Showing posts with label veterans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label veterans. Show all posts

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Read an #excerpt from the Men of Honor Box #NewRelease


It's Release day for my Men of Honor box set which includes the first three books in the series.
Purchase it on all stores here

Ridge
 
He’s a former Army Ranger, a billionaire CEO of MedBionics with a mission to improve the lives of wounded veterans. With the big vote on his Veterans bill coming up before Congress soon, how had he ended up on stage between two cover models with a hundred women shouting, “Take it off, Tucker!”? That’s the question his family and friends would be asking tomorrow. That, and “Who’s Tucker?”

Buffy Calloway's face and body were recognizable worldwide but the 'face' she's looking for is the face of her franchise. Interviewing cover models at the D.C. conference, she finds 'her man'. Tucker - the late arrival - has the 'je ne sais quoi' that will make her talent agency and photography studio an immediate success.

The Calloways have always known what they wanted and Buffy knows he's ‘the one’. There's just one problem. Ridge scoffs at the notion of himself as a cover model. He has more important priorities. Who is Buffy to argue with such a noble cause, but she’s determined to show Ridge he’s underestimated the influence of a vast romance community. 
Could this be the first time a Calloway was wrong?

Luc

Not all tall, dark and dangerous heroes are bad boys…

The first time Delilah Burke saw him was at the crime scene, she assumed he was a certain type—tall, dark and dangerous, and a robber—because he looked the part and he was holding the gun. She'd been wrong. A cop should know better than to assume but dressed like a mercenary, how was she to know? Under the circumstances a careful cop doesn't presume or assume so, she'd followed protocol.

Luc relaxed as the cop's boot pressed him down on the grimy floor of the small grocery. But then her cornflower blue eyes peered upside down into his and his stomach lurched. She might figure out he wasn't the perp but would he get a chance to find out more about this intriguing and beautiful woman? As he watched her work, he decided she was just what he'd been looking for, but Luc's part-time job required some unusual costumes and equipment. When she found out he was neither a criminal or a hero, would she listen to his proposition?

Each day reveals the former Naval officer to be almost too good to be true. Then trouble arrives from Luc's past and Del faces a choice – believe the evidence against him, or trust her heart.

Nick

Could his past get her killed?

You’ve killed him, Bad Brenna taunted. Brenna looked down the steps at the man lying motionless in
the tropical downpour. I told you that silly phobia would get you in trouble if you didn’t get a grip.

Brenna knew she was right, knew it was exactly why Bad Brenna existed, to help her cope with the trauma that had turned her into a scared rabbit whenever lightning was in the forecast. But her anxiety over the approaching storm had been magnified by another premonition. Usually, it meant someone was about to die. Had she been the means, this time, of fulfilling her own prophecy? As always there were no clear answers. She needed to start trusting her sixth sense if she was ever going to get rid of Bad Brenna. First step—rescue her victim from the storm.

What happened? He’d been dodging the lightning, fighting the wind and rain, looking for a place to hide…when he’d seen the faint glow in the distance. There was no answer at the door so he’d broken in … and there she was, a beautiful Valkyrie. Wielding her sword, she screamed as she struck him—for no good reason—and then everything went black. Everything.

Excerpt from Nick
She’d been awakened before dawn by ground-rumbling thunder that shook a candle loose from a its place on a nearby shelf and sent it thudding to the floor. She was a light sleeper under these conditions anyway and rose to peek out toward the west between the curtains in the front room. 
By midmorning, the lake's surface had been turbulent and black. The wind blew sideways, bending trees and lifting waves like aquatic enemy soldiers on a tireless march toward shore as boats slammed against their docks in a frenzied tug-of-war. It was as if the Rain God had a giant air gun driving rain bullets into every exposed surface while he tossed capricious bolts from his dark tower.
“Your imagination is running amuk,” Brenna muttered remembering a night filled with anticipation of tropical storm Ira. Now, with the “perfect storm” riding down upon her little corner of Thunder Point, dread bubbled in her stomach like acid. But she stayed at her computer, collecting readings on her equipment, logging wind data, and working the Electron Molecule Deformulator. It was imperative that she complete her work before a loss of power. For this, the storm was critical to her work.
Brenna didn’t know what she feared more—the lightning—or the near certain feeling that something bad was about to happen.
As usual, knowing so little didn’t help. It wasn’t as if there was a bolt from nowhere and the outcome of her premonition was magically written on her kitchen calendar. Most of the time she didn’t know who was in danger, didn’t know where, didn’t know how…until it was over. And sometimes, not even then.
Before—Brenna squeezed her eyes shut and pushed the memories away. Before she’d left Storm Lake to attend college in D.C., this would have been just another thunderstorm, another facet of life on the big lake. Residents on the East end were used to it. It was the inexperienced and newcomers to the area who found themselves stranded, or worse.
The cabin had come to her through her great-grandmother who’d been a stalwart matriarch of one of the oldest families in the area, the Callaways. The property ran along the tip of Thunder Point offering spectacular views of the sky from sunsets to storms to meteor showers. 
“Get a grip,” she chastised herself, and tried to play down the feeling of doom. 
On nights like this, she questioned the wisdom of moving back from D.C., but she was determined to overcome the hysteria that embarrassed her, haunted her, and still—sometimes—held her in a vice-like grip. The Lake was home and while it contributed to her peace of mind and her work in climate forensics, being here forced her to confront her fear.
There was something extra tonight, the anticipation morphing into a living, breathing entity. She just hoped no one was dying, or going to die. That whatever it was…this time, she would be able to prevent someone from being hurt. 
Her fingers sped across the keyboard, tweaking the settings on the electronic instruments outside to make sure they would hold up to a loss of electricity. They would, undoubtedly, but would she?
The next rumble of thunder surprised her with its strength. Her fingers moved faster with nervous energy as she kept her eyes glued to the monitor. Anxiety traveled along her nerves like the electrical conduits in the EMD. Those horrific memories wouldn’t be far behind.
In that instant, a magnesium-white light turned the living room into an overexposed movie negative and she found herself on the floor, hands pressed to her eyes for agonizing seconds as a mighty trunk split, striking other trees and sending chips and limbs like missiles against the exterior of the house. A picture tumbled off the shelf by the fireplace and hit the floor as the grumble continued. 
The crashing seemed to go on forever, followed by gradually diminishing thunder. Throughout the clamor and chaos, Brenna held her breath, as if merely breathing would bring calamity down on her. As if not breathing could keep the beast from finding her.
When silence reigned, she raised her head. 
To black velvet darkness. “Crap.”

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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Saturday, April 25, 2015

V is for our Veterans


 
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[If you don’t have time to read the rest of this blog, would you please help, by either:

VISITING one of the sites listed on my vets resources page or at charities.org 
DONATE to the organization of your choice.

GIVE a copy of Her First Knight to someone or purchase it on Amazon. From today through Memorial Day all royalties of Her First Knight for that period will go straight to one of the charities on my page. Depending on the price of the book, that should mean around $2.50 per book.

STEP OUTSIDE your comfort zone, out of the malaise that says, “surely someone else is doing that” and do something to help a vet —take them to an out of town doctor’s appointment. Help fill out paperwork. Give the family members a helping hand, your friendship.

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Our veterans don’t want handouts but they should be able to expect a LOT for their service, least of all what they deserve, medical care, jobs, support for their families, and respect. They should wander the streets or succumb to PTSD, TBI, and depression and take their own lives.

Yes, the statistics say that every day at least 22 veterans take their lives. it’s surely more since the way deaths are reported in certain states, some are treated as accidents, etc. but we’re talking at least one an hour. Visit mission22.com to find out more or the Shepherd Center  One of the best articles I’ve read lately was called Veterans Come Home to Unprepared Nation, a News21 report. Please take 5 minutes and read this article or any media you trust to see the extent of the need of this vast community. Share the information. The need of post 9/11 veterans is considered an epidemic, and the waste and corruption that contributed to it have set the process back exponentially.

Like Ridge Romano, the hero in my book, said, “Every company and person in this country who is able should be giving back to the men and women who have given their lives and their commitment to us.” All of us.

Please think of what you can do in this next month when we remember all of those we we've lost and those who serve.

Please DON'T STICK your head in the sand. For a great informative blog on this subject and ways you can help go here.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

N is for Need #A2ZChallenge

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THE NEEDS of veterans...

Her First Knight may look like a sexy book and it is, but the theme behind my Under-Cover Knights books is the need for more understand, involvement and support for our veterans who have given everything to protect us.

In Her First Knight, Ridge Romano is pursuing his dream of helping veterans. Ridge is a billionaire inventor, an ex-soldier who lost his brother to PTSD after he lost his legs in an IAD explosion in IRAQ. He is putting together a consortium which will take over much of the VAs medical care by private companies.

Buffy just sees a guy who would make a great cover model. They have to learn to understand each other's work and compromise to make their relationship work.

In my research I was surprised to learn that more than 22 veterans a day commit suicide. The number is probably low due to the way some states report the deaths. Veterans still struggle with care, transportation, funds, paperwork, etc. etc. and family support while dealing with injuries brought about by their service to US. We should do everything in our power to support and help them get their lives back.

Today a group of men, the @shepherdsmen will run 911 miles from NYC to Atlanta with a 22lb jacket on their backs to call attention to those brave men and women who have lost their battles with ptsd and TMI and other issues brought about by their service. Please tweet and support and even sponsor or donate to this important cause. 

Periodically I run Her First Knight as a fundraiser and all royalties go to the support of wounded veterans. If you have a story or an idea or link of how others can help please post it in the comments. And if you know of a resource that should be added to my veterans resources page, please contact me at liviaquinn@liviaquinn.com or leave a comment.

There is a special meditation program info session on Friday at Shepherd Center in Winston Salem for vets. You can follow the @shepherdsmen or the @shepherdcenter, which specializes in injuries for vets and holistic medicine, and please visit http://mission22.com to see how you can help or boost the morale of a veteran. Be there for our men and women of the service and not just in the jumbotron moments.


Hard Days Knight, ex-soldier Luc Larue's story about his passion for teens is #Free Friday 4/17