Vicki Batman & 'Temporarily Insane' @VickiBatman @GoddessFish #RomCom #Mystery

Today we have author Vicki Batman visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Award-winning author, Vicki Batman, has sold many romantic comedy works to the True magazines, several publishers, and most recently, a romantic comedy mystery to The Wild Rose Press. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and several writing groups. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"

A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * No man. Bad job. And Murder. Hattie Cooks is still searching for her dream job and one might be available...in the Big Apple, far from friends, family, and Allan Wellborn, the man who still makes her heart race. In the meantime, she finds temporary employment at an accounting firm where two auditor friends turn up dead.
* Detective Allan Wellborn dropped Hattie for Blonde Bimbo who, coincidentally, is employed at NLB where fishy things are taking place. When Allan interviews Hattie, he must determine why all signs point to her as a suspect.
* Can Hattie discover why Allan dumped her and who is murdering auditors before death strikes again? ~ Excerpt ~ * His legs were kinda knobby in knee socks. What could be underneath? He was sorta on the thin side. So maybe, they were skinny? However, if he wanted to meet girls, his geeky socks had to go. “Stuart, the look you’re sporting is from the fifties. I’m telling you girls don’t go for guys wearing socks with sandals.”
* Stuart scratched the side of his nose while considering what I’d said. “Okay.” He sat on the threshold step and took off the sandals, then the socks.
* I leaned over to watch. He was right—Stuart had ugly legs. Ugly. Scrawny. Very gorilla-hairy legs. Yet firm calves. I shuddered. If his legs were like this, what…
* Don’t go there. Don’t go there. Buy Temporarily Insane here... Amazon Find Vicki Batman here... eMail | Facebook | Goodreads | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Twitter | Website | Plotting Princesses | Sisters of Suspense Thank you for joining us here today, Vicki Batman! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Vicki Batman will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

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a look at Tara Quan & 'Feline Valentine' @LaylaTarar @decadentpub #RomCom #Paranormal

Today we have author Tara Quan visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Globetrotter, lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels, Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic contemporary locales, paranormal worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Her characters, armed with magical powers or conventional weapons, are guaranteed a suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after. To receive updates about her new releases and get a free sexy read, subscribe to her mailing list at www.taraquan.com/newsletter.

What are you going to tell us about today?

