Author: Dee S.

Top five things I’m grateful for #MFRWauthor

Best gift under the treeEspecially in this season, there is much to be grateful for. There is so much, in fact, how does one limit it to a few? Don’t know… But I’m going to try.

  1. The people in my life. I know it sounds trite but I’m so very grateful for the people in my life, especially my mom and husband, but right on their heels are my in-laws (I was blessed with the best!), my aunt, and my closest friends. It seems that when I needed someone, there was always someone there. I only hope I return the favor so someone somewhere says they’re grateful for me, too.
  2. Health. I had polio as a baby but fortunately, that’s the worst health issue I’ve ever had. I’m kind of grateful even for that, though because it helped shape me (for the better, I hope) and gave me adversity to overcome.
  3. Travel. With our eight years of trucking, hubby and I saw a whole hell of a lot of the U.S. and western Canada. Travel expands the mind (and the waistline, sadly). We met so many wonderful people in those eight years US Mapand I learned things I’ve never forgotten. It planted my feet firmly on the ground and centered me. Plus, it gave me a perspective on everything in life since. As hubby says, once you’ve started to jackknife coming down Donner Pass in a blizzard, the meaning of “stress” changes forever more.
  4. Moving around. As a consultant in a specialized arena, hubby moved us quite a bit. The effect was like traveling, above, except with an immersion component. We lived several different places in the U.S. and got to know those places and people really well. I loved it to the point of when hubby said he wanted to stay here, where we were planted after two years, I had withdrawal symptoms. 😉
  5. Life. I have learned to be happy. It’s not always a given, being happy. It’s something I decide every day to be and now I am blooming where I’ve been planted. I was born in the best time. I’ve had innumerable chances to Key to Happinessexperience things most people have not. I’ve been able to write. I’ve enjoyed both working and not working. I’ve been blessed, totally and sincerely. It’s such a wonderful feeling!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

New historical romantic suspense! Keeping Faith

For the first time, Nomad Authors welcomes Beverley Oakley. Keeping Faith sounds wonderful!

Keeping Faith 
Fair Cyprians of London Series (Book 3)
By Beverley Oakley

Beverley has a print copy of Her Gilded Prison to giveaway during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win a print copy of Her Gilded Prison. You may find the tour locations here. 
 
About Keeping Faith:

“My beautiful Revenge.”

 Four years ago, Faith’s mysterious benefactress falsely accused her of stealing and deposited her in Madame Chambon’s exclusive brothel.

 There, Faith was to learn how to entrance London’s noble gentlemen with her learning in philosophy, politics and art.

 Her body was to be saved for the greatest enticement of all: revenge.

 Faith doesn’t care what she has to do. She lives only to fulfil a bargain that will set her free.

 But when Faith is recruited as the muse of a talented, sensitive painter whose victory in a prestigious art competition turns them both into celebrities overnight, she discovers the reasons behind her mission are very different from what she’d been led to believe.

 Now she is complicit in something dark and dangerous while riches, adulation and freedom are hers for the taking.

 But what value are these if her heart has become a slave to the man she is required to destroy?

Genre – historical romantic suspense
Heat Level – Medium

Keep Faith Buy Links:
https://www.books2read.com/u/bP5pGY
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Dg70UP

Excerpt: 

Chapter One

 “What did you learn last night?”

 “A gentleman must always believe he knows best.”

 Confident that her answer was pleasing, Faith reached across the table to help herself to a macaroon but a sharp slap across the back of the hand stopped her progress by the silver teapot.

 Her smile of feigned contrition was rewarded with a raised eyebrow from Madame Chambon. Not an invitation to partake of a macaroon, unfortunately. The table laden with eclairs and petit fours in Madame’s private sitting room was merely for show.

 “Greedy girl, Faith! You can eat at the Dorchester tomorrow and I daresay you won’t even spare a thought for the other girls who are justified in being somewhat jealous of your cossetted life.” Madame sniffed as she patted one of the grizzled, orange curls of her elaborate coiffure. Faith suspected a squirrel’s pelt had made its contribution. “I’m sure they wonder every day why you never have to stir yourself – or anyone else, for that matter – to get your fine clothes or a roof over your head.” Madame Chambon piled three macaroons onto her already laden plate before making a sweeping gesture that encompassed the furnishings of her surprisingly decorous private sitting room with its gold tasseled green velvet curtains and flock wallpaper. “What have you told them, Faith? About why you are here, I mean?”

 Faith’s stomach rumbled as she gazed from the prints of the famous artists that lined the walls to the fine fare in front of her, ordered from Fortnum and Mason. These monthly sessions in table manners were supposed to give Faith the practice she needed to deport herself like a lady when eating in public. However, under Madame’s guardianship, Faith never actually got to try the specialties.

 “Answer me, Faith. In all the three years that you’ve been here, you’ve had to do precisely nothing to justify your existence. Surely the girls have questioned you? I have my own version of the truth for them, as you know, but I’d be interested to hear what you have to say.”

 Faith didn’t answer. She already knew how lucky she was, but Madame was not ready to drop the subject, despite having just crammed an entire chocolate éclair into her mouth. Faith just managed to make out the muffled words, “Every night you lie peacefully in your bed while the other girls have to earn their livings.”

 Lying peacefully in her bed was not how Faith would describe the restfulness of her slumber. She was kept awake every night by the grunts and cries of ecstasy that penetrated the thin walls of her attic chamber.

 Still, she’d finally learned when it was wise to respond meekly, so she bowed her head and stared at her neat kid gloves while dreaming of the delicacies Mrs. Gedge would order for them when Faith really was dining with her at the Dorchester Hotel the following afternoon. The Sacher Torte Mrs. Gedge had ummed and aahed over before finally choosing the baked Alaska from the sweets trolley last month still haunted her. However, since part of Faith’s tutoring included how to win over reluctant gentleman ‘and make them wild with wanting’ which is how Madame phrased it, then surely Faith could persuade her American benefactress to order the Austrian chocolate specialty?

 She was so busy rehearsing her words for tomorrow that she almost missed Madame’s prophetic and appalling statement.

 “Well, Faith, the time has come for you to start earning your way, now.”

 Faith brought her head up in shock. Was Madame teasing? When it appeared not, she gripped the table edge as she struggled for composure. For so long she’d known the reckoning would come. Yes, and with three years preparing for it, she’d believed she could meet it head-on with the necessary fortitude.

 But there’d been no warning.

 She began to shake, biting into her bottom lip and clasping her hands in her lap to try and keep secret the manifestations of her terror from Madame who’d only be spurred onto gloating and make her suffer even more.

 “Mrs. Gedge reported last month that she wasn’t entirely happy you were ready for what she has in store for you when she took you to tea, Faith.” Madame chewed noisily, unperturbed, it seemed, by the crumbs that landed on her gaudy vermillion skirts.

 Faith didn’t suggest that Mrs. Gedge’s dissatisfaction was perhaps the fault of Faith’s tutor – the one sitting in front of her – who knew nothing about deporting herself as a lady.

 With a dainty gesture using only her forefingers, Madame Chambon raised her plate and licked at the crumbs that had not been dislodged before saying, “Fortunately, Lady Vernon is recovered at last from her long indisposition and has agreed to forget your rudeness to her from six months ago. In fact, she’ll be here shortly. Yes, she’ll soon have you passing the scrutiny of the most discerning duchess.” Madame gobbled down another macaroon with as much finesse as the dogs Faith’s father used to goad into fighting each other after they’d fought over the scraps from the scrubbed wooden table at the farm. Not that there’d been many scraps with ten children to feed.

 “Should we not have waited for Lady Vernon?” Faith suggested, daringly. But she had to say something to stop herself from launching into a volley of querulous questions about exactly what form this ‘having to earn her own way’ might take.

 Madame Chambon pushed aside an untouched plate of bread and butter to reach for another chocolate éclair and sighed. “There was just so much food on the table it seemed unnecessary to wait if her ladyship was going to be late. Ah! And here she is.” Madame’s orange painted mouth turned up at a knock on the door. “Shoulders back, Faith! And make sure you don’t talk with your mouth full.”

 Since this was not a danger, Faith supposed there might be some compensation in having to face her former nemesis who surely must subscribe to the belief that learning table manners required one having to eat.

 Madame threw her arms wide in a welcome as the door opened to admit the new arrival. “Good evening, Lady Vernon. We’re so glad you’ve recovered from your chest ailment,” she gushed. “A good rest has done you the world of good. Why, you look ten years younger. Just as you do every time I see you, in fact. And we’re indeed humbled that you’ve consented to return.” Madame simpered at the elderly woman, dressed all in black who looked, Faith thought, even more wraith-like than usual as she pinned up the veil of her bonnet and took the seat at the table proffered by Madame who went on, “I’m sure you’ll feel even better once you’ve heard Faith’s heartfelt apology.”

 Faith blushed under the scrutiny of the two pairs of expectant, unforgiving eyes, and glanced longingly at the remaining macaroon.

 Yes, there were times when it was worth being abject. She mightn’t mean what she said, but if the last three years under Madame Chambon’s roof had taught her one thing, it was how to sound heartfelt and sincere when she felt anything but.

 “I’m sorry for my rude comments about…” Faith hesitated. Perhaps it was best not to stir up old memories. While it must be perfectly obvious to anyone who met Lady Vernon as to why an earl’s daughter could remain a spinster into her sixtieth year, it hadn’t been in anyone’s interest – Faith’s least of all, it turned out – for Faith to have gone into quite such specific and extensive detail regarding her thoughts on the likely reasons. “I behaved like a child, though it’s such a long time ago, now, I can barely remember what was going through my head at the time. I was only seventeen and, in those days, prone to losing my temper but now I’m eighteen and, thanks to all your efforts in teaching me how to act like a lady, Lady Vernon, I’m so far from the rude and impulsive young thing I was before, you’d not recognize me today. Thanks to your thorough tutelage, I am determined that I will never speak out of turn, to you, or anyone. Indeed, I have changed! I truly believe that, confronted by a table of delicacies like this, for example, I would certainly not embarrass you or Mrs. Gedge or any lovely young man or his mother who might take me out to tea by any show of greediness or lack of restraint.”

 Lady Vernon’s eyes remained fixed firmly on Faith for the duration of this speech with no indication of how forgiving or otherwise she might prove to be.

 After a long silence, she spoke. “Restraint?” She sniffed. “Restraint is the most important requirement of any young lady, Faith. I’ve told you this many times, so I’m glad it’s a lesson you claim to have finally learned.”

 With her eyes fixed on Faith, she reached towards the remaining macaroon that sat lonely on its plate just in front of them both, her long-fingered hand hovering just above. “Please pass that to me, Faith. I can’t seem to reach it.”

 Wordlessly, Faith complied, schooling her features into impassivity while she railed inside, I hate you! I hate you! as she watched Lady Vernon transport the coconut confection to her thin, bloodless lips.

 “Delicious,” Lady Vernon murmured. “In fact, I believe it is the best macaroon I have ever tasted? You must surely agree, Faith, since the plate is now empty.”

 She looked pointedly at the two remaining crumbs that clung to the edge of the fine china, as if to imply that Faith had eaten the rest. Then she indicated the plate of bread and butter near Madame Chambon. “Please eat, Faith. Madame Chambon and I have a leisurely afternoon at our disposal. She and I will partake of the remaining chocolate eclairs –” Her pointed chin wobbled slightly, whether from the suppression of mirth or the swallowing of bile, Faith could only guess, “while you make good work of the bread and butter with all the ladylike restraint you’re so anxious to prove.”

 Other Books in the Series:

 Saving Grace (Fair Cyprians of London Book 1) by [Oakley, Beverley]
Saving Grace Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2z7rVGx

 Forsaking Hope (Fair Cyprians of London Book 2) by [Oakley, Beverley]
Forsaking Hope Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2DlzV9M

 Beverley Oakley’s Bio:

Debutantes, widows and the occasional courtesan test society’s boundaries in Beverley Oakley’s wicked, passionate historical romances dripping with scandal, intrigue, and suspense.

 Her Fair Cyprians of London series is about a group of determined and clever courtesans at a high-class Soho brothel who use their wit and beauty to avenge past betrayals – and who find lasting love along the way.

 How can there be a happily ever after? is a question many a reviewer has asked before admitting to being delighted and satisfied by the unexpected plot twists and surprise endings – just like in Beverley’s own life. You can read more on her website.

 Beverley’s Social Links:

 Website: http://www.beverleyoakley.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeverleyOakley/
Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/beverleyeikli/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeverleyOakley
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5989577.Beverley_Oakley

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My best dish in a dish #MFRWauthor

Dutch ovenI have to say, I am not a very good cook and I’ve become worse since being married. My family used lots of seasoning, so at one time I knew what I was doing with them. But Jack likes no seasoning—not spices, herbs, salt, or pepper. Nothing. He says he likes the taste of food as it is meant to be tasted. So I’ve learned to eat food the same way and that somewhat limits what one can do in the way of creativity. Consequently, my culinary acumen has suffered. I do still have a few dishes I cook and Jack eats them or he fixes a sandwich. (Okay, that’s not accurate. I fix his sandwich.) One of my favorite comfort foods is goulash, or what some call hamburger and macaroni.

My mom made this dish when I was growing up because it was cheap and we were slightly below middle class and liked cheap. It also could be stretched to last several days so we often had it near the end of the month when money was about gone. Didn’t matter to me—I loved it! And I still love it, especially now that the weather has turned colder. Now we have itBeef and macaroni--goulash to me with a slice of crusty bread and maybe a salad. Doesn’t matter—it takes me back to my childhood. Funny thing. Years ago when I first started making goulash for Jack and me, it didn’t taste the same as when Mom made it. I asked her why and after relaying how I made it, she asked when I added the secret ingredient. Once I started that, the flavors were the taste of home. See if you can spot the secret ingredient.

Goulash
Prep time: about 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes

2 lbs hamburger (mom used a pound or less but Jack is a big meat guy)
1 large onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz elbow macaroni
1 cup secret ingredient (KETCHUP)
Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Of course you know, I use none.)

1. Cook macaroni for slightly less time than package recommends. The cooked macaroni will be sitting in sauce and will absorb some of it.
2. Brown hamburger with onion in a Dutch oven
3. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir well and let tomatoes heat through.
4. Add macaroni to hamburger-tomato mixture and stir well.
5. Add ketchup and stir.
6. Turn down heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
So good right when it’s finished cooking, but even better the next day.

I hope you try this recipe and that you like it as much as Jack and I do.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

Corn Pudding—It’s Not Just for Native Americans Anymore #MFRWauthor

Well, this particular corn pudding wasn’t really for Native Americans ever, but we’re part Sioux and my mom developed the recipe, so for all I know, some nice Sioux woman from South Dakota passed on her recipe to Mom. Also, I’m from Iowa, so a corn recipe is only natural, with or without ourCorn heritage. At any rate, this is not a difficult recipe but for some reason, we only had it for holidays and other special dates like birthdays throughout my years of living at home.

True story. After twenty-eight years of marriage my dad came home one day and as part of the whole “I’d like a divorce” speech, he announced that he never liked my mom’s corn pudding. Say what? Some men have no taste. I’ve always thought it was delicious and have made it myself, again as part of special family and holiday meals. Everyone I know loves it, too. But if it turns out you don’t, I wouldn’t suggest waiting twenty-eight years to let it be known. 😉

So here’s the recipe:

2 14-oz cans of cream corn
1 cup whole kernel corn (Mom didn’t add this. I use frozen, whole kernel)
1 Tbl melted butter
1 cup milk
14-16 crushed Saltine crackers
2 eggs, beaten

Mix well. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake for about an hour, checking for doneness with a toothpick and making sure it comes out clean. The corn should be lightly brown on top.

 

ThanksgivingI hope you love this dish! It’s got childhood written all over it, though it’s my childhood, not yours. Maybe you’ll want to adopt it, though.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

Snatching mystery, snatching suspense, Snatching Diana–Seelie Kay

Seelie Kay is back with taught suspense. Read more about Snatching Diana!

Snatching Dianna
Feisty Lawyers Book 1
By Seelie Kay
 
Seelie will be giving away some great ebooks for this tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win one of the prize packages. You may find the tour locations here. 
 

About Snatching Dianna:

The hours are counting down as investigators try to prove that Dianna Murphy has been snatched. Unfortunately, without witnesses and solid evidence, all the police really know is that she is missing.
 
When suburban Milwaukee law student Dianna Murphy fails to connect with her roommate, there is no real evidence that she has been snatched. Until Law Professor Janet MacLachlan, a former covert agent, discovers a single clue, one that points to a taking by a slave trafficking cartel. In a race against time, Janet recruits her husband, secret agent Cade Matthews, small-town Police Chief David Manders and his wife, criminal defense attorney Julianna Constant, and other law students to uncover the truth. Can they prove she has been taken, before Dianna disappears without a trace?
Romantic Suspense (Three Flames)

Buy Links:
Publisher:   http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2263-9-snatching-diana/
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/902308
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2EVls7g
Barnes and Noble:  Coming soon

 


 Excerpt:
After what seemed like hours in the sweltering van, it lurched to a stop.
 
Dianna heard a man bark orders. A door to the van opened and someone pulled the rope from her feet, then removed her hood. She took a deep breath.  A man grabbed her by the arm, forced to her feet, and pulled from the van. Dianna stumbled when she hit the ground. The stones were hot and her feet were covered by athletic socks, no shoes. Show no weakness.
 
Dianna immediately surveyed her surroundings. It was still night, but she was in a well-lit courtyard. A large stone mansion stood in front of her. She looked to her right, then her left. The courtyard was enclosed by a large stone fence, at least eight feet high. A fortress. Fortunately, Dianna was a rock-climber. She could rappel over the fence with the right equipment. All she would need was something to serve as a pick, maybe a rope. A knife, a screwdriver, even a fork. Keep your eyes and ears open. Be ready.
 
A large black man, dressed in a white suit and a maroon turban, walked out of the front door and down the stairs. He stopped and flashed a malevolent smile. He flung his arms wide and in a cultured baritone boomed, “Welcome to paradise, ladies. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
 
Some of the guards laughed.
 
“Crikey,” Tillie muttered. “Sounds like a blasted genie.”
 
Dianna glanced sideways and for the first time, got a look at her new friend. She was tall and thin, her body well defined. She looked strong and aware, almost fierce. Her eyes seemed to be studying the place, taking everything in. She showed no fear. Instead, she seemed interested. Something was off. Tillie did not act like a victim as the others did. She was not cowed. Was she a cop? Or like Dianna, someone who would not permit themselves to be broken?
 
There was only one thing of which Dianna was certain. She had found a friend. A useful one.
 
About Seelie Kay:
Seelie Kay is a nom de plume for a writer, editor, and author with more than 30 years of experience in law, journalism, marketing, and public relations. When she writes about love and lust in the legal world, something kinky is bound to happen!  In possession of a wicked pen and an overly inquisitive mind, Ms. Kay is the author of multiple works of fiction, including the Kinky Briefs series, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, and The President’s Wife.
 
When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
 
Ms. Kay is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS:  Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!
Author links:
 
www.seeliekay.com
www.seeliekay.blogspot.com
Twitter: @SeelieKay https://twitter.com/SeelieKay
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ/

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Romance! Moonlight & Moet… and Madison Michael

Welcome, Madison! This new book sounds exciting!

Moonlight & Moet
B&B Billionaire Romance Series (Book 2)
By Madison Michael

 Madison has put together some really awesome Prize Packages to giveaway during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win one of the prize packages. You may find the tour locations here (https://goo.gl/ESBmdA). 

About Moonlight & Moet:
 

Can the Hottest Man Around Melt this Ice Queen’s Heart?

 When her husband publicly cheats on her, Leigh Dobbs trades her humiliating reputation as an ice queen and a hometown that shuns her for the unknown of rural North Carolina. Taking over a small bed and breakfast, Leigh sets out to restore it, her dignity and her life. Excited at the prospect of adding more rooms and a full-service restaurant, Leigh’s big plans encounter the brick wall that is Caleb Rausch. Sparks fly even as Caleb votes no on the planning commission, crushing Leigh’s dreams.

 Handsome powerhouse Caleb Rausch is a man on a mission, expanding his huge corporation without encroaching on the small town where it resides. His commitment to his products, employees and historic preservation are unwavering. What’s lacking is his commitment to one woman. Caleb is the most eligible bachelor in three states, dating celebrities and models, but never settling down. Until now.

 Even as Caleb forces Leigh’s expansion plans on hold, the couple moves full-steam-ahead on their relationship, unable to resist the mutual attraction. So why, after a steamy night together, does Caleb disappear for weeks? Has Leigh put her heart out there again, just to be played?

 Will the magic of a moonlit night be enough to kindle their love or will Caleb’s constant disappearing act prevent him from melting this ice queen’s heart?

Moonlight & Moet Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2DDXQm9

 
Excerpt:

Exhausted and anxious to return home, Leigh wasn’t paying attention as she stepped out the door of the small law office at the end of the row of storefronts. Leigh went down hard on the cement, her skirt flying up, her brochures flying. A shook-up Leigh assessed the damage and caught her breath. Her dignity was beyond repair.
Leigh was brushing the dirt from her palms, scraped from trying to break her fall when a shadow blocked the sun, and a large, dirty hand, attached to a long, strong arm reached down to assist her. Leigh’s gaze followed the flannel covered forearm up over a muscled bicep and continued until her scrutiny was arrested by a pair of coffee-colored eyes surrounded by the deep laugh lines of an outdoorsman. He was staring vast expanse of creamy thigh and more than a hint of her magenta panties. His expression told Leigh that he liked what he saw.
Leigh clumsily scrambled to lower her dress, gather the brochures fluttering in the breeze, and take the proffered hand all at once. Several pamphlets escaped down the sidewalk, but she quickly forgot them as she was lifted like a feather against her mountain’s chest and too swiftly placed gently on her feet. She winced when the blisters made contact with the hard surface beneath them and the lumberjack buried behind a grizzly bear beard reacted.
“Injured, little lady?” he asked with concern. “Let me help you get you to urgent care.
“That won’t be necessary,” Leigh responded, smoothing her dress to cover her embarrassment and interest.
“Then at least let me help you to your destination.”
“I was just heading to my car, down the ways,” Leigh tried to gesture with the arm the man still held. “But, I’m fine. Really. I can take it from here.”
“Fine, indeed,” Grizzly Adams replied in a sarcastic, deep baritone.
He was tall, covered in a subtle sheen of dirt and sweat, but Leigh quickly realized the shirt under her fingertips was the finest wool and his boots, caked in an inch of dried mud, were Scarpa Phantom 8000’s. He was a very wealthy Grizzly Adams, and a dedicated hiker too. Those boots were featured in the mountaineering store up the road for over $1000, way too rich for Leigh’s blood.
He stood still, his smile twitching as caught Leigh checking him out. Then, without warning, he swept her into his arms, carefully adjusted her dress to modestly cover her behind while managing to slide his hand all along them. The man was a pro. Leigh couldn’t fault his effort, even as she realized he was copping a feel.  Carrying her easily, he began taking long strides in the direction she had pointed.
“This is completely unnecessary,” Leigh repeated more than once, interspersed with “put me down, please” and “Really I can walk.” He ignored them all, speaking right over her repeated and flustered objections.
“You took a nasty fall there. People are always missing that last step.” His face was too close and too handsome. He smelled of the outdoors – pine, sweat and sunshine. It was intoxicating.
 “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer I took you over to the doc’s office or the urgent care?”
“Just to my car, thanks,” Leigh requested, done trying to argue with the hard-muscled man. Who was she kidding? It felt incredible to rest against his broad chest, his arms holding her securely and his minty breath blowing on her face. He may have been filthy, a bearded mountain man who was certainly not her type, but he was sexy as hell. Leigh wished her car was miles away.
“Will you be ok to drive, Miss…”
“Leigh.”
“Miss Leigh,” he repeated, caressing her name. “Are you sure you’ll be alright to drive?”
Leigh bobbed her head in the affirmative. She loved resting her head against the power of this man’s chest, secure in his firm grip. Leigh looked up at him from under her eyelashes, admiring what she saw. She could tell that under the caked on mud and scruff, he was handsome, with a cocky smile and those laughing eyes. She wished she could see more.
“This is my car,” she finally motioned. “Thank you, Mr…”
“You’re certain you can drive?” he asked in his slow, smooth drawl, ignoring her question.
“I’m not going far,” Leigh reassured him. “I’ll be fine.”
The mountain man placed Leigh on her feet, holding her by the waist as if waiting for reassurance that she was solidly standing. Leigh looked down as if to assure herself both feet were there and with a deep breath made eye contact. The man was a head taller, broad and powerful, and staring at her as if he wanted to devour her. A hot flush filled Leigh’s cheeks, and she extended a hand to shake his.
“Well, thank you again. You certainly turned out to be my knight in shining armor today,” she jested.
“Well, Miss Leigh, then I guess I get my knight’s favor,” the man responded with a devilish grin. Leigh was still registering his warning when he lowered his head to hers and placed his warm lips upon her cooler ones. 
 

Other Books in the B&B Billionaire Romance Series:


Desire & Dessert Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2Fg1qo5


 About the Author: 
 
Madison Michael is an indie publisher, blogger and the author of the Beguiling Bachelor Series as well as the novella Desire & Dessert, from her sizzling B&B Billionaire Bachelor series.
A Chicago native and hopeless romantic, Maddy was raised on Chicago culture, fairy tales, great literature and swashbuckling movies. Maddy employs that history, writing steamy contemporary romance novels set against the sumptuous backdrop of Chicago’s elite society.
After receiving a BA in Journalism from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, Madison abandoned her writing to find her way in the corporate business world. Daughter of a librarian, it was inevitable that she would return to the world of books.
Maddy writes from high above Chicago where she can stare at its gorgeous skyline or the shores of Lake Michigan surrounded by feline assistants. When she is not writing,, Maddy can be found lost in a book, fighting for the rights of the mentally iil or dining on Chicago’s famous cuisine. Hot dogs and pizza, anyone?
 

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5 Brag-worthy, life-changing things #MFRWauthor

I’m sure not everything listed here will be seen as brag-worthy by all readers, but they are things that have been pretty important in our lives and I want to share them. Why? Because I feel like braggin’! See if you agree with my perspective on any of them.

  1. Wedding ringsNext spring, hubby Jack and I will be married 46 years. Considering that we dated for nearly seven years before that and had met two years prior to dating, we’ve known each other, dated, and been married almost 55 years. When I say it feels like forever, you can understand what I mean. When I say that it feels like yesterday maybe you’ll know what I mean, too. When we were falling in love, saying we’d be together forever sounded so easy. Hahahahaha! How naive! It hasn’t all been easy but it’s all been worthwhile, and made easier by being able to laugh, both at ourselves and with each other.
  2. As part of those 46 years, and just a couple of years after we’d married, we went on the road as over-the-road truckers. We went over all the 48 contiguous states, and into three Canadian provinces. We even went into Trucking--fun and clothedMexico once, for a harried, scary trip (do they have the concept of stop signs down? Not that I could tell.). For almost eight years, we were hardly apart except to go to the bathrooms, living in an 8 x 8 foot truck cab. There were times I wanted to murder Jack but I never considered divorce. (I’m sure he never wanted to murder me—I was the epitome of the perfect traveling companion.) And if you’re prone to divorce at all, driving a truck together will get you there faster than a CHP officer can write a speeding ticket. Those were great days!
  3. After trucking, Jack went into consulting. We stayed still for a few years and then he began consulting, helping companies prepare for FDA audits and validating software for FDA compliance. I guess trucking wanderlust hadn’t died, because we traveled to where the work was, once changing addresses six times in two years. We lived in such diverse places as Appleton, WI (loved it!), Kansas City (loved it!), the Civic Center area of San Francisco (loved it!), and tiny Greenwood, SC (loved it!). In fact, with few exceptions, we loved everywhere we lived. Exploring new towns and meeting new people is such fun.
  4. Graduating!After not graduating and leaving Virginia Military Academy in his junior year, Jack went back to school at age 63. Far from not graduating, he got his diploma and graduated summa cum laude! I’m so proud of him.
  5. This might be the most brag-worthy thing of all. After all our years, all our ups and downs, moving, sometimes settling, we’re still grateful to have found each other. We still laugh, even when we cry, we still lean on each other—maybe more now than before—and we still love. What more does anyone need to brag about?

For those of you in the U.S., have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great holiday weekend!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

Lust Scenes vs Sexy Scenes in Romances

I recently wrote a post as a guest blogger on Night Owl Reviews about the difference between lust scenes—those with loving but not very explicit physical content—and sexy scenes with much more explicit descriptions. The scenes in my own books are not too detailed when the hero and heroine climb between the sheets. Though I don’t mind reading sexier books (and even enjoy it if the writing is good), I have to write what I’m comfortable with. Instead of focusing on the physical relationship between characters, I like to spend my words with drama, suspense, and mystery, as my three books show.

Perilous Love takes place in Belgium at the beginning of the first World War and tells about a husband and wife who have grown apart but who find themselves trapped as the Germans invade the country. While their physical relationship is not the emphasis, the suspense and danger in which they find themselves pulls them together. The question is, do they find love or just a respite from the hazards surrounding them?

Trafficking of slaves and gold smuggled to Napoleon carry the day in Lies of Gold. Again, the main characters are drawn together due to happenstance but their physicality takes a back seat to the intrigue and mystery behind the gold and murder. It’s not that going to bed together is unimportant, it’s just that intimate details are left more to the reader’s imagination while they sort out who is a treason to England.

Finally, The Proposition is another tale of World War I and centers around lies, a family’s dysfunction, and murder. While the main characters fall into bed, the door is closed with the Do Not Disturb sign pretty clear. That doesn’t mean that their sexual attraction is ignored, just that it’s not the main focus of the book.

This is a taste of my blog post. I hope you will hop on over to Night Owl Reviews and read the real thing!

Thanks–
Jan Selbourne
When history whispers, I pass it on!
Perilous Love
Lies of Gold
The Proposition

Family Survivalist Techniques #MFRWauthor

My family is pretty darn small—just hubby Jack here at home, my mom and aunt, and brother- and sister-in-law. That sums it up. So since I have only the one (very special and wonderful) family member at home to deal with my writing, his handling it is easy. He follows these techniques:

  • “Why aren’t you writing?”: Jack uses this guilting technique when he thinks I need to get my butt in gear and get work done. He uses it often because he wants to retire early and thinks I can help.Tedious Writer I
  • “Why are you writing?”: Jack uses this guilting technique when he would rather talk/watch TV/go to dinner and I am in the middle of a scene.
  • “I’m going to bed/to cut the grass/to watch Dr. Who if you want to write.”: Common hints by Jack that the green light is on if I want to dig out the Alphasmart for a couple of hours.

Brainstorming

  • “Let’s talk about your writing.”: Jack loves to brainstorm about writing projects—and I love to also. There is no knotty plot problem we can’t solve by hashing things out, usually over a meal out somewhere.
  • Crickets: The rest of the family’s reaction to my writing, no matter if I’m doing it or not.

So there you have it. Easy as pie to deal with anyone in the family when it comes to my writing.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

What’s better than Desire and Dessert?

We’re so pleased to host Madison Michael and Desire and Dessert! Be sure to check below for her Rafflecopter giveaway.

Desire & Dessert
B&B Billionaire Romance Series (Book 1)
By Madison Michael
 
Madison has put together some really awesome Prize Packages to giveaway during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win one of the prize packages. You may find the tour locations here. 
About Desire & Dessert:

 Can they forge a business merger and a personal one too?Spoiled Stevie Jurran expects smooth sailing when she arrives at Lakeside Lodge to implement her plan to merge it into the luxury Bijoux Hotel chain. Completing this simple task will move her up the corporate ladder, increase her value to her father’s multi-billion dollar business and settle the score with her cheating ex-fiancé. Just one insignificant B&B stands between her and success –one B&B and its provoking and intriguing manager.Secretive and sexy Grant Harris is not your typical innkeeper. Digging in his heels, he tries to preserve the aesthetic of Lakeside Lodge by resisting every change Stevie implements. Retreating from his life in the B&B’s surroundings, Grant quickly learns there’s no way to combat his growing desire for the infuriating heiress. Can he concede to her demands and contend with his past to win this alluring woman?The B&B should be a perfect fit for the hotel chain. Stevie and Grant should be a perfect fit as well, but will they set aside their pasts and egos to complete a merger of a different kind?
Will love seal their deal?

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2NJ30xy

 Excerpt from Desire & Dessert:

“Inside or out?”
The maître’d and Grant were both looking at Stevie expectantly. Usually assertive, she demurred to Grant. “You know the place better; you choose.”
“If you would like the patio, Dr. Harris,” the host suggested in a heavily accented voice, “I have a lovely corner table.”
The couple acquiesced and were seated in the back corner of the enclosed patio. The music was fainter, but still audible accompanied by the tinkling sound of a fountain. Stevie glanced across the patio. There were about eight tables outdoors, all for parties of two. High bushes of hibiscus and roses bursting with blooms surrounded the patio. The fragrance was wonderful, the table incredibly intimate.
“You like it?” Grant asked with a hint of uncertainty.
“I love it.”
“Wait until you taste the food,” he promised, his confidence restored.

 They hid behind tall menus, selecting dishes to share along with a carafe of sangria. After giving their order to the server they were finally alone.

 “It’s beautiful here,” Stevie breathed. “Thank you for suggesting it.”

 “Now that I finally have you alone,” Grant teased only to be interrupted by the server arriving to pour their drinks. “So much for my sinister plans.”

 “Do you have sinister plans?” Stevie queried in a low, husky voice.

 “Do you want me to?”

 “No answering a question with a question,” Stevie responded. She watched conflicting emotions waver across Grant’s face and waited quietly. She would not give him an out. She had learned from business that silence was a powerful tool.

 “Yes, in fact, Stevie. I have very sinister plans.”

 The words were out, electric between them like a live thing. Stevie sucked in a breath, surprised by how quickly and matter of factly Grant had stated his desires. She reached her foot forward under the table closing the few inches that separated them. She rubbed her foot slowly up his leg, allowing her movements to acknowledge what she failed to say with her lips.

 “Have I shocked you?”

 “I guess that depends on just how sinister you can be. Mostly you have pleased me,” Stevie admitted. No shy wallflower, she gave Grant a bold smile and placed her hand in his. “I’m looking forward to finding out.”

 Grant pressed a soft kiss on the back of her hand then released her as course after course of Latin inspired small plates arrived. For the next hour they spoke of the food, the atmosphere, the music, everything but each other and what lay ahead. After assuring that he ordered something to satisfy Stevie’s sweet tooth, Grant requested the check. When it arrived, Grant automatically reached for it and Stevie reveled in the moment. Too often she was the one who paid for the date. Not tonight.

 “We could go dancing?” Grant asked. “Perhaps a salsa club in keeping with our theme?” Stevie believed he was just making a polite offer but couldn’t quite tell.

 “Are you a good dancer?”

 “Not on a dance floor.” Grant offered her a wicked smile and reached to help her from the chair. “But in a bedroom…”

 “Braggart.”

 “Am I?”

 “Shall we find out?”

 
About Madison:

Madison Michael traded 28 years in Fortune 500 tech and management positions for a chance to spend her days with sassy heroines, sexy, rich heroes and nothing but happy endings. Growing up the daughter of a librarian, she learned to love books, especially classics and romances, and spent winters cuddled under blankets losing herself in books.

 Madison is the author of three novels in the Beguiling Bachelor series, as well as several short stories. She is a member of Romance Writers of America.

 After living in the northeast, southeast and the west, Maddy returned to her Midwest roots. She lives in Evanston, IL with two feline editorial assistants and great views of Chicago’s famous skyline.

 

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