Guest Post – Jennifer Lowery – Giveaway!!!!

Jennifer is my guinea pig :-). I’ve never had a guest blogger before and am hoping to make this a continuous thing. She’s a fabulous author with a fabulous book so without further ado, heres Jennifer!

Hi Sharon and all you fabulous readers out there *waves* Thank you so much for having me today! My debut book, Hard Core, released this month so I’m very excited to be here! Thank you so much for sharing it with me!! 

In honor of my release I am offering a copy of my debut contemporary suspense, Hard Core, in either ebook format or signed print copy to one lucky commenter so please leave me a comment with your EMAIL and gift choice to be entered to win!!

In writing Hard Core I knew the moment when Cristian walked away from Alana, the Big Black Moment, was going to be a hard scene to write. Although romance readers know there will be a happy ever after, there is always that moment of doubt and wonder if the hero/heroine will truly get theirs. This is that moment in Hard Core. I had a hard time writing it because it was so painful to see my hero and heroine separate and part of me wondered if Cristian truly was too stubborn to admit his feelings! I won’t give away the ending.  You’ll have to read the book to see if Cristian and Alana get their happy ever after! Enjoy!

“I didn’t kill him. I missed. It was Mercer’s bullet that killed him.” Her breath hitched and she shuddered. “I’m sorry. You just woke up. I shouldn’t burden you with this. “How are you feeling?”

He tilted her chin, forced her to look at him. “It’s no burden. And you are not that woman.”

Her eyes glistened with tears. “I feel like I am. Like Gavin changed me.”

“He did. He made you stronger.”

“I don’t feel strong,” she whispered, leaning into his hand now caressing the soft skin of her cheek.

“You are the strongest woman I know. You’ll be fine.”

“Thank you.” She laid her head down on his chest. They both knew what he meant when he said she would be fine. Fine without him. In her new life. Harvard was waiting for her and he didn’t fit into that world. Even though she wouldn’t voice it, Alana knew it too.

With a heavy heart, Slade held her, let her cry on his shoulder for what could never be. It remained unspoken between them, but they both knew they had no future. Her future was bright with possibilities. He wouldn’t hold her from that. Not for him. He knew she would sacrifice herself for him without a second thought, and he couldn’t let that happen. She had made too many sacrifices already. To ask her to stay with him would be selfish.

So, with a kiss on top of her head, he let her go.

What do you think? Will Cristian and Alana get their happy ever after? Don’t forget to leave your EMAIL for a chance to win!!
Thank you for having me today, Sharon!! I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to all my readers out there! Without you I wouldn’t be here. My wish is to one day meet each and every one of you so I can personally thank you for your generosity and support! 
All my best, 
Jennifer

Hard Core/Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

Tag: He takes lives. She saves them.

A supposedly hassle-free job for mercenary Cristian Slade becomes a mission of mercy when he saves a life instead of taking one. Slade’s new mission might be his most dangerous yet, because the danger is to his heart.

Tragedy has sent esteemed surgeon Alana O’Grady to a remote a remote Nicaraguan island where she immerses herself in the lives of a native American tribe, using her talents for goodwill instead of wealth and prestige. But life turns upside down when her work requires she protect a rugged mercenary who commands her attention when she’s awake and dominates her dreams while she sleeps.

Doctoring Cristian puts her entire tribe in danger from the man who’s hunting him. Is it her professional oath or her unprofessional attraction to him keeping her from sending him away to heal on his own? Alana’s fire warms Cristian’s heart, but he’s a hardened assassin and has no business falling for someone like her. Can they fight hard enough to keep what they might have together?

Buy Hard Core:

Amazon | Lyrical Press | Barnes & Noble | Bookworld | iTunes

Find Jennifer:

Author Website  | Facebook | Twitter |  Romance Recipes

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Fall Colors

This is my backyard and what I look at when I write. Does it give me inspiration? Sometimes. If I’m stuck I stare out the door at those trees. In the summer they’re lush and green and it seems like the backyard is much closer than it really is. In the spring I love watching the smaller trees bud before the bigger ones and in the winter with snow on the ground it looks like a winter wonderland. But this is when I like to look at it the most. It’s like liquid gold when the sun shines through the trees. Right now the back door is open and a warm, fall-ish breeze is floating in, the smell of autumn circling through the room.

This time of year never lasts long enough for me. Just a few short weeks and the spectacle of color gives way to harsh, bare branches. But I always have next fall to look forward to.

What do you love most about fall?

Are you a one book person?

For two years I’ve been waiting for Ken Follett’s sequel to Fall of Giants. TWO YEARS! That’s a long time! But finally it came out and I’m so excited I can’t stand it. The problem is I’m in the middle of another book that I’ve been waiting to read (Maya Bank’s Never Seduce a Scot).

So now I have a dilemma. Finish Banks’ book or put it on hold and start Follett’s book.

Some people can read two and three books at a time, but not me. I’m a one book person.

What about you? How many books do you have going at a time?

 

Six Sentence Sunday – Her Dark Knight

 

Fire scorched his skin and burned his insides. He tossed one way then the other. His lids fluttered open only to see the bright flames leap at him.

A face appeared before him, stern in its expression, black eyes shuttered. Cool water poured over his body. “Am I in hell?” His voice was rough, his throat raw.

“Nay. Not hell, but close to it.”

 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

 

Sweet Saturday Sample – Her Dark Knight

She shook her head, but the words wouldn’t come to deny the charges. The nightclub would be an excellent cover for a drug operation.

“I’m not dealing drugs, Madelaine. I’m not involved in anything illegal,” he said sadly.

She winced at his tone. She didn’t mean to hurt him. “Then what?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Something far bigger and far more evil than drugs. But not illegal. At least in the eyes of the law.”

“Unethical?”

“Possibly. But I’m on the side of right here. You have to trust me in this.” He stood and paced to the windows. The bright sun shone behind him, creating an aura of light that surrounded him. Like an angel. Her angel.

What was she thinking? Of course he wasn’t doing anything illegal. This was Christien. The idea of him dealing drugs or negotiating arms with terrorists was ludicrous and she’d been an idiot to think it in the first place.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I know you would never do anything illegal.”

Sharon Cullen 267

He laughed, but the sound was cynical. “Don’t be so sure. At times I’ve done what I had to.”

“You had your reasons.” Just like he had his reasons to believe she was in danger. Proven twice now.

“I’m humbled by your faith in me,” he said sarcastically.

His words bit, but she absorbed the pain. It was no more than she deserved for doubting him when he’d done nothing but take care of her and try to protect her.

“Forgive me.”

“Ah, Madelaine. There’s nothing to forgive, mon coeur. You have every right to your doubts after what you’ve been through. I never meant for you to get hurt.”

She stood again to join him at the window. Her legs wobbled a bit. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”

He touched her cheek, his thumb grazing her jaw. “But I did know. From the moment I saw you in my club, I knew you were special and I knew nothing good would come of this.”

She swallowed, suddenly nervous. “This?”

His hand dropped and he turned away from her to stare out the window. “Us.”

What was he saying? They had no future? Surely he hadn’t brought her all the way to France to break up with her.

She stepped away and raised her chin. “What do you mean?”

268 Her Dark Knight

His harsh expression softened. “Only that I should have walked away when I had the chance. But I never had the chance. One look at you and I’d found the other half of my heart.”

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

What’s in your TBR pile?

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King

I was a reader way before I was a writer. Way before. Which has lead to piles and piles of books sitting around my house. In neat piles. I swear they’re in neat piles. Luckily my husband is an avid reader as well and his piles are bigger than mine.

So today’s Friday Five is a list of books in my TBR (To Be Read) pile. Mind you, this is just a small sampling of what’s awaiting me 🙂

1. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron – Jennifer Ashley

2. A Season of Seduction – Jennifer Haymore

3. This Duchess of Mine – Eloisa James

4. Along Came a Duke – Elizabeth Boyle 

5. A Week to be Wicked – Tessa Dare

So what’s in your TBR pile?

 

Pinterest Experiments

One of my greatest time sucks is Pinterest. I’m addicted. I pin way more recipes than anything else which is not good for the waistline or the fifteen pounds that I lost this summer. But I can’t help myself–hence the addiction.

Here are a few that I tried and loved (because of copyrights infringement, or the fact I don’t want to be accused of copyright infringement, I won’t be posting pictures here but will post links to the pictures):

Chicken Enchilada Bake. Very yummy! The kids loved it and went back for 2nds. Super easy to make and you can even make the day before.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole: Again another super easy recipe. This time the kids went back for 3rds! Then the next day they fought over the leftovers.

Slow Cooker Fudge: I liked this recipe because its low in calories and made from natural ingredients. The problem I had was finding the coconut milk (It’s in the refrigerated section of the organic foods). It’s not cheap either and you’re stuck with half a gallon. If you don’t like coconut milk then I would recommend just using regular milk. This cooks in the slow cooker and is very easy to make. The picture fools you though. Mine weren’t nearly as thick as the fudge in the picture. They’re very rich too. Definitely they’ll satisfy your chocolate craving.

Merry….Christmas?

Yesterday my youngest and I dragged out the Halloween/Fall decorations and decorated the house. Today is October 2nd. I have to remind myself of that because on one of my social networking sites a friend was talking about Christmas shopping.

She said she usually has a closet full of Christmas presents by now and hasn’t even started shopping this year. She was heading out specifically to Christmas shop!

This is foreign to me.

I start my Christmas lists in August and add to it as I surreptitiously listen to my children. But to shop? I don’t think so.

Usually my husband and I will take my list and knock it out in a few evenings of shopping in mid-December.

So what about you? Do you Christmas shop early or do you wait until the last minute like me?