Double Header with Washington Romance Writers - Military Workshop and Blogger Panel

Saturday, November 11, is Veterans Day. I will be spending the holiday with the Washington Romance Writers (WRW) offering my expertise (wink, wink).  From their website (link):

Join WRW for our meeting on Saturday, November 11, 2017. In honor of Veterans’ Day, the program features a military panel in the morning followed by an afternoon session on how to build successful relationships with bloggers, reviewers, and librarians.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
240-777-8200

Schedule
10:00am – 12:00pm: Reporting for Duty–An Intimate Chat with Military Veterans and Family Members
12:00pm – 1:30pm: Lunch
1:30pm – 3:30pm: Great Expectations–Building Successful Relationships with Bloggers, Reviewers, and Librarians

Morning Session:
Military veterans and family members share their experience to ensure military characters are accurately portrayed in romance novels. The panel will teach writers how to decipher military acronyms, identify ranks from the five services, and safely carry a weapon. There will be time for Q&A.

Panel guests include:
Kim Lowe, Moderator– Air Force Veteran and Spouse
Rheanna Bernard – Air Force spouse
Stephanie Brenninkmeyer – Air Force spouse and Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Tif Marcelo – Army Veteran and Spouse
Tamara Worlton – Navy active duty
Delancey Stewart – Marine Corps Spouse

Plus special guest Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) David P. Smay, USMC.

Afternoon Session:
Our panel of librarians, reviewers, and bloggers offer a round table discussion, ala Cheers, to share their perspective of the romance industry. Each panelist came to Romanceland along a different path but collectively they agree that a romance book needs to grab the attention of the reader and deliver the hope expected from this genre. We will discuss how we were hooked onto romance and what keeps us coming back for more. We will also dissect how authors connect with readers through websites, social media, and book signings. Finally, we offer tips on how to maximize your exposure through libraries, review sites, and blogs. We will set aside time at the end to answer questions from the audience.

Panel guests include:
Kim Lowe, Moderator – SOS Aloha Book Blog
Rheanna Bernard – Cammo Style Love Blog
Madeline Iva – Lady Smut Blog
Rae Latte – Books I Love A Latte
Melissa Norr – Washington DC Librarian

If you live within driving distance of Washington, DC, come join us! I have a few surprises for all who attend, Of course I'll post a recap here at SOS Aloha.

For November, I continue to giveaway RWA swag to four randomly selected winners from all the comments posted. Plus a bonus prize - a leather bookmark for each winner from one of Scotland's castles in honor of St. Andrew's Day on November 30. To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about either panel,

a.What do you like (and not like) about how romance portrays military characters?  Do you think romance books featuring military characters should be accurate?

b. What do you like (and not like) about book blogs? Any advice on the best way to reach readers (and keep their attention) on social media?

2. Comments are open through Thursday, November 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Friday, December 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Lindsay McKenna and SECRET DREAM (Delos Novella)

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for July at this link.

Ex-Navy SEAL Cav Jordan faces danger daily in his job as a security expert. He even faced down a gang of South American drug dealers to protect his fiancée, Lia Cassidy. So why is he terrified of meeting her parents? Having lived through his own horrible childhood Cav can’t understand the situation is he is walking into. Lia just wants him to meet her parents. Why does this feel like the fight of his life?

Novella: The continued story of Cav and Lia from NOWHERE TO HIDE, Book 1 of the Delos Series. 

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo 

Lindsay McKenna lives her life as a risk taker, and it shines through the books she loves to write: romance, adventure and suspense. She started writing at age thirteen and continues to hone her writing skills to this day. She sold her first romance novel in 1981. The rest is history.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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Lindsay offers an excerpt from SECRET DREAM ... 

“Steve Cassidy. Welcome, Mr. Jordan., We owe you a lot.” He gripped Cav’s hand, and choked out, “You saved Lia’s life. Thank you…”

For a moment, Cav was stunned by the sudden kindness emanating from the farmer’s expression who was thin, wiry, sunburned and physically sinewy from the daily work he did. Gripping the farmer’s calloused roughened hand, he said, “Nice to meet you, sir. And I was just doing my job. Call me Cav?”

“Call me Steve.” He clapped him heartily on the back, still clasping his other hand. “And you’re a hero to us, son. Nothing less.” Steve released him, keeping his hand on Cav’s broad shoulder, watching Lia clinging to he mother, both of them in a tight, loving embrace with one another.

Embarrassed by such a show of emotions, Cav murmured, “Thank you, sir.”

Steve gave him an assessing look. “Just Steve will do.”

“Yes, sir….I mean, okay,” Cav stumbled. It was very different meeting people who were strangers, but this was Lia’s parents and he didn’t want to fuck this up for her. Awkwardly, he stood there, watching tears roll down Susan’s face. He wasn’t sure that Lia wasn’t crying too, such was the tight bond they shared. Obliquely, his mind leaped backward. Cav remembered the times his mother had cried. But they were tears of pain. Tears mingled with blood from her nose, a split lip or both after his father got done beating her up. How many times had Cav cried alone in his room wishing she would run away with him from his monster father?

Steve clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s us guys go find your luggage, huh?” and he smiled a little.

Good idea! “Yes, sir—“

Steve laughed and patted him warmly on the back. “You’re staying a week with us, Cav. I’ll work that military side you out of you by then. Come on, let’s hunt up that luggage for our you and our Lia, eh?”

