Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 227

New #Romance Release: THE LAST ONE by Tawdra Kandle

 
The anticipated spin-off series of THE POSSE is finally here!Meghan Hawthorne is restless. The last year has been a roller coaster: her widowed mother just married a long-time family friend. Her younger brother unexpectedly became a father and a husband. Everyone's life is changing. . .except for hers. As she begins her final summer of college, Meghan's looking for excitement and maybe a little romance. Nothing serious; this girl just wants to have fun.

But the only man for Meghan turns out to be the last one she expects.

Sam Reynolds doesn't need excitement, and he doesn't want romance. Fun is out of the question. He's been the steady, responsible one since his parents were killed, and serious is his way of life.

When Sam rescues Meghan alongside a dark Georgia backroad, she falls hard for his deep brown eyes and slow drawl. But making him see her as more than just a party girl won't be easy. Sam's tempted by the fiery young artist, even as he realizes that giving into his feelings will mean radical change. . .maybe more than he can handle.

Nobody ever said love was simple.  "As an almost strictly paranormal romance reader, it takes a certain type of author to convince me to dive into straight romance. Tawdra Kandle is one of the few authors I will make an exception for. Her writing style is so easy and relaxing that I have to really keep an eye on the time or I’ll stay up all night to finish one of her books." Carrie Williams, Goodreads Reviewer "Wow. Talk about romance with an edge. From the beginning the characters were so real that I was completely invested in them. The sexual tension woven into the story added so much value to the relationships. I will be reading this book many times just so I can spend more time with Meghan and Sam." Cheryl Garrett, Goodreads Reviewer "I'm in love with this book!!" Leah Fennick, Goodreads Reviewer
Buy it now at Amazon/iBooks/Barnes and Noble/Kobo/Smashwords 
Watch the trailer here!  
 Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance (THE KING SERIES), through NA paranormal and contemporary romance (THE SERENDIPITY DUET, PERFECT DISH DUO, THE ONE TRILOGY) to adult contemporary and paramystery romance (CRYSTAL COVE BOOKS and RECIPE FOR DEATH SERIES). 

She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair. Follow Tawdra on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram Visit her Website and subscribe to her Newsletter for special content and giveaways!

GRAMMAR GIRL TALKS: i.e. versus e.g.

Misusing these two abbreviations is one of the top five mistakes I used to see when editing technical documents. There's so much confusion that in some of the drafts I got back from clients they had actually crossed out the right abbreviation and replaced it with the wrong one. I just had to laugh.
What Do I.e. and E.g.Mean?I.e. and e.g. are both abbreviations for Latin terms. I.e. stands for id est and means roughly "that is." E.g. stands for exempli gratia, which means “for example.” "Great. Latin," you're probably thinking. "How am I supposed to remember that?”
How to Remember the Difference Between I.e. and E.g.But by now, I'm sure you know that I'm not going to ask you to remember Latin. I'm going to give you a memory trick. So here's how I remember the difference. Forget about i.e.standing for "that is" or whatever it really means in Latin. From now on, i.e., which starts with i, means “in other words,” and e.g., which starts with e, means “for example.” I = in other words. E= example.
A few listeners have also written in to say that they remember the difference between i.e. and e.g. by imagining that i.e. means “in essence,” and e.g. sounds like “egg sample,” and those are good memory tricks too.
So now that you have a few tricks for remembering what the abbreviations mean, let's think about how to use them in a sentence.
E.g. means “for example,” so you use it to introduce an example: I like card games, e.g., bridge and crazy eights. Because I used e.g., you know that I have provided a list of examples of card games that I like. It's not a finite list of all card games I like; it's just a few examples.
On the other hand, i.e. means “in other words,” so you use it to introduce a further clarification: I like to play cards, i.e., bridge and crazy eights. Because I used i.e., which introduces a clarification, you know that these are the only card games that I enjoy.
Here are two more examples:Squiggly loves watching old cartoons (e.g., DuckTales and Tugboat Mickey). The words following e.g. are examples, so you know that these are just some of the old cartoons that Squiggly enjoys.Squiggly loves watching Donald Duck's nephews (i.e., Huey, Dewey, and Louie). The words following i.e.provide clarification: they tell you the names of Donald Duck's three nephews.
An important point is that if I've failed, and you're still confused about when to use each abbreviation, you can always just write out the words "for example" or "in other words." There's no rule that says you have to use the abbreviations.
Dos and Don'ts
Don't italicize i.e. and e.g.; even though they are abbreviations for Latin words, they've been used for so long that they're considered a standard part of the English language. Also, remember that they are abbreviations, so there is always a period after each letter.
Also, I always put a comma after i.e. and e.g. I've noticed that my spell checker always freaks out and wants me to remove the comma, but five out of six style guides recommend the comma. Seriously. I got so engrossed in the question of whether a comma is required after i.e. and e.g. that I made a  table for the website summarizing the opinions of six different style guides.
Nevertheless, even though I prefer the comma and have sources to back me up, they almost all use hedge words like “usually” and “preferred.” I've also been told that the commas are used less frequently in Britain, and the only style guide I found that advised against commas was Fowler's Modern English Usage, which has its roots in British English. The bottom line is that in American English, I recommend using a comma after i.e. and e.g. You could probably make an argument for leaving it out in some cases, but do so at your own risk. My personal rule is to use a comma every time.
Finally, I tend to reserve i.e. and e.g.to introduce parenthetical statements, but it's also perfectly fine to use i.e. and e.g. in other ways. You can put a comma before them, or if you use them to introduce a complete sentence that follows after another complete sentence, you can put a semicolon before them. You can even put an em dash before i.e.and e.g. if you are using them to introduce something dramatic. They're just abbreviations for words, so you can use them in any way you'd use the words in essence or for example.
Web page link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ie-versus-eg  Download my audiobook, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips to Clean Up Your Writing . The book is available at iTunes and Audible.com.

Guest Post: TOOLS OF THE GHOST TRADE by J.L. Bryan

Are you tired of slogging away at the same old dead-end day job?  Do you want a career with flexible hours, iffy benefits, and lots of contact with angry dead spirits?  Ghost catching might be the job for you!
At Metaphysical Manufacturing, Ltd., we fully support and encourage your efforts to enter into the dream job that we’ve just now suggested!  Part of the reason is that you’ll have to buy lots of products from us in order to be a professional ghost trapper, but we also care about you as a person and stuff.
So what will you need?
Ghost Training: We recommend you order our complete twelve-book, nineteen-video training course, which includes such useful manuals as Boogeyman Basics and How Not to Get Your Soul Ripped From Your Flesh.  After filling out our correspondence-course exam and sending us a large check, you’ll get your official ghost-grabber certification!
Ghost Sensors: Several devices can help you determine whether a ghost is in the room with you...maybe even right behind you!  The most basic is an electromagnetic frequency (EMF) meter.  Ghosts have electromagnetic fields, probably, and these can be detected with modern scientific instruments, maybe.  Definitely buy one!  We recommend you also pick up our special motion detectors and ghost thermometers—which measure how warm or cold the room is!
Ghost Goggles: Sooner or later, you’ll want to see the ghosts you’re hunting.  We recommend sooner!  We offer both night vision and thermal imaging goggles to help you find elusive spirits.  You can buy one or the other, but it’s best if you buy both!
Ghost Microphone: Use a high-powered, ultra-sensitive microphone (like the ones we sell!) to help you pick up whispers and guttural threats from the Other Side.  Spend hours recording, and countless more hours listening and trying to find voices in the static!  You’ll never have so much fun again!
Ghost Trap: This is the final “must-have” piece of gear.  Your customers will pay you to remove unwanted spirits from their homes, so you’ll want some way to do that.  We sell a range of affordable traps, from simple lead-glass jars to phone-booth-sized Faraday cages that create a solid electromagnetic barrier no wicked wraith can escape!  We recommend you buy them all.
With these simple purchases, totaling less than eighty thousand dollars, you can become a professional ghost trapper, too!  Visit our website to learn (or buy) more! ***
Book & Author Details:Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan
Publication date: September 19th 2014
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal
Synopsis:Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbance presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronted an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23150980-ellie-jordan-ghost-trapper?ac=1
Purchase:--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ellie-Jordan-Ghost-Trapper-Volume/dp/1500977004/ref=twoenn-20
--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ellie-jordan-ghost-trapper-j-l-bryan/1120343895?ean=2940150596184
AUTHOR BIO J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, his son, and some dogs and cats.

To hear about future books by J.L. Bryan, sign up for his new release newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mizJH

