Archive for the ‘Humor’ Category

Bella Andre & The Sullivans

Posted: January 10, 2013 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Humor, Interview, Romance, Series
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Novel Publicity has put together this wonderful tour featuring the amazing Bella Andre. Get to know The Sullivans and enter to win some awesome prizes!

Please enjoy this interview with Bella Andre, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the contemporary romance series, The Sullivans. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards!

Interview with Bella Andre

about her best-selling series, The Sullivans

1. You create characters beautifully and are an absolute master of plot twists. It seems like you could write in almost any genre and do a bang-up job of it. What made you decide to devote your efforts to the romance genre in particular?

Thank you so much for the compliments! I’ve always been a huge romance fan – I’ve been reading nearly a book a day since I was a teenager – so it was a natural fit for me when the characters starting appearing in my head one day. 🙂

2. How did the idea for this interconnected contemporary romance series first come to you? What was your inspiration?

I love the family series that have always been popular in historical romance – like Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series and Nora Roberts’s MacGregors – and I was also inspired by my husband’s large family. It seemed like a natural fit to combine the funny and sweet family dynamics into an overarching series of sexy contemporary romances with the alpha heroes that I love so much.

3. Everyone seems to have a favorite Sullivan. Now I know this is like asking you to choose between your own children, but who is your favorite? And who’s most like you?

I’ll have to plead the fifth and pick Mary Sullivan – the family matriarch – as my favorite Sullivan. She’s the heart that keeps the family together and I get emotional whenever I write a scene with her. In fact, in COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER (Smith Sullivan’s story), the scene where he calls his mother to ask for love advice is one that so many readers have told me is their absolute favorite scene in any Sullivan book.

As for who is most like me – maybe Sophie Sullivan from I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. She loves to read (and is a librarian) and when she wants something (in her case: bad boy Jake McCann), she goes for it! Of course, I’m also a lot like Lori Sullivan (aka “Naughty”) with her big mouth and constant laughter.

4. In your opinion, what ingredients are needed to make up a good love story? Is life the same as fiction in this respect? Why or why not?

I love to love my characters and when I write a story I need two heroic, nice, good people (and why not gorgeous, too?!) who deserve love and have a lot of love to offer in return, but who are flawed partially because they haven’t found that perfect someone who complements them like no other. I like my fiction to be a little bigger than life – the Sullivans are extraordinarily hot, sensitive and attentive – but at their heart, they’re all very real.

5. How has your own love story with your husband informed the Sullivan series? Are there any scenes that are directly taken from your own life?

I have the best husband in the entire world. Sweet, loving, sensitive…and super hot! He’s always supported me in everything I’ve ever done and I think his strength and capability to love is at the core of every hero I write.

With that said, none of the scenes are ever taken directly from my own life. I have a very active imagination. 🙂

6. Let’s pretend for a second that you are a single woman living in the world of the Sullivans, which of the six brothers would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?

Ohhhh, now THAT is a fun fantasy! I would fall in love with each and every single one of them – and do, while I’m writing each of their stories! If I had to pick one, I might have my eye on Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) – because while all of my Sullivans are sweet, sexy and sensitive – Marcus is the only one with his own endless supply of wine from his winery. And there’s just something about the oldest brother…. Then again, Zach Sullivan is such a great combination of cocky and sweet. And Ryan Sullivan has all those muscles. And Gabe is such a hero as a firefighter (and I love his dirty talking between the sheets). And Chase is so sexy and protective. And then there’s Jake McCann (who falls in love with Sophie Sullivan) with his tattoos and big muscles. Not to mention Lori’s hero in the upcoming ALWAYS ON MY MIND which will be out this spring. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Lori’s hero just might be the hottest hero I’ve ever written.

See, what did I tell you earlier? I’m no good at picking just one. So let’s just say, yet again, ALL OF THEM!

7. The Sullivans and their beaux have some pretty interesting careers. From photographers and sculptors to professional actors, musicians and ball players all the way to firefighters, librarians and business owners, they lead very exciting lives! What type of research did you have to do to capture these jobs so well? Do you have any interesting research anecdotes to share?

I’ve written firefighters and athletes in previous series which helped with my firefighter, Gabe (CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE) and my baseball player, Ryan (LET ME BE THE ONE). I also live in Sonoma and have a lot of experience with wine and wineries which was ideal for winery owner Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) and as a writer I’ve been blessed to work with many librarians who served as information points for Sophie (I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU.)

For books where I need inspiration, the internet has been amazing and when needed, I also call on the help of professionals. Even though I’d written firefighters before, I still sent all my firefighting scenes to a professional and for Smith’s book (COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER) I sent all the acting-set sequences to a local film producer.

8. I was very touched by the inclusion of Yorkie puppy, Cuddles, and Great Dane rescue, Atlas, in book five, If You Were Mine. Are you a dog person yourself? If you have pets, I’d love to know more about them!

I *love* animals. I had the best time writing the two dogs in IF YOU WERE MINE. They had their own little love story in that book, which pleased me to no end. There’s a cat that plays a very important role in ALWAYS ON MY MIND (Lori Sullivan’s story, coming Spring 2013). My whole family loves animals, and we’ve recently adopted a beautiful cat. Or more accurately, the cat has adopted us, smart little minx.

9. The Sullivan series is currently seven volumes long. How many more books do you have planned, and which other family members will get the spotlight in their own books?

Lori’s book (ALWAYS ON MY MIND) is up next, and there are 5 Seattle Sullivans who are ready for love – I will start with Rafe Sullivan’s book this summer! Plus, I have something *very* special planned for Mary Sullivan, their mother, planned to release for the holidays in 2013.

10. And lastly (for a bit of random fun), what has been the most amazing/ touching/ validating interaction you’ve had with a fan of your books?

Everyone who has ever written to me on Facebook or Twitter or Goodreads or via email to tell me how much they love my books and that the Sullivans have moved them in some way has touched me. I love my fans, so, so much! I have the very best time in the world writing about my Sullivans… and knowing that I have so many absolutely wonderful people waiting to read them as soon as they’re released is a total thrill every single day.


fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

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Teaser Tuesday #6 Edge of Disaster

Posted: January 8, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Book Promos, Contemporary Romance, Humor, Meme, Teaser Tuesdays
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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My teaser for today is from Edge of Disaster by A.M. Hargrove
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Edge of Disaster
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goodreads-badge-add-plus for awaken
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He had a perfectly beautiful smile on his face and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“What?” he asked.
“What what?” I tried to deflect his question.
“What’s that look about?”
“Oh, I didn’t realize I had a look.” Now only one corner of his mouth turned up. I wanted to sit on his lap and run my fingers through his hair and kiss that corner of his mouth.
“What?”
“What? Me?”
“Yeah you. You had a look on your face.”
I was grinning from ear to ear while reading this part. Loving every minute of this book! And the cover art. Whoa!!
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She’s Giving Away Bad Juju

Posted: January 5, 2013 in Alert!!, Freebies!, horror, Humor, Mystery, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, suspense, Zombies
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Dina Rae is giving away Bad Juju for free right now. Get it now. I don’t know how long it’ll be free.

Go here to get yours.

Bad Juju

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A Haitian bokor mentors two teens in the dark arts. Their spells backfire.

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo.
Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.
Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite.
Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

This is a great book. You can read my review here.

Other books by Dina Rae

I really enjoy Dina’s writing and I’m working my way through her books. Right now, I’m reading Halo of the Damned. As soon as I’m finished I’ll be back here to tell you about it.

Click on the covers to purchase the books.

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Love is a Free Book!

Posted: December 29, 2012 in Chick Lit, Freebies!, Humor, reviews, Romance, Series
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Perfect Strangers by Liv Morris is free Dec. 28th through Dec. 30th! I spotted this short story last night and had to have it. The cover is sassy and the contents fog up the car windows. Thanks so much Liv.

Go here to get your free copy! Don’t wait too long.

PERFECT STRANGERS - (A Love in the City Short)

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Here it is, New Years Eve, and Katrina is still hard at work trying to get her yearend reports done. When her boss comes in to shoo her home, she’s just finished with them. Now for a whole week off!

Finally the doors slide open and I practically jump in. As the cage starts to descend, I do a little happy dance. My vacation has officially begun. Yay, me!

I’m free for a whole seven days and plan on being a lazy sloth. Days filled with wearing yoga pants and watching old Audrey Hepburn movies are awaiting me. Oh, and ice cream. Lots and lots of chocolate ice cream.

Aah, a girl after my own heart.

When Katrina exits the building, she grows concerned. The supposed two inches of snowfall has turned into a winter blizzard and it’s going to be a tense, hazardous drive to meet her parents for dinner. If she’s careful, and takes it slow she should be okay.

