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AUTHOR: REBECCA BARBER
SERIES: FINDING YOUR PLACE #1
RELEASE DATE: SEPT. 27, 2016
PUBLISHER: LIMITLESS PUBLISHING
COVER DESIGNER: REDBIRD DESIGNS
TAGLINE: “Sometimes all you need is everything you left behind.”
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Running away was Zoe Sinclair’s answer to her problems… Zoe has missed too much since she fled home ten years ago. Now it is finally time to go back. And with her friend’s birthday party days away, it is the perfect opportunity. On her way into town, her car breaks down, and then she’s attacked and left for dead among the dirt and dust on the roadside. Spencer McLaren never left home, but his heart did. In the same moment Zoe fled… Spencer had always been in Zoe’s life. Every time she’d needed him, he’d been there, arms open wide. When he spots a broken and battered Zoe stumbling along the side of the road, he can’t help but swoop in and rescue her. He rushes her to the hospital, but when she’s released, he can’t seem to let her go. Not again. Physically, Zoe feels fine. Emotionally, her head and her heart are a disaster… Spencer takes Zoe into his home and assigns himself the task of guardian and nurse. But her return puts strain on Spencer’s relationship with his brother, who isn’t happy to see Spencer falling for the girl who broke his heart again. Zoe knows she should leave, but her attacker is still out there, and being with Spencer is the only place she feels safe. She wants to make up for the pain she caused him in the past, but the attack has left her so broken and scared. Despite Zoe’s hesitations and constant battle to keep her emotions in check, Spencer is determined to keep her safe and make her never regret finally… Coming Home. ![]()
MEET THE AUTHOR: REBECCA BARBER
Rebecca, one of four kids to her parents who are both primary school teachers, was born in Wollongong on the south coast of Australia before moving to the country with her family. After a few years of embracing all that country life had to offer, the family relocated to Port Macquarie with its white sand beaches. After a brief period enjoying the sun and the surf they finally settled in Canberra where Rebecca still lives today. But all through her childhood a notepad and a book where never far away. These days Rebecca is an avid reader, and when she isn’t buried in a book or cheering on her beloved football team she’s spending time with her husband Robert and their overly spoilt dog Levi.
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RebeccaBarber7
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Title: When It Hits The Fan Author: Victoria Colotta Release Date: November 15, 2016 Genre: Women’s Fiction Cover Artist: VMC Art & Design, LLC *** ![]() *** Victoria Colotta is an artist, author, and award winning graphic designer with a true passion for literature and spreading the word about amazing authors. As an avid reader, she shares all of her latest book and art finds atArtBooksCoffee.com. She created the site as a place to talk about the three things that she could not live without…books, art, and the need for good coffee. If she is not in her office, you will find her spending time with her crazy dog Lizzy, hanging out with her family, or testing out a new recipe. Victoria is currently working her debut novel WHEN IT HITS THE FAN (Nov 15th). In addition, she is in the process of developing a new paranormal/dystopian series set to launch in 2017. Victoria loves connecting with readers, fellow bookaholics, art enthusiasts, gallery hoppers, and coffee lovers, so feel free to reach out! If she is not writing, drawing, or having fun with Photoshop, you can see what she has been reading over atArtBooksCoffee.com. There are lots of new books and old favorites to check out. Plus you might just find your next series to obsess about...not the anyone does that...
Title: Road to Destiny
Series: Scorpio Stinger MC #5
Author: Jani Kay
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: September 26, 2016
Blurb
Life couldn't be more perfect.
With the woman I love and twins on the way, I'm a happy man.
But the strange thing about life? Nothing stays the same for long. Bad things happen when least expected, throwing the club and my life into chaos. This time I could lose everything that matters to me. My world ripped apart and turned on its axis. Only I can't allow what Jade and I have to be destroyed. I'll lay everything on the line, fighting until my last breath because life is worthless without her. Jade is my reason for breathing. This time the fight is not for survival, it's for love.
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Reading Order
Scorpio Stinger MC Series #0.5 Ryder Prequel #1 Two Worlds Colliding #2 Unchain My Heart #2.5 A Biker Christmas #3 Gods & Monsters #4 Tormented
#5 Road to Destiny
Also Available
Pre-order
Releasing December 5, 2016
Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling Author - Jani Kay lives in Western Australia within a ten minute walk to the beach which is one of her favorite places to chill out.
She has been a bookworm all her life - as a voracious reader, she would gladly spend her last dollar on a book. She is always fascinated that for the mere price of a book (often less than the price of a coffee!), she can escape her life for a while and see through someone else's eyes into their world. Jani loves the colour red, is a fiery Aries, is impatient and always storming ahead with those ram's horns, bashing her head...she has a wicked sense of humour and loves laughing. In her 'other' life, Jani is a business woman and a scientist - a creative scientist though - she formulates skin care products and brews up concoctions in her laboratory... She has 2 beautiful children who have grown into amazing young adults and Jani is very proud of them. Besides reading and writing, her favorite 'thing' is traveling and drinking cocktails on the beach while watching the sun set over the ocean (Sex on The Beach anyone?). Above all, she believes in Kindness, Karma, Miracles and Magic...
