Fiction, Romance, Sales

SALES BLITZ!! ~ Bright Light Series by Tia Louise

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Series Title: Bright Light Series

Titles: Under the Lights ~ Sundown ~ Under the Stars

Author: Tia Louise

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

A thrilling, romantic suspense series from USA Today bestselling author Tia Louise…

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Heroes don’t last long around here…

Fall in love with the sexiest girl in New Orleans?

Check.

Prepare to die for her?

Double-check.

Larissa is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

She’s the rising star of the Pussycat Angels, the hottest burlesque show in the French Quarter.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw her.

The curve of her breast outlined by sparkling rhinestones.

Slim hips wrapped in black fishnets.

Long, dark hair…

She’s the Dark Angel who stole my heart.

Her body is intoxicating, our love overwhelming.

Cat eyes and blood red lips.

Sizzling fingers on white-hot skin.

I couldn’t keep my hands off her…

But her fame had a dark side,

A sinister shadow lurking under the lights.

I would do anything to save her…

He would do anything to see me dead.

Strangers on a train; names on a list.

It’s a simple job.

In and out, instant karma.

Then he appears to derail everything.

He’s the boy I haven’t seen in five years.

He’s the boy who wanted to be my hero, who I thought died fighting the demons.

Only he didn’t die.

He survived, and now he’s a man.

Worse, he’s a cop.

He’s gorgeous and strong, and the best sex I’ve ever had.

He’s my dream come true…

But this train has left the station, and there’s no turning back.

Payback arrives at sundown.

(Sundown is a novella that should be read between Under the Lights and Under the Stars.)

All around us was darkness and night…

I’m not a hero. I’m a survivor.

I had one way out, and I took it.

Now all I want is peace,

A place to pick up the pieces and start over.

But she wants justice.

Names on a list, faces in the crowd.

I vowed to help her, but it’s taking us back to the demons.

Until he appeared.

I thought he died in the fight.

I was wrong.

He’s here.

Stronger, more powerful… Sexier.

And dangerous.

The boy I loved is now the one man we have to fear most.

When he tried to save me, he had no power.

Now everything has changed, and he’ll never stop until I’m his.

Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of When We Touch, the “Bright Lights,” “One to Hold,” and “Dirty Players” series, and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller The Last Guy.

After being a teacher, a book editor, a journalist, and finally a magazine editor, she started writing love stories and never stopped.

A lover of the beach, sexy romance, dark chocolate, and sparkling wine, Louise lives in the Midwest with her trophy husband, two teenage geniuses, and one grumpy cat.

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COVER REVEAL ~ Hotel O by Clarissa Wild

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Hotel O

Author: Clarissa Wild

Genre: Super Hot Erotic Romance (stand alone)

Release Date: May 2, 2018
Cover Design: Booming Cover

Pleasure is business.

That’s our motto here at Hotel O.

No strings attached gratification is what we provide. Nothing is off limits.

And all of it stays within these walls.

My job as the organizer of these events requires a personal sacrifice.

Girlfriends are a liability I can’t afford.

So I get my own satisfaction somewhere else.

Online.

Anonymous.

Nothing beyond a one-night stand …

And I’ve found the perfect toy to play with.

A persistent, equally wicked girl that I can’t say no to.

The girl who’s going to make me risk it all.

Welcome to Hotel O … Enjoy your stay.

Author’s Note: Hotel O is complete and utter filthiness. Expect lots of debauchery … with multiple people. Please do not read if you’re easily offended or do not enjoy romances that explore the boundaries of depravity … Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Within seconds, the door handle clicks, and I hold my breath in anticipation.

A man in a black suit and a red tie steps in. The door shuts behind him.

My eyes glide over his body and his glide over mine. His face too is hidden behind a mask.

He’s tall and his hair is thick and dark, just like his voice when he says, “Hello Kitten …”

I’m struck in awe at the sound of his voice. It’s real. It’s him.

That same shiver runs up and down my spine as he approaches me slowly.

In a split second, images of violence flash through my mind. All the possible things that could happen. All the things he could do to me.

We’re alone, in a hotel room, and neither of us know each other by name.

He could do anything he wanted.

Take me. Use me. Lock me up.

Kill me.

And no one would ever know it was him.

It’s the perfect setting for the perfect crime.

And yet I’m not afraid of him.

I’m only afraid of my own reactions to what’s about to go down.

Meeting him was the only thing I wanted … and now that it’s finally happening I wonder if it’ll be enough. If I can satiate my needs without crossing the line.

He comes even closer. I don’t move an inch. I don’t know if it’s because I’m scared, or if it’s because my body feels as if it’s made out of rocks and ice.

I shudder when he stands across from the bed, leans against the dresser, and casually slides his eyes from the tips of my toes hidden in black heels all the way up to my high pony tail without any shame.

His tongue dips out to wet his lips, and for a second there I wish he licked mine instead.

He cocks his head. “So … this is what you want.”

I nod and part my lips to say something, but nothing springs to mind. Nothing important … except for the fact that I want him to fuck me raw.

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Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of Dark Romance and Contemporary Romance novels. She is an avid reader and writer of swoony stories about dangerous men and feisty women. Her other loves include her hilarious husband, her two crazy but cute dogs, and her ninja cat that sometimes thinks he’s a dog too. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, playing video games, reading tons of books, and cooking her favorite meals.

Want to get an email when my next book is released? Sign up here to receive 4 FREE short stories: http://eepurl.com/FdY71

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COVER REVEAL! –> Our Worlds Series by Lindsey Iler ~ With EXCERPT!

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Series: Our Worlds Series

Titles: When Our Worlds Collide ~ When Our Worlds Fall Apart ~ When Our Worlds Stand Still

Author: Lindsey Iler

Genre: Mature YA/NA Romance

Cover Designer: Lindsey Iler

Kennedy Conrad is everything he needs.

Graham Black has two rules in life. Play baseball, so he can get the hell out of Tennessee, and leave your shirt on when you drop your panties.

He’s a typical all-American pitcher with the world at his fingertips. His devilish good looks and charm help him crawl into the beds and hearts of the girls at his high school. With secrets no one knows, he has every intention of running away from his hometown the minute he graduates. Nothing can get in his way. Until poor choices collide him into Kennedy Conrad.

Graham Black is everything she wants.

Kennedy Conrad has her own set of rules. Dance with your whole heart, and make it through each day without being noticed.

She’s sweet and reserved, everything Graham’s not. After one fated night, she can’t stop him from noticing her anymore. She knows there’s a chance of heartache by letting him in. When the unthinkable happens to Kennedy, Graham realizes what he’s been fighting is what causes Kennedy to end up hurt.

Can their love survive one more thing that is meant to pull them apart?

Love is complicated. Add in high school and it’s bound to get worse.

Kennedy Conrad spent her summer hiding from the world, leaving her plenty of time to relive every moment spent with Graham Black. Now at the start of her senior year, she has one goal. Avoid the boy who broke her heart. He seems to be everywhere she turns.

Letting go isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

Graham Black spent his summer parading around with nameless girls at endless parties. At the start of his senior year, he pretends to be okay with his choices and masks his pain, but Graham can’t escape the reminder of his own broken heart. Every time he turns around, she’s there.

Sometimes people come into your life for different reasons.

Someone new reminds Kennedy what she deserves, leaving Graham two choices: be pushed back into the shadows or fight for the only girl who’s ever understood him.

Can they find their way back as their worlds fall apart?

Time is said to heal all wounds.

Kennedy Conrad embraces survival. Group therapy, friends, and dance are helping her find the person she was. Overcoming the darkest period of her past is getting easier every day. Still, the ache in her chest tells her something is missing. Him.

The more precious something is, the harder you fight for it.

Graham Black embraces change. Baseball, mentoring, and school are helping him leave behind the person he once thought he was. Hiding in plain sight is what gets him through each day. Still, he questions the decisions he makes because of her.

Whoever said all good things must come to an end doesn’t know their story.

When everything in their lives seems to be settling down, Kennedy and Graham once again collide. Misconceptions are corrected. Secrets are revealed. Choices are forced. Broken pieces are scattered, and only these two have the power to put things back together.

Faced with the decision of their lives, what will they do when their worlds stand still?

Excerpt From When Our Worlds Collide

I walk into her bedroom and close the door, but’s Kennedy’s not there. The messy bed reminds me of what happened earlier this morning.

“Whatcha thinking ‘bout, Black?” Kennedy sings as she hobbles into the room.

She walks across the room wearing nothing but a towel around her body. The small piece of purple fabric barely covers her, but I don’t mind. If she pulls it up any higher, her ass will be exposed, but if she pulls it down, her tits will pop out. Despite the crutches, she somehow manages to hold the fabric in place. I secretly pray for it to drop to the ground. Her smile tells me she knows exactly what she’s doing to me.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not nice to tease others?”

Kennedy grabs shorts, a tank top, and a pair of black lacy underwear from her dresser drawers, and walks back into her bathroom. Perfectly in tune with every move she makes and everything her hands grace with her gentle touch, I follow in her wake.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever called me a tease, Mr. Black.” The towel drops to her feet. She bravely turns to face me. Her smile is innocent even though we both know she’s anything but. “Whoops!”

With a loud bang, the door slams in my face. I can feel myself begin to wind up. The only thing that can fulfill my appetite is on the other side of that damn door, covering her body with far too much clothing.

What happened to the naïve, shy Kennedy who shudders under my very touch? She’s been replaced with this strong, confident, flirtatious girl who openly teases me.

I’ve created a monster.

With no complaints from me, I’ll go along with her game of cat and mouse. If she’s going to torture me all day, then I can play until she begs me to touch her.

Lindsey Iler is the author of the Our Worlds series. She’s had her feet planted in the state of Michigan since she was born and she still lives there with her husband and four kids.

When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with family and friends, listening to music, reading (obviously), and hopefully just enjoying every moment in life. She has a twisted sense of humor, tends to speak honestly, and her mind tends to feel most comfortable in the gutter.

Lindsey writes mature young adult/new adult contemporary romance. She falls in love with every character that pops into her head and is notorious for writing long chapters in her notes on her iPhone. It’s embarrassing how many started/unfinished projects are on that thing. She finds inspiration from music and the people around her.

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BOOK TOUR!!! ~ The Life She Wished For by ChaShiree M.

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: The Life She Wished For

Series: Birds of Paradise #2

Author: ChaShiree M.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 10, 2018

Amazon Customer – “An emotional roller coaster! I love this book so much and it really hit me right in the feels. Such an amazing read. Can’t wait to read more!”

Shakespeare’s Wench Book Blog – “This book was sexy and amazing. I’m really excited for what comes next in this series.”

Amazon Customer – “Epic read with a few twist that will leave wanting more”

What happens when the life you live is nothing like what you wished for?

Phoenix has lived a very sad and tumultuous life thanks her evil diabolical father. She and her brothers and sisters have suffered due to their parentage and none of them escaped unscarred. All she has ever wanted was someone to love protect and nurture her and for this, she will give him herself. Upon meeting Mikhail one night she thinks she has found him only for him to disappear.

When he returns, she is so anxious to find her version of happily ever after that she doesn’t look closer then her eye can see until it is too late.

Mikhail had a rough start to life but was given a chance to start over and become a product of a different environment. Choosing to work hard to rise to the top as a way of honoring the parents that gave him this extraordinary new life, before theirs was so viciously snuffed out, he has given up on finding love.

Until the day she walked into the bar and took his life by storm.

Though he knows she is his future and will stop at nothing to have her, he must first walk away to straighten out his life before he brings his future into it. When he goes to claim what is rightfully his, unforeseen forces threaten to tear them apart.

Can these two-scarred souls find their way through the chaos to lasting love? Or will evil win and tear them apart forever?

ChaShiree M. is 34 years old. She loves to write as much as she loves to help mold and mentor the new generation. You can find her at home in Chicago chilling with her friends and family or trying to find the next book event to go to and fangirl.

You can join her Facebook Reader group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChasShireeslifers/?ref=group_header

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BOOK TOUR –> Love and War by Charisse Spiers

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Love and War Volume 1

Series: Shadows in the Dark

Author: Charisse Spiers
Release: February 22, 2018

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance

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The f*cking lights. They are all I can remember. Everywhere I turn I see them. They haunt my dreams, and now my reality. She liked the lights. I do remember that. It was part of her life, and in turn a part of mine, until the day I forgot it all.

They say your childhood paves the way to adulthood, and maybe it does. I know mine was lit up in flames. I walked the roads of Hell until I figured out that the only way to survive was to exist under a cloak of darkness—to deal with the devil himself. It was the only way to escape the pain, the torment. But the nightmares are still very real. They’ll never leave me alone. The shadows of solitude follow me wherever I go.

Weapons—they can be anything I need them to be. Unlike people in my life, they are predictable, dependable. Without any effort they can cause so much destruction, but also so much peace. Through the internal chaos, the anger that won’t cease, and the constant noise, everything is silenced with the pull of the trigger.

Ink—I’ve loved it since I can remember. It defines me. It’s my release. When I feel like I’m about to blow I turn to the needle. It is the one high I need. I brand people. It’s what I do. Kross Brannon is the best there is when it comes to tattoos. The success of my company proves it.

But I never teach. Those that work for me learn from someone else. I’m a solo artist. Always have been and always will be…but then I looked up and saw her, standing in my shop, beautiful, tattooed, and her soul screaming for me to reach out. She was a force of nature I couldn’t turn away.

That’s the moment everything started falling into place…

Note from the author: Dark Romance. Please be advised there may be emotional triggers for some. If you do not like dark themes this book may not be for you. Suitable for ages 18+ due to content.

I found books when I was going through a hard time in life. They became my means of escape when things got bad. I realized quickly how much I loved to take a backseat to someone else’s life and watch the journey unfold. That began my journey with books in November of 2012. I constantly had a book open on my Kindle app. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself as a writer, because I never thought I was creative enough. I’m living proof that things will fall into place when they’re meant to be. People will make their way into our lives when we don’t expect it, setting the path for what we are meant to do. Never give up on people. Never stop taking a chance on others. Someone took a chance on trusting me with her work when she didn’t know me from a stranger on the street and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime as our relationship progressed, which led me to editing and writing as well. This is my dream I never knew I had. As soon as I sat down and gave writing a shot, it was like the floodgates opened. Now, I am lost in a world of fiction in my head, new characters constantly screaming for their stories to be told. Continue to dream and to go for them. No one ever found happiness by sitting on the sidelines. Sometimes we have to take risks and put ourselves out there. Thank you for all of your support, and may there be many books to come. XOXO- C

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COVER REVEAL –> Opened Up by Eva Moore (with EXCERPT!)

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Opened Up

Series: Exposed Dreams #1

Author: Eva Moore

Genre: Sexy Contemporary Romance 18+

Release Date: May 2, 2018
Cover Designer: Render Compose

Payroll

Purchase Orders

Peanut Butter Cups

Not necessarily in that order…

Sofia Valenti dreams of a life spent designing beautiful homes for the family business. But as her to-do list can attest, that dream is still far away. Stuck doing office work for Valenti Brothers Construction and stress eating her weight in chocolate, she wants more than hand-me-down responsibilities. When her father, Dom, signs up the whole family for a reality TV show, Sofia sees a chance to grab the spotlight for her dream. What she doesn’t count on is the sexy head contractor knocking down her ideas and her barriers like it’s demo day.

