January 2, 2015

/\ Something Different, but sure to Satisfy. /\ Tour Stop /\





SYNOPSIS

About 10 years ago, I found myself living a life of excess. I drank too much, ate too much, partied too much, dated too many and spent much more money than I had. After 17 years of abuse, my body almost self-destructed. At one point, I found myself weighing in at 528 pounds, an alcoholic, broke and alone. I sat there on my little corner of “rock bottom” and felt sorry for myself. I was repulsed and ashamed of what I had become. On January 15, 2011, I had an epiphany. I was forced to face the reality of my mortality and I was mortified . On January 16, 2011, I quit drinking completely which was truly difficult, in that I still owned a bar. I lost a total of 252 pounds and went back to college after 25 years. I am also a loud and proud lesbian. I have stared almost every type of discrimination in the eye and vanquished it. I have lived life to the highest of highs and hit the lowest of lows. I am still searching for my middle ground. I have completely turned my life around. I am not who I was three years ago. I like to write and create. My passion is to communicate, educate and motivate. Recently, I lost my best friend and my greatest supporter, my mother. She was never one to whine or engage in self-pity. Despite all of the hardships she herself endured, she managed to raise 4 very strong, independent and successful children. When we were overwhelmed with stress, love and life she would sit us down and calmly say “Pick a struggle cupcake….and resolve it”. 


I did…I have….and now I would love to share some of my experiences, struggles, failures and triumphs with you. In doing this, I hope to compel and inspire you to confront your demons and conquer your looming catastrophes. There is always an answer, an escape or a solution. We just have to find it! Together, we shall! Now, let’s get started! Pick a struggle cupcake…..pick a struggle.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR


So this has been an incredible year for me. The universe has blessed me with so many amazing opportunities, that I am dizzy in trying to make the best choices. When I weighed 528 pounds & had all but given up, I felt within me, one last surge of energy, one final spark of hope. The spark began to smolder & then ignited a fire which has kindled an inferno. I do not exaggerate when I say that not so very long ago; I was at the end of my rope. I held on, tied a knot and swung wildly in the wind for a while. I went back to school in hopes that I might find my purpose. I first studied Human services for a couple years, thinking that I could help others who may have struggled with eating or drinking disorders. I found the program exceedingly disheartening and discouraging & realized that this might not be my calling after all. Yet I knew that through all of the pain & heartache I have experienced and more importantly survived in my lifetime, I did have within me the ability to help those people who were willing to accept it. I began to write. The words spilled out onto the paper and would not stop. My deepest compassions, concerns and emotions, along with my struggles, failures and yes, victories lay open & exposed on the pages of a dozen notebooks. I thought long & hard as I read the words and absorbed the significance of their existence; and then it hit me like a sudden bolt of lightning from the sky-I finally realized my purpose. Nothing in my life has given me more joy, than that which I have experienced this summer in sharing my stories of hope & inspiration with all of you. The outpouring of raw, honest emotion that I receive daily is overwhelming at times yet, I read all of your messages, comments and posts. Sometimes I am overcome with sadness as I listen to the battles that you fight & thankfully, other days I swell with pride and satisfaction when you share a victory, even if it is just a small one. With all of this being said, I have put together an inspirational book full of my short stories and favorite blog posts that comes out on Monday, December 1, on Amazon and Kindle and is called PICK A STRUGGLE CUPCAKE. I will do my best to create, motivate and inspire all of you to reach your goals and wildest dreams...if in turn, you will join me in this journey to discover mine. My book...a lifelong dream becomes a reality on Monday. A writer is only a writer if others stop and read the words. Please read mine.
Fondly, Alana Marie

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♬♬♬ New Release ♬♬♬ Robin Covington ~ Playing with The Drummer

 
Title: Playing with The Drummer (Head over Heels, #3)
Author: Robin Covington
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 236 pages
Release Date: December 29, 2014
 
Warning: This book contains a sexy, Alpha rock star who just wants to be left alone and the gorgeous, super talented reporter who thinks that is the worst idea ever. When they are thrown together and forced to play nice, the competition begins in the bedroom but ends on the front page. The author is not responsible for spontaneous combustion of the reader.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23723050-playing-with-the-drummer
 
http://bit.ly/1wE7hHm
 
 

Entertainment journalist Lita Matthews is on the verge of making it big. As in her-own-TV-show big. She just needs amazing inside scoop on the year’s hottest celebrity wedding. Instead, her big break is becoming a big nightmare—all thanks to rock star Rocky Cardano. Who apparently hasn’t gotten over what happened between them four years ago…

 Rocky is pretty damn familiar with just how far Lita will go for a “scoop.” Hell, their unbelievably hot hook-up in Mexico years ago was the story of a lifetime. Rocky’s learned his lessons. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep her from the story—even if he has to seduce her to the point of distraction! But Lita has always had a way of getting under his skin. Only this time, he won’t be able to just walk away…
 
BOOK TRAILER
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They were still touching, from shoulders down to their thighs, bodies trading warmth in the slight chill of the night next to the lake. She was close enough to kiss, close enough for him to caress, and he bit back a groan when he recalled her curves. She was smooth muscle, silky skin, lush breasts that filled his palms with their delicious heavy weight. Rocky broke eye contact, taking the chicken-shit way out for a moment.

He should move, get up and walk around, but he wasn’t going to do it. The big, horny bastard who made poor decisions was super-powered by tequila shots. That guy was like the Hulk, except that poor schmo in the movie couldn’t fuck without losing control, and when you were green with anger-management issues— that was a big problem. But Lita loved it when he lost control, and he enjoyed it when she took everything he had and begged for more.

The silence between them wasn’t awkward, and it wasn’t empty. The drumbeat of what they were both contemplating was in time with the pounding of their hearts. His cock ached, strained against the fly of his jeans; his mouth salivated with the desire to taste her. Lita’s nipples were tight under the flimsy fabric of her tank top; they rose and fell like she’d been running. He was waiting for some sign that she was on board for them to both make a poor drunken decision.

“I’m really sorry about Mexico…after Mexico,” Lita whispered as she looked up at him again, her breath warm against his mouth. He licked his lips, disappointed that he couldn’t taste her there.

“Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

“Do you believe me?”

Rocky sighed slightly, cataloging the hope in her eyes that maybe they could put this behind them. He reached out a hand, allowing his fingers to trace the arc of her cheek, the side of her neck, dipping into the hollow of her throat and coming to rest on the curve of her breast.

The tension was strung taut between them, but through it all, he realized that he owed her an answer before this went any further.

“I’m just tired of fighting about it.”

She closed her eyes briefly, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of his words or the effect of his gentle stroke against her flesh.

“That’s not a great answer,” Lita said, opening her eyes again.

She studied his face, her eyes processing each assessment she made, every calculation of pros, cons, and the absolutely insane. Rocky expected her to pull away, to end this detour and frolic into madness. He needed her to do what he could not do. He wanted her under him, around him. Wanted her in every way he’d had her those three days in Mexico, wanted to refresh those living memories with warm flesh, wet kisses, and pleasure. But he wouldn’t lie to get it.

“It’s the best I can do,” he whispered.

“I know for a fact that isn’t true.”

“You’re right,” he said as he slid his other arm between them and around her waist. He tugged her upward, and the movement put her eye-to-eye, mouth-to-mouth with him. This was without a doubt the dumbest thing he’d ever done, drunk or sober, but it felt incredible. He’d dreamed about this, woken achy and hard from his subconscious fantasies that involved Lita, a hammock on the beach, and not a stitch of clothing in sight. “You are so goddam beautiful.”

She inhaled quickly, her breath catching before stuttering out. “You’re drunk.”

“Yep. Enough to tell you what I want.”

“And what do you want?” Her eyes told him she knew what his answer would be. Her expression dared him to say it out loud.

He ran a thumb over her lips, dipping in when she opened, a shiver racking him when her tongue swirled around the digit. “I want you.”

Lita shifted, swinging a leg over him until she straddled his waist. On instinct, he moved his hands, cupping her ass and touching the sweet heaven of bare skin where her tiny skirt had shifted up. She leaned over him, mouth within kissing distance, one hand wrapped around his neck and the other around a long hank of his hair.

“You don't even like me.”

“I’m good at pretending.”

She smiled, her eyes dark, smoky, tinged with mischief and softened by the tequila buzz. “For how long?”

Rocky leaned closer, a gentle brush against her lips catching her laughter and then stopping it altogether with a deep, hot kiss. He sank into her mouth, using his tongue and his lips to coax her first moan of pleasure. He pulled back, making sure she saw how very serious he was.

“For as long as it takes to make you come.”
 
 



 



Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1GW6Z1k
Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1x2H7xI
 
Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her bestselling books. When she’s not writing sexy, sizzling romance she’s
collecting tasty man candy pics, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and obsessing over Dean Winchester. Don't send chocolate . . . send eye candy!

 
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/\/\/\ COVER REVEAL /\/\/\ Mandi Beck

FinalWrap with Blurb LOVE HURTS FINAL WRAP

Love Hurts

Mandi Beck

January 23, 2015

Cover Design and photo by Perrywinkle photography

 

 

Even when she won’t fight for us, I’ll go to war for her… Inside the Octagon, I have no fear. I’m at home, in my element, inflicting pain onto men trained to hurt me just as badly. Making them submit, knocking them out, maiming them, because it’s them or me. And I choose them. Outside the Octagon, my only weakness is a five-foot-two, classy as fuck woman that I’ve loved for most of my life. She’s the one that brings me to my knees, fills my arms, my heart, and one day soon, my bed. She makes me reckless. Volatile. I drink too much and try too hard to fuck my way out of feeling—all because of her. Frankie De Rosa is my girl, my best friend. I haven’t earned her yet, but I won’t stand by and let anyone take her from me. She will be the greatest fight of my life, but she’s worth the battle. Love hurts, but anything worth having does, right? I’m Deacon “The Hitman” Love—Welcome to the Cage.  

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Mandi Beck has been an avid reader all of her life. A deep love for books always had her jotting down little stories on napkins, notebooks, and her hand. As an adult she was further submerged into the book world through book clubs and the epicness of social media. It was then that she graduated to writing her stories on her phone and then finally on a proper computer. A nursing student, mother to two rambunctious and somewhat rotten boys, and stepmom to two great girls away at college, she shares her time with her husband in Chicago where she was born and raised. Mandi is a diehard hockey fan and blames the Blackhawks when her deadlines are not met. Love Hurts is her debut novel and she is currently working on the next in the series along with whatever other voices are clamoring for attention in her mind.  

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