​When aspiring journalist Maura moves to Chicago with her eight-year-old son, she teams up with fellow employee Rick to fulfill the Christmas wishes of children across the city. Will the spirit of the season bring their hearts together, or will secrets tear them apart? READ MORE

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First of all, I hope your summer was great and that you came through the last year happy and healthy. Me, I'm excited for fall! I mean, really, I know there are three other great seasons, but fall... It beckons me, saying, "Hey, a crazy busy time is coming up, so take a moment to sip a pumpkin-spiced latte and read a book...or ten!"

Now that the weather has cooled off in my neck of the woods, I've been flying through books like crazy. And oddly enough, they're not the type of books I've been reading for the last few years. My guess is that I've been wanting to get back to my roots of writing whodunnits, so I've been binge-reading mystery books. Yeah, there's a little romance in them, too, as I love a little sexual tension.

Other than the books I've been reading, I have great news. . . The final book in The Midnight Sons collection is on the way! I know y'all have been waiting since Sam's Folly for Daire's story, so I'm happy to report it's up for pre-order. Grab Daire's Resolution now! 

Secrets… Daire Belgarde knows that Alaska is the hiding place of the nation. Nearly everyone who moves to The Last Frontier is running from someone or hiding something. And now, Daire is keeping a secret—he’s in love with his boss. Over the last few weeks, keeping his feelings hidden has gotten harder because it’s clear the woman he loves has come to Alaska to hide, too. . . READ MORE

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Available at all major book retailers!
Stand-Alone Story - No Cliffhanger!

Women's Fiction, Romantic Suspense

​​While searching for answers about his past, Erik witnesses a runaway horse and runs head-on into Kimi Bennett — literally. Although they constantly butt heads, he can’t help but admire how she loves horses and his beautiful home state of Alaska. When authorities start asking questions about the new horse whisperer in town, though, and Kimi disappears, Erik realizes their future together is what matters most and calls on his Midnight Sons brothers to find Kimi before her past catches up to her… READ MORE

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When I sit down to write a novel, I generally have no idea where I’m going. My typical start of a story is usually the main character—whether it’s the male protagonist or the female protagonist—and whatever issue they are facing.
 
From there, I just ask myself questions:

• Why are they having this problem?
• Who or what is directly influencing this issue?
• How will they solve this affliction, ailment, or get rid of the antagonist?
• And lastly, who will help them through it?

 
The great thing is, just like the reader, I never know exactly what my characters will do. Sure, I know I want a happily ever after, but I also know that not every character will get a happily ever after. And the detours they make along the way sometimes even surprise me. Why? Because I allow my story to progress naturally.

I typically write two thousand words a day, and then every night I read the last few chapters to make sure the story flows, marking any areas that need addressing, and then go to sleep, allowing the characters to come alive in my dreams. And ohhh how they do. It’s not unusual for hubby to see me typing on my iPhone’s notepad in the middle of the night. Often it’ll just be a great line or a missing link I was in search of.
 
When I finally finish the novel, I take an entire day and read from beginning to end, making sure the story flows and that there are no holes or contradictions.
 
Easy, right?   
 
I’ve read this story almost thirty times at this juncture. How can it surprise me, how can it make me cry? And yet, here I am, sitting on the sofa, my afghan curled around me, and I’m bawling over something that happened.

Hubby, who has been sitting quietly by his computer—because he knows it’s read-through day—whips his chair around to face me and asks, “Are you okay?”

I swipe away my tears and answer, “Yes, I just can’t believe that happened.”

“Wait. I thought you were reading your book?” he asks.

“I am,” I answer. “But it still makes me cry.”

He shakes his head and goes back to typing his nonfiction.

One of my favorite quotes is by Robert Frost: “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
 
Well, I’m always surprised, and I always cry when something happens to my characters, so I hope when you read my books you will, too!
 
If you enjoy stories that blend happy and sad, romantic and suspenseful, click the link for your favorite retailer below and grab one of my free books. If you’ve read all my books, make sure you grab my new release, Erik’s Revelation, so you’ll know why I was crying!
 
Until next time, happy reading!
 
Carmen DeSousa

Visit one of my author pages to grab my free bestsellers or my new release, Erik's Revelation!
 
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You already know Erik!
​Today, meet Kimi!

Erik's Revelation is a stand-alone story, as are all the books in the Midnight Sons series. However, if you want to start from the beginning, start with Sam's Folly!

Read an excerpt right here; no download required!

Want to catch up? Click on any of the covers to learn more!
​

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A professor once told me that all first-time authors write their autobiography, even if tagged fiction. While I don’t believe that’s completely true, after all, some first-time authors write about vampires and shape shifters, I do think there’s a modicum of truth to that statement. In other words, even if an author writes a work of fiction, there are usually many elements of the story that are factual, and I’d venture to guess that, at minimum, authors probably pattern characters after people whom they know.

When my college professor suggested: “Write what you know.” — a quote often attributed to Mark Twain, but some say it is much older — I wasn’t certain if I really wanted to do that. After all, who would believe me?

Here are a few scary subjects I know about:
Child abuse, Sexual abuse, Drug abuse, Alcohol abuse, Abandonment, Rape, Suicide, Depression, Stalkers, Crime, Tragedies, Death...

But, thankfully, I also know about a lot of good subjects, too:
A new family, Hiking, Kayaking, Love at first sight, Happily ever after, Police & Detective Procedures, Belief in God, The power to overcome adversity…, 

Hey, I moved out on my own at the age of seventeen, and I'm married to a retired police detective, so I've seen a lot. The problem is ... will anyone believe or want to read about "what you know?" Well, I guess that depends. If you put it into a story, add a little, as Hollywood refers to it: Based on a true story, but dramatic elements have been added for the sake of artistic expression, then, yeah, some people will believe and/or want to read because more than likely they can identify with a character and/or a situation. And while they can enjoy an escape into a fictional story, they may take something from it.

The funny thing is most of the stories throughout history are based on a couple of those "unbelievable" elements I listed above. Although they may not all be in the same story, "love at first sight," "family tragedy," and/or "an unbelievable or vicious crime" are often the basis of a work of literary fiction. Fairy tales did it. Suspense-thrillers do it. It’s a great start!

So if you don’t believe one or more of the elements of a story, does that make it "unbelievable" or a "bad" story? One of the most popular themes is "love at first sight," which often gets a bad rap by reviewers. You may not believe in "love at first sight," but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and many readers love it. In fact, even movies that aren’t tagged as "love at first site," usually have a hero and heroine thrust into an incredibly unbelievable situation, and are all of a sudden willing to die for each other. Of course, there are many classics like that, too: Romeo and Juliet, all the fairy tales, even The Godfather ... ooh, I bet you forgot about that one. Remember when Michael Corleone is walking through the picturesque countryside in Sicily and he spots the beautiful Apollonia… See, even graphic thrillers do it!

Well, as I mentioned in the above list, these are all the things I write about. Why? Because it’s what I know. So, let me share a tidbit of information with the unbelievers of the world who don't think "love at first sight" exists...

I’ve experienced a lot of tragedy in my life, but I got lucky in love! After my first date with my husband, I called my grandmother and told her I'd just met the man I was going to marry. Thirteen days later, he asked me to marry him. Thirty days later, we got married, and we’ve been married for thirty-one years.

Yes, I believe in "love at first sight," yes, I write tales filled with tragedy, mystery, suspense, hope and, above all, romance, because I’m living one. I’ll leave the rest of "what I know" situations that I write about in my books up to your imagination, and let you try to figure out what's real or made up. :)

Until next time, happy reading and imagining!

Carmen

If you would like to read a little more about what I write, follow the links below to learn more about my bestsellers. My stories are available in print, eBook, and audio formats at your favorite retailer. I even have a few freebies, so you can dive in risk-free!

Dear Friend,

My wish for you is that 2021 is everything you hope for! Your best year ever!!!

My New Year's Goal... I'm going to try to write more and worry less! After all, and I'll quote since no one says it better: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his/her life?"

And since I know you are an avid reader like me, I'm offering FREE Audiobooks so you get more reading in your life, which IMHO, leads to less stress. 

If you're new to my books, check out the FREE eBooks listed after the audiobooks and my new releases and pre-order!

Happy New Year!
​
​Carmen

Choose your FREE audiobook from this selection!
Not sure which title to pick, choose from the genre!
Or visit my Amazon.com Audiobook Page for more info on all my audiobooks.

New to my books, grab these FREE Bestsellers!

Newly Released and Coming Soon!

​Sam Belgarde never wanted to be the head of his family’s search & rescue team, but when life dumps responsibilities in your lap, you either run away or step up. Sam stepped up. He also never wanted to be a hero, but he and his search dogs can sense danger a mile away… And Nora Molina is Danger with a Capital D, and Sam doesn't run from danger.

What readers are saying about the Midnight Sons series:
​

Thank you, my friends, for all your support! It means the world to me when I read your reviews asking for more books! It keeps me going in this crazy world!

The next newsletter, which will hopefully be in the next few weeks, will announce the release date of the next Midnight Sons book.

And the final two Creatus books will be out Fall 2021!

After that, I have two new series on the horizon, so I should have dates for those in the next few months.

Thank you again for hanging out with me all these years! 2021 will be ten years of publishing for me, so I'm hoping to share lots of new and great things all year...and to get over 2020!!!!

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Carmen

​XoXo

Nearly all my books are available in ALL formats, so you have a choice!

Me... I still like to read!!! But... I find that I like to flip back and forth between the eBook and the audiobook. Not always, but nearly always, when an audiobook is offered at a discounted price with the purchase of an eBook, I'll snatch it up.

​Why? Because, like most of you, I'm always running, and I hate to stop reading. I can literally start reading with my Kindle in bed, then ask Alexa to "Play my Audiobook" in the kitchen while I'm making coffee, then I hop into my car, and it flips to the speakers, then while I'm shopping or waiting in line, I can either plug in my earbuds or flip to my Kindle App on my phone. And I never lose my place!

All the books are stand-alone stories. However, I do believe they're better read in order, so if you haven't started, catch up now, as the release dates will be up in a few weeks! Learn more on Amazon.com. Or CLICK the icon of your favorite retailer for more info!

I love Christmas! I love the traditions, family, gifts…the food.
 
But I also grew up poor and, oftentimes, wondered why other kids got presents that I didn’t. As I got older, I saw the realities of the world and realized how lucky I was. While I didn’t get the Barbie Dreamhouse I wanted, I did have a Barbie doll, and we always had a roof over our head and food on the table.
 
Some children aren’t so lucky…
 
When our boys were young, my husband, who was a police officer at the time, worked with the local community and knew the families who had rough breaks. The police department spent months collecting food and toys, and then took them to the hard-working families who needed help on Christmas. The faces of the beautiful children…and the tears of the appreciative parents were unforgettable. Our sons learned something, too. When they saw how wide-eyed a little boy was to receive a Tonka truck, they were more appreciative Christmas morning when they got their Nintendo or Sega…or whatever was popular that year.
 
Someone once said that if a group of people wrote their problems on a sheet of paper and tossed them in a basket and passed that basket around and traded problems, most people would choose to keep their problems. Obviously, no one can prepare for the tragedy that happens in the blink of an eye, but is it possible that we learn to deal with what we have—or don’t have?
 
I think so. I've been through a lot in life, and yet, writing has helped me. So, when a good friend suggested I write a Dear Santa story, I wanted to bring to life a story of a woman who, like me, didn’t realize how lucky she had it…and forgot about her dreams…or assumed she wasn’t powerful enough to make her dreams come true—personally and professionally.
 
I hope you enjoy my story of hope. Hope for a single mother…her son…and the children who live on the poor side of Chicago.

To show her he's the hero she once loved, he must find her son...

Determined to give the woman he loves closure and win back her heart, Vince embarks on an all-out manhunt for her missing son. What he discovers, though, might be a death warrant for him and the woman he can’t lose again.​
​

What readers are saying about the Midnight Sons series:
​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "An Alaskan Adventure... Who doesn't love a bad boy? Match him with a tough, independent female, and you have a dream couple!" -- TOP 100 VINE VOICE (Sam's Folly)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Suspense and sensual romance are expertly combined in this riveting story." -- AVP (Sam's Folly)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "An escape into the remote wilderness, with scenes that'll take your breath away and characters you can't help but love." -- TOP 100 VINE VOICE (Alex's Atonement)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Suspense and romance with a good storyline." -- Goodreads (Alex's Atonement)

For more info or to download, visit Amazon.com.

Vince's Chance is stand-alone story. However, if you'd like to meet all the Midnight Sons, you can find links to the series at all major book retailers.

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!
​

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!

​Alex Belgarde has carried the guilt of his father’s death for more than ten years. Every year, as his family’s company falls deeper into debt, the guilt eats away more of his soul until there’s only one answer. Prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his father’s legacy, Alex takes off on a frigid winter day with no radio and very little fuel in his seaplane. He’s using up the last of his reserve tank, preparing to drop from the sky, when he sees plane wreckage below.

Irene Rose has spent her life running away and chasing her dream. But after a possible terminal diagnosis, she realizes how lonely her life has become and is ready to forgive her sister and beg for her family’s forgiveness. Instead of arriving on the island of her birth, Irene finds herself stranded on an uninhabited island in the Gulf of Alaska. Unbeknownst to her, the pilot of the plane she chartered was a drug runner, so he didn’t alert authorities as they crashed.

While Alex’s illogical idea to save his father’s company is thwarted because of his compulsion to help, he finds purpose in offering aid to the beautiful and intelligent Irene. The attraction is mutual until Irene persuades Alex to tell her the real reason he can’t merely fly them to safety or call for help. Now the two castaways will have to fight the harsh winter elements, as well as the drug smugglers who lost their cargo in the wreck, if they want to make it home alive. Not easy tasks when Irene refuses to trust Alex to get her home safely. She simply can’t get over the fact that as talented, tough, and tantalizing as he is, he was going to throw his life away. Especially when her life will probably be cut short.

For the first time in his life, Alex will have to face his demons instead of running from them to win the girl and prove to himself that he’s a real hero…

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...

​

Five brothers risk their lives to rescue those caught in the death grip of the Alaska wilderness...and find their hearts in danger of falling for women as tough as the Land of the Midnight Sun.

The last thing Sam Belgarde has time for is to tramp through the Alaska wilderness chasing a spoiled socialite, especially when he discovers she’s the mystery woman who stole his heart then stood him up. But the reward her fiancé is offering will save his family’s struggling search & rescue company, so he’ll bend the rules just this once.

​Once he finds Nora Molina, however, things get tricky. They’re both keeping secrets. She’s obviously running from something—or someone—and they’re having trouble fighting the heat between them. Making matters worse, someone wants them to stay lost in the wilderness…permanently. READ MORE  

NOTE: Although the Midnight Sons series will continue with different brothers and ongoing story lines, each book is a stand-alone story--no cliffhanger!

​Happy Reading!