* A year ago, I released Fireworks at Midnight, thinking I would leave the world of A Witch’s Night Out forever (I’d planned the series as a trilogy). Unfortunately, my characters had other plans. Since I’d sicced Madame Eve on her cat familiar, earth mage Shelley Dupree insisted I make things right. To be fair, I’d already given her a magical handicap, forced her under house arrest, and buried her in bills—taking away her feline companion did seem a cruel and unusual punishment.
* It took me two months of fictional time to even the scales with Feline Valentine. Part of Decadent Publishing’s 1Night Stand series, my interracial paranormal romance is set in Washington, D.C., where magic-wielding folk try to live alongside us pesky humans. It’s my first true “shifter” AND “foodie” romance (talk about ticking two boxes with one book), and a quick read of the blurb should tell you what I mean.
* To celebrate this unexpected return to my favorite series, I’m giving away a $15 gift card. To enter, leave a comment here and drop your details in the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.
~ Blurb ~ * Under magical house arrest in her great-grandmother’s suburban cottage, college graduate and reluctant earth mage Shelley Dupree whiles away most mornings spying on the warlock next door. Though erotic daydreams offer some distraction, she faces long working hours, cash flow problems, and a repeat burglar. On Valentine’s Day, she sets a trap for the mysterious intruder, intent on ending his crime streak once and for all. But her scheming cat familiar foils her best-laid plans, and, with a little help from Madame Eve’s 1-Night Stand service, she discovers a far more dangerous species of magical feline.
* After moving in next to a ramshackle building on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., pastry chef Adrien Chatdurois is plagued by repeat sexual fantasies starring the same curvy brunette. In a state of constant arousal, he devotes his early mornings to grueling exercise and spends the rest of his day handcrafting the city’s best chocolates. When his younger brother stirs up trouble on the shop’s busiest day, the frustrated shifter is forced to pay a surprise visit on his reclusive neighbor. He soon learns not all witches are wart-covered hags, and one in particular might prove the most delicious of desserts.
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Interracial/Multicultural
* Check out the rest of the series here!
~ Excerpt ~ * Her doorbell rang.
* An ominous crack followed the box’s impact with her yellowed kitchen floor. Sweat dampened the back of her neck. She must have imagined the sound. Her doorbell had been broken for weeks—months even. She’d taped a scribbled sign telling food delivery people to leave items on the porch. No one other than her family ever visited.
* Everything, including the array of curiosities in front of her, must be part of a hallucination brought on by prolonged celibacy. Sweets wouldn’t dare sic Madame Eve’s service on her. Everyone Shelley knew who’d used it had—
* Ding dong.
* Okay, she could fix this. She’d meet the guy and tell him to scram. No way could the matchmaker’s mojo work in less than five seconds.
* Muttering curses under her breath, she marched past the counter, through her makeshift office, and across the small living space, to stop in front of the thick wood barrier. Peepholes hadn’t been in vogue back when this place had been built. Since she hadn’t bothered to switch out the bulbs after the porch lights died, she couldn’t have discerned more than shadowy shapes regardless.
* Pulling her shoulders back, she summoned her inner bitch. She had to run the guy off. Failure would end in disaster. Acting rude and obnoxious was a matter of determination, persistence, and effort.
* She swung the door open.
* The warlock next door stared back at her.
* Her next breath erupted as a cough. “F—udge cakes.”
* As opening lines to Shelley Channeling the Shrew went, she could have done better. She blamed her parents. No matter how many times she’d thought, read, and heard four-letter expletives, she couldn’t shake the ingrained childhood habit of modifying them for polite company.
* It didn’t help that the man had a brown cake box sandwiched between his waist and left arm. Responding to the stimuli, her stomach had short-circuited her brain and demanded sustenance—ideally, in the form of fudge cake. Her gaze dropped to the bottle clasped in his hand. She’d had a champagne craving since this morning.
* Her hunky neighbor’s green eyes had widened to a comical degree. Perspiration beaded his forehead. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. When his mouth opened, no sound came out.
* What did he have to be shocked about?
* Of course, only now did it occur to her she could have pretended not to be home. Just because someone rang the doorbell didn’t mean she had to answer.
* It would be so rude not to, her goody-two-shoes inner voice who sounded suspiciously like her mother countered. I raised you better.
* As she contemplated slamming the door, an act that met with immeasurable resistance from the metaphorical angel on her shoulder, her neighbor croaked, “It’s you.”
* As first exchanges between potential soul mates went, this might be one for the books.
* At least the guy came with more than one bribe. A covered plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries balanced precariously on his other palm. Her gaze drifted over his bare forearm and along tensed biceps. The short sleeve of his red T-shirt accentuated his muscle definition.
* Her mouth watered. Her gluttonous heart did a little flip. She couldn’t settle on what tempted her more—the food or the warlock.
Buy Feline Valentine here... All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo | Like it on Goodreads Find Tara Quan here... Amazon | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Newsletter | Pinterest | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, Tara Quan! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Tara Quan is giving away a $15 Gift Card (Amazon, ARe, B&N, iBooks, or Kobo)! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below.
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Shelly Hickman & her Fortytude series @shellyhickman @GoddessFish #RomCom

Today we have author Shelly Hickman visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Living in Las Vegas since she was two, Shelly Hickman has witnessed many changes in the city over the years. She graduated from UNLV with a Bachelor of Art in 1990, and in her early twenties worked as a computer illustrator. In the mid-90s, she returned to school to earn her Masters degree in Elementary Education. She now teaches computer literacy and media technology at a middle school in Las Vegas. She loves to write about people, examining their flaws, their humor, spirituality, and personal growth. Shelly lives with her husband, two children, and their dogs, Frankie and Junebug.

Today Shelly Hickman will be talking about how she became a writer and what inspired her in regard to the story she's promoting.
* Though I’ve enjoyed writing from the time I was in high school, I never really had aspirations to become a writer. My career is actually in teaching and my writing had always been sporadic. After my daughter passed away in 2000, I wrote my first book Believe, which had no other purpose for me than to work through my grief. I had started the manuscript before Sydney’s first of several relapses, so the story was something I came back to again and again.
* Years later, my niece told me that she knew someone who had a small publishing house and asked me if I would like her to give this person a copy of Believe. Long story short, she liked the story and offered to publish it.
* Believe is contemplative and metaphysical—not the tone I write in now. My second book, Somewhere Between Black and White, moved more toward the romantic comedy genre that I now favor, but also addressed some deeper concepts.
* I’ve always had a love of romantic comedy films, which is probably why I enjoy writing romantic comedy so much. Because it can be a challenge to find light-hearted novels with middle-aged characters, that was partly my inspiration for writing Vegas to Varanasi and Menopause to Matrimony. Plus, since I’m middle-aged (as hard as that is to accept), we write what we know, right?
* Each stage of life comes with its own challenges, and I think trying to find humor in those challenges is what helps get us through this crazy life.
A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * BLURB FOR VEGAS TO VARANASI
* Anna has never been the beautiful one; she’s always been the nice one. So when the gorgeous man sitting across the table at a wedding reception remembers her from high school—and quite fondly at that—she’s taken off guard.
* Formerly overweight and unpopular, Kiran has never forgotten Anna, the one person who was kind to him when no one else could be bothered, and Anna’s a bit flustered as she slowly comes to grips with his intense attraction for her.
* In what feels like a romantic dream come true, all-grown-up, hunky Kiran invites Anna

