Sky Purington's Blog, page 24

Paranormal Fantasy Romance. Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears and Holiday Spirit for Hire by Isabelle Saint-Michael.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Isabelle Saint-Michael, author of Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears, Otherworld Realms, Book 1. Love Paranormal and Fantasy Romance? Then cozy in and check out a fabulous interview.
Publisher: Otherworld Romance, LLC
Date of Publication: November 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9908665-0-3 Paperback  978-0-9908665-1-0Number of pages: 380Word Count: 95,000
Cover Artist: CL Smith
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win 4 prize packs full of goodies and swag.
Keep in mind! Both titles spotlighted today will be on sale December 21st through December 27th.  Practical Uses for Princes with be marked down to $1.99 and Holiday Spirit to .99.
Book Description
Lillian Chambers was just an ordinary high school teacher, until she fell through a Fairy Circle. When she came to on the other side, she was surprised to find herself in the company of an Elven prince she thought only existed in her dreams. Now she’s slaying monsters and rescuing Prince Tallyn, instead of playing the part of the damsel in distress.
Tallyn had been the protector of his kingdom for over one hundred years. He knows that the world is filled with danger around every corner, but these days he’s finding himself babysitting the annoyingly fearless Lady Lillian.
When their worlds collide sparks fly, humorous situations ensue and the only thing for sure is that neither will ever be the same. Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears takes readers on an adventure into a modern fairytale where we explore what it really means to fall for Prince Not-so-Charming.
Available at Amazon 
Excerpt
My dreams were more vivid than usual. It was like I was standing there with my favorite imaginary hunk. He and several others were packing up horses. There was a great deal of laughter and teasing among the men. They poked at each other until finally he had to step in and tell them to calm down. 
Even as he reprimanded them his smile shone brightly. I had never seen him smile with such a youthful presence.
Moments later another man appeared, just as handsome as my dream guy. “Tallyn!” he called, and my heart skipped a beat as I watched the man of my dreams turn to wave.
“Tallyn,” I could feel myself whispering. He turned and looked in my direction, as if he had heard me. His face fell a little when he couldn’t see me standing there.
“What’s wrong?” the taller man asked him.
I watched as Tallyn shrugged. “I was just thinking about how I was going to have to see your face every morning for the next few days and it quashed all the fun out of our camping trip.”
The taller man laughed, only to turn when someone called, "Maerryn!" which I guessed was his name.
I could feel the cool breeze on my skin, causing the hair on my arms to stand up. I watched with interest as the men finished packing up and began to ride away. I followed them through the forest I had seen a hundred times in my dreams. After a few hours they crossed the river in a shallow area then headed up a steep cliff, guiding their horses one at a time along the narrow ledge.
By midday the group reached the top of the cliff and stopped for lunch. The food smelled amazing cooked over the open fire. I felt my stomach rumble. When it did, Tallyn placed a hand on his stomach and looked around with confusion.
He was beautiful to look at, even with uncertainty creasing his brow. His green eyes deepened in color and his breath stilled. It was like he was looking right at me but couldn’t see me. With a shake of his head, he rejoined the conversation around him.
They packed up and left, heading across a path at the top of the cliff that led into another forest. The group seemed more hesitant when they entered the new area. They rode close together for hours, and when darkness finally threatened, they found flat ground and made camp. The horses were tied up, dinner was caught and prepared, and then the wine came out.
Boys will be boys, I thought to myself as they laughed, sang and passed around the bottles.
Behind me I heard the crack of twigs underfoot. Suddenly, I sensed someone else was there. I turned, looking in the direction of the sound, and I saw shadows moving through the woods towards the encampment. Panic filled me and I tried to scream, but I was just a watcher without a voice.

Holiday Spirit for Hire
Otherworld Realms Book Two
Genre: Holiday/ Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Otherworld Romance, LLC
Date of Publication: November 14th, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9908665-2-7 Paperback 978-0-9908665-3-4
Number of pages:164 Word Count:41,000
Cover Artist: CL Smith
Book Description
When life handed half-werewolf Grace MacGregor a pink slip four weeks before Christmas, she was determined to get back to work as soon as possible. She just didn’t expect it to be the very next day – or at the North Pole.  She now has four weeks to make other people’s holiday wishes come true, but will she be able to grant her own while she is at it?
Justin Kringle is the nephew of Santa Claus and his job is to keep operations of the Pole on point. When Grace is dropped bed and all into his work shop, he can’t decide if it’s love or hate at first sight. First impression: she’s a total mess. Can he keep her on track and remember to not mix business and pleasure?
Available at Amazon
Excerpt 
I settled into bed with my favorite boyfriend, my laptop. Before long I had updated my resume, applied for a half dozen jobs, checked flights home, and Facebooked with all of my friends to see if anyone had any leads. I was about to shut down when the pop from my email caught my attention.
I closed the other tabs and stared at my inbox. It was from the OAC. The Otherworld Alignment Council was a group of magical beings, things that go bump in the night, and people that made sure that there were universal laws and regulations used across all the realms.  They made sure there was a common language, rules about magic, and laws that kept peace between the different races.  Why they were emailing me I didn’t know.
To: Grace MacGregorFrom: OACSubject:  The North Pole Needs You
Dear Ms. MacGregor,
It has been brought to the attention of the OAC that you are no longer employed during this busy time of the year.  Every Holiday season we rely on the help we get from the Otherworld community to make the season bright.  Your talents could be used now through the end of the year helping deliver joyful winter holidays across all the realms.
Please see the attached application. Applicants will be considered for a paid position.  Please send a resume, two letters of recommendation and magical aptitude test scores to the email listed below.  If chosen we will need you to report immediately for work.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,Otherworld Alignment Council
I looked at the email again and shrugged.  “Why not?”  I asked myself.  I attached my resume, two recommendation letters and a quick note explaining my father was a Scottish Werewolf Clansman and that I was half human.  I figured my lack of magical abilities would keep me out of the fray.  My father told me to always answer the OAC right when they contacted you because they made the IRS look patient.
With a giggle to myself I closed the windows on my laptop and shut it down.  Snuggling deep into my pillows I closed my eyes, giggling about what use I could possibly be to the Great Holiday Front up North.  Strangely enough I fell asleep with thoughts of sugar plums dancing in my head.
I awoke the next morning to the sounds of clinking, clicking and power tools.  I opened my eyes involuntarily when a particularly loud noise sounded right over my head.  It was then I noticed my bedroom was swarming with Gnomes and they seemed too busy to care I was sleeping.
“Excuse me!” I yelled.  “Why are you in my bedroom?”
A few of them stopped, exchanged looks with shrugs, and returned to work.  I wasn’t answered until a man with a heavy red braid down his back appeared.
“You are in their workshop, and it’s about time you got up.”  I climbed out of bed angrily, prepared to demand that they leave.  “Nice pajamas,” he said with a grin as he looked me over.  “If you follow me we will get you assigned duties, uniforms and the rest of your paperwork filled out.”
I looked around what should have been my room.  I was on a toy factory floor.  Only it looked like FAO Schwarz met Ikea.  Bright colors with industrial-grade shelves mixed with the old world charm of hand-carved wooden trim.  All around me Gnomes were hustling to complete toys.  I looked in the direction the redheaded man had gone and chased after him, abandoning my bed to the factory.
Interview Time!
What inspired you to write these books?
Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears came to life because of a blog I publish. Growing up I often felt out of place in my family and used to dream I was adopted or a Changeling. In early 2014 I started planning a blog that would follow my daily life re-imagined as if I were in my own personal fairy tale. When it caught on I started getting emails from readers asking about back stories, other realms, and side characters.
Fueled by reader interest I developed the first story to take place in one of the alternate realms. I thought it would be fun to write a Fairy Tale for grown-ups that still captured the spark of magic from childhood, but included all the lusty fun-filled moments Disney would be sure to leave out.
I knew I wanted a woman to save the day in my story because we live in an age where we have to be able to save ourselves. If we can’t stand on our own and be happy by ourselves, how can we be happy with anyone else?
Holiday Spirit for Hire is the first of my tales to introduce us to the inner workings of the North Pole. Christmas and the entire holiday season was always filled with wonder for me growing up. I come from a small town in New England and have seen just how magical it can all be. Almost all of my Christmases there have been white and spent surrounded by my family with the fireplace popping in the background. Greeting cards and the Hallmark Channel have been cashing in for years depicting the kind of Christmases I had.
Most of the characters in Holiday Spirit are based on real people that I love and miss this time of the year. I wanted a story where these characters that feel so close to me could come together and exist. So I dug deep and remembered my first Christmas far away from home and started there. What I ended up with was a story that reads like a fairy tale set in a magical place where anything feels possible. But it shows us that magic doesn’t make things easier or perfect, it just adds another layer of complication to feelings that can already be powerful.
If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Hands down I would spend it with Joy, Justin’s mom in Holiday Spirit for Hire. I based her off of my grandmother (whose name was also Joy).  Joy is one of those characters that never meets a stranger. From the moment you walk through the door until the moment you leave this world you’re family. It isn’t just her massive heart though, it’s the years of wisdom and her constant sunny personality that draw me to her.
I think of all the stories she probably has, all the recipes she knows, and all the things she has probably seen over the years. I’m not sure an hour would be enough.
Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
Holiday Spirit for Hire’s cover actually came before the cover for Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears. I was on a site for a designer and noticed he had some pre-made covers. Earlier that same day I had joked with a friend about how my main character was going to have this horribly impractical uniform complete with a wreath for headgear. There on the pre-made cover page was a picture of a woman wearing said headgear. I took it as a sign and reached out to the artist to see if he would be willing to make some minor changes for a reasonable rate. When I bought the cover, I didn’t even have the title yet, let alone a working story. I just had notes in a notebook.
When it came time for Practical Uses to get its cover I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. So I spoke with a couple different artists and ended up coming back to the artist who made the pre-made. I told him what I was looking for and a little about the story.
He made me three cover options. The first was EXACTLY what I thought I wanted and the 2ndand 3rd were other ideas he had. I was really conflicted because I really liked his other concepts a lot as well. I ended up polling friends and family and decided to go with cover number 2 because it was the crowd favorite and I really loved it.
What sort of personality does your hero have?
Both of my heroes are anti-heroes.
Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears
Tallyn is the bastard born son of a king. He was always raised as a prince with the privileges and opportunities that come with it. But despite what his father and brother have both told him his entire life, he feels doesn’t deserve to wear the title. This doesn’t mean he lacks confidence or has low self-esteem. It just means he thinks the world puts too much stock in a title.
Tallyn is grumpy, curt, and duty driven. He believes he must be these things in order to serve his people the best he can. He is an Elven warrior first and everything else second.
Holiday Spirit for Hire
Justin is a workaholic that takes his obligation to the family business very seriously because he doesn’t think anyone else will. The downside of working all the time and never leaving the North Pole is that he doesn’t really get to date. After several painful seasonal flings he just decides love isn’t for him.
If you get Justin to get his mind off of work he is jolly and mischievous. He enjoys the little things in life and loves his family passionately even though they drive him nuts.
Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
When I moved into my new apartment here in Seoul I built my “office” using 2 Ikea loft beds. We use the above area for storage and curtained off the under section. I wanted a place that was comfortable so rather than a desk and chair I opted for a twin bed with lots of pillows and a small folding table that I could easily move around. It’s been awesome because I feel like I’m tucked away writing in my diary or when my editor comes over it feels like a pajama party with both of us lazing about on the bed.
How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
I have been writing pretty much been writing as long as I understood the idea of putting words down on paper. However knowing I wanted to write really came to me in my early teens. I had a teacher tell me I would never succeed and that I should consider other options where I showed more talent. My answer was to go home to all of my teen magazines and research their requirements for submitting freelance articles. Seven of my articles ran that year in some of the largest national teen magazines in the US (1999). I continued to write from then on. I went on to publish articles in magazines, newspapers, short story collections and even in a few cookbooks. It wasn’t really until the last few years I began to consider fiction as anything other than a hobby. Fifteen years later I’ve written a little bit of everything. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it up until now and look forward to what I hope will be at least another 45 years of sharing my words with the world. 
Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
Both of these books are part of a series called the “Otherworld Realms Books”. My publisher Otherworld Romance loved the name of the series for obvious reasons. All of the books under this series will tie back in to the Elven Life Blog that is on my website (http://elvenlife.com), meaning all of these characters co-exist in the same time but maybe not the same realm. Case in point, Tallyn’s older brother Maerryn is one of the cases that Grace handles in Holiday Spirit for Hire.
Even though the books are written on a timeline that corresponds to things happening on the blog, each book is a standalone story and can be read in any order. Meaning if you want to read the holiday book first because of the season, you won’t have missed any needed information from book 1 for the story to make sense.
The 3rdbook from the series will be out sometime after first of the year, probably in late February or early March. It will follow the story of a female mercenary hunting a Dragon.
Also, in late 2015 I will be launching the first book in a new series set in Asia. What if all the anime, manga and kung-fu movies we watched were real? What if those forms of entertainment were just fancy cover stories to keep the public in the dark?
If you’re interested, watch my blog or my publisher’s website for more updates.
If you could make changes to a story you’ve already written, which would it be and why?
As a Christmas gift to my fans, though the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s I plan to post a few of the scenes that were cut in the process on my website. The bonus materials will be free to all my readers.
About the Author

Isabelle Saint-Michael is a cupcake enthusiast, shoe addict, and globetrotter. She is known for her sense of adventure and geeky hobbies. She is frequently seen haunting coffee shops and pubs into the wee hours of the morning. No matter where she goes, shenanigans and mirth are never far behind.
The blog that started it all- www.Elvenlife.com
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/IsabelleStMichael
Twitter @IsabelleStMike or https://twitter.com/IsabelleStMike
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Forbidden Temptation. Knights of Stone by Lisa Carlisle.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Lisa Carlisle, author of Knights of Stone, Highland Gargoyles, Book 1, a paranormal erotic romance.
ASIN: B00O9EHH5E
Number of pages: 100 
Book Description
Gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle twenty-five years ago. When Kayla, a tree witch, hears about the unconventional rock concerts in the gargoyle’s territory, she sneaks from her coven and into their territory to see for herself. Night after night, she returns to see one in particular shift into human form and play guitar at these unconventional shows.
For several nights, Mason has kept watch for the pixie-like female. He plans to seduce her, thinking she’s a visitor from another island. When he discovers she’s one of the tree witches, he retreats, attempting to keep his distance. The temptation is strong, but forbidden.
Kayla and Mason attempt to meet in secret, but other elements on the isle command their attention. A magical cloak created by the three clans on the island is thinning, leading to repercussions for all the clans. Kayla and Mason are caught in the middle of it, and their actions may change the fate for all.
Available at  Amazon    BN   ARe    iBooks    Kobo
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of three digital copies of Dark Velvet, the first part of the Chateau Seductions series.Interview Time!
How did you come up with the title?
Knights of Stone is also the name of the band in the story. Since they’re gargoyle shifters, a clan of brothers, it fit.
Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
There’s a forbidden romance between a gargoyle and tree witch. Their clan and coven forbid them to associate after they divided their island in a battle many years prior.
Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
The cover features the gargoyle shifter Mason in human form with the island’s ocean environment in the background. If you look closely in the water, you can see his gargoyle image.
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I have had such a tremendous response to Knights of Stone with readers asking me to write more that I’ve decided to turn it into a series. More hot gargoyle rock stars to come.
I also have several other romances released this fall, including Dark Muse and Rock My Senses, both paranormal romances.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
I loved writing the opening scene in Knights of Stone when you see the gargoyle shifters transform on stage. Also, any scene where Mason and Kayla were together, struggling against their feelings was fantastic to write.
Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
I love writing in cafes or libraries, but usually end up writing on my sofa.
It’s time to promo. What is your favorite marketing tool?
I spent a lot of time on Facebook, chatting with authors and readers. Find me there if you want to connect—Lisa Carlisle. I’m also on Twitter--@lisacbooks.
What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
I write in several genres. My professional writing career began in nonfiction and I still write articles. In fiction, I write paranormal romance, new adult, contemporary, military, and even suspense. My favorite at the moment is paranormal romance, but I may have more military romances in the near future.
Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?
I write all of the above, but mostly read and write novellas. They are perfect for an evening or two. Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
I have multiple. On Halloween, Rock My Senses was released, part of my paranormal erotic romance series with Ellora’s Cave. It features a computer geek by day/ rock guitarist by night, a fun character to explore.
Dark Muse also just came out, part of my Chateau Seductions series set at an art colony on a remote New England island. It includes a romance between a socially awkward painter and elusive rock guitarist. I love losing myself writing about the castle setting—would love to visit there myself if it existed. ;)  Excerpt
Five torches blazed on the stage all at once, lit by an unseen force. The audience erupted in cheers as the dancing lights from the flickering fire basked the statues. The flames lowered, casting the gargoyles in an eerie, almost reverent glow.
Movement. So slight, Kayla wondered if it was simply a play of light and shadows in her anticipation for the change. She fixed her gaze on the statue in front of her, the one she’d gravitated to each time she’d had snuck out to see the show. Its massive gray form stood straight on two legs built for sturdiness. Its chest jutted out proudly. Gray wings with detailed feathers etched in the stone arched from a point below its shoulder blades. Eyes cast straight ahead on a face that appeared to be a mixture of canine and lion. Its right hand twitched, so slightly she would have missed it if she hadn’t stared so intently. Then a clawed foot inched forward.
Murmurs of astonishment burst from the crowd as the transformation began. Their cries of fervor grew louder as the monstrous statues transformed into taller, slimmer figures with the bronzed skin of warriors who battled under the midday sun. The tartan fabric fell over their thighs as they stood erect, covering their nudity.
Kayla barely blinked, mesmerized as always, as the statue before her stood to full height, taking on the form of a human male, but with beautiful raven wings. Hair just as black snaked rebelliously past his chin. The stony eyes flickered with animation, turning to a mossy green. His deep gaze seared the audience, seeming to burn anything in the path. When he found Kayla, he stopped.
His expression was unreadable, but the intensity in his unblinking eyes made her swallow. She froze under the scrutiny as if hypnotized, unable to break eye contact. Her stomach lurched, heart pounded, and every muscle in her body tightened, fueled with blood now scorching through her veins. His penetrating appraisal affected her so. When his eyes took on a smoldering glint, her skin tingled and a red-hot awareness grew between her thighs.
He broke the stare and continued to assess the audience. She gasped, not realizing she had been holding her breath, and panted while she tried to breathe at a normal rate. He turned on robust legs and strode to a guitar stand. She tore her eyes from him to note the other gargoyles. They, too, had shifted into the form of striking males. One had black hair draped further down his back, one had long blond hair, and two had reddish-brown hair—one wavy and shaggy, the other straight. They took their place at other  instruments. She sought the guitarist again and caught the first sound of the pick striking the strings. On hearing the guitar projected through the amp, the crowd roared again, pressing Kayla forward.
The freak show was about to begin.
Spotlights flooded the musicians, powered by solar panels near a massive amplifier. The guitarist continued playing and the others joined in, playing a raucous crossover between hard rock and heavy metal. The one with long blond hair grabbed hold of the microphone and belted out a shattering cry that sounded like a call to battle. The crowd went pin drop silent to listen and then cheered in unison as the band played on. The front man sang piercing growls and low croons about the Knights in Stone, the protectors of the ancient forests, battling against the evil tree witches.
Kayla’s coven. 
About the Author

Lisa loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent, caring heroines. She feels very honored to be a multi-published author since she's wanted to write since the sixth grade. Her travels have provided her with inspiration for various settings in her novels, including deployments while she served in the Marines. She lived in Parris Island, the California desert, and Okinawa, Japan. She also backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris, France, as an au pair before returning to the U.S. and buying a book store. She now lives in New England with her husband, two children, a cat, and many fish.
Visit Lisa Carlisle
www.lisacarlislebooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor
https://twitter.com/LisaCBooks
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6463824.Lisa_Carlisle
http://amazon.com/author/lisacarlisle
http://pinterest.com/lcbooks/
Sign up for the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/3qmnP

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Freedom. Passion. Romance. Plight of the Highlander- The MacLomain Series: Next Generation.

It’s hard to believe that I started the MacLomain Series: Next Generation in January and have already finished. I have to admit it was pretty tough writing the last few chapters of today’s release. It was time to say goodbye to a lot of characters who helped me through a fairly difficult year and I won’t soon forget them. I’d also like to thank you, my readers, for joining me on all of 2014’s MacLomain adventures and hope you’ll join me in 2015 for two more MacLomain series. 
So on to the grand finale. Since first meeting Torra in Mark of the Highlander (Book 1), I’ve been eager to share her story. And of course I’ve had my eye on Colin MacLeod for some time now. How did a lass who is part dragon fall in love with a man she supposedly never met? Never mind someone from a clan who had lukewarm relations with the MacLomains. At last we learn their backstory and dive deeper into the connection that formed between these two in Plight of the Highlander. 
GIVEAWAYS! I’ll be dishing out five $25 gift cards to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble as well as nine signed paperback books. Keep reading to learn more!Blurb
With the dragon blood of her Viking ancestors coursing through her veins, Torra MacLomain has long tried to keep her Scottish clan safe. But a ruthless enemy has been watching...waiting. As Keir Hamilton launches his plan to possess her, many secrets come to light including her passion for a certain highlander.
When Colin MacLeod's undying love for Torra is discovered, he's given an ultimatum. Watch his lass die a brutal death or defect from his clan to lead the Hamilton armies. Four winters later and in charge of Keir's warriors, Colin battles in an ongoing war against the MacLomains. Yet now the worst has come to pass. His ill-found chieftain has finally trapped Torra.
In a castle siege unlike any other and because of time travel, the modern day Brouns and medieval MacLomains join together in a final stand-off against their merciless enemy. Battles rage. Mysteries are revealed. Freedom is found. But most importantly, a love long repressed at last rises up determined to conquer all in Plight of the Highlander.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo
Excerpt
Colin reeled her in until she stood between his legs. He braced his hands on her hips, eyes penetrating as he said, “You keep secrets…even from me.”
“Especially from you,” she whispered, voice failing when thickened with emotion. “‘Tis safer that way.”
Colin’s face remained impassive and he clasped her hips a fraction tighter. “There is nothing safe about me not knowing what you intend. To keep me without knowledge only makes it more difficult for me to protect you.”
Torra gently touched his cheek, thoughts once more on the eve before as she murmured, “There will be times that you cannae protect me, that I must fight battles on my own.” Unable to stop herself, she ran the pad of her thumb softly over his lower lip. “‘Tis all part of the fear that you help me face, aye?”
Colin closed his eyes briefly before they narrowed on her once more and he shook his head sharply. “I cannae force words from your lips but know this, ‘twill be unforgivable if harm befalls you and I could not help because you shut me out.”
Torra offered a small nod. What else could she do? Pain and frustration were clear enough in his eyes. That caused her grief as she thought about what he had done for her the previous night. What he had done to her. Not only his kiss but his touch had kindled a wide swath of sensations that swept her away in a rising tide of soul-deep need. She never imagined a simple kiss could feel so good.
Now sampled, she wanted more. Far more. But it wasn’t just his lips she craved. Now she knew there was an indescribable pleasure to be found in his arms. Torra instinctually pulled away. But Colin didn’t let her get too far. His eyes flared and whipped down her body then back to her flushed face.
When he stood she put up a hand and shook her head. On a heavy swallow she said, “Nay, ‘tis too soon. I need time to gain confidence.”
Her words sounded like an excuse even to her own ears. Mayhap for all she thought this morn that she had come so far, she had not at all. Torra watched Colin internally fight his assertive nature. She knew full well he was tempted to pull her into his arms. Instead, he inhaled deeply and raked a hand through his hair.
“Confidence will only be gained through repetition. ‘Tis what I tell my warriors,” he muttered under his breath and stalked into the adjoining chamber.
“I am not one of your warriors,” she reminded, following, trying not to get aggravated.
“Aye, but you are.” Colin’s regard swung her way as he poured two mugs of mead. “You are mine and you are a warrior.” He handed her a mug, eyes the hardest she’d ever seen them. “If you will not share your secrets then I will focus ever harder on those aspects of this war in which I can help.”
She knew precisely what aspects those were. Torra set aside the mug and crossed her arms over her chest. “So you think to train me by seducing me?”
“Aye, lass.” His lips quirked but his eyes remained mirthless. “Your greatest strength lies in the relationship you have with the dragon. To become the best warrior you can you must have full control over your other half.”
It didn’t matter how much sense he made, his words irked her. But despite her rising temper, Torra was surprised to realize that not only his words but the stern way he looked at her ignited…desire? This time his lips didn’t quirk but curled up ever so slowly, well aware of both her mental and physical reaction.
Celebrating with Contests!
Celebrating ten years with the MacLomain clan! It’s hard to believe that I officially began researching for this series in November of 2004 and typed the first word of Fate’s Monolith in December. Though it was only ever going to be a standalone book, the moment I met Adlin MacLomain, I knew it would be so much more. Now, twelve MacLomain books later and one spin off series, it’s time to celebrate!


The holidays are right around the corner so I thought what better way to spread cheer than to offer three giveaways for Christmas. What’s up for grabs? Three prize bundles consisting of a signed print book set (The MacLomain Series- either the Early Years, Original Series or Next Generation) as well as a $25 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Three winners drawn. 
How do you enter to win?
Easy. Choosing from the Early Years, Original Series or Next Generation, simply post on my Facebook Page- Christmas Contest: then share who your favorite MacLomain character is and why. Don’t forget to mention what book they’re in. Contest ends December 25'th. 
On Tour. More Giveaways!
Plight of the Highlander starts its book tour today. Be sure to join me along the way for a chance to win one of two $25 gift cards to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Tour Schedule
November 14th
Angel’s Guilty Pleasures
November 14thSapphyria's Book Reviews
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Paranormal Romantic Suspense. Witch Resurrected and Mean Streets by Gail Roughton.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Gail Roughton, author of Witch Resurrected, War-N-Wit, Inc., Book 1 and Mean Streets, War-N-Wit, Inc., Book 2.
Genre:  Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Publisher:  Books We  Love, Ltd.
Date of Publication:  September 21, 2014
ISBN:  978-1-77145-314-1ASIN: B00NSY9NZ8
Number of pages:192Word Count: 63,858
Cover Artist:  Michelle Lee
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of five print copies of Witch Resurrected.
Witch Resurrected, War-N-Wit, Inc., Book 1

Book Description      

Ariel Anson thinks she has her life in order. She’s young, smart, and beautiful, even if she doesn’t believe the beautiful part. She’s a paralegal with a great career and a fiancé who’s a CPA. You just can’t get any steadier than that. Then she meets private investigator, bounty hunter, process server Chad Garrett.
What does War-N-Wit, Inc. stand for anyway?
Warlock and Witch? For real? Oh, yes! For real.
Her life as she knows it is over! Instead of organizing corporate documents and pleadings, she’s chasing bail jumpers and taking down serial killers. And investigating secret societies. Like Resurrection.
Not everyone can join, just the elite few who remember their past lives. Only the Seer knows if those memories are truth or fabrication. There’s just one problem. The new Seer is missing in action. War-N-Wit’s new assignment is a blast from the past! But whose past?
Available at Amazon.
Excerpt
“I stilldon’t know who you are!” I exclaimed. “You’re—you’re—talking like a crazy person and I’m sitting here listening, which I still don’t believe—”
“You’re listening because you know I’m right. So let’s cut to the bare essentials. We’ve been here before, you and I, many times, we are one, baby girl, we are each other’s eternal soul mates, each other’s other half, and I know it and you know it. And if nothing else, I intended to establish enough contact so I can find you easier next time. And if you refuse to believe it and believe in usand I have to wait till next time, then I will. But I will find you again. Because you can run but you can’t hide. I just want as much of you as I can get this time so it won’t take so long next time.” He shrugged again. “Last time I didn’t find you till we were both so much older it almost wasn’t worth it. That one was a bitch. And I don’t intend for it to happen again.”
The world stood still, closed in, retreated, kaleidoscoped back out into swirls of scenes of places and times I’d never been, never seen. Hot, bright sun beat down on an arena covered in sand and blood, my heart ripping apart as I looked at the bodies lying so still amidst the roars of the approving, raucous crowd. I felt the biting cold, so cold it burned, coming from the snow stretching out across what I knew, knew with absolute certainty, to be the Russian steppes. I cringed from the visions of the shadowed chambers filled with monstrous man-made instruments of pain and the screams rolling out of them. I stood on the mountains in the mists and heard the faint echo of bagpipes. I saw blue water and shining white sand and smelled the salt air.
I swayed and felt the blood drain out of my face. He stretched his arm out and encircled me quickly, pulling me close. I didn’t pull away.
“Oh, God! Too much too quick, huh? I’m sorry, I didn’t think you’d go into total flashback.”
I was beginning to get my bearings back a bit. “I’m fine. And it wasn’t a flashback, it was—it was—it was a whole lot of whatever it was. Which was nothing. I’m crazy, you’re crazy. This is a—shared delusion.” I sat up straight. Time to put the conversation back on a normal frame of reference. “Are you through? I have a lot of shopping to do, are you coming or are you a typical man who doesn’t like to shop?”
He raised his eyebrow. “I’m not a typical anything, baby girl.”
Mean Streets, War-N-Wit, Inc., Book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Books We Love, Ltd.Date of Publication: October 17, 2014
ASIN: B00NT22DXI
Number of pages:194Word Count: 58,274
Cover Artist: Michelle Lee
Book Description
Daytona Bike Week. Biker’s paradise. The perfect place for Chad and Ariel Garrett to take a few days off and relax with Chad’s buddy Spike and Ariel’s little sister Stacy.
But nothing ever goes as planned with that magical duo. Trouble just stalks them like a black cat. A missing agent riding with an outlaw biker gang, a call from Chad’s past, and War-N-Wit, Inc.’s riding again, with romance blooming in the midst of danger. From Daytona, the crew heads back to Vegas and another family wedding. Spike and Stacy are ready to say “I do!” In the Tunnel of Love Drive-Thru at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas, of course. It’s become a family tradition.
But what’s supposed to happen in Vegas just refuses to stay in Vegas. And you’re not going to believe this side-trip!
Available at Amazon.
Excerpt
I peered around the corner of the Tallahassee alley where we’d parked the SUV. Yep, there he was. The skip. Danny Delvecchio, a/k/a Ferret a/k/a Dapper Dandy Dan. At the moment, operating as Father Daniel right in front of the Teen Rescue Center run by St. Benedict’s and soliciting donations with practiced ease. I shoved the wimple completing my nun’s ensemble above my eyebrows. Damn thing kept slipping down.
“One more time, from the top,” Chad said.
“Magic Man! It’s not rocket science! He’s just a sleazy con man parading around as a priest. Which is really low, even for a bail-jumping con man.”
“Sure is. So from the top. You’re going to—”
“I’m going to rush up, grab him and babble about a poor boy doubled over in the alley who’s probably overdosed and come with me now, I need help. That about it?”
“That’s about it.”
“Okay. I’m on it!”
I peered around the corner again. Good a time as any. I hitched my habit up a bit and headed toward him in a sprinting semi-jog.
“Father! Father, I need help—”
Before I could grab his arm, I heard an echo. Not in my voice though.
“Father! Father, I need help!” And a hand, not mine, grabbed Dapper Dandy Dan’s arm from behind.
“Oh! Thank you, sweet Jesus!” The hand dropped Dandy Dan’s arm and grabbed mine. “You’re even better! The Lord provides!”
An older nun hauled me through the door of the Rescue Center, her habit flying out around her legs.

“One of the girls—she’s in labor and I’m all by myself right now, even all our kids are gone this morning! We didn’t know she was pregnant. She’s been hiding it under big sweatshirts. I’ve called for an ambulance but I don’t know if they’ll make it, she’s been in labor for a while, I think, she’s in denial! She refuses to believe she’s having a baby!”
She pulled me through a curtain separating the front room from a back room used as a dormitory. The girl lay on a cot under a sheet she clutched close, refusing to let go. And she was all of fourteen. Maybe.
“Sister Marie! Sister Marie! It’s just a stomachache! You’ve got to let me up, I’m not—” She broke off and writhed in pain. Sister Marie dropped to her knees besides the cot. 

“Sandra, you’ve got to listen to me! I’ve called for help but it might not get here in time. You’ve got to let us help you, child. You are having a baby and if you don’t listen to me and open your legs, you can hurt it. Badly. You don’t want that, do you?”
Wisps of gray hair peeked from Sister Marie’s wimple, and a harsh ray of sunlight highlighted every wrinkle on her face. Her hand, visibly work-worn and roughened, smoothed the girl’s hair back from her forehead. Sitting there in a halo of harsh sunlight, face lined with compassion and concern, she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I felt like a fraud. Until I remembered. I could help. There was no such thing as coincidence. I was here for a reason.
Interview time!
What inspired you to write this book?
Back in the days before I ever published, or ever thought I would, my friends used to pass my books, both those already written and those in progress, back and forth.  One of my friends asked me if I’d mind if her mother read them.  I wasn’t too sure about that, actually, I still had trouble believing even my friends weren’t just being polite, but I said okay.  Fortunately, my friend knew her mother better than I did, and Miss Louise loved them.  She sent me a message:  “Tell Gail to write something funny on purpose, ‘cause she’s so funny sometimes without even meaning to be.”  So I did.  And that was the origin of the War-N-Wit, Inc. series.
How did you come up with the title?
The series title was easy.  These were stories about a private investigator, bounty-hunter, process-server who just happened to be a warlock.  So there’s the “War”.  He was also on the hunt for his Witch, the soul-mate he’d reincarnated with many times in the past.  So there’s the “Wit”.  He always knew he’d find her, so he named his business for the two of them.  “War-N-Wit, Inc.”  And never mind if she didn’t have any idea she was a witch. He figured she could get her magical training on-the-job while she trained as a private investigating, bounty-hunting, process serving apprentice. For each individual book, the title just flowed out of the plot.
What made you choose the main setting for your book?
Well, War-N-Wit, Inc. is a service provider for many different areas of the legal profession and law enforcement.  Some of those “enforcement” agencies they work for might be a little off the charts, by the way.  You know, agencies that are more concerned with “magical and/or celestial” offenders than say, the local Sheriff.  I’ve been in a law office for 40 years now, so I’m what you might call veryfamiliar with those settings. The real ones, I mean, and I figured the more magical, celestial agencies would have to be set up more or less the same way.  And while their adventures take them to different locales (for which the internet provides a wealth of information, including videos), they’re based in Georgia.  I’m a native-born Georgia girl, and I really believe in writing what you know.  I think it gives a reality and depth to the characters that can’t be faked. 
Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
Before I start explaining, let me emphasize—the Wars are funny.  Basically, providing entertainment, both to readers and for myself as the writer,  is always my ultimate goal. But when I stop and think about it, the War “plots” can be described in three words.  Or rather, several sets of three words.  Good versus evil.  Light versus dark.  Balance versus chaos.  I didn’t consciously set out to do that.  I’m a writer.  I tell stories, I don’t try to change the course of humanity.  But Chad and Ariel, the Warlock and Witch of War-N-Wit, Inc. are what Chad terms “persons of power”.  And persons of power have a greater responsibility than ordinary mortals to protect the good, the light, the balance.  And that’s what they do at all times, in all assignments, whether ordinary assignments of a purely legal nature, or assignments from the more esoteric agencies.  They guard the light.  And when you think about it, isn’t that what life’s all about?  Or should be about? Holding true, keeping the balance, guarding the good?
Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
First off, let me state unequivocally – I love my War-N-Wit covers.  They’ve evolved somewhat, because as previously explained, they started life as four separate novellas.  But Chad and Ariel remain constant, and those models are, to me, the perfect Chad and Ariel.  I think they capture the essence of the characters perfectly.  I love the Witch on a Broomstick logo, I love the sparkle of the stars.  I think they just scream magic.  But Michelle Lee, the brilliant cover artist of Books We Love, Ltd., threw one detail into that very first cover that added a whole ‘nother dimension to the War-N-Wit novels.  She put a black cat on the very first cover, walking across the letters of my last name. Since these novellas were planned as a series, she also went ahead and worked on the covers of the next two Wars, and she put that same black cat, in a different pose, in different spots on each of those covers.  Hmmmmmm. A black cat that moves around a lot. That black cat became Micah. And I wrote him into all succeeding War-N-Wits. He  became a pivotal character in the books, a character the readers just love. As do I.  I can’t imagine a War-N-Wit without Micah.
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I’m always working on another story, even if I’m not actually to the writing stage of it.  I’ve always got a couple of plots simmering over in the corner of my brain, waiting for one of them to come to boil.  Right now, I’m working on a paranormal thriller, a rather dark one, titled Black Turkey Walk.  I don’t really set out to write in any particular genre, I just tell stories.  I’ve written everything from humor to action to thriller to horror, and usually have elements of several genres mixed into the story line. I’ve got another War-N-Wit plot brewing but I don’t know when I’ll start it.  Definitely not until I finish Black Turkey Walk, that’s gotten interrupted a couple of times already for other projects.  I’ve got what I term a “real-life country comedy/drama” on simmer, too, one I hope will make readers laugh in one chapter and cry in the next, the way real life does.  I’ve learned not to give myself deadlines, though.  They hinder rather than help and I’m pretty sure they make the characters mad and send them into hiding, which really puts a crimp on the creative process. 
Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
I keep my laptop on the kitchen table and write there. I’ve been on a computer in a law office for so long (I’ve been a paralegal for forty years), I’m geared to think while typing in the midst of noise, bustle and chaos.  My husband actually set up a little typing desk for me in our bedroom, bless his heart, “so nobody’ll bother you”.  I sat down at it for about five minutes and moved my laptop back to the kitchen table.  I can’t think if I’m not where I can monitor everybody’s comings and goings, follow the action on the tv show in the great room, hear the timers dinging for the oven or microwave, and see the pots if they start to boil over. 

What sources do you use for research?
I really don’t research a great deal because (a) I write what I know; and (b) I’ve been an eclectic and omnivorous reader my entire life with a great love for both history and the paranormal (yes, I’m nuts, most writers are) and I’ve got this really weird memory that retains the most useless pieces of information imaginable.  Sometimes I amaze myself at how frequently I can just reach in my brain and pull out what I need for a particular plot.  But nobody knows everything, of course, nobody’s been everywhere.  And when I need something I don’t have any knowledge of whatsoever, I fall back on two things.  First, forty years in a law office has given me a wealth of contacts with fascinating people who’ve done fascinating things, and they’re invaluable for brain-picking. Not to mention my son-in-law is a K-9 officer on our county’s drug interdiction specialty force. I’m sure he hates to see my name and number pop up on his phone.  Then there’s this invention called the internet – a wondrous, wondrous thing.  You can take a virtual tour of pretty much anywhere and look up pretty much anything.  If I’m ever suspected of a crime and my laptop confiscated, I’m dead meat.  Because the search engines would show me looking up voo-doo, hoo-doo, the street value of cocaine and how to cut it, prostitution laws in Nevada, how to make a gas bomb, the most popular bars during Daytona Bike Week, outlaw biker gangs….oh, yeah.  I’d be dead meat.  
About the Author

Gail Roughton is a native of small town Georgia whose Deep South heritage features prominently in much of her work. She’s worked in a law office for close to forty years, during which time she’s raised three children and quite a few attorneys. She’s kept herself more or less sane by writing novels and tossing the completed manuscripts into her closet.
A cross-genre writer, she’s produced books ranging from humor to romance to thriller to horror and is never quite sure herself what to expect when she sits down at the keyboard. Now multi-published by Books We Love, Ltd., her credits include the War-N-Wit, Inc. series, The Color of Seven, Vanished, and Country Justice. Currently, she’s working on Black Turkey Walk, the second in the Country Justice series, as well as the Sisters of Prophecy series, co-written with Jude Pittman.
Another War-N-Wit plot always seems to be brewing on the back burner, too, whether she’s actually trying to brew one or not, and usually boils quicker when she’s trying not to brew one at all. 
Visit Gail Roughton 
Amazon Page 
Facebook 
Web-Blog 
Books We Love, Ltd. 
Twitter: @GailRoughton 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Witchcraft. Mystery. Romance. Midnight Magick by Katerina Martinez.

Today It’s my pleasure to welcome over Katerina Martinez, author of Midnight Magick, Book 1. Love Paranormal Romance/ Paranormal Mystery? If so, then feet up, cozy in and check out this fabulous read!
ISBN-13: 978-0958303200 ISBN-10:0958303207 ASIN: B00NS3LXPM
Number of pages: 149Word Count: 51,643
Cover Artist: Katerina Martinez
Book Description
"Lonely witches get up to no good."
Amber Lee has a decent life: she lives in a great house, she's about to start school again, her best friend Eliza is pregnant, and the pair of them are Wiccans with a healthy bond. But ever since Eliza moved out of Amber's house and in with her boyfriend Evan, Amber's been feeling a growing pang of loneliness in her chest.
When Damien, a stranger to her town, mysteriously comes into her life bringing with him all manner of strangeness, everything changes. Damien shows Amber a side of her she never knew existed, and ignites in her a spark she hadn't felt in a long time, but he's haunted by a dark secret and a purpose which may prove fatal to them both - and by the time she realizes it, there's no turning back.
Midnight Magick will take you deep into a world of witchcraft and mystery, where bonds are tested, hearts broken and lives lost.
Available at Amazon  Amazon UK  Amazon CA
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.
Interview Time!
Who is Katerina Martinez?
“So, Katerina, first question; who are you?”
“I’m a 27 year old, fresh faced writer, new to the scene and thrilled to be here! Thank you so much for hosting me.”
“We’re glad you could sit down with us! We’re a little strapped for time so I’ll just get right into it if you don’t mind.”
“That’s fine, I’m a little nervous anyway. This is my first real interview.”
“Don’t be nervous! Just relax, we’ll take it one question at a time.”
“Alright, hit me with your next question.”
“How long have you been writing and how long have you been published?”
“That’s two questions! I’ve been writing for about two years, although never with the intention to publish anything, just for my own sakes. I didn’t consider publishing until August of this year (when I finished Midnight Magick), and since then I’ve written three titles.”
“What inspired you to write this book?”
“Well, I’ve always known I wanted to write about Witches. I didn’t need much more inspiration other than the idea that you should write about what you know, so it just made sense that my first novel be about witches and that my protagonist start off as a Wiccan, like me.”
“Interesting approach, you must have started off with a fair bit of background knowledge I bet?”
“I did! I knew the rituals she’d be doing, how she’d perform magickal spells, and had a pretty good idea on how I may cross the line into fiction while keeping a foot firmly in the real world.”
“You spell magic with a k?”
“Yes I do. The spelling dates back to Aleister Crowley. He proposed that the words ‘magic’ and ‘magick’ described two different things. The former being stage illusions used by magicians and the latter being used in the context of religious or spiritual belief systems.”
“So, with that in mind, tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.”
“The basic storyline, as written, is ‘A lonely witch struggles with emerging feelings for her mysterious mentor as bizarre deaths with a common link pile up.’ Without giving anything away, Amber, the lead, is going to be faced with some tough decisions regarding her love life while at the same time unraveling the mystery behind a series of deaths which have recently occurred. Amber’s needs will drive her to actions her otherwise logical mind wouldn’t make, and that in itself causes plenty of inner and outer conflict.”
“What about your heroine makes her different from others in literature?”
“Many ‘heroines’ in literature (I’m talking about Paranormal Romance in particular) today are, in my opinion, a little soft. I’ve heard it said that the paranormal romance genre is about ‘hunky, powerful men and the women who love them’. I disagree. Mythology and folklore is rife with powerful women who are very much in charge of their lives and have throes of men fawning over them. Amber is my first attempt at capturing the essence of a woman who is hurt, but independent and strong in her own right. This is a motif I will endeavor to portray in many of my stories.”
“Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.”
“I presently don’t really have a favorite writing environment. I write when I’m able, and that seems to be mostly when it’s quiet at work—don’t tell my boss! But I can say that I couldn’t possibly write without music in my ears. Music drives me, and the right music helps me really immerse myself into a scene to make it even more powerful. The Cardigans, Garbage,Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Off Jilland Nirvana all threw me back into the 90’s for Midnight Magick’s sake.”
“Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.”
“I am! Besides my erotic paranormal anthologies which I write here and there, at the moment I’m working on Midnight Magick 2 and another novel I’m not in a position to talk about yet. After all I’ve learned in these last few months about writing and self-publishing, Midnight Magick 2 will be sharper and tighter—a great successor to my debut novel. I can’t say much, but I can say that Amber’s past misdeeds will catch up to her; and boy if she’s unprepared for what’s coming.”
“Do you have a website?”
“If you’d have asked me a week ago I would’ve said no, but I worked very hard in having a website ready before this tour launched! http://www.katerinamartinez.com/ ”
“Any last words before we sign off?”
“Besides the heaps of thanks I’d like to offer to my host, to Bewitching Book Tours, and anyone who has taken time out to read my books, I’d like to tell everyone that I’m hosting a giveaway to celebrate this, my first ever book tour! Details below! Blessed be and thanks for being a part of this with me!”
Excerpt: CHAPTER 1
I was sitting cross-legged on the main counter of a bookstore on Rosella Avenue one cool autumn afternoon. As blades of orange light from the setting sun cut through the gaps in buildings across the street I somberly thumbed a silver Triquetra—a three cornered trefoil knot with a circle around it—not much bigger than a quarter.
Angular shadows crept across the floor growing larger and more predominant with each passing minute. Copper dust motes hung in the air, twinkling without a care in the world. Even though I’d been fiddling with my mom’s old charm for a good half hour, the metal was still cool on my fingers. After years of having it hanging around my neck I couldn’t believe I’d just broken it.
 “—don’t you think?” asked Eliza.
“Huh?” I pocketed the pendant and came back down from my thoughts.
“Are you even listening to me, Amber?”
“Totally… what did you say?”
Eliza sighed. “That girl? The one who drowned in her pool?”
“What about her?”
“They closed the case today. They say it isn’t suspicious anymore, writing it off as an accident.”
“Accidental? I thought they had a suspect and everything.”
“They did, but they didn’t have enough evidence to convict. Don’t you think it’s all a bit weird?”
I shrugged and feigned disinterest, but the grim topic gave me jitters. People didn’t normally die suspiciously in my neck of the woods, but this was the second one this year. The first was another girl. She hung herself from a withered birch at the heart of the forest. I saw the pictures. God how I wish I hadn’t.
“Can we talk about something else?” I asked, “How’d that fight with Evan go last night?”
“The fight?” Eliza planted a copy of Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ on my lap. I wasn’t expecting it. “Go put this on the shelf, will you?”
“Yes, master,” I said. I hopped off the counter and wiped my hand on my grey dress as I searched for the book’s proper home among the shelves. “So? What happened with Evan?” I asked through the aisles.
Eliza grunted. “It’s this thing with Mordecai.” Mordecai was her tabby cat. “He’s been wheezing a lot. I asked Evan to take him to the vet yesterday for a check-up and he didn’t do it, so we had a big stupid fight.”
“How does that turn into an argument?” I slotted the book between a pristine copy of Moby Dick—a personal favorite—and A Journey to the Center of the Earth. 
“Because! It just does,” said Eliza.
I walked around the aisle and caught her stacking books from a box marked “OLD” on a high shelf. Her tank top crept up her stomach exposing her flat belly as she stretched. No bump yet. Evan and Eliza always fought over silly things but it’d gotten worse ever since she found out she was pregnant. I could never say that to her face, though; she might charge at me with a step ladder!
“You guys will be fine,” I said, “You’re fighting because of the baby. Babies bring stress.”
Eliza shot me a scowl. “When did you become Doctor Phil?”
I smiled. “I’m just saying, you guys never used to fight about stuff and now you are. What’s changed? You’re pregnant.”
Eliza closed the box. A puff of dust exploded forth in defiance. “And he’s still a jackass sometimes,” she said.
“Oh come on, a little ice cream and a kiss in just the right spot and the fight will be history.”
Eliza moved the box into a small closet nearby and smiled to herself. “Yeah, okay, I’ll give you that. Anyway, let’s get finished up so we can get out of here.”
The doorbell tinkled. Evan’s silhouette broke the faint sunlight and crept into the store as quiet as a mouse, eyes to the floor. I smiled as he arrived and gave him a light peck on the cheek.
“Hey Evan,” I said, “How’s the cat?”
“On meds,” he replied, though he wasn’t looking at me, but rather at the visage of annoyance itself glaring from; behind me. “But he’ll be okay.”
Eliza had black, poker-straight hair which fell to about the small of her back. Her pale skin and cobalt eyes gave her an Ice Queen kind of air, but her round face and button nose gave away her heart of gold. Evan, meanwhile, was tall—taller than Eliza—and nicely put together. She’d get on her tiptoes to kiss him. It was cute.
“That’s great! Eliza was just telling me. I hope he gets better soon.” I gave the pair a winning smile. “Eliza, I’m gonna go through the new stock and whatnot. I’ll be in the back. Let me know when you’re ready to lock up,” I said.
Eliza nodded at me and then glanced at her man. He approached her like someone would advance on a stray cat they wanted to pet; slowly and cautiously. They started to speak as I disappeared into the back room.
We didn’t get any new stock today; I simply figured they needed to talk. Besides, I knew she’d appreciate the space. Luckily I wasn’t stuck in a tiny room entirely without purpose. Inside my backpack I had a bunch of brand new textbooks and more stationary than a girl knew what to do with, ready for my first day back at the Raven Hall University.
Lost in the plethora of pens and notepads my back to school kit comprised of, I almost didn’t notice the sore thumb on the oaken desk. I had to double-take before the words written on its spine, and the image on the front, struck a chilling chord.
The giant squid on the cover of Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues stared back at me from atop the table. An old copy, just like the one I’d placed on the shelves moments ago. Why did we own two of them?
I plucked the book from the desk and advanced toward the door to the main room. Evan and Eliza were still there. Their muffled voices told me the discussion still hadn’t finished. At least they weren’t shouting. No one wants to be caught in between these two when they shout. It’s like watching cats fight. I’d know.
I slid out of the back room and snaked my way silently down the closest aisle. The lovebirds went quiet as I approached my destination. I’d slip the book in next to its sister so they can spend time together before someone buys one and separates them again. When I found the nook where I’d placed the original copy, I froze. The two books flanking Mr. Verne were still there, but the absence of a book between them made them slant into each other like tired lovers.
“Dammit,” I said, under my breath. I wish I could’ve dismissed the strange event, pretended like I’d imagined the whole thing, but in truth this kind of thing had happened before.
With the delicacy of someone trying not to disturb sleeping children, I slotted Jules Verne into its rightful place and decided that this time I would be cleverer than whatever specter enjoyed playing tricks on me. I snapped a shot of the books with my smartphone and double checked the image to confirm, smiling smugly at the triumph of technology.
Making my way back, I wondered if our repository of books was haunted. It’s an old building built on an old street in an old town. And I’m sure a lot of old people live in the apartment block above. I could ask Mrs. Peters on the second floor. She’s probably as old as the building itself, or at least that’s what her musky perfume suggests.
A sudden pleasurable moan made me dart back into the aisle just as I was about to waltz into the open. I peered around the corner and was met with a scene like something out of a fantasy. My heart raced. Eliza would’ve easily spotted me if I hadn’t any wits about me.
Eliza sat on the counter, her legs wrapped around Evan’s waist. Their lips locked in a passionate kiss. I glanced toward the front door, which they were in full view of, and hoped for their sake no one would come in.
Evan picked Eliza up by her thighs and carried her out of sight, to the back of the historical section which accumulated the most dust. The bookstore already smelt of lust, and listening to Eliza’s giggles brought a flush of warmth to my cheeks. I thought about that night a few months ago when the three of us called down the Moon Goddess and experienced each other intimately. It was my first time with two other partners, but I was glad they were my best friends.
The door to the office was only a few feet from where I stood, backed up against an aisle. The store had been quieter when they were talking. Now that Eliza’s moans rang off the walls I entered the safety of the back room without being spotted. I emerged a few moments later into the middle of a warm embrace between true soul mates.
“Look guys, why don’t you go home?” I asked, “I can lock up.”
“Are you sure?” asked Eliza.
“Absolutely. Get out of here.”
I’d grown used to hiding my green eyes from them. They had something I’d always wanted to share with someone else; a connection. Happy for them though I was, lonely people will yearn, and lonely Witches will get up to no good; ask my ex-boyfriend.  About the Author

My name is Katerina. I love to read and write, and until now I've been cooped up in a desk job with nothing to do but drift away on a sea of corporate bull until I do what is expected of me (marriage, kids, etc).
Eventually I decided that enough was enough, so I took a chance and wrote a book; my first book. Then I mulled over my options and chose to self-publish with Amazon, panicked over the "Publish" button for a few hours, and waited patiently for my book to show up on the listing.
Now I'm here, part of this big, wide world, trying to meet other people like me - folks starting out in the self-publishing business or just fellow authors/ readers who share my kinds of interests!
For those of you starting out, I can tell you, it's a rollercoaster. None of it is easy. And even if your work doesn't sell, at least you can be proud that you put yourself out there and took that step!
Visit Katerina Martinez
WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreadsBlog Amazon Author Profile
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Cover Reveal! The Coldest Sea by Marian Parera.

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Today I'm welcoming over Marian Perera for a Monday Covers It Book Cover Reveal for her latest release, The Coldest Sea. I think this cover is gorgeous. Ready to hear how it came to be?  
Let’s hear from Marian…
The Coldest Sea is inspired by Titanic, so there’s a sailing ship and a giant iceberg (though the story is a romance, so… happy ending). I wanted the cover to give readers chills, not just from the ‘berg but because the ship is so small and vulnerable next to it.
My incredibly talented cover artist Kanaxa put that together and sent me some stock images of models so I could choose the heroine, Maggie. In the story, Maggie has amber eyes and very curly dark hair. One of the models looked almost exactly like what I had in mind, and Kanaxa made sure her eyes stood out from the ice. I think that’s my favorite part of the cover, her  smoldering, molten-bronze look. The hero—the captain of the ship—likes her eyes as well. :)
The Coldest Sea will be released by Samhain Publishing later next year, and I’ll be sure to enter it into some cover contests then.
My website : Marian Perera, with blurbs, covers and excerpts of the other books in the series.
My blog : Flights of Fantasy, where I post about fantasy, romance, writing and publishing
Here I amon Samhain Publishing’s website.
Two of the other books in the series were reviewed by Smart Bitches Trashy Books, so check these out!
And of course I’m on Twitter.

Paranormal Erotic Romance. Life Reignited by Sabrina Garie.

Today I’m thrilled to welcome over Sabrina Garie, author of Life Reignited, Divine Temptation, Book 2. So sit back, relax and check out this scrumptious Paranormal Erotic Romance.
Publisher:  Ellora’s CaveISBN:  9781419991691
Number of pages:  87 novellaWord Count: 24,000
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of the following: 2 e-copies of Life Reignited (Book 2, Divine Temptation), 2 e-copies of Thirteen Nights (Book 1, Divine Temptation) or 3 decks of Ellora’s Cave Playing Cards.
Book Description
Phoebe lives trapped between two worlds. Born an Amazon warrior, she’s sworn to serve the Greek pantheon. It’s her work as a scholar in the human world that gives her life passion and purpose and eases her heart—which shattered when the pantheon forced her to abandon her human lover.
Alexander Xenos is world renowned classics expert, who has dedicated his life to the study of ancient cultures and promoting peace. His fame and global adventures hide a hole in his heart, ripped out by a beautiful, gentle scholar, who shut him out cold after the most intense love affair he'd ever had.
Thirty years later, Sander meets his long lost love, only to learn she's an Amazon, the mythical gods are real, and they are about to go to war. And Phoebe, who still sets his blood to boil, is in the thick of it.  He'll have to prevent a conflict between the Greek and Norse pantheons or lose her again—this time permanently.
Available at Ellora’s Cave
Interview Time!
What inspired you to write this book?
A couple of years ago, some critique partners and I decided to write an anthology together.  Each of was had to have a club run by a siren proprietress.  We had free rein to write any type of story—the siren sisters would be the connecting link. While we never did produce the anthology, I did write the story, which became Thirteen Nights, Divine Temptation 1.   I feel in love with the secondary characters, and wanted them to have a happy ending.  As luck would have it, Ellora's Cave launched its VaVaBoomersseries which was love stories for those over 50, which gave me the opportunity to write Phoebe and Sander's story and give it to home. Life Reignited is part of two series: VaVaBoomers and Divine Temptation.
Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
For the cover artist, I identified the power of ancient knowledge as a key theme of the story and she knocked it out of the park. You have the hot guy in a library, just crackling with magic and power.  The hero, Sander, wins battles using knowledge and his mind.  While Phoebe, the heroine, is also a scholar she is an Amazon warrior and tends to fight with her fists first.
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I am finishing up Hope Restored, Divine Temptation 3. The heroine is Marta, who appears in both Thirteen Nights and Life Reignited. She's not very likeable in Thirteen Nights so I use Life Reignited to soften her a bit, but not completely. In Hope Restored, we learn why she is the way she is, which makes her past actions very forgiveable. Here's a short section, where Marta meets Paean, our hero, for the first time.  Her prickly personality is front and center until Paean is forced to look below the surface. 
A tall, leanly-muscled woman, over six feet, light brown hair pulled back in a French braid glared at him. The aristocratic beauty of her face was marred by a stare that spit venom and a mouth pursed so tight her lips were barely visible. Dark circles rimmed her eyes. She rubbed her hand as if it had been hurt. “That case is dangerous,” she growled. “Take better care of it.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Ya think?”
She was a prickly pear. “Let me see it. I know a little first aid.”
He put his guitar and backpack down to examine her outstretched hand, surprised she let him touch it. He turned the arm toward him, noticing an unusual tattoo on her shoulder—the kill markings of an Amazon warrior. Fury erupted in his gut, clawed up his chest into this throat. Even after a millennia, the wound remained raw. Not that it was her fault. She would have no idea who he was. He’d been thrown off Olympus so long ago, his name disappeared from the common language. Maybe somewhere in an old dusty old scroll the historians no longer picked up, there was reference to him, but he doubted it.
“Are you going to patch it up or just stare at it?”
“Not liking my bedside manner or you just a grouchy patient?’ He couldn’t stop the resentment from leaking into his tone until he looked deep into her eyes. She wasn’t angry, she was tortured.
What sort of personality does your hero have?
Sander is geeky, fearless, with a sexy British accent and an Angus McGyver I-can-fix-anything approach to life. He's equally at home trekking through the savannah, searching for artifacts in Scandinavia, writing a blog, teaching a class or presenting a paper. He doesn't do love. He never got over Phoebe, or the pain of losing her.
What sort of personality does your heroine have?
She's stoic, moving forward with life even though she has a hole in her heart the size of Texas.  She's an Amazon, who struggles with being an Amazon. She'd be happier doing research, writing papers, and being bonded to her love, who she had to leave because of her obligations to the gods. She's a little fearful of upending the apple cart, but ultimately learns that it takes more courage to rebel against authorities than it does to fight your enemies in a fist fight you were trained from birth to win.
Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
I write on my couch, with my feet up.  The room is silent. I know many prefer to write with music, but that does not work for me.  The only downside is that I don’t have soundtracks for my books that I can share with readers.
Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
I do write books is series.  Life Reignited is part of my Divine Temptation Series with Ellora's Cave, all centered on Amazon women, obligated to the Greek Pantheon, who find a way to be with the men they love. Often, in many paranormal books we find the men who are bonded warriors. I switched that, and made the women's tribe the group that flows through the series.  Divine Temptation includes Thirteen Nights,  A Flicker of Power (1.5 available free), Life Reignited, and coming next year, Hope Restored.
If you could make changes to a story you’ve already written, which would it be and why?
I am happy with the story in Life Reignited overall. One thing I would do if I rewrote it today would be to add hints of a romance between Forseti, the Norse God of Justice, and his head Valkyrie, Sigrid.  There is one suggestion of this, but it could easily be written off as the action of a body guard.
Excerpt
Copyright © SABRINA GARIE, 2014All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
Sander wished Phoebe didn’t feel so enticing. Her unique orchid scent wove its way through his bloodstream, mucking up his focus. He couldn’t square the gentle, quick-witted, brilliant scholar he loved as Cassie with the sad-eyed, battle-scarred Amazon warrior called Phoebe fitted against him. His body remembered her. No other woman ever came close to her creativity, capabilities and stamina in bed. She taught him what it was like to fully lose himself in a woman, and he’d never been able to replicate it. He finally understood why—it was never a fair fight. A human woman could not match a physically enhanced being. He’d always thought she was the love of his life, but did he even know her? Nothing made sense, except the hard-on straining against his zipper. Her physical impact hadn’t dimmed. At all.
When Phoebe stabilized, she led them back to her room at Neutral Ground. She appeared perfectly fine after a fight that would have killed most humans. At her door, she pressed her thumbprint on a small indent above the handle, then pushed it open.
“How did you open the door?” He peered inside. “And what did you do to merit this suite?” Molded ceiling, velvet coverings, red and gold Persian carpets and antique furniture that reminded him of a bedroom he’d find in Buckingham Palace. He was sure the paintings—Botticelli’s Birth of Aphrodite, Rubens’ Judgment of Paris among others—were the artists’ originals. Phoebe was right. This would be an intellectual candy land if his emotions weren’t tied up into knots.
A distraught laugh whispered out of her. “I ticked off the Elders and a portion of the Greek pantheon resistant to change. Neutral Ground is one of six safe havens worldwide sanctioned by the Council of Pantheons. Anyone who threatens me here is subject to death. Outside, well you saw for yourself. The DNA lock is an added protection, just in case. Thank you for coming to my rescue, by the way. My fighting skills are not what they used to be.” Her cheeks burned red. Was she embarrassed?
“You’re welcome.” In the corner an inlaid mahogany desk piled high with ancient scrolls drew his attention. “Are those what I think they are?” Her eyes followed his gaze and her eyebrows rose in what looked like an aha moment, then an indulgent and very real smile lit up her face. It was the first time tonight he’d seen the vivacity that lived in his memories, and he’d sneaked glimpses of her all evening.
“Yes, they are. Ancient scrolls documenting the history, culture and science of the Greek pantheon. I even have an original of The Republic by Plato, and Sappho’s poetry. You’re welcome to take a look.”
As a classics scholar, he read ancient Greek, Latin, Scandinavian, Teutonic and Celtic languages. This was a treasure trove he couldn’t resist. “Aren’t you afraid of ruining them?”
“They’re protected by pantheon magic. They can’t be destroyed.” She hooked her arm through his and guided him to the corner. After scrutinizing the pile, she picked up a scroll and handed it to him. Her fingers lingered on his hand longer than necessary. Sparks ignited under the touch. This was the woman he remembered—glowing eyes, an impish grin, with ancient knowledge flowing around her as if it were part of her aura. If there were more lines radiating from her eyes and lips, they softened her, made her more the Cassie he had adored, less the unknown Phoebe.
He took the scroll in one hand and pulled his reading glasses out of his jacket pocket with the other. He got the spectacles a year ago and wasn’t used to wearing them but his eagerness for the scrolls overcame any hesitation.
“They suit you,” Phoebe said.
He nodded, too absorbed by the parchment now open on the table. “You remembered The Odyssey was my favorite. This is truly Homer’s original copy?” A shiver ran down his spine. It wasn’t every day a man meets his personal deity.
“Yes, it is.” She moved closer, her hair brushing his ear as she leaned over to look at the text with him. Phoebe’s floral scent, the heat of her body skated along his skin, threw his concentration off, something that never happened. If his mind questioned the emotions he thought he once felt for this woman, his body didn’t. Given his age, he thought he could move past physical needs.
Apparently not.
His cock stiffened like that of a hormone-driven teenager in heat. By the way Phoebe squirmed, he’d guess she felt it too. Like in London, when they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
“Take a look at this passage in its original. You can see why it’s commonly misinterpreted.” Phoebe’s arm brushed his, sending electric charges exploding beneath his skin.
“The article you published on this created controversy. I was impressed with the argumentation. Now more so. This passage makes interpretation harder, not easier.”
“You’ve followed my work?” Her face beamed with happiness and a soft pride. “I’m glad. I’ve read everything you’ve published, and follow your blog, Found Worlds. You’re making history and culture popular.”
Her praise shot jolts of warmth into his chest. That smile and her soft breasts brushing his arm unlocked the door to his memories. Unbidden, images of naked, sweat-drenched bodies tumbled out. Yes, he’d followed her work, justifying the way he gobbled up her writing as respect of one professional for another. With her next to him, touching him, he had to admit now it wasn’t true. Through her words, he stayed connected to her. And she, him.
About the Author

Sabrina Garie is on a journey to create the most kick-ass heroine romance fiction has ever known and the hero who can take her. A believer that big, audacious goals spice up life, she relies on coffee, red wine and laughter to make those goals (and her characters) come alive.
When not at the computer, she wrangles vegetables and extra helpings of homework into her star-spangled, fashion-loving progeny, kowtows to a fat cat and reads, a lot. As a child, she wanted to be an astronaut, just to see what’s out there. Now, she just makes it up.
Visit Sabrina Garie 
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Twitter@sabrinagarie
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Paranormal Romance. Borealis Ardor by Kay Phoenix.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Kay Phoenix, author of Borealis Ardor, Seasons of Passion, Winter Winds. Love paranormal romance? Then cozy in and check out this fabulous new release!
Publisher:  MuseItUp Publishing
ISBN:  978-1-77127-495-1ASIN:  B00IA1QKFK
Number of pages:  58Word Count:  14,709
Cover Artist:  Suzannah Safi
GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of 5 e-book copies of  Borealis Ardor (pdf format).
Book Description
Lauren Madison’s life started unraveling at a speed too fast for her to keep up with. Every truth she had taken for granted was torn away, and the pieces that were left painted no clear pictures at all…only more confusion.
The only pillar of strength in her fragile life was David Wagner, her bodyguard who was placed in witness protection. But, what had he seen that day, and why couldn’t she remember? 
She had no choice but to run. And if her life was threatened again, who would be there to protect her?
Available at Amazon
Let’s hear from Kay Phoenix...
I just spent the weekend with an amazing group of fellow authors at www.hotmojaveknights.com. One of the events we hosted was a book signing, and a common question that I noticed being asked was “So…what do you like to read?”  Well, while I do write romance and enjoy reading it, there is another genre that I love much more.
I love true adventure!  When I was 10 or so I wrote a book report on “Cry of the Kalahari” by Mark and Delia Owens.  To me, this is a romance if ever there was one.  It is the true story of two married scientists who gave up everything to move to the Kalahari Desert in Africa to research animals. What animals?  They didn’t know until they got there.  It was so brave, and such a romantic notion to my young, impressionable brain.  They have since written several more books and now reside in America researching grizzly bears.  I love their devotion to each other, their devotion to their causes, and I especially love their storytelling abilities.  Each of them has a specific voice and I have garnered much inspiration from their texts. 
I am a contemporary and paranormal romance writer but I’d rather read true adventure any day.  And, well, if LOVE isn’t the grandest adventure, what is?
Excerpt
“You shouldn’t be here, Lauren.  Leave quickly.” The voice stopped me in my tracks.  It was David’s voice, in my head.  But, I shrugged it off and walked forward until I saw the new stone and the rectangle of earth in front of it that had noticeably less pine needles than the surrounding area.
I knelt beside it.
“David Alan Wagner.  Beloved Son, Brother and Friend.”  The lines of the letters were etched deep and black, contrasting heavily against the light grey stone.  I gently lay the roses down and traced the letters with my finger.  There was a cross carved below the words.  I ran my hand along the entire edge of the top of the stone, feeling the rough edges in contrast to the freshly polished front and back. I wondered how long the stone had been there. Dad assured me he had taken care of the funeral expenses, and he must have made sure there was a rush order on the headstone.  There was a fresh bouquet of white roses lying at the base of the stone and it made me feel deeply saddened for his family, as well as for him.  As much as dad irritated the living hell out of me with his overprotective gestures, if I had to disappear forever and have him think I was dead, it would break my heart.  After we lost mom, we were all the family we had.
I loved David with my whole heart.  Even though we had only been together for two of the six months that he was assigned to me, I knew that he was the “one”.  I just knew it.  There was no explanation.  And, I was the “one” for him as well.  But, now he was gone, and it was unlikely that I would see him again, at least not any time soon.
I reached up to trace the “D” again and saw a strange light flash across the polished surface of the stone, which I realized with horror to be a set of headlights.
Who would be coming to a graveyard at this hour? Besides me of course? Teenagers with a Ouija board and bottle of Strawberry Hill wine in tow, perhaps?
I could take no chances.  I could have been followed.
About the Author

Ms. Phoenix is a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada.  She serves on the board of the Las Vegas Romance Writers and is also a member of the Kiss of Death and Women’s Fiction chapters of Romance Writers of America.
In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping and photography and is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Psychology.  She is also a member of the Vegas Artists Guild as a photographer.  Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for 15 years in the casino industry.
Kay writes in the contemporary and paranormal romance categories, as well as non-fiction articles. Please visit her website at www.KayPhoenix.com.
Visit Kay Phoenix
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Will the Truth Destroy or Free Them? The Art of Love and Murder by Brenda Whiteside.

Today I’m thrilled to welcome back talented author, Brenda Whiteside who will be chatting more about her latest release, The Art of Love and Murder.
Brenda, the floor’s all yours…
Thanks so much for having me today, Sky. I’m excited to have your readers learn about my latest release, The Art of Love and Murder, the first book in my Love and Murder series. I hope everyone enters the Rafflecopter drawing for a tote bag of items that relate to the book. The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. This link will direct you to all the blogs on my tour. 
Authors usually interject a little of themselves into every book they write. Since I’m a bit of a coffee-aholic, most of my books have a coffee drinker. In The Art of Love and Murder I went a step further. My heroine, Lacy Dahl ownsa coffee café called The Lacy Latte. Although only the last scene of the book takes place in the café, I had fun creating Lacy’s business. All the windows are topped with lace, there’s a huge fireplace to curl up by with comfy couches and the balcony upstairs is a warm nook. The twist is Lacy doesn’t drink coffee. She prefers chai which she serves in her coffee café.
Side note – no one in my family will drink the coffee I make because my blend is strrroong, has a dash of cinnamon and a dollop of cream.
Blurb
Lacy Dahl never questioned her past until the deaths of her adoptive parents and her husband. A husband who wasn't what he seemed. Her research uncovers secrets about the mother she never knew; secrets that dispute the identity of her father and threaten her life.
Sheriff Chance Meadowlark is still haunted by the murder of his wife and the revenge he unleashed in the name of justice. When he meets Lacy he is determined not to become involved, but their pasts may make that impossible. As they move closer to the truth, saving Lacy may be his only salvation.
Lacy begins to think the present is more important than her past...until Chance's connection to her mother and a murder spin her deeper into danger and further from love. Will the truth destroy Lacy and Chance or will it be the answer that frees them?
ExcerptMomentarily struck dumb by his eye color, she stared back. Why hadn’t she noticed until now? Although not as light as hers or her father’s, the professor’s eyes were a startling green shade.
His hand nudged her arm. “Lacy?”
She jumped. “Oh, yes.” She slipped the tissue from the half-carved wolf. Another glance at his eyes and goose bumps riddled her arms.
He lifted the wood close to his face, using both hands as if handling a delicate hummingbird. His thumb traced the neck of the creature to the juncture of where it emerged from the wood. When he brought the piece to his nose, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, Lacy wanted to turn away from the oddly erotic gesture.
He swallowed, opened his eyes and set the wolf back on the tissue. His attention shifted to the photograph of the chest. He touched the photo, a smile on his lips. “Where is the chest?”
The chest. Like he knew it, had seen it before. “I’m having it sent. You’ve seen it before?”
He didn’t move, stared out the window as if deep in thought. “I’d like to show you something, Lacy.”
“All right.” She waited, watching his profile.
He turned and stared into her face a moment. “You’re so very lovely. A creation full of life and passion, surpassing any art form.”
His hypnotic voice floated on the classical strains drifting from the living room. She couldn’t speak. Didn’t know what to say. She’d been lifted upon a pedestal of admiration. With any other man, she might consider his words a means to a sexual end. The professor’s intentions, however, were crystal. He admired her like a work of art. 
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Brenda spends most of her time writing stories of discovery and love. The rest of her time is spent tending vegetables on the small family farm she shares with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Together, they’ve embraced an age-old lifestyle that has been mostly lost in the United States - multiple generations living under one roof, who share the workload, follow their individual dreams and reap the benefits of combined talents.
Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2She blogs on the 9th and 24th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.comShe blogs about writing and prairie life at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
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A Life Lost. A Prophecy Fulfilled. Wounded by Shannon Mayer.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Shannon Mayer, author of Wounded, A Rylee Adamson Novel, book 8. 
Publisher: HiJinks Ink Publishing, Ltd.Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Description
"My name is Rylee and I am a Tracker."
When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.
The clock is ticking and I can feel the weight of the final battle with the demon hordes looming over my head. The puzzle pieces are becoming clearer, but the casualty list is growing. And with each name that is added to those we've lost, my confidence cracks a little more. 
Yet there is hope.
A child saved. 
A life lost.
A prophecy fulfilled.

Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win a signed set of three of The Rylee Adamson Novels (winners choice) plus a Rylee Adamson mug.
Book Trailer



Available at Amazon   BN   iTunes   Kobo Smashwords
*Special Note: All of the books in The Rylee Adamson Novels series will be on sale from September 9-15th at $0.99 down from $3.99 regular price.*
An Agent Liam O’Shea Interview
The Daily Grind

September 13/2012

Cold Case Heats Back Up?

There is no such thing as a case that is too cold, at least according to Liam O’Shea. He has been an FBI agent for over ten years, and in that time only one case of his remains open. 
His first case.
At the time, Agent O’Shea was fresh out of the academy and “still believed that justice always prevails”. Then along came the case that would chill the hearts of every agent working it, many of them parent’s themselves. 
Rylee Adamson, then sixteen years old, was accused and charged with killing her younger sister Berget; whose body was never found. The case made media headlines as Adamson went missing for close to two weeks and a man hunt the size this state had not seen in a hundred years ensued. 
Adopted into the Adamson household, her younger sister was a ‘miracle’ baby that by all accounts Adamson adored. It wasn’t until an outing the two girls took to Deerborn Park that Adamson’s actions would come into question.
“The younger girl’s blood and clothing was found several blocks away tucked behind a dumpster,” Agent O’Shea said, “and the only hair fibers found were the two girls, Berget and Rylee. There is no one else it could be that killed little Berget.” To O’Shea, it was an open and shut case; and with Adamson’s disappearing act he felt her guilt was obvious. But he, along with the other police enforcement involved where denied the closing of the case on a technicality in court.
“It’s only because of her lawyer, hired by Giselle Trinkoff, that Adamson wasn’t found guilty. A technicality I aim to right.” O’Shea states.
To date, Adamson has not been proven guilty of any charges, though O’Shea is determined to change that fact. “She got away once. She won’t get away again.”
For now, Adamson is MIA, her whereabouts unknown to anyone but Agent O’Shea. He claims that he finally has new evidence that Adamson killed her younger sister, hid the body, and dodged the penal system. 
This reporter isn’t so sure; there are too many unknowns to state that Adamson did it without a shadow of a doubt. But then, I always root for the underdog. And in this case, no one is more of an underdog than Rylee Adamson.

Excerpt from Wounded
“You don’t think that all of the disasters that humanity has faced were all natural, do you? The bubonic plague is a good example. It was blamed on a number of things. Rats, the Jewish people, punishment from God. It all led to a cleansing of anything unusual. Mostly supernaturals, who were trying to blend in, and in that process the humans wiped out many of their best defenders against the demon population, which then went on to spread the plague across the world. But that is just one example.”
“What was the point though, wouldn’t the demons have wanted people to be alive so they could possess them?” Liam asked. 
Erik gave a ruthful smile. “Yes and no. The bubonic plague wasn’t so much about killing people off, as it was infecting them. Making them weak and easier to possess. The plague compromised their immune systems, allowing them to be taken over. Especially the young.”
Something about what Erik said sent a twang through my brain. I struggled to put the pieces together that floated just out of reach. Damn it. Liam touched my arm. “What?”
I closed my eyes and pressed my palms into them, blocking out any light. “Just let me think for a minute.”
The feel of the night air and the sound of the fountain filled my ears as I looked at the pieces one by one. 
Demons escaped in London who bred fast.
Minor supernaturals were being possessed by lesser demons and evil spirits.
Packs of Orion’s demons were free to cause chaos.
The only thing we were missing was a plague and then Orion would have access to all the young people he wanted. The urge to vomit swelled up through my stomach and burned the back of my throat. 
“Children are normally hard to possess, aren’t they?” That was why it had taken a full pentagram when the black coven was trying to have India possessed so many months ago. At least, that was what I understood. 
Bert bobbed his head. “Yes, it can be very difficult to possess a child. There is a natural protection over the young when it comes to demons, something the elementals put into play.” He grimaced as he said ‘elemental’ and again I wondered at these particular supernaturals that I’d only just been hearing about. “But when the small humans are ill, that protection goes into keeping them alive, rather than keeping them from being possessed.”
Feeling like a bully, but not really caring, I leaned in to Bert. “How did the bubonic plague really start?”
An interesting thing happened. Bert paled and shook his head. “I can’t tell you.”
My eyebrows shot up and I glanced at Erik. “You want to make him talk, or do you want me to make him talk?”
Erik shrugged. “Either way is fine. I haven’t interrogated a demon in years. I’ve missed it.”
Bert paled even more and his lower lip trembled. “I can’t tell you. I can’t. Tracker, Slayer both of you have to trust me. Please.”
“Begging will get you nowhere, little demon.” Erik growled. He had a short, serrated knife in his hand that he’d pulled from somewhere within his robes. It was curved, like a skinning knife, and if it hadn’t been for the rough edges that’s what I would have called it.
“Track demons and evil spirits.” Bert blurted out as he fell to his knees. “Proof I am on your side. Track them; you’ll see it isn’t me fooling you.”
Erik paused and looked over at me. “Up to you. Personally, I’d just as soon dice him up.”
“Fuck, why not, Tracking will take me two seconds.” I grumbled. 
I send out a thread to Track demons as a whole, paired with a thread for evil spirits, just to satisfy—Holy. Fucking. Hell.
I swayed on my feet and went to one knee, the overwhelming wash of pings I got back seriously making me re-think getting out of bed the day before. 
We were surrounded by Orion’s minions. 
Hundreds of them.
About the Author

Shannon Mayer lives in the southwestern tip of Canada with her husband, dog, cats, horse, and cows. When not writing she spends her time staring at immense amounts of rain, herding old people (similar to herding cats) and attempting to stay out of trouble. Especially that last is difficult for her.
She is the author of the The Rylee Adamson Novels, The Nevermore Trilogy, A Celtic Legacy series and several contemporary romances.  
Please visit her website at http://www.shannonmayer.com for more information on her novels. 
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