It's HERE!

The revised edition of my contemporary romance, AFTER MIDNIGHT is here!

Here's my sexy new cover and a tease:

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.

AVAILABLE NOW - at a new low price $2.99

Amazon
ARe
Barnes and Noble
iBook (coming soon)

Join the Black Phoenix Reader Group!

Come dish about Noah, Dominic, Nick and Alex!

Readers in the series groups are the first to find out new release dates and are often treated to exclusive content relating to each series.

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Mid Week PIC Me Up ~ Noah!

It's Wednesday, and you know what that means! No? Okay, maybe you've forgotten since I've been a very naughty author and haven't blogged in a looooooonnnngg time. Let me remind you then...It's Wednesday and that means it's time for Mid Week PIC Me Up. YAY!

If you're a member of my Black Phoenix Reader Group then you've already seen today's PIC Me Up. And if you're not a member may I ask why? We have so much fun over there. Go forth and JOIN!

ANYWAY, I shared this one with my reader group already because the moment I saw it I knew, KNEW, that I was looking at Noah Clark.

 

Dreamy sigh, right? 

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Cover Reveal!

I've been waiting quite some time to share this one with you - the second book in my Black Phoenix series, MIDNIGHT HEAT. 

I’m really excited for this book. It’s sexy and...well, Dominic. It doesn't get much better than Dominic Price. VBG

I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. At the very least, stare at this cover for a few minutes.



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Reblog, Retweet & Share to WIN!

Great News! My publisher has decided to extend the sale of After Midnight to February 15th!
So I've decided to extend the contest.

~*~ 

After Midnight is On Sale! 

It’s official, my award winning contemporary romance, After Midnight, is on sale for the super low price of 99 cents! So, I’m celebrating with a 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 February 18, 2013.

Can music heal a fractured soul? 

Or will it tear them apart forever? 

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?

2012 Romance Through the Ages Award Winner ~ 1st Place Contemporary 

2012 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Finalist 

2012 Readers Favorite Award Finalist 

2011 Book of the Year Finalist ~ Long and Short Reviews 

GET IT TODAY – Just $0.99!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/11kD7JS (1/25 – 2/15) 

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/TNBRdL (1/25 – 2/15)

 "After Midnight is one hell of a love story! I was hooked at the end of the first chapter. I had to read more. I had to know more. And Sarah Grimm definitely delivered more." —5 Stars, Fire Pages

"Ms. Grimm creates characters that grab hold of your heart and never let go. This is an emotional ride that you won't want to miss."—BEST BOOK, Long and Short Reviews

"I am in love. This book was amazing. I would even go as far as to say that it was one of the best books that I read this year." — 5 cocktails, Cocktails and Books

 

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Choosing Titles

A lot of writers begin a story without a title in mind. They flesh out the characters, envelop themselves deep within the story, and never think about the title until a) one comes to them naturally while writing the book, or b) they are forced to think of one because they can’t submit without the title.

Not so with me. You see, I can’t lose myself in a story if it’s untitled. I can connect with the characters and flesh out their lives, but I can’t spend hours, weeks, and months bleeding on the page without giving that page a name. Talking with friends about my work in progress only works for me if that WIP has a title.

Imagine it: I’m raving about my newborn son or daughter, showing pictures to friends. They ooh and ahh over how handsome he is, and then someone asks, “What’s his name?”

I can’t reply, “I don’t know, it’ll eventually come to me.” Could you?

So the first thing I do is think about the tone of my book. Is it funny? Sexy? Serious? Does a consistent theme run throughout? Something that either the hero or the heroine needs to learn or acknowledge by the end of the book?

Once I’ve decided, then it’s time to brainstorm. I sit at my desk and make a list of words related to my book. Nothing is off limits. I write down everything I can think of that is related to my story, whether it’s an emotion, a setting, or a question. At this point, one word usually jumps out at me – a word I KNOW has to be in the title. From there I play with word combinations and another list takes shape—a list of possible titles.

Here I should probably tell you that sometimes this method works for me, and sometimes…well, not so much. Take, for instance, the title of my first book, Not Without Risk. My original title for this book was Strength to Love. No really, that’s what I called it, which was better than my original title for After Midnight (and no, I’m not telling what that was called). Anyway, back to Risk…The farther I got into the story, the more I hated the title. It just wasn’t right. Then one day I’m typing along and the hero’s mother tells him, “To love someone, to have someone return that love is…It’s a risk, certainly, but what is life if not a risk?”

*insert light bulb*

There it was, the moment when the word clicked into place. Risk. Everything in that book revolved around risk, from the hero’s job, to taking a leap of faith and risking his heart in order to find love.

Here’s another confession. I have a compulsion to see the name of the book somewhere in the book. It doesn’t matter to me whether a character voices it, or thinks it; my titles have to be in the book. This need made naming, or should I say coming up with the correct name for, After Midnight even easier.

The original title broke my rule about following the tone of the book. It was too sappy, and gave the impression the book was light-hearted. I don’t write light-hearted. Yes, everything I write has its happily-ever-after. Yes, the hero and heroine always ride off into the proverbial sunset. But getting there is never an easy journey. I torture my characters, some more than others, and Isabeau Montgomery…she’s a tortured heroine.

Then it hit me. Isabeau owns a bar, the opening scene takes place in that bar after closing. In fact, most of the key moments in the book occur late at night. Night… Darkness… Midnight…aha! There it was.

Sometimes the moment that changes everything comes After Midnight.

Don't miss out!
Get your copy of AFTER MIDNIGHT today for just 99 cents!

(hurry, offer ends 2/08/13)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/11kD7JS
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/TNBRdL

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Teaser Tuesday

“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.

GET IT TODAY – Just $0.99! (for a limited time)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/11kD7JS
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/TNBRdL

 

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First Chapters

My book, AFTER MIDNIGHT, is featured today on D. Renee Bagby's First Chapters Blog. You can check it out HERE.

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Inspiration Boards

With the success of websites like Pinterest more and more people are talking about boards, specifically visual ‘pin boards’ of things they love or find interesting. They’re surprisingly easy to create – you can ‘pin’ an image from just about any site, in effect saving it (and the link to its original site) to your very own digital bulletin board.

But did you know that writers (and other artists) have been using boards for years? Inspiration boards – or collections of images that help define or inspire a project. Before technology and the internet, inspiration boards used to look more like this:

Diane Von Furstenberg Inspiration Board

Some still prefer this look. (I admit I would most likely be one of them if I had an office, as there’s just something about having a ‘physical’ board.) But more and more, inspiration boards are showing up online.

If you spend any time on Pinterest, and follow any authors, perhaps you’ve seen one or two inspiration boards – boards specific the author’s book. Even I have one (or three as the case may be). Unfortunately, the content on my boards is sparse. Why? Honestly, I’m not sure why.

My ‘real’ inspiration boards include…well, just about anything and everything that both ‘speaks to me’ and relates to the characters or plot of the book. Some of the things on my boards aren’t in the book – perhaps it is from a scene I deleted, or the character’s lives after the story ended. Yes, my ‘real’ inspiration boards contain things that happen to the hero and heroine AFTER the story ended. Hey, it’s my book. I’m allowed! :-)

I suppose the reason these are not included in my Pinterest boards is because I wonder if all of it would truly be of interest to someone who hasn’t read my books. I’m not sure. But since this question has been on my mind lately, I thought I would share with you some of the items on my ‘real’ inspiration boards. And hey, maybe you can help me decide whether I should add them to the boards I have on Pinterest.

Inspiration Board for After Midnight: 

Isabeau Montgomery

Noah Clark	Noah Clark

Isabeau's Engagement Ring	Isabeau's Eternity Band

Noah's House

Recording Studio in	Noah's Basement

Isabeau's Wedding Dress

Lovers

The heels I imagine Isabeau is wearing in Chapter Twelve. ;)

Thanks for visiting with me today. If you are interested in following me on Pinterest, or even just checking out what Pinterest is all about, you can see my profile HERE.

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Latest News on Works in Progress

Hello friends, I thought I'd update you all on what's going on in my world. Currently, I'm in writing mode, doing everything I can to squeeze in as many words as humanly possible during the short window of time I get to write daily. It’s more difficult this winter than last – maybe because for the first time ever, I have more than one iron in the fire. Yup, there are way too many men in my head, demanding attention. Wow, whoever thought I would say that? lol

Midnight Heat (Midnight series, book 2) 

Dominic Price

Dominic is the loudest voice right now – perhaps because he is 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. I have a real soft spot for Dom, which is only one of the reasons his book is at the top of my MUST FINISH list.



She was the only woman who ever rocked his world.

Black Phoenix bassist Dominic Price made a mistake three years ago when he walked out on Rebecca without a backward glance. A mistake he plans to rectify. But first he has to convince her to open her heart to him again. 

The unconscious man wheeled into Dr. Rebecca Dahlman’s ER was sexy—unforgettably sexy—and injured. This wasn’t just any patient in need of medical help. He was the only man she’d ever loved—the one who still haunted her dreams. 

One touch of his calloused hands reignites their passion. Can they rekindle their trust as easily, or will her fears cause her to lose him again…this time to a man bent on revenge? 

At Any Cost 



Detective
Michael Atwood

Michael is the second loudest voice, but that could just be that he comes from a large, noisy family. Steadfast, focused, and dedicated are three words that describe Michael Atwood. A detective with the San Diego Police Department, Michael works in the same precinct as, you guessed it, Justin Harrison, hero of Not Without Risk. Yes, Justin makes a cameo appearance in At Any Cost – a scene where you learn the repercussions of Justin ignoring protocol and becoming involved with Paige. WHOOP!

In addition to Midnight Heat, I also have two more books in mind for the Midnight Series:

Midnight Shadow (Midnight series, book 3)

Thomas Cahill Sr.

Thomas is the quietest voice, mostly because he feels he’s already loved and lost his one true love. Honestly, even I didn’t know Thomas had another chance at happily-ever-after. It took a few comments from readers of After Midnight for me to see, and once I did, I wholeheartedly agreed. A heart of gold wrapped in brawn and tattoos – he’s a hero that deserves a very special heroine. Good thing I’ve got just the woman for him.

Chasing Midnight (Midnight series, book 4)

Alex Morgan

Ah, Alex – cocky, confident, a bit A.D.D. Alex. Love-‘em-and-leave-‘em Alex. The newest member of Black Phoenix, he’s used to women swooning at his feet. So I plan to give him exactly what he needs – a woman who has nothing to offer him but a cold shoulder. What? Can’t an author have a little bit of fun?

So that’s them, my works in progress. The stories in my head and the men demanding I write faster. Any tips you can offer for keeping four impatient heroes happy? I’d love to hear your ideas.

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Howloween Blog Hop

This contest is closed.
Thanks for participating.

 

I apologize. I haven't been feeling well this month and am suffering from a migraine this very moment, so I've been drawing a big blank when trying to come up with a new and interesting topic for this blog hop. Although this has nothing to do with Halloween, I decided to talk about my favorite hero:

He's the handsome, electrically sensual lead singer of Black Phoenix. A blond haired, green eyed Brit with a voice that could coax the panties off of grandma! Noah Clark may be famous, but the last thing he's interested in is living the wild life. He's ridden the fame roller coaster straight to the top of the charts and found nothing but heartache at the end. Now he only wants to get his band back together and his music back on track. He just didn't count on Isabeau Montgomery and her haunted eyes and enchanting melodies.

(*For the purposes of this blog post, Noah Clark is portrayed by Gabriel Aubry.)

His mouth curved into an irresistibly devastating grin, and everything female in her stood at attention. He strode the rest of the way to the bar, his every movement fluid and easy. Confident. Naturally sexy. His lean, rangy body was clad in snug jeans and a black tee. Jeans so worn and faded that only their seams gave hint to their original color. Jeans that rode low on his hips, cupping his sex as tightly as a hand.

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.

Whew! Is it hot in here?

For a chance to win a copy of AFTER MIDNIGHT as well as a halloween-themed goody bag, just leave me a comment. Interested in bettering your odds to win? Go ahead and follow my blog -- I'll reward you with a second entry.

Thanks for reading, and have fun on the hop! You can find a complete list of participating blogs by clicking the blog hop badge above, or visiting this site:

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/



Giveaway Details:

• Open to US and International
• Two eBook copies of AFTER MIDNIGHT will be awarded
• MUST leave email address along with your comment
  

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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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