Posted by: Author | January 29, 2013

New Cover Love (and I mean LOVE)

I got my latest cover this past weekend. I’m over the moon thrilled with it. It perfectly evokes the era and the tone of the story. The story is a short one, set in 1925. Dawne Dominique is an excellent cover artist who really seems to get me and my visions for my covers. She’s made wonderful covers each time I’ve been published with Secret/Sweet Cravings Publishing. This story was contracted to come out in March, got moved up to February 22 and as of last Friday, is to be released on January 30, 2013. So, early is good, right? Better than being in trouble for being late, in my opinion. Lol.

Here is the cover. What do you think?

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Posted by: Author | January 28, 2013

Special Guest- Elizabeth Morgan

Elizabeth is a friend from one of my publisher’s loops and has a new release today with Secret Cravings Publishing. It’s called Creak and sounds like a great read to me. I love the old motel sign on the cover, don’t you? Here’s some info, blurb and an excerpt. Check it out.

Creak_MED

Creak

(An Erotic Thriller)

By Elizabeth Morgan

BLURB:

“What happens in Silver Creek, stays in Silver Creek.”

After spending the summer as a recluse due to a bad break-up, Nicole Saunders agrees to go to The Heat Wave Festival with her best friends, Kacey and Tyler.

Along with three other friends they plan to take a shortcut through the small town of Silver Creek; the last thing any of them expected was to become lost and end up pulling in to a motel for the night.

The Creek Motel is isolated and the last place Nicole wants to be, especially after meeting the glacial owner, but her discomfort is soon forgot as she finally gives in to her feelings and asks Kacey and Tyler to spend the night with her.

A decision she quickly regrets when she discovers that their friend has mysteriously disappeared from her locked room in the middle of the night. Worried, Nicole presumes the worst, but quickly discovers that Jayne’s disappearance is more disturbing than any of them could have guessed.

BUY LINK:

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=514

~ * ~

EXCERPT:

Chapter Two

Friday, September 12th, 2014

9:38 p.m.

We had lost the sun about two hours ago, the helpful lights of the other cars and the freeway about an hour after that.

We had all agreed to cut through the small town of Silver Creek in order to knock an hour off our journey—a decision I was beginning to regret.

My face had been practically glued to the window for the last half an hour as I tried to figure out where the night sky ended and the ground began. It was pitch black out there. Not the kind of night painted in a mixture of dark hues with the added color jumping out once in a while. This was total and complete darkness, the type that seemed to move with us. The half moon and clear blanket of stars above had become our only indication that we hadn’t just driven into a tunnel with no end.

The headlights of Kacey’s green camper van continued to guide us along the narrow road and further toward Silver Creek, which I still wasn’t sure if we had arrived in or not.

In the dim orange glow of the overhead light, I turned to look at Kacey. The blood had drained from his knuckles due to the grip he had on the steering wheel, and his plump lips were set in a firm line. He was pissed. I would even say livid. Which meant only one thing, we had gotten lost.

“Kay?” I said softly. “You might as well pull over.”

His eyes narrowed to slits. His focus stuck to the ongoing road. “No.”

“It’s pitch black. There are no lights anywhere. No sign of life. Pull over, and let’s all spend the night in the van. We can set off early tomorrow, when we can actually see, and figure out where the hell we are exactly.”

He may have been a mechanic, but puncturing a tire or crashing into a tree was the last thing any of us needed.

“There’s a Motel.”

I looked at the surrounding darkness with wide eyes. “I don’t see one.”

He turned the GPS we had attached to the dashboard toward me, and pointed at a small blue square. “It should be here somewhere.”

I stared at the small screen and then back out the front window. Who the hell would put a motel out here? Then again, I suppose if it’s a small trade town, and people did cut through like we’re doing….

“There’s the f***r.” Kacey declared and put his foot on the gas.

The van jolted as we went over a bump in the road, and a groan came from the back. “What the hell, Kay?” I turned to see Tyler rubbing the back of his head, and looking at us through hooded lids. “Are we there yet?”

I shook my head. “We’re lost.”

“We’re not lost.” Kacey stated sharply. “I came down the right route. It’s just fucking taking forever because I have to go at a tortoise pace because some stupid asshole didn’t think about putting up lights on this shitty back road.”

Tyler yawned. “So, we’re lost?”

Kacey growled. “We’ll stop here and set off in the morning.”

I looked back out at the road and watched the speck of light that had suddenly emerged from nowhere, growing bigger and bigger, and finally forming in to a readable size and shape.

The tall sign to the “Creek Motel” flickered in the on-going darkness. The faulty light to the isolated establishment appeared to be the only indication that actual people lived in the area. After an hour of nothing but darkness, the sight caused a pop of relief to tickle my stomach.

