Hidden Heart Cover Reveal

Here is the cover for Hidden Heart!

Synopsis:

Vincent Arroyo helplessly watched his best friend, Jason Straiz, get gunned down and was powerless to stop it.  Now, Lucio Cardoso has him imprisoned in a country where the law is even more corrupt than its criminals.   A little girl’s life hangs in the balance forcing Vin to work for the one man he despises the most until he can find a way to save her and they can both escape.   

A routine errand brings him to an art gallery run by a beautiful stranger, Vivianna Santos, and Vin is instantly drawn to her.  The more time he spends with Viv, the less time he thinks about going home.   

At a masquerade ball for Carnival, Vincent discovers something that leaves his relationship with Viv in shambles.  Can Vincent find the revenge he is looking for or is Vivianna the answer to his hidden heart?

**Disclaimer**

This is not the sequel to Love Lost.

This is the story of what happens to Vincent Arroyo when he is kidnapped.  His story begins in Love Lost.  It is recommended to read Love Lost prior to reading Hidden Heart to properly understand the storyline and characters, but Hidden Heart can be read as a standalone book.

*****

Release Date:  October 6th, 2014

Due to some personal health issues, I have been forced to delay the release of Hidden Heart.  I apologize to everyone in advance and I still plan of sending out ARC to those that won copies prior to the release as promised.

Thank you to Rochelle McGrath @ Shamrock Designs for the beautiful cover.

Thank you to Jean Findlay Bowden  for helping me with the blurb.

I have a giveaway that is now live on Rafflecopter until Tuesday, Sept. 2nd.  

Here is the link:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My First Signing!

In 8 days, I will be attending my first signing and I am just a bundle of emotions about it.   I am nervous and unsure about it since it is my first signing as an author.  I have nightmares about saying the wrong thing or falling on my face in front of another author.  I cringe at the thought.   I am excited to meet my fans as well as the other authors.  

It is a small intimate signing compared to the one I am doing next year.  There are about 19 authors at this signing.  It will be at 15 Pitman Avenue in Pitman, NJ.  It is being held in the McCowan Memorial Library from 6pm to 9pm.   Stop by my table and say hello.  I will have plenty of swag, bookmarks, and postcards to give away.  I may even have some candy!   Come by and enjoy spending some time with great authors and great books!

-Maria

Interview with Yours Truly

The Examiner.com is featuring me in an article on their website.  I was excited to see it posted on their website and I'm even more excited to share with you.

Here is the Link: http://www.examiner.com/article/into-the-mind-of-an-author-maria-desouza

Happy Reading!!

XOXO

Maria

Friday Author Spotlight - HK Sterling

Friday Author Spotlight

What is this you may ask?   Every Friday, I will feature an indie author and their respective books.  I will then buy their book to show my support and leave a review where their book is listed.  My first indie author is HK Sterling.   I know, I know.   Who is that?  Well, let me tell you.

H.K. Sterling is an author with Breathless Press known for stories with imagination, intelligence, a kick, and twist endings. H.K. likes to focus her writing on romantic suspense, science-fiction, shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected. Sometimes her books may even go dark. H.K. lives in Virginia with her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. H.K. currently has a Short Spy Romance out called Eyes Only; a Mystery/Thriller titled A Taste For Killing; and two short stories in the Breathless Press Anthology, My Bloody Valentine. Her new book, A Taste For Danger (sequel to A Taste For Killing) has a release date of June 13, 2014. H.K.'s books are suitable for 18+.

If you're interested in more of Ms. Sterling, click on these links:

Amazon : Twitter : Facebook : Email : Blog : Goodreads

Let's take a peek at Eyes Only!

Blurb:

In the shadowy world of covert operations sometimes romance is the name of the game and it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad. Is there even room for romance? Read along with the twists and turns of "Eyes Only" where trust is a rare commodity and you'll never know which side to root for until the very end.

Do you need a little more, because I know I do.  Here's a tiny excerpt:

"I dunno, maybe I had a wild hair that night or maybe I was going a little bit stir crazy. In any case, I think Charlie sensed it and that’s why he made the suggestion. So this one time, I decided I'd go to the restricted bar. What harm could it do? I'd have a few drinks with Charlie, hear some old Marine stories, and call it a night.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Isla Aldon was her name. My eyes found her as soon as we stepped in the bar. A crowded bar too. And she was a short thing."

Need more?  Here is where you can buy the book:

Breathless Press : All Romance Ebooks : Amazon : B&N : Bookstrand

What a better way to end the spotlight than with a quick interview with Ike Hudson from Eyes Only.

Please give a warm welcome to  Ike Hudson from "Eyes Only" by H.K. Sterling today as we sit down and see what makes him/her tick.

Q: So tell us about yourself. What got you in the crosshairs for your author? 

Ha. I'm complex. I didn’t really start out that way, but I sure ended up that way!

Q: What was it that drew you to your mate? I don't have a mate anymore. The mates I have tend to not stay for one reason or another.

Q: A little naughty fun, where was the wildest place you seduced your partner(s)? 

Overseas. We really kept it to the bedroom- you don’t need to go anywhere else when the act itself sends you reeling!

Q: Boxers, briefs or Commando on a man? Well, I am a man and I wear boxers. But commando works too!

Q: If your partner wants to seduce you, what's one sure fire trick he/she can play? 

I'm pretty easy. If they have that sex vibe, I'm ready to go!

Q: What is the one place on your partner's body that you know will drive them wild-in and out of bed? 

Um, well, like I said I no longer have a partner but if I think back to one, feeling me against her slow dancing would be one. Another would be licking. I'll leave it to your imagination as to where.

Q: What was one of the most embarrassing thing your author did to you in "Eyes Only"?

It wasn't really the author, it was my friend and I can't say anymore because of spoilers.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

Yeah, nothing is ever as it seems!

Check out Eyes Only by HK Sterling.  Sure to leave hot and bothered.

The Lost Series

So I figured I would let everyone in on the Lost series and what the titles are, with a smidge of an idea of what they will be about.

Book 1 - Love Lost

This is Jason and Selene's journey when they first meet.

Book 1.5 - Hidden Heart

This will focus on Vin and Vivianna.

It will focus on what happens to him in Love Lost until the moment Love Lost ends. Vivianna will be introduced and how they met will be explained.  Hint:  She is a MAJOR character.

Book 2 - Lost Soul

This will pickup where Love Lost ends. Jason is back to deal with Vin's shocking news with more yet to be told.  Jason becomes torn with what he should do and the plot thickens with the introduction of his new partner, Dani.

Book 2.5 - Hidden Destiny

Julian is Jason's older brother and a surprise on his doorstep leads him through uncharted territory.

Book 3 - Innocence Lost

Jason heads to Brazil to bring Lucio back for his crimes and is hit with a surprise instead.

Book 3.5 - Hidden Virtue

Jesse is Jason's younger brother and this novella follows his return from Brazil.  He is not alone when he returns home.

Book 4 - Lost Time

Jason has to deal with the aftermath of his trip to Brazil.  His past and his present collide, but what will the future hold for Jason?

Book 0.5 - Hidden Evil

This is the story of madman named Luke.

The synopsis of each book and novella will be updated as I begin to work on them.  The covers will be released within a month of the book's release date.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts and what novella you are most looking forward to.  

And it begins.....

Today is the first day of my blog tour, and I am still in awe that my book is live.   Am I dreaming?  Is it real?  It must be a joke, right?   Back to business.  Maria's Book Blog is hosting my blog tour and has setup some blogs and authors to feature me on their blogs.   Every day, I will post the names of the blogs and/or authors on my author page.   Along with the blog tour, I have a rafflecopter that is now live.  Here is the LINK.

I am currently working on the first Lost series novella, Hidden Heart.  It is set to be released in July 2014.  It will follow Vin and Vivianna, and their journey.  I can't wait for everyone to read it, because I'm having such a great time writing about him.

I need to get back to Vin!   See ya later!

Love Lost is Live!!!!

Love Lost is now LIVE!

This is all bittersweet to me.  This book has had so many ups and downs in terms of getting it done and published.  From my back injury to self doubt, I almost considering giving up on writing all together.  I'm so grateful for the friends that supported me through this journey.  There were the two pains in my behind who I worked with that always pushed me to write more every day instead of doing my job.  I obviously wasn't getting paid to work!  Then there was my very annoying yet sweetest BFF that has kept me on this friend even when I wanted to get off of it.  My betas, who I don't think I can live without and I don't even want to try to either.   My cover designer, from the picture above, you can tell how talented she is.   My cover model and photographers who helped bring my character to life.

Thank you all for making my dream come true.  This wouldn't have happened without you all pushing me and supporting me.   Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Below are the links to Love Lost.   Paperbacks are not yet available but I will post the links when they are.

Don't forget to leave a review.

Amazon    :    Amazon UK    :    Barnes and Nobles

Release Day Giveaway

I am having a Release Day Party for Love Lost and I would love for you to join me.  Clink on the photo below to go to the event. 

To celebrate my book release, I am going to have a Grand Prize Giveaway.  I will have plenty of prizes during the Release day event, but I wanted to have something special for one lucky person to have.  For a chance to win an author and cover model signed paperback copy of Love Lost and a very special swag pack, let’s have a photo scavenger hunt!   

I will list 10 items that pertain to Love Lost in some way.  There will be opportunities to earn extra entries for each one.   All you have to do is collect all 10 items (or 20 with the extra entries) and send all photos or videos to me at mariadesouzawrites@yahoo.com  when you have completed all the tasks.  I will announce the winner at the end of my blog tour on May 5th.  

The items are as follows:

1. Write the title “Love Lost” and be creative about it!   *For 10 Extra Entries, get a friend to do the same.   (Send your photo and the friend’s photo.  If you can’t be in your friend’s photo, have them hold a sign saying, “______ made me do it!”)
2. Jason is a detective.  Take a photo with an officer.   *For 10 Extra Entries, get a video of the officer saying “Get your copy of Love Lost now!”  (P.S.  Officers of all ages are welcome!)
3. Jason and Lucio like to drive in style.  Take a photo with your ride.   *For 10 Extra Entries, get a friend to do the same.  (Be in the photo with your friend, or have them hold a sign saying you made them do it.)
4. Coffee brought Jason and Selene together, so snap a shot of your cup of Joe.      *For 10 Extra Entries, get a photo with a barista in uniform.  (Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, any coffee shop employee with a shirt that shows the store name.)
5. Lucio likes Patron and Jason likes Hennessy.   Snap a photo with your favorite drink.    *For 10 Extra Entries, snap a picture of yourself, holding a bottle of Hennessy or Patron.
6. Sofia is a little girl and needs a movie to keep her happy and entertained.  Snap a photo with a children’s movie.    *For 10 Extra Entries, record a video with someone singing a song from the same movie in the photo.
7. Jason and Selene had a movie date and forgot to take a photo to remember it.  Take a photo in front of a movie poster of a movie you think they would watch.    *For 10 Extra Entries, take a photo sitting in a movie theater. (It could be anywhere in the movie theater.  Inside, outside, etc.)
8. Jason loves to cook and is the king in the kitchen.  Take a photo of your favorite meal to make.     *For 10 Extra Entries, take a photo of someone eating the same meal.  
9. Roses play a major role in Love Lost.  Take a picture of a rose.    *For 10 Extra Entries, take a photo holding your favorite flower.
10. I am a HUGE animal lover.  Take a photo of a cute pet.    *For 10 Extra Entries, send a video of a pet.

Good luck to everyone and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Love Lost has a Release Date!

Love Lost will be released on April 25, 2014!    

YIPPEE!!!!  *commence happy dance*

The links for purchase will be posted on that day,
along with the details of the blog tour and giveaway link.