Tuesday, June 25, 2013

**Release Party Day Seven ~ Redneck Romeo ~ Lorelei James**

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Hey y'all! Welcome to Day 7, the final day, of Lorelei James' Release Party for Redneck Romeo! I hope y'all have enjoyed yourselves. Today's special tidbit is on the future of Lorelei's Rough Riders series and I'm particularly interested because I've invested a lot in the McKay family. :) 

 As y'all know, Lorelei is celebrating the release of Redneck Rodeo with a SEVEN day party. SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Be sure to stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special Redneck Romeo post all seven days. (no weekend posts)

 Here's the list of daily prizes! 

 1) Redneck Romeo charm bracelet
2) Kindle fire
3) Basket of goodies, including a McKay brand fleece blanket and other McKay branded stuff and conference trinkets
4) Full set of signed Rough Riders books
5) 1 of a kind handmade small Western purse
6) Arc of TURN AND BURN
7) $100 gift card to amazon.com
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The Future of the Rough Riders


Slick from Guilty Pleasures:  Since I just finished reading Redneck Romeo about the last McKay man standing, Dalton, I have to ask who will be the focus of book 16 and is that truly the end?  Because I have to tell you having Ky driving and into girls is going to open up a whole can of worms about when the kid's stories are going to be told. 

 LJ: No fun, I know, but no comment on Rough Riders book 16 yet...I'll clue you all in a bit further down the road. I get a bajillion questions about why I'm ending the Rough Riders series at book 16. And yes, I could probably write a second generation of McKays (Love Love Love my readers but you guys are driving me insane with the "When will you write Boone and Sierra's book?! Crazy rabid fans, I keep threatening that if you keep nagging me it'll be...never -- ha ha, yet I'd never do that because I want to know what happens too!) but I've always considered this series a western saga that DOES have an end. I've been fortunate that I've been allowed to write the books how I want, at the pace I want, with the subject matter I want--all with 100% publisher support. That is rare. Since the books have such a great following, there is that mindset to continue to "cash in" on the popularity of the series and characters. But I won't do that because at what point do the new books just become a rehash of the older books? I'd much rather end the series on a high note, at the height of popularity than wait until the series might be considered "tired" and I start to lose readers. Plus, I have lots of ideas, situations, characters and areas to explore in other fictional worlds. I hope readers come along for the ride.
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Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Redneck Romeo

The last McKay standing is knocked to his knees…

Three years ago, Dalton McKay looked across the altar and saw the woman he knew he’d love for the rest of his life…only it wasn’t his bride. That’s when he took the McKays’ love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation to new heights—fleeing the ceremony and Wyoming.

Now a family issue has brought Dalton back to Sundance, giving him a chance to prove to everyone—especially the woman he thought he lost—that he’s a changed man.

Aurora “Rory” Wetzler has fallen for cowboy hottie Dalton’s smooth-talkin’ ways too many times. So he’s determined to convince her he’s playing for keeps this go around? Fine. She’ll call that bluff—she can’t ignore their intense chemistry or resist smokin’ hot sex, but she’s not willing to gamble her heart again.

Dalton has plenty of fences to mend with the McKays, but his biggest fear is that Rory doesn’t believe they have a future. He’ll have to pull out all the stops to show her they belong together for the long haul.

Warning: Contains a sexy cowboy who tames his sassy lady love with his romantic and his kinky side. In explicit detail.




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Participating Blogs

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Monday, June 24, 2013

**Release Spotlight & Giveaway ~ House Rules ~ Liz Crowe**

I'm so excited to be spotlighting Liz Crowe's House Rules. This is a prequel novella about Jack Gordon and part of Liz's Stewart Realty series. I have lots of goody-goods for y'all today. I have a guest post from Liz, an excerpt and a giveaway!

 AND...

 You can get House Rules here for FREE!
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House Rules by Liz Crowe
Series: Prequel Novella in the Stewart Realty Series
Release Date: June 16, 2013

Synopsis:
It takes a wealth of collected experiences, emotions, successes and failures to craft the personality of a true Alpha Male. 

 Jack Gordon, real estate broker, licensed builder, Juris Doctorate, has had his fair share of strife. His ability to cope, to fall down and pick himself back up has lead him to a place where he believes he has it all. Friends, money, cars, more women than he can count, and a club in Detroit where he can exorcise his inner demons, fill his days and his nights. 

 When he walks up to a penthouse door on a hot Ann Arbor summer afternoon, frustrated, exasperated and ready to call it quits after hours of condo shopping with a wealthy couple, the last thing on his mind is meeting his destiny.

 House Rules: The Jack Gordon Story. A prequel novella of the Stewart Realty Series.





You can get House Rules here for FREE!
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Guest Post by Liz Crowe
The Soundtrack of Jack

 House Rules is the 22nd book I have written. It's a prequel, a back story for a major Stewart Realty character, Jack Gordon, the hero who has his own very popular facebook page. Jack is the sort of guy who, while on the surface appears to be a fairly typical "romance alpha male" is in many ways, not.

 I like to read books with characters who have some depth, some motivation, some reasoning for why they are the way they are as adults. All of Jack's "stories" (well, most of them) have been hinted at in the preceding 7 books of this best selling series. But readers have learned about him and his background via other characters' point of view. 

 I wanted Jack to have his say, so I gave it to him and will show you that when you meet him at the beginning of Floor Time, a successful real estate agent and broker at 35 with a "black book most men would kill for," he is at the same time a lonely guy, seeking something he can't even put his finger on, having had his fair share of hurt and rejection by women he honestly believed he loved.

 If you were to ask him what the "soundtrack" of his life was or what his Pandora radio station includes it would be a mix of Rolling Stones, The Who, B.B. King, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Foo Fighters, The Ramones, The Pretenders, and B-52s, mixed in with a little of today's popular hits like "Blow my Whistle," which he claims makes him feel both old and pissed off that he didn't have that as a theme song growing up. Jack is irreverent, bossy, arrogant at times, but he has worked hard for where he is as an adult, and likes nothing more than a night of poker with the boys, cigars and expensive bourbon - unless it's a night with his wife, ropes, candle wax and nipple clamps.

 I hope you enjoy House Rules. For those of you already Jack fans I think it will give you insight into his character especially as we prepare for the crucial novel of the series, Good Faith, this fall. For those of you new to the Stewart Realty scene, it's a fun, free way to meet Jack. I think you will find yourself compelled to read more!

 Happy Reading.
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Excerpt
The girl he’d been ignoring made a funny, exasperated sound somewhere between a snort and a sigh, breaking his reverie. He glanced at her again and did a double take.

 She was curled up on the crappy student lounge couch in a corner of the main law building basement—a place he’d found and scoped out as his own for getting some work done between classes a few weeks ago.

 “Yeah,” he said, raking his gaze over her near-perfect form. She had big tits, which were a bonus, but since he was an ass and legs man he waited her out. His newfound inner radar started pinging the second her dark blue eyes met his. “I’m Jack.”

 “Hi, Jack. Jenna.” She proceeded to ignore him for a solid hour, and he let her. Because he had already figured something out about Jenna. And knew she’d stick around and chat some more. He smiled when he sensed her nearby, hovering over him. “Um, can you make heads or tails of this?” She pointed to an open passage in her book.

 “Maybe. I think I need coffee first. Join me?” He got to his feet and
gathered all of his papers. She watched, her eyes widening, then met his smile with one of her own.

 “Yeah, sure, Jack,” she said, lingering over his name in a way that made him gulp as she stuffed her book in her backpack and shouldered it. The look on her face confused him some, but her body was sending clear signals that he intercepted and translated.

 They walked, chatting about nothing in particular, and Jack got his first full look at her. She was about five foot four in flat shoes, with a curvy form, packed into nondescript dark denim jeans and red sweater that dipped into her impressive cleavage nicely. Her dark brown hair tumbled around her shoulders and her laugh was low, sexy. It rumbled around in his libido in a way that he recognized.

 He’d spent last summer learning something about himself that shocked him at first. Then had settled into his new reality as a sexual Dom with an eagerness that made that first girl who’d invited him to club a very happy camper.

 The owner of the small place in downtown Detroit was an older guy, good-looking still, and content to show him the ropes…and the handcuffs…the floggers… the whips and ball gags.  He’d made a project of Jack actually, grooming him, he claimed, for greatness.

 He grinned and took a step closer to the alluring, sexy Jenna as they 
stood in line for coffee. He could smell it on her like lingering smoke—her plainas-day willingness to submit to him. She looked up and met his gaze.The moment that should have been awkward made his cock slam into the back of his zipper. He smiled at the sensation. A corner of her full lips tilted up in a way he thought he understood. He figured that was the final sign. He was no expert yet but well on his way. While sensing the sexual energy of every female in a room was sometimes tiring, now that he could channel it, figure out which of them would actually provide him the outlet he required, it seemed that it all led him to this precise moment. And to Jenna.

 She leaned closer to him in a way entirely inappropriate for having just met. Yet it was perfect. “I don’t want coffee, really. I’ve been watching you all semester. Let’s go to your place.”

 He swallowed hard. Something was off, or shifted to the left, just far enough for him to sense it and hesitate. He looked down into her deep blue eyes. Saw the way her breathing had ramped up. The pulse in her throat caught his gaze, beating, beating. And those lips…dear god they were tempting. 

 He forced himself to smile in a friendly, non-committal way. “I don’t know, Jenna. Maybe I’m not ready.” He raised an eyebrow. This was his scene. He was not about to let her call the shots.

 “Oh I think you are.” She turned just enough to shield her hand, the one she put right on his crotch.

 He didn’t move or shift away. He did, however, narrow his eyes at her on purpose, making sure she got the gist of his displeasure. “I’m not sure I said you could touch me yet. Jenna.” He kept his voice low and slow, but his brain was starting to hum with a familiar sense of rightness. She lowered her gaze, tucked the offending hand back into her jacket pocket, and started to step back.

 He gripped her arm, loving the way the heat transferred from her to him, and shot down his spine. “Don’t move.” He glanced around then putting his mouth near her ear, taking in a fresh breath of horny female. “I can sense that you know what I like…Jenna….” Her name felt exotic, unique, on his lips. “But just because you want it does not mean I’m giving it to you. Are we clear?”

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway




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About Liz

Image of Liz Crowe
Microbrewery owner, best-selling author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town. Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse, plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry), has prepped her for life as a successful author.  

When she isn’t sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or implementing promotions for her latest publications.  Her groundbreaking literary fiction subgenre, “reality fiction,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”)

Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices. Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

For more information on Liz Crowe, please visit her website www.lizcrowe.com or www.brewingpassion.com (her author blog).  She enjoys interacting with her fans on her Facebook author page www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor. Information for all of her books, including eBook and print formats (where available), can be 
found on her Amazon author page.  


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**Blitz & Giveaway ~ Precious Things ~ Stephanie Parent**


Hey y'all! I'm thrilled to be participating in the blitz for Stephanie Parent's Precious Things! This book sounds amazing and I will be reviewing it as soon as I can, so be on the lookout for that. :) I read and LOVED Stephanie's Forty Days, so I'm really excited about this one! I have all the necessary information about Precious Things, plus a guest post for y'all AND a giveaway. 

 The giveaway is for ONE ecopy of Precious Things. To enter, please leave a comment about the guest post.  This giveaway is open internationally and closes June 30th. The winner will be chosen randomly.

 And a special FYI, Precious Things is ON SALE for only 99 cents for the duration of the blitz!!

 This blitz is presented by Xpresso Book Tours.
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Precious Things by Stephanie Parent 
Publication date: June 4th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:
Isabelle Andrews isn’t supposed to be here. She isn’t supposed to be a freshman at Hartford Community College, she isn't supposed to be living at home and working at her dad’s failing bakery, and she definitely isn’t supposed to be taking Intro to Electronic Music Production, a class that will get her nowhere toward her goal of an English Lit Ph.D. by age twenty-five. But when her dad’s latest business fiasco eats up her college fund, Hartford Community College is exactly where Isabelle finds herself—and thanks to her late enrollment, she doesn’t even get to choose her classes. Stuck with Electronic Music and way-too-easy English courses, Isabelle is determined to wallow in all the misery she feels entitled to.

But community college brings some unexpected benefits…like the fact that a certain overworked, over-scheduled Electronic Music professor hands over most of his duties to his teaching assistant. His tall, green-eyed, absolutely gorgeous teaching assistant. When TA Evan Strauss discovers Isabelle’s apathy toward electronic music—and, well, all music—he makes it his mission to convert her. The music Evan composes stirs something inside Isabelle, but she can’t get involved—after all, she’ll be transferring out as soon as possible.

Still, no matter how tightly Isabelle holds on to her misery, she finds it slipping away in the wake of all Hartford Community offers: new friendships, a surprisingly cool poetry professor, and most of all, Evan. But Evan’s dream of owning his own music studio is as impractical as Isabelle’s dad’s bakery, and when Evan makes a terrible decision, everything Isabelle has gained threatens to unravel. Soon Isabelle discovers that some of the most important lessons take place outside the classroom…and that in life, as in Evan’s favorite Depeche Mode song, the most precious things can be the hardest to hold on to.




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Guest Post
What the Heck Is the College Experience, Anyway?

In Precious Things, I really wanted to capture the so-called “college experience”…but the fact is that the college experience encompasses many different things, and is different for every person.  There are the classes themselves, the social aspect, the dorms, being away from home for the first time, just to name a few.  For me personally, since I am an extremely private person, the whole dorm culture/roommate aspect was so overwhelming (in a bad way) that it completely dominated my first semester.  I know I had some great classes, was able to participate in a dance company for the first time in my life, and met some amazing people…but when I think back on that time, I get an overwhelmingly negative feeling, mostly because of all the dorm ickiness.  (September 11 also happened right after I started college, which certainly didn’t help, but that’s a whole different post…)

My experience with dorm life is actually one of the reasons I chose to set Precious Things at a community college without dorms, with my main character still living at home.  I wanted to show that not everyone has the same stereotypical “college experience,” and that missing out on it isn’t necessarily such a bad thing—and I also wanted to focus on other aspects of college, like the classes and the people. 
  
At the same time, I tried to show hints of alternate “college experiences” through Isabelle’s interactions with her high school friends.  Because of over-enrollment, Isabelle’s friend Jenny ends up sharing a two-person dorm room with two other people at the University of Maryland—and believe me, those dorm rooms are tiny enough with just the two people they’re meant for!  This actually happened to a few high-school friends of mine, and they were absolutely miserable.  And even at a top-tier school like Stanford, where Isabelle’s ex-boyfriend Andrew enrolls, roommates cause problems, with Andrew spending almost every night in the library to avoid his roomie (and especially his roomies “guests”). I knew plenty of people who went through this kind of thing as well, and at a time in your life when you’re dealing with a completely new environment, separation from parents and home, and most likely a much greater amount of academic work than you’re used to, it can be completely overwhelming. Contrary to popular belief, college students do need sleep, and that can be a challenge with strange people coming in and out of your room at all hours of the night!

And then there’s the whole social aspect of college…the frat parties, the drinking.  Late in the book, Jenny explains to Isabelle why she decided to join a sorority, and her feelings about the situation pretty much match mine.  (Although no, I never considered joining a sorority—I am way too much of a loner for that!)  Here’s what Jenny says:

“I guess rushing was…it’s been my way of coping, and I’m glad I did it.  College isn’t exactly like I thought it would be.  It’s like…”  She thinks for a moment.  “Remember those huge parties in Ajel Cho’s basement, when he would invite the entire school?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” 
“You know how we acted like everything was so great, like we were so happy and excited to be there, when really we’d rather have been home watching movies and eating ice cream?”
I laugh.  “Yeah.” 
“Well, college is sort of like that, but…all the time.  You have all this freedom and you’re supposed to be having the time of your life, but sometimes you just want to escape and curl up on the couch to watch a movie, except you can’t, because…the party’s in your bedroom.  And besides, there is no couch other than the ratty stained one in the dorm common room, which people are probably either hooking up or passed out on.  Oh, and you’re also supposed to read more than you ever have in your life, and write twenty-page papers, and study for exams while all this is going on."

So for Jenny, and Isabelle—and me—college is a lot more complicated than just having “the time of your life.”  I hope I reflected that in Precious Things…and yes, I just might be courageous enough to tackle the dorm environment in more detail in my next NA novel!


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About Stephanie

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.
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**Release Pary Day Six ~ Redneck Romeo ~ Lorelei James**

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Hey y'all! Welcome to Day 6 of Lorelei James' Release Party for Redneck Romeo! Are y'all having fun?!? Today we get 10 fun facts about Lorelei! :) 

 As y'all know, Lorelei is celebrating the release of Redneck Rodeo with a SEVEN day party. SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Be sure to stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special Redneck Romeo post all seven days. (no weekend posts)

 Here's the list of daily prizes! 

 1) Redneck Romeo charm bracelet
2) Kindle fire
3) Basket of goodies, including a McKay brand fleece blanket and other McKay branded stuff and conference trinkets
4) Full set of signed Rough Riders books
5) 1 of a kind handmade small Western purse
6) Arc of TURN AND BURN
7) $100 gift card to amazon.com
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Ten Fun Facts about Lorelei James


Favorite book?  This is cheating but I'm currently reading an arc of THE MISTRESS by Tiffany Reisz.

 Favorite thing to do in your free time? Drink and drunk text. KIDDING! Hang out with my family, zip around on our boat, catch up on my TV shows and watch the occasional movie.

 Favorite flavor of Vodka? Pinnacle Gummy Fish.

 Favorite pair of boots? A rocking pair of red and black Old Gringos with silver studs.

 Favorite sexual position? All of them! 

 Favorite time of year? Summer

Favorite Guilty Pleasure? Oreos while I'm reading Entertainment Weekly.
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Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Redneck Romeo

The last McKay standing is knocked to his knees…

Three years ago, Dalton McKay looked across the altar and saw the woman he knew he’d love for the rest of his life…only it wasn’t his bride. That’s when he took the McKays’ love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation to new heights—fleeing the ceremony and Wyoming.

Now a family issue has brought Dalton back to Sundance, giving him a chance to prove to everyone—especially the woman he thought he lost—that he’s a changed man.

Aurora “Rory” Wetzler has fallen for cowboy hottie Dalton’s smooth-talkin’ ways too many times. So he’s determined to convince her he’s playing for keeps this go around? Fine. She’ll call that bluff—she can’t ignore their intense chemistry or resist smokin’ hot sex, but she’s not willing to gamble her heart again.

Dalton has plenty of fences to mend with the McKays, but his biggest fear is that Rory doesn’t believe they have a future. He’ll have to pull out all the stops to show her they belong together for the long haul.

Warning: Contains a sexy cowboy who tames his sassy lady love with his romantic and his kinky side. In explicit detail.




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Participating Blogs

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

** Release Spotlight ~ Breathless ~ Eve Carter**

Hey y'all! Eve Carter has a new release, Breathless. Its cover made me swoon and its blurb really grabbed me! ;) I'll be reviewing it soon, so keep an eye out for that. But I wanted to share it with y'all before then. 
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Breathless (Jesse, #1)
Breathless by Eve Carter
Release Date: June 19, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

 The young, hot professional Motocross rider, Jesse Morrison, knows how to leave an impression. Except lately, it has been bad impressions. Frustrated and wounded, he surrounds himself with women, booze and drugs, until one day, he finds himself in a world of trouble. Kicked out by his brother, he relocates to California for the summer to help his uncle open Rookies, a local sports bar. 

In Santa Monica, Jesse meets the one woman who can lead him back on the right path, the beautiful 22 year old, Niki Milani. Only problem, she is not interested. Niki has her own demons to fight. A past that left her emotional abandoned by her own blood, her father. She keeps her heart guarded and finds it difficult to trust a man again. Especially not a bad boy player who is even more messed up than her. However, Jesse never backs down from a challenge. Blinded by a sizzling attraction, he is determined to prove to Niki that there is more to him than what appears on the surface. That he is the one who can heal her heart.

The story of Jesse and Niki is a New Adult Romance that will leave you breathless.




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You can read the first chapter of Breathless on Eve's website. Click here and enjoy! :) 

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About Eve

My Photo
I am a true romantic at heart and with a modern contemporary erotic twist to my romance novels, you had better fasten your seat belt, as the ride is always fun, exciting and fiery.

Living in Southern California, but a mid-westerner at heart, I find plenty of inspiration for my books in my own exciting life. I have always loved the arts and as a young girl, I took dance classes and spent the summers reading books from the local library. Fascinated with the written word and its power to guide the imagination, I started writing short stories and later took Creative Writing classes in college. I graduated from The University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Higher Education. I also have a Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Southern California.

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