Monday, April 28, 2014

Why did I change the order of my Colorado Trust Series?

With the May release of books 2-5 of the Colorado Trust Series, I've had a few questions about the old-vs-new books.

As noted on my Coming Soon page, here are the 5 books in the series:

Evidence of Trust, Book 1 ~ new release
Trust by Design, Book 2 ~ new release
Trust in the Lawe, Book 3 ~ re-release
Shattered Trust, Book 4 ~ re-release
Dare to Trust, Book 5 ~ re-release of previously titled Shadowed Trust

The Colorado Trust Series didn't start out to be a series at all, it kind of evolved and was dubbed so by my good friend, USA Today best selling author, Donna Marie Rogers. That's why the original books published by The Wild Rose Press in 2011 never had a series title on the covers or a true uniform look.

Old covers

Bear with me here as we do a bit of time travel.

The year was 1996 when I first started writing with the clear determination to finish a book. Evidence of Trust was that book and it took me 8 years to write. Trust by Design was my second book and it took me just under 2 years to complete.

That brings us to about 2006. I'd joined a writing organization by then and learned A LOT about the craft of writing. Those first two manuscripts were set aside because although I loved the stories, I wasn't sure they were fixable, and resigned myself to the fact they were my learning books.

Since becoming published in 2007 and working with other writers and editors, I have become a completely different writer than in 1996. When the publishing rights of Trust in the Lawe, Shattered Trust, and Shadowed Trust were returned to me in 2013/2014, I decided to reissue them with new covers, because for one, I didn't own the copyright to the original covers, and two, I wanted to clearly brand the series.

New branded series covers

This time, knowing so much more about the craft of writing and feeling more confident in my abilities to do the stories justice, I completely re-wrote my first two books, Evidence of Trust and Trust by Design, which have always been books 1 and 2 for me.

And, because those characters' stories came before the other 3, I had no choice but to re-number the series. Shadowed Trust was also re-titled as Dare to Trust so it would fit the overall series better and not be so identical to the title Shattered Trust. (I was careful to note this title change on the copyright page as well as in the book description.) This was a business decision as to what would be best for the series going forward because I do plan to continue with it in the future.

I apologize if any of this causes/caused confusion for some of the earlier readers of the original 3 books published in 2011.

If you bought and read the old versions of Trust in the Lawe, Shattered Trust, or Shadowed Trust (now Dare to Trust), there is nothing new about the re-issued copies of these books other than the covers and a second edit by my wonderful editor Stacy D. Holmes. If you have the original 3 and want to read the new books, all you have to do is grab a copy of books 1 & 2, then you can refresh your memory with your original books 3-5, and you'll be all caught up.

I'd also like to take this time to extend a huge thank you to all my readers for your continued support. If you have any questions, feel free to email me via the contact page on my website.

~ Stacey








Friday, April 25, 2014

Coming Soon & Interior Design inspiration

Dean and Gina
I'm not an interior designer, nor am I a software designer. I'm a writer who writes about characters who are both of those things in my upcoming May release, TRUST BY DESIGN.


For the latter, I sought expert advice from Leo, a friend from HS who makes his living designing software in a language that will forever be foreign to me. Thank you, Leo!


log drawknife
For the former, I made use of growing up in a log house that my dad and our whole family built over the course of 3 years when I was in my teens. The hours and hours I spent with my siblings in the summer peeling long pine logs, but leaving just enough on to add color and character. I also used some pictures off the internet to give me some visuals to describe items in the interior of the book.

Dean's house is very loosely inspired by this next picture, but his is bigger. (Everything is bigger in fiction, right?)

Deposit Photos

Then there's the custom table that Gina finds for inside his large kitchen. Fictional price tag, $12,000 (includes 10 custom hand-carved chairs). Do I need to mention that Dean's a multi-millionaire? Well, he is. He lives in his mansion outside Boulder, on a lake, with the gorgeous Rocky Mountains in the background. Dean's pretty much living my dream. *grin*


Little Branch Farm rustic furniture

Then there's the bed. Oh, man, I'd love to have this bed. In the book, I took the liberty of duplicating the iron-work in the foot board as well.

Furniture Discovery

Here's a little tidbit of when Dean first sees the bed his interior designer has picked out for him:

     Dean saw Gina’s shoulders stiffen, but she continued walking without a reply. He couldn’t help but let his gaze linger on the subtle sway of her jean-clad hips. She’d grabbed a jacket on her way out of the office, but left it in his SUV. The snug fit of her lavender sweater made her look sweeter than cotton candy.
     Melt in his mouth sweet, and he was dying for another taste.
     When she stopped a moment later, he lifted his gaze from her ass to the king-sized sleigh bed in front of them.
     “This is it,” she said. “Natural pine, simple and understated except for the iron detailing. To compliment that, I’d accent the room with iron lamps and fixtures. Same for the curtain rods, with very minimal material in burgundy, and some gray that is a couple shades darker than your carpeting. I’d pick that up again in the comforter and pillows.”
     The foot board was no higher than the mattress, and both it and the higher headboard featured a six-inch wide strip of iron scroll work that ran from one side to the other. The wood was beautiful and the contrast of the black iron created a bold, striking effect.
     Dean leaned forward to slide his hand across the curved surface of the low footboard, then trailed it back the opposite direction. He enjoyed the feel of the cool, varnished wood beneath his fingertips. A subtle trace of Gina’s light perfume immediately refreshed the heat-invoking memory of when he’d laid her on his bed and skimmed his hand along her exposed thigh. Her skin had been as smooth as the wood, but much, much warmer.
     Sonofabitch, if he continued that line of thinking, he was going to be as hard as the damn wood.
     “I like it.”

Lastly, you all know that any romance I write will have that Happily Ever After, so I don't think I'm giving anything away by showing you The Ring. I've personally never been a big fan of large solitaires, but I really like this one.

Weir & Sons

Now you're all ready for the book!

Watch for TRUST BY DESIGN this MAY 2014!!


Cinderella and Prince Charming...brought together by chance, or design?

Interior Designer Gina Allen is flat broke thanks to a shady assistant who didn’t pay the taxes. Now she has no choice but to accept a job from the very rich, very handsome CEO Dean Daley—even though he’s accused her of conspiring to steal his software designs.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer—that’s why Dean hires his rivals’s ex-girlfriend. If he can use her to prove Jack is behind the spiraling downfall of his company, he might be able to turn things around before losing everything.

Dean didn’t count on her being everything he never expected, or his heart being in more danger than his business. Will the trust they build be enough to keep them together—or will an unexpected betrayal tear them apart and possibly cost them their lives?

Pre-order here: Amazon

Other distributors available May 2nd.

Happy Reading!

Stacey


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

$0.99 SALE! Surprised by Family

Whether it's a surprise baby landing on his doorstep, or six-year-old twin girls who make him rescue them from trees…there’s nothing more irresistible than a hot, alpha hero falling in love with a surprise family at the same time he finds the woman of his dreams.
This boxed set includes two steamy and sweet full-length contemporary romance novels about surprise families by NYT and USA Today bestselling authors.



Just $0.99 for a limited time!
(Regular price $4.99)

Amazon  BN  ARe
UK  CA  AU

Revival 
by Noelle Adams

When she was a girl, Leila had an embarrassing crush on Baron James, her brother’s best friend. She’s grown up now, divorced with twin daughters and a new job as a college professor, and she needs to make good decisions. No matter how irresistible Baron is when he reenters her life, she won’t be a fool over him again.
Baron James has been a bad boy all his life, chasing women and seeking thrills, but he’s forced to take on leadership in his family’s company after his father dies. His new role takes everything he has, and he doesn’t have room in his heart to start a relationship with Leila and her daughters.

But his heart doesn’t seem to know this…


Autumn Wish
by Stacey Joy Netzel

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?


About the Authors

Noelle Adams
Noelle hand wrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

Stacey Joy Netzel
I fell in love with books at a young age, so for me it seemed only natural to graduate to writing them. I credit my parents for encouraging my dreams of becoming a published author, as well as the very talented friends I’ve made in Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Wisconsin Romance Writers (WisRWA).

An avid reader and fan of movies with a happily ever after, I live in Wisconsin with my husband and three children, a couple horses and some barn cats. In my limited free time I enjoy gardening and canning, and visiting my parents up north at the cabin on the lake with the whole family.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Authors in Bloom Blog Hop 2014



April 7th – April 16th 2014
10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and more!

Plus a GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!

How about a Kindle or Nook anyone? What about a $25 gift card to buy books on that brand new ereader?? Plus a 2nd $25 gift card winner, as well as TONS of individual blog hop prizes!)

Hello blog hoppers!

I don't have a recipe, or a gardening tip, but I'd like to share with you a brand new fruit I discovered. Have you ever heard of a Cucamelon, or the Mouse Melon? I hadn't until last fall. Once I checked them out, I just had to order some seeds so I could give them a try.

According to the Underwood Gardens, Terrior Seeds, LLC website, a Cucamelon is a tiny, watermelon-looking fruit that is crisp, crunchy, and reminiscent of a cucumber, with a hint of tartness. They can be tossed in a salad, pickled, or eaten right off the vines. You can read reviews from satisfied customers as well as order from Underwood Gardens, and for a great blog post on the fruit, check out homegrown-revolution.co.uk . 

