Shelf Control - Aug 12

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves sponsored by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. Here's how to jump on board:

• Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
• Add your link in the comments!
• Link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your own post.
• Check out other posts, and…

This week I am featuring a Harlequin Book Club offering.

BLURB: THIS NEW DEPUTY DIDN'T EXPECT HIS FIRST CASE TO INVOLVE A WEDDING AND A FUNERAL

Deputy Sheriff Nick Rogers found out small-town life meant adjusting to two things—gossips and Laney Cavanaugh. And neither was much help in solving a bridal shower murder.

Some days it appeared like everyone in Whitehorse had a secret—including their new lawman. And falling for Laney wasn't a good way to maintain a low profile. Nick might have been new to Whitehorse, but he wasn't above getting his hands dirty. Even if everybody in Laney's family had it in for the victim, and they were fixing for a fight. Wedding bells were always trouble, and, unfortunately, trouble always had a way of hunting Nick down.

DATE BOUGHT: Unknown, but I am thinking around 2017

WHY I BOUGHT IT: They send you some books and you decide if you want to keep them. I like cowboy romances, romances involving lawmen, and anything western so I kept this one. I have a few more from the same author. Harlequins are great because they are easy reads, romantic and, in this case, filled with suspense. Honestly, I don't read a ton of romances, but I think I would have fun writing them. 

Have you read this book? Do you now or did you ever subscribe to a Harlequin Book Club?

Book Blast with Giveaway: A Kiss in the Shadows by Lily Danes and Eve Kincaid

Erin Grady is used to taking care of people. That’s why she’s thrilled to finally realize her dream of opening a clinic…and why she’s willing to overlook where the money came from—until a determined prosecutor comes sniffing around.

Will Patton is desperate to leave the small fogbound town of Lost Coast Harbor and build a real career for himself. But to do that, he’ll need to expose the dirty police chief—and betray the woman who makes him wonder if he’s leaving town too soon.

But the corruption in Lost Coast Harbor runs deep and wide—and exposing the truth will require Erin and Will to expose their hearts…no matter the risk.


EXCERPT:

“I take care of myself. I don’t need someone to take care of me,” Erin said.

Will ran a thumb across her pouty bottom lip. He didn’t doubt that she believed it. That stubborn tilt to her jaw said she was independent and self-reliant. She was tough, and strong, and he wouldn’t want her any other way. But God, he just wanted to hold her and care for her for a change.

“Not tonight.”

Her eyes widened at the contact of his fingers along her cheek.

“No?” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper.

“I’m going to kiss you,” he whispered.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted in a small smile. “You are?”

He stroked her hair again, then through the strands until his hand was at the back of her neck.

“And then, I’m going to push that indecent dress up just a little higher, and see what you wore for me tonight,” he said, feeling her heart beat under his fingers.

She swallowed and started to reach for him, but he stilled her hand, covering it with his. He shifted so he could pull her closer.

“I know it’s something sexy,” he breathed into her neck, then pressed his lips against the soft skin below her ear. “Lace? Silk?”

Her breath escaped in a rush as he ran his hand down her body, over the curves that had been tempting him all night. His fingers played with the hem of the short dress and Erin shifted as his hand moved under the fabric and across soft, warm skin. His hands roamed higher, up the back of her legs, along the curve there and moving higher still.

His mouth went dry as he realized the lace and silk he was reaching for wasn’t there. Instead, his fingers brushed her soft, hot core, making her squirm against his hand.

“Jesus, Erin,” he breathed.

Purchase at:

http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Shadows-Lost-Coast-Harbor-ebook/dp/B01BYFBH24/
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-kiss-in-the-shadows-lost-coast-harbor-book-2
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/kiss-in-shadows-lost-coast/id1086248100
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-kiss-in-the-shadows-eve-kincaid/1123454861

Like so many good ideas, Lost Coast Harbor was inspired by a few rounds of margaritas. One sunny afternoon, Lily Danes and Eve Kincaid went to a Mexican restaurant for snacks and tequila and left with the idea for a new series. Inspired by their love of noir movies and 1940s crime novels, they imagined a gritty small town full of crime and corruption, where intrigue and mystery can lead to love and passion.

www.lostcoastharbor.com
www.lilydanes.com


Eve Kincaid is a lapsed lawyer who decided that fictional crime was more fun than the real deal. When she’s not writing about mysterious women and the dangerous and sexy men who love them, she’s probably shopping for books, lipstick, or imported cheeses to complement a nice California pinot noir.

You can keep up with Eve’s new releases by signing up for her reader newsletter. She’d love to hear from you. Just don’t be creepy about it.

www.evekincaid.com

The authors will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Robin Perini, Author of In Her Sights

Award-winning author Robin Perini’s love of heart-stopping suspense and poignant romance, coupled with her adoration of high tech weaponry and covert ops, encouraged her secret inner commando to take on the challenge of writing romantic suspense novels. Her mission's motto: "when danger and romance collide, no heart is safe."

As a writer, Robin is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high stakes adventures with a love story sure to melt their hearts. Robin’s strong characters and tightly woven plots have garnered her seven prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® finals, and Golden Heart Winner in 2011. Stolen Lullaby, will be published by Harlequin Intrigue® in May, 2012 as Finding Her Son. Her other 2011 Golden Heart® Finalist, In Her Sights, will be published by Amazon's Montlake Romance November 29, 2011.

By day, she works for an advanced technology corporation, and in her spare time, you might find her giving one of her many nationally acclaimed writing workshops or find her training in competitive small-bore rifle silhouette shooting. She's a voracious reader and a die-hard fan of the T.V. series, BONES.

Visit Robin online at http://www.robinperini.com/.


When did you begin writing?

I've been writing forever, but it's storytelling that grabbed my interest first. I lost my heart to storytelling when I was a child, sitting at the knee of my great-aunt. She mesmerized me with her tales of 'The Little Match Girl' and 'How the Tiger Got its Tail.' She wrenched my heart, made me laugh and cry. She fed my love of reading and learning. Perhaps it was inevitable that I followed in her footsteps.
My love of writing was her gift as well. When I was eight, I attended a Camp Fire Girls' camp for a week--it seemed like a month. I wrote tear-stained letters to my great-aunt and after I returned home she told me I had a gift. That my letters evoked pictures in her mind.
My great-aunt has long since passed away, but I look up and smile sometimes. My inner fire for storytelling and writing was her gift to me. I pray I do her justice.

Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?

I have an amazing agent. Jill Marsal from Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Jill took me on as a client before I sold my first book, In Her Sights, because she believed in me and my writing. It's a blessing to have someone in your corner with such faith, enthusiasm and savvy.

What is this book about?

This is my debut novel, so it's a real dream come true for me to even be here. For a long time, I had to wonder if it would happen. Jazz's story has been with me a long time, and while I've written other manuscripts since she first came to life in my heart, this has always been a story I really wanted to tell. I'm so thankful that Jazz found a home at Montlake Romance.

Jasmine “Jazz” Parker is the only female sniper on Jefferson County’s SWAT team. Always at the ready with calm nerves and steady hands, she never misses a shot. Strong, dedicated, and dependable, Jazz has committed her life to defending the helpless by exacting swift and uncompromising justice, all the while harboring dark, devastating secrets from her past. Secrets she thought she'd buried for good as a teenager.

To keep her past hidden, Jazz keeps a low profile and avoids getting too close to anyone, including the one man she thought she could love—ex-Army Ranger turned reporter Luke Montgomery. So when Luke runs a front page story about Jazz, calling her a hero for her recent victory—saving the life of the governor’s daughter—she feels uncomfortable with the exposure, and rightly so. A vicious enemy from her past takes notice of the article and sets out on a mission to reveal Jazz’s secrets and ruin her life in the process. At the same time, a corrupt cop is out to take Jazz down at any cost. As her world begins to unravel, Jazz is forced to rely on Luke for help—putting his life and the lives of those closest to him in danger.

What inspired you to write it?

I love learning, and one of the opportunities I try to take advantage of is a day-long research event hosted by the Kiss of Death chapter of Romance Writers of American®. One year, the group visited the Arvada Police Department in Denver, Colorado. And the SWAT Team was there. I stood back as others asked questions and studied the interplay between the elite members of this team. My mind started whirling. What kind of man would be a sniper? What would his relationship be with the other members of his team? Then I learned that a woman could be a SWAT team member as long as she could meet the physical requirements. I didn't really put it all together until I was speaking to another writer friend. I told her that women could be members of SWAT. She asked, "What if your sniper IS your heroine?"

Lightening struck!

Jazz was born. In Her Sights was born. All the questions I'd been asking—including what does it take to be a sniper—crystallized, and the story was inevitable from that moment on.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

In Her Sights is available on Amazon.com in kindle and paperback formats. Paperbacks are also available at BarnesandNoble.com. It can also be ordered from most bookstores through Ingram Book Company and Baker & Taylor.

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

I love to hear from readers. Please connect with me. You can get in touch via my website, http://www.robinperini.com/ where you can view the In Her Sights book trailer, read excerpts, read reviews, sign up for my mailing list and even request trading cards or a Kindlegraph. I'm also on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. I'd love to hear from you.

What is up next for you?

November 29, 2011—the release date of In Her Sights—was the culmination of a lot of years of dreaming, and I hope the beginning of dreams I never imagined. So much has already happened since I sold In Her Sights. Within months I sold three more novels to Harlequin Intrigue.

So, in 2012, three romantic suspense novels will be released from Harlequin. Finding Her Son, which won the 2011 Romance Writers of America ® Golden Heart® Award in Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure as Stolen Lullaby, will be released in March 2012. In the story, a woman determined to find her kidnapped son, and who is suspected in her husband's death, reluctantly teams with the embattled SWAT cop assigned to prove her guilt. Cowboy in the Crossfire, in which a woman desperate to protect her young son after he witnesses a murder, is forced into an alliance with the disgraced Texas Sheriff who her family framed, will come out in July, 2012. A third book will hit the shelves, Christmas, 2012.
I truly hope there are many more stories to tell!

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

There are three keys that I would like to share (because goodness knows, I talk too much to share just one).

1. Study the craft…always. This may seem obvious, but life can interfere with writing and learning, as I'm sure many of you know. Over the last decade I've worked full time, gone to school at night for my Masters degree, and survived a serious illness. The most important thing I've done, however, is study the craft of writing and storytelling. I've been lucky enough to teach an amazing online class with author Laura Baker called Discovering Story Magic. The class required me to analyze other writers' stories. One of the best ways to learn is to teach. I highly recommend developing workshops that require you to understand the craft. It's been a blessing to me. This advice goes hand-in-hand with my second bit of advice. Never stop learning and growing as a writer.

2. Trust yourself. I don't know about you, but sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder how I've fooled everyone for so long. Don't do it! Trust your instincts. Believe in yourself. Listen to your gut. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I had to really decide who I wanted to be as a writer. I tried writing numerous books in numerous subgenres. But I finally discovered the kind of stories I really want to tell. I love optimistic stories of suspense. I love heroes and heroines who grow and change and win. I love poignant love stories. That's what I do. Heart-stopping suspense and heart-wrenching romance. That's a Robin Perini book. Know who you are as a writer. It will help when you doubt yourself.

3. Persistence. Get a motto: Mine is: "Never give up, never surrender." My theme song could be Tubthumping - "I get knocked down, and I get up again." Don't get me wrong, there are times I almost quit. I am a writer. Are you? If you want something badly enough, don't let the setbacks stop you. Learn more, grow more, find your path, find yourself. You'll be glad you stuck with it. I know I am.

Thanks so much for having me. It's been a blast.


Robin Perini Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/RobinPeriniAuthor

Robin Perini Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/robinperini

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

In Her Sights blog tour site:

http://inhersights.blogspot.com/

Paperback
Price: $13.95
ISBN: 9781612181523
Pages: 262
Release: November 29, 2011

Amazon buy link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161218152X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com buy link

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-her-sights-robin-perini/1106436852?ean=9781612181523&itm=1&usri=in%2bher%2bsights

eBook
Price: $7.99
Kindle buy link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053TIBCM/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tributebooks-20

Next tour stop:

December 26

Sugarbeat's Books

Book Spotlight: Chase by Larion Wills

At eighteen, Chase was given a choice: keep his mouth shut about who gave him the beating or go to prison for rape.


Once learning there was one thing Tiffany hadn’t lied about, he returned to see his son.

Meaning only to watch from the distance, he received a startling invitation to stay—with disturbing results.

Tiffany disappeared years before, both her parents were killed, all three incidences under suspicious circumstances. The lone family survivor, Tiffany’s younger sister, inherited the family fortune and his son. Grateful to Sydney for the care she has given Ryan, fascinated by her, he couldn’t help but sense something lurking, just beneath the surface.

Read an excerpt!
 
Billmore gave a snort. “Getting involved with her is not a good idea, Lomen. She’s a worse mess than Tiffany ever was. Between the school, things like football, and church, we all keep a pretty tight monitor on that kid of yours. She takes good care of him for whatever her reasons.”


“Don’t tell me you’re buying into Reed’s theory.”

“If you knew her better, you wouldn’t think it’s so farfetched. She gets an idea in her head, and she never lets it go. As long as she stays on her meds and doesn’t feel threatened, she seems to be okay.” He hesitated, took a breath, and spoke with determination. “I could never prove a thing, but my advice to you is do not do anything to set her off and get out of here before she decides either you’re a threat to her in some way, or she isn’t going to get what she wants out of you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I don’t want any more unexplained disappearances or deaths. I can’t prove she had anything to do with Tiffany’s disappearance or her parents’ accident, but my gut tells me she did.”

“Tiffany called the other night.”

Billmore scoffed. “Right. I played that game with her for awhile. Wasn’t anyone on the other end, right? Ask her sometime to show you how the phone program on her computer works and can be set to dial a number any time.”

He gave a good spit. “Nearest we could figure was she and Tiffany got into it over the baby. Sydney wanted it, and Tiffany wouldn’t let her have it. They were screaming bloody murder over it one night, and the next Tiffany disappeared.”

“You’re crazy.”

“No, but Sydney is: crazy, smart, and tricky. Her father kicked her out because he was afraid to have her in his house anymore. She had the kid so things went along pretty good until she went back, demanding money from him when she’d tapped out the trust fund from her grandmother. Cain was strapped and couldn’t come up with what she wanted. He called me after she left, scared out of his skull. She threatened to kill both of them, and guess what, two days later they were both dead. Tiffany disappeared years before, presumed dead by everyone around here, both parents end up dead, the order of their deaths a little too convenient, and who’s left to inherit it all?”

“What’s the order of dying got to do with anything?”

“He disinherited Sydney, Tiffany, and that kid of yours. With him dead first, his wife inherited, even if it was only for a few minutes, a tricky little fact Sydney was well aware of. The old lady had a will, just a formality to accommodate the terms of her trust fund. See, Sydney’s grandmother hated the old man and had a soft spot for Sydney. She set up the trust so that when she died the money went to Mrs. Gibson with the condition that if she died before it was all gone what remained went to Sydney. Mrs. Gibson wrote that in her will, but didn’t bother specifying that it only pertained to the trust. Complicated, I know, but since the old man died first, it all went to his wife, and with some legal maneuvering, Sydney ended up with everything.”

Storing all information away for a later analysis, Chase told him, “I heard her raze Reed over not investigating the accident that killed her parents.”

He gave a snort. “Smoke screen for your sake. I investigated that accident, inside out. Someone ran them off the road is the only explanation. There wasn’t any ice on a straight stretch of good road. The old man didn’t have a heart attack or stroke either. I made sure there was an autopsy. With all of them gone, there was no one left to oppose her with a couple of nice insurance policies thrown in.”

He scoffed and spit again. “Within days of their deaths, she started liquidating everything her father spent his whole life to build, even before the funeral she didn’t go to. God knows where she’s squirreling the money away. How did she get you to go to bed with her the first time? Knowing her, it was devious as hell. Or does she tease you and make you hopeful the way she has that poor sap Reed?”

Chase’s feature set, but he couldn’t help thinking of how that cat had been tied up in the middle of the night and how revealing her pajamas had been.

Billmore chuckled. “Don’t feel bad. You aren’t the first she’s suckered in with her vulnerable innocence look. She uses it on every man she meets. It makes them want to protect her. If you want my advice, you’ll run while you’ve got the chance. Put enough distance between you to be safe. If you want that kid, go after him through the courts.”

“What kind of evidence do you have?”

“Not enough to arrest her. The only thing I can prove is motive. I told you, she’s clever as hell.”

“All you’ve got is gossip?”

“I’ve got a damned sight more than gossip,” he growled as he shoved up straight. “I warned you. That’s all I can do.”

PURCHASE CHASE AT MUSEITUPPUBLISHING.COM!
 
Larion Wills, a multi-genre author, also writes under the name of Larriane Wills. From contemporary romances to science fiction to historical, she holds up to her tag of ‘two names, one author, thousands of stories.’



Born in Oklahoma, but raised in Arizona, she feels a native to the state and has settled in the high desert country. In a quiet rural area with a family who tolerates her writer’s single-mindedness, she presents us with a collection of contemporary romances, many laced with paranormal settings, while still producing unique westerns and science fiction stories. All with strong characterizations and suspenseful plots, they are capable of dragging you into a story in a genre you thought before you didn’t care for. At her website, http://www.larriane.com , you can keep abreast of releases under both pen names, keep up with new releases through various publishers, and she invites you to contact her at larriane@larriane.com. Visit the author's blog at http://larionmusing.blogspot.com/?zx=7dbdfccf76cfc6ca and find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/larriane.wills