Another Sunday Six from my favorite romance novel, A Broken Christmas

“Why, Aimee?”

What he asked went so much deeper than her refusal to sign the divorce papers. In his broken stare, his swollen eyes, his wet eyelashes, she heard the cry from his soul. Why him? Why stay?

Why forgive and accept him as he was?





A Broken Christmas
Amazon | Barnes and Noble






~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: 5-Star Review , A Broken Christmas , Book of Month Nominee , Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Men in Uniform , Novella , romance novel

It's time for another Sunday Six -- keeping with the holiday theme...  My very favorite book I've written.  A Broken Christmas.  It was a finalist for Best Contemporary in both the Golden Quill and the Reader's Crown Awards for 2012.

“You need to go,” he murmured. “Away from me. I’m a monster.”

The ache behind her ribs intensified, and Aimee leaned in close to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “No. I’m staying right here. Go back to sleep, it’s not yet five.”





A Broken Christmas
Amazon | Barnes and Noble





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: 5-Star Review , A Broken Christmas , Book of Month Nominee , Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Men in Uniform , Novella

Hi all!  I had a wonderful time at RomCon 2012, met a lot of great authors and readers, bloggers and models, and reconnected with some old friends I haven't seen in way too long.  (And according to a few I got married there too, but that's a story for a different day.)

I have passels of stuff to share about RomCon and pictures to upload.  All of which I'll begin doing tomorrow.  And I came home with two amazing things:

1.  A new assistant -- oh thank the powers above now there is someone to keep me organized.  I'm so very excited to work out all the technical requirements and get her rolling.

2.  Remember this book?

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Conferences , Contests , Immortal Hope , Knights Templar , Misunderstanding Mason , My Books , Paranormal Romance , The Curse of the Templar , Tor Romance

Reposted from Wednesday due to Technical issues:

Book boyfriends... the acceptable means of infidelity.

You know you have one. You know you've experienced his kiss and want more. You know your heart is every bit as much his, as his belongs to someone else...

And your significant other is totally okay with you cheating for a few hours out of your life with the drop-dead sexy hero in your latest romance novel.

It can't get better, can it?

So just who have you fallen in love with over the years? The strong silent type? The naughty rogue? The agressive no holds barred lover?

I've published quite a bit and written even more, but there's one hero who outshines them all for me presently. His name is Kyle Garland. His story is A BROKEN CHRISTMAS -- which is an appropriate year-round read, not just a holiday heartwarmer.

Delta Force operative Kyle Garland divorced his wife to protect her. His top-secret missions expose him to constant danger, and his world is full of lies and deceit. But the threat to Aimee doesn’t come in the form of insurgents or bombs. Rather, his soul-deep love and the dreams he silently nurtures are her greatest hazard. When a career-ending injury brings him home for Christmas, to keep her safe he must bury his feelings and hide the monster he’s become. Fourteen months ago, Aimee had the perfect marriage… then Kyle blindsided her with a divorce. Now, he’s coming home, and she intends to get her answers. Yet the crippled man she confronts bears scars her years of nursing cannot heal. The secret he’s hiding is tearing him apart. No matter how she tries, he keeps her at a distance, despite the love that’s still evident in his kiss. What Aimee doesn’t know is her own damaged past terrifies Kyle more than any wartime horror. As she forces him to confront his demons, will the holiday shred the fragile bonds they share, or will Christmas complete all their broken parts?

I have to share why Kyle is my favorite too:

~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~

As he eased the golf cart to a jerky stop beside her car and she stepped out, he slid her a sideways glance. Walsh must have put her up to this. Damn him. Evidently he couldn’t get the message either—Kyle wanted to be left alone. But Conner Walsh had a way of screwing everything up.

How, in the name of God, could he survive living with Aimee?

“Are you coming?” Aimee called from inside her car.

More than anything in the world, Kyle wanted to tell her no. Not because he resented her too accurateassessment of his physical limitations, not because he wanted to move on and forget about her. No, he wanted to tell her she was out of her mind because the idea of going home with Aimee made him jittery.

“Yeah,” he mumbled with disgust. Coordinating cane, good leg, bad leg, and numb hand, he worked his way to his feet and limped to the passenger’s door. At least she hadn’t opened it for him—he’d have died right there if Aimee thought he was that incapable of tending to himself. His career might be toast, he might be crippled, but he was not an invalid.

And he was not hiring a nurse, damn it.

Kyle slid into the passenger’s seat with a grimace. The old pain started in his knee, worked its way up to his thigh. Muscles that had taken months to reattach and bind to bone protested the cold. Rebelled against the time he’d spent standing on the plane, just to prove to himself he could. “Why didn’t you move out?”

Aimee keyed the engine and dropped the gearshift into reverse. Looking over shoulder as she backed out of the space, she answered, “I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

“What have you been doing?”

As she shifted into drive, her foot on the brake, she gave him a meaningful look. “Searching for a job.”

“Oh.” Kyle lapsed into silence. He drummed his fingers on the center console, mentally ticking off the numerous reasons why staying with Aimee in the house they’d bought as husband and wife was a bad idea. Beyond the fact he loathed the idea of her tending to him like she might one of her former patients she smelled too incredibly good after a shower, and he didn’t know how to keep his hands off her.

Already his brain formed fantastic pictures of them in the bed, reuniting in ways that would make Hugh Heffner blush. In the kitchen, on the dining room table, lathering each other in the shower…

Like he’d just run into a brick wall, the slow burn of pleasure that crept into his blood came to a frigid halt. He let out a derisive snort. Shower—right. He couldn’t handle the shower solo, much less with Aimee’s hands all over him and soap slicking his body. His leg wouldn’t hold up, the wet tile would make him slip. Christ, he couldn’t even make love to her if he wanted to—he couldn’t feel a damn thing in his right hand. He’d be no better than a bumbling teen. All thumbs, no finesse, and a damn sight rougher than what her fragile skin could handle.

So much for that little fantasy. Aimee deserved a whole man. Not one who’d been reduced to benches in the bathtub.

~~@~~
YOU HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM A BROKEN CHRISTMAS
~~@~~

If you think you might fall in love with Kyle as much as I did while telling his story, comment on your favorite book boyfriend below -- what made you fall in love? Each comment will be entered into a drawing on Feb 5, for a .pdf copy of A BROKEN CHRISTMAS.

Then, check out the wonderful Book Boyfriend Blog Hop, sponsored by Reading Between the Wines and As the Pages Turn, and the fantastic prizes these authors are offering. It's a great kick-start to the Valentine's Holday!



<center><a href="http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/folksohana/BookBoyfriendHop-1.jpg"width="250" height="350"/></a></center>


~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Book Boyfriend Blog Hop , Giveaways

Book boyfriends... the acceptable means of infidelity.

You know you have one. You know you've experienced his kiss and want more. You know your heart is every bit as much his, as his belongs to someone else...

And your significant other is totally okay with you cheating for a few hours out of your life with the drop-dead sexy hero in your latest romance novel.

It can't get better, can it?

So just who have you fallen in love with over the years? The strong silent type? The naughty rogue? The agressive no holds barred lover?

I've published quite a bit and written even more, but there's one hero who outshines them all for me presently. His name is Kyle Garland. His story is A BROKEN CHRISTMAS -- which is an appropriate year-round read, not just a holiday heartwarmer.

The truest gifts are damaged ... Delta Force operative Kyle Garland divorced his wife to protect her. His top-secret missions expose him to constant danger, and his world is full of lies and deceit. But the threat to Aimee doesn’t come in the form of insurgents or bombs. Rather, his soul-deep love and the dreams he silently nurtures are her greatest hazard. When a career-ending injury brings him home for Christmas, to keep her safe he must bury his feelings and hide the monster he’s become. Fourteen months ago, Aimee had the perfect marriage… then Kyle blindsided her with a divorce. Now, he’s coming home, and she intends to get her answers. Yet the crippled man she confronts bears scars her years of nursing cannot heal. The secret he’s hiding is tearing him apart. No matter how she tries, he keeps her at a distance, despite the love that’s still evident in his kiss. What Aimee doesn’t know is her own damaged past terrifies Kyle more than any wartime horror. As she forces him to confront his demons, will the holiday shred the fragile bonds they share, or will Christmas complete all their broken parts?

I have to share why Kyle is my favorite too:

~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~

As he eased the golf cart to a jerky stop beside her car and she stepped out, he slid her a sideways glance. Walsh must have put her up to this. Damn him. Evidently he couldn’t get the message either—Kyle wanted to be left alone. But Conner Walsh had a way of screwing everything up.

How, in the name of God, could he survive living with Aimee?

“Are you coming?” Aimee called from inside her car.

More than anything in the world, Kyle wanted to tell her no. Not because he resented her too accurate
assessment of his physical limitations, not because he wanted to move on and forget about her. No, he wanted to tell her she was out of her mind because the idea of going home with Aimee made him jittery.

“Yeah,” he mumbled with disgust. Coordinating cane, good leg, bad leg, and numb hand, he worked his way to his feet and limped to the passenger’s door. At least she hadn’t opened it for him—he’d have died right there if Aimee thought he was that incapable of tending to himself. His career might be toast, he might be crippled, but he was not an invalid.

And he was not hiring a nurse, damn it.

Kyle slid into the passenger’s seat with a grimace. The old pain started in his knee, worked its way up to his thigh. Muscles that had taken months to reattach and bind to bone protested the cold. Rebelled against the time he’d spent standing on the plane, just to prove to himself he could. “Why didn’t you move out?”

Aimee keyed the engine and dropped the gearshift into reverse. Looking over shoulder as she backed out of the space, she answered, “I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

“What have you been doing?”

As she shifted into drive, her foot on the brake, she gave him a meaningful look. “Searching for a job.”

“Oh.” Kyle lapsed into silence. He drummed his fingers on the center console, mentally ticking off the numerous reasons why staying with Aimee in the house they’d bought as husband and wife was a bad idea. Beyond the fact he loathed the idea of her tending to him like she might one of her former patients, she smelled too incredibly good after a shower, and he didn’t know how to keep his hands off her.

Already his brain formed fantastic pictures of them in the bed, reuniting in ways that would make Hugh Heffner blush. In the kitchen, on the dining room table, lathering each other in the shower…

Like he’d just run into a brick wall, the slow burn of pleasure that crept into his blood came to a frigid halt. He let out a derisive snort. Shower—right. He couldn’t handle the shower solo, much less with Aimee’s hands all over him and soap slicking his body. His leg wouldn’t hold up, the wet tile would make him slip. Christ, he couldn’t even make love to her if he wanted to—he couldn’t feel a damn thing in his right hand. He’d be no better than a bumbling teen. All thumbs, no finesse, and a damn sight rougher than what her fragile skin could handle.

So much for that little fantasy. Aimee deserved a whole man. Not one who’d been reduced to benches in the bathtub.

~~@~~
YOU HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM A BROKEN CHRISTMAS
~~@~~

If you think you might fall in love with Kyle as much as I did while telling his story, comment on your favorite book boyfriend below -- what made you fall in love? Each comment will be entered into a drawing on Feb 5, for a .pdf copy of A BROKEN CHRISTMAS.

Then, check out the wonderful Book Boyfriend Blog Hop, sponsored by Reading Between the Wines and As the Pages Turn, and the fantastic prizes these authors are offering. It's a great kick-start to the Valentine's Holday!









<center><a href="http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/folksohana/BookBoyfriendHop-1.jpg"width="250" height="350"/></a></center>









~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Book Boyfriend Blog Hop , giveaway

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Contests , Holiday Blog

Squee! I was so absolutely excited to see this review come in. Not only did it achieve 5 Stars, A Broken Christmas was awarded the TOP PICK ranking.

As I've said many times, this story is super special to me. It's an incredible feeling to have a book be as well received as it is.



Here is what Emma at Night Owl Reviews had to say:

"How do you even begin to review a story that tells about such soul-stealing pain? The problem is that the characters are real or they easily could be."

"Be sure to have a box of tissues at your side; you're going to need it."

If you'd like to read Emma's full remarks, please read the entire review at Night Owl Reviews

~~~~~
A Broken Christmas is available in digital format at The Wild Rose Press and all major digital booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: 5-Star Review , A Broken Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Novella , Reviews

It's Monday again -- time to start the week with another free-read!

The Prize:

A .pdf copy of A Broken Christmas











The Game:

Post a comment, any comment, about either the Broken Christmas Teaser last Tuesday, or sound off if you have family or friends currently serving in our Armed Forces (or similar capacities).

Names will be collected, and one person will be randomly chosen by my youngest demi-demon. The winner’s name will be posted in the comments section tomorrow morning. Winner will need to email me to claim his/her prize.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Monday PickMeUp , Novella

I've said it many times, A Broken Christmas is a very special story to me. It is probably my current favorite piece I've written. I hoped that it impacted readers as much as it affected me.

I'm beyond thrilled that the first review it's received came in at 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies.

Here's what Suzie had to say:

"A BROKEN CHRISTMAS is one exceptional book! Mere words can’t express how much I fell in love with this story."

"For anyone who appreciates a book with which you will develop an emotional bond then A BROKEN CHRISTMAS is just the book to satisfy your needs."

To read her full remarks, visit Romance Junkies





~~~~~
A Broken Christmas is available in digital format at The Wild Rose Press and all major digital booksellers, including as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: 5-Star Review , A Broken Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Novella

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Novella , Tuesday Teaser

Happy Holidays, everyone!

~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: 5-Star Review , A Broken Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Cursed to Kill , New Release , Novella , Paranormal Romance

I've been writing to deadlines pretty much since I began writing. Mainly because it was a 'fun' way to satisfy my former project manager brain with little boxes to check off. The more boxes I had checked, the more it looked like I had tangible evidence of accomplishing something.

Somewhere along the way though, that anal retentive part of my brain couldn't just look at deadlines as fun and markers to accomplishment. Writing to deadlines became mandatory for my own sense of accomplishment. I picked a date, said I'd have XYZ done, and busted tail to get that done.

Then, as I began to have published works available and started looking toward the next release, deadlines became mandatory. The more titles I sold, the more mandatory that practice became.

For instance, let me give you a peek at my life since late March:

I had one Contemporary novella to finish, two paranormal novellas to compose from ground zero including plotting the series, line edits on Immortal Hope, edits on both Misunderstanding Mason and A Broken Christmas, various tasks related to book blurbs and cover input, and as Tori St. Claire, I had to finish revisions on Stripped and in 6 days must have the proposal for the second Berkley Heat book turned in.

That's not counting obligations I have to other jobs, or my family, or my farm.

Without strict adhearance to deadlines, none of this would have been finished on time. My agent would have been furious, my editors would have been beating on my doors, and that doesn't even touch the level of self-disgust I would have felt at failing to follow-through.

The last two weeks I've really felt that crunch for the first time, and it's been in a good way. I like the feeling of truly having a job. Frankly, it's great fun to finish, mark off the Gantt list item, and move on to the next. But in between all this I had the following issues to mitigate:

a. Eldest child broke his arm
b. Taxes had to be finished to fullfill another obligation
c. Weather changes backed up all my daily farm chores
d. Dog got hit by a car
e. Incredible idea blindsided me and refused to let go, requiring three days of sifting through it until I could pen it all down for later use

Folks, if I didn't have deadlines penned down, and I didn't adapt my approach to writing early on so that those self-imposed deadlines were critical, I'd have never survived the last two and a half months.

Now, after everything has dwindled to a dull whirr, I find myself *ahead* of my deadline schedule. Not by much, but ahead all the same. All that's left is to finish up that proposal -- which is a discussion I'll have on Thursday, on Tori's blog.

So -- if you're starting out, start setting deadlines early on. Approach everything like you're writing with an editor who's knocking on your door and waiting for the project. Teach yourself (and those around you) how to make deadlines come together. (And if you've got a family, get them accustomed to frozen dinners at deadline time early! Not to mention delayed housecleaning and an extra addition of chores.)

Above all, develop the work ethic. That's the best advice I can give you.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Immortal Hope , Misunderstanding Mason , Musings , Tori St.Claire

Well, I have some wonderful news on the heels of my newest release!

If you've signed up for my newsletter (Here) you already know most of this. But that's why I have the newsletter, a little bonus for those of you who take the time to read it. For those of you not subscribed...

I'm pleased to announce that the two novellas I submitted to The Wild Rose Press were both accepted. Look for Misunderstanding Mason and A Broken Christmas later this year.

Also, my first romantic suspense endeavor went on to sell in Turkey as a straight thriller. Untrustable will be released sometime next year in hardback. While I won't be able to read a word of it, I'm uber-excited to get my hands on that book and put it on my shelf. Turkish covers -- can't wait to see what they do with it!

On that vein, you may have noticed I quietly added a new page to my blog -- the tab marked Tori St. Claire.

The same romantic suspense prompted the creation of a new pseudonym. Evidently, my sexy romantic suspense was just a tad bit sexier than I realized, and Berkley has taken me on as a member of their HEAT (erotic) line. It will not hit the shelves as "Untrustable". Right now the title is still being bantered around. And I do caution that this book -- and those to follow under Tori St. Claire -- are very hot. But this has been a phenomenal experience for me so far, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to join the ranks of authors I adore!

This adds another title to my January 2012 releases, as the erotic romantic suspense is scheduled to release then as well as Immortal Templar Knights.

As you can see, April has been an exciting month. More to come, on more mundane subjects, as the week goes by.

~Claire

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: A Broken Christmas , Christmas , Contemporary Romance , Erotic Romance , Knights Templar , Misunderstanding Mason , My Books , Tori St.Claire , Wild Rose Press