Bring Mom to Meet the Authors
Join Fantasy, Poetry, and Inspirational Authors
Ariella Moon
D. Marie Fitzgerald
Ulrike
Saturday May 12, 2018
(The day before Mother's Day)
2-4 PM
Ristretto@The Five Hundred
Palm Springs, CA
Showing posts with label inspirational author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspirational author. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Thursday, September 29, 2016
A New Inspirational Series From Sue Searles
Today's spotlight is on:
SUE SEARLES
Dream Catcher
BLURB
Just when Dana thinks she has
found true love, her mother drops a bombshell that turns her world upside down.
Now she must find a way to quench a love that was never supposed to happen.
After twenty-five years,
Lorraine finds her missing son—just not in the way she’d expected—and is forced
to reveal the plethora of family secrets that has remained hidden for decades.
Dana delves into her
grandfather’s past to uncover the story of this one man’s destructive
lifestyle, and how it ultimately led to the unraveling of the entire family
line. At the same time, she must piece together the mystery surrounding herself
and her brother—two siblings deliberately kept apart so they would never find
each other.
With three generations of
women affected, will Dana get to meet the man responsible and solve the
mystery?
EXCERPT
Dana sat stiffly in the
passenger seat while Shaun drove them the short distance to Umdloti Beach on
Saturday afternoon. She couldn’t stop her hands from shaking and her palms were
sweaty. Umdloti Beach seemed like the perfect place to break the news—their
special place to get away from the pressures of life and kindle their growing
love.
But today would be different.
They wouldn’t be leaving the confines of the parking lot this time, but could
only watch other happy couples from a distance, laughing, playing, and
frolicking in the waves or along the shore. Dana feared the process was going
to be more heart-wrenching than she’d expected. More than anything else, it was
the physical attraction that scared her, not knowing whether she’d just be able
to turn it off. Was there something wrong with her that she still wrestled with
those sorts of feelings? Her whole world had suddenly gone crazy.
Shaun knew her well enough to
give her space when she needed it, but today she could see his trepidation as
they drove the route in silence. They turned into the parking lot and pulled up
alongside a wooden railing, the sound of seagulls squawking overhead and
children playing on the beach. It was one-thirty, but already the sky was
becoming overcast and turning an eerie gray, and a hint of thunder rumbled in
the distance. Shaun started to open the door on his side and she touched his
arm.
“We can’t . . . We have to
talk here.”
The apprehension on his face
broke her heart. “Honey, just tell me what’s going on. You’re starting to freak
me out.”
“There’s something I have to
tell you.” Her voice cracked. Lord help
me, this is so hard. She drew a steadying breath and eased it out slowly,
blinking back angry tears.
He took her hand and started
weaving his fingers through hers. She pulled back.
“No, we can’t do that; it’s
wrong.” How had she been able to hold back the flood of tears until now?
“Okay, honey, you’re worrying
me. Whatever it is, we can work through it together.” His tone was tender but
commanding. “It’s obviously about your mom because this all started last
night.”
Dana gave a slow nod,
desperate to stall him, wanting so badly to prolong the inevitable.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue Searles has written several books, ranging from
women’s fiction and short stories to poetry and children’s books. Having worked
on various forms of storytelling since childhood, writing has been a lifelong
passion.
Now somewhat older and wiser, she is passionate about
thinking outside the conventional box, and conveys messages that are
thought-provoking and life-changing.
Her inspiration comes mainly from studying people,
reading, and daily life.
Sue is happily married and
lives in sunny South Africa with her husband and son.
AUTHOR’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Email: sue-mic@mighty.co.za
Instagram: Sue Searles
BUY LINK
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Queen ~ Bestselling Author Heather Gray's New Regency Romance
Bestselling author Heather Gray returns with Queen, the third novel in her Regency Refuge series.
QUEEN
(Regency Refuge #3)
You can't
hide from the past.
Queen's world was shattered, and she was banished
to a foreign land. Years pass before she dares to return, but what she finds is
of little comfort. Greed and dishonesty have festered and grown in her absence.
Embittered and cynical, Queen trusts few people.
Owen pursues a clandestine investigation and finds
himself working side-by-side with a veritable ghost, an agent few have seen, a
master of disguise known simply as Queen.
He craves her trust…but then uncovers a secret from his family's past
that could destroy her.
Queen once sought refuge in America and now seeks
it in disguise. Owen has always found his refuge in God, but will his faith be
strong enough for the challenges ahead? Can he convince Queen to stop hiding,
or is he doomed to become her most hated enemy?
Excerpt:
Three days had passed
since the beginning of his employment with Lady Rutherford. Owen stared at the
ledgers spread out across the considerable breadth of the walnut desk and
blinked slowly. By jove, I think I'm on
to something here. At the sound of approaching feet, he closed the ledger
and picked up some of the late viscount's correspondence.
The housemaid shuffled in then. "I'm here to stoke the fire, Mr. Lobbing."
The housemaid shuffled in then. "I'm here to stoke the fire, Mr. Lobbing."
"Go ahead. By the
by, can you tell me your name? I keep forgetting to ask."
She bobbed her head
and gave a half-curtsy. "Isadore."
"I'm pleased to
meet you, Isadore."
"But we've met
before, Mr. Lobbing."
He chuckled. "Of
course, but we've not been introduced until this moment."
She gave him an odd
look and went about her business with the fireplace. He'd not seen her the last
couple of days, and according to Chambers, she'd been punished for some
infraction and assigned scullery duties. The butler hadn't been forthcoming
about the infraction, so Owen had been left wondering.
"It's good to see
you out and about again, Isadore. The footman did a passable job with my fire,
but he's not nearly as efficient as you."
She glanced at him
with wide eyes before she dropped her gaze back to her task. Once she was done
with the fire, she took a step toward the door, but her foot caught on the edge
of a rug. Time slowed. Isadore lurched to her right then overcorrected and
stumbled wildly to her left until her feet became tangled up in the legs of a
globe stand. The globe teetered, its position precarious, and Owen jumped to
rescue it. Neither of their jobs would be secure if something happened to the
globe, and he had a feeling Isadore didn't have many employment choices.
Isadore, in fighting
to get her feet free, finally sent the globe stand toppling onto its side. The
globe tumbled out, striking the floor before Owen could get a hand on it. He
helped Isadore to her feet and found his eyes drawn to her blue ones in the
most peculiar way. Owen turned his back to her and set the globe's stand to
rights again. Then he reached for the globe, but Isadore must not have been quite
steady on her feet yet, for her foot slipped past him and kicked the the
spherical object before she regained her footing.
"I'm so sorry,
Mr. Lobbing. Do you think it's damaged? I can't get in trouble again, I jus'
can't."
Owen glanced from
Isadore to the globe. It had made a sound when rolling that last little bit. "I'm
sure it's fine. You'd best be on your way."
He picked up the globe
and examined it. Much to Owen's relief, the sphere remained unbroken. Isadore
did not need more trouble with her employer. Waiting until the maid was out the
door, he shook the globe. A definite clank met his ears. Owen ran his fingers
across the globe's entire surface. A compartment had to be hidden within. Sure enough, over the western part of
the colonies along one of the seams, a slight irregularity could be felt along
the surface, nothing more than a small bump. Firm pressure from his fingers,
and he heard a satisfying click. The globe came apart in his hands.
Author Bio:
Heather
Gray authors the Ladies of Larkspur inspirational western romance series,
including Mail Order Man, Just Dessert, and Redemption. She also writes
the Regency Refuge series: His Saving
Grace, Jackal, and Queen - plus
contemporary titles Ten Million Reasons
and Nowhere for Christmas. Aside from a long-standing love affair with
coffee, Heather’s greatest joys are her relationships with her Savior and
family. Heather loves to laugh, and this
theme is prevalent in her writing where, through the highs and lows of life,
her characters find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud
right along with her.
You
can find Heather online at http://www.facebook.com/heathergraywriting, http://www.twitter.com/laughdreamwrite, and http://www.heathergraywriting.com.
She can also be found most days at The Inspired Inkpot, a street team,
prayer group, and all around awesome place to hang out - http://www.facebook.com/groups/theinspiredinkpot.
Buy Links:
Amazon
US – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P8ACR1C/
Kobo
Smashwords
iTunes
Where to Find Me:
Friday, June 27, 2014
Bestselling Author Heather Gray's new Regency Romance, Jackal
Heather Gray,
Best-selling author and super-nice person,
returns with the newest book in her
Regency Refuge series.
JACKAL
(Regency Refuge #2)
Back Cover Blurb:
Hiding in
the shadows just got harder.
When tragedy strikes, Juliana and her family must
flee their home. Can they persuade a virtual stranger to help them? Juliana
isn't so sure, especially after their chaperone threatens to cane him. Even as
Juliana struggles to trust him, she finds herself drawn to this mysterious man.
Surely all she wants from him is refuge…
Rupert is a man whose life depends on his ability
to remain unnoticed. What, then, is he supposed to do with this family he's
inherited? His life is overrun with an
ancient chaperone who would terrify a lesser man, two spirited girls, and the
secretive Juliana – someone he comes to think of as his own precious jewel.
With this new responsibility thrust upon him,
Rupert will have to make sacrifices – but will God ask him to sacrifice
everything?
Excerpt:
1810
A duke had been cut down in the prime
of his life. According to the War Department, The Hunter was to blame.
Jackal had been put onto The Hunter's
scent and told to ferret him out at all cost. It was his job, his duty to the
crown, and he treated it with the seriousness it demanded. Evil could not be
allowed to go unpunished, and people who took pleasure in destroying the lives
of others would not walk away with impunity, not on his watch.
Jackal met with his contacts in the
Austrian government and found no gratification in revealing they had a traitor
in their midst. It had been a necessary move, and now the problem would be
dealt with. The Austrians would put The Hunter down, and England's hands would
remain clean of the mess, exactly as the minister wanted.
Grim foreboding furrowed his brow as he
left the meeting with the Austrians. His lack of evidence mocked him. He'd done
as ordered, and they'd believed him, but had it been his choice, he'd have
gathered more proof first.
Jackal climbed into his carriage and
slapped his hand against the roof, signaling the driver with his readiness to
depart. A lengthy ride awaited him. He would leave the carriage and his current
identity behind in Munich once he arrived there. New papers and fresh horses
were waiting for him. The same would happen again when he crossed over into
Stuttgart, and then again in Brussels. His task was clear: remain alive long
enough to claim each of the new identities and return safely to his homeland.
Sitting back on the roughly cushioned
seat, he accepted what he'd begun to suspect. This would be his last assignment
for the crown. He was getting too old for the job. The time to retire was upon
him. The younger bucks were willing – if not entirely ready – to take their
place among the ranks of the unseen, unknown, and unnamed heroes of war. Jackal
shook his head. Not too long ago, he'd been one of those young bucks. Ready for
retirement at age thirty-two? The thought would be laughable in any other
career. In his line of work, though, only those who retired young lived to be
old and grey.
Lost in melancholy, Jackal barely noted the change from
the raucous noise of a bustling merchant district to the quiet pastoral sounds
that would accompany him on most of this journey. Europe was a large land with
rich cities interspersed with vast emptiness dotted with small hamlets.
Traveling by carriage would take weeks, but as long as he could report back
that he'd done as ordered, it would be worth the time.
He settled into his seat. They were still days from their
first sanctioned stop. As always, the best defense was to keep moving.
****
A change in the carriage's soothing methodical movement
woke Jackal from his doze and alerted him that something was amiss. Awareness
coursed through his veins, pushing away the remnant of sleep. A quick glance at
the curtained window told him it was late morning. They'd ridden through the
night to put as much distance as possible between them and Vienna – the current
hub of Austrian government.
The carriage was moving with a wildness he'd felt only one
other time in his life. Dread snaked through his middle as he accepted the
truth. There was no longer a driver in control of his conveyance. Jackal
crouched low on the floor for balance as he prepared to throw open the door and
jump. Perhaps he should have sought retirement one assignment sooner.
Before his hand could touch the door, a jarring force
threw Jackal against the seat to his left, shooting pain up his arm. They'd
been boarded, then, and his driver – an agent he'd worked with for years – had
likely not been alive to sound the alarm. Emotion would come later. For now,
Jackal needed to focus on one thing: Survival.
The carriage gained speed under the skillful hand of
whoever now sat in the driver's seat. I
should have jumped when I had the chance. Jackal shook his head as he
calculated the odds of survival.
Palming his gun, he pounded on the roof of the carriage,
commanding the driver to stop. Surprise flared to life as his conveyance did
indeed come to a standstill. Rather than slow to a gentle stop, the carriage
halted its forward momentum in a skidding bone-shaking fashion. It was the kind
of stop that guaranteed no beast would be able to walk away from it afterward.
Jackal jumped before the dust could
settle. His best chance would be to go on the offence and catch the driver
off-guard. Though he'd assumed the driver had a partner, nothing could have
prepared him for the vicious attack awaiting him on the other side of the door.
Jackal no sooner touched the ground
than he was trampled under the anxious feet of a high-stepping horse. He'd not
even had a chance to gain his footing. As he lay on the ground, Jackal both
heard and felt the breaking of bone in his left leg. A couple of his ribs
surrendered to the heavy hooves as well. Rolling onto his side, he took aim at
the perpetrator. The sun blinded him, and he could distinguish no features on
the man whose gun dared him to move. In the split second it took for him to
reassure himself he was not aiming at an innocent bystander – for they were
indeed in one of the numerous modest hamlets that dotted the continent's
countryside – the rider pulled the trigger, and pain seared through Jackal's
already throbbing leg. It felt as if the lead had burrowed its way into his
very bone.
He pulled the trigger of his flintlock
pistol, and the man on the horse recoiled. Even as Jackal reached for the gun
concealed at the ankle of his wounded leg, he knew it was futile. The rider had
a second gun in-hand before his own fingers even brushed against the grip of
his hidden weapon. Pain tore through his shoulder, immobilizing his shooting
arm. Another ball of lead ripped into his middle. He felt his blood seeping out
onto the street.
Accepting his fate, he asked only one
thing. "At whose hand am I to die this day?"
Laughter vile enough to sour port met
his question. "Today the Jackal shall meet his end at the hands of The
Hunter."
The
Hunter? The Austrians were supposed to have him by now.
"Your plan failed, and I am free.
Prepare to die."
Blackness closing in around him, Jackal
released the last thought held captive in his mind.
Why
God?
Cold claimed his body as he slipped
into darkness. He neither heard nor felt the next shot.
Author Bio:
Heather
Gray is the author of the Ladies of Larkspur inspirational western romance
series, including Mail Order man, Just
Dessert, and Redemption. She also writes the Regency Refuge series
with titles His Saving Grace, Jackal, and
the soon-to-be-released Queen. But that's not all! Interested in contemporary Christian
romance? Take a look at Ten Million Reasons and Nowhere for Christmas.
Heather
loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that
order! She writes approachable and
flawed characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love
God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have
someone who's a coffee addict. Some
things just can't be helped.
Buy Links:
Where to Find Me:
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