Search This Blog

Friday, April 29, 2011

Guest Blogger...Valerie Maarten!


From her current WIP: Forget Me Not


Chapter 3

The moment the receptionist came into the room to retrieve Violet DeGrace and escort her to see her mother, Joseph sat back in his chair and combed his hands roughly through his hair. His meeting with Mrs. Willis’ daughter did not go anything like he was trained and prepared to deal with.

He expected hysteria, grief, pain. Those were the emotions he could handle. Instead, he was met with the cold indifference of an intimate family member that should have cried or bemoaned how life was not fair…not the flippant response he received about one of life’s ultimate challenges.

In the few short years he’s come to know Mrs. Willis, he’s only known her to be a loving, caring and doting mother to her son Benjamin. Although He can’t ever recall the mention of a daughter until a few weeks ago when Mrs. Willis had come to terms with her mortality and accepted the reality that she was going to die. It was at that point that she asked him to make contact with a daughter he knew nothing about to inform her of her condition.

“What have you gotten yourself into?” he asked himself aloud. One thing he knew for certain, he was going to get to the bottom of it. The last thing he was going to tolerate was for Violet DeGrace to make her mother’s last days miserable and uncomfortable.

****************************************************************

The Gift of Joy
Synopsis

When Joy Tate was just a naïve, little girl that still believed in dreams and wishes, she had only one wish for Santa Claus. It was a selfish hope that caused her to lose the most important person in her life. Now all she wishes for is…
THE GIFT OF REDEMPTION

Gabriel Hawthorne spent his entire childhood ignoring the sad, lonely girl from across the street, but could never fully keep her from his thoughts. But after reuniting with her, he’s impressed with the strong, fierce advocate she’s become. And when he’s with her, she gives him the greatest gift of all…
THE GIFT OF JOY

****************************************************************

Second Chances

Synopsis

Kadi Crowe has spent her entire life believing in her father's innocence, even after he's served his 20 year sentence. But when another young girl is discovered brutally murdered, her father is the prime suspect. She knows he's innocent, but can she prove it?

Dain McKnight waited for the day when he could finally wield his own brand of justice on the man who was convicted of murdering his sister, 20 years earlier. It will be the only justice befitting a cold-blooded killer.

Then a chance meeting with Kadi slowly begins to sow the seeds of doubt in his mind. But, is Dain's growing feelings for Kadi stronger than is hatred for her father? Or will his disdain deny any of them the hope of second chances?

Thanks,

Valerie

Buy Links:


The Gift of Joy
Second Chances
Smashwords

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Family confrontation on Easter...

Exhaustion. I am completely whipped...from running errands and from dealing with drama on both family sides...most especially an episode that happened to me yesterday at my parent's home.
I'd like to share (without names to protect the closed-minded party and my relatives).

I arrived there solo, (had to make a trip back to get food I forgot to bring) and found my Uncle and Aunt there. Now...a little background on him. He's extremely biggoted and old-fashioned to the nth degree. He's also up in years and very staunchly conservative.
That said...for some reason it got back to him about what I wrote. Needless to say he was not pleased. He decided to ask me in his booming voice why I write what I write. I looked over and saw younger family members already at the table and shushed him.
He glared at me for daring to shush him! (that's how this guy is). He proceeded to ask me again why I write that (and he didn't have to say "garbage" out loud, I heard it in his tone.)
I told him it was a long story. That was all I wanted to tell him; he didn't deserve to know why!
He pressed me further and I told him it was on a dare. (figured a dare to myself counted, right)?
Insane.
I told him I write mainstream too, just to sway the subject away. He asked what mainstream was...and I had to hold back a smarmy answer such as "not you"! Instead I told him it was what bookstores carry. That sated him. He backed off. He and my Aunt left after that and I was never happier to see him leave in my life!

What do you think of how I handled the situation?

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Taking a breather...

Things have been a little bit haywire for me lately; between new contracts, editing, etc. schoolwork (which makes sense 50% of the time) and this new-ish job....not much time left for fun.

Well, that's gonna change a bit. This weekend is nuts, but after that I hope things get back into a good, steady rhythm of just doing homework on the good weekday night when it's quiet and goto work, do my 8 and hit the highway.

My next book release is on May 26th, Refugees, aka the sequel to For the Heart of Phillip....and after that, Ranch Hands returns! Riding into town on a tractor I'm sure! LOL I can't wait for that..we've yet to do the cover, yet all of the edits are done!

Goodreads traffic has really picked up and I love all the feedback! I'm even getting a chance to do some 'leisure' reading again! Now that's really nice...even if it's at 5 am and I read til 630! If I'm into a story, then I'll not want to turn off the screen!

I will have more blog guests coming...I hope you come by and leave a comment...love comments!

Have a great holiday weekend and see you soon!

Steph

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Guest Blogger...Simone Anderson!


Thank you to SL for letting me blog here today. My latest book - To Love Again, comes out Monday, April 18th from Total-E-Bound ( http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1171) and is the first in my new four book series Bound Hearts, in which all of the characters are combining BDSM and love. I haven't forgotten the guys at Smugglers' Cove, and hope to have the second book out soon. Happy Reading! About the book - When Aaron Langford walked out of his life years ago, Brendan Mackenzie felt his heart break and made the decision to never love again. When his best friend shows up on his door with a scruffy stranger, it takes long moments for Brendan to realise the stranger is actually his ex-boyfriend. Physical scars tell the story of where his ex has been and the life the other man led. Promising to find a good master for the submissive male, Brendan finds it increasingly difficult to imagine Aaron with anyone but him. Can love be salvaged or will the past be too much to overcome?

Here's an excerpt -

“If you love someone, let them go. If they return to you, it was meant to be. If they don’t, their love was never yours to begin with.”


Brendan McKenzie scoffed and balled up the card along with Aaron’s photo. It’d been three years since his lover—the man he’d thought was his soul mate—had left, and Brendan was tired of waiting and hoping, only to be disappointed in the end. Aaron had made his choice. Brendan could live with it, would have to live with it.


He still hated it.


“‘It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all’,” he read, picking up a postcard. “Ha. Anonymous has obviously never had to deal with either.”


Tearing the postcard in half, he threw it in the burn pile. He made quick work of the rest of the box, electing to keep only a few items. After he was done, Brendan sat on the fieldstone surround of the cold fireplace and started to build a fire. Feeling his pockets for a lighter, he swore, stood and went to search the junk drawer in the kitchen, retrieving a book of matches instead. He swore again when the doorbell rang.


“It’s fucking midnight! What the hell?” Brendan stomped to the door, and yanked it open. “Harden! What the fuck do you want? And why didn’t you just walk in?” He scowled at the dark features of Harden Langford, his best friend since third grade…and the cousin of his former lover. Harden’s parents had named him after a grandfather, and it had given his friend no end of trouble.


“Thought it’d be better to knock this time,” Harden said indicating a scruffy looking man standing near him. The other man stood slightly behind and to the left of his friend and stared at the ground, his hands behind his back. Brendan recognised the submissive stance immediately. This one was different. If he wasn’t mistaken, the submissive had been abused.


“Garrett’s home, so he can’t stay with me,” Harden continued.


Brendan blinked and stared in disbelief at the dishevelled man as Harden’s words finally sunk in. This wasn’t just any submissive, abused or not. Brendan’s scowl deepened. He recognised Aaron Langford, his ex-lover and partner, through the stringy, dirty blond hair and shaggy beard. The once bright, smiling green eyes were dull and lifeless. The smaller man had lost weight since he’d left—that much Brendan could tell even with the baggy clothes he was wearing.


“No.” Brendan shook his head. His stomach clenched and his throat tightened. The last thing he needed or wanted in his life right now was Aaron. Responsibility be damned. He wanted nothing to do with the man who had ripped his heart out. Brendan blew out a breath and shoved a hand through his hair. He’d finally agreed to go out with Matt Carson, the good-looking office manager from the financial services firm that shared a floor with the advertising company that Harden worked at, after the man had pursued him for months. He’d spoken with the man several times and had a sensed a natural submissiveness in Matt that appealed to him on a certain level. Eventually, he would make a great sub. Aaron was a complication he didn’t want or need.


“Brendan, he’s only been in town a couple of hours and he has to stay somewhere,” Harden implored. “Garrett can’t stand him. He wants him dead and refuses to allow him in the house while he’s around.”


“The streets?” he suggested. “That smells like where you picked him up from. And what makes you think he is welcomed here or that my opinion is different than Garrett’s?”


“He’s family. My family…we’re all each other has.”


“He’s not my family,” Brendan ground out, ignoring the pleading invading his friend’s voice and eyes. Brendan knew Harden spoke the truth. Both men had been kicked out of the house and disowned by their entire family the day they’d come out. They’d been closer than brothers since then. At least until Aaron left them all and headed for New York City.


“He’s your soul mate.”


Brendan shook his head. “No. He’s. Not. He made his choice. Three years ago he walked away from me, from us and what we had together. He walked away from you.”


“He’ll die on the streets. It's just a couple of days. Garrett leaves on Monday.”


“Hotel.”


Aaron’s eyes open wide, his face paled and Harden shook his head.


“It’s not my problem, Harden. Put him in a shelter, a hotel, or a gutter. I don’t care. But he’s not staying here. He’s no longer welcome,” Brendan replied, steeling his heart. Having Aaron under his roof would be torture, especially when he knew Aaron didn’t want him. Dating simply wouldn’t be possible with his ex-boyfriend living under the same roof. He had a real date planned, not just a hook up with a submissive from the club, and he had hoped to get lucky with Matt tomorrow. An idea that had lost its appeal when combined with the reminder of Aaron living with him. Staying, he corrected himself. Aaron wasn’t welcome.


“When did you become a cold hearted bastard?” Harden asked, balling his fists, testifying to the fury and worry running through his best friend.

“Swing at me if you must, Harden. You’re my best friend and you of all people should know exactly why Aaron isn’t welcomed here. I refuse to put myself through that again. Not for you. Certainly not for him. Not for any reason. There is no room in this house or in my life for that selfish prick.” Brendan pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and removed the cash and one of his business cards and handed it over to his friend. “Here is eighty-three dollars, that’s enough to get a room for a night or two at a motel. If I’m a cold-hearted bastard, you can thank your cousin for that. Get him off my property.”


Harden nodded reluctantly. “I’ll be in touch.”


Brendan watched Harden guide his one-time lover back to the light green sedan parked in his driveway. He kept watch as Harden drove away, wondering if he’d see Aaron again. Hoping he would. Praying he wouldn’t. Brendan blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. Why now, after three years had Aaron returned? What had happened to the man who had been proud of his looks? Why did he look and smell like he just crawled out of a sewer pipe? Looking at the cold fireplace, he retrieved a beer from the kitchen, and weighed his options. Blowing out a breath and rubbing his chin, he sat down on the couch, his mind swirled with unanswered questions.


Simone

www. simoneanderson. com

www. simoneanderson.blogspot.com

http:// twitter.com/SimoneAnderson7

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Overlord Award

I accept this honor bestowed upon me by Michael Mandrake:

IF I WAS OVERLORD!

My three things I would change?

1. Delete every nonsensical law

2. End poverty and disease

3. Deflect any asteroids heading this way.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Heartwarming

This is from friend/fellow author Ryan Field. He sent this to me stating this is truly how he feels about my writing; just had to share....and Ryan, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

"I love reading S.L. Danielson's work because the writing is always solid and the gay characters are always portrayed in positive, uplifting, supportive way I don't see as often as I'd like. And when I'm finished with one of her books, I always feel as if I've walked away with something that will remain with me for a long time." –Ryan Field, Romance Author

Monday, April 4, 2011

SALE at Smashwords!

If you have one of my other three backlist books on your to-be-read list...this is the time to fill it out!

All three of mine: Lust in London, For the Heart of Phillip, and Bernard; Diary of a 46-yr-old Bellhop are now only 99 cents each!

Get 'em while they're hot!

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ladyauthorsld

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Insanity!

Hello, everyone!

This last week has just been too exciting for me; as in nothing has really gotten done...but everything felt larger-than-life.

Let's review the week that I had: Last Saturday was terrific! Life After Math came out; things were going great!
Then...Sunday was tolerable...but then.
The work week began.

I have a day job that's into it's 5th week next week...I like it; it's a pretty good gig; in my field (sorta). The only major problem is that I'm accustomed to writing a little bit every day, but at this place I don't get a chance to; which builds up the angst a bit. Any ideas I have are lost in a sea of lunchtime conversations from coworkers...

The really depressing item for us is that we are trying (emphasis on trying) to buy a car. Now...anyone with a normal life nowadays is having trouble buying anything at all...much less a vehicle. Alas, it is necessary though, since my husband will be needing to drive himself to a new job....

Wow...what a can of worms! We got sucked into a world of credit applications, sleezy finance guys, etc...and a "nope, sorry. can't help you." OR worse....extinction (psycho talk for no response at all). Despite my polite messages...they never called back.

This wore on me worse than anything; plus the countless trips to the computer as hubby pulled up car after car...what about this one? this one? this one? omg!!! Leave me alone! Thursday night I about lost it and was so frazzled I had to have some wine to at least attempt to relax. It worked...but my schoolwork suffered for it. Don't remember too much about it...may have to reread that chapter. LOL

It didn't help things either that we called my once wise father over for advice and he was just as stymied as we were and he steered the discussion into his own situation. Oy! He stayed an hour, and that was that. Nothing gained or solved.

Tomorrow is my last straw; literally. It's a bit loan sharkish with the interest rates they'll charge, but we have to do it anyway. Oy....the things we do for jobs, eh?

Writing has suffered completely; as in none...zip, zilch the past 10 days.

My only solace is a quick game of Zuma (which usually gets interrupted anyway by a human or a cat)....

I wish for two solid hours of writing ALONE and silent....and for everything to go smoothly...after this week, is that too much to ask? I don't think so....wish me luck!!

Thank you for reading my rant...

Steph