Fresh Pick for Wednesday, February 17th, 2016 is CAROLINA DREAMING by Virginia Kantra #RomanceWednesday About CAROLINA DREAMING When it comes to love, anything can happen on Dare Island—especially in this latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra. After escaping a disastrous marriage, bakery owner Jane Clark has convinced herself that she has everything she needs—her precious son, a thriving business, and a roof over her head. But the arrival of a handsome stranger on the island shows her exactly what she’s been missing… The only home Gabe Murphy ever had was the Marine Corps. He’s working hard to rebuild his life. It will take a special place, and a special woman, to make him want to stay. Now Gabe is determined to prove that he’s worthy of Jane’s trust—and her love. But when her past reappears, that trust will be tested, and Jane and Gabe will have to fight hard to hold onto their love and make their dreams a reality… Buy CAROLINA DREAMING: Amazon.com | Kindle| BN.com| iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Powell’s Books | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR About Virginia Kantra Virginia…

I’m a comic book fan, and that’s where I first heard of a character described as being an antihero – discussed at some length in the pages of multiple comic fanzines. The comic book universe is full of non-traditional, disaffected loner, sometimes morally ambiguous, and often reluctant, heroes. These characters have an appeal for many reasons, but I think largely it’s because they tend to be mavericks. In romance novels, I think of the antihero protagonist as “the most unlikely hero”. “Goes with the whole King of the Badasses. Kind of hard to lead an army of the damned if I’m the King of Nice.” —Sherrilyn Kenyon, NO MERCY About NO MERCY #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon brings us back to the electrifying world of the Dark-Hunters and introduces us to a brazen heroine for whom there is NO MERCY Live fast, fight hard—and if you have to die, take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. But today, in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind…

I love hearing “meet” stories. How other couples, well, went from one to two. I’ve heard some touching ones that have melted my heart, funny ones that made me laugh so hard I cried, and others that told the story of a bit of indifference at first meeting and took years to cultivate, starting with a single moment in time where a spark was lit and an attraction born. I love them all! Today I wanted to share my “meet” story because I think it has a touch of uniqueness that always makes me smile. One of my good friends was going through some rough times with her husband. They’d split up, but had decided to get back together. So, her husband’s co-worker and good friend—let’s call him Ken—decided to rent a limo and go bar hopping to celebrate. Of course my friend didn’t want an odd number so she asked if she could bring a friend along. Do you see where this is leading? Lol Right away Ken was concerned that this wouldn’t be tagged a date. My friend assured him that it wouldn’t be. It would just be more fun rounded off to an even number. So, he…

Recent blizzards and cold snaps got me thinking about weather and the role it can play in a story. Some of my favorite romances are when characters are snowbound together—or when a sultry summer fling turns into an HEA. My new historical romance, A GENTLEMAN’S GAME, takes a few plot turns due to weather too. It’s the story of Nathaniel Chandler, son of a baronet, and Rosalind Agate, the baronet’s secretary, as they (and other travelers) take racehorses across England to run in the Epsom Derby. Since the Epsom Derby is run in spring, that’s when my story takes place. And just as the world begins to green and grow, this is a time of the characters’ awakening from roles they’ve been frozen in for a long time. Nathaniel and his father have a tense, mistrustful relationship. Rosalind owes loyalty to someone who manipulates her. As they spend time together, they both begin to bloom and to reach beyond what they’ve been before. A day of rain on the road gives the characters a sense of urgency as they travel. This is their first full day on the road, and it’s the first time in which Nathaniel and Rosalind have…

Stories have souls that breathe immortality. An unforgettable story steps beyond “Once upon a time” to a kingdom that captures the heart of a reader forever. Not every story has that golden world, and not every reader experiences the same soul-grabbing story. What lingers as a memorable novel for me may not give you an exceptional read. But what we will agree upon is the story touched us, spoke to us, and we were passionately involved in the lives of the characters and their quest. The magic kingdom is filled with rare, distinct, haunting, and extraordinary characters who accompany us to our sweet spot of remembrance. Readers and writers dream the character is real and imagine themselves joining the journey. Some readers become the hero or heroine, much like children don super-hero costumes and develop mannerisms of their favorite character. How does a writer accomplish this amazing feat? Is there a magic wand to wave over our keyboard? There’s no fairy dust in writing. It’s all hard work. We labor to create characters who are: Multi-dimensional. Full of life. Possess authentic flaws. Solid victories. Believable strengths. We emerge them into a setting that is determined to see the character fail…