There was a male gruffness mingled with warmth to Steve that made Cav want to open up to the man. He had a deeply weathered face, his blue eyes the same color as Lia’s. The woman he loved had her mother’s same color of hair, her father’s sparkling, mischievous looking eyes and her smile. There was benevolence to Steve Cassidy and Cav automatically found himself wanting to be close to this man who exuded a male gentleness he rarely found in any man. “Thanks for coming to pick us up,” Cav said, noting that the baggage from their flight would be spit out by Carousel Two.

“We’ve been looking forward to seeing you two,” Steve said, standing with his hands on his hips, watching the luggage starting to be dropped off the conveyor belt. “Did you have a good flight?”

“Yes. It was quiet. That’s all I ask.”

“We don’t travel much,” he said. “With a farm, you can’t walk away from it, so I’m glad you came for a visit.”

Cav felt Steve’s genuine sincerity. He hooked a look over his shoulder, seeing Lia and her mother talking animatedly with one another as they walked toward them. Susan had given Lia her smile and her beauty, no question. He liked that the mother had hooked her arm around Lia’s waist and they walked closely, their affection for everyone to see. He knew Lia’s affection himself and already, he could see how happy she was at being home with her parents once more. They breathed even more life into her, if that was possible. Compared to the ghost of a person she was in Costa Rica months earlier, Cav was stunned at Lia’s natural radiance. She was sunshine to his darkened soul who craved her.

“Uh oh,” Steve murmured, grinning as he turned. “I’m about to get attacked.”

For a moment, the word put Cav on instant guard. But as he turned, he saw Steve opening his arms as Lia flew into them, her arms wide open, joy radiant on her face as she clung to her father. A lump formed in his throat as he watched Lia being swallowed up by the big man who kissed her hair, kissed that cheek that had that deep scar on it, his eyes only for his beaming daughter in his arms. His gaze flicked to Susan, who stood a few feet away, teary eyed, smiling, her lower lip trembling as she watched Lia with her doting father. It hurt to swallow and Cav turned away, remembering too much of the twisted and distorted family he’d somehow managed to survive. He’d never known a moment of affection from his father. Only his fist. His hatred. His anger always aimed at him.

More books in the Delos series ...

Aloha to Piper J. Drake and ULTIMATE COURAGE (True Heroes Book 2)

 

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for July at this link.

LOVE IS AN ACT OF BRAVERY

Retired Navy SEAL Alex Rojas is putting his life back together, one piece at a time. Being a single dad to his young daughter and working at Hope's Crossing Kennels to help rehab a former guard dog, he struggles every day to control his PTSD. But when Elisa Hall shows up, on the run and way too cautious, she unleashes his every protective instinct.

Elisa's past never stays in her rearview mirror for long, and she refuses to put anyone else in danger. But with Alex guarding her so fiercely yet looking at her so tenderly, she's never felt safer . . . or more terrified that the secrets she keeps could put countless people in grave peril. The only way for both to fully escape their demons will take the ultimate act of courage: letting go and learning to trust each other.

THE TRUE HEROES SERIES

Extreme Honor, #1
Ultimate Courage, #2
Absolute Trust, #3

Series Page on Goodreads

BUY THE BOOK HERE

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Piper J. Drake (or "PJ") spent her childhood pretending to study for the SATs by reading every interesting novel she could find at the library. After being introduced to the wonderful world of romance by her best friend, she dove into the genre.

PJ began her writing career as PJ Schnyder, writing sci-fi & paranormal romance and steampunk, for which she won the FF&P PRISM award as well as the NJRW Golden Leaf award and Parsec award.

PJ's romantic suspense novels incorporate her interests in mixed martial arts and the military. The True Heroes series is inspired by her experience rescuing, owning and training a variety of retired working dogs, including Kaiser, a former guard dog, and Mozart, who was trained to detect explosives.

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Forever Romance offers an excerpt from ULTIMATE COURAGE ...

You’ve got to be insane.”

Elisa Hall took a prudent step—or two—back as she observed the standoff brewing in front of her. A tall man stood between her and the emergency room reception desk, glaring at the woman in scrubs behind it. He stood at an angle to Elisa, so he could see the reception desk to his right and the entirety of the waiting area in front of him.

He clenched his fists.

Elisa retreated farther back toward the entrance, releasing her throbbing rist and letting her hands fall to her sides. Harmless. Nothing to see here.

“I’m sorry, sir, but ambulances take precedence over walk-ins,” the nurse repeated. She was braver than Elisa would’ve been in the face of rage on a level with the man’s at the counter.

He was dressed in loose fitness shorts and a close-fitting black tee. His hands were wrapped in some cross between tape and fabric.

“Fighter” might as well have been printed across his very broad, muscular shoulders.

Actually, now that she was looking, his tee said Revolution Mixed Martial Arts Academy.

Well, then. Maybe she should just take more ibuprofen and forget about seeing a doctor for her swollen wrist after all. Getting her injury examined wasn’t worth staying anywhere near this guy.

The nurse glanced quickly at Elisa then returned her attention to the man, her expression softening with sympathy. “As soon as an examination room opens up, we’ll get you in to see the doctor. Please, wait right here and fill out these forms while I help this young lady.”

Wait, what? The man’s face, and his focus, turned toward her. Oh, great.

Usually she envied nurses their ability to sympathize with so many patients and make such a difference in their lives. Now was not one of those times.

