Tropical Persuasions – Hold Onto that Summer Warmth!

Hi, everyone. As we wind our way toward the end of August, I’m hoping you all have had a summer filled with fond memories and fun times…and good weather. Is it bad that I’m already starting to look forward to a cooler season and curling up with some of the awesome books in my “to be read” pile?

I’ve kept busy with family and writing. We’ve taken several long weekends to go away, but mostly have been home. One of the good things about that is that my Tropical Persuasions series is now set for release. In fact, the first story is already out there!

I’m excited to reveal the covers for this series. An updated version of Stolen Treasures, the story of Dion Gaetani and Claire Saunders, who put everything on the line to capture a modern-day pirate, is now available on Amazon. Other venues coming soon.

Pirate’s Promise is slated for re-release on September 15th and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. I couldn’t write Stolen Treasures without realizing that the pirate, Hakon “Hawk” Thoralssen, needed his own story, so I introduce him to his attorney, Julia Branholt, and sparks fly.

And Dare To Love, the long-anticipated third and final story in the series, and also available for pre-order on Amazon, releases October 13th. Aidan Walker, friend and co-worker to Dion, meets his match in Gail Grayson, a spike-haired pixie who wants to turn the ladies’ man into a one-lady kind of guy.

As well, I’ve set up a newsletter list where news about my stories will be released first. To join the list, just click here and enter your name and email address.

Thanks! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Laurie Ryan

New Release – Northern Lights

The story inspired by a bucket list item of mine (seeing the Aurora Borealis) has arrived!

What it’s about:

When New York corporate man Renzo Gallini shows up with papers saying he owns the waystation Jess Jenkins lives and breathes for, she laughs in his face. But things get tense when he’s got the paperwork to prove it…and her father, who apparently signed their home away, is nowhere to be found.

Jess has lived her entire life at Last Chance Camp, a man’s world where femininity is relegated to wisps of time behind her closed apartment doors. Yet she’s proud of what they’ve built here. Last Chance is all she needs to be happy and no amber-eyed city-boy will convince her otherwise.

Renzo Gallini left New York on his mother’s foolish errand, to ferret out what changes would be needed to turn an Alaskan truck stop into a vacation destination. He finds little of merit in the wide spot in the road until the small community, led by a fiercely loyal tomboy, show him there’s more to Alaska than just ruts in the road. That survival depends not just on good planning, but on each other. And love can be found in places where you least expect it.

Where it’s at:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
KOBO

Coming soon to iBooks and GooglePlay

A sample:

Ren sipped coffee from the restaurant’s porch and watched the tourist group outside dwindle until only Jesse was left. She pulled her hair free of its band and gazed skyward. Then, to his surprise, she began to twirl in slow circles, her body swaying in time to a music he could not hear, her arms outstretched to the meandering ribbons in the sky. Her dark hair, unbound now that her day was done, swirled about her in soft waves.

Ren froze, caught in the hypnotic display of her almost spiritual union with the sky around her. She moved with a fluid grace Ren found more profound and sensual than anything he’d ever experienced. He swore he could feel the thrum of the spirits flowing through his own veins as a web of peace settled around his beating heart.

As he watched, Jess’s soft sounds of delight were joined by another quieter, more elusive sound, almost like a hushed whistle. He smiled, betting that Jess would say the spirits approved.
He waited and watched as Jess danced in their midst until the last light faded from the night sky. He watched until she wandered beyond his sight. Even then, he stood, his coffee forgotten. He felt…bereft with her disappearance. He wanted to call her back.

Somehow, Ren knew that, with tonight’s events, his life had been forever changed. And right now, at this moment, he didn’t mind one bit.

Cover Reveal – Northern Lights by Laurie Ryan

With only about two weeks to release, I wanted to share the cover and blurb for my newest story, Northern Lights with you. This story holds a special place in my heart, since it’s wrapped around my opportunity to check off a bucket list item: seeing the Aurora Borealis. That night, or early morning, since it was 1a.m., was AWESOME. Threads of color moving across the sky, yet not moving. In fact, if you’ve had a chance to see the Northern Lights, I’d love to hear your stories.

The Cover:

What it’s all about:

When New York corporate man Renzo Gallini shows up with papers saying he owns the waystation Jess Jenkins lives and breathes for, she laughs in his face. But things get tense when he’s got the paperwork to prove it…and her father, who apparently signed their home away, is nowhere to be found.

Jess has lived her entire life at Last Chance Camp, a man’s world where femininity is relegated to wisps of time behind her closed apartment doors. Yet she’s proud of what they’ve built here. Last Chance is all she needs to be happy and no amber-eyed city-boy will convince her otherwise.

Renzo Gallini left New York on his mother’s foolish errand, to ferret out what changes would be needed to turn an Alaskan truck stop into a vacation destination. He finds little of merit in the wide spot in the road until the small community, led by a fiercely loyal tomboy, show him there’s more to Alaska than just ruts in the road. That survival depends not just on good planning, but on each other. And love can be found in places where you least expect it.

