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#IABBAddict: Passing on Faith by A. M. Leibowitz

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About the Book

Author: A. M. LeibowitzTitle: Passing on Faith

Pages: 276

Genre: General Fiction, LGBT

Date published: November 1, 2015

Synopsis:

Following his father’s death, Micah Forbes believes he can finally put the family who rejected him and their religious bigotry behind him. In a cruel twist, his older brother calls to tell him he’s inherited their father’s abandoned vacation home.

Micah discovers the house comes complete with a long list of repairs, boxes full of family secrets, and a handful of quirky neighbors. Despite not wanting to get in too deep, he can’t help the spark of interest stirred when the sexy redhead next door offers his help. Everything about the enigmatic Cat Rowland throws Micah off-balance, from his gender-bending sense of fashion to his handy repair skills to his deep spirituality. Before long, Micah is swept up by Cat and his friends, but Cat himself keeps his heart carefully protected.

When Micah’s past and his present collide in a painful way, his self-destructive coping habits threaten to overwhelm him. To save himself, he needs to open his soul and let someone in. Cat has the key to unlock him, if he can let down his guard and trust his faith enough to catch Micah as he falls.

AMAZON // GOODREADS


Excerpt

Micah stared up at the old house. It was nicer than he’d remembered, at least on the outside—other than the overgrown lawn and garden. He wondered if there was a lawn mower in the shed. Then he wondered if there was a shed. Just one more thing to worry about. At least he had the entire summer to figure out what he did and didn’t have available to him.

His mind ran through all the possible scenarios of what could go wrong during his tenure there, from the house falling down around him to his friends having a crisis while he was unavailable. He tried not to imagine that the students renting his own home had merely been putting up a front and were actually throwing a wild party even as Micah stood on the front porch of the lake house. None of that would do; they were his way of finding excuses not to stay in Concordia.

While he was thinking about all of that, a voice behind him said, “Hey, there.”

Micah nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around slowly and came face-to-face with a gingery-blond young man. He was average height, perhaps an inch or two shorter than Micah, and had a wiry build. There was a dusting of freckles across his pale skin, and he had a row of small hoops down one ear. In the other ear, he wore a dangling earring that looked like some kind of leaf. He had on a trendy pair of black knee-length pants and a fitted white t-shirt with a rock band logo Micah didn’t recognize. His gray-green eyes were wide and held a spark of mischief, and his mouth curled upward in a charming smirk.

 

 Giveaway
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Inspiration and WIPs

When you are working on a creative project, what inspires you?

Is it music? Poetry? A good story?

When working on a story, I have a bit of a routine. I like to look for songs that just “fit” with the character or mood. I also like to waste large amounts of time finding photos for my characters. Pinterest, you are a total time suck.

When I was working on TANVITB, my little trio of Superfriends were already so vivid in my mind. To me, this is who they are:

But everyone has a different interpretation. I LOVE to see other people’s casting. Got someone in mind? Send it to me!

As far as music, I am really stuck on a couple of Vance Joy songs for my current project. Aiden’s playlist has been on repeat lately.

 

Which leads me to the WIP that I’ve been poking at for the last couple of months…

As a joke, I titled it Shenanigans, buuuut, it’s kind of sticking with me. Want to see a little bit?

The first chapter is up on Wattpad.

And I shared an unedited snippet on my facebook page. You should totally like the page while you’re there. ;-p

I’d love to hear what you think

#IABBAddict: Slither by Valarie Savage Kinney

 

Check out more information on #IABBAddicts here
Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions


About the Book

Author: Valarie SavageTitle: Slither

Pages: 217

Genre: Paranormal Horror

Publisher: Twisted Core Press

Date published: July 2, 2015

Synopsis:

We’re often told tales of the underworlds to feed the darkest corners of our nightmares. We tuck them away with the sunlight and laugh away the fear our minds created. But the daylight offers no relief for Zari. She’s hidden her waking nightmare as nothing more than a damaged past. The venom of her secrets consumes her, as well as those she cares for most. Emmett, the love of her life and the only one with a past dark enough to respect her space, becomes a pawn in the war against the demonic force which is her bloodright. Can Zari overpower those out to get her to feed on the innocent? Can she save Emmett from the evil of Slither?

