Lynn Crain's XtraOrdinary Romance

Thursday’s Tidbits ~ Guest Author ~ Diana Rubino #HistoricalAuthor #DianaRubino #ThursdaysTidbits

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 07:01:00 +0000

Hi, all published and aspiring authors. I’m Diana Rubino, author of 18 historical and paranormal novels. My publishers are The Wild Rose Press, Creativia Publishing and Endeavour Media.

My story will inspire you to push on, if nothing else will. It’s unique, because I'm probably the longest aspiring author to be published—18 years. I wrote my first novel in 1982, after a dose of reality in the brokerage business. In those days, executive-level women were virtually nonexistent in the finance industry. My first novel was largely autobiographical, as most first novels are. Although my third and fourth novels came close to getting published with Harlequin, they didn't quite make it.

Because I’m a huge history buff, I decided to write a historical, which became The Jewels of Warwick, set around Henry VIII and a fictional mistress. Jewels took 2 years to research and write, with no internet. This was 1990. It came very close to publication with several romance houses, but missed the mark for containing too little romance. When I finished Jewels, I scoured the history books for another legendary figure to write about. While I browsed the Cambridge Library stacks, a book snagged my eye. Lying, not standing, on the wrong shelf was Crown of Roses by Valerie Anand. It drew me like a magnet. Richard III is a central character in the story, and the author thanks’ the Richard III Society’ for helping her. Who’s this Richard III Society? I wondered.

Already hooked on Richard, his tragic death at 32 and his reputation as a usurper and a murderer of his little nephews, I joined this Richard III Society. So, I joined up again through snail mail, no internet.

As everyone else who has a story about how they ‘met’ Richard, he fascinated me. I’d found the subject of my next novel! And it tied in perfectly as a prequel to The Jewels of Warwick. Titled Thy Name is Love, it made the same rounds of publishers, remaining homeless after several rewrites and seven years.

But the miracle of the internet came to all of us. My first online experience was CompuServe’s Romance Forum in 1993. This led to meeting many authors who shared leads and their own writing journeys. In 1999, Lisa Hamilton, an author I'd met on the CompuServe Romance Forum, sent me a list of E-publishers, since E-publishing was new and quickly catching on. One of those publishers was Domhan Books, a British publisher who also did print.

When I heard back from them, I figured it was just another rejection, but it was an offer to publish my historicals, since Siobhan McNally, the owner of Domhan Books, was a huge Richard sympathizer. They also published print books, so I lived the moment I’d dreamed about—seeing my first book in print. This was 18 years after that first novel went out into the world.

What surprised me most about the publishing business is that you really have to work on promotion as well as writing. I've read many differing opinions on this, but I do believe you should promote as much as time allows, without taking away writing time.

I can tell aspiring authors to make sure the opening is enough of a grabber, make sure the characters are compelling, make sure they're interesting enough and the reader cares enough about them to keep reading, make sure the novel is structured well, so that it doesn't have a sagging middle or any pacing problems, make sure the stakes are high enough so they're in life or death situations that it seems they can't possibly get out of, make sure the secondary characters aren't mere cardboard, and a humor always helps.

I don’t have any one favorite author, but there are authors whose books I’ll buy if their name is on them. That includes Doug Preston & Lincoln Child (they write great thrillers together), and Bertrice Small, who we recently lost. She never disappointed me.

I’ve never had a deadline from a publisher, but I’d once sent an agent the first 3 chapters of my vampire romance. He said he’d like to see the entire ms., so I wrote 5,000 words a day til it was finished. He later rejected it. Oh, well. But at least I know I’m capable of turning out 5,000 words a day. My usual output is 2,500 words a day.

In my ‘other’ life, I own an engineering business with my husband, based in Boston.

I’d like to tell any aspiring authors who are frustrated that it’s taken them 3, 4, 5 or more years to get that first contract, remember, I wrote for 18 years before getting ‘the call’ so never give up! Keep believing, and keep the faith! And of course, keep writing, because you’ll only get better. And NEVER give up on your dream!

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Eliza-Jumel-Burr-United-States-ebook/dp/B077QNXCM5

Genre: Biographical Romance Novel

Blurb: Abandoned and left to survive on the streets of Providence, Betsy Bowen dreams of being reunited with her father – none other than George Washington. During her ninety-one years, she begs, sells her body, marries a rich man, marries a poor man, solves a murder, meets her father in secret and becomes Eliza Jumel, the wealthiest woman in New York City. She actually could have been George Washington's daughter, according to the historical record--he visited Providence nine months before she was born.

A story of desperation, ambition, heartache and betrayal, borne with humor and refusal to compromise with what the heart asks first.

Excerpt:

July 11, 1804, a day I’ll never forget, a Wednesday, I rose early from fitful sleep. Two of my servants huddled in the kitchen, murmuring instead of cooking. They held the newspaper wide open.

When I walked in, they froze as if turned to stone, and held the paper out to me.

