The Golisano Children’s Museum's Big Wig Event

The Golisano Children’s Museum's

2nd Annual Night at the Museum: Big Wig Event

 

The Big Wigs Night at the Museum will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m., February 7th at the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples.

 

Team up with C'mon and experience a truly unique event that gives adults a 360 degree spin on what it means to be a Big Wig for Naples' children. From a red carpet entrance dodging paparazzi to designer seating presented by Clive Daniel, guests will be exposed to a variety of sensory delights.

 

The upscale, casual, anything goes evening encompasses the Miami/South Beach flavor while holding true to Naples' style. Think marching band, Everglades band, North Carolina band with multiple bars, cocktail pits, and a magician combined with four food trucks straight from the east coast.

 

This is not your normal event, and the never-been-done-before-here twist means new opportunities for guests to make a difference in the future of Naples. When you sponsor the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples' Big Wig Night at the Museum, you'll be helping to bring exciting new interactive programming and learning opportunities to the children of Naples. Through your generosity, area children will explore new ideas, use their creativity, discover other cultures, engage with the natural world, create art, and more.

 

Sponsors will receive a package of valuable Big Wig benefits, including recognition in event materials and acknowledgement the night of the event.

 

If you'd like more information about the Big Wig event, or to schedule an interview, please call 239-260-1714.

I'm so excited.

Tall, Dark, and Cowboy, a special six-box boxed set, releases June 3, 2014, and includes my Somebody Like You along with full-length books by Katie Lane, Ruth Ryan Langan, Molly Cannon, Laura Drake, and Erin Kern.

Here's a short excerpt from Somebody Like You:

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Annelise Montjoy motored her Harley along what appeared to be the town’s main street. This was Maverick Junction?

A blue Cadillac, surely old enough to be in a museum, was parked nose-in to the curb. An incredibly ugly dog sat in the front seat.

Thank God, this, the final destination of her cross-country trip from Boston, was temporary. It looked like the kind of place you ran awayfrom, not to. If luck was on her side, she’d be out of here in a couple weeks at the most.

And then a store door opened and her breath caught. Go, Texas! Look at that cowboy. So different than any of the men in her life. So…intriguing. She slowed to nearly a standstill and watched as he swiped an arm across his forehead, then dumped a grocery bag in the back seat of the old Caddy.

Cracking open a bottle of water, he turned his head in her direction. Her breath hitched as his gaze ran lazily over her, her bike. Then he snagged a Styrofoam cup from inside his car and filled it before setting it on the blistering pavement for the dog waiting patiently beside him.

Leaning against the faded fender, he thumbed back his battered Stetson and chugged the rest of the water. Twisting the cap back on, he tossed the bottle into the recycling bin beside the grocer’s door.

Annelise pulled her bike into a parking space across the street, deliberately turning her back on the stranger. While his clothes might have been stereotypical cowboy--worn jeans, a faded tee-shirt, cowboy boots and hat—he took everything from simmer to boiling point. The jeans hugged long legs, while the shirt stretched taut across his muscled chest. There was something very alluring about him and that surprised her. He wasn’t the kind she was usually drawn to.

He shouldn’t appeal to her.

He did.

Not so much as a breeze stirred. The flag on the post office hung limp, and the cheerful red, white, and blue balloons someone had hung outside a beauty salon drooped listlessly.

Unable to stop herself, she peeked in the bike’s rearview mirror. Cowboy was bent over, talking to the dog. Quite a view, but she wasn’t here to admire a fine jean-clad butt. She needed something cold to drink and something light to eat. Then she’d go in search of Dottie Willis and the apartment she’d rented over the internet. Maverick Junction, Texas. Annelise wished she was driving through, wished she could view it as simply a spot on the map where she’d stopped for lunch one summer day.

Can't Stop Lovin' You Blog Tour

 

Here are a few of the places I’ve visited lately. Come visit! See what the Maverick Junction gang and I are up to these days.

Fic Talk Blog http://fic-talk.com/2014/02/a-taste-of-maverick-junction-by-lynnette-austin/  A Taste of Maverick Junction—with Recipes!

Night Owl Reviews http://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Authors/Lynnette-Austin   Review—Top Pick!  

A Tasty Read http://atastyread.blogspot.com/2014/02/cant-stop-lovin-you-by-lynnette-austin.html  Hero Profile for Brawley Odell

Love Romance Passion http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?s=lynnette+austin Regal Annelise or Down-home Annie—Does a Name Really Matter?

Romance Reviews Today  http://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/search?q=lynnette+austin   Q&A with Lynnette—Visit a typical writing day

Harlequin Junkie http://harlequinjunkie.com/spotlight-giveaway-nearest-thing-to-heaven-by-lynnette-austin/ The Not-So-Silent Character in a Book

As The Pages Turns http://www.asthepagesturn.com/2014/02/guest-post-giveaway-found-in-you-by-kl.html#uds-search-results Interview with character Brawley Odell

Savvy Authors http://savvyauthors.com/blog/?s=lynnette+austin  First Drafts, An Inescapable Reality of a Writer’s Life

Just Contemporary Romance  http://www.justcontemporaryromance.com/search/label/Lynette%20Austin  Characters’ Goals—The Keystone of a Story

SOS Aloha http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2014-02-06T21:24:00-05:00&max-results=7&start=21&by-date=false  Q&A with Lynnette and a chat about favorite snacks

The Fiction Enthusiast http://thefictionenthusiast.blogspot.com/2014/02/top-5-reasons-to-fall-in-love-with.html  Top 5 Reasons to Fall in Love With a Cowboy

JenniferVido http://www.jennifervido.com/blog/2014/02/cant-stop-loving-you-by-lynnette-austin-blog-tour.html Review and excerpt

Smut and Bonbons  http://www.smutandbonbons.com/4/post/2014/02/blog-tour-cant-stop-lovin-you-by-lynnette-austin.html    Spotlight and excerpt

Romance Rewind http://romancerewind.blogspot.com/  Spotlight and excerpt

Manga Manic Café http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=10160   Review and Giveaway

Book Reviews and More http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/2014/02/08/3765/   Spotlight, Excerpt, and Giveaway

Romance Junkies http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

Books n Kisses http://www.books-n-kisses.com/2014/02/guest-blogger-lynnette-austin/   New York’s Fashion District

Eclectic Passions http://eclecticpassionsbc.blogspot.com/p/blog-page

 

 

 

What Happens Next?

What Happens Next?

So I’m thinking that everyone’s excited about Christmas and then New Year’s, right? And then along comes January 2^nd…and the big let-down. But it doesn’t have to be that way. No. Because I’ve decided to send two of you a copy of my new book Nearest Thing to Heaven to lift that mood again. Once you meet Sophie, Ty, and the four-year-old triplets, I seriously believe you’re going to be smiling again.

Leave me a comment, and you’ll automatically be entered into the drawing. You can choose between digital—Nook or Kindle—or a printed ARC. I’d love to hear from you.   I'll draw for the winners on January 2, 2014. 

Nearest Thing to Heaven is the second book in my Maverick Junction series, and we get to spend more time with all the gang we met first in Somebody Like You. Can’t Stop Lovin’ You, the third book in the series, will be released February 4, 2014.

With the holiday season fast approaching. Sophie London finds herself back in Maverick Junction, Texas, for her cousin’s wedding to Cash Hardeman and runs headlong into Ty Rawlins, the widowed father of rambunctious triplets. Sophie, owner of Stardust Productions, believes in fairies and magic. Long-horned cattle, wide-open spaces, and three-year-olds with fishing worms dangling from their poles are enough to make any city girl run all the way back to Illinois in her Jimmy Choos. Ty, busy with the day-to-day duties as single daddy and owner of the Burnt Fork Ranch, has no time for romance. He’s had love and lost it. Yet he finds himself thinking of Sophie night and day. Can Ty convince both himself and Sophie that Maverick Junction is where she belongs, right beside him and his boys?

Here’s a little excerpt you might relate to right about now. Ty, Sophie, and the boys are out searching for that special Christmas tree:

An hour later, Sophie still hadn’t lost her silly grin. They’d found the tree. All of them circled it, studying it from every angle. The pine was beautiful, its shape and size absolutely perfect.

Even the horse ride had been enjoyable. She’d felt safe on Molly today. Comfortable.

Sophie scuffed her booted foot over the ground. The snow wasn’t deep, and random bare spots stuck out. It wasn’t Chicago snow by any means. But it lay over the earth like a thin layer of icing. The air was cold, but a long way from frigid.

Ty moved back to his horse to retrieve the ax he’d brought along. Sophie had a momentary pang at the idea of actually murdering the tree. When she whispered that to Ty, he stared at her, incredulous.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Not really.” She wrung her hands.

He shifted the ax to his other hand. “Sophie, I can’t—”

“I know. The kids will get such a kick out it, and it’ll bring far more enjoyment in your home than out here. Blah, blah, blah. Go ahead. I just won’t watch.” She put a hand over her eyes. “And I’m being silly, aren’t I?”

“You’re being you.” He kissed her forehead.

“Daddy kissed Sophie!”

The shrill pronouncement brought echoes from the other two, who picked it up as a chant. “Daddy kissed Sophie, Daddy kissed Sophie.”

The triplets danced around in the snow, their noses red.

“Uh-oh,” Sophie muttered. “Now you’ve done it.”

“You think?” Grin devilish, Ty turned to the boys. “Want me to do it again?”

“Uh-huh! Do it again!”

Before she realized what he was up to, Ty wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her in. His lips covered hers in a not-quite-chaste kiss.

She laughed and pushed at his chest. “Bad Daddy!” she said, low enough for only him to hear.

“Mmmm.” He smacked his lips together. “Good Sophie. Sweet as sugar.”

“Go cut down that tree, Paul Bunyan.” She ran over to the boys. “Have you ever made snow angels?”

Ty swung the ax, but his attention wasn’t on his work. Sophie and the boys lay in the snow, waving their arms and legs, making angels. One by one, his sons gave it up to throw themselves over Sophie, who drew each one in with little tickles.

He looked at the angels they’d created and thought of Julia. Blinking snow from his eyes, Ty lifted his gaze Heavenward. Imagined her up there watching their boys playing with Sophie. Was she smiling or shedding tears?

Pressure built in his chest. Conflicted? Oh, yeah. Talk about a tug of war. He felt trapped somewhere between the past and the present, unable to reach toward a future.

Damned if he knew whether he and his boys were headed for something wonderful or standing in the path of a tsunami-force heartbreak. He swung again, his ax biting deeply into the pine.

Question: Do you have any special rituals that take some of the hurt away when it’s time to take down that beautiful tree? Leave me a comment and share—anything you want about anything—and I’ll enter you into the drawing for one of the two copies of Nearest Thing to Heaven!

 

Hope you can join Ty, Sophie, and me in Maverick Junction, Texas, for Nearest Thing to Heaven, book two of my series.  Come visit me at my website www.authorlynnetteaustin.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet 'n Steamy Blog Tour

Today, I'm fortunate enough to have two wonderful authors visiting--Kara Leigh Miller and Sharon Kleve. Welcome to their Sweet 'n Steamy Blog tour.

Don't forget to sign up for the great giveaways--gift cards and books galore!

You can find all their blog stops here: http://authorsharonkleve.blogspot.com/

Kara, tell us a little about your new book. What a beautiful cover!

Book Title: Jilted

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Publisher: Books to Go Now

 

Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance

Release Date: 9.15.2013

Length: 49K

Heat Rating: Hot 

Book Blurb:

Amy and Brett have been friends since they were kids; and their friendship has withstood the test of time. But can it withstand Brett's fiancée, Vanessa?  

Brett Hudson has often wondered what it would be like to be more than Amy's friend, but when he's chosen as the newest professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, he meets Vanessa, one of the shows costume designers and it's a whirlwind romance that ends in a wedding proposal. As the big day draws closer, Brett begins to think that marrying Vanessa might be a bad idea. She wants him to give up Amy. Completely. Will he give up his best friend for the woman he's supposed to marry? 

Amy King is heartbroken to learn that Brett is marrying another woman. But, when Brett is jilted at the altar, he begs Amy to go on his honeymoon with him. A week on a tropical island with her best friend, the man she's fantasized about for years is a dream come true for Amy. But when Brett suggests crossing the line from friends to lovers, Amy is reluctant. Will she risk years of friendship for one night of passion?

 Buy Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jilted-ebook/dp/B00F6DFUG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379161399&sr=8-1&keywords=Jilted+kara+leigh+miller  

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jilted-kara-leigh-miller/1116906522?ean=2940148724681  

Excerpt:

"It's because you go for the wrong type of guy," Brett said matter-of-factly, pouring a third shot down his throat. "Those muscle bound jocks are all bark and no bite. They look good on the outside, but they're a mess on the inside."

            Amy threw a piece of ice at him and laughed. "And the goody two shoes, school teacher types you date are much better?"

            "Nope." He grinned. "Which is why we're both still single."

            She sighed. "Yeah, so much for my dream of having kids."

            "You're young. I'm sure you'll find someone." He drank his last shot and chased it with his beer.

            "I'm thirty, Brett. By the time I find a man, date him, and get married, I'll be an old hag with no viable eggs."

            The thought of Amy finding a man to marry and have kids with didn't sit well with him. He couldn't stomach the thought of losing her. "I'll tell you what." He leaned across the table and pointed at her. "Three years from now, if neither of us are married, I'll marry you and give you as many babies as you want." Brett's words were slurred. Yup. He was definitely drunk. He wouldn't have made that proposition otherwise.

            "Yeah right." Amy rolled her eyes. "You and me? That would be like fucking my brother. Thanks, but no thanks."

            He flinched at her words. "You think of me as your brother?" That bothered him a lot more than it should, especially considering he'd never once thought of her as a sister.

            She shrugged. "We're best friends. How else would I think of you?" Amy glanced away, and then set her gaze on him again. "Why? How do you think of me?"

            Oh shit! He hadn't expected the conversation to backfire on him like that. What was he supposed to tell her? That he thought of her as a best friend that he wanted to fuck? No, he definitely couldn't tell her that. "As a friend, I guess. I don't know. It's not like I sit around and think about how I should think of you. You're Amy."

            "And you're drunk."

            "Maybe a little." He grinned. "So, do we have a deal or what?"

 Author Bio:

Kara is a multi-published romance author who dabbles in young adult, new adult, paranormal, and contemporary romances. However, her genre of choice will always be erotic romance. She's a member of the CNY Writers Haven and the Romance Writers of America. Writing is her passion and she loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with her fellow authors and her fans.

Today, Kara resides in Upstate New York with her husband, five kids, three cats, and two dogs. When she's not reading or writing, she's spending time with her family and friends.

Nothing excites Kara more than hearing from her fans. So, send her a note. She'll go total fan girl over it!

Social Media Links:

Website/Blog: www.karaleighmiller.com

Email: karaleighmiller@yahoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/KaraLeighMiller

 Sharon, you're up! We're excited to hear about your new book, Halo's Wish!

Book Title: Halo's Wish

Author: Sharon Kleve

Publisher: Books to Go Now

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Christmas Romance

Release Date: 9.15.2013

Length: 11K

Heat Rating: Sweet 

Book Blurb:

Halo Ann Carlyle wishes for a home, family, and a boat-load of pets. What she gets is a bruised hip, a lump on the head, a broken ankle, and her new yellow Honda Civic is demolished.

 Rich McFarland, a sexy veterinarian, keeps showing up in the most unexpected places, promising everything she's ever wanted.

 Halo believes she only has time to pursue her career as a pet detective and must ignore her growing attraction to achieve her dreams.

Will Halo trust her heart, and find a way to get both for Christmas?

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Halos-Wish-Dreams-Come-ebook/dp/B00F4M2N6S/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379080942&sr=1-11&keywords=sharon+kleve

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F4M2N6S

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/356656

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/halos-wish-sharon-kleve/1116903897?ean=2940148724476

Excerpt:

She'd just placed another call through to Pemsky's office, which went straight to his voicemail, when the office door opened. Halo smiled and looked up into dreamy, gold-flecked green eyes, short sandy brown hair, a slight cleft chin, and full lips set in a hard line. Even with the stern look he had on his face, my hormones jumped into overdrive.

Mr. Dreamy cleared his throat—she must've been staring. In her most professional voice she said, "Good morning. How may I help you?"

He removed a piece of paper from his shirt pocket and unfolded the sheet.

"I was parked in front of the Beacon Hill Ale House and my driver's side mirror was sideswiped by one of Pemsky's Security's SUV's Friday night."

Halo loved the Beacon Hill Ale House. Every Saturday night the Ale House allowed local bands to jam together. That's where she'd met her last loser boyfriend. She'd had a lot of loser boyfriends. She's currently on a hiatus from dating, but she wouldn't mind jumping back into the dating game for this dream-boat.

He handed her the piece of paper.

"I wasn't able to get a look at the driver, but I got the license plate number of the vehicle that hit my car and drove away."

He emphasized the last part.

"I'm very sorry about your car. I'm sure Mr. Pemsky will be happy to cover the damage." Halo checked the company log and Pemsky's name popped up as the driver—she gulped. 

Author Bio:

Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.

Sharon is a writer of paranormal and contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.

One of her favorite things to do is picking up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors have inspired her.

When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels. 

Social Media Links:

Email: sharon.kleve@yahoo.com

Blog: http://authorsharonkleve.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharonrkleve

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonKleve

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5399389.Sharon_Kleve

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sharon-kleve/56/ab/691/ 

Rafflecopter Giveaway Info:

Prizes:

• One (1) Winner will receive a $25 gift card to a book seller of their choice
• One (1) Winner will receive Kara Leigh Miller's complete backlist, which includes five novellas and two full-length books
• One (1) Winner will receive Sharon Kleve's complete backlist, which includes six books
• Three (3) Winners will receive a signed paperback copy of Kara Leigh Miller's, Death of a Waterfall
• Three (3) Winners will receive a signed paperback copy of Sharon Kleve's, Love Crazed

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