Pick a cover, any cover- Passport to Romance

Happy October!

This year I am again hosting the 4th annual Passport to Romance reader appreciation event in Bellevue, Washington. It's a fabulous evening of authors, swag, and lots of free stuff. Lots!! Did I mention the event was also free? Well it is!

But even if you can't make it to our event in person, you can still participate by voting in the cover contest. The top four vote-getters make it to the finals where a winner will be selected at the Passport event. So check out the roster and vote for your favorite. Maybe you'll see a book that catches your eye and you'll find a new favorite read too.

Click the link to vote: http://gsrwa.org/ecwc/passport-to-romance-reader-event/passport-to-romance-cover-contest/

Hint-hint- I wouldn't mind a vote for a little superhero book called Instinct either :)

And if you are local to the Seattle/Bellevue area, we'd love to see you October 27th! Doors open at 6pm.

Until next time!

Anna- The Super Diva 

And check out Instinct at your

favorite eRetailer!

https://www.books2read.com/Instinct

Website- http://annaalexander.net/

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Wrath and Ruin and Mick Jagger By Ripley Proserpina

In November 2015, I decided to try National Novel Writing Month. During Nano, the goal is to write 50,000 words in a month. With a few friends, I carved out time November 1st, and started. https://nanowrimo.org

It was the most fun I had writing a book. It was balls-to-the-wall, don’t think, just write, writing. And patches! There were these fantastic patches you could earn! I had no idea pretend patches could be motivating, but they were! I wanted them bad. 

Before November, I had decided to write a story combining two of my favorite things—the Romanovs and The Rolling Stones. So during October’s dreary days, I researched the Romanovs, the Russian revolution, Russian folktales, and listened to Mick belt out Sympathy for Devil. Watch Mick Sing!

What came out of that month was Wrath and Ruin, and I honestly wasn’t sure I’d do anything with it. I sat on it for a year—wrote four other books in the meantime—but Wrath and Ruin was always in the back of my mind. 

My critique partner encouraged me to submit it to a publisher, but I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t what I typically wrote. For one thing, it a fantasy romance, for another, it was young adult. Then the publisher of my reverse harem romances opened a new young adult publishing branch, Opal Moon Press, and it was kismet. 

September 12th, Wrath and Ruin, finally releases, and I’m more nervous and excited for this book than I can handle. I open a vein with all my books, but for this one I cracked open my chest. I know I’m not the only writer who feels this way, so I’m sure I’ll have some company while I bite my nails and hope for the best. At least I’ll have Mick and Co. to keep me company.

Wrath and Ruin on Amazon

With every wish made comes a curse…

Polya, wild and fierce, innocent and loyal, can credit her very existence to a wish her mother made for a prince’s love. The devil himself felt her mother’s ache and gave her everything she asked for. 

Tempted from Hell to the cruel country of Konstantin, the devil battles against a prince, his princess, and the perfect soldier for the ultimate prize: hope itself. When wishes and curses convene, only Polya can save them all, and start the revolution that will change everything. 

In the darkest of times…hope is born.

Superheroes- More than Magic

When I began writing superhero romances, I didn't know I was blazing the trail in a new genre. Come on, superhero stores have been around forever, so everyone should know what elements make up a superhero story. Right?

Yeah... Imagine my surprise when I discovered there are many, many people who are misinformed.

The common misconception I hear is that most people believe a superhero must have super powers,or a form of magic if you will, therefore all superhero stories are paranormal in nature. Makes sense. Almost.

I'm sure you have all heard of Batman, and let's not forget our favorite billionaire weapons manufacturer Tony Stark. Their power stemmed from their intelligence, access to weapons grade materials, and big, fat bank accounts. Then there is Frank Castle, the Punisher. He ain't rich and he ain't sauve. Nope, Frank's power is in his ability to nurture revenge and not give a fuck if anyone cares what he does.

Then there's Ant-Man, Huntress (my fav!), the Atom, Green Arrow, Elektra, I can go on. All great superheroes who do not possess magic. Some of their stories are more science fiction in nature, while others could be considered suspense. That's what makes these stories so great! You can have a superhero story set in any genre, any world, in any time period.

So what elements make up a superhero story? It's simple really.

1. There is an injustice in the world.
2. The person who fights that injustice cannot do it as themselves and takes on an alter ego.

Ta-da! That's it. The secret identity is the key to a traditional superhero story. Think about it. James Bond is a mask and alias away from being a superhero. That dual identity and the struggle to balance the two is where the greatest exploration of character and conflict occur. Spiderman walked away from the mask when the pressure to keep his family safe became too great. Wonder Woman is so devoted to her role as the world's protector, that she sometimes forgets what it means to be a part of that world, which in turns colors her relationships.

So next time you're looking for a superhero story, remember to look beyond the paranormal section. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Until next time y'all!
Anna- The Super Diva

Get your copy today as we count down
to the next Sprawling A book!

Website- http://annaalexander.net/
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Get Your Football Fix- Blitzing Emily by Julie Brannagh

Football season is over, and for us Seattle fans it was a bittersweet ending. So what are you going to do to pass the time until pre-season begins? Read a book, of course!

Sports romances are an up and coming genre, and one of the first authors to tackle these stories of super athletes finding their happily ever afters is newly crowned USA Today best selling author of the Love and Football series, Julie Brannagh.

Today she's sharing a snippet of her best seller, Blitzing Emily. But first, I had to ask her, what was going through her mind when Russell Wilson dropped back for "the pass?"

Julie- "Let's just say my mouth was hanging open when Wilson's pass was picked off in the last play. I couldn't believe they didn't run the ball..."

You and me both, sister. You and me both.

Blurb

All's fair in Love and Football . . .

Emily Hamilton doesn't trust men. She's much more comfortable playing the romantic lead in front of a packed house onstage than in her own life. So when NFL star and alluring ladies' man Brandon McKenna acts as her personal white knight, she has no illusions that he'll stick around. However, a misunderstanding with the press throws them together in a fake engagement that yields unexpected (and breathtaking) benefits.

Every time Brandon calls her "Sugar," Emily almost believes he's playing for keeps—not just to score. Can she let down her defenses and get her own happily ever after?

Excerpt

EMILY HAMILTON PLANNED to kill her sister. She just had to figure out where to hide the body. After that, she’d have to explain to Mom and Dad why Amy didn’t attend Sunday dinners anymore. Right now, though, that was all secondary.

Emily parked in front of the Seattle Sharks’ headquarters on a cold, windy Valentine’s Day afternoon, wrestling the biggest balloon bouquet known to mankind from the back of her Ford Escape.

Couldn’t this guy’s girlfriend choose a better method of saying “I wuv you” than seventy-five personalized Mylar balloons, five pounds of Fran’s Chocolates, and a teddy bear the size of Sharks Stadium? A greeting card would work. They’re portable. They’re tasteful. Well, most of them are. The mailman would even pay a visit to one’s very own mailbox to ensure that the Valentine in question found its way into the paw of some neckless, muscle-bound football player in plenty of time for the big day. Then again, Emily didn’t actually know any football players, and maybe she was being a little harsh.

She gazed at the profusion of balloons reading “I love you, Brandon.” Brandon would also be the only man in America who might find such an over-the-top display compelling.

Emily carefully tugged, rearranged, coaxed, and swore under her breath for what felt like a half-hour, and the balloons wrapped themselves around the bear. The bear wedged under the huge box of chocolates. She’d opened all four car doors in an attempt to push or pull the whole thing out. Moving the box was frightening. Even better, it had been an unseasonably cold February in Seattle. The parking lot resembled an ice skating rink courtesy of the last (surprisingly deep) snowfall. Replacing a five-pound box of expensive Fran’s Chocolates meant one less pair of Jimmy Choos in her closet, which was always unacceptable.

Emily pulled on the balloons again as she slid around on pavement that felt like it was greased. She wasn’t exactly dressed for balloon wrangling. The stiletto-heeled boots she’d bought during her last trip to Rome and couldn’t wait to wear looked great at rehearsal. But they didn’t work well in an icy parking lot by any stretch of the imagination. The dress trousers and lacy silk cardigan she had on today weren’t made for flexibility, either.

Emily wasn’t a floral delivery driver by profession. She typically spent her days, and several evenings a week, being rescued from evil spirits, pursued by noblemen, or falling in love with entirely inappropriate scoundrels as an opera singer. Rehearsal was done for the day, however, and she was helping her sister out. Amy’s floral shop had opened less than six months ago, and Valentine’s Day was the biggest delivery day so far. Amy needed the money. After all, her business loan balance was the financial equivalent of Shock and Awe.

Emily needed a stiff drink and an evening with George Clooney, but she didn’t see either materializing anytime soon.

She could free the bear, but that would send the candy box flying. She couldn’t get through the mass of balloons to push the candy box aside. The bear watched her through beady and unmoving eyes as she stopped swearing and started praying. She wasn’t Catholic, but reciting a couple of Hail Mary’s wouldn’t hurt.

Maybe she imagined devil horns sprouting through the bear’s thick plush.

Buy Links

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Blitzing-Emily-Love-Football-Novel-ebook/dp/B00DB3AA3A/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Nook- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blitzing-emily-julie-brannagh/1115554763?ean=9780062279743

iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blitzing-emily/id660528721?mt=11

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18053051-blitzing-emily

Kobo- http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/blitzing-emily

Until next time, y'all. GO HAWKS!!

Anna- The Super Diva

Website- http://annaalexander.net/

And get Elite Metal for 99 cents on Amazon now!

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The Other Duke by Jess Michaels: Book 1, The Notorious Flynns #Hot #Historical #Romance

AVAILABLE NOW!

For years Serafina McPhee has been engaged to marry the heir to the Duke of Hartholm and for almost as long, she has been struggling to find a way out of that engagement. When he suddenly dies, she does not mourn but thrills at the idea that she will be free. Unfortunately, best laid plans go awry when the next in line for the title, her intended’s cousin, Raphael “Rafe” Flynn is forced to take over the engagement. But Serafina knows Rafe’s reputation as a libertine and wants nothing to do with him, either, even if he is devastatingly handsome.

She proposes an arrangement: she will agree to the marriage and provide Rafe with his heir and spare. Once she has done her duty, he will let her go. Rafe is intrigued both by her beauty and by her utter disgust with the idea of being his bride. Women normally fall at his feet, not cringe away from him. However, since their arranged marriage is not something he can escape, he agrees to her terms.

But when he finds out on their wedding night the truth about her torture at the hands of his predecessor, he finds himself driven not just to fulfill his bargain with his new bride, but to introduce her to desire. While they move closer together, surrendering to wicked pleasures, dangerous emotions may violate every agreement they’ve made.

Read an Excerpt:

Serafina forced herself not to flinch as she entered the room with its richly paneled walls and tall bookcases filled with tomes Cyril had never touched in his life.

Come to think of it, Serafina hated this chamber as much as the parlor.

A man stood at the fire and, as her father shut the door, he turned. Serafina caught her breath.

She had never met Raphael Flynn, the new Duke of Hartholm and the cousin of her late fiancé. He wasn’t titled and moved on the outside fringes of the Upper Ten Thousand.

What had been said about him were murmurings of a reputation that seemed to both irritate and intrigue those in her circles. He was rich but no stranger to scandal and repeated behavior that thwarted Society’s many rules.

Even Cyril had hardly spoken of his cousin in the past except to malign him, which softened her to the man considerably.

And then there were the rumors of his intensely handsome good looks. Now that she stared at him, leaning on the mantel with a haphazard nonchalance that didn’t reflect the importance of the moment, she couldn’t deny that he was utterly beautiful. An Adonis. There was no other way to describe him.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QQOIBOQ/

Barnes and Noble (will not be available until release date)

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-other-duke/id949739665?mt=11&uo=4

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-other-duke

More from Jess!

WANTON CHRISTMAS WISHES (Anthology) November 18

A MEASURE OF DECEIT (Ladies Book of Pleasures 3) December 9

THE OTHER DUKE (The Notorious Flynns 1) January 13

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The Other Duke, 1st bk in @jessmichaelsbks new series, The Notorious Flynns is out! Pick it up for its sale price at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QQOIBOQ/

Sexy historical romance from @jessmichaelsbks is out TODAY! The Other Duke available at Ama: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QQOIBOQ/ and all other retailers.

@jessmichaelsbks is going full indie! Pick up The Other Duke today at Ama: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QQOIBOQ/