#WriteWed Inspiration for Under the Boardwalk #JerseyShore #NJ

I love the towns and beaches along the Jersey Shore in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. They each have their unique flavor and interesting facets. That’s why I’ve set so many books there in the past (like UNDER THE BOARDWALK) and why I’m setting the 2017 Jersey Girl Bridesmaids books there.

In UNDER THE BOARDWALK, which is part of the SUMMER HEAT box set, I’ve set the story in Asbury Park and Ocean Grove, two of my favorite towns. But there are lots of other fun places in New Jersey and today I am sharing with you my Pinterest board of interesting spots you may want to check out in my home state.

#WriteWed Conferences and Craziness

I feel like the year is just flying by! It’s already mid-March and I’ve got the awesome Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical Conference this weekend. I’m excited to be doing a workshop there and the book fair on Saturday, which is open to the general public. If you’ll be in the Woodbridge, NJ area, I’d love to see you there! The signing is from 4 to 6 pm and you can check out what other authors will be there by clicking here.

What other craziness? Well, I’ve been busy writing my story for the SUMMER HEAT box set and also working on a new project. I’ll have news for you soon on that one! Good news that I’m very excited about.

In the meantime, I’ve been working out and trying to get more fit. Writing (and working at a law firm) are both such sedentary tasks, but I’ve been up and about and on my way to 45 pounds lost. I’d love to lose another 25 to 30 by the time that San Diego and the RWA National Conference rolls around. I’ll be doing a workshop there and also participating in the Literacy Signing. Woo hoo! Very excited about that one as well.

Hope you are all having a fabulous Wednesday!

#TeaserTuesday Under the Boardwalk & Summer Heat

UndertheBoardWalkFinalGood morning! It’s Teaser Tuesday and I’ve got a little something for you from UNDER THE BOARDWALK, my contribution to the SUMMER HEAT Contemporary Romance Box Set. This set has 16 – count ’em 16! – sexy stories by 16 amazing authors!

I have to tell you that UNDER THE BOARDWALK is one sexy story – hotter than a ghost pepper – five alarm hot 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥! But it’s also a very emotional story about two people who are trying to find their way back to each other after the demands of life pull them apart. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Blurb

Natalie Ramirez has spent less and less time with her husband over the last year and more and more time alone. She longs for the happy days of summer when she and Chase would pass the time together on the beach and under the boardwalk, exploring the passion that simmered between them as hot as any summer sun.

Chase Smith had to work hard for everything he ever had, including his wife Natalie. His wife had never wanted for anything in her life and Chase didn’t want to disappoint her. But somewhere along the way, Chase lost sight of the most important thing she wanted: his love.

A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love and save their marriage?

Teaser

At the far entrance to the Casino, the start of the Asbury Park boardwalk loomed large and he knew that once he stepped out onto it, there was no turning back from tonight.

But he didn’t want to turn back. He wanted Natalie back in his life. Back in his bed.

He pushed ahead, his gaze skipping from face-to-face in the crowd until it seemed to part before him like the Red Sea and there she was, standing by the railing.

After a month apart, he drank in her beauty like a thirsty man at a desert oasis.

Her cream-colored dress hugged her sexy curves, but the skirt was loose and billowing in the ocean breeze. Her longish caramel-colored hair was loose and wafted around her face. As he watched, she tilted her head back, eyes closed, and a peaceful smile crept over her lush lips.

She was so lovely. So beautiful. Warmth pooled in his gut at the sight of her just as it had nearly a decade earlier, when he’d first seen her on this very same boardwalk.

He took a deep breath, fighting back desire and fear, and walked toward her.

***

Natalie sensed his presence and as she dipped her head and opened her eyes, she caught sight of him from the corner of her eye.

Or at least she thought it was him and resisted the urge to do a double take. When he reached her side, she finally allowed herself to face him and savored the view of every inch of him.

Being a desk jockey hadn’t added a pound to the long lean body she’d lusted over when she’d first seen him that fateful summer. And the tight black jeans and T-shirt accentuated every sculpted muscle far better than his usual preppy-style clothes.

“Chase. You look . . . different,” she said, a hint of awkward in her tone, as she leaned forward and skimmed a restrained
kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Chase said, an uncertain smile on his lips, and took hold of her hand.

“You look stunning. Is this dress from your new line?” he asked and applied gentle pressure to guide her into a little twirl.

Natalie fought back the pleasure at his words and at the intensity in his cerulean gaze. “Actually, I made it just for tonight. I’m glad you like it.”

The blue of his eyes darkened to almost midnight as he raked his gaze up and down her body hungrily.

“I like . . . a lot,” he said, the tones of his voice low and strumming alive desire in her core. Maybe if they still shared passion, just maybe, they could find a way back to the couple they once had been.

SUMMER HEAT

The SUMMER HEAT Box Set is specially priced at 99 cents for a limited time and is now available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SXcNjW
BN: http://bit.ly/1VIZ7qJ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1XPUCvS
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/20CGJBa
SummerHeatAuthors.com: http://bit.ly/1oI4s7c

SummerHeat_BoxSet_NOBCK

#FreebieFriday JUST ONE NIGHT #Military #Romance & a Signing

Happy Friday! I love Fridays and thinking about a fun weekend. This weekend I’ve got a book reading and signing on Saturday from 6 to 9 pm at OG Surf & Skate in Ocean Grove, NJ. I’ll be with my buddies Shelley Noble, Linda Parisi, Samantha Scordato, and the awesome Three Little Kittens Feral Rescue ladies will be with us also. We will have snacks, refreshments and door prizes so if you are in the area, I hope you can make it!

It’s also Chocolate Lovers Weekend in Ocean Grove, so there are a whole lot of activities going on in town. Always a fun place to be!

I’ve got a free read of JUST ONE NIGHT for you today! JUST ONE NIGHT is the first book in the Take a Chance Military Romance series.

Here is a little blurb for the story! You can download the free read here: http://www.instafreebie.com/free/mpx6b

JUST ONE NIGHT Military RomanceHe has just one night to prove to her that anything is possible…

Jason Hart, Jase to his friends, has just graduated college and earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. It’s the night of the graduation party and she’ll be there. His best friend’s slightly older sister, Nickie. Nickie is the only woman he’s really wanted for a long time. He has just one night to make it happen.

She has just one night before the man of her dreams leaves, maybe forever, but can she find the courage to take a chance…

Nicole de Salvo has been in love – and lust – for her little brother’s best friend for years. For years she’s watched from afar and done nothing about her attraction for Jason Hart only now their time together is almost at an end. On their last night together will she find the courage to do something about her feelings, or will she live with regret for the rest of her life?

I hope you all have a great weekend and if you’re in the Jersey Shore area, please pop on down for a fun night!

#WriteWed Boardwalk Inspirations

The title of my new story is UNDER THE BOARDWALK and it’s a sexy contemporary romance inspired by the Jersey Shore Boardwalk, in particular, the boardwalks in Ocean Grove and Asbury Park.

My hero and heroine are actually married, but separated. Their wish for their night together is to rekindle the passion and relationship that had begun on one very special night on the boardwalk. It was a tough story at first because I had to find a balance between them being angry with each other with the state of their marriage, but also being hopeful that they could restore what they once had. Now that I got that balance right, the story and sexiness is just flying along.

Under the Boardwalk will be part of the SUMMER HEAT box set which will be available for pre-order on March 9. I’ll have links and other info for you soon.

In the meantime, some photos of the locations and boardwalks that inspired my story!

#ThrowbackThursday The Very First Book Signing & Thanks

It’s not possible to talk about reaching the ONE MILLION BOOKS SOLD mark (still can’t get over it) without talking about the very first one as well as some people who have been so very very instrumental in giving me the opportunity to write for you!

First of all, a big thank you to the fabulous Fern Michaels who took the time to read my first works and put me in touch with her editor. Her advice and support was invaluable in my deciding I might actually be able to write.

Another big thank you to the late Gwynne Foster who I sat with at one meeting and basically told me, “What are you waiting for! Just send it to them!” I did and got a call just a few weeks later from my very first editor, Diane Stockwell. It was such a pleasure working with her on the Encanto line and if it wasn’t for her support (and buying my very first book).

Things don’t always go smoothly in the publishing world and when Encanto disappeared, it took me a few years to sell another book. This time it was to the awesome Stacy Boyd who always brought out the best in my writing and who has been a wonderful advocate at Harlequin. Thank you, Stacy.

There have been many many other people and I don’t want them to feel left out, but I’ll share more thanks in the future (since I really really really want to milk this moment – LOL!).

To end today’s Throwback Thursday, here is a photo from my very first signing in Menlo Park Mall.
samMeFirstsigning

#WriteWed The Boys of Summer and Rookie of the Year

I’m really excited to have released ROOKIE OF THE YEAR mainly because this was a series of my heart when I wrote it over 10 years ago. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR was originally slated for release in 2001, but the line for which I was writing went on hiatus and the book was never released. This is what the original cover looked like! Cartoon covers were big back then, but I like the new cover much better!

rookie RookieoftheYear

I love baseball as you know and back then very few publishers were willing to take on any kind of book with a sports hero. It was therefore quite awesome to be able to do the series about a sport I love. Plus, I got to give NJ their own team finally! Yes, we do have lots of minor league and independent ball clubs in NJ, but I wanted a Major League Baseball franchise in NJ. Maybe one day we’ll get one.

I hope you’ll check out ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. It’s specially priced at 99 cents for a limited time.

The next book in the series, A WINNING SEASON, will be out soon!