#NewRelease from Luanna Stewart and a Recipe!

Luanna Stewart joins me today to celebrate the release of LOVE PROOF, part of the Deerbourne Inn series from The Wild Rose Press. Since her main character in the story is a pastry chef, Luanna dug deep into her recipe files for sweet treats to use in the story. Today she shares a recipe that didn't make the cut, but it sounds delicious! And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post. Welcome Luanna!

New Release! Love Proof, a Deerbourne Inn story.

You know the best part about writing a foodie character into a book? They talk about food.

As something of a foodie myself (I’m one of those who reads cookbooks like they’re novels), I spend a least a couple hours in the kitchen every day. While I enjoy cooking, baking is my favourite of the kitchen arts. And whipping up a cake or batch of cookies is my most favourite.

When I brainstormed about who would make the best heroine for Love Proof, I wasn’t too surprised when she developed into a baker whose shop sold cupcakes and bar cookies. (If I come back in another life, I hope it’s as a pastry chef.)

I enjoyed incorporating different cakes and cookies into the story, quite often becoming hungry as I wrote. With all the sweets descriptions in the book, it only made sense to add a recipe or two.

I couldn’t just slap any old recipe in there, though. It had to be my own creation, or one I heavily adapted, and it had to be rigorously tested, and sampled. A few times. Which is another best part about writing a foodie character.

Here’s one of the recipes short-listed for inclusion in the book, but space constraints forced it out of the running. I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from a neighbour, who got it from who-knows-where. One of my all-time favourites.

Currant Squares
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled

1 cup currants
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2 large eggs, beaten.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, the icing sugar and the salt. Cut in the chilled butter until the mixture is mostly pea-sized clumps. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Combine currants, brown sugar, and coconut in medium bowl. Stir in eggs, vanilla, salt, 2 teaspoons flour, and baking powder. Mix well. Spread mixture on top of crust. Bake 25 – 30 minutes, or until set.
Place on rack and cool completely before cutting.

Optional: I often cover the squares with orange-flavoured icing.

3 cups icing sugar
pinch of salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon milk, plus additional
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest from 1 orange

Place icing sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer. Add butter and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add juice and milk, increase speed to medium, and continue mixing, adding additional milk as needed, until light and smooth. Stir in vanilla and zest and mix well. Spread on thoroughly cooled squares.

Blurb, LOVE PROOF:

Unemployed photojournalist Raynor Elliot stops at a bakery near the famous Deerbourne Inn. Not only does he get a lead on a job but the bakery’s owner is that awkward kid he knew in high school, only now she has fabulous curves and an irreverent sense of humor. The cozy bakery, with its aroma of sugar, vanilla and spice, has more to offer than tasty cookies.

Fiona MacLeod has been plagued for years by the need to make amends for telling The Big Lie. When the lie’s victim strolls into her bakery with his icy blue stare and killer charm, she feels like she’s standing too close to a hot oven.

Between running her bakery and frosting cupcakes for the Mad River Garden Party, she's pretty sure she's falling in love with this infuriating, sexy man. Can Fiona dredge up the courage to confess, face the consequences, and hope for forgiveness?


Excerpt:

“I remember those days.” She pushed the calculator to the side, too tired to worry about planning the week’s baking schedule. “Why’d you study journalism?"

“Truth is important to me. I was tired of all the lies in government, at every level. I wanted to change that. Ultimately make the world a better place. Easy peasy, right?” His lips quirked and he shook his head.

“That’s why I decided to be a baker. Brighten someone’s day with a special treat.”

He scooted his chair closer and pointed at the column of numbers on the page. “You want me to do the rest?” His arm, bare to the bicep, lightly tanned, dusted with blond hair, a little lighter than on his head, rested less than an inch from her own spindly pale arm. Not spindly compared to other women, hefting bags of flour and moving trays of baked goods did take some muscle power. But spindly compared to his manly toned muscles flexing under skin that she’d bet her last jar of sprinkles was smooth and warm. She clenched her hand.

No touching allowed.

“We have cupcakes to frost.” She bounded from the chair and rushed into the kitchen.

Holy moly, the guy oozed sex. In a good way. A very good way. She pulled a clean apron off the shelf and cinched it around her waist. An extra layer of armor between her and temptation in the form of Raynor. The seeker of truth. The man whose mission in life was to expose lies. The reporter who thought liars were not decent human beings.

Buy links:

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon CA:  https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Amazon AU:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Proof-Deerbourne-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07S2SBP4V

Nook:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-proof-luanna-stewart/1131669284?ean=2940161211489


Luanna’s bio:

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. At the tender age of twelve she discovered her grandmother's stash of romance novels, after which all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Luanna spends her days writing sexy romantic suspense, steamy paranormal romance, and spicy historical romance. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s either in her kitchen baking something delicious, or protecting her garden from the chickens. She lives in Nova Scotia with her incredibly patient husband and two spoiled cats.

Social media links:

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau

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

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart

Amazon Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart


GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't be Chintzy with your Secondary Characters! by Julie Howard

Romantic suspense author Julie Howard joins me today to talk about secondary characters, one of my favorite topics. And she wants to make you aware that CRIME TIMES TWO is currently on sale for .99 cents. Get your copy at your favorite ebook retailer!

Don’t be chintzy with your secondary characters

Not all characters are created alike. Just like the people in your life, not everyone is of equal importance. In my life, there’s a gradient of importance that runs from a stranger I see in the background on the news all the way up to my children and close family members.

When I write a novel, my characters basically come in four packages – Jumbo (main characters), Large (secondary characters) Medium (recurring characters) and Small (the town folk). Main characters take a lot of time to develop, but I always have a secondary character or two who get under my skin. In any good novel, secondary characters need to pop, they need to have a backstory and a purpose. Most times, the novel couldn’t exist without them. Think Batman without his butler Alfred, Robinson Crusoe without Friday, Harry Potter without Hagrid. These are the supporting cast who make the main character shine.

In my Wild Crime books, Honey is a force of nature. After three books in the series, I’m still a little afraid of this older, conniving woman I created. She’s my main character’s closest friend and is definitely a woman with some secrets she’ll never tell – unless divulging them is convenient. At first, Honey was just the neighbor-next-door, a shoulder for my main character to cry on. As I continued to write, this secondary character grew to a point where, when she was in the room, her personality took over. I even considered, briefly, writing a book where Honey was the main character. She fascinated me!

Secondary characters don’t need to be that dominant, but a novel so focused on the main characters can start to feel bland or one-note. The reader wants your main characters to feel like real people with family, friends and co-workers. These are the people who typically become the secondary characters. One stand-out in my Wild Crime series is a deli clerk at the local grocery store, who is a recurring thorn in my main character’s side. In book one, Crime and Paradise, he exists mainly as a recurring character, but in book two (Crime Times Two) he steps up into a secondary character role. He plays a key part in the plot. This is common in series where there are a number of recurring characters in a town – and is part of the fun of reading a series.

As a side note: In my Deerbourne Inn series book, Spirited Quest, my main character is a small background character in the other Deerbourne Inn books. Each of these books are stand-alone novels set in the same fictional Vermont town and written by different authors. In each of these books, you get glimpses of the main characters of other books.

Secondary characters are important for another critical reason: they give your main character someone to voice their thoughts to. Unless you are writing in first person, it can be difficult for a character to express their inner views. They add dialogue to a scene, and make a main character feel more like a real person. Often, as with Sherlock Holmes and Watson, you get a sense of your main character’s personality – as  in Sherlock’s superiority over his sidekick. In my Wild Crime books, the deli-boy character brings out the sass in my main character. If a teenage kid can rile her, could an abusive husband possibly spark her to murder?

Don’t give your secondary characters short shrift! They can be fun to develop and show your readers so much more about your protagonist.

Crime Times Two is on a limited-time sale for the first time, for 99 cents!

Crime Times Two: When divorce is out of the question, can murder be forgiven?

Blurb from “Crime Times Two”:

Meredith knows three things: First, the man in the library begged her to help him. Second, he was afraid of his wife. Third, now he’s dead.

While the evidence first points to a natural death, Meredith is certain there’s more to discover. People are tight-lipped in this small mountain village, and the man’s wife isn't talking either. Then a second death occurs, with remarkable similarities. It’s time to talk about murder.

As a slow-burning relationship heats up in her own life, Meredith struggles with concepts of love and hate, belief and suspicion, and absolution and guilt. Nothing is clear cut…

She must decide: Is guilt, like evil, something you can choose to believe in?

Excerpt from “Crime Times Two”:

Jowls quivered under the man’s weak chin, and Meredith noted the stained and frayed shirt of someone who spent a lot of time alone in dark rooms, sending out a better version of himself into the virtual world. His eyes were anxious and beseeching at her as though she should have a clear understanding of him and his life.

Somehow, over the past hour and a half they’d been sitting next to each other – him playing video games and sharing his life story and her ignoring him the best she could – she had become his confessor and friend.

Meredith gave him what she hoped was an impartial-though-quasi-friendly smile. She reached for her purse and papers and rose from her chair. “Well. Nice talking with you.”

The man was lost in his own train of thought and seemed only slightly aware that Meredith was leaving.

He shook his head, morose.

“To make a long story short,” he summed up, “I think my wife is trying to kill me.”


Author Bio:

Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VMZlUv

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julie_Howard_Crime_Times_Two?id=9QhxDwAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?Query=crime+times+two

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crime-times-two-julie-howard/1129472600?ean=2940161941164

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crime-Times-Two-eBook/340226618


Social media:

Website: http://juliemhoward.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowardauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07D6CS4NQ

Twitter: @_juliemhoward

A Sparkly Secondary Character with Sadira Stone

Author Sadira Stone is my guest and she's offering a glimpse at one of her favorite secondary characters, great-aunt Maxie from RUNAWAY LOVE STORY. I love quirky secondary characters! Welcome Sadira Stone!

Meet Great-Aunt Maxie!

Besides the hero and heroine of Runaway Love Story, my favorite character is Laurel’s 90-year-old Great-Aunt Maxie. Laurel detours from her pursuit of a big-city art career to help Maxie move into assisted living. An artist herself, Maxie’s also a foster-grandmother to many young artists in Eugene, Oregon. She’s lived a big, sparkly life, and her loving encouragement keeps Laurel’s dreams afloat.
Here, Laurel arrives at Maxie’s place.

A glimpse of red fluff appeared in the window. The front door opened, revealing a beaming Maxie in all her Technicolor glory. Her baby-fine hair glowed henna red, and rhinestones twinkled from her cat’s-eye glasses. Chunky rings bedecked her gnarled, ropy hands, and her knee-length tunic bore a tie-dyed rainbow swirl.

“Laurel,” Maxie bellowed. Her foghorn voice hadn’t lost its power. “Get up here, my precious girl.”

Grinning, she trotted up the stairs and wrapped her arms around her tiny mentor.

“Easy now.” Maxie’s smile folded her cheeks and forehead into papery pleats. “I’m not so steady on my feet these days.” She thumped her cane. Typical Maxie, it was covered with rhinestones, metallic trim, and swirls of bright paint.

“New art project?”

“Oh, this?” She chuckled, her laughter raspy and deep. “One of many.” Moving slowly, she settled onto a creaking wicker loveseat on the porch. “Tell me, dear heart.”

“Tell you what?”

One penciled-on eyebrow raised. “What happened at the gallery?”

Laurel slumped beside her. “Mom told you?”

She nodded. “She loves you, you know. And she wants you to succeed.”

“As long as I do something practical. And boring.”

“Now, now.” Maxie patted her hand. “It’s a mother’s nature to worry. So, why’d they fire you this time?”

She might be ninety, but nothing interesting escaped Maxie’s sharp eyes. Or ears.

Blurb, RUNAWAY LOVE STORY:

She hates average...he's as average as they come.

High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn't in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who's real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.

He's done with social-climbing posers...she's ambitious and has big dreams.

Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she's harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she's only passing through, not looking for a relationship.

Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can't stay in Eugene, and he can't leave. Doug's only hope is to convince her the glittery life she's after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.

Excerpt:

“I’m sorry she called you the S word.”

  “Huh?”

  “Sensible.”

  She laughed. “Yeah. That’s a curse word, as far as I’m concerned.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “I’ll strike it from my vocabulary. Your S word is sparkle.” He traced her jawline with a feather-light touch. “Look at you, Laurel. You’re blinding.” His twilight-blue gaze made her heart dance—a steamy tango with swirls and dangerous dips. He kissed her, and, for a moment, she forgot all about caution, about cutting things off before they became too serious, about San Francisco. Her focus narrowed to his lips on hers, his nearness heating her whole body, opening her like a blossom, soft and willing. Ripe for the plucking.

“God, I’ve missed you.” He scooped her legs across his lap. One hand cradling her nape, the other gripping her thigh, he kissed her senseless. His velvet tongue teased her lips apart. He tasted of sugary coffee. The world around them faded—just two bodies, calling and answering, breathing in sync, their pulses beating the same rhythm.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Love-Story-Book-Nirvana-ebook/dp/B07QBHS1ZQ/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/runaway-love-story-sadira-stone/1131145865

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/runaway-love-story/id1460549153

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/search?c=books&q=Runaway+Love+Story+by+Sadira+Stone

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/runaway-love-story

Author Bio:

Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance and cozy mysteries from her home in Washington State. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, belly dances, plays guitar badly, and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com.

Inspiration for the Book Nirvana Series:
Until recently, I was one of those readers--literary snobs who look down their noses at romance for the usual stupid reasons: too corny, too predictable, too fluffy. Then I read a few online articles about how fun and lucrative writing erotica can be. I thought, what the heck? Let's try.

I have never had so much fun with a writing project! My first steamy romance, Through the Red Door, nearly wrote itself, though it damned sure didn't edit itself. I've totally immersed myself in the world of romance, gobbling books like popcorn, filling my ears with romance podcasts, and joining the Romance Writers of America. From skeptic to romance mega-fan in two short years, I’m totally addicted to passionate, heartfelt stories with happy endings.

Why set the series in a bookshop? Ever since I was a wee lass, I dreamed of owning one. Add to that my fascination with historical erotic art and literature, and you’ve got the Book Nirvana series, set in an indie bookshop with an extensive erotica collection behind a locked red door.

I love stories in which a couple’s powerful physical attraction leads them to consider a partner outside their usual M.O.—one who just might turn out to be their perfect match. That’s how it happened for my husband and me, and my romance fiction contains that element.

I sort of pulled the setting out of a hat. I wanted to set my series in a college town. I’d heard that Eugene, home of the University of Oregon, has a lively arts scene and a rich counterculture legacy from the hippie era. After much online research, correspondence, and hours on Google Earth, I finally made the trip. Eugene is even lovelier than I’d imagined. Kate Rock, a resident author, kindly shared her knowledge of the city’s history and the flavor of the different neighborhoods. I look forward to many return trips.

Social Media Links:

Author Website: http://www.sadirastone.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

BURNING LOVE #OnSale for .99 cents!

The ebook version of BURNING LOVE, my paranormal/contemporary sweet romance, is on sale for .99 cents from June 14 to 28!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | B and N | Bookstrand | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks | Walmart

Blurb:

After causing three cooking fires in her apartment, Iris Jensen finds herself evicted and homeless. She lands on Riley Benson's doorstep, looking to rent a room in the beautiful old home he's restoring. It's only for six weeks until Iris leaves Portland, Oregon for her new job on a cruise ship. Firefighter Riley knows firsthand what a bad tenant she can be. But he needs money to finish the work on the house he loves. And something about Iris pulls at his heart…

Meanwhile, in Heaven, two angels watch over the young lovers. Angelica and Hildegard work in Heaven's Relationship Division, where angels match mortals with their soul mates. The angels believe so strongly in Iris and Riley’s love that they break Heaven's rules to help them. Can the angels convince them their love will last a lifetime?

Excerpt:

Riley looked into her beautiful blue eyes and her smiling face and did the only thing he was capable of doing at the moment.

He kissed her.

Maybe later, he told himself, when sanity returned, he’d think of a hundred reasons why pulling Iris into his arms, holding her snug against his body, and plundering her soft, sweet mouth was not a good idea. But for now, right now, as she wound her arms around his neck and made tiny sounds of excitement deep in her throat, it felt exactly right.

Heaven. Having Iris in his corner made him believe everything was possible.

He stepped backward toward the stairs, pulling Iris with him, intent on taking her upstairs to his room. He suddenly tripped, nearly losing his balance. He glanced behind him and saw the object he’d stumbled over. A set of luggage sat next to the stairs, still bearing tags from the retailer.

“What the hell is this?”

Iris kissed his neck. “I’m sorry. I should have taken them up to my room.”

Iris had bought new luggage for her trip. Her plans hadn’t changed.

She’s leaving me.

The thought acted as effectively as a bucket of cold water tossed over his head. What was he doing? She was leaving in three weeks and didn’t plan to return. The calendar in the kitchen reminded him of that every day. Why start something that would only lead to heartache?

He’d already lost too many people in his life.

And Riley instinctively knew that if he let himself get close to Iris, let himself love her, a part of him would not survive when she left.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | B and N | Bookstrand | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks | Walmart

DEARLY BELOVED by Peggy Jaeger On Sale!

Peggy Jaeger is here to tell us a little about DEARLY BELOVED, part of her A Match Made in Heaven series. Best of all, DEARLY BELOVED is on sale for .99 cents right now. Excuse me while I get my copy! Welcome Peggy!

5 things about DEARLY BELOVED:

1. DEARLY BELOVED takes place is the small, fictional town of HEAVEN, NH. Hence, the series name, A Match Made in Heaven.

2. 93 year old Nanny Fee has been married 4 times. Her full name is Fiona Bridget Mary Darcy Sullivan O’Dowd Heaven Scallopini. But everyone just calls her Nanny Fee.

3. The prompt for the story/series came to me when my daughter told me she was attending what she called a “one stop wedding.” The Ceremony, reception, and the place where all the guests were staying were in the same location – a Bed and Breakfast in Vermont.

4. Baking is one of my passions so I had to make one of the sisters a baker, and did. Maureen O’Dowd’s story is called Heaven Baked and will (hopefully) release in early 2020.

5. Alice’s TeaCup is a real place in NYC and also the setting for Isabella Harrington’s bridal shower.


Blurb: 

Colleen O’Dowd manages a thriving bridal business with her sisters in Heaven, New Hampshire. After fleeing Manhattan and her cheating ex-fiancé, Colleen still believes in happily ever afters. But with a demanding business to run, her sisters to look after, and their 93-year-old grandmother to keep out of trouble, she's worried she’ll never find Mr. Right.

Playboy Slade Harrington doesn’t believe in marriage. His father’s six weddings have taught him life is better as an unencumbered single guy. But Slade loves his little sister. He'll do anything for her, including footing the bill for her dream wedding. He doesn’t plan on losing his heart to a smart-mouthed, gorgeous wedding planner, though.

When her ex-fiancé comes back into the picture, Colleen must choose between Mr. Right and Mr. Right Now.

Buy Links:

Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HT4B95T/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Wild Rose Press : https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6294-dearly-beloved.html

B&N : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dearly-beloved-peggy-jaeger/1129689535?ean=2940161598023

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dearly-beloved-14

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dearly-beloved/id1437725621?mt=11

Googleplay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Peggy_Jaeger_Dearly_Beloved?id=B2J2DwAAQBAJ

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Dearly-Beloved/Peggy-Jaeger/Q853622604?id=7423724839353

Excerpt :

I stared at him for a moment, mulling over how I wanted to ask him what I’d been dying to ask since we’d been in my office.

Finally, because there was no other way to get around it but bluntly, I said, “I feel like we need to discuss your father. Come to a decision about where he fits in the wedding.”

When the warmth in his expression shifted to ice, a weaker-willed person might have stopped there. Since I’m not weak and my parents have always told me I have a real problem with knowing when to quit, I pushed on. “It seems to me as if Isabella wants him to be included. Whether in a father-of-the-bride role, or simply as a guest, I really do think she’d like him to attend, but, for whatever reason, she’s reluctant to press you on it.”

Did I say ice? What’s colder than ice? Because whatever it is, that was the expression floating in Slade’s eyes right then as he glared at me.

Warning bells blared in my head, but that thing about me not knowing when to quit? Yeah, it’s real.

“I think Isabella’s afraid of upsetting you if she tells you how she feels or asks your permission. She loves you so much and respects your opinion.”

“You don’t know anything about my sister. Or me.” He lowered his hands from his hips, kept them fisted at his sides. “Or our relationship with our father.”

“True, but I get the sense—”

He barreled over me as if I hadn’t said a word.

“You’ve been hired to do a job, Miss O’Dowd. I suggest you do it and keep your thoughts about my family to yourself. You’re a wedding planner, not a family counselor.” His voice dropped a level, deepening as it became softer. The cadence became clipped, the tone more...lethal.

If this was the way he acted in business, it was a wonder he hadn’t been convicted of corporate homicide yet.

“Look, I’m not asking simply to be nosy,” I said, my voice rising in opposition to his. “I really do have to plan all this out. There’s still the rehearsal and the dinner after it left to deal with. Then there’s the reception seating. Plus, if he is included, I’ll need to make sure he has a room, a tuxedo, and find out if he’s bringing a guest.”

“What aren’t you understanding about this, Miss O’Dowd?” Slade asked, taking a step toward me. If he’d thought to intimidate me with his height, he’d miscalculated. Retreat wasn’t a word in my lexicon. I simply lifted my chin and stared right back at him.

“I understand a lot more than you think, Mr. Harrington. About all sorts of things. Arrogant and pigheaded men included.”

When he continued to stand like a plank of wood in front of me, his mouth turning down and creasing the sides of his jaw, I knew—knew—I should stop.

But...

Author Bio:

Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes Romantic Comedies about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer!

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, she brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"

Social Media links:

Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0

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Interview with Liv Arnold, Author of LAW AND DISORDER

Liv Arnold sits down for an interview today. Liv's debut with The Wild Rose Press is LAW AND DISORDER, a humorous erotic novella. Great to get to know you, Liv!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I work full-time so I really need to push myself to write at nighttime. I give myself incentives – an ice-cream or junk food reward whenever I finish a page, or I treat myself with reading a chapter of a book. Anything to keep me motivated. Sometimes I use my phone as a timer where I nonstop write for twenty minutes. Amazing how much you can get done when you’re racing against the clock.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read LAW AND DISORDER?

Hopefully a lot of laughs.

When were you first published and how did that happen? Was it a long or short journey?

I networked with authors through social media and started a blog where I interviewed successful writers – I still do this. I learned so many amazing tips such as building my online presence, elevator pitches, and being persistent.

Initially I received multiple rejections from publishers. Sometimes with detailed feedback and requests for a revise and resubmit. I gotta admit, this stung every time. I wondered what I was doing wrong and if I was even any good at writing.

But so many author friends told me to keep persisting. So, I kept working on my craft, took on feedback and experimented with different story ideas.

I also followed a lot of publishers’ Facebook page. Sometimes they post about the type of stories they wanted to read. That’s when I saw a call out from The Wild Rose Press.

I thought no harm in giving this a crack. I whipped up a novella called Law & Disorder and sent my manuscript off. Six weeks later (I stalked my email inbox everyday), The Wild Rose Press replied with a contract offer. There was no acting cool on my part, and I emailed back my response filled with typos in my excitement to say ‘yes’.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Panster. I go wherever the characters take me, but I usually have a rough idea how my story will end. So, every chapter will lead towards this.

I wish I was more organised with plotting. Sometimes I spend so much time in front of a blank computer screen willing the words to come. My characters grow as I write – I don’t even come up with personality traits beforehand.

Tell us a bit about you. Where do you live, and how long have you been writing?

I live in Melbourne Australia with my husband Tim and my dog named Groot.
I used to write stories at school for fun, but I never thought anything would come of it. So, I did a degree that had nothing to do with writing and started a full-time job in the finance industry. My mum encouraged me to do a creative writing course at RMIT. It’s a short course that runs for 8-10 weeks for three hours a week after work. I loved every moment of the class and ended up doing three short courses. The teachers were so inspiring, and it was great to speak to like-minded people. I workshopped my stories in class and continued with them after the course finished.

Do you have any pets? Are you cat person or a dog person? Or are you into totally different pets, like goldfish? What do you like best about your pet?

My maltese shih tzu named Groot. He sits next to me while I write until he falls asleep. He’s so spoiled but I love him so much.

What genre is your favorite to read?

Romance. I love being swept away in the chemistry of the characters and the swoon worthy men.
I started writing romance because my husband plays computer games all night. I thought ‘why not invent my own book boyfriend’. I used to read out romance passages to him to give him a gentle nudge.

I read all types of genres though – young adult, thriller, murder mystery, fantasy etc.

How do you choose the names and physical characteristics of your characters? Do you base them on real people?

With my main male character for Law & Disorder, I based his name on good-looking men I’ve met. I completely made up what he looks like though.

How can readers reach you or find you online?

I would love to hear from you! Contact me on:
• www.livarnold.com
• www.facebook.com/livarnoldauthor
• https://twitter.com/liv_au
• https://www.instagram.com/liv_au
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18845019.Liv_Arnold
• https://www.bookbub.com/profile/liv-arnold

Tell us about your next release.

I have a novel contracted with The Wild Rose Press called Etched in Stone. It’s a contemporary romance with a financial crime storyline. It should be out roughly late this year.

Here’s a little something about it:

Raw and romantic…Sensual and suspenseful.
Vanessa Lang is thrilled when she lands her dream job at investment company, Stone Corp. But when her kleptomaniac mother is on her last strike and faces a criminal record, Vanessa accepts a deal to find evidence of insider trading on her new employer.

On her first day, in walks the handsome Sebastian Stone, CEO and the man of her dreams. Determined to save her mom, however, she spies and gathers information about his business. But there's one small problem—she starts to fall in love with him.

How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

Author Bio:

Liv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she’s not writing, Liv’s avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she’s a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.

Blurb, LAW AND DISORDER:

Lawyer Juliet Jackson has come head to head with Sergeant Jesse Burns on numerous occasions in court. He is provoking. Pigheaded. Punch-worthy. They don't get along. Not one little bit. The unfortunate fact he's also her next-door neighbor brings her loathing off the charts. But when Juliet's caught locked outside her home in nothing but a skimpy towel, she must swallow her pride and turn to Jesse for help. She doesn't expect the explosive chemistry between them and can't help but wonder if Jesse's as demanding in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom.

Excerpt:

His handsome face smirked before he averted his eyes and turned his head, but she could still see the profile of his face. His police uniform stretched across his chest. Wonder if that chest is chiseled underneath all those clothes.

Her ears burned hotter than chili sauce, spreading to her neck and chest. No point in putting on a mask this time, because there was no escaping this. Her fingers found the ends of the towel to cover her naked body, but her legs froze on the spot. “I got locked out of my house.”

“You got locked out of your house…naked?” A grin spread across his face, revealing the dimple on the bottom lip. She wanted to bite it but didn’t know if it was to hurt him or because of the temperature between her legs.

Scowling at his sarcasm, her fingers gripped the bricks of her house and she pulled herself up. “Yes. Why are you even here? Didn’t you have enough of me this morning?

“Never enough.”

Buy Links:

Buy Law and Disorder for 99 (US) cents:
• Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Law-Disorder-Liv-Arnold-ebook/dp/B07NCK1QGF

• Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Law-Disorder-Liv-Arnold-ebook/dp/B07NCK1QGF

• Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Law-Disorder-Liv-Arnold-ebook/dp/B07NCK1QGF

• Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Law-Disorder-Liv-Arnold-ebook/dp/B07NCK1QGF

• https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130486349?ean=2940161416266

• https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/law-disorder/id1453327500?mt=11

• https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/law-disorder-7