Website: www.jlbryanbooks.com
Twitter: @jlbryanbooks
 

#Excerpt: BLOCK by J.A. Huss

Excerpt:He’s gone. And what did I figure? That I’d be the girl to change him? That I’d be the girl he falls in love with? That I’d be the girl who could claim his heart, even though countless others have tried and failed?I’m an idiot.For years, my Dirty Heaven was Vaughn Asher. I lived and breathed for those Saturday nights and ever since I met him in person, my fantasy faded away, one disappointment at a time.He’s a jerk.He’s a sexual deviant—and even though I did like that date we had, a BDSM relationship was never part of my perfect fantasy. I didn’t exactly dream of wedding bells and diapers, but it was a monogamous partnership kind of dream. I would live in Denver and build my career, flying out to see him in Hollywood every weekend for parties and fun. Then he’d fly back with me on Sunday nights to fuck me in ways that did not involve kneeling at his feet or having bite-sized morsels placed on my tongue. He’d kiss me goodnight on my doorstep like the perfect Prince Charming and fly home for a week of hard work and I’d do the same here in my own little corner of the world.And although I think he might be on board with the distance that I prefer in a relationship, his unique sexual requests are not part of my long-term plan. That is vacation sex. That is one-night-stand sex. That is not partnership sex. So it’s better this way. I’m perfectly happy like this. I’m going to find myself a new fantasy prince and give him all my Dirty Heaven attention. Maybe a younger one this time. Someone more my age. Someone who doesn’t need to prove his sexual prowess with games."Earth to Grace?"I’m going to forget all about Vaughn Asher, wipe him right out of my life."Hello?"Which is easier said than done when those stupid fucking Invisible Man 2posters are all over this fucking airport."See something you like up there? Because that’s my soon-to-be husband.""What?" I look over at Kristi who is handing me a cup of coffee from the Starbucks while stuffing her face with a blueberry muffin. "No!" I laugh. "No, I was looking at the IM2 poster next to Johnny Blazen’s Broncos.""Oh, yeah, that Vaughn Asher is a dream. I’d do him." She chuckles as we drag our luggage onto the moving sidewalk that will take us down to the end of the concourse to the gate. The Blazens have hired a jet to shuttle Denver friends and family over to Vegas and they keep all the small airlines on the very edge of the concourse, making the walk a long one.Hmmm. "He’s OK, I guess. Not quite my idea of a dream though.***Book & Author Details:Block by J.A. Huss
(Social Media #3)
Publication date: September 24th 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #YouAreCaredFor So the movie star says. But his idea of cared for isn’t the same as mine. Obviously a #Douche.MovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird #BehindTheScenesIsMySceneThe Blue Bird has trust issues. And tantrum issues. And commitment issues.Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #SaidTheKettleToThePotMovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird #YouAreMine and I won’t let you forget it.Grace @FilthyBlueBird
@VaughnAsher #YouMustShitUnicornsthat’s how delusional your fairy tale is. #GetAGripOnRealityI’m outtie.MovieStar @VaughnAsher
@FilthyBlueBird You’re an #Innie #Sweetheart My tongue licked all your #CuteLittleButtons.#ForTheLoveOfFilthWhy is he so damn sexy? How will I ever get out from under Asher’s thumb if I can’t stop thinking about his tongue on my buttons? #HottiesNeedToPlayFair
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23160722-block
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/BLOCK-Social-Media-JA-Huss-ebook/dp/B00NB59PCU/

Purchase book 1 - Follow:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/FOLLOW-Social-Media-JA-Huss-ebook/dp/B00MSBAHES
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/follow-j-a-huss/1120205969?ean=2940150395695
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/follow-social-media-1
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id912925017



Purchase book 2 - Like:AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/LIKE-Social-Media-JA-Huss-ebook/dp/B00MS3B3DU
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/like-j-a-huss/1120323935?ean=2940150682825KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/like-1iBOOKS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id917290810




AUTHOR BIO J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.
Author Links:Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway (INTL)--Signed copies of Follow, Like, and Block
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

#Excerpt: GARRET by Allie Everhart

Excerpt:“So you obviously have a thing for this girl,” Decker says.I shake my head. “No, I just met her. I don’t know anything about her.”“Yeah, but you want to. You want her for yourself. Otherwise you wouldn’t have yelled at me just now.”Is it that obvious? I’m usually better at hiding this stuff.“It’s not that. I just think you should leave her alone, Dek. She just got here and she needs time to adjust. She’s from Iowa, so this is a big change for her. I bet she’s never even been to Connecticut before today.”He nudges me, smiling. “And you want to be the one to show her around, right?”“Don’t be an ass. I was just being nice to her. That’s it.”“If she’s from Iowa, what the hell is she doing going to Moorhurst?”I hesitate, not sure if I want to tell him. But he figures it out.“Wait. Is she the scholarship winner?”I nod, then drink my beer.“Did you tell her who you are?”“Not yet.” I glance at the door and see two hot blondes walking in. Long legs. Short skirts. Big breasts. I keep my eyes on them but that image of Jade remains in my head and the hot blondes aren’t looking so hot.“Why didn’t you tell her?”“Because she doesn’t need to know. She’d feel uncomfortable around me if she knew my dad was paying for her school.”“Do you plan on seeing her again?”“Yeah, we’re going out tomorrow. I’m taking her to the party.”The hot blondes spot me from across the room and smile. I don’t smile back but they still start walking toward me.“You have to tell her who you are, Garret. She’ll be pissed if she finds out later.”“Yeah, well, I’m not ready to tell her. And besides, what difference does it make? I’m not the one paying for her school. My dad is. It has nothing to do with me.”“You need to tell her, especially if you want to be friends with her. Or more than friends. Actually, you can’t be more than friends. You can’t date the scholarship winner.”“Why the hell not?”“Because your dad would kill you. And Katherine would kill you.”“I don’t give a shit about Katherine. And my dad doesn’t need to know. I’m in college now. He needs to stay out of my business.”Decker sighs. “Do not do this, Garret. You get in enough trouble with your dad. Just leave the girl alone.”Speaking of girls, the hot blondes are now approaching me. They almost look like twins. I’ve never been with twins before.“Hey.” The one girl steps in front of me. I’m still standing next to the keg and she reaches behind me to get a cup. Correction. She uses the cup as an excuse to grope me. Instead of going around me, she leans in and presses her entire body against mine. Her arm goes behind me as she slowly takes a cup from the stack.“Excuse me.” She smiles at me, our bodies still pressed together. “I just needed a cup.”My one hand is at my side, the other is holding my beer. Normally, I’d grab the girl’s ass and pull her aside and see if I want to take this somewhere. And given the way her twin is eyeing me, I’m seeing a threesome in my future. Never had one of those.“I’m Kristy,” the girl fondling me says. She had her hand on my ass but now it’s snaking down my chest, heading for my belt. “And that’s Misty.” She nods back to the other blonde.Kristy and Misty? Seriously? I feel like I just walked on the set of a porn film.“Are you two twins?” Decker asks. His eyes are huge, his voice eager. He’s such a nerd sometimes. This is why he doesn’t get girls. He doesn’t know how to play it cool.“Yeah, we’re twins,” Misty says, meeting up with her sister. Now they’ve both got their hands on my chest and I have nowhere to go. The table is behind me and I can’t move. I’m trapped with two hot blondes attached to me. Should be every guy’s dream. But I’m not interested. Not tonight. I know that’s completely crazy. Any other guy would jump at this opportunity. Grab an open bedroom and go for it.That’s exactly what Decker’s thinking. He’s got his jealous smile going and he says, “Garret, I’ll see you later.”He’s being a friend, doing what he’s supposed to do. Getting out of the way so I can take part in whatever these girls have planned for me. But I’m just not feeling it. “Dek, wait.” I peel the girls off me and walk past them toward Decker.“Hey,” Kristy says. “Where are you going?”“I have a girlfriend,” I say, glancing back at her.I hear her huff, then say to her twin, “Since when does that matter?”I don’t know why I said that. I don’t have a girlfriend. And I just turned down a threesome. What the hell is wrong with me?I picture those jewel-toned eyes. That beautiful face. That sweet smile. That’s what’s wrong with me. I can’t stop thinking of Jade.

