Exclusive Excerpt from Lucky Puck

Dear ,

As always, I appreciate your time and attention to my newsletter and your generous support. 💜

I also may need your patience. Although writing Lucky Puck has been fun because I enjoy writing banter and all those miscues between people who are trying not to be attracted to someone who's so (supposedly) wrong for them, I admit the writing progress has been slow.

I'm a little stuck on the plot line and having some trouble getting Brody and Bianca out of trouble. But never fear, I've been here before too often and know I'll have one of those eureka moments any time now.

(Just in case eureka takes more than a moment to arrive, I pushed the release date into June.) (I apologize.)

In the meantime, I've included an EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT from Lucky Puck below. Check it out! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Also this week I have a banquet of Yummy Featured Authors for you Below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

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At SQ's House

We've built a mud hole in the back yard this week. Though, honestly, I can't take credit for it. All the credit goes to my husband and son. ➜➜

Seriously, they're building a patio and this is the stage where you dig up the perfectly good lawn and replace it with mud, rocks and sand before you add the beautiful patio blocks.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful because I am excited about having a spacious patio for the grill and table and chairs, for barbeques and just hanging out.

But it appears we're at that darkest before the dawn part of the process. Lucky thing I'm an optimist!

I'll be sure to show you pictures of the finished project in... I'm not sure how long because it keeps raining. TBD 😁💜

Any outdoor projects going at your place?

I'd love to hear about it--or send pics!

💜

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I'd love you to join my team!

Join the SQ Team on Facebook Here!

It would be fun to get to know you better!

You'll get sneak peaks at draft book covers-and have a say in the final draft, we'll have contests and some behind the scenes writer stuff and of course, talk romance books--and whatever else we want. 💜

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Work-in-Progress

LUCKY PUCK - a hockey rom-com

Word Count Goal: 75,000

Current Word Count: 27,450

Percentage Complete: 37%

Once you lie about a thing like being married to a person, the biggest problem, Brody & Bianca come to realize is, figuring how you get out of it.

They never thought about their exit plan...

Pre-Order Lucky Puck for Only $2.99

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: LUCKY PUCK

Bianca

“Sorry, mam. This is a restricted area—”

“I know that. I have a… pass. I’m Brody Holden’s agent and—”

His brows furrow and he aims a lethal dose of skepticism at me. “Brody’s represented by Hamish Jett—”

“I work for the Jett agency.” I wave my plasticized card at him, holding it up as high as I can without taking it from around my neck for him to see. Did I mention I’m not very tall? I’m on the shorter side of average… okay, I may be considered short by some. Alright, everyone thinks I’m short. Except me. I’m over five feet tall. By half an inch.

Which is why I’m wearing four inch heels to a hockey game, but in spite of the boost, this security guard looms over me and squints at my credentials, then studies my face as if it’s a struggle to match me up with my photo.

With great reluctance and his mouth flat, he gives an almost invisible nod. I rush past him and get on my way. Always prepared, I know exactly how to get to the training room.

Maybe the trainer can help us get the wedding band off Brody’s finger while he’s in there. That could be important because we’ll have to deal with a media circus which will be even bigger now that he’s been injured. The fact that he scored the first goal of the game will get lost in the speculation about his injury being serious if we don’t handle it right.

Then it hits me. Maybe his injury is serious. Shit. I start running and almost turn my ankle as I turn the corner. Pushing through the door into the training room, I hobble the last few steps to reach him.

Brody

I wince as the trainer stitches my eyebrow. He only applied a topical numbing agent because I nixed the needle. Then my eyes dart to the door as Bianca Brooks comes flying in like she’s sliding into home base, skidding to a stop almost on top of me before she rights herself, tugging at her too-tight suit jacket. 

“Here to look after your star property?” I say.  Maybe I’m being unfair because she does look a little pale, possibly with worry. But in my defense I feel like a piece of property owned by my team, the sponsors and most of all my agent. Especially lately. 

For example, Last week I appeared on the cover of a sports magazine which should be great, right? Except they featured me as the rising stud of the NHL. That’s right, rising stud, not rising star, not rising rookie, not rising scorer—no, I’m known as the fucking rising stud.

Brooks aims her standard displeased librarian look at me. Then she asks the trainer, “Is he going to be okay?”

“The doctor will answer that. He should be here any second, mam.”

Ooh, she did not like being called mam. I suppress a laugh at her cringe. She avoids looking at me. Maybe she’s queasy about blood. I wouldn’t want to be watching me get stitched.

“That should do it,” Lou says as he cuts the line and stows his stitching needle and thread or whatever the hell he uses.

I swing my legs over the table and make a move to jump down. “I’m ready to play.” I nod at Sabien. “Let’s go.”

Of all the people to stop me, Brooks is the one to put her hands out and push back, not Lou, not Sabien and not the assistant trainer gawking from the corner of the room.

“You can’t go back into the game,” she says.

 “It’s only a few stitches.” I’m aware of her hand against my chest and raise mine to pull it away. Not that her touching me is nasty—more like the opposite. I’m a sick enough bastard to find her concern a total turn-on. Must be that she’s a slightly older woman and ever since that stint with my sister’s friend, in spite of the fact that it ended badly, I still have a thing for older woman. I like to play cat and mouse and other games with no strings. Hard learned self-preservation has me making sure I’m the one to walk away first. 

Too bad Brooks is not someone I can play games with, not cat and mouse or any other kind. Jett, her boss, made dam sure I got that message. Not that I needed to be told. I remove my hand from hers carefully.

Lou’s eyes go wide as he stares at me and I almost ask him what the hell is wrong when I realize he’s staring at my hand. 

Shit. One quick glance and I see the band-aid covering the ring is shredded and the gleaming gold band shows through, exposing it plainly for what it is—a wedding band.

Pre-Order Lucky Puck for Only $2.99

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*** Public Serice Announcement ***

If you want an inexpensive alternative to buying books...

Try the Library!

You get the book FREE and authors get paid! WIN-WIN!!

Here are links to the library apps. All you need is a library card to use them.

Get your books or audiobooks from your Public Library for free through HOOPLA here! 

Or free through Overdrive/Libby Here!

If you're a prolific reader who doesn't want to wait for the latest titles, try a Kobo Plus subscription:

You can sign-up for Kobo Plus Here

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YOU"RE INVITED TO

Hockey Night in Romance Land!

This is an on-line book signing event to celebrate the Stanley Cup and all things hockey and romance.

Here's how it works: You order books from attending authors through their order forms and then you tune in at the event to talk with them while they sign your book! Cool, eh?

I'll be there and I'd be more than thrilled if you joined me--whether you're buying a book or not--we can talk hockey and romance books and hockey romance--you can tell me all your pet-peeves!

I'll also be signing book plates for anyone who already has books.

HERE'S MY ORDER FORM

Register for the Event Here

Coming June 6-7

REGISTER HERE!

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BIG MEN ON CAMPUS 3 Book Set - a college sports romance series

(Get the Big Men on Campus 4-ebook bundle. Save 50%!)

"Beautifully written-Wow! I love the relationship between each of the couples in each of the respective stories. There is overlap of characters but gives nothing away. I really enjoyed this book. The connection between the characters and the way Stephanie delves into their pasts and recreates events, showing you how these events led to the person they are today. Very moving, deep, emotional. Everything that makes a good story, builds the characters and then you fall in love with them and want them to beat all odds and over come to be together. Beautiful stories."

-- Amazon Customer Reviewer

a $19.96 value

GET ALL 4 BOOKS IN THIS SERIES FOR $9.99

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Stephanie Queen’s Featured Authors

Game On - Danica Flynn

LILY

All I want to do is move on from my divorce and take care of my daughter. Struggling to get my accounting business off the ground, my only solace is video games and chatting online with my longtime gamer friend.

Then I met Logan Cullen. Logan’s a struggling parent too, but there’s something about him that feels so familiar. Neither of us have time for a relationship, but no one said being a single mom meant I couldn’t have a little fun.

LOGAN

Hockey and my nephew are the only thing I care about. I don’t have time for a relationship.

I knew it was a bad idea to fall into bed with Lily, but she insists on it only being some casual fun.

Something about her gives me déjà vu. Maybe it’s because we share the struggles of single parenthood. Or because we’re both video game nerds. It’s getting harder to remember we’re just casual when she’s my literal dream girl.

The Philadelphia Bulldogs hockey team are back, in this all new-standalone novel. Books can be enjoyed in any order. If single parent romance is your catnip, this is the book for you.

BUY NOW

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Mother Pucker - Regina Wade

Nothing gets past Erik Nordstrom. But he’s never faced off against me before.

Mother Pucker is the steamy fourth part to the Snowhawks saga. A stoic goalie meets his match in this fast and furious story of competition and love on ice.

