The Reviews are in for "Too Hot to Handle"

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Female arson investigator Jennifer Valdez and Fire Marshal Mark Edwards are forced to work together to solve a series of arson-related fires. A series of sabotage incidents occurs that place the blame on Jennifer, and while Mark can't deny he attraction he feels to her, he still has to do his job.

Betrayed by Mark's assumption that she is guilty --- Jennifer is deeply hurt when he can't believe in her innocence. While solving the arson, they must both learn to trust before they can truly love.

*****
THE REVIEWS:

"Mary Hjerleid's debut is a memorable combination of romance, mystery and fascinating details about firefighting"
AMANDA HARTE, Author of "The Hidden Fall Series"

***
"Mark and Jennifer are given plenty of conflicts to overcome, and Ms. Hjerland presents them in a steady and attention grabbing scenario. Her writing style kept me riveted from page one. While the HEA is a given, it is how Ms. Hjerleid maps out the journeys of her hero and heroine that will keep you turning the pages."
4.5 STARS
FENNEL, LONG & SHORTS REVIEWS
Link to the review:http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/too-hot-to-handle-by-mary-hjerleid.html

Congrats on some great reviews, Mary!

The Reviews are in for Marrying Mallory!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Is Mallory Harrington jinxed because her name means luckless? Things have gone wrong for Mallory since she was a small child. All she ever wanted was to have a complete family and live happily ever after. It appears she has it all when she marries Toby Harrington and they have a son. Unfortunately, their marriage ends when Toby has an affair with his law partner. After their divorce, Mallory feels guilt that she couldn't forgive Toby for his affair. As a Christian, she should be able to forgive him for his sin.

Mallory decides to do something for herself, and get a surgical procedure that she's always wanted. What she doesn't expect is her instant attraction to her surgeon.

Sometimes faith is about accepting what can’t be changed and grabbing what God offers her. Life must go on.

******
THE REVIEW:
"Mallory is richly complex, struggling with being a divorced Christian. It’s this hurdle she has to reconcile before she can give her heart to Seth. Craver’s supporting cast is deliciously human and fun to get to know. The friendship between Mallory, Heather, and Elizabeth is endearing."
4 WINGS, Classic Romance Revival, Stephanie, Reviewer

Link to the review:
http://www.classicromancerevival.com/component/resource/article/crr-reviews/22-contemporary/75-marrying-mallory-by-diane-craver.html

The Reviews are in for First Impressions!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sammie Carpenter understands how a uniform influences behavior. Wearing her Army fatigues puts her in the mindset of a soldier and donning her Class-A Uniform always helps her shift into Captain Mode. So what harm could come from her dressing like a saloon girl and strutting through the streets of Tombstone? She didn't know how to flirt to save her life, and she wasn't getting any younger.

When she met the lonesome stud cowboy, Jimmy, she knew he was the one. So why was their communication always so awkward? Couldn't he see that she was interested in him? No matter how hard she tried to win him over, she couldn't seem to get him to see past his first impression of her. But Sammie didn't give up easily. Somehow she would make him see that they were meant to be together, but how can she do that when all of her plans keep falling apart?


******
THE REVIEWS:

From LEE SMITH, BUTTERFLY WINGS:
"I think this is an excellent example of realistic romance today... Christian romance doesn't need to be limited to a peck on the cheek. This is the kind of book that would be wonderful to share with a non-believing friend - or someone who thinks Christian romance is boring."
See the full review at: http://leesmithwriting.blogspot.com/2010/01/first-impressions.html

**********

From: SEQUENCE OF CONTINUOUS EVENTS BLOG
5 STARS
""Michelle is one of those authors that really touches you because she understands the importance of being real. Yes, the book is fiction and fun to read, but it deals with real issues that are usually not addressed in such a straight-forward, understandable way."
See the full review at: http://continuousdelights.blogspot.com/2009/12/first-impressions-by-michelle-sutton-55.html

*********

From: TARA'S VIEWS ON BOOKS
"First Impressions is not the first book I have read by Michelle Sutton and I sure hope it won't be my last! I thoroughly enjoy Michelle's writing. Michelle writes stories that are closer to reality than a lot of Christian fiction. The edginess of the story makes it believable."
See the full review at: http://tarasviewonbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/first-impressions-by-michelle-sutton.html

You can buy Michelle's book at the Desert Breeze Website Page, All Romance Books, and on Amazon.

The Reviews are in for "Were Love Blooms"

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Madison Lee thought she'd put her European vacation behind her, until the full moon turned her into a hairy beast. A year later she has come to grip with her new life, now her whole world is blown apart. The man who gave her a night of incredible passion and an uncontrollable urge to howl at the moon shows up in town with his sights on taking over her family's business.

Hot on his heels a stranger comes to town with more than the rustic scenery on his mind. He's a monster hunter out for Nicholi's blood and just maybe hers if he finds out her not so little secret. How is a Southern Deb supposed to deal with lovers, killers and the biggest Cotillion of the year all at the same time? Madison soon learns Where there's a Were, there's a way and it leads straight to love.


******
THE REVIEWS:

"The book uses alot of humor and there is plenty of sarcasim to be found. Overall this was a very enjoyable read."
4 CROWNS
QUEEN OF ALL SHE READS
Link to the review:
http://queenofallshereads.blogspot.com/2010/01/southern-werewolf-chronicles-book-one.html

***
"WERE LOVE BLOOMS is the start of what promises to be another great series by J. Morgan. If you love your paranormal romances spiked with a heavy dose of humor, then J. Morgan is an author you simply must try. Highly recommended!"
5 CLOVERS
DEBBIE, KWIPS & KRITIQUES
Link to the review:http://ck2skwipsandkritiques.com/debbie/2010/wereloveblooms_debbie.html

Congrats J on some great reviews!

Meet Desert Breeze Author, Celia Yeary!

Hi everyone. I just wanted to give a big shout to Celia who has recently joined the team of authors here at Desert Breeze. Celia has several books with Wild Rose Press and is very active on the 'net with her blog. Celia lives in Texas. And without any further, here she is. Welcome, Celia. Steph

*********

I was a product of the Nifty Fifties, although at that time, no one realized we were "nifty." As many of my classmates did, I married very young, had two babies, and set my course on being the very best mommy and wife in town. What was good enough for Betty Crocker was good enough for me. Then the Sixties roared in, forcing citizens to take part in the revolution or stay home. Well, I didn't have a draft card to burn, and my bra wasn't big enough to make much of a flame—besides, my mother always told me to keep my underwear on—but I didn't want to stay home anymore, either.

The term "women's lib" rolled in, and not knowing the exact meaning, I did know it had something to do with older women going back to college. By older, for me, I mean in my mid-twenties. After much discussion with my heaven-sent husband, he agreed to work at two jobs, sixteen hours a day, so I could earn a degree. Since he already had two and I'd helped him, it was my turn. Degree in hand, I entered the teaching force.

Fortunate for me, I retired early—very early. After volunteering, study groups, and church activities, I learned to play golf. Then, in 2004, I sat down at the computer and began to write a story. I'd never written anything in my life other than science research papers, so how amazed do you think I was when an entire novel appeared on the screen? Really!

That began a love affair with the written word and how I had the ability to create stories. And create I did! After two years, I had a dozen novels in my files. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Today, I'm a very ordinary person who got lucky and sold some of those stories. When a friend or acquaintance in town learns of my new vocation, she or he (yes, some men) are stunned. "What?" they might say. "I thought you were a sweet, kind lady who poured tea and made crumpets." Ha-ha. If only, they knew.

My husband is my best friend. We have two lovely children who grew up to be successful, worthwhile adults, and we are proud grandparents of three young boys. Not a girl in the bunch. We were privileged to roam the world, sail on the high seas, and fly hither and yon. I'm an eighth generation Texan with roots back before Texas was even a Republic.

Every single day of my life, I wonder why I have been so extraordinarily blessed. "Life is a song; sing it."

****
You can find Celia on the blogosphere at: http://celiayeary.blogspot.com

Meet Desert Breeze Author, Sue Perkins!

#1 - How long have you been writing? When did your muse come to visit? What is his/her name?

I've been writing for about twenty years now, with the intent of getting published I mean. I've always written for my own enjoyment but about twenty years ago I decided it was time to go out into the world and see if I was good enough to be published. I took a creative writing class to find out how to format and submit to publishers and this helped me a lot. I'm still friends with the tutor and regularly attend her writing retreats.

I don't really have a muse, well not one with a name. I can envisage my characters and story, but although something nags me to get on and write the darn book, the nagger has never actually introduced themselves to me.

#2 - I understand you live in New Zealand. Tell us a little about New Zealand. What do you love about it?

I was born and raised in England, but my husband and I decided to emigrate to New Zealand when our family was young. New Zealand has two main islands and we live at the top of the South Island on a three acre block. We have all sorts of scenery in this country from sub-tropical in North Island, through the thermal hot areas in the middle of the North Island, right the way down to the bottom of the South Island with the skiing and glaciers. I love living here with lovely blue skies due to very little pollution in our atmosphere, although we do have to be careful about UV. There's also the wonderful countryside, beaches and the laid back attitude of New Zealanders. There's a "she'll be right" way of looking at things which I think is also shared by Australians. Funnily enough my children are now grown and living back in England.

STEPH: New Zealand sounds cool. What an exciting background you have!

#3 - What was the last movie you saw?

That would be Wall-E. I love movies which are family entertainment. I don't go to the movie theatre much but the one before that was Mama Mia. Lovely film, the audience stayed way past the end of the credits, we could hardly believed it had really finished.

#4 - Who are your favorite authors?

Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, Terry Pratchett, Trudi Canavan - can you see a trend here? All of these are fantasy authors who write about alternate worlds. I also love romance books, but now ebooks are so easily available I have far too many favourite authors to list them here although Julia Quinn and Janet Evanovich are definitely near the top of the list.

#5 - How many books have you written? What's your favorite genre to write?

Do you mean how many have I written or how many have I had published? I've written about twenty or thirty books, but so far have had seven published most in ebook and trade paperback. My favourite genres (more than one) are fantasy, romance and young adult fantasy.

#6 - Do you plot your books or do you write by the seat of your pants.

Definitely seat of the pants. I get a vague idea of a character and storyline and I let it stew for a while, usually because I have another book to finish writing. When I'm ready I start writing, and it takes on a life of its own from there. For instance my (then) two year old daughter saw a punk rocker on the London underground. She was fascinated by the purple spikey hair and in the end the young lady with the hair blushed like mad because this young child was staring at her. Years later I was telling a friend about this incident and it sparked off an idea for a book which became Three Hearts.

#7 - Tell us a little about Three Hearts, your Desert Breeze release. Do you have a book trailer you can share?

As mentioned above it started from an idea, which was then encouraged by an item on the news about an international custody battle. I was living in Timaru, New Zealand at the time so this became the setting. Darcy, the heroine, has looked after her niece since the child's mother died giving birth to her. Now Travis, an American, appears and claims Brooke is his daughter and he wants custody. The Pacific Ocean separates their homes which creates all sorts of problems.

I do have a book trailer and it can be seen on the Desert Breeze website page for Three Hearts. The link is http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-41/Three-Hearts/Detail.bok


#8 - Do you have any more books coming up?

I have a fantasy book coming out later this year with another publisher. I also hope to submit another romance to Desert Breeze in about another five or six months. This one is a World War 2 romance.

STEPH: World War II is such a rich goldmine for stories. I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks so much for this interview, this has been fun!

STEPH: Thanks for being here, Sue!

Interview with Tami Dee, Author of Dawn of Viking Sunrise

I'm excited to have author, Tami Dee, here today, author of the Mists of Time Series. I've started her "Under A Viking Moon," and I LOVE it. Onto the questions...

*****

#1 - How did the Mists of Time Viking Series come to you?

TAMI: One night, at a ridiculously late hour that I should have been sleeping through but was not…I had a vision of sorts, of an apartment, a single woman, and a mural of an ancient Viking ship which took up an entire wall of the apartment. When the woman touched the mural, she was transported into to the Dark Ages and into an adventure upon the high seas. The odd thing is, none of the four books within my Mists of Time Viking series are even remotely related to the woman and the mural concept. Crazy huh? Someday, I really need to write that book.

STEPH: How interesting that is. I think that would make an interesting book as well.

#2 - Tell us about your characters in "Dawn of Viking Sunrise," Davyn and Rosie.

TAMI: Davyn is a character from book one, Under A Viking Moon, Dark Age time.
As a fourth son Davyn sets his own course to support himself, choosing a profession which takes care of his physical needs, and also allows him to search for his twin sister who had been stolen during a raid. Awaking one morning and finding the body of a woman he had spent the night with changes everything. Davyn is banned from his homeland until the mystery of who killed her can be solved, and not knowing if he himself is the one who murdered her leaves him shamed and riddled with guilt. His guilt is compounded by his seizure of Castle Rose Haven, the home he made for himself in the highlands of Scotland. His is a lonely existence until Rosie quite literally falls into his life and heart.

Rosie is also a character from book one, Under A Viking Moon, our time.
She is a woman of mixed heritage, Hispanic and Chinese, and the truest friend a person could ever have. She is rich, having inherited at an early age from a beloved grandmother. She is smart, a university student studying archeology who is also well versed in Karate thanks to her cousin Singlee’s training. (Singlee is also from book one and finds his own true love in Dawn.) Rosie is also grieving the untimely death of her fiancée and battling the loneliness caused by Kat, her best friend from book one, disappearance through Time.

STEPH: I am really enjoying Rosie in book #1. It's nice to see her friendship with Katla.


#3 Tell us a little about the plot of "Dawn of A Viking Sunrise."

TAMI: Dawn of A Viking Sunrise follows two souls who find one another despite having been born a thousand years apart. Each having had their lives irreversibly torn in two, together, through time and circumstance, love grows and helps them to become whole again.. They have adventures in Davyn’s time, traveling to ancient China and rescuing Rosie’s cousin, Singlee. A surprise mini romance unfolds just before the dramatic rescue which I hope will have readers smiling. Time brought Davyn and Rosie together, but the real question is whether Time will allow them to remain together?

#4 When did you start writing? Is your muse a tall, dark, handsome Viking? Hehe

TAMI: I started writing about four years ago. I have always wanted to write, but did not allow myself to seriously try and do so until well into adulthood. I have dyslexia and it is a constant challenge and frustration when I try and let my thoughts flow from my mind to my fingertips, only to be stumped by misspellings and words jumbled together and often put together opposite than I wished them to be. Needless to say it takes quite a bit of time from the start of a book to typing The End, but, in the end, it is worth it to me, and, I hope, to those who read my stories.

STEPH: Tami, I think it's great that you can put together such wonderful, entertaining stories with your dyslexia!

As for my muse….sounds like you’ve already met.

STEPH: hehe

#5 Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one. Do you have any tips for using it?

TAMI: I have a Kindle. It is the only ebook reader that I have ever used and I really enjoy it. A helpful aspect of my Kindle is that I can e mail my own works in progress to my Kindle and use the audio to listen to the flow of my own story.

STEPH: I love my Kindle, too. I have yet to try the speech to text feature, but I hope to, soon.

#6 - What was the last movie you saw? In the movie theatre. DVD's don't count.

TAMI: I just had winter break (dh and I both have two weeks off work) and dh and I saw: Avatar (best movie ever made—IMO) 2012, and Sherlock Holmes. We do marathon movies every winter break. Sigh… just love those two weeks.

STEPH: Sounds like fun. During the holidays I had a chance to take my son, Andrew, 7, to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. Ah, to see an adult movie with my husband again... I pray for that opportunity every day.

#7 - Who are your favorite writers?

