Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Win's War"

Thanks so much for supporting Jackie during her spotlight week. Leave a comment today, Saturday, Sunday on the excerpt and I'll pick a lucky poster to win an Amazon GC from Jackie. Enjoy the Excerpt!

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Moderator Steph

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"They're going to do what for Fourth of July?" Win Johnston strained against the machine that exercised his thighs.

"They're going to have a ceremony here at the hospital the Saturday before," the Marine facing him said as he worked a dumbbell up and down with his remaining arm under the watchful eye of Karl, one of the physical therapists. "The brass thinks it will be good P. R. for people to see us wounded warriors."

Win said a word that wasn't on the list of acceptable comments by a first lieutenant. He'd said a lot of those words in the months since he'd lost his legs in Afghanistan.
Nobody had complained until he'd arrived home at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
That's when physical therapist Emily Fisher had entered his life. Her shapely blonde façade and sweet smile hid a drill sergeant who expected him to shape up without complaint and especially without profanity.

"Is it a command performance?" he asked Snipe, thinking the man would probably need a new nickname now that he'd lost his dominant arm.

"Will be for you." Snipe snickered. "Poor marine. Lost both legs, lost his father in Desert Storm."

Win grabbed a ball and bounced it off Snipe's bean.

Snipe and Karl, laughed. "And it don't hurt that you're movie star handsome from the knees up."

"Guess that means you're off the hook with that piss-poor mug of yours."

"Ante up." The musical voice and the jingle of coins in a jar announced the arrival of Win's nemesis. Emily Fisher held the jar in front of him.

"Piss isn't a swear word." Win did his best to look innocent. Just seeing the blush on Emily's pale skin was worth a double fine. How she'd managed to stay so innocent after working with Marines for years, he didn't know -- but he could always get a rise out of her.

She rubbed her cheek, probably thinking she was hiding the blush, but her motion only drew more attention to it.

He stared right at her and wished he could put his lips on what he figured would be the softest skin he'd ever touched. Damn if his shorts didn't get tight at the thought. At least that part of him still worked fine.

"That'll be two quarters," she said in a breathy voice he could imagine only too easily coming from her mouth as she lay on a pillow beside him.

"Sorry. No pockets in these exercise shorts." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, damn, I've got pockets," Snipe said.

Emily swerved and held out the jar to Snipe. He deposited a quarter with a laugh.
The money went to families of guys who hadn't come home from Afghanistan, meaning the patients cussed a lot more than they would have without the jar.

"How much longer do I have to lift this damn dumbbell? I have a cramp in my bicep," Snipe called.

Thanks, buddy.

Win waited until Emily went over to Snipe, then lifted what was left of his legs out of the machine and fitted them into his stubbies. The metal poles with square plates on the bottom didn't look much like legs, but standing on anything was way better than sitting in a chair. His stumps covered, he stood and smiled at Emily. When she returned the smile with a twinkle in her sea blue eyes, he acknowledged to himself that he didn't want her to see him as just another patient. He wanted her to acknowledge him as a man.

Vanity, thy name is Win.


Find Jackie on her blog at: http://jackieleighallen@blogspot.com

Author Spotlight - Meet "Win Johnston" from "Win's War"

My name is Win Johnston. They call me a hero, but some of the guys and women I fought with in Afghanistan didn't come back. They're the real heroes. Then there are the people like Snipe who lost the ability to do the job he was best at or Nat Rodriguez who had her own fight even before Afghanistan. The hardest fight of my life was the one to get back on my feet and do something useful.

I love living in Southern California, too. I can still surf and take walks with Emily.

I'm the strong silent type, so I don't much like talking about myself. Still, I'm learning that talking can help things like PTSD and it really helps in a relationship. It's amazing how much Emily likes it when I tell her I love her. Talking helps in my new job, too. You'll hear more about that if you read the Christmas story. You'll also hear more about my grandfather and the woman who's teaching him to talk. I've heard more about his feelings since he met Jean than I have in years. She's a great lady and you'll want to meet her.

Author's Note: Win thinks it's hard being the strong silent type? He should have to write one.


Find Jackie on her blog at: http://jackieleighallen@blogspot.com

Author Spotlight - Emily Fisher visits from "Win's War"

My name is Emily Fisher and I am the heroine of Win's War. Heroine. It has a nice ring to it. I work with heroes all the time at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, but I never expected to be one myself. Of course I'm a heroine in a private war, the war Win waged to get his life back because he wanted to continue being a Marine. With my help he found out how to serve his country in another way.

