C. D. Bennett & her new romantic suspense No Good Dead

Please welcome C. D. Bennett and her new romantic suspense, No Good Dead. 

Hello readers, I am thrilled that M.S. Spencer invited me to her blog today. I appreciate the opportunity to connect with all of you and introduce you to my upcoming release No Good Deed, a book that, in a small way, took shape from personal experiences. This novel takes place on a family ranch in the rugged mountains of Colorado, a beautiful state filled with breathtaking views and people that share a deep-rooted love of the outdoors. It also happens to be where I spent a lot of my childhood. I got to play among the aspen trees and have ridden through those mountains on horseback. I still miss it. Since I can't hop on a plane every time I get nostalgic. What better way is there to revisit my old stomping grounds than to write about it?

I also included a main character that previously worked as an EMT (just like I did). It is how I put myself through college. Everyone says to write what you know, right? Needless to say, my heroine can handle a crisis. It's a good thing too, because Kiya James couldn't have known that saving the life of a stranger would make her the target of a dangerous unknown adversary. When she joins forces with the victim and his family, she finds herself thrust into a world filled with endless greed and relentless danger. It also opens the door to new love and found family.

I would love to hear your thoughts on No Good Deed!

 

Blurb:

No Good Deed…goes unpunished.

Kiya James’s relocation to idyllic Riverton, Colorado is disrupted when she discovers a critically wounded man lying in a field near her home. Little does she know that her selfless act to save the man’s life would thrust her into a world of corruption, greed, and danger. As the only witness to the initial attack, and shaken by an attempt on her own life, Kiya is offered refuge with the victim’s family. Together, they struggle to uncover the circumstances that would trigger an unknown assailant to unleash a string of deadly attacks in an otherwise quiet rural ranching community.

Jake McCleary’s world could have been destroyed with a single bullet if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of a stranger. Now, in a desperate attempt to protect her and his entire family, Jake must fight to defend his home, livelihood, and the woman who is rapidly capturing his heart, against the vicious actions of a criminal who will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants. But will they find the answers they need in time, or will they lose everything to the conceit of a madman? And will the bond between his wounded brother and the woman that saved him prove to be too big of an obstacle for Jake to overcome in the pursuit for Kiya’s love?

Introduction to the excerpt:

In this excerpt, Jake and Kiya have been spending time together while trying to uncover information about an attack on Jake’s brother, Dylan. Jake starts to realize that his feelings for Kiya aren’t as simple as he thought, but he would never hurt his brother by coming between the two of them.

Excerpt: Troubling realization

Outside, the air had turned chilly causing Kiya to shiver slightly when the wind blew across the yard. Jake immediately wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. He had snagged it from a peg hanging inside the door as they were leaving. “What are you doing running around out here without a jacket?”

“Thanks, I didn’t need one on my way over, and I wasn’t expecting it to get so cold. The temperature changes fast around here,” she said as she snuggled farther into the jacket.

They made the short walk to the cabin in relative silence, but as they entered the glow given off by the light near the front door, Kiya stopped and turned toward Jake. “Thank you for inviting me tonight. It was great getting to see Dylan that way. Even if he still tires easily.”

“It’s surprising how effortless it is for you to tune in to how he’s feeling. You noticed his change in energy quicker than any of the rest of us.”

Jake’s words were spoken lightly, but his eyes appeared guarded. Kiya shrugged. “I know what to look for, that’s all.”

“I suppose that could be it,” he allowed.

The wind picked up again causing Kiya’s hair to flutter across her cheeks. Without thinking, Jake reached over and smoothed the silky strands away from her face, but the mental image of his brother’s interaction with her earlier in the evening had him pulling his hand back and shoving it into his pocket. He had been unprepared for his reaction to their almost instant and very obvious bond. He was struggling with the fact that he didn’t like it.

 

No Good Deed

The Wild Rose Press, June 26, 2024

Romantic Suspense

308 pages

 

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press

Books2Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

I am an avid reader and nature lover who enjoys adventurous outdoor activities when I'm not busy writing romantic suspense novels. Horseback riding, hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, and swimming are some of my favorite pastimes. I have even "taken the plunge" with skydiving and scuba diving. I live in rural northwest Pennsylvania with my family and a menagerie of animal companions. I am currently working on my third book.

 

Contacts:

Website  Amazon Author  Facebook

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Welcome Amber Daulton & her Upcoming Release Arresting Alan

Please welcome my guest Amber Daulton, who will tell us all about her upcoming romantic suspense release, Arresting Alan. This is Book 4 of her popular series Arresting Onyx. Arresting Alan is available for pre-order now, and will release April 9. The floor is yours, Amber.

His darkest secret is exposed. Will he find love and redemption in the arms of the woman who could destroy him?

Blurb

A hacker, a federal agent, and a crime boss. The time has come to fight.

Computer technician Alan Harding is no saint, but his squeaky-clean image is unshakable in the eyes of his family and especially his young son. After he agrees to assist a drug lord-turned-snitch and hack into a criminal database, he’s faced with an impossible challenge—keeping his hands and heart away from his sexy-as-sin bodyguard, DEA Special Agent Hannah Adler.

Hannah would rather go hand-to-hand with an assailant than go undercover as Alan’s girlfriend, but she’s determined to keep him safe and his illegal activities on the down-low. The handsome man and his adorable child, however, are more than she bargained for.

Once their enemies learn the truth and retaliate by kidnapping Alan’s son, they’ll have to race against the clock to save the boy and bring a dangerous empire to its knees.

Arresting Alan

Daulton Publishing, Release Date: April 9, 2024
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 85,000 words
Heat Rating: 5 Flames
Series: Arresting Onyx (Book 4)
ASIN: B0C887HXK9

Excerpt: The bad guy and even badder guys

Alan and Hannah have spent all day working on their assignment and then overhear something they shouldn’t have. Tension mounts as they demand answers from a dangerous drug lord. 

    Voices carried from down the dimly lit corridor.

As they neared the armory, the rough voices grew louder. The sound of metal clanked in his ears. His gut clenched. He grasped Hannah’s hand to keep her at his side in case she tried to jump in front of him with some harebrained notion that he needed protection. Harsh white light shone from the open doorway. His pulse thrummed faster as he paused at the threshold.

Five bulky men in SWAT gear pulled a few semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles from a corrugated-metal cabinet.

“It’s about time Thorn fucks with the Jestons.” One thug jammed a clip into a gleaming black gun. “I never liked their store—too damn expensive.”

“Got that right.” A dark-haired man stuffed on a ski cap.

Hannah stiffened and whispered to Alan, “What’s going on?”

He stepped back and pulled her with him before anyone could bitch at them for intruding. Chills raked his skin. “I don’t know, but it’s not our business.”

“Like hell, it’s not. They’re prepping for war. I can’t let this go.”

Neither could he since those assholes were going after the Jestons. He tightened his grip on Hannah and stomped back the way they came. The two dead-eyed guards in the vestibule outside Bristol’s office sneered as he stopped in front of them.

Hannah tugged her hand free and spread her feet in a battle stance.

“I need to speak with Thorn. Tell him I’m here.” Alan waited for a guard to open the doors or phone the man, but they continued to skewer him with their beady glares. The high-tech camera in the corner with the blinking LED light inside the globe fed the footage to Bristol’s computer—a system Alan had designed for each camera in the compound. “Damn it, I have no beef with you, but I’m getting into that room. Move, or I’ll make you.”

The blond bastard smirked.

All right, then. Alan fisted his hands. There was no time like the present to test out his boxing skills.

The barrier swung open from the inside, and the guards stepped away.

Bristol blocked the entryway with his broad shoulders, six-foot-five height, and his fuck-off scowl. Deep creases bracketed his cold brown eyes like craters.

Unfazed, Alan gazed past him to the four angry lieutenants near the desk. The heat of their stares burned as hot as the noonday sun.

He focused on the captain. “Why are your henchmen dressed for war?”

“You’re supposed to be gone by now. We’ll speak tomorrow.”

Alan pushed past him to enter the room with Hannah at his heels. “Now, in private.”

Bristol’s eyes bugged out. “Have you lost your fucking mind?” He grabbed Alan by his coat’s lapel and dragged him closer until barely an inch separated them.

 Add it to Goodreads - https://bit.ly/ArrestingAlanGoodreads

Check it out on BookBub - https://bit.ly/ArrestingAlanBookbub

 PreOrder Links

 Only 99 cents for a limited time!

Universal link - https://books2read.com/arrestingalan

Amazon - https://amzn.to/3CQFCuh

Apple/iBooks - https://apple.co/3PE4vAA

Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arresting-alan-amber-daulton/1143584871?ean=2940160981956

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/arresting-alan

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=d2vCEAAAQBAJ

 

About the Author 

Amber Daulton

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic suspense series Arresting Onyx and several stand-alone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Social Media Links

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

Exclusive Newsletter (free ebook to new subscribers) – https://amberdaulton.com/newsletter-signup/

 

A Visit with Arlene Culiner and The Turkish Affair

Please welcome Arlene Culiner, who is going to tell us about her fabulous mystery/romance The Turkish Affair. 

The words Romantic Mystery often conjure up serial killers, car chases, shoot-outs, and gun-packing super heroes and heroines. I, however, prefer reality. When finding myself in terrible danger, do I contemplate romance? Can I count on the sudden appearance of a sexy secret agent who puts all villains out of commission? Of course not. Instead of all that action, I transport readers to unusual places, give them unconventional intelligent heroes and heroines. In The Turkish Affair, Anne Pierson is a former American journalist who, after a scandalous affair with the wrong man, lost her job and her reputation. For the last ten years, she’s been hiding in backwoods Turkey and working as a translator. My hero, archaeologist Renaud Townsend, is passionate about his work and ancient history, but he’s determined to keep his independence.

Like Anne, I once lived in a small community in central Turkey, and I worked as a translator (then later, as a belly dancer—but that’s another story altogether). I was in Turkey at a difficult time: the police were corrupt, there was political unrest, and there were frequent arrests. Several times I found myself in danger, and once, as related in The Turkish Affair, a brave young woman rescued me. I was also present when archaeologists were called in to identify stolen coins, and the thefts from an archaeological site did happen in the way I describe them.

   Of course Anne’s story is very different from mine. And one morning, while passing through an archaeological site, I caught sight of a man ambling in the direction of a tumble of ruined pillars. He was lean, supple, and the torrid sun caught the golden blaze of his hair. He became Renaud Townsend, the hero of The Turkish Affair.

Blurb:

Priceless artifacts are disappearing from the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu in Turkey, and the site director has vanished. Called in to solve the mystery, archaeologist Renaud Townsend is hindered by both his inability to speak the language and the knowledge that the local police are corrupt. His attraction to translator Anne Pierson is immediate, although he is troubled by her refusal to talk about the past and her fear of public scandal.

But when murder enters the picture, both Anne and Renaud realize that the risk of falling in love is not the only danger.

 Excerpt:

The sound of insistent knocking penetrated through heavy layers of sleep. Anne fought her way out of the world of dreams and back into consciousness. The knocking persisted. It was real. Louder. Longer. Someone out in the street was hammering on the door of this house. What time was it? Not morning. This didn’t have the feel of morning. Beyond the skimpy curtains imperfectly covering the windows of her room, the sky was black. So it was still night. Anne’s fingers fumbled blindly, searching for the little clock on the table to her left.
      Two o’clock? What was going on? She lay still in her warm bed, fearing the unknown. There was nothing to do but wait. Durmuş, the male head of the family, would attend to the matter. He was the only one qualified for such a job; here, one conformed to strict rules.
      The knocking stopped. She strained her ears, desperate to know what was going on. Silence. It was probably nothing at all. Perhaps someone—a relative, a neighbor—was ill and needed to call a doctor. Not everyone, particularly older people, possessed a telephone out here. Perhaps it was something simple: a burst pipe, a birth? Perhaps a cousin, an uncle and aunt had just arrived from distant place like Germany. Or France. She stopped speculating and tried to calm herself, well aware of how tense and frightened she was.
      One never knew what was really going on in this part of the world. This wasn’t a major city like Istanbul or Ankara; this was nothing like the south coast with its tourist hotels, foreign-owned apartments, and the modern dwellings of middle-class Turks. This was the backwoods where everyone relied on rumor, speculation, or mumbled stories. Too many of those stories told of arrests and interrogations—arrests that often took place at hours like this, when everyone’s guard was down.
      Pointless, ignoring the reality of life. Yes, people here were kind and generous, and the countryside was outstandingly beautiful. But there were dangers. The political situation was unstable. There was no check on police power, and human rights barely existed. Everyone, even those from upstanding families, feared the knock on the door. And she, a foreign, unattached woman, could always be deemed a bad influence in this conservative society.
      “Anne?” Durmuş was outside her door, calling her softly. “Anne, wake up.”
      As if she could have slept through such a din. Leaping out of bed, she raced to the door, opened it. Durmuş’s pale, lined face didn’t look particularly anxious. That, at least, was a good sign.
      “Some people want to see you. It’s urgent, they say.”
      Of course it would be, at an hour like this. “Who?”
      “Yıldız, from the Tourist Board. The police.”
      “The police?” Her heart caught.
      “Another man, too.”
       “I’ll get dressed.” She closed the door with trembling hands and hastily scrabbled around for clothes—how did shoes manage to hide themselves when you needed them most?—then headed down the corridor toward the vestibule. Under the naked bulb, she saw Yıldız Bey and the police officer. The third man…
      Her astonished eyes met Renaud’s apologetic ones. “Sorry for waking you at this ungodly hour, Anne,” he said quietly. “I would have telephoned, but no one seems to have a number for you.”
      “I don’t have a cell phone.” She preferred being well off the world’s radar.
      “Well, that’s the answer then.” He smiled faintly. “We couldn’t wait until morning. Mr. Yıldız was good enough to bring me here, and we have to get going.”
      “Going? To where?”
      “We’re driving to Denizşehir where you’ll be doing some translating. I’ll give you the details when we’re on the road. Pack an overnight bag, just in case we have to stay longer.”
      “Denizşehir?” That city was hundreds of miles away, down on the coast. What did Denizşehir have to do with her? With Renaud and the police? And why leave now, at this crazy hour? How unreal everything seemed at this time of the morning—or was it night?      She was hardly in a position to protest. This was an emergency of some sort, or Yıldız Bey wouldn’t have brought Renaud to this respectable family home where she lived.
      Back in her room, she stuffed essentials into a traveling bag. A blouse, light skirt. What else would need? A nightgown. A dress—something elegant, pretty, and feminine, just in case they would be seeing important people down on the coast…unless this was pure coquetry on her part. The thought made her smile.

What they say about The Turkish Affair

Glittering descriptions, magical settings, and enviable characters. Culiner’s mastery of the English language and sentence combinations form an enchanting read for lovers of romance and adventure. Readers’ Favorite

 

Work has gone into making sure the historic facts and archaeological details are spot on. This is an excellent book that was an easy read. The pace was steady and the mystery kept me gripped to the unexpected ending. Whispering Stories Book Blog

 

Buried pasts and questionable reputations, vulnerable hearts, fragile feelings, suspense, fear, and intrigue—they are all here. I didn’t want to put it down. J Livingstone 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkQ20uC4eg

Purchase Links: https://books2read.com/TheTurkishAffair

About the Author

 

J. Arlene Culiner

Writer, social critical artist, and impenitent teller of tall tales, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a mud house on the Great Hungarian Plain, in a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave dwelling, a haunted house on the English moors, and on a Dutch canal. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest where, much to local dismay, she protects spiders, snakes, and weeds.

Observing people in cafes, in their homes, on trains, or in the streets, she eavesdrops on all private conversations, and delights in hearing any nasty, funny, ridiculous, sad, romantic, or boastful story. And when she can't uncover really salacious gossip, she makes it up.

Social links:

Website: https://www.j-arleneculiner.com/the-turkish-affair

Author: https://linktr.ee/j.arleneculiner

 

NN Light’s Summertime Event Features Orion’s Foot: Myth, Mystery & Romance in the Amazon Today!

 

Summer officially kicks off on June 21. Many readers are looking for great books to read this summer as they lounge at the pool, sunbathe on the beach, or vacation in exotic places. Have I got the book for you! Put June 23 on your calendar!

Monsters, passion, & obsession lurk deep in the jungle

Drop by N. N. Light’s Book Heaven for their Summertime Bookish Event June 23 for a taste of my mystery Orion’s Foot: Myth, Mystery & Romance in the Amazon. See how much you know about constellations.

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/orion-s-foot-sbbe

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/orion-s-foot-sbbe

The giveaway prize is a $25 Amazon (US or CA) gift card. Runs June 20 – June 28, 2023.

Winner will be drawn on June 29, 2023.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db7750223 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Know the hero: Spencer’s Lapses of Memory on Romance Lives Forever

Romance Lives Forever is hosting me with a look at my romantic suspense thriller Lapses of Memory today: https://rlfblog.com/lapses-of-memory-061420 

A rush of emotion dropped a veil over all but the tiny world of the two people in seats 11A and 11B, in a jet plane floating somewhere over the Atlantic, in a still moment in time.

Sydney Bellek first meets Elian Davies in the 1950s on a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser when she is five and he is seven. They run into each other every few years after that, but while he knows from the start that she is his true love, she does not. Later, as rival journalists, they vie for scoops on international crises from the Iranian revolution to the Lebanese civil war. The handsome and intrepid Elian beats her out at every turn, even while keeping his love for her secret.

Only after years of separation does she finally realize they are meant to be together, but this time, in a twist of fate, it is Elian whose memory of her is gone. Will he remember her before she loses heart or will their new love be enough to replace the old one?

Pirates, Puritans, & Princes—Whirlwind Romance

And the fourth installment in the increasingly mislabeled trilogy. Here’s something from my wild Caribbean romantic suspense novel Whirlwind Romance.

Pirates, Puritans, and princes—pieces of the puzzle in the whirlwind romance between a jelly maker and a castaway.

Paraiso, the island in Whirlwind Romance, is based on a real island in the western Caribbean that I discovered—how else?—mucking around on the internet. Called Providencia, it forms an archipelago with two other islands, San Andres and Santa Catalina, and five uninhabited atolls. Currently under the Colombian flag, it has been the ruled by an incredible variety of groups, from Henry Morgan the notorious buccaneer, to Spanish Conquistadors, Dutch traders, even English Puritans. Now part of the UN's Seaflower Biosphere, it sports the third largest coral reef in the world. To reach it isn't easy, which is why it's not well known in tourist circles.

Its rich and odd history made it an intriguing backdrop for my story, but please be aware that most of the cultural and geographic description of Paraiso in Whirlwind Romance, not to mention the characters, is purely fictional.

Blurb

In the aftermath of a hurricane, Lacey Delahaye finds herself marooned on an island on the Gulf coast of Florida with a mysterious man. They are immediately drawn to each other, but before Armand can confess his identity, they are kidnapped and taken to a tiny island in the western Caribbean. With the help of her son Crispin and a small, but fierce young boy, Inigo, she and Armand must face down pirates, power-mad ideologues, and palace intrigue, if they are to restore the once idyllic tropical island to its former glory.

Mangrove swamp near Lacey's house

In this excerpt, Lacey and Armand are only beginning to slip into what might be love.

Excerpt (PG): Slipping Briskly

The full moon shone through the window, illuminating Lacey’s nodding head. Armand touched her cheek. “I think it’s your bedtime.”

Stung, she shot back, “I’m taking care of you, remember?”

He held up a hand. “Sorry! I’d forgotten.” After a moment, he asked, his tone diffident, “Can you help me up?”

Lacey put an arm around his back and together they limped to Crispin’s room. She took his pants and shirt off and folded them neatly. As she turned to leave, he touched her arm. “Stay a minute?”

How could she admit she had to get out of there quickly or she wouldn’t be able to go at all? His handsome face—the strong chin covered with stubble, the pearly teeth contrasting with his tan skin, not to mention the long, graceful fingers he held out to her—all conspired to lure her closer. Her heart led the way, propelling her to his side. She sat down. “What is it?”

“Lacey…um.”

Her body tensed as desire fought to get out, and she fought just as hard to keep it in. I have to go. I have to…go. “What?”

His words came out in a rush. “Lacey, the other day—the first night—when you rescued me. When we…we…”

Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Christ.

“I…uh…want you to know I don’t do that on a regular basis.”

His air of shy ambivalence gave her courage. “I see. You don’t have sex on a regular basis?”

“No, no, it’s not that.” He stopped, flustered. “Er, I mean… I don’t sleep with women indiscriminately.”

Should she let him off the hook? Nah. “But you do sleep with a lot of women?”

“No! Lacey, you’re being difficult on purpose. I meant, that I didn’t mean to…you know. It just happened. Forgive me?”

“I—”

Armand interrupted her. “Not that it wasn’t enjoyable.” He seemed distracted, running a finger down her arm. “Wonderful. Fantastic. Too short.” He peered at her. “Lacey, you must know how beautiful you are. You have the most perfect cheekbones I’ve ever seen.”

“Cheekbones?” What the hell is he talking about?

“I’m an amateur photographer. Those cheekbones could belong to a supermodel. Perfectly sculpted. And your nose…” He tapped the tip. “A little pixie nose. It even turns up slightly. Your long, fine hair is the russet-gold of burnished copper pots I once saw piled high in a shop on Martinique. Your eyes…” He closed his. “Your eyes are the blue-green of a freshly mowed cricket field, of the emeralds that grow deep in the mountains, of the lagoon near my home on a blustery day.” He touched her hand. “Then there’s your body—as I remember it—a soft, comfortable, pillowy—”

“Hey!” Lacey shook her head to break the spell. “I think you’ve said enough. Get some sleep.”

She tried to rise, but he slipped his arms around her and drew her close. She wanted to struggle. She tried to struggle. It was no use. The long kiss filled her with a warmth that matched a fire on a cold night, a cup of cocoa, or a hot bath. When he lay back, the warmth turned to blazing passion. The power of it frightened her. I’ve got to go. She ran out of the room before he could stop her.

Paraiso

Whirlwind Romance

Wild Rose Press, 8/17/2016, Champagne Rose imprint
Contemporary romance/Action Adventure; M/F; 2 flames
Imprint: Champagne
Rating: Hot (R)
Ebook 89,905 words; Print: 358 p. 

Buy links:

Wild Rose Press   Amazon   Barnes & Noble

Kobo   Google   ITunes   Walmart   Indigo

Brenda Whiteside and Sleeping with the Lights On With Us Today

Please welcome Brenda Whiteside, author of Sleeping with the Lights On. Brenda, Sleeping with the Lights On was your first full-length novel. Can you tell us how it came about?

Ten years ago, this month, I signed my first contract for book publication. Sleeping with the Lights On was actually the first full length novel I’d written, although it started out as a short story. And the story is now an audio book. I’m thrilled. Lily Dubuque did a fantastic job of bringing my characters to life.

I love to tell the journey of this novel took.

One afternoon, hanging with my sister, she complained about her last disappointing date. She was divorced, and sick of dating and being single. I always told her, jokingly, you've had more men in your life than any one woman deserves, so buck up. I suggested her dating life would make great fodder for a short story. I sat at my computer and told her to recite a characterization of every man she'd dated, starting with the ill-fated relationship with the G.I. in Germany who took her on a date to the Black Forest and didn't get past the first tree, so to speak. I titled the file "Of Men and Bullshit."

Over the next few weeks, that story grew. I had so much fun telling the tale of a fifty-year-old woman who’d not found Mr. Right or a career. I added a few fictional escapades, but the men who appear in the book are real enough. And by the way, I couldn’t fit in all of them.

Once I finished, I decided to enter it in a small regional contest. A few weeks later, I decided to submit it to The Wild Rose Press for publishing. Thank goodness I submitted before I got the contest results back. They trashed my baby. I might have been too discouraged to continue. But TWRP loved it! Publisher wins out over contest judges every time!

In the ten years since publication, the cover has been updated once, and now it’s available on audio in addition to eBook and print. It’s a great summer read.

My sister and I at my book launch

Sleeping with the Lights On

The Wild Rose Press, May 21, 2010

Audio Release date: May 1, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Romance

242 pages

Heat Rating: Sensual

A secret admirer, a redheaded stalker, and an eccentric millionaire have thrown Sandra Holiday on a dangerous path.

After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra thinks she’s met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans, but also left her single and broke.

Carson Holiday, a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love, never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandra’s life, reigniting an attraction he can’t deny.

When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again. As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on – or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?

Read the first chapter here: https://brendawhiteside.com/sleeping-lights-on-chpt-1

Excerpt: Moon Shadows

“When do you go back to Vegas?”

Carson hesitated. “In a day or two.”

Pulling me around, we stopped, facing each other. My head said run like hell, but my legs wouldn’t respond. Mushy from wine or Carson and moonlight. I couldn’t be sure which.

“Have lunch with me tomorrow, darlin’.” His fingers slipped from mine to gingerly brush along my forearm. The moonlight caught in his eyes. “Another hour of your time with a long-lost friend?”

“Yes.” My voice went all husky and come-hither. I wanted to kick myself for being so easy.

“Good.” Grasping my hand again, he led me toward the door. “What’s the address of your office?”

I struggled to shake off the moon shadows and to remember where I worked. Once inside the building, I took a scrap of paper from my purse and wrote the address.

“I’ll walk you to your door and say goodnight,” he said, tucking the scrap of paper in his pocket. “Unless you want to have me in for a goodnight drink.”

I didn’t answer. If he’d only known the extent of my uncertainty at that moment, a little persistence might have made me cave.

“Okay, then—” His mouth gaped.

I followed his bewildered look to my apartment door and the pinned sheet of paper.

TRAMP

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Lights-Brenda-Whiteside-ebook/dp/B003N3V4LK

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sleeping-with-the-lights-on-brenda-whiteside/1021751737?ean=2940043324740

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sleeping-with-the-lights-on/id1388815805?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sleeping-with-the-lights-on-2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Brenda_Whiteside_Sleeping_with_the_Lights_On?id=RNwdCwAAQBAJ

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/sleeping-with-the-lights-on

Audio

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-with-the-Lights-On/dp/B07R7RRDDD/

ITunes: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/sleeping-with-the-lights-on-unabridged/id1462229387

Brenda Whiteside

About the Author

Brenda Whiteside is the author of suspenseful, action-adventure romance. Mostly. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have decided they are gypsies at heart. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo while splitting their time between Northern Arizona and the RV life. If you enjoy stories by Linda Howard, Sharon Sala, Calle J. Brookes, or Amanda McKinney, you’ll enjoy Brenda’s romantic suspense.

Visit Brenda at

Website: https://www.brendawhiteside.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendawhitesid2

Blog: https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-whiteside

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