RomCon Reader - August 2015 by RomCon

August 2015

40 TOP REVIEWED BOOKS!

Summer 2015: Beach Reads!

SARAH HEGGER

PLUS... RomCon 2015 Reader Weekend Schedule JERRIE ALEXANDER, JODI THOMAS, JEWEL QUINLAN, CATE ROWAN, JODY A. KESSLER, JONI HAHN, EVELYN LEDERMAN...and more! RomCon速 2015 | Interviews | Articles | Excerpts | Nerdy Girl Book Reviews Recommendations

AUGUST 2015

52 Cover

ISSUE #8

Spotlight:

CONTEMPORARY: SARAH HEGGER Writing Modern Women: A Moving Target plus an excerpt from her latest book, Nobody’s Fool

Genre Spotlights & Book Excerpts: 26

PARANORMAL: JONI HAHN

An excerpt from Agent N6: Dylan

PARANORMAL: JODY A. KESSLER

Ransom Canyon

An excerpt from Angel Dreams

PARANORMAL EVELYN LEDERMAN An excerpt from Chameleon Soulmate

EROTIC: JEWEL QUINLAN An Interview: Behind The Scenes Plus an excerpt from Man Candy

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AUGUST 2015

CONTEMPORARY: JODI THOMAS ROMANTIC SUSPENSE JERRIE ALEXANDER An excerpt from Flirting With Fate

FANTASY: CATE ROWAN An excerpt from The Source Of Magic

NERDY GIRL BOOK REVIEWS HOT READS!

RomCon 2015 - Reader Weekend 34 58 60

ROMCON READER WEEKEND/UNIVERSITY EVENTS/WORKSHOPS READER LUNCHEON 411 ATTENDING AUTHOR LIST

2015 WINNERS

AUGUST 2015

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Editor’s Note From the Desk of Michele Callahan Hello and Happy Summer to my fellow romance fans. I’m very excited by a completely unexpected surprise that I am now going to share with you. I love romance novels. As you all know, my passion for romance is what led to the creation of RomCon, and to my career as a romance writer. Rarely do I meet anyone who sees the genre through the same lens that I do. If you’ve read some of my previous blogs or articles, I’ve written things like, “How Romance Will Change The World” and others of the same leaning. This genre is about love and forgiveness, compassion and kindness, respect and acceptance of one another. This genre, more than any other, reaches into a reader’s heart and heals the broken pieces, renews hope, and teaches us about ourselves. This past week, I was at the Romance Writers of America’s national conference having lunch with friends when a new acquaintance walked up to the table. This powerhouse woman was passionate about romance, and is fighting for it on some of the toughest playing fields out there for authors (Kirkus Reviews, The Huffington Post and NPR, to name a few). She’s in there struggling against the status quo, the old-school, male dominated thinking that puts romance on the back shelf and doesn’t appreciate its value. This woman made me tear up about writing romance. Seriously. There were tears. Bobbi Dumas loves romance, and she’s busy shouting it to the rooftops to anyone who will listen. She has courageously gone out on a limb and publicly supported the romance genre’s readers and authors. She’s a modern day gladiator, our champion, and she’s getting battered and bloody taking down the old brick walls of literature. She’s taking it on the chin from the “literary” world on behalf of all of us. And I had never heard of her. I think that is insane. I’d also never heard of her amazing month-long pro-Romance event that takes place everyday in August, Read-A-Romance Month. Each day three romance authors write essays on a theme—this year it’s The Joy of Romance— and answer fun Q&As, plus offer other author recommendations and great giveaways. It’s a full-on month of celebrating romance, and you can join in the fun at ReadARomanceMonth.com. I hope all of you will take a minute or two to go check out some of her pieces, and especially all the great essays on the RARM site. Follow her, subscribe to her blog/reviews and help her advocate for this wonderful genre. Let’s be the power behind the voice. Thanks, Bobbi! We got your back. Hugs & Happy Reading! Michele Callahan Find Bobbi Dumas: Bobbi @ the incredible READ A ROMANCE MONTH Bobbi @ Huffington Post Bobbi @ Kirkus Reviews Bobbi @ NPR: In Defense of Romance Bobbi @ Twitter Bobbi @ Facebook

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AUGUST 2015

RomCon® & The Readers’ Crown® are registered service marks of Romance Conventions Inc., 992 S. 4th Ave Ste. 100-422, Brighton, CO 80601 CORPORATE OFFICERS: Founder & President: Michele Callahan Vice President: Jennifer Zane RomCon® STAFF & VOLUNTEERS: Websites and Social Media: Blog Scheduling: Karen Docter Advertising: Heather Cole Book Cover Store: Heather Cole Graphic Design: Tabatha Hansen, Jennifer Zane Content Editor: Michele Callahan Social Media Coordinator: Lori Kander Erotic Romance Group: Heather Cole Readers’ Crown: heather@romconinc.com Reader Judges: 500+ and counting Elite Level Reader Judges: In no particular order - (Thank you!) Amy M., Janon S., Candace C., Debbie S., Lori Y., Lorie K., Jessica D., Rebecca C., Pua T., Elaine B., Toni L., Pat R., Jan K., Dottie A., Christina M., Anita M., Laura Y., Amy W., Sheila H., Wendy P. RomCon® 2015 Reader Weekend & Writer’s University - Convention Convention Director: Michele Callahan Programs and Author Liaison: Karen Docter Programs: Maggie Mae Gallagher, Cynthia Woolf Registration and Staff: Michele Callahan Advertising: RomCon Reader eMagazine: Ciick here. RomCon Website: Click here. Questions: heather@romconinc.com Nerdy Girl Book Reviews Questions: nerdygirlchloe@gmail.com

AMAZING BOOKS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE!

RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

SHIP OF DREAMS BY REBECCA HEFLIN Reviewed by: Kristen C Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Mild

Ship of Dream was a fantastic read! I enjoy the story, the characters and the ending (Shhh, no spoilers here!). Laura and Nathan have a great chemistry and the author gives them plenty of situation to show their attraction to each other. Both are strong-willed and determined advertising executives both vying for the same account – except they don’t know it! The author takes us through their adventures, their excitement and the emotions that come from finding out and making decisions. I am so glad I was able to read this book and am excited to read more of the author’s work!

RUE TOULOUSE BY DEBBY GRAHL Reviewed by: Stephanie Wainwright Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I loved this book. It was a quick read, mainly because I couldn’t put it down. It had everything, a feisty heroine and a sexy guy who gets several opportunities to step in and save the girl. Insert sigh. This was my first book by this author, but hopefully not my last.

FORTUNE ON MOON LAKE BY AMY GAMUT Reviewed by: Isha Coleman Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Mild

Fortune on Moon Lake is a romance with meaning. In this story you find characters that face uncertainty, heartbreak and anger. Amy Gamet has written a multifaceted story full of emotional and suspenseful scenarios. The central theme of this story is to never give up hope. For although you may not get the thing that you hope for, you could be blessed with so much more. Endearing about never giving up. It pulls at the heartstrings.

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AUGUST 2015

THE DIFFERENCE OF A YEAR BY M.J. WILSON Reviewed by: Kristen C. Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Sweet

The Difference of a Year was an easy, delightful read. Once I cracked open the first page (figuratively of course), I couldn’t stop until I flipped to THE END. When the read the final word, I thought to myself “No, M.J. give us more of their story” Pick it up, enjoy it’s easy read and delight in lovable characters.

SHATTERED BY JANET NISSENSON Reviewed by: Laura Nelson Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

No matter what happened in the book you were aware of the huge love these two had for another even if at times they did not know it. I cried, shouted, laughed and smiled my way through this book and forgot about my own surroundings in the process and that to me is a sign of what a great writer Janet Nissenson is! The secondary characters in the book only add depth to the book as they give an insight into the lead characters. I can’t wait for Lauren’s book!

ANOINTED BY MAGGIE MAE GALLAGHER Reviewed by: Rebecca Smiles Genre: Fantasy Romance Heat Level: Hot

This book was amazing. This is the first time I have read anything from Maggie Mae Gallagher and it definitely will not be the last. She grabs you from page 1 and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. Alana, the main character, travels back in time to try to save her world from demons. She’s a kick-ass demon fighter and doesn’t need any help from anyone, especially Galan, whom she refuses to trust. She and Galan embark on an awesome journey of knowledge gathering and demon fighting. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

MAN CANDY BY JEWEL QUINLAN Reviewed by: Debby Jovanovic Genre: Erotic Romance Heat Level: Erotic

Man Candy is a book/novella about Ava, a successful 40 year old real estate agent, who, while looking for her own “happily ever after” relationship goes out with a younger girlfriend and ends up with her running buddy, Cole, who is about 15 years younger than she is. While I can’t imagine leaving my inebriated friend in a home with three men she had just met, the story was believable on most levels and an entertaining read. Man Candy is a very quick read that is well written. This was the first story I’ve read from this author, but it won’t be the last.

AUGUST 2015

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RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

DARK SUMMONER BY D.D. MIERS Reviewed by: Cheryl Griffis Genre: Paranormal Romance Heat Level: Mild

This book is well written and with well developed characters. It does make you want to read the rest of the series. It keeps your interest right from the beginning and leaves you screaming at the end for more. With twists and turns you never know what’s coming around the next page. Well worth buying if you don’t mind cliffhangers. Can’t wait for the rest of the story!

CANDIDATE BY TRACY EWENS Reviewed by: Sarah Lindert Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Mild

So, so many reasons why I adore this book! I could not put it down! Kate is hardworking and driven, with no time for love or nonsense. Ms. Ewens writing is beautifully descriptive, to the point of being magical. At times, I felt as if I was watching a movie or actually a part of the scene that was unfolding. She captures all of the emotions that go along with falling in love so brilliantly. This book is smart, witty, filled with an interesting cast of characters and a great love story. Seriously, read it.

JAKE BY CYNTHIA WOOLF Reviewed by: Liberty Ann Ireland Genre: Historical Romance Heat Level: Mild

Jake is the first in a series of three: Jake, Zack and you guessed it, Liam. Personally I cannot wait to read them all. Jake was an easy read - I completed it cover to cover in one evening. This is the second of Cynthia’s books I’ve read and I truly like her style. I would not hesitate to recommend Jake to any Historical Romance lover.

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AUGUST 2015

FINDING MR. RIGHT NOW BY MEG BENJAMIN Review by: Liz Digman Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I enjoyed this book by Meg Benjamin. It was the first book I’ve read by her but I’ll certainly read more in the future. I don’t watch all the reality dating shows but its fun to “experience” the drama that they entail & the author did a good job creating that world, as least as what I imagine it would be. The love story was a bit predictable but it was fun & I enjoyed the interactions between Monica & Paul.

ORIGINS OF AN AFRICAN ELEMENTAL BY ALICIA MCCALLA Reviewed by: Cheryl Griffis Genre: Fantasy Romance Heat Level: Extreme

Although there were elements in this set of books that were disturbing and on the dark side, overall I really enjoyed the stories.The story line and characters are well developed. The mixture of West African and Norse mythology was very interesting. The story holds your interest and keeps you reading until it’s finished. This book set leads into the rest of the series and I can’t wait to read them.

LEGEND OF THE FAE BY APRIL HOLTHAUS Reviewed by: Cheryl Griffis Genre: Historical Fiction Heat Level: Mild

I loved this story! It has a little bit of everything in it. Love, romance, sizzle, magic, suspense, betrayal, the list goes on. The characters are well developed and the storyline well written. The author draws you right in to the story and keeps you there. With faeries and a highlander in a dangerous but magical world you can’t help but keep reading to the end. Well done and worth adding to your library!

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AUGUST 2015

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RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

HOW TO GET LUCKY BY ERIN MCCARTHY Reviewed by: Nicky Morgan Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I’ve read and enjoyed books by this author in the past and knew it would be good reading. So I didn’t read a summary or synopsis or anything about the book. I just jumped right into it .... and could NOT put it down. I read it pretty much in one sitting. Stayed up past my bedtime to do it.

COP ON HER DOORSTEP BY KAREN DOCTER Reviewed by: Bette Hansen Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

This was a fun, light, sexy read. An awesome storyline, great characters, and a good pace to the story make this one I would definitely recommend!

SUMMER AT THE SHORE BY V.K. SYKES Reviewed by: Bette Hansen Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

Oh my, how I loved this book! This small island town of Seashell Bay has definitely grabbed my heart! I really enjoy this authors writing style. She allows the romance to bloom and flourish throughout the story while keeping the pace of the book from dragging. While this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read standalone.

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AUGUST 2015

YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU’RE DEAD BY MICHELLE BARDSLEY Reviewed by: Angel Hatfield Genre: Paranormal Romance Heat Level: Hot

The book definitely gave me some chuckles. Overall this was a very good book. It was quick to read and hard to put down. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read more about this town and more from this author. I highly recommend.

THE NINES BY DAKOTA MADISON & SIERRA AVALON Reviewed by: Patty Nobles Genre: Romantic Suspense Heat Level: Mild

In the novel “The Nines,” by Dakota Madison and Sierra Avalon the story is explosive from beginning to end. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I look forward to the rest of this page turning series.

ANYTHING FOR A COWBOY BY JENNA BAYLEY-BURKE Reviewed by: Bette Hansen Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I really enjoyed this fun quick read. It’s well written, good pace, and has great characters. I would definitely recommend this one.

AUGUST 2015

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RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

THE SECRET SISTER BY BRENDA NOVAK Reviewed by: Debbie Countiss Genre: Women’s Fiction Heat Level: Mild

I absolutely loved this book!!! I stayed up all night reading it and I give it 5+ stars. Actually, I’m in the middle of reading another one of her books, This Heart of Mine, another book I can’t put down. But, The Secret Sister was so different from her other books and it surpassed anything else I had read of hers - which really says something because all of her works are so good!

DYLAN: THE SONS OF DUSTY WALKER BY JODI REDFORD Reviewed by: Kim Roberts Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

Dylan:The Sons of Dusty Walker was a really captivating story. The Sons of Dusty Walker is a set of books where each son is written by a different author and can be read in any order. Dylan is the first in the set. This is a fabulous start to a great series.

