Kristina Knight: Rust City Featured Author

 

Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who will be joining us in a few short days eeeeee!! for the conference. Today I'm showcasing 

Kristina Knight

Hi Kristina, can you give us a bit of an introduction?

Hey, everyone! I'm Kristina Knight, and I write contemporary romance. Right now I'm in the middle of releasing my Billionaire Cowboys Trilogy (What the Bachelor Gets, What the Heiress Wants and What the Gambler Risks). The books feature three brothers, raised on a ranch outside Las Vegas, three feisty heroines...and (natch!) Las Vegas!

Ooo, cowboys AND Vegas? that's kind of new, isn't it?  Neat! Ok, Kristina, let's talk about RustCity!

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at Spanish , but these days I'm pretty rusty."  Oui, moi aussi!  no, wait a minute...

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.

oooh...I'm going to go with Aretha, because any time her songs come on the radio I find myself singing along. I do like *some* of Eminem's music, but I have to be in the right mood for it.

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.
Sunkist!

Excellent choice!

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? Meeting readers! This will be my first reader conference, and I'm really excited to chat and be silly and talk books! Me too! it's going to be so much fun!


5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy? That it's filled with cars and car manufacturers.  Seems about right...


6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence? She always knew this city would be the death of her career.

What's it about? It's about a wealthy industrialist who buys a Las Vegas resort, and fills it with aging pop stars. And, of course, one of those pop stars has a secret, and he's going to fall for her!  That is a really neat concept!  I'm curious what you mean by "aging," lol -- like they break 25  30?

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game?

Yes please!

Fantastic!  You agreed to write the ending for Curve and Hook, which is no mean feat!  The world-building rules are: set in contemporary times, with no magic or paranormal elements. Have fun! Your challenge words are:  

Passion, Sweater, Ants, Watermelon, Scared

Part One, by Shelly Bell
Part Two, by Josie Kerr
Part Three, by MK Schiller
Part Four, by Rue Allyn
Part Five, by Vanessa Knight
Part Six, by Elizabeth Harmon
Part 7 by Lita Lawson  
Part 8 by Marianne Wieland
Part 9 by Teri Anne Stanley
Part 10, by Robin Nadler

Part 11:

His fingers gently circled her wrist, turning it so that she could see the letters there. He traced the L, O, and V.

"What does it mean?" he asked, the timbre of his voice making her insides clench.

"What does it matter?" What mattered was that his lies were the ants covering the watermelon at the picnic, destroying everything between them from that moment eating cheeseburgers to that night in her bed. She didn't want to be scared of her feelings for this man, but how could she be anything but? She pulled her arm, but Hunter's grip tightened.

"It matters to me."

"Everyone knows tattoos don't mean anything except that at some point, the wearer of the tattoo got blitzed enough to leave her inhibitions behind and mark the occasion."

Hunter released her wrist. "For anyone but you, maybe."

She shifted uncomfortably, and then picked up her sweater from the sofa. She'd been stone cold sober, not that he needed to know that. "What does that mean?" she asked, trying to turn his words around on him.

"It means that you take responsibility for your actions. You always have." He took the hem of his shirt in his hands and pulled it over his head. Tattooed numbers on the inside of his left bicep caught her attention. Maddie couldn't resist reaching out and turning his arm so that she could see it more clearly.

Her breath caught, and her heart squeezed.

*April 1, 2010.*

April Fool's Day. The day she'd finally let go of her inhibitions, and let Hunter into her life. Into her bedroom. The day that branded her a fool for life because while he'd wanted sex, she'd wanted love.

"What does this mean?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Everything," he said. He took her wrist in his hand, his thumb caressing the letters once more. "It's the day I stopped caring what anyone else thought about me. It's the day I grew up. And it's the day I lost the most important person in my life."

"Hunter, don't-" Maddie shook her head. She should walk away. Maddie knew she should turn around and walk away. She'd gotten over Hunter once before. She wasn't sure she could get over him again. Then again, she knew she couldn't just walk away. "Look closer," she said, holding up her arm.

He traced his fingertip over the bold, black lines, and then his gaze shot to hers when he felt another outline. Hunter looked more carefully at her wrist, and she knew he was finally seeing the whole tattoo. The bold, black LOV, along with the white, cursive line of the E. "April 1, 2010. Those are the letters and numbers that make up the E." She took a breath. This was where she might very well lose him before she ever caught him. She pointed to each letter as she she said, "Longing. One of a Kind. Vulnerable. Everything."

He twined their fingers together. "Everything?"

She nodded. "Everything for me started on April first."

"Then I guess it's good we're starting the rest of everything today, too." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Happy April Fool's Day, Maddie."

"Happy rest of our lives, Hunter," she said.

THE END

*wild applause*  Sometimes the simplest is the best. Only I think I need to change the title now to "Fools In Love" -- What do we think?? Thanks so much for playing, Kristina!  If you're craving more about Kristina, here are some resources for you:


Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police--no, she wasn't a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer's capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way, she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just like the characters from her favorite books, she's living her own happily ever after. Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

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Registration is now open for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

Robin Nadler: Rust City Featured Author

 

Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who will be joining us for the conference next week. Today I'm showcasing 

ROBIN NADLER

Hi Robin! How did you get into writing what you write?