Elisa squashed the urge to bolt. Never ended well when she tried it. Better to hold very still, wait until the anger in front of her burned itself out, and pull herself together afterward.

Instead, she fastened her gaze on the floor and tried to keep her body from tensing visibly. Silently, she sang herself an inane nursery rhyme to take her mind

off the weight of the man’s intense glare. Please, please, let him walk away. They were in public, and even though the emergency room waiting area wasn’t packed, it still had a dozen people scattered around the seats.

But the expected explosion, shouting, other things . . .never happened. Instead, the man had quieted. All of the frustrated aggression seemed to have been stuffed away, somewhere.

She swallowed hard. Relief eased her constricted throat, and she breathed slowly for the time being. Leaving remained the best idea she had at the moment.

But he stepped away from the counter and farther to her right, motioning with a wrapped hand for her to step forward. As she forced her feet to take herself closer to the reception desk—and past him—he gave her room.

Belatedly, she realized his movement also happened to block her escape route toward the doors. He couldn’t have done it on purpose, could he? But Elisa took a step up to the reception counter and away from him anyway.

“Yes, dear?” The nurse’s gentle prompt made Elisa jump.

Damn it. Elisa’s heart beat loud in her ears.

The nurse gave her an encouraging smile. “Don’t mind him. He’s been here before. I’ve already asked another nurse to bring ice packs as fast as possible. I don’t

mind if he blows off some hot air in my direction in the meantime. I would be upset, too, considering today’s situation.”

Elisa bit her lip. She could still feel the man standing behind her, his presence looming at her back. He couldn’t possibly appreciate the nurse sharing some of

his private information. And he didn’t seem to need ice packs or any other medical attention. He appeared very able-bodied. “It’s none of my business.”

The nurse placed a clipboard on the counter and wrinkled her nose. “Oh, trust me, the entire waiting room knows what his concern is. Tell me what brought you here.”

This might be the most personable emergency room reception area Elisa had been to in years, not counting the extremely angry man standing behind her. They were either not very busy—not likely if all the examination rooms were full up—or extremely efficient.

Efficiency meant she could get in and out and decide what her next steps would be.

“My wrist.” Elisa held out her left arm, her wrist obviously swollen. “I thought it was just a bad sprain, but it’s been more than a few days and has only gotten worse. I can barely move it now.”

And if she could have avoided it, she definitely wouldn’t have stopped in to get it treated. An emergency room visit, even with the help of her soon-to-be nonexistent insurance, was still an expense she didn’t need. It’d been six months or so since her last significant paycheck, and she could not afford to extend her insurance much longer. Plus, it might be better not to. One less way to track her.

“Is that your dominant arm, dear?” The nurse held up a pen.

Elisa shook her head.

“Oh, good. Leave your ID and insurance card with me so I can make copies. Take a seat over there to fill out this form and bring it back to me.”

Okay, then. Elisa took the items and made her way toward the seating area, thankful the nurse hadn’t asked her to give her name and pertinent information verbally. It was always a risk to share those things out loud.

She’d learned over and over again. There was a chance a slip of information in the unlikeliest of places would find its way to exactly the person she didn’t want

to have it. No matter how careful she’d been over the last several months, it hadn’t been enough yet.

But it would be. This time. She was learning, and she was free. Every day was a new chance.

Nodding to herself, Elisa looked for a seat. It might not be crowded, but just about everyone in the room had decided to sit with at least a chair or two buffer between them and the next person. The buffer seats were all that were left, and most of the other people waiting to be seen were either men, or women sitting with men.

Then she caught sight of a young girl sitting with her legs crossed in the seat next to the big planter in the corner. Slender, but long limbed, the girl had a sweet face and the gangly look of a growing kid. Elisa guessed the girl was maybe eight or nine, could even be ten. Hard to pin down age when the kid had such an innocent look to her. The seat next to her was open, and she was waiting quietly, hugging a big, blue, plush . . . round thing. Whatever it was.

Elisa walked quickly over, and when the girl looked up at her with big, blue eyes, Elisa gave her the friendliest smile she could dig up. “Mind if I sit next

to you?”

The girl looked around, her gaze lingering on the reception area behind Elisa for a moment before saying, “Sure.”

Elisa took a seat.

After a few silent moments, the little girl stirred next to her. “Are you sick?”

Well, paperwork didn’t take much of her attention, and it’d been a while since Elisa had been outside of her own head in a lot of ways. Conversation would be

a welcome change and a good distraction from the constant worry running in the back of her mind. “Not sick so much as hurt. I won’t give you the plague.”

A soft, strained laugh. “Same here.”

Elisa took a harder look at the big, plush toy. It wasn’t for comfort as Elisa’d first assumed. It was supporting the girl’s slender left arm, which was bent at an impossible angle.

“Oh my god.” Why was she sitting here alone?

“Don’t worry.” The girl gave her a quick thumbs-up with her right hand. “The doctors are really good here, and I’m in all the time.”

Such a brave face. She had to be in an insane amount of pain. And here she was encouraging Elisa.

“Is there someone you should talk to about how often you get hurt?” Elisa struggled for the right tone. It was one she’d heard more than once when people had been concerned for her. Some places had safeguards in place for . . .

Blue eyes widened. “Oh, it’s not what you’re thinking. Trust me, people ask my dad. And it’s not like that at all. I study mixed martial arts. I get bruised and

bumped all the time, and usually it’s nothing, but Dad always makes me come in to get checked.”

