One night of magic. That’s all they had together but it changed both their lives. #Newrelease #romance @SuzyShearer @evernightpub Read a #teaser

 

LOST AND FOUND

by Suzy Shearer

 

 

Heat Rating : Level 3

Word Count: 32,044

 

Evernight: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/lost-and-found-by-suzy-shearer/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093P84W7S

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1081744

 

 

One night of magic. That’s all they had together but it changed both their lives.

 

Multi-millionaire Oliver Maxwell, 51, despairs of ever finding the woman who stole his heart that night.

 

Renowned artist Simone St Ives, 46, also knows her life was forever altered by that one chance encounter.

 

Both doubt they’ll ever find their soul mate again. Because finding them seems impossible when all you know about the other is their first name?

 

 

 

This is an erotic romance.

There are explicit sexual descriptions and explicit language used throughout. It will offend some readers.

 

 

 

STORY EXCERPT:  

“What the fuck do you mean, you can’t find her?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Maxwell, but with so little to go on…” The nondescript man facing Oliver shrugged his shoulders, his arms apart in a gesture of defeat. He looked hesitant as he added, “I mean we don’t even have a last name, and you told me you can’t even be sure she lives in this city.”

Oliver’s deep growl escaped his throat without warning then he sighed. He knew the private investigator was correct, but it didn’t sit easily with him. He had to let go of his anger.

He drew in several deep breaths then nodded. “I understand completely, and I’m sorry. I do know you’ve done your best.”

“If we just had something else.” The plaintive note in his voice wasn’t lost on Oliver. “Even a last name, a suburb, a place of employment. Anything.”

Hundreds of times each day, Oliver wished he had the same things as he replied, “Thanks. If I discover any of those you’ll be the first to know.”

Both rose and shook hands, with the PI scuttling as fast as he could from the office. Yep, he’s glad to leave. Oliver sank back onto his chair, laying his head on his hands. He’d tried everything he could think of during the past three weeks to find his mystery woman to no avail. He had to face facts—she was gone.

I need you, where are you?

One night, that’s all they had, just one night. But it would be burnt into his memory forever. No other woman would, or could, ever come close to her. His life had been forever changed by one chance encounter. Oliver’s mind went back to that night, as it had done so often in the last three weeks.

He still couldn’t remember why he’d gone down in the elevator … probably something to do with the charity auction he’d been involved in. When the doors opened on the ground floor, a vision in cream entered the carriage. Oliver couldn’t move, he just stared at her. She looked over at him, her vivid green eyes widened, and he felt a jolt somewhere around his heart. She pressed a button.

Her melodic voice sent shivers down his spine as she asked, “What floor?”

“Wherever you’re going.”

Her mouth had opened slightly as she continued staring at him, taking one step toward him as if pulled by a huge magnet. It was as though they were the only two people left in the world. The doors began to close and Oliver quickly pushed forty as he stepped closer to her, his arm brushed against hers and she gasped. They both just stood there, so close to each other, staring into each other’s eyes. The elevator stopped and its doors began to open on the twentieth floor. She ignored the beckoning hallway and stayed looking at him. Upward they rode until they heard—ding, the fortieth floor.

To this day Oliver had no idea why he did it, nor why on earth she accepted, but he held out his hand and stood in the open elevator doorway. She looked at his upturned hand, then back to his face and with a smile that could have sunk a thousand ships, she put her hand in his. They walked in silence down the corridor.

Somehow he managed to pull his key-card from his pocket, then open the door to his hotel suite. He kicked it shut as they entered and the next second they were in each other’s arms. Her kisses were as frantic as his. They both tore at each other’s clothes until finally both were naked.

© Suzy Shearer 2021

 

 

A FEW LINKS WHERE TO BUY:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093P84W7S

Evernight: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/lost-and-found-by-suzy-shearer/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1081744

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-and-found-suzy-shearer/1139377591?

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lost-and-found-291

Bookstrand: https://www.bookstrand.com/book/lost-and-found-mf

Angus and Robertson:  https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebooks/lost-and-found-suzy-shearer/p/9780369503411

 

 

About Suzy

Renaissance woman, best-selling and Award winning author Suzy Shearer writes contemporary and paranormal erotic romances filled with mature and interesting characters. Her books always feature older heroes and heroines; ranging from mid 40s to 60s. The heroines are usually confident plus-sized women who are proud of their curves. Suzy feels it's important for readers to connect.

Suzy also wants her readers to understand just because people are older doesn't mean they aren't intriguing, desirable, open to challenges and willing to experiment. They may be older but not always wiser. Remember sexy isn't just for the under 30s.

A Buddhist and artist, Suzy lives in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, Australia with one very spoilt new puppy and two equally spoilt cats keeping her company. When Suzy is not writing, she is usually painting - an accomplished watercolour Artist her subjects range from portraits and animals to nudes and landscapes. She is also a quilter, toy maker, sculptor and potter. Suzy's Art

 

LINKS - WHERE TO FIND SUZY:                                                           

Website:  http://www.suzyshearer.com

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

Blog:  http://suzyshearer.blogspot.com.au

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SuzyShearer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzshearer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuzyShearer

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sooziiis

Linkedin: http://au.linkedin.com/in/suzyshearer

Publisher: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/suzy-shearer/

Publisher: http://www.bookstrand.com/suzy-shearer

Email her at: suzyshearer @optusnet.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest author @Carolyn_Arnold visits the blog with a #teaser from new #romanticcomedy

HALLOWEEN IS MURDER

McKinley Mysteries, book 11
by Carolyn Arnold

Genre: Romantic Mystery Comedy

Beware of all that goes bump in the night…

Sean and Sara McKinley are excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a Halloween charity fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the reporter covering their story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about how she died, Sara’s curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the investigation through their PI firm.

But this case is not without its challenges. The police are actively investigating it, as well, and it’s not even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take a little cloak-and-dagger, dress-up, and finesse for the McKinleys to get to the bottom of it, but they aren’t the kind to give up. 

As they troll for leads and work through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet, they unearth a few suspects, but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if they’re going to find her killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even be time for a little trick-or-treating.

Chapter 3

SHADOWS OF NIGHT

SARA WAS CALLING YOUR SOURCE from her home office one last time. That’s what she told herself anyhow. She’d lost count of how many times she’d called them, but she had always met with a busy signal. And there it was again…

She lowered the receiver to its cradle. One could be certain that the station had plenty of rollover lines, so it had to be other people calling in about Chloe’s death, too. Other crazy people like her wanting answers. At least, she was sure that Sean thought she was crazy, but she had a niggling sensation in her gut that they needed to look into Chloe’s death.

Maybe it was because she and Sean were surrounded by murder wherever they looked and wherever they went. Even when they were supposed to be relaxing on their honeymoon, a case had found them. And the inclination to view any death as suspicious was embedded in her psyche from years working as a homicide detective with the Albany PD. Sure, Chloe could have died from natural causes, an accident, or even suicide, but it was also just as likely that someone had caused her death intentionally. To quiet her mind, Sara had to find out which scenario applied to Chloe. And if her calls weren’t making it through, there was another route she could take.

She flicked on the monitor, pleased that she had the habit of leaving her computer on most of the time. She brought up an Internet search engine and typed in Chloe’s full name and Your Source. This brought up pages of results. The first entry was a post from the television station entitled, DEATH OF LOCAL REPORTER CASTS DARK CLOUD OVER ALBANY. Sara clicked to open the link.

Scanning down the page, she found she was no closer to knowing what had happened to Chloe. There was no cause of death listed, but rather, the piece read like an obituary with a recap of Chloe’s career accomplishments and brief mentions of her personal life—she had a sister and had died single. That was it. Somehow it seemed like a sad summation of a twenty-five-year-old woman’s life that had been cut so short. There was so much that Chloe had yet to experience, and Sara hoped that Chloe had at least known romantic love at some point in her life.

Sara returned to her search results and clicked on many of the other links, but they were more or less copycats of the statement Your Source had published.

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Every Day Is Halloween

“A nice and fun, old-fashioned mystery. Halloween is Murder was a very well-written and fast read with great characters and a fun mystery with a resolution that I did not see coming.”

–The Reading Café

Ask anyone who loves Halloween and they’ll probably tell you their favorite part about it is dressing up. When you put on a costume, you can be whomever—or whatever—you want. It’s liberating! On top of that, it’s likely that there are all kinds of goodies lying around the house.

When I was a girl, I loved playing Barbie. I loved dressing her up and assigning her whatever life story I wanted. And, man, did I enjoy it! Maybe for a little too long, in fact. I kept playing into my early teens! At the time, I felt like some sort of freak. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted this news to get out to the kids at school. They probably would have called me a baby or something like that. So I kept this part of my life a secret, and I justified my addiction by pinning the blame on my sister, who is six years younger than me—she needed someone to play with! 

Now that I’m older—much, much older—I look back and find this aspect of my past amusing. I realize that it’s absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about, but it shows me that I’ve always loved telling stories and acting them out. No wonder I became an author!

