He shook his head at himself. To even consider a relationship with her was beyond foolish. While he no longer wanted the short, meaningless flings with women he had experienced in his younger years, he didn’t know how to be in a serious relationship with a woman. He didn’t even know how to begin such a thing. And he didn’t know why he entertained the idea of something different with Elena. Because she’s different. She is strong and independent and could be the partner to welcome you home from missions. She makes you smile–and laugh–and is giving you her trust after going through a terrible experience. You do have something to offer her. You can offer her a partner to lean on, someone who could care for her. . . Gritting his teeth, he picked up a heavier set of weights. He needed to work her out of his mind. He had to stop thinking about her as anyone other than someone who could help him move his assignment forward. He had just finished with one exercise when his cell phone rang. He grabbed a towel and wiped at his sweaty forehead before glancing at his phone, surprised to see…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? The Amish Teacher’s Secret 2–What is it about? It’s the story of Amish spinster Eva Coblentz and her decision to leave her extended family back in the Midwest and take a job as an Amish schoolteacher in northern Maine. Her family doesn’t approve, but Eva is determined to work. Willis Gingrich is the local blacksmith coping with the arrival of his three orphaned half-siblings. He’s delighted school is about to start so the new teacher can look after the mischievous kids during the day while he can concentrate on his work. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Bookworm. Eva loves to read and has a large collection of books that she can’t wait to share with her new students. 4–What makes your hero irresistible? His inability to cope with his instant family, especially seven-year-old Maddie and her imaginary friend Bubble and his closely guarded secret. Willis can’t read. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Because they are both new to the community, Willis and Eva turned to each other for support. She sees how he is struggling with the children and offers to watch them during…

This excerpt shows the meet-cute between Rose and Owen–but it’s more like a meet-disaster! She returns to her ex-fiance’s apartment while he’s not home to get back the rest of her things, like the gorgeous heirloom bed she inherited from her grandmother. Little does she know that she’s in for one hell of a (sexy) surprise. . . *** Rose put her key in the lock and held her breath. Her hands shook. “Stop it,” she muttered under her breath. She couldn’t go falling apart in here. She just could not. Some part of her was surprised the key still worked. But of course Jason hadn’t changed the locks on her as soon as she’d screamed that she was leaving. It probably never occurred to him that she’d have the ovaries to come back. Especially not without calling in advance, being painfully polite the whole time. Even her so-called screaming wasn’t really screaming. She only wished she’d raised her voice. Wished she’d done something besides freeze at the sight of her fiance–ex-fiance, she reminded herself sternly–buried between another woman’s thighs. But no. Because she was Rose Campbell, and she didn’t scream. She didn’t break things. She just pressed her lips…

Travis headed in the opposite direction from Elaina to reduce his chances of running into her again. He wan­dered toward the back of the house instead of going to the upstairs family room. He wasn’t feeling running into Grant either. He could hide out in the back sunroom or on the lanai until Byron got here and was ready to go. The faint sounds of violin music stopped him. His feet changed direction and instinctively followed the music. How many times when he was younger had he gone to the music room after a stressful or frustrat­ing encounter with his family, Grant or Elaina? Lured by the sound of something smooth and soothing like a balm to his hollowed emotions. He stopped at the door and watched India. He didn’t recognize the song she played. The music was a strong, fluid sound laced with an edge of anger and passion. Her eyes were closed, a line between her brows as she focused on the intricate pattern of notes. She’d been a great player before leaving with the orches­tra, and now she was outstanding. The complicated and intense execution of the music fascinated him. Something was bothering her. She lost herself…

My new release is called, Isaiah’s Legacy. Here’s a little bit about the story: At eight years old, Shulle has known only life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle’s help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah’s five-year-old co-regent who displays the same peculiarities as her father, she’s eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle soon realizes the limits of her father’s strict adherence to Yahweh’s Law when Uncle Shebna teaches her of the starry hosts and their power. Convinced Judah must be freed from Yahweh’s chains, she begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skills on the boy no one else understands. When King Hezekiah dies, twelve-year-old Manasseh is thrust onto Judah’s throne, bitter at Yahweh and eager to marry the girl he adores. Assyria’s crown prince favors Manasseh and twists his brilliant mind toward cruelty, beginning Shulle’s long and harrowing journey to discover the Yahweh she’d never known, guided with loving wisdom by Manasseh’s mother: Isaiah’s daughter, the heartbroken Hephzibah. Amid Judah’s dark days, a desperate remnant emerges, claiming the Lord’s promise, “Though we’re helpless now, we’re never hopeless–because we serve…

“Sunny,” William said, then sighed with impatience. Gah! She’d gotten lost in her head again. A dangerous habit to in­dulge. “This is your last chance to enter the portal of your own volition.” Or what? He’d throw her over his shoulder fireman-style? Shiver. She looked at the portal. . . then William. The portal. William. To escape or not to escape? Maybe, by helping William with his book, she’d have opportunities to learn more about his family, discover their greatest weaknesses, hideouts and fears, and fi­nally execute Lucifer. But, again, she’d be a prisoner. And what about Sable? Was the other unicorn truly okay? “You know what I am,” Sunny said, lifting her chin. “What if you decide to steal my horn?” I’ll stop him. Yes, but what if he locked her up, forever? I’ll escape. If she had to fight her way free, she would. He’d never be able to stop her. “Keep your horn to yourself, and we won’t have any prob­lems,” he said, his derisive tone a real teeth-grinder. “Come to my palace, decode my book, and I’ll escort you to Lucifer’s home. You wish to kill him, yes?” She sucked in a breath. Her greatest desire!…

What if the only reason you got your job was because you were a water nymph with the ability to turn off your reaction to sexual chemistry, no matter how powerful the man? Leia got one directive when she was hired, don’t fall for her demigod billionaire boss. His only requirement for his assistant. Too bad her power doesn’t seem to work around this particular demigod. T is for trouble. And she should’ve seen it coming H is for hubba hubba. Castor’s a demigod billionaire. So much better than the mortal version. 😉 E is for expectation. That waiting and wondering. * D is for demigod. The son of Zeus and a human woman. E is for energy. Castor vibrates with the blood of his father and the powers that flow through him. M is for mating. Lei and Castor have to go to a wolf shifter mating. Maybe she should just quit instead. I is for intriguing. No woman has ever resisted him to this level, and for once, he doesn’t like it. G is for giving. A giving heart is much harder to resist. O is for oh hell yes! Or is it oh hell no? These two…

After the Great Fire of 1871 destroyed Chicago’s business district and rendered 100,000 people homeless, the city lost no time in rebuilding. Within two years, the downtown area was completely reconstructed, and better than ever. But if you visit Chicago today, you’ll still be able to find glimpses of the Chicago my characters in Veiled in Smoke knew well. The Chicago Fire Academy The site of the blaze’s first sparks can be found at the Chicago Fire Academy, at the corner of DeKoven and Jefferson. Visitors are allowed inside to see the spot, and to see antique fire engines as well. Courthouse finial, Lincoln Park My characters, the Townsend family, lived across from Courthouse Square. The night of the fire, the bell in the Courthouse Cupola rang for five hours before it collapsed. Today, an urn-shaped finial from the courthouse’s roof can be seen in front of Lincoln Park Zoo. Thousands of Chicagoans fled north from the flames in October 8-9, 1871, many of them finally finding refuge in Lincoln Park. St. James Cathedral The Great Fire gutted St. James Cathedral at the corner of Wabash and Huron. All that was left were the stone walls, the bell tower, and…

For your Valentine gift this year, I’m offering up an in-depth fictional look at four fascinating women who defied the rules of their time to live life on their own terms, bringing them fame, notoriety, love, and heartbreak. Moving chronologically, we begin with THAT CHURCHILL WOMAN by Stephanie Barron.  When beautiful, willful, wealthy Jennie Jerome, who grew up in Gilded Age Newport and Second Empire Paris, agrees to marry the son of a duke she’s known for just three days, she’s thrust into the maelstrom of British politics and society. The husband of the new Lady Randolph Churchill is a member of the Marlborough House Set, well-born men seeking political rank and fortune.  As a charming but free-thinking American skeptical of British social rules, Jennie quickly wins both admirers—and enemies.  Mother of one of the twentieth century’s most important men, she works to further her husband’s Parliamentary career while remaining true to herself.  And when, as tragic illness loosens her husband’s grip on sanity, she falls in love with compelling diplomat Count Charles Kinsky, she must decide how much destruction she’s willing to risk to follow her heart. The Churchill story continues with LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict, which gives…

Thank you so much for being here today, and welcome to the Scars & Sins Cover Reveal!!!! It is my pleasure to introduce you to Ace Rossetti, the second flaming hot alpha brother in my mafia romantic suspense series, Brooklyn Brothers, and his sweet and saucy little Roxy. For those of you who have read Lace & Lies (Brooklyn Brothers #1), we get even deeper into the mafia world in this second book. There’s more action, more danger, and, of course, more secrets. With Ace and Roxy, it’s all forbidden love and stolen moments. They come from enemy families, so they have to hide the way they feel from everyone. D’Angelo v. Rossetti. Manhattan v. Brooklyn. They shouldn’t even be in the same room together, let alone the same bed. But they’re not Romeo and Juliet. Both of them died. And Ace refuses to let anything happen to Roxy. They will start a war if they’re discovered. Then they’ll have a lot more to worry about than their own Scars & Sins. . . This cover went through so many rounds of revisions, and this wasn’t even the first final draft! It looked completely different up until about a month…