Genevieve Gannon & 'Chasing Chris Campbell' @gen_gannon @GoddessFish #RomCom

Today we have author Genevieve Gannon visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Genevieve Gannon is a Melbourne-based journalist and author. She wrote stories for music and fashion street press magazines while at university before moving to Canberra to do a journalism cadetship.
* In 2011 she joined the national news wire, Australian Associated Press, where she covered crime, politics and entertainment. Her work has appeared in most major Australian newspapers including The Age, The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.
* She currently lives in Melbourne where she is a court reporter. At night she writes romantic comedies.

Today Genevieve Gannon will be talking about how the process of publishing is terrifying.
* The process of creating a book is riddled with anxiety. Plot holes keep you up at night. The fear of rejection is constant. When I signed a contract to have two manuscripts turned into ebooks I thought the stress would subside. But as the launch date drew near I found myself having nightmares. The reason? Reviews.
* A recurring bad dream involves me being pulled into a small room for a review by a Melbourne newspaper (delivered orally because of dream logic). The timid woman, dressed like a high school examiner, is nervous and doesn’t want to tell me the outcome.
* “What is it?” I ask. “Is it bad? Is it two stars? They gave me two stars didn’t they? One star? Don’t tell me it’s only one.”
* The woman wraps her grey cardigan around herself and says, without meeting my eyes: “They didn’t give you any stars. They gave you a possum in the gutter.”
* “A possum in the gutter?”
* She nods grimly, eyes on the floor.
* This doesn’t make sense. But it can’t be good.
* Ebooks rarely receive newspaper reviews. This nightmare of a newspaper paying any sort of attention to my work is far more than I can hope for. But it’s precisely because newspapers won’t pay attention that I’m nervous. Any reviews the book garners will come from the internet. The amorphous, grumpy, indignant, unrestrained internet.
* To be clear, I’m not talking about bloggers. My ebooks are chick-lit and I’m yet to find a blogger in this genre who isn’t passionate and fair. I’m talking about customer reviews.
* If you’re a debut author looking to introduce a little terror into your life, scroll through the reviews on a site like GoodReads or Amazon. Whatever excitement you’re feeling about your forthcoming book will vanish faster than dignity at buck’s party. The reviewers on these websites are savage. If they do not like your book, they will hack it to pieces. Customer reviews can at times be akin to the comments section in a news article: “Crap!” readers blast in a single-word response. Then they go to the kitchen to make some ice-tea, oblivious to the eager, hopeful author scanning their Amazon book page to feedback.
* I recently read a book by a woman whose work I admire and adore and hurried to GoodReads to assign it some stars. I gave it a score of four out of five. (I reserve fives for books so compelling they force me to retreat from life until I’ve finished reading.) This book was not a five, but I thought it was funny and heart-warming and clever.
* The internet disagreed. One reviewer labelled it a “sour, muddled defensive screed against anyone who has pissed the author off in the last thirty years”. Another described it as “insecure ramblings … sugar-coated by weak, insecure meta-analysis”.
* Of course they weren’t all like this. But as a first-time author the prospect of one such review is terrifying. Particularly when you consider the critical napalm rained down on authors like Elizabeth Gilbert. As her most popular book is a memoir, her reviews are troublingly personal.
* “Get over yourself you juvenile dimwit,” one reader hissed.
* Another describes the book, East Pray Love, as “the monologue of neurotic American princess Liz” and suggests it “should have been printed on softer paper (about 3 ply would do it)”.
* It’s true that Gilbert’s supernova star power is likely to attract significantly more criticism (good and bad) than other writers. But even the most obscure of us are not immune to the anger of the internet.
* I once wrote an article the Sydney Morning Herald published online about cheaters’ website Ashley Madison. The piece opened with a line about how my future husband’s wedding ring would be soldered to his finger, to prevent infidelity. The internet did not get the joke. It did not like what I was implying and it let me know in no uncertain terms. The comments section was peppered with judgments and pointed personal comments.
* The internet, I learned firsthand, has no restraint. It insulted me and made insinuations about me because I’d written an article. I knew about trolling, of course, but hearing about something and feeling a wave of snide outrage crash into you are two quite different things. And at least with the article I could comfort myself that it wasn’t me they were reacting to but the subject I had written about.
* This is not so for a work of fiction. From the first keystroke of your novel to the final full-stop, every moment is one you created.
* About three weeks from P-day (publication day) I was on GoodReads doing research for this post. I was feeling grim.
* HarperCollins had just told me my ebook was up on NetGalley and reviews would soon start flowing through.
* Was my humble novel going to be eviscerated? Worse, would anonymous reviewers start making inferences about me because of what I told my characters to do?
* I clicked through to my GoodReads author page where a handful of users had started to add my book to their virtual shelves. There was something new. Four little yellow stars lit up next to my work. I sat up straight, surprised. Somebody had read my story, and they had liked it. My anxiety drained away. I had been so worked up about the bad reviews I’d forgotten that there was every chance I would receive good reviews. I remembered how much pleasure I’d had from the book I’d recently given four stars on GoodReads and realised someone else felt the same way about my story. I thought about this anonymous reviewer laughing at my characters, and perhaps nodding along as they recognised feelings and situations from their own lives. A warm feeling filled my chest and I remembered why I had started writing in the first place.
* I realised even though I would have to take the bad with the good, when it comes to reviews, the good is wonderful.
A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Violet is saving money: living on rice and beans and denying herself chocolate eclairs all in the name of saving for a home deposit. Once they save enough, she and Michael can buy a house, settle down and live happily ever after. But when Michael does the unthinkable, Violet is forced to rethink her life choices.
* A chance encounter with Chris Campbell (first love, boy-next-door, The One That Got Away) spurs her into

