Saturday, October 17, 2015

#RELEASEDAY: Storm Warning #ASMSG #MFRWAuthor #IARTG #RomanticSuspense How Brenna and I banished our fear of storms.

 
Picture The first time I experienced the weather of the South was the very month I moved from DC to Mississippi. Only one week landed and there were tornados "walking the Interstate". One of the worst winters the state had ever had.

Coming from Maryland I was no stranger to bad thunderstorms. We had our share being near the Atlantic coast. But in fact my father told me I got my fear of loud noises and lightning from a Fourth of July fireworks event they took me to when I was three.

Tornados, though, were another story. After I moved to the South, I became a weather watcher, a weather forecast addict, listening to all the preventive tips on avoiding lightning strikes, how to tell if a tornado is near, etc.

I remember sitting up in the middle of the night that winter wondering "Is that a train? Or is that a train? To this day I still don't know what part of the train I'm supposed to be on the look out for, the roaring, the whistle, the wheels on the tracks...

But my experiences aren't just based in Louisiana for the last how ever many years. I also spent a lot of time at my mom and dad's house near Tampa. I remember one weekend while I was visiting, four people were killed by lightning. It's the lightning capitol of the world. They were doing everyday tasks like washing a car, boating, bathing and one man was on the phone. Back then the weather authorities didn't advise the public as much as they do now to stay away from those types of activities during a lightning storm. But I was gathering clues to bolster my phobia.

I'm not as fearful of storms as I used to be, but I don't go out when it's thundering either. All this to say that much of what I write about in the Storm Lake series is first hand. As the months go by, I'll share a few of my funny stories about my ridiculous reactions to thunderstorms.

But don't hold that against my heroine in Storm Warning. Brenna has chosen to confront her fears on Storm Lake, which is infamous for its severe weather. Storm Warning is set in Thunder Point (you can see a map in the front of your book or here on my website and read an excerpt as well.)

As you know if you've read any of the series, the books based on the west end of the lake are the paranormal books and as you travel east on the lake things have less of a mystical bent. By the time you get to Larue, home of the Under-Cover Knights and Thunder Point where the most violent weather is because of its location, you've arrived where the books are contemporary (military romance and contemporary).

The Destiny books are a continued series with recurring characters and should be read in order. All the books are loosely connected to the lake and in Blame it on the Moon, Ridge from Her First Knight even made an appearance, but for the most part the Under-Cover Knights and Thunder Point books are standalones.

I hope you enjoy Storm Warning. It was the first book I wrote, ten years ago, in what would become the Storm Lake series. The characters are like family. I've already been asked if Declan will get a story and the answer is a resounding YES!

Sign up for my newsletter on the home page or news page to be entered for the ASUS tablet giveaway at Christmas. And as always, thanks so much for your support. I'd love to hear from you.

Livia

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

 
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Just in time, I've got pretty new re-formatted files and a new cover for the paperback of Her First Knight. (Purchased this book before? You can request that Amazon deliver the new file to you minus any highlights or notes you might have added.)
If you've visited my vet links page you've seen how I feel about empty celebrations and hollow thank yous for our veterans. I've been guilty as we all have of just repeating the phrase, "Thank you for your service." But I wonder, what more can we do for the veteran family member, the wounded warrior, the homeless vet, or our veteran neighbor on a daily basis to make a difference. 

There are several things in your own community you can do without donating money. Do you know a vet who has to get to another city for a doctor's visit? Someone who needs paperwork filled out? Are they trying to get someone to donate flowers for memorials? It is so many little things that matter. 

This month all profits from Her First Knight will go to one or two #Veterans charities. I may take half and donate toward those memorial tributes. It depends, if you're generous, I can be. None of this money will be retained.

If you would like to see ratings for organizations that help vets go to my vet links page and click on the Charity Navigator link.

Here's an excerpt:


Ridge was up to his Special Forces tattoo in manure.

“Take ‘em off, Tucker. Tucker. Tucker…”

What had he been thinking? He considered himself a careful planner, the consummate decision maker. He’d worn many hats—inventor, Ranger, mentor, CEO. So how had he wound up on stage in nothing but his trousers and tie beside two cover models with a hundred women screaming for him to take it off. That’s the question his friends and family would be asking tomorrow, if they found out. That, and “Who’s Tucker?” He’d just have to make sure no one found out about his little side trip. A whim and a folly could turn into his worst nightmare.

It had seemed like a recipe for harmless fun. Take one curious CEO on the way to his room following a gorgeous redhead onto the wrong floor. Add a hundred romance writers and readers attending a conference. Toss in some false assumptions, throw out a lifetime of good behavior and Ridge was up to his Special Forces tattoo in manure.

If Molly and Belinda could see him now, they would be stunned, say he’d gone off the deep end. They’d be right.

He should own up right now and stop this farce, exit while he still had his drawers, but that guaranteed revealing his faux pas. He decided to play along, call as little attention to himself as possible—while stripping off his clothes—and slip away unidentified when it was over. Before something went wrong…



Praises for Her First Knight:
    "There is a part near the end of this book that brought me to tears...I was sobbing. This book is dedicated to veterans and it's just a beautiful scene. If you haven't read it you'll know which one it is, if you have.... well you know what scene I'm talking about." Amazon reviewer

     "I enjoyed the interaction between the two of them, and how they really complimented each other!!! Each came to an understanding with how their relationship would progress, and the ending was awesome. I loved this story and you will too!!!" Amazon Reviewer


Buy Link Her First Knight  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00REUM57A

Hard Days Knight: Under-Cover Knights, book 1 Here



Here's the new paperback cover. Didn't Linda Boulanger do a lovely job?

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Monday, October 12, 2015

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! #grateful #CA @LeahBraemel @DaleMayer @NNP_W_Light


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This weekend a few of my friends are celebrating their Canadian Thanksgiving, and while we don't necessarily share the same ideal menu, we do share the meaning of the holiday.

Talking to two of them yesterday reminded me that it's never too early to think about what we're grateful for. As my DH says every time he goes to the doctor, "All I have to do is look around to see many people who have it worse than I do."

How true. When we have our health we are rich and shouldn't take it for granted. Now that doesn't mean I won't over-eat in November, but I am trying to concentrate more on healthy reasonable portions.

This early reminder gave me a reason to look at the things I'm grateful for, and one of those things living where I do, is the ability to meet new friends via writing groups and social media.

Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

Livia

Saturday, October 10, 2015

#Coverreveal for the next #StormLake book, Storm Warning, #giveaway


 
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I'm so excited about this cover. First of all, as I said on Facebook, what's better than one handsome intense Jimmy Thomas if not two?

He is truly Nick in this image. There's so much about Storm Warning that is personal for me. I'll be going into it more in the next month. I hope you'll stop in and visit.

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Hey, have you signed up for my newsletter yet? If not, click to the home page and do it to have at least one qualified entry for the ASUS tablet I'll be giving away in December. But you'll also receive infrequent emails about new releases or monthly giveaways/or free books.

As always I'd love to hear from you. I'm looking for titles, zeus' curses, ideas for the upcoming Destiny books. Get involved.
And,

Never give up on your dreams...

Livia