CAUGHT BY RHONDA SHAW Reviewed by: Diane McConnell Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

More Men of the Show please! Caught by Rhonda Shaw is an action-packed romantic story where catcher Matt Buck is trying to create a relationship with lawyer Shannon Morrison when they live in two different cities. Shannon is engaged in starting her career in a big law firm and Matt is trying to get rid of his stalker former girlfriend. Caught by Rhonda Shaw is the third book is the Men of the Show series and I will definitely read the rest of the series.

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AUGUST 2015

THEIR KIDNAPPED BRIDE BY VANESSA VALE Reviewed by: Karla Hemphill Genre: Erotic Romance Heat Level: Erotic

Hot Hot Hot! Vanessa Vale spins a story of a sweet girl that wakes up finding that she, the heiress, was sold to a brothel by all people.....her step brother! As always, Ms Vale brings on the heat! At one point I was sure my e-reader was melting! I also enjoyed the background on the men and how they came into the lifestyle. I am looking forward to more stories about the others at the ranch.

ETERNALLY YOURS BY GINA ARDITO Reviewed by: Tabitha Barret Genre: Paranormal Romance Heat Level: Hot

I found Eternally Yours to be a refreshing take on a subject that is well-know and dear to my heart. I know that this is the first book in the series and I am interested to see how the series progresses. I give this book 4.5 stars and look forward to future reaper stories.

ROGUE’S CALL BY C.A. SZAREK Reviewed by: Cheryl Griffis Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance Heat Level: Hot

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are well developed. The story line draws you right into a world that is unique and fun.This book has a magical world that isn’t like most that are out now, around every corner there is something that just makes you gasp and giggle and think how neat. Add some romance and sizzle in and you won’t be putting this book down until it’s finished. I can’t wait to read the others in the series!

AUGUST 2015

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RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

NECROMANCER BY GRAEME ING Reviewed by: Gabrielle Fuehrer Genre: Fantasy Heat Level: Mild

I enjoyed this book immensely! I normally don’t read this genre because of all the heaviness, technicalities, and descriptions. This wasn’t the case with this book. It was easy to read and did not bog the reader down. I loved the mystery, suspense and danger. The action writing crackled with energy and excitement. The ending was satisfying and I connected with the characters as if they were right beside me. I am hooked into reading more of Mr. Ing’s necromancer stories.

LIMBO BY AMY ANDREWS Reviewed by: Liz Digman Genre: Romantic Suspense Heat Level: Hot

I probably would have passed right over this book just reading the blurb... not much into the paranormal, woo-woo stuff as the author puts it in the book. And while the paranormal subject is touched on its not the focus... the book is so much more. It has mystery, romance, a little hot loving, folks with a past.... everything that makes a book one that you can’t put down. So hope the author writes more in this series.

MEET ME AT THE BEACH BY V.K. SYKES Reviewed by: Rachel B Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

Meet Me at the Beach is a fun & sexy summer read. I loved the second chance romance between Aiden and Lily. I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Seashell Bay and I look forward to reading more Seashell Bay novels.

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AUGUST 2015

THEIR WAYWARD BRIDE BY VANESSA VALE Reviewed by: Tina Genre: Erotic Romance Heat Level: Erotic

After reading the first book of this series I dived right into the second. Each book is a standalone but I enjoyed the second story more as I was already familiar with the characters. This book had a great balance of bad men, indifferent men, and our amazing Bridgewater heroes. The author did a great job depicting each of these characters and their effect on our sweet heroine.

CORE ATTRACTION BY ASHLINN CRAVEN Reviewed by: Heidi Huddleston Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I enjoyed reading this book. Which is more important to you, work or love? It was a good read and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

COCKPIT BY KATE DEVEAUX Reviewed by: Pennie Morgan Genre: Erotic Romance Heat Level: Erotic

High school sweethearts who have not seen each other since shortly after graduation when they went their separate ways have a chance meeting 40 years later when Bobbi Cooper, AKA Captain Bob Cooper, is the pilot on the transatlantic flight into London and Mack McConnell is a passenger in first class.Who would have thought sparks would burn so bright and so hot in this second chance romance. Definitely a must read if you are tired of 20-30 somethings and think 50 somethings can be just as hot!

AUGUST 2015

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RomCon’s Reader Rating program has joined with new partner, Nerdy Girl Book Reviews to provide you with the latest reviews on great books!

HELLO, MY LOVE BY E JOURNEY Reviewed by: Yassmeen Elfar Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Mild

Finally a love story about Actual Adults! I loved meeting these characters and hearing each one’s point of view on how their feelings came about! This story is told from both the hero’s and heroine’s perspectives in settings of sophisticated conversations and overwhelming emotions. A far cry from your average bodice ripper, this book addresses love with a realistic outlook while still giving us a happily ever after.

A LOVE MORE PRECIOUS THAN DIAMONDS BY RACHEL DE VINE Reviewed by: Pennie Morgan Genre: Erotic Romance Heat Level: Erotic

The world really is a small place... Danny is seduced by a much older woman in London and turned on to spanking with sex and as a 21 year old fell in love with “Gem.” 20 yearsn later we find Dan who is now a successful businessman and has never settled down with one woman. Restless, he heads to the neighborhood bar and meets the bartender and sparks fly.There were parts of this story that made me uncomfortable and I am glad Vicky received counseling and the ending was redeeming. I’m not going to give anything away.

RUNNING INTERFERENCE BY ELLEY ARDEN Reviewed by: Melinda Barrera Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

This is the first I have read from Elley Arden and have to say I loved it. The whole woman football player up against the male hot sexy MVP was exciting. I loved the love hate relationship they had but one hot tumble in bed changes everything. Loved it and can`t wait for more from this series.

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AUGUST 2015

THE LOOK OF LOVE BY CRYSTAL B. BRIGHT Reviewed by: Luz M. Cartagena-Collado Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I enjoyed The Look of Love. I loved the hero! I loved the premise of the book/series. Three white brothers adopted by and devoted to their black mother, “Queen Elizabeth” Wells. She’s a hoot! I’m looking forward to seeing how they all evolve in the series when the two other brothers get there HEA.

HAUNTING YOU BY VIOLA ESTRELLA Reviewed by: Cheryl Griffis Genre: Paranormal Romance Heat Level: Hot

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It’s well written with well developed characters. It’s a sweet romantic story with lots of sexual tension between the characters. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’ll definitely be reading others by her. I really enjoyed this one. I know you will as well. Happy Reading!

TIED BY PIPER MALONE Reviewed by: Brittaney Coen Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

I started this book and was a little worried that it would be like every other BDSM book I’ve read. I’m so happy to report that I was mistaken. I was concerned that the book would be really explicit and not able to read in public but it was amazing and honestly I can not wait until there are more books in this series!!! I’ve officially put it on my auto subscribe!

AUGUST 2015

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THE VICTOR: BY NICOLE FLOCKTON Reviewed by: Isha Coleman Genre: Contemporary Romance Heat Level: Hot

Tragedy, pain, anger and misunderstandings drove Cole and Ava apart. If that wasn’t bad enough secrecy adds a whole other layer to this story. Cole is a member of a secret mysterious club. Ava is tired of holding on to the past and wants to move on. The problem? Cole refuses to give up on her without a fight. However in order for Cole and Ava to have a future together, they have to first face the mistakes of the past. A good story that ended too soon.

SPOTLIGHT REVIEWER: NICOLE VELA ALPHAS MATE BY CARYN BLOCK MOYA - FANTASY The author writes a visually stunning story of an alpha and the curvy photographer who captures his heart, This a must read!

DARING BY SYLVIA MCDANIEL - HISTORICAL Looking for trouble! Wild west meets lipstick jungle. A new twist on a western romance.

COP ON HER DOORSTEP BY KAREN DOCTOR - CONTEMPORARY Heart struck! Amazing! The conflict between Jake and Carrie is both emotional and heartwretching, Get the Kleenex. It tugs at your heart.

MAIL ORDER OUTLAW BY CYNTHIA WOOLF - HISTORICAL Unexpectedly delightful. A sweet surprise with an even greater ending!

BRIDGEWATER MENAGE SERIES BY VANESSA VALE - EROTIC Vanessa Vale delivers 3 equal stunning and brilliantly written books! The Bridgewater Series, isn’t your ordinary “mother’s” historical romance. Visually stunning, the pages come to life. The writing is seductive and mesmerizing. Never a dull read! Muy Caliente! Each one of the books has something that grabs at your heart, the desire to love is conveyed in the pages!

KEEP REVIEWING! YOU MIGHT BE OUR NEXT SPOTLIGHT REVIEWER! 18

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AUGUST 2015

Sylvia Day- Past RomCon Attendee & Jennifer’s Fan Girl Favorite

ON THE ROAD

Fan Girl moments at Romance Writers of America’s annual conference (RWA 2015) in NYC! Michele and Jennifer took many so-so selfies with favorite authors and upcoming RomCon Reader Weekend Attending Authors!

Jodi Thomas- RomCon 2015 Keynote Speaker-See her at RomCon in September!

They might not be the best pics out there, but boy, are we lucky!

Sarah Hegger RomCon Reader Cover Girl!

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AUGST 2015

Roxie Rivera NYT Bestseller & Readers’ Crown Finalist

Kerrilyn Sparks NYT Bestseller & Michele’s Fan Girl Favorite

Kresley Cole NYT Bestseller & Michele’s Fan Girl Favorite

Melody Anne RomCon 2015 Attending AuthorSee her at RomCon in September!

Rebecca Zanetti RomCon 2015 Attending AuthorSee her at RomCon in September!

JS Scott RomCon 2015 Attending AuthorSee her at RomCon in September!

AUGUST 2015

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ROMANTIC SUSPENSE: SANDRA S. KERNS RECONSTRUCTING ROMAN

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Gruesome murders and feuding families overshadow a small town near the Colorado Rockies. Roman Smirnosky returns home after his parents murder expecting trouble. That’s all he ever knew in the small town. The last thing he expects is the interest of a woman, or worse, his attraction to her. He doesn’t have time because he has to prove his brother’s innocence and find a killer. Keeping his distance is a problem when he realizes the killer is interested in Kaia too. Kaia Beecher leaves her legal career behind to start fresh by moving halfway across the country to the farmhouse she inherited. Unfortunately, people think she’s her grandmother’s ghost. Soon after her arrival, she receives threatening phone calls telling her to leave or pay the price. The sense of being watched has her constantly looking over her shoulder. The only bright spot is the handsome brooding man helping her with repairs, that is until he confesses his past.

EROTIC: VANESSA VALE THEIR CAPTIVATED BRIDE The Bridgewater way of two men marrying one woman is uncommon in the Montana territory. But three men marrying one woman? That is unheard of, especially for beautiful Olivia Weston. Her fate, it seems, will have her married to one man – a man she doesn’t love. But when her betrothed treats her in a cruel manner, she rejects him and not long afterwards catches the eye of three handsome and virile ranchers. Cross, Rhys and Simon are as different as three men can be. But they have one thing in common; they are determined to offer Olivia the protection of marriage and the promise of endless carnal pleasures.Olivia worries that her instant attraction and hasty agreement to marry three men stems from a defect in her character. What kind of woman not just love three men, but make the most intimate parts of herself available to their lustful attention? The chemistry between them is like lightning. Can she deny it? Or will Olivia submit to become the most sated Bridgewater wife in this ongoing ménage series?

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AUGUST 2015

HISTORICAL: CYNTHIA WOOLF MAIL ORDER OUTLAW

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Ed Talbot isn’t husband material. He’s an outlaw, was forced into his father’s gang at the age of thirteen, and is wanted Dead or Alive in more than one territory. But now his father is dead, he hates the life, the blood, and his brother’s rages. When a stagecoach robbery goes awry, Ed ends up with a satchel full of charming letters from an enticing young miss. Unfortunately for Miss Lizzie Cobb, her betrothed is now dead, and Ed Talbot sees a way out. Isolated on her mother’s ranch just outside of Tombstone, Miss Lizzie Cobb doesn’t have the time or the means to find a respectable husband. As a half Apache woman in the Arizona Territory, being a mail order bride seems like the only solution to her problem until she realizes that San Francisco is too far away, and she’ll have to leave her vulnerable mother and baby brother behind. Her solution? Call off the wedding. When her groom shows up on her doorstep, she’s shocked.

CONTEMPORARY: KAREN DOCTER COP ON HER DOORSTEP In the six years since her husband was killed by S.W.A.T., Carrie Padilla has spent long hours at work, rebuilding a life for herself and her son. The little time she has at home is spent keeping her eight-year-old son out of trouble, but he is all too eager to try to be the man in the house.When a handsome cop shows up on her doorstep, her errant son in tow, Carrie’s heart stutters. The sexy Italian cop sets off all kinds of bells in her system, and she knows there’s only one thing she can do to save what is left of her family, her husband’s memory, and her heart...avoid her new neighbor at all costs.

BUY NOW! CLICK HERE. AUGUST 2015

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PARANORMAL

AUGUST 2015

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PARANORMAL

joni HAHN AGENT N6: DYLAN - EXCERPT With your looks, it’s a good thing God gave you brains. Teague Hamilton willed away Mrs. Burnett’s words, the winds lashing at her upswept hair like her former guardian’s razor-sharp tongue. As the boat drew closer to the private island off of Oahu, even she questioned her intelligence. What was sold to her as an island paradise looked more like World War II France after the Germans trampled through it. One corner of a grand, Modernist mansion was gone, the grounds surrounding it covered in rubble. This was Cyrus Matheson’s idea of paradise? Sure, she’d wanted to escape the doldrums of Dr. Capri’s lab, but this looked more like a war zone than a tropical utopia. Shading her eyes over glasses sprinkled with saltwater, Teague braced her high heels against the ridged floor of the boat. Her stomach turned like a pig on an open fire. Stickiness covered her face and bare legs, the smell of tobacco wafting back to her from the driver’s spit can on the dash. “You need to turn around, T.” Her former co-worker and best friend,Amy Garland, could make a living as a professional worrier. She’d worked at the lab almost as long as Teague, and never waivered from her routine. “Forget about that job offer.” Teague stifled the urge to sigh as she spoke through the Bluetooth at her ear. “So I can stare at test tubes all day and make up stories about the patients behind them? I’m done with that.” Sniffing, Amy adopted a brittle tone. “I thought we had fun.” They did – until now. Learning she had multiple sclerosis had changed her perspective on life. “You know why I’m doing this. Dr. Capri will never get research funding for anything more than our current program. I need something more.” Teague lowered her hand as the Samoan driver edged the boat close to the shore lined with people. 26

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Yellow tape stamped with the words “Do Not Cross” stretched from a retaining wall, across a bent wroughtiron gate, to a brick wall on the opposite side. A darkhaired man wearing sunglasses and shorts signaled the driver to turn around and leave. No, no, no, no, no. I can’t go back. She held two fingers to her Bluetooth. “I have to go. I’ll call you later.” “Don’t call during Nova. Tonight is the show on nanotechnology.” Right. Don’t want to miss a show on scientific advancements that will never see their potential because of political bureaucracy. Teague said to the driver, “Stay. I need to find out what happened.” He gave her a brief nod. “As you wish.” Cutting the engine, he scanned the beach. Small waves lapped against the boat hull as it settled to a stop parallel to shore. Lifting the hem of her ivory pencil skirt,Teague took the driver’s hand and stretched a leg over the side. She tugged down her coral, button-up blouse and marched toward the man, her heels sinking into the soft sand. He held out his hands to block her. “I’m sorry, ma’am. You’re not allowed on the island.” She did not come all this way to be turned away. Her future depended on this job. Digging inside the large tote on her shoulder, she pulled out the employment contract signed by Cyrus Matheson, Esquire. She handed it to him. “This contract says not only am I allowed on the island, I live here.” The decision to leave Sacramento and live off the coast of Hawaii was a no-brainer. Add the opportunity to work with fully funded, genetic-enhancement research and she’d had her bags packed before the ink dried on the contract. “One moment.” Tapping a finger to his ear, the man turned and spoke in a low voice. The eight men lining the beach at regular intervals held themselves at military ease, their eyes scanning the open water and partly cloudy skies. Two standing

PARANORMAL near the boat studied her with keen interest. A whir of helicopters sounded in the distance. In unison, they looked up at the sky. The man that greeted them looked over his shoulder. His low voice carried in rushed tones. “We have incoming. Two bogies, ten o’clock.” Bogies?! Her heart pounded against her ribs wild beats. Excitement and danger were things she only read about in books or saw in the movies. They did not happen to dull, laboratory hermits. Two, dark helicopters approached. The hum of their rotors grew louder by the second, disrupting the early morning quiet. The man clutched her arm from behind. “Come with me.” His urgent tone betrayed his calm demeanor. Pulling her toward the gates, he rushed up the incline. “What about my suitcases?” She glanced back at the boat. A sharp ping pounded against the boat’s hull, then another. Her driver jolted, then fell overboard into the shallow water. A bullet hole pierced the side of his bald head. “Oh, my god…” “Run,” the man said in a raised voice, as he dragged her toward the entrance. “Stay low.” Losing her shoes, she crouched and ran up the beach. Helicopter blades droned in the overhead sky, rousing the sand into tornado-like fury. Gunfire peppered the beach behind them, groans and return fire piercing the air like a violent hailstorm. Her escort arched his back, before dropping to the sand. Oh, my god. Oh, my god… She ran for a hole in the fence bars, near the retaining wall. Her lungs heaved for breath, her legs shaking. God help me. What have I found? She’d wanted to escape the lab, but this was more than she bargained for. A blond man dropped from the sky in front of her, gun pointed at her chest. She stopped short, her heart continuing on in staccato beats. His handsome face held no evil or warmth, just matter-of-fact business. Her body shook with mild tremors. “Dr. Hamilton, come with me.” He held out a hand. “I don’t think so…” Two shots rang out. A red-haired man hurried past, the smell of suntan lotion splashing over her. The blond dropped to the sand, blood at his temple.

“Stay here, against the wall.” His face a blur, the man shoved her through the hole in the gate. Ducking between the retaining wall and the fence, Teague peeked through the bars. The red-haired man wore nothing more than athletic shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, yet he charged into the gunfire as if he wore a suit of armor. He fired to his left, hitting a man between the eyes. Whipping to his right, he grabbed the barrel of an assailant’s gun and dismantled it in one, quick sweep, the pieces falling to the sand. He slammed the butt of his

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PARANORMAL gun against another’s temple. Dropping to the ground, the man shook his head as if to clear it. The redhead launched two rounds against his forehead. Okay, Teague, you have to get out of here. Somehow, she had to get to the boat. She had no idea who these men were, or what was going on. She didn’t know if any of them worked for Cyrus, or if they were the authorities. The only thing she did know was that they used real bullets. Picking up the gun pieces, the redhead assembled it and jumped onto the boat’s bow, a gun in each hand. He shot down at the men on beach, picking off attackers with deft precision, gunshots zinging past him without notice. Emptying both chambers, he threw down the guns and leaped off the boat. He rushed toward a fistfight and jumped on an assailant’s back, twisting his neck. The man fell to the sand. He grabbed the dead man’s sidearm and fired at the main rotor on one of the helicopters. The chopper went into a wild tailspin, reeling and whirling, before diving sideways into the ocean. Water gushed high in the air, sprinkling the beach, fire mushrooming in its wake. Flames danced on the water’s surface amongst the wreckage. Something cold and hard butted against the back of her head. She stiffened, straightening her back. “Get up.” Hands in the air, she rose to her feet with slow movements, her face toward the beach. She didn’t want to see her attacker, didn’t want to give death a face other than the one in her mind’s eye since childhood. “What do you want from me?” she said. He nudged her head. “Mr. Matheson wants me to take you in.” “Mr. Matheson?” Her new boss? “I thought he lived here.” “He’s been evicted.” Like a cheetah after its prey, the redhead sprang from the top of the retaining wall, stretching over her head like an athlete over a hurdle. Sailing through the air, he landed on top of the man and dragged him to the ground. They struggled amongst the grass and rubble, fists flying, before her champion clamped a hand around the attacker’s gun. With stiff, shaking hands, they wrestled with the weapon. The redhead snapped back his arm and dismantled it in two, giving the attacker a shot at his profile. The redhead’s face whipped to the side, but didn’t slow him. With continual fists to his jaw, he rendered the attacker 28

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unconscious, his head falling limp in the grass. Breathing hard, he turned to her, his blue-green eyes glittering with adrenalin. They dominated his face, swirling in shades of teal and aqua, reminding her of the mood ring her mother gave her as a child. Red stubble dotted his upper lip and square, cleft chin, subtle cheekbones complementing his small, angular nose. His nearness sent a shock of awareness through her heated body, kicking her already-pounding heart into overdrive. Gorgeous seemed too clichéd for this man’s appeal. Too inadequate. From a geneticist’s perspective,Teague decided God had perfected the genetic code with this one. He gave her huddled form a quick once-over. “Agent Dylan McCall. Can you stand?” Pushing up her foggy glasses, she gave him an uncertain nod, her eyes straying to the unconscious man lying a foot away. “Yes.” “Good girl.” Girl? She hadn’t been called anything but doctor or Teague in a long time. She hadn’t really felt like a girl since she lost her parents as a child. Then again, she’d never been held at gunpoint. Still, something in his deep voice spoke of command, of a confidence she sorely lacked at the moment. It rang of the unspoken knowledge that he had everything under control and would take care of her. She knew better. Holding out a hand, Dylan helped her to her feet, his big, rough palm unyielding around hers. Heat sizzled up her arm and rushed through her body, awakening every hibernating erogenous zone in her DNA. Steering her away from the unconscious man, he escorted her through the rock-filled foliage. A concrete sidewalk led to blue doors at the mansion’s face. He spoke into an armband strapped to his left forearm. “Mitchell…” “McCall. What’s going on?” His tall, lean frame exuded energy as he rushed her up the walk. “Two agents down. We have a person of interest.” She snatched away her hand. He made her sound like some kind of suspect. Of what, she wasn’t sure. Mitchell’s voice carried over the band. “Who is he?” Dylan gave her another perusal, this one slower, more… pronounced. She refrained from fanning herself. “He is a she, Mitchell.” His direct gaze sent a shiver down her spine. “Who are you?”

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jody A. KESSLER ANGEL DREAMS AN ANGEL FALLS, #2 A NEW ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE The melting butter sensation had made its way to my back and is creeping north and south simultaneously. In another minute I’m going to be a warm puddle. “An Irish Dullahan is a being that comes at night, he’s headless, and forewarns of death.” “Ah, maybe that is what I used to be, but definitely not anymore.” His velvet rich voice caresses me from the inside out. I can feel his strength pulsing through his fingertips as he strokes my palm. His clean scent lingers in the air and I let myself drift away with the symphony of sensation. “Sweet vixen, are you all right?” “Hmmm?” “Are you falling asleep?” “No, why?” “Your eyes are closed, love.” “It’s fine. Please don’t stop, Nathaniel.” There it is again, a part of my brain notes, speaking without my permission. He raises my hand to his lips and kisses the heel of my palm, then the inside of my wrist and up my forearm to the inside of my elbow. The top of my shoulder becomes his next destination and then along the edge of my collarbone. I want to protest — remember, taking things slow — but the jelly which my insides have turned into must include my voice box because recognizable sounds are no longer possible. Feather soft tickling on the side of my neck leaves me breathless, and all reason has now left the building. Somehow my hands have joined my betraying mouth and are doing things without my consent, like they have a separate mind of their own, even though I can still feel what they feel. Strong cords run up the back of his neck. The thick waves of his hair are soft and scrumptious between my fingers. My hand wraps around the base of his skull as he teases the underside of my jaw with 30

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his too warm mouth. My other hand moves over his muscular shoulder and down his back. He’s so strong and so solid. At some point I must have pulled him on top of me because I’m suddenly aware of the smell and feel of crushed grass beneath me. My ear is being nibbled and I can hardly breathe, not because of the weight of him, but because of the sheer excitement and the rush of blood pounding through me. It’s taken my breath away. Turning my face to find his mouth, he’s all too agreeable to meet me. My self-control has become as distant as yesterday’s breeze. “You have the most kissable mouth I’ve ever seen,” he whispers and then proceeds to prove his statement. Nathaniel is strong and gentle and urgent and tender. I send out a silent prayer to Father Time to let this perfect moment last forever. How did I not know kissing could be like this?

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evelyn LEDERMAN EXCERPT FROM ‘THE CHAMELEON SOUL MATE’

hey were about to start down the mountain when there was a terrible scream and both men turned to the portal, as the most beautiful woman Tarsea had ever laid eyes on fell through. At the sight of her, he felt like he had been punched in the stomach. It was as if he had the wind knocked out of him. Darden was the quicker of the two of them and caught her. Tarsea stood like a fool watching. The girl continued to scream in Darden’s arms as he tried to calm her. “By the Prime!” Darden exclaimed. “What are you doing here, Alexandra?” It was obvious his friend knew the girl. Tarsea wanted to help aid in quieting her. He used the name Darden had. “Alexandra, you need to stop screaming! Take a breath and let it out slowly, you are starting to hyperventilate.” As they were trying to calm the girl, he telepathically asked his friend questions. “Who is she? How do you know her? What is she to you?” For some reason that last question was the most important to him. Darden talked to the girl, ignoring his questions. Tarsea figured he would have to wait for his answers until after the girl stopped screaming. Tarsea stared at the creature in Darden’s arms. She had the most beautiful light auburn hair that shimmered in the sun. The girl had bright green eyes that showed terror, although he felt under normal circumstances they would show intelligence. Her skin was like a luminous pearl, she almost glowed a light pink. She

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was slight. Tarsea had the odd thought he wanted to feed her, so there would be more of her for him to touch. His fingers ached to touch her skin and slide his whole being into her body. He had never reacted to anyone in this manner. *** Alex heard a voice break through the screams, which she finally realized was coming from her. She took a breath and looked into the deep blue eyes of the blond man she had been following. Alex concentrated on bringing down her heart rate and controlling her breathing. “Alexandra, can I touch you to make sure you are unhurt?” the man holding her asked when he noted she had calmed down. She was about to respond when she heard a growl. Alex looked in the direction of the sound. There stood what Alex could only call was the most striking man she had ever seen. His face was full of angles, as if an artist chiseled it from marble. He was dark, with a deep tan and short black hair. Like the man she had followed, he too wore a tunic and leggings. He was all in black. The expression on his face was that of surprise, then confusion. She took it that he normally did not growl. Alex wiggled out of the blonde’s arms as he released his hold on her. She slowly got up and patted herself

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down, checking to see if she was hurt. It appeared she was fine. She looked around to get her bearings and stopped cold.The sky had a violet hue to it, and she was no longer in Boynton Canyon. Alex staggered and the blonde steadied her. “Alexandra, are you all right?” he asked as he continued to hold her shoulder and helped her balance. Although she appreciated the support, she had no idea where she was or who these men were. She could not understand how they knew her name. “I don’t know, am I?” a very confused Alex answered him. “How do you know me? Who are you and why is the sky violet?” She knew she sounded shaky, primarily because she was. It surprised her that although the situation terrified her, she was not afraid of these men. “Alexandra, I promise I will tell you everything,” the blonde said. “But we have to go now! The patrols may be on their way after a second body came through the portal.You must have been caught in the stream before the portal closed.” The blonde eyed his friend, then turned back to Alex. “My name is Darden, the man with the scowl is Tarsea.” The mention of patrols made Alex tense, a reaction she noticed she shared with the men. Her eyes kept going back to the man with the scowl. What would have happened if they had not been there and the patrol had found her?

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GENERAL EVENT SCHEDULE READER WEEKEND & WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UNIVERSITY All times and events are subject to change without notice at any time.

Thursday, September 24 7:00pm - 9:00pm Early Registration Wine & Witches Welcome Event For early bird fans: Join Suza Kates and Misha McKenzie for a fun filled wine tasting at Bonaquisti Urban Winery. A shuttle bus will be provided for readers. A form to sign up for this FREE event will be posted online on September 15 and will allow only one ticket per person, therefore you may not sign up for friends. Only 60 spots available. *This event is for Readers/Fans only. 7:30pm - 9:00pm Informal Author Social Friday, September 25 7:30am Registration Opens 9:00am - 10:15am Intimate Chat - Dianna Love Intimate Chat - Eve Langlais University- Taxes For Writers with Margaret Taylor This workshop will give an overview of Taxes as they relate to Authors. Topics covered will include the differences between a Corporation, an LLC, a Partnership, a Sole Proprietorship and what entity may be best for an Author; what types of industry specific expenses are deductible along with other topics geared toward helping Authors understand Taxes and their responsibilities. University- DPI Is Not A Secret Government Agency! with David Gregg Enhance working with graphics designers and other media. Focusing on: Basic formats, specifications (Web, Print) and terms. General overview graphics software programs used by most designers. Understanding the basics of statement of work or design briefs. PictionaryÂŽ Sylvia McDaniel, Carolyn Brown, Carolyn Rae, Josie Matthews, S.E. Smith, Joanna Grace, Jodi Thomas, Marsha R. West, Amelia James, Diane J. Reed, Sandy Sullivan, Misty Dietz, Rebecca Zanetti Play the classic drawing game with romance clues with your favorite authors!

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Whispers Down The Lane Bonnie Phelps, Jules Dixon, Karen Docter, Kym Roberts, Sandra Kerns, Jude Willhoff, Evelyn Lederman, Cynthia Woolf, Teri Riggs, Aidy Award Using book tag lines or quotes, one person will whisper a message to another and pass it down the lane. Players will break into author led teams and each team will reveal its whisper at the end of each round. Prizes offered to winning teams! 10:30am - 11:45pm Intimate Chat - Rebecca Zanetti Intimate Chat - S.E. Smith Password Kristin Painter, JM Madden, Caridad Pineiro, Charlotte Abel, Kris Kendall, Pauline Gruber, C.A. Szarek, Julie Ann Walker, Megan Kelly, Pat Simmons, Jewel Quinlan, Misha McKenzie, Cate Rowan Lots of fun will be had as reader teams try to guess a list of romance related words. Based on the game show Password. Prizes will be given out to the top three teams! University - Editing to Get Noticed/The Art of Hooking Your Reader with Clean Teen Publishing As an acquiring editor, there are many common mistakes that will make me reject a submission. This class will teach the four fundamentals of pre-submission editing. Hooks, scene breaks, the art of back story and boiling your novel down into a concise, intriguing paragraph will all be discussed. Chat Panel #1 - Nancy Naigle, Sharon Hamilton, Deborah Bladon, Debra Holland, Carolyn Brown 11:45pm - 1:15pm Lunch Break - Boxed lunch provided by RomCon® 1:15pm - 2:30pm Intimate Chat - Debra Holland Intimate Chat - Sharon Hamilton University- Editing with Meg Jacobs Aspiring and new authors will learn what it means to “Trim the Fat” from the initial drafts. Authors will learn the importance of the editing process and letting it go to outside editors in order to make it the best manuscript possible.The session will also include many activities to allow authors to face their fears about editing and ensure their writing is purposeful and their stories are told with fidelity. Participants will be given a number of resources to take away for immediate use in all current and future projects, including the purpose and necessity for beta readers and how to use them most effectively.

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Bad Boy Roulette Diane J. Reed, Melody Anne, Karen Docter, Deborah Bladon, Silk Jones, Kallypso Masters, Jean Joachim, Rebecca Zanetti Oh how we love our bad boys! They break rules & hearts, yet the best romances dish up hot, transgressive heroes who have secret hearts of gold--but only for the RIGHT woman. In this fun reader workshop, we’ll read snippets of some of the hottest sociopaths in romance fiction & then play a game of Bad Boy Roulette where we spin the wheel & find out what REALLY happens to this relationship in the end. Will our heroine find herself in sexual ecstasy or six feet under? Spin the wheel with Mr. Danger & find out! Agents Of Doom Maggie Mae Gallagher, Laura Hawks, Michele Callahan, S.E. Smith, Dianna Love, Joanna Grace, Suza Kates, Evelyn Lederman Hail Agents of Doom! In this epic Superhero Battle, our authors have been infected with alien DNA, some are working to save our galaxy and some are out to rule it. In this interactive, family-fued style trivia game, you will aid your Agent in a quest to save the galaxy or destroy it. Are you a superhero or a supervillain? 2:45pm - 4:00pm Intimate Chat - Kallypso Masters Intimate Chat - Red Phoenix Soul Deep with Gina Ardito Method acting, developed by Academy Award® winner, Lee Strasberg, combines a series of exercises with relaxation and observation techniques to create a deeper understanding of characterization. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll employ those same ideals, used by some of the world’s greatest actors and actresses, to really know our characters, enhancing show vs. tell, and deepening point-of-view. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Beta, Alpha, and Alpha-hole Heroes Julie Ann Walker, Debra Holland, Deborah Bladon, Jenna Jacob, Nancy Naigle, Michelle Howard, Michele Callahan, Sandra Kerns, Tiffany Snow, Cate Rowan, Eve Langlais, Joni Hahn, JM Madden, Caridad Pineiro, Cynthia Woolf Heroes: Authors love to write them; fans love to read them. But which are the BEST? Two award-winning and bestselling authors discuss the different types of heroes - beta, alpha, and alpha-hole - and which genres lend themselves to one type of hero or another. Readers will have the opportunity to judge a hero by his book cover with fun prizes going to winners! Q&A. Charades Jodi Thomas, Jewel Quinlan, Marsha R. West, Allie Pleiter, Michel Prince, Maggie Mae Gallagher, Jerrie Alexander, Misty Dietz, Geri Foster Join your author hosts in this outrageous and fun word guessing game! Act out the book related clues and help your team win. Clues will be taken from the romance genre. Lots of prizes and laughter!

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4:15pm - 5:30pm Co-Writing with Yelena Casale & Tina Moss Co-writing can be a tempting idea for both newbie and seasoned writers. The reasons are wide and varied – from dipping one’s toes into the writing world with a partner by their side, to putting two great minds together to see what may come of it, to just exploring a different facet of the writing experience. Yet, how does one know if co-writing will work for them? How do they find the right partner for collaboration? What is the process for co-writing? This workshop will explore all phases of writing with a partner, from the inception of the idea to the steps to make it a fluid and seamless process. It will look at various methods that writers can adopt for themselves, as no one method works for all. It’ll take an intimate look at the art of co-writing, as well as the business aspects, such as promotion and the sharing of royalties. Speed Date An Author Spend two minutes meeting fantastic authors! 5:45pm - 7:00pm Cocktail Party hosted by NYT bestsellers S.E. Smith & Eve Langlais 7:15pm - 8:45pm 3rd Annual Comedy Improv Join the Stick Horses In Pants Comedy Improv Troupe for a “Who’s Line Is It Anyway” style of improvisation with a wild romance twist. 9pm - 11pm Sweet and Sassy Bingo Pat Simmons, Lisa Watson, Karen Docter, Pauline Gruber, Geri Foster, Megan Kelly, Bonnie Phelps, Nancy Naigle, Allie Pleiter, Carolyn Brown, Diane J. Reed Enjoy an evening with friends in fun and games on the ‘sweeter’ side. Rated G! Bachelorette Party V Tina Moss, Yelena Casale, Melody Anne, Joanna Grace, Silk Jones, Jenna Jacob, Kallypso Masters, Maggie Mae Gallagher, Amelia James, Michel Prince, Red Phoenix, Sandy Sullivan, Jean Joachim, Marie Tuhart, Sharon Hamilton, Laverne Thompson, Aidy Award 5th annual bachelorette style party with new fun and games. Sponsored by Pure Romance who will give away over $700 worth of passionate play things....

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Saturday, September 26 8:30am - 9:30am Intimate Chat - Caridad Pineiro Intimate Chat - Tiffany Snow University - Indie Experts Speak - Q&A! Curious about the current state of indie publishing? Writing contemporary, erotic, historical, paranormal/ sci-fi, suspense, as well as other Romance sub-genres, six New York Times and/or USA Today bestselling indie authors invite you to ask them anything you’d like to know about their experiences. Michele Callahan, Sharon Hamilton, Debra Holland, J.M. Madden, Kallypso Masters, and Red Phoenix promise their fellow authors a lively, candid discussion! University- Beat Sheet Writing with Bethany Burke of Blushing Books Plotter or pantser? Rigid outline or seat of the pants? There IS a “middle road”: the beat sheet.Virtually all fiction - whether screenplays or novels - hits certain story beats at certain intervals in the story. Based on the traditional three-act structure, these turning points (or beats) are the building blocks of your story. Hit them, and your story “works.” Miss them, and your story will not feel right to the readers, even if the reasons are unclear. This workshop presents these beats using an easy to follow, interactive spreadsheet, which allows authors to gauge their beats based on story length, and define each beat with just one or two sentences. Catchphrase Dianna Love, C.A. Szarek, Kym Roberts, Maggie Mae Gallagher, Jerrie Alexander, Kristen Painter, Joni Hahn Game will be played in author led teams. Your goal? Get your team to say the word or phrase on your clue card before time runs out. Fun and prizes! 9:45am - 10:45am Intimate Chat - Julie Ann Walker Intimate Chat - Deborah Bladon Introduction to e-Book Self Publishing with Jim Azevedo from Smashwords A discussion of trends that are impacting the publishing industry, the exciting advantages Indies have over their traditionally published peers, and a checklist of basics authors need to know when publishing an ebook like formatting, conversion, cover design, ISBN’s, copyrights and distribution. Series Writing with NYT Bestseller Jodi Thomas An amazing Q & A session with Jodi Thomas to learn the in’s and out’s of series writing. Learn from the best!

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Puzzlemania S.E. Smith, Eve Langlais, Dianna Love, Suza Kates, Michelle Howard, Michele Callahan, Misha McKenzie, Laverne Thompson Join authors and other readers in a race to put book cover puzzles together. 11:00am - 1:30pm Reader Luncheon- Keynote speaker: NYT Bestseller Jodi Thomas Sit with your favorite author for an amazing luncheon with keynote speaker Jodi Thomas. Chances to win door prizes and raffles! 1:30pm - 3:00pm Intimate Chat - Carolyn Brown Intimate Chat - Jodi Thomas Chat Panel #2 - Eve Langlais, Kallypso Masters, Julie Ann Walker, Dianna Love, S.E. Smith, Rebecca Zanetti FEEL THE FIGHT SCENE!!! with 7th degree black belt Thomas Casale Understanding the feelings and texture of actual street combat through the eyes of raw frightening politically incorrect reality. Writing concepts will include the following: 1) Understanding the internal thoughts and feelings of champions & losers 2) Understanding the internal thoughts and feelings of aggressors & victims 3) Understanding the mechanics of escalation of daily street violence & actual mortal combat Lesson and Partner Exercises: 1) Eye to eye, no contact, partner exercise to examine the aforementioned writing concepts 2) Lesson: How to block, punch and kick 2) Self defense exercise playful safe contact with partner THIS IS A NO CONTACT, NO IMPACT CLASS! Sit back and have fun! 3:30pm - 5:30pm Author Signing 5:30pm - 7:00pm Cocktail Hour & Dinner Break 7:30pm - 11:30pm

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6:00pm - 8:00pm Keys to Being a Successful Author Writing the book is just the beginning. Discover the next steps to increase your book sales and develop a business plan through this informative workshop hosted by multi listed New York Times/USA Today author, S.E. Smith, and international marketing specialist, Narelle Todd. 7:30pm - 11:30pm WILD WEST COWBOY PARTY Join Cynthia Woolf, Sylvia McDaniel, S.E. Smith, Jodi Thomas & Debra Holland for a wild west party-- learn to line dance with a cowboy! (Cash bar) Sunday, September 27 9:00am - 11:00pm Reader Roundtable The tables are turned! Authors will submit questions in advance what you (Reader!) want in your books. Reader led event. Lots of free books!

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Can these two wounded souls defeat the demons inside?

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Erotic Erotic

jewel QUINLAN INTERVIEW – BEHIND THE SCENES

. Why do you write in this genre? What drew you to it?

Writing contemporary was kind of an accident, I actually favor Paranormal and Fantasy. But, I had found a contest online where the challenge was to write story based on a song that inspired me and I chose the song Patience by Guns N Roses. So I ended up writing a story about a rock star, of course. That one was titled Rock Star Ex and has been one of my better sellers. I’m working on a sequel to it right now. 2. How many times did you submit a manuscript to a publisher before being accepted for the first time? I was rejected a couple of times before my manuscript was accepted.After each one I went back over the story and did what I could to make it better. It’s amazing how many things you will find to improve if you come at it again with fresh eyes. Thankfully it was only a matter of months, not years, before I received my first acceptance email. 3. Do you have any rituals or routines for when you sit down to write? (drink tea, certain time of day, cat in your lap, spin around three times before writing, etc.) We would love to know. I like to make a relaxing cup of herbal tea and then the next thing I do after that is log in on my timesheet. I have a sheet where I keep track of my time and what I did with it every time I sit down. It has helped greatly to increase my efficiency. 4. When was the moment you finally started admitting to other people that you were an author and actually feeling the truth of that statement?

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When I received my first acceptance letter is when it finally became real. Before then it was kind of like a dirty secret. I was working on a couple of books for months but didn’t tell anyone until after that point. I have found in my life that there are some dreams you have to protect and nurture in the beginning or people will shoot them down. It was like that with writing for me. 5. What’s your favorite guilty-pleasure beverage at the coffee shop? A hazelnut flavored mocha with extra whipped cream on top. So yummy! 6. If you could speak with any author dead or alive who would it be and what is one question you would ask them? I would love to sit down and talk with Nora Roberts and ask her what the secret is to churning out such a volume of full-length novels the way she does year after year. 7. Do you have any manuscripts at home that you’ve never submitted to a publisher? No. Only ones that aren’t finished yet. I’m a big believer that any story can be fixed. I say just keep polishing until it shines.

Erotic ENJOY THIS EXCERPT FROM MAN CANDY:

“

I’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” he whispered in my ear, still pressed against me as he unzipped my dress. Me too, I wanted to say. But I didn’t. I was adrift in the onslaught of sensation as he slid the fabric from me, trailing kisses down my back as it went. Making me aware as I never had been of how sensitive the skin there could be. When he reached the small of my back, he lingered, kneading my skin with his tongue and teeth. His hands ran down my legs and then back up to my breasts, and I savored the feel of his fingers. My breaths came heavier. I had been needing this for too long. He rose and turned me toward him, towering over me. His cap was gone and his dark hair was askew, as though he had run his fingers through it, giving him that sexy just-woke-up look. I slid my fingers from the waist of his jeans, underneath his shirt, to his muscled back. The ridges of strength there were too tempting beneath my fingertips. How did he find the time to work out that much? I had to see with my own eyes. Fisting the hem of his shirt in my hands, I pulled his t-shirt up to remove it. Why should I be the only one standing here naked? With a chuckle, he complied, lifting the shirt over his head and flinging it away in the casual manner of an underwear model on TV. Sure, I had imagined what he looked like with his shirt off, but the reality was ten times better. He had a runner build, but that was filled out with muscle. The planes of his chest were topped by strong shoulders and arms, which seemed to blossom over the lean ridges of his abdominals, creating a definite contrast. I couldn’t help reaching out and touching him. I ran my hands over his skin, tracing my way upward to the light coating of black hair on his pectorals. He leaned his pelvis into me, forehead on mine, his erection pressing into me, making me shiver with anticipation. We were on the brink of something oh-so-good, and I was dying to plunge ahead. Yet, I hesitated. Questions burned in my mind. I tried to hold them back, knowing serious talk would ruin the moment. That lasted about two seconds before I gave in. “Um…” I said. He lifted his head from mine and looked at me. I cocked my head at him. “Did you just say you’ve been wanting to do this for a while?” Had he been

scoping me out all this time? He nodded. “Who wouldn’t? Look at you. You’re gorgeous.” The smoldering look he gave me trumped anything I observed on the physical plane. The messages coming from him on a subliminal level promised pleasure that made me squirm with heat. “You know it’s going to be good between us, Ava,” Cole said.

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CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY

Contemporary

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CONTEMPORARY

sarah HEGGER WRITING MODERN WOMEN: A MOVING TARGET

hen I wrote the Willow Park Romance series, I no longer needed to know how many miles a bullock cart could travel in one day or who occupied the English throne. Having written mainly medieval historical before this, contemporary romance brought a whole new set of challenges. The settings and everyday details of contemporary were familiar. The challenge lay in writing stories modern women could relate to. For the reader to feel as if they knew the heroine. I joined that boisterous male chorus chanting: “Who can understand women?” It took me back to when I was still at university. A very good friend of mine wrote her thesis for her Italian Literature honors degree on the romance novel. These were the days when we used to drive down to the second-hand bookstore, load up on romance novels by the grocery bag, then hide them under our beds from our literary snob mothers. Secret night binge reading with ice cream and cheap wine commenced. Back to the thesis. Phlée (a nickname, don’t ask) shocked and intrigued her literary professors with her subject matter. Writing the entire thing in Italian, Phlée used the romance novel as a mirror for the emancipation of women. Her argument was that as women’s role in society changed, this was reflected in romance novels. The idea has stuck with me, and some twenty-something years later, it made me want to reflect the lives of the women I knew in the books I wrote. When I first got hooked on the novels of the late

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Dame Barbara Cartland, the heroines were all shy, definitely virginal, much younger than the hero, and if they worked, it was ‘gentle’ occupation—nanny, companion, housekeeper. The hero was often ‘greying’ at the temples, very wealthy, domineering and would swoop in and rescue her from her ‘fate’. So, let’s jump forward to where we are now. As women have entered all parts of the workplace, so have their heroines. As women have demanded to be treated as equals, so have their heroines. We have heroines earning more money than their hero, women competing and often winning in contests of strength, skill, and will. And gasp women taking control of their sexuality. The heroes have had a similar metamorphosis from rigid, controlling cartoon cutouts, to heroes with real flaws, wicked senses of humor, and despite all their alpha blustering, a warm gooey center that draws the reader in. The stories have grown as well, to reflect real issues that affect real women. I don’t think there’s a romance author alive who hasn’t been treated to the eye roll scenario. People ask what you write, you tell them, and there goes the eye roll along with phrases like: “So you write those books, all heaving bosoms and pulsating manhoods.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I haven’t read of any bosoms heaving in the last fifteen years or so. And manhoods, pulsating or otherwise, have not crossed an editor’s desk in even longer. As women readers and writers change, it’s no big mystery that their

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY

counterparts in books change too. The authors I love and aspire to, write stories that keep it real. Women we can identify and empathize with. Stories we recognize, not just from our own lives, but from women around us. Who doesn’t know a woman who’s been drawn in by a smooth talker and then dumped? Who hasn’t been dumped for that matter? We all know stories of abuse. Some of us are unfortunate enough to have suffered them personally. As a contemporary writer, I focused on keeping it real. And this is what I came up with. Lucy, the heroine of Nobody’s Angel, is a recovering alcoholic who’s returned home to deliver her amends. The hardest of those amends is to the man whose heart she broke, Richard. This being a romance novel, of course it takes Lucy a few days to realize that her feelings for Richard are not over. But other than the romance, the point to Lucy is all about forgiveness and redemption. It was important to me not to make excuses for Lucy. I’ve certainly done things I’m ashamed of. Sometimes there were good reasons leading up to what I did, sometimes I just messed up, and now I have to own that. And that is essentially what Lucy does through the book, owns her mistakes, forgives herself and moves on. In Nobody’s Fool, Holly jumped onto the page for me from day one. Like so many women I know, Holly focuses solely on those around her. She forgets herself in the process of caring for those she loves. I’m a firm believer in finding your power and your joy. In the real world we all have responsibilities, but they shouldn’t

come at the cost of our own fulfillment. I take Holly on a journey to balance her responsibilities with her needs and wants. The last in the series, Nobody’s Princess, is about Tiffany, a woman battling to find her identity. Between being daddy’s princess, the beauty queen, and the perfect fiancée, she’s lost sight of Tiffany. This was also a book about how as women we can become defined by our outward appearance. Tiffany has to reach inside and find Tiffany—the real one—flawed, wonderful, quirky, and on occasion, misguided Tiffany. She needs to meld together those disparate parts of herself and learn to like and accept who she is. Did I succeed? You’d have to ask my readers that question. But in writing Lucy, Holly and Tiffany it took me back to Phlée’s thesis. None of the issues I tackle in my books would have been possible when I first started reading romance novels. Times have changed, women have changed and writing the modern woman is a constantly moving target. And as I watch my two teen girls grow and mature, I look forward to where women will develop next, and writing those stories too.

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CONTEMPORARY AN EXCERPT FROM NOBODY’S FOOL

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osh winced around a mouthful of lukewarm beer. Time to go. He’d been nursing this beer for the last hour and his new book on Sir Isaac Newton was calling him. Age or boredom—who the hell knew? He’d only come here for a quiet beer to unwind from his day. Granted, this particular bar was a shitty choice, but it was close to his condo, the beer was cold, and the bartender friendly. A woman pushed through two slick broker types and fumbled a cell phone out of a pair of baggy GAP jeans. Her burgundy University of Western Ontario sweatshirt sneered like a rescue pound mongrel at the expensive Armanis flanking it. Her brow puckered into a vicious frown. She could be lost, or in disguise, but she did have the whole I-have-no-idea-exactly-how-hot-I-am thing going for her. A light lurking under a bushel, a diamond in the rough, a girl with an air of do me, bad boy she seemed oblivious to. Not so clueless was every red-blooded male in her vicinity. More than one covert eye went her way. Dark eyes, gleaming with intelligence and ringed by thick lashes, met his gaze. A promising start—if he was looking for a pickup, which he wasn’t—but still…There was something familiar about this girl. Diminutive and with her face devoid of makeup, she could have passed for fourteen.The air of determination marked her as older, however. Closer to his age, which meant old enough to drink, old enough to drive, and old enough for all sorts of interesting games. Ten years ago, five even, he’d have cruised right over and worked his smolder. He knew better now. The woman ducked her head and took a call. A mane of long wavy hair obscured her face. The sort of hair a man liked to curl his fingers in. Her gaze flickered up and over him. Angry eyes under a pair of lowered brows, giving him the eye so evil he almost looked over his shoulder for the true beneficiary. Whoa! Women, as a rule, didn’t look at him that way. Women dressed like bag ladies with … pencils? No kidding. It was definitely a couple of standard number twos holding her hair tightly against her head. Women like her almost never gave him the hairy eyeball. His feelings might be a bruised.

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY Nope. Feelings intact but ego definitely grazed. She kept her hostile glare going. Those things could smoke a hole right through him. Maybe she was gay. Josh winced behind his beer, glad he wasn’t voicing any of this out loud. He would sound like an egotistical prick. Okay, women didn’t often turn him down, but it happened. Sometimes. Her glance shifted away. She was aware of him and doing her best not to show it. He knew her. It hit him out of the blue and he stopped to think. She had the sort of face it was hard to forget. Not pretty, exactly, more compelling, and a blank canvas for every thought running through her head. And right now she was not aiming happy thoughts in his direction. She hunched over her phone to hear better. The love ’em and leave ’em style of his early twenties hadn’t left many warm and fuzzy feelings behind him. Still, he came up blank. He was reasonably sure she wasn’t one of the bodies littering his youth, but this lady did not like him. “Hey, Jo-osh?” His name was singsonged at him. And speaking of his youth, right on cue. The timing nearly made him bust out laughing. His mystery lady stuck her cute nose in the air. The amber glow from the lighted bar counter turned her skin to butter cream and picked out the tiniest golden freckles across her upturned nose, The disdain rolled across the distance between them in waves. “Hey, Josh, like, hello.” A pair of breasts intruded into his line of sight, right beneath his nose. He faced the owner of the pair. There were three of them and all looking at him expectantly. Ah, shit, here we go. Over the newcomers’ shoulders the mystery lady shook her head in disgust. Her eyes raked over him and the posse in front of him and rolled. Now, that was not entirely fair. He might even be getting a little pissed at her and her attitude. Girls like the trio facing him were knee deep in trendy Chicago bars, which this one happened to be. They were voracious hunters and he’d only been standing here minding his own business. She needn’t act like he’d encouraged them. In the meanwhile, Bambi, Barbie, and Bubbles— or whatever—posed and primped in front of him.

Their cheeks pink with a combination of alcohol and excitement. His heart sank. He could almost script what was coming. It was his own damn fault, ultimately, but there had to come a point when the ghosts of the past went toward the fucking light or something. “So, like, we were wondering…” Bambi/Barbie/ Bubbles pursed her frosted mouth at him and stuck out her breasts. As if he could have missed them the first time around. Two and three were providing the flanking action, mirroring her movements and throwing in some freestyle hair tossing. “Hi, girls.” His skin prickled. Was he really going to have to do this now? Mystery lady with the judgmental eyes was going to get her money’s worth tonight.

Sarah Hegger

Contemporary Author

orn British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble. Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother. AUGUST 2014 2015 MAY/JUNE

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CONTEMPORARY

jodi THOMAS F

ollowing the deaths of his wife and only child, wealthy and prominent rancher Staten Kirkland swore he would never love again. All that keeps him going are his ranch and the grief he shares with his deceased wife’s best friend, Quinn O’Grady—his rainyday woman. But after years of shared misery, something suddenly changes with the reclusive Quinn. Wallowing in the past is no longer enough. Now Staten—a man who thought his life was over—must decide if a future exists for him with a woman he’s long known but, until now, never really seen. To everyone at his high school, Lucas Reyes seems like a regular kid who likes to keep to himself. But after one harrowing night together, his classmate Lauren Brigman realizes there’s much more to the brave, unassuming ranch hand’s son than anyone suspects. For instance, the quiet and mature Lucas has big plans for his future. But when danger threatens the town from nearby Ransom Canyon, the bright future Lucas envisioned with the girl of his dreams is suddenly very much in doubt. After five long years in prison and with nothing left to lose, ex-convict Yancy Grey has come to Crossroads, Texas, looking to take whatever he can by any means necessary. While scoping the community, Yancy takes a job, hoping to blend in with the locals. But before he knows it, he suddenly finds himself caring about the same folks he was planning to rob. So, when Yancy’s crooked past suddenly catches up and presents him with the score of a lifetime, he knows he has a difficult choice to make—between the crook he’s been in order to survive and the man he strives to be in order to truly live… Against a landscape as deadly as it is beautiful, the lives of these people are about to intersect in a way that none of them ever imagined. And like their ancestors who settled the land long before them—nothing about Ransom Canyon has changed—they must survive together or die alone…the decision is theirs.

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ROMCON 2015- READER WEEKEND Don't Miss Out! Register Today September 25-27, 2015 Denver, Colorado The Renaissance Hotel 3801 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207

3 days you won't forget...

• 60+ Authors of all genres of romanceContemporary, Erotic, Historical, Inspirational, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, & Suspense • 20 Author-led games and eventsInteract and play with awesome authors! • University events to learn about writing & publishing • 15 Intimate Chats- Ask those burning questions! • 4 After Hours events- Learn to line dance at Wild West Night, Sweet Friday Night, Bachelorette Party, and Comedy Show! • Chat Panels • 1 Epic Author Signing- Perfect Fan Girl Time • 1 Amazing Reader Appreciation Luncheon- Sit with your favorite author, listen to great speakers, and win one of their amazing gift baskets • Incredible vendors with lots of great stuff • Tons of author prizes, gift baskets, raffles and free books • Support Breast Cancer Research with our annual raffle

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Saturday Luncheon SpeakerNew York Times & USA Today Bestseller Jodi Thomas Jodi Thomas has published over 30 books in both the historical romance and contemporary genres, the majority of which are set in her home state of Texas. Publishers Weekly calls her novels “Distinctive...Memorable,” and that in her stories “[tension] rides high, mixed with humor and kisses more passionate than most full-on love scenes.” In 2006, Romance Writers of America (RITA) inducted Thomas into the RWA Hall of Fame for winning her third RITA for THE TEXAN’S REWARD. She also received the National Readers’ Choice Award in 2009 for TWISTED CREEK (2008) and TALL, DARK, AND TEXAN (2008). While continuing to work as a novelist, Thomas also functions as Writer in Residence at the West Texas A&M University campus, where she inspires students and alumni in their own writing pursuits.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A Jerrie Alexander- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- A student of creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children. A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels. But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others. She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other. She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after. Jerrie lives in Texas, loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines. Melody Anne- CONTEMPORARY- NewYorkTimes and USAToday bestseller- She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and left behind a career in the airline industry to pursue her longtime passion— writing. Her fascination with the corporate world and strong, powerful business men radiates through her captivating stories. Melody Anne sets many of her books in small-town locations, a reflection of her own upbringing. She hails from the picturesque coastal town of Florence, Oregon, and currently resides in Oregon’s beautiful wine country—the Willamette Valley. She loves spending time with her family and friends in her small town, and is involved in many community projects. She will always be a country girl at heart. Gina Ardito- CONTEMPORARY & PARANORMAL- Gina Ardito is the award-winning international author of more than twenty romances, a legendary singer in confined spaces (her car, the shower, her office cubicle), and a killer of houseplants.She hosts fun, informative workshops for writers around the country. In 2012, Gina was named a Woman of Outstanding Leadership by the International Women’s Leadership Association, but to her friends, she’s still just a shenanigator.A native of Long Island, New York, she lives with her husband, two children, a bionic dog and a brand new superstar puppy, and two cat overlords. Sheila Athens- CONTEMPORARY- Sheila grew up in the Ozarks, vacillating between climbing trees, reading books and neurotically working toward straight A’s. Many years later—after marriage, two sons, a couple of careers, and a Master’s Degree—she discovered her first romance novel in the gift shop of a hotel when she was supposed to be networking with fellow conventioneers. Now, she’s got a bright red study filled with romance novels. She’s a creative lefty who loves quiet spaces and eccentric people. She’s lived in the coastal south for more than twenty-five years, but looks forward to one day moving to the serene mountaintop cabin she and her husband have built at the edge of a national forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Aidy Award- EROTIC ROMANCE- Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived to write stories of happy ever after. During the day. But at night, oh at night, her world transforms into one of dark desires, deep passions and the forbidden.This duality is what makes her so interesting. She combines the two sides of her imagination by penning stories of romance and true love. Read the delicious fantasies of heroes and heroines you want to be or want to be with, come to life under the covers and between the pages of Aidy’s books. Deborah Bladon- CONTEMPORARY- New York Times & USA Today bestseller- Deborah Bladon has never read a romance hero she didn’t like. Her love for romance novels began when she was old enough to board the bus, library card in hand to check out the newest Harlequin paperbacks. She’s a Canadian by heart, and by passport, but you can often spot her in New York City sipping a latte and looking for inspiration for her next story. Manhattan is definitely her second home. She cherishes her family and believes that each day is a gift for writing, for reading, and for loving.

AUTHORS Carolyn BrownCONTEMPORARY- New York Times and USA Today bestseller- RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than sixty books. Brown presently writes both women’s fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. Michele Callahan- PARANORMAL- Amazon Bestseller- Michele Callahan is a wife, mother, romance and science fiction addict, and founder of RomCon, the only Fan Convention geared toward women who read romance and genre fiction. She suffers from a dangerous case of sci-fi/fantasy fever and never turns down an opportunity to sit through a Star Wars, True Blood, or Matrix marathon. Her favorite things in books; hot heroes, superpowers, freakish things that can’t be explained by modern science, and true love! Yelena Casale- URBAN FANTASY- An award-winning author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance.Yelena was born in Kiev, Ukraine and moved to New York at 13. Being very curious and inquisitive, she has been a devoted reader and writer since childhood. As a 2nd degree black belt and instructor in Shotokan karate, an avid traveler and history and art enthusiast, she weaves universal themes with martial arts philosophies into her stories. She lives with her amazing, super supportive husband and the best Siamese cat. In her spare time, she reads, paints, watches cool shows on TV and tries to get more sleep. Like the samurai of the old, as well as the ultimate Renaissance man and Yelena’s favorite historical figure, Leonardo da Vinci, she believes that nothing is greater than mastery of oneself. Misty Dietz- PARANORMAL- Misty’s love affair with words started in middle school with moody stories set in exotic locations she’d never been to. In college, her boy-angst erupted in disturbing reams of poetry. After grad school, the writing went into hibernation until she found her own happily-ever-after with an ultra linear man who is the long-suffering counter-balance to her zig-zagging ways. Now, she spends her days writing sexy, adrenalinefueled stories, teaching Zumba, enjoying family and friends, and praying her children don’t come home with math homework. Karen Docter- CONTEMPORARY/ROMANTIC SUSPENSEKaren Docter, also writing as K.L. Docter, writes two different kinds of romance novels.... K.L.’s romantic suspense novels are filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love. Her contemporaries (written as Karen Docter) are cute & spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path...with a tickle and a smile.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A Geri Foster- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Amazon Bestseller- For as long as she can remember, Geri Foster has been a lover of reading and the written word. By the seventh grade she had worn out two library cards and had read every book in her age area of the library. After raising a family and saying good-bye to the corporate world, she tried her hand at writing. To her surprise, she won a couple of contests, hooked up with a really great critique group and her writing career was well on its way. She spent several years studying her craft and developing her voice. Action, intrigue, danger and sultry romance drew her like a magnet.That’s why she had no choice but to write action-romance suspense.While she reads every genre under the sun, she’s always been drawn to guns, bombs and fighting men. Secrecy and suspense move her to write edgy stories about daring and honorable heroes who manage against all odds to end up with their one true love. Maggie Mae Gallagher- URBAN FANTASY- Bestselling Author Maggie Mae Gallagher doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. When she was a kid she acted out her favorite scenes, only better, with her brother and cousin. As a teenager, she wrote reams of poetry, but realized her true love lay with creating characters and stories. A former music and history major, Maggie is a total geek at her core. When she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She lives in St. Louis with her two furry felines. JoAnna Grace- PARANORMAL- From the time I started holding a crayon I began creating magical worlds. My very first book was a series of pictures about a puppy princess. The story changed each time I told it, but there was always a happy ending! My first written story was about girls who changed into tigers. Hmmm.... I guess some concepts stick with you. Now my stories have become a bit more complex! And I’m glad to share them with you. My tales are spun in my home in East Texas where I live with my husband, three kids, a couple dogs and a few fish. When I’m not hiding behind my computer screen you can find me camping, boating, and shopping. I’m active in ministry and hope to pass on the unconditional love given to me to others. Occasionally I get to sing and no one runs screaming, so I guess it’s not too bad! Pauline Gruber- PARANORMAL- Pauline Gruber is a self-professed music junkie, cat wrangler, and travel nut. She went to Paris in the 90’s where she discovered a love of three things: croissants, old cathedrals, and gargoyles. Deciding that the paranormal world could use a new kind of hero, Pauline translated her fascination with the protective gargoyle into a suspenseful love story. By day, Pauline is a legal assistant for a Chicago law firm where she steals identities and incorporates them into her books. If you tell anyone, she’ll deny, deny, deny. Joni Hahn- PARANORMAL- By day, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered HR manager and accounting generalist. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world... or getting into his costume. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love (Other than the rear shot of Chris Evans in The Avengers - that was pretty darn exhilarating). A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music. Sharon Hamilton- CONTEMPORARY/MILITARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSENew York Times Bestseller- Known for her award-winning SEAL Brotherhood series, Sharon also writes hot paranormals with her Golden Vampires of Tuscany and Guardians series.A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

AUTHORS Debra Holland- HISTORICALNew York Times & USA Today bestseller- Debra Holland wears several hats when it comes to writing. As a psychotherapist, she writes nonfiction books. The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving is her first nonfiction book. More nonfiction books about grieving, boundary setting with difficult people, and relationships, are forthcoming. Debra also writes fiction--Historial Western Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy Romance, and Science Fiction. Michelle Howard- PARANORMAL /CONTEMPORARY- Michelle Howard enjoys a crazy life that involves wild kids, a loud dog, and a husband who tolerates the madness. Like many authors, she’s dreamed of writing since reading her first romance novel many years ago. She loves paranormal and contemporary romances and is a fan of the classic romances, such as Judith McNaught and Julie Garwood. Jenna Jacob- EROTIC ROMANCE- Bestselling Author Jenna Jacob’s erotic romance comes from the heart of submission. With over twenty years experience in the Dynamics of the BDSM lifestyle, Jenna strives to portray Dominance and submission with a passionate and comprehensive voice. Her stories will make you laugh, cry, and may Leave you with a better understanding of the fulfillment found in the BDSM power exchange. A married mom of four grown children, Jenna and her husband lives in Kansas. Her passions include her family, reading, camping, cooking, music, and riding Harleys. She loves to make people laugh with her outgoing and warped sense of humor. If you’re looking for hot romance with a kinky twist, pick up one of Jenna’s books. Amelia James- EROTIC ROMANCE- I got hooked on trashy romance novels in junior high, but my mom took them away from me, But she couldn’t stop me from daydreaming. After I got married, I wrote some of my naughtier daydreams down and sent them to Playgirl magazine. Two of them got published. I kept daydreaming and writing stories until my dirty stories turned into trashy books. I live in Colorado, but I’ll always be a loyal Wisconsin Cheesehead. When I’m not lusting after my next bad boy hero, I’m looking for inspiration in sci-fi and action movies, football players, morally ambiguous lawyers, muscle cars, and kick-butt chicks. Jean C. Joachim- CONTEMPORARY- Jean Joachim, wife and mother of two sons, is owned by a rescued pug, named Homer. She’d been writing non-fiction for what seemed like forever until she got up the nerve to try fiction. It was love. Now she spends her days in New York City in the company of her characters, with a cup of tea and a secret stash of black licorice. Silk Jones- EROTIC ROMANCE- Silk Jones writes erotica, erotic romance and erotic poetry. Although she began writing poetry, song lyrics and fiction as a child, Silk wrote her first novel during National November Writing Month in 2007. Since then, she has written three novels (outside the erotica genre) and several erotic spanking stories to entertain her friends. She hopes that you enjoy her sexy stories and her journey to publication.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A Suza Kates- PARANORMAL- Suza Kates writes the Savannah Coven Series along with other romantic suspense and paranormal novels and was a 2014 Readers’ Crown finalist. As a self-proclaimed twisted romantic, she enjoys magic, danger, and love in equal measure. She lives in Savannah with her family and four imperialistic cats and is working on her next two series. Megan Kelly- CONTEMPORARY- Megan Kelly writes contemporary romance. Whether set in Missouri, Illinois or Montana, all feature matters of the heart, family dilemmas and quirky citizens. She lives in the Midwest where the weather has an imagination (and sense of humor) of its own.

Sandra S. Kerns- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Born in upstate New York, Sandra is officially the only Yankee in her family (and yes, a die-hard Yankees fan), as the rest were born in Kentucky. If you ever speak to her in person, don’t be surprised when a “y’all” pops out. Sandra has always loved words. By seventh grade she should have known she would be a writer, when much to the regret of her classmates, she chose idiosyncrasies as a spelling word. One of the high points of her life was the first time she beat her mother at Scrabble! Sandra now lives in Northern Colorado where she writes her stories of love from a sweetheart-of-a-town. With the majestic Rocky Mountains, family, and friends to inspire her she never lacks for ideas. Jody A Kessler- PARANORMAL- When Jody isn’t navigating the terrain of her imagination and writing it down, she can be found exploring the wilderness of Colorado with her family, or in the kitchen baking cookies & brownies – and then trying not to eat them all. She’s passionate about continuing to learn and reads anything and everything that catches her interest. Jody is a full time mom, a Reiki Master, and has taught Hatha yoga for over a decade. Eve Langlais- PARANORMAL- New York Times & USA Today Bestseller- Hello, my name is Eve and I am a Canadian author who loves to write hot romance, usually with werewolves, cyborgs or aliens. I should warn you that I possess a twisted imagination and a sarcastic sense of humor something I like to let loose in my writing. I enjoy strong alpha males, and shifters. Lots of big, overprotective shifters. I am also extremely partial to aliens, the kind who like to abduct humans and then drive them insane...with pleasure. Do you like something a little darker? Then check out my cyborgs whose battle with humanity have captivated readers worldwide. Evelyn Lederman- PARANORMAL- When Evelyn Lederman retired from her career as an insurance executive, she cheerfully anticipated the freedom to finally spend as much time reading as she’d always wanted. The twist in her story came when as -yet unwritten characters started cropping up in her thoughts, asking her to tell their stories. Now, she spends her days in Florida on the beach… with her laptop. ‘The Chameleon Soul Mate’ is the first book in her paranormal romance series, ‘Worlds Apart’. Dianna Love- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE/FANTASY- New York Times bestsellerDianna Love once dangled over a hundred feet in the air to create unusual marketing projects for Fortune 500 companies. She now writes high-octane romantic thrillers, young adult (as USA Today bestseller Micah Caida) and urban fantasy. On the rare occasions Dianna is out of her writing cave, she tours the country on her BMW motorcycle searching for new story locations. Dianna lives in the Atlanta, GA area with her husband who is a motorcycle instructor and with a tank full of unruly saltwater critters.

AUTHORS JM Madden- CONTEMPORARYNew York Times and USA Today BestsellerJ.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. (the J stands for Jennifer, not Jim as she’s been asked MANY times!) loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes. J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works. Kallypso Masters- CONTEMPORARY- USA Today BestsellerKallypso Masters writes emotional, realistic Romance novels with dominant males (for the most part) and the women who can bring them to their knees. She also has brought many readers to their knees— having them experience the stories right along with her characters in the Rescue Me series. Kally knows that Happily Ever After takes maintenance, so her couples don’t solve all their problems and disappear at “the end” of their Romance, but will continue to work on real problems in their relationships in later books in the series. Kally has been writing full-time since May 2011, having quit her “day job” the month before. Kally lives in rural Kentucky and has been married for almost 30 years to the man who provided her own Happily Ever After. Sylvia McDaniel- HISTORICAL- Sylvia McDaniel is a best-selling, award-winning author of historical romance and contemporary romance novels. Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances, Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides, a western historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, and several short contemporary romances. Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, and she was a Golden Network Finalist. Misha McKenzie- PARANORMAL- I have always loved to read. It’s said in my family that I refused to start kindergarten because I didn’t know how. So my grandfather sat me down, at four years old, and showed me how all those words became amazing stories. All these years later, and I still love to loose myself in the pages of a book. After graduating from high school, I attended college and earned an Associates Degree in Business Administration. I married the man I met in high school and we had two handsome boys. For the next few years worked and took care of my family. The writing bug didn’t hit me until much, much later. It was shortly after I started working as an office manager in a construction company that a family of witches started clamoring for attention.The next thing I knew, I was writing my first novel. And because these witches insisted on having their stories told, it turned into The Magic of the Heart Series. Tina Moss- URBAN FANTASY- Tina Moss is an award-winning author of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and New Adult novels. She lives in NYC with a supportive husband and alpha corgi, though both males hog the bed and refuse to share the covers. When not writing, she enjoys reading, watching cheesy horror flicks, traveling, and karate. As a 5’1” Shotokan black belt, she firmly believes that fierce things come in small packages.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A Nancy Naigle- CONTEMPORARY- USA Today bestseller- Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, cooking, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home. Kristen Painter- PARANORMAL- I’m a former college English teacher, but I’ve held a crazy mix of other jobs including maitre’d for Wolfgang Puck, personal trainer, and sales for Christian Dior Bijoux. I have a *slight* shoe addiction and occasionally indulge in an unnecessary handbag. Hah! That was a joke. There is no such thing as an unnecessary handbag. I love make up and jewelry and spa days.Yes, I’m a girly girl. But don’t think that makes me weak. I can (and do) kill off characters with the best of them. Speaking of which…My forays into writing have been as varied as the jobs I’ve held. I’ve written poetry, articles for magazines, short stories, paranormal romances (that include fantasy, contemporary and steampunk genres) and now I’ve found a home with urban fantasy. I love worldbuilding and few genres give you the kind of license urban fantasy does. Bonnie Phelps- CONTEMPORARY- Bonnie used her writing skills throughout her professional life as a fundraiser and marketer for several nonprofits. She enjoyed the chance to tell and share the story of worthy organizations. In the late 1980s, Bonnie authored a syndicated column in several California newspapers in which she shared the experiences and misadventures of life as a wife and mother. The jury is out on whether or not her children always appreciated her candor. Because Bonnie has romance in her soul, she also worked as a Wedding Planner for several years. Absolutely loved it!! She craves anything sweet, revels in any chance to travel, is addicted to Ancestry.com and sees a family saga novel somewhere in her future featuring her German immigrant great grandparents. A native Californian, the author lives in Northern California with her husband. Red Phoenix- EROTIC ROMANCE- USA Today Bestseller- Red Phoenix is an award-winning erotica author who gained popularity with her book, Brie Learns the Art of Submission - #1 Best Seller in Erotica. Brie Embraces the Heart of Submission: After Graduation is the second book in the series. She has won 3 reader choice awards at the Indie Romance Convention in 2013 for her various novels and continues to inspire couples with her writing. Caridad Pineiro- CONTEMPORARY- New York Times & USA Today Bestseller- Caridad was born in Havana, Cuba, and settled in the New York Metropolitan area. She attended Villanova University on a Presidential Scholarship and graduated magna cum laude. Caridad earned her juris doctor from St. John’s University and became the first female partner of Abelman, Frayne & Schwab, an intellectual property firm in midtown Manhattan. Allie Pleiter- CONTEMPORARY/INSPIRATIONAL - An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction. The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two,Allie spends her days writing books, buying yarn, and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie hails from Connecticut, moved to the midwest to attend Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois.The “dare from a friend” to begin writing has produced two parenting books, twelve novels, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.

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AUTHORS Michel Prince- CONTEMPORARYMichel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Michel writes new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance. With characters yelling “It’s my turn damn it!!!” She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you. When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, cat and new puppy. Jewel Quinlan- CONTEMPORARY- Jewel Quinlan had an abundant imagination and strong desire to write novels since she was very young. She has a passion for writing paranormal and fantasy romance but often finds herself straying into new areas like contemporary and suspense because her imagination just won’t let up. An avid traveler, she has visited fifteen countries so far (which she enjoys using as setting in her novels) and has plans to see more of the world. She has a particular fondness for Bavaria and studies the German language as one of her hobbies. During the day, she work as a pharmaceutical sales representative and, at night, she writes romance. She currently lives in Orange County, California with her dog Penny. Jewel is kept in shape by Penny’s frequent demands for walks and squeak toy time. Diane J. Reed- PARANORMAL- Diane J. Reed is a multi-award winning author who writes novels that are infused with enchantment, where characters dare to break through boundaries & believe in true love. She has a soft spot for artisans & outlaws of the heart, those of us who burn brightly to live each day as a gift--because it is! Along with her passion for books, she enjoys hiking, painting, chocolate & spending time with her family in the Rocky Mountains. Teri Riggs- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Teri Riggs was destined to be a writer. As a small girl she didn’t read bedtime stories, she made up her own. Who needed Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs when there were so many great tales bouncing around in her head? When she grew up and became a mother to three little girls, she continued the tradition of making up bedtime stories. On the occasions she chose to tell conventional fairytales, Teri usually gave them a bit of tweaking here and there or added a new ending. Her girls loved it. After her daughters had the nerve to actually grow up and leave home, Teri discovered she had a passion for writing and jumped right in. It came as no surprise she chose to write mysteries and happily-ever-after’s since that’s the genres she loves to read.Teri lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, one of her daughters and two dogs that seem to think they rule the world. And some days Teri thinks maybe they do. Teri still frequently tells herself stories as she falls asleep. The only difference now is she wakes up the next morning and turns her bedtime stories into books.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A Kym Roberts- MYSTERY- Three career paths resonated for Kym during her early childhood: a detective, an investigative reporter, and...a nun. Being a nun, however, dropped by the wayside when she became aware of boys--they were the spice of life she couldn’t deny. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners and met every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that point on there was no stopping Kym’s pursuit of a career in law enforcement--even if she had to duct tape rolls of coins to her waist to meet the weight requirements to be hired. Kym followed her dream and became a detective that fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk--a badge. Promoted to sergeant Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband drug her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head. Cate Rowan- FANTASY- Cate has washed laundry in a crocodile-infested African lake, parasailed over a Mexican beach, swum with dolphins in the Florida Keys and had Costa Rican monkeys poop in her hair, but her favorite adventures are in story worlds.Writing became a force in her life when clever elementary school teachers assigned weekly creative writing projects. She wrote through high school, particularly when bored in class. (Rumor has it those early pages consisted of fantasies about Duran Duran, but she is silent on the issue and keeps those notebooks from prying eyes.) She put fiction aside to earn a Ph.D.--but her muse, even while stuffed in a dark closet, never shut up. Now her lush fantasy romances about magical deeds, kismet, and true love in realms near and far have won more than thirty awards. At RomCon2014, Cate wore medieval gowns and hip-length purple and red wigs. (Yes, the wigs hurt her head, but sometimes fantasy fashion is worth the pain.) She might do the same in 2015, so keep an eye out for unusual hair and garb! J.S. Scott- CONTEMPORARY- New York Times & USA Today bestseller- She’s an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary steamy romance stories and paranormal romance erotics. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can’t seem to write them any other way! Pat Simmons- CONTEMPORARY/INSPIRATIONAL- Amazon Bestseller- Pat Simmons is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth. She is passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels, in hopes of tracking down distant relatives who happen to pick up her books. She has been a genealogy enthusiast since her great-grandmother died at the young age of ninety-seven in 1988. Pat describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as an amazing, unforgettable, life-altering experience. She believes God is the Author who advances the stories she writes. Pat has a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. She has worked in various positions in radio, television, and print media for more than twenty years. Currently, she oversees the media publicity for the annual RT Booklovers Conventions. SE Smith- SCI-FI- New York Times & USA Today Bestseller and #1 Amazon Bestseller- Susan enjoys sharing her amazing worlds filled with action, adventure, love, laughter and tears with her readers. Her stories focus on strong characters and the dynamics of their relationships as they deal with diverse situations. She is known for her world building that takes readers away. She is a true dreamer who believes in HEA.

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AUTHORS Tiffany Snow- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Tiffany attended the University of Missouri – Columbia, attaining two degrees in History and Social Studies Education. After working many years as an instructor and consultant in the Information Technology field, Tiffany now writes full-time. Tiffany loves to read and has been reading romance novels since she was way too young to read such things. She has an unhealthy obsession for all things Doctor Who, prefers Pepsi to Coke and Absolut to both, thinks men who drink girly cocktails are wusses, has learned to never stop believing in her beloved St. Louis Cardinals, and can recite the entire scripts of When Harry Met Sally and Apollo 13. George Washington is cool, Bon Jovi still rocks the house, and Bruce Willis is the ultimate alpha-male hero. Married with two wonderful daughters, Tiffany and her family make their home in Kansas City, Missouri, not far from where she was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Sandy Sullivan- EROTIC ROMANCE- My journey to being a published author began when I was in between jobs a few years ago and sat down to write. I’d thought about it for years and just decided to do it. It took me about 2 months to write Texas Lady. I sent it off to a couple of friends and asked for some feedback. All I got was, “you need to get this published!” So off it went. I got the standard rejections so I decided to self-publish it. I did the same thing with two other books before I broke down and sent one of them out to a publisher again. I live in Middle Tennessee on my 6 acre farm with my husband, 4 horses, 3 dogs and 2 cats who are more spoiled than kids. When I die, I want to come back as a spoiled cat. Mine do nothing but lay around, sleep, eat and use the litter box. I’m also a registered nurse by education and usually work the emergency room, medical/surgical floor or cardiac floor and you’ll find lots of medical information within my storylines. CA Szarek- PARANORMAL/ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Bestselling, award winning author of romantic suspense and epic fantasy romance, C.A. loves to dabble in different genres. If it’s a good story, she’ll write it, no matter where it seems to fit! She’s a hopeless romantic and always will be. Risking it all for Happily Ever After is what she lives by! She’s originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She’s happily married and has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing. Jodi Thomas- CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL- New York Times & USA Today Bestseller- Jodi Thomas has published over 30 books in both the historical romance and contemporary genres, the majority of which are set in her home state of Texas. Publishers Weekly calls her novels “Distinctive... Memorable,” and that in her stories “[tension] rides high, mixed with humor and kisses more passionate than most full-on love scenes.” In 2006, Romance Writers of America (RITA) inducted Thomas into the RWA Hall of Fame for winning her third RITA for THE TEXAN’S REWARD. She also received the National Readers’ Choice Award in 2009 for TWISTED CREEK (2008) and TALL, DARK, AND TEXAN (2008). While continuing to work as a novelist, Thomas also functions as Writer in Residence at the West Texas A&M University campus, where she inspires students and alumni in their own writing pursuits.

RomCon 2015- READER WEEKEND ATTENDING A LaVerne Thompson- CONTEMPORARY/FANTASY- I am an award winning, bestselling, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi sensual romances with interracial characters. I also write romantic suspense and new adult under the pen name Ursula Sinclair my alter ego who likes her relationships a little more complicated. Marie Tuhart- EROTIC ROMANCE- Marie Tuhart can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hands. A voracious reader since childhood, she has a TBR pile so big that she finally gave up and rented storage space! Though her family doesn’t really understand the stacks of books in her study, or the way Marie will stare off into space when she’s thinking of yet another sexy scene between her hero and heroine, they support her completely in her writing endeavors. She began writing at 19, and in 1994 decided to join RWA and get serious about publishing. When she isn’t reading or writing, Marie loves to spend time in bookstores. A world traveler, she enjoys searching out corners of the glove she hasn’t experienced yet. While still totally open to finding her own tall, dark and handsome, she is certainly enjoying the journey. Her Aries Sun makes her impatient, courageous, and something of a daredevil. Her Virgo Moon makes her exacting and a perfectionist for that telling detail. Julie Ann Walker- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- New York Times & USA Today Bestseller- Julie Ann Walker is the author of the award-winning Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award and the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award. Julie is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She’ll never say no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk.You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. Marsha R. West- ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Marsha R. West, a retired elementary school principal, is also a former school board member and threatre arts teacher. She writes Romance, Suspense, and Second Chances. Experience Required. Marsha lives in Texas with her supportive lawyer husband. Her grandchildren live nearby.

Jude Willhoff- CONTEMPORARY- Some of Jude Willhoff’s earliest and happiest memories are of reading and writing. She started reading at an early age. Being an only daughter and living out in the country far from friends, she had to find other outlets for entertainment. In good weather, she’d climb into her treehouse with a book and be content for hours hidden among the branches. In lousy weather, she was happy to spend time in her room, reading,or writing in her journal. At one time, she thought she’d like to be an investigative reporter, but became sidetracked in college. A husband, children and life have a way of changing things. Currently, Jude resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado with her beloved husband, Rob and their longhaired, tabby, attack cat. She is the mother of four and grandmother to six precious granddaughters who keep her busy when she’s not writing.

AUTHORS Cynthia Woolf- HISTORICALAmazon Bestseller- Cynthia Woolf is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends. Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity. Jennifer Zane- CONTEMPORARY/ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- Jennifer Zane has lived all over the country--from Georgia to Maryland, New York to Colorado, including an exciting five years in Montana. Her time in Big Sky country was the basis for her Gnome series. When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not writing, she savors the insanity of raising two boys, is figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker, and teaches a pretty mean karate class. She currently lives with her family in Colorado. Rebecca Zanetti- CONTEMPORARY/ROMANTIC SUSPENSE- New York Times and USA Today Bestseller- Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances. Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day--or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

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2015 WINNERS

Congratulations! CONTEMPORARY

EROTIC

URBAN FANTASY

Maybe Baby - Ashlinn Craven

All Hat No Cattle - Randi Alexander

Anointed - Maggie Mae Gallagher

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YOUNG ADULT

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

SCI-FI/FANTASY/TIME TRAVEL

Siren’s Song - Heather McCollum

Saving Sophie - Cate Beauman

Mystic’s Touch - Dena Garson

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MAINSTREAM Drown - Jennifer Rae Gravely

PARANORMAL

INSPIRATIONAL

Outfoxed by Love - Eve Langlais A Thousand Little Blessings - Claire Sanders

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MYSTERY

BEST FIRST BOOK

HISTORICAL

Guidebook To Murder - Lynn Cahoon

Slim To None - Freya Barker

Invitation To Passion - Bronwen Evans

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WESTERN ROMANCE

SERIES/CATEGORY

Spirit Warrior - S.E. Smith

Tell Me Something Good - Jamie Wesley

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Romantic Suspense

jerrie ALEXAND EXCERPT FROM FLIRTING WITH FATE

inner arrived and both fell into silence as they ate. Even well done, her prime rib was tender and moist. Elle sliced off a piece and held out her fork. “Try this.” Logan’s gaze met hers as he leaned across the table and slid the piece of meat off her fork into his mouth. Electricity, strong enough to incinerate the Christmas tree in the corner, charged back and forth between them. “Not bad.” He offered to share a bite of his prime rib, but she waved him off. “They’re right behind you.” Elle and Logan pretended to ignore the two couples as they walked past, but she listened closely. “It’s important that you act now,” said Brandon. “I have other investors waiting in line for this deal.” Logan placed his fork on his plate and leaned back. “Typical fraud talk. Try to convince the mark that they’re going to miss out if they wait too long.” “We have to make sure the Fitzgeralds don’t get ripped off.” Elle had a lot of faith in Logan. His reputation as a crime solver was well known. “Fate sent you here to save them from disaster.” “Fate’s name is Eric.” “So he’s the only reason you came?” She was fishing, but she had to seize the moment. Logan refilled her glass but not his own. “You know better.” “You’re not drinking?” “One of us has to keep a clear head.” The corner of his mouth curved upward. “Why, Mr. Ford,” Elle said in her best heavy drawl. “Are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?” Again, Logan laughed. God she loved to hear the slow and sexy sound. She’d never get tired of it. “Don’t make me give your pretty head a knuckle rub.” “You wouldn’t dare.” She joined his laughter. “And I’d never take advantage of you.” Elle took a sip of wine. She’d barely kept herself from telling him that she wished he would. “I think I’m 76

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finished.” She pushed the glass to the center of the table. “Then let’s get out of here.” He motioned for the check, signed it, and then walked around behind her and held her chair as she stood. “Thank you.You’re such a gentleman.” His eyebrow lifted. “That’s not the way you should think of me.” Before she could challenge his comment, he’d ushered her out into the lobby. His hand rested on her lower back. How would it feel against her bare skin? She pushed away those thoughts while studying his profile. Logan wasn’t handsome in a pretty-boy way. His nose was slightly crooked, and a small scar bisected his eyebrow. Both had been the result of falling from a tree house he and Eric had built. His walk, deliberate with a bit of a swagger, exuded a quiet but deadly confidence. Once inside the common room of their suite, Logan called his dad and went into detail, outlining how he could help pull off the sting. Elle kicked off her heels and relaxed on the couch. Logan paced while he explained the situation. He glanced at her and smiled. “I will. Tell Mom I love her too.” Logan ended the call, walked to her, and kissed her on top of the head. “That’s from Dad.” “You miss having them live closer?” “Sometimes, but I understand their move to San Antonio was strategic. They do the biggest business in that area.” His gaze returned to the phone. “I’ll call Eric later.” “Want me to talk to him?” “No.” Logan’s answer came quick and sharp. “Why not?” “By the time Eric finishes grilling you, you’ll both be pissed. I’ll keep him on point.” “His over protectiveness is getting old. Who I’m friends with, date, or have sex with is none of his damn business.” She waved off the shocked look on Logan’s face. “I understand that Eric felt he had to take over for our father, and I love him for it. He was too young

Romantic Suspense

DER to shoulder such a responsibility. Now it seems he’s too old to let it go.” “He’ll let go when the right man comes along. When he sees you’re happy, he will be too.” Logan punched in a number and left a message for Eric to call. A knock on the door drew both of them to their feet. “I’ll get it.” Logan leaned down and removed a small pistol from an ankle holster. “You brought a gun?” “Never without it. Hardest thing I’ve done in a while was checking my lockbox at the airport.” His movement was fluid but strong as he checked to see who stood on the other side of the door. “Housekeeping.” The housekeeper offered to turn down their beds and build a fire. Logan thanked her, stating he’d handle the fireplace.True to his word, within minutes of closing the door, he had a roaring fire crackling, sending orange and red flames dancing. Logan left the room and returned with his laptop. He’d kicked off his shoes, unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves. The sheer casualness of the situation seeped into her soul, turning her muscles to putty. His fingers moved across his keyboard. With his gaze locked on the computer screen, she watched as he shifted into cop mode. “What are you working on?” “Trying to brush up on our boy Brandon.” Logan glanced up. “Damned slow Internet is killing me.” Elle didn’t ask additional questions, allowing him to continue working. In the quiet, she planned tomorrow’s activities. Logan, Nicki, and Brandon’s ski outing would keep them busy for hours. Elle would use that time to again search for his laptop. She was taking a huge risk, but this was something she had to do. She snuggled deeper into the couch, watching Logan as he worked. Her eyelids grew heavy as images of hot, sweaty sex with him crept into her thoughts.

Elle Reagan isn’t about to stand by and let a con-artist get away with stealing her grandmother’s life savings. While the legal system moves at a snail’s pace, Elle promises to bring him to justice. She follows him to a ski resort in Colorado, where she hopes to get the evidence needed to put him away for good. But she didn’t count on her roommate being a distraction, because he wasn’t supposed to be her brother’s best friend. Detective Logan Ford has denied his desire to take Elle into his arms since they were teenagers, but when his partner asks him to follow her to Castle Alainn to keep her out of trouble. Unable to refuse her, he agrees to help catch a thief instead of convincing her to pack her bags and go home.To make matters worse, he can’t seem to remember why he should keep his distance from the delectable, infuriating, independent Elle. Elle and Logan surrender to their attraction, but as their passion ignites, her plot is discovered. A killer will do whatever it takes to silence her and destroy a love that was destined to last a lifetime.

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Sci-Fi & Urban Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Urban Fantasy

AUGUST 2015

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cate ROWAN EXCERPT: THE SOURCE OF MAGIC

isions of a mysterious and gorgeous stranger plague American Jilian Stewart. She is sure they’re brought on by her Scottish father’s death and the stress of her mother’s deadly paralysis. But when the stranger appears in her father’s house, clasps her to his chest and yanks her from Scotland into a magical battle, she finds herself ensnared in a fantasy otherworld—trapped by treachery and family secrets and opposing the one man who can make everything right. That night, alone again, Jilian heard him breathe. A cool mist wafted over her, tingling against her skin as she listened. His breaths came fast and circled all around her. The mist contracted and began to spin like the tendrils of a galaxy. From the center of the whorl he emerged—tall and bare-chested, tawny blond hair framing high cheekbones and steel-gray eyes. “I need you.” His voice was deep and certain. “Come.” The haze spun into a hypnotic rhythm. Her heartbeat echoed, intensifying with the swirls of vapor and her fear. The heartbeats, the mist—too fast! She was caught, trapped… He held out his hand to her. Jilian opened her eyes and shot up on her cot. Her father’s house was still and the air bore a sharp tang she couldn’t place. Early dawn touched the tree beyond her window and drew its slender branches from the shadows. She clamped her eyelids shut again, willing her body and mind to quiet. Just a weird dream. Once her pulse decelerated, she scoured her mother’s former study with her gaze. A fine sheet of dust blanketed the room’s contents: a cozy writing desk, a soft armchair of burgundy leather, and an old brass lamp with a fringed shade. “See? A perfectly normal room,” she muttered. “Nothing here a feather duster can’t fix. You’re being 80

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ridiculous.” She threw off the sheets and walked to the window. As cool air brushed past her legs, she folded her arms across her silk nightgown. Beyond the glass, several mallards and their mates waddled out into the loch, bathing themselves and pecking beneath the water’s calm surface. The tree’s leaves fluttered in a puff of wind, and the dark bulk of the mountains across Loch Leven towered above the horizontal layer of fog. Glancing down at the desk beside her, she extended a finger and drew an arc through its years-old coverlet of dust. Why would a father close off a room and pretend it didn’t exist? What could make him forget his family? Forget her? That peculiar smell returned, stronger than before—like the air after a rainstorm, or fresh snow.

Sci-Fi & Urban Fantasy

A strange scent for a dusty study. She swiveled toward the cot and stopped cold. The man from her dream stood in the center of the room. The outline of his body rippled the way water moves when disturbed, then solidified. A circle of light like the symbol over the door shone from the floor around his feet. Jilian choked back a scream. He stretched his hand toward her, palm up. In the resonant voice she already knew, he spoke: “I am Alvarr sen Danyd, and I call you in Teganne’s name. I need you. Come!” Her limbs stiffened like timber and fright iced her spine. I’m not seeing this! He stared at her. “Do you hear me? We can’t keep the portal open for long.” Frowning, he turned his palm down. She felt a powerful tug as if an unseen rope wound around her, but her legs resisted his command. He whirled to his right as if something had startled him—then with one last vivid glance into her eyes, he vanished. The shimmer of his outline was all that remained, and then that too was gone. Her gaze shot to the place he’d seemed to look, but she saw nothing unusual. Her knees buckled beneath her. She landed on the floor with a solid thwack, hands splayed against the wooden boards, rapid-fire gasps almost choking her. She concentrated on bringing her breathing and her heart back to a normal tempo. “Just a dream,” she muttered. Because she was either dreaming…or going crazy. And that was not a pleasant thought. No, nope, can’t happen. She wanted to laugh, but didn’t have the breath. Instead she took another gulp of air and stared at the floor. To her horror, the circle of light reappeared there, and then the man. He shimmered as before. As his gaze touched hers, panic seared her nerves. His breathing grew labored. Again he held his hand out to her, but she didn’t move.The part of her that had the power to answer him did not. Would not! His expressive face hardened in frustration. He drew the sign of a circle in the air, then stretched his hands

toward her. A raw force tugged at the center of her body. This time she felt herself move in spite of her fear. She screamed aloud—or thought she did—but heard nothing except the thunder of her pulse. The mist reappeared, spinning ever faster like a chaotic whirlpool until her mind lost track. She floated up and toward him. She willed her legs to move, to find the floor—back away, run away!—but they couldn’t. When he had her body clasped in his arms, he locked his intense gaze on hers. “I do what I must, for Teganne to survive.” *** For a moment there was quiet, and peace. Jilian couldn’t hear or move, but she could see Alvarr’s eyes, gray and deep. Then, with a tremendous roar and a jolt through every nerve, the world reappeared. Cries of struggle buffeted her ears. She twisted toward them and Alvarr set her down, but kept her corralled in his arms, her back to his chest. They stood in a round room of mortared stone and blazing torches, and they weren’t alone. Two men and a woman in sapphire-blue cloaks battled soldiers in black tunics slashed with red belts. Three soldiers attacked each person in blue. The blues fought awkwardly, as if unused to combat. Jilian jerked back, knocking her spine against Alvarr’s solid form. Where am I? The heat of his broad chest seeped through her nightgown. He leaned down to be heard above the clamor, his lips brushing her ear. “Please, send me your kyrra!” Kyrra? Her brain scrambled for a meaning. His left hand gripped her ribcage and he reached for her right hand. “What are you DOING?” No, this is only a bad dream. And I’ll end it. Just as she was preparing to ram her elbow into Alvarr’s ribs and wake up in her mother’s study, a soldier hurtled toward them swinging a wooden quarterstaff. She recoiled, slamming against Alvarr. “Takerran!” Alvarr shouted. Green fire streaked from his raised palm to his opponent’s chest. The soldier sank in a heap and his staff clattered to the ground. The world thinned and condensed into the soldier’s murderous sneer, frozen at the moment of the fire’s impact. The glare in his eyes iced her gut. AUGUST 2015

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Sci-Fi & Urban Fantasy A dream! Wake up! But his cruel gaze was too real—as were the frantic shouts, the acrid burn of torch-lit air, and the strong hand on her hip. A familiar ring of light encircled their feet, and from it Alvarr yanked up a crackling wall of jade fire. It surrounded them and he twisted to his right, hauling her with him. “Rokad, look out!” he yelled to one of the cloaked men. Jilian shoved against Alvarr’s grip, unable to budge even one powerful finger. She saw the dark-haired Rokad vault to the side, panic flooding his face.A glinting spear whistled through the air but caught only the edge of his cloak. He spun and lobbed a green fireball at his attacker, who crumpled to the ground. But he didn’t escape the second soldier, or the rope in the enemy’s hands that cut off his breath. “Rokad!” Alvarr started toward him, dragging Jilian with him once more.The wall of fire flickered erratically. “No, the FireRing—keep her safe!” Rokad gasped, clawing at the rope around his throat. Jilian flinched as the butt of a sword crashed into Rokad’s temple. Alvarr grabbed her hands. “The kyrra—hurry, send me your power!” WHAT power? A scream pounded on her tongue, but the consequences it might bring clamped her teeth. Within moments, the soldiers knocked out the

three figures in cloaks and the sapphire mantles pooled on the stone floor. A brawny man with a red circular badge stepped forward, pulling a clear cylinder from a pouch at his waist. A scarlet glow flared within the cylinder and the officer aimed it at Rokad. Rokad’s body paled. Even the sapphire of his cloak faded to a dull slate gray. Alvarr’s furious breath rushed across Jilian’s cheek. Through the wall of fire, she stared in horror at Rokad’s ashen face.

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