Author Spotlight - Sandra Harris

Born in the far north of Australia, yearly cyclones, floods and being cut off from civilization for weeks at a time were the norm. An outrageous imagination helped occupy Sandra’s mind.

An abiding interest in astronomy and a deep-seated need to always see the good guys win naturally influences her writing. Not satisfied with the amount of romance in science fiction novels she set out to redress the balance.

She currently lives in sunny South East Queensland, Australia, with her husband and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who doesn’t seem to realize she comes from royalty and should act in a more appropriate manner.

Sandra's homes on the web:

Website    Facebook   Twitter   Author Page

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I was born and bred in Far North Queensland. Astronomy is my first love. Animal charities rank high on my donation list.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)

This is my debut book.

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?

Ah, shoe shopping—stop distracting me. Actually, my CP and I have a virtual ‘office’ where we meet most days via Skype. When one of us has a character misbehaving or needs to brainstorm, we’re right there for each other. Knowing the other is relying on you to show up keeps us on track.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

I engaged a professional to organise my promotional work.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

My preferred method is to get up early, deal with FB, blog, emails etc. Then find time for breakfast, make a cup of coffee and get to the ‘office’ where my CP will join me and we’ll crack on. Mostly I try to make my day fit around my writing, but there are times when necessity rules and my writing must fit around my day.

Which blog(s) do you read regularly?

Astronomy Picture of the Day. Helene Young. Writer Beware. Kristen Lamb.

Any craft books you recommend?

Debra Dixon’s Goal, Motivation & Conflict

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

Ah yes, my personal trainer comes in the form of my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She reminds me from about two o’clock onwards that I need to get up and move about, preferably in the nearby koala park.

Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?

As my hero and heroine are very active in helping to keep their part of the Galaxy free from the depredations of a particularly ruthless species, they would go home to their house in the mountainous region of the hero’s home planet. There they would enjoy the peace and each other.

At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?

This is quite a tricky question. I have felt like a writer for some time now. Whether I’ll be a successful writer (no doubt something we all dream of) only the future will tell.

Alien, Mine

THE BLUTHEN HAVE ONE CONSUMING PASSION: THEMSELVES.

IN THEIR EXPANSION ACROSS THE GALAXY, THEY WILL GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO DOMINATE SPECIES THEY ENCOUNTER.

Torn from modern day Earth and stranded on the far side of the Galaxy, Sandrea Fairbairn must use every particle of courage she possesses to adjust to her new life and live for tomorrow/a new day.

Eugen Mhartak, a general in the Tri-Race Alliance Army, refuses to bow to the merciless Bluthen. Haunted by the loss of far too many innocent lives he has vowed to drive the ruthless invaders from Alliance space.

The strength and valour of Eugen Mhartak attracts Sandrea as no man ever has, but she struggles to read the enigmatic general’s heart. Determined to help him triumph over the Bluthen she uncovers a diabolical plot against the Alliance.

Drawn by the courage and exotic beauty of Sandrea, Mhartak battles to overcome the barriers of cross-cultural differences that separate them and claim her ardent interest. He must conquer his deepest fears to be the man she needs. When his principles are betrayed by his own government and he is faced with the impossible prospect of taking Sandrea’s life in order to save his home planet, Mhartak desperately searches for a way to keep safe both his world and the magnificent woman who has stolen his heart.

SoulMate Publishing        Amazon      Amazon UK

Summer Loving for only 99c

We have a special deal for your summer pleasure... 

six romances for only 99c each (77p in the UK)

The romances on special from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 July only are:

Teresa Ashby - Love on Ice
Aimee Duffy & Michelle Smart - Once Upon a Twist
Claire Robyns - How To Love a Princess
Suzanna Ross - Hidden Heartache
Gina Rossi - To Hear You Smile
Rae Summers - Let's Misbehave

Find out more below...

Love on Ice - Teresa Ashby

There is only one person to turn to when Becky Hope leaves her dying husband at the hospice with his mistress at his side; her colleague Jake Lachlan. Only one problem, Jake doesn’t know she’s married and when he finds out, he wants to put as much space between them as possible.

