Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 180

#Excerpt: NEVERLAND WARS by Audrey Greathouse

The Neverland Wars
Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: May 9th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That’s what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.
However, Gwen doesn’t know this. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn’t know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she’ll discover she’s in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She’ll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won’t be the only one. Peter Pan’s constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she’s going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she’s going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.

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EXCERPT:A flash of lightning electrified the sky, shooting light through the forest with a jarring pang. The boom of thunder followed immediately after. The sky was grey and the clouds shifted like a swarm of dark fish in a pond. Gwen feared she would be caught in a storm, but not a drop of rain had fallen yet.
All at once, Gwen found herself in a meadow. She had never been here before; she knew that. Wildflowers cropped up in sporadic clumps, and the long, green grasses were uncut at her calves. The tree line had suddenly broken. One minute, she was racing through the forest, the next, she was floating here. Pausing to catch her breath, she ironically felt safer in this open area than in the claustrophobic security of the forest. She landed gently, unthinkingly. Turning her head to the sky, she saw the faint grey clouds blowing and rolling away. Darker clouds seemed to be coming to take their place.
On the other side of the meadow, Peter burst into the clearing. Bramble was leading him, guiding the boy to poor, lost Gwen. If Gwen had understood the fairy language, she would have already known that.
“Gwenny!”
“Peter?” Gwen shouted. She ran to him, and between her bounding strides and his quick flight, they met in the middle of the meadow, cornflowers and lilacs growing up around them. Perhaps if he had been on the ground initially, she would have hugged him. Peter lingered in the air for just a moment though, and by the time he landed, the impulse to hug each other had melted away into urgent discussion. “What are you doing out here?” His voice carried the sort of anger that only accompanied concern.
“I got lost in the woods; I was trying to come back. Is something wrong, Peter?”
Bramble flitted back and forth, pacing in the air, objecting to Peter and Gwen having this conversation now, rather than when they were safely underground.
“The opposition, they’ve launched an attack. We’ve got to get to cover.”
“What? No, it’s just a storm.” Gwen didn’t understand what Peter was telling her, but she had already made up her mind that she didn’t believe it.
“Gwen-dollie, we’ve got to go. There’s—”
The sky was suddenly drained of light. The thin, grey clouds that had blocked the sun were eclipsed by darker, brooding storm clouds, and as the daylight faded, small, grey flecks began to rain down. As they drifted softly, Gwen knew it wasn’t rain. Her attention was as captivated as Peter’s was, but she did not understand what it was the way he did. “Snow?” she asked quizzically, looking at the grey and dirty powder as it started to fall around her.
Peter held out his hand and caught a flake of it, crushing it in his hand. It left a smoky residue on his palm. “Ash.”
The winds picked up, and more of the ash furiously fluttered down. It became larger, and Gwen could hardly comprehend the charred flecks of paper that were plummeting down. Peter zipped up into the air, jumping more than flying, to grab a large square of it. He came back down immediately, a look of horror on his face.
“Peter, what is it?” Gwen pled, hoping that her fear was born of her unknowing, that if she only had answers she wouldn’t be afraid, but from the look on his face, she knew that answers would only bring more fear.
The invisible hand of the wind grabbed the paper from out of Peter’s hold. It blew straight to Gwen. Catching it, she realized it was a page from out of a newspaper; the title read—ISIS ATTACK ON ERBIL; HUNDREDS DEAD.
She had seen newspaper headlines before, but this news did not belong here. Not in Neverland. It was too dark, too terrifying of a thing to read amid the lilacs and cornflowers. Again, she begged, “What is this, Peter?”
The page was torn out of her hand by the vindictive wind. Peter answered her, with a word she had never feared so greatly. “Reality.”

Author Bio:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com

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#Excerpt: A WEDDING AT MEADOWS SHORE by Eva Charles

Excerpt:
Suddenly she realized what was happening—the moans were coming from her. She needed to stop. This was a bad idea. She knew he was an expert at making women melt. She forced her brain to wrest control from her body, and pulled away.
“Sophie, don’t,” he pleaded.
“I can’t do this.”
He cradled her face in his hands. “Sophie, we’re both adults. This is something we both want. I know you want this—maybe not as bad as I do, but you want it.” He kissed her neck and whispered, “Say it, say it…please say it.”
She looked tortured. If he persisted, he could wear her down. But he didn’t want that. What he wanted was to take her to bed, take her body to new heights, visit places she’d never been before. He wanted to exorcise the painful memory of her ex-husband, snuff out the memory of every man she’d ever been with.
He wanted to enjoy her pleasure, wanted her to enjoy him, with no regrets. If he pressed her now, there’d be regrets in the morning, lots of regrets. Regrets he couldn’t afford, because he meant to have her again. One night with her would never be enough to satisfy him. He didn’t want her forever, didn’t want anyone forever, but he wanted her for a little while. Just a little while.

BLURB:
After Sophie Clayton catches her husband in bed with a young intern, she creates a new life for herself as the executive director of a failing domestic violence agency. It’s the perfect job for a woman born to fix everything. A friend’s broken heart, a tattered agency, a flat tire—she’ll roll up her sleeves and make it as good as new. Sophie rarely encounters anything she can’t fix…until she meets the devastatingly handsome and insufferably arrogant, Max Parker. One of Boston’s most eligible bachelors, he’s never without a stunning young woman on his arm and in his bed.
When Sophie’s forced to deal with Max, sparks fly, and somewhere in the crossfire of verbal daggers and clever barbs, she discovers his darkest secret.http://www.amazon.com/Eva-Charles/e/B0140FZ442

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Eva Charles is the author of the multi-titled Meadows Shore Series that chronicles the lives and loves of the Clayton-Harrington family. She invites you to visit their beloved Meadows Shore nestled in the charming seaside town of Fair Harbor, where you’ll enjoy love, laughter, loyalty, and an abundance of mouth-watering food, Portuguese style.
After being a confirmed city-girl for more than thirty-five years, Eva moved to beautiful western Massachusetts in 2014. There, she found herself living in the woods with no job, no friends (unless you count the turkeys, deer, and coyotes roaming the backyard), and no children underfoot, wondering what on earth she’d been thinking. But as it turned out, it was the perfect setting to take all those yarns spinning in her head and weave them into a romantic tale.
When she’s not writing, trying to squeeze information out of her tight-lipped sons, or playing with the two cutest dogs you’ve ever seen, Eva’s creating chapters in her own love story.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14223913.Eva_Charleshttps://www.facebook.com/evacharlesauthor/
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Interview with Suzanne Adams, MUSING OF AN EARTH ANGEL

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?My book, Musings of an Earth Angel is a story about a girl who has what she thinks is the perfect life, until it all comes crashing down.  She has a cracking open of sorts and starts to search for her life purpose and the true meaning of life.
Samantha Kingston had the perfect job, perfect boyfriend, and perfect Friday nights. When disaster strikes she loses everything and is propelled into a journey where evil and good, dark and light are battling for her destiny. Will the Demon Brigade viciously destroy her? Or will her Angel team and the Divine help her to elevate and see her real truth as an Earth Angel?
Yes, it is the first book of a trilogy!
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?I was pretty involved because I had a certain feel and vibe I was wanted to capture.  My designer did an amazing job and I am very pleased with my cover!

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I do not, but I definitely use editors when writing.  I am not sure how I would be able to do it other wise.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I love to be in a relaxing place, if possible and listen to classical music.  I have don’t that form the beginning so it helps sort of get me right into writing mode.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?I sort of have an idea of where things are going to go, but then I just sort of get out of the way and allow the story to take flight.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Yes!  I am super grateful for editors.  I honestly couldn’t not have published my novel without a great editor.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Yes, you can get Musings of an Earth Angel anywhere books are for sale!

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?Mainly Facebook and Instagram

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Sometimes, it it definitely more challenging to carve out as much time to write this go around.  But I am so excited to be sharing this story with the world so it is all really worth it!!

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?I love to teach about happiness and encourage people to follow their dreams.  I also love, love, love to travel!




BLURB:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Suzanne Adams is an author, motivational speaker and Life Purposeconsultant from Atlanta this is sharing her zest for life with audiences around the globe. She believes that having fun and following your passion are the keys to finding true happiness and she's passionate about helping unlock what that means for you.
Suzanne's purpose is to teach people how to live a life of fulfillment and joy. She does this through teaching you her proven 5 step process to attract happiness and freedom into your life. Her first book, Musings of an Earth Angel, was just published this fall. You can connect with Suzanne here. (www.suzanneadamsauthor.com)
Spotify Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/user/musingsofanearthangel/playlist/7r74qUqUAS2RjLEtYKT3Eq
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009032734848
https://twitter.com/musingsofanEA
http://instagram.com/samanthakingstonea/
http://www.musingsofanearthangel.com

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#Excerpt: WHEN THE SERPENT BITES by Nesly Clerge