Book & Author Details:GARRETGarret by Allie Everhart Publication date: September 19th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, RomanceGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22936384-garret
Synopsis:This full-length novel is Garret’s point of view from CHOOSING YOU (The Jade Series #1).

My life is nothing but rules. Rules for how I act. How I dress. Who I date. Who my friends are. I hate the rules and yet I keep following them. Until I met Jade. Being with her is forbidden. She’s not one of us. She’s not allowed in my world. But I don’t care. She’s different and I like her and I want her. And the fact that she wants nothing to do with me makes me want her even more.

But my father won’t allow it. Neither will the people around me. Being with Jade means making deals, blackmail, bribes–whatever it takes to keep my relationship with her a secret.

Jade has no idea what my life is like. She doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t know about my family and what they’re involved in. And although I can’t tell her all my secrets, there’s one rule she must know: Never ask questions. It’s a rule that I live by. Because in my world, knowing the answers can get you killed.

CHOOSING YOUChoosing You by Allie Everhart
(The Jade Series #1)
Publication date: September 23rd 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, RomanceGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18399038-choosing-you?ac=1
Synopsis:When Jade is given a scholarship to an elite private college in Connecticut, she sees it as a chance to finally escape her painful past and get a fresh start. She’s determined to succeed and that means keeping her focus on school and not guys. But that plan falls apart her first day on campus when Garret, a wealthy prep school boy with swimmer abs and a perfect smile, offers to help her move in.

Jade tries to push him away but she can’t deny her attraction to him and Garret won’t let her. Things quickly heat up between them, but then come to a sudden halt when reality hits and Jade realizes that a relationship with Garret may never be possible. He comes from a world of wealth where there are rules, including rules about who he can date. And not following those rules has consequences.

As the two of them try to overcome the obstacles working to keep them apart, Jade is confronted with another challenge. On her 19th birthday, she receives a letter that her now deceased mother wrote years ago. In it are revelations that explain her traumatic childhood but also make her question the past she’s been running from. 
AUTHOR BIO Allie Everhart writes books about dating, love, and romance. She’s also a freelance health writer for magazines and websites. She loves to read as much as she loves to write. And when she’s not reading or writing, she’s outside running, which is when she gets her best book ideas.

Author Links:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAllieEverharthttps://twitter.com/AuthorAllie
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244325.Allie_Everhart
Buy links:Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Garret-Jade-Series-Companion-Novel-ebook/dp/B00NPBV6DG/ref=zg_bs_3511261011_57
BN
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/garret-allie-everhart/1120372390?ean=2940150488915
Kobo
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/garret-a-jade-series-companion-novel
iBooks - on pre-order, with release here on 9/26
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/garret-jade-series-companion/id920665530?mt=11

GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway--$10 Amazon gift card (INTL)  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

A Conversation with Melissa de la Cruz, VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN

As an author, you write for both adult and young adult readers, and compose several series simultaneously. How do you manage to do it all? The honest answer to this is I don't do it all. Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, once said that whenever she's succeeding in one part of her life, she's utterly failing in the other. If she's working on a script, it means she's missing her child’s performance at school, and when she's taking her child on a field trip, it means she's missing out on an amazing day on set.
I have structured my life so that I don't really do anything except work on the books and be with my family. This means I never run errands; I haven't been to the supermarket in years; and I watch very little television. I like to work, and I work a lot, but I also try to never miss an important date on my daughter's schedule.
VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN is your first adult series to incorporate characters from a previous YA series. Why did you choose to have the Blue Blood characters grow up? I just couldn't let go of my Blue Bloods—I love them. I grew up with the characters, and I wanted to see what happened to them after the great finale. I knew I would see them again, which made writing the last book in the YA series easier.
From the handsome Coven leader Oliver to the edgy, rebel-without-a-cause venator, Ara, you have a knack for painting such vivid portraits of your characters. Is there anyone who inspired the Blue Blood characters? They're all parts of me exaggerated and stripped down to their essence. I have Ara's stubbornness and Edon's smart-aleck nature. Oliver is so close to me; his humor and anxiety is very much my own.
You’ve written about witches in Witches of East End and dragons in The Ring and Crown but have come back to writing about vampires in your latest novel—what’s fun about writing about vampires? How do your Blue Bloods differ from literature’s other favorite vampires? Vampires will never cease to be sexy and fun. Unlike other vampires, my Blue Bloods are also fallen angels, who were cast out of heaven with Lucifer. In my YA series, they won redemption but some of the coven decided to stay on earth. The Blue Bloods in VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN are more like the vampire leftovers.
You’re no stranger to NYC, having lived here for many years before moving to LA. What is it about Manhattan that makes it the ideal setting for a paranormal adventure like VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN? Why not VAMPIRES OF NASHVILLE or VAMPIRES OF MIAMI? I lived in Manhattan for 15 years, the longest I've lived anywhere, and I consider myself a New Yorker. The first Blue Bloods novel was a love letter to the city. When we moved to Los Angeles, I missed it so much that I wrote everything about the city into the book so I could always remember it.
I wanted to go back to New York for VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN, because the city has changed so much since I left. In a way, the Blue Bloods are like me, they've been gone for a decade and now they've returned to the city, which is a little different.
A little birdy told us the Blue Bloods are leaving Manhattan in your next novel. Is that true? Yes, the Blue Bloods will be going to Stockholm! It's a city I haven't explored in a book yet, and it seemed a great place to set a mystery. I'm a fan of Swedish crime thrillers.
Lifetime turned your Witches of East End series into a hit TV show. What has this experience been like for you? It's been an amazing and surreal experience. As an author, I am thrilled to see the characters I created in my mind on television. I try to visit the set twice a year. I love hanging out with the cast and crew and the wonderful writers who bring it all to life.
The sexual tension you develop between Mimi and Kingsley is incredibly intense. Sex scenes and convincing love stories may be the hardest things to write. Do you have a particular philosophy regarding these elements in writing? The one thing that I try to do is make the characters very realistic, and from there, their natural attraction just leads the way. I'm not uncomfortable with the sex scenes at all, but I think the main thing is to not make it seem forced. If you've written your characters well, the romance will just flow from there.
Who are some of your favorite fictional vampires? Definitely Lestat from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Mesmerizing, seductive, evil, flawed, just the whole package. I think my generation of vampire writers are all Lestat's daughters.
You have a very full writing schedule. Describe your writing process. Is there a quote about writing that motivates you? What advice would you give to aspiring writers? I always liked Stephen King's "writers who like to write outlines wish they were writing masters theses," meaning, you can't plan the story, you have to let it go where it wants to go. All that being said, writers lie all the time. I use outlines a lot as a blueprint, but at some point, you've got to stop looking at the map and just go your own way.
Author bio: Melissa de la Cruz is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. A former fashion and beauty editor, de la Cruz has written for The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Allure.  
Additionally, she has appeared as an expert on fashion, trends, and fame for CNN, E!, and Fox News. She lives in Los Angeles and Palm Springs with her husband and daughter. 
Book Details:VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN, THE NEW BLUE BLOODS COVEN By Melissa de la Cruz
VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN is the next chapter for the passionate Blue Bloods audience. “The only way I could write my finale for the first cycle of Blue Bloods was knowing I had planned a second adult series,” Melissa says. “What attracts me to new adult books is that they are about a time in one’s life where one is still young, but old enough to enjoy the pleasures of adulthood.”
Lifetime launched “Witches of East End,” based on de la Cruz’s adult novels. With Season 2 on screen now and Season 1 a digital download hit, millions are now fans of de la Cruz’s unparalleled ability to brew a supernatural tale teeming with romance, mystery, and above all—fun.
VAMPIRES OF MANHATTAN begins ten years after the Blue Bloods’ defeated the great enemy; the wealthy and beautiful vampires are adapting to a new era of prosperity and peace. To celebrate, the Coven’s new leader Oliver Hazard-Perry throws a Four Hundred Year Ball with all society in attendance. And then, all hell breaks loose....
Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Manhattan-Blue-Bloods-Coven-ebook/dp/B00HQ2N1LU/ref=twoen-20

