Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 61
August 17, 2016
This is a Release Tour for THE HIRING FAIR by Laura Strickland
THE HIRING FAIR
part of The Wild Rose Press' "Help Wanted Series"
by Laura Strickland
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical Romance
Brutally dispossessed during the Highland Clearances, Tam Sutherland comes to the hiring fair at Oban, Scotland hoping to find a job for the season. But his maimed right hand, inflicted by the same cruel factor responsible for his parents’ deaths, means he’s one of few men available when the beautiful woman makes her surprising announcement: she’s looking not for a hand but a husband, not just for the season but forever.
Annie MacCallum is under threat from a brutal factor also, back at her home farm—one who preys on unmarried women. If she’s to protect all those who rely on her, including her beloved animals, she must have a husband, if only in name. Secretly glad when the attractive Tam takes up her proposition, she doesn’t realize she’s dragging him into a situation that will trigger old demons. Nor does she expect to give him her heart.
In a low tone he asked, “This marriage you ha’ in mind, will it be legal wi’ no banns being read?”
“Father Alban is an old friend of my uncle, and I ha’ spoken to him of this. He will accommodate me.”
“Aye, and what will your uncle think o’ this scheme of yours?”
“Very little, I imagine. He is dead.”
Sutherland contemplated that without comment.
St. Lyon’s church loomed ahead, appearing all at once out of the swirling snow. Annie turned to Jockie.
“You lead Old Rake round back and join us inside where you can get warm, eh?”
Jockie nodded and clattered off.
Annie turned to Sutherland and looked into his face, only to be struck again by how handsome he looked. But that had naught to do with anything, and she could not let it sway her good sense, not when she’d come so far.
“Before we go inside, I want to be sure I ha’ your understanding. This is no’ an ordinary marriage but something more in the manner of a hiring, which is why I came to the fair in the first place.”
He inclined his shaggy head toward her slightly. “A hiring wi’out wages. That is against the law, you do ken.”
She swept him with her gaze. “And are you a man to adhere to arbitrary laws? I confess, I did no’ get that impression.”
“And,” he returned, “are you a woman who needs to hire a husband?” He echoed her. “I confess, I did no’ get that impression.” He returned her stare, slow and attentive. “You are certainly bonnie enough to snare a husband the usual way.”
To her surprise, Annie felt a wave of heat course through her. “I do no’ want a usual kind o’ husband. I want one who will tak’ my orders and stay clear o’ my bed. Be sure you are that man before we go inside and speak these vows.”
One of Sutherland’s eyebrows quirked up. “I was right at the outset; you are mad.”
“So we ha’ already determined,” Annie agreed, beginning to grow edgy again. What if he refused at this late moment? Where would she find a substitute, with the market now deserted and the snow falling? Besides, she discovered she did not want a substitute; for reasons she did not quite understand, she wanted this man and no other.
“There is a story behind this,” he said mildly. “I confess, I would like to hear it.”
“Perhaps you shall, but not now—there is no time.” Annie drew a breath and sought to deny the fear rising inside her, the fear that he might walk away from her after all.
But that curious smile crossed his lips again.
“Are you coming wi’ me?” she pressed.
“It seems a damned clever way to secure the services of a farm worker whilst paying no wages,” he said. “But aye, for all that, I will come along wi’ you.”
Born in Buffalo and raised on the Niagara Frontier, Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. To her the spunky, tenacious, undefeatable ethnic mix that is Buffalo spells the perfect setting for a little Steampunk, so she created her own Victorian world there. She knows the people of Buffalo are stronger, tougher and smarter than those who haven’t survived the muggy summers and blizzard blasts found on the shores of the mighty Niagara. Tough enough to survive a squad of automatons? Well, just maybe.
August 16, 2016
This is a Release Blitz for A BATTERED BALL by Holly Barbo
A BATTERED BALL
Quick Reads Book 4
by Holly Barbo
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
There are many things little Azizi has to learn about, like how the destruction of war can force people out of their homes, or take away a father in a blink. But the most important lesson of all bounces around on the frayed edges of a ball...
The government soldiers chose a moonless night to strike the village. Baakir slept curled against his little brother in the dusty darkness. He woke as his mother touched his shoulder. “We must go. Now!”
The boy didn’t question but rose from the sleep mat and, waking his brother, lifted the child to his feet. There were sounds from the end of the village: a cacophony of harsh shouts and screams. He took Azizi’s hand and hurried to the doorway where his mother crouched, peering out. The flickering firelight from burning huts glinted on her face and the wire jewelry around her neck. Shadowed figures moved around the far huts, silhouetted against the destructive flames.
“Stay low and follow me.” She looked at her sons to see if they understood.
Both boys nodded.
Slipping a bundle onto her back and carrying a second, Kofi melted into the blackness. Baakir was close enough to touch her skirt but didn’t loosen his grip on little Azizi’s hand. The three became part of the moonless night as they dashed for the depression of the wadi and the deep grass beyond. Each knew they could be discovered at any second.
From the darkness of the shallow gully, the three watched as friends and neighbors were hauled out of the huts and, at gun point, were forced into a cluster in the village center. It was dangerous to linger too long. They couldn’t help their friends.
Kofi motioned to her two small sons and, crouching low, the family moved through the deepest part of wadi. During the rainy season the wadi held water, and at night some of the wild animals drank there, but now it was dry so that was one fear they didn’t need to face right away. The rounded rocks at the bottom of the dry stream bed shifted beneath their feet. If they stumbled now and twisted an ankle they would be found, and Kofi feared what would happen to them.
Step by careful step, they made as much haste as was possible. Within ten minutes, the gully ended and the earth rose steeply. Kofi pushed Baakir up the sloughing bank to the top. Picking up little Azizi, she held him as high as she could and whispered instructions to the youngster. Arms above his head, he was in reach of his older brother, who pulled the child to the top. They lay flat on the ground as Kofi sought hollows for her hands and feet, only to have the bank crumble under her weight. They could still hear gunshots and an occasional scream from the direction of the village. Struggling, her breath choppy with her frantic efforts, she finally managed to get her shoulders over the rim and pull herself up.
She hadn’t been this way in about nine years and never at night. Hugging her sons, she whispered her praise, “You are very brave. I’m so proud of you, and I know your dad would be, too.” She stroked their cheeks. “You’re tired but we can’t stop here.”
Hugging little Azizi, Baakir asked, “Where are we going, Mom?”
“We’re going to my childhood home. I still have family there, and it is away from much of the fighting. We’ll be safer there, I think. It is several days away. Come. We need to find a place to rest.”
She got to her feet and, picking up her bundles, she helped her children stand. One more loving touch and a smile for both children and she was moving again. Baakir heard the throaty grourff of a hunting lion in the distance to his left and, swinging little Azizi onto his back, quickened his pace, to be within touching distance of his mother.
At dawn, they hollowed a place in the tall grass. Azizi slid off his back as Baakir sank to his knees. Within minutes, both little boys were curled up and sound asleep, the tears on Azizi’s cheeks drying to leave salt trails that glistened in the morning light.
Holly's world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the natural world and an irrepressible creative drive. She has always been curious and sees life through questions. These four characteristics color her writing voice and her stories frequently evolve from her asking "What if....?" Her tales tend to have non-urban settings with nature contributing to the plot, building discordant themes inside a seemingly peaceful refrain.
Her motto: Weaving Alternative Worlds with Threads From Today.
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This is a Release Tour for SEEKING HOPE by J.M. Maurer.
SEEKING HOPE
Book 3 of the Emerging From Darkness series
by J.M. Maurer
GENRE: contemporary romance 18+
I’d been given promises in the past, all of which were broken.
Inevitably, they broke me.
I wouldn’t let those broken promises stop me from believing in new ones, though.
I couldn’t.
Matthew Moi was different.
His dimpled smile and witty sexual banter has held me spellbound since day one.
Falling in love with him came easy.
Marrying him—a dream come true.
Now, he wants something I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for.
As I struggle, he faithfully remains at my side.
Through it all, his protective nature shields me from an evil I didn’t see coming.
Together, we have it all—love, passion, trust.
Apart, the possibilities are endless, even death.
For the first time in a long time, I had an itch to do something ridiculous—two things, in fact. One was the reason I was sitting in the back of a musty old van. The other might just be the solution to my Holly problem.
At least I hoped so, because while my mind should have been racing with thoughts of my upcoming wedding, it wasn’t. Instead, I was thinking of my best friend. Problem was, no matter how I launched my plan to help Holly move beyond her commitment issue with Burdick, it wasn’t going to go over well. And the more I thought about her, the more I dreaded the growing possibility of a headache. I’d just gotten over a nasty headache and was now attempting to shake off the likelihood of another when the van rolled to a stop and the driver’s voice muttered in the distance.
“We’re here.”
Okay, Jess. You’ve got your plan and it’s a good one.
I was about to remind myself to stick to said plan when the driver hopped out and moved to my side of the van, his open door ushering in a blast of autumn air that chilled my skin. I shivered and scooted to the edge of my seat, waiting for what was to come next. The shrill of metal sliding over metal pierced my ears as the door slid open, and rough skin wrapped a secure hold on my wrist. This was it.
“End of the line.” His gruff tone registered somewhere between the brief time it took him to pull me out and when his tall, burly features came into full view. He snickered as I pulled the hem of my pullover down and worked to smooth it out. Judging by the way his eyes scanned up my body, I presumed his outburst had everything to do with my appearance. After all, this was the first time I’d pieced together an outfit for such an outdoorsy occasion. Eventually, he calmed and took my hand, turning it palm up. “You don’t want to forget this.”
Instinctively, my fingers clasped a tight grip around the cold steel as I stood, staring down at the black metal, hoping I’d do it right. I’d never held a gun before. They all made me nervous. Fact was, with a gun in the wrong hands, things could quickly turn ugly.
I knew all about ugly.
Drawing my attention his way, the driver stretched a tattooed arm, pointed a finger, and then offered his last words of advice. “Never give up.”
I swallowed back a lump of fear, absorbing a deeper meaning of the phrase, and took off running. For what seemed like forever, I ran up and down hills, climbed over a few sizeable rocks, jumped a tiny brook, and pushed forward until I needed to recharge and bring my thoughts back into focus.
At best guess, I’d been in the woods for several hours, alternating between steady jogs in the direction I was supposed to go and quick respites to catch my breath. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was, but as far as I could see, there was nothing but dense forest—and me. Panting, I leaned against a tree and listened to the rustle of withered leaves moving with the breeze.
One thing was comforting: I hadn’t run into anyone. Yet.
Crack.
SEEKING LOVE
One thing I knew: I wasn’t that woman anymore. I wouldn’t be her anymore.
Three years after a bitter divorce, Jessica Winters isn’t sure she’s ready—or capable—to move on. The thought of another relationship terrifies her, but things quickly change when she meets the playfully witty and handsome sex therapist Matthew Moi. At first, she tries to ignore him, but something in the way he levels his sultry gaze on her awakens her soul.
Secretly in love with Jessica, Matthew has been giving her the space she needed to heal. Incapable of waiting any longer and eager to work his way into her broken heart, he seizes an opportunity to have their paths cross. But when her painful past resurfaces, revealing truths that threaten their future, Matthew must prove to Jessica that a shot at true love is worth the risk.
SEEKING REDEMPTION
After surviving a bitter divorce and emerging from a darkness that became all too familiar, Jessica finds herself on top of the world, her soulful awakening allowing her to feel again, trust again, and even love again. Her painful past, however, is relentless, both physically and emotionally, bombarding her daily and not allowing her to overcome the lingering demons that ultimately control her life.
As Matthew lovingly guides her toward a healthy future, his own secrets become known, threatening to destroy the trusting relationship that had quickly grown between them. But despite what life throws her way, Jessica pledges to put the past in the past, accepting that events are often out of her control. She fights for a future with the man who drew her out of the darkness, steering her onto a healing path . . . seeking redemption.
J.M. started working as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit where she cared for critically ill children, transported them from outlying hospitals, and even picked up overtime hours treating patients of all ages while inside a hyperbaric chamber. Holding a Bachelor's degree in nursing, she loves to write about strong characters and their struggles in life. Her books explore themes of revenge, redemption, and hope along with the intrigue of true love, sex, and marriage.
An incurable romantic with a penchant for dark chocolate and red wine, no matter what trials or tortures her characters face, love will always prevail . . . because, after all, what's better than a happily-ever-after?
When not writing, you can find her spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, or attempting most any sport. She resides in Chicago with her husband and son.
August 15, 2016
This is a Release Tour for CHASED BY LOVE by Melissa Foster
CHASED BY LOVE
Love in Bloom: The Ryders
by
New York Times & USA Today bestseller Melissa Foster
The Ryders are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.
"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely
In CHASED BY LOVE...
Actress Trish Ryder takes her job seriously and has no time for those who don't. When she's awarded a major role in a new movie featuring America's hottest rock star, Boone Stryker, she's beyond excited. The six-two, tattooed hunk of burning desire is known for his dedication to his craft--but when he ditches their first meeting, she begins to wonder if he's just another rocker with a great PR team.
Sex, booze, women, and music pretty much sum up Boone Stryker's private world. He's coasted through life playing by his own rules with plenty of people willing to cover his tracks, and he's not likely to change--until he meets a woman who refuses to give him the time of day, much less anything more.
Sparks fly from the first moment Trish and Boone meet--Tensions run hot and desire runs hotter when they're trapped together on a remote location with no place to hide. Will sparks ignite, or will a hurricane douse the flames?
Unwilling to give him the upper hand, she flashed a haughty smirk and returned his assessment with a lecherous leer of her own, drinking in every inch of his athletic build, from his bulging biceps to the ripped abs evident beneath his clingy shirt, all the way to the formidable package at the juncture of his powerful thighs. She lingered there, brazenly licking her lips.
He leaned in close—so close she thought he might kiss her. And damn it to hell, she wanted him to. Lust and challenge pulsed between them, thick and alive like a third heart.
As the daughter of a world-renowned fashion designer, Addison Dahl enjoyed a privileged life attending the most sought after parties, traveling around the world, and having anything she wanted. Until she broke free and went against her father's wishes, needing to prove to herself--and to him--that she could make it on her own. Now she's ready to take her adventures in a new direction and sets her sights on roughing it in the wilderness.
Jake Ryder followed in his father's footsteps as a top search and rescue professional. He spends his days saving those in need and his nights in the arms of willing women who offer nothing more than a few hours of sexual enjoyment. Just the way he likes it.
When Jake's sister-in-law calls and reports her best friend missing, it's up to Jake to find her and bring her home. But Addison isn't lost, and she sure as hell isn't going to be told what to do by an ornery mountain man with whom she'd spent one torrid night after her best friend's wedding. Jake has never left anyone behind--will Addison be his first failed rescue?
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. 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 and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
August 13, 2016
This is a Pre-order Tour for ACADIA'S REVENGE by Tracy Ellen
ACADIA'S REVENGE
Undying Love Series - Book 2
by Tracy Ellen
Genre: Science Fiction/Apocalypse Romance
Acadia King never imagined the catastrophic event she’d diligently planned years for would be an infection turning normal people into rabid crazies, nor had she ever thought surviving a global pandemic would be easy. But now that the worst nightmare has happened, Acadia is damn sure defending her home against the homicidal infected is her number one priority. Nowhere near the top of that priority list is her personal issue of a younger football player inexplicably proclaiming his love, even if he's the hottest man left on earth. Acadia's stubborn determination to ignore her personal feelings for Rod works, but then tragedy strikes. Tryg Johnson, the psychopathic leader of the Iron Fists biker gang, is back and proves he'll do anything to get revenge on Acadia.
Now Acadia is all about getting personal!
Wrapped tightly in Rod’s strong arms, I pretended nothing existed but us. There were no problems--not the infected, not the refugees littering my farm, not the gap of a dozen years in our ages, and not Rod’s sweet, if idiotic, declaration of love after knowing me less than one day.
Try as I might, I couldn’t pretend for long. At this point, life was nothing but problems, and the problems weren’t going away anytime soon. Regardless what I’d said in my little speech, I knew in my gut life was about to get much worse for us all.
Even if I wished it could be different, I’m also too practical to believe in love at first sight. Rod can use any facile arguments he wants to try and convince me otherwise, but I highly doubt he’ll succeed.
Still, when Rod lowered his mouth to mine, I lost myself in his kisses. My desire for him roared back to life with every lick of his talented tongue. In seconds, his mouth brought me to that hazy place where nothing matters except getting our hands all over each other, and the throbbing need begging to be fulfilled between my legs.
This wasn’t love, but lust.
Now lust I’ve got no complaints about.
Lust feels freaking wonderful.
I’ve missed lust in my life.
Rod gave my ass a decisive slap, and I yelped in surprise, jumping away from him.
Glaring, I rubbed my stinging butt cheek. “What the heck was that for?”
“I wanted a little hug before we left, was all.” Rod grinned, his teeth a flash of white in the shadows. “Listen, my precious, sex-starved pixie,” he reached out and ruffled my short hair, “as much as I look forward to our next five seconds of lovemaking, especially if it’s you mounting me against a barn wall in public, we need to go get that highway cleared.”
“Oh my God, will you let it go already?” I whispered fiercely, knocking his hand away.
I swiveled my head to be sure we hadn’t been overheard, even as I blushed at the reminder of my behavior in the shower. After that performance, Rod had to believe I was a head case. My emotions had been all over the place. At his teasing reminder, I was mortified all over again.
“Sure, in about ten years or so.” He shook his head and whistled softy. “That ass of yours? It seriously does things to me, woman.”
At the sound of his low laughter, I was thankful for the dark night surrounding us to hide the fiery heat flooding my cheeks.
“You had to go and ruin this moment, didn’t you?” I accused while walking away in the direction Sean had taken.
Not that I could blame Rod for his gloating. I’d jumped on him in the shower, rode the man for all of fifteen seconds (not five!) like there was no tomorrow, which for all we knew there wouldn’t be, experienced an orgasm so intense the top of my head still felt blown off, and then left him alone in there. Talking about bad manners, I hadn’t even cared if he got off or not.
“Me ruin a moment?” Falling in beside me and throwing a comradely arm over my shoulders, Rod drawled, “You’re the one who hopped away faster than a scared, nakey bunny.”
Okay, so maybe jumping off him and running out of the bathroom without even drying off hadn’t been the most dignified of exits, but comparing me to a scared, nakey bunny was harsh.
“Sorry I didn’t dawdle on your knee,” I bit out, flinging off his arm. “I thought it was more important Bobby heard it from me, and not Uncle Coop, that I’d killed his stupid father.” I raised my voice over his laughter, “As well as show my supposedly dead face at the first meeting of everyone gathered on King Farm.”
I started to walk away, but Rod grabbed my shoulders and swung me to face him.
“You were running away from your feelings.” He made the statement in his quarterback voice that brooked no opposition, tipping my chin up with a knuckle. At my stony stare, he laughed again, but softer, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “I’ve got my work cut out for me, don’t I, teaching you how it all works?”
I watched him warily. “How what all works?”
He sighed and tapped my chin with a long finger. “Acadia, if you think that was my knee you were dawdling on, you’ve got a lot to learn about sex.”
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The first book in the Undying Love Series, Acadia’s Law is a thrilling story on the eve of the zombie apocalypse.
Ask yourself: How would YOU survive an epidemic?
Acadia King is a young widow about to discover her inner badass when she is suddenly faced with answering this question, and in ways she could have never dreamed possible at the start of her evening. It has been two long years since the death of her husband. Caving to the pressure from her good friends to go on a blind date, Acadia’s plan for a night of simple pleasure is about to get complicated. Not only does Acadia meet a younger, impossibly hot football player named Rod, but the hotel is host to much more than a fun Casino Night. A viral epidemic that turns people into homicidal crazies has begun to sweep across the Twin Cities and the hotel bar erupts into a savage battleground. Acadia and Rod, along with Rod’s two offensive linemen and a blonde groupie, barely escape with their lives. Acadia, having no other choice, reluctantly leads the group back to her home on King Farm.
Overnight, the epidemic tears loose the thin veneer of civilization. Threatened on all sides, Acadia silently vows to protect the family and friends she has left. Her promise is put to the test immediately, but the infected are not the only battle Acadia, Rod, and the other survivors on King Farm will have to fight against. When greed, betrayal, and lawless chaos start to rule, Acadia finds out being tough is one thing, but does she have the skills and strength to be the leader their small band needs to survive? Or will it cost more than she has to give?
*Acadia’s Law is meant to entertain adult audiences.
Tracy Ellen was born in Indiana to middle-class parents, the third out of five hellions. She often used her supernatural powers to compel her family members to listen to her talk and tell stories. When that tough crowd laughed of their own free will, Tracy knew the world would someday, somehow be her stage. Now she’s a full-time writer living her dream. Tracy’s resided in the Midwest her whole life--in a small town, on a farm, and in the big city. Currently, she lives in the suburbs of St Paul, Minnesota with her husband and family. Stay in touch by checking out Tracy’s website, and then signing up for her monthly newsletter to be notified of new books coming your way, giveaways, and exclusive content. She also has a fetish about giving fun surprise gifts to her lovely newsletter members every edition. (Hint: She hopes that entices you to her website.)
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This is a Release Blitz for SPIRIT OF THE KING by Bruce Blake
SPIRIT OF THE KING
Khirro's Journey Book 2
by Bruce Blake
GENRE: Epic Fantasy
A shattered vial. A failed journey. Two spirits joined as one.
An army of dead men led by a sorceress with an unquenchable lust for power occupies the kingdom of Erechania. The kingdom's traitor-king seeks to redeem himself, but the sorceress has stolen his son, his last reminder of the wife he lost. Neither the king nor his enemy can know the importance of the role the child will play.
The Necromancer's last act of magic joined a fallen king's spirit with Khirro's, making him the vessel carrying the kingdom's hope. But the haunted land of Lakesh, the outlaw city of Poltghasa, and the enemy country of Kanos lie between him and his homeland. Dangerous creatures and murderous men seek to end his quest, but he is also stalked by something far deadlier:
An assassin he once loved.
The giant kicked a sheet of sand at his face; Khirro averted his eyes and dove aside, concentration broken by the club thumping the sand where he’d just stood.
“I need help here, Athryn!”
The magician answered, but Khirro didn’t hear his words as the wooden club scraped across his breast piece. He ducked and dodged. Sweat ran down his face as he searched for an opening to get to the beast without forfeiting his life in the process. The Mourning Sword cut the air with no more success than the first time, but the giant hesitated, giving Khirro a second’s respite from attack. He struck a third time, blade glancing ineffectively off the giant’s weapon, but it gave him a moment’s satisfaction for his steel having touched something.
The giant roared its ear-splitting war belch and renewed its attack, spinning Khirro about and forcing him back toward the edge of the forest. Beyond the creature and its swirling club, he glimpsed Athryn stripped to the waist, gesturing and chanting before the giant’s massive body blocked his view.
“Athryn!”
Another barely-avoided blow sent Khirro to the sand. He held the Mourning Sword up knowing he wouldn’t be able to deflect a blow, and that one direct hit would be enough to end the fight, likely his life. The giant was too strong. What a fool he’d been to think he could hold off the beast on his own.
Why isn’t Athryn helping?
The giant loomed beyond his sword’s reach, a string of saliva hanging from its lips like a dog left unfed for weeks. Khirro tensed, hoping to somehow survive the attack, but instead of raining another blow down on him, the giant stopped, listened.
Foreign words floated to Khirro on the sea breeze, words he didn’t recognize but he knew meant Athryn was casting a spell. The giant also seemed to realize what the words were for.
Khirro scrambled to stand, feet slipping in the loose sand, but the creature pushed him back with the tip of his club, knocking breath from his lungs in the process and leaving him no choice but to watch the giant set his club aside and pick up a boulder bigger than the first. It hoisted the stone above its head, bending its elbows like a living catapult.
“No,” Khirro wheezed. “Athryn.”
After all that had happened during their journey, and despite being a soldier in the King’s Army, Khirro still didn’t considered himself a warrior or think he possessed a killer’s instinct, but he realized this might be his last chance to prove to himself he could be.
As the giant heaved the boulder, Khirro leaped up, lungs desperate for air. The Mourning Sword glowed red in anticipation of the blood to come, the radiance brightening as Khirro sank the blade’s tip into the beast’s lower back. The giant howled and jerked away, sending Khirro tumbling back, but not before he’d embedded the sword to its hilt, skewering kidney and lung and heart.
Khirro dug his hands into the sand and pulled himself out of the thrashing beast’s path. The giant stumbled, reaching around in an attempt to grasp the sword’s hilt, its fingers brushing it without finding a hold. It spun a circle like a dog chasing its tail, but the damage proved too much, and the beast dropped to his knees. The ground shuddered under its weight when it pitched forward, face first into the sand, a trickle of blood seeping from the wound in its back.
A kingdom torn by war.
A curse whispered by dying lips. A hero born against his will. Khirro never wanted to be anything more than the farmer he was born to be, but a Shaman's curse binds him to the fallen king and his life changes forever. Driven by the Shaman's dying words, Khirro's journey pits him against an army of the dead, sends him through haunted lands, and thrusts him into the jaws of beasts he wouldn't have believed existed. In one hand he carries the Shaman's enchanted sword, a weapon he can barely use; in the other he holds a vial of the king's blood, the hope of the kingdom. His destination: the Necromancer's keep in the cursed land of Lakesh. Only the mysterious outlaw magician can raise the king from the dead to save them all from the undead invasion, but can Khirro live long enough to deliver the vial?
Can a coward save a kingdom?
Bruce Blake lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. When pressing issues like shovelling snow and building igloos don't take up his spare time, Bruce can be found taking the dog sled to the nearest coffee shop to work on his short stories and novels.
Actually, Victoria, B.C. is only a couple hours north of Seattle, Wash., where more rain is seen than snow. Since snow isn't really a pressing issue, Bruce spends more time trying to remember to leave the "u" out of words like "colour" and "neighbour" than he does shovelling (and watch out for those pesky double l's). The father of two, Bruce is also the trophy husband of a burlesque diva.
This is a Giveaway Tour for the CRAZY LADY AUTHORS PADDED PALACE GIVEAWAY
CRAZY LADY AUTHORS PADDED PALACE GIVEAWAY
USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Theriot (pronounced Terrio) hails from the Great State of Texas. She is a career woman, working as CFO of a Texas based real estate investment firm. She felt something was missing and discovered her passion for writing--mostly at night and on weekends.
Jennifer took a chance that there could be an interest in romance with middle aged couples who are finding themselves at a crossroads and wrote her debut novel Out of the Box Awakening, a steamy contemporary romance, featuring an older female heroine which centers on the hope of finding happiness and passion through unexpected heartache. It emphasizes the need for family and friends. She characterizes her books as 'Grownup Romance from the Other Side of 30'
In her limited spare time Jennifer enjoys being outdoors; preferably somewhere on a beach curled up with a good book. Spending time with family and friends, watching a baseball game and enjoying a good bottle of wine are usually on her to-do lists. Jennifer has three grown children and is also 'MiMi' to four beautiful grandkids - all of whom she adores.
Enjoying San Francisco as a backdrop, the ghosts in USA Today Bestselling Author Diane Rinella's one hundred and fifty-year old Victorian home augment the chorus in her head. With insomnia as their catalyst, these voices have become multifarious characters that haunt her well into the sun's crowning hours, refusing to let go until they have manipulated her into succumbing to their whims. Her experiences as an actress, business owner, artisan cake designer, software project manager, Internet radio disc jockey, vintage rock 'n' roll journalist/fan girl, and lover of dark and quirky personalities influence her idiosyncratic writing.
Amazon ✯ Website ✯ Facebook (author) ✯ Facebook (personal) ✯ Goodreads ✯ Tsu ✯ Twitter ✯ Google+ ✯ Newsletter ✯ Bookbub
Meet author Cherime MacFarlane. A prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her, been there-done that, life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination.
I came to Alaska kicking and screaming in 1976, and I never want to leave. I cut firewood on shares for money to get through the winter. I swore I would not live above the Alaska Range because it was too cold there and wound up in the Copper River Basin where it got just a cold as Fairbanks.
My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I experienced hearing it from my in-laws. When my husband got on the phone to Scotland after five seconds, I could hardly understand a word. I was my second husband's chief mechanic's helper and roadie.
I live in a cabin which is slowly being surrounded by the city and wish I was further out. My two cats and Husky-Collie mix dog are happy in our little slice of heaven called Alaska. In the silence of winter dreams of people and places provide a rich pool of ideas to delve into.
Michele E. Gwynn is a Multigenre Author of Crime/Detective books, Sci-Fi/Horror books, and Paranormal/Supernatural books in San Antonio. She previously wrote for newspapers, magazines, and online websites like Examiner.com (under the categories of Film, Animal Rights, and Sex and Relationships), Alwayz Therro Magazine, FashionErotica Digital, and more. 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! As if that weren't enough, she has published adult short stories under the pen name Xaviera Snow. LIKE the Amazon Author Page for Xaviera.
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. This is the town where she grew up, and it is also the focal location for the second book in the Harvest Trilogy, Celluloss (Strange name, stranger story).
Domestic engineer. Author. Burgeoning editor. And quite possibly certifiable. Believing every story can shine bright with a bit of tenacious tough love, R.E. Hargrave is thorough and to the point. An international bestselling author, she takes storytelling and manuscript polishing seriously, working with her authors and on her own creations to ensure they come to life, crawling from the pages and into the reader’s souls.
Hargrave lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX and is married to her high school sweetheart; together they are raising three children. A native 'mutt,' she has lived in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and California. She is fond of setting her stories—which range from the sweet to the paranormal, to the erotic and horrific—on location in South Carolina and Texas.
Nikki Lynn Barrett I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.
Amazon ✯ FaceBook ✯ Facebook: Nikki's Book Nook ✯ Facebook: Nikki's Book Stormers ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Blog ✯ Bookbub
New York Times Bestselling Author Jami Brumfield has a passion for the paranormal, supernatural, and mythological worlds for most of her life. She believes there is a kernel of truth in every story and loves playing detective to discover what that hidden truth is. She has written most of her life. She started with poems and short stories, then graduated to journalism working for online websites. It was only a natural progression that her love of writing and her passion for the unknown would combine. Her books are a product of that union. She lives in Arizona with her amazing husband and two fur-babies, Maximus and Zeus.
NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Melanie James writes steamy paranormal romances, paranormal comedy, and contemporary romance books. Her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies will keep you coming back for each new book in a series and her erotic contemporary romances will have you reaching for the ice. With over 25 books to choose from you are sure to find many additions to your romance library. Melanie is married to a wonderful man who supports her dreams and goals. She has two children, three step-children, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and an adorable grand-baby.
As a child, USA Today Bestselling Author, Teri Riggs, made up her own bedtime stories. When her children came along, Teri always tweaked the fairy tales she told her daughters, giving them a bit more punch and better endings when needed.
Now she spends her days turning her ideas into books. She lives in Marietta, GA with her husband.
She writes romantic suspense.
Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough is the author of the Porter Kingston Series. Lost and Found is her first published novel in this series. Other books in the series are Found By Love (Book 2), Found at Last (Book 3) and her recently released book, Eden's Kiss (Book 4).
Jennifer also writes under the name J B Yarbrough for teens. You can check out her short story under that name, The Tree House, on Amazon.com.
Jennifer currently resides in Oklahoma where she was born and raised and lives with her husband and 3 children. When she isn't writing she is spending time with her family or reading and finding new authors to love.
Kelly Cozzone was born in New Martinsville, WV. After spending 15 years in Myrtle Beach, SC, she finally made it back to her adopted hometown, Austin, TX.
When Kelly isn't writing the mystery stories she loves, she is following her beloved Texas Longhorns. An avid football fan, she spends her fall months rooting on her favorite teams.
In addition to being an author, Kelly writes for Examiner.com and shares her thoughts and stories that strike a chord in her on her blog. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Women.
Kelly has been happily married to her husband for 20 years and has three children who are her life.
This is a Review/Promo Tour for THE REAL YOU by RM Alexander
THE REAL YOU
by RM Alexander
Genre: Romantic Suspense
The world has their eye on A-list actor, Grey Richards. But when Paige Reeds goes to a location shoot in Detroit, she finds his brother, Kellen, far more captivating. The chance meeting grows into an unexpected friendship and an even more unpredictable romance. But when she quits her job to join him in LA, the consequences could be deadly.
Kellen Richards is used to the masks people wear and finds the what-you-see-is-what-you-get Paige refreshing. He doesn't know how, Kellen just knows he wants to be with her. But wealth and fame have dark consequences for his family, and keeping Paige safe from the people out to ruin the Richards won't be as easy as he expects.
✯✯✯✯Well done, Ms. Alexander!
By J. Rhoadeson Verified Purchase
When I started this story, I thought this was going to be a typical 'average looking girl meets handsome superstar, love ensues' type book. Boy, was I wrong. This is romantic suspense and it will take you on a roller coaster of smiles and tears as things come together and fall apart. The characters were engaging, the dialogue smooth, the feelings genuine, and the suspense, well, suspenseful. The romance is sweet, filled with emotion without the sex and a refreshing change from my usual fare. I enjoyed it tremendously, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment. Well done, Ms Alexander!
✯✯✯✯✯Must Read Clean Romance!!
By T. Lykinson
Wow!! This story had me glued from the first page. If you like romance with many twist and turns, this book is for you. So many twist and turns that you will never guess what's coming next and you will be on the edge of your seat the whole time. Paige and Kellan have this instant connection that even the reader can feel. Sometimes they mess up but when they get it right, you will be cheering them on. This is a clean romance story that will make you laugh, cry and feel the struggles each person goes through. So happy I got to read this book early. Everyone will love this story.
Amazon (audio) ✯ Amazon (Kindle) ✯ Amazon (paperback)
B&N ✯ Kobo ✯ Goodreads
RM Alexander is an author of Contemporary Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Thrillers.
With driven characters who suffer the worse kinds of betrayals, her novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.
When she's not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and fans.
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MoB Promotions
August 8, 2016
This is a promo tour for Alone by SM Ford
ALONE
by SM Ford
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job.
Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead?
Prologue
I know I should go to bed. But how can I? Instead I want to cry or scream or have some feminine fit to protest the reality of this evening and have someone sympathize with me or hold my hand or hold me in their arms . . . But I’m alone. Alone, as I’m afraid I’ll be the rest of my life. And there is no one to call. Simon is out of town and Mark . . . Mark is in jail.
Remembering the town’s small police station with its two cramped cells, I shudder. Each stark chamber is only six by eight feet. The bed, a concrete shelf covered by a thin plastic mattress. No chairs. In the corner behind a half wall are a lidless toilet and a miniature sink. The cells are only meant to be temporary holding tanks for drunks or lawbreakers of minor crimes. Not for an accused murderer. Not for Mark!
The clock strikes the hour: two in the morning. I’m pacing again. I force myself to stop. With a shaking hand I push an escaped strand of hair out of my eyes. The room is as cold as the snow falling outside. Maybe a cup of hot chocolate would help. I can’t go to sleep the way I am and I don’t know how to pray anymore.
I switch off the living room lamps and make my way to the kitchen. I’d forgotten what a disaster it is. The stove’s center island is littered with dirty coffee cups, a pile of limp tea bags on a saucer, crumpled napkins, spoons resting in untidy brown circles on the shiny surface. Mark had been hospitable to the men who’d taken him away. Fighting tears, I put the lid back on the instant coffee and screw it down tight.
I throw away the garbage, load the dishwasher, and put coffee and tea back in the cupboard. The dishrag is cold and soggy in the bottom of the sink. I rinse it with warm water and go to work on the stains on the cream-colored counter top. Maybe the harder I scrub, the better I’ll be able to block out the images in my mind of the body in its pool of blood in the study . . . and of Mark put in handcuffs and marched out to the waiting police car.
Amazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ Smashwords ✯ Goodreads
SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too.
When she was 13 she got hooked on Mary Stewart's romantic suspense books, although she has been a reader as long as she can remember, and is an eclectic reader. Inspirational authors she enjoys include: Francine Rivers, Bodie Thoene, Dee Henderson, Jan Karon, and many more.
SM Ford is a Pacific Northwest gal, but has also lived in the midwest (Colorado and Kansas) and on the east coast (New Jersey). She and her husband have two daughters and two sons-in-law and three grandsons. She can't figure out how she got to be old enough for all that, however.
She loves assisting other writers on their journeys.
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MoB Promotions
This is a Promo Boost for Cocktails and Lies by Lynette Sofras
COCKTAILS AND LIES
by
Lynette Sofras
Genre: Cozy Mystery
When Hannah’s house is burgled, she gains as much as she loses: she meets Jan, her reserved Dutch neighbour and successful antiques dealer, and Callum, the detective in charge of the case, then finds some hidden letters to her dead grandmother that take her on an emotional journey of discovery.
As Hannah juggles the attentions of the two men now firmly in her life, she works to uncover the secrets of the past, only to find these encroach on the present in unexpected ways.
And then there are the two men in her life, both vying for her attention, both hiding things from her and each other. What does Callum really know about Jan? What is Jan hiding from everyone? And what did her grandmother—whose house it once was—hide from the world?
As if Hannah doesn’t have enough mysteries to solve, her best friend Rachel enlists her help in solving her marital crisis, while her pleasure-seeking mother seems intent on finding her a husband.
With so many skeletons rattling the door of Hannah’s house, can she unravel these mysterious threads and reveal the truth, changing her life forever?
“Have you seen any more of your Good Samaritan neighbour?”
I caught the hint of sarcasm in his tone.
“No, but then, as you no doubt established, he probably has a better view of my house from his balcony than I do of his apartment.”
He raised an eyebrow and I’m sure I detected a fleeting spark of amusement in his light brown eyes. “The reason I ask is that I understand his auction house has a substantial art deco collection catalogued in the next public auction. If I’m right, that’s scheduled for next Wednesday. I thought he might have told you, in case you wanted to replace some of your stolen items.”
The sting hit like a double whammy. In the first place, hearing this from him, rather than Jan hurt, and the second pain—a more prolonged ache—was the guilt at not protecting my grandmother’s treasures better. I felt I’d lost a part of her that I wish I could have preserved. Replacing her material legacy was not high on my agenda, but no one seemed to understand that. The house felt that bit emptier without them, but replacing them with similar items would not make that any better. I needed the original items back, not copies. And that’s when it struck me.
Grandma’s stolen pieces were not the sort of items that were going to be melted down and made into a different form. They weren’t great works of art, but they were genuine collectors’ items that had value to someone in the art world. My grandmother had left them to us, to my mother, my sister and me with love. They belonged here, in Grandma’s house and that’s exactly where they should be returned. Now I had a mission, to hunt down my grandmother’s legacy item by item, and return everything to its rightful place.
………………….
I sat back in my seat, gave my upper lip a surreptitious swipe with my finger to make sure there was no froth on it, and looked into his friendly eyes.
“Perhaps I never really felt a sense of ownership to my grandmother’s belongings. The burglars didn’t take anything of mine—not that I have that much that would interest them anyway, or anything to which I have any great attachment. As you pointed out, they left a fairly valuable ring behind, so all they wanted was Grandma Elouise’s stuff. She had some lovely antiques and art deco pieces. I might never have bought them myself, but she left them in my custody when she left me her house, so it’s like I’ve let her down by allowing them to be stolen. And that’s what makes me angry. Does that make any sense to you at all?”
He sat watching me for quite a while, before picking up his cup and taking another swig of coffee. At last, he nodded. “Yes, I think so. But I also think a burglary invokes a kind of grieving process, and you’re still very much in the early stages of it.”
That made me laugh out loud. “I’m familiar with the stages of grieving. I deal with grief a lot in my line of work, remember. I’m not grieving; I’m just furious that some low-life broke into my house and stole my grandmother’s treasures. And I want to get them back. That’s all there is to it.” I knew anger was the second stage of the grieving process, but so what?
He smiled, not in the least offended by my outburst and asked in what sounded like a teasing voice, “And do you have an M.O.?”
I shrugged again. That’s not a habit I want to develop, since I've always considered it looks uncouth. “Not a definitive one, as yet. But I have a mother with the nose of a bloodhound, a friend who deals in antiques, another friend with contacts in the seedy criminal underbelly and a loss adjuster’s absolute best friend, the Internet.”
When he laughed, I couldn’t help noticing his good teeth. Nice and white and even. “So I’m your friendly neighbourhood copper now, am I?” he asked.
“Hmm… maybe. I’m working on it, anyway.”
A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, usually involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. Her first novel was an award winning contemporary romance, ‘The Apple Tree’. Amongst her other titles are 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller, ‘Shopping for Love’, a contemporary romance, and 'The Nightclub' a romance packed with suspense. ‘Cocktails and Lies’ is her first cozy mystery. You can find more details of her novels on her website.
