Power Crafting

By Stephanie Beck

I write a lot. Not as much as I should, but I’m working on it. After a particularly long jaunt of writing, I find myself with itchy hands—hands that need to do something creative that will actually give me something tangible. That’s the thing about writing. Even if a book goes to paperback, the writer won’t be able to hold it for months—probably more like a year or so. What to do until then? I know, write more, but at some point I need something to hold, something physical to show a win.

My friends call me a chronic crafter. They tease me and tell me to quit making stuff—unless I’m making it for them. Maybe I overdo a bit. I spend hours, days, sometimes weeks crafting characters who will be immortalized on paper or ebook. Those characters and worlds I build with words can be taken out with the delete key—trippy to think about. No wonder I want to knit and sew and craft—if I do have to hit that delete key, at least I have something to show my creativity brings fruit once in a while.

Are you a crafter? What’s your crafty win? Stop by my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBeckAuthor or Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/Stephbeckpin/ and show me a picture. I’m always looking for new projects. I’ll show you a few of mine, too!

It took months, but here’s my latest ‘craft’ from Decadent Publishing.

Alice’s Dragon

   Dragon Charmer—taking care of your pesky dragon problem—for a price.
   Business is good for Alice, right until her dragon goes crazy and bites off her arm. To make matters worse, a tall, dark stranger kills the cash-cow dragon before her eyes.
   Instead of dying from her wounds, Alice finds herself under the tender care of Bade, a gentle-handed Bulgarian far from home with secrets in his satchel.
   If they can scratch each others backs, the secrets might live on and Alice might still have a job. She’s never backed down from a challenge, but she’s in for more than she bargained for with the tall, dark stranger.

All the best,

Stephanie Beck

Captivating the CEO

Available HERE

By Sara Daniel

February 7-14, 2014 is Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week. Congenital heart defects are America’s number one birth defect. One out of 100 babies in the United States are born with a CHD. That’s 40,000 CHD babies every year in this country and over 1,000,000 world-wide. CHD is the number one cause of all birth defect related deaths. More than 50% of those born with a CHD will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime. 20% of them will not survive their first year of life. ^*

But the good news is that in the last decade death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to medical advances made through research.^* So, more CHD kids have a chance to grow to adulthood and live normal or near-normal lives. And that is good news for people like me who hope and pray for these medical advances and the doctors and surgeons who will use them to give our CHD kids a fighting chance.

As a romance author, I believe it is my mission to bring happily-ever-after to every situation, but for children and adults who live with the uncertain future of a congenital heart defect, I wanted to write a romance with a real-life happy ending for all of them. Captivating the CEO is dedicated to “everyone who lives with a congenital heart defect, and those who care for and love them.”

*CHD statistics from http://www.childrensheartfoundation.org/about-chf/fact-sheets

Captivating the CEO

He only plans for the future. She might not have a future.

When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.

The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.

No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?

****

Sara Daniel writes irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. On the personal side, she's a frazzled maid, chef, chauffeur, tutor, and personal assistant. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She follows research and new developments concerning tricuspid atresia and other congenital heart defects, and she holds a special place in her heart for “heart kids” and their families.

Website: http://www.saradaniel.com

Blog: http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShafer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSaraDaniel

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/captivating-the-ceo/

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Holiday Shopping for the CEO

Captivating the CEO available HERE

By Sara Daniel

It’s that time of year again, where we’re trying to find the perfect gift for the special people in our lives, and if that special someone happens to be a CEO who has everything, what the heck do you buy for him or her? I mean, they probably already have everything, and let’s be honest anything that has a chance of impressing a mega-successful CEO is waaayyyyy beyond my budget.

So, I did a bit of research and hunted down Willow Jeffries, a massage therapist who specializes in giving massages to CEOs who are too busy to leave their offices to get to the spa. Naturally, in her professional opinion, she considers a gift certificate for an office massage to be a good bet. But if you’re the type who sees a white collar guy and automatic heads for the men’s clothing department, here are Willow’s personal thoughts on the subject (as excerpted from Captivating the CEO):

Colin set aside his earpiece and laptop, then crossed the room and shoved his arms back into his shirt sleeves. After buttoning his crisp white shirt, he looped a blue tie around his neck.

She didn’t recall him ever wearing another color in her presence. “Are all your ties blue, or do you only own one?”

“I change at least once a day, sometimes twice.” Opening an oversized cabinet door, he gestured to several suit bags, a half dozen white shirts and a dozen blue ties. Some ties sported a muted stripe, others a subtle paisley design.

Without staring at them lined next to each other, she wouldn’t have discerned a difference. “Well, Christmas shopping for you will be easy. White shirt, blue tie. Check.” Of course, if she bought him a gift, she’d attempt to rock his wardrobe with a tie-dye shirt or, even better, Rudolph boxers with a prominent, glowing red nose.

While winding his tie and securing it in a snug knot against his starched, buttoned collar, he cocked an eyebrow at her. “Do you buy presents for clients?”

“If the mood strikes.” Unable to hold his gaze without leading him on, she shrugged and glanced at the clock above the treadmill. “Anyway, you’re not a client at the moment. Your session ended two minutes ago, and you don’t have any upcoming sessions booked, so I’m on personal time.”

“That sounds promising.” He winked. “How much personal time do you want to devote to me?”

Despite having no future to offer, she stepped toward him and looped her arms around his neck. “Enough for a kiss, to start with.”

Instead of rushing to open a phone conversation with someone on the other side of the world, he smiled and bent his head. “Let’s make it a memorable one.”

So it’s official. Next time I have a CEO on my gift life, I’m going to buy him Rudolph boxers, and I’m definitely going to enjoy that glowing red nose! What fun things are you shopping for this year?

Captivating the CEO

He only plans for the future. She might not have a future.

When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.

The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.

No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?

Romance and The Challenge Series

Captivating the CEO available HERE

By Sara Daniel

When I learned that Decadent was starting The Challenge Series, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of the line. Rather than being connected books, every story stands on its own and deals with a physical or emotional challenge that is integral to the characters’ journey. Still, I found myself skeptical. When I’m dealing with a serious “life” issue, the last thing on my mind is romance.

But then I started thinking. Who needs a happily-ever-after the most? People who are dealing with serious stuff in their lives and can’t see a way they’ll ever achieve a sense of normalcy, let alone a satisfying conclusion. My mission as a writer is to make people believe in love and happily ever after, especially those who need and deserve it the most. The Challenge Series was calling my name!

I immediately knew what my character’s challenge would be—a medical issue that I’ve had firsthand experience with and therefore felt qualified to write about. In a medical emergency, you count on the people you love to be there for you. When the stakes are the highest and emotions are on a rollercoaster, you discover which people rise to the occasion and which ones flake out. What better way to discover if the hero really has what it takes to be worthy of the heroine?

After writing my first Challenge book, I can honestly say no romance story is more emotional, more urgent, or more worthy of a satisfying happily-ever-after ending. Let me know if you agree as a reader, and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

Captivating the CEO

When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.

The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.

No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?

About the Author:

Sara Daniel writes irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. On the personal side, she's a frazzled maid, chef, chauffeur, tutor, and personal assistant. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She follows research and new developments concerning tricuspid atresia and other congenital heart defects, and she holds a special place in her heart for “heart kids” and their families.

Contact Details:

Website: http://www.saradaniel.com

Blog: http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShafer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSaraDaniel

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/captivating-the-ceo/

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Take me Away Romance

By Stephanie Beck

There’s something so special about a story set in a familiar place—somewhere so close to your heart and mind you can feel the fabrics described and catch the scent of whatever on the air. I write those all the time because I feel huge comfort in that sort of familiarity. It’s like that warm sweater and cup of hot cocoa—sooo good.

But then, sometimes, I want to run away. Somewhere exotic where no one needs sweaters and the drinks are cold and fruity in cute glasses. I want hot sand between my toes, the sun’s rays on my shoulders (with ample sunscreen of course) and the promise of something decadent on the menu for later.

Could Greece be more perfect?!

Good grief, it’s so blue! The sky and the water—it’s a blue fest of awesome.

Can you imagine the stories this goat could tell? And he’d do it with a sexy Hellas (that’s Greek) accent. I bet he even knows where the best places to eat are. Lucky goat.

Setting a story in Greece was a treat that’s hard to beat. I hated giving Jenn and Dorian troubles, but I feel they managed well. The blue skies and sea had to have helped, I’m sure of it!

Home to Hellas

Home to Hellas available HERE

Jenn’s love of basketball and travel lead her to Greece, but only one man could keep her coming back. After sharing sexy summers with distinguished businessman Dorian Logos, Jenn returns for a seventh with more emotional baggage than she’d like, but her feelings for Dorian push her out of her comfort zone.

Dorian has loved Jenn for years, the young American delivering spice and sweetness during their weeks together. When she arrives in Hellas, limping from an injury, he quickly sees more than her knee is hurting. He wants his love to be enough to heal all ails, but it’s hard to show his love to a woman who can’t tolerate his touch. If he can help Jenn get well, he might be able to make their usual summer last and bring her home to Hellas forever.

Start your Home to Hellas visit now!

Amazon:

Barnes and Noble:

ARe:

I hope you’ll join me next week when I start my Last Days of Summer blog tour!

All the stops, prizes and delightful details are on my website.

www.stephaniebeck.net