Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 217

World of Symbols: WINGS by Michelle Snyder

Michelle is an author, speaker, columnist, blogger, and teacher. She earned her post-graduate degree at the University of Wales, Lampeter and has been teaching art and visual language to students of all ages for 35 years. She writes original fairy tales and books about the history and origin of myths, folklore, and symbols. Her artwork, inspired by her love of symbolism, has appeared in galleries from Massachusetts to California.

Michelle is co-owner of White Knight Studio with her husband Jay, providing publication and marketing services.
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Snyder/e/B004ZOHKFA  
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#Review: EDEN (A Sci-fi Thriller) by Martin Roy Hill

  5 of 5 stars
What if? That's the question the author brings to light in this novella. The story revolves around Army historian Adam Cadman. He's out on patrol in the Iraqi desert to investigate some ruins. When his team is ambushed by the enemy, they are forced to take refuge in ruins, but what they find there may be worse than facing the enemy and a powerful sandstorm bearing down on their location.

This is a smart well-researched story that stretches the teachings of most modern-day religions by introducing an alien element to the beginnings of mankind. This is not in any way derogatory to long-held beliefs, but merely an example of "what if." The story moved along at a fast pace keeping my interest throughout. I loved how the story was not preachy in any way, but left it up to the reader to decide what to believe. Fans of sci-fi and the military will definitely enjoy this story. Recommended.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.[image error]

New #Romance Release: FOLLOWING HIS HEART by best-selling author DONNA FASANO

***USA Today Bestselling Author***

Blurb: 
Sara Carson is a 30-something widow with a busy life. Two fun-loving best friends, a caring mom who needs her, and a thriving sweet shop. What more could a woman want? But when the ancient plumbing in her shop springs a leak and a gorgeous, dark-eyed stranger rushes to her rescue, hilarity unfolds--and Sara quickly sees exactly what she's been missing.

Something most peculiar draws Landon Richards to Ocean City, Maryland--and to the lovely Sara. This woman touches his heart like no other, and the two of them explore the heady attraction that pulses between them. But haunting dreams have a way of encroaching on reality, and the strange phenomenon that brings these two together will also threaten to tear them apart.

This is the first book in the Ocean City Boardwalk Series, where life for three enterprising women, Sara, Heather, and Cathy, isn't just fun in the sun--love is waiting on those sandy shores!
Buy Links: Kindle US: http://amzn.to/12jdyvRKindle UK : http://amzn.to/1zk0xi9Nook: http://ow.ly/FBcWIKobo US: http://ow.ly/FzCrPKobo UK : http://ow.ly/FzCxQiBook: http://ow.ly/FBu2WPaperback: http://amzn.to/1zPR3d2
Author bio:USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA FASANO is a three-time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, a Golden Heart finalist, and a two-time winner of Best Romance of the Year given by BigAl's Books & Pals Review Blog.
Her books have sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide and have been published in two dozen languages. Her books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times, climbing as high as #5.

**Visit her blog at www.DonnaFasano.com
**Sign up for her monthly newsletter at http://mad.ly/signups/110899/join

**Follow Donna on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthorShe loves to chat with readers.[image error]

#Excerpt: DREAM LOVER by Nancy Fraser

“Dream Lover” as well as the four previous novellas in the Golden Decade of Rock and Roll Series will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour. 
Excerpt:Haley shifted in her seat, admittedly a bit nervous about her lack of expertise. “I have no practical experience as a nanny. However, I have extensive babysitting experience, first aid training, and three years of college specializing in education, focusing specifically on the early years. Plus, I am in good health, a quick learner, and I love children.”             Rather than respond, Haley noticed a change in Mrs. Wilkes demeanor, a lift of her head as if she were looking past Haley. “Mr. Garrison,” Mrs. Wilkes said suddenly. “We weren’t expecting you to visit today.”            Visit? Haley turned in her chair to get a look at the man who only visited his own home.            Eric Garrison wasn’t at all what she expected. Much younger than she’d anticipated, his rakish smile and tousled blond hair spoke more of a professional athlete than a distinguished attorney.            Their gazes met, his smile broadened and he winked at her. Haley immediately turned back around in her chair, and met Sally Wilkes stern frown, the woman’s disapproval aimed directly at the man behind her.             “Who have we here, Sally girl?”             Sally girl? What a strange way to address your employee.             “This is Miss Haley Parker. She’s here to interview for the position of the children’s nanny.”             “Has my sainted perfectionist of a brother scared another one away?” the man asked.             Brother? The realization sank in quickly, along with the young man’s words. Just how did one scare away a nanny?             Sally Wilkes released a long-suffering sigh. “Miss Parker, may I introduce Stephen Garrison, Mr. Eric Garrison’s younger brother.”             “Half-brother,” Stephen corrected. “We wouldn’t want Miss Parker to think Eric and I are fully related. She might get the wrong impression of me.”             Haley turned to face the younger Garrison. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Garrison.”             “Call me Stephen, please,” he said. He turned to Mrs. Wilkes and smiled broadly. “She’s a keeper, Sally. I can tell. I suggest you give her the job.”             Under any other circumstances, Haley would have been grateful for a recommendation. However, she had the distinct impression Stephen’s opinion might do more harm than good.

 BLURB:
Haley Parker lost her academic scholarship when she quit school to care for her dying mother. Now, eager to return to her studies, she must find the perfect job that will allow her the freedom to attend evening classes.
Her best friend Chloe teaches at one of Boston’s finest private schools, a job Haley had once hoped would be hers. When Chloe snags Haley a referral for a position as nanny to high-powered attorney, Eric Garrison’s, two young children, Haley looks forward to taking on the task.
Eric finds himself drawn to the intelligent and loving young woman who has bewitched his children. It’s not long before he’s re-thinking his plan to avoid romantic entanglements. On a family vacation to Paris, he finds it impossible to resist the lovely, yet innocent Haley.
Haley willingly gives up her innocence for a chance to make love with Eric, even though she realizes it will change their professional relationship forever.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Like most authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.
When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five beautiful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people. She invites you to visit her website, her blog, and follow her on Twitter. Or, more importantly, just enjoy what she writes.
Website: www.nancyfraser.ca Blog: http://nancyfraser.ca/wordpress/Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor  @nfraserauthor Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser
Buy Links:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Lover-Golden-Decade-Rock-ebook/dp/B00PTA26GC/
Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dream-lover-nancy-fraser/1120916276
The Wild Rose Press:  http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5974
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/11/blurb-blitz-dream-lover-by-nancy-fraser.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

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Excerpt: A TASTE OF MERLOT by Heather Heyford

Excerpt:“Dammit, Merlot. Stop. Let’s talk. Not about business. About us.”            Her hand stilled on her door handle momentarily, and then she angled her lithe body to slide in, disappearing from view.            Before she could lock him out, Mark yanked open the passenger side and bent to peer in at her.            “If you drive away now, we’ll both be sorry.” He wouldn’t get in her car against her will. But he still wasn’t ready to let her end things like this.            Instead of reaching for the ignition button, she slumped back in her seat.“Can I get in?”            She hesitated, then gave the briefest of nods. He climbed in beside her. For a moment they sat motionless, staring through the windshield at the multicolored neon glow of shop signs punctuating the night sky of the quiet town.            When he spoke again, his voice was a few decibels lower, and he’d managed to force calm into it despite his near panic over almost losing her.            “Did you think I could just walk away? Tonight was about more than the orders. At least, for me it was.” He looked her way, his agitation rearing up again. “I was sold on your talent from the first time I saw your work, back in early June. I spent all summer—all summer, Meri—searching high and low for you, making phone calls, trolling the Internet, never dreaming that when I finally found you, you were going to look like—like this.” He strained to see her expression in the dimness, desperate for a crumb of understanding. “Once we started talking, it kept getting better and better. Jeezus, you’re massively talented. . . . You’re smart. . . .”                        She was practically perfect. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her. . . .            Get a grip, Mark. He took a steadying breath. Nothing wrong, except a stubborn streak fifty miles long. The distance from San Francisco to Napa, his town to hers.                        He strained in the darkness to study her profile. His voice had gotten loud again, he realized with dismay. He should just shut up now.             “I’m sorry. I can’t figure you out, but I won’t grill you anymore. Promise.” He offered her his hand, and she let out an ironic laugh at the absurdity of shaking hands after what they’d just done in her studio.            “We’ll stick to safe topics for the rest of the night, deal? The weather. The ’Niners. Whatever. You pick.”            She eyed him doubtfully.             “I swear. No more questioning your decisions.” He hoped he could stick to his word. He had to.            She conceded with a tiny hint of a smile. “Tonight was about more than the orders for me, too.”            To his immense relief, she met him in the middle of the seat.             He dipped his head to kiss her, and her soft, moist lips parted. His kiss was intended to be consoling, not the start of anything new. Until she nudged closer, encouraging him with her tongue, and powerless to resist her, he responded in spite of himself. Soon, their breathing became audible in the hushed silence of the enclosed space, the fogged windows adding to the illusion of privacy.            He hauled her across his lap, cradling her head in the crook of his right elbow. The sight of her chest rising and falling had him ready to go again…


