Hi again from Anna’s world! It’s the first day of August, and like everyone else I know, I’m wondering where this year has gone! I have a lot of things on tap this month, finishing my current book, starting on a Christmas novella for an anthology I am proud to be a part of, my 25th book release, which I’ll talk about in another post, and a conference later in the month. Busy, busy times in the life of this author. Today, though, I want to tell you about a very special birthday. Rebel Ink Press, the very first publisher I received a contract from three years ago, turns five this month. All kinds of exciting things are planned to celebrate, including the fact that several books are on sale for $0.99 on Amazon the entire month. That’s a great gift to our readers, don’t you think? This month also marks the second anniversary of the release of one of my favorite books, Remember Our Promise. The book was so well received when it debuted in August of 2013 that some readers asked if it was going to be a series. Actually, I had no plans of that nature, but after thinking about it and talking to the folks at Rebel Ink Press, it was decided to make it a trilogy. That’s how The Promises Trilogy came to be. Book two released earlier this year and to celebrate the birthday of the publisher, it will be included in the lineup of $0.99 choices this month. I’m excited to bring you A Cowboy’s Promise at a discounted price. Get caught up, because next year the final book of the trilogy, The Forgotten Promise, will be added. Here’s the blurb for Remember Our Promise:
Lily Wells has been in love with David Black since she was fifteen years old. When she was eighteen, he broke her heart, leaving her with a promise that the year they turned thirty, if neither was married, they would find a way to reconnect. As fate would have it, twelve years later, while she is in her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral, she runs into David. Still as breathtakingly handsome as ever, now a prominent Texas attorney, he makes it clear he’s a confirmed bachelor. After one perfect, romantic weekend together, Lily returns to her job as the acquisitions editor for a New York City publishing house, knowing that a life with David is still her heart’s desire. Believing that to him she’s only one of his many female companions and that he has no recollection of the promise she’s clung to for the past twelve years, she goes on with her life in the Big Apple. She and David remain in contact with each other, however, seemingly growing closer. Will he break her heart a second time or is it possible that she’s misreading the signs? And now the blurb for A Cowboy’s Promise:
Valerie Kennedy is feeling restless. Bored with her life in New York City, she finds herself searching for something more. She dreams of peace and serenity. Love has eluded her until she decides to pay a visit to her old friend, Lily Black, in Texas. There she is introduced to hot cowboy, Levi Ridgeway. Her first impression of him isn’t good, but as she spends more time with him she discovers that Levi and Texas might just hold the key to her happiness. The pot is sweetened by an offer to join Lily as a partner in her publishing company. When one crisis after another forces Val to stay in New York and put important decisions on hold, will she let her dreams fade away and give up the only man she’s ever loved? Buy link to the sale… http://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Promise-Anna-Kristell-ebook/dp/B00S1PRIPQ/ref=la_B00B1LK14W_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438456239&sr=1-2 Enjoy the romance and let’s meet back here in a few weeks when I tell you all about my twenty-fifth book… Love, Anna
Tag: Rebel Ink Press
A COWBOY’S PROMISE (Val’s story)
Hi! It’s been busy in Anna’s world. I had two releases within two weeks, one from spicy Isabella and the other from sweet Anna. Today, let’s talk about Anna’s latest, A Cowboy’s Promise. This is book two in The Promises Trilogy. A bit of back story, when I wrote Remember Our Promise in 2012, it was intended to be a stand-alone. But after its release, in August 2013, several readers asked that I make it into a series, so I decided to write a trilogy. I spoke to my publisher, Rebel Ink Press, and E agreed that it was a good idea. It took a while for me to work it into the writing schedule, but finally book two took shape and was released on January tenth!
In the first book, you met Valerie Kennedy, who was Lily’s assistant at the publishing house she worked for in New York City. Now, some years later, Val is having some issues of her own, and takes a vacation to visit her old pal, Lily, in Texas. You guessed it, she meets a guy!
Here’s the blurb for A Cowboy’s Promise:
Valerie Kennedy is feeling restless. Bored with her life in New York City, she finds herself searching for something more. She dreams of peace and serenity. Love has eluded her until she decides to pay a visit to her old friend, Lily Black, in Texas. There she is introduced to hot cowboy, Levi Ridgeway. Her first impression of him isn’t good, but as she spends more time with him she discovers that Levi and Texas might just hold the key to her happiness. The pot is sweetened by an offer to join Lily as a partner in her publishing company.
When one crisis after another forces Val to stay in New York and put important decisions on hold, will she let her dreams fade away and give up the only man she’s ever loved?
What kind of crisis is holding her back? Why can’t she make up her mind? You’ll have to read the book to find that out, but here’s a little snippet of Val’s first date with Levi:
“What made you decide to become a cowboy?” she asked.
“Become a cowboy?” he repeated with a grin. “Well, as a boy I helped out on a friend’s family ranch and I really enjoyed it. I’ll admit it often makes for a long, hot day, but I enjoy the out of doors. I like horses, I like all animals really. It just seemed like the perfect job for me.”
“If you like the outdoors, how will you adjust to working inside full-time when you make the break into your graphics?”
“I’ll be able to make my own hours and I’ll always make time for a ride in the fields or a day of fishing by the brook.”
“I see. I guess growing up in New York, I didn’t get the country outdoors so much but I did spend time at the beach every summer. I took riding lessons for a few years. I loved to ice skate in the winter.”
“You took riding lessons?” he asked with interest.
“Yes, I did.”
“So if you can ride, say on Sunday afternoon, how about you and I take the horses out? I know a great place for a picnic.”
“You have horses?” she asked. “Silly question, of course you do. You’re a cowboy.”
“I have one and my sister has one I’m sure she’d be willing to let you ride. She’s a gentle horse, you’ll be safe enough.”
“You’re on, cowboy. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden but it’s something I’ve always loved to do.”
“I’ll pick you up at one,” he said with that lopsided grin he sported so many times when he looked at her.
“Sounds great,” she said. “Oh look, the band is setting up.”
“Yeah, it’s a local group. I’ve heard them before and they’re pretty good.”
Val watched in fascination as the members of the band quickly finished setting up and adjusting the sound. She was looking forward to hearing a Texas country band. Although she’d grown up with the ballet and classical music, she enjoyed listening to modern country on the radio occasionally. Lily had done that to her during the time she had lived in New York. Lily had taught her a great many things. Just as the other girl had often said Claire was her mentor, Val had to admit that Lily was hers. She loved her like a sister.
The band started out with a fast-paced country tune. Several couples were on the dance floor along with a group of young girls who seemed to be celebrating a bride-to-be. After a few more of the same, line dancing was in full mode. Val watched with interest.
“See, you could do it. Lily and I could give you lessons.”
“Lily does that?” she asked.
“On occasion when she’s out with the girls,” he replied. “David only does slow dances but she can cut a rug given the chance.”
“Cut a rug?” Val asked.
He chuckled and explained, “Old time term for dancing.”
When the mood turned romantic with a slow song, he looked across the table and held out his hand. “I believe this is our song.”
Val allowed him to lead her to the gleaming wooden dance floor as if she were in a dream. He took her in his arms and pulled her close. The musky male scent mingled with his cologne and she sighed. He pulled her even closer. They were barely moving on the floor but the smell coupled with his touch was doing strange things to Val. She was experiencing a feeling she’d never felt before. It was a feeling of excitement, almost a tingly feeling, but most of all she felt safe and content in his arms. She was feeling an intensity with him that was a new sensation for her.
Levi leaned down and kissed the top of her head. It sent shivers down her spine. When the song ended, he didn’t release her immediately. It was as if he’d felt the same feelings she had felt, like he didn’t want to let her go. She could have stayed on that dance floor in his arms forever but the band had other ideas as they moved into another fast number.
“I guess that’s our cue to go back to our table,” he whispered as he released her and took her hand. He led her back and pulled out her chair for her.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. When they did, they both tried to talk at once.
“You go ahead, ladies first,” he offered.
“I was just going to say that for a cowboy you’re a pretty good dancer.”
“Why, thank you, ma’am,” he said in an exaggerated drawl.
“Now what were you going to say?” she asked.
He threw his head back and laughed heartily. “You won’t believe this but I was about to say that for a city slicker, you don’t do so badly on the old dance floor.”
She laughed with him. “Well, I guess now we know we both can dance and we both can ride.”
“I wonder what else we have in common,” he replied seriously.
I hope that interested you. The third book in the trilogy will feature Claire, Lily’s mentor, friend and former boss. At the end of book two, you’ll find out that her life isn’t perfect and in book three that trend will continue as she struggles to reunite with a lost love. A Forgotten Promise will have you in tears as you watch the recent divorcee and the love of her life, recently widowed, with four children to raise, find their way back to each other.
Buy Links for A Cowboy’s Promise:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cowboys-promise-anna-kristell/1121019763?ean=2940150148826
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-acowboy039spromise-1721896-149.html
Hi and welcome back to Anna’s World! It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything but you’ll find out why in this post. I’ve been very busy the past few months! I just returned from a trip to New Orleans for my very first RT Conference! What a blast we had. My PA, Anne Welch, and I met at her house in Tennessee and drove down. The drive was scenic and fun-filled, with Anne serenading me with her version of Let It Go while counting the dead armadillos along the road. Yes, that’s Anne! We had the opportunity to meet some very talented authors, attend some informative panels, do a lot of promoting and of course there was the big book fair on Saturday where I signed books! Some of my street team members joined us mid-week and it was great to finally meet up with them and share some good times. My new publisher, Blushing Books was there and I enjoyed spending some time with them as well.
That being said, I’ve also been busy with books!! My cookbook, Nana Anna And Friends Are Cooking has been released from Rebel Ink Press and is available from Amazon and B&N. Rebel also put together an anthology of my three short romances, all set in the Hoosier state, and it’s available from Amazon and B&N in paperback form and in ebook form on Amazon and ARe. It’s titled Friends, Enemies and Lovers.
The seventh installment in the Fab Five series was released in April by LazyDay Publishing. A Dangerous Road To Destiny is available as an ebook from Amazon, B&N and ARe. The series will soon come to its conclusion with two more stories that you won’t want to miss.
Submitting to Bryan, the sequel to Accepting His Terms written by my spicier side, Isabella Kole, is completed and should be out sometime this year. I’ll give you more details as they come in.
Now, I’ve turned my attention back to Anna and am getting ready to begin the second book in The Promises Trilogy for Rebel Ink Press. Remember Our Promise was the first and so many readers asked for a series after they read it that I decided to make it a Trilogy.
So you see, I’ve been quite busy and there are two more book shows in the works. I’ll be signing at the Indie Mashup in Houston in August and the Indie Mashup in Tampa in September.
Here’s a little info about A Dangerous Road To Destiny:
The Fab Five are back, and another O’Grady employee needs their assistance.
Joanna Barnes and Marcos Avila mix like oil and water. When the restaurant he works for in Dallas sends him to Houston to open a new Chloe’s Place in a hotel chain, Marcos meets Miss Barnes, who gets under his skin from the start. Joanna works for the hotel, and when she tries to tell him how to do his job, it infuriates him. When both their employers have to order them to get along on the job it becomes evident that they might like each other a little more than they are letting on. Both Joanna and Marcos scoff at the idea.
Joanna has been hurt in love and would like to find a man she can count on. She begins to see that she does indeed have feelings for Marcos, but starts dating Greg Grayson, whom she met on an online dating site instead, thinking he is the safer choice. Marcos could easily break her heart.
Greg Grayson, however, is not who he appears to be. When Joanna and Greg meet and begin dating, Marcos is concerned. Seeking the help of his respected employer, Ryan O’Grady, the two men have Mr. Grayson investigated, and what they find doesn’t bode well for Miss Barnes.
Realizing his feelings for Joanna go much deeper than he cares to admit, Marcos sets out to change her mind about him and about Greg. But that day, Joanna finds herself in a dangerous position; will Marcos get to her in time? Will the couple finally realize their destiny, or will Greg make sure it never happens?
And Friends, Enemies and Lovers:
Three couples. Three romantic love stories set in the beautiful Hoosier state that will warm your heart.
Friends…A Woman Like Her…Amy and Dillon have been friends since the day they met at the engagement party of her best friend and his brother. Three years later, they find themselves wondering if there is more to their relationship than friendship. Amy is ready for a committed relationship but Dillon has never been a fan of marriage. Can the two come to an understanding or is it time to move on? When Dillon’s life is on the line, the decision may be made for them.
Enemies…A Holiday Hideaway…Sara and Cade are fierce competitors in the law firm they work for. Both young and successful, each desires to be a partner in the firm. When Sara wins the partnership, but finds herself as second chair in a big case Cade is working on, a case that could win a partnership spot for him, will sparks fly? Before the case begins, however, the two find themselves in the same secluded hideaway for the holidays. Will the sparks fly in a different way?
Lovers…If You Love Me…The prequel to A Woman Like Her finds Ashley and her husband Adam contemplating the state of their marriage. Will a former lover steal her away when he conveniently shows up in town at the same time Adam walks out on Ashley? Ashley must decide which man holds her heart in his hands. Will she choose the man who left her years ago who wants a second chance or the man who really loves her?
Want to hear how the cookbook came about?
One evening as I sorted through my recipe box I came across some old family favorites. Memories came flooding back of days gone by in my grandma’s kitchen. Now that my two oldest granddaughters are showing an interest in cooking and baking, I thought about how wonderful it would be to create a collection of family favorites and put them together in a cookbook. I soon enlisted the help of some friends and family members. Nana Anna And Friends Are Cooking is for you, my readers. Fall in love with our old family favorites, enjoy and pass them along to your own family and friends. With Love, Anna
Okay, that’s about it for now. More to follow! Until then, have a safe and happy holiday and keep reading!
Love, Anna
Anna Is Appreciative…A Week of Awards
Welcome back to Anna’s World!!!! OMG!!! I woke up this morning to a tweet from Authorsdb saying my first book, Crossroad To Love, is now a FINALIST in their 2013 Book Cover contest!!!!! The beautiful cover was designed by Bret Poinier and has received compliments from the first day I shared it. Simple, elegant, and beautiful, it’s a romantic cover and I have always loved it. I guess other people do too and for that I’m very grateful. Keep your fingers crossed for me and Crossroad To Love!
For those of you not familiar with my beloved Fab Five series, Crossroad To Love is the first book in the series, followed by The Road To Her Heart, The Road To His Soul, Love’s Winding Road, A Rocky Road To Romance, The Road To Forever, and the one I’m currently working on, A Dangerous Road To Destiny. Each of the books in the series has the word “Road” in the title to distinguish it from my books that aren’t part of the series. They are available as eBooks at Amazon, AllRomance.com, and Barnes and Noble. You can find the buy links for these and all my books on the Buy Links page of this blog. The series doesn’t end with Book Seven either.There are several more planned as the Fab Five continue to find drama and romance in their lives and the lives of their families and friends.
Tonight I actually wrapped up Book Seven. I’ll need to go over it once more and tweak it a little more but it’s almost ready to send to LazyDay after months of hard work. After that it’ll be time to start on a few other projects…
In other exciting news of the past week, I was one of the Rebel Ink Press authors chosen to receive the Best of 2013 award! So honored to receive this!
I’ve been writing all day and it’s snowing here, but I just had to tell you all my exciting news. Stay tuned, I have some exciting things coming up…and some awesome other authors sharing my blog soon!
Stay warm and dry and if you have to go out, be careful! For those of you in a warm climate…well…I have nothing to say. LOL
Love,
Anna
A Woman Like Her
Welcome back! I’ve got a new release! My thirteenth release in twelve months! 2013 has been a whirlwind year for this new author and I’ve learned a lot about writing, editing, publishing, and marketing in the past year as well as having made many new friends! I’ve been blessed with wonderful assistants and a “fabulous” street team!
I’ve even dabbled in a new form of my genre with a different pen name. Both my publishers, LazyDay and Rebel Ink Press have been wonderful. This latest release is from Rebel Ink Press and I’m going to tell you a little about it, so get comfy and read on!
A Woman Like Her is a novella, the sequel to If You Love Me. If you read If You Love Me, you’ll remember fondly Amy and Dillon. Amy is Ashley’s best friend and Dillon is Adam’s brother. Together the two of them plot to reunite Ashley and Adam when their marriage hits the skids. But…there’s always a but…Amy and Dillon have some unresolved issues of their own, which you’ll find out about in the new book.
**Here’s the Blurb for A Woman Like Her:**
When Amy Brewer met Dillon Brant at her best friend’s engagement party three years ago, she was instantly attracted to him. But Dillon made it very clear he didn’t need a full-time woman in his life. His brother, Adam, had rushed into marriage with his wife, Ashley, and Dillon had never approved.
When Adam’s marriage hit a rough patch, Dillon and Amy worked together to get the couple back on track and Dillon began to rethink his earlier thoughts on women. If he could find a woman like Ashley, he might change his mind.
Dillon knew Amy was trouble from the start. He was far too attracted to her for his own good. And when she made it known to him she was nothing like Ashley, he began to think maybe he really didn’t want a woman like Ashley after all. Dillon wanted Amy.
But is Dillon ready for a committed relationship? Amy is, and there lies the problem.
Can the two come to an understanding or is their relationship doomed to fail from the start?
**Now, would you like a little excerpt?**
When she opened the door, a smiling Dillon greeted her with a large cup of Starbucks coffee. He handed it to her, walked inside, and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Good morning, Sunshine.”
As she looked at him, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, she couldn’t help but notice how sexy he looked in cutoffs and a Colts tee shirt. He looked at her and they both laughed.
“Great minds think alike,” he said.
“I can change my shirt,” she offered as she took a sip of the heavenly brew. “Thanks for the coffee, by the way.”
“No, don’t change. I think it’s kind of cute, we’re dressed alike.” He gave her one of his sexy grins again that made her tummy do flip-flops every time she saw it. “Are you ready to go? I’ve got the food in the truck.”
“Sure, let me grab my purse.”
He waited patiently for her and soon they were headed for the lake.
“What made you come up with this idea, Dillon?” she asked.
“When I woke up, it was such a beautiful day and we both have the day off, so I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a beautiful day than with a beautiful girl. Of course, you immediately came to mind.”
“Dillon…” she said, blushing.
“Amy, I meant what I said last night. I’m falling under some kind of spell with you. I’m as shocked as you are, but I’m going to do whatever it takes to convince you I’m not kidding around.”
“I just don’t know, Dillon,” she replied as she sipped her coffee.
“I understand your reluctance where I’m concerned, Amy. I’ve given you every reason to believe I don’t want a relationship. Hell, I’ve said it enough times. But something’s changed. I can’t explain it, but I sure as hell want to explore it,” he replied as he reached across the seat and took her hand.
“This is going way too fast for me, Dillon.”
“Baby, don’t say that.”
“I’ll try to go with it, but I don’t know if I can.”
“That’s all I ask, Amy. Give us a chance to find out where this is leading.”
“And what if you change your mind, after I give you a chance, Dillon? Where does that leave me?”
“Amy, I can’t tell you what the future holds for us. But at least, give us a chance to find out. If it’s meant to be, it will happen and if not, well…we can say we gave it our best shot. I’m not going to pressure you.”
When they arrived at the lake, he helped her out of the truck, handing her the basket his mother had packed for them. He carried the rest of the food and led her to a spot in the shade. After laying a blanket on the ground, he took the basket from her and invited her to sit down.
He began to unpack the food. He’d thought of everything, even chocolate cake and wine.
“Dillon, this is so sweet,” she said as he handed her a glass of wine.
“I’m trying, beautiful,” he replied with a wink.
“I can see you are,” she said as she leaned up to kiss him.
“Wow,” he said after the kiss ended. “If a picnic will get me a kiss, I’ll have to plan one every Saturday.”
“Oh, Dillon,” she teased. “Starbucks and a picnic, you’re just buttering me up to beat me at Euchre later.”
“Dang, you guessed it,” he said with a laugh. Leaning over again, he kissed her sweetly. “Amy…I think I’m falling in love.”
“Dillon, don’t say that,” she answered as she pulled away.
“Somehow, I always knew when it happened, it would hit me like a ton of bricks, the way it did with Adam when he met Ashley.”
“Dillon, have you ever felt this way before?”
He shook his head emphatically. “Never, Amy, I knew something was different the night we were at the Slippery Noodle, but I wouldn’t admit it to myself. That’s why I asked you out last weekend. I wanted to see if I’d get you out of my system after a date. It didn’t happen. You’re under my skin, and in my heart.”
“Dillon, I’d like to believe you, but I’m…scared of getting my heart broken. I’ve always wanted to go out with you. When I met you at the engagement party, I knew. But, you drilled it into my head so many times that you weren’t looking for anything permanent, so I put it out of my mind. I told myself I had to give up on you. Now, I’m confused.”
He caressed her cheek with a gentle touch of his hand. “I know, baby, I know. I’ll take it as slow as you need to. I said no pressure, so anytime you need me to back off, I will. It’ll kill me, but I’ll do it.”
“You’d do that for me?” she asked as tears welled up in her eyes.
“I’d do that for you,” he replied quietly.
“Thank you, Dillon.”
He smiled and said, “Eat your chicken. Let’s just enjoy the sunshine and the food and the wine. We can relax and enjoy each other’s company all afternoon.”
