HIS DAKOTA BRIDE, book 5 of Dakota Hearts is now available! Read Chap 1 #amreading #asmsg

HIS DAKOTA BRIDE, Dakota Hearts Book 5

Her heart had always belonged to Wade McKinnon...

When single mother, Skylar Barnett, came to South Dakota, she thought her life was just beginning. Newly pregnant, she waited for the love of her life, Wade McKinnon, to join her so they could start their life near his family. But her joy quickly shattered after learning Wade was presumed killed during a tsunami that hit the small Asian island they'd both worked on in the Peace Corp. She'd spent the last four years making peace with her decision to marry a man she didn't love so her baby would have a father. But marrying the wrong man when her heart belonged to Wade was the biggest mistake of her life.

Secrets and circumstance kept them apart...

No one in Wade McKinnon's life knew that his work with the Peace Corp. was just a cover for his real job in a secret military agency. Not even Skylar, the woman he'd fallen hard for the moment he'd laid eyes on her. But when his mission in Asia suddenly became too dangerous and all agents in the field were ordered to disappear, using the tragic events of the tsunami on the island where they'd met seemed like the only way to keep Skylar and their unborn baby safe until the situation cooled down. As much as it killed him, Wade stepped aside when he learned Skylar had moved on with another man. But now that she's free, he's determined to do everything he can to win back her love and claim the life they'd dreamed of sharing.


Available NOW!

http://bit.ly/1eRxzN6 https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IDa5AgAAQBAJ

 

His Dakota Bride ~ Chapter One:

