Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Two July Releases by Sandra McGregor



Starry Night Amulet

TWO JULY RELEASES-Two Ways To Win

DAD NEXT DOOR and AMANDA, Book 1 in the Georgia Hearts series.

In AMANDA, she receives a locket that once belonged to her Grandma Templeton. The “Starry Night” Amulet will go to one lucky person who leaves a comment this month. The drawing will be at midnight on July 31, 2014 and the winner will be announced August 1st

 

 AMANDA

Book One in the Georgia Hearts series

A decade ago, Amanda Templeton and James Hudson planned to elope. Instead, he left town without a word and without her.

Now she's a Family Law attorney, but no longer certain about her chosen career. She wants to do something to help people and she has seen too many marriages torn apart and too many children hurt by feuding parents.

She's also not certain James ever loved her since he moved on, married someone else and now is a widower with a precocious four-year-old daughter, Savannah. Can she believe his explanation for leaving her? And can she put the past behind her and give them another chance?

(Below is an excerpt)

Up ahead, on the far side of the street, a two-story, brick building still sported a fifty-something-year-old Coke advertisement. Even though the ad was painted directly on the bricks and had faded over the decades, the huge Coke bottle was still recognizable. Some things never change.

Caught up in her musing, the toot of a vehicle’s horn jerked her thoughts and her gaze from the used-brick wall. The young man behind the wheel of the older-model van held up a hand, giving her a flirtatious wave as he drove slowly past, rolling to a stop half a block in front of her at the intersection’s red light. Her pace slowed at the same time a quick request winged heavenward—a request that the driver was on a very tight schedule and would continue on his way before she reached the corner.

Amid the metal-on-metal screech of grinding gears, the vehicle lurched forward before it lumbered around the corner at the next intersection to disappear beyond a bend in the road as he headed in the direction of Interstate-75.

She glanced toward the cloudless sky, offering a silent thank you as she rounded the corner to jog along the row of shops.

Uph!”

Before Amanda could draw a breath, she was sitting on the sidewalk, her running shorts hiked up and her hands palm-down on the cement. Her hard landing left her in a less than lady-like pose and momentarily speechless.

Her ponytail brushed against her back as she lifted her chin up, and up further, until her gaze connected with the dark, guarded depths belonging to the man she had successfully avoided since her arrival back in town. James Hudson.

He stood like a brick wall—a wall with a broad chest and thick, dark-brown hair. Deep-set eyes, like the eddies on Lake Dow, stared down, telling her nothing, but dredging up ten years of confusion, hurt and betrayal.

Hi, Mandy.”

Deeper and more mature, his voice washed over her, gently caressing each nerve and bringing back an unwanted reminder of stolen hours at Lookout Point—a time and place when words had not been necessary. In high school, he had been the object of her dreams—now he was Sweetwater’s new Chief of Police.

Amazon         Smashwords                        


DAD NEXT DOOR

A single mother of two boys reluctantly agrees to take them camping, but only in a cabin so she can lock out the scary things lurking out in the forest—things like bugs and snakes and maybe even a bear or mountain lion. She never thought love would be lurking through the woods in the cabin next door.

( Below is an excerpt )

For two years she had lived as if her world were tilted on its axis, but it had righted. The boys had weathered a rough spot on the road of life, moved on and were now fine. She could feel a load lifting from her shoulders.

“Hurry up.” “I am.” “Let me tell her.” “No, I found…” “Shhhhhh!”

“My goodness, sound sure carries in the mountains.” Despite the hissed bickering she could hear between her sons, she smiled. “It’s only two boys, but it sounds like an army has arrived.”

Two heads appeared over the edge of the deck and soon they were hurling toward her like cannonballs in flight. Toby radiated excitement, but Andy was unusually quiet and reserved. Her smile slipped, but with determination, it remained. “What’s going on?”

Their hair hung in dark clumps, plastered against their foreheads as excess sweat trickled down the sides of their faces. The distinct odor of sweaty little boys reached her before they skidded to a halt. These were her babies, even though they had their father’s eyes and his energy level. She’d never forget when each of them had been placed in her arms for the first time. It had been…

“Mom! Listen!”

She jerked her thoughts back to Toby as he danced impatiently from one foot to the other, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes, I’m listening. What did you guys see out there in the wilds?” Her gaze slid to Andy who was now avoiding her eyes. Unlike his brother, he didn’t look excited…but…wary…and almost… hopeful? Her resolve firmed. Whatever they wanted to take home, the answer was no. They didn’t need another lizard or turtle in the house.

Her thoughts of exotic creatures sharing their home stopped dead in their tracks as her youngest son bubbled over, no longer able to hold back his news. Surely she had heard wrong. He now had her full attention. “What did you just say?”

“We met a man in the woods and he knows how to fish!” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amazon       Smashwords 
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Okay, so there you have it. Oh, but, wait... I've forgotten something. I said there were TWO ways to win.

For the month of July, whomever leaves a comment on this blog will have their name entered in the contest to win the locket, but after you leave a comment, if you Tweet or Facebook this contest, your name will be entered a second time (or third?), giving you an even better chance to win. So tell your friends !! And Good Luck!

Then check back each month for the rest of the year because there will be a new release every month and a promotional give-away each month to celebrate.

July:                    Amanda     Book 1 in the Georgia Hearts series
                                Dad Next Door
August:               Jessie          Book 2 in the Georgia Hearts series
                                Behind Door Number Two
September:          Katie          Book 3 in the Georgia Hearts series
October:              Emma Rose Book 1 in the Colorado Hearts series
November:           Cora Jean   Book 2 in the Colorado Hearts series
December:           Betty Ann   Book 3 in the Colorado Hearts series

9 comments:

  1. Sandra, Congratulations! The new release sounds wonderful and I can't wait to read it! You have been very busy and I am very impressed. Best of luck!

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  2. Congratulations on all your new releases and exciting news. And I love the Starry Night Amulet. Love the excerpts. Best of luck.

    Marilyn Baron

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  3. Hi Marilyn,
    Thank you to the girl who is the publishing and promoting queen!!! Yes, the Starry Night Amulet is very pretty...good luck on winning it.

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  4. Hi Maxine,
    Thanks for the sweet words and I hope you enjoy the stories. Good luck in the drawing!

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  5. Hi Sandra-

    I saw this on the Petit Fours and had to come over to read the excerpts and give you another high five over here on your personal blog. I love to fish, so you know you sucked me right in with the fishing story! So happy for you with both of these releases.

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  6. Hi Diana,
    I love fishing also...well, like my heroine, not the cleaning part. I think that's why God made guys...right?

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  7. Hi Diana,
    Thanks so much for your support. You're a class act.

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  8. Wow!! Love the premises and can't wait to read them. So thrilled for you, Sandra :)
    Have a great weekend!
    Tamara

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  9. This has been an interesting contest....only a few commented, but a lot of folks posted the site on Facebook or Twitter and since that counts, I listed every person who commented and then every person who put up the link on Facebook or Tweet and then told hubby to pick a number between 1 and 67. He chose 27. So.............

    CONGRATULATIONS TO PAM ASBERRY !! You're the winner of the Starry Night Amulet. I hope you enjoy it.

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