Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 164

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

 
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.  

 
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

 
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;




He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"
 

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3 clean and sweet Christmas stories that will make you believe in love.

Christmas Wedding Wishes
After being left at the altar, Callie Spencer needed a fresh start. She accepted a position as the Children's Librarian in a small Vermont town. Single dad Tom Sullivan was too busy raising his 4-year-old daughter to look for love, but all that changed when he meets Callie. Can these two fragile souls find love and heal their broken hearts?

Second Chance Christmas
Megan Duffy needed to get away after a broken engagement and a few days at her family's cabin could be just what she needed. She was looking forward to the peace and quiet, that is, until she meets hunky store owner Ryker McCabe. Can Ryker put the light back in her eyes and heal her broken heart?

Mistletoe Kisses
Petite Ellie Davison had the worst luck when it came to dating. Not wanting to endure any more bad first dates, she swore off dating, that is, until she met the impossibly handsome Jared at her friend's wedding.

Corporate lawyer Jared Castian was not pleased when his Washington firm transferred him to Boston to oversee a complicated merger. He was on the fast-track to making partner and had no time to date. When a chance meeting at his friend's wedding paired him with bridesmaid Ellie Davison, he found himself captivated by the pretty brunette. Was Ellie the one that would open his heart to love?


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#Excerpt: CATWALK by S.Q. Orpin

Catwalk, Dream
S.Q. Orpin
(Catwalk, #1)
Publication date: January 7th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In a world of glitz, glamour, and excess, sizzling hot Casi Roberts is the reigning queen. Swimsuit model by day and club girl by night, 29 year old Casi thrives in the LA culture, on the arm of her celebrity boyfriend, Alix Grey. Documenting her charmed life on social media, Casi has mastered the art of hiding her insecurities in a world obsessed with youth and beauty.

Ruggedly handsome, blue-eyed, Kyle Jensen has built an enviable life in Blackberry Falls, WA. When Casi walks into his life, Kyle’s carefully crafted lifestyle begins to unravel, igniting a passion in him that is electrifying. Captivated by her beauty and seduced by her provocative nature, Kyle is left reeling from their chance encounter.

As Casi’s life implodes after a tragic accident, she finds solace in a passionate relationship with Kyle, but the temptation of the glamorous lifestyle she has been living and the pressures of her career, threaten to shatter that dream.

Goodreads / Amazon—
EXCERPT:Kyle was kneeling beside the redwood bar, which had been recently added to enhance the terrace for the residents. He had his iPod earphones in, and she could hear the faint throng of heavy metal music. He didn’t hear her approach, and she took a minute to admire him as he leaned forward to secure a hinge. A smile crossed her lips as she strode to the bar and placed the wine bottle down. Having been caught unaware, he sat back on his heels, kneeling before her, slowly removing the earphones. He looked at her with distrust, his sea-blue eyes lingering over her bare legs in the short dress. He looked as if her actions confused him, and he was unsure what to make of the situation.
“Peace offering,” she said, glad her words and tone, for once, were not that of a stunted third-grader.
She gave him a bright smile, but he narrowed his eyes and said, “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not interested in your scam.”
Ouch, well that was well deserved. “I’m not sure what came over me the other day, and I apologize for what happened afterward. If you got to know me, you’d see I’m a much better person than that.” She extended her hand and said confidently, “I’m Casi Roberts. I’m twenty-nine, and I’ve been a model since I was seventeen. I live in one of the third-floor apartments with my boyfriend, Alix Grey, a well-known artist. I should be at his reception, but I felt like I should formally introduce myself.”
A smile reached his eyes, as he looked her over. He rose slowly and took her extended hand, leaning against the bar. “Hello, Casi Roberts. I’m Kyle Jensen, from Blackberry Falls, Washington. I’m thirty-three, and obviously, a custom woodworker. Do you come here often?” He gave a slight laugh at his pickup line.
“Only when I need to apologize for my bad behavior, so pretty much every Tuesday,” she joked back, shaking his hand, aroused by its strength and roughness.
He reached past her for the bottle of wine, and she could feel the electricity between them all the way to her toes. “Nice choice. Do you have a wine opener?” he asked.
“Damn it! I’ll be right back,” she said, as she ran down the stairs to her apartment.
Kyle shook his head and took out his phone, quickly sending a text to his brother. “The gorgeous woman who kissed me the other day, just came up to the roof where I’m working and brought a bottle of wine?”
Jake texted back, “She probably put a date-rape drug in it. Get out of there!”
Grabbing the wine opener, Casi glanced at her reflection in the mirror over the bar. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked the fresh-faced girl, staring back at her. She didn’t know what was about to happen, but for once she felt like living in the moment.
She hopped back up the stairs and handed him the wine opener. He kept his eyes on her, as he opened the bottle and filled the glasses. He took a sip of wine and said, “I’m not sure what you’re aiming for, but it’s not the first time I’ve heard mention of a boyfriend. You’re a beautiful woman, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to grab you and throw you down on the chaise and get to know you intimately. I have two weeks left on this job, and then I’m headed home. I don’t need the distraction of a spoiled model.”
Wow! This guy cuts to the chase. Casi set down her wine glass and stepped toward him. “Two weeks?” She cocked her head as she ran her hand over his chest, and looked into his deep, blue eyes, and smiled seductively.
Kyle put a firm hand on her hip, and moved her back. “Little girl, you need to take your games elsewhere.”
She again stepped forward. “I’m not a little girl, and I’m not playing games.” She brought his head to meet her, kissing him gently. She could taste the wine on his lips as she parted his mouth with her tongue. He hesitated and searched her eyes, trying to figure out what she wanted. He returned her kiss and pulled her closer. He trailed down her neck, as he caressed her back. He kissed her more passionately, growing in intensity, as he brought his hands under her dress and over the lacy panties she had carefully chosen.
She ran her hands over his t-shirt, feeling the definition of his chest muscles and toned abs, slipping her hands under his shirt to feel the heat of his skin. Casi liked to express herself sexually, an intimacy between lovers, but there was something different about Kyle. This feeling was foreign to her, the loss of control and willingness to let her body take over. She moaned as he slid his hands further up her dress toward her breasts, and she began to unbutton his jeans. He placed his hand on top of hers, stopping her from going farther. What the hell? Why was he stopping? Was he playing a game now?
Kyle stepped back and refilled their wine glasses. She wasn’t sure how to react to his apparent rejection. He turned back to face her and handed her the glass. The silence was suffocating. “Is this what you want? A quickie on the rooftop? Then you go back to your boyfriend, and I pretend like nothing happened for the next two weeks, and return to my life in Washington?”
Casi realized she hadn’t thought it through; this wasn’t a movie, magically ending with happily ever after. It was real life, messy and awkward. “That’s not what I want,” she surprised herself with the statement. “I honestly came to apologize for what had happened, but somehow ended up in the same place. Although I’m sure the sex would be mind-blowing for fifteen minutes, you’re right, we both have lives to return to.”
“Fifteen minutes? You’re seriously underestimating me.”
She loved the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Goodbye, Kyle, I have an installation to attend. I’ll be seeing you around.”
She straightened her back, and walked down the stairs to her apartment, feeling his eyes following her. As she closed the door, she realized she had been holding her breath. She walked into the bedroom and pulled the cotton dress off, exchanging it for the black jersey, halter dress. Black liner, red lips, chignon, and she was out the door in ten minutes.

Author Bio:
Canadian-born author, Suzy Orpin, has always had a vivid imagination and keen desire to write. Suzy views the world through her own narrative, weaving in the fascinating challenges, triumphs, and lifestyles of the people she meets. As a professional culinary instructor in Berkeley, California, Suzy is also intrigued by the diverse culture around her. Having travelled extensively through the Pacific Northwest, Suzy is drawn to the rich history and landscape of the area.

The Catwalk Series was motivated by an accident which redefined the life of her model-niece, Sterling. Wanting to give a voice to additional characters, Suzy expanded the original book, Dream, into a six-part series. Dream focuses on the struggle to overcome challenges and build a new life. Hope picks up where Dream ends, continuing to tell the love story of Casi and Kyle and the challenges they face. Casi and Kyle are the main characters in Trust, as well, but other key characters become an intricate part of the story.

