AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON B.J. DANIELS & GIVEAWAY

As many of you know, I am a super huge fan of author B.J. Daniels. This lady is something else writing her memorable Western Romantic Suspense novels with a flair like no other. I am very fortunate to have been able to ask B.J. some questions and I wanted to share all with you!

1.     Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Houston to a father who loved to travel. I was on the road at two weeks old, so wonder I too love to travel. My family moved to Montana when I was five and, even though I’ve left the state for short periods of time, I always come home. Montana inspires me.

2.    When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was eight when I decided I was going to be a writer. I’ve always had stories going in my head. Plus my father’s family were storytellers (or born liars.) Uncle Jack always said, “If you’re going to tell a story, make it good or don’t bother.” J

3.    Tell us about your upcoming work?

Right now I’m working on my Beartooth, Montana series. The series began with UNFORGIVEN, then REDEMPTION and now FORSAKEN is out. ATONEMENT comes out in March. I’m working on MERCY right now. My drop-dead gorgeous U.S. Marshal goes rogue to catch a serial killer. His only clue is a woman he tracks to Beartooth. I’m having a lot of fun with it.

I also have more Cardwell Ranch stories. CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH comes out Nov. 1. It introduces the first Cardwell cousin from Texas. All five brothers will be making their way to Montana where they were born.

4.    Do you have any mentors? Heroes?

All the writers who have come before me and got me dreaming are my heroes. I fell in love with reading, escaping into those other worlds. I so admired them and wanted to build my own worlds.

BJ and I at the RWA NYC 2011

5.    Can you tell us your favorite character from your books so far and why?

Boy that is hard. They all made me love them, even the villains. Right now I would have to say Maddie Conner in FORSAKEN. She is so wonderfully capable. I love that about her. And she tries so hard not to show just how vulnerable she is. I admire her.

6.    Was it difficult for you to get published?

I lucked out. I cut my writing teeth working for a newspaper, writing a lot and on deadline. Then I wrote short stories for Woman’s World. I wrote a lot of them before they finally bought one because I had to have adventure in mine. I think I wore them down. J I wrote a bunch of short stories and only ended up selling about 40.

So by the time I wrote my first book…I’d done some writing. I sold the first book I wrote – but only after I’d rewritten it several times.

7.    Who are your favorite authors/reads?

Oh gad. I love so many. Lisa Gardner is always a favorite. Same with Elizabeth George. Gillian Flynn, John Grisham, Ken Follett, Jennifer Weiner, Sandra Brown and so many more.

8.    Hobbies aside from your awesome quilting?

LOL, yep I took up quilting and am now hooked. I also love to snowboard, waterski, boat, swim, camp, fish, travel, read, play tennis. I love being on water the best.

Looking totally awesome in a Book Obsessed Chicks tshirt!

9. Does your husband read your books? Do your kids?

My husband read all my books up until book No. 5. J It’s best he doesn’t know what goes on in my books, don’t you think? J My daughter reads them all.

10.    What is your dream job?

I have my dream job. I couldn’t be happier writing books. I have to pinch myself. I never dreamed even half of all the wonderful things that have come from writing – including the amazing people I have met.

11.  Do you have any favorite TV shows?

Oh yeah. I love The Good Wife, Project Runway (how do they come up with those designs? It is beyond me), The Mentalist, Revenge, Empire Boardwalk, Drop Dead Diva (I know), Hostages. I’m sure there are more. J

12.  What’s next for you?

Another six Beartooth, Montana books are in the works that will tell the stories of the Hamilton sisters. I think that will be a lot of fun, finding them amazing men who can handle these amazing sisters – especially when we all know how dangerous Beartooth can be. 

13.  Where can we find you?

In my office. Or sometimes on the tailgate of my pickup out by the lake writing. But most of the time, you will find me writing. The area where I live inspires me and I often have to get out in it and write.

14.  What would you like readers to know about you?

I am bowled over by the wonderful readers I have connected with through my books. It is such a thrill to hear from them. I can’t tell you how amazing it is when they enjoy my books and share my characters and their stories. Those characters become real to me as I write them, but how cool is it that they become real to anyone who reads the book?

I feel so blessed that I get to do this and share Montana and my characters’ stories. (Pinching myself.)

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CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. DANIELS

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Big Sky, Montana until murder happens, and not just one but several. When Tag Cardwell returns to Montana after a long sojourn, he finds he isn't exactly welcomed home by his father, but cousin Dana insists that he stay for a Cardwell Christmas. She wants family together. Trying to get things back to normal after an insane woman posing as her cousin wreaked havoc in her home.

Lily McCabe is filling in at her brother Ace McCabe's bar for the holidays. The pretty young math genius enjoys her solitude though, especially after being jilted at the alter six months prior. When one of the waitresses winds up missing a whole lot of trouble starts to happen over a flash drive with gibberish on it that mysteriously winds up in Tag's pocket.  Is it gibberish or a mathematical code? When Tag and Lily find they may have to put their heads together to solve the mystery, a lot more may happen than finding answers. Maybe a little kissing under the mistletoe? When Lily's proper ex-fiance appears on her doorstep she suddenly doesn't know what direction to take her life. The safe and quiet one? Or the one that could lead to passion and excitement.

Marshall Hud Savage has been second guessing himself since he allowed imposter Camilla Northland, who posed as Dana's long lost cousin, into his home to terrorize his family. How could he have let someone that unstable near his precious family? How could he have been so blind? These thoughts go through his mind constantly nowadays and he worries that his days as Marshall are numbered. Even though she is apparently tucked away in prison, Camilla Northland plots her revenge on Hud and Dana. Is her arm long enough to reach Cardwell Ranch?

It takes all of these people involved to try to solve the murder mystery plaguing Big Sky and the clock is ticking. The question is, can all be solved before time runs out?

Lord, do I love picking up a B.J. Daniels book. I always know I am in for a good time. B.J. gets the reader's mind a flutter with all the facts and the possible resolutions. She is a master at telling more than one story at a time with incredible ease and sucking in the reader until the very end. It is so nice to be back in Big Sky, Montana and with the Cardwell Clan and its extended family especially at Christmas time. Watching the evolution of these awesome characters is always part of the charm mixed in with all the mystery and suspense. I loved B.J. Daniels' CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH  and I know you will as well.

~KIMBERLY~

Pat Sheppard's review of LOGAN BELLE'S NOW OR NEVER

Trade my "Bucket List" for Claire's

The book is about the empty nest syndrome.  How do you get your life back after giving it to others for so long.  Claire got pregnant in college, married the father of her child, divorced him later and then reared her only child for the next twelve years by herself.  Now baby boy is off to college and Claire does not know what to do with herself.  Especially how to water the dead roots of her sex life and bring forth fruit.  Claire hasn't dated; much less had sex in twelve years. Where do you start when you have only had one man in your entire life?  To dampen things more Claire is diagnosed with breast cancer and must make decisions about what to do with her body.  Her first visit to a cancer support group has her accidentally sitting in on an exotic reading group.  That night sets Claire on the adventure of her life.  She meets Justin a younger male who sets her on a path of rediscovery. Claire finds herself attracted to Justin buts thinks he is a little to young.  Talking with her makes her feel good so after a few meetings she tells him her story.   Justin designates himself to become her wing-man to find her G spot again.  A wing-man is a person who doesn't mind hanging with you to do sane or crazy things.  The wing-man is the one who watches out for you. With the help of a bucket list Justin helps her write, Claire sets out to find out if she is still sexy, desirable and ready to move on to better things.  My bucket list has things to do with fixing up my house.  Claire's bucket list includes kissing a stranger, watching people have sex, and STOP why am I telling you.  Do your own list, then read the book and see how your list compares to Claire's.  Not going to tell you how many on Claire's list I can cross off.

~ PAT SHEPPARD ~

ONCE SHE WAS TEMPTED (HONEYCOTE #2 ) by ANNE BARTON

There was a time when Daphne Honeycote didn't know where the funds would come from to pay for her mother's medication. Those were difficult times. Times for desperate measures. While her sister Anabelle worked her fingers to the bone as a seamstress and sometime blackmailer to help out, Daphne's solution was to pose scantily clad for her artist friend, who needed a model for paintings that were commissioned by a gentleman of the ton. 

Now, some time later, Anabelle since married to a Duke and the family's situation much improved, along with their mother's health, Daphne's solution comes back to bite her in that one time scantily clad arse. When Benjamin Elliot, the earl of Foxburn approaches Daphne and tells her to discourage a would-be suitor who has designs on her, she is shocked and dismayed to find that Lord Foxburn is in possession of one of the two paintings that she sat for. Denial does nothing to detain the cynical and ailing earl from his task, until he finds there is a second painting out there somewhere and tells Daphne. 

Daphne Honeycote is now frantic. While she was never ashamed of the paintings, should they become public and it known that the sister of a duchess  posed semi-nude for a painter, her family would be ostracized  by the ton. Daphne would not be able to take that, for she adores her family. Against her better judgement, Daphne elicits the help of Benjamin Elliot to locate the second portrait and in the process the two seemingly unsuited pair fight to keep their budding attraction to themselves. Although it is unlikely that anyone close to the beautiful lady and the brooding war hero would even think they had anything going on, or would they?

When the second painting shows up in the hands of the spoiled rake son of the man who commissioned the portrait, Ben and Daphne toil to recover it before it can be displayed for all of London to see and auctioned off to the highest bidder therefore ruining Daphne and her family's name.

Once She Was Tempted by Anne Barton is a great follow-up to When She Was Wicked and the novella, To All the Rakes I've Loved Before. A family overcoming such adversity and still coming out ahead of the game after such mishaps, but ultimately learning from these mishaps. I love the fish out of water stories and the gentlemen who know exactly how to treat these non-conformist women. Anne Barton has a unique way of setting up her heroes and heroines so that their feelings just jump out at them and shock them into submission. I look forward to more Honeycote novels and anything else that Miss Barton writes for that matter.

~KIMBERLY~

A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

Everett Cline has been let down before in the marriage department. Each time he has sent for a mail order bride to come to Kansas she has either jilted him or passed away. A bit of bad luck? Due to these mishaps and tragedies, Everett has become a cynic. Even when Julia Lockwood comes form the East intending to be his bride, Everett is skeptical.

Julia Lockwood is running from a violent past. Almost married to a man of violence, Julia escapes with her sanity intact but the fear that she will be found out and the shame that she bears from the violence in her not so distant past. All she wants is a quiet and peaceful life, but the more time Everett spends around bride, the more he wants her, and if he can't have her, he will ignore her.

Having a marriage in name only becomes old after a while, especially when the unlikely pair watch those around them flourish in love and with their home lives. The journey Julia and Everett take to overcome their adversities is a gradual one since these two both have misconceptions that need to be addressed. Whether the outcome will be a sweet one remains to be seen, and only if you read Melissa Jagears, A Bride For Keeps.

I have read very few Inspirational romances, but I have to say that this one very well written and not too full of religion that the average reader would be put off. I found it to be an enjoyable read. Although it took quite a while for the realization to hit the pair, and the length of time it took for Julia and Everett to realize they were in love began to grate on me. I still enjoyed this story and I would most probably read another book written by Melissa Jagears as well.

~KIMBERLY~

GUEST REVIEWER JESS HOLLOWS REVIEW OF, The Silver Chain (Unbreakable Trilogy Book 1) by Primula Bond

In the first book of the Unbreakable Trilogy, readers are introduced to Serena Folkes. Serena is a young woman who has just walked off the train in London after leaving her dark childhood home and a long term boyfriend in hopes of achieving her dream of having her photography discovered. On her first night in London, Halloween, Serena is photographing trick or treaters when she meets the mysterious Gustavo Levi. Gustav is only a complete mystery for a short while as Serena discovers that he owns many art galleries. Of course, he would love to help her dream as long as she will help him in return.

The deal is made that Gustav will showcase Serena's work until Christmas, or the last photo sells whichever occurs first, as long as she agrees to be his companion and help him get over his ex wife. In agreeing to the deal, Gustav gives Serena a bracelet that attaches to a thin chain. This chain physically and symbolically empowers him over her during their contract. Like other books in this genre, Gustav has many layers that must be peeled away and this contract allows Serena to explore her sexual tastes while they both deal with their paste demons.

Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read. There were a few times when the scene seemed out of place. For instance, the first night that Serena stays with Gustav, she has a dream in which she is a sex slave watching the same act she just performed with Gustav, yet it was in a past era. It was only after a page or so that it is shown as a dream and I thought that it may be a separate character or past life being shown. Perhaps Gustav's secret was that he actually had a woman chained in the how who was watching he and Serena. What made this disjointed to me was that no other dream scene occurred in the book. At times, it felt as if the author was rushing the plot to get to the next steamy part. I am looking forward to the storyline and backgrounds being grout out in depth in the remaining two books.

I did enjoy that Serena chose to set out on her own and left the negativity if her past behind. She is a strong woman who did think twice before accepting Gustav's contract during a slight inward struggle of trying to make it on her own. I do hope that she keeps her spark throughout the trilogy.

Readers searching for a steamy, fast read that includes a good dose of angst with a splash of s&m will find it in the Silver Chain. The author has set up interesting characters for the beginning of a trilogy and I hope that she chooses to let their stories shine.

~ JESS HOLLOWS ~

The Highlander's Dangerous Temptation ( The MacLerie Clan ) by Terri Brisbin

Since a tragedy that happened in his youth, Laird Athdar MacCallum has  vowed never to wed after his heart breaking loss of two wives and a betrothed. How much can one man take? His life is bereft with mishaps and nightmares of a past he cannot remember. Still, he is a strong leader with a conscience and his people's trust is paramount to the leader.

Enter Isobel Ruriksdottir, beautiful, intelligent and innocent, but attracted to the mystery of Athdar MacCallum. Athdar takes notice of the beauty of Isobel but attempts to put aside his attraction to her due to the fact that her father Rurik is not a fan of his combined with black cloud that seems to hover over him and all that he loves. Isobel will have no part of that however. This lady is determined to get what she wants, even if it puts her in danger.

When Isobel sees the inner turmoil that her Athdar deals with, she must help him overcome his past so he can leave himself open to a brighter future even when outside forces exist that want Athdar's downfall still after so many years. When she realizes that it's not a black cloud that hovers, but a revenge in the flesh that wants his downfall, Isobel will do what she must to save her love.

Yet another great read by Terri Brisbin, The Highlander's Dangerous Temptation is a whirlwind of mystery and romance. Both Athdar and Isobel are such likable characters with so much emotion to share. This time it's the hero who is the stubborn one and the young Isobel who has the brains and the wherewithal to persevere. I truly enjoyed this book and always look forward to Terri Brisbin's Scotttish Historicals, which are always keepers on my romance shelves. 

~ KIMBERLY~