For summer reading take advantage of Kindle Unlimited by Jan Scarbrough

The theme for July is Beach Read Mania. To me this not only means reading books with beach settings but reading for summer fun.

 At Sunday school yesterday, a friend came up to me to talk about books. It’s widely known in the class that I write novels. This friend said she’d joined Kindle Unlimited. She thought it was a good deal, and she said, “There are some really good books in it.” She wanted to know how to find my books. I told her to simply look for my name.

Most readers who enjoy ebooks and buy them from Amazon know about Kindle Unlimited.

Kindle Unlimited is sort of like Netflix for Amazon's digital e-books, called Kindle books. You pay a monthly subscription fee for access to the full Kindle Unlimited library where you can read and enjoy as many Kindle books as you want. That's exactly why it's called “Unlimited.”

Publishers don’t have to put their books into this program. In fact, many prefer to go “wide” and take advantage of other ebook platforms such as those on Apple or GooglePlay.

Recently, I’ve added a few of my books to Kindle Unlimited. Take a look at them during the hot, humid days of summer whether you’re at the beach or in the cool of your living room.

Ghost Mountain Ranch: The secrets of the past still haunt the living…  “Kudos to Jan Scarbrough for keeping the characters interesting and the plot twists intriguing from the first book to the last.”

Betting on Love: A romantic virgin and matchmaking aunt threaten the bachelor days of a Bluegrass chef.  

 Dawsons of Montana: Growing up on the ranch was a great life for Ben until his mother passed away, leaving his father Jim a widower. It wasn’t long, however, before Jim remarried, bringing Liz into their lives, along with her son, Brody. Soon, Jim and Liz added a new Dawson to the family when daughter Mercer was born. Jim’s untimely death changes the family's life and future.

 

Life Cycle of a Work In Progress by Laura Hunsaker

I did something amazing this past weekend. I wrote the words THE END on my latest book! This has to be one of a writer's favorite things.

The life cycle of a rough draft is nuts, I mean, you start out thinking that you have the best idea! You can't wait to write all the ideas down. You want them out of your head as fast as your fingers can type them. You know you can fix it when you edit, I mean Nora Roberts said, "You can't edit a blank page." So you write.

In your mind you see Henry Cavill as the Witcher! But on the page is...Ross in leather pants. 

Even worse, then you get stuck. And you procrastinate, and then you go back to it, then you poke around online a bit, then you go back to it, and throughout it all, your idea that you loved so much is still bright and shiny! You just need to climb out of this plothole over here, or jump over that speedbump in your story.

Then you're back to writing and you have a big moment coming up! It's amazing, it's brilliant, it...stinks. It really stinks. But-but the shiny! The best idea! All the words! Nope, they all stink, every last one of 'em. But you've got a deadline and you've gotten this far, so lets finish up the words.

Then something miraculous happens. You finish, you type the words THE END, and things make sense, they tie together, they work! Your book really is the best! The shine is back on it, and you think to yourself, "Huh, that doesn't stink after all." And that elation is the best. Then you celebrate! For me, it's a nap and some wine.

This got me thinking, what do other people do once they've reached a goal, or a milestone? So I ask you, what do you do when you've hit a milestone?

Join my Newsletter for a chance to get all my amazing milestones straight to your inbox! ;) Seriously, though, I only email you when I have something exciting to announce like a new cover or a new release. 

Sign up here

Meanwhile my latest release is called Dreams of the Past and you can get it for $.99 in the Last Chance Beach box set (also free in Kindle Unlimited)

There are 14 amazing stories in this box set all taking place on the tourist island of Last Chance Beach. Grab it now and escape the world for a bit! With second chance romance, love at first sight, mature romance, and enemies to lovers, there's a story for everyone!

Dreams of the Past

She needs rest, he needs relaxation…

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.

What she doesn’t need is a man.

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal. 

He never expected to find a woman in his bed.

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months. 

Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Cover Reveal: Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker

Meet me in Last Chance Beach...

I'm a California Girl at heart. I was born there, my family is there, and my favorite beaches are there. I may not live near the beach anymore, but it's always been a huge part of me. In one of my books Highland Games, my heroine is a surfer. I usually have a "theme song" for each book. And for that one, it was "California Girls" by the Beach Boys.

Well, I've had "The Boys of Summer" by the Ataris (or the Eagles, if you prefer) stuck in my head for the past month or so, and now I can tell you why! I am so excited to share Dreams of the Past with you all! It will be included in the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End box set, and I hope that you hear The Boys of Summer in your head as you read, because I feel it really captures the Summer Romance/End of Summer Vibe this set has. You're going to love it!

Dreams of the Past is part of my Fatal Instincts world, but can be read as a stand-alone story, and I really hope you'll enjoy Scott and Jenny's summer romance.

Pre-Order HERE

Go check out The Legend of Last Chance Beach, and prepare for 14 amazing summer beach reads!

She needs rest, he needs relaxation… 

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.

What she doesn’t need is a man. 

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal.

He never expected to find a woman in his bed. 

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months.

Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Look for the box set coming soon and check out the amazing authors in this set!

And don't forget to enter the July giveaway to win an Amazon gift card!


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Roughing It is out now!

I am so excited to bring you guys the latest in the New York Empires series! I write as Kenzie MacLir with my friend author Heather Lire, and not to brag, but our Hockey Romances are pretty awesome. ;)
Roughing It is in Kindle Unlimited right now, so if you have KU, it's free to read. If you don't, click here to sign up for it, looks like the first month is free.

The series is written in anthologies. Each book has 3 stories about different Empires players, and Against the Boards is going to be Kyle Sandberg's story.

Caught in the Crossfire by Stacey Agdern

Bryce Emerson only agreed to draw an account of the Empires Goalie Tryouts to humor his brother. But when a vision convinces him the woman who saved his prized pen from a snowy grave is in danger of being injured by a faulty mask, he takes it upon himself to make her a new one.

Goaltender Carly Fein is trying out for the New York Empires, and the last thing she needs is the complication of an artist. But when she agrees to let him make her a new mask, Bryce Emerson finds his way under her skin.

Can Bryce and Carly figure out what happens when they’re caught in the crossfire of love and hockey? Or will the stress of new love and competition drive them apart.

Crashing the Net by Isabo Kelly 

Billionaire Connor Evans needs a challenge. Trying out for the New York Empires’ hockey team fits the bill, even if it is just a publicity stunt and a way to shut his twin brother up. Running into the woman who left him six years earlier, a woman he’s never gotten over, is not part of the plan. Once he sees Matty, though, Connor knows he can’t let her go again. But he’s got secrets he can’t risk sharing. And Matty is the one person who could uncover those secrets if he lets her get too close. 

After traveling the world, Matilda Thomson is ready for a real job and a more stable life. Her internship with the New York Empires will give her the experience she needs to move into that future. But first, she has to face Connor again, and one of the most painful losses she’s ever experienced. The only way she can move forward is to confront her feelings and risk her heart one more time.

Heat and passion spark as hot as ever between them. But trust doesn’t come easy. And if Connor can’t open up and let Matty in this time, he’ll lose her forever.

Against the Boards by Kenzie MacLir

Kyle Sandberg is living his best life. He’s one of the top hockey players in the world. Has two amazing best friends and all the sarcastic hockey t-shirts he could wear. After his own family turns their backs on him, he’s happy playing for the Empires and hanging out with his own found family. What he doesn’t want is his pain in the ass twin brother back in his life or a mate.

When paramedic Faith Church left Puerto Rico for New York, she had zero intentions of getting involved in the local pack. Having had her fill of pack politics, she was ready to go lone wolf. But being left alone was too much to ask when her cousin was the Alpha’s mate.

What neither was counting on was Fate, having her own plans for them. A chance encounter at a traffic accident changes everything. Kyle and his wolf are willing to go with Fate’s plans. But Faith, having finally broken away from her pack’s expectations wants nothing to do with Fate, or Kyle. Too bad her wolf disagrees…

The other books in the series are just $.99 each right now, but the sale is just for this weekend! Grab
Going All In and Icing the Puck now!

Add The Empires to your Goodreads shelves




Don't forget to enter the June giveaway!


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Summer Reads Coming At You by @ElsaKurt #RomanceGems

I Started Doing A Thing

It's not a big thing, really, just a little something I call the #DailyBookDrop (hashtag and all) on my Facebook page. I've started with "dropping" my own books, and will add books in my current reading list, all-time favorites, books I want to read... and so on.



So, I thought I'd do one big book drop here. Below are my currently published books, which can all be read for free with Kindle Unlimited! Here we go...

 The Two Tenleys

Two strangers, one name. What could go wrong?

Everything, that's what! This light-hearted, but heartstring pulling story is a medical mix-up with a twist. 

Still Here

He thought he'd lost her forever...

Damon  & Birdie Harrison had the perfect life, or so it seemed. When the trip of their dreams becomes their worst nightmare, can they find their way back?

 Craving: Country Billionaire's Club & Craving: Loyalty anthologies

I loved these short stories so much, I may make them full-length! Country girl Ella meets Hollywood star Owen Collins  & sparks fly in Tomorrow Always Comes. Jenna's a girl on the run... into the arms of billionaire Griff Pierce. And Jaime is a boy on the wrong side of the tracks. Can the girl he used to love save him from himself?

 Awkward Adventures in Dating

This funny, sexy, awkward romcom is about newly divorced Keira. She's joined the online dating pool... and she's drowning in disaster. Add a snarky narrator who sounds suspiciously like Fitzwilliam Darcy and stir.

Lost & Found Girls

This hauntingly strange tale isn't quite your typical romance, but if you're looking for something different, here you go! When a young girl and her mother show up unexpectedly across the street, twelve-year-old Shayne discovers they may have more in common than she ever imagined.

The Writer's Romance

Take a reclusive writer, a charismatic, handsome reality tv host, set them in a small town... and you've got a Hallmark-esque sweet, romantic comedy. Katharine Evans is trying to work on her novel, but Mitch Form and his demolition crew have shown up next door. More than her peace gets disrupted when these to meet.

Livvy Takes the Long Way

Another non-traditional. Livvy is at the crossroads of her life. Stay married to a man she despises, or start over again? Nothing is simple in this touching story of one woman's journey toward finding herself.

 Welcome To Chance (Series)

Five families, eight years in the life. Welcome to the small, coastal Connecticut town of Chance. It's where small-town life meets big-time drama.

And There You Have Them

Is your TBR list as full as mine?! Not that that's a bad problem to have! I love reading list recommendations, so feel free to drop your favorites in the comments.

JUNE GIVEAWAY

We're giving away Amazon gift cards again! Check the MONTHLY GIVEAWAY page for how to win!

Read and Renew by Jan Scarbrough #RomanceGems

#StayHomeAndRead

I don’t need to tell you how crazy and stressful it is right now around the world. I’m staying at home and ordering food and groceries. The final book of my trilogy is coming along—slowly! My doctor advised me not to even watch my grandchildren now that they’re out of school. It’s tough being “high risk.”

I’m doing a few things while “social distancing.” Cleaning the house is NOT one of them. I’m watching our governor’s briefing at 5:00 every day, followed by the president and his advisors. I’m riding the exercise bike or walking—alone. I’ve watched the Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam on Facebook. This is about a pair of bald eagles building a nest. I hope they will eventually have eggs and babies.

Facebook is also a good place to tour thoroughbred horse farms. Many have live videos. Yesterday, I watched one from Lane’s End Farm where they even took viewers to see the grand mare Zenyatta on her sixteenth birthday.

And I’m reading. I’ve finished one ebook and am on to the next. Some of my books are participating in book sales sponsored by ebook retailers.

Take advantage of two months free at Kindle Unlimited, where every page read means payments for authors and publishers.

I have 4 e-books on Kindle Unlimited.

Smashwords has an Authors Give Back Sale
March 20, 2020 - April 20, 2020
My Montana McKenna Books, Bluegrass Reunion Books, Tangled Memories and more are 60% off, making some of them free.

Monthly Giveaway

We have a couple of ways to win our Amazon Gift Cards for our April Giveaway. Go the Monthly Giveaway page for details.

I’m participating in the Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. Simply check three of my social media sites until you find the Easter Egg. Find the egg and then return to the Rafflecopter form to enter the date, author, and where you found the egg to claim your entry.

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Welcoming a brand new year by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

     I’m starting 2020 with a brand new release. I’ve gone back to my roots. This is a romantic suspense. This is the first book in the Badge of Honor series and I’m super excited! These are all stand alone. Some heroes/heroines wear a badge and some don’t, but what they all have in common is honor. They believe in doing what’s right. 

      The reviews are coming in for book one, Broken Justice, and I’m super excited that readers are enjoying the story. Here is what they’re saying:

     “She’s a sassy hot U.S. Marshal, he’s a small town sheriff and together they are sizzling.” Charleann Davis

     “Gage and Mac (Makala) were like colliding freight trains when they met” Molly G. Hamblin

     “This book hooked me from the get go. I just couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with these characters and omg what a story” Jeanne A Kotsios

     I also have Hidden Secrets up for preorder. This is book two in the Badge of Honor series. 

     These books will all be in KU as well, so you can read them for free if you have a membership. 

 

     Don't forget to enter our monthly giveaway. Full information on the Rafflecopter drawing can be found on our Monthly Giveaway page. You can also find the the entry form HERE.

While your checking out the Giveaway page, don't forget to take a peek at our Movie Theater and Bookstore pages. Not to mention our Free Book giveaways!

 

Enjoy!

Karen Kelley

www.authorkarenkelley.com

 

Click here to order or read

for free in KU 

 

    

Old Man Winter by @SatinRussell #RomanceGems

Pol-arrr Vorrr-tex!

Hello, romance readers! I hope the new year and new decade is off to a good start for you. January is usually a time to take stock and make plans for the coming months. Here in New England, it’s also a time for cold, wintry weather and our infamous Nor’easters.

For those of you who aren’t from New England, a Nor’easter is a storm that hits the East Coast of North America, includes lots of snow, and high winds from the North East.

It’s not unusual for a good storm to drop a couple feet of snow in a twenty-four hour period. There have been some winters where the Governor of Massachusetts has even had to shut done the highways, it was so bad!

Now, some of you may be shaking your heads, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I LOVE a good snowstorm.

My Winter Reading Schedule

After the holidays, I like to take the month of January to hibernate and recharge my batteries. The cold weather and bad roads give me the perfect excuse to do just that. There is something comforting about sitting on the couch, tucked under a blanket, with a good book and a glass of wine while the wind howls and the snow swirls outside my window.

Heck, I even like shoveling! It gives me a chance to get out into the fresh air and exercise. Plus, then I can indulge in a nice cup of hot chocolate when I finish my outdoor chores and not feel an ounce of guilt.

In fact, I lived in Maui, Hawai’i for a year and one of the things I missed most were the four seasons – especially Winter. Can you believe it? Having every day be partly sunny, mid-seventies, with light trade winds actually got boring.

Luckily, I had an opportunity to capture my love of the season in my book Secret Hunger. If you prefer your winters on the page rather than in person, then this may be just the book to curl up to.

Secret Hunger Excerpt:

Olivia hunched over her steering wheel while the headlights cut a swath through the hypnotic swirl of flakes. The squeak-swish of the wipers kept pace with her heart as they struggled to keep up with the storm. Luckily, the snow plows had been hard at work and the accumulation on the roads wasn’t too bad. 

At the end of Centre Street, she took a left and made her way up the hill and out of town. The roads were icier here, the reason she always hated driving this hill in the winter. Olivia knew she’d have to accelerate to have any hope of making it up the slope, and mentally crossed her fingers. 

The good news was she was used to Maine’s storms, having lived in the area all her life. The bad news was she was driving her 4-door sedan with no four-wheel drive and very little tread on her tires. She’d been saving up money to replace them, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. 

Just before she reached the crest of the hill, another vehicle came flying over the rise, sliding around the curve. Olivia had just enough time to take her foot off the gas and turn the wheel, barely missing being side-swiped by the reckless driver. Her car began to lose its forward momentum up the slope. 

“No, no, no…come on!” She muttered as her car started to slide down the slope backwards. She pressed on her brakes and could feel the tires spinning without purchase as the backside of her car slid, angling towards the ditch on the side of the road.

Be sure to grab your copy of Secret Hunger HERE.

Now that you’ve heard what I think about Old Man Winter, I’m curious. How do YOU feel about our coldest season? Leave a comment!

While you’re here, be sure to check out our January Rafflecopter contest. The theme this month is, “What’s Next?” Be sure to enter for your chance to win one of FIVE Amazon gift cards!

For more details, check out our MONTHLY GIVEAWAY page.

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Bluegrass Homecoming Series on #KindleUnlimited by Jan Scarbrough

Sometimes books take many paths to publication.

I wrote the novel Secrets a few years ago, choosing to explore a romance about a woman caught between the past and her desire to create a new life for herself. I wanted to submit the manuscript to a traditional publisher, but was advised at the time by another author that this publisher did not like forty-year-old heroines. Huh? So, I wrote the book anyway, and I titled it A Father at Last. A small press published it. Well, I do read my reviews, and when one reader said the title gave too much away, I changed it to Secrets.

Flash forward. The small press went out of business. I got my rights back. However, I wasn’t ready to release Secrets. I’ve learned books do better in a series. So, I decided to make Secrets part of a series called BluegrassHomecoming to explore my favorite theme of second chances.

But Secrets, the original, takes place in Indiana. I changed its setting to Kentucky. Then I figured I needed a lead-in story. I wrote the love story of baby boomers Howie and Grace. Ta-da! The Prequel was born. Their granddaughter Colleen takes center stage in the third book, Nom de Plume.

And you know what is so ironic? Since the time several ago when I wanted to write about a forty-something heroine, seasoned romance has come into wider acceptance.

What about you? Will you read a romance about an older heroine?

The three-book BluegrassHomecoming is now on Kindle Unlimited. Check them out!

Don't forget to enter our June Giveaway.

To enter our June Giveaway, visit our Monthly Giveaway Page. 

Or click the direct link here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a224/