Carla Swafford, Author

Circle of Danger, My Books, Special Price, The Circle series

Romance in Entertainment Weekly

Posted on October 7, 2017 by Carla Swafford, Author

Entertainment Weekly magazine had an interesting article this week. They announced the on-line version will have a “roundup” (reviews) of the latest romance novels. I was so proud that in the short article they hadn’t said the two words I hate (initials are B. R.). Then I pulled up the column on-line. There were those hated words. Oh, well, hopefully they won’t use them again. Anyway, I’m just glad they are giving all of our hard work some recognition. Be sure to check it out.

http://ew.com/books/2017/10/06/romancing-the-tome-novels-ew-reviews-september-2017/

Danger cover2

And by the way, CIRCLE OF DANGER is only 99 cents. Not sure how long HarperCollins will price it that low, but be sure to go and buy it now. Links below.

REMEMBER TO READ IT SOON! If you’ve been following my blog for long, you know how I feel about LARGE to-be-read piles (ebook or paperback). TBR piles kill authors’ careers.

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In a follow-up to Carla Swafford’s sexy Circle of Desire, the agents of The Circle—a top-secret group of assassins—are back and on the hunt for a dangerous drug lord capable of bringing women to the brink of pleasure . . . and devastation.

Marie Beltane, a lowly data entry specialist for The Circle, resents being treated like a little girl and wants to help by proving she’s worthy of being a full-fledged operative. Disobeying Arthur Ryker’s orders to stay out of the way, she accepts a simple fact-finding assignment—only to have everything go horribly wrong. Now she’s been injected with the drug responsible for the deaths of four local women, a drug that puts her sex drive into overdrive.

Ryker wants nothing more than to keep Marie safe from the world. He’s already killed to protect her from one madman, and he may have to do it again. While on a search for an antidote to her mysterious drug, he falls into a trap and must fight a new evil. Now he must become the monster he’s always feared to save the woman he’s always loved.

Amazon

iBooks

Barnes and Noble

Kobo Books

Google Play

Books a Million

Writing

So What’s Next?

Posted on September 23, 2017October 28, 2017 by Carla Swafford, Author

If you’ve been wondering about what I’ve been up to and what you should expect next from me, here’s a little information. Presently, I finished a book I’ve been working on and off for a handful of years. Book one in my Southern Crime Family series. It will be first of three I hope to publish a month apart at the end of next year.

I’m also working on another book written in first person about a bounty hunter. Hopefully, it will be something everyone will love.

If you’re interested in excerpts and announcements about my books, you can sign up for my newsletter. If you just want to know when another book will come out, you can sign up to follow me on BookBub and/or Amazon. Or do all three.

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Of course, you can follow this blog too. Look on the right near the top.

Brothers of Mayhem series, Hidden Heat, Special Price, Writing

On Sale!

Posted on September 13, 2017March 9, 2019 by Carla Swafford, Author

Hidden Heat is on sale for 99 cents for a limited time. Sexy undercover cop infiltrates a motorcycle gang and meets former MC president’s daughter with a smart-mouth. Hot sex and danger. Be sure to check it out and buy!

Writing

First Line Short Story

Posted on August 27, 2017November 10, 2018 by Carla Swafford, Author

Yesterday, I went to a workshop my writers group sponsored, and it was so much fun. The presenter mainly talked about motivation. As in how a writer can use encouragement or habits to put their butt in a chair and write every day. Otherwise, you will never get done that book, short story, or article you’ve been dreaming about writing.

One exercise I enjoyed the most. In any book a person reads, the first line in the first chapter is important. It should be able to draw a person in to read more. The presenter gave us a choice of several first liners. One was “It’s so huge!” You can imagine that was a favorite. Anyway, I picked the one you’ll see below. Hope you like the itty-bitty short story.

**be aware that I use naughty words**

Sliding down the stripper pole isn’t as easy as you might think. When I took the bet from my friends. I was already down six beers, and really should know better than to take their dare. The asshats.

Everyone claps and hoots, trying to encourage my rhythm as I dance around the pole. Playing the part, I yank off my shirt and twirl it above my head. The servers and dancers laugh and shout their advice.

Kid Rock’s Cowboy blasts through the speakers. Grabbing the steel pole, I jump up and try my best to hold on with my jean-clad legs, but I slide inch by inch down the slippery bastard. And who knew the fucking thing rotates by itself? I tighten my grip and lean back. Lifting my arm as if I won the lottery.

More shouting reminds me I need to move with the beat. So I thrust my hips and swing around the pole. The colors and sounds swirl by and my head feels light. A little cross-eyed, I fall to the stage, and the pounding of the music vibrates through my body. Not letting my friends get the better of me, I jump up, sway, regain my feet, and begin a bump and grind. Dollars rain around my feet.

Fuck the pole. I’ll just dance around and make a few bucks. Then I can buy another beer when the song stops. I do every dance I can remember from what Mom taught me. Two stepping, I trip and my friends catch me, helping me to stand as the song ends.

“You win, Luke. I never thought you would do it.” Rich hands me the fiver he had promised if I show the girls I could do it too.

****

I always love a twist and not just on a stripper pole. HA!

Odd Observation, Thoughts

The Beast Inside

Posted on August 24, 2017August 24, 2017 by Carla Swafford, Author

I’m screaming inside right now.

That’s what happens when you hear news you don’t want. As a reasonable human being with manners, you know you should never scare the people around you. You should grin and bear it. Never let people see you cry or be upset. Otherwise, you’ll have to explain what happened. When you explain, you relive the devastating reality. Then people give you platitudes you can live without. Usually, they say those things because they believe it’s the proper thing to do. So in other words, they say the words to make themselves feel better.

All you can tolerant is someone who will talk about the nice weather. So you keep your mouth shut and manage a faint grin.

Most people do not understand how I feel, so I rather not hear their opinion or receive their sympathy. I keep the screaming inside until I’m numb and can come to terms with the person I am, not the one who I thought I was.

Yet I move on.