I love living in Southern California where the sun shines in the winter and salt air blows off the Pacific Ocean. After work I can ride a bike, walk by the beach or take Segway tour over to Coronado. Of course we do have an occasional earthquake, but no place is perfect.

Some of the other Marines I worked with at the hospital are coming to my folks' house for Christmas. Snipe will be there back from Los Angeles. Nat Rodriguez will be there looking for a new job to transition into from the Marines. You can come, too, by reading my free Christmas story available in December.

Find Jackie on her blog at: http://jackieleighallen@blogspot.com

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the inspiration behind her latest release, "Win's War."

WIN'S WAR, is my story about a double amputee came out June 21. In San Diego County I'm constantly aware of the men and women protecting our country. Just north of me lies a huge Marine base at Camp Pendleton. South of me the Marines have Air Station Miramar. The Navy has Naval Air Station on Coronado peninsula and a submarine base on Point Loma. Then there is Naval Medical Center San Diego where a lot of my story takes place and the Veteran's Hospital in La Jolla. The Marines are building a huge new hospital at Camp Pendleton. Many of my friends either served in the military or have family members who did. We check the paper and watch TV to get the latest news on what's happening. We just christened a ship named the San Diego and built here. The population in Oceanside swells and shrinks depending on how many troops are deployed from Camp Pendleton. Reading about these brave warriors gave me the idea for a hero who has to overcome more than the usual problems of our heroes. I hope you like and respect Win as much as I do.

Find her book at:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-311/Win's-War-Jackie-Leigh/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Nina's Niche"

Thanks so much for supporting Jackie during her week in the spotlight. Leave a comment on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday's blog and you'll be entered to win a gift certificate from Amazon from Jackie. Remember to leave your email contact information. Jackie and I hope you've enjoyed your time with "Nina's Niche."

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Moderator Steph

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Jake hopped out of his Jeep and waded through the snow to the passenger side. When he lifted Nina, she immediately put her arms around his neck. The touch of her soft hands against his skin sent his thermometer raging.

Inside, he placed her on the rug in front of the fire and kneeled beside her. "Where do you hurt?"

"My head. Front and back. Got any aspirin?"

"I don't think you'd better take any drugs yet."

Nina giggled. "Aspirin's not a real drug."

And what would she know about drugs? "I'll get you something to drink after I call your folks." The lights went out.
"Damn." At least he kept emergency supplies -- flashlights, batteries, candles always on hand.

"Naughty, naughty."

"It's good to see you haven't changed. I'm glad you're still a nice girl."

"No way." She ran her hand over his stubble.

He hadn't shaved this morning figuring he wouldn't see anyone. He hoped his bristles didn't hurt her soft little hand. "What do you mean?"

She put her fingers on his lips and he automatically kissed them.

"I'm through being nice." She pressed his fingers against her lips and smiled.

"What the hell do you mean?" He jumped up. He didn't know how to treat this woman if she wasn't his old friend, Nice Nina. Having a friend like her had been the one good thing in his life -- until she didn't go to the prom with him.

He picked up the phone. "Dead. Damn it to hell. And my cell doesn't work here. What am I going to do?"

"Sit beside me." She patted the rug."

Jake dropped next to her. He couldn't go out in the storm and leave Nina alone. He didn't think he could make it to Julian anyway until the roads were cleared.

"Why didn't you stay down in San Diego?"

"Wanted to have an adventure and I am." She turned on her side. "Lie down next to me."

Jake hesitated for one moment, but there was only so much temptation a guy could take when she was offering him what he'd dreamed of. He stretched out facing her and the fire. The flames made a halo around her head, reminding him she was still a nice girl even if she didn't think so. Nothing much would happen. This would only go as far as a few kisses, and they'd done that before.

Nina put her hand behind his neck and pulled his face down to hers.

In an instant he was lost in the taste and feel of Nina.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jake from Nina's Niche visits the blog.

Hi, readers, my name is Jake Anderson and yes, I am, or was a bad boy. I cut school, broke the speed limit on my bike—but never when Nina was riding behind me—and got drunk one night like my dad. Once was enough. I fell in love with Nina Jones in high school. She was as opposite from me as you could get. Nice Nina always came to school on time with her homework done, was a cheerleader and taught Sunday School. But Nina was also one of the few people in town that didn’t think I was a loser. She stood up for me when people made fun of my shabby clothes. She studied with me—when I studied—and she loved to ride on the back of my bike. Those were the best times of my teenage years with Nina’s arms around my waist, her front pressed to my back and the wind blowing away all the bad stuff. Of course, as a randy teen I wanted to get into Nina’s pants, but I never got farther than a few fabulous kisses. Fast forward ten years. Nina’s gone through a traumatic engagement and I’ve dated a few women. Now Nina’s sexy and ready to roll, but hey, I’ve had enough of being the bad boy. I want the respect of the town, of Nina’s father and most of all of Nina. So-o-o, even though Jackie likes to write sex scenes, I wouldn’t let her. That’s the secret of why Jackie had to let us wait for the wedding night. Come back tomorrow to see how close we got to making love.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the inspiration behind Nina's Niche

I had always wanted to write a novel with a bad boy hero. Well, don’t we all love bad boys—as long as we don’t have to live with them? So Jake was the starting point for Nina’s Niche. I’ve spent many enjoyable hours in Julian, California, but I’ve also lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. It can be a wonderful atmosphere full of friends and helpers, but it can also be a place where no one forgets any mistake you’ve ever made. That’s Jakes’ situation and they weren’t even his mistakes. No one expected much from the son of the town drunk, so he decided to live down to their expectations. After he left town, he didn’t have the same pressures. He went to college and aced his studies. Of course, he couldn’t entirely leave his bad boy persona behind because he did like to ride bikes. He eventually upgraded to a Harley and had a ball riding with the wind blowing past his leathers. Traveling all over the western states, he saw a lot of beautiful places but no place felt like home to him. So he came back to Julian where he’s a proper, well enthusiastic, business man running a Harley agency. Come back tomorrow and Jake will tell you a secret about Nina’s Niche.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the setting in Nina's Niche

In 1869 people found gold in Julian, California.

Today they find treasures of the heart.

That’s the setting for my new trilogy and NINA’S NICHE is the first book. I want to welcome you to the world of Julian, California, or at least the Julian where my stories take place. I’ve changed the main street a little so Carol and Nina can run the Julian Junque Shoppe the way I want them to. I put Jake's Harley Agency on Main Street, too. That’s one reason being an author is so much fun. If I want Carol to sell Double Dutch Chocolate ice cream, she sells it alongside the antiques Carol views as treasures and the flowers Nina loves to arrange.

Every town’s flavor really depends on the people who live there and Julian is no exception. The daughter and nephew of the Julian Hotel’s proprietor were raising money for a trip to Washington, D. C. when I visited. Two walkers took pity on a lowlander and helped me find the elementary school after I mistook the library for a school.

In my Julian, the people shape the town, too. Nina’s father, the pastor of a church I’ve placed in the middle of the town, starts out more concerned for his flock than his family, but learns to bend like we all do in real life. That’s what I like to do in my stories—combine fiction and real life. I hope you will enjoy learning about the hidden gem of Julian where the snow piles up in winter, the daffodils burst with color in spring, the sun brings lazy days in summer and the apples ripen in the fall.
Come back tomorrow and learn more about bad boy Jake.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Q&A wth Jackie Allen

STEPH: I don't know much about Nina's Niche. What's it about?

JACKIE: Nina’s Niche is the story of a good girl who wants to become a bad girl (she doesn’t really succeed) and Jake, the bad boy who reforms so he’s worthy of the good girl.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

JACKIE: I wrote it in about four months, put it aside and wrote An Officer and a Gigolo then went back and did about two months of rewrite on Nina's Niche.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research for it?

JACKIE: I had fun researching the town of Julian, California. I also learned a little about Harleys because Jake runs a Harley agency.

STEPH: How did you come to settle on the title, Nina's Niche?

JACKIE: Since Nina didn’t like being Nice Nina, she had to find out where she did belong. With Jake’s help she learns her niche is Nice and Sexy Nina.



STEPH: What are Nina's strengths? Her weaknesses?

JACKIE: Nina is concerned about others, a hard worker and good at her job as an accountant until her world falls apart. On the other hand she does try some things she could have thought about a little longer when she’s trying to shed her Nice Nina label.

STEPH: How long have Jake and Nina known each other. What does Jake find attractive about her?

JACKIE: They were sweethearts in high school but she tried to keep it quiet because her father didn’t approve. Jake thinks she’s beautiful, sweet and sexy.

STEPH: Hollywood is calling. Cast the characters.

JACKIE: I haven't been going to many movies lately, but I think Anne Hathaway would make a perfect Nina if we could afford her. As for Jake, well of course I think of Jake Gyllenhaal if he'd dye his hair blond or maybe Matthew McConaughey.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? if so, which one.

JACKIE: I have a Nook and just got an Ipad.

STEPH: Fun question: What's your favorite holiday treat?

JACKIE: Over the long haul it’s been going to A Christmas Carol on stage, but this year I know the best holiday treat will be seeing my three year old grandson.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.