Post by shpratt on Apr 30, 2016 15:22:53 GMT -5
Take an emotional adventure...
...one breathtaking story at a time.
I’m a native Montanan and the youngest of seven children. I’m the mom of three profoundly gifted children who take my lack of sanity as a challenge to make me sane. Currently, we live in Olympia, Washington.
I began writing in high school, completing my first novel on a Commodore 64, saved on, a whole lot of floppy disks. I stopped writing to pursue my education but quickly realized I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up... I still don't know. So I decided to find a "real job". Over the course of the next twenty years, I tried everything from barista, to a restaurant manager, to a purchasing agent and an administrative assistant to the owner of a fire truck construction company and everything in between.
I didn't get serious about writing until a couple of years ago. By the time I worked up the nerve to attempt self-publishing, I'd amassed a stack of rejection letters and seven complete manuscripts. I became a writer because it was either that or go mad from the people in my head that seemed to get louder as I got older. The first three books that I wrote after ‘growing up’ a bit were published in paperback only and only to those who special ordered it. It will never be printed or released again due to the nature of my mental state when I wrote it. I was in a very bad place, emotionally, and those three books were my therapeutic catharsis. The first book I wrote and subsequently published was Always My Love and it was more of a homecoming, the characters involved, a withdrawn and wary writer (see what I did there?) goes back to her version of “home” which is her best friend/cousin. I wrote the cousin based on my own best friend/cousin and from there I wrote of new beginnings with the cousin’s friend who gives the author a reason to see “home” differently. It was another way to heal after everything at home melted.
I prefer to write contemporary romance with a heavy emphasis on psychology and the emotions of my characters. I feel that if my reader can feel what the character feels and can identify with it, I've done my job. After Always My Love, the books that I’ve written have been a different sort of therapy. Working on my issues with spousal abuse, cheating, date rape, PTSD and a myriad of other hot button issues that I’ve seen first-hand in my life via my siblings and other experiences. I love to do the research involved with deep psychological issues and creating the character that everyone loves to hate. The stand alone book I love the most is Shy of Tomorrow. It just touches a place in my heart where books live as it’s about a librarian who finds more than she bargains for in the aisles of the library. One other thing that I simply love to write about is multiples. So far, five of my eleven books have either twins or triplets, with six more WIPs actively being worked on with twins or triplets. As for a muse… well, ideas come from all sorts of odd places… music, places I drive by, my dreams, people in general. Life inspires me.
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BOOKS: Amazon Barnes & Noble **Also available on Kobo & iTunes**
**Email me for signed paperback copies.
Stand Alone Titles:
Always My Love
Author, Liviann Walsh, was odd . . . she admitted it freely and openly. She considered herself a hobbit among giants who was odd-she worked odd hours, had an odd job, and enjoyed odd hobbies. When her life in Northern California turns sour, Livi, unable to turn to her parents, as their relationship is rancorous and strained, moves to Olympia, Washington. There, she turns to the only constant source of comfort and home she's ever known-her cousin and best friend, Ryan.
Tristan McDermott, drama professor and rock hound, thrilled with a geode found while hiking, stops by his friend Ryan's house to show it off. As soon as his eyes land on Ryan's diminutive cousin, he is lost. She is reticent and wary, beautiful and interesting, and it is all Tristan can do to convince Livi to date him . . . to let him into her life. Enlisting Ryan's help in his endeavor, Tristan begins to infiltrate Livi's defenses and heart.
Drawn inexplicably to Tristan, Livi finds herself daring to open up and hope for a new source of comfort-an addition to her idea of home. When asked to sell the rights to one of her books, Livi bravely asks Tristan to write the screenplay-he agrees, realizing she is offering her trust as well. But when a stalker threatens to destroy their fragile home and burgeoning love, Tristan and Livi become aware of the shift in their situation both publicly and personally. Faced with this reality, can Livi confront her long-ingrained fears and her parents, and is Tristan's love strong enough to protect them both?
