Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2017

On Being a Grandparent...

Everyone said it would be the best thing in the world. And it is! Off to write. My weeks are taken up with cuddling with grandbaby, walking her when she's fussy, taking her on buggy walks with her mama, and taking pictures, while trying to get my word count in. You see--this is the culmination of romance! Have a great one! Terry “Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.” Connect with Terry Spear: Website: http://www.terryspear.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Kim Redford Travels to Baja Texas for Inspiration

Inspiration comes in a lot of ways from a lot of directions. I like to take advantage of research opportunities—particularly when they come on gilded wings. When I started writing my Smokin’ Hot Cowboys series, I had horses and cattle and country on my mind. Out of the blue, or maybe because I’d been whining about my lack of inspiration, the cowboys and cowgirls of the  Gee Cattle Company and a local forestry firefighter who knew all the backroads volunteered to take me deep into the mountains of Southeast Oklahoma. Okay, I admit when Texans call Oklahoma Baja Texas, they hear Texas is Baja Oklahoma in return. If it weren’t for the Red River separating us, then . . . anyway, back to my point, the cowboys believed Gilbert Jones’ famous mustang ranch located near Medicine Spring  would inspire me.     And so we loaded into two big pickups and headed out on a main highway. Pretty soon we turned down a smaller road, crossed a dry creek bed, drove between two houses on somebody’s

Writing Spaces

As the weather (finally) warms up in my neck of the woods, I find myself beginning my annual #writingview journey. For all of my writing life, I've had an active and easily bored child by my side. When she was little, this meant I spent a lot of time at mall playgrounds with my laptop in hand. Now that she's older, the mall playgrounds don't cut it, but the need to get out of the house is still very much there. Which is why, a few years ago, I started documenting all the beautiful, boring, and flat-out bizarre places I get my writing done. Roller skating rinks, trampoline parks, the area in the YMCA overlooking the pool, squashed up in the car during volleyball practice...you name it, I've been there furiously trying to get my word count in for the day. Sunny days are pool days. Rainy days are pool days, too. It's turned into a kind of joke in my family...where has Tamara dragged her computer today? It's like one of those cute garden gnome journeys,

Reviews: The good, the bad, and the ugly

In the land of writing, learning to accept criticism from our peers and editors is something we expect from the get go. We know criticism is for the greater good, that at the end of the road we ultimately become better writers. They are akin to kindly guardians guiding us gently through that good night, only wanting the best for us and our precious book babies. But what about book reviews? Do they serve a purpose, or are they little more than a proverbial thorn in our side, destined solely to either make or break us?   Unlike our editors, agents and critique partners, book reviews are usually written by total strangers. There’s the difference! They will never have to sit across from us at lunch whilst we cry into our soup (or ice-cream if we’ve really lost it), nor do they particularly care if our book is a spectacular flop. They write the review either because they have to, for work etc, or because they felt moved to do so. Sometimes reviews make us feel bad... The first p

Hot Rescue Divers AND a Sale? Yes, Please!

Have you been waiting for just the right moment to dive (heh...yes, I'm a pun-ster) into the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue series? Now's the time! The first book in the series, Hold Your Breath , is only $1.99 in e-book format. Today's the last day it'll be on sale, so don't wait to grab your copy! In the remote Rocky Mountains, lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder… As the captain of Field County’s ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook is driven to perfection. But when he meets new diver Louise “Lou” Sparks, all that hard-won order is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he’s never felt more alive…even if keeping her safe may just kill him. Lou’s new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she’s determined to make it on her own terms…no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a ro

Earth Day...so?

I used to plant tons of trees, when I had a lot of acreage–I love forests. But I was so disappointed to learn the people who bought my home in Oklahoma clearcut most of the trees. Beautiful pines, helped to stop erosion on the hillside, and they provided homes for birds, beauty, solitude. There’s no prettier sound than wind blowing through a forest and hearing the rustle of branches or pine needles. We have old forest in and around our neighborhood. Most new home developments, they just clearcut the trees, leaving barren land. But here, I have several old pines. And behind me, one of my neighbors has beautiful oaks. He wants to cut them down. Why? Because they drop leaves and twigs and he has to pick them up. Really? He has to cut the grass too!  Maybe he should dig it up? In Texas heat, shade trees are at a premium. They’re beautiful. You see them towering a hundred feet above the homes. Why would you want to cut them down??? I had to have one of the pine trees take

Don't Miss Out on Team Sourcebooks Giveaways, News, and Exclusive Content!

Have you discovered the Team Sourcebooks Facebook page yet? If not, you should head there right away and make sure you click the "Like" button. And because we know how fickle Facebook can be about what shows up in your feed, you should visit the page every day so that you don't miss out on: Exclusive content from your favorite Sourcebooks Casablanca authors.  Author-specific giveaways posted almost every day. New releases and other author news. The monthly giveaway where you can win all the releases from that month.  You read that right! Every month, we do a drawing for a bundle of books of all the new releases for that month. The April releases giveaway is going on right now and closes on Sunday 4/23 at 8 pm Pacific Time. Enter for your chance to win all the Sourcebooks Casablanca April releases from  Kianna Alexander, Adriana Anders, Sarah Castille, Vivien Jackson, Abbie Roads, Terry Spear, and Julie Ann Walker!

Real Heroes

My grandfather was my hero. He passed away a few weeks ago, in his own home, his own bed, ninety-nine years young, as he liked to say. Don't be sad for me! I miss him, yes, but he lived. He loved life, and he made sure to experience it to the fullest. He was my greatest influence and the best man I've ever known. My high school graduation.    When I sit down to write, I try to create men like him. Kind. Gentle. Determined. Strong. Ethical. Adventurous. When I read books, or watch movies or shows, I look for the heroes who live by the same principles. He put the needs of others before his own without ever compromising himself in the process.  He was born at the end of WWI and enlisted in WWII (Army/Air Force) but he never got to fight. He scored so highly on tests that he skipped basic training and went right into intelligence and meteorology. He would predict the weather for flights (and missile tests) and come home (when he got to come home) with a briefcase handcuffed

Have You Heard...?!

Have you heard?! SEAL for HER PROTECTION  is now available in audio! Rhiannon Angell is the narrator, and she did a fantastic job bringing Navy SEAL hero Chasen Ward and heroine, investigative journalist Hayley Garner, to life!  I think you're going to love it! Dive in…  Amazon http://amzn.to/2onQgEx iTunes http://apple.co/2oXwqw6 ******************************************************************************************************* Are you going to RT? Me, too! I'd love to meet you! Where to Find Me: Inside Look: Amazon Kindle Worlds Hotlanta Party A Walk on the Wild Side Party Spec Ops, Spies, & Speakeasy Roaring 20's Costume Party Best of Both Worlds - Going Hybrid Sweet, Sassy, Spicy Atlanta Baby Party Shifters Between the Sheets Giant Book Fair FAN-tastic Day. Frankly, My Dear, Bang! Bang! FAN-tastic Day - Paige Tyler Signing See you there!  *hugs* Paige

Lost Scenes and the Cutting Room Floor

When you're writing a book, a lot of what you think will fit into a novel simply won't, and the scenes that you or your editor can't use in the final draft end up on the cutting room floor, or in the recycling bin. When I wrote HOW TO TRAIN YOUR HIGHLANDER, this happened as it does for every book. Alex and Catherine from HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOT came onto the scene. Since HIGHLANDER was Mary Elizabeth's and Harry's story, we had to cut it, but I've included it here because I loved it. I hope you love it, too. Catherine has just discovered that Mary Elizabeth is overly fond of the duke, and she is quick to tell her husband all about it. Catherine met her husband in their room, feeling clandestine to be closeted away with him in the middle of the afternoon. Alex, it seemed, had no such qualms, and was already trying to undo the tapes on her gown as soon as she closed the door behind her. “Alex!” she said. “I need to speak with you.” Catherine felt h

Upcoming Release and Cover! by Linda Broday

Riding toward us on a swift horse is THE HEART OF A TEXAS COWBOY! He'll gallop into bookstores and online on May 2nd. But I want to reveal this gorgeous cover. I just love cowboys and this model really makes my heart melt. Book #2 Men of Legend series features Houston, one of the three sons of Stoker Legend. Houston was a bit of a surprise for me and he turned out to be my favorite I think of these larger-than-life brothers. After his father loses half of the Lone Star Ranch in a poker game, Houston finds out the only way to get it back is to marry the daughter of the new owner--Lara Boone. He's never even laid eyes on her but he reluctantly agrees to give her baby a name. That's all Lara Boone asks for and that's okay with him. He has closed off his heart. This marriage of convenience story takes many twists and turns as Houston drives a large herd of longhorns north to Dodge City, Kansas. Lara goes along when Houston can find no one else to fill in after hi

Online Dating...Not for the Tinder hearted!

Until last summer, I felt like something of a fraud. You see, I’d signed a three-book deal for a series of romance novels based around an internet dating site (albeit a vampire site but when it comes to dating, what 's the diff?) without ever actually trying it for myself. And not because I’m married or in a relationship either—I’ve been happily single for the past few years. Good old fashioned fear held me back. Whenever a friend broached the subject, (as they often did) I would wrinkle my nose and snort in disgust. Dick pics ! I’d say, giving the single greatest excuse for not giving it a go, because really, unless it’s Alexander Skarsgård sending naked selfies, who wants to see any of that business off the bat? Alexander Skarsgård - whose naked selfies will always be welcome... In the end, however, worn down by badgering and spurred on by curiosity, I relented. I decided to try it for a few weeks, just to see . I uploaded a couple of pictures that didn’t make me throw

New Release: Back To Your Love by Kianna Alexander

If you like your romances with equal parts sweetness and heat, then Kianna Alexander's Back To Your Love won't disappoint! Check out the excerpt below to see what we mean! ### Gently, he draped his arm around her bare shoulders. The feel of his touch radiated through her, the growing warmth inside her far exceeding the temperature of the sultry June night. Being in his arms again didn’t feel foreign, the way it should have after so many years. His touch felt as natural and familiar as her own heartbeat. She noticed the rapid pace of her breathing and wondered if he noticed it as well. The low timbre of his voice broke the silence. “If I’m making you uncomfortable, just say so. That’s the last thing I want to do, Imani.” So he had picked up on her nervousness. She shook her head. While her mind told her not to let him get behind her defenses, her heart didn’t want him to with- draw his touch. Instead, she