Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Hop

Update: I mistakenly told random.org to choose 4 winners, so we'll go with that! :)
Winners, randomly drawn are: Nikki McCarver, strawberryrose, Silvia Fugate and Mel Bourn. Look for an email from me coming to your inbox today.

Welcome to the Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Hop!

Up for grabs on this hop are:

1. A Kindle Fire
2. $50 Amazon.com gift certificate

Winners will be will be selected from post comments via random number generation so be sure and LEAVE A COMMENT.

Also, I will be giving away three (3) eCopies of my book,
NOT WITHOUT RISK. 

Thanks for visiting!

Today I thought I would talk a little bit about my favorite type of romance hero: The Damaged Hero

They draw us in with their gut-wrenching pasts and their painful presents - the lost soul, so damaged by the million different things life has thrown at him he grows defeated, feels adrift and unworthy. We love their stories, no matter how painful or bittersweet. We yearn to see them find happiness as they travel down that long, difficult road toward happily-ever-after.

With a damaged hero, what you see on the outside is never what you get on the inside. The damaged hero feels deeply and I think that’s one of the reasons he appeals to female readers. I know when I read about a damaged hero I want to nurture and ‘heal’ him. I just can’t help myself.

There are many types of damaged heroes:

• Scarred - A scarred hero has visible damage. His body has suffered a lot and is usually covered in scars. The loss of his looks is a real blow for this type of hero.

• Wounded – A wounded hero can also have scars, but he also has physical damage. He has lost one or more of his senses, suffers disabling headaches or is dealing with lost or limited mobility.


• Tortured – A tortured hero is a damaged hero at the end of his rope. He is at his lowest point. He believes himself unworthy of love, most likely from being emotionally or mentally abused at some point in his life.

• Tragic – A tragic hero is an emotionally damaged hero. He’s lost family, friends, careers, purpose, and drive. He doesn’t want to/can’t possibly love again for losing that love just might kill him.

• Burdened – A burdened hero is a damaged hero who acts alone. His experiences in life have shown him he can’t trust others. A burdened hero may be harboring a deep, dark secret. He could be seeking vengeance, revenge, or absolution.


From my own writings, Sergeant Justin Harrison in NOT WITHOUT RISK is a wounded hero. A San Diego homicide detective, Justin is all cop. It’s all he knows, everything he is. His job defines him. Or so he believes, until the day a long-legged brunette stumbles into his crime scene and tips his world off its axis. Struggling against lingering physical limitations from taking a bullet, the last thing Justin wants is an unwelcome attraction. But as he works to uncover the identity of the person who killed her friend and is now threatening her life, Justin discovers Paige Conroy is exactly what he needs.

Who are some of your favorite damaged heroes?

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Characters Revealed: Justin Harrison

Have you heard the great news? For a limited time NOT WITHOUT RISK is available for 99CENTS. Yup, less than your daily Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks (and a lot fewer calories, too). *grin*


In celebration and to help me spread the words I have a wonderful contest going on. You can check out the details HERE. 


I have to admit that Justin is one of my favorite heroes. Probably because he was my 'first'. Or perhaps because as I write, and my heroine slowly falls in love with the hero, so do I. Either way, my heroes always worm their way into my heart a little deeper than my heroines, and Justin has a special place there so I thought I would share him with you today.

Hopefully after meeting him you'll be intrigued enough to check out his story, and perhaps, fall a little in love with him, too.

What is Not Without Risk about?

Murder. Proving to myself and my colleagues that I was fit to return to active duty after a .38 punctured my lung. And how a sexy brunette, with the longest legs I’ve ever had the pleasure of having wrapped around my hips, changed everything.

What did you think the first time you saw the heroine, Paige?

That she was stunning—and that it had been far too long since I’d been with a woman.

What was your second thought?

She could be a killer.

Why did you become a cop?

I have no stomach for people who take advantage of others weaknesses or misfortune for their own gain. I can’t stand violence against others, especially women. And when bad things happen, someone needs to help restore order, solve the puzzle and uncover the identity of the bad guy. I’m very good with puzzles.

What do you like most about Paige?

Her courage and strength. Even injured and bleeding, facing the knowledge that someone wanted her dead—would stop at nothing to see it happen—Paige didn’t break.

If you could change one thing about her, what would it be?

Why would I want to change her?

What is your biggest fear?

That I won’t be able to protect Paige. I pushed myself, my body, too hard in order to get back to the job—the thing that defines who I am. Then I met Paige, and discovered something more important than being a cop. Injured, exhausted and facing one of the toughest cases of my career…I don’t know if I can do it, if I can solve it before the killer gets his hands on her. But I have to. I can’t lose the woman who’s shown me I have worth other than the job—the woman I’ve come to need as much as my next lung full of air.

He has a killer to find and doesn't need a leggy brunette clouding his investigation.

She wants to know who murdered her friend.

As Justin and Paige try to stay one step ahead of a madman love comes...Not Without Risk. 

ON SALE NOW FOR $0.99!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/VCdnYz

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/134DlkP

 

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Reblog, Retweet & Share to WIN! - Take 2

Not Without Risk is On Sale! 

It’s summer and I'm so busy I don't know whether I'm coming or going! So to celebrate the warm weather, I've put my award winning romantic suspense, Not Without Risk, on sale for the super low price of 99 cents! And because it was so much fun last time, I’m doing another re-blog, re-tweet and share to win celebration!

What can you win??? 

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM BARNES and NOBLE or AMAZON
(winners choice) 

Here’s how to play:

1. Tweet (or retweet) about the sale. Every tweet will earn you one entry in the drawing. Make sure to include @SarahGrimmAuthr in your tweet so I can track your entry. 
2. Post or Share the sale on Facebook. Every post/share will earn you one entry in the drawing. Be sure to tag Sarah Grimm – Author in your post so I can track your entry. 
3. Reblog this post. Make sure to leave a link here so I can keep track. 

That’s it. Pretty simple, yes? The more you tweet, retweet, share or repost, the more entries you receive! I will announce the winner of the gift certificate on this blog on June 14, 2013.

He has a killer to find and doesn't need a leggy brunette clouding his investigation...

Six agonizing months after a slug collapsed his lung, Sergeant Justin Harrison manages to return to the one place where he shines—the San Diego homicide division. Nothing will stand in the way of proving he is fit for active duty. Especially not the long-legged brunette who just stumbled into his crime scene.

Photographer Paige Conroy spent years hiding from her past. Then a late night telephone call brings it crashing back. An old friend is in town and needs her help. When she arrives at his hotel room four hours later, he's dead. Suddenly, she's the target of a madman, and Paige must turn to Sergeant Harrison for protection.

But who is the bigger threat to her... the faceless assailant she fears will steal her life or the dark-eyed detective she knows could steal her heart?

GET IT TODAY – Just $0.99!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/VCdnYz

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/134DlkP

 "Ms. Grimm takes readers on an amazing journey, a trip where her wonderful talents as a storyteller bring the tale to life...If you, like me, enjoy fast paced, nail biting, page turning, edge of your seat suspense, then by all means get on board and try Not Without Risk." —BEST BOOK, Long and Short Reviews

"Sarah Grimm has done it again with a fabulous romantic suspense...The suspense and attraction was awesome and this is definitely an author that will blow your mind away."—Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews

 

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Character Quickie: Justin Harrison

20 quickie facts about Justin Harrison:

Birthday? August 27
Favorite color? Red - like the highlights in Paige’s hair.
Nickname? None that I’m aware of.
Birthmark or scars? A round scar at my left shoulder from a .38 and another on my left side from the surgeon.
Siblings? None
City of residence? San Diego, California
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Cinnamon
Occupation? Homicide Detective with the San Diego Police Department
Hobbies? Sex
Favorite song? You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
Name one item in your refrigerator right now? Moldy Cheese
Your greatest fear? That I won’t be able to protect Paige.
Most treasured possession? 1969 Pontiac GTO ‘The Judge’
Special talent? When bad things happen, someone needs to help restore order, solve the puzzle and uncover the identity of the bad guy. I’m very good with puzzles.
Cat or dog? Dog
Pet peeve? I have no stomach for people who take advantage of others weaknesses or misfortune for their own gain.
Unforgettable moment? The first time Paige told me she loved me. Although I could have done without the Beretta pressed against her ribs at the time.
Spicy or not? Spicy
Favorite guilty pleasure? A frosted mug of beer and a cigarette (which I was forced to give up).
If you could ask your author one question, what would it be? Was the Beretta really necessary?

Justin Harrison is the hero of NOT WITHOUT RISK.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/VCdnYz

Amazon.ca: http://amzn.to/WUvTcX 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/12I4rTr 

Nook: http://bit.ly/134DlkP

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Sneak Peek Sunday

NOT WITHOUT RISK:

The sign affixed to the door read Conroy Photography. Justin rapped his knuckles twice into the center of it. Behind him, the unusual quiet of the street unnerved him. The absence of everyday sounds—like traffic, barking dogs or children at play—tightened already-tense muscles. Made him wish he had strapped his Glock to his side before he‘d left his home. The thought disappeared the moment the door swung open.

Paige Conroy stood in the doorway, framed in the light from the room behind her. Gone was the woman he‘d met that morning, a woman who‘d exuded a surprising strength and professionalism. In her place stood a woman who unnerved him more.

Her hair hung down and fell in long, loose curls over her shoulder, nearly to her waist. The fingers of her left hand were tucked in the front pocket of a pair of faded jeans, worn white at the stress points and ripped at the knee. Old, comfortable jeans that fit her like a second skin, drawing his gaze down her long length of legs and to her bare feet. He took his time studying those feet, their red toenails and silver toe ring that he found ridiculously sexy. Enough time that when his gaze returned to her face, he found her frowning at him, her arms crossed before her.

“Sergeant Harrison, isn‘t it? Can I help you Sergeant Harrison?”

Her tone was ice cold, her stance forbidding. He‘d expected this, had been prepared for it even. But he had not been prepared to discover that beneath her outward appearance of strength, in a face washed clean of make-up, was a frailty that had been missing that morning. Dark shadows and small lines of fatigue ringed her eyes.

The urge to pull her to him and offer comfort surprised him. She was unusually tall for a woman. He stood six-foot-three and even with her feet bare, she nearly looked him in the eye. He liked his women shorter—blonde and petite. Paige Conroy was neither, but the thought of her in his arms, their bodies lining up perfectly, chest-to-chest, pelvis-to-pelvis, warmed his blood.

“Sergeant?”

“I need to talk to you.”

BUY Not Without Risk:

AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE / ARe

Check out the other Sneak Peak Sunday authors at:

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How I Start A WIP

As a writer, the question I get asked the most is ‘Where do you get your ideas?’. And if you’re interested, I answered this question in an older blog post. You can find it HERE.

The second most popular question I am asked is ‘Once you have an idea, where do you begin?’. This question is actually a bit more difficult to answer, but I’ll try. Story ideas come to me all of the time. The trick is being patient enough to wait and see if the idea has legs. What I mean is, some ideas come to me like a butterfly, then flit away just as quickly. Then there are the ones that stick, the heroes who won’t stop talking to me, even at three in the morning, that question that hangs in the air, day and night, that I feel compelled to answer. These are the ideas with legs. The ideas that force me to put pen to paper - or more and more often now, fingers to keyboard – and begin writing. These are the ideas that become my works in progress, or WIPs.

Once I’m ready to begin writing, I….heck, I’d love to tell you that I have a series of questions I ask myself or an outline I’ve worked up, but that’s not how it works for me. You see, I’m what they call a pantser – which means I write by the ‘seat of my pants’. That’s right, I don’t have much more than a title (which I can’t seem to begin without), and my hero and heroine’s name. If the idea came to me in the form of a question, which it sometimes does, then I have a bit more. If it came to me in the form of the hero’s voice in my head, nagging me to get on with it and tell his story, then I may only know how it ends. After all, heroes aren’t always prone to tell you how he got himself in the position he’s in, just how he wants that story to end. LOL

But, if the story idea came to me in the form of the opening scene (which is usually how they come to me) then I don’t know much at all. Maybe just what kind of person the hero/heroine is. And that’s when the fun begins for me, the moment I sit down and just begin typing. Letting the story unfold as it may, discovering the events that take the characters from the opening scene to the happily-ever-after. Yup, I just dive right in. No character sketches, outlines, or blurbs. Not until I’m farther into the story – like half way. For me, knowing too much before I begin spoils the fun. A complete outline before I’ve written a single scene, and I’ve lost the excitement, feel as if I’ve already told the story. Odd, I know, but true.

So that’s how I start a WIP. I get an idea stuck in my head, think on it a bit, then take myself and the voices in my head to my laptop and start writing. Does that make me sound a bit unhinged? Probably. However, I believe on some level all writers are...but that’s a different blog post.

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New Book Video

I have two new trailers that the amazing Amie Louellen created for me. The long book trailer for NOT WITHOUT RISK can be found under the 'Book Trailers' tab above. I also have a shortie or teaser trailer that I think is fun. Check it out!

What do you think?

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Not Without Risk

I've shared with you a picture of Sergeant Justin Harrison, right?  From my relaunched romantic suspense, NOT WITHOUT RISK...

He's pretty darn yummy, isn't he?
What you think he looks a bit frustrated?  That's because he is...

Justin crossed to the door, held it for her as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. He smiled at the sight of her Cadillac sitting at the curb, its top down in deference to the humid night air, before shifting his gaze to his own car, parked a few feet in front of hers and shining in the light from the street lamp.

Her lips parted as a startled gasp slipped free. Feet still bare, she walked to his car and slowly, one finger at a time, pressed down until her palm lay flat atop the front quarter panel. Even from his distance, he caught her tiny shiver of pleasure. “She’s beautiful.”

Justin watched, transfixed, as she moved around his car, each step forward followed by the gentle slide of her hand across the quarter panel. Down the side, across the rear spoiler and forward once more. Each stroke, each caress of her hand pushed his blood pressure up another notch until he had to steel himself from closing the distance and pulling her into his embrace.

Want consumed him. He wanted her hands on him, not just on his car. He wanted to taste her, feel her, to fist his hands in her hair and sink into her warmth. It’d been too long, far too long since he’d been with a woman—six months, ten days and twenty-two hours to be exact, and he missed it. He missed it more than he missed nicotine, more than he missed being able to draw a deep breath without the slightest twinge of pain.

She looked up and met his gaze across the expanse of the car. A smile curved her lips, brightened her face and lightened her features. Joy, pure, unadulterated joy sparkled in her eyes, warmed her voice. “How long have you had her?”

“About ten years now. I found her in a field behind someone’s house with four flat tires and mold covering the front seat.” Disgust colored her features but her smile did not fade. Justin caught himself before he could return her smile. He shoved his hands into his front pockets.

It’d been a mistake coming here, a mistake he needed to quickly remedy. For years he’d chosen his women for their physical endowments and little else. He liked them blonde and stacked, girls who didn’t expect more from him than a night of pleasure and tempted him in no other sense than the physical. Only since he’d faced down a bullet and lost, he hadn’t been able to even consider enjoying a woman with the same carelessness as before.

He has a killer to find and doesn't need a leggy brunette clouding his investigation.
She wants to know who murdered her friend.
As Paige and Justin try to stay one step ahead of a madman, love comes...Not Without Risk.


Buy your copy today at:
Amazon / Barnes and Noble / All Romance eBooks

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Let's Talk Heroes

So I’ve been wracking my brain for a blog topic and finally decided to talk a little about heroes. It’s a sacrifice, I know, but I love you – my readers – so I’ll suffer through it. LOL Seriously, who doesn’t love to talk about heroes?

For years I was addicted to reading cop heroes. FBI, P.I. or detective, I didn’t care. I couldn’t get enough of them! To this day, they’re still one of my favorite to read about, so it stands to reason that my first book, NOT WITHOUT RISK, featured one. Sergeant Justin Harrison – San Diego homicide detective – is all cop. It’s all he knows, everything he is. His job defines him. Or so he believes, until the day a long-legged brunette stumbles into his crime scene and tips his world off its axis.

