Contemporary Romance by J.C. Conway-- Hearts In Ruin

Blurb:

Andrea had one goal in life, a quiet career as a mainstream archaeologist—nothing more nothing less—and she's one ancient secret away. When she is teamed with maverick prodigy Daniel Fuchs at his controversial pre-Clovis dig on tribal land, she soon realizes his wild theories may sidetrack her career. Her smartest move is to expose him and that is exactly what she plans to do. Except…he’s hot, sexy, and there is a chance his theories may be right. 
As the dig deepens and outside forces mount, Andrea and Daniel find their careers and their shaky relationship on the brink of ruin. Who can she trust? To survive professionally and emotionally, Andrea must decide between what is expected and what she believes, because time is running out and the developers' bulldozers are poised to level the site.

Delve into the mystery and excitement of an archaeological dig in the New Mexico desert and experience the drive, determination, and passion surrounding the quest to unlock the Paleolithic past in this contemporary, romantic suspense. Hearts In Ruin…no shovel required to join this adventure to discover an ancient truth!

Five-Star Review by Romance Junkies: 

"My favorite part: wait until you get to their first kiss. Never in the history of romance novels has there been a kiss like it. The second kiss leads to even better things."

Available at:

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4K6TME

Liquid Silver Books  http://www.lsbooks.com/hearts-in-ruin-p904.php 

Barnes & Noble  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hearts-in-ruin-j-c-conway/1119448532 

Kobo  http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/hearts-in-ruin 

All Romance Ebooks (ARe)  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-heartsinruin-1499205-153.html 



About the Author

J. C. Conway is a romance, science fiction and fantasy author, writing novels and short stories for adults, young adults and teens. Hearts in Ruin is his debut novel. He is a grand prize winner of the Yosemite Romance Writers Smooch contest. He will have short stories published this summer by The Colored Lens and Comets & Criminals. His writing passion began with a grade-school assignment to write anything he liked, which, at the time, included dinosaurs, robots, army heroes and alien invaders. Since then he's added deep simmering passion, tense internal conflict and emotional dilemmas.

To learn more, 

visit his website at http://jcconway.com, 

his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/J.C.Conway.Writer, 

or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jcconwaywriter. 

Also feel free to visit http://HeartsInRuin.com, the website dedicated to his debut novel. 

Guest Post: Peyton Brittany Clarke; Her New Paranormal Release- Blood Bond with Adult Excerpt

Thank you Clare for hosting me.  I am so excited to tell you about my first book. It's published with Siren Bookstrand and I know all of you will love it. 

Blood Bond (MMF)

The Ferae

This title is offered at a 15% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, June 26th.

[Ménage Amour: Erotic Sci-Fi/Paranormal Ménage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, HEA]

Time is running out for CIA Agent Colton McClain. Caught between two worlds, he must choose—his Ferae side or human; he can’t have both. Haunted by his own failures and his family's past, Colton refuses to follow their same path. His wife Lizzie and his husband Jarrod are caught in the middle. Threatened by the townspeople for having a marriage with two alpha males instead of the traditional alpha and beta, the clock is ticking on how long they can live together as a family. Add on the fact that one of them gets the Rut because of their unconventional relationship, all bets are off that they will maintain the happiness they so desire. But their love is strong; still, can it defeat Colton’s fears? He is the key. Now he must act.

A Siren Erotic Romance

STORY EXCERPT

After having dropped Brody off with his parents, Lizzie was finally able to go home and prepare her husbands’ dinner. She sat down on the sofa in the family room and watched as her men as they ate their dinner and played their wretched video game. Not particularly hungry, she took small bites as she watched them hassle each other over their tactics.

“Hahaha! The cops are after you,” Jarrod mocked. He wore his baseball cap backward, causing a tendril of sandy blond hair to hang out of its side. Lean and muscular with a medium frame, his six-foot-two-inch build held no hint to the real physical strength he was able to muster.

Of the two, he was more introspective. Sometimes she often thought it was because he was a rogue. They were naturally quiet and solitary. But Colton was a rogue, too, and he was the exact opposite, at least when it came to the quiet part. A thinker, Jarrod did not move before planning the whole thing out. Unobtrusive, he could be standing beside someone in the room and the person would not even know that he was there, much less hear him come in. He was also the most secretive about what he did outside their home. Whenever she asked, he’d reply that it had nothing to do with their life here.

“Thanks to Jarrod’s wrangling, he messed up all of my stashes,” Colton complained. With hair the color of raw sienna, cut short with small waves tapering toward his neck, hollow, piercing, icy blue eyes, and a body like steel, she gave thanks every day that he was her alpha. A handful nonetheless, he was her handful, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“With all that happens in the world today, I would think you’d want to play something less violent.” She rolled her eyes.

