Nightingale Book Birthday #standalone #allthefeels #giveaway

The day has finally arrived. Four years of sweat and tears went into the creation of Nightingale, and I’m so happy to set it free into the world.

Inspiration

I knew from the start I wanted to set the book in my home region of Muskoka. It was harder than I thought to describe just how beautiful and unique this area is, but I hope it’s captured within the pages. If you’ve never been to Ontario’s cottage country, you should put it on your bucket list. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

Check out this cover. Love it!

Nightingale – a standalone romance novel

Released November 27th with Entangled Amara

Amazon.com  │  Amazon.ca │  Kobo  │  Barnes & Noble 

Stuck writing for the dull society pages, journalist Darcy Delacorte sets her sights on getting an interview with reclusive millionaire Micah Laine. While she expects the broody tycoon to be a challenge, she isn’t prepared for his dark charm or his price for the sordid details of his past—a price that begins with her spending a week alone with him.

Micah may be a loner, but he’s not a monk, and there’s something about Darcy… He decides that if Darcy wants him to reveal his secrets, she’s going to have to reveal a little of herself. The bigger the revelation he offers up, the bigger the cost he’ll demand from her—a secret of her own, her wildest fantasies, a kiss. And that’s only for starters…

But when Darcy reveals a vulnerability Micah never expected, he knows he should get away fast, or be in danger of losing his heart.

Giveaway

Prize:

 

Nightingale has a cover! #coverlove

There were times over the past three years when I wondered if this fantastic day would ever come. Today is the day! Sharing covers is one of my favorite parts of writing, and after sitting on this  lovely for a couple of months, I can finally share it with you.

Isn’t it awesome? For the reviewers out there, it’s live on Netgalley.

Nightingale (Falcon Bay Romance #1)
Contemporary romance set in my home region of Muskoka
Release date: November 27^th, 2017 with Entangled Publishing – Amara line

Click this link, or the cover above, to add it to your Goodreads list. (Pretty please?)

Stuck writing for the dull society pages, journalist Darcy Delacorte sets her sights on getting an interview with reclusive millionaire Micah Laine. While she expects the broody tycoon to be a challenge, she isn’t prepared for his dark charm or his price for the sordid details of his past—a price that begins with her spending a week alone with him.

Micah may be a loner, but he’s not a monk, and there’s something about Darcy… He decides that if Darcy wants him to reveal his secrets, she’s going to have to reveal a little of herself. The bigger the revelation he offers up, the bigger the cost he’ll demand from her—a secret of her own, her wildest fantasies, a kiss. And that’s only for starters…

But when Darcy reveals a vulnerability Micah never expected, he knows he should get away fast, or be in danger of losing his heart

Stone Chameleon Teaser #PNR

The best complement an author can receive is when someone in the writing industry is so excited to read the rest of a series, they offer to publish the whole thing! Now I just need to get off my butt and write the rest of the books.

For now, here’s a wee Isaac teaser to wet your appetite.

Stone Chameleon
Ironhill Jinn Book One:  Water

Released August 28th, 2017 with Books We Love

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Smashwords.com

 

Excerpt from Chapter Four

“You’re no more of a monster than I am,” I said. I was the larger monster in the room in terms of power, but Isaac didn’t appear to have picked up on the insult. “I don’t need to know your people to do my job well. I’ll do whatever it takes to find the truth.”

“You see, lass, herein lies my dilemma. You taste of truth, but also of fear. Perhaps you intend to lead me away from the truth instead of to it, and I canna be sure which it is.” He stopped in front of me, so close his clean-shaven chin blocked the room from my sight. “You stand before me in silk and pearls and dainty heels. Most believe what you said before, that you’re but an average woman, but I’ve seen you bring a hell hound to heel without saying a word. There’s more to you than meets the eye.”

I jumped when his hand brushed my outer thigh and traced the edges of my knife harness through the skirt.

“You hide your true danger from the world, and it comes from something more lethal than a stone blade strapped to your thigh.”