Kacey slowed and turned the van in to the small parking lot.

Apart from the two cars sitting along the front of the L-shaped building, the only other sign that the motel operated came from the dull light seeping through the curtains of a few rooms. The van filled with soft groans as Tyler woke up the others and Kacey maneuvered into a free space.

“Are you kidding me?” Disgust leaked in to Jayne’s sleep-filled voice.

Kacey scrubbed his hands down his face. “What did you expect, the Hilton?”

“I expected to be in a packed parking lot with tons of people, and lights and loud music.” She yawned. “Where are we?”

He cut the engine, and slid out of his seatbelt. “We’re stopping here for the night.”

“Where is here?”

“We’re in Silver Creek.”

“Yeah, which is just another name for we’re in the middle of f***g nowhere.”

Kacey twisted in his seat. “Look, it’s too dark. So we’re stopping here. We’ll set off in the morning and be at the festival in no time. Deal with it.”

Dry laughter scraped her throat. “You’re so grumpy. Jesus. It’s not my fault we had to set off at half past five. We should have set off tomorrow morning.”

Kacey popped his jaw, and slid a look at me. “I’ll go get us signed in, shall I?”

“I’ll come with you.” I pushed the door open, and climbed out of the van.

I pulled my jacket tightly around me as we made our way across the rough gravel ground toward the entrance. In the silence, I could hear each small gust of wind whipping around the solitary building.

I followed Kacey through the open doorway in to the dingy, snug reception, which had bare brick walls with old photographs lining them and a heavily worn and scratched wooden floor. Kacey hit the small brass bell sitting on the reception desk and we both stood looking at the closed office door.

~ * ~

BIO:

Elizabeth lives in a small country village in Cheshire, England, with two cats. You will always find her on the computer, blasting music and writing away. She started life wanting to be an actress because she loved performing. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people laugh, to distract them from reality for a few hours. She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her mind started to overflow with ideas for scripts and she began writing plays. Slowly over the following three years, she was writing more and more, channeling her imagination into more detailed manuscripts…

Here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it.

 

Where to find Elizabeth Online:

Website: www.e-morgan.com

Blog: www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.com

Twitter: @EMorgan2010

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMorgan

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morgan.944

Blog: (Shared with Dianna Hardy): http://notjustastiffupperlip.blogspot.co.uk/

Cobblestone Publishing: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/author/elizabethmorgan.htm

Noble Romance Publishing: https://www.nobleromance.com/Authors/184/Elizabeth-Morgan

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=201&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

Secret Cravings Publishing: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=191

Manic Readers:
http://www.manicreaders.com/ElizabethMorgan/

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elizabeth-Morgan/e/B006WR1WLQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_al1?_encoding=UTF8&refinementId=368165031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0ZHQ1BAH0E7X2S7KTJ9M&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=317828027&pf_rd_i=468294

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Morgan/e/B006WR1WLQ/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1351550906&sr=1-2-ent

All Romance Ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/elizabeth-morgan

Posted by: Author | January 25, 2013

Friday Facts- January 25, 2013- Quarter Horse

As you all know I got a new kitten about a month  ago. He’s now three months old. He’s adorable and very rambunctious. Every time I send my older son a picture of Hobbes, the son says, “He’s getting too big.” I keep telling him that the animal is going to be a cat. He can’t stay a kitten forever and he will grow.

Last night, #1 son mentioned it again since I sent him another picture. I said, “look at the size of Hobbes’ paws, he’s going to be big. As big as a quarter horse.” (Yes, I like to exaggerate).

Son then asked me what a quarter horse is. Before I could answer, he said, “Ah, a horse that does well on a short track, I bet.” He’s a smart man because that’s exactly right.

A quarter horse is a horse that is a good sprinter and can run fast for quarter mile distances. American quarter horses have compact bodies and are used in barrel racing and roping events as well. I have cousins who are champions at these events and the animals are magnificent to watch. Some can run 45-55 mph. That’s wild.

So, even though I know Hobbes won’t get as big as a horse, I think he may can be clocked at 30 mph the way  he runs through this house.

Happy Friday!

Posted by: Author | January 23, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

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Posted by: Author | January 22, 2013

RELEASE DAY!

Finally, it’s release day for this story. To tell the truth, I never thought I see this day since I never could seem to get this story quite like I wanted it. The content editor gave me some confidence since she liked it so much but I still have my doubts about it.  I guess that’s part of being a writer and letting your stories out into the world- the insecurity of whether or not it’s good enough. Of course, the good news is that my sales are never quite at the number I dream of so maybe it’ll be okay.  LOL!

Blurb:

Donya Spencer, a busy art gallery manager in London, finds herself battling double vision and dizziness. She doesn’t have time to be ill and finds herself battling the national health care system for months. When she finally gets to see a specialist, she finds the man to be sexy, handsome, and very much her type. Knowing there can be no relationship due to medical ethics, she tries to resist his charming manner.

Colin Knight is the heir to a baronetcy whose father is pressuring him to marry and have children. This is an impossible task for Colin. He’s also a neurosurgeon who hasn’t opened his heart to love since the death of his young girlfriend many years ago. He works hard at the career he pursues relentlessly in an effort to somehow atone for the accident that killed his love. He meets Donya, and the comfortable bachelor life he’s made for himself is turned upside down

Click on the picture to order if you want a copy.jc-doctorloverbaronet-full

Posted by: Author | January 21, 2013

Happy Monday

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr day. I think he was an amazing man who accomplished a lot during his short time on this planet. I’m grateful for the work he did. I have friends of many creeds, nationalities and races. I don’t remember the days of segregation as I was a bit too young when all that was happening. I started school in the 60s but we were always integrated. Even my first grade teacher (whom I adored and spent many after school hours and days with) was African-American (although she’d tell you that she’s black).

I was raised in a family who never cared what race someone is. We care about the inner person – the heart and soul. I am very grateful that I never had to have some of my friends not be allowed to be at my school or sit by me on the bus. I am blessed to have friends of all types in my life. I love that! I think embracing people for who they are is the most rewarding thing in life. I wish, like Dr. King, that more folks were open to that. Who knows? Maybe his dream can still somehow come true.

Posted by: Author | January 18, 2013

Friday Facts- January 17, 2012- Preferential Transfers

Today’s Friday Fact is a bankruptcy law term.  You may wonder why I’m talking about that but it really is apropos to my life this week. I’m going on a girls only cruise in May and we all know each other from our legal work. One of the women said we need a name and t-shirts (and I’m sooo not a t-shirt wearing girl) and she batted around a few names and finally came up with The Preferential Transfers. I know. I know. It’s weird but there ya go. I’m only along for the ride.

Anyway, you may be asking what a preferential transfer is. I’m going to give you the short story on it- not all the intricacies. It’s basically a 90 day period prior to filing a bankruptcy where the court can look back and see what payments and transfers the debtor made in that period and recover those for the benefit of all the creditors not just the one who got preferential treatment.

The payment or transfer would have had to be for a pre-existing debt and the debtor had to be insolvent at the time of the transfer. It also has to be such that the person the debtor paid got more in funds or value than they would’ve gotten in the bankruptcy case itself. The 90 days is extended for a year for insiders like family, close friends, business partners, etc.

There are several exceptions to the preferential transfer rule which include payments in the ordinary way the debtor and the person did business- in other words, if the debtor always paid that business or person in the same manner. Another exception is new value. This is like if the debtor has a business and receives stock or merchandise during the 90 day period and pays for the stock upon delivery.

This is kind of a complicated, nuanced area of law so if you ever want to use this sexy term in a story, let me know and I’ll walk you through it.

Happy long weekend!

Posted by: Author | January 16, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

Italy trip 156

Posted by: Author | January 15, 2013

Pre-Order Available

jc-doctorloverbaronet-fullDoctor, Lover, Baronet is available for preorder here. Thought I’d share the blurb and excerpt as well.

Blurb:

Donya Spencer, a busy art gallery manager in London, finds herself battling double vision and dizziness. She doesn’t have time to be ill and finds herself battling the national health care system for months. When she finally gets to see a specialist, she finds the man to be sexy, handsome, and very much her type. Knowing there can be no relationship due to medical ethics, she tries to resist his charming manner.

Colin Knight is the heir to a baronetcy whose father is pressuring him to marry and have children. This is an impossible task for Colin. He’s also a neurosurgeon who hasn’t opened his heart to love since the death of his young girlfriend many years ago. He works hard at the career he pursues relentlessly in an effort to somehow atone for the accident that killed his love. He meets Donya, and the comfortable bachelor life he’s made for himself is turned upside down.

A BookStrand Mainstream Romance


Excerpt:

She looked around and noticed Alec StClair standing sideways in the doorway talking with someone she couldn’t see. The other man had his back to the room. She rose, shook off her melancholy, and approached Alec.

“Hey, Alec, remember me from the gallery?” She touched him on the shoulder.

He turned around. “Of course I do, Donya. You’re the other bridesmaid—the one that planned that huge art show. Do you know Colin Knight?”

She glanced up the man who had been speaking to Alec. “Yes. We’ve met. How are you?” She held her hand out to be shaken. Oh, God. It was her doctor. She hoped he wouldn’t say anything. This was pretty awkward.

“I’m fine. And you?” He smiled down at her and shook her proffered hand.

“Passable.”

“Sorry, guys,” Alec said. “I’m going to have to leave you for a second. I think Roxanne has had too much to drink. I recognize the signs that she’s going to fall out. I better go get her a chair.”

“Alec, there you are in your role of rescuer again.” Donya laughed.

“Yep. That’s me. I’m a regular knight in shining armor. Although I shouldn’t say that as a true Knight is standing there beside you.” He laughed at his own joke and made his way across the room to Roxanne.

Donya looked up at Colin. “I had rather hoped for a certain Dr. Knight to be my knight in shining armor to fix my head. But, alas, I’m afraid it’s going to be too late.”

“I do intend to be your surgeon. What do you mean, too late?”

“I lose more vision by the day, and the surgery couldn’t be scheduled as quickly as I’d been led to hope for by you.”

“What do you mean? When’s it scheduled? I told my nurse to set you first available.”

“It’s set for two weeks from this coming Monday.”

What? That’s not acceptable. I had no idea.”

“That was what your nurse told me. She said the operatory would not be available for me until then. Apparently, they were booked solid for three weeks.”

“Damned National Health Service,” he muttered. He took her hand. “Donya. I promise you, I’m going to see what I can do to move up the date. I’m sorry about this. I have no real control over the availability of the facilities. There’re so many rules and regulations involved. But I promise, I’ll do what I can.”

“I understand that there may be people in more urgent need than me, but I’m frustrated with the whole thing.”

“I know. I know. Believe me, I get that way, too. Sometimes I wonder why I’m still trying to help people. The system needs some serious revamping.”

Tara danced over, with yet another glass of wine in her hand, to where Colin and Donya were talking. “Why are you so solemn? This is a party, and I command you to dance. Now.” She spun off. She took a big swig of her wine and spilled most of it down her shirtfront.

Colin shrugged at Donya. “She has had some wine tonight, huh? Would you like to dance?”

“Sure. If you think it proper to dance with one’s surgeon.” Can I handle him holding me in his arms? He’s so magnetic and handsome, I may pass out.

“I wasn’t sure if they knew I’m your surgeon, so I didn’t say anything. I think it may be harder for you if you refuse my offer, as Tara seems a bit worse for wear and she may make a scene. Even though she looks pretty in pink, I know she can be an arse sometimes.”

“I have no intention of turning down your invitation to dance, and no, they don’t know you’re my surgeon and I prefer to keep it that way. Was the ‘pretty in pink’ comment a reference to the movie?” she asked.

“Yeah. And me being your surgeon is our secret.” He took her hand and moved toward the dance floor.

They approached the floor. The tempo changed and a slow song, Gerald Alston singing the Sam Cooke song “You Send Me,” came on. Colin held out his arms to Donya, and she stepped into them. They swayed slowly across the floor. “I thought I recognized you from somewhere when you came in my office,” Colin said. “I couldn’t place you, but I knew I’d seen you. What Alec said reminded me of where. It was at the gallery gala night. Are you an artist? Is that how you know Tara?”

“No. I’m not an artist. Just an art lover and former magazine junior editor who went to Oxford to obtain a History of Art degree when I got bored with editing. I’m the manager of the gallery. I saw you there that night, too. If you recall, you caught me in the hallway and told me I needed to see a doctor. Why didn’t you tell me you were a doctor?”

“Why didn’t you say anything that day in my office?” he asked, seeming to deflect her question.

“I was afraid that you wouldn’t perform my surgery if you knew we had mutual friends.” The truth was, she was terrified to lose her chance to get well, but she wasn’t ready to share that with him.

“No. Actually, that’s how I get a lot of referrals.” He smiled down at her.

 

Posted by: Author | January 14, 2013

Voting Instructions

As I indicated last week, my story, The Tainted Keitre is nominated for mystery/suspense/thriller of the year at Love Romances Cafe.  Here’s the link to vote if you’re so inclined.  You have to be a member of the yahoo group to vote and here’s the link for that.

I know it’s a long shot since I am not out there pimping for votes. I have a thing about that as it seems to me that a lot of people have a posse of voters who always turn out for these things and I’m never sure if it’s a popularity contest or a vote from the people who have actually read the book. The nomination process is different in my opinion as I truly believe that the person who nominated me would have read the book (although I have no idea who that was- LOL!)

Anyway, I’m thrilled by that nomination as well as the one at preditors and editors where voting ends tomorrow, I think.2012 - Nominee

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