Interview with S. M. McEachern

  <!-- /* 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;} @font-face {font-family:"Minion Pro"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 2 1 2 2 3; 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:Cardo; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-469759745 1375854843 73433088 0 187 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-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Times; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.Subsequentparas, li.Subsequentparas, div.Subsequentparas {mso-style-name:"Subsequent paras"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:22.7pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.5pt; font-family:Cardo; mso-ascii-font-family:"Minion Pro"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Minion Pro"; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} @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-size: 12.0pt;">2014 has been a big year for your writing career. Can you tell us a bit about that?</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yes, it has been big a year for me. For one thing, I published the second book of the “Sunset Rising” series, entitled “Worlds Collide”, last March. I was happily surprised when it rocketed up the Amazon ranking chart and maintained a spot in the top ten Amazon action and adventure romance bestseller list for months. That in turn attracted new hybrid-publisher Vook to ask me about acquiring the Sunset Rising series. After a few phone calls, many emails, and a lot of deliberation, I signed with Vook. I’m very happy I did.<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-size: 12.0pt;">I’m also working on the third book of my series, tentatively titled “New World Order”, which I plan to release in January 2015.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the past, you’ve blogged about enjoying being an indie author, but you signed with Vook?</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have to admit, I do like having control over my books. When I want to do a promotion, or put the books on sale, or give the books away if I want to, I don’t have to ask permission from a publisher. I can just do it. So yes, when Vook first approached me I was hesitant to sign with them. However, Vook is a different kind of publisher; they are a “hybrid publisher.” They provide an enhanced publishing platform with ongoing marketing support via proprietary software that tracks ebook sales so authors can make better and more informed marketing decisions, and authors retain all copyrights and control over their books. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I officially joined them in July and I have received so much more than they promised. Vook is a dynamic, enthusiastic team of individuals that have partnered with me to bring my series to readers through all ebook retailers at affordable prices. Good for authors and good for readers! And as a company, they’re growing and constantly investing in themselves and their authors. For instance, they recently acquired their first publishing imprint, Byliner. I’m really excited to be a part of Vook, because I truly believe they are the future of publishing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Your third book of the “Sunset Rising” series, tentatively titled “New World Order,” will be released in January?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s the plan. I’m madly writing everyday and no longer take weekends off! Not that I mind. Writing a book is like reading a good book; I don’t want to put it down. And this third book has a LOT going on. It’s definitely the most action-packed of the series, with minor characters from the first two books sharing Sunny’s spotlight. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">You do a lot of world building in the series. What’s your process for creating a post apocalyptic world? </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a nutshell, research and imagination. I love research because not only does it give me a good, solid foundation to begin my stories, but it also ignites my imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>It’s kind of like taking what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>and projecting what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could be</i>. So I read a lot of non-fiction articles and I also reach out to experts, most of whom have been really happy to help me. Dr. Bergren of the National Institute of Nanotechnology and Chris Kratt of the Wild Kratts have been two super helpful resources. I’ll be doing an interview with Chris this weekend, talking about what a post apocalyptic creature world might look like, and will have it up on my blog by September 18^thif you’re interested in checking it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is your third book the last one of the “Sunset Rising” series?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The series was named for the heroine, Sunset O’Donnell (Sunny), and the first three books are told from her point of view (spoiler alert: there’s another person sharing the story in book 3!). But as I said above, I’ve gone to great lengths to create a new world. I can definitely see more books told from other characters points of view as they reinvent their civilization and explore a post nuclear earth. And with recruiters, scorchlanders, and northerners out there, who knows what they’ll find…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Note from author:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog and giving me the opportunity to talk about all the exciting things happening with the “Sunset Rising” series. For anyone who hasn’t read the series, the first book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Sunset Rising” is on sale everywhere for just 99 cents from September 16-24, 2014.</b> I also have seven satellite stories (short stories based on the series) posted on my blog you can check out here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><a href="http://smmceachern.com/category/satel... first six stories were written in between books one and two; the seventh story is more recent and picks up between books two and three. I always love to hear from readers, so if you do check out the series, please feel free to get in touch and let me know what you think!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Cheers – Susan (aka S.M. McEachern)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Book & Author Details:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Worlds Collide by S.M. McEachern<br />(Sunset Rising #2)<br />Publication date: March 3rd 2014<br />Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Synopsis:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In a desperate attempt to escape execution, Sunny O’Donnell and Jack Kenner find a way out of the Pit and into a world still believed to be toxic with radiation. Under the brilliant sun for the first time in their lives, they not only discover that the earth has healed from nuclear war, but there are people outside the Dome.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Worlds Collide</i>, the second book of the Sunset Rising trilogy, Sunny and Jack must continue a life of subterfuge in order to stay alive and find a way to free the Pit. But in their attempt to save the urchins, they uncover the horrifying truth about President Holt and the evil he could unleash on the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Purchase</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Sunset Rising:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Amazon:  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Rising-S... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">iBooks: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/suns... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Barnes and Noble:  <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunse... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Kobo:  <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/eboo... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Worlds Collide:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Amazon: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Collide-... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">iBooks:  <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/worl... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Barnes and Noble: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/world... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Kobo:  <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/eboo... class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">AUTHOR BIO</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hX5BHz0RhGU..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hX5BHz0RhGU..." /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">S.M. McEachern was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. She attended Dalhousie University in the 1990s where she earned an Honours Degree in International Development Studies. She worked in the field of International Development for several years, specializing in ocean development.<br /><br />"Sunset Rising" is S.M. McEachern's first novel. She says the idea for the story first came to her in the 1990s when she researched a Bio-Dome experiment in Arizona for an academic paper. The thought that the world might one day need a Bio-Dome to escape a global catastrophe set her imagination into overdrive. And the ethics behind such an idea formed the backdrop for Sunset Rising.<br /><br />Her goal in writing the novel is to entertain the reader with an interesting plot and colourful characters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /><b>Author links:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://smmceachern.com/">http... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/smmceachern"... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/S.M.McEacher... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">GIVEAWAY</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Blitz-wide giveaway</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">--50$ iTunes Gift Card (INTL)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">--5x eBook copy of Worlds Collide (INTL)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span> </div><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rc-c5adb3612" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RsxvKLAT5G4..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RsxvKLAT5G4..." height="147" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NildC2REnmU..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NildC2REnmU..." height="81" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>  <script src="http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com//... src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>

