Rogues Angels ~ Hard Landing by Shirleen Davies

Please welcome Shirleen Davies author of Hard Landing.

Shirleen will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a $10 Amazon gift card, and two ebooks of Second Summer.

HARD LANDING

By

Shirleen Davies

Thanks so much for allowing me this opportunity to speak to your readers and share my comments on writing.

1.    What or who inspired you to start writing?

Although I’d written short stories as a hobby, my inspiration to write what I consider to be “publishable” books came from other authors, reading their stories and becoming inspired. I can’t tell you what changed, but one day I woke up and decided to put my stories on paper.

2.    What elements are necessary components for this genre?

First, you need a solid storyline and plot. Second, strong characters. Both primary and secondary, must be developed who are capable of presenting the story to readers in a way that will draw them into the book. Along with these, there should be a time period and background that provides a context for the story. And, you absolutely must have conflict throughout the entire story.

3.    How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

Hard Landing is part of my contemporary romance series, MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary. This book focuses on the choices and tough decisions that are by men and women who commit their lives to serving in the military. I attended college in San Diego, which is home to many Navy and Marine personnel. Over the years I’ve developed strong friendships in this community and it felt natural to write a story based some of their experiences.

4.    What expertise did you bring to your writing?

Many friends and family members have served in the military. Their experiences, stories, and real life decisions, as well as my own research provided the context for Hard Landing.

5.    What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

As well as writing, I love to dance, cook, travel, eat chocolate, shoot trap and skeet, hunt, fish, and ride on the back of my husband’s Harley. Oh yes, I’d I love to ride my bright red motorized scooter.

6.    As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

I’m in the middle of my new historical western romance series, Redemption Mountain, which is set in the years immediately following the Civil War. The stories focus on the issues faced by the young men and women who come through the war to face a life far different from the one they left. Book one, Redemption’s Edge, is scheduled to release in the fall of 2014. I’m also continuing my contemporary series, and plan another series of MacLarens historicals, which will begin in 2015.

7.    If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

Great question. The normal answer would be Jesse, the female protagonist who fights the odds to become a Navy fighter pilot. However, I believe I would choose Trey, the male protagonist. He steps up to any situation, gives it his best, and makes the most of what is placed before him. Although committed to his career, he is also a good friend, someone others can depend upon.

8.    Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

I do not. I’ve heard equal amounts of pro and con comments about these groups, and am still on the fence about joining one. I know they can offer tremendous value and yet many fine authors also warn of relying on their input as opposed to going with your writer instincts. This isn’t to say I won’t seek one out at some point. For now, I’m still in a decision mode.

9.    When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I never did submit. As I began to write, I also spent considerable time exploring my publishing options, reading about authors who published their own works, authors who went only the traditional path, and others who had become hybrid authors. I made the decision to start publishing on my own with a goal of submitting at some point, possibly becoming a hybrid author. I’ve been blessed with great, supportive fans, and a constant stream of ideas. I haven’t given up the thought of submitting and at some point I may pitch a series. For now, I’m loving doing it as an Indie.

     10.  What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

The best advice: “Just write.” Write every day even if it’s just a couple hundred words.

The worst advice: “Don’t Indie publish. It’s too hard and complicated.” I’m so glad I ignored it!

11. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I do both. I use a brief outline plus notes, then create a spreadsheet of characters. From that point on I just write. Keeping the character, plot twists, and storyline from getting out of control is the biggest challenge when you write without a substantive outline.

12. How do you maintain your creativity?

I haven’t had a problem so far with coming up with story ideas. Stories come from many sources and I believe it’s a matter of keeping an open mind about the possibilities. For instance, last Christmas I attended a party that included a number of active and retired military personnel, many I’ve known for years. That’s when I thought, “Why not a story about them?” That turned into Hard Landing.

13. Who is your favorite character in the book? Can you tell us why?

As mentioned before, it is Trey MacLaren. I like his strength of character, loyalty, and love of family. He has goals and sticks to them, but is able to flow with the obstacles life presents to him. He’s someone I’d like to know.

