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Doubting Thomas Book Trailer by Stephanie Taylor

It's here! It's here! Read all about it! 

Love By Auction from Decadent Publishing. 

Come meet Rebecca Hathaway and Mark Passmore as their love is reunited…under extraordinary circumstances.

About:

Intent on leaving the Date for Charity Auction, billionaire Mark Passmore vows not to bid, until he sees the gorgeous blond strut across the stage. Need overwhelms his senses and he has to have her.

Although he’s ended their relationship three years ago, Mark has never stopped loving Rebecca. When he learns the truth of Rebecca’s role in the action, will he forgive her for her betrayal or walk away again?

Excerpt:

Slave? Laughter bubbled to her throat. “What do you mean? Slave for what? Like a chauffeur or butler for the day?”

Erin shook her head. “A slave, Bec. Anything you want him to be. The rest of the night alone with this person to fulfill any fantasy you have.”

Rebecca gasped and shot off the seat. “Why didn't you tell me this before?”

Erin smiled, a nervous glint in her eyes. “If I had told you, then you would have backed out, and Kelly would have won.”

Rebecca started to pace the small patch of carpet behind the chair to the door. Her life was over. Her mother was going to kill her and she'd never be able to show her face in public.

Oh, God. Her brother. She whirled around to face Erin. “You have to get Lucas out of here.”

Erin's eyes widened. “I can't. Then he'll go and tell my parents.”

She glared. “Look, if I'm going down, you're going down with me.”

“Bec, if your mother finds out I was involved, my mother is going to disown me, especially if she can't go to any of Catherine's garden parties.” Erin moved to the vanity table and threw the rest of the make-up back in the cosmetics Caboodle. “You're right. We should just get out of here before Lucas and Mark sees us. At least, I know neither of them won the bid with Kelly.”

Rebecca froze. “You're telling me that Mark bid on Kelly?”

Erin met her gaze in the mirror. “I heard one of them yell out a number from the back.”

Anger turned to rage. Her hand clenched a fistful of fishnet and lace as she stared at her reflection. Her blonde wig shined under the dressing room light, her done-up face emphasizing sultry eyes. Bright red lipstick covered her full lips. The swells of her breasts pushed to her chin, and fishnet garters peaked from under the frilly short layers of her skirt. The image in the mirror reminded her of Marilyn Monroe without the mole at her mouth. Though she looked more like a tramp in high-heels than an ice queen, her costume screamed seduction.

Power bloomed in her gut like a fierce energy uncapped.

A knock sounded at the door. “You're up!”

Rebecca jerked her head toward Erin, whose gaze filled with dread. “Give me my tiara.”

“Yo—you're going out there?”

With newfound confidence, she smiled at Erin.

“I'm taking Kelly down.”

And Mark Passmore is going to see what he gave up.

Hope you enjoy it! And thanks for stopping by! 

Whichever, my life is about to become balanced.  Summer was full of life, full of family, full of outdoors, travel and excitement. 

Next week I pass through the doorway to a different kind of life full of family and excitement.   This variety comes with coffee, jeans and sweaters, and solitude. [I'm ignoring the homework hassle that I know will commence, the early evening bickering and the early morning grouching, the absence-of-video-game whining...]

I like my glasses the way they are. You don't have to be naive to allow joy in your life.

So tell me, what are you looking forward to this fall?

Kismet's Revenge is now available in paperback from The Wild Rose Press

Silke has sold her novella "Howl" to Lyrical Press. You can follow her trials and tribulations as a non-US author on her blog – http://www.evilauthor.com
(Especially if you need to know about ITIN's!)

We would also like to congratulate our former member Vanessa, who has just informed us of  her success! She sold "Blood Moon" to Decadent Publishing.

There have been several requests for partials and full manuscripts this month. Watch this space!

And while we are all roasting in the sun… I would like to wish our critters the best of luck with their pitches at RWA National! Have fun, you guys!

Drumroll, please!

• Gina signed a three book deal with Avalon!
• Joyce sold her short story to Lyrical Press!
• Stephanie sold her story to Lyrical Press!

We've had other successes in May, as well, and I will dig them out and list them.

Also, we are sorry to lose Vanessa, Kit and Valerie. Good luck you guys, and don't be strangers!

— As it is summer, we are still closed for new members, but we have an open chat area for non members, if you want to drop us a note.

Ever heard the term "generic verb?" I confess I didn't until I received a list of things to look for in my newly contracted novel. My publisher doesn't like these generic verbs, and I'm going to wholeheartedly agree.

So what is a generic verb? Lets talk the word "walk." Sure you can say your hero walked across the room toward the heroine, but is it very effective? Does it give the reader any sense of what's really going on, any emotion? No. It doesn't.

But what if I say "he stomped across the room?"

The reader is immediately clued in to an emotion – people don't just "stomp" for no reason.

Similar words would be trudged, lumbered, plodded – all say something about his feelings or his thoughts. There is nothing generic about a man trudging across the street.

Adding just the right word can also change the tone. After all, if someone is skipping into the room or down the street – you probably wouldn't think they were angry, right?  A bounce in their step adds lightness to the scene, while a stalk gives a more determined, deep in thought feeling.

Your challenge today is find those nasy "generic" verbs and replace them with something more meaningful to your story, your scene and your character.

Good luck!

What about you? Do you have a quirky word? What is it?

My curiosity is peeked…or is it peaked???

Are romance books for the romantic? Or are they for those who like to imagine it?

We have so many wonderful ladies in Passionate Critters who write romance. Young, married, career oriented, moms… It takes all kinds, and I love how we all come together with one purpose.

To spread a little hope, a little love.

Happily Ever After is for everyone. It's the dream my United States of America was built on. If I'm sounding all verklempt, it's because I am. I read romance because it reminds me of the hope I have inside of me. I write romance because I want to share that light with everyone.

Happy Valentine's Day!

With Love,

Bethanne