#Guest post & #Review WINNING STREAK by @KatieKenyhercz

Hello Divettes!

I'm back again with a guest post and review of Winning Streak by the wonderful and talented Katie Kenyhercz!

As the new head of public relations for the Las Vegas Sinners hockey team, Saralynn Reese wants to leave behind the frivolity of her popular girl image. Unfortunately, her first big assignment is to clean up the media messes of the team's assistant general manager, Madden Vaughn. He's flirty, impulsive, and self-centered; he also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous. Could there be more to Madden under the Ralph Lauren surface?

Having struggled with a gambling addiction since his early twenties, Madden's finally moved past it and into a secure, corporate job working for his sister, the one person who means the world to him. When rumors fly and the team and his family both doubt his word, an unlikely ally pulls him out of his funk with a manicured hand: Saralynn.

He's tired of chasing the same type of unattainable girl, and this up-and-coming publicity dynamo fits that mold perfectly. But she also challenges him and believes in him like no one else. Can they help each other keep their feet on solid ground . . . or will these twin hearts find themselves skating on thin ice?

Rach's Review: 5 out of 5 Divas

Heat level: 3.5/5 

I've got to say, I really loved this book. Now, I admit I might be a tiny bit biased, as I was one of Katie's critique partners way back when on the first book in this series, On the Fly, and I had a good long while to fall in love with Madden in that book! So when Katie told me he was getting his own book, I was ecstatic! And Winning Streak definitely does not disappoint! I loved this book start to finish. Madden and Saralynn both have some serious issues, and the obstacles to their relationship are many and intense. These were both stellarly believable characters and their time together on the page sizzles. This story really touched my heart and gave me some warm fuzzies, in addition to some serious sexual tension that threatened to burn up the pages! Can't recommend this book highly enough. Or the series for that matter. I've always been a bit of a hockey fan, but not hugely into the sport, so don't let the hockey scare you off. This is a wonderful series, and I can't wait to see what's in store next for the Las Vegas Sinners.



From the author:

Winning Streak is an anomaly in the Las Vegas Sinners series because I never intended to write it. I'd planned to have a hockey hero in every book. However, when On the Fly came out, I got a lot of reader feedback asking for Madden's book. They fell in love with Jacey's sweet but hapless brother and wanted more for him. I'd already planned Full Strength, the goalie's story, for book 2, but when it came time for book 3, I put a poll out to my readers. Who did they want first, Madden or Dylan Cole, the rookie turned young captain? Madden was the resounding winner.

I started writing Winning Streak and hit wall after wall. I knew I had to deal with Madden's gambling addiction, but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to do with a non-hockey playing hero. Enter young professional and relationship train wreck, Saralynn Reese, the goalie's younger sister from Full Strength. Saralynn is a former mean girl looking to better herself, and that made her both a challenge and a joy to write. I had to keep her sympathetic and show her depth but still hold onto the snark and a bit of the high maintenance that makes her funny. I had the best time writing her because she is almost nothing like me, which was different from writing Jacey and Allie, my two previous heroines. 

The fun of Winning Streak is that you have two people who are broken in the same amusing way. They were beautiful and shallow for most of their lives (at least that's what most people saw) and now both want to improve. Throwing them together is like the blind leading the blind, but they do learn about themselves through each other, and I love that. Madden's struggling to gain his sister's trust and respect after a gambling relapse years back, and Saralynn's trying to get people to take her seriously by taking charge of the Sinners PR department. Her first assignment is to clean up one of Madden's media messes.

I love the way these two play off of each other, and they both go through some rough growing pains but struggle to do their best.

The 4th Sinners book, Home Ice, is already out, and naturally focuses on young NHL phenom, Dylan Cole, who hits his first ever slump and can't seem to deal. He falls for America's figure skating sweetheart, Lorelai Kelly, who broke her ankle in the last Olympic Games and is struggling to get back on her blades and stay in the spotlight while she moonlights as the star of Sin City on Ice.

The 5th and final book in the Sinners series is Fair Trade, and it will release this December. It follows Grayson Gunn, a player in his early 40s who's looking to retire at the end of the season. He'd played his whole career for his home team out of loyalty but they never made the playoffs, and they mercy trade him to the Sinners for one last chance at the Cup before he hangs up his skates. He's intrigued by the new team assistant physician, Olivia Parker, who had worked for an AHL team before getting the Sinners' offer. They're both recovering from painful divorces and trying to get their bearings in Las Vegas when an unexpected chemistry pulls them together even as they try to stay away.

