At the Stars is #FREE

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Credits: Cover photo by Michael Stokes Photography – Cover design by Babski Creative Studios – Cover model, Adam Von Rothfelder

(psst! find me at the Las Vegas RT Convention book signing in NA Alley, or the WRW Signing at Books-a-Million in Westminster, MD)

At the Stars is currently FREE! For at least the month of March, I’ve decided to do a free promo for At the Stars. So if you haven’t yet checked out the Evergreen Grove series, now’s your chance to find out more.

Get it here: [button type=”tiny” url=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25165039-at-the-stars” target=”_blank”]Add to Goodreads TBR[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSAmazon” target=”_blank”] Amazon Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/lrV5HL” target=”_blank”] Apple Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/WgEIft” target=”_blank”] Kobo Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/9QoPY6″ target=”_blank”] B&N Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSARe” target=”_blank”] ARe [/button][button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSGoogle” target=”_blank”] Google Play[/button]

About At the Stars: 
A GIRL TRYING TO LEAVE HER PAST BEHIND

I was a normal teenager who loved music and dancing, until the day I was attacked in my favorite record store. A few years later when my mom succumbed to depression and took her own life, I couldn’t stay in my hometown with all the memories and the curious stares. I decided to get in my car and just go – except my car decided it was done going outside a tiny place called Evergreen Grove. That’s where I found Jake. Or I guess Jake found me.

A GUY WHO CAN’T LET HIS GO

For the last eight years, all I can think about is the day I ended another man’s life. Then I manage to save Cassie’s, and I feel like maybe I’ve got some kind of second chance. To do what I couldn’t before, or maybe even for something bigger. Something like love. If only I could feel like I deserve her…

Excerpt – Jake’s POV – All rights reserved: 

All at once she bites her lip and I see her going for the drinks, but I slap my hand over hers. “You shouldn’t be walking home late. It’s dangerous.”

She gives me a look like she’s being patient with me. “It was good enough to get here. I’ll have AJ with me. We’ll be fine.”

She gestures toward the patio door where her buddy is probably waiting for her to return with the drinks. Dante chooses that moment to come inside, and I don’t like how he’s looking at her. Too much like he had a good dinner, and she could be dessert.

The icing on the cake comes when AJ calls through the open door. “Hey birthday girl, you bringing us drinks or what?”

Stupid fucker.

Dante grins at Cassie, veering her way like a homing missile. “Birthday girl, eh?”

She smiles slightly, trying to take the drinks again. “What do I owe you?”

My hand tightens over hers. “On the house.” I lean close, so nobody else can hear me over the din of music and chatter in the bar. “If you let me give you and AJ a ride back tonight.”

I can’t even believe it when she starts to pull away. “I can pay for the drinks.”

I’m still gripping her hand and feeling a surprising unwillingness to let the subject drop. “You’re not walking home in the dark on a night when everybody’s out getting stupid, with nobody but your skinny sidekick for protection.”

She presses her lips together, giving me what I figure is supposed to be a death stare for a few seconds before she caves. “Fine. My feet hurt anyway,” she says with a slight smile.

Cassie turns to go back to her table with her friend, and I turn to deal with Dante. My chest is tight and my heart is skipping around. I don’t take time to wonder why getting what I wanted has me more weirded-out than I was before.

Get it here: [button type=”tiny” url=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25165039-at-the-stars” target=”_blank”]Add to Goodreads TBR[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSAmazon” target=”_blank”] Amazon Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/lrV5HL” target=”_blank”] Apple Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/WgEIft” target=”_blank”] Kobo Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://goo.gl/9QoPY6″ target=”_blank”] B&N Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSARe” target=”_blank”] ARe [/button][button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/ATSGoogle” target=”_blank”] Google Play[/button]

HAPPY READING!! <3 <3 <3

By the Rules Release Day!!!

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Cover photo by Michael Stokes ~ Cover design by Babski Creative Studios ~ Model: Brad Greiner

(psst! If you’re in the Northern VA/DC area,  join me and many other awesome authors on Feb 12 @7pm for a Night of Romance (“speed date with your favorite authors and get books signed, too!) at the Alexandria Barnes & Noble on Jefferson Davis Highway)

By the Rules is out! BY THE RULES IS OUT!!!! *fires confetti cannons* *fires glitter cannons* *gets the squid cannons ready but then puts them away because squid cannons are kind of gross*

So listen I’m extra excited about this one. By the Rules was requested by a lot of readers from the start of the Evergreen Grove series. I’m beyond thrilled that a secondary character captured everyone’s hearts so thoroughly as he captured mine to demand his own book. And BOY did AJ’s book take on a life of its own. That’s AJ for you.

I want to say an extra big thank you to those who pre-ordered the book. New adult still feels new to me, but I love the genre, and I’m grateful to those of you who have made the leap with me, and to the new readers who have joined me along the way. This series is special to me and I’d love to keep it going for a long time. Evergreen grove is an amazing place. I hope you’ll agree, and I hope you’ll check out AJ and Hayden’s story, the colorful former male turned handyman, and the young corporate ladder-climber who stumble into each other in the most unexpected way.

Get it here: [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRGR” target=”_blank”]Add to Goodreads TBR[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRAMZ” target=”_blank”] Amazon Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRi” target=”_blank”] Apple Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRKOBO” target=”_blank”] Kobo Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRBN” target=”_blank”] B&N Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRARe” target=”_blank”] ARe [/button][button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRGoogle” target=”_blank”] Google Play[/button]

About By the Rules: 
He thinks I want him because of the rumors around town. Because I think he’s easy. I want AJ, because he’s AJ.

No liars. No suits. Absolutely no straight guys…

AJ Fabin’s list of rules keeps him safe. Since getting kicked out of his parents’ home and attacked by a former escorting client, his rules and his life in the tiny town of Evergreen Grove provide a quiet haven. He may be lonely, and he may stick out like a sore thumb, but the folks like him well enough. When he’s not dodging his old pimp, things are peaceful.

Hayden Price is having a quarter-life crisis. Engaged to a woman he can’t connect to and working a job he secretly hates, he comes to Evergreen Grove to help his mother through a health scare. Returning to his childhood home makes Hayden reevaluate a lot of things, including himself. When he meets AJ and finds he can’t stand the mouthy jerk—almost as much as he can’t stop thinking about him—he has a lot more to change than his career.

To be together, they’ll both have to break all of their rules.

By the Rules is book 3 in the Evergreen Grove series, but reads as a standalone.

Excerpt – Hayden’s POV – All rights reserved: 

When I left, it was a pin dot of a town going nowhere. Nobody in it would go anywhere. Nobody would ever change. My mom came here looking for someplace affordable and “simple” after things didn’t work out with my dad. I left senior year of high school because I was afraid I’d become a casualty of all that simplicity. I saw the buzz of city life and the success my father’s company had achieved. I wanted that kind of power.

I needed to be powerful.

Now, standing outside of Delia’s Bakery and Café at closing time, I can see the town has gone somewhere after all. Maybe not leaps and bounds in the grand scheme, but somewhere. From Mom’s little bakery to a tidy convenience store, a bar & grill, and a Laundromat, most of these shops on Main are new or spruced-up. I have to admit, Delia’s Bakery and Café looks cozy sitting among them. When she opened a few years ago, I told her this backwards little town wouldn’t give a shit about gourmet coffee and fancy muffins.

One more way I’ve been wrong. One more way I’ve been a shitty son.

“Trouble?” Mouthy AJ appears at my shoulder with a smile on his face and his hands jammed in his pockets. I don’t know how long he’s been there. Wasn’t paying attention. Didn’t hear him coming. Awesome.

“Man, what is your deal? Are you some kind of rainbow ninja or something?” I hope that the way I’m wildly gesturing to his colorful clothing hides the fact that he honestly did startle the crap out of me. I’m also hoping he didn’t overhear my conversation with Meg, because I probably didn’t come off sounding too great.

He’s just some kid my mom knows. His opinion of me should matter less than not at all. Still, for some reason it bothers me that he might think I’d be an asshole. I’m not even honestly jealous about Meg and Stephan. I don’t like being played though, and I don’t like feeling stupid. If she’s moved on, I wish she’d say so.

Aside from the ego bruises, the idea of Meg screwing another guy doesn’t elicit much reaction. More like it would be a relief to finally end this protracted charade. What does that say about me?

“Hmm.” AJ rubs his hand thoughtfully over his messy blond hair. The strands ruffle and stand up at odd angles. “Rainbow Ninjas. I’d join that rock band. At the least, I’d grab a ticket and a beer to hear them play.”

I’m not sure what the guy’s talking about, but I actually find his weird-ass comment kind of funny. Not that I say so, because I’m still hanging on to my dislike. Even though it’s generally bad business to hold a grudge. You never know who can become an important contact.

I guess I can give getting along a shot. I did promise my mom. “Buddy, it’s a little early to be drinking.”

The blue in his eyes catches hold of the setting sun when he smiles. In spite of his punk look and his disheveled hair, the halo of light around him makes him look a little too golden boy. So much I kind of want to go back to hating him when he shrugs and says, “Hey, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Oh. Wait. It’s actually already five here.”

Happy reading, everybody!! <3

Get it here: [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRGR” target=”_blank”]Add to Goodreads TBR[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRAMZ” target=”_blank”] Amazon Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRi” target=”_blank”] Apple Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRKOBO” target=”_blank”] Kobo Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRBN” target=”_blank”] B&N Order[/button] [button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRARe” target=”_blank”] ARe [/button][button type=”tiny” url=”http://tiny.cc/BTRGoogle” target=”_blank”] Google Play[/button]

EXTRAS: Want to share BY THE RULES with the interwebs? Feel free to download one of these teaser graphics to post to your favorite social media locations:

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By the Rules slider

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AJ and Hayden’s Playlist! Please consider checking out these songs and supporting the artists whose songs helped make this book a richer experience for us all. <3

BTR_promo2GIVEAWAY!! Follow the official BY THE RULES blog tour and enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card (it says $25 at the tour stops but when I went to actually purchase a gift card, they were out of $25 ones so trust me, the winner will get a $50 gift card and some swag!). The tour kicks off with I Smell Sheep’s awesome 4.5 “sheep” review of By the Rules, and some additional excerpts at Read-Love-Blog and Erotic Notions. For the full list of tour stops you can check out the tour page, here.
Thanks so much for checking out BY THE RULES. I hope you enjoy, and HAPPY READING!!

 

 

#ChristmasTreats Blog Hop Giveaway

#ChristmasTreats Blog Hop Giveaway

 

What are our favorite Christmas Treats? Books, of course! Stop by each blog for a chance to win fabulous books & gifties for the Holidays!

(Want double the giveaways? Check out my upcoming release, BY THE RULES, and enter the cover-reveal giveaway!)

So. Favorite holiday things. It occurred to me that I don’t really have a favorite holiday romance – I think the last one I read was All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann, which was excellent by the way. I love Christmas movies – my favorites are all the remakes of A Christmas Carol, specifically Scrooged and A Muppet Christmas Carol.

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Mostly I’m boring over the holidays because when I’m not cooking and and frantically screaming HOLY SHIT I FORGOT TO <fill in the blank with all of the things> I’m writing or I’m hanging out with my kids. Holiday time is prime catch up on work time for me because when hubs is off work I can buckle down and squeeze in as much writing / working time as I can. Right now I’m getting ARCs ready for my upcoming m/m NA novel, BY THE RULES – you can check it out plus an excerpt and giveaway in the By the Rules giveaway post.

When I squeeze in fun reading time at the holidays, I’m usually catching up on things I’ve been meaning to read but hadn’t gotten around to. Right now I’m reading Pent Up by my friend Damon Suede, and Elanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (I just finished her LGBT YA fantasy novel, Carry On, which I LOVED sososomuch).

My kiddos love that Penguins of Madagascar short where the penguins go to the big city to rescue their friend. My husband isn’t much into books or movies but he has the jazzy Xmas music playing 24/7 pretty much starting December first. So tell me – what are your favorite holiday books/movies/things on your wishlist? What have you read lately that’s good?

Since I know we ALL want to get ourselves more books (even I do, and I’ve got hundreds more than I have time to read), I’m giving away a B&N gift card for this hop, and some swag. So you can go out and get yourself something pretty and bookish. 😉 Happy reading, and happy holidays!!

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Be sure to visit the other folks who are taking part in the hop: