Katheryn Lane's Blog

It's great welcome writing duo, James Courtney and Kaisy Wilkerson-Mills, authors of the soon-to-be-released series, StarChild. First, what's your trilogy about?




StarChild is a science fiction/dystopian trilogy set around the year
3211.  The United States fell, and a new nation, City-State emerged.




City-State is a vile nation that aims to control its citizens through horrific
government policies and regulations.  The President is moronic, citizens
are labeled and identified by intelligence, and the health care system aims to
destroy all of the S-Class geniuses (citizens of exceptional intelligence) to
keep civilization somewhat ignorant to government control.



James and I have a blog that tells the stories of various residents of
City-State: citystatewritings.wordpress.com



None of the narratives in the blog appear within the novels- the novels have
separate plot lines.  The information in the blog will give you more
insight into our creation.




What inspired StarChild?




James served in the United States
Navy for a number of years.  His love and
first-hand experience of politics inspired many of City-State’s rules and
processes.




Plus, James and I love dystopian
literature.  It is fascinating and
intriguing to “foresee” the future of the United States.




If your trilogy was made into movie who would you
cast in the lead roles?




Oh my!  That would be a dream!  I would love Kevin Spacey, Robert Downey,
Jr., and Zac Efron to be part of StarChild. 
However, that may become a little expensive, so up and coming actors (at
this particular time) would be fabulous!




Do you find it difficult writing as a team?




Absolutely not!  We find it ten times easier to write
together!  If I am stuck on a section or
chapter, I send it to James and vice versa. 
Brainstorming and prewriting are vital to the writing process, and we
bounce ideas off of each other effortlessly!

 


Additionally, James and I are very
honest with each other.  If either one of
us does not like an idea, we communicate those thoughts and work together to
make the storylines and the characters enjoyable, intriguing, and clear for
readers.




James and I were friends in high
school, so when he asked me to assist him with his writings, I knew the process
(and the end product) would definitely be successful. 




What do you plan to work on next?




James and I are currently engrossed
in the entire The StarChild Trilogy.  We are feverishly working on Book One: StarChild.  Obviously, this will take a while to
complete.




Additionally, James and I hope to
publish a separate anthology of short stories that connect to the novel: Tales from City-State.




Lastly, we have a few interesting
characters from the short stories and the novels who can “take on” their own
novels!




James and I intend on being very
busy with City-State for quite some time!




What are you reading at the moment?




I am a full-time English Instructor
at my local community college, so as of now, I am reading lots and lots of
research papers, essays, and other various assessments.  Summer is coming, so I will be able to
actually read a novel!




James is currently reading the Divergent series!  He says it’s great!




What do you like to do in your free time when you're not
writing or reading?




James and I both like to spend time
with our spouses.  He is married to one
of my best friends, Kelly, and they live in Colorado (as stated before, we all
went to high school together).  They love
their three dogs, and they also love to bike around the trails of Loveland,
Colorado.




I am married to my main squeeze,
Randy.  He is just about to graduate from
nursing school and take the final nursing exam to obtain his official
certification as a Registered Nurse!  I
am very proud of him!  Randy and I love
to exercise and play with our pets, Amaya the cat and Molly the dog.




Where can readers find out more about you? 




The main blog on
WordPress:  http://citystatewritings.wordpress.com




Google Plus - http://google.com/+jamescourtney




Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/citystateshorts




Twitter:  Kaisy – SciFiWriter @KaisyWMills




             James – Dystopian_Scifi  @jamesacourtney




Many thanks and let us know when Book 1 is released!

Thank you everyone who voted for A BRIDE FOR THE SHEIKH last week at the RONE Awards! I really appreciate your help and support. This week voting is open for Historical Romance and it's great to see another sheikh romance among the nominations: THE SHEIK RETOLD by the amazing Victoria Vane. It looks like sheikhs are hot this year at the RONE Awards!



Here's what THE SHEIK RETOLD is about:




The Desert Was Never
Hotter!




A
haughty young heiress for whom the world is a playground…

A
savage son of the Sahara who knows no law but his own…

When
pride and passion vie for supremacy,

Blistering
desert days are nothing compared to sizzling Sahara nights…




Pride and passion vie for
supremacy between a haughty young heiress and a savage son of the Sahara in
this steamy retelling of E.M. Hull's romance classic.


Excerpt:




My eyes tracked upward to
rest on his sun-bronzed and lightly bearded face. Harsh and angular in the
lamplight, it was at once the handsomest and cruelest face I had ever seen. He
regarded me fiercely with scornful eyes. Those eyes! Surely I had seen them
before.

I gasped. It was him! The man
from the party who had eyed me with such insolence. Even now he gazed at me as
no other man had ever dared—in a way that made me acutely, almost painfully,
conscious of my sex.

"Who are you?" I
asked hoarsely, speaking in French without thinking.

He replied in French as well,
"I am the Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan."

The name conveyed nothing.
"Is it money that you want? Are you holding me for ransom?"

He regarded me for a long and
silent moment with an expression of contempt. "I have no need of your
money."

"What then?" I
demanded, but deep down I already knew it was not a question of ransom. The way
he looked at me was far too revealing and made my stomach churn. "Do you
think that you can keep me here, you fool?" I lashed out in growing panic.
"Do you suppose I can vanish into the desert and that no notice will be
taken of my disappearance? That no inquiries will be made?"

"There will be no
inquiries," he answered me calmly.

"There will be inquiries," I choked out.
"I am not such a nonentity that nothing will be done when I am missed. The
English authorities will make the French government find out who is
responsible. You will pay for what you have done."

"Pay?" His amused
look sent a cold feeling of dread through me. "I have already paid…in gold
that matches your hair, my gazelle. Besides," he continued, "the
French have no jurisdiction over me. There is no authority here above my
own."

My trepidation grew by the
second. "Why have you done this? Why have you brought me here?"

"Why have I brought you
here?" he repeated with a slow and heated appraisal. "Bon Dieu! Are you not woman enough to
know?"

Understanding descended upon
me in a nauseas wave that flooded me with heat, filling me with a horror that
made each separate nerve in my system cringe. Instinctively, I shrank back. My
gaze fell away from his, darting to the flap of the tent, but he read my mind,
catching me in his arms before I could flee. My limbs quivered, and he laughed
softly, his breath hot in my ear. His mirth was more frightening to me than anything
he had said.

I averted my head, refusing
to look at him, but he forcibly turned my face to his. I set my teeth and
squeezed my lids shut, but I could not block out the vision of his eyes burning
into me, nor the feeling of his hot, moist, mint-scented breath fanning my
skin.

"I wanted you from the
moment I saw you, my golden one…And now," the backs of his long brown
fingers brushed my hair, "you are mine."

You
are mine.
His whispered words sent a wave of shock jolting through me.

"Damn you to hell!"
I cried. "I am my own woman! No one owns me!" I knew he intended to
force himself upon me, and the anticipation made me shudder with fear and
revulsion. I could not win, but still I fought, writhing in an effort to free
myself. When this attempt failed, I slumped in his arms in a feint of
submission.

Unfazed, his lips neared
mine. He murmured low and dark, his breath hot and faintly sweet against my
face, "On the contrary, my gazelle, I do. I exchanged a large sum in gold
with your would-be murderer. I bought
your life. You are mine to do with as I wish."

I willed myself to remain
passive as his scorching lips met mine and his scalding tongue invaded my
mouth, but the urge to escape resurfaced, reanimating my numbed nerves and
galvanizing me to act. In a sudden surge of strength, I stomped the heel of my
boot onto his instep. He drew back with a fierce curse, his grip loosening just
enough for me to spin in his arms, yet when I tried to lurch free, the union
with his bigger and stronger body remained. It was my valiant last stand…and it
had failed.

"You will not get away
with this," I babbled. "Mustafa Ali or one of the caravan men has
surely given the alarm in Biskra by now."

"Mustafa Ali will not
give any alarm in Biskra…or anywhere else for that matter."

"Why not? Have you
murdered them all?" I asked in a choked whisper. Myriad tales of ruthless
Arab cruelty surged through my mind.

"No. I have not murdered
them," he replied. "There was no need when all had been arranged.
When you come to know me better, you will realize that I leave little to
chance. Of course, all things are with Allah, blessed be his name, but it is
well to remember that Allah does not always concern himself with the affairs of
men."

My head swam dizzily at his
reply. "What are you saying, that you planned
all of this?"

He smiled slowly. "Voyons! It was all very simple. You
engaged a caravan in the charge of Mustafa Ali to travel in the desert. You set
out from Biskra, with the intent of traveling northward to Oran, where you
would dismiss the caravan. From there you were to cross to Marseilles, then on
to Cherbourg to embark for America where you would join your brother." His
slow, casual voice detailed my itinerary with the quiet certainty of perfect
knowledge.

I swayed on my feet and
whispered with dry lips, "H-how can you know…all…this?"

He replied with a blithe
half-smile, "I wished to
know."

"But why?"

"I have told you, my
dove. As to how, you paid Mustafa Ali
to guide you into the desert. Your brother paid him even more to leave you for
dead, and then I paid him even better to lead you to me. Well enough indeed to
make him content to remove himself from Biskra, where awkward questions might
be asked. Indeed, well enough to retire to a place where he no longer has a
need to make his living as a caravan leader."

To my amazement, he released
me. I was too stunned to run, yet my mind raced with all he had revealed.
Though I tried to reject it all as
lies, tiny glimmers of truth broke through the darkness. I recalled vividly
waking in my hotel room to a fleeting vision. There had been someone there. My revolver had been tampered with. I had
not missed my shots; they had been substituted with blanks. Mustafa Ali's
shifting eyes, his desire to hurry from the oasis where we had rested at mid-day,
his tone, were all explained. He had acted his part to perfection right down to
the imaginary wound that had toppled him from his saddle. My faithless and
deceitful guide had led me to a man who had bribed him to betray me. Even the
horse I rode was trained to this sheik's whistle. I could not deny that at
least part of this absurdity was
indeed truth.

The knowledge that I had been
duped filled me with impotent rage, but the suggestion of Aubrey's complicity
was ludicrous! Nevertheless, seeds of doubt took root in my mind. Could this be
why Aubrey had reacted so uncharacteristically the night before? Suddenly I
recollected the last moments before our parting. What had he and the guide been
discussing just before my departure? Had he really planned to kill me? But why?
Aubrey lived a life of extravagance. Could he be in need of funds? In the event
of my death, my entire fortune would
be his.

I recalled the strange look
in his eyes. Was it a pang of guilt over the murder he had planned? Had he had
second thoughts at the last minute? Had Aubrey really paid the guide to kill
me? My hands gripped my throat. My God! It could not be true!

"I don't believe a word
you say!" I gasped. "You are a brigand and a liar!"

His expression grew grim. His
eyes shone cold, hard, and black as onyx. He came close behind me, placing his
hands on my shoulders and then slowly slid them up to rest around my neck,
where his thumbs caressed my pulse. His voice was low and soft. "Were you
a man, I would slice your throat for such calumny. Do not ever disparage my
character again."

My heart stood still.
"But why me?" I choked out. 

He dipped his head to murmur
in my ear. "It was fated. I saw you once before—in Paris. You were
surrounded by your panting lapdogs and would have none of them. It was then I
knew that I alone would have you. The
rest was Allah's will," he continued matter-of-factly. "You came to Biskra. You arranged a tour in the desert. You were bored and wanted adventure. I have granted that
wish." He flashed a feral smile. "And now you will grant mine." 


Wouldn't it be great if two sheikh romances reached the finals?

To vote for THE SHEIK RETOLD, just click HERE to go to the 2014 RONE Awards.



Thank you! 

I'm thrilled and honored that my latest sheikh romance, A BRIDE FOR THE SHEIKH, has been nominated for a RONE Award for contemporary romance! Here's what they are saying about the book:





Angelina Smith is on holiday visiting her father in the Middle East, due to start law school upon her return to London. Her father’s business collapsed in a bad economy, which resulted in his wife leaving him and his move to find work. When he is invited to attend a formal gathering at the Sultan’s home, Angelina agrees to accompany him. It is there that the Sultan’s youngest son encounters Angelina and is instantly drawn to her. Before he can get acquainted she is gone. His father has pre-arranged a marriage to a woman he cares nothing about.  He is desperate to find the girl he met and convince his father to let him choose his own bride. Will the Sheikh find Angelina before his time runs out?




Ms. Lane goes into great detail of Middle-eastern etiquette and its royalty. Her deftly written visual descriptions will emerge the reader in the middle of the very hot desert with palatial mansions. The romantic connection between a royal Sheikh and a commoner is a familiar love story but “A Bride for the Sheikh” has a twist which includes many western personalities and character traits. The story is a brisk romance. However, it keeps one engaged until the very end to see where the relationship will go. Readers will surely enjoy the sacrifices made in the name of love, and how family, along with friends, show their support. This is a quick-read novella and will not disappoint!

(InD'tale Magazine)





However, I now need your vote to get the book into the finals (please!!)



To vote, just click HERE to go to the 2014 RONE Awards and register (for free if you're not already a member) and then click on A BRIDE FOR THE SHEIKH and Vote. 





Alternatively, you can email your vote to anasmith (at) indtale.com by giving the following details: General Contemporary, A Bride For The Sheikh by Katheryn Lane 





Voting is open all this week until March 23.




Thank you very much for your support! It means more to me than I can say.

THE TEXAS COWBOY is on tour this week at the following great websites where I am giving away 2 copies of the book! Drop by, enter and you could be a winner!!!










Tour Dates March 10th – 21st



3/10 – Author Paisley Brown

3/10 – Tamaria Soana

3/10-  Reading, Writing, and Roses
3/11 – Sexy Between the Covers

3/12 – The eBook Promotions
3/13 – Not Everyone’s Mama
3/14 – Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
3/14 - Sweet Books
3/17 – Clutter Your Kindle
3/19- The Phantom Paragrapher
3/20- BookwormBridget’s World
3/21- Musings From An Addicted Reader




Every cowboy has a past and this cowboy's past is about to destroy his future.

THE TEXAS COWBOY is on tour this week at the following great websites where I am giving away 2 copies of the book! Drop by, enter and you could be a winner!!!










Tour Dates March 10th – 21st



3/10 – Author Paisley Brown

3/10 – Tamaria Soana

3/10-  Reading, Writing, and Roses
3/11 – Sexy Between the Covers

3/12 – The eBook Promotions
3/13 – Not Everyone’s Mama
3/14 – Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
3/14 - Sweet Books
3/17 – Clutter Your Kindle
3/19- The Phantom Paragrapher
3/20- BookwormBridget’s World
3/21- Musings From An Addicted Reader




Every cowboy has a past and this cowboy's past is about to destroy his future.

You can now download a copy of Kidnapped By The Sheikh, Book 1 of the bestselling Desert Sheikh series, for free!!!



Here what it's about:



Sheikh Akbar needs a hostage.



Sarah Greenwich needs to escape.



But sometimes what you need is not what you want.



When a powerful sheikh kidnaps Dr. Sarah Greenwich, she leads him to believe that she is the wife of the British ambassador, but how long will she be able to keep up the deception and what will happen to her when the sheikh finds out that she has been lying to him?



Sarah is about to discover that the desert is an exotic wilderness, where anything can happen...


Grab a copy now from one of these retailers before they put the price up!



Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/1caTUR6



Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1bwe4tW


Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1p6XpRx



Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1jXaFr8



iTunes: http://bit.ly/1e2SaxR




Smashwords: http://bit.ly/MiGRWX



Happy reading! 

Today it’s great to welcome award-winning,
bestselling romance writer, Lorraine Nelson!

Thank you for having me today, Katheryn.




First, could
you tell us a bit about your great books?

Sure! I love to talk
about books.




I write mostly
contemporary romantic suspense. Those are the kind of books I enjoy reading, so it’s natural for me to gravitate toward that genre. Most of my books are
westerns. I love my cowboys, such rough and rugged men. I’ve written two historical shorts, Hawk’s Woman (Virgins Behaving Badly anthology) and
Riverboat Queen (HerStory antho). Those were a challenge for me, as I hate history, LOL, but I was truly surprised at the end result. I love Christmas and
have four Christmas titles available. I’ve an ongoing series with Evernight Publishing, Thunder Creek Ranch, (6 books available and #7 coming) and a new
series that I’m self-publishing, Hudson Ranch. (3 books available and the 4th releasing soon.) In addition, I have several single titles, the latest being Suited to be a Cowboy from Sweet Cravings Publishing.





How did it
feel when one of your books, Zakia and the Cowboy, became a bestseller?

Awesome! Zakia and the Cowboy was my debut release in October, 2011, so to have it become a bestseller practically overnight felt great. It also won Book of the Month for December, 2011, at a major review site and made it to the finals for Book of the Year. These things validated me as an author and that meant a lot. Since then, I’ve had three other bestselling books, His Christmas Wish, Blessed Homecoming, and Finding Baby J. That awesome feeling never gets stale.




What are you
working on at the moment?

Nathan’s story is next up
in my new Hudson Ranch series…western romantic suspense.




You’ve
published more than 20 books! Do you have a strict writing schedule?

Nathan will make #23, and no to a strict writing schedule. I write when I can. Some days that’s a big fat zero, yet I’ve had a few 10k days as well.




What are you
reading at the moment?

I’m reading Breathe for Me by Natalie Anderson.




What do you
like to do in your free time when you’re not reading or writing?

I love spending time with family. I tend to be the family chauffeur for appointments and such, plus I have 6 grandchildren that I like to spoil. Gardening is another pastime I
enjoy.




Is there anything else you would like to
add?

I’m proud to say that Bad Boy Blake won a 2013
Reader’s Choice award for Romantic Suspense.




My books are listed on my website. You’ll find
blurbs, excerpts, reviews, and purchase links there. http://lorrainenelson.weebly.com


I’d also like to say a great big thank you to all my fans. I love you all!







Where can readers buy your books?

For a complete list of titles available, please
visit my author page on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Lorraine-Nelson/e/B005XMAYFQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1




Where can readers find out more about
you?

Website - http://lorrainenelson.weebly.com

Blog – http://lorrainenelson.wordpress.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LorraineNelson.Author

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/lornelca and https://twitter.com/#!/LorraineNelson_

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Lorraine-Nelson/e/B005XMAYFQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Pinterest -  http://pinterest.com/lorrainefnelson/

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5254629.Lorraine_Nelson





Thank you very much Lorraine. It’s been
great chatting with you!

Who
hasn’t dreamt of dropping everything, driving to the nearest airport and running off into the sunset? However, most of us know that we can’t just leave our
friends, family and jobs, and jump on a plane every time we need a bit of R and
R. However, we can pick up a book. Here are 5 reasons why it’s easier to buy a
book than it is to book an air ticket:




1. It’s
a lot cheaper

The
price of a return air ticket ranges anywhere from $200 to $2000, but you can buy
a great book for as little as $3.99!




2. You
don’t need two weeks off work

With a
book you can escape for as little, or as long as you have time for, whether
it’s 5 minutes or 5 hours.




3. You
can go to infinitely and beyond

Even if
we could travel most of the year with unlimited money, we won’t be able to
visit everywhere in the world. Plus, some places are just too dangerous, such
as Afghanistan, or too far, such as Antarctica. However, books can take us
anywhere we’d like to go, including back in time, or into the future.




4. You
don’t need to wait in line

With a
book you won’t need to stand in line at passport control, or wait to collect
your luggage. In addition, books don’t get delayed, or cancelled. A book is
always there for you.




5. You
won’t get sick

No one
that I know of has yet to get travel sickness from reading a book, or suffer
from food poisoning, or get hijacked, or get hurt in a crash.






Have a break, read
a book! 

It’s great to welcome romance author, Sharon Gillenwater. First Sharon, could you tell us about your bestselling
series, The Callahans of Texas?




Thanks for having me here, Katheryn.




The Callahans of Texas is a contemporary
Christian romance series published by Baker/Revell. The Callahans are a wealthy, but down-to-earth ranching family in West Texas with strong ties to
the small town of Callahan Crossing.  The three books—Jenna’s Cowboy, Emily’s Chance, and Megan’s Hero —are about the Callahan siblings Jenna, Chance, and Will finding their true loves.  Since they’re a close and loving family, everyone gets involved with the matchmaking.




Many of your books are based in Texas and I believe you are from there, but now live in Washington. What’s the best
thing about Texas and what do you miss the most?



Yes, I grew up in Texas, but moved to Washington State after I got married eons ago. I love people connected to small Texas towns. Generally, they’re warm, friendly, and polite – where a man will nod or touch the brim of his hat in greeting when he passes a woman on the
street whether or not he knows her. I think it’s part of the cowboy heritage and probably some Southern heritage thrown in. I miss that, along with Texans’
confidence in who they are. And though it sounds corny, I miss those wide, open spaces.     




As well as writing romances set in Texas, you have also written romances set in Regency England and Scotland. What
inspired you to write these great books? 





In October 1983, Boeing sent my husband to England on a business trip in the Cotswolds.  We were in the midst of a kitchen remodel at the time, and I had the choice of buying a new refrigerator or flying to England four days later. It was an easy decision! We only could afford to stay a week, but we crammed in a lot, including a train trip to Scotland and a few days in the Edinburgh area. We even spent a night in Borthwick Castle, listening to the wind howl around us. I was fascinated by the history of both England and Scotland. And I fell in love with the Scottish people. They were so kind and helpful as we tried to find our way around Edinburgh, with everyone on the bus getting involved and trying to decide which stop we should take. They were delightful.




A year or two later, when I discovered Regency romances, I devoured them, and began to have some ideas of
my own. I’ve always loved history, and the trip to England and Scotland was the catalyst for diving headlong into researching the country and era.




What are you working on at the moment?





Dabbling with some ideas for possibly
another Callahan book. I’m just in the thinking stage right now.




Do you have a strict writing schedule?




I wish I did. I used to be better at that than I am now. I’ve had a lot of problems with my back the past several
years, so I have to be careful how long I sit at the computer. I’ve been concentrating on getting my back list up as e-books, so I haven’t written
anything new in a couple of years. I’m hoping I can get back in the groove and settle into a schedule soon.




What advice do you have for other romance authors?




Read a lot, especially the type of books you want to write to learn about pacing. If you can, go to writer’s
conferences. If you can’t afford to go, then join groups that have online workshops. Make sure you have a good understanding of grammar, punctuation,
etc. You may have a great story idea and beautiful prose, but if the grammar and punctuation are bad, an editor is liable to reject it because they don’t
have the time to teach you the basics. And if you’re self-publishing, a lot of readers will be turned off if the basics aren’t right.




If you decide to self-publish, join the Indie Romance Ink Group in Yahoo Groups. They folks there are very helpful and encouraging.




Also, don’t sit for hours at a time! Get up every thirty minutes and move around, especially if you’re at a computer. Sitting for too long is terrible for your back, and as you get older (ahem), you’ll pay for it. I wish I’d listened to the doctor twelve years ago when he gave me that advice, adding that my back was already a mess. Maybe I wouldn’t have needed back surgery in 2011 and again in 2013.




What are you reading at the moment?




I just finished True North by Susan Diane Johnson. It’s women’s fiction and a wonderful book about dealing with loss and reconciliation. 




What do you like doing in your free
time?




Read, play on Ancestry.com, watch TV with my husband, or discuss books he’s read. And play with our grand kids.




Where can readers buy your books?




My books are available at Amazon, Barnes &
Noble, Kobo, Christian Book Distributors (CBD.com).  The easiest way to find them is to go to my website and click on the links from there. 
http://www.sharongillenwater.com/New-Releases.html will take you to the opening page, then click on the other tabs for other books.




Where can readers find out more about you?

http://www.sharongillenwater.com/Sharon-s-Bio.html




Thank you very much Sharon!




About the author



Sharon Gillenwater began writing in 1984 and sold her first book to Dorchester in 1987. Since then, she has published historical romances in the general market and both contemporary romances and historical romances in the Christian market. For the past year or so, she has been releasing her back list books as e-books and is now mulling over new story ideas. She lives in Washington State with her husband and their sweet Abbie, a shelter-rescue dog.

I recently interviewed the wonderful author, Jude Ouvrard, and today I'm thrilled to be sharing the fantastic cover of her upcoming book Body, Ink and Soul!  



















Body, Ink, and Soul Blurb:




Phoenix
Silverstone more commonly known as Nix, is a twenty-one year old that has
finally discovered her freedom. After living under the strict rules and
protection of her mother, Nix moved out with her two best friends in a quaint
little Seattle apartment.  For the first
time Nix is finally able to spread her wings and breathe. Together, they get a
job working at a bar and for the first time everything is perfect.




Freedom,
friendships, a great job and fantastic man on the verge of becoming hers.
Tristan is the suave, intelligent, not to mention gorgeous law student that Nix
has her eyes and heart set on. For the first time, she has her life together;
that is, until her path crosses with Levi. The charming, tattooed and downright
sexy bad boy that Nix knows she needs to avoid.




But
when one of her friends moves out she is shocked to find that her new roommate
is none other than Levi. Flirting. Desire. Undeniable temptations. Nix can’t
deny the chemistry surging between them but she can’t forget her mother’s extreme
hate towards bad boys.




Will
Nix have the strength to listen to her heart? Or will her mother’s rules cost
her everything?







About the author...









Jude
was born and raised in a small village named Lacolle. She now lives in
Montreal, Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful five year old son,
Isaac and has spent the last twelve years with her boyfriend, Cedric.




French
is her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language,
English. She has a passion for books, both reading and writing them.




Also by
Jude:

           

●     Under the Sun

           

●     Wonderland




To
learn more about Jude Ouvrard, here are her links:




Website/blog:
www.judeouvrard.com



Facebook: www.facebook.com/JudeOuvrard



Twitter:
@JudeOuvrard and @AuthorJude_O




Street
Team: www.facebook.com/groups/judesbooks








Excerpt:




''Can I get you anything?'' I asked him, while taking all
the empty plastic glasses off the counter.

''A smile. Give me that and you’ll get the biggest tip
tonight.'' The slow seductive tone rolling off his shapely lips told me he
wasn’t just fooling around. His green eyes were staring at me like I was
dessert. This guy was hot and he knew it. The way his tousled light brown hair
went every which way, hanging down onto his forehead, told me right away he
didn’t care about his looks. He didn’t have to.

He wanted a smile? I shook my head. ''You don’t want a
drink? Just water, maybe?''

''No, just a smile. You're the most beautiful woman I’ve
ever seen and it's just a smile I want.'' He brushed his hand through his hair,
making it even more distressed.

I knew I was blushing and biting my lips in embarrassment.
His eyes refused to stray from mine, pinning me in place. I smiled, but not
because he asked.  No, this was solely
because this very random man had pulled one out of me on his own. I saw the
humor in his eyes. He slid fifty bucks out of his pocket and onto the counter.
''Thank you, Princess. You just made my night.''

He got up and walked away. I could see the hint of tattoos
peeking out of his neckline and rolled up sleeves, but I was too astonished to
call after him or say anything. He was wearing simple black converse, washed
out jeans and a black long sleeve henley. There was something about him -
mysterious and inscrutable. If he wanted to get my attention, well - he got it.

Who the hell was that? I kept asking myself as he walked
away. I knew he was the guy Tyler had been excited to see, but I had never seen
him around here before. I knew I would have remembered that piece of man candy.

He didn't give me his name and I didn't give him mine. Not
that he had to ask - I had a name tag with my name on it. It was the strangest
thing that ever happened to me. My eyes remained trained on him until he opened
the door of the club and left. I found myself still watching the door, even
after it was closed, like I wanted to chase after him – which was insane. I
shook my head, willing myself to move on.

I began wiping the counter, pausing to watch Val entertain
her groupies at the station next to me. As I turned to grab more lemons, my
eyes were drawn again to the door. Tristan walked in with few of his friends. I
had never seen Tristan here before and even after our dinner date tonight, I
still didn’t expect it. I couldn’t tell if I was excited by the surprise visit
or nervous about it. I felt like he was parading a bunch of his buddies around
my bedroom, looking through all my dirty laundry. This was my home away from
home and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to let him in—yet. Not to mention I was still shaken up from Mr. Mysterious. 








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