Tuesday Teaser: Lightson Dynasty by Rhiannon Wellman, a historical m/m romance

Jo has always been what he is and never what he seems. Will his grandmother force him to live a life he doesn't want, or can he figure a way out?

Jo's life had never been simple. But since he moved in with his grandmother, things only became worse. First, she assumes that Jo stood for Josephine not Joseph. Then she believes all young women should be suitably married, especially her granddaughter, Jo.

So now Jo's expected to marry a man he's never met and whose own grandmother also wants the match. But how can he when he must protect his secret?

Marcus would rather spend time with his books and the gentlemen at his club than women, let alone marry one.

With both their grandmothers working against them, will they be able to find their way out of this potentially scandalous situation? After spending time together, will they want to?

Excerpt:

Jo couldn't help but laugh out loud at that statement. "I will bet you any amount of money you care to name that you will never meet a girl like me again." Jo moved well back from the edge of the cliff and opened the basket to retrieve the blanket that lay across the top of the food. Marcus helped Jo to set out the food, and they sat down.

"How did your grandmother convince you to come, if you do not mind me asking?" Jo asked.

"She did what every mother and grandmother does when she wants a male of her acquaintance to do something he might not want to do. She threatened me. She told me that if I did not comply, then I would be cut off and disowned."

"That seems rather extreme."

"My grandmother wishes to see me settled down before she dies. And my mother, well..." Marcus paused, staring down at his food and avoiding eye contact.

"I know we just met, but I promise you nothing you say to me will go any further than the two of us. My grandmother, after all, is doing the exact same thing to me."

Marcus nodded. "I suppose we are somewhat in the same boat, as it were. Very well, my mother is too frightened of my grandmother to dare oppose her on anything. She is my father's mother, and very used to getting her own way. She also has the type of mind that once 'tis made up, there is no changing it."

Jo nodded. "Grandmother is just the same, but I have no mother and father any longer whom I could turn to. I shall have to put up with it. I must confess, I fully intended to make myself as unpleasant as possible for the duration of your stay to insure that you wouldn't even think of making me an offer."

Marcus laughed good naturedly. "I planned to be as boorish as I could manage, so you wouldn't accept when I did. Ye gads, we are a pair, aren’t we."

"What are we going to do now? You have to ask, and I have to say yes."

Jo couldn't help but feel downcast as this all became extremely overwhelming. He just did not know what he could do now.

"I do not know. If they were not such close friends, I would suggest we lie. You could say I never asked, and I could say that you refused me."

Jo huffed a laugh. "A good suggestion, but it would not work. I never expected to marry. My mother used to tell me that one day, I would find someone I wished to spend my life with, and she and my father would be happy for me no matter who the person was. But now they are gone. All Grandmother cares about is that I marry someone suitable."

"Why would you not marry? You are a beautiful woman; gentlemen must have made you offers before," Marcus asked as if genuinely surprised that Jo thought so lowly of himself.

"We better get back to the house. You'll want to settle in and get ready for dinner," Jo said, getting up and artfully avoiding the question.

"Yes, you are quite right. It would be most rude of me to delay you any further."

Jo couldn't help but smile. "I doubt the staff expected me back in time for dinner tonight. That is why they gave me the packed meal."

"Planning to avoid my arrival?" Marcus asked with a wry smile.

WANT TO READ MORE?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RCAUPN8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightson-dynasty-rhiannon-wellman/1120958173?ean=2940149853175

About the Author:

Rhiannon has been making up stories as long as she can remember, admittedly they had less sex in them back then. She never goes anywhere without a pen and notebook, and has often been known to

stop mid-conversation, get a glazed look in her eye and need to write down a line, or even an entirely new plot to add to her ever growing 'to do' pile.

Rhiannon's approach to writing, and life, is best described by the following conversation with her very understanding, and often bemused husband.

"You got bit by the plot bunny again didn't you?"

"Um maybe"

"Small bunny or big one?"

"It was a tiger in a cunning disguise."

When she's not writing she has a full-time job and a family who she loves very much, she's very grateful for all the wonderful things in her life and hopes to keep writing for a long time. Working on her books is Rhiannon's escape, she can lose herself in different worlds and situations, if for no other reason than that she will write for as long as she is able to hold a pen and paper and type on her ever present laptop.

As Rhiannon likes to talk quite a lot she set up a page on face book where people can come and get information as it happens. She will respond to all messages sent to her, currently the page only has a little over 100 likes, but considering the short time she has had the page Rhiannon is thrilled with the response she's gotten.

https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonWellman

She also has a blog, that’s updated as often as she can think of witty and interesting things to say, which is never as often as she'd like.

http://rhiannonwellman.blogspot.co.uk/

Rhiannon also has an account on Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7162092.Rhiannon_Wellman?from_search=true

Lightson Dynasty is published by Three Worlds Press. For more information on this book or their other works please visit: Three Worlds Press.

Tuesday Teaser: Ulfric's Mate: Book 1 of War of the Weres ..The Battle Begins

Killers are attacking the pregnant weres of Nolan Littlebull’s pack, the Wahpawhats. Can he catch them without destroying his own chance at happiness?

Alex George, only half Native and half were, was a misfit with the Lupin pack despite being the healer. Roxy, the ruthless Lupa, wants her for something nefarious, but Alex doesn’t know what. She will join with Nolan, Ulfric of the Lupins rival pack, to bring Roxy to justice, but will it cost her her life?

Even worse, all signs pointed to Nolan being her mate. The wolf in him calls to hers, and his honor and strength—not to mention downright sexiness—calls to her as a woman. But their joining could tear apart two packs.

Can they bring the killers to justice—pack or human, work through pack politics, and be together? Can they even survive?

Excerpt:

She did not want him to leave, and certainly, he did not want to go. His mind touched hers, and she felt his reluctance. Even the truck seemed to resist taking him from her. It creaked and groaned as he drove away, like she had not heard before. She frowned. Since her mother had taught her to never ignore what some would call silly nonsense, but in reality was their intuition, she tried to think of why he should not leave her.

It wasn’t as if she’d never been alone before. She was tougher than she looked. Being bullied tended to either make people tough or break them, and it had made her tough. Being a healer had kept her com-passionate, but it didn’t make her stupid. Noting the landscape, she looked around for anything suspicious.

The landscape lay open for the most part. A gravel pit turned irrigation pond was full, but there were no animals near it. Strange. With standing water not very plentiful around the valley, she would have expected more activity. She tried to remember what sights and sounds had been around when they left this morning but could not. She’d been too focused on Nolan and the recent murders.

Despite not seeing anything specific, she trusted her instincts and once inside, locked the handle of the outside door and bolted it. She tried to put her finger on her unease. It frightened her more that

she could not pinpoint what her mind had sensed than an actual threat would scare her. Insidious threats scared her the most since sneak attacks tended to do the harshest damage and she could not fight what she could not see.

She sat on the couch to try to get comfortable. But her growing fear made her restless. She moved into the big kitchen just off the living room and put together a sandwich. Presumably it was fine, but it tasted like sawdust to her. Putting the half-eaten meal down, she grabbed a soda out of the refrigerator. She leaned against the island and contemplated every detail she had seen when overlooking the landscape, both now and when they’d left earlier.

Then it came to her. The difference was the smell. Amid the smells of agriculture and heat, the breeze now contained the subtle hint of fear. The animals were afraid, but it was not a cohesive fear; it was instinctive.

Werewolves in human form?

She walked over to the sink and looked out the windows over-looking Nolan’s land to both the south and west. Nothing. Even with her better-than-average vision she could not see any signs. “Probably just nerves over being mated,” she muttered to herself to cover up the silence of the big, unfamiliar house.

Just then, the French doors off the kitchen to the outside deck ex-ploded in a combination of glass and wood fragments. Hoping to get to the front door, she ran around the island to the stairs. But as she reached the landing of the curved staircase, the front door smashed open with a loud crash. She turned to go back up the stairs, but someone stood there.

“Jason,” she said flatly. He had wanted to mate with her, but his touch made her skin crawl. The scent of the other were came to her from behind. “Boris. What a surprise,” she said facetiously, turning her head to peer over her shoulder and trying to keep her fear at bay. Nothing excited Boris and Jason like fear.

“Why are you here?” Hoping the demand covered up any residu-al dread she might have left in her voice, she tried to push Jason away from her.

“We’re here for you of course,” Jason responded with a leer. She couldn’t help the revulsion that crossed her face at the idea of him touching her. “Oh don’t worry, sweetheart. I won’t be touching you like that—yet.” His raucous laughter scratched against her mind like nails on a chalkboard.

“I don’t understand.”

“No, you don’t,” Boris said before putting something against her arm. She felt pressure, and then her vision swam before she blacked out.

Want more?

Buy links:

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Meet the Author:

Leona Bushman goes by many names but the most well-known one is superhero. She earned this

name from saving a kangaroo from a tree—and yes that is as hard as it sounds. The dragons taught their queen how to write, and Queen Leona hasn't looked back, even when her muse tries to muck things up.

She can be found goofing off and loving dragons and other creatures of the supernatural at these places:

Twitter: @L_Bushman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeonaBushman

Coming Soon from Three Worlds Press:

Cerisa's Quest

The Ulfric’s Mate is published by Three Worlds Press. For more information on this book or their other works please visit: Three Worlds Press.

Tuesday Teaser: Amanda Marie's Scandalous Endeavors ... The Lady has a Plan

The story behind the story...

They say that every story has another story behind it. For Scandalous Endeavors that is certainly true. In fact it has two stories behind it, and one of those stories also has a story behind it.

It all started twelve years ago when I was touched by the loss of someone very close to me. I grieved and withdrew for a bit but did not start writing. The experience touched me in a way that changed me forever. Still I had no desire to write about it or to share it. Like Amelia says in Scandalous Endeavors, “Her grief belonged to her, not the ton.” Nine years passed before writing about my experience ever came to light.

I was working on my master’s degree and enrolled in a creative writing course. One of the assignments was to write a short story. I had no idea what to write and spent a considerable amount of time trying to dream up a plot and characters. At my wits end someone told me to write what I know. I took that advice and crafted a story about my experience years before.

In the end I had a goodish new adult short story that earned me an A in the course. I liked what I had and thought about turning it into a full book. Two more years passed while the story grew crusty on my hard drive before I opened the document again. During that time I had decided that I wanted to write historical romance not new adult. It meant that 98% of my short story had to be scrapped. Maybe I would never write a book, I would just be content with teaching and editing.

With my mind made up, I quit thinking about writing until that day when I started writing Scandalous Endeavors. So what happened to get me writing you ask? Looking back on that day it is humorous but at the time I was none too pleased.

It started like any other day. I took my kids to school and went to work. After work I picked up my kids, went home, and started in on my after school tasks. Helped my kids with their homework, checked my email, cleaned up. All of my normal things I do most days. Then my husband came home from work in a foul mood. After a bit we began bickering about something so stupid that I no longer remember what caused the dispute. 

But I was so angry that I did not want to be available to talk or be talked to. I needed to make myself busy but had nothing to do. Before I had time to think about it my laptop was resting on my legs and I was typing like mad. I opened up that old short story and deleted everything except the opening scene. By the time I felt sociable again two chapters were written and Scandalous Endeavors had been born.

The first chapter was shaped from that long ago written short stories first scene though the only element that remained was the raw emotion I had shared. You see that short story was based closely on my real life experience with loss. The first scene in Scandalous Endeavors is purely fictional. The heroine, Amelia, has lost her father and the book opens with her at the funeral. My father is alive, but I have experienced life shattering loss and drew on those emotions.

Scandalous Endeavors is the story that emerged when I stopped thinking about writing and just wrote. It was born of a life experience, a class assignment, and a marital dispute. Now it is a source of great pleasure. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Synopsis

Lady Amelia has only known the comfort of life in mid-eighteenth century English aristocracy. But

when first her mother and then her father die, she finds herself alone, grief stricken and….. not of age. Her appointed guardian, an American uncle, has ordered her travel to his plantation where she must remain for at least two years when she will come of age.

With the help of Lady Grace and Lady Sarah, Lady Amelia gets her uncle to agree to give her four weeks to settle her affairs and unbeknownst to him…find an English lord to marry so she can remain in her beloved England. Despite her mourning period she endeavors to trap one of London’s eligible bachelors in matrimony.

Lord Goldstone, Lady Grace’s nephew is devilishly handsome, but a Scottish Duke and so entirely unacceptable as a possible husband. After all Scotland is not her beloved London and environs. He also has a nasty habit of showing up at all the wrong moments and thwarting her carefully laid plans to ensnare a suitable husband. Sparks fly as the pair find themselves at odds with each other and drawn to each other at the same time. Can they find a way to stop arguing long enough to explore their growing passion? Is it strong enough to make Lady Amelia give up her English home after all? Or will Lady Amelia find a suitable English lord and avoid social exile in America? Time is running out.

Excerpt

Lord Roseington wrapped his arms around her and stood up, setting her on her feet. “Yes, Amelia, everything is okay now.” He reached up and removed her arms from around him, then took a step back. “We must stop winding up in these situations before we cause a scandal.”

She looked at him through hooded eyes. “‘Tis a wonder we haven’t already.”

A man cleared his voice behind her.

Amelia turned her head, already knowing who had caught them. “Lord Goldstone, you mustn’t trouble yourself with keeping our secret.”

“What she means to say is that there is no secret to be kept. Amelia carelessly got close enough to the hearth to catch her skirts ablaze. I could not very well let her burn up.”

“No, Roseington, you were obliged to help. I am glad to know that you were not taking advantage of our dear Amelia.” He glanced at her and flashed a rakish smirk. “Indeed, you are a hero. Let us go share the story while Amelia changes her charred gown.”

She tried her hardest to shoot daggers at him from her narrowed glare. His grin only deepened at the attempt, which increased her ire. “Don’t you dare tell a soul. I would most definitely perish from the embarrassment!” Amelia spat the words out with anger and annoyance. How dare he ruin everything for a second time, and then jest about sharing her humiliation. If he were not Scottish, she would trap him instead. That would teach him a lesson.

“Do not worry your head over it, Lady Amelia. We will not breathe a word of this little mishap,” Lord Roseington said. “Right, Goldstone?”

“Of course not. All of your secrets are safe with me.” He winked.

Amelia blushed at what he had implied. “Thank you. Now that it is settled I am going to retire for the evening. Enjoy the rest of the party. Lord Roseington, Lord Goldstone.” She inclined her head to them before spinning on her heels and speeding from the room.

Buy Links:

Amazon                                    Nook                                                     Kobo

Amanda Marie dreams of days gone by when life moved at a slower pace. She enjoys taking pen to paper and exploring historical time periods through her imagination and the written word. Her hobbies include reading, writing, crocheting, traveling, photography, and spending time with her family. Some of Amanda Marie's favorite places in the continental U.S. are Harper's Ferry West Virginia and Sea Brook New Hampshire. She loves the history that surrounds them and visits them every chance she gets.