AMAZON // GOODREADS


Excerpt

Zari clawed at her sister, Gianna, in a desperate attempt to escape. Gianna ran her forked tongue slowly across her upper lip. The slimy, berry-colored muscle dripped hot saliva onto Zari’s face as she turned away from Gianna’s menacing glare. “Please don’t make me watch! I don’t want to see this again!” Zari cried, curling into a ball on the hard, cold floor of the shed.Nan stomped on Zari’s stomach, anger flushing her grizzled features. “Listen, you little bitch. You will sit still and watch, or I will see to it your father beats you senseless…again. Remember the last time?” Zari did remember. She’d not been able to walk for two days after the last beating. The pain in her gut now was so great it knocked the air from her lungs as she wheezed.

Zari whimpered. Pain, shame and disgust clenched her stomach as the young man tied to the pallet in the corner screamed for mercy. Pop straddled the man, laughing as his prisoner frantically thrashed about. Nan and Gianna gripped Zari’s arms and forced her to a sitting position. Roughly grabbing her chin, Nan yanked her head forward. “Watch!” Nan hissed.The man’s body had stilled and dark, thick rivers of blood dripped from his mouth and nose down the side of his face. Pop’s mouth pressed against the lips of the stranger as the serpent fed. When her father finally rose, the snake slid back into his mouth and Pop wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. He met Zari’s gray-green eyes with his own, and grinned. His teeth were stained dark red.

Terror shook Zari’s bones, leaving her shivering as she raised her eyes to the scene in the corner of the shed. Pop ran his thumb over the lips of the man, who cried out once more but was quickly silenced when the snake burst forth from Pop’s mouth and slithered down the throat of the man, a drifter who had stopped by the farmhouse the day before, looking for work.Gianna’s split tongue flicked against Zari’s ear; the feel of the wet, dual points of it against her skin made Zari flinch. “Soon,” Gianna whispered, tracing the outer edge of Zari’s ear with her tongue. “Soon, it will be your turn to feed.” Pop shoved the limp body of the young man onto the pile of human shells stacked along the wall of the shed.Overwhelmed by the stench of blood and decaying flesh, Zari began to vomit. Vile chunks of rancid meat erupted from her mouth and bile burned her throat and nose as she heaved. Grimacing, she dragged the hem of her shirt across her mouth, resolving never to eat meat again.

 

About the Author

 

 

Valarie Kinney is a writer, fiber artist and Renaissance Festival junkie with a wicked caffeine addiction. She resides in Michigan with her husband, four children, and two insane little dogs. Author of Slither and Just Hold On. Editor and narrator for Dragons of Faith.

AMAZON // TWITTER // FACEBOOK // GOODREADS

Posted by J. Hooligan at 6:02 PM

#IABBAddict: Eternal Bloodthirst by S.J. Blackrose

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Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions


About the Book
 

Author: S. J. Blackrose

Title: Eternal Bloodthirst

Series: Blood Moon, #1

Pages: 270

Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance

Date published: August 16, 2015

Synopsis:

Every vampire has a soulmate, and once they find them, the clock starts ticking…

Vadym and Elyzaveta both know they are meant to be, but a series of betrayals and misunderstandings prevent them from being together. Even after almost a century, they are both too stubborn to give in. Because of this, Lilith, his queen, gives him a deadline. One he intends to ignore.

The sudden return of their enemy brings them back together in a way they never would have anticipated. A deadly threat forces them to leave their homes to start a new and safer life in a small town on the other side of the planet. Another unexpected tragedy makes her hate him all over again, and this time, she is not the only one.

When the most powerful witch in existence threatens their town and thus their lives, they know they have to find a way to kill her and her warlocks, and together, they just might be able to do so.

Vadym, leader of the Vampiri, now has to recover the love of his life as well as the love of his daughter. Not an easy task. What he doesn´t remember, is that it is only a matter of time until Lilith forces the deadline on them, threatening to kill the only woman meant for him…

Warning: this book will bite! It contains scenes of a graphic nature and is not intended for readers of less than 18 years. Read at your own discretion.

 
AMAZON // GOODREADS


Excerpt

I can’t ignore the order he has just given me. It has not been an explicit order, but I know him. If I ignore it, he will come to me and turn me around himself. I don’t want that. I don’t want him to touch me.

His unique scent is already wreaking havoc in me.

So I turn to face him. I cannot allow myself to react, but I lean against the door because my legs are shaking.

He has matured. He seems older, though Vampiri stop aging as soon as maturity is reached on our 30th birthday. His black hair is shorter than what it used to be and it seems to curl up by his nape. Oh what I’d give to thread my fingers… No! I can’t think like that.

It’s his birthday soon. He might think I won’t remember, but I do. I remember everything.

I don’t look him in the eyes, but the thick mane, the regal nose, those thick lips, that beard; they all make his face more than memorable. I feel my fangs throb; my body comes alive before his very presence.

This was a mistake.

I should have never come.

I’m going to go.

I turn around and try to open the door, which is locked. I hear the rumble of his laughter behind me.

“I do not remember you being such a coward, Ely.”

Furious, I turn back around.

“I’m not a coward; I just decided you do not deserve to be in my presence.”

His gray eyes sparkle with humor and his pursed lips tell me that he’s trying to hold his laughter.

My throat feels suddenly dry when I see he is wearing a sleeveless shirt, which is stuck to his body, outlining every muscle. His sweatpants show a bulge I remember well, and I quickly divert my eyes. Anyone would look ridiculous dressed like that, but Vadym makes it look like he’s modeling. My eyes wander back, unable to ignore the bulge that is growing larger before my very eyes.

Automatically, I look at his shoulder, Where after all these years, I see it again.

There it is.

Proof that we belong together.

The letter E.

My initial.

I feel weak. Fragile. Emotionally exhausted. But that mark reminds me I’m alive. He rolls his shoulders making my initial on his skin move as if it were something real.

I open my mouth. I can’t breathe.

Why do I still feel this?

 

 About the Author
 

S.J. Blackrose is the author of the new Paranormal Romance Blood Moon series. An avid reader since she can remember, her love for books eventually led her to make up her own stories and share them with friends.

For over two years she worked on writing paranormal fan fiction, as well as contemporary and erotic stories, until she felt like it was time for more. Now, she’s taking it a step further by diving into the Indie world with her debut novel, Eternal Bloodthirst.

Given her love for sexy Alpha male vampires, it’s no surprise that S.J. decided to write about these characters. Eternal Bloodthirst will be number one in the Blood Moon series and there is a lot more where that came from since she is already planning several more books in this series. There are also plans for other projects in the future.

S.J currently resides in La Linea, Spain with her boyfriend and their two crazy dogs. If you want to know more about her or her books, make sure to follow her on any of her social media pages. She loves to hear from her readers and you can connect with her via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or her website.
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#IABBAddict: 180 Days by T. E. Ridener

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Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions


ABOUT THE BOOK
 

Author: T. E. Ridener

Title: 180 Days

Pages: 268

Genre: Transgender Contemporary Romance

Date published: September 30, 2015

Synopsis:

Lydia McIntosh left her old life behind when she said goodbye to Prairie Town, North Carolina and started over halfway across the country with her beloved Gran; away from her family, away from everyone who knew the person she once was, and from the identity she never quite wanted in the first place. When her grandmother passes away, she returns home and while she only intends to stay for the funeral, her grandmother has other plans, from the grave. Her will states that Lydia must remain in Prairie Town for six months in order to give her family and her old town a chance to get to know the new her, the real her.

