COVER REVEAL!!

So excited to show off the GORGEOUS cover for my upcoming February release, WITHOUT A TRACE!  The fabulous Dawne Dominique has done it again!! Please stay tuned for a release day party and GIVEAWAYS!!

Drum roll please....

And here is the cover reveal for Nita Wick's THE CHRISTMAS ASSIGNMENT! Gorgeous, huh??

Comment here or on Nita's blog http://nitawick.blogspot.com/2013/12/drum-roll-please.html by 6:00 PM ET for a chance at one of two $10 gift certificates from her publisher, Freya's Bower!

Nita Wick’s Cover Reveal & Giveaway

The countdown has begun! The cover for Nita Wick’s holiday short story, The Christmas Assignment, will be revealed on Sunday, December 1st!

A sweet, holiday romance, this story is about faith, fate, and second chances.

Lyssa is an angel sent to earth to help humans in answer to their prayers. Spencer Hamilton is babysitting his six-month-old niece while his brother and sister-in-law are out of town. Though he is doing his best to keep the baby happy, he is failing miserably and prays for help from above. Lyssa easily meets the baby’s needs, but she soon learns that her assignment is Spencer, not the darling little girl. How on earth can she help a man who needs only one thing—a wife? Why does this incredibly handsome man make her wish she were human? And why does his kiss taste of Heaven?

In celebration, Nita will be giving away two gift certificates ($10 each) from Freya's Bower, the publisher of this story and her award-winning historical western novel, The Wagonmaster. 

To enter, simply comment on this post or any blog or Facebook post regarding the cover of The Christmas Assignment. You'll receive an entry for each comment (one per post.) Find more posts on Nita Wick’s Blog and Nita’s Facebook page. You may find links to these posts on Twitter, too. You can also find posts on the blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts of friends who have generously agreed to help me spread the word. Deadline for entries will be December 1st at 6:00 p.m. EST. Nita will gather the names and draw the winner on Saturday, December 7th.

Add your comment for an entry! Do you believe in angels?

Secret Cravings Publishing sweet romance blog hop!

All this weekend, Secret Cravings Publishing is having a sweet romance blog hop, which I am proud to be a part of. If you enjoy the sweet side of romance, please check out all the other great authors participating at the Secret Cravings Publishing blog home.

To celebrate the hop, I am giving away a copy of my latest release, TWIST OF FATE. Just leave me a comment telling who your favorite cop or ex-cop novel hero is, and why. I will draw a winner either late this evening or Monday morning.

Welcome Carolyn Arnold!

Who is Detective Madison Knight?

Welcome my guest Carolyn Arnold, author of the Madison Knight series and the Brandon Fisher FBI series.  Today, she’s going to tell us about the Madison Knight series.

What is the Madison Knight series?

First of all, it is designed as a stand-alone mystery series, which means you can read these books out of order and still pick up on the series' characters and story line.

Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight, fueled by determination to find justice for the victims, is a strong, independent female amidst a career dominated by men.  If you love a strong protagonist lead, I invite you to meet Madison for yourself.

To find out more about Madison Knight and the series, you can visit my website here.

How many are books are currently available in the series?

Three novels are currently available, but two more are slated for release 2013.  FOUND INNOCENT will be the fourth in the series slated to release in fall 2013, and LIFE SENTENCE, the prequel to the series releases August 14, 2013.

TIES THAT BIND

Meet Madison Knight as she and partner must pull together to stop a potential serial killer.

JUSTIFIED

See the softer side of Madison Knight in Justified as she's assigned to a case on Christmas Eve.

SACRIFICE

Madison must risk all, including her career, to bring a killer to justice.

Would you like to share some more information on the first in the series, TIES THAT BIND, and an excerpt?

Absolutely. 

This is the book overview:

Detective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman's body is found in a park killed with the same line of neckties, she realizes they're dealing with something more serious.

Despite mounting pressure from the Sergeant and Chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if there's not going to be another victim.

Excerpt of TIES THAT BIND: 

Chapter 3

He sat there, in his 1995 Honda Civic, sweating profusely.  Its air conditioner hadn’t worked for years.  A real piece of shit actually but perfect for the crappy life he had going.  He combed his fingers through his hair and caught his reflection in the rearview mirror.

Last night had changed him—whether for the good or for the bad remained to be seen.  All he knew was his eyes had changed, revealing the darker side of his character.  He rolled his shoulders forward in an effort to dislodge the growing tension and took a cleansing breath that brought with it a waft of the cigarette that burned in the car’s ashtray.

He had parked down the street close enough to observe the activity at 36 Bay Street yet far enough away to be left alone.  At least he had hoped so.  Cruisers were parked out front of the house, and about forty-eight minutes ago, a department-issued SUV pulled to a quick stop.

He picked up the cigarette, tapped it in the ashtray.  He took pride in getting all this attention for his work.  Statistically it was nothing special.  Another dead young lady.  People would move on.  They always did.

It was the city’s thirtieth murder of the year.  He knew this only because he had been brushing up on his statistics.  He was just like that, a gatherer of facts, of useless information.  But maybe someday his fact-finding and attention to detail would prove beneficial. 

He wiped his forehead.  The sweat trickled down and stung his nose.  It was still tender to the touch.  The old man at the bar had a strong right hook.  He closed his eyes for an instant.  When he opened them, a Crown Vic pulled to a stop in front of the house.  He straightened up.

A woman of average height, probably about five-five, with blonde hair walked toward the yellow tape.  But her looks didn’t have his attention.  It was her determined stride that garnered his respect.  And she looked familiar to him and now he knew exactly why—Detective Madison Knight.

She had made headlines for putting Russian Czar Dimitre Petrov behind bars, but the glory didn’t last for long.  His power couldn’t be weakened and the detective proved powerless to stop another murder.

He felt flattered with her on the investigation.  An adrenaline rush built within him.  He could feel the energy in his veins, his heartbeat pounding in his ears, and the subsequent strain to draw in a satisfying breath.

Tap, tap.

Knuckles against glass.  His driver side window to be exact.  He felt his heart take pause, his breath shorten further, as he surmised who it would be.  Slowly lifting his eyes to look at the intrusion on his reflections, his suspicion was confirmed.  It was an officer.

Stay calm, play it cool.

He drew the cigarette to his lips and took a drag on it.  Damn, his nose hurt so much when he sucked back on it, he had to fight wincing.  Leaving it perched between his fingers, he directed his attention to the cop who motioned for him to put the window down.

“I’m going to have to ask you to move your vehicle.”

Good thing for his dark-tinted glasses or maybe this cop would see right through him.  “Sure.”  He could feel himself shaking.  More adrenaline now infused with fear.

“Are you alright sir?”  The police officer bent over, looked into the car.

Following his gaze to the unsteady hand holding the cigarette, he forced himself to raise it for another drag.  It shook the entire way.  “Yeah, I’m fine…”  Her lifeless eyes flashed though his mind.  He coughed for the dual purpose of clearing his throat and for the hope it would somehow dislodge his recollections.  “Sure…I…I’ll get out of your way immediately.”

The cop’s facial reaction made him nervous.  Had he seen through the entire façade?  Was his guilt that obvious?

“All units confirm a secured perimeter.”  The voice was monotone.

The officer ignored his radio.  “What happened to your nose?”

What was this uniform out to prove?  He forced another cough, attempting to re-direct the conversation.  He made himself take another drag and form-pressed a smile to conceal the pain.  His words escaped through gritted teeth.  “Bar fight.”  He tapped the cigarette in the ashtray.

The officer nodded but didn’t look too convinced.  It felt like the man’s eyes were condemning him.

“I need you to move your car.”  The officer’s flattened palm drummed on the roof.  “And try to keep yourself out of trouble.”

Too late, Officer…too late.

Want to read more?  You’ll have to purchase Carolyn Arnold’s book.  Speaking of which, where can we find TIES THAT BIND?

Amazon Kindle US

Amazon Kindle UK

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Apple

Sony

You may also find out more about Carolyn Arnold and her books at:  http://carolynarnold.net

Welcome Emily A. Lawrence!

I am thrilled to have Emily A. Lawrence as a guest today! Her new release is titled "Hot Dreams of a Lonely Soul - Book 1" -- read on to learn more about Emily and her book!

Author bio:

Emily A. Lawrence is extremely passionate about fiction. She’s been writing stories, mostly fan fiction, for years now, but only began thinking seriously about publishing approximately a year ago. Encouraged by her family, friends and fellow authors she pursued her dream, and received her very first acceptance in March 2013.​

She loves creating new characters and losing herself in their worlds. Usually, she writes contemporary romance in three heat levels: sweet, sensual and erotic. However, she would like to try her luck at other genres one day, such as paranormal or mystery.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, new sceneries, food and meeting new people, or simply reading a good book.

Book title: Hot Dreams of a Lonely Soul – Book 1

Sequel: Hopeful Dreams and New Beginnings – Book 2 (scheduled for August)

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Book blurb:

Sexy former bikini model Carly Smith chooses to stay away from men after getting out of a bad marriage. Still traumatized by her past with her jealous, abusive ex-husband, she is afraid to engage in another relationship, let alone be intimate with anybody. However, sparks fly when she meets her new handsome boss, Robert Benton. Extremely attracted to him, she finds herself in a delicate situation as he is constantly in her thoughts and haunting her dreams at night, turning her entire body into a time bomb of need, ready to explode. Each time she wakes up disappointed and alone, craving for his touch, but lacking the courage to turn her hot dreams into reality. What happens when Robert unexpectedly shows up at her door one night? Will she manage to overcome her fears and allow him inside, or will she deny him access?

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Lonely-Weekend-Getaways-ebook/dp/B00CZXWGNO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369558098&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+dreams+of+a+lonely+soul

Secret Cravings Publishing: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=33&products_id=611

Author contact links:

Blog: http://emilyalawrence88.blogspot.ro/

Website: http://emilyalawrence.wix.com/emily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.emily.a.lawrence?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmyALawrence

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20344150-emily-a-lawrence

Excerpt (18+):

Raw need twisted in her gut. Anxious to see the rest of him, she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, then watched him hook his thumbs inside the waistband and peel them down his hips together with his boxers, freeing his huge erection.

She gasped before she could catch herself, her insides liquefying more at the mere sight of it. Suddenly she was dying to feel him inside her, stretching her cunt in the most pleasurable ways.

“Is something wrong?” A hint of amusement edged his words as he regarded her mischievously. “You look surprised.” Pure confidence of male pride laced his husky voice.

Carly saw the twinkle playing at the corners of his eyes. “You’re big...” she murmured, but hardly recognized the sound of her own voice.

“I am as big as I need to be to make you scream like never before and beg for more,” he said with a confidence that only enhanced her impatience, her channel quivering with the need to be filled. His deft hands spread her thighs wide and his eyes took in the glistening pink folds of her pussy now exposed to him. “Gorgeous!” He swept his tongue over his lips to moisten them. “I’ve wanted to taste this the moment I first say you.”

“Robert...” Her throat tightened and her mouth went dry. The color grew hotter and hotter in her cheeks under his profound glare, and she fought with the urge to pull her thighs back together. However, the look in his eyes was nothing like that of her ex husband. His was of pure joy and admiration and his gaze seemed to be worshipping her, sweeping her from head to toe. The realization soothed her, little silvery wings of anticipation fluttering through her and causing all her worries to dissipate into thin air.

Contemporary Romance Blog Hop!!

Today begins the Cuddle Up with a Contemporary Romance Blog Hop from Secret Cravings Publishing! Please visit http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com to learn more...lots of fun and awesome giveaways (i.e., BOOKS!!) from SCP authors. On THAT note, I will be giving away a copy of TWIST OF FATE in paperback to one random commenter who tells me who your favorite contemporary romance hero is and why! Winner will be drawn tomorrow evening!!

Exciting News!!

Many apologies for the long period between blog posts...am finally DONE with school and graduated!! Should have more time for writerly pursuits now, although I hope to be working full-time as a vet tech very soon.

Have a couple of exciting things to tell you about. First of all, my novel DESERT HEAT is up for best suspense/thriller in the InD'tale magazine award of excellence! This is a very prestigious award and I am thrilled to be in the running. Voting begins today and lasts through next Friday, May 24, so please act quickly. You must register to vote, but it only takes a moment and would mean a LOT to me. Here is the link to vote:

http://indtale.com/rone-awards/2012/week-5

Love contemporary romance? My publisher, Secret Cravings, is having a Contemporary Romance Blog Hop tomorrow and Sunday. Please check out their blog page at http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com

Book Review!

My first novel, DESERT HEAT, has received a great review from Twinsie Talk Book Reviews (4-star on Amazon). Many thanks to Angie at Twinsie Talk for the feedback!

http://twinsietalk.blogspot.com/2013/03/desert-heat-by-laurie-white.html

Guest Blogging

Today TWIST OF FATE is featured on Tamara Monteau's Haven's Realm blog. Tamara is a fellow Secret Cravings author who writes hot vampire tales (website: www.havens-realm.com). Many thanks to her for hosting me today!!

http://havensrealm.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/welcome-laurie-white-to-havens-realm/

Tamara's latest novel, SECRETS AND PROMISES, is coming soon from Secret Cravings Publishing! Love this artwork, and so envious that she scored Jimmy Thomas for her cover! :-)


Also, yesterday I was featured on not one, but TWO blogs...interviewed by the lovely, talented and delightful Jennifer Simpkins and Jamallah Bergman.

http://jamallahbergmansstoriesoflove.weebly.com/2/post/2013/03/fellow-secret-cravings-publishing-author-laurie-white.html

Jamallah's latest novel, THE ADMISSION, has just been released!

http://www.jennifersimpkins.net/1/post/2013/03/interview-with-laurie-white.html

Jennifer's latest release, FORGIVING PATIENCE, is out now!!

Featured on Marci Boudreaux's blog

This past Monday I was featured on author Marci Boudreaux's blog. Many thanks to Marci for hosting me and helping me to get my name out there.

http://marciboudreaux.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/laurie-white-twist-of-fate/

Just Desserts Blog Hop

Coming in on the Secret Cravings Publishing Just Desserts Blog Hop just a little late, but here goes. This is not my own recipe, but one for a classic and one of my all-time favorites, chocolate chip cookies!

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
3/4 cup shortening (butter flavor preferably)
1-1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat over to 375F.
2. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy.
4. Beat egg into creamed mixture.
5. Combine flour, salt and baking soda and mix into creamed mixture until just blended.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls (about 2 measuring tablespoons) of dough 3 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies (cookies will appear moist - DO NOT OVERBAKE) or 11 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies.
9. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

ENJOY!!!  Tomorrow I will be giving away a copy of my e-book TWIST OF FATE to a commenter; name will be drawn at random.

Contest News!

Well, after a horrible day on Thursday I received an e-mail with the news that DESERT HEAT is a finalist in Southern Magic RWA's Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence! What a fabulous way to end a long, stressful day. I'm especially excited because this is the very first published contest I've entered.

Featured on Colette Saucier's Blog Today

Colette Saucier, author of the fabulous PULSE AND PREJUDICE, is featuring TWIST OF FATE on her blog today - http://colettesaucier.blogspot.com. Please stop by and say hi to Colette and thank her for helping to plug my book! She also has a great web site, http://www.colettesaucier.com, with lots of interesting links and a fun Pop Culture Challenge Contest.

I will return the favor and host Colette here very soon, so stay tuned!

My Dream Realized

I received print copies of DESERT HEAT in the mail today! And they look awesome!! I can't tell you how excited I am to actually hold a copy of my own book in my hands. Many thanks to Sandy Sullivan, Beth Walker and the entire Secret/Sweet Cravings staff for helping me to realize my dream! I hope to organize at least one book signing to happen very soon...will update as soon as I'm able. Meanwhile, to celebrate I would like to give away a copy to one commenter. Just let me know what you enjoy about reading romantic suspense!

RELEASE DAY!

So excited because today is release day!! TWIST OF FATE is now available in e-book format from Sweet Cravings Publishing.  Devon Gallagher never imagined she'd become the target of a stalker. But hang-up phone calls, strange letters and a pair of her own shredded underwear drive her to seek help from the one man she thought she'd never see again: ex-lover Rick Bergstrom. Although both Rick and Devon vow to put aside their past together, as they work to unmask the stalker they discover an even greater danger -- their still-smoldering passion.

You can order TWIST OF FATE through Sweet Cravings at http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=128. It will also be available soon on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords!

To celebrate my new release, I will be giving away an e-copy to one commenter. Simply tell me about some wild, crazy twist of fate that happened to you!

Cover art reveal!!

Just got the cover art for TWIST OF FATE, and it's gorgeous! A big thank you to Dawné Dominique for another amazing cover. TWIST OF FATE will be released in e-book this coming Friday, Feb. 1 from Sweet Cravings Publishing, and will come out in paperback sometime in September. I will be giving away a free copy on release day, so stay tuned!!

TWIST OF FATE edits done!

Have completed edits on TWIST OF FATE and submitted to my editor. It's scheduled for release in March through Sweet Cravings Publishing, but no firm date yet. Paperback version will drop in September. I'll keep everyone posted. Really looking forward to seeing the cover art for this one!

Inspirational Writing Advice

Last night had the pleasure of meeting Steeple Hill author Allie Pleiter along with a couple of Chattanooga Writers Guild members. A couple of my friends from my Chattanooga Area Romance Writers group were also on hand to partake of some delicious pizza and some interesting writing tidbits and advice from Ms. Pleiter. Allie will be presenting a program at the CWG meeting on Tuesday evening and I'm looking forward to it.

"An Amish Murder" Airing Tomorrow Night!

Just want to do a quick plug for my friend Linda Castillo, whose best-selling novel SWORN TO SILENCE has been adapted into a Lifetime movie "An Amish Murder" airing tomorrow, 1/6, at 9pm Eastern. In conjunction with the movie, 25 signed copies of SWORN TO SILENCE will be given away. Go to http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/lifetime-movies-blog/sworn-to-silence-book-giveaway to enter!

Loving My Cover Art!

Hello everyone! I am very new to blogging so please bear with me. I'm very excited about my new release from Sweet Cravings Publishing, DESERT HEAT. It came out in October. One thing I'm happiest about is the gorgeous cover art by Dawné Dominique. I couldn't have asked for a better cover for this story. Brainy, buttoned-up research scientist Julia Alvarez is horrified when she discovers the body of her murdered colleague. Then she encounters Max Reilly, the bad-boy homicide detective who’s been assigned to the case. Julia and Max find an attraction as searing as the Phoenix sun, but can they find happiness with each other despite backgrounds that are worlds apart? Can they survive the danger when the killer targets them both?  It's available through Sweet Cravings at http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=107.

Another thing I'm excited about is the Sweet Cravings 2nd Anniversary Blog Hop happening today through Sunday. Lots of great prizes and giveaways, including an iPad 2! Check out the Hop's main page at http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/ and join in the fun!!