Amanda Marie lives along the Lake Huron shore line in northern Michigan with her husband and two kids. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts Degree with a concentration in literature and has a long standing love affair with sugary junk food.

Join Amanda Marie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaMarie

Visit her blog at http://musingsbymandy.wordpress.com/

Write to Amanda Marie at amandamarieauthor@gmail.com

Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMarieAuth

Scandalous Endeavors is published by Three Worlds Press. For more information on this book or their other works please visit: Three Worlds Press.

Tuesday Teaser: Nothing to Wear, book #1 of Dear Maude by Sally Max

There is something special about red letter days in Byron and Kit's household. Ever since becoming

man and wife, they always seem to have extra fun on holidays.

It's New Year's Eve and Kit is having a major problem. Her husband, Byron tries to help, but can't. The dilemma is monstrous. How can they overcome the insurmountable odds?

Within hours of the party, and she doesn't have anything to wear...

As a memento of those occasions, Kit is writing away in Maude, her diary.

A girl has got to have something to read when she is old and gray, to make her hot and bothered.

Excerpt:

Dear Diary,

Diary, I’m going to call you Maude. That’s okay, right? ‘Cause I really don’t like the idea that I’m recording this in a journal. It seems overdone, cliché, and trite. However, when I’m old and almost senile in a nursing home, I want to go back and read you, and then get all hot and bothered, be able to hide some Viagra in Byron’s applesauce, and have my way with him. I may need to remind him of who I am, but that will only make it more exciting. We’ve role-played some before, so it will be a different flavor of sponge bath, whose teeth are those, or bobbing for catheters.

It seems like every major holiday, we have the most amazing time. Don’t get me wrong. We have fun on other days of the week too, but special occasions, well, they’re usually extra noteworthy. Sometimes it’s the location, or we are experimenting with something new. It is just more fun. Maybe it’s that we want to celebrate when a holiday is on the calendar. Any red-letter day is special to us! ...

Buy Links:

Amazon

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Kobo

Meet the Author

After not being able to answer, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” when she was little, Sally Max decided she wouldn’t settle on just one profession. Instead, she lives vicariously through her characters on the page, and gets a taste of every possible scenario she can imagine.

 Sally Max currently resides in central Florida with her fiancé and a rambunctious black and white tuxedo kitty.

 See what Sally is up to at www.sallymax.com

Nothing to Wear is published by Three Worlds Press. For more information on this book or their other works please visit: Three Worlds Press.

TUESDAY TEASER:Ulfric's Mate by Leona Bushman from Three Worlds Press NEW COVER & More

In today's TUESDAY TEASER you get a sneak peek at the NEW cover for the re-release of an even MORE AWESOME Ulfric's Mate by Leona Bushman,

I am thrilled that Leona has chosen Three Worlds Press as her publisher and even more thrilled to have her as my Head Editor. 

Ulfric's Mate

Killers are attacking the pregnant weres of Nolan Littlebull’s pack, the Wahpawhats. Can he catch them without destroying his own chance at happiness?

Alex George, only half Native and half were, was a misfit with the Lupin pack despite being the healer. Roxy, the ruthless Lupa, wants her for something nefarious, but Alex doesn’t know what. She will join with Nolan, Ulfric of the Lupins rival pack, to bring Roxy to justice, but will it cost her her life?

Even worse, all signs pointed to Nolan being her mate. The wolf in him calls to hers, and his honor and strength—not to mention downright sexiness—calls to her as a woman. But their joining could tear apart two packs.

Can they bring the killers to justice—pack or human, work through pack politics, and be together? Can they even survive?

Ulfric's Mate has been given a shiny new makeover and is the next scheduled release from Three Worlds Press.

It is expected out on Black Friday, November 28,2014. Watch the Three World's Facebook page for the release.

Without further ado.........

Pretty awesome don't you think? And the insides are just as hot. 

Need something to read while you wait? Visit the Three Worlds Press website for our new release from Sally Max: 

All eBooks will be available for the Kindle, Nook and Kobo apps on your electronic devices. Print versions where applicable will be available in early 2015

Thursday Thought's: Meet Katorah with Hot New Release and Trio in Hers to Have

Today the Grove welcomes Katorah Kenway to have a seat by the fire pit and share with us about herself, her writing process, and her new release, Book 1 of the Ackerman Security series, Hers to Have.

Storyteller’s Grove: Thank you for coming Katorah.

Katorah Kenway: It’s my pleasure.

SG: Tell us about yourself and what brought you to writing?

KK: Writing under the pseudonym of Katorah Kenway, or Katorah K, I grew up with a love of books beginning around the age of ten when a teacher introduced me to the works of Beverly Cleary. From that point forward I read everything I could get my hands on for both enjoyment and knowledge. I'm notorious for staying up all night to finish a book because I want to know how it ends.

Inspired by the books, I turned my passion towards writing. It’s a hobby, mostly, but something I enjoy immensely. About five years ago, thanks to the encouragement of some amazing friends, I decided to devote my spare time to creating something for others to enjoy; hence the birth of Hers to Have. It was an idea that had been bouncing around in my head for years. The characters were constantly battling to be heard, so I finally sat down and put their words on paper, so to speak. I used to think authors were a bit off kilter when they'd talk about the characters in their books talking in their minds, telling them what way the book needed to go. Now, I understand the concept completely because it happened to me and is still happening as I write the second book in the series. Each character wants to be heard and have their story told.

Writing is an outlet to help relax my mind from the day to day stresses in life. If I'm having a bad day, I can sit down, write a few paragraphs, get lost in the words and forget about any other worries I might have.

SG: Share with our readers a little about your book.

KK: I’m proud to introduce the Ackerman Security series with the first book, Hers to Have. The book has a mix of mystery, playfulness, and of course, passion.

Here’s a brief description:

Life sometimes doesn't happen the way you envision it. One tragic event can change your life, how you decide to handle it is your choice. Hannah's life was turned upside down at a young age but she made the bold decision to take control of her destiny not expecting she would uncover a family secret and find the loves of her life.

Brothers of the heart, Spade and Nick have been best friends since childhood. Having hidden talents between them, they became the most sought after two-man team for special ops until they grew tired of the dark side of their jobs. "Retiring" from their positions, they jumped at the opportunity to help the development of a new private security firm. In their personal lives they’d resigned themselves to the fact that never would they find a woman that was right for them; having known all their lives that they could only love one woman between them; then in walked Hannah Ackerman and Fate intervened.

As an author, I love the chemistry between the trio, but the supporting characters are just as important in my eyes. Book two is nearly complete and the third book is slowly unraveling in my mind.

SG: What made you choose to self-publish your book?

KK: Being someone that has O.C.D. tendencies, it drove me crazy the way each publisher wanted your book submitted in a different format. What's the deal with that? Can't we all get on the same page? I have one book saved in about fifteen different ways because each place you submit it wants something different. Tired of dealing with that and the politics of things, I decided to give self-publishing a try. While you still have different formats, so far I have one for print, one for Amazon Kindle, and then another for Smashwords, it's still a much smoother process than dealing with publishing companies. I will say however, that having a publisher behind you helps with marketing aspects, though.

SG: What’s your sign? How do you think it affects your writing?

KK: I’m a Libra, but should have been born under the sign of Virgo and it’s often obvious that I fall between the two. I’m all about the balance of things but love to have my creative side shine. When I saw this question, I went back and read the descriptions of Virgo and Libra according to psychicguild.com and sat there with my jaw dropped at the comparison to my real life. It was astonishing.

I suppose the way it affects my writing is that I want a balance between the characters; how they work together as a unit and get along as a family. At least in the current series I’m working on. While some of the characters have resigned themselves to the fact that in their minds they don’t deserve love or will never receive it, I like to prove them wrong and remind them of their desire to love and be loved.

SG: What do you love to drink while you write?

KK: Water. Pure and simple. My indulgent drink though is a turtle latte, hot, no whip, yes both

drizzles (caramel and chocolate). I frequent the local coffee shop so much that they know my voice as soon as I start to place the order through the drive-thru, they interrupt with a greeting and tell me my drink is already being prepared. My favorite time to drink any coffee drink is at night after eating supper, even in the summer time. The warmth of the drink relaxes my mind and helps me to focus on the task at hand, which is usually writing.

SG: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?

KK: Shemar Moore, Chris Hemsworth, and Randy Orton. (Lost in thought, fanning myself then shaking my brain back into focus.) Oh! Did you mean necessities? Then I’d have to say water, my laptop, and a solar powered generator so I could continue to write even if it might be from a delusional state because the sun and I are not a good combination. I definitely have an inner Vamp running around in my bloodstream.

SG: If you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children?

KK: Live life to the fullest and don’t let the world knock you down. No matter how many times others, or life in general pushes you backward, take two steps forward to counteract the effects. You can overcome anything if you set your mind to it. But most of all, don’t lose the ability to love.

SG: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

KK: I went on a scouting trip to seek out a vehicle for a Repo Man which turned into a tour of the town. I decided right then and there that at some point and time I’d have to get some stories from this guy to use in future books. The fictional ideas that were sprouting out in my mind as the day went on had my laughing internally. While I get that only I understand the humor of this, I had to share it. Then again, it’s possible the friend that was with me that day probably knows more about my thoughts than I’d care to admit.

SG: If you were to have a romantic dinner with a fictional character, who would it be and describe the ENTIRE evening.

KK: Call me crazy, but I’d have to choose LeRoy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS. Yep, that’s what I said. While I admit, I’ve always had a thing for Mark Harmon in my real life, it’s Gibbs that I’d want to spend the evening with.

We’d go to his place, of course, because hey, what girl can resist working with her hands on a boat, alongside a distinguished man, while drinking whiskey from a mason jar that used to hold nuts and bolts.

I’d spend the evening picking his brain about his life as a Marine Sniper and an NCIS agent so I could use that knowledge in my writing. Now if the conversation and multiple drinks were to lead to a sensual kiss and possible other things, who am I to complain? The man might be older, but he is still a hottie in my mind.

  ~~~~~~~~~

 Writing under the pseudonym of Katorah Kenway, or Katorah K, she grew up with a love of books from the time she was ten years old when a teacher introduced her to the works of Beverly Cleary. From that point forward she read everything she could get her hands on for both enjoyment and knowledge. 

Currently pursuing her second chance at life with the help of friends from around the world, she chose to turn her love of books into a new hobby. With her laptop practically glued to her legs, she's spent the past couple of years pounding on the keys to create numerous story lines. Finally picking one whose characters spoke to her on a personal level, the Ackerman Security Series was born. The characters in the book are constantly in her mind telling her what they want to do and what direction the series should go.

While she likes to keep her family life private, hence the pseudonym, she wants to acknowledge that her child has given her the strength and courage to pursue her writing career along with the close knit group of friends she has from around the world. 

Why did she choose a smiling latte for her profile pic? Because she is addicted to soul-warming drinks and her philosophy in life is no matter what bumps you run into, no matter what hurdles you have to cross, keep smiling. It'll make you feel better and maybe bring a smile to someone else's face in the world which is just one step closer to happiness all around.

Links to follow Katorah:

On Amazon: amazon.com/author/katorahkenway

My blog: http://katorahs.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

FB: https://www.facebook.com/katorah.kenway

       https://www.facebook.com/katorahk/timeline

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/katorahk

Where to buy the books:

Amazon (eBook and Tradeback)

Smashwords (eBook formats)

Thursday Thoughts: Cris Anson Talks About Her New Release Aaron's Jewel, Love and Sex after 50 and Chocolate

Warning: Mature sexual themes.

Today we welcome Cris Anson to the Grove. Cris' newest novel, Aaron's Jewel releases September 26. 

Synopsis for Aaron's Jewel

Finding a position as corporate legal counsel in one’s middle-50s after being downsized sucks, so Aaron haunts his local dungeon to soothe his frustration. Feeling squeezed by work and family obligations, ghost writer Julia turns up at the same dungeon to do “research” for her current assignment.

The moment they meet, the dominant in Aaron recognizes the submissive in Julia.

He peels away the layers of her shyness along with her clothes. He gets her—his Jewel—naked and writhing against the cross and over the spanking bench. And she revels in his dominance and tutelage, discovering her wanton self whether tied to a bed in private or blindfolded and the target of many hands in public.

But real life isn’t all adult fun and games. Not when grown children, parents, careers and aging bodies conspire to challenge their burgeoning relationship.

Storyteller's Grove:  So Cris, tell us about yourself and what brought you to writing?

Cris Anson: Many years ago, after my first husband died, I poured all my grief and fears and rage into a journal. After a year or so, I took some of those emotions and began to twist them into scenes with a semblance of a happy ending, even if it was only on paper, to help me cope. Eventually the writing bug really did bite me and I set out to learn my craft. My second husband encouraged my writing efforts, and was thrilled to see several of my books published in his lifetime. Now that he’s also gone, I make sure that parts of him — his honor, courage, optimism, tenacity, and lust for life — live on in all my heroes. 

I also firmly believe that life doesn’t stop at the bedroom door, so when I discovered Ellora’s Cave, I happily jumped into erotic romance and never looked back. In fact, I’ve been delving into BDSM and my more recent stories reflect my in-depth, hands-on research in the “Scene”.

SG: Share with our readers a little about your book.

CA: When Ellora’s Cave put out a call for their “VaVa Boomers” series, I was intrigued. They wanted sexy seniors—mature heroines (not cougars) and heroes who have the benefit of experience and well-developed skills, “because love, like women and fine wine, gets better with age.”

And so my novella, AARON’S JEWEL, was born. Both Aaron and Julia have real-life problems to deal with, but their connection is immediate and there’s plenty of red-hot sex—when they manage to find time together. As a mature woman myself, I’m here to tell you that you’re never too old to want to love and be loved (and to have red-hot sex!).

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SG: What do you love about writing? Hate?

CA: I hate when I get writers’ block, which I do on a regular basis. I’m not one of those folks who has zillions of plots in their head, so I have to really dig deep when I’m starting out. And backtracking when I get stumped as to what’s next.

On the other hand, I love it when, about halfway through the book, the characters start talking back to me, start doing things I hadn’t anticipated. That’s when I know I’m on the right track.

SG: What do you love to eat while writing?

CA: Dove Dark Chocolates. I have to ration them or else I’d eat the entire bag. I’ll take a few upstairs with me and leave the rest in the fridge so I won’t be tempted.

SG: What do you love to drink while you pour steam on the page?

CA: Ice water with a slice of lemon. I can’t have tea or coffee because of the caffeine, I don’t like the fizz of sodas, and one glass of wine makes me sleepy. Yes, I’m a cheap date!

SG: Do you consider yourself more of a hunter or a gatherer?

CA: Not merely a gatherer, I’m a nester, almost a hoarder. I hate to throw things away because I know I’ll need it a week after I toss it. I surround myself with things I love or need, and my desk has mounds of papers. But I know what’s where! (Mostly.) Even outdoors, I tend a compost pile of all the weeds and grass clippings and corn husks and stuff.

SG: If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why?

CA: Rice Krispies, because I like to snap, crackle and pop.

SG: If you could throw a parade, what kind would it be?

CA: Raucus, rainbow, pandemonium. Seventy-six trombones meets New Orleans jazz band meets Scottish bagpipers complete with kilts, and a grand piano on a float with my brother playing Rhapsody in Blue full-bore. And everyone watching would respectfully salute the flag as the Color Guard marches by.

“Passion Without Boundaries” is the tagline on my website www.crisanson.com  because I firmly believe that life doesn't stop at the bedroom door. I had a deeply romantic relationship with my husband of 22 years, and I want to celebrate his memory in my writing. After he died, it took me a long time to come out of my grief, but parts of him -- his honor, courage, optimism, tenacity, and lust for life -- live on in all my heroes. They’re all alpha men, as well.

My first book, DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS, was published in 2005 and is still in print. AARON’S JEWEL is my 15^th title with Ellora’s Cave. In the past few years I’ve become interested in the BDSM sub-culture and my most recent books reflect my hands-on research. I also blog about my BDSM experiences at Cris Anson’s Passions. http://crisansonspassions.blogspot.com/

Want to read more? Get to know Cris better? Follow the links below----you know you to!

BUY LINKS:

Ellora’s Cave  http://www.ellorascave.com/aaron-s-jewel.html

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Aarons-Jewel-Cris-Anson-ebook/dp/B00MUYMKOI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411525388&sr=1-1&keywords=aaron%27s+jewel

Barnes & Noble   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/aarons-jewel-cris-anson/1120390072?ean=9781419992957

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website:  www.crisanson.com

Blog:  http://crisansonspassions.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cris.anson

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/crisanson/

Tuesday Teaser: Release -1, an Excerpt from Awakening by Scott Wieczorek

Tomorrow Scott Wiecerzoerk's novel, Awakening will release in

eBook form. This post will be updated with links for purchase after the official release.

Last week, Scott visited the Grove to share about about himself and his writing process.

Today, we want to give you a taste of what you can expect and invite you to the online Facebook Release Party. There will be guest authors, trivia games and GIVEAWAYS.

In the meantime, here is a taste of Awakening, a world in which Angels are real and they are fighting for control over the human race.

Elena's face felt cold as the blood drained from it. She had not seen the woman's mouth move while she spoke. She sobered almost instantly, the hackles on her neck rising as she stared at the woman's cold smile. She recognized the voice in a moment of lucidity as the one she had heard at the airport, their tail, their stalker—one of the Opposition.

My mistress was right, the woman's voice continued. She told me it would be a matter of time before one of you two slipped up. The amazing thing is you both slipped up at the same time. The woman turned to Elena.

The woman stood nearly a whole foot shorter than Elena and appeared much more fragile. Elena tried to gauge whether or not she would be able to handle this woman on her own. She knew from experience Daimon men were quite powerful, but never expected such strength from females.

Let me clue you in on some secrets. First, Daimon men cannot handle their liquor. In fact, all Daimones are very quickly undone by alcohol. The woman eyed Elena up and down before saying, Second, you could never take me on. To illustrate her point, the small woman gripped the countertop and crushed a small section of it into powder.

"What do you want from me?" Elena asked.

The choice is simple, the woman replied mentally. Either come with me to see my mistress. Or...

"Or?" Elena asked, realizing she would regret this decision.

Or you and your companion die, the woman replied. A placid and sickly happy smile spread across her face as she said it.

The woman's evident pleasure at making such a dire threat sent a chill down Elena's spine. She conjured up the most severe feeling of pain she could imagine and directed it right at the Daimon woman as she had done to the other Daimon in Canada. However, instead of the anticipated effect of crippling pain she had seen in the Daimon man, the woman's eyes flashed, and then she laughed.

Silly girl, the woman said to her mentally. I am no mere weakling. Your foolish mind games have no effect on me.

Alec...I need your help! Elena cried out, hoping beyond hope he would hear and come to her aid.

The woman started laughing even louder. A terrifying grin crossed her face. He can't hear you. Alcohol impairs Daimon abilities. And Alec has had a few too many. I guess I shouldn't have bought him so many rounds!

Elena didn't wait for the woman to move. Filled with blind rage over being trapped by this woman, she pressed her attack. If her death was on the menu, then she would take this woman with her as dessert.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See you at the Awakening Release Party on Facebook TOMORROW at 9:00PM ET (GMT-5)

Interview with Scott Wieczorek Author of Awakening. Half-caf, Bigfoot and Angels

Today we welcome Scott Wieczorek to the Grove. Scott's third novel,Awakening will release next week in eBook form. We asked Scott to sit down with us and tell us something about his book and himself. We'll be back next week with an excerpt and links so you can have your own copy.

Storyteller’s Grove: Tell us about yourself and what brought you to writing?

Scott Wieczorek: I wanted to write since a young age. In truth, I had two passions—no three. I wanted to either be an archaeologist, a mercenary (as any '80s kid did when confronted with the "Red Threat"), or a

writer. Well I managed to complete two of those goals: I work as a professional archaeologist, and though I write plenty for my job, it's not what I really want to be writing, so I write fiction.

I guess I first got pulled into writing due to my passion for reading. When I was about seven years old, I read a book called Sphinx by Robin Cook, it was a thriller about Egyptology and a archaeologist/treasure hunter. It had everything, action, adventure, and secret societies. Since then my imagination has been alive with stories and tales, and I have been itching to put them to paper.

SG: Share with our readers a little about your book, Awakening.

Scott: Awakening is my third novel and the first in a new series. It has everything—romance, action, adventure, secret societies, and a fast pace. Elena Michaels is a college student whose life turns upside down. After meeting a mysterious stranger on campus, she is pulled into a world of myth, fantasy, and science where she becomes the target of an ancient race of Angels who are hell-bent on world domination. On the run, she needs to reach the only one who can help her survive and save mankind.

SG: What made you choose to publish through a smaller independent press?

Scott: I self-published my first two novels, Byron: A Zombie Tale, and Witness Through Time, after having a tremendous amount of trouble finding a publisher to take them. I had even approached a few agents and met constant rejection. So I decided to just put them out there and see what happened. Basically, they gave me the confidence to keep writing and to finally land a publisher. My third novel, Awakening is being released through Lycaon Press on September 10th. I am so excited!

Witness Through Time will be re-release through Three Worlds Press later this year.

SG: What do you love about writing? Hate?

Scott: What I love about writing is being able to express my creativity in a form I love. From the age of about six or so, I have been writing all sorts of stories. My preference has always been for horror. In essence, I get to do what I love.

What do I hate about it? Nothing, really. My frustrations are more with the how hard it is to get a publisher to look at you. But that all comes with time.

SG:What do you love to eat while writing?

Scott: I generally don't eat while writing. I can sit in front of the computers for hours on end at times and just forget about anything and everything. It's weird—I get in the zone and nothing else exists. Of course, that's when I have time to write.

SG: What do you love to drink while writing?

Scott: Usually while writing, I'll be drinking a cup of coffee—either half-caf or decaf. Don't need the top of my head popping off from high-blood pressure *laughs*.

SG: If you could be a character in a book or movie, who and why?

Scott: Harry Keogh from Brian Lumley's Necroscope Series. Harry was a levelheaded man who could do amazing things with his mind. He could speak with the teeming dead, learn their secrets, and in the end even call them back from the grave. He could see people's destinies through holes in time/space, and even cheated death. It would be fascinating to have his abilities and see the things he has seen.

SG:  Do you believe in Bigfoot?

Scott: I think a more important question is: Does Bigfoot believe in me? I mean, there has been a lot of documentation for cryptozoological species that defy logic and reason. There are bound to be species we have not identified—independent evolution has spun off such amazing creatures. It's definitely plausible enough to see something like it could exist. Perhaps a genetic variation on Neanderthal previously undiscovered. What makes it more plausible is there being independent legends on multiple continents of a similar creature (Yeti and Bigfoot). And if I had his support and backing for my book—wow! What a sponsorship, huh? Stamping the cover with "Bigfoot Approved!"

SG: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?

Scott:I am guessing this would be a deserted island. The three things I would bring are:

1) A picture of my family—I couldn't see myself living without them.

2) A good knife—it's probably one of the most versatile implements to have in any situation.

3) A satellite phone with built-in GPS—I'm not stupid, I'd want to get rescued. Of course with my luck, the battery would be dead and I would be SOL!

Thursday Thoughts from Staycation: Where is My Head At?

I am on a staycation this week from the day job. This has given me some extra time to work on the house and the preparations for launching Three Worlds Press. I have been reading some of the initial submissions and editing one of the first releases. I also have been reading already released novels for future reviews.

On the Three Worlds Press website, we have submission guidelines that are primarily mechanical: font, margins, page breaks etc. We do HIGHLY recommend that an author polish their manuscript before submitting. I have edited and read many manuscripts, published novels and articles (I have also edited for several ezines and websites).One of my current pet peeves is:

Headhopping- applies to fiction. Please, please, please use only ONE point of view per scene, preferably per chapter. Consciously or not, readers are derailed by sudden, repeated and unacknowledged point of

view shifts. For those who do not know what this refers to: point of view (POV) is the character who is the camera lens through which the reader views the scene. The reader can only know that which that character knows.
 
For example if Mary is the POV character we could know that she has a little lamb and that its fleece was white as snow. We could also know that the lamb follows her everywhere.

We CANNOT know that the lamb follows Mary because it is afraid of the big bad wolf zombie that Mary is unaware of and and because it is the runt of the herd and has an enormous inferiority complex.Mary cannot read the lamb's mind. However, if the lamb talks, then we could be told all this through dialogue and other nuances of behavior when Mary and Larry the Lamb stop for a snack under an apple tree.

But since Mary is my POV character and Larry can't talk.... I, as the reader, don't know anything about this until the big bad wolf zombie jumps out from behind the tree.

Another post will cover: 2 words, hyphenated or compound? subtitle: Do you know where the online dictionary is?