The afternoon was perfect. They ate, took a walk, and napped on the blanket. Finally, he woke her and said, “Baby, wake up. If you want to change your clothes before the barbeque, we need to go.”
Sleepily, she sat up and said, “Okay. I’m sorry I dozed off. I…I didn’t sleep very well last night.”
“I’m sorry, Amy. If I could have, I’d have held you all night. You might have slept, safe in my arms.”
“Dillon,” she said, smiling. “You promised not to go there.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?” he teased as he picked up the picnic basket and held out his hand to help her up.
As she folded the blanket, she replied, “No, I can’t blame you for trying. I feel it too, Dillon. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to give in to those feelings. Not yet, anyway.”
“That’s promising, the ‘not yet’ part,” he said as they walked to his truck.
After he’d put everything in the truck, he leaned down again and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, but full of passion all the same. As a warm glow filled her body, Amy moaned. “Dillon…”
“Yes, baby?” he whispered against her ear.
“I’m falling….we need to get going.” She walked around the truck and climbed in.
Dillon sighed and got into the truck. Starting the engine, he said, “It’s okay, baby.”
Amy looked down at her hands folded in her lap. “I’m sorry. I just can’t…”
“It’s okay. Don’t get all upset about it.”
Well there you have it. If you haven’t read If You Love Me yet, why not download it when you download A Woman Like Her and read them both?
Buy Links for IF YOU LOVE ME
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-you-love-me-anna-kristell/1117050991?ean=2940148476771
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ifyouloveme-1310172-149.html
Buy Links for A WOMAN LIKE HER
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-woman-like-her-anna-kristell/1117701175?ean=2940148880684
ARe:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-awomanlikeher-1374096-149.html
Join me next time when I’ll have country artist Jackson Young with me to tell us about his Christmas charity project!
A HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY
My Christmas novella came out today! A Holiday Hideaway was released by Rebel Ink Press and is available as an eBook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and AllRomance. This is my first Christmas romance and is set in beautiful Brown County, IN which is not far from where I live.
**Here’s the blurb:**
Sara Freeman is a high-powered attorney who’s just been made partner in the firm she works for. Cade Rollins is the attorney she was competing with for the position. Vowing never to get involved with a co-worker, Sara’s been dubbed “The Ice Princess” by the guys in her office.
But there’s one guy she can’t quite get out of her head, Cade Rollins. Good-looking, with rock hard abs, perfect dark hair, and dark chocolate brown eyes, he’s also an arrogant ass. Or so Sara thinks.
When they run into each other at the mall days before Christmas and he begins to tease her good-naturedly, she doesn’t know what to think. And at the firm’s Christmas party, when he asks her to dance, she’s even more confused.
Deciding not to accompany her family to California for the holidays, she rents a room in a lodge in scenic Brown County, Indiana for the week. Planning to spend the week relaxing, before returning to work on a case with Cade, she’s surprised to run into him at the same lodge her first night there.
He convinces her to have dinner with him and she begins to see a whole new side of the man she has always thought arrogant. Will they have a holiday hook-up, or will it go much further, as the two discover more about each other in their holiday hideaway that fateful Christmas?
**How about an excerpt now?**
After a fitful night of sleep filled with erotic dreams about Cade, Sara finally gave up and got out of bed. She brewed a pot of coffee in her room and sat down by the window. She watched the beautiful winter snowfall as she tried to clear her muddled head. It was still dark outside and the scene was breathtaking. Why was he in her head? A few days of bantering back and forth, a dance at the party, and one dinner shouldn’t change her opinion of him so drastically, should it?
And he was planning to go shopping with her today.
Her cell pinged and she picked it up. It was probably Sean or her mother letting her know they were in California. As she looked at the face on the phone, she smiled. It was a message from Sean. Unlocking her phone to read it, she learned they had landed safely, and were just getting ready for bed. The time difference was going to take some getting used to. He figured about the time they got used to the three hour difference, it would be time to come home. He also rubbed it in about the nice weather.
She replied that she’d gotten up early and was watching the snowfall with a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of her window. She wished him a happy holiday and told him to give her love to Annie’s family.
Looking out the window as she set her phone down, she saw that the sun was peeking out. The phone in her room rang. She jumped, startled. Who could be calling at this hour?
“Hello,” she said warily.
“Are you awake?” a husky, male voice asked.
“Cade, is that you?” she asked.
“Who were you expecting?” he asked in reply.
“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you this early.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been up for hours, drinking coffee and watching the snow from my window.”
She giggled. “I’ve been doing the same thing.”
“Maybe we should be doing it together. Your room or mine?” he asked suggestively.
“Very funny,” she replied.
“Since we’re both awake, would you like to get dressed and go down to the dining room for breakfast? They open in a little while.”
“I can be ready in a half an hour. Will they be open then?” she asked, in a slightly breathless voice.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby. They should be open by then.”
“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.” She hung up the phone and hopped in the shower, allowing the warm steamy water to cascade over her body. Revived afterward, she dressed in jeans and a blue sweater. As she pulled on a pair of stylish boots over her jeans, she smiled. Who would have ever thought she’d be getting up at the crack of dawn to have breakfast with Cade Rollins? Certainly not her, she thought with a grin. She was almost looking forward to seeing him again. Almost, until she remembered her dreams from the night before. How could she look him in the face without thinking of the way he’d held her, and loved her, all night long in her dreams?
Shaking her pretty blonde head to rid her mind of the erotic thoughts, she took a deep breath and left her room. By the time she reached the lobby, he was there waiting for her, smiling at her as she walked toward him.
“You look chipper for an early Monday morning,” he said as he walked beside her to the dining room.
“I’m on vacation, remember?”
“If down time does this for you, you should take it more often. You look…so different,” he said in a low voice.
She blushed as they entered the room. It was empty. Apparently none of the other holiday guests had gotten out of bed this early. They sat down, ordered their breakfast, and as they enjoyed another cup of coffee, she said, “Are you still planning to shop with me today?”
“Of course, if you still want me to tag along. I can show you some of the sights, take you to the most unique shops,” he replied as he sipped his coffee.
“I’d like that,” she said shamelessly. What was she doing?
“Sara, I’m seeing a whole new side of you these past few days and I have to say, I like it. Gone is the harsh, all-business ice princess who wears her business suits and wears her hair up. I like your hair down, by the way. It’s too pretty to wear up.”
“I wear it up for work mainly for convenience. I also need to look like I know my stuff. Clients don’t care if I have long, blonde hair. They care if I can win their case for them.”
“I understand that, but you’re a very beautiful girl. You tend to hide behind the suits, the hairdo, and those reading glasses you wear at work. You look like a different person, soft, happy, sweet,” he said, again treating her to his sexy, crooked grin.
“Is that how you like your women? Soft, happy, and sweet?” she asked, venturing where she knew she shouldn’t go.
He nearly choked on his coffee. Regaining his composure, he said, “I like a woman who is smart, yet soft, so yes, I guess so. I like you, Sara Freeman. I’ve known that from the day I met you, but now I know it even more.”
“What kind of game are you playing?”
“I’m not sure I understand that question. This isn’t a game. I’m genuinely enjoying our time together. I’ve always liked bantering with you, but somehow, the past few days have been different. Like I said, I’m seeing you in a whole new light. And I like what I see.”
“I don’t know what to say.” The waitress brought their food. She took a bite of her bacon, wiped her mouth with her napkin, and went on. “I’m enjoying this too, but we both know when this week is over, we’ll go back to Evansville, and back to the office. And we’ll be working together on a big case. A case in which the outcome will determine whether or not you make partner, so maybe this isn’t a good idea, the two of us becoming friends.”
“Friends?” he asked. “Oh, baby, I think we’re moving past the friendship stage. You surely can’t deny it.”
Well, there you have it…the ice princess and the arrogant ass…are they headed for disaster…or the love of a lifetime?
Here are the buy links for A Holiday Hideaway:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H2NAOZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_awdl_qZGNsb07K9DNX
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-holiday-hideaway-anna-kristell/1117543826?ean=2940148948582
AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aholidayhideaway-1366154-149.html#.Up39GT8STh0.facebook
I’m also running a giveaway on my Facebook author page. If you purchase the book, take a picture of the first page of the book and post it in the comments under the pinned post about the contest. I’m giving away a “Road to Romance” tote bag and some other swag to the lucky winner!
Here’s the link to the page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Kristell-Romance-Author/267879939980573?ref=hl
And here’s the book trailer which was put together by Anne Welch:
In other news, my other publisher, LazyDay Publishing, is running a holiday special on the the first three books of my popular Fab Five series. If you haven’t started the journey yet, this would be a great time to pick up the first three at .99 each. The sale is for a limited time only so act quickly!
CROSSROAD TO LOVE…
Welcome back to Anna’s World! Wow! Ten months ago my first book, Crossroad To Love, was released by LazyDay Publishing. Now that book cover, the first of many, is a semi-finalist in the 2013 authorsdb book cover contest! I am soooooo excited about that. I loved the cover from the first time I saw it. Bret Poinier is the cover artist responsible for the beautiful cover.
The book cover has a yellow rose on it which is significant to the story. If you’ve read this first book in my Fab Five series you’ll know what that significance is. If you haven’t read it, you might want to give it a try.
Voting is now open until December 15th and you can vote once a day. Just register, log in, and click on the stars. Crossroad To Love is in the Chick-Lit category and I’ll post the link. I would love it if you’d go in and and vote for it!!
In other news, my first holiday novella will be released by Rebel Ink Press on December 3rd. A Holiday Hideaway is set in beautiful Brown County, IN which isn’t far from where I live. I’ll talk more about it in a few weeks.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll also be interviewing some other authors so be sure and check back. It’s always fun to see what other writers have to say and to hear about their new releases!
And on December 17th, A Woman Like Her will be released by Rebel Ink Press. Another novella, this one is a sequel to If You Love Me, which came out in October. I’ll tell you more about in in another post. Lots going on. The Holidays are coming too so I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year and remember to give thanks for all your blessings. I know sometimes it’s hard to do that during the rough patches but there is always something to be thankful for.
Here’s the link to vote for the cover of Crossroad To Love. If you feel inclined to help me out, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
http://authorsdb.com/books/2013-book-cover-semi-finalists/chick-lit/crossroad-to-love
Anna’s Crazy Month
Wow! October, 2013 was a whirlwind month! From three book releases in three weeks to a high school class reunion, son’s wedding two states away, Indie Mashup 2013 in Springdale, AR…then coming home to the death of a childhood friend…the month passed by in a blur of excitement, craziness, and sadness.
Let’s start with the three book releases. Rebel Ink Press released my first novella, If You Love Me…
LazyDay Publishing released Book Six of the Fab Five Series, The Road To Forever and on October 9th, the spicier side of Anna made her debut when LazyDay released Isabella Kole’s Accepting His Terms!
Next on the agenda was my high school class reunion…now I’m not about to tell you how many years it’s been since graduation, but we had a great time visiting with old friends.
Ah…the wedding was the following weekend…a true love story…my son and the girl of his dreams said their vows in an outdoor ceremony along the Mississippi river. And even though the characters in The Road To Forever are named for them (Dusty and Cortney) it’s not their story. I’m not sure that Anna or Isabella could write a love story as sweet and hot as the real wedding couple’s story.
The following weekend, I traveled to Springdale, AR with my husband and my two assistants and good friends, Anne and Lee. Anne lives in TN and Lee lives in FL, so we all met at Anne’s and drove from there to AR. A road trip!!!! We met so many new friends there and had a blast! From the signing to the dinner, male model contest, and after party, it was a weekend to remember.
We returned home to the sad news that a classmate and childhood friend had passed away. We had seen him at the reunion and are thankful we were able to 
spend some time with him that evening. RIP Mark.
I’ve included pics from the Mashup and the wedding, along with the three books that were recently released…enjoy!
IF YOU LOVE ME…My first novella
My first novella came out today. I normally write novels, but someone suggested I try a novella, or two, or three for the readers who like a shorter read. Actually, I did write three of them. If You Love Me was released today by Rebel Ink Press. It will be followed by a sequel, A Woman Like Her, on December 17. And for the holiday season, A Holiday Hideaway, will be released by Rebel Ink Press on December 3!!! These were all fun for me because they each take place in Indiana, my home state.
I’ll give you the blurb and then I’ll treat you to an excerpt! I’ll also give you some of the buy links at the end of this post!! Enjoy!! It’s already received two 5 ***** star reviews!!! It’s a quick read!
BLURB:
Ashley Brant often wondered what might have been. If the one who got away hadn’t gotten away. Now, she may have a chance to find out. After a horrendous argument with her handsome husband, Adam, he tells her to do just that, find the one who got away.
Realizing finally, she has all she’s ever wanted with Adam, Ashley plans to tell him and make things right with him. But Adam’s left her, giving her the space he thinks she needs. And to make matters worse, Ross, her ex, is back in town and making it known he’d like a second chance with her.
When Adam files for a divorce after seeing Ashley and Ross together, things begin to unravel for Ashley. Ross always seems to show up at the wrong time, fueling Adam’s belief he’s lost his wife.
Can Ashley convince her husband he’s the only man she wants in her life or will Ross succeed in tearing the lovers apart forever?
And here is the EXCERPT:
Ashley Brant’s green eyes flashed with anger as she glared at her husband, Adam, from across the room. “What is your problem?”
Adam ran his hand through his thick, reddish-brown hair and sighed. Finally he moved closer until he stood in front of her. He replied angrily, “My problem, Ash? I think you’re the one with the problem. You find fault with everything I do lately. There’s no pleasing you.”
“If you tried a little harder, maybe I wouldn’t have so much to find fault with,” she answered sarcastically.
“Maybe my little brother was right after all. He always said we rushed this marriage. He couldn’t believe we got engaged three months after we met. I always scoffed at him, but now I don’t know.”
“Are you saying you regret marrying me?”
“No, Ash. I don’t know. Things were great between us until these past few months. I don’t understand what’s happening to us. We can’t seem to agree on anything these days. We fight about everything, from who’s going to take out the trash to whether or not we’re going to start a family. Is that the problem? You aren’t ready for kids and you don’t want to tell me?”
“That’s not it and you know it, Adam. I want a baby as much as you do. But I refuse to bring a child into this world with things the way they are between us. Something’s got to change.”
“And it’s got to be me, is that what you’re saying?”
“Think about it. Lately, you’re, well, just different. You’re not the fun-loving, hot-blooded man I fell in love with. You’re distant. You never want to go out and when we stay in, you ignore me. You’re either glued to the television or the computer. That’s not what I signed up for. I miss our good times together.”
“Is that what you think? Well, lady, I’ve got news for you. You’re way off base. You’re the one who’s changed. That sweet, crazy, happy-go-lucky gal I fell in love with has left the building.”
“Adam, we’re not two kids dating. We’re married. We’re grown-ups with real, everyday problems. We have responsibilities. Life isn’t always fun and games in the real world. We have jobs, housework, bills to pay. Do you see where I’m going with this? Add a baby or two to the mix and our lives will be even busier. Until we can learn to balance the rest of it and still manage to love each other like crazy, we can’t move forward and have a baby.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to move forward with me now? Are you saying you want out?”
Ashley sighed deeply as the tears threatened to flow. “I’m not saying that at all. What I’m saying is we need to grow up. We should be able to handle the responsibility and still have fun. We don’t seem to be able to do that.”
“So what you’re really saying is marriage to Adam Brant isn’t what you thought it would be. I don’t measure up to your idea of the perfect husband. News flash, baby, no husband is perfect just like no wife is perfect. You’re going to have to learn to accept my faults or move on.”
“You just don’t get it, do you?” She turned to go.
“Everyone tried to tell me I was just your rebound guy. I guess I should’ve listened. I let my heart rule my head when it came to you. I was so crazy in love with you I didn’t care. I wanted you, and I was determined to have you at all costs. I thought we could make it work.”
Ashley turned to face him. “I can’t believe you just said that to me. I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t love you, Adam. I still love you. I just think we need to work out our differences and stop talking about having a baby until we do. I don’t find fault with everything you do. You just infuriate me at times, when you don’t help out around here, or when you think just because we’re married we have to stay home every weekend.”
“Is that what this is really about, Ash? Because I can assure you, your darling Ross wouldn’t have been perfect either. Hell, he wouldn’t even stick around when you started talking marriage.”
Smack! Ashley slapped him hard across the face. “You’re a son-of-a-bitch, Adam. To bring up what happened between Ross and me when you know how hurt I was about it. I told you about our break-up because I wanted you to know what happened, not because I wanted you to throw it in my face every time we argue. I was being honest with you. When I met you, I was still afraid to let myself fall in love again. By telling you why I was afraid, I thought you’d understand my hesitancy to start a relationship with you. Once you convinced me you weren’t going anywhere, I fell and I fell hard, Adam. For you, not Ross. Apparently you don’t believe that.”
Adam rubbed his cheek. “Go find the one that got away, Ash. That’s what you really want. That’s what this is all about. You’re still in love with Ross Canter. You can’t stand the fact he walked out on you. If it wasn’t true, you wouldn’t be so angry with me for bringing his name up. I really thought I could make you forget the guy. But I guess I was wrong and everyone else was right. So, no, I don’t believe you when you say it’s me you want. Because everything about you tells me you’re still not over him. You may love me in some way but not the way I want you to. You’ve never fully given yourself to me. I know he’s still in the back of your mind and in your heart. So go find him. See what you’re missing out on. See if he’s changed his mind. Maybe the two of you will be ecstatically happy together.”
Hmmm….will Ashley go after “the one that got away” and what will happen if she does????? Find out in If You Love Me…available now.
AMAZON: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ifyouloveme-1310172-149.html
Allromance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ifyouloveme-1310172-149.html
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/if-you-love-me
It will also be available at Barnes and Noble soon!
Stop back by on the 7th when I’ll be interviewing Alicia Sparks and on the 9th when the spicier side of Anna, Isabella Kole, makes her debut with Accepting His Terms…it’s going to be a fun month in Anna’s World!
Happy Birthday Rebel Ink Press!
Welcome to Anna’s World! Happy third birthday Rebel Ink Press! We’re all about Summer Lovin’ here today. What do you love about summer? I love ROAD TRIPS!
That’s one of my favorite things and this year we took a road trip the week of July 4th to Iowa to visit our son and his family. Every year for the past six years, our son’s employer throws a huge holiday bash, a hog roast, carry-in dinner, and fireworks show. Our son, who been trained to do so, in in charge of the show from start to finish, including choosing, purchasing, choreographing, setting up for, and setting off the fabulous nearly thirty minute show. And I do mean spectacular! People come from miles around to watch his show and he has become somewhat of a celebrity over the years in his small town, at least for one night each year! It was a proud moment for his family to be a part of it this year as we hadn’t been able to attend in previous years.
That was one of the summer lovin’ moments for me this year. Now as summer draws to an end, we have some more fun for you as we celebrate Rebel Ink Press turning three. Some of Rebels’ titles are priced at $.99 through August 17, including my own, Unlikely Lovers. We are also having a huge giveaway which includes a kindle, some awesome swag, and some signed paperbacks, including a copy of my Sunny’s Love. I’ll post a list of participating authors at the end so you can click on them and visit each one. Be sure and click on the rafflecopter link on each one to enter the giveaway!
Another of my Rebel releases, Remember Our Promise just came out last week. This has to be, hands down, one of my favorite books, for several reasons.
David and Lily were high school sweethearts, who made a promise to each other one hot August night, before they both left for different colleges. They promised to reconnect the year they turned thirty…and they went their separate ways…weird thing to promise you say? Well, as fate would have it, they ran into each other quite by accident…and you guessed it…it was twelve years later. Hmm, wonder what happens next? Do you think he remembers the promise? Does she?
You can find out by purchasing the book, Remember Our Promise at Barnes&Noble, Bookstrand, AllRomance, or Amazon as an ebook or at Amazon as a paperback. The readers who’ve enjoyed the book so far requested that I write a sequel and since I usually try to do what the readers want, there will be two more making up the Promises Trilogy in 2014. I already have the titles and storylines in my mind, so just as soon as I finish some other projects, the readers will get their wish.
I’ve often said Remember Our Promise wrote itself…and it did…literally. It took me along for the ride and it was an exciting one, let me tell you. David is quickly becoming a favorite “book boyfriend” among my readers or so I’ve been told. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet, I suggest you give him a try.
Thanks for stopping by today to help us celebrate Rebel turning three and be sure you visit all the other blogs and sign up for the giveaway at each one.
HL Wampler DR Slaten Vivian Proud
Nancy LaPonzina Joanne C Berroa Lila Munro
Melissa Keir Lori J Gordon Sara Bella
Donna Steele Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy Juliette Springs
Suzzana C Ryan Kate Roth Anna Kristell
Wendy Smith BethAnn Buehler Eden Glenn
Jane Wakely Nora Snowdon Erica Bayne
Britni Hill BL Morticia KD Ferguson
Bethany Cross E Jaime Blair McDowell
Winfield H Strock III JL Oiler Alex Jones
Cassandre Dayne DH Black Al Lohn
<a id=”rc-c5869e7″ href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c5869e7/” rel=”nofollow”>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
Until next time,
Love, Anna
Anna Kristell Romance 