Author Archives: annasudgen

Hot Cover Reveal and Valentine’s Free Reads!

So excited to share the fabulous cover for my new book, Hot on the Ice – the first book in my new Dockers Score! series.

This is also my first book for my new publisher, Entangled, and they’ve certainly done me proud!

Stay tuned for how you can pre-order!

And if you’re in need of some teasty treats for Valentine’s Day – how about some FREE NJ Ice Cats Valentine-themed short stories? Head over to the For Readers section and download these delicious, bite-sized stories.

But remember, they’ll only be available for a limited time!

Take care, stay safe and happy reading!

3 FREE NJ Ice Cats Valentine’s Reads!

Thank you to all of my lovely readers who contacted me to tell me how much you loved my recent Festive Free Reads promotion. It’s my pleasure to give you fun, bite-sized reads to enjoy!

And, yes, I will happily give you a chance to download some free Valentine’s reads. Given the tough times we’re all going through at the moment, it’s the least I can do!

So, here are my 3 NJ Ice Cats’ Valentine’s-themed short stories for your reading delight. Feel free to indulge in these no cal, super-delicious treats!

Anything, but red roses!

Ice Cats’ back-up goaltender, Chaz ‘Monty’ Montgomery, fell in love with florist Kayla DeMarco the first time he met her. Unfortunately, then she was married to one of his former team-mates. Since Kayla’s divorce, Monty has waited patiently, hoping that one day she’ll notice that he’s more than just a great customer. Can he convince her with a special bouquet that Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to take a chance on a different hockey player?

Can the wrong guy make things right?

Zoe Coombs’ perfect Valentine’s date has turned into a disaster. Stood up at the best restaurant in town, with her ex-fiancé and his latest fling two tables over. Perhaps she should have accepted Ethan Blackmore’s invitation instead, even if she won’t chance her heart on another hockey player. But when the sexy, Ice Cats’ defenseman comes to her rescue, she wonders if he’s worth the risk, after all.

Found: A heart in need of love

When Ice Cats’ forward, Tom Adamson, finds a forlorn, vintage sweetheart pin cushion at a Manhattan flea market, he doesn’t expect to have to battle lovely antiques’ collector, Karly Jacobs for it. The decorated sawdust heart will make the perfect present for his grandmother. But could a change of plan make it a perfect Valentine’s gift instead?

But remember, these are only available for a limited time. So, make sure you get your copy, before the promotion ends!

Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Reading!

All You Need is a Six-Pack Feb 2021 with RNA Learning

I’m delighted to be able to offer an updated and expanded version of my popular All You Need is a Six-Pack Workshop through the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Learning Programme.

This workshop has been given at several Romance Writers of America chapter meetings, including NJRW and BCRW, and at the Romance Writers of Australia conference. Articles on this topic, based on the workshop, have appeared in various RWA chapter and RWAus newsletters.

Baffled by the number of craft books out there? Bewildered by all the different workshops and courses telling you how to write your book? Bothered that you’re doing it wrong? This workshop will help put your mind at ease by showing you how to develop a writer’s tool kit that works for you.

Participants will learn about the various writing processes/styles and be given the opportunity to think about each of the six elements which make up the Six-Pack: Character tool, Plotting tool, Blurb, Idea Generation, Research and Editing/Revising.

This course is uniquely designed to help writers find a path through the crowded forest of courses, workshops and books.

Previous attendees have praised the workshop for giving them the confidence they need to grow and develop as writers. They said it enabled both beginners and inexperienced writers to focus on their own process, the tools that work for them and to think about the tools they might be missing. In addition, they were reassured that they are not alone in being overwhelmed by the wealth of information available or in lacking confidence that we’re ‘doing it right’!

If you’d like to know more about this course and/or to enrol, please click here. Note, you don’t have to be a member of RNA to enrol (though members do get a reduced rate!). You can also check out the other wonderful courses available through this fabulous learning programme.

Hope to see some of you in the virtual classroom!

Romance University Articles

Many thanks to those of you who pointed out that Romance University doesn’t exist any longer, and for asking if I could provide the posts for you to access here.

Yes, of course. 🙂 Instead of links to the now-defunct website, I’ve given you the ability to download the articles for yourself.

The first, entitled Surviving Nearly There, looked at how to get through what I think was the toughest part of my journey to publication. I provided some tips on things you might try – things I did! – to help keep going on the path towards achieving your dream. You can find Surviving Nearly There here.

