Susan B. Anna's Satin Sheets Romance Review of Haunted Shadows

Title: Haunted Shadows by Candace Sams, Dani-Lyn Alexander & Denise Moncrief

Genre: Paranormal Romance Suspence

Publisher: Still Moments Publishing

Pages:   Approx. 94

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Bio:  Pumpkin Walk-In a fantasy version of an old-fashioned cake walk, a beautiful young witch wins the big green man of her dreams. Kate Cauldron is a witch who attends a country fair and signs up for an event known as the Pumpkin Walk. This strange, ancient contest matches couples who’ve given up finding the right partner on their own. But little does Kate know what fate has in store for her. When a big green goblin is chosen as her mate, there’s no turning back. She’s his for life!

Ghost- A haunting past, an uncertain future.  Jess is haunted by her past and by something else, as well, something that is becoming more substantial.  When she begins to see things she can’t explain, following a head injury she can’t remember, Jess has to wonder if she is going crazy, hallucinating, or seeing the figment of a damaged mind. Will she have to accept a reality that might be far worse?

Ghost in the Garden-Strange things start happening at the old Petrie place, so Gran hires Bo’s Paranormal Extermination Service, but then her granddaughter; Liza Petrie can smell a con artist when she gets a good whiff of her old high school crush, Bo Hendricks. To get rid of the dangers lurking in Gran’s house, Liza must overcome her distrust and help Bo exterminate the ghosts in the attic.

Susan’s Review

Three different authors bring together three great paranormal short stories, that will have you captivated and enthralled with each passing page.  As a paranormal fanatic I came to adore each story as it was written and look forward to reading more from these authors.

The Pumpkin Walk was a sweet coming together by ritual affair that binds a witch, Kate Cauldron with a Bocan, Lance Garretth Pendagron.  One would say he is smitten by Kate at first sight but also saddened by her brooding behavior.  As he continues to watch the woman of his dreams he is tempted to approach her but her demeanor holds him at bay.  Once he figures out Kate was only distracted by her decision to take the cake walk he automatically knows she will soon be tied to him forever and decides to be the one the cake walk binds to Kate forever.

Kate wants the same love and adoration her grandparents the ones who raised her since a small child had.  She witnessed firsthand what love was truly about and her grandparents were tied together by the cake walk, so why not.  Although the initial realization that she would soon be bound to a green giant, she soon realizes she has grown to admire him. I won’t divulge any more about this sweet read, but will say Candace Sams weaved a great tale. Candace Sam also writes erotica under the name C. S. Chatterly.. http://www.candacesams.com/

Our next story by Dani-Lyn Alexander goes more into the paranormal realm and here we find Jess who is haunted by a ghost Noah Hamilton who becomes more and more visible to her once she suffers a fall in her own home.  Jess can’t remember what happened, but she does want answers as Noah begins to manifest himself a lot more and she can now suddenly feel his touch. 

Noah had fallen in love with Kate and has been with her since she moved into her home.  He was surprised that she can now see him and more surprised that he can now feel her and most of all hold her.  This little story gave me shivers and a bit more as I came to understand more and more what Jess was and Noah was experiencing.  I enjoyed this one as well and truly adore Dani-Lyn for the love that poured out of this sweet and romantic paranormal story.

Last, but certainly not least we will come to Denise Moncrief’s, “Ghost in the Garden.”  When Liza Petrie leaves her husband and ends up at her Grandmother’s house she is not only taken back in time, but angered that the one who first broke her heart is now living and possibly conning her grandmother into believing she has ghost.  Bo Hendrick’s a supposed Paranormal  Extermination expert, has been undoubtedly fooling her Gran into thinking she had ghost and Liza was not going to let him get away with it.

Determined to get her Gran to believe her and toss Bo out on his rear Liza sets out to do some research of her own, yet soon gets sidetracked when she begins to experience some very weird occurrences, she can’t explain away and soon also discovers she is without a doubt still attracted to Mr. Hendricks and his very cool, sexy and very well structured body.  Has she gone mad or is this ghost that she still has doubts trying his or her best to bring them closer together.  Find out for yourself as I’d hate to really go further.  All three stories came together nicely and I highly recommend you give “Haunted Shadows,” a read, you won’t be disappointed.  Denise Moncrief, http://www.denisemoncrief.blogspot.com/

I have to give this title Four Satin Sheet Pillows

                                With a heat rating of

Alyson's Satin Sheets Romance Interview with Coming Home author Paloma Beck

We are so very lucky to have Paloma Beck visiting!  She has two recent releases - Coming Home and Holiday Gem.  Today we are chatting with her regarding Coming Home and her inner muse.

All About You:

Alyson:  Welcome Paloma and thank you for taking the time to do this.  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?

Paloma:  I’ve been writing since high school when all that teenage angst is erupting inside. I didn’t know what to do with it so I wrote it all down. I wrote poetry and short stories for the high school magazine. One of my teachers was Wally Lamb who was writing his first book at the time. I fell in love with the idea of becoming an author. I took a hiatus but after taking the long route, I did it. I began writing full-time about eight months ago and love it.

Alyson:  That is really exciting.  So what is the best environment for you to write in?

Paloma:  I have a home office on the third floor where it’s bright and I can see my gardens. I write on a laptop and am often still in my pajamas until lunch. Depending on the scene/ book, I listen to music and have quite an eclectic play list. There is always at least one of my sons’ cats bathing in the sun and my pug, Oliver, snoring at my feet.

Alyson:  Sounds very creativity-inducing! As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Paloma:  A mother. I wanted to have a family to care for. I also considered becoming a teacher because I love to learn. That all changed in high school when I took my first creative writing class and was sold on writing. Then I constructed the plan to teach English-and write in my spare time-because teaching was a proper career. I planned to be the first in my family to go to college and I knew becoming an author was a long shot so I opted for the safety of a practical career. Years later, when I actually fulfilled my dream of becoming a mother, the writer in me re-emerged.

Alyson:  So have you ever written under a nom de plume?

Paloma:  Paloma Beck is a pen name. I wanted to keep my professional writing career separate from family life. I live in a small, conservative town where I’m active in my children’s schools as well as the community and church. Keeping them separate just kept everything less complicated.

Alyson:  Sounds like a smart choice.  Tell us about what have you had published to-date.

Paloma:  The first three books in my paranormal series, Seven Sin Sisters, were released in 2012. The next is scheduled for February 2013. The series will be completed by the end of Summer 2013. I also have a contemporary trilogy about three brothers. The first book, Coming Home, was released in November 2012. I hope to have the next completed by Fall 2013. And, drum roll please, my 2012 NaNo project, Hold My Hand, will be my first self-published book that will hopefully be released in the Spring.

Alyson:  Having read Coming Home and a couple of your Sin Sisters books, I am nothing if not excited about your plans!  What was the feeling like when you saw your published book for the first time?

Paloma:  I thought my heart could burst from my chest. It was a culmination of years of building towards a dream. Right now, my books are only ebook. I’m thinking the next milestone will be seeing them in print.

Alyson:  That has to be an amazing feeling.  Do you think you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Paloma:  Yes. I’ve gone through all my old writing, salvaged anything from long ago years and filed the rest for when I need to remember how far I’ve come or need a good laugh.

Alyson:  I imagine most writers would feel similarly. Has anything really surprised you about your writing life?

Paloma:  The business side of being a published writing is so counter-productive to actually writing. I’ve learned to set aside two hours in the morning for marketing, social media, and all other business-type responsibilities. Then the rest of my day (before I pick the boys up from school) is all mine to write.

Alyson:  I really like how you divide your time! I have to remember that. ;) Do you think you have a writing quirk, so to speak? 

Paloma:  I edit my first draft while I write it. There’s no way around it. I’ve tried everything but I can’t keep typing if the error is flashing at my on the screen. What this means though is that the version my editor gets is only draft two, instead of what might be more like draft three for most writers.

Alyson:  What is your favorite saying, phrase or quote?

Paloma:  Once the mind has been stretched by a new idea, it will never again return to its original size. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Alyson:  Ooh great quote.  So what books are you reading now?

Paloma:  Donna Grant’s Warrior series. It’s great. The warriors are hot and the action is quick-paced. I’m enjoying it though it’s taking me awhile to get through them because I’ve hit a busy patch as two books in various stages have hit my desk.

Alyson:  Ooh Highlanders!  Yum!  lol  So if you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

Paloma:  Organizational Designer. I love to organize things. In fact, sometimes while plotting, I’ll organize a closet or an area that needs re-organization. My friends laugh at my home because it is the epitome of organized but I laugh at them when they can’t find something that I can have at my fingertips in a second.

Alyson:  Oh I love it!  Organization is such a wonderful thing and that would be an wonderful alternitive career.  So wanna share a deep dark Paloma secret with us? ;)

Paloma:  Some of my writing comes from my real life… yep, that’s as good as you get. You can fill it in with your imagination. I know if you read erotic romance, you must have a naughty imagination!

All About Coming Home:

Alyson:  So fill us in on your current release.

Paloma:  Coming Home is the first adult romance book I wrote despite not being the first published. It’s the first book in a series surrounding Rachel Porter, a romance writer. She’s told her three sons tales of finding their true loves since they were just boys. Now as men, they have yet to discover their soul mates but it seems coming home to mother is causing that to change.

Alyson:  Where did you come up with the idea for your book?

Paloma:  It came from this image I have of myself living on a lake as a reclusive author. Someone asked if I’d get lonely and I said my sons would visit me. Then I played with the idea a bit over the next few days and Ryan’s character came to me.

Alyson:  And what an impressive character too!  What was the hardest part of writing it?

Paloma:  I let it all fall into place too perfectly. I was too close to Ryan as a character so when he ran up against an obstacle, I solved it too quickly for him instead of allowing it to run its course. He needed to learn from mistake and readers needed to watch that but I treated him like my own son at first.

Alyson:  Really?  Well, you worked it all out nicely.  Do you feel you learned anything from writing it?

Paloma:  It made me think about my own sons and how their lives will be uniquely their own and their journeys not ones I’ll have too much of a say in. How I shape them as boys and young men before they go off and leave home is where I get to make a difference.

I also learned through adversity, you find strength. ;)

Alyson:  True, you do. Were you involved in the publishing process and have any say in the title and cover of your book?

Paloma:  I found Secret Cravings Publishing and it has been a blessing. I have much autonomy in the title and cover. They have a fabulous cover artist and sometimes I have a little tweak but she usually comes in perfect on draft one. The only change I made to the cover of Coming Home was to shorten Tyra’s nails and give her a lighter polish. You know, she’s not the flashy type.

Alyson:  I love that you know that about Tyra. ;)  Are there any deleted scenes that you loved but had to remove?

Paloma:  Yes. There’s an extra sequence of flashbacks with Ryan’s father that slowed down the flow of the book. I might use them in the other two books or maybe share as special extras on my site.

Alyson:  Oh I am sure your readers would love the chance.  Do you feel like there are certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with again?

Paloma:  I’m so grateful to be able to go back and tell each of the brother’s stories. I want to deal with the loss of a parent from the man’s POV so each of them will work through the loss in their own way in their books.

Alyson:  Knowing how much I liked each of them as individuals, I look forward to learning about all three. Which character really speaks the loudest to you? Do you think any of them clamor to be heard over the others?

Paloma:  Davis. That middle son is always the one who demands to stand out among the pack. Davis is going to be a hard nut to crack but I’m looking forward to his book. He shouts at me when I suggest we talk about how he’s feeling though. I suspect it will take one hell of a heroine to break (by that I mean love) him.

Alyson:   Mr. Tough Stuff himself.  I think you are absolutely right about the right woman and Davis.  Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Paloma:  Coming from the same place, the same home, the same family doesn’t mean you have the same experience.

Alyson:  Thank you so much Paloma.  I know we all loved getting to know you better and I am sure everyone is looking forward to Coming Home!

Coming Home  
by Paloma Beck
http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/  
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing 

Genre: Contemporary Romance  
Length: 142 pages


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Rachel Porter, a romance writer, has told her three sons tales of finding their true soul mate since they were just boys. She lives with the belief that there is but one match for every person. Now as men, they have yet to discover their soul mates. That is, until they come home…

Ryan Porter, Rachel’s oldest son, needs a change from his busy city lifestyle. After five years of living in New York and establishing his own real estate firm, something is still missing. When a family tragedy brings Ryan back to his family’s rural home, he meets Tyra. She just might be the catalyst for the change he needs, redirecting the course of his life. But first he must accept his relationship with his parents and embrace Tyra’s secrets.

Read my Review of Coming Home on Tuesday, January 22 right here on SSR!

Krystal's Satin Sheets Romance Review of The Green-Eyed Doll by Jerrie Alexander

The Green-Eyed Doll
by Jerrie Alexander
http://www.jerriealexander.com
Publisher: Crimson Rose
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 356 pages

Find it on Amazon

Catherine McCoy is on the run. For the past year, she’s been on the move, hiding the secrets and guilt in her heart. When she lands in small-town Texas and meets Sheriff Matt Ballard, he ignites a flame she thought lost forever.

Matt has scars of his own. He left the big city after an undercover operation went bad and his partner was killed. Now, as Matt hunts for a serial killer who paints his victims’ faces like porcelain dolls, Catherine becomes a safe haven for him. Two tortured souls finding comfort in each other's arms—until he uncovers her secret, and their bond of trust is broken.

When Catherine disappears, Matt races to find her, fearing the murderer has found his next green-eyed doll. But the killer has a surprise coming. Catherine will fight to the death before she’ll be a victim again. But will her determination be enough?

Krystal's Satin Sheets Romance Review...

This book was outstanding! Ms. Alexander grabs your attention from the very beginning and doesn't let go. I probably would have read it in one day, but it's long, so it took me two. Even then I practically fell asleep with my Kindle in my hands at like 2am because I couldn't put it down.

The characters jump off the page and take residence in your heart. Catherine is a battered woman who's trying to take back her life. Matt is scared of commitment, but really wants to find someone to share his life with. (even if he doesn't realize it) I loved the old mutt he takes in and cares for that won't let him touch him until his heart has opened for Catherine. Only then, when he's learned to truly care for her will the dog let him pet him. Mind you, the dog runs to Catherine the first time she sees him. Catherine thinks she has these walls built up around her heart, but she doesn't. She's such a kind soul and deeply cares for the people she meets, even though she thinks she's just passing through the town. Ms. Alexander does a fantastic job of weaving her story and setting together. Everything flowed so well and felt very natural. Even the secondary characters were filled out and complete with interesting personalities.

I'm not going to tell you anything about the mystery. Where would be the fun in that? I will tell you that I tried and tried to figure out who it was and couldn't! 

The Green-Eyed Doll is chilling suspense and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The romance is hot and the hero is just gorgeous! I swooned over him a few times. I think Ms. Alexander is keeper for sure and she's made it to my auto-buy list (which is very short).

The author is offering up one copy of The Green-Eyed Doll to a lucky commenter! You don't want to miss this one.

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This Title is Awarded 5 Satin Pillows!