My author journey to twenty-six books and an International Bestseller with more than 8500 reviews!1/22/2024  Reflecting on the journey from my first book, She Belongs to Me, published in December 2011, to now releasing my twenty-sixth novel, I'm struck by the remarkable transformation not just in my writing, but in my life as an author. She Belongs to Me is a suspenseful romantic mystery that marked the beginning of a thrilling and fulfilling path. Now, as I prepare to release Creatus Sovereign, I realize how much has changed and yet, how my core storytelling elements have remained the same. When I started, I was driven by a passion for storytelling, creating characters that readers could connect with, and weaving plots that kept them on the edge of their seats. She Belongs to Me is a testament to that passion. It's about a troubled police officer, Jordan Monroe, and Jaynee, a woman with a past she wants to bury. Their story is one of love, secrets, and danger, elements that have remained a constant in my books. Over the years, my writing has evolved. I've grown more confident in my style, and my stories have become more intricate. With each book, I've strived to create a world that readers can immerse themselves in, feel the emotions of the characters, and be a part of their journey. The industry has transformed dramatically since 2011. The rise of digital publishing and social media has changed how authors connect with readers and market their books. I've embraced these changes, engaging with readers through my blog, newsletter, and social media platforms. It's been a journey of learning and adapting, but it's allowed me to reach a wider audience and connect with my avid reading friends in ways I never thought possible. Writing, for me, has always been more than just telling stories. It's about touching lives, sparking emotions, and providing an escape. I've seen this impact through the comments and messages from readers, and it's what keeps me motivated. The joy and satisfaction I get from reading a positive review or hearing how my books have affected someone's life is immeasurable. Reflecting on my journey, I am filled with gratitude for my readers, who've been with me every step of the way. Their support has been my strength, and their enthusiasm has been my inspiration. As I look forward to the future, I am excited about the new stories waiting to be told, the new characters waiting to be brought to life, and the new adventures waiting to be shared. In closing, whether you've been with me since She Belongs to Me (Romantic Suspense) or have just discovered my Creatus Series (Paranormal Romance), and maybe you don’t usually cross over genres, here’s your invitation to read both bestsellers!
If you’ve read all of my books, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Here's to many more stories, adventures, and shared moments! Until next time, Happy Reading! Carmen  Follow my newsletter or author pages to stay up-to-date on New Releases, Specials, and Writing Posts.
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Alex's Atonement, a stand-alone story in the Midnight Sons series is available at all retailers.
For those of you who'd like a glimpse into the inspiration and motivation behind Alex's Atonement, please read on....
Have you ever felt the weight of guilt? A deep-seated burden that claws at you, night and day? Well, imagine carrying that weight for more than ten years. This feeling was the initial spark that birthed Alex's character. Alex is a man grappling with past decisions, constantly tormented by his part in his father's death and the impending doom of his family's company.
Backdrop always plays an immense role in my books, and the frigid expanse of Alaska was the perfect setting for Alex's story. Its harsh environment mirrors the internal conflict of our hero and heroine. The vastness of the landscape, coupled with its biting cold, serves as a metaphor for the isolation and despair that Alex feels.
Then there's Irene. Her character contrasts Alex's in so many ways. Where he is haunted by his past, she's trying to forgive the people in her past. Where he feels an overwhelming weight that makes him feel he can't go on without offering a penance, she’s received a potential terminal diagnosis that makes her re-evaluate everything she's ever known.
The intertwining of these two souls in the desolate beauty of Alaska, especially when they're thrown into a survival situation, brings out the rawness of human emotions. It's about finding hope in the most unexpected of places. It's about facing one's demons head-on and finding redemption.
While crafting their story, I played with elements of trust, or a lack thereof. Irene's reluctance to trust Alex forms the crux of their relationship. And who can blame her? Alex, despite his undeniable charm and skills, is a man on the brink of giving up on life. Irene’s battles, on the other hand, are more internal. She struggles with the reality of her shortening life span, forgiveness, and the ever-looming threat of the drug smugglers.
Writing Alex's Atonement was a journey of delving deep into the complexities of human emotions. Of charting the gray area between right and wrong. It reminded me, as I hope it will remind readers, that often, redemption and atonement come from the most unexpected encounters.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of writing is the process of character development. Watching Alex evolve from a man ready to end it all, to someone willing to face his deepest fears for love, was both challenging and rewarding. Irene, with her fiery spirit, served as the catalyst for this transformation. Their dynamics, their push and pull, breathed life into the pages.