#Excerpt: RENTAL by Rebecca Berto

Excerpt: First Meeting:
The story of Rick and I began with my best friend, Cara. Sort of.Cara and I have been friends since we were twelve, a friendship forged when a random class seating arrangement lumped us together. 
Rick was school captain of sports in his last year of school. He became the sudden reason attendance spiked during assemblies. The teachers were rapt with our interest, even if they didn’t know why so many girls were there. We would all sit there holding our tongues at the sight of him in sneakers and workout shorts, revealing crafted calves from years of running, and his tank hugging every curve.
In one English class after such an assembly, Cara wrote a lovey-dovey poem about some guy who could run like a bolt of lightning, who had killer legs, and a perfect set of broad shoulders. That and he had tousled, medium brown hair and dark eyes. She denied it when I asked her, but every other boy in our year level and the one above had pimples, too many bones, and squeaky voices. It was obvious after her extreme lusting for Rick it was about him.
I, too, crushed on him, so when Cara made me ‘get a word in,’ I didn’t complain. That day after school, I pulled him up to chat. He was with Justin, who was in our year level and fifteen like Cara and I. Rick was eighteen, although not by much because he hadn’t gotten his licence yet. He said they were waiting for their mum.
Justin got right into chatting, but Rick eyed me over his shoulder, smiling, but giving me a touch too much attention to be purely polite. I still cringed when I thought about my level of nerves hanging with two cute boys. 
I decided the best lead to see if Rick wanted to ask Cara on a date was the weather. Maybe I thought mentioning the word ‘hot’ would heat up the conversation. Or I could find a lead-in by mentioning how good Cara looked in her bikini.
What happenedwas I waved my hands everywhere and tripped on nothing at all but my stupidity. Rick lunged for me and picked me up the moment my knees crashed into the dirt. I sat there, legs dangling over the school fence while Justin washed off one of my knees with his water bottle, and Rick did the same with his other. I held my lips together in a firm line, refusing to let my lip wobble, and focused on the blinding sun. At least it made it impossible to cry.
Rick ended up letting Cara down by saying he needed to concentrate on schoolwork, which we both translated to she was too young. I frowned with her in disappointment, saddened by the fact if she was too young, so was I. 
But Justin kept talking to me and developed rapt feelings. We found friendship while Rick and I dodged glances and conversations that were heated and angsty. Between Justin’s interest and the age difference between Rick and me, any more than what we were was too premature. 
When Rick upped and left the country last year, Justin advanced as if a barrier had been lifted. I told him I wasn’t ready, but Justin was very much so and hung around me at lunches, parties, and with groups of friends at the shops after hours. Months passed and Rick wasn’t coming back. We never had anything, so I stopped feeling guilty for wanting to move on. And one day, when Justin asked me out as his girlfriend, I didn’t say no. 
I had gotten high with Cara and some other friends in the shadows of the garage at some house party while everyone else inside danced. Justin kissed me and I let him, and we kept on fooling around. 
Now I was in my senior year, but in another sense, I was in the same place as three years previously—a knobbly-kneed girl who first met the Delaneys. How could I date a guy and still be so breathless when I came within sniffing distance of his elder brother? 
It was late, and I was meant to be sleeping, but I lay there and played with the trimming of my sheets, lost in thoughts and weighed by shame. I’d never cheat on Justin, but the way Rick still looked at me … sweeping in to my rescue … I gulped and wiped my forehead feeling hot and sweaty. 
I had wanted to do things tonight.
“Stop it, Vee,” I whispered to myself. “Sleep.”
But I remained awake for hours in thought about one brother, his water bottle, and him bended below me.***

Book & Author Details:The Rental by Rebecca Berto
(The Rental #1)
Publication date: September 22nd 2014
Genres: Adult, Erotica, Romance
Synopsis:At first, Rick Delaney watched Vee Wyland with the hungry eyes of a fox as if she were a rabbit … his rabbit. But one day, he slunk away without notice.
Months away from graduating high school, Vee’s life is on the verge of crumbling. At home, dire finances and long hours test her family. Her boyfriend hardly pays attention to her. And she can’t shake her feelings for his older brother, Rick.
Then, all in one night, tragedy tears her teetering life into shreds.
When Rick and Vee reunite, the sparks fly. However, she unwittingly signs away a future for both of them. In his world, a place called The Rental, she becomes Victoria and Rick becomes Rhett. One part of her watches with fascination, while the other unfurls and embraces her sexual awakening. It began as a game, but the consequences are real.Following their heart’s desire is forbidden, but walking away could strip their hope for a future.
The Rental is an erotic romance that explores how sex isn’t purely physical; sometimes, it’s a gateway to your soul.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18745190-the-rental?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rental-Rebecca-Berto-ebook/dp/B00MR2MCZ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Rental+Rebecca+BertoB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rental-rebecca-berto/1120159303?ean=2940046250428Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-rental-4iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-rental/id909737506?mt=11
The prequel, The Masquerade, is a free download if you'd like to include the links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Masquerade-prequel-short-Rental-ebook/dp/B00NLPCJ3M
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/book/the-masquerade/id919838283
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/476531
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-masquerade-a-prequel-short-to-the-rental
AUTHOR BIORebecca Berto writes stories about love and relationships. She gets a thrill when her readers are emotional reading her books, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She's strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.
Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their pets.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaBertoAuthor
Twitter: @RebeccaBerto
Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/rebeccaberto
Goodreads giveaway:There's also a giveaway on Goodreads for a signed ARC that anyone can enter: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105219
Blitz-wide giveaway--$10 Amazon gift card (INTL)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

#Review: ANGEL OF DARKNESS by Valmore Daniels

5 of 5 stars
I've read all the previous books in Valmore Daniels' Fallen Angel series. I was anxiously looking forward to reading the final book, ANGEL OF DARKNESS. As with all of these books by this author, I was pulled into the story from the opening pages and the tension and suspense continues to ratchet up with every chapter. Plus, I was blown away with this cover. It's amazing.
The first-person viewpoint of Detective Frank Hollingsworth lets the reader understand exactly what's at stake--mankind could be plunged into everlasting darkness if Frank can't figure out what the Fallen Angels have planned. The Fallen Angels from the previous books all come together to fight against an evil that will doom mankind. As Frank and an unlikely partner unravel the plot, they begin to realize how precarious the likelihood of their survival really is. I read page after page and couldn't put the book down until I knew what would happen. Long after I finished the book, I was still thinking about it and that's always a good sign that an author has touched you in some profound way. This book has that kind of staying power and will have you thinking about a lot of things. I'm a fan of Mr. Daniels and thoroughly enjoy his novels. I'm looking forward to whatever he has planned next. Highly Recommended.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Author Bio:Valmore Daniels has lived on the coasts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, and dozens of points in between.
An insatiable thirst for new experiences has led him to work in several fields, including legal research, elderly care, oil & gas administration, web design, government service, human resources, and retail business management.
His enthusiasm for travel is only surpassed by his passion for telling tall tales.
http://www.ValmoreDaniels.comhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NO66V5A/&tag=mummmedi-20https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/angel-of-darkness/id920174867?mt=11http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-of-darkness-valmore-daniels/1120367291?ean=2940150429963http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/angel-of-darkness-the-last-book-of-fallen-angels-by-valmore-daniels/2940150429963https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Valmore_Daniels_Angel_of_Darkness?id=IqqLBAAAQBAJhttp://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/angel-of-darkness-8http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/477415http://www.scribd.com/book/240113392/Angel-of-Darkness-The-Last-Book-of-Fallen-Angels
Delve into the world of Fallen Angels. The first book ANGEL FIRE is currently FREE.

CHRONICLES OF STEELE: RAVEN, Episode 3 FREE on 9/20/14

Human life has value. The poor living in the gutter is as valuable as the rich living in a manor. The scoundrel is no less valuable than the saint. Because of this, every life a reaper takes must be redeemed.

Raven has lived by this first tenet since she was trained by her father to become a reaper. But since his death, she’s been spending years redeeming the lives she’s taken. By her count, she’s even and it’s time for that life to end. If she settles down and becomes a wife, she might just feel human again. But on the way to the life she thinks she wants, the baron of New Haven asks her to complete a task which she cannot ignore… Just when Raven decides to give up on her life as an assassin, she’s pulled right back in.

The Chronicles of Steele: Raven is a steampunk-inspired fantasy set in an alternate universe.
 GET IT FOR FREE ON AMAZON  
Pauline’s Newsletter Sign Up http://eepurl.com/Oe2Fn  Pauline CreedenPauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

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