Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 175

.99 Pre-Order SALE: DARE TO LOVE A SPY by Debra Elizabeth

Grab this book while you can before the price goes up to $2.99. This book is Hannah's story who was first introduced in LOVE BY SECRETS. Find out if Hannah's finds her own Happily Ever After!
Blurb:Miss Hannah Richardson is enjoying a Season in London. She's not looking for a husband, at least not this Season. She wants to enjoy herself before settling down to married life. All that changes, however, when she sees the Duke of Wetherby. He's tall, dark and impossibly handsome and someone Hannah wants to get to know better.
Camden Darkin, the Duke of Wetherby, is not fond of attending soirees, dinners or balls, but his latest mission for the Crown demands he mingle with the ton. He has vowed not to marry because of his dangerous work and the constant bevy of beauties anxious mothers throw into his path is not tempting him in the least. That is, until he meets Hannah Richardson, a young woman unlike any other he's ever met. Can he learn to love or will his hardened heart rob him of the very thing he needs the most.
The book will be live on August 11. Amazon pre-order link: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Love-Spy-Book-Innocence-ebook/dp/B01IWR62CW/ref=twoen-20
Excerpt:Camden descended the stairs leading into the garden and kept to the shadows as he moved closer to the couple. He had to make sure that Charles was safe. Just as he was about to turn the corner and spy on them, a sound alerted him that he was not alone in stalking Charles and Lady Sargent. He turned, ready to defend himself and Charles, if necessary, only to be confronted by Miss Richardson. What was she doing in the garden? She could easily foil the opportunity for Charles to get answers from Lady Sargent. He did the only thing he could think of.He pulled the delectable Miss Richardson into his arms.Her eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to protest, but before she uttered a sound, his lips captured hers. The kiss was hard and demanding, and when he teased his tongue across her lips, they parted, inviting him in.He deepened the kiss, and his tongue swept over hers as he explored every inch of her exquisite mouth. He wanted to keep on kissing her all night, but he heard Charles and Lady Sargent whispering as they headed back into the parlor. He reluctantly broke the kiss and set Hannah back on her feet.She stood dazed, staring at him while she got her bearings back. He was about to apologize for his impetuous kiss when she slapped him hard across the face. “How dare you?” she choked out. “You wicked man.”Camden rubbed the sting on his cheek. “That’s quite the slap; certainly not something I’m used to. My apologies, Miss Richardson, but tell me this—if you didn’t want me to kiss you, why did you follow me into the garden?”Hannah’s entire being was burning with indignation, her cheeks a flaming red and her lips swollen from his kiss. She was irresistible. He wanted to kiss her again, but did not relish the idea of another slap. He waited for her answer, but none was forthcoming.“Just as I thought. You crave wickedness and wanted me to kiss you. Perhaps it would be prudent for you to return to the other guests now. Unless, of course, you’d like me to kiss you again? Is that why you’re still out here in the garden?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Age of Innocence series:
LOVE BY SECRETS:
Eighteen-year-old Emily Stanton is excited to attend this Season’s balls and begin her search for a husband. She is thrilled when the dashing and handsome Connor Preston begins to court her. After each ball, Emily finds a love note in her drawstring reticule, and she expects a marriage proposal from Connor any day.
When her father objects and forces Emily to accept the proposal from Lady Tisbury's shy nephew, Ethan Richardson instead, her heart is broken. How can she love her new husband when her heart belongs to the man who wrote her such beautiful love letters?
Amazon buy link:https://www.amazon.com/Love-Secrets-Book-Age-Innocence-ebook/dp/B005XMZ0NM/ref=twoen-20 
BN buy link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-by-secrets-debra-elizabeth/1106798037

iTunes buy link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-by-secrets-book-1-age/id728357657?mt=11  
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/love-by-secrets-book-1-age-of-innocence-a-historical-romance



LOVE BY DECEPTION:
Content with her life as a lady's maid, Isabel Knott learns the father she never knew has left her a fortune. The news comes with one restriction—she can never reveal his name. Isabel falls in love with Colby Tisbury, but with her nonexistent pedigree his father, Lord Tisbury, will never accept her as his daughter-in-law.
Colby Tisbury must marry, and soon. If he doesn’t find a bride before the end of the Season, his father will supply one. Then Colby meets sassy Isabel Knott, and everything changes—but can he go against his father’s wishes and marry a girl utterly lacking in family and connections? Isabel is forced to make an impossible choice - reveal her secret identity and bring shame to her true father or lose Colby forever.
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G4DSLYO/ref=twoen-20   BN buy link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-by-deception-debra-elizabeth/1117228672
 
iTunes buy link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-by-deception-book-2-age/id731403707?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/love-by-deception-book-2-age-of-innocence-a-historical-romance    

#Excerpt: A SIMPLE VOW by Charlotte Hubbard

EXCERPT:
As he ambled along the outside edge of the dining room, where the tables had been placed end-to-end and covered with long white tablecloths, Luke bit into a perfectly seasoned chicken thigh with a groan of satisfaction. When he spotted his wife, with her auburn hair tucked up under her kapp and her freckled face alight with a smile, he let his gaze linger on her. Last spring at this time he’d been footloose and determined to remain uncommitted—a bachelor of thirty determined to live in a state of never-ending rumspringa—yet now he craved the company of his unconventional wife, contentedly immersed in the Mennonite faith they shared.
As though sensing his attention, Nora turned and smiled at him. Luke’s heart fluttered. The crowd ceased to exist for a few moments as her green eyes made him hold his breath. When he saluted her with a chicken leg, they both laughed and went on about their visiting. As he glanced at Millie, so like her mother, and at his younger brother Ira while the newlyweds accepted plates of pie from Naomi Brenneman, Luke sent up a prayer. Let them find the same happiness You’ve granted me with Nora, Lord.
“Quite a party you’re puttin’ on for the happy couple,” a familiar voice behind him said.
Luke turned as his older brother Ben clapped him on the back. “It’s the least I can do, considering how you’ve helped pay for their new home.”
“Oh, let’s not forget that the aunts kicked in on that, as well as Ira.” Ben smiled mischievously. “I felt sorry for you and Nora, what with bein’ newlyweds yourselves—maybe lettin’ Ira and Millie move into your place rather than expectin’ them to bunk in the apartment above the mill.”
“Aunt Nazareth and Aunt Jerusalem are so glad to see both of us younger bucks belonging to a church—and married—they said their house money was a thank offering to God,” Luke remarked with a chuckle. “Ira and I did keep them on pins and needles for a long time.”
Ben, who’d preached the main sermon at the wedding today, shrugged. “I was older than you boys—thirty-five—before I found my Miriam,” he said with a nostalgic smile. “Who knew we’d all meet our matches and set up businesses when we came to Willow Ridge? It’s a gut thing God knew what we needed and got us to the right place at the right time, jah?”

