Friday, April 14, 2023

#NewRelease from Vicky Burkholder: RAINING JELLY BEANS

Vicky Burkholder has an upcoming release for spring. RAINING JELLY BEANS comes out on April 17, 2023 from The Wild Rose Press, part of the Jelly Beans and Spring Things series. Order your copy now and have it delivered to your ereader on April 17!

Blurb: 

Will their future rain Jellybeans and will love win over evil?

Delia loves her life at the lodge but when an email arrives threatening her happiness, she vows to fight to protect her children. Hoping her ex won’t follow through with his threats, she confides her concerns to a local cop and her brother’s best friend Noah.

Noah has loved Delia from afar for a long time. But he knows she’s off limits because she’s Max’s little sister. So, when she asks for his help, he puts his love on the back burner to find her kidnapped twin girls and put her ex-husband behind bars.


Excerpt:

“Noah? What about him? We’re…friends.” Delia thought about her brother Max’s best friend, a tall, handsome local cop who lived about two miles down the mountain toward town. She’d had a crush on him in high school, but he’d been two years ahead of her and barely knew she was alive. She shrugged. “He’s Noah. I’m just Max’s little sister who was always in the way.”

Gigi huffed at her. “You’re impossible. You do realize that he’s been dating you for months now, don’t you?”

“Huh?” Her eyes went wide. “We’ve never been on a date.”

Gigi rolled her eyes and looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “Think about the nights he eats here. Where do you sit?”

Delia frowned and cocked her head, recalling all those nights. “We sit over by the fireplace.”

“Uh huh. And where are the rest of us?”

“You’re right there…” Delia’s eyes widened. “No, you’re not. You’re over near the buffet, with the kids.”

“Yep. And what do you two talk about while you’re eating?”

“We…” Another frown. “We talk about everything. About life, the girls…”

“And that’s not a date? Delia, you’ve been dating that man for months. Tell me you haven’t.”


Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/bookauthor/vicky-burkholder

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raining-Jelly-Beans-Spring-Things-ebook/dp/B0BVRQQMN4

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raining-jelly-beans-vicky-burkholder/1143016056 

Google Books: Books by Vicky Burkholder on Google Play

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/raining-jelly-beans/id6445620749


Author Bio:

As her alter-ego, Vicky has multiple homes all over the universe. She looks human - for the most part - but when she starts writing about characters being able to move things or flicking fire from their fingertips, or changing the course of rivers, people tend to get a little freaked out. She found the one guy out there in the universe who loves her for who she is and they've been together forever and raised four wonderful (now) adults. Her career includes work as a technical writer/editor, a stringer for the local newspaper, and an editor and copy editor for various publishers. At various times in her life, she has been a teacher, a secretary, a short-order cook, a computer specialist, a DJ, and a librarian. When not editing or writing, she can be found in the kitchen creating gluten free goodies for her family.


Author Links: 

Website:  http://www.vicky-burkholder.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Burkholder

Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1264928.Vicky_Burkholder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vicky-Burkholder-535739543163598/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickyburkholder

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vicky-burkholder


For Other Works by Vicky Burkholder:

Please be sure to stop by her Website to see all of her works.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Spring Break Bookapalooza!

Celebrate your love of books all month long at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Spring Break Bookapalooza. 28 books, 23 bestselling and award-winning authors, a huge giveaway plus authors share what they love about spring and where they’d love to travel to on their fantasy spring break. Leave your passport and sunscreen at home and join in the fun. 

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/spring-break-bookapalooza

I'm participating with BURNING LOVE, a sweet contemporary paranormal romance. From April 7 to 21, 2023, BURNING LOVE is on sale at Amazon for .99 cents! Here's the 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?

Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Love-ebook/dp/B003552TVU

Check out the fun at N.N. Light's Book Heaven and enter the giveaway for your chance to win a $75 gift card!

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/spring-break-bookapalooza



All About Charming Alice-A Blake's Folly Romance: #NewRelease from J. Arlene Culiner

J. Arlene Culiner makes a return visit to Journeys with Jana with ALL ABOUT CHARMING ALICE, another romance set in the nearly deserted town of Blake's Folly. I love the idea of these two prickly characters falling in love. Nothing like a "seasoned" romance with not-so-young characters! 

Romance is a dance, archaic and complicated, that has to be re-learned each time it appears. The first steps are awkward, tentative, then just when we gain a bit of confidence, we trip over our own feet, stumble, and sometimes come crashing to the floor. Oh, the misery — especially since this dance requires considerable elegance, high polish, and a promise of tenderness.

Romance isn’t polite. It’s an obsession that makes us rude to friends (think of canceled coffee dates), self-centered (we can’t talk about anything else), and narcissistic (we’re always looking for a mirror).

So it is in All About Charming Alice. Alice Treemont, an original but prickly character, lives in a semi-ghost town in the Nevada desert. She rescues dogs, studies and protects snakes. Jace Constant, a writer from Chicago, isn’t crazy about dogs or the Nevada desert. As for snakes… he’s terrified of them.

Neither Alice nor Jace are young; both have had relationships that fell apart, or grew dusty, or lacked long-term zing. Neither expects love when it comes galumphing over the horizon. But here it is, with all its doubts, hesitations, and misgivings…

And while Alice and Jace are taking those first tentative steps, the nosy, cranky folks in Blake’s Folly are watching from the sidelines: ageless, shapeless Ma and Pa Handy: beer-swilling Mick Fletcher; the lovely flirtatious Rose Badger; and Killer, the scruffy stray.

Blurb:

Trust in Love and Solutions will appear

Alice Treemont has no intention of falling in love. Living in Blake’s Folly, a semi-ghost town, she cooks vegetarian meals, rescues unwanted dogs, and protects the most unloved creatures on earth: snakes. What man would share those interests?

Jace Constant is in Nevada, doing research for his new book, but he won’t be staying. He’s disgusted by desert dust on his fine Italian shoes and dog hair on his cashmere sweaters. As for snakes, he doesn’t just despise them: they terrify him.

So why does the air sizzle each time Alice and Jace meet? A romance would entail far too many compromises.


Excerpt from All About Charming Alice:

Suddenly he rose to his feet and, in that languid way of his, crossed to the doorway where she stood. She was a tallish woman, but he towered over her. Casually, stretching out one arm, he rested his hand on the doorframe, a hair’s breadth above her head. He was close, so close. His body was supple, strong and—yes, she had to admit it—warm, fragrant. The heat of him reached her over the few inches separating them, and she ached to curve into it. Aura? This man was a flesh-and-blood heat wave.

The strange, tingling excitation was flowing through her again like thick port wine. She lowered her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze, although she knew he was, once again, examining her minutely.

“I want to take the room.”

“Look, you don’t need my room,” she said, desperation too evident in her tone. “There’s a perfectly reasonable motel the other side of the Winterback Mine, out in the direction of Logan. Actually, it’s far better equipped to take in tourists than anything you’ll find here in Blake’s Folly.”

“I know. Rider Motel. Air conditioning, cable TV, and right across from the Dew Drop Inn.” His smile was wry. “That’s exactly where I’ve been staying for the last three nights. And over and over during those three nights, I remembered Blake’s Folly and the Room to Rent sign on your wall. And the more I thought about it, the more appealing it got. There’s nothing worse than an impersonal motel room when you have to stay in an area for a while.” He let his eyes wander over the faded wooden framing, over the settee on the veranda. “Right here, it feels more like home.”

That wasn’t it, she knew. That wasn’t even part of the truth. He was back because something hot and wonderful shimmered between them. Did she fascinate him as much as he did her? Possibly. Although she hadn’t done anything to encourage him, not once. It would have been hard to find someone less friendly than she’d been.

Yet, there was something about him that touched her, something that had nothing to do with raw desire. Was it the warmth in his eyes? A quirk to his lips that promised humor and understanding? Or was it plain magic, the magic that happens when the right female meets the right male.


Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l2VyHtsY7A

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/Charming-Alice

Author links: https://linktr.ee/j.arleneculiner


Author Bio:

Writer, photographer, social critical artist, and impenitent teller of tall tales, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a mud house on the Great Hungarian Plain, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave dwelling, a haunted house on the English moors, and on a Dutch canal. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest where, much to local dismay, she protects spiders, snakes, and all weeds. She particularly enjoys incorporating into mysteries, non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with very odd characters.


Gosh, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The humor during Jace's courtship of Alice and her self doubts often had me laughing out loud. 

Diana Lanos, Smile Somebody Loves You 


The perfect story for all the hopeless and hopeful romantics out there.

Lisa McCombs, Readers' Favorite


The writing and dialogue is magical and masterful. The romance filled my heart with an emotional, heartfelt, dazzling experience. Enjoy!

Sheila Clapkin, author

Friday, March 31, 2023

ANYONE AT HAND by Ella Braeme

 Ella Braeme is my guest today and she's talking about her recent release, ANYONE AT HAND. I love the idea of a modern marriage of convenience story, especially with a grumpy hero! Thanks for visiting, Ella!

Blurb:

She needed a husband to get rid of her boyfriend. The grump obliged.

Sometimes the only way to end a relationship is to jump right into a new one. But when Shanae married Bo for just that reason, she found herself trapped with the town grump. Will she ever get on his good side?

This novella is a warning to all those who like small towns for a romantic weekend trip only. Don't marry the local guy. The one who makes you want to stay.

Anyone At Hand is the second book in Ella Braeme’s Married in Windfall series. It has all the charms of a small town romance, with a marriage of convenience and a delicious grump. If you like the small town vibe with a little heat, then you’ll love Anyone At Hand.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0BPR7MQPN


Excerpt:

“We need to get married.”

Shanae’s head whipped up, and she banged her head on the hatch. “Ow!” She jerked her purse from that pathetic excuse of a trunk. Deliberately slowly, she turned to face Jordan. “Nuh-uh. Do you actually want to give me whiplash? Or is that just a natural gift of yours? May I remind you that less than an hour ago we’ve had a discussion about our relationship?”

Jordan stepped back, waving his hands in front of him. “No, listen, Babe, it’s not like that.”

“That’s what you keep telling me.” Shanae touched her afro. For some reason, that always calmed her. “You surprise me with a romantic weekend trip. Then you give me the impression to be more interested in your car’s horsepower than in me.” She kicked the tire. Although that had been more of a symbolic act, Jordan bent down to inspect the damage her sandals might have inflicted. But Shanae wasn’t having it. She got into his face and forced him to stand upright again. “We go over one hundred miles an hour, and I ask you to slow down, and you wouldn’t. Some time along the way you tell me that indeed we are driving to your hometown. I might have gotten a bit excited to meet your parents, but you say, ‘We’re not like that’ and kind of break off with me. At one hundred miles an hour!” Shanae glared at him. “And once here, your pal shows up,” she shot a glance at Wyatt, “and it turns out it never had been a couple’s trip in the first place, but you’ve got some speaking engagement. You want to marry me? Boy, get your act together. Think about what you really want and then stick to it. I’m off to the bathroom.”

She pulled her purse’s strap tight and strutted towards the diner’s entrance. Her eyes filled with tears. This morning had been a roller-coaster, and she needed a moment to compose herself. She reached for the door’s handle, but—blinded by her tears—didn’t see it was held open for her. Instead of gripping that bar, her hand connected with a stranger’s body. Instinctively, her fingers closed around the stranger’s shirt.

“Hey!” he snarled. “Watch it!”

Shanae jolted back. “I’m so sorry. I was reaching for the door.”

He glared at her and growled. And then the most fascinating transformation took place. His scowl turned into an expression of bewilderment. Scoffing, he turned and walked past her into the store. Did he just growl at her? Shanae stared after him. He was one of those super-white guys, pale and red hair, just a bit too short to be alluring. He filled his jeans nicely, but he had growled at her. Shanae refused to find his bum attractive. But she could not help wondering about his puzzled expression.


Author Bio:

Anyone at Hand is my second novella, and everything about writing and publishing still feels very new to me. Of course, I wouldn't know how it will feel once I launch my twentieth book, but I don't assume it will remain as exciting. It's quite nerve-wracking, really.

I do have a writing companion, who is by my side virtually all the time. I call her my CCO, my chief canine officer. Her name is Phoebe. She keeps track of the hours spent at my desk and will insist on regular breaks. Of course, she knows that writers will not jump up when somebody calls, “You need a break!” So instead, she pretends the breaks are all about her. Works like magic. And when things get rough, she is the cuddliest companion ever. Her favorite rewards are walks at the beach, yummy treats, and an afternoon without that little brother of hers.

There is a next book in the making, but I promised not to tell anything about it yet. If you want to know as soon as there is something to say about it, please join my email list or follow me on Instagram.

https://ellabraeme.com/landingpages/landingpage-links-on-blogs.htm   <-- newsletter sign-in

https://instagram.com/ellawritesromance/

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Shiela Stewart and The Lost Souls series: Paranormal Romance

Today I'm welcoming Shiela Stewart to the blog. Shiela writes paranormal romantic suspense, including The Lost Souls series which I'm featuring in this blog. Welcome Shiela!



BLURB: Secrets of the Dead, Book 1, The Lost Soul series

Jessica Coltrane is a diehard sceptic who believes ghosts and paranormal activity are nothing more than a figment of an overactive imagination. That is until she finds herself locked inside a haunted house with the enigmatic paranormal investigator C.J. Dowling.

Born with the ability to see and speak to the dead, C.J. Dowling thought investigating a haunted house would be a job like many others. He’s prepared for anything—except smart and sexy Jessica.

Working together in close quarters, C.J. and Jessica discover it isn’t only negative tension between them but sexual as well. Giving in to their desires seems like a good idea until they wake and find the spirits thought otherwise. They are trapped with the ghost of a child long forgotten, an amorous entity threatening Jessica, and a powder keg of a spine-tingling mystery that might just be better left buried.

Excerpt:

Something tickled her nose. Using her hand, she tried to swipe it away and felt the brush of hair against her knuckles. Planting her hand, she felt the warm flesh beneath her palm.

Recognition hit and woke her with an angry slap. Eyes shooting open, she sat up quickly and instantly regretted it when the room spun wildly around her. Laying back down, closing her eyes, she waited out the dizziness the hangover caused. Her mind raced to the night before.

The soft ache in her loins reminded her of what she’d done. Carefully opening her eyes, she turned her head to see a naked C.J. beside her.

“Oh, God.” She looked over his naked body, remembering how good it felt having him inside her. She hadn’t been that drunk that she couldn’t remember the event, and lord, what an event it had been. They had literally torn each other’s clothing off. She’d been an animal, which was so not like her.

What did they do now? Would they go on as they had been, sniping at each other, treat this as a one-night fling and move on? In truth, the guy irritated the hell out of her, yet he’d made her feel so incredible the night before. How was she supposed to respond to him now, after sharing something so intimate?

“Dowling,” she spoke quietly. “Dowling.” When he moaned, she slapped his chest. “Dowling!”

“Jesus.”

“Wake up.”

“I’m awake.” He looked at her with a smile. “Morning.” Then his eyes went wide. “Holy hell.” He bolted upright and jumped to his feet, nearly knocking her over. “Oh, my God.”

“What the hell?” The sofa stood on its end, two sitting chairs slammed up right against it, all pushed against the window. The coffee and end tables stood one on top of the other, in front of the fireplace. 

Carefully, Jessie stood up, waiting out the dizziness. She had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. It looked like a hurricane had blown through. “How…” 

“I need to check my equipment.” He flew off, still nude, and she got one hell of a look at his ass. 

She saw her shirt by the fireplace, straps torn. She couldn’t exactly wear it in its condition. Spotting his shirt hanging over the couch, she grabbed it and put it on. It barely covered her, but would have to do for now.

“This is incredible. The meters went off the scale. The temperature recorded several degrees below freezing at one point. It didn’t last long, though, as it rose exponentially. And we slept through it all. Damn, I have never seen anything like this before. It’s phenomenal.”

“You’re naked, you know?”

“What?” He didn’t even look up.

“You’re naked.” She tossed him his jeans, hitting him square in the face.

Unaffected by it, he grabbed the jeans and slipped into them using his free hand.  It amused her to watch him shimmy into his tight jeans, jumping from one foot to the other. “The cameras!” He rushed to the video equipment as he did up his pants. “Do you know what this means?”

“That you were a busy boy last night.”

He looked at her, confused. “Beg pardon?”

“I don’t know how you managed it all alone, but I give you credit for a job well done.”

“You think I did all of this?”

“No, I know you did all of this. Boy, you’ll do anything to make me a believer.”

His eyes narrowed and his voice dipped an octave. “You think I did all of this just to make you believe there are ghosts here?”

 “Well…yeah.” 

“Fine.” Walking to her, he grabbed her arm and led her to the camera.

“Let go of me.”

“Not until you see this.” Taking her by the shoulders, he turned her to face the monitor attached to one of the cameras. “Watch.” He pressed play.

Folding her arms across her chest, Jessie glared at the screen. He’d recorded them having sex. 

“Oh my God, you taped us making out? How could you?”

“I have my cameras set on timers that begin taping on their own. I didn’t know we were going to go at it like rabbits last night. Watch.”

“You will erase those tapes,” she insisted, then grunted when he turned her face back to the monitor. “What the hell?”

“Keep watching.”

She couldn’t pry her eyes away if she tried. The furniture lifted in the air, spun around wildly before they slammed in front of the fireplace and window. “Oh my god!”

“My sentiments exactly. I need to check the rest of the house.” He left her mesmerized in front of the TV.

Buy Links:

Decadent Publishing: https://decadentpublishing.com/secrets-of-the-dead/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W1L6LX2/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-the-dead-shiela-stewart/1008584825?ean=2940162538202

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/secrets-of-the-dead/id1552432453?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_toolbox

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/secrets-of-the-dead-17

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1067767

Books also available in Paperback.


BLURB: Innocence of the Dead, Book 2, The Lost Souls series

Samantha Dowling sees ghosts. As much as she hates her gift, she can’t ignore the spirit of a murdered young girl who haunts her dreams. As she digs into the death, she learns she’s not the only missing child in the city. And no one seems to be doing anything about it. Running into the very sexy Ethan Montgomery at his bookstore where she’d doing her research adds a whole new element to the mix.

From the first moment Ethan Montgomery sees Sam, he knows she’s meant to be his. Unfortunately, his soon-to-be ex-wife Gwen is determined to bring Ethan down any way she can, and his attraction to Sam is an opening she won’t pass up.

Despite her interference, Sam and Ethan’s romance blossoms. In secret. But sneaking around isn’t as easy as they thought when others discover their relationship

Buy Links:

Standing over a dead body holding a gun is never a good thing. Especially when it’s your soon to be ex-wife, Gwen. And when it comes out that she’s been blackmailing him, Ethan is their prime suspect. Proving his innocence is not going to be easy. Luckily, he has his lover, Samantha is on his side.

Spiritual guide Samantha Dowling has seen pretty much everything the dead can throw at her. Just having solved a case of missing children, she’s looking forward to a life with the man she loves, Ethan Montgomery. Being woken by a nightmare of her lover standing over his wife's dead body, gun in hand, Sam knows what she has to do.

When she goes to the scene of the crime, the last thing she expects is for the ghost of Ethan’s ex to be there. Getting an entity to talk is never easy, but this time, the ghost is being spiteful. Gwen wants Ethan to suffer. Because Ethan doesn’t know she can speak to the dead, Sam has to sneak around to try and exonerate him.

Will Sam risk having her heart broken by telling Ethan, and can she get the spirit to talk before it’s too late?

Buy Links:

Decadent Publishing: https://decadentpublishing.com/secrets-of-the-dead/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W1L6LX2/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-the-dead-shiela-stewart/1008584825?ean=2940162538202

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/secrets-of-the-dead/id1552432453?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_toolbox

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/secrets-of-the-dead-17

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1067767

Books also available in Paperback.


Author Bio:

Shiela Stewart is a paranormal suspense author with a writing history that stems back to her youth. Always a dreamer, wondering if her stories would ever reach an audience, she was finally published in 2006 and hasn’t stopped since. It is rare to find a stand-alone book as she prefers series stories. Her longest running series to date is her Darkness series which is a vampire romance.

Her joy for scary suspense is evident in each of her books. She has had several accomplishments including fighting for the top spot in rankings with author Stephenie Meyer, receiving glowing reviews as well as interviews on television. 

When not writing, Shiela spends her time with the love of her life, William, and their children and grandchildren. She enjoys getting her hands dirty, working in her gardens and planting flowers. Her strong affection for animals is evident in the many cats, fish and birds she cares for. 

Her favorite time of day is at sunset.

Links: 

Website: www.shielastewart.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiela.stewart

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shielastewart


Friday, March 17, 2023

#NewRelease from Lisabet Sarai: OPENING NIGHT

I'm happy to welcome Lisabet Sarai to Journeys with Jana. Her new release, OPENING NIGHT, is a historical gay romance set in the theatre world, Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Welcome Lisabet!

A Lifelong Passion

When I was five years old, my parents took me to see my first Gilbert and Sullivan concert. I remember it surprisingly well. Organized outdoors as part of a summer music festival on the Boston Common, the performance featured the legendary Martyn Green from the D’Oyly Carte Opera company – the same troupe that originally mounted William Gilbert’s and Arthur Sullivan’s comic operas in the nineteenth century.

