Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 45
February 7, 2017
MURDER IN VAIL by Judy Moore
MURDER IN VAIL
Sally Braddock’s serene lifestyle atop a mountain in Vail, Colorado, changes drastically each year when her three spoiled children and their spouses visit her – and her money – for Christmas. They live off their trust funds, which are disappearing quickly, and spend most of the holidays bickering and hitting up their mother for money.
This year, Sally makes an announcement that sends her children into a tizzy, an announcement so extreme that it pushes someone in the house to murder. The storm inside the house is matched by a raging blizzard outside, and the family finds themselves snowbound with a killer.
Thunder cracked and lightning lit up the room. She pulled the covers up to her neck, clutching the sheets. She lay still as a statue, paralyzed by the storm. Even with her entire family in the house, Sally felt afraid. The storm made the house feel so unnatural, so eerie.
Lying in bed, dreading the next bolt of lightning, Sally’s mind went immediately to the disaster of a dinner. I wish I hadn’t lost my temper, she thought regretfully. I wanted to break the news gently, not scream it at them. She remembered the shock and hurt in their faces and felt guilty. She needed to find some way of making peace, of calming everything down.
Another crack of lightning pierced the winter night, this one very close, and illuminated the room. Suddenly, she thought she saw the doorknob begin to turn. Then it stopped. Then it started again. Probably one of the kids, she decided, but the way it started, stopped, and then started again disturbed her.
“Is someone there?” she called out. The doorknob stopped turning, and she thought she heard footsteps scurrying away.
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In January Jen Selinsky sat down with Judy to interview her, her books and everything author related.
Visit Jen's website to find out more about Judy.
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.
February 4, 2017
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH GIVEAWAY
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH GIVEAWAY
A large number of wonderful authors have come together to help readers celebrate AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH. Been looking for your next favorite book. Well, look no further.
SUPPORTING AUTHORS
THE LAND: FOUNDING (CHAOS SEEDS BOOK 1)
GENRE: FANTASY
When Richter was drawn into the greatest virtual reality MMORPG ever created, it seemed like a dream come true... until he found that nightmares walked The Land.
ALERON KONG I have toyed with the idea of writing for years, and I have finally found my particular niche. My primary goal was, and still remains, to write a story that I would like to read. I am humbled and delighted that ya'll (yes I AM Southern) will give it a shot as well.
I am still loving the process! If you keep reading, I'll keep writing! I love this genre and I love my fans. I appreciate your support more than you know.
GENRE: HORROR
A girl who has to choose between keeping her dreadlocs or living a normal life, a woman who will do whatever she can to have “White Girl Flow”, and a boy who thinks black girls look like cockroaches, all come crashing together when they cross paths with their mysterious neighbor.
CONSTANCE BURRIS is on a journey to take over the world through writing fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Her mission is to spread the love of speculative fiction to the masses.
GENRE: HORROR
Author Marie Coren-Ellis must deal with betrayal and death in a bid to save her unfaithful husband.
ALLEDRIA HURT I suppose this is where I tell you about myself, huh? In my mind, there isn’t a whole lot to tell. I was born in Waynesboro, PA. (I don’t use that as a password anywhere so I don’t care if you know.) I’m the middle of three kids by one parent and the middle of four by the other. I won’t tell you which is which. I spent my early formative years in various military places in Germany until I was thirteen at which point we moved back to the United States and took up residence in sunny Savannah, GA. Here I have been ever since. End of story, I guess.
GENRE: HORROR
Daymares is a 230 page collection of seven disturbing little tales of terror.
KENYA MOSS-DYME began writing short-form horror in her teens and won several scholastic writing awards for her creative work. Prey for Me - the hard-hitting story of a monstrous child-abusing preacher - was her first published work in early 2014, followed by the Amazon best-selling dark romance, A Good Wife. She has since firmly established her place in the horror genre with the Halloween 2014 release of Daymares, as well as appearances in anthologies and publications.
GENRE: INTERRACIAL/PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Dr. Akila Marshall’s life mission is saving animals. When Akila is alerted to a blue-eyed wolf stray, he draws her into a world she never imagined, and passion she can never let go.
DARIEL RAYE is an animal lover, animal rights activist, musician, and award-winning author of powerful paranormal romance and dark urban fantasy with IR/MC (Interracial/Multi-cultural) alpha male heroes to die for, and strong heroines with hearts worth winning.
GENRE: PARANORMAL
Introverted flight attendant Veronica Mills had no idea her life would change on a sunny San Diego layover. After more than six months of e-mails, occasional phone calls, and pictures, she gained a friend and confidant. For the first time in years, she felt comfortable enough with a man to share stories of disastrous dates and everything from the dangerous to the mundane.
For her, the feelings went further than platonic. But was she willing to risk a possible lifelong friendship for the uncertainty and pitfalls of a sexual relationship? Not that he'd indicated an interest in anything more.
A.C. NIXON From the moment my mother’s friend gave me a box of Harlequin Romances, I was hooked. No more Nancy Drew for me. It was all about finding love and happy ever after.
Between then and now, I’ve done a plethora of things, enjoying most of them. Well, they sounded good at the time. I’ve served in the military, worked with explosives, spent three months as a singing waitress in Interlaken, Switzerland, and enjoyed many a moments pretending to be someone else on stage.
Eventually I found my prince, but he wears camouflage instead of a crown. My court comprises two cats that can’t quite comprehend I’m the queen.
GENRE: PARANORMAL
A Viking with a thirst for blood. A naïve but powerful African princess. A vengeful sibling. Spirit possession. An engaging paranormal saga. And it’s only the beginning...
JAXX SUMMERS aka Janice Ross was born in Guyana, South America and migrated to the USA in 1980. Although her citizenship certificate now reads the United States of America, she considers herself a citizen of the world. Sure she has not physically been around the world and back, but she’s travelled in her mind and dreams.
MADAME LILLY, VOODOO PRIESTESS: SOULLESS (VOLUME 2)
GENRE: PARANORMAL
A captivating historical experience that travels across time delving into the struggles of two women, with shared lineage, who turn to voodoo for retribution.
DORMAINE G was born in Long Island, New York where she lived most of her life. As an adult she liked to travel out of the country though her favorite places to explore were her fantasy worlds as an author. She may be a nurse by profession but her heart has always belonged to writing. As a young child she spent many Saturdays in the library nurturing her love for books. There she discovered her fascination for the science fiction genre, through books, movies and graphic novels.
THE NEON HOUSES (A KENNEDY CIRCLE MYSTERY)
GENRE: PARANORMAL MYSTERY
Noel Kennedy hears screams inside her head, but the screams aren’t hers. Noel recognizes the frantic pleas as those of the young woman she mentors—Zarah Fisher.
LINDA C. MIMS resides in a popular suburb 30 miles south of Chicago with her husband and dog, Alexis. There, she's working on the next in the "A Kennedy Circle Mystery" series. When she's not writing, Linda can be found testing new recipes, tending her prize winning gardens, and tweeting author support for an indie writing community that she belongs to.
UNDER FURTHER REVIEW (THE PRO SERIES)
GENRE: ROMANCE
Shane Sinclair, a professional football player who does not like, entertain or talk to reporters, even when he is mandated to appear for the press conferences. Shane has his reasons for his stance, which strengthens when a reporter blurts out that his father had passed, and he was not informed yet. The only reporter that gave their condolences was one of the lone female sports reporter, Diamond Reeves. Although, Shane kept his stance about the story-hungry reporters, Ms. Reeves wiggled her way through his defenses and Shane finds that he needs to maneuver past hers so that their odd friendship can go to the next level. Shane’s ex-fiancé does not take the break up easily and sets out to cause havoc for the new couple and herself.
XYLA TURNER is a USA Today Bestselling and award-winning romance author. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and is a dedicated educator. Outside of reading, Xyla likes to spend time with her family and travel as much as her schedule permits.
GENRE: ROMANCE
What do you do when a crush turns into full blown love, but your object of affection might not feel the same? What if the one you yearn for happens to be your best friend?
DANIELLE BURTON is a native Detroiter and multi-genre novelist with deep appreciation for Black love. She’s penned several novels, a few available online, but Excuse Me, First Love is the first on her publishing journey. She has a knack for creating complex characters and then getting them into plenty of trouble. From sweet and heartwarming, sexy and scandalous, to dark and twisty, Danielle’s stories have a way of reaching down into your soul and evoking each and every emotion you have stored there.
FLAWLESS MISTAKE (THE SPENCER & SIONE SERIES)
GENRE: ROMANCE
Spencer steals from the wrong man, unleashing danger into her life. A danger Sione knows well from his violent past. Discover how Spencer and Sione get caught in a web created by one common enemy.
RACHEL WOODS writes complex, multicultural stories centered on strong women in jeopardy, fighting for love and their own lives.
When not writing, this read-a-holic can be found listening to audio books, reading the Book of Jeremiah, or scouring soap opera blogs. Rachel resides in Houston with her three sock monkeys.
GENRE: ROMANCE
Ivy needs protection from her son’s father. Luke needs a second chance. To save her son, Ivy must betray a very dangerous man. If she testifies, will she and Luke live long enough to get what they need?
L.J. TAYLOR The oldest of six children, L. J. Taylor grew up in New York City. As a child, she escaped her noisy siblings by voraciously reading every book in her parents' collection and every romance novel she could check out of the public library. Her tastes later expanded to include classics, spy novels, and thrillers. Inspired by the stories she read, she began writing poetry and song lyrics and even tried to write a fantasy novel at the tender age of 13. She began writing novels as an adult during National November Writing Month in 2007 and has been chugging along ever since. When she's not writing, L. J. practices law in Miami, Florida.
BLACK DIAMOND (PRECIOUS STONES BOOK 1)
GENRE: ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
An undercover investigation against a vicious rebel group, suspected of trafficking conflict diamonds, is jeopardized. FBI agent Camille Blackwell and CIA agent Marc Fulton must find the rebel leader before he finds Camille.
JA'NESE DIXON pens tales of romance in various subgenres. But her favorites are the ones that manage to keep readers sitting on the edge of their seats lying to themselves about reading “just one more chapter”.
She is an avid reader and coffee drinker, who also loves to run, cook, and craft. Her ultimate goal as a writer is to give you a little “staycation” with every story.
BOUND SOULS (FOREVER YOURS BOOK 1)
GENRE: SCI-FI ROMANCE
Lela and Zion are bound souls, destined to live eternity together. For these lovers, death is not an end, but a fateful beginning.
N.D. JONES lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. She is a dedicated educator, committed to equitable and excellent education for all students. N.D. has served in the role as teacher, department chair, and professional development teacher specialist, supporting the learning of students and the professional growth of teachers.
SAVING KILN (VENUS RISING BOOK 1)
GENRE: SCIENCE FICTION
She was born to rule. He was born to serve. Together they will set the world on fire!
SEVEN STEPS I have been writing for as long as I can remember. One of my mentors (you know who you are) often reminds me of my first foray into the world of literary fiction. It was a lively story about a bee's journey to find a pot of missing honey. He says that I have improved since then. I think that he's right.
I am a working wife and mother, as well as a devoted owner of a beautiful cat named Rosie. I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family, thrifting, and anything that reminds me of my childhood.
GENRE: THRILLER
Two orphans making it in the hood. Then the street life killed her brother. Her life in danger, Michelle was scared, and had no skills, but she had a score to settle.
LORI JEAN GRACE Growing up I preferred to hang out with my dad and his friends, watching them play cards or dominoes. Mostly they talked long $h*t, told lies, and exagerations. At a very young age I learned the art of truth fabrication—otherwise known as spinning yarns and creating alibies.
Later, I lived, or experienced, many of the struggles I write about in my books.
SUPPORTING BLOGS
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Celebrating African American History Month Giveaway
February 3, 2017
Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine by JD Frettier
DESPERATELY SEEKING SIXTY-NINE
by JD Frettier
Genre: Steamy Romantic Comedy
The year is 1969. Though there is war and unrest in the world, on August 15th, on a farm in upstate New York, a little concert will go down in history as the most famous music festival of our time: Woodstock.It also happens to be the day Bonnie McMillan and Peter Hampton meet and begin their free-spirited love-filled journey with each other. What happens at Woodstock stays at Woodstock, right? Nope!
Fast forward forty-seven years. Bonnie unexpectedly passes after a night of hot sex and is whisked up to Purgatory, ‘The Green Room’ as they call it. Bonnie’s best friend meets her at the pearly green gates and the fun begins, from body sculpting to channeling.
Follow Bonnie on her erotically incorrect quest to re-connect with the love of her life. Or at the very least, make sure the sex toys are hidden before the kids start sorting through her things!
Amazon US ✯ Amazon UK ✯ Goodreads
JD Frettier is the nom de plume of USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Theriot. Being a child of the 1960s and Woodstock era, she was elated when a quirky couple spoke to her, requesting their love story be told. It was an offer she couldn’t refuse, so she decided to venture into the world of paranormal via 'channeling' with her debut novella, Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine. JD’s laptop and mind are now open to new characters. She’s already interviewed and selected one for the next installment of her Green Room Chronicles....so stay tuned!
CROSSING HEARTS by Kimberly Kincaid
CROSSING HEARTS
by Kimberly Kincaid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
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?
(The setup is that heroine Emerson has just come back to her hometown of Millhaven after twelve years and is working as a physical therapist)
"I’ve got a patient for you, so I thought I’d pop over to see if you have an opening today," Doc Sanders said.
Emerson thought of her schedule, complete with the tumbleweeds blowing through its wide- open spaces, and bit back the urge to laugh with both excitement and irony. “I’m sure I can fit someone in. What’s the injury?”
“Rotator cuff. X-rays and MRI are complete, and Dr. Norris, the orthopedist in Camden Valley, ordered PT. But the patient is local, so I figured if you could take him, it’d be a win-win.”
“Of course.” An odd sensation plucked up Emerson’s spine at the long-buried memory of a blue-eyed high school boy with his arm in a sling and a smile that could melt her like butter in a cast-iron skillet. “Um, my schedule is pretty flexible. What time did he want to come in?”
“Actually, he’s a little anxious to get started, so he came directly here from the ortho’s office . . .”
Doc Sanders turned toward the hallway leading to her waiting room, where a figure had appeared in the doorframe. Emerson blinked, trying to get her brain to reconcile the free-flowing confusion between the boy in her memory and the man standing in front of her. The gray-blue eyes were the same, although a tiny bit more weathered around the edges, and weirdly, the sling was also a match. But the person staring back at her was a man, with rough edges and sex appeal for days, full of hard angles and harder muscles under his jeans and T-shirt . . .
Hunter Cross.
Emerson stood with her feet anchored to the linoleum, unable to move or speak or even breathe. For the smallest scrap of a second, she tumbled back in time, her heart pounding so hard beneath her crisp white button-down that surely the traitorous thing would jump right out of her chest.
A blanket of stars littering the August sky . . . the warm weight of Hunter’s varsity jacket wrapped around her shoulders . . . the warmer fit of his mouth on hers as the breeze carried his whispers, full of hope . . . “Don’t go to New York. Stay with me, Em. Marry me and stay here in Millhaven where we’ll always have this, just you and me . . .”
“Emerson? What . . . what the hell are you doing here?”
The deeper, definitely more rugged-around-the-edges version of his voice tipped the scales of her realization all the way into the present. She needed to say something, she knew, she knew, but her mouth had gone so dry that she’d have better luck rocketing to the moon in a paper airplane right now.
“I work here,” Emerson finally managed, the truth of the words—of what they meant—delivering her back to reality with a hard snap. She hadn’t returned to Millhaven for a jaunt down memory lane. Hell, she’d only come back when her process of elimination had dead-ended in total despair. She was here for one thing, and one thing only. To bury herself in as much work as her body would allow.
Even if her first client probably hated her guts.
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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Facebook release party and giveaway
January 28, 2017
TRULY, MADLY, WHISKEY by Melissa Foster
TRULY, MADLY, WHISKEY
a stand-alone romance
by Melissa Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 10, 2017
A new, emotionally riveting, sexy standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.
Watch mysteriously sexy Bear Whiskey claw his way to his happily ever after with sassy, rebellious Crystal Moon.
Full book description coming soon.
"When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin' hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!" The Romance Reviews
"Like Nora Roberts, Melissa Foster has captivated me with her fantastic, sexy, romantic stories." K. Winning
"One of the greatest contemporary romance authors of all time." Underneath the Covers
"I'm highly addicted to her stories, and still want to kick my own behind for taking so long to finally read her." The Power of Three Readers
Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ Amazon Paperback
B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Smashwords ✯ GPlay
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.
Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.
Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.
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January 27, 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 January. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!
THIS WEEK'S BEST SELLING AUTHOR...
ALI PARKER!
Ali Parker is a full-time contemporary romance writer who left a life in Corporate America to try living a dream. She loves coffee, watching a great movie and hanging out with her hubs. By hanging out, she means making out. Hanging out is for those little creepy elves at Christmas. No tight green stockings for her. She's in Texas, but they're pulling up their roots soon and going nomad across the country for 14 months. She might be coming to a city near you... be on the lookout!
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
January 24, 2017
RECLAMATION by Melissa Kay Clarke
RECLAMATION
by Melissa Kay Clarke
One woman, one man, one Legacy, one chance to save them all.
Something malevolent stalks the world spreading chaos and discord, targeting those individuals who are destined to provide a great service to humanity. Most are not aware of their sinister plots, but one is.
To the casual observer, Scarlet is only a bicycle courier, however, she is so much more. When the shadows lengthen and evil walks, she is judge and jury, exacting justice. Perhaps some may call it an honor but she calls it a curse because she can't have a family or friends and can't relinquish it until the day she dies. With no help, she muddles through best she can, hoping to make a difference at the price of her own happiness.
Gage Williams, Senior Detective, is searching for a mysterious vigilante who leaves behind a sea of destruction and a grateful public. When all the evidence points to Scarlet, he has to weigh it against his own heart. Is it possible the woman that has captured his attention is the one they are searching for?
When the Legacy calls, Scarlet must answer.
Even if it costs her everything.
“He was about five-foot-eight or nine, skinny but with big muscles.” Renee shivered as she described her hero to the detective.
“No, he was more like six foot tall,” piped in her friend Jill, “with blond hair and blue eyes.”
“His eyes were green. I got a close look,” Renee retorted. “His hair was more like brown than blond, maybe what they call dirty blond.”
Gage rolled his eyes as he tried to make notes on the person who had saved the teens from their folly. “Are you even sure it was a man?”
Both girls nodded. “Absolutely. He had a deep, sexy voice,” Jill chimed in, “and a blond mustache. I saw it over the scarf he had over his face.”
“What kind of knife did he have?” Gage waited expectantly.
“It wasn’t a knife, it was one of those sword thingies,” Renee said.
“Yeah, a freaking huge sword. It was about three foot long and two inches wide, with black leather on the handle. I could draw a picture of it, if you want.” Jill nodded enthusiastically.
“It would help.” He smiled. He severely doubted either of these two could supply anything helpful, given the way they were both behaving. If he had to guess, they were probably coming off a high or drunk or perhaps both. He looked up as a car pulled into the parking lot and four adults spilled out, running over to them. “Here come your parents. You can go with them, but I need you both to come down to the station in the morning and answer some more questions.” He flipped the notebook closed and tucked it back into his pocket. The two girls were wrapped in parental arms and sobs of relief filled the air.
Back at the murder scene, the M.E. loaded the second body onto a gurney and into their waiting van.
“What do you think really happened?”
Gage rolled his shoulders and glanced over at the officer who had asked. “I think two kids got lucky and one kid didn’t.”
“You want to put out an APB on our hero?”
The detective laughed. “Yeah, sure. Be on the lookout for a blond or brunette man between five-foot-nine and six foot tall, roughly one hundred and fifty pounds or two hundred pounds, in his early twenties or thirties with blue and green eyes, wearing all black. Approach with caution because he has a freaking huge sword thingy.”
“So basically, we are looking for the entire cast from Highlander,” the officer quipped. “I can’t wait to see the sketch accompanying it.”
Amazon ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads
Melissa was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in Houlka, a small rural town forty-five minutes southwest down the famous Natchez Trace. She found a love of reading very early and quickly devoured everything she could. In the fourth grade she discovered a multitude of worlds when she received her first library card. Told repeatedly that she had a wonderful imagination, she turned to scribbling her musings and wrote her first novel while in college. It was never published and has since vanished. The death of a close friend who aspired to become an author reawaked her own desire resulting in penning her first book, Shattered Dreams, published in 2013. It was quickly followed by two sequels with a forth final book in the works.
Melissa now resides in Meridian, Mississippi with her supportive family – husband, Robert and daughter Rebecca, two cats, and a precocious Chihuahua. When she isn't writing, she spends way too much time communicating with her online friends and feeding her ravenous appetite for the written word.
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MoB PromoJAX: Resurrection by Victoria Danann
JAX: Resurrection
Knights of Black Swan Next Generation, Book 2
by Victoria Danann
Genre: Paranormal Romance
When you want a job done right, get a womanizing vampire.
Being a vampire playboy has worked for Jax for 600 years.
That's about to change.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Victoria Danann, continues the breathtaking new take on Knights of Black Swan with a sizzling follow up to Falcon.
Early Reviews Say...
"NO ONE can tell a love story like Victoria Danann!" - Pam J.
"The thrill of the hunt at its finest." - Becky B.
The Next Generation of Black Swan knights continues the struggle to rid the world of "deadheads", virus infected vampires who are barely more cognizant than zombies. Jax, one of the vampires turned by the immortals, joined the fight and became Falcon's partner.
For six hundred years Jax has seduced women, drunk their blood, and left them feeling blissfully satisfied, but without memory of the event. It was a good and manageable life for a vampire until the deliciously wild redhead came along and showed him what he's been missing.
Find out why readers are saying it is awesome, riveting, steamy, and that they are totally in love with Jax.
Jax followed the woman into a crowded upscale bar where she was greeted by several female friends, also in their mid-twenties, also dressed as professionals. When she turned around, his breath caught in his throat. She was a titian-haired beauty, so like Brighton. She wasn’t Brighton, of course, but she was a near twin which, in his mind, meant feminine perfection right down to the last freckle.
He stood in the shadows and watched as she was greeted by the little gathering. She apologized for being late and asked how many drinks she was behind. Even though the music was near-deafening, he could zero in on the conversation halfway across the room. One of the advantages to being vampire.
Suddenly he was thinking that making a commitment to Black Swan had been a stupid move. If he wasn’t obligated to finish patrol, he could make a move on her right then. A move she would not be able to resist. As it was he needed to find a way to locate her the following night, when he wasn’t patrolling.
He melted into the shadows before breezing by her table and scooping up her little clutch bag, disturbing the air no more than would a waiter hurrying past. In a dark corner he opened it, withdrew her ID and memorized her name and address. Finding a few of her business cards was tantamount to striking gold. He took one, closed the bag, put it back before she realized it was gone, then rejoined Falcon on the street.
“Where were you?” Falcon demanded. “What was that about?”
“Sorry. Bathroom.”
Kris narrowed his eyes. “Nice try. I’ve been with you long enough to know you only go, what, once a week?”
Kris rolled his eyes.
“None of your business.” After a pause, he added, “At least three times a week.”
“The point being that the urge didn’t just overtake you.”
“Some things are private.”
“Yeah? I don’t keep much from you.”
“That’s your choice.”
“You’ve got an answer for everything.”
“One of the advantages of being six hundred years old.”
“See? You even have an answer for that.”
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Amazon
The knights are losing the war with the mutated virus. Humanity's extinction is a possibility.
Black Swan needs a miracle.
Who would guess that it might come in the form of a womanizing vampire?
"Reminiscent of My Familiar Stranger."
The next generation of the Knights of Black Swan have been inducted and vested with all the privileges and responsibilities of the B Team legends in whose shadows they took their training. K Team is coming into their prime as servants of The Order, with most of their lives ahead. Or so each one hopes.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Victoria Danann, brings us a sizzling new take on the Knights of Black Swan. The boys are all grown up and bursting at the seams looking for action.
Black Swan believed they'd found the cure for the vampire virus, but it mutated and the resurgence threatened to be the extinction of humanity within a generation. Help comes from a most unexpected source, a vampire.
Meanwhile, the new Director of Operations is cute, curvilicious and has Falcon reeling. And he doesn't need distractions when he's busy saving the world.
"Grabs hold and won't let go." - The Paranormal Romantic
The epic saga that has won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES the past three years in a row (Reviewers Choice Awards, the Paranormal Romance Guild) continues with a new crop of vampire hunters that we already know and love.
Grab your copy TODAY and find out why KBS is called astonishing, breathtaking, nail biting, spectacular, unique, and a wild and sexy ride.
New York Times bestselling authorof seventeen romances including paranormal, scifi, fantasy, contemporary, and teen. Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Reviewers Choice Awards, The Paranormal Romance Guild.
Victoria is co-host of the popular ROMANCE BETWEEN THE PAGES podcast.
The rich characterizations come from being a lifelong student of behavior, casually, and a serious student of behavior academically. She has also studied comparative religion, myths, and Dark Ages history.
Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.
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January 21, 2017
VIOLET CHAIN by J Kahele
VIOLET CHAIN
by J Kahele
Genre: Contemporary Romance
After catching her fiancé with another woman at their engagement party, Violet Townsend's world is turned upside down.
Desperate to numb the pain, she falls into the arms of charming, young entrepreneur Chain Alexander.
Chain, a notorious womanizer of Philadelphia, not looking for anything more than a night of pleasure with a woman, is drawn to Violet instantly. There is something about her that he needs and wants so desperately and it’s not just sex.
But Violet is resistant. Can she open her heart again after having it broken so brutally? And more importantly, should she?
This book is intended for mature audiences.
His hand slid to the curve of my back and he pulled me into a deep embrace. My eyes met his and they gleamed with a softness and gentleness that took my breath away. He smiled as he slid his finger down my cheek, across my chin, before slipping back into a kiss. I didn’t know if it was the way his lips softly touched mine, or if it was the loving way he had looked into my eyes, but everything about Chain at that moment captured my heart.
He placed feather kisses across my collarbone, the curve of my neck, my jaw, and then claimed my lips. The kiss was soft, slow and lingering. As our lips parted our tongues met in sync. I held him close, wanting to remember his strong shoulders, the touch of his skin to mine. His hand caressed the inside of my thigh and I moaned, then he curled me close to him and kissed me with a passion that made my heart skip a beat.
As our bodies slowly moved against each other, I felt something reaching deep inside of me, gripping at my heart, overwhelming my emotions, causing tears to stream uncontrollably from my eyes. Chain lifted his head, staring into my eyes, and I saw he was mirroring the same feelings as I.
As he circled his hips slowly, we found our release together and I exhaled sharply. That familiar feeling filled me, that stabbing, aching feeling.
It surrounded me.
Engulfed me.
Suffocated me.
I turned away from Chain, hugging my pillow, my mind drifting off into a pit of despair. As much as I tried to fight it, to run from it, there was no denying that I was falling hard for Chain Alexander and there was no way of escaping.
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Violet and Chain are trying to build a loving and trusting relationship, but life has a few more obstacles to throw at them.
Violet wants to know more about Chain's rocky past with his father, whilst Chain is more interested in getting Violet to commit to their relationship in a more permanent way: marriage.
To complicate matters, Chain's past holds a secret that could tear them apart forever, and he will do whatever it takes to keep the secret hidden.
Pearl has lived under the hard hand of a vicious man for years and when she finally makes her escape, she is hit by a car and wakes up in the hospital. She doesn’t remember anything from the night before, except for the comforting touch, of a beautiful man named, Christopher Blu.
Blu learns that Pearls life has been a circle of degradation, hurt and pain and he wants so bad to help her through it, that it completely envelopes his life. He cares for her and there is a mutual attraction between the two. But he's not sure if what he feels for her is real, or if it is just his compassion for a woman who has been so brutally scarred by her life.
I am a proud mother of three daughters who are my absolute complete existence. I write to relieve the scattered thoughts that stream through my mind, constantly. My biggest downfall is that I am a huge procrastinator, which makes my life at times hectic!
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DEATH OF A SCULPTOR in Hue, Shape, and Color by M.C.V. Egan
DEATH OF A SCULPTOR in Hue, Shape, and Color
by M.C.V. Egan
Genre: Women's suburban fiction
Color-coded love stories and revealing female anatomies lead to the puzzling death of world-renowned sculptor, Bruce Jones.
In life, the artist loved women, almost as much as women loved him. Adored for his art, colorful personality, and sexual prowess, Bruce is mourned by the world. The multifaceted perspectives of his four ex-wives, the current wife, his new love interest, and their children narrate this pulse-pounding tale.
Loose ends are tied up by the insights of Sylvia, his son Aaron’s wife and a trusted keeper of secrets; Scott, the private investigator and family friend; Nonna, the quintessential grandmother everyone loves but to whom few are truly related; and Detective Jim Miller who will not rest until he discovers Bruce Jones’ murderer.
Mary: Wife No. 1
Thunder, lightning and rain, that was what we had at our wedding. However, on the day of his funeral, the Florida heat and humidity made my face shiny with perspiration. My hair looked like a dark Brillo pad. My children requested I attend the funeral of my first husband. Bruce Jones, the world-renowned sculptor.
The parking lot was already packed with an unexpected variety of cars. I then realized that it was not peak season. The South Florida snowbirds are attached to their cars and they migrate with them back and forth each year.
I noticed a police car and a uniformed man by the entrance. Even for Bruce a bit much; however, since 9/11 security has been tight everywhere.
The valet attendant opened my rental car door. “Welcome ma’am. Your daughter is waiting for you.”
“Thank you. Please make sure you keep the car in the shade. August Florida heat and sun are not my friends.” I pulled a five-dollar bill from my purse to tip him, but he shook his head and mumbled, “No, thank you.” After all It was Palm Beach. I probably should have pulled out a twenty.
I was surprised that the building looked like an actual church, at least from the outside. The church had a long name. It was Universal something or other; apparently, a place of worship with neither affiliation nor strictures. Bruce’s life had, after all, been too outré to pretend he followed any conventional religious norm.
“Thanks for coming, mom.” Clair’s voice shouldn’t have surprised me, but I stood still, focused on carefully dabbing my shiny nose. I clicked the compact shut, smiled and answered, “Anything for you and Aaron sweetheart.” She nodded as she guided me where to sit. It was toward the back of the church; the ex-wives’ pew.
“Please mom, don’t look at me that way. This funeral is a time for forgiveness and closure.”
Clair always found a way to get me to do whatever she wanted. The last thing I wanted was to be in the company of the women sitting there. I touched my frizzy hair, regretting my rejection of the keratin treatment.
Wife number two, Leslie, was the first to say hello. “Mary, you look lovely. It’s been years.”
“It has, thankfully,” I replied. The other two simply nodded, and I nodded back. Leslie, the one Bruce left me for, handed me a packet of tissues and winked. Forcing a smile, I took them. The idea that she assumed I planned to cry had not crossed my mind. I pulled the compact out of my purse again to check my makeup; it looked fine. Through the mirror I saw the reflection of the fifth and last Mrs. Bruce Jones, the widow. She was standing waiting for the ushers. I shook my head in disbelief. There next to Brooke was the coffin. The ushers waited with the coffin for the minister’s signal. It had images of Bruce’s artwork. Digital photography makes it possible to decorate anything in living color. Some of the images were blocked from my view by the ushers, but not mine. There I was paraded as a nude sketch. Each one of Bruce’s loves had a color and mine was pink. It was kitsch…even worse, it was downright tasteless.
Bruce had a type. We all had brown hair, and pretty faces with full lips and straight noses. The eye color varied as did our size and build. His type was limited to our physiognomy. I clicked the compact shut, and the other ex-wives faced me, startled by the sound. I shrugged with a coy apologetic smile. Look at the five of us; he had a type.
Bruce’s love also had a shelf life. He took the seven-year-itch need to scratch very literally. Some marriages were shorter, because sometimes the divorces got complicated and his new loves always overlapped with the old. Public or private, his relationships always lasted seven years.
I was nineteen when I first walked into his classroom. He was tall and muscular. I felt a tingle at the base of my neck when I saw his back, as if somehow I already knew. When he turned to face me, I was gone and completely in love. I fell in love with Bruce and the sculpture next to him all at once. I soon learned he made love in a way no other man did─not that I was very experienced then─Bruce traced every inch of my body with every part of his. At twenty-four, he already made a good living from his sculptures, but teaching remained his passion. As he grew older and wealthier, he taught short workshops in different parts of the world. His last one had been just a few months before his untimely death. He was after all, only sixty-two.
It was clear by the careful shape of his sculptures that he knew the shape of my legs, ankles, feet, and every other part of my body. His sculpture venues varied, his talent knew no boundaries. Bruce loved and sculpted as instinctively as the rest of us breathe. Whoever inherited the rights to his art would be wise to market his sketches as limited edition lithographs. Bruce liked to keep those private, but he always added color to the sketches in a way that made them works of art unto themselves. Bruce was as gifted with hue and color as he was with shapes. Those were the sketches that someone had the poor taste to use for the coffin. As the ushers moved around I heard the reactions of the other ex-wives, a blend of gasps and giggles. We recognized all the shapes and colors.
Focused on raising our children, I had not noticed when the sculptures started to change. That was when Leslie entered the picture. Bruce may not have planned to divorce me, or at least for years I tried to believe that, but then Leslie got pregnant.
Our marriage, his first as well, was the longest marriage, it lasted ten years. Three of those, Bruce had spent loving Leslie, but playing house with me. His marriage to Leslie was far shorter. I could tell by the sculptures he had loved her for seven years. We all met him through his art in one way or another. Wife number three, Petra, worked in an art gallery. Although not an artist she was very involved with his work. I derived great pleasure from the public scandal when he hurt Leslie that way, leaving her for a mere merchant. By then Bruce had a name, an art, and a face that was recognized everywhere. Leslie had ended my marriage, so curiosity as to who had ended hers interrupted my life for a time. Hers was the only one of Bruce’s love stories I followed carefully, aside from my own.
Aside from relishing in Leslie’s pain, his personal life did not pique my interest. I knew my children were always respected and old enough to voice concern if anyone mistreated them. I could not remember if it was the third or fourth wife who was the only one of us who did not have children with Bruce.
Chopin’s somber Marche Funèbre snapped me back to the moment. The elaborate coffin encasing Bruce’s body had been placed on a movable catafalque. The catafalque with squeaky wheels carried Bruce’s body in a guided procession down the aisle. He was always a large man and had managed to become larger as he aged. His appetite for food and drink superseded all his other appetites.
Leslie whispered in my ear, “She doesn’t look sad.”
Glancing over at the person in question, I nodded in agreement. The widow could not be described as grieving. Grief is, of course, different in all of us. The body language of grief, though, is universal; the defeated, slumped shoulders, head bowed, tears flowing. Leslie was right. The widow was crying, but they almost looked like tears of relief.
A montage of Bruce’s works on a screen at the side of the altar shaped in a semicircle created the focal point. The aisle inclined and my pew toward the back provided a good vantage point. The incline was slight, but pronounced enough to give those of us in the back a full view. The ushers seemed to be holding back the coffin so it would not speed down the aisle. The wheels continued to squeak. Bruce would have hated this. The minister or priestess─I am not sure what title this universal church gave them,─had a very unpleasant voice and thus was difficult to listen to. No voice, even a pleasant one, could compete with Bruce’s art. For all the rotten things I would be happy to tell you about Bruce Jones, his art was not something anyone could criticize. Even the most prestigious critics raved about his talent and his work.
The slides were in chronological order. The memory and pain from the sting of betrayal flooded me as it had twenty-eight years earlier. I could see Leslie through the corner of my eye and the blush that betrayed her shame.
As wife number two, she had been party to betrayal because she too had been betrayed. I know Leslie grew to love my children very much. I guess she saw me as an extension of that love in some ways. I felt terrible. I had been so curt.
My hand reached to her shoulder in a gesture of solidarity and forgiveness when the images on the screen segued to show the shape of ex-wife number three. My heart ached for Leslie because we had similar builds, and many would not have been able to distinguish when Bruce transitioned from sculpting my body to sculpting hers.
Ex-wife number three, Petra─a very tall woman, with long slender limbs─had a body that blatantly displayed the transition from Leslie to her replacement. The unquestionable change in shape left no doubt Bruce’s affections had shifted again. Leslie, pregnant with her second child at the time, lost the baby to grief, a loss I also knew well.
At that point, I did need the tissues Leslie had given me, but I was shedding tears for her, not for Bruce. I miscarried a child with my second husband. I understood her pain and sense of loss. Mine, too, was the last child, the child I never had.
Bruce never sculpted pregnant women. Consequently, wife number three, the one who had never been pregnant had seven years that boasted more sculptures than the rest of us. At the seven-year mark, Bruce’s transition into a new love story, a new model. Petra’s telltale sobs showed her grasp of Bruce’s tell. After all, loving Bruce was a gamble. The change of model in the sculpture showed his change of heart. Petra was from a foreign country, I never paid much attention where. My kids interacted with her, and she welcomed them with kindness. In tandem, Leslie and I passed her the tissues.
Petra took both tissues we offered and her lips moved in a quiet whisper; the words were obviously meant for Leslie, though I could discern they were, “I am sorry”
My daughter, Clair, had always lived up to the dual meanings of her name; clear and famous. Clair could see things with great clarity, and she could convey them as such. I could only assume that she knew the ex-wives belonged together, ‘for closure and forgiveness’ as she had said.
Clair’s modeling career had started in her teens at her insistence; she was not pushed nor did anyone suggest she should model. She knew she was very attractive, and she knew she could convey her beauty and charm to an audience, a photographer, a camera.
Her modeling spun into acting. She was as natural on a screen as on a stage. It came to her with ease, though she was happy to take classes and learn. My Aaron is also successful, but he is a behind-the-scenes sort of person. I took great pride in knowing that I had always been a good mother. I had known how to allow my children to forge their own paths.
Not everything in my life succeeded, but I was a success at being a mother. I recognized Bruce’s love shelf life because I had one of my own, with a trail of the remains of ended marriages or relationships. Mine perhaps more impressive than Bruce’s.
I guess Bruce might have been the love of my life. But now in my mid-fifties, I questioned whether a spouse or companion had any viable use? I loved art, my passion, and although my work is not as popular or renowned as Bruce’s, I have achieved a certain level of success.
M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, the sixth of eight children, in a traditional Catholic family. From a very young age, she became obsessed with the story of her maternal grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo--mostly the story of how he died.
She spent her childhood in Mexico. When her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, she moved with her entire family to the United States. Catalina was already fluent in English, as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award, despite being the only one who had English as a second language in her class. In the D.C. suburbs she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland in 1977.
She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France, at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking (the Swedish kind, not the football player kind), Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish businesspeople. She then returned to the USA, where she has lived ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish.
Maria Catalina Vergara Egan is married and has one son who, together with their five-pound Chihuahua, makes her feel like a full-time mother. Although she would not call herself an astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in the subject M.C.V. Egan's new series DEFINING WAYS uses Astrology and other Metaphysical tools.
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The Bridge of Deaths ✯ 4covert2overt A Day In The Spotlight ✯ Is History The Agreed Upon Lie? ✯ Defining Ways
