A Look At London Saint James & 'Dark Tales Diaries' ~ @LSJRomance @LoveBitesSilk @evernightpub #bdsm

Today we have author London Saint James visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* London Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt “at home” until she met the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who thinks he owns them.
* As an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author, London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring characters running around in her head would pay off someday.

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?
* Thanks for having me on your blog to talk about my Dark Tales Diaries. It is a series of short stories in the Romance on the Go Line through Evernight Publishing. Dark Tales Diaries: Volume One is the book that starts the series followed by volume two. Book three is in the works.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* The inspiration for this BDSM series of short stories sparked from a casual conversation with the love of my life. Two words, “Dark Tales,” poked at me. From there, I sat down and typed non-stop. Dark Tales Diaries: Volume 1 and the life of Tristan Blackthorn spilled out upon the “pages” of my laptop.

Describe the hero in five words.
* Loyal. Risk-taker. Dedicated. Inventive. Handsome.

Describe the heroine in five words.
* The heroine is only alluded to since the hero is looking for her, but here’s her description as the hero remembers her: Playful. Sexy. Intelligent. Clever. Funny.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* Of course Tristan is my favorite because he is the hero who’s searching for his lost love and whom the series is written around, but in book one, I got a kick writing about Mistress Guinevere in Red Stilettos.

What's your favorite line in the story?
* In book one when Tristan’s sister, Adelle is berating him for wasting his time and money looking for “some girl” in an attempt to get him to stop searching for her. When Adelle asks him why he’s jeopardizing their birthright, etc. he simply says:
* “For love, Adelle. What else is there?”

A look into

~ Blurb ~ * For years, Tristan Blackthorn has toiled to find his lost love. He finally decides to use Blackthorn Printing, along with his newly created Dark Tales Diaries, as a way to find her. Will her story be one of the three tales in Volume One?
* Mistress Guinevere’s calling card is her Red Stilettos. She specializes in a particular fetish and always maintains her control, until a man from her past returns to test her will.
* A recently divorced woman experiences the effects of empty nest syndrome after her twins head off to college. With the clock ticking away, she decides it’s far past time to seek out something that has always eluded her. Will she find what she’s looking for with The Leather’s Edge?
* And a bored computer programmer learns what it’s like to feel sexual freedom after being bound by a Master in Safe Word.
Be Warned: bondage, anal sex, sex toys, fetish
~ Excerpt from Red Stilettos ~ * “Really?” His onyx-colored eyes met me, and held me there with him. Stare for stare, we were locked in a secret power play for dominance.
* “We never worked well together,” I said. “You’re a dom, and I’m a dom, and neither is willing to give.”
* “Baby, you’re a switch. You like to dominate, but you also like to be dominated.”
* “No. I’m not,” I protested.
* “You always liked it when I took the control,” he said, assuredly. “With one word, you were wet for me.”
* “I like being in control. And I have no intention or interest in being submissive. Not for you, not for anybody.”
* “How long are you going to keep telling yourself that lie?”
* I stood up, pissed off and ready to rage. “Marcus, I don’t have to explain anything, justify my life and my choices, or put up with your shit. I think your time is up. I’d like to say it was good seeing you again, but that would be a lie.”
* “You’ve always lied to yourself when it comes to me and how I make you feel.”
* “You don’t make me feel anything, Marcus. Get over yourself.”
* I marched to the front door. Marcus followed behind me. I reached for the knob, and was stopped by his large hand as it covered mine. He placed his mouth to my ear. His warm breath tickled across my cheek.
* “Guinevere,” he said in a low, deep growl. Immediately, my sex trembled.

Buy Dark Tales Diaries: Volume 1 here...
Evernight Publishing | Amazon - US | Amazon - UK | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Barnes and Noble