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Title: Love Inc. Box Set
Series: Love Inc. #1-3
Author: Ella James
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 15, 2016
Blurb
A limited time romantic suspense box set from USA Today bestseller Ella James! Get all three internationally bestselling Love Inc. novels in a bundle for the first time ever. This is a limited-edition box set available only for a few weeks, in celebration of the upcoming re-release of Something Blue, the final book! SELLING SCARLETT Elizabeth DeVille doesn't belong at a party like this—one where the gowns cost more than her Camry and cigars run higher than her grad school utility bills. Dragged out of seclusion by her best friend Suri, Elizabeth is merely playing dress-up, rubbing elbows with a crowd that banished her troubled family years ago. Hunter West is tired. Tired of parties, tired of pretending, and tired of trying to right a wrong that haunts him every day. Bourbon heir and professional poker player by day, by night Hunter is gambling with his life in a high-stakes game of crime and blackmail. When Elizabeth stumbles into Hunter's den of vices, she's a light in the darkness, a flame in the void. And, just like everything he touches, Hunter mars her in a record time. To rectify the damage done, Elizabeth needs money she doesn't have, and she's come up with a foolproof way to get it. Follow Elizabeth—code-named Scarlett—to the lush Nevada brothel where she'll auction her virginity and risk the only thing that's not for sale: her heart. The highest bidder is a familiar face, with wicked hands and the devil's mouth. And a secret so dark that it could cost her life. TAMING CROSS For twenty-three years, Cross Carlson was a playboy. You know the type. Tall, dark, and wealthy. Blue-eyed. Charming. He seemed to have it all so easy. But Cross was harboring a terrible secret - one that helped ruin the life of an innocent girl and almost ended his own. Finally out of the hospital, Cross is flailing, scarred in both body and mind and stifled by the weight of the secret he still keeps. The only way to absolution lies in a Mexican convent, and going there could cost him everything. If there's anyone who knows what it's like to screw up big time, it's Meredith Kinsey. Just a few years ago, Merri was an ordinary girl with a job at her college newspaper and white picket fence kind of dreams. Now she's holed up in a Mexican convent, hiding from a drug lord who thinks he owns her. What happens when the only way out of hell is with the son of the man who put you there? They say love conquers all, but does it really? UNMAKING MARCHANT Marchant Radcliffe, owner of the exclusive Love Inc. brothel, is no stranger to darkness. He lost his parents in a plane crash and since college has harbored a secret almost too terrible to bear. He keeps his head above water by pouring his energy into his business--and he's thrived, despite the dark blot on his soul. Then, after ten years of good fortune, Marchant's skeletons start to peek out of the closet, tossing him down a trail of ruin that begins with arson and could end with murder. Because he's kept his struggles private, he has no one to pull him back from the brink. After a breakup with her longtime fiancé, Suri Dalton has nowhere to go except her BFF's new penthouse in Las Vegas. The last thing Suri is looking for is a man, but after drowning her woes in wine on the flight over, she stumbles into a torrid make out session with a beautiful stranger--who just so happens to be Marchant Radcliffe, playboy and literal pimp. What happens when what you see isn't what you get? What do you do when destiny is too alluring to resist and too dangerous to survive? *This series contains erotic scenes, mature language, and mature themes.
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99c for one day only!!!
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Ella James is the USA Today bestselling author of fourteen teen and adult romance novels. She's a Southerner who came to Colorado and can't say goodbye to the mountains, despite missing sweet tea, the Gulf Coast, and good barbecue. Ella is raising two children who will probably grow up believing many untruths about everything from dragons to the necessity of wearing shoes.
Author Links
Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Benny loves his pretty little dolls.
As long as they do exactly as they’re told.
He keeps them perfect by brushing their hair
and gives them pretty dresses to wear.
He likes to toy with them late at night.
One so timid but the other likes to fight.
When his favorite doll runs away…
despite the other doll promising to stay,
his heart becomes broken and he can’t help but cry.
He wants her back home or his pretty little doll must die.
Have you ever had to make a decision that haunts you every single day for the rest of your life…the life you stole back?
I have.
I ran for my survival, rocks and twigs cutting into the soles of my feet, my lungs burning and screaming for rest, every muscle tensed and fighting along with me for existence.
I left her.
I ran, ran, ran—from Benny and his lone, pretty little doll—until I couldn’t remember where to find them again.
I’m sorry.
About Ker DukeyMy books all tend to be darker romance, edge of you seat, angst filled reads. My advice to my readers when starting one of my titles...prepare for the unexpected. I have always had a passion for storytelling, whether it be through lyrics or bed time stories with my sisters growing up. My mum would always have a book in her hand when I was young and passed on her love for reading, inspiring me to venture into writing my own. I tend to have a darker edge to my writing. Not all love stories are made from light; some are created in darkness but are just as powerful and worth telling. When I'm not lost in the world of characters I love spending time with my family. I'm a mum and that comes first in my life but when I do get down time I love attending music concerts or reading events with my younger sister.Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads About K. Webster![]()
Oh, how the years fly by!
A whimsical coloring journey. . .
&
A whimsical inspirational journey . . .by Annette Bridges
Genre: Inspirational Adult Coloring & Quote Books
Date of Publication: August 1, 2016
Publisher: Ranch House Press
# of pages: 72
Scroll down for Giveaway!
Oh, how the years fly by! A whimsical coloring journey is an adult coloring book that features thirty vibrant original illustrations and quotes that will take you on an enchanting voyage of reflection. Be reminded of the simple pleasures that make you feel happy. Find the encouragement you need to nourish your soul and refresh your spirit. Get out your colored pencils or crayons and discover the stress relieving, calming pleasure of coloring.
Oh, how the years fly by! A whimsical inspirational journey is a smaller hardcover full-color rendition of the coloring book featuring the same illustrations and quotes.
I was given the pleasure to review this wonderful adult coloring book. Author Annette Bridges gifted me this book for an honest review. Not only did she send me this I received a lovely bag, bookmark and coloring pencils. It was a wonderful surprise an awesome gift. Thank you so much.
This book is full of thirty wonderful positive quotes to help you through a rough day. I will most likely find myself find the appropriate quote that fits my struggles for that day. Color that picture and ponder over the quote. Annette has done a beautiful job to put a positive constructive spin to everyday stresses. Now I'm off to read her book. Thank you again Annette Bridges and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for the print copy. The illustrations of this book is so colorful. It makes it kind of cheerful. Like you just can't help yourself smile when you turn each page. I will definitely recommend this lovely book. I will also gift it to some family. Thanks again to Author Annette Bridges and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for the print copy.
CLICK TO PURCHASE:
*Spiral bound coloring book only available through website
Coming soon to the Ranch House Press Etsy Store!
Annette Bridges is an author, publisher and women’s retreat host on a mission to help every woman realize her story is extraordinary, valuable and noteworthy.
Before writing books, this former public school and home school educator spent a decade writing hundreds of helpful, instructive, and lighthearted columns published by Texas newspapers, parenting magazines, websites, and bloggers.
Annette lives on a Texas cattle ranch with her husband John, dachshund Lady, and lots of cows. She can drive a tractor but only if wearing a fresh coat of lipstick and it’s not her pedicure day!
Annette loves to journal in color and create word art. She especially enjoys coloring with glitter markers. She looks forward to spending hours with her daughter coloring this book and giggling together as they remember their many happy adventures.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
(US ONLY)
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
*Signed copies of both books,
*$25 Michael's gift card,
*logo tote bag & bookmark
TWO RUNNERS-UP:
Choice of signed copy of either book
logo tote bag & bookmark
Check out the other great blogs on the tour!
blog tour services provided by:
Title: Guided Love
Series: The Prick Series #1
Author: Tracie Redmond
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sam Jacobs has been best friends with Camaron Willis since the second grade. Ever since the day they met her heart belonged to him.
Now graduating from college Sam moves across the country to start their life together. They have been planning this for years, she will help him with his tattoo business while writing her first novel. Together, they will make their dreams come true.
Life and people change, Sam finds herself discovering that the one you thought you always wanted may not be the one you need.
Sometimes life guides you to places you always should have been.
AVAILABLE AT AMAZON, B&N, KOBO, & iBOOKSBUY NOW
Title: Weathered Love
Series: The Price Series #2
Author: Tracie Redmond
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Life doesn’t come with a weather forecast. There isn’t a report to tell you when a storm is coming. When the dark clouds roll in, you are lost to the depths of your own making.
Camaron Willis only had one person he could count on. One person who could always lift him up. After almost destroying their friendship he has to sit back and watch her marry someone else.
His world is consumed with darkness as the storm clouds wage on in his life. The only escape he can find is at the bottom of a bottle. He works, he drinks, and he sleeps with any woman who is willing to spread her legs. He doesn’t even realize the darkness has consumed him, until he finally catches a break in the clouds and finds a glimpse of light shining through.
AVAILABLE AT AMAZON, B&N, KOBO, & iBOOKSBUY NOW
I was born and raised in Northeastern, Pennsylvania where I still live today with my husband and three beautiful children. Like everyone, I have had my ups and downs and have seen my life take a complete change. Previously, I was a working mom putting in 60 hours a week as a Financial Advisor but with the sudden loss of my mom who was my best friend I found myself giving up the suits and meetings for jeans and snack time. I have always had the passion for reading and found an escape through the words of all the talented authors I have read. My passion allowed me the opportunity to blog and to get a wonderful insight into the indie world. I have enormous pride and stay true to the characters and their stories as they reveal themselves to me. I am so excited to have this opportunity to share my stories and hope you love them as much as I do.
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Title: Epic Love
Series: Epic Fail #3
Author: Trudy Stiles
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2016
Blurb
HEATH STRICKLAND, the son of a prominent district attorney, lived his life surrounded by violence and crime. He was an unwilling witness to the corrupt lives his father swore to prosecute and keep behind bars. His escape was his music, which eventually led him to replace the iconic singer of the world famous band, Epic Fail. NOELLE DURAND lived in luxury, growing up on a sprawling estate, with everything she could ever want or need. Her life, to everyone else, seemed perfect. Perfect house. Perfect things. Perfect family. But nothing at all was perfect. She lived in hell. A hell that nobody on the outside could see. As a neighbor and childhood friend, Heath would have done anything for Noelle. He would have given up the world to protect her and keep her safe. Their friendship grew into something that neither of them expected. But then she suddenly disappeared, vanishing from his life as if she never existed. He never stopped hoping that one day she would resurface, alive and well. But as time went by, and her family gave up hope, he surrendered his heart to his lost love. Twelve years later, one phone call changes everything. EPIC LOVE is the third book in the EPIC FAIL series and can be read as a standalone novel. This series is a spinoff from the FOREVER FAMILY series.
Purchase Links
“I’m sorry, Noelle. I’m really sorry.” I don’t know what I’m apologizing for. The fact that I don’t believe her weak lie or because I kissed her. No. I’m not sorry for either.
“It’s okay. Really. Thanks for caring. And thank you for my birthday gift.” She pauses and brushes her pinkie finger against mine. “You made my birthday really special, and I’ll never forget it.” Without thinking, I loop my pinkie finger around hers, linking them together. Linking us together. We walk to her window like this and I break our connection reluctantly, bringing my hand up to her bruised cheek. “Please be careful,” I beg, and I’m not sure what I’m even begging her to be careful of. I’m just so worried about her. “I will,” she whispers. “Catch a couple fireflies on the way home.” “I’d catch a million for you.” Her eyes light up, a smile on her lips. I want to kiss her again. So bad. But all I do is stare into her eyes and back away. I push the window open as quietly as I can and slide out onto the grass. “Happy Birthday, Noelle.” She smiles as we both slide the window gently along the track, closing it. She leaves her hand pressed against the window and I immediately do the same, covering hers, only the glass pane separating us. Her smile is weak and full of pain. A pain that I would take away from her in an instant if I could.
Also Available
Author Bio
Trudy Stiles is a USA Today Bestselling Author, writer of New Adult Romance, mom to two beautiful children, and married to the love of her life. She’s the author of the bestselling Forever Family series including Dear Emily, Dear Tabitha, and Dear Juliet. Epic Sins and Epic Lies are the first books in the Epic Fail series and will continue with at least two more standalone novels, Epic Love and Epic Holiday. She plans to write many more stories about some of the characters you’ve already met, and maybe a few new ones. Emily will get her own story, Sincerely, Emily, to be released in 2017. She’s also a contributing author to the USA Today Bestselling anthology, F*cking Awkward, a hilarious group of short stories sure to make you cringe, laugh and everything in between. All proceeds from this project benefited The Bookworm Box and its charities. Trudy is a music junkie and you’ll know that she’s writing when you see her plugged into her laptop with her earbuds in. Her playlist is unique and is a must for her writing sprints. When she’s not writing, she’s carting her children to their various activities while avoiding any kind of laundry or housework. She also loves to run along the boardwalk of the beautiful New Jersey shore. She celebrates Wine Wednesday almost every day.
Author Links
Title: Crushing on Love
Series: The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor
Author: Melissa Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 21, 2016
Blurb
The Bradens are a series of stand alone novels that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series.
"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak "With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!" New York Times Bestseller Julie Kenner "Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely In CRUSHING ON LOVE...
Steve Johnson is living his life’s passion watching over the Colorado Mountains as a ranger and wildlife consultant. But his peaceful life is upended when overzealous and insanely beautiful Shannon Braden flits back into his life after returning from a brief trip home to Maryland. He thought his attraction to her was under control—after all, she’s only in Colorado temporarily, and he doesn’t do casual affairs.
Shannon’s return to Colorado has as much to do with the game of cat and mouse she and Steve have been playing as it does the data she’s been hired to collect. But despite her efforts to explore the undeniable heat simmering between them, Steve’s intent on keeping his distance. When a ranch abutting the national park goes up for sale, Steve will do whatever it takes to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. And when all his attempts fail, he’s left with no alternative but to follow Shannon’s guidance into the online world he abhors in order to raise the funds. The more time they spend together, the deeper their attraction becomes, and a game of cat and mouse turns into an unstoppable connection. But when Shannon’s assignment comes to an end, will it mean an end to them, too?
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WANT MORE BRADENS? All Braden books can be read as stand-alone novels or as part of the series:
THE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD) Healed by Love (Nate) Surrender My Love (Cole) River of Love (Sam) Crushing on Love (Shannon) Whisper of Love (Tempest) Thrill of Love (Ty)
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The Bradens are part of the Love in Bloom big family romance collection. Characters from each sub-series appear in future books.
Excerpt
SHANNON WATCHED STEVE swing his ax. He was built like the very mountains he loved: strong and stable, with layers of hard-earned muscles born from honest, hard work. Pure perfection. And that hair? Lord. What would it be like to fist her hands in his hair and kiss him? To touch all those hard planes of muscle? To discover the man behind the walls? She told herself those were wants not needs, no matter how much they felt like it. The kind of unrelenting wants that bring a girl to reach beneath the sheets and satisfy her fantasies.
Down, girl. Shannon had been surprised by how much she’d missed Steve when she’d gone home for her eldest brother Cole’s wedding. She and Steve hadn’t spent more than a few stolen moments together during the weeks she was here for her first assignment. Usually she’d catch him working on equipment, or in his yard, before she returned to her uncle’s ranch in the evenings. He’d captivated her with his passion for, and endless knowledge about, all things wilderness related. And he was different from most of the guys she knew. He wasn’t hung up on his looks or material things. He was real, with a strong set of values and priorities. Somehow, between their almost daily conversations and weeks of hoping she’d see him, she’d become completely and utterly taken with him. When she’d been offered the assignment and the cabin, she’d accepted without hesitation. She’d missed Steve too much to deny the attraction, and she wanted to see if something might come of it. Now that she was here, her body was thrumming at the mere sight of him. Given that she’d actually asked him about his sex life—and nearly died on the spot when the question slipped out—she desperately needed to rein herself in. He wiped sweat from his brow, his tanned skin glistening in the morning sun. “Need anything from town?” he asked, setting another log on the stump. She couldn’t pry her eyes from his rippling abs and his bulbous biceps flexing with every move. “Town?” He cocked a smile and hoisted the ax again. “Town. You know, the place where people who like Pinterest live?” She forced her eyes away, glancing at the trees swaying in the breeze, the rocks at her feet, anywhere but at him. “I know what town is. I’m just surprised you’re going there.” Everyone knew Steve hated to leave his precious mountain. “Gotta take care of some business.” Going into town was a big deal. Unlike a quick trip to the store from her apartment in Peaceful Harbor, the drive into town took at least thirty to forty-five minutes, depending on which town he was going to. She’d realized last night she’d forgotten two very important supplies. Pop-Tarts and toilet paper. She could probably live with the single roll of toilet paper she had in the cabin for another few days if she needed to, but Pop-Tarts were pretty much a necessity. Besides, maybe she could convince Steve to help her scout gray-fox habitats at dusk. Perfect! “Can I come with you?” she asked hopefully. “I need to pick up a few things.” “I’ll get them for you. What do you need?” She bit her lower lip, willing herself not to fib. But if she asked him to pick up what she really needed, he’d leave and she’d have to go searching for habitats by herself. Now that she’d thought about going later with her yummy mountain man, she’d already settled on it in her mind. “It’s girl stuff. You won’t want to get it.” So much for not fibbing. “Can I please go with you?” She gave him her best pleading look. “I promise not to talk your ear off.” Fib, fib, fib! She had no control over what came out of her mouth, especially around him. He muttered under his breath and set the ax against the stump. “I’m not making a hundred stops.” She leapt with delight and ran over to hug him. Her heel slipped out of her boot and she stumbled into him in a half hug, half full-body-draped-over-Steve embrace. His skin was hot, his body was hard, and getting harder by the second. He smelled like man and musk, and…she was still plastered against him. She cleared her throat and managed, “Thank you.” Using his chest for leverage--yum, yum—she found her footing and pressed her heel back into her boot. “One stop. That’s it. Promise.” “You’re excited to get those supplies.” He picked up the logs he’d chopped and piled them on his forearm like they were toothpicks. “I’m just excited to be back. Maybe at dusk you can help me map out the habitats? It’ll be fun to scope them out together.” He gave her a curious look. “Haven’t heard anyone describe hanging out with me as fun in a long time.” “Then you’re hanging out with losers, and I’m taking that as a yes.” She grabbed the coffee mugs, unable to stop smiling. “I’m leaving in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be back lickety-split.” With a bounce in her step, she headed toward her cabin and heard him mutter, “Lickety-split,” followed by a chuckle.
Author Bio
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family. Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Author Links
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Title: Pakhan's Rose
Author: V.F. Mason
Genre: Mafia Romance
Release: October 25, 2016
Cover Designer: Sommer Stein
Photographer: Lindee Robinson
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![]() ![]() She was mine. Mine and no one else’s. Rosa Five years ago, life delivered a blow I barely survived. On the edge of desperation, I thought my dreams were never meant to come true. Thanks to Sociopath, everything changed for the better. The life I so desperately wanted was within my grasp as my future brightened. I couldn't have been happier. Until the Pakhan of Bratva decided I belonged to him. Pakhan Darkness and nightmares of the past surrounded my life. Bratva became my home, accepting me with open arms. I gave everything to it, my heart and soul. Until my eyes landed on a picture of hazel eyed beauty as she woke up every possessive instinct inside me. Rosa Giovanni became mine. Unfortunately for everyone involved, it meant declaring a war between the Bratva and Cosa Nostra. Man with the dragon tattoo: When Don and Pakhan focused on their war, the danger to their precious Rose escaped their notice. Hiding in the shadows, I waited for the perfect time for my revenge. Let the game begin. Warning: Can be read as standalone, although it’s connected with Sociopath Duet series. Pakhan is a two part series. 18+ due to sexual content, profanity, abuse, graphic violence and adult subject matter.
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![]() Head over to the Authors Facebook Page to ENTER
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V.F.Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her mama over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn't happen.
Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.
When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.
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Title: Between Clouds and Stars
Author: Sharlyn G. Branson
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 21, 2016
Blurb
My life is perfect. I have money, power, good looks and countless women ready to do anything to get their hands on me, and my rather large package. My business brings in billions every year and my airline has the fastest airplanes in the world. In short, I have everything a man can dream of. Or so I thought until I met Estelle Klide. The second I saw her, I decided to make her mine. Her body was sinfully sexy. She had amazing, mesmerizing indigo eyes. Her sweet scent was the epitome of temptation and evoked images of wild, animalistic sex in my mind. I couldn’t help but fall for her – hard. Letting her slip through my fingers was not an option. In involving myself with her, I entered waters I’d never thought I’d have to swim in. I set off on a journey filled with mystery, fear and a lot of love. The only thing that threatened to ruin this paradise and destroy everything, was her ex-husband, who turned out to be a real monster.