In the grand scheme of things, Halloween is very similar. The holiday allows people of all ages to participate in this fantasy, if only for one night. But as an author, I get to experience Halloween every day of the year. I become someone else every time I sit at my desk and immerse myself into the worlds of my characters. I get to delve into their minds, to know their thoughts, their feelings, their personalities, their lives. And I get to share my imagination with my readers. Now that’s a real treat! 

Speaking of, I’m going to grab a small bowl of candy corn and gummy peaches and get to writing. Happy Halloween!

Carolyn Arnold

What to expect from the McKinley Mysteries:

Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? How about a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.

Amazon

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

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What inspired you to write Halloween is Murder?

Halloween is probably the most popular holiday next to Christmas! Who wouldn’t want to read a Halloween-themed murder mystery? And it’s kept light and fun. 

I understand this is part of the McKinley Mystery series, but can this book stand on its own? And can you share with us what the book is about?

Halloween is Murder can easily be read as a standalone.

In Halloween is Murder, Sean and Sara McKinley are set to celebrate Halloween in style, and they’re eager to invite the entire city to visit their haunted house fund-raiser. But their recorded segment for a local television station goes unaired and the reporter is later found dead. Sara’s determined to get answers, and she brings Sean and their entire PI firm along with her. There are more tricks than treats, however, as they try to carve out the truth.

Please tell us a little more about the McKinleys and their series.

Romance. Humor. Murder. 

Those three words best sum up what readers can expect from the McKinley Mysteries series. 

These stories are cozy in nature and appeal to readers who love a murder mystery without the gore or foul language. Each installment is novella length, with the exception of The Day Job is Murder, which is a short story. This makes the books “perfect for curling up for an afternoon” (Brooke Blogs) and “perfect to bring along on vacation” (Bound 4 Escape). The Layaway Dragon describes the series as, “perfect if you like clean-cut characters, a sweetheart romance, having the money to follow your dreams, and crime-solving abilities.”

To tell you a bit more, Sean and Sara McKinley are former homicide detectives with a talent for attracting death investigations wherever they go. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work for a living, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. From sleuths to eventual private investigators, they’ll do whatever it takes to solve a case. Whether that means going undercover, off the books, or around the world, you can be certain they’ll be romancing it up along the way.

This is the perfect book series for fans of Hart to Hart, Castle, Colombo, Monk, Rockford Files, Psych, and Magnum, P.I.

What can readers expect when they crack the cover?

They can expect to feel the chill in the air, to see the colored leaves on the ground, and to slip into the world of make-believe in true Halloween spirit while Sean and Sara search for a killer. There is also, of course, some humor and romance along the way. 

Name one specific just-for-fun liberty you took with the book? 

In Christmas is Murder, I named the chapters after holiday-related songs, and I carried a bit of this fun over to Halloween is Murder. Each chapter is titled with a play on Halloween-related words or phrases. Here are some examples (in no particular order): “Dreading the ‘Boo,’” “Stuck Between a Grave and a Tombstone,” “An Attempt to Sweeten the Cauldron,” and “Grim Reaper Claims a Victim.”

What’s your favorite part about Halloween?

Seeing how happy people are when they dress up and pretend to be someone else for the night. And let’s not forget the candy!

What makes Halloween is Murder the perfect Halloween read?

It’s fun and light, just like the holiday. Throw in a murder to solve, dressing up, some cloak-and-dagger, and a haunted house, and who can say no to that?

Beyond the Mist #romanticsuspense new release #teaser and #giveaway @CasiMcLean

BEYOND THE MIST

Lake Lanier Mysteries, book 2
by Casi McLean

Genre: Time Travel Romantic Suspense

Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into the arms of the handsome Nick Cramer. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, but he can’t deny the mysterious connection and hot desire Piper evokes.

The allure of a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier tempts him into seizing the opportunity to change his mistakes. But his time slip triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams.

Can Piper avoid the international espionage and terrorism of 2001 New York, find Nick, and bring him home before he alters the fabric of time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?

A soft mist hovered over the moonlit lake, beckoning, luring him forward with the seductive enticement of a mermaid’s song. Rhythmic clatter of a distant train moaned in harmony with a symphony of cricket chirps and croaking frogs. Spellbound, Nick Cramer took a long breath and waded deeper into the murky cove. Dank air, laden with a scent of soggy earth and pine, crawled across his bare arms. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled, shooting a prickle down his spine that slithered into an icy pool coiled in the pit of his stomach. He clenched his fingers into a tight fist, determined to fight through the emotion consuming him. Fear sliced through his belly like icy shards until he finally heaved, forcing rancid bile to choke into his throat.

I have to do this––he inched forward––only a few more steps and––

A sudden surge swirled around him, yanking him into a whirling vortex, where a violent blue streak dragged him deeper, deeper beneath the lake into the shadowy depths. Heart pounding, he battled against the force, twisting, thrusting toward the surface with all of his strength but, despite his muscular build, he spun like a feather in wind into oblivion. When the mist dissolved, Nick Cramer had vanished.

****

Darkness consumed him, a cyclone spinning, twisting Nick as he ripped through an endless void. His lungs burned for oxygen. He could hold his breath no longer, and relinquished his resolve, but he felt no pain. Instead, a sense of serenity encircled him as if he were floating, weightless, breathless, helpless on a cloud of warm air...then the abyss abruptly imploded. Pierced by a brilliant violet-blue light that shattered into a kaleidoscope of color, the tempest hurtled him, whirling, snaking boundlessly until he finally burst through the surface, gasping for air.

He filled his lungs to capacity, breathed in and out several times before opening his eyes to assimilate the greenish blur surrounding him. Instinctively dog-paddling to stay afloat, he stared at a rustic old wooden bench situated atop a ridge above until his head stopped swimming. He had survived the tumult that ripped his body through Lord knows what and challenged him physically and emotionally to the limits few men could endure. And for what, to end up exactly where he started?

“Noooooo.” His blood-curdling moan cut through the silence.

He slapped his hand across the water, scooping a splash that flew around him. There was nothing more he could do. He tried. He risked his life to set things right, to offset the tragic event that had haunted him for eleven years, but he always knew the chance equated to that of a snowball in hell.

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BENEATH THE LAKE

Reeling from her boyfriend’s indiscretions at a party, Lacey Montgomery escapes into the throes of a torrential storm. Her car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of an icy, black lake. She awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of—thirty-four years before she was born.

Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origin does nothing to stop the passion taking root in his heart and leaves him torn between finding a way to return Lacey to her time and convincing her stay with him.

Will the couple be able to discover the key to a mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Casi's powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can't put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you'll devour. You'll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You'll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you'll want more.

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That moment when you delete the last ten thousand words of your WIP #amwriting

I left a story on my computer for six weeks half-written, and suddenly decided that I wanted to finish it. So this weekend I forced myself not to sign into the various social media sites and read the story so that I could continue it.

As soon as I'd finished reading I knew I no longer liked what I'd written. The rest of the story that was in my head wouldn't fit with what was already there. What to do. Be ruthless I told myself. Just cut out what you don't like. The word count swam before my eyes. Was I ready to delete ten thousand words, words I used to like? I took a deep breath. I could copy them onto another document and save them just in case, but no, I know once I fall out of love with my writing it just has to go. 

I deleted ten thousand words, well ten thousand and five words.

I feel much better. Thankfully this doesn't often happen to me, because usually a story drops into my head and I simply write it. I flows down, but my day job has interfered a lot with writing time this last couple of months. I've also been promoting my last story from Evernight Publishing. Promotion takes so much time and energy. I don't know any other author that doesn't feel the same as me about promotion.  

Sometimes writing is such a treat, a joy, and time to write is precious. So I need to take my own promo advice, when I see a chance, take it ...

 Here's a beta (unedited) snippet from the romance WIP, Taking Chances 

Erin was going to have lunch with a couple of work colleagues. They walked down the high street to the café on the corner. She wondered if she should pop into the bookshop to say hello to Hannah as she passed. The older woman was so nice. Then she decided that she’d drop into the shop on the way home instead.

Her colleagues found a table near the window that would seat them all. 

The café was busy, and thankfully, there were three service staff instead of the usual two. Erin ordered soup and a toasted sandwich. As she gazed out of the window waiting for her food, she thought she saw the young man who'd been handing out flyers. He was on his motorcycle moving along slowly. She watched. It is him.

He parked in the spaces specially designated for motorbikes outside the bank on the opposite side of the street, and took off his helmet. The breeze blew his dark hair back. It showed off his angular jaw and the sexy planes of his face. He unzipped his leather jacket as he strode up the sidewalk and went into the big double doors of the bank.

Erin gazed at him longingly. He was so attractive. His dark jeans and mid-calf, black biker boots gave him a dashing air. Erin sighed as she took in the sight of his muscular thighs and his cute ass. The jeans fit perfectly, and there was a frayed rip halfway down the left thigh. He looked good enough to eat. 

One of her colleagues asked her a question and Erin smiled, tearing her thoughts away from the gorgeous young man.

Copyright Elodie Parkes