Showing posts with label Morning Light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morning Light. Show all posts

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Spotlight Sunday - Cora Cade


Today the spotlight is on author Cora Cade! If you're looking for hot, sexy military heroes, then you definitely want to check out Cora's A Day Of Pleasure series.  Being a sucker for military heroes, I absolutely loved them! Read on for info on the books, the spotlight interview and a giveaway from Cora! 




His toughest battle is ahead—the battle for one woman’s heart.


A Day of Pleasure, Book 1

During Noah Harper’s ten years as an Army Ranger, Tennyson Sharpe’s letters were his lifeline. With each mail call, the bright and vibrant girl of his youth slowly became the woman of his dreams.

Now he’s home—and he’s in hell. The problem? Tenn is his little brother’s best friend. Claiming her risks all kinds of collateral damage.

Tenn is getting nervous. Since Noah came home, they’ve been circling each other, neither willing to risk the status quo. It’s time to kick things up a notch and make a play for the man she’s loved since she was sixteen—before someone else does.

Dressing to impress works better than she could have dreamed. After a scorching interlude leads to a steamy morning wrapped in each other’s arms, reality comes crashing down. Shining a devastating light on Tenn’s deepest fears…and forcing Noah into scramble mode to convince her forever was always on his mind.


Warning: This book contains some serious foreplay in the great outdoors; stand-up sex with a hot, stand-up guy; and a wounded Army Ranger who’s determined to leave no heart behind—especially the one belonging to the girl of his dreams.




~*~*~*~

When it comes to hand-to-heart combat, no hold is barred.


A Day of Pleasure, Book 2

Molly Ryan survived one attack, and she’s not about to be a sitting duck for another. With her attacker harassing her from his jail cell, she packs up her life in Chicago, follows her Delta Force brother to North Carolina and gets work in a pub.

Men in uniform are definitely off her menu, but her boss’s friend, Army Ranger Callum Eversman, is one hot hunk she’d like to sample.

Home on a two-week furlough, Cal has agreed to watch over Molly as a favor to fellow Ranger Noah Harper. Accomplishing his mission without her noticing? That’s going to be tough, as any idiot can see their sparks of attraction from a mile away.

Despite her hands-off-military-men policy, Molly is tempted to indulge, just this once, in a no-strings-attached fling. No dating, no kissy face, no hearts involved. But when her past threatens her future, there’s only one man to turn to. The one who’ll risk everything—body, heart, and soul—to protect her.


Warning: Contains an Army Ranger with a gruff exterior and heart of gold, a heroine with a sassy attitude, and some hot borderline-public sex.








Stephanie: Do you have any interesting writing quirks?


Cora: Oh, I have quirks.  Whether or not they are interesting remains to be seen.  My main quirk would be music.  I have to find the right tone for what I'm writing that day.  Sometimes it can just be a specific album, a playlist, or even just one song on repeat until that scene is completed.  You would be appalled at how long I can listen to one song on repeat.  I listen to a lot of Joshua Radin, older Joe Purdy, and right now I'm on a huge Sam Hunt kick while I write book three in the series. 

Stephanie: 
What is the hardest part of writing?

Cora: A little something I call "author flail".  It's kind of a catch all for the trials and tribulations of being a writer.  Typically I author flail at least once a month.  For me it usually is in direct relation to feeling confident.  I'm always questioning if my manuscript is working, if my characters are believable, if.... Well, the list never ends.  Thankfully, my author flail never lasts long and I've got a great cast of supporting people in my life.  

Stephanie: 
If Morning Light was made into a movie, who would play Noah and Tennyson? 

Cora: Well, prepare to swoon, ladies. I already have this mapped out, since Chris Hemsworth (pre-bulked up for Thor) was my muse for Noah from the minute he popped into my head.  Any version of Hemsworth is worthy, but I like the short buzz and military look he carried prior to signing on for Thor.  Noah is an Army Ranger, so that looked work well with him.  And Tennyson is a plus sized beauty, and it's near impossible to find an actress that fits that mold.  I used a model named Tara Lynn who is gorgeous, but if I had to settle on an actual actress I might go with Kat Dennings.  I don't consider her plus size, but she's got the right vibe for our Tenn.

Stephanie: 
If you had a theme song, what would it be?

Cora: I adore this question!  Music plays a huge part of my daily life and every book has it's own theme song, but it's much harder to pick a personal theme song.  But, that being said, I immediately thought of one particular Ben Howard song. It's 'Keep Your Head Up' and you can find it here (http://bit.ly/1QTVaxO) on Spotify.  The main thing to take away from this song is the refrain: "Keep your head up, keep your heart strong."  I may be known to jam out out this loudly while driving with the windows down.

Stephanie:  If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Cora: Even though this might out me as a total comic book nerd, I'd want the same kind of mutant superpowers as Sara Rainmaker from Gen 13.  She can manipulate local weather systems, even using air currents to fly, and can move water with just a flick of a wrist.  There's more to her character, but that's the basics of what she can do.  Gen 13 is one of my all time favorite non-Batman comics ever.



Nestled away in a small town in Ohio, I spend my days adding delicious books to my library, snuggling with my four rotten dogs, and debating the finer points of life with the dear husband.

When I'm not tucked away with a book you can be find me tapping away at my laptop.   With coffee.  And my iPod.



Cora is awesome enough to give me two copies of Morning Light to give away to two of my readers. Comment below and tell us what your superpower would be and I will pick two winners on Friday, May 29th! 






Friday, August 8, 2014

Book Blitz - Two In The Afternoon by Cora Cade

Two in the Afternoon  
 
I am very excited to be a part of Cora Cade's Two In The Afternoon Book Blitz. I absolutely LOVED Molly and Cal's story. Read on for an excerpt and playlist for the book as well as a great giveaway!
 
 
When it comes to hand-to-heart combat, no hold is barred.
 
TwoInTheAfternoon Cover
A Day of Pleasure, Book 2

Molly Ryan survived one attack, and she’s not about to be a sitting duck for another. With her attacker harassing her from his jail cell, she packs up her life in Chicago, follows her Delta Force brother to North Carolina and gets work in a pub.

Men in uniform are definitely off her menu, but her boss’s friend, Army Ranger Callum Eversman, is one hot hunk she’d like to sample.

Home on a two-week furlough, Cal has agreed to watch over Molly as a favor to fellow Ranger Noah Harper. Accomplishing his mission without her noticing? That’s going to be tough, as any idiot can see their sparks of attraction from a mile away.

Despite her hands-off-military-men policy, Molly is tempted to indulge, just this once, in a no-strings-attached fling. No dating, no kissy face, no hearts involved. But when her past threatens her future, there’s only one man to turn to. The one who’ll risk everything—body, heart, and soul—to protect her.
 
Warning: Contains an Army Ranger with a gruff exterior and heart of gold, a heroine with a sassy attitude, and some hot borderline-public sex.
 

 
CadeCoupon
 
 
Copyright © 2014 Cora Cade
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
 
 
Propping her bare feet on the edge of the ancient desk, Molly Ryan took a well-deserved pull of her beer. Before dropping her head back to ease the tension in her shoulders she closed her aching eyes and sighed heavily. It was nearly two in the afternoon, which meant she’d been locked in the pub’s office for roughly six hours, getting caught up on the weekly invoicing, payroll and upcoming supply orders.
 
The office had no window to enjoy the lake view, but she knew it was a glorious, sunny summer day. It was well worth the sacrifice of her Sunday off to know that she’d put a major dent in her work week, though. With Noah and Tennyson off on their honeymoon for the next two weeks, they’d left Molly in charge of more than just her normal duties.
 
Managing a busy pub like the Drunken Duck was enough work, but taking on Noah’s responsibilities as owner added a little more tension to her shoulders. To be fair, it was a challenge she was more than up for. Noah had left his brother, Chris, as her second in command for the duration, giving plenty of help.
 
She heard the service door open down the hall. Undoubtedly it was Chris to check in with her. He had a normal work week as an architect and helped out in the evenings and weekends as needed. He was likely stopping after seeing her sporty red coupe in the empty parking lot.
 
“Hey, Mr. Sexy Pants, I’m in the office. Bring me another beer on your way!” She couldn’t help teasing him. He’d spent the previous night fighting off advances from Lexie, his latest crazy chick, as Tenn would call her. At one point Lexie had cornered Chris next to the bar, put a slim hand down the front of his tuxedo pants, and called him Mr. Sexy Pants loud enough for half the bar to hear. Watching Chris turn ten shades of red while attempting to pull the tenacious girl’s hand from his pants had caused Molly to fall off her bar stool in hysterical laughter. Even after landing squarely on her ass and spilling her scotch down the front of her bridesmaid dress, effectively ruining it, she still couldn’t stop laughing.
 
As the office door opened behind her, she pushed off from the desk. The movement sent the chair whirling around, making the tiny room spin in a quick half turn.
 
“Hey… Oh.” Well, that wasn’t Chris standing in her doorway. Where Chris was leanly muscled, this guy looked like a hulking linebacker, with heavily muscled arms and a chest broad enough to block the sun. He had a black duffel bag slung over one shoulder, exposing the underside of a thick biceps and a heavy tribal tattoo ending at the elbow.
 
Intensity pulsed off of him. Light mocha skin, a smoothly shaved head, and steely gray eyes, he exuded a quiet watchfulness that was at odds with his stern demeanor. He had an obvious perpetual scowl set on his face. A face, upon closer inspection, that had a full mouth and broad features and a light scar running across his left cheek, just under the eye.
 
He watched her watching him, and no one spoke for a moment. Molly belatedly realized she was sitting in front of a ridiculously hot stranger in her pajamas. Not even her cute pajamas. When she’d rolled out of bed after a night of just a little too much scotch and not enough sleep, she hadn’t even considered running into anyone. Her apartment was three blocks away, the pub was closed every Sunday, and most of the town was also recovering from Noah and Tenn’s wedding reception.
 
Who was this guy, and where had he come from? And could she keep him?
 
 
If the vixen in black pajama bottoms with pink skulls was Noah’s new bride, then Cal was in a lot of trouble. It went against his code to covet a fellow soldier’s woman. But he was hard-pressed to take his eyes off the petite beauty with a shock of unruly auburn hair and a full, pouty mouth. She darted her tongue across a lush bottom lip, causing his libido to stand at attention.
 
It was well past time to stop cataloging every attribute of the woman before him, especially if she was Noah’s. “I’m looking for Noah Harper. Is he around?”
“Noah?” She shook her head, as if clearing it, before going on. “He’s not in, but I’m the manager of the Drunken Duck. Can I help you?”
 
It was relief, first and foremost, that washed over him. Cal was grateful he’d had a chance to speak with Noah earlier in the week. Molly wasn’t Noah’s wife, but the woman he was here to look after.
 
 
 
Every moment in life has a soundtrack.  That first summer you had a license and your own car.  The summer my husband I bought our house.  The long nights I used to drive the four hours to and from our locations while we were dating long distance.  That first road trip with your best friend.  And all the other ones that followed.
All of the very best (and not so great) moments of my life can be associated with a specific song, artist, or album.  And writing a book is no exception.   So, because I believe in sharing the joys of musical inspiration, I put together a mix tape of music that represents my second release TWO IN THE AFTERNOON, book two in the A Day of Pleasure series.  A story about a heroine too bull-headed to ask for help and an Army Ranger incapable of not offering it, can only be symbolized with the following:
·         The Fear- Ben Howard
·         Shake it Out- Florence + The Machine
·         Wait for Me- Kings of Leon
·         All of Me (cover)- Jason Chen and Madilyn Bailey
·         Falling for You- The 1975
·         Best Day of My Life- American Authors
·         Everything has Changed- Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift
·         Never Stop- Safety Suit
·         Safe with Me- Sam Smith
·         Boom Clap- Charli XCX
 
Cal, our Ranger, is perfectly summed up by King of Leon's  'Wait for Me'.  That song always makes me all swoony and it's still got that rock edge that Cal would want.   And our heroine Molly has some demons she needs to exorcize.  Florence + The Machine's 'Shake it Out' is all about facing your past and moving on, which is perfect for our feisty Molly.
While I was working on TWO IN THE AFTERNOON I used Ben Howard's 'The Fear' as the book inspiration.  I may or may not be a crazed Ben Howard fan (I'll let you draw your own conclusions on that one), and I listened to his debut album on repeat for months while working on this book.   And this song is one that resonates with me personally, but also holds a great message for the overall tone of the book. 
If you'd like to check out the entirety of the mix tape, you can listen to it on Spotify:  http://tinyurl.com/q85s6lc
 
 
 
  
Author Cora Cade
 
Nestled away in a small town in Ohio, I spend my days adding delicious books to my library, snuggling with my four rotten dogs, and debating the finer points of life with the dear husband.
When I'm not tucked away with a book you can find me tapping away on my laptop. With coffee. And my iPod.
 
I'm currently listening to: Mumford & Sons • Ed Sheeran • Joe Purdy • Joshua Radin • Bastille • Ben Howard
 
 
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Saturday, December 21, 2013

12 Smart & Savvy Days of Christmas ~ Day 1

 
Hi! Thanks for stopping by and joining in the celebration!
 
 
On the first day of Christmas, Stephanie gave to me...
 
Featured Author: Cora Cade
Featured Book: Forever & Always by Jasinda Wilder
Giveways: Cora Cade prize package & E-book of Forever & Always
 
 
 

Today we welcome Cora Cade to our celebration and we are talking about Christmas and book preferences!

Stephanie: What Christmas movies are a must watch?

Cora: Absolutely, without a doubt, my top pick is Die Hard.  Every Christmas Eve I curl up with the hubs and enjoy some delicious Alan Rickman as the best baddy ever filmed.  I also love a good action movie, probably more so than the average thirteen year old boy.  Not only does it have Alan Rickman, but it has explosions, a classic 80's soundtrack, and a bad guy wearing sweat pants.

And for the undying romantic in me I always watch Love Actually and The Holiday.   Colin Firth, more Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Jack Black, and Jude Law are all worth a good swoon during the holiday season.  And even though I have an obvious soft spot for modern day leading men, my one true love has always been Bing Crosby.  White Christmas is my favorite Bing movie and I wouldn't miss my date night with him for anything. It's just not the holiday season without my Bing.

Stephanie: Would you rather have a winter Christmas or summer Christmas ?

Cora: I've lived in Ohio nearly all of my life, so I've had my share (and then some) of winter days.  I would prefer to decorate my pink flamingos on a warm and sandy beach somewhere in the vicinity of the Florida Keys.  Currently my pink flamingos have about three inches of snow piled on their heads.  They are probably not pleased with my inability to put them away for the winter.

Stephanie: Do you read outside the genre that you write? If so, what genres?

Cora: Of course!  I read all kinds of genres.  I'm a total fan girl for Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files.  Butcher writes a solid urban fantasy series that just keeps getting stronger and stronger with each new book. Even though I write contemporary I adore a quirky historical romance.  I'll go on a bender where it's all I'll read for weeks and weeks!

I also love a paranormal romance, a dystopian romance, and I've found some great steampunk romances that were just divine.  Basically if it has a HEA I'm open to checking it out.  But if you suggest a book that does not have a HEA, then we can't be friends.  <~~~ I totally agree! -Stephanie

Stephanie: What do you prefer e-book, paperback or hardcover?

Cora: I'm a paper and plastic equal opportunity reader. I have an entire room dedicated to my paper books and I take my collection very seriously, but I also love a good ebook. There are so many options available in the e-format that I would be remiss to ignore them.  Some of my favorites can be found in my library as well as on my Kindle.  A girl can never have too many copies of her favorite books.


Cora's All Time Favorites!

Note from Cora: I would just like to state that picking JUST ONE is very hard. 

Song: The Fear by Ben Howard
Book: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Movie: Blackhawk Down
Television Show: Scrubs
Color: Aqua


Cora is the author of Morning Light, book one in her A Day Of Pleasure series about Army Ranger Noah Harper and Tennyson Sharp, the woman who happens to be his brother's best friend. I'm a sucker for military romances and I really enjoyed Noah and Tennyson's story.
Buy It On Amazon
 
During Noah Harper’s ten years as an Army Ranger, Tennyson Sharpe’s letters were his lifeline. With each mail call, the bright and vibrant girl of his youth slowly became the woman of his dreams. Now he’s home—and he’s in hell. The problem? Tenn is his little brother’s best friend.  Claiming her risks all kinds of collateral damage.
 
