![]() Check out these sweet treats from Clean Reads! Add these new releases for your summer reading list! Your dessert options today (the 'spice' rating) are as follows: Cherry Pie -- sweet and juicy, especially toward the end Hot Tamales -- a little bit of sweet, with a kicking, fiery passion Creme Brulee -- hot and spicy, while sweet and fulfilling To connect with these authors and see more about their books, check out Clean Reads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click each book cover to download your copy now! ![]() Sweet Surrender by Wendy May Andrews Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie When Lady Julianna ended her engagement to Lord Ackerley, Viscount Beaumont, during her first Season, she left London vowing never to return. Seven years later she returns as chaperone to her niece and unfortunately Lord Ackerley is also in Town for the Season. Moving around the small circle of the ton stirs up feelings she has kept hidden. Embarrassed and ashamed that she made a mistake in ending their previous relationship, she tries to avoid further contact. Ackerley, stunned by her second rejection, pursues her to discover the truth. Is it ever too late for a second chance at love? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2mXUT7q ![]() A Husband for Danna by Christina Lorenzen Yummy Rating: Creme Brulee Off and running! In her frenzied quest to escape from a groom her father has chosen for her, Danna Rashba ‘borrows’ a limousine parked on Main Street. The last thing on her mind is finding a groom from another wedding in the backseat. What are the chances that the bride and groom from two different weddings running from the altar on the same day? The last thing Danna wants is a hostage as she tries to escape from her nuptials. The last thing Eric Harmon wants is to be saddled with yet another spoiled, needy woman. He’s furious about this wrench in his plans, he accuses Danna of stealing. He wants to send her home in a cab as soon as they get to the nearest town, but Danna refuses. Much to Eric’s frustration, one thing after another seems to keep them tied together. Soon the generosity of a local shopkeeper and several people in town have them mistaken for newlyweds. Danna and Eric find themselves stepping into the role as husband and wife leading them to realize they just may be each other’s ‘match’. But will Danna be able to stand up to her rigid, old fashioned father and choose her own husband? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2h6CP9g ![]() Beginnings of the Heart by J.J. Nite Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales When sixteen year-old Morgan finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she’s not sure what her life will be like. With her boyfriend Cole, they try to navigate this new road that fate has set them on. Neither knows what to expect or how life will change. Their family’s reactions to the news of their pregnancy are polar opposites. Cole’s parents are supportive while Morgan’s are much less making an already difficult situation even more so. When tragedy strikes this new, small family, can everyone pull together or will it forever drive a wedge between them all? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2uGHf9S ![]() Aumelan~Blessed of the Gods by Charlene Wilson Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie Slave. Master. Forbidden love. Chad Aumelan turns his back on tradition to win the heart of his slave and break free of the law that forbids them to be together. He leaves his home in the World Beneath the Rock to search the World of the Sun for a way to live without an energy host. He finds a priceless ally in Salana Goffin, a royal daughter of the Sun Nation. Together they search for answers. But Fate has another plan. Blessed of the Gods is the first book in the award-winning Aumelan series. If you like stories of friendship, betrayal, love, and devotion, then you’ll love Charlene A. Wilson’s romantic fantasy. Grab this sweet treat at: http://bit.ly/BOG-k ![]() Bleeding Hearts by Dana Provo Yummy Rating; Cherry Pie Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare. Red roses, a reminder of her parents' killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life. Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2h73mmu ![]() Fit to Love by Jessica Rachel Kreger Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales For any woman who has ever battled with their weight, debut author Jessica Rachel Kreger tells a heartwarming tale of a woman whose struggle for fitness leads her into the studio of an irresistible trainer who needs her more than she knows… After her mother’s tragic death from diabetes, mousy Daisy Day embarks on her own life-saving mission to lose a hundred and fifty pounds. Handsome personal trainer and Army veteran, Eric Anderson, seems like the answer to her prayers, but he’s way out of her league…not to mention taken by a picture-perfect model almost half her age. When Daisy lends her marketing acumen to launch Eric’s personal training business and helps him overcome his grief from losing his brother in Afghanistan, he realizes he has more in common with her than his own girlfriend. Yet when the hours of training pay off, and Daisy is transformed into a head-turning beauty, he’s not the only man to notice. Daisy Day is fit to love and she’s already fallen for Eric… but with his now ex-girlfriend chasing after him, and another man in Daisy’s arms, is it too late for him to catch her? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2w40JEN ![]() Finding Hope by Lucie Ulrich Yummy Rating: Creme Brulee Nearly sixteen years after relinquishing the rights to his unborn child, Noah Cooper is stunned to discover his daughter, Hope, wants to meet him. With the love and support of his family, Noah sets off from Elk Flats, Montana to Albany, New York, having no idea what changes are in store for him. Cancer survivor and widow, Beth Peterson, is more than a little nervous to meet her daughter’s birth father. Their initial meeting goes well, but things decline in a hurry when Noah invites Hope to spend time at the ranch without speaking to Beth about it first. Determined to meet her new family, a battle of wills ensues between Hope and her mother. While Hope longs for a connection, Beth fears losing her daughter to virtual strangers—strangers who live two thousand miles away. Struggles and misunderstandings abound between Noah and Beth, despite their growing attraction for one another. Noah is ready to commit, while Beth can’t let go of the memory of her husband and the imperfections cancer has forced her to live with. Will hope, patience, and prayer be enough to pull this family together? A standalone read, “Finding Hope” is the continuing story of the Cooper brothers, first introduced in “The Rose Ring.” Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2v2ZwR1 ![]() Dating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator's son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon's world and it doesn't help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren, seems determined to get back into his life, along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you're dating the it guy. Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2rAWOgX ![]() A Chaotic Courtship by Bethany Swafford Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales Twenty year old Diana Forester, a country bred young woman fears that her inexperience and uncertainties has driven Mr. John Richfield away. On arriving back home from London, she learns that he is already there, ready to continue their acquaintance. If Diana thought that it was difficult in London, courting takes on a whole new aspect when Diana's younger siblings become involved. She finds herself dealing with her own feelings, her sister, her younger brother, jealous members of a house party, a jilted suitor, and a highwayman as she falls in love with the charming Mr. Richfield. Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2vbGHvz ![]() Kistishi Island by Jordan Elizabeth Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales Serena Cole can kick serious butt thanks to young women only she can see. School bullies aren’t a problem, but Serena’s mental health might be. To shield Serena from a dark secret, her family tries to convince her that her friends are imaginary. Fleeing her distrustful aunt, Serena joins her mother on an archeological dig at Kistishi Island. There, Serena discovers an ancient scroll and realizes her invisible friends are goddesses native to the island, and they are in danger of enslavement for their abilities. Only Serena can save her friends if she can discover the past her family has hidden her entire life – the reason why only she can see the goddesses. Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2v2PVJS ![]() Black Raven, White Dove by Elle Marlow Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales Known as the Ice pirate, Stefan Ice captains the Raven, a wicked ship filled with treasures and haunting secrets. The one thing missing from Raven’s coffers is revenge. The only thing missing from Stefan’s life is love. Bianca is the jewel in her father's crown. When she is captured and bound on the Raven, she becomes an unwilling pawn in an unknown feud between the dark pirate and her father. With every rock of the ship, Stefan steals her heart and unravels their tangled and tragic past. Bianca will need to rely on her faith and her heart to find God's purpose for her life. Is it with the legendary pirate? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2v1RIz5 ![]() Season of Hope by Sara Jane Jacobs Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie When Amanda Jarvis prays that a special friend will move into the vacant house near her isolated mountain home, she isn't upset when God sends a boy instead of a girl. Tyler turns out to be the best friend anyone could ever hope to have by their side. But as the years pass, this perfect friendship will meet obstacles that Tyler and Amanda could have never imagined. Unrevealed love, different career paths, and a controlling aunt could change everything between them. Will they both find out the truth before Tyler's deployment as a Navy SEAL? Grab this sweet treat at: http://a.co/2pjc133 ![]() Alone by SM Ford Yummy Rating: Hot Tamales Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year-old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job. Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2v2dtyO ![]() To Dance One More Day by Rachel Jones Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie Alone in the world, Jillian Russell suffers the loss of her dance career, so she opens the North Carolina Ballet Company. Intent on making it the go-to company for serious performers, she shuts down her personal life while she struggles to build her company into the success she envisions. New board member Alan Armstrong is eager to help solve the company’s loss of federal funding. He also wants to help Jillian build new relationships to chase the loneliness from her life. When Alan discovers Jillian has been misdiagnosed, he tells her she must decide between their love and her performance career in ballet. Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2eRWNUu ![]() Royally Entitled by Melody Delgado Yummy Rating: Creme Brulee When her family’s cider business is ruined and other local businesses are vandalized, Anika Pembrie wonders if the recent bout of unrest is merely a result of rivalry between local merchants and noblemen or if something more sinister is at the root of the recent crimes. Along her journey Anika befriends Prince Valdemar, future king of Brevalia but their relationship hits many twists and turns along the way. Lady Winifred Paxel Flemming pursues the prince relentlessly. His grandmother, Queen Marguerite, expects him to wed whoever she thinks is suitable, even if it means marrying a foreign princess he’s never met. Anika’s mother, Lady Sarah, wants Anika to help ease the family’s financial burdens by marrying Erland Riccats, National Chairman of the Merchants’ Guild. Lady Sarah also harbors secrets regarding Prince Valdemar’s mother, Princess Karin, who met an untimely death years before. In the end, will both Anika and Prince Valdemar be forced into loveless marriages, or will they be able to outwit their enemies? Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2vN9Vhz ![]() One for Kami by Charlene Wilson Yummy Rating: Cherry Pie Kami crosses dimensions to find true love, but her heart’s desire never left home. Kami is faced with a heartbreaking truth; she finds the love of her life is an elite and bound by law to wed three wives to do his part to eliminate the poverty-stricken condition of their world. How can she stand to share him? Why can’t he be poor the way she thought he was when she fell in love with him? Grab this sweet treat at: http://bit.ly/14Kami-k ![]() Incomplete by Kadee Carder Yummy Rating: Creme Brulee Power within her. War without. In this second book of the INSURRECTION trilogy, Saylor must clench the missing pieces of her fate. While harnessing her ability to communicate with deadly weapons of mass destruction, attending the annual gala, and fighting her growing feelings for the hunky Australian soldier, Saylor’s instincts become increasingly distressed. Tempted by greed and independence, she must determine what she stands for and on whose side she belongs. Grab this sweet treat at: http://amzn.to/2uCvXoQ
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![]() You like to flip through the crisp pages of a fabulous story, right? Well now you can dive deep into the oceans of Saylor's war with your very own signed copy of Incomplete! You can get a copy from Amazon by clicking HERE, or you can order a signed copy directly from me by clicking HERE for $17.99. Buy one for everyone you know! Big smiley faces! I have an order of books coming to me, so as soon as they hit my doorstep I'll get your signed copy in the mail. When ordering from my site you will receive an email stating an order confirmation, and then a second email when I've shipped your book. If you'd like a special message in the book or to ship it as a gift, please note in the comments when you purchase. Thank you SO MUCH for supporting this exciting endeavor and enjoying Saylor's story. You readers mean the world to me! ![]() I received some pretty harsh reviews of my books the other day. And by harsh, I mean crushing. These people did NOT like my books. Being a perfectionist, and one who has spent years investing in these stories, my heart flung itself outside of my chest and into a hole in the backyard and I came thiiiiiis close to hanging up my apron. The typewriter was in the garbage. But as they say, the truth will set you free. I went seeking. My inner voice said all those nasty deviled egg phrases about how I lacked any talent and I should give up and everything is pointless and what the heck have I been doing if I can’t get people to like me or my books…..or… me. Byron Katie came up with some questions to use in situations where The Things don’t seem to be going your way and your thoughts are running away. 1) Is this thought true? 2) How do I feel when I have this thought? 3) Who would I be without this thought? Still after working through these questions, I felt doubtful. What if the critics were right? What if my books were unbelievable, boring, “dragging on and on,” and confusing? Ah! The answers came in various forms, and one big answer came from the show Arrow. Because a lot of great answers come from superhero shows (They do!): WHY are you doing what you’re doing? A lot of problems can be solved with that question. I’ve sorted through why I write for years and haven’t always known my answer. I write because I can’t stop. It makes me so much more than happy. And my books are not really, "me." They aren't all I have to give. A person does not have children in order to receive praise. So then the same applies to books. Friends, I came to these conclusions about critics and books. I think they’ll apply to you, regardless of your goals or projects: 1) If you ask for criticism, you’ll receive it. As I started out with my publishing process, I was told to get reviews, get reviews, get reviews. Send it out, pay for reviews, enter contests; the more people who read it, the more people will see it. If it doesn’t say ‘best-seller’ or ‘award-winning’ then no one will read it. This is in part true. However, any person who reads any string of words can criticize them and how they are put together. There is no perfect book. As a writer, as a creator, you are not perfect. And try as you might, your best work will not be good enough. The truth hurts, but that is what it is. You’re not perfect, your work is not perfect, and someone better climbs the rope ahead of you. This does not mean you don’t do your best. If you read my books, you’re reading my best shot. I give my readers my 2000% best. I spend hours plotting, replotting, editing, sharpening, revising, and revisiting. What you see is my 100. Maybe they're not perfect, but my books got heart. Look at the challenge as a chance for gratitude. What can you learn? Who can you be now? Once the rafters have fallen, what can you build? Use the fear, the criticism, and the hate to see how you can be better. The trick is to know that criticism will come. Expect it. Take the facts and use them to make you stronger. Expect people to ignore you and walk away. Expect the worst, and prepare for the storm. Be someone who can get hit and stand up straighter. Getting hit hurts. You’ve got to lift heavy and scrape away the blood. Be someone who can get rejected and still has self-respect, self-love, and fortitude. Be the hero who takes the hits others cannot. 2) There will always be someone out there who won’t like you. a. If you want a template romance, you’ll hate my books. b. If you want light-hearted, easy fiction, you’ll hate my books. c. If you want predictable plotlines and characters, you’ll hate my books. d. If you love adventures, you’ll enjoy my books. e. If you like twisty plots, relish unpredictable storylines, and totally dig characters who have to go through hard decisions and rough landings, you’ll love my books. f. If you are willing to grow with my writing and my characters, you’ll love my books. g. If you want characters who inspire you to be better, if you want characters who make some poor choices, if you want characters who are not perfect, you’ll love my books. h. If you like a good moment of BEING, a moment where you feel and taste and see and hear and experience the essence of LIFE, and can accept that in the middle of any scene or location, then you’ll love my books. 3) It’s my freaking story! My circus, my monkeys. If I decided to kill a character, I had a good reason. I won’t write the same story as you, and that’s the magic of stories. My characters needed me to tell it this way. I did right by them. a. If you don’t like it, are confused by it, or wanted it to go a different way, let’s talk about it. But you didn’t write this story. I did. Did I make you think? Fabulous. That's the win. b. I want to hear your opinion. And hopefully you’ll hear mine. This is the fun part of stories. c. If my stories inspire you to write it a different way or to add to it, then I did my job. 4) The critics may not be your audience. Find your tribe. Find your village. Your village will love you regardless. The people who stick with you, those are the hearts and minds who really count. Because they see the truth of what you have to offer, and they love it. So appreciate it, love it, thrive in it. Tell them thank you. Name (hero) characters after them. 5) Your Why Is Your Why. a. I am not writing for the critics or the naysayers. b. I do not write for applause or for people to talk about my abilities, good or bad. c. I do not write books because I want to be a bestseller and make a million dollars. (Although I like eating and wearing clothing.) d. I write because I love playing with words. I use a lot of them. It’s my passion. e. I write because I love stories. I love characters and their abilities to be more and to inspire us. f. I write to make you think. g. I write because I feel most alive when I can put my creative thoughts on paper. Something about the process of creating a situation in my head, the challenge of putting it down on paper, the ordering of words makes me feel like I’m solving a riddle only I can unlock. h. I write because I’ve learned some hard lessons and I think others can benefit from them. Jesus used stories to help teach. So he’s my example. The “why” can change over time, and the why can be hard to pinpoint. But it’s vital to your survival in this task you’ve got to do. Find it and keep it ahead of you. The why keeps you on track when the critics wave their torches. 6) Readers’ opinions show where they are as people. Sometimes they aren’t ready for a certain book. Sometimes it’s just not their style. Sometimes it wasn’t what they thought they would be reading, and perspective changes everything. Don’t rely on someone else’s opinion. 7) Good and bad are subjective in terms of writing and storytelling. There are levels to it, but ultimately, one critic will disagree with another. If multiple readers have similar issues, then take that and use it as a lesson in how to write better or improve. But you can’t get better if you just give up. 8) Awards Are Stupid. Art Is Not. Amy Poehler attended numerous award ceremonies for her roles in “Parks and Recreation,” one of my favorite TV shows that I have been watching and re-watching lately. Her character Leslie Knope is one of the most inspirational to me. TO ME. To tiny ol’ me. Do I matter? YES. Does an award matter? NO. It’s a symbol of someone’s opinion. Stupid! Leonardo DiCaprio had my heart and always will for his roles in various movies. He’s forevermore my Romeo. When did he finally win an award? Once he was in some really gray, dramatic survival-bear-eats-him-or-something movie. Ugh. Stephanie Meyer and her ridiculous Twilight story. “I wrote down this dream I had and then it was a blockbuster and then yay it’s a whole franchise of movies. I wasn’t even trying all that hard.” Just crazy. Good for you, Mrs. Meyer. But I LOVED reading those books the first time around. She captured the feeling of a first love. There’s something huge to that gift. Fast and Furious movies, superhero movies, the Step Up dancing movies, those are movies I can watch any time and they inspire me. They don’t win awards, the writing and acting isn’t always top-notch, but WHO CARES. I prefer the movie I like, and I usually don’t prefer an Oscar winner. Those Oscar winners are depressing and you know you don’t like watching that either when you’ve had a stupid day. Art is for entertainment. If it entertains, then it is doing its job. 9) Critics Can Be Bought. Anyone can pay for a review. Anyone can pay to buy copies of their books and become a best-seller (well, the rich people can. Now accepting sponsors.). Anyone can pay for this or that or bribe or buy. Who. Freaking. Cares. About. The. Numbers. Numbers can be bought or bribed. Again, the numbers go back to who has the resources or the scandal or the ability to straight-up lie. 10) Who Really Counts? Does each reader count? Yes. Does one review and one opinion count more than another? Not really. If a person likes a book, then yay! My biggest excitement about books is talking about them with people. If my books get your attention enough so that you want to tell someone about it or ask me a question, then that is the most validation I want. I really just want to share these stories with friends so we can sit over coffee and chat about them. Why did she do that? Why didn’t she do this other thing? What if that other guy was better for her? What if this other thing happened instead of that other thing? THAT is why I write. For the up-late-at-nighters. For the lonely. For those needing a win. For the seekers. For the desperate. For the lost. For the coffee dates. For the questions. For the readers’ investment. For the thrill of the story. For the happy endings. For the entertainment. ***** You are valid. Your opinion is valid. If we differ, okay, but let’s appreciate that about each other. I’ll always offer you an extra serving of grace if you need one. Even if you don’t return the favor, okay. This whole ‘life’ thing we’re doing requires a sword and a shield. I got those. Hopefully we can share them today. Don’t listen to the critics. Don’t listen to the whispers of despair. You do you, and you rockin’ it. |
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