Category Archives: Guest Author

Exclusive Excerpt: Rock Icon Ready by Kella Campbell

Rock Icon Ready by Kella Campbell cover Drum tech Kimmy Baker has been on the road with Smidge for six years, and she never wants to leave the band or concert tour life, but it seems incompatible with finding love. In any case, no one could compare to Dice, her drummer and best friend.

She’s always been careful not to jeopardize their friendship or her job by crossing any lines, even though he’s hot and sweet and shares her sense of humor and all her deepest secrets… except for one.

When she accidentally reveals that she wants to have a baby, he offers his DNA in trade for help with a secret of his own. It’s an irresistible proposition, especially when she suspects he might have a hidden dominant side. But as deeper feelings come into play, they’ll have to decide if they’re friends or lovers.

Will her intention to keep her promise of no strings conflict with his traditional impulses?

Is she meant to have forever with her rock icon?

Fall in love with the rock stars of Smidge… Rock Icon Ready is the third book in this series of interconnected standalone novels following each band member as they find their happily-ever-afters.

Excerpt from Chapter 5 of Rock Icon Ready by Kella Campbell

“I want the boys to have a nice party tonight,” Sally said. “It’s been such a hard year, and all this…” She gestured out the window at the tropical surroundings. “I know we’re here to stay out of the way so Valancy can negotiate for us, but it’s also a treat, a real vacation. You know how long it’s been since the boys have had anything but a working holiday, and New Year’s Eve has always been a work night. Some big show somewhere, or one of Awfully Hateful’s corporate bashes.” Continue reading

Release Day Guest Author Maya Tyler on The Meet-Cute Point of View + An Exclusive Excerpt

Hi friends! I’m excited to welcome Maya Tyler to ALBTALBS! She emailed a while back asking if anyone was interested in reviewing her newest book (look for that sometime), and I responded with “and how about a guest post too?! 😁” And here we are! Everyone give Maya a warm welcome!

The Meet-Cute Point of View by Maya Tyler

Thank you, Limecello and A Little Bit Tart, A Little Bit Sweet, for inviting me to visit on Release Day for Designed by Destiny, my 7th published title.

I embarked on my publishing journey in 2014, and I’m sure you “hear” this all the time, but being a writer—especially a published writer—was a lifelong dream of mine. I just want to write. (Think to the tune of The Flash theme song “I Just Wanna Run” because that’s what I’m humming.)

I’ve planned an “old school” release for Designed by Destiny with two book tours, additional guest posts, and several book spotlights. I want to get my book in front of as many readers as I can because it’s a great story. A classic fake relationship trope with my own personal twist. My couple have the assistance of a fairy godmother as they navigate their fake-turned-real relationship. Continue reading

A Q&A with Jennifer Estep for the Release of Tear Down the Throne

Hi friends! I’m really pleased to have gotten the chance to ask Jennifer Estep some questions that tie into her newest release Tear Down the Throne, which came out Tuesday! I’m actually a little surprised that I’ve never had her as a guest before! She’s super nice and a great author. Congratulations on your newest release, and without further ado … Jennifer! 

Book Cover of Tear Down the Throne by Jennifer Estep

  1. What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned when researching for your books? What about for this particular series?

JE: I always say that I write fantasy books so I can make the whole thing up and so I don’t have to do any research. LOL. 

But I actually do a fair amount of research for my books, including for Tear Down the Throne and the other books in my Gargoyle Queen adult epic fantasy series. I’ve definitely gone down some Internet rabbit holes when researching things like mythology, weapons, and more. 

But most of the time, I end up researching odd little details – like, can you eat the skin on a kiwi? Things that no one will probably even notice in a book but me, but things that will bother me if I don’t know the answers. 

(I knew this one! Food 52 had a “whole thing” about it… ) Continue reading

Guest Author Jess Michaels on Fantasy vs. Reality

Hi friends! I’m excited to welcome Jess Michaels back to ALBTALBS! Twenty years and 100 books is an almost bewildering milestone and such an achievement. Without further ado … Jess!

Fantasy vs. Reality

Jess Michaels

The Broken Duke by Jess Michaels book coverHi everyone and a big thanks to Limecello for having me here today! If you don’t know who I am, I’m Jess Michaels, I write very steamy historical romance. I’ve been doing it for a while, too, because right now I’m counting down to my 100th book release. Time (and work) flies when you’re having fun I guess. 

When we started talking about what I might write about here today, I kept thinking about that meme “how it started, how it’s going”. You know the one, probably, it’s pretty popular on Instagram/FB/TikTok. Certainly, after over twenty years in this industry, I can see a difference, see the development of where I started and what I wanted to where I am and what I want today. 

For most authors, it starts with a dream. When I started out, I could perfectly picture what my future as a published author would look like. I wanted to write for one of the big publishing houses (which was the only way to really publish at the time…I’m old). I even knew the house I’d pick. And then I just knew it would all take off. I’d work really hard and write really good books, my publisher would see and support that, building my career. And…voila…success! Bestseller lists, being able to have an income as a writer, booksignings, whatever the trappings of “success” looked like from the outside. Continue reading

[Day After] Release Day Guest Author: Amy Craig

Hi friends! Today we welcome Amy Craig who wrote a truly lovely post for ALBTALBS <3 Her book A Winter Rose just came out yesterday (July 28, 2021 – yes! A post in real time at ALBTALBS! Put this on your calendar! 😉) This is her first time guesting at A Little Bit Tart, A Little Bit Sweet, so show her some love! 

On A Winter Rose

The first time someone “published” my writing was middle school. Everyone in my class wrote a poem, submitted their poem to an anthology, paid a fee, and received a paperback copy. When I received my copy, I read my friend’s poems, reread my poem, and knew we’d been had. The anthology was a total scam that preyed on doting parents and ambivalent kids. 

A few years later, my high school teacher asked me to write a piece for the National Council of Teachers of English. I flashed back to middle school, but I sat in the cold computer lab and pecked out a story using terms from my beginning ballet class, bad French, and a perseverance theme. I won recognition, but my teacher’s encouragement stayed with me through college and years of professional doubt.

When The Wild Rose Press accepted A Winter Rose, I dedicated the novel to my teacher. My grandma claimed the first indie publishing dedication, but my teacher roared into second place. Continue reading

Original Retro APAHM Guest Hudson Lin on Diversity 201: We Are Not a Monolith

Hi friends! If you’re wondering about the title … well, Hudson originally sent me this post in 2019. I cringe even now thinking about it. I nearly (figuratively) died when I saw earlier this year I’d totally dropped the ball, so I contacted Hudson and was graciously given permission to post it now. (I will say … in May 2019 I was recovering and re-learning how to walk again so … it wasn’t as if I was totally just not doing anything…) But I still feel terrible. So – my apologies to the wonderful Hudson Lin, and thank you!

Diversity 201: We are not a monolith
By Hudson Lin

When I think of the words Asian American, I get a very specific picture in my mind. This person has yellow skin, grew up in North America, speaks English fluently and perhaps a second Asian language. This person fits most of the mainstream stereotypes of Asians in the West. This person looks like me. 

But my mental picture of an Asian American is wrong. Because not all Asians have yellow skin, not all grew up in North America, not all speak a second language. Not all Asians are good at math and excel in school. Not all are quiet keep our heads down hard workers. Not all Asians are good at badminton.  Continue reading

Guest Author Stacey Agdern: Thoughts on History and Jewish American Heritage Month

Hi friends! Please welcome Stacey to ALBTALBS! She’s our first JAHM guest ever! This is really exciting. 😀

Thoughts on History and Jewish American Heritage Month:
By Stacey Agdern

Jewish American Heritage month was established in 2006 by presidential proclamation.  Which means that it’s the most recent of the heritage months, now sharing space with an already well established month.

Which means it’s hard to talk about it. 

It’s not that Jews aren’t proud of who we are. We are.  

It’s that we don’t want to take away from the important conversations that surround  AAPI history month. These days, as anti Asian prejudices increase, it’s even more important to focus on and celebrate the history and achievements of East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders. 

But at the same time, these days, a great deal of conversation in Jewish spaces involves putting ourselves back into the narrative and reframing conversations where we’ve been erased.  It’s happening in so many different spaces, for so many different reasons. Continue reading

SAPAHM Guest Author Cathy Yardley on being Asian-ish

Hi friends! I’m so happy to welcome back Cathy Yardley. I really hope you read her post – I’m grateful for what she has to say, and that she was willing to share it with us. Thank you, Cathy. <3

Asian-ish

When Lime asked if I could write a guest post for APAHM, I was thrilled. And then I was sort of terrified. Because I have a very complicated relationship with my own Asian heritage.

So I was talking with my (white) father last month, and I mentioned something – don’t remember what exactly– that my brother and I had been talking about. I think it was being Asian parents. How funny it was that, now that we had kids of our own, a lot of Mom’s habits had stuck despite out best efforts. Hovering about grades, especially.

And my father said, “It’s not like you’re really Asian, though.” Continue reading

Valentine’s Guests: Bobbi Romans Interviews Carolyn Hector

Hi friends! With time being fluid here in ALBTALBS land, and mixed up dates on my part, I’m glad this all worked out and we’re welcoming the lovely Bobbi Romans who is interviewing her delightful friend Carolyn Hector. I do want to say first – Cocoa Dreams, Carolyn’s newest book just came out this week! Congratulations on your newest release, Carolyn! Anyway, you gotta love a pair who just take care of everything! So without further ado…

Bobbi Romans Interviews Carolyn Hector for Valentine’s Day

Her Mistletoe Bachelor by Carolyn Hector book coverWhoop-Whoop, its Bobbi Romans here interviewing the fabulous Carolyn Hector Hall, AKA my little cuddle buddy, about all kinds of juicy tidbits both Valentines Inspired as well as just nosey darn questions.

Lets jump right in.

Bobbi: Hey cuddle buddy!
Carolyn: I miss you! I can’t wait until we can sleep in the same bed together! And before we start… Happy Birthday weekend to you! 

Bobbi: So for y’all reading this and us for the first time, twice a year (pre-covid) Carolyn, and I, along with some other awesome romance authors got together for a lake house retreat. At these retreats we do get a lot writing done, but we also have fun. One year Carolyn brought us all our own barbies. And let’s just say when we woke up in the morning, someone one (thou shalt not be named) posed the Barbies in some pretty wicked poses. 
Carolyn: What happens at the lake house, stays at the lake house….. or it ends up in a novel or on Facebook.  Continue reading

Guest Jeannie Lin: Hacking my own Brain and Writing for my Id

Hi friends! I’m very excited to welcome Jeannie Lin back to ALBTALBS! Also also! Did you know Jeannie just had a new book out yesterday?! And that it’s the Lunar New Year tomorrow? I mean, all the stars [or you know >.> celestial body singular?] aligned for this post! Congratulations on the release of Tale of the Drunken Sword and welcome!

Hacking my own Brain and Writing for my Id

The Hidden Moon by Jeannie Lin book coverMy family has a bunch of different superstitions around Lunar New Year, the most pervasive one being that whatever you do on the first day of the year will be the nature of the mojo you get for the rest of the year. We eat a bunch, spend time with family, get showered with money and act cheerful in order to set ourselves up for posterity and wealth and happiness for the new year.

I’m not superstitious, but I am in my head a lot which can sort of amount to the same thing. I play mind games with myself all the time because I know my brain is super analytical, but I also know my brain likes novelty and whimsy so it CAN be convinced to do things even though it knows it’s being tricked.  

So, I thought it would be a good way to jump start a productive writing year by starting out the year with a book release. It’s something I think my brain can be convinced of. 

I’d just quit the stressful day job and Lunar New Year was less than month away, so if I was going to make something happen, I’d better make it happen quick.  Continue reading