Spotlight - Author Té Russ

It is my pleasure to feature author Té Russ this week in the blog's spotlight.  She has recently released another McAllister Family novel titled, Perfection.  Here's an excerpt:

     She dropped her head and her hair fell over her face. He placed a finger under her chin and pulled her gently towards him so she would look at him.

      “I know it’s hard to talk about,” he said tenderly, “but the fact that you’ve opened up to me is very humbling.”
     “You’re very easy to talk to, a good listener,” she replied, staring into his eyes.
     He moved his hand from her chin and ran it through her soft curls, then pulled her face close to his. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. He kissed her eyes, then her cheeks before moving his lips over hers.
     
      It was meant to be a chaste kiss, comforting.
    
     But the minute their lips connected, something inside both of them exploded.
    
     She let out a soft moan, opening her mouth under his, and his tongue swept into her mouth.

     She tasted sweet, intoxicating. A decadent mixture of sweet tea and a flavor that was uniquely hers.

     He felt her weave her arms around his neck and pull him closer, silently demanding more. And he gave it to her. He was useless to do anything else, but give her whatever she wanted.

     Finally his mind told him to slow down. He knew if he didn’t soon, he’d be stripping her down, and carrying her to the bedroom. He couldn’t make love to her. Not right now. She’d just opened up an old wound and was vulnerable. He didn’t want to take advantage, and he didn’t want her to ever regret them making love. They were still taking things fairly slow, despite the fact that, comforting or not, this kiss had kicked things up a few notches. So he’d have to wait.

     He slowly pulled his mouth away from hers, but he didn’t let her go.

     “I should probably go,” he murmured, with his forehead pressed against hers.

     He felt her nod.

     “That might be best right now.”

     “I still want to have that dinner with you soon.”

     “Cassius, I don’t think–”

     Before she could finish, he shut her up with another kiss. This one was greedy, hard and fast. He knew he shouldn’t have kissed her again so soon, but he didn’t want her to think, he just wanted her to feel.

     He ended the kiss as quickly as it began, tearing his mouth away from hers.

     She was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling rapidly.

     “When and what time should I pick you up?”
    
     “Tomorrow. Seven p.m.”

     He grinned. “That’s my girl.”

     He stood and headed for the door, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

 

Title: Perfection

Released: November 28, 2014

 

About the book:

 

Cassius McAllister is preparing to open the first resort for the family's chain of hotels and he is determined to make it the best vacation spot in Jamaica, which means everything has to be perfect. While searching for a head chef for the resorts main restaurant, he gets way more than he bargained for in Jillian King. Not only is she just what he is looking for in a chef, she may be something he didn't know he was looking for in a woman....

 

Jillian is passionate about food and cooking. Her dream of becoming a head chef comes true when she is suggested to run Paragon at the Lillian Resort and Hotel. The location of the resort is something out of a fantasy! And so her new boss, Cassius.

 

Both Cassius and Jillian are focused on their careers, but eventually they find themselves not only heating things up in the kitchen, but also heating up the Jamaican nights...

 

 

Available on Amazon: (click on link below)

 

Amazon

 

 

Author Té Russ has another McAllister Family release coming soon!

 

 

 

Title: Love After War

Coming soon!

 

 

Connie and Drew have been butting heads since they were teenagers.  With Connie refusing to talk about anything from their past, Drew has never figured out what made them go from friends to enemies.

 

Drew decides to finally get to the root of their lifelong feud when Connie ends up in Texas for a remodeling project.  When the truth comes out, it just might bring out some feelings both of them have been refusing to acknowledge for over a decade.

