Bestselling Romantic Comedy Author Alicia Street talks “I Heart Valentine’s Day”

Happy Hump Day, RG2E Peeps!

We’re starting our Valentine’s Day Celebration a wee bit early here at The RG2E with the help of one of my fave authors and good friends – Bestselling Romantic Comedy Author Alicia Street.

Take it away, Alicia…

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a special day for those of us who love romance. J Aside from wondering what my DH might give me, I can’t help dreaming about how the sweethearts in the Dance ‘n’ Luv contemporary romance series might celebrate.

I would guess Parker, gardener supreme, would make a gorgeous heart of roses for Tanya. And maybe his sister Casey would challenge the cocky wiseguy Drew to another ping-pong match, only this time sans clothing. I can see Amanda and Russ staying cozy by a fire in his fisherman’s bungalow. And Jenna and Aiden would take in a show and do the town in NYC.

If you haven’t yet met these couples yet, in the series, I’ve put the Dance ‘n’ Luv Contemporary Romance Boxed Set at a special price. Plus I’ll be giving one away today!

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AMAZON UK

And since I invited some author friends to chime in on what their characters might be up to for Valentine’s Day, you’ll also have a chance to either buy at a sale price or win a free copy of the books listed below!

To start off, we’ve got three Valentine themed ebooks! Christy Hayes’s Good Luck, Bad Timing & When Harry Met Sally, Sheila Seabrook’s The Valentine Grinch and Kristine Cayne’s Un-Valentine’s Day.

Let’s start with Good Luck, Bad Timing & When Harry Met Sally by Christy Hayes. How would your story sweethearts celebrate?

Christy: The couple from my stand-alone short story met on Valentine’s Day so this holiday would also be their anniversary. As New York City residents, Celia and David would probably venture to Madison Square Garden to take in a hockey game if one were scheduled for Valentines. If not hockey, perhaps basketball since that is Celia’s favorite sport. They would then go to the pizza restaurant where they shared their first meal and end the night as David would have preferred on their first unofficial date: wrapped in each other’s arms.”

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In Sheila Seabrook’s LOL novella, The Valentine Grinch, the heroine Amanda hates Valentine’s Day. Luckily she meets up with Dane, her high school buddy, and he’s intent on changing her mind about it. So what are they doing on this special day?

Sheila: They’re going to Grandma Elvira’s wedding — which is giving them both a few wedding ideas of their own.

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All Romance eBooks

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KOBO US

In Kristine Cayne’s novelette, Un-Valentine’s Day, her heroine is also set against this lovers’ holiday. How come?

Kristine: Cassie, the heroine, hates the sappy romantic holiday because the previous year, instead of getting a Valentine’s Day proposal from her now ex-boyfriend, she caught him cheating. But Noah is determined to give her the best, most unexpected Valentine’s Day ever. Cassie doesn’t know what to expect, but it certainly isn’t the day of testosterone-laden activities and the revelation that there is more to cute-but-more-than-a-little-nerdy Noah. Much more.

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What about the fab couple in Chicki Brown’s Ain’t Too Proud To Beg?

Chicki: Private time is at a minimum for Vaughn and Trenyce. Both of them treasure time away from the hustle and bustle of Tinseltown and the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Since Trenyce has lived most of her life inland, she has an absolute fetish for the ocean. Vaughn and Trenyce’s perfect Valentine’s Day would be a trip to a secluded island retreat where no one recognizes him.  A beautiful retreat in Fiji fits the bill perfectly.

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Then there’s Zach and Sadie in Stacey Joy Netzel’s More Than A Kiss

 

Stacey: As the owner of MovieMail in California, Zach is well connected. He surprised Sadie with tickets to Trent Tomlin’s new romantic comedy movie premiere, so they will spend an evening amongst the stars. After the premiere, they’ll take a long walk on the beach.

More Than A Kiss is not part of the giveaway, but it is on sale for .99 (regular price 3.99)

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iTunes, BN, Kobo

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And I am definitely up for the kind of Valentine gift cooked up by MJ, Diana Layne’s hero from Trust No One.

Diana: Retired from the dangerous world of espionage, MJ Thornberg and Ben Walker live a quiet life in small town Texas where they own an auto repair shop. Since MJ’s the mechanic, Ben is sneaking away from the office to enlist the help of Dottie, best cook this side of the Red River, to make MJ a down home meal of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread. Plus, he’s making MJ a decadent chocolate-layer cake all by himself.  (Wonder what the kitchen is going to look like when he’s finished?) The question is, will MJ be able to work the next day or will she be in a food-induced coma and have to close down shop to stay home–in bed with Ben?

US and UK buy links

http://amzn.com/B0089HULLE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0089HULLE

The food factor also comes into play for the sweethearts in Nana Malone’s Sultry in Stilettos.

Nana: Since Beckett and Ricca are such a new couple, they’d spend a quiet night alone. Ricca knows the way to Beckett’s heart is through his…. stomach, so she’d make him all his Trinidadian favorites, in particular Callaloo. And Beckett, knowing his woman is so busy taking care of others that she barely has time for herself, would spend the day pampering her. Massage, nails, hair, the works. She wouldn’t have to leave the house or lift a finger for anything. He’d be her personal manservant.

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So if you’d like to win one of the giveaway books, tell us your version of a romantic Valentine’s Day. And be sure to include which book you’d want and your email.

Wishing you a lovely and lovable Valentine’s Day!

— Alicia Street

About Alicia (and her husband and writing partner Roy Street):

In addition to being part of today’s Indie writers movement, we are traditionally published authors and recipients of a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

We share backgrounds in the performing arts and spent many gypsy years living and working in the different neighborhoods of New York City and Philadelphia. Alicia as a dancer, choreographer and teacher; Roy in theater, visual arts and standup comedy.

Alicia is a chronic reader of every genre including the classics. She also loves old black-and-white movies, making organic soups from recipes she invents, working out and, of course, dancing. Roy’s into sweaty workouts, too, as well as watching boxing on HBO and eating Alicia’s organic soups. Our cat’s name is Wallace, an orange ten-pounder who’s crazy over pizza. He and Roy do slices every Friday night.

Connect with Alicia here:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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This is totally Cupid-style awesome, Alicia! Thanks sooo much and to all of your fabulous friends too for sharin’ the heart-filled spirit of the season with us!

And thanks too for all of the Ebook Gifts and Special Sale Prices too!

Y’all rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Reading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E Featured Author Zoe Dawson talks “Nimble Great Danes, Popular Bulldogs, Precocious Jack Russell Terriers and Einstein Poodles”

Wavin’ atchya, RG2E Peeps!

Today, here at The RG2E, we’re Going to the Dogs, with fabulous author Zoe Dawson and her wonderful romantic comedy/mystery series! Take it away, Zoe…

Through research, writers discover information about the subject they’re writing about.  For each breed of dog in my Going to the Dogs series, I needed to find out facts that would make my specific dog character come as much to life as the hero and heroine.  I also wanted to be true to the breed when portraying my doggie star.

In Leashed, I needed something that would draw the hero Owen and his Great Dane Jill together.  This dog was left to Owen by his beloved great aunt.  My initial thought was to have my heroine Callie suggest agility training.  But I thought that Great Danes were not good choices and probably too gangly to compete.   So, I looked up agility and Great Danes on the web and discovered that not only are they competitors, but pretty good ones.

Jack has some ‘splainin’ to do!

That’s right! Callie Lassiter’s normally well-behaved Great Dane Jack has run off and done the wild thing with the neighbor’s dog. It must be puppy love! It’s doubly embarrassing since she’s a professional dog trainer. Of course, the neighbor would have to be hot, hot nightclub owner bad boy Owen McKay, just the kind of man Callie is determined to avoid. 

Owen’s comfortable with his playboy status and the hype in the media. But the ground moves beneath his feet when he gets an eyeful of the girl next door. The Dog Whisperer never looked this good! How can he convince this wholesome honey that his player days are behind him? Maybe Jill, his Great Dane can help him with this dilemma now that she’s pregnant and Callie’s dog is to blame. 

Is this bad boy a bad bet?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

99 Cents

Here’s a Youtube video of Bojangles, one of the top three Great Danes in competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex8QUF-SRBI

For my second book, Groomed for Murder, I created the heroine’s bulldog, Roscoe, who’s quite protective of the heroine as the hero and his expensive suit pants find out.  Bulldogs are the sixth most popular breed in America.  In Los Angeles though, bulldogs are #1, according to the American Kennel Club.

Can a dog have a bad hair day?

Brooke Palmer owns Pawlish, an exclusive doggie spa and grooming business in upper Manhattan, but when a client’s champion poodle gets a bad poodle cut and has to undergo therapy to recover, the client sues. The lawyer they send is drop dead gorgeous, but Brooke won’t be wooed by a corporate shark in a sharp suit.

Corporate lawyer Drew Hudson has better things to do then take on this ridiculous lawsuit, but since he works for the client’s husband, he has no choice. After meeting the beautiful, sweet-tempered owner, he can’t keep his mind on the silly case. But when the client turns up dog gone dead, Brooke may be a conflict of interest when she’s charged with the murder. All Drew wants to do is prove that this sexy entrepreneur is not dangerous, except to his heart.

Can she take a chance on him?

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$3.99

Not only is Roscoe my heroine’s pet from her childhood, but with a dysfunctional family he was her true friend.  It’s no wonder she started making him special doggie treats.  Roscoe is fond of taking quick walks, sleeping on his back and giving great, beautiful, wet doggie kisses.  He also teaches my heroine how to let go and how to embrace change.

Here’s a video that shows their wonderful temperament both as an adult and a puppy.

Ah, Jack Russell Terriers, mischievous little devils that can be a trial to own, but with many fun attributes.  They can benefit from firm, consistent discipline and obedience training. However, they will never be a perfect obedience dog.  This is just the case in the upcoming third book in my series, Hounded.  Poe, my heroine, has two Jack Russell terriers, dubbed The Terrible Two or the Triple T threat by her friends.  The twosome like to raid her sock drawer for “balls,” dance in her living room after learning to turn on their own music, and tag team little girls and steal their ice cream cones.

Here’s one playing with balloons.

That brings me to my last dog in the series, Harper’s Blue who’s featured in Collared.  He’s a silver standard, but it can be quite confusing.  Silver poodles are born black and start silvering as they age.  As far as intelligence goes, the poodle is rated second only to the border collie. This means they are easy to train, respond well to commands and housetrain quickly.  The poodle cut isn’t something the French thought up to make their dogs all snooty.  Nope, the cut is practical and necessary to protect the dog while they are retrieving water fowl.  Poodle comes from the German word prudel which means to splash in water.

This video shows you can’t trick a poodle, and the intro by the little girl who owns her is so cute.

There you have it, the four breeds I used in my Going to the Dogs series.

So what are some of your favorite breeds?  What traits do you like about them?  What’s a fun fact that few people know?

I’m gifting a copy of Leashed to three lucky posters and Leashed and Groomed for Murder to one lucky poster, so don’t forget to leave your email address.

Thank you so much for having me D.D.

Zoe

No formulas…no rules.  It’s all about the happily ever afters!

Word Count:  Leashed, a novella (26,000); Groomed for Murder (61,302)

Part of a series?:  Going to the Dogs series:  Leashed, Groomed for Murder, Hounded (Out June 17, 2013), Collared (Out November 18, 2013)

About Zoe:

Zoe Dawson is the alter ego of Karen Anders, award winning, multi-published author. Her writing journey started with poetry and branched out into fiction. With a couple of college English courses under her belt, she penned a historical, then moved onto contemporary romance fiction. Today, she is happy producing romantic suspense, romantic mystery, and paranormal novels. The words feed her soul and the happily ever afters feed her heart.

Connect with Zoe:

Find Zoe Dawson on the web!

Website: www.zoedawson.com/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ZoeDawsonAuthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/zoe.dawsonauthor1

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/zoedawson

Blog:  http://zoedawsonauthor.blogspot.com/

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I’m a HUGE dog-lover, Zoe, and these sound just fabulous!!!  And what a treat in YouTube videos today too!

Thanks bunches for sharing the canine love and for the Ebook Gift Copies too! U rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Reading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E Featured Author Anne R. Allen talks Robin Hood Country and Treats You to a FREE Ebook!

Happy Thursday, RG2E Peeps!

Please help me Welcome Back to The RG2E, Featured Author Anne R. Allen, who’s about to take us on a fantabulous Robin Hood Country adventure! Take it away, Anne…

My mystery novel SHERWOOD LTD, is something of a love-letter to England’s East Midlands and the county of Lincolnshire—one of the least touristy spots in the British Isles, but one rich in history and folklore.

It’s a place I discovered by happy accident several years ago, when my novel FOOD OF LOVE was accepted by a UK publishing company that had recently moved from the bustling industrial city of Leeds to the little market town of Gainsborough, on the banks of the river Trent, which marks the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

My new publishers turned out to be an eccentric band of publishing outlaws who published mostly hard-core erotica—pretty much the antithesis the of my comic mysteries about Camilla Randall, the Manners Doctor. But the company was eager to branch into mainstream fiction and the managing partners invited me to fly over to promote my book and share free digs in a vast 19^th century factory complex they’d just bought. Fittingly, the factory had last been used as a ladies underwear factory and was called “The Shadowline Building.” (I call it “The Maidenette Building” in my novel.)

Most of my friends thought I was deeply bonkers, but I’ve never turned down a chance to travel, so I found a tenant for my little California beach house, bought a plane ticket for England and jumped into the adventure.

I’d lived in England many years ago—working in London for eight months after college—but Lincolnshire is the opposite of the big, modern, multi-ethnic capital to the South. It’s the “green and pleasant land” of the storybooks I read in my childhood—like “the Shire” of Middle Earth. I immediately fell in love with the lush, pastoral landscape, the friendly people, and the history-steeped, time-travel atmosphere. There I was, in the land of Robin Hood—the home of “Lincoln Green.”

I even loved the food. Make all the jokes you want about English cuisine, but they make some of the best cheeses in the world, and in a town full of old-fashioned bakeries, small artisanal butcher shops and a twice-weekly farmer’s market, I ate very, very well. (Probably too well. Lincolnshire is not the best spot to be watching your weight.)

Gainsborough itself has a long and romantic history. It’s the town George Eliot called “St Oggs” when she wrote The Mill on the Floss—and the river that flowed by my window was “the Floss” of her iconic novel.

Gainsborough was already ancient by the time George Eliot/Mary Ann Evans sought refuge there. In fact, it was well established by the time a Viking King named Sweyn Forkbeard, having defeated the Saxon king Ethelred the Unready, made it the capital of England in the ninth century.

That lasted about five weeks until he had a fatal fall from his horse and was succeeded by his son King Canute, of stopping-the-tide fame. (Which he also did in Gainsborough, pretending to stop the Trent’s great tidal bore, the Aegir.)

In my novel, I call the town Swynsby-on-Trent, in honor of Mr. Forkbeard (literally “Sweyn’s home, since “by” was a Viking place-name suffix meaning “home.”)

I ended up living in Gainsborough on and off from 2002-2005. Unfortunately the publishing company went under rather tragically, with the mysterious disappearance of one of the owners (He disappeared from his boat, but his body was never found.) But it was a fine adventure while it lasted, and I’ll always cherish the friendships I made there.

I was dying to set a novel in Gainsborough, but in order not to hurt any feelings (or incur any lawsuits) I decided to fictionalize the town and set an entirely made-up mystery there, featuring my always-polite amateur sleuth, Camilla as a kind of modern-day Maid Marian.

I wasn’t able to incorporate all my favorite Lincolnshire haunts, however, or the story would have turned into a travelogue. (In fact, my editor made me eliminate my more tour-guidish digressions.)

I did include a glimpse of the open market in the central square, where traveling peddlers still display everything from fresh produce to meat pies and ribbons and pots and pans, just as they did in Robin Hood’s day—only a few blocks from the very modern Tesco supermarket. I also have several scenes set in one of Gainsborough’s picturesque pubs, many of which began as coaching inns in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Unfortunately, I had to eliminate a scene set in Gainsborough’s greatest landmark—the “Old Hall”—one of England’s best-preserved medieval manor houses. The beautiful building, built on the ruins of Sweyn Forkbeard’s castle, was a place visited by the likes of Richard III and Henry VIII. It also sheltered the Separatist “Pilgrim Fathers” as they made their escape to the Netherlands and then to the New World on the Mayflower.

I also have Camilla visit the historic city of Lincoln—only fifteen miles from Gainsborough—which houses one of Europe’s greatest Gothic cathedrals, as well as an 11^th century castle that is the home of one of the original copies of the Magna Carta.

Lincoln Cathedral, built in 1072, rivals Chartres in its soaring Gothic magnificence. It is actually taller than Chartres, and was the tallest building in the world for 249 years (1300–1549.) The cathedral was used as a stand-in for Westminster Abbey in the 2005 film of The DaVinci Code.

Across the square from the cathedral is Lincoln Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1068, and one of the country’s best-preserved castles. William built his castle on the ruins of the fortress originally built by the Roman armies who occupied Britain from 43AD through the fourth century.

Many houses in the old part of Lincoln are built on top of the old Roman forum. I was lucky enough to be invited to visit a woman whose townhouse had the base of a huge marble column in the basement. Walking up the stairs was like walking through time, from the ancient forum to the medieval kitchen, to an 18^th century dining room to a Victorian parlor and up to a modern couple of bedrooms that looked out on the whole city.

I’m dying to use that in a story sometime. So I just may have send Camilla off to Lincolnshire again. It would make a great excuse to go for a return visit.

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SHERWOOD, LTD. (Romantic comedy/mystery) Suddenly-homeless American manners expert Camilla Randall becomes a 21st century Maid Marian—living rough near the real Sherwood Forest with a band of outlaw English erotica publishers—led by a charming, self-styled Robin Hood who unfortunately may intend to kill her. When Camilla is invited to publish a book of her columns with UK publisher Peter Sherwood, she lands in a gritty criminal world—far from the Merrie Olde England she envisions. The staff are ex-cons and the erotica is kinky. Hungry and penniless, she camps in a Wendy House built from pallets of porn while battling an epic flood, a mendacious American Renfaire wench, and the mysterious killer who may be Peter himself.

Sherwood, Ltd. is available in ebook from Amazon US, Amazon UK and at Barnes and Noble for NOOK

I’d hoped that Sherwood, Ltd might be free on Amazon by now and it’s not, but it IS FREE on 

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/250986

and Kobo:  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Sherwood-Ltd/book-89HF0Nn8RkO1aHM482xo7g/page1.html?s=LCXqTz3woU6Cj-_cIZXy1w&r=1

About Anne: 

Anne R. Allen is a blogger, humorist, and the author of five comic crime novels: Food of Love, The Gatsby Game, Ghostwriters in the Sky, Sherwood, Ltd. and The Best Revenge.

She’s also the co-author of the writer’s guide How to be a Writer in the E-Age…And Keep Your E-Sanity (MWiDP June 2012), written with Pay it Forward author Catherine Ryan Hyde.

She lives on the Central Coast of California near San Luis Obispo, which Oprah named “the happiest town in the US.” Anne teaches blogging and social media at the Central Coast Writers Conference. Her blog, “Anne R. Allen’s Blog…with Ruth Harris: Writing about Writing. Mostly” was a finalist in the American Publishers Association/Goodreads IBB Awards for Best Publishing Industry Blog. NYT Bestseller and former Big Six editor Ruth Harris joined the blog in 2011.

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What a fascinating Travelogue, Anne! And what fun to see how all of this became part of your book! Thanks sooo much for sharing and for the FREE Ebook Gift Copies of SHERWOOD, LTD.! U rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E Featured Author Bettye Griffin on Romance in the Real World…Plus an Ebook Gift and a FREE Eread Too!

Wavin’ atchya, RG2E Peeps!!!

Here’s RG2E Featured Author Bettye Griffin on “Romance in the Real World.”

Take it away, Bettye…

In my preparation for writing romance, I naturally started reading romance. I was surprised to see so many heroines (and an occasional hero) who had sworn off love (forever!) because of a bad experience. Yes, I know that some romance stories are fantasy based, but that concept always seemed silly to me. Every mature adult knows that life has ups and downs, and besides, it’s human nature to want to love and be loved. Sure, a person might feel that way after a bad relationship…for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. But to declare you’re through with love for all time? That’s what a sixteen-year-old would say, not a grown woman. Whenever I come across a character who feels this way, I picture Lana Turner in Imitation of Life when she learns daughter Sandra Dee is in love with her (Lana’s) boyfriend, nobly proclaiming, “Then I’ll never see him again,” to which an exasperated Sandra replies, “Oh, Mother, stop acting.” That’s how phony and unbelievable such emotions are. Drives me nuts.

My romance books are all different, but all of them are realistic stories. Reading about all those defeatist characters who decided love wasn’t for them that made me decide, about a dozen years ago, to write a story about a woman who, instead of shying away from love, was actively looking for a life partner, and during her search had a whole lot of bad experiences. She and her friend are spending New Year’s Eve 1999 in front of the TV set, with nothing to look forward to other than another birthday…their thirty-fifth, a point in life where women wonder if they’ll ever get that romantic happy ending. Her last date turned out to be a disaster; the man, a biologist, loves talking about germs.

She and her friend vow to become social butterflies, attending any event where they might meet new men, in search of their soul mates. The stage is set for all sorts of humorous situations. At a New Year’s Day open house, she meets a chemist and feels quite hopeful, even after he lacerates his hand on the hook of a coat rack and she drives him to the ER. But she encounters a physician there who is drop-dead gorgeous, with a pair of electric blue eyes that make her spine straighten, as if he can see straight through her.

“Is it serious?” he asks her once he determines she’s at the ER with a friend who is receiving treatment.

“No, I just met him,” she replies, realizing too late that he was asking about her companion’s condition, not about the status of the relationship.

Vivian doesn’t know it yet, but she will be seeing a lot of Dr. Zack Warner as the men she goes out with all end up needing medical attention…Why, you ask? Get the 911—er, the 411 in my laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, Accidentally Yours!

Accidentally Yours was the fourth of ten contemporary romances I wrote that were traditionally published, before I went indie. It was originally published under the title Prelude to a Kiss, because my editor didn’t like my title. Now that I have the rights back and I’m the one calling the shots (the best benefit of being indie), the eBook reissue has the preferred original title. This remains my only romantic comedy to date.

On the other hand, if rom-com isn’t your thing, my most recent original eBook title, Isn’t She Lovely?, is a serious but romantic sweeping romance centering around secrets, scandals, old wounds, and new attachments amid a gubernatorial campaign that USA Today called “A masterpiece of complexity and philosophical life lessons with a heartwarming romance”…wow. It’s not every day that someone calls my work a masterpiece. This book stayed in the Top 100 list of Amazon Multicultural Romances for nearly four months, from the time of its release on March 5th until the latter part of June. Here’s the trailer for Isn’t She Lovely?:

There are, as you can see, plenty of fireworks between these characters, as evidenced by this brief excerpt from their first meeting:

“I know about the accident that killed your wife and mother-in-law,” Tracy said softly. “I truly am sorry for the…horrendous experience you and your son suffered, but perhaps he should be supervised more closely.”

Keith’s spine stiffened. He understood the message behind her words: that he shouldn’t be out campaigning, he should be at home with his son. And he didn’t like it. Who was this woman to tell him how to raise his son? With all she had on her plate, how much time did she spend with her kids?

I will gift up to three copies each of Accidentally Yours and Isn’t She Lovely? (up to a total of six eBooks), depending on the number of comments you guys leave.  Just leave a comment, tell me which title you’d prefer to read and what type of device or file type you require.  I’ll post the winner’s names in the comments section the afternoon on Tuesday, November 13th.  But if you don’t win, you can still get a free book.  That’s right…in honor of the upcoming (anticipated for later this week) publication of my newest eBook Something Real, I have made the book this is a sequel to, the charming marriage of convenience romance, Save The Best For Last, free on Smashwords (I will be doing the same on BN.com and Amazon.com—although the latter is a crapshoot when it comes to free pricing—as time permits me to make the appropriate format changes for these retailers’ respective requirements).  Smashwords, of course, allows downloads in just about any format a person could need.  Download your free copy here, and don’t forget to check out the excerpts at the back of the book, especially the one for Something Real.

There you have it…something for everyone.  Thanks…and may the romance in your life always be the real thing!

All Ebooks available (from $3.00 up) on Amazon , B&N Nook and Smashwords

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About Bettye:

Bettye Griffin had 10 contemporary romances and 6 novels of women’s fiction traditionally published. In 2009, while still writing for a traditional publisher, she launched Bunderful Books, her outlet for independently published works.  As of 2012 she has published five original titles and several backlist titles as well.  A native of Yonkers, New York, she now makes her home in the city of Kenosha in Southeast Wisconsin.  Visit her author website (www.bettyegriffin.com), her publisher website (www.bunderfulbooks.com), her blog (www.chew-the-fat-with-Bettye.blogspot.com), her Facebook publisher page (Bunderful Books), and follow her on Twitter (@BettyeGriffin).

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Just fabulous, Bettye! And I luuuvvv your covers!!!

Thanks bunches for sharing with us today and for the terrific Ebook Gifts and FREE Eread too! U rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E Peeps: Let’s Talk Scents and Sensuality with Bestselling Author Joan Reeves

Happy Thursday, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!

Here’s a superfab fun take on Scents and Sensuality with Bestselling Author Joan Reeves.

Take it away, Joan…

http://www.JoanReeves.com

http://SlingWords.blogspot.com 

When I first began blogging about 8 years ago, I wrote a post about the best smells in the world. I listed 10 smells that I love. Fresh-mown grass, baking bread, and a clean baby were on the list. Would you believe that simple post has always been one of the most popular posts on my blog,  SlingWords. In fact, it continues to be read all these years later.

Since I’m finishing up my latest romantic comedy that has the science of smell and sex appeal as its information plot, I’ve been engrossed in smell research, one might say. Actually, I’ve always been fascinated by smell. Maybe it’s because I had a mother who wore the most wonderful perfume. Even as a small child, I noticed the way she smelled. When she hugged me, the most wonderful fragrance wafted from her. I can remember sniffing the air and asking her what smelled so good.

I couldn’t pronounce the name of my mother’s perfume then. I can now, but I won’t be purchasing the fragrance anytime soon. You see, Mom’s favorite scent was by Lucien LeLong. The parfum came in a bottle as beautiful as the smell. Recently, I priced it online and was dismayed to discover it was $250.00 for a quarter ounce.

I guess I’ve always had a love affair with fine perfumes and an interest in the science of smell.

Smell is the most primitive of all our senses. We inhale and odor molecules float into our noses, traveling back to the nasal cavity behind the bridge of the the nose. There, those odor molecules get absorbed by the mucosa containing receptor cells on which there are microscopic hairs called cilia. About 5 million of these receptor cells fire impulses to the olfactory bulb, or smell center, in the brain.

If you kill a brain neuron, it won’t re-grow. Neither will cells in the eyes or ears, but you grow new nasal neurons about every month. These neurons wave in the air much like sea anemones. When your olfactory bulb detects something, it signals your cerebral cortex and sends a message straight into your limbic system, that primitive, emotional part of the brain that houses your feelings and your desires.

If a visual stimulation occurs, your brain immediately starts trying to process what you saw. The same thing occurs if you hear something. Your brain goes to work immediately to interpret the sound. That doesn’t happen when you smell something. You don’t need your brain to do anything. What you smell creates an immediate effect that needs no translation, thought, interpretation, or anything. The primitive part of your brain reacts immediately.

This is why you can smell something and immediately be transported to your grandmother’s front porch when she served apple pie on Sunday afternoons when you were a small child. Or maybe you smell Crayons and you’re back in kindergarten. Smell is almost like a time machine. You smell, and bam! You remember an event, and the way you felt during that event. You can see it so clearly. It’s the sharpest, in-focus memory.

In my next romantic comedy, Scents and Sensuality (which I thought I’d have published by the time you read this post, but real life keeps interfering with my plans), the heroine, Amanda Whitfield, is a perfume designer. Now that’s a job I’d like to have! So, of course, I gave it to my heroine. Smell is closely linked to sexual attraction. Scent goes hand in hand with sensuality — thus the title.

Scents and Sensuality is a much expanded and changed version of an older print book, Say Yes, published quite some time ago. The inspiration for the heroine’s occupation was research I’d done, one might say, at my mother’s knee, breathing in the wonderful Lucien LeLong she wore. As an adult, I expanded my research into the science of pheromones, those below-conscious smells we all breathe in without knowing it.

When Amanda explains smell and the science of sex appeal to her Mr. Right, I hope you’ll find it as hilarious — and sexy — as I thought it was when I wrote the scene. Please look for Scents and Sensuality at all major ebook sellers.

In the meantime, I’m giving away 10 copies of Scents and Sensuality as soon as it’s available. Make a comment within 24 hours of this blog post. Then email me — Joan at JoanReeves dot com — to receive your free copy of Scents and Sensuality. In the subject box, put “Real Live Person–Free Book” and give me your preferred ebook seller and your registered email addy. I’ll send you a gift card for the free book as soon as it’s available.

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This is fascinating scoop, Joan, and thanks sooo much for sharing it with us!

I’m mesmerized by scents as you are. In fact, I had a Great Aunt, who used an Estee Lauder night cream before bed, and I sooo loved that smell! I would look forward to spending the night with her so I could smell that fabulous cream and try some before she’d tuck me into bed.

Thanks bunches too for Ebook Gifting our fabulous RG2E Peeps! U rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E Featured Author Dee DeTarsio treats you to a Free Ebook and talks The Cat’s Pajamas!

Happy Hump Day, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!

You’re in for some superfab fun today with our RG2E Featured Author Dee DeTarsio!

Take it away, Dee…

I want to be the bee’s knees in the cat’s pajamas, and I’ve been on this quest forever. Seriously. What does everyone sleep in? And what are all those other authors out there writing in? Emily Giffin, (Where We Belong) I’m talking to you.

Am I the only one with stretched and faded-beyond-belief, shunned by the dust rag yoga pants?

How hard is it to invent cute pajamas? Ones that don’t wrinkle, creep, make you sweat or look like a man. Ones that smell good, wash well, and fit perfectly.

I am ashamed of how much I love polka dots, what is it about their dangerous lure? And fyi,  Pajama Jeans need to be sent back to the drawing board.

I’ve tried Victoria’s Secret–though I’m apparently fifteen years, ten pounds and two cup sizes out of their demographics. I was watching a movie with my daughter and her (ex)boyfriend, wearing a two-piece number with a light blue background and a white pattern. There may have been fuchsia trim. Mr. Smarty-Pants began humming a circus ditty, “doo doo doo doo do do doo do do do.” I could have been balancing on a unicycle in the center ring, honking my clown nose while chasing down an ice cream truck. Not the look I was going for.

(Music rises with a swell.) One day, there will be pajamas . . . that we can answer the door in, wear to check the mail, or hey, drop kids off at school without having to fill out a journal their therapist will be demanding. One day, all we’ll need to do is Google: Pajama Jeans/Polka Dots/Angelina Jolie and voila, sweet dreams will be ours!

RG2E Peeps: What are your favorite pajamas?

Dee DeTarsio is a writer living in southern California. Check out her novel The Kitchen Shrink, FREE on Amazon this week (Mon. Sept. 17-Friday, Sept. 21)

If your life is a mess, your house could probably use a makeover,
too. Welcome to the behind-the-scenes world of reality TV in The Kitchen Shrink . . . an unexpected love story.

With tenderness, humor, drama, and the simplicity of real life, this original, endearing story reaches into the heart of friendship and relationships.

Unable to squirm out of this “it will be fun” opportunity, Lisby Shaw tries to juggle her upstairs-behind-the-scenes-life with her downstairs-in-front-of-the-camera persona, where everything she says and does can and will be used against her. She cannot believe what a freak show her life has become. At least no one knows about her crush on Sam, Sam, the Cameraman…

Lisby tries to find her way as the TV cameras capture her every move, zooming in on drama with her kids, her ex, her mom and her best friend. Stay tuned for Lisby’s extreme close-up as she becomes a jilted laughingstock on national TV. All is lost…or is it?

The Kitchen Shrink, finalist in the San Diego Book Awards Association.

Other books by Dee DeTarsio include The Scent of Jade, Ros, ‘Til Somebody Loves You (Romantic Comedy Quick-Pick), and Haole Wood.

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It’s Pajama Time, RG2E Peeps! While you’re deciding which pajamas to tell us about in our comments section below, be sure to download Dee’s THE KITCHEN SHRINK, which is FREE on Amazon thru Friday!!!

Thanks Bunches for the terrific post, Dee, and for treating us with a Free Ebook! U rock!!!

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E’s EOTD is Cherry on Top, a Romantic Comedy from USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Long

Happy Weekend, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!

Here’s a waaay fun way to kick-off our weekend…

Author: Kathleen Long

On Amazon

Price: 99 Cents

Life… When Cherry Harte wins the lottery, she sets out to reinvent her life. New villa. New wardrobe. New personal history. The only thing that can stop her now is her wacky family and the hunky mechanic who kicks her libido from zero to sixty in no time flat.

Luck… Luke Chance has had it with women, especially women with new money, yet Cherry Harte seems to be far more than a pretty package. But is she on the lam? The woman’s hiding something, and Luke intends to find out what. He’s a man on mission. Call it…

Love.

FROM THE AUTHOR:

I’m thrilled to present the digital release of one of my early titles. Originally published in 2005, CHERRY ON TOP is a fast-paced romantic comedy, complete with a zany cast of characters.

I love to escape into the pages of a book, and CHERRY ON TOP was one of my all-time favorite stories to write. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Cherry and Luke’s trials and tribulations as well as about their quirky relatives. From Cherry’s wig-loving sister to her skunk-loving poodle, it seems everyone–Cherry included–is having a bit of an identity crisis.

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Doesn’t this sound sooo fun?!

Who all would like an Ebook Gift Copy? Let us know below, and you just might win one from The RG2E!

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E’s EOTD is Nina Whyle’s Romantic Comedy Moving Up on Manolos

Happy Weekend, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!

Here’s a fun romp to kick-off the weekend…

Author: Nina Whyle

On Amazon , B&N Nook and Smashwords

Price: 99 Cents (on Kindle) to $1.38 (Nook and Smashwords)

“You put high heels on and you change.”
- Manolo Blahnik

Many of us (ladies) sit frustrated at home on a dark night with a glass of wine in one hand and a calorific spoon in the other reminiscing over the dreams we once had, Jane Allen is no different on that score.

When her best friend from drama school, the delectable TV heartthrob Alex Canty invites Jane to LA this is her chance to turn her life around. But when a potato sack has more elegance than you it’s easy for self doubt to creep in and become a quivering jelly!

With the much needed ego-boost from her machiavellian flatmate Jane blows a hole straight through her credit card and arrives in LA with a designer wardrobe, new haircut and a stunning pair of four-inch Manolo Blahnik heels. Or to put it more precisely wobbles into the terminal, teeters over to passport control and stumbles into the arms of a handsome stranger.

Glamour is not all it’s cracked up to be but having the wardrobe certainly is!

About the Author (from her LOL website):

Where to start? Definitely not from the beginning I’d bore myself and you, the kind readers of cyber world which is of far more consequence!

From the moment that second hand typewriter entered my bedroom the quest began. A young girl trapped in the countryside with cows as her only sounding board my imagination ran riot. It had to as the only means of escape were strapped below my feet with a rusty puncture kit, after five hours of cycling I would always return from my jaunts seeking jammy dodgers the elixir of an eight year olds life. Then came boys, hormones and college…life suddenly slapped me in the face like a wet kipper. Endless jobs where the only signs of creativity were printing out rota’s on orange paper, whoopee grrrrrr there had to be more. So writing my passion is now up for sharing with you all, be warned there are some steamy scenes just as passionate in the books.

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Doesn’t this sound like a hoot?! Who all wants an Ebook Gift Copy? Let us know below, and you just might win one from The RG2E!!!

In the meantime, you’ve still got a few days left to Enter to Win a Kindle Touch! We’re giving away two this month! Enter in D. D. Scott-ville:

http://bit.ly/Oqgzja

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E’s EOTD is Bestselling Author Talli Roland’s Brand New Release Construct a Couple!!!

Happy Monday, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!!!

Oh boy Oh boy do we have a heckuva terrific Eread to kick-off the week!!!

Brand new

from Bestselling Author

Talli Roland

On Amazon

Amazon UK

Introductory Price: 99 Cents

“Talli Roland is rapidly running up my ladder of favorite authors . . . If you haven’t read anything yet from Roland, get her on your list!” –Chick Lit Plus

“Talli’s writing is fresh, lively and different. Her words carry you along and her characters make you care what happens to them.” –Bookersatz

Is any relationship strong enough to survive a string of secrets?

With a great job at a reputable magazine and a man who’s the perfect match, Serenity Holland thinks she’s laid the foundation for an ideal London life. When a routine assignment uncovers a shocking secret threatening her boyfriend’s company, Serenity decides to leave nothing to chance, taking matters into her own hands. Soon, though, she realises keeping secrets isn’t as easy as she thought . . . and the consequences are far worse than she ever imagined.

Read how Serenity met her match in the first book of the series, Build A Man.

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Ohhh yeahhh!!!  Who all wants an Ebook Gift Copy of Talli’s latest release?!

Let us know below, and you just might win one!!!

Also, be sure to Enter to Win our next RG2E Kindle Fire Giveaway right here:

http://bit.ly/A9RACx

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder

RG2E’s EOTD include Claire Matthews’ Romantic Comedy Lucy Wagner Gets in Shape and Elizabeth Bevarly’s Novella Just Desserts

Happy Weekend, RG2E Peeps!

Welcome to The RG2E and/or Welcome Back!

We’ve got a couple superfab fun Ereads for ya today!

First,

Claire Matthews‘ Romantic Comedy

On Amazon

Price: 99 Cents

What people are saying about “Lucy Wagner”:

“Lucy Wagner Gets In Shape has an enticing premise – food and women and getting in shape and can be satisfying for those who are looking for a ‘lite’ romance.” IndieReader Review

“I got a real kick out of this novel. The first person narrative is REAL and the heroine is witty and honest. Her friends are fun (the kind of friends I wish I had), the banter made me laugh, and the love story…I could feel it.” Bookbabe…Book Hits and Misses

Lucy Wagner’s ready for the future-her career’s on track, and her relationship with Paul, her pediatrician boyfriend, seems headed for the alter. But when Paul reveals his infidelity, Lucy must pick up the pieces of her love life. Will training for an Extreme Adventure Race with her best friends Jen and Will help her rediscover her confidence? Or will she fall short of the finish line?

Second,

Elizabeth Bevarly‘s Novella

On Amazon , B&N Nook and Smashwords

Price: 99 Cents

In this frothy novella, pastry chef Claire Reidling is having one of those good news-bad news days. The bad news is that she’s lost the heirloom engagement ring given to her by a man she’s not even sure she wants to marry. The good news is that she thinks she knows where it is. But then there’s more bad news. She fears it may be in one of five hundred single serving chocolate desserts she’s just sent to a high society fund-raiser for the rich-enough-to-sue-her and famous-enough-to-ruin-her-career. Only one person can help her now: her best friend since first grade, Gus Brody. What does he say? Will he go with her to the Plaza Hotel and help her eat her way through mountains of chocolate in an effort to find the missing ring?

Gus isn’t all that keen on helping Claire at first, since he doesn’t think she ever should have gotten engaged to her jerk boss in the first place. Still, a friend in need and all that. And hey, the good deed does involve mass consumption of chocolate, something Gus loves almost as much as Claire. Now if he could just get her to see how much she means to him…

Chocolate is the ultimate aphrodisiac. But can it turn best friends into lovers?

“Just Desserts,” along with four other short reads by Elizabeth Bevarly, can also be purchased in the omnibus collection, SHORT WORK, for a reduced price!

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Let us know below which one you’d like, and you just might win an Ebook Gift Copy of your very own!!!

Also, be sure to Enter to Win our next Kindle Fire Giveaway:

http://bit.ly/A9RACx

The Best of RG2E Ereading Wishes — D. D. Scott, RG2E Founder