Shy of Tomorrow
Circumspect… Reserved… Shy…
To call Kylee Anne Davidovich any of those would be an understatement. Bookish and quiet, the librarian was content to remain that way. Bullied and tormented by vain and jealous sisters; misused and abused by the opposite sex, Kylee had found a warm haven in her job and her books. Supported by her best friend, Marin, and surrounded by the books she loved, Kylee didn’t need more… Until Mr. Hunk.
Jeremy Campbell knew the devious side to women, knew how they hunted and trapped the men they preyed on. Hiding scars from the woman who still haunted him, the semi-retired computer analyst, studiously avoided serious relationships and the most dangerous trap of all… love.
From the moment Jeremy saw Kylee working at the Timberland library, he knew she was different. Roaming the shelves of romance books where he could watch the beautiful librarian, Jeremy tried to find a way into Kylee’s world. Unsure of Jeremy’s intentions and unwilling to allow herself to be used again, Kylee struggled against her desire to believe that he was really interested in her. After learning the true depth of her sisters’ pettiness, Kylee takes a chance with Jeremy, but in a moment of unguarded honesty, her faith in him is pushed to the breaking point.
Heartsick and broken, Kylee works to overcome her shattered dreams with Marin faithfully at her side. Horrified and tormented by his past, Jeremy breaks the one promise that he swore to Kylee. Can Jeremy put his ghosts to rest before he loses Kylee forever or will he always be one moment shy of tomorrow?
Life’s Perfect Moments
Madilyn Chambers lives and breathes music. It is the lifeblood that courses through her veins and gives her control over the temper that also flows through her veins, a constant reminder of her Chambers’ heritage. But Madi knows the rough edges of life and knows that even her music can’t smooth them all out. Her abusive father is serving a life sentence in Chino, her mother is dead and her brother is lost in a sea of drugs and alcohol. Through the nightmares of her life, one single dream has remained bright and unbroken, buoyed by the music in her soul… and that is to have Logan Marshall see her as something more than his best friend’s little sister, and love her.
Ten years after leaving Santa Barbara and the memories that taunted him, Logan Marshall is back and he is thrilled when he gets a call from his best friend, Mick. When he finds Mick’s little sister angry, upset, and in need of help, his self-control is tested when he finds out that Mick is the one she needs protection from.
When Mick’s trouble spills into Madi’s life, Logan refuses to leave Madi to face it alone. As he spends more time with her, however, he realizes that his feelings for Madi are anything but big-brotherly. But with Mick’s trouble growing desperate, his own past pressing in on him and Madi’s heart his fondest wish, Logan knows it’s time to put his priorities in order.
As Madi spends more time with Logan, her heart and dreams begin to crack under the pressure of his mixed signals and break with the truth of his past. Can Logan convince Madi that his heart is hers before she gives up on her only dream completely? Can he make her dream a reality of life’s most perfect moments?
The Gentleman’s Lady
Katherine Delaford had had enough.
She’d had enough lies; enough cheating; enough abuse and she was finished with men. When her second marriage ended with an extended stay in the hospital after nearly dying at the hands of her ex-husband, she swore off men and vowed never to trust another one with her shattered heart. Using her anger and mistrust as her most powerful weapons, Kat succeeds in keeping her vow… until Paul Morgan, with his quiet temerity and gentle gallantry, turned her life completely upside down.
Paul Morgan was no stranger to trouble and had been dealt his share of misery and then some. Life had taught him that people were not to be trusted and that he could only count on himself. So in an effort to avoid more misery, he withdrew into himself, keeping people at arm’s length… until he met Kat Delaford. Paul could no more explain why he was drawn so inexorably to the angry and hostile woman than he could have changed the past that haunted him. He was simply unable to resist the urge to be with Kat.
Drawn toward the light of friendship and sincere kindness, Kat found herself letting go of her anger and allowing Paul to lead her into the warmth that he offered. When Paul saves Kat from her abusive ex-husband, she comes to understand that Paul’s past looms heavy over him and Paul, when faced with dealing with his past or losing Kat, struggles to accept the help and support that she offers. Can they overcome their respective pasts and reach for the love that is offered, or will the past destroy their love before the gentleman can be with his lady?
