To celebrate the launch of the second book in the Ardent Springs Series, available Nov 10th, I’m giving away an 8GB Kindle Fire tablet to one lucky winner. 

Here’s the blurb for OUR NOW AND FOREVER:

When Caleb McGraw sweeps Snow Cameron off her feet, she never expects their whirlwind romance to lead to a Vegas wedding chapel. Before she can catch her breath, Caleb starts talking kids and college funds while his wealthy parents make their disapproval painfully clear. Convinced she was blinded by lust, not love, Snow takes off for Ardent Springs, Tennessee, two months into the marriage.

Heir to a media conglomerate, Caleb never experienced struggle or rejection, until Snow sends him on a wild hunt for his runaway bride. When he finally finds her—managing a curiosity shop beloved by the quirky locals—she agrees to give the marriage another chance, but on one condition: no sex for a month. Can their love stand the test, or will they give in to their attraction?

In this humorous and heartwarming Ardent Springs romance, two lost hearts start over in a town where everyone deserves a second chance and love always wins in the end.

I loved the idea of starting a romance novel after the couple is already married. No meet cute. No drawn out courtship. For this book, I had to basically save a marriage, at the same time toying with the idea of love at first sight and if it can really turn into a happily ever after.

So what I want to know is…. do you believe in love at first sight? And can it really last forever?

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It’s a wonder! It’s a miracle! Nah, it’s just me blogging. Rare as that may be.

Today, my friends, I am excited to announce a little side endeavor I’ll be taking this summer. I have teamed up with eight fabulous authors to create an anthology of short contemporary romances with a small town summer theme.

I know what you’re thinking. But when do I have time to do this?? That’s the best part.

My contribution is a story I wrote several years ago, but I could never find the right venue to get it out to readers. It is in no way connected to my other work, and is actually quite a bit steamier than my usual fare.

When I wrote My Anna, it was an Erotic Romance. But the heat meters have pretty much shot off the charts in the last seven years, so it’s really just a hot hot contemporary. That’s what I’m calling it anyway.

Older woman/younger man. Librarian heroine/writer hero. Smexy times/happy ending. (More a happy for now than ever after, but still satisfying.)

The collection won’t be available until July, so as we get closer to the date, I’ll be sharing a lot more details. But way before that… I have the first in my new series launching next month!

I can’t believe it’s almost here. This first Ardent Springs story first pop into my brain two years ago. Looking back now, it feels like two weeks. Crazy!

HIS FIRST AND LAST is a reunion story featuring Lorelei and Spencer, high school sweethearts getting a second chance at love. But they face plenty of complications along the way.

If you’d like the book to magically appear on your Kindle on release day (April 21) you can pre-order now.

Don’t forget that my contest for the emerald tennis bracelet is still up on Fresh Fiction through the end of the month.

And my publisher is running a giveaway on Goodreads, offering up 20 print copies of HIS FIRST AND LAST to 20 lucky winners. You can’t win if you don’t enter, so make sure you click over for both!

Oh, I almost forgot. This week I got the news that MORE TO GIVE finaled in the New England Readers’ Choice awards. Thank you to the judges who deemed my book worthy of a final. I am honored and excited beyond measure! The sad news is that I did not final in the Romance Writers of America RITA awards, which is sort of like the Oscars for romance novels (complete with beautiful dresses at the event.) But I have friends who did, and I’m looking forward to cheering them on and celebrating lots of wins. 

Happy Reading my friends!

PS: I’m almost finished with book two in the Ardent Springs series and I think you all are really going to like this one. I am head over heels for this hero. Sigh.

Happy Holidays to all! I hope everyone had a spectacular holiday with family and friends and lots of laughs and good food. I can’t believe we’re coming to the end of the year already. Seems the older I get, the faster time passes.

First up, time to announce the winner of the week 3 giveaway. Congratulations to Jackie Wisherd on winning the anchor watch and book-themed trinket box! Jackie, I will be in touch. And thanks to everyone else who left a comment about your favorite charity. I didn’t get to comment as much this week, but I read all of them, and enjoyed finding worthy causes I hadn’t heard of before.

Now, onto the big finale. To celebrate the end of the holiday season, the end of a good year, and my birthday this week, I’ve saved the biggest prize for last. Drum roll please….

The final prize of 2014 is a Kindle Fire!

This contest is open to US residents 18 or older and runs through Saturday, Jan 3, 2015. (That’s so weird to type!) All you have to do is comment here about one goal you have for the new year. We won’t call them resolutions because that word always seems to come with negative connotations, so let’s say goals. Mine is to read more and get my body moving. No specifics and no pressure, just a solid goal or two.

After you comment, remember to enter through the Rafflecopter widget. If you don’t go through the Rafflecopter, you’re not officially in the contest, so don’t forget that part.

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Another Monday in December means another giveaway, but first, the winner of the Vera Bradley tote bag is Linda Lioi Lubbert! Congratulations, Linda. I will be in touch!

Now onto the new prize. This week it’s all about anchors and time. Thanks to the Anchor Island series, the anchor has invaded my life, landing on my clothes and walls, and now it could land on your wrist.

This week, I’m giving away a fabulous anchor themed watch to one lucky commenter, and I’m throwing in an elegant book-themed trinket box along with it. 2014 has been an amazing year for me, and much of that is due to all of you who have read my books. I’m so enjoying giving a little back.

And speaking of giving back, this week we’re going to be philanthropists. To be entered in the contest, leave a comment naming your favorite charities. Include a brief description and even a link if you’d like. Let’s bring attention to some worthy causes during this week of giving.

The contest is for US residents only, and closes Saturday, December 27^th, 2014 at midnight. But anyone is welcome to share the charity they believe in.

Don’t forget to make sure you’re entered on the Rafflecopter widget after you comment in order to have your name in the drawing for the prize.

Now one quick note. I’m sending out a special Christmas newsletter this week featuring the opening scene of HIS FIRST AND LAST, the first book in my new Ardent Springs series releasing in April 2015. Here’s the blurb for the book:

At eighteen, Lorelei Pratchett couldn’t wait to get out of her hometown. Twelve years later, her Hollywood dreams have fizzled and she’s back—temporarily, she thinks. Though she throws herself into saving the old theater and starting a baking business, small towns have long memories, and Lorelei’s wild past still haunts her. It doesn’t help that her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Boyd, is even hotter, smarter, and more distracting than before.

The fiery Lorelei that Spencer knew years ago may have become closed off and cautious, but their chemistry hasn’t faded one bit. Losing her a second time is unthinkable to him, yet Lorelei is convinced she doesn’t belong in Ardent Springs. Somehow, Spencer needs to show her that everything she needs is right here: family, friendship, new beginnings…and a man who’s never stopped loving her.

Warm, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny, His First and Last is an irresistible story of first love and second chances.

If you want to read how this story begins, hop over to my home page and make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter today! Now, let’s talk worthy causes.

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Fa la la la la… la la la la

It’s time for the first December giveaway. (In case you missed it, I’ll be giving away a fabulous prize each week during the month to celebrate the holidays and my birthday.) Today, I’m offering up the perfect way to make your earlobes sparkle this holiday season.

Check out these beautiful Stella & Ruby Crystal Statement earrings. Aren’t they gorgeous? And they would look even more gorgeous dangling from your dainty little ear lobes.

All you have to do is leave a comment on the blog sharing a tidbit about your favorite piece of jewelry. It can be an heirloom, something you bought for yourself, your wedding ring, or the necklace you had as a young girl (or boy!) that you wish you still had.

This contest is open until 12am on 12/15 (which is essentially midnight Saturday night) and open to US residents only. (I’ll run smaller international contests during the month.) Once you leave a comment, you have to click on the Rafflecopter graphic to say you’ve fulfilled the requirements, and you’re in. If you don’t complete the Rafflecopter information, you won’t be entered in the contest.

And as a special bonus, I’m sharing a snippet from my contribution to the COWBOYS FOR CHRISTMAS anthology, Love Me, Cowboy. This is in the first scene when Claire finds herself covered in tart filling and late for work. There’s no time to drive home and change, so Tyler offers her a clean flannel. Here we go…

Tyler hopped off the tailgate, landing close enough for Claire to feel the heat coming off his body. Tilting her head back to see his face, a memory flashed of the long-ago night they’d spent making love in Tyler’s bed. A night neither had spoken of since.

Claire nearly swayed toward him, but common sense, or maybe some kind of survival instinct, kicked in and she stepped back.

Tyler cleared his throat and proceeded to his driver’s side door.

Claire kept her eyes on the burnt orange streaks spreading across the eastern sky. The sun was high enough now to see the mess surrounding her. And covering her. Making sure the brown tank top remained low over her waist, Claire pulled her arms out of the sleeves and lifted the heavy wool sweater over her head.

When the material cleared her face, she looked up to find Tyler staring at her, flannel in hand, mouth open, eyes dark as emeralds. The last time he’d seen her, Claire had been forty pounds heavier. She’d yet to adjust to the new body and the attention it garnered. Though none of the looks she’d gotten so far had sent her libido into overdrive the way Tyler’s did in that moment.

She hugged the sweater to her chest. “This is going to sound weird, but could you turn around?”

He didn’t respond for several seconds, then seemed to snap back to reality. “Yeah. Sure. Sorry.”

Tyler dropped his eyes to the ground, handed Claire the flannel, then turned as she’d asked. She knew the request was ridiculous, as Tyler had seen her naked before. Something Claire would gladly forget if only her brain would let her.

But that had been nothing but drunken pity sex, or so she reminded herself. Some called alcohol liquid courage, but Claire had since considered it humiliation hooch.

Squeezing the sweater between her knees, Claire pulled on the flannel, which hung well past her waist. Modest by nature, even she knew wearing the shirt loose was too dowdy. She compromised, buttoning the first four buttons, then tying the bottom half into a knot.

“Okay,” she said, after making sure everything was covered. “You can turn around now.”

Tyler turned his head first, then the rest of him, smiling all the way. “Looks good.” For a moment his cheeks looked pinker than usual. Claire chalked it up to the colorful sunrise.

Now that we’re all warmed up, let’s talk about jewelry.

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I like to keep readers informed on new books or when my older books go on sale, and a newsletter seems the best way to do that. So if you want to stay in the know, simply comment on this post and make sure the box next to SIGN ME UP FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER is checked. (Which it should be by default.) Click POST COMMENT and you’re in!

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