Photo from homegrown-revolution.co.uk
On the back of my seed packet it says: 80 days, 5' vines productive and attractive. Mulch thickly and water well in dry weather. Plant near fence or with trellis. Pick fruits often to encourage growth of more flowers and fruits.

Now...once your gardening is done, you're going to want to relax with a great book, so I suggest you check out the newly expanded

COLORADO TRUST SERIES.
Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.


Evidence of Trust, Book 1, brand new release AVAILABLE NOW
Trust by Design, Book 2, brand new release coming Spring 2014
Trust in the Lawe, Book 3, re-release coming Spring 2014
Shattered Trust, Book 4, re-release coming Spring 2014
Trust by Design, Book 5, re-release coming Spring 2014
         (previously titled Shadowed Trust)

AMAZON  APPLE
KOBO  
BN
Having grown up under the excessive expectations of her CEO father, Brittany Lucas is as resistant to authority as the mustang she’s training for her boss. It’s a fault that lands her in more danger than she bargains for while camping in the back-country of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases—until he runs into the headstrong blond while investigating disturbing incidents of poaching in the park. Brittany’s imprudent lie of omission awakens ghosts in his past, making the sizzling attraction between them unwelcome. As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

EXCERPT:

     Britt stewed in the saddle as her stallion picked his way along the trail. Mark had called a half-hour ago, claiming he needed Mitch back at the ranch. He hadn’t given a specific reason, and the moment she’d heard Joel was riding in to be her new safety buddy, she figured there was more going on than he would say.
     Or could say.
     Mitch’s initial frown had morphed into an emotionless mask, so different from his usual carefree attitude. He hadn’t questioned the request, or even commented when she tried to speculate about the change of plans. With a grim “Good luck,” he’d turned his mount back toward the trailhead and left her wondering what the heck was going on.
     She’d slowed Paelo’s stride, but sure as hell wasn't going to stop and twiddle her thumbs while waiting for Mr. Power-trip Ranger to catch up. She was tired of him issuing orders and ruining her day every time she turned around.
     With the sun warming her back, she tried to enjoy the scenery while she could. Lord knew once he appeared she wouldn’t have a moment’s peace for the rest of the trip. In the past week, the new leaves on the trees had darkened to a deeper shade of green, their thick foliage shading the trail so much in places the snow from a week ago still hadn’t completely melted. She knew the terrain well, had each landmark etched in her mind. The hands of time and Mother Nature changed something about them every year and she looked forward to cataloguing the alterations each spring.
     Her gaze scanned the trail ahead and the sight of hoof prints in the snow made her draw back on the reins. The tracks didn’t appear fresh, maybe a few days old judging by how they disappeared wherever the sun had melted the snow. She dismounted and gave Paelo a soft command. 
     Inspecting the bare ground, she saw no sign of passage in the moist soil, not even a slight indent. She’d guess the rider had come through sometime after the storm a week ago because there hadn’t been any precipitation since then.
     This guy won’t think twice if he catches you alone.
     Joel’s ominous warning from the meeting sent a tingle of uneasiness along her spine. She rose to her feet, shifting her gaze from tree to tree, studying the shadows as she imagined someone out there, watching her.
A sudden rustle from behind made her jump and spin around. Paelo stared back at her as he chewed a small branch loaded with green leaves. The pounding of her heart eased.
     “Oh, this is ridiculous,” she muttered. The tracks were obviously old, and whoever it had been was long gone by now.
     Still, she decided it might not be a bad idea to wait after all. She backed Paelo up so they wouldn’t disturb any more of the tracks and found a large boulder alongside the trail where she could sit.
     Quite a bit later than she expected, Joel rode up, his face cast in shadow from the low-sitting brim of his Stetson. She stood as he dismounted before facing her with a scowl.
     “I specifically instructed you to wait.”
     Irritation flared even as she wondered how he knew she hadn’t. Then it dawned on her, Paelo had left behind his own set of single tracks. Shrugging, she retorted, “You caught up, didn’t you?”
     His jaw tightened and his fists clenched at his sides. Britt stood her ground despite the fact her stomach was doing that damn little flippy thing it did whenever he was near. She moistened suddenly dry lips, and his attention flicked down.
     Heat flared at the memory of his mouth on hers. She’d re-imagined both kisses way too many times over the past couple days.
     “I—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I found some tracks.”
     He finally took a small step back and she moved past to direct him to the spot. As he squatted for a better look, a reassuring thought occurred to her. “They’re probably from a ranger, but I figured you’d want to look at them.”
     He rose back to his full height. “Stay here. I’m going to see if I can pick up the trail further on.”
     She automatically took a step after him, and he whirled so fast she gasped.
     Taking hold of her shoulders, he backed her up until the heels of her boots came up against the boulder she’d been sitting on. “Damn it, Brittany, I said stay here.
     “I was just going to—”

     With a low growl, he pressed her shoulders until she sat. She leaned back as he planted a hand on either side of her. “This is precisely why I told you to wait. Any evidence up to this point you’ve trampled, now let me see what I can salvage of the rest of it without you getting in the way. Move off this rock and I’m going to take you straight back down this mountain—trail be damned.”

~*~

Grab your copy now and keep reading:

AMAZON  APPLE   BN  KOBO 
UK  CA  AU

And finally, the part you've been waiting for...a chance to win my blog hop prize--$15 gift card. All you have to do is leave a comment answering my next question, and then enter via the Rafflecopter. 


QUESTION/s: If you've tried the Cucamelon, did you like it? If not, does it sound like something you'd like to try?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more info on the Blog Hop GRAND PRIZE, check out the AUTHORS IN BLOOM BLOG HOP page. **To be eligible for the Grand Prize, you must visit each and every author on the hop and leave a comment on their blog.


Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Guesting blogging + RELEASE DAY!!

Hello! I'm guest blogging over at Cynthia Woolf's lovely blog where she's got:

"Courageous women, honorable men, and a land wild enough to hold them both."

Here are just a couple of her books:

  


Come on over and say hello if you get a chance! I'm talking about my favorite state of Colorado, celebrating the release of EVIDENCE OF TRUST with an exclusive excerpt, and giving away an ebook to one lucky person who comments.



AMAZON  APPLE   KOBO  

Having grown up under the excessive expectations of her CEO father, Brittany Lucas is as resistant to authority as the mustang she’s training for her boss. It’s a fault that lands her in more danger than she bargains for while camping in the back-country of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases—until he runs into the headstrong blond while investigating disturbing incidents of poaching in the park. Brittany’s imprudent lie of omission awakens ghosts in his past, making the sizzling attraction between them unwelcome. As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

Have a great day and hope to see you there!

Stacey

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Addictive Reads Giveaway & Launch Party

To my awesome readers, I'd like to share with you the Addictive Reads website launch and giveaway! Prizes include gift cards, and a bundle of great books!

ADDICTIVE READS is a group of twenty-three authors who have banded together to bring you books from all genres. Our goal is to provide you with well-written and entertaining reads. Most of our authors are award-winning, and several have even hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists.
On the website, you'll see each of us has an individual page with all of our books listed, along with social media links. We also have genre pages where you can find books in just about any genre you enjoy. (See the menu guide links at the top of the page.)
Even better yet? We have FREE ebooks for you, as well as collections (anthologies and box sets) from Addictive Reads authors.
Now, back to those prizes I mentioned at the top. As a thank you for checking us out, we're holding a giveaway. 
There will be 3 winners, to be announced
Saturday, April 5th.
You can enter through Friday, April 4, 2014
1.$25 Amazon Gift Card
2. $20 Amazon Gift Card
3. Bundle of eBooks from Addictive Reads Authors including:
§  LET'S SCARE CANCER TO DEATH Anthology (Horror) with short stories by Rhonda Hopkins & Gregory Carrico
§  EVIDENCE OF TRUST (Romantic Suspense) by Stacey Joy Netzel
§  DEADLY OBSESSION (Romantic Suspense) by Kristine Cayne
§  ETERNITY OF ROSES (Paranormal Romance) by Natalie G. Owens
§  BIRDS DO IT! (Contemporary Romance) by *lizzie starr
§  AIR: MERLIN'S CHALICE (Fantasy) by Meredith Bond
§  ANGEL OF DEATH (Fantasy) by Anna Erishkigal
§  WANING MOON (YA Dystopian) by P.J. Sharon
§  TRUST NO ONE (Suspense) by Diana Layne
§  ALWAYS REMEMBER (Contemporary Romance) by Sheila Seabrook
§  STARS, LOVE AND PIROUETTES  (Contemporary Romance) by Alicia & Roy Street
§  REVENGE (Romantic Suspense) by Dana Delamar 
§  SOME ENCHANTED WALTZ (Time Travel Romance) by Lily Silver


To enter the giveaway, just go to our ADDICTIVE READS site and follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter near the bottom of the post for your chance to win one of the prizes! 

We hope you'll visit with us often and connect with us on our social media sites. We enjoy talking with our readers.

Thank you for being part of our reading family!
 *Please note: If any of the winners do not respond within five days, we may select a new winner and the original winner will forfeit any prize.