Win This Beach Read from Author Debra Shiveley Welch, Cedar Woman

A big welcome today to Debra Shiveley Welch, award-winning author of a perfect-for-the-beach read, Cedar Woman available in print or e-book.


Thank you for being my guest today, Debra, and for generously offering the e-book copy of Cedar Woman to one of our lucky commenters. Readers, please leave a comment to be eligible to win this prize. Don't forget to leave your contact email addy.


Before we learn more about your book, please tell us how you spend your summers?


When summer arrives, my son and I like to go to powwows.  For us, it is a family reunion.  My sister, Julie Spotted Eagle Horse Martineau, often coordinates the events, and it's fun to meet up with her, her husband, son and our sisters, to enjoy great dancing, fantastic food and just an all out fun time.

My son, Chris, received his first regalia this summer.  Your regalia is decided by the type of dancing you wish to honor.  In my son's case, it is Men's Traditional.  So he wears a ribbon shirt, rawhide trousers, or chaps, and a "bustle" made of feathers.  His regalia is quite beautiful, and he is very proud of it.

The powwows take us to Iowa and Illinois, but we hope to begin attending events in Ohio and other states.

This sounds like an exciting interesting summer with lots of travel, fun, and family get-togethers. Now tell us about your story of romance.

Lena Cedar Woman Young Bear, a daughter of the Lakota Sioux, opens the first high-end Native American restaurant in Central Ohio. 

This is her story. 

Born in May Hill, Ohio, Lena Cedar Woman travels to Columbus at age 12 after tragedy befalls her family. Here, in the capital city, a chance encounter leads her to her destiny. 

Walk with her as she changes the lives and fortunes of those she loves.

Follow her to powwow where she meets her half-side.

Rejoice with her at the grand opening of her restaurant. 

Cedar Woman allows the reader to learn the ways, and some of the language of The People, while also offering romance and discovery.

Excerpt:

    Slowly, slowly, Mary walked to where a tight knot of people were grouped together in what would be the living room, but, in fact, was merely part of one room which served as kitchen, dining room and parlor.          

    She felt as if in a dream – as if she were walking in slow motion, or wading through deep water.  Her heart was pounding against her rib cage as she slowly advanced toward a single man standing apart from the others, a wild flower tucked in the button-hole of his plaid shirt, his pony tail neat and freshly groomed, and a sage wreath, identical to hers, adorning his head as well.          

    She did not hear the words spoken, or her own replies.  The Medicine Man/Justice of the Peace performing the ceremony, raised the Pipe and murmured some words.  Peter turned and tied an eagle plume to Mary’s hair, and still avoiding his eyes, Mary tied one to his.  The medicine man picked up a star quilt, and wrapped it about the couple.  Slowly, the newly weds turned to face their guests, and the reality of what had just occurred hit Mary with full force.  She had obeyed her mother and married.  Now was the time, now she must look into the face of her husband.          

    Hesitantly, oh so hesitantly, she turned toward him, and at last gazed into his eyes.

Where do we learn more about you and where to purchase your book?

The Debra Shiveley Welch Website is the link where all of my books can be purchased through multiple sources: Amazon, B&N, Nook, Kindle and there are links to the UK, France Amazon and link to a cyber store in India  on there.

Readers, leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing to win Cedar Woman, the story of a Native American woman and her family.

Romantic Beach Read from Joselyn Vaughn--Sucker for a Hot Rod

Welcome to my friend and sweet romance author, Joselyn Vaughn. Joselyn's beach read is Sucker for a Hot Rod in e-book and paperback from Astraea Press. 


Thanks, Joselyn, for being my guest today for the beach reading bonanza. 


What do you like to do in the summer?


One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to sit in the backyard and read a book. Not that that ever happens, but I can dream right?


Yes, it probably is a dream since you are the mother of three active kids under three years old!


Joselyn's latest review...one of many excellent ones...
"If you’re looking for a sweet romance, with depth, well developed characters and a ton of humor this one is for you."
Romancing the Book

Tell us about your book, Sucker for a Hot Rod

Bryce Halloway only dates a woman once. No exceptions.

