Book blurb blitz tour stop for Seduction in Silver by Natalie Anderson

Today is a virtual book blurb blitz tour stop for the contemporary romance novel, Seduction in Silver, by Natalie Anderson.

Natalie will be awarding a digital copy of Breathe for Me (a backlist indie hot romance) and a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So, to be entered to win, leave a comment below. And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb for Seduction in Silver:

A limited engagement…

For two weeks Nina Breslin had passed an enticing stranger when catching the Baker Street Tube to go to work. So utterly sexy, and enticingly foreign, she figures he’s eons out of her league—until the day he makes an outrageous proposal.

 

Dr. Eduardo Ruiz needs a break from the heart-breaking reality of his job. So when he finally introduces himself to the vivacious woman he’s been admiring, he quickly realizes they could help each other with their sticky situations…and have great fun in the process.

They agree to an outrageous plan. For one night only, she’ll masquerade as his girlfriend to appease his overzealous family members, and he’ll accompany her to meet with her ex-fiancé’s friends, pretending to be her attentive lover. Can they play by their own rules, or will they succumb to the pull of seduction?

Excerpt from Seduction in Silver:

Her last objections fell away. Sensibility fell away. He was so close—he’d been the one to tilt her face to his. But she was the one who did it. She was the one who stood up on tiptoe and lifted her chin that bit higher so their lips touched.

She was his from first contact and from that moment he took control. His hands instantly framed her face, holding her still as his tongue teased her mouth open, quickly deepening the kiss. And she let him—unable to resist, the pleasure he gave was already too great. His thumbs softly caressed her earlobes. She shivered, softening against him. He moved—tucking her into a closer embrace, smoothing a firm hand down the length of her, pushing her tight into his heat as his mouth moved more demandingly against her own. She’d gotten a taste of his lean strength in the train this morning, and yes, as she’d feared, he scalded every cell that came in contact with him. And he did it again now.

But she liked the fire. Adored it. Was happy to melt and let him consume her completely. She wanted to be drawn right into the flames—wanted to feel like she could fly free in a way she’d never done before. She’d never felt anything like this from a simple kiss.

Though it wasn’t a simple kiss any more.

Author Bio and Links:

USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Entangled Publishing, Harlequin Mills & Boon, and independently. With over twenty-five books published and over two million sold, she's been a Romantic Times Award nominee and a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband and four children.

Find out more at her website and be sure to sign up for her newsletter.

She's also on Twitter, Facebook, and GoodReads.

Don't forget to leave a comment if you want a chance at the giveaways!

Live chat with mystery author Barbara Ross - Sep 15, 7-9PM EST

The Writer's Chatroom presents mystery author Barbara Ross.

WHEN?
Sunday, September 15, 2013

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?
The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Sign In. No password needed.


Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

Excerpt for thriller/fantasy novel Shepherd's Moon by Stacy Mantle

This is a book excerpt tour stop for the thriller/fantasy novel Shepherd's Moon by Stacy Mantle.

Stacy will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment below. To increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too. 

Blurb:

It's taken twelve years to earn the official title of Shepherd but she's now mostly trained, fairly effective, and the first female in over two centuries to hold the position as protector of animals. All animals...

The Territorial Council isn't thrilled with her new title of Shepherd, but they don't have any more control over the appointment than they have over her. All they can really do is wait for her to screw something up - which Alex is determined not to do.

Everything changes when a chance encounter with a genetically modified Shifter leaves Alex shaken and initiates a quest to locate its maker. Despite years of training, Alex finds herself woefully unprepared to tackle the new threat.

To make matters worse, she must work with a mysterious man who's been trying to kill her since the day they met...

Excerpt:

Our intruder sat in the easy chair that swallowed me up whenever I sat in it, but he made it look like a miniature with his large shoulders and long legs. Brock sat on the couch, his arm behind his head as he watched Tristan with suspicious eyes. If I didn’t know Brock so well, I would have said he was completely unaffected.

But I knew better.

And yet, the way Tristan had handled everything that had occurred this evening made him seem like more of a good guy. Not someone I would ever trust, but at least tolerable enough to sit in the same room with him. What a difference a few hours can make.

Brock scooted over as I entered, making room for me as I sank into the soft leather of the sofa and leaned against him. He placed a protective arm over my shoulders.

Tristan stared at us over a bottle of tequila. Patron, my favorite, and a bottle that had obviously been liberated from my private stock. Pulling the stopper, he took a long swig and held the bottle out to us.

Today I had very nearly lost two members of my family due to my own carelessness, and I still had no idea where Bren was. I had been tasked with one responsibility — to protect my pack — and I couldn’t even do that right.

Alcohol was the last thing on my mind…

“You couldn’t have stopped it, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Acknowledging my dismissal, he set the bottle on the desk between us.

“Stopped what?”

“Stopped your family from being attacked. Stopped your friends from disappearing. Stopped your jaguar mama from being chewed up and spat out.”

Author Bio and Links:

While Stacy Mantle is most well-known as the Pack Leader of the popular website, PetsWeekly.com, however she is rapidly gaining a fan base in the genre of fantasy with the publication of Shepherd’s Moon, the first book in her Alex Wilde “Shepherd” series.

Stacy has a B.A. in English, a post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with an emphasis on Marketing. She is active in animal rescue and is a nationally-known pet industry authority. She currently resides in the deserts of the Southwest with several cats, a few dogs, and a very understanding husband. You can learn more about her at http://www.StacyMantle.com

Buy links:

Amazon (Paperback and ebook) 

BN (Paperback, Ebook)

Lulu: (Hardback) 

Smashwords (ebook)

NETWORKS:

Networks for Stacy Mantle:

http://www.stacymantle.com

http://www.facebook.com/stacymantle

http://www.twitter.com/stacymantle

http://www.pinterest.com/stacymantle

http://plus.ly/stacymantle

Shepherd Series Networks:

http://plus.ly/shepherd

https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdSeries

PetsWeekly Networks:

http://www.petsweekly.com

http://www.facebook.com/petsweekly

http://www.pinterest.com/petsweekly

http://www.twitter.com/petsweekly

http://plus.ly/petsweekly

Interview with romantic suspense author Kristine Mason

Today’s guest is romantic suspense author Kristine Mason to tell us a bit about her novel Shadow of Perception (Book 2 CORE Shadow Trilogy) and about herself.

And during the tour, Kristine will be awarding $5 Amazon gift cards to 6 randomly drawn commenters, as well as print books to 10 other randomly drawn commenters. That’s a lot of giveaways! Five books will be of Pick Me, a contemporary romance; and a gnome will come with the five copies of Shadow of Danger, book one of the suspense series. [U.S. only on the books]. So, to be entered to win one of the prizes, leave a comment below. And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Welcome, Kristine. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I realized my passion, and found a career I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

Please tell us about your current release, Shadow of Perception.

Eden Risk is a Chicago-based investigative reporter. When she receives a DVD showing a graphic and disturbing surgery, she turns to the private investigation agency CORE for help. CORE agent, Hudson Patterson, reluctantly takes on the case. He and Eden are former lovers and he’s not sure if he even wants to be in the same room with a woman who can’t stand the sight of him. Of course, Eden doesn’t mind looking at Hudson—he’s definitely not hard on the eyes—she simply doesn’t want to deal with his overbearing, all or nothing, arrogant attitude. The same attitude that caused her to end their previous affair…or so she tells herself.

But the two of them have to put their differences aside and work together to find the man responsible for creating the DVDs before he kills again. In the process, Eden has to acknowledge the truth…the perception of her past, of her relationship with Hudson isn’t as crystal clear as she’d once thought. Hudson ends up doing a little soul searching, too. And the bad guy? He’s not going to stop until he’s crossed the last name off his death wish list.

What inspired you to write this book?

Believe it or not, the show Toddlers & Tiaras. I happened to be flipping through channels and came across the show. I didn’t watch it long, but it spurred an idea, which turned into another and another, then eventually a book. Shadow of Perception isn’t necessarily centered on child beauty pageants. Its central theme is the perception we have of ourselves. What’s beautiful? What length will women go through to achieve what they perceive as beautiful or perfect? Considering I love writing dark romantic suspense, I had to dig deep and come up with some deadly answers. An old farmhouse near my friend’s property inspired me with those answers. Don’t get me wrong. The house and property are beautiful—in real life and in my story. What goes on in my bad guy’s barn? I hope that remains nothing but fiction! I gave him a quiet, out of the way place to perform his…surgeries. If only the owners of that real farm knew!

Excerpt:

(From the heroine’s POV)

“Hey, Eden,” Hudson Patterson said as he shrugged out of his leather coat and pierced her with his steely blue gaze. “I see you got yourself into another mess.”

The room shrank and her sole focus remained on the one man who had stirred more emotions in her than all the other men before and after him combined. Two years ago, he’d lit a fire inside her, and within months, he’d smothered the flames with his arrogance and bullheaded attitude.

Based on the condescending remark he’d just made, she doubted his opinion of her had changed. His appearance had, though. Harder, darker, more dangerous. His brown, wavy hair now reached his shoulders and he needed a shave. Even without the worn, black leather jacket, which now hung on the coat rack, he looked thuggish in a tattered charcoal gray thermal shirt, low-riding jeans and black Doc Marten boots. The whole badass biker look shouldn’t have appealed to her, but Hudson owned it and wore it well.

She glanced at his mouth, then immediately regretted it. Lust slammed into her belly as wicked memories of what his firm lips had done to her surfaced. Those unwanted memories collided into a kaleidoscope of naked skin, harsh moans and multiple orgasms. Even now, she swore she could still feel his rough hands urging her hips, spreading her legs, gripping her bottom. Could imagine his mouth on hers, or better yet, between her thighs.

Hudson smiled. A smug, satisfying smile that snapped her out of her sexual spell and reminded her exactly why breaking things off with him had been the right decision. Her body might not have thought so at the time, and those urges to have him in her bed right now might still be strong, but her head knew better. Hudson was an arrogant jerk who exuded less emotion than she did.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m currently working on Shadow of Vengeance (Book 3 CORE Shadow Trilogy). While all of my CORE books can be considered “standalone” novels, anyone looking for Rachel and Owen’s story…well, it’s coming! In Shadow of Vengeance Rachel and Owen need to find a serial killer. For the past twenty years someone has been kidnapping and murdering young men who pledge fraternities. He takes them at the beginning of Hell Week and always leaves a note behind…Welcome to Hell Week. You have seven days to find him. Rachel and Owen have only one week to stop a killer and find the missing pledge before he ends up like the others…dead.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

About four years ago I was talking with a published author. At that point, I’d written a handful of books, but remained unpublished. Because I was unpublished I didn’t consider myself a writer. Back to the published author I’d been talking to…she pointed out that if you don’t consider yourself a writer—after writing five books—then what are you? I had a “duh” moment. Duh because how could I NOT consider myself a writer when all I do is write?

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’m a stay-at-home mom of four kids (11, 10, 7, and 2). Just because I’m at home doesn’t mean I write full time. I’d love to dedicate eight hours a day to writing or handling the business end of my career, but with the kids…at this point it’s difficult. This summer has been an enormous challenge for me. I’ve really had to schedule myself in order to maintain a healthy balance between my career and family. BUT, school will be starting next week (yay!). The three older kids are in school full-time and my two-year-old still takes naps. I’m sad to see summer come to an end, but happy that I’m going to be able to accomplish SO much more.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to add little things into my book that are just for me. For example, I’ll purposefully give a character a specific last name because of its meaning. In the book I’m currently writing, I have a character that is curious and inquisitive, so I found a surname that means just that. I did the same thing in Shadow of Perception. I’m always peppering in little things that the reader might not realize, but I do. It’s just my thing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A marine biologist. What’s funny is that I don’t like going into the ocean past my knees. There are just too many critters in the water. Plus, I’m terrible with math and science. When my kids ask for help in these subjects, I’m always telling them to find their dad.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Hmm…I’ve got a thing for gnomes and pretty much any kind of garden creature. In my first suspense, Shadow of Danger, I wanted my heroine to have a quirky thing she liked to collect. I happened to be bringing out all my gnomes to display in my garden when I decided—aha! She collects gnomes. I don’t have as many as my heroine, but between my gnomes and other garden creatures, I have close to forty. I even have gnome salt and pepper shakers and gnome soap-on-a-rope! My husband hates my collection, but tolerates them. Wait until he sees the Bigfoot I bought in honor of my next release, Shadow of Vengeance. That one might take him over the edge!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | GoodReads

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Hee hee. Thanks, Kristine. This was a fun interview. Good luck with your tour and writing! Readers, don't forget about all the giveaways on tap -- leave a comment below and at other tour stops for a chance to win!

Interview with romantic suspense author Rachel Brimble

Romantic suspense author Rachel Brimble is stopping here today as she tours her novel A Man Like Him from Harlequin.

During the tour, Rachel will be awarding a lucky commenter a $25 Amazon gift card. To be entered to win, leave a comment below. To increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Bio:

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013.

16 Marsden Place with Omnific Publishing is her first romantic comedy since 2010.

She has just signed a further three-book contract with Harlequin Superromance.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England…although she hopes a dream visit to Canada might just change her mind!

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers.

Welcome, Rachel. Please tell us about your current release.

A Man Like Him is a romantic suspense and the second book in an ongoing series with Harlequin Superromance. The books are set in the fictional UK seaside town of Templeton Cove and feature an array of new characters as well as catching up with old ones.

This book was inspired by my real-life experience of being rescued by helicopter from a hotel roof during the 2010 French floods. The opening chapters are an almost hour-by-hour account of what happened to me and my family…

Blurb:

Changing her life...again

After two years in hiding, Angela Taylor knows her independence is worth it. As long as she can escape her past, she has everything under control. Until a flash flood hits the park where she works, and hot Chris Forrester shows up the exact moment she needs a hero.

Chris proves he can save lives-and weaken a girl's knees. But how can she make him understand that she's off-limits, that getting close to her will endanger his life? Her happiness or his safety: it shouldn't even be a choice.

Because when you love someone, you protect them, no matter the cost. At least, that's what Angela keeps telling herself....

Excerpt:

Their eyes locked and Chris’ gaze dropped to her mouth. It fell ajar and her tongue poked out to wet her bottom lip. He snatched his gaze back to the sky. They were in the middle of a disaster situation. They were reaching out to each other for support. Nothing more. Nothing less. So why the hell was his heart beating like a damn jackhammer?

He shielded his eyes against the sun and prayed to God she hadn’t seen his need to kiss her. He focused on the helicopters. “Damn it.”

She shifted beside him and he felt her gaze on him once more. “What is it?”

“They’re not going to be any help to the people stranded in the trees.”

“Of course--”

“Those vultures aren’t going to do a damn bit of good. Where are the rescue teams?”

“What are you talking about? What vultures?”

“Can’t you see?” He shot his arm toward the sky as frustration hummed along his nerve endings. “They’re TV helicopters. A fat lot of bloody help--”

“TV cameras? Oh, my God.”

Chris turned. Her face grew ashen and she swayed back on her heels, her eyes wide with terror. She gripped his forearm. “Help me. Don’t let them see me. You have to do something.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Chris, please. Help me.”

Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms and she buried her face into his chest. He brought one hand to the back of her head, the other to the small of her back and pulled her close. She fit the contours of his body like she was meant to be there.

He held her tight. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head against his chest. “It’s over. It’s all over.”

The helicopters circled one more time and then flew away, disappearing over the horizon once more. “They’ve gone. Angela? Look at me. What is it?”

She pulled back and tears slipped over her lower lids and down her cheeks. “I’m dead. He’s coming. He’s coming and this time he’ll kill me.”

He gripped her forearms, adrenaline filling his blood on a protective wave. “Who will? What are you talking about?”

She closed her eyes. “My husband.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have just returned the first round edits for book three in the series to my editor – this is a mainstream contemporary romance set in and around Templeton Cove’s fairground. I LOVE this book as much as the others but this is the first that reduced me to tears. What Belongs to Her will be published in March 2014. As well as that, I am writing the first draft of book four (otherwise known as the ‘crappy’ draft), a Xmas 2014 book in the series. On top of that I’m going through final edits for my second Victorian romance with eKensington. The Temptation of Laura will be released in February 2014 and I am pleased to announce I have just contracted books 3 and 4 with Kensington too. Busy, busy!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my first book was contracted with The Wild Rose Press. When Searching for Sophie was published in July 2007, it gave me the much needed belief that I might actually be able to write and the dream began of making this my career. At long last, that dream is happening and I am making money from doing what I love. Hurrah!!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am lucky enough to write full-time around my husband, two daughters (14 &12) and my mad black Lab, Max. My usual day is getting the kids off to school and then I am at my laptop from 8.30-11.30 when I take a break to walk Max, then I work through until 3.30pm when the kids come home. After that, it is time for chores, making dinner etc with trips back and forth to the laptop when I can until 7pm. After 7pm, it is strictly family time…aka lounging in the bath, followed by TV time, LOL! :D

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Ooh, tough question! I’m not sure that I have one…the only thing I can say is that I become extremely savage, almost monster like, when I haven’t written for a couple of days. My family is used to it now, but it is the most horrible, disconcerted feeling. Writing is my obsession.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer, honestly. I was about seven or eight when I started writing and making little books of my own from paper, a hole punch and ribbon. I then decided at twelve, I would someday live in a swanky flat in London, living off of my high-paid journalist job. The reality? I left school at 16, worked in a bank for 10 years before I had my eldest daughter. I didn’t have my ‘it’s now or never moment’ until daughter number two was born. I was lucky to have my first novel published…after SEVERAL rewrites ;)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I have had some great reader comments about my Templeton Cove series and would love to know what readers love so much about series books and if they think the saturated market has room for more.

Also, I would love readers to follow me on Twitter for my daily madness – it’s the best way to see the real and, often frantic, me! Other ways to connect include: Website | Blog | Facebook 

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Harlequin 

Thanks for stopping by, Rachel. I absolutely know what you mean about the feeling you get if you can’t write for a couple of days!

Book blast for From the Ashes by Daisy Harris

Today I'm participating in a 1-day virtual super book blast tour for From the Ashes by Daisy Harris. The book is a contemporary M/M romance book available today from Samhain Publishing.

Daisy will be awarding a $20 gift card to Starbucks to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win. And if you'd like to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb:

When an accident burns down Jesse’s apartment, he’s left broke and homeless, with a giant dog and a college schedule he can’t afford to maintain. And no family who’s willing to take him in.

Lucky for him, a sexy fireman offers him a place to stay. The drawback? The fireman’s big Latino family lives next door, and they don’t know their son is gay.

Tomas’s parents made their way in America with hard work and by accepting help when it was offered, so he won’t let Jesse drop out of school just so he can afford a place to live. Besides, Jesse’s the perfect roommate—funny, sweet and breathtakingly cute. He climbs into Tomas’s bed and tugs at his heart. Until Jesse starts pushing for more.

Their passion enflames their bodies but threatens to crush Tomas’s family. Tomas is willing to fight for Jesse, but after losing everything, Jesse isn’t sure he can bear to risk his one remaining possession—his heart.

Warning: Contains an angry older brother, judgmental best friends, a slobbering bull mastiff, and enough red-hot gay loving to make a porn star blush.

Excerpt:

The gay guys Tomas hooked up with never seemed to find what he did to them demeaning, but he’d been raised to believe it was.

That was fine when it came to hookups at strange bars in the city, but the kid curled up on his couch watching television wasn’t like those guys. He was sweet and had had a tough time. He didn’t deserve to be treated the way Tomas treated men, even if Jesse thought that’s what he wanted.

By the time he pushed open the door from his bedroom into the living room, Jesse had twisted into the fetal position on the couch, and fallen asleep.

“Jess?” Tomas touched his arm, trying to shake him awake. He needed to get Jesse off the couch long enough to unfold it into a bed.

“Hmm?” Jesse flopped onto his other side, almost falling off in the process.

Tomas shook his head. “All right.” He went to the other side of the loveseat and worked his arms under Jesse’s knees and shoulders. “Up you go.” He lifted.

Waking up, Jesse wrapped his arms around Tomas’s neck.

He smelled like soap from Tomas’s shower, overlaid on the scent of ashes. Jesse pressed a kiss into his shoulder.

“You can take my bed tonight,” Tomas whispered. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his belly and the urge to set Jesse down and lie on top of him.

When he laid Jesse on the bed, Jesse didn’t let go. “I could be rocking your world right now,” Jesse breathed in his ear.

Soundlessly, Tomas gasped. He couldn’t leave the circle of Jesse’s arms. Jesse was stronger than he realized, and in that moment, Tomas was far too weak.

Author Bio and Links:

Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn't sure if she writes erotica. Her romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris's dismay the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

She writes about fantastical creatures and about young men getting their freak on, and she's never missed an episode of The Walking Dead.

Want to learn more about new releases, general news and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here. 

Find me on Twitter. 

Like me on Facebook. 

My filthy Tumblr feed. 

Amazon buy link 

Samhain buy link 

Barnes and Noble buy link 

Interview with historical romance author Holly Bush

I have a quick-hitting interview with historical romance author Holly Bush today as she tours her novel Cross the Ocean.

Holly will be giving away one $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to a lucky commenter during the tour. To be entered to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and enter to win there, too.

Bio:

Holly Bush was born in western Pennsylvania to two avid readers. There was not a room in her home that did not hold a full bookcase. She worked in the hospitality industry, owning a restaurant for twenty years and recently worked as the sales and marketing director in the hospitality/tourism industry and is credited with building traffic to capacity for a local farm tour, bringing guests from twenty-two states, booked two years out.  Holly has been a marketing consultant to start-up businesses and has done public speaking on the subject.

Holly has been writing all of her life and is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, particularly political and historical works. She has written four romance novels, all set in the U.S. West in the mid 1800’s. She frequently attends writing conferences, and has always been a member of a writer’s group.

Holly is a gardener, a news junkie, has been an active member of her local library board and loves to spend time near the ocean. She is the proud mother of two daughters and the wife of a man more than a few years her junior.

Blurb for Crossing the Ocean.

1871 . . . Worlds collide when American Suffragette, Gertrude Finch, and titled Brit Blake Sanders meet in an explosive encounter that may forever bind them together. Gertrude Finch escorts a young relative to London and encounters the stuffy Duke of Wexford at his worst. Cross the Ocean is the story of an undesired, yet undeniable attraction that takes Blake and Gertrude across an ocean and into each other’s arms.

Excerpt from Crossing the Ocean.

Blake went to the stables, had his horse saddled, and rode to Anthony’s estate. Maybe Elizabeth will ask me to stay for dinner, he thought. Then she’ll go to bed, and Anthony and I can drink a bottle of brandy and get stewed. He could stay there if he couldn’t ride home. A room was kept ready for him with a fresh change of clothes. Blake smiled and felt better than he had in days.  

As the butler escorted Blake down the hall of Anthony’s home to the drawing room, he heard a loud but feminine . . . snort and Elizabeth’s trill laughter in reply. Damn. He remembered now. A cousin of Elizabeth’s from America, sent as an escort to another cousin, was staying with them. Anthony had described and dreaded the arrival of Cousin Gertrude with horror. A spinster remotely connected to Elizabeth’s father’s side, she was big, bold and here for a month. Her arrival had curtailed Anthony’s visits.

Blake stopped and hissed at the butler. “Think I’ve changed my mind, Jenkins. I don’t want to disturb their company.”

“Quite the coward are we, Your Grace? Leave your life-long friend alone with this Amazon from America.” Jenkins stared as he spoke. “In any case they saw you ride up the drive.”

Jenkins spoke his mind to all including Anthony and Elizabeth. There’d be no expecting servile behavior for him. “I’m sure you did not miss the opportunity to point out my arrival,” Blake said.

 “Of course not, Your Grace.” The butler opened the drawing room doors with a flourish. “The Duke of Wexford.”

“Blake,” Anthony said and jumped to pump Blake’s hand. “I am so very happy you are here.”

Blake watched the woman sitting beside Elizabeth stand, and walk across the room to him. She was every inch as tall as he, and Anthony made the introductions. She held out her hand. Blake grasped it and bent to place a kiss there and was surprised when she began to shake it, hitting him squarely in the nose. Blake covered his face with his hand.

“Oh, dear,” Miss Gertrude Finch exclaimed. She threw a look at her cousin Elizabeth.

Welcome, Holly. What is the first book you remember making an indelible impression on you?

One of the first novels I read that had significant impression on me was Agnes Sligh Turnbull’s The Rolling Years. It was the first time I was lost, literally lost, in a story, and especially as it was set in the 1850s. I’d never read a historical novel before. I was mesmerized. Another one I read early that I vividly remember was Christy by Catherine Marshall about the young teacher in the Smoky Mountains at the turn of the twentieth century.

If you could only eat one food the rest of your life, what would it be?

Steak. I like them all. I like t-bones and strip steaks and chopped steak. I’m a carnivore from way back.

If you were a shifter, what animal would you like to be?

I’m not sure what a shifter is, but I’m guessing it’s a person that can become an animal. So if I get to choose an animal to be it would be a cat. My cats live like queens.

Favorite season? Why?

I love fall. I don’t know whether it’s the smell of the leaves or my intense love affair with sweaters, but Iate September to mid-November is my favorite. Although, I love spring, too, when the crocus are pushing up through snow and daffodils are blooming. Hmmm. It’s a toss-up.

Best movie ever made?

Ang Lee’s 1995 depiction of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is my all-time favorite. From the music to the casting to the costumes to the script. The acting was superb as was the cinematography. Is there a more nuanced depiction of love and love’s foes, money and power, ever told? Emma Thompson’s screenplay triumphs.

What are some ways readers can connect with you or find out more about your writing?

I'm on Twitter: @hollybushbooks

My website: www.hollybushbooks.com

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Holly-Bush/247399131941435

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Thanks, Holly. Happy touring!

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