Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 61

#Excerpt: NULL AND VOID by Susan Copperfield

Null and Void
Susan Copperfield
(Royal States #2)
Publication date: November 15th 2017
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Born without magic, Mackenzie Little has few prospects. In a futile attempt to break her out of the null caste, her mother ropes her into participating in a charity auction, where anything can be bought with enough money.

She never expected her ex-boss would buy her company, but for one day, she lives a fairy tale.
Nine months later, despite their precautions, Mackenzie’s little miracle is born.

Armed with Texas pride and New York viciousness, Mackenzie must fight through hell or high water to protect her family of two from a society obsessed with the magic they lack.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play—
EXCERPT:If I adhered to popular belief, every living thing possessed a spark of magic. The trick was discovering that spark and coaxing it to life.
I wanted to find the bastard responsible for propagating that load of drivel and knee him in the groin so hard his descendants felt it while his ancestors rolled in their graves. Giving nulls like me false hope only made life more difficult. Without magic to ease the way, I needed pointless, wishful thinking like I needed an extra hole in my head.
The extra hole would put me out of my misery, and some days, the thought of escaping the incessant prejudice appealed. I always came back to my senses, and when I did, I became even more bitter about my lot in life.
If I had possessed a spark of magic, I would’ve used it to light a fire under my boss’s ass so he’d get back to work instead of hovering over my shoulder watching me plug numbers into a spreadsheet. What use was magic if I couldn’t do something productive with it? I’d already lost three hours of my day to someone else’s accounting error, and no magic on Earth could tap into a computer and force it to spill its secrets.
Magic could work with technology, but for whatever reason I couldn’t fathom, no one had figured out how to use magic to populate spreadsheets. Sitting straighter, I kept my gaze locked on my monitor to maintain the illusion of productivity. “Can I help you with something, sir?”
“I couldn’t help but notice you’re doing Abigail’s job, Mackenzie Little.”
I twitched at the mention of the woman, who often served as my supervisor when my boss, one Dylan Mason, didn’t feel like dealing with me. I really wanted to know why he always insisted on calling me by my full name. One day, when I tired of having a job, I’d tell him exactly what I thought of him and his obnoxious ways. I’d also give him an earful about the failings of his precious executive secretary.
I kept working and forced a smile. “She asked for help with a report as she has a very busy day today.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire. By help, I meant fix. By asked, I meant demanded. Abigail thanked no one, especially not a worthless null like me, even when I busted my ass making sure she didn’t lose her job. If I had had a single spark of magic, I would’ve started fires to watch them burn.
Most people didn’t want fire as their element; firebugs were as common as dirt, ranked low on the talent totem, and had a reputation of being dangerous without true benefit.
If it meant being something other than a null, I would’ve embraced even the weakest flame.
To cover my growing agitation over my lot in life, I hunted for the nefarious errors in Abigail’s formulas, making my boss cool his heels.
His impatient sigh pleased me.
“I see,” he muttered, hovering over my shoulder and watching me do his secretary’s work.
If I had possessed the power, I would’ve considered damning Dylan to the darkest corner of hell I could find. Ignoring his presence tested my patience, but unlike him, I showed no sign of my annoyance.
Within a few minutes, I found the problem: Abigail liked taking shortcuts and often forgot—or refused—to double-check her work. One corrected formula later, I emailed her the report.
I returned to the daily grind, checking the output of scripts for the marketing department so they could build the reports people like Dylan would use to make deals with other companies—or swindle clients out of their money. My boss continued to hover, leaning forward until I caught glimpses of him out of the corner of my eye.
Were all men such children? Why did such a handsome man have to be so insufferable?
For the sake of my peace of mind, it was a good thing Dylan irritated me so much, else I’d spend every night fantasizing about stripping him out of his shirt.

Author Bio:
Susan Copperfield is the royal romance, urban fantasy loving alter ego of award-winning & USA Today bestselling novelist RJ Blain.

Under the super not-so-secret identity of Susan, the Royal States of America is explored, where the work of sixteen founding royal families preserved the United States from destruction and civil war when magic swept over the world.

In the Royal States, life, love, and magic always finds a way.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

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#FREE: SUMMER OF LOVE by Debra Elizabeth

THIS SWEET STORY IS FREE JULY 14-18, 2020
Blurb:
Contemporary Romance Novella

June 25 was supposed to be the best day of Jessica Blackstone's life, but a family accident sends her perfect life into a tailspin. Trying to cope with the tragedy, she retreats to the family beach cottage for some much needed solace.

