Tuesday, December 23, 2014

It's a Wonderful Fireman in Paperback

Do you prefer paperbacks to ebooks? Or maybe you like having both versions? Many people have asked me when the last book in the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel series will be out in print, and the good news is .... NOW! Since this is a digital first book, there may not be much distribution into bookstores or the big chain stores like Walmart. But you can order it at several places online to be delivered into your mailbox.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/16LucXr

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1ATZKDu

HarperCollins: http://bit.ly/1zYy42f


This book is getting fantastic reviews from readers and bloggers, which makes for a very happy Christmas for me -- though still a little sad.  I love these Bachelor Firemen, and I'm going to miss them. I hope you enjoy Lizzie and Mulligan's story, as well as one more appearance of the firemen heroes from the previous books. Happy holidays!

Jennifer 

Friday, December 19, 2014

Christmas at the Firehouse ~ A Bachelor Firemen Short Story



 Christmas at the Firehouse  

A Bachelor Firemen Short Story

Photo courtesy of Bill Bailey, The Calhoun Chronicle

The sexy, smoldering “Bachelor Firemen” of San Gabriel were usually seen in turnouts, SGFD t-shirts, or without any shirts at all. But on a day shortly before Christmas, Station 1 was awash with Santa gear as the firefighters competed for a role only one could play.

“Why shouldn’t a woman be Santa? We’ve never had a female Santa.” Sabina Jones wore a Santa hat that kept falling over one eye, probably because it belonged to her husband, Chief Roman, who had the build of a gladiator.

“Only one person here has the belly to be Santa.” Double D patted his stomach, which always grew a few inches around the holidays, what with all the baked goods the citizens of San Gabriel kept dropping off at the firehouse.

“Santa Claus isn’t about the belly.” Vader, the fittest guy on the crew, shouldered his way to the front of the small knot of firefighters. “It’s about personality. Kids love me. I’m like a superhero to them. Fire-Man to the rescue.” He struck a pose, his open Santa jacket exposing his bulging muscles.

Fred Breen snorted. “Santa isn’t a superhero, Vader. He’s the spirit of Christmas, meaning peace and joy and giving. I should play Santa. I get along great with kids. For six years I played an elf in the San Gabriel Christmas pageant. Beat that, superhero.”

“Then again, Santa is called Father Christmas, and I’m the only father here,” said Captain Brody proudly. As the first Bachelor Fireman to tie the knot, he savored his new role as dedicated family man.

“Fine, pull the Dad card,” grumbled the station heartthrob, Ryan Blake. “I’m the one who should be Santa, because I never had a decent Christmas in my life before I came here.”

“Hey, if that’s the standard, I’m your front-runner,” said Dean Mulligan, the newest member of the crew. “But I’m not in the running,” he added quickly. “Unless you want to scare kids away from the fire truck. Then I’m your man.” No one argued with that. Mulligan’s broken nose and tough guy attitude were catnip to the ladies, but probably wouldn’t make for the best Santa.

“This is ridiculous,” declared Sabina. “While we’re standing here arguing, who’s going to pack all the gifts into the rig? Or string the twinkle lights? Or hang the wreath on the front of the engine? The truck has to be ready to roll by six.” Their traditional delivery of Christmas gifts to families across San Gabriel was scheduled for that evening. The crew had been collecting presents for weeks, and the community had been pitching in with enthusiastic generosity. Everyone loved the Holiday Fire Truck -- perhaps the crew most of all.

“Brody, you decide,” said Fred. “We’ll go with whoever you say.”

Amid a chorus of agreement, Brody surveyed the firefighters, with their motley array of Santa adornments. “Hmmm … well, it’s a tough choice. I know you’d all make great Santas. You’re all kind, you’re all generous, you’re all good-hearted. But since we can only have one Santa, I’m going to say—”

“Ho ho ho!” A booming voice interrupted Brody. A huge, broad, white-bearded man strode into the training room. He wore a red velvet suit with white trim – classic Santa attire. A profusion of white hair covered most of his face, and a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles balanced on his nose. “Merry Christmas!”

The crew stood frozen to the spot. No one seemed to recognize this Santa. Stan the Dog zipped out of the captain’s office, where he’d been napping. Overcome with excitement, he jumped up and down on his hind legs, a trick no one had ever seen him do before. They all watched in amazement. When they looked up from the little beagle, the strange Santa had disappeared.

“Was that Joe the Toe?” Mulligan asked, referring to a fireman at the Porter Ranch station. “He’s the only guy I know that size.”

“Pretty good makeup job it if was,” said Vader.

Brody shook off the spell. “Come on, let’s catch up to him. He strode down the corridor, the others following in his wake. When he reached the entrance to the apparatus bay, where the pumper, truck and engine were housed, he stopped short. The others piled up behind him. “What the …?”

Engine 1 radiated color cast from twinkle lights that outlined every door, every compartment, every sleek line of the rig. Soft pools of glowing light, orange and red and green, filled the garage. Fresh pine scented the space -- thanks to the giant wreath adorning the engine’s grille. And inside …

Oh my.

The firefighters ran to the engine door and peered inside at piles of brightly wrapped presents of every size and shape, wrapped in gold or green paper with red velvet bows, with shrink-wrapped candy canes sprinkled here and there.

“Wow,” breathed Vader.

“Who did this?” Fred whirled around. “”Where’d that Santa go? I was in here half an hour ago and this rig was empty.”

“I bet Porter Ranch sent a whole crew over here to do this. That must have been Joe the Toe,” said Ryan Blake.

They all ran into the street, while Vader called Joe on the phone. “Joe’s with his family in Boston,” he informed the crew. “Everyone spread out. We have to find that Santa!”

But as hard as they looked, no one ever saw any sign of the huge man in the Santa suit. No other station in town – and no other fire department in Southern California – ever confessed to the deed.

But the children of San Gabriel had a wonderful holiday season, as did the Bachelor Firemen. When the crew spoke of it in later years, it was in hushed tones, and with the general agreement that it had definitely, without a doubt, been the best firehouse Christmas prank ever.

Unless it wasn’t … 


Wishing you a fire truck full of joy, peace and holiday cheer!  

xo Jennifer 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Cookies + Kisses, New Release + Giveaway!


www.tawnyweber.com

Hello everyone, and welcome to San Gabriel Fire Station 1, where the holiday season is in full swing -- though not everyone is happy about that.

Mulligan surveyed the shabby, workaday training room, now lit with twinkle lights and scented with spruce boughs. “It’s not even Christmas yet. Why are we doing this?”
“Christmas is in two days. When are we supposed to do it?” Vader Brown, the new captain of the engine company, gripped a steaming mug of coffee in his enormous fist.
“Don’t ask Mulligan that,” Sabina answered, strolling in from the kitchen with a red-and-green-iced doughnut. Mulligan used to have a crush on her, but he hadn’t thought about her that way lately. Not since he and Lizzie had started their . . . whatever it was. “Mulligan’s the original Scrooge. He actually said we should ban Christmas for safety reasons.”
“Christmas lights . . . electrical hazards . . . family stress . . . it’s a nightmare. Ask any suicide hotline..” Mulligan headed into the kitchen to pour himself a mug of coffee. “Oooh, cookies.”
“Don’t touch those,” Fred warned. “A lady wearing an elf costume brought them in. You might get Christmas fever.”
Mulligan popped a fudge cookie—the least Christmassy of the choices—in his mouth. “An elf costume. Like, a hot elf?”
Sabina rolled her eyes, while Vader made a “little bit” gesture with his fingers. Stan, the firehouse dog, trotted into the room. His head drooped under the weight of felt reindeer antlers.
“Who did that to poor Stan?” Mulligan demanded, nearly choking on the rest of his cookie.
 Yes, firefighter Dean Mulligan has a few issues with Christmas. But little does he know, as he consumes his cookie, that he's about to go through one of those miraculous experiences that change your life forever. If you've ever seen the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," then you know what I'm talking about.

The entire story unfolds in IT'S A WONDERFUL FIREMAN, which is out today in ebook format (only .99), and will be out on December 23 in paperback.

