Thursday, July 10, 2014

Dreams of Perfection by Rebecca Heflin: Bookblast & Giveaway


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rebecca will be awarding an author-graphed ebook to two randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter. Click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What if perfection isn’t truly perfect?

Best-selling romance writer, Darcy Butler, is holding out for perfection in the form of her own carefully-crafted heroes. Once blissfully engaged to be married, Darcy’s post-traumatic commitment phobia is depriving her of the very thing she wants most: her very own happily-ever-after. Now, here she is just six months shy of her thirtieth birthday, and not a Prince Charming in sight.

Successful lawyer, Josh Ryan, is the boy-next-door with a soft spot for the less fortunate, and Darcy’s best friend without benefits. Darcy often comes to him lamenting her love-life, or the lack thereof, whereupon Josh patiently doles out his sage advice. Problem is Josh is in love with Darcy.

But when Darcy finds herself looking into the handsome face of the man who graces the cover of her soon-to-be-released novel, she’s convinced her dreams of perfection have come true. Or have they?

About the Author:
Rebecca Heflin is an award-winning author who has dreamed of writing romantic fiction since she was fifteen and her older sister snuck a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss' Shanna to her and told her to read it. Rebecca writes women's fiction and contemporary romance. When not passionately pursuing her dream, Rebecca is busy with her day-job as a practicing attorney.

Rebecca is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Florida Romance Writers, RWA Contemporary Romance, and Florida Writers Association. She and her mountain-climbing husband live at sea level in sunny Florida.

Awards:

2013 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award Finalist (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence Winner (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Virginia Romance Writers Holt Medallion Award of Merit (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Georgia Romance Writers Published Maggie Finalist (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Shooting Star Award (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Finalist (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers' Awards Finalist (The Promise of Change)
2011 Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist (The Promise of Change)

Website: http://www.rebeccaheflin.com/wordpress/
Blog: http://www.rebeccaheflin.com/wordpress/blog/
Twitter: @RebeccaHeflin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaHeflinBooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Four-Leaf Clover by Charmaine Ross: Bookblast (Giveaway)


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charmaine will be awarding a copy of the book to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A sexy, sugar-laden David vs Goliath story about a local bakery, a national chain, and what really matters.

Clover Loveday has worked hard to get her café Four-Leaf Clover up and running, her ticket out of an increasingly alarming financial situation and her dream come true. When she literally falls off her ladder into the arms of national bakery chain Upper Crust owner, sexy-as-sin Liam Sinclair, who owns the new bakery being built just across the road, she decides that no matter how nauseated she is about the idea, it is best keep your enemy close, rather than leave things to fate.

Liam has never put too much thought into the competition when he opens a new outlet, other than taking their customers and strengthening the Upper Crust brand. But here in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, Clover Loveday’s cafe is a little too close for comfort, and Clover Loveday a little too good-looking. So Liam asks his PA to put together a Fact Sheet about his new competition. He has a business to run, a father to please, and hundreds of people to keep in jobs. Surely information can keep an unwanted strong sexual pull at bay…

A sexy, caffeinated, satisfying story about unexpected temptations, forgiveness, and putting love before money.

Enjoy an excerpt:

‘I thought this might happen.’ The voice was bemused, and also very male. So deep and warm it clung to her bones. Which was absolutely ridiculous. She blinked away the spots and looked into a pair of striking eyes. What she thought was just light brown was now more sienna, with streaks of cinnamon spearing the inky iris. The eyes were keenly intelligent, and she felt as though she were under an intense spotlight. Maybe it was the way they didn’t flicker from her face, or that they held a sprinkling of disapproval, but his gaze also irritated her.

‘What sort of a man frightens a woman who’s up a ladder?’ She couldn’t help the words that tumbled out.

The eyes widened, his brows arching high. ‘Why was this woman up a ladder?’

‘A woman who needs to gets things done!’ She sounded more snappish than she wanted, but the amused way in which he watched her fuelled her aggravation.

His lips turned up slightly at the edges. ‘And how does this woman plan to get things done when she’s sprawled across the floor?’

‘I wasn’t about to sprawl across the floor, as you put it, until you barged through the door and yelled at me.’ She narrowed her eyes, trying to be her most severe, which she probably wasn’t doing a very good job of. Her friend, and now waitress, Holly said she was about as frightening as a wombat, even when she’d fully lost it. Which rarely happened. And it was this infuriating man’s fault she’d now lost her usual good humour.

‘I didn’t barge through the door, and I certainly didn’t yell at you. I was just trying to get you to be careful.’

‘What? By startling me so much I fell off the ladder?’

‘You shouldn’t have been up there, especially in boots like those.’ He indicated her boots with a tip of his head. She noticed how ruffled his hair was. Spiking in all directions, as though he’d just run his hands through it.

‘There’s nothing wrong with my boots.’ She’d got them at the Beggar’s Bazaar at the end of Main Street on a sale. Black leather cowboy boots, floral patterns imprinted into the leather and practical flat heels. She loved these boots the moment she’d seen them and after she’d finally plucked up the courage, and the savings, to buy them, she’d worn them just about every day since.

His eyes flowed from her ankles to her thighs. His gaze was as intimate as a touch and as though hypnotised, she watched his eyes travel to hers.

‘No. There’s not.’


About the Author:
I live in Upwey, a very leafy suburb of outer Melbourne. I can hear most Melbournians say, ‘Where?’ Think Puffing Billy, the hills and inexcusably steep driveways and you're there. We have a house with room for the kids to play in the backyard, the cat to sleep wherever and the husband to lounge on a bean-bag in front of the telly. I love romance because it adds so much to the story. Everyone needs a little love to take them away.

Facebook Learn more about Charmaine Ross at www.CharmaineRoss.com.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Blog Tour:Fiancé by Fate by Jennifer Shirk ($25 Amazon GC Giveaway)

Today, I'd like to introduce you to a great novel with a gorgeous cover. You might want to make it your next read. Before you leave, don't forget to enter HERE for a chance to win some lovely giveaways.

Fiancé by Fate
by Jennifer Shirk


BLURB:
Their fake relationship is a twist of fate.

Sabrina Cassidy believes in fate. So when her fiancé breaks off their engagement, she’s convinced they’ll get back together eventually. But fate was not on her side when it brought Jack Brenner into her life—and work. Frustrating, gorgeous, and cocky, Jack has an offer that Sabrina can't refuse. Not if it means getting the life she’s always imagined.

Despite being one of the town’s most eligible bachelors, Jack has a reputation that’s working against him. He has to convince his father—and his company’s board—that he’s ready to settle down if he wants a promotion. But convincing Sabrina to be his fake girlfriend turns out to be the easiest part. What he didn’t count on was their intense attraction and how easily their lie would escalate.

Sabrina’s still hung up on her ex, and Jack will never settle down.

But fate has other ideas…

EXCERPT

            “Will you relax,” he told her. “You’re making me anxious, and I’m never anxious.” Although he was anxious to get their plan started, but he was also hungry. He opened his desk drawer to his new stash of beef jerky he had on hand for such an emergency and pulled some out.

            Sabrina threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, great. This is so completely fitting with you. While I’m stepping into a web of lies, you’re stepping into a Slim Jim.”

            He looked at the beef thoughtfully, then held it out to her. “I’m sensing you need this more than I do.”

            “I’m a vegetarian.”

            “Now that explains a lot.”

            She bristled. “That’s it. Forget it. This is so stupid. We’re never going to convince anyone that we like each other, let alone that we’re dating.” Shaking her head, she was on her feet before he could blink and looked about ready to hightail it out of his office.

            “Wait,” he said quickly. Where was his normal finesse when it came to women? She had a way about her that brought out his worst. But she was right. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d ruin everything.

            “I’m sorry, Sabrina. This will work. How about we both try to keep the smart comments to a minimum?”

            She sat back down but her shoulders were still stiff. “All right then. Let’s just figure this plan out so I can get back to work.”

            Damn, there was a lot of pent-up energy going on in that tight little body of hers. It was kind of amusing to watch, especially the way she tried to quiet her hyperventilating breaths so he wouldn’t notice. Call him a jerk, but he noticed. Her chest was going in and out like a runaway steam engine and it was all he could do not to stare. And he liked what he saw.

            “What do you want me to do?” she asked, breaking into those thoughts. She nibbled one corner of her lip, her hair hanging loosely as she cocked her head to the side.

            “Well, I…” Their gazes met and held.

            Have her eyes always been that blue? Hell. He knew she was pretty, but he never realized she was that pretty.

            He cleared his throat and reached for more beef jerky.

            “You do have some sort of agenda, right?” she asked.

            “Agenda?”

            “A list of dos and don’ts.”

            He rolled his eyes. Sabrina was definitely not a play-it-by-ear kind of woman. He should have known she’d want an itemized list of how he expected her to act.

            She licked her lips. “Nothing over the top, I hope. Oh, and I guess I should have mentioned this before, but I don’t want to have to, uh…”

            “Don’t want to have to what?” he asked, popping another piece of jerky in his mouth.

            “Kiss you,” she finished.

            Jack froze midchew, then swallowed. “What?”

            She shifted in her chair. “I don’t want to have to kiss you.”

            “Absolutely not. That’s nonnegotiable. You have to kiss me. What kind of fake girlfriend are you, anyway?”

            She lifted her chin. “One that doesn’t believe in public displays of affection.”

            “That’s ridiculous.”

            “No, it’s not. Look, you’re the one who wants to change your reputation. Kissing and any other type of manhandling—fake or not—in front of people is not a way to show them you’re in a serious relationship. I won’t be treated like all your other bimbos. We’ll just have to be convincing in other ways.”

            Jack sat back and grunted. Little Miss Perfect had a point, as per usual. Kissing was not something they could be caught doing at work, and even if they were out on a fake date, at their age, they wouldn’t be lip-locked at some restaurant. But the idea still didn’t sit well with him. Who knew that he’d actually be disturbed he wouldn’t be able to kiss her?

            And the more he thought about how it disturbed him, the more disturbed he became.

AUTHOR BIO AND LINKS:

Jennifer Shirk has a bachelor degree in pharmacy-which has in NO WAY at all helped her with her writing career. But she likes to point it out, since it shows romantic-at-hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and mind-numbing educations.

She writes sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Samhain Publishing, Montlake Romance and now Entangled Publishing. She won third place in the RWA 2006 NYC's Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter Contest with her first book, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME. Recently, her novel SUNNY DAYS FOR SAM won the 2013 Golden Quill Published Authors Contest for Best Traditional Romance.

Lately she's been on a serious exercise kick. But don't hold that against her.

Feel free to follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/jennifershirk) or become a friend on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-Shirk/100000745044647)



Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Book Tour: A Baby for Easter ($25 GC Giveaway)


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Noelle will be awarding the following prizes via the Rafflecopter at the end of this post:

* One winner will receive a $25 GC to Amazon or BN
* Two winners will receive signed paperbacks of Married for Christmas and A Baby for Easter
* Ten winners will receive their choice of ebook of any title from Noelle’s backlist.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



ABOUT THE BOOK: Alice Grantham lost her fiancé and her job, so she’s had to come home to Willow Park to live with her parents. To recover some sense of independence and security, she’s cobbled together different part-time jobs, including one as assistant to the pastor of her hometown church. Nothing seems to be going right for her. Even Micah, the pastor’s brother and the first boy she ever loved, is standoffish with her now.

Micah has always been a prodigal son, but now he’s trying to put that lifestyle behind him. Then a five-month-old daughter he never knew existed is dropped on his doorstep, the result of one of his many one-night stands. He needs help from Alice to care for his daughter, but he can’t let himself hope for anything more from her than that. He can’t help but want it, though…

Enjoy an excerpt:

Now, however, Alice was regretting her random impulse to put on a skirt that morning, since she was on her knees in front of the bookshelves, putting the last of the commentaries back in place.

At least no one was around to see her undignified position, with her skirt pushed up to her thighs to give herself freedom to move.

“Daniel,” a voice came from outside the office. “Daniel!”

She recognized the voice, but he was in the office before she could move or pull down her skirt. She froze as she looked over her shoulder, befuddled by Micah’s sudden appearance.

He seemed equally startled to discover her on the floor, after his eyes scanned the room for his absent brother. “Oh,” he said, standing in the doorway.

It took her a minute to pull herself together, but when she did she managed to smile. “He went to the hospital to see Mrs. Cooper.”

“Oh.” Micah was such a self-assured man that it was strange to see him so stumped.

Then there was a different sound in the office. It took Alice a few seconds to even identify it. It was so unexpected that she was sure it wasn’t right.

It sounded like a baby whimpering.

Finally, her eyes drifted down to something Micah was holding. A baby carrier. A baby carrier.

“Is that a baby?” she asked, her voice hoarse with surprise.

He looked down at the carrier as if he’d forgotten he held it. “Yeah.”

She scrambled to her feet, rather clumsily, and hurried over to look at the baby as he set the carrier on Daniel’s desk, right on top of the printed copy of sermon notes for Sunday.

She peered into the carrier and saw the baby—maybe four or five months old—wearing a pink sleeper. Her eyes were blue and grumpy, and her whimpers were quickly turning louder.

Instinctively, Alice reached out for the girl and pulled her up to rest against her shoulder, patting her back in a comforting manner.

Alice had always liked kids. She’d never had baby-fever, but she certainly knew what to do when one was starting to cry.

“What are you doing with her?” she asked Micah, who’d been staring at the baby with that same glazed look of bewilderment.

“I…I don’t know.”

“Well, whose is she?” Surely this baby hadn’t dropped from the sky into the back of Micah’s truck.

His features twisted slightly—maybe anxiety, maybe disbelief. “That’s the thing. I think…I think she’s mine.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

Social Media:
Website: http://noelle-adams.com/Home_Page.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoelleAdamsAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoelleAdams3
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6572847.Noelle_Adams

Book Trailer for A Baby for Easter:
http://youtu.be/HkL8asd5StU

 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks

A Baby for Easter will be offered at a special release price of $.99 through Easter day! Regularly priced at $2.99.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, March 31, 2014

Book Tour: What a Bride Wants by Kelly Hunter ($20 GC Giveaway)


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kelly will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. Remember, the more you comment, the better your chances to win.

What a bride wants…

Ella Grace Emerson adores her father, but he keeps trying to marry her off to every eligible rancher in Montana. When he puts an ad in the paper on her behalf – for a docile house-husband – Ella retaliates with one of her own, pinned to the noticeboard of the local saloon. No husband required, housebroken or otherwise. What she wants is the perfect lover.

What a bride needs…

Newcomer Cam Sawyer is perfectly willing to tear up the sheets with Ella and be her partner in chaos. She wants a bad boy and he’s had experience aplenty. But what she really needs is a strong and loving partner, and until Sawyer stops running from his past he can never be that.

Sawyer’s the one Ella wants. But can he be the man she needs?


Now enjoy an excerpt:

Mardie greeted them with a cheerful smile. “Ladies. Table for two?”

“Booth, if you can swing it,” said Jo.

“I can swing it.”

“Sawyer working tonight?” Jo asked next.

“Not you too.” Mardie’s voice was dry, very dry.

“Ella Grace wants a look. She’s hoping he’ll spark a little something deep down inside. I’m hoping to say I told you so.”

Mardie laughed. “He’s not exactly docile. And I don’t think marriage is on his agenda.”

“It’s not on mine either,” offered Ella.

Mardie slid her a puzzled glance. “So what was with the ad? Not that it wasn’t awesome, because it was.”

Ella blinked in confusion, and then shrugged it off. Maybe Mardie was talking about some television commercial. Given that Ella rarely watched television at all, it stood to reason that she had no idea what the other woman was talking about.

They were halfway to the booth when Ella realized that something other was going on. Lots of eyes in this here saloon for it was Friday night and a snowy, wintery one at that. Lots of eyes fixed on her. A pair of women laughed suddenly, over by the bulletin board. Reese Kendrick looked her way and there was a warning for her in his dark, dangerous gaze… and what the hell was that for? Ella had done nothing to fan his ire of late. That she knew of. “Am I missing something?” she asked warily.

“The ad,” Mardie answered, equally wary now. “Your ad. In the classifieds.”

Ella shook her head. “I never put any ad in the classifieds.”


Accidentally educated in the sciences, Kelly Hunter didn't think to start writing romances until she was surrounded by the jungles of Malaysia for a year and didn't have anything to read. Eventually she decided that writing romance suited her far better than throwing sterile screw-worm flies out of airplane windows, and changed careers.

Kelly now lives in Australia, surrounded by lush farmland and family, 2 dogs, 3 miniature cows, a miniature pig, a 3-legged cat and a small flock of curious chickens. There are still flies, but their maggots don’t feed on flesh. Bargain.

Kelly is a USA Today bestselling author, a three time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist and loves writing to the short contemporary romance form.

Visit her at www.kellyhunter.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.hunter.73307?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyHunterova

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Hunter/e/B0034PYXL0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1395350607&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes and Noble author page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/kelly-hunter

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Super Book Blast Tour for Summertime Dream by Babette James



 
Summertime Dream
by Babette James
BLURB:

The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.

An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk’s Bend. He’s carved a week from his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents’ house for sale and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life — love.

A recent brush with death shook Margie’s life, but not her dreams and she’s ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn’t easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother’s mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her small town dreams work with his big city life?

EXCERPT

Margie laughed. “Of course, in my dreams it was a bit less rundown.”

“I’d imagine so. Interested in buying?”

“Oh, if only I could, I would in an instant. I’m sure the property alone is worth far more than I can afford.  It’s a huge piece of land. And the repairs and restoration...” Longing swelled. She sighed. Someone else would buy and live in her dream home.

Quiet fell between them for a while. Bees buzzed in the clover. Birds sang, chirped, and flitted. A hummingbird whizzed past. Two more ducks joined the first amid quiet bickering quacks. Dandelion fluff drifted by on an unfelt breeze.

A truck rattled down the lane, breaking the moment.

“Suppose we ought to head back...” Christopher turned, so close their arms brushed, but instead of retreating, he hesitated. Their eyes locked. Where dismay and frustration had filled his green eyes, want simmered. The heavy air electrified.

You need a change.

On a surge of bewildering crazy courage, she stretched up and kissed him. The brief brush of lips to lips left her shaken and her heart pounding, like she had  just come up for air.

His eyes widened in his serious, craggy face.

No, oh, no. Blowing out an unsteady breath, she pressed a hand to her stomach. She’d carried her day’s adventure one impetuous step too far. Her heroines were the daring part of her. She’d never even kissed on a first date before, and this wasn’t even a date.

Before the apology fluttering in her mind could break free, he cupped her cheek and touched his mouth down on hers.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Babette James writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints. A teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. Her class cheers when it’s time for their spelling test! Born in New Jersey and raised in Southern California, she’s had a life-long love of the desert and going down the shore. Babette now lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats.

Summertime Dream on Amazon.com Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00HJDS3E6
Summertime Dream on all other Amazon venues: http://viewbook.at/SummertimeDream
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8

GIVEAWAY
Babette will award a $10 Amazon GC to two (2) randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Please follow the tour HERE and comment to increase your chances of winning.

NOTE: THE BOOK IS FREE ON AMAZON FOR THE DURATION OF THIS TOUR.



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Books-a-Fire FEB Sales Event

The Books-a-Fire authors are back with a Valentine’s Week promotion.  We have fabulous deals and NEW books on the page. There are no gimmicks or hoops to jump, just incredible prices on every single book.  Point, click, and buy books in every genre for just 99 cents or FREE!

YES!  Every book on the page is priced at 99 cents or FREE to make your shopping easy and affordable.  For less than the price of a dinner out, you could buy every single book!

To make it really easy, we've also created categories.  Click your favorite category at the top of the page and see all the books listed in that category.  Treat yourself to a Valentine’s Week gift, good books for everyone!  Go to http://bit.ly/15u8DGF today!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Virtual Book Tour: BANISHED LOVE by Ramona Flightner ($50 GC Giveaway)



Hi everyone,

I have a great book recommendation for you (with a gorgeous cover). Banished Love by Ramona Flightner, is a historical women’s fiction novel. But before you can know more about the novel, get to know the author a little by reading the interview.

Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click HERE to follow the tour and comment to increase your chances of winning. Good luck.

INTERVIEW

What is the sweetest thing someone has done for you?

I am fortunate that I have a lot of sweet memories. One that comes to mind is when I went to a writer’s conference in San Francisco a few years ago. I felt overwhelmed and terrified to be there amongst so many wonderful writers while I felt like such a novice. After the first afternoon, I entered my hotel room and I had two gorgeous bouquets of flowers waiting for me. There was one from my parents and another from a dear friend. Both cards told me how much they cared for me and of their faith in me and my abilities. Their support was invaluable.

What kind of music do you like?

I like folk music, classic rock, classical music, Latin (especially Juanes), and traditional Irish music. I love Mumford and Sons and was fortunate enough to see them in concert last year.

Do you like to dance?

I enjoy dancing and I often dance at home. I have a little boogie I do to some of my favorite songs and when I am washing the dishes. I don’t dance all that well, so I tend to stand on the perimeter of the dance floor at parties. But, I always have a good time.

Can you describe your dream home?

For me, it’s not about what the home looks like or how big it is, it’s the essence of the place. It’s about how I feel when I walk in the door. The feeling that my friends, family and I would always feel welcomed as we entered. I envision shelves covered in things I have brought home from my travels and photos of said places. A pot of tea always at the ready, an eagerness to hear the latest story, be it about recent travels or the day’s work. That’s home to me.

 
If you could be any character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

I know this is most likely a cliché amongst women, but I would come back as Elizabeth Bennet. She was a strong woman who spoke her mind, supported her family and still married the man she loved. In a completely different, more modern vein, I wouldn’t mind being Hermione Granger.
 
BANISHED LOVE
by Ramona Flightner


BLURB
Free-Spirited…

Clarissa Sullivan dreams for more from life than sipping tepid tea in stifling parlors in Victorian Boston. She defies her family’s wishes, continuing to teach poor immigrant children in Boston’s West End, finding a much-needed purpose to her life.

Radical…

As a suffragette, Clarissa is considered a firebrand radical no man would desire. For why should women want the vote when men have sheltered women from the distasteful aspects of politics and law?

Determined…

When love blossoms between Clarissa and Gabriel McLeod, a struggling cabinetmaker, her family objects. Clarissa’s love and determination will be tested as she faces class prejudices, manipulative family members and social convention in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.

Will she succeed? Or will she yield to expectations?

BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa Sullivan on her journey of self-discovery as she learns what she cannot live without.

EXCERPT

“Colin, anything in that paper interesting enough to share? You read it like you are hoping to find some long-lost treasure,” Lucas cajoled.

“Hmm…no, nothing uplifting like that song. Just more tales of death and woe around the world. The Boxers are getting more powerful and dangerous.” Colin sighed, setting aside the Boston Evening Transcript.

“And why should we care about a bunch of pugilists?” Mrs. Smythe demanded, her thin face even longer with her disapproval.

I giggled; Lucas snorted before acting as though he were sneezing to hide his amusement, but Colin stared at Mrs. Smythe with frank fascination.

“Do you read the papers, Mrs. Sm…Sullivan? Talk with your friends?” At her cold stare, he continued. “The Boxers are discontented Chinese on the verge of rebellion who are indiscriminately killing Christians in China. Including American Christians,” Colin said helpfully. “I thought it was the topic of conversation these days.” He glanced toward Lucas and me, and we both nodded our agreement.

“A genteel woman,” Mrs. Smythe began, with a sniff in my direction to indicate I must be lacking in that regard, “would not know of such vulgar goings-on halfway around the world with a bunch of savages, my dear Colin. I do read the papers but only the parts that pertain to my world and me. The parts about running a good home, a good kitchen. About decoration.” With this, she waved her hand around the room to indicate its frightful state. “Decorum.” Yet another censorious glare was sent in my direction. “These are the important matters of my life,” she stated with one more sniff, showing her displeasure at the topic.

AUTHOR Bio AND LINKS

Ramona Flightner is a native of Missoula, Montana. After graduating from Tufts University with a B.A. in Spanish, she earned a Masters degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Montana. Her Master’s thesis, Chilean Testimonial Literature: the collective suffering of a people, highlighted her continued interest in the stories of those who were at risk of being forgotten or silenced.
           
She studied nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Master’s in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked for ten years as a family nurse practitioner providing care to the poor and under insured at two community health centers, first in Wilmington, Delaware and now in Boston, Massachusetts.
           
An avid reader, she began writing three years ago. She enjoys the demands of research and relishes the small discoveries that give historical detail to her books.
           
Ramona is an avid flyfisher and hiker who enjoys nothing better than spending a day on a remote Montana river, far from a city. She enjoys research, travel, storytelling, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of looking at the world. Though she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, Ramona remains a Montanan at heart.
          
 Her dreams are to see the plains of East Africa, marvel at the wonder of Petra in Jordan, soak in the seas of the South Pacific, and to continue to spend as much time as possible with her family.
           
Banished Love is her first novel and is the first in the forthcoming Banished Saga.

AUTHOR WEB PAGE: http://www.ramonaflightner.com
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