A Brand-New Cover for SURRENDER TO SULTRY with Giveaway!

By Macy Beckett


Howdy, romance readers! I’m Macy Beckett, author of the Sultry Springs trilogy, and I’m here to share the new-and-improved cover for the third book in my series, SURRENDER TO SULTRY. This is Colton’s story—the wild-as-weeds deputy you met in book two, where he starred in the bawdy reality show Sex in the Sticks. Colt’s the county sheriff now, and he’s a changed man hoping for a second chance with his first love, Leah McMahon.

Here’s the original cover:

The design team had hoped vibrant fall colors would help the book stand out on the shelf. But between the battling hues of leaves, water, grass, and text, it’s overwhelming. And then there’s the couple. They look nothing like Colt (a long-haired Scots-Irish Cherokee) and Leah, (a petite blonde). It also doesn’t match the general look of the first two covers. So when the publisher asked the team to create something new, I was thrilled.

Which leads us to the final cover…

Isn’t that easier on the eyes, not to mention more consistent with the first two books? And check out that pair of lovers—they could really be Colton and Leah!

I think this is an improvement. What do you say?

Giveaway Time!

Want to win an autographed advance copy of Colt’s book…even if it does have the original cover? Or how about one of two custom “I like HOT BOOKS and I cannot lie” Macy Beckett tote bags? Simply complete the easy-peasy form below, and you’re entered to win. (US/CAN only, please.) Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Macy Beckett writes hot and humorous romance set in Sultry Springs, Texas: where first loves find second chances. Her debut novel, SULTRY WITH A TWIST, released in October, and book two, A SHOT OF SULTRY, is now available in stores and online. A third Sultry Springs novel will release in August. Additionally, Macy writes young adult science fiction under the name Melissa Landers. Her debut, ALIENATED, is coming in February, 2014 from Disney-Hyperion. You can learn more about her books—for adults and teens—on her website.

It's About Time

My parents and I went to visit my older sister when she was in college, I was about 15. Shortly after my arrival, she noticed my preoccupation with my new wrist watch. It even had one of those outer timing dials you could turn for purposes that were never quite clear, but I was deeply enamored of it. It also had that cool little AM/PM window where the "3" was supposed to be (the date window didn't come along until later). (And, yes, this was even before LED and other digital watches, waaaayyy before portable phones.)

This is about the right age. (Cool shirt hunh?)

So, the first thing my sister did after my parents weren't in the room was grab my watch and set it some random amount ahead (or way behind). "There!" She handed it back to me, quite pleased with herself. "That's Matthew time. You aren't allowed to calibrate it to real time, or anyone else's. Or explain what's going on for the duration of your entire visit." I soon learned that every one of her suitemates had their watch set to a different time and there was no wall clock.

For the three days that I was hanging out and staying in her dorm, I lived in an alternate time zone of my very own. It had its awkwardnesses, such as when my parents would say we'll meet you at six for dinner and I had to ask how long that was from now and then remember to meet them at 3:46a.m (maybe that little outer dial ring had its uses). But there was also a freedom gained, a freedom of knowing that I was living in my personal, private, time bubble that was my very own reality. Maybe that's when I became a fiction writer, even if I didn't start scribing stories until two decades later. (I actually kept the watch on Matthew Time for several days after I got home.)

But time has always challenged me in stories. I once redrafted a novel... well, let's just say, "way more than three times," (it's too embarrassing to say "9 times"). I was trying to get control of the complex timeline of the novel, four major characters and three minor ones each with a past and a present that deeply interrelated and... I tried and tried to weave the time strands together, without success. My final solution, write a prequel, which had to be exciting in its own right, then the story I'd set out to tell in its own time. I finally declared my "Nara" story complete and at long last (that time thing again) moved on.

