I’ve teamed up with 10 other bestselling authors for the MYSTERY SPRING FLING $0.99 ebook bundle of romantic cozy mysteries…
and we’re donating ALL the proceeds to one local library! Purchase your copy today, and visit Gemma Halliday’s site for details on how to nominate your local library to receive 100% of the proceeds!
Book Bundle on Amazon
Info to nominate YOUR library is HERE! Thank you for supporting such a fantastic cause. Read on!
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I need to be quick before Sue realizes what happened!
Okay, she knows. AND, she’s totally cool with it. I just wanted to share a little about me. And that my book is FINALLY here! The deets:
Writing Reapers Was All A Mystery To Me
I didn’t orginally sit down to write a book about reapers. Reapers aren’t sexy. Reapers are death. And skeletal. And…grim. I first tried writing about vampires because, well, VAMPIRES. When I gave the first 30K of my first real novel attempt to my BFF, her reply was, “It’s good, but what makes it different?”
Erm, nothing. Same old story. Same old (okay, old but HOT vampires). I needed something different. Something that might stand out in a crowded field of paranormal monsters in love.
I chose reapers. And then I set out to make them better. Still human-looking but human DELUXE! Lots of dark potential there. I sat down and got to work making a world for them to live in, threw in some demons, an evil fallen angel and the Reaper Series was born.
Reap & Repent is Deacon and Ruth’s story.
Once I started writing, it didn’t take long for Deacon and Ruth to take over. I wasn’t telling their story. They were telling their story. About halfway through, I realized we all three needed a plan and finally sat down and organized all of the sticky notes, which had previously been decorating my car dashboard, writing cave desk and notebooks. I typed them up and printed them out.
HOLY COW, I had a plot! So THAT’s how that happens.
From that point on, I put Deacon and Ruth in peril, threw roadblocks in their way, and let their love grow until I reached the end, some eighty thousand words later.
And THE END ends with one of my favorite things.
BACON.
If you’d like to see how it all plays out, here’s your chance. Book one of the reaper series, Reap & Repent, is available now. Here’s a taste.
Lisa Medley writes reapers. The grim kind. Her urban fantasy romance, Reap & Repent is available now in a Harlequin E Box Set with three other Harlequin debut authors. A lover of beasties of all sorts, she has a farm full of them in her SW MO home including: one child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands of Italian bees and a guinea pig. Not so in love with the guinea pig. She can do ten pushups IN A ROW and may or may not have a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag in her trunk at all times. Just. In. Case.
Reap & Repent Blurb:
Deacon Walker is a burned out loner, whose two hundred years as a reaper have left him empty inside. But when he meets Ruth Scott, a gorgeous shut-in with unusual gifts, he’s forced to set his career complacency aside to train her for a destiny she never knew existed. Soon the two will face the ultimate test: a battle against demons determined to destroy humanity, one soul at a time.
Prologue from Reap & Repent:
Prologue
What does a guy have to do around here to get some service? Deacon Walker marveled as he glared at the undulating queue of grotesque reapers in front of him.
For all that’s holy, move the hell along already.
It had been a long week, and it wasn’t over yet. He needed to make at least one more pass through the hospital circuit before he could call it a day. He could already feel the tug of a freshly departed soul. Again. People were dropping like flies lately.
He massaged his brow, trying to soothe his exhausted patience as the line inched forward at a snail’s pace.
He was worn thin. Over the past few weeks, three demon soul poachers had popped up in his fair city of Meridian like poisonous mushrooms after a hard rain. While it wasn’t unheard of for one to slip out from Hell every now and then, three was a nightmare.
When it got topside, a demon’s M.O. was to steal a human body, poach a few souls from the dead and dying, and then make its merry way back to Hell, taking its host’s soul along for the ride. The only way to save the souls a poacher was carrying was to behead the host with a scythe. Not a pretty thing to do, but the poor suckers were too far gone by then to survive anyway. No human could withstand the pressures of being ridden by a demon. And it was worth it to save a handful of souls, not to mention inconveniencing the demon.
Deacon refused to lose any souls from his territory. At all.
So far the score was Deacon, 3. Demons, 0.
As a reaper, carrying souls to Purgatory for judgment was his job and he wasn’t about to cede his territory to poachers who used up their hosts like they were disposable Tupperware. So now, in addition to his normal day job, he also had to keep an eye out for more demon invaders.
While demons burned through most human hosts in a matter of days, some in a matter of hours, they had discovered long ago that under the right circumstances they could ride a reaper. Of course, they couldn’t just worm their way in like they did with humans—they had to be invited. But once a deal was struck? They were in.
And reapers? Yeah, they could hang on for decades inside a reaper. Deacon knew that fact firsthand.
His stomach twisted at the thought, but he shook it off, looking ahead with a heavy sigh.
Seriously, this line? Still. Not. Moving?
God, he needed a freakin’ vacation. Extended. He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration as his mind flipped through postcard-esque locations of reapings past. He snarled at the thought of New Orleans in summer. He would definitely want to go someplace cool—cool as in frigid, not hip. He was sick of the heat, and it was only the beginning of summer in the semitropical Midwest.
Come to think of it, he was sick of a lot of things.
This place was high on the list. It was as hot as…well, Hell actually. Or at least what he imagined Hell to be, although he’d never actually been there. Thank God.
Steam rose from random cracks in the stone floor of the underground station, veiling the place in a humid sulfur stench.
He pushed forward, finally making his way to the front to deposit his cargo of souls. He didn’t bother chatting. In. Out. Move on. It was a motto that served him well.
Mission completed, he hustled through the crowd, forgoing the bar-side frivolity of some of the more socially inclined reapers and their small talk about their glory days in the field or—even better—the missteps of the newest reapers. Newbies often tested their limits to humorous if not disastrous effect at least once in their early careers. That was exactly why new reapers had mentors or at least worked in teams. From all the laughter, he could tell that the stories were good ones. It didn’t tempt him.
He slapped his palm against the black granite monolith and flashed out of Purgatory to what he prayed was his last stop of the day.
BUY LINKS: Reap & Repent is available March 3, 2014 in a Harlequin E Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Box Set with the works of three other amazing new Harlequin authors! Reap & Repent will be available for single-title release June 2, 2014.
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1gF6Q98
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ITUNES: http://bit.ly/1njOngj
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Allison and I met at a local Ozarks Romance Authors meeting several years ago. With us both being painfully introverted and fluent in sarcasm, we immediately became online friends. That’s what introverts do. This is the equivalent of extroverts meeting for drinks and chatting. It works! 🙂 Her latest release, Convict and the Cattleman (as well as all of her books) is fabulous! Here are the details. Links are at the bottom of the post.
Blurb:
His love is the key to her release.
Sentenced to seven years of servitude in the penal colony of New South Wales, Bridgit Madden is thrust into a world unlike anything she’s known, dangers she never imagined and enemies with their own interests at heart. Certain that the conviction has ruined her chances of ever having a real family, she is fearful of her future.
Despite his reluctance to take in a convict, Jonah Andrus, a grazier and pioneer cattleman, needs a servant to care for his orphaned niece. When presented with Bridgit, who is far too beautiful and distracting, he initially tries to refuse. However, with a busy cattle station to oversee, he needs help right away.
Upon her first meeting with Jonah’s niece, Bridgit immediately falls in love with the girl and becomes entwined the mystery surrounding her birth. As she gets to know her employer better, Bridgit makes it her mission to remind him that family is priceless. When it seems as though she might have found the place she truly belongs, their love is threatened by lies and deceit, and both of them might lose everything they hold dear for a second time.
Excerpt:
“There, there. Bridgit will be along any second. She knows how to take care of you. Uncle Jonah will drop you. You’re too small.”
Surprised by his own admission, he stared helplessly at Olivia. When was the last time he’d paid her any attention? She’d grown and he hadn’t noticed. Babies did; he knew well enough from watching his calves during the summer. The baby he remembered was tiny, wrinkled and didn’t look like anyone. Charlotte, exhausted, but elated, had smiled proudly.
“Isn’t she beautiful, Jonah?”
Recalling her voice made his heart pound. The silly girl didn’t have a sense of shame. She’d been nervous when she admitted her tryst and the subsequent pregnancy, but she had defended her child. Not unlike one of his cows. They protected their young fiercely.
He hadn’t found the words to answer her question. All he saw was Rob Langnecker’s face. The desire to kill him had blotted out everything else. Langnecker had ruined his sister, left her alone with a bastard child and went off chasing other skirts. She’d died in the room where Bridgit slept, believing he’d come back for them.
If I ever catch him.
Jonah ran his hand down his face.
“Is something wrong?”
Bridgit’s warm hand closed around his. Pity shined in her eyes.
“The chores are waiting.” Clammy sweat dampened his shirt.
She tugged his hand. “You need to stay. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Go sit down.”
He didn’t understand why he obeyed, but he sat in the rocking chair by the window. His father had crafted it for his mother years before Jonah was born.
