Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 42
April 6, 2017
ANGEL MINE by Kay Maree
ANGEL MINE
Mine series, book 1
by Kay Maree
Genre: contemporary romance (does contain triggers)
BROOKLYN -
I'm scared but I have to be strong not just for me but for my beautiful daughter, after years of being emotionally and physically abused it needed to end.
I always wanted a love like the fairy tales I was told as a child, a love like my parents had but after escaping hell I lost all hope.
Trusting another man and falling in love was now the last thing on my mind, making it through everyday was now the new goal for my daughter and me.
Then everything changed the day I looked into the most captivating green eyes I have ever seen, it was like they saw into my very soul.
And I knew nothing would ever be the same again.
DOMININC -
I was brought up in a dangerous world, a world I had to quickly become accustomed to.
It took my brothers death and the events that unfolded after that lead me to be the man I am today a Mob Boss.
One of the most powerful man in Newcastle, I'm not a good guy, I have done bad things.
I closed my true self off the day I failed to protect the one person I loved dearly, and she paid the ultimate price.
But one look into those ocean blue eyes and I felt my whole purpose in life shift, I didn't deserve her but I was going to make her Mine.
I had finally found the missing pieces to my heart I didn't know I was missing and I wasn't letting them go...
Angel: "I WANTED TO BE THE LAST THING HE TASTED AT NIGHT, AND THE FIRST THING HE TOUCHED IN THE MORNING"
Dom: "SHE BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES, AND I NEVER WANTED TO GET BACK UP"
My Angel turns toward Antonio and graces him with the biggest smile I have seen, it’s one of those smiles which would brighten up the darkest day. My stomach knots with a sting of possessiveness. Jealousy. I should be the one receiving that smile. I give her hand a little squeeze trying to draw her attention back to me. I know it’s irrational, but I don’t care. I’m a selfish bastard and that smile is mine.
Shit, I’m fucked and by the look Antonio is giving me he knows it too.
“And your name?” she says jolting me out of my thoughts
“Oh, I’m sorry. Dominic and it’s a pleasure meeting you, Angel” I turn her hand over in mine lift it to my lips and plant a gentle kiss. Her hand is so soft I don’t want to release her. As each second passes, it gets harder to regain my control.
“Dominic,” she repeats in her breathless voice again. Then something changes, her body tenses up and the expression on her face becomes blank. She snatches her hand from mine and backs up a step as she mumbles, “I’m sorry, I better get back to work.” With those words, she turns and hurries away.
What the fuck just happened? I know she felt what I felt, so why is she pulling back? I watch her walk away noticing the sexy sway of her hips. Fuck she’s gorgeous! I know I’m not finished with this little one just yet, actually, I’m only just getting started. I remove one of my business cards from my pocket, drink the now lukewarm coffee in one gulp then slowly make my way over to my skittish Angel at the counter. Her back is to me so I murmur her name. I watch as she tenses up before her shoulders loosen. She turns around with a smile on her face. This is not like the one she had before, this one is forced. I’m not exactly sure what happened in the last five minutes to cause me to lose her, but I’m going to find out. “I just wanted to give you this. My contact details are on there and the name of my club.” I slide the card across the counter
and her eyes widen. “Maybe we can grab a drink tonight, your friend can come to. I know Antonio would love to get to know her a little better. How about we say nine? I’ll put your names on the list at the door under Brooklyn Angel and Katherine Tiger.”
My lips twitch as she struggles to hold back a giggle at the pet names. I chuckle low in my throat when she doesn’t succeed “Oh and make sure you wear that perfume you have on.” I wink before turning and head to Antonio who is waiting by the door watching Red, but not before I catch her blush again. Hmmm… again I wonder how far down that blush goes.
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I live in Newcastle, on the New South Wales coast of Australia with my husband and three beautiful children.
Between being a taxi for my children, and working full-time, I somehow find the time to write. It’s something I love with a passion and with the encouragement of my very supportive husband, I have accomplished one of my dreams – releasing my first novel.
I hope you fall in love with my characters as much as I have.
I love reading and getting lost in a good book when I manage to snatch five minutes to myself.
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March 30, 2017
THE REDEMPTION OF JOSEPH HEINZ by Michele E. Gwynn
THE REDEMPTION OF JOSEPH HEINZ
The Checkpoint, Berlin Detective Series, book 3
by Michele E. Gwynn
Genre: Crime/Thriller
The Kommissar is back, and going rogue in St. Petersburg! A new lead on a cold case, one that has haunted Heinz, and nearly cost him his career now offers a path to redemption. A ledger containing the names of abducted girls recovered from the Vledelets during the Ivchencko affair offers renewed hope. With the wedding to his partner-turned-love of his life, Birgitta Mahler, drawing near, Detective Heinz must find a way to close the door on his guilt once and for all. But will his decision to investigate the disappearance of Marlessa Schubert lead him to an answer he can live with or an early grave? All roads lead to one destination, Warehouse 214, and one man, Vladimir Breshnev, known to his enemies as ‘the Butcher’, and to Interpol as the leader of the Russian mafia. Unsanctioned, and on his own, Heinz pursues his demons. When he fails to check in, his protégé, Officer Elsa Kreiss, must call in a dangerous favor. If she succeeds, Heinz will make it to the church on time, but if she fails, he’ll arrive in a box.
