Guest Post: Jean M Grant, author of Seeker

Please help me welcome Jean M. Grant to my blog. We're starting with a a speed round of This or That, followed by Jean's Top 10 Things to See in Scotland, and the details along with an excerpt from her latest book Seeker, which is part of a series that releases this month.

So without further ado, let's get to know a little about Jean!

Speed round: This or That

 

Good guys or bad guys? Good guys

Morning or night? Morning

Coffee or tea? Coffee in any shape, size, or form

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? Audiobook – on walks, in car, all the time

Favorite season? Summer because of my gardens

Dogs or cats? Cats!

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Mary Jane’s or hiking shoes

Paranormal or Historical? Both!

Favorite TV show? BritBox cozy/detective mysteries

Favorite vacation? New Zealand & Ecuador and the Galápagos 

Beach or mountains? Mountains – always

Top 10 Things to See in Scotland

by Jean M. Grant

     I visited the land of my daydreams, Scotland, over a decade ago. It stirred the muse within to write about medieval Scotland. From that inspiration sprung my trilogy. Here is my list of must-sees for the history and nature buff. 

Scotland—be prepared for rain, be prepared for beauty of nature and people.

10. The abbeys—Abbeys are poetic and serene and back in the middle ages served as monasteries to different Christian orders. We walked among ancient gray and rose stone ruins at Dryburgh and Melrose Abbeys. 

9. The isles—It is hard to not visit an isle while in Scotland. There are many: Lewis and Harris, Shetlands, or my beloved Uist. We visited Isle of Sky on a dreary day and could not even see the Black Cuillin mountains in the torrential rain.

8. Lochs—Like isles, lochs, many glacial, are a must-see and hard to miss whether it is the deep blue Loch Ness, expansive Loch Lomond, or the inspiring Loch Awe.

7. Crags & Glens—High and low crags abound…the Trossachs, Cairngorms, or the five sisters of Kintail are impressive mountains. With crags, come glens (valleys). Glencoe is not one to skip. 

6. Standing Stones—Standing stones are one of the few places we couldn’t visit on our trip as most are on the isles. Note to self for next time!  

5. Scottish Folk & Pubs—Scots are pleasant people and we had a great time chatting with the locals. And yup, there are plenty of the other kind of locals: sheep!

4. The Lowlands—The lowlands often get overlooked, but they are green and lush with undulating hills. 

3. The Highlands—Rich in clan history and natural beauty and oh so many hikes, the Highlands are the epitome of Scotland. Tramp (hike) through glens, up stony crags, visit Culloden Battlefield, and just get lost on the winding one-lane roads.  

2. Highland Games— Up for putting the stone, caber tossing, tug-o-war, music, and dancing…oh yes, and lots of kilts? Get thee to a Highland Game. We visited one in Pitlochry.

1. Castles—Castles, last but not least! I visited over a dozen on my trip. My favorites: Eilean Donan (seat to Clan MacCoinneach in my books), Kilchurn (we kayaked to it), Threave (we took a rowboat across a river to it), and Borthwick (we stayed overnight in this 14^th century tower house that is haunted).

About the book

Seeker

Author: Jean M. Grant

Genre: historical/medieval Scottish romance

Heat level (if over PG13): PG/PG13

 

Tagline: Nock, draw, release. If her arrow hits its mark, will it prevent war…and secure her destined soulmate?

 

Blurb: Nock, draw, release. Her bow is always ready, and if her arrow hits its mark, she will secure her destined soulmate.

Aileana Montgomerie’s bloodline holds valuable gifts of foresight and healing, but with each honor comes a curse. Even though she is descended from the mystical isles’ folk, she lacks the ability of the Scottish Ancients and wonders if she belongs in a magical family. Aileana just wants a purpose. What good is her bow and arrow if she is denied the right to fight for her clan?

Brodie MacDougall is ordained to be the next war chieftain of his clan. The title is a privilege as long as his brother, the future laird, doesn’t expect him to lift a sword and charge into battle. Chronic pain and nervous vapors force him to spend his days alone. Can his strategic skills keep him one step ahead of his conspiring brother?

Through a magical Mortar & Pestle, Brodie finds his heart’s desire. But there’s a catch. The seat on his brother’s council is no longer dependent upon his health…but on Aileana’s strength. With rumblings of unrest among their clans, will their love foster an alliance or be a step toward war?

 

Read it today!

 

Peek between the pages... 

