A Look At Alison Packard & 'Hearts on Fire' @Alleyfics @GoddessFish #romance #vegas

Today we have author Alison Packard visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada where she’s still getting used to the blistering summers and the slot machines in every grocery store.
* When not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habits, Alison spends most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My contemporary romance, Hearts on Fire.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Country music star Jessie Grant has it all. An amazing voice, a string of multi-platinum albums, and a sold-out concert tour. But just before her Hearts on Fire tour rolls into Las Vegas, her lead guitarist is badly injured and is unable to play. Desperate to find a replacement before the night of a televised live show, Jessie is forced to accept help from the last person on earth she wants to see again.
* Drew Carmichael has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best up-and-coming musicians in Nashville, without cashing in on his renowned father’s name. When Jessie’s manager calls and asks him to fill in for her band’s injured guitar player, he agrees to help Jessie out even though she cut him out of her life four months ago.
* In Sin City, sparks fly between Jessie and Drew, and it isn’t long before they give in to their mutual attraction. But when the dark past Jessie has successfully hidden for ten years explodes in the media, their tenuous bond is put to the test, and both Jessie and Drew must learn to trust each other if they don’t want their newfound romantic relationship to go up in flames. ~ Excerpt ~ * As if sensing she was being watched, she turned and their gazes collided across the stage. Her smile faltered as the seconds ticked by. She remained rooted to the spot, so he moved forward. One of them had to make the first move; it looked like it would be him.
* “Hey,” he said as he halted in front of her.
* She thanked the roadie, who smiled and left them to attend to Tara and Renee.
* “Hello,” she replied, her tone formal and her eyes guarded. “Thank you for agreeing to help us out.”
* “You’re welcome.” He rested his arm along the top of his favorite guitar, a Fender Strat that he’d bought when he was sixteen, after years of saving his allowance and hoarding the money he’d earned doing odd jobs around town.
* Although his father had made good money and left them fairly well-off after he died, his mom always believed that he should learn the value of money. It was a lesson he’d learned well, and to this day, he hadn’t touched one dollar of the money his father had left him. He wanted to make something of himself on his own terms, not because he had connections or an inheritance.
* “Wally gave me the set list yesterday. It looks like it’s pretty much the same as before,” he said, after an uncomfortable silence.
* “For the most part.” Jessie tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “The only difference is, I’ve changed up the order so that some of my older stuff is sprinkled throughout the set. Works better that way.”
* He nodded. “So what the hell happened to Kenny? Wally said he broke his arm?”
* Jessie rolled her eyes. “The damn fool decided to take a swan dive off the stage, and because he’d had a couple of fireballs before the show, he miscalculated how close the audience was to the stage and fell smack dab onto the concrete floor.”
* Drew gasped, equally shocked and amused at the picture she’d painted. “Jesus. Are you serious?”
* Her lips curved upwards with a ghost of a smile. It was something, even if it wasn’t the usual mega-watt smile she gave him when they used to hang out together. “It’s true. I couldn’t make something like that up. Broke his arm in two places.”
* “Ouch.” He winced, thinking of the pain Kenny must have been in. “So he’ll be laid up for a while?”
* “Looks like it,” she said. Then, without warning, her tone turned frosty again, and the laughter vanished from her eyes. “Well, we should get started. Do you feel comfortable with all the songs?”
* “Yeah. I could do them in my sleep,” he said, then frowned. “Did that sound cocky?”
* “No. Just confident.” Her unreadable eyes roamed over his face. “Wally wants us to do a duet.”
* “I know.”
* He’d taken a look at the sheet music and recognized the song immediately. Anybody who’d ever attended a wedding in the last twenty years would probably be aware of the hit ballad that was popular in the early ‘80s. It was a nice song, and one that would suit his and Jessie’s harmonies to a tee.
* “I’m not sold on the idea, but he seems to think it’ll be good for the CMT taping.”
* “Whatever you decide is fine with me.” He brushed his hair back from his eyes and held her gaze. “I miss talking to you, Jessie,” he said, unable to stop himself.
* Her eyes flickered with some unknown emotion, which vanished as quickly as it came.
* “We should get to work. Time’s a wastin’.” And with that, she turned her back on him, moved to the center mic near the front of the stage and never looked back.

Buy Hearts on Fire here...
Amazon - Kindle | Amazon - Print | Smashwords | iTunes | B&N | Kobo

Find Alison Packard here...
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | B&N Author Page

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

ANNOUNCEMENT! The author will award a $10 Amazon or BN GC to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment AND use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Also, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-blurb-blitz-tour-hearts-on-fire) for a greater chance of winning!

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A Look At Alison Packard & 'Breaking His Rules' @Alleyfics @GoddessFish @carinapress #romance #sports

Today we have author Alison Packard visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada where she’s still getting used to the blistering summers and the slot machines in every grocery store.
* When not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habits, Alison spends most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My Contemporary Romance: Breaking His Rules

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Losing fifty pounds is an incredible achievement. But for Melissa Atherton, progress doesn’t come with praise—a scathing comment from an evil cousin at a bridal shower threatens to crush her new self-esteem. Who will she bring to the upcoming wedding? Showing up without a date would be humiliating. It just isn’t an option.
* Personal trainer Jake Sawyer was attracted to Melissa before she lost weight, but her progress has him floored. When she admits she plans to hire a male escort—and why—his heart all but breaks. Melissa’s come too far to be knocked down, especially by her own family. He’ll go as her date…and figure out a way to keep his hands to himself.
* But when a steamy hotel room encounter takes them both by surprise, Jake balks. He’s sworn never to date one of his clients, not again. And Melissa can’t bear to be just friends with the man who treated her so tenderly, even if it was only for a weekend. Jake’s helped her see she’s strong enough to stand up for herself, but will she find the strength to pursue the only man who’s ever seen the real her? ~ Excerpt ~ * “Jake. There’s something I have to tell you.” Melissa pointed a pale pink-tipped finger at him. “It’s important.” She paused to stare deeply into his eyes and when her tongue stroked her lips with a soft sensual lick, Jake had to fight the urge to lower his head and do what he’d wanted to do all night. Taste that tempting mouth of hers.
* “You gotta fight for your right to party.” Her impish smile and the sound of the elevator doors opening snapped him out of the sexual undertow that had almost pulled him under and he guided her out of the elevator and onto the carpeted hallway of the second floor of the hotel. “I love that song,” she added, oblivious to the effect she was having on him.
* “Yeah. I could tell by the way you were belting it out in the truck.” Jake pulled the room key card from the back pocket of his jeans as they reached their room.
* “Thanks for letting me pick the radio station.”
* He let go of her to slide the card into the card reader and open the door. “You’re welcome.”
* “Whoa, Nellie.” Melissa clutched at his arm as she swayed to the side. “Sorry. It’s the shoes,” she said as she steadied herself.
* “I think it’s the tequila shots.”
* “No. It’s the shoes,” she said emphatically as she let go of him and moved into the room. “I don’t normally wear heels this high.”
* Jake grinned and shook his head as he closed the door and tossed his keys and the card on the dresser. Melissa’s tolerance to alcohol was much like that of his brother, J.T., who after a couple of beers was pretty much toasted. Odd for a guy J.T.’s size, but true nonetheless.
* “And you normally drink two beers and four shots of tequila?”
* “It was only three shots.” A cute frown furrowed her brow. “I think.” She flung her purse on the bed and put her hands on her hips as she turned to face him. Her eyes raked boldly over his body. “You know what? I bet I could teach you to dance.”
* “I know how to dance. I’m just not good at it.”
* “That’s because you don’t practice.” She snapped her fingers and did a little shimmy. Jake’s breath jammed in his throat at the sight of her full breasts bouncing under her form-fitting top. “You can’t improve if you don’t shake what your mama gave you.”

Buy Breaking His Rules here...
Carina Press | Kindle | All Romance eBooks | Nook | Kobo

Find Alison Packard here...
Website | Facebook | Twitter

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

ANNOUNCEMENT! Alison will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment AND enter via the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-tour-breaking-his-rules) for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Look At Alison Packard & 'Catching Heat' ~ Mid Week Tease ~ @Alleyfics @CarinaPress #Romance #sports #MWTease

Today we have author Alison Packard visiting. Since she's sharing an excerpt from her story, I figured it'd make a good Mid Week Tease, too. :) Welcome, Alison!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and now live in Southern Nevada. Even though I’ve been here for ten years, I’m still getting used to the scorching summers and the slot machines in every grocery and drug store.
* When I’m not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over my head, and supports my book and junk food habits, I spend most of my free time writing. But when I take a break, I enjoy reading, watching movies, and spending time with my family and friends.

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 current release, Catching Heat, is part of my Feeling the Heat series with Carina Press. Although I believe you can read the books out of order and not get confused, the actual order is: Love in the Afternoon, The Winning Season, A Christmas for Carrie (a holiday novella) and Catching Heat.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* I’ve been a fan of marriage of convenience stories for a long time and as I was writing my second book, The Winning Season, I decided that the secondary characters of Angie and J.T. would be the perfect candidates for that particular trope.

Describe the hero in five words.
* Drop dead gorgeous, honest, caring and athletic.

Describe the heroine in five words.
* Responsible, wary, creative and an excellent baker.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* That’s a tough one. I like all the characters in the book, even the not so nice ones. LOL. But if I have to choose one, I’d have to say Angie. For a very good reason, she has a certain mindset regarding men, especially professional athletes. Seeing her evolve over the course of the book was extremely satisfying.

What's your favorite line in the story?
* “But now that you mention it, I’ve tasted your muffin and I wouldn’t mind tasting it again.”

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Life has taught Angie DeMarco that all baseball players are womanizers, and her incredible one-night stand with sexy San Francisco Blaze back-up catcher J.T. Sawyer seemed to prove it. Determined not to give in to their sizzling chemistry a second time, she’s kept her distance ever since, focusing on her accounting job with the team. But now she’s laid off…and pregnant.
* J.T. was hurt by Angie’s rejection, but with one more year with the Blaze, he has no time for love. He needs to spend the off season training hard so he can negotiate a better contract with a new team at the end of the year. But when Angie shows up on his doorstep, he‘s overwhelmed by wanting to not just do right by her but pursue a relationship with her. Hoping for a second chance, he proposes.
* Angie agrees to marry J.T. on one condition: the marriage will be purely a business arrangement. But as Angie spends time with him and his family, and J.T. neglects his training to spend time with her, what begins as a union in name only slowly grows into something more—something that looks a whole lot like love and friendship.
~ Excerpt ~ * “What are you doing here?” he asked, more harshly than he’d intended. A twinge of guilt hit him but he quickly got over it. They’d had a one night stand—end of story.
* Angie loosened her arms from over her chest to push her hair back. Something she did quite frequently. “I—I need to talk to you.” She paused, bit her lower lip and continued, “It’s important. May I come inside? I don’t want to talk about it in the hall.”
* “Why not?” He fished for his keys in the pocket of his jeans. “This should be interesting,” he muttered as he unlocked the door and hit the light switch by the door as he moved inside. “Sorry about the mess. I’m packing up to head home.” He waved a hand toward the boxes still strewn around the room. Some of them were packed and taped up, but a few were still waiting to be filled.
* “When are you leaving?”
* “Sunday morning.” He closed the door to find Angie standing with her back to him, surveying the disaster that was his living room. It was the perfect opportunity to check out her ass, showcased to perfection in the snug black pants she wore. When she turned, he forced his gaze upward to meet hers. She had the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen—a startling blue that reminded him of the aquamarine gemstones that glittered in the necklace his mother wore on special occasions.
* “Sacramento, right?” Angie fidgeted with the strap of her purse on her shoulder, then clasped her hands together in front of her. She seemed nervous. Why?
* “Yes.” J.T. set his keys on the table next to the entry. “So why are you here?”
* “Now that I’m here, I’m not quite sure how to say it.” She paused and took a deep breath before exhaling. Her face had turned pale and there were dark shadows underneath her eyes. Whatever she had to say seemed to be weighing heavily on her. But what could it be? Was she sorry for avoiding him for weeks? Was she sorry she’d gotten engaged?
* Angie let out another breath. “I’m pregnant.”

Buy Catching Heat here...
Carina Press | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Find Alison Packard here...
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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

What is Mid Week Tease? Mid Week Tease is an event hosted by the wonderful Sandra Bunino where authors spotlight a few lines or a paragraph or two from their stories. Readers, you get to sample some delicious snippets and be teased, titillated and tantalized into the weekend!

Visit these other wonderful authors for more MWT goodness!