BLURB:
Mark Newman’s family owns a chain of high-end jewelry stores, and he’s working hard to get out from under his aunt’s thumb and prove he has a good eye and a head for business. He’s certain Meri’s designs could be the next big thing, but he’ll have to convince her that she can use her famous last name to her advantage. As their business partnership takes root, an attraction begins to flourish—but they’ll both find that love, like wine, takes time to perfect…
AUTHOR Bio:
Born in the Northeast, Heather Heyford learned to walk and talk in Texas, and then moved to England. (“Ya’ll want some scones?”) While in Europe, Heather was forced by her cruel parents to spend Saturdays in the leopard vinyl back seat of their Peugeot, motoring from one medieval pile to the next for the lame purpose of ‘learning something.’ What she soon learned was how to allay the boredom by stashing a Cosmo under the seat. Now a recovering teacher, Heather writes love stories, feeds hardboiled eggs to suburban foxes, and makes art in the Mid-Atlantic. See more at HeatherHeyford.com, or visit me on facebook, twitter, pinterest, and instagram.

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Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy year!

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#Excerpt: RUPTURED by Maggie Mae Gallagher

BLURB:It has been eighty-three years since the walls between Earth and Infernus fell, and now our world stands upon the razor’s edge of extinction. Demon platoons are marching upon us. My home, one of humanity’s last bastions of existence, is under siege.
My name is Alana Devereaux. I am the resident demon detector of Cantati Forces and Platoon Commander. My job is to hunt down the vermin unleashed upon my world, and I love it. I live for the day I can kick every last demon’s ass out of this world. Except as enemy forces reign down terror upon us, the Densare Council sentences me to a fate worse than death. 
Excerpt:
He held up a hand. Pulled his chair out, turned it around and straddled it.
“But I will follow the orders of the Council. You belong to me. I won’t be cruel or force you tonight. I will give you today to become familiar with me before we consummate our union. I have a mission within the hour, but will visit you tomorrow evening. I will start visiting your room each night at an arranged time depending upon my mission schedule.” It didn’t sound like he liked that little tidbit, that he would be forced to come to my room. Except, the Council had decreed that women were to live below ground as a means of protection. So what he wanted didn’t matter. He still got to bed the General’s daughter, just not on his own terms.
Although, the fact that he had given me an extra night of freedom was more than I had expected from him. Maybe I could, if not feel something for him, at least be less opposed to being with him.
“Cade, I don’t mean to be difficult. I don’t like that my choice was taken from me. We are both platoon leaders and used to making our own decisions, other than what General O’Hare dictates.”
Could he understand my side at least? Then maybe I wouldn’t feel like I was standing before a firing squad.
“I won’t say I’m displeased. You are one hell of a warrior, and the offspring we will make together will be something fierce. It would help, though, if you didn’t look like you’d just swallowed an explosive.” He meant it. His deep voice rumbled as his gaze roamed over me, stopping ever so briefly at my chest and juncture of my thighs before returning his smoldering stare to my face. There was no way this man would allow me to lie there, unresponsive, while he did his thing. He would make me be present, would not accept any wooden responses, and would do his damnedest to make sure any walls I had built were waylaid into dust.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Bestselling Author Maggie Mae Gallagher doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. When she was a kid she acted out her favorite scenes, only better, with her brother and cousin. As a teenager, she wrote reams of poetry, but realized her true love lay with creating characters and stories. A former music and history major, Maggie is a total geek at her core. When she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her two furry felines.
Website: http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Mae-Gallagher/107335792624944
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/maggiegallagher
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7846308.Maggie_Mae_Gallagher

Ruptured Purchase Links
Amazon http://goo.gl/7u3Zlj
Barnes & Noble http://goo.gl/MmkGSf
Kobo http://goo.gl/4cmPiY
ITunes http://goo.gl/PIfCxr
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/10/blurb-blitz-ruptured-by-maggie-mae.html

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Book Tour Blast: RIDING FOR REDEMPTION by Bonnie Paulson

 
Desperate to find her place in the world, Sara Beth dreams of applying for the Miss Wrangler Montana competition that tours with the rodeo circuit. 
Riding horses has become her anchor until a near fatal accident takes more from her than she’d ever willingly sacrifice. Determined to prove his business training, Johnny seeks out the Rourke family to call in an old favor. When he embroils himself in Sara Beth’s life, he has to prove they’re nothing more than friends. 
Seeking independence, both Sara Beth and Johnny lean on each other more and more, until love threatens their friendship. Will they seek out each other or be confused by their dreams?

Can either of them leave their past and embrace their future?

Add to your TBR list on Goodreads

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Redemption-Bonnie-R-Paulson-ebook/dp/B00PZLIDSU/ref=twoen-20
 
Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.
Follow on:Facebook / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter / Literary Addicts / Amazon[image error]

#Review: A HEARTLESS DESIGN by Elizabeth Cole

4 of 5 stars
 A HEARTLESS DESIGN is a historical romance with smart savvy characters. I loved the fact that Cordeila was a clever and inventive engineer, something that proper young ladies of the time would never be allowed to do. Not only were women thought not to possess the keen intelligence needed to be an engineer, but to be able to support a household with her skills was a great twist. Of course, Cordelia has to do all this in secret under a false identity. When her path crosses with Sebastien, a Crown spy and newly elevated Earl, her secrets are in peril of being revealed. He's on assignment to discover the very thing Cordeila is trying to keep secret. 
I enjoyed their banter together, but be warned there is an explicit sex scene in the book. The supporting characters in Cordelia's household were interesting and I would have loved to read more of their back story and how they came to work for her. This book kept my interest throughout, but I didn't feel the urgency in the plot until the last part of the book which made the pacing a little lopsided. All in all, a good read.
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4 of 5 stars A HEARTLESS DESIGN is...

4 of 5 stars
 A HEARTLESS DESIGN is a historical romance with smart savvy characters. I loved the fact that Cordeila was a clever and inventive engineer, something that proper young ladies of the time would never be allowed to do. Not only were women thought not to possess the keen intelligence needed to be an engineer, but to be able to support a household with her skills was a great twist. Of course, Cordelia has to do all this in secret under a false identity. When her path crosses with Sebastien, a Crown spy and newly elevated Earl, her secrets are in peril of being revealed. He's on assignment to discover the very thing Cordeila is trying to keep secret. 
I enjoyed their banter together, but be warned there is an explicit sex scene in the book. The supporting characters in Cordelia's household were interesting and I would have loved to read more of their back story and how they came to work for her. This book kept my interest throughout, but I didn't feel the urgency in the plot until the last part of the book which made the pacing a little lopsided. All in all, a good read.
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