When Broken Is Beautiful – #SharpEdgeofBliss by @SorchaBlack

How can a sex worker be an innocent?

This is the question I asked myself as I read The Sharp Edge of Bliss. How can someone, bought and paid for, retain a generosity of spirit, a tender heart, a sense of optimism, and a willingness to love unconditionally…even all the ugly, messed up parts people hope no one sees?

It boggled my mind.

And she wasn’t naive… She knew she was a commodity. In fact, this quote hit me so hard I had to save and share!

She knows exactly who she is. She understands her role. And yet she brings out the best in both anti-heroes.

Sorcha Black’s new release came out last month, and I’ll be honest… I was hesitant to read it. Not because I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. Because the truth is, her stories? They are steaming hot with an edge. But this time? Her description mentioned a sex worker and a possible hit man. It sounded a little dark. And given the climate of the world right now, I hit the pause button.

But…

I couldn’t stay away that long. I can’t even tell you how glad I am that I didn’t because these characters needed to be in the world. Despite all the darkness and roadblocks all these characters were compelling and tugged at you.

If you’re looking for beauty in the midst of all the ugly? Light shining in the darkness like a beacon? Believe it or not, you couldn’t choose a better book than this one, so I strongly urge you to click HERE and get your copy!

And Sorcha! You were my last read in the month of March and YOU were worth the wait.

Eating It Up…And Loving it

So I decided to challenge myself a little more this year. I’ve been dying to support an amazing author and critique partner by buying and reading her dark series. Why? Because it’s out of my comfort zone and she’s a skilled storyteller. I thought I would admire her talent, but it would be more from a professional or clinical aspect. Instead, I was drawn in.

S. H. Timmins

The way S. H. Timmins understands human nature and how we’re all flawed, but beautiful is amazing. How she finds twisted souls and either finds their matches or helps them discover a complimentary opposite is awe inspiring. And she hammered that lesson home with her second book, Fears in the Dark.

How? How does she do it? 

Ms. Timmins takes dark, wounded, practically feral creatures who have little understanding or appreciation for the things we tend to value and makes us care about them. We want to see them find their version of happiness. We want to see that embracing those things that make us cringe and use it to heal or find peace and acceptance. And love. Just the way they are.

Dark is usually a hard limit for me. But if everyone wrote dark the way this lady does? It just might become my new addiction. 

I thought this one was going to be the hardest read, what with Blake’s tendency towards biting and hints of possible cannibalism in the first book. And to pair him up with a sweet little book shop owner? I scratched my head and wondered…how’s that gonna work? Turns out I was worried for nothing. Hell, these two tortured souls might have even been sweeter than Loki and his Little Cat. 

Either way, this is a can’t miss if you love dark reads! Ms. Timmins is sublime with how she rolls out this world of darkness, and you won’t want to miss it.

So how do you plan on challenging yourself this year? Any personal growth plans? Is there anyone you’d love to show a little love and support to? Any great reads? You’re welcome to share a link in the comments as well as why the person is deserving of a little love!

S.H. Timmins is Coming Out of the Shadows

Writing is an amazing thing. It can help to build all the most incredible relationships. A lot like reading can find you some amazing, like-minded friends, sharing a passion for creating stories can do the same thing.

It was actually through a Facebook book club where I met the intrepid S. H. Timmins, author extraordinaire. Heck, these days, we help admin the page together along with two other terrific book lovers.

So, of course, when I learned that her most recent book was coming out, I begged her for a chance to pimp it…and her…to my fabulous friends who follow my blog. And she agreed to honor me with an interview to introduce her to you guys.

Me: When did you start writing? 

S.H.: I have always been writing short stories for my own pleasure, and finally took the leap into independent writing as a career path in 2015.

Me: When did you realize you wanted to pursue this passion professionally? 

S. H.: When did you realize you wanted to pursue this passion professionally?
A: It was my mother who always encouraged me to pursue writing as a profession. I lacked the confidence in my ability, but she always saw the best in me. When she passed away in 2013, I channeled my pain into written words to help cope with the loss. After a year of purging my grief, I found the courage to write my first novel.

Me: I’m so sorry to hear about your mom, but I’m sure she would be so thrilled to know her encouragement made such a huge difference in helping give you the strength to pursue your dreams of becoming an author. Speaking of authors… What authors inspire you?

S. H.: So many authors have inspired my passion for books and reading. Most of my early years were spent reading paranormal and fantasy fiction. Later, I would discover a whole new world of independent authors that opened my eyes to incredible possibilities. Tara Sivec and Emma Chase were the two authors that inspired me to write my first book; a romantic comedy titled, Bent.

BTW, Bent is currently available for $.99, so go ahead and click that link! And her newest book, Lies in the Shadows, just released today! And she’s willing to share her thoughts on her characters with us. How cool is that?

Me: Tell me what characteristics you love most about your hero & heroine?

S. H.: All my heroines are independent and their own heroes. The heroine in my latest book is brave and resilient. She endures and doesn’t break. Qualities we all strive to nurture in ourselves. I’m not sure what characteristics I love about my hero, but I enjoyed how his character evolved with the story and showed personal growth in the end.

Me: What did you hate most? 

S.H.: I hated having to keep the big twist a secret until the end of the book. It’s not easy keeping a secret.

Me: What was the most difficult part to write in this book?

S.H.: The most difficult parts of any book for me to write are the love scenes. It is hard to make them realistic, yet fantastical. There are only so many words you can use before it becomes redundant and the scenes lose their luster.

Me: What was your favorite part to write in this book?

S.H.: My favorite parts to write in this book were the interactions between the characters. I always enjoy watching them come to life on the pages and how they develop their own personalities.

Me: Wow! Talk about awesomeness. Thanks for stopping by and sharing! Now it’s time to pimp away, lady!

✫
¸.•´¸.•*´¨♡ ¸.•*¨
It’s Live! Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited! ✫
¸.•´¸.•*´¨♡ ¸.•*¨
♡ ¸.•´✶

Lies in the Shadows by S.H. Timmins
A Darkest Needs Novel – Book Three

There is a difference between
living and existing.
Sometimes you need to
walk with the nightmares
to find your way back
to the light.
He lied to me.
He lies to everyone,
including himself.
But I know a secret.
He may want to break me,
but he is healing us both.
This is my truth.

Amazon
• US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HCDJ261
• CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07HCDJ261
• UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HCDJ261
• AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07HCDJ261

And if you want to follow this awesome lady, she can be found on Facebook HERE. Or her Amazon author page HERE.

So please stop by, show Sandra some love…and share in her excitement by congratulating her on her new release!

 

A @TrashyWriter Double Cover Reveal!

One of my favorite people, “Trashy Writer” extrordinaire Amelia James, has a lot going on these days. Not only is her first ménage book, Her Twisted Pleasure, FREE right now on Kindle (Pssst! Yeah, she’s that kind of “Trashy!” 😀 Go get it NOW!!!!), but she’s also got a couple of cover reveals.

Without further ado, here’s the fun, fabulous Amelia James!

Twice the Trashy Cover Reveal!

Today I have not one but two gorgeous covers to expose. The first is for my upcoming contemporary romance, Tell Me You Want Forever which will release this winter.

The second is a new cover for the previous book, Tell Me You Want Me. The original cover is beautiful, but in recent months I’ve been seeing that couple on dozens of other books. I want to stand out, so I’m doing something different.

Both new covers and the original were designed by Mallory Rock.

But that’s not all! Here’s a little something to whet your appetite!

Arouse All Your Passions….

Bestselling romance Tell Me You Want Me gets a steamy sequel….

Notorious heartbreaker Austin Sinclair vowed he’d never fall in love, but all that changed when he met his Janie. They’re living their happily ever after… until an unexpected threat tears them apart.

Austin is desperate to get Janie back, but fails miserably. He’s said ‘I love you’ so often Janie doesn’t care anymore, and getting her in his bed to prove it seems impossible. His old life beckons. Could he be that guy again?

Jane scored big when she landed Austin, but now she faces a temptation she never expected—one that makes her question what she really wants from love. Staying in a relationship with him requires all the strength she has. She’s tired, and giving in to someone else would be so easy.

Each hopes that something will change, that the other will give in, but it’s going to take both of them—together—to overcome this obstacle. Can they make their love last forever? Or has their fight been for nothing?

About Amelia James

I got hooked on trashy romance novels in junior high, but my mom took them away from me, But she couldn’t stop me from daydreaming. After I got married, I wrote some of my naughtier daydreams down and sent them to Playgirl magazine. Two of them got published. I kept daydreaming and writing stories until my dirty stories turned into trashy books.

I live in Colorado, but I’ll always be a loyal Wisconsin Cheesehead. When I’m not lusting after my next bad boy hero, I’m looking for inspiration in sci-fi and action movies, football players, morally ambiguous lawyers, muscle cars, and kick-butt chicks.

You can find me on Facebook, and on Twitter I’m known as Trashy Writer. I call myself a trashy writer because I want my readers to know that I enjoy mindless escapism as much as they do. I’m not out to win a Pulitzer Prize. (But I’m an award-winning finalist in erotica, USA Book News 2012.) I just want to help someone relax and get away from it all for a little while. I write romance, erotica and trash for fun and pleasure.

Trashy’s Treasures Blog: http://trashystreasures.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TrashyWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaJamesAuthor

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/106317629275663311597/posts

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/trashywriter

When Ireland Meets #BeneathManhattanSkies

My friend, the beautiful and sweet Emma Meade, has stopped by for a quick chat and to share with us her newest release, Beneath Manhattan Skies.

For those of you who don’t know Emma, she was one of the first friends to welcome me on my blog. Despite our different time zones (Emma’s in Ireland), we’ve forged a wonderful friendship based on our mutual love of hunky heroes from some of our favorite Supernatural tv shows, including Supernatural, and great music.

When I found out that Emma had released a new book I jumped at the opportunity to share her (and her new book) with you. Hope you guys enjoy!

Me:Thanks for stopping by today, Emma! So, as folks probably figured out by my intro above, your love of the supernatural started with TV shows. What was the first show to get you hooked?

Emma:The X-Files. I think I was ten years old when I came across a trailer for a new alien show, and I ran to my dad, all excited to tell him about it. Myself and my big sis, Lucy, would huddle on an armchair together each week for Mulder and Scully’s latest adventure. The X-Files was my first major TV obsession and I fancied Krycek like mad, especially when he went bad. 🙂

Me: Out of curiosity, What made you choose New York/Manhattan as the backdrop for this book?

Emma: In Under the Desert Moon, the protagonist, Erin Harris, always dreamed of going to art college in New York. I never really planned on writing a follow-up novel, but when I decided to go ahead about a year ago and see what Erin was up to after high school. I wanted to make sure her dream of studying in The Big Apple came true. And New York is such a contrast to Erin’s small hometown, a sleepy place in Arizona called Copperfield.

Me: As a follower of your blog, I know you have a passion for music. Were there any specific songs that helped to inspire specific scenes in this book?

Emma: “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon is one of Erin’s favourite songs. She’s a young woman, it’s her first time living away from home, and she’s looking for romance and passion, and this song makes her think of being with the vampire James, the first guy she fell in love with. The scene on the roof of Erin’s apartment when she and James can’t keep their hands off each other, is a result of this song being on repeat in her mind.

Me: Oooh! That’s great! So, speaking of Erin, what character traits do you like best/least about her?

Emma: Erin’s probably a little too serious for her own good. Her mother died when she was a young teenager, her father is a drunk, so Erin’s had to make the transition into adulthood largely alone. It’s no wonder she’s not as carefree as other girls her age. She has to put herself through college and has no parental support, financially or otherwise to fall back on. I’d like to see her let loose a bit more. She’s a strong women. That’s her best trait. She’s been through a lot and gets thrown into some vampire chaos in New York, yet she keeps her cool.

Me: She sounds fantastic! Just the sort of character I’ve always loved. A bit of a badass Buffy. 😉 Can I talk you into sharing a bit more?

Beneath Manhattan Skies Blurb-

November in New York is cold but full of possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick, shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted. Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one in high school.

Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any nineteen year old girl busy – And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her life.

Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?

Beneath Manhattan Skies follows the character Erin Harris from Under the Desert Moon, but it can be read as a standalone story.

Cover Artist: Najla Qamber 

Teaser: Erin is chatting to Tommy, one of her college buddies in a club.

“My father wouldn’t be so understanding.” Erin frowned, not liking to think about her dad. “Did she have a boy or girl?” Erin shrugged in apology for not remembering.

“A boy. I feel sorry for my sister. She was surrounded by us growing up.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. She had a cool big brother.” She groaned inwardly. Why did she have to say that?

Tommy looked at her. Erin thought she saw a hint of a smile hovering around his lips. Where the hell was Sadie with the drinks? That girl was in big trouble for setting this up. A blush rose in Erin’s cheeks. She was grateful for the dim lighting in the bar.

“So, I’m cool, am I?” Tommy said after a moment, smiling easily again.

The tension alleviated and Erin breathed normally. “I thought you might have noticed that. You have a motorcycle. That automatically puts you in the cool club.”

“I’d like to take you out on the bike.”

And the hard-to-breathe thing started again.

About the Author:

Emma Meade lives in Ireland where it rains a lot. Reading and writing supernatural fiction, watching marathon re-runs of Buffy and drinking lots and lots of tea are some of her favourite activities. She’s never met a vampire, but thinks it would be kind of cool to meet one. Visit her on her blog, Emma’s Ramblings on Supernatural fiction at emmameade.com or on her website emmameadebooks.com

Website:  emmameadebooks.com

Blog:  emmameade.com

Twitter:  @EmmaMeadeIrl 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4229395.Emma_Meade

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/emmameadewrites

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Meade/e/B0064LKMK2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Amazon.com –  http://amzn.to/HZtjxO

Amazon.uk –  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-Manhattan-Skies-Emma-Meade-ebook/dp/B00GPKHN22/ref=la_B0064LKMK2_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384966212&sr=1-2

Smashwords –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374189?ref=emmaM83

Barnes & Noble  – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-manhattan-skies-emma-meade/1117444078?ean=2940045420013&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-TnL5HPStwNw-_-10:1&r=1

Kobo –  http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/beneath-manhattan-skies

iTunes –  https://itunes.apple.com/ie/book/beneath-manhattan-skies/id747022107?mt=11