Sex and the Season Series by Helen Hardt

Friday, October 31, 2014

COVER REVEAL FOR A. J. WALTERS

AEA cover final
Book Title: An Enrapturing Attraction
Author: A J Walters
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: Jan 2015

Synopsis:

A hot and suspenseful story of a bad boy who is wanting to make good with a chance meeting between him and one strong, independent woman.
Christian Wilson reformed bad boy is released early from the Boston correctional facility, due to flaws in the original court case. Re-entering the big, wide world is not only a shock to the system, but he also realises he isn't the man he was. Tough decisions need to be made and temptations to revert back to how he was need to be resisted. It's not only he who is thinking this, so when his step-father Edward Sanders intervenes, Christian's life is turned upside down. Being the 'Black Sheep' of the Sanders dynasty he has to prove to them and himself, he's a changed man. Coming second best to his step-brother Marc Sanders, Professor of Medicine, gives him enough determination to want to succeed.
Having moved to the US from the UK, Hannah Marshall has shown and proven what a strong, independent woman she is and she's not had to rely on any man. However, family comes first and therefore Hannah takes the big decision to return home to Cambridge in England. Accepting a new job in The Met Police and leaving close friends behind, she begins what is a new life not without it's ups, downs and surprises!
With Christian and Hannah not everything is as black and white as they seem, but when the two meet sparks fly!
Will secrets and lies come between them? Will the temptations in life become too strong? What the future holds for these two passionate and strong willed people, nobody knows.
From Amazon Number One Best Seller A J Walters, let An Enrapturing Attraction take you on an emotion filled journey of scintillating passion and mystery. A contemporary romance not without it's laughs!
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AEA Teaser1

Excerpt:

“Your forfeit for you losing Miss Marshall is that you are to kiss, no snog the face off the next man who comes through those pub doors.” Every single one of our party, including me, turn to face the dreaded doors. The feeling of expectation has just trebled and shot through the roof.
“You're joking, right? What if it's an eighteen year-old student? My job would be on the line or even worse, I'd be classed as a cougar!” My voice ends on a shrill as the realisation of what I've got to do sinks in.
“Come on Marshall, I'm sure your forfeit for me had I lost would have been far worse.” Actually he's probably not wrong there. Having him rub a red-hot chili over his hands and then telling him to wank himself sounds more and more appealing. Next time Rushton, next time.
I rest my head in my hands dreading every second of this and as to who will be the next male to walk in here. Please don't let it be some old geezer either. I groan through my fingers. The silence is deadly as the wait begins. I wish someone would bloody talk to break the drought of conversation, it may just lead to a distraction and then me not having to do it, or at least them remembering when a hot looking Professor walks in.
Actually scratch that thought, as the image of Marc Sanders is now firmly imprinted on my brain. I can hear the laughs from Isabel now, as she most probably would have read my mind. I look up when I hear an over exaggerated intake of breath come from Melissa and once again all eyes are fixed on the doorway.
“You've got to be fucking kidding me!” The words are out of mouth before I can even put my brain into first gear.
AEA Teaser 2

Other books in the series:

Attraction Collage
An Acute Attraction (Book 1)
A Constant Attraction (Book 2)

Meet the Author:

AJ
A J Walters is a contemporary romance author and an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Women's Fiction. Having interests in history, romance and elements of erotica, she has brought all of these together in her debut publications; The Attraction Series.
Wanting to break the trend of size 12 virgins in books, A J Walters has introduced a new real woman in Isabel Chambers. She’s a size 18-20, working single mother who now feels is it her time to start living her life again. At the ripe young age of 39 (at time of writing 1st book), A J Walters also wanted to show that you can experience everything that a twenty-something would.
“I saw that a 39 year old isn’t quite at retirement age for fun, sex and finding love again. There are so many women out there that can be represented in books as well as the slim, innocent and beautiful types. Don’t get me wrong I love reading books with them in, but there is so many of them around now I felt is was time for something different. I’d like to think I brought my sense of humour across in it as well. I am ditsy, I suffer from ‘foot in mouth’ syndrome, but I can also be serious and sentimental. From the feedback I’ve had, apparently it makes for a great writing voice.”
A J Walters has since gone on to publish 2 books in The Attraction Series; An Acute Attraction and A Constant Attraction. There is a 3rd book in the pipeline, which is expected to be published in January 2015.
As well as writing this series of books, she has also written a short story for a summer anthology and is now an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Women's Fiction for her publication of Lust, Love, Dreams and Heartache: A book of romantic and erotic poetry.

Connect!

Fancy a giveaway? Or Two?!?!

Part 1 (live 27th Oct)
Part 2 (live 31st Oct) a Rafflecopter giveaway   AEA COver rveal

Click here to join in the fun!

 

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

GRAMMAR GEEK TIP: LIE DOWN, SALLY

Ah yes, the lie versus lay debacle. And Eric Clapton got it wrong. Admittedly, this is a pet peeve of mine -- especially when I see the mistake in New York Times bestsellers. I had a critique partner once who stopped using lie and lay in her writing because she wasn't sure of the difference and didn't want me yelling at her for using them wrong. Of course, I never yell... :)

BE NOT AFRAID. The whole lie/lay thing is very simple once you do two things: 1. Learn the difference between a transitive and intransitive verb, and 2. Memorize the past tense and past participle of each verb.

Here we go: A transitive verb is one that requires a direct object. To lay is a transitive verb. You lay something on the table, but you don't lay down. You can lay another person down (physically, you're laying him on the bed) but you yourself cannot lay down, nor can you tell another person to lay down. Yes, I'm sorry, but Eric Clapton is grammatically incorrect when he commands Sally to lay down.

To the contrary, an intransitive verb is a verb that has no object. To lie is such a verb. To die and to sleep are other examples of intransitive verbs. You can't sleep someone, or die someone or something. You and you alone can only sleep or die yourself. You also can't lie something. You can only lie down yourself.

Repeat after me: To lay is transitive. To lie is intransitive.

Now that you know which verb to use, let's look at their forms. This gets sticky for some people because they've said it wrong for so long, the correct form doesn't sound right to them. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Broken down, here are the forms:

To lay
present tense -- lay
past tense -- laid
past participle -- laid

To lie
present tense -- lie
past tense -- lay
past participle -- lain (this is the one that seems to freak people out)

Let's put them into action:

Today I lie down. Yesterday I lay down. For the past three weeks, I have lain down for a nap each afternoon.

Today I lay the pencil on the table. Yesterday I laid the pencil on the table. For the past three weeks, I have laid a pencil on the table every afternoon.

Simple, yes? I hope this clears up the mystery of lay vs. lie.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

GRAMMAR GEEK TIP: QUOTES OR ITALICS FOR TITLES?

Use the following rules when a title of a work appears in a manuscript: 

Titles of books, newspapers, and magazines should be italicized. 

Examples:

I heard that the book The Lovely Bones is fascinating.

The astronaut had a subscription to the newspaper Kansas City Daily.

Marsha likes the magazine Dog Fancy because it has cute photos.

Titles of movies, television shows, radio programs, and plays should be italicized. 

Examples:

The gardener’s favorite movie is the documentary Plants are Awesome.

The scientist watches the television show World’s Weirdest Germs every Tuesday night.

Sally’s mom loved listening to the radio show Stuff Old People Like.

The little girl’s favorite play was Cute, Fuzzy Animals in the Forest.

Titles of articles in newspapers or magazines and chapter titles in books should be in quotation marks. 

Examples:

Did you read the article “Fun with Flesh-Eating Bacteria” in the magazine?

My favorite chapter in the book was “Germs are Gross.”

Titles of poems and songs should be in quotation marks. 

Examples:

In high school, Sally wrote a poem called “David Is Cute.”

She also wrote a song called “I Think I’m in Love with David.”

Monday, October 20, 2014

NYT Bestselling Author Meredith Wild Reveals Cover for HARD LIMIT

I am so excited to help my good friend Meredith Wild reveal her cover for the fourth in her best selling Hacker Series, Hard Limit.  Way to go, Meredith!

Hard Limit by Meredith Wild (The Hacker Series #4)
Release date: 9th December
Genre: Contemporary Romance
PRE-ORDER LINKS for Hard Limit:  http://www.meredithwild.com/book/hard-limit/
Blake Landon is a man who has everything—wealth, good looks, and the love of Erica Hathaway. The power couple has been through hell and back, and when life has torn them apart, somehow they have always found their way back to each other, more in love and stronger than ever.
Erica has never been more ready to say I do. On the verge of making the ultimate commitment, she uncovers an unsettling chapter of Blake’s history. As she makes peace with her own past and the family who left her behind, she presses Blake to tear down the last walls between them. Determined to know the man he once was, she opens a door to a world beyond her wildest imagination—a world that has her questioning the limits of her own desires. 
As danger lurks and dark secrets come to light, will the past destroy their promise of forever?
Meredith Wild is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of romance. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children.  You can find her at www.facebook.com/meredithwild
                                                       https://twitter.com/wildmeredith
All the books in The Hacker Series can be found at:  http://meredithwild.com/books
Pre-Order links for Hard Limit:  http://www.meredithwild.com/book/hard-limit/

Saturday, October 11, 2014

ROSE IN BLOOM coming October 15!

Pre-order your copy here!

Wiltshire, England 1853

Lady Rose Jameson knows her place—respect authority and convention and marry a suitable member of the peerage. Lord Evan Xavier, the second son of the Earl of Brighton, possesses the necessary pedigree, but though Rose enjoys his company, the spark she craves is missing…the spark she feels with handsome commoner Cameron Price.

Cameron has accepted his lot in life—to care for his widowed mother and two younger sisters. Instead of writing the music he loves, he’s destined to work the land his family leases from the Duke of Lybrook…and deal with his overwhelming feelings for the duke’s sister-in-law, Lady Rose. When Cam’s sister becomes ill, he needs money quickly, and his fate is further sealed. He must say goodbye to Rose forever.

But circumstances and the appearance of an elderly stranger may change both their lives.

Friday, October 10, 2014

NEED A QUICKIE?

Today is the publishing debut of my good friend Annie Anthony! She's written a smoking lesbian erotica short, Blue Suede Boi. And I ought to know...I was her editor! Get your copy here.

Has Kaia's hottest fantasy become a reality in her blue suede boi? 

The unattainable object of Kaia's fantasies is browsing in a store known for barely better than cheap shoes in the most bland strip mall in town. By the chemistry sparking between then, Kaia wonders whether Amanda may have come in looking for more than just the men's shoe rack. Has Kaia's hottest fantasy become a reality in her blue suede boi?

Thursday, October 9, 2014

DEATH BY WINE...

There is a Reaper, whose name is Death,
And, with his sickle keen,
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath,
And the flowers that grow between.

 ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Reaper Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California

With Halloween coming up, this wine is perfect for serving with your next dinner featuring salmon, pork, or poultry. Despite the macabre label, this is one serious wine! Dry and silky with delicate complex flavors of strawberries, raspberries, red currants, cola, and baking spices with a hint of earth. Serious structure, great mid palate depth, and a long vanilla infused finish. Enjoy!