Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens
Give a warm welcome to Sadira Stone, author of Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens just released on March 21, 2024! Yep, that’s today and I love that title! Happy Book Birthday, Sadira!
Everyone, pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sadira and her Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens!
Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens was inspired by Marsh’s Free Museum, a sublimely eclectic and funky souvenir emporium in Long Beach, WA. In addition to a huge collection of seashells and all the beachy souvenirs, they also display weird taxidermized creatures (two-headed piglet, two-headed calf, shrunken heads), antique penny-arcade games, and Jake “the Alligator Man”—probably a mummified monkey sewn to an alligator’s body. I loooove this place, and for LLLGA I tweaked it by adding alien-themed tchotchkes.
I do love tacky, quirky beach towns, and that’s the atmosphere you’ll find in the Trappers Cove romance series, inspired by all the funky beach towns I’ve visited in Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California.
I had so much fun researching UFO believers and their “alien encounters” for this book. Xander Anagnos, an entrepreneur with a history of failed businesses, inherits his Uncle Gus’s alien-themed souvenir shop and must deal with interference from UFO researchers who believe the site contains a Cosmic Vortex used to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors!
If aliens aren’t interesting enough, there’s also a family curse and a ghost standing between Xander and his plans to renovate Souvenir Planet, so of course I had to research ghostly encounters and ghost removal. Fascinating!
But Xander’s biggest obstacle is Hannah Leone, a beautiful local journalist desperate to save the Trappers Cove Beacon, the small-town newspaper her family has run for generations. Souvenir Planet and all its ET weirdness is the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages, and she’s not going to let a pesky crush on Xander stand between her and saving the Beacon—and the soul of Trappers Cove.
The death of local journalism is a topic dear to my heart, because without dedicated news coverage, citizens lose their agency to affect change in their communities—or to preserve their communities from rampaging gentrification, as in the case of Trappers Cove.
Tell us a little more about Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens.
HEA vs. a curse, a ghost, and a plague of ETs.
According to the Anagnos family curse, second son Xander is doomed to failure. When he inherits his Uncle Gus’s business in Trappers Cove, Washington, Xander jumps at the chance to prove himself. Of course, he plans to remake the schlocky, alien-themed souvenir shop into something trendier and more upmarket. Who wouldn’t want that?
Hannah Leone, that’s who. Reporter for the Trappers Cove Beacon, Hannah is hell-bent on protecting Souvenir Planet, the beloved icon that draws thousands of tourists to their quirky beach town. The Beacon is struggling to survive, and there’s no way Hannah will let an inconvenient crush stand between her and the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages.
Caught in a battle of wills and sizzling desire, Xander and Hannah discover the bizarre depths of Uncle Gus’s alien obsession. When disaster strikes, they’ll need Xander’s innovation and Hannah’s connections to save Souvenir Planet. But if these hard-headed foes don’t lay down their arms, the town they love will pay the price.
Come back to Trappers Cove for a steamy, laugh-out-loud, rivals-to-lovers romance full of found family, beachy fun, and out-of-this-world mystery.
UBL: https://books2read.com/LoveLegacyLittleGreenAliens
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201064446-love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens
A sneak peek between the pages of Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens
Xander explains his family curse to Hannah:
“Don’t change the subject.” A dozen battered clam strips tumbled onto her plate when she lifted her po’boy. “You were going to tell me what makes you tick.” She chomped into the sandwich and closed her eyes on a moan.
“I was?” A warning tickled down his spine. She was doing it again—teasing out details he didn’t intend to share.
Then again, why not get an unbiased opinion?
He clasped her hand. “Promise me I’ll never see these words in your newspaper?”
She crossed her heart, her expression solemn and attentive.
“I’ve never talked about this with anyone outside my family.”
The corners of her mouth ticked up. “In that case, I’m honored.”
Just do it, coward.
He sucked in a breath. “There’s this thing in my family that goes way back to the old country. The curse of the second son.”
“You’re a second son, I take it?”
“Yeah. So was Gus.”
“And what does this curse entail?”
He twirled his spoon in his soup. “Supposedly, second sons are doomed to failure. Business, divorce, you name it. Whatever we try, we fail.”
She made a delicate snort. “Well, that’s clearly not true. I mean, look at Gus. He was married to Martha for how many years?”
“But she died.”
She shrugged. “Everyone dies.”
“And they never had kids.”
“Maybe they didn’t want kids. I think the shop was his baby.” She sipped her beer and wiped foam from her cheek. “He put a lot of love into that place. I felt it every time I walked through his doors. Souvenir Planet buzzed with upbeat energy. Every shelf, every wall, every corner was stuffed with something to make you smile.”
He stifled a snarky laugh. “Spiderwebs make you smile?”
She grasped his forearm as if yanking him back to the topic at hand. “The point is, Gus was far from a failure. Everyone loved him.” Her hand slid down to cover his, her touch satin-soft. “And you’re not a failure either.”
It would take a lot more than a pretty woman’s kind words to make him believe that. “My last few business ventures tanked. But Gus’s place is my chance to break the curse, to prove them wrong.”
“Who, your family?”
“Yeah.” Chuckling, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You’d think by my age I’d be over it, but their pity really gets under my skin. It’s a shitty feeling, knowing they’ll always see me through that lens.”
She scooted closer on their shared bench and—God help him—squeezed his knee, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “I’m sorry you’re going through that, Xander. You’re a good man. You deserve better.”
About the Author:
Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique. Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found shaking her hips in dance class, playing her guitar (badly, but getting better), exploring the Western U.S. with her charming husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at https://sadirastone.com
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Love Legacy and Little Green Aliens, Mystery, Romance, Sadira Stone by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Sweet Slow Sizzle: Bangers Tavern Romance 4
Give a Spooktacular welcome to Sadira Stone, author of Sweet Slow Sizzle: Bangers Tavern Romance book 4.
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cauldron. Take your choice of a bat wing Chocolate Chip or Pumpkin, or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sadira Stone and her Sweet Slow Sizzle: Bangers Tavern Romance, Book 4.
Loving him means risking the only family she has left.
Bangers Tavern’s hunky bouncer Jojo Williams has been flirting with server Lana Lopez for three years, but she dismisses him as a trifling joker. Determined to penetrate her prickly defenses, he plunges into the hot mess that keeps her from dating. If he screws this up, his heart and hers won’t be the only ones broken.
Orphaned by a car wreck at twenty-two, Lana must keep her teen brothers on track and together in the home they grew up in. One more slip-up, and her interfering tías will separate the boys. The last thing Lana needs is a big goof like Jojo meddling with her fragile family.
But when the teens’ shenanigans land them in trouble, Jojo may be the only person who can save them from the wrath of the tías. Lana’s growing attraction to the gentle giant makes it harder and harder to shut him out, but loving him is a gamble that could cost her everything.
Come back to Bangers Tavern for a slow burn, sizzling hot, friends to lovers workplace romance full of laughs, steam, and the glorious chaos of 21st century family—the ones we’re born into, and the ones we gather to our hearts.
Universal Book Link: Amazon, Amazon paperback Barnes & Noble Kobo
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A Sneak Peak Between the Pages of Sweet Slow Sizzle!
While Rosie waited for a frozen blue daiquiri, she tilted her chin toward the bouncers’ station at the door. “What did you say to Jojo?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“He looked like a kid who dropped his ice cream.”
Lana huffed. “I just declined his offer to talk some sense into Pedro.”
Rosie folded her inked-up arms. “Don’t you want more healthy male role models for your brothers?”
“It’s hard enough to keep those two focused on school. What’s gonna happen if I bring over a musclehead who spews jokes all day? Leo’s already in trouble for cutting up in class. Kenny’s the kind of role model he needs, not Jojo.”
“Hey, Jojo’s a sweetheart. He’s”—Rosie ticked off on her fingers—“educated, employed, good to his mama, and he’s totally sweet on you.”
Lana stabbed cherries and orange slices onto a cocktail pick. “Come on, he’s sweet on anyone with boobs.” She dropped the garnish into a tall rum punch. “Wait…you met his mom?”
“Last week when I dropped Eddie off for Jojo’s bootcamp-slash-torture dungeon. She came by to ask for his help with something, and he was a total puppy. Adorable.”
A high-pitched yelp from a nearby table jerked Lana’s head around. Some baby-face guy in a college hoodie was trying to snatch tater tots from a woman’s platter while his knucklehead buddies laughed.
“Oh, goodie,” Lana whispered to Rosie. “I love this part.”
Smooth as a shadow, Jojo slid through the crowd to confront the tot raider. She couldn’t hear whatever he growled at the thief, but the way he puffed out his massive chest and clenched his fists gave her shivers. Those corded forearms, those powerful shoulders! Ungh! She bit her lip.
Jojo jerked his chin toward the door.
Hands raised in surrender, the frat boy withdrew.
Rosie gave a low whistle. “Impressive, isn’t he? If I weren’t already spoken for…”
As if he could sense Lana’s lustful stare, Jojo glanced their way, and his rock-hard expression melted into a goofy smile. Rosie had nailed it—he really did look like a puppy, an oversize, muscle-bound pit bull eager for a belly rub. She blew out a shaky breath and forced her attention back to her friend.
“Handling two male egos keeps me busy to the max. What would I do with a third?”
It’s been great having you with us today. Good luck with Sweet Slow Sizzle: Bangers Tavern Romance Book 4.
Happy Halloween!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Bangers Tavern Romance book 4, Halloween, Sadira Stone, Sweet Slow Sizzle by Tena Stetler with 3 comments.
Love, Art, and Other Obstacles By Sadira Stone
Give a warm welcome to Sadira Stone, author of Love, Art, and Other Obstacles. I see you’ve brought a couple of guests.
Yes, This is Elmer Byrne and Margot DePont of Love, Art, and Other Obstacles. Welcome all! Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Elmer, Margot and Sadira as well as Love, Art, and Other Obstacles!
Lets start with Elmer. Come on over here and have a seat.
Tells us about the real you—
Tell us three things we’d find if we looked under your bed? sketch pads, colored pencils, sci-fi paperbacks
……What makes you laugh out loud? The kids at the Rainbow Arts Center, where I teach ceramics. They tell it like it is.
……What makes you angry? Snooty people, users
What event in your past has left the most indelible impression on you? My foster parents taught me what real family love is, and that the best kind of family is the one you choose.
What do you most value? Connection
…..What do you sleep in at night? Nothing. That’s what blankets are for.
What is the type of woman you want to spend the rest of your life with? She has to be creative, funny, artistic, a free thinker. And she has to love sex, of course.
What do you consider most important in life? It’s a tie: creative self-expression, and love.
What is your biggest secret? Confidence: fake it until you feel it.
****
Okay Margot, your turn in the hot seat. LOL
Who are you really? I’m a rebel.
Tell us three things we’d find if we looked under your bed? Manga books, mismatched socks, dust
……What makes you laugh out loud? The little kids at the bookshop where I work. I love it when it’s my turn for story hour.
……What makes you angry? Snobs. Judgmental people who try to squash me, or anyone else, into a narrow box.
……What do you sleep in at night? My vintage Godzilla T-shirt.
Who were the biggest role models in your life? Maxie Schmidt, my 90-year-old surrogate grandmother. She sampled all of life’s pleasures and always followed her own path. And she accepts people as they are.
What kind of man do you want to spend the rest of your life with? Who says I want a forever partner? And who says it has to be a guy? But if I do commit to one person, they’d have to be open-minded, artistic, nerdy, and sexy.
(or if you don’t want romance – Why not?)
What kind of man would you never choose? A judgmental one who wants to clip my wings.
What is most important to you in life? Creative self-expression and independence.
What is your biggest fear? Having to hide who I am
Sadira, Tell us a little about writing this story. Was it fun or difficult? Do your characters always act as you expect? Are you a plotter, or fly (write) by the seat of your pants?
This story was great fun to write. I loved the chance to revisit the crew at Book Nirvana, the bookshop at the center of this series. Margot is an important secondary character in the first two books in the series, and readers told me they wanted to read her story. Elmer first appeared in book two, and he’s such a sexy flirt that I enjoyed giving him a story of his own. They’re quite the unlikely couple. At first, Margot’s turned off by Elmer’s cocky, flirtatious ways. Of course, there’s more that she suspected under his pretty surface.
Another facet I loved was developing the Rainbow Art Center, a youth arts program where both Elmer and Margot volunteer. The kid artists and Rainbow Center staff sort of emerged to tell their own story about the importance of art in their lives. If I had great piles of $$, I’d love to sponsor an arts center like this.
I’m definitely a plantser—I plot out the story, but new sprouts develop as I write. Some of them grow fruitful; others need to be trimmed or pruned as I revise.
A little about Love, Art, and Other Obstacles, if you please:
She’s a free spirit. He’s a one-woman man.
Rejected by her family for her bisexuality, graphic artist Margot DuPont yearns for a life with no fences, no limits, and no family ties. Between college, work at Book Nirvana, and an art competition, she barely has time for her part-time girlfriend, much less a flirtation with her competitor.
Dumped into the foster system at a young age, ceramics artist Elmer Byrne craves a big, loving family of the heart. His artist family almost fills that need, but something is missing…until Margot. But when he offers his heart, her thorny defenses shatter him.
Thrown together in an art competition that could jump-start one artist’s career, but not both, their irresistible attraction forces them to reconsider the meaning of success.
Buy Links: Psst…Love, Art, and Other Obstacles is on sale for $2.99 from May 15-29. After that it’s $5.99. If I were you, I’d snap up a copy!
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A sneak peek between the pages:
“Tell you what,” he said. “How about if we have drinks and talk about anything but the competition?”
“Because…why?”
“You’re a real hard-ass, aren’t you?” He rolled his eyes. “Because I like you, Margot.”
“Why?”
He leaned so close their foreheads almost touched, a challenge simmering in his smile. “Have a drink with me and find out.”
If there was one thing she couldn’t resist, it was a challenge. On the other hand, he might not like her so much if he knew about Darcy. Let that be the test, then. Let him prove he wasn’t one of those possessive, controlling guys Darcy warned her about.
“Okay. I will.” She stepped back. “But you should know, I’m sort of seeing someone.”
His thick auburn brows contracted. “Sort of?”
“A woman.”
His nostrils flared on a deep inhalation, but he held her gaze. “Is it serious?”
“Not really.” Might as well serve up the truth, raw and ungarnished. Might as well be honest with herself too. “She lives in Berkeley. I only see her every month or two.”
Holding her gaze, he nodded. “Okay then. Thanks for telling me.” The tense lines of his mouth relaxed into a casual grin. “So, drinks?”
Well I’ll be damned.
About the Author:
Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance from her new home in Washington State, U.S.A. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, plays darts (pretty well), plays guitar (badly), and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com .
I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Art World, Artist, Bisexual Heroine, Bookshop, Ceramics, Chosen Family, Contemporary Romance, Disapproving Family, Graphic Design, Love Art and Other Obstacles, New Adult Romance, Oregon, Redhead Hero, Rivals to Lovers, Sadira Stone, Steamy Romance, Tattoos by Tena Stetler with 7 comments.
Interview Sadira Stone Author of Runaway Love Story
Give a warm welcome to Sadire Stone and her new release Runaway Love Story, book two in the Book Nirvana Series! Happy Book Birthday Today!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sadire and her Runaway Love Story! A great story it is! Check back next week for my full review.
My Review:
This is the first book in the sizzling Nirvana Series. I loved it. I won’t recap the story, you can read the blurb. I will tell you that the author writes with humor, Great Aunt Maxie was fantastic along with her group of artsy friends. I laughed out loud so many times at her antics.
The relationship between Laurel (city gal) and Doug (country guy) is not as different as they appear. Laurel is so sure of what she wants that she completely overlooks the promising future that is right in front of her.
The family dynamics on both sides keep the book interesting while the chemistry sizzles between Laura and Doug.
This is a well-written story with lots of heart that I truly enjoyed. I’m going to have to go back and read the first book in the series. I highly recommend this book, if you like your romances spicy hot!
Sadira share the Inspiration for the Book Nirvana Series:
Until recently, I was one of those readers–literary snobs who look down their noses at romance for the usual stupid reasons: too corny, too predictable, too fluffy. Then I read a few online articles about how fun and lucrative writing erotica can be. I thought, what the heck? Let’s try.
I have never had so much fun with a writing project! My first steamy romance, Through the Red Door, nearly wrote itself, though it damned sure didn’t edit itself. I’ve totally immersed myself in the world of romance, gobbling books like popcorn, filling my ears with romance podcasts, and joining the Romance Writers of America. From skeptic to romance mega-fan in two short years, I’m totally addicted to passionate, heartfelt stories with happy endings.
Why set the series in a bookshop? Ever since I was a wee lass, I dreamed of owning one. Add to that my fascination with historical erotic art and literature, and you’ve got the Book Nirvana series, set in an indie bookshop with an extensive erotica collection behind a locked red door.
I love stories in which a couple’s powerful physical attraction leads them to consider a partner outside their usual M.O.—one who just might turn out to be their perfect match. That’s how it happened for my husband and me, and my romance fiction contains that element.
I sort of pulled the setting out of a hat. I wanted to set my series in a college town. I’d heard that Eugene, home of the University of Oregon, has a lively arts scene and a rich counterculture legacy from the hippie era. After much online research, correspondence, and hours on Google Earth, I finally made the trip. Eugene is even lovelier than I’d imagined. Kate Rock, a resident author, kindly shared her knowledge of the city’s history and the flavor of the different neighborhoods. I look forward to many return trips.
Tell us more about Runaway Love Story.
High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn’t in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who’s real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.
He’s done with social-climbing posers…she’s ambitious and has big dreams.
Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she’s harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she’s only passing through, not looking for a relationship.
Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can’t stay in Eugene, and he can’t leave. Doug’s only hope is to convince her the glittery life she’s after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.
A sneak peek between the sizzling pages of Runaway Love Story.
“I’m sorry she called you the S word.”
“Huh?”
“Sensible.”
She laughed. “Yeah. That’s a curse word, as far as I’m concerned.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I’ll strike it from my vocabulary. Your S word is sparkle.” He traced her jawline with a feather-light touch. “Look at you, Laurel. You’re blinding.” His twilight-blue gaze made her heart dance—a steamy tango with swirls and dangerous dips. He kissed her, and, for a moment, she forgot all about caution, about cutting things off before they became too serious, about San Francisco. Her focus narrowed to his lips on hers, his nearness heating her whole body, opening her like a blossom, soft and willing. Ripe for the plucking.
“God, I’ve missed you.” He scooped her legs across his lap. One hand cradling her nape, the other gripping her thigh, he kissed her senseless. His velvet tongue teased her lips apart. He tasted of sugary coffee. The world around them faded—just two bodies, calling and answering, breathing in sync, their pulses beating the same rhythm.
Another Excerpt
Laurel’s conscience nudged the grin off her face. The customer was right—Doug was a natural with kids. He deserved a nice woman who’d stay in Eugene and build a family with him. She was just distracting him from his true path. If it weren’t for the chemistry pulling them together like an industrial-strength electromagnet, she’d never pick a guy like Doug. Sweet, dependable, generous, outdoorsy…
Shit. Except for not being an artist, he’s pretty much perfect. Leaving him in December is going to be damned painful.
Still, she’d been honest with him. He knew about her plans, and he wasn’t holding back. Why should she? Why deny herself his friendship, and a physical connection of volcanic proportions?
Because she was messing with his heart, that’s why. And her own.
And another, from the inside cover
He stepped closer, close enough to feel the heat rolling off his body.
A flush painted his cheekbones and his long, straight nose. Exercise, sunburn, or something more interesting?
The air between them vibrated with tingly energy. She focused on the floor, because looking into his face felt too dangerous.
He moved still closer, his toes nearly touching hers. “We’re good now?”
Her gaze slid up from his long, muscular calves, covered with blond fuzz, to his powerful thighs, to the impressive bulge between them, then up his slim torso, his muscular chest, his broad shoulders, until her gaze rested on his face.
His lids lowered, his lips parted. As if magnetized, her fingertips skimmed up his arm.
Stop. She dropped her hand. “We’re good. I’m sorry, Doug. I saw something between you two, and I jumped to the wrong conclusion.”
His smile blossomed slowly. “I’m glad that’s all cleared up.”
Not all, but it’s a start. Another thought, a crazy one. I could just kiss him, right here, right now. Get it over with, see what happens next.
Once that seed was planted, it was as if a giant electromagnet switched on, tugging them together. Its power hummed in her bones. Invisible sparks crackled between them. She slid a few inches closer.
Buy Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Books Kobo
About the Author.
Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance and cozy mysteries from her home in Washington State. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, belly dances, plays guitar badly, and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com.
Sadira wants to hear from you!
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It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Runaway Love Story and Book Nirvana Series!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Book Nirvana Series, Contemporary Romance, Runaway Love Story, Sadira Stone by Tena Stetler with 6 comments.