“I have your papers.” She pulled a packet out of her shoulder bag, and shoved it across the table at him. “Don’t open it here. Just put it in the seat next to you. Inside is your new passport. Your name is Martin Lintz, and you are an Austrian school teacher. You teach mathematics to ten year olds. Your birthdate remains the same for ease in remembering should anyone ask, and your address is your old house where you grew up.”
Heinz’s eyebrows shot up. “And how do you know that address?”
She shrugged. “I know everything about you. Faust provided most of it, the rest I dug up on my own.”
“Christ, there’s just no privacy anymore.” He shook his head.
She remained unfazed. “No, none. You will find a new cellular inside. It’s clean and registered to Martin Lintz. You can call whoever you need to, and it will route through your other account. “There is also a baggage tag for your suitcase. You can pick up your ticket to Saint Petersburg at the Air Baltic counter.” She held out her hand.
Heinz looked at it. “What?” he asked.
“Hand over your phone and passport. You can’t take them with you. They will give you away should you be caught.”
“I’m just supposed to leave my personal phone and passport with you? How will I get them back?”
“I will express mail them to Faust as soon as I leave here. They’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”
Joseph sighed. He wasn’t happy about turning over his personal information to this young woman, but it was also obvious that she already had all that since she freely admitted to digging around in his business. He pulled the phone and passport out of his pocket and handed them over.
“Now, in addition to the new phone, there is also Russian currency so you don’t need to stop anywhere to exchange. The amount is five thousand Euros in rubles. You have something for me?”
“Oh, yes.” Heinz reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the thick envelope, handing it over.
She held it in both hands, weighing it. When she was satisfied, she got up. “Thank you.” She turned to leave.
“Wait!” Joseph sat straight, watching her.
“What?”
“That’s it?” He was shocked at their short exchange.
“What more did you expect?”
That got him. What did I expect? He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it all just seemed rather abrupt.”
“I got the distinct impression that you, yourself, didn’t care for bullshit.” She stuffed her hands in her pockets, her face absent any emotion.
“I suppose not. Never mind. Thank you.” He dismissed the girl.
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Exposed: The Education of Sarah Brown
Sarah Brown sets out on a journey to sensual self-discovery and falls face first into danger. In Barcelona, Anthony de Luca, a renowned travel author and photographer, unleashes the full force of his charm that threatens to steal her heart, a prize he openly admits he doesn’t want. Still, she can’t resist him, and finds herself experiencing the heights of ecstasy and the lows of heartbreak as her lover leaves without a word. In Berlin, Paul Christiansen, a handsome Dutch Lothario with a sordid past, works his wiles to seduce her body while in the shadows, a predator stalks a young boy close to Sarah determined to get what he wants or kill anyone who gets in his way. One of her two lovers has led a dangerous criminal straight to her door, but which one, and who can she trust?
What happens when Berlin's premiere dominatrix trades in her whip for a badge and gun? She discovers she cannot completely escape her past. With the help of the detective who saved her little brother’s life, Elsa Kreiss enters the police academy, expecting her world to now be far safer. Instead, it only becomes more dangerous!
An unsolved case of three missing girls from Charlottenburg pulls her mentor, Kommissar Joseph Heinz, back into the dark abyss just as he realizes he’s in love with his partner, Birgitta Mahler. While he searches for a killer, she fights an attraction to a very sexy bad boy. Lukas Trommler is everything she likes in a man; cocky, confident, and hot. An art buyer at a local gallery, Lukas exudes culture with an edge of danger. He invites her into his world where she comes face to face with a familiar monster, Yuri Ivchencko, one of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world with ties to the Russian mafia and human trafficking. His obsession with the sick and twisted side of human nature expressed in art offends Elsa, who doesn’t hesitate to say so. Her outburst lands her squarely on his radar. When Elsa is reported missing, Heinz must put aside his case to rescue his protégé. The operation brings him face to face with a man from his past, the evil Russian he believes responsible for the cold case that haunts him still.
The stakes are high as they race to save several young women now at the mercy of a sadistic billionaire now bound for St. Petersburg, The fate of those kidnapped, should Elsa and Heinz fail, will be worse than death.
Extra!!! As an added bonus for all my Beliners, I will be offering the Prequel to The Checkpoint, Berlin Detective Series, The Making of Herman Faust, to ALL of my current and NEW Newsletter Subscribers. This novella WILL NOT be available anywhere else. It is EXCLUSIVE to my dedicated subscribers. The Making of Herman Faust will be available in May, 2017.
Michele E. Gwynn is a Bestselling Multigenre Author of Crime/Detective books, Sci-Fi/Horror books, and Paranormal/Supernatural romance books in San Antonio. She previously wrote for newspapers, magazines, and online websites. As a journalist, she's covered news and events, and conducted countless celebrity interviews.
She has 3 series currently with several stand-alones, and more books coming!
She resides in the small town of Schertz, Texas on the northeast side of San Antonio with her four felines who so graciously allow her to reside in their home.
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The Exchange Series: The Complete Collection by M.B. Feeney
The Exchange Series: The Complete Collection
by M.B. Feeney
Genre: YA/NA Romance
Born and bred in the UK, Holly is getting the chance of a lifetime—six weeks abroad. The Kings, a host family in the US, have invited her to stay with them and get a chance to experience life as an American. When she discovers that the King family includes two teenage boys, will she be glad she came or ready to hightail it back across the pond?
Aiden King's heart has been broken, and he's taking his anger out on his brother, Tyler.
Can he, with the help of his High School Guidance Counsellor, work through his problems.
Tyler King has moved away from his family in order to help himself move on from the mistakes he made in High School.
A summer romance could lead to so much more, it could lead to him finally surrendering to his repentance for his past actions.
Ellie King has a plan. Do well in her Senior Year at High School before going to study in London, England. That’s all she wants in her immediate future.
Writing to John Davids not only cements her desire to study in the UK, but gives her more if a reason to leave her family in the US.
Reluctance Excerpt
December 2011
So, Ms. “It’s MIZZ not MISS” Jones gave me this journal. Apparently writing my feelings down will help me deal with my ‘anger issues’ and the ‘depression’ I’ve been suffering since Jessie ended things between us.
I admit, I am angry, and have been for two months, but I’m not depressed. Yeah, I was hurt and shit, but now I’m just angry. All the time; an emotion I’m not used to feeling so much. Up until now, I’ve never done the ‘angry’ stuff; never even knew I had a temper as such.
She’s ‘advised’ me to start at the beginning as much as I can with these dumb entries. I don’t want to do it, but as we have to read them together at our weekly meetings, I have no choice. At least one entry a day. . . This whole thing sucks ass.
There’s no point starting at the very beginning, though; back then everything was good; real good. No, I think my seventeenth birthday is where I need to start this thing. . .
Aiden
Repentance Excerpt
When his mom first told him a British chick was coming to stay with them, Tyler had been like a shark tasting fresh blood. He was going to charm her into his bed, then let her head back home, he hadn’t forseen her coming back thanks to his brother knocking her up. What choice did any of them have but to have her in the house, this time permanently?
“Hey, where d’you go just then?” Anna’s question brought his attention back to the present. Once again he could feel the warm sand on his bare feet and her small form in his arms. He smiled down at her.
“Sorry, I was thinking about home.” He bent to capture her lips with his own. The kiss making his heart rate pick up as every other kiss they’d shared had done. When he boarded the plane back in Arizona, he’d never expected much to happen on his vacation. He’d planned on lounging on the beach during the day, and drinking in bars in the evenings, but as he was checking into his hotel, he’d spotted Anna struggling with her bags and from the moment he’d helped her into the elevator, his plans had changed.
Plans that had never included falling in love with someone in a two week period.
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M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog. She often procrastinates by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open; she is also a serious doodler and chocoholic. Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.
Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has multiple projects under way, in the hopes that her portfolio of what have been described as “everyday love stories for everyday people” will continue to grow. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.
Her main reason for writing is to not only give her readers enjoyment, but also to create a story and characters that stay with readers long after the book is finished, and possibly make someone stop and think “what if . . . ”
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March 29, 2017
A BOY FROM THE STREETS by Maria Gibbs
A BOY FROM THE STREETS
by Maria Gibbs
Genre: Urban Drama
Two babies abandoned at birth—one grows up in a life of privilege, the other in poverty.
On the 12th of September, 1981, twin boys are born in a Brasilian hospital and left to their fate as orphans. Jose is adopted by a couple who takes him to England, but the other isn’t so lucky. Pedro ends up on the streets of Rio, left to fend for himself in a harsh and unforgiving world.
Love and betrayal.
Twelve years later Jose’s family returns to Brasil, where he learns the truth about his adoption and his twin. Thinking his adoptive parents no longer want him, he runs away to find his brother. What follows will shake Jose to the core and shape the rest of his life—if he can survive.
Murder.
Jose isn’t the only one whose life will change. Pedro is offered an opportunity beyond any of his wildest dreams, but to keep it will mean the betrayal of someone he loves. This proves to be a far greater challenge than he anticipated when the orphan finds himself suddenly surrounded by family who, unfortunately, don’t all have good intentions.
Hopes and dreams.
A Boy from the Streets will tug at your heart-strings and have you rooting for the little guy as you follow the twists and turns this multi-continental tale takes.
“Fernando, we must take them both, we cannot separate twins.”
“Christina, you’re too soft, we can’t bring up two children. You’re not strong enough to cope with the needs of twins. Your constitution is weak. It would be unfair to all of us.”
“I know my health is delicate, Fernando, and I will always regret that I can’t carry your baby to term inside me, but I know I can love and care for these twins. We can afford to hire help…” She trailed off when she saw the determined jut of his chin, the expression that brooked no further argument. Christina decided to try one last tug at his conscience anyway. “If we leave one behind, he might end up on the streets, an urchin living in squalor and fighting to survive… if he even makes it past babyhood.”
“Christina, your abundance of love does you credit, but I have no doubts the other boy will be adopted also. The only thing left to do now is to choose which one you would like?”
Christina’s heart sank as she looked at the two bundles in front of her. He was asking her to choose one, like picking out a pair of shoes from the rows on display in a shop. One stirred and let out a howl, disturbing his twin. It was almost as though he were alert to the inherent danger in this situation and was warning his brother.
Christina reached out a hand to each of them, touching their delicate tiny fingers and marvelling at how small, how fragile they were. Both lay quietly now, staring up at her with eyes as yet unable to focus. The boy who had been woken by his brother curled his tiny digits around her finger. In that moment she knew. He was asking her for help. The other twin would have the strength and tenacity to face whatever life threw at him. Christina couldn’t think about that, now that the decision was made. There was no hope of changing Fernando’s mind.
Without a further glance to the brother, she scooped up her new baby, cradling his floppy head and bringing him close to her chest so that he could feel her heart beat and know he was safe. She started to walk away with Fernando’s supportive hand between her shoulder blades. The baby in her arms let out a whimpering cry, and his twin, who still lay in the cot, responded with a heart-breaking howl which tore at her heartstrings and caused Christina to pause her flight. Fernando’s hand applied gentle pressure while she lifted one leaden foot in front of the other. A silent tear fell from her face onto the baby in her arms. She muttered a quick prayer for his twin.
“All that’s left now is to fill in the paperwork and the boy is ours.” Fernando’s handsome face broke into a smile. He reached out and touched the silent baby in his wife’s arms.
“You are to be our son,” he crooned. “We must think of a fitting name to honour your new status in the Sanchez family.”
“Jose, after your father.” Christina dimpled as Fernando rewarded her with a winning smile then pulled her and their new baby into his arms before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
I'm a self-published author who released her first novelette in January 2015 ‘As Dreams are Made on’ which was closely followed by my second one in February of the same year ‘A Lifetime or a Season.’
In 2016 I released ‘The Storm Creature’ after writing it for an anthology.
2017 will see the release of a novel which I am excited about ‘A boy from the Streets.’ During that time, I have also been working on a number of other WIP’s which are in the pipeline. I don’t fit into any neat genres where my writing is concerned, I am a ‘pantser' and write anything that comes into my head. So my books range from thrillers, to romance, from paranormal, time slip to contemporary women’s fiction.
I started reading as soon as I was able to and followed on by writing soon after. My biggest influence as a child was Enid Blyton who taught me that books were an escape to new and exciting worlds. I love reading books from a wide spectrum of genres, if the cover attracts me and the blurb stacks up then I want to read the book. When I’m not reading or writing, or doing my full-time job I enjoy travelling, crafting, horse-riding and riding my motorbike.
March 27, 2017
ABBEY'S SEARCH FOR SANCTUARY by Eris Field
ABBEY'S SEARCH FOR SANCTUARY
Destiny: Choice or Chance, book 1
by Eris Field
Genre: Contemporary International Romance
Abbey’s Search for Sanctuary, Stand-alone Book One of Destiny: Choice or Chance Trilogy. A riveting story of violence against women including baby girls and those who fight to protect them.
Turkish-American nurse Abbey shelters her younger sister after she divorces her Muslim husband when she learns his mother is going to perform a circumcision on their baby girl, Jenny. When her sister is murdered by her ex-husband, Abbey knows she must find a way to keep Jenny safe.
Once a Peshmerga fighter and medic with the Kurdish forces in Iraq, Rami now works with refugees in Buffalo. Shunned by his grandfather and family for failing to demand retribution when his arranged marriage failed, Rami avoids emotional attachments. That is, until he meets Abbey.
Warning Abbey that honor killings are often family affairs and she and Jenny are in danger, Rami offers her a way out: a marriage of convenience and refuge in his homeland, Kurdistan.
Abbey is committed to doing anything to protect Jenny but can she face going back to the world of her childhood: a world of headscarves and submission, a world that scarred her mother and killed her sister, a world she escaped once?
“Relationship!” Abbey exploded. “There is no relationship between a Muslim man and a woman. He’s the owner and she’s his property. She’s not even a second class citizen in her own country.”
“It’s never been that way for Kurdish women. They have never covered their faces or worn those black shrouds. Some choose to wear headscarves and some don’t. They wear brightly colored clothing. They like colors, especially amethyst” He became more serious. “They have fought alongside their husbands for centuries. They believe it’s better to die in battle beside their husband than be raped as one of the spoils of war.” He spoke more calmly, “Women are pushing for changes. They want to get rid of polygamy, forced early marriages, and female genital mutilation. . . . We’ve talked about what we don’t want. Now we must learn what each wants in life. Tell me what’s important to you.”
“A family. I’ve always dreamed of having a family.” She felt a blush creep over her cheeks but she forged on. “Not just two children. A real family, at least four children.”
“You say ‘at least’?”
She lifted her eyes to his. “Do the math! I am twenty-six. I would be very fortunate if I had four babies.”
“What else is important to you?”
“I want to stay me.” She hurried on at the sound of his glass hitting the table. “I remember when my mother and father lived here, in Buffalo. She was happy. They laughed together and did things together.” She shifted and sat back on her heels in front of him. “When my father took us back to Turkey, to Gaziantep, it all changed.”
“How did it change?” Rami asked somberly.
“There were so many things she couldn’t do.” Abbey choked up. “She had to have my father’s permission for everything! My mother couldn’t go out alone, not even to go shopping. She couldn’t drive the car. She had no money of her own and no friends. Slowly, the beautiful, happy mother I had known changed. When her father finally was able to bring her home, to his home in Orchard Park, she was just a shadow of herself, worn away by the rules. She brought Jeyda and me with her but she had to leave my little brother in Turkey . . . with his father.” Her voice broke as she reached for her wineglass. “The same thing happened to my sister. She met her husband when she was teaching at the University at Buffalo and he was a graduate student from Egypt. Before they were married, they did everything together. Then, when they were married, it changed.”
“Tell me. Did your sister help him get his ‘green card’ so he could stay in this country?”
“Yes. She was so much in love. She wanted to do everything to please him.”
Abbey wrapped her arms around herself. “I tried to warn her . . .Almost instantly after they were married, everything changed. Jeyda could not go out of the house without his permission. She had no money. He took away her credit cards and cell phone. He didn’t want me to visit her.” She reached involuntarily for his hand and felt him lace his fingers with hers. “He did not want her to talk to me on the phone. I begged her to leave him but she was pregnant and afraid." Abbey shuddered. “I didn’t think she would have ever left him but when she learned they were going to cut baby Jenny . . ."
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As a seventeen year old student nurse at Albany Hospital, Eris met a Turkish surgical intern who told her fascinating stories about the history of Turkey, the loss of the Ottoman Empire, and forced population exchanges.
After they married and moved to Buffalo, Eris worked as a nurse at Children’s Hospital and at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. During the time she took time off to raise five children, she amassed a collection of rejection letters for her short stories. Later, Eris returned to school and earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the University at Buffalo. While teaching psychiatric nursing at the University, she wrote a textbook for psychiatric nurse practitioners—a wonderful, rewarding but never to be repeated experience.
Now, Eris writes novels, usually international, contemporary romances. Her interest in history and her experience in psychiatry often play a part in her stories. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Western New York Romance Writers. In addition to writing, Eris’ interests include: Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders; Eradicating Honor Killings, supporting the Crossroads Springs Orphanage in Kenya for children orphaned by AIDS, and learning more about Turkey, Cyprus, and Kurdistan.
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SAVING GRACE by Aubrey Wynne
SAVING GRACE
Part of the Enchanted Keepsakes series
The ghost of the Pungo Witch meets a shattered heart.
Jackson Hahn, Virginia Beach's local historian, has his eyes on the mysterious new woman in town. When she enters his office, he is struck by her haunting beauty and the raw pain in her eyes. Her descriptions of the odd events happening in her bungalow pique his curiosity.
Chloe Hicks' life consisted of an egocentric ex-husband, a pile of bills, and an equine business in foreclosure until a fire destroys the stable and her beloved ranch horse. What little hope she has left is smashed after the marshal suspects arson. She escapes the accusing eyes of her hometown, but not the memories and melancholy.
The sexy historian distracts Chloe with the legend of a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft. She is drawn to the story and the similarities of events that plagued their lives. Perhaps the past can help heal the present. But danger lurks in the shadows...
Chapter 1
January, 2006
Four Seasons Riding Stable
Chloe sat straight up, willing the fog in her head to dissipate. The bed sheets were twisted around her ankles. Sweat trickled down her back. The terror froze her limbs while she struggled to calm her thudding heart and listen for the sound all horse owners dread. But it was the smell that made her realize this was not a terrible dream.
Smoke.
Instinct took over and she scrambled from the four-poster, making a beeline for the back door and the barn. Her toe smacked against the corner of a wall as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Oh god, not my babies. Not Bunny. Panic weighed down her legs as her bare feet hit the gravel. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. She tried to run down the long driveway, her eyes riveted to the red-orange flames shooting up into the black sky. Paul emerged from the darkness, his face colored yellow from the fiery glow. He signaled for her to take the front of the building as he disappeared around the back.
The frigid night air slapped her awake, but a horrifying screech from a panicked horse kicked in her adrenaline. Chloe reached the big, sliding doors and tugged them open. Heat smacked her face, and the smoke assaulted her lungs. Coughing, tears running down her cheeks, she slid back the bolts and opened the stall doors. On the other side, Paul’s voice faintly reached her over the crackle that filled her ears.
“Hiya! Move it, move it.”
The fire had consumed the other half of the barn where the arena was located. Above her was the loft, filled with winter hay and the last of her savings, now adding fuel to the already intense blaze. She pushed the thought from her mind as the flames shot through the center of the alleyway and the arena caved in.
Grabbing one of the lead ropes that hung at each door, she smacked the first horse on the rump and sent him flying out of the barn. The first three horses on each side followed their stable mates into safety with little persuasion. But Duchess, her mother’s old mare, wouldn’t budge. Chloe threw the lead rope over her neck and forced a calm tone. “Easy, girl. That’s my girl. Walk on, now. Walk on.”
The old horse snorted and pranced but followed her out of the stall. When they neared the opening, she withdrew the rope and whacked Duchess’ hindquarters. With a leap, the horse disappeared into the gray haze. The acrid odor of scorched hair and burnt wood filled her nostrils. Embers popped and her cheek blistered. She wiped at it with her shoulder as she led two more horses out by hand.
Crack!
Above them, a beam gave way and formed a fiery V. The horses must have sensed it also because they lunged ahead, snapping Chloe’s shoulders forward. She struggled to maintain her balance but fell to the matted floor, her knees striking the hard rubber. A boom behind her sent a spray of sparks, and pain shot along her backside. From the corner of her eye, she saw a strand of her hair spark. Frantically, she beat at it with her bare hand, putting it out on her neck. The heat was sweltering now. Images wavered in the flames that licked at the dry timbers of the remaining stalls and the heavy beams above.
Scrambling to her feet, Chloe ran outside into the frigid night and stumbled down the drive to help Paul. As she reached the other side of the barn, she doubled over as a coughing spasm racked her body. Hands on her knees, gasping to pull air into her tight chest, she heard Paul yelling over the crackle and whinnies.
“Bunny won’t leave the stall, and won’t let me near her foal.”
“What about Jack?”
“He’s good. C’mon, the roof is gonna give.”
His hand tightened around her arm and pulled with such force her feet almost left the ground. Plunging back into the smoking hell, they entered Bunny’s stall and found the foal in the corner.
“Paul, I’ll get the foal then Bunny will follow.”
Another loud snap from above. She grabbed the lead rope dangling from the horse’s halter and handed it to the trainer. Running a palm down her mare’s neck, she spoke soothingly, “Atta girl, Bunny. There’s my girl. Let’s your get your baby out of here.” The mare’s ears perked at her voice and words. Chloe tossed a rope around the foal’s neck and pulled. The baby gave to the pressure and followed Chloe out.
Behind her, a loud, splintering crash was followed by a shrill squeal. Her stomach twisted as she turned to see her trainer pulling at the lead rope. A fiery beam pinned Bunny as she thrashed, her legs flying in the air. One hoof caught the man in the head, and he crumpled to the ground.
Fighting for air, her chest a tight ball of agony, Chloe stumbled back in and grabbed Paul under his arms. She dragged him with the last of her strength and shuffled backwards until her feet tripped on something solid. She fell, his body tangled in her legs as they both landed with a thud. A sob ripped at her raw throat at the sound of a muffled shriek. Tears spilled down her burning cheeks as she shook the lifeless body on top of her. Chloe collapsed hand rested on Paul’s chest, finding hope in the slight rise and fall of his shallow breathing. In the back of her brain, the sound of sirens wailed before the world went black.
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Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trail riding and all things Christmas.
Her short stories, Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete's Mighty Purty Privies have won Readers Choice Awards and Dante's Gift received the 2016 Golden Quill and Heart of Excellence award, as well as being a Maggie and Aspen Gold finalist.
Besides her Chicago Christmas novellas, Aubrey will release "A Vintage Romance" series inspired by tales of her stepfather, who served for the British Air Force in WWII. The stories will be set in the 40s & 50s. Her medieval fantasy series will launch in 2017 with Rolf's Quest.
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A place of handsome knights, dashing gentlemen, beautiful, sassy women, and romance from the past to the present. You’ll also have some opportunities to help promote Aubrey with her upcoming releases if you feel so inclined. There is fun to be had, prizes to be given, and heroes and heroines to fall in love with. Come join Aubrey's street team.
March 24, 2017
TENDER ECHOES by Reily Garrett
TENDER ECHOES
A Dark Prequel to Digital Velocity (The McAllister Justice Series Book 1)
by Reily Garrett
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Theft of spirit is no one’s birthright.
A quirk of her X chromosome furnished Alexis with an edge few others enjoyed. After fate plunged her into orphan status and an intolerable foster home forced her to the streets, a group of prostitutes sheltered her from their vicious pimp. Seeing something special within, they nurtured and shielded her from their harsh reality until she could forge her own path in life.
Destiny frequently takes us back to our roots. Lexi’s return journey begins when a serial killer attacks one of her adopted sisters. Relying on courage and wit, she must stay a step ahead and secure evidence to free her family from a psychopathic murderer.
“Jesus, Charlie. Hold on. I’ll get you to a hospital.” Lexi swallowed hard against the rising tide of acid degrading her throat’s lining as the unfolding scene corrupted her sanity. Pressure against the makeshift bandage on Charlie’s belly wound yielded a deeper crimson soaking her jacket, the provisional dressing secured by fingers encased in a thickening, sticky glove. So much blood.
This could’ve been Lexi’s fate—stabbed, slashed, disfigured for all time, blood forming rivulets pooling in the alley’s filth. Maroon puddles mingled with body fluids common to alleys sheltering the homeless as if destined to couple in a macabre, virulent concoction.
“R-run, Lexi. D-don’t let him make you a w-whore. I wasn’t—strong enough. Y-you were never p-part of the street life.” Trash and other filth from the narrow passageway cushioned Charlie’s bruised and battered head. One front tooth was missing, probably swallowed, while blood seeped from jagged slashes on her cheeks and brow, both career enders in the event she survived. “You shouldn’t be here. It was a mistake to text you, but the cops wouldn’t believe us girls.”
“Did your pimp do this, Charlie? What’s his real name?” Tell me so I can help you.
Remnants of a cardboard box, a vagabond’s homemade privy, retained odors of the dispossessed, rivaled only by the excrement saturating every molecule of thickened air drawn into her lungs. This was no place and no way to die.