I love romance. What can I say? I'm a sucker for true love. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to showcase a unique kind of romance. I wanted those who seemed unlovable to be my heroes. I write a series where my main characters are beautiful, intelligent, passionate and damaged. It may seem cliché, but they are everyday people. They are doctors and teachers and soldiers. They are mothers and fathers and survivors. They inspire and I am so proud to write them. I created my main heroine as an HIV positive obstetrician and that, in itself, is one of my favorite creations. I want to show that what we go through in life is only one part of us, but it doesn't define us. We are all amazing individuals.
That is an impressive mission statement. Beautiful, really!  Ok, Robin, let's talk about RustCity!

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at singing , but these days I'm pretty rusty." I'm only allowed to sing alone in the shower or the car...

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.

Both? I mean sometimes I need some Eminem lyrics to truly express what I'm feeling. There are days you just need to get it all out and there is nobody better at doing that. Mostly, Aretha is my go to artist because she is strong, passionate and eloquent. Both speak to different moods and I don't know that I would be happy to let either one go from my ipod. I feel like the way you're talking about Eminem is the way you talk about the heroes you write. :-)

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? Meeting everyone! I love meeting readers and talking about what they love and what they want to read. I am always looking for inspiration and I can't think of a better place than surrounded by people who love to read romance. So are you saying that conference attendees might find themselves in one of your future books??

5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy?
Home, sports, snow and beauty. That's lovely.

6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence? Reaching her hand across his hard, naked body reminded her of the mistake she made the night before; the beautiful, handsome, incredibly flexible mistake which now lay in her bed.

Optional: What's it about? Beautiful industrialist is saved from drowning by handsome R&B singer. He helps her home and they have a night to remember, only to part the next day with no plans to meet again. Fate brings them together years later and nothing is as it seems.

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game?  Yes please!

Most excellent!  You chose to write for the contemporary story, Curve and Hook. The world-building rules are: set in contemporary times, with no magic or paranormal elements. It's not required to be a romance (but it's definitely been going that way!). Have fun! Your challenge words are:   Stomach, caterpillar, radio, run, anxiety

Part One, by Shelly Bell
Part Two, by Josie Kerr
Part Three, by MK Schiller
Part Four, by Rue Allyn
Part Five, by Vanessa Knight
Part Six, by Elizabeth Harmon
Part 7 by Lita Lawson  
Part 8 by Marianne Wieland
Part 9, by Teri Anne Stanley 

Part 10:

“Maddie, where are you going?” Hunter asked as he watched Maddie tuck her shirt back into her skirt and smooth her hair as best she could.

“I don’t believe you,” she said, fighting the anxiety that was building in her stomach.

“Why would I lie?” he asked and willed his nether region to calm the fuck down.

“Why would you lie? You lied all through high school! You ran every time I tried to talk to you. You took what you wanted and left me like I was garbage, so why wouldn’t you do it again?” her eyes flamed at him and he could see and feel the remnants of the deep hurt he caused her.

“I was a stupid teenager and I was wrong,” Hunter said as he suddenly felt the deep need to hold her in his arms and make her believe he was telling the truth. He just needed her to believe in him. He had fucked up so much of his life due to pride and he never, ever thought he would get a chance to make it right.

“She said she was my friend. Why would she do something like this?” Maddie asked softly, more to herself than Hunter.

“To hurt me. She’s a fucking psycho. I’ll pull up my copy of the police report and you can see for yourself,” he said and looked through his phone.

“But it hurt me more,” she said to herself.

He held put his phone and she looked at it. There was a picture of Jenna in handcuffs and the report validated everything Hunter said was true.

Maddie wrapped her arms around her waist and sat down on the chair in the room.

“Do you believe me?” he asked as he knelt in front of her, his hands on her knees.

She nodded, her eyes tracing the cheesy caterpillar wallpaper in the small room and her strong demeanor beginning to fade. She could hear the song that was playing on the radio the night he held her in his arms. She remembered every moment of that night, the burning sensation when he entered her and then the slow pleasure that came over her body as he lovingly and sensually became one with her, thrusting over and over until they both gave in to the passion that engulfed them. Had she been so easy to forget? To hurt? To lose?

She stared at him and her heart spoke.

“Am I that easy to betray? Has nothing changed in all these years?” she asked him, her brilliant blue eyes full of hurt.

“No,” he said softly as he took her hand in his. “Hurting you has haunted me every day since we stopped talking. It is the first thing I think of and the biggest regret of my life.”

She took a deep breath and composed herself before standing up.

“I need to go,” she said.

“Maddie, please don’t leave. This was meant to be. We were meant to get another chance,” he said, suddenly feeling like this one of the moments that could change everything.

“It wasn’t meant to be. It was organized by someone I trusted and it was cruel and hateful. I need to know why. I need to talk to her.”

Hunter nodded and walked to face her, his hand cupping her cheek.

“Before you leave, answer me one question.”

Maddie met his gaze and waited.

I really like where this is going. It's been a really fun story all this way. Thanks so much for playing, Robin. Any suggestions for readers who want to find you?

My pleasure, Nicola! I would love for people to check out my books! I have 21 books available in my series and 3 stand alone romances. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or check out my blog.  Find me on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.  Thank you!

That's quite a backlist, Robin! I am definitely looking forward to exploring it!

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Reader Registration is still open for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

Teri Anne Stanley: Rust City Featured Author

 

 Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who are already signed up for the conference. It's a DOUBLE PLAY today, with Marianne this morning and now: 

Teri Anne Stanley

Hi Teri! Welcome to Alpha Heroes! Can you tell us a little about your writing?

Hi Nicola! I write sassy, sexy contemporary romance. My most recent release is Accidentally in Love with the Biker, part of Entangled's What Happens in Vegas series, about a children's bookstore owner and a sexy motorcycle designer at a romance conference in Vegas. Hijinks ensue. Next up is A Shot with You, the second of my Bourbon Boys series (first is Drunk On You, about a bourbon distiller and the daughter of a tequileria owner. It's flammable. Whew!

Those sound really good! -- great titles, especially.  Ok, Teri, let's talk about RustCity!

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at cooking , but these days I'm pretty rusty." Who wants to cook when you could be reading a book??

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.

Aretha. She makes me feel like a natural woman.  I see what you did there.  Good answer!

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? Meeting readers and other authors! Love books and finding new books!  Get ready for your TBR list to blow up....

5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy?  
KISS.
Buzz Lightyear talking about golf.
And it's got the top end of I-75, which I've always lived really, really close to.

6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence?

"Seriously, Dude. Just hire my sister on a temporary basis. What do you have to lose?" 

David scratched his head. "Credibility? I'm not sure that bringing Beyonce's twin sister as my assistant is going to convince the Swiss to go in to business with me." 

"She'll be great. I promise. I'll even convince her to wear a skirt that covers her ass."

Well that is super-hooky! Love it!

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game?  Yes please!

Hurray!  You chose to write for the contemporary story, Curve and Hook. The world-building rules are: set in contemporary times, with no magic or paranormal elements. It's not required to be a romance (but it's definitely been going that way!). Have fun! Your challenge words are:  Jinx, Feather, Quicken, Tulip, and Ladder.

Part One, by Shelly Bell
Part Two, by Josie Kerr
Part Three, by MK Schiller
Part Four, by Rue Allyn
Part Five, by Vanessa Knight
Part Six, by Elizabeth Harmon
Part 7 by Lita Lawson  
Part 8 by Marianne Wieland

Part 9:

While Hunter feathered kisses over Maddie’s fevered skin, she felt her body quickening, a feeling she hadn’t had in years, not since…not since the last time they’d been together, all those years ago.

He muttered filthy, dirty comments to her as he touched her everywhere, which only served to increase her need for him. And yet…and yet there was something tickling the back of her mind, something she was supposed to be dealing with instead of making out with the only man she’d ever wanted.

“Stop!” she pushed him away.

“What? What’s wrong?” Hunter backed away, breathing hard.

“What about Jenna?”

“Who?” He tugged at his ear in confusion.

“Jenna? Your girlfriend? My ex-friend?”

“Oh, hell.” He laughed bitterly. “I knew she would jinx this somehow.”

“Why is this funny?”

“Jenna’s not my girlfriend. I barely know her. I met her in a bar a few days ago, and she started yammering on about her friend coming to visit, and how much she wanted to have a hot boyfriend on her arm, you know, to make her friend feel like a loser.”

Maddie stared.

Hunter continued. “I turned her down. I told her I wasn’t interested. But she stalked me. She came to my hotel, stole a ladder from the maintenance office, and climbed into my room. She was waiting on my bed, naked, with a tulip in her teeth when I got back that night. I took one look at her, and called the police. When she left, she said she’d get back at me. She’d find the one woman who would totally wreck me. I guess she did.”

He stared at Maddie, who now wanted nothing more than to run to the nearest bar and order a tall, strong drink.

I knew that Jenna chick was bad news, alright!

I get extra credit for pulling together the most contradictory plot ever, right? Hee!

Yes, that's the beauty of coming in near the end! so many threads! You did an amazing job. Thanks so much for playing! Find more from Teri here:  Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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Reader registration is still open for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

Marianne Wieland: Rust City Featured Author

 

Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who will be joining us at the conference. Today I'm showcasing 

MARIANNE WIELAND

Hi Marianne! can you tell us a little about yourself and your work?

Hi Nicola! I have been writing most of my life. Mostly plays and musicals, but didn't think about being published until last year. An idea came to me to write about owning a restaurant and my first book, Mountain Mama: My Heart for Jill, was born. It was released in January of this year and is the first in a six book series. I am currently writing the second book, Mountain Mama: Gerard's Descent. It will be released later in the year. I am also writing the first volume of a book of short stories called Moments in Time.... It was inspired by my very first boyfriend whom I have not seen in forty plus years. We met up on facebook and he asked me the question, "Do you remember what song was playing when we shared our first kiss?" I did not remember, but he did.Heck, we were only thirteen and fourteen years old! Thus, the story First Kiss was written and I have received awesome reviews on it. The book will consist of different genres of short stories from romance, comedy, spiritual, bizarre, and maybe pets. It should be released later in the year as well.

That sounds so interesting! Short stories have traditionally been a tough sell, but I think that ebooks have changed that. But moving on, let's talk about RustCity!

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at singing , but these days I'm pretty rusty." Hmmm. Rumor has it that karoake might happen at the conference.  Good to know who has the skilz...

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.
Aretha!! Hands down. Her songs are classic from her younger years until today. Eminem? I'm not really into rap.  I think that's completely fair.

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.
Caffeine Free Diet Coke

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? Being near Detroit! I have never been there in the twenty-five years I have lived here. But, seriously, I am looking forward to meeting other authors who have been writing for awhile. Learning new things, finding new books to read, experiences that may lead to more short stories for my book, and getting out of the house for something fun and educational. It's going to be so much fun! I can't wait.

5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy?
I was brought to Michigan by my second husband who is from Bellevue. He promptly left me for a nineteen year old! I stayed and have been here for twenty-five years now. Wow, that's quite a story! His loss is Michigan's gain, clearly.

6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence? How in the name of all that is Holy, did she end up here, sitting at the bus stop with nothing but the contents of her desk? Seriously. All she had said to her boss was that she thought the singer he admired was lip syncing. Yikes, now that's a boss from hell!

What's it about? Possibly a short story about the contrast between a stuck up, wealthy millionaire and a down to earth Rhythm and Blues singer that was a former employee of his.  Interesting! Great twist!

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game?  Yes Please!  

Fantastic!  You chose to write for the contemporary story, Curve and Hook. The world-building rules are: set in contemporary times, with no magic or paranormal elements. It's not required to be a romance. Have fun! Your challenge words are:  Laundry, Carnival, Trend, Tire, and Marble

Part One, by Shelly Bell
Part Two, by Josie Kerr
Part Three, by MK Schiller
Part Four, by Rue Allyn
Part Five, by Vanessa Knight
Part Six, by Elizabeth Harmon
Part 7 by Lita Lawson  

Part 8 by Marianne Wieland

Maddie was strolling back from the snack bar with her glass of iced tea when she spotted him over at the rental car stand. For a brief moment, she wondered if he was following her. She refused to entertain that thought any longer than necessary. Her brain would have to be made of marble for her to even think of seeking him out for any further conversation. Mad. Mad as a hatter, she said to herself as she found her feet moving in his general direction.

“Hello, again, Hunter,” she said in her low sexy voice.

Slowly he turned around to see the most stunning young woman he had ever had the pleasure to feel against him. Skin against skin. Lips and tongues tangling together in a rush of heat and teenage hormones that he had only known with her. She was so beautiful. But then, to him, she always had been. There was a time when he thought he would never tire of looking at her lovely face, her full breasts, her round bottom, and those legs. He’d had those legs wrapped around him so tight…

“Sir,” said the rental car attendant. “Do you want the keys to the car you just rented?”

He took the keys and mumbled something appropriate. He hoped. He saw a bit of a smile trying to escape Maddie’s full, pouty lips. He saw the tip of her tongue wet her bottom lip and felt such a carnival of emotion spring forth all at once. But emotion wasn’t all that was trying to spring forth.

They both started to speak at the same time causing the tension to ease a little.

“You first,” she said.

“Maddie.” Hunter took a deep breath. “I know I hurt you in school. I have no excuse except to say I caved in to peer pressure. Followed the trend of the time. I was weak. A coward. I know I threw away any chance I might have had with you like you were last week’s laundry.”

Maddie saw the pain reflected in his eyes and realized his attempt at an apology was sincere and she made a decision she hoped she wouldn’t live to regret.

“Come with me.” She didn’t wait for an answer. She took his hand and led him to the small lounge she had passed that was reserved for nursing mothers. As soon as the door closed, they both dropped what they had been carrying and came together as heat overtook them. She pushed him against the wall, running her hands up his chest and into his hair.

He was on fire. He managed to switch positions with her so that she was against the wall. He was deep kissing her, his hands undoing her shirt and releasing her breasts into his hands, then his lips.

Finally! You know these two have been leading up to this moment! I love her carpe diem spirit -- though I do think that he should've had to grovel a bit more.  We should discuss this over adult beverages at the con!  In the meantime, where can fans of your work find you?

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this adventure, Nicola! See you soon in Rust City!  My website is here.  I'm pretty active on Facebook, and Mountain Mama: My Heart for Jill has its own Facebook page here.

=====================================  

Reader Registration is still open for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

J. Leigh Bailey: Rust City Featured Author

 

Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who will be joining us for the conference IN JUST A FEW DAYS!!! 

Today I'm showcasing

J. LEIGH BAILEY

Hi J. Leigh, can you tell us a little about your work?

Hi Nicola! I write New Adult and Young Adult LGBTQ romance, featuring young men exploring the world of love, relationships, and acceptance. My Letting Go series with Carina Press features three stand-alone New Adult stories of men who have to overcome something traumatic in order to make a happy future with the men they love. This fall my first Young Adult novel--DO-GOODER--releases. Two missionary boys are kidnapped and held hostage by mercenaries in Cameroon, Africa. They have to work together to survive, and, eventually, gain their freedom.

Wow, that sounds really fresh and different. I always appreciate a book with an unusual setting. Know what else is an unusual setting in genre fiction? Detroit! So let's talk about RustCity...

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at getting to work on time! but these days I'm pretty rusty."  I feel that pain for sure, and something about the summer time makes it even worse...

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.

While I greatly admire Eminem's skill with lyrics (the man is amazing!), I have to go with Aretha. The soul. The attitude. The conviction. Gives me chills every time.
Very diplomatic answer. I like it.

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.
All will be revealed at the conference...

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? I can't wait to spend the weekend with readers. I love being surrounded by people who understand how a person can become completely invested in fictional worlds and characters; with people who are aghast at the phrase "I don't like to read." These people are my people, my tribe.  I think you've really nailed the appeal of book conferences.

5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy?
Cars, music, water.  Me too, almost exactly! -- I'm a non-Michigander who married in, so I have to add, "family" in there too.

6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence? The sexy wail of a saxophone soothed his jagged nerves, a much needed respite from the world's shittiest day.

What's it about? This would be love story complicated by high profile media attention and family obligations.   That sounds like a great setup!

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game? I'd love to!

Yay! J. Leigh kindly volunteered to let me choose the story for her, so she is adding to THE INFERNAL MACHINE, which is our attempt at steampunk-- and furthermore, she has provided us with a THRILLING CONCLUSION, which is no easy task with a game like this generating multiple threads! The world-building rules for the steampunk category are: set mid-nineteenth century, little or no magic, but alternate history without petroleum-fueled technology or electricity. The challenge words are: Triangle, Boy, Stronger, Key and Gash

Part 1, by Lorelei Brown
Part 2, by Marie Piper
Part 3, by Seleste deLaney
Part 4, by Cindy Spencer Pape
Part 5:

Jessa sucked in a breath. She’d purposely given him the opportunity to approach her, but she’d never considered he’d figure out that part of her secret. It wouldn’t matter, though. She knew just what to do to solve this little problem.

“Please,” she croaked out, using her free hand to grip his wrist, ostensibly to halt his fondling.

He grinned, his fingers squeezing her breast with more force. He was stronger than her, but if her unorthodox career had taught her anything, it was that brains outstripped brawn every time. With his attention on the curves hidden beneath her man’s suit, she stomped on his foot, proving that the clock-work pieces on her shoes were more than simple decorations. When he stumbled back half a step, she swung her knee up dead between his legs, a dirty trick her brother had taught her when they were children.

The Badger released his hold, and curled into himself, cradling his no-doubt sore man-parts. She took the opportunity to jam her knee into his face, propelling him back so he sprawled on the grime-covered ground unconscious. The gash in the skin of his forehead pleased her. It was the least he deserved, both for his traitorous acts and for his attempted molestation.

“Oy! Whot’s goin’ on ‘ere?”

Jessa turned, reaching under her sleeve for the collapsible brass baton she’d invented herself. She relaxed when she saw who had interrupted her. He was a boy, no older than thirteen, a street urchin from the looks of him. She didn’t have time for this. She had to find the mark, retrieve the engine, and deliver it to the Index. “Run along, young man. This is no concern of yours.”

He ignored her order and strolled closer. “I got a message for you.”

“I doubt it.” Jessa busied herself with straightening the lines of her suit and repositioning the bowler hat on her head.

“To get what you want, you need a key.” He spoke the words slowly, as though reading from a script.

That stopped her. “A key, you say? What kind of key?”

The boy shrugged. “I dunno. But I was also told you should ‘urry.” With those enigmatic words, the boys ducked into the shadows and disappeared.

Shaking her head, Jessa settled against the pitted stone archway of the barracks, and waited for Miss Alma to make her way past. Alma would only wait for someone to approach her at the bar for so long before giving up and heading home. Jessa only hoped she’d give up soon. The night was waning. She tilted her wrist until a moonbeam illuminated her Index-provided timepiece. It was a clever contraption, all the benefits and charm of a pocket watch, but able to be strapped on the wrist using a band of brass links. She lifted the small cover, a delicately wrought triangle of etched brass, to see the hands of the clock. As she suspected, it was only a couple hours from dawn.

Several minutes ticked by, until Jessa began to think she’d have to approach Alma at the bar after all, despite her preference for privacy. While she debated her options, she heard the tell-tale click of women’s heels on cobblestone streets. One peek around the corner confirmed her thought: Alma was almost there.

Jessa whipped her arm out, grabbed Alma’s lace-and-linen-covered arm, and was nearly bashed in the head with the woman’s parasol. “Stop that!” she hissed, levering the parasol away from her face. “I need to speak with you.”

The young woman trembled, hands clutching the valise to her chest.

“I am your contact. You can give the engine to me.”

“But…but…” Alma stuttered. She swallowed hard and tried again. “Franklin said to—”

Jessa cut her off. “Franklin has been disposed of. I am here to return the engine to the proper individuals.”

She bit her lip, staring at Jessa. “I have your word.”

Silly, naïve girl. Jessa wondered at the innocence. Had she ever been so trusting? It was a good thing that Jessa was on the side of angels. “My word, I have been duly authorized to return the engine to Alpha Cross.” In all actuality, she would deliver the parcel to Index, but as they were the secret protective force for Alpha Cross, it was as good as delivering it to the hands of Alpha Cross.

The girl pulled open her valise to display a gleaming engine, with cylinders and hydraulic mechanisms. It was too big, though. Jessa had been told the engine would be the size of her two fists together, not nearly triple that. Had she been duped? She lifted the metal contraption out, using the available moonbeams to examine every shiny inch. There, along one side, nearly hidden under a broad cylinder, was an impression of a delicately etched triangle, the same size and design as the face of her wrist-held time piece.

Jessa removed the small cover, noticing for the first time the ridge that ran down the center. She placed the triangle into its matching indentation. A perfect fit! She used the ridge to turn the triangular piece. After two clicks, the outer casing of the engine split open, revealing a smaller engine, with parts so small she could barely make them out in the dark. This thing, this compact bundle of gadgets, gears and pumps, was thought to be the greatest invention of all time.

Alma stepped back suddenly, hugging the precious invention to her chest. “You promise Franklin is dead? And my family is safe?”

“You have my word.”

Nodding, she passed the valise, engine and all, into Jessa’s hands. Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked away, leaving Jessa holding her ticket to freedom, her ticket back to New York. Holding the invention of the millennium—the first transplantable, human compatible, clockwork heart.

Thanks so much for playing, J. Leigh! You did an amazing job with this story! I love it! Where else can we find you?

I'd love to connect with people. I'm on Facebook, Twitter, or you can reach me on my website. Also, I have a piece going up tomorrow at the Read A Romance Month site, so please check that out!

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Reader registration is open through August 12th for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

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Nancy Holzner: Rust City Featured Author

Welcome to your introduction to some of the fantastic authors who will be joining us at the conference, only one week away now! Today I'm showcasing
NANCY HOLZNER

Hi Nancy! Want to tell us a little bit about your work?

Sure! I'm the author of the Deadtown urban fantasy series, featuring shapeshifter Victory Vaughn. As Boston's only professional demon exterminator, Vicky kills other people's personal demons while trying to maintain a relationship with her workaholic werewolf lawyer boyfriend and manage a teenage zombie apprentice. There are currently five books in the series: Deadtown, Hellforged, Bloodstone, Darklands, and Hellhound. The sixth and final book, Firestorm, will be out next year.

That's awesome, Nancy! I read the first two and liked them very much; clearly I need to get caught up! For now though, on to RustCity!

1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at downhill skiing , but these days I'm pretty rusty." I did a little skiing years ago myself, although I would have to say "downhill skiing on beginner runs only." The one time I attempted a blue run, I gave up part way down and slid down on my butt holding my skis...

2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.  No one has a voice like Aretha.  This truth we hold to be self-evident...

3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.
All will become clear at the conference...

4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? Hanging out with readers and other authors. Excellent, because that's the whole point!

5. What is an off-the-cuff association you have with Michigan, Detroit, or Troy? Wayne State, where my dad went to grad school (not quite) a million years ago. Your dad and my husband are fellow alumni, then!

6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence?    
So this girl walked into the bar--not just any bar, MY bar. And not just any girl, either.

What's it about?  
No clue except she's the wealthy industrialist and he's the R&B singer.  I like the Casablanca nod!

7. And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game? Yes please!

Yay!!  You chose to work on Alchemy Rusts, our paranormal, anything-goes story.  And I'm so excited because this will be the THRILLING CONCLUSION to a pretty amazing story. Your challenge words are:  sliver, onyx, morbid, lush, and taste

Part 1, by Laura Bickle
Part 2, by Calandra Usher
Part 3, by AJ Norris
Part 4, by Roselynn Cannes
Part 5: by Gina Conkle

It was the shivering that woke her.

Cold . . . how could she be so cold? Her joints ached with it. It felt like splinters of ice were jammed up under her nails, into her eyes and nose and ears. She was an iceberg floating in a vast, dark, frozen sea.

Mara struggled to open her eyes, but her lashes were frozen shut. She lifted her arm—there was a sound like glass breaking as she pulled free of ice—and rubbed her eyes. Her fingers, stiff with cold, were just warm enough to melt the crystals that sealed them shut.

Mara opened her eyes to the end of the world.

A blizzard raged around her. Tiny silver flakes, sharp as razors, sliced at her skin. She sat up, and silvery ice cracked and flaked away. All was silent until she dug the ice from her ears, unleashing sounds of howling wind and screeching cries. Above it all, Ayla chanted in a language Mara didn’t understand.

The mermaid queen held the astrolabe aloft. The orb shone like the north star as it spewed the metallic snowflakes that filled the room.

The liquid that had spilled from the mermaid tank and lifted Mara up was slowly freezing. It stuck to her like quicksand, drawing her in. She panicked, thrashing, only to get pulled in deeper. The thick liquid splashed into her mouth, coating her tongue with a metallic taste. The taste of death by freezing.

Stop thrashing! she told herself. She closed her mouth. Her body retained barely enough heat to melt the ice from her tongue. She spat it out, and the globule froze in mid-air.

A dark form flew over her head. It hovered over Izyk’s frozen body. The Others were clustered there. As Mara watched in horror, a ring of smoke left Izyk’s mouth, only to be inhaled by one of the waiting ghouls. The Others were stealing his breath. They were sucking out the life force that Spike had tried to restore.

“No!” Mara screamed. She struggled to break free of the ice that held her. But each movement trapped her more firmly. The ice thickened.

Ayla stopped chanting. Her eyes, hard and dark as onyx, fixed on Mara. “Where is the bladeless sword? Give it to me, and I’ll let Izyk live.”

To Mara’s right, an Other inhaled another ring of smoke. Izyk lay motionless, his body encased in ice, his skin tinged with blue.

“Give me the sword!” Ayla screeched. “The time for the ritual is now!” She threw aside the astrolabe and picked up something else. A block of ice. Frozen in its center was Spike. The little dragon glowed orange, but its heat was no match for the unnatural cold of the mermaid queen’s ice. As Mara watched, the orange faded. The tip of Spike’s tail turned hard and clear. Orange flared again, but dimmer. More of the tail glittered, hard and white and cold. Ayla was turning the dragon into a diamond.

“It is the only creature that can give me what I need,” Ayla said. “A sword forged not in fire but in ice. With it, I will expand my realm throughout the half world—and beyond! Where is that sword?”

“You’ll never get it!”

“Then your lover shall die!”

A cloud of Others hovered over Izyk. Could Mara sacrifice him to save the world? But what kind of world would it be if Ayla won? A hard, glittering world of ice and snow, without the lush green forests created by Izyk and his kind. Mara couldn’t let that happen. But neither could she imagine a world without Izyk, his deep laugh, his cool blue eyes, his strong, graceful body that took her breath away.

Maybe there was a way she could save him and the world. But did she dare?

Mara shifted slightly, resting her free hand on her hip.

“There!” Ayla shrieked. She’d seen the movement. “The human has the sword. It’s on her hip, under that ridiculous cloak. Get it!”

The Others remained where they were. Mara prayed that Izyk still held on to some shred of his life force.

“Leave him!” Ayla commanded. “Remember our agreement!” She set Spike on a shelf and picked up the astrolabe, twisting its knobs. The Others jerked upright and stood at attention. “Bring me the sword!”

Mara shut her eyes as the Others descended upon her. Smokelike hands searched her body, pushing her down into the ice. Their touch was the feeling of creeping dread. Then, with a cry of triumph, one of them wrested away the sword. The Others withdrew as they carried the sword to Ayla.

“Good.” The mermaid’s voice was slick with satisfaction. “You may have her.”

Mara opened her eyes to see a dark cloud above her. Faces formed—leering, hungry—and dissolved back into the mist. She was frozen in place, only her face above the ice. All she could move was her eyes, allowing her to just barely see Ayla in the periphery. The mermaid had set down the astrolabe and was reaching for Spike. The poor dragon had almost completely transformed into a diamond. Spike had given up fighting. There was no more orange glow, only a pale yellow at the creature’s heart and the tip of its snout.

Mara had to do it now—or all was lost. She opened her mouth.

One of the Others swooped toward her, and Mara felt like her lungs were being ripped out of her chest. A ring of smoke puffed out of her mouth. The Other gobbled it up.

Mara’s mouth snapped shut. She need to speak. But how could she if the Others were eating her breath?

There was a word. A word of power. A word so dangerous that the book warned never, ever to say it aloud. Mara had stared at it when Spike was stuck to her hand but that warning had kept her lips sealed. Whatever the word did, she needed to say it now. If she even remembered it.

Ghostly fingers probed at her mouth, trying to pry it open. Mara tensed. She visualized the page. The word formed in her mind. She could feel its power. She let the power gather.

She opened her mouth and bellowed the word.

It blasted through the Others, scattering them.

It shattered the cube of ice that imprisoned Spike. Color rushed into the diamantine body—orange, then red. Spike burst into flames. Spike became fire. Ayla tried to drop the dragon. She tried to hurl it away. She tried to shake it off her hand. But Spike was clamped firmly to her palm. Fire spread up Ayla’s arm. Her hair was in flames. Her flesh melted. The water of her aquarium boiled as she disintegrated into it. Her last cry faded in the smoky air.

Ayla was gone. But the flames kept spreading.

Wisps of dark mist flared and fell to ash as the Others were burned up. The ice holding Mara melted. She ducked under the water as fire shot across the surface. But the water was growing hot. And she had to breathe.

What had she done? Mara had stopped Ayla, but she’d tilted the world too far in the other direction. A world of fire was no better than a world of ice.

Now she had just one choice left: Death by drowning or by being burned to cinders.

Mara’s lungs screamed for air. She couldn’t drown. Maybe the fire would be quicker.

As her head broke the water, a deep voice boomed out a word. Mara had no clue what it meant, but she could feel its power. It thrummed with an energy that shook her to her bones.

The flames extinguished. When the smoke cleared, the first thing she saw was Spike, its silvery scales shining as it sat on the rim of a cracked aquarium and preened. The dragon hiccupped, and a little belch of flame shot from its mouth. But it didn’t spread.

The second thing Mara saw was a pair of ice-blue eyes, sparkling with life and a touch of amusement. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to never, ever say that word?”

Izyk. He was alive.

And so, for that matter, was she.

“What else could I have done? I thought Ayla would let those Others kill you.” Not to mention freeze the entire world.

“Don’t be so morbid,” Izyk laughed. “I don’t kill that easily.” His expression darkened. “Ayla was evil. She froze the North Woods and was holding some of my people captive there. She forced me to tell you to bring the astrolabe. I had no choice, but I thought if I was rude to you when you called, you might stay away. I was trying to protect you.”

Oh, Izyk, Mara thought, as if anything could make me stay away from you. “I was ready to smack you,” she admitted.

Izyk laughed again and pulled her into his arms. She rested her cheek against his strong, muscled chest. She felt warm here, and safe.

“You do understand, though, how dangerous it was to speak that word.” His words held no hint of reprimand.

“I know. It upset the balance. And I didn’t know how to restore it.”

“I think you need some lessons in alchemy. Advanced alchemy. Your spellcraft is powerful, but you need to refine your control.”

Mara smiled up at him. “I agree. Know any good teachers?”

Spike hiccupped again. But the dragon’s burst of flame wasn’t half as hot as the kiss that consumed them.

Thanks for featuring me on Alpha Heroes. I look forward to seeing you at RustCity!  In the meantime, readers can find me around the web at these locations:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+

It was so great having you Nancy! and I love love love what you did with this story!  What a ride!  Thanks so much!

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Reader Registration is still open for #RustCity16!

Be sure to keep up with all things Rust City 2016, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice: Facebook |Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | RSVP at the Facebook Event.

A Promise of Fire, by Amanda Bouchet - Review

Information
Title: A Promise of Fire
Series: The Kingmaker Chronicles 
Author: Amanda Bouchet
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: August 2, 2016 
Reviewing: Print ARC 
Reason for reading: PR Agent Raves

The Short Answer
A Promise of Fire combines the best of urban fantasy, traditional fantasy, and romance. Powerful characters battle terrifying enemies and form shocking alliances, in a mesmerizing world of magic and mundane, fire and ice, truth and lies.

The Blurb

KINGDOMS WILL RISE AND FALL FOR HER
...BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods—and her homicidal mother—have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.

Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm—until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone.

A Few More Thoughts
I completely, thoroughly, totally, utterly love Bouchet's world-building. The balance of magics, politics, and character is full of surprises and fresh, breath-taking plot twists.  Cat is keeping secrets -- big ones. And while there are hard-fought battles in this book, it's clear that they are mere skirmishes for the Power Bid to come. Griffin is a hero that calls to mind Game of Throne's Khal Drogo:

He's looking at me, and it's hard not to look back. He's striking in a dark, magnetic way, his size, weapons, and bearing all telling me he's a tribal warlord. His build is strong and masculine, his gait perfectly balanced and fluid. He walks with predatory confidence, unhurried, and yet there's no mistaking his potential for swift, explosive violence. It's not latent or hidden, just leashed.

Besides making you want to fan yourself a little, exposition like this tells you two things -- first, you form an image of the warlord character in your head -- what he looks like as well as what kind of man he is. But it also tells you what Cat notices. That she's observant. That she knows what makes a person violent, competent, a predator. That's on the first page. Buckle up.

Can we talk about that cover for a minute? how utterly gorgeous is that?  I love the colors, the woman's expression, the fire and lightning. I'm not one to go weak for covers but this one is just super-pretty, not least for the choice of models. While Cat is not explicitly described in a way that makes her unmistakably a woman of color, neither can the reader assume she's lily white, either.  Within the first third or so of the book, the reader will figure out that the Greek mythological pantheon is playing a role here, so it's natural to imagine the characters with a Mediterranean stamp-- which of course can mean many things. Anyway, it's nice that neither the characters or the cover default to a whitewash.

For those of you wondering "is it a romance?" I would say, "mostly." This trilogy is going to feature the same heroine for the three books (I'm assuming) and while Cat and Griffin have absolutely fallen for each other --I don't think that's a spoiler!-- there are more obstacles to come, and they won't be small.  I'm going to be really disappointed and surprised if the trilogy doesn't end in an HEA though.

I only had two small issues with this book. One, I really, really dislike first-person-present tense. One in a thousand is done perfectly enough that it serves its purpose, which is to immerse the reader in the immediate action, thoughts, and point of view of the main character. This book does make it to the one in a thousand, but it took me a chapter or two to get there.  Two, Cat is very young -- nineteen -- and her character borrows a lot from NA trends, frequently leaning to the petulant, smart-assy to the detriment of the scene, and overall more immature than I like my characters.  This might be intentional, as its the beginning of an epic trilogy. But I found it irritating more than once. Luckily, she's also brilliantly intelligent, cunning, brave, and tremendously powerful, which offset the immaturity.

Not to end on a bad note:  this is an amazing story and I cannot wait for the next book.  It one of the strongest series-- and author-- debuts I've had the pleasure of discovering right at the beginning. Unless you have no taste all for fantasy, this should go right to the top of your TBR.