“What is it?” Without fresh coffee I was half-awake. But seeing the paper, I trembled. My mouth dried up. “Oh, no …” I hid my eyes with my hands, I couldn’t bear to look.

“M-Miss Eliza …” Mary stammered. “Vice President Burr shot General Hamilton in a duel.”

Too weak to stand, I grabbed a chair and sank into it. “He … shot Hamilton?” My head spun, dizzy with relief. But I still didn’t know about Aaron. “Is he all right? The vice president?”

“We don’t know, ma’am. It just says General Hamilton was mortally wounded.”

Without another word, I ran down the hall, threw open the front door, not closing it behind me, and raced to Gold Street in the gathering morning heat. Humidity soaked my clothes. I mopped sweat from my face.

I banged on his door. No answer. “Aaron, open the door, it’s me, please, we need to talk!” I banged again. Echoes answered me. I stepped back and squinted into the sunlight, shading my eyes to see the upper windows. Nothing stirred. The house was shut tight. He’d fled. But where? When would I see my beloved again?

Hamilton died the next day, and the city fell to its knees in mourning. It was even more pronounced than when Papa passed – because Hamilton was one of New York’s own.

Public grief over Hamilton paled beside the anger at Aaron. As I approached Trinity Church for the funeral, Gertrude’s father Gouverneur Morris greeted me. “I’m to deliver the eulogy. But indignation mounts to a frenzy already,” he cautioned me, eyeing the mob.

The tolling church bells and muffled drumbeats echoed through the sweltering city air. I thought of every place Aaron could be. I knew he hadn’t meant for this to happen. It was a tragic twist of fate. I also knew Aaron’s political career was over. He’d never be president.

“Oh, Aaron,” I wailed, “Where are you, my love?”

****

I heard nothing from him as each empty day slipped away. Desperate, I wrote to his daughter Theodosia but received no reply. I contacted his friends, but no one knew his whereabouts.

I saw Mrs Hamilton on Broad Way, head to toe in widow’s weeds. I wanted to approach her and offer my condolences, but she knew I was intimate with the vice president, so I kept my distance. Their country home, The Grange, was not far from the Morris mansion I planned to buy. We’d be neighbors someday.

BIO:

Diana has written many historical, paranormal and biographical novels set in England and the U.S. She’s a longtime member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. She has written articles for Romantic Times and appeared on The Book Swap Café, shown nationwide on Comcast channels. Diana and her husband Chris own an engineering business, CostPro, and make their home on Cape Cod. She’s a golfer, pianist, fitness nut, and Jersey Shore Italian.

Where can your readers find you?

Website ~ http://www.dianarubino.com

Facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/

Blog ~ http://www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com

Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/DianaLRubino

Where’s your favorite place to hang out online?

Twitter

Mystic Realms Author - Lynn Crain - #MysticRealms #LynnCrain #AvengingAingeal

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 05:01:00 +0000

Logline: Bound by vengeance, she is humanity’s one hope…

Blurb: Aingeal Cochran is on a mission to save humanity from itself when suddenly she’s staring head-on at her forgotten past. Lukas Everhard must bring her up to speed regarding the real enemy before allowing himself to love her completely. In learning about her past and mission, Aingeal realizes the best is yet to be and she will do anything to protect those she loves. For Lukas, Aingeal is the mission.

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Available for pre-order NOW! Release date: April 10, 2018

What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I loved the fact that I could weave urban fantasy and science fiction together into a story with an Earth setting. This story certainly has a twist and I love writing stories with twists or differences.

Mystic Realms Author – Nicole Morgan - #MysticRealms #NicoleMorgan #TheSecretoftheHollows

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 19:01:00 +0000

Logline: What’s a girl to do once she falls in love with a demon?

Blurb: Xavier Currington has spent his entire life hiding from the secret of his family. Being the leader of the Hollows, he lurks behind the shadows of the crime riddled Los Angeles streets.

Finally free of her abusive stepfather and drug addict mother, Elizabeth Hawthorn is faced with new fears. While working to get herself out of the flea bag motel she’s been forced to call home, she is offered a chance to make nearly triple her wages waitressing in one of the top gentlemen’s club in the area.

When Xavier first sets his eyes on Elizabeth he can’t help but pull himself out of the shadows. Her beauty calls to him, but her innocence is what brings him closer. As she falls in deeper with danger, Xavier is faced with the choice of continuing to hide, or saving her before it’s too late.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

That I was able to turn something that happened hundreds of years ago into an entire parallel world.

Mystic Realms Author - Lexi Thorne - #MysticRealms #LexiThorne #SleepingInTheDragonsDen

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 09:01:00 +0000

Logline: His Hungry Dragon My Curious Desire; His Tattoo Curse My Wet Dreams

Blurb: She woke up with that growled word still in her ear. Her body was sweaty, and she had thrown the covers off sometime during the night. But Lucy was alone in her bed. As alone as she had always been after these dreams. As alone as she had been ever since the dream started when she turned eighteen. She stroked her hand across the tattoo over her heart. The intricate tattoo on his back was branded into her mind. It was the only thing she knew about him. The sad part of it was, she had never screamed like that for anyone else. It had ever only been him, the phantom man of her dreams. She had never told anyone about it, though. Though, she thought Con might have his suspicions.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I liked the idea behind the story at its core two people connected by love through their dreams. Even before they met for real they were dreaming about one another and longing to touch each other. I really enjoyed the symbolism that dreams, and tattoo’s play into the story.

Mystic Realms Author - Jan Springer - #MysticRealms #JanSpringer #DarkHeat

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 23:01:00 +0000

Logline: Betrayed by her two forced mates, she hides within Vampira.

Blurb: Warrior Queen Megan Bloodrayne was betrayed by her two mates. Fleeing them, she hides within Vampira, a secret coven of vampires who live undetected among the humans. Recaptured, Megan learns she’s been framed for crimes she did not commit. Her mates, kings Christian and Zane, believe she may be a traitor and they’ll try anything to get the truth out of her.

Megan’s got a secret and she’ll do anything to keep it, including enduring scorching sessions of red-hot sensual torture.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love this story because it allowed me to mingle vampires with menages.

Mystic Realms Author - Christine Donovan - #MysticRealms #ChristineDonovan #AWolfsTouch

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 13:01:00 +0000

Logline: Can she love him--wolf and all?

Blurb: Troy, one of the first werewolves ever created, amassed many enemies during his time on earth. Although he’s dead, his adversaries still seek their revenge by hunting his surviving descendants.

Unbeknownst to her, Kate Stewart is a direct descendent of Troy’s. She is attacked one night by a wolf who converses mind-to-mind with her. Another wolf comes to her rescue. This encounter throws her into a world where ordinary people mix with preternatural beings.

Ethan Brown, leader of the Saviors of the Night Clan is visited by Troy during sleep and given the task of keeping Kate safe and initiating her into his world. He’s also shocked to learn Kate is his mate. The assignment given him won’t be easy as Kate lives in a world where only humans exist. Or at least she thinks only humans exist.

Can the physical and emotional connection between Ethan and Kate be enough for her to accept her future and allow Ethan to change her and turn her into one

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love the story because whether writing about a werewolf or a human, when you find your true mate the excitement and challenges truly begin.

Mystic Realms Author – D. Anne Paris – #MysticRealms #DAnneParis #GhostMate

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 03:01:00 +0000

Logline: She was going to kill him even though he was already dead.

Blurb: Jessica had a perfect life, until her husband fathered a child with another woman.

Heartbroken, she moves to Texas to start over.

When a handsome stranger pops in her new home he awakens a desire she never experienced. The only problem is he’s a ghost.

Jessi was Jon’s glimmer of hope.

Powerless, he is compelled to work with her to gain his freedom.

Will Jon’s soul chose to stay with Jessi or will vengeance tear him away from his soul mate?

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it shows that there are no barriers to love. Even through death the hero in my story is able to find love.

Mystic Realms Author - C.I. Black - #MysticRealms #CIBlack #SeductionsScent

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 17:01:00 +0000

Logline: Giving in to temptation threatens everything.

Blurb: For half-human half-fae bounty hunter Riley, the job to recover the Seal of Morrowen stolen from the king of the golden fae’s vault isn’t just any job. It’s the job. Failure means lifetime imprisonment in the king’s darkest dungeons. Success means her freedom from permanent servitude. And while she hadn’t expected the job to be easy, she didn’t expect competition, certainly not in the form of the dangerous and sexy shadow fae bounty hunter, Couper. Their attraction is electric, but even if that isn’t a trick, she can’t afford to succumb to her desires, not with her freedom on the line.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it has all the things I love in a paranormal romance: a kick-ass heroine, an alpha male, and fast-paced action.

Mystic Realms Author - LaVerne Thompson - #MysticRealms #LaVerneThompson #LivingOnTheEdge

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 07:01:00 +0000

Logline: Mate wanted. Dead or alive.

Blurb: As one of the few female bounty hunters in the country, and with a nickname like Edge, she enjoyed living on the edge and always got her man. One way or another. As an executioner for her shifter clan, she was relentless, but finding a mate was not something on her radar; having to hunt him down and

execute him even less so.

But could she trust her instincts?

Ethan Graves was a hunted man, not quite a man, but a Leo of his kind. When he found out he was hunted by a sexy bounty hunter, he let himself be caught. He had to convince her of his innocence before she killed him, then he could confess to wanting her as his mate.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love writing stories with badass heroines who hold traditionally male dominated professions. Edge is my heroine and she's a female bounty hunter who kicks ass and takes names after.

Mystic Realms Author - Viola Estrella - #MysticRealms #ViolaEstrella #AngelVindicated

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 21:01:00 +0000

Logline: Some sins are hard to avoid...

Blurb: Deporting unruly demons back to Hell is what I do best. Demon Control Angel isn’t just my job—it’s my life. Too bad my personal matters aren’t as straightforward. The virtuous gene seems to be missing from my DNA, getting me into more trouble than I’d like to admit. To date, my biggest vice has been Simeon Keller, a half-breed demon, who managed to seduce me five years ago. I’ve avoided him ever since, but I can’t knock the bad reputation the blunder has

branded on me.

Now, the threat of a demon rebellion has Angels, Inc. overwhelmed, and I’m forced to trust Simeon to help me find the fiends threatening to end Angels’ existence. Staying out of the enemy’s bed is the least of my worries as I fight to keep the earth from falling under demon rule.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love that my heroine is an angel whose job is to police demons while fighting her own inner demons.

Mystic Realms Author – Tracy Goodwin - #MysticRealms #TracyGoodwin #Cursed

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:01:00 +0000

Logline: Forbidden love. Dangerous prophecies. Limitless power. Fate is a witch.

Blurb: Tessa Egan is destined to die. When her powers as a witch are awakened, when she is hunted like so many before her. There is one problem: she doesn’t believe in destiny.

Fighting for her life, her survival places her on a collision course with a centuries-old conflict between species, a corrupt hierarchy that will do anything to destroy her, and the realization that her past was never what it seemed.

A prophecy proclaims she will become the most powerful witch her enemies have ever encountered. The mere promise of such dominance sends legions after her, as she struggles to master her abilities and win a war against forces far more sinister than she.

Adding to her already complicated life is a commanding guardian named Alec and his mysterious half-brother, Josh. The Prophecy of the Guardian’s Mark claims “Only a Guardian’s soulmate can see the Guardian’s mark.” Why can she can see both Findlay brothers’ marks? Why is Josh’s the opposite of Alec’s, evoking anguish and fear? Who is she fated to love?

The future of all rests in their hands as Tessa and the Findlay brothers discover that all species are in peril.

Dangerous prophecies. Forbidden love. Limitless power.

Fighting fate is just the beginning …

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love my heroine Tessa. She's snarky, kicks butt, is vulnerable, and complicated. Exploring all of those aspects of her character was both a joy and a challenge.

Mystic Realms Authors – T. Eden & M. Elliott – #MysticRealms #TEden&MElliott #TheWarriorsCurse

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 01:01:00 +0000

Logline: What comes next may be the end of it all.

Blurb: The forces of good and evil continue to rage against each other. In the greatest battle since the war began, one warrior discovers a shocking truth—his destined-mate is alive. Isaiah and Dalila not only struggle with their undeniable attraction but the shocking truth that their pasts collide. As they unlock the key to their survival, it may also just save the world.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

T. Eden ~ I loved writing the story because Isaiah’s transformation is a thing of beauty.

M. Elliott ~ I enjoyed watching how Isaiah evolved and got to work with my friend, Tigris Eden in a fun new world.

Mystic Realms Author - Sadie Carter - #MysticRealms #SadieCarter #SilentStorm

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:01:00 +0000

Logline: Sometimes the monster is the good guy...

Blurb: In a land where monsters and magic reside, most people have done the sensible thing and left. But no one had ever called Kaley sensible Trouble seemed to find her wherever she was…and somehow, so did Nicolas. Gorgeous, arrogant, and demanding, he always seemed to turn up right when she needed help—whether she wanted him to or not. If only she knew the truth about him… Nicolas had known Kaley was his mate for years. He’d been waiting, biding his time until he could join with her. Finally, her reckless ways push him to the brink. He needs to reveal the secret of who he really is and claim her. If only he knew that Kaley held a few secrets of her own…

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love this story because it’s fun and filled with mayhem and monsters and twists.

Mystic Realms Author - Tamsin Baker - #MysticRealms #TamsinBaker #Fallen

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 05:01:00 +0000

Logline: Gabriel thought he’d do anything to earn his way back into Heaven. He was wrong.

Blurb: A fallen angel doing time on Earth for his sins has enough on his plate, let alone save a woman with witch-like powers from Demons.

Gabrielle needs to earn his way back into Heaven, and the only way to do that is by saving the souls of the Damned.

Kadie wants her life to be her own, but with her attraction to Gabriel multiplying by the minute, she may need to give into the basest needs of the flesh.

Can Gabe save Kadie from the Demons chasing her, beat the powers of Hell and ultimately save his own soul?

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Available for pre-order NOW! Release date: April 10, 2018

What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I loved writing a story from only one point of view- the hero’s. It was a challenge- and a lot of fun.

Mystic Realms Author - Georgia Lyn Hunter - #MysticRealms #GeorgiaLynHunter #TangledSin

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 19:01:00 +0000

Logline: She was the light in his eternal darkness...

Blurb: In a world of encroaching darkness and carnal hunger, a deadly sin awakens…

Bound to a legacy he cannot escape, Riley is a demon unlike any other. With each passing century, his soul grows darker until the seductive trouble-magnet, Saia Sen-Grayson, stumbles into his path and throws his entire world off kilter. But danger has a way of finding him and destroying anything worthwhile in his life.

The biggest challenge in Saia’s life is evading her matchmaking socialite mother. Then she crashes into the sexiest man in her aunt’s building. One look into his striking green eyes and her fleeing days skid to a halt, except she gets more than she bargains in the sexy, tattooed bartender.

And neither can deny the burning attraction between them.

When his tainted past closes in on him, Riley’s forced to make the toughest decision ever to keep her safe. Then Saia’s hauled by a deadly adversary into his dark and treacherous world of Stygia—a place of old betrayals. Now Riley must face his past and accept his future in order to save the woman who belongs to him.

But danger comes in many forms and the one least expected might be the sin that seals their fates once and for all…

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I love this story, because he's more than just a demon--rejected and persecuted at a young age--he escapes to this world, but his starving psyche grows weaker, his soul darker with each passing century...until she crosses his path.

Mystic Realms Author - Laura Baumbach - #MysticRealms #LauraBaumbach #DarkSideoftheMoon

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:01:00 +0000

Logline: Vampire rentboy vs. the world.

Blurb: Recovering from a near fatal injury, vampire Harley Scott just wants some peace, quiet and a long night filled with darkness. The wilds of icy Canada sounds like the best place to make that happen-- if he can make it past blizzards, werewolves, and -- oh, yeah, a death squad of fellow vampires on his trail.

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it features a wounded vampire soul, a vulnerable, almost innocent creature instead of the brash, fierce vampires in most of my stories. He touches readers.

Mystic Realms Author - Mardi Maxwell - #MysticRealms #MardiMaxwell #Torkel

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 23:01:00 +0000

Logline: Love unites them in the mists of time.

Blurb: Cursed with immortality, Torkel MacAsgaill has spent centuries in an abandoned village in the Highlands. His only chance of happiness depends on his one true love finding the glen, falling in love with him, and choosing to stay forever.

Ella Ross has the perfect life until her boyfriend and best friend betray her. Deciding to get away from it all, she contacts the Misty Glen Travel Agency and rents an isolated cottage in the Highlands. It’s the perfect place to plan a new future.

Ella’s travel arrangements go wrong when her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere during a raging storm. Torkel finds her and takes her to his cottage. Alone, while the storm turns into a blizzard, love seeks them in a misty glen in the Highlands.

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Available for pre-order NOW! Release date: April 10, 2018

What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because I've always believed we each have one true love but what if you're born in different times? In Torkel I used time travel to bring my lovers together.

Mystic Realms Author - Dariel Raye - #MysticRealms #DarielRaye #ThreeDaysFromHell

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 13:01:00 +0000

Logline: Can a permanent resident of Third Hell be trusted?

Blurb: He’s the most dangerous man she’s ever met, and her wish is his command.

Can a punishing angel, a magical matchmaker, and a few moments of passion break the chains of Hell? Kushiel, one of three punishing angels, and warden of a special league of assassins, has many secrets. One of his best kept secrets is an assassin called Hunter.

Deemed too dangerous to live among other wards of third Hell, let alone the general population of humans, Hunter resides in an isolated corridor of Hell. Unlike most of his cellmates, Hunter is allowed short periods above-ground, three-days, to be exact, each time to rectify a horrible wrong, meting out Kushiel’s justice.

Orphaned in her teens, Anitra just wants a normal life - to feel safe - but when dark secrets rise from her past, she escapes to an exclusive resort to get away from it all.

Anitra’s inhibitions take a vacation when she meets Hunter, but can a permanent resident of third Hell be trusted?

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it's a rarely explored side of jinn, their origins and nature. Both, the hero and heroine are outcasts in a sense, and their ability to even pursue a few moments of pleasure speaks to the power of that little spark of hope left within us no matter how long ago everyone else seems to have given up on us, the power of love, and the importance of trusting our instincts.

Mystic Realms Author - Tina Donahue - #MysticRealms #TinaDonahue #JustTellMeWhatYouWant

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 03:01:00 +0000

Logline: Her wishes will leave him breathless…

Blurb: Ranson, an out-of-work genie, subsists on gig jobs through an employment agency catering to elite clients. Alexandra Prescott, his newest mistress, is surprised at how tall, virile, and luscious, he is. A real hottie and no pushover. He insists she treat him with respect, not merely as a service she’s rented. She’s game and wants to get to know this bad boy during heated days and wicked nights. They fall hard and fast, but in order to secure their future, there’s one last, nearly impossible hurdle they have to face…

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What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it turns the genie trope on its head. Ranson, my hero, is a genie for hire (through a paranormal employment agency) when he meets the feisty heroine, his new mistress. Her wishes will leave him breathless!

Mystic Realms Author - Jo Grafford - #MysticRealms #JoGrafford #DrMagic

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:01:00 +0000

Logline: One more dance with the devil...

Blurb: A few months before her eighteenth birthday, Grace Livingston’s tragic world collides with vampire Stellan Romolov’s dark one.

Until then, she’s suffered more than any teenager deserves to suffer. Shouldering the loss of a parent, practically raising herself, keeping honor roll grades, and applying for a coveted dance scholarship has left precious little time for a social life. After one earth-shaking dance with Stellan, though, she realizes every step in her broken journey has led her to this moment — and him.

