A Friendly Engagement by Christine Warner

About the Book

A Friendly Engagement (Friends First - Book 1)

by Christine Warner
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published by: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Length: 298 Pages

What's a little engagement between friends?

Omar Esterly is married to his job. But when Omar sets his sights on a potential, family-oriented client, his confirmed bachelorhood becomes a problem. Fortunately, his friend and employee, Devi Boss, has the perfect plan...

Okay, so it wasn't exactly Devi's plan to become her friend's fake fiancée. Lies aren't her style. However, Omar offers her a big, beautiful raise - enough to track down the missing father she's never known - and Devi reluctantly agrees to the whole engagement hoax...

This was supposed to be a no-strings-attached win-win for both Devi and Omar, but when they cross the line between friendship and...well, something more, Devi realizes she's made a huge mistake that just might cost her both job and friend - falling for her fiancé.

A Friendly Engagement 

“You’re game for anything, right?”

Devi compressed her lips and studied Omar through a narrow gaze, taking in the way his overly bright eyes concentrated on her face as if memorizing every pore. Her gaze traveled south to the non-existent rise and fall of his chest and how he pushed his suit jacket aside as he placed his hands low on his hips. He’d stopped breathing while he waited for her reply. That made her more nervous than anything. “Normally I am game for anything, but considering the man asking the question, I’m a little nervous.” She licked her lips.

Omar shook his head, swallowing her hands in the warmth of his. “No. This is a great idea. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

“I’ll hold back on saying I’m glad I could help until I know what you’ve got pinging around your brain.” She tried to pull free of his grip, but he only grasped her fingers tighter. Her inner voice told her whatever plan he’d cooked up included her and she wouldn’t be thrilled with the role.

“Bartow wants a family-first firm. He wants a planner who is married, blah, blah blah.” He dismissed his unfinished words with the thrust of his chin.

Devi nodded, her mouth going dry. Was he planning to hire a wife, or about to propose?

“I might not be married, but what if I were engaged?”

She didn’t want to jump to conclusions about the proposal so she pasted on a tight smile. “Do you have a serious girlfriend hidden away I don’t know about?” The thought unsettled her, but she pushed aside the heaviness in her gut. Omar and relationships mixed like fire and ice. Not that women didn’t find him attractive and vice versa, but his true love would always be work. Most sane women wanted something more than a workaholic commitment-phobe.

He shook his head a bit too vigorously. “No. No.” His grip tightened, and she flexed her fingers so he’d loosen his hold. “Hear me out before you shoot me down.”

“I’m more curious than ever.” Again, she threw sand over that niggling feeling in her belly. She never jumped to conclusions. Living by the seat of your pants didn’t allow it, but…

Why start now? She rolled her shoulders in an effort to relax. Omar pulled her off to the side and out of the crowd moving past them on the sidewalk. His hands shook with excitement, and he swallowed hard before clearing his throat. Always calm and collected, his buildup unsettled Devi, and she tugged one hand from his grip and pressed it against the gurgle growing in her stomach.

“How about we announce our engagement? I could pull in some favors and have it in the press Monday morning. That’d still give Bartow enough time to invite us to the meet and greet. And—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Devi’s stomach did a nosedive, and she yanked her other hand from his death grip and stepped back. She twisted one of the bangle bracelets on her wrist. “Our engagement? First off, I didn’t even know we were dating. And second, I am not going to help you get ahead by lying.”

About Christine Warner

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter | Street Team | Amazon Page

Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her family, three laptops (she might have a slight addiction, or maybe it’s a fear of one imploding from overuse) and a much loved assortment of furry friends.
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Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmetic.  A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities.  She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy heroines.
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A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and her website.

The Giveaway

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Thank you for visiting today, Christine, and best wishes with A Friendly Engagement. 

Slainthe!

Monday Moments with Pica...by Jeff Gardiner

My Monday Moments are with Pica by Jeff Gardiner. 

I'm always delighted to host my friend Jeff Gardiner. He's a very talented author of different genres and he's also a very excellent editor.  It was via our links as Crooked Cat authors that I met Jeff. I hired him to edit The Taexali Game and I'm so glad I did, because it wouldn't be the same without his very perceptive input. 

Today, he's come to share his novel Pica with us, giving us an idea of what prompted the story. Make sure you read on to find the tempting extract after the post. 

I've got Pica on my kindle all ready and waiting and I'm sure I'll love it because I've really enjoyed the other books that are on there written by Jeff Gardiner! 

Over to you, Jeff, to tell us a  bit about Pica and your fantastic news about it...


PICA by Jeff Gardiner

I’ve always been inspired by nature. The times when I most feel alive are when I’m walking in a forest, on a hillside or by a lake.

Our relationship with nature as a human race is an odd one. On the one hand we are animals – part of nature. On the other, we often seem to be at odds with nature. We cut down forests and build concrete jungles; we pollute and urbanise as if we own the place. We seem to have forgotten our place in creation; our relationship with other animals and the wonderful world that is our home. How many young people go for walks and holidays in the countryside these days?

Although world politicians are now slowly moving in the right direction, most environmental experts agree that it’s not enough. We’ve done too much damage in such a short space of time. We are killing our planet. What a strange way to behave.

Pica picks up on this idea.

Luke plays violent computer games and hates the idea of a boring rural walk. One day a magpie taps on his window, and from then on he sees magpies everywhere he goes. A new boy, called Guy, joins his school, who is odd and soon a victim of bullying. However, Luke is drawn to this strange boy, and as he gets to know him everything he understood about his life is turned upside down.

I wanted Pica to challenge people’s perceptions about young people and about our relationship with the natural world. In the past we understood things that have been lost over the years. Luke begins a journey to rediscover that ancient ‘magic’.

I was also keen to make this novel – the first in the Gaia trilogy – a fantasy. Fantasy literature allows us to use our imaginations in our understanding of reality. Luke discovers powers that many of us can only dream about, so there is also a sense of wish-fulfilment alongside the serious environmental message.

The planning and writing of Pica took about a year. The novel went through a number of revisions, with one whole sub-plot completely deleted and rewritten. I sent off the synopsis and first three chapters to a few publishers and agents that accepted unsolicited manuscripts, but received standard rejections (the ones which don’t really indicate if anyone actually read it at all).

This led to further major revisions and rewrites, until Pica was eventually picked up by Accent Press. They have been brilliant, offering excellent editorial advice, and some wonderful opportunities.

Accent YA – their young adult imprint – are being rebranded and I was told that Pica would be one of the titles they were planning to launch at The London Book Fair.

So things are very exciting. I even have a cover quote from fantasy author, Michael Moorcock, who read it and wrote, “One of the most charming fantasy novels I've read in years. An engrossing and original story, beautifully told. Wonderful!”                    

Find Jeff here: 
Jeff’s website

Links to Buy Pica
Accent Press
WHSmith
Barnes & Noble
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon Australia

About Jeff
Jeff Gardiner is the author of four novels (Pica, Igboland, Myopia and Treading On Dreams), a collection of short stories, and a work of non-fiction. Many of his short stories have appeared in anthologies, magazines and websites.
Pica is the first in the Gaia trilogy – a fantasy of transformation and ancient magic, which Michael Moorcock described as “An engrossing and original story, beautifully told. Wonderful!”
 “Reading is a form of escapism, and in Gardiner’s fiction, we escape to places we’d never imagine journeying to.” (A.J. Kirby, ‘The New Short Review’)
For more information, please see his website at www.jeffgardiner.com and his blog: http://jeffgardiner.wordpress.com/

PICA Extract

A magpie (Latin name – Pica pica) has been persistently knocking on Luke’s window, and everywhere he goes he sees magpies. One day he decides to let the magpie in…

As soon as I pushed the window outwards the waiting bird hopped in, making a sound that almost equated to a tut. That can’t be right. I was imagining things again. My first fear that the magpie would squawk and flap about madly was unfounded, but I still felt nervous in its unpredictable presence, and had to keep trusting it wouldn’t poo on my bed.

But it didn’t. In fact, it acted with excellent manners. What kind of bird was this? Wild birds don’t enter houses after knocking politely. If a bird does accidently get into a house it goes completely mental and craps everywhere. This one looked at me with eyes that gleamed with intelligent understanding. It knew me. I swear, it looked at me and knew I wouldn’t hurt it. In the old days I would have looked for a stick or a weapon. Now things were different, and I stared back at him with utter fascination. I moved even closer, confident I wasn’t in any danger.

‘You need to choose your friends more carefully, Luke.’

I stumbled slightly and had to grip the windowsill with my fingertips to hold myself up.

What the –?

The sodding bird had only gone and spoken to me. It snapped its beak, glared at me sideways, then flicked its tail.

Was that for real, or had I lost the plot? Being with Guy had obviously turned me into a nut-job.

Up to now, I’d witnessed some amazing sights – but they could all be explained in encyclopaedias. However amazing the creatures Guy showed me, each one existed in the real world. But a talking bird? Now we’d suddenly jumped into a different dimension.

And it had used my name.

Had Guy sent this amazing bird to me to blow my mind even further?

It had to be Guy’s doing – sent on a crazy mission … unless …

‘Guy?’

Now I felt really stupid talking to a bird.

‘Hello, Luke.’

Bloody hell. Take me to a padded cell. I’d lost it. Maybe I never had it!

‘Guy? Is that …’ This was crazy. ‘… is that you?’
…

I wish you all the best with Pica and thank you for coming to visit today, Jeff. I'm really looking forward to reading it. I'm not superstitious normally... but there are exceptions. I love to see the magpies return to my garden,  though only if there are at least 2 of them!  You, however, know that you're welcome anytime! 

Slainthe! 

The Journey Back- One Joy at a Time by Cherley Grogg

This Friday Feature is posted to help a blogging friend of mine who has a book available that's FREE for 1st - 5th April. Her short book is designed to help those who have a particular faith but who might need a little more impetus to strengthen it. 

I know if I need assistance with publicising my books on the internet, Cher'ley will be there to help me, and though I don't share her religious convictions, some of what she's advocating about bringing joy to life makes a lot of sense in a very busy world.  

Over to you, Cher'ley....


Cher’ley Grogg—Free Download of “The Journey Back—One Joy at a Time”

 Cher'ley writes different genres. "The Journey Back--One Joy at a Time" is a devotional book with lovely photos and exercises to strengthen your faith. "Stamp Out Murder" is a cozy mystery set deep in the mountains of West Virginia. "The Secret in Grandma's Trunk is a YA novel set along the Ohio River featuring a spunky Grandmother and a rebellious youth. She has a short Novella, “Four Moons and Fair Maidens”. Cher’ley has a contributing story in "Small Town America" and "West Virginia Memories". She edited and contributed to the anthology “Boys Will Be Boys-the joys and terrors of raising boys”. She has a story in the “2014 C3 Anthology”, and a contributing story in “Cowboys, Creatures, and Calico Anthology”. She drives an eighteen-wheeler, enjoys photography, painting, fishing, reading, walking, dancing, and long baths. Her artwork is in collections around the world, and in many parts of the US. She loves the Lord, her husband--Del, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her Carin Terrier, Tootsie.


     I figure the best way to let you know what the book is about is to share part of the first chapter. There is also a scripture verse and an activity at the end of each chapter and I have written several original poems, and taken original photos for this book. I hope you will find it helpful and that you will return to it time after time. 

   Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

   

This is the first activity. Try it and please let me know how you feel afterwards. My contact information is at the end of this blog as well as the link for the free download of The Journey Back—One Joy at a time. 

Joy for today: *Go outside, lay down on the grass (or lean way back in a chair) and look straight up at the clouds. What do you see?*

Chapter 1

Acceptance

You are broken. Something has happened in your life—to you—a good person. Things that happen to us are rejection, chronic disease, depression, loneliness, inadequacies, and the death of a loved one. Your problem may not be listed, however, travesties big or small are real, and they hurt. 

This is a book about coming out of a deep sorrow and some ways to handle life’s smaller problems, as well. I wrote this book for me, only in the process of writing “The Journey Back”, I realized how much we all need to instill or re-instill “One Joy at a Time”. 

Do you remember the first time you heard the “Serenity Prayer”. The first time I heard the poem was when President John F. Kennedy repeated it:

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the knowledge to know the difference.

This little prayer can help us through many a trial and tribulation. Some things in our lives can’t be changed such as chronic illness and death. More things can be changed, the things that are centered in our emotions: rejection, depression, loneliness, and inadequacy. We have to learn the difference and ways to change the things we can. 

There is more to this poem and the words are not new. Written by Reinhold Niebuhr, and first used in the written form at the conclusion of his sermon in 1943.

The original attributed to Niebuhr is: 

God give me grace to accept with serenity
The things that cannot be changed.
Courage to change the things
Which should be changed,
And the Wisdom to distinguish
The one from the other.
Living one day at a time.
Enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardships as a pathway to peace,
Taking as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to your will.
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with you in the next.
Amen

Recognize your problem. Listen to what others are saying to you. No matter how subtle the voice is, either of your friend, or in your own mind, there is an acknowledgement of what is going on in your life.
You may not need to be surrounded by others or a hands-on comfort, but you need to understand something has changed in your life.
Or you may need the hands-on comfort that can only be received from others. Hands-on comfort can help you heal.
There’s no right or wrong way to recognize your sorrow.
The important thing to remember is “I need help”. Even though, I can’t change all situations, or hurts or problems in my life, I can change some of them.

For a free Kindle download from April 1-5th 2016, click here The Journey Back—One Joy at a Time 

My Amazon page
My personal web page
Cher’ley Grogg Facebook
Fans of Cher’ley Grogg

Wishing you great sales, Cherley. Thank you for sending along your post today. 

Slainthe.