LOOK WHAT IS COMING SOON....
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
MY WRITING PROCESS BLOG TOUR
Happy Monday, Everyone!
Welcome to My Writing Process Blog Tour! First of all, let me thank the wonderful, amazing author, Coco Rousseau for inviting me to be a guest blogger on The Writing Process Blog Tour. Coco is one of my amazing Crimson Romance sisters. Her first release was an adaptation of E.M. Forster’s A ROOM WITH A VIEW, which launched September 30, 2013. She then did the most incredible thing and release back to back this month a two volumes series of Edith Wharton’s THE AGE OF INNOCENCE. You can read all about her fantastic writing process here:
http://novelsalive.tv/blog-posts/writing-process-coco-rousseau/#sthash.uEni8bjq.j4xYUhBB.dpbs
MY WRITING PROCESS
What am I working on?
The last several months have been
very exciting, nail biting, stress-filled months, and I’m living on cloud nine,
wearing the silliest of grin imaginable. A year ago at this time, I just sent
off a query letter for the first book in the series, IN THE SHADOW OF GREED and
was waiting very impatiently for that ding on my laptop notifying me that
another publisher decided to pass on my story. Well, that email never arrived.
Instead, I received my first offer from my wonderful publisher, Crimson Romance.
My debut novel, IN THE SHADOW OF GREED
was released at the end of April, 2013 and the second book in the series, IN
THE SHADOW OF EVIL was released just four months later in August 2013. Crimson
Romance then signed me to a three book contract for the last three books in the
series that will all be released in 2014.
Right now, I’m getting very
excited about the release of my third book in my Shadow Series, IN THE SHADOW
OF MALICE which comes out in only sixteen days!!!! [OH, if you want to see a peek at this story, please check out my previous post.] I’m busily working on the
fourth book, In the Shadow of Pride which will be released July 10th. I still feel so green behind the ears and
have so much to learn, but I just love the writing that it doesn’t feel like
work. How does my work
differ from others of its genre?
My work differs than others in its
genre because I don’t just write romantic suspense. Some readers refer to my books
as paranormal, but that’s not right either. I write a very suspenseful story
that at its core is a wonderful love story. Intertwined into this story, is
a very unusual supernatural element. This supernatural element has an profound affect on
the hero and the heroine but it’s not part of who they are. What I mean is that
the supernatural element doesn’t give my hero and heroine some kind of great
power they can use to defeat the villain. On the contrary, the hero and heroine
are so mystified by the element that it changes how they view the world and
their place in it.
Why do I write
what I do?
I write romantic suspense because
I love reading romantic suspense. I love the ride, the thrill the author drags
me through. As an author, I’m not terribly nice to my poor, wonderful
characters, but they always get their wonderful happy-ever-after in the end.
How does your
writing process work?
My writing process changes with
each new project. I only began writing about four years ago when my youngest
daughter started applying to colleges. I spent the last twenty-five years being
a stay-at-home mom. When my world finally grew quiet, the stories that had
lived in my head for years wanted to be heard. My beginning writing process was
what I call by-the-seat-of-my-pants writing. I just wrote down the story as it
came to me, allowing it to pretty much write itself. Well, that process has
changed some over the last four years, especially after I went through my first
developmental editing process. Boy, was that an eye-opener. Now, I actually write down a basic outline the story from beginning to end. I do allow the story to still take
me where it magically wants to go, but I know the basic beginning, middle and
end path before I write that first sentence.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK:MARCH 3 2014
Jo Grafford
Jo Grafford's website: www.JoGrafford.com
All the places you can find Jo Grafford:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JoGraffordAuthor
Twitter: @jografford
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360736.Jo_Grafford
Google+: https://plus.google.com/114780404475283292643/posts
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A
Let’s get to know Jo Grafford:
Jo is mega reader of all genres and an award-winning author at Astraea Press who loves to indulge in marathon showings of CSI, NCIS, and Castle. From St. Louis, Missouri, she holds an M.B.A. and has served as a banker, college finance instructor, and high school business teacher. She is a PRO member of Romance Writers of America and From the Heart Romance Writers RWA Chapter. The mother of three children and the wife of a soldier, she serves as a literacy volunteer for elementary school students.
As always, thank you for stopping by for a visit. I hope you have a wonderful week. The best way to thank an author is to write a positive review.
((HUGS TO ALL))
Nancy C. Weeks
Saturday, February 22, 2014
CHAPTER ONE, IN THE SHADOW OF MALICE
Hi everyone!
Just thought you would like a little taste of my new release, In the Shadow of Malice that will be released in 16 DAYS!!! I hope you enjoy the read.
Chapter One
Almost midnight, an empty parking lot, no prying eyes.
Adam Blake hit the key fob, locking his sedan as he
stepped out of the shadows. His senses picked up a hint of the wild honeysuckle
that grew along the chain-linked fence lining the west side of Pete’s Diner. As
a warm May breeze washed over him, he rolled the tension from his shoulders and
scanned the perimeter. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
Quite frankly, the reason he kept coming back
surprised the hell out of him. Even through the food was great, Adam craved the
company the small diner provided. The regulars were all so damn normal. Adam
needed normal.
His life had become a reflection of what he did for a
living and he needed a drastic change. Pete’s Diner had become a baby step in
that direction. The occasional hour spent with familiar strangers chased away
his lonely, harsh existence.
From his position, he could identify the two people
who remained in the deserted restaurant. The wizened old trucker was there on
his weekly run from Norfolk, Virginia, to New Haven, Connecticut. The young
woman sitting alone in one of the booths was the owner’s granddaughter. From
what Adam could surmise, Calista Martin had no life outside the diner other
than her music studies at the university a few miles down the road. The ever-present cello case propped on the
bench next to her kept her company.
The double doors behind the counter opened and a big
man in a navy blue double-breasted chef’s coat and sculled cap set a large
silverware caddy on the counter. Pete Bradshaw was built like a guerrilla on
steroids. Strands of blond-gray hair escaped the edges of his cap and gray
stubble covered his chin. But what stood out most was the enormous fried egg
skull tattoo on his left arm, the yellow yolk resting right in the center of
the left eye socket.
Calista approached Pete as he poured coffee into a
travel mug. The hard angles of his face softened when he glanced at her. He replaced the carafe back on the heating
unit and a grin spread across his face. A bellowed cheer loud enough to rattle
the windows followed as he lifted her into his arms and swung her around like
she was a little girl. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a
quick hug before turning to the trucker and hugging him as well.
The celebratory moment could only mean one thing:
Calista Martin posted her final assignment for her master’s degree in music
performance and secondary education. The bright smile on her face sent an
unusual feeling of warmth into the pit of Adam’s stomach. For reasons he was
too tired to define, a sense of pride for her accomplishments raced through
him. He recognized the strength and dedication it took for Calista to follow
her dream. Adam had no dreams other than to protect those he loved and to stay
alive one more day.
Her beaming smile pulled at Adam like a magnet,
forcing his feet to step closer to the entrance. Removing her arms from around
the older man’s shoulder, she paused and turned toward the window. Their eyes
held before she raised her hand and motioned for him to come inside. She moved
toward the door and held it open for him.
“Am I too late for a quick burger?” Adam asked,
closing the door behind him.
“The kitchen is still open. Pete will make you
something.”
Calista lowered her eyes and eased away from him. A
hint of pink came into her cheeks. She acted the same jitterish way every time
he got too close. Most people gave him a wide berth and that was usually fine
with him. But Calista was so open and
friendly to everyone who came through the door. For some reason, it pissed him
off that she treated him with the same wariness like everyone else did. He
wanted that normal symbol of kindness she gave to others too, at least here.
The trucker set his ticket and a twenty down by the
register. “Calista. Heading out.”
She stepped out of the path of the doorway. “Thanks, Nate. Be careful on the road
tonight.”
“Always. And you get out of this grease-hole.
Celebrate.” He placed a Nationals baseball cap on his head. “Yo, Pete. Where’s
my jitter juice?”
“Watch your mouth, or the owner of this grease-hole
may just spit in your next meatloaf.”
Pete’s voice was low, menacing, but his jovial
expression gave away his true nature. He took the travel cup, waited a second
for the last drip of fresh brewed coffee to drop into the carafe, and filled
the oversized mug.
The scent of fresh, hot coffee wafted across the room,
masking the overpowering odor of greasy fries. Adam inhaled, hoping the scent
of caffeine would revive him. Pete took a cup from beneath the counter, filled
it to the brim, and set it at Adam’s regular table.
“Same-old-same-old tonight, Adam?”
Adam took a deep sip of the hot brew. “That would be
great, but make it to go. If I sit here for too long, I’ll be out for the
night.”
“No problem. It will be right out,” he said before
facing his granddaughter. Calista busied herself with wrapping silverware into
napkins and then placing them in the caddy next to the menus. Pete took out
another cup, filled it half full, and set it next to her.
“I can’t drink coffee this time of night,” she
murmured at her grandfather like he should know better than to tempt her.
“Half a cup isn’t going to kill you.” A smirky grin
appeared on his face. “Neither would a good roll … ”
“Pete! God, the things that come out of your mouth.”
Calista picked up the mug and brought it to her nose, taking in the scent of
the strong, rich brew. “And you can’t joke about spitting in people’s food.”
She took a sip, closed her eyes and swallowed. A groan of pure pleasure rumbled
in her throat.
Adam coughed out his coffee and almost swallowed his
tongue. Calista Martin was a walking, talking sensual magnet if ever there was
one. From her shoulder-length strawberry blond curls that bounced when she
moved to those warm cocoa, almond eyes that made a man feel noticed, Calista
was a natural beauty with a body that would give a blind man wet dreams. Her
groan sent blood rushing to dormant places better left alone.
To hide the growl that slipped through his lips, he
chortled. Calista gave him a hard glare but again quickly lowered her eyes.
Pete let out another window-rattling laugh, which sent Calista’s cheeks and
neck into a deep crimson glow. Before he returned through the swinging doors to
the kitchen, he nudged her and said, “Tell Adam your news.”
“What news,
Calista?”
“It’s nothing really. I just turned in my last
assignment for my master’s degree.”
Adam rose, and lifting his coffee mug, tapped her mug
lightly on the rim. “Congratulations. That’s fantastic.” He eased back into the
booth. “So, what’s next for you?”
“After six years and 166 college credits, the only
thing in my near future is uninterrupted sleep.”
Adam let out a chuckle. “Will you teach or perform?”
“Both. I have sent several audition tapes to
orchestras and applied to just as many teaching positions. Now I have to see
who bites. The best scenario is I’m hired to perform where I can also teach.”
When she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, her mouth
opened to say something, but all she produced was a noisy breath. She darted
off her stool and pointed to the corner of his right eye. “You’re bleeding.”
Adam yanked a couple napkins from the dispenser and
blotted the area around the small Band-Aid. A couple drops of blood must have
pooled at the corner of the bandage and dripped down the side of his face. He
gave the area a quick wipe, crumbled the napkin, and placed it in his pocket.
“What
happened?”
“It’s nothing. Work accident. A protester didn’t like
the guy I was protecting. Threw a bottle at him but hit me instead. I should
have grabbed a larger Band-Aid.”
“I don’t think it’s nothing.” She lifted his hair away
from the area. “Have you seen it? The skin is turning a nasty shade of black
and blue.”
Calista moved behind the counter and pulled out a
first-aid kit. She approached the table, cupped his jaw in her hand, and gently
peeled off the Band-Aid. The feel of her hand on his face sent an unexpected
jolt through him. He shifted his face out of her reach. “It’s nothing.”
Ripping open the gauze package, she folded it in half,
and laid it on the wound, applying pressure. Something sharp slid over the cut,
making him cringe.
“Damn, that’s not helping, Calista.”
She removed the gauze.
A small, brownish piece of glass was mixed in with the blood. “Pete said
you run a security firm. Maybe you need to ask for combat pay.”
“Can’t ask for
more pay if it’s your own company. I practically work for free so I can give my
employees combat pay.” He then eased her hand away from his head, holding down
the bandage himself. “Don’t fuss. It’s no big deal.”
“You could have a concussion, Adam.”
“I don’t.” He grabbed another swatch of gauze from the
kit and ripped it open. He added a squeeze of antibiotic ointment, and attached
it with tape to his forehead. “See, all better.”
Calista gave him a hard stare before she closed the
first-aid kit and replaced it behind the counter. She picked up a spray bottle
of cleaner and began to spray down the counter. “It’s your noggin.”
Pete came back through the kitchen door and set a
to-go container down next to Adam before he addressed his granddaughter. “Put
that rag down, Calista. You’re not closing tonight. Pack up and get out of
here.”
“You let the other waitress go home. I’m all you’ve got. Besides, we shared a
ride.”
“Believe it or not, I can manage without you. And the
night my granddaughter earns her master’s degree, she doesn’t close down this
grease trap. Take the car. I’ll catch a bus or walk home.”
Calista placed her hands on her hips. “I’m not leaving
you to close by yourself and walk home. How are you going to go by and visit
Mimi if you don’t have a car? I’ll take the bus.”
Adam stood. “I can give Calista a ride home.” He
reached into his coat pocket for his wallet. Placing a twenty down next to the
register like the last customer, he grabbed his to-go bag and leaned his
shoulder against the door. “Calista, “I’m ready whenever you are.”
Calista busied herself by stuffing her laptop into her
canvas bag, her fingers fidgeting with the zipper. As Adam waited for some sort
of acknowledgment, he pushed down the irritation forming in the pit of his
stomach. Even when he was trying to be a good guy, do a normal guy kind of
thing, he was still treated like an asshole.
“It’s just a ride home, Calista. I’m too scared of
your grandfather to try anything.”
“You don’t have to do that. The bus stop is right
there,” she said, pointing toward the parking lot.
“I know where the bus stop is.” Adam reached for her
large case and paused by the door.
She stood still, studying him until he almost
fidgeted. “I don’t accept rides from anyone unless I know their last name.”
“Blake. Adam Blake.”
Calista first glanced at her grandfather. He gave her
a nod. The room grew quiet while she
made up her mind. She finally shrugged and said, “I would love a ride home.
Lead the way.” She reached up and gave Pete a kiss on his cheek. “Give Mimi my love.”
“Your grandmother will be so proud of you. I can’t
wait to tell her …”
He stopped as if his words clogged his throat.
“It’s okay, Pete. Mimi’s heart knows, her soul knows,
and you’re right. She’s very proud of me.” Calista wiped away the tear that
threatened to spill down her grandfather’s cheek. With another quick hug, she
walked out to the parking lot.
Adam moved ahead of her, positioning his body so it
shielded her between him and the building. A soft crunch near the dumpster
sounded behind him. He froze. With his arms tight against his body, the
familiar rush of adrenaline filled his veins. He shifted his position toward
the dark shadows. A large calico cat bounced off the structure and disappeared
into the bushes.
“That’s Max. He and Pete have an understanding.”
“It’s a cat. How do you have an understanding with a
cat?”
“He brings Pete dead mice and Pete makes sure Max eats
like a king.”
Adam chuckled. Something he seemed to do a lot around
Calista. With one final visual sweep, he relaxed his stance and opened the
passenger door of his Acura. After Calista was settled in the deep leather
seat, he ambled around and unlocked the trunk, placing her cello in the bay. He
slammed the trunk and got behind the wheel.
Before he could stop himself, he asked the question
that had been bugging him. “I thought I heard your grandmother passed away a
while back. Did I misunderstand?”
“No, you heard right.”
“But you just told Pete to …”
“He drives to the cemetery every night after he closes
the diner, sits next to her gravestone, and tells her about his day. They were
married fifty years. That isn’t a loss you ever get over.”
“And your parents? They are gone too?”
“Yes, it’s just Pete and me. Mom and Dad died in a car
accident when I was eleven. Mimi and Pete raised me.” Calista twisted so she
would face him. “What about you?”
“The same. Both parents gone.”
Adam hadn’t a clue why he brought the subject up. He
had no business spending time with Calista outside the diner. That wasn’t a
baby step into a normal existence, but a giant leap off a high cliff. His life
made him hell on relationships.
But there was just something about Calista he couldn’t
ignore. Maybe it was time to see if there was anything between them. If not, he
could just walk away before he hurt her, too.
“I’m sorry
about your parents.” She placed a hand over his arm. Their gazes held before
she broke away and scanned the interior of his car. “I figured you would drive
some sporty number or one of those black, mysterious SUVs.”
“What’s a
black, mysterious SUV?”
“You know. One of those cool bulletproof numbers with
blacked out windows.”
“Calista, just what do you think I do?”
“You’re like Batman.” Her voice was barely above a
whisper and she squirmed in her seat, her gaze on a spot in her lap. “When you
leave the diner, you return to your bat cave unless you’re out fighting bad
guys.”
He grimaced. Now what, smartass? Lie to her, or
tell her who you really are and what you do?
“Who knew music teachers had such active imaginations?
I’m no superhero.”
He could never tell her what he did for a living. His
path may have been chosen for him, but he hadn’t walked away when he had the
chance.
“And I’m not a music teacher―yet.”
“You’re going to be hired so fast, your head will
spin.” He placed the key in the ignition and started the car. Backing out of
the space, he pulled onto the side street.
“Where are you going?” Her voice sounded normal.
Adam slowed and
stopped at the light. “I’m taking you home.”
“But I didn’t tell you where I live.”
“Yeah, I guess I need that, don’t I? This is the way the
Metro bus always turns.”
Calista grinned. “It’s not far. Take the second left.
My neighborhood is a couple miles on the other side of the beltway. Once you
pass over I-495, I’ll direct you.”
Following her directions, Adam headed north on the
deserted street. The faded streetlights casted a fluorescent gloom over homes
on either side of the street, but the lack of lighting didn’t distract from the
well-cared neighborhood. People took pride in their homes much like the suburbs
of Los Angeles, where he grew up. There was a time when someone like Calista
was exactly the type of woman he dreamed of settling down with and raising a
bunch of little Blakes. She had a kindness in her that he sorely missed. But
with the twelve jaded, nightmarish years he had on her that he could never
erase, that dream was gone. It couldn’t exist in his reality now.
“What’s wrong? You’re so tense.”
“Sorry, my mind was on something else.”
“If you get on the Beltway here, you can get off at
the next exit, avoiding all the lights.”
Adam turned on
his blinker and eased over a lane. Just as he entered the entrance ramp, a
stabbing pain exploded in the back of his eyes, ricocheting across his frontal
lobe. An involuntary, animalistic moan escaped through his clenched teeth and
he squeezed his eyes shut against the searing pain. His hands shot up to cover
his head as his foot slammed down on the accelerator. The car shot across the
road, jumping the curb, and hurled up a slope. Adam hit the brake inches before
the front bumper smashed into the trunk of an old oak tree. His forehead
smashed into the horn, the blaring sound deafening.
“Adam?”
Calista slammed the gearshift in park and shut off the
ignition. She pulled his head away from the steering wheel. “Adam, what’s
wrong?” She tried to remove his hands from his head, but he held on tight.
He couldn’t think, couldn’t reason. He swallowed the
acidic bile in his throat. The blinding pain increased until he thought his
head would burst. Then the sound of a child’s desperate cry filled his head. They’re
hurting Mommy! Help her!
What the fuck was that? Every word of the child’s plea
seemed to cut through his frontal lobe to the back of his head. A gripping
panic slammed into him as he fumbled in his jacket pockets. “My cell. Find my
cell.”
Calista searched his pockets. “Here, Adam. I’ll call
911.”
“No. No.”
He dropped his head back against the seat. Everything
around him faded in and out of focus—except Calista. The pain pounded between his
ears as dark, red spotted dots swam over his vision, allowing only minimal
light in. Sweat beaded around his eyes and screamed down his spine. He shook
his head to clear his vision and grabbed the phone. It took a couple tries, but
a line on the other end began to ring.
Calista gasped, her hands covering her mouth. “God,
you’re bleeding again, but not from the wound on your head. It’s coming from
your eyes.” She swiped a finger at the corner of his eye and her fingers came
away dripping with his blood. “I need to get you to a hospital.”
He began to shake his head, but the pain was so bad,
he froze. The phone continued to ring in his ear. Eighth ring, ninth. On the
tenth ring, it was picked up.
“Rina.” His best friend’s name came out in a raspy
whisper. “Rina.”
“Katrina is a little busy right now, Blake. Why don’t
you join the party?”
The man’s voice came out in a thick, rough, eastern
European accent. Adam recognized it and a chill spiked through him.
The agony in the scream he heard next pierced Adam’s heart.
He shoved down the sharp pain in his head and allowed the years of training to resurfaced.
“You’re dead,
Ludis. You hear me. Your fucking life is over,” he ground out.
“Big words. I’m going to carve her open then hunt down
the kid. Your kid, you motherfucker. And when I’m done with her, I’m coming for
you.”
The line went dead.
((HUGS TO ALL))
Nancy C. Weeks
IN THE
SHADOW OF EVIL:
IN THE
SHADOW OF GREED
((HUGS TO ALL))
Nancy C. Weeks
Buy links for In the Shadow of
Evil and In the Shadow of Greed
IN THE
SHADOW OF EVIL:
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1fgBXl7
BARNES AND NOBLE: http://bit.ly/17hjfco
iTUNES: http://bit.ly/1f05ToH
CRIMSON ROMANCE: http://www.crimsonromance.com/
IN THE
SHADOW OF GREED
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/16ZTUl3
BARNES AND NOBLE: http://bit.ly/16GHb6I
iTUNES: http://bit.ly/17JKTvi
CRIMSON ROMANCE: http://www.crimsonromance.com/Friday, February 14, 2014
WELCOME BACK MJ SCHILLER! COVER REVEAL OF THE HEART TEACHES BEST
Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone,
Today, I have back with us my good friend and wonderful author, MJ Schiller. MJ is here to reveal the cover of her new novel, THE HEART TEACHES BEST. MJ, thank you so much for being here and allowing us to see this amazing new cover first. Before I ramble on and on, I'll turn this post over to you.
MJ Schiller ...
I am really excited to be here today to reveal the cover for
my new romantic suspense, THE HEART TEACHES BEST! Thank you for hosting me! I am
blessed with a wonderful cover artist and I think this is my favorite cover so
far.
Here’s a blurb:
Cooper Sullivan is the cop in charge of investigating a
murder outside of a Los Angeles night club.
The famous romance author, Sydney Essex, has been found strangled in the
parking lot. When the young officer
returns to the scene of the crime the night after the murder, he gets involved
in a fight in order to protect a woman, who he realizes afterward, is the
victim’s sister. Soon he finds himself
torn by his attraction to the irresistible blond teacher, and his need to maintain
a professional distance.
Laney Essex is distraught over her sister’s death, so the
high school English teacher returns to the bar where the crime occurred to find
answers. To her dismay, she is only left
with more questions, many centered on her developing relationship with Cooper
Sullivan. Is the pull she’s feeling
towards him reciprocated, or is the handsome detective only showing her
professional courtesy, or, perhaps, even pity?
When Laney receives a threatening phone call from Sydney’s
murderer, it quickly becomes evident that the man who killed her sister is
after her, too! Can Cooper figure out
who the killer is before it’s too late?
And if he does solve the case, will it just be another file stamped
“CLOSED” in red and locked away in a drawer, or will the sparks that have been
flying between the two finally ignite?
GET THE HEART TEACHES BEST MARCH 1ST!
BUY IT ON AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE, AND OTHER MAJOR RETAILERS.
Monday, February 10, 2014
IN THE SHADOW OF MALICE ONE MONTH AWAY!!!
HAPPY MONDAY, EVERYONE!
One month from today, my new romantic suspense, IN THE SHADOW OF MALICE, will be released to the world. For the next four weeks, I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite moments about this wonderful love story. There will be a give-away at the end of this post so read on.
I can't wait for you to meet my hero, Adam Blake, my heroine, Calista Martin, and Adam's four year old daughter, adorable Anna Blake. If you would like a peak at my inspiration for these wonderful characters, check out my Pinterest Board for the story. You can find it here:
http://www.pinterest.com/nancycweeks/in-the-shadow-of-malice/
My big reveal today is my new cover! As an author, there isn't anything more exciting than the day when your publisher sends you an email with the words, New Cover in the subject line. It is a moment when I hold my breath, click open, and practically bounce out of my skin waiting to see what the art department created. Well, Crimson Romance's art department did it again and gave me a cover I just love.
So without without further adieu, or in my case, rambling, here is my new cover for IN THE SHADOW OF MALICE!
Blurb for In the Shadow of Malice:
Adam Blake, ex-CIA operative, has gone to
great lengths to keep his identity a secret from his maternal grandfather, who
controls the most brutal crime syndicate in Eastern Europe. The moment he lets
his guard down, the unthinkable happens and his best friend, the mother of his
child, is tortured and murdered. To protect his daughter, he must seek the help
of his father’s family—who has no idea of his existence. What Adam could have
never foreseen is the unusual attachment between his daughter and her most
unlikely protector.
After months of living in an emotional
vacuum after her roommate’s murder [Hanna Tu from In the Shadow of Greed], Calista Martin takes a chance and befriends
a handsome regular at the diner. What is supposed to be just a ride home hurls
her headlong into Adam’s world of murder and revenge. To add to an already
explosive situation, Adam’s traumatized little girl refuses to release her hold
on Calista. Knowing what it’s like to lose a loved one, Calista insists on
staying with Adam to protect Anna.
After Calista risks her life to protect Anna, Adam begins to see the waitress from the diner in a different light. But the Vasnev threat is heating up and Calista, while willing to help him, really doesn’t trust him. Can Adam find a way to eliminate his enemies to become the father Anna deserves and the man Calista needs—or will he fail again, taking his future out of his hands forever?
Now for the GIVE-AWAY.[Insert the roar of a crowd here hehhehe]
I would love to hear from my blog readers. To that end, I will be selecting from a hat one commenter's name to win either a Amazon or Barnes and Noble $5 gift card. What do you have to do to win? Just leave a comment by clicking on the little pencil below. If you don't know what to say, here is a question: If you read In the Shadow of Greed, do you remember meeting Calista? Who is she? AND ... do you have any clue who Adam is?
Note of reminder: If you haven't had a chance to read the first two books in my Shadow series, In the Shadow of Greed and In the Shadow of Evil, they are on SALE for only $1.99 through the month of February. AND more exciting news, if you just love holding the actual book in your hands, well, those are out too. You can find the links below.
That's all for now. Have a wonderful Monday and please take moment to say hi.
((HUGS TO ALL))
Nancy C. Weeks
Where to find my books:
In the Shadow of Evil:
Amazon:http://amzn.com/B00ECGP8XW
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/NtkKi1
In the Shadow of Greed:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00CA9DEYS
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1npvSHj
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
WELCOME DENISE MONCRIEF, AUTHOR OF PURGATORY-BOOK TWO OF THE COLORADO SERIES
HAPPY WEDNESDAY, EVERYONE!
Today, I am happy to introduce you to a new author I just discovered, Denise Moncrief. Denise is a Southern girl who’s lived in Louisiana all her life. And yes, she has a drawl. She's been writing off and on since she was seventeen. She has a wonderful husband and two incredible children. They not only endure her writing moods, but also encourage her to indulge her passion.
Denise's first “novel” was seventeen handwritten pages on school-ruled paper and an
obvious rip-off of the last romance novel she read. The urge to write wouldn't
let go of her. In her twenties, she started another novel, only to abandon it
after Chapter Four or Five. She started writing seriously about eight years ago
and has already published several stories.
Denise
is exciting to announce that Book Two of her Colorado Series, PURGATORY – the
follow up to AN IMPOSTOR IN TOWN is FREE on Kindle from February 4th until
February 8th. That's right, I said FREE!!!!
I have my copy and can't wait to sit down with a nice cup of coffee and get to know her heroine and hero, Chris and Steve. I was sold by the cover alone. Isn't it beautiful?
Denise has left a blurb for PURGATORY and a short excerpt below. The link to Amazon can be found after the excerpt! If you have a couple seconds and want to ask Denise a few questions in the comment section, I'm sure she will be happy to help us get to know her a little better. You can also leave her a quick thank-you for her wonderful free book if you like.
Blurb:
Five years ago, a tragic accident robbed Chris Smith of a normal life. Left with only a jagged scar, a set of wedding rings, and bits of memory—smells, sounds, and fleeting feelings—she copes with the loss of her identity. Amnesia has made her life a living purgatory…until she meets Steve West.Steve’s construction company is remodeling the ski lifts in Purgatory, Colorado. However looking at Chris is seeing the face of his deceased wife. Now the truths he’d been forced to believe have him searching for answers.Murder, deception, and missing ransom money. Can Steve protect Chris…and prove she’s the wife he never believed dead before the killer tries again?
Excerpt...
A swoosh of wind
burst through the front door as a man entered the building. Dragging her
attention away from the magazine, she turned to greet him. He hesitated for a
fraction of a second as if to get his bearings before trudging through the
lobby toward her. As soon as their eyes met, her words of welcome froze on her
tongue and the pain began—flashes of light across her vision—tightness in her
throat—intense, piercing sensations in her head. Panic and the desire to run
soon followed.
She massaged her
forehead, trying to rub away the stabbing pain that throbbed between her eyes,
and then returned her attention to the man in front of her, pulling the
computer keyboard toward her, determined to do her job despite the sudden fear
gripping her insides.
She attempted her
most professional tone. “Good morning. Welcome to the Inn at Purgatory. How can
I help you?”
No response.
She glanced up at
him. To her dismay, he presented all the indications of a panic attack. She
recognized the signs well. His forehead glistened with tiny beads of sweat. The
vein in his neck pulsed. Anxiety flashed in his eyes as he struggled with each
new breath he took.
“Mister, are you
all right?”
He braced against
the counter and rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah. It’s just…you look like
someone I used to know.”
Chills ran down
her spine. He wasn’t creepy, not in the least. On the contrary, she sensed an
unmistakable connection to this stranger. She recoiled from the feeling, but
nothing could have pried her eyes from his for a few brief, intense moments.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOUR FREE COPY OF PURGATORY.
http://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-Colorado-Denise-Moncrief-ebook/dp/B00GVL6OSO
To find out more about Denise Moncrief, reach out to her on the links below:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeniseMoncriefAuthor
Blog: http://www.denisemoncrief.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.denisemoncrief.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dmoncrief0131
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5818900.Denise_Moncrief
Denise, I'm so happy to have you here today. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your very generous gift of a free book. I can't think of anything better to do on a cold winter day than read.
Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks
Saturday, February 1, 2014
VALENTINE MONTH OF BOOKS, BOOKS, AND MORE BOOKS-ALL WITH HAPPY-EVER-AFTER ROMANCE
Happy Saturday, Everyone!
In celebration of February being the month of love and valentines, my wonderful publisher, Crimson Romance wanted to do something special. So, starting TODAY, February 1st, for the ENTIRE month of February, all 2012 and 2013 Crimson Romance titles will be on sale over at Amazon for just $1.99!
Over the past two years Crimson has brought hundreds of
contemporary, historical, suspenseful, spicy, classic, Wild and Wanton, and
paranormal romances — and this month you can get them all for less than half
price, IN THE SHADOW OF GREED AND IN THE SHADOW OF EVIL INCLUDED.
What better way to celebrate Cupid. So click the link below and curl up with a steaming hot Crimson Romance?
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
((HUGS TO ALL))
Nancy C. Weeks
Author of:
In the Shadow of Greed
In the Shadow of Evil
In the Shadow of Malice--release date 10 March 2014
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