Allaina Daniels and Infinity #Egg-cerpt Exchange

Today I’m featuring  Allaina Daniels and her debut book, Infinity. Welcome Allaina!

Blurb: Professional animal trainer, Carmen Rockwell, is happy living her life on the edge of society. She owns a high profile business that is run by her best friend, Lissy, the only person she thinks she needs in her life. Because of an unusual gift, she is the best in the country at what she does. She goes away for work and finds herself suddenly drawn into a new world- one that she never knew existed and against her will, it follows her home, demanding that she enter into the life she was destined to live. An important date is approaching fast, but will she turn away from this new world and hide or will she face her fate head on? One man could make all the difference- but does he love her or is she only a means to an end?

Excerpt: (This is the first 5 chapters from the amazon sample.) https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B012UF5K2A&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XY5Rwb1HDCEEY

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UF5K2A

Character interview:

(To read the previous part of this interview please visit
http://www.michelleabbott.com/blog.html)

A: “So I am curious, and I want an answer from each of you. What is your worst fear or most prominent nightmare?”
C and G: Look at me while frowning.
A: “Go on. You know it is best if you get it out in the open anyway.”
G: Runs his hand across the back of his neck and looks away while mumbling, “I’m afraid of being alone again.”
C: Smiles at Gabriel while placing her hand on his cheek, “Silly man. I am going to drive you crazy until the end of time.”
G: Looks back at Carmen with a small smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
A: “Your turn, Carmen.”
C: Blows out a breath while tucking her hair behind her ear. “My dreams are always great. It is the memories that haunt me. If I could erase seeing Gabriel bleeding out on Lissy’s floor from my mind, I would.” She looks me in the eye, “There is nothing like watching the one person you love above all others dying in from of you and you are helpless to stop the process.”
A: “I understand better than you know. But this interview is about the two of you, not me.”

(To read the next segment of this interview please visit https://carissaannlynch.wordpress.com
on Mar 14th.)

Author Bio:
Allaina Daniels is a sassy domestic goddess from Georgia whose addiction to caffeine is surpassed
only by her passion for the written word.

Her debut paranormal romance, Infinity, was released in August 2015; and, her second novel is expected to be available by summer 2016.

Allaina is an avid reader and reviewer of all genres and enjoys connecting with her readers on social media.

Stalk Allaina at these places.
www.facebook.com/allainadaniels
www.allainadaniels.com
http://www.amazon.com/Allaina-Daniels/e/B012XNGVP4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
https://www.goodreads.com/AllainaDaniels
https://twitter.com/AllainaDaniels

Allaina Daniels and Infinity #Egg-cerpt Exchange

Today I’m featuring  Allaina Daniels and her debut book, Infinity. Welcome Allaina!

Blurb: Professional animal trainer, Carmen Rockwell, is happy living her life on the edge of society. She owns a high profile business that is run by her best friend, Lissy, the only person she thinks she needs in her life. Because of an unusual gift, she is the best in the country at what she does. She goes away for work and finds herself suddenly drawn into a new world- one that she never knew existed and against her will, it follows her home, demanding that she enter into the life she was destined to live. An important date is approaching fast, but will she turn away from this new world and hide or will she face her fate head on? One man could make all the difference- but does he love her or is she only a means to an end?

Excerpt: (This is the first 5 chapters from the amazon sample.) https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B012UF5K2A&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XY5Rwb1HDCEEY

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UF5K2A

Character interview:

(To read the previous part of this interview please visit
http://www.michelleabbott.com/blog.html)

A: “So I am curious, and I want an answer from each of you. What is your worst fear or most prominent nightmare?”
C and G: Look at me while frowning.
A: “Go on. You know it is best if you get it out in the open anyway.”
G: Runs his hand across the back of his neck and looks away while mumbling, “I’m afraid of being alone again.”
C: Smiles at Gabriel while placing her hand on his cheek, “Silly man. I am going to drive you crazy until the end of time.”
G: Looks back at Carmen with a small smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
A: “Your turn, Carmen.”
C: Blows out a breath while tucking her hair behind her ear. “My dreams are always great. It is the memories that haunt me. If I could erase seeing Gabriel bleeding out on Lissy’s floor from my mind, I would.” She looks me in the eye, “There is nothing like watching the one person you love above all others dying in from of you and you are helpless to stop the process.”
A: “I understand better than you know. But this interview is about the two of you, not me.”

(To read the next segment of this interview please visit https://carissaannlynch.wordpress.com
on Mar 14th.)

Author Bio:
Allaina Daniels is a sassy domestic goddess from Georgia whose addiction to caffeine is surpassed
only by her passion for the written word.

Her debut paranormal romance, Infinity, was released in August 2015; and, her second novel is expected to be available by summer 2016.

Allaina is an avid reader and reviewer of all genres and enjoys connecting with her readers on social media.

Stalk Allaina at these places.
www.facebook.com/allainadaniels
www.allainadaniels.com
http://www.amazon.com/Allaina-Daniels/e/B012XNGVP4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
https://www.goodreads.com/AllainaDaniels
https://twitter.com/AllainaDaniels

The Writing Game—#Open Book Blog Hop

This week on the Blog Hop we’re talking about the writing game, and how it works in our world.

I’d written essays throughout grade, but the first short story I remember writing was in eighth grade. It was a class assignment, and I was inspired by a book I’d read a few days before. It had an “open ending” where I didn’t spell out the finishing action in detail, trying to get the reader to the point where they would understand what had happened without me actually saying it. My teacher hated it.

That incident didn’t destroy my desire to write. In high school, I found my voice in poetry, and wrote poetry for years. Some of it was pretty good—good enough to be published in national magazines.

But just as I’ve had to recreate myself in terms of paid jobs, I got to a point where I needed to recreate myself in terms of writing.Some stories floating around in my head wouldn’t become a poem no matter how I played them. So I wrote a book. On paper. By hand. Then I rewrote it. Again on paper.

I decided it wasn’t half-bad, but not good enough. So I started another book. Again, by hand, On paper. And it was better.

And I was hooked. I haven’t stopped writing books since. Although I have made the switch to writing my stories on a computer. It’s so much easier to edit that way.

So how do I do it?

I get a lot of inspiration for my stories from dreams. The basis for both the Free Wolves series and the Oak Grove Mysteries came from little snatches of dreams. Of course, those little snippets grew into much more as I listened to my characters and let them tell me their stories. I never expected Tasha from Wolves’ Pawn to demand her own book, but she did. That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from.

Unlike some other writers, I write the entire first draft of my book in progress before I start editing. That’s because sometimes my characters surprise me as I write there stories. I didn’t plan for the romance in Wolves’ Knight to end up like it did, so I had to go back and change some of the action in the beginning.

And as I’ve mentioned before, I really did plan to have Eli in The Marquesa’s Necklace be a ghost. But Harmony wouldn’t put up with it. So he became a real man. (Well, as real as a character in a book can be!)

Once the story is complete, it’s time for the real work to begin. Editing. I use an online tool to help me with the first round of edits. It points out overused words, bad grammar, run-on sentences and a wealth of other errors.

Once I’ve thoroughly beat up my manuscript, I’m ready to allow other eyes to see it. Because other people will spot things I’ve missed. There’s a website called Critique Circle, where I can get anonymous feedback from writers from all over the world. I also have developed connections with other writers and we exchange critiques.

When I’ve beat up my story for a second time with their help, it’s time for a third round of editing. That’s done by listening to my story being read out loud. Not by me, (Well, sometimes I read it to myself) but by the built in voice of my iPad. Hearing the words alerts me to things that had been missed by more traditional methods of editing.

Once that’s done, it’s time to let  my work go. But usually I have another story working in my brain just waiting for me to write it. (Right now I have two stories waiting, and two in progress. Is that crazy?)

If you have any questions, please leave it in the comments. I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

To find out what other authors have to say, follow the links below.

#OpenBook #Writing

March 7 – Behind the scenes post. How does this writing game get done in your world?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ?#?OpenBook? when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



Custom Blog:


Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

The Writing Game—#Open Book Blog Hop

This week on the Blog Hop we’re talking about the writing game, and how it works in our world.

I’d written essays throughout grade, but the first short story I remember writing was in eighth grade. It was a class assignment, and I was inspired by a book I’d read a few days before. It had an “open ending” where I didn’t spell out the finishing action in detail, trying to get the reader to the point where they would understand what had happened without me actually saying it. My teacher hated it.

That incident didn’t destroy my desire to write. In high school, I found my voice in poetry, and wrote poetry for years. Some of it was pretty good—good enough to be published in national magazines.

But just as I’ve had to recreate myself in terms of paid jobs, I got to a point where I needed to recreate myself in terms of writing.Some stories floating around in my head wouldn’t become a poem no matter how I played them. So I wrote a book. On paper. By hand. Then I rewrote it. Again on paper.

I decided it wasn’t half-bad, but not good enough. So I started another book. Again, by hand, On paper. And it was better.

And I was hooked. I haven’t stopped writing books since. Although I have made the switch to writing my stories on a computer. It’s so much easier to edit that way.

So how do I do it?

I get a lot of inspiration for my stories from dreams. The basis for both the Free Wolves series and the Oak Grove Mysteries came from little snatches of dreams. Of course, those little snippets grew into much more as I listened to my characters and let them tell me their stories. I never expected Tasha from Wolves’ Pawn to demand her own book, but she did. That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from.

Unlike some other writers, I write the entire first draft of my book in progress before I start editing. That’s because sometimes my characters surprise me as I write there stories. I didn’t plan for the romance in Wolves’ Knight to end up like it did, so I had to go back and change some of the action in the beginning.

And as I’ve mentioned before, I really did plan to have Eli in The Marquesa’s Necklace be a ghost. But Harmony wouldn’t put up with it. So he became a real man. (Well, as real as a character in a book can be!)

Once the story is complete, it’s time for the real work to begin. Editing. I use an online tool to help me with the first round of edits. It points out overused words, bad grammar, run-on sentences and a wealth of other errors.

Once I’ve thoroughly beat up my manuscript, I’m ready to allow other eyes to see it. Because other people will spot things I’ve missed. There’s a website called Critique Circle, where I can get anonymous feedback from writers from all over the world. I also have developed connections with other writers and we exchange critiques.

When I’ve beat up my story for a second time with their help, it’s time for a third round of editing. That’s done by listening to my story being read out loud. Not by me, (Well, sometimes I read it to myself) but by the built in voice of my iPad. Hearing the words alerts me to things that had been missed by more traditional methods of editing.

Once that’s done, it’s time to let  my work go. But usually I have another story working in my brain just waiting for me to write it. (Right now I have two stories waiting, and two in progress. Is that crazy?)

If you have any questions, please leave it in the comments. I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

To find out what other authors have to say, follow the links below.

#OpenBook #Writing

March 7 – Behind the scenes post. How does this writing game get done in your world?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ?#?OpenBook? when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Lisa Ann and R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal— #Egg-cerpt Exchange

It’s Lisa Ann’s turn for the egg-cerpt exchange.. She’s re-releasing her book R.O.S.E  Riders if Sins Eternal. Welcome, Lisa  Ann!

Title: R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal
Release Date: March 11 (re-release)
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance (18+ due to language, sexual content)
Author: Lisa Ann

Tag line: Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts
Link to cover (if needed): http://lisaawritesreads.com/2016/02/04/cover-reveal-r-o-s-e/

Blurb:
Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts.

Alexandra Scott was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Striving to become a reporter in the fast paced world of journalism, she can’t believe it when she becomes the ‘breaking news’ after a night out with her best friend.

Garrick Donovan had come to terms with the deal he had made over a century ago, he had been able to get his revenge and nothing would make him regret that. While out cruising, he comes across a bunch of hoods attacking a young woman, something he can’t ignore.

Alexandra finds herself immersed in a world of dark secrets that could destroy both her and Garrick. It is now up to her to decide if what she and Garrick may have is worth the consequences or to get out while she still has time.

Add to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28937181-r-o-s-e-riders-of-sins-eternal

Excerpt:
He hadn’t noticed that the woman was now out of the car, hunched down by her door, memorizing everything that was happening. Unfortunately, Happy had.

“Guess we’re going to get messy,” Happy answered, his voice high-pitched with nerves. Pulling her by the hair, he held her in front of him like a shield. Garrick wanted to double over laughing but kept his focus on rescuing the woman, clearing his throat instead.

Happy smiled when he mistook Garrick’s cough as nervousness. Alexandra struggled against his grip but Happy just laughed and held her tighter by both arms. “Oh, a fighter, I like that in the bedroom,” Happy whispered into her ear as he licked the side of her face.

Alexandra’s stomach rolled with disgust. She raised her knees into her chest and pushed her feet back as hard as she could; her three inch heels made contact and the howl that escaped his mouth was beyond satisfying to Garrick. Losing his grip, Alexandra spun around and punched him square in the nose.
Garrick wanted to stop and applaud but it would have to wait; he was engaged in his own battle. Taking on the two remaining men, he had decided to put away his gun. One of the men laughed at the move and pulled out a switchblade before lunging at Garrick.

With one swift move, Garrick side-swiped the man, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back, making him drop the knife. Raising his leg, he delivered a kick directly to the last man’s chest, knocking all the air out of him before turning around and delivering a head butt to the man he was holding that should have knocked them both out cold.

Free from her predicament, Alexandra rushed back to her car and frantically searched for her cell phone.

I’m in the biggest story of the night and I can’t reach my cell phone because I have hands the damn size of Sasquatch! Damn you, Dad!

She continued to curse her father’s name until she finally fished the phone from between the console and seat.

Garrick had subdued the other men and now had Happy, blood pouring from his nose, pinned against the back of her sedan when he heard the distinctive click.

You’ve got to be kidding me. He sighed. I stop to do one good thing, he thought as he gave Happy a left hook to the temple, watching as the man crumpled at his feet.

Another click sounded, then another and another. Alexandra didn’t want to miss one shot. Leaning over to get a close up of one of the men’s faces, she jumped when Garrick grabbed her hand.
A bolt of electricity passed between them as he held her hand, wrestling the phone away. Their eyes met for a brief second before he took it from her grasp.

Purchase Links:
Fighting with Amazon at the moment, they won’t let me mark it for a pre-order. This book will be on Amazon only for now.

Author Information:

Lisa Arrington works as an Information Security Associate by day and Writer by night. Lisa attended

a local technical college and received an associate degree in Computer Networking which she put right to use. Lisa lives in Southern Arizona with her two sons and when not writing she can be found curled up on her favorite chair with Kindle in hand, reviewing books for her blog. Or chauffeuring the boys around town for basketball games or playing candy crush soda on her phone. She loves the color blue, can’t get enough cherry cheesecake ice cream or junior mints and will forever be in a power-struggle over the big screen TV with her youngest child.

Webpage: http://lisaawritesreads.com/
Email: lisaawrites@gmail.com
Twitter: @lisaawrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaawrites/

Character Interview:
Garrick Donovan

Interviewer: Belonging to a motorcycle club (MC), I take it that you have a nickna
me the guys like to call you?
GD: {Grumbles} I got one, but they know better than to use it.

Interviewer: Oh, well, okay. What do you do for a living?
GD: I’m a soul collector
Interviewer: Not a man of many words are you?
GD: {just stares}

Interviewer: Ok. What’s your birthday?
GD: {Shrugs} Not exactly sure, they didn’t keep great records back then. If I had to guess, September 1849.

Interviewer shuffles question cards: Do you have a fear or nightmare that plagues you?
GD: {Sits up straight} As a matter of fact, I do. Recycling scares the shit out of me.
Interviewer: {puzzled} Why does recycling scare you? It’s good for the planet!
GD: {shaking his head} No, this recycling is when I die.

Interviewer wanting to get the heck of there: So is not getting recycled your most important goal?
GD: Not anymore. Protecting the woman I love is.

Lisa Ann and R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal— #Egg-cerpt Exchange

It’s Lisa Ann’s turn for the egg-cerpt exchange.. She’s re-releasing her book R.O.S.E  Riders if Sins Eternal. Welcome, Lisa  Ann!

Title: R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal
Release Date: March 11 (re-release)
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance (18+ due to language, sexual content)
Author: Lisa Ann

Tag line: Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts
Link to cover (if needed): http://lisaawritesreads.com/2016/02/04/cover-reveal-r-o-s-e/

Blurb:
Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts.

Alexandra Scott was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Striving to become a reporter in the fast paced world of journalism, she can’t believe it when she becomes the ‘breaking news’ after a night out with her best friend.

Garrick Donovan had come to terms with the deal he had made over a century ago, he had been able to get his revenge and nothing would make him regret that. While out cruising, he comes across a bunch of hoods attacking a young woman, something he can’t ignore.

Alexandra finds herself immersed in a world of dark secrets that could destroy both her and Garrick. It is now up to her to decide if what she and Garrick may have is worth the consequences or to get out while she still has time.

Add to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28937181-r-o-s-e-riders-of-sins-eternal

Excerpt:
He hadn’t noticed that the woman was now out of the car, hunched down by her door, memorizing everything that was happening. Unfortunately, Happy had.

“Guess we’re going to get messy,” Happy answered, his voice high-pitched with nerves. Pulling her by the hair, he held her in front of him like a shield. Garrick wanted to double over laughing but kept his focus on rescuing the woman, clearing his throat instead.

Happy smiled when he mistook Garrick’s cough as nervousness. Alexandra struggled against his grip but Happy just laughed and held her tighter by both arms. “Oh, a fighter, I like that in the bedroom,” Happy whispered into her ear as he licked the side of her face.

Alexandra’s stomach rolled with disgust. She raised her knees into her chest and pushed her feet back as hard as she could; her three inch heels made contact and the howl that escaped his mouth was beyond satisfying to Garrick. Losing his grip, Alexandra spun around and punched him square in the nose.
Garrick wanted to stop and applaud but it would have to wait; he was engaged in his own battle. Taking on the two remaining men, he had decided to put away his gun. One of the men laughed at the move and pulled out a switchblade before lunging at Garrick.

With one swift move, Garrick side-swiped the man, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back, making him drop the knife. Raising his leg, he delivered a kick directly to the last man’s chest, knocking all the air out of him before turning around and delivering a head butt to the man he was holding that should have knocked them both out cold.

Free from her predicament, Alexandra rushed back to her car and frantically searched for her cell phone.

I’m in the biggest story of the night and I can’t reach my cell phone because I have hands the damn size of Sasquatch! Damn you, Dad!

She continued to curse her father’s name until she finally fished the phone from between the console and seat.

Garrick had subdued the other men and now had Happy, blood pouring from his nose, pinned against the back of her sedan when he heard the distinctive click.


You’ve got to be kidding me. He sighed. I stop to do one good thing, he thought as he gave Happy a left hook to the temple, watching as the man crumpled at his feet.

Another click sounded, then another and another. Alexandra didn’t want to miss one shot. Leaning over to get a close up of one of the men’s faces, she jumped when Garrick grabbed her hand.
A bolt of electricity passed between them as he held her hand, wrestling the phone away. Their eyes met for a brief second before he took it from her grasp.

Purchase Links:
Fighting with Amazon at the moment, they won’t let me mark it for a pre-order. This book will be on Amazon only for now.

Author Information:

Lisa Arrington works as an Information Security Associate by day and Writer by night. Lisa attended

a local technical college and received an associate degree in Computer Networking which she put right to use. Lisa lives in Southern Arizona with her two sons and when not writing she can be found curled up on her favorite chair with Kindle in hand, reviewing books for her blog. Or chauffeuring the boys around town for basketball games or playing candy crush soda on her phone. She loves the color blue, can’t get enough cherry cheesecake ice cream or junior mints and will forever be in a power-struggle over the big screen TV with her youngest child.

Webpage: http://lisaawritesreads.com/
Email: lisaawrites@gmail.com
Twitter: @lisaawrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaawrites/

Character Interview:
Garrick Donovan

Interviewer: Belonging to a motorcycle club (MC), I take it that you have a nickna
me the guys like to call you?
GD: {Grumbles} I got one, but they know better than to use it.

Interviewer: Oh, well, okay. What do you do for a living?
GD: I’m a soul collector
Interviewer: Not a man of many words are you?
GD: {just stares}

Interviewer: Ok. What’s your birthday?
GD: {Shrugs} Not exactly sure, they didn’t keep great records back then. If I had to guess, September 1849.

Interviewer shuffles question cards: Do you have a fear or nightmare that plagues you?
GD: {Sits up straight} As a matter of fact, I do. Recycling scares the shit out of me.
Interviewer: {puzzled} Why does recycling scare you? It’s good for the planet!
GD: {shaking his head} No, this recycling is when I die.

Interviewer wanting to get the heck of there: So is not getting recycled your most important goal?
GD: Not anymore. Protecting the woman I love is.

Leap Year—#OpenBook Blog Hop

This week on the blog hop we’re talking about Leap Year. It only happens once every four years, so why not?

You’ve got to admit, Leap Year is weird. What are we celebrating anyway? An extra day? Piffle. How is that any fun? I know, let’s celebrate rabbits. or Lords a Leapin’. Or frogs.

But that’s right. Easter has already claimed rabbits and Christmas has dibs on Lords a’ Leapin’. So frogs it is.

I’ve liked frogs before Kermit made it popular to be green.

Growing up in the country with a small stream running along the property line, all summer long frogs serenaded me to sleep. Not that I paid much attention, they were part of the standard background music.

I quickly learned that size didn’t matter when it came to the loudness of the frog’s croak. Although bullfrogs were noisy, so were peep frogs. They were tiny little thing, not even as big as my thumb, but they could raise a ruckus. Especially in large numbers. And there were always lots of them.

There was one summer in particular when I discovered a pond full of frogs in all stages of their growth. Everything from fish-like tadpoles to those with developing back legs to adults. It was a fascinating place to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

As I’ve moved around the country, I’ve discovered many kinds of frogs. Everything from tree frogs to spring peepers. So this leap year, here’s to frogs in all shapes, sizes and colors. May they leap long and prosper.

To find out what Lela Markham has to say,about Leap Year, head over to her blog at  Lela. Lela Markham is the pen name of an Alaskan novelists who was raised in a home built of books. Alaska is a grand adventure like none other with a culture that embraces summer adventure and winter artistic pursuits.

A multi-genre writer, currently Lela is concentrating on dystopian and fantasy, but you never know what her imagination might get up to. Watch this space.

Lela shares her life with her adventuresome husband, two fearless offspring and a sentient husky who keeps a yellow Lab for a pet.

You can stalk her at: aurorawatcherak@wordpress.com

You can find her books at Lela’s Amazon Page

Want to join in the blog hop?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ?#?OpenBook? when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



Custom Blog:


Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Leap Year—#OpenBook Blog Hop

This week on the blog hop we’re talking about Leap Year. It only happens once every four years, so why not?

You’ve got to admit, Leap Year is weird. What are we celebrating anyway? An extra day? Piffle. How is that any fun? I know, let’s celebrate rabbits. or Lords a Leapin’. Or frogs.

But that’s right. Easter has already claimed rabbits and Christmas has dibs on Lords a’ Leapin’. So frogs it is.

I’ve liked frogs before Kermit made it popular to be green.

Growing up in the country with a small stream running along the property line, all summer long frogs serenaded me to sleep. Not that I paid much attention, they were part of the standard background music.

I quickly learned that size didn’t matter when it came to the loudness of the frog’s croak. Although bullfrogs were noisy, so were peep frogs. They were tiny little thing, not even as big as my thumb, but they could raise a ruckus. Especially in large numbers. And there were always lots of them.

There was one summer in particular when I discovered a pond full of frogs in all stages of their growth. Everything from fish-like tadpoles to those with developing back legs to adults. It was a fascinating place to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

As I’ve moved around the country, I’ve discovered many kinds of frogs. Everything from tree frogs to spring peepers. So this leap year, here’s to frogs in all shapes, sizes and colors. May they leap long and prosper.

To find out what Lela Markham has to say,about Leap Year, head over to her blog at  Lela. Lela Markham is the pen name of an Alaskan novelists who was raised in a home built of books. Alaska is a grand adventure like none other with a culture that embraces summer adventure and winter artistic pursuits.

A multi-genre writer, currently Lela is concentrating on dystopian and fantasy, but you never know what her imagination might get up to. Watch this space.

Lela shares her life with her adventuresome husband, two fearless offspring and a sentient husky who keeps a yellow Lab for a pet.

You can stalk her at: aurorawatcherak@wordpress.com

You can find her books at Lela’s Amazon Page

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Kim Cox and ALL THIS TIME—#Egg-cerpt Exchange

Today it’s Kim Cox’s turn on the Egg-cerpt exchange with her book, All This Time.


ALL THIS TIME
Style & Profile Series – Book 1
Treachery, Greed, and Psychosis

At thirty, Jenny Morgan’s biological clock is ticking. But as a fashion magazine CEO with a busy schedule and no significant other, her wish is unlikely to come true. When her father receives a potentially terminal diagnosis, he longs for a grandchild before he dies. With her religious beliefs, a sperm donor isn’t an alternative. Jenny’s only immediate available option is her single co-worker and best friend, Trevor Drake. Can she really trust him to be a good husband?
Trevor has loved Jenny since college, but she only sees him as a friend with no ambition. After he learns of her predicament, he proposes and sets out to prove he can provide everything she needs. Jenny is determined to have a prenuptial agreement with an “out” clause after one year. Can Trevor convince Jenny of his love by then?
As if they don’t have enough on their plate, someone at the magazine is out to stop their wedding and their impending parenthood, and destroy the magazine’s reputation. Jenny is nearly killed in a sabotage attempt. Can Jenny and Trevor to make a life together while uncovering a common enemy?
Available now in print and electronic formats through Amazon Kindle and Amazon Print, 24Symbols, Barnes & Noble Nook, iTunes iBook, Kobo, and Page Foundry.

Excerpt

Prologue
After she took the last swig of cola, she hurled the empty cup into the trash and paced across the plush carpeting in front of her desk. The office was quiet—everyone had left hours ago, leaving her to finish their work as usual.
If it weren’t for her, the magazine would’ve folded years ago. But did any of them appreciate her? Her organizational skills? Her stamina? No! Damn all the Morgans, especially Joe Morgan.
Memories rushed into her mind. Ten years ago, when his wife died, who had looked after him day after day, made sure he ate, petted him, nurtured his aching heart and later, gave him her body to help him release the stresses he faced? She had, that’s who. Well, she hadn’t really had sex with him. A glass of wine with dinner and the knock-out powder fixed him right up. Who was to say what did or didn’t happen when Joe had awakened beside her and both of them naked?
She shivered at the image of sex with such a dried-up old prune.
To him, she had been just his secretary. His right-hand girl, that’s what she’d been, taking care of his business when his grief proved too much for him to handle and his precious daughter had returned to college, leaving him alone. When she invited him to her home, it gave him a change of scenery, a reprieve from staring at the same walls and the same rooms he’d shared with his late wife for thirty-five years. Joe had made promises of a promotion within the company during those times to repay her for helping him through his pain.
When she told him she was pregnant, he wanted to marry her and become his little missus, but that wasn’t her style. Running Morgan Fashions magazine was her dream. Not playing mommy, nor nursemaid to an old man. She would’ve made the sacrifice, though, if only for a little while. At least until she gained control of the magazine. Then he caught her, found the telltale sign on the sheets that morning when he’d arrived early for breakfast. As soon as she turned off the shower, she knew she’d been found out. She’d lied about being pregnant and he knew it. Joe was furious, called their relationship quits and demoted her to the mailroom.
She ground angry tears from her eyes. At first, she planned to burn the place to the ground, but knew she could catch more Morgans with sweetness rather than vengeance, especially after Joe retired and handed the reins over to his daughter, Jenny. All his promises had been lies. Joe’s plan all along had been to hand the company over to a blood relative.
That was ancient history. Her mind returned to the present. Too bad Joe hadn’t died from his heart attack last night. Jenny had tried to keep it a secret from the staff and everyone else. This girl keeps her ear tuned in for everything. That’s the only way she would be able to dish out just desserts to the Morgans.
She slammed her hands onto the desk. After scratching her way through college, she’d be damned if her business degree would amount to nothing. Now that the managing editor position was available, there was no way anyone was stealing it from her. Jenny liked ambition in her editors, and none of the other potentials had her determination or her persistence.
The only threat to her plans was that wimpy Trevor Drake. He might be Jenny’s best friend, but he didn’t measure up. He relied heavily on his assistant to keep him organized and the bachelor in him couldn’t turn away a pretty pair of legs if they killed him. Even if he got the position, she’d prove him incompetent and step right into the job and still come out as innocent as a newborn.
A sly smile spread across her lips. Like a mason lays his bricks one at a time to build a well-constructed house, she would triumph by tackling one obstacle at a time and use Trevor’s laid-back, pushover personality against him. He’d be a cinch to handle.
Jenny Morgan, however, would be much more difficult to fool. Yes, one obstacle at a time.
Available now in print and electronic formats through 24SymbolsAmazon Kindle and Amazon Print,  Barnes & Noble NookiTunes iBookKobo, and Page Foundry.



About Kim Cox
Kim Cox is an author of Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense and Romance. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her chain saw artist husband, their West Highland White Terriers–Scooter and Harley, and a Yorkie mix, Candi. Kim is published in novels, short stories and articles.

Sign up for Kim’s Readers List for exclusive information, new releases, contests, giveaways, and free books.
Visit her at the following sites:
Author’s Website: http://www.kimcoxauthor.com
Blogs: Kim’s Musings, Kim’s Author Support Page
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/kimcox
Social Media locations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimcoxauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimCoxAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/+KimCoxAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimcox
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimwrtr/

Kim Cox and ALL THIS TIME—#Egg-cerpt Exchange

Today it’s Kim Cox’s turn on the Egg-cerpt exchange with her book, All This Time.


ALL THIS TIME
Style & Profile Series – Book 1
Treachery, Greed, and Psychosis

At thirty, Jenny Morgan’s biological clock is ticking. But as a fashion magazine CEO with a busy schedule and no significant other, her wish is unlikely to come true. When her father receives a potentially terminal diagnosis, he longs for a grandchild before he dies. With her religious beliefs, a sperm donor isn’t an alternative. Jenny’s only immediate available option is her single co-worker and best friend, Trevor Drake. Can she really trust him to be a good husband?
Trevor has loved Jenny since college, but she only sees him as a friend with no ambition. After he learns of her predicament, he proposes and sets out to prove he can provide everything she needs. Jenny is determined to have a prenuptial agreement with an “out” clause after one year. Can Trevor convince Jenny of his love by then?
As if they don’t have enough on their plate, someone at the magazine is out to stop their wedding and their impending parenthood, and destroy the magazine’s reputation. Jenny is nearly killed in a sabotage attempt. Can Jenny and Trevor to make a life together while uncovering a common enemy?
Available now in print and electronic formats through Amazon Kindle and Amazon Print, 24Symbols, Barnes & Noble Nook, iTunes iBook, Kobo, and Page Foundry.