It gives him the reputation of a heart-breaker, but he can handle that as long as it keeps his mother, Dinah, from trying to marry him off. Judi Montgomery and her tempting ponytail finagle their way around official dates with car problems and driving lessons. She worms her way into his heart and entices him to want more from his life.

When health issues causes his father to retire, Bryce inherits the family-owned tractor repair shop. Can Judi’s love and encouragement give him the courage to break tradition and pursue his dreams of owning a custom hot rod shop?

Book Trailer: 

Where can we find out more about you and your books?

Please look for me at

 Joselyn Vaughn website

  Joselyn Vaughn blog, 

and Facebook account 

Reach me on Twitter at @joselynvaughn


Books can be purchased at the following online booksellers--

Astraea Press: 

Amazon: 

BN: 

Guest Author Mike Arsuaga's Beach Reads

Welcome Author Mike Arsuaga to our Beach Reads Bonanza. 

How do you like to spend your summers?

In the summer I like to travel when I can, but usually end up at the beach or community pool. My favorite treat is a cold beer after a hard day's yard work, and in central Florida those days get mighty hot and long.

Mike has two books he wishes to add to your to be read (TBR) list this summer. What makes these two books great candidates for beach reading?

 "SUBSPECIES" and "My Life as a Dog" are great beach reads because of their convenient lengths. Readers tell me they're hard to put down but the brevity fits each one neatly into a day poolside or at the beach.

Thanks, Mike. Now let's take a look at Mike's books. First up is Subspecies.

A Professor on Campus

Dr. Jim White, a 130-year-old Vampire, as a mathematics professor and man of science, rejects

the ways and lore of old in favor of modern solutions. Lycans and Vampires, The Subspecies,

live invisibly in society, because discovery is their worst fear. Resulting from a chance meeting,

he has the best sex of his life and regrets the intriguing girl had to be his next victim. But she has

a secret. As a Lycan, she hunted him as he hunted her.

The Girl in the Library

Samantha “Sam” Johnson, a Lycan, lived through world wars and The Great Depression,

counting Al Capone and Babe Ruth as acquaintances, before settling into decades of anonymity,

quietly preying on humans to live. On a chance meeting with an intriguing professor, her

decision to devour him comes into question. Kill after a night of exquisite sex?

A Dynasty is Born

After discovering each others secret, neither can resist the physical attraction. Together they hunt

and reach out to others of their kind using modern technology to form a support group which

becomes more than either imagined.

Follow The Subspecies’ journey as they open a universe of possibilities with the promise of life

being more than hunting, living in shadows, and fruitless mating.

“SUBSPECIES” EXCERPT

This is my favorite scene from SUBSPECIES. One of the main characters makes only a cameo

appearance but I smile every time I read it.

Let me set the stage:

Jim, Sam , and an attorney named Oscar Young returned to Jim’s apartment from having rescued

seven month pregnant Sam from police interrogation. Lycan Cynthia and vampire Ed Myers are already

there. The police suspect Sam and the support group have something to do with the disappearances.

Attorney Young has just finished explaining attorney/ client privilege, including how anything a client tells him will not be repeated.

The scene unfolds:

Encouraged by his answer I morphed, with fangs, pallor and red eyes. Oscar instinctively jumped

back but recovered and said with another chuckle. “What an excellent effect. How did you do it?”

By then I returned to human form. “You don’t understand. I really am a vampire,” I said.

Oscar stood and sternly replied, “Doctor White, if you think this is all a joke perhaps you should

seek other representation.” He retrieved his briefcase preparing to leave.

A vampire morph is not dramatic. Most of it happens internally, expanding joints and modest bone

growth. Except for the fangs I could pass for large pale man with a bad hangover. We needed a more

I turned to Cynthia. “Show him what you can do,” I said to her.

“Do I have to?” she complained. “This is a brand new outfit.”

“Please, it’s important, dear.” Sam added. Besides, I sewed in Velcro morph seams.”

Cynthia stood and stepped to the middle of the room. She faced Oscar who paused at the door.

Shimmying out of her panties, she kicked them to the side with a last flick of a bare foot. Stretchy lingerie

fabrics didn’t tear. Because a lycan grew when morphing, most underwear bound them painfully. Ed’s

eyes locked onto the sexually aromatic wrinkle of white material shimmering at her feet. She stood erect

with legs apart and hands on hips. As it molded to her butt, the black miniskirt sparkled with sequins,

round like half of a disco ball. I surveyed the pleasingly dramatic arching cleft of her spine under the white

“Okay,” she said. “You asked for it.”

With a ripping of Velcro, the garments separated and fell away. She expanded in all directions

nearly touching the ceiling, seeming to fill the room. Arms and legs elongated as if made of modeling clay.

A curved fanged snout grew out of the face some said could launch a thousand ships. Upon completing

the morph she peered down on Oscar. Casual predation emanated from the height of coal black eyes.

“Convinced now?” I asked above the sound of Cynthia’s low growl.

Bug eyed, Oscar slowly retook his seat.

Where can we purchase Subspecies?

ALL ROMANCE BOOKS:

    BOOK Strand:

Muse It Up Publishing

Amazon:

Smashwords/Barnes and Noble:

 Favorite scene and trailer:

My Life as a Dog

BLURB for MY Life as a Dog

“MY LIFE AS A DOG”:Drake Martin is a unique shape shifter. Instead of transforming into a ferocious

animal, he morphs into an eight pound Yorkshire terrier. Six year old Kady Hartley rescued him from

an animal shelter. As "Precious" he was her "bestest friend" for twelve years, leaving when she started

college. Ten years later they cross paths. He’s a PI; she’s FBI. Continuing to keep his abilities secret

from her, he follows Kady as she pursues a case. Accompany them on an odyssey to New Orleans

investigating human traffickers and watch the fur fly. To protect Kady, Drake remains in the shadows. For

her sake he puts aside his loner life and accepts protection and assistance of the local shifter pack under

its leader, the Sufi. The pack and Drake soon discover they have a common cause, leading to a bloody

confrontation with the Russian human traffickers.

During the adventure, will Drake and Kady rekindle their loving friendship or will it become much more?

Take a peek at the Book Trailer for My Life as a Dog

The book is Available at Secret Cravings Publishing Store

Great Beach Reads--Sleeping with Her Enemy by Pat Dale

Today marks the beginning for introducing you all to some great beach reads, in other words, some fun, escape reading for those lazy days of summer.  I am pleased to welcome author Pat Dale, my first guest on this beach reading bonanza. Let's see how Pat spends his summertime.

What do you like to do in the summer?

After we returned to live out our lives in my wife’s childhood home, I spent several years working what had been a pretty barren yard into a miniature park; lots of trees and several little garden spots where we grow a variety of flowers and bushes. Our summer time is taken up largely with maintaining the yard (a full quarter-block) and battling the weeds and volunteer trees that spring up after every rain.

That sounds like a lot of work, but I am sure it is worth it. What a beautiful view from your window. 


What is your favorite summer vacation memory?

This one is easy. I remember batting it down I-70 from Colorado to St. Louis to visit my family over an Independence Day holiday weekend. My folks lived on a small lake outside the city, where my dad loved to fish from his rowboat. I’d row him to the spots on the lake where he ‘knew’ the big bass hid out. I’d row, he’d fish, and we’d talk about everything from soup to nuts, softly so as not to alarm the fish.

Then we’d set up a huge outdoor buffet table and my three kids, along with my brother’s three and my sister’s two, would stuff themselves with hotdogs, baked beans, and anything else edible they could get their hands on. After a nap, we’d take the kids to the swimming beach and sit back while they splashed and generally had a ball. Those were the days, my friend, and (as the song goes) we thought they’d never end. But they did, and now we’re spread across this vast land in a way that’s difficult to comprehend. But memories, yes, I have those, and I’ll treasure them until I die!

I chuckled when you said your dad "knew" where all the bass hid. Been there, done that too. What great memories...


Why is your book a great beach read?

SLEEPING WITH HER ENEMY is a mid-life romance, set in Colorado. Ana Henry has suffered more than her share of tragedy, and has buried herself in her work as a children’s nurse in the Ft. Collins hospital. When she meets Dan Morrison by way of his sick daughter, Sherry, she sees a glimmer of hope that there may still be romance for her. They bond, but, after becoming intimate, Ana learns that Dan may have been the hit and run driver who killed her son Joey. She turns him in, but throws herself into a quest to prove him innocent. Has life given her the ultimate sucker punch, or will love win out?

Excerpt:

Ana was standing over Sherry, checking her temperature, when a harried-looking man came in and said, “Hello.” Pointing to the girl, he asked, “How is she?”

“Asleep.” She shushed him with a finger to her lips and motioned him into the hall. “You must be Sherry’s father. I’m Ana Henry and I’ll be her nurse tonight.”

“My name is Dan. Dan Morrison.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Morrison. Her temperature has dropped a bit but it’s still high. She’s a sick little girl.”

“I know.” He clearly didn’t want to emote but couldn’t hide the gleam of tears she saw in his eyes. “I shouldn’t be so emotional about this. Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for. You love your daughter and that’s what counts.”

That was the moment she let her guard down, locking focus with him. She rarely looked into anyone’s eyes any more but this time she did. Sea mist green they were, and so full of pain.

“You’re very kind, Miss... I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten your name already.”

“Actually it’s Mrs. Mrs. Henry. I’m a widow.” Why did I tell him that?

He stared into her tortured eyes. “I’m sorry. You’re so young and-”

“My husband,” she cut in, “was a pilot in the Air Force. He died while fighting in Afghanistan.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry.”

She winced at the man’s reaction. Every time people learned what had happened, they began walking on egg shells. She’d been down this road so many times she wanted to scream.  “It’s okay. It’s been a few years and I’m over it now.” That’s a lie. I’m not close to over it.

Thanks, Pat, for guesting on my blog. Where can we learn more about you and your book?

Sleeping with Her Enemy can be purchased at Muse It Up Publishing, amazon.com, bn.com and major booksellers.
Keep up with me on my blog at  Pat Dale blog.

  

What IS a Beach Read?

What IS a beach read?

I didn't realize there would be so many questions and fun discussion about the definition of a beach read. I thought everyone knew it would be a fun, entertaining, escape-from-life story to enjoy reading during the relaxing days of summer. (Mmm....I know families with young children don''t exactly have a relaxing summer..LOL).

The first in the Alvarez Family Murder series

Author Heather Haven defined it as

Beach read, plane read, summer read, fun read, easy read, all one to me, Caesar.

BTW Heather's the Lee Alvarez mystery series, Murder is a Family Business and A Wedding to Die For published by Muse It Up Publishing are excellent reads for this summer.

And now it is time for a shameless plug from me because my mystery/light horror e-book, Sunshine Boulevard, fits the definition of beach read.  Okay, you can sigh with relief. I have that plug in and we will move on to more great books for summer reading in the next post.

Please feel free to comment on books you would suggest for a beach read for us! Thank you...or you may get more plugs about Sunshine Boulevard!!  :-)

It's Beach Time! Escape with a Good Beach Reading Book

Hooray! It's time to escape to the beach. Summer has finally arrived (in the Northern hemisphere) with bright sunshine and warm sand, and blue water (well, not in Lake Michigan usually, but still fun.) Summer time is the season to escape from the everyday hum drum of life and take time for yourself.

Pick up some great books or download your e-reader and head for the beach or your favorite spot to read a book just for fun, for entertainment. Mystery, romance, paranormal, sci-fi--whatever you fancy. Maybe this is the season to try out a new genre.

In July I will direct you to some of my favorite books and introduce you to authors who may be new to you. In the comments, please suggest books you enjoy for beach reading time.

Time for fun!