Signed Hot Ink Paperback Giveaway + May Newsletter Contest Winner Announcement

**Update: the Hot Ink giveaway has ended. The winner is Michelle W. Congrats Michelle, and thanks to all who participated.**

Now that I'm back from the Frederick Book Festival, I'm running a contest for those who weren't able to be there. While I was there, I gave away free paperback copies of Hot Ink, and I wanted readers who couldn't be at the event in Maryland this past Saturday to have a chance to win one, too. :)

At the Frederick Book Festival. Left to right: me, Gabrielle Bisset, Carrie Ann Ryan.

But first, the winner of my May newsletter contest giveaway...

Kristine L.

Congrats Kristine, and thank you to everyone who participated. Kristine won the prize package I put together at this year's RT Booklovers Convention. As usual, there will be another giveaway in next month's newsletter.

Here's the giveaway for a signed paperback copy of Hot Ink + a goodie pack including post cards, a button and a key chain like those I gave away on Saturday.

Please include your e-mail address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Contest ends Wednesday at 8pm EST. One winner will be randomly selected & contacted via e-mail on 5/22. Please note that this contest is US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My apologies to those located outside the US. If you're looking for an international giveaway, try my newsletter. I hold international subscribers-only giveaways every month. ;) If you're not a subscriber but would like to be, you can sign up here.

MMA Romance Sale - Battered Not Broken $1.99 Today

Starting today, I've got a special two week sale promotion going on with what's currently my most popular book, Battered Not Broken. Now through May 29th, the ebook edition is half price - only $1.99.

I hope that's good news if you've been waiting to get Ryan & Ally's story on your ereader. ;)

War and violent crime cut deep - can love for another person run deeper than the scars left behind?

Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family's expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that's cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting - the one thing he's still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can't afford to take.

His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn't felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She's struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence - a feat that isn't easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn't defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?

Full-Length Novel. (Approximately 110,000 words.)

Read a free excerpt here.

Download Battered Not Broken for $1.99 at...

Amazon      Barnes & Noble

RT Convention 2013 - My Photo Recap

I spent the first week of May attending the 30th Annual RT Booklovers Convention. Since I attended last year, I knew it'd be a great time. And I certainly wasn't disappointed! Here's my photo recap...

This year's RT Convention was held in Kansas City. I took this photo from the Liberty Memorial.

At the Welcome Party with authors (from left to right): Elise Marion, RK Ryals and Carly Fall (that's me on the far right). One thing I love about RT and other events like it is getting to meet friends I've only known online. All these ladies are just as awesome in person as they seem online!

At the formal ball - a highlight of the week, IMO - with Elise and RK.

At the formal ball with an old friend I always look forward to seeing, Alanna Coca.

                                       

After the ball (left to right): me, Daisy Harris, TA Chase,  Devon Rhodes, Marie Sexton and Alanna Coca.

You always meet new people at RT, too. Here I am with Stacey (editor in chief of Total-E-Bound Publishing, aka Devon Rhodes) and EL James (author of Fifty Shades of Grey).

With the lovely authors Graylin Fox (center) and Alanna Coca (right), my buddies from RT in Chicago.

Of course, I signed some books while at RT. Thanks to everyone who came to see me at the official signing and at my FANtastic Party signing!

It wouldn't be RT if it wasn't for all the swag. This year I gave away these buttons. There was an awesome waitress in the bar who wore hers while she worked. LOL :)

As usual, there was a big crowd at the book fair.

I got to meet one of my favorite authors, Susanna Kearsley! I had no idea she was going to be at RT, so it was a really pleasant surprise. I got two signed books, including an ARC. :)

I love seeing the elaborate costumes people come up with for the themed parties! Check out these awesome historical ones.

It wouldn't be RT if I didn't make time to goof off. When Alanna Coca & I discovered some (non-RT) guys who'd been wandering down promo lane & picking up cover flats so they could put their heads on cover models' bodies, we knew we had to try it too. Here, Alanna skillfully cut out the female model's face so mine could go there. Check out my book boyfriend! LOL

I didn't forget about the models. Here's Nick Soto posing with his centerfold. If you've read my May newsletter, you know that I'm giving one of these calendars away! Thanks Stacey for the picture.

Alanna Coca & I went adventuring in Kansas City in high heels (big mistake not putting on different shoes, BTW) and visited the National WWI Museum. It's the only museum dedicated solely to WWI in the country, and I highly recommend it if you're ever in Kansas City.

Climbing the stairs at the Liberty Memorial WWI Museum. There's a fantastic view of the city at the top!

Field of red poppies for remembrance, located inside the museum.

Thank you to all the friends, readers, new acquaintances and - of course - the event organizers who made RT so much fun. See you next year in New Orleans! ;)

P.S. I'm giving away a gift and souvenir package from RT as my May newsletter giveaway. If you're a subscriber and haven't already seen the newsletter, check your inbox. If you're not a subscriber but would like to be, signing up is simple here. Subscribe before the contest end date (05/19) and I'll make sure you receive the May edition.

RT Con is Next Week - The Scoop For Those Who'll Be There & Those Who Won't

In a few days, I'll be leaving for the 30th Annual RT Booklovers Convention in Kansas City. For those of you who will be there, I have some info on where / what I'll be signing, etc. And for those of you who won't be there, I have some info on what I'll have for you when I get back. :)

A snapshot I took at last year's RT Welcome Party. This actually only shows a fraction of all the attendees, and this year, attendance is at a record high. The 30th Annual RT Booklovers Convention has completely sold out on registration, and attendees have booked two hotels almost completely solid. Should be a good time!

I'll be attending for the entire convention, and on Thursday 05/02, I'll be signing books at the E-Book, Indie Published and Graphic Novel Expo from 4pm - 6pm. I'll have some paperback copies of Rough Around the Edges, Battered Not Broken and Hot Ink there, which will be available for purchase at a discounted price. Ebooks can also be bought electronically at this event, and I'll have post cards to sign and other free goodies to give away. Hope to see you there!

Also, if you're a Kansas City local (but not attending the convention), the signing is open to the public, at a door cost of $5. You can find detailed info on the event & location here.

For those who won't be attending the convention, don't worry - when I arrive home, I'll be sending out my May newsletter, which will include a giveaway of some signed paperbacks and other assorted goodies from RT. So even if you can't be there in person, you can still enter to win some cool stuff from RT, and I'll have plenty of photos to share.

Well, it's back to work for me. I've got a lot to do before leaving for Kansas City. I want to be ready to work hard on Innocent Ink with my editor when I get back, and announce an official release date soon after.

Since I'll be away next week, I won't be doing my usual Wednesday blog post, but I'll have plenty of fun photos the week after. I plan to do my usual recap in photos post, like I did last year for the RT Con in Chicago. :)

P.S. If you're in the Maryland / Northern VA / Southern PA or Eastern WV area, you may be interested in another fun book event & signing I'll be at on May 18 - the Frederick Book Festival (Frederick, MD).

April Newsletter Giveaway Winner

I just finished the drawing for my April newsletter giveaway. And the winner is...

Theresa E.

Congrats, Theresa! If that's you, there's an e-mail from me waiting in your inbox. 

And a big thank you to all who participated. As always, there will be another subscribers-only giveaway next month.

Not a subscriber? You can sign up here for monthly news & exclusive giveaways.

Theresa won a t-shirt from my merchandise store. 

Speaking of my store, I have some good news -- all t-shirts are now available in plus sizes. You can check out everything that's available here.

Thanks again to all my subscribers and giveaway participants. Next month I'm planning to give away some signed books, postcards and other goodies (the same stuff I'll have for readers at the RT Convention), so even if you can't be there, you can still win some cool convention stuff without having to make the big trip. ;)

Announcing the Inked in the Steel City Series & Book 2, Innocent Ink

It’s been a long time coming - Hot Ink is now officially the first book in a series. Over the course of the year and a half since Hot Ink's release, I've had lots of inquiries about a second book. At the time, I could only say that one was planned - now I can happily tell everyone that Book 2 in the Inked in the Steel City Series is Innocent Ink and will be releasing in late spring 2013 (exact date TBA soon).

Although Innocent Ink focuses on a new couple (Karen & Jed), Mina and Eric also make appearances, and those who've wanted to know more about their wedding won't be disappointed. ;)

Innocent Ink also includes the elements that defined Hot Ink - a heroine who puts family first, and of course, a sexy hero with a big heart and lots of ink. (I really think fans of Hot Ink will love Jed. Or maybe that's just me projecting my latest book boyfriend crush onto all of you. Either way ... I promise you're in for another sexy tattooed hero! LOL)

Photographing exceptional tattoos for the Hot Ink Tattoo Studio turns into much more than just a job when Karen meets Jed, the sexy-as-sin owner. With attraction sizzling between them, each photo shoot is a labor of love … and a chance to get closer to the man of her increasingly naughty dreams.

Curvy, vivacious Karen is everything Jed would want in a woman, if he wanted one at all. But a relationship seems like too dangerous a gamble for someone who’s loved before and suffered the ultimate loss. So why can’t he resist when he discovers the attraction is mutual? Even if he were willing to risk everything again, Karen’s too young, too full of life to be burdened with someone whose heart bears scars as permanent as the ink in his skin.

When the two finally face what lies between them, the passion is undeniably real, but will the unexpected extinguish the spark of their love, or fan the flames?

* * * * *

Additional books are planned after Book 2.

* * * * *

Optional: Sign up to be notified when Innocent Ink releases. 

Click the link below for an easy sign up form. You will receive a one-time release notification e-mail. Signing up for this does not sign you up for Ranae’s monthly newsletter, and your contact info is never shared or sold.

Subscribe to our newsletter

* * * * *

Get the latest updates anytime at the Coming Soon page.

Fifty Shades of Reality - Spotlight on an Important Topic

Have you ever heard of TBI (traumatic brain injury)? If you've read Battered Not Broken or Rough Around the Edges, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But did you know it's estimated to affect at least 19% of American veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Some experts think the figure may be even higher than that. It's a serious issue, but awareness isn't as high as it should be, possibly because unlike many physical wounds, a TBI can't be seen.

There's a press release article on TBI & my books Battered Not Broken & Rough Around the Edges circulating online right now. It offers facts about TBI and info on the help I had writing Ryan & Ally's stories. Check it out on Yahoo...

Fifty Shades of Reality: Romantic Fiction Raises Awareness of 'Silent Epidemic' Faced by Many Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

* * * * *

In other news, I'm leaving for the RT Convention at the end of this month. I've been making my final preparations (yes, one could say that I put a few things off, LOL). RT will mark the beginning of the 2013 convention & signing season for me. Will I see you at any of this year's events? There's a schedule on my site that shows where I'll be - hope to see you there!

2013 Schedule of Events & Signings

* * * * *

A quick reminder - my Rough Around the Edges Release Day Celebration & Giveaway ends tomorrow. Stop by before today is over and leave a comment here to be included in a random drawing for a signed paperback copy of Battered Not Broken + a BNB goodie pack.

And last but not least, thank you friends, bloggers & readers for a great release day / week last week. :)