The McKinnon clan didn’t need a reason to get together and celebrate, but this Labor Day weekend they were going to get one.  Homecomings were always a good cause for a party.  But this was one homecoming no one was expecting.
He parked his car in the driveway under a shady tree along the driveway, making note of the fact that there was a pick-up truck parked next to the garage in the spot where he used to park his old sixty-seven mustang.  He recognized the truck, although the last time he’d seen Logan McKinnon driving it, the truck had been in better condition.
He paused at the corner of the house and heard laughter filtering through the air.  The boisterous laughing he always heard when his brothers were all together.  The giggles and shouts of young children he’d yet to meet.  It called to him as strong as the smell of food being cooked over an open flame that tickled his senses.  But a hunger of another kind was stronger.  The voices he heard had been missing from his life for too long.  But he listened closely until the female voice that had haunted him grew louder.
“I need to finish up in the kitchen.  Hawk can you give me a minute and then come carry a few things out to the table?  No, Kate you put your feet up.  You’re always serving everyone at the diner.  Let me do this.”
The screen door on the back deck opened and then shut.  With his heart pounding, he walked to the front door so he could have the precious few moments alone with her before the rest of the family converged on him.  He needed those few moments.
His old key still fit the lock on the front door.  Turning the knob slowly, he pushed the door open quietly and stepped into the foyer.  He glanced into the living room, taking in every detail and exchanging what was different with what he’d committed to memory long ago.  The familiar smell of the house magnified the realization that he had finally made it.  He was home.
He didn’t want to scare her.  He could only imagine her reaction when she saw him.  So he slipped through the living room and into the kitchen through the dining room so he wouldn’t startle her.  And when he finally saw her, he thought his legs would crumble beneath him.
Skylar Barnett.  If there truly was just one great love in the universe for every person, Skylar was surely his.
She buzzed around the kitchen, almost dancing on the balls of her feet as she moved.  He used to say she looked like a ballerina, dancing as she walked in the sand.  She’d told him it was only because he made her happy.
“I heard the front door.  Did I lock the screen door on you by accident again, Hawk?” Skylar asked, licking her fingers of the dressing she’d just stirred in the bowl.  “This potato salad has to get into the ice bowl on the table or it will spoil in his heat.”
She turned in the opposite direction towards the refrigerator, opened it, and then pulled out a bottle. “Oh, and I forgot the Italian dressing for the salad.  Would you mind bringing that with you, too?”
She still hadn’t lifted her gaze to him.  And he didn’t rush to get her attention.  He enjoyed just watching her move.  He’d always loved the way she moved as she rushed from one side of the kitchen to the next.
Picking up the bowl of potato salad from the counter, she turned to him, her smile as bright as the blazing sun outside, and said, “Those barbeque ribs your dad has on the grill smell so good, it’s making me-”
Their eyes met for the first time in over five years and she gasped.  He should have done something to prevent the bowl of food in her hand from slipping through her grip and crashing to the floor.  The bowl shattered and the potato salad splattered on the tile floor and the cabinet Skylar was standing near.  She barely noticed the remnants of the mess at her feet.
“I’m not Hawk,” he said, never taking his eyes off hers.
Her mouth dropped open, as tears welled up in her eyes.  “Wade?”
He barely heard the words escape her lips, but he felt them just as strong as he had the last time they’d been together.  The memory of what it tasted like to kiss her, and that small intake of breath she made before her lips touched his.
“Is it really you?”
Her voice was a whisper and surged him forward. He took a slow step toward her as she took in seeing him for the first time in years. Her hand came up to touch his face but stopped short before making contact.
He leaned closer, giving her access to reach him without overwhelming her.  When she still didn’t touch him, he took her small hand in his and pressed it against his cheek.
“Flesh and blood, sweetheart.”
He’d had years to dream about this day.  He’d waited until the time was right, agonized over the best way, and played this moment in his mind a thousand times.  And yet, nothing prepared him for what it would be like to touch Skylar again.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.  She did nothing to wipe them clean.
“Wha…where have you been?”  A sob escaped her lips before she could finish.
“We have plenty of time for that.  I just want to hold you now for a minute.”  And then he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close against his chest.  The heat of her body penetrated the thin fabric of his shirt, bringing back memories of their burning love making on a hot evening.
Her sob against his neck tugged at his gut.  “I’ve missed you so much.  How can this be happening?”
“It’s happening.  It’s real.  I’m never leaving you again.”
“What the hell took you so long?  When they couldn’t find you after the tsunami, I called everyone we knew in the Peace Corp.  They said there was no trace of you at all.  Then your father used whatever connections he had and called every hospital in the region.”
“I wasn’t in the hospital.”
“I heard lots of stories where people had amnesia because of head injuries.  They didn’t know who they were.  I can’t imagine what that was like.”
He pulled back just a little to look at her face.  The last thing he wanted to do now was lie to her.  “That’s not what happened.  I didn’t have amnesia.”
“Then…where were you?  Why didn’t you follow me here like you said you would?”
“It wasn’t safe.”
“Of course it wasn’t safe.  There was a tsunami, for God’s sake!  That small village we stayed at was washed away by the tide.  And all this time I thought you were washed away with it.  You know we lost six people from our group that day.”
“I know.”
“You know.”  She touched his face and searched his eyes for answers.  “Wade, what happened to you?  Where have you been?”
“Do you remember me telling you that I was involved in something dangerous?”
“Of course.  That was the reason you wanted me to leave the island so quickly.  You told me not to tell a soul until you came back and that you’d explain everything then.  Oh, my God, are you telling me you were in prison?  Couldn’t the State Department have helped you get word to us?”
She hugged him tight.
“There was no way I could get word to you.  Not at first.”
“At first.  What does that mean?  Why couldn’t you have gotten word to me?  For God’s sake, why didn’t you get word to your parents?”
“You have to believe me that I wanted to.  But it was impossible.”
“I don’t understand, Wade.  What happened to you?  Where have you been all this time?”
“Watching you.”
Her mouth dropped open.  “Watching?  For how long?”
“Ever since you came to South Dakota.  I know about Jay, Skylar.”
The screen door creaked.  Skylar abruptly pulled away from Wade, leaving him cold.  Her eyes widened with confusion and anger as she stared at him.  She turned her gaze toward the doorway, placing a hand on her chest. “I…ah…dropped the bowl.”
Wade turned to see which McKinnon Skylar was talking to and his heart filled with emotion beyond capacity when he recognized his best friend and brother Hawk standing there.  Hawk didn’t look at Skylar or the mess on the floor around her feet that she’d just confessed to making.  Instead, his brother had the same confused expression Skylar had greeted him with.
“Wade?”
The next moments were a blur filled with lots of tears and hugs and jumping up and down as Hawk pulled Wade outside into the yard and announced his return to the family.  Each of the McKinnons ran to greet him.  The moment that was most difficult was seeing his mother and how much the news of his death had worn her down.  She still had the twinkle in her eyes, but the years had taken a toll.
“My boy is home,” Kate said through sobs, pulling him into an embrace.  “I have all my boys again.”
His father wrapped his arms around both Kate and Wade and gave them a long hug.  “Now I believe in miracles,” he said.
They made quick introduction of all the new people in the McKinnon family.  Although Wade had been watching closely to make sure his family had been safe, he knew none of the details that changed the dynamics of his family.
He quickly learned that Hawk, the closest in age to him, was now engaged to Regis, a beautiful woman who’d traveled the world with her father while he was in the military.  His family as well as Hawk had won her over and now Regis was determined to dig some roots for the first time in her life here in Rudolph.
Wade had known for some time that Logan had lost his wife, Kelly, nearly two years ago and that in the time he’d been gone, they’d had a son who was now five years old.  But he was equally pleased to see that Logan’s old flame, Poppy Ericksen, had healed Logan’s broken heart.  A wedding was already being planned for the end of the year.
Wade didn’t think he’d ever seen Ethan, Logan’s twin, in love before.  But after a stellar military career as a Navy SEAL where he dealt with the tragic death of his best friend, Denny, he’d managed to capture the heart of Denny’s younger sister, Maddie.  Whatever ghosts had been haunting his brother all these years were now gone.
But the biggest surprise of all had been Sam, who’d had always had a passion for women and for fighting fires.  He’d met his match with Summer Bigelow, a dispatcher who’d moved to South Dakota from Providence.  He soon learned that the two of them had taken up residence in his old room above the garage.
As he moved through the crowd of family, Wade stopped in front of Logan and peered down at the young boy who had wrapped himself around Logan’s leg.
“I know who this little man is,” Wade said.  “But does he know who I am?”
Little Keith half hid himself from view.  “Daddy says you’re Uncle Wade,” he said in a small voice.
Wade laughed as he crouched down.  “That’s right.”  He held out his hand to shake Keith’s.  Keith glanced up at Logan who gave him the okay.  Keith reached out and gave Wade a hard shake of his hand.
Wade tried to act surprised by Keith’s grip.  “Wow, he’s a McKinnon all right.”
“And who’s this little guy in Auntie Poppy’s arms?”  The little boy buried his face in Poppy’s neck, hiding from his view.  Wade already knew the little boys name.  He’d done his homework before deciding to finally come home.
Hawk tried to pull the boy from Poppy’s arms, but the little guy wouldn’t budge.  Then Hawk turned to Wade and said, “This is Alex.  Skylar’s son.”
Looking around, it suddenly dawned on Wade that he hadn’t seen Skylar in a while.
“Where did Skylar go?”
“I don’t know,” Poppy said.  “Alex didn’t want to leave so I said I’d take him for the night.  Then she ran out.”
His stomach sank.  “Wait, she just left?  Where did she go?”
His mother’s eyes probed his face.  She must have sensed the unrest in him from his reaction.  She said to Poppy, “Why don’t you bring the boys to the table for something to eat.  I’m sure they’re hungry after all this excitement”
Poppy lowered Alex to the ground and took both Alex and Keith by the hand.  “Sounds like a good idea.  Let’s go see if Grandpa saved the hamburgers from burning.  If not, we’ll skip lunch and eat some watermelon first.”
Both of the boys yelled, “Yeah!”  Then they pulled from her grip and ran to the other side of the yard where the picnic table was set up.
Kate waited until the boys were fully out of earshot.  “What’s going on, Wade?”
He watched the two boys laughing as they climbed onto the picnic table, sitting next to each other.  “They could be brothers.”
Hawk took a deep breath and placed a hand on Wade’s shoulder.  “Close.  They’re cousins.”
Kate’s eyes widened with surprise.  “What?”
Wade stared at Hawk’s face to see if he was serious, to confirm what he’d long suspected, but didn’t know as fact.
Hawk nodded.  “Alex is your son, Wade.”


Order HIS DAKOTA BRIDE:

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On Conversations: #paranormal #romance #author Vicky Burkholder

Please join me in welcoming paranormal contemporary romance author Vicky Burkholder to Conversations today! Vicky is here to talk about her new novel, Who's Your Alpha, due to be released on March 31st. So be sure and check out the blurb and cover below. And get to know Vicky by checking out her interview too!

Lisa ~
__________________________________________


WHO'S YOUR ALPHA

Sunny Clark always thought she was the only shapeshifter in the town where she grew up. When she returns to the mountain community for her high school reunion, she is shocked to find that nearly the whole town can turn into one thing or another, including her teen crush, David Maxwell.

David has always known it was Sunny he wanted, but she wasn’t like him and the others. She couldn’t shift. At least, he never thought she could until it was too late. She left town and took his heart with her before he could let her know how he really felt. Now she’s back and he can’t lose her again.

Unfortunately, there are others in town who aren’t so happy to have Sunny back, and another man who is determined to have Sunny for his own. With sides being drawn, the real question becomes does Sunny want David enough to fight for him and change her entire life by moving back to the mountain as the Alpha female?





Interview with Vicky Burkholder

What’s your writing schedule like? Do you strive for a certain amount of words each day?

I squeeze in writing after I get done with my day job (I’m an editor!) during the week and as much as possible on the weekends. And once a year, I go on a four day writer’s retreat with my local RWA group – and that’s when I get most of my writing for the year organized.

Of all your characters, who’s your favorite, and why?

It depends on what book I’m working on at the time. Still, if I was forced to say, I’d have to go with Betzl – a secondary character in my first book, Akashan’te. Betzl wasn’t even supposed to have a name. He was just a servant, but he decided differently and turned out to be a lot more than even I knew.

Do you eat comfort food/listen to music when writing?

I listen to music – either New Age instrumental, or easy listening (especially oldies like Peter, Paul & Mary) or Josh Groban. I like it soft and mellow.

Give one advice tip to an aspiring author.

Grow a thick skin. This is not a business for people who are easily discouraged. You have to be able to take rejection and poor reviews in stride. Yes, it hurts. Cry a little. Rant a little. But then, get back to work. Second bit of advice – learn the basics of writing! I know it sounds boring, but learn to spell; learn grammar and punctuation; learn everything and anything you can about writing.

If you could give a younger version of yourself advice, what would it be?

Start sooner! I always wanted to be a writer but let life get in the way. It was all good experience, which I have used in my work, but still… start sooner!

What genre would you like to try writing that you haven’t yet tried?

A cozy mystery. I love them and my crit partner writes them so well. I’d love to see what I could do with one.

How many stories are swirling around in your head? Do you keep a mental list, a computer file, or a spiral notebook filled with the ideas?

Believe it or not, I have 132 stories either completed or nearly completed (I’ve been at this a while) that I’m working on. All are organized into computer files as well as paper files with details on spreadsheets in a spiral notebook.

What’s next?

I have Who’s Your Alpha? Coming from Liquid Silver on March 31st, then on April 5th, a short, sweet paranormal called “Finder’s Keepers”, also from Liquid Silver, and finally, this summer, a short futuristic from Ellora’s Cave Blush (non-erotic line) called “Turn of a Card”. Lot’s going on in the next few months!

Tell us where to find you:

Blogs: http://www.vickyburkholder.com
           http://www.victoriaAllenRomance.com
           http://thewholeshebangsite.wordpress.com
Twitter: @vickyburkholder
Facebook: Victoria Allen
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books – writing as Vicky Burkholder
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave – writing as Vicky Burkholder and Victoria Allen




Vicky Burkholder resides in Pennsylvania near the area where her ancestors settled in 1741. She lives in a three-generation home and is lucky enough to have two other writers in residence. At various times in her life, she has been a journalist, writer, editor, teacher, short-order cook, computer specialist, DJ, and librarian. Her writing spans the fantasy, science fiction, paranormal and romance lines from YA to adult. No matter the age or genre, all of her books have a touch of romance in them and have to have a happily ever after ending.


On Conversations: #Interview with #AAMBookclub #author Nicole Murray

It is my pleasure to welcome AAMBookclub Author Nicole Murray to Conversations today. Nicole's here to talk about her new release, Autumn's Child. So, check out the cover, blurb, and excerpt!

Lisa ~
_____________________________________________

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZWCQ68/?tag=crlaofsu-20 Autumn's Child

Autumn’s Child tells the desperate story of Layla, as a young and naive twelve year-old girl. Over ten critical years, her life quickly changes like the colors of the trees in autumn. The accidental death of her parents forces her to abandon her religious, middle-class lifestyle. She moves to the inner city of Chicago with her grandmother and aunt, her only living relatives. Layla tries to approach her new life with optimism, but the perfections of her past life haunt her tormented journey. After coming to grips with the reality over the years that her only aunt despises her, Layla soon discovers that she may secretly hold the keys to helping her aunt’s diminishing health in her hands. Layla’s faith and sanity are continuously tested as she matures throughout each season of her life. She stumbles through her newfound reality while learning how to play the distinct set of cards she’s been dealt. Layla’s neighbor and best friend, Shay, helps guide her from adolescence into adulthood. Autumn’s Child chronicles a life on the opposite side of the coin; where friendships grow out of tragedy, and the pressure of a marginalized life weighs heavily on pure souls. Layla must make many compromising decisions, all while perpetually asking the reader, What would you do? 




