Did you know every minute in the United States, a woman dies from heart disease, stroke or another form of cardiovascular disease (CVD)? (Source: American Heart Association, www.heart.org)
Every. Minute.
According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for African American and white women in the US. I could go on and on about statistics, but I won't. What I will do is encourage all of you to be aware of the symptoms. The American Heart Association offers great information to get you started. Click here for more info.
Cardiovascular disease runs in my family. More than that, I've felt the pain of losing a loved one to this dreaded and deadly disease. One of my dearest friends, Paul Waits, passed away on October 2, 2014, of a massive heart attack. He was 44 - only 5 months older than me (he passed the day before I turned 44).
Paul had no warning. No symptoms. One minute he was here, the next he was gone.
If cardiovascular disease runs in your family (and even if it doesn't), I urge you to see a doctor to check your cardiovascular health. I've done it. It doesn't hurt. It's cool to see your heart as it beats on an ultrasound screen. (I don't know the technical term for this machine - the test is called an Echocardiogram). Have a carotid doppler. Also painless. Have whatever test your doctor/cardiologist recommends. And then you'll know, hopefully BEFORE there's an issue. Even if you are asymptomatic.
There is a reason they call it "the silent killer."
In honor of Paul, and all the men and women who live with (or have died from) CVD, a portion of the proceeds from our new project--Hearts in Danger--will be donated to The American Heart Association.
This romantic suspense boxed set includes 14 novels, by romance authors at the top of their game. Many of these novels are "first-in-series", so if you're looking for a new series to get hooked on, this is a great way to try it out!
AVAILABLE JUNE 2, 2015 - for only $0.99! Here's what you'll get:
Accidental SEAL by Sharon Hamilton: Navy SEAL Kyle Lansdowne
goes looking for his missing SEAL Team 3 buddy Armando who has been kidnapped
by a drug gang intent on buying specialized military equipment. Newbie Realtor
Christy Nelson holds her first Open House but is given the wrong address, and
finds a hot naked SEAL in the master bedroom. Their little misunderstanding
leads to a hot affair until the gang uses Christy as bait to lure Kyle into a
trap to ransom his honor.
Pick Your Poison by Roxanne St. Claire: Meet Benjamin
Youngblood - he’s sexy, smart, spectacular and ... about to lose his job for
the best security firm in the world. He’s got one chance to prove himself and
nothing will stop him. Not even a flower farmer. When Ben sets out to
track and trap an assassin, he's forced to trust a feisty farmer who could be
as dangerous as her homegrown poison. Ben and Callie join forces to zero in on
the killer, taking a few heated detours along the way. Can they stay alive long
enough to save Ben’s job, stop an assassin, and find true love?
Protective Custody by Paige Tyler: Someone is stalking reporter
Paisley McCoy, and police detective Gray Beckham is the only man who can
protect her. Having a dad on the force has led to one hard and fast rule – she
doesn’t date cops. And while she might be sexy as hell, there’s no way
he’s going anywhere near the captain’s daughter. Paisley and Gray can’t deny
the chemistry between them, though. But as that connection turns into romance,
they find out the stalker is a far greater threat than they had originally
thought. And that if he can’t have her, no one will.
Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris: When someone starts shooting
at Evie Baker, there's only one man dangerous enough to help her--the man who
broke her heart ten years ago. Hostile Operations Team soldier Matt Girard uses
all his considerable black ops skill to protect Evie from someone who
thinks she possesses information that could bring down a crime syndicate. But
working together shows Matt what he gave up--can he claim Evie for his own
after what he did in the past?
SEAL's Honor by Elle James: Two Navy SEALs jeopardize their
lives and hearts in a battle-torn land when they vie for the love of one sexy
Night Stalker helicopter pilot.
Against The Dark by Carolyn Crane: Angel is an ex-safecracker
forced into one last heist. Cole is an undercover agent with big plans for his
gorgeous thief—he'll make her pose as his girlfriend to help with a dangerous
mission.
Hidden Prey by Cheyenne McCray: Tori flees an abusive relationship
and heads to her hometown in Arizona. When she arrives, she’s in the wrong
place at the wrong time and witnesses the execution of a Federal agent by the
son of the head of the Jimenez Cartel. Special Agent Landon Walker rescues Tori
and sets out to protect her, but soon protecting her isn’t enough. He’ll go to
the ends of the earth for her—and never let her go.
Dangerous Curves by Nina Bruhns: A spec ops transporter for
STORM Corps takes on drones, bad guys, and car chases on the coast of Italy—and
falls for a beautiful scientist whose curves are far more dangerous than the
road!
Deadly Pursuit by Misty Evans: One year ago, rookie FBI
agent Celina Davenport pulled off the ultimate undercover operation…she seduced
Emilio Londano – the dangerous leader of the San Diego Mafia – and destroyed
his illegal empire. When Londano escapes a maximum security prison and
begins picking off Celina’s friends and coworkers, everyone she knows becomes a
target. Including DEA agent Cooper Harris, the man who once broke her heart and
is now assigned to be her bodyguard. Cooper must risk his career – and his
heart – to keep Celina alive. But will their past, with its forbidden passions
and impulsive choices, put them directly in the killer’s crosshairs?
Protecting Caroline by Susan Stoker: Caroline helps foil a
terrorist plot when she finds herself on a plane that’s hijacked (with the help
of three members of a SEAL team), but after she gets home she finds herself
still in the sights of the terrorists. She can only hope Wolf and his team will
be able to save her in time.
One Night Stand by Parker Kincade: Amanda Martin decides to have a one-night stand. No relationship,
no promises … just hot, indulgent sex. What she doesn’t anticipate is meeting a
handsome-as-sin stranger who gives her pleasure unlike she’s ever known. A
stranger with a deadly secret…
Brody by Mandy Harbin: Brody “Brutus” Jackson isn’t your
average small-town mechanic. He's a man with no memory of his past, and no hope for the future. Under FBI protection, Alexandria Collins and her son have been in hiding for
ten years. When it’s time to move again, her piece of crap car breaks down and
the man giving her a tow is the biggest, hottest guy she’s ever seen. She is
determined to ignore the need her long-neglected body hungers for. After all,
the last man she showed interest in put a gun to her head. Brody thinks the skittish Xan is sexy as hell, but it’s not her hot body that
has him rocked to his core. He knows her from somewhere, and in his line of
work, that’s a dangerous thing. Following orders have never been this hard, but
when he finds out she’s his next assignment, he will protect her at all costs …
even if what she needs protection from most is him.
Enemy Mine by Megan Mitcham: Born in the blood of Sierra
Leone's Civil War, enslaved, then sold to the US as an orphan, Base Branch
operative Sloan Harris is emotionally dead and driven by vengeance. With no
soul to give, her body becomes the bargaining chip to infiltrate a warlord's
inner circle. As son of the warlord, Baine Kendrick will happily use Sloan's
body if it expedites his father's demise. Yet, he is wholly unprepared for the
possessive and protective emotions she provokes. In the Devil's den with Baine
by her side, Sloan braves certain death and discovers a spirit for living.
Caught in the Crosshair by Barb Han: On a tropical island with
a hurricane brewing and dangerous men closing in, private security firm owner
Jaden Dean will need to work side-by-side with Lauren James to survive and find
her brother. The cartel he's associated with seems to be one step ahead and
Jaden’s operatives are being killed one-by-one. He will have to use all his
specialized training and risk everything, including his heart, to outwit the
deadly group and keep Lauren safe. Their magnetic attraction isn't helping
matters...because even a slight distraction might just get them both killed.
*******
This set will only be on sale until the end of June, so you'll have to act fast. And remember, it's for an excellent cause. We would be grateful for shares and likes!
This boxed set will be available for pre-order soon. Stay tuned for preorder links and more information.
Until next time...
~Parker
