Romance - Indie Book Promo

Interview with Kelli McCracken, author of What the Heart Wants

Posted on May 1, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 6 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Kelli McCracken to the blog. She is the author of What the Heart Wants. If this book sound like something that you would be interested in reading, please find the buy links part way down the post and pick up a copy or two.

IBP: Try to describe your book in one sentence.

Kelli: Two souls, linked together since creation, brought together by fate.

IBP: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Kelli: For the most part, yes. I’ve had a love affair with books for as long as I can remember. Before I knew how to read, I made up stories in my head that went along with my picture books. I had tons of books, too.

When we started covering poetry in school, I really enjoyed it. I started writing it outside of school. Then I discovered Edgar Allan Poe. His poetry and stories fascinated me so much that I switched from writing poems to writing stories.

I originally started this book when I was 13. Granted, the storyline has changed dramatically, but the idea came to life at that point in time. I worked on other books off and on over the years. Then I had a thought. Maybe other people would like my stories, too, so I took a leap of faith. That’s one leap I’ll never regret.

IBP: Do you listen to music while writing?

Kelli: Oh yes. Music is an essential part of my writing process. I have a playlist for each book. Readers collect books. I collect music.

IBP: Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Kelli: Never, ever give up on your dream. If writing is your passion, nothing will take its place. Find time to write every day, even if it’s just a few sentences. Once you get in a routine, the pages start coming. I think critique groups are a good place to get feedback and improve your craft, but don’t let anyone (no matter how highly you think of them) tell you that you can’t do it. You can. All you have to do is believe in yourself. Others will do the same.

IBP: What’s the hardest part of writing a book?

Kelli: Writing, in itself, is a job that doesn’t stop. Writers don’t get a chance to ‘clock out’. We’re always writing or thinking about writing. There are moments when we need to shut down and let ourselves relax and have fun. You don’t get many of those moments because you feel guilty if you aren’t writing. Of course, if you’re like me and other writers I know, your characters won’t shut up. They are always chatting about their lives or arguing with you about what direction you’re taking them in the story. They love to switch things up and make your life difficult. #sanityisoptional

IBP: What’s your favorite part of writing a book?

Kelli: As I mentioned above, it never fails for my characters to change their mind about something. Normally it’s how the story will end. I have 3 published books and with each one, I thought I knew how the story would wrap up, but when I got there, my characters were like, ‘Oh no, honey. That is not how it ends. Move out of the way and let me write this.’ It drives me crazy, but I like it, too.

IBP: Where do you get your inspiration?

Kelli: The majority of my inspiration comes from music. I literally zone out with a song and a scene unfolds in my mind. Sometimes it takes a couple songs to achieve this, but the result is always the same. The base of my chapter is ready to be written.

IBP: Which genres do you prefer to read?

Kelli: I write what I read. Romance. I’m a sucker for a happily ever after. My favorite sub genres are paranormal romance, and historical romance. I’ve read other types, but those two are my favorites.

IBP: How important do you find the communication between you and your readers?

Kelli: It’s very important to me. I love to connect with readers and chat with them online. They give me great feedback, especially when I’m working on a new project.

IBP: Do you reply to their messages or read their reviews?

Kelli: Always

IBP: If you were stranded on a deserted island, who would you want for company?

Kelli: Taylor Kitsch

IBP: Is there anything else you’d like to share to your followers and readers?

Kelli: I just want to thank them for taking a chance on me. For believing in me and for encouraging me to keep writing. They are the biggest reason I do this. I look forward to sharing more books with them this year.

* * *

Blurb:

Do dreams foretell the future? Are there soul connections that go deeper than love?

He can sense her emotions at any place and time. Their bond is powerful but a mystery. One thing he knows for sure. She’s plagued his dreams for months. Maybe even longer.

Being involved with a celebrity is the last thing she imagined…or wanted. Can she forget the pain from the past? Can he let go of his fears?

What the Heart Wants is available on Amazon.

Bio:

Before I could read, I used my imagination to make up stories to match the illustrations in my books. My love for reading carried over to adulthood. Then writing came along.

When I’m not writing or looking for duct tape for my inner critic’s mouth, you can usually find me hanging out on Twitter: @Kelli_McCracken or in my secret group on Facebook.

Personally, I think Forrest Gump’s momma said it best. Life is like a box of chocolates. Mine is full of nuts. My motto: sanity is optional, but not a requirement. My characters love waking me up in the middle of the night for long talks. They have no sense of time.

Kelli can be found on

Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Website

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Book Promotion, Romance

Book Feature with Edenmary Black, author of Sanctum Illusions: Shadow Havens Book 4

Posted on April 25, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 10 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Edenmary Black to the blog. She is the author of Sancrum Illusions: Shadow Havens Book 4 and is here to share some information about her book. If this sounds like a book you would be interested in reading, please use the buy links at the bottom of this post and pick up a copy or two.

Blurb:

The past has a way of haunting those who want to forget it most…

Meniari has fallen in love with Kya, but all bets are off when his ex, a former Sanctum warrior, shows up with ideas of rekindling the fire that once burned between them. Tamuel has come to the Sanctum too, along with his rebellious guiding angel, Kellan. He’s finally received permission to return to the angelic realms – as long as Miriel agrees to crush his heart to end his mortal life. Kellan’s onboard with that, because he can’t have his wings back until Tam dies. The only obstacle is Amaya… and Tam’s mysterious fascination with Circe’s former lover.

While Miri and Andrieu grapple with circumstances at the Sanctum, Fortune and his Demesne warriors are carrying out Ilea’s orders to clean up the haven’s clubs in Saint Rushton. Things are going well, until Circe sends Maksim and his vampires to Saint Rushton. Sabotage and spying are the games, but the players get more than they bargained for, after Circe receives a photo of Amaya on Tamuel’s arm. Overwhelmed with bloodlust and fury, she breaks human and vampiric law, causing dire consequences.

As dangerous conflicts arise in the havens, Saan meets Sebastien’s first Mate, Sabine, in the hereafter. He may think his work in the realm of the living is done, but Sabine brings him a surprising plea for help. Can he reach out to the male who allowed his death?

Bound by threads from the past and the hereafter, shocking events unfold that will bring warriors to their knees and test the courage of angels.

Sanctum Illusions: Shadow Havens Book 4 contains descriptive material and scenes of explicit sexual encounters between consenting male and female adult characters. It is intended for adult readers only.

Excerpt:

Kya ended her call and dropped the cell to her desk in the Sanctum’s feeding center. Several members of the haven’s Basium Cruenta were in house and more were expected. Vampires had been coming in pairs or alone to feed and as usual, her phone was wide awake and doing what it always did… beep, blip or chime every time she looked at it. She was the coordinator of the feeding center, diplomat and friend to every human and vampire who came through the feeding center’s doors, three hundred, sixty-five days a year. Running the feeding center made her a vital part of the Sanctum’s functioning structure and known to everyone. She also knew what they needed or cared about or hoped. Another might have found her job draining, but Kya loved it, especially since she’d finally found what she needed. His name was Lien Meniari, a vampiric warrior of the Sanctum, and he made her heart sing.

When he came through the door, Kya’s face lit like a sparkler, making him grin. He kissed her across the desk, still grinning, with a hand behind his back.

“You’re going out tonight?” she asked, although she knew the answer. He would patrol Sanctum land until close to the time the sun rose, then return to his home once he was relieved by were warriors, who would not be affected by sunlight as he would.

“In a little while,” he answered, looking down at her behind the desk. The smile on her heart-shaped face had become so important to him. “I have time to feed and kiss you for about fifteen minutes. Sneak away with me.”

Kya looked at her phone, hoping it wouldn’t ring. She found Meniari’s beautiful face and dark eyes and snatched the phone from the desk to turn it off.

He took her hand, pulling her around the desk to his chest. “I brought you something,” he said, producing a bouquet of crimson roses and white baby’s breath wrapped in delicate lavender paper.

“They’re gorgeous,” Kya gushed. “Where did you find wild roses in January, Lien?”

“I have my ways. Leave them here,” he said chuckling, as he took the flowers to drop them on the marble- topped desk. Tugging her along behind him, Meniari found an empty feeding suite, pulled Kya through the door and locked it telekinetically. In a second, he had her against his chest and his mouth closed against hers.

Sanctum Illusions: Shadow Havens Book 4 is available at

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Kobo * iTunes

Barnes & Noble * eBookIt.com * Sony

Bio:

Edenmary Black has been writing since she could clutch a pencil. She has always been fascinated with the mysteries of the paranormal and loves the question all writers answer when they pen fiction. For her, it’s all about that magical, “What if?” When not working her keyboard, she enjoys long walks, reading and spending time with her family, all of whom are male. She spends far too much on lingerie and is very, very weak for chocolate.

Edenmary Black can be found on

Goodreads * Website

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Book Promotion, Paranormal, Romance

Elena Gray, author of Night Visions

Posted on April 10, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 12 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Elena Gray to the blog. She is the author of Night Visions and is here to share some information on her book. If this sounds like a book you would be interested in, please use the buy links at the bottom of the this post to pick up a copy or two.

Blurb:

Plagued by visions and voices, Samantha Cade must be losing her mind. Until she realizes there’s a hidden message waiting to be revealed. Just how, she’ll have to figure out.

When Ian Behr reappears in her life, after six long years, dormant longing awakens. To survive this turmoil, she’ll need to guard her heart.

Will Ian be her doom…or her salvation?

Excerpt:

Sam dragged her gaze to the dock. The last place she’d seen Ian, the last place she’d touched him. Lifting a shaking hand, her fingers pressed to her tingling lips, awakened from a long slumber. Her time to heal, now long overdue, she needed to mourn him.

And move on.

A soft whisper drew her back to the present.

What now?

Her chest tightened as her eyes darted back and forth for any sign of danger.

Ginger bounded up the steps and plopped at Sam’s feet with a grunt.

“Gin, you just scared the life out of me!”

Ginger sniffed in response, letting her eyes drift closed.

Sam ran a shaky hand through her hair as she tried to compose herself. If Ginger wasn’t alarmed, then she shouldn’t be. Why couldn’t the damn voices be consistent? How was she supposed to know if there was danger if they popped up whenever they felt like it?

The chair creaked as Sam leaned forward ruffling Ginger’s fur. Suddenly alert, Ginger lifted her head, tipping her nose in the air she sniffed. Her nails scraped against the wooden floorboards as she scrambled to her feet. In one swift motion, she leapt off the porch and raced toward the house next door.

“Seriously, Ginger?” Sam sighed.

Reluctantly, Sam pushed herself out of the rocker. Her peace and quiet short lived. She dragged her feet as she headed toward the neat, two story tan home with chocolate shutters. Of all the places Ginger had to run, why next door? A house that had been empty for too many years. Sam’s stomach twisted in knots as she drew closer, sweat beading on her brow. She paused rubbing her temples as the whispers forced their way back into her head.

Not now! Her silent scream forced the voices to listen. She exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful they had vacated her mind.

As she rounded the corner, she stopped in her tracks, startled to see a man kneeling beside Ginger. Not just kneeling, but actually petting her. His voice so soft, she was unable to hear what he said.

Who is this guy? Cesar Millan?

Ginger never let anyone, let alone a stranger, within 100 yards of her without baring her teeth or deciding if she’d use them as a chew toy. Sam opened her mouth to tell him he was trespassing, but the words were trapped in her throat as he stood and faced her.

A sense of déjà vu washed over her. There was something familiar about him. His presence…his demeanor…his eyes…

Then he smiled. A crooked smile that stole the air she breathed. A rush of memories came flooding back. Of her childhood. Of happier times. Of him.

Ian Behr.

He’d disappeared from her life after their first stolen kiss on the dock. A kiss that forever changed her life.

Where had he been for the past six years? Why didn’t he say goodbye? Why didn’t he call?

Anger blazed in her soul. Mind-numbing anger. Ian had left her heartbroken, not respecting her enough to say goodbye. But staring into those hazel eyes shattered the silence in her heart and it began to beat again.

He was still her Ian. Except he wasn’t a boy anymore.

Night Visions can be found on

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Bio:

Amidst piles of laundry you will find Elena tapping away at her laptop, escaping into her own paranormal world. Her characters are demanding and opinionated. They keep her up at all hours of the night. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

While she’s not a soccer mom, she is a football, basketball and baseball mom. She lives in New York with her husband and two active boys.

Elena can be found on

Twitter * Facebook * Blog

Filed Under: Author Promotion, bio/blurb feature, Book Promotion, Paranormal, Romance

Book Feature with Jen Minkman-Saturay, author of Shadow of Time

Posted on April 4, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 8 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Jen Minkman-Saturay to the blog. She is the author of Shadow of Time and is here to share some information about her book. If this sounds like the sort of book you would be interested in, please use the buy links at the bottom of this post and pick up a copy or two.

Blurb:

All Hannah needs is a nice and quiet vacation after her first year of teaching French at a high school. She joins her brother Ben for the summer in their mom’s log cabin in Arizona. There, she meets Josh again, Ben’s childhood friend from the Navajo reservation. The little boy from the rez has grown up fast, and Hannah can’t help but feeling more for him than just friendship.

But fate apparently has something else in store for her. And it’s not peace and quiet. Night after night, Hannah is plagued by strange nightmares about the past of Navajo Nation and terrifying shadows chasing her. They seem to come closer – and why is Josh always present in her dreams?

Sometimes, the past has a way of catching up with you.

Excerpt:

“Come on, car. Just a few more miles.”

Hannah Darson sighed so hard she blew the strands of dark-blonde hair from her face that had slipped out of her ponytail. She tightly gripped the steering wheel of the old, gray Datsun, trying to relax her tense shoulders. Not to mention the rest of her body – she could almost feel the frown on her lightly tanned face settle in on her forehead permanently.

Hmm. She was probably just too tired to unwind, having been on the road since early morning, driving from Las Cruces to her mother’s log cabin close to Lake Powell. All this driving was beginning to get the better of her – she was completely drained. And hungry. Even more importantly, she was anxious – she was practically out of fuel. And out of options. She hadn’t passed any gas stations for a while.

Hannah shot a nervous glance at the fuel gauge on her dashboard. It had been in the red for some time now. The route through Navajo Nation hadn’t exactly taken her through densely populated areas. And still the empty road stretched out ahead. Come on. Local people had to get gas somewhere too, right? Had she missed something?

The road curved to the left, and suddenly Hannah spotted a small gas station next to the exit to Glen Canyon Dam. Hallelujah! Danger of getting stranded without fuel averted.

“Whoohoo!” she shouted at the top of her voice, gunning her Datsun to the entrance of the station. Nothing would rain on her parade now. Summer had started, her first year of teaching – which she’d survived without lethal damage – was over, and she was going to spend July and August here, in Arizona. Ben, her younger brother, was already waiting for her at the log cabin in St. Mary’s Port. She’d missed the place. The last time she’d stayed in their cozy little cabin was four years ago, when she’d still been together with Greg.

Her ex-boyfriend liked the buzz of the big city, and he had never really warmed up to this place. Well, in the end, she hadn’t liked him enough to stay with him either. She was a girl with a feel for village life, about to enjoy the peace and quiet of St. Mary’s Port once more. Endless days on the beach and sipping drinks in the shade of umbrellas lined up on the deck of the local restaurant were awaiting her. Plus, there would be countless trips to the Navajo reservation. Lake Powell was bordering on Navajo Nation, so it was a given to explore the reservation again. She and Ben even had childhood friends there.

Humming happily to herself, Hannah parked her car next to gas pump number two. “It’s raining men!” she sang-shouted, blaring along to the song on her car stereo.

The guy standing next to pump number three was just done getting gas for his motorbike. He looked sideways and his mouth curled up in a smile. The Datsun’s roof was down, so he’d caught her shouting her lungs out.

Hannah bit her lip. Damn. Her neighbor turned out to be a total hottie. She shot him a look that lasted a tad too long, then blushed, rummaging through her bag to find her money and pretend she’d already forgotten about him. As if.

Furtively, she looked him over again as he was strolling off to pay, helmet in one hand and sunglasses on. Yup, this was typically her – scaring off the local hunk by being a total retard. She rolled her eyes at herself.

The motorcycle driver was clearly a Navajo from the reservation. His red-brown skin was dark and offset by the white of his sleeveless shirt. He had a small hair braid on one side, a turquoise bead and a red feather decorating the bottom. That feather had to be the symbol for one of the local clans. Her once-best-friend on the reservation, Emily Begay, also belonged to the Feather Clan. Emily should be about twenty-one by now, just like Ben. Hopefully she’d run into Em this summer.

Or into him, perhaps. She kept staring at the Navajo motorbike owner as he entered the small building of the gas station.

Shadow of Time is available on Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Bio:

Jen Minkman (1978) was born in Holland, in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn. When she was 19, she moved between The Hague, Salzburg (Austria), Brussels (Belgium) and Cambridge (UK) to complete her studies in intercultural communication. She is currently a teacher of English, career counsellor and teenage coach at a secondary school in Voorburg, Holland. She tries to read at least 100 books a year (and write a few, too!). In her spare time, she plays the piano, the guitar and the violin. For every novel she writes, she creates a soundtrack.

Jen Minkman writes paranormal romance and poetry. She is from the Netherlands and is the first-ever published paranormal romance writer in her own country. She self-publishes her work in English through CreateSpace and KDP on Amazon as well as Smashwords. Her works are available in paperback, Kindle and ePub format.

Jen can be found:

Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Website

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Book Promotion, Paranormal, Romance, YA

Book Feature – Instant Attraction by Tory Richards

Posted on March 27, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 6 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Tory Richards to the blog! She is the author of Instant Attraction and is here to share some information about her book. If this sounds like the type of book that you would enjoy reading, please find buy links at the bottom of the post.

Thomas is a motorcycle cop, new to the rural area. He needed a change from the hectic big city, and the pressures of being on the SWAT team. A little more peace and quiet to reflect on what he wants in life, and maybe find someone to share it with along the way. He never expected to find his perfect match in the form of one sexy, little animal activist. From the moment they meet their attraction is hot and out of control.

Julie is an animal lover and works at a no kill shelter. Living next door to the new cop in the area, she’s asked by someone at the small town hall to welcome him to the neighborhood. When she meets Thomas for the very first time instant attraction causes the sparks to fly. And they can’t keep their hands off each other. The hot anywhere, anytime sex is great but she wants more. Can instant attraction turn into love?

* * *

Excerpt –
Julie was almost home when the sky opened up and released a torrent of rain, so thick it was blinding. She tapped on the brakes and slowed her PT Cruiser down. The winding road to her place was crudely paved, like a lot of country roads in the area. The shoulder of the road was nothing but a river of mud sliding over the slight embankment down into the retention ponds on both sides. She was aware that if she drifted over the line in these conditions she could easily end up in the water. She’d seen it happen before.
Arriving at the last sharp corner before her house, she slowed even more. A large oak tree growing too close to the road provided a blind spot. She didn’t want to take any chances that someone wasn’t coming from the other direction, driving down the middle of the road to avoid the excess water. Just as she turned the corner a dark, blurry something in the road caused her to slam on the brakes.
“Holy crap!” Her car skidded to a halt. She hadn’t felt any thump and knew she had managed to stop in time. Thoughts of Harriet, the old pond turtle, immediately came to mind. She’d been around for as long as Julie could remember, and was often seen crossing the road from one pond to the other.
Julie sat there for a moment and watched the rain splash against her windshield. At least her car was getting a good wash. She scooted up and tried to see over the hood but the rain impeded her vision. And her windows were fogging quickly. The only thing left to do was wait and give Harriet time to cross the street.
A flash in her rear-view mirror drew her attention. The light coming down the road indicated someone was moving up behind her. The fact that it was a single light confirmed it was a motorcycle, and it had to be her hunky new neighbour, the cop. He’d moved in a couple of weeks before. Julie hadn’t had the chance to take him a welcome basket yet, so the only thing she knew about him was that his name was Thomas Reevers. As he got closer, she realised he might try to go around her.
“Dang it!” Julie became concerned about Harriet. She couldn’t just sit there and let her get run over. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to rescue her in perilous conditions.
She quickly opened her door and got out. She was drenched before she’d even shut the door. Turning, she held her hand out and screamed, “Stop! Stop!” She couldn’t see who it was behind the visor, but her message got across because he slowed to a gradual stop. Julie rushed to the front of the car and glanced down. Harriet was moving like a snail, oblivious to the danger she was in.
Julie picked her up and slowly walked across the road with the intention of putting her down on the shoulder, and nudging her in the direction of the pond. As soon as she stepped onto the somewhat slimy shoulder she went down hard, releasing a high-pitched scream and just managing to hold on to Harriet. Landing on her back, Julie felt mud and water soak through her clothes. With the wind knocked out of her, she set the turtle down and remained where she was until she could catch her breath.
“Are you all right?”
She glanced straight up to see the motorcycle rider standing over her. It was hard to tell from her position, but he appeared tall and well-built. His jeans were soaked, revealing thick thighs. His brown, bomber-style leather jacket glistened and looked old. His black helmet hid his features from the neck up.