Purchase Links
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Sharlyn G. Branson is happily married and mother of a lovely boy. She is addicted to coffee and dark chocolate. She believes erotic novels could save a lot of marriages and improve sexual life of many people. Branson reads various genres, but adores erotic romance. She loves to write all kinds of love stories.
Author Links
Teach Me To Prey
Samantha Jacobey
Genre: Mystery Suspense Thriller
with a romantic twist
184 pages
Rebecca Stewart had never let things get personal with her students; a mistake that could cost her far more than a broken heart.
Jason and his friends enjoyed tormenting teachers. When they set their sights on Miss Stewart, nothing would prevent them from bringing her down.
Avoiding Jason’s advances and navigating an epic clash of wills, the young woman felt relieved to see graduation day finally arrive. Little did she know, it wouldn’t end there. Pregnant and alone, she could only keep her secrets for so long.
After one of the boys is found murdered, the police haul her in, but she denies having done anything wrong. Can she convince them of the truth before all three of the young men fall victim to a killer, forcing her to raise her child alone?
Find out in the action packed thriller...TEACH ME TO PREY.…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1U2rttm
Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/B01I5H7T62
OVER 15 5 STARS REVIEWS, here’s a sample:
From the prologue to the epilogue I was hooked. The story of a teacher's struggle with students alone made this book worth reading. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is looking for a good summer read.
~ Diane Potos
GREAT READ!!! This book was NOT what I was expecting...It was 1000x BETTER!!!! Samantha Jacobey has written a dark read that will leave you guessing until the very last page!!! I LOVED this book and HIGHLY recommend it!!! ~ Ebony Arrington - McMillan
Definitely a 5 Star Read! The story has twists and turns and the ending may not be as you expect!
~ Lori Lazzara
A 5-Star Must Read! I really enjoyed this book – the author knows how to keep your interest until the very end! ~ L. Remenicky
Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations any where at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.
I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SamJacobey
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Title: Heating Up the Holidays
Authors: Various
Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Bookinâ It Designs, Talina Perkins
Release Date: November 1, 2016
The ultimate collection of sexy Christmas romances!
Let seven of todayâs hottest contemporary romance authors help keep you warm this holiday season. Each story is a standalone and contains a heartwarming Christmas romance with enough heat to get you through even the coldest winter night.
Available for a limited time, this collection will disappear not long after Santa puts his sleigh away for the season. Grab it while you can!
Pre-order Links
99c
Hereâs a peek at what youâll find in
Heating Up the Holidays:
Please Have Snow by Amy Lamont
All curvaceous bartender Lily Barton wants for Christmas is a home to call her own. For Will Canter, the rugged, bad boy drummer of Sliding Violet, home is wherever the musicâand the bandâs tour busâtakes him. Can love, and a little holiday magic, give them both exactly what they want?
Sugar Plum Seduction by Regina Kyle
Itâs Gunnar Rhodesâ first Christmas without his wife, and all he wants is to make it special for his seven-year-old daughter, even if that means letting her perform in the pretty new ballet teacherâs production of The Nutcracker. With Norah Pruittâs professional dance careerâand her engagementâcut short by a tragic accident, sheâs determined to make her dance studio a success. Can the spirit of the season heal their wounds and help them find a second chance at love?
Ringing in the New by Nola Cross
Christmas Eve by Kaylie Newell
Eve and Patrick thought their romance was long gone. It only takes a snowstorm and a sizzling night in a haunted house to resurrect the passion that was there all along.
A Holiday Prospect by Nina Bancroft
Tessa Blake loves her challenging new job as director of HR for a drilling company in rural North Dakota. But her sexy and driven new boss, Matthew Linden âLindâ Pearce, doubts Tessaâs ability to keep his workers safe in the field. When the two are forced to share cramped accommodations at the rig in the days before Christmas, both are compelled to confront their feelings for the other. Will this holiday bring these two a brighter prospect?
Operation: Christmas by Megan Ryder
When Ryan Holliday finds out his long-time crush, Paige Taylor, hates Christmas, he does the only thing he can. Seduces her over Christmas trees, cookies and shopping. But when the season is over, will their romance end or will they find a way to make it forever?
Contact Megan
Sizzling in Snowflakes by Elisabeth Mayer
When homesick study abroad student, Kate Sullivan, canât go home for Christmas, she settles for the next best thing: a holiday getaway with her roommates to the French Alps. She hopes four days on the slopes will keep her mind off missing her family and all their holiday traditions. The unexpected, late night arrival of four men sheâd never met before was definitely not in her plans; neither was falling head over heels for one of them.
Contact Elisabeth
Giveaway
Title: Razing Grace
Series: The Devil’s Own #3
Author: Amo Jones
Genre: Romance
Cover Design: Kari Ayasha, Cover to Cover Designs
Release Date: October 15, 2016
Blurb
I was light, and I was pure. Until I wasn’t. Millie I’m Millie Hart, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve dedicated my life to my Catholic faith. It was a part of me every step of the way. So when I decided to join a nunnery, no one in my family was surprised. I’m not sure at what point my life changed or where it went extremely wrong. My nightmares are becoming realities as my world starts to slowly tremble under the ground I’m presently shackled to. I was taken. Everything I thought I knew was about to rain down on me in drops of lies, deceit, and undiluted evil. Tripp/Raze I’m more machine than man. I’m the alpha and the omega of The Army, and the leader of The Sinister Six Masked Huntsmen. I live and bleed this life. The arms that raised me weren’t carrying love— they were carrying knives and AKAs. I’m agent 000, the executioner, and the damn devil who walks in the flesh. No one can break through my hard shell— not even her. *This is book Three in The Devil’s Own series but can be read as a standalone.
Also Available
Author Bio
Amo is a full-time writer from New Zealand who loves long romantic walks to the wine cellar. When she's not creating magic, you can usually find her relaxing in front of the television watching the latest episode of Supernatural or Vikings. (This will be updated as she finds new television shows with hot actors.) She's the proud mother of four little critters who are the reason she breathes, but also the reason she drinks. She's the wife-to-be to the love of her life. She says wife-to-be because she scares him a little, and he still hasn't decided whether he wants to wed her or not. Such an exciting relationship. She loves meeting new people and believes the world needs more kindness.
Author Links
Title: Summer's Landing
Series: Loving Summer Spin-off
Author: Kailin Gow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2016
Blurb
Standalone New Novel from ALA Award-winning International Bestselling Author and TV Host Kailin Gow...
Summer's Landing Summer's Landing is a new series about a more mature Summer Jones who is now 28 and working as a surgeon in Los Angeles. She was engaged to her long-time love, but now life is about to change with her fiance hovering between life and death. As a surgeon, she deals with life and death decisions everyday, but when tragedy hits too close to home, Summer faces the biggest decision in her life, one she will fall upon at a place called Summer's Landing. I Can. Not. Believe. It. Another tragedy. Another death. Now the man I am set to marry...the man I want to marry is hovering between life and death. We've just found his missing brother who had been under a different identity, a different life all this time. He's back in our lives...my fiance's smart, genius, and now hotter than ever older brother, who happens to be my first love since childhood...just to now have my fiance close to death. How ironic? It's like the stars do not want us together. It's like we will never be together...my fiance and I. I don't know what to do...I don't know if I can do anything. But it's as if somehow fate has another mind of its own. I won't know until all this plays out. My entire life has been a roller coaster, and now it seems it will come to a stop. I just need to know how to land. He's there to help me...And I'm there too. Somehow the answers are there...at Summer's Landing.
Join us for the Amazing Release as a new addition to the beloved series, Loving Summer, which is in pre-production as a Feature Film, set to release in 2018!
“Believe me, only women with the IQ of a bunny would fall for that. Any women with any sense of dignity would never fall for that. At least, not twice.” I never fell for Drew’s ‘hey ladies look at me, I’m so hot’ line, didn’t I? Instead I fell for the sweet sensitive and passionate man that was always there to hold me and be there for me. That was the Drew I fell for, not this guy, whoever he was.
“Boy, Nat sure got himself a feisty one, didn’t he?” Drew said under his breath. “I may be feisty and smart, but I can still please any man of mine in bed like a girl from the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” I said. Drew laughed. “I’d like to see that!” You have. When I used to get dressed up in nothing but lace and garter belts, and tie you up in silk stockings while I made you whimper in need for me with just one touch of my feather wand. “You got more to you than you seem, Summer,” Drew said. “You betcha,” I said. “I also happen to know there is something my man truly can’t resist and it gets to him all the time…” “What?” Drew asked, his eyes now taking me in from head to toe. “Two words,” I said looking into his eyes. He licked his lips. “What?” “One…Feather. And two…Wand.”
Author Bio
Having sold over 5 million books, produced and hosted 4 television shows now playing or soon to be playing on Amazon Prime TV and other channels; Kailin Gow was called an "innovating author" and an "Author as Influencer" by Goodreads executives at Book Expo America 2014 in their speech. In 2015, Kailin Gow was announced as one of Cindy Crawford's Beauties, who is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside, along with Deborah Messing and Gabrielle Union. She was called "a successful author who knows how to balance being an author and life" by Huffington Post. USA Today recommends her steamy romances while PBS Kids have recommended her Teen Fantasy Series. Amazon highlighted her author success story on the homepage of Amazon.com and in the book, Transformations, noting how she turned her personal life's adversities dealing with her mother's cancer and daughter's autism into an inspiration and drive to write empowering books and stories for girls and women of all ages. She has proven by example that if you can achieve success as an author by hard-work and writing great stories even when the opportunities are not being offered to you. Kailin Gow has garnered supportive and encouraging fans and readers from around the world of all ages and from all walks of life, who supports her vision to tell heartfelt stories with universal appeal and addresses issues such as bullying, abuse, discrimination, and empowerment. All her books have some part of her own life infused into the stories, having had personal experience or inspired by someone who has. She is well-known in the film community as a writer and storyteller who is bold and writes female characters who are strong in their own ways. Kailin Gow is not only a bestselling author who sold over 5 million books worldwide solely based on popularity, not counting the over 1 million copies downloaded of PULSE Vampire Series book 1, but she is a prolific filmmaker and screenwriter. Her Bitter Frost Series was made into a mobile game in 2015 and released in Asia, is now in production as a MMO Game for a release in 2016. Used to being in front of the camera as well as behind it, Kailin Gow will be starring in the tv series - Author A Parody, a comedy/drama based on her experiences and her author friends' experiences as an indie and hybrid author, which will be available to watch on Hulu, Amazon, Roku, and Asian television and international streaming channels in 2016. "You wouldn't believe some of the crazy and even vicious things that happened to me as an indie author when indies first started becoming bestselling ebooks. And there are tons of funny and hilarious things that will be in Author A Parody, which I think many readers and authors can relate to." Author A Parody is filmed in English and Chinese, an innovative new genre-breaking multicultural and multinational show people will be talking about even after the show. An prolific television and film producer as well as a former legal executive at the Walt Disney Company, Kailin Gow is also the host of the popular travel/lifestyle tv show Kailin Gow's Go Girl (https://www.amazon.com/Queens/dp/B01GGUHU32) , the first season now almost complete and airing on Amazon Prime TV and other Channels. Her PULSE Book Series' first book, Mysterious Teacher (a new spin-off prequel series), is already set to become a film, to be release in 2017. Kailin Gow uses her author platform to bring awareness to issues affecting young adult and women. She has appeared on national radio as a regular guest on topics such as body image, self-esteem, dating and sexual relationships, bullying, and more; often brought up in her fiction books for young adults and women. She is a graduate of the Annenberg School for Communications Masters in Management program in journalism, marketing and publishing at the University of Southern California. An ALA YALSA Reader's Choice Nominated Author for her YA series, Frost Series, she was also an invited speaker at BEA 2014.
Author Links
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Title: Bang Gang
Author : Jade West
Genre : Contemporary Romance
It’s one thing knowing your ex-boyfriend is a bit of a player, but it’s another thing altogether to find out he’s pimping himself out to anyone who’ll pay good money for it.
Not just himself, either. That would be far too regular for Darren Trent.
Darren Trent – my teenage sweetheart and father to my two young girls – is not just whoring himself out. Oh no. Darren Trent pimps himself out alongside four of his mechanic friends – all of them at the same time.
Five hot, sweaty mechanics at your service.
They call themselves the Bang Gang… you can imagine.
In a village our size I should keep my head down and hope the scandal blows over before the girls or my poor old Nanna catch wind of it.
Only it’s not blowing over. Far from it. It seems every woman in the village wants themselves a five-mechanic sandwich.
They make no qualms about it, either. Just rock on up to my café counter and ask how they can book themselves in for a Bang Gang special. Like I would know.
I definitely wouldn’t know. I hardly even know Darren Trent anymore. We split up a lifetime ago.
I definitely don’t think about him late at night. Don’t think about five mechanics and me as much as every other woman in this village.
And even if I did, I wouldn’t act on it. I wouldn’t draw the money from my savings account and have a go for myself.
And even if I did that. I definitely, definitely wouldn’t fall for him. Not again. Not after everything we went through. Not after splitting up the first time nearly brought me to my knees.
Not after settling into a decent routine, the girls and me, with no drama, no heartbreak, no crazy passions to rock the calm little boat we’re sailing on.
I mean, who would be stupid enough to risk all that over a hot, sweaty, oily bit of rough like Darren Trent?
Living in imaginary realities and having a legitimate excuse for it is really all she’s ever wanted.
Jade is as dirty as you’d expect from her novels, and talking smut makes her smile.
She lives in the Herefordshire countryside with a couple of hounds and a guy who’s able to cope with her inherent weirdness.
She has a red living room, decorated with far more zebra print than most people could bear and fights a constant battle with her addiction to Coca-Cola.
Title: Candy Boys
Author : Jo Raven
Genre : MMF
Joel and Jethro. Roommates. Total hunks. Inseparable friends. Hot as hell.
Meet my fantasy boyfriends. Aren’t they just the sexiest, cutest thing? I know, right? They totally are. They are hot, too hot for a quiet—and obsessed with them—girl working in a bookshop.
That’d be me, by the way.
There’s also the tiny problem of Joel wanting another girl. And as for Jethro, well… he doesn’t do girls. Or maybe he doesn’t do relationships. He certainly doesn’t do boys, so he isn’t doing his best and very male friend… right? Much less his male friend and me at the same time.
So it’s fine to crush on them. And write a serial story on my blog in which we have tantric sex in every possible position.
All three of us. Together. Touching, and licking, and sucking, and screwing. Whew.
I mean, it’s okay. It’s perfectly safe. They’ll never even know I exist, much less find out about my blog and my secret fantasy about them.
Right?
...Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.
Warning: This book contains two super-hot boys and a nerdy, funny girl who has the hots for them. It includes boy on boy fun, and girl on boy, and boy on girl, and girl on boy on boy, and, well, you get the picture.
Warning 2: This book may set you on fire. Handle with caution.
Warning 3: This book is funny, and dark, and angsty. It is NOT a love triangle. It is a relationship between three people with a happy ending.
“Jet, we need to talk.”
“Screw talking.” He moans in my mouth, the vibrations traveling from his broad chest to my body, making me clench with need.
“Jet…”
“You want me,” he whispers. “Say it.”
“I want you,” I whisper, and he moans again.
“Oh yeah. Tell me what turns you on. What your fantasy is.”
Holy crap.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” I lick his lips, inviting him to kiss me again, to stop my confession, but it’s not enough to stop the words. “I want you, Jet. And Joel. I want what you want, and I can’t…”
Jet’s breath hitches, his lashes sweeping low on his cheeks. “Can’t what?”
“Can’t choose between you. Don’t you see?” The truth is finally out. It was choking me all this time. My eyes sting, because I know he’ll push me away any second now. “I’m sorry. I should have said it from the start. I should—”
“What exactly are you saying, Sugar Pop?” He drops back on the sofa, brows knitted. “Are you walking away?”
“No. You have no idea…” I shake my head, my cheeks on fire, my heart thudding heavily in my chest. “I want you both. Here. At the same time. With me. God, I can’t believe I told you.”
He licks his lips, his eyes so dark. “Say it again, sugar.” He lifts a hand to my face, draws me down to him. “Say it again.”
“I want the two of you, with me.”
“Fuck, you have any clue what you’re doing to me? What you just said…” His gaze is full of wonder, wide and hot. His hands move down my back, finding bare skin under my blouse, scorching brands. “Come here.”
He pulls and tugs until I’m fully seated on his lap, his hard cock pressing sideways against my inner thigh.
I brace my hands on his shoulders, gripping the thick muscles there as he kisses me deeply, so hard my lips hurt. His stubble scrapes over my chin.
It’s hot. He’s so frigging hot, I can’t even think, can’t do anything but fall into the kiss.
Then a low male voice says from behind him, “Harder, Jet.”
I jolt with shock. Jethro’s hands grab my waist, fingertips digging deep.
A shadow falls over us. Someone comes to stand behind the couch and slides a hand into Jethro’s wild hair. Familiar blue eyes dart from my face to his.
“Joel?” Jethro’s voice hitches. “Didn’t know you were here. J, listen—”
“Kiss her harder.” His hand slips down Jethro’s face to his jaw, and he leans down to whisper close to his ear, “I wanna watch.”
****Kim's Review****
Candy is a nerd girl with a healthy sex drive and a great sexual imagination. She's lusted after Joel and Jethro from a far for years, they have no idea she even exists or that they are both the stars of her blog serial! The real j-one and j-two are not quite how Candy has written them in her story and she's about to get to know the real deal! Candy Boys is a great read there's humour, drama and of course it's highly erotic. This may not be for everyone if you don't like m/m or you don't normally read it I'd still suggest giving this book a chance, as that's not all its about. Will Candy finally get the Ménage of her fantasies? I sure was highly entertained finding out! Four stars!
*****Nicole's Review*****
WOW! This sure was a steamy read. I'm still trying to cool down. Lol I loved the characters. Jethro is the mysterious one. Joel is the take control guy. Candace loved them both for years and blogged about it. Then they meet and boy do they have a healthy sexual appetite. Candy gets to know the real boys. Realizing her fantasy boys are nothing like the real deal. 4.5 stars for me!
Jo Raven is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, best known for her series Inked Brotherhood and Damage Control. She writes edgy, contemporary New Adult romance with sexy bad boys and strong-willed heroines. She writes about MME fighters and tattoo artists, dark pasts that bleed into the present, loyalty and raw emotion. Add to that breathtaking suspense, super-hot sex scenes and a happy ending, and you have a Jo Raven® story.
Find all her books here .
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by Chad S. Conine
Genre: Texas Sports History / Biographies
Date of Publication: September 6, 2016
Publisher: University of Texas Press
# of pages: 288
Scroll down for Giveaway!
Anywhere football is played, Texas is the force to reckon with. Its powerhouse programs produce the best football players in America. In The Republic of Football, Chad S. Conine vividly captures Texas’s impact on the game with action-filled stories about legendary high school players, coaches, and teams from around the state and across seven decades.
Drawing on dozens of interviews, Conine offers rare glimpses of the early days of some of football’s biggest stars. He reveals that some players took time to achieve greatness—LaDainian Tomlinson wasn’t even the featured running back on his high school team until a breakthrough game in his senior season vaulted him to the highest level of the sport—while others, like Colt McCoy, showed their first flashes of brilliance in middle school. In telling these and many other stories of players and coaches, including Hayden Fry, Spike Dykes, Bob McQueen, Lovie Smith, Art Briles, Lawrence Elkins, Warren McVea, Ray Rhodes, Dat Nguyen, Zach Thomas, Drew Brees, and Adrian Peterson, Conine spotlights the decisive moments when players caught fire and teams such as Celina, Southlake Carroll, and Converse Judson turned into Texas dynasties.
“This is a wonderful, well-written book, full of compelling details and stories. A ‘must read’ for any Texas football fan.” —DAVE CAMPBELL Dave Campbell’s Texas Football
PURCHASE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR
University of Texas Press
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Getting the interviews and doing the interviews brought all of these little victories along the way. There were sort of two stages for many of the chapters. First, I would try to figure out how to reach out to someone like LaDainian Tomlinson. When he said he would do the interview, that was a win. That happened a bunch of times with people like Adrian Peterson and Drew Brees and Lovie Smith, etc. And then I would follow up with their teammates. Most of the time, the interviews with the teammates were where the material really gathered depth and those interviews were a lot of fun. I’d end up talking to the follow up interviewees for most of an hour and it resulted in all these new contacts. I really think those people are going to make the book work when it comes to marketing because they were so excited about it. I’ve already had some of them email me and say, “I’ve heard the book is out. Send me my copy.”
How has being a Texan influenced your writing?
This is an interesting question, because I think I could answer it in sort of the abstract and credit some of the qualities that, as a (prideful) Texan, I believe inform the way I write. Things like toughness, independence, dry humor, valuing the economy of words, etc. But that would be a little bit pompous.
Honestly, when I was in high school, I wanted to write about football, so I covered the high school football team for the school paper beginning in my sophomore year. By my senior year, I was working for a local weekly paper, writing about the football team. So when I went to Texas Tech and wanted to cover high school games on Friday nights, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal sports editor Doug Hensley saw that I had experience and sent me out to games.
I haven’t lived anywhere else other than Texas in the fall, so I don’t know how extensively local newspapers in other states cover high school football. In Texas, we’re all over it and that created an opportunity for me to write when I was 16, 17, 18 years old. I’m 39 now and I’ve been doing it for more than 20 years. Obviously, I’ve written a lot of different types of articles and now books, so my writing experience has branched out from deadline writing on Friday nights. But, when you think about it, when you’re 19 years old and standing on a football field waiting to interview the head coach and you have about twenty minutes to write an article and find a way to send it (the internet was not as easily accessible back then), a lot of other types of writing seem easy after that.
All of that points to the fact that, in a very real sense, covering high school football in Texas made me into a writer. I want to write about a lot of different things. I’ve had the opportunity to write blogs in Scotland and cover college basketball Final Fours, so I’m not solely focused on covering high school football in Texas. But I always want to be at high school football stadiums in Texas on Friday nights in the fall.
What cultural value do you see in storytelling?
I love storytelling. It’s essential. I don’t know if there’s a people group in the history of the world where storytelling wasn’t an important part of life. My favorite bands are the ones whose songs tell interesting stories. I love to read and I especially like to listen to the audiobooks of my favorite books. I travel in my car by myself on average 30,000 miles a year, so I’ve gathered an extensive audiobook library. My grandmother used to tell me that she was amazed how I would sit and let her read to me when I was 2 or 3 years old.
So that value and love of storytelling came into play when I began interviewing people for The Republic of Football. In a lot of cases, my jumping off point was to ask a former player or coach, “What are the stories that you and your football buddies tell over and over again when you get together?” The high school football stories that these guys told were so great because there was no bullshitting. One guy couldn’t pump up his own story, and he knew he couldn’t, because I was going to call his buddy and teammate who was on the field when it happened. And if he tried to exaggerate his own role, not only would his buddy set him straight, he would never hear the end of it after that. Of course, I also followed up with newspaper accounts of the stories that were told and sometimes time factors or stats were a little bit off. For the most part, though, it was amazing how accurately the guys remembered what happened. The working title of the book was “Remember When” because that was the idea. “Remember when we beat Brownwood in the playoffs and the field was covered with snow? Remember how Coach went to the sporting goods store the night before and got us extra long cleats?”
Of course, old football players telling stories about the glory days is not a new concept. It might even be a cliché. I’ve certainly been cornered by someone telling me high school football stories and maybe I wasn’t that interested. But telling these stories and getting several sides to them and verifying the legends, hopefully puts a little bit of a new shine on this classic genre.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
(US ONLY)
FOUR SIGNED COPIES!
September 5 - 19, 2016
Check out the other great blogs on the tour!
blog tour services provided by: ![]() ![]() ![]() ~ He is a great catch—successful, smart, gorgeous…but the wrong woman caught him.~ He has the perfect girl who is madly in love with him.~ He wasted six years of his life by playing it safe.~ He is damn good at his job and intends to keep climbing the ladder.~ He can’t get her off his mind or out of his heart—no matter how hard he tries.But, what he doesn’t know is just as important:~ Will he ever really move on and forget how badly she broke his heart?~ Should he settle for a sure thing, even knowing it’s the wrong thing?~ Can he give up his career for a chance at happiness?~ Does he correct one mistake with another?~ What would he do if she were to return?
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A.M. Madden is the author of the popular Back-Up Series, as well as several other contemporary romances. She also writes the True Heroes Series for Random House. Her debut novel was Back-up, the first in The Back-Up Series. In Back-Up, A.M.'s main character Jack Lair caused readers to swoon. They call themselves #LairLovers, and have been faithful supporters to Jack, as well to the rest of his band, Devil's Lair. A.M. truly believes that true love knows no bounds. In her books, she aspires to create fun, sexy, realistic romances that will stay with you after the last page has been turned. She strives to create characters that the reader can relate to and feel as if they know personally. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she loves getting lost in a good book. She also uses every free moment of her time writing, while spending quality time with her three handsome men. A.M. is a Gemini and an Italian Jersey girl, but despite her Zodiac sign, nationality, or home state, she is very easy going. She loves the beach, loves to laugh, and loves the idea of love. A.M. Madden is a Goodreads Author and can be contacted on Facebook, twitter, or at [email protected]
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