How had he known it was there? I grabbed his wrist, aware of the unbridled power in his body that was so near. “Mind your manners,” I said.

My thoughts twisted into chaos as I reached for words that would get me out of the room alive. I had to phrase my response carefully to avoid an outright lie. “Tell me how I can prove that I’m no danger to you or your people.”

He pressed his hands into the door beside my head, trapping me there with the solid mass of his muscular frame. His hair brushed my bare arm, inducing a rash of shivers, and his voice fell low, intimate. “I need to see what you saw in that tunnel.” A slight twist of his head brushed his lips against my hair, and warm breath washed across my temple.

Lost in the vibrating potential in his body, I trembled, his request registering slowly in my thoughts. “I can’t do what you’re asking.”

He wanted an invitation into my mind, one that couldn’t be ungiven. All I was, every memory since my birth—including my species—would be his for the taking. Although he could breech my mental borders regardless, taking me by force would also provoke a kill order on him, thanks to changes I’d helped bring to the law.

Sweat broke out on my brow at the thought of him injured or dead. My jinn side surged within my soul in response, and I suffered a violent urge to take him and flee. What on earth? Since when did Isaac’s life rank higher than my own?

“If you haven’t committed these crimes, then you have nothing to fear from me.” He gripped my face with strong hands, lining my chin up with his. Nobody could help me. Not Gerry and not Deirdre. Not the earth or my connection to it.

“Please, Isaac. Force this, and you die. Your people need you. There’s nothing in my memory of this incident, or any of the others, that I haven’t told you. Listen to the truth in my voice.”

After another agonizing few seconds, Isaac released my face, dropping one hand that had grown black claws to my chest above my left breast. “As always with you, your truth is clouded. You’re hiding something. If I find my people’s blood on your hands, our relationship over the years will not stop me from ripping your heart out and drinking it down as I watch the light leave your stunning blue eyes. Bring me a murderer, or I’ll take you in his place.”

Meet the Author with Melissa J. Crispin

I have another wonderful young adult author in the hot seat today. Her debut novel, Collide, came out recently with Evernight Teen. Welcome, Melissa!

Before I dive into the questions, I just want to take a moment to say thank you for having me on your blog today!

Have you ever done what the author t-shirts threaten and written somebody you dislike into a story? No need to name names, or anything.  If so, what did you put them through?

Yes, I’m guilty of this. I once had a terrible boss who I swear enjoyed making people miserable. She inspired a story about a woman who discovers her boss is a demon who thrives on the misfortune of others. The demon would draw strength from the stress and chaos that she created around her. My protagonist catches on to what’s happening and creates order in the workplace that ultimately leads to the demon’s downfall.

Ha! I think I’ve had one or two of those bosses myself. What’s your favorite paragraph from Collide and why? No spoilers now, just a nice, slow tease if you please.

Wow. It’s tough to pick ‘the’ favorite paragraph for me, but this is one of them. Alright, so I cheated because I included two paragraphs, but they’re really short so I feel like they can count as one. In this scene, Alec is helping Kayla dismount from a horse. It is written from Kayla’s POV:

When my feet hit the ground, he didn’t let go, his arms circling my waist while mine wrapped around his neck. The familiarity of his closeness and the overwhelming comfort that followed nearly dropped me to my knees. Torment swirled in those sapphire eyes, and all I wanted in that moment was to calm the storm.

My gaze lowered to his lips, and I recalled the many kisses we shared, all of them emblazoned in my memory, clear as day. But it was too late for us, thanks to me.

Ooo, nice. *dashes off to grab myself a copy* Where did your hero come from? Someone you know?  Dreams of the *ahem* daytime persuasion?  What makes him tick?  Inquiring minds would like to know.

The inciting incident for Collide entered my mind before I really knew who the characters were. Alec wasn’t based on anyone I know. I used the exercises in The 90 Day Novel by Alan Watt to discover who he was, though it took me much longer than ninety days to finish the first draft. I was able to formulate his likes, dislikes, motivations, and goals through the questions presented toward the beginning of the book.

As far as what makes him tick? I’d say Kayla definitely does. But, seriously, he is a hard-working guy dedicated to protecting the girl he loves. When he’s not worried about the fate of the universe, he spends his time making kick-ass meals. What’s not to love about a guy who could kick some butt should the need arise, and cook an impressive dinner when things are chill?

Mmm, love me a guy who can cook. Are there any other fantastic novels waiting to burst free from your imagination in the future? Can you tell us about them?

Collide is a stand-alone story, but it is the start of a series. Book two has been started, but it’s in early stages yet. It picks up only a few months after where the first book leaves off. I’d love to tell you more, but that would give away what happens at the end of Collide, so I’ll have to keep it to myself for the moment.

I’ve also been working on a new adult, futuristic sci-fi romance where the President’s daughter falls in love with a galactic garbage man. She finds out later that his father is the head of a very powerful mob that her own father does shady dealings with. The main character and her love interest find themselves in the middle of a dangerous disagreement between their dads.

Tell us about your road to publication. Was it short and sweet?  Long and winding with many bumps?

My road to publication fell somewhere in the middle. Though short and sweet would have been awesome, I didn’t get published as quickly as I would’ve liked. I started writing six years ago. My first manuscript was a contemporary romance which needed so much work that, to this day, I still haven’t gathered the courage to go in and edit it.

Collide was written after that. It took me about a year to write the first draft. I remember thinking it was taking forever, but I work full-time so finding the time to write can pose interesting challenges. I went through multiple rounds with beta readers, and received several rejections when I started submitting to various literary agents. Each time I was lucky enough to get feedback with a rejection, I fine-tuned whatever I could. At some point, I switched gears and decided that I wanted to work with a small press. I had heard great things about Evernight, and decided to submit to them. I was over the moon when Evernight Teen accepted Collide for publication.

Going back to edit a story is so hard, isn’t it? We’re so glad you persevered with Collide! If you could be a superhero, what would your power be and why?

I don’t know if other people would find this boring, but I would love to be an omni-linguist like Wonder Woman. Though it may not seem exciting on the surface, it would be incredibly useful. I love the idea of being able to hop on a plane to anywhere in the world, and be able to communicate with anyone, no matter what language they spoke. How cool is that?

Awesome answer – you could be a master negotiator of peace with those bad-ass skills. If I opened up your purse/handbag right now, what would I find in there?

I carry around a wristlet, rather than a regular-sized handbag, so there isn’t much I can cram in there. The only thing it can hold is my wallet, a pack of gum, and a pen. If I get crafty, I can sometimes stick my phone in there, too.

 Thanks for letting us into your creative mind today, Melissa. And now for the pretty. Isn’t it awesome?

BLURB

When the balance between Earth, Afterlife, and Heaven are threatened, the fate of the universe falls on a selfish girl who must sacrifice everything to save it.

Kayla has a plan. She’s moving to the city after graduation and Luke’s coming with her. He’ll eventually become a doctor, she’ll be a ballerina—and they’ll live happily ever after. That’s what she thinks, until dark forces, led by a sister she never knew existed, start hunting her down for a power she never knew she had.

When Kayla starts working with a boy named Alec to learn how to defend herself and to stop the evil from eliminating the worlds, she finds herself falling for him. Hard. Torn between two loves and struggling to do what’s right for Earth and Afterlife, Kayla must decide if she’s fighting to keep her life together, or letting it go to save everyone else’s.

 

Buy Links for COLLIDE:

Amazon

Evernight Teen website

Where to connect with Melissa:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads

Finding Freedom by Lynn Burke

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO 

 

FINDING FREEDOM & LYNN BURKE!

 

 

Finding Freedom

Found by Fate 2

by Lynn Burke

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Release Date: February 1, 2016

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Keywords: Erotic, Romance, Contemporary, Menage, Novella, Series

 

 

Tessa’s life beneath the strict rules of her parents’ cultish church leaves her longing for independence. Her boring, small-town checkout lane job barely covers the bills, let alone fulfill her wants and desires.