14. Sneak peek:

      Excerpt:

Jesse moved over, shifted so that she faced him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “This is all new to me. I just need more time.” She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Trey wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and deepening the kiss. One hand crept up into her hair and held her steady as she opened for him, allowing their tongues to explore.

He adjusted her on his lap and unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her black, lace bra to his view. He let his mouth move down the soft column of her neck, then lower.

Jesse couldn’t get close enough. She held his head tight to her, feeling the fire building, and squirming from the intense pleasure. She felt the cool air fan her skin when he unsnapped her pants and drew down the zipper.

“We’ve never made love in my truck,” he whispered.

“Are you sure?” Her voice was thick, sultry.

“Oh yeah,” Trey ground out as she moved her hand down the hard muscles of his stomach, then lower.

“Then I think it’s time we do.”

Thanks the Angels

Hard Landing, Book Two in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary Romance Series

In this passionate Contemporary Romance series, author Shirleen Davies introduces her readers to the modern day MacLarens.

Trey MacLaren is a confident, poised Navy pilot. He’s focused, loyal, ethical, and a natural leader. He is also on his way to what he hopes will be a lasting relationship and marriage with fellow pilot, Jesse Evans.

Jesse has always been driven. Her graduation from the Naval Academy and acceptance into the pilot training program are all she thought she wanted—until she discovered love with Trey MacLaren . . .

. . . Trey and Jesse’s lives are filled with fast flying, friends, and the demands of their military careers. Lives each has settled into with a passion. At least until the day Trey receives a letter that could change his and Jesse’s lives forever.

It’s been over two years since Trey has seen the woman in Pensacola. Her unexpected letter stuns him and pushes Jesse into a tailspin from which she might not pull back.

. . . Each must make a choice. Will the choice Trey makes cause him to lose Jesse forever? Will she follow her heart or her head as she fights for a chance to save the love she’s found? Will their independent decisions collide, forcing them to give up on a life together?

Hard Landing is the second book in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary novella series—heartwarming stories of difficult choices, loyalty, and lasting romance. Watch for book three, One More Day, Cameron and Lainey’s story, in the summer of 2014.

Jesse moved over, shifted so that she faced him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “This is all new to me. I just need more time.” She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Trey wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and deepening the kiss. One hand crept up into her hair and held her steady as she opened for him, allowing their tongues to explore.

He adjusted her on his lap and unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her black, lace bra to his view. He let his mouth move down the soft column of her neck, then lower.

Jesse couldn’t get close enough. She held his head tight to her, feeling the fire building, and squirming from the intense pleasure. She felt the cool air fan her skin when he unsnapped her pants and drew down the zipper.

“We’ve never made love in my truck,” he whispered.

“Are you sure?” Her voice was thick, sultry.

“Oh yeah,” Trey ground out as she moved her hand down the hard muscles of his stomach, then lower.

“Then I think it’s time we do.”

Shirleen Davies writes romance--historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Shirleen began her new series, MacLarens of Fire Mountain, with Tougher than the Rest, the story of the oldest brother, Niall MacLaren. Other books in the series include, Faster than the Rest, Harder than the Rest, Stronger than the Rest, and Deadlier than the Rest. Book six, Wilder than the Rest, is due for release in early summer, 2014. Her contemporary romance series, MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary, opened with book one, Second Summer. Book two, Hard Landing, released in April 2014, and Book three, One More day, is scheduled to release in midsummer, 2014.

Shirleen loves to hear from her readers.

Write to her at: shirleen@shirleendavies.com
Visit her website: http://www.shirleendavies.com
Comment on her blog: http://www.shirleendavies.com/blog.html
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/ShirleenDaviesAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/shirleendavies
Google+: http://www.gplusid.com/shirleendavies
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleendaviesauthor

ROCKIN' AT 99 CENTS EACH

THE ROCK STAR

by Genie Gabriel

www.GenieGabriel.com

ebook only 99 cents at Rogue Phoenix Press

Also available in print at Amazon.com

The Rock Star is the first of my Rock'n'Romance trilogy. 

The books that follow are The Bodyguard and The Leader of the Band, 

all available in ebook formats for 99 cents at Rogue Phoenix Press. 

 

PURGING A LOVE SHE DESPERATELY WANTS

THE ROCK STAR

by Genie Gabriel

www.GenieGabriel.com

ebook only 99 cents at Rogue Phoenix Press

Also available in print at Amazon.com

Not all went smoothly for Geoff and Shannon in The Rock Star. In fact, Shannon desperately fought their mutual attraction...

***EXCERPT FROM THE ROCK STAR***

Shannon slammed the iron bar through a section of cracked plaster, and set about purging Geoff Chastain from her life once again. 

The sun had crested the horizon before Shannon paused to survey the piles of crumbled plaster. She stretched and breathed deeply, letting her mind race with plans for refinishing the room. A soft rose color on the walls would set off the solid oak moldings around the floor-to-ceiling windows framing a semicircular view of the city. Unfortunately, a hundred and twenty years of paint had to be stripped away from the moldings to find their original beauty. 

"Hey, Jasper, why don't you go start the coffee while I clean up?" Shannon scratched the dog's ears. Training her dog to push the start button on her coffeemaker with his nose had been a stroke of genius. Of course, she could use the automatic timer, but Jasper seemed so pleased with himself that Shannon didn't have the heart to take that task away from him. 

As Shannon walked toward the bathroom, the chime of the doorbell brought her to an abrupt halt. No one paid a social call this early in the morning. Something must be wrong. 

Shannon dashed down the stairs and threw open the door. 

Geoff stood on the white-railed, wraparound porch of the Victorian house where Shannon Ausbrook lived. 

***END OF EXCERPT***

www.GenieGabriel.com

EVER HAD A CRUSH ON A ROCK STAR?

THE ROCK STAR

by Genie Gabriel

www.GenieGabriel.com

ebook only 99 cents at Rogue Phoenix Press

Also available in print at Amazon.com

This is my first published book and holds a special place in my heart. Like many teenaged girls, I had a crush on a rock star or two. But what if the rock star returns your love? And triggers a series of events you never could have imagined…

***EXCERPT FROM THE ROCK STAR***

Spotlights flashed in rainbows across the stage. Red. Green. Blue. Crisscrossing until they merged into one white-hot light on Geoff Chastain’s face, evoking memories of other times. The screams of thousands of teenaged girls washed through his memory as he pulled the microphone from its stand. 

The first notes of his daughter's favorite song filled the auditorium and his breath caught, jagged, in his chest. Pain pulsed through Geoff's heart with each beat of the drum. He nearly dropped to his knees, longing to crawl back into the self-imposed exile where he had existed since his daughter died. 

The faces of the kids in wheelchairs looked up at him with bright expectation. The whispers of the singers waiting in the stage wings curled around him in concern. 

Daddy, promise you won’t let the music die. His daughter’s last request haunted Geoff. He never suspected life would become so desolate he would forget to eat and sleep, let alone lose touch with the music that had always flowed so easily from his soul. 

A singer moved from the wings to stand beside him. Her presence drifted around him in silent encouragement. Her sweet contralto coaxed him to sing with her. 

Focus, he ordered his brain, staring at the woman. Waves of auburn hair framed her face, then tumbled halfway down a lush body barely covered in spandex and sequins. A woman designed to stir a man to action. 

Geoff's voice rasped with disuse on the first verse; the woman's harmony covered it. As he started the second verse, an image of his daughter swam before his eyes and Geoff's throat closed. The woman picked up the melody without missing a beat, as if they had planned this duet. 

He grasped at her hand and drew a deep breath. Her soft scent filled his nostrils, drawing his attention away from the pain. Giving him the strength to dig deep inside where the music had lain in silent mourning. 

Geoff's voice mingled with hers on the chorus, then soared as he soloed the third verse. Their voices chased each other through the final refrain, then their eyes met and held on the last triumphant note. Awed silence hung for a moment before applause erupted and the crowd was in motion. 

A sea of well-wishers swarmed onto the stage. Not the frenzied near-riots of years ago, but the exuberant cheer of celebration. Smiles and congratulations wrapped warmly around Geoff as men pumped his hand and women kissed his cheek. 

But the mysterious auburn-haired woman who saved his musical butt had disappeared. 

***

Genie Gabriel

www.GenieGabriel.com

Rogues Angels Present Check In Day. How was your week?

Dream Big

Inside the palace at Versailles

It's Check In Day.

Time to pay the piper! How did you do? How much did you write? Did words explode on your WIP?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Impatiently waiting for the release of Storm's Passion on July 22, the fifth book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses series. I began work on Sweet Talkin Sugar the fourth book in the McKenna clan series.

How was your week?

Rogues Angels ~ Kate and the Kid by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks

Please welcome Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks authors of Kate and the Kids.

Anne and Kennet will be awarding a $40 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn host.

Kate and the Kid

by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks

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

What or who inspired you to start writing?

We were both avid readers for as long as we can remember.  Having read so much, it is a natural thing to want to write.  Ken’s first stories were written in third grade for his favorite teacher, Miss Hamel.  Anne’s first writings were poems, also first composed in grade school, and she traces her love of writing to her grandmother.  Her grandmother’s education was only to the eighth grade, but she composed short (sometimes acidic) poems about her sisters, children and grandchildren in which she gently poked fun at some personality trait.  Anne often thought of her when she started writing.

As for the two of us writing together, while in college we thought of a children’s fiction book we wanted to write and worked on it as a seminar one semester with a wonderful professor.  We never stopped.  So, thank you, Mr. Satterthwaite.

What elements are necessary components for this genre.

Kate and the Kid is a mainstream novel, so it does not have some of the specific requirements that other genres have.  But any novel needs to have a basic conflict and sometimes more than one conflict to keep a reader glued to the page.  In our book, the main conflict is between the two parts of Kate – the one that is selfish and does not want to get involved with a young, needy child and the other that sees this little girl in distress and feels the impulse to help her.  There is a subsidiary conflict between Kate and her boyfriend since he thinks that taking care of a child that is not your own is a crazy idea.

How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

We actually knew someone who was acting as a kind of foster parent for a young child, hoping to adopt, and became very attached to him.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for the child), the mother decided she did not want to give up the child.  Our friend was devastated.  Out of that conflict came the totally different story of Kate and the Kid.

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

We have raised three children in New York City and know something about how hard it can be.  This experience also gave us ideas for plot incidents, such as the accident in the playground.  In addition, Ken is a lawyer with an expertise in Family Law, which was useful for the court scenes.  Anne has an eye for detail from writing poetry that helped in the overall crafting of paragraphs and the delineation of characters.

What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

We would like everyone to know that our daughter, Alice, reads, gives comments on, and copyedits our books and that she is the best!

As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

We have been urged by many of our readers to write a sequel to Kate and the Kid and that is a definite possibility.  We also hope to write a sequel to a middle reader book we recently published at MuseItUp Press called THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.  At the moment, however, we are working on an 850 page mega-novel called MINISTER, that we hope to publish in three or four parts.  MINISTER follows the life of a young man from a small town in Maryland on his path to becoming a minister and the struggles he has with his brother, his family and his own beliefs.

If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

This is sort of odd.  Ken thinks that Kate is a terrific person and would like to be as tough, resilient and able to love as she is.  Anne thinks that she would like to be Roger because he is a very kind, decent person who becomes even better during the course of the novel.

Can you give us a sneak peak into this book?

One of our favorite scenes comes about half-way through the book.  In a fit of anger, the woman who was taking care of Jenny for her mother has thrown Jenny’s doll Miranda out the window into the courtyard below.  Jenny is on the fire escape, ready to go down to rescue her doll.  Kate wants to help, but has a terrible fear of heights and tries to persuade Jenny to wait until they can get the superintendent to help them.  This is unthinkable to Jenny and Kate has to overcome her fears, which she does in a scene that most readers find very moving.

Kate swallowed hard and then lifted the window open as far as it would go. She took a deep breath. Her arms and hands were trembling as she eased out sideways, her rear-end first, followed by her right leg, her head and upper torso and finally her left leg. She was hoping to act confident, but as she reached the center of the metal slats, she began to shake. A breeze caught her hair. She couldn’t breathe. She began to cry. The world was a spinning blur.

Then she felt the girl beside her. A bony little arm was wrapped around her neck. Smooth cool lips were kissing the tears on her cheeks and on her eyes, over and over again.

“It’s okay, Katy,” the girl said. “We can help each other. We’ll do it together, Katy.”

Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

We are not members of a critique group.  Since Anne and I work together, we are our own critique group in a way.  We also have a daughter who is very smart and who gives us brilliant editing and sundry advice.

When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

The best and the worst advice is the same – don’t ever give up.  In other words, if your desire to write is not an unquenchable burning inside you, then for the love of God don’t get started.  We would add that success is not guaranteed, but satisfaction is.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

We don’t have a formal outline before we start a book, but we do talk through the main characters, the basic plot outline, and the themes that we want to address. We actually start writing to get a feel for the characters and the situations and always make changes as we go.  We have put all of our books through many rewrites.

How do you maintain your creativity?

We take a lot of long walks, sometimes alone, sometimes with each other during which we talk.  We also like to cook different kinds of ethnic dishes.  Anne does yoga.  Ken goes into Central Park looking at birds and trees.

Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

We both agree that Jenny is our favorite.  She is a little girl, six years old, and damaged by mistreatment, but ready to blossom when love comes her way. 

Are your plotting bunnies angels or demons?

Anne’s plotting bunnies are demons.  They make her toss and turn at night and worry incessantly during the day until the loose ends are resolved and weak spots are eradicated.  Ken is always pretty sure it’s going to work out.  He sleeps well at night.

Anything else you might want to add?

Although many things happen over the course of the book to Kate and to Jenny, KATE AND THE KID is essentially an emotional journey for Kate, her boyfriend, Roger, and the kid, Jenny as they learn what it means to love someone.  The subtleties of the parent/child relationship are explored as well as the ways that a child can interfere with a man and a woman’s desire to be together. 

KATE AND THE KID is about a young woman (Kate) who has just lost her job and had a major fight with her boyfriend (also arising from the trauma of being fired). At this very low point in her life, Kate is tricked into taking care of a sweet but emotionally damaged six-year-old girl (Jenny) who only communicates with adults through a doll she calls “Miranda.”  As a result of an eventful night of babysitting, Kate begins to bond with Jenny, which causes a whole new set of complications with the people in Kate’s and Jenny’s lives.  This book tells the story of how Kate and Jenny help each other to heal, grow, and navigate the difficult and sometimes dangerous world of New York City.

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

She began to press all the buzzers on the panel in the building’s foyer, one after the other, hoping that some kind soul among her neighbors would let her in.  The headache that had started in the cab settled in for the night, pounding just above her right eye.  At that exquisite moment, Kate saw the kid -- that ghostly, smudge-faced kid -- sitting on the staircase inside.  A one armed Barbie doll was on the step beside her.

"Hi, Sweetie!" Kate said through the wired glass, exaggerating the enunciation of the words to make her meaning clear.  "Would you come and let me in, honey?  You remember me, don’t you?  I live on the third floor?!"

The girl did not budge, apparently still trying for the grand prize in a zombie look-alike contest.  At first, Kate felt a twinge of concern for the girl. Why on earth was she out in the hallway so late in the evening?  Kate leaned her forehead against the cool glass and closed her eyes.  When she opened them again, Jenny took the doll into her lap, whispered something into her plastic ear, walloped her twice across the bottom, and started up the stairs.

"Hey!  Hey, where are you going?!" Kate shouted.  "Hey you better come back here you little... Hey!  Hey, did you hear me?!"

And with the little darling thus doubly emblazoned on Kate's mind, if not yet on her heart, their second encounter ended.

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Anne Rothman-Hicks was born in New York City and, except for a brief exile to the suburbs imposed by her parents, she has lived there all of her life, the latter part of which she has shared with her co-author, Kenneth Hicks, and their three children.

Links:  website -- www.randh71productions.com  

Facebook author page -- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenneth-Hicks-and-Anne-Rothman-Hicks/622272714477979y

Buy links http://www.amazon.com/Kate-And-The-Anne-Rothman-Hicks-ebook/dp/B00D9W3V20

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