If you’re friends with me on Facebook, or if you have ever read my blog, you’ll know exactly who Cha Cha is. He is my youngest daughter’s crazy cat, and I have been telling stories about him for years.

Lauren got Cha Cha as a kitten back in 2007, when she was still in high school and living at home. He was such a sweet little kitten, but then….he grew up into a beast of a cat. Cha Cha is like an attack dog and feet are his prey. As he grew, he started to resemble a panther.

He even hunted like one of  the big cats, but with a scary edge.

Cha Cha would watch training videos on youtube so he could learn to stalk birds.

He terrorized my household, bringing in dead and alive animals, demanding food whenever the pantry door was opened. I swear that cat stalked me, waiting to  pounce at any and every opportunity.

Even poor little TT was scared of him. I tried to tell people Cha Cha was crazy, but no one believed me. They thought Cha Cha behaved the way he did because he thought I didn’t like me and so, that is why he was terrorizing me.

Then that glorious day arrived when Lauren announced she was moving out and getting her own place. In the span of two days, she packed up her room, piling boxes up and picking out the things she would take with her to her apartment. Naturally, Cha Cha was going to go with her, and somehow, he figured this out….and he was not happy with the idea.

The night before Lauren moved out, TT brought us the lower half of a squirrel she had found in Lauren’s room. Everyone knows Cha Cha never eats the heads, so I sent my husband back to Lauren’s room to investigate. He found a squirrel head in one of Lauren’s boxes.

We figured it was Cha Cha’s way of letting her know he was not happy with the move.

Eventually though, Cha Cha settled into his new home and didn’t give Lauren too much trouble. She would occasionally bring him to visit and he even made friends with my new kitten, Grable….sort of.  But each time when Lauren would take him back to her apartment, he would act out. He even started peeing on her couch, something he did at my house to show his displeasure when I would capture and release some of the live animals he would bring in from the outdoors….such as birds, squirrels, moles, voles, rats, rabbits, and once, a flying squirrel that bit me when I was trying to save it.

But again, he would always settle down into a somewhat happy existence in Lauren’s small apartment. Although, he continued to put on weight.

He was already a big cat, but now, he was an obese monster!

He got so big, Lauren took him to the vet…and he was not happy when the vet put him on a diet.

But he got over that too….eventually.

Then around the first week of July, Lauren went to the lake for a week. As she has done in the past, she brought Cha Cha over for us to cat-sit. He settled right in as if he had never left. Only, he took over. He ruled the roost once more and had TT staying out of his way and Grable following him around with worship in her eyes. When he napped, they all napped.

He was happy, and honestly, he didn’t bring the first animal into my house, alive or dead. He was on his best behavior and I think, he believed he was home to stay. Of course, he was happy to see his mama, Lauren, when she came home, but he believed she was staying too. And, he was not happy when she packed up his toys and took him home.

According to Lauren, he began “acting out” again. He would claw at the carpet edges, race up and down the apartment stairs, and pee on the back of

her sofa and not just once in a while when he got mad. He started doing it all the time. He would walk up to the sofa and “let her rip.”

Then one day last week, Lauren noticed blood in his urine. So, she made an appointment with the vet.

The vet did all the right tests, checking for kidney disease and/or a bladder infection. I’m sure the vet bill wasn’t cheap. All tests came back negative. So, the vet began asking Lauren questions and examining Cha Cha’s behavior.

The final diagnosis? The blood in Cha Cha’s urine is the result of deliberate straining. Cha Cha is acting out in a most inappropriate manner. He is forcing himself to urinate so he can “punish” Lauren for “moving” back to the apartment and he is straining so hard to pee on “command” that he is rupturing the tiny blood vessels in his urethra, which results in the trace amounts of blood Lauren has been seeing on her sofa and carpet.

The vet then diagnosed him with a severe anxiety disorder and prescribed Prozac. The catch? They do not make kitty Prozac, so Lauren had to pick the prescription up at the pharmacy… a regular people pharmacy! She laughed and said she wondered if the pharmacist would think the prescription was for her, but simply shrugged and went to pick up the cat’s prescription. When she got there, the pharmacist laughed because the vet had phoned it in for Cha Cha, not Lauren. Needless to say, the pharmacist was greatly relieved that there was no human living in Granville County named Cha Cha Glass. Perhaps if there were, that would explain his anxiety issues. Being a grown man named Cha Cha could definitely cause a bit of anxiety.  We’re just hoping the drugs work on an overweight, slightly evil, but somewhat lovable neurotic cat.

In school, we learned that the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Clay, Thomas Payne, and a bunch of other famous people on July 4th, 1776. There’s even this famous painting of the event that used to hang in my elementary school in Virginia. But that’s not the entire story.

The thirteen English Colonies in North America were already at war with the British when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Constitution at the suggestion of the other members of the Continental Congress. Jefferson penned the first draft in June 1776 and fellow committee members including Ben Franklin, Robert Livingston, John Adams, and Roger Sherman edited it and added additional charges against King George III of England. There were no delete buttons back then.  No back tabs or cut and paste. There wasn’t even white out.  Can you imagine the editing process? Everything had to be hand written again and again.

I wonder how many scrolls they went through before creating an error-free document?  Gives me hand cramps just thinking about it. But the document was written and sent to the King of England. It listed the thirteen colonies complaints against the crown and categorized the people’s rights while providing legitimate reasons for the colonists to declare independence.

The document was completed in late June and began like this:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

On July 2, 1777, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence. That night, the Pennsylvania Evening Post published the following statement: “This day the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies Free and Independent States.”

In a letter written to his wife, John Adams commented that the second of July would be an epoch day in American history. If he had had his way, we would have celebrated the birth of America on July 2 because he believed that day should be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of God Almighty.

But that was not to be. On July 4, 1776, The Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, but there was no internet back then. No evening news and no telephones. There weren’t even telegraph wires and the US Post office was in its infancy. So, the news had to spread by word of mouth and it wasn’t until July 8th that the New Americans celebrated their first Independence Day.

Philadelphians threw a big party. There was a parade and guns were fired into the air while people whooped, hollered and shouted with joy. George Washington’s army was camped near New York City and didn’t hear the news until July 9 and they had their own celebration then. But down in Georgia, they didn’t get the news until Aug. 10 and the British didn’t find out we didn’t want to be British any more until Aug. 30.

Once America declared its independence, a constitution had to be written. That feat was accomplished in 1787. It began with what is famously known as The Preamble:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It Constitution was ratified  it in March of 1789. It serves as the fundamental law of the United States. It established the foundation for a republican form of government. The three branches of that government are the judicial, executive and legislative branches. Legislation writes the laws, executive branch interprets the law, and the judicial branch enforces it.

Before the constitution was ratified, The Articles of Confederation served as the country’s first written constitution. The document lacked continuity and individual states had too many rights which weakened the federal government. The purpose of the Constitution was to strengthen the Federal or central government and still maintain individual rights and liberties. Even after it was written, the government realized it was still a work in progress and over the years, amendments were added.

The Constitutions first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights, which became a legal part of the Constitution on December 15, 1791. It guarantees all Americans the rights to freedom of speech, assembly, religion, freedom of the press, and the right to among others. But there was some confusion in the early years about who deserved these rights. Women’s rights were granted gradually between 1848 and 1920. Slaves were considered property and even after the Civil War and the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, black people and African Americans were not granted the same rights as white people. Despite the 15th Amendment allowing black people the right to vote, it would take years of struggle and the civil rights movement before they were granted full and free voting rights in 1965. America is still struggling with civil rights, but we are learning.

Both John Adams, our second president and signer of the Declaration and Thomas Jefferson, our third president died on July 4th 1826, exactly 50 years after the adoption of Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. The country took it as a sign of American divinity, which led to manifest destiny and our abuse of Native Americans. But as a country, we have grown and we have hopefully, learned from our mistakes. As a nation, I guess we are still, a work in progress. And by the grace of God, let us hope and pray that we do not repeat the worst mistakes of our past.

Title: Risking It All
Author: JM Stewart
Publisher: Penguin Intermix
Date published: Sept 16, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Word count: 80, 000
AISN: B00FFFSZB6
ISBN: 9780698147980

Originally published in a shorter form as Staking His Claim

Blurb:

She’s everything he wants…

For years, Kyle Morgan has hidden his true feelings from the gorgeous girl next door that he grew up loving and protecting. But when she shows up at his apartment in the middle of the night, desperately needing comfort and support, his iron will begins to waver…

…and the only thing he can’t bear to lose.

Kyle was always the big brother Cecelia Anton never had, but suddenly her goofy best friend has become a sexy man she can’t keep her thoughts—or hands—off of. As their deep connection melts into uncontrollable desire, Ceci is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at true love. Only Kyle is keeping a terrible secret about Ceci’s past that could destroy not only their lifelong friendship but their happily-ever-after…

Purchase links:

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Happy Friday the 13th! A LUCKY day for

Blame it on Texas

a new contemporary romance by Amie Louellen

Every first love deserves a second chance.

© 2014 Amie Louellen

Shelby Patterson has come back to Texas for one reason and one reason only—to get her husband to sign divorce papers. She’s worked hard to build her California bakery, where clients clamor for her one-of-a-kind creations.

Seven years after her disastrous marriage, she’ll finally have everything in perfect order—just as soon as Ritter McCoy signs the dotted line.

Ritt is still pissed that Shelby walked out all those years ago without giving their marriage a chance. Sure, they were young and had just lost the baby that had rushed them to the altar, but they’d loved each other beyond reason.

Ritt gave up his college baseball scholarship, only to have Shelby and her mom take his parents’ bribe money and run. If Shelby wants those papers signed, she’ll just have to wait until he’s good and ready.

Or maybe, before she flies the coop again, he can convince her the love they had between them is still there—and still hot enough to melt their hearts back into one.

Warning: This book contains a sexy Texas boy determined to recapture his first love. May also produce feelings of nostalgia and longing for slow kisses and sweet tea.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Blame it on Texas:

She should have known she’d find him like this.

Shelby looked down at the oil-stained driveway to the denim-clad legs protruding from underneath the ancient Ford. The hem of the jeans was frayed, the worn cowboy boots dusty and with a few stains of their own.

She propped her hands on her hips, doing her best not to tap her foot in irritation. It would do no good. If there was one thing she’d learned in her time as Ritt McCoy’s wife, he had his own timetable and to hell with anyone else’s.

“I said, I need to talk to you.”

“And I said, just a minute,” his muffled voice returned.

Shelby bit back a growl and used the thick packet of papers to fan herself. That was one thing she didn’t miss about Texas—the heat. But with any luck and the good Lord’s grace, she’d only be here another few minutes, an hour at the most, and then she’d be on her way back to California.

A trickle of sweat ran down between her shoulder blades and into the small of her back. Shelby fanned harder and checked her watch. She’d been waiting twenty minutes for Ritt to finish whatever it was he was doing to the truck and sign on the dotted line. That was nineteen more than she cared to wait.

“Ritt.”

“Shelby.”

“I need you to sign these.”

“In a minute.”

“Now. I have a plane to catch.”

She jumped back, nearly snapping the heel off one peep-toe pump. They had been a special purchase for this trip along with the form-fitting black dress that hugged her like a second skin. Scrambling to get out of the way, she managed to maintain her balance as Ritt pushed the creeper from under the truck.

And there he was, the boy who stole her heart, took her virginity and married her all in one summer. Well, he’d had her heart for years before that. And he wasn’t a boy any longer; though the years, she grudgingly admitted, had been very kind to him.

“What?” he asked. Even lying down, he looked taller, broader, more. She was glad to have the advantage, standing over him like she was.

“I’m in a hurry.”

“Not my problem.” He disappeared in a quick swoosh back under the truck. But he left his image behind. Dark blond hair curling from under a ratty Longhorns baseball hat. Dirt smeared T-shirt covering a chest she didn’t remember as having quite so many muscles. Long legs, firm lips, square jaw.

“I’ve flown over a thousand miles to get you to sign these. The least you could do is get out from under there and do it.” Her voice rose in pitch, the whine she’d been tamping down rising to the surface. Couldn’t he see how they needed this? That it was time to move forward?

There was a loud clunk, which sounded like head versus oil pan, then a muffled curse.

He rolled out again, and before she knew what had happened he was towering over her. She took a couple of steps back for good measure, unable to meet his blue-gold gaze as he studied her face.

“What is it, Shelby? What is so important that you flew all the way out here to grace me with your presence?”

She was wrong. The years had been more than kind to him, they had outright adopted him. Had he always been this tall? This broad? This…masculine?

He had, she decided. But after seven years away, she had forgotten what a man her Texas boy had been.

She licked her lips, the sight of him bringing back more memories than she cared to delve through. Prom night, at the lake after the baseball games, Saturday afternoon in the canyon…

Check out Blame it on Texas on AMAZON and B&N.com

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and it was first celebrated after the Civil War as a way of honoring those who died during that bloody, four year conflict.  Dozens of cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, but in May 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo N.Y. as the official birth place of Memorial Day. But the practice of remembering those who died in battle goes back hundreds if not thousands of years.

Even before America was a country, ancient Greeks and Romans held public festivals to honor the dead. The citizens would adorn their loved ones’ graves with flowers and toss food into tombs as offerings to please the spirits of their loved ones. They would feast and dance, wanting the dead to know they were not forgotten. The celebrations were a show of respect but they were also rooted in fear.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed a spirit could become a malevolent presence if not properly honored. And those who failed to honor their ancestors with feasting and song risked unleashing  hostile spirits into the world who could wreak havoc until appeased.  Families were responsible for honoring their loved ones, but those who died in combat became community dead and it became a public responsibility to honor them. After the Peloponnesian war, Pericles, a prominent Greek statesman, gave a public funeral oration for those who died in battle. These memorial festivals became a social obligation and public ritual in Greece and Rome.

In the United States, the social obligation of honoring the dead dates back to the Civil War where casualties on both sides were American. During that bloody conflict, nearly as many men died in captivity as during the entire Vietnam War. And hundreds of thousands died of disease or from lingering infections as the result of minor wounds. In all, around 620,000 men lost their lives in the line of duty,  and many of the dead were buried in mass graves.
One such mass grave existed in Charleston, SC where union soldiers were buried in a massive grave outside of a Confederate POW camp.

On May, 1, 1865 former slaves dug up the bodies of 257 dead Union Soldiers buried there. They labored for two weeks to give those brave men who had fought against slavery a proper burial. Afterwards, they placed flowers on the graves and held a parade led by 2,800 Black children who marched and sang to honor those who died.

That same year in Waterloo, NY, a local druggist named Henry C. Welles suggested a social gathering to praise the living veterans of the Civil War while remembering the patriotic dead by placing flowers on their graves. It wasn’t until he mentioned this idea to General John B. Murray, a civil war hero that his idea became a reality.

The notion of praising the dead was accepted wholeheartedly and marshalled veterans’ support. One year later, several communities held celebrations to honor the dead. In the Village of Waterloo, NY flags flew at half-mast and graves were draped with evergreens and mourning black.

Down in the south around March of 1866, a group of Southern ladies from Columbus, Georgia passed a resolution to set aside one day each year to remember the Confederate dead. And April 26, 1866, became the first Memorial Day in the South. However, in the more northern reaches of the South, flowers were not yet in bloom. So, other southern states selected dates later in the spring to celebrate. And near Petersburg, VA, they chose June 9, because of a significant battle fought there. Other Southern States opted for Jefferson Davis’ birthday on June third as they were still annoyed with the North.

Back in the North, the celebrations were held in May and in 1868, Waterloo, NY held a huge public celebration, proclaiming May 30th to be Decoration Day.

Also on May 30, 1868, General James Garfield (who later became our 20th president) spoke before a crowd of 5,000 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery. The crowd later decorated the graves of over 20,000 dead Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

Then in 1873, New York became the first state to officially recognize Memorial Day and by 1890, all Northern States officially recognized it as being in May.

It wasn’t until after World War I when the nation finally began to overcome the vast political and economic rifts cause by the Civil War that things change. Memorial Day then became a day to honor all Americans who died fighting in any war. Then in 1971, Congress passed the National Holiday Act officially recognizing the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.
Regardless of who celebrated the first memorial day or where it was celebrated, it became a holiday to celebrate the sacrifice made by over 600,000 men and women on both sides of the bloodiest conflict in American history. Today, we honor men and women who died in service of nation whether they served in the military or as a civilian. Today, we honor soldiers, sailors, the air corps, a marines, civil servants, police, fire, and rescue and anyone who died in defense of this great nation.
So to those who sacrificed all, Thank you.

I love reading books set in historic times or in other countries, but I also love a good book set in NC. Even if the author isn’t from North Carolina, if he/she has done his or her homework and gets all the details just right, I feel more connected to the story. Even if the town or city is fictional, as long as I can make a connection to the surrounding cities and characters, then I feel as if I’m reading about people I could actually know.

Skye Taylor may not be from North Carolina, but she has definitely done her homework. Born and brought up in New England, Skye assumed she’d always be a snow-loving Yankee until a life-changing adventure in the South Pacific showed her an equally appealing alternative. She now lives in St Augustine, Florida where she divides her time between writing novels, walking the beach, volunteering at the living history museum and trying to keep her to-be-read pile from taking over the house.

I love the premise of her book and the cover is so gorgeous that I have already downloaded it onto my e-reader. But in case you’ve never heard of Skye Taylor or her books, I decided to interview Zoe, from her latest release, Falling for Zoe~ 

Lilly: So, Miss Zoe Callahan, some lucky people have already read your story and I heard they found hope and inspiration in your experiences. You mentioned that you thought another title for this book might have been New Beginnings. Can you share a little bit about that?

 Zoe: Well, to start with, I’m twenty-seven years old and until just a few months ago, I was still living with Daddy. For the longest time, I never questioned that. You see, my mom died when I was thirteen, and since I was the oldest, I just kind of fell into taking care of my brothers and sisters, trying to be all the things our Mom would have been if she’d still been with us. My next oldest brother is already married and I have an adorable two-year-old nephew. But the youngest just went off to college, so I just kind of got into the habit of taking care of everyone and didn’t think much about me and what I wanted out of life. But then something shook my life up a little and I had to make some big decisions. One of them was to buy this lovely old house in Tide’s Way. Once upon a time, it belonged to the Jolee family. It wasn’t part of the plantation, though. It was built by a younger son back in the eighteen hundreds. I was looking at condos mostly, but when I saw this place, I just fell in love with it. I can see the ocean from almost every window in the house for one thing. What I didn’t count on was how many things could fall apart in an old house, but I’m learning. So that’s one new beginning. A big one.

 Lilly: That is a big one. But, what happened to shake up your life?

 Zoe: Well, like I said, my life was kind of going along to get along. My father always wanted to add & Sons to the firm’s name, but none of my brothers were interested in becoming lawyers. Then this really bright new lawyer got hired and Daddy took an instant shine to him. He introduced us and we dated for a while. Porter Dubois was handsome and smart and he seemed really interested in me. It was kind of exciting at first, and I so wanted to fall in love and live happily ever after. I let Porter have his way when he wanted us to sleep together and that was exciting at first too. I never really had a boyfriend before. I was too busy being a big sister. But I didn’t fall in love with Porter, and when I got pregnant and Porter didn’t want anything to do with either me or the baby, I realized I didn’t really even like him very much. I’d made some pretty big mistakes, but I didn’t want to keep making more. Keeping my baby was the easiest decision. I already loved her, even before I knew it was a her. But Daddy thought I should give her up for adoption and that’s when I decided it was time to make a new life for me and my baby. Big decisions, big new beginnings.  

 Lilly:  A tough decision. Weren’t you a little intimidated about becoming a single parent, a new homeowner and everything, all at once?

 Zoe: I didn’t really think owning a home was going to turn out to be such a huge challenge. I might not have made that choice if I’d known, but now I’m glad I didn’t know. Otherwise, I’d never have met Jake Cameron. As for being a single parent—being a new parent is scary anyway, I think. I worried about it some, but I knew it was the right thing. Then I met Jake. He’s got three girls, and he’s a single parent. He seemed to be doing a pretty decent job of it, too. They are the nicest kids you’d ever want to meet. His example gave me confidence. Thank God, he’s pretty handy with tools, too. He helped out a lot with all the things I discovered I didn’t know about owning an old house.

 Lilly: So, I guess Jake Cameron is one of the new beginnings you spoke of?

 Zoe: Jake is a wonderful man. He’s a great father, a terrific neighbor, and a really good friend. He’s also pretty good to look at.  He’s not classically handsome and polished the way Porter Dubois is, but he’s totally buff and outdoorsy with that sun-bleached hair of his. I bet he never even thinks about the clothes he wears, but I’m telling you, I think about them a lot. Or rather, I think about the way he looks in them. Jake is one of the biggest blessings in this whole new beginning thing.

 Lilly: It sounds as if this gallant neighbor is pretty special.

Zoe: I’m smiling because Jake is special. But you’ll have to read the book to find out just how special. 

“With a deft hand and engaging style, Skye Taylor creates a

realistic story with a heart that captivates . . . if you keep your

heart open, love heals the deepest wounds. Don’t miss this

book.” ~Vicki Hinze, USA Today Bestselling Author  

Blurb~

Jake Cameron won’t risk hurting his best friend by admitting he loves her. Little does he know . .  that’s what hurts her the most.

Zoe Callahan, pregnant with the child her ex-boyfriend doesn’t want, adores her ramshackle new home in the seaside town of Tide’s Way, North Carolina. When she meets handsome Jake Cameron, her next-door neighbor who offers some fixer-upper help, her heart goes out to him instantly. He’s a doting dad to three daughters and the kind caretaker to a mom-in-law with Alzheimer’s.

Jake is equally taken with Zoe. But Jake, a contractor and volunteer firefighter from a close-knit family of brothers and a sister, won’t risk a romance that could disrupt his family after his ex-wife nearly destroyed it.

Despite Jake’s efforts to hide his feelings, he and Zoe quickly form an unbreakable bond. Zoe discovers love hasn’t given up on her, even if the father of her unborn child did. Now she just needs to figure out why Jake is so determined not to let the heady attraction that sizzles between them turn into something more than friendship.

When disaster strikes Jake is Zoe’s rescuer. He already has her heart, but now, in spite of the rift that has come between them and the haunting nightmare from Jake’s past, Zoe must trust him with her life and the life of her baby. And Jake must trust himself.

Look For Falling for Zoe and other stories by Skye Taylor on Amazon. You can also find Skye at Belle Books and on Facebook.

I used to read a lot more than I do now and I usually perused the aisles of Walmart, the grocery store, or the nearest bookstore for the newest releases from the hottest authors or my favorite authors. But now that I have less time to read, I’d rather read books by authors I know or authors I’ve read and enjoyed in the past. And it doesn’t matter if it is a new release or a book that’s been around for awhile. If know the author or the authors work and the book blurb intrigues me, I’m more likely to take the time from writing to read it. I no longer care if it’s a book everyone else is reading as long as it is one I want to read.

So, if you’re looking for something good to read, might I suggest a few I’ve read in the past and enjoyed? Oh, and while you’re here, why not click the rafflecopter link and sign up for a chance to win some great prizes from my publisher, The Wild Rose Press?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jezebel’s Wish
By AJ Nuest- sister rose and sister hostess at The Author Roast and Toast

Haunted by nightmares, tormented by guilt, Jezebel came to Redemption Ranch to escape the past—except now she’s stuck in the middle of nowhere with no redemption in sight. When her mother pushes her into riding lessons with local veterinarian Matthias Saunders, Jezebel balks. Sure, the doctor is gorgeous, but he’s completely obnoxious and knows how to push every one of her buttons.

