Monday, December 22, 2014

It's release day for Playing House, book 3 in the Dropping Anchor series!

It's a little hard for me to process that the last book in the Dropping Anchor series releases today. The start of the series, Island House, was my first manuscript, and I started it in 2010. You'll note that it isn't my first published work, an honor that goes to the short story Traditions from the Heart, which was part of the 2012 Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar. I'd gotten most of the way through Island House and then gotten discouraged, put it aside, and moved on to other projects.

The story kept eating at me, though, and I went back to it time and again. I'm more than a little bit in love with Niall, and I'm sure that shows in the book. While it's technically a romance, Island House is really the story of Niall coming to terms with an unimaginable loss and giving himself permission to grow and move on.

The book set the tone for the entire Dropping Anchor series. Each book is about a different kind of life journey, and all three have main characters who are a little lost and confused and have to find their way to happiness. In Island House, Niall finally lets go of his guilt over his partner's death and allows himself to live the kind of life his partner would have wanted for him.

In Finding Home, we watch Ian, who is self absorbed and brusque, finally settle down and grow into himself. Even though he's in his thirties, he never really grew up. Despite his character flaws--which are legion--he's a good guy at heart. It just takes the right motivation for him to uncover those depths.

The last book, Playing House, comes out today. I love all three books in the series, but for personal reasons, Playing House will probably always be the book closest to my heart, and it's all because of Frank.

All his life, Frank has been different. He's never had a label for it, but he's known that the way he processes things and experiences the word around him is somewhat off kilter from the norm. It hasn't negatively impacted his life, because he hasn't let it. He's taken completely by surprise when his husband says he wants to start a family, and Frank has to really take a good, hard look at himself and see if that's something he wants as well. And, of course, he has Niall and Ian there to help him along the way.

The entire Dropping Anchor series is about watching the struggles as men we've come to love--Niall, Ian, Frank--navigate the challenges that have been thrown their way, learning and growing as they go. The overarching theme in all three books is self-acceptance, and that's something I hope all readers are able to internalize for themselves. We're always so hard on ourselves, and the men in the Dropping Anchor series have to learn to be gentler with themselves. It's something we could all take a lesson from.

The Dropping Anchor series is available at most online book retailers.


Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Release day for Late Bloomer (and psst, it's on sale!)

It seems like I've hardly had time to blink since my last release, but here we are again! My first holiday novella of the season The Magic of Weihnachten, released on Dec. 1, and today my second holiday tale, Late Bloomer, hits the virtual shelves. 

This one isn't exactly a Christmas tale. We meet the main characters on Thanksgiving Day, which is pretty much universally accepted as the start of the Christmas season here in the United States. The book is set in Michigan, and most of the families I know in the Midwest (ours usually included, if we're not traveling!) put up their Christmas tree either on Thanksgiving Day or that weekend. So it stands to reason that the early part of the holiday season would be the busiest time of the year on a Christmas tree farm, which is where David and Erik meet .

Working any kind of retail during the Christmas season is my idea of a nightmare, and David Rochester would agree. His family owns the Christmas tree farm, and even with his self-professed dislike of people and hatred of Christmas music, he finds himself working the dreaded Christmas Shoppe on the property more than usual, thanks to his family's meddling attempts to match him up with Erik, one of the part-time employees they take on to get through the busy season. 

Need some fluff and banter to perk you up this holiday season? Late Bloomer will leave you with a smile on your face. And bonus: through Dec. 13, it's 25% off at Dreamspinner Press!


Late Bloomer

Available now from:
If not for his family and his Christmas tree farm, David Rochester would be a recluse. And Erik Shriver wouldn’t know a quiet moment if it smacked him in the face. But now David’s farm has brought them together. When Erik’s flurry of bad jokes and frenetic energy sets David off kilter, his family notices and begins conspiring. They push David and a very willing Erik together again and again until David stops denying his attraction. But an almost-hermit and a soon-to-be-former club boy each bring baggage into a relationship. They’ll have to take things slowly to find the middle ground between David's taciturn silence and Eric's boundless chatter.


Late Bloomer


Monday, December 1, 2014

December releases and a HUGE Cyber Monday sale on my titles at ARe!

I have THREE new releases this month, which is kind of amazing. And even more amazing is the fact that  All Romance ebooks has my entire catalog for half off today for Cyber Monday! That include's today's release, The Magic of Weihnachten, as well as preorders for my other Christmas novella, Late Bloomer, and the third book in the Dropping Anchor series, Playing House. That is a seriously amazing deal...jump on that while you  can! *g*



The Magic of  Weihnachten

American Walsh Brandt is happy when a promotion lands him his dream job and a quiet new life in Germany. Until December rolls around, when he realizes it’s almost impossible to hide from the holiday season in Germany.

Dierck Reiniger is fascinated by Walsh’s hatred of Christmas and makes it his personal mission to help Walsh enjoy Weihnachten and the German traditions he grew up with. Walsh has a great time getting to know Dierck—but he still isn’t sold on Christmas, despite Dierck's efforts. Dierck's on the rebound, and he's determined to develop their physical relationship slowly, much to Walsh's frustration. It isn’t until they’re alone in a secluded cabin—hiding from the traditional trappings—that Walsh finally recognizes what the magic of the season can bring when spent with someone special.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press, ARe




Late Bloomer

If not for his family and his Christmas tree farm, David Rochester would be a recluse. And Erik Shriver wouldn’t know a quiet moment if it smacked him in the face. But now David’s farm has brought them together. When Erik’s flurry of bad jokes and frenetic energy sets David off kilter, his family notices and begins conspiring. They push David and a very willing Erik together again and again until David stops denying his attraction. But an almost-hermit and a soon-to-be-former club boy each bring baggage into a relationship. They’ll have to take things slowly to find the middle ground between David's taciturn silence and Eric's boundless chatter.

Release date:  Dec. 10, 2014

Preorder links: Dreamspinner Press, ARe, Amazon








Playing House
Dropping Anchor: Book Three


College sweethearts Frank and Warner have been together for sixteen years, married for eleven. Having grown up in a freewheeling hippie environment, Frank thinks their structured life is great, although lately he and Warner have fallen into a rut. Frank isn't concerned; it's what happens to old marrieds. Frank’s blindsided, though, when he finds Warner looking into adopting, and Frank realizes just how not okay things really are. 

Frank doesn’t want kids. They bring chaos and unpredictability. He had enough of that growing up. Trying to salvage their relationship, Frank and Warner reach out for help. In the process of marriage counseling and working through their differences, Frank discovers his rigid adherence to schedules, anxiety attacks, and host of personality quirks are actually markers for Asperger Syndrome. With the help of a psychologist, Frank’s life gets easier, and he realizes a future with children isn’t as unfathomable as he once thought. 

Through it all, Frank is stunned by how much making a family with Warner has boosted the intimacy between them. It’s taken thirty-five years, but he’s finally got a handle on life, and the future looks even better.

Release date: Dec. 22,  2014

Preorder links: Dreamspinner Press, ARe

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

GRL hangover

I'm physically back from this year's GRL, but mentally I think I'm still stuck somewhere between dancing with gorgeous (and  mostly naked) eye candy at the eXstasy Books  and  Wilde City Press Juke Joint and the cozy fireplace nook where everyone gathered to warm up and chat. *g*

I'll have a recap of my very first (but certainly not my last!) GRL later, after I've  begged photos off other  people  since I came home and realized  that I didn't take a single one! A good sign, I suppose. Usually I have tons of photos, but I was having too much fun to even think about it last week.

I'll  also have some updates about books that  are  coming out soon, including a cover reveal for what may be my favorite cover yet. Stay tuned!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

All in a Day's Work is available for pre-order!

I've never organized an anthology before, but I will definitely do it again--it's been amazing  working with the authors involved in All in a Day's Work. In fact, it's been so fun that it hardly felt like work at all, which is why I was absolutely floored when the book appeared on Dreamspinner's Coming Soon page.

The editing process is always as painless as possible over at Dreamspinner Press, but this one seemed especially quick and easy. Must be because I did it in fabulous company, right? Hard to believe such an awesome anthology started with a simple Tweet. Behold, the power of social media! *g*

You can pre-order it (in ebook or paperback) now.

The book will be available Sept. 22, just in time for GayRomLit in October! If you order a paperback and will be going  to GRL, you'll have the option of picking it up there if you like. Several of the authors (including me!) will be at GRL, so if you see us stop us and say hi. I'll have some awesome book lights for anyone who buys a paperback of one of my books, this one included!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Cover reveal: All in a Day's Work






Sometimes I think  I should be banned from the internet because it makes me so much less productive. And other times it helps connect me with other writers and things like the All in a Day's Work anthology are born!

Eight short stories about  finding love—or a hot hook-up—at work. All but one are contemporary, with the outlier being a 1930s historical that will give you a new perspective on dance halls. From newlyweds who can't keep their hands off each other in the office to Revolutionary War reenactors who spice up Washington's Army to high society spies engaged in dangerous espionage, no one will suggest that the characters in All in a Day's Work give up their day jobs!

My piece in All in a Day's Work is My  OTP, and yes, that's a nod to fandom. It was a blast to channel all that fandom squee into an original fiction piece!


Troy Casley and Ryder Hamilton cohost a popular myth-debunking reality television show, and their on-air chemistry is a big part of the show's huge fan base. Fans have long suspected there's more between them than just friendship, and most posts on Tumblr about them are accompanied with exclamation points and the tag OTP--One True Pairing.Little do the fans know, but they're on to something. Troy and Ryder have been having a secret affair for months.

But Troy wants more than just a casual relationship with Ryder.  Like their hardcore fans,  he  wants  Ryder  to  be his  OTP.  When Ryder discovers the social media sites where Troy obsessively reads about them, his reaction just might surprise Troy.


The anthology will be available from Dreamspinner Press in  late September, just in time for GayRomLit!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Book three is finished! Party's on!

It's done! The final installment in the Dropping Anchor series has been sent in to my publisher. *big sigh of relief*

Credit: PlentyofColour
I've really enjoyed getting to know Niall and Ethan, Luke and Ian, and now, in the latest book, Frank and Warner. And as much fun as I've had with them, I'm definitely ready to move on and discover a new universe of characters.

This is also the first time since October 2013 that I don't have deadlines I'm working toward. It's both freeing and terrifying! There are probably half a dozen manuscript snippets I've started and put aside over the last nine months because I had to devote my time to the books already scheduled for publication, so now I'm at loose ends trying to decide what do pick up first. I feel like a kid in a candy store--any way I turn there's something exciting waiting for me, and I can't make up my mind!

For today, though, I'm going to focus on some of the mundane things that slip through the cracks when I'm on deadline...like vacuuming. And folding a mountain of laundry.

Monday, June 23, 2014

It's release week for Finding Home, and I'm celebrating by giving away a $20 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate!




Wow, is it just me or is this year just flying by?! It seems like I just finished writing Finding Home a few days ago, but it's actually been almost seven months. (And even more mind-blowing for me: I'm a few days away from finishing the third book in the series!)

Today is release day for Finding Home, and I'm so excited to share Ian's journey from the roguish playboy we met in Island House to the man he is at the end of Finding Home. Don't get me wrong--Ian didn't completely transform his personality. I think we'd all be upset if he wasn't the same snarky, slightly selfish bastard he was when we got to know him. But in Finding Home he matures and finally starts to settle down, and it's so much fun to see how he reacts to domesticity. (Hint: There are quite a few bumps on the way.)

I'm on the Dreamspinner Press blog all day today talking about the book and giving away prizes, so come see me there. If you miss it, don't worry--I'll be touring blogs for the next month talking about Ian and the first man who's ever captured his heart enough to make him want to settle down: Luke Keys.


BLOG TOUR


June 19: Why I love flawed characters, on J.P. Barnaby

June 23: Writing a series, on Charley Descoteaux

June 25: Living vicariously through my characters, on Tempeste O'Riley

June 27: Writing kids, on Jamie Lynn Miller 

July 7: Character continuity, on Anne Barwell

July 28: Dropping Anchor book 3, on Kim Fielding

July 31: When Pinterest leads us astray, Cup 'o Porn

I'll be guesting with Jana Denardo, Grace Duncan, and CJane Elliott as well!



Finding Home is available from Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, AllRomance, and other online book vendors.

In the meantime, I'll be giving away a $20 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate to celebrate Finding Home's release. The contest runs from June 23 through June 27, and there are opportunities to enter daily. Good luck!

EDIT: Congrats to Andrea, who won the gift certificate!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Celebrating Branded's release with a Dreamspinner Press giveaway!


I've had my head down for a while since I've been so focused on getting the third book in the Dropping Anchor series written (I feel like Dorie... just keep writing/just keep writing/writing, writing wriiiiiiitiiiinnggg), so today's release kind of snuck up on me. Oops!

That's a good thing, though. New releases are always happy things, even when I'm up til 4 a.m. the night of the release frantically writing blog posts for the release day blog party that I also somehow managed to forget about.

I'll be over on the Dreamspinner Press blog all day today talking about the hurt/comfort trope (it's one of my favorites!), the book, and some of the whacked out things I researched on Google so I could make it as accurate as possible. There will be several chances to enter to win a $10 Dreamspinner gift certificate that I'll be drawing a winner for at 9 p.m. EST tonight (June 1), so make sure you come by at least once to enter. (Hint: You can enter on each post today, so come by often and comment a lot for more chances to win!)

Branded is part of the Dreamspinner Press Mended Anthology, which is a collection of 30 different hurt/comfort stories. They're available individually or you can buy the whole set.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Finally back up to speed! (And that speed is slow. But still.)

The view from the comfy chair in my study. Where I
spent a lot of time recovering from that pesky pulled ab.
I know I'd posted that I was good as new and back to writing, but then I had a recovery set-back that quite literally landed me on my ass for two weeks. Who knew you could pull an ab muscle? Or that I even had ab muscles under all this untoned glory? Apparently it's a fairly common complication when patients get back into exercise after a hysterectomy with muscle repair. I've always had a love-hate relationship with running, but when I ended up on the sidewalk throwing up after 2 miles? Yeah, definitely hate-hate.

But I really am all mended now. I took the good advice that a few of you gave me and took it easy, and I'm happy to say that I'm back to running again (but not a 2 mile sprint two months after major abdominal surgery...that was not my brightest idea). So I'm back up to speed, even if that speed is much slower than I'd like it to be.





I spent a few days in April in Portland with a great group of Dreamspinner Press authors at the annual Dreamspinner Press Author's Workshop, and I came home revitalized and ready to get back to writing.

While my progress on training for a half-marathon are slow thanks to my surgery and set-back, my creative muscles are working overtime plugging along at a merry pace on my latest manuscript. I'm settled back into a normal writing routine, which has brought a flurry of productivity both on Playing House (the third in the Dropping Anchor series) and in other areas.

The Barnacle in her
sparkly Anna dress.
Does anyone else have a spike in general creativity when they're writing regularly? When I make the effort to get my butt in the chair and write a certain amount daily I tend to suddenly have urges to start other creative projects. (And not as a procrastination method...in addition to the writing! *g*)

A poorly lit shot of my great
new chevron headboard.

So far I'm 25K into the Playing House manuscript, and I've managed to make my daughter an Anna costume (from Frozen), rescreen a patio door to allow for a nice cross-breeze while I'm writing in my study, build an adorable headboard (from scratch!) for my bedroom, experiment with making my own organic hair styling wax (it's working pretty well) and deodorant (it's not), and make wildflower seed paper with the kids for their teacher cards. (You can plant the paper flowers they made and real flowers will grow. How cool is that?)


Hair wax...in old
Easter eggs, since
I didn't have
containers.

What nonwriting things do you do when your creativity is spiked?

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Back in the saddle

I try not to focus much on personal drama here, since I'd much rather talk about my characters than myself. But I wanted to explain my inactivity, both here and to a lesser degree on Twitter, over the last few months.

Me with my Bon Voyage Uterus
button. We sent it off with a bang!
I found out two months ago that I needed a total abdominal hysterectomy, and it threw me for a loop. I'm a healthy 34 year old runner and yoga devotee with two small children. The news that I needed a surgery that would by all accounts leave me exhausted and fairly immobile for months afterward was not welcome at all.

The good news is that Hubs and I are happy with two children and hadn't planned on more. In fact, part of the reason I needed the hysterectomy was how poorly my body handled those pregnancies, so aside from a slight freak-out about being this young and losing my uterus and cervix (did I mention I'm 34? 34!!) and three months off my half marathon training schedule, it wasn't a huge upset. Especially since my surgeon was confident she'd be able to save at least one ovary, which is apparently all you need to keep you from going into menopause. (Spoiler alert: she managed to save BOTH, because my surgeon is kick-ass).


My giant pink sparkly uterus.
My friends and I decided to send my uterus and its entourage off with a bang, so we had a Bon Voyage Uterus party that involved twelve of us going out in public to drink and have a raucous good time while sporting fabulous uterus buttons and toting around a giant pink sparkly uterus to hang from whatever table or bar we were near. My 7-year-old son even helped me make tiny uteruses that hung from our drink straws by their fallopian tubes. It's safe to say we made a pretty big splash--people approached us all night to find out what we were doing and toast my faulty uterus.

Party favors!
Since my surgeon made it clear that the only option for my surgery was a full abdominal incision (I've had two c-sections and a previous uterine surgery, which makes for a lot of complications), I decided to give my hysterectomy a silver lining and pair it with a tummy tuck. See, I managed to lose all my baby weight after both kids pretty quickly. But I'd been heavy before those pregnancies, so even after getting back to normal I'd still been overweight. But in the last two years I've lost 50lbs, which left me with a lot of extra skin. My plastic surgeon and my OBGYN surgeon agreed that this was the ideal time to deal with that, since both surgeries require an incision in the same place.

Fabulous slippers made of maxi pads
from my friends to wear into the OR!
I had my surgeries two weeks ago today. After a few days in the hospital I was able to come home and take up residence on the couch, but I've needed a lot of help around the house. Having a preschooler and an autistic first grader is a lot of work, and with the restrictions my surgeries have placed on me (no lifting more than 5lbs, no bending, nothing that engages my core, which is harder than you'd think, and a lot of rest and relaxation), things have been tough. Luckily my husband has been a star through all this and I have a great group of friends and family who have come to my aid. The thought that I have four more weeks of this is daunting, but I'll be released to drive next week, which will make things a lot easier. Yay!

Through all this I've also been trying not to neglect my writing, which is hard when my laptop exceeds my lifting limit and I can't sit upright for more than an hour without needing a nap. But I'm happy to report that a group of us have put together a fabulous anthology of short stories that focus on workplace romances titled All in a Day's Work, and that has been queried, and I'm hopeful about it getting picked up. I'm also in the second stage of editing for my short novella Branded, which will be part of the 2014 Dreamspinner Daily Dose in June. It's a fantasy historical, which is a big departure from my contemporary comfort zone. It was fun to world build and make up names!

Finding Home will be entering the editing queue soon for its mid-summer release, and I'm starting work on the third novel in the Dropping Anchor series, Playing House. I have a June 1 deadline with that one, which I admit makes me nervous. I hadn't planned on this surgery and its bodacious amount of recovery time when I promised that one, so it's going to be tight. But I love these characters, so that makes it easier. I'm excited to immerse myself in their lives again. We'll get to see a bit more of Niall and Ethan (Island House) and Ian and Luke (Finding Home), but the primary focus in Playing House will be Frank and Warner. When pediatrician Warner decides its time for the couple to adopt, it sends Frank into a tailspin. He'd never planned for children, and he doesn't think he can raise someone else's child. The two men have to navigate the ups and downs of this monumental decision--and the effect it will have on their future together--but they don't have to do it alone. The cast of characters we've seen throughout the Dropping Anchor series are there to help them through it, and Frank learns a lot about himself and what he's capable of with their assistance.

I'm also thrilled to announce that I'll be at the 2014 GayRomLit in Illinois as a Supporting Author. I'm so excited to be there alongside a fabulous list of Featured and Supporting Authors, and I'm looking forward to the chance to meet with readers for the first time.

As you can see, there's a lot going on for this recuperating author. Fingers crossed that the healing process is a quick and easy one! I'm back in the saddle, but the horse isn't moving faster than a walk. *g*

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Guest post: Deanna Wadsworth talks about A Cupid's Wager


Please welcome Deanna Wadsworth to the blog today. She's here promoting her recent release, A Cupid's Wager, which was part of Dreamspinner Press' A Valentine Rainbow. If you haven't picked up the set, I highly recommend it! All of the shorts are a fun take on the holiday.





My name is Deanna Wadsworth, and my latest book A CUPID’S WAGER is in an anthology of 14 Valentine stories called A VALENTINE RAINBOW. Along with Bru’s book CAMPFIRE CONFESSIONS twelve other amazing Dreamspinner authors have created a collection of love stories just as delicious as that leftover box of chocolates I picked up on February 15th—but with none of the calories! LOL
The main character of A CUPID’S WAGER is a cupid named Lio. After he gets caught shooting a closeted man with a gay lust arrow—a big no-no at the Inner-Dimensional Association of Cupids—Lio has a barters a deal with the Aztec god of the winds. Using a very twisted use of Roman and Aztec mythology, I tried to create a funny but very sexy ride for my readers. Heck, this story even has penis piercings! LOL
I hope you all pick up this awesome collection, A VALENTINE RAINBOW, because every day should be filled with love.
Thanks for hosting me, Bru! I brought along an excerpt of A CUPID’S WAGER to share and I hope you all enjoy it!
~Deanna



BLURB: The name’s Lio, and I’m a cupid working for the Gay Division of the Inter-Dimensional Association of Cupids. An Aztec god, whose modern name, Ethan, doesn't make him any less scary, just busted me shooting a closeted human with a gay lust arrow. I might find him sexy with all those tattoos and piercings, if I didn’t have a rule against getting it on with other supernaturals—especially ones working for the Straight Division. Now, to save my butt I'll have to strike a bargain with this tough god. But what I didn't see coming was my little wager not only risks my career, but places my broken heart completely in Ethan's hands.

EXCERPT:


Shit!”
I was so gonna get my ass chewed for this.
And not in the good way.
I snapped my fingers, and my quiver of arrows disappeared into the cosmic nothingness where magical things went when demigods snapped their fingers. No clue where that nothingness was, and in my hundreds of years of existence, I’d never bothered to find out.
However, right then, such mysteries were the furthest thing from my mind because I had just nailed another cupid’s mark. Now the glittering trail of purple dust from my lust arrow was like the laser sight of a sharpshooter’s rifle, pinpointing my exact location.
I was so fucked.
Again, not in the good way.
The explosion of both purple and red dust in the street below meant the aftershock of my lust arrow striking the human first had deflected a love arrow. I was pretty sure the owner of said arrow would be coming to bitch me out any second. Cupids could be such whiny little cunts when they wanted to be.
Believe me, I would know.
I’m a cupid.
The name’s Philomenus, but I answer to Lio. Just one of Eros’s many, many offspring, I’m employed for eternity by the Inter-Dimensional Association of Cupids, or the IDAC. Contrary to what paintings and sculptures depicted, cupids are not fat, naked baby boys in diapers. While on the small side, we look just like regular folks. No wings either. Involved in every aspect of love, from puppy love and first kisses to weddings, the IDAC is militantly organized. They take their task of giving the humans love very seriously—like a supernatural FBI, complete with orders, rules, and procedures.
And I just broke about a hundred of each.
Before I could conjure a location to send myself, a pop sounded behind me.
Huge steel-like hands grabbed the collar of my leather jacket and yanked me around.
What the hell, Lio?”
Bodily shoved against the ledge of the rooftop, I let out a tiny yelp of surprise when the magic inside my body surged white-hot, almost as if it recognized something…. WTF?
That had never happened before.
Then again, I’d never been busted shooting closeted gay men with Class 4G lust arrows either.
Righting myself, I flipped unruly blond curls out of my eyes and faced my attacker, arms out in a show of surrender. “Hey, ease up, pal.”
What the hell?” that menacing voice growled again.
Thanks to all the gossipy cupids in the IDAC, I recognized the god immediately, though I’d never seen him before.
Éhecatl, the Aztec god of the winds.

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and can often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.
Buy Deanna’s books at Dreamspinner Press, Decadent Publishing or at any reputable eBook seller




Thursday, January 16, 2014

Dreamspinner's Dr. Feelgood heats up the hospital on Feb. 10

Two new release announcements in two days! I've been a busy bee, and it's paying off this February. My Valentine's Day short Campfire Confessions will be out Feb. 11, and I just found out that Dreamspinner Press' Dr. Feelgood anthology will come out the day before.

All of the stories in the anthology look great--I'm a sucker for medical dramas and romances, and Dr. Feelgood looks like it delivers plenty on that front. My short, Rx for Sex, features a heaping helping of steamy on-call room sex with a little relationship angst thrown in for good measure.

     Dr. Feelgood
Dreamspinner Press
 Release date: Feb. 10
Ebook      Paperback
Whether they’re paramedics, nurses, therapists, doctors, or even actors who play them on TV, the men in the medical profession must contend with job stress and long hours that can make finding love a challenge. These dedicated professionals aid patients from the severely injured to those just needing some help with a bath, and along the way find creative ways to release some tension, reconnect with past partners, and even forge something that might last a lifetime.

Injuries, huge workloads, dedication to duty, self-doubt, and fear of coming out of the closet are only some of the obstacles standing in the way of the men committed to easing pain and those in need of treatment. But with hard work, some humor, some steamy on- and off-the-job trysts, plenty of patience, and open hearts, doctors and patients alike can find the healing they need, whether it comes from a lifelong commitment or a quickie in the staff room.

The men in this anthology are looking for relief, and they’re in luck—the doctor is in.


Rx for Sex by Bru Baker
Hero Worship by Kris T. Bethke
Pain Management by Megan Charlier
Tourniquet by Kaye P. Hallows
Differential Diagnosis by Anna Martin
To the Next Level by Laura Mathews
In My Own Skin by Thea Nishimori
Iron Man by Meg O'Brien
Night Shift by Casey O'Neill
Mend What Is Broken by Fil Preis
Kind by Samuel Scott Preston
Right-hand Man by Rob Rosen
Doctor in the Desert by S.C Wynne
First and Last by Sara York

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Campfire Confessions is available for preorder!

My latest short, Campfire Confessions, is available for preorder on the Dreamspinner Press site!

I'm excited to be part of A Valentine's Rainbow, Dreamspinner Press' first-ever Valentine's Day daily dose anthology--you can buy all 14 stories as a set or buy Campfire Confessions on its own. Visit my website for an excerpt!

Campfire Confessions
Release date: Feb. 11 
Preorder
Best friends Case and Mitchell are so inseparable everyone assumes they’re dating. Case’s dad even buys them a joint gift—a camping trip. Even though Case hates the woods, he wants Mitchell to have a good time. When they discover the trip is a couples’ retreat, they have to fake a relationship. Case can’t understand why the trust and intimacy exercises the other couples struggle with come so naturally to them. After all, they’re not really boyfriends….

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Top 10 things I've said this polar vortex

The kids did some snow
experiments before the
temperature plummeted.
This post also could have been titled "The reason my manuscript isn't finished yet," since the uber cold weather and foot of snow has extended the kids' winter break and kept them home this week. 

These are precious days I'm losing, since Finding Home is due Jan. 15. I'm in the home stretch, but it's hard to write with a chorus of "MOMMY!" and "S/he took my..." in the background.
We sent Hubs out in his ski gear to blow
bubbles when it was -13F. They froze!

We live in the Midwest so cold winters are nothing new, but this blast of arctic air is more than even we hearty Hoosiers can handle. Indiana's in a deep freeze the likes of which I've never seen, and I've lived here on and off for the last thirty years. Luckily we haven't been part of the tens of thousands here in Indianapolis who have lost power during the cold snap, so at least there's that. We do have a few frozen pipes (they haven't burst yet, fingers crossed!) and a definite case of cabin fever, though.

Since I'm not writing useful words for my manuscript, I thought I'd at least share what's going on here in the Baker household instead.

Top 10 things I've said this polar vortex:

10. Did you remember to leave a faucet dripping?
9. Put on some socks.
8. I don't care if you don't like them, in this family we wear pants when it's below zero.
7. Get off of your sister/brother.
6. No seriously, put on some socks.
5. Please don't cancel school, please don't cancel schoo...shit.
4. Yeah, well, that's what happens when you run in the house.
3. If I have to separate you two myself no one is going away happy.
2. DO YOU WANT TO LOSE A TOE? PUT ON THE SOCKS.
1. Go to your room.

 U.S. friends, wherever you are, I hope you're staying warm and safe. And if you're one of the lucky bastards in Anchorage where it's 32 degrees, don't forget the sunscreen when you go out in your bikini. 

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