 

Available for pre-order on Amazon:

Amazon

 

About the Author:

 

 



 



Growing up an introvert, Té Russ found solace in literary arts at an early age. She found reading to be a vehicle to broader horizons and writing a form of self-expression. She began writing love stories in her adolescent years as a way to expel her youthful thoughts of love into words. Since then she has gone from writing stories and thoughts of love in journals to attending college for journalism and falling in love, which has allowed those youthful words of love to blossom into a series of stories in her romance novels. Though she has an immense appreciation for the sheer smell that books collectively exert, she also has found balance to her introverted nature with adrenaline inducing activities. So if she does not have her nose pressed deeply into a book or her pen ticking through a pad, you may also find this mother of three jumping out of airplanes, cheering her husband on at the top of her lungs at MMA fights, buzzing down the interstate on the back of motorcycles, or kayaking.

 

To keep up with her writings and other things going on check out her pages:

 

www.facebook.com/TeRussNovels

www.terussnovels.blogspot.com

Twitter: @TeRussNovels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Spotlight & Giveaway - Author Christina C. Jones

I’m honored to feature Christina C. Jones in this week’s Author Spotlight.  She has written several books and recently released a new title, I Didn't Mean To Love You, a spin-off of her book, Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

Title: Didn't Mean To Love You

Genre: Romance

 

Summary:

Vivienne is one of “those” people, the kind that believes in love at all costs. Broken hearts are a natural product of that, and Viv is used to dealing with it by simply ignoring the ache, and moving on to a new love. But this time, she can’t seem to shake the pain — until Carter comes along, handing out easy smiles and the kind of attention that makes her not feel so fractured after all.

Everybody knows Carter as this cool, confident, charismatic guy. He has a penchant for saying just the right things at just the right times, being just the kind of friend that’s needed in the midst of sorrow. But, as he and Viv embark on what was only ever intended to be a friendship, the idea of Carter as the “perfect” guy is challenged, and the real person could very well just be the next guy to break Viv’s heart.

Old hurts are unraveled, familial bonds are tested, and hearts are put on the line in this story of two people who didn’t mean to fall in love.

 (please note that this book is a spin-off of A Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and does contain major spoilers for that title.)

Excerpt:

 

Book Links:

 

Amazon

Goodreads

 



 



A Crazy Little Thank Called Love

Genre: Romance

 

Summary:



 

Simone is a woman on a mission: Stop being boring, and fall in love.

That's easier said than done with no prospects on the table... or under the table... or near the table. Her luck changes when fellow neighborhood business owner Roman Taylor walks through the door of her flower shop.

Roman is single, successful, and sexy — everything Simone is looking for to embark on a

whirlwind summer romance with the potential to spark an everlasting love.

But things are never as "perfect" as they seem, and Simone — and Roman — have to decide if they're willing to risk their hearts when things get a little messy in their pursuit of a crazy little thing called love.

 

 Excerpt:

 

 

 

Book Links:

 

Amazon

Goodreads

 



About The Author

 

Christina Jones is a budding author on a mission to show the beautiful — but not always pretty — journey of love in all stages, with a focus on people of color.  When she’s not immersed in writing it, Christina is an avid reader of her favorite genre, African American romance.

Her first published work was released in November 2013, and since then, she has released eight titles:

Love and Other Things

Strictly Professional

Unfinished Business

The Trouble With Love

Finding Forever

Chasing Commitment

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Didn’t Mean To Love You

Christina resides in Arkansas, and is a wife and mother of two little girls.

 

Author Links:  

 

Website

Twitter

Goodreads

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Snippet from WIP

Here's another little unedited snippet from my WIP (Teardrops Know My Name):

He poured wine into the glasses and handed one to her.  She took the glass and brought it to her lips swallowing in one big gulp then lowered it to the glass top coffee table.  

                “I’m worried about you.” He smoothed back a tendril of hair tucking it behind her ear. “How long has this been going on with the calls like the one you received today?”

                When did the calls start? She mused.  “I’m not really sure—about a few months ago.  I think that’s when I got the first call.  I didn’t pay it too much attention because I thought that it was a prank call.” She leaned back into the chair.

                “Do you have any idea who this person could be?  I mean—could it be someone that you work with or something?”

                “I don’t know.  Being a photographer I meet so many different people while on assignment.  I just wish that I knew who would want to follow me and make these crazy phone calls.”

                “You’re going to have to report this to the police because—not that I’m trying to scare you but I don’t think that it’s going to stop.  It seems as though you’ve been putting up with these anonymous calls and dismissing them as if they were insignificant—this is serious.” He frowned.

                “I don’t have enough evidence to let the police in on this yet.” She looked away from his gaze. She certainly can do without being dragged through the coals by the police. They seem to turn these things around to make the victim look like she asked for it to happen to her.   

                He took her hand and sandwiched it in between his, “Babe, you don’t need any evidence to tell the police, the fact that someone has been following you and calling you should be enough.”  

                “I don’t really think that it would be enough.  What if they ask me questions about what does he look like or something distinctive about him?  I wouldn’t have an answer.  Even the number he uses to call is scrambled.  I don’t want to be made to look like some sort of ravening lunatic.  You know how the police have a way of turning things like this around trying to make a person—especially a woman look like she doesn’t—”

                He interjected, “I would think that you would want the police to know—why wouldn’t you want them to—is there something that you’re not telling me?”

                “No, I’m just—I don’t know what I am.” tears welled up in her eyes then came trickling down her cheeks and she broke out into an uncontrollable sob.

                “Come here baby. Shhh…it’s going to be okay.” He said quietly as he wound his arm around her and pulled her tighter against him.  She was a mass of conflicting emotions as she pressed against his chest.  The smell of his masculinity filled her nostrils and the thud of his heart racing ignited which suddenly sent a burning desire within her.   He slowly bent his head and lowered his mouth onto hers.  The feel of his warm lips touching hers made her quiver.  She wanted more of him.  She needed him.  She parted her lips greedily accepting his tongue as it sensually slid through tangling with hers deepening the kiss. 

Until next time.......

Spotlight - Author Chicki Brown

I met this author on social media last year and we became friends fast.  She is such a pleasure to know.  I’m honored to feature Chicki Brown in this week’s Author Spotlight.  She has written several books and recently released book two of the Stafford Brothers series.

With book number three of the Stafford Brothers scheduled to release in December 2014, it’s not too late to get in on the beginning of this wonderful new series.
 

Till You Come Back To Me

Released: June 1, 2014

 





Excerpt:

The hospital staff and their guests settled under a white canopy covering two tables laden with bowls and platters. Nurse Okoro introduced their servers, three women from the village dressed in colorful traditional clothing and head wraps. Dr. Ijalana asked the women to serve the assistants first and instructed them to take turns checking on the patients. Charles bowed his head and silently offered a prayer over the food. Even though it smelled wonderful, most likely it contained ingredients he would never have eaten. The facilitator at the briefing mentioned the necessity of being careful not to insult the locals in any way, and one of those ways was by refusing food they had prepared. When he raised his head and opened his eyes, Nurse Okoro was studying him with a hint of a smile.

The new combined staff got to know each other while they ate. Charles took a few minutes talking with the two local doctors and the other nurse before he settled in the seat next to Nurse Okoro.

He nodded toward his plate. “Can you tell me what all of this is?"

"We asked the three best cooks in the village to prepare your first meal, and requested they fixed only chicken and vegetable dishes." He listened intently while she described the assortment of rice dishes, fruits, and vegetables in detail.

"Thank you. Everything is delicious. You have a British accent. You weren’t born here in Nigeria?”

She smiled and her cheeks rose like apples on her high cheekbones. “I was born here, but my family moved to London when I was twelve, and we lived there until I graduated from nursing school.”

“Why did your family decide to return?”

“They didn’t. My parents still live in London, but my brother and I always wanted to come back.”

“That’s interesting. I’ve recently moved away from my family too. Have you ever visited the United States?”

“No, but it’s on my bucket list.” She laughed and her obsidian eyes danced. “Is this your first visit to our continent, Dr. Stafford?”

“Please, call me Charles. Yes, it is, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of Nigeria.”

“We have our problems, but Nigeria also has its own unique beauty both in the villages and in the cities. Are you staying in Lagos?”

As she spoke, Charles admired the slant of her eyes and the tempting pout of her full lips. “Yes, the organization put us up in apartments in Surelere.”  

"Really? That's not far from where I live. Are you satisfied with your accommodations?"

"So far. We only had time to unpack before the car arrived to bring us here."

Charles tore his gaze from her face when Dr. Pategi said, “Doctor Stafford, you will find our nurses to be invaluable to you,” he said with a wide smile. “Because our funding and staffing are limited, Nurse Okoro and Nurse Bankole have often had to handle patient care and perform procedures normally dealt with by physicians. Likewise, our nursing assistants have stepped in to take care of traditional nursing duties. We all pitch in whenever and wherever necessary.”

The way Dr. Pategi suddenly interrupted him, Charles wondered if he’d been ogling her. He gathered his senses and concentrated on her words rather than her face.

Available on ebook:

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Available in Paperback:
CreateSpace

A Woman's Worth

Released:  December 16, 2013

 

Excerpt:

 

Once she settled in the chair and smoothed her dress, Gianne busied herself with reading the short printed program placed above each water glass, which took all of five minutes. She closed her eyes and willed herself to at least enjoy the meal. When she opened them, she looked right into the watercolor gaze of the handsomest man she’d ever seen. And he was staring directly at her.

Not knowing what else to do, Gianne offered him a small smile, yet he just stood there appearing startled, which she didn’t understand. Just to be certain she was the object of his attention, she turned and glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone stood behind her. When she looked back, her movement seemed to stir him.

“Please forgive me for staring,” he said in a deep, rich tone that sent waves of warmth right to her core. “Have we met before?”

Although she tried, Gianne was unable to keep her gaze from traveling the length of his tall body from those incredible eyes to the long black hair that curled onto the wide shoulders of the designer suit that fit his lean, yet well-built body perfectly.

“I don’t think so. You must be one of the Stafford brothers.”

He moved closer and acknowledged the other two guests at the table for the first time with a smile and a casual nod before he extended his hand to her. “Marc Stafford. And you are?”

“Gianne Marvray.”

“Beautiful name.Very fitting.” He smiled, and an air of sensuality surrounded him.

      What do you do for a living, Gianne?” Thankfully, her sleeves hid the fact that goose bumps prickled on her arms at the way he said her name.

“I’m an elementary school media specialist, which means I run the school library, buy books, show the children how to find information on the computer, teach them how to create media presentations in programs like PowerPoint and on sites like YouTube and Vevo. I also help the teachers.”

“You’re a librarian?”

She laughed at his slack-jawed expression. “You don’t have to say it like that. Most librarians are extremely capable, well-educated and knowledgeable of what’s going on in society, but people rate us a step above nuns on the sophistication meter.”

Now Marc laughed. “I’m sorry, but that is the general impression I get when I think of the job. You are so…attractive and…stylish, and…” He appeared to be at a loss for words, which did wonders for her recently battered self-esteem.

 

 

Available on ebook:

Amazon

 Barnes & Noble

 

Available in Paperback:

CreateSpace

 

The Stafford Brothers Facebook Page:

Facebook

 

 

Meet Chicki Brown

 

Shades of Romance Magazine 2011 Author of the Year, Chicki Brown has published nine novels and one novella, all of which have made different Kindle bestseller lists. A voracious reader since she was a child, Chicki grew up reading everything she could get her hands on. Now she concentrates on reading romance, women’s fiction and suspense. When she is not writing or reading, Brown devotes her time to helping aspiring authors.

Mother of two and grandmother of five, Chicki was born and raised in New Jersey and now calls suburban Atlanta, Georgia home.

She can be found at any of the following sites:

Blog:

http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/@Chicki663

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown

Google+:

https://plus.google.com/+ChickiBrown

Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/chicki663/

Amazon Central Author Page:

http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ

Goodreads:

http://bit.ly/qcsiMD

 



Spotlight & Giveaway - Author LaQuette

It is my pleasure to introduce the talented Author LaQuette in the spotlight today!

About the Author

 

A native of Brooklyn, New York, LaQuette spends her time catering to her three distinct personalities: Wife, Mother, and Educator.  Writing: her escape from the everyday, has always been a friend and comforter.  She loves writing and devouring romance novels. Although she possesses a graduate degree in English Lit, she'd forego Shakespeare any day to read something hot, lusty, and romantic.

 

She loves hearing from readers and discussing the crazy characters that are running around in her head causing so much trouble.  Contact her on Facebook, Twitter, her website, Amazon, and her Facebook group, LaQuette’s Lounge.

 

 

Title: Heart of the Matter
Author: LaQuette
Publisher: Hot Ink Press
Genre Interracial/Multicultural erotic romance
Format: Kindle

 

Blurb:

Heart “Mac” MacKenzie is a tough police lieutenant in the NYPD servicing the rough streets of Brooklyn, New York.  She’s a strong leader who doesn’t mind getting in the trenches with the men and women she leads at the seventy-four precinct. Her house, her people, and her family—both blue and blood—are the only things that matter.  She would live and die for the blue wall that shields her from a traumatic past.

When her captain assigns her a high-profile kidnapping case that she doesn’t want, and insists she allows the missing girl’s irritatingly sexy uncle to tag along during the investigation, her blood boils.  Mac has no choice but to do what she always does when things get out of control, lay down the law—her law.

Kenneth Searlington is a rich playboy from the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  With stunning looks and an unlimited source of wealth, he’s used to being the center of everyone’s attention, especially the women that he comes in contact with in high society. His life is fun and carefree until his niece, Merridith is kidnapped, and he’s forced to seek out the help of his godfather an NYPD police captain, David Porter.

Afraid and frustrated, Kenneth defers to his uncle’s expertise and his promise that he’s putting his best cop on the case, Lieutenant MacKenzie.  When Kenneth discovers “Mac” is actually a sexy as sin lady cop with a fiery temper to match, he decides mixing a little business with pleasure might be just the thing he needs to distract him from long-standing family issues that are trying to crawl their way back into the forefront of his life.

Each used to having their own way, can these two work together long enough to bring an innocent child home?  Or will they settle their differences and unyielding attraction in a more carnal way and get right down to the heart of the matter?

Excerpt:

Kenneth watched Heart climb the stairs two at a time.  She went into what had now become their bedroom and headed straight for the walk-in closet.  He heard the keypad beeps from the gun safe as she dialed in the combination code.

He felt a slight sense of relief.  Heart was silent-angry.  That was never a good thing.  At least if she was this mad and her weapons were locked away, he stood a chance of surviving to see the next day. 

She re-entered the bedroom and walked directly past him.  He heard her quick footsteps run down the stairs.  He followed, saw her head for the basement door, and disappear into the lower level of the house.

He walked downstairs to find her standing in the middle of the gym with her arms crossed against the expanse of her heaving chest.

“Baby, I…” She put up her hand and stopped his words.  She turned toward the stereo, turned it on, and fiddled with the dials until he heard Maxwell’s “Bad Habit” pouring from the speakers.

It was late and she had the sound turned up on damn.  Fortunately for their neighbors, the basement was soundproofed.  When the house was built, the original owner had wanted a place in the house where he could make as much noise as he wanted without disturbing the neighbors.  By the looks of it, Heart planned to benefit from that fact.  He wasn’t quite sure if he was going to benefit from it or not yet.

“What’s with the music being so loud?”  He yelled over the driving base.

“I want to make sure that the neighbors don’t hear you scream,” she said, face straight, muscles tightening in her arms as she squeezed her hands into tight fists.”

“Shit,” was all he could say.  He knew he was in trouble now.

She rushed him…that was the only way to explain how she was standing across from him one moment, and sitting on top of him the next.  In a matter of seconds he was on the floor; face up, with her sitting on top of him.

“Heart, this is not funny.  Get up so we can talk.”

She didn’t move, didn’t even make a sound.  She just looked at him, through him with sharp brown eyes cutting into his soul.  His hands had somehow ended up near his head when he fell.  He went to pull them down and felt resistance.  He tried to move them again and heard a metal clinking sound above his head.  He moved his head around until he could see the shiny glint of handcuffs.  She’d cuffed him to the weight machine they’d landed in front of when she’d taken him to the floor.  This was the very same weight machine that was bolted to the floor and immovable. 

“Heart, this isn’t funny.  What are you doing?  Why did you cuff me?”

Her face was still tight with anger, her body stiff and poised for attack.

“Kenneth, do you know that I hate watching you get dressed.  I hate it because I hate that anything else in this world gets to touch your beautiful alabaster skin as closely as I do.  I want to be the only thing draped over you so intimately.  Not the fine garments you wear, and certainly not that bitch, Faith.”

He watched her pull something from her back pocket.  At first it looked like a heavy handle, but with a flick of her wrist, it became a knife.

“Heart?”

She ran the dull side of the knife across his lips and said, “Ssssh.”

He swallowed carefully as he watched her remove the knife from his lips and slice the sharp side down the length of his shirt, causing the two sides to peel away from his body like water.

She continued the slide of the blade through his pants until he was lying beneath her naked and at her mercy.

“I’m an only child, Kenneth.  I never really learned how to share.  I’ll be damned if I’m going to share you.  So hear me now.  If you want that bitch, be with that bitch, and leave me the fuck alone.  But if here is where you want to be, keep that bitch, and any other out of your face.  I.  Don’t.  Play.  That.  Shit.”

He nodded his head quickly.  He knew he hadn’t  perpetrated that kiss with Faith, but him lying naked beneath her while she had a sharp blade dancing between her fingers didn’t seem the most appropriate time to point out whose fault this entire fallout was.

She brought down the hand holding the knife with a hard and fast stabbing motion.  He flinched, anticipating pain, but realized soon that there was no pain.  She hadn’t stabbed him.  He turned his head slightly to the side and saw the shiny blade next to him, sticking out of the floor.

Heart grabbed him by his chin and allowed one word to slip through her tightly ground jaw, “Mine!”

She slammed her mouth down on his and kissed him hard, sharp teeth biting into his flesh.  His skin rent and he tasted the bitter metallic tang of blood.  He should have been pissed, he really should have felt afraid, after all, this woman had rendered him helpless and brandished a weapon in front of him.  He was shaking, his heart was pounding, and his breath was coming out in rapid tufts of air from his heaving chest.  But surprisingly, there was no fear only…interest.

His dick jumped beneath her.  He was handcuffed with a knife sticking out of the floor next to his head and he was so turned on his dick could cut granite.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

 

My Beginning

by

LaQuette

 

 

Genesis Lawrence left her home and family in Brooklyn, New York ten years ago and never looked back. When you've spent your entire life protecting yourself from the ones that are supposed to love you, running to the other side of the country seems like the best idea ever. Emotionally bankrupt, she begins rebuilding her life after failed familial connections and a broken marriage leave her too raw to ever believe happiness exists for her. Work as a Physical Therapist in her rehab clinic is all she knows and all she wants.

Drew Marrack has spent the last year of his life trying to end the soul-searing pain of losing his mother by any means necessary, even if that means ending him—literally. After a tragic accident and a resulting disability that devastates the tattered remnants of his world, only one name can give him a brand-new start: Genesis.

Pain, heartache, secrets, and tragedy from the past bring them together, and then fight to tear them apart. Is new love strong enough to give them the fresh beginning they both need, or is this simply the beginning of their end?

 

Available on Amazon

 

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