Jordyn Kendra is the heroine in Before the Whistle. She and her three friends find love in the stories of the In the Game Hockey Romance series. Sarah and Danni are both physicians, and Kelly is a pharmacist. Jordyn is the only non-medical one in the bunch.
 
Jordyn faints at the sight of blood and gets queasy at the thought of using an automatic defibrillator. She shares that characteristic with me! Not the queasy-at-the-thought-of-running-an-arrest part, but the fainting-at-the-sight-of-blood part. When I was accepted into medical school, I fainted at the very sight of a needle. During my first year of medical school, I spent ten weeks of my elective time shadowing an anesthesiologist in the operating room. I could watch the surgery and sit down whenever I felt lightheaded. Eventually I did become desensitized to it – I think because I began to see it from a different perspective. Now I focus on the anatomy and management rather than the pain and injury. And, it turns out, giving needles is a lot easier than getting them!  

Before the Whistle (In the Game Hockey Romance series, Book 4)
Jordyn Kendra is a talented designer and savvy businesswoman. Spending eighteen hours a day establishing and running a successful business doesn’t leave much time for pursuing a relationship, and frankly she hasn’t really missed it. But when an invitation arrives that could help her fulfill her career dreams, she has to make a decision. What’s harder: going to a gala without a date or finding someone to ask?
 
Ben Matthews, head athletic therapist for the wildly popular Clarington Quakes hockey team, tends to stand out in a crowd. When Jordyn doesn’t recognize him, it puts a dent in his ego, but he catches her attention when he jumps in to save a life.
 
She’s a queasy bystander, cowering at the sight of blood, and he’s cool, calm, and confident, which she finds irresistible. With a little prodding from her spirited aunt, Jordyn realizes that she and Ben might be the perfect mismatch.
 
Before the Whistle – when cool and calm in an emergency is totally hot.

Excerpt:

The man who’d walked in as she’d come out of the pool – and wasn’t he gorgeous? – glanced over at the teenagers and then stepped in front of her, blocking their view. “Hi. You’re Jordyn, right? Danni’s friend?”
Jordyn stumbled to a stop. The top of her head came level with the middle of his bare chest. There were only a few advantages to being short. Being eye level with that view – sculpted muscle, smooth skin, broad shoulders – was definitely one of them. She swept her gaze up to his face. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him.
“Ben Matthews. I work with the Quakes.” He took the towel from around his neck and handed it to her.
She took it without thinking. “Of course.” He was the head athletic therapist for the Clarington Quakes, the professional hockey team in town. She’d met him a couple of times at team events when she’d accompanied her friend, Dr. Danni Angelo, who was one of the team physicians. She hadn’t realized that impressive physique was under the loose team jacket he usually wore. “Hi, Ben. Yes, I’m Jordyn Kendra. Nice to see you.” She held up the towel. “Ah, thanks, but I don’t really need to take yours. I left one on the chair over there.” She pointed to the lounger at the end of the pool.
He nodded. “That’s okay. I can get another. You go ahead – it’s a bit chilly in here.”
Jordyn tilted her head. Really? The water was cool, but the air felt like a balmy summer day. She shrugged and wrapped the towel around herself. “I didn’t know you lived in this condo.”
He smiled. “Just moved in last month. I had an apartment close to the rink, but when something opened up with a view of the river, I jumped at it.”
“You can’t beat it. You’ll love it here. I’m sure you’re busy with the team, but it really is convenient having the pool, squash courts, and weight room in the building.”
“I’m certainly enjoying the view.” His eyes lit with amusement.
Jordyn nodded. “Well, I should get going. It was good to see you. Maybe we’ll see more of each other.”
He chuckled. “Maybe.”
That was funny? She didn’t get it. “Thanks for the towel.”
“Anytime.”
She walked toward the change room and glanced back as Ben dove into the water. Hmm. Perfect form and hardly a splash. For a huge guy, he was pretty graceful. It looked like he’d done that before. She fleetingly wondered if he ever had trouble with shrinking bathing trunks.
She headed inside and fiddled with the combination of the lock to her locker. She’d rather shower upstairs in her condo, but she’d brought a cover to wear in the elevator. She unwrapped the towel, threw it on the bench, and glanced at her reflection in the mirror across the room. Her heart pounded in shock.
Her bathing suit was completely see-through. Her eyes widened. It left absolutely nothing to the imagination. She groaned and covered her cheeks with her hands. No wonder the teenagers had been so interested. She shook her head and laughed in embarrassment.
 
