A Cowboy with a Heart of Stone

“A classic in the making!”~Under the Covers Book reviews

A sizzling new series packed with heart from Amazon bestselling author, Amanda McIntyre.

RUGGED HEARTS—Book I, The Kinnison Legacy! Meet Wyatt, Dalton and Rein, the formidable men of the Kinnison Legacy and the women who will tame them!

Blurb:

Rugged, quiet, hardworking, Wyatt takes his position as head of the Kinnison family seriously. But the scars of betrayal by the women to whom he once trusted his heart now prompt his stark, simple game plan, and no one in hell is going to convince him any differently. What matters most, besides the welfare of his brothers, is to manage the ranch left to him and never risk his heart again to something as foolish as love—but after meeting Aimee, Wyatt begins to realize that a man should never say never to a determined second grade teacher.

When vivacious, resilient Aimee Worth loses her twin sister in a tragic accident, she makes the choice to live out her sister’s dream of teaching in the small mountain community called End of the Line, Montana, never suspecting she’d meet her Mr. Right in the middle of nowhere—he just doesn’t know it yet. Used to challenges, her spirit shatters the perceptions that have kept him isolated from living life beyond the ranch, proving to him that when it comes to love, the greatest risk is not taking one.

Excerpt set-up; stranded a few days before Christmas with students from her class who’d been on a field trip, Aimee and Wyatt battle an attraction started from the first night they met…

She was warm, sweet, and responsive to him in a way Wyatt hadn’t expected. His fingers found the sash of the robe and gently pulled it free. He cupped her face and kissed her like he’d thought of doing a million times since the day in the parking lot. He pulled her close, lifted her into his arms, and set her on the countertop. She held his face, her kisses soft yet demanding more, driving his hunger. His fingers fumbled with unfastening the buttons of the flannel shirt she wore. She braced herself on her hands and allowed him to peel away the fabric.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, drawing his hand over her silky flesh. He cupped her soft breast, and she fit his palm with sweet perfection. After another fiery kiss, he trailed his lips over her skin, taking in her musky scent. Encouraged by her hand holding his head in place, he helped himself, closing his mouth over her rigid tip, teasing until she forced his head up to look at her.

“Wyatt.” She breathed his name.

He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and carry her to bed, but he knew that was impossible under the circumstances. Instead, he relished her passionate kisses and slipped his hands between her thighs. He pressed his fingers to her warm, wet flesh. She squirmed at his touch. Her mouth dropped open with a soft sigh.

He swallowed hard and reminded himself that the kitchen counter, surrounded by a houseful of kids, was not how he wanted their first time to be.

“Oh God,” she whispered. “No, no…I can’t. Not here.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to her in an explosive kiss that nearly burst Wyatt from the confines of his jeans. He cupped her face and was angling to deepen the next kiss when she pulled away.

“I have an idea.” She straightened and held her hands against his chest. He heard her heavy breathing.

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of my own.” He reached for her again.

She leaned over and turned on the light, temporarily blinding him.

“I can see we are not on the same page.” He sighed deeply and licked his lips. Her taste lingered on his mouth. She pulled her clothes together, hastily refastening the buttons he’d worked so hard to undo, and tugged the robe up around her shoulders. Only then did she look at him.

Wyatt rested his hands on either side of her, debating whether to stay or go jump in a snowdrift. He glanced up, eyeing her.

“I was just thinking.”

“Me, too.”

“About Christmas morning.”

“Hmm, that’s not what I was thinking about.” She put another knot in her robe tie and looked down at him as if to say playtime was over. Snowdrift, it is. “What were you thinking?”

“I have some candy canes in my book bag. I was going to give them out as treats at school. What would you think about using their shoes like stockings? I think they still fill shoes in Europe—Norway or someplace.”

He winced. “Maybe I can find some clean socks, instead.” His mind was stuck on his libido, and he marveled how she could switch gears so effortlessly. Given the circumstances, it was probably better he redirect his brain anyway. But as far as he was concerned, what they’d started tonight wasn’t over by a long shot. He had tasted bliss and he thirsted for more. Once those kids were out of his house and safely back in theirs, he intended to show her how good they could be. He lifted her from the counter, careful not to keep his hands on her too long.