My father and mother were both G&S aficionados. The family must have had phonograph records of at least some of the operettas, because I could sing many of the songs by the time I was in my teens. Certainly we took advantage of whatever opportunities came along during my childhood to indulge ourselves in the topsy-turvy world of the famous pair. 

The day I met my husband-to-be, he happened to mention that he was a G&S fan. I will admit, I took this as a sign that we were meant to be together. Later, he and I lived in a town that had its own G&S amateur group, who mounted a different operetta every year. Those were heady days! My parents would often travel cross-country to join us in what became a beloved ritual. During those years, I believe we saw performances of the entire G&S catalog.

Though not as generally popular as The Mikado or Pinafore, Ruddigore is probably my favorite Gilbert and Sullivan opera. This is partly due to the hints of darkness – Sullivan’s music echoing the eerier strains of Mozart’s Don Giovanni – but also the humor. The paradoxical logic that allows Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd to argue his way out of the witches’ curse is some of the best comic sleight-of-hand in any G&S play. Ruddigore also includes one of the most outstanding female characters in the oeuvre, Mad Margaret – a village woman driven to insanity by her passion for Ruthven’s Bad Baronet brother Despard. (Yes, I know, just the sort of person to whom a romance author would be drawn...)

There’s another bit in Ruddigore, though, that gave me the initial idea for Opening Night. Rollicking seaman Dick Dauntless is the foster brother and (supposedly) the bosom friend of the disguised Ruthven, and loudly proclaims his love for his brother in one of the scenes. What if that scene were to develop into a homo-erotic confession? I wondered. And then I thought about the possible repercussions, during the straight-laced Victorian period, if Gilbert were to find himself falling in love with another man.

Opening Night quotes liberally from the original play (courtesy of my mother’s Complete Works of Gilbert and Sullivan, which I inherited), but I admit to playing fast and loose with both history and the plot. I hope the result justifies this distortion – and that Gilbert would recognize the romantic appeal of my artistic license.

If you’ve never experienced Ruddigore, you’ll find a variety of recordings on YouTube, for instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litYduyL1Xw

And for those of you who don’t have the patience to watch the opera... you might enjoy this four minute summary of the plot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeHbS8aA6TQ

In any case – I hope you’ll also check out my story!


Blurb:

Let your heart be your compass

It’s January 1887, a few days before the opening of the audacious new operetta “Ruddigore”. As if librettist William Gilbert doesn’t have enough to worry about, one of the D’Oyly Carte stars breaks his leg doing the horn pipe. Fortunately, the understudy Frank Wilson turns out to be immensely talented, as well as devilishly handsome. Wilson has set his heart on Gilbert – and he’s not going to be swayed from his course.

Excerpt:

Gilbert found Wilson down by the Embankment, smoking and staring at the river. The sleet had stopped but the sky was still piled with leaden clouds. He watched the young man for a few moments before calling out to him.

The understudy had a distinct grace about him as he lounged against the rail. He wore a gray worsted overcoat and felt bowler with a hat band of green silk. He half-turned, revealing an elegant profile, and Gilbert noticed the matching cravat. Gilbert wondered how the young man could afford such snappy clothing on an actor’s wages.

“Mr. Wilson!”

Frank faced Gilbert. His face was alight, glowing like a misplaced sun in the grimy dusk. Gilbert took a deep breath. Yes, the lad was handsome, with classic features, a cleft chin, and dimples that spoke of mischief.  It was more than that, though. Despite his youth, this man had presence, a powerful attractiveness that drew the eye and the heart. Charisma, that was the word.   

“Mr. Gilbert.” Wilson deliberately mashed his cigarette out against the iron rail. “What’s wrong, sir?”

“Are you up on the Dick Dauntless part? The lines? The songs?”

The light in the young man’s face brightened. “Yes, of course. Why? Is poor Mr. Lely ill? How unfortunate!”

Gilbert was not deceived by the concerned words. Wilson was burning to take over the injured tenor’s role.

“He has suffered an accident and is effectively incapacitated as far as the play is concerned. However, we cannot afford to delay the opening. We resume rehearsals at four o’clock.”

Frank Wilson beamed. “I’ll be there.” He climbed the steps to Gilbert’s side, and took his arm. The director caught a whiff of scent, lilac with some sharper undertone. “May I accompany  you, sir?”

Gilbert swore that he could feel the heat of the other man’s flesh, even through the heavy wool coat. He swayed on his feet, suddenly woozy. Damn, Kitty was right, he was coming down with the grippe, if not something worse.

Frank steadied him. Gilbert had an impression of great strength.  He felt a momentary impulse to give in, to do nothing but lean against the solid young man and be supported, succored. He was so very tired of all the tension, the conflicts, the bickering of the cast, the acrimonious exchanges with Sullivan. How easy it would be, to yield to this handsome young man...

A few chill drops of rain on his face woke him from his reverie. He extricated himself from Wilson’s arm and strode back up the slope to the theater. “Come on,” he called, “the cast is waiting.” He didn’t need to look back to know that Frank Wilson was scrambling after him.   

Buy Links:

Amazon  US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXCJVLC1

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BXCJVLC1

Smashwords –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1354766

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/opening-night-lisabet-sarai/1143156836?ean=2940166025562

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/opening-night-17

Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6445998898

Add on Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123174847-opening-night


About Lisabet:

Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website (http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html), along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com), she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on Goodreads, Pinterest, BookBub, BingeBooks and Twitter

Join her VIP email list here: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh



Friday, March 10, 2023

#NewRelease: Candy, Cigarettes and Murder by Brenda Whiteside & Joyce Proell

 Brenda Whiteside is back with another new release, this time a cozy mystery written with co-writer Joyce Proell. Welcome ladies! I wish you much success with your new series.

 


Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder

A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery Book 1

by Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside

Genre: Cozy Mystery 

It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.

Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?


**NEW RELEASE!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


**Coming Soon September 2023!!**



Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.


Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads



Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won't discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.


Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


Journey to a Cozy Mystery  
by Joyce Proell

My interest in mysteries took flight in third grade. At one of my favorite places, the children’s section of the public library, I spotted an eerie cover and was immediately intrigued. I couldn’t wait to get home and devour The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy. Suspenseful, I’ll admit, yet after many years, I can’t recall a thing about the raggedy mummy or the plucky kids who solved the crime. What the book did do is encourage me to read more books of a similar type. Thank goodness for the Trixie Beldon series. Her neighborhood crime solving escapades delightfully fed my curiosity.

As I got older, I drifted to Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers’ stories featuring the clever Lord Peter Wimsey. Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Tony Hillerman had my interest. For a time, I focused on British mystery authors like P.D. James, Anne Perry, Elly Griffiths, Anne Cleves and Martha Grimes, reading each book upon publication. I read American authors who set their series in England. Even Nordic Noir received its share of attention, as did historical mysteries and the lighter stories of M.C. Beaton and Elizabeth Peters. If you’ve not read her Amelia Peabody series, you’re missing out. Her stories, usually set at an archeological dig in Egypt are bright and funny. Deborah Crombie, Elizabeth George, Charles Todd, Jacqueline Winspear, C.S. Harris, Victoria Thompson, Kate Morton, Charlaine Harris, Rhys Bowen are just a few of my favorite mystery writers. A practical person might wonder where I found all the time to read.

I wonder, too. Maybe I’m a fast reader. In truth, I love mystery—dark or light, historical or contemporary, serious or funny. The sub-genre doesn’t really matter. Finding the killer does. Once the crime puzzle is set, I race to the end. And if by chance, I figure out who did it before the principal character does, I feel a great sense of satisfaction.  

So it wasn’t a big jump that after writing two romances, I glided into romantic suspense with my Cady Delafield series. When my dear friend and fellow writer, Brenda Whiteside approached me with a series proposal about two sister sleuths, I got excited. The premise is fashioned after Brenda and her sister’s respective birthday dinners and always includes a Chocolate Martini. Thus, it made sense to title the series The Chocolate Martini Sisters. In the stories, the bond between the sisters, Emma and Nic, is as important as the murder. They are as diverse as they are similar. Nic is creative, intuitive and impulsive. Emma is analytical, fact-driven and careful. They are each other’s best friend and equally enjoy solving a caper. They are all about solving a mystery.

Candy, Cigarettes and Murder is the first in this series. I hope you are intrigued and excited to read about the lively sisters and their perplexing capers. I certainly had a blast writing about them.    

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon