Behind the Book: Paula Altenburg’s Her Secret Love!

September 2, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

HerSecretLove-300dpiI’m pretty excited about The Secrets of Cherry Lake. Not only do I love the characters, but I’m thrilled to be writing a series with Joan Kilby, Roxanne Snopek, and Jeannie Watt. I’ve read all the books and I’ve got to say, Cherry Lake is a great place to be, not just for the residents, but for the authors, as well.

Roxanne kick-started the town and the stories with her novella, Small Town Secrets. Joan brought us The Secret Son and the first Cherry Lake secret. Hers is a whopper.

Her Secret Love, the second book in the series, introduces bad girl Jess Palmer (a granddaughter of town patriarch Nate Jackson) and all-around great guy, Damon Brand. Jess is a failed actress. Damon’s a small business owner and an up-and-coming metalworks artist.

Theirs is the worst-kept secret in town.

Poor, misunderstood Jess spoke to me from the moment I came up with their story idea. Ten years ago, Damon—who was madly in love with her all through high school—finally made his big move, and she abandoned him on the side of the road wearing nothing but a smile. She took off for LA not too long after. The story became legend.

It’s kind of hard to expect readers (or anyone in Cherry Lake, for that matter) to like her when she pulls stunts like that.

What matters the most to the story, however, is that Damon likes her. Don’t get me wrong. Even after ten years he’s not ready to forgive and forget. But he understands Jess in a way not many people do. Her Jackson mother expected her to be perfect. Unfortunately, not only is Jess spoiled, impetuous, flighty, and maybe a bit too plainspoken, she’s also dyslexic. She struggled in school. Rather than find help for her, her parents expressed nothing but disappointment in her. The town thinks she isn’t very bright. When Damon looks at her, however, he sees a big, fluffy ball of insecurity—and a whole lot of potential. If not for Damon, and her cousin Carrie (check out her story in Her Secret Protector), Jess would never have made it to graduation.

While Jess is a hot mess, Damon is the exact opposite. This guy is a white knight. A prince. He knows what he wants. He knows what’s important. And he knows how to get it. In short, he’s perfect—and Jess has spent her whole life not only running from perfection, but trampling it into the ground.

I’m sure you can see their dilemma.

What I love about the Secrets of Cherry Lake series is that nobody’s running away from the town, not even Jess. Circumstances might have taken some of the series’ characters down different paths, but it will always be home to them. They long to come back. This is small town living at its very best.

Next up is Her Secret Protector. Jess is hoping that the tall, dark and broodingly-handsome Ethan Nash is good enough for her quiet, good-girl cousin Carrie Logan. Or maybe she’s hoping he’ll be just a little bit bad. ;-)

—

The Secrets of Cherry Lake

Book 1: Small Town Secrets by Roxanne Snopek – Available now!
Book 2: The Secret Son by Joan Kilby – Available now!
Book 3: Her Secret Love by Paula Altenburg – Available now!
Book 4: Her Secret Protector by Roxanne Snopek – Coming soon!
Book 5: The Secret Bride by Jeannie Watt – Coming soon!

—

auth_PaulaAltenburgPaula Altenburg lives in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and two sons. Once a manager in the aerospace industry, she now enjoys working from home and writing fulltime. Paula writes fantasy and paranormal romance, as well as short contemporary romance.

USA Today Bestselling Author Roxanne Snopek takes over the Tule Blog!

August 27, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

From USA Today Bestselling Author Roxanne Snopek:

Welcome to The Secrets of Cherry Lake!

FroeseFamilyBook3
Self-publishing way before it was cool!

I’m lucky to belong to a family that loves to create “family books.” These pictorial directories trace our family tree back to… well, a long way. As a kid, I thought they were worse than boring. They were embarrassing! I mean, look at the hair, the clothes.

Now, I’ve got much more appreciation for how the people I’ve come from affect my own life path. Of course, none of the entries tell me the sort of things I really want to know. Come on! Birth, marriage, baptism, death. There’s so much more! How about the scandals? Were there honestly no divorces? No affairs? No long lost uncles or disappearing fathers? No surprise babies or extremely healthy premies? (Oh, yes, there were. Check the dates.)

FroeseFamilyBook1
Children having children. The following year, there’d be another one, too. And in a couple of weeks, she’s off to university. <sob!>

In writing the novella Small Town Secrets,  I was able to use that curiosity to crack the window open on a family that is, to me, much more than a properly posed grainy black-and-white photograph. Cherry Lake founder Nathan Jackson has faced huge decisions, impossible choices. He’s made mistakes, he’s found love, lost love, created love and reclaimed love. He’s pretty great, as grandfathers go. Even as dads go, though he believes otherwise.

My little snapshot paves the way for the first book in the series, Joan Kilby’s book The Secret Son. In it, you’ll see how choices made in one generation trickle down into the next, and the next, and the next, unbeknownst to those following. So much makes sense, when you know what came before. Oh, you’ll love this one, trust me.

FroeseFamilyBook2
I’m from good, hearty stock.

We’re all part of an intricate web of brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, family by blood or family chosen, young and old, near and far. Join us as we explore the hidden side of our favorite small town, Cherry Lake, Montana. It might not be on any map, but it’s as real as they come.

—

Small Town Secrets and The Secret Son are available now!

Debra Salonen takes over the Tule Blog!

August 13, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

MontanaHero-300dpiTule is thrilled to have the author of the Big Sky Mavericks series, Debra Salonen, here with us on the release day of Montana Hero. Learn more about the research Deb did on a heart-wrenching subject for her latest Maverick story below.

—

I forget.

Where did I put/leave my keys, purse, glasses, shoes, lipgloss, remote control…etc?

Perhaps because I’ve reached a certain age,  these questions come up more often than I’d like.  It’s only natural to worry when you forget to remember things that should be readily available in your brain. You may ask yourself: Is this a sign of a busy person with too much on her mind or an ominous hint of something bad to come?

I sincerely hope the former because in researching my heroine, Kat Robinson’s backstory for my new release, MONTANA HERO, I learned more about Alzheimer’s than I really wanted to know. Kat watched her mother and grandmother succumb to complications from the disease. Naturally, Kat’s worried that she, too, will fall victim to “Early Onset”–some call it, “Younger Onset”–Alzheimer’s. Like cancer, it’s hard to find somebody who hasn’t been touched by Alzheimer’s in some form or another.

PastedGraphic-1When my grandmother came to live with us, I was a girl of fifteen. Grandma was eighty-nine. That’s not young, of course, but Grandma’s steady decline had been a source of worry for my mother for many years. As families did in those days, Mom and her siblings took turns caring for their mother. When it was our turn to host Grandma Bagby, I was excited by the “romantic” ideal of sitting by her knee as she told me stories of her childhood. Instead, I remember she cried a lot. And when I was able to coax a story or two from her, they were disconnected fragments that floated to the surface of her mind, out of context, usually sad, poignant moments that had remained frozen in her subconscious like miniature icebergs. Two children who drowned in the river, one trying to save the other. Her father–her rock–buried in the ground he’d donated to a town that no longer existed. Baby rattlesnakes–not worms–in a child’s pocket, discovered after he lay dead.

This tiny, hunched back woman evoked both sympathy and terror in my heart. Back then, doctors called her condition “Hardening of the Arteries.” Would I someday wind up like this? I asked my mother.

“If you live long enough,” was her answer.

And, in Mom’s case, she was right. When my amazing mother came to the end of her ninety-five-year old run, she, too, had morphed into a tiny, hunched back crone, still possessing scattered memories of a truly remarkable life, but having lost the ability to share them. Her doctors called her condition “dementia” and “old age.”

My heroine, Kat, is being as proactive as she can be to protect her mind, memories and health. So am I.  The research I did for this book indicates progress is being made in identifying the cause of Alzheimer’s, but until a cure is found, families will continue to watch their loved ones disappear in plain sight.

My friend, the fabulous, bestselling author Sharon Sala, has shared the ongoing saga of her mother’s journey through this dark and mystifying disease on Facebook. No one can describe the raw pain and heartbreak of loss quite like Sharon. But, tell me, have you been touched by this disease in your life or do you know someone who has had to deal with Alzheimer’s cruel reality? I’d love to hear your story.

And, in case you’re wondering, Kat is a fighter, a the-glass-is-half-full sort of optimist, and she has too much to live for to let fear rule her life–especially after she meets my hero, Flynn Bensen.

In my case, I’m banking on reading to keep my mind alert…even if I can’t remember where I left my keys.

Deb

Main Street Diner’s Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops

June 9, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

FinalTamingWho wouldn’t want to eat at Marietta, Montana’s Main Street Diner? Check out their Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chop recipe and be sure to stop by and visit Paige Joffe (when is that girl not working?)

Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops

4 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter, divided
  • 4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tablespoon salt
  • 4 medium tart apples, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions

  • In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add pork chops; cook 4-5 minutes on each side until a thermometer reads 145 degrees. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  • Remove chops; keep warm. Add apples, pecans, brown sugar mixture and remaining butter to pan; cook and stir until apples are tender. Serve with chops. Yield: 4 servings.

While your oven pre-heats, start reading Book 4 in the Taming of the Sheenans series, Paige and Dillion Sheenan’s story, by  NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jane Porter!

Who’s ready for a sneak peek at Megan Crane’s “In Bed with the Bachelor”?

March 20, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

5 CRANE-InBedWithTheBachelor-300dpiIn Bed with the Bachelor  by Megan Crane – Now Available!

Book Girls, Bachelor #5 is here… Who’s ready to start reading?

3-20 MegaBut first… Giveaway!

Before you enjoy your sneak peek into Jesse Grey and Michaela Townsend’s story, tell us in the comments your favorite Megan Crane book… or if “In Bed with the Bachelor” will be your first one! You could win a four book anthology, a Tule t-shirt and tote, plus lots of reader swag!

Winner will be chosen next Friday, 3/27. Good luck!

 

 

Start Reading 

 

Bachelor Auction Series
Book 1: Bound to the Bachelor by Sarah  Mayberry – Available now!
Book 2: Bachelor at her Bidding by Kate Hardy – Available now!
Book 3: The Bachelor’s Baby by Dani Collins – Available now!
Book 4: What a Bachelor Needs by Kelly Hunter – Available now!
Book 5: In Bed with the Bachelor by Megan Crane
Book 6: One Night with her Bachelor by Kat Latham – Coming soon!

“His Outback Cowgirl” Giveaway and Exclusive Excerpt!

March 18, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

3-18 AlissaToday we’re celebrating the release of the fourth book in Alissa Callen‘s Wildflower Ranch series, His Outback Cowgirl, by giving you a chance to start the book for free AND enter a giveaway!

Giveaway

To enter to win a print copy of Alissa‘s Cherish Me, Cowboy along with three other stories by Rachael Johns, Melissa McClone, and Megan Crane, read the excerpt below and tell us why you think you’re going to love His Outback Cowgirl!  A random winner will be announced next Wednesday, March 25th. Good luck, Book Girls!

 

HisOutbackCowgirl-300dpiChapter One

“Tell me again why I’m supposed to be this Aussie cowgirl’s babysitter for the summer?” Ethan Morgan lifted a brow and stared at his father across the kitchen table.

The timeworn creases on Henry’s face dissolved into a grin. “Because you drew the short straw.”

“The short straw, huh?”

Ethan rubbed his chin. Bad luck had nothing to do with him being designated the job to keep Zane Nash’s half-sister out of trouble. Henry had recently had a hip replacement and had resisted Ethan leaving his Colorado Springs ranch to stay with him while he recovered. Even now, the independent old rancher took any opportunity to ditch him.

Amusement warmed Henry’s hard blue gaze. “Yeah, the very short straw.”

“So my keeping an eye on Bridie has nothing to do with you wanting to get rid of me?”

“Not at all.” Expression innocent, Henry fed breakfast waffle to the Australian shepherd, Rocket, who lay beside him. He then broke a smaller piece for the puppy, Milo, who chewed on Rocket’s fluffy tail. “Has anybody told you that you have a suspicious mind?”

Ethan bit back a grin. Remaining suspicious was the only way to stay a step ahead of the canny and determined man he’d discovered last fall was his biological father. “Only when it comes to you. You sent me to Marietta yesterday to run errands so you could drive the pickup, didn’t you?”

Henry grunted. “It’s been six weeks and the Doc said I could drive.”

“Technically it’s been only five and a half weeks.” Ethan sliced off a corner of warm waffle. “Shame the truck keys weren’t on the rack.”

“Yeah.”

Ethan shot Henry a quick look. His father’s tone had been a little too smug. Before he’d left for town, Ethan had rifled through the key rack to make sure he’d found all the pickup keys. Had his crafty father stashed a spare set somewhere?

“Don’t give me that look. Yes, I found some keys but no, I didn’t drive the truck.” He shook his head. “I have no idea why you and your brother think I’m always up to something?”

Ethan laughed. Henry’s aggrieved expression didn’t match the sharpness of his gaze. Henry’s body might be aging but his mind continued to be whip-smart. “Because you are. What about the time you told Cordell he had to stay with Payton at Beargrass Hills Ranch because there was no accommodation in town?”

“What about it? There was a wedding on and there was no place to stay.”

“In town there mightn’t have been any beds but you had an entire spare guest wing free here at Larkspur Ridge Ranch.”

A smile tugged at Henry’s mouth. “And look how well Cordell staying with Payton turned out … they discovered how perfect they were for each other.”

Ethan shook his head. “Your matchmaking isn’t going to work this time. Bridie and I are incompatible. She has trouble written all over her.”

Henry’s gaze snapped to his face. “You’ve seen her?”

Ethan withheld a sigh. So much for heeding life’s lessons. A childhood full of uncertainty and fear had shaped him and his brother. Cordell may have blanked out his emotions and used his fists to protect them, but Ethan had learned to use words and silence as weapons. Now was a time when silence would have served him well. He couldn’t have Henry know how much the prospect of looking out for strong-willed Bridie unnerved him. He was supposed to be the calm and steady twin.

“Yes, very briefly at Grey’s Saloon last night.”

He concentrated on another mouthful of waffle and on keeping his expression neutral. If Henry discovered he’d taken more than a brief look at the Australian cowgirl with her snug jeans and her devil-may-care grin, having to babysit her would be the least of his worries.

With Cordell and Payton engaged, Zane and Trinity together and Rhett and Ivy soon to be married, Ethan felt the heat of being the last single cowboy standing. A situation he was in no hurry to remedy. He wouldn’t be pushed into, or jump into, a relationship. He’d partner up when ready, after deep consideration, and only with the right girl. He’d survived his unstable childhood by being careful, cautious and wary. He wasn’t about to follow in Cordell’s risk-taking footsteps, even if they had led him to beautiful Payton.

Henry grunted. “And …”

“And what?”

“What was she like? You can spot a poorly heifer a hundred yards away so don’t tell me you didn’t notice a stranger with an accent?”

Ethan chewed slowly before he answered. “She plays a mean game of pool, and I wouldn’t want to cross her. Nick Ryan got a little too up-close-and-personal when he gave her some pool tips. He’ll have a bruise for a week where her elbow connected with his ribs.”

Henry fed Rocket another piece of waffle. “She takes after her grandmother then. Daisy Ashton was full of pluck and a woman you’d not want mad at you.” Henry cast him a quick look. “Does Bridie have the Ashton blue eyes and dark hair?”

Ethan finished his mouthful. He had no idea what color Bridie’s eyes were but the image of her long, night-dark hair that had fallen down her slender back to the sweet curve of her waist had stayed with him long after he’d closed his eyes.

“I think so. I really didn’t get a good look.”

Henry grunted again. “Then she not only has her grandmother’s spirit but also her looks.”

Ethan finished his waffle and drained his coffee mug. This conversation needed to end. He had ranch chores to do before Henry decided he wanted to help out. He’d also already wasted too much time last night watching Bridie and all the cowboys who’d made a beeline for her. There was something about her quick smile, her restless energy and the angle of her small chin that put him on edge. As much as he loved his act-now-talk-later twin and would watch his back, Ethan knew a woman who possessed the same willfulness wasn’t for him. No matter how well she filled out her faded jeans and green western shirt.

He came to his feet. “That’s great Zane’s sister has her grandmother’s spirit because I’m sure the last thing she’ll want is a babysitter. She’ll be more than capable of looking after herself while she explores. So short straw or not, you’re not getting rid of me yet.”

Instead of answering him, Henry turned his good ear toward the oversize kitchen window beside them. The clear glass provided a framed view of the scenic drive through the rolling foothills into Larkspur Ridge Ranch. A white pickup navigated its way toward the ranch house.

Henry grinned. “That’s Zane’s pickup. If I was a betting man, I’d say it was his sister behind the wheel.”

Ethan’s fingers tightened around his coffee cup. He had no doubt it was the Australian cowgirl driving. Whenever Zane visited, the truck’s wheels didn’t kick up such a thick plume of pale dust. For a road Bridie didn’t know, she sure drove fast.

Gravel crunched beneath tires as the truck approached, slowed and then parked beneath a cottonwood tree. Rocket leapt to his feet and sped out the kitchen doorway. Milo yipped and followed, his small paws sliding on the polished floorboards. Henry made no effort to stand. Instead he stared through the window as Bridie left the truck, shut the door and strode toward the front door.

The summer breeze caught in the loose fall of her dark hair and she lifted an impatient hand to drag the glossy strands off her face. Bridie was dressed in fitted denim and a pale pink shirt, and every sure stride showcased her lithe curves and the energy that shrouded her. Ethan swallowed.

Beautiful and spirited, this woman would lead from the front foot and embrace all that life offered. Just like his brother, she’d be a risk taker and live dangerously. A strange sense of loss slipped through Ethan. She wasn’t the type of girl who’d fall for a boring and reliable rancher.

A smile shaped Henry’s lips. “Yep. She’s an Ashton all right.” He made no effort to stand. Expression deadpan, he looked at Ethan. “Off you go. Go and greet her. You know the Doc said I’m to take it easy. It’s a long walk to the front door.”

Ethan settled for an exasperated eye roll. Even when just home from hospital, Henry hadn’t taken it easy. Ethan placed his mug and plate on the bench and at the kitchen doorway turned to waggle a finger at his father.

“You had better be sitting there when I get back. No truck driving until next Thursday.”

Henry scowled but not before Ethan caught a glimmer of laughter in his eyes.

The doorbell rang, triggering a chorus of excited barks. Rocket’s deep woof was interspersed by Milo’s higher pitched yip. Ethan made his way down the long hallway. His gut told him Zane’s sister’s outback home would ice over before she’d allow herself to be babysat. He rolled his shoulders to disperse the sharp bite of tension. There was no cause for alarm. He’d only have stubborn Henry to watch over. He wouldn’t be spending the summer keeping a headstrong and gorgeous cowgirl out of trouble.

“What a Bachelor Needs” Sneak Peek and Giveaway!

March 13, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Bachelor #4 has arrived! Start your bidding…

As if this cover didn’t have us drooling enough… What do you think of this description of Kelly Hunter‘s handyman hero Jett Casey?

Sneak Peek

—

“I’m having handyman fantasies. Or maybe they’re Jett Casey fantasies,” said Mardie. “Either way, I’m having them.”

“Very healthy.”

“He was ripping up the carpet in the front room and all those muscles were straining…and there was bending… and rolling, and wanton sighing on my part. Have you seen that man’s butt?”

“I’ve seen it. And you are right to be impressed.”

—

Giveaway!

T3-13 Kellyo enter this giveaway, tell us how much you’d bid on ski champ and handyman Jett Casey. What a Bachelor Needs by USA Today Bestselling Author Kelly Hunter is available now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bachelor Auction Series
Book 1: Bound to the Bachelor by Sarah  Mayberry – Available now!
Book 2: Bachelor at her Bidding by Kate Hardy – Available now!
Book 3: The Bachelor’s Baby by Dani Collins – Available now!
Book 4: What a Bachelor Needs by Kelly Hunter
Book 5: In Bed with the Bachelor by Megan Crane – Coming soon!
Book 6: One Night with her Bachelor by Kat Latham – Coming soon!

Tule Blog Takeover featuring “The Bachelor’s Baby” Author Dani Collins!

March 6, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

3 COLLINS-TheBachelorsBaby-300dpiWe’re thrilled to have Dani Collins here at the Tule Blog on the release day of her Bachelor Auction novella, The Bachelor’s Baby. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Dani’s experience with the Montana Born world, read an exclusive excerpt, and don’t forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway!

THE BACHELOR’S BABY – by Dani Collins

The Bachelor’s Baby is part of Montana Born’s Bachelor Auction series. I’ve been lucky enough to work on a few multi-author series with Montana Born and thought you might enjoy some insight into the process.

My first collaboration experience was Hometown Hero for the Homecoming series. I had written my novella before I realized I had to coordinate with other authors, which sounds like I’d put the cart before the horse, but it turned out to be fine. Every author works at a different pace, turning in books depending on personal schedules and deadlines with other publishers and their deadline in that particular series. As the other Homecoming authors worked on their stories and asked questions and made decisions, I wound up incorporating their continuity details while I was doing my revisions.

However, I do think it’s funny how ‘real’ these series events become. With Homecoming, we had emails flying about which way the school faced, where the practices would be held, what the school colors were and a timeline for the weeks leading up to Homecoming including fundraising dates and the time of the parade. Oh, and who won the game, of course.

By the time I worked on Blame The Mistletoe, I had a better understanding of the world building. We’re all part of the Marietta community and want to make it as real as possible for you, our wonderful readers. The Christmas books were stand alones, but I learned that you can’t erect buildings to suit. Editors have to act as city planners to some extent, granting license for things like spas and gyms or we’ll wind up with too many for such a small population to support.

By the time the Bachelor Auction series came along, I was finding my groove with Marietta. But like I said above, it was like we were organizing a real event. We had a lot of decisions and this premise was even trickier since all of our characters would be in this one place at the same time. Jane even has one of her Sheenan brothers tending bar.

We all had to be on the same page and one of the first details was: Why. Why was this event even held? The wonderful Kat Latham developed Josh and Molly’s backstory where young Josh is injured and needs specialized rehabilitation and a wheelchair. Sarah Mayberry kindly leant her heroine, Lily, to the cause. She happens to be best friends with Molly and spearheaded the recruitment of the bachelors.

From there it was a matter of checking in as I wrote. I ran my recruitment scene past Sarah, ensuring Lily was reflected in a way that worked for her. Later in my book I have my heroine visit Kate’s heroine, Dr. Rachel Cassidy, because, um, my heroine is, um, spoiler alert but read the title. My characters bump into Molly as they leave the clinic and we get a small update on how Josh’s recovery is coming along.

The collaboration process isn’t hard, it’s just different from writing a book alone, when you have the freedom to make all the decisions. In fact, in some ways it’s a terrific load off when you don’t have to make all the decisions. I personally wouldn’t have come up with holding the auction in a former bordello with the men lounging against the rail of the loft, looking down on their prospective buyers. Everything about that juxtaposition thrills me and we have the brilliant Megan Crane to thank for designing the place—in a previous book no less, not even special for this series!

But that’s what makes writing stories set in Marietta so special. And it’s especially nice after the fact when you have author friends who are as invested in the success of the stories as you are. They all bring their best game to promoting it and I have to say the Tule team shines here as well. We get to have Facebook parties and giveaways and just a pile of fun reaching out to our readers and winding up meeting new ones.

Are you a fan of the multi-author series? Do you find new authors this way? Any particular series that you’ve loved to bits? And how do you like the bachelors so far?

BLURB

Your date with Bachelor #3 includes champagne and chocolate in the limo that collects you, a helicopter tour or Marietta and the surrounding mountains and valleys, and dinner at a five star restaurant in Great Falls. While oil baron Linc Brady wines and dines you, a maid service will completely clean your home.

Who could resist this tempting offer? Meg Canon plans to do just that. She’s only home to clean out her childhood bedroom for her brother’s new step-daughter, then she’s outta her childhood small town and back to her life in Chicago. Then she meets the sexy, renegade millionaire while she’s stuck in the snow. Sparks fly and Meg is tempted to stay a little longer.

Linc Brady is new in town and happy to help a kid in need, but a bachelor auction? Technically he doesn’t owe Meg a damned thing after she sets him up for the auction, then bids on him, but her high-class city polish is his fatal weakness and makes her impossible to forget. When she agrees to come home with him, he makes it clear he’s a confirmed bachelor. This is a one-night thing.

One night that turns into nine months and maybe…a lifetime?

EXCERPT

“Not funny,” a male voice growled behind her as Meg reached for a small box off a shelf in the hardware store.

Linc’s voice really was a turn on, all heavy and faintly abrasive, yet warm and rounded. Like good scotch, or an heirloom quilt.

He’d still been talking to Lily when Meg had left the grocery store, his neck red, his scowl a firmly fixed mask.

Meg didn’t know Lily that well, but had met her through Andie Bennet, who was made of awesome. She trusted Andie’s judgment, even though Lily was rumored to have been a stripper in another life and had only been in town a few years. Meg hadn’t lived here full-time since leaving for college and took all such gossip with a grain of salt.

Besides, despite Lily’s sometimes acerbic sense of humor, she struck Meg as the biggest heart of gold walking, especially given the fundraiser she was spearheading for Molly Dekker. Molly was another sweetheart—a kindergarten teacher and single mom whose only son had been injured last fall. Meg had genuinely wanted to help once she heard what Lily was trying to do for Molly.

The fact it had allowed her to lob another snowball in Linc’s direction was icing on the cake.

“What do you mean?” Meg asked with an innocent glance at him that actually made her heart skip as she took in his folded arms and planted feet. He was genuinely mad.

She cleared her throat and made herself face him, even though her blood stung a warning through her veins. At the same time, the worst of her girlish hormones fluttered, filling her with nervous excitement and giddy warmth.

“Why did you set that woman on me?” he asked.

“Lily? She asked me about Blake. She was disappointed to hear he’s engaged. She asked if I could think of any other eligible bachelors in town. I said I had just met a perfect one-date wonder.” Blink. Blink. Blink.

These baby blues had pulled Meg from basement cable interviews of small time activists to a relief position with a syndicated station. She wasn’t afraid to use them.

Linc was really tall. And had perfected his glower of intimidation. She privately admitted he worked that like a hot damn, but she’d made a career for herself in what was still a world heavily seeded to men. Outwardly, she didn’t falter.

“Can you tell me if these are self-screwing?” She held up the box in her hand.

His scruffed beard seemed to bristle as his jaw hardened. “Oh, you’ve got a handful of screw yourself,” he assured her.

She swallowed back a laugh, pretty sure that would get her into more trouble than she already stood in. Instead, she turned the box over in her hands. She hadn’t had this much fun in ages. “Maybe one nail would be simpler?”

“Why are you so angry?” he demanded.

“I’m not, I’m really not,” she insisted. “I think it’s funny.”

“You think tricking me into standing on a stage and have women bid on me like a stud bull is funny?”

“I didn’t think you’d agree,” she defended. “It was an impulse to mention you, since you walked right by us and you’re, I assume, single?”

He narrowed his eyes.

Seriously? He didn’t see the humor in this?

“Look, I just…” She couldn’t explain it. Not without getting into how she’d let go of something today. Found herself again. She felt cheerful and sassy. She wanted to flirt. He drew her.

But she’d made him mad.

“Come on,” she cajoled. “It’s not my fault you didn’t say no. It’s a good cause,” she tried.

“You don’t even know me.”

She had to look away. Her cheeks began to sting. She suddenly felt very gauche and juvenile. Rejection was always a tough one for her and all she’d wanted was to keep playing with him. Now he hated her.

“I’m out of practice,” she allowed quietly, genuinely sorry. “Honestly, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Practice?” he repeated. “Doing what?”

Seriously? She lifted a gaze that let him see how uncomfortable she was, while scolding him for being obtuse.

He let out a choke of disbelieving laughter. “This is you trying to get a man’s attention? Are you twelve?”

She looked away, frowning, trying to hide that her eyes began to burn along with the back of her throat. Pointing Lily at him had been meant in fun, but it was becoming personal and hurtful. She felt twelve. Hell, she felt seven, realizing for the first time what it really meant to be adopted: that your ‘real’ mom and dad hadn’t wanted you.

“Look—” she started to say, ready to apologize, but only saw his back. He was walking away.

BIO

Canadian Dani Collins spent twenty-five years dreaming of becoming a romance author, made her first sale in 2012, and promptly won a Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times. Best known for her Harlequin Presents, she has also published a romantic comedy, a medieval fantasy romance, and The Bachelor’s Baby is the third in her series of novellas for Montana Born. Married to her high school sweetheart, Dani has two mostly-grown children (one of each) and doesn’t have any hobbies. She’s too busy writing.

Stay current with Dani’s new releases by joining her newsletter or visiting her here:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: US | Canada | UK  | iBooks | Nook | Kobo |

3-6-15 DaniGIVEAWAY

You could win a print anthology of the five-story Homecoming Series Dani co-wrote plus amazing reader swag! We can’t get enough of the Tule <3 Book Girls tote.

To enter:

Marietta is obviously a very special place for both readers and authors alike. Leave a comment with your favorite Marietta moment from any of the Montana Born Books, and you’ll be entered to win! One lucky commenter will be chosen Friday, March 13th when the fourth bachelor arrives!

Bachelor Auction Series
Book 1: Bound to the Bachelor by Sarah  Mayberry – Available now!
Book 2: Bachelor at her Bidding by Kate Hardy – Available now!
Book 3: The Bachelor’s Baby by Dani Collins – Available now!
Book 4: What a Bachelor Needs by Kelly Hunter – Coming soon!
Book 5: In Bed with the Bachelor by Megan Crane – Coming soon!
Book 6: One Night with her Bachelor by Kat Latham – Coming soon!

“Bachelor at her Bidding” Excerpt and Giveaway!

February 27, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

 

2 HARDY-BachelorAtHerBidding-300dpiCommenter #10 is our winner! Congratulations, Elisabeth! Please privately email us your mailing address via the contact form (http://tulepublishing.com/about/#contact) so we can get your prize out to you. Thanks for being a Tule Book Girl! -The Tule Team

The second book in the Montana Born Bachelor Auction series has arrived! Are you ready to meet Rachel and Ryan, the stars of Kate Hardy‘s Bachelor at her Bidding?

An exclusive excerpt is available for you to start reading today! After you enter the contest, head over to the book page for your sneak peek.

Here’s what reviewers are saying so far:

  • “Hardy writes a story that will have you laughing out loud. Bachelor at Her Bidding features Rachel and Ryan who begin their connection after a gifted charity bid. Great plot, great writing, a guaranteed good read.” -NetGalley Reviews
  • “I so enjoy the Marietta, Montana books and this one was just as good as the others I have read.” -NetGalley Reviews
  • “This is the second book of the bachelor series and I enjoyed ever minute of it.” -NetGalley Reviews

Giveaway

2-27 Kate

To celebrate, we’re giving away tons of reader swag, plus a Montana Born e-book of the winner’s choosing! To enter, tell us in the comments why you’re excited about the six book Bachelor Auction series! The winner will be announced Friday, March 6th. Good luck!

“Montana Maverick” Deleted Scene and Giveaway!

February 23, 2015 · Posted by Tule Publishing

MontanaMaverick-300dpiThe Cutting Room Floor

by

Debra Salonen 

We’ve all heard about the Cutting Room Floor–that purgatory-like place where wonderful scenes go to die a death of so-close-and-yet-so-far-away. Maybe you’ve read such scenes in first drafts you’ve been privy to, or possibly an author you follow on Facebook impulsively shared something prematurely that leads you to believe a certain scene will appear in her next book, Montana Maverick. (Sorry, about that.)

Regrettably, not every great idea is a good idea. Feel free to quote me on that.

This is where editors come in. Editors who know and love your work, who share your passion for your characters. Editors who are dumbfounded when you suddenly introduce something that doesn’t quite jibe with your book’s tone. Like say…writing the prologue in the hero’s late daughter’s point of view.

A ghost, you say?

Two, actually.

Here’s the prologue that I loved while I was writing it. I cried. I could feel the spirit of Laurel, my hero’s dead daughter, reaching out from beyond to help her family in their time of dire need.

PROLOGUE

“What you’re planning is very risky. Are you certain this is a good idea?”

“I don’t see any other way for them to meet.”

“What if something goes wrong? There are four children aboard that mechanical beast.”

“That beast is a helicopter. She’s willing to help. My father has been very good to her over the years, and she’s grown weary of this physical incarnation. Her soul is ready to move on.”

Her soul mate let out a long and pensive sigh that probably added to the angst of the storm raging in the atmosphere just beyond the shimmering white line of light. Not below, as most living souls perceive heaven to be, but beside, in a plane not meant to be crossed until the day one’s soul left the corporal body behind for good, as Laurel had done a few months earlier.

But, when souls had unfinished business, as she and Jacob did, exceptions were allowed.

She looked at her other half–the one she’d followed too soon, which had created many problems for their loved ones. Problems that only could be solved by the love of a man and a woman brave enough to defy the odds and join each other on a great and important adventure.

“I can’t do this alone, my heart. Will you help me?”

Jacob had never been able to deny her, except when he died, taking a piece of her soul with him. In lieu of an answer, his love and light enveloped her. Together they breached the membrane. Their combined energy touched the rotating blades of the helicopter–a slight nudge to signal the great metal beast with a giant heart. Some small and seemingly insignificant part shook loose. It made a loud pinging sound as it struck a whirling blade before being tossed into the wind to be lost in the blowing snow.

“Land with care, gentle friend. Thank you.”

The helicopter made a sound that seemed to say, “You’re welcome.”

Its passengers–and anyone awake on the ground–may have interpreted the sound differently.

What happened next was up to the living–the ones Laurel loved more than life.

“At least–we tried,” she told her beloved as they slipped back into the light.

She focused her love a moment longer on the sweet baby she’d barely gotten to hold and love. “They’re in your hands, darling Mystic. Do your best.”

Giveaway

I knew–even before my editor expressed her concern about the scene–that I’d written this for me–not for the book. Meg’s and Henry’s story doesn’t need a helping hand from beyond. These two characters are so strong, so evolved, they could handle anything–even a ghost, but this way, nothing distracts from their journey.

2-23-15 DebObviously, the scene didn’t make it into the book, but I’d love to hear your feelings on the subject. Thumbs up or thumbs down to the supernatural? One commenter will receive a Book Girl reader prize. If you picked thumb’s up, I’ll include a backlist book with a hint of paranormal. If you pick thumb’s down, I’ll choose a title without a single hint of the supernatural. Thanks for reading.

Deb

Winner to be announced Thursday, February 26th!