The Promise Me Series by Paige Weaver

THE PROMISE ME SERIES by Paige Weaver

Promise Me Darkness - Released on April 8, 2013

Promise Me Light - Released on September 24, 2013

The Promise Me series is the story of childhood friends and next door neighbors Maddie Jackson and Ryder Delaney. Maddie and her father move to the ranch next to Ryder’s family when she is six and he is nine. They become inseparable as children, but as Ryder grows up, with a wild streak as big as Texas, he makes sure to keep Maddie at arms length for her own good.

Maddie is the classic girl next door. Pixie tiny, sweet to a fault, beautiful without realizing it, she is the fantasy of one Ryder Delaney. Attending nursing school, Maddie is working hard to make good grades, is dating a man she believes is her ideal and looks forward to a bright future.

Ryder Delaney is the perfect combination of tattooed bad boy and boy next door. Forever getting into trouble, be it drinking, fighting, womanizing or all of the above, Ryder feels like he just doesn’t fit in.

Eva, Maddie’s best friend, is tall, outgoing and gorgeous. Everything Maddie believes she is not. Eva takes Maddie outside her comfort zone when they visit a rough biker bar and run into someone unexpectedly.

Brody, is Eva’s on again, off again boyfriend.

Gavin is Ryder’s older brother and the epitome of the perfect son. Ryder finds himself constantly comparing himself to an unrealistic standard that he believes that Gavin sets.

Ryder finds himself staying with Maddie and Eva at their apartment as he prepares to enlist in the service. With the current political climate, Maddie repeatedly tries to talk Ryder out of the decision afraid she will lose him to what she believes is an impending world war III. During a night out on the town dancing at a local club, the trio of friends and Brody find themselves in the chaos that accompanies the aftermath of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) strike on the United States.

The four of them go into survival mode in an attempt to get out of the city and back to the supposed safety of home. What they find at home, while more controlled than in the city, is still a far cry from what they are used to.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and close quarters cause feelings that have been simmering under the surface to develop into deeper yet equally confusing ones. Maddie and Ryder learn to live with love, loss, and the unknown in this two part series that takes them to the brink and back again.

The Promise Me series, is much more than a romance between the main characters. Paige Weaver pushes her characters to their limits. Taken from their modern conveniences and forced to learn to live off the land, this is not your typical love story. There are more than just obstacles of the heart that this pair has to contend with. With the adversities all the characters must face, the reader is taken through emotional highs, lows, heartbreak, tenderness and finally the realization that two people were truly meant for one another.

Paige is excited about the release of her new book and shared with us some aspects of her stories.

RMWTPC – How did you decide to incorporate the use of an EMP into your story?

Paige Weaver – I knew I wanted my characters to be challenged in some sort of
situation that was out of their control. I liked the idea of an outside force causing
life-threatening scenes, bringing the characters either closer together or tearing
them apart. The EMP aspect came about because I have always been fascinated
with doomsday scenarios. At the time Promise Me Darkness was taking shape in
my mind, I overheard a national news story about the threat, both manmade and
natural, of an EMP to the U.S. I thought what if I took two college kids and threw
them into the middle of an EMP attack on the U.S. That’s how the stories were
born.

RMWTPC – The characters in your book all bring useful skills to their survival effort.
When writing the story, did these skills just come together or did you have to figure
out what would be needed for them to have the best chance of survival and then gift
them with those skills?

Paige Weaver – The skills just came together. In Texas, many people hunt so it only
seemed natural for Ryder and the rest of the men to know how to kill their own
food and/or use weapons. For the women, nursing skills were a no brainer for me
because I have some background in the medical field. Also, I spent most of my
childhood on a ranch so it seemed the safest place to send my characters when
the world collapsed. I wanted to use what I knew in the story. I think if I had taken
away their particular skills (hunting, nursing), I still would have found a basic
skill that would have helped each of them survive. Having written the story, I am
surprised by the number of fans that have told me they want to be prepared for
any kind of national disaster. I think it is inherent in all of us to survive, no matter
what skills we have or lack.

RMWTPC – Do you believe with the current state of world affairs, it is possible that
something of this magnitude could happen on U.S. soil?

Paige Weaver – I do believe an EMP is possible, either because of a terrorist attack
or because of natural events such as solar flares. In fact, the government is
looking into protecting our power grids more carefully against these types of
events. You can find recent articles in the USA Today and New York Times
stating that the U.S. government is preparing to undergo emergency practice
drills in the event an EMP were to occur. Do I think enemy forces could breach
our borders and invade? I do not know. If we are weakened by an EMP, maybe.
I took creative liberty with that in my story but then again we never thought
someone could attack our country with our own planes either. In the current state
of affairs, I believe the U.S. is vulnerable for attacks, but not necessarily on the
scale I wrote.

RMWTPC – Will there be other books in this series? What can your fans expect next
from you?

Paige Weaver – There will be other books in the series but Promise Me Light was
the end for Maddie and Ryder. I will write a book for the other characters of
Promise Me Darkness and Promise Me Light. I have also started writing other
books based on the same time frame but with a different set of characters,
completely separate from the first two books. There will be new sets of friends
and family. Each will be extremely different, with different circumstances and
different personalities of the characters. My fans should expect my future books
to be just as emotional and action-packed as Promise Me Darkness and Promise
Me Light. I love writing novels with a high level of intensity. I like gritty, raw, and
the unexpected. I want to keep my readers guessing when they read one of
my novels. And the more emotion I can put into a book, the better. I have many
books underway but my next scheduled novels are a non-dystopian and Cash’s
book (from Promise Me Light). I hope to see them in reader’s hands early 2014.

You can follow Paige on her blog at: authorpaigeweaver.blogspot.com

On facebook at: www.facebook.com/AuthorPaigeWeaver

On twitter at: @AuthorPWeaver

And you can purchase her books on:
Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Paige-Weaver/e/B00CACVL22
Barnes & Noble at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/paige-weaver
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/paigeweaver

Another Great Giveaway From RMWTPC

Who is ready for another GIVEAWAY?!?! RMWTPC is giving away one ebook of the winner's choice from one of these fine Penned Con authors: TK Rapp, Sarah Dosher or Lori Otto! Enter to win now!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/20fa9e9/

THE EMI LOST AND FOUND SERIES by Lori Otto

The Emi Lost and Found Series - by Lori Otto

NOT TODAY, BUT SOMEDAY (Prequel) - Release date: September 1, 2012

LOST AND FOUND - Book #1 - Release date: March 24, 2011

TIME STANDS STILL - Book #2 - Release date: May 7, 2011

NEVER LOOK BACK - Book #3 - Release date: May 7, 2011


Not Today, But Someday is the prequel to the three book series Emi Lost and Found. It is the story of Emi and Nate. Emi, a high school junior is dealing with more than she can handle. Transferring to a new school mid year, her father’s infidelity, her parent’s impending divorce and moving away from her friends leave her feeling angry and isolated.


Nate, a sophomore, is struggling with the recent break-up with his girlfriend. To add insult to injury, his girlfriend dumped him for a mutual friend. He uses art as an outlet for pent up frustrations.


When Emi and Nate meet in art class, they find a kindred spirit in one another. The story builds the foundation of Nate and Emi’s relationship. They support each other’s artistic endeavors and work together in preparing for a class project based upon the Canterbury Tales.


Their friendship grows deeper and deeper and even though Nate has feelings for Emi, he accepts her desire to remain friends out of fear of losing what they have now, in hopes it may change to something else someday. They use the terms of endearment, Like ya Em and Like Ya Nate when they say goodbyes to one another on a regular basis.


Other characters in this series include:

Chris - Emi’s older brother

Jen - Emi’s older sister

Anna - Chris’ girlfriend

Teresa - Emi’s best friend and roommate

Jack - Chris’ frat brother

Donna - Nate’s mother


Lost and Found takes us to Nate and Emi’s relationship about 10 years after meeting one another. They are both adults working in their chosen career fields. Nate is a fine artist, and Emi a graphic artist/designer.


Nate, the quintessential player, dates many women through his 20s. Emi, does date a bit, but not near to the scale that Nate does. When Nate’s girlfriends begin to show tendencies of jealousy toward Emi, Nate makes some difficult and potentially damaging choices where his friendship with Emi is concerned.


When Chris and Anna get engaged, we are introduced to Jack Holland. Chris’s frat brother from college, Jack will be the best man at the wedding. With Emi as the maid of honor, they will be working together on certain aspects of the wedding preparations. Lost and Found takes us up to Chris and Anna’s engagement party on New Year’s Eve.


When you get to this point in the series, make sure you have tissues at the ready. Not a purse pack mind you, a brand spanking new large size box.


Not wanting to give away any more of the plot in this wonderful series, Time Stands Still and Never Look Back take us deeper into the lives of these complex characters. Just as a warning, this includes some gut wrenching, ugly crying chapters that will leave you feeling the excruciating pain that these lovely people endure with what happens early in book #2.


After the worst of the emotional situation settles, there will still be times where tear dabbing with tissues will be necessary, but I never felt it got to the point where I could not continue reading.


Reading this series was made even more enjoyable for me as I did it as a participant in a group read led by Lori herself. She invited bloggers to go on a virtual scavenger hunt, asking questions about certain events throughout the book and if answered correctly, the reader collected a badge. RMWTPC successfully completed all the badge activites!


I cannot say enough good things about this series. It was wonderfully crafted from start to finish and I am looking forward to reading the companion piece “Contessa” when my schedule allows.


Lori agreed to be interviewed in regards to this series and here are her answers

to the questions posed by RMWTPC.


RMWTPC - When you began writing Lost and Found, how soon did you decide this would be a multi-book series?


Lori Otto - I'm kind of laughing at this. Halfway through Nate's section, I knew the story would be epic. I had been aiming for a 150,000 word book… but when I was 75,000 words into Nate's section and it wasn't anywhere near finished, I began to have concerns… but I allowed myself to tell the story as it came to me, not limiting myself, and the word count grew and grew. Reality sunk in when I started querying to agents. Writing "Emi Lost & Found is completed with 356,000 words" was laughed at more than once by potential agents. I realized I needed to chop the book up, but because of the way it was written in different perspectives, this was easy to do.


RMWTPC - We loved that you included references to classic literature throughout these books. Between the Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare, your characters came off as intelligent and well rounded. How did you choose to include these elements into your stories?


Lori Otto - Those came from my personal taste in literature. I will readily admit I have not read quite a few classics, but the ones I've read tend to stick with me. I have always loved Shakespeare, so that one was a given. As for the Canterbury Tales, that was actually a really nice discovery. As I was writing Not Today, But Someday last summer, I was thinking back to what we read in my class. In high school, we did have to read parts of the Canterbury Tales, just like Nate and Emi did. I remember reading my section (which I think was Wife of Bath, but I'm not sure), and I remember really liking how Chaucer wrote. That being said, I didn't remember anything else about the book. I downloaded an edition of it (by Peter Ackroyd) that was FABULOUS and started at the beginning. I was struck with the story of Palamon and Arcite (which was actually a retelling of another story) in the Knight's Tale, and how well it really tied in.


RMWTPC - Was it as difficult to write the second book as it has been for your fans to read it? How did you get through that emotionally turbulent section?


Lori Otto - I have to believe it was more difficult for me to write. I experienced actual depression and grief for about a month when I went through that. What I did have that most readers didn't have was the rest of the story. I knew what was going to happen, so I think that helped, but actually writing it was rough. I wanted the conversations to be authentic, so I actually did a lot of audio and video recordings to listen to and watch the delivery of different lines. Twice in my life I was told by teachers to write how I talk; to write what I feel. I have taken this to heart and I think I really accomplished this, especially in Time Stands Still.




RMWTPC - Did you ever get frustrated at Emi or Nate for not seeing the inevitable sooner than they did? How about with Emi and Jack?


Lori Otto - It's funny, because so many people get so frustrated with Emi and Nate, but no. To me, there was a natural flow to that year of their lives. There was bad timing, and many bad choices… but I think even at the beginning of the year, they both knew deep down that they were going to have to make that choice soon. I mean, put yourself in Emi's shoes. You're waiting for that magical feeling, you have the opportunity to experience it again… and it's not there. That's confusing. That will lead to soul searching. Of course Emi and Nate always loved each other in their own way… but she had to look beyond some things – that feeling, his past – to make that commitment. As for the situation with Jack, I think Emi's reluctance was realistic. There was a lot of fear: fear of losing him, fear of letting him down, etc.


RMWTPC - Your characters were so artistically gifted and talented. Emi as a graphic artist, Nate as a painter and musician and Anna as an interior designer. Do you have an artistic streak outside of your writing?


Lori Otto - Not really, but I've always wanted that. I love art, music, photography and design. I was a graphic designer for ten years, and I do enjoy doing some little things every now and then (like the badges), but my style's my own, and not really in demand. I do love men who are creative, but I have never been successful in relationships with them. I always end up second fiddle to the art. I think that's probably why Jack is very different from that.


RMWTPC - What is next for Lori Otto?


Lori Otto - I'm actually in the middle of five books right now: the final two in the Choisie series, and all three in Steven's spin-off series. Unfortunately, my full-time job has become more demanding and is keeping me from doing what I love. At this point, I'm just taking things one day at a time and doing what I can do to survive. My ultimate goal is to be able to write full-time, but I need to sell a lot more books to make that happen. I have to believe it will happen someday.


You can follow Lori on her webpage at: http://www.loriotto.com

On facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/LoriLOtto

and Purchase her books on:

Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Lori-L.-Otto/e/B004VYOIYK/

iBooks at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lori-l.-otto/id438512389

Smashwords at: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lorilotto

Nook at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/lori-l.-otto

Spotlight on Penny Reid

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but

whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my

life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and

heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I

married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-5, girl-3 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block

carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m

intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their

stories.

Connect with Penny:

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReidRomance

Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter

Subscribe to Blog: http://reidromance.blogspot.com/

Fan on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ReidRomance

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reidromance/boards/

Penny Reid's Cover Reveal

Penny Reid is about to release her newest book Friends Without Benefits.  She had been toying around with multiple covers and has revealed her choice. 

So what did she choose?

 

 

You can click the link below to find out more and to subscribe to her blog!

http://reidromance.blogspot.com/2013/09/cover-reveal-friends-without-benefits.html

Friends Without Benefits can be read as a standalone, is a full length 120k word novel, and is book#2 in the Knitting in the City Series.
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she’s unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 2) She knows how to knit.
Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of Boy Bands are undervalued by society, “benefits” with human Ken-dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once in a lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth’s plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello- her former nemesis- she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding electrocution or, worse, falling in love.

You can add it to your Goodreads list by clicking here:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18001399-friends-without-benefits?ac=1

RMWTPC will be spotlighting Penny very soon as recapping her new book shortly thereafter.

Spotlight on Paige Weaver

 

 

Paige Weaver’s first passion has always been reading. Many hours were spent getting lost in love stories and adventures. That turned into a love for writing at a young age. She wrote her
first book when she was a teenager and hasn’t stopped since. Thanks to pressure from family and friends, she finally decided to take the leap and self-publish. Her first book ‘Promise Me
Darkness’ became a New York Times and USA Today Best Seller within a month after being released.

A native Texan who still resides in the town where she was born, Paige lives with her husband and two children. When she's not writing or reading, you can find her chasing her kids around and living her very own happily ever-after story.

Paige's new book. Promise Me Light, is set to be released on September 24th and can be preordered by clicking here! http://amzn.to/14yOb9s

STORMS OF LIFE SERIES by Sarah Dosher

 

 

Book #1 Haven from the Storm Release Date – March 28, 2013

Book #2 Before the Storm Release Date – August 29, 2013

The Storms of Life books, Haven from the Storm and Before the Storm are tales of love, tragedy, heartbreak and hope. The stories are crafted in such a way that make you want happiness to find these friends and take them away from all the things that hurt them. The characters, however, are so strong that they endure what life puts before them and deal with it without asking for outside assistance.

The Storms of Life series introduces us to Lily, her brother Easton and his best friend Dean. This trio hails from rural Kolby, Oklahoma and while they are rich in love for each other, they have received more than their share of heartache from and disappointment from the adults and authority figures in their lives.

After a destructive storm hits Kolby, Lily’s life is turned upside down. Left to virtually fend for herself, she works hard to create a level of normalcy and safety in her now chaotic world. So when Dean returns from college to begin his student teaching requirement, it throws them back together, left with lingering feelings of love and loss.

Before the Storm is the prequel to Haven from the Storm. This story begins with Easton, Lily and Dean as children. While left to their own devices, Easton, Lily and Dean spend their long summer days playing outside, swimming in the river and enjoying their small town’s public activities. When Taylor, aka Stretch, arrives in Kolby to spend the summer with her aunt, Easton is immediately drawn to her. He tries to draw her out of her shell as best as a young man his age is capable.

Years later, Taylor returns to Kolby just as Easton and Dean are graduating high school. The story bounces back between both summers and reveals how painfully raw misunderstandings from their youth can be.

Lily Grace is enjoying the summer before high school. She has a serious crush on her older brother’s best friend Dean. These feelings have grown exponentially over the years for Dean, but are always thwarted by her very protective brother Easton.

Dean Haven, Easton’s best friend has just graduated high school. He is spending the summer enjoying the company of his friends before heading off to college and hopefully leaving Kolby behind for good.

Easton Grace, Lily’s older brother and Dean’s best friend is the anchor of this group. He is strong, protective to a fault, caring deeply for his sister and his friend.

Grandma Violet is Dean’s grandmother. The only adult to show love and concern for this group, she provides them a place of solace when it is needed.

- From Book 2 

Taylor Monaco shows up in Kolby just in time for graduation. She is tall, gorgeous and a total mystery to Easton Grace. Flattered that he is attracted to her quickly fades to disappointment when she realizes he does not know who she is.

Sarah Dosher took time out of her busy schedule as wife, mother and author to answer some questions about her books for us.  Thank you Sarah for sharing your wonderful gifts with us!

 

RMWTPC – Kolby is a fictional place. How closely does it resemble where you grew up or live now?

Sarah Dosher – I grew up in a small town and now live in an even smaller town. A lot of the quirks of small town life that you glimpse in this series are true. But the level of devastation seen in Haven from the Storm is not something that I have personally experienced but there are numerous places in Oklahoma that have been through something similar.

RMWTPC – Was it difficult to write about this type of natural disaster as Oklahoma is part of Tornado Alley and these events happen somewhat regularly in your region of the country?

Sarah Dosher – It wasn’t hard to write about the actual storm because I think growing up in Oklahoma we grow accustomed to hearing about tornado devastation and living through it yearly. However writing about loved ones losing their life was definitely hard. A little under two months after I released this novel there was massive destruction with numerous lives lost in several tornadoes in Oklahoma. It was very sad and hard for me to watch after having just released a fictional book that seemed so close to reality.

RMWTPC – Have you or close personal friends suffered the kind of loss that the residents of Kolby did?

Sarah Dosher– I have known several that have had a huge loss of personal belongings to tornadoes but not the loss of life to the extent seen in Kolby.

RMWTPC – At different points in the story, school officials discuss Lily’s bruises and other signs of physical abuse. How did you feel when you wrote their sense of helplessness because she would not come clean about what was really happening?

Sarah Dosher – This has actually been a very hot topic for my novel. There are many that feel this was not true to life and would never occur. Some reviewers have even said that it ruined the whole story for them and I hate hearing that.

I can promise that it is very true to life. I did not make this portion of the story up. I have seen this occur over and over with my own eyes. I even spoke with several that work within Child Protective Services in Oklahoma and they confirmed that this scenario happens on a regular basis. Haven from the Storm has been passed around to many different employees in Child Protective Services because they feel it is so true to what they see –and I am very proud of that!

RMWTPC – How many books do you anticipate will be in the Storms of Life series?

Sarah Dosher – At this time I envision one more in the Storms of Life Series. It will be focused on Adley and Derek from Haven from the Storm, but you will see all the same characters to some degree. The title is Sanctuary from the Darkness and is set to publish early in 2014.

You can follow Sarah on her blog at: sarahdosher.com

On facebook at: facebook.com/authorsarahdosher

And you can purchase her books on:

Amazon at: http://goo.gl/vCS87S

Barnes & Noble at: http://goo.gl/VoYLbm

Kobo: http://goo.gl/qaPrGM

iBooks: coming soon!

BEING THERE by TK Rapp

BEING THERE by TK Rapp
Release Date – July 2, 2013

BEING THERE was an incredibly pleasant surprise and in my opinion the sleeper hit of the summer. If you have not read this book, it is a must for your TBR list. The way that TK put together this story and intertwined the characters was not only beautiful, it caused moments of heartbreak, elation, tears and joy. You wouldn’t know this was her first book by reading it.

Cass Howard is an editor at a small publishing house in Houston. A hard worker, incredibly driven and lacking much of a social life, Cass finds herself often taken advantage of by her boss and less than focused co-workers. She has a penchant for lists, Elvis and avoiding her real name Prudence Cassiopia Howard.

Drew Alexander had been Cass’ best male friend since sophomore year in high school. After a falling out in college, the two have not spoken in 5 years.

Nevaeh Evans is a transfer student to Cass’ high school. They have a chance meeting at the mall and become BFFs in short order. Nev is everything that Cass is not, or thinks she’s not. Gorgeous, leggy, edgy and oozing style, Nev has a level of confidence that has eluded her best friend.

Luke is Nevaeh’s boyfriend. Only dating a short time, their relationship moves to the next level when she invites him along on her and Cass’ girls weekend.

The story opens in the waiting room of Cass’ doctor’s office. Cass is nervous because this is not a routine medical appointment, she is here to receive test results for a health issue that she wishes was never discovered.
After receiving her diagnosis, Cass over imbibes in wine to drown her sorrows. This momentary lapse in judgement causes her to not only take a walk down memory lane, but also participate in some drunk social media postings that leads to a private messaging session with an old friend.
Being There moves back and forth from high school, college and the present, while filling in the blanks of how the characters are where and who they are. The highs, lows, joys, fears, betrayals, and deep friendships will take you through a gamut of emotions. Keep the tissues handy, eye dabbing is guaranteed.

TK Rapp and I spent some time over the weekend asking and answering questions about her book.

RMWTPC – As a new author, what prompted you to take the plunge and write this book?

TK Rapp – I can remember always thinking that I would love to write a book someday. But like most people, my dreams were pushed to the side while living life. It was always there, peeking around the corner, reminding me that the desire was still there. I have started so many stories, but they were all over the place, so I never finished them. I would tell my mom that I wanted to write, and she’d say, “go for it.” I’d mention it to my friends, and they would say the same. But there was still the fear of the unknown. So I pushed it back again.

Fortunately, as the number of self-published writers carved their path, the opportunities for others, such as myself, became, not easier, but more of a possibility. This year, I turned 35, and I made a bucket list. Number one on my list was to write a novel. I decided, I can sit here and dream about writing, or I can actually write. Once I started, it was the most natural thing I have done in years. My only goal was to write it, the publishing part was something I figured I would decide later. And at the encouragement of my family and friends, I hit that scary button.

RMWTPC – Your story takes Cass through treatment for breast cancer. Did you hope to raise awareness for this disease, and the importance of monthly self-examination?

TK Rapp – Honestly, that was not on the forefront of my mind when writing. I know many women, including myself, who have had scares when doing self-examinations. Everything you go through, imagining the worst and preparing for the “what ifs,” is terrifying. I’m grateful that mine was just that, a scare. But so many times, it’s not.

My mom and I met a woman years ago that was not so lucky. She had received treatment and was in remission, only to have a relapse, and the second time, it was devastating. The times I would see her, or communicate with her, I was so amazed by her grace and dignity; her priority was her children, first and foremost, and I found her to her an inspiration. Sadly, she passed away, and I think of her every year on her birthday and hope her children know how much she loved them. It’s scary how prevalent all forms of cancer are these days. It is truly one of my biggest fears.

Cancer.org estimates that over 36 thousand women will die from breast cancer in 2013. So for me, self-examination is important. Just like knowing my body is important. And if this book can serve as a reminder to others to listen to their body, then I’m happy with that.

RMWTPC – The references to Elvis throughout your book were so much fun. Are you a die hard Elvis fan like Cass is? Have you been to Graceland?
TK Rapp – LOL! Actually, I am! His birthday is the day before mine, so I always felt a strange “connection,” to Elvis. When my daughter was 8 months old, we went to see an Elvis impersonator in Myrtle Beach. That was the first time she ever clapped and I knew it was a sign. J
We were actually able to go to Graceland about eight years ago when we took my husband’s grandmother, who was about 80, at the time. She lived near Memphis all her life and told us she had seen it, so getting to experience that with her was awesome and she loved it. I love old movies, pretty much any musical, etc., and I have passed this on to my kids. They will pick an Elvis movie over almost anything else.

RMWTPC – Drew and Cass seem to miss their opportunities to take their relationship to the next level and get stuck in a frustrating friendship rut. Do you believe that men and women can have true and lasting friendships without the complications of love and physical attraction? How and why?

TK Rapp – Frustrating is an understatement. LOL! Drew and Cass were exasperating! She annoyed me that she didn’t take the opportunity when it presented itself, even though she really wanted to. But I can also understand the fear of ruining a great friendship. It’s really tough.

A guy friend once told me that guys and girls can’t be just friends, the whole,…one of them has feelings for the other… theory. I didn’t really believe that because I had plenty of guy friends, several of my best friends were guys, and it never seemed to be an issue. The lines were very clear.

I do believe that guys and girls can be just friends. However, if one of them starts getting in a serious relationship with someone else, I think the new love interest will inevitably get jealous, causing a rift in either the relationship or the friendship.

RMWTPC – Will Being There become a book series and what can we expect from you next?

TK Rapp – I loved writing this book, so much. I love Drew and Cass and I saw them walk off into the sunset. However, I’ve had several people ask what’s next for them. Right now, I just don’t see anything left to tell, but we’ll see.
I have two books that I’m working on, and I hope to have the first of them done by the end of October. They are both standalones and very different from each other.

**Thank you Lisa for having me!! You are so amazing and I appreciate everything that you are doing. I can’t wait to meet you in St. Louis!!** (And yes, I Love that movie!!)

You can follow TK on her blog at: http://modestview.wordpress.com

On facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/T.K.Rapp.Author

And you can purchase her books on:

Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Being-There-ebook/dp/B00DR735T6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-5&qid=1378695375

Barnes & Noble at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/being-there-tk-rapp/1116156997?ean=2940044644564

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/334436

Brooke Cumberland - Burn Cover Reveal

It's a big day for Brooke Cumberland with the cover reveal of her next book Burn! Congrats Brooke, the cover looks awesome. Can't wait to read about Velaney and Eric's next adventures!

To learn more about Brooke and her books, please visit brookecumberland.blogspot.com

Spotlight on Lori Otto

Lori’s passion for writing began in elementary school. She received the highest score at Toler Elementary School on the creative writing essay portion of the state’s standardized test, which was centered around a Peanuts cartoon. Not only did she excel at writing, she enjoyed the freedom that it afforded her. She could create entire worlds based solely on her over-active imagination.

Lori’s high school English teacher supported her endeavors in poetry and essay writing. At the University of Texas in Arlington, she majored in Communications with a focus on Journalism, and minored in Art. Her dream was to become an advertising copywriter, until her advertising professor encouraged her to shift her focus to creative writing, because her talents were being wasted on advertising copy. She briefly considered it, but after doing well in a graphic design course, she switched gears, and eventually became a Creative Director and Marketing Manager for Clear Channel Outdoor.

Ten years later, Lori found herself burned out from exclusively writing sales and marketing materials. She left outdoor advertising and went into retail, working as the Lead Genius in her local Apple Store. The career change gave her more free time to focus on her other interests.

After an exhilarating, collaborative writing project, she had an idea for an original novel. The characters and their rich stories would keep her awake at night, and even with barely any sleep, she felt more alert and alive than she had in years. Her days off were spent in cafés, sandwich shops and bookstores, feverishly trying to get all of the details out of her head and onto paper.

In the spring of 2009, after a few months of writing, Lori decided to tweak one chapter from the novel-in-progress and enter it as a short story in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition, where she was awarded Honorable Mention in the Mainstream/Literary Short Story category.

A year later, she completed a series of three novels–Lost and Found, Time Stands Still, and Never Look Back–which were published in the spring of 2011. The following year, she published her first novella, Not Today, But Someday, a prequel to the Emi Lost & Found series. In the winter of 2012, Lori published her first YA novel, Contessa.

She now supervises a Mac team at a major retailer of watches, and still uses every waking free moment to write.

We will be reading Not Today, But Someday for this blog.

You can download this book for free at: http://www.amazon.com/Today-Someday-Lost-Found-ebook/dp/B009562YFO

Spotlight on Sarah Dosher

Sarah Dosher was born and raised in rural Oklahoma where she currently resides with her cowboy husband and twins (one cowboy and one cowgirl).

She is addicted to books and The Golden Girls. Her love for reading inspired her to write her first novel, Haven from the Storm. She is currently working on the continuation of the Storms of Life Series - Before the Storm a prequel novel will be published August 2013 and the final in the series, Sanctuary from the Darkness, is set to publish early 2014. Dosher's first contemporary romance titled A Blue Tale will be released December 2013

You can follow Sarah on her blog at: http://www.sarahdosher.com/
On facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/authorsarahdosher?fref=ts
and on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Dosher/e/B00C6FB4CU

No tricks and all treats with Kimberly Stedronsky's new book Eighth Note - Available on October 31st

This Halloween, Penned Con author Kimberly Stedronsky has a special treat for you all. Her new book Eighth Note (Fire Ballad One) is being released! This New Adult/ Paranormal/ Horror/ Romance will totally satisfy your reading sweet tooth cravings with none of the calories that normally come with Halloween goodies.

Here is a taste to get you salivating! Eva Reed saved the world.
Actually, she saved two worlds, but who’s counting?
Finding herself in the middle of present day suburbia, married and a mom at only twenty years old, she’s beyond bored. Even with her popular music blog and her handsome husband Will catering to her every impulse, she longs to use the incredible powers that she possesses.
But Earth is no place for magic.
When Cole Mathison arrives, asking for Eva’s help in solving the death of a famous pop star, she cannot resist the overwhelming pull to use her abilities again.
Eva finds that there is more to the sinister murder than what the evidence shows. People who listen continue to die, and she must rely on her immortality to protect her from a frequency that is shattering minds and stopping hearts.
There are forces at work that she could never have imagined...
And evil will be heard.

Adriane Leigh's Cover Reveal

Cover reveal for Adriane Leigh's new book due out October 30th. Love supporting an author from my West Michigan community!
Author Adriane Leigh cover reveal and blurb! Set to be released October 30th!

"They say that madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…but what happens when the very person that brought your hear...t back to life has the ability to shatter it with one confession?

After an explosive affair left their hearts shattered and scarred, Georgia and Tristan are trying for a fresh start. She is determined to take it slow and not repeat the mistakes of the past, while Tristan is willing to throw caution to the wind as long as he has his dark-haired girl in his life…and in his bed.

But Georgia and Tristan can’t shelter their love from the outside world, and the moments of exquisite passion they share aren’t enough to sustain the relationship. When scars from the past resurface—will their hearts meld together as one? Or will outside forces tear them apart, leaving an empty shell where love and passion once thrived?"

Pre-Order of Love and Lists is now available!

Penned Con author Tara Sivec's new book, Love and Lists will be released on October 1st. Have you one clicked to preorder?

http://www.amazon.com/Love-and-Lists-Chocoholics-ebook/dp/B00EG8U5S4

300 Likes Giveaway

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Beyond Control by Karice Bolton

BEYOND CONTROL by Karice Bolton

Release Date – September 2, 2013

BEYOND CONTROL, the tenth book by Karice Bolton, is a departure from her previous books that are from the paranormal/fantasy genre. She makes the transition successfully in this thoroughly enjoyable story.


Gabby is a recent college graduate working at her father’s business. As a child she suffered two significant losses. After a rebellious period and a personal health crisis, she has done everything in her power to take and keep control of her life.

Jason is a former Marine who owns his own custom motorcycle shop. He is mourning the loss of someone extremely special to him and has had a difficult time moving on.

Brandy is Gabby’s best friend and currently works as her assistant while she goes to law school at night. Brandy is beautiful, confident, and turns heads everywhere she goes.

Aaron is Gabby’s estranged brother. After being gone for 10 years, he tries to rejoin her life, but meets much resistance from his sister.

Gabby and Jason meet when the limo that Gabby is riding in is involved in a fender bender with Jason’s truck. When he hears her voice as he exchanges info with her driver, he senses a familiarity and wants to understand why.

Gabby is attracted to Jason, but a man is not in her control plan. As she tries to dissuade him, she realizes that it is harder than she thinks considering the level of energy that flows between them.

In anticipation of this book’s release on September 2nd, Karice shared her thoughts with me on the following subjects.

RMWTPC – Your previous books have been of the fantasy genre. What made you decide to jump to contemporary romance and was it difficult to make the switch?

Karice Bolton – First, thank you so much for allowing me to stop by and say hi! And thank you also for reading Beyond Control. So happy you enjoyed it! Back to your question… It was an easy transition, and one that I enjoyed tremendously. I have loved writing paranormal and fantasy and will continue to do so, but I thought it would be a nice change of pace to try something new — without the paranormal elements. I have wanted to write about Gabby and Jason for quite a long time. Often the ordinary in our lives can be as mystical as the extraordinary and fantastical. I always focus on characters and what characters can overcome, and I think this was a nice outlet to do that in a contemporary setting sans magic. Plus, I have another fantasy series that I’m working on so I can switch it up a bit.


RMWTPC – There is a recurring theme in your book that pertains to work /life balance. Gabby struggles with doing what she feels obligated to do as opposed to what she really wants or loves to do. Has your career as an author allowed you to avoid this pitfall?

Karice Bolton – Nope! I fell right into the issue headfirst. I actually wrote the first four or so novels while I was employed in the corporate world. My writing was a super secret that was fun to keep close to my chest. I worked at a Fortune 100 company for a very long time (12 years). Although, it probably felt longer than it was…

I worked with great people, but the job itself wasn’t what I wanted it to be because I really didn’t have a passion for the product. I was surrounded by people who worked at the company for 20-30-40 years, and they enjoyed what they did. I wanted to find that same fit for myself. I wrote late at night and gave my day job all I had and then some but kept focused on my writing. If you replace ‘cheese’ in the book with ‘soda’, there might be a few similarities. Maybe! But I think all those experiences are what help to define who and what we are and where we want to go in life. Knowing what you don’t want to do in life is just as important as knowing what you do want to do in life.


RMWTPC – Your story has an organ transplant component to it. Do you hope to raise awareness for the organ donor program with this book series?

Karice Bolton – I didn’t go into the story with that intention, but as the story unfolded it definitely became an issue that couldn’t be ignored. I just never know where the stories will take me.


RMWTPC – How many books do you anticipate will be in the Beyond Love series?

Karice Bolton – Generally, I always know exactly how many I will be writing. In this instance, I have three sketched out and many ideas for beyond the initial three books. But this time I will let the readers decide. If they want more of Gabby, Jason and the crew then I’ll probably continue to write their stories for quite awhile. I really enjoyed it!

You can follow Karice on her blog at: http://blog.karicebolton.com


On facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/karice.bolton


And you can purchase her books on:

Amazon at: http://amzn.to/19bPJEd

Barnes & Noble at: http://bit.ly/18wYMxh