Hard-edged fireman Dean Mulligan has never been a big fan of Christmas.  Twinkle lights and sparkly tinsel can’t brighten the memories of too many years spent in ramshackle foster homes.  Although he’s established himself as one of the top firefighters at San Gabriel Station 1, he doesn’t think he’s good enough for someone like gorgeous Lizzie.
Lizzie Breen is used to fighting—from her alpha male brothers who try to smother in the name of safety to the childhood life-threatening illness she overcame.  She knows what she and Mulligan feel for each other is a lot more than a fling, but she can’t get him to see that.  The only gift Lizzie wants to give him this season is her love, but he’s not willing to accept it.
When Mulligan is trapped in the burning wreckage of a holiday store, a Christmas angel arrives to open his eyes. But is it too late? This Christmas, it’ll take an angel, a determined woman in love, and the entire Bachelor Firemen crew to make him believe … it is indeed a wonderful life. 
To celebrate, I'm giving away a download of any previous book, full-length or novella, in the Bachelor Firemen series! Start at the beginning or fill in a gap, it's up to you. Since we're also celebrating Tawny Weber's new Cookies and Kisses Cookbook (yum!), I'll also give away a Bachelor Firemen Season's Greeting mug.
All you have to do is tell me what your favorite holiday treat is. Is there something you look forward to every Christmas? I'll pick a winner on Thursday, December 4.



Amazon

B&N

Kobo

iBooks










Have a wonderful holiday season filled with Cookies and Kisses, peace and joy! Click here for more about Tawny's awesome new free Cookies & Kisses Cookbook -- which includes my recipe for Firefighter's Cookies!

xo
Jennifer

Monday, September 22, 2014

On Tour with Giveaways


As you can see, I'm going to be all over the Internet talking about The Night Belongs to Fireman for the next few weeks. Here's a (nearly) complete list of where I'll be giving interviews and where you'll find reviews and excerpts. There's also a big Rafflecopter giveaway that you can enter at each stop. Three winners will win the first three books in the Bachelor Firemen series. So have fun, stop by and say "hi," and enter for a chance to win!

Sept 22nd- Booklovers for Life-Exc/P
(Stop 2) Ramblings From This Chick- Int/P
Sept 23rd-For the Love of Bookends- Rev/P
Sept 25th- Storm Goddess Book Reviews- Int/Rev
Sept 26th- What I'm Reading- Rev/P/Exc
(Stop 2) Save Your Money for Books- Rev/P

Sept 29th- Unwrapping Romance- Rev/P
(Stop 2) Christine's Words- Promo
Sept 30th- Bitten by Love Reviews- Promo
(Stop 2) Harlequin Junkie- Int/P
Oct 1st - Crystal Blogs Books- Rev/P
Oct 2nd- The Lusty Literate- P/Exc
Oct 3rd - Fab Fantasy Fiction- Int/P (Rev)

Oct 6th- Jen's Reading Obsession- P/Exc/Rev
Oct 7th- Manga Maniac Cafe- Int/P
Oct 8th- Romancing the Readers- Rev/P
(Stop 2) Pretty Girls Read Books- P/Exc
Oct 9th- Gone Pecan- Rev/Exc/GP
Oct 10th- Books N' Kisses- Rev/Exc
(Stop 2) I am, Indeed- Rev/Exc

Oct 13th- A Bluestocking's Place- P/Exc
(Stop 2) Book Liaison- P/Exc
Oct 14th- Booklover Sue- Int/P
(Stop 2) Renee Entress's Blog- Rev/P
(Stop 3) Book Suburbia- Promo
Oct 15th- To Each Their Own Reviews- Int/Rev
(Stop 2) The Many Faces of Romance- Rev/Exc
Oct 16th- Underneath the Covers- Rev/P/Exc
(Stop 2) Written Love- Exc/P
Oct 17th- Forever Book Lover- Rev/P
(Stop 2) Clever Girls Read- Rev/Exc

I hope to see you somewhere in my virtual travels! Hugs!
 

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Sexy Fireman Books only .99!

Newsflash! The first 5 Bachelor Firemen books are only .99 today on Kindle! http://amzn.to/1nCgLuI



That's right, every single one of the above books is included in the sale. This is an amazing opportunity, so if you are missing any of the series, now's your chance to catch up. Or if you want to gift a sexy fireman book to a friend, now's your chance. Happy reading!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Sale Alert!

Sale Alert! This week only, Four Weddings and a Fireman is on sale for only $1.99 on iBooks. This is the perfect time to catch up with the Bachelor Firemen before the release of The Night Belongs to Fireman on September 30. If you're not a iBooks reader, check the other ebook retailers -- they may match this price. (We can always hope.) Enjoy!



It takes a certain kind of man to stand out among the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel. 

Firefighter Derek "Vader" Brown is one of a kind—six feet of solid muscle with the heart of a born hero. It's that protective streak that has him pursuing a promotion to Captain to pay for his mother's home care. And it's why he intends to figure out why his sometime girlfriend Cherie Harper runs hot as hellfire one minute and pushes him away the next. 

Cherie's got it bad. Vader sweeps her off her feet—literally—and their chemistry is combustible. There's just the little problem of a nightmare from her past she was desperate to escape. And then her sister Trixie arrives, causing havoc for Cherie and the male population of San Gabriel. Cherie doesn't want her past to complicate Vader's life or his career. But there's nothing like a firefighter for breaking through all your defenses, one smoldering kiss at a time...

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - Alaska-style

One of my lovely readers challenged me in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and silly me, I decided -- what a great opportunity to involve my hometown firefighters at Kachemak Emergency Services. I should have seen this coming, since I know how much firefighters like to have fun. Boy, did they get into it! They came up with the crazy idea you're about to see and got a bunch of ice donated by Alaska Ice.

So here's a little taste of how we do things in Alaska -- big and cold.


As you can see, we had fun with it. Greg and Nick from KES Station 1 were awesome. They were so great that I double-donated to ALS.net by way of thanks.

And by the way, I know it looks like I was only under the water for a moment ... but it felt like forever!! That slo-mo section is exactly how it felt to me. Maybe even slower.

Have you taken the Challenge or made a donation to ALS.net? I know many people are tired of seeing the videos in their Facebook feeds and the concept may seem ridiculous to some. But ALS is such a terrible disease that I believe we should do everything possible to fight it. So I was happy to be challenged, happy to donate, and happy to make a fool of myself on video. The goodlooking firemen were just a bonus. :-)

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

SALE ALERT!

Looking for a hot book for a hot summer's day? HOW TO TAME A WILD FIREMAN is only $1.99 today on all ebook platforms. Smokin' hot "Psycho" Callahan, his childhood friend Lara Nelson, a massive wildfire, the so-called "Goddesses" of Loveless, Nevada, and the rest of the Bachelor Firemen set the pages on fire in this one. Enjoy! (And keep a cool drink handy. )







The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel have a rebel among them, and there's only one woman who can put his flames out.

Firefighter Patrick “Psycho” Callahan earns his nickname every day. Fast, fit, and a furious worker, he thrives on the danger which helps him forget a near-tragedy that changed his life forever. But when his off-duty carousing gets out of hand, Patrick is sent back to Loveless, Nevada, where the wildfire threatening his hometown has nothing on sizzling Dr. Lara Nelson.

Lara would rather be thought of as the physician who returned to Loveless than as the misfit brought up at a hippie New Age commune. But right now she’s focused on her job at hand, patching up injured firemen...until the past hits her in the hard-muscled, blue-eyed form of Patrick Callahan. Now, the embers of their decade-old attraction have ignited into a full-on inferno, as the bad-boy firefighter and the good doctor take a walk on the wild side they'll never forget.


Sunday, July 20, 2014

Meet Me in San Antonio

Do you happen to live in the great state of Texas? I used to, in fact I graduated from high school in Houston, Texas. I jump at every opportunity to go back, even though I no longer have family there. So I was very excited when I found out that this year's RWA National Conference will be in San Antonio. If you're anywhere near this area, I hope you'll come to the conference, even if it's just to attend the epic, one-of-a-kind "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing on Wednesday, July 23.

This event is free, and all proceeds go to support literacy efforts. I'll be there along with hundreds of the best, most well-known romance authors in the world, from Nora Roberts to Kristan Higgins to Julia Quinn. I'll be a tiny goldfish in a huge pond, which is completely fine with me. (I always just about bankrupt myself snapping up signed books from my writing idols.)

Click the link below for all the details. If you do come, please stop by and say "hi!" If you tell me you saw this blog post, I'll have a special treat for you. 

http://www.rwa.org/literacy

As an Avon author, I'll be signing free books at the Avon Open House at 9:45 on Friday, July 25. Yep, that's right. Free books. :-)

I'll also be attending a signing at Fort Hood on Saturday, July 26. This will start at 11am and is open to anyone on the base.

Fort Hood Clear Creek Exchange, Clear Creek Rd, Building #50004, Ft Hood, TX 76544


RWA Nationals is always a crazy, fun, inspiring time, and I hope I get to see you there! Come and say hi wherever or whenever you happen to see me.

Best,
Jennifer


Monday, June 23, 2014

The Writing Process Blog Hop



I’ve always loved historical romances that feature governesses, particularly if they end up catching the eye of the handsome, enigmatic lords for whom they’re working. Well, Avon Impulse author Ellie MacDonald has a whole series about a group of Regency governesses who are trying to pool their resources and start a school. What a great concept! You can learn more about The Governess Club series on her website. Anyway, Ellie has tagged me in the Writing Process Blog Hop, for which I have to answer 4 questions.



1. What am I working on right now?

2. How does my work differ from others in the genre?

3. Why do I write what I do?

4. How does my writing process work?




 
 Eeek!!! And she said they were going to be easy questions. Thanks a lot, Ellie! (j/k) Okay, here goes.




1.     What am I working on right now? This one’s pretty easy. I’m working on the first book in my new series about a minor league baseball team called the Kilby Catfish, from Kilby, Texas. I’m on the last chapter, so my first draft is almost finished. Woohoo!!!!

2.     How does my work differ from others in the genre? Every author has their own unique blend of different qualities. I hope I bring my particular brand of wit to my writing. I like delving into the emotional struggles and damage of my characters. And I really like writing sex scenes. So those are the aspects I focus on when I write. I want some fun, some sexiness, and some personal struggles. I also really like characters who aren’t what they seem at first. My characters often seem to be keeping secrets or hiding parts of themselves from the world. Until true love comes along, of course.

3.     Why do I write what I do? I write contemporary romance because I know from personal experience how challenging it is to find love in today’s world. It took me a long time to find my husband, and I nearly lost faith in romance along the way. Crafting a romance for characters who are damaged, wary, and possibly somewhat cynical is so satisfying, even if it’s fictional. It brings the potential for love into a complicated world. Romance novels gave me hope during some tough times, and that’s what I want to do with my books.

4.     How does my writing process work? Tough one!! I’m much more productive with an outline. I start with whatever challenges my characters are facing, and develop a rough outline from that. I ask questions like, What would make things worse for the hero? Why is falling for the heroine going to create problems? What situation can I create that forces them to make really hard decisions? Once I have a rough outline, with several important turning points, I write a rough draft. Often I change the outline as I go, if something isn’t working. This might involve going back and changing the beginning, but generally I just spew out the first draft. Then – VERY important – I let that draft sit for a while. Then I go back and revise. Then I send to beta readers, and revise again. I LOVE rewriting. For me, that’s when the real magic happens, when I can see the story through thick layers of dust (which is all my bad writing and ideas that didn’t work and tangents that detract) and polish and polish until it all sings. Hopefully. One other thing: I’ve found that every book is a little different, and I have to adjust my process accordingly.


So there you have it – my writing process. I'm tagging two other authors: Meg Benjamin. I can't wait to read about her process, because the end results rock. http://megbenj1.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/the-writing-process-blog-hop/ 

 And C.J. Williams http://cgwilliamsauthor.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-writing-process.html

Any questions about my writing process? Or would you like to share your own writing process?