• Suspense

    The Turkish Affair #contemporary romantic #suspense @JArleneCuliner #RLFblog

    The Turkish Affair by J. Arlene Culiner.

    About the Author

    Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J. Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to public dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She works as an actress, a photographer, a contemporary artist, a musician, writes mysteries, history books and perfectly believable romances. Her heroines are funny and gutsy; her heroes, dashingly lovable; and all are (proudly) over the age of forty.

    Interview with J. Arlene Culiner

    Why did you write this book?
    I know that many readers expect a romantic suspense to resemble what they see on television: danger, stalkers, a serial killers or two, violence, car chases, shoot outs and terror. But I dislike television, and I’ve always preferred realistic stories, even in the romance genre. It seems to me that if I were being threatened by a madman, I’d be so wrought up, I wouldn’t have time to fall in love — and for me that means, getting to know the other person, finding common interests, feeling those first gentle feelings of soft magic. None of that is possible in dangerous situations; and besides, in real life, there’s very rarely, a gorgeous, sexy interested secret agent on hand ready to rescue you.
    I did however, want to write a love story as well as a suspense, and I came up with The Turkish Affair, a mystery where there is certainly menace, but it’s more psychological. Yes, there has been a murder, but it’s off stage : no description, no chases, no screaming sirens. I wanted a strong-willed but warm and brave heroine, a gorgeous hero who is both intelligent and tender. I also wanted an exotic setting — the archaeological site of Karakuyu in central Turkey, once home to the long-vanished Hittites. I added true stories as well, and real places, and a few strange characters I met while living in Turkey.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    I read everything, switching back and forth constantly: contemporary romance, biography, mysteries, mainstream literature, history — particularly that of eastern Europe — classics. Every book has its right moment.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Saul Bellow’s Moses E. Herzog? Stella Gibbons’ Flora Post? Salinger’s Holden Caulfield? No, there are far too many others. Impossible to choose one. And besides, all great characters have terrible flaws.
    What are you working on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    I’m presently working on 1) a creative non-fiction work about a small village in eastern Hungary, 2) a contemporary romance that takes place in Blake’s Folly, the same Nevada community I used in  my previous romance, All About Charming Alice, and 3) a series of portraits.
    All three projects are so different from each other, I’ll have to wait and see which one pulls the strongest. They’ll all get finished eventually, I think, but none will be completed in the coming months. I need years to write a book, perfect the story and refine the language.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    A top notch Washington journalist before a liaison with the wrong man implicated her in scandal, Anne Pierson has been hiding in backwoods Turkey and working as a translator. She’s determined to keep her past a secret, to avoid personal relationships. But after meeting Renaud Townsend, her discrete little world is turned upside down.
    Archaeologist Renaud Townsend is troubled by Anne Pierson’s refusal to talk about her past, but instinct tells him he can rely on her. Or is it only desire speaking? A lusty love affair for the duration of the summer dig is a very appealing idea.
    When Anne’s bad reputation links her to stolen artefacts and murder, the budding romance with Renaud comes to a halt. If they learn to trust one another, her name can be cleared. But is there still enough intensity to give love a second chance?
    About the Book
    Title: The Turkish Affair
    Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
    Author: J. Arlene Culiner
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Buy This Book
    Publisher : Crimson Romance:  http://www.crimsonromance.com/romantic-suspense-novels/the-turkish-affair/
    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Turkish-Affair-J-Arlene-Culiner-ebook/dp/B01KGO49XS
    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/J.+Arlene+Culiner
    Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-turkish-affair
    Author Social Media
  • Contemporary

    New Beginnings a #romance by @_iris_b #RLFblog

    This quick interview includes info about the author, and introduces the story.

    About the Author

    Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only emerged recently, but now her laptop is a constant companion.
    Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.
    Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

    Interview with Iris Blobel

    Why did you write this book?
    The story is set in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, the most southern state in Australia. A most beautiful place. I went there a few years back and imagined how it would be to live in this city, how to adapt as a “non-local”, and bit by bit I wrote the story of two sisters moving there. Obviously, I added a little romance into the story as well – so I added Mark and Zach.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    Crime and romance
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Jack Reacher
    What are you working on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    I’ve just finished a book which is set partly in Melbourne, partly in New Zealand. I loved writing the story and re-visiting the places we went to when we travelled through NZ last year.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    The chance to start life all over with the help of a stranger.
    Twenty-two-year-old Sophie Levesque has been guardian to her eight-year-old sister Mia since their mother’s death a few years ago, and it hasn’t been easy. Luck comes their way when they inherit a small house in Hobart. Problem is, though, they don’t know and have never heard of Clara Bellinger, the testator. Settling into their new life, Sophie is still afraid it’s all a mistake.
    Mark O’Connor, attorney in Hobart and the bearer of the good news for Sophie and Mia, curses himself for the lack of information about the testator. However, researching the questions gives him an opportunity to see Sophie again, and the more time he spends with the two, the more he realises that his life is missing something. And it’s not his casual lover Linda.
    But then there’s Zach, Sophie’s sexy neighbour from across the road… and a very good friend of Clara’s.
    Will unravelling the mystery unravel Sophie and Mark’s promise of a future?

    About the Book

    Title New Beginnings
    Genre Contemporary Romance
    Author Iris Blobel
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13

    Buy This Book

    Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2a1BSJ7
    Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/29FTb4B
    Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2a9yKgW

    Author Social Media

    Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/iris_blobel/
  • Gay or MM

    Prince of the Sea #gayromance thriller Jon Michaelsen #RLFblog

    This quick interview includes info about the author, and introduces the story.

    About the Author

    Jon Michaelsen is a writer of fiction in the mystery, suspense and thriller genres where the main characters are gay. While this doesn’t always define or limit his characters, it does provide opportunities for exciting and challenging plots. Many diverse writers have influenced his style over the years; among them are the ever popular David Baldacci, John Grisham and Michael Crichton, to groundbreaking novelists Patricia Nell Warren, Michael Nava and Felice Picano.
    A southerner born near the banks of the Chattahoochee River, he moved with his family to Atlanta, Georgia in the late 1960s, where he remains today. He studied English and Journalism at Gainesville College in north Georgia before transferring to Valdosta State College near the Georgia-Florida line to finish out his studies. While at Valdosta State, he wrote and edited the college newspaper’s Entertainment page, published features and a few of his short stories in the campus rag.  
    His debut mystery novel, Pretty Boy Dead, was a 2014 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Mystery. 
    He lives with his husband of 30 years and four monstrous terriers.

    Interview with Jon Michaelsen

    Why did you write this book?
    I’ve always wanted to include the beautiful coastal town of Tybee Island, Georgia in my writing, but I needed to have the perfect plot to really capture the allure of the islet. The story finally came to me a few years ago while traveling back and forth from Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida to visit with my ailing grandmother. The long hours driving alone on the road provided the perfect medium to stoke my muse.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    I write mostly in the mystery/suspense genre, which is also my favorite to read. My favorite pastime is curling up on the sofa or a favorite reading lounger and spending hours getting lost in a good mystery.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Just one? There are so many! I’d say it’s a toss-up between Jason Bourne and Alex Delaware.
    What are you working on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    I am currently writing the second Kendall Parker mystery, which I hope to get the first draft to my editor by the end of this year. The first in the series, Pretty Boy Dead, will be moving to a new publisher for re-release later this year with a fresh look, and available in audiobook.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    Can a broken heart find love at the bottom of the ocean?
    Jonathan Lemke thought spending two weeks alone with his partner in a beachside cottage would help rekindle the lost passion of their ten-year union. He’d chosen Tybee Island, a quiet seaside community on the Georgia coast east of Historic Savannah. He grew up on the pristine shores of the barrier islet, a place that continues to hold a special place in his heart.
    The romantic surprise backfires when Paul, Jonathan’s partner, rushes off to Chicago for the chance to woo a high profile client, leaving Jonathan alone and brokenhearted, but a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger linked to an ancient island legend just might provide a chance at discovering forever love.
    However, someone with strong familial ties to Tybee is intent on exposing its secrets, and avenging a grudge decades in the making. An assailant so threatened by the forces of nature that defy explanation, he’ll stop at nothing to unmask the revered island lore…even if he must kill to prove it.
    Will Jonathan survive the assailant’s attempts at revenge? Or can a childhood save him from certain death?

    About the Book

    Title Prince of the Sea
    Genre Gay Romance Thriller
    Author Jon Michaelsen
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG

    Buy This Book

    Publisher http://tinyurl.com/hw7pnlm      
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-of-the-sea-jon-michaelsen/1123022534?ean=9781590216293

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://www.jonmichaelsen.com
  • Paranormal

    Meet Barbara Heyer: Till Life Do Us Part #PNR @Carmen_Books #RLFblog

    Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of
    the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist
    dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal
    phenomena could have led someone to great trouble – the psychiatric hospital if
    not to prison.

    High school teacher of English and German in her native
    country, and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years
    of oppression by escaping in a parallel world of books.

    Several of her poems were successfully published in a
    collection of Contemporary English Poems, Muse Whispers vol.1 and Muse Whispers
    vol.2 by Midnight Edition Publication, in 2001 and 2002.
    Her first novel, Shadows of the Past, was released in 2012
    by Wild Child Publishing, USA.
    Carmen joined the volunteer staff at Marketing For Romance
    Writers Author blog and is the coordinator of #Thursday13 posts.

    About the Book

    Title Till Life Do Us Part
    Genre Paranormal/romantic suspense
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
    Barbara Heyer can hear voices of dead people. They whisper of their deaths, seek comfort for those left behind, and occasionally even warn her about future events. But when Barbara’s brother, Colin, is accused of murder, it will take more than her gift to prove his innocence.
    Becoming smitten with the handsome investigator, Detective Patrick Fischer, is a serious complication given his assignment to her brother’s case. Barbara senses there is something far deeper—and perhaps much older—than the surface attraction between them. Could that be why she’s visited by a mysterious woman named Emma in her dreams? Could past life regression tie all the seemingly unconnected events together?
    Barbara and Patrick must overcome heartache to find the truth to save Colin, and perhaps themselves.

    Introducing Barbara Heyer

    Welcome to Romance
    Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.
    Name: Barbara Heyer
    Age: 24
    Gender: Female
    Birthplace:
    Pleasanton, Texas, USA
    Profession:
    Librarian
    Describe your
    body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such
    as dimples, freckles, or scars.
    I am a petite
    brunette, as Colin, my brother calls me. My hair is curled driving me crazy
    when I have to comb it in the morning.
    Who is the
    significant other in your life?
    After my brother
    was charged with murdering his girlfriend Kathleen, I fell in love with
    Patrick, the detective assigned to his case. Not an easy situation, trust me.
    Please tell us a
    little about yourself.
    I love to read and
    that’s why I love my job as librarian. I am skilled with a paintbrush and colors.
    Above all, I can hear voices of the dead people. It is nice to know I can bring
    comfort to bereaved families, and also open their eyes to something as natural
    as the living world of the spirits.
    Please tell us
    about your education.
    I graduated a nurse
    course and a librarian one. I work at the Municipal City Library. I am pleased
    with my workplace as I love books and, each morning, going to my job I feel
    happy.
    Do you get by,
    live comfortably, live extravagantly?
    Even if I work part
    time, I earn some good money from the miniature landscapes I paint. And even
    from talking with the ghosts, the souls of the departed. I don’t charge
    anything for this but people offer me all kind of things as a sign of their
    appreciation – a box of chocolates, perfumes, tickets and invitations to shows,
    flowers, books, all kind of presents that are useful to me.
    On what special
    skills do you rely?
    My gift with the
    paint brush and, above all, my ability to hear the voices of the departed people.
    Are you close to
    family?
    I’m sad to give you
    a negative answer. I left my parents’ house because of my father’s tyrannical
    attitude. I live now in a house of my own and my brother Colin joined me
    shortly after I left.
    How well do you
    know your neighbors?
    Not too well. I
    have no clue who my neighbors are. I am a friendly person, but I never enter
    other people’s lives uninvited. The neighborhood didn’t seem very welcoming to
    me, so I kept to myself. It has never struck me that being a newcomer in the
    House Creek North district, on Elm Street, mattered. I hoped to be able to
    build a new life, I alone, in charge of it. My life with my family was mapped
    by my father’s will and whim.
    If someone from
    your past showed up, who would you most want it to be, and why?
    It would be Hans,
    my boyfriend of those days. But I can’t reveal more about him now. You’ll have
    to read my story and then you’ll understand why.
    If someone from
    your past showed up, who would you most NOT want it to be, and why?
    An easy answer, and
    I refer to another past life – Judge Wieland. A man I had deep respect for, at
    first. Until I discovered what lay beneath his façade of respectability.
    What secrets do
    you know about people around you that you do NOT share?
    Too many. Their
    departed relatives and friends trust me with those secrets as they know I will
    not tell anybody else. And, a secret is a secret, so I can’t share it with you.
    What past event
    causes you the most fear?
    Hmm! Hard to
    explain at first, but I have an irrational fear of fire. Later, I learned what
    caused it. In another life I was burned at the stake as a witch, though the
    accusations were false.
    What would you
    like to tell your writer?
    I want to thank her
    for helping me remember my past life, even if it was a heart breaking experience.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher http://solsticepublishing.com/till-life-do-us-part/
    Barnes and Noble
    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/till-life-do-us-part-carmen-stefanescu/1123896837?ean=9781625263858

    Author Social Media

  • Erotic

    Dominus: God of Yule #romance @jroseallister #RLFblog

    This quick interview includes info about the author, and introduces the story.

    About the Author

    I write hot, curl-your-toes erotic romance featuring strong heroes and feisty heroines. (And the other way around!) My book boyfriends tend to be gods among men—often literally. Gods, werewolves, vampires, you name it. But I can’t bring myself to overlook those hot alpha humans entirely. Sometimes I’ll toss a cowboy, bounty hunter, or steely-eyed businessman in the mix just to change things up. In short, if there’s a tale to be told about a dangerously sexy male with secrets and relentless determination (out of bed as well as in it), I’m all over it!
    The gotta-write-fiction bug hit hard about fifteen years ago, and I haven’t come up for air since. I’ve written over twenty-five novels, most of them erotic romance, and dozens of short stories under three pen names. These have appeared online, in magazines, anthologies, and the occasional radio show. Then there’s this whole wonderful, wacky thing called family life, and I spend a good deal of my non-writing time hanging out with my husband (also an author) and youngest daughter, whom I homeschool. We like movies and TV—don’t get me started on how much is in my Netflix queue! And oh, yes, I haven’t given up my full time job…so by day I’m a (mostly) mild-mannered hospital secretary, by night a naughty romance author.

    Interview with J. Rose Allister

    What is your favorite genre to read?
    And the winner is…romance! I mean epic, sweep you off your feet, be my next book boyfriend romance. Super hot is awesome, but it’s about the journey for me. My absolute time-and-again favorite is Pride and Prejudice, followed closely by Persuasion. So yes, a big Jane Austen fan. But let’s not forget the fantasy/paranormal aspects I love to write! I got hooked back in 2000, when Laurell K. Hamilton released A Kiss of Shadows, the first of her Merry Gentry series. That was my introduction to erotic romance involving fairies, intrigue, and oh-so-naughty doings in the boudoir.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    I have to answer this in two parts. For romance, Elizabeth Bennett rules supreme as a strong, break-the-mold heroine who is as stubborn and loveable as any character could be. (Although Merry Gentry is a fun runner-up as the wily, take-charge princess of the fairy court.)
    That said, I have a non-romance favorite that always surprises people. She’s Mandy from Julie Andrews’ children’s novel of the same name. (Yes, the Sound of Music Julie Andrews!) She wrote a magical tale about a little orphan girl who climbs over the wall of her orphanage and finds an abandoned cottage that she transforms into her own special place. Mandy was everything I love in a character: willful, able to work for what she wants, and not afraid to break a rule or two in order to follow her heart. In many ways, Mandy shaped a good number of the characters I write, and the tale stuck with me so closely that I named one of my daughters after her.
    What are you working on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    This year has largely been about the Sons of Herne, and I’ve got two more titles due out before Halloween. (Three, actually, as a special ninth story is planned involving the series namesake himself. Shh!) Feillor: God of Lammas just released this month, and I’m currently writing his twin brother’s book, Anduron: God of Mabon. In between the Sons of Herne stories, I’ve been working on another erotic fantasy romance, Bound to Her Master. This is a 3-book saga about a pregnant earth girl who winds up in an arrangement to pose as the sex slave of Lord Stepanyan, a god who is in the middle of trials of ascension to rule the high seat.
    Stepping outside of the realms of hot gods, werewolf fans may be interested to hear I’m in planning stages for a Gen 2 spinoff to my bestselling Lone Wolves of Shay Falls series. The finale the seven-book series released in June, and it was so hard to say goodbye to those rugged cowboys-turned-werewolves that I just had to consider an extended stay.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    Dominus, god of the sabbat, should never have had to spend half the year nurturing the latest light bearer himself. Now, months of visiting Lorayna in secret, present only as a whisper, has sparked a yearning inside of him that he cannot shake.
    Lorayna is drawn to a presence she’s unable to resist. When she discovers her “holiday spirit” is in fact a mouthwateringly sexy god, she’s ready for whatever sabbat ritual he chooses. To her disappointment, his intentions are strictly hands-off.
    When something goes wrong, however, Dominus is forced to break the rules and give into his urges before the Yule power consumes her. The ripples of their passion will alter many sabbat unions to come—and Dominus must defy his father, Herne, to follow his desires and prove to Lorayna that she was not merely another light bearer.

    About the Book

    Title Dominus: God of Yule
    Genre Urban fantasy/erotic romance
    Author J. Rose Allister
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Buy This Book

    Publisher Jaded Temptations (my independent publishing imprint)
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017MGIV3M
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dominus-j-rose-allister/1124015731
    ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dominusgodofyule-2061247-340.html

    Author Social Media

    July Blog Tour Giveaway Page! http://tiny.cc/ChillinTour
  • Contemporary

    What’s Left of Me (Firebird Trilogy 2) #contemporary @JenniferTLoring #RLFblog

    This quick interview includes info about the author, and introduces the story.

    About the Author

    Jennifer Loring’s short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, webzines, and anthologies, including Crystal Lake Publishing’s Tales from the Lake vol. 1. She has also published a novella, Conduits (DarkFuse, 2014), and two novels, Those of My Kind (Omnium Gatherum, 2015) and Firebird (Limitless Publishing, 2015). What’s Left of Me (The Firebird Trilogy #2) releases in July 2016. Jennifer lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband, their turtle, and two basset hounds.

    Interview with Jennifer Loring

    Why did you write this book?
    I knew when I finished Firebird that Alex’s story was far from over, so last summer—before I had begun submitting to publishers—I made a vague outline for two more books. The sexual assault allegations against Chicago Blackhawks’ star Patrick Kane, as well as the music video “Let Them Talk” by Russian pop singer Katyla Lel and starring her friend Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals captain), inspired a great deal of What’s Left of Me. 
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    Horror, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, non-fiction.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Irrylath from Meredith Ann Pierce’s The Darkangel Trilogy; Constantine from Robin McKinley’s Sunshine; Zach from Poppy Z. Brite’s Drawing Blood; Gimli from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings; the vampires of J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood.
    What are you working on at the moment, and what will see from you in coming months?
    I’ve finished the first draft of the final Firebird book, which does not yet have a title and won’t be out until next year. I’ve also been working on some new short stories for anthologies. Several other short stories and at least two novellas are scheduled to be released this year.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    Recovering from years of living the superstar hockey life wasn’t easy, but now Aleksandr Volynsky finally has everything…
    He’s married to the love of his life, expecting a daughter, and has a new job as an assistant coach with his old team, the Buffalo Gladiators. His happiness is short lived, however, when a sexual assault allegation surfaces, and Alex is forced to cooperate with an investigation for a crime he didn’t commit.
    Stephanie Hartwell is juggling her dream job with marriage and motherhood, but she’s not convinced she’s doing any of it well…
    Stephanie’s stress level goes from bad to worse when she’s diagnosed with a serious illness. Battling declining health and the critics who question her commitment to Alex in light of the allegation, she makes a decision that could change their relationship forever.
    Alex is afraid he’s about to lose everything—especially when he sees Stephanie’s friend kiss her…
    Devastated that his life is spiraling out of control again, Alex turns to his friend, Natasha, a Russian pop star. Convinced that Stephanie and her friend Brandon are having an affair, Alex resumes his self-destructive behavior.
    What Alex doesn’t know is Stephanie has been conducting a secret investigation of her own. She learns the truth behind the sexual assault—a truth no one, especially Alex, expects.
    With everything now out in the open, can Stephanie and Alex commit to a fresh start for the sake of their daughter, or will the ghosts of their pasts finally tear apart everything they have left?

    About the Book

    Title: What’s Left of Me (The Firebird Trilogy #2)
    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Author: Jennifer Loring
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Buy This Book

    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IGAXYTO  

    Author Social Media