K.L. Brady & '12 Honeymoons' @KarlaB27 @GoddessFish #RomCom #AfricanAmerican

Today we have author K.L. Brady visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. Her writing career started in the pages of diaries when she was 7 or 8 years old. But it wasn’t until her 40th birthday and an Oprah “Live Your Best Life” moment that she finally answered her calling and wrote her first novel–The Bum Magnet. The originally self-published novel was picked up by Simon & Schuster in a two-book deal, and K.L. hasn’t looked back since, penning the follow-up, Got a Right to Be Wrong and self-publishing the first books in two young adult series and a spy thriller series based on her 20+-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
* She has a B.A. in Economics, an MBA, and is a member of the Maryland Writer’s Association, Romance Writers of America, Sisters In Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She’s addicted to writing and chocolate—not necessarily in that order—and currently lives in the Washington D.C. area with her son. She is hard at work on several projects, including the next installment of the series.

Today K.L. Brady will be talking about how she became a writer and what inspired her in regard to the story she's promoting.
* I’ve been writing since I was 7 or 8. My mother told me I was an early reader and she bought me diaries with locks on them to encourage my writing. My personal journey into publishing came on the heels of a major break up and right before turning the big 4-0. After a "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?" moment, I dug deep down and finally decided to explore this gift.
* I never thought I could be a published author.
* To me, authors were like gods on Mt. Olympus that worked a special brand of magic unavailable to mere mortals to write my favorite books. They didn't sit down and grind every day and type. Oh, what a rude, but happy, awakening it was when I realized how wrong I'd been. This is definitely something that everyone can do, but you have to work really hard to do it well, and consistently well, through every book. I wrote my first book in four months, published it a year later—and it was eventually picked up by Simon & Schuster. The rest, as they say, is history. That was six years ago, this year (2015), and I'm eight books in now. Pretty incredible journey.
* 12 Honeymoons: A Novel came from a thought I had about finding one’s true purpose.
* Some people are born knowing exactly who they want to be. From young ages the show some talent or predilection for something and they spend their lives fostering and honing their gifts to fulfill that purpose, which may involve making a boat load of money.
* Some people don't have a clue about who they want to be. Zero. They drift from the thing of the moment to the next thing of the moment and find their purpose from a process of elimination.
* The people in my group, the third group, are born knowing is exactly what their callings are from a very young age, but they don't trust it. They doubt their calling, they doubt their ability to achieve it. So they wander through life, from the thing of the moment to the next thing of the moment, trying to figure out what they've known all along.
* That's the story at the heart of 12 Honeymoons--the search for the true calling, wrapped in a story about finding true love. Who are we kidding? Both have very similar processes--just change "thing of the moment" to "boyfriend of the moment." Sometimes we know "the one" at first sight. Other times, it's a process of elimination. And yet other times, we know but we have to go through a process of elimination to figure out what we've known all long.
* Miki, the main character, is so enamored with the beginnings of things (the honeymoon phase) that she never lets life go beyond the honeymoon period. So she can't get past herself to find what it is (or who it is) that really makes her tick.
* 12 Honeymoons is mostly about Miki's journey to figure it all out. But there's other good stuff in there too.
* Pam, her best friend, lies in the opposite end of the spectrum. She's known from a very young age that her calling is to paint. But under the weight of adult responsibilities and a shaky marriage, her dreams of being an artist got buried--that is until she meets a man who helps release the inner artist bottled up within. The problem is he's not her husband--and she's going to have a lot of choices to make about how to keep her dream alive...and whether or not to save her marriage.
* I hope the readers enjoy this new story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Miki Vincent's entire life stalled because

A Look At Tara Quan & 'Submissive on Display' @LaylaTarar @decadentpub #BDSM

Today we have author Tara Quan visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Globetrotter, lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels, Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic contemporary locales, paranormal worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Her characters, armed with magical powers or conventional weapons, are guaranteed a suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after. Learn more at www.taraquan.com


A look into...

* It’s been an age since I’ve had a new release. Like my heroine Naomi Price, I’d allowed life to get in the way of what I love, resulting in a significant production gap since Fireworks at Midnight came out last year. Perhaps for that reason, I’ve allowed my naughty side to run amuck in Submissive On Display.
* Part of Decadent Publishing’s 1-Night Stand Series, my interracial BDSM romance is set in Las Vegas at the renowned Carnivore Club, a multi-author world first penned by Kate Richards. Despite my best efforts to be dark and kinky, I only succeeded at the latter. A light-hearted play on the reluctant lovers trope, my novella is a romantic comedy, replete with a Dom in distress, a reluctant submissive on a white horse, and an adorable German shepherd determined to unite the two.
* To celebrate my return to BDSM romance, I’m giving away a $15 gift card. To enter,

Violet Howe & 'Diary of a Single Wedding Planner' @Violet_Howe @GoddessFish #RomCom

Today we have author Violet Howe visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Violet Howe enjoys writing romance with humor. She lives in Florida with her husband, who is her knight in shining armor, and their two handsome sons. They share their home with three adorable but spoiled dogs. When she’s not writing, Violet is usually watching movies, reading, or planning her next travel adventure. You can follow Violet’s ramblings on her blog, The Goddess Howe.


A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Wedding planner Tyler Warren left heartbreak behind when she ran away from her small Southern hometown and started a new life in a big city. Years later, she wants to believe in the fairy-tale endings her job promotes, but the clients she meets day after day seem to be more “Crazily Ever After” than “Happily Ever After.”
* Meanwhile, her own attempts at romance play out as bizarre comedies rather than love stories, and she’s starting to think Prince Charming either fell off his horse or got eaten by a dragon. When unresolved issues from Tyler’s past complicate things even further, she discovers she may yet have some things to figure out before she can find her own happy ending.
* This delightful first book in the Tales Behind the Veils series chronicles Tyler’s wacky misadventures, both personal and professional. Whether she’s getting insane requests from brides or outlandish requests on dates, you’re sure to be charmed and entertained by the Diary of a Single Wedding Planner.
~ Excerpt ~ * I laughed at Mel and cringed at the memory she referred to. I was probably sixteen at the time, and my mother’s best friend had insisted

D.E. Haggerty & 'Jack Gets His Man' @denaehaggerty @GoddessFish #RomCom

Today we have author D.E. Haggerty visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* I was born and raised in Wisconsin, but think I’m a European. After spending my senior year of high school in Germany, I developed a bad case of wanderlust that is yet to be cured. My flying Dutch husband and I have lived in Ohio, Virginia, the Netherlands, Germany and now Istanbul. We still haven’t decided if we want to settle down somewhere – let alone where. Although I’ve been a military policewoman, a commercial lawyer, and a B&B owner, I think with writing I may have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up. That’s assuming I ever grow up, of course. Between tennis, running, traveling, singing off tune, drinking entirely too many adult beverages, and reading books like they are going out of style, I write articles for a local expat magazine and various websites, review other indie authors’ books, write a blog about whatever comes to mind and am working on my sixth book.

Today D.E. Haggerty will be talking about how she became a writer and what inspired her in regard to the story she's promoting.
* It was only after I tried several professions including military policewoman, commercial lawyer, and B&B owner, that I realized that I would never be satisfied until I at least gave writing a chance. Although I’ve always written stories, poems, songs, and even one hideous book when I was 12-years old, I never thought of writing as a career choice. Coming from a lower middle-class background, I assumed being a writer was for the intelligentsia. But then the world changed. The Internet arrived as did Amazon and was followed soon after by ebooks and self-publishing. My husband encouraged me to take a manuscript I’d written while on hiatus from being a lawyer out of the attic to self-publish it. I thought why not? And the rest is – as they say – history.
* The novel I’m currently promoting, Jack Gets His Man, is the second book in the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives series. I wrote the first book, Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem, because a good friend of me told me I had to try and write a funny chick lit novel. She loves my blog posts, which she claims are funny and she just knew that I could write a humorous story. I wasn’t so sure but then I had this crazy idea about a 40-year old widower who got caught up with a murder case and I was off!
* While writing Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem I discovered writing romantic comedies is fun! My earlier books are all serious stuff. In fact, Life Discarded, which I wrote just before Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem, was the most difficult book I’ve written. It was draining on my psyche to write a novel about emotional abuse and rape. So when reviewers said they’d love to read a book about Jack, the best friend of the protagonist, I couldn’t resist writing another fun novel. I just had to get over the wide of writing a novel from a gay man’s perspective. Once I let those fears go, I was all in! A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Everything seems to be going well in Jack’s life. His store is busy making money hand over fist and his best friend has found love. The new bookkeeper at the store discovers things aren’t actually as they seem. Someone is playing fast and loose with the store accounts. Jack’s bestie and his knitting group fancy themselves detectives and jump at the chance to solve Jack’s problems. When they aren’t re-enacting scenes from Mission: Impossible, they’re setting Jack up on dates and generally insinuating themselves into his love life. They’re determined to find love for Jack as well as his missing money. Will Jack catch a thief or find love? Either way Jack’s going to get his man. ~ Excerpt ~ * “Look,” Tommy said as he looked anywhere but at Jack. “I appreciate you coming out here and all, but I’m not interested.”
* Jack bristled. Not interested? How could the man not be interested in him? He was good-looking, owned a successful business, and was tons of fun to boot.
* “Sorry, sorry. I’m saying this all wrong.” Tommy took a deep breath and leaned forward. “I’m not gay,” he whispered.
* Okay, now Jack was confused. Normally men whispered that they were gay. Not the other way around. He leaned back in the booth and crossed his arms across his chest. “Okay. What’s going on?”
* “Betty and her gals have been trying to set me up with every woman within a thirty mile radius. It’s driving me absolutely batty. Do you know what it’s like to be the only single man at church and have every old biddy there trying to set you up with their daughter, niece, granddaughter, second cousin. Everyone!” He threw his hands up in surrender. “It’s fucking exhausting.”
* Jack chuckled. “I can only imagine darling.”
* “Exactly. I thought if I told them I’m gay, I’d be off the hook. Because, let’s face it, you don’t want to be on their bad side.” Tommy leaned forward and whispered. “You know some poor woman pissed them off and they put ex-lax in a special batch of brownies just for her. I don’t touch the cookies anymore.”
* Jack let his gaze slide up and down Tommy’s body. “No, I don’t imagine that you do,” he drawled.
* “Thanks.” Tommy might not be gay but he had absolutely no problems with Jack checking him out. What a shame he didn’t play for Jack’s team. “Anyway, I’m really sorry about this but I didn’t want to say this on the phone. Plus,” Tommy’s eyes pleaded with Jack. “I would really appreciate it if you didn’t tell them I’m straight.”
* Jack chuckled. This was new. He was, unfortunately, used to hiding people’s secrets but usually it wasn’t because they were straight. “What do I get out of it?”
* “Dinner?”
* Jack waved his hands. “It’s fine. I totally understand. The ladies can get a bit pushy.” Tommy snorted. “Yeah, yeah, more than a bit. But I love them.”
* “I don’t know whether I love them or want to strangle them. When they’re attention is on someone else I want to worship at their conniving little feet. But when they sink their claws into me, I want to scream like a little girl and go hide.” Buy D.E. Haggerty books here... Jack Gets His Man | Unforeseen Consequences | Buried Appearances | Begraven in het Verleden | Life Discarded | Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem Find D.E. Haggerty here... Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, D.E. Haggerty! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! D.E. Haggerty will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

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A Look At Cara Bristol & 'Stolen Moments' @CaraBristol @GoddessFish #RomCom #Short