Tenn is getting nervous. Since Noah came home, they’ve been circling each other, neither willing to risk the status quo. It’s time to kick things up a notch and make a play for the man she’s loved since she was sixteen—before someone else does.
 
Dressing to impress works better than she could have dreamed. After a scorching interlude leads to a steamy morning wrapped in each other’s arms, reality comes crashing down. Shining a devastating light on Tenn’s deepest fears…and forcing Noah into scramble mode to convince her forever was always on his mind.
 
 
Today we are featuring Forever & Always by Jasinda Wilder. This is book 1 in Jasinda's new series, The Ever Trilogy and it sounds like it's going to be a good, emotional one!
 
Ever,
 
These letters are often all that get me through week to week. Even if it’s just random stuff, nothing important, they’re important to me. Gramps is great, and I love working on the ranch. But…I’m lonely. I feel disconnected, like I’m no one, like I don’t belong anywhere. Like I’m just here until something else happens. I don’t even know what I want with my future. But your letters, they make me feel connected to something, to someone. I had a crush on you, when we first met. I thought you were beautiful. So beautiful. It was hard to think of anything else. Then camp ended and we never got together, and now all I have of you is these letters. S**t. I just told you I have a crush on you. HAD. Had a crush. Not sure what is anymore. A letter-crush? A literary love? That’s stupid. Sorry. I just have this rule with myself that I never throw away what I write and I always send it, so hopefully this doesn’t weird you out too much. I had a dream about you too. Same kind of thing. Us, in the darkness, together. Just us. And it was like you said, a memory turned into a dream, but a memory of something that’s never happened, but in the dream it felt so real, and it was more, I don’t even know, more RIGHT than anything I’ve ever felt, in life or in dreams. I wonder what it means that we both had the same dream about each other. Maybe nothing, maybe everything. You tell me.
 
Cade
 ~ ~ ~ ~
Cade,
 
We’re pen pals. Maybe that’s all we’ll ever be. I don’t know. If we met IRL (in real life, in case you’re not familiar with the term) what would happen? And just FYI, the term you used, a literary love? It was beautiful. So beautiful. That term means something, between us now. We are literary loves. Lovers? I do love you, in some strange way. Knowing about you, in these letters, knowing your hurt and your joys, it means something so important to me, that I just can’t describe. I need your art, and your letters, and your literary love. If we never have anything else between us, I need this. I do. Maybe this letter will only complicate things, but like you I have a rule that I never erase or throw away what I’ve written and I always send it, no matter what I write in the letter.
 
Your literary love,
Ever
 
 

There will be two lucky winners for Day 1!
 
Giveaway #1 - Cora Cade Prize Package
 
 
Includes: - 1 lb of Coffee For Tired People: Breakfast Blend
- 1 travel mug
- 1 tin of Russel Stover chocolates
- 1 Cora Cade peppermint lip balm
- 1 e-book of Morning Light
 
Open to U.S. Residents Only
 
 
Giveaway #2 - E-book of Forever & Always by Jasinda Wilder
 
 
Open Internationally (as long as you can receive a gifted e-book from the US)
 
**All winners will be announced on January 1st**
 
 

The twelve days in the song are the twelve days starting Christmas Day, or in some traditions, the day after Christmas (December 26) (Boxing Day or St. Stephen's Day, as being the feast day of St. Stephen Protomartyr) to the day before Epiphany, or the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6, or the Twelfth Day). Twelfth Night is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking."

Did you know the twelve days of Christmas started on Christmas or Boxing Day? And how many pipers were "piping"?
 
Be sure to check out all 12 Smart & Savvy Days of Christmas for more great author & book features and giveaways!


Day 1 ~ Day 2 ~ Days 3 & 4 ~ Day 5 ~ Day 6 ~ Day 7