 

Until the weekly visits of god-like Trent and Brody have her dreaming of a Tessa sandwich with both sensual men as her bread.

 

Fantasies may be a pastime of the wicked, but when Trent asks her on a date—with both him and Brody—Tessa decides to take a chance, knowing the purity of her soul is at stake. Will these two men be her ticket to freedom – or her one way trip to eternal damnation?

PURCHASE LINKS

Roane Publishing:  http://www.roanepublishing.com/finding-freedom.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BA0PRBA

Amaon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BA0PRBA

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-freedom-lynn-burke/1123339904?ean=2940157967253

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/finding-freedom

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611578

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Roane_Publishing_Finding_Freedom?id=oEN8CwAAQBAJ

AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-findingfreedom-1974432-149.html

 

 

Excerpt

 

Towel wrapped around me, I peeked out the bathroom door into Trent’s dimly lit bedroom. A T-shirt and shorts lay on his massive, king-sized bed.

 

I tugged the shorts up my damp legs, but couldn’t get them over my bum. More tears pricked as I cursed my too-much body. Trent’s shirt hung to the middle of my thighs. It would have to do.

 

Trent lounged beside the blazing fire pit. The sound of trickling water drew my attention to the right. Brody stood beneath the outdoor shower, his round, bite-able backside flooding my mouth with drool.

 

Tearing my gaze off him, I ambled over toward Trent. He patted the couch beside him, and taking care not to reveal my too-much, naked bottom half, I settled on the cushion and allowed myself another peek at Brody.

 

“Hot, isn’t he?”

 

Trent’s low, murmured words whipped my head around. “What?”

 

“Brody.” He continued to stare at his friend, a smirk on his lips, lust in his eyes. “Just look at that ass.”

 

Unable to help myself, I did as told while trying to wrap my mind around what Trent had said—and the unmistakable desire in his gaze.

 

“What do you think, Tessa?”

 

I swallowed and laced my fingers together in my lap. “I think he’s beautiful.”

 

Trent made a sound of appreciation in his throat as Brody turned, closed his eyes, and tipped his head back, running his hands through his hair.

 

My focus zoned in on his long, flaccid penis. Cock, my whore-mind whispered. I laced my fingers tighter and forced my attention on Trent.

 

He met my gaze and grinned. “Quite the temptation, isn’t he?”

 

“Enough to make me burn in hell,” I admitted with a whisper.

 

 

What people are saying about this title:

 

“This book is hot!!! The passion between these three is off the charts sexy!! I mean what girl wouldn’t want two men lusting after her?? I need more!!” – Alpha Book Club

 

“I loved the interaction between the heroine and her two sexy guys.” – London Saint James

 

“Wish I could be the cheese in this sandwich – 5 stars” – Goodreads Review

 

~~~oOo~~~

 

GIVEAWAY!

 

An ecopy of Finding Freedom and a $10 Roane Publishing gift card!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

New Cover Love for Darkside Sun #CoverReveal

I’m so excited to have a new cover for Darkside Sun! This is so Addison, with her plaid shirt and don’t mess with me look.

Check it out!

For anyone new to the series, here’s the back of the book that began the Mortal Machine’s adventures.

The dead have been waiting for her…
Addison Beckett tries hard to pretend she’s normal, but she’s far from it. Since she was six years old, she’s seen the world around her unraveling, as if someone is pulling a thread from a sweater and it’s all slowly coming undone. When she ignores it, it goes away, so that’s what she does.

Enter her arrogant-but-hot professor Asher Green. He knows all about her special brand of crazy. In fact, he might be just as nuts as she is. Asher insists that the dead from a parallel dimension are trying to possess the living in this one. And since Addison seems to be the only one who can see these “wraiths,” she just might be the key to saving the world.

Addison wants nothing to do with Asher or his secret society, The Mortal Machine. But as their animosity grows, she finds it harder and harder to ignore the chemistry between them. And when she discovers that Machine laws forbid her from touching him, she realizes that’s all she wants to do.Stop the wraiths. Break the rules. Save the world. All in a day’s work.

Normal was overrated, anyway.

~

Here are all my pretties put together. Aren’t they awesome?

Forever Dusk will be out next month. Check out the cover reveal over at Ever After Romance.

Happy Book Birthday – Resisting his Mate by @AuthorLynnBurke #badboys

Resisting His Mate

Part of the Bad Alpha Evernight Anthology

is now available!

Resisting His Mate

Bad Alpha Evernight Anthology

PNR / Shifters / Erotic

By Lynn Burke & Various Authors

Release Date: August 21, 2015

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Warrick Keaton eludes a forced pairing with one of his kind. No one is going to choose his mate for him, not when he wants nothing to do with being tied down to a woman. He never expects fate to intervene in the form of a freezing, barely alive female. With his independence in jeopardy, Warrick fights his inner hawk’s desire to stake a claim on her.

Clare Byron longs to escape her domineering ex-husband, a jealous bear shifter determined to keep her prisoner. She seizes the opportunity to run and lands in the arms of another alpha—exactly what she doesn’t want or need.

For Warrick, Clare is everything he’s ever wanted in a mate and all that he’s run from.

For Clare, Warrick is freedom in a way she never dreamed possible—the one man who will own her heart yet give her wings to fly.

Purchase Links:

Evernight Publishing
Amazon
ARe

~~~oOo~~~

Excerpt from Resisting His Mate:

No fucking way, Warrick grumbled to himself as his feathers retracted, and human skin once more covered his body.

A female, the one thing he had no interest in—the thing that he’d traveled across the country to escape. And she floated down the river, sporting a black and blue eye, appearing half-frozen and ready to take a short jaunt with the grim reaper.

Warrick ran his fingers through his shoulder-length hair, cursing his damn luck. Only back at his summer home for two days, finally getting time away from his demanding job with the CIA, and a battered female is tossed in his path?

Even worse, his inner bird had decided to bond with the woman and latched onto her soul like a motherfucker.

With a growl, Warrick sprinted toward the river. Naked and shoeless, he jumped over brush and fallen logs, focused on the female his animal half demanded he rescue.

He reached the shore. The log she’d clung to lay half-submerged far downriver.

Maybe he was too late, and she’d given in to the freezing water. “Couldn’t be that lucky,” he grumbled, taking off south.

Dragging marks showed where she’d pulled herself up and out of the river. Stepping on light feet, and ears straining, Warrick followed her trail to a dip in the land where leaves had piled. The wet tracks disappeared, and he squatted down, scanning the ground for sign of her.

A lock of dark hair caught his eye.

The female had buried herself beneath the leaves, but she didn’t stir.

Passed out or dead?

“Hopefully the latter,” Warrick mumbled, staring at the matted hair. He recalled the fear and anxiety that had shown through her eyes. Eyes the same damn color as his. “Fuck.”

Without another thought, he reached through the leaves and lifted her into his arms. Her head lolled back. A weak pulse beat in her neck. The stench of unwashed body and … bear wafted past his nose. Instant rage kicked his stomach. 

“Goddamn bears.”

Jaw clenched, Warrick clutched her freezing form close and cursed the lush curve of her ass beneath his hand. Fucking prick had a mind of its own and obviously didn’t give a shit about body odor or the fact she’d recently been with his northern enemies.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” he ground out between his teeth while starting toward home. He needed to unload the burden, and quick. His brother was better with women—he’d drop her at Heath’s and hightail it to his own place before the woman opened her eyes and swamped his soul with emotion again.

~~~oOo~~~

 

Connect with Lynn Burke:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Happy Book Birthday to Secret Yearnings by @lollytova #giveaway

 

I’m thoroughly chuffed to be sharing in fabulous book birthday for my good friend Lolly. I’ve enjoyed her writing for several years now, and it’s about time everyone else did, too. Check out what this wonderful author has to say about her latest masterpiece. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom.

Consider stumbling upon your best friends making love, and from that moment onward being consumed by a frightening new attraction for them that drives you to distraction. That’s what happens to my heroine, Sasha Mooney, and during the course of the story she’s forced to decide whether she’s the third wheel or third lover.

While the story is packed with plenty of hot sex, there’s also romance. Secret Yearning pays homage to the friends to lovers troupe, but spices up this old chestnut with a menage relationship.

Psst…isn’t this cover awesome!!!!!

Blurb:

After Sasha Mooney’s latest doomed relationship fails, her best friends, Kate and Justin, drag her off for a long weekend in a remote cottage to celebrate her thirtieth birthday. Only, the new romance between Kate and Justin highlights Sasha’s loneliness—and jealousy—and she can’t help but crave the return of their cozy, platonic threesome.

Whichever way Sasha turns, she stumbles across Kate and Justin making love, and soon she’s consumed by a frightening desire for both of them that isolates her further.

When a morning alone with Kate leads to a romantic encounter, Sasha’s guilt and self-loathing spiral out of control. She’s crossed a line and quickly hurdles another when Justin walks in on her in the shower and sparks fly. With hopes of salvaging her friendships fading fast, Sasha’s options don’t look pretty. Either she risks Kate and Justin’s contempt by admitting her feelings for them both, or she respects their new relationship and walks out of their lives for good.

To celebrate release day, I have a fantastic competition for you.

Giveaway Information:

One (1) digital copy of Secret Yearning by Lolly Tova

One (1) bespoke pendent by Joanne Galbraith

Winner will be drawn on Tuesday 19th May 2015

To enter, click on the link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lolly Tova writes contemporary and fantasy erotic romance.

Lolly is a West Country girl living in London, England, who regularly breaks the cardinal rules of city life by making eye contact with strangers and wishing passers-by a good morning.

By day, Lolly helps to shape the next generation of art masters. By night, she crafts her erotic flights of fancy, which are slightly kooky, a lot quirky, and a smidgen dark and disturbing when the wind blows in the right direction.

Social Media Links: Facebook | Twitter | Website/Blog | Goodreads

Get Wicked with Entangled #giveaway #nalit @entangledpub

Happy Halloween week! Welcome to two days full of wicked prizes and hauntingly delightful posts.

I’m giving away a signed copy of Midnight Dawn, (Mortal Machine #2), to one lucky commenter. My giveaway is international, and I’d love to hear from you, so drop me lots of comments for more chances to win.

I absolutely LOVED Halloween as a kid. The only sucky part was that I lived in the country where my nearest neighbor was a good twenty minute walk, so we had to be driven around.

Still, I slapped on my plastic costume with the creepy face mask and trooped back and forth from the car to each of the neighbor houses through the rain, and even snow some years, into houses that smelled like moth balls. All with a ridiculously wide grin on my face.

I’ve been accosted by geese, crabby dogs, roosters, and even the odd miserable old geezer who was a total Halloween scrooge. Nothing could ruin that night for me, though. There was nothing better than emptying out that pillow case to find homemade caramel corn balls, candy apples, chocolate fudge, and other homemade delights that this generation will probably never receive in their loot bags.

They are so missing out. Big time.

I’d love to hear your favorite Halloween memory, either as an adult or a kid. Please include a way to contact you, twitter/email/facebook, in case you are the winner of my prize. Contact info will not be used for any other reason.

Check out the linky to visit the other stops on this wicked blog tour:

The three YA books that unleashed Iris St. Clair into the genre #louderthanwords #giveaway

I’m thrilled to welcome Iris St. Clair, author of the newly released YA Swoon Romance novel, Louder than Words. As part of her release tour, I asked her to explain her reason for getting into the YA genre. She gave me three, and they’re all awesome. Check it out.

Three Books You Can Blame For Unleashing Me on YA Readers