All of the books are written in an omniscient viewpoint to give the effect of watching a movie, and allowing the reader into the thoughts of the characters. The story delves into deep, and sometimes, dark subject matter, weaving in back story and intrigue. The complexity of the characters was crucial to the plot, spanning almost five years, and told throughout the six books.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Title: The Bridesmaid’s Checklist: Marisol’s WeddingSeries: BCLAuthor: K.T. CastleGenre: Contemporary New Adult RomancePublication date: December 20, 2016Length: 398 pages / 63,989 wordsPublisher: K.T. Castle BooksSynopsis:Kassandra’s last single friend got married in the summer. But even if she’s the only unmarried girl in the pack she isn’t single anymore. Now that all her friends are married and all the wedding planning is over, she has a chance to concentrate in her relationship with Josh. Or so she thought until Marisolvisits her with a major life.changing crisis. Helping her friends plan their wedding was no problem─dealing with an unexpected pregnancy is a whole other thing.Kassandra is unable to decide the best way to help Marisol, specially when her relationship with Josh starts reaching an amount of commitment that she wasn’t expecting. Both girls will have to remember the past in order to move their relationships forward.Kassandra is a single, independent woman who prides herself on her own success. Now her life seems complete when Josh─a thoughtful, handsome, and the worst kind of charmer─leaves his womanizing days behind and can’t seem to stay away from her. Kassandra keeps wondering if their single days are really over and they’re ready for a monogamous and committed relationship.Marisol is a married woman with the perfect life─A wonderful husband and a beautiful son. Life gets even better when her little boy is finally ready for school and Sol can go back to work.Destiny is full of surprises for both girls, and sometimes the plans that you have aren’t the ones in the path before you.Join Kassandra and Marisol as they remember how they planned Sol’s wedding while they solve together the difficulties in the present.
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Excerpt:I hadn’t been sick in a long time. I was usually the healthiest person in the room; I ate healthy and exercised regularly. But somehow I caught some sort of bug and felt like crap. To my surprise, my grandma decided to visit—something she rarely did. It was actually a very nice surprise. I called her religiously every Sunday, and she was still more demanding than any parent should be. But she loved me dearly, and I loved her back. Neglecting her was not a situation she accepted, and with my new relationship advancing, I realized I wasn’t paying as much attention to her as I usually did. So she came to check on me. Thankfully, I’d called Josh and told him that any plans we’d made together were cancelled. I wanted to see him, but I didn’t feel well. “I really don’t feel like eating anything,” I said to my grandma. “Especially not beet soup.”“You don’t know what you’re saying, child,” my grandmother said. “You might feel like that now, but after eating it, you’ll feel much better.”“Really, I’m okay. I’d rather have some tea, take a shower and go to sleep.”“I know you’re an adult and know how to take care of yourself. But sometimes, even you, Kassandra, need someone to look after you.” My grandma eyed me from the kitchen where she cooked. “So keep resting on that couch. You’ll have some tea, and then I’ll leave you alone.”Then my doorbell rang, and I had no idea who it was. I knew Josh wasn’t coming tonight, and I hoped Marisol was sorting things out with Michael. A month had passed since she’d told me about her unexpected pregnancy, and I hadn’t heard much from her since then. I wanted to check on her soon. I was about to stand up, but my grandma said, “Don’t stand up. I’ll get it.”Hopefully it wouldn't be any of my other friends with some problem for me to fix. I was in no-fixing-anything condition. “And who are you?” I heard my grandma say from the doorway.“I’m Josh. How are you doing this evening?” I was more concerned about Josh meeting my grandma right now than I was impressed with his usual charm. This was actually a situation I’d wanted to avoid. Not because I didn’t want my family to meet him. Not because I didn’t want him to meet them. What concerned me was that my grandmother had always expected me to introduce her to my boyfriends a month into the relationship, as part of our Russian customs.I was actually proud of myself for holding it back this long. Now the moment had come. “May I ask who you are?” Josh asked sweetly. I couldn’t imagine what he might be thinking—a nurse, my housekeeper, a neighbor, a friend…. I was sure he wouldn’t guess that she was my grandmother. The woman and I were so different. The caramel color of my skin totally contrasted to her whiter-than-white, pale tone. My golden brown curls were the complete opposite of her straight, ash-blonde hair. I was the perfect combination of my mother’s Russian ancestry and my father’s African American. Not at all easy to see any resemblance. “I’m Kassandra’s babushka.”“And what exactly is that?” Josh asked again. “My grandmother,” I explained from the living room. “Of course. You have the same eyes,” Josh said matter-of-factly. It was probably the only feature the old lady and I had in common. “May I call you ba-boo-ska as well?” Josh charmingly said. “Who are you?” grandma asked Josh. “Kass’s boyfriend. So, can I?”My grandma grunted in response and walked back to the kitchen to stir her soup concoction. Josh shrugged as he smiled at me from the entrance, placing his light jacket on the entrance organizer near the door. Then he walked to my kitchen counter and set down a white paper bag full of containers. I couldn’t tell what they were, and the bag didn’t give any indication, either. If I had to guess, I was almost sure he’d brought me takeout, but the smell of my grandma’s cooking drowned out any other smell in the apartment. “What’s inside the bag?” she asked as if reading my mind. Josh took the white half-liter containers out of the bag and responded, “Kass told me she wasn’t feeling well, so I brought her some chicken soup.”“Kassandra is not having that for dinner,” the old blonde stubbornly said. “Neither are you.”“What’s there for dinner, ba-boo-ska?” Josh asked as he approached her. “Babushka,” she corrected. “Ba-boo-sha,” he tried once more. “Babushka,” I said. “Ba-boo-sh-ka.”“Better,” Grandma said. “We’re having borscht.”“I'm not even going to try to say that word,” Josh said with a big smile. “It looks like soup.”“Of course it’s soup,” my grandma said. “It’s a Ukrainian soup, but we eat it also in Russia. It’s made with beetroot, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, and cabbage. I usually cook it with beef, but I don’t want to upset Kassandra’s stomach.”“Now I understand why it’s pink,” Josh said as he walked away from babushka and closer to me. “It’s made for the princess.”“Kassandra is by no means a princess,” my grandmother said. “She’s a fighter.” For the first time since Josh’s arrival, she smiled. “She sure is.” Josh sat by me and gave me the most tender kiss on the tip of my nose. “How are you feeling, little fighter?”“Better,” I said. “Liar,” he whispered, as if he knew it was our secret to share. It amazed me how he could be so in tune with my needs and feelings. “Dinner's almost ready. I suggest you go wash before coming to eat,” my grandmother said. She was a fan of everything being clean and neat. She always sent me to wash before any meal, no matter how formal or informal it was. “I’ll go with you to wash up, too.” Josh walked beside me, and I was thankful. I was feeling a bit dizzy, and him walking with me to the restroom made me feel safer. Besides, I was sure grandma had implied that he needed to clean up a bit too. Josh took my clammy hand and accompanied me to the restroom near my office. I led him there instead of the one inside my bedroom—the one we always used. Even if my grandmother could imagine that I was old enough to have a boyfriend staying over with me, it was a completely different thing to see. I washed as quickly as I could, just to keep her from getting suspicious, and took advantage of the cold water to refresh myself. Beautiful blond Josh held my waist from behind and looked at me through the reflection in the mirror. When I finally met his eyes, he smiled at me and kissed my neck. “You’re warm,” he said. “Do you know exactly what you have?”“Some kind of bug. I’m sure it'll go away by tomorrow.” It had to be that. I couldn’t think of anything else. Being lucky enough to work mostly from home, I didn’t have the disadvantage of getting sick with something a coworker brought to the office. Plus, I always believed that with healthy eating, exercising, and the right vitamins, all illnesses could be avoided. “You should’ve gone to the doctor,” he said. Concern looked cute on him. “It’s fine. I’ll be all right in the morning.”“I hope so.”


AUTHOR BIO:
K.T. Castle loves reading, writing, and painting. She's on a quest to find the words, forms, and colors to materialize the worlds and people of her imagination. She loves reading Paranormal, New Adult, and Contemporary Romance. She never saw herself as an incurable romantic, but lately, that's what she finds herself musing about. Love is found everywhere, regardless of whether it comes from a nice person or an ass—mundane or even vampire.When she's not busy with work, in front of a computer placing many thoughts in order, she makes her best to be creative or relax with a good TV series and snacks. Some of her favorite characters are Jon Snow, Daenerys, Barney Stinson, Saint, Rome Archer, Rush, Gretchen McKay, and Cinderella.

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#Excerpt: SILVERWITCH by Tamara Grantham

Silverwitch
Tamara Grantham
(M.D. Series, The Olive Kennedy)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: December 19th 2016
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

It’s Faythander’s legend of King Arthur. And it’s not for the faint of heart.

Olive Kennedy, Fairy World MD, isn’t ready to go back to work. But when her dragon stepfather shows up on her doorstep with bad news of the world-ending variety, that’s exactly what she’ll have to do. He wants her to stop the elven queen from obtaining seven weapons of King Arthur fame, and he wants her to break into a dragon’s vault to do it.

One problem. Silvestra, the silverwitch of Dragon Spine Mountain, guards the weapons. And she’s not willing to give them up. With the help of Kull, her newly reunited, half-crazed Viking boyfriend, she’s hopeful they’ll stand up against the dragon. Plus, she’ll have the help from Kull’s warrior princess sister and a professional thief.

But Olive has never had great luck. What starts as a routine quest quickly turns into a life or death fight. And one of her companions won’t make it out alive…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks—
EXCERPT:“I fail to see how we’re lucky. We’re trapped in an unfamiliar world with no way of returning home. The staff is gone, and I have a suspicion that if we find it, we will not live long enough to return it to the sky king.”Maveryck gave me a condescending smile. “Perhaps you will not live long enough,” he said as he stood, and without further explanation, he limped away from me and down a narrow hallway. I hesitated before following him. Navigating alone through a tomb like this would be suicide, so I reluctantly trailed him, barely keeping my temper in check.
“Where are you going?” I demanded.
“To find a way out of here.”
“What then?” I asked. “Where will we go? How will we find the staff? How will we return home? Have you the magic to create portals?”
He rounded on me, his jaw clenched. “First, and listen very clearly, I’m not in the habit of answering questions—not from you or anyone else. Second, I’m not your friend, nor am I trying to help you. For the time being, we share the same goal, so I will work with you in order to bring the staff back. After that, our partnership will be dissolved. I’ve never lost an object before, and it won’t happen now. If you impede me in any way, I will aid you no more.”
“Have you forgotten who my brother is? Should you return to Faythander without me, what do you think the king will do to you?”
“I don’t care.”
“You might care when you’re rotting in the Wult dungeons.”
“I doubt he would throw me in the dungeons for leaving you. In all honesty, I believe he would reward me.”
Now he’d pushed too far. I’d had an ill feeling about this man from the moment I’d met him, and I would tolerate his superior attitude no more. I shoved him against the wall, pressing the weight of my body against him, making the stacks of skeletal remains rattle behind us.
“Enough,” I hissed. “I will not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner.”
Instead of shying away as I expected, he clamped my wrists in his hands. He used no magic, but the calculated look he gave me sent shivers down my spine. “And I,” he said, “will also not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner.”
Fear made my heart beat wildly. Who is this man? It was at that moment I realized how very little I knew about him. Where did he come from? Where did he live? Who were his kin? His gaze locked with mine, and sparks of purple danced in the gray of his irises. I knew he possessed magic, but he’d led me to believe his powers were limited. Had he lied?

Author Bio:
Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than half a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series and the Shine novellas. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance of 2016, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon in both the Mythology and Fairy Tales categories with over 100 reviews.

Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English. She has been a featured speaker at the Rose State Writing Conference and has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.
Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks, which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds, and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGranthamBooks.com.

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#Excerpt: THE ELF by Max Dune

The Elf
Max Dune
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

This Christmas…it’s war. Grab your weapon and join the fight in this modern Santa Claus retelling with a dark twist. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar will be riveted by The Elf‘s action, humor and romance!

Elves are dying in the North Pole, and none of their scientists can find a cure. They believe it’s a virus, unleashed by a powerful enemy. All signs point to Jack Frost, who’s been biding his time from afar. Watching. Waiting. Plotting. One brave elf, to save his kind, will venture out to meet evil in the eye. But he uncovers a mystery more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Now Lucian must join a group of warriors and fight. Fuego; a flame-wielding pyro. Tiktok; a brilliant bomb expert, Yuriko; a deadly ninja assassin. And Bullets; a hot-headed gun aficionado. These unlikely heroes must learn to work together and defeat the rising evil. Or Christmas will soon be lost…forever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
BOOK TRAILER—
EXCERPT:“Where are you going?” I taunt. “There’s nowhere to hide.”
Jack Frost doesn’t answer. Under the canopy of winter-crystallized trees, he crawls across the snow. His tall, muscular body leaves a trail of berry-red blood behind him. He looks desperate to put distance between us.
I begin to whistle softly and draw closer to admire my handiwork. Broken nose. Swollen eye. An arrow buried deep in his leg. Ah, such a beautiful sight to behold. I turn to Blitzen, my most loyal of companions, and smile. “Thank you, friend. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.”
Blitzen gives an affirmative snort, staying close to our sleigh and supplies. His strong legs and zesty spirit had kept me alive for the last two weeks. The Artic is a cold house for the unwary. Nothing in it ever stirs. Nothing moves. Nothing sings. Yet he had guided me through it, his hooves detonating like muffled grenades as they crunched the powdery snow. We’d traveled over timeworn mountains, through tomblike valleys and flash-frozen rivers. I plan on rewarding Blitzen with his favorite food once we’re back in Santa’s Village. It’ll be agaric mushrooms for life. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
First things first though: I cock my crossbow.
Clink.
Upon hearing that sound, Frost forces his knees and elbows to move faster. He fights for his life like a desperate wild animal at death’s door. The expression of terror on his face is absolutely priceless. I wonder if he’ll start begging soon. Even if he does, it won’t do him any good. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and send one final bolt into his black heart.
For my friends…for my parents…
“Mmm,” I utter, savoring the moment. “This is even better than I imagined.” As I loom over him, a sudden wave of fury grips me. I violently plant my boot in his shoulder, prompting a muffled groan from him. Through gritted teeth I hiss, “And I’ve imagined this a lot.”
I remove my foot. Frost rolls over onto his back and gazes up at me in defeat. “Don’t do this, Lucian. Please.”
Ah, finally.
“Do you think begging is going to help? It didn’t help my parents or the other elves. They died just the same, all shaking, bleeding, and crying…and all because of you.” I point the loaded crossbow at his chest. “Now it’s your turn to die.”
“Wait!” He lifts up a trembling hand. “I can grant you great powers, unimaginable abilities, even immortality! Y-you could be the most powerful elf who’s ever lived!”
“Power?” I scoff. “I don’t want power. This is all I want.”
“Revenge won’t bring your parents back.”
I consider his words for a moment and do see the truth in them, but the rage inside pushes me on. “No, but it’s going to feel pretty good.” My finger slides the safety off.
Frost’s eyes widen.
Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz…
Suddenly a deep, loud sound echoes all about us, seemingly coming from every direction. They disturb the serene beauty of this frozen, crystal paradise where Frost is meant to meet his doom. Puzzled, I lower my crossbow and search for the source. My eyes scan through the tall, gray trees, their skeletal wooden arms knocking against one another in the slight breeze, but I catch nothing in my gaze except the clear, blue skies beyond. What the heck’s going on? Confused, I dart my eyes in every direction. And why is that annoying buzzing getting louder?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A sense of déjà vu hits me.
Wait! That sound… Isn’t that…?
The beeping continues to assault my ears for several more moments, muddling my senses.
“No!” I wail when I finally remember. “No! Not yet!”
My desperate cries prove futile, though, as my crossbow melts in my hands. Its liquefied remnants splash at my feet. It doesn’t take long for the surrounding trees to follow suit, forming charcoal-gray puddles on the ground. Blitzen, too, begins to disintegrate where he stands. His fur, flesh, and bones dissolves into a paste and seep into the ground
“No!” Without wasting time, I jump on Frost, wrap my hands around his cold neck, and begin to viciously choke him. “I’ll kill you with my bare hands!”
Rather than panicking or pleading for mercy, he only laughs in my face, knowing full well it’s too late. His flesh quickly melts like hot wax until my fingers are kneading the remaining mess.
I punch the ground with my fists again and again, even as they start melting away. “Come on! I just needed another minute!”
As I beg for more time, I feel my bones softening, becoming more pliable, like iron morphing into licorice. Soon I am unable to hold my weight, and I topple over, falling to the icy ground.

Author Bio:
Max Dune is a Southern writer who spent most his childhood watching TV, devouring comic books and weaving magical worlds in his head. In his mid-twenties, he decided to follow his true passion. He has since created a number of short stories, novels, screenplays and TV pilots. To be alerted to future books and giveaways, please sign up for his newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b5Is91

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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#Review: TROUBLE WITH THE DUKE by Grace Burrowes

  5 of 5 stars 
I absolutely loved this book! Ms. Burrowes is a master storyteller. In "The Trouble with Dukes" she weaves a story of past war horrors, PTSD and the unrelenting and thoroughly exhausting months of a London season. Hamish MacHugh suddenly finds himself the new Duke of Murdoch and he reluctantly agrees to host his two sisters to a London season. Hamish soon finds out that a London season is infinitely worse than the horrors he faced on the battlefield.

Megan Windham is facing her own demons in the form of Sir Fletcher. She foolishly thought she was in love before Sir Fletcher left to fight the French. She also penned her devotion to him in racy letters that he's kept and is now using against her. He needs a wealthy wife and Megan fits the bill, except, Megan despises Sir Fletcher. When she meets Hamish, she finds a true companion in the brutish Scot and a beautiful romances blossoms. Together they face each battle, strategizing as if they were conducting a war. Can a battle-worn soldier and a compromised young woman defeat their foe and come out the victors?

Ms. Burrowes is such a talented writer as she slowly draws the reader in and captures them until the final word is finished. This book is one of the best regency romances I've ever read. I highly recommend it to fans of regency fans.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is available December 20, 2016. Preorder at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Dukes-Windham-Brides/dp/1455569968


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Grace Burrowes grew up in central Pennsylvania and is the sixth out of seven children. She discovered romance novels when in junior high (back when there was such a thing), and has been reading them voraciously ever since. Grace has a bachelor's degree in political science, a bachelor of music in music history, (both from Pennsylvania State University); a master's degree in conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University; and a juris doctor from the National Law Center at the George Washington University.  Grace writes Georgian, Regency, Scottish Victorian, and contemporary romances in both novella and novel lengths. She's a member of Romance Writers of America, and enjoys giving workshops and speaking at writers' conferences. 

She also loves to hear from her readers, and can be reached through her website, www.graceburrowes.com.

#Excerpt: TIES OF SMOKE by Claudia Herring

She brought her head up at Neszmbe’s titter of alarm bouncing off the moat, while an ungainly shape limped in their direction. It stopped, then in a burst of sudden speed glided forward, appearing to be blown by a strong wind like a boat upon the water. The cold of the serpent’s body passed through the cloth of her skirt, somehow reassuring.
“An auspicious day and night for your visit.” Ir-A sounded close, as if she had spoken directly into Mehadeh’s ear, yet the magus stood at the spiked wrought iron gate just after the bridge, some distance away. The gate opened, creaking like Ir-A’s voice. Of course, the magus was referring to the Light Solstice. Mehadeh and Neszmbe had been spirited away by the stone before they could participate.
She curled her hand around the stone. It grew warm in her palm as she and the serpent made their way onto the bridge. The moon shone on the rippling water. A large shape surfaced, sinister in the silence, and a creature the size of a calf leapt into the air. The resounding splash barely missed soaking them, as they instinctively ducked and were splattered with cold drops. Mehadeh glanced at the moat and hurried through the gate, her serpent undulating fast before her.
Ignoring the water creature, the magus hobbled up the dirt path. The dark cape she wore swirling her invisible in the night, then revealing her like a misplaced magic trick. To the side, Mehadeh glimpsed fleeting shapes in the moonlight. Were they being followed, or was it just the foliage swaying in the breeze, stirring the stagnant air?
On the wide veranda a three-tiered fountain played the water like music amidst exotic plants, the blooms fragrant in the sultry night. The arched entrance stood open to a dark interior. Without ceremony, Ir-A stepped over the threshold. They followed through a hall, turned a corner and Mehadeh held her hand above her eyes at the brightness of the richly furnished room, lit by chandeliers glowing with hundreds of candles.
The magus dropped her ultramarine cape, which shrank as small as a moth and fluttered up to the candles, blundering into one and bursting into flames. Turning his head at the sparks streaming down around him, Neszmbe switched his gaze to Ir-A, transfixed by the wrinkles that lined her face melting into a smooth dewy complexion, while her wiry white hair thickened into soft blonde tresses. Her tent-like robe grew darker and transformed into a red velvet gown clinging to her now-voluptuous figure.


BLURB:
Lady Lavinia Bramley is master of a Djinni.
Lavinia runs away from her husband to make a life with the djinni Yasir, but it’s not what she thought, not pearls and flying carpets and wishes come true . . .
Her desperate efforts to find happiness with Yasir are foiled by her husband’s reappearance, murder attempts by the jealous magician who cursed Yasir to the urn, and Yasir’s desire for revenge.
Lavinia finds love, and loyalty, are as ephemeral as ties of smoke.
TIES OF SMOKE on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ties-Smoke-Novel-Djinn-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01M2BXKD9/ref=twoen-20
HIS MASTER’S BRIDE on amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mg83vjj
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Claudia Herring aspired to be a baton twirler when she was five and an archaeologist at thirteen. When she became a graphic designer and an author of fantasy, she decided she'd hit upon the perfect compromise.
Along the way she worked as a gift wrapper, a server in a Mexican restaurant at an amusement park (where she rode the Black Dragon at midnight—an actual ride, not a sexual allusion) and an illustrator in medical graphics (where they featured videos on wound healing during lunch) at the Texas Medical Center.
Her novel, His Master's Bride, a historical fantasy with romantic elements set in Regency England, won first prize in the Houston Writer's Guild Novel Competition. Ties of Smoke is the second in the series The Djinn Chronicles.
When she's not delving into the world of the Djinn, Claudia is practicing yoga to go to that hushed space where she imagines and plots her next fantasy novel.
If you like Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series or Carol Berg’s Soul Mirror series you'll love His Master’s Bride and Ties of Smoke.
Website: http://www.claudiaherring.com
Blog: http://www.claudiaherring.com/blog
Twitter: @claudiakherring
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/claudia.herring.writer
Amazon author: http://www.amazon.com/author/claudiaherring

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2016/11/excerpt-tour-ties-of-smoke-by-claudia.html


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#Review: A MAGICAL HIGHLAND SOLSTICE by Mary Morgan

  4 of 5 stars  "A Magical Highland Solstice" is a delightful time-travel romance. Eve Brannigan wins a baking contest and is invited to a holiday trip to Scotland. She's more than excited to go, but has no idea what was about to befall her. Believing that everyone was "acting" in this medieval castle, she makes the best of the situation. When she meets Laird Cormac Murray, she's instantly smitten with the hunky Highlander.

Cormac Murray had sworn off looking for a wife and falling in love. His reasoned his love for the people would be enough, that is, until Eve appears on the road to the castle. I loved the banter between Eve and Cormac while watching their feelings grow for each other.

This story makes you believe in the magic of the Fae and the Christmas season. Fans of Scottish romances will definitely enjoy this short read. Recommended.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Amazon buy link:https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Highland-Solstice-Mary-Morgan-ebook/dp/B01LYR7LJ3/ref=twoen-20 

Interview with Rebecca Bischoff, THE FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series? My book, The French Impressionist, is a standalone YA novel about a girl named Rosemary who goes to France for the summer, supposedly to study art. Her real goal, though, is to stay in France forever, never returning home to the U.S. To achieve this, she’s devised a plan to convince her host family to keep her. Rosemary is trying to hide a number of things about herself, including the fact that she has a communication disorder and that she isn’t really interested in art.
Do you have a favorite character?I love Rosemary despite her flaws and quirks. However, I can’t help having a soft spot for a very minor character named Fat Cat, the large feline friend who lives in Rosemary’s apartment. He’s based on a real cat I once met in Paris. That cat had soft gray fur, yellow staring eyes, and was the heaviest cat I’d ever met. I don’t think anyone could have lifted him off the floor. He was practically the size of Rhode Island. (Only a slight exaggeration).
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?My character, Gavin, was initially a very minor character. I wanted Rosemary to attempt to flirt for the first time in her life and have it go all wrong, and Gavin was really no more than the guy who served that purpose and turned out to be a jerk. After a while, though, I felt like he was too one-dimensional and wanted him to be more sympathetic and play a bigger role. Gavin evolved into someone who teased Rosemary at first and then instantly regretted it. He tried to apologize but Rosemary didn’t believe in his sincerity. Gavin was persistent, though, and became a friend at the end when Rosemary learned to accept herself, flaws and all, and realized that Gavin actually cared.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?I did go the traditional route to publishing. I spent several years sending queries to literary agents and any editors or publishers who would accept queries directly from writers. I’d had some agents interested enough to request the full manuscript, but in the end none of them chose to represent me, although several of them said nice things about the writing or the plot. Their encouragement kept me going, but after more than seventy rejections, I got to the point with this particular novel that I was ready to shelve the project and move on. Luckily for me, I decided to send one final query. This happened to be my submission to Amberjack Publishing, and they liked my novel and offered to publish!
How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?The French Impressionist was not my first novel, but the third that I’d written. I think the first two were great learning experiences for me, and they helped me develop my writing voice and see what genres worked best for me. As I said answering the last question, it took several years of querying before I got my first contract to publish. During those years, I took to heart comments I received from agents who rejected my book and used their advice as I reviewed and revised my manuscript, with the goal improving the writing, the characters and the plot. I also spent my time working on other novels, so I wasn’t just anxiously waiting for responses from agents.  That would have been a lot of wasted time staring at the computer!
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I do belong to a small critique group, and their help is invaluable!  One writer friend is great at catching things that make no sense, or that aren’t scientifically accurate. I’ve gotten some great advice from critiques that has helped me create more fully-fleshed, realistic characters, or helped me to see when my plot is meandering or that a sub-plot is unnecessary or needs to be re-worked.  Critique groups are the best!
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I tend to like quiet. I get distracted easily by background noise, so I prefer no music or TV on in the house when I write. I’m happy in my quiet house, typing away and living in the world I’m creating inside my head.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I have an author page on Facebook and am trying to post every day and get the word out about my book.  I’m just learning about how to effectively use social media and am excited to try some new things! 
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?I love to read mysteries, historical fiction, contemporary, and really a variety of genres.  I also love movies but hate watching TV. I like trying to learn other languages, and I go back and forth between Italian, French and Spanish lessons on my DuoLingo app.  (I also recently learned how to say “I am a banana” in German.  I’m sure I’ll need that phrase one day).
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?Dogs, since I’m allergic to cats. Chocolate, not vanilla!  Peppermint tea with sugar and milk. Text, don’t call me!  Night, when I’m with my husband or my kids, cuddling on the couch and watching a funny movie. And eating chocolate, of course. 
What’s next for you?I’m working on two historical novels and a contemporary middle grade novel. I love history and wanted to try my hand at writing about the past.


The French Impressionist
Rebecca Bischoff
Publication date: December 6th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Rosemary is fifteen and gloriously free, on her own for the very first time. Part of an exchange program for aspiring artists, she arrives in sunny southern France with a single goal: she doesn’t plan to leave, ever. She wants a new life, a new family, and a new identity. But her situation, crafted from lies big and small, is precarious.

Desperate to escape haunting images from her past and a stage one helicopter parent, Rosemary struggles to hide her lack of artistic talent and a communication disorder that has tormented her all her life. She believes her dream of a new start will come true, until she unwittingly finds herself enveloped in a decades-old mystery that threatens to ruin her only chance for success. Determined to stay, Rosemary must choose whether or not she’ll tell the biggest lie of all, even if it means destroying the life of someone she cares about.

Dramatic, heartwarming, and full of teenage angst, The French Impressionist perfectly captures the struggle of those who feel they have no voice, and also shows the courage it takes to speak up and show the world who we really are.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Author Bio:
Rebecca Bischoff currently resides in Idaho with her family and works as a speech-language pathologist. She loves helping others, especially kids and teenagers, discover their own unique voices and learn to share who they are with the world. When she isn’t writing, she loves to read, spend time with her kids, and make awkward attempts to learn foreign languages. She is drawn to all things both French and Italian, used bookstores, and anything made out of chocolate.

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