What’s your most favorite Christmas memory? Comment to win an e-book of RUGGED HEARTS!

BUY LINKS:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Hearts-Kinnison-Legacy-ebook/dp/B00CH3NZAK

Decadent Publishing:  http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=810

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rugged-hearts-amanda-mcintyre/1115165335?ean=2940016723389

All Romance e-Books : https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ruggedhearts-1169751-149.html

Social Networks:

Website: http://www.amandamcintyresbooks.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/amanda.mcintyre.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandamcintyre1

Kinnison Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kinnison-Legacy/375196125921871

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002C1KH2Q

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/519786.Amanda_McIntyre

Undercover Temptation

By Amanda McIntyre

I grew up in a small town, much like Cat, chomping at the bit, waiting for the day I could escape the tedious existence of my dreary, unexciting life. I got that chance after graduation and moved to various places before I married my high school sweetheart and he took a job back in our hometown.

There I was again, only this time, with a new perspective—one we had children and wanted to be closer to family as well as a good place to raise our kids, and two, I’d experienced city life—exciting and diverse as it is, I discovered there is much to be said for small town life. Certainly, it’s not as mundane as I once thought. Age, if nothing else, offers a new perspective that I did not possess in my youth.

Undercover Temptation available HERE

When writing my current contemporary romances, Undercover Temptation and Rugged Hearts, Book I in the Kinnison Legacy, I openly embraced the fact that deep down I’m a small town country girl. Not only that, but I realized how rich and colorful small town life can be—we celebrate tradition, community pride, generations of family farms, teachers that retire after lifetime of teaching in the same school, neighbors stepping in to lend a hand, and the Saturday morning Farmers Market. It’s as though a lightbulb went on over my head and I began to understand the old phrase, “write what you know.”

There’s as much mystery, secrets, angst, romance, history and scandal in a small town as anywhere else and its opened a whole new ‘chapter’ (as it were) in my life.

A bit about Undercover Temptation:

Cat Madsen left her hometown ten years ago, escaping to Vegas with hopes of becoming a famous showgirl, but those dreams evaporate when she finds out that the owner of the club she pole-dances at also dabbles in drug trafficking. Now, using her ailing father as an excuse to return home to the town that rejected her, Cat is back with a renewed determination to prove her worth. But her tarnished reputation may prevent her from building a future among small-town attitudes.

When an undercover assignment lands Detective Reese Jamieson in the tiny town of Sweetwater, he is skeptical it’s a hotspot for anything. Then he gets his first glimpse of the ex-Vegas showgirl who runs the new pole-dancing workout studio. Reported to be a hometown gal with a checkered past, she is considered the prime suspect to front a drug ring, but he begins to wonder once someone threatens the beautiful woman’s life and business. Reese struggles to keep things professional. When things become personal, Reese must risk everything, including Cat’s trust, to protect her from the past.

Excerpt Set-up: Going undercover as a land developer, Detective Reese Jamison is supposed to join Cat’s aerobics class and investigate the possibility she is trafficking for her former boss in Las Vegas. Here he arrives and gets his first glimpse at his potential suspect…

He arrived a few minutes early, noting the lone baby-blue F-150 in the gravel lot. The sun sat like a red fireball on the horizon, casting long shadows across the parking lot. He got out of his car and dropped his bag in the trunk, squeezing the automatic lock on his keys. He took his time walking to the front door, taking in the solitary light pole at the driveway entrance, the sagging overhang of the front porch, and the sputtering welcome sign missing its last vowel. As he got closer, he heard the thump-thump of sensual bass coming from an exceptional sound system. The wicked beat caused goose bumps to rise on his flesh and thoughts he shouldn’t be toying with to filter into his brain.

Yeah, she’s wild, our little Cat. The words of the man at the bar slithered with a slow hiss into his brain, and he swallowed hard to fight off the images it brought with it. The daily grind and pressure of his job left little time for dating. Besides, he was getting too old for the bar scene and though they’d tried, the younger guys on the force had only managed once or twice to drag him to a dance club. He paused at the front door, observing the weathered barn-board exterior. In its day, it was probably a busy place—maybe even a place he might have frequented. The door stuck, and he shoved his shoulder against it, forcing it open.

