Martini Club 4 – The 1920s
Amanda McCabe,
Alicia Dean, Kathy L Wheeler and Krysta Scott have a unique friendship. Yes,
they are all romance writers, and at different stages in their writing careers.
But every Friday night, schedules permitting, they meet at the Martini Lounge
in Edmond, Oklahoma where they chitchat, plan retreats to get away and for just
a general get away. Over a period of time the idea to create a series of
stories where the Martini Lounge would serve as a backdrop—well, as writers,
that was inevitable. So here we are with our first go at it. Welcome to 1920s
New York City where four young women run away from England excited to make
their own way in a new world.
All four stories
are now available for the pre-order price of **$0.99** until February 26, 2015,
the official release.
Rebellious: Martini Club 4 Series – The
1920s
Amanda McCabe
Blurb: Can an aristocratic lady melt the cold heart of
a Russian gangster?
Lady Jessica Hatton fled her high-society London
debutante life for one of investigative journalism in New York—only to be
relegated to the fashion pages. Searching for a juicy story leads her to Club
501, the city's most glamorous speakeasy—and its handsome, mysterious owner,
Frank Markov. But his past of war and revolution puts their hearts—and their
lives—in danger...
Excerpt: “Do
you smell that, Meggie?” Jessica Hatton cried as she leaned into the cold, salt
spray wind, her t-strap shoes perched on the lowest rung of the ship's
railing. She'd lost her hat, and the
short strands of her hair blew into her eyes, but she didn't care. England was far behind them. They had escaped.
“It
smells like freedom!” she shouted, and threw up her arms. It felt like she could fly all the way to
America.
“I
only smell old fish,” Meggie said. “Now
come down from there, Jess. If you
tumble into the drink, it will all be over before it even starts.”
Jessica
laughed and shook her head, but she did climb down. She spun around to see Meggie stretched out
on one of the deck chairs, the glossy mink collar of her coat drawn close
around her.
The
sky was grey and dismal-looking, the water not as glassy-smooth as when
they slid past Ireland yesterday and headed out to open sea. Several of the passengers had retreated to
their cabins, but Jessica couldn't stand staying inside. Not when there was so much to be seen.
“It
smells like fish and freedom,” Jessica insisted. “But we can go in now. Maybe Charlotte and Eliza will want to play
some cards or mah-jong.”
“Finally,”
Meggie grumbled as she swung her feet down to the damp deck. But her smile was broad. Jessica knew Meggie was loving it all just as
much as she was.
Bio: Amanda McCabe wrote
her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all
her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her
parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated
for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOK Reviews
Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice
Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of
two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many
books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes,
collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though
she doesn't cook.
Ruined: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Alicia Dean
Blurb: She vowed she’d be no man’s doxy, but fate had other
plans...
After the Earl of Goodwin attempts to force
himself on her, housemaid Eliza Gilbert flees England for New York, hoping to
build a better life. But the land of opportunity proves as harsh as the London
docks, and she finds herself in a situation more dreadful than the one she
escaped.
Former boxer, Vince “The Fist” Taggart dreams of
marrying, having a family, and living a quiet, peaceful life. But when a girl
he's known since childhood disappears, he heads to New York in search of her
and meets Eliza, a woman with a less than honorable reputation. Inexplicably
captivated, Vince can’t force himself to stay away, especially when he learns
Eliza is the key to finding his missing friend.
Excerpt: Eliza lifted her gaze, then
looked away when she met his eyes. They were just too…striking, too blue. “I’m
afraid you’ll have to speak to Oscar. He handles all my transactions.” She
could never have a normal outing with a man. A lump of regret rose in her
throat. She turned and started up the stairs.
Vince
caught up to her in a few steps and grabbed her arm, taking the bag from her at
the same time. “That was a lousy thing to say.”
She
opened her mouth to accuse him of going around Oscar so he didn’t have to pay.
But that was ridiculous. He hadn’t taken what he’d paid for the first time. She
lifted a hand and rubbed her forehead. His attention confused her. What was his
angle? He didn’t want sex. Did he think she was hiding something about Cynthia
and if he spent time with her he could draw it out? “What do you want from me?”
“A
picnic.”
Bio: Alicia Dean lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. She has three grown
children and a huge network of supportive friends and family. She writes mostly
contemporary suspense and paranormal, but has also written in other genres,
including a few vintage historicals.
Other than reading and writing, her passions are
Elvis Presley, MLB, NFL (she usually works in a mention of one or all three
into her stories) and watching her favorite televisions shows like Vampire
Diaries, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Haven, The Mindy Project, and Dexter (even
though it has sadly ended, she will forever be a fan). Some of her favorite
authors are Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Sharon
Sala, Jordan Dane, Ridley Pearson, Joseph Finder, and Jonathan Kellerman…to
name a few.
Reckless: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Kathy L Wheeler
Blurb: Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger…
Singer Margaret (Meggie) Montley needs
money…fast. Her friend is in a dire situation with nowhere to turn. While
Meggie is on the brink of stardom, it’s not soon enough to save her friend.
Harry Dempsey is out to avenge the deaths of his
father and brother at the hands of a ruthless gangster. But trouble spirals out
of control when Meggie Montley shows up the night he meets his nemesis to
settle the score. Saving the impetuous woman from a crime lord might be easier
than saving her from her own reckless behavior.
Excerpt: Meggie
launched herself from her hiding place and threw her arms about Harry’s neck.
Locked in his muscular embrace, she rested her chin on his shoulder. His arms
tightened around her. “Oh, Harry. I came as fast as I could. Just as we’d
planned.” The words, she’d intended to carry, came out breathless.
“Fast,
huh?” The whisper was against her ear where no one else could hear, raised
goose prickles over her entire body. “Guess I’ll have to do something about
that.” He lifted his head. “What are you doing with my girl, Joe?”
Joey’s
hands flew into the air, indicating his surrender. “Sorry, Dempsey. Had no idea
she was anyone’s quiff—”
Meggie’s cheeks burned, and she
stiffened at the insult. Harry’s one arm gripped her closer. The other shot up,
jerking her body like a rag doll. She couldn’t see Harry’s face with her own
now buried in his neck, but she felt the corded muscles contract.
Bio: Kathy L Wheeler (also known as Kae Elle
Wheeler) writes both Contemporary and Historical
Romance. She was born in Presque
Isle, Maine. How she ended up in Texas, then Oklahoma is as much a
mystery to her as anyone. She graduated from the University of Central
Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems and a minor in Vocal
Music.
She is published through The Wild Rose Press. She loves to
travel. Ports of call include a three week stint in Europe covering
Madrid, Barcelona, Avignon, Paris, Koln, Amsterdam and London. Other
exciting places she’s visited are Grand Cayman, Puerta Vallerta, Mexico,
Vancouver, Canada, and roaming from one romance writing conference to another
nationwide. You may have met her in Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, San
Diego, New York or Atlanta. She is a member of the Oklahoma RWA Chapter,
Dara, and The Beau Monde. Kathy lives with her musically talented husband in
Edmond, Oklahoma. They have one grown daughter and one bossy cat, Carly!
Runaway: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Krysta Scott
Blurb: Can she prove her innocence before more than
her dreams are destroyed?
After escaping an arranged marriage, Lady
Charlotte Leighton lands on a new shore, determined to realize her dream of opening
her own bakery. But her plans are shattered when her former fiancé follows her
to New York. Now, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom.
Haunted by a string of failures, Detective Felix
Noble is determined to solve his latest case. But his efforts to find a
murderer are jeopardized by a forbidden attraction to his number one suspect.
While he’s certain Charlotte Leighton is keeping secrets, instinct tells him
she’s not the murderess he first believed.
Excerpt: Long
thin fingers curled around a glass and lifted it from the tray. Charli followed
the direction of the drink. Derrick Chaunce, or as the local duffs referred to
him, “Slick”, grinned, exposing yellowed teeth.
“You … You…” Her throat closed.
The rest of her diatribe wouldn’t budge.
He winked. His thin hair
slicked back in the latest fashion exaggerated the gaunt cheekbones and sunken
eyes, tinging him with an unhealthy, dilapidated look. He gulped the whiskey. A
bit of the amber liquid escaped through the gap in his teeth and down his chin.
Her stomach lurched.
“Thank you, sweet cakes. Put it
on my tab.” He skulked off.
Charli whirled around. How did
the bounder get past Tiny? Ira fumed about customers who ran up a high tab
without reconciling at the end of the night. Now she would have to explain yet
another charge added to Slick’s mounting debt. She sighed and rolled her eyes
to the heavens. The customer was always right. Even when they were wrong.
Bio: Krysta Scott is a family law attorney in her false life.
After years of writing and winning contests, she is now taking the plunge into
publishing. A fan of sci-fi and dark stories surrounding people in crisis, she
also enjoys way too much TV including Vampire Diaries, Breaking Bad, and
Sherlock. Runaway is her breakout story.
Contact info: http://krystascottauthor.com
Hello!
Two things occurred to me while I
read Angel
in the Moonlight for the first time in seven years: I still really
liked the story and got caught up in it once again (like it was brand new and
written by a stranger), but the most amazing thing (and yeah, this surprised
me, but really, I’m such a sucker/sap for that happily ever after that I
shouldn’t have been surprised)….I cried at the end. I KNOW! I cried….sniffles,
tears and everything! It was not pretty! 