The second, If At First, You Don’t Succeed …, looked at ways in which you can keep your faith, motivation and courage alive while on that often long and arduous journey to publication. You can find If At First, You Don’t Succeed … here.

The third, The Dos and Don’ts of Critiquing provided helpful tips on working with a critique partner or group and on the art of critiquing. You can find The Dos and Don’ts of Critiquing here.

If there is anything else you’d like to see shared here, please email me and I will ensure it’s made available.

Happy writing!

3 Free Festive Season Reads!

This promotion has now ended – stay tuned for more free reads, coming soon!

Thank you to all my lovely readers who have asked if I’ll do my free NJ Ice Cats’ short stories again for the festive season. When you say such nice things about my bite-sized reads, how can I resist? 🙂

So, for your reading pleasure in those stolen moments over the holiday season, here are three NJ Ice Cats’ short stories:

Just Good Friends?

Ice Cats defenseman, Taylor ‘Mad Dog’ Madden wants more than friendship from Lizzie Martin. Much more. So when a Christmas party provides the chance to kick their relationship up a gear, should he take it or will he lose her completely?

Snowbound!

When Ice Cats’ forward, Vladimir ‘Vlad’ Ralinkov, gets caught in a snowstorm, on his way back from a game, he seeks refuge in his favourite diner. Could this be the opportunity he’s been waiting for to heat things up with lovely diner owner, Poppy Lambert, or will she leave him out in the cold?

Be Careful What You Wish For

New Year’s Eve hasn’t been kind to Ice Cats’ forward, Nate Gallison. This year, he’s responsible for the team’s loss. All he wants is a quiet night. But when a sexy brunette in a red dress needs help escaping from the date from hell, he wonders if a little festive hide-and-seek can lead to a magical midnight for them both?

Simply click on the cover and you should be able to download your free short story.

As a bonus, you can also download the French and/or German versions of A Perfect Party. Simply click on the covers below to download.

Rien que des amis?

Taylor ‘Mad Dog’ Madden, défenseur des Ice Cats, veut plus que l’amitié de Lizzie Martin. Beaucoup plus. Alors, lorsqu’une fête de Noël lui donne l’occasion de passer à la vitesse supérieure, doit-il la saisir, au risque de la perdre complètement?

Nur gute Freunde?

Der Verteidiger der Ice Cats, Taylor ‘Mad Dog’ Madden, will mehr als nur Freundschaft mit Lizzie Martin. Viel mehr. Bei einer Weihnachtsparty bietet sich die Gelegenheit, diesen Wunsch in die Tat umzusetzen. Soll er die Chance ergreifen, oder riskiert er damit, Lizzie zu verlieren?

But remember, these won’t be available forever – on Jan 6 they will be gone! So remember to download them!

However you celebrate the festive season, wishing you and yours a happy and healthy one! Please take care and stay safe so that we can all have a better 2021!

New Series! New Box Set! New Cover! Free Reads!

So excited to share lots of great news with you! (and possibly use up my entire year’s worth of exclamation points in one post <g>).

First, my new series for Entangled Publishing has a new name and my first book in the series has a fab new title.

Drum roll, please!

Watch this space for a cover reveal for Icing Temptation, the first book in my Dockers Score! series. Tentative launch date is Jan/Feb 2021, hopefully just as hockey is getting back underway for the long-delayed 2020-21 season.

Lots of news for my New Jersey Ice Cats series too.

First, a delicious new cover for A Perfect Catch.

Also, I’ve now released A Perfect Collection, which contains the first 3 full length books in the New Jersey Ice Cats series and a bonus novella.

And, because it’s the season of giving, head over to my For Readers section and download not 1, not 2, but 3 free, bite-size festive reads!

As a bonus, you can also download the French and German versions of A Perfect Party!

Wherever you are and however you celebrate, I wish you and yours a wonderful festive season. Please stay safe and take care so that we can all have a happy and healthy 2021!

New Look New Jersey Ice Cats! New Series!

So excited to be able to share lots of great news with you!

First, the relaunch of the first two books in my New Jersey Ice Cats series, A Perfect Distraction and A Perfect Trade. Aren’t these new covers delish?

These will be avilable in ebook only, for now, but watch this space as I’m working on Print on Demand.

A Perfect Distraction is available now and A Perfect Trade is up for preorders, available June 11.

