Cupid’s Beau: #ValentinesDay Read by @Alicia_Dean_

Thank you, Linda, for inviting me to your blog.

While I normally write dark, creepy suspense and paranormal, a few years back, I tried my hand at a light, sweet, humorous story. Even though it was way out of my comfort zone, I was surprised to find that I truly enjoyed writing it. Each year about this time, I dust it off and share it. After all, it IS a Valentine’s Day Romance.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into “Cupid’s Beau” ~ ON SALE for 99¢
Cupid'a Beau coverBlurb:

Ivy Pierce is a Cupid who prides herself on doing her job well. Except when it comes to a certain human male. Although she doesn’t understand why, each time she’s supposed to shoot her arrow into Grant Crawford’s heart, her stomach hurts, her chest hurts, and she feels….sad. Cupids are never sad.

After Ivy sabotages Grant’s last chance to find true love, her boss, Aphrodite, sends her to Earth to right her wrong. She has until Valentine’s Day to help him find his soul mate. But the more she’s around him, the more she wants him for herself, even though she knows that can never be. A Cupid and a human? Unheard of.

With every beat of her broken heart, the deadline draws closer. Can she sacrifice her own happiness to help the man she loves find his?

Excerpt:

Ivy sat nervously on a fluffy, bejeweled chair, tapping her foot on the cottony floor.

Aphrodite paced in front of her crystal desk, her lovely face drawn in a scowl. “Ivy, is what Meg said true? Did you really ruin Mr. Crawford’s last chance to find love?”

Ivy swallowed a knot of tears. The only thing worse than being a lousy, sneaky Cupid was disappointing Aphrodite. “Yes, ma’am. I did.”

“Why? Why would you do something so…so terrible?”

Ivy shrugged. Misery weighted her shoulders, made her want to sink into a puddle and disappear. “I wasn’t thinking. I just—acted.”

“Your impulsiveness has ruined a man’s life. Do you have any idea how serious this is? How horrible it is for a human to go through life without love?”

Ivy blinked back tears. “I know.”

“He’s a special case, too. Raised his sister on his own after his mother left. Because his father was so busy searching for a love to replace the one he lost, he ignored his children. The two of them grew up lonely, feeling abandoned, with only each other to turn to. That’s why Mr. Crawford is so dead set against love, why he so desperately needs our help. He saw what the search for love did to his father, and he wants no part of it.”

“Yes.” Ivy’s heart ached for the little boy Grant Crawford had been. For the lonely man he’d become. For her role in making him lonely for the rest of his life.

“Love is a powerful emotion. The most powerful of them all. It causes people to do the most outrageous things. But it also brings the most joy, the most satisfaction. More than you can ever imagine.”

“And I’ve stolen that from him. I wish there was something I could do.”

“There is.”

Ivy lifted her head and stared at Aphrodite. “There is? But he only gets three chances, right? That was his third?” In spite of her genuine guilt over what she’d done, the thought he might still find love, might be with some lucky woman, triggered that same unpleasant feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“This is a special circumstance and calls for special measures. The three chance rule is in place for those who continue to throw away the opportunities we give them. If they are too closed off, too jaded, or just too foolish to grab onto love when we give them the chance, then that’s on them. But, you are the one who sabotaged his final chance. As a matter of fact, you are the reason he needed a third chance.”

“I know. I’m sorry. So, we give him more chances? I promise, I won’t interfere again.” She had to keep her promise. No matter how much it hurt.

“Not exactly. We can’t apply the usual method, you’ve seen to that.”

“Then what method?”

Something in Aphrodite’s expression told Ivy she didn’t want to hear about the other method.

“You shall travel to Earth and make sure Mr. Crawford finds love.”

“What? Travel to Earth?” Ivy’s knees weakened. She’d never been beyond the clouds. This was her home. Her sanctuary. Earth was crowded and dirty and dangerous…

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Cupids-Beau-Sweet-Valentine-Romance-ebook/dp/B00B0JLKP4/

Bio:

I am a suspense and paranormal author in Edmond, Oklahoma, and I have dreamed of being a writer since I was a child. I attempted my first romance at age 10 (featuring a hero who looked just like Elvis Presley), and I still have the tattered, pencil-written copy.

I lead a very busy life, but I manage to find time to read my favorite authors—Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, and Lee Child to name a few—and watching (and rewatching) my favorite shows like The Walking Dead, Dexter, Justified, Friends, and too many other sitcoms to name. But, my greatest passion—other than my family—is writing, and I am exceedingly blessed that I get to do what I loves most.

Connect with me online at:

Newsletter sign up: https://www.facebook.com/NovelNotesAuthors
Website: http://aliciadean.com/
Blog: http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alicia-Dean-559598754221926/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468339.Alicia_Dean

Martini Club 4 – The 1920s with @Alicia_Dean_

I’d like to present Alicia Dean and friends, sharing a fun new series, the Martini Club. But before we dive into their stories, the four ladies each want to share a fun fact:

Amanda McCabe: Sometimes I get asked what is your favorite snack food that inspires you when writing? A kinda weird question, but I am always happy to talk about junk food! I love Dove Salted Caramel Dark Chocolates. And ice cream sandwiches–even in winter. What about you??

Alicia Dean: I modeled my hero, Vince, after Robert Redford.

Kathy L Wheeler: My daughter asked how I choose names for my characters, and I know it will not come as a surprise to my cohorts, but I keep a spreadsheet. And I alphabetize it. This is so I don’t choose all names that begin with “A”. Because I did do that one time and the story was entered in a contest. Guess what her comment was?

Krysta Scott: I am responsible for TV shows being cancelled. It’s true. If I start watching a show when the pilot airs, it hangs in the balance. Some examples are Roswell, Nowhere Man and most recently Believe. I can’t explain it. If I’m really into a show, the network is sure to hate it.

Martini Club 4 – The 1920s

A few years ago, myself and three of my writer friends—Amanda McCabe, Kathy L Wheeler, and Krysta Scott—began meeting each Friday evening (unless something extremely important kept one of us away, and trust me, it had to be IMPORTANT) for Martinis and various other libations, at the Martini Lounge in Edmond, Oklahoma. In time, we came to dub our gathering the ‘Martini Club.’ We unwind, vent, chat about writing, laugh, and strengthen an already strong bond of friendship. It’s not only fun, it’s beneficial. As all writers know, no other friend besides a writer friend truly understands us. (We also have an honorary MC member, Cindy Sorenson. Although she is a writer, she declined to write one of the stories, but she has been invaluable as far as brainstorming and beta reading. So, what else could we do…we named a character after her in the series!)

During one of these gatherings, one of us, and I can’t remember who, made an offhand remark about writing stories centered around the Martini Club. The idea blossomed from there, and the ‘Martini Club 4’ series was born. We thought it would be fun to set our first MC4 stories in the 1920’s, but we intend to write more in other decades in the future. During the planning, plotting, and writing, we have had a few weekend retreats that were loads of fun, and some were even productive. What a joy to do something that I love so much—writing—with a group of ladies that I love so much!
Martini Club authorsLeft to Right: Krysta Scott, Amanda McCabe, Kathy L Wheeler, Alicia Dean

Without further ado, I’d like to present the four novellas in our Martini Club – The 1920’s series.

*** Release date is February 26, 2015 and the price at that time will be $2.99 each. If you pre-order, they are only 99 cents each! ***

Please check out and ‘like’ our Facebook page. The entire series can be found at Amazon.

MC1-RebelliousCover200x316Rebellious: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

Amanda McCabe

Blurb: Can an aristocratic lady melt the cold heart of a Russian gangster?

Lady Jessica Hatton fled her high-society London debutante life for one of investigative journalism in New York—only to be relegated to the fashion pages. Searching for a juicy story leads her to Club 501, the city’s most glamorous speakeasy—and its handsome, mysterious owner, Frank Markov. But his past of war and revolution puts their hearts—and their lives—in danger…

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICWBC8
Contact info: http://ammandamccabe.com

cover of RuinedRuined: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Alicia Dean

Blurb: She vowed she’d be no man’s doxy, but fate had other plans…

After the Earl of Goodwin attempts to force himself on her, housemaid Eliza Gilbert flees England for New York, hoping to build a better life. But the land of opportunity proves as harsh as the London docks, and she finds herself in a situation more dreadful than the one she escaped.

Former boxer, Vince “The Fist” Taggart dreams of marrying, having a family, and living a quiet, peaceful life. But when a girl he’s known since childhood disappears, he heads to New York in search of her and meets Eliza, a woman with a less than honorable reputation. Inexplicably captivated, Vince can’t force himself to stay away, especially when he learns Eliza is the key to finding his missing friend.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICLM2I
Website: http://aliciadean.com
Blog:http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008364070487
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/

cover of RecklessReckless: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Kathy L Wheeler

Blurb: Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger…

Singer Margaret (Meggie) Montley needs money…fast. Her friend is in a dire situation with nowhere to turn. While Meggie is on the brink of stardom, it’s not soon enough to save her friend.

Harry Dempsey is out to avenge the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of a ruthless gangster. But trouble spirals out of control when Meggie Montley shows up the night he meets his nemesis to settle the score. Saving the impetuous woman from a crime lord might be easier than saving her from her own reckless behavior.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICW0G0

Contact info: kathy@klwheeler.com
Website: http://kathylwheeler.com
Blog: http://kathylwheeler.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kathylwheeler
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathylwheeler
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kathylwheeler

cover of RunawayRunaway: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Krysta Scott

Blurb: Can she prove her innocence before more than her dreams are destroyed?

After escaping an arranged marriage, Lady Charlotte Leighton lands on a new shore, determined to realize her dream of opening her own bakery. But her plans are shattered when her former fiancé follows her to New York. Now, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom.

Haunted by a string of failures, Detective Felix Noble is determined to solve his latest case. But his efforts to find a murderer are jeopardized by a forbidden attraction to his number one suspect. While he’s certain Charlotte Leighton is keeping secrets, instinct tells him she’s not the murderess he first believed.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RIFHGPC

Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to enter Linda’s Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card & 2015 Mouse Pad Calendar.

a Rafflecopter giveaway