Hi! I'm adding the buy link for Larynn's book, Rescued, that just released. If you haven't checked out her blog interview, now is the time!

http://www.amazon.com/Rescued-Larynn-Ford-ebook/dp/B00LU6YFVI
Today's guest author is Larynn Ford. Author of In My Wildest Dreams and Christmas Blessing in All I Want for Christmas is a Soul Mate, her third book, Rescued, is due to be released July 18. Thanks for visiting with me today, Larynn!

Larynn Ford began reading romance in her early teens and became interested in writing in high school. She’s a daydreamer and a romantic who is intrigued by the paranormal and loves to let her mind wander, always searching for a happily ever after ending to her dreams.                                                                                          
She began reading with a renewed passion in 2006, fell in love with romance all over again, and began thinking how much fun it would be to create a fantasy world all her own.

In 2009, she began writing down some ideas that actually blossomed to book length and in 2010, joined Romance Writers of America. She is a member of the Southern Magic Chapter in Birmingham, Alabama.

To her delight and constant amazement, her first book, IN MY WILDEST DREAMS was released April 16, 2013. Her desire for more grows constantly. She’s going to keep on writing, dreaming, and searching for those happy ending’s..

Here's the blurb from her latest book, Rescued, due to be released July 16. Be on the lookout for it!

                  Rescued
Fiercely independent and determined to be taken seriously in a man’s world, PI Rose Baxter will do whatever it takes to find the kids who are disappearing from the streets and bring them home safe, even teaming up with PI Marty Brown, a man hot enough to burn whatever part of her gets too close – her fingers, her sheets, her life, and her other nature’s whiskers. 

But her other nature knows whiskers grow back and will accept nothing less than this man as her mate for life, a plan Marty’s all in on. Sparks fly when she refuses to be the little woman. Besides, those kids need her and their time’s running out. But, thrown together 24/7 can she fight it?
                                          * * *
Links:

Website/Blog: http://www.larynnford.com/

Twitter: @LarynnFord

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/larynnfordauthor

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Larynn-Ford/e/B00CELS1V8/

 Book Buy Links:

In My Wildest Dreams

http://www.amazon.com/My-Wildest-Dreams-Larynn-Ford-ebook/dp/B00CE3B11I/

 Christmas Blessings in All I Want For Christmas Is A Soul Mate

http://www.amazon.com/All-Want-For-Christmas-Soulmate-ebook/dp/B00GH2I458/

 Rescued

Available on Amazon.com July 16, 2014

Just for fun, I thought I'd post about a different monster that haunts the depths of Loch Ness. While most of us immediately think of the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie as she is affectionately known the world over, when asked to recount the legends of the loch, there is another told that is perhaps less well known:
The Tale of the Water Kelpie's Wife.
A water kelpie is a dangerous, shape-shifting spirit thought to inhabit the rivers and streams of Scotland. Taking on the shape of a beautiful horse, it lures anyone incautious enough to try to ride it to their death. One in particular is said to have been banished from the River Ness by St. Columba, and became associated with the loch. This kelpie is the river horse of our story.

The water kelpie's wife hated living in the dank, dark, dismal depths of Loch Ness.. In an attempt to devise a plan to ease her plight, her husband went to the surface and took the form of a beautiful black stallion with a long, flowing mane and tail. A stone mason saw the stallion and, unable to resist, leapt onto its back, and found himself stuck fast. With a crack like thunder, the horse dove to the bottom of the loch, taking the stone mason with him. There, the water kelpie struck a deal with the terrified man. The stone mason agreed to build a fireplace and chimney that reached to the surface of the loch in exchange for fish for the rest of his life. To this day a patch of water on Loch Ness never freezes- it's where the chimney comes out.

This week's Thursday's Threads features another glimpse at Rachel Sharpe's new book, Cold Ambition.
(Jordan James, PI series) Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Heat Level: Sweet

Buy Link: http://www.amzn.com/B00L2OLQPG/

Blurb:

"It was my life-long dream to become a private eye. Little did I know that with my very first case, that dream would become a life-threatening nightmare..."

When Jordan James decided to embark on a career as a private investigator, she never could have imagined that a chance encounter would lead to her staring down the barrel of a gun on the roof’s edge of a high-rise building. As she begins to investigate her first case, the puzzling murder of a prominent businessman that has left Boston’s finest mystified for more than two decades, she finds herself suddenly immersed in a treacherous underworld brimming with betrayal, raw greed, and political subterfuge of international proportions. In the midst of this, she discovers she is falling for her mysterious client despite the hints of his dark past. Can this feisty Southern girl with a penchant for trouble solve this baffling case or is she doomed to become another tragic chapter in an international conspiracy?

 

Excerpt:

We sat there in silence and heard Ace stumble towards the door and fumble with the lock.

“Yeah?”

“Is Jordan James here?” a muffled voice inquired. I strained to hear, but the distance between the rooms and the closed door made it nearly impossible.

“Who?” Ace laughed. Suddenly, there was a strange sound. It sounded like a firecracker had gone off. This sound was followed by a loud thud which echoed through the apartment. In an instant, Rick and I were on our feet. Rick turned off the light and grabbed the tape from the VCR. I searched the room vainly for a place to hide. Outside the room, I heard shoes echoing on the floor and the sound of doors being opened. Before I had another moment to think, Rick grabbed me and practically carried me to the far corner of the room by the soundboard. Next to the soundboard was a thin wall covered in soundproof foam. Three of the walls had this soundproof foam but the wall contiguous with the door did not. It appeared Ace was still installing it. He pulled it back to reveal a small closet- sized room.

He brought me inside and replaced the wall, closing us in. We huddled together in the corner. Looking around I realized that this was the room in which Ace occasionally recorded. Suddenly, faintly, I heard the door to the media room open. I heard footsteps making their way around the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the intruder spoke.

“She’s not here,” the muffled voice stated. “Yes, she came into the building with Michaels’ kid. No, they can’t be far. Don’t worry. We know where their car is parked.

If not before, we’ll get them when they go back for it.”

Links:

www.rachelsharpe.com

www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpe

www.twitter.com/RachelCSharpe

I am fascinated with the history of Scotland, and, in particular, the ancient castles whose origins reach far back into time. On the banks of Loch Ness rests the impressive ruins of Urquart Castle.. Built over 1400 years ago, records tell us St. Columba visited in an elderly Pictish nobleman at Urquart in 580 AD, baptizing the nobleman on his deathbed. But
Urquart did not fare so well in the years to come. In 1296, it was seized by the English King Edward I, known as the Hammer of the Scots. In the following years, until 1332, Urquart was pulled back and forth between Scottish and English control. In the troubling days after King Robert Bruce's death, Urquart Castle remained the only Highland castle to hold out against the English.
After the English threat subsided, The MacDonalds invaded Urquart and the Great Glen many times. Their last, and most devastating raid was in 1545.
In 1644, a Covenator force captured the castle. The Covenators were those in Scotland who signed the National Covenant, confirming their opposition to the interference by the Stuart kings in the affairs of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
To prevent the castle from falling into the hands of Jacobites, supporters of King James (Stuart), soldiers loyal to William of Orange and Mary (King James' daughter) blew the castle up.
The castle was never repaired and deteriorated further as its stones were used in other buildings. It was given to the National Trust for Scotland in 2003 and remains a tourist site today.

Good morning, Samantha! I'm so glad you stopped by today. I'm looking forward to hearing about you and your debut novel, The Right One.

Available from Amazon:
www.amzn.com/B00L2MQJX2

Hello Cathy. Thank you for inviting me on your blog today. I’m excited to be here.

  Tell us a little about your writing journey.

Ever since I can remember, I have loved curling up with a book. When I was young I wrote poems and short stories. I signed everything UNKNOWN AUTHOR. I guess even then I feared rejection. When I graduated, my life changed. I married a military man, traveled across the US and abroad, then settled in the Shenandoah Valley and had a family. My children were in high school before I started writing again. About fifteen years ago, I wrote to Catherine Coulter and was amazed that she wrote back. I couldn’t believe it. She was very encouraging and told me to join RWA. She said to write everyday even if it was only one sentence. Many years later, I’m in a book store looking at the covers wanting to try a new author. I see the face of a hunk on a book cover and immediately bought that book. Yep, ladies. A book cover can make a difference. I’m reading Anna Campbell and – I was hooked!  I went back and bought her other two books (which was all she’d written at that time). I contacted her. She’s so nice, and again I was advised to join RWA. I did it via Internet and now I am a RWA member, joined several chapters including Hearts Through History Chapter, and I’m a member of Savvy Authors.

I started writing again. I entered a lot of contests, workshops, and made some good friends via e-mails. I finally finished my historical romance, The Right One, the first of a trilogy. I contacted more publishers, sent my MS to editors, and continued to hope. A pitch opportunity with Savvy Authors resulted in my book being published. I’m over the moon.

Why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever written any other genre? Do you plan on doing so in the future?

My main love is historical. I would have liked to live in the Regency time period. Dashing Lords and pirates seem so romantic. So historical genre is the one I chose. One day I was playing around to get my mind off edits and I wrote a scene with two women bantering back and forth. The words seemed to flow. So I ended up writing my first contemporary Something More. Which is due for release June 25, 2014. Even though historical romance is my first love, the regency requires a lot of research and effort with language of the time period. I worry about making a mistake with British slang.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Would you believe I get most of them lying in bed at night? The only chance I have to unwind and the day’s activities race through my mind. Then ideas pop into my head. The problem is, when I wake up the next morning, I don’t remember half of them. I read once, an author keeps pen and paper by her bed. So sometimes I turn on the light, grab my pen and jot down a thought. My hubby thinks I’m nuts, so I only do it when he works night shift. LOL

What inspired you to write this book? Do you research before you write?

  I love history. Research is the pits, as far as the internet. I google everything – but when you click on websites, they usually give you something other than what you’re looking for. It takes a lot of hours to find things. But I learn a lot of history while I’m looking. So many amazing details which makes a good foundation for any MS. I also read, lots of historical romance books. I’ve taken workshops and Eliza Knight is one of the best for historical facts and castles.

I find the more I research, the more I write down, the deeper my thoughts and the more my characters come alive.

Tell us about your process. Do you plot/make outlines for your WIPS, or are you a total pantser?

I find that I get a lot more accomplished if I just sit at the computer and write. But if I want my story to go somewhere and be a good MS, there has to be GMC. I learned this from many workshops. I learned how to do character sketches, GMC charts, plots—everything one needs to bring a story together. As I write, I make notations on names, color of hair, anything I may need for reference later in my story. It pays off.
 
Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

I have a full time J O B. But I’m retiring this year and can not wait. I don’t have to tell any writer how difficult it is to find time to put words to paper, let alone create them in your mind. I’m so proud I finally managed to finish a novel and now it is being published. Looking forward to the day I may spend more time on my writing. I have so many ideas for books and this historical is the first of three in the “One and Only Series”.
 
What is your favorite part of writing?

Coming up with the characters and their traits. Everyone wants a strong – tall dark and handsome – hero. The trick is not making them all look the same. I do character sheets on my hero and heroines. Then I have to refer back to those sheets throughout the MS so I don’t goof.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Getting started. Seems like I procrastinate a bit. Takes me forever to get settled in.

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

No# 1.  Join RWA. From there you learn to do a number of things. You can join chapter groups, critique groups, you’ll find friends and receive a lot of help. Take every workshop offered—GMC, POV, character interviews, etc. Believe me, you’ll be glad you did. Enter contests and keep your mind open. Take criticism as constructive. Make your writing better. Don’t expect success overnight. It is a long, hard process. If you are determined, keep trying. Don’t give up.

Tell us a little about your current or upcoming release: your inspiration, main characters, setting, etc.

Dark lords are sexy. Every girl dreams of a strong hero and every man wants a sexy woman. The idea of mistaken identity intrigued me and I needed a hook. As I put my story to paper I created conflicts. This is the result.

Morgan Bartholomew Langston, Earl of Whetherford, has finally decided to accept his fate. Tired of dangerous assignments and putting his neck on the line, he has returned to his ancestral home to accept the title of his birthright and produce the required heir. But, when he arrives, he finds his home has been invaded and a female has taken off with his mother’s jewels. Morgan decides the traitorous jade will not get away, so he sets into motion a plan to bring her back. When he abducts the wrong woman, his reaction to her brings him dangerously close to breaking his vow of forbidden emotions.

Katherine Elizabeth Radbourn is a strong, independent woman, and at the age of twenty three is still unwed. In a desperate attempt to find her brother, she is abducted which leads her on a journey to love and mistaken identity. Once she meets her captor, fear and indignation dissipates to an overwhelming awareness. Even though he tells her she is the wrong one, Kat realizes she has finally met a man that—not only she is attracted to—but has awakened her woman’s body. Does he really care for her or does he secretly yearn for the woman she is supposed to be?  Uncertainty makes her risk the very man she has given her soul.

                                      * * *

If you stepped into your hero/heroine’s shoes, would you react the same way they did to adversity?

Oh yes. Don’t we always try to warn the hero/heroine, say we would do things differently? I’d love to live in the Regency or Southern Bell time period. In my stories I try to do the unexpected, make my heroine stronger. And I think to myself—how would I react? So I play the scene out and that’s what my character does.

Any final thoughts you’d like your readers to know about you or your books?

I enjoy penning a story with strong characters, a bit of humor, and active scenes. I invite you to lay the worries of the world off your shoulders and get lost in the pages of a romance, where you embark on a journey with the hero and heroine, become involved in a dream, plunge into a world of fantasy, live an adventure your heart can share.

Please visit my webpage: samanthyawyatt.com 

You can also find me on facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, and SMP Authors.

Thank you for your interest. Tell your friends.

                               The Right One

  He abducts the wrong woman . . . she proves she is the right one.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Kat had been summoned. He had requested her presence, not demanded. Beckoned, as if she were an invited guest. The irony of it all.

Her stomach was tied in knots—had been ever since she received his invitation. She tried to slow her breathing. She swallowed, but the lump that lodged from her throat to the center of her chest never moved. Her head throbbed. The pulse in her temples pounded with every beat of her heart. So loud in volume, she feared surely someone could hear it. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the blond man’s smirk, which was becoming all too familiar. He waited for her to enter the lion’s den. She faced the huge solid oak door, the only thing between her and her impending fate.

The vein in her neck throbbed. If she didn’t calm down, she would be at his mercy. And that would never do. She could not allow him to know how defenseless she believed herself to be.

Lord Whetherford should have absolved her by now. If he was any kind of a gentleman, he would have set her free. She hesitated another moment outside the door. He was at fault—not her. She would demand to be released at once. Her body as taut as a tightly-drawn corset, she knocked on the wooden door.

Hearing his utterance, Kat smoothed her hands down the sides of her gown and squared her shoulders. Knowing Hathridge studied her, she summoned the courage to enter with a confident determination she did not feel.

She opened the study door.

He stood by the window, facing the sunlight, his back to her. A large, dark, muscular man, in all his finery, with broad shoulders and a commanding stance. Inky black waves hung thick and unruly. Tresses just long enough to curl over the neck of a white shirt peaking from the collar of his black suit coat. This man stood as tall as her brother, and Stephen loomed well over six feet. Even from the back, his broadness showed plenty of muscle. Remembering his fight with the ruffians made her sigh, marveling at the instant craving that pierced her torso.

The latch of the closing door generated a spike in her already rapid pulse. No chance to flee since Hathridge, quite possibly, barred the door. She lifted her chin and forced her arms by her side. Not knowing what to say, or if he expected her to say anything at all, she waited. He remained motionless, taking his darn sweet time to acknowledge her presence. Why didn’t he turn around? Why did he ignore her? The silence drew out so long she thought her unsteady legs would not hold her much longer.

Finally, he spoke. “Would you like a drink, my dear?

She had forgotten the low deep timbre of his voice. The rich baritone sent surges of awareness down her spine. An unexpected, distinct wakefulness. She resisted the urge to clasp her hands and entwine her worrisome fingers. Kat answered in a voice she hoped would not crack. “No, thank you.”

She nearly jumped out of her skin when he whirled around like the lash of a whip. He didn’t speak. He stood like stone, the same as she. Smoldering dark eyes seized hers in a heated, locked gaze, drowning her in their penetrating force. She had not been prepared for the dark threatening expression—threatening in the way that she felt something move within her.

Time stood still.

Nothing else in the room existed but the two of them. His hypnotic pull seared her, sending a tingling sensation beginning in her stomach, then flowing down the back of her knees and extending through her limbs making it impossible to move.

Her throat tightened.

If those eyes could shoot fire, they would sear holes right through her. But the expression on his face . . . he looked like he’d just had a good kick in the teeth.

Morgan felt as though someone had just punched him in the gut—hard. His breath caught at the sight of the stunning creature before him. Lost in amazing green eyes—adrift in their sparkling jade and mystique sensuality. He scanned her high cheekbones with soft creamy skin, and let his gaze slide down to fasten on luscious lips. Suddenly his mouth was dry

A cloud of vibrant red hair floated around her shoulders—like the brightest sunset at the end of a day, resting on the shimmering ocean. Luxuriant masses of thick curls inviting a man’s hands. He flexed his to keep from reaching for her. The movement reminded him of the snifter in his palm, which brought him some sense of stability.

He took in her exquisite form, stared at the more-than-generous swell of bosom, letting his heated gaze linger there. A notion popped in the back of his mind telling him to breathe. He tightened his jaw to make sure his mouth did not hang open. His hungry eyes moved lower, perceiving a slim waist before the folds of her gown hid the rest. He swore under his breath. She is exquisite.

She stood straight and tall with her chin at an angle in challenge. Even with that rod in her backbone, he sensed her vulnerability. A pang of concern struck his chest.

“You,” he whispered. What the hell is she doing here?

An explosion went off in his brain. Holy Mother of God! Those fools. They must have brought her here thinking she was Juliana.

Blood and the devil!

 Morgan’s heart kicked and landed somewhere in the bottom of his gut. Choking on the words for this unsettling circumstance, he compelled himself to speak hoping his voice would not betray him. “I owe you my profound apology. There has been a horrendous mistake, madam. And I fear that I have made it.”

Those beautiful eyes blinked. She stared at him as though someone had taken over her senses. Was this woman a simpleton?

He hurried to the sideboard. Even though she could quite possibly be in shock, he ignored the stronger spirits and poured a generous amount of sherry. He didn’t want to knock her on her bum, just bring some color back in her face. He strode back to the unknown beauty and placed the flute in her hand.

Changes came over her face. Stupor—awe—surprise—and . . . anger. Although Morgan was not a patient man, he waited.

Her eyes flamed with fire. “Did I hear you correctly? Mistake?”

Morgan stopped the oath before it left his mouth. “Yes. I believe your being here is a mistake.”

“A mistake.” She echoed with a stupefied look, unseeing the crystal she held in her hand. “That’s what I thought you said.”

She raised the glass and downed the liquid in one swift movement. Tears came to her eyes as she tried not to cough. She marched to the side table and he feared she planned to get more. Instead she set the glass on the table top. When she faced him, her hands were fisted and the fire in her eyes burned brighter than the flames in the hearth.

“Mistake?” she snapped. “I was kidnapped! I have been a prisoner in your home. Forced to come here and forced to remain. I’ve been scared out of my mind. Every day I worried if you still lived. I agonized over what would become of me if you died. Then I walk in here and you have the audacious daring to tell me it was a mistake?”

Buy links: http://www.amzn.com/B00L2MQJX2

Thank you so much for joining us today, Samantha! I wish you great success with this book! I hope you will visit with us again soon!