Addicted to Writing Presents Friday's Featured Title: Death of a Waterfall by Kara Leigh Miller

Title: Death of a Waterfall

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

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Genre: Contemporary Romance

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 4

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Death-Waterfall-Hayden-Falls-Saga-ebook/dp/B00DAKXOQO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386892912&sr=1-1&keywords=Death+of+a+Waterfall+by+Kara+Leigh+Miller

Buy at Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-of-a-waterfall-kar-leigh-miller/1115551192?ean=2940016534343

BLURB:

Twenty year old, college freshman, Teghan Jacobs didn’t think anything could be worse than learning she’s pregnant by a man she’s been dating less than six months. Boy, was she wrong. Her mother whose drowning in the river of denial refuses to take a side on the issue. Her overbearing, manipulative father threatens to disown her and cut her off from her trust fund if she doesn’t have an abortion.

Donnie Marks couldn’t be happier. The woman he loves, the woman he fought so hard to be with, is going to have his baby. Life has never been better. But when she shows up in his dorm, sobbing and heartbroken, he learns the horrible truth of what happened. He vows to get revenge on the man who's responsible: Teghan's father.

EXCERPT

Teghan had been waiting for this day for three long months. She'd been dreading it for just as long. Having survived her brother's relentless teasing, her older sister's dramatics, her mother's smothering, and her father's domineering ways, she had finally made it. She was heading to college and for the first time in her life, she was going to be on her own. Okay, so the Hayden Falls University campus was less than an hour from her house, but she was living in the dorms, and that represented a level of freedom she hadn't experienced before. The possibilities of what she could do were endless. She'd thought taking time off after high school to spend a year in London with her brother and best friend had been exciting. It was nothing compared to this--probably because her father had hired a live-in bodyguard to keep tabs on them in London, which was such a drag. But there was no need for her father to do that now. She was truly free.

And then her family arrived seconds later in her father's ugly green Lincoln Navigator. It was officially moving day.

"Mom, are the balloons really necessary?" Teghan asked.

Her mother, Rachel, maneuvered around the tiny dorm room with an ostentatious purple vase filled with white roses. Large foil balloons in the shapes of hearts that read "Congratulations," "We love you," and "Good luck" were tied to the rim. She set them on the desk that stood at the foot of the single bed. "They give the room color, don't ya think?"

Teghan dropped her face into her hands and shook her head in disbelief. "Paint will give the room color," she mumbled.

"Don't talk back to your mother, Teghan," her father, Rob, said as he entered the room, arms full of luggage. He piled it on the bed. "This is it?" Rob asked, looking around the sardine can of a room. "Well, this is just unacceptable. I'm going to the student housing office." He pointed his finger at the luggage. "Don't unpack a thing until I get back."

"Daddy!" Teghan said. "Don't!"

"Don't be ridiculous. I won't allow you to live in these conditions."

"Your father's right, sweetie. It doesn't look as though this carpet has had a proper cleaning in years," her mother said.

"I agree. This room sucks and it's ugly, but causing a scene at the housing department isn't going to change anything."

"Trevor! Get in here," Rob shouted, sticking his head out the door.

"Oh God," Teghan groaned. She'd begged her brother to stay home.

"Now stop it, Teghan. Your brother wanted to be here for this," Rachel said. "He's leaving for Rygard on Monday. You should be happy he wants to share this day with you." Tears welled up in her eyes. "It's too bad your sister couldn't be here."

"Mom, don't cry." Teghan gave her mother a hug. She, too, was sad that her older sister wasn't able to be here, but she was in Kentucky with her soon-to-be husband.

"I refuse to participate in a group hug," Trevor joked. He walked the rest of the way into the room and whistled. "Bitchin' room, sis."

"Watch your mouth, boy," Rob scolded him.

"Sorry, Dad," Trevor said and frowned.                                  

Teghan broke free from her mother's death-grip hug and was now standing by the door, which to her horror, had never been closed.

"Where's that person? You know the resident assistant?" Rob asked.

Trevor laughed. "It's called the resident advisor, Dad."

Rob walked toward the door. He had that certain gait about him again--the one where he'd tuck his hands into his pockets, purse his lips, and purposefully step harder than necessary, making it sound like he was stomping. Teghan knew that meant he was displeased and intent on getting results. She cringed. What a way to make an impression. She'd be forever known as the spoiled rich girl who had to have Daddy yell at people until she got her way. That was a reputation she'd had in high school, and it was one she didn't want to have in college. She had to stop him.

Addicted to Writing Presents: Star Crossed by Christine Young

Star Crossed

Christine Young

achristay@aol.com

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 2

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:

Ireland in 1817, when tensions are high between Protestants and Catholics and faey people guide the fate of villagers. A lovely Catholic lass stumbles upon the weakly ritual fisticuffing between Irish lads. She falls into the lap of a handsome young Protestant. Family ties, grudges, and two conniving faeries threaten their budding love. But the faeries outsmart themselves when they hijack a time machine that has mysteriously appeared in their forest.

EXCERPT

Casey pushed on the green grass, trying to unwind herself from the man beneath her, but fell again. All right, Casey lass, you're in a heap of trouble right now with no way out. You are seeing the earth whirl and tumble around and you're on top of a brute of a man--a Protestant.

"All right, lads, we'll meet here next Sunday, same place, same time," her brother's voice filtered through the air as if it floated in the fog that surrounded Casey.

Once again she pushed on the damp grass and didn't seem to make headway, her arms feeling as if they'd changed to soggy twine. Don't you abandon me, Patrick O'Connell. You know I have the Devil's own luck. If you leave me here, I'll never forgive you.

"What about Casey?" one of her brother's friend asked. "She looks a little worse for the encounter."

"Do you think we should leave her here--with Kelly?"

"He's a right stand-up guy. Of course you can leave her here. We'll see her home," a Shaunasey said.

"Well, Kelly is a fine bloke. He won't hurt her. In fact with my feisty lil' sister involved, I fear for him--not her," Patrick said laughing. "She'll do as she pleases. She always does. How can I control her when father cannot? She does not need a second father." He shrugged his shoulder and looked behind him at his little sister as he strolled down the hill.

"She's hurt," another friend called after Patrick. "What kind of brother are you?"

"One who is tired of looking after an accident prone little lass. She has to take responsibility for herself sometime, does she not?"

"She is that," one commented. "You rescue her night and day."

~ * ~

"You should have blessed her with a wee bit o'Irish coordination," Oran said dryly as he flew to a hovering position near the girl.

"And you should remember what our blessed mother told us, 'if you cannot say anythin' nice, don't say anything at all'." Moya rose above the flower petal, her wings buzzing with her anger toward her brother.

"I didn't say anything that wasn't the truth." Oran whistled out of tune for a moment. "We could kidnap them."

"And that is your solution to everything?" Moya pointed one finger at him and shook it. "Why, Oran, I believe you may fancy the lass for yourself. I will not have it. Go play your tricks on someone else's charge. She is mine to see to safety and long life. And don't be forgettin' the lad is yours to watch over."

"You best stem your anger, Moya. You're wings have turned golden," Oran said with a hearty chuckle.

~ * ~

"Let Kelly handle her," Casey's brother said with a light chuckle. "He lost and so he must deal with the object of that loss and assume the consequences. It's only fair."

"Hey!" Kelly said, "Don't leave me here with your sister. It will be hell to pay. She's a little girl. What will your father say?"

The others laughed. "Just don't take too long to decide what to do with her. Little girl or not, father will come after you with his pistol."

I just turned eighteen years old--little girl--how dare he…

"Bloody hell, Patrick. What are you thinking?" Kelly cried out.

"I'm thinking the Catholics won this fight. What are you thinking?" Patrick turned his back on the pair and whistled a jaunty tune as he strolled down the hill.

"Revenge will be sweet. Next Sunday…" Kelly shook his fist at the departing back of Casey's brother.

From what seemed like a great distance Casey heard the moan emanating from inside her battered and bruised body. She squished her eyes together, wishing her head didn't pound so fiercely, and the ground spin so wildly. "Who are you?" she whispered next to the man's chest while a soft spring breeze whispered against her heated face.

"Who am I?" the man chuckled. "Lass, you are the one who landed atop me. I should be inquiring into who you are? Only I know." His hands rested around her waist and squeezed as if he were testing--perhaps exploring--entirely inappropriate. Yet for some strange reason, Casey didn't mind the supposed to be unwanted attention. "And I don't think your brother should have left you here with the likes of me. I'm afraid I've landed myself in a dangerous predicament. And I'm thinkin' one that will be very hard to explain."

"Shame on you," Casey said. "You take liberties." The words stole her breath and she had to lean on Kelly once more in order to minimize the pounding of her head and the strange feelings emanating from where his hands were.

"I only want to remove you from--my--ah--person. And if I were taking liberties with you, lass, you'd be near swooning with passion."

"Ah, it seems you are a wee bit arrogant," she opened her eyes and gazed into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. "The color of a summer sky," she whispered to him, still feeling woozy and not quite sure what he'd just told her--but thinking at the moment something besides the fall caused the earth to spin and the sky to tilt with a crazy, wild abandon.

"What is, lass?"

"Your eyes," she said, struggling against him and finally rolling to the side so she lay sprawled on the grass, staring into the sky she'd referred to a moment earlier and watching a white billowy cloud float past. "I'm not a little girl," she told him. "Don't ever call me that again."

"Then you want me to tell lies?" he asked with a lazy half-smile that stole Casey's heart and left her floundering. "I dinna think I can do that."

"It isn't a lie," she said, trying to sound indignant, yet frustrated beyond anything she'd ever felt before.

Addicted to Writing Presents: Safari Moon by Ann Christine

Safari Moon

AnnChristine

achristay@aol.com

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 2

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:

Buy at Barnes & Noble:

REVIEW:

Safari Moon by AnnChristine
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Full Length (154 pgs)
Rated: 5 Stars
Reviewed by It's  Raining Books

Funny and Sweet

Imagine, if you can, our hero, sound asleep and dreaming a delightful, erotic dream. Suddenly he is awakened by an almost naked, sexy woman, walking into his bedroom accompanied by her pet skunk.

And that is how Safari Moon begins. I chuckled to myself as I continued reading. It seemed that he, a wild life photographer, put an ad in the paper for an assistant, but somehow his Grandfather changed the ad and it now stated that he was desperately in need of a wife. Immediately our handsome, confirmed bachelor is surrounded by a bevy of giggling, panting, eager women wanting to marry him.

How he plans his escape from all the desperate women involves an old friend he gets to help him. Since the friend is presently engaged to someone else and doesn't really want to get involved, it's more than a little complicated. They arrive in Alaska, planning on pretending they are an item. Then Grandfather and Grandmother arrive. The story continues with much laughing on my part, and many misunderstandings, especially when the fiancé shows up.

The story is funny and complicated due to the fact that each of the two main characters are trying to pretend that they really don't care about each other. And since neither is able to keep his or her hands off the other, the story becomes hilarious.

Safari Moon is not your typical romance, and I really loved it.

BLURB:

Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska.  Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him.  Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women.  He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington. 

Excerpt:

Wanted: A professional wildlife photographer to take pictures in the Alaskan wilderness. Experience first hand a real safari moon. Call(555)381-1252 or send resumes to 2286 Main, Suite 2D Bend, Oregon.

Solo St. John was in the middle of an erotic dream about his buddy, Nyssa Harrington, when the click of his front door shutting brought him to instant alert mode.

Solo looked up, caught a flashing glimpse of a good deal of naked flesh; long legs, perfectly rounded derriere, and a waist he could span with his hands. The intruder's long blond hair curled around her shoulders an inch above the ties of her bikini top.

Then he saw the skunk. He blinked twice.

This woman and the skunk were not the subject of his brief and very strange dream, a fantasy that made his mind speed along at sixty in a residential zone. This was someone he had never seen before and he resented the intrusion.

"Hello," she cooed seductively from his living room. "Will you come out and play?"

Addicted to Writing Presents Tell Tale Tuesday: Challenging the Legacy by Genie Gabriel

Challenging the Legacy

Genie Gabriel

genene@genenevalleau.com

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:

Buy at Barnes & Noble:

BLURB:

Super-mom Tallie O'Shea took on eight adopted children and built a legacy of compassionate justice with her policeman husband. When he is gunned down, she doesn't think it's an accident. Then a former lover shows up and the lies from her past start unraveling. As dangers explode around her, can Tallie set things right before everything she loves is destroyed?

EXCERPT

The pressure of Pierce's fingers on hers surprised Tallie. She knew speculation about the two of them had been raging through town since Pierce showed up the night Halo exploded. Fitting, it seemed, since his arrival and the news he was Marly's biological father had rocked the foundation of her world.

Events continued to unfold at a rapid pace, including the whirlwind courtship and marriage of her oldest son, Collin, and local café owner, Beth Boulanger. Tallie already loved Beth like a daughter, though she had questioned Collin about the haste of their wedding.

However, Beth glowed with innocent love as she walked down the aisle toward Collin. And Tallie had never seen her oldest son as happy as when he took Beth's hand and tucked it under his arm, then turned to face his brother, Patrick, who was performing the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved..."

What a difference the packed church was to the intimate setting when Tallie had married Bernie. Just the minister, his wife, and Bernie's uncle, along with Collin and Patrick, who were still wary little boys not believing they might actually have a loving home of their own.

Collin is so handsome. Just like Bernie was.

Tallie dabbed at her tears with a tissue. Bernie had worn a navy blue suit and starched white shirt. Tallie wore the new dress he insisted on buying for her and carried a bouquet of flowers--real ones--from the florist fifty miles away. The two boys were self-consciously silent in their borrowed suits and slicked-down hair.

 "This will be a real marriage." Bernie had told her when he proposed a union so the boys would have both an adoptive father and mother. "You decide when you're ready to be physically intimate. But I'll always be faithful to you."

Tallie touched the wedding ring still circling the third finger of her left hand. A ring that had belonged to Bernie's grandmother.

When they married, Bernie spoke his vows clearly and looked directly at her. In all their years of marriage, Tallie knew without a doubt Bernie had indeed been true to her. He never gave her reason to think anything else.

You would be so proud of your children, Bernie.

As she dabbed at her tears again, Pierce took Tallie's hand and smiled at her. What would her life have been if she had married Pierce? She would have missed out on all her children, as well as the courage that came with being part of Bernie's legacy. She might have become as bitter as Portia Stratford.

She had loved Pierce with a deep physical passion--in a different way than she loved Bernie. She and Bernie were partners, with a love that grew from shared respect and purpose. No matter the past and whatever the future might hold, Tallie was grateful she had her marriage with Bernie and the blessings of all her children.

Only time would tell if her relationship with Pierce would become more than being parents to Marly. Today, Tallie simply cherished this beautiful time of her oldest son marrying the woman he now gazed at with total devotion and love.