Then, just recently, I hit a major problem: my latest novel opened in the past. Much to my surprise. Honestly! It works like that sometimes. I sit down. I have a title (usually) and a character and maybe a scene, maybe not, and I just start writing. This one started 25 years in the past and my first reaction was to groan in pain. "Not again. Please, save me, not again." But Secret Service agent Frank Adams, the head of the Presidential Protection Detail in four consecutive novels in my Night Stalkers series, declared in no uncertain terms that his story started in the past.

There were many surprises for me. First, he was right, that is when his story began. (Characters have a nasty habit of being right about themselves, I find that rather irritating at times.) Second, rather than fighting and struggling with time as I had in that past novel (and when my sister had first changed my watch) I slid into it smooth and easy and had a great time writing the book.

Frank's Independence Day. A Night Stalkers July 4th romance is now available. I don't know the last time I had so much fun writing... wait, I do... it was on the prior book. What can I say, I love doing what I do. I'm sure proud of what I've written.

Hope you're immensely proud of something you did recently, it's a feeling that I'd wish on anybody.

Promo vs writing

This month I had 2 novellas released (one erotic SFR and the other a paranormal romance—I think I have discovered a new writing love in SFR). I also found myself thinking ahead to July when The Outcast Prince is released. I had to book some ads, plan some prerelease blogs, set up a goodreads giveaway of the ARC…

And while I was doing that I was also doing edits and writing and prepping a couple of different talks I have to give.

After a couple of years of doing promo I still have no idea what works, only that doing something is required. There are so many books out there, traditionally published and self-published, add into that the long ebook tail and there are millions on books on Amazon. Getting noticed requires promotion.

On the other hand some of my oldest books are selling better now than when they were first released simply because I’ve written other books and new people have found me and gone to my backlist. Backlist matters.

So while I’m not quite free of my day job yet, if I keep writing it won’t be that far away :)

Now I must go and finish some blog posts and that WIP…

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Outcast Prince

by Shona Husk

Giveaway ends May 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Happy Mother's Day...May all your roses be red and your catfish be big!

Mother's Day is tomorrow and flowers are a popular gift. So this seems like the appropriate time to talk about the traditional language of roses...and catfish!

Did you know that since Victorian times, the different color of roses had different meanings?

For Mother's Day, at least in the South, it is traditional to a wear red rose corsage on Mother's Day to signify a living mother, and white roses to honor a mother who is no longer alive. My mother passed three years ago in February and there are several lovely white buds on my rose bush out in the yard this year. I think they will be full blown by tomorrow.

When she passed my sister went through the ancient suitcase that held all her pictures and divided them up three ways. One for each of Mama's three kids...bless her heart, that couldn't have been an easy task. I know because I haven't touched that white plastic box she brought over here until today. I went looking for a good picture of Mama to put on this page since I wanted it to be a tribute to her. I figured I'd find enough that I could pick and choose among them but oh, no, that's not what I found at all.

What was important to Mama was in the box....baby pictures of her three children taken at a time when film and development was not cheap and Mama was a single mother. My father thought the grass was greener on the other side of the fence so she raised us on her own. There were pictures of birthday parties when Mama said, "Sure you can bring your whole school class to the party. I'll make the cake bigger." Pictures of every single phase of my life and then pictures of my kids and grandkids lives. Birthday parties, graduations, spring concerts, proms, weddings, grandkids births and when they graduated from kindergarten and then it started all over again with each generation.

There were letters I'd written to her more than forty years ago still in the envelopes, newspaper clippings about when I got married, when the kids were born and when I finally published my first book. I even found an envelope that said "Lemar's diaper pins and shower" on the outside in her handwriting. He was her first grandchild so she tucked away his little blue diaper pins and the shower invitation for me, knowing fully well that as often as I moved, I'd never keep up with them.

  But the only pictures of Mama were those with her and the grandkids and dear hearts, to put one of each of those on the post would take all day because she had eight grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and half a dozen great-great grandkids. The ones who did not get their picture on Ma Essary's story? Let's just say there'd be hissy fits thrown across Oklahoma and Texas. And Mama would haunt my dreams if I "slighted" one of the kids.

After I wiped away the tears and put the lid back on the box I started looking at the framed pictures of her in my house.

There's one of her when she's about seventeen and one of her back when she was still healthy and full of spit and vinegar. One of her with her three kids taken on the last birthday party that we gave her...and she got to invite the whole class...which was everyone in the nursing home that she'd checked herself into when she couldn't take care of herself any longer.

 But the one that took my eye was the one of her and the catfish.

Lord, Mama did love to fish! And believe me no one baited Mama's hook, took the fish off the hook or cleaned the catch when she got it home but Mama. And no one in the world could fry up catfish, hushpuppies and fried potatoes like she could either. She caught this big boy on a rod and reel and it took her a while to haul his bad boy butt to shore. It wasn't easy but once Mama set her head to do something...well, not even an enormous catfish on a ten pound test line argued with Mama.

Now the funny story that goes with this picture. The year that Mama caught that fish, she had dozens and dozens of copies of the picture made and put them in her Christmas cards (Remember...I did say that she loved to fish!) and her three kids got framed copies of the picture in their presents that year. Any time anyone mentions a picture of Mama, we all say in unison, "the fish picture!"

Mama taught me to stick with it if I really wanted something. She taught me to live on a shoe string if I had to and give thanks for the shoe string. She taught me to love unconditionally but she never, ever taught me to love to fish!

So here is Mama with her 28 pound catfish...Merry Christmas everyone...and Happy Mother's Day Mama! I'm not wearing a white rose this year because in my world you will never be gone.

To celebrate Mother's Day, I'll give away a signed ARC copy of Cowboy Seeks Bride. Mama would have liked it because she loved old western television shows! And the hero and heroine do go fishin' in a pond in the story! So leave a comment to get your name in the red boot for the drawing....which will be held tomorrow night.

Hit The Ground Running + Giveaway by C.H. Admirand

It was an amazing, but exhausting trip that began last Friday just after dawn. My hubby and I drove to Wisconsin, I was invited to Barbara Vey’s Reader Appreciation Luncheon, and couldn’t wait to attend. Mary Burton and I co-hosted a table of readers. I gave away ARCs for ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE with heart-shaped measuring spoons and bracelet & earring sets that my daughter designed. Here’s a pic of what we gave away :)

I had a blast filling a pretty wallpapered box with goodies for the door prize…with all three of my contemporary cowboy books and the first two books in my contemporary small town books—plus some really fun things: measuring spoons, strawberry ceramic measuring cups, candles, Kindle Paperwhite, etc. Here’s a pic of the box, unwrapped, and then with Jenny the winner and myself.

After the luncheon we jumped in the car to drive down to Kansas City, MO…let’s skip the traffic and foggy part and go straight to arriving at 1:45 a.m. on Sunday. LOL! The hotel was beautiful and the staff so warm and welcoming. But above all, my favorite part is working behind the scenes with JoCarol and Johnny Jones and her fabulous staff of volunteers. :)

In between stuffing bags with books and promo, I was invited to the MALA author meet-and-greet at the Plaza Branch of their Library on Monday, and had the pleasure of chatting with librarians who told us we were their rock stars—thanks Terry and Amy! 

On Tuesday afternoon it was off to Dog-Eared Books in Independence, MO. A special thank you to Tina and Connie for inviting me to visit their store. I LOVED their Western Romance section. Here’s a pic :)

Wednesday began before 5am with KC TV's early morning coverage of RT. Reporter Erika Tallan had us form a Conga Line--she's at the front of the line :)

Wednesday was also the Cowboy Corral Reader Event, I was prepared and brought three cases of my cowboys to giveaway…and didn’t have enough books! Here’s a pic of two of the cover models, Len Gunn and Scott Nova...both attended at the CC—and yes, they both take far better pics than I do. LOL!
 

On Thursday, Deb and Leah’s presentation for the spotlight on Sourcebooks was really interesting, especially with the breakdown of where readers are finding SB authors; it’s different for every author.

Friday was the Afternoon Delight Bookseller & Librarian Event hosted by Anne Elizabeth, Sara Humphreys, Christina Skye, Angela Knight and myself. Here’s a pic of the cake with our covers on it ;) I only had two cases of books to give away for this event, my last cowboy book and the first small town book—and again, I didn’t have enough! 

One thing that seemed universal in chatting with readers, librarians and booksellers—they all loved the recipes. I handed out postcards with a pic of one of the recipes that appears in the last book in my small town series: Gram’s Boston Cream Pie—it’s my man-catching BCP—it caught my man, and I’m keeping him!

Saturday was the book fair. Here's a pic one of my FB reader friends, Jenni, and table-mate author Lara Adrian.

We had to leave right after the book fair was over--my darling hubby had to be at work bright and early Monday am, and it was supposed to be an 18 hr. drive from Missouri. Let's not talk about his idea to drive straight through and then finally stopping at 1:30am on Sunday--or the traffic and construction, on a Sunday!

As promised, I have a giveaway today, an ARC for ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE. It’s my last one, so it’s good luck, since the book releases on June 4^th! 

Here’s the question: Have you ever attended a RT or another Reader Event? Be sure to leave your email address when you comment, Random.org will be selecting the winner.

Happy Reading!

C.H.

10 Things I Learned from RT + Giveaway!

Last week was the RT Booklovers Convention, held in Kansas City, MO. It was a very fun conference, and it was so fun to meet up with authors, bloggers, and industry friends. Here are a few things I learned:

10: I’m really jealous of Jaci Burton’s genius marketing idea (our room keys!)

9: But, our marketing department came up with some VERY cute stuff, too (our table in Club RT)

8: Hotel elevators/escalators/floor plans never cease to be far too confusing.

7: Visiting a city that is known for its BBQ is really tough when you’re allergic to tomatoes.

6: Pomegranate mimosas match Susanna Kearsley’s The Firebird perfectly!

5: I really need to suck it up and start wearing my cute shoes, not just comfortable shoes. ;-)

4: Our authors are adorable!

Sara Humphreys

Gina Lamm

Grace Burrowes and her signing neighbor, Monica Burns

Megan Mulry

Leanna Renee Hieber

3: EL James (yes, that EL James) really knows how to make an impact! And she doesn’t even have a new book out :-/ (PS—if anyone sees Sourcebooks Editor Leah Hultenschmidt anytime soon, please ask her to tell you her EL James story.)

2: My fiancé’s face is always hilarious after I show him the amount of pens I pick up (at least 15… it’s a problem).

1: In the words of our very own Deb Werksman (which, mind you, she said in front of the entire room at our Sourcebooks Spotlight): “We f@$%&ing ROCK!”

Did you attend the RT conference? If so, what were some of your favorite memories? If you didn’t, what did you do while we were all away? To giveaway, I have some of the swag we gave away at our table in Club RT: a Rebecca York dog tag (it smells like citrus) + a copy of Bad Nights and a Sarah Castille water bottle + a copy of Against the Ropes. Answer the questions in the comments to enter! US and Canada only, please leave an email address so I can easily contact you! 2 winners will be announced Friday morning. 

Launch Party for Heart of Iron

When I received the release date for Heart of Iron, the second in my London Steampunk series, I was doubly excited. It was due out on May 7th, which, coincidentally, is also my birthday. My first thought was: two cakes? My second was - how did Sourcebooks know?

I don't think they did in the end, although a lot of people have asked me how I swung this, but either way I get to celebrate twice! It's the best birthday present ever!

As for Heart of Iron, I am so excited to unleash this on the world. Featuring Will Carver, the brusque verwulfen bodyguard to Blade from Kiss of Steel, and flirtatious Lena Todd, it is jam-packed with action, sexual tension, a heroine who might just be in over her head, a virgin hero and an epic plot against the Prince Consort - oh, and did I mention the mechanical kraken?

Want to see what the reviewers are saying about it?

McMaster's second London Steampunk book dazzles and seduces, diving deeper into this remarkable world. She crafts complicated, damaged and driven characters whose unlikely passion is unforgettably powerful. Details are slowly explained, and the complexities of all the relationships are gradually teased out, building a mounting tension that will leave readers breathless. Though new readers will be enthralled, devotees will find enormous rewards.

Top Pick from RT Book Reviews - 4 1/2 Stars HOT

Here's a little snippet from Heart of Iron:

“You can’t simply go around threatening blue bloods, Will. It might work here in the rookery, but you’ll be in their world and you must learn to play by their rules," Lena said.

            “Tell me you didn’t enjoy it.” He put his empty plate aside and leaned back in his chair, sinking into the soft upholstery.

            “That’s beside the point. Of course I enjoyed seeing him get his just desserts. The man’s a bully and a toady. He ambushes young women in secluded corners and forces himself on them. There’s no ruin to him or his reputation.” Her face darkened. “Only to us.”

            “Us?”

            Lena’s cheeks paled. “A poor choice of words. I meant the young women of the Echelon. He’s never made any overt threat against me before.”

            “But if he does, you’ll tell me?”

            Lena looked him directly in the eye. And lied. “Of course.”

            “Lena,” he warned, finding his feet.

            She fetched her teacup and nervously put it between them. “I’m not the one he’ll retaliate against. You made a fool of him last night, Will. He won’t forget that. Promise me you’ll be careful.”

            Leaning down, he rested his hands on the armrest on either side of her. Lena’s lips firmed and she rested her teacup in her lap.

            “You ain’t goin’ to distract me,” he said, reaching out and capturing her chin between thumb and forefinger.

            A mistake. Lena’s skin was silky soft, and the slight parting of her lips as she looked up nearly undid him. Her eyes softened, the breath catching in her lungs. For all her devil-may-care attitude, in that moment her expression was oddly guileless. Hesitant. Uncertain of herself.

            The hint of vulnerability nearly undid him.

            Will jerked his hand back as if scalded and turned away, the breath in him coming hard. “If he threatens you, you’ll tell me?”

            Lena’s gaze dropped to her lap. “Of course.”

            What the devil was wrong with her now? “You ain’t afraid of him?”

            “I can handle men like C-.” Putting the teacup aside, she muttered, “It’s certain other ones that give me a headache.”

Want to win a copy of Kiss of Steel, the first in my London Steampunk series? (Open US shipping only) Let me know what your best birthday present was, or maybe even the worst?

And because there can only be one winner, why don't I offer a little giveaway to everyone - for a sneak peek at the London Steampunk world, I'm offering an e-novella called Tarnished Knight (set after Kiss of Steel and before Heart of Iron) for free download for the month. See here for details.

HEART OF IRON BY BEC MCMASTER – IN STORES MAY 2013

In the mist-shrouded streets of London’s dreaded Whitechapel district, werewolves, vampires and a clockwork army are one step away from battle…

NO ONE TO TRUST

Lena Todd is the perfect spy. Nobody suspects the flirtatious debutante could be a rebel against London’s vicious elite—not even the ruthless Will Carver, the one man she can’t twist around her little finger.

Will Carver, is more than man, he’s a verwulfen and he wants nothing to do with the dangerous beauty who drives him to the very edge of control. But when he finds Lena in possession of a coded letter, he realizes she’s in a world of trouble. To protect her, he’ll have to seduce the truth from her before it’s too late.

“Deftly blends elements of steampunk and vampire romance with brilliantly successful results…darkly atmospheric and delectably sexy.” –Booklist, starred review for KISS OF STEEL

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds. The third book in the London Steampunk series, My Lady Quicksilver will be in stores in October 2013. Read more about her at www.becmcmaster.com or follow her on Twitter @BecMcMaster.

To purchase Heart of Iron:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-a-Million

IndieBound

Chapters/Indigo

Discover a New Love

Sourcebooks