I hope that Alex's Atonement is more than just a thrilling romantic suspense for you. I hope it becomes a tale of hope, redemption, and the transformative power of love. Because, in the end, that’s what all of us seek, isn't it? The assurance that despite our past, despite our demons, we can find our way back to love and light.
So, get ready to be transported to the icy terrains of Alaska, to get lost with Alex and Irene, and to find your way back, filled with hope and warmth.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. Remember, every hero has his demons, but love might just be the key to redemption.
Until next time, Happy Reading!
Carmen
Want to read a sample? You can do that right here!
Follow my newsletter or author pages to stay up-to-date on New Releases, Specials, and Writing Posts.
Take advantage of your time at home!!! Read!!! Since many are out of work right now, I'm going to lighten your load. I'm offering three of my bestselling First-In-Series Books absolutely FREE, so please share with your friends! For those of you who've already read these books, let me know which of my follow-up books you'd like. If I have a coupon for it, it's YOURS! Only exclusions are the Midnight Sons series, since Amazon hasn't given me coupons for them yet. AND...if that's not enough... How about some FREE audiobooks to chase away cabin fever! Ask and you shall receive...any of my audiobooks!!! Simply email me: Carmen @ CarmenDeSousa . com, and it's yours! Hurry! Once I'm out, I'm out!  Derrick's desire to save one human girl will ignite a war... For four thousand years, creatus have concealed themselves from the humans who hunted them almost to extinction. Unwittingly, one creatus will endanger them all... In his quest to protect the woman he can never have, a twist of faith propels him into a role that will cause dissension among his family and endanger the anonymity that they've spent thousands of years protecting. Now, he will risk everything to save the girl from humans and his own kind. The one thing he can't save her from, however...is herself. This 2-book set is FREE at all major eBook retailers! Download from Amazon.com now! Find links to all sites here!
 
So you know... I don't hate Valentine's Day at all. I'm not big on cut flowers, as they die and make a mess of my kitchen, but...I always loved the jealous looks of coworkers when the delivery gal came strolling in with a beautiful bouquet. Hehehe... Note: If you send flowers, send them to your partner's workplace. IMHO
So, why do I ask: "Who hates Valentines' Day?" Easy, because imagine you've been married fifteen years, gave up your career, spent your life taking care of your husband and son, only to find out your husband got another woman pregnant... That's rhetorical, of course. You'd be mad! With good reason!!! Unlike many women's fiction books about divorce, Jana's story starts AFTER she's kicks out the lying, two-timing jerk. Some Lucky Woman is about being thirty-something, and not knowing who you are and what you like because your entire adult life has been spent making other people happy. And now, without further ado, in Jana's words, here's why she's not gonna let Valentine's Day get her down...
“Who hates Valentine’s Day?” the woman screeched in response.
The floor came alive with stomping and hooting. Even I couldn’t help but applaud for that question. I’d almost forgotten about the lovers’ holiday. And why shouldn’t I? If I dwelled on the fact that tomorrow was Valentine’s Day, I might start feeling sorry for myself, and that’s the last thing I needed. For the first time in more than fifteen years, I had no one to bring me candy and flowers. Meh! Chocolate was fattening and flowers just made a mess of my counter top and then died anyway. READ MORE 
And if you haven't heard, I have a new series out... 
Looking for one of my other bestsellers?
All of my books are available at all major eBook retailers! Click your favorite site to find them!
Whether you're staying home or hitting the road, don't be caught without a book!
And to lighten your load, I'm offering the firsts in three of my bestselling series FREE!
And for my lovely avid-reading friends who've already read all my books, YES, there's a new series on the way. Two books are already finished, and the third will be ready soon. All three books will be released back to back starting this fall!
Happy Reading! Carmen Different men, different backgrounds, different lifestyles, all searching for meaning in their lives... Then, they meet the women who complete them.
 Jordan from She Belongs to Me Excerpt from She Belongs to Me: At that precise moment, the man sitting in her booth looked up from his menu, acknowledging her presence. Wow! Now she understood Amy’s grin and offer to assist. The man at her table was a real looker. Not in a generic Hollywood way. He was a genuine all-American, but striking male. The man’s face, chiseled and sculpted to perfection, stared back: square chin, high cheekbones, and angular nose, all framed by a neatly trimmed beard trailing up his jaw that only added to his rugged look. His hair was a deep brown, almost black, and cropped short, military-style. His build resembled an officer of some sort. His shoulders were broad and held back in perfect posture, and based on their width, she now understood the need for a larger booth. His eyes were the best, though. He had a lightly tanned complexion with dark brows, and beneath thick eyelashes were a set of arresting steel-blue eyes. They were beautiful. The shock of electricity that shot through her, though, was incapacitating. She couldn’t think; wow wasn’t quite enough to describe what she felt. Her feet felt as though they were rooted to the wood floor below her, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d just gawked at a complete stranger. Read the first chapter!  Chad from Land of the Noonday Sun Excerpt from Land of the Noonday Sun: If she compiled a list, Chad would fill it…right up until the chosen career line, which would probably be foremost. He was exactly the correct height, about six-foot tall, she guessed. He had dark hair with a small amount of curl that went whichever way it pleased but worked for him. His skin was dark from all the hours in the sun, she assumed, which caused his brilliant blue eyes to stand out. And his build…she sighed...his arms and shoulders were incredible. He looked as though he’d just stepped out of a Hollister advertisement. She shook her head to escape the ridiculous thoughts racing through her head. Remember the plan, Cassandra. This is merely a six-month detour, and then she was back on the plan. It wasn’t like her to get her head turned so easily; she was forever sensible. Read the first chapter!  Cameron from Entangled Dreams Excerpt from Entangled Dreams: Nicky held onto the stranger’s waist as he carefully drove out of the parking lot, nothing like Jonathan would have. He was handsome. He had one of those faces that was just pleasant to look at, one that you couldn’t help but trust. His face was round and kind looking with a tiny cleft in his chin. He didn’t smile much, but the one time he almost did, when she’d asked for a ride, she could see the semblance of a dimple on his cheek. His hair was sandy brown and his eyes a deep hazel. He was taller than she was, too, and that was saying a lot. A little overdressed, though. Why would anyone go out on a Saturday night in dress pants and a button-down collared shirt and tie? And on a motorcycle, nonetheless. Read the first chapter!  Tom from When Noonday Ends Excerpt from When Noonday Ends: Shelby examined Tom as he sat across from her. Man, he was good looking. She probably shouldn’t be thinking about things like that, but she couldn’t help it. He had the prettiest hazel eyes that stood out under long sun-bleached eyelashes. His hair was light brown, but it too had a natural hint of gold in it. He dug inside his briefcase. “So,” he began, as he removed a manila folder with her name written neatly across the tab, “they dropped the charges?” It was a question, not a statement. He folded his hands on the table and looked up at her for an explanation, it seemed. “I’m as shocked as you appear to be,” she admitted. One side of his mouth inched up as he leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest, revealing how well built his upper body was. “Well, at the moment, I’m still bound under attorney-client confidentiality. Care to elaborate? Since you told me that you struck your husband—excuse me, ex-husband—but it’d been done in self-defense. Are you in danger?” Read the first chapter! Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek at my leading men. You can find the complete collection at your favorite book retailer. Until next time, Happy Reading! Carmen
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Newsletter - BookBub - Amazon  Creatus elders have insisted that the creatus population concealed themselves from human beings because humans had hunted the creatus almost to extinction... But one woman's research reveals that when creatus first arrived on this planet, humans didn't fear the alien beings that looked so much like the human race. That is, until the creatus started to breed with humans, creating a ferocious killer feared by humans and creatus alike. A creature so fierce that its legacy of death and destruction has fed nightmares for millennia. And now, a new breed of creatus has been born -- or rather, reborn. Vev, one of the first generations of creatus talis, finds herself torn between her younger family members and a forbidden love as she fights to save the young talis from being turned into a weapon -- or worse, annihilation.
Christmas in July Giveaways! Grab your free reads and enjoy an escape from the summer heat!7/16/2018 
If you need to catch up with the Creatus series before the new spin-off series release...
Grab the first five books in one set here! 
This deal is not available at any retailer. You must request this freebie from me. However, if you'd like to learn more about the books or buy your own copy, or if you've already read them, perhaps you would consider posting a review...simply click the image for the description and retailer links, then come back and request the one you want!
 Hurry! Only valid while supplies last!!!
Simply reply to this newsletter or email me CARMEN (@) CARMENDESOUSA (dot) COM & I'll send you a Kindle gift code for ONE of these books! One per subscriber please! Happy Summer!!!  As with most of his family, Derrick Ashton knows his future and what position he's destined to fill within his unique society. Everything changes, however, when he breaks one of his family's strictest laws and falls in love--with a human. Creatus isn't your normal paranormal romance ... it's a romantic mystery series based on the myths you've heard your entire life. Prepare to believe! FREE for a Limited Time! For more info, visit your favorite retailer!
If you've already read the Creatus series, the next book in the Creatus Saga, is now available to pre-order!
Don't miss downloading Creatus Talis at the introductory price of only $0.99! |
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