He joins an Antarctic expedition as ship’s medic unaware until the last minute that the second doctor is the married heartbreaker he’s trying to escape from.

They do their best to avoid each other, but dramatic events force them together in the cold and hauntingly beautiful Antarctic.

Excerpt:

“I wasn’t told about this,” Jake said. “I just assumed . . .”
“What? That they’d conjure me up a spare cabin out of thin air?” Becky said, too tired to be bothered by it.
He could do without her mockery. He could do without her full stop.
She’d tossed her bag onto the bottom bunk and now she was opening it, taking out various bits and pieces and lining them up along what would double up as desk and dressing table. Her hands shook as she placed things down, but he wasn’t going to be fooled by her pretence of vulnerability. Not again.
That slender little neck held up a hard head.

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Once Upon a Twist - Aimee Duffy & Michelle Smart

When the sun goes down, guess what's coming out to play...?

Glass Slippers and Combat Boots (Michelle Smart)

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, the creatures are coming...

In a land run by misogynists, where fair maidens are deemed liable to fall in a dead faint at the sight of blood, Prince Charming is worried - the creatures that have destroyed their neighboring kingdoms are coming for them. He judges it imperative to get all the females to safety, but first he needs to break the enchantment enslaving his One True Love to her hateful home. Oh, and there's the small matter of the Ball to get through too.

But when the creatures reach them ahead of their expected time, all plans are foregone. Can Ella break her wicked stepmother's enchantment? Can she save her handsome Prince and the kingdom before midnight strikes? And can she show his soldiers what it really means to kick a monster's butt? The clock is ticking...

Reunited With Red (Aimee Duffy)

Many, many years later...

When Ruby visits her grandmother in the deep, dark forest, she stumbles into a nightmare. Her grandma's been attacked by a wolf-like creature, and an ancient disease that turned people into monsters is back... and so is the cold-hearted ex she walked out on a year ago.

Now she has to either accept Jeremy's help or face becoming a monster herself. Fighting alongside the man she once loved isn't easy, especially when she discovers there's more to Jeremy than the cheating bastard she took him for.

As they fight to survive the disease and save those they love, can they keep from falling for each other all over again?

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

How to Love a Princess - Claire Robyns

Love exploded into the sheltered life of Princess Catherine de'Ariggo when she met Nicolas Vecca. But duty calls Catherine to sacrifice that love. Now, years later, she must be strong once more. Can she ignore the whisperings of her heart and stand firm in her convictions? Trusting in Nicolas, loving him, is a risk she dare not take.

When Nicolas sees Catherine again, he thinks he's looking at a ghost. Either that, or he has been cruelly deceived. Haunted love turns to hate. But even as he determines to remain unforgiving, his heart refuses to forget.

Excerpt:

He backed her up against the door, raising one arm above her to put his hand to the wall. His knuckles grazed underside her chin, then nudged it higher until she was looking into his eyes.
“What—what are you doing?” she stammered. She hated it when he did this. She swore he knew exactly how devastatingly he affected her, erased her mind and nullified her convictions. The barest hint of intimacy had the power to slam her straight back into the past.
He brought his head down, his lips a breath away from hers. His brown eyes were intense, burning a heat into her soul. “You made a pact with the devil four years ago,” he murmured, his fingers leaving her chin to stroke fire down the sensitive skin of her throat. “Maybe I’ve come to claim my due.”
She swallowed hard and tried to laugh, tried to pretend that everything was normal and her knees weren’t instantly hollow. “Do you have to be so dramatic?”
“You bring out the best—” His thumb pad paused at the base of her throat, applying a gentle pressure, “—and worst in me, dolce cuore.”

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Hidden Heartache - Suzanna Ross

Dr Emma Bradshaw’s life is disrupted when Nick Rudd arrives back in town to take up a post at the GP practice where she works. The bad boy attitude is still very much in evidence, but Nick is a doctor now – against the odds – and Emma’s forced to work closely with him. Not so easy to ignore the love of your life when you have to see him on a daily basis. And Nick’s getting perilously close to breaking down the barriers Emma’s built to protect herself from the tragedy in her past.

Nick thought, as a doctor, it would be easy to command respect from the residents of his hometown – and most are pleased to see how well he’s done. But, the one person he wants to impress remains unmoved. Emma is keeping her distance. And she’s changed – the fun loving girl he knew has gone. She’s hiding something big, he’s sure, but she’s not telling. He can’t blame her – he knows he let her down badly in the past. But now he’ll do anything to rekindle the trust and love she once showed him.

Hidden Heartache is a sweet romance and was previously published as a My Weekly Pocket Novel.

Excerpt:

He took another step towards her and her gaze fixed on his mouth. She watched as he smiled again and a scar on his upper lip caught her attention. It was faded, barely there; if he hadn’t been standing so close she’d never have seen it. It was the type of scar that might have resulted from a childhood accident such as falling face first onto the corner of a table...

She drew a ragged breath as a wave of nausea hit her. She hadn’t seen that scar for fourteen years. She staggered back, came hard up against the side of her car and was grateful for the support it offered.

“Nick?” she queried disbelievingly.
“It’s been a long time, Emma. How have you been?”

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

To Hear You Smile - Gina Rossi

Disillusioned and dumped, Olivia Sinclair leaves London to hide out in the English countryside, unaware that handsome local stranger, Zachary Jordan, is a world class athlete. Deeply attracted to his intuitiveness and apparent sixth sense, Olivia nevertheless shuns him when he scares her badly on a date and, worse, when she finds out he has stolen something precious from her. Then she discovers the devastating truth about Zac. He's blind, and somehow, in their brief encounters, she hasn't noticed. She's determined to make amends, but Zac, crushed by her carelessness, doesn't want to know, and Olivia faces a gruelling uphill battle to win his respect and love.

Excerpt:

Olivia smiled. If this was how a guy made his move in the countryside, she was happy to give it a go. A fling with the village hunk might give her what she needed to draw a line under all that had gone before.

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Let's Misbehave - Rae Summers

Passion simmers from the moment wild child and dedicated Flapper Gabrielle meets staid aristocrat Sebastian. When she discovers the adventurous spirit beneath his serious demeanour, she seduces him into a last fling before he settles for a loveless marriage.

His is a life of duty and tradition, hers is a pursuit of freedom and pleasure, so this can never be more than a brief affair.

But as the Twenties roar to their conclusion, will Gabrielle survive falling in love with the one man she cannot have? And will Sebastian be able to settle for less than the woman he loves?

Excerpt:

After dinner, they sipped Manhattans and listened to the music. Lights danced on the surface of the Thames, as magical as the fragile bubble that encased them.
If only this night need never end—but she knew too well that the good things in life never lasted. Which was why you had to grab them when you found them. A ray of sunshine, a favourite song, a desirable man.

Available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Author Spotlight - Kathy Bosman

Ubuntu is a new line of romance novels from Decadent Publishing - a line of books set in Africa and featuring African characters. One of the line's launch titles, Dragonfly Moments by South African author Kathy Bosman, is in our spotlight today.

Kathy has appeared in our Spotlight before, talking about her debut novel Wedding Gown Girl, so today's interview will be a little shorter than usual.

1. Do you write every day?
I wish, I wish, and I wish. Lately, it’s been really hard as I have two more books coming out this year so I’ve worn the editing hat quite a bit. Life’s demands squeeze out my time but on some of my good days, I make up for the bad ones. Note some, not all.

2. Which blog(s) do you read regularly?
I read the Minxy blog and some author friends’ blogs as well as The Bookshelf Muse. They have some wonderful writing tips. That’s not all. I read about ten other blogs on other topics I’m interested in, so yes, my blog reader software on my phone keeps quite busy.

3. Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
I have got a little lazy in this regard. I used to run 10 km races but nowadays prefer walking. Twice a week, I do my exercise DVDs which are a mix of dance moves, weights, and general exercise. Once a week, I go on my much-needed jog / walk where I get lots of writing inspiration. My kids rope me into playing soccer or hockey sometimes but lately, I lose everything as they get older and stronger. I was never good at sport but do really enjoy it.

4. Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?
Ryan loves safari so they would probably go to Kruger National Park and go on game drives and a few walks or maybe God’s Window in Mpumalanga so Tessa can sketch the mountains and scenery. The place they stay at would have to offer top-class cuisine to match Ryan’s taste being a chef.

5. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
I would probably find all my heroines fun to be friends with. They all have a little bit of me in them but also elements that are so different to me. I’m trying to learn the importance of making female characters who are kind yet not wimpish. It’s a hard balance to reach but it makes them likeable—to me at least. I think my favourites so far have been Kienna and Elaine. Kienna is from “Wedding Gown Girl” and Elaine is from a book I have coming out in September called “Three Tiers for Win.”

6. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
I love all my heroes but I suppose Ryan from Dragonfly Moments and Win are my favourites. Win is super hot being an Olympic swimmer yet has some dark secrets which make him mysterious. Despite that, he’s a great love for his lady. Ryan has the patience of a saint and I love his rugged look. His looks are based a little on my hubby’s looks.

Blurb:

A young woman’s first love walks back into her life at the worst time possible—she is about to start a family with another man. But when her dreams begin to crumble, which one will be there to help her pick up the pieces?
Seven years earlier, at university, Tessa Calitz wrote a letter to Ryan le Roux promising her undying love. As time passed, she forgot about that letter...but not Ryan, who clung to the hope that she would wait for him.
Such is not the case when he walks back into her life. Tessa is in a serious relationship, and is busy setting up her art gallery in Johannesburg. She has plans to start a family, and the arrival of Ryan into her life throws her for a spin.
He is the worst thing that could happen to her dream of stability and starting a family...or is he?
Because when her relationship and everything she clung to starts to crumble, Ryan is right beside her to inspire her to greater things.
But her obsession for having her own child pushes Ryan away when she falls in love with an orphaned HIV-positive baby.
What can Ryan do to make Tessa realize that being with him is what her heart has longed for all along?


Dragonfly Moments is available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks and direct from Decadent Publishing.

You can find links to my other books at www.kathybosman.com. I also have a new book coming out at the end of the month called Cosmetic Heart.

Sinfully Summer - guest post by Aimee Duffy

Why did I choose Marbella as the location for Sinfully Summer? Well, for me there’s nothing like a good beach holiday with the girls. Sizzling myself on the beach all day, downing some cocktails late in the afternoon, and then dancing the night away is my favourite kind of vacation.

Since I’m in the UK, it’s so much easier to travel to Spain (I hate long flights). I’ve visited most of the country, and I have to say that’s not just because it’s easier to get to. Portugal’s closer after all. Nope, me and my girlies visit for the local men. Spain literally has it all, clubs, bars, waterparks and lush eye candy. What more can a girl ask for?

So when I was brainstorming locations for Sinfully Summer, I couldn’t pass Spain up. Marbella is the playground for the rich and famous (including an Arabian princess). Top that off with a rare European micro-climate which means it’s scorchio for 300 days a year, a long list of beach bars and clubs to rival some of Europe’s most prestigious party spots and I have the perfect place for a scandalous story.

Plus, with all the tales of the Marbella-based debauchery, my notoriously wild heiress and her best friends would fit right in. Well, until stick-up-his-ass Enrique tries to tame her, that is. Yeah, good luck with that Ric…

So why not jump on a plane and go visit the party central of Spain? If you can’t make it, you can always pick up Sinfully Summer and live voraciously through my heroine.

I really didn’t get up to all the things she does, or partake in crazy dares that left me running around a hotel in my underwear. Neither did any of my friends. Plus we’d never sunbathe topless, pull a gay guy, or do anything else those three get up to. Honest.

Thanks so much for having me today!

Sinfully Summer Blurb

Sun, Sea and Scandal

Notorious heiress Alexa Green has certainly been enjoying her most recent girls-holiday in Marbella. Just as we thought, she’s been knocking back the cocktails and showing off her fabulous bikini body on the beach… but rumour has it she’s also been spotted sneaking out of Enrique Castillo’s penthouse in the early hours of this morning – in nothing but her underwear! Our question is, doesn’t this fiercely private billionaire know what he’s letting himself in for?

He’s got the millions… and she knows how to spend them! So lie back on your sun lounger and get comfortable, because this summer fling is going to be a sizzler!

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Google Play / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Excerpt

Adrenaline roared through her veins. This was her only chance. Pushing away from the wall, she rounded the lift, desperately seeking an escape. She barely noticed the plush furnishings, soft-looking leather sofas and floor to ceiling window which showcased the most spectacular view she’d ever seen. Instead she focused on the walls surrounding the elevator.

‘Are you lost?’

The heavily accented voice froze her to the spot. She darted a glance toward the sound. Dark brows furrowed over the richest coloured eyes she’d seen. His gaze swept over the length of her body, then up, lingering on her rear for a beat too long. Her skin tingled under his scrutiny.

Turning her whole body to face him, she slapped a hand on her hip. ‘Had a good enough look?’

His lips quirked in a sexy, lopsided grin. The jitters were back and Alexa swore the temperature in the room shot up ten degrees. Her gaze dropped to his broad shoulders, covered in a thin white t-shirt, then down to a well filled chest. She could see a dark pattern beneath the t-shirt. She longed to find out what kind of tattoo he had. Usually, tats didn’t do it for her. But on that body…

‘I could ask you the same thing.’

She snapped her attention back to his face. He stepped toward her, his jaw set, his eyes dancing with humour and something darker…something that made her blood heat and her mouth water.

Alexa raised her arm, palm out. ‘Hold it there, Mr. Any closer and I’ll scream.’

He paused by the sofa. Propping his hip against the cream leather, he folded his arms across his chest, causing the muscles to bulge. The moisture drained from her mouth and flooded in her belly.

‘No one’s here to hear you.’ He cocked a brow. ‘You seem to be forgetting where you are and,’ his gaze dipped down to her breasts causing the nipples to peak against the lacy fabric ‘how underdressed.’

Alexa thought this moment would have topped the blush scale. She planted her other hand on her hip and glared at him, unwilling to show any weakness. ‘I’m just leaving.’

She turned and strode back to the lift, keeping her back straight and trying not to wiggle her hips too much. The predatory sheen in his eyes made her body more jittery than the idea of sprinting around the lower floor in her underwear. She reached out to hit the button, but a large hand circled her wrist before she made it.

Alexa squeaked and darted back a step. He was so close, and his chest was right in her face. She could see the dark outline of the tattoo beneath the thin cotton. The outline of a burning sun, she thought, or something that looked like a sun. Her hands itched to lift the material and see for herself.

‘I’m up here.’

She snapped her gaze back up to his smirking face and took another step back. His lips kicked up at the corners and his eyes darkened. She swallowed against the urge to step closer, to feel his hard body pressed against hers. But she realised she was in little more than her bra and knickers in a stranger’s home. Unease skittered down her spine.

Alexa squared her shoulders, trying to quash the fear turning her heated blood into cold sludge. ‘I’m leaving now.’

‘After you explain what you’re doing in my home in your undergarments.’

 ‘Undergarments?’ Alexa pressed her lips together to keep a giggle at bay. ‘Seriously?’

About the Author

All my life I’ve been dreaming up stories. My mum said when I was little I used to make all the My Little Pony figurines talk to each other, and even fall in love. Later, it was Barbie and Ken. In my teens, I played matchmaker with my friends at school.

When I wasn’t creating imaginary scenarios, I had my nose stuck in books, reading across genres and there was one thing I loved more than the escapism—the fact a story can touch me so deeply, like I was experiencing everything along with my characters. I knew from early on this was something I wanted to do for others.

Fast forward a few years, and the dream almost got lost in real life, but I still couldn’t shake it completely. Now I write sizzling romance with the hope of making my readers’ hearts race like they are falling in love for the first time.

You can find me here:

Website & Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest / Google +