John Smith has been burnt by love, and is not interested in another relationship, that is, until he meets the beautiful and fragile Jessica. Can these two lost souls find love and heal their fractured hearts?
Amazon link:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IAUKCT6
*****************************************************************
Excerpt:
June 25.It was the best and worst day of her life. It was an ordinary day that started like any other.Jessica Blackstone concentrated on the spreadsheet splayed across her computer screen. She was almost finished entering the data and then she’d start running the models. This project was the most complicated one she’d worked on, and she had to admit she was excited to get close to the end. She had spent the better part of six months perfecting the numbers and wanted to get everything right for the client.  Her boss, David Fletcher, stuck his head out of his office. “Jess, can you come into my office? There’s something I need to discuss with you.”Jess looked up from her monitor and inwardly groaned. She was so close to finishing this project and the last thing she wanted or needed at the moment was another one. Whenever David wanted to see her in his office, it usually meant more work.  She considered herself an ambitious girl, but even she had to admit that she worked way too many hours--days, nights and weekends--to prove her worth.She worked in Boston’s prestigious financial district and had thought herself lucky when she first landed the job. Right out of college, and hired by one of the biggest accounting firms in town was impressive, even if she said so herself. It was a dream job, and when she first started, she’d stroll around the high-rise buildings of chrome and steel with wide-eyed wonder. She couldn’t quite remember when she had lost sight of the area’s magnificence, but these days she walked straight from her stop on the ‘T’ at South Station to her office. About the only thing she did notice was how crowded her favorite coffee shop was in the morning. When it was too busy, she often skipped it and drank the office coffee, which paled in comparison.She was hoping to cut back on her hectic schedule after this project was finished and get a little ‘me’ time. Her apartment was minutes away from her train stop in Cambridge’s Porter Square, and it would be nice to get home at a reasonable hour for a change. Her routine had been work, home, eat, shower, collapse into bed, and repeat. She had been doing this day after day for so long that she couldn’t remember the last time she went out with any of her friends, never mind had a date.A real date – it had been a long while for her. Jessica was an attractive woman – petite with auburn hair and a splash of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She had plenty of interested men approach her, but none had caught her attention enough to distract her from work. She had slipped into an almost hermit-like existence for far too long.She had even been ignoring her parents’ pleas lately. They had been asking her to come to the cottage since they opened it up on Memorial Day. They owned a quaint little place along the southern coast of Maine, mere steps from the beach. She had many fond memories of the cottage from her youth, but had still begged off taking the trip up there, blaming her busy work schedule. She could still hear her Dad trying to convince her to come.“You know, sweetie, all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl.”“Isn’t that supposed to be Jack?” she replied back jokingly.They both laughed, but she still had not gone to see them. She promised herself that this weekend would be different no matter how she had to free up the time. She would not disappoint them again. Now looking at her boss, that promise seemed as fleeting as all the others she’d made to herself in recent months. She pushed her chair back. “Sure,” she said, following him to his office.David ran his hand through his gray-flecked hair. “Please close the door, Jess.”A lump formed in Jess’s throat. This wasn’t starting out well. David never closed the door when talking to any of the other analysts. She closed the door and sat down in one of the chairs located in front of his desk. She folded her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling and waited.David sat down and cleared his throat. “Look, this isn’t easy for me.”A sick feeling started in Jess’s belly. This was going to be bad. She could feel it. Whenever anyone started a sentence that way, it usually meant bad news. Was she being fired? What had she done to deserve that? Yes, the economy still had not recovered fully, but their firm seemed to be on solid ground. She hadn’t heard about any clients leaving their firm, but then again, she wasn’t privy to everything. Perhaps the firm had lost some important clients. She was afraid that if there was going to be any layoffs, she was the last one hired and would be the first one let go.“Oh?” she said, as a wave of nausea hit her. Her hand flew to her mouth and she swallowed continuously trying to keep her lunch down.David didn’t seem to notice her sudden anxiety and looked down at his folded hands. “Your dedication and long hours have not gone unnoticed.”Jess didn’t know what to say. Would he praise her right before he laid her off? Her answer was barely above a whisper. “Thank you.” “Yes, well, I want you to know that I did go to bat for you,” David looked up with surprising sincerity in his eyes. “I hate losing you”.  “Oh, no. Am I being fired?” she asked in a trembling voice.“Fired? Oh God, no. Where would you get that idea? Your expertise and dedication means too much to this company. We aren’t thinking about firing you, but we don’t want any of our competitors to snatch you away from us either.”Jess furrowed her brow. “Then, what are you talking about?”David stood and extended his hand. “Congratulations. Jessica Blackstone, you’re our new Senior Analyst.”Relief flooded through Jess and her nausea subsided. Thank heavens she wasn’t being fired after all.Senior Analyst. It had a nice ring to it. She jumped to her feet and grasped David’s hand. “I am? Senior Analyst?”“Yes, you are. I haven’t seen anyone work as hard as you do, especially the last few months. You deserve this promotion and it comes with a nice raise.”“Thank you, David. That’s great news. I won’t let you down.”David’s face broke into a huge grin. “I know you won’t.” Jess floated back to her desk. She didn’t remember her feet touching the carpet at all. She slumped into her chair and stared at her monitor, not really seeing anything. She was the new Senior Analyst. It was the last thing she expected when she woke up this morning. She pushed her hair behind her ears and prepared to turn her attention back to the spreadsheet still open on her computer.And then the call came in.Her cell phone vibrated. She reached into her blazer pocket and looked at the caller ID. Dad. How perfect. He would be the first one to hear her good news.“Hey, Dad. How are you doing?”“Miss Blackstone?”“Yes?” For the second time in less than an hour, dread seeped into her gut.“This is Officer Leo Grant. There’s been a car accident and your parents are at St. Mary’s Hospital.”“Oh, my God…” Jess said, panic starting to rise in her chest. “Are they okay?”“The accident was pretty serious and you should get here as soon as you can.”Jess nodded to the unseen officer. “Yes, okay.” The line went dead, but she felt numb at the news.<!-- /* 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: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;}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> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">************************************************************** </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Reviewer’s Comments:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial";">5 stars: </span><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial";">I read this whole book in 2 hours. I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who love's a good romance and quick read. Snuggle up with your favorite blanket and enjoy!</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> <i>Amazon Customer</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">5 stars: </span><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "arial";">In the mood for an evening of emotion and caring? This is a wonderful story, runs from heartbreak to true love. Very satisfying ending. Make a cup of tea and relax with this sweet story.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> <i>Amazon Customer</i></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGx7xg1aV4..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGx7xg1aV4..." width="200" /></a></div></div><style><!-- /* 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: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:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; 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#Review: CHANCE OF LOVE by Meara Platt