A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Blackthorn Printing made a splash in the publishing world with the introduction of Dark Tales Diaries, yet despite his efforts, Tristan Blackthorn isn’t any closer to finding the woman he seeks. Unwilling to give up on his lost love, his search for Keira continues in Volume Two.
* A voyeuristic moment leads an astronomy professor and his assistant to a steamy endeavor on The Observation Deck.
* An invitation for cocktails has the reclusive woman who lives in 204-B pondering why the handsome, wealthy owner of her building would invite her to anything. Does she have enough guts to go to The Top Floor?
* And a Maestro strikes the right cord with a young and talented cellist who is trying to find her passion.
* Be Warned: voyeurism, bondage, spanking, sex toys, anal sex
~ Excerpt ~ * “Come on, Tristan,” Keira said, giggling playfully as she shut her diary.
* “What new story have you added? One of love? Intrigue? A tale of the forbidden?” I inquired while eyeing the leather bound book.
* Keira laid it aside, and rose to her feet. “I’ll read them to you, someday.”
* She slipped out of her white cotton dress, leaving her sandals in the wake of snow-colored material at my feet. I leaned my back against the trunk of the tree, pretending to rest, but in truth, rest was the furthest thing from my mind.
* Keira twirled on the ball of her foot, more graceful than any dancer.
* “Do that again,” I said.
* The sun broke through the leaves on the trees, and set her long raven tresses into brilliant highlights that shimmered in deepened shades of blue-black. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She alone encapsulated perfection, with her small, pert breasts slightly covered by her long hair, and when she moved, the gumdrop point of a pale-pink nipple peeked through some of the strands. She raised her arms above her head, giving me a full view of her extended frame, and did something of a provocative pirouette before turning to face the pond.
* Her slender waist gave way to rounded hips that swayed seductively as she tiptoed, nude, toward the edge of the water. She stuck one toe in, and looked at me over her slender shoulder. Her jewel-green eyes penetrated my soul.

Buy Dark Tales Diaries: Volume Two here...
Evernight Publishing | Amazon - US | Amazon - UK | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Barnes and Noble

Find London Saint James here...
Website | Blog | Facebook | Facebook Author page | Twitter | Pinterest | Kindlegraph | Goodreads

Thank you for joining us here today, London Saint James! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your stories.

A Look At Emma Calin & 'Shannon’s Law' ~ @EmmaCalin @GoddessFish #music #action

Today we have author Emma Calin visiting. Welcome!

......Thank you so much for letting me showcase my forthcoming steamy action-romance novel SHANNON’S LAW. It’s the second in my PASSION PATROL series - stories where sassy female cops lock up the criminals and always get their man.

......February marks the start of my “Pinterest Reveal Virtual Book Tour” in the run-up to the launch on the 28th February 2014.
......Every day there are feature posts on topics relating to SHANNON’S LAW on blogs all around the world. They’re all linked together on one big Pinterest Board. Each post replaces a ‘mystery’ silhouette that was posted in January. I saved all my notes and photos as I was writing, on a private Pinterest Board and now I can share them with you.
......Today’s subject is: Music of Shannon’s Law – Workout to Purgatory Hill

Purgatory Hill ......Music plays quite frequently in Shannon's Law.
......My heroine trains hard on her mountain bike to keep fit. She used to buzz around the streets of London – but has now been relocated to the more rural Fleetworth Green. She listens to music to keep up the pace.
......One of my own favorite albums to work out to is the raunchy rock of Pat Macdonald’s “Purgatory Hill” It was inevitable my heroine Shannon would inherit my taste in music.
......I first came across Pat Macdonald’s music in my twenties, in a post-punk group called “Timbuk3.” I believe they only had one hit in the UK : “The Future’s so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.” It was intended as a rather dark and ironic comment on the future – but it got hijacked as a bit of a theme tune for the graduating middle classes in those hedonistic days of the 80’s.
......Since then Pat Macdonald disappeared from the mainstream. He has been busy playing local gigs and has become an icon of the “Cigar Box” guitar scene. These guitars are literally made out of old cigar boxes and broom handles. They frequently only have 4 strings – 3 electric guitar strings and one deep bass string. The sound they make is absolutely RAW! Pat is more or less a one-man-band and gets this hard-rock bluesy sound that is so deep down and dirty it touches the corners of your soul. He is an incredible musician. I want one of these guitars and of course, Pat Macdonald to play it! It certainly gets my adrenaline going.
......If you have never heard cigar box guitar, here is a link to Pat Macdonald playing “Baby Love.”
......You can download their album here – spice up your workout!
A look into... ~ Blurb ~

......Wild child inner-city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of slave and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals.
......As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.
......Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.
......Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her.
......All issues are set aside, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission. Their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.
......Author's note: This book is quite 'strongly flavoured' and features uninhibited, but straightforward steamy sexual scenes between consenting adults and true-to-life street language that would occur in high-stress situations.

SHANNON’S LAW comes out on February 28th 2014 in print and digital formats for all e-readers.
Amazon sites are offering some great discounts for pre-orders of the paperback version: 29% off in USA & 12% off in the UK
You can pre-order the digital version at a pre-launch special price from Nook. It will also be available in all digital formats on Smashwords.
See this post and others from my tour as they go live on Pinterest. Click the Goddess Fish panel below to visit the other blogs in the tour because the more places you visit and comment on/enter at ~ the more chances you have of winning!

Follow Shannon’s Law on Facebook
Visit the Shannon’s Law Website for more book details and pre-order information.
RAFFLECOPTER DRAW
Win Amazon vouchers, copies of the book PLUS a free gift for every entrant (see prizes below).
ENTER DRAW HERE a Rafflecopter giveaway The draw will be made at random, by Rafflecopter on the 7th March 2013.
Companion Cook-Book
In addition to SHANNON’S LAW, I’m launching a companion digital cook-book with illustrated recipes for all the meals from the novel.
It’s called COP’S KTICHEN - Read the love story and taste the romance!
To celebrate the launch of SHANNON’S LAW, there is a special FREE gift for you in my RAFFLECOPTER draw. As well as great, unique prizes to win, EVERY ENTRANT will get their own digital copy of – COP’S KITCHEN. There are many ways to get bonus chances – by commenting on this post, liking Facebook Pages etc.

Main Prizes in the Draw
$30/£20/€25 Amazon Gift Voucher, 2 paperback copies of Shannon’s Law, 3 digital copies of Shannon’s Law.

Emma Calin was born in London in 1962. She currently lives in France and the UK. She has been writing since childhood and has won numerous local, national and international prizes for poetry and short stories. Find Emma Calin here...
Website | Twitter | Facebook | About.me page | Goodreads

A Look At Clarissa Johal & 'Struck' ~ @ClarissaJohal @GoddessFish @MusaPublishing #horror

Today we have author Clarissa Johal visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant, zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking photographs of gargoyles. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Struck.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * The shadows hadn't been waiting.
* The shadows had been invited.
* After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly. ~ Excerpt ~ * A bolt of blue-white lightning snaked from the sky and hit the ground in front of her. The thunderclap that shattered the air was deafening. Gwynneth slammed on her brakes and skidded. It was a slow skid, or it seemed to be. Spinning around and around in a circle, she felt like she was watching herself from afar. Time felt like it was slowing. Oddly enough, she found herself wondering if there would be white or red flowers on Hannah’s casket. Or maybe none at all.
* Gwynneth’s face smacked against the steering wheel. Reality hit her along with the pain. She had forgotten to wear her seatbelt. She pressed her fingers lightly to her throbbing temple and winced. “Shit!” Thankfully, she was in one piece. Gwynneth opened the car door. Lightning lit the area and bathed her senses in a flash of blue-white. Icy rain hit her skin. Stupid! You left your jacket back at the funeral home. She ran around the car and checked all the tires. The back one was flat, and on top of that, her car was quite obviously stuck in a ditch. “Great.” She had no spare tire, she knew that for sure. She also had no idea which way led back to the retirement home. Her headlights cast a weak glow through the rain. Soaked to the skin and shivering, Gwynneth peered into the darkness. A muddy road meandered across saturated fields and off into nothingness.
* She sloshed back to her car and quickly turned the engine off. She certainly didn’t need a dead battery on top of a flat tire. “Okay, Gwen,” she said aloud, “you need to figure out what to do.” Rain ran in rivulets down her face and her tie-dyed T-shirt stuck to her like a second skin. I’m a soggy, shivering rainbow. She started to walk and cursed the fact that her cell phone wasn’t charged. Seth was always bugging her about that. “Suck it up, Gwen. It rains in Oregon too.” The inky blackness was disconcerting. Lightning intermittently illuminated the area like the flash of a camera. A snapshot of a road to nowhere. Gwynneth hoped that she was at least walking in the right direction. Her teeth were chattering so hard she was in danger of biting her own tongue. Thunder rolled up her spine and along her scalp like probing fingers.
* Her thoughts wandered back to Hannah. A diary. I wonder what she wrote about? She wouldn’t read it, of course, it was private. I’m sure she just wants me to throw it away so her children don’t either. A pang of loss sliced through the cold and Gwynneth shook it off. They had spent countless hours chatting and Hannah never mentioned a diary. She bit her lip. If she could only turn back time, Gwynneth would have told her how much their time together had meant. Hannah had always encouraged her to start painting again, but also understood why Gwynneth couldn’t.
* A loud ‘crack’ sounded and an iridescent white light surrounded her. Two things registered: a searing pain that ripped down her back and the ground which seemed to be pulled away from her at an alarming speed.
* * * *
* Blackness.
* Pain shot through the back of Gwynneth’s head as she opened her eyes. Somebody was standing over her. She tried to focus on the face, but it hurt too much. A cool hand slid across her forehead. She opened her eyes again.
* Pale, almost white eyes. High cheekbones, aquiline nose, and a well-shaped mouth. Long, white hair. Ageless. Beautiful, like a Michelangelo. All of those details registered with clarity before agony ripped through her body. She arched her back and cried out. The man murmured something into her ear which she couldn’t understand. She could feel the vibration of his voice and his breath on her neck as he gathered her in his arms. She opened her eyes and saw lightning fork to the ground silently behind him. She blacked out again.
Buy Struck here...
Musa Publishing | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Find Clarissa Johal here...
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author page

Thank you for joining us here today, Clarissa Johal! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Clarissa will be awarding an ecopy of STRUCK to three (3) randomly drawn commenters during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-virtual-book-blast-tour-struck) for a greater chance of winning!

A Look At K.F. Breene & 'Into the Darkness' ~ @KFBreene @GoddessFish #newadult #fantasy #urban #scifi

Today we have author K.F. Breene visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* A wine country native, K.F. Breene moved to San Francisco for college just shy of a decade ago to pursue a lifelong interest in film. As she settled into the vibrant city, it quickly became apparent that, while she thought making and editing films was great fun, she lacked cinematic genius. For that reason, her career path quickly changed direction. Her next goal was a strange childhood interest, conjured at the dining room table while filling out a form. For some reason, her young self wanted to be an accountant. Thinking on it now, she often wonders how she had any friends. Regardless, it was the direction she finally took.
* While she could wrangle numbers with the best of 'em, and even though she wore the crown as the most outspoken, belligerent accountant in the world, her mind got as stuffy as her daily routine. It was here that she dusted off her creative hat and began writing. Now she makes movies in her head, not worried about lighting, shutter speed or editing equipment. Turns out, a computer is much easier to manage than a crowd of actors. She should know, she was an actor at one time.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Into the Darkness.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * I’d always been different. I saw objects in the night where others saw emptiness. Large, human shaped shadows, fierce yet beautiful, melting into the darkness. I collected secrets like other women collected bells; afraid to fully trust lest my oddities be exposed.
* Until I saw him. He’d been gliding down the street, unshakable confidence in every step. It wasn’t just that he was breathtakingly handsome with perfect features. Something about him drew me. Sucked my focus to him and then tugged at my body. As his eyes met mine, I was entrapped.
* No one had noticed him. He’d been right there, just beyond the light, but only I had perceived.
* I had to know if he was real. Or maybe I really was crazy. And even when my secret box was blasted wide open, dangers hurled at me like throwing knives, I couldn’t stop until I unraveled his true identity.
* I just had to know.
* “She was fated to live.”
* “Then why must you save her?”
* “Often Fate is struck down by dumb luck.”
~ Excerpt ~ * Stefen approached the wide bed, looking down on the limp human, her angelic face devoid of color. Her arms rested on her chest, her body so still she looked dead.
* A shot of fear pierced Stefen’s chest. “Will she make it?”
* Luke’s head shook before he sighed. “She shouldn’t have made it last time. Yet she did. Something is holding her to this life.”
* “My blood helped last time. Will it help again?”
* Luke sighed, raising his eyebrows in a facial shrug. “If you can get her to drink, she might pull out of it. Might. She should be dead already; she’s largely catatonic. But…well, she survived last time, so who’s to say?”
* Stefen nodded, allowing himself to bestow his gaze back to this woman that had a firm hold on his vitals for reasons he couldn’t understand or explain. The only thing he knew with certainty was that she could not die.

Buy Into the Darkness here...
Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble

Find K.F. Breene here...
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Page

Thank you for joining us here today, K.F. Breene! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment, use the Rafflecopter below and visit the other tour stops (find them here: Goddessfishpromotions-virtual-book-tour) for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Look At Elyzabeth M VaLey & 'Blind Beauty' ~ @ElyzabethVaLey @evernightpub #lgbt #naughtyfairytale

Today we have author Elyzabeth M VaLey visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Defined as weird since she was about eight, Elyzabeth honors the title by making up songs about her chores, doodling stars and flowers on any blank sheet of paper and talking to her dog whenever he feigns interest.
* Losing the battle to the voices in her head is her favorite pastime after annoying her younger sister with her singing. Writing stories full of passion and emotion where love conquers all is her happy pill and she'll forgo sleep to make her readers live the dream.

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?
* Today I’ve come to tell you about my Naughty Fairy Tale, Blind Beauty. Blind Beauty is book 2 in the Witches’ Mischief series, The Golden Cock being book 1. However, both can be read as standalone novels.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* Well, after reading a review on The Golden Cock which asked what happened to a certain character, my muse also started to wonder the same thing. Before I knew it, I had a scene in my mind that would not go away and from that the series was established and Blind Beauty was born.

Describe the hero in five words.
* James Macintosh: Androgynous, considerate, intelligent, distrustful, courageous.

Describe the second hero in five words.
* Richard Brandywine: muscular, tall, kind, sexy, troublemaker.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* This is a hard question! I love all of them, but I think Soussanna is my favorite. She plays a small role in this novel, but a very important one for she is the witch. *wink*

What's your favorite line in the story?
* “I don’t care for scars, James,” Richard whispered, lowering his head so that his forehead was touching his and his dark hair was around them, creating a private curtain. “I also have scars. Inside and out, we all do.”

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * James Macintosh is hours away from his new home. He is ready to start a secluded life away from all the rumors, insults and disgusted faces concerning his appearance. However, a meeting with a mysterious woman and her child, mingled with a sudden harsh snowstorm will set him down a very different path than the one he had originally envisioned.
* Richard Randywine is an accidental fugitive living with a band of rowdy thieves. A good man at heart, he has gotten used to hiding his emotions behind his strapping muscles and brute strength. Yet, when the thieves ambush an unsuspecting rider, Richard is forced to drop his mask and step forward.
* Will both men be able to see what lies before them or will they be blind to the possibility of happiness?
Be Warned: m/m sex, multiple partners, menage sex (MMF), voyeurism ~ Excerpt ~ * He climbed atop his horse, as told. His back molded to Richard’s, his body betraying him as it molded into the other man’s embrace. Richard pulled him hard against him, his body enveloping him in an almost suffocating hug.
* “Go,” he whispered huskily into his ear, his breath fanning it. James pressed his thighs against Faith’s flanks, hoping the animal would understand, considering the strange position she was in. She did, for she set off at a trot in the direction Richard indicated. They galloped in silence, trees whirring by them, snow flying when they swept past. James’ eyes widened and he barely controlled the urge to order Faith to stop as he realized their impasse.
* “Richard, the hoof prints, the snow.” James pointed at the visible trail. “They’ll track us down as easily as the king’s hounds trace a fox.”
* Richard’s breath was warm in his ear. His hair tickled his temple and James had to suppress a shiver.
* “I know.” Richard chuckled. “Don’t worry. I have a plan, besides wishing that they’ll wake up during the night and we’ll be miles away by then or that it snows heavily again.”
* James wished he didn’t have to worry, but he couldn’t relax. The problem wasn’t so much the thieves that could pursue them at any moment, but the man behind him. He was too close, too comforting, and all too desirable. James shifted in his seat again, trying to find a comfortable position. One in which he wasn’t pressed up tightly against Richard’s groin. One in which James didn’t imagine he felt the length of Richard’s cock hard against him. Because, he was convinced it was his imagination. Otherwise, how could a man like Richard be interested in him?

Buy Blind Beauty here...
Evernight Publishing | Amazon - US | Amazon - UK | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Add it to your Goodreads

Find Elyzabeth M VaLey here...
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Thank you for joining us here today, Elyzabeth M VaLey! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

Looking for my Mid Week Tease? #MWTease

Looking for my MWT this week? Well, it's over at my other pen name's blog. Check it out HERE

Welcome special guest: author Alan Brenham ~ @alanbrenham @GoddessFish #Thriller #policeprocedurals

Those who know me know I'm an eclectic writer and reader, and along with romance, I love a dark, gritty read whether it comes in the form of horror, mystery, suspense, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only reader/writer like this, and it's one of the reasons I have guests of varying subjects visit my corner of the web.

Today I'm happy to welcome author Alan Brenham. Alan Brenham is the pseudonym of Alan Behr, an American author and attorney. He served as a law enforcement officer before earning a law degree. He worked first as a prosecutor then defense attorney for the next twenty-six years. His travels took him to several European and Middle Eastern countries, Alaska and almost every island in the Caribbean. While contracted to US military forces, he resided in Berlin, Germany for a few years. Alan and his wife, Lillian, currently live in the Austin, Texas area. He has authored two crime fiction books, Price of Justice and Cornered, and is working on a third titled Rampage.

So, Alan, what inspired you to become a writer?
* Inspiration came from a few different sources - the first being my experiences as a police officer and from cases I prosecuted or defended as an attorney. Police report writing about offenses was like drafting a non-fictional account of an event. As an attorney in a jury trial, a story had to be told to the jury using facts gleaned from testimony and exhibits. The next would be from the knowledge that other attorneys, such as David Baldacci and John Grisham, left law careers to write fiction. Reading novels by the former LA Times police beat writer, Michael Connelly, also inspired me.
* But the better question is who inspired me and the answer is my wife. She is my biggest supporter and cheerleader, encouraging me daily to write fiction.

When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
* My first fiction writing experience happened in 2010. It was a novel-length story that ended up buried deep inside a box stored under a stack of boxes in the garage, never to see the light of day.

How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
* In addition to the above attempt, I made a second effort at a fiction novel that’s sitting on a shelf. I may revise it and offer it for publication sometime in the future.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
* The best piece: Write the first draft out to completion. Read it through without doing any revisions. Once done, go back through it and revise until the manuscript is as perfect as you can get it.
* The worst piece: Write your novel without an outline or character profiles. Basically you’re writing by the seat of your pants with no complete idea who your characters really are.

The book you’re promoting, is it a stand-alone story or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, please list the order the books need to be read in for maximum reading enjoyment.
* Price of Justice is the first book in a series about Detective Jason Scarsdale and attorney Dani Mueller. The second book in the series is titled Rampage and is being written now.

What sparked the idea for the story/series?
* The core idea for Price of Justice arose from three cases I worked as a police officer and as an attorney. When I was a police officer, I caught an adult male in an alley, soliciting a teenager for sex.
* As an attorney, I represented a grandfather accused of child sexual assault. The case ended up being dismissed after the complaintant admitted to state officers that he had lied about the entire matter. The other case involved a pedophile who molested a very young girl.

*** Now for some fun info… ***
Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
* The only exotic pet I ever owned/raised was a baby raccoon. He’d lay on his back, holding the small baby bottle with his paws (like hands) for his three daily feedings of milk.

Which do you prefer: rain or sun & warm weather or cold weather?
* I actually prefer cold weather at least for the summer months. Texas summers are like living in an over-heated sauna.

If you could live anywhere in the universe, where would it be and why?
* The best place to live, in my opinion, would be Alaska in the summer and the Garmisch area in Germany in the winter. The scenery in both locations at that time of the year is magnificent. The temperatures are tolerable and the food is great.

If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed to have five modern conveniences with you, what would they be?
* 1. Solar-powered phone/satellite phone; 2. A hunting rifle with a scope; 3. A solar-powered watch with day/date; 4. A solar-powered desalination unit; 5. A solar-powered lantern

*** About Alan Brenham’s book… ***

~ Blurb ~ * His focus is on solving the murders—until the unthinkable happens…
* Recently widowed, Austin Police Detective Jason Scarsdale works to solve the murders of two pedophiles, while trying to be both mother and father to his five-year-old daughter. During his investigation, Scarsdale is forced to navigate between the crosshairs of two police commanders out to get him. Drawn to Austin Police Crime Analyst, Dani Mueller, who has also suffered tragedy, Scarsdale fights both his attraction and his suspicions that something just isn’t right…
* She is hiding a secret, one that could not only cost her a job—it could end her life…
* Dani hides a deadly past. After her daughter was brutally murdered, Dani exacted her revenge then changed her name and fled to Austin. But if her secret ever gets out, she knows there is no place she can hide from the murderer’s vicious family.
* Pulled into a web of malice and deceit, Scarsdale and Dani discover the value of breaking the rules. Then just when they thought things couldn’t get worse…they do.
~ Excerpt ~ * Scarsdale trudged into the courthouse, flashing his badge so he could bypass security. He stopped at the rear of a throng of people maneuvering to get an elevator. He checked to see where the four elevators were—one was stopped on floor three, another just arrived at the fifth floor and two seemed stuck on Eight. People elbowed their way closer to the doors—even he got jostled. A distinct odor of alcohol, mixed with cheap perfume and a trace of marihuana, made him sneeze a couple of times.
* Looking around, Scarsdale didn’t recognize anyone connected with his dreaded hearing. He leaned against the wall and let his thoughts drift. The events of the past five years flashed through his mind. The wedding Marcy refused to attend. Then Charity’s funeral—the second time Marcy had seen Shannon since she was born—gushing over her granddaughter, telling Shannon how much she missed her. Scarsdale stopped outside the big wooden courtroom doors. He stared at the brass door handles. What will the judge decide?
* His heart hammered against his chest. Taking a couple of deep breaths and swallowing hard, he pulled the courtroom doors open.

***Buy Price of Justice here***
Black Opal Books | Amazon

***Find Alan Brenham here***
Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Google+ | Pinterest

Thank you for joining us here today, Alan Brenham! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your work.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Alan will be awarding a $50 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-tour-price) for a greater chance of winning!

A Look At Ron Doades with Susan Sloate & 'Realizing You' ( @GoddessFish #Selfhelp )

Today we have authors Ron Doades with Susan Sloate visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Ron Doades is president of Ronald Doades & Company, a consulting firm that, since 1977, has helped the people of large and mid-size energy companies improve their individual and corporate performance results by learning from the best-practice experiences of others. A popular speaker on the topic of managing change for optimal results, he holds an MBA from Columbia University and an MS in Psychology from The New School in New York City.
* Susan Sloate is the author of twenty published books, including STEALING FIRE, a #2 Amazon bestseller and Quarter-Finalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, and FORWARD TO CAMELOT (authored with Kevin Finn), which in its first edition was a #6 Amazon bestseller, took honors in 3 literary competitions and was optioned for film by a Hollywood production company. She lives in Mount Pleasant, SC.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* Our book Realizing You: A Novel Approach To Changing Your Life.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Meet Robby Aihn, the newest star in the self-help universe and author of the runaway bestseller, Realizing You, now struggling with his first taste of fame. Though his five principles for good living are changing other people’s lives, his own life is starting to fall apart. When Robby stages a lavish self-help conference in Dallas, he attracts others with their own secrets: his estranged wife and unhappy teenage daughter; the businessman pursuing his own agenda; the all-star pitcher facing the end of his career; and the shy co-author Robby never acknowledged, who is searching for meaning in her own life. Join Robby and the others on their journey toward understanding and fulfillment, in this truly novel approach to changing YOUR life. ~ Excerpt ~ * Sophie was the last one awake. She lay tensely in the queen-size bed next to her mother’s until she heard Marie’s soft, even breathing. Certain that her mother was deeply asleep, she slipped out of bed, tiptoed to her suitcase, and took out the little pink and red bag. Inside nestled a print scarf and a multi-colored beaded bracelet. Both items still bore their price tags. She’d snipped the tag off only the tortoiseshell hair comb so she could wear it today. She took it from the nightstand, looked at all three items, shook out and stroked the glossy material of the scarf, then quietly tucked all of them back in the bag, which she pushed deep into her suitcase. She wouldn’t take them out again until she left Dallas. She’d never wear that stupid hair comb again. She told herself it wasn’t as pretty as she’d thought when she first saw it in the store. The stern little voice inside her head told her that wasn’t the reason.
* Sophie refused to allow herself to know what the real reason was.
* She hadn’t left Colorado with those items in her suitcase. Her mother didn’t know she had them. She couldn’t explain where she’d gotten them.
* But taking them had made her feel better. Everybody did it, at least once or twice. No big deal. She took a deep relaxing breath, thinking about how the act of lifting them from the counter made her feel, and realized she was finally getting drowsy. She crawled into bed, turned over, and was deeply asleep in three minutes.

Buy Realizing You here...
Amazon - Kindle | Amazon - Paperback

Find Ron Doades with Susan Sloate here...
Book Website | Susan Sloate Website

Thank you for joining us here today, Ron Doades & Susan Sloate! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment, use the Rafflecopter below and visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-virtual-book-tour-realizing-you) for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Look At Jewel Quinlan & 'Stealing Cupid’s Bow' ~ @JewelQuinlan @decadentpub #romcon #erotic

Today we have author Jewel Quinlan visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* From a young age, Jewel Quinlan had an abundant imagination and strong desire to write novels. She particularly enjoys writing paranormal and fantasy romance. An avid traveler, she has visited fifteen countries so far (which she enjoys using as settings in her novels) and has plans to see more of the world. She has a particular fondness for Bavaria and studies the German language as one of her hobbies. During the day, she works as a pharmaceutical sales representative and, at night, she writes romance. She currently lives in Orange County, California with her two dogs; Shimmer and Penny.
* For more information visit her website and blog or you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter (links below).

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?
* My new release Stealing Cupid’s Bow came out on February 12th. It is a single title Fantasy Romance.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* Things strike me at the most random times. I actually thought of this one on a Valentine’s Day a couple of years ago. It all began with the thought “What would happen if someone stole Cupid’s bow?” and then after that a whole serious of other questions followed “Who would do it? How would they do it? etc.” It all flowed naturally from there.

Describe the hero in five words.
* Powerful, sexy, gorgeous, disillusioned, kind

Describe the heroine in five words.
* Hopeful, loving, stubborn, determined, sweet

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* I absolutely love the main characters, of course. But there is also something about Donovan, Alexander’s right hand man, that makes me want to write a story about him. He is the classic stoic and cool kind of guy with a sharp eye that misses nothing. I feel a sequel coming on…

What's your favorite line in the story?
* She watched in awe as two sleek, giant, wings unfurled and stretched to their full wingspan, framing his silhouette.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Recently heartbroken, Raine Daniels arrives home in Las Vegas, Nevada, to help with her parents’ fortieth anniversary party only to discover they are planning to separate as soon as the last guest walks out the door. Everything she thought she knew—her very foundation is rocked to the core.
* When she learns that Alexander, the sexy stranger she’d sat next to on the plane, is really the god of love, Cupid—she asks for his help, but he declines. The god of love, now long divorced from Psyche and living on earth among mortals, no longer believes in love.
* Raine decides to take matters into her own hands, even if a god tells her she’s wrong. With her life falling apart around her and the solution seemingly within her reach she dares to try and make everything better. Unfortunately, she’s unprepared for the consequences of stealing Cupid’s bow … ~ Excerpt ~ * The man Alexander watched sank down on one knee while retrieving something from his pants pocket.
* Alexander changed his stance at the same time. Out of nowhere a bow appeared in his hands. He quickly notched an arrow from the right side of the quiver on his back. He drew and took aim, gazing along the shaft of the arrow.
* From what she could see there was only one target apparent in that direction: the woman.
* As he released the arrow, a scream rose from within her, but the sound caught in her throat. The gleaming shaft streaked across the space and sunk deep into the woman’s chest, emitting a shower of golden sparks on impact. A second arrow struck the man as well and another cloud of gold erupted. She stopped walking and, since their arms were linked together, Jane did, too.
* “Did you see that?” Raine asked.
* Jane glanced at her. “See what?”
* She pointed in the direction and her cousin peered up ahead.
* “What is it, Raine?”
* Her cousin wasn’t reacting at all and neither had either of their mothers. And none of the people that had passed right by the scene of the crime were disturbed. She looked again at the couple, afraid of what she might see…and blinked.
* There was no blood. No body lay on the floor. No arrow shaft stuck out from either of them. Quite the opposite. The woman was unharmed and glowing with happiness. She had accepted the ring and the man was now swinging her around in joy.

Buy Stealing Cupid’s Bow here...
Decadent Publishing | Amazon - US | Amazon - UK | Amazon - AU | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Barnes and Noble

Find Jewel Quinlan here...
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Thank you for joining us here today, Jewel Quinlan! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.