Birthday Bash Blog Hop!!!

It's my birthday week, and to celebrate, I'm doing a Heat Wave Series blog hop and giving away lots of Heat Wave books!!

There will be a Heat Wave book of choice given away each day, and then a grand prize drawing from all the comments for a "Savin' Me" audio book!

Monday (8/26) - Sweet N' Sassi
Tuesday (8/27) - Cafebiblioart (be sure and check out the amazing reviews listed below my guest post!
Wednesday (8/28) - My Cozie Corner (It looks like this actually went up on Monday, so if you don't see it listed as Wed., scroll down to Monday)
Thursday (8/29) - Reading Past My Bedtime
Friday (8/30) - We Love Kink
Saturday (8/31) - Hanging With Bells

Lots of chances to win, so please stop by and visit with me!!!

Peace and love,
Alannah

Lots of Giveaways and Great Deals!!!

Good Monday morning!!

Boy, do I have lots of cool stuff to share with you this morning!! Lots of giveaways and a special thank you from me. :-)


I've joined with several other authors in a cross-promotional giveaway for a $50 gift card to either Barnes & Noble or Amazon (winners choice). Just follow this link to see how to get entered!!!




Also, Reading by the Book has an amazing "INDIE"pendence Street Party going on right now with TONS of amazingly cool stuff!!! One of the goodies up for grabs is the Heat Wave Series Box Set! Hop on over and check it out!



And finally, from me, as a special thank you for all the amazing support I've received over the past few months - like getting me onto the New York Times Bestseller list! - I've dropped the price of "Crossing Lines" this week to $.99!!! It's available for that price at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, All Romance eBooks, and Kobo (hopefully they'll drop the price soon!).




Have a fantastic and safe 4th of July!!!

Peace and love,
Alannah

Bianca Sommerland Is In The House!!!!

Hey everyone! Please give a big, warm welcome to Bianca Sommerland!! She has a brand new book - OFFSIDE - and based on the excerpt, and a special insider's interview that I got to do with Lorenzo Keane, I can't wait to read it!!!

Blurb:

Single mother and submissive Rebecca Bower abandoned her career as a sports reporter to become a media consultant with her brother’s hockey team. A failed marriage to a selfish man makes her wary of getting involved with another. Unfortunately, chemistry is hard to deny, and all her hormones are dancing when she gets close to the Cobra’s sniper, Scott Demyan.

Zachary Pearce ‘came out’ to the world last season to shift attention away from a teammate. And his one night with Scott Demyan had been unsettling. There could be more there, if only Scott was a different person. Instead, a night of sensual BDSM play with Becky leaves him wanting more, but she thinks he’s gay and questions his interest. It’s been a long time since a woman has attracted him both as a man and a Dom, and he’ll do everything in his power to prove she’s the only one he needs. Or wants. His one time with Scott was a mistake.

Scott might have forgotten what happened in his childhood, but the effects linger, and he specializes in drunken one-night stands…until he meets Zach and Becky and sees what he’s missing. But neither one believes Scott can be faithful. Although he’s trying hard to clean up his act to avoid getting kicked off the team, they want more from him. He’s willing to make changes, but the most important one—putting their happiness before his own—means he’ll probably end up alone.


Excerpt:

Scott rapped his knuckled on the door to the owner’s office. This was it. Time to face the man who would decide where his life went from here.

"Come in."

Stepping into the office, Scott glanced around, taking note of the classy setup. The owner’s desk was huge. There were three leather chairs set in front of the large, gleaming mahogany structure. Black and white portraits of hockey greats covered the walls. The man knew the game. Had a passion for it if the pictures with him and Roy, and Lemieux, and Richard were anything to go on. But that wasn’t what filled Scott with dread. He looked over the tabloids spread across the man’s desk. Pictures of Scott, drunk, half-naked, none of the headlines flattering. Scott stared at them as the man stood and leaned across the desk, offering his hand.

"Lorenzo Piers Keane. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Demyan."

Yeah, Right.

"Scott." With the shit he was about to get into with the man, informal would be good. He swallowed, tearing his gaze away from the papers.

I’m fucked.

He shook the man’s hand, then dropped into the chair behind him. "Umm . . ."

"Yes. Umm." Keane sat, then rested his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers. He wore a simple, black Italian suit, tailored to fit his tall, trim frame. A bit of grey streaked through the brown hair along his temples. His dark brown eyes assessed Scott for several excruciatingly long moments before he let out a heavy sigh. "Scott, your stats make you worth every penny we’re paying you, but this . . ." He motioned toward the papers. "The team cannot afford your reputation." His lips curled slightly with disgust. "I have to admit, the charges of statutory rape concerned me the most. I considered sending you to the farm team on waivers without—"

"There were no charges!" Scott shoved his chair back, rage sizzling through his veins as he grabbed the tabloid with a huge picture of him making out with a girl whose face was blurred out. A smaller one of her slipping underneath the table. The last of them heading for the men’s room. "She was seventeen. We met at a bar and she had ID. I was set up!"

"Set up?" Keane arched a brow, his expression showing mild interest. "How so?"

"A reporter paid her to come on to me, then made a big deal about it. Believe me, she didn’t look like a kid. You know so much?" Scott jerked his thumb at the papers. "You’ve gotta know Hayley Turner is gunning for the team because she thinks Silver fucked her husband. Everyone knows that."

"More than one media outlet covered the incident."

Yeah, Becky had picked it up from some "source" for a behind the scenes sports special. News was slow. He guessed she had to give them something. But it pissed him off that she had to make him look like a goddamn cradle robber to get ahead.

"What can I say, I’m fucking fascinating." Scott ran his tongue over his teeth, lowering back into his seat as he caught the way Keane’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t making himself look any better to the man. He rolled his shoulders. "Look. Don’t think I don’t understand where you’re coming from. I need to smarten up. But some of this stuff isn’t as fucked up as it looks. They—"

"Ah, the infamous ‘they.’" Keane let out a tight laugh. "I have teenage daughters, twins—which you seem to enjoy." He picked up another newspaper which showed Scott in a limo with a pair of hot redheads. After crumpling the papers in his hand, he tossed it aside. "But I won’t let my personal bias affect my decision. Especially since you feel targeted by the press. Let me see . . ." He tapped a colored photo of Scott and cocked his head slightly. "Please explain to me how the media managed to get you drunk and onstage at a strip club. Did someone forcibly remove your clothing?"

Scott winced. He’d forgotten about that night. He’d been pretty wasted. "No. That was just me being an idiot."

"I see. And the brawl you were involved in at a . . . karaoke bar? Let me guess. You planned to sing professionally once you’d destroyed your career as a professional hockey player, and some asshole told you not to quit your day job."

"No. I just got drunk and—"

"Stupid. Yes, that seems to happen a lot with you. And the street racing—which there were charges for." Keane flipped open a folder. "According to your file, you spent several days in jail."

"I was sober." Scott’s jaw tensed. "I don’t drive drunk."

"Commendable, but that doesn’t change the fact that you seem to have an alcohol problem. I trust you weren’t sober when you went streaking in downtown Montreal?"

"Actually . . ." Okay, it was really hard not to laugh at that one. Middle of winter, he and a few of the guys had been hanging out with the Habs. The Cobras had a friendly rivalry with the Canadiens. Some French guy had dared Scott to a race down Saint Catherine. Naked.

He never turned down a dare.

Keane shook his head, flattening his hands on the desk. "Scott, I could tolerate these antics from a rookie, do my best to take him in hand. But you’ve been in the league for ten years. You’ve proved to be immature and, frankly, unstable. If it was limited to your actions in public, I would consider giving you a chance to improve your image. Unfortunately, your behavior on the ice is no better. You instigate fights with your own teammates. The amount of penalty minutes you racked up last year is unacceptable. And I’ve never heard of a professional athlete calling in ‘sick’ as often as you have. The only reason I haven’t already traded you is because Silver Delgado made the choice to sign you, and she’s done so much for the team, I can’t believe she would have done that without a good reason."

The situation looked pretty damn hopeless. There was no point in lying to the guy. Scott slumped in his chair. "She didn’t know much about the game when she signed me. She was told I was good on the ice and figured I’d help change the team’s image. Bring in the younger crowd."

"You have. But so have other men on the team, and they’ve done so without it reflecting negatively on the whole organization."

Right. Time to go home and pack. Scott rubbed his hands over his face. "What can I say? I’m willing to change, but the way you’re talking, it’s too late."

Keane stood, pushed his chair back, and gathered all the newspapers into a neat pile. He reached down, picked up the trash can from under his desk, and set it in front of Scott with a sharp clink. Then he stuffed all the papers into the stainless steel bin.

"Give me one good reason to let you stay."

Lips parted, mouth dry, Scott gaped up at the man. Why even give him a shot? Why risk millions on someone who could potentially bring the whole team down?

Why question it, man? Give him a reason!

Scott swallowed and lunged to his feet, speaking in a rush. "I already told my image consultant I’d do anything he asked me to. Change my attitude, my clothes, my whole life if it means I can be a Cobra. I want to be with this team when they make the Cup. I want to retire with this team. I’ll take a pay cut if it means I can stay. Just tell me what I have to do and I’ll do it!"

"Why? Why does it matter so much? There are other teams that would have you."

"Because . . ." He frowned, searching for the truth. And then he found it. "Silver believed in me. She took a lot of flack for it, but she stood by her decision. I need to prove to her that it wasn’t a mistake. That everyone was wrong about me."

Slapping his hands on the desk, Keane smiled. "That is exactly what I needed to hear. I need to know you have solid motivations to make all these changes. Following your IC’s advice will go a long way in convincing me to offer you a contract. The season doesn’t start for months. I want to see your face in more papers, but I want every article to express what a positive addition you’ve become to the team. I don’t care if you’re kissing babies or setting fashion trends. You will be a man young boys can look up to. Let the other teams hate you. I don’t give a shit how much you chirp on the ice. But your fans, your teammates . . ." He took a deep breath. "They will love you. I won’t accept any less."

To find out more about Bianca, swing by her website, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. Pick up your copy of OFFSIDE at Amazon!!!

Here's a special Insider Interview with Lorenzo:
Stepping into the café, Alannah glanced around, smiling as she spotted Lorenzo Piers Keane sitting at a table by the window. He already had a large, steaming mug of coffee set at the empty spot in front of him, which meant she didn’t have to get in the long line to order one. As she approached, he stood and held out his hand.

A nice firm grip, warm as his dark brown eyes. In every picture of him that she’d seen, he wore nicely tailored suits that made him look very professional, but a little unapproachable. But he was wearing dark blue jeans and a black shirt with the first few buttons undone. Something about his presence was still a little intimidating, but his smile made it easy to sit across from him and prepare for the interview.

“I must say,” Keane leaned back in his chair, meeting her eyes, a twinkle of amusement in them as she fumbled with her recorder. “I’m pleased that they chose you for the interview.”

“You are?” Alannah’s brow furrowed. She was happy to have gotten the interview with him, but what made her so special? Maybe she should make a few things clear. Her stomach fluttered as her gaze shifted from his steady one. He was gorgeous, in a Piers Brosnan kind of way, smooth and incredibly sexy with no effort at all, aging in such a way that even young women would swoon at the curve of his lips.

But she was married. To a wonderful man.

She opened her mouth to tell him so, just in case he was interested. Which she’d really really want him to be if she was single.

Only, she wasn’t.

“No need to look so flustered.” Keane bent forward, steepling his hands on the table. “I agreed because you’re married, with two sons, nicely settled and not on the prowl. I prefer to keep business and pleasure separate.”

“So do I.” Alannah nibbled at her bottom lip. “You looked me up?”

“I like to know who I’m dealing with. I’m sure you have some information on me?” He nodded at the voice recorder. “And will have much more shortly.”

“True.” She wasn’t sure how to feel about being chosen because she was unavailable, but at least it kept things simple. “Shall we get started?”

“Yes. Let’s.” He cocked his head. “To avoid any discomfort, are all these questions yours, or are some from those who enjoy your blog posts?”

“All of them are—I mean, none of them are really mine. I just wanted to make sure the readers get to learn more about you.” She flushed, glancing at the notes on her phone. Some of the questions were very personal. “I wouldn’t ask most of these questions.”

“Indeed. I’ll keep that in mind.” He winked, then inclined his head. “Start with the easiest one. I don’t bite and I’m used to being grilled, so there’s no need to be embarrassed about what you will ask.”

She licked her bottom lip, a little imp shooting up inside her as she spoke. “You don’t bite? Ever?”

“Now that question is yours.” He laughed at her sheepish smile. “I do many things with my mouth, Alannah. Would you like details or would you prefer to move on to the next question?”
Details! Alannah shook her head, stuffing the imp into a little mental safe before dropping it into the deepest ravine in her subconscious. She glanced down at the first question. “What are your future plans for the team?”

“Right now, the priority is making sure the team remains competitive. I’m a businessman and I own several companies around the world that are thriving. Not all of them were before I got involved. I’m sure I can use my skills to clear the constant risk of this team folding. With how closely the Delgado family is tied to the team, I believe that risk affects the performance of the team. I’m here to change that.”

“That sounds good. I’d like to see the team around for years to come.” Alannah frowned at the next question. “I’m going to apologize for this one in advance. Was bringing Sahara to the Ice Girls strictly business or is there a personal motivation?”

“Strictly business.” Keane’s expression didn’t change. He looked exactly the same as when he’d discussed his companies and the team.

Alannah’s heart sank. Poor Sahara. “But you knew her boyfriend was abusing her?”

Keane’s eyes narrowed. His jaw ticked. “Yes. She’s a lovely young woman and I did know she was being treated badly. It was fortunate she fit so well in my plans for the Ice Girls. Much like the team, she was being mismanaged.”

“Ah . . .” Alannah wasn’t sure what to say to that. So she moved on to the next question. “Do you share the majority of the team's predilection for kink?”

“I do. I also love the game, so I can relate to the men on many levels. I think the love of the game is the most important thing though. I wouldn’t want talented men to avoid the team because they believe participating in the lifestyle is a prerequisite. It may have seemed so before, but I’ve made it clear that talent is the priority.”

“I can agree with that, but it seemed like Dean Richter—the team general manager—wants to give the men something beyond the game to bring them together. Considering that, how do you interact with Dean and Silver as co-owners of the team?”

“Mr. Richter and I get along quite well. We both work towards the best interest of the team.” He shook his head, giving her a wry smile. “How things will go once Miss Delgado becomes involved, I can’t say. Hopefully she’ll be able to curb her impulses. I do enjoy a challenge though, so I’m looking forward to seeing what she will bring to the table. I’ve never had business partners quite like either Mr. Richter or Miss Delgado, but they both made steps to bringing the team out of the black and I’m very happy to have a chance to see what I can add to their efforts.”

“Another personal one. How kinky are you?”

He chuckled, lifting his mug and taking a slow sip. “Kinky enough that if I had a sub, and had to come to a café to get my coffee, rather than have it served to me by her in all her naked glory, someone would have a very sore bottom by the end of the night.” He nodded, seeming to read Alannah’s frown. “I can see you disapprove. Let me put it this way. I enjoy being served by a submissive that craves doing acts that will please me. It has to be a balance between her needs and mine. If the balance isn’t there, if she does it because she thinks she has to, rather than because she wants to, then it feels like something is missing. I am very clear with my expectations, but I insist that they match the needs of my submissive.”

“Okay, that’s fair. I could see myself serving a man hand and foot and getting off on it, but if someone’s happy doing it, if it fulfills her.” Alannah cocked her head. Then laughed. “Yep, not sure I can relate, but each to their own.”

“Exactly.”

“Are you looking for a new submissive?”

“Yes and no. Right now, I’m so busy I’m not sure I’d have the time to devote to training a new sub. But I play with several at the club who have potential. I’m not in a rush, so spending time with those whose needs match mine suits me just fine. If it develops into something more, then good. If not, we found pleasure in the scene or scenes.”

“Do you like to Dominate men, women or do you like a bit of both?”

“Women. I trained with men when I started, but never felt any attraction.” He grinned. “I know some believe any person could find love in the same sex if they meet the right person, but I’m not one of those. I believe some have an untapped inclination which leaves them open to the possibility, and that’s fine, but I’m very aware of who I am and would know if the possibility was there. It’s not. And at my age, that’s not going to change.”

“In your next relationship you have is there anything you would do differently from before?”

“No, I don’t think so. My needs didn’t change, those of my slave did. She was a beautiful, loving woman, but our relationship wasn’t giving her the fulfilment it once had. She moved on and I wish her the best in her new vanilla life.” His brow furrowed slightly. He shook his head. “Wait. Perhaps there is one thing I would change. I would be more aware of whether my sub was just going through the motions. Falling into a routine. Doing whatever she could just to make me happy because she liked the lifestyle I could provide financially. Not that I’m saying that’s how my sub was, of course.” His broad smile seemed perfect for the flash of a camera. “She was young when we got together. I believe, in part, she was afraid to step out of the comfortable cocoon of the life we’d built together. I made things too easy for her. If you can get everything you want by behaving a certain way, why would you do anything else? ‘Yes, Sir’ may sound good to a Dom, but when that’s all you hear . . . I want a sub, but I also want a strong woman who can speak her mind. Back to their being balance. We’d lost ours.”

“So you want a service sub, but one who’s not in that role all the time?”

“To simplify? Yes.” He shrugged. “It’s difficult to see how a relationship will work until you’re in it. I’m willing to adapt if I find someone worth doing so for. Perhaps I’m a romantic at heart. I believe in true love. And there’s not much I won’t do for a woman if that love is real. But I also believe for love to work, people need to . . . click. Not just physically, but into one another’s lives. I don’t play at the lifestyle. I live it. Whomever I fall in love with will likely live it as well.”

“Complete change of subject.” Alannah laughed, happy to be past the personal stuff. “Do you feel that Scott has redeemed his image with all his hard work?”

“Absolutely.” Keane eased back into his chair, grinning. “I wasn’t expecting much, but he’s impressed me. Only his stats made me inclined to give him a chance, but now I’m eager to see how far he’ll go. He’s a remarkable young man, and quite frankly, if I had a son, I could see him being much like Scott. That drive on and off the ice is remarkable. He’s overcome so much and I must admit, I’m proud of him.”

“If you could work with a pro hockey player past or present as either a coach or player who would it be.”

“Oh, definitely Ken Dryden. He’s such an intelligent man I could see myself relating to him well on and off the ice in any position. He’s always known what he’s wanted and fought hard to get there. I want that—no, I expect that—from all of our players. One day they will all have to hang up their jerseys and realize life goes on. I want to see them all do well. On the ice. And in the future.”
* * * *



There is one giveaway each day of her blog tour, as well as a Kindle as a grand prize at the end. All you have to do is leave a comment (with an email addy so we can find you if you win), and log your comment on the Rafflecopter! Come back tomorrow for the interview I did with Lorenzo Keane (YUM!!) :-)

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God Blessed Our Twisted, Pot-hole Filled Road

The start of my relationship with my husband wasn’t love at first sight. In fact, my first sight of him was a quick glimpse of his back as he walked away from me across a crowded room.

We were at my office open house (anyone read “Savin’ Me”… is this sounding familiar?)… I was a new employee and they’d just moved into a new space. Turns out, our office was known for throwing massive parties (we didn’t need much of an excuse and the Christmas parties were legendary. Another time, I’ll tell you about one that almost ended up with me divorced, before we even got married!) Anyway, the grand opening of the new office space was the perfect reason to have a party. I’d just started work the week before, he’d just moved back to town the week before, so there we were… but we didn’t meet that day.

I was the ad agency’s receptionist, and I worked with his sister. He’s a huge practical jokester, so for the next two months, whenever he called to speak with her, I got hit with a joke, we’d talk for a few minutes, and then I’d pass him off to her.

One Friday afternoon, I answered the phone, we spoke for a few minutes, and then I said, “Hang on just a sec.”

He said, “Why you puttin’ me on hold?”

“Because that’s the only way I can transfer the phone to your sister.”

I’ll never forget the next words, said in his smooth, eastern North Carolina drawl, “I didn’t call to talk to her. I called to talk to you.”

I’d been standing because I’d grabbed the phone on the run, so I lowered myself into my chair and held my breath.

He said, “I have two tickets for the football game tomorrow, you wanna go?”

At this point, I was all kinds of conflicted. I said, “My co-worker just invited me to go with him and his girlfriend, and it sounds like so much fun, but I don’t have a babysitter.” (Dusty was five) There were a few other reasons I wasn’t sure I wanted to go, but I won’t go into those now.

He said, “I can do better than him. If I find a sitter, will you go?”

Fifteen minutes later, he called back to see if I wanted the babysitter at his house or mine! :D I should probably let you know that later, he told me I wasn’t his first choice. His first choice had to work, so I was his second (and only) option. He didn’t want to go to the game without a date, so he was highly motivated! LOL

Since I’d just moved to town and didn’t have any furniture, we settled on his house. Correctly assuming that a fridge full of beer and leftover pizza wouldn’t be suitable for a five-year-old, Charles had us come over early so we could take Dusty to the grocery and let him pick out snacks for the day.

We left Dusty and the babysitter with enough junk food to put them into a diabetic coma, and headed off for the game. The game was great… in the beginning. But as Charles continued to work his way through airplane bottle after airplane bottle after airplane bottle, the afternoon took a turn for the worse. At least as far as I was concerned.

By the time the game was over, he was sloshed. I was annoyed.

I drove us back to his house with every intention of grabbing my kid and running for the hills. But the next thing I knew, Charles and his roommates had Dusty in the backyard, innings deep into an epic whiffle ball game. He was so sweet and amazing with my kid, I couldn’t help but melt.

At least enough for him to talk me into staying for dinner.

Hey, he offered to grill steaks!

As he sobered, the evening improved, but there were still times I found myself shaking my head and thinking, “This guy is so full of shit, no wonder his eyes are brown.”

When it came time for me to leave, he invited me to go downtown the following day to the United Way Fundraiser Kick-off. His friend was playing a concert in the park and he thought it would be something fun we could do with Dusty.

Not anxious to repeat this crazy up and down date, I fumbled for a good excuse. Finally, I remembered... “Oh, gosh. I wish I could, but I have laundry to do!”

“No problem,” he said, “I have a washer and a dryer.”

Okay, anyone who’s ever gone to a public laundry mat knows doing laundry in the luxury of a home is sooooo much better. I debated whether or not I was willing to tolerate another lousy date, and decided it was worth the risk.

Amazingly enough, it was one of the best dates, EVER! He continued to be incredibly sweet and attentive to my son, he carried him around on his shoulders so he could see everything going on, and he stopped and got a family-friendly movie we could all watch while the laundry was finishing up.

The next evening, he showed up at my house with a package of Dusty’s favorite cookies (chocolate chip with M&M’s on top) and a rose for me. He also asked if he could take us to the go-cart track that Friday.

We didn’t talk anymore that week, but true to his word, he arrived promptly at six-thirty on Friday and Date #3 cinched the deal. Dusty and I were hooked! Since that night, we’ve been pretty much inseparable, and I’m so grateful one of the first purchases Hubs made when he bought his new house was that washer and dryer!!

Two little side notes: I don’t have a picture of them playing whiffle ball the night of our first date, but I do have a picture of them playing ball the day we got married. We had a church wedding, then everyone went home and changed into casual clothes for the pig-pickin’ reception. Dusty was anxious to play, after having been in a little suit and uncomfortable shoes for a few hours, so Charles stood out in the drive with him and played ball before he changed.



Also, since his surgery and especially since the radiation, his memory is horrible!! He can’t remember conversations he had twenty-minutes ago or whether or not he’s had lunch. BUT… he still remembers Dusty’s favorite kind of cookies, and it’s not at all uncommon for him to grab a bag for Dusty if he’s at the grocery store.

Okay, your turn. Tell me about a whacky date that turned around... or one that didn’t! LOL Did you have lots of starts and stops on your road to Happily Ever After? Are you still in the process of missing massive potholes and a few landmines, looking for the "Right One?"

There will be a new blog post every Monday, but I'm going to allow the Rafflecopter to run for the month. However, since it's running that long, I'm increasing the prize packs. I'll give away 4 digital copies of the Heat Wave Novel of your choice, as well as 2 signed print books. Remember, you can tweet and share on FB every day to enter, and there will be new postings every Monday!

Thank you for dropping by and visiting with me!! I'm back here every day to reply to comments, so check back often, especially if you have a question you're waiting to be answered. Winner from last week's contest will be announced tomorrow!!!

Wishing you much peace and love!
Alannah
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Welcome to my New (Old) Blog!!!

I've been blogging off and on since 2009, but I always struggled with a comfortable direction (hence, the off and on). I tried posting recipes, pictures of hunks (which always netted the most views!), inspirational quotes, and the list goes on. I finally decided to abandon my blog and focus on FB... I never seem to have a problem finding something to say on FB!

Over the past several months, I'd been thinking about knocking the dust off and firing the old blog up again when I came across Kristen Lamb's blog. After reading her blog and book, I decided it was time to expend a few extra brain cells, figure out a platform, and get my butt in gear. As is so often the case, the universe supplied me with an answer.

An Italian friend was reading an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of CROSSING LINES, double-checking my Italian spelling and usage. Part-way through the book, she sent me the following message:

I don't normally read contemporary romance but I think you may have converted me. Your storytelling is REAL-meaning that you don't hold anything back. Like is messy, life is complicated, people make bad choices, life goes on, hope springs eternal, and that's exactly what I see in this story. And then there is an occasional misunderstanding that makes life hilarious-lol! Good on ya girl!

Her words really touched me and reminded me of similar comments I’ve had from other friends and readers. It also made me think about a song I used to hate, but have recently adopted as the theme song for my life.

In the fall of 2007, I heard Gary Allen's "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" for the first time. I knew the song had been recorded after his wife’s death, and the pain coming through was too close to home for me. It struck a nerve and I instantly hated the song. See, in 2007, my life sort of fell apart.

In June, my youngest had to have 6 baby teeth surgically removed because they weren't coming out on their own. Two weeks later, my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor (a deeply embedded mass in the brain that could only be partially removed). Two weeks later, he had surgery at Duke to remove what they could. While he was in surgery (literally, the same time), my oldest was back in our hometown, having an ultrasound of his kidneys, trying to figure out why they weren't functioning properly. Turns out, he had an undiagnosed strep infection (it went undetected for six months and to this day, he has lingering effects from that infection.) Seven weeks after my husband's surgery, my oldest had a tonsillectomy, and two weeks after that, my youngest had an emergency appendectomy.

Two weeks later, I was at my breaking point, so I rode with my husband to Beaufort, SC for a mini-vacation. He was on a family fishing trip, I was holed up in a hotel trying to piece together my sanity. That’s the first time I heard these lyrics: “Life ain’t always beautiful, but it’s a beautiful ride.”



At that point in my life, I was having a really hard time finding the beauty. I could find things to be thankful for; all of my guys were alive and recovering, but I still couldn’t find the beauty. All I saw was darkness and fear about the future.

Five and a half years later, aside from a recent wisdom tooth surgery, my youngest is a healthy high school senior. My oldest is still dealing with the fallout of being prescribed pain meds for six months, but he’s currently winning the battle and doing well. And my husband is doing GREAT! Over the years, he’s endured chemotherapy, radiation, and on-going Avastin infusions. The good news is they’re all doing their job, and each MRI (every two months), shows the tumor is continuing to shrink.

I’m also in a different place emotionally than I was back then. I can appreciate that song now, and while life isn’t always beautiful, it IS a beautiful ride!

Our highway is filled with potholes, speed bumps, landslides, and the occasional detour. But we make the most of it, deal with the challenges as best we can, and keep on rolling. I hope you’ll join me each week (I’ll post new updates every Monday), and ride life’s highway with me!! Don’t worry, there won’t be tears, at least not many, but there will be lots of laughter and good times!

There will also be on-going giveaways each month with lots of chances to enter to win digital and signed print books! You can only get points for commenting, following on Twitter, and "Liking" my author page once. But you can come back to Tweet and share on Facebook each day for extra entries! :-)

Please share a little bit about your beautiful life with me, and have a wonderful week!!

Oh!! I also wanted to let you know I'm hanging out at Plotmonkeys today, and on Wednesday evening (9:00 PM EST), I'll be at Mo's Book Buzz for a live chat!! Please drop by and visit with me at both of those places if you can!

Peace and love,
Alannah

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Crossing Lines Excerpt Tour Recap

I hope everyone's weekend is off to a great start!!!

The drawings for the Crossing Lines Excerpt Tour are going to remain open through Sunday!! I'm listing the links below, so if you missed any of the stops along the way, you can comment now and be entered into the drawings: An ebook of your choice; A complete signed set of the Heat Wave Series!!

Stop #1 - Harlie's Books
Stop #2 - Romance Book Craze
Stop #3 - Guilty Pleasures Book Review
Stop #4 - My Reading Obsession
Stop #5 - Salacious Reads

And don't forget to stop back by here on Monday for the re-launch of my blog, see the direction the blog will be going, and get in on the on-going giveaways!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Stop #5 - Salacious Reads

Hey everyone!!

There were some technical difficulties this morning and the excerpt didn't get posted. But it's up and ready to go now!! Stop by Salacious Reads for Stop #5 in the Crossing Lines Excerpt Tour. I'm going to talk with the "Power That Be" and see if we can keep the drawings open until Sunday to give everyone a chance to read and comment.

In case you're just getting here, I'll list the first 4 stops below. Be sure and comment at each for a chance to win a ditigal copy of the Heat Wave Novel of your choice, and to increase your chances at winning the entire signed print set!!

Stop #1 - Harlie's Books
Stop #2 - Romance Book Craze
Stop #3 - Guilty Pleasures Book Review
Stop #4 - My Reading Obsession

I also have an author interview posted at UP Authors - it's in conjunction with LAST CALL winning the Best Erotic Romance Cover!!

On Monday, I'll be visiting with the Plotmonkeys in the jungle!! I always love to visit there and meet so many fun new people.

Also on Monday, I'll be relaunching this blog!! It'll be a completely new direction for me, ongoing giveaways, new blog posts every Monday.

On Wednesday, 2/27, I'll be doing a live chat with Mo at Mo's Book Buzz. I'll post the link for the chat room starting on Monday.

Have a great weekend!!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

My Reading Obsession - Stop #4

Good morning!!

It's day #4 of the CROSSING LINES Excerpt Tour, and today, I'm at My Reading Obsession!

Stop by and find out how Kevin reacts after learning that Sam's best friend is a.....

Tehe....

You'll just have to read it and find out for yourself. I'm cruel like that!!

Have a wonderful Thursday!!

Peace and love,
Alannah

Stop #3 - Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews!!

Yesterday, Sam found herself in an awkward situation. Can she recover today, or do things just get worse?

Find out at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews - stop #3 on the "Crossing Lines" Book Tour!!

Hope to see you there!

Romance Book Craze Today - Day 2 Excerpt Tour

I'm at Romance Book Craze today with the 2nd excerpt of the Crossing Lines Excerpt Tour!!


Drop by and comment for a chance to win either a digital copy of "Crossing Lines" or "Last Call" (winner's choice), and to be entered into the grand prize drawing - a set of signed Heat Wave books!!

I hope to see you there!!