It’s an instant and explosive attraction.

She soon discovers the super hot and super sexy Stellan is far more than he seems. He sails ships and flies airplanes. He’s also the billionaire owner and chief surgeon of an all-new medical resort on a private island: On a mission to save humanity by healing one broken or badly burned body at a time.

Neither of them realizes their encounter has awakened a curse set in motion more than a century before, and every moment they spend together puts everyone they love in danger.

Amazon Barnes & Noble iBooks Kobo

Available for pre-order NOW! Release date: April 10, 2018

What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it combines two of my biggest faves as a reader — vampires and the world of medicine. There is also a scene (can't say which one without a spoiler) that is based on a personal crisis where I had to make a very-very-very difficult decision just like my kick-ass heroine.

Mystic Realms Author - Krista Ames - #MysticRealms #KristaAmes #HerFateHisMate

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 07:01:00 +0000

Logline: Can she accept all he is and all he stands for?

Blurb: Piper Halliday only wanted to get away from her every day, run of the mill, swamped life for a little vacation. What better way than staying in a cabin hidden away from the world, until she no longer feels safe.

Paxson Rivers led a quiet existence in the Windsor Woods. However, his days were numbered. He knew the moment she arrived and he couldn’t help but want her, he just didn’t know why. Linking to a human was against everything he’d ever known or understood.

When Paxson is forced to move in and protect Piper, will she accept her place in the pack or die fighting what she doesn’t understand?

Amazon Barnes & Noble iBooks Kobo

Available for pre-order NOW! Release date: April 10, 2018

What was the one thing you like most about this story?

I like this story because it is the one I most want to live in my heroines shoes, to experience her fears and excitement for real.

Authors of Mystic Realms - #MysticRealms #PNR #UrbanFantasy #BoxedSet

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sat, 31 Mar 2018 07:01:00 +0000

Over the course of the next eighteen days or so, expect me to be tooting the horn for the amazing authors of the Mystic Realms series. I am just one of twenty authors. The release date for the anthology is April 10 and you all can still get the amazing pre-order price of just $0.99. Here’s just a glimpse of the covers from the anthology that I will be showing you in the coming days. Each will be complete with logline and blurb to excite your interest! Please, please take advantage of this amazing offer!

Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that we have contests running. Yes, you heard me correct…we have multiple contests…with tons of prizes. Here’s what we’ve got currently going on:

Giveaway #1

1 Kindle Fire, 1 $50 GC, 1 $25 GC - http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ec8aae6729/?

Giveaway #2

2 Kindle Fires with Alexa, Kindle Fire TV Stick, $200 Amazon Gift Card, $100 Amazon Gift Card, $50 Amazon Gift Card, $25 Amazon Gift Card, 3 $10 Amazon Gift Card, 5 $5 Amazon Gift Card - Books or More: https://www.booksandmore.club/mystic-realms-exclusive

Giveaway #3

20 ebooks from 20 authors (one winner per author):

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ec8aae6728/?
Mystic Realms - 20 Paranormal and Urban Fantasy romances from NYT, USA Today, and International Bestselling authors.

Here are the links to get this amazing anthology!

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://www.romancecollections.com/mystic-realms

Amazon US ~ https://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Realms-Collectio…/…/B078X57PN4
Barnes and Noble ~ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mystic-realms-…/1127071453…
iTunes ~ https://itunes.apple.com/…/mystic-realms-limi…/id1348421156…#
Kobo ~ https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mystic-realms-1

Good luck with all the giveaways...see you all soon!

Lynn

Long Time, No See - #LynnCrain #Back2Writing #MysticRealms #ProtectorsoftheEarth

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 08:01:00 +0000

Yeah, yeah, yeah – I haven’t been here in forever – and I apologize. It’s hard getting back to life and writing then adding school on to it. LOL! Yes, I’ve been very busy and I have been productive. As in writing productive. Hopefully, you all will find some great stories here today!

I have been doing anthologies recently because it seems the easiest way to get back into writing. And that would be true if I were writing new content. No, the story that’s coming out hasn’t been published before but it’s something I’ve been promising a long, long time. I’m finally getting my Protectors of the Earth underway and my first story will be appearing in the Mystic Realms anthology.

This anthology has twenty-one amazing authors and twenty-one amazing stories. And my Protector story is one of them. Once the anthology period is over, I will be releasing it as a single and the first story in that series. But right now, this is all about the anthology and it’s amazing stories. It is currently on pre-order and I’d love you all to get it at this amazing price.

Anthology Blurb:

What goes bump in the night? What causes you a fright?

While the answers for each may vary, I promise that these stories will not leave you wary.
From vampires and demons to shifters and creatures that you’d never suspect, this set will leave you breathless in the best possible ways.

So, don’t be afraid. Come, step inside our realm. Allow the mysticism of romance in many shapes and forms fall over you like a veil of sweet, soothing, spine tingling comfort.

We promise… you won’t be sorry.

