Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 24
October 11, 2017
DO YOU WANT TO BE SCARED?
But when it comes to the mind, ooh, now that can be a scary thing.
I've read many, many stories throughout my life and it's always the psychological ones that stay with me...those and delicious fantasies.
It doesn't necessarily have to be a psychological horror as such, for example, I've just finished reading Little Big Boy by Max Power and that was extremely disturbing, much more mind-blowing than Stephen King's IT or Dracula.
Little Big Boy is about a small boy trying to survive the terrors of religion, perverts and violence in Dublin in the 1970s - harrowing, but very well done.
UK Link: https://goo.gl/YNJxCj
Though I have to say that clowns are terrifying to me, so when I read IT - whoa!
But then doesn't that prove that things that get into our heads - like clowns - is down to psychology? And we can be more afraid of clowns than those teeth baring down onto an exposed neck.
I suppose it's to do with the 'unknown' factor.
Anyway, I've always been interested in how the mind works and why folks do what they do. And, as the years have gone by, I've also witnessed how the world (obviously, the people in it) has become a far more scarier place to live.
I wrote 13 some time ago now, but I still think it is relevant to how the world's gone to pot. Filled with craziness and craving for power.
I think it's scary and you may like to find out for yourselves?
Universal Link: 13: viewBook.at/B00BGRWLZI
A little about 13:
What is found within the depths of the human soul? Does wickedness linger, as if the Devil’s thumb is ready to pluck the strings of certain choices? And with the strumming, just how far will Evil spread?
13 is the story of random souls pitted against the tragedy of the modern world. What is their connection, if any? Nameless; are these mere humans whose weaknesses force them to commit heinous crimes, or demons under the skin, aware of their sins yet indifferent to the outcome?
Will they decipher the unknown and make it out alive?
Who is watching, what is the end?
13 examines the modern world, its failings, its image, its ever increasing race to destruction – its collapse of values meant to further mankind rather than annihilate. It questions choices, peering into the distorted ethics and morals of where humanity stands today, what it has lost and whether or not there is any hope for the future. If morals have become simplistic and vague, tainted intellectually and rigid, can it only give rise to succumbing to personal motives and flaws, focussing only on self-preservation? Or is it a result of what has been lost in the face of progress? Where such ideology needs re-evaluating; where tradition, continuity, conservation, stability and constraints on behaviour have great value...maybe progress is the expression of ruin after all?
13 wallows in horror, not only in blood but the psychological neglect of why the modern world must be wary of its way forward and not succumb to self-interests, where greed, amongst other negative traits, is personified to such an extent that nothing is left to save us.
13 could be seen as a résumé of failures, yet, for those who read it, maybe it will filter enough into consciousness that the tide may be turned. Or perhaps Destiny has other ideas?
Warning: strong language and scenes of violence /horror/drugs/sex
***
Universal Link: The Box That Jane Built: myBook.to/theboxthatjanebuilt
The Box That Jane Built is another, psychological experiment:
The Box That Jane Built is a short story from a collection called, Figments, however, deserves a starring role.
Who is Jane and what does she want from Jack? Will she get it or will everyone die?
***
Yes, it's the main story of the collection, but the others could probably creep into your minds and make your heart jump, too.
***
Outside the Box:-
The Back Of My Hand
To what lengths will a person go when age attacks?
The Audition
Over-confident, he’s sure he’ll get the job, but what exactly is it?
My Imaginary Friend
How can Amy prove her innocence?
***
Four stories to chill the blood, unless you already have ice in your veins?
***
As Halloween approaches, you may prefer paranormal stories?
Henry Ian Darling came to me in a dream and demanded his story be told. Up to now there are three missives and I'm hoping to work on number four very soon (when life allows it).
Again, it's about the mind, and yet, we must decide on what is real and what is not. The stories may give you a twitch, so that you can be scared in another way - what if?
Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity: Missive One is FREE. But then a taste of his life might prompt you to want more?
Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity: Missive One mybook.to/Weird
Henry Ian Darling is a collector of oddities, those that bring him closer to an enigma, one he hopes will be a great thing.
But maybe it isn’t.
***
Universal Link: Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity: Missive Two myBook.to/Weird2
What is the significance of what Henry Ian Darling found in the boot of a car?
And how did his wife know of the event? How could anyone be cruel enough to do such a thing?
Find out where the discovery leads this collector of oddities and what it may mean for Henry’s ultimate quest - finding the enigma, that which will save or
destroy all dimensions.
***
Univeral Link: Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity: Missive Three myBook.to/Weird3
A weird dream tips Henry Ian Darling into the Shadowlands.
What has this to do with Brett?
Ms Peabody has a plan, but will Henry survive his quest?
***
Maybe you'd like to have a read of these stories, maybe they'll scare you - or not?
Oh, right, I must add a little more promotion (not that good at it, but I keep trying) - if you decide to read my stories, please will you add a review...well, of course, I'd like it to be a good one, but...
Have I done enough to tempt you? If not, then I do have an array of fantasies, murders, adventures and other genres you may like instead.
AMAZON UK - http://goo.gl/YUQu68
AMAZON USA - http://goo.gl/pFsY1e
Thank you!!!
On behalf of all independent authors:
Romance Between The Pages presents...
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BETTING ON CINDERELLA by Petie McCarty
BETTING ON CINDERELLA
The Cinderella Romances, book 2
by Petie McCarty
Genre: contemporary romance
Release Date: Oct 18, 2017
Garrett Tucker inherits his grandfather's casino empire and steps into the reclusive billionaire's shoes as the "Prince of Vegas." His first act is to buy a bankrupt casino in Biloxi. When he discovers embezzling in his new operation, Garrett goes in undercover. His prime suspect is the new finance supervisor—the spitfire brunette who stole his heart at first sight.
Andi Ryan moves to Biloxi to care for her godmother and takes a job as finance supervisor for the renovated Bayou Princess casino. She discovers someone is skimming from the till and starts her own investigation, worried she will be blamed for the theft when the new owner discovers her godmother has a gambling addiction.
A rival Vegas competitor has sent a spy in to ruin the Bayou Princess, and Garrett and Andi are forced to work together to prove her innocence and discover the identity of their casino spy.
Garrett poured the remaining wine into their glasses and carried them to the postage-stamp-sized living room. He handed her a glass and sat down on the couch. When Andi sat down, the well-worn cushions gave way and rolled her over next to him. She laughed as she tried to keep her wine from spilling.
He laughed. “I trained the couch to keep my date close.”
“Smart couch.”
He got that adorable sheepish look again. “Obviously, an old couch. This place came furnished.”
“I figured.”
He nodded then rose to his feet and went over to a CD player to put in some soft music. He took his time. When he sat back down, the couch rolled them together again.
He grinned. “Oops.”
“I don’t mind.”
She wished he’d kiss her again, make her melt like she had on the landing at Flora’s house. Instead, he tapped his fingers on his knee to the music. Long minutes passed with the only sound the music from the CD player.
No more wondering and worrying. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
“What?”
Obviously, she’d startled him. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
He swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to scare you off after I jumped you on the landing earlier. That was two days of pent-up frustration.”
“I was glad you did. I liked it, and I’m really glad you asked me out. A lot.”
“Yeah?”
His yeah? made her melt every time. “When I didn’t see you for a couple days, I was afraid I had scared you off.”
His brows wrinkled. “I don’t understand.”
“I thought that after I told you I was a, you know.”
“A virgin?”
She nodded. “I thought you were going to bolt.”
“Have others?”
“Some.” She shook her head. “Most.”
“I’m not others, Andi.”
“I know.” She pressed a palm to his cheek, needing to touch him. “You’re special.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
He took her wine, put both glasses on the scarred coffee table, and pulled her into his arms. This kiss wasn’t ravenous like the one on the landing. This one was tender and oh-so-much better, for it conveyed understanding and acceptance. Garrett’s kiss said I’m not going anywhere.
The next kiss heated up. His hands wound into her hair, and he turned her face to deepen the kiss. Andi lost her mind, lost the will for conscious thought. Nothing in this world compared to kissing Garrett Samuels. His third kiss left her dizzy, and her hands linked around his neck, so he couldn’t stop kissing her until she was ready.
Which would be never.
Passion roared to life. She clung to Garrett, lightheaded with incendiary desire. Her blood heated and every nerve ending tingled with arousal. Either she tilted slightly or the trained couch tilted her—she wasn’t sure which—but gravity carried her over, and she took Garrett with her. The rumble of his growl and the feel of his muscular body alongside hers made her eyes roll back in her head. She didn’t care as long as Garrett didn’t stop kissing her.
Cinderella's fairy tale moves to Jupiter Island, Florida where Lily Foster, owner of an eclectic landscape nursery, is mistaken for a wealthy socialite by billionaire resort developer Rhett Buchanan. Overdue for a little romance in her life, Lily is anxious for one fabulous date with her handsome prince, so she cultivates her inadvertent masquerade.
Rhett Buchanan has become jaded with the Palm Beach social scene, dominated by scheming women desperate for more money -- his money. Rhett falls hard when he meets Lily Foster. She is a breath of fresh air after the smog of gold diggers constantly surrounding him.
For Rhett and Lily, it's love at first sight until her deception comes to light and pitches their relationship into a disastrous tailspin. Well-meaning friends are determined to intercede and resort to inept high jinks to reunite the estranged couple while a wicked ex-girlfriend plays dirty to keep the couple apart.
Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World -- "The Most Magical Place on Earth" -- where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her "day" job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and her mystery-romance-with-elements-of-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.
Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband, a spoiled-rotten English Springer spaniel addicted to pimento-stuffed green olives, and a noisy Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in Angel to the Rescue.
Visit Petie's web site online or her Facebook page.
October 10, 2017
OF DECEPTION AND DIVINITY by N.D. Jones
OF DECEPTION AND DIVINITY
Death and Destiny Trilogy, Book 3
by N.D. Jones
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The arrival of a new enemy. The start of a greater battle. A destiny to be defended.
A mighty war, waged every 500 years, has returned to the realm of mortals. And with it, the Day of Serpents arrives to wreak havoc upon the world.
Assefa and Sanura struggle to complete their mate bond, as they also continue their fight in this preternatural war of fire versus water. Unseen enemies, surprise magic attacks, and betrayal lurk at every turn for the couple, and revelations about their powers and past come to light.
As Assefa and Sanura fight to seal their bond and love, destiny and divinity may have already sealed their fate.
The sight of his change never ceased to amaze Sanura. She’d never seen a were-cat shift as effortlessly, quickly, and painlessly as Assefa. Shimmered. That word always came to mind whenever she watched him go from man to beast. He simply shimmered. The molecules that comprised his body broke apart and reconfigured themselves so swiftly that, even with Sanura’s advanced second sight, all she ever managed to see was a magical shimmer, a twinkle of light right before his Mngwa appeared.
A long, wide tongue licked her from jaw to hairline. And with a girlie squeal, she threw her arms around the humongous neck of her familiar. Gods, what a magnificent animal, Sanura’s arms barely long enough to cuddle his neck.
