UPDATE: Congratulations to Brinda B for winning the copy of FATED. I’ll send it right out!
My debut book releases this month. 
Well, technically FATED releases on March 1st, but it will be available on February 22nd. My magnificent editor, Megan Records, sent me some promo copies…and I’d love to give one away today.
Here’s the back cover blurb:
MARRY ME
Cara Paulsen does not give up easily. A scientist and a single mother, she’s used to doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter. But “Whatever it takes” has never before included a shotgun wedding to a dangerous stranger with an attitude problem…
OR ELSE
Sure, the mysterious Talen says that he’s there to protect Cara and her daughter. He also says that he’s a three-hundred-year-old vampire. Of course, the way he touches her, Cara might actually believe he’s had that long to practice…
The interaction between these two very stubborn people makes for some steamy situations. Here’s an excerpt of FATED:
Slowly, Talen pushed to his feet and strolled across the conference room.
Cara took a step back, her breath hitching.
Smiling, he leaned against the closed door.
She’d need to go through him to get out. God, he was huge. Even if she had known how to fight, she doubted she’d stand a chance when faced with such size and obvious strength. A feminine fear and a flutter she refused to identify whispered through her, and her spine straightened with a sharp snap.
“I won’t hurt you.” His voice lowered, deepening to a tone that increased her flutter. He relaxed his stance against the door, his muscled arms crossing. “I won’t let anyone harm either of you. Ever.”
Okay. Fine. He was too big for her to fight, but she did have a brain. “Listen, Talen,” she kept her voice soft, soothing. “It’s great your dating pool just opened up and all, but I’m not looking for—”
A dimple winked in his cheek, stopping her words. She fought to keep her tone mild. “Am I amusing you?” Her chin lifted.
“Yes.”
“Why?” She could even feel his amusement in the air, damn it.
“Your people. I’ve never understood why you ignore fate. She has her own plans.”
“Fate?” He was throwing destiny at her? Come on.
He nodded. “Fate.”
“Wow. That’s poetic, Talen.” Sarcasm replaced the softness. “But there’s no way fate is involved here.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Prove it.”
“Okay.” He lifted his right hand, palm out. A crest, an intricate one, spread across his calloused skin. Thick and black, a webbing of arcs together formed a knot with what might be an elaborate ‘K’ in the middle.
“A tattoo?” She quirked an eyebrow, wondered if he had other tats on that magnificent body.
“No. A brand of sorts. It appeared earlier after I took your arm.”
“A brand?” She snorted. “Bullshit.”
Talen shrugged. “It’s true, Cara. The Mark usually doesn’t appear until the mating act, but there are exceptions.” Golden eyes pinned her. “Our bond must be strong.”
“No.”
Talen lifted a shoulder.
Her mind rebelled at the physical evidence before her eyes. “I said, no. I choose to ignore your fate.” How could the mark have appeared? Conviction sat easily upon his face and her stomach rolled at the question of how far he’d go to follow his fate.
“That is your choice,” he agreed.
“Damn straight.” She searched his face for a trick, determination tightening her own jaw. A raised eyebrow met her glare. “But you don’t know anything about me. I could be married.”
“You’re not.”
“How do you know?”
He shrugged. “My brother Dage shot your file to my smart phone.”
Smart phone? Vampires used smart phones? Come on. “Where were you?” Damn her curiosity.
“In a meeting with my other brother, Conn.”
Geez. Sounded like a family oriented creature of the night. Or day. Or whatever. She tried another tack. “Besides, I have a date tonight.”
She wasn’t sure what her goal was, but she didn’t reach it. A genuine smile played across his lips, and he uncrossed his arms. “You’re not going to make it.”
I’d love to give away a copy of FATED to one commenter. I’ll draw a name in a few days. So, do you believe in fate?
Hello all! This is my first Brava post for 2012. Not because I accidentally missed my January spot (which, let’s face it, was entirely possible), but because some stupid hacker took our site down for a couple weeks in January. How, I have no clue. I could no more hack an internet site than beat Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock) in an arm wrestling contest. 
I’m gearing up to promote both Tempted and Hunted. Tempted is an e-novella from the Dark Protector series featuring Max, a tough Russian bodyguard, and Sarah, an ex-teacher who just escaped from a mental institution. Really, it could happen to any of us. Please note that you don’t need an e-reader to get Tempted. You can use “Kindle for PC,” which is a free program from Amazon – you just read on your computer. I use it all the time. (I also have a new Kindle Fire I’m loving!) Tempted will be released on March 27th.
So, I’d like to give away an ARC of Hunted to a commenter here on the Brava blog. The contest is open internationally and will close late Sunday night. (Today is Friday here). Feel free to just say hi, or answer a question. Could you hack an internet site? Have you ever been hacked? Why do you want a Hunted ARC? Do you think you could beat the Rock in an arm wrestling contest?
