Good Things Come In Tall Packages

Please Welcome Ann Montclair author of Good Things Come In Tall Packages.

Ann will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Good Things Come In Tall Packages

by Ann Montclair

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

INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

My husband Vince Cardinale wrote a novel titled Life of My Life.  His dedication to craft, to story while working full time at a regular day job made me feel like I could do it, too.  If not do it, at least try it.  He would always say to me, “You should write a romance novel.”  He’s the reason, the inspiration behind every word I write.

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

Good Things Come in Tall Packages is a story about two opposites who, despite all their differences, fall head over heels in love.  My parents are like Joe and Lucy: different ethnicities, different religions, different politics, but respectful of those disparities.  It’s an ideal world view in many ways. If only we could all love one another even though we think and feel differently about major issues.

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

I love dancing, cooking, gardening, and walking.  I work out at Curves four days a week. I wear skirts and flip slops every day the weather allows. I have three huge dogs and six cats.  All of them but one is a rescue. 

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

I plan to keep crafting romance. I’ve been on academic sabbatical from my job as college English professor for the last year, so I’ll need to negotiate a new balance between work and writing, but I truly hope to finish at least two titles a year and work full time.  Cross your fingers and say a prayer for me, okay.

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

I’d be Maura Fields, Lucy’s best friend and the heroine of my last book One Wet Summer.  Maura is a champion swimmer, a school teacher, newly married to a millionaire, and a new mom to his gorgeous motherless daughter. Maura is tall, too, and since I’m short like Lucy, I’d much rather be tall like Maura.  Tall girls get to eat more!

6. Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

Good Things Come in Tall Packages is about a hard-nosed, Southern Belle lawyer named Lucy Alcott who is fighting her attraction to a sexy, compassionate, spiritually centered doctor named Joe Connors.  He’s African American, and she’s white.  He’s a healer, and she’s a hunter.  He’s all about family and commitment, and she’s all about Lucy.  Yet, kaboom, love chooses them, and how can it ever work?  I think real love is rarely ideal: it is compromise and struggle.  Good Things… is about that fact.

7. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step? I joined the Romance Writers of America and at the first chapter meeting I attended, Stacy Boyd head editor of Harlequin Desire was invited to hear pitches.  The president of the Western New York group, Amanda Usen, encouraged me to bring a pitch. I had three weeks to prepare.  I wrote the first draft of The Billionaire’s Bauble during those three weeks and pitched.  Stacy agreed to read the full.  Harlequin rejected it, but Stacy gave me advice on revision.  I took her advice, revised, and sent it to a few electronic publishers.  I got offers from every single house, but I took the first one: Soul Mate Publishing contracted and published TBB.  All this happened within six months!  What a thrilling ride. Now I’m with Musa Publishing, but Soul Mate gave me my start.

8. How do you maintain your creativity?

I maintain my creativity by reading constantly in my genre. I also attend cultural events—art exhibits, craft fairs, plays, movies, concerts.  I surround myself with art, and I love it. I have an MFA is Creative Writing and I teach English.  I don’t know how to be anything but creative. Being raised an only child, I played alone.  I learned my imagination was my best friend: it still is!

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

My favorite character in Good Things Come in Tall Packages is the hero, Dr. Joe Connors.  He is such a good man.  Sure he’s 6’6” and devastatingly hunky, and that doesn’t hurt; but his true strengths are his huge heart, his open mind, his dedication to God and family.  He has a deep voice and a soft touch.  Joe is a big eater and easy going, loves classical music and wearing old Levis.  He is pretty much my own tall, dark, and handsome husband, except Vince isn’t a doctor...

10. Anything else you might want to add?

While Good Things Comes in Tall Packages is an interracial romance, it isn’t about race.  The book is about love and how no matter how different we might be, we can find common ground.  It’s entertaining, emotional, funny, sexy—okay, super sexy—and I hope readers find Joe and Lucy as lovable and inspiring as I do.  Thanks for having me!

BLURB:

Dr. Joe Connors and socialite lawyer Lucy Alcott come from two different worlds, two very different cultures. But will those differences keep them apart when their attraction is too strong to be denied?

When socialite Savannah attorney Lucy Alcott entered the Hyatt looking for fun, martinis, and hot sex, the last thing she expected to find was Dr. Joe Connors. Joe is Lucy's opposite in every way: he’s dark, she’s pale; he’s tall and reserved, she's tiny and vivacious; he wears his compassion and deep spirituality on his sleeve, she wears designer bags and clothes. That night at the Hyatt Lucy found herself not in the arms of a casual encounter but reaching out to a man who challenged the walls she had built around her heart—and when he gave her his number, Lucy knew Joe deserved a woman as warm and tender as he was. So she threw his number away. When an unexpected meeting six months later brings them together again, will Joe overcome Lucy’s fear of losing her heart, or are their two very different worlds destined to keep them apart forever?

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

EXCERPT:

The doors whooshed open, and Joe swept his arm out in front of him, indicating Lucy should precede him into the elevator. She inclined her head to acknowledge his chivalry. Inside the elevator, the quiet assaulted her senses. She leaned against the shiny walnut wall, and a sigh of relief escaped her lungs.

“And the world is still,” Joe murmured. “Let me remove your shoes.”

Lucy lifted her left foot, and Joe knelt before her and took off the pump. She shrunk five inches before raising her other foot, so Joe could squeeze it from the rich, red leather.

“Ah,” she whispered in relief, “that feels a lot better.”

He stayed bent on his knee as if he were about to propose and rubbed the ball of first one tired foot and then the other. Lucy wasn’t wearing stockings, and the firm massaging motion he applied to her foot felt like a little bit of heaven. If she believed in such a place.

Struck by the juxtaposition of her white foot in his black hands, enamored by the lightness of his palms as they stroked the pink soles of her feet, she noted together they created a rainbow—a cascade of color, vibrant and beautiful to her eye.

“Thank you, Joe. You’re hired.”

He laughed in his low, bass voice, and the combination of his masterful administrations on her feet and the melody of his jazzy chuckle, proved to be a potent formula. A quiver ran through her body.

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I grew up sneak-reading all my mom's steamy romance novels. She kept them high on a shelf in her closet and warned, "You better not read those..." Of course, I read them. And now I write them! I strive to take readers on a fun, emotionally charged, and highly sensual ride to happily ever after. Available now: THE BILLIONAIRE'S BAUBLE (Soul Mate Publishing 2011), ONE WET SUMMER (Musa Publishing 2012), and GOOD THINGS COME IN TALL PACKAGES (Musa Publishing 2012). Next up: LADY IN DEED, my debut novel in historical romance set in Tudor England (Musa Publishing Winter 2012).

I am a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and a community college English professor. I live in the Finger Lakes region of New York with my sexy hero and our teenage son. Our grown daughter lives in Los Angeles, California--my hometown.

Thanks for learning a little about me. You can contact me at ann@annmontclair.com.LINKS

Web site: http://www.annmontclair.com

Blog: http://annmontclair.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnnMontclairFanPage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/AnnMontclair

Buy link: http://www.musapublishing.com/

Don't Forget To Leave A Comment

Here comes the rain again -- Thank you, Annie Lenox

I'M NOT READY!!!!!

Our weather changed with the flip of a switch, I swear. On Thursday of this week, the sun was shining and there was a light breeze ruffling the quickly falling leaves. The next day it was raining so heavily I thought I'd have to break out the plans for an ark. I learned to ride my motorcycle this summer and now I'll have to try to ride between the raindrops. Gonna be a real challenge.
  
National November Writing Month. I've signed up the last two years and finished signing up today. The idea is to write every day for a full month and get 50,000 words down on paper. They don't have to be perfect but a good start for a novel that can be edited and whipped into shape as a viable book.

As the rain begans to sock us in for the next six months, I hear my muse beginning to rustle restlessly. The months of damp days and rain pattering on the roof nights are a boon to writers in the Northwest. Most of us have better imaginations than the stuff currently being shown on television so why would we sit and suffer through the mediocrity?

I have no excuses for not completing at least two books this winter. Wish me luck!

Sable Angel

Best kept secrets by friends

Dragons Among the Eagles

by

C. L. Kraemer

Excerpt:

The unexpected changing of shifters could be rationalized with the knowledge Aleda had gained at the conference. What was proving elusive was the power behind the disappearance of the unfortunate souls who were caught in the fluctuation and died. She stood in front of her bedroom mirror, mascara in one hand, staring and questioning. What was to be gained by taking the bodies of the deceased shifters away and trying to make the two-leggeds believe nothing had happened?

This was the conundrum she needed to resolve.

Her doorbell pealed and she gave a final swipe of makeup to her eyelashes.

“Coming!”

She opened the door and Cinder, her best friend, stormed through to the living room, her face crimson and she was sputtering.

“Some fool tried to run me off the road! I would’ve thought it was a mistake except no one else was on the street. It happened right out here on your street, Allie. What the heck is going on?”

Aleda hugged her friend, grabbed her hand and snatched her evening wrap from the arm of the couch as she pushed Cinder back through the door. She hustled to Cinder’s car and not until she was belted in the passenger seat did she speak.

“There is so much going on, I think I’ll wait until we’re in the restaurant. Let me just say I’m being watched by a government agency.”

Cinder stomped the brakes.

“WHAT??!!”

“Cinder, just drive. I’ll feel more comfortable when we get to the restaurant.”

The tense ride to the restaurant set Aleda on edge. When she noted little black spots appearing in front of her vision, she closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. Her talisman began to vibrate in her purse and she knew she needed to stop her stressing. Shifting in Cinder’s car wouldn’t help the situation.

The two women arrived at the restaurant around four thirty. The maître d' was flustered by the two beauties and fawned over them until they both glared him into silence.

“Good heavens. You’d think he’d never seen two women before,” Cinder grumbled.

Aleda could tell her friend was in a dangerous mood.

“This car that nearly ran you off the road; was it light colored, blocky and four doored?”

Cinder’s eyes widened. She waited until the awe-struck maître d' had placed their ice tea glasses in front of them promising to send the waitress right over.

“Were you watching?” She leaned to Aleda.

“No. But that’s part of a problem I need to share with you.”

A tall, leggy blonde breezed up to the table listening and noting on her pad as the women gave their dinner orders. She started to walk away then turned around.

“Sorry about Malik. He’s smitten by tall, dark, beautiful women.” She smiled indulgently. “Obviously, you two qualify. If he gets to be too obnoxious, just let me know. We’ll lock him in the cellar.” She winked and headed to the kitchen.

Cinder took a deep draught of her ice tea. “Allie, you’re scaring me. I thought you worked for a-a ragsheet.” She looked up her eyes wide. “Sorry.”

Aleda grinned. “I do, friend, I do. I just think, as is sometimes the case, my ragsheet as you call it, stumbled on a truth someone governmental doesn’t want the world to see.”

She leaned in to her friend. “I need to tell you something I don’t think you’ll believe, but we’ve always been honest with each other, right?”

Cinder raised an eyebrow. “Pinky-sworn.”

The two women stuck out their little fingers and wrapped them around each other.

“Pinky swear.” They said in unison.

Aleda bit her lips then released a breath as she leaned forward. “I’m a shapeshifter.”

Cinder smirked and raised her left eyebrow. “Oh--a shapeshifter. Right. You change from fat to skinny, short to tall, what?”

Aleda narrowed her eyes and glared at her friend. “If you must know, I shift from human to dragon and back. There.” She leaned back and crossed her arms.

Cinder toyed with her fork, licking then pursing her lips. She was about to comment when the waitress arrived with their food orders.

“Medium rare?”

Cinder pointed to the spot in front of her.

“That would leave the rare for you, Miss. Enjoy!” She smiled and bounced away from the table.

For a few minutes only the clinking of silverware on plates broke the silence at the table. When the two friends had sated their ravishing hunger, they resumed their conversation while leisurely finishing their meals.

Cinder speared a carrot. “Dragon to human, huh?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you known this and didn’t bother to tell me?”

Aleda cut an asparagus stalk in two, dipped it in the provided sauce and waited until she’d finished eating. “I just discovered this fact, again, when I went on vacation.”

Cinder looked at her friend. Aleda, Allie for short, oozed uncertainty and closer inspection revealed a slight tremble in the fork. She softened her approach.

“You really didn’t know?”

Aleda snapped her head up and stared across the table. “You did?” A smile was her answer.

“H-how?”

“You remember an incident where a classmate’s hair was singed?”

Aleda snickered. “Oh, yeah. Stopped him from bullying me.”

“As you might imagine, word got out about the attack. Parents came and withdrew their kids from school before the day was over. My mom knew before the school bus had dropped us off about one child setting fire to another.”

“It didn’t happen like that.”

Cinder held up her hand. “Let me finish. When Raven and I got home, we were grilled and told, from the best of our recollection, exactly what happened. My mom was blown away.

“You do remember we’re Indian, right?”

Aleda shook her head and wrinkled her forehead. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“One of the unfortunate gifts of the white man has been alcohol. Indians didn’t drink alcohol before the white man introduced it in the form of whiskey.”

Aleda slowly finished the food on her plate and crossed her arms. Cinder seemed to relish being center stage and wasn’t moving her story along very quickly.

“Yes?”

“My mother was a raging alcoholic.”

Aleda dropped her arms and looked at her friend. “I never knew.”

Cinder shrugged. “It’s not one of those things you announce to the world. Anyway, we’re Okanogan and Yakima. Our ancestors have had intimate knowledge of and hunted the mountain ranges for a long time. We knew of the...” a tiny smile touched her lips, “great winged night flyers for many moons. But even in Indian lore, dragons are not often mentioned. We, too, have limits to what we would believe.

“When you had your little breakdown many people were affected. One of them was my mother. She quit drinking that day and never picked up the bottle again. She took it as a sign to get her act straight. So, in reality, you gave me back my mother.”

Aleda’s mouth dropped open.

Cinder reached over and with her forefinger moved Aleda’s chin up. “Close your mouth, Allie.”

Aleda breathed out slowly. “I guess I was allowed to explore my--difference--as long as my mom was around but when she left and I was forced to live with my aunt, anything to do with dragons was strictly forbidden in the household. I didn’t relate my headaches and dizzy spells to anything, well, unearthly.”

Cinder’s smile cocked to one side of her mouth. “Now, maybe, you’ll tell me the name of your friend from your vacation.”

Aleda pulled back and sat contemplating the idea. Should I or shouldn’t I?

“There’s a lot at stake, Cinder. It’s not that simple.”

“Yes it is.”

Aleda leaned her head back, gazed up and huffed a small flame to the ceiling.

“Showoff.” Cinder shook her head. “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

“I was feeling--anxious.”

Neither of the girls noticed the panicked looks of the patrons at the surrounding tables.

Aleda straightened and stared across the table at Cinder. She leaned forward and put her forearms on the table.

“He’s a very young dragon; not quite thirty years old. Cinder, he’s a full fledged dragon from the British Isles.” Most of her answer had been pushed out in a low whisper.

“How do you know he’s not a very good shifter who’s lying to you? I mean, I’ve heard of shifters, and yes, I know there are dragons in stories but in real life? I’m finding that hard to believe.”

Aleda spread her fingers on the table and looked at Cinder. “Why? You’re nearly as bad as Warren. He’ll believe in UFO’s but not shapeshifters. You, on the other hand, will believe in shifters but not real dragons? What’s the difference?”

Cinder shrugged. “I’ve grown up with the belief man and animals sometimes intermingled to understand one another. But there were only a few Indians who spoke of dragons and most of them wound up being exiled from the main tribe. They were allowed to live on the farthest fringes of the camps.

“What you’re telling me now is dragons, fire-breathing, cave dwelling dragons are real?”

“Yes.”

Cinder smirked, giggled then broke into laughter.

“This is wonderful.” She clapped her hands. Leaning forward, her eyes twinkled.

“My great, great, great grandfather has been vindicated. Thank you!”

The waitress appeared and whisked away dinner plates.

Cinder looked at her watch then at Aleda. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go.”

“No problem. We can continue this conversation at another time. We’re still friends, right?”

Cinder smiled widely. “Oh count on it, girlfriend. This opens a world I never dreamed possible.”

Aleda signaled for and paid the check.

Cinder hummed all the way home. When they arrived at Aleda’s house, Cinder parked in the driveway and let Aleda out.

“I’d come in but like I told you, I have plans for later.” She waited until Aleda had entered the house and waved at her from the front door.

Cinder blinked her lights and pulled out of the driveway.

Aleda watched her friend leave. She hoped this guy, whoever he was, knew how lucky he’d been to get the chance to know Cinder. If he turned out to be a jerk and hurt her best friend, Aleda would help him make up his mind to leave town. She turned off the porch light and locked the front door. She’d told Sam Edmunds she’d contact him later in the evening but at the moment she wanted to have a cup of coffee and contemplate all the things that had happened today.

~ * ~

He watched with interest as the lights went out on the porch. She’s settling in for the evening, good. Everything’s going as planned. Let’s see what the best friend knows.

The non-descript, four-door vehicle slid silently from the curb and disappeared into the night.

American Dragons?



Aleda Sable needs to sit and digest everything she discovered from the last two months. Life was never boring but the epiphanies she stumbled upon have left her breathless. To this end, she realizes her previous existence was tame, maybe even dull, compared to her new reality. 

Life is becoming discovery. How many like her are there in the Northwest? Is her friend Cyre one of a kind or is he but the tip of an iceberg of creatures the world tries to pretend doesn't exist?

Now humans are encroaching into the secretive world of Aleda and her kind. Unknown forces are causing her people to shift, partway, in their cars during busy rush hours, capturing the attention of the media and focusing unwanted light on them. In trying to find the solution, she uncovers a complex network of intrigue and danger to herself and others like her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dragons Among the Eagles

by

C. L. Kraemer

Portland

Aleda heard the distinctive ring of her cell phone. She reached into her purse and looked at the readout.

"Warren!"

She flipped the phone open. "What? I still have one more day before I come in. This had better be

really good because it's going to cost you big, mister."

"Yeah, hello to you too. Have you checked out your dragon story?"

Aleda moved from the kitchen counter into the living room to gaze at the hazy sunlight sparkling off the Willamette River in the canyon below her house. She was feeling unsettled and had chosen not to jump immediately back into the reporting scene.

"Actually, I've stayed away from all the news sources. I'm off until tomorrow, and I'd planned on relaxing until then."

She heard him harrumphing in the background. Warren didn't understand people who weren't married to their work.

"Well, smart aleck, we've had a mountain of emails regarding the pictures we used with your story."

She snapped her attention to the conversation. "What?"

"I said… we've had hundreds of emails about your pictures. It seems the dragon sightings are almost as numerous as Bigfoot sightings. But I have to tell you…"

Aleda could tell by the unusual way Warren was talking, he had a big, fat Cuban cigar stuck out of one corner of his mouth. His labored breathing indicated he was walking while he talked. She could just imagine his forehead beginning to glisten with a light sheen of sweat as he worked himself into a frenzy.

"I believe these people are really genuine."

"Just like the UFO sightings, Warren?"

The growled response she received made Aleda bite her lip. Maybe she'd gone just a 

little too far.

"What do you want me to do, Warren?"

"Will you look at the ones I've picked out and contact these writers?"

"Warren?"

"Yes?"

"I have a life I'm going to live."

"I know, I know. Just let me send these letters to you and tell me if you think they have merit."

"Fine. Send them to my email. I'll take a look at them--later."

"Thanks, Aleda!"

She ground her teeth. He'd done it again. She could hear the smile in his voice before he hung up. The man knew how to work her. It was times like these she would have been happy to shift and scorch his shorts.

~ * ~

She rubbed her palms against her eyes and blew out a weary breath. The one bright spot of her email inbox had been Cyre's answer. Aleda picked up a pen and put a star on Friday, Sunday and Monday of her calendar. Her stomach flipped and she couldn't help but smile. It would be absolute heaven to fly wingtip to wingtip with him. Snuggling in front of his big screen TV watching movies until they fell asleep--could life get any better? She doubted it. Meanwhile, she felt as though her eyes were bleeding. She'd been sitting in front of her computer sifting through the letters from a different set of farfetched enthusiasts than the usual Bigfoot sighters. The frightening part was the similarity to her initial meeting with Cyre described in some of the letters. They were certain they'd seen the dragon pictured in the shots on the inner page of the paper. Aleda stood up and stretched her hands over her head, twisting from side to side and bending to alleviate the kinks. Cyre needed to see these letters. His innocence could get him killed if he wasn't more cautious.

Shaking her hands to get the blood flowing, Aleda decided to go for a walk. The day had dawned with misty skies but being in the house this long was making her feel claustrophobic. Fresh air and a brisk walk would clear her mind. Her life was just beginning. She was going to live to be seven hundred fifty years old.

Was a master's degree

really necessary? In the next seven hundred twenty-five years was the advanced degree going to make a difference in her lifestyle choices? Most of this argument was moot. Her inheritance included the home where she lived and enough money to survive. But could she keep her things and not be suspect?

Aleda began to jog along the riverfront with the overload of questions invading her mind. Soon she was listening to the rhythmic slap, slap, slap of her shoes against the pavement leading up the west hills toward home. All thoughts of what she needed to do, wanted to do were lost in the joy of misty rain rushing against her face, wind playing with her long, dark hair and the rush of running.

At the top of the hills she slowed to a walk, letting her breathing even out and pulling in deep breaths of crisp, clean air. Her life had changed, that was certain, but she could handle it. After all, her history certainly hadn't been fairy tale. The trauma of her childhood, a mother who abandoned her when she was barely three and an aunt, who tried to beat the wicked out of her, hadn't succeeded in breaking her down. Why should

simple lifebumps such as learning she was a dragon/human shapeshifter who was going to live to be seven hundred fifty years old beat her? Aleda dragged herself up the steps and unlocked the front door. The light on her phone was blinking furiously.

"No way am I checking that."

The thought of a hot shower enticed her and articles of clothing dropped to the floor with each footfall along the hallway. Donning dry clothing after her invigorating clean up, Aleda moved to the couch to flip through the news channels. A television helicopter was circling the scene of an accident. Several police cars were

visible and an ambulance was arriving. The newscaster was warning folks to avoid the area as there would probably be delays. Suddenly, the picture went black and the sound vanished. Aleda blinked.

"Sorry folks, we're having some technical difficulties. We'll keep you updated as we get

the information. On a different note…"

That was strange.

Her phone rang and she groaned. Before she looked at her caller ID, Aleda knew who was on the other end of the line. If she didn't answer, he would call and leave messages all night.

"Hello, Warren."

"Aleda. Tell me you've been watching the news."

"Yes, Warren. I've been watching the news."

"Good, then I won't have to bring you up to speed on the accident on I-205. Get over there as fast as you can."

"Why, Warren? The news just warned everyone to stay away. The traffic will be horrific. Besides, we don't do everyday fender-benders. What's so special about this?"

There was a hesitation on the line and Aleda's stomach plummeted to her toes.

"You know I listen to a police scanner all the time."

"Uh-humm."

"The scanner was going wild before they shut it down. There were three different agencies on the frequency and each one made the same shocked statement about this accident."

"Get to the point, Warren."

"Aleda, I want you to get over there and find out the truth. Go now and get back to me tonight. This is the story that could put our paper on top."

"WARREN!"

"What?"

"What is so important you want me to cover an accident?"

"The police reported the deceased driver of the vehicle was…"

Aleda heard him swallow, pull in a deep breath and continue.

"…half human and half dragon."



Inspiration

My Hanging Basket

It's check in day at the Rogues Angels blog. 

Time to pay the piper! How did you do?

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.

Catching Meara is at a Beta reader. I am doing Galleys for A Marriage of Inconvenience. Hope to have them finished by Friday.  Allana Angel

Had a great week? Keep it up, the momentum is on your side.

To Catch A Bad Guy

Please welcome Marie Astor author of To Catch A Bad Guy


Marie will be giving away five prizes of custom made jewelry to randomly drawn commenters during the tour (Continental US only):

Prize 1: Agate and labradorite necklace with sterling silver accents
Prize 2: Smoky Quartz sterling silver plated necklace
Prize 3: Multi-quartz sterling silver plated necklace
Prize 4: Gray quartz, carnelian and onyx sterling silver plated necklace
Prize 5: Aventurine necklace with sterling silver plated accents

To Catch a Bad Guy

by Marie Astor

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

BLURB:

Janet Maple is convinced that her life could not get any worse: her stellar career at the DA’s office ended with a lay off and her boyfriend of five years told her that he wants to be just friends. When she lands a job at one of New York’s premier boutique investment firms, Janet begins to hope that her luck is finally turning for the better. Not only is she happy with her new paycheck, but things also seem to be looking up on the personal front, as the company’s handsome attorney expresses keen interest in Janet. However, her euphoria is short-lived, as Janet soon discovers alarming facts about her new employer’s business tactics. When her boss dismisses her suspicions as groundless, Janet finds herself confiding to a cute IT engineer, Dean Snider. The closer she gets to Dean, the more Janet is tempted to break her rule of not dating co-workers, but what she doesn’t realize is that everything she knows about Dean, including his occupation and even his name, is a lie.

Dennis Walker is a top-notch white collar crime investigator who will stop at nothing to put culprits away. When an opportunity for an undercover assignment at one of New York’s premier boutique broker dealers comes up, Dennis jumps at the chance, adopting a persona of geeky IT engineer, Dean Snider. While he may be an ace at his job, years of experience fail him when Dennis meets Janet Maple and finds himself torn between his professional obligations and his personal desires. Will he have to choose between his feelings and duty, or will he find a way to satisfy both?

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

EXCERPT:

“You’re still here?” Lisa appeared on the threshold of Janet’s office.

“Yeah, I’m waiting to meet Katie and Joe for drinks.” Janet immediately regretted her lapse, lest Lisa invite herself to join them.

“Oh, that sounds like fun.” Lisa yawned. “But I’ve got a date with Paul. I think he is going to pop the question this weekend.” Lisa winked.

“You think so?” Janet tried to force excitement into her voice. She had no doubts that Lisa actually possessed an ability to physically bend men to her will. If she wanted Paul to propose marriage to her this weekend, the poor man would no doubt oblige.

“Yes, I think so. We’ve been dating for a year; this weekend is our anniversary, and Paul is taking me to a secret getaway.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“Now, if you would just give Tom Wyman a chance, you too could be wearing a diamond on your finger in the near future.”

“I don’t think I’m his type,” Janet lied. From what she had seen of Tom Wyman, every woman was his type, at least for one night, but Janet was not looking to be somebody’s disposable fun.

“Well, maybe if you weren’t so prim all the time. Are you going out like that?” Lisa eyed Janet critically.

“Yes,” Janet mumbled, already anticipating what was about to follow. Since her fizzled flirtation with Tom Wyman, she had reverted to her conservative business attire.

“Nothing. You look perfectly swell to take someone’s statement, but I doubt any guy is going to ask you for a date with your hair tied up in that bun of yours and your blouse buttoned up all the way to your ears.”

“Good.” Janet pressed her lips together. If Lisa refused to observe boss-employee boundaries, she would do the same. “That’s precisely the effect I’m going for.”

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Lucky Charm, On the Rim of Love, This Tangled Thing Called Love, romantic suspense novel, To Catch a Bad Guy, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window.

If you would like to find out more about Marie’s books, please visit Marie at her website: www.marieastor.com.

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Astor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Books by Marie Astor:

To Catch a Bad Guy: http://www.amazon.com/To-Catch-Bad-Guy-ebook/dp/B008W1L5IA/ref=la_B004EBDX9Q_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1344820115&sr=1-5

This Tangled Thing Called Love: http://www.amazon.com/This-Tangled-Thing-Called-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344820073&sr=8-1&keywords=marie+astor

Lucky Charm: http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

On the Rim of Love: http://www.amazon.com/On-Rim-Love-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

Prize 1: Agate and labradorite necklace with sterling silver accents

Prize 2: Smoky Quartz sterling silver plated necklace

Prize 3: Multi-quartz sterling silver plated necklace

Prize 4: Gray quartz, carnelian and onyx sterling silver plated necklace

Prize 5: Aventurine necklace with sterling silver plated accents

Blood Memories Review

Title of book: Blood Memories
Author: K.J. Dahlen

Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Rating: 5 angel eyes

Reviewed by: Courtney Rene

www.roguephoenispress.com

Review:

I am a fan of thriller/mysteries.  I like trying to figure out who did what and how it all fits together and why.  This book gives you all that and more.  The main character, Savannah, you can immediately connect with.  After the death of her parents, she was raised by her aunt, and on the run for most of her life.  Her world is not all roses and sunshine.  Then upon the death of her beloved aunt, her life turns upside-down once again.  She is thrust into the world of smuggling and with it, death and deception.  Who can she really trust?  Who is the bad guy?  What does Savannah need to remember in order to find the people responsible for her parents’ murders? 

This author does a great job of connecting you with the characters in this book.  Not just the main character either, but all of them. The dialogue seems genuine and flows with easy.  The suspense never stops from the moment you begin all the way to the very last sentence. 

I can’t find one thing that I didn’t like about this book.  It was fast paced, full of suspense and mystery, and just a good fun book to ready. 

I give this book 5 stars.  I loved it.