Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#NewRelease #Romance Teach Your Heart by Tracey Alvarez



Title: Teach Your Heart (Far North Book 3)
Author: Tracey Alvarez
Release Date: November 30, 2016



Some lessons are harder to learn than others…

Doctor O-for-Awesome Owen Bennett is all about fixing broken things. Then the arrival of his orphaned nieces and nephew for twelve weeks causes his workaholic life to plummet into chaos. Hiring the beautiful but unpredictable Gracie Cooper as a live-in nanny might just get him out of a tight spot…or it could seduce them both into a reckless affair. 



Excerpt

Gracie squinted into the dim interior and took a few steps inside. She hadn’t noticed the workbench, covered with rags and odd tools and some grease-slicked motor parts, last night. Beside the bench, a weed trimmer was in at least a half-dozen pieces. For a man who looked like dirt or motor oil wouldn’t dare cling to his Teflon-slick surface, he sure had one hell of a man cave.
You’re going to fix the mower?”
“Nobody else around to do it.” He picked up a metal toolbox and dumped it on the opposite side of the mower to where she stood. “Call it a leftover childhood hobby.”
“Fixing lawn mowers?”
“Fixing anything. Often stuff I’d already fiddled with and screwed up.”
“You taught yourself to repair things?”
He shook his head. “My dad taught me, mostly. He used to work as a mechanic before he met my mum. Think I got my love of figuring out how things work from him.”
“You didn’t want to become a mechanic like your dad?”
A cloud passed over Owen’s face then disappeared. “Not after I decided fixing people was way more interesting than fixing a motor.”
“I guess there’s a different kind of job satisfaction in that. Your family must be proud.”
“Yeah.”
His tone was so carefully neutral, Gracie couldn’t work out if there was an undercurrent of sarcasm beneath the word.
“So your parents still live in a house bus? The same one you lived in as a kid?”
A beat of silence followed while Owen stared into his open toolbox. After a moment, he selected a spanner and replied, “The very same.”
“And your siblings? You all grew up in the house bus?”
“Yup.” He crouched beside the lawn mower, slitting his eyes at it as if the thing had defied a direct order. “Think the spark plug is dirty.”
With two older brothers, Gracie was familiar with the male I don’t want to discuss this vibe. Rationally, she should back off and leave him alone. Emotionally, he’d piqued her curiosity, and she couldn’t resist jabbing the sleeping bear a bit more.
“So…no other awesome doctors in the family?”
He angled his chin, a grimace pulling down his mouth. “I don’t encourage that nickname in adult company; it makes me sound like an arrogant dick.”
Yep, she, too, had been guilty of an uncomplimentary first impression. But after meeting Owen, the nickname was actually kinda adorable. “Who started it?”
“One of my fellow interns, during training in Auckland. They called me ‘O’, and after one of our most grueling double shifts, one tagged me as ‘Doctor O-for-Overworked.’ My mate Simon deemed ‘O-for-Awesome’ funnier, and somehow it bloody stuck. It’s since followed me to Bounty Bay, and I suspect Simon contacted one of the triage nurses on the sly.”
He shot her a grin that caused a low flutter in her belly.
“The nurses introduce me to kids as Doctor O-for-Awesome—sometimes it distracts them for a moment; sometimes it makes them smile. It’s worth an embarrassing nickname then,” he added.
“I’m sure the patients you save think it’s very apt.” She gave her watch a pointed glance. “I’d better get myself and the girls ready.”
She backed out of the garage and hurried into the guest room to shower and change. If she woke in an emergency cubicle to see Owen’s face above her, she’d smile, too. Hey, a hottie doctor was easy on the eyes, but not a threat to her equilibrium.
But the guy tinkering with a mower, grease on his hands and scruff along his jaw…
The guy exposing a sliver of his vulnerable self he was probably unaware of…
That guy popped her bubble of safe distance he probably hadn’t even noticed her hiding behind. 



Release Day Giveaway
(Open Internationally)

1st Prize (over $50 value) includes:
~ Know Your Heart (Far North Book #2) signed paperback
~ Beautiful NZ themed scarf
~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Lanolin Pure & Delicate soap
~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Lanolin lip balm with Shea Butter
~ Pascall Jet Planes lollies - for those of us with a sweet tooth and who like to fly away to exotic places like Gracie. Classic NZ candy.
~ Cute New Zealand bird (Fantail) hanging decoration (Christmas tree?)
~ New Zealand made Whittaker's dark chocolate bar Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice. Kaitaia Fire hot-sauce was created in the Far North, where Teach Your Heart is set.
~ Author magnet (not pictured)
~ Author bookmark (not pictured)

Runner up prize:
2 runner up winners will get a New Zealand fire fighters 2017 calendar as pictured.


***To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you'll need to purchase Teach Your Heart and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the first 5-word sentence at the beginning of Chapter 17?



* Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else.
* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but I am unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster.
* Entries close on December 7th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure my e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If I haven’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, I will redraw a new winner.


Author Bio


Tracey Alvarez is a USA Today Bestselling Author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.
Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words.
When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework.

Follow Tracey on Twitter as @TraceyAlvrezNZ or Facebook as http://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor 

Her website is http://www.traceyalvarez.com and don't forget to sign up to her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/traceyalvarez/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+TraceyAlvarez/posts

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/traceyalvarez


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceyalvareznz/

Monday, November 28, 2016

Celebrate Cyber Monday With a 50% Rebate at All Romance Ebooks


Don't miss out on the chance to get a 50% rebate on all purchases over at All Romance Ebooks.

Finding Anna


***This is book 1 of a 4 book series.***

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent's death. As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he'd be in, Stephan can't walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how. 

Brianna knows only one thing: she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing. Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?



***This is book 2 of a  4 book series.*** 

As Brianna comes to terms with the realization that she is no longer a slave, she must figure out what she wants for her life. Forgetting her past isn’t an option. It is an integral part of who she is now, and it will forever shape her view of life. The one thing she knows is that she cannot imagine her life without the man who saved her, but can she be what he needs? 

Stephan never imagined falling in love with the woman he rescued, but the thought of her no longer being part of his life is physically painful. The scars from her past continue to haunt her, and he is helpless to stop them. All he can do is try to help her work through the traumas of her past. Can he be everything she needs and help her move on?



***This is book 2 of a  4 book series.***

For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian’s slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she’d escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn’t expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring. There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good.

Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. When Brianna’s father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian’s clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer? As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on, and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her. Will Stephan’s love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they’ve built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known.
 


***Book 4 of a 4 book series***

Brianna is lost for the fourth time in her life. The first life-altering event occurred when her mother died. The second was when she was kidnapped at the age of seventeen and forced to be a slave. She would never forget those ten months. 

Everything changed again the day Stephan steamrolled into her life. That first month with him was, in some ways, more confusing than the prior ten. As a slave, she’d known her place. With Stephan everything was new and different. He’d given her freedom and so much more.

Five months after Stephan rescued her, Brianna once again finds her life flipped upside down.
In this fourth, and final, installment of Finding Anna, Brianna must unearth strength she never knew she possessed. She must learn to trust herself, embrace who she is, and discover who she wants to be. Only by facing her demons can Brianna find true happiness and peace.


                                             Buy Now


Daniels Brothers

Trent Daniels only has one regret in life. Nearly fifteen years ago, he let his high school crush, Abby Hoffman, go off to college in New York City without telling her how he felt. Ever since, he’s wondered what would have happened if he’d been bold enough to tell her his feelings.

Abigail Hoffman left Ohio behind long ago and with it the family that had taken her in and embraced her as one of their own. She’s missed the Daniels family, but she couldn’t bring herself to face them again—not after what happened. Now her job has brought her back to the place she’s done her best to avoid and right smack into Trent Daniels.
 








Strictly Professional 


A phone call from her father sends Cali back home to Chicago to look after the family business. Being CEO of Stanton Enterprises is never something she wanted to do, but when her father tells her she’s the only one he can trust to run the company in his absence she can’t say no.

Within hours of stepping into her father’s office she comes face-to-face with her father’s head of security, Matthew Andersen. The attraction is instantaneous and undeniable. Unfortunately, Cali can’t act on it. She’s his boss for the next three months and it wouldn’t be appropriate to cross that line.

Little does she know, fate is determined to throw them together at every turn. Someone is after her father’s company and now he’s set his sights on her. Can Matthew and Cali figure out who’s behind the threats before it’s too late and still keep things strictly professional?

                                          Buy Now


***This is an extended epilogue to Strictly Professional. It is highly recommended you read that story first.***

Matthew Andersen knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with Cali Stanton. Since she came into his life just five months ago, his world has completely changed for the better. With everything in their lives finally coming together, he's determined to make their first Christmas a memorable one.


Serpent's Kiss


After losing her husband unexpectedly, Katrina Mayer decided to open Serpent’s Kiss. She wanted it to be a place where she and her fellow kinksters could play and socialize. 

Five years after the doors opened, the club is everything she’d hoped it would be. On Friday and Saturday nights, Serpent’s Kiss is filled with men and women who share a similar desire to explore the pleasures BDSM has to offer. The club has continued to grow, and over the years, many of its members have become friends.

The one thing Katrina didn’t expect when she’d decided to open a club was the human drama that came with it. Learning to balance her life as the club mistress has taken some getting used to, but she wouldn’t change a thing.




Beth Davenport has no interest in getting involved with another man for the foreseeable future. To say her last relationship ended in disaster would be a colossal understatement. The only reason she agrees to put in an appearance at Serpent’s Kiss, a private kink club in downtown St. Louis, is because her best friend, Nicole, won’t quit nagging her. When she walks in the door that night, the last thing she expects to do is meet a man who will have her reconsidering her ban on men.

As a captain with the St. Louis Fire Department, Drew Parker is used to being in charge. His crew relies on him to make sure they know what they’re doing and return home to their families after every shift. It isn’t, however, what he wants in a relationship. Drew decides to join Serpent’s Kiss to see if what appeals to him in fantasy is something he wants to explore in the real world. He’s also hoping that he’ll be lucky enough to meet a woman with whom he can explore his desires. The night Beth walks into the club, he is intrigued. Drew has to get to know her better.

After what happened to her, Beth is reluctant to get involved with Drew. It doesn’t matter that he is sweet and charming. She’s been burned before and Beth doesn’t think she can survive having her heart crushed again. Drew, however, won’t take no for an answer. He wants a relationship and is determined to chip away at her defenses until she relents. Will she give him a chance, or did her ex leave her with scars too deep to heal?




Justin has had a crush on his best friend’s little sister, Kim, since high school. When she shows up on his doorstep, offering herself to him for one night, will he be able to say no? Or will he give in to one forbidden night with the woman who has haunted his dreams for years?


Monday, November 21, 2016

And Old Book Gets A New Look #officeromance

For the last couple of months I've been wrestling back and forth with what to do with my very first published novel. There is always a learning curve when it comes to writing and marketing. Back in 2010 when I published Hidden Threat I had no concept of who I was going to be as a writer. Now, after almost six years I have a better understanding of the direction I want to take my career.

In that vain, I took a hard look at my first novel. It was originally published through The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House as a romantic suspense novel. But as I've gotten to understand the industry more, I've realized it doesn't really fit in that genre.

Most romantic suspense novels focus more on the suspense and the romance is secondary to the plot. That's not what happens in my story. Sure there is plenty of suspense, but there is also lots of romance...more romance than suspense.

So what do to...

The answer was to repackage the story. Based on genre expectations, my novel isn't romantic suspense. It's contemporary office romance with suspenseful elements. Which meant it needed not only a new cover, but a new title and a new blurb.



A phone call from her father sends Cali back home to Chicago to look after the family business. Being CEO of Stanton Enterprises is never something she wanted to do, but when her father tells her she’s the only one he can trust to run the company in his absence she can’t say no.

Within hours of stepping into her father’s office she comes face-to-face with her father’s head of security, Matthew Andersen. The attraction is instantaneous and undeniable. Unfortunately, Cali can’t act on it. She’s his boss for the next three months and it wouldn’t be appropriate to cross that line.


Little does she know, fate is determined to throw them together at every turn. Someone is after her father’s company and now he’s set his sights on her. Can Matthew and Cali figure out who’s behind the threats before it’s too late and still keep things strictly professional?

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Download Slave Free until Nov 30th #BDSM #Romance


Slave, the first book in my bestselling Finding Anna series, is FREE right now. If you haven't had the opportunity yet to read Stephan and Brianna's story, this is the perfect time to start. And if you have already read this emotional series, this is the perfect time to let your friends know about it.
"OMG! A great read with wonderful plot and characters." ~Amazon Reviewer
"This story may have been nothing like what I expected but it was absolutely fantastic and I can't wait to read the sequel Need." ~Feeling Fictional

Book 1 in a 4 book series.
Stephan Coleman knows what his future holds as the president of a not-for-profit foundation and he knows what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend, mentor, and fellow Dominant, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.
Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.
Brianna knows only one thing: she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.
Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a slave?


Sunday, November 6, 2016

November Goals #Writing #Publishing

It's a beautiful fall Sunday here in Ohio and I find myself sitting here at my desk somewhat lost. Not because I have nothing to do, no, on the contrary. I have too much to do and no idea where to start. 

Because of this overwhelming amount of work on my 'to-do' list, I decided it would be best to set out some goals for the month to help me focus my energy. 

I know it's November, which means a lot of writers are participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). As much as I know many authors love this annual event, it's never been for me. My brain isn't wired to just write as many words as possible over the course of a month, and then spend the next month or two cleaning all those words up and making them into a sell-able manuscript. This works for some writers, but not me. 

So with that in mind, I decided to come up with some goals for myself this month and I thought I'd share them with you here on my blog. 


1) Write 20K in Alexander and Grace's story.

2) Stay current on my newsletter (If you're not already subscribed, click here.)

3) Begin selling print copies of What Might Have Been.

4) Submit my application to the Ohioana Book Festival 2017.

5) Read 4 books and write reviews. 


While I could easily come up with more than this, I think these 5 will be a good start. If I manage to accomplish all of these, I will be extremely happy.

What are some of your November goals? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo?