Feb Romance Beth Fred & Celebrate

I'm concluding my month long tribute to Romance with a feature on an awesome and sweet romance author -- Beth Fred -- who will introduce you to three of her novels.  Take it away, Beth!

A turbulent, emotionally charged YA novel that breaks down barriers and challenges the status quo...

Angry, seventeen-year-old Iraqi war refugee Mirriam Yohanna hates her new life in Killeen, Texas, where the main attraction is a military base, populated with spoiled army brats like Caleb Miller.

Caleb has much to be angry about too, including Mirriam who turns him down flat in front of everyone. Eager for retribution, Caleb agrees to a dare that will see him take Mirriam to the prom and regain his pride.

But their relationship soon moves beyond high school antics. Mirriam and Caleb are bound together by more than location, and as they are forced to work closely together on a school assignment, they start to uncover an explosive story that has the potential to ruin lives — and both of their futures. One single truth changes everything and strengthens their bond.

When Mirriam's family discovers their relationship, they decide it's time to arrange her marriage to a proper Iraqi man. Caleb must convince Mirriam that he is in it for forever — or risk losing her for good.
Available at: Amazon   B&N

When twenty-four-year-old Tiffany escapes her sister Kammy's too wild Cancun bachelorette party, she finds herself in a bar with the unwanted attention of a gorgeous local named Luke.
Luke may be charming but Tiffany is leaving in two days and doesn't need any complications. But complications are exactly what she gets when the cops show up to raid Kammy's party. When Kammy is arrested, Tiffany agrees to have dinner with Luke, so he'll help her get Kammy out of jail. Kammy's arrest forces her to spend an extra day in Cancun, meaning she'll miss a crucial meeting, and as an accountant in tax season, she is already drowning in work. Not to mention, every second she spends with Luke makes it harder to leave. With Luke, Tiffany is almost ready to forget about work.
Will the airport be their final goodbye?  
Available at: Amazon 

When twenty-four-year-old dance school drop-out Kammy Marlowe is evicted by her mother, she goes to her favorite hangout. She finds an unlikely friend in the blunt eye candy, Enrique. But Kammy knows there is no way she and Enrique have a shot because he's her brother-in-law’s brother and has been privy to her wild past. 

Enrique swears he’s only interested in the person she is today, but their relationship is tested when her ex-husband's drug dealer attacks her, looking for money. With no options and a money hungry drug dealer on her back, Kammy accepts a position as a dancer at a strip club. But when Enrique shows up at the club, their relationship is over. With no reason to stay in Texas anymore, Kammy auditions for the Bolshevik Ballet and gets the opportunity to go to Russia. Only Enrique is determined to stop her. 

Will she give up the chance of a lifetime to stay with the man she still loves?
Available at: Amazon




Meet Beth Fred! That's me! I'm a full time ELF keeper and part time writer/blogger/writing instructor. I'm represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyons Literary Agency. I like my tea hot, my romance sweet, and my guys chivalrous. Real men hold open doors, refer to you as ma'am, make promises they keep, and aren't afraid to profess their undying love. It's not breakfast if there aren't carbs (at least, not in the South). Fajitas, carnitas, and churros are just few of my favorite things. Bet you can't guess where I'm from. ;)  

Beth queried with a 50% full request rate, and she can teach you how she did this. If you're interested you can sign up here.  Hurry! There is limited availability.

email= bethfred08(at)gmail.com
twitter=bethfred08
facebook author page= https://www.facebook.com/bethfred08

CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS

This week I'm celebrating:
1) I added another 10k to my WIP.  If I can keep this pace and not be distracted by minor details like unwashed dishes, unwashed laundry, unwashed writer (but I've cornered the market on deodorant, so it's all good), and a starving husband, I'll be done with the first draft in 3 weeks.
2) I enjoyed the closing ceremonies in Sochi. (But are all closing ceremonies that long?)
3) My CP, Kate Larkindale, got a wonderful, adoring fan letter for her book, An Unstill Life.  It was so beautiful it made me tear up.  I'm SO happy for her!!

Have any of you ever received a fan letter from a reader?  Or have you written one to an author?  Who?

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! 

Feb Romance Kitsy Clare & Celebrate

NEW BOOK RELEASE!

Today I'm delighted to feature Kitsy Clare's new book,
MODEL POSITION 
It's out now and 

is a must buy for all romance fans!

Blurb:

In Manhattan’s glitzy gallery scene love and art are perilous games.  Will Sienna dare to play?
 
All too soon, artist Sienna Karr will graduate art school and be flung out into Manhattan’s glamorous but cutthroat gallery scene. Luckily, she’s just met Dave Hightower, heir to the hippest gallery ever. He’s asked her on a date and offered to introduce her to the gallery owner, his intimidating Aunt Lydia. Sienna’s excited! Now she’ll be able to climb the ranks and make those all-important art connections.

Trouble is, she’s falling hard for the sexy live-drawing model, Erik, whose sizzling green eyes seem to pierce right into her soul. Dare she risk losing those potential art contacts for love? Erik insists that Sienna is a real talent and her painting stands out above all the others. But she worries that he whispers this come-on line to every pretty art student who flocks around him during breaks. And her friends worry, is Erik up to her pay grade? What kind of guy chooses modeling for a living? Who is he, really? Her choice may be her ruin… or not, but she must decide fast. Everything in Sienna’s super-organized life is turning to terrifying yet sweet chaos.

Contemporary Romance Novella (79 pages)
Released by Inkspell Publishing on Feb 20, 2014

"Kitsy Clare paints a provocative picture with words - a sexy montage of art, beauty, lust and love as colorful as any artist’s canvas." ~ Share My Destiny reviews

"A captivating and sensual work of art!" ~ Jaycee DeLorenzo, author of The Truths About Dating and Mating

 MODEL POSITION BUY LINKS:

Amazon     Barnes & Noble   Kobo    

Author Bio:
When Kitsy Clare isn’t crafting novels, she teaches writing workshops. She also loves to draw, travel, read spicy romance, sci-fi and thrillers. She divides her time between NYC and her Catskills studio, where she enjoys the sounds of birds, bullfrogs and coyotes.

Kitsy also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her YA futuristic thriller, Fireseed One won finalist spots in both YA and Science Fiction in the 2013 USA Book News International Book Awards, and was an Indie Reader Approved notable book. Her YA Refugees, earned a New York Public Library Best Book. Ruby's Fire, the companion novel to Fireseed One, is receiving high praise from reviewers. She’s a member of RWA, SCBWI, Untethered Realms and SFWA.

FIND KITSY CLARE HERE:

Facebook     Goodreads

CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS

This week I'm celebrating:
1) After not liking the first two seasons of American Horror Story, I'm loving Coven.  (It airs 3 months behind here, so I'm only halfway through the season.)  Who can argue with the likes of Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, and Angela Basset?  They're awesome!
2) I'm also enjoying Olympic figure skating although the judging sometimes seems a bit peculiar...
3) I've hit 25k on my current WIP.  I'm stopping to re-think the plot a lot, so it's slow going, but I keep repeating to myself,  Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing...

How do you feel about AHS: Coven? There are a lot of horror series on TV -- which ones are your favorites?

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! 

Feb Romance Ashelyn Drake & Celebrate

Happy Valentine's Day! 

It's a perfect day to highlight romance author Ashelyn Drake!  This very talented writer has published four romance novels in one book called, CAMPUS CRUSH. (Due to mature content, the series is not suitable for younger readers.) 

Nothing To Tell

Some guys have the art of hooking up down to a science. They know all the right words to say and all the right games to play. Except...for guys like Mike Hannigan. The dude has got no game, his pick-up lines never work, and to make matters worse, his wing-man is his female best friend, Mindy.

Until one day, a mysterious raven-haired beauty catches Mike's eye and he's determined to have her. He doesn't care what lengths he has to go to. He'll do whatever it takes to perfect his game and figure out what to say without sounding like a sleaze.

But… There's always something strange about mysterious girls. They're usually mysterious for a reason and this girl in particular might be more than Mike bargained for.      

Romancing the R.A.

Noelle Buckman is looking forward to making a fresh start in college, one that doesn’t involve immature high school boys. The second she steps on campus for freshman orientation, she can sense the possibilities. Especially when she spots Andy, a resident advisor who’s not just hot but also thoughtful enough to open doors for a girl.

And Andy has his eye on Noelle. Even when her nerves take control and she thinks she comes off as a hillbilly with no direction, Andy can see what she’s really like and he’s more than a little interested.

But orientation is less than two full days and there’s an entire summer between Noelle and Andy. Will her attempt to romance the R.A. be as short-lived as college orientation?      

Behind Closed Doors

Julia Monroe is through wishing she had an older guy like her best friend Noelle does. It’s time for her to act on her desires. So when she sees sexy, twenty-three-year-old Darren McEntire eating dinner alone at the pub, she decides to make her move. The attraction between them is undeniable, and even through Julia isn’t looking for a one-night stand, she winds up back at Darren’s place the same night she meets him. Only being with him makes her realize what she’s been missing dating other guys. All she wants is Darren.

But Julia allows Darren to think she’s his age and a grad student at the nearby college. She knows she has to confess the truth, but she’s afraid to shatter what they have. Not knowing what to do, she starts the semester only to discover that her new teaching assistant is none other than Darren. With the lies out in the open and campus policy against them, Julia and Darren know the relationship should be over before it even begins. But the chemistry between them is too strong to deny.

Can they find a way to be together or are they doomed to only see each other behind closed doors?       

Rushing Into Love

As a college junior, Mindy Stanton has no interest in dating a freshman. That is until Ben Whitmore shows up and serenades his way into her heart at the dorm social she’s running. And after hearing him sing, even Mindy can’t deny that he has a deep, sexy voice that makes her melt.

Even though Mindy makes it clear that she doesn’t date younger guys, Ben pursues her anyway. After all, he doesn’t seem like the typical college freshman, who is only interested in hooking up, partying until he can’t remember his name, or joining a frat. He’s a gentleman, a romantic, and definitely knows all the right things to say to sweep a girl off her feet.

So Mindy drops her guard. She allows herself to fall for him. Before she knows it, Ben is all she can think about. To her, he’s perfect. But it doesn’t take Mindy long to discover that even the most perfect guys…

Have secrets.  

** All FOUR of these novels are 

now in ONE great book!! **

CAMPUS CRUSH BUY LINKS:

AMAZON    SMASHWORDS

Bio:
Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes young adult paranormal novels under the name Kelly Hashway. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

FIND ASHELYN DRAKE HERE:

Blog    Facebook    Twitter     Goodreads

CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS

This week I'm celebrating:
1)  Wow! Ashelyn's covers are sexxayy!  I read a lot of romances when I was younger, and this is just the kind of thing I'd have picked from the shelf. ;)
2)  After a two-week break, I'm forging ahead on my WIP. Yay!
3)  I usually prefer to write supernatural horror, but this WIP is a thriller w/o supernatural elements.  I'm trying this because I think it might be more marketable.  (Some people are squeamish about horror and prefer milder suspense or thriller novels.)

Do you write more than one genre?  Do you do it for yourself or for the market?

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! 

Feb Romance TB Markinson, Hilary Grossman & Celebrate

For February, I'm celebrating LOVE with a tribute to our community's romance writers!  First up are wonderful authors TB Markinson and Hilary Grossman.

Blurb:

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Petrie has it all. She’s rich, beautiful, intelligent, and successful. None of this matters to her mom. Les-Bi-An. That’s all her mom sees. 

Even though Lizzie insists her mom’s antagonism does not bother her, Lizzie distances herself from her entire family. When her brother, Peter, calls her out of the blue to announce he’s getting married, Lizzie’s entire life changes drastically. Peter’s fiancée wants to bring the lesbian outcast back into the family. Will this desire cause Lizzie to lose everything dear to her? 

Sarah, Lizzie’s girlfriend, is ecstatic about this change in Lizzie’s personal life. Sarah, the hopeless romantic, wants it all, including settling down with the fiercely independent Lizzie. 

Can Lizzie be tamed? And can she survive her family and all of their secrets? 

Praise for A Woman Lost: 

“I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance as this was one of the best lesbian contemporary books I've read.” ~ Lipstick Lesbian Reviews 
“This is really a story I truly loved … She has a fan for life!” ~ Mismatched Bookends 
“It's a fast-paced read with a topic that is current yet timeless.” ~ Boca Frau Blog
“Enjoyable and engaging story full of great characters. Loved it a lot! Definitely a page turner.” ~ Tranquil Dreams Blog
“And long after I read the last page, Lizzie, Sarah, Lizzie's mom "the scotch lady", and Maddie, the fiancé, lingered on my mind and in my heart.... I truly loved this book!” ~ Hilary Grossman, author of Dangled Carat
“T.B. Markinson clearly captured a strong main character that has flaws, and a pompous family that freely slings judgments at Lizzie every chance they can. A Woman Lost is a fulfilling and lovely read.” Sage Adderley, author of Invoking Nonna 
“The story kept me turning the pages until the end. Great read!” ~ Katie McKnight, author of Secrets Revealed
“This is a powerful and inspiring story about relationships and trust and not being afraid to face your fears … She drew me into the story and keeping me there until the very last page.” ~ T. F. Walsh, author of Cloaked in Fur 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon US       Amazon UK 

Bio:
T. B. Markinson is a 39-year old American writer, living in England, who pledged she would publish before she was 35. Better late than never. When she isn't writing, she's traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. T. B. has published two novels: A WOMAN LOST and MARIONETTE.

FIND TB MARKINSON HERE:

Twitter      Facebook      Blog      Goodreads      Amazon Author Page

Blurb: 

Hilary had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship—why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn’t ready—and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point.

Praise for Dangled Carat:

"Fans of Sex and the City - Grossman makes a reference to Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big - will enjoy the story, but its real-girl charm should draw an even wider crowd." - Kirkus Reviews
"Dangled Carat sparkles with humor and shines with wisdom. It is a gem of a book." - Christina Baker Kline, New York Times Best Selling Author of Orphan Train.
"It was a fun story about a truly unique couple who merged their lives together at a different pace than most normal people, but did it well.  The story line was great, it was a different read than most love stories, which made it fun." - Chick Lit Plus
"I really admired the balance in this memoir. Grossman could have easily made herself the good guy and Marc the bad. But she avoided this pitfall, adding to the believability, which is key to any memoir." - T.B. Markinson author of A Woman Lost and Marionette
"I think this book asks a very good question: does the fact that someone doesn't want to get married, mean that they don't really love you? Because I think that is the conclusion we all jump to." - Emily Harper author of White Lies and Checking Inn
"Pick it up, you will not be disappointed." - Lisa Arrington author of Quake
"Hilary has an easy, flowing writing style that made reading her story a real pleasure.  She  adds such detail to every scene that I feel as if I'm right in the middle of their lives." - Denise Moncrief author of Deceptions Of The Heart and The End

BIO:
Hilary Grossman dated a guy so commitment-phobic that she was able to write a book about their relationship. She is currently the CFO of a beverage alcohol importer and lives on Long Island. 

FIND HILARY GROSSMAN HERE:

Twitter       Facebook       Blog      

CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS

This week I'm celebrating:
1)  Olympic Figure Skating!  I love it, and I'm so excited to watch the great athletes perform!
2)  I accomplished my January To-Do list, but I did it at the expense of other things.  However, I got caught up this week -- so CP crits are finished, there's actually food in the fridge (Boy! Is hubby happy!), and the bathroom floor doesn't crunch when I walk on it anymore!  (No, it's not like I spilled Cheerios on it.  I live in the desert, and sand gets everywhere.)
3)  Now that commitments/responsibilities are taken care of I can get back to my WIP, which I haven't touched in two weeks.  I hope I remember what it's about...

Are you watching the Winter Olympics? What's your favorite Winter Olympic sport?

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever!