Monday, February 24, 2014

Author SPOTLIGHT Jacquelyn Ayres author of Goodbye Caution and Goodbye Secrets


For anyone that has yet to meet Jacquelyn you are in for a treat.  This is her official author bio!



I am a Domestic Engineer (born and raised in NJ) whose sole responsibility is to guide three young impressionable kids into becoming phenomenal adults. This challenging, yet rewarding work requires a lot of love (coffee), patience (wine) and determination (periodic exorcisms). I work all of this magic in the beautiful state of New Hampshire. Before becoming a Domestic Goddess (not really), I spent over a decade working in the medical field where I wore more hats than the Queen. I have had a love for the written word and the great escape it provides since I was a little girl. When I wasn't reading about people and the places they lived, I was creating my own characters and adventures. Finally, I have been putting a pen to paper allowing my characters to come to life. When I don't have a pen and paper in hand,you can often find me laughing at the conversations my characters are having in my head.


Now she forgets to add into that that she is, in the very best way possible, as crazy as a box of frogs, once she gets to know you, you can expect……..
      Mad dances on your twitter timeline!

      Arcs in your e mail! Whoo Hooo
     
    Emoji’s and love notes ;-) in your morning inbox
She is honestly one of the most ‘giving’ people we have ever come across and here at BNW we are happy to call her our friend.
And –she’s as you may have guessed, an author!!
You need to check out her work!!


Goodbye Caution (lost and found #1) released in January
Becca Campbell is a mother, friend, and widow to a war hero (may he rot in hell). She just wants to raise her daughter right and keep her bed-and-breakfast afloat in this economy. Her traumatic past leaves her with no desire for a relationship—until Grayson James walks through her door. He’s not the type of man you can easily say “no” to. Becca can’t quite understand the pull she feels toward him. But then his controlling nature starts to push her away—and into Ray McNeil’s comforting arms. Which is right where Ray has always wanted her. Who will Becca choose? Will she finally give in to her feelings for Ray, or continue the tumultuous relationship with Grayson? Only one thing is certain—either choice will mean saying goodbye to caution. 


                 Review Snippets for Goodbye Caution

Goodbye Secrets (Lost and found #3) releases 26th Feb
What if your life wasn’t exactly as you thought it was? What if there were secrets you kept—from yourself? Becca Campbell has no idea her world is about to be turned upside down when she and Grayson return to New Hampshire. Pieces start flying into place, answering the questions of the puzzle she calls her life. Things finally add up—it all makes sense. All that was lost is now found. But will she be able to move forward, knowing the truth?

ADD TO GOODREADS:

Goodbye Uncertainty (Lost and Found #3) release to be confirmed.

Jacquelyn has lots of other works in progress too! Check out our interview with her to see what’s coming up!


Hi Jacquelyn and welcome to the virtual HQ of BNW!  Im sorry for the mess *shuffles tour packets and Arcs out of the way*

So my first question starts at the beginning with Goodbye Caution. It’s an unusual book, very fast paced, and it touches on some risqué subjects. Where did the idea for Goodbye Caution come from?
When I think back to the very beginning stages of Goodbye Caution, I can't help but chuckle. The Elm Creek Quilt novels by Jennifer Chiaverini inspired me, actually. This wonderful series is based around women who've built their friendships from their common love of quilting. Being a scrap booker myself, I could see the potential in building a series around the love of scrapping. So Becca Campbell and her lovely Bed and Breakfast (that host Scrapbooking weekends) were born. However, once she was, she sort of took over the reigns.
It was not going to be as wholesome as it was set out to be. Becca turned into your everyday, quirky, fun-loving kind of person. I wanted her to be relate-able. Look like most women, have real issues and love the things that other women love. So she's the girl next door with a heart of gold, a great sense of humour, and an effed up past.

Grayson can be demanding, all consuming and overpowering at times, how did you manage to make him so likeable and hot at the same time?
You know, I think having his POV the entire story makes him likeable (to most). I was actually shocked as to how many women are on Team Grayson! He can be a right bastard! But the fact that you get to see his thoughts on things softens him around the edges. You know that he isn't happy with the way he behaves. He has a lot of remorse over his actions and he does try to correct his behaviour a lot. I think if readers didn't see that, there would be a lot more for Team Ray! As far as his hotness is concerned, who doesn't love a confident man? Confidence and sense of humour are a sure fire fit for likeability and hotness!


I think you are right; his acceptance of his mistakes is a very likeable attribute. You've brought us nicely onto Ray........so similar to Gray yet so different. I struggled throughout Goodbye Caution flitting between rooting for Ray, and not. Have you had that response a lot?
Yes I have. Ray is a great character and swoon worthy in his own right. He's not as abrasive as Grayson but you can tell he's a man's man! He's got that rugged charm and great sense of humour. He's calmer than Gray is.
I, of course, happen to love them both.
The readers will learn a lot more about Ray in the next two books and I think everyone in general will be on the fence once again!


People cant wait for Book 2, the very title Goodbye Secrets hints that lots of questions will be answered! Can you tell people a little about your writing process? Do you pre-plan your books or did the idea come to you in dribs and drabs?
I think a little bit of both now that I have quite a few under my belt (not all published yet). For The Lost & Found Series, I had the idea that I mentioned and it just took over from there. Most of the time, that's how it is. The different paths my characters lead me down always surprise me. Though I get ideas for books, I just jot the idea down. I'm not one who outlines the story because I never know where the story is actually going to lead me. I do jot down conversations that happen between characters that are not necessarily happening at the part of the book I'm writing. It will usually get weaved in later when it's appropriate.
Fun Fact, by the way, this series was not only hand written but it was written as one entire book! lol. I typed it all up and said....uhh...no! This is three books, not one. It could've been stretched to 4 or 5 due to the size of the first two, but I didn't want to drag it out for people.
Hand written? In one huge book? Thats so funny! You must have been engrossed in the story!!

It’s no secret that the series deals with aggressive characters and spousal abuse and the fact that some of the proceeds are donated to a charity to help abused women and children shows it’s a subject you feel strongly about. Can you tell us a little about why you went in this direction and how you do your research?
Yes! It took up residence in several notebooks that I carried around with me EVERYWHERE! Engrossed is an understatement! I lived, breathed, and slept this story.
As far as some of the elements in this book regarding abuse, yes it is something that I do feel strongly about. Most of us, I think, can relate to Becca's character whether we have been the subject of one's abuse or have witnessed a loved one go through it. I knew that when I was creating Becca's character that she would have survived an abusive relationship.
However, being a student of psychology and knowing several different people with various shades of abuse in their background, I wanted to take her character to a different level. What readers need to understand about Becca is that she never gained the strength to walk away (or run) from her abusive husband. She was pulled out of that situation by the powers that be, if you will. So, in return, her psyche is very different than that of a person who did walk away. Though she's kept her distance from other possible relationships, she never really "unlearned" the behavior patterns of an abused woman.
That is why we see her fall so easily into an obsequious roll. The great thing about Becca, though, is that she does grow through out the series and we all see this when she questions her own reactions to Grayson's temperament. Then she starts putting her foot down. Like I said before, I was surprised as to how many people fell in love with Grayson, but just like Becca, everyone can see that he really isn't mean spirited. His insecurities tend to get in the way of his judgement. I think people will enjoy learning more about Grayson and the reasons behind his behavior in book #2.
And for your final question, it is also important to know that while I have personal knowledge of this sort of behavior pattern, I've also confirmed it with a Licensed Social Worker (therapist) who has worked with abused women for over thirty years. Though my book is fiction, I would never write about such a sensitive topic without any knowledge or proper research.
And yes, a portion of my proceeds goes to Emily's Place which is a local shelter, near my town, that is run by YWCA.org. If you would like to donate the YWCA or see how you can help by volunteering, please go to their website to see how you can help!


Obviously being careful of spoilers can you tell us what type of scene you enjoy writing the most??
I love writing from the male POV. Some authors have a difficult time doing it but I find it very freeing and fun. It's boring to act like a "lady" all of the time. But you asked about what type of scenes. I love writing the heart to heart scenes when you really get to the bottom of things. That's when a character truly shines for me!


If you absolutely had to, would you be team Grayson or Ray? You HAVE to.......
OMG . . . I really can't! You can't make me! I love them both too much!


LOL Ok I won’t make you......

What have you got in store for your readers?
I'm so excited about this year! There are so many things happening that will be leading right into 2015! Right now I am in the middle of finishing off my novella for The Southern Seduction box set that 12 of us Indie Romance Author Chicks are collaborating on. Very excited for that! We will be releasing that on April 14, 2014.
Roughly around the same time, I will be releasing the last instalment of The Lost & Found Series. However, I think we will hear from Becca again in a prequel as the requests are already coming in.
In June, I will be introducing my newest series to everyone called The GEG series. These will all be standalones based around 5 best girlfriends (2 being sisters). Each book will focus on one of the friends but still have the others intertwined. As with my other books, I touch upon a subject that causes great grief in the first instalment, but it's not a dark read like Caution and Secrets can be at times.
So far "Under Contract", which is the first book based on Mitch and Charlotte, has been the most fun to write! It's really got a lot of obnoxiously, in-your-face, laugh-out-loud moments (well, to me! lol). These characters were so funny to write. It was really great to step into a lighter story after The Lost & Found Series. I am currently working on "In the Mix", the 2nd book.
Other than that, I have been enjoying being a part of an amazing group of indie authors called Indie Romance Author Chicks. We started out as a small sprinting group, cheering each other on. Helping one another to stay positive. It's grown nicely and we continue to keep that positive attitude and try to send those vibes out to others. Speaking of sending things out.... we are formulating a plan to send all or most of us to one fabulous location in 2015 for our first IRAC signing event! We're all very excited about this! Stay tuned!

Oh that will be amazing, any chance it could be my side of the pond??
 I only wish!!!

Well chatting has been an absolute pleasure. The novella sounds exciting and I can’t wait for Goodbye Uncertainty and the GEG series.
Claire, I'd like to thank you for all of these wonderful questions. I really enjoyed myself and appreciate you taking the time! Thank You!

Contradictions Cover Reveal By: Tiffany King





USA Today Bestselling Author of Misunderstandings
Tiffany King

Contradictions
A Novel

Coming December 2014
From The Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Group (USA) LLC 


When everything starts spinning out of control…

Three years into college, Tressa Oliver’s life is a nonstop party. She’s skating by in her classes, and there’s no shortage of drinking, dancing and general hell-raising. The only aspect that hasn’t been much fun: she can’t shake the toxic jerks that always seem to gravitate toward her. 

It will take someone totally wrong…

Trent Lawson is the classic anti-bad boy: smart, boring, and way too serious. To a wild girl like Tressa, there’s no way in hell they’re compatible—especially since Trent seems to see straight through her defenses. 

To set her right.

When a college prank goes terribly wrong, Tressa starts to suspect that her partying ways are leading nowhere fast. Now, she has to turn to the last person she ever thought she’d ask for help—and quickly discovers that there’s more to Trent than meets the eye… 


Praise for the novels of Tiffany King

“A MUST-READ for New Adult contemporary romance fans.”
—New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young

“Sweet and sexy! Great characters and an intriguing romance…So good!”
—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack








Immortal Sin By Julie Milillo



One Girl.

Two Worlds.

Three Questions.

What lies beneath the hidden secret?

Can love rise above the inevitable?

And most importantly, where will her fate lead her?

Amanda Chaste had lived what she considered an average life in New Jersey, looked after and cared for by her grandmother. But when she accidentally meets an enigmatic stranger from out of town, her world is drastically thrown upside down. A hidden secret has been buried in the past and not even Amanda can save herself from her own fate.

Conflicted and tormented within her own flesh, discovering her true identity will prove to be something that will change her life forever.

Teaser



About Julie Milillo



Julie Milillo has and always will be a true Jersey girl from  the shore. Acting, singing, writing and drawing were always  her hobbies from the very beginning. Julie has always been involved in the arts and loves to express her creative streak in any way she can.
She graduated from Brookdale Community College with her Associates Degree in Theatre and Liberal Arts. Soon after,  she discovered her passion for reading and thus fell in love  with the paranormal fiction genre. After reading and  collecting a number of books, she decided it was time to create her own stories and characters. After having the opportunity to meet one of her favorite authors, she was  determined to take writing seriously. Julie applies her knowledge of acting and character development in creating  her stories. Her goal is to simply express the genuine qualities in her stories and the characters she creates in hopes of capturing the hearts of readers who also love this genre.

Julie currently resides in Maryland with her husband and her French Bulldog, Goober. Julie loves dogs, movies, music, and anything fantasy related. In her free time, she loves to bake and perform whenever she can.
Her writing debut novel, Immortal Sin, the first of The Immortal Sin Trilogy, was released on November 22nd 2012. The sequel, Immortal Descent will be released in October 2013.
Website     Facebook     Twitter

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Chaste By: Lydia Michaels

                         CHASTE {McCullough Mountain 3}
                                Author: Lydia Michaels
                           Chaste is currently the #1 Bestseller 
                                    on the publisher’s site, 
                             www.secretcravingspublishing.com
                                      Genre: Erotic Romance




Heat Level: Romance (graphic)
Book Length: 384 pages
Date of Publication: February 3, 2014 (Available on Amazon, B&N, and other retailer sites by 2/12/14)







Kelly McCullough has always gotten every woman he’s wanted. Of all the McCullough men, his charm and magnetism is unmatched. However, there is one woman he cannot have.

Ashlynn Fisher is everything Kelly McCullough is not. She is quiet, shy, and—above all—virginal. After losing her heart to Kelly in grade school, no other man compares. Paths cross and temperance is put to the test when Ashlynn decides it’s time for her to find love. Kelly offers Center County’s sweetest brown-eyed girl all the guidance he can, but finds himself in a situation he never expected to face. Through chaste kisses and stolen secrets, his virility is tested and he must learn what love truly means as his selfish ways are transformed in the face of a selfless need to give her everything she wants.




· Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lydia-Michaels/e/B0071ZV41G

· B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/lydia-michaels

· iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lydia-michaels/id577453828?mt=11

· Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?query=Lydia%20Michaels&fcsearchfield=Author

· ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.htmlsearchBy=author&qString=Lydia+Michaels 



His body nudged closer. She sucked in a breath and tried to focus on speaking, but the press of him was incredibly distracting.
“That’s the…um…” She caught her breath. “Um…” Her eyes shut. What was the question? “I can’t concentrate when you touch me,” she blurted.
He didn’t move. His breath tickled the back of her neck, as the soft press of his tongue traced over the curve leading to her shoulder. Her spine stretched as her skin drew tight. His lips made a smooching sound. “Mmm, you taste like hard work and sunshine.”
“Kelly…” she rasped, silently panting. Her insides vibrated so rapidly she worried she’d shatter into a thousand pieces of flesh and bones. Never had anyone aroused her the way he did.
He nuzzled her ear with his nose. “Have I ever told you how sexy you are? The glasses make me crazy. And I love the way your hair looks different every day. You remind me of a little garden nymph.” The weight of his palms closed over her baggy overalls, low on her hips, and she grew aware of every part of her body.
His lips sealed over her ear and she quivered, her body tightening and trembling. Her hands gripped the edge of the worktable with her leather-clad fingers, her knees turning unstable, as he proceeded to do wonderful things to her earlobe.
It amazed her that he found her hair nice. She’d cut it off after she graduated, finding the long locks dreadfully annoying. When her hair had been long it was always in her face. And she wore glasses because contacts were too much trouble with the dust from the gardens.
Oh my goodness! Is that his tongue in my ear?
Her knees buckled as he kissed over her racing pulse. Strong fingers dug into her hips, massaging beneath her overalls deep into her flesh. His hands had slipped into the gaping sides of her clothes where her tank top met the waist of her panties. No one had ever touched her so intimately.
“Let’s go inside,” he whispered.
Somehow she managed to shake her head. “I…I need to finish this.”
“Ashlynn…”
His mouth. He had a wicked mouth. She formed some sort of response in her throat as the tip of his finger toyed with the hem of her tank top next to her navel.
“Please…let me in,” he whispered as his tongue traveled over the slope of her shoulder, each word an erotic tattoo on her flesh.
Her feet shifted and his grip tightened. She whimpered. “Kelly, please…”
His whisper had faded to a breath of words. “I want you.”
Her hands closed over his, tightening, stilling his progress. Those last uttered words returned some of her common sense. “If we go inside my work will never get done.”
His fingers squeezed. “Do you know how many fantasies I’ve had about you? The things I could do to you without breaking your vow…” His touch never traveled, but the teasing chills escaping his whirling fingers seemed to go right to her breasts.
Baiting temptation, she breathed out a question she had no business asking. “Like what?”
“Mmm. I could spend days stripping you, unveiling every bit of flesh, anointing each square inch of skin with soft kisses. Only kissing, Ashlynn, but I’d kiss you everywhere.”
Holy Hannah, she needed to put some space between them. They hadn’t discussed boundaries and the line of her virtue was becoming more blurred by the second. Her breath stuttered out of her lungs as his mouth teased over her pulse. She wanted to know what such kisses would feel like, but feared her control would break.
“No naked.” Incapable of forming complete sentences, it was the best she could do.
“Touching?” he whispered.
Oh, God. She wanted to feel his touch, know what it was to be caressed by those strong fingers holding her now. She whimpered. Her promise had never been this difficult. There had never been such a temptation as Kelly and, now, with his hands playing over untried parts of her body, came a nagging desire for relief. “I should say no.”
“But?”
“Maybe.”
His front pressed into her bottom and her neck gave out, drooping her head to his broad shoulder. He growled and his mouth sealed to her throat, his hand sifting under the front of her overalls and holding her stomach, fingers splayed wide, pressing her into his hard form. “So fucking sexy, Ashlynn.”
“Kelly…”
“I want to go inside.”
He was already inside, inside of her head, in her blood, thrumming through her veins, inside every breath filling her lungs. She worried she could die from such over stimulation. She’d never survive sex, at least not with this man. But that was off the table.
Her muscles contracted and strange urges had her body fluttering in unfamiliar ways. It was too much. “No more,” she pleaded and he froze.
It took him a second to answer. “Okay.”
His hand slithered out from under her overalls and he stepped away. She caught her breath and wiped the back of her glove over her heated cheek. She was probably as red as a bell pepper.
She desperately searched for her bearings, but Kelly seemed fine. From the corner of her eye, she watched him slip his gloves back on and pick up the sanding block as she quietly panted. The longing inside of her had transformed into a painful ache. Her throat was thirsty, parched. Yet water did nothing to quench her yearning.
Kelly worked with precision and efficiency. Her concentration was crap. Every move she made was deliberate and clumsy, but Kelly proved to be a master carpenter. She suspected he wanted to be done with the chore and that scared her, because the moment they finished she’d have to come up with another distraction.
The echo of the nail hammering into the wood rattled through the air. “How far can we go, Ashlynn?”
Her hand stilled. Her gaze focused on the head of the nail she’d been about to hammer into the wood. Swallowing repetitively, she struggled to find the honest answer, but the truth seemed to abandon her in that moment. “I don’t know.”







Award winning author, Lydia Michaels, writes all forms of hot romance. She presses the bounds of love and surprises readers just when they assume they have her stories figured out. From Amish vampyres, to wild Irishmen, to broken heroes, and heroines no man can match, Lydia takes readers on an emotional journey of the heart, mind, and soul with every story she pens. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, always centered on love.

Lydia Michaels loves to hear from readers! She can be contacted by




email at Lydia@LydiaMichaels.org

Webpage: www.LydiaMichaels.org



Other Titles by Lydia Michaels:

Falling In
Breaking Out
Coming Home
Sacred Waters
Skin
Chaste
Faking It
Forsaking Truth
As Tears Go By
Simple Man
Breaking Perfect
White Chocolate
All 4 You
To Catch a Wolfe
Chasing Feathers
Called to Order
Calling for a Miracle
Destiny Calls
Call Her Mine