BLURB:
Housed in a rustic red barn, the Simple Gifts crafts shop celebrates the talents of the Amish of Willow Ridge—and the faith that inspires them. For the acceptance of simplicity opens the path to love.

As far as Edith Riehl is concerned, the baby twins thrust suddenly into her arms are a heaven-sent gift. Unable to conceive, she longs to be a mother with a home of her own. She’s going to abide by her promise to handsome Asa Detweiler to take care of them while he looks for their real father. And even if her domineering dat Cornelius refuses to countenance Asa’s suit, she can only pray the bachelor’s honesty and persistence will uncover the truth—even as he’s kindled an impossible hope for a love of her own…

Asa can’t understand why anyone would think he would be so dishonorable as to father babies and then abandon them. He’s determined to clear his name—but Edith’s caring ways also inspire him to help heal her wounded spirit and earn her trust. In the face of heartbreaking deception, he and Edith must find the strength to understand, forgive…and claim their own hearts’ joy.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while she was still a school librarian—Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. This launched her into writing around seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and she’s been a slave to her overactive imagination ever since. Over the course of her writing career, she has sold nearly 50 books—most recently, Amish romance series she’s written as Charlotte Hubbard or Naomi King. Charlotte lived in Missouri for most of her life, so her Amish stories are set in imaginary Missouri towns. These days she lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Ramona.
WEBSITE   www.CharlotteHubbard.com
Facebook    www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1
Click on these links to buy this book now!
• Amazon.com•• Barnes & Noble •• The Book Depository •• B-A-M •• Chapters•• IndieBound •• Powell’s •• Kensington Books •

Ebook: • Kindle•• Nook•• Kobo •• iBooks•• Google Play •• Kensington•
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/2016/05/exceprt-tour-simple-vow-by-charlotte.html 
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Interview with J. Kowallis, AFTERIMAGE and ENCENDER

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?Afterimage and Encender are the first two books of the four-part series, The Enertia Trials. I'm continually asked why I chose to spell it "Enertia" instead of the correct "Inertia." The answer is pretty cool. If you know, "Inertia" defines an object that remains in uniform motion until acted upon by another object. The prefix "en" actually means "to cause something to confined." So, essentially the trials were about confining the subjects until acted upon by another force. The force, the scientists were looking for, were inside the subjects . . . all along.
Do you have a favorite character?I LOVE Roydon. He's not introduced until Encender, but there is so much about him that I just absolutely fangirl about. You may ask "why?" but after reading book two, I sure hope you're still not asking that question.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?I did. For about two years I tried querying and pitching to agents. Finally, I had an agent who told me she loved my writing, but that the market was too saturated in dystopian that publishers really wanted something fresh and she asked me to contact her again when I had something new. Well, I didn't want to wait for dystopian literature to die off and then hopefully start to gain ground again in 20 years, so I took matters into my own hands.
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?I was very involved. I still am. In fact, we did the photography for Afterimage right by the back door of my house. My graphic designer is a good friend, and all along the way he's been good enough to allow me to direct where I want the image of this series to go. And the best part is that I've been able to trust him enough to step back and allow him to surprise me too. It works out perfectly.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?Absolutely! It's actually one of the things I recommend all writers would choose to participate in. To have a group of your peers offering helpful criticism and guidance from writers' perspectives is priceless to me. When I can't figure out where the story is going, they give me ideas, they find my writing weaknesses, and at the same time we are able to bounce creative ideas off each other. It helps me to gauge how readers will respond to the story, the writing, and the content.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Both Afterimageand Encender are available at The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailer sites with Encender being available on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo, and Afterimageavailable on Kindle.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?You can find me on Twitter (@j_kowallis), Facebook, jkowallisbooks.com, Google +, and Instagram (@j_kowallisbooks. I LOVE interacting with readers!
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?I was originally studying to be a vocal instructor, so I love singing, even though I may have fallen back on some bad singing habits over the years:) I also love hiking, reading (of course), puttering around my house and garden with new projects, and attending all the concerts of my favorite bands!
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. Chocolate (WAY dark). Herbal Tea. Talk AND Text. Day.
What’s next for you? Book 3, Duality, is coming out in November, with 4 tentatively planned for April of next year (we'll see if that even happens). After that, I'm happy to say I'm already working on a NA Urban Fantasy duology and loving it!
 
Afterimage
J. Kowallis
(The Enertia Trials #1)
Publication date: May 7th 2015
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

Reggie’s dreams . . .aren’t dreams.

Visions of the future flood her mind like shards of broken puzzles. Caged in her cell, every morning begins the same. She’s drugged, tortured, and images are torn from her memory by Public One. Until the morning everything changes. The vision is different. The future’s never been about her, and now she knows they’re coming for here.

 Nomads.

How will she convince them to keep her alive when Nate, their leader, doesn’t like or even trust her? To him, she’s a science experiment. A machine.

When Public One will do anything to keep her, Reggie must make a decision: remain a slave to her past, or risk her future to venture into a world more terrifying than she’s ever known.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Encender
J. Kowallis
(The Enertia Trials #2)
Publication date: February 29th 2016
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

They say you feel cold when you die.
The people I’ve killed would beg to differ.
For twenty-something Ransley, the adopted daughter of famed street fighter Estevan Benitez, fighting is all she knows. One hidden detail separates her from the endless string of her pathetic opponents: she can craft and influence heat and fire.
When she’s pitted against the strongest fighters at the infamous Argolla, Ransley faces something she never expected:
A man like her.
Roydon can duplicate himself. When the two collide in the ring, a chain of deals turns Roydon over to Public Four and he’s taken away to undergo the disturbing process of the Nexis. What it is, or what it does, no one outside of The Public knows.
Driven by guilt and a desire to release the only person she’s ever met who’s like her, Ransley isn’t about to leave him for dead—not when he might hold the answers to her missing past. Now she must trust a pair of strangers: a former military man out to collapse the system, and a woman whose premonitions could tear them all apart.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Author Bio:
J. Kowallis, the only girl of four children, grew up in northern Utah with a head full of wild stories (most often unreal). At the age of 9, she wrote her first poem, a dedication to E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. It was so intriguing, her third grade teacher requested to keep the original. Between living in various fictional worlds, and spending time on her studies, she managed to graduate from Weber State University’s creative writing program. She now lives in Utah with her Mini Schnauzer, Etta, and spends most of her time still bouncing between this world and the fantastical while enjoying delectable über-dark chocolate and lavender baths. She enjoys dreaming about, flying to, and writing about distant lands (real or unreal).

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#Excerpt: SWORD OF SHADOWS by Karin Rita Gastreich

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She adjusted her balance and tilted the blade, trying to see Abartamor’s oversized figure at her back. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When at last the San’iloman laid still, the priest nodded to the princes. Abartamor’s heavy step sounded behind Rishona, along with the slow unsheathing of his sword.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">“I, the eldest son of Joturi-Nur, challenge your claim,” he said. “Face me, so that I may send you with my father to the Afterlife.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Rishona spun, hands wrapped around the hilt of the scimitar, and cut deep into Abartamor’s protruding belly. The prince cried out as metal parted flesh. Blood sprayed across Rishona’s shimmering gown. Abartamor dropped his weapon and staggered backwards, eyes wide and lips quivering in protest. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">“What have you done?” he stammered. “My niece? A woman? It’s not possible…not permitted…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He sat hard on the floor and stared dumbfounded at the entrails spilling from his belly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Rishona strode forward and drove the scimitar into his thick neck. With a few vicious hacks, she cleaved Abartamor’s head from his torso. Tearing off her veil, she leveled the sword at his brothers and demanded, “Who else would challenge me?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For several moments there was no sound but the gurgle of Arbartamor’s blood, pooling around Rishona’s satin slippers. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Then Paolus-Nur drew his weapon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0w9v4Y2dNj..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0w9v4Y2dNj..." width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">BLURB:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sisters in magic, Eolyn and Adiana seek to revive a millennial tradition once forbidden to women. When war strikes, their fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered. <br /><br />Determined to defend her people, Eolyn seeks to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. Trapped by the invading army, Adiana is taken prisoner and placed at the mercy of the ruthless Prince Mechnes. <br /><br />Even as their world is torn asunder, Eolyn and Adiana cling to a common dream. Courage and perseverance guide them toward a future where the Daughters of Aithne will flourish in a world set free from the violence of men. <br /><br />"War propels the story forward, and the characters are at their best when circumstances are at their worst." -Publishers Weekly <br /><br />This is the second book in THE SILVER WEB trilogy. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, or as the sequel to the first book, EOLYN.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Purchase link for SWORD OF SHADOWS, Book Two of THE SILVER WEB: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shadows-... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Purchase link for EOLYN, Book One of THE SILVER WEB: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eolyn-Silver-We... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URan9Y5zKp..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URan9Y5zKp..." width="265" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands for over twenty years. Her past times include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to THE SILVER WEB trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Website: <a href="http://krgastreich.com/">http... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter: @EolynChronicles</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Eolyn-110814... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="yiv6351200132msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="yiv6351200132msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  </span></div><div class="yiv6351200132msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot... class="yiv6351200132msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f1797" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_hs04h6ej" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com... /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S7AQPSh7bS..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S7AQPSh7bS..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

#Excerpt: SEASIDE LOVERS by Melissa Foster

Seaside Lovers
Melissa Foster
(Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers #7)
Publication date: July 20th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance

Seaside Summers is a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.
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“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
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“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely
In SEASIDE LOVERS…

After months of long-distance communication, actress Parker Collins and artist Grayson Lacroux finally plan to reconnect in the seaside town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts. But Parker never shows, and weeks pass without a word, leaving Grayson to believe he’s misinterpreted their budding relationship.
Parker has been running on autopilot ever since she lost her friend, mentor, and the only family she’s ever known, Bert Stein. Armed with junk food, tequila, and her big, lovable dog, she’s prepared to hole up and mourn–and determined to mend a fence Bert had never been able to with his estranged and bitter brother. But Parker didn’t count on the sinfully hot artist she’s been fantasizing about for nearly a year walking in on her grief-induced drunken night.

When Grayson stumbles across Parker, he has no idea what to make of the gorgeous blonde who blew him off despite the heat sizzling between them. But that doesn’t stop him from feeling protective of the woman who’s consumed his thoughts for months, and when he learns of Parker’s plans to confront an angry old man, he refuses to leave her side. As Parker’s past unfolds, they’re led on an unexpected journey of discovery. Their connection deepens, and late-night fantasies become passionate realities, until good intentions spark painful secrets, threatening the love they’ve found.

Seaside Summers is part of Melissa Foster’s bestselling Love in Bloom series. All Love in Bloom books may be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, or as part of the series.
SEASIDE SUMMERS
Seaside Dreams (Bella)
Seaside Hearts (Jenna)
Seaside Sunsets (Jamie)
Seaside Secrets (Amy)
Seaside Nights (Sky)
Seaside Embrace (Hunter)
Seaside Lovers (Grayson)
Seaside Whispers (Matt)

Read the complete LOVE IN BLOOM series:
SNOW SISTERS
THE BRADENS (at Weston, CO)
THE REMINGTONS
THE BRADENS (at Trusty, CO)
THE BRADENS (at Peaceful Harbor)
SEASIDE SUMMERS
WILD BOYS AFTER DARK
For a complete reading guide, family tree, checklists, and more, visit Melissa’s website.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes / Smashwords / GooglePlay


EXCERPT:“Trust me?” Grayson asked.“Trust a guy who hauled me over his shoulder and kidnapped me?” She looked toward the bar.
“Yeah, trust that guy.”
“I do trust you.” She poked him in his chest. “But if I end up on the front of some rag magazine, I’m hiding out in your basement. With Christmas, chocolate, and a boatload of horror movies that you have to watch with me.”
“Sweetheart, if you move into my house, you won’t be watching movies or hiding out in the basement. You’ll be lucky if you make it out of the bedroom. In fact”—he slid his hand to the nape of her neck, causing her eyes to glaze over with desire—“maybe I should take a few of those pictures and make that happen.” He’d taken a chance, saying something so brazen and holding her like this in the cab of his truck, but he couldn’t hold back.