Bridgit lifted Olivia, nestling her into his arms. The cries eased to a whimper.
“Hold your arms like this. You’ve got to support her head.”
“I know.” Charlotte had insisted he hold Olivia hours after her birth. He remembered it clear as day. Accepting the chubby baby, he was surprised at her weight.
She’d been so small. “She’s healthy.”
It was more a question than a statement. Olivia gazed at him, eyes wide. Her fingers toyed with one of his buttons.
“Aye. Growing like a weed. She’s learning to roll over.” At his confused look, she explained, “That’s good. She’ll be crawling before long. She talks to me and follow things with her eyes. Everything she’s supposed to do.”
“Good. Charlotte would be glad.” His voice sounded choked and he cleared his throat, hoping Bridgit hadn’t noticed.
She lifted the bottle. “Here. Feed her. Tip it up, so the air gets in the bottle.”
He let her show him what to do, surprised again when Olivia grasped the bottle with her tiny hands. Her features were clearer now. Charlotte’s nose and chin. Those couldn’t be his ears, could they? Dark blue eyes stared up at him, then drifted shut as she suckled greedily. Her eyes were the only resemblance he could find to her father.
Bridgit kneeled beside the rocking chair and swept dark locks from the baby’s face. Her hand settled on his knee. “There. She’s happy now.” A wistful smile played across her face.
A jolt ran through him. With Olivia snuggled against his chest and Bridgit beside him, the moment belonged to a family man.
Links:
Blog – http://havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com
Facebook – http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites
Twitter – http://twitter.com/allison_merritt
Google Plus – http://gplus.to/AllisonMerritt
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18444415-the-convict-and-the-cattleman
Book trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYFqTSGhw
Author bio:
A love of reading turned Allison Merritt into an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She graduated college with a B.A. in mass communications that’s gathering dust after it was determined that she’s better at writing fluff than hard news.
She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she’s not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Allison Merritt, Convict and the Cattleman, ORA, Romance, Western | 11 Comments »
I’m very pleased to present the new look and title of my previously released book, Click! A special thank you to all who gave us your input and opinions on this. The majority has spoken. 😉 This book will be released through Gemma Halliday’s new line in February! I love it, though my favorite part is right above my name. Aaaah!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Gemma Halliday, New Look, T. Sue VerSteeg | 5 Comments »
As most of you know, Super Hubby and I moved to a beautiful home in the country this past December. I’m a born and raised small-town girl, and Super Hubby has been mostly a suburban kind of guy all of his life. There has been a bit of a learning curve for both of us. Granted, his was a bit less curvy than mine. He fell into step with nature. I sort of free-style danced with it for a few months. Here are a few things I’ve learned…not to do.
1. NEVER pet an armadillo. I know. This should have been one of those times where common sense set off all kinds of screeching alarms. Anyway, they don’t like to be touched even when they’re hurt.
2. NEVER walk down a dark hallway bare-footed. Having cats and moving into a house that’d set empty for a year or so equals dead things sprawled in the dark. Those things squishing between your toes will rip a girly scream from the depths of even the strongest man. Or me. And then there’s the flailing ninja dance that follows. Which leads me to the next point.
3. NEVER walk outside without some kind of flashlight or your phone for lighting. Cobwebs. They are EVERYWHERE. This also leads to the flailing ninja dance, especially when there’s something moving in them. *shudder*
4. NEVER blindly reach under anything in the house. What you grab ahold of probably isn’t what you were looking for…or anything you even wanted to touch! And when it moves? Blah. Again, girly screams and flailing. I’m shuddering and twitching just from the thought.
5. NEVER assume wild animals are afraid of you. Squirrels are haughty little bitches, and they will move heaven and earth to get the walnut at your feet. Opossums are much the same. They like fuzzy porch rugs and will stand their ground when you shoo them. And hiss. And lunge at you. A broom handle works nicely to prompt an exit, though they aren’t in any hurry to vacate the comfy, fluffy rug.
6. NEVER leave dog food in your garage without putting it in a freaking steal safe. It’s a veritable smorgasbord for little critters. And they like to store it in your warm car engine. Hand to God. We had to take my car into the shop because it started sputtering and stalling. They removed the equivalent of two bowls full of dog food from in front of the engine’s oxygen sensor. Runs like a charm now. *head/desk*
Those are but a few highlights of my adjustment from head-banging with nature to a smooth, melodic tango. This is still a work in progress, but I can honestly say it’s worth every last second. The peace and quiet, the beautiful acreage, the gorgeous home, they more than make up for the other things. Please don’t think I’m complaining. I just wanted to share my little nuggets of knowledge in hopes of saving someone from the dreaded ninja-flail. (And make y’all giggle. That’s what I live for.) Please feel free to share any bits of country know-how in the comments. I’d love to see what I’m up against going into my first autumn in the woods.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Country life, Life lessons, Ninja flail, T. Sue VerSteeg | 11 Comments »
Do you have a favorite fall memory linked to a train? What do you imagine you would see if you were riding a train in the fall? Join the authors of Wild Child publishing and Freya’s Bower as we Take an Autumn Train Ride through our blogs.
Prizes will include
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Trains will always have a special place in my heart. More importantly, the sound of them takes me back. I grew up across the street from a grain elevator in the small farming community of Grinnell, Iowa. They weren’t picky about the time of day or night trains were scheduled to stop and fill their cars. Hearing a train slowing down, the screech of the brakes grinding against metal, even the blaring horn, didn’t even faze me as a child. As a matter of fact, when we moved away after I graduated, I missed the random noise. It seemed especially quiet in the Spring and Fall when the windows were open at night. I’d hear one in the distance and long for the days when I could hear the team calling to one another as they slowed down and carefully pulled their empty cars under the elevator. It was an unconventional lullaby of sorts. It’s amazing what a child can become accustomed to and subsequently miss when it’s gone. I now live in the country tucked away from the road, nestled in a grove of trees. Most sounds we hear are from nature, but on a clear night with the wind in just the right direction, the faint whistle from a distant train will waft through my window. Those are the nights I sleep best, the far off cadence lulling me into dreams.
Is there a particular sight or sound that pulls you back to your childhood?
~T. Sue VerSteeg
Please visit these sites for more chances to win, the more you visit the more chances you have to win. We have 46 participating authors. You can stop at as many or as little blogs as you wish. At each stop, you will find two chances to enter per blog to win some awesome prizes. If you visit all, that’s 92 chances to win! There will be five, lucky winners.
Take the Blog Train and Visit These Blogs for more chances to win
Judith Leger, Fantasy and Contemporary Romance Author
The Fictional World of Jaime Samms
Follow Where the Path will Take You
The Wandering Mind of Lizzy P. Bellows
Cassie Exline — Mystery and Romance
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Autumn, Blog Hop, Freya's Bower, T. Sue VerSteeg, Trains | 12 Comments »
Wow, I have to say thank you to each and every person who has bought Luck Be a Lady. This whole experience with Gemma has been fabulous! I’ve said it before, but it does deserve repeating. Writing with her has been a dream come true. While I fully understand this is due to a firm grip on Gemma’s coat tail (this was added thanks to the ‘kind soul’ who found it necessary to point this out to me. I’m already aware. Thanks so much. /sarcasm), we are enjoying a strong presence in the Cozy Mystery lineup on Amazon! Number three over all and NUMBER ONE in Hot New Releases! I’ve even been listed in the top 100 Most Popular Authors in Mystery! I’m clinging to the list at 99, but I’ll take it! (Not to mention that Mary Higgins Clark, one of my favorite authors, is only a few spots ahead of me at the moment! Gemma is way up on the list, of course.) Again, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged amazon, best seller, Gemma Halliday, Luck Be a Lady, Tahoe Tessie | 6 Comments »
It seems like just yesterday when Gemma sent me that fateful email, asking me to co-author this series, and made me cry. Good tears! Freakin’ amazing tears. Writing this book with her is truly a dream come true. You can get a copy here. Thank you, Gemma, and thank you to all of my readers! Please excuse me while I toddle off to hit the refresh button. 😉 We were sitting strong at #7 in Cozy Mysteries best-sellers!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Dream Come True, Gemma Halliday, Tahoe Tessie Mysteries | 2 Comments »
Cover reveal for
Crossing Paths by Melanie Stinnett
Design by Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations.
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
The crossing paths of friendship, family, love, and loss are often complicated.
June Deckert and Caroline Smith sparked a friendship in college that carried them through graduation. Although they are complete opposites in every way, they have spent the last four years inseparable.
That is, until now.
June finds herself falling for a man who seems unattainable. As she works side by side with him on a new media campaign, their feelings for each other come alive. But when his actions start to speak louder than words, she wonders if she’s missing something.
Meanwhile, Caroline is fighting against her feelings for a recent acquaintance, and she decides to keep her new love interest a secret from June. Overwhelmed by these new emotions, her moods change swiftly, swinging up and down like a yo-yo.
While June and Caroline try to maneuver their way through new relationships, Caroline starts lying to June to protect her from a truth that threatens to break her heart and tear them apart.
In the end, Caroline’s deceit will test their friendship, and June will have to decide if her chance at love is worth putting her heart on the line.
Excerpt 1:
As I push open the door, he is leaning against the counter, just finishing off a glass of water. His head is tilted back slightly, getting the last drop, before he swallows. I never knew drinking water while covered in sweat could look sexy. I close my eyes to limit the visual stimulation as I try to ward off the blush I feel creeping into my cheeks.
“You took your sweet time getting in here,” he states.
When I open my eyes, he is standing closer to me with his hip resting against the kitchen island.
I walk toward the door that leads to the backyard and pause briefly to face him. “Um, well, I had to traverse the mountain of holiday decorations in the entryway.”
Laughing, he steps toward me and places one of his hands against the door just above my shoulder as his opposite hand takes hold of my hip. Before I know what’s happening, my back is pressed tightly against the door.
“I was hoping we could talk tonight,” he says softly.
My heart begins beating quickly, and it feels like it’s in my throat. “Really?”
He nods and leans in closer to me, his nose brushing against the skin just below my ear. “Have you told June?” he whispers, touching his lips to my neckline.
Goose bumps rise all over my body, and I feel certain that I might faint at any moment. “No,” I respond in a voice so hushed that even I have trouble hearing it.
His lips trace the line of my jaw. Each time he moves to another place on my skin, the prior space feels numb and neglected. When I feel his hand tighten on my hip, my body tenses in response. Just as he is about to reach the corner of my lips, the doorknob turns, and the door jolts against my back. My eyes widen in concern, and Liam hangs his head, sighing in what seems like frustration.
He looks into my eyes as the door continues to shake, and then he nods his head toward the other door. Continuing to hold his weight against the door, he releases his body’s pressure from mine, and I walk slowly backward through the opposite doorway.
I hear a loud thud as the door closes behind me. As June begins yelling something unintelligible, I hold my hands over my mouth, attempting to stifle a laugh. Liam runs through the door at lightning speed, closely followed by June.
Although she stops when she sees me, she’s still yelling loudly. “One day you’re going to regret playing all these nasty jokes on me. I could have gotten a concussion! You are such a buffoon!” She clenches her teeth and stomps her foot like a small child. “Hey, Caroline. I didn’t know you were here.”
“Just got here a few minutes ago,” I say, trying to act nonchalant. Glancing up the stairway to the wooden railing across the upstairs loft, I catch a glimpse of Liam smiling.
“I’m thirsty. Let’s get a drink,” I say, giving Liam a small smile in return before I walk out of sight.
Excerpt 2:
When I was ten years old, I got a trampoline. My first thought wasn’t about how it would impact my life. I thought about the special tricks I could learn, like bouncing my friends higher than any sane adult would allow. The moment I ripped through that wrapping paper, I was ecstatic as I stared at the picture of three happy kids jumping with their limbs flailing through the air. The box was gigantic, but I found a way to hug that box with more emotion than any other hug I had ever given.
Of course, my dad had to put it together right away. We sat in the backyard with metal pieces and tools surrounding us. The large round fabric was spread out, obscuring the grass from the sun.
Two weeks later, when I was happily jumping up and down, the unimaginable happened. One moment, I was free as a bird, flying through the air, and then falling, bending the fabric toward the ground. As I took my next flight, I could have never predicted what occurred next. When my feet left the trampoline, I raised my hands out from my sides with a huge grin across my face. While my body was in the air, I glanced toward the front of the empty house next door, and suddenly, my world changed.
A petite young girl with blonde hair flowing around her shoulders slid off the seat of a moving van. She was smiling and laughing as she ran up the sidewalk. My body descended, but my heart was still floating above. Then, it came crashing down moments after my eyes lost sight of her.
My young mind had no words for the emotion that planted its seed that day. I should have known then that I would fall in love with her. Instead, with everything in my being, I fought against loving her for the next three years.
About the Author:
I have enjoyed reading and writing since I was very young. Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of spending time with my mom or grandma reading a good book. Over the years, it never crossed my mind that writing my own novel would be an attainable goal. After reading several independently published novels by Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover and others, I decided I needed to give that dream a chance.
When I’m not reading and writing, I enjoy spending time with my three favorite guys: my husband and my two little boys.
In addition to being an author, I work as a Speech Language Pathologist to provide therapy to adults who are dealing with speech, language, cognition or voice deficits. My day job is rewarding in many different ways and I love having the opportunity to help others in a time of need.
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Sue's Random Ramblings 