant barrage of fiascos at work, Olivia Johnson doesn’t see the man of her dreams standing right in front of her. She tells herself the morning coffee meet-ups with Daren are nothing but coincidence, but even she can’t deny his unequivocal attractiveness. When a night entertaining clients takes a turn for the worst, and Daren shows up where she least expects him, failure starts to look more like fate.

A Slippery Slope by Rebecca Hart

Anne Montgomery is psyched for her girl’s only weekend, despite her friends’ choice of vacation locale—the snowy slopes of Harris Peak Ski Resort—where someone as notoriously accident prone as she has no business being. When Murphy’s Law finally catches up with her, Anne is forced to consider there may be times when it pays to be unlucky.

The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James

Florist, Marissa Carmichael isn’t usually a klutz, but she’s in a hurry and having a bad day. In her haste, she loses her balance and tumbles from the back room of her shop, arms flailing. Her less than graceful entrance halted by a headfirst crash into a display case chock full of silk flowers.

Trey Cleary didn’t think his day could get any worse, until he finds. himself picking the side view mirror of his BMW up from the ground. On a mission to do something about it, he locates the flower shop matching the name on the back of the van that mangled his ‘baby’. But, his car is forgotten when a beautiful woman bursts into the room like an out of control whirling dervish, and takes one mother of a wipeout into the shop’s counter. Coming to her aid brings out the hero in him like no one he’s ever encountered, and leaves him with a need to know more.

For Marissa and Trey, this just might be the one time it pays to be unlucky.

~~~oOo~~~

Purchase Links:

 

Roane Publishing

Also Available at These Fine Retailers:

Print
Createspace
Amazon

eBook
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Smashwords

Tour Schedule

Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway

$10 Amazon Gift card & paperback copy of

For the Love of Murphy

Ends 4/11/2014

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Cover Reveal: For the Love of Murphy – A Sweet #Romance Anthology #Submissions @RoanePublishing

Happy New Year, everyone!

As some of you may know, in 2013 I started up a little venture called Roane Publishing. Well, today, to ring in the new year right, I have a nifty little cover reveal to share with you all.

This one is for Roane’s most recent romance anthology project, FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY.

First, I’ll share the cover (which is my favorite Roane cover so far), and then I will give you the details about the anthology, and the stillo ongoing submissions call for those of you who might be interested in being included. (Especially now that you’ve seen how amazing the cover is).
*drum roll* Here it is…

For the Love of Murphy
A Sweet Romance Anthology

Release Date: March 15, 2014

Submission Call Details:

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2014

Sometimes it pays to be unlucky.

Theme: We’ve all heard of “Murphy’s Law”, well in this anthology, all the stories must be romances with a Murphy’s Law twist. Perhaps the heroine is accident prone and stumbles (literally) into the hero at the grocery store. Maybe a series of strange mishaps brings the hero and heroine together. Bring us your tales of bad luck gone romantically right. Submissions can be historical or contemporary.

• Submissions must be romances with a HEA/HFN ending for the main characters.
• Stories must be at least 5K but should not exceed 10K words.
• New Adult Genre stories will be considered for this anthology.
• Stories must adhere to the anthology call’s theme to be considered.

Please email a brief query letter along with your completed and polished manuscript to submissions@roanepublishing.com and put the anthology name MURPHY in the SUBJECT LINE of your email.

Completed stories should be attached in TXT, RTF, DOC, or DOCX format ONLY and attached to your query email. All other attachment file types will be deleted unopened.

Sooo…. What do you think? Love it? Hate it?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

See you all next time!

Winter’s Sweet Kiss Blog Tour: The WSK Authors Kiss and Tell #Giveaway #Romance @roanepublishing

Hello again readers, and thanks, as always, for stopping in to the blog today.

As part of the ongoing Winter’s Sweet Kiss blog tour, I have managed to score a short interview with each of the participating authors. I asked each of them one question… a good one, of course.

Tell us about your first kiss.

Here’s what they had to say 🙂

Michelle Ziegler:

Hmm – will my husband be reading this? Let’s put it this way. It wasn’t good. It was awkward, he bit me, and I was left trying to figure out if I’d been kissed or mauled.

Shaya Roy:

Well, this is embarrassing 😉 My first kiss was like first kisses usually are. Quick, awkward and bewildering, because neither of us quite knew what we were doing. I still felt so wonderful after, and roamed around in a proud daze the whole day!

Lily Carlyle:

To be perfectly honest, I wish I had a better story to tell—more romance, genuine affection, true love. My first kiss was unfortunately tinged by revenge.

I’d had a crush on a boy for years. My best friend liked him and asked me to convey that information to him, which I gleefully did. He had no interest in her and my friendship with her ended for other reasons, but he and I became friends.

And we were friends for years. He must have realized I had a crush on him, but he never acted on it. Silly boy.

Through him, I got to know his best friend—a cocky, good-looking soccer player who had a way with the girls. I realized he was dumb as a box of rocks, but he was cute. One afternoon, after school, when no parents were around, he kissed me. It never really led to a relationship, though we had an off and on thing that went on for years.

As for Boy #1? He married his high school sweetheart and they divorced a few years later. 

Terri Rochenski:

Does kissing my kindergarten boyfriend in the back of the bus count??

I was 15, playing Monopoly with my then-boyfriend and he just leaned across the board and stole my ‘first’ kiss – along with a handful of $100s from the bank. Jerk.

Annabelle Blume:

 The details of my first kiss are boring. Instead, I will tell you about my almost-first kiss. In my early teen years, I was pretty lame; A scrawny thirteen year old who happened to hang out with kids that were reasonably well liked. We were an eclectic group of popular and not-so-popular eighth graders who forged some kind of strange connection in the horribly mixed up hormonal world of middle school. 

The cutest guy in school, Joe, happened to be part of our group. Blond, tan, surfer guy with a brilliant smile and charm to boot. Not my type, but undeniably good looking. One day we were goofing off in the cafeteria, and as he lounged across a bench I leaned over him to ask a question. His response was not an answer me, but to look directly in my eyes and whisper, “I could have kissed you just then.” I giggled and pulled away, unsure of how the geeky, skinny girl is supposed to respond when a guy of his social standing says such a thing. Four years later, after being separated by different high schools and a variety of young love affairs, we reunited, and you can bet I didn’t make that mistake a second time *wink*! 

Love it!

Let’s hope the some of the kissing in Winter’s Sweet Kiss turns out better *chuckles*

Speaking of which, here are the juicy details on their release from Roane Publishing.

Winter’s Sweet Kiss
by Annabelle Blume, Lily Carlyle, Shaya Roy, Michelle Ziegler, and Terri Rochenski

Genre: Romance (Sweet)

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: December 15, 2013

Keywords: Adult, Romance, Sweet, Contemporary, Historical, Anthology

Description: Fight the winter chill with these heartwarming romantic tales.

What better time than winter to find someone to cuddle up with? These sweet tales of winter romance are sure to warm your heart.

Stories:

AN UNEXPECTED WREATH  By Annabelle Blume

Blurb: Stella’s got everything she needs in life: a great job, a beautiful house, and her independence. But on last minute trip to the local Christmas tree lot she finds something, or rather someone, she desperately wants – Grayson. An emergency trip to Target, an unexpected wreath, and a little Christmas magic make the season much brighter.

SANTA BEBE  By Lily Carlyle

Blurb: Disillusioned by men and her belief that they see her only as an object, Bebe is determined to find a man with money. Her geeky, but unfailingly kind, next-door neighbor James tries to convince her of the possibility of real love, even as she reveals to him the troubled childhood that made her so cynical about relationships. When her mother dashes her hopes for a perfect Christmas, Bebe finds herself turning to James once again, and in the process, learning a lot about herself and the promise their relationship holds.

MELT  By Shaya Roy

Blurb: Newlyweds in an arranged marriage, Naina and Dev go to the mountains of Shimla, India in search of snow. Unfortunately, they find fifteen inches more than they expected.

Being snowed in with her husband is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives Naina an excellent excuse to snuggle up to her deep, quiet man, but every time Dev spurns her, a little more of her heart drips away. Melting the ice around her husband’s heart before the snow outside does might take more pride than Naina’s ready to surrender.

ONE IN A MILLION SNOWFLAKES  By Michelle Ziegler

Blurb: Angela is in love with someone she can never have–her best friend, Rebecca’s older brother.

Stranded in the bitter cold after a disastrous blind date with yet another company Christmas party looming, a standing offer from the boss’ nephew gets a little more appealing. Desperation. Not a good sign. Surely when Rebecca rescues her from the blinding snow, she can also convince Angela to just go to the party alone. She can always count on her best friend.

That is, as long as she never finds out about Angela’s secret crush.

BEGINNING OF FOREVER  By Terri Rochenski

Blurb: When Wayne Edwards moves to town, Lillian Douglas experiences stirrings she thought were long dead. Guilt ridden over betraying her deceased husband and the feelings Wayne inspires, Lillian reluctantly lets him in. Secrets of the past – an old promise emerges, but will it threaten their forever?

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18844487-winter-s-sweet-kiss

BUY LINKS:

Print Copies
Createspace (Print – Best Option)
Amazon (Print)

eBook Copies
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
All Romance eBooks

Group Giveaway:  $10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Winter’s Sweet Kiss 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

One More Day Blog Tour: Tens List and a #Giveaway!

Today, as part of the One More Day Blog Tour, I have contributing author, L.S Murphy stopping by to share with us her TOP TEN BOOKS SHE COULD READ MORE THAN ONCE, as well as a giveaway to share in celebration of the anthology release.

Before we get to the nitty gritty details on ONE MORE DAY, here is L.S Murphy’s TENs List.

Okay, this is really hard. There are so many great books out there, and so many I can read more than once. It was difficult, but I managed to narrow it down a bit.  🙂

1.  The Alienist by Caleb Carr

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (actually, the entire series.)

4. Lamb by Christopher Moore

5. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

6. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

7. Emma by Jane Austen

8. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

9. White Cat by Holly Black

10. Unwind by Neal Shusterman

How many books have you read from this list?  Are any of these your favorites?  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments area below.

And now, without further ado or delays, here are all the juicy details on the ONE MORE DAY anthology.

ONE MORE DAY
By L.S. Murphy, Erika BeeBe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay,
J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley, and Anna Simpson

Back of the Book: What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?

Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying … that’s where you’d be … forever.

Unless …

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could, maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened … to you?

Excerpt from “The 13th Month” by L.S. Murphy coming soon in ONE MORE DAY!

December 31st, 2013 4:01pm

“Stop being a douche, Jackie. This end of the world crap is nothing but a load of … well, crap. Get over it.” I snatched our shared laptop from my little brother and closed the lid, not bothering to check out the site he’d become fixated on during the last hour. Jackie’s conspiracy theories were a constant pain in my ass.

“Give it back, Nixon.” He whined, reaching across my body as I shoved the ancient computer behind my back. “This one’s real. I’m telling you; it’s gonna to happen.”

“Just like you said Rapture was real, right? Or the Mayan prophecy of December twenty-first in two-thousand twelve?” I shoved his thirteen-year-old body away from me. “Guess what, dipshit? Twenty-twelve has come and gone with the world still spinning. Get outta here so I can chat with my girl.”

Jackie stood, brushing invisible dirt of his green plaid shorts. In a few years, he’d either be modeling or coming out of the closet. I swore my brother got all the looks in the family—Mom’s California blonde hair, Dad’s bright blue eyes, and at least two inches taller than I was.

Me? I inherited Dad’s brown hair that curled if it got too long and Mom’s brown eyes the color of dry dirt. In other words, boring.

“One of these days, you’ll believe me,” Jackie said, his voice deeper than normal. His eyes sparkled like ice held up to a light bulb. “The end is coming. Everything will stop. And there’s nothing you can do to prevent it.”

“Dude, did you forget your Zoloft, or something? What’s with the voice?” I fell onto my twin bed, wishing for the millionth time I had my own room. The computer lay across my thighs, warming the denim beneath it.

Flipping me the bird, Jackie left the room and slammed our door behind him, rattling the windows from the force. The little shit must’ve started lifting weights. I glanced over to his half of the room but saw no sign that my brother had suddenly decided to add to his martial arts workout. Instead, his side was spotless, with a perfectly made bed, organized desk, laid-out clothes, and his lined-up tae kwon do ribbons. Jackie switched disciplines when he was seven, while I stuck with karate. I would’ve quit, but girls thought it was sexy. Laura included.

My shit was less than perfect. A box shoved into the closet hid my wrinkled karate ribbons. Homework and textbooks littered my desk. Even our matching blue plaid comforters were opposites—mine faded and wrinkled, his smooth and bright like the day Mom bought it.

Shaking my head, I opened the laptop and typed in the password. Laura was far more important than worrying about what was up little bro’s butt. Especially since we had big plans that night. Her parents would be out ringing in twenty-fourteen at some hotel soiree, leaving the house to us. Alone. Six years of crushing on her and six months of dating her were leading to what I hoped would be the best night of my life.

About L.S. Murphy: L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. She is the author of romance novellas A Reason to Stay and Neighbors. Her debut novel Reaper, a YA paranormal romance, is now available.

She is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.

Links:

Website: http://lsmurphy.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSMurphy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSMurphyAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046440.L_S_Murphy

Tumblr: http://lsmurphybooks.tumblr.com/

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/l-s-murphy/12/218/140

I am pretty sure I promised you all a giveaway as well, didn’t I? Ever true to my word, here is the info on the Rafflecopter Giveaway. (I cant actually host Rafflecopter on a Free WordPress blog – dangit – so here is the link for the Rafflecopter Giveaway.