TAMI: I am afraid to say, because there are so many and I just know I will leave someone out. As a matter of fact, I never make public announcements as too whose books I have bought and read, (especially authors from my publishing house. To me my fellow authors are more like family than strangers who write for the same company) because the truth is I wish I could afford to read EVERYONES book, but the bottom line is I just can not afford to do so and I hate to hurt anyone’s feelings by mentioning one authors work and not another’s. (winter break movies can drain a bank account. Lol)

#8 - Tell us about Half Moon Bay. Does it inspire your storytelling? How so.

Yes, it really does. The little ocean side city is only about two and a half hours away, the perfect distance for a day trip. DH loves to fish, and I take my lap top and write, write, write. Although I have never set a story there, the ocean, atmosphere and scents really help me be creative.

I will never forget the time I wrote a really sad scene while sitting atop a flat bolder of a man made pier while dh fished. A cold wind was blowing, the sky was gray, waves crashed against the boulders and I cried as I typed. My husband glanced over his shoulder, then did a double take and shook his head. He just does not get that I never know what is going to happen as I type, so if it happens to be sad… well, I cry. (Shrug—doesn’t everyone?)

STEPH: I can tell your love for the bay comes through in your writing. The first time I saw the Golden Gate Bridge, I was filled with emotion. I wanted to write a story about a winery in early 1940's during World War II.

Thanks so much for interviewing me.

STEPH: Thanks for popping in and happy writing!

Interview with Mary Hjerleid, Author of Too Hot To Handle

Mary's penned a fantastic story about firefighting with a lot of romantic suspense elements. I'm glad to have her here at the blog today! Let's get going with the questions....

#1 - How did you get the inspiration for Too Hot to Handle?

MARY: I have been writing since 1994 and my friend Jane McBride Choate, who is multipublished and is my mentor, introduced me to article writing as a way of getting in print until I finished my books. We also meet every Wednesday for the past nine years. My first book was completed in 2001 and has since also sold. I came across an article in the newspaper on arson dogs and how they sniff out accelerants. Their evidence is used in court. I did several articles on arson dogs which were published in several magazines.

My husband's son-in-law is a Loveland, CO firefighter (my hero) and doing a lot of research I came up with the idea of a romantic suspense. I also worked with Jerry Means who is an arson investigator for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

STEPH: How interesting, Mary! Isn't it amazing how one "type" of writing can lead into another? I also notice there's a lot of romantic suspense in the police field, so seeing you tackle fightfighting I find unique!


#2 - Do you cast your characters? Who is Jennifer? Mark?

MARY: I generally come up with characters after I have a general idea of what I'm going to write about.


#3 - Tell me a little about the plot of Too Hot to Handle?

MARY: Female arson investigator Jennifer Valdez and Fire Marshal Mark Edwards are forced to work together to solve a series of arson-related fires. A series of sabotage incidents occurs that place the blame on Jennifer, and while Mark can't deny he attraction he feels to her, he still has to do his job.

Betrayed by Mark's assumption that she is guilty --- Jennifer is deeply hurt when he can't believe in her innocence. While solving the arson, they must both learn to trust before they can truly love.


#4 - Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one. Do you have a tip for it?

MARY: I have the Kindle. My My husband just purchased one for me so I don't have any tips at this time since I'm still learning. I've downloaded several books from some of my writer friends who have sold ebooks.


#5 - What was the last movie you saw?

MARY: The last movie we saw in a theatre (it had been quite sometime) was Amelia (Earhart). Terrific movie.

STEPH: I want to see that! I love flying, what Amelia inspired and Hilary Swank. I'll have to add it to my Netflix pile. hehe

#6 - Who are some of your favorite authors?

MARY: Favorite authors: Kathryn Shay, Irene Hannon, Jane McBride Choate, Amanda Hart-Cabot, Sharon Sala

#7 - I see that you live in Colorado. Can you tell us something you love about it?

MARY: Yes, I'm still in Colorado. I came here in 1981. My older brother and his wife lived here and gave me a chance to start over. I remarried in 1995. We now live in Ft. Collins, Colorado. I love the beauty of Colorado, the mountains, although I don't ski, the friendly atmosphere and the friends I've made here. My husband used to do Ride the Rockies and we travelled so many great places like Durango, Aspen and other smaller communities. Each year was a different area. I'm really glad a made the move.

******

Thanks for being here today, Mary. Too Hot to Handle is definately on my reading list.

Smiles
Steph

Interview with Diane Craver, author of Marrying Mallory

Diane Craver is the author of Marrying Mallory, A new release with Desert Breeze this month. After the interview, Diane offers a chance to win her new book. Let's get started!

***

#1 - How did you get the inspiration for "Marrying Mallory?"

As a writer, I have to admit that my stories are sometimes influenced by my many life experiences. Hey, I've lived life fully! LOL For "Marrying Mallory" I used a personal experience that I felt would make for a realistic character. I got into Mallory's mind completely because I know what it's like not to have a cute small nose.

#2 - Do you cast your characters? If so, who is Mallory? Seth?

That's a tough question because Mallory isn't a flawless beauty. Mallory has a large nose so I can only think of one actress and that's Sarah Jessica Parker. I think she's beautiful like Mallory even though she also has a larger nose. But she's thirteen years older than Mallory. Hey, I just thought of an actress to play Mallory and it's Jennifer Garner. They'd have to make her nose larger for the part, but otherwise she seems like Mallory to me and closer to her age.

Now casting an actor for Seth is easy. From the beginning, I've pictured David Conrad as Seth – he plays Jim Clancy on “The Ghost Whisperer”.

STEPH: Jennifer Garner and David Conrad! Perfect choices!

#3 - Do you have a book trailer you can share?

I do – here's the link for my Marrying Mallory trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx47eTrY8M0

#4 - I don't know much about the plot of "Marrying Mallory." What can you tell me about it?

I'd love to tell you about the plot. Mallory isn't happy with herself because she's divorced. She feels strong guilt that she couldn't forgive her cheating ex-husband. As a Christian, she doesn't feel that she has the right to get married again. Also she is unhappy about her outward appearance. She loses fifteen pounds but that isn't enough. She decides to do something for herself and goes to see a plastic surgeon, Dr. Seth Whitman, to have rhinoplasty. Immediately, her life becomes complicated because she's attracted to the doctor. Seth feels the same way about her, and he has trouble maintaining a doctor-patient relationship.

#5 - What was the last movie you saw in the theatre?

My husband and I had a date night a couple of weeks ago. We saw "Everybody's Fine" and I liked it. It was interesting because the adult children don't go home to see their father after their mother has died, so he goes on a road trip to see each one of them. He learns so many things about them that he never knew because his wife thought she was protecting him from how they had really turned out.

#6 - Who are some of your favorite authors?

I've found several new authors from Desert Breeze Publishing and other small publishers. Recently I enjoyed reading Marion Kelley Bullock's ebook, "Christmas Stranger". I have many favorite authors and some of them are: Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark, LaVyrle Spencer, Jude Deveraux, Sophie Kinsella, Judith McNaught, and Sandra Brown.

STEPH: I love Judith McNaught. She's high on my list as well. "Whitney, My Love" is a classic for me.

#7 - Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one? Do you have a tip for it?

I'm happy to say that I received a Kindle for my birthday in November from my husband and kids. It will be great to have so many books on the Kindle instead of having tons of paperbacks all over the house. I absolutely love it, but was nervous using it at first. My tip is if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call Kindle support. I had to and they were so helpful.

STEPH: I love my Kindle too!

#8 - I see that you live in Ohio. Tell me something about Ohio that you love.

Right now, I'd rather be in Florida. It is so cold here – 14 degrees and will be cold ALL week plus we had snow today and we are expected to have 5 inches later in the week. I think one thing I love about Ohio has to be the people. People in Cincinnati are friendly. I assumed that it was this way everywhere, but people from out of state tell me that we are much friendlier here. One more thing I love about Ohio is the Ohio State Buckeyes – their football team just won the Rose Bowl! I graduated from there but I won't say when. LOL

STEPH: The Buckeyes rocked this year! They're something to be very proud of!

*******


Diane's Giveaway:
If you leave a comment on this post, you'll be entered in a drawing for a copy of Marrying Mallory. It can be the Kindle or PDF. format. Diane will announce the winner here late Tuesday morning!


Best wishes to you on your latest release, Diane!

Author Interview with Michelle Sutton

Today, I'm hosting Desert Breeze author, Michelle Sutton here on the blog. She's here to talk to us about her writing and her latest release, "First Impressions."

Welcome Michelle!

Let's get to the questions:

How did you get the inspiration for "First Impressions?" Did you have to research the Army and it's ranks for Sammie's character?


I have a lot of friends in the Army because I live near Fort Huachuca, which is the largest military intelligence training base for the Army in the US. Most of my friends are officers who are in Intelligence, but some are with Signal and some other Marines, Air Force, etc. I also live not far from Tombstone (my son goes to high school there) and we visit there often. I thought it would be fun to write about the life of a couple who pose as characters from the wild west while on their off time.


Steph: Very cool. I was stationed at Ft. Irwin near Barstow, CA in the mid 1990's. I never had a chance to visit Ft. Huachuca though.


Do you cast your characters? If so, who is Sammie? Jimmy?

Yes, if this were to be made into a film I'd have Jessica Simpson portray Sammie as she looks like her with her enhanced breasts and pretty brown eyes. The guy who would play Jimmy would be Chace Crawford.

STEPH: I'm such a sucker for Chace Crawford. Sigh... Nice visuals. It helps me to picture the characters.

Do you have a book trailer you can share?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5qq1n0LfKI

I don't know too much about the plot of "First Impressions." What can you tell me ?

Sammie meets Jimmy her first day portraying a saloon girl as a Tombstone actress. Sammie and Jimmy both dress up and stroll around town on their days off (for fun) and enjoy flirting each other within their western roles, though they are both a bit shy and inexperienced, though neither believes that about the other (given the roles they play). Sammie and Jimmy knew each other way back as young teens, but they both looked very different, Sammie was twiggy thin with no shape, had buck teeth and glasses and Jimmy was overweight and short (late bloomer) so neither looked much like they did when they were younger. Plus back then she went by Sam and he went by James, and they never each others last names as they were summer sweethearts for a very short time and on vacation. Sammie figured out who Jimmy was early on, but like a typical guy, he is very slow to catch on and it was making her crazy. Jimmy had always been a wholesome guy who would do the right thing in any situation. But his attraction to Sammie is out of control. She doesn't share his faith, which starts slipping the more time they spend together. The big issue between them is that she doesn't tell him that her real job is as active duty Captain. He thinks she is a contract employee on Fort Huachuca. He does not want to fall for someone in the military because his parents were divorced over his father's many absences growing up, etc. The romantic tension between these two characters is impressive!

STEPH: I like the conflict between the characters. I'm really looking forward to reading this!


Do you have an ebook reader? Which one? Do you have a tip for using it?
I have an ebook reader on my cell phone. It's a Palm Treo and I have docs to go which reads PDF files.

STEPH: PDF files are great, but depending on the ebook reader, hard to read. Glad you found one that works!

What was the last movie you saw in a movie theatre?

A Christmas Carol. I didn't like the 3D version. It was kinda creepy.

Who are your favorite authors?

I have a ton. If I had to pick a favorite book of all time I'd pick Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.

I see that you live in Arizona. Tell me something about Arizona which you love about it.

Sunsets, skies, lack of snow and mostly sunny weather. Warmer in winter. Wildlife and desert plants. Beautiful mountains where you can see for a very long way. There is a lot to love about the state I live in.


STEPH: Thanks so much for doing this interview, Michelle and good luck with your latest release!

Featured Desert Breeze January 2010 Release - Too Hot to Handle

THE BLURB:
Female arson investigator Jennifer Valdez and Fire Marshal Mark Edwards are forced to work together to solve a series of arson-related fires. A series of sabotage incidents occurs that place the blame on Jennifer, and while Mark can't deny he attraction he feels to her, he still has to do his job.

Betrayed by Mark's assumption that she is guilty --- Jennifer is deeply hurt when he can't believe in her innocence. While solving the arson, they must both learn to trust before they can truly love.


EXCERPT:
For a moment, Jennifer stood with her mouth open, staring at the hole in the kitchen's plate glass window. When she saw a booted foot kick in the remaining jagged glass, she dropped the phone and ran for the front door.

Johnny swore as he crawled through the window. She undid the chain, twisted the dead bolt, and reached for the doorknob.

He grabbed her from behind. His arms, which she'd seen carry a four-year old boy out of a fire and cradle an old man who'd been badly hurt in a car accident, tightened around her chest and cinched her rib cage. Fear and anger knotted inside her.

"Let me go!" She felt the rage in him, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. His breath reeked of cheap booze.

"No way. I already did that and look where it got me." His grip grew more painful.

"All right. Let's go into the living room and talk this out rationally."

His grip eased fractionally. "Promise you won't run."

"I promise."


******
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I was born in Washington D. C. I married at 18 and went to work as an executive secretary for the Central Intelligence for three years. I had two sons from my marriage. Twelve years later I divorced. I moved to Colorado in October of 1981 and stayed with my older brother and his wife until I got on my feet. I have written three books, two of which have recently sold. Each year I attend writer meetings, workshops, conventions to hone my craft. I also belong to two other writer groups, one of which is inspirational.

Featured Jan 2010 Release - First Impressions (Book 1, Tombstone Treasures series)

THE BLURB:
Sammie Carpenter understands how a uniform influences behavior. Wearing her Army fatigues puts her in the mindset of a soldier and donning her Class-A Uniform always helps her shift into Captain Mode. So what harm could come from her dressing like a saloon girl and strutting through the streets of Tombstone? She didn't know how to flirt to save her life, and she wasn't getting any younger.

When she met the lonesome stud cowboy, Jimmy, she knew he was the one. So why was their communication always so awkward? Couldn't he see that she was interested in him? No matter how hard she tried to win him over, she couldn't seem to get him to see past his first impression of her. But Sammie didn't give up easily. Somehow she would make him see that they were meant to be together, but how can she do that when all of her plans keep falling apart?


********

EXCERPT:

She headed in the direction of the Birdcage Theater, her pace now a bit slower as she glanced around. Maybe she was looking for someone. Or maybe she'd gotten turned around and was heading in the wrong direction.

She tapped her lower lip, and after a few seconds started walking at a brisk pace, which caused her barely restrained chest to bounce. His thoughts strayed to places they shouldn't, so he forced himself to get better control of his mind. And just in case some drool had seeped out, he wiped his mouth.

Even after some firm self-talk, did he stop? No. To his shame, he kept staring. The habit went beyond mere attraction. He could not get enough of her.

Something about her fascinated him. Something beyond her beautiful hair and delicate face. Something beyond the alluring figure she attempted to hide as she tugged on her corset.

He never understood how some men found ultra-skinny women appealing. As he continued to study her he realized that she looked a bit shy when she smiled at people who passed by. She also appeared more than a little bit nervous. Maybe that was what had intrigued him. Maybe his first impression of her had been wrong.

Her demeanor made him think of a librarian, not a saloon girl. Her extreme attempt at modesty made her that much more attractive to him. So why did she dress like that?

A chuckle escaped him as she adjusted her top again. She didn't have the part of a brazen woman figured out and even wore her boa wrong, as if trying to cover herself.

**********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Sutton, otherwise known as the Edgy Inspirational Author, is the former Editor-in-chief of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, a member of ACFW, a social worker by trade, and a prolific reader/book reviewer/blogger the rest of the time. She has eleven contracted novels, three of which are currently available.



She lives in Arizona with her husband of nineteen years and her two teenaged sons. Michelle is also the author of It's Not about Me (2008) and It's Not About Him (Sheaf House 2009).