I never base my character’s physical attributes on real people. When my characters first begin talking to me, I come up with the details – hair color, eye color, height, and skin tone – and an image of my hero and heroine takes shape in my head. I have problems with my characters looking “just like INSERT MOVIE STAR NAME HERE” because they aren’t that movie star. However, in the case of Justin Harrison, one man kept popping into my head whenever I sat back and pictured him – the smile, the dimple, hair and eye color – and pretty quickly he became the exact representation of Sergeant Justin Harrison.

Who is the real person that Justin looks like? Country crooner Ty Herndon.

My latest release, AFTER MIDNIGHT, is the first book in my Midnight Series. Noah Clark is the handsome, sensual lead singer of the rock band Black Phoenix. Noah has known fame and lived the wild life. He’s learned some hard-won lessons and is ready to focus on his music instead of everything else that comes with it. Then he walks into Isabeau’s bar and Whammo!

Mature and focused, Noah doesn’t come with much baggage. Which is perfect, really, as Isabeau has more than enough for both of them. What Noah does have is sex appeal. Tall and lean, with hair that’s a mix of medium and dark blond, and vibrant green eyes, that’s Noah. A quiet, confident man with a British accent. Oh, didn’t I tell you he was British? *grin*

Noah is one of those characters who resembles no one but himself, so when I went out to find a visual representation of him I came up blank. Until I stumbled upon this photo:

Which led to this one:

Yeah, that second one is my favorite. It’s about as close to how I picture Noah Clark as I can get. Is he hot or what? I could stare at that photo all day.

I never set out to make AFTER MIDNIGHT a series. When the story first came to me, it was just the story of a man and woman and their journey to happily-ever-after. Then Dominic Price walked onto the page…

My work in progress is book two in my Midnight Series, MIDNIGHT HEAT. Noah’s best friend and Black Phoenix bassist, Dominic Price is the type of man women walk into walls trying to get a better look at. Literally. At six-two with black hair that hangs in waves to just past his shoulders, and eyes so blue most people believe them to be contacts, Dominic is the epitome of a rock god. His British accent and killer smile don’t hurt, either.

I can’t find a picture that truly captures Dominic, but you get the idea. Dom knows exactly how sexy he is and has been known to use it to his advantage. He’s a touch arrogant, has an amazing sense of humor, and a love for music that is only rivaled by his love of one woman. The woman he walked away from three years ago.

What I love most about Midnight Heat is…well, the hero. Dominic is probably the most alpha of all of my alpha heroes. He’s blunt, in-your-face, and curses too much. He’s also flawed, damaged by his childhood, and more sensitive than he would ever let on. It takes a very special woman to unravel Dom, and Rebecca Dahlman is just the one to do it. That is, if Dom can convince her this time around he’s in it for more than just the heat.

So that’s them, my heroes. Well, the ones whose stories I’ve already fleshed out. There are two more who make appearances in the Midnight Series Books 1 and 2 who are impatiently waiting for their own book.

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My Pretties

The incredibly awesome Arial Burnz
strikes again!

Check out my new bookmarks for Not Without Risk!

Aren't they pretty?

Front	Back

Must go order them so I can hold them in my hand!

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Romantic Mystery vs. Romantic Suspense...Is there a difference?

A couple years ago my first book, a romantic suspense titled Not Without Risk, was reviewed by a popular review site. While the review was a good one – don’t get me wrong, I have no complaints – in one of the comments the reviewer said she preferred more ‘whodunit’ in her romantic suspense. Then a couple months ago my second book, a contemporary romance with a very minor element of suspense, was called a ‘mystery’ in a review. This comment did bother me because if you picked up the story based on the fact the reviewer called it a mystery, you would be disappointed, as After Midnight is most definitely NOT a mystery.

If you’ve read the ‘Meet Sarah’ section of this blog you’ll see that I don’t write romantic suspense exclusively. However, I can’t seem to write contemporary romance without adding at least some element of suspense, no matter how small. What I don’t write is romantic mystery.

Wait, you ask, there’s a difference between romantic mystery and romantic suspense? I’m glad you asked.

A lot of readers (and authors) look at romantic mystery and romantic suspense as being interchangeable. However, there’s a big difference between the two. At its simplest, a mystery is a puzzle that needs to be solved – an intellectual game of whodunit. In a mystery, the action is more mental than physical, and although there is danger, it usually – though not always – has already taken place before the book opens. But to me the biggest difference is that in a romantic mystery the hero or heroine is the ‘sleuth’, so the story is about what happens to someone else, not the main character, and how the main character solves the puzzle.

Suspense is about a threat or imminent danger that must be resolved. Something is coming and the reader is waiting for it to happen. The suspense story is typically about what happens to the main character and brings the question, will they survive? The action is an emotional roller coaster and the reader should identify with the hero or heroine and the danger they face – becoming a participant in the ride. A suspense story is about the characters’ journey through the book, and the ending therefore needs to be emotionally satisfying, where a mystery is to be intellectually satisfying.

Since I’m talking about ‘romantic’ mystery and suspense – there will always be an emotionally satisfying ending to the romance in both the mystery and suspense. Without it, the story wouldn’t be a romance. However, the solution to the puzzle needs to be an intellectual one. That means that in a romantic mystery, it is the writer’s job to keep the identity of the villain from the reader until the end. But for the emotional read, the suspense, it is okay for the reader to know the identity of the villain. After all, the threat from an unknown is not as emotionally engaging as the threat from someone you (or the hero/heroine) know(s).

There is some crossover in the genres as a lot of today’s mysteries contain suspense. Perhaps this is where a lot of the confusion stems. I’m really not sure. Some believe the labels don’t matter, that if you are familiar with an author’s work you know what to expect. However if you’re trying to sell a book, or attract new readers, I believe the label matters. And so this is me, tossing around labels…My name is Sarah Grimm, and I write romantic suspense.

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Cover Love!

A few weeks ago I told you about a few changes that where taking place in my writing life, specifically in regards to my debut novel, NOT WITHOUT RISK. (In case you missed it, you can find the post here)  I also promised to share with you my sexy new cover, as soon as I had it. What do you think?

HE HAS A KILLER TO FIND AND DOESN'T NEED A LEGGY BRUNETTE CLOUDING HIS INVESTIGATION.

SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHO MURDERED HER FRIEND.

AS PAIGE AND JUSTIN TRY TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF A MADMAN, LOVE COMES...NOT WITHOUT RISK.

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Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Some of you may have noticed my debut release, Not Without Risk, is disappearing from online stores. No? Well, I’ve noticed it, and let me tell you, it’s a bit unnerving. Not like it’s a surprise or anything, I mean, I asked for it, but still…

Maybe I should start over. A while back I realized I was near the end of my contract with The Wild Rose Press, and I started toying with the idea of not leaving my book with them. What if I took it back? Made a few changes and re-released it out into the virtual world at a new, lower price? I have friends who are editors, a friend who’s a publisher, and hey, I have a sexy cover artist friend! Should I? Shouldn’t I? Chould I?

After much thought, long conversations with my husband, and lots and lots of emails back and forth between me and the gals whose opinions I value the most, I asked for the rights back to Not Without Risk.

*insert confetti toss*

Okay, so it isn’t a celebration yet. In fact, I flip flop between moments of anxiety and fear that I’ve made the wrong decision, to excitement and anticipation. I can’t wait to dig back into RISK! My writing style has changed since I scribbled that tale long-hand during the many, many I hours spent at the hospital with my youngest son. I could cover the logistics of what is different about my writing style, but, YAWN, who wants to hear technical jargon?

I don’t, not when I can talk about my sexy new cover. Wait until you see it! I’ve seen the mock-up and Oh. My. God. It’s hawt! *Sarah disappears to go check the cover mock-up one more time* Oh, yeah. Rawr!

And so, while it’s a bit unnerving to see the book disappear from online merchant shelves, I’m also excited. Geeked, as my niece would say. Not only will I be able to have another go at RISK, I get to give it a hot new cover. And even more thrilling…put it back out there for all of you at a fabulous, new low price!

I don’t have all of the details ironed out, but as soon as I do, I’ll share them with you. Until then, thanks for reading.



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The Page 99 Test ~ Not Without Risk

The Page 99 Test is simple: After reading page 99, would you want to turn the page and keep reading? About a month ago I posted page 99 of my contemporary romance, After Midnight. Because it was so much fun, I thought I'd do it again.

Let's have a look at my romantic suspense, Not Without Risk:

    As her legs suddenly went weak, Paige forced away the thought. She couldn't get involved with him. Couldn't let herself care.
    She dragged in a shaky breath. "I'm sorry I've wasted your time."
    Justin set his jaw. His hand curled against his thigh. "I never said you were wasting my time."
    She'd been so afraid, coming out of a nightmare then hearing someone move around downstairs. So sure of what she'd heard, certain of someone in her studio. Now...
    Maybe it had been a dream, or the panicked imaginings of an exhausted mind. Paige didn't think so, but couldn't be certain. "I must be overreacting."
    "It would be understandable."
    She closed her eyes against the kindness she heard in his voice. They snapped open at the feel of his finger beneath her chin. He tipped her face to his. "Then there's the broken bottle in the darkroom. Imagination doesn't explain that."
    Relief filled her, driving away some of her tension. Maybe she wasn't losing her mind, after all. "Thank you."
    "For what, doing my job?"
    "For answering my call, even though you were probably busy with something else. For believing in me. Again."
    "We aren't going to start this again, are we? I wasn't busy." Justin explained as he lifted his hand and traced his fingertip along her jaw. "I had dinner with my mother earlier. On my way home, I stopped off for a drink. That's where I was when you called."
    Paige took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart. The caress of his fingers across her skin made her pulse trip. "I'm glad." She wasn't supposed to care where he went or who he spent his free time with, but she had to admit to being thrilled he hadn't been on a date. Just the thought of him touching another woman the way he touched her now made her stomach clench painfully.

So what do you think? Would you keep reading?

Want to join in the fun? I'd love to read your page 99.

Post it on your blog and let me know where to find it.



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Snippet Sunday

Since I've spent so much time lately talking about my newest release, I thought I'd go ahead and change things up today and share with you a snippet from my debut romantic suspense, NOT WITHOUT RISK.

Good God, she was beautiful. And strong, stubborn, driven—things that he never imagined he could find so alluring. Still teasing himself with the feel of her beneath his fingertips, he trailed his hand down her throat toward the gentle swell of her breast above the neckline of her blazer. His palm itched to continue on, to cup her. He wanted his hands on her, wanted his mouth on her.

He fought back the urge by reminding himself that Paige had wants of her own. She wanted her life back. The life she had before St. John’s murder, before the threats and the fear. The life she’d had before him. It would do for him to remember that.

Instead, he chose to recall the taste of her. Her throaty moan of approval as his mouth had taken hers. The way her body had strained against his, seeking release, a release she craved as badly as he. Emotion pulled at him, threatened to drown him. Scared the hell out of him the way those photos had just a few hours ago.

Justin hadn’t known a man could want like he did. He wanted her even though she made him wish for things he’d never even considered, things he wasn’t certain he even believed existed. He wanted to risk, to reach for that ever-elusive something that snaked through him whenever she set those green eyes on him.

Damn, but just admitting that to himself made him wonder if he’d lost his senses completely. He’d been trained not to risk. In his line of work, risk could get him killed. Yet ever since that fateful evening some six months before, the feeling that he was missing out on something in life ate at him.

Her eyelids eased open. Justin went from staring into her sleep-softened face to staring into the endless green of her gaze. A smile curved her lips, lit her up from the inside out.

“Justin.”

He didn’t know which he liked more, the way she said his name, or her smile. His pulse kicked into high gear. Desire sucker-punched him in the gut. “Were you expecting someone else?”

She sat up slowly, her fingers moving to his jaw. Her gaze slid to his mouth as she traced his smile, dipped her thumb into his dimple. “Hmm…your smile is incredible.”

“Is it?” Justin held perfectly still, worked to draw oxygen into his suddenly deprived lungs as she eased her body closer and closer. Her thigh pressed against his, her breasts brushed his chest.

“So is your mouth,” she murmured, her voice like a caress across his flesh. Leaning into him, she used her teeth to nip at his lips, following the sharp bite with a swipe of her tongue.

Leave her alone, the voice of reason whispered, but Justin ruthlessly shoved the thought aside. Blood pounding, mind reeling, he settled his left hand at her waist, slid it up to cup her breast through her jacket and captured her moan with his mouth.

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Ring in the New Year with a book!

'Tis the season of giving. Of family gatherings, parties, and...reading? I wish! Amidst all the cleaning, wrapping, the cooking and travel time, reading drops to a spot just below sleeping on my list. Until now.

It's New Year's Eve and while a lot of my friends are planning on attending yet one more party, I'm planning on spending the evening at home. Reading. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? It does to me. Before I can do that, I need to do a bit of shopping. You see, my Kindle Fire is a bit empty right now. So last night I logged onto my laptop and guess what I discovered?

My books, along with many others, have been reduced at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon. Shopping for new books just got a lot more FUN!

AFTER MIDNIGHT

Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...

Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal—one that doesn't include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won't be easy, but he can't get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.

Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?

He leaned into her. “If you still want me to stay away from you, you’d better tell me now.”

“Noah?”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. He dipped his head, settled his lips on hers and plundered. He dragged her against him, and drank in the hot, potent taste of her as he fed on her mouth like a starving man.

She softened, a tiny sound of passion slipping up her throat—an urgent invitation. His pulse leaped. So did other parts of his anatomy. Her fingers burrowed through his hair.

He deepened the kiss, stroking his hands down the sides of her body to settle on her hips. He used them to guide her as he stepped forward once, twice, until her back settled against the trunk of the maple. Awash in the smell of her, the feel of her, he pressed closer, until no space existed between them. Her breasts flattened against his chest, her hips arched into him. Heat from her body flowed into his, sparking a fire. His heartbeat echoed in his head.

"After Midnight is an emotional, beautifully constructed contemporary romance...I quickly became captivated by Ms. Grimm’s vivid descriptive prose and exemplary characterization." -- 5 Bookies and Best Reads of 2011, Book Lovers, Inc

New Reduced Price at AMAZON / THE WILD ROSE PRESS  

NOT WITHOUT RISK

The last thing he wanted was what he needed most...

Six agonizing months after a slug collapsed his lung, Sergeant Justin Harrison manages to return to the one place where he shines—the San Diego homicide division. Nothing will stand in the way of proving he is fit for active duty. Especially not the long-legged brunette who just stumbled into his crime scene.

Photographer Paige Conroy spent years hiding from her past. Then a late night telephone call brings it crashing back. An old friend is in town and needs her help. When she arrives at his hotel room four hours later, he's dead. Suddenly, she's the target of a madman, and Paige must turn to Sergeant Harrison for protection.

But who is the bigger threat to her... the faceless assailant she fears will steal her life or the dark-eyed detective she knows could steal her heart?

Each stroke, each caress of her hand pushed his blood pressure up another notch until he had to steel himself from closing the distance and pulling her into his embrace.

Want consumed him. He wanted her hands on him, not just on his car. He wanted to taste her, feel her, to fist his hands in her hair and sink into her warmth. It’d been too long, far too long since he’d been with a woman—six months, ten days and twenty-two hours to be exact, and he missed it. He missed it more than he missed nicotine, more than he missed being able to draw a deep breath without the slightest twinge of pain.

"Ms. Grimm takes readers on an amazing journey, a trip where her wonderful talents as a storyteller bring the tale to life...If you, like me, enjoy fast paced, nail biting, page turning, edge of your seat suspense, then by all means get on board and try Not Without Risk."-- BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee, Long and Short Reviews

New Reduced Price at AMAZON / THE WILD ROSE PRESS

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