Well, as fate, or cupid, would have it, she’s not okay.

Pulling out of the parking garage, I’m hit with a wall of snow. The weatherman said flurries were likely this afternoon, but this is close to being a complete whiteout.

A bus in front of her fishtails and she can’t escape the pileup that ensues. A bump on the head is her only injury.

When a handsome young man taps on her window, she assures him she’s okay and accepts his offer to wait for emergency vehicles in the warmth of his car. It may be a long wait, but things are looking up!

Quote I liked

“Yeah, I tend to speak like a crazy person when I’m around a hot guy. I have a chronic condition of hormone-induced Tourette’s.”

I loved the conversation between Katrina and Drew. It’s funny how you find yourself telling things to a complete stranger. Their banter is funny and the sexual attraction is heating up.

I can’t resist a short story. It’s a great way to get a sampling of an author’s writing and after reading Perfect Strangers,  I know I like the way Liv Morris writes.

I was into the story from the opening and rubbed my hands together in glee as I read on. I had an idea of what was ahead, but had a great time getting there.

While I don’t wish to be stuck in the snow, if I were, I’d hope to “bump” into someone like Drew.

Four of Cupid’s Arrows for Perfect Strangers.

     

While on Amazon, I bought Liv’s other short story, Magic at Macy’s. It’s only 99 cents! and free for Kindle Prime Members. You can get your copy here.

Magic at Macy's

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I’m really loving the cover art for Liv’s Love in the City collection.

Yale University freshman Ally Brown is spending her first Thanksgiving away from home. Feeling alone and restless in a deserted dormitory, she sets off on an adventure to tour the amazing holiday window displays along New York City’s Fifth Avenue.

But her plans get sidetracked as she switches from tourist to stalker after spotting her crush, Jack Prescott, who is taking the same train into the city. He’s the handsome Editor in Chief of the Yale Daily News and the man of her dreams—if only she could work up the courage to speak to him.

Certain that it would take a miracle for Jack to notice her, Ally experiences her own “Miracle on 34th Street” when things take a surprisingly romantic turn, thanks to a little Magic at Macy’s.

I’ll be doing my review  for  Magic at Macy’s soon and can’t wait to read her first full length novel, Happy Hour, when it’s released.

About the author

Liv Morris

Currently Liv resides in Manhattan with her husband of twenty-eight years. They have three grown daughters who are scattered across the United States. She was raised in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri and feels blessed to have a supportive and close family.

Liv received a B.S. in Communication from the University of Maryland. She has published her first short story/novella in the “Love in the City” collection and is currently writing her debut novel, Happy Hour.

Contacts

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

To purchase her books, click on the covers

….It’s In His Kiss

Posted: December 27, 2012 in fiction, Humor, reviews, Romance, Short stories and collections, YA
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If you want to know

If he loves you so

It’s in his kiss…

It's in His Kiss

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This is a really fast read. Only 40 some pages, but I just loved it.

Ely is a writer of YA books. Her agent is pushing her to have her 16-year-old character from her series experience her first kiss. As Ely lives through her writing and has no experience herself, she calls on her friend to help her out.

Lisbeth is a hot looking siren, you know the type. All of the guys crowd around her vying for her attention as she preens and flirts, while you are brushed aside.

Ely doesn’t care about all that. She just needs her advice on describing a young teens first kiss.

Lisbeth suggests they go to a nightclub to do research and what happens there is much more than Ely ever dreamed of.

I adored this story. Even if I had an idea where it was going, it still surprised and delighted me. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside and had a lot of laughs at Ely’s expense. She’s a good sport and puts up with a lot of crap from Lisbeth.

There are some hot guys in this and even though you don’t get to know a lot about them, their personalities make you wish you did.

It was fun reading a story about a writer developing and researching her character and making her grow and mature. All writers should have fun with this short and sweet tale.

I give this 4 Kisses!

     

It’s now only 99 cents and well worth it!

*My review is unbiased and my thoughts are my own.

About the author

Caitie Quinn loves to laugh, has been told she smiles too much, and honestly believes that Jeeps… the vehicle and the guy… are better with the top off. If you like her stories, you need to thank her two grandmothers, Grammy M and Nana, for passing on that wonderful (hereditary) storytelling gene.

Contacts

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon

To purchase the books, click on the covers.

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