Books by Michelle Sutton at Desert Breeze Publishing:
Danger At The Door - August 2009
In Plain Sight - April 2010

Tombstone Treasure Series:
First Impressions - January 2010
First Love - October 2010
First Response - June 2011

*********

Here's a link to Michelle's Book Trailer on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5qq1n0LfKI

Featured January 2010 Release - Marrying Mallory

THE BLURB:
Is Mallory Harrington jinxed because her name means luckless? Things have gone wrong for Mallory since she was a small child. All she ever wanted was to have a complete family and live happily ever after. It appears she has it all when she marries Toby Harrington and they have a son. Unfortunately, their marriage ends when Toby has an affair with his law partner. After their divorce, Mallory feels guilt that she couldn't forgive Toby for his affair. As a Christian, she should be able to forgive him for his sin.

Mallory decides to do something for herself, and get a surgical procedure that she's always wanted. What she doesn't expect is her instant attraction to her surgeon.

Sometimes faith is about accepting what can’t be changed and grabbing what God offers her. Life must go on.


*********
EXCERPT:

He realized he'd made a mistake having coffee with Mallory. He liked her too much which wasn't appropriate for a patient-doctor relationship. Add to that, he thought she was beautiful. Her dark brown hair shone in the bright sunshine that streamed in through the window by their table. Her brilliant green eyes mesmerized him. Incredible eyes with such a sparkle to them that he loved staring at them. Her warm smiles got to him, too. He'd noticed in the office Mallory had a tiny scar that looked like a dimple when she smiled. He'd wondered then what had caused the scar but hadn't wanted to ask her.

Maybe he should tell her that she could skip the nose surgery. Mallory's face had so much character with her strong cheekbones, overwhelming smile, beautiful eyes and personality that an imperfect nose was of small importance.

"Thanks. This is nice to relax after a rough day with junior high students." She took a sip of coffee. "And I love the smell of coffee. When I was growing up, I always woke up to the aroma of coffee brewing. My mom had to have coffee first thing in the morning."

"How about you? Do you get up at the crack of dawn?" He bet she looked cute even in the early daylight hours.

"I usually don't have any trouble getting up."

Should he talk to her about not having the surgery? Sure, he should. It was his obligation. "Mallory, I know Sharon put your name on the calendar for your surgery, but I'm not so sure you need to have anything done. Look at Sarah Jessica Parker. She has a strong nose."


*********
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As the youngest in the family, growing up on a farm in Findlay, Ohio, Diane often acted out characters from her own stories in the backyard. In high school she was the student sitting in class with a novel hidden in front of her propped up textbook. Before embarking on her writing career, Diane was a school teacher and play director.



She enjoys her life with her husband and six children in southwestern Ohio. Her husband of thirty-three years is very supportive, as well as her awesome children. She writes contemporary, inspirational, and mainstream romance as well as chick-lit mystery.

Books by Diane Craver at Desert Breeze Publishing:

Whitney In Charge - August 2009
Marrying Mallory - January 2010


Here's a link to "Marrying Mallory's" Book Trailer on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx47eTrY8M0

Featured January 2010 Release - Were Love Blooms

THE BLURB:
Madison Lee thought she'd put her European vacation behind her, until the full moon turned her into a hairy beast. A year later she has come to grip with her new life, now her whole world is blown apart. The man who gave her a night of incredible passion and an uncontrollable urge to howl at the moon shows up in town with his sights on taking over her family's business.

Hot on his heels a stranger comes to town with more than the rustic scenery on his mind. He's a monster hunter out for Nicholi's blood and just maybe hers if he finds out her not so little secret. How is a Southern Deb supposed to deal with lovers, killers and the biggest Cotillion of the year all at the same time? Madison soon learns Where there's a Were, there's a way and it leads straight to love.


THE EXCERPT:
"Hush, Mabelle knows best," she said clamping him firmly back in the chair.

With those famous last words, I settled into my chair, plucked a fairly recent issue of Cosmo from the table and got ready for the fun. The first fifteen minutes or so, were boring as a Sunday sermon with the a/c broke. In other words, I fell straight to sleep. I probably would have dozed the entire afternoon away but somewhere in the middle of a Blake Shelton dream, I heard Miss Mabelle's voice go below the range a human should be able to hear.

"So, Nick, you planning to ask our Maddy to the Satin Rose?" Those simple words were enough to wake me up and leave poor Blake standing sad and alone on the beach.

Being the sneaky girl I am, I cracked my eyelid just a smidgen to catch his answer.

"I'm sure she already has an escort."

I didn't. Not saying I couldn't have gotten one at the drop of a hat, but the pickings were slim and this Deb doesn't settle for just anyone.

Mabelle bent in low, giving me a nod, when she caught me peeking. "I know for a fact she doesn't."
*******

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Surviving a long bout with sanity, J. Morgan found a muse willing to work cheap and began work on his first book.

Since then, his imagination has been seen running wild on several occassions. Luckily, the straight jackets have been limited to his time away from the computer.

When not writing, 'Jmo' can be found in front of the TV pretending to write while really watching endless hours of drivel and laughing at the voices in his head who are constantly feeding him plotlines. While the voices may not be in total control just yet, one day they hope to have a book deal of their own.

The Love Bites Series:
Love Bites Book One: Love at First Stake - April 2009
Love Bites Book Two: Love to Stake Another Day - November 2009
Love Bites Book Three: Love Free Stake Hard - June 2010


The Southern Werewolf Chronicles
Were Love Blooms - January 2010

January 2010 Featured Release - Dawn of a Viking Sunrise

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Rosie Chan suddenly finds herself alone in the world: Her fiancé is dead, and her best friend is missing in the mist of Time. An unexpected night time call for help from the disembodied voice of her missing friend leads to a series of events which propel Rosie into a spinning vortex of Time.

When Rosie tumbles out of the vortex and into the year 904, she quite unexpectedly falls right into love. But the man who breaks her fall and captures her heart has a secret...

Can she love him, despite his secrets and their differing worlds?

Davyn Nabbodderson is banned from his homeland for a murder he does not know if he committed. He flees to Scotland and seizes Castle Rose Haven, but guilt and loneliness plague him, making his life a bitter existence.

Until, that is, Time delivers Rosie to him. But will Time allow him to keep her?

***********

EXCERPT:
"I can't marry you," she told him, struggling to find the words to make him understand. "You don't even know me."

"That's where you're wrong, Lady," he said, his eyes playful now. "Kat has spent countless hours telling me of you and your time. I know everything I need to know about you. You may not realize it as yet, Lady, but you are my destiny. We were meant to be together. You will give me strong, loyal, spirited sons and beautiful daughters. And I will protect you from your enemies. You will grow to love me in no time at all."

Angry heat flooded her cheeks. "If you think that, gringo, then you obviously don't know anything about me at all."

He did not flick an eyelash. "Then it is a good thing that I will have a lifetime to learn about you," he countered.

Kicking off the covers Rosie swung her legs over the side of the bed only to discover, too late, that the bed was perched upon on a tall pedestal.

She landed with a complete lack of grace into Davyn's arms. Steal bands wrapped around her and she felt his chin rest atop her head. His chuckle rumbled in his chest.

She would have given anything at that moment to have the black void suck her up and spit her out back in her bedroom. Alone.

"You're not going anywhere, Rosalinda Yolanda Carmen Singhi Chan," he assured her. "You will remain at Castle Rose Haven either as my bride, or as my prisoner, the choice is yours."

**********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I am a member of Romance Writers of America, Desert Breeze Connections, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.

My hobbies include reading, writing, going to the movies and taking weekend trips to Half Moon Bay, CA. I love reading time travel romances and writing one myself has been very enjoyable.

Books by Tami Dee at Desert Breeze Publishing:
Mists of Time Book One: Under a Viking Moon - June 2009
Mists of TIme Book Two: Dawn of a Viking Sunrise - January 2010
Mists of TIme Book Three: Beyond a Viking Horizon - August 2010
Mists of TIme Book Four: Through a Viking Mist - March 2011

New Years Tradtions

Happy New Years to everyone here at Desert Breeze! We hope you have a great start to the New Year and that it’s filled with many books.

It was the ancient Romans who established that the New Year started with 1 January under Julius Caesar. In order to synch the calendar, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days!

Since the Romans, many nations have adopted what they consider good luck rituals. The Romans themselves exchanged gifts between friends on the New Year. (I have no doubt this probably inspired our gift giving at Jesus’s birthday.)

In the United States, couples share a kiss at the stroke of midnight. This tradition comes from masked balls and it was thought that the masks people wore symbolized evil spirits from the old year. A kiss would offer purification for the New Year.

In England, the first guest of the New Year should be a male, bearing gifts – gifts should be for a fire, (wood, for example) for food, (a fruitcake!) or drink (Scottish whiskey)

In Wales, at the first stroke of midnight the back door was open than shut to let out the bad luck. At the last stroke, the front door was opened to let in the New Year with its good luck.

In Sicily, an old tradition says eating lasagna on New Years will bring you good luck. Eating any other noodle will bring you bad luck.

In Spain, eat 12 grapes to bring you luck 12 months a year. They do the same in Peru, but they eat a 13th grape to ensure good luck.

In Austria, they eat a suckling pig for good luck on New Years.

The Dutch eat donuts to bring good luck. The donut is in the shape of a circle and circles bring good luck on New Years.

Sydney, Australia celebrates the New Year with a fireworks display. It’s one of the first cities in the world to celebrate New Years.

Scotland calls its New Years “Hogmanay.” They also exchange gifts for fire and food and the Edinburgh Hogmanay is the largest in the country.

In Japan, the new year is a symbol of renewal. At midnight, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times to expel 108 types of human weaknesses.

Fireworks and noisemaking on New Years have ancient origins. Fire and noise were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.

Making resolutions have been around since the ancient Babylonians. Their most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. Nowadays people might resolve to lose weight or quit smoking. My, how the times have changed!

Do you celebrate any of these traditions? Do you have any you’d like to share? My husband and I both work for LAPD and usually one or the other is working. This year, I am. It’s hard to establish any family traditions like that, but we did decide on making a lasagna for New Years. Ya’ gotta’ start somewhere, right? At least it’s not a suckling pig…

Enjoy the New Years!

Smiles
Steph

Visit me at:
Classic Romance Revival
http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog

Adventures in Moldavia
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

The Desert Breeze Blog
http://desertbreezepublishing.blogspot.com

Lindsay’s Romantics
http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com

and drop me a line on all four blogs by 3 JAN at midnight PST and be entered to win a GC for Desert Breeze Publishing. I’ll announce the winner on 4 Jan.