 <!-- /* 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.yiv3880255570msonormal, li.yiv3880255570msonormal, div.yiv3880255570msonormal {mso-style-name:yiv3880255570msonormal; 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;">Excerpt:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The truth, Starks realized back in his cell, was that he’d given little thought to Bo during his time in isolation, a true case of “out of sight, out of mind.” Seeing Bo brought something home to him: if the gang leader didn’t get him, one of his gang members would.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He’d caught Bo by surprise in that attack, and he knew that wouldn’t be allowed to happen again. The inmate and his followers would be on alert from now on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He could feel retaliation following him, waiting for him like something in the shadows. He was in prison for a long time. They all were. All Bo or anyone needed was an opportunity—or an arrangement with the right guards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sure, he’d demonstrated that he, too, was capable of violence but he’d never initiated it. He’d always been provoked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe he needed to make a concession in this case: Kill Bo before the man killed him. But that solution was fraught with dead-ends. Literally. One or more gang members would surely go after him, if he succeeded. The idea of taking Bo out was nothing but wishful thinking, with no basis in reality.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe there were other gangs at Sands that would include him as a member, protect him? Of course not, he chided himself. No one opposed Bo. Not if they wanted to live. And especially not if they wanted the contraband he could provide that no one else could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe if he attacked a guard, they might extend his time in solitary. But that didn’t guarantee safety either, including or especially with the guards who’d probably avenge their own, one way or another.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And he was fairly certain the chance that another inmate would kill Bo, for whatever reason, was zero. Even if someone else did the job, that wouldn’t mean Bo’s gang would let him get away with what he’d done to their leader. Eventually, he’d have to be made an example of.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Every idea that came to Starks’s mind was followed by a reason it wouldn’t work. The only idea he couldn’t argue with was that he should use some of his isolation time to build his strength. Letting himself get weak in any capacity wasn’t a wise way to go. They couldn’t keep him in isolation forever.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And, he decided, he should do something to strengthen his faltering nerve, as well. But that seemed harder to wrap his thoughts around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He almost felt foolish for being so edgy. The rest of the week, after all, had been routine: Meal trays of crappy food were slid into and retrieved through the slot; all the guards but Ted Landers insulted him; lights dimmed at night and brightened in the morning; one hour a day to exercise and shower.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was during that one hour that he went on full alert. He felt somewhat safer when Ted was on duty, but knew not to trust that completely. Not that he believed Ted would betray him but that the out of shape CO could be overpowered, injured, or killed by another inmate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That thought not only made fear return but intensified it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He needed more people on his side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y5w1m2czZe..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y5w1m2czZe..." 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 class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Frederick Starks has it all—a gorgeous wife who was his high school sweetheart, three beautiful children, a mansion and cars others envy, millions in the bank, respected in his community, admired by his employees, loved and respected by loyal friends. He revels in the hard-earned power and control he’s acquired. As the saying goes, “All that glitters is not gold,” which Starks discovers when gut-wrenching betrayal by his wife sends him over the edge and into a maximum security prison. There, Starks is a new “fish,” stripped of nearly everything he’s always relied on. In that place, where inmates and guards have their own rules and codes of conduct, Starks is forced to face the darker side of life, and his own darker side, especially when the betrayals, both inside and outside the prison, don’t stop. He must choose which path to follow when the line between right and wrong becomes blurred: one that leads to getting out of the physical and emotional hellhole he finds himself in or one that keeps him alive.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Serpent-Bi... style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><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 align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><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 class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Nesly Clerge received his bachelor’s degree in physiology and neurobiology at the University of Maryland, and later pursued a doctoral degree in the field of chiropractic medicine. Although his background is primarily science-based, he has finally embraced his lifelong passion for writing. Clerge’s debut novel, <i>When the Serpent Bites</i>, will be available in 2015, with the sequel to follow in 2016. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">His debut novel explores choices, consequences, and the complexities of human emotions, especially when we are placed in a less-than-desirable setting. When he is not writing, Clerge manages several multidisciplinary clinics. He enjoys reading, chess, traveling, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with his significant other and his sons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Official site: <a href="http://www.clergebooks.com/">... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/clergebooks"... class="yiv3880255570msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClergeBooks/... style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="yiv3880255570msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="yiv3880255570msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><br /></div><div class="yiv3880255570msonormal" 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><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="yiv3880255570msonormal" 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="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f1633" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_0gben1cy" 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYup2jQsRf..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYup2jQsRf..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZTRVEr0NA..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZTRVEr0NA..." /></a></div><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

#Excerpt: TAMING BEASTIE by Sedona Venez

Taming Beastie
Sedona Venez
Publication date: May 3rd 2016
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense

This big bad kitty is ready to play.
He’ll do anything to protect and claim his mate as only a tiger can.
Curvy Hope won’t go down without a fight and will try anything to resist Elijah Beastie, a dangerous, wild, and sexy tiger shifter.

Hope is everything Elijah wants in a mate and this sexy kitty knows just how to shatter her defenses and keep her moaning for days.
Danger lurks around every corner when they discover her secret. True evil wants Hope for the ultimate power that she can give them, yet she doesn’t realize the extent of the force she holds within herself.

Can true love stand the test of time? Or will temptation break their bond?

Taming Beastie is a stand alone adventure-packed shifter romance tale. If you like steamy love scenes, heart-pounding romance, and piles of sexy shifter secrets, then you’ll love the latest romp from author Sedona Venez.
Buy Taming Beastie today to fall for this latest shifter tale!

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo
EXCERPT:My fingers ached with the need to touch him. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.” I glanced away and then back. “You didn’t have to get me anything for my birthday. Besides, my birthday isn’t for another couple days.”
“I wanted to get you something that would remind you of me.” His lips curled up into a small smile.
My body craved to be touched by him, and as if he sensed my need, he suddenly leaned in, putting his nose against my neck. My lips parted as his alluring aromatic scent of expensive cigars, sandalwood, and rich earth wafted around me. I almost dropped my glass before carefully placing it on the table with trembling fingers.
He leaned away, and when he pulled a small plate over in front of me, his arm brushed the side of my breast.
Scooping a teeny portion of truffle mac and cheese onto a plate, he dug into it and held out a forkful. “Here, open up for me, darling.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “You do know I’m not a two-year-old?” I countered.
But there was something sexy about him feeding me, and it aroused my senses and body.
“Open your mouth, Hope,” he demanded in a voice that was low, seductive.
My breath quickened. Well… if you insist.
My lips parted, allowing him to slide the fork inside. Damn, it is good—in every fucking way possible.

Author Bio:
Sedona Venez is a romance author with a dirty mind. She lives in New York City with her hot ex-military hubby--hooah--and their fur baby. She loves writing sizzling, sexy intricate stories about strong but broken characters who push limits, overcome their fears, and risk it all for love.

You can chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SedonaVenez), Twitter (@SedonaVenez), and her kick-ass romance website, (www.sedonavenez.com).

If you're interested in getting your hands on an advanced release copy of her upcoming books, sneak peek teasers, you can join her newsletter list (http://eepurl.com/2ixqj) and get those details delivered right to your inbox.
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#Excerpt: IT'S ALWAYS COMPLICATED by Julia Kent

It’s Always Complicated
Julia Kent
Publication date: April 27th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary

Take two men, one woman, three children. Stir in one best friend and her fiancé doctor. Whisk one best friend’s niece, her two rock star boyfriends, and add a grizzled old octogenarian diner owner with a naughty mouth and her eighty-something boyfriend who loves every minute of her.

Put them all in a campground in northern Maine where the owners’ daughter has two special men of her own. Bake for 400 pages.
It’s Always Complicated is the sprawling saga of how Laura, Mike and Dylan (Her Billionaires) and Josie and Alex (It’s Complicated) have the wedding of a lifetime at Escape Shores Campground (the Obedient series) while Darla, Trevor and Joe (the Random series) make an appearance with a cast of characters that includes cameos from the Warlock Waitress and maybe…just maybe…Mavis the Chicken.

This book combines three of Julia Kent’s series in a madcap spectacle that yields one universal truth: love is a journey and not a destination, but people will drive you crazy along the way.
Enjoy the ride.
—
Read the series in order:
Her Billionaires (New York Times bestseller)
It’s Complicated
Completely Complicated
It’s Always Complicated

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EXCERPT:A small crowd of men wearing gun holsters ran past Josie and Alex, followed by three uniformed TSA agents.“I wonder what that’s about?” Alex marveled, his eyes tracking the fracas. He and Josie had come to the Portland, Maine airport to pick up her mother, Marlene, and Aunt Cathy, Uncle Mike and her new Uncle Calvin. All the Ohio relatives were here for her and Alex’s wedding.
A cold wave of dread washed over her. They were running toward the baggage claim for the airline her entire family was on.
“I’ll bet it’s my mother,” she groaned, leaning against him for support. His strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and gave her the comfort she needed. Too bad he couldn’t give her a second backbone made of steel.
If he could, she knew, he would. The thought made her smile.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” he said, giving her a squeeze. She looked up at him. Way up, given the enormous height difference between the two of them. His warm, brown eyes met hers and for an instant, she wondered if he might be right. That eternally positive outlook he had was a bit infectious.
Maybe she needed to stop assuming the worst of every situation.
A rotund security guard huffed and puffed, running past them, holding what looked like a spare uniform. He was talking into a walkie-talkie.
“Naked?” Huff huff. “She’s naked? What size?” Huff huff.
Alex’s kind eyes filled with alarm. It was both charming and horrifying. Josie couldn’t quite decide which impression she enjoyed more. There was a kind of schadenfreude in realizing she was right. His idealism was sweet, but sometimes she needed him to be more of a realist.
And Marlene served up an entire buffet of realism.
“Mile High Club again?” the guard asked, pausing to catch his breath. Josie watched him with a morbid fascination.
“You don’t really think it’s your mom in there, Josie,” Alex said. He caressed her shoulder absent-mindedly, watching the guard. “I mean—”
“Two men in one bathroom with a naked woman?” the guard barked into his walkie-talkie, eyebrows hitting the brim of his hat.
Josie snorted, the sense of dread spreading.
“How could it be anyone else?”
“That sounds more like something Darla would do,” Alex said. “You sure she’s still in Boston and not on this flight?”
Just as Josie was about to reply, the commotion got louder.
“MARLENE!” Josie heard the sense of outrage in her Aunt Cathy’s voice. The airport was small, but not that small. Cathy’s voice could carry. “WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR CLOTHES?”

Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge, and new adult books that push contemporary boundaries. From billionaires to BBWs to rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every book she writes, but unlike Trevor from Random Acts of Crazy, she has never kissed a chicken.

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New FBI Brandon Fisher release: VIOLATED by Carolyn Arnold

VIOLATED (BRANDON FISHER FBI SERIES)by Carolyn Arnold
Published by: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc.ISBN (e-book): 978-1-988064-71-0ISBN (print): 978-1-988064-70-3
Approximately 250 pages
BOOK OVERVIEW
Sometimes the past should stay there…
The murder is one of the most heinous FBI agent and profiler Brandon Fisher has ever seen. But that’s not why he and two members of the team are rushing to California. The Bureau is interested because the prime suspect is one of their own, Paige Dawson.
But Paige didn’t go to Valencia to kill anyone. She had set out on “vacation”—her new lover in tow—only to confront the man who raped her friend twenty-some years ago. While the hands of the law are tied, she wants him to face the fact that he destroyed a young woman’s life and know that, as an FBI agent, she’ll be watching his every move. Yet, instead of accomplishing her goal, she wound up in the back of a police cruiser.
Now Paige must face off with a hard-nosed detective determined to stick a murder charge to a fed. But with the trained eyes of the FBI on the case, it’s becoming more and more obvious that the evidence lends itself to a serial killing, not an isolated incident. And as long as the local authorities are focused on Paige, the real murderer is still out there, possibly waiting to strike again…
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Excerpt from Chapter 1
“Agent Fisher.” I had answered without checking the caller ID, but the ensuing silence on the other end of the line had me pulling back the phone and consulting it now.
SANTA CLARITA V.
That tells me nothing…
“Hello? This is Special Agent Brandon Fisher. Can I help you?” I looked for Zach, but he was gone again.
There was no verbal response on the other end of the line, but I heard a distinct exhale, followed by more deep breaths.
Santa Clarita… Where was that? It sounded Californian.
And I knew only one person in California.
“Paige?”
There was a jagged intake of breath. A sob, maybe?
“Oh God, Brandon.” It was Paige, and she was definitely crying. And Paige didn’t cry. I’d witnessed the odd tear fall when our relationship had ended, but this was different. Something was very wrong.
I leaned on my desk and looked around, but no one was nearby.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?” I asked. I gave her a few seconds to respond. She didn’t. “Where’s Sam? Is he okay? Talk to me, Paige.”
“Shh. I don’t want everyone to know.”
“What’s going on?” I was starting to get annoyed that she was avoiding my question. She was the one who had called me.
“I’m in trouble,” she began. “Big trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“I’m in…jail,” she ground out.
Her words struck me as a physical blow. I even stopped breathing for a second. I sank back into my chair. “You’re what?”
“There’s been a misunderstanding is all.”
I’d hope so…
“Where is Sam?” I asked again.
“Please, Brandon, don’t tell Jack or Zach.”
Another aversion tactic. “I don’t know much to tell.” My concern for her was quickly morphing into irritation. “Where’s Sam?” I repeated a third time. Maybe I should record myself and just hit “play.”
Another deep exhale into the receiver.
“Talk to me,” I entreated.
“He doesn’t know.”
“What? How can he not know you were—”
“Shh! I can’t explain everything over the phone. I need you to get me a good defense attorney and send him to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. Have them ask for Detective Grafton or Mendez.”
A good defense attorney?
“What are you suspected of?”
“I don’t want—”
“You called me, remember?”
She sighed. “Something I might be regretting…”
“I’m sorry, but you asked me to get you—”
Jack came up next to my desk. He ran a hand along his throat, indicating my call needed to end. Now. And based on the way he was staring me down, refusing him wasn’t an option.
“Where’s Zach?” he asked.
“God, is that Jack?” Paige whispered. “Brandon, you can’t say a—”
I cupped the receiver portion of my cell phone and held it away from my ear. “He’ll be back,” I told Jack. “He probably just went to the bathroom.”
“Hang up,” Jack demanded. He never tolerated personal calls on the job, but this was going overboard. Besides, this particular one wasn’t personal. Or was it?
And why did Paige call me and not Sam? Was it just that I was familiar, or did she not want to give the new guy a bad impression? I dismissed the idea of her still harboring feelings for me before I even considered it, but whatever it was, I wasn’t sure I was completely comfortable with it.
I got up from my chair and walked away from Jack, taking my cell phone with me. I had it pressed to my ear again and could tell Paige was still on the line. I could feel Jack’s eyes watching me, but so far, he wasn’t following.
“I will do what you asked,” I said into the receiver, “but it would help to know what you’re…you know.” I didn’t want to say being charged with, seeing as Jack was still within earshot.
“I don’t want to get into it with you, Brandon. Hell, I probably shouldn’t have even called you. I just thought I could trust you.”
“You can.” The words had come out of their own volition.
“Thank you. I just need a defense attorney who is good at getting the innocent off—” Someone spoke to her in the background. “Yes, I know… Fine,” she said, her voice muffled, probably from her hand over the receiver. Then back to me. “I’ve got to go.”
“I’ll get you someone.”
“Remember, Detective Graft—”
“Grafton and Mendez. I got it.”
“One more thing, Brandon. Please let Sam know I’m okay.”
“And what about the part where you were…” I couldn’t elaborate as Jack was now literally breathing down my neck.
“You can’t tell him I’ve been arrested.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Can I trust you or not?” she asked impatiently.
I nodded even though she couldn’t see it. “You can.”
“Sam’s at the Hyatt Regency, room 328.” Then she hung up. With the conversation over, I was left to face Jack, and based on his epic scowl, I was going to have explain why I didn’t hang up the second he had told me to.
“I need to make another phone call,” I said.
“Not right now you don’t,” Jack replied.
Zach came back to his desk, a confused look on his face when he saw the two of us, and Jack gestured for us to follow him into his office.
I was pacing in front of Jack’s door, not wanting to go in because I needed to get Paige that lawyer ASAP.
Jack gripped my shoulder with a firm hand. “Go inside.”
“Uh, yeah. On it.” I pressed on a smile and went into his office.
Jack shut the door and didn’t bother to take a seat. Neither did Zach or I, but the two of us kept looking at each other for a clue as to what this was about.
“Paige has been brought in as a murder suspect.” Jack delivered the statement as if it were any other case—direct, punchy, and succinct.
I swallowed roughly, my throat so dry I wondered if my mouth was even producing any saliva. I sought out one of the chairs that were positioned in front of Jack’s desk.
Jack’s gaze followed me until I sat down. “That was Paige on the phone with you, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I choked out.
His jaw tightened. He shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what he was referring to—Paige’s arrest or my consorting with the…enemy?
Jack closed his eyes. “She just couldn’t leave it alone.”
“Leave what alone?” Zach asked.
Jack let out a heaving sigh, met my eyes, and then turned for the door. “Come on, we’re going to California. I’ll explain on the plane.”


CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:Website - http://carolynarnold.net/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_ArnoldFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.  

Interview with Liz Gavin, LUCK OF THE IRISH

  <!-- /* 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:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 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;} @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-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:8.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-noshow:yes; 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";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; 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; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is something you’ve lied about?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Being sick to avoid going to school. My mom never bought it though. LOL</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Who is the last person you hugged?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My boyfriend. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What are you reading now?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My textbooks for Grad school. There’s not much time left for pleasure reading. LOL</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">How do you come up with the titles to your books?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They usually come up mid-way through the writing process. I’d say I don’t create them as much as they jump on me out of the blue most times. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Share your dream cast for your book.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Hmm we’re talking about dream cast and I believe in dreaming BIG. So I often pictured Emma Watson as Keira as I wrote the story. And can I just say Sam Heughan would be perfect as Declan? *swoons* Even though he’s older than the character he’s such a gorgeous man. Plus he looks younger than his real age. LOL</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">BLURB:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Keira Ashe’s parents are great but her mother has overprotected her for years. Now, this twenty-two-year-old Bostonian has graduated from college and can go on a trip she has been planning for years. She fears her shyness may get in the way of her enjoying what could be a life-altering adventure. However, Keira feels her luck is about to change when she meets gorgeous bartender Declan Slane. <br /><br />Declan Slane is twenty-six and works at a hotel bar in Dublin. He hasn’t been very lucky in his love life so far. Also, he has got a troubled past he has chosen not to revisit in order to keep his sanity. Because he isn’t looking for a girlfriend, Declan isn’t very pleased to meet a certain breathtaking American who walks into his bar one afternoon. <br /><br />Get a taste of adventure and heartache as Keira spreads her wings and matures while she gets to know her great-grandparents’ home country – Ireland. Hold your breath when she faces tough decisions and dangers. Root for Keira while she weighs up the consequences of making love for the first time. Bite your nails when she comes across unforeseen threats. <br /><br />Liz Gavin’s second full-length novel is hard to put down just as it is hard to pinpoint its genre. She has woven an intricate web around her characters that will leave readers breathless. In the sizzling concoction, this talented new author poured heart-warming romance, heart-stopping suspense, and a dash of heart-searching paranormal. Take your pick. Regardless of the literary genre you might favor, Liz Gavin’s writing will take you to a whole different side of it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">AMAZON - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MS48JO0/r... align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5pBXFDZz7U..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5pBXFDZz7U..." width="273" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When Liz Gavin was in Second Grade - just a couple of years ago, really - her teacher told her mother the little girl should start a diary because she needed an outlet for her active and vivid imagination. She was a talkative child who would disrupt the class by engaging her colleagues in endless conversations. She loved telling them the stories her grandfather used to tell her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Apparently, the teacher wasn’t a big fan of those stories, and Liz’s mother bought her a diary. She happily wrote on it for a couple of months. Unable to see the appeal of writing for her own enjoyment only, she gave up on it. She missed the audience her friends provided her in class. She went back to disturbing her dear teacher’s class.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Since then, she has become a hungry reader. She will read anything and everything she can get her hands on – from the classics to erotica. That’s how she has become a writer of erotica and romance, as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As a young adult, she participated in a student exchange program and lived in New Orleans for six months. She fell in love with the city and its wonderful inhabitants. NOLA will always hold a special spot in Liz Gavin’s heart. Nowadays, living in Brazil, Liz’s creativity has improved many times because it’s such a vibrant, gorgeous and sexy country. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Welcome to her world of hot Alpha males and naughty, independent women. Add a touch of the paranormal in the presence of some wicked souls and you’ll get the picture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">AUTHOR LINKS </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Blog - <a href="http://lizgavin.wordpress.com/"&... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Facebook Page - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lizgavinauth... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Twitter - @LizGavin_author</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Goodreads - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Amazon Author Page - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00F5BJC7Q&... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">B&N Author Page - <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/liz+g... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Email – <a href="mailto:lizgavin@elessarbooks.com">lizgavin@elessarbooks.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f1560" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_x2p2svis" 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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWS6-3webj..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWS6-3webj..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2g0DtYNZn..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2g0DtYNZn..." /></a></div><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Interview with Elaine Cantrell, FORTUNA

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?Fortuna is an 18thcentury home built by a Revolutionary War general. The general named his home after the Roman goddess of luck, fate, and fortune, but by the 21stcentury Fortuna is all but falling down. It’s lucky for the house that a WWE style wrestler Rocky Stone decided to buy the place and fix it up. Rocky was very popular, but he saw a drug deal take place, and after he testified against one of the franchise’s leading promoters, he had to fake his death and enter the witness protection program. He just happens to be engaged to Aimee Sherwood who’ll have to drop out of sight too if she wants to marry him. The vast majority of the book is about their adventures in West Virginia, and trust me, there are some really wild things going on. This is a comedy, so don’t expect too much seriousness.
Fortuna isn’t part of a series. It’s a stand alone book.

Do you have a favorite character?
Oh, I sure do. Aimee Sherwood is my favorite. Aimee is high strung, beautiful, and is always taking deep breaths to calm herself. She sees reality while Rocky lives partly in a fantasy world. She also has a lot of funny things happen to her, and makes both friends and enemies wherever she goes.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
This pretty much happened in Fortuna. June, the realtor who sold Fortuna to Rocky, was only supposed to be a minor character, but she was so intriguing I gave her a bigger role in the story. You really should meet June. Just the description of her makes me smile. She and Aimee didn’t get along in the beginning, and there’s a good reason for it, but I don’t think I can tell you what it is. That would be giving too much away.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Yes, I did. When I starting writing, very few people self-published. In fact, there was a stigma associated with self-publishing. People assumed if you published the book yourself, it must not be any good, so of course I went the traditional route.
How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?
It wasn’t for my first novel, and I’m not sure how many manuscripts I had before I wrote my first published book. I think it was maybe two years after I started writing when I won a writing contest whose prize was publication of your novel.
What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?
At the time I entered the writing contest I just wanted a book published. I didn’t really give some pretty important issues any consideration at all. Since then, the majority of my books have been published by Clean Reads. My writing is clean so it fits in with their philosophy. They are also responsive to their authors, friendly, and supportive.
Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?
I have one book ready to go later this year. Start Publishing has first right of refusal on that one. I don’t know if I want to self publish or not. I’ve thought about it, but I haven’t come to any firm decision at the moment.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
I live in a really small down, and while I do know a few local authors, we haven’t formed a group. One of my friends is a published author, and we read each other’s work and bounce ideas around. Other people can usually see things in your writing that you missed, so I’ve found her input to be very helpful.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I can write anywhere if I have to, but I prefer it to be quiet. Give me a cup of coffee, a computer, and a nice quiet room, and I can write for hours.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?
Sometimes. I retired last year so I thought I’d have plenty of time to do both. Instead, I get distracted by so many things. For one thing I’m learning to be a good baker. I’ve always baked, but I want to do better. We love our dogs so I spend a lot of time with them. It’s also fun to get up and decide to take a little day trip. Like I said, so many distractions.

BLURB:
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina where she obtained a master’s degree in personnel services from Clemson University.  She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators and Romance Writers of America.  Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest.  When she’s not writing or teaching, she enjoys movies, quilting, reading, and collecting vintage Christmas ornaments. 
Find Elaine at the following locations:
http://www.elainecantrell.com http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.comhttp://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrellhttp://www.twitter.com/elainecantrellhttp://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrellhttp://www.goodreads.com/elainecantrell

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#Excerpt: HOPE by Grier Cooper

Hope
Grier Cooper
(Indigo Ballet Series, #2)
Publication date: April 26th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Indigo is living the life she’s always imagined at the famed New York School of Ballet. Or is she? Although she hopes she’ll be chosen for the company, her ballet teachers aren’t talking and their silence is confusing.

When Indigo is singled out for a coveted solo she feels her dreams are finally within reach, until she finds out she’s dancing with Felipe Gonzalez, the school’s smolderingly hot rising star. In the days that follow, Indigo questions everything she thought was true and finds herself making surprising choices.

After a fateful piece of paper reveals the truth, Indigo must ask herself the hardest question of all: can she take control of her own future to create the life she wants?

Goodreads / Amazon
Sequel to:

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EXCERPT:Maggie plunks her bag down, grabbing the spot next to me. “Ten minutes ‘til the fun begins,” she says. She glances around furtively before adding, “Who knows what torture she’ll dish out today. But inquiring minds want to know: will she reach new levels of cattiness or will we be left sorely disappointed?” She grins wickedly as she finishes tying a ribbon on her pointe shoe.
Neither of us fares well when Alexa Damore teaches class. She’s known for her snide comments and keen ability to pick people apart. “I’ll take disappointment over outright humiliation any day,” I counter. “But who knows. Maybe one of these days she’ll be miraculously transformed.”
Maggie arches an eyebrow. “What?” I continue. “It’s not too much to hope for–a little prayer can’t hurt. Pray with me. ” I fold my hands together and duck my head down. Maggie smacks me.I stick my tongue out at her while I finish tying my shoes. I refuse to climb on the negativity train with her. It’s never a good way to start class.
The door to the studio glides open and a sudden hush sweeps through the room, as if the oxygen has been sucked away. Alexa Damore has arrived–but she’s wearing street clothes–and she’s not alone.
Benjamin Stafford, Artistic Director of Manhattan Ballet Theater, also known as the man who holds our future in his hands, stands in the center of the room. From where I stand, the ambient light behind him illuminates the outline of his body, as if he’s a living embodiment of a god. Then again, he is a god in the world of ballet. The silence is deafening as he slowly rotates around, gazing at each of us in turn. He flashes a brilliant smile and it’s all I can barely look at him. He’s even larger in life than he is onstage with broad shoulders, chiseled features, dark, tousled hair, and blazing blue eyes. On any given day he’s something to look at, but the glowing outline thing further illustrates the glaring difference between him and everyone else in the room.
His eyes fall on me and my heart flutters in my ribcage. I immediately stand a little bit taller and suck in my gut. My breath gets shallower and tighter. I close my eyes and force myself to breath normally. Passing out in class is not the way I want to make an impression.
I may not survive this class.

Author Bio:
Grier began ballet lessons at age five and left home at fourteen to study at the School of American Ballet in New York. She has performed on three out of seven continents with companies such as San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, totaling more than thirty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer.

Her work has been praised as “poignant and honest” with “emotional hooks that penetrate deeply.” She writes and blogs about dance in the San Francisco Bay Area and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of Build a Ballerina Body and The Daily Book of Photography.

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