Sneak Peek at The Texan's Engagement Agreement #Giveaway

Howdy y'all! Have we got a special treat for you today. Noelle Marchand is here today, granting us a sneak peek into her new release The Texan's Engagement Agreement. (Hang around till the end for the rest of the surprise. ;) ) Here's what Romantic Times says about it, "Marchand’s latest offers three-dimensional characters and layers of story with depth. There’s a sweet playfulness between the main characters as well."

The book blurb:

It's been five years since Adelaide Harper broke Chris Johansen's heart—and their long-distance engagement. But when she steps off a train in Peppin, Texas, and strolls back into Chris's life, he can't help but panic. Because to avoid his parents' plan to arrange a marriage for him, he's let his family believe he and Adelaide are still engaged.

Adelaide is facing her own troubles with a matchmaking mama and a parade of aggravating suitors. So pretending to let Chris court her could help them both. And after five years, there's no need to worry that the time together will reignite their long-buried love…is there?

Without further ado...the sneak peek...

Chris’s gaze continued to search his father’s for any indication that he was in pain or short of breath. Olan hated the worry his heart condition added to the family. This wouldn’t be the first time he’d tried to downplay one of his heart episodes with a distraction. Olan was flushed, but it only seemed to be with excitement, so Chris reluctantly allowed his attention to be drawn elsewhere.

It landed on the woman standing just in front of his father. A hat dipped low over her right eye. Yet it did little to hide the perfection of her slightly turned-up nose, the rosy blush racing across her high cheekbones or the sweet curves of her bow-shaped lips. She was beautiful. She was familiar. She was achingly familiar.

He caught her chin, tilted her face upward and got lost in her light green eyes. “Adelaide.”

A fleeting smile touched her lips. “Hello, Chris.”

Silence filled the air. He released her. His words came out as more of a growl than a greeting. “What are you doing here?”

Olan slapped Chris’s back just hard enough to knock some sense into him. “Son, is that any way to greet your fiancée?”

Time slowed. Chris saw Adelaide turn toward his father. He knew exactly what was going to happen. The truth was going to come out. He could almost see the disbelief, the shock, the disappointment on his father’s face. His imagination went even further until he saw Olan’s face whiten, his hand covering his heart as he sank to his knees in pain. Chris couldn’t let that happen. Instinctively, Chris reached for Adelaide. He caught her by the arms, tugged her toward his chest then stifled whatever she’d been planning to say with a quick, ardent kiss.

Noelle Marchand is an award-winning author of six published novels who graduated summa cum laude from Houston Baptist University with a BA in Mass Communication and Speech Communication. Her love of literature began as a child when she would spend hours reading beneath the covers long after she was supposed to be asleep. At fifteen, she completed her first novel. Since then, she has continued to pursue a writing career and was honored to receive the 2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for A Texas-made Match. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, learning about history, watching classic cinema and dancing. She is a member of ACFW.

You can find Noelle online at:

• Website: www.noellemarchand.com 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/noellemarchandauthor 
• Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5022982.Noelle_Marchand 
• Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/noellemarchand/

Noelle is also offering one paperback copy as a giveaway to one of this post's commenters. The winner will be announced in Monday's Weekly Windup post. 

Have you read any of Noelle's books before? Does this sneak peek make you want to read more? 

A Sneak Peek with Virginia Smith

Howdy y'all! Crystal here and have I got a great treat for you. Author and Editor Virginia Smith is with us today, sharing a behind the scenes look at A Kiss is Still a Kiss: A Short Story Collection. Why am I so excited? Well, it might be because Angela Couch and I both have a story in this collection or it might be because the book releases tomorrow! Yay!

So, let's get this party started so you can see some of the cool sneak peeks Ginny has to share with us.

Hi, Ginny, [Crystal waves wildly] take a moment and tell everyone a bit about yourself.

Okay, work stuff first. My first novel came out in 2006, and on September 1, my 26th novel was released, The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade. If you do the math, you’ll see that I’m a very busy writer! In 2011 I launched a small publishing company called Next Step Books, and I edit most of the books we publish. I also do freelance editing and book formatting for indie authors. Personally, I’m a wife, mother, grandmother (a very young grandma!) and a certified lay speaker in the United Methodist Church. I love reading (of course!), and motorcycling, scuba diving, and anything to do with Disney World or Disneyland. And lately I’ve taken up pottery.

Sounds so exciting and congrats on the 26th novel! How awesome! It must be a lot of work to write and run a small publishing company. Tell us, how did A Kiss is Still a Kiss come about? Where did you get the idea?

I attended the 2014 World Fantasy Convention in Washington DC and roomed with a friend who also loves fantasy novels. One night we were in our hotel room, and she said, “I’d like to start reading that novel I bought, but I’m too tired to get into something long.” We started talking about the difference between short stories and novels, and how some genres seem to have a wide audience for short fiction while others do not. The conversation evolved, and before I knew it, I’d decided to put together an anthology of short fiction.

What kind of stories can we find in this collection?

Really good ones! One thing that makes this book stand out is the inclusion of many different genres. I love to read a variety of styles, and I figured other people would too. They are all romance in some form or other, but you’ll find historical, contemporary, regency, young adult, whimsical, fantasy, and even a couple with science fiction elements. The one thing every story has in common is a kiss. (A romantic kiss. I had to reject a couple of stories because the featured kiss was with a dog.)

Ha-ha. Oh what a great answer. :) I was so excited to be included in this collection, and our own Angela Couch has a story included too. Who else will we find in this great line up?

I love your story and Angela’s! I was really excited about the author lineup, because I was able to include a blend of established writers and first-timers. The multi-published writers included are Deborah Raney, Gail Gaymer Martin, Kathleen Fuller, Anna Zogg, Eva Maria Hamilton, Amy Barkman, and a sci-fi writer named Scott Parkin. The rest have either published a few stories, or nonfiction, or are making their literary debut in A Kiss is Still a Kiss. Those are Mary Laufer, Lara Ware, Kylara Silvers, Jan Brand, Sarah Monzon, Patricia Iacuzzi, Jan Davis Warren, Bethany Rae, Deborah Wuetherich, John Dromey, and MaKayla Martinez. And then, of course, there’s you and Angela.

One fun fact: one of the newbies is a pseudonym for a multi-published author who is writing out-of-genre. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.

Oh, you do know how to tease. :) Speaking of teasers, can you give us any sneak peeks?

Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of “Within Limits” by Scott R. Parkin:

      I know, what’s a thirty-something guy doing reading romance novels? Aren’t those for bedraggled housewives and silly teenage girls? Don’t I have anything better to do with my time and money?
     Well, we’ve all got our vices, and it’s better than hanging out on street corners. Besides, it’s not like I believe they’re real. I mean that stuff just doesn’t happen in real life. No love at first sight. No saving the girl from the raging flood or the corrupt landlord or the enemy invasion. No tender thanks or passionate embraces or heaving breasts.
     Still, one can hope—within reasonable limits—and this is as good as any other day for the impossible to happen.

Scott’s story made me laugh out loud several times. I love how this thirty-something man’s day plays out.

Here’s one taken from the end of “Let’s Make a Deal” by Crystal Barnes. (I’m not including it only because you’re doing this interview. I’m including it because it describes a delicious romantic kiss that had me sighing with delight!)

     Every ounce of his hesitation fled. The fire that had burned in his eyes flowed through his lips and straight through her. With a zeal she didn’t know she possessed, she returned his kiss. How could Nellie find this torturous? The only torture would be if he stopped, which he didn’t seem inclined to do in the least. That suited her just fine. Her fingers slipped into his hair. He must’ve taken that for another cue, for he drew his arms around her and deepened the kiss. Like butter in a hot skillet, she melted against him.
     He smiled against her lips. “Do I need to apologize?”
     With an answering smile, she traced a finger along his scruffy jaw. “Only if you don’t do that every day for the rest of our lives.”
     “I like the sound of that deal.”
     They sealed it with another kiss.

Scott's story sounds like a hoot, and you're such a sweetie say such lovely things about my story. I'm glad I could make someone sigh with delight. :) For other readers who want to laugh and sigh along with the rest of us, where can they buy the book?

The book will officially release November 1. (That's tomorrow y'all!!! :) ) They can pre-order the book now at the Next Step Books website and get a 30% discount, or they can pre-order the eBook on Amazon.com here. The print book will probably show up a few days early on Amazon, and then will also be available through most online retailers like Barnes & Noble, Books-a- Million, etc. And the eBook versions like Nook and Kobo and Apple will also be available shortly after the release date.

I'm so super excited and wish we had time (and room) for a ton of other questions, but alas... Anyways, before you go, tell us one thing you learned while working on A Kiss is Still a Kiss.

I learned a lot! I learned that anthologies have a very definite structure – where you place certain stories is vital for the flow and readability of the book as a whole. I learned that novel writing is entirely different than short story writing. They’re two different skillsets, especially when it comes to plot movement and subplots. And I learned that there are at least twenty-two different ways for a couple to kiss, and all of them are delightful to read!

Ooo, I can't wait to finish reading my copy. I started it the other day. Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Ginny. 

Everyone, what's your preference---long novel, short-story, or both?