I believe we did this earlier, sweetheart, Assefa spoke in her mind.
“Not like this.” Burying her face in the thick black-and-gray fur of her Mngwa, Sanura smiled, loving the feel of him in her arms and the heat his close proximity brought deep within, her fire spirit anxious and happy. “I missed you.”
He knows. He missed you, too. And her.
Her inner spirit began to hiss and wail, wanting freedom from the cage Sanura kept her locked in, afraid to let the fire beast off her leash and what she’d do once emancipated.
But there, with the Mngwa, Sanura could give her inner spirit, if not absolute freedom, more than she’d had before they started performing the spirit fire ritual.
Releasing the nearly seven-hundred-pound cat, whose gigantic claws and teeth were capable of bloody, life-ending damage, she stepped away, giving him plenty of room.
For long minutes, the Mngwa circled and eyed the floor of the bedroom, his golden orbs taking in the area with a critical, discerning gaze.
“For Oya’s sake, Assefa, it’s just a floor inside our private suite. How dirty could it be? Pick a spot and lay your big behind down.”
He growled, showing lots of white, sharp teeth.
Sanura rolled her eyes and pointed to the empty floor space in front of her.
You could at least pretend to be afraid of my saber teeth. I am the predator of all predators, after all.
An arched eyebrow, hands on hips, and a foot tapping with impatience were all the response his statement deserved.
Selecting, purposefully, a location on the other side of the room, the Mngwa reclined in all his legendary glory—a true beast of beasts.
“Suit yourself.” Sanura made her way to the colossal baby, waiting for him to lie on his side when she reached him.
Climb up on your magic carpet, my fire priestess.
Dianne c/o Tome Tender via Goodreads
Once again, N.D. Jones brings strong and passionate writing to the table with OF DECEPTION AND DIVINITY and Assefa and Sanura find the ties that bind them strained as their partial bond seems to become more of a weakness than proof that they truly are meant to be together. Sometimes one can be over-cautious, and the fear of taking a leap of faith can be terrifying. Sanura fears becoming swallowed whole by the power and wealth that is part of Assefa’s total package. Meeting his family isn’t conducive to the warm and fuzzies, either.
The tremendous weight of the prophecy looming in their near future and the terrible war that must be waged between Fire and Water. Is the pressure of their bond and their role in this battle proving too much for Sanura? Can she trust Assefa without reservation, even as his earthly job pulls him away from her? As the powerful fire witch and the massive shifter must come to terms with a prophecy that they must win to save the earth from devastation and darkness, they discover the most brutal of deceptions from one who has always been so trusted. The time is drawing near for that war to begin and their bond has not been completed, in fact they are like two splintered souls, weaker than the evil they must battle. How can they trust in a prophecy if they cannot trust in each other? Has their Fate been sealed as the darkness rises?
Heavy with emotion, tension and the weight of the future, these characters suffer from human frailties, human needs, and human deception, all while their Fate is wrapped up in a Divine prophecy that could mean their death. N.D. Jones runs wicked-hot with this addition to her series and her characters are incredibly passionate in all they do and believe. Ms. Jones’ writing is, once again, simply incredible!
Before trust and love can take hold, grow solid roots, and blossom into a reality larger than self, fear must be conquered and faith embraced. Yet fear of an ancient prophecy, of burning magical power, and a broken heart, Sanura Williams, psychology professor, is unprepared when Special Agent Assefa Berber enters her life, hunting a preternatural serial killer. Assefa's intelligent, chocolate eyes and intoxicating aura signature stirs her fire spirit but frightens the woman.
In a world where all is not as it seems, Sanura and Assefa must battle the gods' first creations - vile predators who threaten the safety of humans. Each confrontation, each bloody clash, will bring Sanura and Assefa closer to fulfilling the prophecy of being the Fire Witch and Cat of Legend - the ones who will save humanity from the Water Witch of Legend. Death, godly magic, and physical attraction draw Sanura and Assefa to each other, but fear and faith will determine their destiny.
In a world of mystery and magic, sometimes old bonds must be broken before new ones can be formed. Who knew that finding one’s soul mate would test bonds and unleash beasts?
Mami Wata and Oya are now free from their watery prison and ready to wage a battle five hundred years in the making. Special Agent Assefa Berber and Dr. Sanura Williams are the prophesized Cat and Fire Witch of Legend. To save the world from Mami Wata, a water goddess with a bloody thirst for power and an insatiable appetite for death and destruction, they must defeat her beasts and the Water Witch of Legend.
Assefa and Sanura are fully in love but possess only a partial mate bond. While Sanura has merged their auras, bonding Assefa’s cat spirit to her, she has yet to accept his claiming bite. Their incomplete mate bond and their new relationship are tested when Mami Wata sets her malevolent eyes on them, manipulating beasts, sacrificing humans, and creating heartache. Can their bond survive, or will they drown under the vicious tide of godly might?
N. D. Jones lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company. Kuumba Publishing is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works of authors and artists of African descent.
A desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, inspired the author to take on the challenge of penning such romantic reads. She is the author of two paranormal romance series: Winged Warriors and Death and Destiny. N.D. likes to read historical and paranormal romance novels, as well as comics and manga.
October 9, 2017
Back 2 School Special
REJOICE! The children are back in school.
For those who live to read...here are some awesome books provided by the incredible authors who wrote them. All in celebration of the new school year.
While a few of these books might be oldies, but goodies...others could be new and fresh off the presses.
Relax and find your new favorite author.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
HORROR/THRILLER
Horror is a genre of fiction whose purpose is to create feelings of fear, dread, repulsion, and terror in the audience—in other words, it develops an atmosphere of horror.
Please enjoy these books that focus on horror and all the sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win an Amazon Giftcard.
Beyond Psycho by Kate O'Reilly
Psychological horror
A STOCKHOLM SYNDROME contemporary story.
Behind the restroom building, the man lies in wait, ready for any opportunity. A car pulls in and rolls to a stop. Before the driver can open his door, the kids bound out and hurtle around the corner, straight into his arms. The girl is first, though she is younger. Her brother stops dead when he sees the gun.
It’s years since Beth has been abducted. Her current reality is the only one she knows. And then the man offers her freedom.
Not suitable for young readers or those unused to psychological horror. Contains gory, gruesome horror and violence.
Dream Noir and Other Tales by Sean Gallatin
Crime stories
WARNING! For those over eighteen. Three twisted tales revolving around the dark underbelly of Alaska. A view the tourists never see. What can induce a person to kill? And there may not be many roads in Alaska, but what is there can make for a wild ride.
Horns of the Devil by Marc Rainer
Crime Drama/Murder Mystery/Thriller
The beheaded body of an ambassador’s son is dumped on the curb in front of his father’s embassy just blocks from the White House. Federal prosecutor Jeff Trask and an FBI task force are called upon to solve the murder. Their search for the killers leads to the MS-13, a hyper-violent gang from El Salvador, but Trask and his team soon learn that someone else is also tracking their suspects, and with deadly efficiency. When Trask himself becomes a target, he realizes that he is caught in a cross-fire between two of the most ruthless organizations in the western hemisphere.
Horror
Never take your life for granted or something may just take your life.
Sian and Andy have good lives, loyal friends, a beautiful home, and a loving family. To everyone else they are the perfect couple, the doting husband, and the successful wife. But every family has secrets and Sian and Andy are about to realise that nothing stays hidden forever. Some secrets are just dying to get out.
At what point does a career become more important than your life, than the one you love, than your own sanity? Sian is about to find out because she keeps seeing things, dark monstrous shapes that hide in her bed, that lurk in every corner and no-one will believe her. Even her own mother thinks that she has lost her mind. To make matters worse, Andy thinks that her hallucinations are caused by guilt, a guilt that is slowly devouring their perfect relationship.
After a blazing row, Sian is left alone in a house that feels hostile, dangerous and as darkness falls, Sian must face her guilt in the form of a horror more profound and more terrifying than her worse nightmares.
Horror
You know the saying, ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’... well, that’s not always true. Three travelers find themselves running to Sin City in an attempt to right a wrong, only to have it backfire—in a big way. Rated NC-17 for extremely graphic scenes. Please heed warning inside.
SURRENDERING THE PAST by Pamela Lynne
SURRENDERING THE PAST
The Granville Legacy series, book 1
by Pamela Lynne
Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense (British Regency)
In a world of honor and obligation, falling in love can be a dangerous game. Captain Richard Granville has returned to London after serving the Crown in perilous missions fighting Napoleon’s army. Bone weary and distrustful of all around him, the captivating Jane Dawson awakens his long dormant desire for more than a solitary existence. When he learns she is betrothed to his father, the conniving and dangerous Earl of Litchfield, shadows of the past descend upon Richard, bringing along memories of a tortuous childhood and his failure to protect the person he had loved most.
Jane Dawson would pay any price to renew her family’s happiness, but is the cost of marrying Lord Litchfield too high? A woman of virtue and honor, she cannot break a promise once given, especially when doing so would ruin those she seeks to protect. But can she ignore the connection she feels to the wild soldier who understands both her duty and her heart?
Follow the men of the Granville family in this suspenseful Regency romance series as they discover that their family legacy is much darker than they realized, and that the future holds treasures they can only grasp by surrendering the past.
“Ah, my son and my nephew. You have finally joined us.” The earl’s voice held a sickening sweetness that made Richard want to run. It was the voice Litchfield always gave when he was up to something vile—the performance before the mask was removed to reveal the evil underneath. Richard began to question his belief that the purpose of the evening was simply to celebrate Wesley’s betrothal, but rather something far more sinister.Neither man responded but stood as the earl’s icy gaze trailed over his son. “It is good of you to make an appearance, Richard. I did not know if you were alive or dead these last two years.”
Richard’s outward appearance did not change as his father spoke. He retained the cold, emotionless expression he held when he walked through the door. Inside, he was reminding himself that he was no longer a child, and that voice need not send a bolt of fear straight through him. “You seemed to know enough to find me last week.”
“Yes, well, London is my town, is it not? I have many acquaintances here who like to fill me in on all the goings on. I am not fortunate enough to have friends in France or wherever it was you were all this time.” He paused once more to search Richard’s expression. Knowing full well what he was doing, Richard kept his gaze hard and unyielding. “Well, it is of no matter now. Your brother will be happy to see you.”
As the earl’s attention turned to Julian, Richard’s eyes once again wandered to his brother. Wesley seemed to stand straighter than the last time he saw him. As the eldest and heir to the considerable Litchfield estate, Wesley, Viscount Ashly, certainly had reason to be proud. However, it was not pride Richard read in his eyes as Wesley stared into his own, but curiosity mixed with something Richard could not name.
He father’s voice resonated beside him, but Richard barely heard him as the women in Wesley’s company came into focus. He recognized Rachel by the way she smiled sweetly in his direction. The years had been good to her. He remembered her as a slightly mousey, and mouthy, young lady, but the woman standing there was beautiful. He assumed the lack of a husband had kept her young and strong.
He nodded to her and turned his eyes to a smaller woman with many of the same features standing between Rachel and Wesley. She had a grip on his brother’s arm that left no doubt who she was. Kathleen. My future sister. The possessiveness in her expression hardened her otherwise lovely features, and Richard wondered at the cause of the protective stance. A slight look to the left of Wesley gave him his answer.
Captain Richard Granville was not often in the company of women. He had no sisters or any living female relations. He had often thought this was because the Granville men were so large and consuming that there was no room for delicacy, and the women just could not survive among them. There were, of course, the whores who followed the encampments along the battlefields and the occasional female spy who could never be trusted. But having so little experience with ladies in polite society, he was at first surprised and then gratified as a blush crept up this woman’s features as he held her eyes in his own. He heard the cackling laugh once more and watched as her blush intensified and turned into one of shame. She turned away, and Richard immediately missed having her eyes upon him. What was this angel doing in the den of the devil?
Amazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads
Pamela Lynne grew up in the American South, surrounded by Southern Gothic works by Faulkner, O'Connor and the like. These authors helped shape her evolving mind and continue to influence everything she produces as an adult. It was a Regency-era wit from across the Atlantic, however, who lit a life-long interest in 19th Century England.
Pamela cites Jane Austen as her primary literary influence and she delves into the darker aspects of Regency life in all her novels, most particularly in the upcoming Granville Legacy Series, where she explores the bonds of family and what it costs to break them.
Dearest Friends: A Jane Austen Inspired Novel, Pamela’s debut work, won the Independent Publishers 2016 IPPY Awards Bronze Medal for Romance.
Pamela currently lives in the rolling hills of Tennessee with her husband of more than a decade, three kids, two cats and one very blond dog. She is still a Marianne hoping to grow into Elinor, or Clairee from Steel Magnolias.
Facebook ✯ Website ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Amazon ✯ Instagram ✯ Vanity & Pride Press
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 6, 2017
Back 2 School Special
REJOICE! The children are back in school.
For those who live to read...here are some awesome books provided by the incredible authors who wrote them. All in celebration of the new school year.
While a few of these books might be oldies, but goodies...others could be new and fresh off the presses.
Relax and find your new favorite author.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
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 for a chance to win an Amazon Giftcard.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Nature's Bounty by J. Rose Allister
Romance
Her only crime is falling for the man who’s sworn to bring her in.
When bounty hunter Nate Antillean poses as a male exotic dancer to arrest a sexy fugitive, he has no intention of taking his disguise all the way—until he meets her.
Lydia Franklin's life sucks so bad that she's more than eager to take her birthday gift for a ride. But their encounter ends with her in handcuffs...and not the good kind.
The fireworks are just beginning when Nate discovers he, too, is a fugitive—a victim of the same setup that got Lydia falsely accused. They must defeat the bad guy to reclaim their lives, but Lydia can't bring herself to team up with the man who tricked her into bed. Not because she doesn't want him, but because she knows that the criminal he wants to protect her from is one she must face...alone.
Romance
On the heels of a horrific break-up, Summer is looking forward to having a couple of months at home to lick her wounds. After a run-in with her ex leaves her reeling, she does something she’s never done before—has a one-night stand.
Hunter watched Mitch treat Summer like crap for months, so he was relieved when they broke up for good. Even better was when she invited him to her dorm room the night before they left campus for the summer.
The morning after comes with a surprise neither of them saw coming—Summer has a new stepbrother.
Hunter.
Sweet Southern Bad Boy by Michele Summers
Contemporary Romance
Katie McKnight loves her job. Not really. But Katie loves her dad and this job means everything to him. Which is why she's scouting for the perfect house to film a mini-series…and that house happens to be in Harmony, NC. Now if only Katie can convince the grouchy, disheveled but totally hunky owner his home is perfect for the next teen craze, she’ll be in business.
Bestselling author, Vance Kerner has lost his mind along with his loafers and the notes to his next novel, under dirty dishes in his kitchen. Since babysitting his brother’s three kids, Vance hasn’t found a moments peace. So when California Katie knocks on his door, Vance doesn’t stop to ask questions. He simply yanks her inside and puts her in charge.
Katie agrees to babysit, if Vance allows her film crew access to his property. Vance agrees to keep an open mind as long as he gets the peace he needs to write.
But having Katie underfoot is anything but peaceful. And Vance is finding less and less time to write and more and more time to watch Katie weave a lovely spell on all the Kerners...especially him.
Can these two opposites find a common ground and the love they both deserve?
Sweet Southern Trouble by Michele Summers
Contemporary Romance
What happens when a sassy kindergarten teacher stands up to the hottest bachelor to hit the Raleigh area in forever?
NFL head coach Nick Frasier needs to coach his young team to a championship and needs to downplay his playboy image. What he doesn't need his a fairy girl with a smart mouth and a propensity for fighting dogging his every move. And he really doesn't need to be the juiciest piece of meat up on the auction block.
Marabelle Fairchild has her work cut out for her in order to earn a permanent teaching position. Her future success depends on convincing the hunkalicious Nick Frasier to participate in the bachelor auction. Easy-peasy, right? Wrong.
How do two head-strong, independent people learn to live and love without killing each other in the process?
Tempted by Mr. Wrong by Jacquie Biggar
Romance
How can something so wrong, feel so right?
Falling for her step-brother is a mistake T.J. doesn't want to repeat, but one look into those sapphire blue eyes and she's ready to give him whatever he wants.
Tammy-Jo Hawthorne's marriage was floundering, but she never expected her husband to make her the laughing stock of Magnolia.
And she definitely didn't expect to trip over him in their front yard after he'd been murdered.
Jason McIntyre was forced out of his home and the love of his life by the man who'd haunted his nightmares for ten long years.
Now Jason's back--and he wants revenge.
Toccata Obbligato~Serenading Kyra by Jennifer Theriot
Romance
Todd O'Malley has been called many things, from filthy mouthed jerk to legendary Rock God. With his outlandish cocky demeanor - tatted up and pierced, compared in looks to Adam Levine - his constant use of the F-bomb, and the seductive gyrations he performs for the ladies on stage, affirm he is a man every woman craves. But there is only one woman who is able to capture his heart, Kyra Edwards.
That chance meeting at a little coffee shop in Evanston began their journey of compromise, pain, dedication and love.
From the night he took her virginity to Todd's past sex-capades and consequences threatening their relationship, will Kyra be able to deal with it? With Todd and his band Avenue touring on the road, can he prove to Kyra that he is a changed man? Can he be faithful and avoid temptation?
Jennifer Theriot brings us yet another contemporary romance love story that will capture our hearts. This is truly a story of Beauty and the Beast, where we admire the beauty that is Kyra and adore the beast known as Todd.
You loved him in Out of the Box Awakening and Out of the Box Regifted. In the pages of Toccata Obbligato ~Serenading Kyra, you'll get inside his head - see what makes him tick and get to know the woman who captured his heart......
This rock star romance short story is a companion novella of the Out of the Box series.
It contains adult situations and language, and is intended for readers over the age of 18.
Working For It by Cass Alexander
Romance
Jen Dixon wants one thing out of life. To get the hell out of the Midwest. She has big plans for her future and nothing will get in her way. Not her crazy mother, not her ex, not even the sexy object of her desires, Scott Kalite.
Scott’s been waiting three years to make his move. In his mind, Jen’s already his and always has been. Now he just has to convince her that he’s right.
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW by Judy Moore
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW
by Judy Moore
Genre: Thriller Suspense
After a whirlwind romance, a young woman from California makes a rash decision and marries a handsome Floridian after knowing him for only one month.
She gives up everything she knows to move cross country to live with her new husband, a widower, and his five-year-old son.
Everything seems idyllic until they arrive at her husband's oceanfront home, and she meets her mother-in-law. There's something strange about the woman and the mother/son relationship.
It's not long before her suspicions begin to overwhelm her as she becomes ensnared in the secrets and lies of her new family.
Victoria stepped out onto the patio, ambled around the pool, and stood at the gate, gazing out at the moonlit beach and listening to the waves crash against the shore. She inhaled the moist sea air and basked in the soft touch of the salty air against her skin.
The cool night air felt refreshing until she realized goose bumps had begun to appear on her arms and then across her entire body. Something was off, and it was giving her chills. She had a feeling that she wasn’t alone. A sixth sense told her that someone was watching her.
Her body tensed, and she squinted out into the darkness. Scanning the patio, she slowly turned around toward the house. Then she saw her, saw her silhouette, standing in the window staring down at her. Her mother-in-law didn’t move away from the window, didn’t wave, but just stood and stared down at Victoria. Victoria held her gaze for what seemed like at least a minute. Then, finally, the drape slid across the window, and her mother-in-law was gone.
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Judy Moore writes primarily mysteries and thrillers, as well as lighter family fiction. A longtime news writer, editor, and magazine feature writer, her fiction and nonfiction work has been published in numerous national publications. Her novels are published by BTGN publishers. A lifelong Florida resident, she is a former tennis pro and sports writer, so her stories sometimes have a sports backdrop. Her novel "Somebody Killed the Cart Girl" is a golf mystery, and her "Murder in Vail" is set on the ski slopes of Colorado. Her Christmas anthology "Christmas Interrupted," contains three popular novellas: "Airport Christmas," "The Holiday House Sitter," and "The Hitchhiker on Christmas Eve." An earlier novella, "Birds of Prey," and her new novelette "Football Blues," are also available on Amazon.
A CHANCE THIS CHRISTMAS by Joanne Rock
A CHANCE THIS CHRISTMAS
Road to Romance series, book 3
by Joanne Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Growing up in the Christmas-crazed theme town of Yuletide was fun for fashion designer Rachel Chambers until a family scandal made her unwelcome. Eight years later, she’s home for a friend’s wedding and trying to go incognito… until her old flame spots her.
Snowboarder Gavin Blake wants to make things right with Rachel, and smoothing her way back in Yuletide seems like the best way to do just that. Making Rachel his date for a week of pre-wedding parties is sure to bring them closer. Except he underestimated how long a small town can carry a grudge--or how much the memory of a long-ago kiss could tempt him all over again.
As the wedding approaches, Rachel remembers all she loved about her close-knit, Christmas-loving neighbors. But even if she can win over the town again, will she be able to convince her footloose, mogul-shredding wedding date that they can find happiness beyond the holidays?
Rachel glanced back and forth between him and the car. “I don’t know.”
Insulted that he didn’t look like the better option, Gavin tugged the keys free from the door truck. “The Rachel Chambers I once knew had a sense of adventure.”
He held out his hand, waiting. And yes, hoping.
“And look where that got me?” she whispered, but took his hand just the same. “I’m a pariah in my own town.”
Leading her toward his truck a few spaces on, he made sure they stayed out of the reflected carousel lights.
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Unlocking the passenger door, he helped her up into the old F150 he’d bought when he purchased the house. He hurried to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel before she changed her mind.
“Oh really? I’m not sure you’re going to be much help salvaging my reputation.”
He really shouldn’t get involved. He knew that. Championing Rachel in this town would be bad for the business he wanted to open. It could hurt his chances of accomplishing a whole laundry list of things he wanted to tackle in town, starting with a fundraiser he needed the town council to approve.
But he owed her, didn’t he?
“That’s where you’re wrong.” A plan came together in his mind—a way to make up to her the wrong that he’d done all those years ago. “I’m a local sports hero these days.” He wasn’t bragging. People placed a whole lot of emphasis on sports. “I’ve got some standing in town.”
“I don’t think that’s going to help me. I might just tarnish your Olympic halo.” She rubbed a knuckle along the passenger window, as if she could clear the icy layer on the outside.
They sat in the cold truck while he waited for the defroster to kick in enough to clear the windows.
He knew she had a valid point.
“I kept my mouth shut eight years ago when I should have defended you to everyone. At the time, I thought maybe you hadn’t been honest with me, and that maybe you really were still with Luke.” Gavin had felt like he’d betrayed his friend, and the guilt had made him say things he later regretted. “I know better now, thanks to making amends with Luke. And I’d like to help you feel welcome in Yuletide again.”
“You don’t have to do any such thing.” She turned toward him, a hand on his arm. “I’m not going to stay in town long anyhow.”
He could see the hint of vulnerability in her pretty eyes. Was she leaving because things were uncomfortable for her here? He couldn’t abide that. Not when he’d been a part of the reason she’d felt ostracized. He knew exactly how to fix it.
Besides, he realized he was in no hurry for her to leave. It’d been too long since he had seen her.
“I happen to know Kiersten Garrett really wants you at her wedding.” He’d been over to dinner at Luke’s and Kiersten had shared as much.
Rachel’s jaw dropped. “I— Well. Just because Kiersten wants me there doesn’t mean I need to put up with grief from everyone in town.”
He jumped into trouble with both feet. It came with the territory on the mountain every day, and he wasn’t going to shy away from a risk now, with someone who used to be important to him.
“Consider the town quieted when you go to the bridal welcome dinner as my date.”
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Fashion buyer Shea Walker had a fast track lifestyle until a car accident sidelines her to a painful recovery. Seeking quiet for the holidays, Shea returns to the snowy mountains where she grew up to make peace with her past and spend time with her estranged family. She never expected J.C. Royce—now a hockey star—would return to their hometown, too. Determined to avoid that particular sexy mistake, she’s caught off guard when her first night in town brings them face to face.
J.C. never misses a chance to come home to Cloud Spin, Vermont, and this Christmas, he’s back home for some enforced downtime. But in all those trips, he’d never caught a glimpse of Shea, the childhood friend he once thought would become a whole lot more. Before she’d left town, she’d made sure he knew that would never happen, so seeing her practically fall at his feet outside a local pub is gratifying. Until he realizes his proud former friend is truly hurt—and in more ways than she lets on. Lucky for her, he’s got a big house just sitting empty, a tree ready to decorate and Shea is in no shape to stay by herself. But he’s got bad boy arrogance down to an art form after eight years in the NHL, so he’s more than a match for feisty Shea. Especially when it comes to her outrageous claim that there was never any chemistry between them...
But when it comes to convincing her to stick around town until the New Year, he just might need a Christmas miracle.
Dancer Larissa Martine is ready to start over and Las Vegas seems like the perfect city for a shiny new beginning. But first, to honor her pact with her girlfriends, she wants to make a quick stop in Cheyenne, WY to make amends with her first love, the guy she left to chase her dreams of Broadway fame. Except rancher Matt Briggs isn’t nearly as interested in her regrets as he is in keeping her in town for his sister's wedding. It’s a request she can’t deny when his family takes up the cause to make her stay for just one more week, but it’s difficult to maintain her friends-only boundaries with a man who attracts her as much as ever.
After losing his father and inheriting the family ranch in addition to the one he’d bought on his own, Matt’s life is all about obligations. But Larissa’s unexpected arrival during the wedding mayhem is a bright spot he won’t ignore, even if that means tempting her into far more than just a dance. He figures one night with her will bring them both some peace with their past, which is all she said she wanted. But one night leaves Matt wanting a whole lot more and this time, he’s willing to gamble everything to make her stay.
Four-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.
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October 1, 2017
HALLOWEEN IS MURDER by Carolyn Arnold
HALLOWEEN IS MURDER
McKinley Mysteries, book 11
by Carolyn Arnold
Genre: Romantic Mystery Comedy
Beware of all that goes bump in the night…
Sean and Sara McKinley are excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a Halloween charity fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the reporter covering their story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about how she died, Sara’s curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the investigation through their PI firm.
But this case is not without its challenges. The police are actively investigating it, as well, and it’s not even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take a little cloak-and-dagger, dress-up, and finesse for the McKinleys to get to the bottom of it, but they aren’t the kind to give up.
As they troll for leads and work through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet, they unearth a few suspects, but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if they’re going to find her killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even be time for a little trick-or-treating.
Chapter 3SHADOWS OF NIGHT
SARA WAS CALLING YOUR SOURCE from her home office one last time. That’s what she told herself anyhow. She’d lost count of how many times she’d called them, but she had always met with a busy signal. And there it was again…
She lowered the receiver to its cradle. One could be certain that the station had plenty of rollover lines, so it had to be other people calling in about Chloe’s death, too. Other crazy people like her wanting answers. At least, she was sure that Sean thought she was crazy, but she had a niggling sensation in her gut that they needed to look into Chloe’s death.
Maybe it was because she and Sean were surrounded by murder wherever they looked and wherever they went. Even when they were supposed to be relaxing on their honeymoon, a case had found them. And the inclination to view any death as suspicious was embedded in her psyche from years working as a homicide detective with the Albany PD. Sure, Chloe could have died from natural causes, an accident, or even suicide, but it was also just as likely that someone had caused her death intentionally. To quiet her mind, Sara had to find out which scenario applied to Chloe. And if her calls weren’t making it through, there was another route she could take.
She flicked on the monitor, pleased that she had the habit of leaving her computer on most of the time. She brought up an Internet search engine and typed in Chloe’s full name and Your Source. This brought up pages of results. The first entry was a post from the television station entitled, DEATH OF LOCAL REPORTER CASTS DARK CLOUD OVER ALBANY. Sara clicked to open the link.
Scanning down the page, she found she was no closer to knowing what had happened to Chloe. There was no cause of death listed, but rather, the piece read like an obituary with a recap of Chloe’s career accomplishments and brief mentions of her personal life—she had a sister and had died single. That was it. Somehow it seemed like a sad summation of a twenty-five-year-old woman’s life that had been cut so short. There was so much that Chloe had yet to experience, and Sara hoped that Chloe had at least known romantic love at some point in her life.
Sara returned to her search results and clicked on many of the other links, but they were more or less copycats of the statement Your Source had published.
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Every Day Is Halloween
“A nice and fun, old-fashioned mystery. Halloween is Murder was a very well-written and fast read with great characters and a fun mystery with a resolution that I did not see coming.”
–The Reading Café
Ask anyone who loves Halloween and they’ll probably tell you their favorite part about it is dressing up. When you put on a costume, you can be whomever—or whatever—you want. It’s liberating! On top of that, it’s likely that there are all kinds of goodies lying around the house.
When I was a girl, I loved playing Barbie. I loved dressing her up and assigning her whatever life story I wanted. And, man, did I enjoy it! Maybe for a little too long, in fact. I kept playing into my early teens! At the time, I felt like some sort of freak. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted this news to get out to the kids at school. They probably would have called me a baby or something like that. So I kept this part of my life a secret, and I justified my addiction by pinning the blame on my sister, who is six years younger than me—she needed someone to play with!
Now that I’m older—much, much older—I look back and find this aspect of my past amusing. I realize that it’s absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about, but it shows me that I’ve always loved telling stories and acting them out. No wonder I became an author!
In the grand scheme of things, Halloween is very similar. The holiday allows people of all ages to participate in this fantasy, if only for one night. But as an author, I get to experience Halloween every day of the year. I become someone else every time I sit at my desk and immerse myself into the worlds of my characters. I get to delve into their minds, to know their thoughts, their feelings, their personalities, their lives. And I get to share my imagination with my readers. Now that’s a real treat!
Speaking of, I’m going to grab a small bowl of candy corn and gummy peaches and get to writing. Happy Halloween!
Carolyn Arnold
What to expect from the McKinley Mysteries:
Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? How about a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.
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What inspired you to write Halloween is Murder?
Halloween is probably the most popular holiday next to Christmas! Who wouldn’t want to read a Halloween-themed murder mystery? And it’s kept light and fun.
I understand this is part of the McKinley Mystery series, but can this book stand on its own? And can you share with us what the book is about?
Halloween is Murder can easily be read as a standalone.
In Halloween is Murder, Sean and Sara McKinley are set to celebrate Halloween in style, and they’re eager to invite the entire city to visit their haunted house fund-raiser. But their recorded segment for a local television station goes unaired and the reporter is later found dead. Sara’s determined to get answers, and she brings Sean and their entire PI firm along with her. There are more tricks than treats, however, as they try to carve out the truth.
Please tell us a little more about the McKinleys and their series.
Romance. Humor. Murder.
Those three words best sum up what readers can expect from the McKinley Mysteries series.
These stories are cozy in nature and appeal to readers who love a murder mystery without the gore or foul language. Each installment is novella length, with the exception of The Day Job is Murder, which is a short story. This makes the books “perfect for curling up for an afternoon” (Brooke Blogs) and “perfect to bring along on vacation” (Bound 4 Escape). The Layaway Dragon describes the series as, “perfect if you like clean-cut characters, a sweetheart romance, having the money to follow your dreams, and crime-solving abilities.”
To tell you a bit more, Sean and Sara McKinley are former homicide detectives with a talent for attracting death investigations wherever they go. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work for a living, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. From sleuths to eventual private investigators, they’ll do whatever it takes to solve a case. Whether that means going undercover, off the books, or around the world, you can be certain they’ll be romancing it up along the way.
This is the perfect book series for fans of Hart to Hart, Castle, Colombo, Monk, Rockford Files, Psych, and Magnum, P.I.
What can readers expect when they crack the cover?
They can expect to feel the chill in the air, to see the colored leaves on the ground, and to slip into the world of make-believe in true Halloween spirit while Sean and Sara search for a killer. There is also, of course, some humor and romance along the way.
Name one specific just-for-fun liberty you took with the book?
In Christmas is Murder, I named the chapters after holiday-related songs, and I carried a bit of this fun over to Halloween is Murder. Each chapter is titled with a play on Halloween-related words or phrases. Here are some examples (in no particular order): “Dreading the ‘Boo,’” “Stuck Between a Grave and a Tombstone,” “An Attempt to Sweeten the Cauldron,” and “Grim Reaper Claims a Victim.”
What’s your favorite part about Halloween?
Seeing how happy people are when they dress up and pretend to be someone else for the night. And let’s not forget the candy!
What makes Halloween is Murder the perfect Halloween read?
It’s fun and light, just like the holiday. Throw in a murder to solve, dressing up, some cloak-and-dagger, and a haunted house, and who can say no to that?
