Spotlight: A Summer’s Journey by Kathleen Gallagher

A Summers Journey

Savannah Mason, the career minded journalist, spends long hours at work, hoping to take the spot as anchor.  She continues to fight for independence and refuses to allow her demanding father to take control of her life, despite his wish for her to take over his surgical practice.

On her darkest day twelve years ago, she agreed to give her baby up for adoption.  Now, on her daughter’s birthday, a chance encounter gives Savannah an opportunity to explore a corner of her heart she thought was lost forever.

Rob Sinclair a renowned surgeon and NY Times best-selling author has a new release and needs a promo spot on the television show, The News Stop.  When Savannah gets to conduct the interview over the senior reporter, a door opens to her future.  However, first she must face the unsettled issues in her life, before she is free to accept love.

The last thing she wants is a relationship, especially one with a divorced doctor who happens to have two small children.

A man, who seems all wrong for her, slowly weaves himself into her heart.  Can he accept her when he learns about her past?

Rob’s commitment to climb the ladder of success and provide a good life for his family, keeps him on the road for days at a time.  When he meets the assertive newswoman, desire and passion awaken his broken spirit.  How will he ever be able to trust another woman?

Savannah and Rob’s strong attraction is undeniable as they journey to a place where honesty and the power of forgiveness, can guide them both home. Will it be enough to heal the scars of the past and allow them another chance for love?

A Summers Journey Tour

Excerpt :

Rob slowly approached her. The look in his eyes told her he had more than the view on his mind. Savannah turned away, afraid of what might happen next. Before she could stop him, they were too close for comfort. An electric energy surged between them. With one swift movement, Rob reached for her and gently placed his lips on hers. He cradled her head in his hands as if she was a precious jewel. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine and the world stood still. When Rob’s hands moved slowly across her back, her body went limp and it took her to a level of arousal she never expected. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to react. She found herself spellbound by the feel of his rock hard body pressed up against her chest. All of the emotions she’d kept inside emerged when Rob held her tight. When they finally parted, Savannah stood frozen in shock with her heart pounding and her ears ringing.

Rob’s expression made him look as if he broke the law. He quickly took a step back. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry for my rude behavior.”

“You weren’t rude. I didn’t stop you.”

“I don’t know what got into me. You’re an amazing woman and I find you terribly attractive.” He stared deep into her eyes.

“Thank you.” Savannah looked down, still shocked, but flattered.

A Summer’s Journey is available at Amazon.

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Weekend Writing Warriors: 05/19/13 Speed Date: A Wickedly Good Wine

WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors again. I’m so enjoying seeing my old friends and finding new authors.

 

Once again I’m taking my 8 from my new WIP, Speed Date.  I’ve skipped ahead in this scene:  Roberta is at Gabriel’s apartment for dinner, although she’s only just met him.  In this scene, he’s just handed her a glass of wine.

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

I sniffed the bouquet—this was a wickedly good wine—but instead of sipping, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing to see if he had tasted his yet.

“I promise you it’s not poisoned.  Nor does it have any sort of drug to induce you to have wild passionate sex with me tonight.”  His tone was amused, but something in his eyes suggested he would not turn down such an offer should I care to make one.  Which was flattering.  At thirty-two, I had not had many such invitations.  Cautiously I took a sip.

“I wait until the second date to bring those drugs out.”

Thanks so much for coming by!  I’ll be back next week with 8 more, but for the summer, until I’ve finished the several manuscripts I’m working on, I’m taking a semi-hiatus by alternating weeks between WWW and Sweet Saturday Samples.  I guess a vacation is always a good thing. 🙂  

Right now, you can click here to hop on to more Writing Warrior posts!  And thanks for coming by!

Posted in Blog Hops, On Speed Date, On Weekend Writing Warriors, On Works in Progress, On Writing Romance, Promotion, WIP | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Sweet Saturday ~ 5/18/13 Speed Date: A Premonition

I’m back with more of the new WIP, Speed Date.  It’s a short story I have hopes of turning into a novella or novel.

Because I’ve got a lot of writing to do this summer, I’m going to be taking a semi-hiatus for a couple of months.  I do both SSS and WWW, so starting next weekend, I’m going to be alternating them, one week on SSS and the following week on WWW.  Hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll have Speed Date and some other books finished!

This excerpt is from where I left off last week, including the eight from Weekend Writing Warriors.

Those words should have sounded an alarm bell, but something in his voice, an appreciation I was not used to hearing, resonated deep inside me.  This guy could be a serial killer for all I knew.  Hell, I didn’t even know his last name yet.  But he was more exciting than anything that had happened to me in years—maybe ever.  If it killed me, then by God I was going out like a Fourth of July firework!

“It sounds wonderful to me, Gabriel…?”

“Townsend.  Gabriel Townsend.”  He extended his hand and we shook.  A very warm, masculine-rough hand.

“Roberta Maxwell.”  I smiled into his vivid blue-gray eyes.  “Or Bertie if you prefer.”

Bong!

Gabriel stood and I reached down to grab my bag.  When I looked up he was behind me, pulling the chair out.  If he was a serial killer, he was one with manners.  He took my hand—another thrill for Bertie—and led the way out.

* * * *

I followed Gabriel’s silver Volvo through the streets of Virginia Beach, wondering where the hell this restaurant was.  We seemed to be entering a residential area, but I knew that didn’t mean anything.  One of my favorite restaurants, Steinhilber’s, was in one such neighborhood. 

It was almost eight and I had been too nervous to eat any lunch, so I hoped we’d be dining soon.  He pulled into what was obviously an apartment complex parking lot.  Uh oh.  I pulled my red Camry in beside him and got out.

“Where’s the restaurant?”  I tried to keep my tone light, despite the thoughts of mayhem dancing in my head.

“Welcome to Chez Gabriel.  I’m a chef at La Maison over in Norfolk, but I thought my place would be closer.”  He came around the car and took my hand.  “Don’t worry, Bertie.  I’m completely harmless.”  His blue-eyed gaze exuded confidence.  “But what’s more important, I’m a great cook.”

My heart was beating a little weirder than usual, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of my attraction to Gabriel or my fear that he might turn out to be the stranger you don’t take candy from.  Or dinner.  But I’d have a premonition or something if he was a really bad guy, wouldn’t I?

“Look,” he said, still holding my hand but not urging me toward the bank of apartments.  “I know this is crazy fast.  You don’t know me, I don’t know you.  But take a chance, Bertie.  Trust me.  The worst thing I’ll probably do tonight is burn the Béarnaise sauce.” 

I must not have looked convinced, because he continued, “If it will make you

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

feel any better, take out your cell phone, put your finger on the speed dial for 911 and leave it there.”

“That’ll make it pretty difficult to eat.”  Something was telling me—no shouting at me—that I should trust this guy.

“Then I’ll hand-feed you.  Please?”  Oh, and now he was bringing out the sad puppy dog eyes.  They worked.

“Okay.”

I hope you enjoyed that little snippet.  There will be more from Speed Date tomorrow on Weekend Writing Warriors!  But for now, you should check out some more Saturday Samples.  Thanks for coming by!

Posted in On Speed Date, On Sweet Saturday Sample, On Works in Progress, On Writing Romance, Promotion, WIP | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

K is for Killer…Brownies

And now for something absolutely different.

Killer Brownies. 

I stole this recipe from the costumer I worked for when in grad school.  He was a fantastic599px-Brownies_with_floral_painted_background designer and an excellent cook.  Whenever we had a dress parade (a parade of all the costumes in the show) he would work us extra hard, but he would always bring in a huge pan of what he called Killer Brownies.  To die for.

Like I said, I kind of stole this, just by asking what was in them.  I wasn’t given exact proportions, so over the years I’ve improvised and what I have now is delicious! So moist (because of the Amaretto) they melt in your mouth!  If you want a ginormous batch, just double everything.

Ingredients:

1 pkg brownie mix (can be the ultra good mix, or the .99 basic mix) I think my costumer actually made them from scratch, but I take this short cut and no one’s complained so far.

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or more if you like nuts)

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup Amoretto di Saronno liqueur (more or less.  If you use more, decrease amount of water in brownie mix instructions.)

Prepare brownie mix as called for on package.  Add additional ingredients and bake as called for on package.  You may need to cook them a little longer so the liquid will be absorbed.  Check doneness with a toothpick.  When it comes out clean, brownies are ready to cool and eat.

Try these on a romantic evening picnic for two, add even more Amoretto in your glass, and go watch the submarine races in the back yard. 🙂

Leave me a comment listing your favorite brownie add-in and I’ll throw your name into the hat for a copy of Betrothal. 🙂

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Posted in Alphabet Post, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

J is for Joust

I’m still playing catch-up on my Alphabet posts from when I missed one a couple of Fridays ago.  And I really want the letter “L” to land on May 24th as it would have done if I hadn’t missed.  So I’m making up that post today with the letter “J,” which stands for Joust.

I’ve already done a post on Jousting on D’Ann Lindun’s blog several weeks ago, and if you want to read that one, click here.  I’m also on Sarah Ballance’s blog today talking about medieval pastimes, of which tournaments and jousting are one of them.  And you can check that one out here.

So my Joust post is going to be a photo post–with all the cool period and non-period pics of jousting.

800px-Tournament_between_Henry_II_and_Lorges

The joust between Henry II and Lorges

663px-Rüxner-Auf-die-Schranke-Setzen

Straddling the Fence:

Punishment at tournaments for breaking the rules.

The delinquent was put across the fence of the tournament area and beaten.

Modern jousting re-enactment

Modern jousting re-enactment

 

 

 

The horses are garbed in comparisons, which are made in the Knight’s colors. But they don’t protect the horses.

The horses are covered in a comparison.

The horses are covered in a comparison.

John de Beaumont, 2nd Lord of Beaumont, is deathly wounded in tournament at 14 April 1342.

John de Beaumont, 2nd Lord of Beaumont, is deathly wounded in tournament at 14 April 1342.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite movies set in the medieval period is actually A Knight’s Tale.  It’s got a ton of anachronisms, but the jousting scenes are done very well.  Do you have a favorite medieval-set movie?  Tell me in a comment, leave your email, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Betrothal–set exactly in the time frame of A Knight’s Tale. 🙂

Posted in Alphabet Post, Betrothal, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Horny Hump Day 05/15/13: Betrothal–The Moment #HornyHDay

WARNING:  MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Participating authors in Horny Hump Day post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot like a firecracker! LOL

Ready for more medieval misbehaving?

betrothal-with-log final

So we return this week to Geoffrey and Alyse and their first hot encounter. 

546px-52-aspetti_di_vita_quotidiana,_amore,Taccuino_Sanitatis,_Cas

 

Geoffrey traced the folds of her opening, and she whimpered when he slid a strong finger into her. Here it was: the moment with the man she loved. A flick of pain then she wrapped around him in welcome. 

 

Hope you enjoyed that snippet of medieval mischief. LOL  Things are heating up a couple of degrees. 🙂

Please check out the Horny Hump Day blog site for the other sites on the hop and go visit the other hot authors.

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day!

betrothal-with-log final

Posted in Betrothal, Blog Hops, On Horny Hump Day, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Cover Reveal and Gift Card: Bachelor’s Special by Christine Warner

Bachelor's-Special-CW-1600

Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, a family, and the love of an exceptional man. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life.

Chet Castle is a businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiancée, he refuses to get involved in any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce.

Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: work as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking is a recipe for disaster…

Title: Bachelor’s Special

Author: Christine Warner

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pre-Order Release Date: May 2013

Imprint: Indulgence

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bachelors-Special-ebook/dp/B00CNTSVB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368115520&sr=8-2&keywords=bachelor%27s+special

Purchase from Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115250848?ean=9781622661312

Author bio:

christine9Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends. Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmetic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines. A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website at christine-warner.com.

My blog/website:  http://christine-warner.com/

Twitter under ChristinesWords: https://twitter.com/#!/ChristinesWords

My Facebook page…stop by and give it a LIKE to stay up to date with the latest:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Warner/143430882396013

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763713.Christine_Warner

I love to hear from readers and other authors 🙂  I am also  is hosting a contest for a $10 Amazon Gift Card!  Just click on this link to Rafflecopter and enter to win!

Posted in Book Spotlights, Giveaways, New Release, Promotion | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

Spotlight: When It’s Least Expected by Heather Van Fleet

16 aW1nXzY2MjUuanBnMoving on after a tragedy can be impossible – especially when you’ve been dealing with those tragedies for over two years. But it’s her senior year, and Harley Anderson is more than ready to do just that, even though the skeletons in her closet can’t exactly be hidden.

 

Enter Mason Daniel, the egotistical, sexy, surfer boy from California – a boy with his own hidden demons, and even bigger secret agenda.

 
Mason isn’t right for Harley. He knows this better than anyone. He’s the epitome of a runner–a guy who takes what he can get, only to split a short while later. But he can’t deny the emotions that Harley brings out of him, so he’s going to break his rules for once.

 
He should have known what it would lead to… Two kindred souls – both lost and then found. Will they fail,once again, in their search for contentment and happiness, or will they finally find true love, when it’s least expected?

Website/ Facebook/ Twitter

When Its Least Expected Tour
About the Author:
Heather Van Fleet currently resides in northern Illinois, with her three daughters, Kelsey, Emma, and Isabella, and her fabulous hubby (and high school sweetheart) Chris, with whom she’s been blissfully married to now for ten plus years. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.

