Currently Reading - How To Kiss Your Grumpy Boss

Perry Hawthorne is my boss. Only my boss. And I do NOT have a crush.

When one of THE Hawthorne brothers—known by their chiseled jawlines and their family-run farm and event center—hires me to be his virtual assistant, I do everything I can to keep him firmly in the work zone.

His grumpy demeanor helps.

His smoking hot profile picture does not.

But even if I do have a crush (a very tiny one), I can’t catch real feelings for a million different reasons.

Besides the whole business part of our relationship, I’m a single mom. I have to think about what’s best for my son, Jack. And my grumpy, divorced, humorless boss isn’t exactly giving me “ready to be a stepdad” vibes.

When Perry upgrades me from virtual to in-person assistant, I wonder if I’ve gotten him all wrong. He’s actually pretty great with Jack. And with me? Let’s just say the chemistry crackling between us might vaporize all my reasons for keeping my distance.

Trouble is, after his messy divorce, I’m not sure Perry’s ready to bet on a new relationship. But it isn’t just my heart that’s on the line. It’s Jack’s, too. And after everything we went through before my husband died, I’m not sure that’s a gamble I’m ready to take, no matter how desperate Jack is for a daddy.

 Amazon

Holiday Romances

 Did you know I have two Christmas romances?

 

A Christmas Proposal is an extended epilogue of sorts for my steamy contemporary romance, Strictly Professional. If you've read Matthew and Cali's story, then you'll want to read A Christmas Proposal and see exactly how Matthew ends up popping the question.

 

 

Matthew Andersen knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Cali Stanton. Since she came into his life just five months ago, his world has completely changed for the better. With everything in their lives finally coming together, he was determined to make their first Christmas a memorable one.

Get Your Copy Of A Christmas Proposal

 

My second holiday story is a second chance novella. This one is spicier than A Christmas Proposal. Gabby is Grace's sister from Longing for His Kiss. 

 

Jax Brooks has made a lot of mistakes in his life, but the only one he regrets is when he walked away from Gabby and their newborn daughter. Now he's back in St. Louis and he's determined to make things right. No matter what it takes.

 

Having Jax in her life again is both a blessing and a curse for Gabby Lewis. He's gone out of his way to spend time with their daughter, but it's also meant facing some hard truths—like the fact that she's never gotten over him.

 

Can Jax convince Gabby to give him another chance? Or has he left a hole in her heart too deep to repair?

 

Get Tangled in His Embrace

Cozy And Bookish

Last Sunday I set up a table at the Cozy and Bookish Marketplace in Miamisburg Ohio. This was my first time attending the event, so as with any new venture, I had no idea what to expect.

The weather was perfect for the drive Sunday morning. And as a bonus, there wasn't a lot of traffic given the early hour.

We had to be there to set up at 8:30am, and the first VIP readers began coming around to our tables at 9:30. It was a relaxing morning for both readers and authors as everyone took their time, enjoyed pastries, and chatted about books.

At 11:30, the doors opened to the general public and things began to pick up. We had a steady stream of readers for most of the afternoon. I even ran into a fellow indie author I met earlier in the year at the Newark Book Festival.

For this event, authors and vendors had the option to purchase a full 8' table or a half 4' table. I opted for the full 8' table. With 16 titles, fitting all my books in a 4' space, while doable, is tight. I'd much rather have the space to spread out and give some separation to my titles.

...and the subgenres.

 At book signings, I like to group my books by heat level. On the left are my steamy contemporary romance titles: the Daniels Bothers series, including an omnibus of all 4 books, Strictly Professional, and Seducing Janey.

Beside those, is my Finding Anna series. I used to display Slave on a stand, but it seemed to scare some people away, so now, I leave the entire series lying down. While there is a lot of heat in the series, it is definitely a slow burn given there's not much steam until toward the end of the second book.

Then, on the right side of the table, is where I put my spiciest titles: my Serpent's Kiss series, and my most recent release, Falling for the Boss's Son. I also bring a print version of my one and only novella, Tangled in His Embrace.

I find having my books arranged like this helps readers better find what they're looking for. I have a variety of tropes, but if they don't want a lot of steamy detail on the page, I know which side of the table to focus on. Same for those readers who are looking for spice. It helps me to pair the reader with a book they're more likely to enjoy.

This was my last signing event for 2024, but I can't wait to see what 2025 has in store.

Currently Reading - How To Kiss Your Best Friend

He's a hot high school chemistry teacher living in a small town. She's a globetrotting journalist running from her past. They used to be best friends. Then one kiss changes everything.

Kate Fletcher is my kryptonite.

She's also my best friend. Former best friend? I'm not sure what you call it when we grew up attached at the hip and then she left Silver Creek (and me) to travel the world.

The important thing is: Kate is back. (Temporarily.) And I'm still in love with her. (Permanently.)

But something is different now. The attraction doesn't seem one-sided. I don't think I'm imagining the heat in Kate's eyes or the chemistry crackling between us.

But will that be enough to keep Kate here, when, for as long as I can remember, all she's wanted to do is leave?

I'm determined to give her a reason to stay. Family. Connection. Roots. And me. I'll have to start with sparks and fire, but if I take this step, there's no turning back to simple friendship. And if she doesn't feel the same way, I might lose her again—this time for good.

 

 Amazon

Currently Reading - Simply Irresistible

 

Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover. In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

 

 Amazon

Pricing Your Book At Events

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a multi-author signing at a local indie book store. I shared a table with an author who was there with her debut novel.

 

We hadn't been there long when someone came up to our table. She ended up purchasing one of my table-mates books...with cash.

 

The other author is in her early 20's and said to me after the fact that she hadn't thought anyone would buy her book using cash, so she hadn't prepared for that. She had QR codes for using Venmo, Zelle, and Square, but no way to process cash...or give change.

To make matters more complicated, she was charging $18.99 for her book.

 

Now, this might not sound like an issue. I mean, its not uncommon for books to cost around $20 these days.

 

It wasn't the $18 that was the problem. It was the 99¢.

 

I published my first novel 14 years ago and I've done quite a few in person events. In that time, I've learned a few things and one of them is that you want to make transactions as easy as possible. Especially, when you're dealing with cash transactions.

 

After the reader left our table, I imparted some advice to the new author sharing my table. Make your book an even amount at events, so you don't have to carry change around with you.

 

I'm not talking about paper money. I'm talking about actual coins.

 

If your book is $18.99, then you'll need to have pennies on hand to give change.

 

Granted, most readers will say don't worry about it (at lease this has been my experience), but again, just make it easier on yourself and make the book $19.00.

 

For me, I typically sell my novels for $15.00 at signings. This is less than you can buy them for on the major retailers.

 

Why is it cheaper?

 

Two reasons. 

 

1) I'm not sharing royalties with a retailer. When I sell my book on Amazon, Amazon keeps 30% of the retail price, plus the cost of printing. When I'm selling directly, I don't have to pay that 30%.

 

2) It gives readers an incentive to buy the book from me right then instead of waiting.

 

Do you have to do this?

 

No. You can charge what you want for your books. But as an author who's done this for over a decade, it's something I've found has made my life easier and gives a bonus to readers when the choose to support me when I go to events.

What I'm Currently Reading - The Deal by Elle Kennedy

 

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

 

 Amazon

Currently Reading - Three Blind Dates

 

A modern day take on You've Got Mail with a twist. This laugh out loud and heartwarming romantic comedy from bestselling author Meghan Quinn will keep you on the edge of your feet as you fall in love with each and every blind date.

"Good Morning Malibu, it’s another beautiful day on the west coast! I'm Noely Clark, your host: and I'm in the market for love…”

When the publicity team of the new local restaurant, Going in Blind, began their search for a hot, local celebrity to promote the wildly popular eatery, they couldn’t have found a better person than me.

Outgoing? Check.
Single? Check.
Open to finding love? Check.

I signed up immediately.

A hopeless romantic with an exceedingly demanding schedule, I've found it impossible to find the man of my dreams—so Going in Blind seems too good to be true! That’s until they start setting me up on dates—three very different, very attractive, very distinct blind dates—and only one thing is for certain . . .

I’m in big trouble.

"Good Morning Malibu,
I'm Noely Clark, and I have a choice to make.
The question is who will I choose; the suit, the rebel, or the jock."

 

 Amazon

What Might Have Been Excerpt

 

At five thirty, they returned to where their day had begun. Trent pulled into the same spot and put the truck in park. “Thanks for going with me today. Let Max know I’ll go over my notes and have a proposal to him by Friday.” 

“No problem. It was . . . educational.” 

He grinned. “Just what a man wants to hear after spending the day with a woman.” 

Abby chuckled and reached for the door. The longer she stayed the more she longed for things to be the way they were before. “Have a good night, Trent.” 

“Same to you, Abby.” 

She walked over to her car and unlocked the door. It didn’t escape her notice that he was still sitting in his truck, probably watching her. His mom used to stand on the front porch and watch her walk home. Even though Abby’s house was only three doors down, Marilyn Daniels would wait until she saw Abby walk through the door to her house before going back inside. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, not with any of the Daniels boys. 

Once she was behind the wheel of her vehicle, Abby checked her phone. She had a text from Max.  

Call me when you get home. - Max 

Abby shook her head. What would she do with all these overprotective men in her life? 

 

Get Trent and Abby's Story 

My Book Is Missing

Yesterday I took a trip to my local library. As I usually do, I checked the shelves to see if the two books I donated to the library are on the shelf. To my surprise, neither Behind Closed Doors or Red Zone were there. 

My local library is on the small side and I know space is always an issue, so I checked the computer database to make sure they were still in the system. 

Behind Closed Doors was. It was not only checked out, but someone was waiting on it, as well.

I was super excited about this, but where was Red Zone? It wasn't listed on the database at all. Did that mean they pulled it? But why pull Red Zone and not Behind Closed Doors?

After speaking with the two librarians on duty, I found out that no, they had not removed Red Zone from circulation. It was, however, missing.

What does missing mean, you ask?

The librarian told me one of two things most likely happened.

1) Someone took the book off the shelf and walked out without checking it out.

Or, 2) Someone removed the book from its place on the shelf and hid it somewhere in the library.

Yep. This is a thing. And apparently its more common than you would think.

Both the copy of Behind Closed Doors and Red Zone are older covers. Behind Closed Doors has a big front door on the cover. Red Zone has a shirtless football player. The only reason I can think of where Behind Closed Doors would be left alone and Red Zone would be taken is because someone didn't like man chest being on the shelf.

Our town has a fair amount of very conservative people, but it never crossed my mind they would do this. The library has plenty of romance novels, many of them with racier covers. They haven't bothered them.

Why my book was targeted, I don't know, but it's extremely upsetting. Both books are in the adult section, on the other side of the library from the YA and children's books. Children aren't hanging around in the adult section. And even if they were, I'm willing to bet they aren't going to think too much about a man holding a football with no shirt on.

My husband asked me if I was going to replace the missing book and the answer is yes. Sort of. 

Instead of giving the library another copy of Red Zone with another man chest cover. I decided to give them a copy of my Daniels Brothers Omnibus. 

This has all 4 of my Daniels Brothers book and it's a discreet cover, so it hopefully won't offend anyone.

If you'd like to check it out, click HERE.

 

Excerpt From Crossing the Line

 

“Paul? Are you all right over there?” 

No answer. 

“Paul?” 

Still nothing. 

Without stopping to think, Megan turned the handle on the door. It wasn’t locked, and it opened easily. 

She peeked inside, and what she saw had her scrambling across the room in a hurry. Paul was balanced—barely—against the dresser that supported the television. He looked as if he’d just come from the bathroom, and he was drunk. Not a little drunk, but can’t-walk-straight-or-talk-without-slurring-his-words drunk. She’d never seen him like this. 

“Meg-Meg-an.” He sighed, and attempted to raise his arm toward her as she wrapped her arm around his waist. He was twice her size, and in his current condition, he was dead weight. 

With little help from him, Megan moved him a few feet over to the bed. He plopped down so hard he bounced. 

Once she was fairly sure he wasn’t going to topple over, she glanced around the room. That was when she noticed the bottle of scotch on the coffee table. Most of the bottle appeared to be gone, and as there was no one else in the room, she had to assume he’d drunk it all himself.  

“Will you be okay for a minute?” 

“Su-sure.” Paul smiled up at her, and she felt something flutter in the pit of her stomach.  

Stop it, she told herself, as she marched back into her room to get some ibuprofen.  

He was still where she left him when she returned with something for the headache he was bound to have come morning. She took one of the glasses provided by the hotel into the bathroom to fill it up with water, before returning to stand directly in front of him. “Here. Take these. If you drank as much as I think you did, then you are going to have one massive hangover in the morning.” 

Without comment, or protest, Paul downed the pills like they were candy. She handed him the water, and he drained that within seconds as well.  

When he was done, she took the glass from him, and went to refill it. Again, he drained it when she brought it back to him. Once he polished that one off, Megan set aside the empty glass. She couldn’t help but wonder what had brought this on, although she was pretty sure she knew.  

Megan was lost in thought when she felt Paul’s fingers brush the outside of her legs. At first, she thought it was unintentional, but then he got bolder and flattened his palms so that they were bracketing her waist. She could feel the heat of his hands through her clothes. Megan knew she should push him away—he was drunk, after all—but she couldn’t. She wanted to see what he would do. 

“Always wear . . . most in . . . testing . . . p . . . jamaszzz.” 

 

Get Crossing the Line