The main room was empty, dark except for the tables and chairs stacked to one side. Farther back beyond the bar was an area that appeared to be a dance floor. It didn’t take long as he moved toward the dim light to realize it was no ordinary dance floor. He stepped from the shadows and halted in his tracks at the sight before him. It resembled a silvery forest with at least nine—to his quick count—steel poles positioned at spaced intervals across the room. Above, bare light bulbs stuck out from sockets strung across the beams of the ceiling, providing light to each of the stations. He wasn’t sure what he should have expected, but this wasn’t it. The music grew a bit louder, drawing his astonished gaze to a tenth pole set up in the middle of the small stage at one side of the room. Above it, a single bulb housed in a metal, industrial shade spotlighted the pole.

From the heavy black drapes hiding the backstage area emerged a woman the likes of which Reese had never seen. Her long legs were encased in skintight black Spandex that rode miles, it seemed, before disappearing beneath a faded, cherry-red zipped hoodie. She gripped the pole with one hand, letting it slide effortlessly as she dropped her body to a squat position and let her body sway to the provocative beat. She dropped her head back, her dark brown hair done up in a ponytail swished back and forth. Her eyes were closed. Performing silently, she obviously thought she was alone.

Lord have mercy.

Do you live in a small town, or have a favorite small town? Share your story and enter to win a free e-Book of Undercover Temptation! Please be sure to leave your email address so we can contact the winner!

Bio: Growing up the daughter of a father who was a distributor for a New York magazine publishing firm, Amanda usually had her nose stuck in the latest issue of Vampirella or a Hitchcock Mystery book. An artist first, her penchant for creating started at an early age with crayons and colored pencils and much of what she learned made her a ‘visual’ writer. Her passion is to take ordinary people and place them in extraordinary situations, delving into the realm of potential and possibility, and watch as they become the heroes and heroines of their own stories. She counts herself fortunate to be able to do what she loves, aspires to stay fresh and unique to her voice and listen to her readers. A member of RWA, and a multi-genre hybrid author, her work is published internationally, in audio, in e-book and in print. She currently writes sizzling contemporary and erotic historical romance.

Find out more at: www.amandamcintyresbooks.com

Buy Links: Decadent Publishing| Amazon 

Tales of the Sweet Magnolia

“Perhaps we will gradually get used to the weird ways of our cosmos and find its strangeness to be part of its charm.” ~Max Tegmark, Cosmologist

From the time moment I saw Somewhere in Time with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeves, the idea of time-travel has fascinated me. Though admittedly I am still in the dark as to which theory(there are a number of them!) on time-travel I find most fathomable, one thing is remarkably clear—if time-travel is possible, then while it may take another ten thousand years to discover the secrets of it—it is, in fact, inevitable. That alone intrigues the ‘geek’ in me and if you’re a fan of Dr. Who or Torchwood, then I have little explaining to do to convince you. However, for the romance writer in me—it opens up a whole world of possibilities. One of the first truly romantic time-travel books I ever read was Christina Skye’s Highland fantasy, Christmas Knight (Avon, 1998) aside of Skye’s brilliant storytelling skills, it is a portrayal of what is possible when the power of ‘love’ is added into the equation. It took me several years before I attempted my first time-travel and it came in the form of a tiny novella called, “Wild and Unruly” about a sequestered present day librarian who finds a necklace and is transported back to a mining town in 19^th century Nevada. Here she meets and falls for the town's Sheriff. Now another passion of mine is researching and in my studies of the old west I have developed a particular fascination (if not new regard) for the ‘soiled doves’—the women who owned and operated the saloons, bordellos and parlor houses of that era. It intrigues me, in a way only human nature can, that while these women were popular among the men who frequented their establishments for the obvious reasons, at the same time they were often shunned, ostracized by the general public. They were subject to sub-standard and dehumanizing rules and regulations and yet it was most often the madams of the bordello houses that became successful businesswomen (as we would define successful in that era.) Aside from working unofficially with the law to help keep the peace with unruly transients like miners and gamblers, great sums of money subsidized the projects that kept the town thriving. Funds, however, that were passed under the table to merchants, clergy and other administrative officials. Put simply--many a town survived (literally) on the backs of these ‘soiled doves.’

But I digress…romance and time-travel. “If you build they will come…”

spoken by James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams, is not too very far off the similar concept when you talk to an author. We’re in the business of transporting readers to places they may never have been before, or giving a different perspective of a place they may be in now—for most romance readers, we just want everything to turn out okay in the end. We want good to win out over evil, even if the evil is the hunkiest, ‘bad boy’ on the planet—we hope that somewhere, somehow –love will touch him, he’ll find redemption and wind up with the girl.

Time-travel is simply another extension of that ‘escape’ into another world philosophy. The method I choose in writing my style of time-travel is a bit more ethereal, rather than scientific—for example, in Wild & Unruly, I have tangibles (necklace, a quirky secondary character who pops up unexpectedly as a real time person) but I prefer to play upon the unknowns—the deeper psyche of human nature, if you will. Is it the necklace, the funny grey-haired gent that makes the time-travel possible?Or is it that the timing is right in the universe combined with my heroine’s deepest heartfelt longing that makes her fantastic journey possible? In a nutshell, is it the power of love—that makes time-travel possible? Such a simplistic notion, isn’t it?

I’ve taken this concept and created a series called tales of the Sweet Magnolia. The first book, Wild and Unruly, is an extended version, with new scenes added to the original novella. It features the journey of librarian /bordello madam Lillian White and her legendary hero, Sherriff Jake Sloan and asks the question, can a love so powerful that it draws two people together through time—also keep them together? I suppose I could tell you that outcome, but you’d be better to read the story and experience firsthand Lil and Jake’s fiery, complicated romance and find out that answer for yourself!

In my second book in this series, another resident woman of the Sweet Magnolia wishes she could meet the man who wrote the music played by her one-time mentor, Miss Lillian. By taking lessons from a traveling grey-haired piano teacher, she finds a greater connection in the music. It reaches deep into her soul, drawing her to present day Reno, where her life is upturned when she becomes witness to a drug cartel murder and injured, is taken in by a scarred undercover cop on a personal mission to find the guy who killed his brother. Fallen Angel, is slated for release later in 2012, just in time for a steamy, romantic holiday read!

If you happen to be in the Chicago area, I’ll be signing Wild & Unruly at the upcoming RT Booklover’s convention multi-author bookfair, on April 14, 2012.

Meantime, I’d like to pose the question—do you believe in time-travel and if so, what time period would you want to travel to? Leave your comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Wild & Unruly!

Until we meet again~

Amanda McIntyre

www.amandamcintyre.net

On facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/amanda.mcintyre.author

Twice Upon a Time...

Decadent Publishing is pleased to welcome authors/artists/friends/cool people S.L. Carpenter and Sahara Kelly. Scott and Sahara are currently involved in two projects at Decadent Publishing, the Twice Upon a Time anthology, available now in ebook at Decadent Publishing, and a co-authored bawdy romantic fiction story called Princesses Gone Wild, coming soon!

What kind of Fae WOULD you be if Fae COULD you be?

Sahara: Hoo boy. That’s tough. I’d love to be a faery...to flit around in cute outfits, scattering faery dust and making trouble now and again. LOL I think I might enjoy being a water sprite. Playing with dolphins, dancing on the waves, hiding from the storms at sea in cozy caves...do those sea shell bras come in my size, I wonder? LOL

Scott: A Fae of laughter. I love making people laugh. Do water sprites get to play with Mermaids? That might be fun. Of course it would have to be the fairy tale mermaids, not the real life ones that are butt ugly, ewwww.

Faerytales; anti-feminist clap-trap or fun, fanciful escape? (THIS is meant to be a FUN question, not an in depth Gloria Steinem exam)

Sahara: Well, darn. There goes my dissertation on the sociological gender biases of fantasy-based myths and legends. LOLLOL They’re mostly fun. Although I remember a couple that gave me nightmares when I was little. I often wonder how they got to be accepted bedtime reading. I mean...some of those Grimm tales...they’re flat out GRIM!

Scott: All I remember is Fairy tales were always about dreams and fantasy. I read them to my kids and they were all escapes and usually had some underlying meaning. Disney's basically taken all the good ones and made cartoons out of them.

Is writing your sole source of artistic gratification or do you have other outlets?

Scott: Writing is a lot of fun for me. It's how I get all my goofy stories out of my head. I write a lot with Sahara and have a bunch of books myself. My main outlet is cover art though. I love creating something from nothing. Taking an author’s story and giving it an image to go with it is really exciting.

Sahara: I’ve dabbled a bit in cover art myself – nowhere near as proficient as Scott, though. He’s my art GOD. LOL  I do love making costumes, too. I’ve always sewn, so patterns don’t  intimidate me too much. These days, it’s threading the damn needle that’s the real issue. LOLLOL


What sort of genres do you typically write about when you are not writing comedy about hoochie princesses or modern-day faerytales?

Sahara: When Scott and I write together – we really don’t have a typical genre. We’ve done a lot of contemporaries, since we’re both very comfortable with those. But we also did a paranormal ghost story and we’ve talked about a variety of different settings. One thing you can be sure of, there’s gonna be some laughs in there someplace. We just can’t resist the urge to slip one or two jokes in, no matter how intense the plot. <g> I think Scott’ll agree with me on that...since he’s most often the one cracking me up with his one liners...

Scott: Whatever she said.

Sahara: I can never make up my mind if I like when he says that, or if it makes me nervous. LOL


Sahara, you are now a Queen. Tell us about your plans for reigning terror...eerrr, I MEAN SPLENDOR....at RT?
Sahara: Well, let me see. First my co-Queen, Amanda McIntyre and I will review our troops, then we’ll probably raise a goblet or two of mead at a banquet...you know the sort of thing. LOL Actually, we’re both fans of the Tudors TV series, so I’m thinking we’ll count ourselves lucky if we keep our heads for the entire night. <g> Seriously...the Faery Ball is the culmination of so much hard work by so many people – it always awes me to see it come together and to know that almost every RT guest will be there sharing the fun. And yes, I will admit that one of the biggest pleasures is taking my shoes off at the end of the night. LOL Anything to add to that, Partner?

Scott: Yes dear. Foot massage? Yes dear. Everyone at the Fairy Ball only has to deal with her for a week; I get it all year. 3000 miles away and I feel the hair standing up on the back of my neck when I say something to ruffle her feathers. Scary. Gives me shivers.

Sahara: (grins) It’s good to be the Queen. And I have dibs on a foot massage again this year...

Scott: Honestly, I like all the fun themes and the way all the writers get so enthusiastic at the RT party. It takes all year to plan everything you ladies do. I know I wouldn't be able to do it. Especially wearing a corset.


About Tina Gerow, Fellow Fae. Tell me something special about the inspiration behind this project.
Sahara: I first met Tina in Orlando at the debut Faery Ball. She was such fun; together with Isabella Clayton, the two of them had us in stitches. Since that time we’ve shared every Faery Ball and it was devastating to hear of her illness – she’s so young and always so vibrant.  It’s not often that one gets chance to actually DO something in circumstances like these. We hurt, we send our prayers and hope for the best. But this time, circumstances allowed nine of us Fae, both present and former, to actually help in a practical way. It says a lot about Tina that we never hesitated. And Scott was right there as well...

Scott: When I heard about what happened it was heartbreaking. Tina is such a sweetheart. From the first time I met her she was just so fun and sweet to me. She's cute too. But when I heard about this project, I didn't hesitate to offer any help I could. So I offered to do the cover. Everyone has been great to work with on the project. Which shows how much Tina has touched people. It was a project from the heart.

See Scott Carpenter's magnificent cover for Twice Upon a Time and purchase it HERE. This one-of-a-kind anthology includes the literary talents of Eden Robins, Amanda McIntyre, Sahara Kelly, Taige Crenshaw, Vijaya Schartz, Janet Miller, Joy Nash, Liddy Midnight and Kayce Lassiter...and a contribution from you--the buyer of this book! Every author is donating 100% of their royalties to the fund established to assist Tina with her medical bills.

Another wild romp by Carpenter and Kelly, Princesses Gone Wild--coming soon from Decadent Publishing!

Read more about how Decadent Publishing Gives Back HERE