Excerpt

Prologue
After she took the
last swig of cola, she hurled the empty cup into the trash and paced across the
plush carpeting in front of her desk. The office was quiet—everyone had left
hours ago, leaving her to finish their work as usual.
If it weren’t for
her, the magazine would’ve folded years ago. But did any of them appreciate
her? Her organizational skills? Her stamina? No! Damn all the Morgans,
especially Joe Morgan.
Memories rushed
into her mind. Ten years ago, when his wife died, who had looked after him day
after day, made sure he ate, petted him, nurtured his aching heart and later,
gave him her body to help him release the stresses he faced? She had, that’s
who. Well, she hadn’t really had sex with him. A glass of wine with dinner and
the knock-out powder fixed him right up. Who was to say what did or didn’t
happen when Joe had awakened beside her and both of them naked?
She shivered at the
image of sex with such a dried-up old prune.
To him, she had
been just his secretary. His right-hand girl, that’s what she’d been, taking
care of his business when his grief proved too much for him to handle and his
precious daughter had returned to college, leaving him alone. When she invited
him to her home, it gave him a change of scenery, a reprieve from staring at
the same walls and the same rooms he’d shared with his late wife for
thirty-five years. Joe had made promises of a promotion within the company
during those times to repay her for helping him through his pain.
When she told him
she was pregnant, he wanted to marry her and become his little missus, but that
wasn’t her style. Running Morgan Fashions magazine was her
dream. Not playing mommy, nor nursemaid to an old man. She would’ve made the
sacrifice, though, if only for a little while. At least until she gained
control of the magazine. Then he caught her, found the telltale sign on the
sheets that morning when he’d arrived early for breakfast. As soon as she
turned off the shower, she knew she’d been found out. She’d lied about being
pregnant and he knew it. Joe was furious, called their relationship quits and
demoted her to the mailroom.
She ground angry
tears from her eyes. At first, she planned to burn the place to the ground, but
knew she could catch more Morgans with sweetness rather than vengeance,
especially after Joe retired and handed the reins over to his daughter, Jenny.
All his promises had been lies. Joe’s plan all along had been to hand the
company over to a blood relative.
That was ancient
history. Her mind returned to the present. Too bad Joe hadn’t died from his
heart attack last night. Jenny had tried to keep it a secret from the staff and
everyone else. This girl keeps her ear tuned in for everything. That’s
the only way she would be able to dish out just desserts to the Morgans.
She slammed her
hands onto the desk. After scratching her way through college, she’d be damned
if her business degree would amount to nothing. Now that the managing editor
position was available, there was no way anyone was stealing it from her. Jenny
liked ambition in her editors, and none of the other potentials had her
determination or her persistence.
The only threat to
her plans was that wimpy Trevor Drake. He might be Jenny’s best friend, but he
didn’t measure up. He relied heavily on his assistant to keep him organized and
the bachelor in him couldn’t turn away a pretty pair of legs if they killed
him. Even if he got the position, she’d prove him incompetent and step right
into the job and still come out as innocent as a newborn.
A sly smile spread
across her lips. Like a mason lays his bricks one at a time to build a
well-constructed house, she would triumph by tackling one obstacle at a time
and use Trevor’s laid-back, pushover personality against him. He’d be a cinch
to handle.
Jenny Morgan,
however, would be much more difficult to fool. Yes, one obstacle at a time.
Available now in
print and electronic formats through 
24SymbolsAmazon Kindle and Amazon Print,  Barnes &
Noble Nook
iTunes iBookKobo, and Page Foundry.




About Kim Cox
Kim Cox is an author of Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense and Romance. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her chain saw artist husband, their West Highland White Terriers–Scooter and Harley, and a Yorkie mix, Candi. Kim is published in novels, short stories and articles.

Sign up for Kim’s Readers List for exclusive information, new releases, contests, giveaways, and free books.
Visit her at the following sites:
Author’s Website: http://www.kimcoxauthor.com
Blogs: Kim’s Musings, Kim’s Author Support Page
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/kimcox
Social Media locations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimcoxauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimCoxAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/+KimCoxAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimcox
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimwrtr/