Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 19
November 25, 2017
MoB's 3rd Birthday Bash - Romance genre - Nov 27-29
Magic of Books Promotions hosted its first tour during the month of November three years ago.
The company was created from the passion and desire of its owner, Tami Adams, because of her experiences as an author. From her struggles to have her books viewed and appreciated she knew there had to be another way.
Three years later Tami no longer writes but is determined to show the world the magic that lies within the pages of all books.
The following authors are helping Magic of Books to celebrate its birthday. Enjoy.
Message from Tami:
The last three years have been an incredible journey. I've made so many friends who began as bloggers, readers, and authors. I have been privileged to present and showcase new and old books from seasoned and new authors. I've learned so much I didn't even realize I should know prior to getting into this business. And after three years I can honestly say I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still making friends. I love and appreciate all of you who have supported my little slice of heaven. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
ROMANCE
Romance in traditional literary terms is a narration of the extraordinary exploits of heroes, often in exotic or mysterious settings. The term romance has also been used for stories of mysterious adventures, not necessarily of heroes. These adventure romances usually are set in distant places.
Please enjoy these books that focus on romance and all the sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Season of Seduction by Multiple Authors
Romance. Winter/Christmas theme (multi genre romance (contemporary and PNR))
Ring in the holidays this year with this collection of steamy to sexy scintillating reads from today's hottest bestselling authors. Whether you’re looking for a romance by the warm glow of the fireplace or a passionate romp on a bear skin rug, there is something for all readers, for every taste, desire, and whim.
Come and join us, won’t you? This is sure to be a Season... of Seduction.
Silver Bells by Jacquie Biggar
Contemporary Holiday Romance
Will a Christmas wish give a lonely author a family?
Mystery writer, Joel Carpenter, has no time for romance. He has a deadline to meet, and too many skeletons in his closet to trust the slightly spinny artist renting his house.
Christy Taylor has her hands full dealing with an ailing business and a diabetic daughter, she doesn't need the temptation that is her landlord, Joel Carpenter.
Can a Christmas wish bring two stubborn souls together and give a little girl the gift she wants most?
Sultry Nights by Multiple Authors
Contemporary Romance
Love, passion, romance and desire… No matter what your preference, this set of 22 hot and sexy reads has just what you need. From surprise love affairs to bad boys that we can’t help but fall for, and couples that were meant to be, this compilation from Romance Collections is sure to please your every single need.
Sunshine & Lightning by Grace Harper
Romance
The six stories are set in the fictional town of Jackson's Bay that only comes alive once a year. Ipris Magazine has its gala ball at the Imperial Estate on top of the cliffs, and this year they are celebrating 140 years of publication.
The town is basking in an usually long heat wave. Clothes are coming off, and inhibitions are being lost. We follow twenty-two people throughout the week leading up to the party. Secrets, revelations, ambitions and desires will come to the forefront. Will the men and women overcome inhibitions, stigma and blackmailers by the time they attend the Gala celebrations that will have over a thousand people in attendance?
Sunshine and Lightning is the first of six books.
Karl Spencer walked out on Rebecca Patterson ten years ago and has regretted it ever since. There wasn’t a week that passed by that he didn’t regret running away from her that night. Karl spent a lot of time hating himself for not fighting for their relationship.
Rebecca used her broken heart to fuel her determination to achieve her career goal, Editor-in-Chief of Ipris Magazine. She ignores that she had never had a relationship last more than three months. An enforced week off lands her in Jackson’s Bay at the same time as Karl Spencer.
No matter what, Karl is determined to find out if she still feels anything for him.
Will Karl win Rebecca back?
Unchained Melody by R.E. Hargrave
Military Romance (contemporary)
Marshall Chandler is a true American who grew up wanting nothing more than to serve his country to the best of his ability, by becoming a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. On the eve of his first assignment, he meets the woman that will haunt his dreams and change his life.
A single night to connect, but a decade to realize it... when one man is torn between the love of his country and what might have been the love of his life, how does he stay sane? How does he cope? And will he ever get a second chance at love?
Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways.
(Available in Kindle Unlimited and on Audio via Amazon, Audible, & iTunes)
Unwrapping Noel by Jennifer Theriot
Romance / Short Story
**2017 Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Winner: Fiction/Short Story-Novella**
Noel Calabrese hates the holidays as much as she hates her life. Overweight, insecure and heartbroken, she retreats into a world of misery.
While in the Silicon Valley on a business trip, she meets Leon Hallas. Could he be her ticket to happiness? Can she learn to trust men again? Are second chances at happiness even remotely possible?
Unwrap this steamy little contemporary romance, complete with a palindrome about second chances, discovering self-worth and watch as the sexy silver fox falls for the full figured beauty just in time for the holidays. Is Leon Hallas Mr. Right and will he and Noel find their happy ever after?
This short story contains adult language and situations, and is intended for readers over the age of 18.
Romance (Contemporary Romance)
After more than a decade, Cait has returned home to St. Augustin and the Dom she left behind. A pampered sub, now widowed, Cait has adjusted to making decisions for herself for the first time in years. With some help from her friends, she's begun a new life.
Then Jackson walks into her studio it's as if their years apart never happened - as if she hadn't left him for his best friend. He never stopped loving her and he's not going to give up this time. He's determined to win her back, not only as his sub but as his wife.
(Reader Advisory: Grab a glass of wine, and put the kids to bed. This story has one hot Dom and a sub willing to make up for lost time. Graphic sexual language and scenes are to be expected.)
November 23, 2017
Romance Between The Pages presents...
Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through the spring. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!
THIS WEEK'S BEST SELLING AUTHOR...
A.L. Jackson!
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson - Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 24587 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
THE BELLS OF WINTER boxset
THE BELLS OF WINTER
The Bells are ringing for the turn of the year, so grab a hot toddy, a warm blanket, and this collection of beautiful stories to warm up your heart and soul. These are all clean, family-friendly, inspiring reads in many genres, great for entertaining anyone from lovers of fantasy to the more serious mystery reader.
Add this collection to your kindle now. And while you're at it, gift it to Grandma, too.
A Bell for Valor by Holly Barbo
Mari is hired to research a mummified bog-man found in an ancient peat field, unaware a 700 year old grudge is still alive
Christmas Lights by E.M. Denning
Despite Sam's commitment to not get close to anyone, Chris forces his way into Sam's life. Chris' friendship feels like a Christmas miracle and Sam finds himself wondering if he dare reach for things he’s never even had the courage to dream about.
The Bells Below by Suzy Stewart Dubot
Eleanor has exchanged church bells for service bells in an aristocratic mansion. Her future looks bleak until a chance meeting in a lending library sparks an ember of hope.
Dare a spinster dream?
Winter World by Sean Gallatin
Another time, a world deep in winter where the sound of bells bring her no comfort. She has a mission. A man from off world and Colonel Yselda will cross paths in the blinding snow.
Accidentally on Purpose by Michele G. Gwynn
Accidents happen, or so Cara Delavine always thought. After all, she’d spent her entire life tripping over her own two feet and apologizing for it, but when her curse harms another, it changes everything for the soft-spoken young woman.
Beau Hamilton is a star athlete, the celebrated golden boy for the Vancouver Canuck’s, but his career gets blindsided by a cheesy twist of fate that leaves him not only unable to see his way forward, but unable to see at all!
Two lost souls in need are about to be brought together by three nosy sisters in this warm-hearted winter romance that proves everything happens for a reason, if only Cara can bravely stand up to the angry but handsome Beau, and only if Beau can forgive the person who robbed him of his sight.
A Cow in Time by C. Forrest Lundin
Zeb didn't listen to his intended. Injured and without a horse, he has to depend on a cow to get him home. He always thought of himself as a cowpuncher, but this was ridiculous. In the 1800s getting stuck on the wrong side of the Grande Ronde River without a horse, injured and alone is life threatening.
Iceworm by Cherime MacFarlane
Is her mother tired of living at the end of a dirt road the state closes in winter? If her mother intends to leave, Ida isn't going with her, and the old cabin will be a good place to hide.
Shattered Heart by Ella Medler
The frozen heart with its vicious curse slices its way through time to a plague-hit London. Dodo, guardian of Calidora, ruler of time, has a momentous decision to make—save himself or sacrifice his life to save humanity.
Christmas Joy by Regina Morris
Jake needs to clear out his father’s old cabin and sell it. He’s prepared to deal with the freezing cold weather and the remote location, but not with the sexy woman, who was once his late father’s nurse, still living in the place.
A Cat's Inheritance by Jess Mountfield
Just who is heartless enough to kill a cat for money? It's up to Wilson, a private-detective on his first case, to solve the mystery. Getting a date for the family Christmas party, well, that's just a bonus.
Whisper in the Tower by Julie Elizabeth Powell
Listen to the whispers of the tower and discover Amara’s fate.
A fantasy tale told from an unlikely source
Tolls the Bell by Maxine Murphy
Her family drives her crazy. But on a cold dark night, the chapel and the bells lead her to a terrible realization.
Holly Barbo's world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the nature and an irrepressible curiosity that frequently has her turning over rocks and questioning what she finds. This sometimes sends the reader down a rabbit hole into an alternate view of the world than what they expected. Holly’s mind can be an interesting place.
E.M. Denning is a writer from British Columbia. She loves her family and animals, and anything cute and fuzzy. She writes romance for the 18+ plus crowd because she's both a hopeless romantic and a dirty old woman.
Suzy Stewart Dubot is an Anglo/American who has lived in France for over 35 years, she was encouraged to write in 2010 when reading a poorly written Regency romance. She felt sure she could do better, and hopefully she has. Although discovered late in life, it is now a passion lived to its fullest.
Sean Gallatin has lived in Alaska since he was a small child. A very private person by nature, some Alaskans are like that, he tends to keep his personal life to himself. An ex-Navy man, on returning home he found music to be his first love. While playing in a band, he has seen the seamier side of Alaska up close. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Anchorage was still trying to come to grips with having a fire hose nozzle of oil money flowing freely. Sean got to watch a lot of people and situations from the stage. It is surprising how people tend to ignore the band. There are more tales waiting to be told.
Michele E. Gwynn has loved writing stories since the third grade when she created her first book as a class project. She's come a long way since then. She has several series published independently.
C. Forrest Lundin is a lover of all things having to do with the wilderness and the west. History and research are another of his favorite things. And he's pleased as punch to be part of Paper Gold Publishing.
Cherime MacFarlane is a prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her been there-done that life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination.
Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor who lives in a corner of Heaven, on the south-west coast of Ireland, overlooking the Atlantic. She writes fiction in many genres — some after her own tastes, and some to make her readers happy. Sometimes, those two happen to coincide.
Regina Morris is an award winning author who writes the sensual paranormal romances that make up the COLONY series. She also writes some contemporary sweet romances and fantasy/time travel stories. The romance in these are light/sweet.
Jess Mountifield was born in the quaint village of Woodbridge in the UK, has spent some of her childhood in the States and now resides in the beautiful Roman city of Bath. She lives with her husband Phil and her very dapsy cat, Pleaides. Jess can often be found either in a cafe, grinning behind a large mug of hot chocolate, at her desk, getting annoyed with her cat for sitting on her keyboard, or on her comfy corner sofa with friends, enjoying a vast array of films.
Julie Elizabeth Powell can't ignore her dreams, so many of them, with names and places and ideas that spark her imagination and compel her to write; to create stories, whether fantasy or horror, or mystery or psychological thriller or murder or even humour and adventure. So, Julie's garden is sown, flourishing, with all manner of growth, and still the dreams come.
Maxine Murphy A very private person, Maxine writes what is in her heart. It's not always comfortable or sweet, but it is authentic. She keeps her home life out of the public eye.
BOB AND THE POLKA-DOT HIGHWAY by R. Murphy
BOB AND THE POLKA-DOT HIGHWAY
Book 3 of The Bob Books
by R. Murphy
Poor Roz…once again stuck on the horns of a dilemma. Does she accept the great offer for a job that’s hundreds of miles from Crooked Lake? Or does she pick David, the great guy who grows grapes half a mile from her house? And either way—assuming our crabby woman-of-a-certain-age manages to make a decision—what about her ghost, Bob?
Granted, Bob and Roz have never had a … ummmm… ‘traditional’ relationship but still, martini-loving ghosts don’t toddle along every day of the week. What happens to the wit, the sparkle, the laughter?
So many questions…(sigh).
Join Roz, David—and Bob—as they spend a beautiful, but confusing, summer on Crooked Lake. And oh, by the way, watch out for drips…
Bob, the ghost who turns up at my place on a very regular basis, watched me as I placed the phone quietly on the table, a rare worried look on his face. “Good news, or bad news?” he asked. “It sounded like Tess offered you the job, but you don’t seem particularly happy about it. Should I make martinis to celebrate or to drown our sorrows?”
“Oh, it’s definitely time to cue the martinis,” I responded (more about the martinis later). “We need a party right about now.”
Bob brightened and got busy. While he’s occupied making his lethal cocktails, I’ll take a minute to bring you up to speed. (But as I said, for the full story, you probably want to read the previous books in this trilogy—Bob at the Lake and Bob at The Plaza). As you might guess from the titles, Bob and I have a fairly checkered history.)
The Cliff Notes version of these volumes, though, would be something like: “Roz, a woman of a certain age, struggles valiantly (some might point out, rather crabbily) with the financial havoc wreaked by the Great Recession. To complicate matters, the Universe (Clive?) assigns Bob, a martini-loving ghost associated with the Algonquin Round Table, to ‘help’ me (quotes added here by a thoroughly exasperated author) with two tasks: 1) do something ‘special’ (again, quotes = exasperation) and 2) decide whether to sell my beautiful but isolated and high-maintenance lake house.
The latter challenge seems to have been met—I listed my house about a month ago with Crooked Lake’s Marilyn Monroe-look-alike real estate agent, Penny Mae. (Who, incidentally, is now in hot pursuit of David, my mostly-ex-boyfriend.)
As for the ‘special’ task, Bob and I still debate the exact meaning of that assignment. In my mind, that job might be something related to my freelance work as a corporate writer who raises big money for Community Chest. Bob disagrees, hinting that my mission is probably more personal, perhaps pertaining to the unpublished book manuscript I’ve penned regarding our relationship. … The exact nature of this task has always been murky and an ongoing source of frustration.
And I hardly need another source of frustration—my life abounds with the stuff, thank you very much. I’m broke, with an expensive lake house to maintain. Plus, I recently lost one of my two paying freelance clients. And, even though my house survived Crooked Lake’s wicked spring floods, they left their mark, mostly on my psyche. The financial uncertainties caused by all of these challenges caused me to break off my budding relationship with David. I knew I’d have to look far afield to find a decent job, and I didn’t want to take the chance of getting in too deep with land-locked, mutually impoverished David and his vineyards. Not a fun decision, but probably a wise one since it turns out my new job places me squarely in the middle of Ohio…
Bob at the Lake
What would happen if Roz, a crabby woman of a certain age, moved to the wintry shores of a New York lake—and got a ghost? And not just any ghost, mind you. Bob’s a ghost from 1920’s Manhattan, full of quips and over fond of his martinis, who swans around in a silk smoking jacket and makes Roz’s life very . . . well, let’s just say ‘complicated.’
Especially after Roz meets David, the good-looking grape grower who lives up the hill. Join Roz, David—and Bob—as they navigate blizzards, cookie mazes, holiday shopping sprees, and the occasional power outage. (You know, all of those delightful challenges of a good, old-fashioned Northern winter . . .)
Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ Goodreads
Bob at the Plaza
Bob, our favorite martini-loving ghost, has vanished. Now Roz faces a miserable snowbound Crooked Lake winter alone. Well, almost alone. Thank goodness for David, the practical, kind grape grower who lives up the hill.
What a winter it is! Record-breaking snows followed months later by record-setting rains. Ah, the joys of living on a lake shore when the spring floods arrive.
High water, anyone?
Undeterred by mice, sociopathic relatives, Carnegie Hall disasters, and spring floods, Roz searches for her MIA ghost. In the process she goes toe-to-toe with the hyper-verbal crowd at the Algonquin Round Table. Can Roz best smarty-pants Dorothy Parker in a game of wits? Will Harpo Marx finally speak out and help Bob return to Crooked Lake?
For the answers to these and many other spirited questions, read BOB AT THE PLAZA!
Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ Goodreads
Roz Murphy is the pseudonym of a long-time Finger Lakes resident who lives with ghosts and doesn’t want to confirm in her neighbors’ minds how nutty she really is. (They already have their suspicions.) After decades of writing in Manhattan and throughout the country, Roz settled on the shores of New York’s Keuka Lake, some of the most beautiful country ever created. She’s an ardent fan of the Finger Lakes wine industry, especially the local dry Rieslings.
November 20, 2017
MoB's 3rd Birthday Bash - Comedy genre - Nov 20-22
Magic of Books Promotions hosted its first tour during the month of November three years ago.
The company was created from the passion and desire of its owner, Tami Adams, because of her experiences as an author. From her struggles to have her books viewed and appreciated she knew there had to be another way.
Three years later Tami no longer writes but is determined to show the world the magic that lies within the pages of all books.
The following authors are helping Magic of Books to celebrate its birthday. Enjoy.
Message from Tami:
The last three years have been an incredible journey. I've made so many friends who began as bloggers, readers, and authors. I have been privileged to present and showcase new and old books from seasoned and new authors. I've learned so much I didn't even realize I should know prior to getting into this business. And after three years I can honestly say I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still making friends. I love and appreciate all of you who have supported my little slice of heaven. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
COMEDY
Comedy is a literary genre and a type of dramatic work that is amusing and satirical in its tone, mostly having a cheerful ending. The motif of this dramatic work is triumph over unpleasant circumstance by creating comic effects, resulting in a happy or successful conclusion.
Thus, the purpose of comedy is to amuse the audience. Comedy has multiple sub-genres depending upon the source of the humor, context in which an author delivers dialogues, and delivery methods, which include farce, satire, and burlesque.
Please enjoy these books that focus on comedy and all the sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine by J.D. Fettier
Romantic Paranormal Short Story Comedy
**2017 Reader's Favorite Silver Medal Winner: Fiction/Humor-Comedy**
The year is 1969. Though there is war and unrest in the world, on August 15th, on a farm in upstate New York, a little concert will go down in history as the most famous music festival of our time: Woodstock.
It also happens to be the day Bonnie McMillan and Peter Hampton meet and begin their free-spirited love-filled journey with each other. What happens at Woodstock stays at Woodstock, right? Nope!
Fast forward forty-seven years. Bonnie unexpectedly passes after a night of hot sex and is whisked up to Purgatory, 'The Green Room' as they call it. Bonnie's best friend meets her at the pearly green gates and the fun begins, from body sculpting to channeling.
Follow Bonnie on her erotically incorrect quest to re-connect with the love of her life. Or at the very least, make sure the sex toys are hidden before the kids start sorting through her things!
Romantic Comedy
Tracy Price is a serious researcher. Then she meets minor rock star Jesse Elliot and the only question she wants to ask is, “May I sit on your lap?”
He’s trying to write a memoir that will bear his soul without invading his privacy and Tracy is trying to track a writer who vanished more than 70 years ago.
It all takes place in New Mexico, where Tracy has been happy with her uncomplicated life until Jesse rattles her brain and rocks her sanity. He decides she’s demented, and she believes he wouldn’t recognize the truth in a lineup of Bibles. Their only hope is to stop trying to read each other’s minds and start speaking their own.
And solving the mystery of the writer who’s been missing for more than 70 years may be the key to solving their differences.
So Unlike Me (Winning Your Heart #1) by Nikki Lynn Barrett
Contemporary Romantic Comedy
How to survive an unexpected breakup with your ex-fiancé on national TV:
1. Hide out under the covers at home.
2. Let your agoraphobic twin sister talk you into going to Paris in her place!
Lizette Monroe would be crazy to turn down her sweepstakes entering addicted twin's offer. Paris, France? It's the perfect getaway after all she's been dealing with. All she has to do is pretend to be Nola. Can't go wrong there, right?
Too bad it's not France, but a small town Tennessee town. Still, it gets her out of the public eye for awhile.
Enter problem number one in the form of Dirk Ramsey, Nola's childhood best friend. He's grown up, gorgeous, and has eyes for her, except he thinks she's Nola. Lizette wants nothing more than to tell him the truth, but Nola's embarrassment and shame over her current condition has her begging Lizette to keep up the charade.
It wouldn't be so hard if Dirk's touch didn't awaken a part of her soul she thought was lost. Did he really have to be there at every turn, especially when the truth is closer to coming out? And when Dirk does learn he's been reminiscing with the wrong twin- the one who didn't pay much attention to him back then, will that ruin a chance to get to know the man Lizette is now having romantic feelings for?
EXACTING REVENGE by Kimmie Easley
EXACTING REVENGE
Executioners MC Series, book 2
by Kimmie Easley
Genre: MC Romance/Romantic Suspense (Spicy, MC level violence)
Ronin grows hungrier. Only two things can feed his appetite. Jolene and power.
With a rogue soldier and an enemy club fast on their wheels, the Executioners are left with little option to keep their family whole. Now, away from home territory, Ronin is finding out the trouble may hit closer to the heart of the club.
Can he keep Jolene safe, steer his brothers in a profitable direction, and be the Soldier at Arms he’s called to be without falling on the wrong side of the pavement?
Exacting Revenge is the second, spicy installment in the Executioners MC Series.
Series Order: X Marks the Spot – Executioners MC (Book #1)
A mixture of blood and spit flies, splatting across my right cheek. I jerk the worn bandana from my back pocket and wipe the shit from my face, not giving it a second thought.
Herc is enjoying his rank today. We’ve been tasked with finding Ruth. It’s about fucking time.
“You ready to tell me something I can use?” I force my boot against the shattered man’s throat. He uses both hands, struggling to push my weight away. It’s a futile move. I press harder.
I refuse to make a move on the Pistol Kings at this point, seriously pissing off the old man. He doesn’t know that I have certain information, and it’s important that I keep it that way.
When I think the loser has had enough, I release his windpipe. Herc, on cue, straddles the man, cracking his massive knuckles.
He pries open his mouth, breaking the dried blood crevices. “I swear…”
Herc lands a square fist into his ribs, causing him to buckle.
Then he says something that none of us expected. “You’re gonna have to go ahead and kill me. I don’t know nothing,” he squeaks through a strangled voice.
The weight of Clint’s heavy hand lands on my shoulder.
“Son of a whore!” Troy kicks gravel across the railroad.
“What do you wanna do, VP?” Clint adjusts his cut.
I stare through my best friend as if he weren’t standing there. I’m at a loss. I’ve exhausted all avenues. This bastard was my final option.
Ruth’s blood is on my hands.
I rip my gaze away and scowl at the Enforcer. “Go back in.”
My words send the wounded man on squirming on the ground into a frenzy.
As Herc settles his heel into the enemy’s gut utilizing all of his weight, my cell rattles in my pocket.
If it were anyone other than Jolene I would send it to voicemail, but not with the dick move way I ditched her this morning. I’m already in the shit house. It’s never too soon to start kissing ass.
“Hey darlin, I know you’re pissed, but seriously just give me a second to…”
She spews shit I thought I’d never have to hear come from her mouth. The kind of shit that only comes from deep inside the club.
My dense chest heaves as I tuck the phone away. “Cut him loose.”
Everyone stops and whips their heads in my direction with the exception of the mangled body, whose eyes are both now swollen completely shut.
“What’s up, brother?” Troy jumps on his sled.
“No time. We’re headed to Jericho.”
We ride without stopping. If I could will this fucking bike to go faster, I would. The fear in Jo’s voice is engrained on my soul. I can’t handle it. There’s nothing in this world that can bring me to my knees like that sound.
I’ve only heard it once, the night she was lying on the singed grass surrounded by ash and burning splinters of wood.
The night we lost our baby.
My small town calls me home. I zip through the stoplights and ignore the traffic signs.
Clubhouse.
Jolene.
My only thoughts are on repeat.
I wouldn’t have wasted the time circling around to the back, but I knew the door was already open.
I fly off my sled. I can hear my brothers speak, but tune them out.
“Jolene!”
“In here”
My pulse races, pumping scores of frenzied blood though my heated veins.
I spot her and don’t stop to assess the situation.
I can’t get my hands on her quick enough. My mind is blank and my body moves on automatic pilot until I snake my arms around her trembling frame, lifting her off the ground, holding her tight like a scared child with a stuffed animal.
Just like that all of the stifled emotions sending me reeling.
Mist fills my eyes as I bury my damp face in her neck. “I thought I wouldn’t make it in time.”
She strokes my neck. “I knew you would.”
“What the fuck?” Clint stalks through the Clubhouse.
“You girls alright?”
“We’re whole,” Jessa responds with a shaky tone.
“It’s Brad.” I turn back to the crowd, planting Jo back on the floor, but refusing to let her go.
“The homeowner dick guy?” Troy cocks his head.
“Yep. Jolene confirmed it.” A visible ripple shudders through Jessa.
The boys start poking and prodding at what’s left of the nasty, stinking body parts. None of us notice the light rap on the front door, not until the person pounds on the locked gate.
Everyone in the room draws their weapons, females included. The moment I have to prepare for battle means I have to take my hands off my woman and that sends fury to not only deep in my gut, but my dark, dusty heart, and that has become a whole new level of danger for me and any mother fucker who decides to cross my path sideways.
I’m ready.
More ready than I have ever been.
Amazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads
Executioners MC Series, book 1
Jolene Miller barely escaped the dark underworld of being the president’s daughter of a notorious motorcycle club. After having her heart broken by Ronin, the MC’s Sargent at Arms, she tried to navigate a normal life as an up and coming criminal defense attorney.
When the only family she’s ever known comes under fire, Jolene rushes home to Jericho, California to step in - only to find it’s not just the club who needs her.
Ronin is wanted for murder.
Can Jolene let go of their tortured past in order to save their future?
Kimmie is an international best selling romance author who has grown up traveling the country, rarely settling in one place for much longer than a minute. Being no stranger to heartache and pain, she allows her unconventional childhood to fuel her writing.
Kimmie is addicted to all things books, wine, cupcakes, and flip flops. She is a homeschool momma, southern wife, and pug wrangler.
Kimmie can be found somewhere in the south writing wine worthy stories.
DISSENSION by Kristy Centeno
DISSENSION
A Deliverance Novel, Book 2
by Kristy Centeno
In an age where humans dominate the world…
And supernatural creatures exist in the cover of darkness…
He must find a place among his rivals or risk losing it all.
Hayden has had his hands tied coping with life outside of the Institutes. He’s come far despite all the bumps along the way. He’s allowed himself to believe he could live a normal life…until a new threat makes its presence known.
In an instant, his entire life is flipped upside down once more. Those he cares for are not safe with or without him. There’s no escaping his past. Or permanent solution to his problems. One way or another he’ll become the target for all those looking to destroy the hybrid who endangers their way of life and challenges everything they’ve ever known.
Now he must decide between kill or be killed, and risk becoming the very monster he’s fought so hard to prove he’s not. Freedom has come with a price, but is he willing to pay the cost?
“Where is Kristina?” Rose elbows her way to the front of the procession, ignoring the quick glares Bray’s werewolves direct at her.
Kristina.
I scan the crowd, accounting for everyone except her. A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. She was here a moment ago. Where did she disappear to? A frightening realization assails me and I do a quick body count of Jovian’s men. Two are missing. Neither here nor among those I mangled in the fight.
Fixated on the spot where I last saw her standing, I dash toward it. My nostrils flair as I breathe in, detecting three distinct scents. One of which belongs to her.
The woods. They took her.
Without a second thought, I race into the woodlands, following the vampires’ scent. My feet heavy, as if they’re made of lead. I fly between trees, moving at record speeds, but even so it’s like I’m not making any progress. As if the world is at a standstill. The more distance I cover the farther away she feels.
She’s gone.
Dismay settles in, filling me with trepidation and lack of confidence. I’ve lost her trail. I read the signs left on the earth. Two sets of footprints now instead of three. She must have not been walking from this point on. Where were they taking her?
Afraid of what I will find at the end of the trail left by the pair who carried her away, I use my preternatural senses to put together a possible scenario. I don’t detect either the vampires or Kristina. No unusual sounds anywhere that can point me to where she is.
Still, I push on. Despite my conscious stating repeatedly that she’s no longer within the vicinity, I trudge on. Injured and weak, I begin to feel the results of the multiple encounters with Jovian and his men. But I don’t care. My body will heal. Kristina, however, will not. If they harm her…
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He’s been locked away his entire life.
He dreams of freedom.
The only way he can accomplish his goals is by breaking free of the chains tying him to a dark past and gloomy existence. But there’s one catch. He’s not human.
And he’s never set foot outside his jail.
Devoted to saving his peers as well as his own life, he sets out to find the one person that can help him achieve his objectives. He knows where she will be and what she will look like, but what he doesn’t anticipate is the fact that he finds himself caring for the girl whose life he’s put at risk, more and more each day.
He has no name.
He has only known hatred and violence before her.
However, she will teach him to have faith in humanity, even if she can’t trust him.
Together they will embark on a journey to bring down a corrupt system responsible for the loss of many innocent lives. But when he finds his feelings compromised, can he still move on knowing that doing so will put an end to the life she once knew? How far is he willing to go to be free?
Kristy Centeno is the author of the Secrets of the Moon saga and Keeper Witches series.
She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.
MoB's 3rd Birthday Bash - Fantasy genre - Nov 23-25
Magic of Books Promotions hosted its first tour during the month of November three years ago.
The company was created from the passion and desire of its owner, Tami Adams, because of her experiences as an author. From her struggles to have her books viewed and appreciated she knew there had to be another way.
Three years later Tami no longer writes but is determined to show the world the magic that lies within the pages of all books.
The following authors are helping Magic of Books to celebrate its birthday. Enjoy.
Message from Tami:
The last three years have been an incredible journey. I've made so many friends who began as bloggers, readers, and authors. I have been privileged to present and showcase new and old books from seasoned and new authors. I've learned so much I didn't even realize I should know prior to getting into this business. And after three years I can honestly say I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still making friends. I love and appreciate all of you who have supported my little slice of heaven. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
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FANTASY
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that concentrates on imaginary elements (the fantastic). This can mean magic, the supernatural, alternate worlds, superheroes, monsters, fairies, magical creatures, mythological heroes—essentially, anything that an author can imagine outside of reality. With fantasy, the magical or supernatural elements serve as the foundation of the plot, setting, characterization, or storyline in general.
Please enjoy these books that focus on fantasy and all its sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter.
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The Dream Walker, Land of Mystica Series Volume One by Michelle Murray
Fantasy
Enter Mystica with Miranda. Once upon Mystica there were six wizards. Learn the legend of the wizards. Find out how they were trapped. One curious boy finds and releases Midnight one of the dark wizards. Miranda has dreams of another world. She is called by the dream magic to travel to Mystica. Follow her adventures as she tries to find the one Wizard that can defeat Midnight, Lightning. Can she find the stone containing Lightning before Midnight takes over Mystica?
The Rite of Wands by Mackenzie Flohr
YA Fantasy
One boy…one Rite… And a world of deadly secrets that could change the course of history—forever.
And so begins the tale of Mierta McKinnon. When a horrible fate reveals itself during his Rite of Wands ceremony, he must find a way to change not only his destiny but also the land of Iverna’s.
Forbidden from revealing the future he foresees to anyone, he is granted a wand and his magical powers, but still must master the realm of magic in order to save himself and those he loves.
But Mierta is not the only one with secrets…especially when it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones by Sorchia DuBois
Romantic Paranormal Fantasy
Granny’s dying, but Zoraida can save her with a magic crystal of smoky quartz. Too bad the crystal is in Scotland––in a haunted castle––guarded by mind-reading, psychopathic sorcerers.
Getting inside Castle Logan is easy. Getting out––not so much. Before she can snatch the stone, Zoraida stumbles into a family feud, uncovers a wicked ancient curse, and finds herself ensorcelled by not one but two handsome Scottish witches. Up to their necks in family intrigue and smack-dab in the middle of a simmering clan war, Zoraida and her best friend Zhu discover Granny hasn’t told them everything.
Not by a long shot.
POPPIES FOR CHRISTMAS by Stacy Renée Keywell
POPPIES FOR CHRISTMAS
by Stacy Renée Keywell
Genre: YA Romance
A celebration of love without labels. It’s easy to be brave with you by my side!
Popular DJ Dexx finds himself positively smitten by the precociously pristine Poppy Paris. Too bad she’s already taken by an older boy, Declan Davies, a beautiful model with a thriving career, and a perfect family. By a dreamful stroke of chance, Dexx finds himself invited to spend Christmas at the Davies home by a gorgeous girl, granting him the opportunity to pursue the precious Poppy. But in his quest to win her over, he unlocks a world of imperfection and insecurity, where people are picked on for their disabilities, speech, appearance, and eccentricities. For Poppy and her friends, love trumps labels, and everyone deserves a brave friend to stand by their side. What gifts will Dexx discover this Christmas? Will he ultimately find true love, or will he discover something even greater?
You are invited to read a powerful story about living with autism, but not letting it define you, about being bullied, but carrying on with determination and grit, and about having dreams, but not giving up in the face of adversity. Come celebrate something beautiful with Poppies for Christmas.
The Science of Baking
I read somewhere once that cooking is an art. It takes imagination and flare. But baking? Baking is a science. It takes exactitude and precision. It requires patience. It requires dedication. It requires love. A whole lot of love. And well…that’s what I’ve got…love…love for a girl, a special one, one who deserves dedication. So what do I choose to prove my love? I choose baking.
Chapter One
Lenn
Deep inside my tote, my hand grazed against my faithful sketchbook before I removed it. The metal spirals comforted my fingers as I dragged them across the row of sharp-edged rings. Firmly gripping the book, I flipped it open to a blank page near the middle. I smoothed out the slightly texturized, eggshell white page. I bent down and buried my nose in the crease, inhaling the faint lead pencil scent. It calmed me, readying me to add another chapter to my visual saga.
Spreading my tools around me, hard and soft pencils, a ruler, several firm erasers, and a small metal sharpener, I steadied my hand and cleared my mind, inviting in only the most blissful images of my fantasy. With a soft lead pencil, I constructed an oval blank for the face. Art classes definitely assisted in perfecting the technique, but dedication and talent trumped instruction.
I used the ruler to estimate the proper dimensions. I added eyes, a nose, some crazy-hot lips, all his beautiful features. I gave him expressive brows. I sketched his glossy dark brown hair, shaggy bangs flopping over to the side, covering his ear, exposing that sarcastic, twisted grin on his lips, the same way he looked when he joked around with his friends in the corner of the library during study hall.
A trusty eraser mopped up all of the stray, miscellaneous marks. I blew away a couple gummy shreds before I shaded in his taut jawline. I wiped up the last scattered pieces left behind on the page before I started on adding myself to the portrait. Duplicating the process, I gave myself a hipper, manga-esque look, allowing for a more whimsical likeness of myself.
Poppy and Kit sat at the same long, wooden table, on the opposite side of me. Kit swiped through the pages on her tablet, desperately trying to find the right page number, since she had neglected to tap the bookmark before closing out her chapter the previous night. Nervous oohs and aahs escaped her lips. Poppy, sitting with her legs crossed, jiggled her feet beneath her chair, shaking the table, creating a rattling earthquake under my artwork.
I shot a glare in her direction. “Would you please stop? The both of you! You are driving me crazy, and ruining my picture.”
Poppy and Kit stopped suddenly. They looked at each other, wide-eyed and innocent, two does in the midst of a meadow. Unaware! Clueless! Oblivious!
“I can’t think when you moan that way,” I snapped, addressing Kit. She squirmed underneath her oversized flannel shirt and baggy jeans.
“And, you,” I turned to Poppy. “You are going to smudge my drawing with all of that wild motion going on underneath the table. Can it!”
Their jaws dropped. They both stared at me, wordless.
“Please.” I hugged my journal protectively. Softening my voice, I turned to Poppy and asked her again. “Please?”
“Sorry,” they announced in simulcast, sighing, shrugging their shoulders, lost together in the great woods of their minds.
They looked back down at their own musings. I continued to draw.
In this picture, the two of us relaxed together on a chaise lounge, him with his large, bulbous headphones, and me with my skull and crossbones ear buds. Our eyes drifted in the opposite direction, lids almost closed, in a sleepy trance. My arm draped across his chest until our fingers entwined, intimately. We zoned out to his simpatico beats.
Born with the passion for storytelling, Stacy Renée Keywell spends time stargazing, daydreaming, and creating adventures for her family to conquer. Being an educator for over twenty years, Stacy enjoys studying and sharing her knowledge of culture, philosophy, language, and the humanities. She loves the human spirit, appreciates profound humor, and dreams about the mysteries of the spiritual unknown. Besides following her whimsical dreams, Stacy’s hobbies include singing off tune, dancing oddly yet awesomely, reading as much as possible, and traveling around the globe with gusto. Stacy lives a life of fabulous clichés. Stacy works hard at telling bad joke, and making up amazing new words in hopes that they will one day find their way into the dictionary. She strives to love without labels with her nonprofit movement Project Love Without Labels, which tackles social stigmas and takes on bullying. She vows to bravely stand by the sides of those who need her, especially her two daughters. Stacy, her husband, and her children, live in Michigan in a quaint house in the woods.
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FROZEN HEART by Ella Medler
FROZEN HEART
Calidora series, the prequel
by Ella Medler
Genre: Time-Travel Fantasy
Quiet and listless, the glass heart sat hidden under layers of unremarkable clutter, its secret safe. The human hands had touched it often through the strata of debris, but until now, had never uncovered it fully.
At last, the yellow duster cut through the grime, and the heart began to shift. It would most likely have frozen over again, up on its high shelf, if the cat’s careless pouncing hadn’t made if fall into a box full of tinsel.
This is how the history of time and place began to change — with the story of the frozen heart.
“I would love to travel in time with you, Mal.”
His answering grin almost turned her knees to jelly, he was that handsome.
“First, you must make sure you don’t lose track of me. I can’t even imagine the trouble you’d get into without me there to guide you.”
Khira hooked the ribbon over her head. If she let go, the glass heart would dangle right over hers, she realized. “Is this okay?” she asked. Mal nodded. “Wait! Do I need anything? Boots? A coat? Cash?”
Mal smiled again. “It won’t matter. I can make you fit in anywhere.” He touched his hand to the wall of glass. “Give me your hand.”
Khira placed the tips of her fingers over his hand. A helix of light burst forth from the heart. It grew and pulsed around her until it became a vortex of colors, twisting and winding around each other like ribbons in a tornado, with her at the center of it all.
She clasped the heart closer to her chest as she felt her body lifting into the air. Just before she started spinning, her window crashed open and a shaggy, furry shape, somewhat reminiscent of Dodo the cat, leapt into the funnel and landed on her shoulder. Khira screamed when the creature’s claws sank into the skin on her back, but she didn’t dare let go of the heart in her hands. The whirlpool of color and motion intensified, and then exploded in a shower of stars.
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SHATTERED HEART is another Calidora story. This book is only available in The Bells of Winter boxset.
SHATTERED HEART
The frozen heart with its vicious curse slices its way through time to a plague-hit London. Dodo, guardian of Calidora, ruler of time, has a momentous decision to make—save himself or sacrifice his life to save humanity.
THE BELLS OF WINTER
The Bells are ringing for the turn of the year, so grab a hot toddy, a warm blanket, and this collection of beautiful stories to warm up your heart and soul. These are all clean, family-friendly, inspiring reads in many genres, great for entertaining anyone from lovers of fantasy to the more serious mystery reader.
Add this collection to your kindle now. And while you're at it, gift it to grandma, too.
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Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor. She writes fiction in many genres in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven, and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.
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