I didn’t plan on being an author of stories for young and new adult readers. I mostly wanted to write romance. But somewhere along the way, I started reading books for teens and college-aged characters and I fell in love myself. Yes, this crusty-year old fifty something still remembers her high school years, the angst, the drama, the wonder.

What books set me on this path? What stories and their authors got me thinking about writing for younger readers? Here are my top three:

1. The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger
I first heard about this book on Absolute Write. I had joined the writing forum in early 2009 to learn more about the publishing industry and the craft of writing. I learned so much from other awesome authors who also posted there and made a point to buy their books. I remember Kody’s posts about finding her agent. I remember reading discussions about her cover. To be honest, I wasn’t all that impressed with the blurb. Had I not had that connection via Absolute Write, I can’t say I would have read Ms. Keplinger’s book. I’m glad I did, because I adored her non-cheerleader, anti-heroine. I related to a girl who was seeking escape and maybe a little revenge by taking on and besting a notorious, modern-day man-whore at his own game. I melted when Wesley crumbled at Bianca’s feet, when his ring tone played again and again on her phone … sigh … that’s a teen romance!

2. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
This one got my attention when it was cryptically tagged as pornographic by some religious leader. Huh? I still don’t understand the stupidity of that label, especially given that the story is about a girl recovering from rape! But I remember the call to arms in the writing community and the outrage I felt. I changed my avatar. I tweeted my thoughts about censorship. I read this book … and was left speechless by its power. Even pages strategically left blank shouted for my attention. To unleash that much power on a reader in so few words? Amazing.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
You can’t help but like Stephanie Perkins. She’s whimsical and funny in her tweets and blog posts and so are her characters. I’m a sucker for a story about unrequited love for an unavailable boy. Place the story in Paris and I’m a goner. This book set the bar for creating deep and memorable male – female relationships that are platonic on the surface but infused with deep longing so palpable the reader is on the edge of her chair rooting for Anna and St. Clair. Notice the similarity in her character’s name and my last name? Not an accident or a coincidence but my nod to a favorite, inspirational book I wish I’d written. My other pen name was “borrowed” from Outlander. That’s the highest praise I can pay to an author whose work I admire.

There are other books, of course, like Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. And yes, I’ll even admit to enjoying Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Since my earliest toe-dippings, I’ve continued to add wonderful YA and NA authors and their books to my list of favorites, including the books of my illustrious hostess today, Ms. Jocelyn Adams, but the first three I mentioned will always be the ones you can blame the most for making me want to write YA books.

About Iris

Iris St. Clair is the pen name for a long-suffering cubicle worker by day, a Walter Mitty-like dreamer by night. (Her alter ego Tatiana Ivanadance also choreographs gravity-defying routines in those fantasies, but that’s another bio.)

No matter what genre she writes, she prefers witty, insecure heroines and kind, persistent heroes able to break through to the gooey heart inside.

In high school she was voted most likely to win at Monopoly and Clue, but least likely to throw a ball anywhere near a target. Thank goodness writing requires less hand-eye coordination, punctuation errors notwithstanding.

Iris believes in the two-year “fish or cut bait” dating rule and has a 20+ year marriage and two teenaged sons as proof of concept. She lives, writes, dreams and dances in the rainy Portland, OR area.

Connect with Iris:

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Iris’s first book, Louder Than Words, released September 16, 2014.

Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson’s life lately. Her dad died, her mom numbs the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends have slowly abandoned her.

Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe and should NOT have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt that made her desperate to escape the final moments of Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details to herself and trust no one.

Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky boy, recently transplanted from New York City and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she can’t let him get too close. And summer is just long enough and hot enough to keep a boy like that at arm’s length.

But by the time Rex’s charm wears down her resistance, it’s too late. He’s put Ellen on the “just friends” shelf and has shifted his romantic attentions to the impossibly annoying and perky anti-Ellen. Even worse, the teacher who tried to get her to sleep with him is still at it, preying on other girls while Ellen struggles to come to terms with what happened.

With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about the well-liked teacher and risk retribution, tell Rex how she really feels about him and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside. After all, it’s the only safe place she knows when the only thing louder than words is the fear of being rejected.

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