“Yes, true, but they don’t make an interesting version of the Care Bears game,” Colton quipped, jerking at the game’s controller.

“Do they have a Divorce Court one?” she asked dryly.

“Not for the Ferae,” Colton replied, not looking up. “Honey, get me a beer?”

Jarrod laughed. “Good one. Baby, get me one too.” He mewled, making a sound reminiscent of a whimper. His was soft, low and endearing making her heart flutter.

The sound was a heartbreaker she could not not resist.

“I’m trying to eat. Why can’t you get it yourselves?” she said, standing up.

“Please?” Jarrod said, mewling again. His eyes grew wide, brows raised. 

She sighed, her heart not allowing her to say no. “I only do this because I love you. Lest you think I support your habit of playing that stupid game, which encourages the worst behavior.”

Lizzie waited for a response but they ignored her, engulfed in the game once again.

“Baby, Alpha’s thirsty,” Colton whined.

She picked up her plate and took it into the kitchen with her.

“Two bottles of beer, coming up,” she said, flipping off the caps of the ice-cold brew. She sniffed it and smiled. It was a local brew. The flowery notes of Calendula struck her nose. The little perennial was one of the few substances that intoxicated their kind, because alcohol on its own, though pleasant tasting, did not.

She heard a chirp and frowned, wondering what it was. She heard it again. It came from behind her. She glanced at her bag. Curious, she reached inside. Picking up her cell phone, she looked at it. She had turned it off in the store, so why was it making noise now? She pressed the button on the side that unlocked it. The battery was dying.

She searched through the junk drawer in the kitchen, pulled out a cord, and plugged it in. She turned it on and saw that she had a text message.

Lizzie opened it. It’s been set. I’m sorry, I tried my best. Good luck.

She texted back. Are you sure?

She chewed her bottom lip as she awaited a response. It came soon enough. Yes. Tried everything. The rest is up to you.

A shiver went down her spine. She folded her arms and pressed them tightly against her.

“Where’s our beer?” Colton asked behind her.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, unplugging the cell and placing it back in her purse. She handed him the bottles.

He paused. “Something wrong?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

ADULT EXCERPT

She escorted him to the front door. Standing inches away from him, she heard his sound breathing.

“I wasn’t even trying hard. Poor baby, are you bored?” she whispered.

He leaned forward and sniffed the crook of her neck, making her spine tingle. His hot breath beaded on her skin. His body oozed with the potency and virility of a powerful alpha male while his spicy scent made her head spin and her mound wet.

“You think you can keep up?” she asked, her breaths jagged.

“I was gonna ask you the same thing.”

His piercing blue eyes constricted as he pulled her to him. His mouth claimed hers in a hot kiss, taking her breath away. Pulling away with a hiss, he nipped at the flesh on her neck and shoulder. Bathed in pleasure, her brain switched off as she pulled off his blazer and tossed it aside. He licked her lips and devoured her mouth as they stumbled over the furniture, peeling away layers of clothing.

Her back slammed against her bedroom door as he pressed his body against hers and traced her lips with his tongue. The more he toyed with her, the harder it was to control the primal desire inside her. If she let loose she knew she would hurt this citified ferae, so tamed by the normal humans in this world.

He grabbed her ass and lifted her, wrapping her legs around his hips, and thrust forward, grinding his hard crotch into her center. She grunted as he thrust again, pushing the breath out of her body.  She unwrapped her legs and pushed him away and then turned him around and climbed onto his back. She wrapped one arm around his neck and the other around his chest and squeezed, swearing in their ancient tongue. She squeezed and squeezed, crushing his solar plexus, releasing all of the hormones for his mating desire. He writhed under her grip, nearly gasping  from  the lover’s embrace. He fell to the floor, causing her to land on her back.

He paused, caught his breath and grinned. “I thought so.” Scooping her up with one arm, he slung her over his shoulder.

Lizzie giggled with a dreamy, awesome pleasure he hadn’t experienced in years.

He tossed her onto the bed and ripped off her panties then spread her legs. He buried her face in her mound and devoured her center. Her ecstasy grew as his tongue darted in and out of her opening. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back the crest that was building to a climax, moaning and writhing from his touch. He unzipped his fly, freeing his thick, meaty cock. His rigid pole stood straight, its tip dripping with pre-cum.

She gasped as he sank into her, filling her completely. She moaned from the pleasure and the pain as he pounded her, causing her to keen with delight. He paused and looked into her eyes, before withdrawing and turning her over. Putting her on all fours, he penetrated once again, grabbing her by the scruff of her hair with one hand and holding her hip with the other.

She grunted with each thrust as his powerful ministration shook her and the bed. It had been a long time since any man had worked this good. He craned her back further, wedging his cock into the surface of her cervix and grinding. She moaned gutturally.

He released her hair and held her still as he nailed her sweet spot over and over again. She wailed her climax, again and again and again. Her arms and legs became weak as he continued to take her from behind. He spread her legs further apart, grunted as he pushed into her again. She came once again, her juices pouring all over him. His seemingly boundless stamina began to drain her.  The muscles in her center grew sore from the pressure of his rock-hard dick.

She knew an alpha of his status could go all night. And she just wasn’t ready. She tightened her mound. He paused and whimpered. He attempted to thrust once again. He didn’t want to come but she was going to make him. It was the only way she could survive the encounter and still being able to walk in the morning.


She tightened her muscles once again and then drew on them, milking him. He panted and contorted his expression in pain. He grew rigid and shrieked. The Taking was working. No ferae male liked or wanted the Taking, but often it was a female’s only defense from such an onslaught.


Available Now at Siren Bookstrand
http://www.bookstrand.com/blood-bond

The Grand Prize Winners for Summer Lovin' Blog Hop!

A Final Salute to All Who Participated in Our Wonderful Blog Hop!  Now that the summer is in full swing, don't forget to buy a copy of your favorite book and take it with you on vacation or maybe when you decide to kick back and relax.  

And to help you finance your book addiction, here are the grand prize winners!

$75 Amazon Gift Card— Kim Turner

$25 Starbucks Gift Card— Trudy Baker Dowling

$25 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card— Shirley Ann Speakman



Thank you all so much and I hope to see you on the next hop!    :)

Guest Excerpt; New from Evernight Publishing Teen; One Life by L. A. Cadieux; YA Paranormal Shifters Romance and Giveaway

ONE LIFE

A TEDDY OWENS STORY

by

L.A. Cadieux

…from Evernight Teen 

YA (romance, paranormal, shifters, suspense, contemporary)

77,000 words, Editor's Pick 

Intent on leaving her troubled childhood in the past, snow-obsessed sixteen year old Teddy Owens has moved from Texas to her uncle's secluded Rocky Mountain estate—a beautiful place, but colder than she imagined. Curious about her surroundings she ignores the persistent advice of new friends and digs around to uncover the allure of the mysterious estate—only to discover her friends have terrifying secrets of their own. With each new revelation, Teddy is thrust further into a clandestine underworld where she is hunted for her dormant supernatural power…the ability to save just one person from death.

After her family's sordid history of betrayal is unearthed, Teddy’s world is rocked when she must travel to New York City and take an oath promising her power to an arrogant heir of the underworld, Leevi Koivu. Can she trust him?

And in the end someone she loves, but cannot save, will die.

Excerpt:

“Admit it, you’re a mess.” My words were thick with accusation as I showed her the bottle. The lines separating a mother from her daughter began to blur, the tighter my fist clenched around exhibit #1: the medication bottle. “I found this in the trash.”

Angelique placed the soda she’d been sipping onto the kitchen counter. “Stop worrying about me. Honey, I’m fine. It was an accident—those merely fell into the garbage earlier,” she said. A bead of condensation rolled down the side of the aluminum can, seeping into a chip in the counter.

“Do you take me for an idiot? The trash isn’t exactly accessible.” I pointed to the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink. As I leaned forward my wet hair hung over my face. I’d gone and dyed my locks red a few weeks earlier. Fortunately, the color had faded after two washes.

“It’s completely plausible it fell under the sink,” she argued. Angelique turned to search the deserted street outside our tattered screen door—her actions were a clear indication of what I’d suspected all along.

“Please, look at me for one minute, and don’t start with one of your conspiracy theories—seriously—I can’t take another. This full bottle was in the washroom trash. I found it after taking a shower.” 

A knowing expression dawned on her face…she’d been caught in another lie. 

“You haven’t been taking your prescription. Why?” I shoved a hand into the pocket of my cut-off shorts and pulled out the telephone wiretap.

Angelique’s eyes narrowed in on it. “Teddy, give me the bug,” she demanded, placing a thin hand on my shoulder.

I tore out of her grasp. “In case you missed the memo, this isn’t normal. It’s not okay to spy on me. Angelique, I’m not your naïve little girl anymore.” I held up the listening device. 

“Your sickness is worse than ever. Your paranoia is out of control—you need help. I’m tired of trying to fix it.”

“I’m fine,” Angelique shrilled. Her hair was matted to her forehead, saturated with the humidity. “You have to trust me. I have my reasons.”

“I want to trust you.” I noted how her cheeks and eyes had sunken in. God, she wasn’t eating again. Her anxiety had worsened significantly since my sixteenth birthday. Lately, she’d watched me like I was going to burst into a man-eating tarantula at any moment. “You make it hard.”

“You can’t possibly understand.” She reached over to tug at my arm, resulting in a tussle over the bug. “Give me that already—it’s not yours,” she ordered.

As I ducked out of the way, she jerked my arm. “Let me go!” I tried to snatch my arm away.

“Please, can you try to keep your voice down?” She released me, only to glance outside in search of her imaginary tormentors.

“Why can’t you try to be a normal mother?” I asked, red-faced.

“It was never in the cards for you, honey.” She pushed a limp strand of brunette hair out of her face.

“You don’t listen, not even to the doctors,” I said sadly. “Try to keep care of yourself.”

Taking aim, I flung the bottle against the refrigerator and watched with disdain as it burst open, sending pills spewing across the floor. Many of them disappeared into a filthy crack in the linoleum floor under the counter. 

“I’m not your babysitter!” Angelique stood rigidly, staring down at the pills. Considering her current state of mental health, and knowing my mother, she was probably asking herself if they could possibly be poisoned.

I opened my mouth, then closed it, and then opened it again. “Forget this—I’m done.” I threw my fists up into the air.

“Teddy,” Angelique shouted as I ran from the house. “Get back here this instant,” she ordered. “It’s dangerous—”

I slammed the squeaking screen door behind me, cutting her off. If I wasn’t so livid I’d have taken notice of the police car sitting at the end of our street, but it was too late: the cops were stepping out of the car. An officer waved me over. Angelique was going to lose it on them, and it was my fault.

Making my way toward the cops, I started to panic. What should I say?

“Hello there,” the first officer said. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, nothing to report.” I stared down at my sneakers, not wanting to meet their cynical gazes.

“What’s your name?” the second asked.

“Teddy Owens, sir.”

“How old are you?” He leaned against his cruiser, tilting his head to the side to consider me.

“Sixteen—at the beginning of August.” I cringed as the screen door on our house banged shut. The officers wore amused expressions as Angelique stomped toward us. They wouldn’t be smiling if they knew what she was capable of.

“It’s going to be one of those nights,” the first officer said under his breath.

It was one of the last times I’d play the role of an innocent spectator.

Buy Links:  

Evernight Teen -  http://www.evernightteen.com/one-life-by-l-a-cadieux/

Amazon  -  http://www.amazon.com/Life-Teddy-Owens-Story-Book-ebook/dp/B00L4N2PYQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403287368&sr=1-1&keywords=One+Life+by+L.A.+Cadieux

ARe -  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-onelife-1555731-140.html

BookStrand  -  http://www.bookstrand.com/one-life

Print  -  https://www.createspace.com/4867155


B&N and Smashwords coming soon

Giveaway:    Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

"Our perception of the world is shaped by our experiences and imagery. As a genre fantasy writer it's my job to create new possibilities."

My name is L. A. Cadieux, I’m a YA/New Adult writer and social media-aholic born in Lac La Biche, Alberta, living in Calgary, Canada. Since childhood I've been mesmerized by stories of fairy tales, knights, Greek and Roman mythology and comic book heroes. Naturally, I wanted to create my own worlds/characters and set off on a long quest to write fantasy novels. Creative, yet business minded, I went on to earn a Degree in Management from the University of Alberta Augustana, specializing in Business Economics.

I'm a Project Manager by day and by night I work on my stories. After shelving some of my earlier manuscripts I decided to focus on ONE LIFE, the first in a series of Teddy Owens Stories.

As a proud mom of two – I spend my days and nights multi-tasking.
Random facts: Tim Hortons coffee and ketchup chips are my vices. I’m also a fan of the HBO and CW Networks. My favourite book is Jane Austen’s PRIDE & PREJUDICE.

Website: http://www.lacadieux.com

Blog: http://lacadieux.blogspot.ca



Contact:

Twitter: LACadieux_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLACadieux

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lacadieux/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7910457-l-a-cadieux

Google+: https://plus.google.com/101606432963829216880/posts

Congratulations to My Blog Hop Winner! And the Winner is...

Thank you to all of you who participated!!

All of your recollections were great!  And believe me it was hard to choose. So I didn't. I used computer software to do it for me!  

And without further adieu, the prize winner for visiting my blog is....

Kristin Linehan

I will be contacting you via e-mail.  Hope you enjoy your copy of Cold Warriors!

If you haven't won, don't go away.  'Cause there is still a chance for you to win one of the Grand Prizes!

My Sexy Saturday -- A Moment Too Hot To Contain

Welcome to My Sexy Saturday. Today I present to you a Sexy excerpt from one of my favorite leading male heroes, Marine Colonel Medoro Keegan. He is a strong a determined man, who's had his heart broken before. But when Caitlin enters his life, he believes he is ready to let her in. Their chemistry is undeniable and their love is forbidden. Will they overcome the odds?

Excerpt

Keegan paused, trying not to stumble over his words. “I’d like to apologize for my behavior the other day. It was unprofessional and uncalled for.”

It wasn’t much of an apology but it was all he could muster at the moment. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he wondered if she would become emotional and demand an answer for what had taken place? Or scream sexual harassment…. He braced himself, waiting for a response.

“I’m glad it happened," Caitlin replied.

Shocked, his eyes widened and his pulse quickened. He swallowed, forcing moisture into his dry throat. Her frank words hit him deep. The hole his wife left in his heart ached, almost killing him inside. Relationships, attachment, belonging to someone, needing another—those feelings were supposed to have been dead along with his wife. And here they were again, rearing their ugly head. Women were too dangerous to love because they wound up abandoning you, leaving you to face life alone.

He glanced at his left hand. He used to wear his gold wedding band as a tribute to the love he and his wife shared. Then it became a constant reminder that she was gone. Now he wondered if he was ready to have a ring on that finger again. Fear entered his heart.

“I’m not sure I am,” he replied, softly.

“I really am.” The sincerity in her voice was evident. “It was the first time I felt alive since I’ve been here, and I don’t regret it one bit.”

He didn’t know what to say. His first clash with her had distracted him to the point of madness. It had been some time since he’d had such a powerful encounter with a woman. The last one to push his buttons that hard, he wound up marrying.

Caitlin was stubborn, mouthy, somewhat insubordinate, and filled with an innate force he had not seen in sometime. She had no problem in standing up for who or what she believed in. He didn’t like the feelings she stirred in him. He dare not consider them. Especially with her. She was a subordinate and a cryo. It was against regulations for him to even think of starting anything with her.

He shifted his stance. His heart pounded in his ears and breaths quickened. “Ms. Driskoll. I don’t know what you expect from me.”

“Nothing more than I expect from myself.”

Before he knew it, he crossed the distance between them and swept her into a searing kiss. He caressed her body, touching every curve. Arousal sped through his body like lightening causing his cock to swell and become rigid. He dug his fingers in her hair and hungrily dominated her mouth, his tongue delving in, playing with hers. Gripping her waist, he lifted her up and placed on her the table. She arched her neck exposing her creamy skin. He nipped and bit at it enjoying its smoothness. He reached up and caressed her breasts, a need filling him to see them, taste them.

Buy now at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Warriors-Universe-Book-ebook/dp/B00BH5NNMY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403237210&sr=8-2&keywords=clare+dargin

He Lost His Virginity To An Older Woman-- It's a Summer Lovin' Blog Hop and Giveaway

www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com

And Two Free Giveaways

The first time I ever thought about summer love, it was when I was a child watching a movie that took place in the 1942.  It was about a group of friends spending their summer vacation on Nantucket Island.  

Told through a series of flashbacks, the movie recalls the day when 15 year old 'Hermie' and his friends- Oscy (a jock) and Benjie (the nerd) are on a beach playing ball when they spot a young soldier carrying his new bride into a house on the beach.

They, especially Hermie, are struck by the bride's beauty.  And consequently are unable to get her out of their minds.  This stirs a sexual awakening in them (I guess teenage hormonal lust was not in them before.  Perhaps things were different in the 1940's when the film took place or in the 1970's when the film was made) that drives them to the point of unbridled lust-- where they think about sex all the time.  

Meanwhile Hermie, is still smitten with the bride, whose husband has since left her (to presumably go off to war).  Hermie does odd jobs around the house for her and the two strike up a friendship.

His friend, Benjie finds a sex manual and after sharing it with his two friends, they all think they know everything there is to know about losing one's virginity.  They try out their new found knowledge on the local girls with one chickening out, the other striking out and the other (Hermie) thinking he got to second base when in fact it turned out he'd been feeling his date's arm.  

Like the next day or something, after another brief meeting with the bride, she gives Hermie a kiss on the forehead.  It strikes a fire in his core and spurrs him to go to the drugstore and attempt to buy condoms.  The scene was hilarious!  I remember him buying ice cream, gum, I think a magazine and almost some cigarettes but stumbles out the words when the clerk gives him a weird look.  Eventually he builds up the nerve to ask for the condoms and buys them.

That night, Hermie roasts marshmallows with the local girl from before while Oscy succeeds in having sex with his date from before. He even borrows some of Hermies condoms.  I have no idea what happened to the nerdy friend.  

The rest is best summarized by its Wikipedia Entry--

The next day, Hermie comes across the bride sitting outside her house, writing to her husband. Hermie offers to keep her company that night and she says she looks forward to seeing him, revealing her name is Dorothy. An elated Hermie goes home and puts on a suit, dress shirt and heads back to Dorothy's house... He is convinced that he is on the brink of adulthood because of his relationship with Dorothy.

Going to her house he finds it is eerily quiet. When he enters, he discovers a bottle of whiskey, several cigarette butts, and a telegram from the government. Dorothy's husband is dead, his plane shot down over France. Dorothy comes out of her bedroom, crying, and Hermie tells her "I'm sorry." The sense of empathy triggers her to channel to Hermie some of her loneliness. 

She turns on the record player and invites Hermie to dance with her. They kiss and embrace, tears on both their faces. Without speaking, and to the sound only of the waves, they move to the bedroom, where she draws him into bed and gently makes love with him.

 Afterward, withdrawing again into her world of hurt, Dorothy retires to the porch, leaving Hermie alone in her bedroom. He approaches her on the porch, where she can only quietly say "Good night, Hermie." He leaves, his last image of Dorothy being of her leaning against the railing, as she smokes a cigarette and stares into the night sky.

Trying to sort out what has happened, Hermie goes back to Dorothy's house. Dorothy has fled the island in the night and an envelope is tacked to the front door with Hermie's name on it. Inside is a note from Dorothy, saying she hopes he understands she must go back home as there is much to do. She assures Hermie she will never forget him, and he will find his way of remembering what happened that night. Her note closes with the hope that Hermie may be spared the senseless tragedies of life.

In the final scene, Hermie, suddenly approaching manhood, is seen looking at Dorothy's old house and the ocean from a distance before he turns to join his friends. To bittersweet music, the adult Raucher sadly recounts that he has never seen Dorothy again or learned what became of her.

The screenplay was turned into a novel of the same name prior to the film's release. It was a runaway bestseller, to the point that audiences lost sight of the fact that the book was based on the film and not vice-versa. Eventually it fell into obscurity and went out of print throughout the decades until a Broadway adaptation in 2001 brought it back into the public light and prompted Barnes & Noble to acquire the publishing rights to the book. 

Despite the obvious jail bait tone of the entire movie, and the obvious fact that the main characters were boys, for the longest time I thought that's how teenage first love was suppose to be.  You know, being away on vacation on a cool island with your friends. Having the best summer ever, then meeting a gorgeous guy, having the greatest fling of your life and remember it forever.  

Alas that sort of thing never happened to me at least.  And now that I think about it, I'm glad.  Because I hate water bugs, flies and other insects associated with being around open water and the grasses that go with it.  

But when I allow myself to dream, occasionally, I remember the movie with fondness and see the waves sloshing onto the sandy beach while everyone is basking in the beautiful weather during that summer on Nantucket and think-- what if?

What about you?  Do you have an incredible summer memory?

-Clare  

Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a free copy of one of my books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

To enter the Grand Prize Giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter box and press enter! (One entry per person!) You do not get extra entries for visiting more blogs! 

You have a chance to win prizes during your visit to individual blogs.  Winners will be chosen on Tuesday, June 24 using Random.org! 

Once the grand prize winners are chosen, I will post them on the blog!


My personal giveaway will be on June 25th. At random I will choose from the commenters  and I will post the winner on the blog and will e-mail the lucky person his or her prize!

GRAND PRIZES:

*Special THANKS goes out to authors Sue Lyndon and Denisea Kampe for their contributions to the Grand Prizes!! :)


Here’s the Grand Prize list:

1 $75 Amazon Gift Card

1 $25 Starbucks Gift Card (Donated by Sue)

1 $25 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card (Donated by Denisea)

Guest Post: E. Ayers Talks Brides, Weddings and Her Bride Themed Romance Novels Set on Main Street

Thanks so much for having me here! This is my first time ever being here so I’m waving hello from the SE corner of Virginia to all your friends and followers.

So far the weather in Virginia has been wonderful! I wasn’t a June bride, I was a November bride, but my husband moved me to Virginia the following Memorial Day weekend. I think I was here two weeks when I discovered exactly what the weatherman meant when he said hazy, hot, and humid!

Our weather is actually worse than a tropical rain forest for humidity. If you plan on moving here, make certain you have gills! Many years later, I’m still here, and I still try to avoid the outdoors during the worst of the summer’s hazy, hot, and humid. That means I stay indoors as much as possible. Why didn’t we move to Wyoming? I’d rather shovel snow.

But no matter where you live, June is the month for brides. And who doesn’t love a wedding? There’s something so special about seeing a woman dressed in a bridal gown. Maybe it has something to do with all those fairytales we read as children. It probably is the most expensive dress many women will wear in their lifetime. It’s her special day. It doesn’t matter if it’s an extravagant wedding or a simple one. Most brides want it to be special.

Weddings are about love and hope. And where and how someone marries has little to do with long-term happiness. But for those who want a wedding to remember, there are plenty of options available.

The long white dress is changing. Many formal weddings today are often second marriages. And white is not always the best color on some brides. She can pick and choose colors. She can wear bridal gowns that are pants. And many are opting for less formal and more casual fun-filled events with dresses made for such weddings.

One hundred fifty years ago, women often married and were buried in the same dress a few years later. Scary! But times have changed, medical care has changed, and childbirth is safer. Thank goodness! And with it weddings have changed.

We’ve blended traditions because the world has become a melting pot of people. Some weddings have become huge parties meant to impress. The solemn formal affair is left to the religious ceremony and even that can be much more exciting and upbeat then it was even twenty years ago. A few sandwiches or finger foods can become elaborate buffets. Skip all that formal music and slow dances. Today’s wedding receptions are fabulous parties. The mother of the groom and the father of the bride have been known to rock the place!

From big formal affairs to backyard picnics, weddings have definitely changed. But say wedding and this wonderful feeling happens within us. It’s the ultimate show of love - the great promise. We read romances because we love that feeling of living happily ever after. It makes us feel good.

Weddings on Main Street

The Authors of Main Street decided to write another boxed set of books and the theme is weddings. I had this terrific character, DeeDee Drayden, and she was a fashion designer who wanted to exclusively design wedding gowns. 

The rest of the Authors of Main Street thought it was a super idea and decided they would buy their gowns from DeeDee. Except we had decided to only write about 25K word novellas for the set, I’m a little wordy – just a little, maybe more than a little. At almost 25K I realized I was in big trouble! I was nowhere near the end of my story. Scrapping and shredding it was probably the only way to repair it.

More than a little crestfallen, I went back to the group and told them my dilemma. One of the authors suggested I use someone from that bridal salon for the story and write two stories. That’s exactly what I did. 


With This Ring became DeeDee and Cody’s story, And I wrote I Thee Wed,


 Julia and Aaron’s story for the boxed set.

Julia is Cody’s adopted daughter and she works with DeeDee. Cody is tall, dark, and handsome. I needed someone very different for Julia. Aaron came to mind, a freckled-faced redhead. Not exactly the average hero for a romance novel, but he was perfect for Julia and loads of fun to write.

What made him interesting was that he wasn’t the average guy. Think about it. We all know those redheads. We grew up with them, the class clown or the charmer. They can flash a smile and get away with it. There’s something about a redhead that says fun. Oh, but they can have a very serious side to them and Aaron showed that perfectly.

So two stories came out of a simple idea and I have another one planned. I think I like writing wedding-themed stories. They tend to be lighter than what I normally write - a great way of doing something slightly different. With This Ring became a full novel, and I Thee Wed is a novella, available as part of the boxed set, Weddings on Main Street.

Weddings on Main Street by the Authors of Main Street will be available for a limited time, so grab it! In addition to I Thee Wed, there are ten other books in there and every book is worth reading. Nothing is too hot or too sweet, just right down the middle for the average reader.

But the real joy for me, and I hope for the readers, is following the characters through both stories and watching Main Street Bridal Salon go from a dream to a thriving business. If I don't like the characters, I can't write the book. I've got to love the hero and he's got to have someone who is special. I also don't write perfect people. To me, they are unrealistic. So characters have to play in my head until they gel into "people" I can use.

DeeDee, as a character, came very quickly to me. She was strong and yet she had this very soft side that she kept hidden. That part of her that had been hurt so she packed it up and hid it from the world. She knew it was there, but she was afraid. Sometimes we have to hid things from the world. We can't let that guard down - we don't dare open ourselves to more pain. So DeeDee does what so many women do, she threw herself into her career. Is she good at it? Yes!

And Cody has been burnt, twice. He's picked up the pieces of his life and continued. He's a bit of an enigma to the community because in his way, he's gone into hiding. He trying to raise decent kids and keep them out of the limelight. Is he overwhelmed with seven children? Not really. He’s coping and running an efficient household. He loves the children and they know it. He is their parent and the only family they have.

But does anyone manage to be the perfect parent? I don’t think it’s possible. Good parent? Yes. But perfect? No way! With four teens, a tween, and a young set of twins, Cody’s doing the best he can.

Julia floundered in high school. But when she went to work for DeeDee, she tucked the young woman under her wings. Julia latched onto her job with enthusiasm. Like so many teens today, her computer skills were excellent. Plus she has the natural ability to match the designs to the women and make their dreams come true.

Julia's Story in

Julia is growing up and Cody is having a difficult time letting go of the oldest of his brood. Plus he’s trying to protect her from making the mistakes that he made. Especially when he realizes that Aaron has swept her off her feet.

Aaron is older and getting his PhD. His father owns a national delivery service. He never quite understood his own parents’ relationship until love-at-first-sight hits him when he spends his summer substituting for delivery drivers and sees Julia at Main Street Bridal Salon. She ignites a fire in him that won’t go away.

So squish it all together, and that’s what I wrote. The good, the bad, the oh-no moments, and the humorous ones all sort of combined in these stories. But through both stories, there’s love, each as different as the characters. The love is between Cody and DeeDee, Julia and Aaron, but also a father’s love.

Blurb

With This Ring is the story of DeeDee Drayden and her dreams of having her own successful bridal business. She was an only child and the product of a broken marriage. She doesn’t really believe in a happily ever after, especially since her only serious relationship ended when she caught her guy cheating.

Cody Montgomery has two failed marriages in his past and a pack of kids from those marriages. He’s sworn off women until he meets DeeDee. But chipping away at her tough exterior isn’t easy. With four teenagers, a pre-teen, and a set of young twin boys, hot dates are almost impossible, especially when trying to set a good example for his children.

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An Excerpt from With This Ring

Cody took DeeDee back to his house. “You've been on my mind all morning and I know that tonight is not going to be conducive to a hot date or even a cold one. I've got children to deal with as they come home.”

DeeDee nodded. “I figured as much.”

“Good, then you'll understand my next move.” He took her hand and led her back to his room. “Remember when I said I was a safe date? I mean that, but I want you in my arms and in my bed. Can we try one more time? I can barely keep my eyes open.”

She raised her eyebrows. “No sex, just a nap?”

He peeled off his shirt. “The more skin the better it will be. There's a small part of me that might seem willing, but the rest of me is shot.”

She laughed and pulled off her sweater revealing a camisole top.

He dropped his slacks as he stared into her eyes. “Don't you think you need to get rid of the pants, too? You certainly don't want them to wrinkle.”

“That's all that's coming off.”

He pulled open a drawer and handed her a condom. “In case of emergency.”

She dropped it back in the drawer. “You've got to be feeling worse than I do.”

She removed her pants revealing long, well-portioned muscular legs.
His breath hitched. He pulled down the covers, set his alarm, and climbed into bed. “Promise me, you’ll ignore any body part of mine that isn’t sleeping?”

DeeDee snuggled against Cody, then gazed into his blue eyes. “Ditch the tee shirt. I happen to like skin, too.”

He yanked it over his head and then tossed it in the direction of his clothing. “You know you're getting old when this is hot dating.”

“Maybe this is better. It's also not hormone driven.”

“Better tell that to the area below my waist, because it hasn't realized how tired the rest of me is.”

“I won't entice it.” She giggled.

“Too late. It knows you are here and that's enough.”


Amazon buy link for With This Ring


http://amzn.com/B00L1EN72C

I Thee Wed is in the boxed set Weddings on Main Street that is now on sale for 99 cents at Amazon http://amzn.com/B00KV0AZVI

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You Can Find E. Ayers on the Web at: 

(Twitter)
@ayersbooks

(Website)
http://www.ayersbooks.com

(Email)
e.ayers@ayersbooks.com

(Shared Blog)
http://authorsofmainstreet.wordpress.com

(Blog)
http://ayersbooks.wordpress.com

(Amazon Author Page)
http://amzn.com/e/B005AYJ0XE

(Authors of Main Street Newsletter)
http://ow.ly/xel3e

Other Books by E. Ayers

Wanting (A River City Novel)
A New Beginning (A River City Novel)
A Challenge (A River City Novel)
Forever (A River City Novel)
A Son (A River City Novel)
A Child's Heart (A River City Novel)
Campaign (A River City Novel) coming in June 2014
Coming Out of Hiding (a novel)
With This Ring (a novel)
I Thee Wed (a novella) coming in June 2014
Weddings on Main Street (boxed set)
A Fine Line (a novella) *
Mariners Cove (a novella)
Ask Me Again (a novella)
A Skeleton at Her Door (a novella)
A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Cowboy's Kiss in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Love Song in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Calling in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Rancher’s Woman (a historical novel)
Sweetwater Springs Christmas (anthology) *

* sweeter reads