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Character Sketch: Julia, One More Second Chance @JanaRichards_ #RLFblog
One More Second Chance
by Jana RichardsMessage from author Jana Richards:Today I’m here at Romance Lives Forever with Julia Stewart from
my new contemporary romance release. Before we talk to Julia, here’s the blurb from
One More Second Chance, which is part of the Lobster
Cove series from The Wild Rose Press.Dr. Alex Campbell has an agenda–finish his contract to provide
medical services in Maine, pay off his medical school debt, and head back to his
real life in San Diego. But when he meets Julia, all his carefully laid plans are
put in jeopardy.Julia Stewart, Lobster Cove’s high school principal, swears she’ll
never let another man drag her away from the home she loves. Her aging parents need
her, and the Cove is where she wants to raise her daughter. When her mother’s illness
brings her and the big city doctor closer together, panic sets in. Her marriage
taught her men don’t stay.Can she put aside the heartaches of the past and trust Alex enough
to accept the love he’s offering? Or will her fear of abandonment mean she’ll send
him away forever?Tell us about yourself.
Where are you from?I’m from a small town in Maine called Lobster Cove. The Cove
is located on Mount Desert Island, just down the road from Bar Harbor. I love this
town. I love the people here, I love the ocean, and I love my family. Lobster Cove
is a beautiful place to call home and I never want to leave.But you did leave at one
point, right?Yes. My ex-husband and I spent a few years teaching in Thailand.
Russ loved it there, but I was homesick a lot of the time. When I got pregnant,
I wanted to come home and give birth to my daughter in the States. Russ was never
happy back in Lobster Cove, especially when I got the job as principal of the high
school, and essentially became his boss. When Ava was about three he demanded that
we go back to Thailand.Why didn’t you go?I was going to. I was afraid if I didn’t our marriage would be
over. But in the end it didn’t matter. Russ went on ahead to find us a place to
live. A few days later I got a call from him. He told me he didn’t want me to come.
He didn’t love me anymore.That must have been very
painful for you.It was, but with help from my parents and my friends, I got through
it. And Ava helped me, too. I had to be strong for her. She’s the joy of my life,
and I intend on raising her here in Lobster Cove.How old is Ava?(smiling) She just turned six the other day. We had seven six-year-old
girls at her birthday party. My ears are still ringing from all the excitement.(smiling) I remember those
days. So you’re a teacher?Yes. I’m presently the principal of Lobster Cove High School.Do you like being a principal?I do. I love the kids, and I love teaching, though these days
I’m more of an administrator than a teacher. Sometimes I miss being in the classroom.
But as principal, I have the opportunity to really make a difference in my students’
lives. But affecting change can be difficult. As much as I love Lobster Cove, people
can be pretty set in their ways here.Let’s get to the juicy
bits. Tell me about your relationship with Alex Campbell.(shifts uncomfortably in her chair) There’s nothing to tell.
I don’t have a relationship with him. Not really.I don’t believe that and
I don’t think you do either. Tell me about your first meeting.I thought he was an arrogant jerk when I first met him. Alex
is a doctor, and when I took Ava to the ER with a broken arm, he accused my mother
of abusing her!And then?(Sighs) Then we discovered what was really going on with my parents.
Alex has been very supportive.Not to mention easy on
the eyes.(sits up straighter) It doesn’t matter how handsome he is, or
how beautiful his eyes are, or even how compassionate he is. When his contract with
the Island Health Board is up, he’ll be leaving Lobster Cove. End of story.It doesn’t have to be
the end. You could go with him.(shakes her head) No, I couldn’t. Even if our relationship was
at that stage, which it’s not, I’m never leaving Lobster Cove again. My life is
here, and so are my responsibilities.But what if he stayed?He’s not going to do that. There’s nothing in a small town like
Lobster Cove to entice a big city doctor like Alex.Nothing but you. Maybe
you could ask him to stay.(turns away) If he stayed because I asked him to, he’d only grow
to resent me. It’s better this way.Better for who? Not for
Ava. She adores Alex and she needs a father. And not for you. If you don’t tell
him how much you care for him, he’s going to walk away. Is that what you want?(gets to her feet) This interview is over.Don’t let your chance
for love slip away, Julia.(Julia hurries away.)About the Book
Title: One More Second ChanceAuthor: Jana RichardsGenre: Contemporary RomancePublisher: The Wild Rose Press, the Lobster Cove SeriesRelease Date: February 6, 2015Book heat level (based on movie ratings): RThey drank their tea in silence, but the silence didn’t feel
awkward. Julia felt soothed, the stress slowly leaving her body. Perhaps her grandmother
had been onto something. The tea seemed to be working.She finished the last of it and set down the cup. “I should
be going. I left Ava with Tracy, and she’s probably hungry by now.”Julia got to her feet and headed to the front door, with Alex
following her. “Thanks for the tea, and for listening. I guess I needed both
today.”“Anytime. Seriously, Julia, anytime you need to talk, about
anything, give me a call.”She wondered if he was speaking as a doctor, as a friend, or
as a man. Which one did she want him to be?“Thank you.”“I’ll try to keep an eye out for your folks, see if there’s
anything I can do for them.”She was touched by his offer. “I really appreciate that,
but I know how busy you are.”He waved away her concern. “It’s no big deal. I appreciate
my grandmother’s neighbors checking in on her, and I’d be happy to do the same.”He really did understand how she felt. “In that case, thank
you.”She opened the front door and stepped outside. Turning to Alex,
she smiled. His thick hair had begun to dry, and the dark strands gleamed in the
spring sunshine. Her breath caught in her throat at his beauty.“Bye, Alex.”“Bye. Take care.”Julia hurried down the steps and across the lawn to her car.
An appreciation for his looks was as far she could take any relationship with him.
Her life was too complicated, too full already. And she would never get involved
with a man who planned to leave Lobster Cove in only a few more months.More about this book: http://www.janarichards.com/onemoresecondchance.htmlAbout the Author
When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately
knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper,
and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she
was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She
writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World
War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun,
she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.
Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant,
a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf,
yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and
her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several
unnamed goldfish. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her
website at www.janarichards.comBuy This Book
The Wild Rose Press http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6065Author Social Media
Website: http://www.janarichards.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_RichardsGoogle+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/100820406211390323245Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Newsletter Signup: http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnT -
Time Out Valentine @melindadozier #RLFblog #Geek
Time Out Valentine
by Melinda DozierCover Love includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social
media contacts for the author. Today’s featured book is Time Out, Valentine.Author Melinda DozierPublisher: The Wild Rose PressRelease Date: January 21, 2015Word Count: 18KAbout the Book
Lexi’s life is one big dump. Or so she thinks. To keep her
mind off her latest breakup, she stays busy with work. It’s no big deal, since
writing for Time Out Portland Magazine is a blast…except for the one small
snag – Grant Reeds. Grant, a shy but sexy computer geek, is new to Time Out,
working as the Networking Director for the online magazine. Even though Lexi
thinks he doesn’t notice her, he sure as hell does. The owners have a plan for
their upcoming Valentine’s Special, pairing up the two to explore romantic date
ideas around the city. Soon, Lexi and Grant learn that the old adage,
“Opposites Attract,” can ring true.Buy This Book
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RASDUTSKobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Time-Out-Valentine/book-yYA2K7SnFUSuL1kAU8LAhQ/page1.html?s=mfws6h0hQ0aRNbe-wLUbRQ&r=4Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/time-out-valentine-melinda-dozier/1121088879?ean=2940150238985The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6037About the Author
Melinda is a multi-published contemporary romance author
with books from Crimson Romance, Swoon Romance and The Wild Rose Press
represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. She lives in
Guatemala, Central America with her husband/college sweetheart who brings
“mucho amor” to her life. Melinda enjoys being the queen of her
household and dreams of being pampered fully by her three boys once they are
grown. Melinda’s guilty pleasures include reality t.v., traveling, blogging and
playing Zynga games.Author Social Media
Website: www.melindadozier.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/melindadozierFacebook: http://www.twitter.com/melinda.dozThe Wild Rose Press: http://goo.gl/F3IG1WSign up for Melinda’s newsletter http://eepurl.com/vRwpL -
#amreading Lady of the Knight a new #scifiromance by @mjschiller #RLFblog
Lady of the Knight
by MJ SchillerThis quick interview includes info about the author, and introduces
the story.About the Author
M.J. Schiller is a lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer.
She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers,
futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In
her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-year-old and three
eighteen-year-olds. That’s right, triplets! So having recently taught four children
to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star
at karaoke. Uhh…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.Interview with M.J. Schiller
Why did you write this
book?The first book in the series, Leap Into The Knight, was inspired
by a reoccurring dream. After I finished writing it, I realized the story wasn’t
over…What is your favorite
genre to read?Romance in pretty much any form, but I prefer contemporary or
romantic suspense.Who is your favorite character
from fiction (not including your own)?You can’t make me choose between R.T. Wolfe’s Reed men from the
Black Creek Burning Series! First, there was Nathan. I fell in love with him and
didn’t think I’d like Andy’s story, but I did. And then Duncan in the third book
turned out to possibly be the hottest of them all!What are you working on
at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?The third book in the Romantic Knight Trilogy is on my laptop
but next up is a contemporary romance titled “Blackout.” It is part of
my Real Romance Collection and follows the story of Faith and Max…and Eli. Uh-oh!
Yes, Faith and Eli are brought together by a blackout, and ripped apart by a second
blackout. Max steps up to fill the void, but then Eli returns! Yeah, it’s quite
a mess I get these three characters in. I hope it is a story that will touch you
and make you dream about alternate endings!Please tell us about your
latest book.Title Lady of the KnightGenre sci-fi romanceAuthor M.J. SchillerBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13Can she betray the man she loves in order to save him?Newly wed, Maggie is trying to figure out how life married to
a Knight of the High Order is supposed to work. Then an explosion rips her husband
away from her. Everyone believes him to be dead, but in her heart she knows it’s
not true. How is she supposed to find him when others think she’s crazy for even
looking?Will he betray The Order to make his way back to her?Darius’s captor wants information about Council members. If the
Knight is killed keeping The Order’s secrets, his newfound life with Maggie will
come to an abrupt end. Will duty win out over love?And will he betray his best friend for the woman he loves?Orion has learned to keep his distance from Maggie, but when
circumstances throw them together in a very intimate way, how can he be expected
to remain a loyal friend to Darius? He may be a Knight, but he’s human, too. He
wants to do what’s right for all of them, but what’s right is becoming increasingly
unclear.When hearts are pulled in separate directions, each painful decision
they make could affect them all. Join us for another Romantic Knight!MJ Schiller Buy This Book
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lady-of-the-knight-mj-schiller/1121154194?ean=2940149951963Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lady-of-the-knight-3iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lady-of-the-knight/id964388592?mt=11Author Social Media
Twitter https://twitter.com/mjschillerPinterest http://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/Tumblr http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/Instagram http://instagram.com/mjschiller -
5 Easy Questions: Daughter of Valor @EmilyMimsAuthor #RLFblog #romsuspense
Daughter of Valor
by Emily MimsEmily Mims author of Daughter of Valor answers five easy questions
to help readers get to know her better.What’s your favorite
down-home family style meal?Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and black-eyed peasDescribe the perfect
vacation.A road trip! My husband and I like to pile in the SUV, set
the GPS (or not) and go where our curiosity takes us, having destinations in
mind but at the same time the freedom to stop and explore if we see something
that interests us.What are your
hobbies?I play four instruments and perform in two bands, a dulcimer
band that plays old Appalachian folk music and an all-ukulele band that plays a
mixture of fun numbersWhen you read for
pleasure, what kind of books do you choose?Romance novels-what else?What kinds of things
do you read when you’re researching a new book?Wow-that depends on the book. For ‘Daughter of Valor’ and
its two accompanying Lunchbox romances, I Googled everything from prostheses to
IED and RPG explosions to grenades to paraplegic sex. I also do hands-on
research. For my next book, ‘Never and Always’, I learned to make soap.Author Bio
Author of twenty romance novels, Emily Mims combined her writing
career with a career in public education until leaving the classroom to write full
time. The mother of two sons and grandmother of three, she and her husband Charles
live in central Texas but frequently visit grandchildren in eastern Tennessee and
Hawaii. She plays the piano, organ, dulcimer and ukulele and belongs to two performing
bands. She says, “I love to write romances because I believe in them. Romance
happened to me and it can happen to any woman-if she’ll just let it.”About the Book
Title ‘Daughter of Valor’Genre romantic suspenseAuthor Emily MimsBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13Wounded war hero Holly Riley has come to the lakeshore community
of Heaven’s Point to recover from her injuries and build a new life for herself
and with her band of fellow wounded warriors. Temporarily employed as a nanny to
Congressional candidate Jimmy Adamcik, Holly and Jimmy quickly begin to care for
one another in spite of Holly’s distrust of politics. But Jimmy finds himself sucked
deeper and deeper into the seamy side of the political process, and an old enemy
from Jimmy’s past targets Holly’s soldiers one by one. Will Jimmy and Holly’s love
survive the double onslaught-or will they be the final target of their unknown enemy’s
rage?Buy This Book
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/508976ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-daughterofvalor-1720943-149.htmlAuthor Social Media
Website www.emilymims.comBlog www.emilymims/com/blogTwitter: http://twitter.com/EmilyMimsAuthorGoodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/7336670.Emily_Mims
Amazon Author Page www.amazon.com/Emily-Mims/e/B00FQQ247K -
Coming Home (Santa Monica Trilogy) @Jill_Blake_ #RLFblog #contemporary
Cover Love includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social
media contacts for the author. Today’s featured book is Coming Home (The Santa
Monica Trilogy, Book 2.)Genre ContemporaryAuthor Jill BlakeBook heat level (based on movie ratings): REight years ago, Grace went to New York to meet the father she
never knew. Drawn into a frenetic life among Manhattan’s uber-rich, she ends up
staying. But when her new marriage collapses in a firestorm of scandal, she flees
back to California to recover.After his college girlfriend dumped him without explanation,
Logan spent eight years building his career and sampling some of L.A.’s finest talent.
Now that Grace is back in town, Logan can’t stop thinking about her, and wondering
What if…?Sometimes first love deserves a second chance.Buy This Book
Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B00OZR19C2About the Author
A native of Philadelphia, Jill Blake now lives in Southern California
with her husband and three children. During the day, she is a physician with a busy
medical practice. At night, she pens steamy Contemporary Romances.Author Social Media
Website: http://jillblake.blogspot.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jill_Blake_Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.blake.3386
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/Jill-Blake/e/B00B1ZIHKS -
Framily Ties in Enticing Hart: Mae Hancock @Hancockfiction #RLFblog #LGBT
Enticing Hart
by Mae HancockI think the family unit is considerably
different from how it once was in western society. A friend of mine calls this framily and I’m inclined to go with her on
this one because we so often see households made up of three or four generations.
Relatives from the extended family and friends make up part of this family = fr-amily. In the case of The Red Fox Ranch,
there is an absent mother and this leads to various people taking over the number
of functioning roles that a mother would usually perform.Then, there are the friends who come
to live and make up the clan of people who have a common ground, similar ideology,
interests and who all love and look out for one another. I wanted the Red Fox Ranch
to reflect all of these new dimensions of the family and as the first story Enticing Hart and the series as a whole progresses,
readers will see the development of the ‘framily”.On the idea of the family unit and
caring, another theme further explored in the story is that of looking after someone
who is ill. This is particularly difficult for a young person who is just finding
his or her feet in the world. I know from first hand experience, this can be stressful,
tiring; financially draining and can have a big impact on your social life. Most
of us work through illness with the help of other family members but I wanted to
convey what might happen when someone who is unscrupulous, probably even mentally
unbalanced, and in all likelihood has psychopathy, is then left to their own devices
in caring for someone who is vulnerable. Abuse of vulnerable people often goes unnoticed
as in this story. Fortunately the care for someone in my story extends outwards
from a family who is close to the victim of abuse and this corrects the imbalance.I really enjoy exploring the dynamics
of family relationships, particularly over generations. In the case of the Red Fox
Ranch, grandma is accepting of her children’s sexuality and in many ways is a progressive
thinker. Nevertheless, she’s a cantankerous older lady who often speaks the truth
where it needs to be said. Oak loves his grandmother very much and she’s already
noticed the spark between him and Hart. She’s the elderly lady that is a keen observer
of human nature. She’s often aware that she’s a being difficult and plays on it
to her advantage or to find out more information from a situation. I think the older
lady is a universal character—we all know a ‘grandma’ type who has a twinkle in
her eye and is able to influence our actions because we believe she is older and
wiser.Enticing Hart About the Book
Hart Emile is tired of cruising for
guys, living a soulless existence. He needs a change; so when an acquaintance gives
him the number of the gay friendly Red Fox Ranch that’s hiring for staff, he heads
south.Oak Redman is eighteen years old and
desperate to explore his awakening sexuality. The moment Hart lays eyes on the handsome
young rancher he’s smitten. Not only is Oak hot, spirited and very persistent, he
is also the ranch boss’s son and strictly off limits. Hart tries to fight his feelings
and to respect his boss and the family who quickly become dear to him, but after
Oak’s grandma suggests he gets with Oak he can’t deny himself the most exciting
and enticing man he has ever met.Hart’s not the only man to have noticed
how sweet and charming Oak Redman is. A family friend, Steve, is also anxious to
have the affections of the young rancher. Can Hart work out Steve’s dark secrets
before it’s too late and keep his job, his lover and his life?Title Enticing HartGenre Gay RomanceAuthor Mae HancockBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RPublisher Loose IdBuy This Book
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BTmpCLAmazon UK: http://amzn.to/1B7Ivj9ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-enticinghart-1724320-340.html?referrer=6bdb1f9160564c0525b41f36e51861a0About the Author
Mae Hancock enjoys reading all types of literature from thrillers
to romance. She is interested in people who experience social marginalization and
these are often themes that appear in her stories. She’s written erotic literature
for pleasure for a long time, but it’s only recently she’s put romance and erotica
together and found she enjoys writing about the exciting journey we all go on when
falling in love. Her interests include cultural history, particularly in the Greek
and Roman worlds.Author Social Media