Lydia has had years to adjust to long hair, summer dresses, and nail polish, but she understands her family will need time to get reacquainted with a daughter they’ve never known and a sister they’ve missed terribly. Anticipating the worst, as she always has, Lydia’s feelings about her old town begin to change when she meets her brother’s best friend, Callum. Callum is kind and more accepting than she could have ever imagined and she’s falling for him.

When her 180 days are over, will she be able to say goodbye to the family she’s missed so much? Will she survive her mother’s endless intolerance? Can she really leave the man who acknowledges her past and still wants her?

AMAZON // GOODREADS




EXCERPT

Her laughter died down as she stared at him. “I want to, you know—to trust you. I really do.” “Then take a chance.” He whispered, gripping her chin lightly and tilting her head back. Inching forward, he waited for a sign, to continue, to back off. “I wish I could.” Moisture glistened in her eyes. “But it isn’t that easy and you know it. I fought really hard to get to this point in my life, Callum.” God, hearing his name fall from her lips was nothing short of heavenly. “You don’t have to fight alone anymore, Lydia. When I said I liked you, I meant it. I mean it. You’ve been so brave and courageous this whole time. What’s keeping you from taking another risk?” She sucked in a breath and released it in a shaky sigh. The distance between them was minimal and all it would take was one small movement to bring their lips together. His heart was thundering in his ears as he cradled her face between both hands and lowered his mouth to brush lightly against hers. She gasped, but didn’t pull away. However, feeling her lips tremble against his, Callum did. “You’ve never been kissed before, have you?” He asked, his voice husky from desire. He’d be lying if he said his jeans weren’t extremely tight at the moment. Lydia was gorgeous and his body had taken a quick liking to hers, but his parents had raised him to be a gentleman. “No,” she whispered. “Is that bad?” “No.” He replied, grinning. “It’s not bad, Lydia. I just want your first kiss to be one you’ll never forget.” She smiled the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen and her cheeks warmed beneath his touch. “I don’t really imagine it getting any better than that.” “You can’t be serious.” He blinked. “You think that was a real kiss?” “Well, no, but…” She lowered her head and her hair fell down, covering her face from his view. “I don’t really believe that Hollywood’s depictions of romance are accurate.” “Hollywood?” He laughed. Loud. “Sugar, this is the south. We don’t pull none of that Hollywood stuff around here.” Lifting her head until their gazes met, Callum leaned in and laid one on her she wouldn’t soon forget. Their lips molded together and if it was sloppy, he didn’t notice. The only thing he could focus on was how sweet and perfect her mouth felt against his. Absolute perfection.

 

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR




T.E. Ridener resides in the small community of Gray, Kentucky with her equally eccentric yet amazingly interesting family. Miss Ridener has written a handful of novels as well as various short stories during her career as a writer. When she is not writing, she enjoys listening to nearly every genre of music, watching movies, and spending time with her niece and nephew. Her greatest accomplishment to date has been The Blood Betrayal Series, with characters she dreamed up while she was still a teenager. She believes that the Blood Betrayal Series will go far one day, despite the overrating of vampires in the past few years. According to her, vampires will never go out of style even if their fashion choices do!




GIVEAWAY

Tell me if you’ve ever wanted to read a novel featuring a transgender character and why. I may just choose you to…

Posted by T. E. Ridener-Author on Tuesday, November 24, 2015

#IABBAddict: Turning Pages

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About the Book

 

The anthology will only be available through the first part of January 2016.

 

 

 

Title: Turning Pages

Pages: 152

Genre: Various (including romance, sci-fi, mystery, erotica)



Date published: January 9, 2015

Synopsis:

This is an anthology of short stories benefiting Literacy Lubbock, a charity that helps teach adults to read. Included in the anthology are seven stories about change. Several different genres are represented, so there’s something for everyone.

Peaceful Easy Feeling by Freedom Chevalier

The Firefly by Nina Ceves

R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal by Ava Morgan Brown

Luxury Suite by Gabe Franklin

The Scarlet Butterfly by Sinead White

Dismay by Janie E.M. Storer

Accused by Denise Malone

AMAZON // GOODREADS

Excerpt

Accused by Denise Malone

The day I graduated from college was supposed to be the best day of my life.  I’d completed 17 years of education.  I was supposed to be prepared for the rest of my life, but none of that education prepared me for my graduation day.  I was educated, free, and young, with prospects galore.  I had interviews to go on, contacts to make, networking to do, a stage to walk, and a diploma to collect.  I’d earned it.  I was looking forward to it.  But instead of graduating, I was spending my time in a police station, being questioned in the disappearance of my best friend and roommate of the last four years, and in the murder of my boyfriend; ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend as of the previous evening.

A mere 24 hours before, I was blissfully happy, but today was a different story.  My graduation was taking place while I was sitting in an interview room, handcuffed to the table, waiting for the police officer to come back into the room.

The door opened, and a relatively young, attractive man in a suit entered.  I wasn’t sure who he was.  For some reason, I was expecting the uniformed officer that arrested me to be there, but he wasn’t.

“Ms. Duncan?  I’m Detective Martinez,” he said, as he sat across the table from me.

“Please, call me Mags.  Everyone does,” I replied.  I would’ve offered him my hand to shake, but they were still cuffed to the table.

“Okay, Mags, do you know why you’re here?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.  My ex-boyfriend was murdered, and my ex-best friend is missing,” I replied, as I began crying.  The detective reached into his jacket, pulled out a little packet of tissues, and handed them to me.

“Thank you,” I managed between sobs.  Trying to wipe my eyes was difficult, so the detective stood and pulled his keys from his pocket.  He uncuffed me and left the keys on the table beside the handcuffs.  He pulled his jacket off and draped it over the back of his chair before sitting down again.  I wiped my eyes and blew my nose.  Then I rubbed each wrist where the handcuffs had been.  It felt good to be free of them.

“I understand the arresting officer read you your Miranda rights.  Is that correct?”

“Yes, sir.  He told me I didn’t have to say anything because it could and would be used against me in court.  And I haven’t done anything wrong, so I don’t need an attorney.  I don’t have anything to hide.”

“Okay.  You’ve lived with Courtney Mills for four years.  Is that correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you’ve dated Brandon Wade for those same four years?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then, why did you call them your ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend?” he asked.

 

 About the Charity
 
The first and foremost goal of Literacy Lubbock is to make a difference in as many people’s lives as possible. Literacy Lubbock is a Lubbock Area United Way Partner Agency. We strive to improve the lives for those who need adult education by offering Free of Charge classes or tutors in adult education. Our program includes GED, English as a Second Language, Dyslexia, Learning Difference, College Prep, Essay, Math and Reading Classes.

Literacy Lubbock was founded on the idea of helping those in need who are 18 or over. Ever since our organization was established, we have endeavored to provide help where the need is greatest.

Our class room teachers and tutors are made up entirely of volunteers. We advocate for those who need our help. Even a little help goes a long way.

That is why we are especially happy to find new volunteers who share our commitment to adult education. Reading is Forever. Do you want to support us by helping with our work? Then do not hesitate to contact us. A helping hand is always greatly appreciated!

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#IABBAddict TANVITB

Hey everyone!

I’m making the rounds on the interwebs today with #IABBAddict goodness.



Check out more information on #IABBAddicts here

Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions

Some wonderful blogs and pages are sharing my book today. Be sure to stop in and check out the interviews and giveaway!

Thanks to these blogs for the fun interviews:

Indie Authors & Book Blogs

Platypire Reviews

Mistral Dawn’s Musings

Just Another Girl and Her Books

From The Desk of… R.E. Hargrave

 

#IABBAddict: Message on the Wind by Barbara Leiberman

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Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions
ABOUT THE BOOK

Author: Barbara Lieberman

Title: Message on the Wind

Pages: 458

Genre: Historical Romance

Date published: April 9, 2015

Synopsis:

Would you follow your heart, if it meant leaving behind everything and everyone you’ve ever known? Board a train with Ellen Price and travel to a new life. Even as she begins a new life, she’ll change the lives of all she meets.

AMAZON // GOODREADS


EXCERPT

Ellie turned quickly to run back to the wagon. She abruptly ran into the front of a man and almost fell down, dropping her purchases all over the ground. Looking up, she realized that he must be the tallest man she had ever seen. Daniel Cooper was tall but this man was huge! He had very tanned skin and black eyes that were blazing at her. His very long, black hair was pulled back and tied in a way that was long out of fashion. His hands were on his hips and he was clearly incensed about something. “Excuse me,” Ellie said, surprised by the obvious anger on his face and wondering why it was directed at her. “I didn’t see you. I just need to get back to my friends…” As she tried to reach for her packages, the giant stepped in her way, his eyes narrowing. “What happened to Little Flower?” he demanded.

“Little Flower?” Ellie asked, confused for a moment by the unusual name. “Oh, you mean the woman? The clerk in the store gave her a difficult time about buying a blanket. First, he blatantly refused to wait on her and then he tried to charge her five dollars! She left without it so, I bought the blanket for her.” She paused in her explanation, suddenly, tilted her head and stared up at him. This was quite difficult given the differences in their heights. “Why do you want to know, so rudely I might add?” The stranger looked Ellie up and down rather deliberately, his black eyes returning to stare into hers once more. Having found herself in similar situations before, Ellie simply endured his frank appraisal. He seemed surprised she challenged him, her hands now on her hips defiantly, but then bullies usually were surprised when anyone stood up to them. This one seemed no exception. His expression relaxed only a little. “I am usually the one protecting The People around here.” “The People? I’m not familiar…with…?” Ellie asked, noticing he was still staring at her. She continued to stare right back at him and tried not to notice just how handsome he was. “Indians.” The man’s eyes narrowed further as he said this, as if expecting some reaction from her.

“Have we met?” “Oh, well,” Ellie stammered, suddenly embarrassed at her own behavior. “I didn’t realize that you meant… or that she was… well, it doesn’t really matter that she is one of the People, does it? What a lovely way of putting that, much better than Indian. Anyway, he shouldn’t have treated her that way. I only saw someone being taken advantage of. I do tend to stick my nose in when I see that. A terrible habit of mine but there you have it.” Thinking the incident resolved, Ellie again moved to retrieve her things from the ground. “Now, if you will excuse me, sir, I really must find my friends…” The man moved to block her yet again, apparently not quite finished with her yet.

 

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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GIVEAWAY
Message on the Wind Prize Pack includes:

MOTW tote bag, MOTW mug, MOTW pendant, MOTW ribbon bookmark, Arrowleaf Balsamroot seeds, and my Re-imaginng Happily Ever After pin.

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#IABBAddict: Black by Catherine Winters

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Join us every Thursday for IABB #Confessions

 

Book Spotlight

Author: Catherine Winters

Title: Black

Pages: 246

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror

Date published: July 28, 2014

Synopsis:

Thirty-year-old redhead Josephine Berendt has everything under control. She’s finally over her ex, Max Spencer; her third novel is about to hit the shelves; and she’s living happily alone in a quiet Denver suburb. So what if her life is missing a little action? She gets all she needs by writing about vampires – and at least her furniture won’t run away to Paris just to prove how much it doesn’t love her.

600-year-old businessman Grant Black thinks he’s just doing a favor for an old friend by keeping an eye on Josephine and her dangerously accurate storytelling. Keeping out of her life is no trouble at all – until Max shows up on her doorstep with a case of fangs and Grant is forced to meet Josephine in the fearless, foul-mouthed flesh.

Soon Josephine finds herself at the center of an undead incident of international proportions. Now every day is a test of how long she can balance her need for independence with her growing affection for a killer, and stay alive – or, at least, not dead.

Featuring some of the most famous and ruthless vampires from history and literature, BLACK interweaves traditional vampire canons with an entirely new race of vampires with its own laws and mores. Told in Josephine’s thoroughly modern voice, the book is a witty, allusive tour of the vampire world’s upper echelons and hubs of power.

AMAZON // GOODREADS

 

Excerpt

I was warned; I’ll admit that.

I’d been in Denver – and he’d been in Paris – for nearly three years when the letter showed up in the box, no postmark, no stamp. My name in that familiar, cramped hand, the address that he shouldn’t have known. I laid it on the kitchen counter with the junk, unopened, intending to throw it out. I had nothing to say to Max Spencer, nothing that hadn’t been said before he fled the country to prove how much he didn’t love me.

Trash day came and went, and I passed that letter every time I went for a glass of water. I didn’t want to open it – it may as well have been round and labeled “WORMS” – but I couldn’t bear to get rid of it. It felt too much like throwing him away.

Part of me knew who it was when the bell rang that night. The house was cold; March hadn’t come in like a lion so much as like another snowstorm, and colder air rushed in as I opened the door. I don’t know what I expected after ten on a weeknight, but I didn’t expect him to look so unchanged and yet so utterly different. He was the same body, ostensibly the same man who’d left me three years ago, but it seemed my bitterness had made him less than that in my head. I stared at him, hale, healthy, beautiful, and not in Paris, and promptly dropped my water glass.

“Max.” I stared down at my feet; a dozen shallow cuts welled blood in scattered beads. I didn’t feel them, and started to move. He touched my arm.

“Don’t – you’ll make it worse. I’ll fix it.” He eased past me in the entryway, and bent to pick up the glass around my white little feet. “You’re bleeding,” and he touched the cuts so gently before he went after the broom he knew I’d keep in the kitchen.

“Why are you here?”

“Didn’t you get my letter? I told you I would be.”

“I didn’t read it.” He started to sweep; I leapt for the area rug so he wouldn’t touch me again.

“Any of it?”

I shook my head. He sighed as he walked around the corner to the kitchen and tipped the dustpan into the bin. “It would have been easier if you had. I’d counted on your curiosity.”

“To do what?” I closed the door.

“Prepare you for me.” He settled onto my sofa, adjusting the crease in his pants.

“I rather thought if I didn’t answer, you’d stay away.”

He was silent for a moment, his pale eyes so like mine, closed, cold. Impossible, even for one who knew him well, to guess what he might be thinking. “Unfortunately, I felt I must impose upon your hospitality. I have – stories to tell, and you’re the only audience for them.”

 

     

About the Author

 

Catherine Winters has honed her signature snark in print and in real life since she was ten. Her love of pop culture, bad television, and worse music coupled with the collection of a lifetime’s worth of useless trivia make her novels modern and witty.

In addition to writing, Ms. Winters is the Social Media Director for the Gatsby Theatre Company in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is employed as the principal mezzo-soprano for the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.

She lives in Denver with with her husband, daughter, and one demanding cat.

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#IABBAddict:Bound by the Summer Prince by Mistral Dawn

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Book Spotlight
 

Author: Mistral DawnTitle: Bound by the Summer Prince

Pages: 286

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Date published: February 25, 2015

Synopsis: 

The Summer Court is in an uproar. The king has just been executed for unpardonable crimes, and the queen is prostrate with grief over his loss. This leaves the Summer kingdom bereft of true leadership; a problem which is compounded by the fact that the laws of Fairie require balance to be maintained by having a male and a female ruler for both Season Courts at all times. Uaine, the Summer prince, is the only one who can put things right, but he is without a mate. Knowing that he must take a bride quickly, for the sake of his people, even though he is struggling with his own feelings of pain and anger over his father’s treachery, he goes for a walk in a forest near the palace to try to clear his head and determine how best to choose a female to rule beside him. 


While walking Uaine discovers a human female running loose in Fairie, which is against the most basic tenets of Fae law. Furious at one more problem he must deal with, he takes her prisoner and locks her in the dungeon; only to discover later that she is his soul-mate. The magical bond between them means they are meant to be together forever, but humans can’t feel the magic of Fairie. Will Uaine be able to win her heart and convince her that she can trust him to keep her safe from all the dangers of Fairie…including himself? 


Roni is a human con woman and petty thief. Having run afoul of the local crime syndicate in the city where she is staying, she finds herself running for her life. Trouble is no stranger to her, but when she falls through a hole in a wall and finds herself in a world with carnivorous trees and rocks that eat people she realizes she may have found more of it than she can deal with. Rescued/arrested by the prince of the Summer Court, it doesn’t take long for her to formulate a plan to use him to get herself home. Unfortunately for her, she soon finds that her heart, which she had thought long ago turned to stone, has begun to feel the love she has been playing at. Will she be able to overcome a lifetime of caution and allow herself to follow her heart? Can a criminal love a cop? 


Please be aware that this book contains explicit sexual scenes, depictions of BDSM, and anal play. If these things disturb you, then this may not be the book for you.

AMAZON // GOODREADS


Excerpt

He opened his eyes just as Roni leaned back to rest on her arms and re-crossed her legs in the other direction.  Again, he found he could not unglue his eyes from her body.

Roni crossed and re-crossed her legs, wishing she had worn a skirt instead of the jeans.  Still, her actions seemed to be having the desired effect. “Was there anything else?”

Uaine cleared his throat. “Yes! Yes, you will likely find that some members of the Court are not yet ready to accept you.  You must be very careful to guard your words, no matter what they may say to you, because it is almost certain there are those who will try to provoke you.”

“And why is that?”

“Because they had hoped to occupy the position which now belongs to you,” said Uaine distractedly.  He still found himself unable to remove his gaze from his Anamchara’s legs.  If only she would cease moving them against each other so sensually! It was maddening to see, when all he wanted was to slide his hands, and other things, between them.

Roni waved her hand over her legs and then moved it up to her face, making sure to cover all of the area in between, and snapped her fingers. “Yo! I’m up here, dude!”

Uaine looked up, confused. “Dude?”

Roni slowly slid from the bed, making sure to undulate her body to its maximum potential, and slinked across the floor to stand in front of the prince.  She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. “I’ll make a bet with you.”

Uaine swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. “A bet?”

“Yes, I’ll bet you that if I make it through the dinner without saying or doing anything embarrassing then you’ll take me on a tour around the area outside the castle grounds.  Jillian told me I can’t go without guards, and the guards don’t know me well enough to listen to me yet, so you’ll arrange for a tour, with or without guards.  Agreed?”

Looking down into the determined expression on his Anamchara’s face, he gulped. “It would be better if you delayed such an outing until you are more familiar with our ways.”

“Nevertheless, if I win you’ll take me out. Agreed?” she purred, leaning closer to him.

“And what do I get if I get if I ‘win’?” he rasped.

She took one hand off of her hip and reached up to crook a finger at him, motioning him towards her.  When he leaned down, she wrapped both arms around his neck and pressed her body against his.  Putting a hand behind his head and pulling his ear down next to her lips, she breathed against his neck, “You’ll get what you’ve been fantasizing about during this whole conversation.”

About the Author

Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)) where she works as a hospital drudge and attends graduate school. Taken By The Huntsman is her first effort at writing fiction and if it is well received she has ideas for several more novels and short-stories in this series.

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