Posted in Book Spotlights, Guest Bloggers, Promotion, Sizzling PR Blog Tours | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Weekend Writing Warriors: 05/12/13 Speed Date: Take a Chance

WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors again. I’m so enjoying seeing my old friends and finding new authors.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Once again I’m continuing from my newest WIP, Speed Date.  This snippet immediately follows yesterday’s Sweet Saturday Sample (view here).  Roberta is at a speed dating event, her first time, and in this 8, she’s just agreed to go out with Dater #8.  Good call or bad?

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Those words should have sounded an alarm bell, but something in his voice, an appreciation I was not used to hearing, resonated deep inside me.  This guy could be a serial killer for all I knew.  Hell, I didn’t even know his last name yet.  But he was more exciting than anything that had happened to me in years—maybe ever.  If it killed me, then by God I was going out like a Fourth of July firework!

“It sounds wonderful to me, Gabriel…?”

“Townsend,” he said, extending his hand and we shook. 

“Roberta Maxwell,” I offered, smiling into his vivid blue-gray eyes, “or Bertie if you prefer.”

Is Roberta going to regret this “date?”

Right now, you can click here to hop on to more Writing Warrior posts!  And thanks for coming by!

Posted in Blog Hops, On Speed Date, On Weekend Writing Warriors, On Works in Progress, On Writing Romance, Promotion, WIP | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Sweet Saturday ~ 5/11/13 Speed Date: Lucky #8?

I’m back with more of the new WIP, Speed Date.  It’s a short story I have hopes of turning into a novella or novel.

This excerpt is from where I left off last week, including the eight from Weekend Writing Warriors. Roberta is up to lucky number 8.

Five dates later I had the formula down pat:  your name, my name, where you’re from, what you do for a living, do you party, what kind of car do you drive or what’s you hobby?  One guy asked if I believed in a Supreme Being.  I had to restrain myself from answering, “Only Diana Ross.”

Bong!

I looked around.  My card showed this was only date number eight.  Did we get to take a break or did we have to do this as a marathon?  I suddenly remembered an old movie—They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

I shook away the thought and Dater Number Eight sat down.

Henry VIII by Joos van Cleve

Henry VIII
by Joos van Cleve

Another blonde, my least favorite hair color, although it wasn’t that light white blonde that I despise.  His was more of a burnished metal, the color of old, well-worn gold coins.  Red-gold is my absolute favorite hair color for a man—the coloring of the young Henry VIII.  My ideal man, actually, is Henry VIII.  In his early years he was gorgeous, as attested in Holbein’s famous portrait.  The pencil-thin auburn beard defining his determined jaw made me shiver every time I saw it. 

This guy, Number Eight, was no Henry VIII.  I looked candidly at him, appraising.  He smiled back, showing brilliant white teeth.  Blinding white.  If the room were suddenly plunged into darkness we could use his teeth to find our way out.  His smile was mesmerizing, though.

Maybe he could be Henry VIII.  The hair color was close, his jaw square and determined.  No pencil-thin beard, but he could be encouraged to grow one.  He had the athletic build of the young Henry, wide, well-muscled shoulders and chest that showed through his white Polo shirt.  But was he also well spoken, well read, well endowed—with wit and intelligence as was the Tudor king?

I had four and a half minutes to find out.  And Number Eight intrigued me.

“Hi.  I’m Roberta.”  Smile back.  Make eye contact.450px-Young_blond_man

“Bertie?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do they call you Bertie?”  That charming bright-white smile flashed again.

“No one ever has.”

“I asked because you look more like a Bertie than a Roberta.”

“You think so?”  Definitely intrigued.

“My name’s Gabriel.”

“Not Gabe?”  It was my turn to tease.

“Never.”  That grin again.  It was infectious.  “Are you as bored by all of this as I am?”

This man not only thought outside the box he lived outside it.  Live dangerously, Roberta.  “Actually I was, until now.”

“Good answer.  You want to get out of here when the gong sounds again?  Go grab some dinner, maybe?”

Talk about a speed date.  But I was hooked.  Or rather, Bertie was.  “You don’t think they’ll mind if we leave?”

He shrugged.  “We paid them.”  His gaze took me in, head to toe.  “I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth.”

Speed dating just became a whole new ballgame. 🙂

Disclaimer:  The picture of the guy is a representation only.  He looks a tad young for Gabriel, but otherwise I thought it a good likeness of how I imagine him.

I hope you enjoyed that little snippet.  There will be more from Speed Date tomorrow on Weekend Writing Warriors!  But for now, you should check out some more Saturday Samples.  Thanks for coming by!

Posted in On Speed Date, On Sweet Saturday Sample, On Works in Progress, On Writing Romance, Promotion, WIP | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments