Monday, December 31, 2018

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Love is Never Past Tense by Janna Yeshanova




Originally from the former Soviet Union, Janna Yeshanova escaped in 1989 when persecution became violent during the crumbling of the Soviet state. This required getting permission to emigrate and a long dangerous train trip across central Europe with her elderly mother, her young daughter, and the $126 she was permitted to take out of the country. She did this by overcoming gridlock in Russia, animosity and graft at the border, and neglect in the west. Safely out of Soviet control, Janna and her family spent months as refugees waiting for permission to come to the United States. Arriving in the United States knowing not a soul, Janna settled in Ohio and began to rebuild her life. She earned a second masters Degree and was invited as a speaker at the Bosnia and Herzegovina International Peace Conference in 1996. While building her business as a Leadership Trainer and consultant, she has become a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coach Federation. She offers life coaching services to individuals, conflict resolution to couples and groups, and soft skills training to organizations of all sizes. Her book, Love Is Never Past Tense, offers a message of hope and inspiration, showing that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.

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A couple's quick romance and hasty marriage is torn apart by family and fate, leaving them to face the collapse of the Soviet Union separately. Years later, old memories are stirred to give their love a second chance. Serge and Janna's chance meeting at a Black Sea beach sparks a passionate romance and a quick marriage. Serge's parents, suspicious of Janna's motives and heritage, force him to break up with her. As the Soviet Union collapses, revealing ethnic and social pressures, each faces danger separately. Serge drowns in self-doubt, his life spiraling down and in. Janna plots a dangerous exodus to America with her mother and daughter. Years pass, stirring old emotions.Then, changing circumstances give their love a second chance. Janna Yeshanova tells a story, providing a very personal view of political and social change.

Love is Never Past Tense is part romantic drama and part a look at real people responding to life-changing events, but mostly a suspense adventure about living through one of the biggest changes in living memory. Love Is Never Past Tense is available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback and Kindle eBook formats. The newly released audiobook is available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. The audible and Kindle versions are enabled with WhisperSync. The audio is narrated by Daniela Acitelli, a narrator with dozens of audiobooks to her credit. Even those familiar with the story found new meaning in her presentation. It took me two years to find her.

http://www.loveisneverpasttense.com
Audiobook sample https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nBbMxrEb1g
Book Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quPSNk7EnoA
Buy Links: 
Audio Book at audible.com https://adbl.co/2FrEWAs
Audio Book at Amazon https://amzn.to/2Bt9s8W
Audio Book at iTunes https://apple.co/2Kvh8KX
Amazon Author Page https://amzn.to/2AhhY9j
Amazon Kindle https://amzn.to/2Ku6h3S





How did you start writing erotic romance? My writing is true to life, not erotic, but the lives I write about seek (and find love). I started by living my life with no plan to write. Several years ago, during an extended visit back to Europe, opportunity and inspiration showed up at the same time.

Plotter or pantster? I don’t think either describes what I’m doing. Love Is Never Past Tense is true to life, looking in depth at both the protagonists. The characters are deep into their own plots and take the story with them. That said, a big part of their plots includes romantic plans.




What are three things you have on your writing desk?




Three? You gave me a compliment! But thanks for limiting your question to only three. On the wall to my right, I have a portrait of my daughter Alla, when she was 12. Surely, this portrait has it’s story! It was the last summer before we left the Soviet Union. I had to go out of town and I asked my friend who was a famous artist Ludmila Tsoncheva to stay with my kid for three — four hours. She said Yes. When I came back, I saw a mesmerizing scene! Ludmila invited her friend who was also an artist, Inessa Tsypina. Both of them created three wonderful portraits of my daughter. Ludmila painted with oil on canvas, and Inessa drew two portraits with pastels. One of them is on my desk. The second thing on my desk is a pair of Rose Quartz Healing Gemstone Bookends. I chose them in pink to support the color of the pants my daughter wares in the portrait to make the portrait more distinct. I am developing a course for Life Coaches, and the two book ends are supporting the books I am using for reference on how better to implement Emotional Intelligence. And the third thing is a map of Crimea on a coffee caster. Crimea is on of the places where Love Is Never Past Tense set. It’s one of my favorite places at the Black sea! Thank Goodness you do not see the rest of the desk! 😊


Favorite food? I make wonderful stuffed peppers. I have a sin to confess to: I put a bunch of sour cream on the top! Who wants the recipe for the peppers?Send me a message to https://www.facebook.com/loveisneverpasttense

Tell us a little about your new release. What character in the book really spoke to you? Love Is Never Past Tense is based on a true story – my true story. It is part a wholesome romance, part —a narrative of my immigration to America, and it’s hard to pin it down to a single genre. It pushes the boundaries of women’s fiction (some parts are based on actual events), literary fiction and contemporary romance. Some might even classify the novel as a historical romance — actual recent history fills the book. Love Is Never Past Tense is now seeking a new audience in the form of an audio book. I searched for years for the right narrator and finally found her. Daniela Acitelli captured the voice I was hearing in my head as I wrote the book. And here is a sample: http://bit.ly/2Ah0ESX Since this is a true story, in the literal sense all the characters really spoke to me. In the metaphorical sense, my two protagonists saw their lives collapsing as the Soviet Union crumbled around them. They followed different difficult paths but, in the end, still found each other.

I write because ... I write because I have a life story worth sharing and the opportunity to do so. A big part of my book chronicles my journey from the Soviet Union to the United States. I left the Soviet Union as the country was collapsing and became part of a wave of Soviet Jewish immigrants seeking safety and a new life in Israel, the United States and elsewhere. In the 30 years since, nothing has come close in terms of the effort it took or the impact it had on my life. It led me to America and to US citizenship—a difficult and dangerous path.

What is your favorite type of character to write about? My favorite characters are complex, real people facing real challenges. In the streets used for Love Is Never Past Tense, the world was falling apart, but any street will do.

What is next on your writerly horizon? I’m looking to make Love Is Never Past Tense into a movie. A screenplay writer J. Walter Cohen read the book and fell in love with it. He involved his friend and colleague Lewis Gordon, and they together created a great screenplay!





Serge didn't try to catch up to the shuffling, thin, leather skirt. He hadn't a clue what he would do if he actually caught up with her. So he continued following her along the high embankment for a fairly long time, until they crossed the whole of Lanzheron Park. But, reaching the beach, the girl quickly descended to the sea. Serge even began to jog a bit to keep her in sight. His head was clear this morning, and soon he would try out his cunning for the first but not the last time this day. The spy set up camp at the upper solarium and watched over her. Maybe she was waiting for some company, or a young man, or a girlfriend (which would undoubtedly seem to be better), but to our spy, all were equally bad possibilities. This guessing game carried on in his head, but it seemed she wasn't looking for anyone. She ducked into the changing room, and her leather skirt momentarily hung over the edge of the stall. After a minute, she exited, and Serge, pulling his long hair away from his head with both hands in anguish, groaned something unintelligible. Her breasts exited the little room first. The spot from where Serge looked down provided such visibility that his knees began to tremble. Her face was impossible to discern through her long hair and sunglasses, but something told him it would also be in order. She laid before her a light beach towel, and laying down she took a book from her bag and began to read. Burning her “landing site” into his mind, Serge took off like a shot to the nearest cabana rental. Fast as lightning, he exchanged his clothes for a key, crammed two metal rubles in the pocket of his swimming trunks, and became Don Juan. He feared, though, that there were already a bunch of admirers slinking ever closer to the sacred beach towel, and that he would simply be too late. He'd have to crawl to his place in line, and like the others, would have a poor chance of success. He flew down the stairs and quickly found the beach towel, but … its owner was nowhere to be found. There was a book, a beach bag, and sunglasses, but their owner had disappeared. Oh, yes! This would be the second time that a smart thought visited Serge’s head today. People come to the sea to swim, after all! This interpretation of her disappearance comforted and delighted Serge. He became bolder and impudently tossed his glasses onto the same towel and cheerfully marched to the water. With his half-blind eyes, he surely could not see her. And where, among dozens of bathers? He dove into a wave, and swam away from the shore. First, he couldn't stand to watch bathers jumping around like frogs in the shallow water. Secondly, at this moment, his exceptionally quick-witted head told him he couldn't be the first to return to her beach towel. Then he'd have to take his glasses and fiddle around a bit in front of the beach towel to buy time as he came up with a new plan. Perhaps he'd cover himself with the towel, or maybe … no, he needed to work on his initial scenario. He even came up with a sophisticated opening: "Excuse me, young lady, but I left my glasses here on your towel. I simply didn't have anywhere to put them, or myself for that matter." With this, his stockpile of ideas was depleted … At last he climbed out of the water and headed along the well-trodden route to her beach towel. The towel was in place, and on this towel lay the magnificent body of its hostess, but Serge's glasses were lying a little bit farther on the edge of the towel. Serge squatted down and mumbled his introduction. He was counting on her to respond with typical beach chit-chat: "Where are you from? How long ago did you arrive in Odessa?" or other such nonsense. "Your glasses are fine," she responded. "I figured someone just confused their beach towel with mine, but have a seat anyway." She scooted over, freeing up half the beach towel. He got scared. If he lay down, then he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to nuzzle up to her. Then he'd certainly look like a pervert, a youth brought up with no manners, or a pest—in a word, he would give the exact opposite impression than he wanted. He mumbled something like a "thank you" and lay down beside her on the sand. She motioned towards him with a little bag of sunflower seeds, "Help yourself." ” Oh God, what's this?” resounded in Serge's mind. “Are you kidding me … sunflower seeds?” And his hand with a subsequent "thank you" reached in the bag. "Do you like Ilf and Petrov?”2 ” Lord, who is she talking about? I've only heard of them in passing, but I don't know the slightest thing about them …” Serge thought to himself. "My name's Janna," she came to his rescue. "Sergey," he stammered in reply, "but at the institute everyone actually calls me Serge, or Seriy …”3 She chuckled. "Grey. You're actually black as tar. Where did you get such a tan?" she asked, spitting out sunflower seed shells. Not even awaiting a response, she exclaimed: "Here is an interesting moment”—and she began to read her book aloud, something about Ptiburdukov and his Varvara, who was leaving her first husband for him but couldn't make up her mind. Janna read for a while, probably about five pages, and then thrust the book towards Serge and said, "You read from here," marking the place with her fingernail. Serge began to read, but he didn't understand a word. He was too busy worrying about his diction, trying not to miss any letters or words. He fought through two pages, but his audience was clearly not impressed. "Would you like a cigarette?" "If he has a smoke, then he'll stop reading.” Serge could almost hear her thinking. He pulled a cigarette from a mashed-up pack of Javas, the best tobacco the Soviet Union could offer at that time. She handed him the matches. He brought the flame close to her face. She took a drag and rolled over on her back. Serge absolutely didn’t know what to do: read, blow sand from her, ask her about something. But she was not waiting for any questions and didn’t ask any questions. It was as if he simply was present. And that was that. The only thing that remained was for Serge to stare dumbfounded into the sand and observe the ants. Having smoked half the cigarette, she jammed the other half into the sand and turned back over on her stomach, brushing her leg up against Serge's. But she did not hasten to remove it. Silent Serge, who really didn't look the part of a reasonable person, turned into an animal. His uncontrollable desire sprang to life, pulling his swimming trunks down into the sand with such force that it became painful. Serge secretly burrowed a hole in the sand, easing the pressure. He became obsessed with a craving to climb on top of her. But this was out of the question, which made his desire even stronger … "It's hot. Let's go for a swim," she said, lifting herself up on her elbows. For the first time he could see her breasts up close, causing his heart to leap through his ribs like a bird in a cage. He muttered he'd catch up to her, and when she left, his desire ever so slowly began to hide itself away, until he was finally able to get up and head towards the sea. She splashed around in the waves, which towards midday became quite sizable. He flopped about next to her, often brushing up against her body. Then he suggested tossing her in the waves. He cradled her head and shoulders, gathered her hands into his, and finally lifted her up and tossed her into the waves. Janna liked it, and so did he, but for a different reason: every time she hit the waves, her bathing suit slid down slightly, and when her breasts finally became exposed, he was ready to splash to his very death. Suddenly, she ended up cradled in his arms. With one arm, she grasped his neck, and he now understood that everything will happen, he just needed to patiently wait. Once something starts, eventually, it ends. The delightful swim as well: they returned from the water and again lay down on the beach towel. “I want to get tanned like you.” (She had already switched to the informal you4 in the water. He liked this, as it made him feel less uneasy around her). She placed her arm next to his for comparison, and her brown skin seemed much paler than his almost blackened arm. Guiltily, he informed her that he just returned yesterday from his apprenticeship in Baku, and so it was not surprising that he was so dark. “You have beautiful hands,” she pensively remarked. Then, determined, she added, “No, you just wait. I’ll catch up with you in two days. Just wait and see.” These words poured over his body like oil. For Serge, this meant that he would spend at least two more days with her. “Get some ice cream. Do you need some money?” “I have it,” answered Serge, but before he could get up and leave, he had to turn and crawl to hide his “desire” …



*** 

During their first three days together, Serge (as they called our hero at the time) was the quieter of the two, once in a while muttering some insignificant phrases. The first time he saw her, he silently followed her for a long time. She walked along easily, shifting her long, rather well-proportioned legs. Her thin leather skirt swung from side to side, barely hiding her shapely hips. A green blouse tightly covered her beautifully straight back. All the while, Serge followed her like she was a vision, lacking the courage to come closer or to back away. He knew that making her acquaintance was a long shot; she was simply out of his league. How could he possibly know that she, a complete stranger, would inexplicably impact his life and be with him forever, whether she was at his side or not?

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Holiday Freebie Alert: Mistletoe Kisses by USA Today Bestselling Author Erzabet Bishop #holiday #freebie #shifter #romance @erzabetbishop @naughtynightspr

#Free at time of post! Also available on Kindle Unlimited!
Mistletoe Kisses (Westmore Wolves #5)

A gargoyle warrior determined to succeed on his mission and a strong-willed wolf princess who isn’t taking any guff.

 Warning: Christmas cookies, peppermint bark, rescue puppies, and a whole lot of second chances that might just melt your heart.



#shifters #gargoyle #holiday #cookies #wolves #secondchances #dogrescue


Thursday, December 6, 2018

FREE FOR ALL: Grab Your Copy of Taming the Beast by USA Today Bestselling Author Erzabet Bishop! #shifter #beauty #beast #witch @erzabetbishop @naughtynightspr



#Free at time of post! Also available on Kindle Unlimited!

Taming the Beast (Westmore Wolves #4)

When reality TV meets Beauty and the Beast, get ready for fur to fly.



#shifters #beautyandthebeast #realitytv #accidentalromance #witch #curse #puppies


Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Release Day: Sapphic Holiday Cruise by USA Today Bestselling Author Erzabet Bishop #ff #holidays #cruise #99cents #limitedtime @erzabetbishop @lesficlipstick @naughtynightspr



🎄 New Release! 🎄
Now available!
Limited Time #99cent price!
Available #Free to #read in #KU!

Heat up your #Holidays with this #steamy #lesbian #collection from USA Today Bestselling Author Erzabet Bishop!


Join Ms. Bishop as she whisks you away on a holiday cruise filled with romance and sexy times on the high seas. Meet an alluring pirate vixen, a boudoir photographer and more with stories that are sure to make your season merry and bright.


#FF #lesfic #ebook #erotica #romance #womenlovingwomen #FFromance #samesex #bookboost #LTRPG #SSRTG #ASMSG #kindle #kindleunlimited

Stories include:
The Mermaid Tattoo: When Erin goes on a cruise with friends to forget her failed romance, new revelations will make her holiday season bright.
Captain, Oh Captain: A Temptation Resorts Story: Every fantasy can be made real at Temptation Resorts. Even the cruise line that brings you there.
Holiday Gifts: A Temptation Resorts Story: Never underestimate the power of seduction and hidden benefits of dating the boss.
Wrapped in Red: Sexy times ensue when a chance encounter leads Laurel to a boudoir photography session.



Excerpt from Mermaid Tattoo
Someone had created a winter wonderland. Evergreen trees lit up with white Christmas lights graced every corner. Fluffy piles of “snow” lined the walls, and in the far corner of the room, one very large tree presided over the rest. Crystal ornaments and silver slivers of tinsel glittered as the light bounced off every surface. Mermaids frolicked amid the snow-flocked branches. Hundreds of shells and other sea life dangled between delicate blown-glass bulbs that gave the tree an ethereal under-the-ocean glow.
“God, it's gorgeous.”
Erin stepped into the room and marveled at the skill of whoever had set up the scene. It was spectacular. Movement on the far side of the room made her pause. She glimpsed a blonde woman with skin-tight jeans and a tight black tee hanging garland. She stepped off the ladder and retreated into the shadows.
I want to meet her.
The thought came unbidden, and it made her smile. She checked her watch and sighed. She didn't have much time before the shops closed, and she did want to check out that photography studio.
“Thank you.” A voice came out of the shadows at the far side of the room.
Erin started. “Oh!” She began to spin around to see who’d joined her, but as she did, she experienced a sudden draft of air. The front of the dress slipped open as the tie unfastened. In horrifyingly slow motion, it fell apart, revealing the black satin bra and matching thong panties she’d worn for the occasion.
A dark chuckle of female laughter met her ears as the mysterious person in the shadows made her way toward the glow of the tree. “Need some help with the dress there, tourist girl?”
Erin yanked the tie closed, furious. She turned to make a nasty retort when the owner of the voice came into view. Every thought trickled out of her mind as she stared at the vision of loveliness in front of her. Long blonde hair framed a heart-shaped face. The other woman’s lips were curved upwards in a mischievous smile. Blue eyes bordering on purple flashed with merriment. Or possibly it was just the light. The tight pink shirt with “Fight Like a Girl” blazed across the front made her smile.
As her eyes adjusted and she took in the high breasts and shapely form in front of her, Erin's mouth went dry, and her insides were infused with heat. A girl? I'm getting hot over a girl?
She'd never reacted this way to another person before. Ever. Not even Dylan. As far as she knew, she was as straight as straight could be. Yet here she was, staring at the woman in front of her as if she were the missing éclair from her last meal.
“Cat got your tongue?” The blonde seductress strolled past her and bent over, picking up a roll of white batting from the floor. Her jeans hugged her form like a second skin. The woman was close enough that the warm citrus scent of her rolled over Erin, and she sighed.
“Errr. Um. Hi. I'm Erin.”
“I'm Ariel. Glad you like the trees.”







About the author:
Erzabet Bishop is a two time USA Today award winning and bestselling author of paranormal and erotic romance. She lives in Houston, Texas and when she isn’t writing about sexy shifters or voluptuous heroines she enjoys playing in local bookstores and watching movies with her husband and furry kids.

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