Avenging Aingeal – Urban Fantasy - Lynn Crain

Story Tagline:

Bound by vengeance, she is humanity’s one hope…

Blurb:

Aingeal Cochran is on a mission to save humanity from itself when suddenly she’s staring head-on at her forgotten past. Lukas Everhard must bring her up to speed regarding the real enemy before allowing himself to love her completely. In learning about her past and mission, Aingeal realizes the best is yet to be and she will do anything to protect those she loves. For Lukas, Aingeal is the mission.

Excerpt:

Arching an eyebrow, I stared at him. No one in this facility could begin to hold a candle to me and I knew it. Worse, they knew it. “Whatever gave you the idea any one could kick my butt? Cause I know you can’t.” I sat there and listened to his buddies all crack up as Jonathan’s ears turned red. Now this was something I could really get into.

“Ever heard of Lukas Everhard?” The flash of puppy-like adoration almost made me lose it right then.

“You’re joking right? Everhard?” I couldn’t contain myself any longer and laughed so hard tears flowed from my eyes. That would be the day.

“You’re just a bitch who won’t know what hit her.” His face took on a hard edge and if I hadn’t been so bored, I might have backed away.

“And you’re just an ass who will.” The orb bobbed in my hand as I stood, dangerously close to being thrown when something huge grabbed my wrist.

“You know the rules here. No fighting in the mess hall.” The object didn’t remove itself from my body.

I whirled furious, jerking my arm away, energy in both hands now and was stopped short by the man who stood before me. I was not a small woman, yet this man dwarfed me. Slowly, my gaze moved from his chest to his wide shoulders to his face and stopped there. Ice blue eyes stared at me without one bit of emotion attached to the look. He’s one cold cookie. I blinked rapidly almost as if I had been hit in the gut. This man was not going to take my crap in any way, shape or form. While I might be able to fool Darien somewhat as I had learned since I had arrived, I would never be able to fool this one.

Then there was the fact I felt more aware of him sexually than I had been with anyone else. Ever. There was a charisma about him which made me want to throw myself into his arms and beg to be taken. And it was more than his physical appearance because if truth be told, this man looked good…the best I had ever seen…again a rarity for me to note. It was as if he were palpable under my hands even though we weren’t touching. My crotch tightened once more and I shook my head to clear my errant thoughts.

“Told you.” A snide voice commented somewhere off to my left.

I turned to look at my accuser, electricity leaping to my hand yet again. Some days I couldn’t control it at all. This could be a problem.

Stepping in front of me, the big man’s forefinger jabbed my chest in a hard push. “You. Me. In the sparring room immediately.”

I watched as he walked out the door, all predatory-like and with more purpose than I had seen anyone in this place have since my arrival. I eyed everyone else and realized it wouldn’t matter what I said, they were going to see if their man could best me. Sighing, I also knew I had brought this on myself. Vowing to make his fall gentle, I shook my head and followed him down the main corridor, wondering if I should even bother to introduce myself. I ran up to walk next to him and before I could even start, I was cut off by his raised hand.

“Don’t bother. I know who you are.” He kept his eyes straight forward.

Frowning, I watched him for a minute. “Yeah, but I don’t know who you are, now do I?”

He stopped in front of the sparring room door. “And that should make a difference how?” Shoving it open, he waved a hand. “Ladies first.”

“As if I’d fall for that one,” I muttered more to myself than anyone.

Scowling at me, he shook his head. “Look one of us has to go in first. The door isn’t big enough for us to go side by side.”

“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. This would end bad, I could feel it in my bones.

You can get my Avenging Aingeal and all the other wonderful stories in the Mystic Realms anthology by pre-ordering your copy today at one of the sites listed below.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Kobo

Last but not least, in celebration of this wonderful anthology, we’re doing a Rafflecopter with all the authors giving away one of their amazing stories for you to have a chance to win. The best part is that there are 21 prizes and 21 chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope that all of you will check out this fantastic anthology and get your copy today. Again, I do promise to try and not be so neglectful. I think I’ll just try for at least once a week…what do you all think?

And how about those covers? I’d love to hear your comments!

Thanks for dropping by and see you soon!

Lynn

New Blog Look, New Books - #LynnCrain #Back2Writing #Escape2Africa #BloodfeatherMysteries

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 07:01:00 +0000

I know I haven’t been here since Christmas, but it was for a really good reason. In January 2017, my husband of 31 years was diagnosed with colon cancer. Unfortunately for my writing, the priorities thing kicked in, as it should, and getting him well took precedence over everything.

Now, that didn’t mean I didn’t write. It just wasn’t on the massive scale I was used too. I went from writing about 5000 words a day to maybe 1000 every other day. I wrote when I got small snatches of time and I planned. Planning things is easier for me than actually writing it and when things settled down with my husband, I wanted to hit the floor running.

Well as of this week, he is officially done with his chemo treatments and for all intents and purposes is 100% cured. However, they won’t say that until at least five years have passed. Until then he’ll have tests every six months for the first year then yearly afterwards. What it means for me is that I can go back to writing and all the other things I do in reference to my writing. This is a happy day.

Some of the things I did do while he was ill was to get my website revamped. The new look has also translated to this blog, to my Facebook Author Page and my Twitter account. I love the new look because it says it all about me. I write all sorts of romance and want the world to know that. Don’t you just love the colors?

Also during that time, I was fortunate enough to get a couple of stories done. Here’s the scoop on both of them.

Anthology Blurb:

Take a trip to fascinating, breathtaking, beautiful Africa, without ever leaving your home! These stories will send you on a journey filled with danger, love, and excitement. Travel from Casablanca to Morocco, across the plains of the Serengeti, to the ruins of Carthage, from the desert of Algeria, to the shores of Tripoli. Six international romance authors share spellbinding love stories told across time.

This collection includes romantic suspense, and contemporary, historical, time travel, and paranormal romances by Award-Winning and Multi-Published Authors: Denyse Bridger, Lynn Crain, Alicia Dean, Gemma Juliana, Marie Laval, and Jenny Twist.

Story Blurb:

A Pirate’s Lady – Time Travel Romance - Lynn Crain

Someone is trying to change time and it’s up to Amanda Hoskip to figure out the hows and the whys. When she is sent back to 1794 Tripoli, she knows it will be hard to blend in during a time where women are chattels. When her universal translator fails, she’s captured and when the imprisoned Americans can’t identify her, is immediately sent to Bashaw Yusuf in the pirate port of Tripoli.

Trevor Haines loves his job but this will be the furthest he’s ever had to go back in time. Yet, his mission should be easy – find one girl and whisk her away for debriefing as it’s obvious she’s failed her mission. Once there, the now harem girl Mandi digs in her heels and refuses to return until they discover what is happening. He has no choice but to act as if he’s her pirate husband and wants her back. First, he needs to convince the Bashaw that she ran away and that he really wants her back.

Together, they’ll need to keep their wits about them during a treacherous time in history and return safely with their future intact.

Amazon

Blurb:

Madison Bergman goes to the only home she’s known to recover from the death of her beloved uncle, Jonas Blackhorse. It is her hope that she be allowed to keep their summer cabin but since she doesn’t have a drop of Native American blood it’s doubtful. She just never thought she’d see the love of her life once again.

Lucas Bloodfeather has waited fifteen long years for Maddie to return to him. The tragic death of her uncle, and his mentor, sends her home after a long investigation into the mission, which exonerated her beyond any doubt. He has little time to prove to her they belong with each other.

Together they must forge the bond they had in youth and discover, home truly is where the heart resides.

Excerpt:

She pulled back, flushing with indignation as she gave him an icy stare. “I don’t think—”

“That’s just it…do not think…feel.”

His tongue moved to her earlobe, as his mouth blew first, then his teeth nibbled a little before moving toward her mouth. The kiss felt like coming home, where suddenly the world righted itself and her body parts acclimated to familiar territory. Letting out a groan, she moved to straddle him.

“You’re vulgar…” she stated as she regarded him. He too had been part of the native world her uncle lived in…how could she have just walked away?

Hot and raw, carnal energy passed between them. She had known better than to get within two feet of him, as they had never been able to keep their hands off each other. Why did she think she could resist now after fifteen years? She placed her hands on his chest and breathed deeply.

“I told you to quit thinking.” His calm voice reassured her in ways nothing else could.

He pulled her to him as his mouth took possession of hers, lips brushing back and forth over her own. His mouth opened, asking for permission to take more and she readily gave it to him. Madison was eager for the taste of him, the feel of his tongue stroking hers, craving his body’s strength. She didn’t have to wait long as his tongue dipped inside and seduced her with hot, profound glides.

Wanting more, her fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt, never moving away from the kiss. His smooth chest was warm, palpable against her hands, something real that she could hold onto. He was no longer the young man she remembered, but now someone who knew exactly what he wanted and what he was doing.

He pulled away from her, tracing the curve of her lips before dipping back in to steal another kiss. Finally, he tipped her head back and cradled it in his large palm, gazing into her eyes as if looking for something.

She breathed in deeply, aware of him in every pore of her body—his closeness, the outdoorsy scent that was special only to him, the heat of their skin-to-skin contact. This coming together would be like no other.

“I just have one question.” His breath was ragged as she felt the bulge in his pants just below her crotch.

“And…” she whispered, breathless.

“We could make love here…” He stopped before continuing, as if gauging her response. “We can make love in a bed…or there’s even my squad car out front.”

eXtasy Books

Amazon

Last but not least, in celebration of everything I’m doing a Rafflecopter with a wonderful group of ladies. You can win some great prizes and find some fabulous authors.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you like the new look, will check out the new stories and come back again. I promise not to neglect this place for so long. Yeah, I’ll be doing at least a blog a week now that life has returned to normal.

Thanks for dropping by and see you soon!

Lynn

Season Greetings!

noreply@blogger.com (Lynn Crain) — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 08:01:00 +0000