Adrian Villanueva has spent his life on the outside looking in. When Dom talks retirement, Adrian sees his chance to finally buy his way into the company he helped build. He’s certainly not going to let the inexperienced designer daughter with expensive taste and mouthwatering curves stand in his way. Ignoring his old crush on Sofia the girl will be easy. He’s had a decade of practice. It’s the appeal of Sofia the woman that threatens to bring him to his knees.

When hidden attraction flares into open desire, they must decide if a chance at love is worth giving up on a lifetime of dreams.

“Well, babe, I gotta say, more money always sounds good to me.”
Ugh. It’s like he does it without even thinking. She passed him the paperwork and pointed to the pertinent sections.
“I just started going through this. Give it a read-through, and tell me if you see any red flags. I’m going to refill my coffee.”
She needed a minute to calm her swirling thoughts, and sitting in a small room with a man who simultaneously generated a low-level buzz of attraction while also making her want to punch him in the stomach was not helping. His proposal had stunned her, and she’d not responded well. She pulled down another mug out of force of habit and filled it before topping hers off as well. She added one sugar and a healthy dollop of cream to his, fake sugar and cream to her own.
All done, but nowhere near ready to return, she braced her hands on the peacock granite countertop, stretched her arms long and dropped her head between them. She lengthened her spine and took a deep breath, aiming for some of the peace she’d felt when she’d dropped into a yoga class with Brandy.
Change itself was nothing to fear. So what if most of the changes in her life had been awful? That didn’t mean these changes were going to be bad, too. She could handle whatever needed handling. She’d managed before, and she could do it again. And she was absolutely full of crap. She was three seconds from panicking, and her deep-breathing exercises were getting trapped in her clenching throat.
“Hey, are you okay?” Adrian’s deep, husky voice skittered up her spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps that didn’t subside when she jumped and squealed.
Why did this man have the power to make her feel like a twelve-year-old girl? She spun to face him, only to find that he’d invaded the space she’d cleared and was reaching for her shoulder, as if to steady her. She backed away swiftly, bumping into the counter and rattling the cups. Remembering why she’d come to the kitchen in the first place, she handed him the coffee she’d made him, being careful not to scald herself with a brush of his fingertips. She could pick apart the ridiculousness of her response later.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She retreated into a sip of her own fortifying mug.
He mirrored her sip and stepped back as well. Message finally freaking received. Good.
“You know how I take my coffee?” He grinned as if this detail somehow meant something special.
“I know everyone’s coffee order. Have you not noticed who keeps the lists for meeting coffee runs? Or who is constantly being charged with stocking the kitchen? Or did you just think a magical caffeine fairy came in at night and brought lattes to all the good little boys?” She tried once again to take him down a peg while setting him straight. She couldn’t have him thinking that she’d been watching him, paying attention to his personal preferences. Even if she had.
Once again, her sarcasm flew right over his head. He raised the contract in his hand and held it out to her.
“Listen, I tried to read through this, but it might as well be written in Latin. Can you walk me through the specifics?”
“I just got it myself. Give me a day or two to really pick it apart, and I’ll fill you in.”
“Thanks, angel. That sounds good.” He tossed the contract on the break room table, supremely confident, coffee in hand.
She’d wager he hadn’t even heard the “Sure thing” she’d managed through clenched teeth. How could she be so attracted to someone who pissed her off so royally?
Good thing he didn’t know, or he’d be insufferable.

Winner of Cherry Adair’s Finish The Damn Book Contest 2017, Eva Moore writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance, after leaving a career in the classroom to raise her daughters. Opened Up is the first book in her new Exposed Dreams series, set in the world of home renovation reality TV. Eva now lives in Silicon Valley, after moving around the world and back, with her college sweetheart, her three gorgeous girls, and a Shih Tzu who thinks he’s a cat. She can be found most nights hiding in her closet/office, scribbling away, and loves to hear from the outside world. You can find her at http://www.4evamoore.com.

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NEW RELEASE!! –> Psychopath’s Prey by VF Mason ~ #giveaway

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Psychopath’s Prey

Author: VF Mason

Genre: Dark Romance

Publication Date: April 17, 2018

Once upon a time she became mine.

Mine to hunt.

A criminal psychologist and a serial killer.

The love between them shouldn’t exist.

Or so the world thinks.

Her mission is to find him.

His single obsession is to catch her.

The hunter and the prey.

Let the games begin, and may the stronger one win.

ENTER TODAY

V.F.Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her momma over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn’t happen.

Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

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COVER REVEAL! ~ Tailor Made by Tasha Lewis

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Tailor Made

Author: Tasha Lewis

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 14, 2018

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Rayleigh

Dating, who has time for that? Between working and my art, I have room for nothing else. That is until my best friend sets me up on Tailor Made: a website where I can design the perfect guy and my dream date. Crazy? I thought so too. Until he shows up and proves me wrong. It’s supposed to be just one night of fun, but in my life, things rarely go according to plan.

Mason

Working at Tailor Made is the perfect arrangement: all the perks of dating without the commitment. Between school, two jobs and raising my sister, I don’t have time for relationships, nor the demands that come with them. Then a client books me for a night out and I know, one night will never be enough. What’s supposed to be a simple date, just a job, flips my world upside down.

Sometimes the perfect fit comes along when you least expect it.

Tasha Lewis is a romance author who grew up with her head in the clouds. Her passion for life has always kept her dreaming and moving forward. She believes in fate and is a true romantic at heart. Tasha is certain that anything can be solved with a good cup of coffee and a dog or two at your side.

When she isn’t reading, which isn’t often, she is usually working on a craft or three – she can never just stick with one. Join her on her journey of publication, crocheting and any other craft she is working on.

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COVER REVEAL! –> Beneath Your Beautiful by Emery Rose

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Beneath Your Beautiful

Author: Emery Rose

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 17, 2018
Cover Designer: Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

EDEN

All I wanted was a fresh start in a new city … and a bartending job. I never intended to fall for the sexy, tattooed bar owner.

Dark.

Brooding.

Emotionally unavailable.

Killian Vincent is a challenge I can’t seem to walk away from.

He’s afraid that if I dig too deep, I won’t like what I find.

But he’s wrong, and I’m determined to prove it.

KILLIAN

Love can destroy a man. Bring him to his knees. That’s why I never let anyone get too close.

Until Eden.

Feisty.

Stubborn.

Irresistible.

She’s on a mission to knock down my walls. Dig up truths better left buried.

I need to convince her that walking away is the right choice… before it destroys us both.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/ybjnnqs1qgeo22fnuxta7idkm/playlist/7HwmKiYk6hyBfRNsSNL8ku

“What do you do in your free time?” he asked.

Was this an interview or was he just making small talk? He didn’t strike me as a small talk kind of guy. “Since I moved to Brooklyn, I’ve been checking out the neighborhoods. Taking photos. And visiting art galleries. I run every day. And I draw and paint.” I wasn’t sure why I said that. I used to draw and paint, but it had been six months since I’d picked up a pencil or paintbrush.

“Which artists do you like?” He tilted his head, as if the answer really mattered to him.

I didn’t know what kind of answers he was looking for, or how this had anything to do with bartending. “I like Picasso. Especially his Blue Period. Frida Kahlo. Willem de Kooning. Rodin’s sculptures. And the street art and graffiti in Brooklyn.”

I stared at the black and grey inked tattoos on his left arm. I’d add them to my list of art I liked. Intricate designs, interwoven with thick swirls and chains. A shield of armor on his upper arm. An anatomical heart and dagger. A Celtic cross. A banner trailing down his forearm, with words written in script. Not English. Latin? I wanted to know what it said and meant to him.

“Why should I take a chance on you?” he asked, reminding me of the reason I came here in the first place.

I dragged my gaze back to his face. God, he was gorgeous. His face was a study in symmetry. My fingers itched to hold a charcoal pencil so I could sketch him.

“I’m looking for a fresh start.” Something like recognition flickered in his eyes, but it was so fleeting, I might have imagined it. “That’s why I moved to Brooklyn.”

“By yourself?” he asked.

I nodded.

“That’s brave.”

I wasn’t sure about the brave part. So far, it was lonely. And a lot harder than I’d expected. “I really need this job. Brooklyn is expensive. And I can’t go home. I just…can’t.”

He studied my face, and I wondered what he saw there.

“These are the rules. Number one: don’t lie to me. Number two: don’t steal from me. You ring up every drink you serve. You don’t give free drinks to your friends. Number three: no drugs. If you break any of my rules, you’re out. Got a problem with anything I said?”

“Are you offering me a job?” I asked, gripping my lower lip between my teeth to keep from smiling. His gaze dropped to my mouth and lingered there before he shook his head and looked away.

“I’m offering you a chance. Not everyone is cut out for bartending. So?”

“I don’t lie, steal, or do drugs.” The two times I’d smoked pot with Trevor didn’t seem worth mentioning.

I held Killian’s gaze until he nodded, satisfied I was telling the truth. My face broke into a smile, but he held up his hand to stop me from getting too excited. “You’ll have guys hassling you. When they get drunk, they say and do stupid shit. I’m not saying it’s right,” he shrugged one shoulder, “but you’re not unattractive, so you’ll need to deal with that.”

“I’m not unattractive? Are you always this charming?”

“If you’re looking for Prince Charming, it ain’t me, sunshine.”

Sunshine? At least he didn’t make any empty promises or pretend to be something he wasn’t. “I don’t believe in fairytales. Or happily ever after. Prince Charming was an evil villain in disguise, and Cinderella was the doormat he wiped his feet on.” His brows went up a notch. “So, don’t worry. I’m not looking for Prince Charming. I’m not looking for a guy to sweep me off my feet either. I’m just looking for a job. And I can handle guys hassling me. My dad and two older brothers taught me how to fend for myself.”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Did they?”

“Yes, they did. My dad and brother are state police officers and my other brother is a Marine. I grew up in a testosterone-fueled house with enough badassery to rub off on little old me.”

His lips curved into a smile, showing off his straight white teeth…and—oh God, dimples. He had dimples. But the smile faded all too quickly, as if he’d caught himself doing something he shouldn’t, and the mask slipped firmly into place again.

Emery Rose has been known to indulge in good red wine, strong coffee, and a healthy dose of sarcasm. She loves writing sexy alpha heroes, strong heroines, artists, beautiful souls, and flawed but redeemable characters who need to work for their HEA.

When she’s not working on her latest project, you can find her binge-watching Netflix, trotting the globe in search of sunshine, or immersed in a good book. A former New Yorker, she currently resides in London with her two fabulous daughters and one grumpy, but lovable Border Terrier.

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Cover reveal, New Releases, Romance

COVER REVEAL ~ Unsteady by Elizabeth York

April 2018 writinstuff Leave a comment

Title: Unsteady

Author: Elizabeth York

Genre: Romantic Suspense Standalone

Release Date: June 26, 2018
Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser at RBA Designs
Photographer: Sara Eirew

He was the only one for me

When I close my eyes, I still see the way he looked at me all those years ago.

The way it felt to have someone so amazing in my life, especially after my parents abandoned me.

The bond that only a childhood friend could understand.

He was my balance and never let me fall

But I lied to him…

She was my better half

I remember the fear she hid under her smile when I met her.

There were so many adventures we concocted, that we were sure we lived a hundred lifetimes in our minds.

She was the reason I got up in the morning.

She was my gravity and kept me grounded.

But then she lied…

He kept my heart when I broke his.

I was never going to see him again.

He would always hate me, even if he knew the truth.

It would be better this way.

If only he hadn’t kept my heart.

She threw my heart away when I wanted her to have it the most.

I am so full of rage – I never want to see her again.

She ruined every memory that we made with a simple sentence.

My life would be better without her.

If only she hadn’t kept my heart.

At forty-thousand feet the Earth shifted, and planets aligned. My world came into focus and for once I was no longer unsteady and ready to fall. As the winds of the plane drifted over the icy cold ocean my heart warmed when I saw him. Once I saw his eyes and the way he was looking at me I knew.

He was the balance I always needed.

… And she was mine.

London in the Past

“I’m scared,” my voice echoed across the inky night sky. My arms trembled as I hung from the edge of the concrete ledge outside of my window.

“Swing your legs over, latch onto the trellis, and then walk your hands over till you can grab on,” Logan whispered loud enough for me to hear. We only had a couple of minutes before the nuns made their rounds and caught us sneaking out.

I walked my hands one inch at a time across the hardened ledge as sweat sheened my body. My strained muscles were not going to hold me much longer since their idea of physical exercise was doing nothing more than writing notes to Logan every day.

“Logan,” I flinched when a piece of loose cement dug into my hand.

“Let go,” his voice reverberated in the wind as I looked down to see the drop below me. I looked for comfort in Logan’s eyes, but his dark hair was swept across his face as the storm in the distance gained momentum. Dogs barked across the field letting us know that the nuns were putting away the garden tools and would soon be circling the property before they went to bed.

“Logan,” I cried as my hand started to slip.

“Let go, I’ll catch you,” his hushed tones were hard to hear as we tried not to draw attention to ourselves. I winced at the pain and looked back up to see blood running down my forearm. “Drop London,” he quietly yelled as my eyes sought him out. There was a quiet reflection that resounded in my heart seeing him with his arms up waiting for me. At that moment, I put all my faith in him, trusted him completely, took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and just let go.

Before I could scream I felt Logan’s arms as he caught me and we both tumbled to the ground as I slammed into him and rolled away. He immediately crawled over and looked down on me ensuring I was fine without a care for himself, his fresh bruising, and the new dirt he now wore on his jean jacket.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he inspected my palm. I nodded, but a teardrop fled my eye allowing him to know I was lying. My body ached and the gash in my hand was on fire.

“Who’s out here?” Sister Katherine yelled loudly. Logan helped me up and we ran through the field till we passed the point of no return and ventured into the neighboring orchard that had been abandoned. No one could find us here. As often as it flooded we knew no one would come for us all the way out past the tree line by the water’s edge.

“Give me your scarf,” Logan demanded. I pulled it out from my belt loops and handed it to him. “Why do you wear your scarf like a belt?” He questioned me with a curious smirk. I grinned through the aches my body felt trying to find the words. I was finally feeling the full impact of the fall. My smile tried to hide the agony, but Logan could see through me.

“It was something my mom always did,” I explained when I could breathe through the discomfort. He pulled a small piece of concrete out of the tear in my palm. Then he wrapped my hand with my pink scarf as he tried to stop the bleeding. I tried to hide my wince as he tied it tight, but I failed. A soft guilty look slid across his face before he looked down at my hand again.

“I think it’s silly. It’s a scarf, not a belt,” he gave me a half smile as his lips crooked up to show me he wasn’t serious. “Your hand should be good until morning and by then we will have figured out how to explain it.”

Elizabeth has been writing for so long she has forgotten how old she is. Accustomed to southern climate she likes drinking her sweet tea on the porch with her laptop in hand. In 2015, she was named Author of the Year and received an award from over thirty blogs and a multitude of authors for her work in the community as well as for the words she wrote. Married to the military and a mother to three this woman knows how to multitask. She can handle anything you throw at her, but enjoys a quiet night with her family or a open book in her hands. Join her journey and see where she will take you next.