Today we have author Cara Bristol visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Cara Bristol continues to evolve, adding new subgenres of erotic romance to her repertoire. She has written spanking romance, contemporary romance, paranormal, and science fiction romance. No matter what the genre, one thing remains constant: her emphasis on character-driven seriously hot erotic stories with sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Cara has lived many places in the United States, but currently lives in Missouri with her husband. She has two grown stepkids. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading and traveling.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story, Stolen Moments. A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Is it crazy to be jealous of a fictional character?
* While Mary Sue is proud of her construction-worker husband Billy's new-found success as an author of spanking novels, she also finds herself resentful of Beverly Golightly, the fictional heroine who gets everything Mary Sue wants: her man's undivided attention, lots of hot loving, and many delicious spankings.
* But is Mary Sue's jealousy any crazier than the plan she hatches to recapture her husband's attention? ~ Excerpt ~ * She whirled around and planted her hands on her hips. “Are you going to sit there or are you going to give me a hand?”
* Billy smiled, unfolded himself from his chair and sauntered over to her. “I’m going to give you two hands.” He ducked his head to snuggle against her neck and squeezed both ass cheeks.
* “Billy!” She protested with a wiggle, but giggled all the same. “We have to get the kitchen cleaned up.”
* “Okay.” He kissed the other side of her neck, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. He wrapped one arm around her waist, cupped the V between her legs with his other hand, and pulled her against him.
* “I’m serious,” she said, but rubbed against his hard-on, which prodded her lower back. Victory! He grinned, and slid his hand up to cover her breast. He thrummed the nipple.
* “What else needs to be done?” From what he could tell, she’d finished everything: stowed the leftovers, put their few plates in the dishwasher, and wiped off the counters.
* “I don’t know…things.” She rolled her head to the side, baring her neck. Her nape and throat were very sensitive. Paying attention there offered an almost surefire way to put her in the mood.
* Billy followed the slope from ear to shoulder, kissing and nibbling. Mary Sue shuddered.
* He smiled against her skin.
* “What are you laughing at?”
* “Not laughing.” He shook his head and drew a circle with the pad of his thumb over a hard bead poking through her tank. He loved the tight, skimpy tops she wore. Around the house, she went braless. Something else her alter ego emulated. Only Beverly had pranced around town like that—which had led to a spanking and a lecture on modesty by the heroine’s boyfriend. Billy brushed his lips over Mary Sue’s ear. “You want to move this to the bedroom?”
* She slipped out of his hold, and with a teasing smile, said, “I think maybe the oven needs cleanin’.”
* “I’ve got something for the oven, but it doesn’t involve cleaning.”
* Mary Sue half groaned, half laughed. “That is so bad. I hope you write better than that!”
* “Darlin’, writing is the last the thing on my mind right now.” Buy Stolen Moments here... Amazon - US | Amazon - UK Find Cara Bristol here... Amazon Author Page | Blog/Website | Facebook | Google+ | Newsletter | Tsu | Twitter Thank you for joining us here today, Cara Bristol! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Cara Bristol will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

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A Look At Lynda Simmons & 'Perfect Fit' @LyndaMSimmons @GoddessFish #RomCom

Today we have author Lynda Simmons visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Lynda Simmons is a writer by day, college instructor by night and a late sleeper on weekends. She grew up in Toronto reading Greek mythology, bringing home stray cats and making up stories about bodies in the basement. From an early age, her family knew she would either end up as a writer or the old lady with a hundred cats. As luck would have it, she married a man with allergies so writing it was.
* With two daughters to raise, Lynda and her husband moved into a lovely two storey mortgage in Burlington, a small city on the water just outside Toronto. While the girls are grown and gone, Lynda and her husband are still there. And yes, there is a cat – a beautiful, if spoiled, Birman.
* When she’s not writing or teaching, Lynda gives serious thought to using the treadmill in her basement. Fortunately, she’s found that if she waits long enough, something urgent will pop up and save her - like a phone call or an e-mail or a whistling kettle. Or even that cat just looking for a little more attention!

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My Romantic Comedy: Perfect Fit. A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Fast-paced, funny and incurably romantic
* Rachel Banks has never believed in magic or moonlight, but if she’d thought that putting a piece of wedding cake under her pillow would conjure up a nightmare in the form of blue-eyed charmer Mark Robison, she’d have stuffed that cake into her mouth instead! Mark is only in Madeira Beach for some much needed R&R and his new neighbour is not the kind of woman made for vacation memories. But there’s something about the incurable romantic that just keeps drawing him back.
* Jennifer Crusie. Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Lynda Simmons? Oh, yeah! ~ Excerpt ~ * Amanda snapped on her gear and opened the front door. “That was chance. But this.” She picked up a couple of bags. “This is fate.”
* Rachel stopped in the doorway. “Do you really believe that? Do you think it’s possible for two people to be destined for each other? Like soul mates.” She shook her head. “Forget it. Let’s go.”
* Amanda blocked the way. “Who did you meet?”
* “No one, and I’m late.”
* Amanda planted her skates sideways. “You cannot do this. Not after I told you about the real estate broker.”
* Rachel looked through the fringe of Amanda’s bangs into her frank green eyes and wondered if she should take a chance. “Let me ask you this. Have you ever heard of dreaming on a piece of wedding cake?”
* “Sure, it’s an old custom. Like walking to church because it’s lucky and passing on a green wedding gown because it’s not. But most people serve the cake for dessert these days.”
* Rachel tried a smile. “Not all.”
* “Someone gave you cake to dream on?” Rachel nodded and it was Amanda’s turn to laugh. “Don’t tell me you did it.”
* When Rachel didn’t answer, Amanda’s mouth dropped open and her voice rose. “You did, didn’t you?” She put the bags down. “Okay, I need details. Did you have a dream?”
* It was on the tip of Rachel’s tongue to say no, to deny that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. But she found herself nodding and watched Amanda’s eyes grow even rounder.
* “Did you see him? The man you’re supposed to marry?”
* Rachel took comfort in the fact that her friend had been sucked into the fantasy as easily as she had and nodded a third time.
* Amanda stepped closer. “Alright, this next part is really important. Where exactly did they get this cake?” Buy Perfect Fit here... Amazon Find Lynda Simmons here... Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, Lynda Simmons! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card! So be sure to use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-vbt-perfect-fit-by-lynda-simmons) for a greater chance of winning!

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A Look At Mari Mancusi & 'A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur’s Court' @marimancusi @GoddessFish #romcom #historical

Today we have author Mari Mancusi visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Mari Mancusi is a two-time Emmy award-winning television producer and author of novels for adults and teens. A graduate of Boston University, she now lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and young daughter. When not writing or producing she enjoys traveling, snowboarding, reading fantasy novels, and her favorite guilty pleasure: video games.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My historical, romantic comedy story, A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur’s Court.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ "Sparkling debut...a nice twist on the modern girl's search for prince charming." -- Publisher's Weekly
* Once upon a time there lived an outspoken fashion editor named Kat, who certainly was not your typical damsel in distress. But when a gypsy curse sent her back in time to the days of King Arthur, she found she'd need every ounce of her 21st century wits (and pop culture references) to navigate the legend. After all, surviving a magical plot, an evil prince, and a case of mistaken identity--all without changing history or scuffing your Manolos--takes some doing!
* Luckily, she's got her very own knight in shining armor, Lancelot du Lac, on her side. The honorable-to-a-fault and devastatingly handsome champion insists on helping her out, even though she's not quite sure she wants him to. After all, shouldn't he be off romancing Queen Guenevere or something? Will Kat manage to stay out of trouble long enough to get back to her beloved lattes, cosmopolitans and cashmere? And what will Lancelot's forbidden love mean for the kingdom of Camelot? ~ Excerpt ~ * "Tell me, lady, what is the future like?" Guenevere begs, eagerness dancing in her blue eyes. "I must know! Is it too wonderful for words?"
* Hm, What part of the future does she want to know about? I mean, should I inform her that she and Lancelot are destined to get caught in a compromising position? That their betrayal leads to the downfall of Camelot? Or should I gush on about the modern wonders of indoor plumbing, stretch fabric, and vodka-and-Red Bulls?
* No, I'd better keep on track—warn her about Lancelot. Seems more important than, say, an in-depth discussion of the miraculous invention of deep-dish pizza, no matter how good it tastes—compared to, let's say, pigeon.
* "You want to know the future? I gotta tell you, Guen, it's not looking so good for you and Lance. In fact, you might want to stay away from the guy. From the movies I've seen, King Arthur's knights, who are, like, totally jealous 'cause Lance is such a good knight, persuade Arthur to pretend to go hunting so you think you're alone in the palace. You go to get some action—I mean, you go make love to Lance— then they charge in on you and catch you together in his bedroom. They"—I clear my throat, not wanting to bear the bad news—"sentence you to burn at the stake."
* Guenevere laughs—not a chuckle either, but a full-on, bellyaching laugh. She falls back onto the bed to continue her unabashed snickering, not taking me a bit seriously, obviously, and I feel a bit offended. Maybe I should have introduced her to the concept of microfiber purses and air-conditioning instead.

Buy A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur’s Court here...
Amazon

Find Mari Mancusi here...
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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

ANNOUNCEMENT! Mari will award a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly selected 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-book-blast-connecticut-fashionista) for a greater chance of winning!

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