Furbaby Friday with Luanna Stewart!

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press Author Luanna Stewart, here to share her new historical romance, Love and Redemption, and her feline furbabies.

Luanna: I love black cats and I cannot lie. Mogget is our first ever and she is gorgeous, completely black except for a teeny, tiny patch of white on her belly. Now that she’s getting on in years, she has a few grey hairs on her chin. But, hey, who amongst us doesn’t, right?

My husband, the family photographer, frequently complains about the challenges inherent in photographing an all-black cat in low light. However, since I rarely have that challenge, I love that Mogget can almost disappear until she opens her glorious golden eyes.

She is the matriarch and lets us know when we’ve fallen down on our jobs of taking care of her every need. Her eyes are quite expressive and can nail you to the spot.

When she’s pleased, she’ll talk and talk and talk. When I walk into her room, by which I mean any room she’s in, she says hello, followed by a long sentence, which I frequently translate as, “the level of kibble in my bowl has fallen by a millimetre – take care of it!”

Bruno is our tuxedo cat, much easier to photograph. He’s forever a teenage boy, bashing and banging and roughhousing – and can sleep like the dead. All cats are good sleepers but Bruno sleeeeeps. He enjoys his outdoor time and in the summer presents us with a shrew or a vole with disturbing regularity. No worries, 75% of the time the critter is not deceased and escapes to live a long, fruitful life.

A brief note about their names. We adopted Bruno when we lived in Brunswick and I wanted a name for him that reflected his birthplace. When I was a little girl, I got a kitten from a litter of barn cats in Tiverton and I named her Tivi. So it’s a “thing” with me.

Mogget’s name is taken from a YA fantasy series, The Abhorsen, by Garth Nix that our two boys enjoyed as youngsters. The cat in the story was all white, and I believe a male, and he needed to wear a bell around his neck at all times, otherwise…well, I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Let’s just say, it’s not pleasant.

How did you arrive at your pet’s names? What is their most dominant personality quirk?

Love and Redemption Blurb:

Mary Taylor abandoned her silk gowns and sparkling jewels when she quit her position as one of London’s highly prized courtesans. She’s determined to earn her living with a paintbrush rather than between the sheets. Starting fresh in a new country, she masquerades as a widow running a tearoom in Halifax while perfecting her art. But when she’s hired to finish the portrait of a handsome judge, she risks everything by surrendering to her lustful craving.

Finton Morash, youngest judge on the Queen’s bench, believes people are either good or bad. The dowdy widow painting his portrait is surely one of the former. After discovering the sensual beauty hiding beneath shapeless gowns, he wonders at her other secrets.

When whispers circulate about Mary’s nefarious past, she must find the courage to face the consequences. And Finton must decide whether love is worth the risk.

Buy links:

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Redemption-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07NYFQXGN

Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130823749?ean=2940161420393

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-and-redemption

Excerpt:
Mary glanced around before leaning closer still. “You are the most exciting thing to happen here in quite some time.”
“Am I indeed? Exciting?”
She silently cursed her fair skin, surely bright pink. One would think that after earning her living by flirting, teasing, and more, she would be comfortable with such talk. This man wasn’t paying for the privilege of her company, though, and there lay the difference. She stared at the painting as if she’d never seen it before. “Back to important matters. Please don’t feel—”
“I want to purchase this painting. It will brighten a corner of my library. Every time I weary of opinions and laws I’ll look at this and imagine myself at ease surrounded by the beauty of nature.” He carefully lifted the small canvas from the wall. “I see you’ve signed it with only your surname. Why is that?”
“I believe it will be easier to make my way in the artistic world if I keep my sex hidden. Women are often judged to be idly pursuing a hobby and are seldom taken seriously.”
“Hm…Would you mind signing your full name on the back? That way my heirs will know they have one of the first by a famous artist.”
She chuckled. “Where is the honesty you hold so dear?”
Though his expression remained unchanged she detected a twinkle in his eye. Unbidden came the wish that she was indeed a respectable widow, able to pursue a friendship with this exciting man without fear of discovery.
Enough. Her “if only’s” would soon fill her largest tea urn. She had much to be grateful for. She’d come to Halifax to start anew. If that meant leaving behind physical desire then so be it. Celibacy was a small price to pay for a life free of shame.

Author Biography:

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. As soon as she discovered her grandmother’s stash of romance novels, all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.
Luanna writes full time, concentrating on sexy romantic suspense, steamy paranormal romance, and spicy historical romance.
Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna has recently returned to the land of her birth with her dear husband and two spoiled cats. When she’s not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.luannastewart.com/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/luanna-stewart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuannaStewartAuthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave Luanna a comment.

New Release! An Enchanted Holiday Digital Boxed Set!

I’m excited to have my time travel fantasy romance, The White Lady, in the new holiday boxed set release from The Wild Rose Press. Available in preorder now–out November 8th.

Blurbs for An Enchanted Holiday:

Mr. Jack Frost by Amy Hahn
Once upon a wintry evening she made a wish on Christmas snow…
Reagan Thorton never expected her wish to come true, even when Jack Frost appears on her doorstep. She doesn’t believe such nonsense or in happy endings.
Jack has until Christmas Eve to make her rediscover happiness in life and joy in the holiday season. But Reagan is falling in love and Jack knows that once Christmas Eve arrives he’ll vanish forever in a swirl of snow. Or will he? After all, he has become the reason for her happiness.

The White Lady by Beth Trissel
It’s just two weeks before Christmas, and Avery Dunham cannot change Ignus Burke’s mind. They must travel back in time to rescue the White Lady in the portrait above his fireplace. The magic-wielding wizard is obsessed with her. Avery was right: this adventure is not going to be like any other.

A Witch’s Holiday Wedding by Tena Stetler
Elemental witch Pepper McKay happily agrees to marry former SEAL Lathen Quartz. Planning a wedding and operating their wildlife rescue on enchanted McKay land takes a toll. Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?

A Magical Highland Solstice by Mary Morgan
Laird Cormac Murray has vowed to never take a wife. When a lost path in Scotland leads Eve Brannigan to a handsome but gruff Highlander, she fights the temptation to allow love to enter her heart for the first time. Can the Fae and the magic of the Yule season bring together two souls who have forsaken love?

The Christmas Star by Roni Adams
A holiday fling with Nick Christopoulus on a Greece Isle is just the vacation Chrissy Star needs from her world of elves. When she disappears after a night of magical sex, Nick is determined to track her down. But how can Nick, a non-believer, find a magical place called Christmas Town?

Available in kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Holiday-Digital-Boxed-Set-ebook/dp/B07J4BB8JW/

Furbaby Friday with Jennifer Wilck

I’m happy to welcome Author Jennifer Wilck to share her lovable rescue dog and contemporary romance release, A Heart of Little Faith.

Jennifer: When you want someone to do something, there are many ways to accomplish it. You can beg, plead, yell, instruct or just give “the look.” Midnight is our rescue dog—part Border Collie, part Lab and lots of other unknown parts. She’s smart, she’s loyal and she has trained the entire family to do her bidding. Her method of choice? Leaning and staring.

She’s been with us eight years, and has decided that I’m the alpha and the rest of the family are hers to herd. Must be the Border Collie in her. Every morning, she waits at the bottom of the stairs until I come down. I’m not the first to come downstairs, but when I do, she looks at what I’m wearing. If she recognizes my “workout clothes,” she jumps around until I take her for a walk.

After we walk and I feed her, she does her own thing for a while until she decides it’s time to see the world. She walks over to wear I’m sitting and leans against my leg until I get up and open the door for her to look outside and watch the neighborhood critters, dogs, walkers and cyclists.

When she wants to be let outside, she will come over to me or my daughter and lean against our leg. If we ignore her, she’ll lean harder or fall into us until we respond. For my husband, she’ll sit and stare at him.

She’s trained us well. We know exactly what she wants without her barking or making a single noise.

I like to think that if she were a person, she’d be one of those people whose quiet way about them demanded respect and obedience. A woman or man with a presence. Kind of like the hero in my upcoming self-publishing release, Gideon, from A Heart of Little Faith.

Gideon is the strong, silent type. He knows what he wants—and what he doesn’t—and he lives his life on his terms, even from a wheelchair. When he meets Lily, a widow with a six-year-old daughter, his life is turned upside down. Still, he manages situations with a look, a glance or a caress. He’s never going to be the loudest or most boisterous in the room. He won’t cut you with an insult, although he can be brusque and grumpy. But his quiet presence draws everyone to him.

A Heart of Little Faith was the first book I wrote and published with a small indie press. When that press went under, I sold it to another small press. That one went under too. I love everything about this book, and I didn’t want it to languish hidden on my computer, so I decided to self-publish it—I’ve always wanted to see what that was like, so it was a perfect opportunity. After extensive content editing, copyediting, and a new cover, it’s up for preorder on Amazon and will release on June 1. I hope you’ll consider taking a look at it.

Blurb:
Lily Livingston is a widow raising her six-year-old daughter, Claire, in New York City. Devastated by her husband’s death three years ago, she’s in no hurry to fall in love again. Besides, trying to balance her career with motherhood leaves her little time for romance.

With a wheelchair instead of a white horse, and a vow against falling in love again as his armor, Gideon Stone is the last person Lily expects to sweep her off her feet. But when a business agreement forces the two of them together, that is exactly what happens. As they navigate the minefield that fast represents their relationship, can either of them overcome the obstacles to find true happiness in each other’s arms?

Excerpt:
“What’d we miss?” Mark asked as he slid along the row into the empty seat next to his wife. Lily and Kim stared blankly at each other.
“Um…” Kim started to reply.
“Somebody pitched and someone else hit,” Lily said as she attempted to be helpful. Mark and Gideon groaned and shook their heads.
“Pitiful,” Gideon hid a smile. “That’s the best you could do?”
“Well, you didn’t tell me I was supposed to report back to you,” Lily squeaked as she tried to justify her actions. “Besides, Kim and I were busy talking.” She reached over and took a bite of Gideon’s hot dog. The smoky, spicy taste made her mouth water. He grabbed her wrist.
“Wait a minute,” he spluttered. “Are you crazy? First, you don’t pay attention to the game, and now you think I’m going to share my hot dog with you?”
“Yup.” She licked a speck of spicy mustard off the corner of her mouth.
He raised an eyebrow, entranced by the glimpse of her tongue. “And what makes you think that?”
“Because I’m so darn cute,” she retorted. Gideon pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, shook his head and with a sigh, handed over his hot dog.
Lily giggled, took another bite, albeit a small one, and returned it to him as the others laughed. She put her hand on his arm. She made circular motions with his fingers in the hairs curled above his wrist. When he covered her hand with his, she smiled and returned her focus to the game.
Soon it was time for the seventh inning stretch. As everyone else stood up, Lily leaned over and kissed Gideon on the lips. Her gaze trained on his face, he raised his eyebrows in surprise at her unexpected move. His eyes changed from amber to chocolate brown as her lips pressed against his. His lips tasted slightly salty. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his shoulder muscles contracted as he pulled her closer. She longed to taste him more fully. Their kiss deepened and a soft whimper escaped from deep in her throat. Shuffling feet and snapping chairs sounded as everyone took their seats, and Gideon and Lily pulled apart. Joe let out a whistle.
“What was that?” Gideon asked as his gaze remained locked on hers.
“My own seventh inning stretch,” she replied. “Like it?” Here goes nothing. She caught her breath. She’d thought about kissing him all day. Without a chance to discuss their relationship, and fearing he’d brush it off anyway, she decided to take the plunge. Tony said she had to make her feelings clear. She’d fantasized about kissing Gideon, but nothing had prepared her for the reality. His lips had been firm, yet yielded to the slightest pressure of her mouth. He brushed through her hair, caressed the nape of her neck like he owned her. His kiss held the promise of tomorrow; as if all she was required to do was lock her lips to his, hold on, and all her wishes would come true.
Gideon growled, leaned over and brushed his nose against hers. “Oh yeah.” He pressed his lips to hers again. This time it was firmer, more confident, a take-no-prisoners kind of kiss. Lily’s head spun and a joyful sound burbled from deep within her throat. “What’s funny?” He leaned back in his chair, a frown creasing his forehead.
The crack of a bat, the announcer’s comments, the shouts and yells of the fans, as well as the rustle and shuffle of his friends around him came into focus.
“Oh you know, first base, baseball game. You know…” Her voice drifted off and heat flooded her face and chest.
“Guess I’ll have to get tickets to some more games.” He winked at her.

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Little-Faith-Jennifer-Wilck-ebook/dp/B07D3BNZG9

Author Bio:

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/
Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2055470311366345/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck
Newsletter: http://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Jennifer a comment.

New Sci-Fi Romance Release by P.L. Parker!

My talented friend P.L. Parker has a new science fiction adventure romance coming out on April 20th, in preorder now.

P.L. Parker: Abaddon Rising, the third novel in my Star Brides Series, is now available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. Release date is April 20, 2018. The Chalice and Breeder Slave are now available at reduced prices. If you like sci-fi romances, this series might be the one for you and it’s a good time to get your copies.

Blurb:

One of a million statistics in the intergalactic war, Jocelyn St. Germaine is captured, sold as a slave and then forced to fight in the Deg’Nara gladiator games. She’s slated to lose when Kanaan, the most feared warrior of all, claims her as his own. With his help, Joss’s chances of survival increase, but is it enough?

Kanaan filled his lungs and roared, head thrown back as he issued the challenge. “She belongs to me! I claim her!”
From behind him, he caught the female’s startled gasp.

Excerpt:

Kanaan perched on a high ledge watching the drama below. The female crouched against the slave gate glaring at the horde of leering male slaves as they crept forward. She wouldn’t last the night. None of the females did in here. She’d be torn limb from limb but not before she was forced to endure the bestial attentions of the dominant members of the pens. Too bad really! He admired the female. She was feisty, skilled, a born killer, but a female all the same.
He found it odd that her handler put her in here. She’d proven herself with every match, winning each round and advancing up the ladder. Usually an asset was treated with a little more respect, especially a female no less who’d won every bout. The crowds seemed to side with her during combat and he knew for a fact she’d made Master Luidoc’s pockets a little heavier. Didn’t make any sense that she’d be thrown in here!
He scrubbed a hand across his jaw considering. The female interested him for more than just her fighting skills. She was different, her species unknown to him. In many ways she reminded him of the Arkogian females. The body type was similar and they were known for jutting mammary glands but her delicate build and graceful movements decried that lineage. Arkogians were block-shaped and coarse, even more so than Deg’Nara females. Perhaps she’s a hybrid! Lot of us around these days, he admitted ruefully.
She’d drawn his attention from the first time he’d seen her fight in the pits. Slender and elegant, she looked more dancer than warrior. She was controlled, seeming bored even but that façade swiftly melted away when her opponent entered the ring. The only time he witnessed her control slip was when the female, Anashe he remembered, fell.
A few more paces and the mob would be on her and then it would be over. He drew a deep breath and exhaled. He stood up, gauging the distance to the ground and then dropped landing in front of the female.
He was within inches of the frontrunners of the mob, so close he could taste their reek. He spat, clearing his mouth of the vile aroma.
“Back off,” he growled, snapping his teeth. “Or it’ll be the last step you’ll ever take!”

Pre-Order Link – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Abaddon-Rising-DegNara-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07BFHH983

Follow PL Parker at:

www.plparker.com

www.plparker.blogspot.com

New Release! Holiday Time Travel Romance–The White Lady

It’s just one week before Christmas, but Avery Dunham cannot change Ignus Burke’s mind. They absolutely must travel back in time and rescue the White Lady in the painting in his living room.~

In the ghostly White Lady lore I’ve read, the tales don’t usually portray her as vindictive—usually. And that’s the catch with my ghostly, magical, adventure through time. Oh yes, and there’s romance.~

Blurb from The White Lady:

Avery Dunham has always been ready to follow her friend, time-traveling wizard, Ignus Burke, on incredible adventures. This time, though, she has serious misgivings. It’s just one week before Christmas, but she cannot get him to change his mind. The usually cool and collected magic-wielding leader is wholly obsessed by the portrait of the White Lady whom he is bent on rescuing.

Almost as soon as they begin their journey, it becomes clear their mission is a trap.

Avery was right: this adventure is not going to be like any other.~

Excerpt:

Avery had a few queries on the tip of her tongue, like, “Are you out of your freaking skull?”

If she didn’t ask, Stan probably would. They’d graduated from high school this past June and worked part-time ‘nothing’ jobs, taking a break before college while finding their way, as Avery’s mother put it. Mostly, they were drawn to Ignus like moths to a flame, especially Avery. Not that he noticed.

If only he’d look at her the way he did the white lady. More and more, the portrait seemed to dominate his thoughts. How could a petite, okay short, girl in a sparkly pink sweater and unicorn leggings compete with this tantalizing beauty?

Avery wasn’t plain, some even referred to her as cute, but exotic didn’t describe her. Quirky, sure. She wouldn’t term her brown eyes deeply affecting, and her face wouldn’t compel men through centuries to her side. The best she could do was plead with him.

“Ignus, be reasonable. Please.”

 No reply. He wore his stubborn look. Crossing his arms over a lean chest, he tilted his head to better view the femme fatale on the wall above them.

The tousled brown hair covering his ears and forehead needed a trim. In his red Zombie Preparedness hoodie with a white rescue logo, gray dress pants, and white high-topped sneakers, he was the quintessential nerd. Most importantly, he was a wizard and time traveler with a passion for rescuing lost souls. His fervor for this particular lady was alarming.~

The White Lady is available in eBook from all online booksellers.

In Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/White-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B075XBTY1J/

From Paranormal Time Travel Romance Novel Somewhere My Lady (Book 1, Ladies in Time)

Is he real, or is he a ghost?

Excerpt from Chapter One:

Uncertain if she were dreaming or haunted, she gaped at the animated figures. Wait. There. Him.

Her attention riveted on one young man in the gathering. He’d spun by earlier. She’d swear he gazed over his shoulder in her direction, then promenaded up the hall. His expert steps returned him again to the entryway. Unlike the other dancers, he was fully corporeal. No partially seen legs or torso. Fitted blue breeches and silk stockings encased his long muscular legs. He wore his own chestnut brown hair pulled back in a queue at his neck, free of powder, while most male heads were wigged and white. The deep blue suit tailored to his tall figure complemented his deft steps in the English country dance.

Something about him held her spellbound…the tilt of his head, arch of his brow, glimpse of his profile… She followed his every move with the fixity of an owl.

He turned blue-gray eyes toward her and sensuous lips curved into a smile on his handsome face. 

Hands down. No contest. He was the hottest guy ever. Her heart beat a thrilling new rhythm.

He circled closer to where she stood rooted in the foyer, not moving a toe, scarcely drawing breath. 

Did he truly see her backed tremulously against the wall, or did it only feel that way?

Unlike the others in the ghostly assembly, his eyes didn’t skirt past her. He paused in the dance. Bending at the shoulders, he tipped his hand to her in a genteel flourish.

He’d freakin’ bowed. Her jaw dropped. He most definitely saw her. And she sure as heck saw him. A sparking sizzle jumped between them, awakening her as she’d never been roused before. Even more than when the house charged through her at her arrival. It was as if she were plugged in—to him.

How that could be, she had no idea, but when he gazed into her eyes, time seemed to stop. She spiraled into moonless stars, and back again to this dizzying realm. To him. Even if she were dreaming, she’d never forget this moment.

“Dance with me.” He beckoned to her.

“I don’t know how.” She forced the panted reply past the tightness in her throat.

He shook his head. “Nae, lady. You are grace itself.”

Gallant of him to say. “Clearly, you’ve never seen me play tennis.”

Humor flickered in his eyes and touched his mouth. “I should like to.” A look of urgency displaced the fleeting mirth. “Wait. Stay a moment,” he entreated.

Was she fading into dreamland, or was he?

Freeing himself from the others, he dashed to her and slipped something into her hand. “Keep this.” His voice a whisper in her ear. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

She eyed him incredulously. “But how—”

“Did I know you would be here?” he finished for her, melting tenderness in his gaze. “Because we have been here before.” He gestured at the doorway. “Danced through the foyer and into the garden.”

“What? When?”

He answered by cupping his hands to her face and pressing his warm lips to hers in a brief, but impassioned kiss. Any remaining breath she had was forfeited to him.

“Until we meet again, sweet lady.” He swept her a bow and was gone, and the others with him, like the mist vanishing in the sun streaming through the windows.

She stared after him, or the place he’d been, with her lips slightly parted. There were no words, only her wildly beating heart.

She shook her head to clear it, almost expecting the party—and him—to reappear. No. She was alone in the foyer. It was a dream. He was, too. Had to be. The most vivid, never-to-be-forgotten, dream ever. But she was awake, and when she glanced at her hand, she still held the scrap of paper.

Unfolding it, she mouthed, Wait for me, a simple request inked in penmanship that reflected the bold spirit of the young man who’d given it to her.

 Somewhere My Lady is available in kindle at:

 https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B071VTNC7V

The novel is also available from all other online booksellers.

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” ~Henry Van Dyke

Furbaby Friday with Author Jennifer Wilck

I’m glad to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press Author Jennifer Wilck who shares about her special furbaby. her family, writing, and exciting new release.

Jennifer: Our dog rescued my family and me when she was approximately two years old. We count her birthday as her adoption day, April 10.

After my two daughters argued over approximately thirty names, they settled on the extremely non-creative name of Midnight. As an author, I’m a little embarrassed about that, and swear my character names are better—I hope!

I have no idea why her original family gave her up, because she is the smartest, most well behaved dog, I’ve ever known.

She learned her name within three days.

We don’t let her upstairs because of my allergies, and not only did she learn not to go upstairs within the first day at our house, but she transfers that training to my parents’ house as well.

She can tell, based on the clothes I wear when I come downstairs in the morning whether or not I’m taking her for a walk (even my kids don’t do that!).

She only eats food if you tell her to, which means when you drop food on the floor, she looks at you first before going after it. An awesome trait, except that I STILL have to vacuum up crumbs.

(Midnight at the vet hoping for a treat)

She likes people better than animals. When we walk, she goes up to the human while their dog goes up to her. However, her best dog friend is Chester, a 90-pound hound. She’s 30 pounds. And she thinks she’s the alpha. She makes him walk behind her and she barks at any dog that tries to come near him. She’s fickle in her affections, though, and if she’s not in the mood for him to sniff her, she runs through his legs. Or she turns her head away and refuses to look at him. Poor guy.

I spend a lot of time at my computer—I’m a writer, after all. When she wants attention, she sits at my feet and leans against my legs. If I don’t notice her, she bangs against me. So I stop, rub her back and give her the attention we both need. Sitting all day would otherwise be boring and unhealthy.

Walking her in the morning provides me with inspiration. We live on a lake and it’s 3.5 miles around. She loves it because she gets exercise and a chance to sniff everything. I love it because it gets me moving, gets my creative juices flowing and wakes me up.

We’re a good team, she and I. And I think I might be a better writer because of her.

Beth: What a touching story about Midnight rescuing you and your family, Jennifer. I agree, that’s often the way with our ‘rescues.’ They actually rescue us.

Jennifer: Addicted to Love is my first contemporary romance with The Wild Rose Press. It’s the first book in an anticipated three-book series. While the story is a mainstream romance, the characters are Jewish, which I think adds some spice and variety to the story, especially the meddlesome-yet-loveable grandma and the food! The setting is Hoboken, NJ and New York City. And, like many of my other books, there is a child. In this case, she’s a teenager. As the mom of two teen girls, I have a lot of experience in this area, and it was fun creating a relatable character that showcases the best side teenage girlhood (and, of course, a few eye rolls, because, you know, teenagers!). I hope you enjoy it!

Blurb: Dan Rothberg struggled after an accident killed his wife and he nearly lost custody of his daughter. He can no longer allow himself to get attached to anything or anyone. Until he meets Hannah.

Hannah Cohen is a young executive with a meddlesome grandmother and a troubled brother. She’d like nothing better than to find her own Mr. Right, after too many Mr. Wrongs. A sexy older man with a teenage daughter was never in her plans.

As they navigate their relationship through adolescent attitudes and grandmotherly interference, they realize age is just a number and love can be right in front of them. But when the terrible truth of Dan’s former struggles is exposed, Hannah must decide if she can get past his deception and allow love to conquer all.

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5133-addicted-to-love.html?search_query=jennifer+wilck&results=2

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Addicted-Love-Serendipity-Book-1-ebook/dp/B071HZQS4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499096714&sr=8-1&keywords=jennifer+wilck

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/addicted-to-love-jennifer-wilck/1126454796?ean=2940157486310

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/addicted-to-love-13

Biography: Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and doesn’t share her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. All are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck

Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com

Blog: http://jenniferwilck.blogspot.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenniferwilck/

My New Furry Publicist

Puppy Cooper excitedly joins Kitty Peaches and Cream on my dynamic publicist team. All three are super psyched to promote my new release, ghostly time travel romance, Somewhere My Lady (Book 1, Ladies in Time).  

***The team has an announcement: Somewhere My Lady is on a book blog tour with sweet prizes. Pick up the tour at Romance Novel Giveaways:

http://romancenovelgiveaways.blogspot.com/2017/07/somewhere-my-lady-by-beth-trissel-book.html

Story Blurb:

Lorna Randolph is hired for the summer at Harrison Hall in Virginia, where Revolutionary-War reenactors provide guided tours of the elegant old home. She doesn’t expect to receive a note and a kiss from a handsome young man who then vanishes into mist.

Harrison Hall itself has plans for Lorna – and for Hart Harrison, her momentary suitor and its 18th century heir. Past and present are bound by pledges of love, and modern science melds with old skills and history as Harrison Hall takes Lorna and Hart through time in a race to solve a mystery and save Hart’s life before the Midsummer Ball.

“Quite simply, one of the best paranormal, time slip stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read,” ~Splashes Into Books

‘Somewhere My Lady is a fun supernatural romance that will have you slipping in and out of the past and future as if you were a spirit yourself.’’ ~Colleen’s Book Reviews

Somewhere My Lady is available from all online booksellers. In kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B071VTNC7V/

In order of appearance: Puppy Cooper, Kitty Cream, Kitty Peaches beneath my perpetually Christmas mantel. He’s a little peachier than this pic shows.

Release day for Somewhere My Lady–Ladies in Time Book 1

Somewhere My Lady, Book 1 in my exciting new Ladies in Time series, is out!  This series is similar to my Somewhere in Time Series. A ghostly time travel romance with a deadly mystery unfolds in a wonderful old house on the James River in Virginia. Can you solve the mystery? Took me a while. 

Story Blurb:

Lorna Randolph is hired for the summer at Harrison Hall in Virginia, where Revolutionary-War reenactors provide guided tours of the elegant old home. She doesn’t expect to receive a note and a kiss from a handsome young man who then vanishes into mist.

Harrison Hall itself has plans for Lorna – and for Hart Harrison, her momentary suitor and its 18th century heir. Past and present are bound by pledges of love, and modern science melds with old skills and history as Harrison Hall takes Lorna and Hart through time in a race to solve a mystery and save Hart’s life before the Midsummer Ball.

Excerpt:

Something about him held her spellbound…the tilt of his head, arch of his brow, glimpse of his profile… She followed his every move with the fixity of an owl.

He turned blue-gray eyes toward her and sensuous lips curved into a smile on his handsome face. Hands down. No contest. He was the hottest guy ever. Her heart beat a thrilling new rhythm.

He circled closer to where she stood rooted in the foyer, not moving a toe, scarcely drawing breath. Did he truly see her backed tremulously against the wall, or did it only feel that way?

Unlike the others in the ghostly assembly, his eyes didn’t skirt past her. He paused in the dance. Bending at the shoulders, he tipped his hand to her in a genteel flourish.

He’d freakin’ bowed. Her jaw dropped. He most definitely saw her. And she sure as heck saw him.

A sparking sizzle jumped between them, awakening her as she’d never been roused before. Even more than when the house charged through her at her arrival. It was as if she were plugged in—to him.

How that could be, she had no idea, but when he gazed into her eyes, time seemed to stop. She spiraled into moonless stars, and back again to this dizzying realm. To him. Even if she were dreaming, she’d never forget this moment.~

“Quite simply, one of the best paranormal, time slip stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read,” ~Splashes Into Books

‘Somewhere My Lady is a fun supernatural romance that will have you slipping in and out of the past and future as if you were a spirit yourself.’’ ~Colleen’s Book Reviews

***This book is dedicated to my dear little dog, Sadie–the last story she saw me through.

Somewhere My Lady is available from all online booksellers. In kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B071VTNC7V/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

My Somewhere In Time series is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Time-4-Book/dp/B016DF8LJ2

Furbaby Friday with Author C.B. Clark

I am happy to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press Author C.B. Clark to share her faithful friend, Jazz, with us and a bit about her new romantic suspense.

C.B. Clark: I’ve always loved Tom T. Hall’s song lyrics: “Ain’t but three things in this world that’s worth a solitary dime, but old dogs and children and watermelon wine.” I’ve never tried watermelon wine, I like kids, but I love old dogs. There’s something about their calm, trusting gentleness that tugs at my heart.

My dog, Jazz, is a thirteen-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer. That’s ninety-six in human years. Her eyebrows have turned white, her face grizzled and her eyes cloudy. Her once svelte, leanly muscled body has sagged, her back legs bowed from arthritis.  She used to be filled to the brim with frenetic energy and needed two long walks every day to tire her out. Even then she’d grab the old tattered soccer ball and beg me to kick it for her so she could run and catch it, barking in happiness the whole time. She’d leap like a deer over fallen trees, and race ahead on the trail, and sprint back, again and again as if telling me to hurry.

Now as I watch her struggle to rise from her soft bed and lumber painfully along a forest path, tears thicken my throat. Every once in a while, there are flashes of her puppy playfulness. When she digs in her toy box for a well-chewed stuffy and whines until I toss it for her to retrieve, or when she scents a grouse in the forest and her old body stiffens and she forms a perfect point, her tail wagging a mile a minute in excitement and pride.

A unique bond develops between an older dog and its owner. Maybe it’s their gazes filled with patience, wisdom, and acceptance. Maybe it’s the certain knowledge that time with your pet is limited. You relish every minute you have together.

I still take my old girl on daily walks, meandering from one smell to another enjoying each other’s company and living each minute to the fullest. Even as I write this blog, Jazz is lying beside me snoring contentedly. Every once in a while, she lifts her head and watches me as if to say, ‘We’re in this together, old friend.’ Yes, Tom T Hall had it right. Old dogs are one of life’s special treasures.

Beth: I totally agree. Older dogs are, indeed, special. Deeply so. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my dear Sadie. Jazz sounds like a wonderful friend and treasure.

Blurb for Bitter Legacy:

Sharla-Jean Bromley returns to her hometown after a seventeen-year absence with vengeance in her heart. From the very beginning, her plans go awry when she meets devastatingly handsome Josh Morgan, the man to whom her father left half of his multi-million dollar lumber mill.

Josh, suspicious of Sharla-Jean’s reasons for returning to town after such a long absence, vows to keep control of the company he feels is rightfully his. She is equally determined to prove she can run her father’s mill, even though it means working side-by-side with Josh, a man whose very presence evokes an attraction that is increasingly difficult for her to ignore. In the process, they must overcome a villain who’s determined to destroy both the lumber mill and their lives.

Will Sharla-Jean succeed and heal the anguish that has long filled her soul? Wills he and Josh find the passion of a lifetime?

Excerpt:

Fire!

Even as the dreaded word reared like a monster inside her head, a thin trickle of smoke crept out of the dark storage room. Terrifying images of flame, smoke and searing heat threatened to overwhelm her. For a nightmare second, she was back in the midst of scorching heat and roaring flames.

Using all her strength of will, she tore free of the chilling memories. Instead of fleeing, she placed one wobbly step in front of the other and shuffled toward the storage room. Her nostrils flared at the acrid tang of gasoline and smoke. With a shaking hand, she gripped the door handle and opened the door.

A figure burst out of the darkness, crashing into her, knocking her back.

She yelped at the pain of the blow and the shock of falling. A jolt of agony and blinding light as her head hit something hard.

Heavy boots pounded across the tile floor. Cold air washed over her. And then darkness.

Buy links for Bitter Legacy:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZVR5LJ/

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bitter-legacy-c-b-clark/1126254341?ean=2940157509132

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bitter-legacy-4

The Wild Rose Press

Author bio for C.B. Clark

C.B. Clark has always loved reading, especially romances, but it wasn’t until she lost her voice for a year that she considered writing her own romantic suspense stories. She grew up in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Yukon. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology, she has worked as an archaeologist and an educator, teaching students from the primary grades through the first year of college. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.

Social Media Links:

Blog https://cbclarkauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/cbclarkauthor

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

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15029617.C_B_Clark

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/C.-B.-Clark/e/B01BK61TQG/

(Jazz–a German Shorthaired Pointer)