4 of 5 stars  I've read a few of the books in the Book of Love series and the story of Holly Farthingale and Captain Joshua Brayden is my favorite so far. Ms. Platt is masterful as she slowly reveals Holly's secret as Holly recounts details of her marriage to Joshua. Holly is a shell of her former self and Joshua realizes he can help her recapture her joy of life once again. Joshua is such an honorable hero and his treatment of Holly is a combination of support and helping bolster Holly's self confidence. Their chemistry together was strong. I was glad to see there was an obstacle/villain in this story besides the H or h self doubt. I can't wait to read Ronan and Dahlia's story.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.


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#Spotlight: SEVENTH CIRCLE by William Becker

Seventh Circleby William BeckerGenre: Romance

Michael is an awkward university student. He is lonely, socially anxious, and has no experience talking to members of the opposite sex. Michael is introduced to Mia, who is everything he could ever want. She is energetic, exciting, passionate, and much unlike him, massively experienced. Michael's life changes as he falls madly in love with Mia, feeling the passion burn within him; it threatens to swallow him whole, but as time goes on, Michael realizes things are not what they seem to be.

**Read for FREE! **
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William Becker is a young horror author with a mind for weirder sides of the universe. With an emphasis on complex and layered storylines that tug harshly on the reader to search for deeper meanings in the vein of Silent Hill and David Lynch, Becker is a force to be reckoned within the horror world. His works are constantly unfathomable, throwing terror into places never before seen, while also providing compelling storylines that transcend the predictable jumpscares of the popular modern horror.
His first novel, WEEPING OF THE CAVERNS, was written when he was 14. After eight months of writing, editing, and revising, the story arrived soon after his 15th birthday. During the writing sessions for his debut novel, he also wrote an ultra-controversial short story known as THE WHITE SHADE that focused on the horrors of a shooting. Living in a modern climate, it was impossible for THE WHITE SHADE to see the light of day.

Following a psychedelic stint that consisted of bingeing David Lynch movies, weird art, and considering the depth of the allegory of the cave wall, he returned to writing with a second story, THE BLACK BOX, and soon after, his second novel, GREY SKIES.
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#SALE: .99 ASSASSIN'S CURSE by Debra L Martin & David W Small

Blurb:
When elite assassin Jeda received his assignment to kill a witch and deliver her twin daughters to the Countess of Berkshire, he had no idea it would be his last. The witch stuns him with an elemental blast, but not before he's able to throw his knife. When Jeda regains consciousness, the dying witch is performing a compulsion spell between him and her daughters.

Now bonded to the girls, Jeda's old life is forfeit. His only thought is to take the girls and run as far away as he can. He has no idea that the twins are the ones spoken of in the long-lost prophecy of The Witch Stone. Forces are gathering: the white witches want to teach them; the black witches want to use them; the Countess wants her grandchildren back, and the guild has sent their best assassin to bring them back. Jeda must use all of his skills to stay one step ahead of them all, but will it be enough to save himself and keep the children of prophecy alive?

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Curse-Witch-Stone-Prophecy-ebook/dp/B006T3HN2A
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE:The boy stood in the middle of the room staring blankly at the wall.Choose wellwas all he remembered.The room was about sixty paces long and probably half as wide.  It was two stories’ high with numerous oil lamps set along the upper walls that provided more than adequate lighting for the entire room.  A balcony ran along three of the four walls and provided a means to observe any event happening below.  There was one door leading in and out of the room, but it was blocked by a large, well-muscled man dressed completely in black.  His eyes were deadpan, like those of a cold-blooded killer.  The air was relatively cool, but the young boy felt a drip of sweat run down his back.  He tried to hide his nervousness beneath a façade of serenity while staring at the wall, but he could feel the butterflies roiling in his stomach, threatening to unman him.The wall the boy stared at contained all conceivable manner of weapons, from short throwing knives to elegantly curved swords to long-handled halberds with wickedly curved barbs and spikes.  The boy had to choose something soon or forfeit his chance to test again for another year.  He would not let this opportunity pass, because this was the day he had trained long and hard for, the day he had anticipated for the last three years, and the day when he would finally prove himself worthy.  Today he would test to become an apprentice in the guild of assassins.The rules of the test were simple: choose your weapon and fight.  Any novice who aspired to test for apprenticeship had twenty short minutes to fight and draw blood from their opponent.  Whatever weapon a novice chose to test with would be the school in which they would be apprenticed if they passed.  There were five schools: Sword, Knife, Axe, Staff, and Bow.  The tests were short, brutal, and Reviewer’s Comments:
5 stars: "There were a few twists in the book that I didn't see coming--which is always a plus. If you're a fan of fantasy, or just plain ol' good storytelling...grab this one. It's a keeper!" Amazon customer
5 stars: "Fans of epic fantasy or good, old-fashioned, high-quality storytelling will all love this book - highly recommended!!" Amazon Customer
5 stars: "This is an amazing book. I could hardly put it down once I started. The story is well-written and engaging, really pulling you into this world that David and Debra have created...I would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves an exciting read. Geat job!" Amazon customer

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Interview with Skye Warren, DIANMOND IN THE ROUGH

 Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?
Thank you so much for having me on Two Ends of the Pen! DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH is a dark and dangerous and sexy romance.
Don’t only take my word for it…“Diamond in the Rough is masterfully written, sinfully sexy, and utterly addictive! Skye Warren proves why she is the queen of dark and delicious romance.” – Giana Darling, USA Today bestselling author“A novel full of intrigue, secrets, lies, and a love that won't be denied, Diamond in the Rough is easily a top read of 2020.” – Celia Aaron, author of The Bad Guy"Five glowing stars! Diamond in the Rough is the dark and dangerous world that I love from Skye Warren. You will be completely caught up in Elijah and Holly's story from the first page to the last." – New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig
Do you have a favorite character?I always have a soft spot for the heroine of the book I’m writing! So it changes every time I start a new book, but I absolutely fell in love with Holly from DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. She’s the only heroine I’ve written who’s an author like me.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?Oh, this happens all the time for me. Even side characters have to be fully fleshed out in my mind when I’m writing, and if I fall in love with them I’ll want to write their story.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?Yes, and I had a few books published under a different pen name, but I was able to connect with more readers and support my family with my indie name.
How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?Maybe a year and a half from start to finish? My first novella was self published, but my first novel was through a publisher.
What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?There are two big things a publisher brings to the table: editorial and marketing. At the beginning it was great to see the editorial process of different publishing houses. Only once I had experienced that did I feel really comfortable doing that with freelancers. Unfortunately publishers were not able to offer me much in terms of marketing.
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’m only looking to self publish at this time because it’s how I support my family and I don’t write fast enough that I can “throw away” a book that might earn very little.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?At first I did it as an experiment, to see what discoverability was like without any marketing or social media platform. I had no website, no Facebook page for that pen name, nothing. Then readers started asking for more and more, and I realized that even with no marketing, they were more excited for these books than my published ones.
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?I make my own covers! So, very involved. It’s great for me to exercise that part of my creative brain.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I was in many critique groups at the beginning. Now I only have a few authors I really trust and some beta readers. I think critique groups are helpful in seeing how your work will be received, but it’s important to keep in mind that YOU, the author, are the chef in the kitchen. You must love the book first and foremost, not change it into something else.
Thank you for having me on Two Ends of the Pen! If you’re looking for a new book that’s dark and dangerous and sexy, be sure to check out DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.
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A white van. A dark hood. Every woman’s worst nightmare. Now I’m trapped in an abandoned building. The man who took me says I won’t be hurt. The man in the cell next to me says that’s a lie. I’ll fight with every ounce of strength, but there are secrets in these walls. I’ll need every single one of them to survive.</span></span> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH is a new dark romance from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren. Finding yourself has never been so dangerous…</span></span></div></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><div style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5..." target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/38mqN2u" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diam..." target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/ca/book/diamo..." target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/d..." target="_blank">Kobo</a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br class="blank" /> <img alt="" src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-c..." style="display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0;" /><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"><b>Author Bio:</b><br />Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her new book ESCORT is out now! </blockquote><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">“ESCORT is perfection only Skye Warren can deliver—a poetically erotic tale of exquisitely damaged characters, devastating secrets, revenge and redemption.” – Samanthe Beck, USA Today bestselling author<br />“Hypnotically romantic…this book reads like a sensual dream and I didn’t want to wake up.” – Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author </blockquote><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">Don’t miss a release! Sign up for the newsletter to get new book alerts: www.skyewarren.com/newsletter<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.skyewarren.com/" target="_blank"></a></div></blockquote><br /><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.skyewarren.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..." target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/skyewarren" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/skye_warren" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/skyewarrenb..." target="_blank">Instagram</a></div></blockquote><br class="blank" /> <div style="text-align: center;"><b>GIVEAWAY!</b></div></span><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="d04251233749" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_jgskg2a9" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com... /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1e2BI2XW..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="147" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1e2BI2XW..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzTDggRbGS..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="442" height="81" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzTDggRbGS..." width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItKx36HZPt..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="270" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItKx36HZPt..." width="200" /></a></div><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

#Excerpt: ENTANGLED SECRETS by Pat Esden

Entangled Secrets
Pat Esden
(Northern Circle Coven #3)
Published by: Lyrical Press
Publication date: July 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal

A searing battle of hearts, minds, and magic . . .

The Northern Circle coven’s future is in question once again. But this time, hearts and souls are on the line, making the stakes higher, the magic more crucial, and the battle more fateful than ever before . . .

Pregnant and alone at twenty-one, Chandler Parrish sought refuge within the Northern Circle coven’s secluded complex. Never revealing the identity of her child’s father, Chandler has raised her now eight-year-old son, Peregrine, in peace, and used her talent as an artist and welder to become a renowned metal sculptor. But her world is shaken to the core when Peregrine shows signs of natural faerie sight—a rare and dangerous gift to see through faerie glamour and disguises that could only have come from his father’s genes. Worse yet, the boy has seen a monstrous faerie creature trailing Lionel Parker, a magic-obsessed journalist determined to expose the witching world.