It was hard not to believe in the earnest tone. But monsters were everywhere.

The girl gave her a rueful smile, still amazing considering how much pain she had to be in. “This time it wasn’t just a bump.”

“Which is why they’re going to see you as soon as they can, Boom.”

Elisa hadn’t heard the man approach. He was just there. He kneeled down in front of the girl then gently tucked an ice pack around her arm while moving it as

little as possible. For her part, the girl hissed in pain but otherwise held up with amazing fortitude.

Elisa would’ve been in tears. The forearm had to be broken. Both bones. It didn’t take a doctor to figure that out. No wonder the man had been mad earlier. She’d want this girl to be seen as soon as possible, too. She dropped her gaze, unable to watch.

“Here.” An ice pack appeared in her view. “Your wrist should be iced, too. Take down the swelling while you wait.”

Speechless, Elisa looked up.

The man’s words were gruff, awkward. His expression was blank. But his eyes—a softness around his eyes—and a . . . quiet in the way he watched her made her swallow and relax a fraction. Her heartbeat stuttered in a fluttery kind of way. A completely different reaction from what she should be experiencing if she were wise. She didn’t know this man and he was probably married. The girl had a mother somewhere. Where? Maybe on her way. This man was just being nice. Maybe.

Learn from your mistakes. You never know who a person really is.

Book 1

Wednesday's Warrior - Chanel Cleeton's INTO THE BLUE (Wild Aces Romance)

 

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for July at this link.

Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée.

Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca.

Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

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Check out Book 1 in the Wild Aces series, Fly with Me:

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First Chapter

On Broken Wings, Wild Aces Book 3 Pre-order (out January 3, 2017):

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Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband. 



Chanel writes contemporary romances, women's fiction, and thrillers. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, Assassins, and Wild Aces series.

chanelcleeton.com
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F16 over Alaska

Public Domain (link)

Wednesday's Warrior: Aloha to Emmy Curtis and COMPROMISED - An Alpha Ops Novel

 

It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. But when her wedding erupts in gunfire, Sadie Walker realizes this is not the life she wants-her fiancé's work with Delta Force will always cast a shadow over their relationship. After leaving the hard-muscled hero at the altar, she thinks she'll never see him again . . . until a chance encounter reveals that he still has a strong grip on her heart.

On a covert assignment overseas, Simon Tennant is shocked when he spots Sadie with another man. Jealousy flares, as does an irresistible urge to keep her protected. Amid a dangerous game of international espionage, he'll have to convince Sadie just how perfect they've always been together. This time, nothing will take precedence over winning her back, no matter the cost to his cover-or his life . . .

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

Emmy Curtis is an editor and a romance writer. An ex-pat Brit, she quells her homesickness with Cadbury Flakes and Fray Bentos pies. She's lived in London, Paris and New York, and has settled for the time being, in North Carolina. When not writing, Emmy loves to travel with her military husband and take long walks with their Lab. All things considered, her life is chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny. And if you get that reference...well, she already considers you kin.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

In honor of Emmy's real life hero, I am giving away military swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about what would quell your homesickness.  I have a friend in Hawaii who often mails me chocolate covered macadamia nuts to quell my homesickness of the Aloha State.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, March 5, 10 pm.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Emmy offers an excerpt from COMPROMISED ...

“We might not be friends, Sadie. But we are something.”

She moved her head so that Simon let go of her chin. “You used to tell me that I was your everything. Your port in a storm. Your sanctuary when you came back from a mission. Did you ever wonder what you were to me? You were the man who always disappeared. The man who was there, but only until your phone rang. I loved you, but you were a ghost to me. Is that the ‘something’ you mean?”

“Sadie.” He looked devastated, and she cursed herself for saying those things. As true as they were, she hadn’t wanted to explore their relationship right then. Nor ever if truth be told.

“But that’s all just history, isn’t it?” she said, trying to sound flip.

He leaned in. She knew he meant to kiss her, and she wanted to move, wanted to slap his face and run. That’s what she should have done.

Instead she allowed her mouth to open slightly as her eyes fluttered closed. Just one kiss. A safe, goodbye kiss…and then all rational thought escaped her.

His tongue touched hers and her senses and nerve endings came alive. He felt like home. A dark, impenetrable, warm and sexy home. Her heartbeat raced and butterflies heralded the coming of spring in her stomach. He still wanted her. She still wanted him. She didn’t care about anything else.

She held his face as she stood and climbed astride his thighs, still kissing him. His hands went to her breasts, running the backs of his hands over the swell above her neckline. And then he found the zipper of the dress, and pulled it down to her waist.

He yanked her toward him and put his mouth around her nipples, through her bra. As he sucked and bit she arched her back, aching for him to make her feel more. And more.

She grabbed his short hair and rammed her mouth against his. She wanted to hurt him, to be hurt by him, to bruise her mouth, so she’d be sure him being here wasn’t some crazy illusion. But mostly so he’d regret lying to her and leaving her.

His dick strained against his cargo pants, and she ground herself against it, moving her hips so that she could feel the whole length of him.

“Stop,” he whispered, out of breath. “Not like this. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Now you decide you don’t want to hurt me?” she whispered back.

His hand splayed against her throat, dragging his fingers slowly from her chin to her bra. His mouth followed, slow and firm. She wanted to protest, but his tongue snaked a hot trail over her pulse points making her heart race. She’d protest in a minute.

“You’ve changed so much,” he murmured against her throat.

She was about to respond when he found his way under her skirt to her panties. He slipped under them as if he was trained in stealth. Which, come to think of it, he was.

Wednesday's Warriors - Aloha to Lindsay McKenna and BROKEN DREAMS (Delos Series Book 4)

Captain Alexa Culver takes one look at shy, quiet Marine sniper Gage Hunter and feels an instant connection. But Gage has demons in his past that keep him from giving it to their mutual attraction. Alexa believes Gage is worth fighting for, and begins to slowly chip away at his defenses.

Gage Hunter has lost everyone he has ever loved. Lonely and broken, the last thing he expects is to meet someone like Alexa Culver. The redheaded beauty is confident and outgoing and makes Gage feel emotions he thought long buried. But before he risks revealing his heart to her she is kidnapped by the Taliban while on a humanitarian mission. Can Gage reach her before he loses his chance for love forever?

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Lindsay McKenna lives her life as a risk taker, and it shines through the books she loves to write: romance, adventure and suspense. She started writing at age thirteen and continues to hone her writing skills to this day. She sold her first romance novel in 1981. The rest is history.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

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Lindsay offers an excerpt from BROKEN DREAMS ...

Captain Alexa Culver saw three soldiers ease from the bar, their eyes on her. She was going to say something when Marine Corps Sergeant Gage Hunter put himself right in front of her, standing there like the bristling, quiet alpha he was.

She stood near his right side and behind him. This wasn’t the first time she’d been hit on in a canteen at Bagram Army Base. As an officer, she had the rank, and Alexa was more than prepared to use it, but Gage, as if reading her mind, lifted his hand, opening it toward her.

“Let me handle this?” he asked, giving her a sideward glance.

There was something deadly about his demeanor. Alexa gave a brisk nod and watched him turn away, facing the three enlisted soldiers, who were so drunk they bumped into one another as they approached.

The canteen suddenly quieted, and Alexa felt anger stirring in her. She hated this kind of shit. Always had. And in the past, she’d handled it just fine on her own. But there was something reassuring about Gage as he stood there loosely, his large hands hanging relaxed at his sides, his piercing gaze on the three soldiers.

There would be no fight here today if Alexa had anything to say about it.

“That’s close enough,” Gage said in a quiet but firm voice.

The three soldiers halted. The red-haired one snorted.

“Get the fuck out of the way, dude. We want to talk to the lady.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Gage said, his voice low, almost friendly. “Why don’t you three go back to the bar and finish off your beers? The lady and I are leaving.”

Alexa silently cheered Gage on for his diplomacy. She liked that he didn’t get threatening, all huff and puff. The confusion in two of the three soldiers’ expressions told her Gage had made contact. The red-haired one, however, wasn’t having it. He was drunk enough, stupid enough, to push harder. And Gage stood about five inches taller than the soldier. Alexa knew that when someone was drunk, details like that failed to register.

“You can leave, dude,” the red-haired soldier said with a broad wave of his hand. “But she stays. She’s ours,” he sneered, glaring up at Gage.

One corner of Gage’s mouth twitched. “What do you say we take this outside and settle it, then, because the lady is with me.”

The gauntlet had been thrown down so quietly that Alexa barely heard the veiled threat in Gage’s tone. She looked at the rest of the men in the canteen. They were all leaning forward, straining to hear him speak. Someone behind the bar shut off the music.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Alexa gulped, her gaze shooting from Gage’s harsh profile to the soldier, who was barely able to stand, six feet away from him. Before she could step in and say anything, Gage turned, cupped her right elbow, and guided her around where the soldiers stood. His gaze never left the red-haired one until they were past him.

The rest of the men in the canteen stepped aside, allowing them passage to the door. Gage pushed it open, guiding Alexa outside, his hand still firm on her elbow.

Sunlight, bright and blinding, hit Alexa. Gage continued down the wet sidewalk, which had earlier been shoveled clear of snow on both sides. Now, in midafternoon, it was melting on the desert base. The wind was breezy, and Alexa was glad to be near Gage. He was like a mountain preventing the cold air from reaching her.

“I like your style,” she told him, looking up at him as she pulled on her aviator sunglasses.

“He was too damned drunk to know up from down,” Gage said, shaking his head in disgust.

“I saw him latch on to the hog’s tooth you’re wearing.”

“I was hoping he would.”

Once they reached the broad sidewalk that curved along the wet asphalt two-lane street, Gage released her elbow. He didn’t want to, but knew he should. Even though he wore civilian clothes, Alexa was in uniform, and her captain’s bars were clearly visible on the shoulders of her flight suit. He checked his stride for her sake, keeping her on the inside of the street. He kept watching Humvees move slowly up and down it.

“I could have handled that confrontation, Gage.”

“I know you could.” He shot a glance down at her. “And I can just hear you asking why I didn’t let you do it.”

Her lips curved. “You’re good, I’ll give you that.”

A slow grin appeared. “Hey, I promised your brother Matt that I’d take care of you after he left. My word is my bond.”

A good, clean feeling flowed through Alexa. He’d put on a pair of wraparound sunglasses, his baseball cap low on his brow. Gage Hunter was a badass in disguise, and she suddenly grinned.

“Just another thing to like about you.” She saw him cock his head in her direction, knowing his gaze was locked on her even if she couldn’t see it. “You’re a badass,” Alexa said, watching his lips twitch. This man did not give a thing away. Why? What made him close up like that?

“The enemy thinks so.”

“So did those three idiots in the canteen.”

More books in the series ...

Wednesday's Warriors - Aloha to Anne Elizabeth and A SEAL FOREVER

I am currently reading and loving Anne Elizabeth's A SEAL FOREVER, Book 3 of the West Coast Navy SEALs ...

Even a hero needs someone to believe in him...

Parkour instructor Maura Maxwell has always denied her attraction for her bachelor neighbor because she’s seen his revolving door of women and doesn’t want to become another notch on his belt. But the man who rescues her from a sudden storm isn’t the one she thinks she knows—he’s Master Chief Declan Swifton of SEAL Team Five, and he literally sweeps Maura off her feet.

Just as his teasing and tenderness start to work their way into Maura’s heart, Declan and his team are called in for a dangerous op in the Middle East. The man who returns is facing the toughest fight of his life, and he needs Maura by his side more than ever…

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New York Times bestselling author Anne Elizabeth is an award-winning romance author and comic creator. With a BS in business and MS in communications from Boston University, she is a regular presenter at conventions as well as a member of The Author’s Guild and Romance Writers of America. Anne lives with her husband, a retired Navy SEAL, in the mountains above San Diego.

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facebook.com/aeauthorfanpage
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A Navy SEALs Fun Fact from Anne Elizabeth

Being a Navy SEAL wife, or a wife in general, is not always easy. As the saying goes, “The Only EASY DAY was Yesterday.” But, love and determination matter. Whatever you dedicate yourself to every day, will grow stronger.

A heartfelt tribute to Navy SEAL Adam Brown
on Pearl Harbor's Dog Beach

Sourcebooks is hosting a special giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from A SEAL FOREVER:

Master Chief Declan Swifton of SEAL Team Five rolled over the side of the Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat and slid soundlessly into the Pacific Ocean. The RIB took off without even a comment from the operator, leaving Declan to sink farther into the drink.

The temperature cooled as he swam away from the surface. Fish skirted the edges of his thighs, small shimmers of movement against his skin. He scissor-kicked his way forward. The ocean currents caught him, dragging him in the direction they wanted to go, toward shore. He lay with his arms at his sides, frog-kicking only. Above him, he could see the afternoon sunlight glistening and frothy foam chasing away the glassy surface. Down here things were different…calmer. Peaceful, in a way few souls would understand, and yet he knew that even he would have to surface soon.

His lungs would start to ache and burn, his gut would begin to feel as if it would cave in, and that would force him to either head topside or drink in the salt water. But there was still time. This was the water in front of Imperial Beach and the apartment he lived in. He knew it very well.

Scanning the ocean floor, he gauged it would be about thirty seconds until he reached one of the many rocky sandbars out here. He’d have to pull up before then, or the force of the current would smack him against the side.

As his body began to complain, he used both arms and legs to draw himself upward. Breaking the surface, he opened his mouth and drew in air like a thirsty man would gulp water.

The waves bounced him like a buoy. The tide was coming in and the wind was picking up momentum. Looking at the sky to the east, he could see that there would most likely be a storm today. Over his should, to the west, he spied a wave coming his way large enough to take him to shore. It would reach him in about thirty seconds.

Dec took a long, slow breath and appreciated the sun dropping into the horizon. The colors were extraordinary; orange and gold dappled the horizon as the blazing ball of light attempted to sink before the moon lifted higher in the sky.

His hands flexed, cupping the water. It had been a hot day, and the sun’s rays had heated the top of the ocean, making the surface feel like a warm bath, loosening his muscles. Three months ago, he’d been in waters so frigid, with actual ice caps—the memory still made him cold. But here, the Pacific Ocean off California’s Imperial Beach, was a slice of heaven.

Coming in from the east were some nasty-looking cumulonimbus clouds. Seeing the lightning arc way off toward the distant desert, he decided it was time to go in, and right on cue, here came a perfect wave.

Swimming at top speed, Declan pushed his way through another changing current, one that sought to drag him into faster-moving waters. He went over a higher sandbar, having no intention of going to Mexico today, and increased the reach of his stroke. With single-mindedness he worked his way into the more placid surf as he homed in on a large stretch of beach.

The SEAL felt a few sea lions swimming around him, and one nosed him in the gut and another in his back a few times, assessing whether or not he’d play. Not this time, my friends. He continued swimming without engaging. If he stopped to play, he’d be out there for hours.

Switching to the breaststroke, his arms protested. His platoon had switched their training this month to desert-warfare techniques, and he’d been sweating his balls off in the heat. He managed to learn a thing or two, even now, after all of his years in the Teams. But it felt good to be back in the ocean, his element. He’d live in the deep blue like a Jules Verne character if he could.

More books in the series ...

Wednesday's Warriors - Aloha to Sharon Hamilton and SEAL BROTHERHOOD: LUCAS (Band of Bachelors, Book 1)

I always smile when I think of Sharon Hamilton - she's an enthusiastic supporter of military families.  She is celebrating the release of SEAL BROTHERHOOD: LUCAS, the first book in a new series, Band of Bachelors:

Special Operator Lucas Shipley thought his troubles were past him, when he discovers they've only just begun. Recently separated from his wife of five years, he gets some unwelcomed news. He thought his living arrangement, with four other separated or divorced buddies from SEAL Team 3, was temporary. Now, he understands he has to move on with his life.

Marcy Gelland is one of the smartest, most successful realtors in San Diego County. She's hired by Lucas' soon-to-be ex-wife to help her liquidate their joint holdings and help orchestrate a speedy departure from Lucas' life. Based on what Marcy's been told, Lucas deserves any amount of pain she or her client can dish out to him.

But when they are left alone together in the remote Northern California woods, they ignite a personal bonfire that threatens to burn down the whole forest. Marcy is forced to see she has been misled.

Amidst the backdrop of hardened bachelor SEALs with their unsolicited, anti-long- term relationship advice, and a criminal gang operating nearby, Lucas must do what he's always done and never gotten proper credit for: be the hero that saves the day.

Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USAToday bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series.

Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you've read before, since they don't have to go to ground and can walk around in the full light of the sun.

Sharon's Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won't find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.

All of Sharon's books are available on eBooks (most formats), print and Audible.

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.

Learn more about Sharon at authorsharonhamilton.com.

Sharon with her narrator JD Hart and Navy Surgeon Tamara Worlton
RT Giant Book Signing in Dallas

Sharon is giving away a special pink camo swag bag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Sharon's home state of California - have you visited the Golden State?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 24, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 25.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Heartfelt tribute to Navy SEAL Adam Brown

Dog Beach on Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Aloha to Chris Keniston, the Aloha series, and LOVE BY DESIGN

After an emotional Friday, let's escape to Hawaii with Chris Keniston, author of the Aloha Series. From her bio,

A native New Yorker, Chris Keniston was on her way to Australia when she fell in love with North Texas. Little did she know the balmy seventy-degree October days would turn into fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk heat in August!

Twenty years later, she started scribbling short stories about her favorite TV shows, giving them lives more to her liking—and the elusive happy ending. Not long after, a dear friend dragged her to a local writers’ meeting. After winning multiple writing contests and making the finals in the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart contest, she now spends her days, and nights, writing contemporary romantic fiction with lots of emotion, plenty of surprises, and, of course, the happily ever after.

Chris lives in suburban Dallas with her husband, two human children, two canine children, and one grandkitty. Though she loves her four-legged family equally, she admits being especially attached to her German Shepherd rescue named Gunny. After all, even dogs deserve a happily ever after.

chriskeniston.com

Facebook link

twitter.com/CKenistonAuthor

Place of Refuge on the Big Island of Hawaii (link)

Chris joins me to talk story (chit chat) ...

Kim:  I am now curious ... why were you on your way to Australia?

Chris:  A cousin of mine had moved there after marrying a wonderful woman he'd met while backpacking through Europe. At the time, Australia held plenty of career opportunities. So, before leaving the US, I loaded my car and began a drive cross-country to see all the places I'd ever wanted to see. I visited the Amish country, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the land of Elvis Presley, the Smokey Mountains, New Orleans, NASA, and lastly, the stomping grounds of JR Ewing. Dallas. And here I still am!

Kim:  Can you share the TV shows in which you scribbled short stories?

Chris:  Anyone who has read my Aloha series will know that I am quite the JAG fan. One of my favorite scenes to write took place in Aloha Texas when the hero's mother and the heroine's aunt were talking JAG. And boxer shorts. LOL.

Kim:  Tell us about finaling in the Gold Heart contest.

Chris:  The poor woman who called me most likely was asking herself how anyone with a vocabulary of three words – oh my God – could write a whole book. I kept repeating myself until she mentioned I would have to send in a head shot and my mind went straight to – "Oh dear I wonder if it has to be mine?" The next few months were an incredible high of dealing with agents, editors and chatting with famous authors like Robin Carr and Jodi Thomas (who I'm still friends with to this day).

Kim:  Let's chat about your Aloha series - what inspired it?

Chris:  Oh that's easy. A good friend and I meet once a year to vacation together. She's an avid scuba diver and I am a lover of land under my feet. Or at least a boat deck. While she was diving, I sat on board and read. Then I looked up for a moment and spotted the captain at the back of the boat doing pushups. Young, strong, and tanned. All I could think was: "There has to be a book in here somewhere." My friend and I spent the next few meals plotting out a story with a former navy diver, and Aloha Texas was born.

Kim:  If you have visited Hawaii, what is your favorite sight, sound, and smell?

Chris:  This is hard. There are so many wonderful things too see and experience. I've been fortunate enough to briefly visit Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Or as much of it as can be seen on a three hour tour. I'm still trying to figure out why the Krispy Kreme donuts taste better in Maui. They were heaven. Every night the light went on for warm donuts and my friend and I gobbled up a dozen a day. I still have the six pounds to prove it. Of course the sunrise from the top of Haliakela is amazing, and the drive down with daylight may very well be the most frightening thing I've ever done. But my favorite place is Kona. To me that felt like Hawaii. The view from the southern most point of the United States was stunning. I live to return and hear the sound of the ocean at night. But I'm sorry, the smell of those warm baked donuts are going to trump all those gorgeous flowers in bloom all over the islands.

Kim:  FYI, Maui is home to the only Krispy Kreme donut shop in Hawaii.  Boxes are often flown to Oahu at o-dark-hundred and gobbled up by noon at local grocery stores, including the Pearl Harbor Commissary.  What's next for Chris Keniston?

Chris:  There are still quite a few stories to tell from our crew at the Big Island Dive shop. I'll have a short story in the Aloha Series, Love Walks In, as part of a Christmas season boxed set. Though the thing that excites me most about this particular story is that all the proceeds from the boxed set will be going to the Autism Society of America. Between Aloha books, I'm hoping to bring a new family of brothers to my readers.

Place of Refuge (link)

Mahalo, Chris, for sharing Hawaii with your readers!  Chris is celebrating the release of LOVE BY DESIGN, Book 5 in the Aloha series:

Secret billionaire, new boyfriend, new boss. Same guy?

The smartest things architect Ava Everrett had done in a long time was to tell off her chauvinist employer and to unload her freeloading ex. Now, back home in Kona with friends and family, her life is falling into place: a coveted dream project, a fun office renovation, and a sexy new guy. What could possibly go wrong?

Convinced women only want him for his money, billionaire international developer John Maplewood doesn't believe in love. While visiting his sister in Kona, he embraces the chance to be just a regular guy in a world where friends, family, and falling in love matter. His only problem? Keeping the girl once she learns who he really is.

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Watch out in Kona!

I am giving away Aloha swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Do you like Krispy Kreme donuts?   When we took the Boy Scouts to Maui for fall break, we stopped by the Maui Krispy Kreme shop ... it is conveniently located next to the airport!  Check out my pictures at this link.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 19, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Sharon Calvin and JAYHAWK DOWN

I love this cover!  Sharon Calvin writes about the Coast Guard in Clearwater, Florida - my hometown!  Sharon joins us today for a cozy chat ... from her bio:

Over the years I've worked in an Oregon saw mill, been a telephone exchange repairman (until I failed pole climbing), fired a Thompson submachine gun (Tommy Gun) at the FBI firing range, and won second place in an off-road hill climb in my Jeep CJ-5.

I competed in cross-country riding events for almost 10 years before swapping my horse for a Ninja 500 sport bike. Trading Midwestern ice storms and tornadoes for hurricanes and perpetual summers, I now live on an island in Florida with my husband and a Maine Coon cat with attitude.

Clearwater Beach, Florida

Kim:  Florida - my home state! What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of the Sunshine State? 

Sharon:  Pelicans dive-bombing for fish--how can something that looks so ungainly be that graceful? For sounds it's a toss up between the tree frogs and the seagulls! The smell of frangipani (we never had those in Kansas!).

Kim:  What have you learned from the Golden Heart finals that you could apply to your writing career? 

Sharon:  Savor the moments. You never know who you will meet, their impact on your career, and the wonderful connections that can last a lifetime.

Kim:  Who doesn't love a cat with an attitude?!? What does your Maine Coon think of your writing process? Have any cats made their way into your stories?

Sharon:  She has a bad habit of trying to type (she can't spell worth spit) or taking exception to my typing (that mouse is MY pillow--do not touch!) She is actually named after a cat I created in an earlier book. My heroine is a rock climber and she named her Maine Coon cat after a famous climber/equipment manufacturer (Petzl)--which I ended up doing with my current non-climbing cat.

Kim:  What inspired you to write a series about the Coast Guard? What research have you conducted (since the Coasties no longer use Tommy Guns)?

Sharon:  My inspiration was reading The Perfect Storm by Sebastion Junger. Living in Kansas I had no idea that there were people like the Rescue Swimmers who went out in such horrible conditions So the Others May Live (another great source on the USCG). When I moved to Florida, my neighbor was an ex-Coastie and after hearing his stories, I knew I had to write about these courageous men and women. I'm hoping to take a tour of the Clearwater Air Station later this year as I research my third book in the series.

Kim:  Tell us about the series and your second release, JAYHAWK DOWN?

Sharon:  The series is about the men and women who crew the Jayhawk helicopters from the Clearwater Air Station near Tampa Florida. My husband is a pilot so I've had a lot of experience in small planes and was drawn to the flying side of their duties. (Yes, I've even taken an intro flight in a small four-passenger helicopter. A Christmas gift from my husband.)

I like to focus on the Search and Rescue missions though their role in Homeland Security played a part in JAYHAWK DOWN. The heroine, Lt. Caitlyn Stone, was born out of an off the cuff comment by my Coastie neighbor who mentioned the best pilot he'd flown with was a woman. Caitlyn is a interesting mix of ballsy flying with a "girlie" flair she doesn't try to hide. The men she meets outside of the Coast Guard have a tendency to underestimate her--something that plays a big part in my story of terrorist hijacking, a dirty bomb, and a few double crosses.

Kim:  What's next for Sharon Calvin?

Sharon:  My current guilty pleasure is a Steampunk series set in 1885 London with ghosts, psychics, and a mysterious mechanical parrot. I'm hoping to publish the first book this winter--we'll just have to see how it goes!

Coast Guard Station in Maui 

Mahalo, Sharon, for spotlighting the Coast Guard!  I am giving away a Coast Guard tote bag and other military swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about flying - love it or hate it?  In college, I flew with other Air Force ROTC cadets who had their private pilot's licence.  However, when we moved to Hawaii, I developed a fear of flying (I think it was the six hour flight over the Pacific Ocean that psyched me out).

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 13.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Sharon and her books at sharoncalvin.com.

Book 1 in the Coast Guard Rescue series ...