Erik Nordstrom is the best goalie in the league, and the hottest player on ice.

Determined, focused, and built like a brick wall— he guards that net

with his life.

But lately, something is throwing Erik’s game off.

And it’s my job to find out what’s going on.

I’m determined to break right through that facade once and for all.

He’s determined to be a giant pain in my butt.

Too bad there’s no protective gear for love.

Now we’re locked in competition, with both our careers and hearts on the line.

No matter who ends up on top, one thing is certain:

Our match up is hot enough to melt the ice.

BUY FOR $2.99

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On Thin Ice - Kat Obie

Time to get ready for the Next Generation of the Wild. It's the kids' turn to find their mates.

Jayden

Coming to Minneapolis to play for the Wild's mini camp was a dream come true to jump start my hockey career. It was only natural to crash with my dad's friend and ex-teammate, Philippe Delaney. Everything was going great. The Wild is loving what they're seeing and I might have found my mate. The only issue, my mate isn't a werewolf and Mr. D has forbidden me from dating his youngest daughter. So do I listen to the powerful alpha or my heart?

Kennedi

Hanging out with Jayden again has been a dream come true. He's sweet, caring and a bit of a comic. But best of all, he isn't afraid to date me. Now the biggest obstacle is the fact that I'm a sea otter shifter and he's a werewolf. Could he really be my mate?

Settle in for a story that shows the ups and downs of a forbidden relationship with a hint of friends to lovers. Find out what happens when fate decides that a werewolf and a sea otter shifter are the perfect match.

If you love werewolves, shifters and hockey romances, this is the book for you.

BUY ON AMAZON

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Tripped Up - Allie Lake

Wyatt Whitney is an asshole of epic proportions, and not just because I slept with him thirteen years ago.

I’ve come to Austin for a fresh start after an epically awful breakup. The last thing I want is for my best friend to ask her hockey superstar brother to look out for me. It’s made worse by the fact that she has no idea we hooked up, or that he clearly doesn’t remember me. Whenever we’ve been in the same room, he acts like he has no idea who I am. Guess what my ex said must be true: I’m boring and bad in bed.

The brooding brawler is angry and hurt since being traded days after winning the Cup last season. The last thing he wants is to babysit me, and he’s not shy about keeping it a secret.

When I need a date for the symphony’s fall fundraising gala, I’m surprised when he sweeps in to rescue me, showing off to all of my coworkers. And he doesn’t even make any snarky comments!

Could the Wyatt Whitney I’ve hated all these years actually be a decent human being? Worse — could I actually be falling for him, all over again?

Welcome to the Austin Aces Hockey Club... where sworn enemies become lovers… on and off the ice.

BUY ON AMAZON OR READ FREE ON KU

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The Accidental Swipe - Y.M. Nelson

She wants a date. He wants a stable relationship. Can the get over their pasts to see they are what each other needs?

Plus size and almost forty, Fortune Edwards knows from past dating experiences not to expect men to fall in love with her. So, when her bestie Louis suggests she create a profile on body-positive dating app SwipeMatch to find a date to his nonprofit’s gala, she begrudgingly obliges him. After all, it’s only a date to a gala. No expectations of love there.

When Jason Reed’s decided after a failed long-term relationship and endless string of miserable first dates that he’s done with trying to find “The One,” his friends dare him to go on some plus-size dating app and find someone. When he finds Fortune, he thinks his search is over—except for the fact that she only wants him to go to some gala. Oh yeah, and she had a crush on his best friend, Graham. His instincts can’t be that far off, can they?

Will Fortune raise her low expectations of men and Jason get over his past disappointments to see they’re what each other wants?

Between spicy ramen, arcade games, and bar fights, online dating has never been this complicated. Or this fun.

For fans of:

• Cinnamon-Roll heroes with a "crusty beta hero edge"
• Body-positive, plus-size heroines
• Forty-somethings who (sort-of) have their lives together
• Jaded lovers who find each other
• Steamy love scenes

BUY IT NOW EVERYWHERE!

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SQ’s Featured Book Deals

FIND NEW AUTHORS!

FIRST IN SERIES SALE

HOT & STEAMY READS

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Thank you again for reading this newsletter.

Let me know what you think of the Lucky Puck excerpt when you have a chance. I'd love your feedback. Next week I'll have some news about a new series I'm particularly excited about.

In the meantime, keep doing you and know how much I appreciate your support. 💜

Warmest Regards,