Look out too for my novella, A Perfect Grey Christmas, featuring the character my lovely readers ask most about, former Ice Cat and now successful restauranteur, the delicious Ryan Grey.

Ryan’s story originally appeared in the anthology, Christmas at Caynham Castle. I’m now releasing it on its own, with a yummy New Jersey Ice Cats cover. The anthology is still available, if you’d prefer.

A Perfect Grey Christmas is available for preorder and will be available just in time for the July 4th holiday – a Christmas in July treat!

News!

This won’t be a surprise to those of you who follow me on social media, or who receive my newsletter … but for the rest of you, I am delighted to have signed a contract with Entangled Publishing for the first book in a new hockey romance series, featuring the Newark Dockers. Tentatively titled Defending Dante, this book is with my editor and I’m hoping for news on a release date soon. So, stay tuned!

Don’t worry – that doesn’t mean there won’t be any more New Jersey Ice Cats. There are several stories still to write. I know you have your favourites, the ones you’d like to see featured next … Mad Dog, Kenny, Chase, Juergen … and I’ll try to oblige at least some of them.

In the meantime, you can look forward to some new hockey heroes and the women who will win their hearts!

Happy Reading!

A Perfect Selection 3 is Here!

A number of my lovely readers have been asking when they can get A Perfect Selection 3, with all the latest New Jersey Ice Cats‘ short stories. I had to wait until I had five new stories — mainly so I could write the final one — but now that I’ve done that … A Perfect Selection 3 is here!

A mouthwatering selection of five holiday-themed, bite-sized romances featuring players from the New Jersey Ice Cats.

Can you read just one?

This collection features Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s and New Year’s Eve short stories, as well as the brand new Memorial Day short story, A Perfect Tribute.

A Perfect Pumpkin (Halloween), A Perfect Favor (Thanksgiving), A Perfect Rescue (New Year’s Eve) and A Perfect Gift (Valentine’s Day) have all appeared on my website as limited time promotional give-aways, but this is the first time A Perfect Tribute has been available.

 

Never Forget

For wounded military veteran, Naomi Como, Memorial Day is about more than barbecues and beer. She’s all for celebrating life and freedom, but she wants to mourn her fallen friends her own way. Can a hot hockey player convince her that living her life to the full is the perfect tribute to those she’s lost?

 

 

Of course, my first two NJ Ice Cats’ anthologies are still available, A Perfect Selection and A Perfect Selection 2. Great for when you need a little pick-me-up and you only have a short time to read a story.

Go ahead and treat yourself!

Happy Reading!

A Perfect Easter Treat!

Can you believe how fast the year is going already? It seems like it was Valentine’s Day last week, and already Easter is almost upon us.

Back by popular demand is my free Easter NJ Ice Cats short story – A Perfect Chance.  For a limited time only, you can hop over to my For Readers section and download Vexer and Elise’s story absolutely free!

 

Making an Egg-stra Effort!

Ice Cats’ defenceman, Hank ‘Vexer’ Delecchio, knows he needs a game-changer to get lovely nurse, Elise Arnett, to look past her dislike of professional athletes and take a chance on him. Will dressing up as the Easter Bunny, to entertain the kids on the children’s ward, be the play that finally helps him score?

 

 

Stay tuned … A Perfect Selection 3 is almost here! Another mouthwatering collection of Ice Cats’ short stories. The perfect indulgence for those of us whose favourite hockey team didn’t make the Playoffs this year. Or, even if they did, to help reduce the stress of those playoff games.

I hope to be able to reveal the cover shortly.

In the meantime, Happy Easter and Happy Reading!

 

 

A Perfect Easter Treat!

The perfect Easter treat is delicious, calorie-free and wins your heart!

Hmm … I may have just the thing.

 

Making an Egg-stra Effort!

Ice Cats’ defenceman, Hank ‘Vexer’ Delecchio, knows he needs a game-changer to get lovely nurse, Elise Arnett, to look past her dislike of professional athletes and take a chance on him. Will dressing up as the Easter Bunny, to entertain the kids on the children’s ward, be the play that finally helps him score?

 

 

I know, still not as decadent as chocolate or your favourite candy (sorry, don’t get Peeps – blech!), but on the bright side, you can indulge in both and not feel guilty.

Especially as, for a limited time, A Perfect Chance is absolutely free for you, my lovely readers!

Simply click on the cover above to download Vexer and Elise’s story.

Happy Easter and Happy Reading!