* * *

bio pic-1 Author Bio –
Tory Richards is a grandma who likes to read and write smut, otherwise known as erotic romance. She’s also a daughter, mother, sister, aunt, friend and author. Retired from Disney, and after her soul mate of seventeen years passed away, she moved in with her daughter and her family. She shares her woman-cave with four cats whose main goal in life is to get as much cat hair onto everything that they can. They’re doing a fabulous job!

For as long as Tory can remember she’s wanted to be a writer. But she didn’t actively pursue getting published until her family encouraged her. Just to get them off her back she submitted Cupid’s Arrow, written under her real name Debbie Wallace, to Whiskey Creek Press and that book was on the publisher’s best sellers list for two consecutive months! After that there was no looking back. Tory’s publishers are Ellora’s Cave, Total-E-Bound, Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, The Wild Rose Press, and Liquid Silver Books.

Today Tory spends her free time between family and writing. She has two books coming out this month. Information about them is below. And a third, Surrender to Desire, coming out on 4/15 at Smashwords. She also likes hearing from readers. You can reach her at: tory.richards@yahoo.com

Instant Attraction can be purchased from:

Total E-Bound * Amazon

Tory Richards can be found:

Website * Amazon Page * Smashwords * Twitter

Facebook * Romance Novel Center * Manic Readers

Filed Under: bio/blurb feature, Romance

Book Feature of Defense of the Heart by Jamie Dell White

Posted on March 16, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 6 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Jamie Dell White to the blog today! She is the author of Defense of the Heart and is here to share some information about her book. If this sound like the type of book that you are interested in reading, please find buy links at the bottom of the post and pick up a copy or two.

Blurb

Written in a style that is both humorous and dramatic, “Defense of the Heart” lawyer Julie Ross confronts a lifetime of lost love, missed opportunities, friendship, murder and betrayal amidst murder case in contemporary romance thriller. For Julie, love didn’t just walk in, it knocked her over. And left her with more than just a bruised knee and a broken heart… Now, years later, Julie has fought hard to achieve her successful law career and the good life for herself and her eight-year-old son, Cody. When Jenny, her childhood best friend, is accused of an unspeakable crime in Alabama, Julie is determined to assist in the defense. Sparks fly when she discovers her co-counsel is the irresistible Jake Reynolds, the man she banished from her life years ago. As disturbing facts surrounding the alleged crime unfold, Julie tries to mask her conflicting emotions from her family and friends as she continues to hide the truth about Cody from Jake. But the defense is getting hot, and with a child in the mix, the stakes are raised. As the former lovers join forces to uncover Jenny’s past, they must face their own and decide if old betrayals are unforgivable. And, even after so many years, is there any defense to her own heart…

* * *

Excerpt

CHAPTER FIVE

Julie approached the courtroom doors, paused and took a deep breath. She readied herself, trying to appear calm and composed.

“Shit!” As she opened the door, she dropped her papers and they scattered wildly across the floor. She let the door close and kneeled down, careful not to mess up her suit. She collected the papers into a pile and placed the motion on top.

“Shit!” The doors to the courtroom flung open, hit her backside and sent her sprawling with her papers.

“I’m so sorry ma’am,” said a male voice with a slight southern accent. “Are you all right? Let me help you.”

She was spread eagled flat on the floor; face down with her skirt scrunched above her knees. It was pitiful.

“I’m all right,” she said angrily, and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. Great, you’re fucking doggie-style now, she cursed to herself under her breath. She turned around to see a small crowd looking on, and then she looked up and her world stood still.

They say lightening never strikes the same place twice. That was not true. In fact, it had just happened. She stared in disbelief at the man offering her his hand. It wasn’t a dream; it was a nightmare on all accounts. Déjà vu, only worse. It was him, the one-night stand; the man who had knocked her over at the beach, the man she had thought was her soul mate, the man she had tried so hard to banish from her life and her thoughts. It was Cody’s father. And, to her disbelief and disgust, he had knocked her over again.

“Julie?” He was equally stunned. “My God, it’s you.” She turned away, and tried to get to her feet with dignity.

“You should work on your pickup routine,” she said with a sneer. He didn’t mean to, but he smiled. He too remembered how they had met that day on the beach. He had knocked her over that day as well. But this time she refused his hand. She collected her papers and stood up by herself.

Unfortunately for Julie, he was still as handsome as ever. His light brown hair brushed against his shoulders and his dreamy hazel eyes sparkled with pure devil. The beard was gone, which only made his perfect oval face more visible. He was perfect in her eyes, with his bad-boy-in-a-suit look, and once again he was undeniably irresistible. She was mortified, but tried to keep her composure and stay professional.

“What are you doing here?” he asked her.

“I’m helping out a friend. In fact, I need to get inside to speak with her attorney. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for an arraignment at 1:00 p.m. I’m representing that Clark woman, you know, the one accused of killing her son.”

The blood rushed to Julie’s temples. Shit, not him! It can’t be. She took a deep breath.

“You’re representing Jenny Clark?”

“That’s right.”

“Well… she’s my fr… I’m here to . . . this motion is…” Spit it out already, Julie.

“Oh damn it,” she said, trying to stop the stuttering that made her sound completely flabbergasted. She handed him the motion. “Sign it, Jake.” She stormed inside.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Still visibly shaken she sat down next to Claire and her sister and nervously fiddled with her briefcase.

“Thanks for coming back, Jessie scoffed, then noticed that Julie seemed shaken. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing. I just hope that attorney signs the motion, that’s all,” she responded, hoping Jessie would buy it. She was trying to compose herself. Clearly, she needed to try harder.

A few minutes later Jake startled her again when he leaned over her shoulder, moved his head close to hers, and placed the signed motion on top of her lap. She felt his breath against her as he whispered into her ear. “Congratulations on passing the Bar co-counsel.” He walked away.

“All rise,” the bailiff ordered as the judge entered the courtroom. Court was in session. Julie looked at Jessie and kidded, “Here goes nothing.”

* * *

Jamie Dell White was born in Brooklyn and raised in North Miami Beach, Florida. After graduating North Miami Beach Sr. High School, she studied journalism at University of Florida and Florida International University. She attended law school at Nova Southeastern University School of Law and practiced labor and employment law in Broward County. During law school, she met her husband, Kenny, a trial attorney in Fort Lauderdale, and has been married for the past nineteen years. After practicing law for several years, she put her career on hold to raise their two children, Dylan and Jillian, now ages sixteen and fourteen.

Jamie launched her debut novel, Defense of the Heart, in late May 2012. Since then, she has been busy promoting her book locally, nationally and on line. Aside from the full time job of raising teenagers and promoting her book, she enjoys tennis, yoga and reading. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She currently lives in Parkland, Florida, with her husband, their children, and an adorable cockapoo named Buddy. Defense of the Heart is available at Amazon.com in print and for download on Kindle and the Nook. For more information about Jamie or Defense of the Heart, you can visit her at www.jamiedellwhite.com.

Jamie can be found:

Blog * Goodreads * Facebook

Defense of the Heart can be purchase at Amazon

Filed Under: bio/blurb feature, Romance

Book Feature with Margaret Lake, author of March Madness

Posted on February 21, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 12 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Margaret Lake to the blog. She is the author of March Madness and is here to share some information about her book. If this sounds like something that you would be interested in reading, please find buy links at the bottom of the post and pick up a copy or two.

• • •

Blurb:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day, the one day of the year when everyone wants to be Irish. Even Angie Sorelli. But what Angie really wants is to meet her new neighbor, red-haired Irishman Brian O’Malley. Too bad Brian’s best friend, darkly handsome Tommy Roventi, sees Angie first.

Excerpt:

Looking in the mirror for the twentieth time wasn’t going to change anything, but Angie looked anyway. What was a nice Italian girl doing trying to wear Kelly green? Just because it was St. Paddy’s Day didn’t mean she had to go around looking all sallow. No matter what her friends said, more make-up didn’t help at all.

Valentine’s Day. Now that was a holiday color she could get into. She looked terrific in red. On Fourth of July, she wore red, white and blue; her best colors. On Christmas, she wore red again. And what happened to that nice forest green they used to have at Christmas? All the tissue paper this year was lime green. Ick!

Halloween. Black? Yes! Maybe with an orange belt. Something away from her face; all those yellow-based colors made her look like a cantaloupe. With her round face and round eyes, she didn’t need the comparison.

Her friends said she was obsessed with color. Ever since she’d read her mother’s old book, “Color Me Beautiful,” she had made sure to buy clothes in her best shades. She even redecorated her apartment so she would have the proper background. She’d taken a lot of teasing over that. But why shouldn’t a girl try to look her best?

Now here she was, all in Kelly green with green, shamrock cookies to take to her neighbor, and she felt like a honeydew melon. But she had to meet him today. This was it. Her one excuse was the day when everyone was Irish, just like Brian O’Malley.

She’d been watching him since he moved in a month ago; tall, fiery red hair, emerald green eyes. She’d hoped he was Scots, but Irish was second best. Ever since that book about the big Scot and his time-traveling wife came out, a lot of the romance novels had featured red-haired Highland warriors, and Angie had soon become addicted to them. She knew the only man for her had to have flame-colored hair or he was no man at all.

She’d just had her twenty-fifth birthday and knew she was on the downside of her twenties. Her one true love better come along soon.

Then Brian O’Malley had moved in. He wasn’t her ideal man by any means. He was tall, but his shoulders sloped (it would be difficult to lay her head on one without sliding off). He was slim, almost skinny, but maybe once he got some of her good Italian cooking in him, he’d fill out. And of course, he was Irish instead of Scots. Still, he had that all-important red hair and a girl on the slippery slope to 30 couldn’t be too choosy.

With a sigh, Angie lifted the plate of iced cookies and headed out the door. He probably had plans for the evening, and she needed to catch him before he went out.

Of course there was the fact that they’d never even spoken. She was pretty sure he’d never even noticed her, but as Mom always said, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She patted her hair one last time, walked out the door and heard the lock click behind her. Keys. Purse. Keys in purse. Purse on table.

Oh, no! she groaned to herself. Just what she needed, to look like an idiot in front of Brian the first time they met. On the other hand, Mom always said when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. The perfect excuse to knock on his door and ask for help. So, what was she doing with a plate full of cookies? Angie was thinking fast but nothing was occurring to her. If she was supposed to be taking them somewhere, then she couldn’t give them to Brian.

But now she was at his door and raising her hand to knock. And Mom was saying, There’s no such thing as a little white lie. A lie is a lie.

Please, Mom, just this once? A tiny little fib? she begged.

March Madness can be purchased on Amazon.

Bio:

I was born on the Jersey Shore and lived there until my teens when my family moved to Florida. I raised two children in the Sunshine State, and that have, in turn, given me two beautiful grandchildren.

The urge to write was a vague itch for a long time. Unlike a lot of authors, I didn’t start scribbling stories about bunny rabbits in my early years. It was more of an “I read so much I don’t know why I can’t write” kind of thing.

Then my son-in-law bought me a new computer on which I spent many happy hours playing golf. One day, he said if he’d known I was just going to use it to play games, he’d have bought me an Atari. Kind of embarrassing, really.

I went to sleep that night with his words ringing in my ears. They rang so loudly, they woke me up at 3 am with an idea for a novel fully formed in my head. I fired up my computer, started writing, and Ariana’s Pridewas born… or at least conceived.

Four months of intense writing day and night, when I wasn’t at the day job, and the first draft was finished. Two months later, the second draft was finished and I sent it out for proofing. Then came rounds of rejections followed by the decision to be content with the fact that I’d done it. I’d written a novel I was proud of.

Ariana sat on a floppy disk for a long time, until I discovered the Kindle. Then the idea came to publish it myself. With the help of Jeff Hepple of Elisco Publishing, my dream became a reality. Within the first month, Ariana’s Pride rose as high as #444 in the Kindle store.

I’m currently writing the third in the medieval series as well as a novel set just after WWI. My love of historical fiction/romance began with the Angelique series by Sergeanne Golon. Then I read Catherine by Anya Seton and I was hoked on the Lancasters.

My favorite author is Susan Howatch, both her historical fiction and series on the Church of England. My favorite series is Harry Potter, and my favorite book is Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon.

Margaret can be found on:

Website * Twitter * Blog

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Book Promotion, Romance

Book Feature with Margaret Lake, author of My Lonely Heart

Posted on January 26, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 10 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Margaret Lake to the blog. She is the author of My Lonely Heart and is here to share some information about her book. If this sounds like something that you would be interested in reading, please find buy links at the bottom of the post and pick up a copy or two.

• • •

Blurb:

It’s Valentine’s Day and Holly is alone again. Darren is away on business as usual and Holly doesn’t know how she’s going to get through the day. But with some sage advice from the rehab center’s favorite patient, 85 year-old Mary, Holly just might find a way to save her marriage.

Excerpt:

February 14^th and Holly was alone on Valentine’s Day … again. Oh, Darren had called this morning, and there would be flowers sent to her workplace. And when he got back from his business trip, he would take her out to a fancy restaurant and give her a fancy gift.

To be honest, he had no choice. He had to go where his company sent him when they sent him. And he always made it up to her. He always brought her back a gift from wherever he had been. Sometimes just a tacky souvenir like a carved coconut head or a flamingo made out of shells. Sometimes a pair of earrings would catch his eye in a store window, or a knick-knack he knew she’d like. She really did love everything he gave her.

The only problem was that the one thing she wanted was her husband home on the holidays, not to mention nights and weekends. The reality was that he was gone three weeks out of four. He installed computer systems all over the world and was responsible for training as well. Sometimes he’d be on his way home when he would get a call that a system had crashed somewhere else, and he’d be on his way there.

Holly had a great job that she loved; working in the rehab as a physical therapist. It was wonderful to get someone back on their feet after a debilitating accident or stroke. Equally rewarding were the small triumphs such as Jack being able to hold a spoon, or Edith learning to steer her electric wheel chair.

If it weren’t for that, she’d be following Darren all over the world. That and one other not so little thing: she desperately wanted to start a family. But what was the use? When Darren was gone so often, she might as well be a single parent.

Holly dashed away a tear and picked up the file for her next patient. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw it was Mary, everyone’s favorite. There was no holding down this feisty little woman. Not even five feet tall and a bare 80 pounds, this 85-year-old’s determination carried her through the most difficult of exercises. The hardest thing was to get her to slow down so she wouldn’t undo all of the orthopedist’s good work. Mary was early, as usual, and raring to get down to business.

“Hello, Mary,” chorused everyone in the therapy room.

Holly couldn’t hide her smile when the men in the room started working harder. They didn’t want this little old lady to make them look bad.

“How are we today, Mary?” Holly asked.

“Well, I don’t know how ‘we’ are but I’m just fine,” Mary replied with a twinkle in her eye.

“Ready to get to work?”

“Ready to go home,” Mary countered.

“When are you going to learn not to rush things?” Holly sighed.

“Little girl, at my age, if I want to finish something, I’d better finish it darned quick.”

My Lonely Heart can be purchased on Amazon.

Bio:

My favorite author is Susan Howatch, both her historical fiction and series on the Church of England. My favorite series is Harry Potter, and my favorite book is Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon.

Margaret can be found on:

Website * Twitter * Blog

Filed Under: Author Promotion, bio/blurb feature, Book Promotion, Historical Romance, Romance

Book Feature with Joleen James, author of Falling for Nick

Posted on January 22, 2013 Written by Indiebookpromo 9 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Joleen James to the blog. She’s here to share some information about her book, Falling for Nick. If this sounds like a book that you would be interested in reading, please find a buy link at the bottom of the post and pick up a copy or two.

• • •

Blurb:

It’s taken Clea Rose ten years to get over the one night she spent with bad boy Nick Lombard – a night of teenage passion that produced her son, and sent Nick to prison for murder. Now, with her life finally back on track, Clea’s about to marry a wonderful man and leave town for a promising career in New York. The last thing she expects is Nick’s return and the intense feelings he stirs within her.

Sent to prison for a murder he didn’t commit, Nick Lombard comes home to the tiny town of Port Bliss to attend his mother’s funeral, but he doesn’t count on running into Clea. Seeing her reminds him of everything he’s tried to forget, and everything he longs to remember. When Nick learns Clea is about to marry the man who sent Nick to prison, he knows he must stay and fight for the family he was forced to leave behind.

Against all odds, Nick and Clea will find their way back to the summer they were young lovers on the beach in Port Bliss, realizing that together their love is strong, strong enough to survive anything, even the web of lies that separated them ten years ago.

Excerpt:

“Hey, Nick,” Betty said.

Clea swiveled around, her mouth full of bread. Nick stood behind her, his check in his hand. She glanced down at his denim-clad legs. He’d been in the booth.

“I’ll take that.” Betty held her hand out for his check.

Clea tried to chew, to swallow, but the sandwich lodged in her throat.

“Hello, Clea,” Nick said, his tone dry. “Who’s violating the No Contact Order, you or me?”

Clea swallowed. She didn’t know what to say to him.

“Here’s your change, Nick.” Betty dropped the coins into Nick’s palm. “Have a good afternoon.” To Clea she said, “I’ll just go and get your drinks.”

The waitress disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving them alone.

“See you around, Clea.” Nick walked away. Just before he opened the door, he said, “No, I guess I won’t be seeing you around, otherwise I might find myself back in jail.”

“Nick, wait,” she said, her voice returning.

He raised one dark brow. “For what? For the sheriff to come and arrest me for being within one hundred feet of you? Maybe you should give me a copy of your schedule so I can be sure to avoid you.”

Clea’s stomach clenched. “Robert and I thought it best that we all know where we stand.”

“Boomer?” Nick laughed. “Is he still panting after you?”

Anger flared in her chest. “He’s my fiancé, Nick.”

The muscle in Nick’s jaw tensed. “You’re going to marry Boomer? Why didn’t Billy tell me?” He shook his head, and his disgust washed over her. “Boomer’s not the right man for you. He doesn’t make you feel anything, Princess. We both know that.”

A surge of anger pushed Clea off the stool and she took a step toward him. He was getting to her, just as he had in high school. She knew she should rise above this teenage baiting, but she couldn’t. She wanted to fight back, wanted him to feel the same hurt he’d made her feel ten years ago. “You don’t know anything about me, Nick. You never did.”

He came toward her, closing the gap between them. “I know what makes you tick, Clea, and it isn’t Boomer Bloomfield. You didn’t even give me a chance to explain. It didn’t have to be this way. You’re still a coward.”

“I’m a coward?” she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “You’ve been out of prison for three months. Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back sooner, say good-bye to your mother, say hello to your son?” The smirk left his face. “Oh, that’s right, I forgot, you don’t want your son. From where I stand, I’d say you’re the coward.”

His hands closed over her arms. They glared at each other, and Clea had never felt more alive. Her blood sizzled in her veins. She tilted her head back to look into his eyes, eyes that snapped like two blue flames.

“I’ve never been afraid to take what I want, Clea,” Nick said, his tone low and dangerous. “You know that.”

His words knocked the breath from her lungs. His mouth lowered to hers.

Behind them the door opened, the tinkling of the bell breaking them apart like guilty children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Robert strode into the restaurant, an angry scowl on his face. Behind him stood Sheriff Kincade.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you through the window, Lombard,” Robert said. “I knew you were stupid, but I never dreamed you’d risk going back to jail. Arrest him, Sheriff. He’s in violation of a court order.”

“No,” Clea protested, a strange déjà vu coming over her. The scene before her played out like it had years before. The same feeling of helplessness rolled through her, and she knew Nick would hate her for this.

The sheriff stepped around Robert, heading straight for Nick.

“Nick Lombard,” Sheriff Kincade said. “You are under arrest.”

Falling for Nick is available on Amazon.

Bio:

In August 2012, award-winning author Joleen James became an Indie author with the launch of her short story Hostage Heart. Her contemporary romance novel Falling For Nick debuted in October 2012 and a second romance novel Under A Harvest Moon will be available in January 2013.

When she’s not busy writing, Joleen enjoys spending time with her family at her lakeside home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. You can find Joleen James at www.joleenjames.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

Joleen James can be found

Website * Facebook * Blog * Twitter

Filed Under: Author Promotion, bio/blurb feature, Book Promotion, Romance

Interview with Zoe Dawson, author of Groomed for Murder and Leashed

Posted on December 29, 2012 Written by Indiebookpromo 3 Comments

Indie Book Promo is happy to welcome Zoe Dawson to the blog. She is the author of many books, but is here to share some information about Groomed for Murder and Leashed. If either of these books sound like something that you would be interested in reading, please find buy links at the bottom of the page and pick up a copy or two.

IBP – Tell us about your new release?

Karen – Groomed for Murder is the second book in my Going to the Dog series. It’s about two people who are afraid of change. Each other is the catalyst for that change, but they must find the courage deep inside to take the steps to their own and mutual happily ever afters. The first book in the series, Leashed, was released on September 2012 and is now on sale for .99 cents.

IBP – Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

Karen – At the beach. Any beach will do. I just simply adore the ocean and it’s so conducive to writing. Someday I would love to either have a beach house or just live at the beach.

IBP – How long have you been writing?

Karen – I’ve been writing since I was 20. I took a couple of college courses and never looked back. I got published with Harlequin Books in 1996.

IBP – Did you have support at the beginning and/or during your writing?

Karen – When I first started writing, I did it in a vacuum. I knew no one in the business, nor was I a member of any organizations. I met someone at my day job whose daughter wrote romance and she was a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) in the Washington, DC Chapter. I joined and found three great critique partners. We critiqued for eight wonderful years. When I moved to North Carolina six years ago, it was a struggle to find critique partners, but then I met two fabulous women through the RWA Heart of the Carolina Chapter (HCRW) and we critiqued for three years. One of the ladies went off to write YA and self-publish. Right now I’m still with one of those HCRW members (who got published last year, yay!) and another woman from the DC Chapter, who I reconnected with. We critique long distance. But with the use of Skype, it works great.

IBP – What were the challenges in bringing this book to life?

Karen – The challenge in Groomed for Murder was keeping my couple together. I was racking my brain on how to do it. Then I came up with the perfect set up. Once that was figured out the book went very fast which worked out well because I was behind on it.

IBP – Why did you choose the genre you write in?

Karen – I have written sexy books and romantic suspense, but I’ve never really tried to write comedy. These books had premises that worked very well for wacky comedy and I really wanted to stretch myself as a writer, so I gave it a shot. I’m pretty happy with the results.

IBP – Do you do any research before starting or during the writing of your books?

Karen – Yes, often extensive. It really depends on the project. The military books and police procedurals are very research heavy. The Dog series not as much, but they’re romantic comedies.

IBP – Which genres do you prefer to read?

Karen – The genres that I love to read are romantic suspense, urban fantasy/paranormal, and mystery.

IBP – Where can your fans find you?

Karen – Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads

IBP – If you could visit any place in the world or a place created by a book, where would you visit?

Karen – Anne McCaffrey’s Pern. I would love the chance to bind to a dragon and fight the threat of thread. I think that would be awesome.

Blurb for Leashed

Jack has some ‘splainin’ to do!

That’s right! Callie Lassiter’s normally well-behaved Great Dane Jack has run off and done the wild thing with the neighbor’s dog. It must be puppy love! It’s doubly embarrassing since she’s a professional dog trainer. Of course, the neighbor would have to be hot, hot nightclub owner bad boy Owen McKay, just the kind of man Callie is determined to avoid.

Owen’s comfortable with his playboy status and the hype in the media. But the ground moves beneath his feet when he gets an eyeful of the girl next door. The Dog Whisperer never looked this good! How can he convince this wholesome honey that his player days are behind him? Maybe Jill, his Great Dane can help him with this dilemma now that she’s pregnant and Callie’s dog is to blame.

Is this bad boy a bad bet?

Blurb for Groomed for Murder

Can a dog have a bad hair day?

Brooke Palmer owns Pawlish, an exclusive doggie spa and grooming business in upper Manhattan, but when a client’s champion poodle gets a bad poodle cut and has to undergo therapy to recover, the client sues. The lawyer they send is drop dead gorgeous, but Brooke won’t be wooed by a corporate shark in a sharp suit.

Corporate lawyer Drew Hudson has better things to do then take on this ridiculous lawsuit, but since he works for the client’s husband, he has no choice. After meeting the beautiful, sweet-tempered owner, he can’t keep his mind on the silly case. But when the client turns up dog gone dead, Brooke may be a conflict of interest when she’s charged with the murder. All Drew wants to do is prove that this sexy entrepreneur is not dangerous, except to his heart.

Can she take a chance on him?

* * * * *

Excerpt from Groomed for Murder

Book #2

Going to the Dogs

By Zoe Dawson

“You stupid cow!”

Brooke yanked her gaze away from the computer screen, her heart plummeting to her toes like a stone. Kristen Wright-Davis. Not again. With a surge of adrenaline, she raced out of the office toward the grooming room, where her nemesis shrieked in short, staccato blasts, punctuated by the yapping of her hyper toy poodle, Mimi.

“I have asked you repeatedly to sedate Mimi, Mrs. Wright-Davis.” Her groomer’s voice wobbled and Brooke moved faster to stave off disaster.

Pushing the door open, Brooke wasn’t surprised to find that Kristen—a life-sized, hard-gloss, Barbie-zilla—had backed poor, disheveled, worn out Rachel into a corner physically as well as verbally. Her groomer was buckling under the pressure and looked like she was about to burst into tears. Kristen loomed over Rachel, her tanned, pampered skin in stark contrast to the groomer’s pale face.

The hair on the back of Brooke’s neck popped up like porcupine quills. How dare that self-absorbed witch attack poor Rachel!

“Kristen—”

“Don’t talk back to me, dog groomer girl. You are nothing but a service provider, and you aren’t entitled to an opinion!” Kristen snapped, wagging her head like Mick Jagger on steroids. “Look what you have done to my Mimi!” She pointed a trembling finger at her noisy dog for emphasis. “This is outrageous! She has a show this weekend! You have ruined any chance she had to win. You stupid, stupid cow.”

Brooke stepped forward, summoning her most soothing manner. “Kristen, why don’t you and I discuss how we might solve this problem to your satisfaction?”

The woman’s head snapped around and homed in on the new target, just as Brooke hoped she would. As smooth as silk, Brooke maneuvered herself between Kristen and a cowed Rachel, squeezing her groomer’s shoulder reassuringly as she ushered her out of the room with a quick whisper. “Go hide in my office.”

“Look at what she’s done to my baby. It-it-it’s intolerable,” Kristen screeched, pointing again with a blood red-tipped finger, then settling her fists at the waist of her tight leather pants with a huff. Her collagen-puffed lips evolved from a pout to a nasty snarl.

Brooke looked down at the spoiled furball that still yapped and growled and snapped the air, straining to reach Brooke and sink in her needle teeth. The tension inside the small room scraped against Brooke’s skin. Obviously Mimi was simply reacting to the tension and to her owner’s state of mind.

And then Brooke finally took a close look at the poodle’s cut. What a disaster. Fur was missing in clumps scattered throughout her otherwise precise and professional show cut.

Brooke mentally threw up her hands. Half of this animal’s problem was that she had such an indulgent, spoiled, pretentious woman for an owner. The other half was she had an indulgent, spoiled, pretentious woman for an owner. Maybe Kristen should be the one to take a sedative before coming into Pawlish.

“I’m so sorry this happened just before a show.” Brooke cleared her throat, reaching for a more mollifying tone. “I sympathize with your disappointment. I would be happy to offer you six months of grooming for free, and I’ll refund the full amount of the entrance fee as compensation.”

Kristen’s eyes narrowed and her face darkened. “Six months free? Entrance fee? My baby looks like this, and…and you insult me with six months of grooming free and money? That’s a slap in the face. I will never use your cut-rate joint again.”

She grabbed Mimi and stuffed the yapping, snarling bundle into her Louis Vuitton dog carrier. Mimi shoved her head up over the zipped closure and snapped at Brooke again as Kristen swept past her toward the door.

Brooke’s first line of defense and strongest skill was her ability to defuse tense situations, to turn snarling lions into pussycats. It was definitely time to put her lifetime of practice to work as skillfully as she could. Fast.

As the young wife of an older, wealthy, and prominent lawyer, Kristen had a great deal of influence in New York City, especially in the social circles where Brooke found most of her clientele. It would be all too easy for this woman to bad-mouth Pawlish to all her friends and sabotage the business Brooke had made successful by providing unparalleled and skillful service.

Staying calm and thinking creatively should do the trick. “Kristen, my policy is that no client leaves Pawlish unhappy. Let’s work together to make that happen.”

Kristen turned around and stared over Brooke’s shoulder. Brooke looked behind her, frowning. What was she looking at? Rachel stood at the office door, tear tracks marking her face. She was the sweetest, most helpful girl, and was the only one at Pawlish who would work with Kristen’s unruly poodle. Brooke’s heart turned over, and she wanted to go comfort her, but she had to deal with Kristen first.

With a hard-edged, steady gaze at Rachel, Kristen snarled, “Fire that stupid cow.”

Brooke’s head whipped around, her face stiff with shock, her jaw slack. Rachel’s sobbing and the slam of the office door struck her heart with a hard, painful thump. Was this woman serious? Fire Rachel, an employee who had been with her since she’d started her business, who took on any task that was asked of her, who worked so hard that Brooke had to shoo her home to her kids? Brooke had no words—well, she did, but those words weren’t professional. Kristen’s callousness was simply mind-boggling.

Fire exploded in the pit of her stomach and flashed up her torso, heating her face. It wasn’t enough that Kristen insisted on bringing her nasty, fidgety, contrary little dog for grooming without sedating her first. Noooo, this woman—who had more money than she could spend—wanted Brooke to fire a hard-working, very competent employee just to satisfy her spiteful whim. Kristen’s smug look only fanned the flames of Brooke’s determination. Rachel wasn’t going anywhere.

For the first time since she’d opened her doors, Brooke decided this particular customer was not right.

“Oh, Kristen, there’s no need for such drastic action.” Brooke waved her hand in dismissal. “We can come up with something much more palatable. Like a yummy basket of homemade, totally organic doggie treats for sweet Mimi? How does that sound?” She needed to unclench her jaw so the next words she spoke sounded more calm and self-assured.

Kristen tilted her head. “Ahhhh…you’re placating me, and usually I’m all for that. A little groveling always makes my day. But in this case, no. I insist you give me what I want. And I always get what I want.” Her smile was full of sunny, self-satisfied condemnation.

“I’m trying to make amends. Please, let’s put this behind us.” Brooke smiled, too, trying to extend an olive branch without wishing at the same time that Kristen would choke on it.

Kristen wrinkled her nose in mock cheer, but her eyes projected just plain mean girl. “Ooooh, you’re so cute when you’re insolent.” Kristen took a step closer, getting right into Brooke’s face. Her eyes narrowed, her voice low with a steely calm. “You’ve made a big mistake, Brooke. I’ll ruin you any way I can. Just wait and see if I won’t.” With that, she flipped her unnatural blonde hair and flounced out.

Oh, shit, that chick was scary.

Brooke took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. Surely she could find a way to win Kristen over. She’d been able to convert cranky old Mr. Witherspoon into a fan when she was a kid. If she could do that, Kristen should be easy. It was just a matter of time.

Brooke dragged her hands through her hair, rolling her eyes. Turning to her receptionist, she said, “Really, can a dog have a bad hair day?”

“Maybe,” her receptionist laughed softly, “but I’d wager that poor Mr. Wright-Davis didn’t get the first place trophy with that wife.”

Bio

Zoe Dawson is the alter ego of Karen Anders, award winning, multi-published author. Her writing journey started with poetry and branched out into fiction. With a couple of college English courses under her belt, she penned a historical, then moved onto contemporary romance fiction.

She’s launched the first book in her self-published Going to the Dogs Series. Leashed begins the tails (pun intended) of four New York City dog professionals who meet at a dog park and become fast friends. Out now, Groomed for Murder, Book #2

She is also publishing with Entangled Publishing and will have her debut novel out with them in 2013. It’s the first book of the six book The Misfit Squad Series of police procedurals, featuring a group of troubled homicide detectives who have landed in the “last chance” squad. If they don’t shape up, they’re out.

Today, she is happy producing romantic suspense, romantic mystery, and soon paranormal and urban fantasy novels. The words feed her soul and the happily ever afters feed her heart.

You can find her at the following links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads

Buy Links:

Leashed