I still plan to write a collection of short stories catching up with each couple from the series and entitle it What Happens in Vegas because I've had several readers say they wanted to know what happened to everybody. Happy to oblige!

I will be very sad to see this series end :-( But I am so excited that Home Ice is Dylan Cole's story and I can't wait to read it!

Grab your copy of Winning Streak here:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hvuerP 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1TpgSco 

Thanks for stopping by today, Katie! It was great to have you.

~ Rach

Mia Downing's #New #Erotic #Romance and a #Sale!

Happy Friday, everyone! I have a treat for you today. Writer friend Mia Downing is visiting and sharing some exciting news about her books! Take it away, Mia!

Book 1 in Spy Games

Hi, I’m Mia Downing! I just released the third book from the Spy Games series and I love writing erotic romance. It’s fun to give the characters angst and drama to work through and then get to use the sex scenes to further develop their romance. In real life I’m fairly boring—married for 18 years, have two kids and a small farm. Don’t pity me—I like my life the way it is. I get enough outside excitement from the books I write!

To celebrate the release of Spy Games: Endgame to Amazon, The Wild Rose Press is graciously offering for sale the first two books in the Spy Games series. The sale is taking place at all distributors! Now is the time to get a jump on this great series.

The Wild Rose Press is offering my back list of books on sale for 50% until Friday, August 16! Click the link above to visit my page there! 

Book 2 in Spy Games

Book 1 of the Spy Games Series! $.99 at all distributors!

Emma Walters didn't choose to be a spy, but when her crazy father was caught selling bombs to the wrong people, she was given a choice--become a spy or rot in jail. Her exciting new life as agent Kate Wells becomes more so when she discovers her new boss is the agent--undercover and investigating her father at the time--who took her to third base. Emma is already half in love with the dark and dangerous Chase Sanders. Kate wants nothing more than for him to finish what he started, but he's the devil incarnate. And one doesn't make deals or fall in love with the devil.

Mia's newest!

If someone had told Chase he'd fall in love with a certain virgin when he was on his last mission, he would have shot them dead, sniper style. She was nothing more than collateral damage, damn it. But watching the sexy new spy morph into a bombshell killing machine is too much to bear. So when the powers that be command him to train her in the art of seduction for her first--and possibly last--mission, he's scared witless. Making love to Kate means preparing her for sex with another man.

Somehow, Chase has to find a way to get Kate in--and out--of her mission without dying. And without falling in love.

This book is an erotic romance. It contains graphic language, explicit, smokin' hot sex, ménage, lots of juicy conflict, some suspense, a dark and dangerous spy boss and a spunky bombshell heroine.

Available at:

The Wilder Roses (TWRP Erotic Catalog)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

ARE

Bookstrand

Here’s a little excerpt from Spy Games: Trained for Seduction if I haven’t convinced you yet!

Excerpt:

“I guess it’s time for…you know. Dinner’s over.”

He frowned, and for once she could see the wheels turning behind his brown eyes. “How about I make you a deal?”

“A deal with the devil is never productive.” He grinned, and she sighed. “Tell me.”

“We have all weekend, and I’m a very compassionate, very patient man. What you lack in your life is control. I’m going to give you control over when we make love. It’s your call. I will wait patiently until you can’t resist my charms any longer.”

Control. She liked that idea, because he was right. The only things that were keeping her from jumping him now were the facts that she had to be here and she was scared as hell. If this were a date, she’d still be scared as hell, but she’d be more than willing to make the leap. “What happens if we make it to Sunday night and it hasn’t happened?”

“Then we have a problem. But I have faith in my seduction skills. It didn’t take much to get you hot for me before. I don’t need until Sunday night.”

“Ego, Chase, ego,” she whispered. But that offer took an incredible amount of stress from her, and she heaved a sigh of relief. “So how will you continue charming me?”

“Well, we have dishes to do, and since you cleaned your plate, I promised you a movie.”

“I’d like that. I haven’t really watched much in the past year.”

“Neither have I. So we’ll make popcorn, and sit on the couch, and if you’re a very good girl, I’ll let you hold my hand.”

She thought of his hand in hers, those long fingers caressing hers. She bit her lip. A deal with the devil was definitely not a good thing. “And if I’m a bad girl?”

The ego returned, and he smiled a devilish smile. “Then we won’t need to worry about Sunday.”

To take advantage of the half-price sale of Mia's other books, visit her page at The Wild Rose Press 

What an awesome sale! Congratulations on your new release, Mia. Friends, I've read the first two books in the Spy Games series and let me tell you, they are thrilling, romantic and sexy. I can't wait to start reading Endgame!

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Nona Raines

Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

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Reviews by Rach: On the Fly by Katie Kenyhercz

Hi folks, we have a special Review & Interview this week with my friend, Katie Kenyhercz, author of On the Fly. And isn't it just such a beautiful cover?  

Welcome, Katie.

First, can you tell us all a bit about yourself?

Sure! I’ve loved writing since I was twelve and knew I wanted to do something with it but wasn’t sure what, so I became a professional student. From BA to MA and now MFA. When I tell my family, “This is it! I’ll be done with school in June,” they smile and say, “Sure, okay.” I’m not locking the door on Ph.D, but I’m putting it in the attic for now. I’m happy writing hockey romance and will continue, but I also want to teach creative writing at the college level. That’s up next!

And your recent release?

On the Fly has been a labor of love. I started writing scenes for it ten years ago, but I couldn’t get the plot where I wanted it for a full-length novel. It took my MFA program to get me on track and make everything gel. Jacey inherits her father’s NHL team unexpectedly. She’s well versed in business but not so much in hockey and stumbles a bit as she figures it out. To complicate things, she falls for the team captain, Carter Phlynn. As things heat up off-ice, the press latches on. Jacey has to choose between being with the man she loves and saving the team her father loved and trusted her with.

So… I know this is a very personal question… but are you a plotter or a pantser (for those of you readers out there who aren’t sure what this means, it’s a question about her writing style – does she plot out each detail of a book before she sits down to write it, or does she just write it by the seat of her pants)

It’s funny you ask, because I’ve recently had a revelation about this. I always thought I was a plotter. I totally believe in the logic behind it. How can you write a story if you don’t know where it’s going? At the same time, I knew plotting was the one element of fiction that gave me trouble. Just in the past few months, I’ve discovered I’m a weird hybrid. I know how I want my book to end, and I know how it starts. It’s the in between stuff that gets messy, so I’ll plot a few middle chapters at a time. Nothing involved, just scene ideas. That way, when I sit down to write them, there’s still an element of pantsing, letting the scenes unfold as they will, just knowing each one has a specific purpose. I guess the short answer is: I’m a pantser who desperately wants to plot and try to as much as I can.

What do you love most about Carter Phlynn, the hero of On the Fly?

A recent reviewer best summed up how I feel about Carter: “Carter is a breath of fresh air in the hero department. He doesn’t brood. He doesn’t have scars beyond the physical ones he’s earned on-ice. He’s not afraid of his emotions. He’s just a guy lambasted by a connection to this girl.”

I love a wounded puppy hero as much as the next girl, but I wanted Carter to be different. It’s pretty common for a guy to be the uncertain one, the hesitant one in a relationship. I wanted to turn that around. Serious relationships are new territory for Carter, but once he admits to himself how he feels about Jacey, it doesn’t scare him. He knows what he wants and goes for it.

What do you love most about Jacey Vaughn, your heroine?

Similarly, Jacey is a fun contradiction. She’s smart, strong, and dedicated, but when it comes to love, she’s gun shy. Her feelings scare her because being vulnerable means giving up control. She’s logical to a fault and makes the tough decisions even when it hurts. Carter opens her up and shows her that trust is what takes true strength, and if she takes a leap of faith, he’ll be there to catch her. For the first time in her life, she’s not the caregiver, and that’s scary but thrilling.

What are you working on now?

I’m writing the next Las Vegas Sinners novel, Full Strength. This is the goalie’s book. Shane Reese is injured near the end of a less-than-stellar season and taken out of play. He’s never been seriously injured before, and he doesn’t handle it well. He’s especially frustrated because he knows his play wasn’t up to snuff before the high ankle sprain, and there are rumors he might be traded in the off season. Enter Alexandra (Allie) Kallen, the new team sports psychologist. She’s out to prove her ability as a therapist after returning her last client to play too early, leading to his re-injury. A former soccer goalie, Allie understands Reese in a way not many can. An injury ended her playing days, so she gets his frustration and fears. They fall for each other, but as long as he’s her patient, a relationship is off limits.

Where can readers find you? (Facebook, twitter, website, blog, etc.)

https://www.facebook.com/katiekenyherczauthor

http://lovemewrite.blogspot.com/

http://katiekenyhercz.com

https://twitter.com/KatieKenyhercz

And where can they find your books?

http://www.amazon.com/On-Fly-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00BFCUSZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364315734&sr=8-1&keywords=katie+kenyhercz

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-the-fly-katie-kenyhercz/1114782435?ean=9781440565526

https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/katie-kenyhercz/on-the-fly/_/R-400000000000000967979

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/on-the-fly/id603259671?mt=11

Pretty much any e-book retailer!

Thanks so much for coming by, Katie. It was a blast. 

Thank you for having me!

Do you have a giveaway or any other information to share with our readers today? 

I'm picking five lucky readers to win a pair of Sinners glow horns like those mentioned in On the Fly. To score a pair of these babies...

Drop me an email at ken9002@setonhill.edu with your favorite scene from the book by April 8th. I'll get in touch with the winners by the next day. Good luck, and thanks for reading!

And now for the review: 

First let me say that I was lucky enough to see On the Fly  in its draft stages while Katie and I were in the MFA program together, and it's been wonderful to see how it's changed. I was very happy to revisit Carter and Jacey. 

Jacey Vaughn has a newly minted MBA when her father dies unexpectedly and leaves her his NHL team. Well-versed in business but not so much in hockey, Jacey navigates this new world with a few stumbles. She definitely doesn’t plan on falling for the team captain. At the first hint of scandal, a local Las Vegas reporter latches on, and Jacey finds herself in the newspaper with headlines that hurt instead of help. Jacey’s determined to keep her father’s legacy alive and make the team successful, but while she has no problem denying her feelings to the media, she can’t lie to herself.

Carter Phlynn has known nothing but hockey his entire life. Drafted into the NHL at age eighteen, winning the Stanley Cup is all he’s ever wanted. Nothing has ever disrupted his focus. Not until he meets his new boss. Jacey gets under his skin like no one else, and while dating the team owner would be a disaster for his career and reputation, he can’t get her out of his head. Carter has never had a relationship last more than a month, but the more he’s around Jacey, the more he can’t picture his future without her.

Five out of Five Divas! 

What can I say about this book that would be good enough? On the Fly was a sweet, sexy, funny romance. The humor comes through in almost all of the scenes. There are smart, witty allusions, unexpected turns of phrases, and a love of hockey that shines through the page. There were actually parts in the book where I thought I was REALLY at a hockey game. Carter and Jacey are adorable and made for each other. She's convinced she can't have it all - the team, the Stanley Cup, and the Captain. But Carter is determined to throw caution to the wind and sweep her off her feet, teaching her how to trust, how to love, and how to fight for it all. 

Guest blogs, Giveaways, and Interviews, Oh MY!

Hi there folks,

Just a quick note letting everyone know that I'm all over the internet this week.

I have a guest blog and giveaway at the Bootheel Cotton Patch  - come comment to win a FREE copy of An Affair Across Times Square (the post has the cover for Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce, but it's really for Times Square) - the contest will run through Friday, so tell all your erotic romance loving friends!

I'm also being featured on Kacey's Konnections - Check that out for excerpts from both Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce and An Affair Across Times Square. 

And I was interviewed over at Books N Kisses - Because you know you're DYING to learn more about Rachell Nichole. :-p

Thanks,

~Rach

Rach's Blog Tour Schedule: 1/14/13 - 1/18/13

Morning y'all!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks I tell ya. I spent six exhausting, wonderful days in Pennsylvania at Seton Hill's Writing Popular Fiction Residency! I am now the proud owner of a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction. I spent a good portion of the weekend sleeping, but now it's time to get back to work!

This will be my first full week of the day job in a month! Probably going to be a bit crazy. And I am guest blogging all over the place this week! Check it out:

Today (1-14) I will be at Tory Michael's blog talking about one of my favorite subjects - ME! :-p Actually, I'm really not that narcissistic, but it's a good interview. So if you're dying to know more about Rach, come on by!

Tomorrow (1-15) I will be at Decadent Decisions - W. Lynn Chantale's blog. She and I interviewed Amy Easton, the heroine of Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce - the holiday book that keeps on giving year-round! Come see what Amy has to say. I will also be awarding a FREE copy of Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce to one lucky commenter on this blog.

Wednesday (1-16) I'll be at A Passion for Romance - Krista Ames's blog. She interviewed Tyler Lachlan, the hero of An Affair Across Times Square - book one in the Marietta Hotels series. See why I fell in love with Tyler and you should too! A free copy of An Affair Across Times Square will be awarded to a lucky commenter on this blog as well! (see how awesome I am giving away copies of my books!?)

And finally (for this week) on Thursday (1-17) I will be guest blogging at the Bootheel Cotton Patch. I'll be talking about using astrology to build Amy and Mason's characters - so this is a bit craft, a bit insight into the book. Come see what it's all about!*

*Change of plans - Thursday I will be at www.sizzlinghotbooks.com  :-) 


I'll have another round of dates next week, so stay tuned!


~Rach

Romance According to Rachell: Guest Blog with Mary DeSantis

Hello everyone! I’m so happy to announce that we have a special guest here with us today. A good friend and fellow SHUer, Mary DeSantis is a fantasy writer who is here today to talk about writing romance when you’re not a romance writer. You can find Mary on the web at www.outofthelockbox.blogspot.com. And now I’ll let her take it away…

I’m a fantasy writer—urban, young adult, epic—you name it. However, I also grew up watching Disney movies. If there’s one thing that’s unavoidable in most of those movies, it’s the romance. Prince+Princess=happily ever after. Needless to say, that influenced me quite a bit.

Despite all that, though, I don’t write romance. I’m actually terrible at straight-up romance. I have a fundamental problem bringing two characters together as a main storyline in a believable way. This doesn’t change the influence of the Disney romance, though.

One thing I did notice in all of the Disney Princess movies was the magical intervention. As I got older, I wondered if I could keep the romance true but still incorporate the magic. Then, I got older, started reading real fantasy books, and answered my question—yes, people do it all the time. And, I fell in love with “romance-on-the-side.” Think of it as the other woman/genre…never mind.

So, when I’m writing something where there is a hero and heroine whom I want to end up together, they do. It’s not that simple, though. It’s never the main plotline, and, more importantly, there’s always a long and sometimes bloody battle before they get there. Eye on the prize, I tell myself because there are those times where I find myself wanting to stay in those romantic moments and expand on them until they’re my story. All those years of Disney movies, I guess.

I keep on task, though. I’ve worked out three steps to take to make sure I don’t turn my fantasy novel into a romance one—mainly because I have very little confidence in my ability to write romance novels. So, before I list my three steps, I want to tip my hat to all romance writers. There’s a stigma that romance is “so easy—anyone can write that.” No, no, no—I’ve tried. I fail. It’s not easy, and anyone who agrees with the stigma has obviously never tried.

But, back on that track I was so proud of not straying from. Three ways to write romance into fantasy but keep the book fantasy.

-Interrupt the romance

When I find myself pulled into one of those moments, I ruin the moment. (I know. I’m sorry, characters.) They’re about to kiss or spill their hearts and they are attacked. Or, someone screams. Heck—or the heroin’s ancient ability that she can’t control yet turns her into a chimera. That puts a damper on the romance. It also creates a beautiful segue into an epic battle or adventure scene.

-Make the romance contingent on the fantastic elements

Maybe that heroin with the chimera problem is forced into an alliance with the handsome hero. And, maybe he thinks she’s a freak because she turns into a giant, three-headed monster. And, maybe she wants to bite his head off while she’s a giant, three-headed monster. And then—there’s the battle or the adventure. I know it’s been done and done again, but the following is true. Having characters save/protect one another brings them together. The epic journey and battles breech the gap. But, she still turns into a giant three-headed monster. Romance could be a problem. So, the clearly fantasy-genre problem needs to be fixed before the romance can happen.

-Spread out the romance

Fantasy novels, particularly epic fantasy novels, tend to run longer than romance, mystery, young adult, or most other genres. So, that leaves a lot more time for the hero and heroine to get to know one another. They may start out hating each other, or they might start out as friends who grow together. Or, they might start out in love, break apart, and the heroin might fall for a chimera (unlikely, unless she turns into a chimera, but hey). The key thing here is time. Spread out the romantic moments. Put the battles, the adventures, the serious conversations about the deteriorated state of the world between them. Make it so that, with everything else going on, there isn’t a lot of time for romance. I even sometimes make it so that the romantic moments are—literally—on the fly. Example: a kiss for luck. Small but can be built on later between the army of dragons and the bottomless pit.

There it is. At least, that’s how I do it. It works for me, but, as I say whenever I prescribe a method for anything, it’s not universal. If it works for you, great. If not, pass it along, it may help someone else.

Thank you, Rachell, for letting me guest post. It’s been a pleasure, and I had a lot of fun writing this.