Buy Link:   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFQGXSM/

Linda's Bio:

Award-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.
 
Website:  https://lindaoconnorauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA

Connie, thanks for inviting me back. I'm so excited to be here sharing a new book. And have I got a good story for you!

Anyone who knows me even the slightest knows I adore Nik Nitsvetov, the face of Pietas. Nik portrays my immortal king with great reverence and dignity, as befits a king. I'm very proud to be working with him. Nik is literally perfect as Pietas. I could ask for nothing better. Watching him is surreal. It's like my imagination came to life.
On September 1, Nik and his photographer Julia performed a live stream event of him cosplaying as Pietas. It was wonderful seeing my character live and breathe and walk around. I was speechless. Well, almost. My friend Lisa and I were recording the event on our phones using a video program called Mobizen. It was working great. The two of us were on the phone at first, then on Skype, then actually got together because my signal kept dropping. She lives close by so I dashed over to her place.

When I arrived, we sat side by side, each of us oohing and ahhing and exclaiming like the fangirls that we are over every little thing Nik did.

When the event ended, being good fangirls, we immediately replayed what we had recorded. Imagine our shock when we discovered it not only recorded the video, it recorded us. So for an hour, you hear a little bit of Russian in the background (that was Nik, who lives in St Petersburg) and the rest of it was various forms of "Oh my god!" "Ohmigod!" "Holy cow!" and "Did you see that?" plus some rather embarrassing female squeals and laughs.

Will I ever let anyone else hear that? Hmm. Maybe when it gets really cold in a certain really hot zone. *wink*

I'm happy to announce that a short story set in my Bringer of Chaos universe, Lights Out, has been accepted for publication in a major space opera anthology. The Expanding Universe Vol 4, edited by Craig Martelle, releases September 17 exclusively on Amazon and on Kindle Unlimited. It will debut at just 99 cents and features short stories in space opera and science fiction by 20 authors. I'd love for your readers to pick up a copy. 

​​The book is 99c and free on KU. https://amzn.to/2QxKBGB

​He can save mankind. After he does one important thing. Die.
Join the Ghost Corps, they said. You'll live forever, they said. You'll save mankind, they said. They didn't say that to do it, first he had to die.
When Tornahdo signs on the dotted line, he puts his life into the steady hands of the mighty Ghost Corps. Three grisly deaths and three agonizing resurrections later, he's assigned duty on the space station Enderium Six.
He's facing his most dangerous mission yet, the very reason the corps exists.
Do they expect him to win? Fat chance. Tornahdo and his team are already dead and this mission is codenamed "Lights Out." No, there's more to this than he can see.
To discover the truth, he must face an unbeatable, unkillable enemy, and this time--somehow--find a way to keep himself alive...
Lights Out is in the Science Fiction/Space Opera anthology The Expanding Universe Vol 4, edited by Craig Martelle.

The air reeked of antiseptic and starch stiffened the pillowcase. If only the mind-numbing jabbering would stop.

Tornahdo pried open his eyes. The flattened blood bag above him, stenciled equipment and gray walls screamed military hospital.

He'd died. Again.

Spanish curses slipped out. His abuela would've taken a switch to him. He made the sign of the cross and kissed his fingertips.

After yanking the tube out of his arm, he pressed a thumb over the entry point. Thankfully, this time, he wasn't writhing on the floor in agony. Well, not yet.

A faceless android in a Ghost Corps uniform loomed over a bank of equipment displaying Tornahdo's name and vitals. First impression was right. Military hospital.
The weapons-grade yapping continued.

"Did you hear?" a youthful voice bragged. "He killed six of 'em last night."
"Yeah, but they don't stay dead. They never do."
"If Ultras didn't come back to life, their plasma wouldn't bring our own people back."
The transfusion of enemy blood healed the hole in Tornahdo's arm in seconds. He thumbed off the red smear and rolled over on the gurney.

An open door led to a sink and toilet built to let gravity do its work. Which meant this was a planet. You hadn't lived until you were in space, floating in zero gravity while your body's final twitches sent your corpse spinning.

Notices on the wall confirmed this was San Xavier in the Colonies of Man. Same place he'd bought it the first time.
​
This was getting old.

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She's a US Navy veteran who's been married so long she's tenured. Kayelle is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer-mentoring group with thousands of members. She is the author of seven books, three novellas, and multiple short stories.
Homeworld https://kayelleallen.com
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Join one of Kayelle's reader groups and get four free books right away. You'll get the inside scoop about current books and access to special contests limited to members only. When a book releases, members get exclusive sneak peeks. Choose whether you want your newsletter to feature Sci Fi, Space Opera and Fantasy, or Sci Fi, Space Opera and Fantasy PLUS romance. https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups

This is more cute than funny. I have a fourteen-month granddaughter, and I dote on her. (Sorry, her mum has asked me not to put her photo on line)
I bought Ella Marie a paddling pool for her birthday. We’ve had the best summer for years in the UK. Ella loved splashing in the water. On one of the rare cool days we’ve had, we played tea parties in the garden but she wanted to paddle. Her mum said no because it was too cold. I agreed, but Ella wanted to paddle. When you’re that age, no doesn’t make sense.
She’s young but determined.
The garden tap was dripping and she tried to fill her paddling pool by collect water drips in her hands and carrying them to the paddling pool. It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.

​Consummating her marriage shouldn’t be so hard.
Raised in a dour religious sect, Alethea Allerton dreams of dancing, laughter, and love. She fell for the Earl of Deanswood within five minutes of meeting him. They married by special licence a week later, but he’d rather spend time with his mistress than bed his wife. Alethea has no idea how to seduce her husband. Desperate, she visits a house of ill-repute and hires a tutor. He agrees to meet all the costs as long as she remains blindfold throughout their lessons.
The Earl of Deanswood, a Waterloo veteran, wed Alethea to father an heir. He steps in as her tutor but he teaches her as much about spanking as sex.
Alethea survives an attempt on her life. Circumstances implicate Deanswood, and terrified, she flees London. He pursues her, and when he kisses her, she recognises the touch and taste of him. She’s hurt and humiliated by his deception.
Deanswood sets out to win back her trust. Along the way, he teaches her about ropes, spectators in the bedroom, submission, and sex toys. Only one thing mars their happiness. Someone wants Alethea dead.

Excerpt:  ​Stonehurst’s eyes shone with mischief. “Your wife came to my establishment earlier. She offered me five guineas to fuck her.”
Deanswood spluttered and almost spat out his brandy. “She did what?”
Stonehurst leaned back and savored a second sip of his wine. “Do you want me to repeat it? After you’ve drawn everyone’s gaze? I didn’t take her money or screw her, of course. Let’s find somewhere to talk.”
Anger turned Deanswood’s features haughty and harsh. Fists curled, he glowered at his friend. Make that former friend. He’d rather beat Stonehurst senseless than talk. “You keep your bloody hands off her.”
All Deanswood had wanted was an heir and a spare. Instead, his wife barred him from her bed—unless a quick screw with no foreplay or kisses once a month counted. He’d rather have stayed single.
He’d dreamed of a wife with a warm smile and sweet nature. Curves that made his mouth water and his palms twitch would be a bonus. Leg-shackling himself to Alethea Allerton was the biggest mistake he’d ever made.
He should have made it clear that he expected to bear his children and submit to the occasional spanking. In return, he’d teach her about passion, bondage, and obedience. Until his mother-in-law collared him in the library, he’d been looking forward to his wedding night. His mother-in-law’s words had kyboshed that.
Stonehurst struggled to contain his laughter. “So, what really happened on your wedding night?”
“It’s none of your business,” Deanswood snapped.
Unabashed, Stonehurst grinned. “Your wife made it my business. Her dress sense is shocking. Is that why you couldn’t perform last night?”
Stonehurst was right. Alethea had involved him in the tangled mess of her marriage. “Did Alethea say I couldn’t… Of course, I could… Damn it, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“It might help to talk about it,” Stonehurst suggested.
Deanswood sighed. “Nothing else seems to. After I’d thrown Lady Babs out, my new mother-in-law collared me in the library. She read me an endless lecture on the sins of marital sex. I’d rather take a dressing down from Wellington than endure that again.”
Inwardly, Deanswood fumed. Why the hell had his wife waited until after the ceremony to send her mother to tell him she didn’t want sex? He supposed she was eager to get her grasping hands on his fortune.
When he learned his wife planned to cuckold him, his eyes narrowed and lips thinned in anger. A trip to Gentleman Jackson’s boxing salon beckoned. Going a few rounds with the champion might calm his soul.
Stonehurst’s teasing manner vanished, and he held up both hands, palm out. “I never touched her. We’re attracting too much attention. Walk with me.”
Deanswood had fought alongside Stonehurst in the Peninsular War and again at Waterloo. They’d shared too much to fall out over a woman. That said, Stonehurst enjoyed the earl’s discomfort far too much.
Buy links
Amazon USA                        https://amzn.to/2waZmpG
Amazon UK                          https://amzn.to/2OO3nYN
Amazon Canada                  https://amzn.to/2vRZWcw
Amazon Australia                https://amzn.to/2MzN0S0
OR READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

1          Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
My heroine, Lady Alethea grew up in a remote fishing village on the Kent coast. A strict religious sect holds sway there. They disapprove of everything - singing, dancing, laughing. Even smiling is a sin. Alethea dreams of a happy future not one sent peddling fish. When James, Earl of Deanswood drives his yellow phaeton into the village, he reminds of the Greek God Apollo driving his flaming chariot across the sky. Not that she can admit to knowing Greek Myths in her village. She gives her heart in an instant, but although Deanswood marries her within a week, he doesn’t do the same.
 
2          Tell us about your hero.
James, Earl of Deanswood never expected to inherit the title. His father and older brother died the same day the battle of Waterloo started. Deanswood enlisted as a boy soldier and although he attained the rank of major, he sold out when he learned of his father’s death. Although it’s never officially stated in the book, he suffers from PTSD.
 
3          What genre are your books?
I write romance. Any sort. Paranormal or contemporary. His Innocent Bride is my second Regency Romance.

4.        What draws you to this genre?
I write the books I like to read. There’s always a strong plot, with lots of adventure. Then there’s the sex. My pet hate is cliff hangers. Even the books in my series can be read as stand-alone romances. Add in that I’m a sucker for a happy-ever-after, and you’ve got my writing style.

5.        What is your favorite motivational phrase.
It’s one of Mohamed Ali’s catchphrases. “If my head can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.”
​
6           Tell us about your writing process and the way you brainstorm story ideas.
Brainstorm? It’s more like batter them to death with a hammer. I start with a random scene in my head and work out how people got there. Sometimes that one scene doesn’t even make it into the story. Once I’ve got the first draft finished, I edit, and edit, and edit. The first readthrough is to check the plot works. The next three are to polish the words. After that, I print it out and read it again. Words look different on paper. Next, I read it out loud. Then, and only then, do Iet my husband read it. Not that he’s a romance fan, but I’m dyslexic. He sees things I don’t.
After all that, my editor still makes changes. ​

​Kryssie reads everything and anything, from literary fiction to sizzling romance. Her earliest memory is going to the library with her mother. She can’t have been more than two at the time. Reading, especially when a book’s hot and explicit, is more than a guilty pleasure. It’s an obsession.
Kryssie loves to visit historic sites, from Hadrian’s wall to Regency Bath. The first book she fell in love with was Georgette Heyer’s The Unknown Ajax. After that, she devoured every regency book she could. After a while, they went out of fashion, but part of Kryssie’s psyche lives in in in Regency London. She longs to dance quadrilles and flirt behind fans. Of course, Kryssie’s heroines do far more than flirt.
Kryssie lives in Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast –about thirty miles from Whitby, where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. She enjoys gardening, travel, and socializing with her author friends. You’d be surprised how many erotic romance authors live in the North of England. 

https://bookwrapt.com/fall-into-love-romance-giveaway/
 
Between quaint country inns, falling leaves, and weather that invites snuggling, nothing tops Fall for sheer romance. And we’re holding an all-genres romance giveaway to celebrate the season. Enter now for your chance to win!
 
Plus, it’s reading season and we have the perfect books in every romance genre for you to snuggle up with on a chilly night or two or seven, falling in love with your new book boyfriend. Or should we say boyfriends? Browse our book fair and see how many you discover to make your own!
 
https://bookwrapt.com/fall-into-love-fair/
 
 
(Fall Into Love is sponsored by the 58 authors listed below)
 
Amanda Uhl • Amy Knupp • Andy Wayne • Aubrey Wynne • Ava Bradley • Candace Blevins • Cecilia Lane • Cecy Robson • Constance Bretes • Cynthia Cooke • Debbie White • E.B. Black • Elizabeth Rose • Elsie Davis • Heather Slade • Holly Cortelyou • Jan O’Hara • Jana Richards • Jenny Gardiner • Jessica Jayne • Joanne Dannon • Julieann Dove • Karyn Gerrard • Kris Michaels • Lane Hart • Lara Ward Cosio • Laura A. Barnes • Laurel Greer • Laurel O’Donnell • Lucy Lakestone • M.C. Cerny • Marie James • Marina Simcoe • Melissa Belle • N.D. Jones • Natalie Ann • PG Forte • PJ Friel • Rachel Everly • Ruth A. Casie • S.L. Sterling • Sabrina Kade • Sahara Roberts • Sandra Marie • Sarah Williams • Shelley Munro • Sherrie Lea Morgan • Simone Leigh • Soraya Naomi • Stacy Gold • Stephanie Queen • Susan Sheehey • Sylvia McDaniel • Tamara Ferguson • Teddy Hester • Theresa Paolo • TL Clark • Zoe Dawson

Hello everyone, today I have Margo Bond Collins and Erin Hayes on my blog with their new sport release, First and Ten. Margo is sharing a little humorous story that ended up in her book. I have to laugh, because I can certainly see myself doing just this very thing. 

​Don’t Plot and Pump!
 
Any honest author will tell you that she can get lost in the worlds she creates. I do that constantly. Maybe too much. Recently, while Erin Hayes and I were cowriting First and Ten, I was trying to figure out a scene that had me stumped. I’d been thinking about it all day long.
 
I needed to put gas in my car before I went to pick up my daughter from school that day. So I got out of the car, got the gas pumping, and went into the store to pick up Bel’s after-school snack. While there, I came up with an excellent plot point.
 
I was still thinking about the story when I got back out to the car, feeling pretty pleased with how smart I was.
 
So of course, I drove off with the hose still in the car and pulled it out of the pump entirely—with a crash and a clatter that terrified me as I waited for everything to explode around me (I might be a little over-dramatic sometimes).
 
Luckily, those pump hoses are designed to break away exactly because of idiots like me. I had to slink back into the store to confess to the clerk. He just shook his head, and I left again, feeling considerably less smart than before.
 
A version of that scene makes it into First and Ten—though Madison’s trying to solve a completely different problem, the moral is the same: don’t plot and pump!
 

Hysterical. Like I said, I could see this happening to me. Sometimes, we authors get so tied up in our stories that we just zoom out the rest of the world around us.

Tell us a little about this story, First and Ten.

I have to admit, I know very little about football, but I do love to watch my Detroit Lions play, pitiful as they are sometimes.....

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this new release. I hope you have great success with it.

If you're a visitor, please leave us a comment and let us know that you stopped by. We love to hear from our readers.

Connie

LOL, Yeah, not be to sexist or anything, but a drag would not come close to how sexy he really is......

Very intriguing. Can we get an excerpt?

Let's see what we can find out about Brenda Sparks!

Thank you, Brenda. For stopping by and visiting with us and talking about your book, Alpha Pair.

If you're a visitor, please leave us a comment and let us know you've visited. We love to hear from our readers.

Thanks 
​Connie