Only her deep connection with The Reverend, a gentle stallion who guards her darkest secrets, has her agreeing to spend any more time with Dr. Saunders. Caring for the stallion is the first bright spot in her life in months, and if being around the horse means she has to deal with Matthias Saunders, then so be it. Surely a city girl like her can handle one country vet—even one with disturbing blue eyes. Can’t she?

Rating: Spicy
Page Count: 298
Word Count 81000
Print ISBN: 1-60154-898-2

Excerpt:

Jezzy stopped. “I thought I was having a riding lesson.”

“You are.” He nodded toward the empty paddock. “Go in.”

“Go in?” Jezzy propped a hand on her hip. “You sure you know what you’re doing? Because it was my understanding that an actual horse is needed for a riding lesson.”

“Don’t you think it would be wise at this juncture to leave the understanding up to the professionals?”

Jezzy rolled her eyes. “You’re making this way too easy. Professionals? Please. Don’t get me started.”

“Why not? Getting you started is exactly what I’m here for.”

Jezzy’s jaw dropped. She didn’t quite know how to interpret that remark.

He held out the rope. “Now go in. And take this lead line with you.”

Steely blue determination glinted in his eyes. There was no way he was going to give in. Jezzy snatched the lead line from his hand and stormed through the gate, then turned when he closed it behind her.

He put a foot on the bottom railing and rested against the gate, facing the horizon. “Take the chair to the center of the paddock and sit down.”

“And just exactly how is that supposed to teach me to ride?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You want out of the deal?”

Jezzy’s fist clenched tight around the lead line. What she wanted was to march back to the fence and smack his face.

Nest up is a more recent work by another sister hostess at ARRT, author Mackenzie Crowne

The Billionaire’s Con

Chef Meggy Calhoun realizes her long-held dream with the opening of Boston’s hottest new culinary experience. Crazy-busy with her new restaurant, she can’t deny a fascination for her hunky new tenant. But will her secret connection to one of New England’s most powerful families poison her recipe for success, and leave her heart flambeed?

Trevor Bryce Christos would do anything to protect the woman who raised him. Even seduce a beautiful con artist disguised as a chef and bent on cashing in on his family’s wealth. Taking up residence in Meggy’s carriage house while disguised as a writer doing research on small town New England is the perfect ploy to catch her at her game. But when the truth of her parentage is revealed, and his ruse exposed, he’ll need the townsfolk’s help with spin control if love is to remain on the menu.

Rating: Sensual
Page Count: 175
Word Count: 43650
978-1-61217-952-0 Digital

Excerpt:

“We had a leak.” She jumped the last two steps to land on the floor, jamming the roller into the pan at the foot of the ladder. “The plumber is there now, dealing with the aftermath.” Reminded of the calamity in her kitchen, she turned a glower on the silent man and quirked a brow. “And you are?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Jill rolled her eyes at Meggy and made the introductions. “Meggy Calhoun, this is Trevor Bryce. He’s a writer who’s interested in renting the carriage house. Mr. Bryce, Meggy is one of the owners of Palmer House. She’s also the head chef.”

Meggy watched, fascinated, as the stiff lawyer vanished behind a wicked smile, a flash of white teeth, and dimples. There was nothing stiff about the penetrating gaze that met and held hers. The deep drawl of his voice, when he said hello, reminded her of the smooth slide of the aged whiskey found in Palmer House’s well-stocked bar.

She glanced at the hand he held out, and flipped up her own paint-smeared palm. “Sorry, I’m a mess.”

Laugh lines crinkled the tanned skin at the corner of his eyes, and the soft core of femininity within her sighed in appreciation. She’d always had a soft spot for the Greek god type. Looking at Trevor Bryce, she had a sudden craving for feta cheese and ouzo.

Dark auburn hair, cut short and styled with just a hint of curl in the thick mass, framed a strong face. The olive tone of his complexion spoke of Mediterranean ancestry and complimented the sharp slash of his nose, chiseled cut of high cheekbones, and squared chin. His pale eyes were gray, without a hint of blue. They simmered with quiet humor as he returned her study. His wide mouth, though smiling, hinted at just a touch of danger.

Danger? Where the hell had that come from? Her gaze slid over the crisp cut of his lips once more. Well hell, what was life without a little danger?

The Wild Rose Press is a small electronic and print publisher whose titles span the sub-genre spectrum from sweet to erotic in all lengths as well as mainstream and women’s fiction. It was recently voted Best Publisher by Preditors & Editors Poll for the sixth time. There’s something for everyone who enjoys romance in the garden, including four of my titles.

My publisher, The Wild Rose Press is holding a Rafflecopter Giveaway this week. Just follow the rafflecopter link below for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press. Each week, there will be a new code and a new winner chosen from entries selected from participating bloggers who choose to promote some of the fabulous books from The Wild Rose Press authors.

This week, I am spotlighting Affinity by New Zealand author LaVerne Clark because it is a fun paranormal romance and now, Ms. Clark has a sequel I am dying to read. So, check out Affinity and let me know what you think. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter drawing. Who knows? You might win the gift certificate so you can go back and by LaVerne’s second book, Beyond the Shadows, which I have downloaded but not yet read.

Here’s a sneak peak at Affinity!

In the wrong hands, Jenna Thomas’s legacy could be a curse—in her mind it already is.
As a child, a routine x-ray awakened an abnormality in Jenna’s DNA, giving her the ability to “call” creatures and take on their attributes. Labeled a freak since then, Jenna’s learned to keep everyone at a distance. But all that changes the day she saves a young boy from drowning and the story goes viral.

Nick Hawke, an off-duty policeman, witnesses part of the drama. Captivated by Jenna’s exotic beauty, he decides to investigate, not sure what to believe. Jenna puts his cynicism to the test—even as the attraction between them grows.

As word of her extraordinary rescue spreads, a dangerous man who will stop at nothing to control Jenna’s abilities draws near. With her feelings for Nick putting him in danger too, can Jenna risk everything to protect them both?

Rating: Spicy
Page Count: 113
Word Count: 30451
978-1-61217-267-5 Digital

Excerpt:

“Back off everyone, give us room,” boomed Nick with authority. Everyone took a step back. An attractive woman holding a microphone stepped into the created space. Her phony smile flashed teeth like a shark. Circling, she came in for the kill, her cameraman capturing the moment.

“Are you the lady who jumped in to save the boy? What made you do something so heroic? Witnesses say you were under for over ten minutes. How is this possible?”

The questions fired at her like a volley of bullets. Jenna flinched as each one hit its mark. She couldn’t answer honestly without sounding like a freak. So she said nothing, burying her head into Nick’s chest. His arms tightened around her. The subtle turning of his body shielded her from all those eyes.

He pitched his voice to address the crowd. “It’s been a traumatic event for everyone involved, and as you can imagine, it’s not over for us yet. We’ve no comment to make at this stage, so please, give us some time to come to terms with what’s happened. Thank you.”

“Could you at least give me a little snippet, Sergeant Hawke?” pouted the reporter, pushing her chest out and fluttering her lashes.

Jenna’s spine went rigid. A sick feeling of dread settled in the pit of her belly.

Police. Nick is a policeman. Dear God, I’m in trouble.

Her head pounded and her hands shook. His arm tightened when she tried to pull away, holding her firmly in place. Any other person she could have fobbed off. Now she understood his aura of authority, his all-seeing gaze and concern at the thought of a child left alone in her car. He would be relentless uncovering the truth.

You can find Affinity and other great paranormal stories (even mine) at The Wild Rose Press.

And don’t forget! Follow the Rafflecopter Link below to register for a chance to WIN!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway