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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Harlequin Heartwarming Thanksgiving with Karen Rock! Giveaways Galore!

On tour with Prism Book Tours.

We'll be highlighting 13 FREE short stories by beloved Harlequin Heartwarming authors that will be available from Harlequin during November. All Heartwarming titles are 30% OFF during November from Harlequin as well! Use code HEART1115.

TODAY'S FREE SHORT STORY:

Thankful for You by Karen Rock

A HAPPY REUNION?

Way back when, Hunter Boone thought he and Josie Stephens had something that would last forever. Then she got her ticket out of town and took off—alone. The hurt nearly tore him apart. By the time Josie realized she'd made a mistake, Hunter had already married.

Now Josie's back in Stonewall Crossing, and while instant fire flares between them, she can't come between the now single dad and his son. As the whole town gets ready for Christmas, Josie finds it hard to avoid Hunter. No matter how much he tempts her with the promise of a future together, she has to tell herself—for her own survival—that relationships just aren't her thing…

Maggie James has worked hard to get over her commitment phobic ex, Lt. Eric Langley. Yet old feelings resurface when they’re reunited to put on a Thanksgiving dinner for foster children displaced by their group home’s fire. She still loves Eric, but she’d grown up vowing to have the traditional, nuclear family her loving parents provided and won’t accept anything less. This time around, does she dare give them a second chance?

After watching his vibrant mother retreat from life following his firefighter father’s tragic death, Lt. Eric Langley vowed never to inflict that pain on anyone, especially Maggie. When she’d begun talking kids, marriage, it’d nearly killed him to break things off. But how could he take the risks his job required, if he worried about a family counting on his safety? Although he’d shut away his pain when he and Maggie had broken up, his old feelings rush back after one glimpse of her beautiful face. He should want to avoid her, but feels thankful for this time together instead. Is it possible some surprising wisdom from the children he saved, could rescue him, too?

Read it HERE!

Thankful for You Guest Post by Karen Rock
Three years ago, I taught ELA to 8th graders and spent nights co-authoring a teen romance series, CAMP BOYFRIEND with my dearest friend and sister-in-law, Harlequin romance author, Joanne Rock. When her agent forwarded an email from Victoria Curran, Senior Editor of Harlequin Heartwarming, I was intrigued. In the note, Victoria asked if Barbara, (Joanne’s and now my agent) had any authors interested in writing wholesome romance that mothers would feel comfortable sharing with their teenage daughters.

I’d never written adult romance before, and nearly deleted the forwarded note. Yet something held me back. The next day, on my way to work, I passed the home of a couple my husband and I have been friends with for years. They have one of the most beautiful, moving love stories of all time. While in nursing school, Marty contracted leukemia and thought he’d have to leave the program and lose the woman he’d recently begun dating and fallen for. Cathy, however, refused to let go of Marty. She didn’t give up on her new love because she wanted it to be forever. She stayed by his side during his treatment and kept him up to date with his school work so that they graduated together. Twenty five years later, they’re still happily married, have three lovely children and Marty is cancer free.

I mulled over their story all day and thought how much I wanted to write a love story between two people when tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed. I wrote a quick proposal to my agent which was later on accepted by Victoria and, after writing chapters and gaining a contract, my very first Harlequin Heartwarming novel, WISH ME TOMORROW was born.

I love writing Heartwarming novels because they are deeply emotional and extremely romantic. As they are “clean reads” the author has lots of page room to devote to developing the love between two compelling characters and their journey to find it. I believe that the awards I, and several of my fellow Heartwarming authors have won for these heartfelt books demonstrates just how moving and intricate these uplifting stories are. Chicken Soup for the Heart? Maybe…

I’m grateful to have published six of them thus far with three more on the way. My most recent Heartwarming project is one of three, connected novellas in Harlequin Heartwarming’s Christmas anthology out this month, about a holiday destination wedding gone awry, WINTER WEDDING BELLS as well as my Thanksgiving short read THANKFUL FOR YOU available for free download at eHarlequin.


I’m thankful for many things this holiday season and at the top of the list is being a part of the wonderful Heartwarming family! If you are interested in learning more about me or my books, please stop by http://www.karenrock.com or click on the follow button beneath my picture on Amazon’s author page http://amzn.to/1NSRVrT  You can also find me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5 or facebook at http://facebook.com/karenrockauthor 
Happy Holidays everyone!


Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary author. She holds a master’s degree in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time author. Most recently, her Harlequin Heartwarming novels have won the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award and the 2015 Booksellers Best Award. When she's not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales, cooking and hiking. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, daughter and Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Other Heartwarming Titles by this Author

Wish Me Tomorrow His Hometown Girl
Someone Like You A League of Her Own
Raising the Stakes Winter Wedding Bells

TOUR SCHEDULE

Don't miss any of these FREE novellas or the extra tour content! Stop by each of the tour stops each day:

11/2: Snow Day Baby by Amy Vastine
Singing Librarian Books, The Power of Words, & Katie's Clean Book Collection


11/4: Wedding at Turkey Run by Liz Flaherty
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing, Babs Book Bistro, & Heidi Reads...

11/6: Her Thanksgiving Soldier by Leigh Riker
Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima, Mel's Shelves, & Brooke Blogs

11/9: Mr. Right All Along by Jen Snow
Katie's Clean Book CollectionMin Reads and Reviews, & Love thy Shelf

11/11: Falling for the Cowboy by Sophia Sasson
Kindle and Me, The Power of Words, & Colorimetry

11/13: The Marriage Gift by Tara Taylor Quinn
deal sharing aunt, Babs Book Bistro, & Brooke Blogs

11/16: Heart of a Hero by Pamela Tracy
Writing Pearls, Wishful Endings, & Waiting For Wentworth

11/18: Thankful for You by Karen Rock
Christian Chick's Thoughts, Getting Your Read On, & Love, Laughter, Friendship

11/20: Autumn at Jasper Lake by Carol Ross
Reading Is My SuperPower, I Am A Reader, & Colorimetry

11/23: The Firefighter’s Promise by Kate James
Canadian Book Addict, Mel's Shelves, & Beck Valley Books

11/24: Wedding of His Dreams by Cari Lynn Webb
Bookworm Lisa, Kindle and Me, & Zerina Blossom's Books

11/25: The Sweetheart Tree by Rula Sinara
The Written Adventure, Reading Is My SuperPower, & Writing Pearl

11/26: Married by Thanksgiving by Melinda Curtis
Heidi Reads..., Love, Laughter, Friendship, & Singing Librarian Books 

11/29: Grand Finale
11/30: Facebook Party

GIVEAWAYS

Goodreads Giveaway

13 Harlequin Heartwarming Books
Enter on Goodreads HERE.

Pinterest Giveaway

 
Pin one or both of these images to spread the word and enter to win this adorably festive Thanksgiving Table Set:


Pinterest Prize includes: four reversible, quilted placemats, four matching napkins, hand-painted matching napkin rings, matching table runner, matching quilted hot pad/trivet, floral centerpiece in pot, and hand-crafted pilgrim pair.
- Enter via the Rafflecopter below
- Open to US/CAN only
- Ends December 4th


Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize: Harlequin Heartwarming Year Subscription (Provided by Harlequin and to US/CAN only)
$40 VISA card (US only)
13-Book Heartwarming Prize Pack: The Best Laid Plans, Back to McGuffy's, If I Loved You, Love, Lies & Mistletoe, First Comes Marriage, Once Upon A Marriage, Small Town Secrets, Winter Wedding Bells, If Not For A Bee, When The Right One Comes Along, Wedding of His Dreams, After The Silence, and A Memory Away (print copies if US, ebooks if international)
9-Book Prize Pack: The Best Laid Plans, If I Loved You, Love, Lies & Mistletoe, First Comes Marriage, Once Upon A Marriage, When The Right One Comes Along, Winter Wedding Bells, If Not For A Bee, and After The Silence (print copies if US, ebooks if international)
Ends December 4th

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6 comments:

  1. Congratulations for another wonderful story, Karen! I can hardly wait to read your story in the Winter Wedding Bells anthology.

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  2. Going over to read your story right now, Karen!

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  3. Thanks so much Kate and Liz!!! I'm so excited for you to read it :) And thank you so much, Aimee, for hosting me today on your wonderful sight <3

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  4. I enjoyed Thankful For You. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  5. I enjoyed reading Thankful for You. Thank you, Karen, for sharing it with us.

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  6. Karen,
    Were these secondary characters from another book? You've got six! I hadn't realized it until I saw them all together. All I can say is Karen Rock rocks!

    ReplyDelete

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