Expected Release Date:

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Bahama Christmas

Need a heart and cold-weather warming quick read? Check out this story by Lavada Dee!

After being pretty quiet on the news front, Bahama Christmas is giving me something to blog about. Jillian Chantal is featuring Bahama Christmas over on her blog today. It’s an interview and I love Jillian’s questions. They make me want to pull out my luggage and book a cruise.   So for a bit of cruise ambiance pop over it’s at http://jillianchantal.com/2014/11/20/lavada-dee-and-bahamas-christmas/

And, Bahama Christmas is also featured on Snowglobes Festive & Fun mini contest. This contest runs from today through Nov. 26^th. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with the Title and Name of the author of the cover your voting for and your email address. Snowglobe is at http://snowglobeawardcontest.vpweb.ca/mini-contests wishing you all luck.

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Favorite Books Feel More Like Old Friends

I was cleaning out an old desk today, preparing to give the desk away and put a nice cushy reading chair and ottoman in its place. When I opened one drawer though, all work ceased as I pulled out beloved copies of my favorite books. Most of them were Kathleen Woodiwiss stories, but there were a few others, too. I wanted to curl up in the new chair (that hasn’t yet arrived) and open one of them now. Alas, the chair won’t be here for four weeks yet.

However, it got me thinking. These are old, beat up copies of my favs. I have nice, shiny new ones in my collection, but I still pull these out when I want to re-read the story. I’m not sure why, and Ashes in the Wind, in particular, is pretty beat up. But they are still my go-to copies.

Do you have dog-eared copies of favorites books you like to read? I’d love to hear what your favorite stories are. The two pictured above have the 1st and 2nd spot on my fav list. What story’s at the top of your list?

I can hardly wait to get my new chair. I plan to get back to some dedicated reading time and I already know what story I’ll be settling in to read first. After all, I named my daughter Alaina after the heroine in Ashes in the Wind. 🙂

Happy reading, everyone!

Here There Be Witches

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but there’s a couple projects in my pipeline I’ll be talking about soon. In the meantime, I wanted to give a shout out to my friend, S. F. Chancellor, who has a new Young Adult story out. I haven’t read many witch stories, but this one, and the sassy heroine, Cali French, grabbed and held my attention. I was chuckling most of the way through as Cali struggles to come to terms with her powers while in the midst of crises. Add in one guardian angel trying to figure out how to handle his first assignment…Cali…and it’s a winner in my book!

What it’s about:

One chaotic week in October, former friends, a guardian angel, and a secret prophecy cause turmoil in the life of a teen-age witch-in-training.

Cali French, a high school senior, is cut out of her inner circle when she refuses to participate in a spell her friends want to cast. Cali fears the dark magic and the unknown consequences of the shortcut they want to take by casting the spell.

Unbeknownst to her, Cali is the subject of an important prophecy. Her former pals have discovered this and have an even more sinister motive in forcing her to cooperate in their work than Cali can imagine.

Her very life in peril, the young witch-in-training faces unknown dangers relying only on her unpolished skills and some assistance from a guardian angel and a gentle giant.

And where you can find it:

Amazon ebook:  http://amzn.com/B00ME39L1A

Amazon print: http://amzn.com/0692266038

Where you can find Sherry: http://sherryfowlerchancellor.com/

 

 

Squeeing about a new series by Kate Davies

Hi, everyone! I hope your Winter was survivable and your Spring is shaping up to be sunny and fun. I thought I’d kick the season off by giving you a fun, sexy, new series to check out from my friend, Kate Davies. Imagine returning to your high school after ten years. What will your classmates be like now? Successful or not? What are you like? And what would you do if you had one more chance at happiness?

I’m excited for this series to be kicking off with Kate Davies’ newest story, Most Likely To Succeed, which releases TODAY!

Here’s the specs:

The blurb:

Book one in the Girls Most Likely to…

Ten years after being voted Most Likely to Succeed, Kelsey Moore is still living in her hometown, still working in her family’s flower shop, and too embarrassed to attend her high school reunion. Only the chance to reconnect with her study buddy–and secret crush–Nathan Barrow tempts her to go.

Nathan isn’t sure why he came back for the reunion after spending the past decade working abroad. But when he runs into his former lab partner, Kelsey, he’s sure glad he did. The chemistry between them is as potent as ever, and when she offers him a weekend of wild, no-strings-attached sex, Nathan knows he’d be a fool to say no.

Nathan can’t be tied to one place for long. But the more time they spend together–in and out of bed–the more Kelsey wonders if their reunion could become something more permanent. That is, if Nathan is still interested when he finds out she’s been less than honest with him about her life since graduation…

21,000 words

Available at Carina Press,
Barnes and Noble and Amazon

And coming in April: