Sunday, December 1, 2013

Help Wounded Veterans ~ Annual GIVING BACK in December

Hello! Those of you who follow the blog know that each December I pick one of my books and donate the royalties to charity. The first year I donated to a family dealing with the serious diagnosis of Lyme Disease; last year the money went to the Happily Ever After Animal Rescue, and just this past summer I did a special donation during the month of June to Wounded Warrior Project. 

JAN 2014 UPDATE:

Final December 2013 sales
Amazon: 369
BN: 52
Apple: 27
Kobo: 3

Total to donate: $918.38

I'll round up that up to $1000 and send the donation when I receive my January royalties.

THANK YOU to everyone who bought a copy!

~~~

All total, since that first year, YOU, my awesome readers, have made it possible for me to donate just over $7300.00 to help others!


This past September, my oldest son Cody joined the US Army, so in honor of him and all those who serve/have served in our United States Armed Forces, I'm donating to the Wounded Warriors again.

100% of my royalties for Mistletoe Magic for the month of December will help the brave men and women injured in the line of duty while serving our country.

Here's the catch...I can't do it without your help.

The book is only $2.99 ~ that's less than a cup of most gourmet coffees. I encourage you to buy a copy of the Mistletoe Magic for yourself, or if you already have it, then gift one to some of your friends. Not only will you/they get a wonderful story of love and hope with a 4.7* rating, but you'll be helping out a wonderful cause at the same time.

Get your copy here:


Sharing this post on FB, Twitter, Google Plus and all your other social sites would be a big help as well.

Thank you very much!

May you have a safe, healthy, happy

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello! I hope you have a lot to be thankful for this year. November is a month for giving thanks, and on Facebook many people have been listing their appreciations daily. I didn't get in on that from the beginning, so I'm going to share a few of mine here.

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

1. ...my healthy family. The kids may argue a lot and drive me crazy, but I still love them more than anything. And my husband and his family, my parents, sisters, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends. I pray for their health and happiness daily.



2. ...we had a safe trip to visit my son in Army Basic Training at Fort Benning, GA. It was so good to see him and how well he's doing. We are SO proud of the man he's become! (And yet still glad to see some of his quirks remain to make us laugh and shake our heads. Love you, Cody!)


3. In that same theme, I'm thankful for all the brave men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces to protect our country and our freedoms. In honor of them, I'll be doing another author royalty donation to our nation's wounded warriors. Watch the blog for details!



4. I'm thankful for our house, and the food on our table. I know that seems 'generic', but we just finished some inside remodeling (will share in a later post) and after 15 years of the old stuff, I feel like I live in a palace now! And it's icing on the cake when I go down in the basement and see all the canned goods on the shelf. I know there are many in this world who don't have a roof or food, so yes, I'm extremely thankful for both.

 

5. Lastly, there's the fact that I have the opportunity to work doing something I absolutely love, and I owe that thanks to my readers. All of you wonderful people who buy my books and tell me how much you enjoy them--you're the reason I get to do what I love and I know how very lucky I am. THANK YOU!

There are many more things I could list, but you've got other things to do, and I'd love to hear some of YOURS. 

So, now it's your turn ~
please share with me what you're thankful for. 

I hope everyone has/had a Happy Thanksgiving,
and may God bless you all!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Heartwarming Romance


Want to read these fun, highly rated holiday romances? Just search "Stacey Joy Netzel, Romancing Wisconsin Series" at your favorite ebook retailer and grab your books today!


Friday, November 1, 2013

AUTUMN WISH

The Mistletoe books covered the Christmas/winter season for my Romancing Wisconsin Series. Now it's time for autumn!

AUTUMN WISH
Romancing Wisconsin #4

Nikki Rowen desires a family of her own—but first comes love, then comes marriage. She thought she had the former, until the moment she mentioned the latter and her boyfriend left her with nothing but a broken heart. Just as she’s beginning to doubt she’ll ever have a ‘til death do us part Happily Ever After, she meets her new neighbor in the most unexpected way.

In Sam Mallin's experience, the word family is synonymous with abandonment; he’s more than content on his own. Yet, in less than a week, he finds himself caring for an infant dropped on his doorstep, and playing house with his beautiful next-door-neighbor. When his feelings for Nikki deepen, he fears he’s nothing more than the ready-made family she so desperately wishes for. How can a self-proclaimed loner hold onto the two females most important to him without history repeating itself in a world of heartbreak?

EXCERPT:
He’d just reached into the refrigerator for a beer when the doorbell chimed. The cheery summons grated across his nerves, making him cringe. Could he ignore this unwanted visitor who appeared to have practically been waiting in the bushes for him?

A glance over his shoulder gave him the answer. Nope. His bare windows, glaring lights, and the volume of the TV made it impossible to pretend he wasn’t home. Curtains and blinds seemed a great investment right about now.

Kicking the fridge shut, he twisted the cap from the bottle. The doorbell went off again, twice as long as before, as if the person on the other side held it down. Damn it. If this was another married woman bringing him pie, he was going to—

Smile, and say, “Thank you.” That’s what neighbors did, right?

He took a long, fortifying pull off his beer, then thumped it on the counter on his way to answer the door. Too bad his neighbor right next door hadn’t been one of those pie-wielding visitors. He’d have invited her inside.

Then he got a glimpse through the window...of her standing on his front porch.

“Well, whaddaya know,” he murmured with a sudden grin of anticipation. Maybe she’d come in and watch the game with him. Hell, he wouldn’t even care if she held a pie in her hands.

He swung the door open and smiled his welcome at the pretty blond. His gaze dropped, then froze. Where he would’ve preferred a pie, she held a baby carrier—complete with baby.

Damn, she had a kid. After what his mother put him and his sister through, he didn’t do women with kids.

“Samuel Mallin?”

He lifted his gaze up from all that pink to a pair of guarded blue eyes. Forcing his lips to maintain their upward curve, he answered, “I prefer Sam. And you’re Nicole, right?”

“Nikki.” She frowned. “How’d you—”

“I had some of your mail in my box yesterday,” he admitted.

“Ah.”

Her wry smile was appealing enough to make him forget about the baby. But it faded fast as she took a breath, shifted her stance, then extended her arms, carrier and all.

“Sam, this is yours.”

There was a crumpled envelope clutched between the fingers of her right hand. Tilting his head, he read his name in the crinkled address field and removed it from her grasp with a laugh. He liked that she’d chosen to bring his mail over personally. If he’d been thinking, he’d have done it first—and found out about the kid.

“Thanks,” he said as her baby began to fuss. “I just put your stuff in your mailbox.”

Nikki lifted the carrier higher with an exasperated huff. “You don’t understand. She is yours.”

In the middle of stuffing the folded envelope into his back pocket, his gaze dropped to the baby. Blue eyes, just like her momma. It took his brain a moment to make the connection, and then his pulse jumped as his eyebrows shot skyward. “Uh...I don’t think so.”

The baby sucked hard on a pacifier, her eyes shifting back and forth as she squirmed in the confined seat. Oh, hell no. He lifted his gaze once more, taking note of the woman’s curves on the way up. Yeah, she was pretty, but not worth this level of crazy. He’d have much preferred another pie.

“May I come in?”

“No,” he stated. “She’s not mine.”

He fumbled for the edge of the door. The woman stepped forward as he began to shut her out.

Her chin lifted and those blue eyes of hers glittered with determination. “Her name is Ella. She’s three and a half months old.”

“I haven’t—”

He broke off as she shouldered her way past, into his living room. Sam closed the door and followed her to the couch where she set the carrier and an overflowing diaper bag. He glanced toward the kitchen, searching out his cell phone on the counter. Was he going to have to call the cops to get rid of her?

The baby started to cry, so Nikki picked her up and rocked her while speaking in a soft, crooning voice. The gentle sound soothed his nerves until common sense returned with a vengeance.

Denial shook his head as he moved to stand in front of her. “Listen, I don’t know what you think you’re going to get out of this, but we’ve never met before, much less done what we would’ve needed to do to create that baby.”

~~~

Who’s baby is it? Grab your copy for the full story!



Happy Reading!

~ Stacey





Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Brand New Covers; Same fun, sexy adventures!

Okay, you're going to see this and think...again?

Well...yes. I've had the covers for my Italy series redesigned, AGAIN. Really, this will be the 3rd cover for Lost In Italy, and just the second for Run To Rome.

"But Run To Rome just released!" you say.

I know, I know. But the thing is, I always wanted a couple on the cover to signify the ROMANCE genre, and darker colors to convey the SUSPENSE.

My first cover for Lost In Italy was done when I was brand new to Indie publishing, and I really liked it because it had the two pictures that fit my characters exactly. (I still have people that say they prefer this one to the next.)

 

Fast forward one year, and even though the book had received good reviews, sales were pretty slow. So I decided to invest in a cover with a bit more of a professional look. My second cover designer gave it a great suspense tone, but now it was lacking the romance. We tried to make a couple work on the front, but I couldn't find a picture that fit my characters AND would look good with this new suspense design, so we stuck with the suspense and relegated Halli to the back cover all by herself.

Boy, did I miss Trent!
  

Sales definitely picked up with this cover and I was very pleased--so much so that I had the same designer do book 2 in the series to match. The Run To Rome cover came out just how I imagined it side by side with Lost In Italy and I loved it. I still love it!

 
And yet...a part of me also STILL wished for those couples on the front. These covers, while perfect together, didn't say romance, and sales weren't what I hoped they'd be for the great reviews the books received.

I'd been keeping an eye on some work a talented cover artist was doing for some friends of mine and finally I worked up the nerve to send her my two character photos for Trent and Halli to see if she could combine them into a single, natural looking image.

 


LOOK WHAT RAVVEN DID!!


AND



I am beyond thrilled with them and so happy to have the gorgeous couples on the front now. I don't know if this will lead to increased sales, but I'm REALLY HOPING because I think Ravven did an awesome job!

So there you have it. That's the downfall and beauty about Indie publishing. If I feel something is not working, it's on my shoulders to fix it. But I CAN fix it and try something else to try to give books I believe in a chance to fly.

I'd love to hear from you--do you like the new covers?? 

~ Stacey

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Another BARGAIN you don't want to miss!

Hello, and Happy Saturday!

I'm reporting today on another BARGAIN BUNDLE that you don't want to miss. The SUGAR & SIN boxed set includes SIX full length books, and is on sale for the ridiculous price of

$0.99



Great books by award-winning, bestselling authors - and all yours for one low price. This promotional price won't last forever, so if you're looking to try out some new authors for a great deal, don't wait!

Titles include:
Chasin' Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel
Catch the stallion ~ win the ranch. A simple competition between bitter enemies, but once tempers and passions flare in the Texas heat, all bets are off.

Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne
A violent clash of cultures tests the forbidden love between a Native American man and a white female cop.
When police sergeant Alyssa Morgan and Rémi Whitedeer meet, their forbidden attraction flips both their lives ass over teakettle, but they aren't the only ones in turmoil. After the duo uncovers a drug-fueled conspiracy on the Blackriver Reservation, blood is pitted against blood, and Rémi has everything to lose.

His Lady Godiva by L.C. Giroux
Dr. Michael Dennison put broken bodies back together so no one would have to live like he did. As many obstacles as he had overcome, he never wanted to burden a woman with his disability. He was safer never to risk his heart. Violet Bellows lived a guarded life. The accident had taken so much from her but she still had something to give. For her surgeon she would risk everything to make him hers, body and soul.

Love By Design by Liz Matis
In this Sex in the City meets HGTV romp sparks fly on camera as interior designer Victoria Bryce breaks in temporary co-host Aussie Russ Rowland. Arguments over design plans and measurement mishaps ignite passions behind the scenes.
But when the past collides with the present will the foundation they built withstand the final reveal?

Run Rosie Run by C.C. Mackenzie
Think Easy Virtue meets No Reservations
She’d wasted enough of her life madly in love with a man she could never have. Perhaps it was time to give another man a chance. But now Rosie has two men who want her and will stop at nothing to win her heart. Which one will she choose...