“Yeah—said I stole from a customer. But I didn’t. The b-bastard just wanted a freebie.” Otherworldly pain glazed eyes forecasting a nonexistent future while icy wind leached color from a once-beautiful face now smeared with crimson streaks and pain. “Won’t tell you his name. I didn’t want to die alone. You’re f-free. You made it.”
“No, Charlie. I’ll get help. Lie still while I secure a pressure dressing.” This late at night, there’d be few cars to flag down and no foot traffic from which to enlist help. She was forced to rely on emergency personnel who’d classify the incident as NHI, no human involved.
Terror-induced flashbacks spewed forth of a stranger offering refuge to a teenager standing on a precipice, a choice. She’d first thought him relatively handsome, not understanding the slimy base of his character. She’d had no experience with pimps. Still, something inside steered her away from his pleasant façade. Perhaps she’d sensed his underlying character. Instinct had directed her to the unknown, where a small group of prostitutes offered shelter and nurtured her mind.
With one hand, Lexi freed her belt and maneuvered it under the fallen girl’s tiny waist amid groans and mewling cries. Youth and a livelihood from flatbacking necessitated a svelte figure, which facilitated her efforts to cinch the leather strap tight. Lexi reached for the cell clutched in Charlie’s hand, knowing the late hour meant a longer wait for help. Her fingers, covered in sticky crimson ropes of blood, tangled briefly with Charlie’s, a squishy squeeze to lend encouragement. Another bolus of acid rose in her throat.
“No.” One word spoken from the disembodied voice behind her could flash freeze Hell and instigate the formation of ice crystals in any world, under any circumstance.
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COMING APRIL 24!
Keyboard prodigy, Lexi Donovan has risen from teenage orphan of the streets to complete independence with little help along the way. When a friend is threatened, Lexi’s anonymous message sends police into a firefight, leading to a wounded cop.
Detective Ethan McAllister’s well-ordered life turned upside down the day an obscure text message led to a sexual predator’s identity. Since then, Callouston PD’s finest can’t trace the elusive hacker. The latest tip leads him to a brutal mutilation and a riddle indicating the identity of the next murder victim.
The dark net houses a playground for the morally depleted and criminally insane. When Lexi discovers the killer’s digital betting arena, she finds herself centered in a cyber stalker’s crosshairs bearing equal talent.
Street life strengthened Lexi while toughening her protective shell, but nothing could shield her from the shrewd detective forging a path to her heart.
Reily’s employment as an ICU nurse, private investigator, and work in the military police has given her countless experiences in a host of different environments to add a real world feel to her fiction.
Though her kids are her life, writing is Reily’s life after. The one enjoyed…after the kids are in bed or after they’re in school and the house is quiet. This is the time she kicks back with laptop and lapdog to give her imagination free rein.
In life, hobbies can come and go according to our physical abilities, but you can always enjoy a good book. Life isn’t perfect, but our imaginations can be. Relax, whether it’s in front of a fire or in your own personal dungeon. Take pleasure in a mental pause as you root for your favorite hero/heroine and bask in their accomplishments, then share your opinions of them over a coffee with your best friend (even if he’s four legged). Life is short. Cherish your time.
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March 22, 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...
Michelle M. Pillow!
New York Times (#8) & USA Today Bestselling Author
Author of All Things Romance
As long as she can remember, Michelle has had a strange fascination with anything supernatural and sci-fi. After discovering historical romance novels, it was only natural that the supernatural and love/romance elements should someday meet in her wonderland of a brain. She's glad they did for their children have been pouring onto the computer screen ever since.
Michelle loves to travel and try new things, whether it's a paranormal investigation of an old Vaudeville Theatre or climbing Mayan temples in Belize. She's addicted to movies and used to drive her mother crazy while quoting random scenes with her brother. Though it has yet to happen, her dream is to be a zombie in a horror movie. (She came close as a refugee extra on SyFy's Z Nation, airing Fall 2016!)
For the most part she can be found writing in her office with a cup of coffee in pajama pants.Come say hello! I love talking with readers on social media!
Bestselling series: Dragon Lords (dragon-shifters), Lords of the Var (cat-shifters), Warlocks MacGregor (contemporary-set Scottish magic), Lords of the Abyss (merfolk), and more...
Proof of Michelle M. Pillow's NY Times & USA Today listings are provided here.
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
CROSSING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid
CROSSING THE LINE
Cross Creek Series, book 2
by Kimberly Kincaid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cocky farmer Eli Cross plays twice as hard as he works. When his latest stunt drums up a heap of negative PR for the family farm, he grudgingly agrees to play host to an ambitious New York City photographer. Her feature on Cross Creek could be just the ticket to show the country what the Cross brothers do best…which is more problem than solution for Eli.
Scarlett Edwards-Stewart has photographed everything from end zones to war zones. She’s confident she can ace this one little story to help her best friend’s failing magazine. At least, she would be, if her super-sexy host weren’t also so tight-lipped. But the more Scarlett works with Eli, the more she discovers he’s not who he seems. Can his secret bring them closer together? Or will it be the very thing that tears them apart?
Scarlett’s pulse kicked in a burst of realization. “You’re going to be my point of contact at the farm for the whole four weeks?”
Looked like she’d unknowingly managed to piss off karma after all. But come on. She needed a blockbuster, not a ball buster. She had to be stuck with the cockiest Cross of the bunch?
That unsettling smirk worked its way back over Eli’s mouth. “Yes ma’am.”
Greeeaaat. “Scarlett,” she said. “And I’m not going to keel over from heat exhaustion.” She was hardly a delicate freaking flower.
Eli lifted one shoulder halfway before letting it drop. “That’s what everyone says right up ’til they do it. But just because you don’t plan on something doesn’t mean it isn’t gonna jump up and bite you on the…”
“Ass?” Scarlett supplied, filling in the obvious blank from where Eli had abruptly trailed off. No, really? They didn’t even swear all the way out here in God’s country? Fuck, she was hosed.
Chagrin flickered over his sun-bronzed face, there and then gone. “Yes ma’am.”
“Scarlett,” she reminded him, pulling a breath full of hot air into her already tight chest. Story. Story. You’re here for a story. “Okay. Any other house rules I should know about?”
“We start early ’round here.” He angled his boots over a branch on the path, heading toward a long, skinny barn-looking structure.
Wait… “How early?”
His smile paved the way for his answer. “Five-thirty.”
Oh, ow. “You do know that’s inhuman, right?”
“You do want the ‘authentic experience’ of farm life, right?” Eli volleyed, slinging air quotes around the words she’d used earlier, and shit. Shit, shit, sleepless shit. He kind of had her there.
Not that she was conceding defeat of any kind. “So no flip-flops, hydrate, cover up, and be ready to roll at oh-dark-thirty. Is that all?”
The slight lift of his dark blond brows was the only betrayal of his surprise. “It’ll serve for now.”
“Excellent, because I’ve got a couple rules of my own.” Scarlett jammed her flip-flops to a halt on the path, staring Eli down even though he stood a solid foot taller than her in those banged-up boots of his. “I’m here to do a job, and I don’t intend to take any half measures, which means, yes, I’m going to take a lot of pictures, and yes, I do want to experience farm life authentically. I’m fine with hard work, and also fine with any suggestions or guidance you’re willing to offer while we get that hard work done. What I’m not cool with”—she lifted a finger to send her point all the way home—“is you underestimating me. These features are going to do a lot for your farm, and I’m a damned good photographer, not to mention a pretty smart woman. Now, are we going to play nicely together for the sake of this magazine layout, or are you going to keep leading the way with your cocky attitude? In truth, I’m fine with either, but if you want to go the arrogant route, be forewarned. I bite back.”
Hunter Cross has no regrets. Having left his football prospects behind the day he graduated high school, he’s happy to carry out his legacy on his family’s farm in the foothills of the Shenandoah. But when a shoulder injury puts him face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned town—and him—twelve years ago, Hunter’s simple life gets a lot more complicated.
Emerson Montgomery has secrets. Refusing to divulge why she left her job as a hotshot physical therapist for a pro football team, she struggles to readjust to life in the hometown she left behind. The more time she spends with Hunter, the more Emerson finds herself wanting to trust him with the diagnosis of MS that has turned her world upside down.
But revealing secrets comes with a price. Can Hunter and Emerson rekindle their past love? Or will the realities of the present—and the trust that goes with them—burn that bridge for good?
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Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and 2016 and 2015 RWA RITA finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.
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March 20, 2017
RANA: TEENAGE QUEEN by Liza O'Connor
RANA: TEENAGE QUEEN
by Liza O'Connor
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rana was only sixteen when she became queen. Her first challenge was quelling an internal coup while a massive army stormed the gates of her castle. Her enemies thought her a child, but she had powers they never suspected. She also had great dreams for her people, and she would do whatever was necessary to make them happen, even marrying a prince she did not want.
Claiming the right to be queen and becoming ruler of Stronghold turned out to be two very different things. Upon locating the bodies of the king and queen, the first point became established as fact.
However, the ministers wished to declare her a child, incapable of ruling Stronghold.
“I may be small in stature, as my mother, but I am a woman and if you call me a child again, I will have you thrown in prison.”
Minister Jerome sneered and shook his head. “Listen to her! Only a child would make such a threat. We have laws. One cannot be thrown in jail for speaking the truth.”
“General, arrest this man for treason.”
General Collins did not budge from her side, but with the slightest nod, two of the general’s soldiers moved quickly to secure the errant minister.
The minister attempted to break from their hold. His attempts would have been laughable if the situation was not so dire. “You cannot arrest me for treason just because I speak the truth! And who are these men? They are not of our army. Where is General Hack?”
She waited until the man was gone before addressing the others. “General Hack assassinated my father.”
“Do you have proof?” Another minister challenged.
“You have my word on the matter. I was there. I saw it all. He ordered his men to fire into the tower, claiming it had been overrun with the enemy. Only he knew that was not true since he had just left the tower. He knew the only two people within were myself and his king.” She eyed the ministers, waiting for further traitors to identify themselves by arguing with her.
Unfortunately, the remaining ministers, whether for her or against, had the sense to keep their mouths shut.
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Liza O’Connor was raised badly by feral cats, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved nicely. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous books. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.
You have been warned.
