Adriana Kraft

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Happy New Year, Take Two #Gratitude #WritingCommunity #Inspiring #RomanceAuthor @MFRW_ORG

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I am so grateful for the community of romance writers at Marketing for Romance Writers, [email protected] | Home.

On New Year’s Day, I blogged about an August if-not-now-when meeting with my husband and our goals for the new year [https://wp.me/p9O7pv-344]. My most important guideline? Here’s what I said:

  • Focus on what I love more than on going through the motions of publicity and marketing.

So this morning I was stressing about what seemed like a million items on my “must do NOW” platter. That’s exactly where I don’t want to be.

What did I do? I decided to write this blog about how this group of authors has inspired me to do exactly what I’m doing now – do what I love.

On New Year’s Day, group founder and marketing guru Kayelle Allen shared her one-word theme for the year and invited members to do the same. Her word is ALIGN.

When I saw that, late New Year’s Day, I breathed a sigh of relief and said YES. Out loud, actually. Then I kept reading as nearly forty member authors shared their themes. These words are my inspiration today. I can take any one of them and run with it, as I had to this morning during my stress-reducing aerobic rapid walk a few minutes ago.

I’ve assembled all the words (some had more than a single mention) and made a meme I’ll print and keep in my workspace where I can see it and grab the word I need at any given moment.

Enjoy, and feel free to share. It’s MFRW group wisdom.

Out Now: Manticore, Confessions 3, by Kate Hill @KateHillRomance #vampires, #darkfantasy, #urbanfantasy

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Manticore
Confessions 3
by Kate Hill
Paranormal Romance
#vampires, #darkfantasy, #urbanfantasy #shapeshifters #magic

Two magical outcasts share just about everything, including a body. Now they intend to share the witch Daisy Fay.

Blurb:

Martin: I was an outcast. Humiliated and abused, I ran away to carve out a life apart from the Specter family business. Convinced the family magic would never work for me, I was taken by surprise when I met him.

Manticore: Shunned by other manifestations, I lived alone and nameless. Then I found Martin. He gave me a name and his body. Now, we exist as one. We never expected to find a woman who’ll love us, but Daisy Fay is full of surprises. We’ve walked through demonic fire to protect her, and we will have her as our mate.

Daisy Fay: Martin is the sweetest guy I know. Manticore is an enticing beast. I never dreamed they shared a body. It’s a good thing I love them both. We’re in constant danger, though, because their father wants to kill them. They want to keep me safe, but sitting in the sidelines isn’t my style, and they’d better get used to it.

Excerpt

On the way to the library, I try to calm myself. Glancing at my shaking hands, I curse softly. I’m not emotional because of the fight, but from seeing Manticore again. The way he looks at me and the way I feel about him is a dangerous combination.

I sit at the table Martin and I had been sharing and call him. I need to know that he’s all right. It’s a dangerous city, and even though he took the secret passage, other demons might be lurking in the area, waiting for an easy target.

Moments later, I receive a text back.

 I’m okay. Worried about you, though. Glad Manticore showed up when he did. Talk to you later.

My brow furrows. That was short and to the point. Martin is usually a bit warmer in his texts, but he’s probably still a little shaken up, too.

“Ah, Daisy Fay.” Manticore steps into the library and my jaw drops. He’s discarded his bloody jacket, shirt, and tie. Half-naked, he strides toward me. His trousers are belted at his narrow waist. He’s not tall or big, but he has a wiry strength that reminds me of a wild animal, like a hungry cheetah on the prowl. The black, white, and gray makeup still covers his face, but the sprays of blood are gone. Strange. Does he carry a touch-up kit with him? Why not? After all, his family made its fortune selling beauty products, and they still make a profit even since the demon occupation.

He closes the door behind him and locks it. Then he turns, one long, sleekly-muscled arm still stretched in the direction of the door and an almost playful smile on his lips. “Alone at last.”

I’m torn between anticipation and annoyance. “What exactly do you think is going to happen, Manticore?”

He strolls up to me, his eyes wide with mock innocence. “What do you mean?”

“Why did you lock the door?” I back away and he rapidly closes the distance between us.

“I thought we could use some privacy.”

I draw a surprised breath when my back hits the wall. He plants a hand on either side of my head, trapping me between his well-defined arms. Still smiling a bit, he dips his mouth toward mine.

Purchase Links:

Changeling Press: https://www.changelingpress.com/manticore-confessions-3-b-3447

Author Bio:

Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.

Visit her online at https://www.kate-hill.com. Join her newsletter at https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter.

Contact Links:

Website: https://www.kate-hill.com

Blog: https://kate-hill.com/blog/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-hill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16157.Kate_Hill

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateHillRomance

And the answer is… #CoverReveal #EroticRomance #LaterInLife #Bisexual #LGBTQ+

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The answer is No.

No, what?

No, was our cover artist able to use any of my Vegas photos in the cover she designed for Swingers Light Up Vegas.

But it wasn’t her fault.

We wanted two things on the cover: something sexy, and something that anchored the cover explicitly in Las Vegas.

So even though all the photos I posted last week (https://wp.me/p9O7pv-336) were taken by me on various trips to Las Vegas, none of them really scream “Vegas.” The fabulous LINQ? Lots of cities have those by now, and a nighttime shot says nothing about which one it is. Ditto a Lazy River. Pick a tropical setting anywhere (or even just a relatively warm one), and lots of resorts sport them. The view from the Stratosphere? We actually didn’t even send her that one; it does picture the famous strip, but from such a distance that it’s not distinctive. And the same with the view out our 8th floor window. It gave us lots of pleasure, every night, to watch the sun set over the south end of the strip, but the photo isn’t identifiably Vegas.

Valerie June Bondarenko of Veridian Rose Graphics is the artist we approached to create our cover. We shared our two criteria – sexy, and Vegas. She began by offering us several “sexy” photo options to consider, and both Hubs and I were immediately drawn to the shot with a window, roses in a vase, and a partially clad female torso wearing black lace. Perfect. The swing lifestyle is focused on women and what women want; men may love to ogle, but women call the shots. We think our cover gives her the power to beckon, and the power to say no.

Next question: what to put in the window? That’s where we’d thought the LINQ could go, but it didn’t really work, and it would still have left us with the question of how to convey Vegas. Valerie came up with the idea of the iconic Las Vegas welcome sign in the window, and when we got the draft, we both said “wow.” It’s perfect.

Next dilemma: the window-roses-black lace pic wasn’t the right dimensions for a cover, and anyway we still needed placement for the title and author. We were clueless, but Valerie came up with the dark red lace on black borders top and bottom. This is why she’s the artist.

Last issue: font for title and author. We thought about neon lights – we think she’s captured that spirit in the title font and colors. Plus it’s a fun touch that “light up” actually lights up the title. And who doesn’t love seeing their name in big bold letters?

So yes, we signed off on her first complete cover draft immediately and are thrilled we did. We highly recommend Veridian Rose Graphics.

BLURB

Swingers Light Up Vegas

What happens in Vegas…

Swingers Dan and Ginger head to Las Vegas to celebrate Ginger’s fiftieth birthday. Through their friends back home, they’ve scored a free week at a posh Vegas resort condominium. They fill their days with every iconic Las Vegas experience they can dream up. But by night? They’re determined not to leave Vegas without sampling what it has to offer in the erotically charged swing lifestyle. A Vegas swing club beckons – will it live up to their fantasies?

 

BOOK INFO

Genre: Erotic Romance, Bisexual, Later in Life
Release Date: January 30, 2023
Length: 5K words
Price: 99 cents

BUY LINK

Pre-order coming soon at https://books2read.com/

Happy New Year! What really matters? #HappyNewYear #Celebration #Goals

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Both halves of Adriana Kraft wish all of you a joyous celebration and a productive and fruitful New Year!

If you make New Year’s Resolutions, we hope you select actions that move you toward things you care about, accomplishments that will bring you joy.

Here are some thoughts about ours:

If you follow us, you know that we’ve taken breaks off and on from writing and promoting.

Late last summer my husband and I sat down together and took a serious look at what mattered to us and how we wanted to spend our time.

What did we learn?

We learned that – no surprise – we love to write. And that we’d let the burden of all those necessary marketing activities get in the way of doing what we love.

We made some decisions that mid-August afternoon:

  • Pursue contracts for previously published works that have come back to us
  • Polish our existing completed manuscripts and start getting them out there
  • Write some new books.
  • Focus on what we love more than on going through the motions of publicity and marketing.

How did we do? Score a huge YES on all four.

  • We now have two previously published books under contract
  • We’ve polished two already completed manuscripts and are poised to publish them
  • We’ve written two entirely new books:
    • A Reluctant Santa was published 12/2 and is doing well, averaging 4.5 stars at Amazon and GoodReads
    • Swingers Light Up Vegas will open for pre-orders tomorrow, January 2
  • We’re approaching marketing differently. There are things that have to be done, but we’ve prioritized doing things that are meaningful and inherently rewarding rather than sticking to rote repetition.

Sometimes a New Year’s Resolution is an about face, a wake-up call, a plan to make a radical change. We probably got that accomplished in August.

Today, my resolution is to keep moving forward on this new path.

My Review: Ascent: A story of danger, adversity, and love (House of Normandy Book 1), by Cathie Dunn @cathiedunn #Normandy #HistoricalFiction #Rollo #KU

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Since I wish to focus my next spate of Book Reviews on women across the ages who’ve had an impact on the history of the British Empire, where better to start than the hand-fasted first wife of of Rollo, the the Viking invader of Rouen, whose great-great-grandson conquered England in 1066?

Historical fiction author Cathie Dunn has penned a moving account of what could have been this important forebearer’s experience and influence in the decades immediately following Rollo’s late ninth century invasion and ultimate victory over what is now Normandy, France. Reliable records of Rollo’s life and actions are scarce, and those of his handfasted wife Poppa of Bayeux even more elusive. But weaving together what is known with what might be reasonably conjectured, Dunn has given us a brave, determined and hard working early French noblewoman who, given in marriage to the pagan invader against her will to secure advantages for her father, rose above hatred and prejudice and formed at least a tolerable relationship that surely impacted the course of history. It is the offspring of this union who form the foundation of what became the Duchy of Normandy and ultimately the House of Normandy in England.

I love reading about bold, impetuous women who none-the-less show good judgment when necessary and have their wits about them. This is who author Cathie Dunn has given us in fleshing out the bare bones of Poppa’s story. A mere fourteen years old upon Rollo’s arrival, Poppa is handfasted to him as wife but, in Dunn’s account, is left behind for several years as he moves further up the river valley, to Rouen, which he conquers. In the interim she develops skills in managing her father’s estate – skills that will be especially helpful when she must manage Rollo’s ever increasing dominions.

It required considerable boldness and dedication in that era for a Christian woman to consent to remain in what her church viewed as a non-sanctioned marriage to a pagan; yet there is no evidence that a Christian wedding ceremony ever took place between Poppa and Rollo. Many of the details Dunn has created in this highly engaging story are pure conjecture, but they surely fit with such boldness and as such, seem at least plausible. And, as any novelist hopes, they make for a story that will have readers rooting for Poppa. I highly recommend this novel.

This book is the first in a projected series about the first three Norman brides. I eagerly await the second installment, promised for sometime in 2023

BUY LINK

Available exclusively at Amazon.

Free to read on Kindle Unlimited.

https://amazon.com/dp/B09RNB6N5L/

 

“…maybe you’ll want to stay for coffee.” The Merry Widow #MRFWHooks #EroticRomance #Excerpt #BookSale

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Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

Here’s little steam from The Merry Widow to heat you up against the wintry weather…

EXCERPT

Jim tried to breathe normally. That wasn’t going to happen as long as he stayed in this woman’s presence. Her lips started to move. He tried to focus on what she was saying.

“No apology required. If I remember correctly—my brain is still somewhat fried—I wasn’t holding back any. I don’t want a different detective.” Merry gave him a sultry smile. “Your cock will do quite fine. I’ll gladly attest to that.”

He crossed the foyer in a flash and crushed her to his body. He kissed her hair, her forehead, her lips while her hands roamed across his back and buttocks.

“Jesus,” he exclaimed, feeling himself harden again. “I’m not a twenty-year-old.”

“Thank God.”

He jerked himself from their embrace. “I don’t know what your game is, lady. I don’t know what you want. But I’m finding it damn hard to walk out of here.”

Merry laughed. She actually laughed at him.

She gripped his arousal. “You don’t seem to have much difficulty getting hard again.” She lowered her hand. “I’m not into games, Detective. Maybe I’m too old for that. I don’t have any particular wants other than some good, mind-blowing sex—which you’ve already demonstrated the capacity for. That’s all I ask. No strings. No commitments. No expectations. No anything but hot sex.”

“Hmm. I’d be one of many if I sign on?”

“Probably.” She never hesitated. She never blinked.

“Never done it that way before.”

Merry smiled. “Neither have I, but I’m learning it can be quite stimulating—quite invigorating, actually. And after so many years of abstinence, I’m not looking for a lovey-dovey relationship. Maybe someday, but not now. I’ve made a commitment to myself to be open to new sexual experiences, new opportunities.”

“Your commitment is to yourself?”

She shrugged. “Yes. And I don’t feel a bit guilty about that. I’ve sacrificed so much of myself because of commitment, I’m setting about to reclaim part of myself.”

“So I was merely part of that reclaiming.”

“Maybe. I enjoyed it. I think you did, too. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe once was enough. Or maybe you want to stay for coffee.”

 

BLURB

The millennium arrived with such promise—will it deliver for recently widowed Merry Delaney?

 

 

So much for all the anticipation about the new millennium. Merry Delaney’s life is still in a rut and shows no signs of changing. Sex? A fading memory, gone long before her husband actually died. Excitement? Hardly the hallmark of an accountant’s life. At forty-two, what can she look forward to?

Until her best friend takes Merry’s predicament into her practiced hands. One passionate kiss unleashes possibilities Merry never dreamed of—and she wants to sample them all. Men? Women? Young? Old? Ménage? Toys? Yes, to all, to pleasure, to making up for lost time.

Enter Chicago Detective Jim Barnes, who solicits Merry’s help with a mob funds-skimming case. Can the scorching passion that soon smolders between Merry and Jim survive the escalating mob threats of exposure? Having discovered a zest for sex, will Merry ever again be satisfied with one man?

BUY LINKS

On Sale through 12/31 at Extasy Books, 40% off

https://www.extasybooks.com/the-merry-widow

Buy at other retailers:

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/mK61gP

 

Click on the links to travel to the rest of today’s hooks: