I’ve moved!

Check out my new website: https://valeriejclarizio.com/

Social Media links

Newsletter: https://valeriejclarizio.com/newsletter-signup-page/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Valerie.Clarizio/

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Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valerie-j-clarizio

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Valerie-J.-Clarizio/e/B00A87RJVS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_8?qid=1476915213&sr=8-8

Time WARped Novel & Traveling Rocks

Guess what swag I’m bringing to BOOK LOVERS CON next week?

If you guessed the typical pens, bookmarks, and coasters you would be correct. But wait, there’s more!

I’m bringing traveling rocks hand-painted by yours truly. Okay, so, once those of you who know me stop laughing, because you know I’m the least crafty person on the planet, let me say that I really did paint these rocks myself.

To celebrate the release of Time WARped (A Preserver & Protector novel), the first book in my new time travel romance series, I have fourteen of these original painted rocks to hand out at the conference during the book signing on Saturday.

Here’s how it works:

Author Valerie J. Clarizio

Presents

Time WARped

and the Traveling Rocks

I invite you to stop by my book signing table and take one of these traveling rocks.  Keep it as a paperweight or hide it for someone else to find and enjoy (They in turn register and keep it or re-hide it.). Either way, take a selfie with it, with or without me in it, and register it at facebook.com/valerie.clarizio/ after you ‘like’ the page so that we can see where this rock traveled to and who it is keeping company with.  If you’d like, feel free to paint your own Time WARped traveling rock, whether you are at the Book Lovers Con conference or not, and register it on my FB page. I’d love to see what you come up with.

The rocks, just like the characters in Time WARped, inquiring minds want to know what they are up to.  Let’s have some fun with this! How far will these rocks travel and how quickly? Let’s make this thing go viral!

Here’s a peek at my handiwork.

Front:

Back:

 

Not coming to Book Lovers Con to nab your copy of Time WARped, no worries, you can nab your copy from one of the retailers below.

Tag Line: Romancing destiny one moment at a time.

Blurb:

When Veteran Blake Cornelis visits his great grandfather’s Civil War grave, he is whisked back in time to Gettysburg, where his ancestor was a hero. His mission—to preserve his family’s decorated military record, because his cousin, Evan, is determined to steal the Cornelius heroism for his own family’s ancestry. Fighting Evan is demanding and requires unremitting vigilance. Fortunately, the gods have sent Blake an exquisite guardian angel to help him.

Ariel, a time travel Protector, is tasked on this journey with safeguarding Blake, and she vows to do that—at any cost. But the attractive hero from Wisconsin is unlike others she’s been assigned to protect. The intense attraction between them casts them into deadly peril on the battlefield.

Blake and Ariel are sent into other wartimes, and as secrets unfold they realize they must sacrifice all to conquer his evil cousin, for the Cornelis honor is not all that is at stake. The fate of the American people lies in their hands. But Evan is a formidable foe, determined to achieve his mission, and since he has nothing to lose, he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed—no matter the cost.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Universal Link

Best,

Valerie

 

Coming Soon – Time WARped (A Preserver & Protector Novel)

Admittedly, I’m getting pretty excited about the upcoming release of Time WARped. It’s also a bit nerve-racking because time travel is a new adventure for me. Release day, March 17th, can’t get here soon enough. My PR team is working hard to get the word out. My review team is reading and some have already provided advance praise for the book which you can find below.

Tag Line: Romancing destiny one moment at a time.

Blurb:

When Veteran Blake Cornelis visits his great grandfather’s Civil War grave, he is whisked back in time to Gettysburg, where his ancestor was a hero. His mission—to preserve his family’s decorated military record, because his cousin, Evan, is determined to steal the Cornelius heroism for his own family’s ancestry. Fighting Evan is demanding and requires unremitting vigilance. Fortunately, the gods have sent Blake an exquisite guardian angel to help him.

Ariel, a time travel Protector, is tasked on this journey with safeguarding Blake, and she vows to do that—at any cost. But the attractive hero from Wisconsin is unlike others she’s been assigned to protect. The intense attraction between them casts them into deadly peril on the battlefield.

Blake and Ariel are sent into other wartimes, and as secrets unfold they realize they must sacrifice all to conquer his evil cousin, for the Cornelis honor is not all that is at stake. The fate of the American people lies in their hands. But Evan is a formidable foe, determined to achieve his mission, and since he has nothing to lose, he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed—no matter the cost.

Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Time-WARped-Preserver-Protector-Novel-ebook/dp/B083HMGLSB

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/time-warped-valerie-j-clarizio/1135967098

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/time-warped/id1493744849?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/time-warped-7

Universal Link:  https://books2read.com/u/bowG1A

Need some convincing?  Here’s some reviews:

Darla said:

Well-written with characters you’ll love to get know, this book is a wonderful read. It’s intriguing and keeps you engaged through to the end. I was drawn into the story as I went through everything with Blake and Ariel. The time-travel aspect is thrilling keeping you aware of the butterfly effect where one little change can affect everything for years to come. That’s where the Preservers come into play. I enjoyed this book immensely and am really hoping there’s another book to come. I highly recommend Time WARped. 

Helen said:

Time travel, the butterfly effect, protectors and preservers of history as it was originally played out–or was it? If you’re a fan of the Back to the Future film trilogy, you’ll appreciate how this book takes a mind-bending dive into pivotal American war events as they pertain to one particular family tree and its valorous and not-so-valorous branches when dark forces conspire to change the past and influence the future.

Engaging, mature characters in a fast-paced, steamy love affair across time and place add to a story celebrating America’s veterans. Memorial Day anchors the events and anchors Blake and his family line. I applaud the author for her research into history and the mind-boggling mechanics of time travel. This is clearly the start of a series because without preservers and protectors, history is always in danger of being altered. An enjoyable and thought-provoking read. I received an ARC from the author, but this is my honest opinion.

Sign up today for the expanded review team!

Big Announcement!

Guess who is trying something new. Me, that’s who.

I’m straying from romantic suspense and contemporary romance and diving head-first into the spectacular world of time travel.  For those of you who really know me, I mean, REALLY know me, you know I don’t stray from the norm very much. First, I’m a Virgo. By nature, Virgos are pretty regimented. Second, I’m a finance director/accountant by day, again a part of my life that keeps me on a disciplined, logical, ordinary path. Yet, here I am, announcing to you that I’m dabbling in the world of time travel.

Time travel – The concept of traveling through time to the past or future. There’s no real supporting logic, yet I’m doing it. Or, should I say Blake and Ariel are doing it. We’ll get into this more in a minute but before that I want to show you the cover. You are the first to see it!

Show of hands…who wants to take this new and exciting trip with me? Get that hand up there! I promise you a great ride into an uncharted world of time travel preservers and protectors, and you’ll get little snippets of romance and history along the way.  You don’t even have to pack a bag for this journey. I’ll take you out of this world and back before you know it.

What’s involved with taking this journey and where do I sign up?

Here’s the what, and where. I’m looking for reviewers for this new adventure. If you like time travel romance with historical elements I invite you to join my review team.  If you are interested please email me at valclarizio@yahoo.com. In your email, let me know the following:

  • Have you reviewed and posted reviews before?
  • What outlets do you post your reviews on (Amazon, ibooks, Goodreads, etc.)
  • Can you read this ARC (electronic) by the middle of March and post a review on or within a couple of days after the official release of the book?
  • Do you promise not to share the electronic ARC with anyone else?

The time travel book I plan to release is entitled Time WARped.  The release is scheduled for the middle of March of 2020.

Here’s a bit about the book.

Blurb:

When Veteran Blake Cornelis visits his great grandfather’s Civil War grave, he is whisked back in time to Gettysburg, where his ancestor was a hero. His mission—to preserve his family’s decorated military record, because his cousin, Evan, is determined to steal the Cornelius heroism for his own family’s ancestry. Fighting Evan is demanding and requires unremitting vigilance. Fortunately, the gods have sent Blake an exquisite guardian angel to help him.

Ariel, a time travel Protector, is tasked on this journey with safeguarding Blake, and she vows to do that—at any cost. But the attractive hero from Wisconsin is unlike others she’s been assigned to protect. The intense attraction between them casts them into deadly peril on the battlefield.

Blake and Ariel are sent into other wartimes, and as secrets unfold they realize they must sacrifice all to conquer his evil cousin, for the Cornelis honor is not all that is at stake. The fate of the American people lies in their hands. But Evan is a formidable foe, determined to achieve his mission, and since he has nothing to lose, he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed—no matter the cost.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Time-WARped-Preserver-Protector-Novel-ebook/dp/B083HMGLSB

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/time-warped-valerie-j-clarizio/1135967098

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/time-warped/id1493744849?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/time-warped-7

Universal Link:  https://books2read.com/u/bowG1A

I look forward to starting this new adventure with you!

What’s new in my book world?

I’ve signed up for Book Lovers Con in Nashville Tennessee!  I would love for you to join me and many of your other favorite authors at the ultimate reader experience for five days of fun!  Register by Friday, November 15th, and you’ll be entered to win one of five spaces at the head of the BLC20 Fiddler Run musical procession.

Over 170 authors will be there and they have some awesome, fun-filled events scheduled, and books to suit every readers taste.

I teamed up with three other authors and we are hosting an event called PIN YOUR HEART ON A HERO! I hope you’ll consider joining Nancy Naigle, Sandra Owens, Barbara Longley and myself for our version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, using cardboard life-sized hunks.  There will also be swag and prizes.

Here’s the link to find out more information: https://www.bookloverscon.com/

Bookbub DEAL of the Day – MISSING THE CROWN JEWELS is on SALE for just $.99!

The #BOOKBUB feature of the day is MISSING THE CROWN JEWELS! Nab your $.99 copy now!

If you like romance with a touch of suspense this is the book for you.

See what Elle, Amazon reviewer had to say:

What’s not to love about this book? A Kentucky horse ranch, a troubled vet who’s hopelessly in love with his best friend’s sister, and a woman who isn’t afraid to fight for what (and who) she wants.

I really rooted for Peyton and Storm. After they got together, I wondered how the story would keep its tension. Well, I didn’t need to worry. With the threat on the family and their prize race horse, and the push and pull of attraction between Peyton and Storm, I was hooked until the end. But what I want to know is…who won the Derby???

I thought the dynamics between the main characters was both true to life and mature. They had problems, and then talked about them like adults. Kudos to Valerie Clarizio for building a world I would love to live in.

Blurb:

Divorce Moved Her to Despair, But Now She Has A New Chance at Love

After a devastating divorce, Peyton Crown is finally surfacing from a dark hole of despair. She finds herself hoping for a new life with Mason ‘Storm’ Starr, her brother’s best friend.

>>>Striving to Overcome His Demons, He Seeks Solitude In The Country

Storm’s intent is simple: hide in the quiet confines of his best friend’s family horse ranch in Kentucky. The perfect place to sort out his life after walking away from the Army and fight his internal demons. His solitude is interrupted by his buddy’s little sister. The chemistry between them is off the charts, and he willingly surrenders the battle.

>>>Enemies Threaten To Upturn The Family’s Kentucky Derby Ambitions

The Crown family begins receiving threats, just weeks before the Kentucky Derby. The overprotective men in Peyton’s life vow to keep 24/7 tabs on her and the family’s prize horse—Prince Bourbonville—a hopeful for the next Triple Crown. Circumstances arise that threaten to keep Peyton and Prince away from the derby, but Storm and her brother Coach are determined they’ll attend, no matter the sacrifice.

>>>Missing the Crown Jewels is a thrilling and heartwarming romance novel that will leave you wanting more!

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Universal Link

Welcome Back Gale Stanley and Congratulations on Your New Release!

The Alpha’s Demiwolf (Utopia 1)

 Author: Gale Stanley

Publisher: Changeling Press

Cover Art: Bryan Keller

BIN: 009067-02934

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, New Adult, Single Parent/Pregnancy Romance, Voyeurism and Exhibitionism, Werewolves

Blurb:

Kya: I’m a demiwolf — half wolf, half human, and both species despise my weird mix of genes. Despite the fact I strip for a living, I’ve hung on to my virginity for twenty-two years. Until I got knocked up by a big, bad wolf. Now, I’m going to bring another demiwolf into the world, but his father will never know.

Levi: I’m all wolf, and Alpha of my pack, committed to keeping our bloodlines pure. Then on the night of my bachelor party, I hooked up with a stripper. I just wanted to teach the demiwolf a lesson, but the sex set me on fire. My wolf claimed her and now I can’t get her out of my head. But what if she won’t accept me?

Available at:

 Changeling Press: https://www.changelingpress.com/the-alpha-s-demiwolf-utopia-1-b-2934

 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y8SWS3R/

B & N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940161161746

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-alpha-s-demiwolf

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-alphas-demiwolf/id1481112064?ls=1

Excerpt:

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

The Alpha’s Demiwolf (Utopia 1)
Gale Stanley
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Gale Stanley

Kya

I cringed when I saw the billboard proclaiming, Girls! Girls! Girls! It was a tacky way to get attention, and I hated it. Averting my eyes, I turned the corner, pulled into the lot, and parked my old pickup behind the club. It was my first night at Show ’n Tails, and a definite step down from my old job, but I’d been fired and needed a gig ASAP.

The incident wasn’t my fault. There were two of us on the stage and Brandi was so sloshed she invaded my space and fell on her a$$. As if that wasn’t enough, she accused me of tripping her. Well, one thing led to another and we both got canned. Another girl told me that Show ’n Tails was hiring and I went for an audition. The manager was an a$$hat, but he doesn’t ask too many questions. I like to keep a low profile.

This isn’t the life I wanted, but taking off my clothes pays the bills, and I won’t apologize for trying to earn a living. At least I’m not selling my body, just the illusion of sex. A lot of girls up their game, but not me. My virginity is the last piece of self-respect I own and I won’t give it up to some creep for any amount of money.

The heavy backdoor slammed shut and locked behind me and the manager shot me a dirty look. “Hey, Kya. You’re late.”

“Sorry, it won’t happen again. And my name is Raven when I’m working.”

Marty’s lip curled in a sneer. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You better get dressed. I mean undressed.” He snickered.

I ignored his disrespectful a$$s, and walked over to the dressing room. A row of dented lockers lined one wall. A wide counter with a lighted mirror behind it ran the length of the opposite wall. Everything stunk from sweat and cheap perfume. The long vanity was cluttered with makeup and no one made room for the new girl, so I started changing next to my locker. When a spot at the mirror opened up, I grabbed it and started working on my wild black curls.

Marty stuck his head in the door. “Hey, fresh meat, you’re on next.”

***** 

Levi

My anticipation ran high. I’m always excited to see new talent. Samson made a joke about the taste of fresh meat and we all laughed, then I looked up at the stage and my eyes practically popped out of my head, like in one of those old cartoons. The new girl… what’s her name? Raven. She took my breath away. Her curvy shape and that thick black mane had me salivating. From what I could see, everything looked natural, and she had the best set of legs in the club.

“That is one hot piece of a$$.” Samson stood up. “I need a closer look.”

Samson walked over to the stage and we all followed. Raven smiled in our direction and my heart took a leap. Her white mini dress emphasized all that golden skin, but it was her eyes that really stood out. Almond in shape and color, they seemed to be staring directly at me.

Author Bio and Links

Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.

Some things never change.

Website | Blog | Twitter | FaceBook | Instagram | Pinterest

 

 

 

Welcoming Back Author Lea Bronsen with her new Dark Psychological Thriller!

Hi, and thank you for having me on your blog!

I’ve always been fascinated by dark psychological thrillers that mess with your mind and keep you on the edge of your seat. I toyed with the genre writing my debut novel Wild Hearted, but labeled it a crime drama. Its sequel, Carnivora, evolved over six years to become a full-blown hold-your-breath thriller that deals with grave issues such as kidnapping, child sex trafficking, and self-harm.

Telling five parallel stories with as many voices, it gives you the perspectives of a police informant, a hunted gangster, a mad avenger, an inconsolable girlfriend, and a psychotic kidnapper. I pull no punches weaving these stories, so be prepared for a dark, gritty, and graphic read – a little dirty on the erotic side – that I hope will play with your strings and stick with you for a long time.

Please note that this is part 1 of Carnivora and I am currently working on parts 2 and 3, so if those cliffhangers at the end are killing you, be patient. The continuation is right around the corner!

Blurb

 Fight evil with evil.

TOMOR
Crime lord Tomor is serving a life sentence behind bars. Without warning, he’s abducted by mysterious men. A sick manhunt is on, with people around him dying like flies. He will need all his street flair and gangster skills to prevent his loved ones from ending up on the death list.

LUZ
Luz grieves the loss of her lover while striving to take care of their baby. The last thing she needs is to fall for the new neighbor.

DAVID
A year after he betrayed his adoptive father and sent him to jail, David is slowly rebuilding his life. Then everything falls apart again: he learns that Tomor has escaped, and his police connections lead him to a child sex trafficking ring involving cold, powerful men.

The cops are in over their heads with “Project Carnivora” … Perhaps the only one who can help bust the pedophile predators is an equally vicious devil: Tomor, the country’s most hunted criminal.

Available from

Books2Read / Amazon.com / Amazon.uk / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks / Smashwords

Put the book on your to-read shelf on Goodreads

See photos that inspired me to write the book on Pinterest

Excerpt

“Time to change your bandage again,” the nurse mutters, voice cool, and pulls my orange-colored sleeve up to the elbow.

She unrolls the long strip of bandage from my wrist and tugs at one corner of the gauze plastered on my wound. It sticks as if glued to the freshly grown skin, and instead of removing the gauze carefully, she tears if off hard, discharging pain through my arm, wrist-to-shoulder.

I open my eyes and lift my head off the pillow. “What the **** are ya doing, trying to reopen the wound or something?”

“Like you care.” She stops pulling and glares, gauze between her fingers. “I can see who you are inside. You’re playing tough, aren’t you, bad guy? But you can’t fool me.”

“Shut up.” I lay down again, huffing, and stare at the white ceiling above me with its rows of long neon lights.

“You’re a good man.”

I glance back. “I said, shut the **** up.”

Her eyes shine. She rips off the remaining gauze, ignoring my grunt of pain, and throws it in a bin. “Look.”

No ****.

“Look at it,” she insists, voice low and demanding.

No. I know what I’ve done, and I can imagine what it looks like. A six centimeter-long deep, reddish, scratched-up ridge along my artery. Layers of skin, fat, meat, and whatnot must be visible and sweating a pinkish liquid from the reborn pores. I don’t need to see it.

I guess the girl wants me to be so horrified, I’ll never attempt suicide again. That’s right. She wants to shock me into acceptance.

You gotta be ******* kidding me, little thing.

She shakes her head. “I don’t understand why they gave you the life sentence.”

“You mean they shoulda given me the chair?”

Instead of responding to my sarcasm, she pivots to look up at the clock and widens her eyes as if realizing she forgot an appointment. Face tense, she returns to her work, applies some cool, gel-like liquid on the wound, and bandages it with quick routine moves.

What’s up with her? In my three days in this woman’s company, I’ve noted the things that make her tick. Maybe she’s upset because I’m leaving the infirmary soon. Earlier, she said she didn’t know when I’d be ready to go back to my cell. She probably knows now, but doesn’t want to tell me.

The door opens. She jumps.

A uniformed guard pokes his head in, checks the small room, and exits.

She seems frozen in place, features tense. Staring ahead and taking deep breaths as if trying to regain composure.

I cock my head a little. “What’s going on? They gonna transfer me?”

She visibly swallows and fixes her gaze on some point on the wall.

I snicker. “Are you sad ‘cause I’m leaving?”

Ha, I can be so ugly, when the girl clearly likes me.

As she sits there avoiding me, I take the time to check out her tits, and drink in the amazing sight of their pressing against her green blouse with each breath. She doesn’t have a name tag. Come to think of it, none of the personnel do. Evidently, so the inmates can’t identify their ‘caretakers’, and should they by some miracle leave the premises, track them down.

I nod to her blouse. “What’s your name?”

She twists back to me, brows raised, before shaking her head. “I can’t tell you that.”

“C’mon, I’ll never see you again.” I grin, then add with an ironic snicker, teasing her, “They’ll never let me slash my wrists, or hang myself.”

She looks away and busies herself collecting the medical stuff, throwing a quick, almost invisible glance to the door. What the hell is making her so nervous?

Coldness fills my chest. Something’s up.

“Come on, Babe,” I coax with my most gentle, sensual voice, wanting to buy time. “Tell me your name.”

“Why?” she whispers, fidgeting with the roll of bandage.

“’Cause I want a name to your pretty face when I jack off in my cell.”

 

About the author

Lea Bronsen likes her reads hot, fast, and edgy, and strives to give her own stories the same intensity. After a deep dive on the unforgiving world of gangsters with her debut novel Wild Hearted, she divides her writing time between romantic suspenses, dark erotic romances, and crime thrillers.

Meet Lea Bronsen on

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / Amazon / Pinterest

It’s SALSA Day!

For those of you who know me you know that the kitchen is the last place I like to spend my day.  Though I’m a BIG fan of eating, I’m not a fan of cooking, but I do it. Admittedly though, when it comes to canning, being in the kitchen isn’t so bad because of the end reward. I like knowing that one day in the kitchen supplies me with a year or two of salsa. Same goes for spaghetti, bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, venison, and salmon. A little work up front provides us with many quick-prep meals and sides.

So, as I said, today was salsa day and the results met the hubby’s approval. Okay, truth be told he’s not a fussy eater so pretty much anything works except for tuna and mayonnaise which happen to be two of my favorites.  Well, I guess we can’t like everything the same. Where would the adventure be in that? LOL

Home canning peeps, what are your favorites? Please share.

Out on the Water in Door County

Here’s how we spent our BIG Friday night out. Yep, we were in search of some Walleye. We did catch a couple of those good tasting treats. We also caught an absolutely gorgeous sunset.  For whatever reason, they always look more striking from the water versus from on land.  Sadly, these pictures don’t really do it justice.

You gotta just love Door County in Summer:)

#doorcounty #walleyefishing #sunset #crestliner  #bayofgreenbay #sturgeonbay