Author Bio:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter

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Interview with Luke Edison, VALCARION: SACRIFICES

Can you tell us a little bit about your book and what you think makes it stand out in the vast world of Young Adult Fantasy Adventure novels?  The Valcarion Series is a set of young adult adventure fantasy novels which revolves around the character who shares its name; Valcarion, and his brother, Renther (who really comes into more of a leading role in the second book of the series). The brothers are orphans – victims of a worldwide war – and they both kind of stumble into positions of power after being separated by war. The choices that the brothers make are really what sets them apart as upstanding and likable characters. Basically, both Valcarion and Renther wind up being characters with good reason to be spiteful, self-centered, power-hungry, even evil – but the first book, Sacrifices, shows both the quality and the cost of their choices to do what is right rather than what is easy.
Valcarion is special to me because he has two key qualities as a fictional main character. First, he is likable, has an established personality and style, and can kind of be relied on as a character. Second, and equally as important, though he is an established and personable character, Valcarion has an aspect of ambiguity to him – just a touch – so that readers can relate to his situation, his choices, his personality, experiences, and can imagine themselves as being in his place. When they are in the midst of a chapter and they read, “Valcarion considered his options” they will hopefully kind of feel like their name is almost swapped out with his.
I was quite intentional when I began writing as a teen to use what I had learned as a young person, what I had experienced, and what I had read to make my books better for a younger crowd. Because I wrote my first book, Valcarion: Sacrifices, as the age of 16, I believe it has an element of youngness and relatability that fantasy books by older authors can’t quite offer. I believe there is beauty in fast paced, easy-to-follow, straight forward, story telling. So part of what I set out to do with The Valcarion Series was leave cliff hangers – constantly make a reader want to read some of the next chapter, because I have always loved reading books that do that. What I don’t like is literary fluff – boring, drawn out story lines which make you wish they would “get back to the action” so to speak, so my work tries to be very enthralling and captivating, and people have seemed to really like that.
Do you have a favorite character?You know, that is a difficult answer to give… I like several characters for a variety of reasons, but if I had to pick a single favorite, the first character who comes to mind is Renther Theoron, the older brother of our main character, Valcarion. Renther, to me, represents many aspects of an ideal leader, the man most guys want to be, and a well-developed, well rounded, stable personality. If there were one person in the entire series who is meant to be not predictable, but reliable, it is Renther. He’s kind of the rock – the home base – that other characters look to and return to in times of uncertainty. Also, I am probably biased personally, as Renther is inspired by and intended to mirror my older brother, who I am very close to and greatly respect. It is my hope that the reliable relationship between Renther and Valcarion as brothers will be both relatable and enthralling to readers.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background.Man, there is a lot to say and I want to paint an accurate picture of my life experiences, my character, and personality. I suppose the essentials about me are that I grew up with one brother and three sisters, and I am extremely close to each of my family members. As a kid, I was the little boy who liked to run into the street, climb trees (probably higher than I should have), and cause trouble. After all the trouble, though, I liked to try to smooth everything over and be really nice to whoever I made life difficult for – it was like a game for me.
The one thing I didn’t do was treat girls like they had “cooties” – I liked girls for as long as I can remember! Hahah. In high school and college, my patterns kind of matured but the underlying thought process remained the same – I like to test people, to feel people out, I like to talk a lot (some people would say too much), and I love getting beneath the surface in regards to relationships and understanding how people “tick” – how they think, why they do what they do, all of that.  I suppose through my interactions, I developed and strengthened an imaginative mindset.
When I would read a book or watch a movie, I would think “Ok, I liked this, I didn’t like that, that was an amazing detail or plot twist, that aspect didn’t make sense…” and I would kind of use the stories I had heard and the experiences I had to develop my own stories, my own worlds, and my own daydreams. Eventually, I kind of narrowed down the focus of my imagination and began to develop each aspect as though it were part of the same world – the same story, and then I started writing Valcarion: Sacrifices!
When I’m not writing, I love to do things outdoors – swimming, hiking, hunting, skiing, water skiing, wakeboarding, boating, working on old collectable cars, paintball or airsoft, camping – those are some of my most favorite activities. However, my favorite thing to do would have to be having a good, late night conversation with a group of close friends or family – you really can’t beat that, in my mind.
Why and how did you begin writing Valcarion: Sacrifices?I began writing the first book in The Valcarion Series, Valcarion: Sacrifices, at the age of six-teen. I wish I could remember the moment I decided to sit down and write, but I don’t remember it… What I do remember, though, is that I had been planning out the story for years in my mind, daydreaming about it frequently. I had always liked the idea of writing a story or making a movie, and after taking a creative writing class in high school, I decided to sit down and write the story I had mapped out for so long. I wrote the first draft of Sacrifices in just under two weeks, I was at the computer typing away for hours on end each day and at night I would stay up thinking of the plot details. The project kind of grew and matured as I went, but one thing that stayed the same all the way through was that I wanted my books to read as though they were a blockbuster movie – I wanted the readers to be drawn in and kept in the midst of the action, in a fast-paced and enthralling story. Hopefully that is the way everyone will feel when reading the books! I also remember my Mom scolding me at first for being on the computer so much – you know how it goes, every parent wants to limit their kid’s computer time. But when she saw that I was seriously writing and not sitting there playing RuneScape or something, she was like “go ahead, stay on as long as you want to”. My parents were always really really supportive and enabled me to do what I have done today, which is much to their credit in my mind.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?Well, from a goals standpoint my ambitions are pretty simple and pretty big! I would love love love to be a successful, household-name, author. The NY Times Bestseller List is certainly what I am aiming at, and beyond that, I would be blown away to see my book made into a motion picture some day, and I kind of wrote it with that idea in mind. Dream big. Hahaha.
From a more thoughtful, abstract, almost philosophical standpoint, I would say I want the ability to influence others in a large and far-reaching way. Many people want money, and money is great, but what I think is even more important than money is influence – so if I were to ever achieve a low paying deal with a great marketer who helped me to build an influential public platform, I would be fine with that.
I believe we are at a time in our world where people – specifically young people – are looking for and longing for inspiration and direction. Many times, sadly, that comes from the wrong or negative sources, in my opinion. As a result, I would love to use not only my work, but my public personality to connect with and influence young people for the better. I think of the power that successful young musicians, actors, athletes, and stars have – its astonishing and some use it for good and some not so much, but I would love to partake in that field of work.
What message and themes are behind your adventure novels?The messages which are behind my writing flow directly from my personal beliefs and kind of fit in line with my goals as a writer. Writing is interesting because it offers stories which, whether the writer realizes it or not, say something about how the writer sees the world and how he or she thinks. Whether they acknowledge it or not, every person has an ethos – a set of rules, standards, and beliefs – lenses through which we see the world. Part of my belief system is that in the end, the good guys truly do always win. Now, to go along with that, though, is a great saying I heard once that goes, “If you want to tell a story with a happy ending, it’s all about where you stop telling the story.” I think that quote is right, so then, from a writer’s standpoint the question becomes; where do I stop telling the story and what does it mean for the good guys to win? The answer certainly lends itself to creative license, and in a book about war, there is plenty of opportunity for sacrifice and hardship in order to achieve the greater good; the ultimate victory of the good guys.
Other messages behind my work are that there should be no price too high to pay in order to do what is right, in order to help others, and especially to help those whom you love. Family is the most important thing in life, those bonds are forever and ought to be preserved and respected. And on a lighter note, adventures are fun, challenges are a good thing, and teens who dream big and work hard can achieve truly great and world changing goals.
Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? I am currently working with a plan to self publish my entire series, however, if a traditional publisher who I thought was capable and fit my style well came along, I would certainly consider working out a deal there. The two biggest benefits I see of traditional publishing are one; the ability to mass produce hard copies of a book, which are just great. Even though I have a kindle and enjoy using it, and my book is currently solely sold as an eBook, I do prefer the overall feel that a real book with pages and that new book smell offers. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but hey, that’s the truth. Hahah. Two; traditional publishing offers more connections, networking, and marketing growth opportunities, which is fantastic.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I will occasionally listen to music, though silence usually is best for me. I like to think over a book, a story, characters, and plotpoints in my head for quite a long time before formulating an official written adventure. For instance, I had been thinking about several sections and characters in The Valcarion Series from the age of 12 or so. I usually have a few plotpoints in mind and have an overall story-arch I want to complete, and then I just sit down and write as thoughts flow naturally. Sometimes, I find myself unable to sleep because many of my best ideas come to me at night. What I’ve learned to do is to write down the ideas I have as I think of them, and establish an overall outline with the essential developments, quotes, and happenings of my story.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?I actually outsourced a lot of my editing – I believe that any artist, any athlete, and business person has to know their limitations and has to be wise and humble enough to accept help when they need it. In my case, I can write a story and make a plot I am satisfied with, but I can not bring the fresh viewpoint and set of ideas that a new content editor or grammatical editor can present. As a result, I had one content editor, Kristiina Negron, and two grammatical editors – LeAna Negron and Brooke Bozarth. Though I wrote the original and first draft of my book in about two weeks, I spent about two years going through my book editing and polishing it. Now, some people will similarly outsource their book cover design, but I believed that I had a pretty well executed design, so I created my own.  A book cover is, as many people will tell you, one of the most important aspects of publishing a novel. A cover kind of sets the mood and establishes a certain feel for the writing as a whole. A cover is also the first and last part of a book that most people will see, and it can establish the look for an entire set of branding in future books and other book related merchandise, so a cover has to be unique, sharp, and recognizable. 
After looking around at several sources of popular products, specifically with young adults, what I saw was that simplicity and sleekness were important and were well responded to. As a result, I wound up designing the Valcarion cover with a sleek black backdrop, lettering that kinda pops out, and some double exposed smoke framing the cover – smoke which, by the way, came from a fire in my very own backyard!
Greatest lesson learned for other writers? The greatest lesson I have learned as a writer is probably this; whether you’re self publishing, traditional publishing, or any mixture thereof, writers can not afford to just be writers. The best writer doesn’t sell their writing alone – they sell their personality. The greatest of writers has to be a writer, a marketer, a public figure, and a likeable personality.
Website:  www.valcarion.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Valcarion-Series-191318493726/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LukeEdison22
Amazon Author Page: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/profile
Book Links: https://www.amazon.com/Valcarion-Sacrifices-Book-1-ebook/dp/B012OOZPM2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465873534&sr=8-1&keywords=valcarion
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7668429.Luke_Edison


Blurb: Valcarion: Sacrifices is an enthralling adventure from the start as readers are cast into the expansive fantasy world of Frais. A tale of great battles, loyalty, and sacrifice is told through the eyes of Valcarion Theoron, an orphan from the age of three, who is well acquainted with the deep-cutting consequences of the war that has been ravaging his world. Until the age of sixteen, however, Valcarion was seen by the world around him as unimportant; just another body on a quickly changing planet. As the story unfolds, Valcarion’s past troubles and worries are swiftly forgotten when he finds a mysterious sword: one of the legendary Blades of Seraphic. From the moment Valcarion touches the decorated hilt, he is forever changed.
In a world full of lore and mystery, Valcarion will need something more than luck to rise to the challenges he faces as a young wielder. Unknown to Valcarion, the only other dangerously powerful blade is held by none other than the malevolent king, Grostine, who leads a battle hardened army in a campaign of darkness. 
As war begins to affect Valcarion on an increasingly personal level by claiming his remaining family and threatening his freedom, the young hero has his dedication and strength of character tested at every turn. Though loyal friends join his cause along the way, in the end it is Valcarion who has to decide just how much he is truly willing to sacrifice.
Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/Valcarion-Sacrifices-Book-1-ebook/dp/B012OOZPM2/ref=twoen-20
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7668429.Luke_Edison

Author Bio: Luke Edison is a twenty-three year-old author who grew up in southern New Jersey alongside four siblings in a home that was never lacking adventure.  During his sophomore year of high school Luke began writing a story that he had mapped out in his mind several years earlier, Valcarion: Sacrifices, as the first book of The Valcarion Series. Though Luke enjoys multiple art forms such as pencil sketches, song writing, and acting, his love for story telling is his most prominent and well-favored artistic interest. When not writing or working his post-college position, Luke enjoys activities such as terrain-park skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, camping, and hiking.
Though he has many passions in life, Luke’s primary goal may be found in his desire to positively influence the lives of many readers by successfully making a name for himself. His desire is to use his writing as a tool to reach teens and young adults and to build his public personality. Like the protagonists in his writings, Luke hopes that his actions as a public figure will impact the world around him in ways which encourage and inspire people across the globe.
Website:  valcarion.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Valcarion-Series-191318493726/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LukeEdison22Amazon Author Page: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/profile

#Excerpt: THE SOUND OF RUNNING HORSES by Donna Ball

 <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Times; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family:Times; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.yiv6954206111msonormal, li.yiv6954206111msonormal, div.yiv6954206111msonormal {mso-style-name:yiv6954206111msonormal; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Times; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Times; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -</style><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Excerpt:</span></b></div><br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aggie dropped the phone into her pocket and shouted,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>“Flash!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While she was on the phone Jack had cast off and started the engine, but he hadn’t yet moved away from the dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Aggie dived for the rope just as Flash reached the rail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span>She stripped the rope off the cleat and tossed it to Flash, who made one circuit around the rail support before leaping onto the dock with the end of the rope in his mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The boat began to edge away from the dock, taking up the slack in the rope, as Aggie snatched the rope from Flash and started to wind it around the cleat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>She was tying the knot when she heard the gear lock in and felt a strong tug that almost pulled her off balance and into the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Panic leapt to her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span>She finished tying the knot, praying it would hold, and shouted, “Jack Saunders, cut your engines!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Cut your engines and disembark!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That’s an order!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The line stretched taut but the knot held. The boat rocked in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Saunders called back, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You can’t give orders to a captain on his own boat!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aggie pulled her gun and got down on one knee in a shooter’s stance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>“Cut your engines this minute or I swear I’ll fill this boat with so many holes she’ll never float again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span>Do it now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boat railing began to creak as it strained against the pull of the engines and the opposing pull of the rope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Aggie held her breath, but she also held her aim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">    </span>In a moment the engines throttled down. “Return to dock!” she shouted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>“Disembark with your hands above your head!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flash jumped on board as soon as the boat was close enough, and kept Saunders in the pine-scented wheelhouse until Aggie had securely tied off again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>He had done take-downs before, but never on water and never, he had to admit, one that was this much fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Captain Jack snarled at him but Flash had bigger teeth, and after he demonstrated as much the captain gave him no more trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Saunders climbed sullenly onto the dock and raised his hands in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Flash kept a wary eye on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>After all, people, as he well knew, were unpredictable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aggie holstered her gun and snatched Jack’s hands behind his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>She was breathing so hard she was practically wheezing, and she was soaked in sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>“You are under arrest,” she said, with difficulty, “for evading a police officer, interfering with an investigation, withholding evidence, and disobeying an order from an officer of the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Damn it,” she said angrily as she snapped the cuffs closed, “I told you not to make me do this the hard way.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWEqIhPtqK..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWEqIhPtqK..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">BLURB:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Still recovering from the traumatic events of the past year, newlyweds Aggie Malone, police chief of Dogleg Island, and Deputy Sheriff Ryan Grady are looking forward to a carefree day of picnics, pirates and buried treasure with their precocious—and uncannily perceptive-- border collie, Flash. But when Flash discovers a body in a shallow grave on the deserted Wild Horse Island Nature Preserve, a tangled knot of conspiracy, murder and deception begins to unfold, revealing that the things that are buried are often the most dangerous and the only pirates you have to fear are the ones that live next door. <br /><br />Fifteen hundred miles away, an ex-con and a fifteen year old girl embark upon a crime spree that will earn them the nicknames “Bonnie and Clyde”. As they make their way inexorably south, Aggie, Grady and Flash are thrust into the middle of a murder investigation that leads to the arrest of one of their neighbors and the attempted suicide of another. When a search of the dead girl’s belongings reveals a priceless emerald bracelet and two of the islands most popular residents go missing, the puzzle becomes even more complicated. Grady and Aggie struggle to put all the pieces into place while Flash, ever obsessed with understanding the human condition, wrestles with a more painful dilemma: how do you tell the good guys from the bad guys when they are so often the same person?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Amazon buy link here: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GOLP4FE&... style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ihYD-QDWW..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ihYD-QDWW..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Donna Ball is the author of over a hundred novels under several different pseudonyms in a variety of genres that include romance, mystery, suspense, paranormal, western adventure, historical and women’s fiction. Recent popular series include the Ladybug Farm series by Berkley Books and the Raine Stockton Dog Mystery series. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Donna is an avid dog lover and her dogs have won numerous titles for agility, obedience and canine musical freestyle. She divides her time between the Blue Ridge mountains<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>and the east coast of Florida, where she lives with a variety of four-footed companions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">You can contact her at <a href="http://www.donnaball.net/">ht... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Sound of Running Horses, </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Two in the Dogleg Island Mystery series, is available July 15 2016 in paperback, and for Kindle and Nook. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="yiv6954206111msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="yiv6954206111msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="yiv6954206111msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f1787" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_95dju6rn" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqeIkg3Yx9..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqeIkg3Yx9..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2CpM2NP2Jp..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2CpM2NP2Jp..." /></a></div><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

#Excerpt: HEARTLAND by Sara Walter Ellwood, Lyrical Press Romances

Excerpt:
Emily glared at the retreating backside of EJ Cowley as he sauntered to his SUV, but her ire at the McAllister County sheriff was soon replaced with an appreciation of the way his ass filled out the tan pants. The scrawny teenage boy who’d pulled on her pigtails and chased her around the Double K when John Kendall wasn’t watching had grown up into a good-looking man.
Too bad he’d turned into a jerk.
She shook her head and rested her hand over the slight swell of her belly. Even if he was the nicest, sexiest man in the world, he was the last thing she needed. She wasn’t looking for a man. Didn’t want one. Her divorce had been final for almost two months, but she wouldn’t ever be completely free of Fabian McPhee despite her not wanting him to be part of her child’s life and his lack of paternal acknowledgement. The only way to escape him was to never let her baby know about him which she wouldn’t--couldn’t--ever do. Regardless of the pain of abandonment and the questions the knowledge of her little girl’s famous father would cause her, Emily could never do to her daughter what her parents did to her. The not knowing and finding out later was worse.
Emily closed her eyes and rested her head on the seat behind her. As she rubbed over the baby growing inside her, she smiled as the memory of when she’d found out she was having a girl entered her mind.
Twelve weeks into her pregnancy, the OB/Gynecologist, Dr. Summers, performed an amniocentesis. The test results came back perfectly normal and revealed the baby’s sex.
Every test the doctors performed had come back showing her baby was healthy. Dr. Summers accredited the good news to the fact Emily found out about her pregnancy early and stopped taking drugs.
“Emily… Miz Kendall? You okay?”
At the sound of EJ’s deep Texas twang, she jerked her eyes open and stopped massaging her belly. No one outside of Trish Russell, Fabian, and her doctors knew about the baby, not even her parents. If he suspected her secret, he showed no signs as he held out a sheet of pink paper--her speeding ticket.
She snatched it out of his hand and tossed it on the seat beside her. “I’m fine. Tired. I’ve been driving for thirteen hours and want to get home to my family.”
He straightened and the buttons on his uniform shirt strained across his chest as he took a deep breath. Did he lift weights? Without warning, she imagined him without the shirt and envisioned a broad chest rippling with muscle.
Irritated at the fantasy as much as by the man, she put her sunglasses back on her face and glared at him. “Are we done?”
He gave her a devilish smile, which turned his ruggedly handsome face superstar gorgeous and sent a tingle through her nervous system. “Yeah. Say hi to your mama and daddy.” As she turned the key in the ignition, he tapped the top of her car. “And drive within the speed limits.”
Her response was to hit the gas hard enough to send up a cloud of dust from the side of the road, but she didn’t speed past forty-five.
As she looked at him through her rearview mirror, she grinned at him shaking his head and standing with his arms crossed as the fine, Texas grit settled around him.


BLURB:Sex, drugs, and country music. That was the lifestyle for Emily Kendall, a Texas girl who hit it big on the country music charts--until she found herself pregnant and battling addiction. Now out of rehab and seeking a new life for herself and her unborn child, Emily returns to her hometown of McAllister. The last thing she's looking for is trouble, no matter how good it looks in uniform. . .A widower, single father, and former Army Ranger struggling with PTSD, Sheriff EJ Cowley hashis own demons to battle while keeping folks safe. The last thing he needs is a troubled celebrity speeding through town in her bright red Mazerati. But when someone from Emily's past threatens her safety and the peace of McAllister, EJ has no choice but to protect her. And soon both will learn there's more to the other than meets the eye. And that wounded hearts can love again. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links: Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published author and publishes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name Cera duBois.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/29486http://www.sarawalterellwood.com/http://www.twitter.com/sara_w_ellwoodhttp://www.facebook.com/sarawalterellwood.ceradubois

Buy Links:Amazonkindle, http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781601834904
 Apple, http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781601834904
Google, https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781601834904&c=books
 Kobo, http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781601834904
Nook  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781601834904
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/2016/06/blurb-blitz-lyrical-press-contemporary.html


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Interview with Michael Chatfield, SACREMON

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?Sacremon looks at what would happen if corporations controlled everything - from Earth to the colonies that they have settled. Government is just a system to keep the workers of Earth and Her Colonies under the Corporations’ control. Sacremon follows the story of two brothers, Mark and Tyler Victor that grew up in the slums of Earth. Earth is made up of two groups: those that live in the slums, and those that live in the massive cities that are made up of the richest CEOs. The CEOs do as they want, and the people in the slums fight one another for the little that they have. The only way out of the slums is through Earth’s Military Force (EMF). The EMF has one role - to secure the corporations’ control over the colonists that work for them in their settled colonies. Sacremon is the first in The Harmony War Series.
Do you have a favorite character?Hard question! I like all of the characters, even if they are uncaring CEOs and rebelling colonists. But my favourite character would have to be Mark. He’s a lot of fun to follow and watch his reactions. Plus the dude can fight. There’s not many scenes quite like having Mark in a fight. He seems to find himself in a lot of those for some reason…
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?To be honest, I never even really thought about traditional publishing. There were so many barriers to entry, and I wanted the greater control over my work that I have heard traditionally-published authors complaining about.
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?I’m pretty involved, but not too much. My current cover artist is Hokunin. I basically give him reference images on what I want the characters to have, or an idea of what the scene might be on the cover, and see what he comes up with. I think that having a solid image of the book’s cover in your head can be negative, as it is rare that your imagination will match up with reality. It’s better to have a rough idea and then see what the cover artist comes up with. I’ve been lucky to find an artist who can make some really great covers, so I’m always happily surprised and excited to see what the cover of a book will be.  What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?Once I have my characters and thought of a scenario for them, I build my way up to my daily word goal and keep going till I’ve got the book down. I’ll add in scenes at the end, if I think something is missing, and fire it off to my beta readers. After throwing a bunch of emails around and correcting any mess-ups I have, it’s off to my editor. I’m constantly listening to music. YouTube is always open, and I probably spend too much time looking for new music.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?I’m along for the ride as much as the readers. I start off a story making up a character, and then throwing them into interesting situations. Sometimes I have a general direction I’m going in, but most of the time, it’s just crazy adventure.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Yes I most definitely do! With my first book, The Recruitment, I learned to invest in an editor. I’m good with the whole storytelling thing, but sentence structure is usually left by the wayside. Having an editor makes it not only a better story, but an easier read.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?Readers and sci fi fans can find me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/michaelchatfieldsbooks/), follow me on Twitter (@chatfieldsbooks) or check out my website at: http://michaelchatfield.com/Here, you can find all of the latest news on my books and read exclusive excerpts.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?That was one of my biggest issues. I found that I was spending more time keeping my social media and other advertising up-to-date, instead of getting to work on my book. It was the reason that I got a “social media guy” (he also goes by Jay.) He takes care of that side of things, and I get back to writing as much as possible!
What’s next for you?Next for me is looking to work on the next book in the Harmony War Series, Masoul. It’s already proving to be a wild ride. If people liked Sacremon, then I think they’ll be addicted to Masoul.
Why should people read your latest release, SACREMON, and your books in general?If you like characters, mixed with action and backed up with real science, then I’ve got some books for you. When I start a story, I don’t look at the events of the story. I look at the characters. They’re the reason we’re all reading - good characters that can grip us, and pull us into a story.
Well, that’s why I read at least! That is why my characters are the centre of the story. Then I throw them into scenario after scenario, based off real science and events. After that, it’s just a ride for me as much as it is for the reader. I may have an idea of how the characters are going to react, but it’s not until I write out the scene that I see how they change. The characters are gritty and real. They have their own issues, motivations and needs.

Amazon buy link:  http://amzn.to/29ni4BG

Author Bio: Having spent the majority of his childhood jumping from country to country with his mother, Michael Chatfield now travels the world searching for inspiration. He calls Canada home, for now, but regularly bounces across the pond to his true home, the UK. Michael pays the bills as an Infanteer in the Canadian military.
Michael is an accomplished science fiction author based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and has written a series of novels, titled The Free Fleet Series, released on Amazon. His latest book, From Furies Forged Free Fleet 5, was just released on June 4. His upcoming release, the first book of the Harmony War Series, Sacremon, is forthcoming. 
You can find all of Michael's book at his Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Chatfield/e/B00WCAOQME

#Excerpt: LOVE, ALCHEMY by Eden Ashley

 
Excerpt: Remington
The rusted chains squeaked in rhythm with the swing’s low arc. Somewhere in the distance, a raven cawed. Leaves fluttered about in a crisp breeze, adding soft whispers to the existing melody. Davey sat and let momentum propel her higher, trying to quell the thunder inside her mind as she thought of how things used to be.
Palmer hadn’t taken her home. Davey would never allow that. Instead, he dropped her off at the old, abandoned home of a dead woman who everyone in town used to love. A trail in the backyard twisted through the woods for about a mile and then ended in Resting Pines, a trailer park containing over a dozen single-wide mobile homes all in desperate need of repair. Every day, just as dark started to fall, Davey abandoned her thoughts and the swing set to take the path to trailer number six.
“Hello.”
She hadn’t heard anyone walk up, so when the male voice called out the low greeting, Davey was startled. She turned around, saw the navy blue uniform, and almost bolted. Her eyes narrowed in recognition, but she didn’t relax. “No one’s breaking the law around here,” she said. “You can go away.”
The cop kept walking toward her. His mirrored aviators hung from his shirt pocket, so this time, Davey could see his eyes. They were a deep grey and reminded her of a sky considering a heavy rain. He was fairly tall. It was easy to see that his uniform hid a well-muscled body, one that probably looked damn hot naked. Had Remington not represented the type of authority Davey loathed, she might have considered him good-looking.
Losing interest, she turned in the swing. The cop was unwelcome, so Davey intended to ignore him. If he didn’t take the hint and go, she would. It was getting close to dark anyway.
Again, his voice broke through her thoughts. “What is a creeper?”
Davey started to spin around until she realized Remington was already in front of her. “Dude, what’s your problem?”
“As of right now, all systems are functioning normally.”
“You sound like a freaking robot.”
Laughing easily, Remington crouched down. It put him below eye-level, since she was still sitting in the swing. “Sorry.” He ran a hand through a high-fade of thick, dark brown hair. “I’m straight out of officer training. Before that it was military school. I may seem a bit stiff at times.”
Davey nodded slowly. “You’re a rookie.”
“Yes.”
“Great.” She pasted an unfriendly smile onto her face. “That’s exactly what this town needs.”
“I sense you are being sarcastic.”
“Wow. You’re probably going to make detective soon.”
For a moment, his brow creased in confusion. Then Remington looked away. Davey regretted making fun of him. He really didn’t seem like a bad guy. “Look,” she said, “it’s nothing personal. Today has just been kind of tough. That’s all.”
“Today has been rough for me as well. The department likes to have fun with the new kids.”
Glancing at the sky, Davey stood up. It was time to go. Officer Remington got to his feet as well. His grey eyes held her in place. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
She studied him for a long time. “A creeper is someone who does weird stuff like watch people sleep or bring up crazy stuff normal people wouldn’t talk about.”
He grinned. “Or stares at someone for extended periods of time?”
Maybe Remington wasn’t so clueless. Davey resisted the smile tugging at her mouth. “Yeah,” she replied shortly and started walking toward the trail.
“What’s your name?” he called.
Davey turned but kept walking backward. “If I meet you again, I’ll tell you.”
She had no idea she would see Officer Remington again before the night ended.

BLURB:
Daveigh Little is no stranger to bad choices, but when one of them lands her in hot water, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless criminal who places a price on her head…and then there is Ethan.

From the moment she first laid eyes on Ethan Remington, Daveigh knew there was something very different about him…she just didn’t know how different.

With the habit of showing up exactly when she needs him the most, Ethan displays an uncanny intuition towards Daveigh’s whereabouts. But then the tables are turned and soon Daveigh realizes that it is Ethan who actually needs saving.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENMA95G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Realist, cynic, and hopeless romantic all rolled into one, Eden lives in a small, sunny town in SC where thunderstorms inspire her best ideas. When not daydreaming about her next novel, Eden can be found curled up with a musty old paperback and a cup of coffee...or mired deeply in her next plot to take over the world. She enjoys reading or watching anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal and fantasy romance is a natural fit.
Links:Blog: http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdenAshleyAuthorTwitter: @Eden_byNiteGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7150184.Eden_Ashley
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