Excerpt from Autumn's Child


       She came to me under a streetlight, with her right eye purple and a staggered step and said, “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” I was relieved that Sadie could still talk and walk to the degree she did. Shay was a beast: I had seen her in action. When she struck, you saw your life flash in front of your eyes like blacked out memories.
       Sadie carried a lavender caboodle that held all of her prized possessions, her makeup. The contents she would cling to, to make her beautiful again. She formed her mouth to speak but only tears and a throbbing gasp of air escaped. The streetlight above buzzed, flickered, and died, like everything else in the inner city. In the darkness, I ran away from her and her smeared makeup, busted lip, rainbow colored jaw and eye and only looked back once to see her still standing there under the silent light. Sadie was alone in the streets. She did not chase me but I continued to run. I wanted to curse her but my mouth couldn’t move even in the distance. I ran through the alley, down a side street, up the stairs and into my apartment. I locked the door, pushed the couch in front of it with the remnants of what remaining strength I had, and clasped onto it. My mind was spinning. I wanted to feel whole again.
       With my eyes closed I heard Shay’s voice, dark and confirming and my heart dangled on the ledge of things falling apart. Shay asked me was I okay and I asked her why did she have to do it? I knew she had been waiting for that day, probably pacing her room counting down the seconds until she saw the red flag to pound on Sadie. I opened my eyes to see her soaking her hand in a bowl of ice as if she had done this before. I believe in reincarnation solely from following her around for the last eight years. She always knew what to do. They say that cats have nine lives and I believed that mankind does as well. With Shay’s experience she was probably on her last round. She had to have been here, to have lived this life more than once.
       I summoned the courage to speak again and turned towards Shay, heartbroken. She frightened me when she was mad. She needed an owner to tame her sometimes like a pit bull needs a mussel. Her little baby dreadlocks stood up as fist ready to fight again and I lowered my head and said, “We should go somewhere safe. What if she tells her brother and they come back? He’s going to find out.”
       Her sole reply was, “I can’t wait.”  She paused to shuffle the ice around her hand.





Nicole Murray is a creative writer by passion, training, and profession. She is a Columbia College graduate with a degree in Fiction Writing and Marketing. Nicole’s dual Gemini personality helps her pursue creative writing as a personal profession.

Nicole explores the creative landscape of the mind to craft fiction out of real emotion. She currently writes short stories, novels, poems, and screen plays.

Nicole Murray also has extensive experience in digital content strategy, content development, and social media marketing. She has developed, lead, and contributed to a number of custom campaigns for leading brands such as Comcast’s African American digital and social initiatives, The Toyota Green Initiative, General Mills’ Feedings Dreams campaign, and P&G.

Find the author:
Site: www.lnmcreative.com
Twitter: @lnmcreative
Instagram: @LNMcreative

On Conversations: #inspirational #romance #author Valerie Comer

Please join me in welcoming inspirational romance author Valerie Comer to Conversations today! Valerie is here to talk about her new release, Wild Mint Tea, book 2 in her farm lit series, Farm Fresh Romance. So be sure and check out the blurb, cover, and excerpt below!

Lisa ~
__________________________________________


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQ9TXJQ/?tag=crlaofsu-20
WILD MINT TEA

She’s rooted deep. He flies free.
Local-foods chef Claire Halford envisions turning Green Acres Farm into an event destination. Weddings prove trickier than she imagined when the first one comes with a ruggedly handsome brother-of-the-bride, who has everything but a fixed address. Oh, and faith in God.

Noel Kenzie loves the freedom his reforestation company affords him. Why worry about deep stuff like God and commitment when he’s in his prime? Except there’s a woman who might make it worth giving up his wings…and digging in some roots. If he dares.
 





Excerpt from Wild Mint Tea

       What had she expected to see? Not a guy of about thirty with a hint of stubble and slightly messy brown hair longer than hers. He looked up, and his brown eyes widened.
       He had no right to be this cute.
       "I'm Noel Kenzie." He rose and reached across the folding table to shake her hand, giving her a good view of a tan t-shirt stretched across a muscular chest and covering the top of a pair of faded blue jeans. A lethal combination.
       Better keep some distance from this one. "Hello, Mr. Kenzie. I'm Claire Halford here about the contract for feeding your tree-planting crew." Marks on her pants, nothing. If only she weren't leaving stained creases on the folder she clutched.
       He took his time looking her over.
       Could he tell this wasn't her style? She didn't do ruffles, but Sierra had insisted.
       "Just call me Noel."
       Through her lashes she could see he watched her, a speculative gleam in his eye. That gleam better be about the good food she could feed his employees.
       He sat and motioned her to the straight chair across from him.
       Claire complied, laying her proposal on the edge of the table.
       Noel picked up the papers and glanced through the top few. "It looks like you downloaded all the pertinent information regarding crew size and dietary needs, Claire. Tell me what you can offer that's within our budget."
       "Yes. The crew runs about thirty people, with five vegetarians and two celiacs." Hopefully he wasn't one of the vegetarians, but what did it matter? "The menu details are on the next pages."
       Noel's eyebrows arched as he scanned the sheets. "This doesn't look very exotic."
       He wanted haute cuisine? For tree planters? Claire's shoulder muscles tightened. "More like good, healthy meals made from local ingredients wherever possible."
       Noel shuffled the papers to glance over a new one. "I don't mind telling you my crew is expecting a bit more flair." He frowned, still reading. "Your resumé said you'd trained in Paris and worked with a French chef in Seattle for several years?"
       "I did." That had been enough traveling to do her a lifetime.
       He laid the papers down and folded strong, tanned hands over them. "I'm not seeing that influence in your menu, and I must admit those credentials are what led to this interview."
       "I don't have easy access to those ingredients here." She met his gaze.
       Noel shook his head. "Food service trucks come to northern Idaho. Where do you think the local restaurants get their stuff? I thought you'd be aware of that."
       Claire forced her jaw to unclench, at least enough to answer civilly. "I'm aware, Mr. Kenzie." Too bad if he didn't want to be called that. She needed the distance. "I've worked as the night chef at The Sizzling Skillet for the past year and have placed many of the orders. It's really not the same as getting fresh ingredients at Pike's Place Market."
       "Then, why. . .?" He raised his palms and tilted his head to the side. His wavy locks slid over one eye, and he didn't bother brushing them out.
       Claire’s fingers itched to reach across the table and do it for him.
       Focus. Not on the guy, but on the contract. The contract she was about to lose before she had a real shot at it, if she wasn't careful. And then she'd never see Noel Kenzie again. That would be a good thing. Except she needed the money.



Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her stories. Raspberries and Vinegar, first in her series A Farm Fresh Romance, released in August, 2013.

 
To learn more about Valerie Comer and her books, visit her website at http://valeriecomer.com/

On Conversations: #Interview with #AAMBookclub #author Dexter Shaw

It is my pleasure to welcome AAMBookclub Author Dexter Shaw to Conversations today. Dexter's here to talk about his new release, Confessions of a Side-Piece Baby. So, check out the cover and blurb below. And get to know Dexter by checking out his interview too.

Lisa ~
_____________________________________________

http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Of-A-Side-Piece-Baby/dp/0971551553/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1393889352&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=Confessions+of+a+Side-Piece+Baby+KindleConfessions
of a Side-Piece Baby

Lashaun Johnson is mad at the world and taking his revenge on it. His mother is the longtime mistress, or side-piece, of a married man and he is the love child of their illicit union. He is given to committing violent crimes through fits of rage. Follow Lashaun as he takes you on a (Quentin Tarantino style) thrill ride through his life from woman to woman, prison to freedom, and from poverty to stacks of money. You won’t believe a young man could be so heartless or that so many women would try to love him as they do while you listen to the confessions of a side-piece baby. 



Get to know Dexter Shaw

Tell us a briefly what Confessions of a Side-Piece Baby is about?

The book follows a young man named Lashaun Johnson as he confesses the sins of his life in this crazy sexy romantic crime thriller. Lashaun is funny, charming, attractive and cute but he is also a killer. The book is written in an action packed style with some parts so shocking it becomes hard to put down.

The title suggests that it may contain some reality show type of drama. Who would you say might enjoy reading it?

The book is in the Urban Fiction category and chronicles the life of a young man who lives in an urban setting along with the many women who try to love him.

So, I gave it a hook that would appeal to anybody who is Black or Hispanic from age 16 to 60 because it is written just like a movie. Everyone who reads it says it feels like a movie.

The second hook I put in this book is I wrote a romantic novel in a way that also appeals men. Every Black and Hispanic man that has read it absolutely loves it. First, it’s a crazy story and second it is an action packed Quentin Tarantino style crime thriller woven within a romantic tale. This kid Lashaun is very sexy and romantic with the ladies but he’s also a deadly criminal. So it appeals to both men and women.

I really enjoy seeing how men react to it.

The story does seem very real, is it based on a real person or real situations?

People always ask me that I guess because they see situations in the story that are familiar to them, but no. The main character, Lashaun, is really a combination of many Black and Hispanic young men that I have watched grow up. Having observed a many of their activities and incidents that got them into trouble, I simply mashed them all together and changed some of the incidents to make them all apply to one person.

This character seems to be rather violent with a few of the women in the story. What is going on with him?

Well, like most domestic abusers Lashaun has two faces: one that is very loving, sweet, charming and cute and another that is a monster.

The third hook that I wrote into the story was an effort to try to paint a picture of what the average domestic abuser looks like so that women can recognize an abusive man when they first meet him and hopefully avoid getting involved with him.

I’ve learned from working as a domestic violence advocate that abusive people share pretty much the same qualities and characteristics; they ALL seem to do and say pretty much the same things. So I wanted to work the abuser’s common qualities and characteristics into the story so that women will slow down or go on pause when they meet a guy with boy-like qualities that are funny, charming and cute because they could also be deadly.

Tell me a little more about your work as a domestic violence advocate?

I work with an organization, The Family Justice Center, that provides assistance to women trying to break free of a violent domestic relationship throughout Western NY and Erie County.

I am a Master Trainer so I work in the prevention and awareness arena hosting seminars and teaching workshops helping to make people more aware of the affect of domestic violence as well as provide knowledge and information that will hopefully prevent some people from becoming victims of domestic violence.

I understand that you have a project you are working on to raise funds aimed toward the prevention and awareness of domestic violence. What is that project?

It is the “Be the Difference Project” where we don’t try to just make a difference but where we try to “be” the difference in a person’s live that helps them to break free of the bondage of domestic violence.

Sometimes people feel trapped in abusive relationships because they have no money, no means to get away, and no other place to stay. Be the Difference is a “micro” donation project. The objective is to raise funds while creating broader awareness of the affects of domestic violence. What we do in that regard is to try to get hundreds of thousands of people across the country to make small, $5, donations and to encourage their friends to do the same. This way, we raise money to help victims escape while creating active interest and awareness at the same time.

How can people get involved or where can they make a donation?

They can go to my website www.sidepiecebaby.com where they can easily buy and download the book as well as make a micro donation to the “Be the Difference Project”.

What is your website again and how much does the book cost?

The paperback book is $8 and can be found on amazon.com. The ebook ONLY $5 which you can download to anything: iPod, iPad, iPhone, smart phone, tablet, computer, Kindle or any other kind of reader from MY website.

My website is www.sidepiecebaby.com, please also go to Facebook and LIKE my page at www.facebook.com/sidepiecebaby and I’m on Twitter as well @sidepiecebaby. Please follow any comments that you make with hash tag #sidepiece so that we can have a Twitter discussion.


Dexter Shaw has authored academic books on subjects surrounding children, marriage and family.  This is his first venture into fictional story telling.  He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and works as an advocate for victims of domestic violence.  Mr. Shaw also teaches seminars promoting the prevention and awareness of domestic violence.







On Conversations: #awardwinning #romance #authors Natalie Damschroder and Sharron McClellan

Please join me in welcoming authors Natalie Damschroder and Sharron McClellan to Conversations today! Natalie and Sharron are here to talk about their hot new romantic suspense releases, Hearts Under Siege and Risking it All for Her Boss. So be sure and check out their blurbs and covers below! PLUS, Natalie and Sharron are teaming up to give away a Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Cover and $25 Amazon Gift Card. So be sure and check out the details below on how to enter!

Lisa ~
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HEARTS UNDER SIEGE
 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6ZJ8KE/?tag=crlaofsu-20
Brady Fitzpatrick has spent a decade burying the pain of a broken heart while working for SIEGE, an information-gathering spy agency. That it kept him away from his family as well as his best friend Molly has been an unfortunate side effect. But when his brother, also an agent, is killed during a foreign op, Brady is drawn into a web of intrigue that threatens the lives of everyone he loves…

Molly Byrnes has loved Brady forever. As his best friend and a de facto member of the Fitzpatrick family, she holds them together in their crushing grief. But as a member SIEGE’s ground team, she doesn’t buy the official line about Brady’s brother’s “accidental” death and launches her own investigation—only to uncover a shocking secret that she and Brady must get to the bottom of before their target finds them.
 

Tangled emotions land them in bed together, opening Brady’s eyes to the incredible, fearless woman who’s been there for him all his life. But after a lifetime of disappointment, how can Molly trust the possibility of a future with him…or if they can count on any future at all?

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / iTunes / Diesel / Google Play




RISKING IT ALL FOR HER BOSS


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6ZXPQM/?tag=crlaofsu-20
When High Risk Securities (HRS) agent, Eva Torres, botches an undercover job by failing to rescue both of the kidnap victims she was sent to retrieve, Quinn Blackwood—her former lover and the man who broke her heart—pulls her and one of the victims out of harm’s way. As a penalty for her sins, she’s offered the dull job of escorting a former bio-chemical warfare scientist to Washington D.C. to reunite with his daughter. Much to her displeasure, the job of monitoring her assignment is given to Quinn.

Quinn isn’t thrilled with the situation either. He taught Eva everything he knew about secrets, sex, and lies—but the biggest lie of all was the one he’d told himself: that his missions for HRS were more important than anything, including his relationship with Eva. Because now that they’re working together again, the urge to put his hands on her, to feel her beneath him, is killing him.

Things only get worse when their current operation goes wrong, and the scientist they’re guarding is kidnapped mid-air. Now, Eva and Quinn have to work together to find him before he is forced to create a monstrous weapon that could destroy entire cities. A hard task made more difficult when they find themselves fighting both the enemy and their building desire for each other. Can they work together for the sake of the mission without reigniting the passion between them—or will passion be the salvation of them all?


Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / iTunes / Diesel / Google Play


 

Enter Natalie's and Sharron's Rafflecopter for a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Cover and $25 Amazon Gift Card!



ABOUT NATALIE:

Natalie J. Damschroder is a multi-published author of contemporary and paranormal romance, with an emphasis on romantic adventure. Her 10 novels, 7 novellas, and 15 short stories have been published by Avid Press, Echelon Press, and Amber Quill Press. She currently publishes romantic adventure with Carina Press and urban fantasy romance with Entangled Publishing. She has been involved in the romance industry since 1996, and has witnessed many waves of change over the years. A chronic volunteer, she has served as president (and more) of her local RWA chapter, the Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, and on many RWA National committees. A self-proclaimed know-it-all, she is always eager to share her knowledge and opinions.

Damschroder is a 2012 recipient of the RWA Service Award. She has had two finalists in the EPIC eBook Awards romantic suspense category: Fight or Flight the 2012 awards, and Acceptable Risks in the 2013 awards. You can learn more about her at www.nataliedamschroder.com, where you'll also find links to her blogs and social media.



ABOUT SHARRON:

I always planned to be a writer of some sort. However, when I went to college, I took journalism and creative writing and sadly, the teacher’s sucked the love of writing out of me. So I turned to my next love–science. At first, I wanted to be a marine biologist, but there was the whole shark issue. Frankly, they freak me out.

Instead, I discovered the joys of playing in the dirt-a profession more commonly known as archaeology. For years, I focused on excavating ancient sites that included projectile points, burn pits and the occasional burial.

My focus returned to writing when I took a position during the archaeological off-season and ended up answering phones for Princess cruise line AKA The Love Boat. Which, when you consider I write romance, is somewhat ironic. It was during that time that I took to reading romance. It wasn’t long before I fell in love with the genre and returned to my first love-writing.

Five years later, I sold to Silhouette. Five years after that, I landed at Entangled Publishing–Huzzah!

Today, I live in San Diego, also known as the City of Perfect Weather. I have an awesome husband who supports my passion for the written word in every way possible. We both love to travel so don’t be surprised to find locales I’ve visited appearing in my books and pictures popping up on the website. It’s a big world—both in my head and out there!
www.sharronmcclellan.com

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