Epic Romances:
The Artist's Touch:
The Artist’s Touch (book 1)
Exhausted, disillusioned and disgusted with her life in Los Angeles, Clarice “Rissa” Daniels leaves a successful acting career for the comforts of home in Olympia, Washington. Embracing a simpler life without the overabundance of testosterone that she’d dealt with in California, she works to recover and rebuild her life without the “Hollywood craziness”, away from the toxic presence of her ex-boyfriend, and far from the paparazzi. When a walk in the park drops her into the lap of Spencer St. George, she finds herself drawn to his quiet, unobtrusive demeanor, but Rissa quickly realizes that there is much more to the bespectacled middle-school art teacher.
Spencer St. George prefers the quiet life far from the hassles created by his family. Known as “Saint” to his students, he creates his own sense of peace with a paint brush in his hand while standing behind an easel. When Rissa Daniels crashes headlong into his life, Spencer is sent reeling. Unsure of her intentions, but drawn to her gregarious personality, he finds himself stepping out from behind his easel and daring to hope for more than his quiet life.
But as Spencer and Rissa grow closer, history threatens to destroy them. Met with righteous reticence from his family and stubborn pride from hers, the couple sets out to discover the events that turned their families against each other. As the past begins to surface, the present becomes dangerous, creating an uncertainty that could bind Spencer and Rissa together… or drive them apart forever.
The Artist’s Love (book 2)
Rissa Daniels is being stalked. Spencer St. George’s life is in danger. Their families refuse to tell them the secrets of the past that haunt their present and affect their future. With every passing day and each new discovery, Spencer and Rissa grow closer to each other and to the truth until Rissa’s stalker becomes larger than life, forcing Spencer to reevaluate their relationship and his place as a St. George.
Knowing that they will never be free from the dark menace that hovers over them without taking matters into their own hands, Rissa and Spencer make a decision that will forever change the future of their relationship. Long-buried secrets come to light, long-dead ghosts are allowed to rest in peace, and long-festering wounds are able to heal… but they are not without cost. Together, Spencer and Rissa face their fears head-on in the hope that their actions will stop their families’ pasts from destroying their future.
Hearts Desire:
Into the Heart of Desire (book 1)
Aislinn Jane O’Rourke, AJ to her business associates, was tough. She was known to be the strongest and most brutally honest negotiator in the state with rigidly upstanding business ethics and high morals. Anyone who knew Aislinn knew she was formidable and powerful. The standard to which Aislinn led her business was the standard to which she led her life. Men were unnecessary and unable to satisfy her mentally, emotionally or sexually. As one of Seattle’s most eligible and wealthy, Aislinn preferred a low profile, free of the entanglements that men represented.
Jacoby Weston was a confident man, arrogantly secure in his prowess, who liked a challenge. Many things challenged Jacoby… the daily running of his business, the negotiation of life with a broken and dysfunctional family… but women did not challenge him. Women were a pleasant diversion but never for more than one night in his basement. Until he met Aislinn O’Rourke during negotiations for a choice piece of property that he wanted.
Fascinated by her intelligence, her ethics and her incredibly sexy body, Jacoby met the challenge that Aislinn presented with an uncharacteristic fervor. The more she rebuffed him, the more he wanted her. Upon the conclusion of their business deal, Aislinn and Jacoby negotiate a new deal - a deal with higher stakes than either expected… their hearts.
With the paparazzi stalking them, their pasts looming over them and mysterious events that unsettle them, Aislinn and Jacoby struggle to keep their budding relationship from being destroyed while trying to control the intense, pulsing desire that drives it. Can Aislinn and Jacoby negotiate the challenges of a relationship without compromising their hearts?
Desires of the Heart (book 2)
From the moment she met Jacoby Weston, Aislinn O’Rourke was caught in a hot, swirling current of desire that pulsed so intensely that she found herself willing to negotiate a relationship with the handsome and arrogant businessman. Her trust in Jacoby is challenged when Aislinn sees the reality of Jacoby’s basement and the power of her desire to possess and be possessed by him.
She is Jacoby’s darkest desire and his obsession in one beautiful, intelligent package. Aislinn’s past is a nightmare that threatens to destroy their relationship until Aislinn’s fear becomes a larger threat. Left with more questions than answers, Jacoby struggles to understand Aislinn’s behavior until she gets news that shatters her fragile defenses, sending her straight into his arms again.
Willing to work on the issues that trouble their relationship and plagued by the mysterious things happening around them, Jacoby dreads the day his past must be brought to light. Can their relationship survive the darkness enveloping them, threatening to destroy it before their hearts have what they desire most?
Series:
The Green Brothers:
These two series are about twin brothers, Austin and Adam Green, and the women they love. This Crazy Heart and The Art of Loving take place concurrently giving my readers a portion of the story with four points of view where the brothers interact.
Crazy Mountain Series:
This Crazy Love (book 1)
To say that Fiona Harper hated Montana was an understatement. The state, the town of Big Timber, and more specifically the Lazy D Dude Ranch induced terror, panic and fury. Only a deep and powerful bond of love for her sister, Brianna Rose, could bring Fiona back to Montana. Knowing that Briana needs her, Fiona agrees to return to the Lazy D Ranch in Montana, in spite of her desperate terror that her sanity and life hang in the balance.
Austin Green wanted the simple things in life… a quiet life with his horses and a family with the woman he loved. When his fiancée, Cassie, is killed in an accident on Christmas Eve, Austin’s life takes a sharp detour into a special misery where his anger rules him… consumes him. Five months after losing Cassie, Austin’s twin, Adam, finally pushes Austin too far. Fueled by his fury at Cassie, at Adam and at life in general, Austin decides to simply leave it all behind and taking a job as the head wrangler at a dude ranch in Montana seems to be the perfect place to learn to live with his loss and anger.
When Fiona arrives at the Lazy D Dude Ranch, she discovers that not only does she have a roommate, but he’s got his own demons that haunt him. During the day, Fiona and Austin tolerate each other, but at night, when Fiona’s nightmares overwhelm her, Austin becomes the only light in her dark existence. Slowly, their relationship becomes a friendship laced with a passion that Austin craves and Fiona doesn’t understand. But as the summer season nears its end, Fiona’s nightmares crash in on her and Austin can’t reach her. Can Austin and Fiona find their way back to each other before they give up?
This Crazy Heart (book 2)
Austin Green would follow Fiona into the deepest depths of hell and back to prove his love for her. For Fiona Harper, he only has to follow her to Montana to find it. The Lazy D Dude Ranch was the source of every nightmare that plagued her and only Austin’s love kept her sane. When Fiona’s doctor proposes an intense therapy to help her manage her trauma and nightmares, Fiona reluctantly agrees to return to Montana and her sister’s dude ranch… but only with Austin.
Deep in the Crazy Mountains of Montana, Austin found a love he never thought possible. Broken and haunted but determined and beautiful, Fiona was his dream to hold and cherish every day. When Austin’s twin, Adam, ends up in the hospital fighting for his life nearly eight hundred miles away, Austin is torn. Does he go home to Washington, abandoning Fiona at the ranch or does he stay in Montana, knowing he could lose the one person he’s always been closest to? As he struggles to be what Fiona needs and worries about his brother, Austin finds himself overwhelmed and withdrawing from those around him, including Fiona.
While Fiona fights to overcome her terror and achieve her goals for the summer, she finds herself fighting to keep Austin from pushing her away completely as he becomes increasingly distant. With Adam’s recovery and each small victory over her past, Fiona finally begins to feel like she and Austin have a future together, until new secrets begin to surface, sending Austin into a panic-laced retreat. Broken-hearted, Fiona returns to Washington, but with her heart at stake, can she get Austin to share his nightmare or will he push her from his life for good?
Picture of Love Series:
The Art of Loving (book 1)
Adam Green knew women. He knew them to be cold, cruel, and heartless… and he knew that he didn’t want that particular brand of misery. He scorned his twin brother, Austin, for yearning for the warmth of love and scoffed when Austin followed his girlfriend back to Montana. When Adam finds himself alone and fighting for life in the hospital, the only person who refuses to leave him is the one woman who makes him the most uncomfortable.
Angie Hartman was a hopeless romantic wrapped in a pretty package, tied up with a ribbon of realism. She was thrilled for her best friend, Fiona, when Austin Green showed that love was something Fiona could have, but was terrified that he was pushing her back to Montana and the horror that lived there. When Austin’s brother, Adam, lands in the hospital, fighting to live, Angie’s past threatens to overwhelm her. Unable to bear the idea that Adam is alone, she ignores his obvious mistrust of women and resolutely stays by his side.
As Adam and Angie build a tenuous friendship, Adam finds himself reassessing his belief that women were only there to serve as a one night stand and nothing more. Angie tempts him with her sugar spun kisses, quiet strength, and willingness to see past the growling, grizzly bear behavior that has kept women away in the past. In an unguarded moment, Angie sends Adam into a terrified panic while pushing her into a dangerous depression. Can Adam overcome his own past and repair his relationship with Angie before it’s too late?
Jacoby Weston was a confident man, arrogantly secure in his prowess, who liked a challenge. Many things challenged Jacoby… the daily running of his business, the negotiation of life with a broken and dysfunctional family… but women did not challenge him. Women were a pleasant diversion but never for more than one night in his basement. Until he met Aislinn O’Rourke during negotiations for a choice piece of property that he wanted.
Fascinated by her intelligence, her ethics and her incredibly sexy body, Jacoby met the challenge that Aislinn presented with an uncharacteristic fervor. The more she rebuffed him, the more he wanted her. Upon the conclusion of their business deal, Aislinn and Jacoby negotiate a new deal - a deal with higher stakes than either expected… their hearts.
With the paparazzi stalking them, their pasts looming over them and mysterious events that unsettle them, Aislinn and Jacoby struggle to keep their budding relationship from being destroyed while trying to control the intense, pulsing desire that drives it. Can Aislinn and Jacoby negotiate the challenges of a relationship without compromising their hearts?
Desires of the Heart (book 2)
From the moment she met Jacoby Weston, Aislinn O’Rourke was caught in a hot, swirling current of desire that pulsed so intensely that she found herself willing to negotiate a relationship with the handsome and arrogant businessman. Her trust in Jacoby is challenged when Aislinn sees the reality of Jacoby’s basement and the power of her desire to possess and be possessed by him.
She is Jacoby’s darkest desire and his obsession in one beautiful, intelligent package. Aislinn’s past is a nightmare that threatens to destroy their relationship until Aislinn’s fear becomes a larger threat. Left with more questions than answers, Jacoby struggles to understand Aislinn’s behavior until she gets news that shatters her fragile defenses, sending her straight into his arms again.
Willing to work on the issues that trouble their relationship and plagued by the mysterious things happening around them, Jacoby dreads the day his past must be brought to light. Can their relationship survive the darkness enveloping them, threatening to destroy it before their hearts have what they desire most?
Series:
The Green Brothers:
These two series are about twin brothers, Austin and Adam Green, and the women they love. This Crazy Heart and The Art of Loving take place concurrently giving my readers a portion of the story with four points of view where the brothers interact.
Crazy Mountain Series:
This Crazy Love (book 1)
To say that Fiona Harper hated Montana was an understatement. The state, the town of Big Timber, and more specifically the Lazy D Dude Ranch induced terror, panic and fury. Only a deep and powerful bond of love for her sister, Brianna Rose, could bring Fiona back to Montana. Knowing that Briana needs her, Fiona agrees to return to the Lazy D Ranch in Montana, in spite of her desperate terror that her sanity and life hang in the balance.
Austin Green wanted the simple things in life… a quiet life with his horses and a family with the woman he loved. When his fiancée, Cassie, is killed in an accident on Christmas Eve, Austin’s life takes a sharp detour into a special misery where his anger rules him… consumes him. Five months after losing Cassie, Austin’s twin, Adam, finally pushes Austin too far. Fueled by his fury at Cassie, at Adam and at life in general, Austin decides to simply leave it all behind and taking a job as the head wrangler at a dude ranch in Montana seems to be the perfect place to learn to live with his loss and anger.
When Fiona arrives at the Lazy D Dude Ranch, she discovers that not only does she have a roommate, but he’s got his own demons that haunt him. During the day, Fiona and Austin tolerate each other, but at night, when Fiona’s nightmares overwhelm her, Austin becomes the only light in her dark existence. Slowly, their relationship becomes a friendship laced with a passion that Austin craves and Fiona doesn’t understand. But as the summer season nears its end, Fiona’s nightmares crash in on her and Austin can’t reach her. Can Austin and Fiona find their way back to each other before they give up?
This Crazy Heart (book 2)
Austin Green would follow Fiona into the deepest depths of hell and back to prove his love for her. For Fiona Harper, he only has to follow her to Montana to find it. The Lazy D Dude Ranch was the source of every nightmare that plagued her and only Austin’s love kept her sane. When Fiona’s doctor proposes an intense therapy to help her manage her trauma and nightmares, Fiona reluctantly agrees to return to Montana and her sister’s dude ranch… but only with Austin.
Deep in the Crazy Mountains of Montana, Austin found a love he never thought possible. Broken and haunted but determined and beautiful, Fiona was his dream to hold and cherish every day. When Austin’s twin, Adam, ends up in the hospital fighting for his life nearly eight hundred miles away, Austin is torn. Does he go home to Washington, abandoning Fiona at the ranch or does he stay in Montana, knowing he could lose the one person he’s always been closest to? As he struggles to be what Fiona needs and worries about his brother, Austin finds himself overwhelmed and withdrawing from those around him, including Fiona.
While Fiona fights to overcome her terror and achieve her goals for the summer, she finds herself fighting to keep Austin from pushing her away completely as he becomes increasingly distant. With Adam’s recovery and each small victory over her past, Fiona finally begins to feel like she and Austin have a future together, until new secrets begin to surface, sending Austin into a panic-laced retreat. Broken-hearted, Fiona returns to Washington, but with her heart at stake, can she get Austin to share his nightmare or will he push her from his life for good?
Picture of Love Series:
The Art of Loving (book 1)
Adam Green knew women. He knew them to be cold, cruel, and heartless… and he knew that he didn’t want that particular brand of misery. He scorned his twin brother, Austin, for yearning for the warmth of love and scoffed when Austin followed his girlfriend back to Montana. When Adam finds himself alone and fighting for life in the hospital, the only person who refuses to leave him is the one woman who makes him the most uncomfortable.
Angie Hartman was a hopeless romantic wrapped in a pretty package, tied up with a ribbon of realism. She was thrilled for her best friend, Fiona, when Austin Green showed that love was something Fiona could have, but was terrified that he was pushing her back to Montana and the horror that lived there. When Austin’s brother, Adam, lands in the hospital, fighting to live, Angie’s past threatens to overwhelm her. Unable to bear the idea that Adam is alone, she ignores his obvious mistrust of women and resolutely stays by his side.
As Adam and Angie build a tenuous friendship, Adam finds himself reassessing his belief that women were only there to serve as a one night stand and nothing more. Angie tempts him with her sugar spun kisses, quiet strength, and willingness to see past the growling, grizzly bear behavior that has kept women away in the past. In an unguarded moment, Angie sends Adam into a terrified panic while pushing her into a dangerous depression. Can Adam overcome his own past and repair his relationship with Angie before it’s too late?