8/14/2015 6 Comments Facet Fiction FridayMeaning behind the name... Every author has their own "facet", their own color and brilliance, shine and shimmer, like a jewel or a diamond in the rough. Now is YOUR time to let your talents shine through! The Rules: Share a short sample (let's say 15 sentences) of your clean/sweet/inspirational work-in-progress or published work. Make sure to post a buy link - I want others to find your work! One last thing...Share this post! If you share this post then we all have our samples read. Easy, peasy, right? Now for my own sample. Today I've selected a piece from Millicent. Millicent is a clean romance and the first book in the Southern Hearts series. It is also currently on sale for 99 cents at Smashwords, B&N, and Amazon. Cool night air blasted him and he shivered. "You should always bring a jacket; even in a place as warm as New Orleans." The feminine voice chastising him from behind had him spinning. The mystery woman leaned casually against a stone railing, moonlight bathing her pale skin. A mask covered her features. "In the future, I will heed your advice." Stephen stepped slowly toward her. "See that you do. Oh, and you must stay away from the mosquitoes. The nasty little critters like to bite and spread disease. Before you visit any place you should research the area. Dangers lurk in the most unexpected places." "Yes, I've heard the rumors. But what makes you think I'm not from here?" "Your accent." Hmm, I think Millicent is just a tad bit cheeky. What do you think?
Now it is your turn! Post your own excerpt and buy links so the reader can find you! And have a great day. *Today's photo is Peridot or the birth stone for August. It was taken by Aram Dulyan at the Natural History Museum in London.
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7/24/2015 6 Comments Facet Fiction FridayMeaning behind the name... Every author has their own "facet", their own color and brilliance, shine and shimmer, like a jewel or a diamond in the rough. Now is YOUR time to let your talents shine through! The Rules: Share a short sample (let's say 15 sentences) of your clean/sweet/inspirational work-in-progress or published work. Make sure to post a buy link - I want others to find your work! One last thing...Share this post! If you share this post then we all have our samples read. Easy, peasy, right? Now for my own sample... Today's sample comes from Darla, Book Five, in The Board Series. Darla is the classic Mail Order Bride story. Available at Amazon for 99 cents! Or free on Kindle Unlimited. Grabbing the paper, she stalked toward the fire. A column on the last page caught her attention. Out-of-towner Derrick Tavers appointed to sheriff's position in Eden's Hollow. Residents accept him with open arms. See his advertisement in the classified section. Darla gnawed her lip. No way had she missed a classified. She had read every one. She was sure of it. Flipping back to the classifieds she scanned the contents. Between the folded lines, scrunched and barely legible, was an advertisement. Sheriff Derrick Tavers of Eden's Hollow in need of a wife. Send application to Eden's Hollow Post Office. Now it's your turn! Share those excerpts and buy links! *Credit for the emerald pic goes to: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
7/17/2015 3 Comments Facet Fiction FridayWelcome to Facet Fiction Friday! (psst...this is replacing Fourteen Line Friday) This first Facet Fiction Friday I want to thank Kristine Cheney. She is an author and a friend who even in her trials took the time to help me come up with the new theme. Meaning behind the name... Every author has their own "facet", their own color and brilliance, shine and shimmer, like a jewel or a diamond in the rough. Now is YOUR time to let your talents shine through! The Rules: Share a short sample (let's say 15 sentences - I'm so generous...you get one more line that last time!) of your clean/sweet/inspirational work-in-progress or published work. Make sure to post a buy link - I want others to find your work. One last thing...Share this post! If you share this post then we all have our samples read. Easy, peasy, right? Now for my own sample... Today's sentences come from Diamond Mine. The publisher has discounted this book (Amazon only) to 99 cents! For some reason it is still normal price at Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. Hmm... Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQ5TG5C She and Rory had been digging for the last rosebush when… “Hey, what is this?” he asked as the shovel made a pinging sound. “Let me see.” She jumped in the hole with him. Inches separated them and she blushed. He moved a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think you tricked me so I’d get in here with you.” Hmm, a good idea, but no, I really found something.” She climbed from the hole and he handed it to her. It was a white rock. The sunlight caused it to sparkle like a thousand diamonds. “Look, Rory! You’ve given me my first diamond!” Now it's your turn! Share those excerpt and buy links!
*Picture of diamond comes from Wikimedia Commons. 7/10/2015 25 Comments Fourteen Line FridayWelcome to Fourteen Line Friday! Share fourteen lines of your favorite lines. The rules: 1. In the comments section post fourteen lines from a current work in progress, a new release, a soon-to-be-released, or a novel that you published ages ago. All I ask is that you try to keep it as close to fourteen sentences as possible. 2. Post those buy links! If a reader loves your lines we want them to be able to find your book! 3. This is for clean/sweet/inspirational reads only. I like having a family friendly blog. :) Now to my own lines. They come from Francesca, The Board, book nine, and are a little more whimsical than I normally post. Psst...This novella was just released this week! Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TJ28II Four ladies arrayed in Victorian gowns sashayed from behind the curtain. One carried a jug, another a cowbell, another a tall board with strings, and lastly Francesca, who took a seat at the high-backed piano already on the stage. Props, like a washtub and a spittoon, were nearby. What could the ladies possibly be planning to do with that junk? Mrs. Hawkins stepped on stage. "I'd like to introduce Harley on the jug, Jennifer on the bell, Sherry on the strings, and Francesca on the piano. Put your hands together and welcome the Hawkins' Girls." Harley blew above the jug then Sherry strummed. Jennifer came in behind ringing her bell. Francesca was last. She artfully weaved her music with the other noise. Harley dropped the jug and ran to the washtub. She scrubbed up and down a washboard. Sherry rushed to the spittoon and dribbled water into the container. Andrew couldn't believe that music actually came from the chaos. Now your turn to show me what you got!
7/7/2015 1 Comment Lucia's Web by Sue SearlesCreepy characters and shadowy scenes are woven through this suspense-filled story, steeped in strangeness with splashes of humor. When Ali Duncan advertises for two tenants to share an upmarket apartment with her, she has no way of knowing the series of cryptic events that is about to unravel. When one housemate turns out to be a quirky nonconformist, the other a Gothic misfit, she has to rely on her own defective judgment to find her way. With circumstances stacked against her, whom can she trust when she finds herself alone in her quest for normality, but nothing in the house is as it seems? Excerpt: I sucked in a deep breath and held it, then wiped sweaty palms on my trousers. I’d only arrived home ten minutes ago and hadn’t relaxed enough to freshen up or change out of my work clothes. Get a grip, Ali. I shouldn’t be so nervous—this was my apartment, my advertisement. So I was in charge. It took me a little over eight seconds before I snapped myself out of my trance. If Lucia James had seemed distant and sociably inept on the phone, meeting her in person only solidified my impression of her. Pin-straight hair, dyed jet black with purple streaks, hovered just above a sorry pair of sagging shoulders. A thick, black fringe fell across an insipidly white face, barely hiding brown eyes bordered top and bottom with a heavy band of eyeliner. Black lipstick sapped the girl of any natural color and made her look deathly pale. She clutched a brown leather bag across her chest, and a black leather jacket and studded jeans rounded off the look. The girl bit her lip and dipped her chin, her nervousness palpable. I closed my mouth when I realized I’d been staring. “Um, sorry…come on in.” I stepped aside to let Lucia enter. Her brown eyes darted furtively around the spacious lounge, then focused on an invisible speck on the hardwood floor. “So, do you live nearby?” My eyes remained on her as I asked the question and tried to size her up. “No, I’m not from around here. I don’t know many people in Umhlanga yet.” A shoulder raised two inches, then went back down. “Where are you from?” I studied her, trying to draw the girl out of whatever spell she was in. “Eastern Cape.” Her eyes remained averted, the brown leather bag clutched like a lifeline across her chest. The long fringe hung like a thick, black curtain over her right eye, and I had to resist the urge to reach out and pull it aside. “So, what brings you to Durban?” I honestly wasn’t trying to sound pushy, just curious. Besides, it was a reasonable question, not so? When Lucia didn’t reply, I crossed the room and closed the front door to give her time to answer. Just as I turned back to face her, she jerked her head away and averted her eyes back to the floor. I felt my frustration levels start to rise. So Lucia could quite easily look at me, as long as I wasn’t looking back at the same time? I held my palms together and tried to shake off the girl’s unsettling presence. “All right, so…the rent is fourteen grand, split three ways. With water and lights, say an extra grand, we can round it off at five grand each. How does that sound?” Lucia bit her lip hard and her eyes darted around the room briefly. “Sure. Whatever.” “Rent’s due by the first of each month.” I tried to keep it upbeat, to sound much friendlier than I felt. “I’d like to check references before I make a final decision.” I gave Lucia a pressing look, one intended to communicate that I wasn’t too convinced about her yet. And in case she hadn’t been looking, I’d made sure she heard the threat in my tone. “That’s no problem, you don’t have to worry about me not paying or nothing.” My warning didn’t seem to rattle her one bit. I drew in a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. “Right, so we have a domestic worker who comes in once a week. Name is Thandi.” Lucia met my eyes for the first time since she’d stepped foot in the place. “A-a cleaning lady?” There was measured trepidation in her voice. “M-hmm. That’s okay, right? With all three of us girls working—” She waved her hand. “That’s okay, I’ll clean my own room.” Lucia returned her grip to the bag and her gaze to the floor. I narrowed my eyes at her, unsure how to respond. For somebody trying to gain approval, she was being surly and aloof, if not downright rude. “Well, if you’re sure. Just let me know if you change your mind.” She gave a quick nod, obviously just to appease me. Lucia’s tone was as colorless as her complexion, and lacked any kind of verve or energy whatsoever. The girl was as insipid as a jellyfish, with a personality to match. Sue Searles has written several books, ranging from women’s fiction and short stories to poetry and children’s books. Having worked on various forms of storytelling since childhood, writing has been a lifelong passion. Now somewhat older and wiser, she is passionate about thinking outside the conventional box, and conveys messages that are thought-provoking and life-changing. Her inspiration comes mainly from studying people, reading, and daily life. Sue is happily married and lives in sunny South Africa with her husband and son. Want to learn more about Sue? Then check out her social media sites...
www.suesearlesbooks.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/Sue-Searles-Author/1434957063477372?fref=ts https://twitter.com/sue_searles https://www.pinterest.com/searles0490/ Instagram – Sue Searles 7/3/2015 9 Comments Fourteen Line FridayWelcome to Fourteen Line Friday! Share fourteen lines you like better than any others. The rules: 1. In the comments section post fourteen lines from a current work in progress, a new release, a soon-to-be-released, or a novel that you published ages ago. All I ask is that you try to keep it as close to fourteen sentences as possible. 2. Post those buy links! If a reader loves your lines we want them to be able to find your book! 3. This is for clean/sweet/inspirational reads only. I like having a family friendly blog. :) Now to my own lines. This week they come from All I Have, a sweet contemporary romance. Get at Amazon for only 99 cents! Nicholas watched a young woman descend the porch steps. She wore baggy jeans and a loose fitting T-shirt. Her black hair was swept back into a long pony tail. Although her face was clean of make-up, she was exceptionally pretty. The only jewelry he could see was a necklace in the shape of a locket. Her lips twitched upwards in a smile as she shot a hand toward his father. Jake said, "Shane, you remember my daughter, Ellie. She just graduated from college and has decided to stay with us until she finds a job." "Pleased to see you again, Ellie." Shane extended his hand. "It's a pleasure seeing you again, too." She shook his hand and turned her gaze on Nicholas and he noted the color of her eyes. They were like shiny emeralds. "Nice to meet you, too." Nicholas suddenly felt like an awkward schoolboy. Now share your own excerpts. I can't wait to read them!
6/26/2015 0 Comments Fourteen Line Friday!!!Welcome to Fourteen Line Friday! Share fourteen lines you like better than any others. The rules: 1. In the comments section post fourteen lines from a current work in progress, a new release, a soon-to-be-released, or a novel that you published ages ago. All I ask is that you try to keep it as close to fourteen sentences as possible. 2. Post those buy links! If a reader loves your lines we want them to be able to find your book! 3. This is for clean/sweet/inspirational reads only. I like having a family friendly blog. :) Now to my own lines. This week they come from Diamond Mine. Diamond Mine and the other books in the Wounded Soldiers Series are currently on sale! Buy it Now on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/meusr3o Buy it Now on B&N: http://tinyurl.com/m4wkexo “I don’t think he’s coming.” Rory arched a brow. “Well, of course, you don’t.” “Don’t mock me.” She leaned on the table, her head rested in her hands. “Look, we’ve been here for almost a week. If he was coming, wouldn’t he have been here by now.” “Maybe. But they don’t have the same system here as you have in America. News travels slower.” “Humph.” “Besides, why are you rushing things? Don’t you enjoy my company?” Hannah squirmed. If he only knew. Your turn! Share those lines and buy links!
6/19/2015 4 Comments FOURTEEN LINE FRIDAY!Welcome to Fourteen Line Friday! Share fourteen lines you like better than any others. The rules: 1. In the comments section post fourteen lines from a current work in progress, a new release, a soon-to-be-released, or a novel that you published ages ago. All I ask is that you try to keep it as close to fourteen sentences as possible. 2. Post those buy links! If a reader loves your lines we want them to be able to find your book! 3. This is for clean/sweet/inspirational reads only. I like having a family friendly blog. :) Now to my own lines. This week they come from Pearl Valley. Pearl Valley is the second book in the Wounded Soldiers Series AND this week it is on sale for 99 cents! (Psst...Book one, Diamond Mine, is also 99 cents this week!) “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But again I say that you shouldn’t be here. So if you won’t leave on your own, then I will have the police escort you out.” She turned to walk away, but he snagged her shirt sleeve and stopped her. “Hey, wait a minute. I was told by Old Jim that I could find Jane Dossett here, and I’m not leaving until I do.” “Jane Dossett?” “Yes, that’s right. I’m looking for Jane Dossett.” “Why would you be looking for her?” The man ran an agitated hand along his chin. Janie swallowed and waited for his answer. “Because I was told she might be able to help me.” Pearl Valley is currently on sale at Amazon. It should be on sale at Barnes and Noble by tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
NOW post your own excerpts. I can't wait to read them! 6/12/2015 7 Comments Fourteen Line FridayWelcome to Fourteen Line Friday! The challenge - find fourteen lines you like better than any others and share them. Fourteen Line Friday rules: 1. In the comments section post fourteen lines from a current work in progress, a new release, a soon-to-be-released, or a novel that you published ages ago. All I ask is that you try to keep it as close to fourteen sentences as possible. 2. Post those buy links! If a reader loves your lines we want them to be able to find your book! 3. This is for clean/sweet/inspirational reads only. I like having a family friendly blog. :) My own excerpt is from my novel, The Painted Lady. The Painted Lady is inspirational, romantic suspense. When Elizabeth glanced back up at the man with the black hair, he was watching her. She smiled in his direction, because it felt like the right thing to do. His eyes stayed locked on her. Elizabeth sighed and angled her gaze downward. When she looked down, she noticed her sloppy appearance. A sigh parted her lips. How was she ever going to meet anyone under these circumstances? Who would want to have anything to do with her? Not only did she look terrible, but she was a walking time bomb. She wasn’t safe to be around. The what‑ifs continued to swirl through her mind until a headache set up behind her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she wondered, What am I doing to myself? Amazon Smashwords Barnes and Noble Now your turn! Post your excerpts and don't forget to share you buy links! One you finish share the link to the blog so everyone can read the posts.
Have a great weekend! 6/9/2015 1 Comment Holding Back by Helen PollardThe last thing they're looking for is love … Laura Matheson is a natural at avoiding romance, so when she is drawn to mystery guest Daniel Stone while helping out at her friends' hotel in Portugal, she assumes all she needs is a little extra willpower. Daniel is at the hotel on business. The demands of work and a manipulative ex-girlfriend mean he doesn't have the time or energy for romance, but Laura is a distraction he finds hard to ignore. As they negotiate a minefield of misunderstandings and mutual attraction, will they both continue to hold back? Or will they finally allow love into their lives? Excerpt from Chapter Two: Laura's mind raced as her footsteps slowed. What on earth was he doing here? The unlikely hope he might be passing by—perhaps he'd called in for directions to somewhere else?—was immediately scotched as he lifted his luggage from the car. Reminded of their encounters at the airport, she could have squirmed with embarrassment at how out of character she'd acted, making mistakes and being so snappy about them. Well, he wouldn't see her like that again. If Daniel Stone was a guest here—and it seemed there was no escaping from it—then she must make him welcome. For goodness' sake, she was used to dealing with awkward situations every day at school! He turned at the sound of her footsteps. Forcing a calmness into her voice that didn't extend to her stomach, she stepped forward and held out her hand. "Mr. Stone? Welcome to the Quinta Maria." Closing the car, he straightened up to his full six-foot-something and reached out to shake hands. For one brief, glorious moment, Laura thought he might not recognise her now that she was spruced up a little, but any hope of that disappeared as his eyes narrowed in sudden recognition and his hand dropped to his side as though it had been burned. "It seems you have the advantage over me, knowing my name," he said. "Since you're determined to turn up like a bad penny wherever I go, perhaps you could enlighten me with yours?" Incensed, Laura bit back a response. They were no longer on neutral ground, and as his host, she could hardly give him a piece of her mind. "I'm Laura Matheson," she replied as evenly as she could. "If you'll excuse me, I'll get your key and then I'll show you around." Disappearing into reception before he could find further fault with her, she crossed to the desk and raked her tired eyes over the reservations spreadsheet with a growing sense of disbelief. Not only was Daniel Stone booked in for a full fortnight, but he'd been allocated the room next to hers. Even Paulo and Rachel were unknowingly conspiring against her! "You're in room eleven," she announced, sensing his presence in the doorway. "Your other party checked in earlier. Will you require a second key?" "My other party?" Something in his tone made her glance up. She recognised the travel weariness in his stance, but his face showed only bewilderment. "Yes." She squinted at the computer screen again. "Miss Hartman." His eyes froze to a dangerous dark blue. "Natalie Hartman?" "That's right," she confirmed, double-checking the name. "Is there a problem?" "What time did she check in?" His mouth was a hard, thin line. She frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't know." "You don't know?" There was incredulity in his voice, along with displeasure and a hint at incompetence on her part. Laura didn't like it, nor was she going to take it. "I don't know because I wasn't here in reception when she checked in. As you're aware, I only arrived here a short while ago myself. I …" She stopped. There was no need for her to explain herself. Frankly, she couldn't understand why he didn't just go and talk to his companion. After all, they were sharing a double room. Helen Pollard writes contemporary romance with old-fashioned heart. She believes there will always be a place for romantic fiction, no matter how fast-paced and cynical the world becomes. Readers still want that feel-good factor - to escape from their own world for a while and see how a budding romance can blossom and overcome adversity to develop into love ... and we all need a little love, right? A Yorkshire lass, Helen is married, with two teenagers and a psychotic cat. When she's not working or writing, it goes without saying that she loves to read. She also enjoys a good coffee in a quiet bookshop, and appreciates the company of family and close friends. Find Helen at: Website & Blog: http://helenpollardwrites.wordpress.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/pages/Helen-Pollard/372986142839624 Twitter: http://twitter.com/helenpollard147 Tsu: http://tsu.co/HelenPollard Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/author/show/8647878.Helen_Pollard Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/helenpollard |
Felicia RogersWriting clean romance with laughter and love. Archives
April 2017
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