Chasing Cassidy -- D. Kelly COVER REVEAL!

Book: Chasing Cassidy by D. Kelly Expected Release Date: July 28, 2015

When Zachary Stafford first set eyes on Cassidy Pope she was being beaten by her father. After witnessing the traumatic event, he made it his mission to befriend her. As the years pass, their relationship evolves and Cassidy not only gives Zack her friendship but her love, as well. 

Cassidy spent her childhood being verbally and physically abused. The best part of her life is her friendship with the Stafford twins, Zack and Rylee. Although she tries to put on a brave front, the years of abuse have turned Cassidy into a woman filled with insecurities who doesn’t believe she deserves love. Especially not the kind of love Zack has given her for the last twelve years. 

 On their wedding day, Cassidy’s insecurities get the best of her and she does the one thing she knows how to do well…she runs. Zack is devastated and when he discovers why Cassidy ran, his devastation becomes fury. Long ago, Zack made Cassidy a promise he fully intends to keep and sets off on a journey to bring her back into his arms where she belongs. 

Will Zack and Cassidy get their happily ever after, or will Cassidy’s inner demons keep her from getting the only thing she ever wanted in this world? To be loved. Chasing Cassidy is a standalone novel.

Add Chasing Cassidy to your TBR on Goodreads here.

Cover design by Indie Solutions by Murphy Rae.

Excerpt:

Rylee bounces out the door and bounds down the stairs before our feet even hit the first step. I’m sure she’s trying to sneak in a kiss before we get there. 

“She was talking about what I think she was right?” 

“What sex?” I answer teasing him. 

He shudders with just the thought “Yeah” 

“Of course she was,” I answer with a laugh 

“So sick, I figured as much” he mutters. 

“Don’t worry Zack, I’ll never tell your sister how well you wield your mighty sword.” 

He stops in his tracks halfway down the stairs cracking up. “Oh my God Cassidy that’s fucking classic! I almost wish you could, just so I could see her expression.” Then he whispers seductively in my ear, “But if that’s how you’re going to describe my fucking magnificent cock, I really hope it’s in jest.” He nips the tip of my earlobe and sucks on my neck pulling me closer to him. His magnificent cock is pushing against my hip making sure I’m aware his description is indeed accurate. 

“Yes it’s just a joke. But you’d understand why if you could have heard her description of…” “Lalalalala” he cuts me off with his fingers in his ears and bounds down the stairs. “Oh gross! Seriously? Come on! Pete we’re about to eat. Damn Ry, you’re making me lose my appetite.” 

Oops, guess he walked in on them anyway. 

“Paybacks a bitch big brother get used to it.” Rylee tosses back at him as I walk right past the kitchen and out to the patio. I’m starving and this will either end quickly or go on all night. 

Pete exits the house right behind me and takes a seat, followed by Ry and Zack. 

“There’s not enough bleach in the world for my eyes after that.” Zack complains as I begin dishing out food. 

“Stop whining Zack, it was just tongue. I’ve seen you with your ass in the air mid thrust so don’t talk to me about bleach.” Rylee pretends to stick her finger down her throat and gag. Zack does have the decency to look embarrassed, but it only lasts a second. 

“If you would have knocked first that wouldn’t have happened.” He taunts and she rolls her eyes at him. I love how Pete just stays quiet and sips on his beer. 

“New house rules starting now, no one gets to fuck in our house but us.” 

“Seriously Zack? We weren’t fucking, not even close to it.” Ry snaps back at him 

“I know,” he says with a smile “I’m just making a pre-emptive strike in case you get too drunk to drive tonight.” 

“If I get too drunk to drive tonight I’ll call a cab, because I’m definitely getting fucked.” 

Both Pete and I respectively choke, him on his beer and me on my salad. Zack gives Pete a long glare and Pete just shrugs. Damn I think I love him already. 

“You just said I couldn’t break her heart, you didn’t say I couldn’t make her scream.” Pete points out hysterically. Hell, I’m laughing so hard I’m crying at this point.

---

In celebration of Chasing Cassidy, D. Kelly has made her first book, Breaking Kate, free for a limited time. Breaking Kate is book one of The Acceptance Series.

DOWNLOAD TODAY! AMAZON NOOK (99c) iBOOKS KOBO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I’m a wife, a mom and a dog lover. I’m also a taxi, problem fixer, extreme multi-tasker and my kids biggest fan in anything that they do. I love to write, so when my career suddenly derailed I turned back to my love of writing. I married my high school sweetheart… how cool is that? Margaritas and sarcasm make me happy. Chocolate makes that happiness grow exponentially. People who make me laugh are my favorite kind of people. I believe Karma is a bitch who slaps back hard and that mean people suck. I’m California born and raised, I love the beach but hate the sand. 

The Acceptance Series is my first series with more books to come soon. 

Follow D. Kelly: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | AMAZON

Sometimes, You Just Know.

This has been a blog post I've been avoiding. I know it's a necessity for a multitude of reasons, mostly to be therapeutic -- but I also realize that in upcoming months I'm going to need all the support I can get. And since "book friends are the best friends", I'm sharing this chapter in my life with y'all.

3 weeks ago, my mom went to the ER for back pain. Not a little back pain, like she was popping Vicodin like breath mints (in their allowed time frame), and couldn't straighten to a standing position kind of back pain.

A little back story on my mom: she's not really one to complain, and she's terrible at taking care of herself. She's a go go go type of person, that has never really rested as much as she probably should, and like everyone else in the world has a tendency to Band-aid the problem and move on. Like, oh, I have a headache -- Advil will fix it, I've got too much to do.

Well, in her case, that has proved to be catastrophic. We don't know, and probably will never be able to pinpoint the exact moment that things should've been taken more seriously, when her aches and pains were actually a problem rather than a nuisance. Just heed my words when I say: if your body hurts, there's a reason. Go get it checked out.

3 weeks ago, she has a CAT scan, and they found a few "spots" but were seemingly unconcerned. They were actually going to release her and send her home. Thank God there was a doctor with some sense, who took a second look and listened to his gut and said, no -- I'm admitting you.

By Tuesday, there were more tests. The spots became classified as lesions that were located on various vertebrae, and a 3.5 cm mass was identified in her lung. By Wednesday and Thursday, more tests were performed including an MRI, and a biopsy to determine what they thought they were dealing with. But we all knew. It was unspoken, a tense current underlying every unsaid word, every space between texts, every amount of silence that passed.

By Friday, they had started radiation, and I now know that she was classified as crisis. An emergency. An exception to the no radiation on weekends rule. Attendants were called in to perform this procedure Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because there was no other option. It was that necessary.

Y'all, this was a heavy week for me. For my family. Because at this point, even though there was no official diagnosis because the test results that mattered wouldn't be confirmed until sometime the next week. But you just know. You know when they tell you that there's a mass in the lung, and lesions on vertebrae and her pelvic bones, and words like metastasized and such are thrown around like normal vocabulary. You know.

Before we ever knew that things were so serious, I'd made plans to go to Austin Book Fest. Hubby and I needed a weekend away, I had friends and fellow authors I wanted to meet, and I knew this was a great opportunity to network. My in-laws were going to be keeping both kids, including our sweet daughter who copes with food allergies for the first time in the 17 months she's been around. I wrestled with guilt of still wanting to follow through, but I was encouraged by my mother-in-law that I needed this time to prepare for what was coming. My husband and I needed time to fuel and charge ourselves and be ready for whatever the future holds because we knew that no matter what, it wouldn't be easy. So we went. We left early Saturday morning (and I ended up being 2 hours early since I wasn't in the best headspace in the world), and I spent most of the drive there in a complete funk, trying to wrap my brain around what was going on, what was coming, and most of all, not feeling like the worst daughter in the world. Because I didn't tell anyone but my in-laws that I was going. I needed this weekend to be about us and about me, and I needed to be selfish. It's not something I do often, but I needed it then.

I'm so glad that I did. So glad. I met wonderful blogger friends (Abby O'Shea and Ana O'Rylee of Not Your Mama's Romance) I'd met a few months ago online, and they kept my brain busy. They pulled me around the signing and to authors when I'm sure I was completely blank-faced, and overwhelmed, and they just smiled and kept me afloat. I'm sure that they don't even realize how much they helped, but they did. I got to meet several other people in person that I'd met online and went out to Downtown Austin with a sweet author friend (Ashley Christin) and my hubby, and got to party with Le Freak. It's amazing how easily online friends can translate to real-life friends so seamlessly. I branched crazy far outside my comfort zone, and it paid off tenfold. I made new friends that unknowingly helped me through what had the potential to be a nightmare of a weekend, and kept my mind off my problems.  I'll be forever grateful.

It's amazing how all these little things added up to what is my best memory of 2015 so far, and is this wonderful little reminder of hope and joy in a time where things are so uncertain, so terrifying, so life-altering.

The journey home was a long one -- not necessarily because we had too much fun (we did), we didn't miss our kids (we did), we didn't want to come home (we didn't... not really), but mostly because all of this was looming on the horizon. God knew what He was doing when he shoved ABF in front of my face, because on Tuesday, we got the official confirmation that she has stage 4 lung cancer. Stage 4. And, she's also got two teeny tiny lesions on her brain. Excuse my French, but this shit is everywhere.

It's almost two weeks to the day later, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around this news. My mom will be 54 in August. She's still young. My kids are 3.5 and 1.5, and they're still making memories with their Gigi. We aren't done expanding our family yet. There are so many things left in life to experience, and in the span of a week... my life will never, ever be the same.

Somedays, I think the only thing keeping me sane is writing. Reading amazing books put out by author friends of mine. Writing some more. Focusing on my plans for future books. Searching out covers. Making teasers. Researching bloggers and promotional companies, author signings. Making plans.

I'm editing this (which I'll probably do a couple of more times as things come to me) to include how incredibly thankful I am for Kishan Paul and her friendship. I'm so blessed that God saw that I needed not only a friend throughout my writing journey, but one to make me feel less crazy on this journey called motherhood, and even more so during this new chapter of my life. She's been the most amazing, non-judgement, encouraging sounding board throughout this, and I can't not include her in this post. I can't even count how many times she's messaged me to make sure I'm doing ok, to just drop a line to say "I'm thinking of you", and words can't even express how much it means to me. I'm so thankful for the people in my life right now.

Please keep me, my mother, my husband and kids, my sister... my whole family in your thoughts, in your prayers... Don't hesitate to send me funny anecdotes, silly messages, words of encouragement, anything because y'all, this is going to be a battle and I need all the funny and positive and love I can get, and then some.

Thank y'all!

Cait Jarrod -- Breaking All Barriers Blog Tour

Whistlin' Dixe by Maggie Adams ~ Review

Grab Maggie's book at Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, or Google Play! 

Although I'm an author myself, reading books is my first love. I've been known to devour them like candy, and regardless of how many sit on my bookshelf or on my Kindle, I always have to have more. As someone who has a self-proclaimed love affair with anything regarding the South, you can imagine how excited I was to get my hands on this book.  I'd seen some fabulous praise bouncing around my Facebook news feed so I was really excited to jump in.  

I was so excited, in fact, that I missed the part that this is series -- not really a standalone -- so I was aggravated when I finished it. This was in no way the author's fault, that was me being over-eager (and a highly distractable mom). Whoops.  Guess I'll have to pick up the next one to see if my questions get answered! *wink* 

Anyhow -- overall, I really enjoyed the story line. Mac Coalson owns his own construction company, sounds ruggedly handsome, comes off tough, but like all the men in romance novels we love -- he has a soft side for the woman in his life. Dixie Harris is a young school-teacher, full of spunk, sweet, and ready to nab Mac -- which isn't all that surprising.  Dixie's brother is nabbed for vandalism going on around Mac's properties, which is the underlying issue running throughout the book and what thrusts these characters into each other lives.  

For the most part, the plot had great momentum.  There was an exception of a couple of plot points that I wished had been developed a bit more -- they felt a bit rushed. I wouldn't have minded a bit more to the evolution of Mac and Dixie's relationship, but regardless, it was entertaining following the roller-coaster that ensued their initial meeting.  Especially with Dixie's firecracker temperament, and Mac's stubborn streak.  Let's just say, sparks flew on more than one occasion. 

   Dixie's little spitfire attitude cracked me up, and I enjoyed seeing the way Mac handled her. There's nothing like finding characters you enjoy so much, that your emotions swing with theirs -- and trust me, there's plenty of swinging involved! The Southern dialect was fun, not in any way overdone -- which was awesome. She set the scene perfectly for the area and the way that people interact in small towns -- it's definitely somewhere I'd love to visit. 

 I wanted Mac and Dixie to find their happily ever after.  Let's be honest though, I also want to know more about his brother Sam and ex-girlfriend Angel -- there's a big story there and I'm anxious to find out what will be revealed! There's a lot of history to cover, so I expect it to be full of realizations and passion; those two have a lot of time to make up for.  

Bottom line: if you enjoy a good, passionate romance, with an underlying mystery, it's a great read.  It's sweet, and fun, and introduces you to a devoted loving family (there are 7 brothers y'all) wrapped up in a charming little Southern town.   

** 4 -4.5 stars **

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour presented by: 

I know I said I'd do better at the blogging thing, but I really am trying.  Promise!

Today is Love Least Expected's release day, and to say that I'm overwhelmed with the outpouring of support is an understatement.  I don't have a lot of support in my real life aside from my husband, his family, and my best friend, so it's been amazing to be showered with so many kind words -- and it's only noon!

The short story I published, The Trouble With Never, has been in the making for years.  Years. To have a piece of it (and me) finally out there, is such a mixed bag of emotions.  I suppose anyone who's already published could tell me that this is normal... but it's so scary, yet absolutely exhilarating to have it out there in the world. I truly hope that people love Summer and Caleb as much as I do.

I'm so grateful to my friend Kishan Paul for pushing me to step up and do this. I've talked about writing and being a published author and all that for so long, that it was about time to actually do vs talk.  To have people sending me messages and posting on my wall/page that they've bought a book I'm published in, or that it was waiting for them on their Kindle is just mind-boggling.  I don't think I've quite wrapped my brain around it!

It's taken me literally all day to even write this blog (which is why it might appear to skip around -- sorry -- busy down around here)!

Long story short, and I'll probably come  edit this later to make more sense -- thank you to every single person that took a chance on some unknown authors, to every blogger that shared our anthology -- THANK YOU.

Stay Tuned...

As I sit here, counting down the hours until the anthology goes live, I'm an incredible mix of emotions.  I guess that's normal for your first publication, and I have to assume that doesn't really change as you continue to publish.

Tomorrow, anyone and everyone can have this book in their hands -- and part of my soul will be laid bare in front of them.  This story has been in the making for years and to have it out there for people to read that don't even know me, is absolutely terrifying!

While there's a resolution with a HEA in my short -- no cliffie y'all -- it is going to be part of a full blown novel.  I hope it leaves you wanting more, and hopefully Caleb will make the cut as a fabulous book boyfriend.  If the short doesn't do it for you, I assure you the book will.

Since I've never published an excerpt here before -- I just wanted to drop a little teaser for my favorite couple.

Preorder Love Least Expected today: 

All Romance https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-loveleastexpected-1681062-166.html

Amazon http://amzn.com/B00PMOM9NA

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-least-expected-meredith-bond/1120790265?ean=2940046296808

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-least-expected/id942101190?mt=11&uo=4

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Meredith_Bond_Love_Least_Expected?id=CT9pBQAAQBAJ&hl=en

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/love-least-expected

USA Today Recommended Must-See Book Trailer!

So far for me, this has been a wild ride.  I've talked for years and year (and years and years...) about how I was going to be an author.  Blah, blah, blah.  It wasn't until I was asked to be a part of an anthology by an incredibly group of women that I've had the privilege of watching come into their own and become amazing authors, that I was finally brave enough to do something about it.  

Writing with two young kids isn't easy. I've screwed up so many times with deadlines, and sending out information and fumbled all over the place as I learned the ropes of being an indie author. Marketing, promotions, who to contact, what to say, the actually process of writing, getting my first round of edits (and thinking I was going to die), and so on...  

There's a hilarious meme I'd love to share about this, but I can't find it. Should I come across it, I'll come back and add it later.  ;) 

All of this has been amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  

Today, we made the USA Today Recommended Must-See Book Trailer list. USA Today. Y'all.  I don't know whether to fan-girl, scream, cry, pop a bottle of champagne, or what.  This. Is. Incredible.

If you haven't seen our trailer, you should watch it.  Now. It's fabulous. I don't care to admit how many times I've watched it.  Haha! 

Enjoy! 

Love Least Expected Trailer!!

As our release day nears -- February 3 y'all -- we will be releasing fun new things to tease our fabulous anthology.  

For pre-order links, visit here.  Squee!!! 

Anyway -- I'm so exited to share this trailer with y'all.  Enjoy! 

Exciting News!!

I've been MIA for awhile, but here's the thing.  I've been busy.  Besides starting my own fitness business this year, I've been getting my writing act together.  I was blessed enough to be asked to join this anthology with some fabulous ladies -- and let me tell you -- this thing rocks.  I mean, really.  

We are officially available for pre-order on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and All Romance -- how awesome is that y'all?! Official release will be February 2015.  If you'd like to host us on our blog tour, sign up here.  We'd appreciate it ever so much! 

About Love Least Expected: 

When love drops in unexpected, the strangest things can happen. Nine short stories from sweet to sultry, full of romance, magic and love from award winning and USA Today recommended authors.

Under The Mango Tree: (Historical Romance) ~ by Meredith Bond

Lakshmi is a good 18th c. Indian girl who should not be hiding among the branches of the mango tree avoiding her chores. She truly should not be seen by a man who is not a member of her family--an Englishman, no less. And she absolutely should not even contemplate speaking with this man. But Lakshmi has never been one to follow the rules.


Rolf's Quest: (Historical Romance) ~ by Aubrey Wynne

Time is running out for the royal wizard of Henry II. Rolf's quest: find genuine love and lift the enchantment that has imprisoned his ancestor, Merlin, for centuries. Now he must win Melissa's heart without the use of magic. She desires him, but will she defy her family and refuse her betrothed? Or will Rolf be doomed to a life of bitterness like his ancestors before him.


Fall Into Darkness: (Paranormal Romance) ~ by Valerie Twombly

Eli, bounty hunter for the Tribunal, is sentenced to earth to find his humanity. But when temptation is thrown in the angel's path in the form of the soft curvy Ashley, he is unable to resist. Fate may bring them together, but desire could bond them for eternity.


Alphabetical Disorder: (Fantasy Romance) ~ by Katie Stephens

When a trick horseback rider gets caught up in a dangerous prophecy that jeopardizes the circus, she believes she can solve the problem by dating alphabetically. Now all she has to do is figure out how to manipulate her flawed interpretation so she can be with the man she loves.


Roses Are Wrong, Violets Taboo: (Southern Romance) ~ by Kris Calvert

When Alexander Chase Tabeau and Rose Westwood meet by chance, neither planned on stumbling into the best night of their life. But timing is everything and fate has a cruel sense of humor. With love on the line and nothing to lose, will one night together change their destiny forever?


Love's Not Viral: (Contemporary Romance) ~ by Nessie Strange

When a crazed Hollywood star puts Aster Sanderson in the media crosshairs, her home becomes a prison. With her life out of control, the last person she expects to rescue her is her captor's brother, James. Is their attraction a result of circumstance...or could it be something more?


Taking The Plunge: (Contemporary Romance) ~ by Kishan Paul

When Pete, Eve's high school crush, shows up in her life, she pepper sprays him. Despite her efforts to push him away, Pete finds himself drawn to the red haired beauty. When logic and emotion don't agree, which path should she follow?


The Trouble With Never: (Southern Romance) ~ by Isabella Harper

When Summer and Caleb run into each other after a long absence, sparks fly. Her painful past makes it hard for her to open up, but he's more than willing to help. He's loved her most of their lives. Can she learn to love and trust him, or will her fears push him away?


Keep Calm And Eat Chocolate: (Contemporary Romance) ~ by Michaela Miles

When institution residents Elle and Chris meet, their personalities clash. During a quiet moment in the garden together, secrets are shared and a bond is formed. Will their connection be their downfall or lead to the fresh start they deserve?

Day 2: Reminding Those You Love, They Matter

Today's blog is going to be harder for me... I'm supposed to educate you on something that I know a lot about or am good at.  Well, that could be any number of things.  I was a teacher for 5 years, so I could educate your ears off about education, but that would be more like jumping on a soapbox, which I don't think should be the intent of this blog post. ;)  I'm a huge history nerd, especially when it comes to the South and my great state of Texas, so I've thought about that too.  And of course, I spend my days trying to be the best momma and wife that I can possibly be.  Which I spend almost all of my time doing.  <3

So I'm going to just start typing and see what's easiest for me to educate you in.  *wiggles eyebrows*

My husband and I have been married for 7 years, dated for 3ish before that, and were best friends for 3 years prior to that.  To say that I knew what I was getting myself into {as far as who my husband is} would be the understatement of the century.  ;)  We had a very rocky start to our relationship, since we basically skipped the dating part and jumped right into super serious mode {we basically already knew everything about each other}and to be honest, it scared the hell out of me.  I couldn't even begin to fathom that what I'd looked for in every boyfriend prior had been standing right in front of my face the entire time and I had been completely blind to this fact. Because of some poor choices I made in my little *freak out mode* the first few months of our relationship, I basically spent the next year reassuring him of my feelings.  It's something that's always stuck with me: you don't ever let the ones you love doubt your feelings for them, ever.    In our second year of marriage, my dad left my mom and our family without any explanation, the night before the first Thanksgiving we hosted at our house.  It was another important lesson in never taking the things you love for granted, because one day they could be gone.  Luckily, things have worked out that my father is now back in my life, five years later, but I definitely try not to ever give him any doubt that I want him there.

I say all this to say that I've learned, without a doubt, that it's the little things in your relationships/marriage that matter most. There's no excuse to not take a few minutes out of your day to remind the ones you love that you're thinking about them.

               I write my hubby little notes and leave them in random places.  He saves all of them.  <3

My hubby and dad both love chocolate chip cookies.  {I found a fabulous recipe off Pinterest that I've tailored and dabbled with and they looove.}  If I bake some, I made sure both have them to munch on.  

I send both men in my life random texts to let them know I'm thinking about them.  

I'll post things on my hubby's FB wall that remind me of him.  

He always comments on how it brings a smile to his face.  :)  

I'll make my hubby a playlist for his car ride to work.  

I know his favorite foods, and try to cook one of them once a week.

{Being preggo chasing a toddler hinders this at times, but luckily he's super understanding, haha!}

I try to make far more encouraging comments than negative/worrisome ones.  

{This is especially hard for me since I'm a natural worry wart...}

I encourage him to go out for a couple of drinks with the guys when he needs to, which isn't often {he'd rather be home with us...}.  

I give him time to himself every night to wind down and do his "guy stuff": watch Spartacus play his video games, whatever he wants to do to have some alone time and relax.

I surprise him with sweet projects from our son for his office. 

I always have a pitcher of sweet tea made and in the fridge so he never has to ask. ;)  

I always say thank you.  It's never not necessary.  

I tell him I love him a ridiculous amount of times a day.  <3

We find shows we enjoy watching together, and carve out time to watch them.  Luckily, we have pretty similar tastes so it's easy! 

OK, so I guess this turned into a 'how to remind those important in your life that they matter' kind of post... but that's what happens when you just go with the flow. ;)  Mostly it's the men in my life, but both are extremely important to me.  One fathered me, and the other is the father to our kids. Both pretty important in my book! 

On a side note, here a few of the many things he does for me:  <3

{When I could drink, before I was preggo again...} He'd bring home my favorite beer, wine, or even a yummy frozen concoction he'd discovered at the store.

He makes us breakfast every Sunday morning.

He puts our son in bed every night.

He will surprise me with a favorite food: this is a big deal when you're pregnant and have cravings!

He says the sweetest corniest things to me at the most random of times, and I love every time he does it!

He lets me sleep in one day on the weekends {we take turns}.

He steps up and takes care of things for my family, without me ever asking him to.

He sends me texts/emails/pictures that reminds him of me.

He will randomly call me during his busy day to tell me he loves me.  <3

Don't forget to do a little something extra for the important people in your life!