The mixture of herb fragrances mingled in her nose. Nutty, sharp, awakening.

She inhaled. Brodie inhaled.

As he released his hand from the pestle, a dark violet waft of smoke rose from the mortar.

An image appeared in her head, though her eyes were wide open:

A vast and lush meadow. Her bow in her hand. She stared at a target, runes carved into its center. The butt was made from a large mound of dirt, the kind used in the yearly tournament.

What in all the stars was happening?

And Brodie stood beside her in the image. Vision? Nonsense! Had she knocked her head? Fallen asleep? She held no gift of prophecy. What was this?

The ground rumbled. She heard Brodie’s heart racing as he whispered words of love in her ear.

Her neck tingled with gooseflesh, the way the wheat fields rippled on a windy day. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and her belly warmed.

In your presence, the answer is shown, a voice said. Stay close to him, for your heart’s desire is known. What you seek, you will reap. Follow the golden prize. Let it be your sun.

She blinked as the image faded, her face aflame and the residual heat of his lips upon her skin still palpable. “Did you see that?”

“See what?”

He was staring at her, his body so close. She broke their shared gaze. “The mortar.”

He blew out a full, healthy breath as the lavender mist dissipated.

“Smoke?” she coaxed. Oh, please, Brodie. Say you see it, too!

He stared at the mortar. The purple smoke was now a pale haze fading to gray. The flecks in the black granite shimmered as bright as the stars.

“Aye, I do. A flame, but the color of a thistle. Though now it is gray.”

She gulped, feeling relieved but confused. Her mother’s treatments were as natural as the earth. She didn’t cast spells or evoke flares from simple herbs!

“Has this ever happened before?” he asked.

She wet her lips, searching his face. Her chest tingled.

“Never.”

 

About the author:

 

Jean has a penchant for misunderstood creatures, be it sharks, microbes, or wounded characters. A scientist by training, she now spends her days as an author and champion for her children. She writes historical and contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Two of her books won InD’tale RONE awards. 

A nature enthusiast, Jean also writes for family-oriented travel magazines and websites. When not writing, she enjoys gardening, tackling the biggest mountains in New England, and going on adventures near and far with her family. If she were stuck on a desert island, her three essentials (besides family, food, water, and shelter) would be coffee, lip balm, and the post-it notes.

Social media links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Instagram 

Did you have anything in common with Jean? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Chatting with author Sydney Winward

I'm delighted to welcome Sydney Winward to my blog. Her newest book Selkie is part of an exciting new series. Before we learn more about this paranormal historical romance, let's meet Sydney.


What inspired you to write this book?

Something about me and my writing is I get inspired off pictures. Pinterest is my best friend. Only when I’m coming up with a new idea. Otherwise, it’s a gigantic distraction. Selkie was first inspired by a picture of a man wearing fur cloak with snow falling in his hair. This transitioned into shifters, selkie, and a prince. But the story just wasn’t coming together like I wanted. This ended up shifting into selkie and Vikings, which ended up working really well for my characters and storyline.


Tell us a guilt pleasure…books you can’t get enough of?

Ugh, okay, I’m a HUGE fan of secret baby books (shhhhhh!!) I love babies. I love children. And there’s something really sexy about a good dad. Don’t judge! ;)


What do you do when you’re not writing?

One of my favorite things to do when I’m not reading or writing is making costumes or dresses. I love working with fabric and watching as a project comes together in the end. It’s something I love to do for fun and to unwind from a stressful day.

About the book

Selkie

Author: Sydney Winward

Genre: Paranormal historical romance

Tagline: How can he marry one woman when his heart sings for another?

Blurb

No one has ever managed to capture a selkie. Until now…

On their wedding day, Klaus Lovik’s bride is stolen by an enemy chieftain. He will travel to the ends of the earth to find her, and in desperation, he captures a selkie and uses her as a bartering piece. But the selkie’s magic is powerful enough to drown entire islands, and if he’s not careful, he might find himself in a watery grave.

Mayla Brior is gifted with the power to shed her seal skin, enabling her to walk on land. But when a man robs her of the pelt, she is forced to follow his commands, endangering her skin, and preventing her return to the sea.

Venturing into enemy territory, Klaus and Mayla bond, escalating their relationship into more than adversaries. He realizes his pending nuptials are a dreadful mistake. But it might be too late to choose another path, especially when he knows he has to eventually let her go.

Read Selkie today!

Peek between the pages…

Whoever put the hole in the boat clearly wanted him dead.

He eyed the selkie. “It wasn’t you, was it?”

“Me?” she screeched. “I can’t swim in this form!”

“Odin’s horns, woman! You are supposed to be a seal!”

“Yes, with my pelt.”

A frustrated growl escaped him. If he didn’t think of something and fast, it appeared as if they might both drown before they reached dry land.

He unsheathed his ax and cut strips of cloth from the quilts, and then he stuffed the hole before returning to the task of scooping water out and throwing it overboard.

He breathed heavily from the exertion, perspiration lining his brow. “How long can you hold your breath?” he huffed. “In the event that we may need to abandon ship.”

Her voice shook with her answer. “An hour.”

“An hour? Are you jesting?”

“No. Can’t you do the same?”

He chuckled humorlessly as he began to toss things out of the vessel. The blankets went first. Then the fishing net. Followed by several horn bowls and spoons. With a grimace, he threw out his bow and arrows next.

The boat continued to fill with water. Saving it was a hopeless endeavor.

About the author:

Sydney Winward is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author who dabbles in the occasional historical fiction. She loves building complex worlds filled with magic, strong characters, and emotional stories that can make you laugh and cry.

Sydney is the author of The Bloodborn Series and the Sunlight and Shadows Series. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, thinking about stories, or going on adventures with her children. She lives in Utah with her husband and three amazing kids.

Connect with Sydney

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Website ~ Tiktok

Thanks for stopping by! More books from this exciting new series coming. 

Chatting with author Susie Black

I'm delighted to welcome Susie Black back to my blog. I have a fun round of This or That with Susie, and and excerpt from her latest cozy mystery Death by Pins and Needles. Plus, Susie shared a link to her swimsuit fit guide, a handy guide to woman's swimsuits. 

Without further ado, let's start with This or That. 

Good guys or bad guys? Bad guys

Good girls or bad girls? Bad girls

Morning or night? Night

Favorite food? Pizza

Favorite beverage? Lemonade

Coffee or tea? Coffee

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? eBook

Plotter or Pantster? Combination

Favorite season? Fall

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving

Favorite movie? Some Like it Hot

Ironman or Superman? Superman

Wonder Woman of Top Model? Wonder Woman

Night on the town or cozy evening in? Cozy Evening In

Favorite book? A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

Favorite fictional world? The present time

Last book read? The Disappearing Names- Avis Adams

Black or white? White

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Sneakers

Favorite song? Surfin’ USA- The Beach Boys

Chicken or steak? Steak

Cake, cookies, or pie? Pie

Favorite junk food? Chocolate or pretzels

Favorite thing to do to relax? Sailing

Paranormal or Historical? Historical

Favorite TV show? MASH

Hot or cold? Hot

Favorite vacation? Cancun, Mexico

Beach or mountains? Beach

I like the bad boys and girls too! Do you have anything in common with Susie?

About the book

Death by Pins and Needles

Author: Susie Black

Genre: Humorous Cozy Mystery

Who wanted Lissa Charney dead? The list was as long as your arm…

but which one actually killed her?

Blurb

Set in the heart of the competitive Los Angeles Apparel Industry, Death by Pins and Needles is the story of one ruthless woman who didn’t care who she had to step on to get to the top. Lissa Charney is the showroom manager of a ladies’ swimwear line in the California Apparel Mart. Since Lissa didn’t think any of the rules applied to her, she had no problem breaking them all. From job stealing to dumping a boyfriend when he needed her the most, selfish and self-centered Lissa’s list of enemies rivaled those of Al Capone. So, when Lissa is murdered, no one on the swimwear aisle was particularly surprised…the only surprise was what had taken so long. The last thing Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected to find when she opened the closet door was nasty competitor Lissa Charney’s battered corpse nailed to the wall. When Holly’s colleague is wrongly arrested for Lissa’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to sniff out the real killer.

Read it today!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Bub ~ Goodreads

Industry Photos provided by Susie Black

Peek between the pages...

Countries were formed faster than the pace of the never-ending parade of pie charts and problems at our weekly production meeting. The endurance test snore-fest finally ended an eternity later at four-forty-five. I grabbed my purse and messenger bag, ran out of the factory as if my hair caught fire, and drove like a bat out of hell to the mart. I checked my watch for the bazzillionth time while stuck behind a local DASH bus creeping along at a snail’s pace on Main Street. I finally drove past Ninth Street and made an illegal left turn into the mart. I careened around the subterranean parking structure ramp on two wheels and screeched to a halt into the first open space. The elevator Goddess smiled at me, and I miraculously got to the swimwear floor at five-fifteen.

Fifteen minutes to prepare for my meeting with the Queen of Mean, Sue Ellen Magee -the nasty, my time is valuable but yours isn’t powerful swimwear buyer at Bainbridge Department Stores. And of course, the one available time in her majesty’s busy schedule? Five-thirty on Friday afternoon. Good thing my social life is in a dry spell. Ok, ok, so it’s non-existent, but let’s not quibble over small details. If one existed, it would not be Sue Ellen’s problem if I had to break a date. It begs the question. Did she ever go out on one? As if. Is Cruella de Ville’s dance card full? Catty? Too bad. Meow.

An empty swimwear aisle. Not a surprise. Fridays the whole industry gets out of Dodge early. Crap. In my rush to get to the mart, I left my showroom key in my office desk drawer. I didn’t remember it until I got halfway to the mart, but didn’t have enough time to turn back for it. No biggie; our showroom manager Patti practically lived in the showroom. Except for today. Fanfreakingtastic. A delivery notification was taped next to Patti’s sorry, had to leave early note. With no one else around, the guy left the package of fabric swatches for my meeting with Sue Ellen at Lissa Charney’s showroom. My heart sank. Cripes, of all the competitors to leave it with, the guy chose the one who closes shop the earliest. Unless by some miracle lazy Lissa stayed late, count me screwed.

Explaining this key thing to crabby Sue Ellen ought to be scads of fun; the same as an appendectomy with no anesthetic. Then I remembered. Lissa and Patti exchanged keys in case of an emergency. I walked to Lissa’s in case God made a mistake, and by some miracle, she’d stuck around. For giggles and squeaks, I pushed on Lissa’s door. Remarkably, it opened. Hot Diggity Dog. Amazingly, the fabric Goddess covered my play. My envelope with the fabric swatches lay on the first workstation table. Now for the key, and I’d be all set.

“Lissa,” I called out, “It’s Holly from Mermaid. I came for my package. Thanks a bunch for accepting it. Listen, Patti left early and I forgot my showroom key in my desk drawer at the factory. Can you give me my spare?” Dead silence. Weird. Maybe she’s on the phone with her office door closed?

“Lissa,” I funneled my hands around my mouth into a megaphone and yelled, “It’s Holly Schlivnik from Mermaid.” Still a whole lotta dead air. God short-changed me in the height department at four feet nine inches tall, but the Good Lord compensated for it by blessing me with a strong set of pipes. Unless the woman was deaf as a post, no way she couldn’t hear me.

I went back to Lissa’s office. Lights are on, but nobody’s home. Where the Sam Hill could she be? Not in the showroom. Not in her office. Not in the kitchen. Not in the copier room. In the ladies’ room? Abducted by aliens? Hiding in a closet?

I was out of options and time; so, for giggles and squeaks, I pulled open the doors to the enormous sample closet that stretched across the back wall and peered inside. Good news. I found Lissa Charney. The question was; did she have my key? A dozen swimsuits picture -framed Lissa’s battered, bloody corpse like a museum exhibit. She’d been shot through the heart with a nail gun and hung crucifixion style by her appendages to the back of the closet.

Naturally, I burst out laughing.

Ladies, 

Susie Black is offering you her Swimwear Fit Guide. No mater if you are tall, short, thick, thin, buster or not, there is a swimsuit for you, and Susie's guide will help you find it. 

Grab your swimsuit guide!

About the author:

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:   Website ~ E-mail ~ Linktree

Spotlight: The Disappearing Names by Avis M. Adams

I'm happy to welcome Avis M. Adams to my blog. She answered a quick round of This or That and shared an intriguing excerpt from her new book, The Disappearing Names. Please help me welcome, Avis.

This or That 

Morning or night? Morning

Coffee or tea? Coffee

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? eBook

Plotter or Pantster? Hybrid

Favorite season? Fall

Night on the town or cozy evening in? Cozy evening in

Cake, cookies, or pie? Pie

Paranormal or Historical:? Historical

Do you have anything in common with Avis? 

About the book

The Disappearing Names

Author: Avis M. Adams

Genre: YA, fantasy, time travel

If she could just go back in time one week, she could retrieve the key and her dad wouldn’t have to leave. What could go wrong?

Blurb

Sam wants her father back. On an underground tour in Seattle, Sam learns the legend of the Roman Bricks and how they transport people to the past. A plan forms and she stays behind and touches the glowing bricks, but Nicole tries to stop her. When the dust settles, they are in a strange room where a kid wants to know who they are. It is soon apparent that they aren’t in Seattle anymore or in their own time. They are in 1901 Portland in the Shanghai Tunnels.

Sam and Nicole begin the journey to get home, but first they must understand how the bricks work and who to trust. Grandma Meyer gives her the answer, but can Sam trust her? Racing against the clock, Sam learns the hard way that if she’s not careful she could run out of time.

Read it today!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Peek between the pages...

Archie cleared his throat and turned to the wall. He pointed at two bricks, longer and narrower than the rest. “Around this same time, another legend started about these bricks, referred to as the Roman Bricks. They are a shade of pink, not red like the rest, and it takes two stacked one on the other to make them the same height as the others.”

A lighter colored mortar filled the space around them, as though to patch a hole. If Archie had not pointed them out, Sam wouldn’t have noticed them.

“Roman Bricks? Hmm.” She shuffled to get closer. Dad had mentioned bricks.

“Bricks?” Nicole crossed her arms. “Pffft.”

Sam nudged Nicole. “Pay attention, or Mrs. Phelps . . .”

Nicole shook her head, but her frown remained.

Sam had to get closer to those bricks, but a stack of wood and an old door with Koko Hair Tonic painted across the top leaned against the wall. Yellow “caution” tape cordoned off the area around the wall. How could she examine them with all that junk in the way?

“So, what’s that legend about?” a gray-haired man asked.

Had he read her mind? She tensed, waiting for the answer.

“I thought you’d never ask.” Archie rubbed his hands together. “Legend has it that they came from Romania when the Roman dominated Europe. Experts say the mica dust in them gives them their glow, but it’s rumored that magic is stamped right into the clay.”

About the author: Avis Adams loves to write. Her first YA novel, The Incident, released in 2022. Several of her poems have won awards and been published online and in various literary journals, and Quilcene, her first chapbook was released in 2019. She belongs to the Baker Street Writers Group, and the Flamingo Writers, and is an active member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. She loves to present sessions on writing craft at local conferences. She lives in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, where she writes, hikes, kayaks, gardens, and walks her dog. She teaches English at a local community college.

Connect with Avis

Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ webpage ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram  

Facebook ~ Pintrest ~ TikTok ~ Amazon

Thanks for stopping by! Let us know in the comments if you have anything in common with Avis.

Stay safe and have a wonderful day!

Chatting with Kaia Misk author of The Firstborn Son

I'm delighted to have Kaia Misk with me today. The Firstborn Son, a steamy romance, is packed with suspense. But before we learn more about the book and read an excerpt, let's meet Kaia.

Hi Kaia, thanks for being here today!

What inspired you to write this book?
When I first learned of Nanowrimo, someone dared me to try and write a novel in one month, stating I would never be able to do it. I succeeded. It was not a great book, but I learned more about the craft of writing and went on to write The Firstborn Son.

What are you working on now?
I am working on The Second Son - Book 2 in The Renzi Affairs series.

How did you come up with the characters for the book?
Many of the characters are based on family members and people I know. For example, Nutsy’s character uses the name of my great uncle, Ignatius or Ignazio. He was a president at the Sons of Italy club in my parents’ hometown. His accent was taken from an Italian tailor I worked with for years.

Tell us about your main character.
Frankie Renzi is a mob boss’s son destined to take over the family when his father retires, but he doesn’t want the job. He’s grown the family’s construction company, a legitimate business, into something that can sustain him well into the future. He plans to marry his girlfriend and forego the Mafia way of life.

Tell us about the antagonist.
Frankie’s father, Angelo, loves his son but does not agree with everything Frankie wants. The family’s enforcer, Geno, wants to marry Frankie’s girlfriend and create his own family who would act as an ally to the Renzi family. Angelo agrees with Geno. The Oferti family opposes both of them and Frankie, and plans for Frankie’s girlfriend to marry their boss’s nephew.

What are you reading?
I read every day. Currently, I’m reading a cozy mystery called The Curse of Braeburn Castle by Karen Baugh Menuhin. I’m in a romance book club who chose Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese as our next read.

Tell us about a book that stayed with you long after you finished reading it.
I Can See You by Karen Rose stayed with me because of the character of Noah Webster.

Favorite genre and why? 

Romantic suspense. Romance is fun but a strong desire to see what happens next keeps me turning the pages.

Did anyone’s writing inspire you to become an author? 

Joe Lansdale for his banter between characters. Karen Rose for her fantastic and suspenseful stories. David Rosenfelt for making me want to read every word and not skip past overly descriptive parts.

Guilt pleasure…books you can’t get enough of? 

Tami Hoad wrote the Novak and Liska series about two detectives, one male and one female. I’ve read all of them and some more than once. I wish there more.

Who is your favorite authors?

Those I previously mentioned are my favorites.

Tell us something about yourself and how you became an author.
I needed a creative outlet. I instructed people at my office on legal writing from a paralegal’s perspective and ran into the Nanowrimo dare. I wrote some children’s poems when my first nephew was born and made a book for him.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I am a corporate trainer. I have a large family and am usually with them. Also, I walk my dog, Boss.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
Sometimes inappropriate, but means well.

Tell us something unique/quirky about yourself.
I’ve never held one job more than 2.5 years.

Where were you born/grew up?
Suburban Pittsburgh, PA.

Who is your hero and why?
I don’t think I have one, although I generally admire people who are honest regardless of fame or monetary success.

What are you passionate about?
Dogs.

What do you do to unwind and relax?
If it’s summer, I like to be near the water. Swimming or kayaking. In winter, I read and stay inside with my dog.

Anything specific you want to tell readers?
I sincerely hope that The Firstborn Son provides readers with an escape from the outside world when they need it.

What makes you laugh out loud?
The humor in everyday life that can’t be put on paper, like my little nephew who complains about his sister’s singing.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Pizzelles, an Italian cookie.

Now for a speed round of This or That...

Morning or night?  Definitely morning.
Coffee or tea?  Tea
eBook, paperback, or audiobook?  Paperback
Favorite season?  Fall
Dogs or cats?  Dogs
Night on the town or cozy evening in?  Cozy evening in
Beach or mountains?  Beach
Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers?  Flipflops

Thanks so much for being here today!

About the book

The Firstborn Son

Author: Kaia Misk

Genre: Romance / Romantic Suspense

Heat level: Medium-High; a few graphic sex scenes

Tagline: Mafia marriage—may the best wiseguy win

Blurb: 

Becoming a ruthless mob boss like his father is the last thing Frankie wants, but when Sofia’s father is gunned down, Frankie must become the very thing he loathes to protect the woman he loves.

Sofia was a devoted girlfriend to Frankie, until he stood her up and she questioned his fidelity. Now that she’s alone and rich, mafia suitors slither around her. Marriage to him might be her only hope.

They try to rekindle their love amidst a mob war. But can a hasty marriage withstand what the Mafia has in store?

Grab your copy!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads ~ IndieBound ~ Alibris ~ Book Depository

Peek between the pages…

Her hands went to her hips. “I mean someone that puts me first. Like my father.”

“Oh, I’m not signing up to be your father, sweet. I want way more than that.”

Lust, anxiety, and fear of a lonely future came to a fiery head within him. He prowled closer, grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Heedless of the open window, he braced his arm behind her back with one hand behind her head. When he pressed his mouth against hers, she struggled for a moment. He almost let her go.

Slowly, her body settled. Chest to chest, hip to hip, her voracious kiss gave him hope. But he had to be clever, had to keep her mouth occupied so she wouldn’t argue. He stripped off his shirt and broke the kiss for a second.

Big mistake. She slapped him. The magic ended.

“This can’t happen, Frankie,” she said and stomped away. “You don’t get to seduce me and pretend everything’s all right. I love you. I want your body. I can hardly stand here and look at your chest without ripping the rest of your clothes off. But I need more than you’re giving me.”

About the author: Kaia Misk is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, otherwise known as a “Yinzer.” Her parents grew up across the street from each other in a small town where most people worked in the steel mills. Their Italian and Slovak families were a strong part of her childhood which included foods, holidays and religion. Several of her characters are based on her family members and other Pittsburghers.

Kaia has a background in legal and technical writing including training manuals, training presentations and legal documents. She is also an excellent tailor and patternmaker. Her IMDb page lists her work on two full-length films as a costumer.

She is particularly inspired by the Hat Squad books of Karen Rose and Joe Lansdale’s novels, although her first love was Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. She follows numerous other authors and reads every day. She currently lives in suburban Pittsburgh with her Norwegian Elkhound, Boss.

See more at her website: www.kaiamisk.com

Connect with Kaia:

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads