Guest Post & Giveaway ~*~ Captured By You by Amber Hart

5 WAYS TO KILL WRITER’S BLOCK

I get asked this probably more than any other question on writing. “How do you get past writer’s block?” “What do you do if the words refuse to come?” “What’s the cure?” Because let’s face it, we all suffer from lack of words from time to time. So what’s the answer? Here you go.

1.     WRITE ANYWAY

I know, I know. You’re saying, “Very funny, type words that won’t come. Haha. But really, what do I do?” I’m actually totally serious. Write anyway. Try it. A paragraph or two to start. It’s like exercise. It can be a struggle at first. Five minutes turns into ten turns into thirty, and soon your workout is done. Sometimes, writing is the same. It’s a muscle. You have to exercise it. Even on the hard days. Even when it seems impossible and you dread it. Writing is a choice. It is not always pleasant. No one promised it’d be pleasant. Do it anyway. You might be surprised with what you come up with. And hey, worse case scenario, you type sentences that end up in the cut/edited file. At least you tried.

2.     LIMIT SOCIAL MEDIA

You know that amazing thing called social media? Yeah, it’s a time warp. It absolutely needs to be limited on work days. I know because I’ve lost myself in it a million times. Me: “I’ll just go on FB for one minute. I only need to check my notifications. Oh, look it’s so and so’s birthday! Let me write on their wall. Wow, look at that book! Maybe I should click on the link to see what it’s about? Is that a Gryffindor scarf? I need to click that. I’m totally a Gryffindor for life. Awesome, there’s another giveaway! Can never have enough books. Entering that one. Oh my god, has it really been 45 minutes already?”

See what I mean? Time warp—time that could be spent writing your book.

3.     DO SOMETHING

Do something. Anything. Really. Take a shower. Go for a walk. Call your best friend. Watch your favorite show on Netflix. Seriously, when your eyes start to cross and you’ve forgotten how to spell your own name it’s time to do something other than stare at the same computer screen. It usually only takes about an hour away to recharge your creativity.

4.     FIND YOUR MUSE

Ask yourself what inspires you. Is it a moonlit walk? Take one. Is it flipping through aesthetically pleasing pictures? Go for it. Does music stir your creativity until it’s pouring over the brim? Awesome, put on your favorite song. Whatever moves you…do it. Get your mind gears stirring and write, write, write.

5.     READ

Writer’s block can often be disabled by beautiful sentences. Grab a book you adore and read a few pages. Sometimes the words of others can inspire your own words to flow in an organic way.

That’s it. That’s what kills writers block. One or all, your choice. Be moved. Explore. Create.  

Captured By You
Untamed Series # 2

By: Amber Hart

Releasing May 19, 2015

Loveswept: Flirt  

Blurb

In the passionate, gut-wrenching sequel to Amber Hart’s Until You Find Me, Raven and Jospin must fight for each other in a world where love is never safe—and power is deadly.

Raven, a college girl from Michigan, came to the jungles of Cameroon searching for closure. Falling for Jospin, a handsome, charismatic hunter with dark secrets of his own, was never part of the plan.                                     

                                           

But despite their differences, their attraction is addictive, as exhilarating and wild as the rain forest itself—and also as dangerous. For the sake of both their lives, their heated affair must remain a secret.

Raven wants justice for her conservationist father’s death; to help her, Jospin must turn his back on his own father and the only life he has ever known. Together they risk being hunted by a band of ruthless poachers, but they take the chance anyway, working to bring down their enemies between each stolen kiss. But when one slip puts Raven’s life at stake, Jospin knows he must act.

He has captured Raven’s heart—now can he set her free

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/02/captured-by-you-until-you-find-me-2-by.html

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22675554-captured-by-you?from_search=true 
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/132345-until-you-find-me

Buy Links: 

Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo 

Author Info

Amber Hart is the author of Before You and Until You Find Me. She grew up in Orlando, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia, and now resides on the Florida coastline with her family. When not reading, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or dipping her toes in the sand.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Cover Reveal & Excerpt ~*~ Goal Line by Bianca Sommerland

Goal Line

The Dartmouth Cobras Book 7

Coming June 29, 2015

Excerpt

“Hello, sweetheart.” Dominik’s voice sent a dark thrill right through her. Deep and rich, like a mouthful of black forest cake so delicious she’d never forget the way it tasted even after she licked her plate clean. “I wasn’t sure you’d call me back.”

“I wasn’t sure if I should.” Sahara moved to the sofa, tucking her feet under her as she toyed with her hair. “What made you decide to call?”

“I missed you.”

“Did you?” Inhaling, Sahara shifted, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them with one arm. “You were the one who told me not to come to the club until I knew why I wanted to be there.”

“This is true. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you.”

“You’re a Dom. You should be looking for girls at—”

“I’m a man, Sahara. Let’s not make this complicated.” His gentle chiding reminded her so much of how he’d treated her at the club. As a Dom who cared for her, but would never push her to submit. “We can have dinner as friends if you’d like. No pressure.”

Saying yes would be so easy, but she didn’t want ‘just friends’ with him. Not today, not after putting that wall up between herself and Grant. She didn’t need a wall between her and Dominik. “I thought it was a date. I…I wanted to know when you were coming to pick me up.”

Silence, and then a soft laugh. “I’d braced myself for a polite no. I need time to get ready, so let’s say around five-thirty?”

Less than an hour. She giggled, feeling unexpectedly giddy. A deep breath and she was able to give him a coherent answer. “That works. If you need time to get ready I’m guessing I should dress nice?”

“Don’t tempt me, girl.” The low growl in Dominik’s tone had Sahara pressing her thighs together and holding her breath. “If you give me the opening, I will tell you exactly what to wear.”

“What if that’s exactly what I want?” Sahara was playing with fire, but she didn’t care. With Dominik’s control wrapping around her like the sleekest silk ropes, she’d never felt more freedom. “Tell me what will please you, Sir.”

A chuckle that made all the hairs on the back of her neck rise and Dominik replied. “So naughty. Wear a red dress and leave your hair loose. I’m warning you now, Sahara. No matter how much you beg, you will get no more than a kiss from me tonight.”

Sahara’s lips parted. She swallowed hard. “Why would I beg?”

He let out a soft, amused sound. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Previous Book in the Series

 

GAME MISCONDUCT - Book 1

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1QB55YU

DEFENSIVE ZONE - Book 2

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1J55EYO

BREAKAWAY - Book 3

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1dW0mTH

OFFSIDE - Book 4

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cp8lr7

Delayed Penalty - Book 5

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1F1DWcl

Iron Cross - Book 6

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1F1DTNZ

Author Bio & Links

Bianca Sommerland was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. When not reading neurotically or writing as though the fate of the world rests on her keyboard, she is either watching hockey or teaching her daughters the beauty of a classic, steel pony while reminiscing about her days in Auto Body Mechanics.

Her time is balanced with utmost care between normal family life, and the internal paranormal realm where her characters reside. For the most part, she succeeds.

Website: http://www.im-no-angel.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BSommerland

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Im-No-Angel-Bianca-Sommerland/201933239834387?ref=br_tf

presented by:

WLK Book Promotions

Excerpt & #Giveaway ~*~ Exposed by Tracy Wolff

Blurb

Ethan Frost, the irresistible leading man from the New York Times bestsellers Ruined and Addicted, returns once again in Exposed—a novel that’s perfect for fans of J. Kenner and Sylvia Day.

Will Ethan Frost go too far for the woman he loves?

The moment Chloe Girard walked into my life, she exposed secrets and emotions I always thought were best kept buried.

She wants to move on, to ignore the past. But I can’t do that. Not when she still suffers. And not when the man who hurt her remains unscathed. So when I discover the perfect opportunity to make him pay for what he did to Chloe, I can’t walk away, no matter the consequences.

But there’s a fine line between justice and obsession. As I turn up old crimes and new lies, I know that I’m playing with fire—and risking the very foundations of our relationship.

My love for Chloe is absolute. I just hope it’s enough to save us both.

Link to Follow Tour:   http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/exposed-ethan-frost-3-by-tracy-wolff.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23308203-exposed
Goodreads series link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/117437-ethan-frost

Buy Links: 

 Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

 Excerpt:

“Is it safe?” Tori asks an hour later, stumbling into the kitchen where I’m sitting at the table, sipping coffee and daydreaming of Ethan. “Does everybody have clothes on?”

“I’m the only one here,” I tell her. “And yes, I am wearing pajama pants and a sweatshirt.”

“Thank Christ.” She makes a beeline for the coffeepot and pours herself a large mug. I watch in amusement as she adds enough sugar to bankrupt a candy factory, then follows it with a quarter cup of cream before lifting the mug to her lips and downing half its contents in one gulp.

“How are you not three hundred pounds?” I ask in disbelief.

“Good genes and clean living.”

“Well, I won’t argue the good genes part, anyway.” The wineglass on the counter still holds the dregs of the two bottles of wine she drank last night.

“You should,” she replies with a snort.

I want to ask her what she means—it’s not the first time she’s made a derogatory comment about her family—but she’s got off-limits signs posted all over her when it comes to them. So I settle for bumping shoulders with her as I refill my own coffee cup.

She returns the bump, then smiles sweetly at me. With that smile, her short green hair sticking up in every direction and the remnants of last night’s mascara pooled under her eyes, she looks like a little kid playing dress-up. Dress-up in a punk rocker’s closet, mind you, but still dress up.

At least until the smile fades and she pins me with a look meant to bring better women than me to their knees. “Details. Now.”

“Ethan and I made up.”

“Believe me, I know. My room’s next to yours and the walls aren’t nearly as thick as you think they are.”

“Oh, God.” Embarrassed heat rushes to my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She waves airily. “Since I wasn’t getting any action last night, it’s good that someone was.”

I laugh despite myself. “Nice, Tori.”

“Hey, if you wanted nice, you probably should have picked someone else as your best friend.” She grabs a box of donuts off the counter and plops them in the middle of the kitchen table before settling into the chair opposite mine. “Just saying.”

“Yeah, well, it’s too late to worry about that now.”

“Damn straight.” She grabs a donut, then shoves the box toward me. “So what happened after I left yesterday? You need to give me the scoop before loverboy gets back.”

“We made up.”

“Obviously, you made up. Didn’t we just talk about all the reasons I couldn’t sleep last night?”

“Well then, what do you want me to say?”

“I want details. Did he grovel—I mean, with something besides that bracelet you’re wearing. Because even I have to admit that is some serious groveling in and of itself.”

I glance down at the heavy bracelet Ethan had delivered to me yesterday. The one he fastened around my wrist when I told him that I loved him. That I’d marry him. It’s as much a sign of his possession as the belly chain I wear around my waist—another gift from him.

“Don’t tell me how much it costs. I don’t want to know.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, darling,” she drawls in her best Sophia Loren voice. “I still remember your freak-out over the belly chain.”

When I don’t say anything else, she finishes off her donut in silence, all the while watching me with dark eyes.

“You look happy,” she finally says.

“I am happy.”

“That’s all that matters, then.” She drains her coffee, then pushes back from the table. “I’m going to take a shower, then head to the beach. Want to join me?”

“I can’t.”

She rolls her eyes. “Let me guess. Loverboy talked you into going back to work at Frost Industries?”

“I haven’t decided on that yet.”

“Then what’s going on? Is he coming back to sweep you off to some romantic getaway?”

“We’re going to Vegas.”

“Vegas? Really? I had him pegged for a private-island-off-the-coast-of-Greece kind of guy. I have to admit, I’m a little—”

“We’re getting married.” I say it fast, hoping it will have less of an impact that way.

No such luck. Tori stops in her tracks, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish as she tries to wrap her brain around what I just said.

“What?” she finally squeals before launching herself at me. “He asked you to marry him? When? Where?”

“Today. And I already told you. Las Vegas.”

She’s back to staring at me like I have three heads. “I meant when did he ask you. But what you’re telling me is that you’re flying to Las Vegas today? To get married today?”

“That is what I’m telling you.” I start gingerly trying to untangle myself from her embrace. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when she’s hanging on for dear life and doing her best impression of an octopus with its prey.

“Oh my God. Oh. My. God. Ohmygod! You’re getting married. Today! To Ethan fucking Frost!”

Author Info

Tracy Wolff collects books, English degrees and lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. At six she wrote her first short story—something with a rainbow and a prince—and at seven she forayed into the wonderful world of girls lit with her first Judy Blume novel. By ten she’d read everything in the young adult and classics sections of her local bookstore, so in desperation her mom started her on romance novels. And from the first page of the first book, Tracy knew she’d found her life-long love. Now an English professor at her local community college, she writes romances that run the gamut from contemporary to paranormal to erotic suspense.

Author Links:  Website |Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Loveswept will be hosting a Month Long Giveaway Including: 
(1) Loveswept Mug
(1) Flirt Mug 
Ebook of RUINED by Tracy Wolff
Ebook of CLAIMED by Stacey Kennedy
Ebook of ONCE PERFECT by Cecy Robson
Ebook of SURRENDER by Violetta Rand
Ebook of LAST OF THE RED-HOT COWBOYS by Tina Leonard
Ebook of RAVEN by Ashley Suzanne
Ebook of UNTIL YOU FIND ME by Amber Hart
Ebook of RUSH by Gina Gordon

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Fabulous Spring #Giveaway

Spring is here and it's time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 11 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack ($280+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Many of the shops offer items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs.

The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway.

Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with you.

Giveaway runs May 4th - 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.

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Excerpt & #Giveaway ~*~ The Australian by Lesley Young

The Australian
Crime Royalty Romance # 2

By: Lesley Young

Blurb

Charlie Sykes takes everything and everyone at face value—and believes life would be a lot easier if everyone else did, too. Aussie Jace Knight, international hotelier and purported playboy, has never met anyone like the absurdly literal and beautiful American who applies for his personal assistant position. The trouble is, how do you pursue a woman whose definition of flirting comes straight out of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary? That, and he’s not the only one after Charlie. Seems Mr. Knight might not be a reformed criminal after all.

Soon, Charlie’s immersed in a whirlwind of international espionage that takes her from the hip streets of Sydney to the majestic Great Barrier Reef and the wild, desolate outback. A dangerous trap’s being set, but how will Charlie protect herself and prevent a tragic betrayal, when she can’t even sort out what her heart’s telling her?

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/the-australian-crime-royalty-romance-by.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24976491-the-australian?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/143063-crime-royalty-romance

Buy Links:   Amazon

                                       

Excerpt

I slid into a soft leather upright, and put my satchel on the floor beside me. Mr. Knight said nothing.

I waited, calmly, expecting him to peruse my prominent breasts, especially since my nipples were no doubt peaked through my thin blouse and bra. But, he did not, which I greatly respected. Instead, he openly appraised my face, and finally, smiled.

“So Miss Sykes, what brings such a beautiful yank to Sydney then?”

“My looks are not at all pertinent, Mr. Knight.” His smile dropped. “I chose Australia spontaneously,” I offered, having enough sense not to share the Muriel’s Wedding detail. “I simply moved here to start fresh.”

He leaned forward in his chair, examining me much closer, eyes narrowed. “There are only a few reasons why a woman such as yourself leaves America for down under . . . Miss Sykes.”

I waited for his assumption.

“You’re running from someone. An ex? Husband? Boyfriend?”

I did not like the way he eyed me just then.

“Incorrect on all counts,” I informed him. “I have never had any of those. But I do not believe my sexual history, or lack of it, is pertinent to the job interview.” As I spoke, his full lips had popped open and his eyebrows had hiked farther up, creating strong lines in his forehead.

“Here we go,” I thought, frowning. Something I was doing was confusing him. Of course, I had no idea what it was. My tone of voice? Something I had said? It was like trying to figure out  an alien alphabet. I cleared my throat. “However, you can be rest assured I am in Australia for no reason other than a desire to live life, finally, and that I have no intentions of leaving.” I did not want him to think I was not capable of a long-term commitment to the company should things work out.

Author Info

Lesley Young is an award-winning Canadian journalist by day, and compulsive novelist by night. Her debut novel, Sky’s End (Soulmate Publishing, 2013) hit #9 on Amazon’s sci-fi romance paid best-seller list in its first three months of release. Not too long after that, she started dreaming up quirky heroines who lose their hearts to extremely powerful, imperfect heroes, while on dangerous adventures abroad. She called it the Crime Royalty Romance series, and kicked it off with The Frenchman, which landed her an agent at Spencerhill Associates. Lesley’s never sure who or what will pop up in her imagination next. The Irishman? The Spaniard? The Englishman? She’s taking requests!

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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