Saturday 21 December 2013

Cast in Blood Blitz

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Synopsis

To the outside world, Morgan Blackstone is an eccentric business woman. But, inside her chest beats the undead heart of a 21st century vampire. Behind the doors of her nightclub, The Dracul, Morgan rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove. After a long night of wrangling unruly supernatural customers, she is looking forward to some peace… but unbeknownst to her, there are other vampires who are conspiring against her. Just before dawn, in the deserted parking lot, she comes face-to-face with two old adversaries, one of which she had last seen being sealed in a tomb, 400 years before. Overpowered by her attackers, Morgan wakes inside the lab of an unscrupulous doctor. Held against her will, subjected to experiments, she soon realizes that something has begun to burn within her veins… Something that she knows will kill her.

Excerpt    

NEW ORLEANS SEP 4, 2009

  The Assassin’s voice boomed through the closed double doors to the study for the fifth time since he’d entered the room with Morgan’s Blood Sons, almost five hours before. Marcus cringed as the doors were flung open, and Nicholas strode out, rage radiating from every inch of his six–foot, four–inch frame. Storm–gray eyes landed on Marcus, narrowed to slits, and he stalked past, commanding him to follow with an imperious wave of his right hand. Not wanting to piss the Assassin off more, Marcus bit back a snide comment, and followed him up the sweeping staircase to the mansion’s upper floors.   “Damn it all to hell, Old Man!” Nicholas roared as he began pacing the landing at the top of the stairs. He wanted Marcus to throw himself against his temper to take the edge off.   Ye Gods, Marcus thought, we’ve done this more times than I’d care to count in the centuries we’ve known one another, but this is different. Well, something other than the fact that we’ve barely spoken a civil word to one another in almost two hundred years.   “I take it the boys couldn’t add anything to what we already knew. In spite of the almost five hour interrogation?” Marcus asked, fighting to rein in his own temper, leaning against the banister at the top of the stairs.   “Five hours?” Nicholas stopped moving. He turned to Marcus, meeting his eyes. The other vampire nodded. “It was really that long?”   “Yes. What’s next, Assassin?” Marcus asked, letting some of the frustration he felt give his voice a hard edge. The last thing they needed right now was for Nicholas to go soft.   “We can’t do anything before the sun sets,” he said, after giving Marcus a long, appraising look.   He’s assessed my well–being and decided I’m not fit for the field. I’ve seen that look too many times before and know better than to argue with him, Marcus thought, trying to work out a logical counter argument.   “I haven’t slept.” Nicholas sighed. “You look like death warmed over and those two are rattled.” He nodded toward the room where he’d left the younger vampires.   “Fine.” Marcus nodded. “I took the liberty of having my staff get us some SUVs. If Morgan’s alive, she’s going to need fresh blood. We’re going to need the extra room.” Marcus was almost certain that he didn’t have to mention that, but the desperate look in Nicholas’s eyes led him to believe that there was no such thing as being too careful in this situation.   “She has to be alive, Marcus.”   “We’ll find her.” Marcus answered, feeling like an ass for lying. We both know that the odds suck. This could be nothing more than trying to find her body. Gods, whoever did this is going to pay.   “I have a very bad feeling about this,” the Assassin muttered, looking through Marcus. Nicholas’s mind was turning over what he knew, making connections and searching for others.   “How so?” Marcus asked, prompting Nicholas to think aloud, knowing it helped him make connections he otherwise missed, and it gave Marcus the opportunity to make a few as well.   “The security footage Danny sent over from the club’s parking lot shows Morgan and her attackers, but never their faces.”   “The club has cameras outside?”   “Apparently one of the human staff had some trouble right after the club opened. Morgan had them installed after that.”   “They could have scoped out the cameras. Not too difficult when you know what to look for,” Marcus muttered, his brows drawn together. “Why didn’t anyone see her being attacked, if it was caught on camera? Why are we just learning about this now? Just because she somehow jacked my mind and knocked me flat on my ever–loving ass.” Marcus’s words sped up as he continued, agitation given voice.   “The footage is stored on massive hard drives but not reviewed unless an incident is reported. Since no one reported her disappearance...” Nicholas’s voice trailed off.   “I have a feeling Morgan will be revising that policy when she returns.”   “If she returns.” Meet the Author

Michelle April 2012-17

A lifelong California girl, Michelle Rabe tried the Hollywood thing but decided she preferred an author’s den to the actor’s trailer. She now lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains with her unhelpful author cat. If you can’t find her in a cemetery with her camera you can find her online at: michellerabe.com

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High Heels and Naked Lies Cover Reveal





Diamonds, millions of dollars, designers and… deceit? After a dysfunctional childhood with a father who abandoned her, a traumatic rape while in college and a marriage to a man that uses her as a whipping post, Kay has decided enough was enough. She lives inside a lie projecting the image of the perfect, upper class, posh lifestyle even as she’s resigned herself to be alone and lonely behind the fraudulent image. At least she had, until Ryder Sinclaire came into the picture.
Gorgeous, dangerous and pulled to him like a drug she fights herself and the way her body reacts to his;  his ice blue eyes captivate her and his touch melts her cold heart, allowing her to feel things she had ruled out a long time ago. She finds the courage to find herself, her happiness but is seemingly thwarted at every turn. Finding out her whole life was a long list of lies added to her irrational and infuriating attraction to a relative stranger, cause Kay to re-evaluate everything she thought she had ever known. Will she be tempted beyond reason and seek that one thing she had never thought to obtain? Or will she allow the coldness to finally seize her heart and deny the joys that come with finding love, friends and happiness? 

Coming January 4th




Ila Rose is wife to one very lucky man, mother to four of the most amazing small humans, and crazy to one and all. Ila has a large and boisterous family that shares in her insanity even as they add to it with inappropriate laughter, tasteless jokes and dance parties to old and forgotten one hit bands. She continues to defy aging although she has been known to take a sharpie to her grayish roots in moments of desperation. Ila lives in central Indiana and continues to insist that there really, truly isn’t a whole lot more than corn in Indiana. When she’s not busy alienating family while living like a hermit attached to the keyboard, she’s reading, watching Grey’s anatomy and Glee marathons and being silly with her kids. She loves to laugh often and usually at her own expense, music of almost any type and adores all things sarcastic or witty. Her debut contemporary romance novel, High Heels and Naked Lies is the first of the High Society Wives series and is probably going to be a New York Times best seller within a year. You should buy it before then. I hear it’s pretty good.
Come stalk me now





Thursday 19 December 2013

High Heels and Naked Lies Chapter One



Chapter One

The blaring alarm in her ear signaled the start of yet another day in the life of Kay. Rolling over she slapped at the offending noise, silencing it and laid back against her pillows. It had been taking her longer lately to work up the energy and courage to face the days. She finally threw the comforter aside and climbed out of her cozy cocoon of safety before she could change her mind and curl back into the warmth to hibernate indefinitely. As she stood to wrap her robe around her she noted the empty spot in the bed where Preston, her husband, slept. She felt absolutely nothing about the fact that he hadn’t come home, yet again. No anger, no disappointment, no sadness. Nothing. She simply took note of the vacancy and headed into the adjoining bathroom to begin her morning ritual. It was barely five am, yet she was standing in front of her vanity donning the persona the public expected of her as a member of the high society plastic wife club. Nothing less than perfection was acceptable, she thought bitterly, as she tweezed, teased, moisturized and applied the various tools of her trade. Standing in the middle of her massive walk in closet, larger than some people’s studio apartments, she tried to find her costume of the day. It had to be an ensemble no one had seen her in, yet be classy and elegant enough to fool the outside world. Deception is a tricky bitch. Finally deciding on an over sized powder blue drape neck sweater and black wide legged slacks, she slipped into a pair of powder blue Manolos and checked her reflection. Her hair had always been the bane of her existence, being stick straight and a color somewhere between blonde and mouse brown with red highlights; recently mixing with grey. Her smoke colored eyes were expertly lined in kohl and shadowed with a pearl grey that made them seem like she was hiding a fire in her soul, which she sort of was in a way. A killing fire that was consuming her from the inside out and causing her to slowly die away and become the Stepford wife of her nightmares. Happy as she was going to get with the reflection in her mirror she headed downstairs to get her caffeine fix.

She entered the kitchen fragrant with a mix of coffee and baking pastries and headed straight to the coffee maker. Lauren, the live in nanny and recent college graduate, was currently in a battle of wills with Sophia; Kay’s precocious five year old who recently decided to be excruciatingly picky and refused a normal diet thanks to the dietician at school promoting holistic and clean eating. She changed her mind daily flipping from vegan to gluten free and refusing anything green, red, yellow or orange. Sophia was sitting on a stool at the kitchen island clad in her adorable school uniform and her unruly brown curls were currently tamed into little barrettes behind her ears. Her small ugg clad feet kicked the counter as she toyed with her eggs, smashing them almost into a yellow mush on her plate. Evidently they had been at it for some time as Lauren was finally resorting to bribery; a tactic that was rarely used and in only the most serious of circumstances.

Lauren used a calm tone as she spoke to the pint sized rug rat as if she wasn’t frustrated to tears. “Hey I was thinking about hitting up the park later, after school and before your lessons. What do you think about that?” Makinin, Kay’s seven year old and master of manipulation raised her brown eyes so fast her blonde ponytail bobbed, suddenly paying very close attention to her sibling’s conversation and preparing her own strategy.

“Nope.” Sophia said her eyes still on her mutilated food. “How about after your Spanish lesson, we stop at the bakery for a cupcake?” Sophia’s blue eyes finally met Lauren’s green ones, squinting as her almost six year old brain studied Lauren and sized up her chances at negotiating a deal that they both could live with.

“Two.” Sophia said.

“One,” Lauren countered, “Strawberry with extra icing.”

“One, strawberry with extra icing and sprinkles.” Sophia returned, lightning fast.

“Lauren! If she gets one I should too, I got up and didn’t argue this morning.” Makinin’s turn at the wheel had come and she wasn’t letting go easily. Lauren just narrowed her eyes at Mack, not answering just giving her a ‘yeah right look’. “Ok, I didn’t argue much.” Amended the notorious morning grump.

“Fine, one cupcake apiece, to be eaten as a snack before your lessons but you also need to finish breakfast and run upstairs to brush your teeth and grab your backpacks and jackets. You have ten minutes.” Eggs disappeared magically and both girls dashed up the stairs sounding more like a football team then two small children. Kay smiled at Lauren who sat at the island with her head in her hands and rubbing her temples, probably counting to ten and taking a moment to calm her nerves. “That was pretty intense, you did well.” Kay told her.

Lauren’s head was still in her hands when she finally responded, “Kay those girls are way too smart, and they work as a team ganging up on unsuspecting victims. One day they’re finally going to outsmart me and I’ll have to be admitted into a mental health facility.” Kay laughed lightly at the exaggeration. Lauren was a true gem. Kay had hired her as a nanny shortly after Sophia’s birth and had never regretted the decision. The 25 year old was a recent college graduate and held dual master degrees in early childhood education and psychology.

Taking advantage of the brief pause in the chaos, Kay asked Lauren. “Can we go over the days schedule please?” Preston had long ago insisted that every day be planned and micromanaged; from managing the household to the people within and down to the last second of every day. It was a practice that Kay struggled with but was too intimidated to defy Prestons wishes, although he was rarely home to enforce the schedules. Kay felt that the time it took to compile and coordinate the daily agendas would be better spent in other areas; however the nearly crippling fear of a probable hostile confrontation with Preston kept her mouth shut and adhering to the routine even in his absence.
“Sure,” Lauren said, reaching into her bag for her planner as Kay brought her own up on her tablet. Together they ran through Lauren’s day after dropping the girls off at their posh private school. “I need to run and pick up their new shoes, they finally came in. I also need to grab them new tights and pick their new uniforms up from the tailor.” Kay tapped in all the info with a side note to add the receipts into the monthly record for her accountant. “Tomorrow?” Kay asked.

“Let’s see,” Lauren said, flipping the page of her planner, “They have swim lessons at the club in the morning followed by ballet at noon.” Busily tapping, Kay asked if that was all. “Yep. After that it’s free until Monday.”

“Good, I’d like to take them to the park Sunday. Beth and her girls are going to join us for a picnic before the weather turns too cold.”

“Sounds good.” Lauren replied as the girls thundered downstairs and slid into the kitchen. Kay kissed them both at the top of their heads and wished them a good day.

“Love you, see you later.” Standing at the garage entrance in the kitchen they both hollered a good bye and Lauren ushered them out.

The silence was suddenly so great that it was almost tangible. Linda, the live in housekeeper and cook, entered the kitchen to put back in order the whirlwind jumble of the two small girls. She refreshed Kay’s coffee, slid a still warm muffin onto a plate sitting it at her elbow. Kay, who was busily checking her emails and planning her own day, mumbled thanks to the woman. “Hey Linda, while I have you here can we go over your day?”

“Sure hun, no problem.” Linda reached into a nearby drawer, pulling her own day planner out. With her blonde hair just going silver she didn’t fit the classic widow image most people had in their minds. Her hazel eyes were surrounded by just a few fine lines, a deep sadness held behind the kindness that shone through them. She was as close to a maternal figure that Kay had, secretly looking up to the confident and assertive woman. Kay had several moments where she wished she could have Linda’s arms wrap her into her plump body and surround her with warmth. Kay shook away her melancholy and focused on inputting Linda’s day into the tablet.

“Ok, so Friday is my market day. I also planned on dealing with the dry cleaning.”

Tapping away Kay answered, “Yeah that would be great. I need to run to Haven for a few hours today.” She said as her phone buzzed next to her and reading the display she added, “Evidently Preston has a dinner planned with a new client and he wants me there, so I’ll have to come back to get ready. Looks like a late night, unfortunately.”

Linda patted her hand affectionately, “No worries hun, Lauren and I have this end taken care of. Now, eat your muffin before it gets cold.” Kay smiled and peeled the muffin open, the steam rising from it along with the smell of fresh blueberries made her mouth water. Taking a big bite she almost moaned. Who needed a man when you had a woman who could cause a foodgasm? She finished her breakfast and gathered everything into her favorite Coach satchel for her day. She planned on going to spend the entire day at Seventh Haven, now with Prestons dinner plans, she’d have to cut her day short. She hollered a goodbye to Linda and as she climbed into her Lexus SUV speed dialed Beth, “Seventh Haven, can I help you?”

“Only if you need a latte fix.” Kay laughed.

“That would be amazing about now, honestly.” Beth sighed.

“That good huh?” Kay asked. “Now what?”

Beth just sighed again, “I’ll fill you in when you get here, chop chop!”



Kay clicked off as she pulled into the coffee shop’s drive through. She tried to get to Haven as often as she could. It was the only place that Kay felt she fit in completely. She had worked side by side in the kitchens with women who were bruised, she had held women as they cried and comforted children too afraid to sleep for the nightmares that plagued them. She worked tirelessly arranging fund raisers and finding donations to keep Havens doors open. They never asked a dime from the women in residence for any reason, instead only asking them to maintain a household duty to help out. None of the residents knew how much they helped Kay, or the reason, except for Beth. She never let on how much they healed her or why. Kay allowed herself to recall her initial arrival every time she pulled into the secluded drive that leads to Seventh Haven. She used that as fuel for her, a reminder of what men were capable of and the lives they ruined, people they destroy using a women’s own desires and attractions. She may have never told anyone what had happened to her other than Beth but that didn’t mean she had forgotten, much less forgiven. Preston and her father had never done anything but prove her right within their relationships. She had walled off her naive and youthful need for romance, love and passion when she lay in a hospital bed all those years ago. Some things are just not meant to be and she had accepted that a long time ago.

Ila Rose Takeover

Today I have Ila Rose taking over my blog and facebook page.  She's the first Author I've signed to my new publishing company, SIlver Rose Publishing.  I'm sure you will all enjoy her book when it releases.  Just a little reminder that this blog and my facebook page is for those of you 18+ as anything that is posted could be of an adult nature. So, let's go a little contemporary today and immerse ourselves in the world of the High Society Wives.



For all the Ila Rose fans,
A special sneak peek into Ila Rose’s debut novel, High Heels and Naked Lies featuring Kay Barrett, especially for fans of her pages! Check it out and maybe even buy her book on January 4th! Only you lucky few get a glimpse between the pages and into the rich and convoluted lives of the women we all envy. They have more Oh’s in their bank accounts than married women could hope to receive in any given month. Money supposedly buys happiness, but does happiness have a price tag? Kay’s story is a funny, sarcastic journey into the lives of women we idolize even as they crave the simple things in life we take for granted. The theme of a woman finding inner strength and identity apart from her titles of wife and mother; standing solid and strong while life throws it’s worst at her is one most women can relate to, despite our own financial status. Ila Rose is all about writing women who are strong and who take control of their destiny while flipping fear and desperation the bird as they fulfill the maternal duties expected of them. Ila Rose prefers stories of women who don’t need to rely on men in every aspect of life, allowing them to dole out tissues while the fragile female weeps on his stronger shoulders as his cape flutters in the breeze.  You need to prepare to laugh, gasp, and maybe even blush. Kay’s story is a witty, sarcastic and sometimes hilarious one, that prompts you to ask; “What would I do…”, “What is she thinking,” and maybe throw in a few, “Oh my God’s” just for fun. Follow Kay and see if she will be able to let go of the ties that bind her to her unhappiness and let love in and finally accepts that there is good in the world beyond her tragic past; or will she stay forever sealed away inside the jail of her cold heart, destined to be miserable, sad and eternally alone.



Meet Kay; a woman struggling with status, obligations and expectations of society. After a traumatic childhood, devastating physical assault in college and marriage to an abusive man, she gives up on happily ever after. She finds the idea that money equaling happiness ridiculous and so far removed from the actual and often shocking things that go on behind mansion doors. She leads her life hiding behind a veil of lies, secrets and omissions. The mask of sophisticated elegance she applies daily her solitary protection against the outside world. Propriety and obligation rule as she lingers at the beck and call of her husband; diamonds and stilettos at the ready. She’s saddled with sadness unfathomable and overwhelming making herself untouchable and unreachable; living within the hollowed out shell of what once may have resembled a woman.
                                                                             *

Preston, Kay’s husband, is devilishly good looking.  With blonde hair, blue eyes and a soul as black as a moonless night he reins over Kay, controlling every aspect of her life down to the heels of her Louboutins. His pretentious grip on reality is skewed to say the least, and lives his life to his own personal gain damn the consequences or the bodies left bleeding in the street. His pompous, pretentious and archaic views of marriage, fidelity and ethics cause more drama than a teenage girl at the prom. He has Kay in a firm grasp, gleefully using abusive and disparaging behavior to enslave her heart and mind for his own entertainment and demented joy. He depends on Kay’s money to maintain his status and ensure that he will always have his hands in her cookie jar. Kay remains ignorant to his treachery and depth of deceit as she resides within the impenetrable fortress of her cold heart. Ryder Sinclaire is Prestons next mark and his aim is rarely far from true; however Sinclaire refuses to take the bait of the sycophantic sociopath. Preston is infuriated by Sinclaire’s obvious disdain and refusal to bow to his whims. The two men add a dense layer of testosterone fueled energy as they vie for Kay’s attentions, each for their own means although Preston’s are far more deceptive and corrupt. Who will win the battle of wills; the crooked miscreant spouse, or Ryder Sinclaire the enigmatic quintessential rich bachelor? 

                                                                                  *

Ryder Sinclair is a man of great wealth, great mystery and so sexy clothes fairly melt from your flushed skin as he flashes his movie star grin and utterly captivating dimple. Charm, danger and sensuality emanate from him; magnetizing women with his nonchalant self assured swagger. His arctic eyes captivate, thick salt and pepper hair cause your finger tips to tingle with the urge to touch and his hard body belies the soft heart beating behind his chiseled chest.  He meets Kay in a moment of her disparity as she begins to question her life, beliefs and marriage. Ryder’s magnetic allure captivates Kay, his innate kindness fascinates her and his looks entice her; causing the ever faltering foundation she had built the mockery of her life on to increasingly waver, threatening to implode the walls she had built to guard her fractured heart. His calm nature continuously stymies Kay who is used to men taking what they want, by any means necessary and only serves to enhance the hypnotic and terrifying attraction she feels. She is determined to protect herself, her heart, from men in any way possible but Ryder is an opponent unlike any she’s ever faced. Will he heal Kay’s broken mind and heart, freeing her to discover things she never thought possible, reaching limits that previously were unattainable? Will Ryder Sinclaire finally demolish the armor Kay built to enclose her delicate heart, or will his actions cause her to further fortify that armor and turn her back on the only chance she has at love?



Here’s a special gift in the spirit of the holidays: A full chapter preview of High Heels and Naked Lies; book one of the High Society Series, before its release on January 4th.  Enjoy this exclusive peek into Ila Rose’s debut contemporary romance, please check in with www.facebook.com/authorilarose for more peeks and surprises leading up to the big release.

A beautiful cover reveal will be coming on Dec 21st.  Watch this space!


Chapter one:


The blaring alarm in her ear signaled the start of yet another day in the life of Kay. Rolling over she slapped at the offending noise, silencing it and laid back against her pillows. It had been taking her longer lately to work up the energy and courage to face the days. She finally threw the comforter aside and climbed out of her cozy cocoon of safety before she could change her mind and curl back into the warmth to hibernate indefinitely. As she stood to wrap her robe around her she noted the empty spot in the bed where Preston, her husband, slept. She felt absolutely nothing about the fact that he hadn’t come home, yet again. No anger, no disappointment, no sadness. Nothing. She simply took note of the vacancy and headed into the adjoining bathroom to begin her morning ritual. It was barely five am, yet she was standing in front of her vanity donning the persona the public expected of her as a member of the high society plastic wife club. Nothing less than perfection was acceptable, she thought bitterly, as she tweezed, teased, moisturized and applied the various tools of her trade. Standing in the middle of her massive walk in closet, larger than some people’s studio apartments, she tried to find her costume of the day. It had to be an ensemble no one had seen her in, yet be classy and elegant enough to fool the outside world. Deception is a tricky bitch. Finally deciding on an over sized powder blue drape neck sweater and black wide legged slacks, she slipped into a pair of powder blue Manolos and checked her reflection. Her hair had always been the bane of her existence, being stick straight and a color somewhere between blonde and mouse brown with red highlights; recently mixing with grey. Her smoke colored eyes were expertly lined in kohl and shadowed with a pearl grey that made them seem like she was hiding a fire in her soul, which she sort of was in a way.  A killing fire that was consuming her from the inside out and causing her to slowly die away and become the Stepford wife of her nightmares. Happy as she was going to get with the reflection in her mirror she headed downstairs to get her caffeine fix.
She entered the kitchen fragrant with a mix of coffee and baking pastries and headed straight to the coffee maker. Lauren, the live in nanny and recent college graduate, was currently in a battle of wills with Sophia; Kay’s precocious five year old who recently decided to be excruciatingly picky and refused a normal diet thanks to the dietician at school promoting holistic and clean eating. She changed her mind daily flipping from vegan to gluten free and refusing anything green, red, yellow or orange. Sophia was sitting on a stool at the kitchen island clad in her adorable school uniform and her unruly brown curls were currently tamed into little barrettes behind her ears. Her small ugg clad feet kicked the counter as she toyed with her eggs, smashing them almost into a yellow mush on her plate. Evidently they had been at it for some time as Lauren was finally resorting to bribery; a tactic that was rarely used and in only the most serious of circumstances.
Lauren used a calm tone as she spoke to the pint sized rug rat as if she wasn’t frustrated to tears.  “Hey I was thinking about hitting up the park later, after school and before your lessons. What do you think about that?” Makinin, Kay’s seven year old and master of manipulation raised her brown eyes so fast her blonde ponytail bobbed, suddenly paying very close attention to her sibling’s conversation and preparing her own strategy.
 “Nope.” Sophia said her eyes still on her mutilated food. “How about after your Spanish lesson, we stop at the bakery for a cupcake?” Sophia’s blue eyes finally met Lauren’s green ones, squinting as her almost six year old brain studied Lauren and sized up her chances at negotiating a deal that they both could live with.
“Two.” Sophia said.
“One,” Lauren countered, “Strawberry with extra icing.”
“One, strawberry with extra icing and sprinkles.”  Sophia returned, lightning fast.
“Lauren! If she gets one I should too, I got up and didn’t argue this morning.” Makinin’s turn at the wheel had come and she wasn’t letting go easily. Lauren just narrowed her eyes at Mack, not answering just giving her a ‘yeah right look’. “Ok, I didn’t argue much.” Amended the notorious morning grump.
“Fine, one cupcake apiece, to be eaten as a snack before your lessons but you also need to finish breakfast and run upstairs to brush your teeth and grab your backpacks and jackets. You have ten minutes.” Eggs disappeared magically and both girls dashed up the stairs sounding more like a football team then two small children. Kay smiled at Lauren who sat at the island with her head in her hands and rubbing her temples, probably counting to ten and taking a moment to calm her nerves.  “That was pretty intense, you did well.” Kay told her.
Lauren’s head was still in her hands when she finally responded, “Kay those girls are way too smart, and they work as a team ganging up on unsuspecting victims. One day they’re finally going to outsmart me and I’ll have to be admitted into a mental health facility.”  Kay laughed lightly at the exaggeration. Lauren was a true gem. Kay had hired her as a nanny shortly after Sophia’s birth and had never regretted the decision. The 25 year old was a recent college graduate and held dual master degrees in early childhood education and psychology.
Taking advantage of the brief pause in the chaos, Kay asked Lauren. “Can we go over the days schedule please?” Preston had long ago insisted that every day be planned and micromanaged; from managing the household to the people within and down to the last second of every day. It was a practice that Kay struggled with but was too intimidated to defy Prestons wishes, although he was rarely home to enforce the schedules. Kay felt that the time it took to compile and coordinate the daily agendas would be better spent in other areas; however the nearly crippling fear of a probable hostile confrontation with Preston kept her mouth shut and adhering to the routine even in his absence. 
“Sure,” Lauren said, reaching into her bag for her planner as Kay brought her own up on her tablet. Together they ran through Laurens day after dropping the girls off at their posh private school. “I need to run and pick up their new shoes, they finally came in. I also need to grab them new tights and pick their new uniforms up from the tailor.” Kay tapped in all the info with a side note to add the receipts into the monthly record for her accountant. “Tomorrow?”  Kay asked.
“Let’s see,” Lauren said, flipping the page of her planner, “They have swim lessons at the club in the morning followed by ballet at noon.” Busily tapping, Kay asked if that was all. “Yep. After that it’s free until Monday.”
 “Good, I’d like to take them to the park Sunday. Beth and her girls are going to join us for a picnic before the weather turns too cold.”
“Sounds good.” Lauren replied as the girls thundered downstairs and slid into the kitchen. Kay kissed them both at the top of their heads and wished them a good day.
“Love you, see you later.”  Standing at the garage entrance in the kitchen they both hollered a good bye and Lauren ushered them out.
The silence was suddenly so great that it was almost tangible. Linda, the live in housekeeper and cook, entered the kitchen to put back in order the whirlwind jumble of the two small girls. She refreshed Kay’s coffee, slid a still warm muffin onto a plate sitting it at her elbow. Kay, who was busily checking her emails and planning her own day, mumbled thanks to the woman. “Hey Linda, while I have you here can we go over your day?”
 “Sure hun, no problem.”  Linda reached into a nearby drawer, pulling her own day planner out. With her blonde hair just going silver she didn’t fit the classic widow image most people had in their minds. Her hazel eyes were surrounded by just a few fine lines, a deep sadness held behind the kindness that shone through them. She was as close to a maternal figure that Kay had, secretly looking up to the confident and assertive woman. Kay had several moments where she wished she could have Linda’s arms wrap her into her plump body and surround her with warmth. Kay shook away her melancholy and focused on inputting Linda’s day into the tablet.
“Ok, so Friday is my market day.  I also planned on dealing with the dry cleaning.”
Tapping away Kay answered, “Yeah that would be great. I need to run to Haven for a few hours today.” She said as her phone buzzed next to her and reading the display she added, “Evidently Preston has a dinner planned with a new client and he wants me there, so I’ll have to come back to get ready. Looks like a late night, unfortunately.”
Linda patted her hand affectionately, “No worries hun, Lauren and I have this end taken care of. Now, eat your muffin before it gets cold.”  Kay smiled and peeled the muffin open, the steam rising from it along with the smell of fresh blueberries made her mouth water. Taking a big bite she almost moaned. Who needed a man when you had a woman who could cause a foodgasm? She finished her breakfast and gathered everything into her favorite Coach satchel for her day. She planned on going to spend the entire day at Seventh Haven, now with Prestons dinner plans, she’d have to cut her day short. She hollered a goodbye to Linda and as she climbed into her Lexus SUV speed dialed Beth, “Seventh Haven, can I help you?”
“Only if you need a latte fix.” Kay laughed.
“That would be amazing about now, honestly.” Beth sighed.
“That good huh?” Kay asked. “Now what?”
Beth just sighed again, “I’ll fill you in when you get here, chop chop!”

Kay clicked off as she pulled into the coffee shop’s drive through. She tried to get to Haven as often as she could. It was the only place that Kay felt she fit in completely.  She had worked side by side in the kitchens with women who were bruised, she had held women as they cried and comforted children too afraid to sleep for the nightmares that plagued them. She worked tirelessly arranging fund raisers and finding donations to keep Havens doors open. They never asked a dime from the women in residence for any reason, instead only asking them to maintain a household duty to help out. None of the residents knew how much they helped Kay, or the reason, except for Beth. She never let on how much they healed her or why. Kay allowed herself to recall her initial arrival every time she pulled into the secluded drive that leads to Seventh Haven. She used that as fuel for her, a reminder of what men were capable of and the lives they ruined, people they destroy using a women’s own desires and attractions. She may have never told anyone what had happened to her other than Beth but that didn’t mean she had forgotten, much less forgiven. Preston and her father had never done anything but prove her right within their relationships. She had walled off her naive and youthful need for romance, love and passion when she lay in a hospital bed all those years ago. Some things are just not meant to be and she had accepted that a long time ago.

Stalk Ila here:




Ila Rose is a Silver Rose Author and it is a great pleasure in presenting her first novel 
High Heels & Naked Lies.

We are now looking for other Romance Authors to join our group.  We are now open for submissions.

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Book Title: A Tragic Wreck Author: T.K. Leigh Genre: Romantic Suspense Release Date: February 4, 2013 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Synopsis

How can you continue living when you’re living a lie? How can you convince your body to stop feeling, your soul to stop caring, and your heart to stop beating? Haunted by her past, Olivia Adler flees Boston for a beach in Florida, leaving everyone behind, trying to shut the world out. Remaining a relative recluse in her self-imposed prison, she tries to turn everything off, wanting to feel nothing. But a new acquaintance won’t let that happen. After being away from Alexander for a month, his voice constantly ringing in her head, reminding her that her inability to confront her demons will not only destroy her, but also him, can she really be expected to want to feel again when it brings nothing but pain? Back in Boston, everywhere he turns, Alexander Burnham is reminded of Olivia… His Olivia… He tries to dull the ache left in his heart the only way he knows how… in the bed of a beautiful woman. But Alexander isn’t about to lose his Olivia. After a clue comes to light regarding Olivia’s whereabouts, can he convince her to return to Boston with him? When a force that has laid dormant for months resurfaces, can Alexander still protect her from the unknown danger? And when Alexander comes face to face with a shadow of both his and Olivia’s past, will he be able to tell her the secret that is threatening to tear them apart? A Tragic Wreck is the continuation of T.K. Leigh’s heart-breaking Beautiful Mess series. Excerpt 

 “Well, then, what do you want from me, Olivia?” he asked loudly, watching her walk away. She spun around abruptly and searched his eyes. “I don’t want you to always feel like you have to come and help me, Alex,” she whimpered, her throat beginning to close up again, thinking about the man who was no longer hers. “I just want you to stand by my side while I try to help myself.” Her eyes narrowed, staring at him as he remained silent on the busy Boston street. “Do you think you can do that?” She looked at him as snow continued to blanket the sidewalk, desperately wanting him to say that yes, he could do that. That he would stand by her side. That he would forget all about her running out on him. And that he would do anything he could to make sure she never did the same thing again. But instead, Alexander just stood there and stared, not saying anything. Several moments passed, the silence deafening. “That’s what I thought.” Her eyes fell as she turned and continued to walk, shivering from the snow and the last shattered pieces of her heart being stomped on. Alexander tried to open his mouth to say something. Anything. Tell her to wait. Stop. He made a mistake. But nothing came out. He knew he had just let the only woman he would ever truly love walk out of his life. And he did nothing. He watched his entire world fall apart and he didn't do anything to stop it. All of a sudden, he felt more lonely than he had ever felt in all his thirty years.

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Meet the Author

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T. K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a producer / attorney by trade. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

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Wednesday 18 December 2013

Goalie Interference

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Synopsis 

 Vlad Bejsiuk is the goalie for the NHL’s San Diego Scorpions. He’s been in love with Zoe Millis almost from the moment he met her. He knows she’s got a thing for him too. Life is great! Right? No. Zoe Millis is the sports psychologist for the Scorpions. There are very strict rules about doctor/client fraternization. Zoe understands this, and even though it’s hard for her, she abides by it. Well, 99% of the time. Everyone slips up now and then. Vlad tries to lure her to him with his friendship. He uses his charm and good humor. He assures her that no one will know of their relationship, but she is adamant. Zoe does not break the rules. Well, not more than once … or twice. What can he do? He is determined to find a way to break her down and make her see things his way. Vlad will interfere with every date she has if that’s what it takes. Who knows? A little goalie interference could go a long way to getting him what he wants, or maybe he will be forced to give up one thing he loves in order to keep the other.

Meet the Author

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Nikki Worrel lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband and four legged little girl. She has a B.S.B.A in Human Resources and is a bookkeeper for a law firm in Philadelphia. Her debut novel, The Enforcer, prompted her to write her current novel, Goalie Interference, and she believes she will keep writing far into the future. Her other love is hockey. The Philadelphia Flyers are her home team, and she loves them win or lose. You can find her at center ice for every home opener game and other games throughout the year.

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Tuesday 17 December 2013

An interview with Amber Skye Forbes.

I have a special surprise today, an interview with Amber Skye Forbes.  Enjoy everyone.



Amelia Gareth's brother is a witch and the only way to save her family from the taint in his blood is to become a professed nun at Cathedral Reims. However, in order to become professed, she must endure trials that all nuns must face. Surviving these trials is not easy, especially for Amelia, who is being stalked by shadowy beings only she can see. They're searching for people they can physically touch, because only those they can touch can see them. Amelia soon learns why she is being stalked when she accidentally harms her best friend with fire during the third trial. Fire is a witch's signature. The shadows are after witches. Now Amelia must decide what to do: should she continue on her path to profession knowing there is no redemption, or should she give up on her dream and turn away from Cathedral Reims in order to stop the shadows who plan to destroy everything she loves?






Amber Skye Forbes is a dancing writer who prefers pointe shoes over street shoes, leotards over skirts, and ballet buns over hairstyles. She loves striped tights and bows and will edit your face with a Sharpie if she doesn't like your attitude. She lives in Augusta, Georgia where she writes dark fiction that will one day put her in a psychiatric ward...again. But she doesn't care because her cat is a super hero who will break her out.



Do you write as yourself or under a pseudonym? Why?

No pseudonym from me. I want people to know me by my real name, such that if they happen to stumble across my book online, especially friends or family, they can say ‘yeah, she wrote this book.’ Also, I want people to be able to have access to me through my real name and not a pseudonym. I write because I want people to read my books, but I also write because I’d like money and for people to know me. But I do have a moniker, The Dancing Writer. It just isn’t used on my books.

What made you want to be a published author?

I dont think a lot of published authors want to admit it, but I want to be published not only so people can read my book, but also to make money off doing something I love. If I simply just wanted people to read my book, I’d put it on Amazon and wherever else totally free. But I’d eventually like to make a living off what I do. Plus, it adds value to my book. It says, ‘I’ve worked on this for years, so this book deserves the price tag that is attached to it. A lot of people wonder why books are priced the way they are, especially online because there are no distributors you have to pay, but e-books are priced the way they are because the author has to make money, too, even if they were paid with a large advance. We authors do deserve our bread and butter, especially if there are full-time authors who depend on those royalties to live.

What genre do you write in and why?

I consider myself a cross genre author. I wrote paranormal romance because it’s the idea that was born from the mind of a fourteen-year-old, and I never gave up on the idea because I knew it had potential. I also have a contemporary fantasy I will get back to work on at the beginning of December about a mentally ill teen taken in by a puppeteer who takes him on a fantastical adventure to put his life into perspective, to make this boy essentially accept this mental illness as any other illness. There is also a contemporary literary YA book that I will eventually begin to outline, but the third book in The Stars Trilogy has to take precedence right now.

I also want to write a dystopian fantasy book involving dragons as gods who need sustenance from the humans they basically farm. I REALLY want to write about dragons. I always have.

If you could talk to your 12 year old self, what advice would you give?

I would say that those books you are writing right now are the books that are never going to be published, but two years from now, you are going to write a book that will be published at 23, so you just have to keep at it, and you’re going to get there. Be patient. Just keep writing, and when you’re 14, everything is going to come together, so be patient when you turn 23 (I actually got contracted at 22, but that’s beside the point).

Have any other authors influenced your writing through theirs?

Libba Bray, John Green, and Diana Wynne Jones, an author is unfortunately no longer with us.

If you are a self-published author what made you take this route and what was your experience (good or bad)?

N/A I am an indie author, which doesn’t mean underground, or expected to have only a small audience forever until the end of time. Indie just simply means I have more control over the process of my book then, say, someone with a large house, who has absolutely no control over the editing process or the cover that will represent the book. Now I have no problem yielding the control of editing within the house, as I do want my book to be made better because I am too close to the book to know what can make it better, but I do want a say in the cover art—although many, many covers for YA books are very gorgeous nowadays.

How would you rate your writing?

Wow…um…I think my writing is great, but I would like to leave that up to a matter of public opinion, because I think they will ultimately determine where my book stands. Currently it’s rated as 4.33 on Goodreads and 4.5 on Amazon, but it doesn’t have a whole lot of reviews. I think once I hit 50 reviews, I then think I’ll be able to decide just where my book stands. I mean, my writing itself is great from a technical standpoint, and I have more 5 star ratings than other ratings (15 so far), but as for the story, I’ll leave that up to the readers.

How do you react to poor reviews of your book?

I don’t consider 3 star reviews as poor reviews, because many of them do look forward to the sequel. They are simply unbiased reviews that can help me shape the sequel. Now I do have one 2 star review, but a review hasn’t been written for it, so I simply shrug it off because I have no idea why the reviewer didn’t like the book when many others have. Even so, this person is a friend of mine and did warn me she was really tough and not many books are rated high for her, so it was to be expected.

What influences your choice of book covers?

They just have to be beautiful. Plain and simple. I find many covers that follow a trend beautiful (so long as it’s not half-naked people on a cover, which is a trend I am so sick of seeing because it de-values what I’m sure is a more complex story than the cover is representing. But what influenced the cover for When Stars Die was the opinion of me, my publisher, and my former media representative, who is no longer with us, but I do have another team. Originally the cover was going to be of Amelia holding her brother, as she does everything for him, but the cover Viola Estrella created was unlike anything I could have imagined and was incredibly beautiful, so I had to go with it, even though it does follow the trend of large heads on covers.

How do you balance your writing with your real world responsibilities?

I try to write everyday while juggling my responsibilities. Currently I have school responsibilities, but they are winding down as finals draw near (and I’m giving myself permission to bomb one of the finals, as my other grades are pretty good). For another class, the final will be a piece of cake, then Christmas break comes, and I’ll have plenty of time to work on my contemporary fantasy, as well as edits for The Stars Are Infinite. Then I’ll be switching to an online school where semesters are going to be eight week increments, so I’m praying I’ll still have time to write.

Do your characters drive the plots of your stories or do you plan out your plot?

This is actually a very good question because it’s hard to answer. I think in some ways, they do drive the plot, but in other ways, I drive it. For example, in The Stars Are Infinite, the sequel to When Stars Die, I noticed the middle was falling in the trap of being a boring middle, so I knew I needed to add some serious tension to keep the reader flying through the book, so I planned part of that plot and am very pleased at the results. But then there are other times when the character drives the plot, such as when I need to work on a character in order to make the plot stronger.

Do you ever write what you dream? Give an example.

Not really. The only dream that inspired part of The Stars Trilogy is Amelia, but that’s it. Otherwise, everything just comes from my mind, and I simply can’t explain it.

Do you market yourself or pay a professional?

I market by paying for book blitzes and blasts, and have my publicity team do that as well. My publicity team sends weekly updates about the kind of publicity they’re going to do with my book, and I’m often floored by the genius behind each one because it makes me excited about my book, even if sales aren’t doing as well as I want them to. But I know that publicity shows that the publisher cares about selling my book, so I will get to where I want to be. At the same time, a book can have all the publicity in the world and not sale, and a book can have hardly any publicity and sale, but I feel like When Stars Die is a product that can reach a wide market, a book a lot of people will want, especially because the cover draws them in immediately and makes them want to know more about the book.

What are your tips for editing?

Outline, outline, outline. I can’t say this enough. Outlining can and will help you spot potential plot holes. I also suggest thinking about what will make each chapter better, whether you have to have a new chapter or just changes part of it. Don’t make changes that simply add nothing. Make huge, enormous changes that will benefit the book overall.

What inspired you to write your current WIP or current published work?

It just all came from my mind, really. The book I’m working on itself can inspire me. For example, I’ll think of a chapter and how to make it better, and an idea suddenly comes to me that I have to write down. So, really, it’s the book itself that inspires me. Then again, John Green has inspired the contemporary literary YA that I’m going to work on in the future.

Do you prefer to write stand-alone novels or a series? Why?

Eventually I just want to write stand-alone novels. But I had to do a trilogy for The Stars Trilogy because there is a lot in the world and characters that needs to be developed throughout the books. The story itself is simply too long to relegate to one book, but I know for my contemporary fantasy, I’d like to keep it to one book, unless my fans absolutely want a second one—but I don’t see the need for it.

If you could change one thing in the publishing process what would it be?

Publicity months in advance of the publication of my book. By the time I was published, I probably had in the realm of 400-500 Goodread adds, and those adds can dictate how sales might be. However, before publication, I’d like 1,000 adds or 2,000 adds. I know Goodreads doesn’t show the adds beyond 3,000, so it’d also be awesome to have 3,000 adds before the publication of my book, and I now know what can help with that.

What advice would you give to a new author?

Write what you want to write. Don’t write to a trend simply because you think agents or publishers are only looking for trends. Now many of them don’t, but write for yourself first, and then edit for your hypothetical number one fan.

Share a favourite quote from your book.

“Yet, even when stars die, they leave a lasting impact through their light, their diamond brilliance as they scatter their material to form new stars”


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