A Good Man. Canadian romance by @LeoRosanna.

I've been fortunate in being able to set a number of my romances in Canada, but in many of those cases, they've been set in fictional communities, like my Gemini Island. It's been a while since I've set a novel in my hometown of Toronto.

In my upcoming romance A Good Man, Handymen 1, all the action takes place in some recognizable Toronto locations. 

Why Toronto? Why not?
We have some very sexy men.

I'm excited to bring you one of mine. Michael Zorn is not only a proud Torontonian (he can recite the tragic history of the murder that took place at the Toronto Islands lighthouse), he's a talented contractor. He and his brothers Eli and Nick also happen to be the hosts of a popular Canadian DIY show called Handymen.

His adventures are going to take him all over our fair city. Much of the story takes place in an old house in Little Italy, right at the corner of College and Beatrice Streets. This is the house the Handymen are renovating for guest Emily Daniels (who happens to be the heroine.)

Oh. Did I mention Emily is engaged?
Snap.

Did I also mention Michael is fighting some terrible emotional demons?
Double snap.

Not only will these characters explore Little Italy, they will visit places in the established west end neighbourhood of The Kingsway, as well as the aforementioned Toronto Islands.

It was a blast using my hometown in this romantic story. In a way, A Good Man is my love letter to Toronto and some of my old haunts.

I hope you'll love it!

A Good Man will be released by Limitless Publishing Nov. 21, with ebook preorders around Nov. 11.

Want more details? Feel free to sign up for my newsletter for all the latest on this sexy new series.
Rosanna's newsletter: http://blogspot.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a5d3d1ae3d7f56f9344213879&id=533f674e4c

Hometown Pride by @elle_rush

I have been to New York City. (Well, I've been to Manhattan and done a bus tour of the island). I have been to Los Angeles (and done a bus tour of some of the sites). (Bus tours are awesome, by the way, for seeing a lot of a city in a short time period.) The little time I've spent in those cities have given me the smallest sliver of recognition when I read a book set in one of these locations.

And, have you noticed, a huge majority of books are set there? (And TV shows. Almost all the TV shows.) It's almost as if stories don't happen beyond the city limits of a major American metropolis.

That is one of the reasons I decided to set my River City Heroes series in Winnipeg, my hometown. Winnipeg isn't teeming with millions of people; there are about seven hundred thousand. It also has a small-town mentality. You don't need six degrees of separation to find somebody who knows your friend. Two should do. Our neighbourhoods are pretty distinct, which takes local flavour to a whole new level. And we have four seasons, which is a nice opportunity to write, rather than sunshine and good weather 365 days a year.

I also get to use Canadian spellings. Long live the "U" in colour, neighbour, and the like!

Winnipeg has the reputation for being the coldest city in the world; I know this. "Winterpeg". "Winnipeg - come for the culture. Stay because your car won't start." "Winnipeg and the four seasons: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction."  And then there are the mosquito jokes. But I love my hometown dearly and I'm glad for the chance to show it off.

I just released the third book in my River City Heroes series, which wraps up the Calendar Killer trilogy. From East Kildonan to St. Norbert, my characters cover the city, trying to stop a madman's murder spree.

I hope you check it out.

f Constable Brendan Booker wants his temporary assignment to the Homicide Division to become permanent, he needs to up his game. He knows he can play a bigger role in catching the Calendar Killer, but it would be easier to approach his inspector if he weren’t sleeping with the man’s daughter.

Rookie EMT Audrey Holland is tired of having to prove herself: to her new teammates, to her empty-nester father, and to her new boyfriend. The sooner they all learn she can take care of herself, the sooner she can do her part in taking care of her city.

With the net closing on Winnipeg’s most prolific murderer, the killer grows more desperate and unpredictable. Neither of them can afford any distractions, or they risk letting the Calendar Killer take them both out in his final blaze of glory.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0748158VX/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=wwwellerush0d-20&linkId=07707ee7711e6609d0705d139ab9ed7e
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/capture-35
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/capture-elle-rush/1127065773?ean=2940154903988

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elle_Rush_Capture?id=hFg0DwAAQBAJ&hl=en 

The iBooks link is taking forever but you will be able to find it there eventually - I promise!

Capture is Book 3 of the Calendar Killer trilogy. The romance is stand-alone but the series is best read in order.
Book 1: Pursuit
Book 2: Entrap

Fall from Heaven - dark corners - Refusing To Expire voted one of the top romance novels of the summer @tdanielsauthor

Life, as of late, has been amazing and wonderful and joyful.  I'd all but forgotten my dark and traumatic past.  Love was the catalyst for a new beginning. He held me until all my broken parts began to fit back together.  As I've come to learn, recently, sometimes those broken parts don't completely heal. They lay dormant in the dark, dusty corners of our minds like an insidious enemy; waiting for the first crack, the first flicker of mistrust; the first sign of self doubt. 

I am blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life. I am lucky that he puts up with my bullshit. If you've been following me on Facebook you'll know that recently my corporate job has had me travelling out of the country for several weeks at a time. During that time I realized just how much I love him. Although we spoke every day my heart ached being away from him. During a very emotional moment when I was feeling very homesick I asked him to marry me and he said NO. 

He made a joke about it, suggesting that I had apparently been drinking too much Tequila, and quickly swept it under the carpet. I hadn't been drinking, I was in fact completely sober and absolutely serious. I tried to stop it from bothering me, but those fracture lines in my heart began to become unstable. As much as I fight it, my mind supplies me with endless explanations for his refusal, reminding me of every flaw that makes me unworthy of love. I wake up every morning wondering if this is the day that he figures out that he can do so much better than me. It's amazing that after 18 years the psychological aftermath of the tyranny forced on me by an abusive partner is triggered life like a cancer that's been in remission. It takes every ounce of emotional energy I have to fight it some days.

And on that day the sun refused to shine on my dark forest. The trees became sad and refused to dance. And my butterflies had broken wings.

For the past two years it's felt like I've been living the dream. Even now, every time I see his smile my heart flutters. The danger of loving and trusting again is the eminent fall. I so desperately wanted to believe in 'Happily-ever-after'.  Cramming all the hurt and pain into those closed corners of my mind and hiding them beneath cobwebs is my survival mechanism. When you find your other half they sense those things. There isn't much I can hide from him. In a quiet moment together the other night he engaged me in an open and honest discussion about our relationship. This is where it all becomes very difficult for me.

He loves me. I believe that. But I love him at the level where I'm ready to make a life long commitment to him, and he's not yet at the same place. I get that, I really do. I've been alone for 18 years, his marriage ended only a few years ago. I never thought in a million years that I'd ever want to get married again after what I went through with my first husband. He is NOT that man. He is kind and caring and loving. He is a GOOD man. He loves me, but he just doesn't want to marry me. I'm dumbfounded that I didn't know. That I couldn't tell. I honestly thought he'd say yes, and I'd return from Mexico and we'd begin planning a big outdoor wedding at our new property. Instead, I returned wondering if rushing into such a big investment together was a mistake. What other things have I pushed him into that he might be regretting? Doubt is a poison that destroys all that is good. Believing in his love is the antidote.

I love him. I know I do because my heart hurts right now. For two days I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep and I couldn't stop crying. I'm still not even sure why it's so important to me, or why it hurts so much. It will take a little time, but the hurt will will subside and be forgotten. Nothing is ending, or changing. We'll get back to a joyful and happy life together. Just not as husband and wife. Many couples have long happy relationships without getting married. After all being loved and sharing lives is all that matters. It's what we should all hope for. What we want to read about in stories. 

Voted one of this summers top Romance Novels in a poll by Metamorph Publishing.

From Serious and heartbreaking to wistful and hilarious. Finding love again, dealing with everyday life and blending families. Reviewers say that Roger is the perfect book boyfriend, kind and caring, with just enough protective alpha to make a woman feel appreciated and loved. ‘Refusing To Expire’ was an engaging, cleverly written, and highly amusing delight. I simply could not put it down. 

Refusing to Expire on Amazon

#R2E #triciadaniels #refusingtoexpire #romcom

The pets are leaving Earth for Space @jsubject #newrelease #PetsinSpace

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! While the leaves are late to change colour in Southwestern Ontario, they have started already, and I enjoy crunching them under my feet every time I'm out walking.

But, today's post isn't about the colours of fall. It's about PETS. Now, on Earth we are used to pets like dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, fish, and even more exotic reptiles. But just like we don't know what life is like on other planets, we also don't know what their pets would be like. So, those of us who write fiction that is set in space get to create our own. In the newly released Sci-Fi Romance anthology, EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: Pets in Space 2, you will find some of the pets you already know, and many new ones straight from the imagination of the authors involved.

The pet I've included in my anthology story is a tibbar, which is similar to a baby rabbit, but with hamster-like claws and ears. Plus, they have the intelligence of a cat, which means they can and do get into all kinds of trouble. I’ve had all three of those types of pets at some point in my life, but never all at the same time. It was fun to combine their physical characteristics and personalities into one pet for the purpose of this story.

Here's an excerpt from GIB AND THE TIBBAR, my Galactic Defenders story that is included in the new Pets in Space anthology, EMBRACE THE ROMANCE...

Illustration by Nyssa Juneau

A small, furry white creature scampered between the Defenders and the fire. Gib yanked his feet back and gasped. He tried to follow the path the animal took, and when it disappeared into the grassy field, he relaxed a little. Not that he was afraid, only startled by the sudden appearance of the critter.

But his watch partner reacted differently. The cowardly Defender stood on his bench, reaching for a low branch on the ropral tree as if to lift himself farther off the ground. “What in Gaspra was that? No one told me about any deadly creatures on this planet.”

Gib laughed and slapped his hand on his lap. “I wouldn’t call the fluffy little thing that raced by us a deadly creature.”

“Okay, Hemera is infested with vermin, then.” Zair examined the area around him before he dared put a foot on the ground.

A high-pitched squeak sounded, and Gib’s surveillance partner returned to reaching for the branches. The little creature stood on its hind legs below Zair’s bench, peeping as if telling him off.

Gib couldn’t hold in his laughter. Not just at the other Defender’s reaction, but also the thoughts running through Zair’s mind, thoughts he’d failed to block in his fear.

“It’s not going to eat you.” Gib shook his head, wondering how his squad mate could see the creature as dangerous. “Would you please get down from there? Defenders are supposed to be brave and fierce. Right now, you’re neither.”

“Go to Gaspra, Mingot. And stay out of my head.” He yanked his plazer from his hip holster and aimed it at the critter. “If I don’t destroy it, it will bring death to everyone on this planet.”

Stepping into the line of fire, Gib yanked the weapon from his squad mate, thankful the safety remained on. “You’re being ridiculous. Besides, if you fire your weapon, you’ll cause a panic. The Hemera will think Erebus have arrived.”

The frightened Defender shook a foot at the creature. “Fine, then. Kick it into the fire. Or you could stomp on it.”

“Don’t you dare!” A Hemera woman burst from the bushes, storming toward Zair like a mother rehn protecting her young. She shoved him off his bench and shouldered past Gib before scooping the noisy creature into her hand. “This is my tibbar, not some kind of vermin.”

“Tibbar? Try nasty rodent that tried to eat me.” Zair smoothed out his uniform but kept his distance from the creature now perched on the woman’s shoulder.

“You’re both on nehbred.” She kicked dirt at them, her pink lips pursed and her dark eyes set in a deadly stare. “You don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to my pet or my planet.”

Embrace the Romance

Twelve leading Science Fiction Romance authors team up to deliver a dozen original never released stories that will take you to new worlds! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2! Get your copy today!

AMAZON US | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia

Nook | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

Happy reading!

http://jessicasubject.com

Musings on being a single romance writer.

When people discover what I do for a living, they usually assume I’m happily married and living my own version of a Happily Ever After. They tend to react to the news that I’m single with surprise. I don’t blame them. When I first started writing romances, I didn’t admit to my single status, because I was afraid people wouldn’t want to read love stories written by someone who wasn’t in love. As time passed, I realized that wasn’t the case.

I have been married. In fact, this past month would have been my twentieth wedding anniversary. I was quite certain I haven’t been on the planet long enough for that to be a possibility, but according to my birth certificate, I’m that old. (yikes.) My marriage only lasted five years. There are a lot of reasons for that, but they can all be neatly summed up by the image below.

I know what it feels like to fall in love. The rush. The trust. The joy. The belief in an HEA for everyone. I’ve been single for the better part of fifteen years now, and I’ve also learned more than I ever expected about the darker side of love. The tears and lies. Regrets, heartbreak and ice cream therapy. I try to bring all of that to life in my books, and I'm still a hopeful romantic.

I’ve tried dating online, offline, and smiling at strangers in the grocery store. (Be careful what you’re holding when you do this, or the message can get very muddled. Bananas and cucumbers should be avoided at all costs. Trust me.) I’ve gone on so many dates I've lost count. Some were wonderful, others were train wrecks.

In my new Star-Crossed Alien Mail Order Brides series, you can read about some of my funnier dating experiences. From diehard Ghostbuster fans to wannabe Doms, they’re all real guys I dated (at least once.)

I’m back to trying my hand at online dating again right now. So far, I’ve scored a few new stories, but no Prince Charming. I’m seriously considering crowd-sourcing my dating profile to my Facebook reader group, just to see what happens. It might not work, but it should be a whole lot of fun. If you want to see how that turns out? You can join in the fun. Join my Facebook Group.

If you'd rather read some sexy 'n sweet Sci-Fi romance, you can check out Joran, Vadir, and Kash, the heroes of the Star-Crossed Alien Mail Order Brides series.

Productivity, WIPs, and Julie Andrews ♥ @LDBlakeley

I'm the world's slowest writer. No, really. I've been working on my current WIP for two years. TWO. YEARS.

Granted, it's not my only WIP and it did get put on hold a few times for other (since published) projects. But I've recently had to slap on blinders, so to speak, to the dozen or so other stories waiting in the wings vying for my attention. And they can be incredibly loud. Not to mention persistent. So it's off to the writing cave for me.

In the meantime, I'll take my scheduled blog date to wish a Happy 81st Birthday to the absolutely incomparable Dame Julia Elizabeth "Julie" Andrews.

Please enjoy her in one of my childhood favourites! :-) 

Oh, yeah. That WIP I'm determined to finish before the calendar flips? It's the sequel to Opportunity Knocks. So if you'd like to check it out...

Opportunity Knocks by L.D. Blakeley

Series: Laissez Faire
Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Small-town security guard, Gill Martin, has lived in Mystique Pointe his entire life. His dating prospects are non-existent and he doesn’t particularly like his job, but at least it’s better than unemployment. Besides, he hasn’t got any better ideas.

Big-city artist, Tommy Hearne, knows exactly what he wants out of life: a successful art career and a successful relationship. He also knows that living in Liberty City is his best chance for pursuing both. Unfortunately, for him, neither of these pursuits seem to be panning out quite to his liking.

When Tommy and his misfit band of friends roll into town for the Laissez Faire, Mystique Pointe’s annual music & art festival, worlds definitely collide. A fiery tryst sparks more than just a lust connection, but what happens when the weekend is over?

✽ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords ✽

✽✽✽ EXCERPT ✽✽✽

Tommy followed closely behind Gill as they made their way out to the parking lot. He did a quick head count and realized that there were only five of them and that lap-sitting wasn’t going to be on the menu after all. But when Kat took out her keys to trigger the unlock remote and Tommy saw the responding lights on a tiny Fiat 500, he almost cheered. There was barely room for two grown men in the back seat. Good thing he was willing to make the sacrifice and let the others ride in comfort.

“Amy, why don’t you sit up front?” Kat had opened the driver-side door and was about to climb in when she added, “You can pull the seat forward and let the two leggy boys have a bit more room. Sorry, Tommy—looks like you’re gonna have to squeeze in on top.”

Tommy had never been so happy to be the short man out. He waited to see which side of the car Alec chose, and made sure he was at the opposite door. And when Gill climbed in, his T-shirt rucked up slightly, giving Tommy the most delicious glimpse of skin above the most perfect denim-clad bubble butt he’d ever seen. Oh, thank goodness for well-lit parking lots.

“You getting in?” Gill had an expression on his face Tommy was unable to read. Although, if it they’d been working with a bit more than car lot lights, he was sure he’d be able to see another blush staining that handsome face.

Poking his head inside the car, he carefully leaned across Gill’s lap and braced himself on Alec’s leg before climbing in entirely and sitting carefully on top of Gill. There really wasn’t a lot of room in Kat’s car. Despite only being five-foot-eight, Tommy still had to keep his head ducked down to avoid bashing his skull against the roof. He also used it as more excuse to snuggle down closer to Gill. But, hey—not my fault the girl drives a Fiat!

“Sorry it’s such close quarters guys. The car was a graduation gift from my grandparents. I wouldn’t have picked it, but who says no to a free car, right?” Kat caught Tommy’s eye in the rearview mirror and winked. Yeah. Definitely not his girlfriend. Tommy didn’t get the feeling she was upset about his crawling all over Gill. Potential matchmaker, maybe? “Luckily the campground isn’t that far, so you won’t have to suffer long.”

“I don’t mind. Really.” Tommy wriggled slightly and rested his fingers at the back of Gill’s neck. It couldn’t be classed as a grope. He still wasn’t a hundred percent sure if that would even be welcomed. But it was a touch, and a delicate one at that. And it was enough for Tommy to feel the shiver that it elicited from Gill.

“Sorry, Gill. Hope I’m not crushing you.”

“Oh. No. You’re fine.” Gill’s voice was low and slightly hitched. His glasses had started to creep down his nose and Tommy reached up, without thinking, to adjust them.

“Don’t want to lose those.” They were so close that, had it been a colder night, Tommy’s breath would have fogged Gill’s lenses. And, fuck, didn’t that send indecent thoughts straight to his groin. Images of fogging up the car windows with Gill or, to be precise, images of what they might be doing in order to cause said situation, sent a message straight to Tommy’s dick. He fidgeted slightly, not wanting to reach down and adjust the hard-on he’d hoped he could keep at bay.

He was about to fidget again when the sound of Gill clearing his throat distracted him slightly from the problem at hand. And alerted him to another. Of course, describing the feeling of Gill’s answering erection under his ass as a problem couldn’t have been further from wrong. Gloriously, heroically magnificent, perhaps. But not a problem.

Tommy turned slightly to make eye contact with Gill but found the other man uncomfortably looking in the other direction. He twisted slightly, making sure his ass did a slow grind into Gill’s crotch as he did so. Yep. That got his attention.