But the very man who threatens the witches’ anonymity may also be key to healing Chandler’s long broken heart. As dangerous desires and shocking secrets entangle, new faerie threats and demonic foes close in on the coven and High Council. Loyalties will be tested. Fierce magics will be called upon. And Chandler will have to face her past to save all she holds dear: her coven, her child—and perhaps even her own soul.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—
EXCERPT:Burlington’s flying monkeys. The originals were crafted out of steel decades ago.
I created mine out of car parts and garden tools as a gift to my son on his third birthday.
Truly, if I could have made them fly, I would have.
—WPZI interview with artist Chandler Parrish
Chandler set the hand grinder aside and flipped up the visor of her welding helmet. She studied the fist-size heart on the workbench in front of her and smiled, pleased with the results. If she could just find the perfect strands of wire to use for the arteries and veins, the heart would be ready to install.
She glanced across the workshop to where her latest flying monkey sculpture crouched on a rusty oil drum. It was crafted from scrap metal like its predecessors. But this one was going to be an updated model with a trapdoor in its chest and a heart—a cross between the Tin Man and the flying monkeys of Oz fame.
“Mama?” Her son’s voice came from behind her.
“Yeah?” She turned to see what he wanted.
Peregrine stood in the workshop’s open doorway, silhouetted against the autumn-orange leaves of a maple that sheltered the entry. Dirt smeared his jeans. His wild blond hair was tangled. Her chest swelled with joy. If she could ask the Gods and Goddesses for anything, it would be for his life to remain as carefree as that of the eight-year-old he was right now.
“Devlin sent me to get you. Some guy’s waiting in the main house.”
“Who is it?” Chandler asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. The guy saw a shapeshifter turn into a loup-garou. Wish I’d seen it.”
Chandler pulled off her welding helmet and thumped it down on the workbench. Damn it. Their mystery visitor had to be the journalist. His spotting a shapeshifter transforming in public—illegally, of course—wasn’t that recent of news, but his dogged interest in the event, and his intrusion into the Northern Circle coven’s ongoing issues in general, was proving to be a major pain. Actually, she was shocked he’d showed up here at the coven’s complex. A couple of days ago, two coven members had paid him a not-so-friendly visit at the fleabag motel where he’d been staying to discover if he truly was a threat to the witching world’s anonymity, or if he’d only come across as crazy to the average person.
“Devlin thinks the guy’s lying,” Peregrine added.
“Even if Devlin did believe him, he couldn’t tell the journalist what he saw was real, right?”
“I don’t think Devlin likes him.”
“That’s because the journalist is a troublemaker.” She walked over to Peregrine and smoothed her hand down his cheek. At twenty-five, Devlin was younger than she by almost four years, but that made him no less wise. He was Ivy League smart, a powerful witch with polished good looks and a kind heart that made him perfect for the Circle’s high priest position. She gentled her voice. “Do you know where Brooklyn is?”
Peregrine nodded. “She and Midas are making dinner.”
“I need you to go help them until the visitor leaves. Okay?”
Peregrine stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. “Can’t I just listen? I wanna hear about the loup-garou. Please?”
“Not this time.” She crouched, looked him in the eyes, and turned on her mama-dragon voice. “You need to stay away from this man. He’s dangerous. Understand?”
“He didn’t look dangerous to me. He just talked kinda funny.”
“No arguing. I want you to hang out with Brooklyn and Midas. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
Peregrine glanced over his shoulder toward the yard, then his gaze whipped back to her. “What do redcaps really look like?”
Chandler shook her head. Peregrine’s ability to shift seamlessly from one topic to another never ceased to amaze her. “Where in the Goddesses’ name did that question come from?”
He tucked his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “Just wonderin’.” He stole another glance behind him. His voice trembled a little. “Do they really dip their hats in blood?”
Chandler straightened to her full height. Hands on her hips, she followed his gaze. There was nothing unfamiliar or strange in their yard or in the parking lot beyond it, except for an old, lime-green Volkswagen Beetle in front of the main house, undoubtedly the journalist’s ride.
A spark of fear flickered to life inside her, a fear she’d prayed she’d never have to face. “Did you see something strange?”
“There was this creepy person-thing next to that guy’s car.”
In two swift motions, she pulled him all the way inside and slammed the door shut. Heat and the thrum of protective magic blazed up the dragon and monkey tattoos on her arms and across her shoulders. She studied the yard again through the door’s window, hoping to spot a fox or a mangy racoon. Something. Anything.
Peregrine wriggled in beside her, his breath fogging the windowpane. “It kinda looked like the drawings of redcaps I’ve seen in books.”
She scrubbed her fingers over the soft bristle of her close-cropped hair. Shit. Shit. Shit. Not this. Anything but this. Peregrine was the age when most witches’ abilities manifested. And—though she rarely thought of him—Peregrine’s biological father possessed the gift of faery sight, an ability to see through the glamour faeries used to make themselves invisible; fae such as redcaps. The gift was rare nowadays because the gene pool of witches with the ability had shrunk to a handful, after eons of them being murdered or blinded by the fae, who preferred to remain concealed. It was an extraordinarily dangerous gift for the few adults who possessed it. But for an eight-year-old boy? For her boy?
She wrapped an arm around Peregrine’s shoulder, snugging him closer. “Are you a hundred percent sure you saw something?”
“Yeah. Uh—maybe.”
Maybe? Her tension eased a fraction. In truth, it could have been nothing more than wishful thinking on Peregrine’s part, combined with an imagination as active as hers. Even if he had seen a faery, it could have been a benign and unglamoured one that Brooklyn had invited into the complex to help with her herbs and concoctions.
A movement caught Chandler’s eye. Something coyote-size and hunched low to the ground was creeping out from behind the Volkswagen. It slunk along, dragging something—
Chandler shrieked. A body! A child.
She pushed Peregrine behind her, then eased the door open just far enough to get a better view. She had to have been mistaken. It couldn’t be carrying a child.
The creature swiveled to look at her. It dropped the body. Tufts of straw trailed from where the child was missing an arm.
Chandler let out a relieved breath. She recognized the child and the creature now. “There’s nothing to worry about,” she said. “It’s just Henry with Brooklyn’s scarecrow.” Well, there wasn’t anything to worry about as long as Brooklyn didn’t see Henry, Devlin’s golden retriever, making off with her straw man. If she did, there’d be hell to pay.
Peregrine wiggled past her to look. “I wasn’t afraid of nothin’. And that isn’t what I saw. What I saw was bigger. A lot bigger.” He fanned his arms, indicating something twice as tall and large as the scrap-metal rhinoceros that she’d sold to a client last month, impossibly larger than a redcap.
She gave him a side-eye look. Now he was fibbing, except…
A chill traveled up her arms, prickling against the magic in her tattoos. But what if—other than the size—it wasn’t a fib? What if he did have the sight like his father?

Author Bio:
Pat Esden would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts.

She is the author of the contemporary fantasy Dark Heart series from Kensington Books, and the Northern Circle Coven series. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society's Mythic Circle, George Scither's Cat Tales Anthology, and the Fragments of Darkness anthology.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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#Excerpt: HEAVEN by Bobbi Smith

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bobbi Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:


Hi everybody!

I just wanted to tell you a little about the story behind Heaven. When it first came out, I was honored to have David Alan Johnson, the very first Romantic Times Cover Model winner, as my hero on the cover! What fun! David and I did book tours together and had a great time meeting all our fans. I’m including a picture of David’s cover for our blog tour. Hope you enjoy Heaven!

Best,
Bobbi Smith

For archeologist’s daughter Alexandra Parker, the Crown of Desire isn’t just a priceless and mysterious artifact—it could mean the difference between life and death.

And to find it, she must embark on a dangerous journey in the company of a man she hardly trusts. Wealthy Englishman Winn Bradford is seductive, charismatic, and the last person she should fall in love with. But Alex, too, has a secret—one that puts Winn’s safety at risk, and will force her to choose between loyalty and an extraordinary love…

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Rich-Adventurer-Risked-All-ebook/dp/B07VXXM4HC/
 
Excerpt:

Winn knew Alex would be angry when he told her the truth, but it would be easier to face her anger than to let her continue to believe that she had tempted him from his vows. He made his way toward her cabin and found her standing at the rail, gazing across the river.

“Alex…”

Alex had been lost in a dream of Father Winn, reliving that one precious moment when they’d been just a man and a woman with nothing to keep them apart. She gasped as she recognized his voice and seeing him again set her heart racing.

“What do you want?”

“We need to talk. Please, invite me in.”

“All right.”

Winn followed her inside her cabin and waited as she closed the door.

“Alex, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“No, Father Winn, please…I shouldn’t have kissed you. It’s just that…I care about you deeply. So as far as I’m concerned our kiss never happened.”

Winn gazed down at her, wondering how he’d gotten himself into such a mess. “Alex, I should have told you this long ago, but until tonight it was impossible.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I came to you tonight dressed this way for a reason. As you can see, I’m not wearing a collar anymore.”

She was shocked. “You can’t forsake your vows!”

“Alex,” he said softly. “I’ve taken no vows.”

“What?”

“I’m not a priest. My uncle, Edward Bradford, was the priest. I’m Winston Bradford. I couldn’t live with the lie any longer or with the pain I was causing you.”

He reached for her and drew her to him, his lips capturing hers in a slow, tantalizing kiss.


About the Author: 
After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.

Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million copies of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List, the USA Today Best Seller List and the Wal-Mart Best Seller List.

The rights to Ms. Smith’s books have been sold to China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Russia and Sweden. Bobbi has also written two faith-based contemporary novels – Haven and Miracles – using the pseudonym Julie Marshall.

Website: http://Bobbismithauthor.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Olivia Wildenstein, NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
I’m usually a series girl but Not Another Love Song will be a standalone. I loved Angie and her crew, loved writing about music and Nashville (a city I ironically only visited after I completed the book), but when I set out to write NALS, there was no doubt in my mind that every subplot would be neatly tied up by the end. My other reason for not wanting to expand on the universe of NALS is so I can travel somewhere else. There’s nothing more exciting for authors than meeting new characters and plotting their lives.
Do you have a favorite character?I always have a favorite, and it’s never my main character. I suppose that’s because the main character feels too much like ourselves, especially when you write them in the first person. In NALS, my favorite was Nev, Ten’s little sister, the underdog on the brink of teenagerhood struggling to find her place and her people in the world.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?Ooh. I did. Repeatedly. Most indies have attempted the trad route at some point in their career. Or at least, this was true back when I started off (6 years ago). Back then, the indie business neither had a great reputation nor the traction it’s gained in recent years. After multiple rejections, though, I decided to strike out on my own. The learning curve was steep and the road bumpy, but what a great greatadventure it’s been.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I always write to music. At the start of every manuscript, I create a new playlist on Spotify, and every week, I’ll add songs to it. And then I’ll listen to them on a loop until the lyrics and melodies blur into white noise. You can find most of my playlists here: http://oliviawildenstein.com/music/
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?Before I start writing, I’ll type up a 5 to 6-page outline. Do I follow it? Never. But somehow it helps organize my plot. What I find most important is compiling a character chart: a file with pictures for every character in your story (even the minor ones) that lists their physical attributes as well as their likes, dislikes, pet peeves, scents, jobs, and history.
What have you learned during your self-publishing journey? That it’s A LOT of work, and not all of it fun. I’ll spend an equal amount of time marketing my books than I’ll do writing them. Not that I dislike marketing, but if I have to choose, I would rather write. However, being able to do both is essential in this business. Another thing I’ve learned is patience. Arm yourself with as much as you can because building your readership takes time.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book? Yes. Yes. And yes. Or at least, until the book launches. Once that first week is over, you can finally breathe and give your new story your undivided attention.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena? Study the market and find your niche, then read everything indie-produced in that niche because that’s your competition! My bread and butter is New Adult paranormal romance. You wouldn’t think it’s a niche, but Amazon juststarted categories for NA fantasy romance last year.
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night? I’m definitely a cat person. I love dogs, but they’re like small children, and I already have three of those.  Vanilla ice cream but chocolate everything else, the darker the better. Text! The commodity I lack the most is time, so texting is definitely more efficient. However, texting is impersonal, so at some point, I crave good, long talks. I love nights, love their quietness and darkness.  What’s next for you?I’m writing the last book in my Angels of Elysium series, then I’ll be adding a spinoff for my Boulder Wolves trilogy. And, I’m cowriting for the first time ever (almost done with the book actually). It’s been such a fun experience that I hope to co-write many more novels in the future.


Not Another Love Song
Olivia Wildenstein
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: July 7th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

An aspiring teenage singer finds herself playing a different tune when she falls for a boy who could jeopardize her future dreams in Olivia Wildenstein’s romantic YA novel, Not Another Love Song.
Angie has studied music her entire life, nurturing her talent as a singer. Now a high school senior, she has an opportunity to break into Nashville’s music scene via a songwriting competition launched by her idol, Mona Stone. Discouraged by her mother, who wishes Angie would set more realistic life goals, she nonetheless pours her heart and soul into creating a song worthy of Mona.

But Angie’s mother is the least of her concerns after she meets Reedwood High’s newest transfer student, Ten. With his endless collection of graphic tees, his infuriating attitude, smoldering good looks, and endearing little sister, Ten toys with the rhythm of Angie’s heart.

She’s never desired anything but success until Ten entered her life. Now she wants to be with him and to be a songwriter for Mona Stone, but she can’t have both.

And picking one means losing the other.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Author Bio:
USA TODAY bestselling author Olivia Wildenstein grew up in New York City and earned her bachelor’s in comparative literature from Brown University. After designing jewelry for a few years, Wildenstein traded in her tools for the writing life, which made more sense considering her college degree.

When she’s not sitting at her computer, she’s psychoanalyzing everyone she meets (Yes. Everyone), eavesdropping on conversations to gather material for her next book, and attempting not to forget one of her kids in school.

She has a slight obsession with romance, which might be the reason why she writes it. She’s a hybrid author of over a dozen mature Young Adult love stories.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!a Rafflecopter giveaway

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