Sexy in Stilettos by Nana Malone
Organized, event planner, Jaya Trudeaux is used to doing things by the book and never making waves. The only thing that can tie carefree, playboy, Alec Danthers down is a promise he made to his mother. Can Jaya put the lists down long enough to enjoy the ride?

Six full length books, Over 1000 pages, from six top selling authors. If you like your contemporary romance on the steamy side this boxed set is for you!




KOBO

COMING SOON: Barnes & Noble, Apple

Saturday, August 31, 2013

One Year Anniversary

Today marks my 1 year anniversary of leaving my travel agent job after 20 years to become a full-time writer. 

Woo hoo ~ bring on the cake! 



What? I have to bake it myself? *sigh* I guess I'll make do with the snack-sized Snickers on my desk (Thank you, Patti!) and get back to work finishing AUTUMN WISH, a Romancing Wisconsin story (#4). That's what writers do. We write.

This past year was exactly what I'd dreamed it could be and surpassed my wildest expectations in SO many ways. I made the USA Today Bestseller list back in February, and just this August hit it for the 4th time with a collaboration of wonderful authors and our Loving the CEO boxed set of 5 full-length novels (includes More Than A Kiss).

Not only have we hit that list 4 consecutive weeks, but...

3 weeks in a row!

Newly edited FB timeline photo.

Every day I am fully aware of how absolutely lucky and blessed I am to be 'working' at something I LOVE so very much and earning a living from it.

I work just about every day, and the Labor Day holiday weekend is no exception. Today, I will be writing a sex scene. Or as us Romance Writers like to call it, the love scene.

Nikki and Sam from AUTUMN WISH

Ah, you're smiling now, aren't you. You're thinking, no wonder she enjoys her job so much! But seriously, these scenes are hard--and I'm not talking about Sam's sexy abs, biceps, and, um, other parts. Balancing the physical action with deep character emotion so it doesn't read like a how-to manual takes time and many rewrites. Then I'm still hoping my editor finishes reading it with a grin, not a cringe.

Anyway, if all goes as it should today, I'll be finished with the book in a few more days and then I'll be shooting for a publication date sometime end of October. Gotta get the writing done and ship this baby off to my editor before my tomatoes ripen and I'm spending days in the kitchen canning diced tomatoes, salsa, sloppy Joe sauce and spaghetti.

 
Some of last year's bounty.

Please wish me a satisfying day of writing (*grin*), and I hope you all have a wonderful day as well!

Stacey

Friday, August 9, 2013

Sugar and Sin: Cover reveal

 Another bundle by six bestselling authors!


In the land of Happily Ever After, six romance readers have banded together to bring readers a super-sexy dose of Sugar and Sin with fun, sassy heroines and the oh-so-sexy men who fall for them.

We hope you enjoy the books and meet some characters you won't soon forget.


 

Chasin’ Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel

Catch the stallion ~ win the ranch. A simple competition between bitter enemies, but once tempers and passions flare in the Texas heat, all bets are off.

Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne

A violent clash of cultures tests the forbidden love between a Native American man and a white female cop.

When police sergeant Alyssa Morgan and Rémi Whitedeer meet, their forbidden attraction flips both their lives ass over teakettle, but they aren't the only ones in turmoil. After the duo uncovers a drug-fueled conspiracy on the Blackriver Reservation, blood is pitted against blood, and Rémi has everything to lose.

But when the past collides with the present will the foundation they built withstand the final reveal?

 

His Lady Godiva by L.C. Giroux

Dr. Michael Dennison put broken bodies back together so no one would have to live like he did. As many obstacles as he had overcome, he never wanted to burden a woman with his disability. He was safer never to risk his heart. Violet Bellows lived a guarded life. The accident had taken so much from her but she still had something to give. For her surgeon she would risk everything to make him hers, body and soul.

Love by Design by Liz Matis

In this Sex in the City meets HGTV romp sparks fly on camera as interior designer Victoria Bryce breaks in temporary co-host Aussie Russ Rowland. Arguments over design plans and measurement mishaps ignite passions behind the scenes.

 

Run Rosie Run by C.C. Mackenzie

Think Easy Virtue meets No Reservations

She’d wasted enough of her life madly in love with a man she could never have…Perhaps it was time to give another man a chance... But now Rosie has two men who want her and will stop at nothing to win her heart…Which one will she choose...

Sexy in Stilettos by Nana Malone

Organized, event planner, Jaya Trudeaux is used to doing things by the book and never making waves. The only thing that can tie carefree, playboy, Alec Danthers down is a promise he made to his mother. Can Jaya put the lists down long enough to enjoy the ride?

So there you have it! Six fun, sexy books for one great price!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

5 Romantic Suspense Books on SALE!

**Limited time***
Get these books for a great price while you can!
July 20-24th

Italy Intrigue Series

$0.99  $5.99 
~
New Release July 20th, 2013
$2.99  $5.99
~

Colorado Trust Series

$0.99  $2.99
~

$0.99  $4.99
~

$0.99  $4.99

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Stacey

Run To Rome, by Stacey Joy Netzel


Book two of my Italy Intrigue Series was researched during an 11 day trip back to the country with my brother. Yes, the same one who left me behind the last time. He did much better the second time around, and I got another book out of the deal. *grin*

Hope you enjoy!

Run To Rome

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Heat Level: Hot

Available at Amazon

Love him and leave him.

Nine months ago, undercover detective, Ispettore Evalina Gallo, protected her heart the only way she knew how, never expecting to see her savior-turned-one-night-stand again. When he returns to Italia—now a person of interest in an investigation of a local organized crime family—her personal connection to the rugged American gets her assigned to the case.

A second chance to make things right.

With his mother’s pleas ringing in his ears, Ben Sanders plans to retrieve a stolen bible his father shipped to Italy thirteen years ago, and then get out as fast as he can. But with the arrival of the beautiful detective, he suspects his mother’s desire to right past wrongs might not be the whole truth.

Destiny will not be denied.

Now, less than twenty-four hours after entering the country, he’s getting shot at—again. In a race from Milan to Rome to find the precious book before anyone else, time is ticking for the one-time lovers. Attraction burns hotter than molten lava, but amid secrets and half-truths, they must learn to trust each other if they have any hope of a future together.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

One glance at the busy hallway between the suite and the lift and she went the opposite direction. He wasn’t too far ahead, but moving fast for the emergency stair exit.

“Ben! Stop!”

His stride didn’t slow, and she broke into a run to catch up. The heavy exit door banged against the wall as she shoved through. “Where do you think you’re going?”

She managed to grab his arm on the landing between flights, but he jerked free. A second grapple caught the strap on his overnight bag. It slid from his shoulder and hit the landing with a thump.

“Let me go, Eva.”

After his pointed use of her full name since they’d come face to face at the café, the more familiar abbreviation was like a punch to the gut. Sucking in a deep breath, she renewed her determination to stop him. This time she was ready for his resistance and managed to get in front of him as he stooped for his bag. Short of pushing her down the stairs, he wasn’t getting past.

He straightened, strap held in his hand with the bag still on the floor as she took her stance. “Get out of my way.”

“Not until you give me some answers. Those men think you have something they want and were willing to kill you for it. And me.”

He dropped the strap to step closer. She tensed, but still wasn’t prepared for the lightning fast move that swung her around and pressed her back to the wall while he crowded her close with the length of his body.

She sucked in a breath as his eyes locked with hers, brilliantly blue in the morning light flooding the stairwell. Tension radiated from his rough grip. Experience reminded her he was unpredictable and passionate, yet despite the threatening stance, she was shocked to realize she didn’t fear physical harm at his hands.

As she stared, as they breathed together in the minuscule distance between them, a shadow of desperation darkened his eyes.

“Answers would be a good thing right about now,” he agreed, his voice low and gruff. “You first.”

“Me?”

“What are you investigating Fedorio for?”

The demand took her by surprise, and she stiffened. “I don’t owe you any—”

“The hell you don’t.”

Increased pressure on her arms spurred her into action. She wedged her hands between them, intending to force some space so she could break free. Quicker than before, he caught her wrists and forced her arms above her head. Her knee jerk reaction was countered by the full weight of his body pressing hers to the wall. An instant flush of sensual heat, combined with helpless fury, added fuel to her adrenalin.

“I came to Italy to pick up a book for my mother from her cousin,” he said, teeth clenched against her struggles. “Then you and Antonio show up to escort me around, and suddenly I’m getting shot at again.”

Her indignation spiked, but she was unable to gain any leverage for an effective counter-measure against his superior strength. She’d save her efforts for when he let his guard down and settled for a glare as she caught her breath.

“You think what happened up there was my fault?”

“You tell me. I was never booked at the Armani, and I never told Fedorio where I was staying. How else would anyone know where I was except through you and your partner? As I recall, he wasn’t so forthcoming with you on your last assignment, either.”

She opened her mouth to object, but realized he might be right. Antonio had called in their location, as well as ran the checks on Alisa and Nicholas Marshall. She didn’t believe Antonio was directly responsible, but had they somehow been the connection that led the two gunmen to the hotel?

“They could’ve followed you from your meeting yesterday,” she suggested, monitoring his expression for any indication he was lying.

“If that was the case, they would’ve been the ones to steal my bag, and it would’ve happened a lot sooner than the piazza.”

“How do you know it wasn’t them?”

“I suspect I’d have gotten more than just a scratch on my side. And if it had been them, they’d already have what they wanted.”

“Which is?”

Indecision flickered in those blue depths, as if he wanted to tell her, but couldn’t quite bring himself to trust her. Doing so would prove he’d lied.

Then his gaze lowered to her mouth, and she realized the demons he wrestled were entirely different, but all too familiar. As he began to lower his head, the awareness she’d been desperately trying to ignore rushed forward to steal her breath and leave her light-headed. God help her, if he kissed her right now, she wouldn’t stop him. Her eyelids grew heavy in the charged silence, and his grip on her wrists eased.

The break in his concentration registered in her mind with a distinct click. She held still one more moment, and then the second before his mouth met hers, she wrenched her arms free, bucked her body against his, and managed the space necessary to escape his physical control.

A quick spin protected her back and she faced him, ready for his next move.

~*~

Get your copy at Amazon

Thank you!

Stacey

Starting October 2013
Buy the PRINT BOOK & get ebook for $0.99



Friday, July 19, 2013

Final Leg of the journey for RUN TO ROME


Villa in Tuscany (We had a rainy weekend on
our way to Rome, much like Ben and Evalina.)

Awesome restaurant along the way. I don't have
the name, but this was the very cool brick oven that
they baked our delicious pizzas in. 

Beautiful door in some city along the way from Lucca
to Rome. I pictured a door like this when Ben was
searching for the correct address in the book.
Driving around the Peninsula of Monte Argentario.

Porto Santo Stefano on Monte Argentario
...found some great sweet treats here!

Our arrival into Rome

It rained from the time we arrived in Rome, while we found
our hotel and parked, until minutes before the taxi driver
dropped us off at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
St. Peter's Basilica freshly washed by the rain.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or "Fountain of the
Four Rivers" at the Piazza Navona in Rome.

Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II
Me and my brother Troy at the Trevi Fountain.
Yes, I tossed a coin in so I could come back! :)

Arco di Costantino near the Colosseum.

And finally, the Colosseum!




We walked the city for about 4 hours, carrying our
umbrellas. It didn't rain again until we were waiting at a
taxi stand to get a ride back to our hotel after 12a.m.
Look familiar? :) We couldn't use my pic for the
cover because it wasn't a high enough resolution,
but I found a stock photo online that was perfect!



Now that you've seen a bit of the route Ben and Evalina traveled, get your copy and read the book!

RUN TO ROME on Amazon, special release price $2.99! (regular $5.99)

And you might as well grab a copy of book 1 in the Italy Intrigue Series while it's on sale!




LOST IN ITALY on Amazon, special discount $0.99 (regular $5.99)

Happy reading everyone!

~ Stacey