Meet the Authors of A Winter Wonderland of Books Giveaway!

The Cost of Honor is on sale now!

If you’ve been a reader of my books or a follower of my blog, you know that I like year-long challenges. In 2018, I challenged myself to do one thing a month that scared me. I took flying lessons, went rock climbing, got a tattoo, tried ballroom dancing, and public speaking. To name a few.

This year, I did a giveaway a month for everyone on my newsletter. I gave away a LOT of books!

It was a ball. Some of my giveaways, like those I did for my release dates–there were two–lasted for weeks! And I loved every minute of it. I loved luring people to my FB author page to interact with me. LOL. And, you know what, I found some really cool people that I truly enjoying interacting with on FB.

You know who you are!

So what’s 2020’s challenge? More on that later! I have one month left in this year-long contest giveaway, and to go out with a bang, and to thank readers who have hung with me, I’m doing A Winter Wonderland of Books Giveaway!

I’m giving away fifteen+ books a day for fifteen days. And for this last wonderful giveaway, I’m not just giving out romantic suspense books. Nope. I’m introducing you to just a few romance authors that I happen to love. These women are amazing. They are not just talented, they are my sisters. Women who have supported me and in some cases even paved the way for what I do. I adore them. And I think you will too!

Here is a list of all fifteen of the amazing romance authors whose books you will have a chance to win!


Jennie Marts

Jennie Marts is not only a fantastic writer, she is one of the funniest women I have ever met. I adored her from the first time I met her. The kind of adoration that made me want her to like me. She is just one of those people you want to be friends with.

If you read Jennie’s books, you’ll get a real sense of her humor and openness and optimism and romance. And you too will want to be her friend! She’s also one of those go-getters that is so open to life and experiences that she seems to have a never-ending supply of fearlessness.

When I asked her to do a live-stream with me for our release days–and I asked her the day before–she was happy to do it. And never once said, “Lady, who do you think you are asking me the day before? Forget it.” Gotta love her. On December 5th, you’ll have a chance to win Jennie’s Caught Up in a Cowboy.

Jennie’s Bio

Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.


Priscilla Oliveras

Priscilla Oliveras is one of the kindest and busiest authors I know.  She is down in the romance-trenches working with Romance Writers of America, creating the kind of open and thoughtful community that represents all writers with respect and caring. I recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend with Pris in New York for our LatinxRom weekend, and that experience only made me admire her more. She is a person who manages to be herself and still allow room for others to be themselves. She is confident without ever putting anyone else down. She is a loving friend and a mother of three wonderful girls. She is also devoted to her familia. You’ll get a chance to win Priscilla’s Their Perfect Melody (Matched to Perfection series) on December 6th.

Pris’ Bio

PRISCILLA OLIVERAS is a USA Today bestselling author and 2018 RWA® RITA® double finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. She and her work have earned praise from the Washington Post, New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Redbook, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, amongst others. Priscilla earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and currently serves as adjunct faculty in the program and teaches the online class “Romance Writing” for ed2go. While she’s a devotee of the romance genre, Priscilla also considers herself a sports fan, beach lover, and Zumba aficionado, who often practices the art of napping in her backyard hammock.

To follow along on her fun-filled and hectic life, visit her on the web at prisoliveras.com, on Twitter via @prisoliveras or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/prisoliveras/.


Maria Vale

One of the smartest writers I know, Maria Vale is also one of the most sincere, kindest, and most genuine writers I know. She not only cares about the world, she shows she cares about the world through her actions. She walks the talk. This sincerity and concern transfers into her beautifully written books. You will feel her characters, the settings, the emotions. Her words reach your soul, coax it blinking out into the sun, and reassure it that hope in the world is not misplaced. Her heroines and heroes are that kind of wonderful, the kind that makes you want to be a better person. You can win the first book in Maria’s The Legend of All Wolves series, The Last Wolf on December 7th.

Maria’s bio

Maria is a logophile and a bibliovore and a worrier about the world. Trained as a medievalist, she tries to shoehorn the language of Beowulf into things that don’t really need it. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two sons and a long line of dead plants. No one will let her have a pet.

Her first book, The Last Wolf, was chosen by Library Journal and Amazon as a Best Book of 2018 and was a Rita finalist in the Paranormal Romance and Best Debut categories.

Her second book, A Wolf Apart, was chosen by Publishers Weekly as a Best Book of 2018, while Forever Wolf was chosen by Booklist as a Best Book of 2019.


Sharon Wray

My darling friend, Sharon Wray, is another romantic suspense author and a woman–along with Maria Vale–that I first met at Romantic Times convention.

All three of us got along so well that we became and stayed good friends. Sharon invited me to be part of Midnight in the Garden Readers Group and organized the amazing Ghost Tour that we took readers on last year in New Orleans. What a blast!

So not only is she a great writer, but she is a ton of fun. Her writing is as wonderful and authentic as she is. Every time I speak with her, I lose track of the time and feel as if I’ve known her forever. On December 8th you have a chance to win the first book in Sharon’s Deadly Force series, Every Deep Desire.

Sharon’s Bio

Sharon is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of adventure, suspense, and love. She’s a wife, mother of twins, caretaker of Donut the one-eyed dog, and addicted to Oreos.

Her Deadly Force books are a romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets and sexy, smart heroines redeem Shakespeare’s greatest love stories.


Brenda Novak

You’re probably already familiar with Brenda Novak’s amazing books. I loved her work before I knew her personally. One of the best things about being a writer is getting to meet other writers that you adore. Brenda is not only an amazing writer, but a kind and genuine person.

Even though I DM’d her with sketchy information, and a totally different name for this giveaway, she didn’t hesitate to be part of it.W

Woohoo! Now one of you wonderful readers has a chance to enjoy her fantastic work for free. There’s a reason she’s a NYTimes bestselling author–she writes the things that make you feel and stick with you. Her Dr. Evelyn Talbot series is not to be missed! On December 9th, you’ll have a chance to win Brenda’s holiday release, Christmas in Silver Springs.

Brenda’s Bio

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s career as a bestselling author–she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including eight Rita nominations, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Book Seller’s Best, the Silver Bullet and the National Reader’s Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children–three girls and two boys. When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.6 million!


Allyson McLayne

True story, I first read Alyson McLayne‘s work when I judged the Golden Heart in 2016. I adored her novel so much that I reached out to someone who knew her and asked if I could get the rest of it to read. Yes. She is that good.

Alyson and I struck up a correspondence-friendship, and she later helped me craft a query letter for my Black Ops Confidential series. The series that I sold to the same editor that working with Alyson, Cat Clyne. And, of course, when Alyson and I met for the first time, we were already friends. There was no awkward getting to know each other. I already felt like I knew her.

Since then, we’ve had many direct and interesting conversations. Alyson is a direct and interesting person. She also has a passion for fairness, writing, and romance. I am so incredibly happy to share her work with you. On December 10th, you’ll get a chance to win Alyson’s Highland Captive.

Alyson’s Bio

Alyson McLayne is a mom of twins and an award-winning writer of contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. She’s also a dog lover and cat servant with a serious stash of dark chocolate. After getting her degree in theater at the University of Alberta, she promptly moved to the West Coast of Canada where she worked in film for several years and met her prop master husband.

Alyson has been nominated for and/or won several Romance Writers of America contests, including The Holt Medallion, The Golden Heart, The Golden Pen, The Orange Rose, Great Expectations, The Molly’s and The Winter Rose.


Marie Harte

This is where I confess to being part of an author chat-group. I have no idea how many women are on this chat, as I’ve lost track. But one of the women on the chat, the one who can be counted on to say intelligent, open, and informative things is Marie Harte.

Honestly, I think everyone should have a group of people in the same field who share information as openly and with as much genuine care as those in the romance writers community. And amongst such a giving community, Marie stands out.

I don’t know how she manages to make all of us feel heard and respected in a chat, but she does. I adore her, not just for keeping it real, but because she takes time to interact and engage. Marie is a fabulous of a person as her writing. I can’t wait for the release of The Kissing Game in February of next year!! On December 11th, you’ll have a chance to win Marie’s The Whole Package.

Marie’s Bio

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after.


Abbie Roads

The first time I met Abbie Roads, I realized she was as deep and fascinating as her writing. She is also stunningly beautiful, kind, and talented. And she’s a wonderful and supportive person.

Abbie’s Facebook post have lifted me up and encouraged me more times than she could possibly know. And, she’s also introduced me to my favorite drink–it involves Rumchata and Fireball.

That’s her–the friend that cheers you up and cheers you on and brings you a drink to toast the end of a long day.  On December 12th you’ll get a chance to win Abbie’s fabulous book, Never Let Me fall.

Abbie’s Bio

Abbie Roads loves Snickers Parfaits and acrylic pour painting. It’s her new obsession. The pour painting. Not the parfaits. Though the parfaits would qualify as an obsession too. She spends her days a mental health counselor always looking on the brightside, but at night she likes to write dark and dangerous things—with kissing and sexy times. She loves reading inspirational quotes and stories about serial killers. She is married to her favorite fellow and they have two cranky old rescue dogs that are not spoiled. Not at all. Okay. Maybe a little. Alright, the dogs are terribly spoiled, but they do give lots of cuddles and kisses in return.


Paige Tyler

I first met Paige Tyler, after she was kind enough to blurb I AM JUSTICE. She knocked me over with her warmth. Not literally. I met her and her husband, Paul, at my first book signing at Romantic Times in 2018.

The entire experience was so new to me, and I had this feeling of not being able to find my footing, but Paige and Paul reached out to me and offered me support and friendship and advice. I will never forget their kindness and generosity. They are both wonderful people.

Paige is the perfect combination of enterprising, discerning, and fun. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with her and Paul a few times since that first meeting, and I have learned so much from them. Not only that, I’ve enjoyed being with them. They are a dynamic couple.

I’m going to have the pleasure of being with them again at Book Lovers Convention in 2020. Paige has organized a Get a Clue, Win a Squishable event, and I can’t wait to take part!! I really hope to see you there. You can win Paige’s Hungry Like the Wolf on December 13th.

Paige’s Bio

Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic suspense and paranormal romance. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines who fall in love with them.


Adriana Herrera

Adriana Herrera is one of the most brilliant, direct, and daring writers I have ever met. I was first blown away by her writing, then by her considered discourse on Twitter–you should follow her–and then by the woman herself.

She is the kind of person that takes in every angle of an argument, situation, or issue to deliver a well-reasoned, impressive, and relevant opinion. This is the kind of woman you want to spend hours talking with, listening to, reading. I was fortunate enough to get to hang out with her during the LatinxRom retreat.

We had a ball, and I found myself telling her things about my life that I usually don’t share with people. As my daughter would say, she is a thoroughly enjoyable human being. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading her writing yet, you should stop right now–I won’t be offended–and go buy one of her books. You have a chance to win Adriana’s fantastic American Dreamer novel (Part of her Dreamers series) on December 14th.

Adrianna’s Bio

Adriana Herrera was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings. When’s she not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.


Cindy Dees

I first met Cindy Dees, virtually speaking, when she blurbed the first book in my Black Ops Confidential series, I AM JUSTICE. I use that blurb all the time! After that, she was kind enough to invite me to be on her Love in Uniform radio program. And even though I wasn’t, as a friend later told me, cheerful enough, Cindy managed to carry me through the conversation.

When I finally met Cindy in person, her dynamic personality won me over. I love me a bold woman. She is funny and smart. She is no bull**it kind of gal, and has the resume to back it up.

If you don’t follow Cindy on Facebook or Twitter, you really should. She has a lot to say, but only speaks after she has deeply considered a subject. I have learned a lot from her FB feed, and I’ve also been entertained by her wonderful animal posts and the posts on her kitchen remodel. It looks great, BTW. If you like to read about smart, kick-ass women she is the writer for you. And you’ll get a chance to win Cindy’s Beyond the Limit (Valkyrie Series) on December 15th.

Cindy’s Bio

With over a million books sold worldwide, Cindy Dees is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty books. A 2-time RITA winner and five-time RITA finalist, Cindy writes military romance and romantic suspense. A former U.S. Air Force pilot and part-time spy, she draws upon real-life experience to fuel her stories of love on the edge. When she’s not heavily caffeinated and typing like a maniac, she can be found walking her Doberman Pinscher puppy named Waffles, reading, blogging, gardening, and traveling.


Angelina M. Lopez

Although I haven’t had the pleasure of spending too much time with Angelina M. Lopez in person yet, she is one of my favorite parts of the LatinxRom community. A recently published writer, who has gotten a ton of great press for her outstanding work, she is always super supportive and kind to me.

If you’ve ever been faced with the sometimes deserted experience of social media, you know what it feels like to have someone in your corner. She is that person, and she is also a wonderful author to follow on social media.

She is open and inclusive not just with her writing, but with her life. It’s not easy for a writer to put themselves out there personally and professionally, but she does it with seemingly fearless ease. You’ll get a chance to win a copy of Angelina’s Lush Money on December 16th.

Angelina’s Bio

Angelina M. Lopez wrote “arthur” when her kindergarten teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. In the years since she learned to spell the word correctly, she’s been a journalist for an acclaimed city newspaper, a freelance magazine writer, and a content marketer for small businesses. At long last, she found her way back to “author.”

Angelina writes sexy, contemporary stories about strong women and the confident men lucky enough to fall in love with them. The fact that her parents own a vineyard in California’s Russian River Valley might imply a certain hedonism about her; it’s not true. She’s a wife and a mom who lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She makes to-do lists with perfectly drawn check boxes. She checks them with glee.


Kait Ballenger

How adorable is Kait’s picture? She looks like the innocent daughter our parents all hoped we’d be. Did I mention she writes sexy wolf-cowboys?

She only looks innocent.

Her writing is anything but. It’s spicy and sultry and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I’m lucky enough to be a Sourcebooks sister to Kait Ballenger–yes, we Sourcebooks authors do call each other that.

Which means we share a lot of information and experiences, but that we also try to support each other in marketing whenever we can. Recently, Kait helped organize a giveaway for seven different Sourcebooks authors.

She did everything for us, organized lists, graphics, and made it so simple. I’m so excited about this giveaway!! And you’ll be excited too when you read all about it in my newsletter on December 10th. Keep an eye out for it! As for Kait, you’ll get a chance to win her Cowboy in Wolf’s Clothing on December 17th.

Kait’s Bio

Kait Ballenger is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Seven Range Shifter paranormal romance series, where she weaves captivating tales of dark, sexy heroes who are cowboys by day, wolf shifters by night.

When Kait’s not preoccupied writing “intense and riveting” paranormal plots or “high-voltage” love scenes that make even seasoned romance readers blush, she can usually be found spending time with her family or with her nose buried in a good book. She lives in Florida with her husband and two young sons


Asa Maria Bradley

I know you already know that romance writers are some of the most intelligent people around. They are doctors, lawyers, and scientist. And among all of these smarties, Asa Maria Bradley fits right in.

She’s a physic professor and one of the most thoughtful people I know. Thoughtful about her careers. Thoughtful about her writing. Thoughtful about others. She’s also the kind of funny I love, the witty kind.

She has the kind of humor that strikes you a beat after you hear it. You need that moment to gather up all the delight in your body and push it out with a huge guffaw. Her writing is filled with the same kind of witty humor, hidden amongst lush words, and daring heroines. She writes kick-ass heroines. The kind we all want to be. You have a chance to win Asa’s latest release, Loki Ascending on December 18th.

Asa’s Bio

Asa Maria Bradley grew up in Sweden surrounded by archaeology and history steeped in Norse mythology, which inspired her sexy modern-day Viking Warriors paranormal romance series. She also writes urban fantasy that features kick-ass heroines.

Asa arrived in the US as a high school exchange student and quickly became addicted to ranch dressing. Booklist attributes her writing with “nonstop action, satisfying romantic encounters, and intriguing world building” and RT Book Reviews describes it as “filled with action and passion from the first page until the last.” Her work has received many accolades, including a double nomination for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA contest, an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award nomination, a Holt Medallion win, and a Booksellers’ Best Award win.

In her day job as a college physics professor, she tries to mold young minds into clever scientists and engineers who are excited about learning–with mixed results. When she’s not writing or teaching, Asa spends way too much time on the web. You can find links to all her social media and connect with her at www.AsaMariaBradley.com.


Dylann Crush

Not only a great writer, but a super sweet person, Dylann Crush once answered a DM I sent her–I’d been asking her a question about live-streaming–by getting onto my computer and showing my what to do.

I would have been lost without her instruction. And, here’s the thing, she was showing me how to do something that–if you think like a businessperson–could conceivably have been a threat to what she was already doing.

I was basically asking her to show me what she was doing to find and connect with readers in Romance Happy Hour, so I could do it too. And she did. Bam. There she is. Kind and generous. You’ll get a chance to win Dylann’s Sweet Tea and Second Chances on December 19th

Dylann’s Bio

USA Today bestselling author Dylann Crush writes contemporary romance with sizzle, sass, heart and humor. A true romantic, she loves her heroines spunky and her heroes super sexy. When she’s not dreaming up steamy storylines, she can be found sipping a margarita and searching for the best Tex-Mex food in the Upper Midwest.

Dylann co-hosts Romance Happy Hour (https://www.romancehappyhour.com/) with live episodes every 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month and is a founding member of the Romance Chicks group where authors and romance readers can connect.


Wow! It was so much fun to introduce you to just a few of the unique and wonderful romance writers that I have had such a privilege to get to know over the years. And you, dear readers, did you really stick with me through that whole list? I adore you. To show you how much I adore you, I’ll be giving out one copy of all three of my books on December 20th. Yep, I’m an add-on author. So, really, I’m giving away 18 books.

And, in case you’re wondering, I will be doing a new challenge for 2020. It’s going to be amazing fun and a bit scary and a lot of travel! The 2020 challenge will be announced in the new year, so if you’ve come this far, stick with me, because the best is yet to come!!


19 thoughts on “Meet the Authors of A Winter Wonderland of Books Giveaway!

  1. Way to go on challenging yourself each month! It’s been so much fun getting to know you and I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for you!

  2. Wow! A diverse group of women and a great group of writers I’m sure. I can’t wait to read their books. Thanks for the opportunity.

  3. Interesting group of ladies. Loved your ideas of meeting challenges. Thank you for the chance. I love to read and meet new authors🤩

    1. Thanks so much for your comments. You can’t go wrong with any of the books from these wonderful authors! Good luck in the giveaway!

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