Featured Author: Amanda Siegrist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I’m a stay-at-home mom with three beautiful children and a wonderful husband that supports me in everything I do. He’s the one who encouraged me to start writing:) I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I have several series, but you can always count on each book being a standalone and a happily ever after. Some of my stories are even a bit of insta-love…or a lot! *chuckles*What inspired you to become a writer: Well, I’ve always loved to read since I was little. I even wrote short little silly stories when I was younger, but eventually just stopped. When my husband got a new job in Orlando, we moved and I suddenly found myself a stay-at-home mom. I absolutely love it, and I feel so blessed I can stay at home with my kids. However, I started to feel the need to find something for myself, a little escape. So I started to write. And write some more. Now I suddenly have so many books written, it’s amazing. I love to write, and I know I’ll never stop. I couldn’t imagine not being a writer.
What are your hobbies: I love baseball! Like, love! I’m a huge Minnesota Twins fan, and I faithfully watch every game throughout the entire season. Go Twins! I also enjoy doing crafts with my girls. Anything from painting things, like wine bottles (also enjoy drinking it first! Lol), to finding something fun and unique on Pinterest to make. I recently made a Halloween wreath that was super fun to create!
Tell us about your books: I currently have 13 published novels (three of which are short stories), and I have one on preorder to be released on October 20, 2017. I also have another novel getting ready for release for Christmas time. Psst…I really love Christmas!
What inspired you to write this story: My most recent novel, Deserving You, will release on October 20, 2017, and it’s book 3 in the McCord Family Novel series. Each book follows a new couple within the McCord family. They’re a family that loves fiercely, protects each other with everything in their hearts, and just a family you’d want on your side! The first book in the series, Protecting You, just popped in my head (the second book I ever wrote) and nothing really inspired it. An idea came out of nowhere and I just felt compelled to get it out. It’s a real tear-jerker, too! Make sure to have some tissues handy! Each of my stories usually start with a small idea that just comes from nowhere and I go from there.
Who’s your favorite character you’ve written and why: This is a hard one! I honestly love all my characters. But I guess if I had to pick a favorite, it might be Sauer from One Taste of Crazy. He’s sweet and shy and just so endearing, it’s hard not to love him. He also gets a really dominant side when, Dee, the love of his life, is in danger. There’s definitely two sides of him, and it was kind of hard to balance the two and make it believable. He’s definitely, by far, one of my favorites!
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR
Website: https://www.amandasiegrist.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_siegrist
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AmandaSiegrist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda.siegrist/
ABOUT THE BOOKS
Book Title: Protecting You ~ A McCord Family Novel (Book 1)
Synopsis:
Life was good, until it wasn’t.
It can’t get much worse, until it does.
Ava Rainer feels responsible for the death of Detective Jimmy McCord. His brother Zane feels the same way toward her. Despises her, in fact. She wants nothing more than to hide away and let the pain consume her. Instead, she’s face-to-face with the one man that scares her in more ways than one. She killed his brother, she shouldn’t be aching for him to take the pain away and love her. But she does. It really can’t get worse than that. Or can it?
*Note: Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VYUTL6E
Excerpt:
Zane cast his line to show her and was pleasantly surprised when she did it decently on the first try. They all sat in silence for a while when Ava spoke. “Is this all we do? Sit here with the line in the water?”
Austin grinned. “Relaxing, isn’t it?”
“No, not really. I want a fish to bite my line.”
“Patience. They will,” Zane said.
“If they don’t?” Ava asked.
“We go home hungry. Defeated. Beaten down by the fishies in the water,” Austin said with mock humor.
Ava laughed. “I refuse to be defeated by a fish. We won’t be leaving until I catch at least one.”
“We’ll stay here all night if that’s what it takes,” Zane said with a smile.
Ava grabbed a beer from the cooler and handed them each one as well. She popped it open and took a long drink. “Good. I’m holding you to that.”
She went back to watching her line intensely. Austin leaned over and whispered in Zane’s ear. “You have it so bad for her, it’s not even funny. Did you tell her you love her yet?”
Zane turned his head slowly and whispered as he glared at his brother. “Remember the pig shit I threw at you? I have no problem tossing you into the water and leaving your ass to swim back to shore.”
Austin laughed, but leaned back nonetheless. Because Zane wasn’t kidding.
Zane glanced back at Ava as she sat intently watching her line. She had a happy anticipatory expression on her face, ready for the fish to attack her line. He grinned at her cuteness. She sat with her rod hanging over the side of the boat, her feet lightly resting on the inside. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes not wavering from the bobber floating freely on the lake.
He shifted slightly in his seat as he looked at her. The glorious sight of her body soaking in the hot sun. The way her shorts rode up, showing more of her thighs than he wanted to see, begging him to touch her. Her tank top was tantalizingly too short. Her cleavage peeked out at him, making him wish she had the swimsuit on. He wanted to see more. He knew exactly how they felt against his chest; he ached to feel them against his hands. Her skin shined in the bright sunlight, soft, luscious.
She started tapping her feet to some beat going on in her head. His eyes beamed in on them, taking his sweet time perusing her body as he went from her sweet, succulent breasts to her pink toenails sparkling like the water. He loved every delicious inch of her body. This was going to be the longest fishing trip he had ever been on. He created this torture by suggesting the trip.
“You keep looking at her like that and she’s going to figure out how you feel,” Austin whispered in his ear.
Zane sucked in a quick breath at being caught staring at her, abruptly turning his eyes away and glared at Austin. “How’d you like that swim now?”
Austin just grinned and leaned back in his chair.
Copyright © Amanda Siegrist 2017
What Reviewers have said about this read:
“Ms. Siegrist’s tale is filled with adult angst, emotional devastation and shared healing as two souls find love, thanks to the Cupid-like antics of another. Get ready to share a few chuckles, thanks to the ever charming Austin, blow a few gaskets, thanks to the brutal side of Zane and to want to shake some sense into Ava for her misplaced guilt.” ~ Dianne from Tome Tender Book Blog
Book Title: Trust in Love ~ A McCord Family Novel (Book 2)
Synopsis: Austin McCord has always enjoyed women…to an extent. He’s all about the fun. Anything beyond that, not so much. Until he meets his neighbor Sophie. He knows he can’t touch her—she has marriage written all over. Except temptation overwhelms him every time he sees her beautiful angelic face. It doesn’t matter. Because whenever he tries to take two steps toward her, she keeps taking three steps back. Someone hurt her, that’s obvious. For the first time, he’s thinking a happily ever after sounds nice. Now his only obstacle is convincing her of the same thing, and keeping her safe before her past tears her apart.
*Note: Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.*
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016QLJWHS
Book Title: Deserving You ~ A McCord Family Novel (Book 3)
Synopsis: Deja Wilson was given a second chance. She’ll always be grateful to Sophie for her kindness. Now, they’re best friends. The McCords, including Emmett, only like her for Sophie’s sake. It doesn’t stop her from wishing things were different, that she could have a good man like Emmett. When her brother is released from prison and arrested again the same day, she knows Emmett will never want a woman like her. Especially when he learns the truth about why her brother was sent to prison. It doesn’t matter anyway. She doesn’t deserve him.
Emmett McCord has wanted Deja since the moment he met her, despite how she came into their lives. It didn’t take long for him, and the family, to forgive her and see just what kind of woman she is. Strong. Determined. Remorseful. Faithful to a fault. He wants to declare his feelings, but he knows she’ll resist him. He can’t risk losing her friendship. When her brother walks back into her life, causing her pain, he’s done keeping his feelings to himself. He wants her, and she’ll just have to get used to it.
*Note: Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.*
Book 3 is currently on pre-order and will release on October 20, 2017. Special preorder price of $.99, will go to $3.99 after release.
Available for Pre-Order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075775GLY
Excerpt:
“I don’t date. I just screw ‘em and leave ‘em,” Deja said with a nasty smirk.
Moving closer, his lips brushed her ear as he whispered, “You’re lying.” He rubbed his thumbs across her hands some more as she trembled in his arms. “Talk to me, Deja. Really talk. Just tell me what happened today.”
He kissed her neck below her ear and pulled away. Her eyes would tell him everything he needed to know. And they did. The desire reflected in the depths of her eyes, as did the awe. He had the distinct feeling she never felt true passion before. He’d be more than happy to show her—after she told him what happened.
Just as swiftly, the desire disappeared. “Don’t, Emmett. Just don’t.” Her features turned hard as she stared him down with the evil eye he knew so well.
Deflection. That’s what that look was. He had learned the ins and outs of her so well. The last nine months had given him plenty of time to learn her quirks. She was truly a soft-hearted person inside. Her hard persona was an act. So much anguish she held inside.
“Don’t what, Deja? Don’t try to be a friend? Don’t hold you like you matter to me? Don’t let you see how much I care about you? Don’t make you talk? I don’t listen very well sometimes. Get used to it.”
“Excuse me?” One brow rose as she pursed her lips.
He leaned closer, brushing his lips against hers. She trembled at the touch. He didn’t mind giving her little tastes of how good it could be if they were together. She’d give in eventually. She’d talk and then he would show her how much he cared about her.
“I said get used to it.” His lips made one more light sweep across her delectable mouth. “I can see you’re hurting. Something bad happened today—besides the car accident—and I want to help. I’ll show you real desire as soon as you talk to me. I’ve wanted you for a long time. It’s nice to know you want me, too. So, get used to it. Get used to me. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t want you. I just want sex,” she scoffed, as if she were trying to make it sound believable. He knew better.
“You’re so cute when you try to lie.”
“I’m not lying.”
“Did I ever tell you that you have such gorgeous eyes? They sparkle like the deep blue ocean.” He smiled. “When you lie, they flash a shade of purple. It’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s so damn beautiful.”
“Let me go, Emmett.”
He didn’t release his hold. If anything, he held her hands tighter. “Did I ever tell you that I love how you say my name? The nickname you gave me just doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
“Stop it.”
“Did I ever tell you that you look so adorable when you’re trying to look hard and tough? But you know what? You’re a softie. So sweet and delicate.”
“Knock it off.”
“Did I ever tell you—”
“Shut up, Emmett!”
“Did I ever tell you—”
She let out a mangled cry that cut his words right off. Burying her head into his chest, her tears soaked right through him. They were fast and rough. So much pain it broke his heart.
He let go of her hands and wrapped her as tightly as he possibly could. “You don’t have to do things alone anymore, Deja.”
(Copyright © Amanda Siegrist 2017)
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