Paige Cuccaro's Blog, page 3
August 21, 2013
Natalie Damschroder's writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeNatalie Damschroder
Today Natalie Damschroder has stopped by to share her writing cave. YAY!!! Natalie is the author of HEAVY METAL, a paranormal novel from Entangled Publishing. So I'm super excited to see where she dreams up the fantastic characters from the book.
Natalie said she considered cleaning up her desk before taking the photo, but then she saw Jennifer Crusie's photo in the archives, and decided to leave it as is. [That's okay, Natalie. A messy desk is the sign of a busy creative mind...said someone somewhere one time...I'm sure!]
You can see some of Natalie's passions surrounding her "creation station." Behind the desk is a poster for the New England Patriots' three Super Bowl wins and one of Legolas and Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. If you look closely, you can also see a Legolas figurine hanging out to keep her company. That was a loaner from good friend Misty Simon to get Natalie through her deadline panic.
Fresh air, a mega mug of tea, and Legolas as a muse. Everything a hard-working writer needs!
Thanks, Natalie! This was great!!!
HEAVY METAL
The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal’s energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs. Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined. After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.
Wow, right? I love paranormal romances. Don't you? Then you really need to read this one. Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Powell’s Books ] [ iTunes ]
Learn more about Natalie Damschroder and her other great books at her website: http://www.nataliedamschroder.com
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE now and be among the first to have a copy!
[ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeNatalie Damschroder
Today Natalie Damschroder has stopped by to share her writing cave. YAY!!! Natalie is the author of HEAVY METAL, a paranormal novel from Entangled Publishing. So I'm super excited to see where she dreams up the fantastic characters from the book.
Natalie said she considered cleaning up her desk before taking the photo, but then she saw Jennifer Crusie's photo in the archives, and decided to leave it as is. [That's okay, Natalie. A messy desk is the sign of a busy creative mind...said someone somewhere one time...I'm sure!]
You can see some of Natalie's passions surrounding her "creation station." Behind the desk is a poster for the New England Patriots' three Super Bowl wins and one of Legolas and Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. If you look closely, you can also see a Legolas figurine hanging out to keep her company. That was a loaner from good friend Misty Simon to get Natalie through her deadline panic.
Fresh air, a mega mug of tea, and Legolas as a muse. Everything a hard-working writer needs!
Thanks, Natalie! This was great!!!
HEAVY METAL
The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal’s energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs. Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined. After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.
Wow, right? I love paranormal romances. Don't you? Then you really need to read this one. Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Powell’s Books ] [ iTunes ]
Learn more about Natalie Damschroder and her other great books at her website: http://www.nataliedamschroder.com
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE now and be among the first to have a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
August 20, 2013
Heaven and Hellsbane Sneak Peek #2
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
And then this happened...
Someone’s killing angels and turning the half human, half angel illorum warriors against their angelic supporters. If the supernatural baddy behind the attacks isn’t stopped soon, Heaven itself could fall victim. The Council of Seven has called in the best they’ve got to find the killers, and no one’s more surprised than Emma Jane Hellsbane when it’s her phone that rings.But when her own angelic mentor—and off-limits hottie—Eli is targeted, Emma takes it personally. With Emma hot on the trail of the growing army of assassins, though, hackles start to raise around her. Everyone wants to know if she’s in it to protect all angels or just one in particular. The Council has their suspicions…and so does Emma’s boyfriend.Now Emma isn’t just fighting off demons, rogue nephilim, and Fallen angels, but she’s defending her honor as well. The problem is even Emma Jane isn’t sure of her motives. One thing she does know: if she doesn’t figure out the killers’ identities soon, she may not live long enough to know what, or who, she really wants.It’s all in a day’s work as Heaven’s ultimate bounty hunter.
Now for the second exclusive excerpt of the upcoming installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANEBook 2
“Dan, people are dying. I have to help if I can. You know that, right? I can’t just stop to go chase every thin lead.” But I knew it was a flimsy excuse. I’d barely even thought about the blurry photo of the angel who’d seduced my mother. Was I ignoring the chance to find my angelic father because a part of me didn’t want to leave this life? I didn’t know anymore.“You make your choices, and I’ll make mine,” Dan said. Then to the demon he said, “Tell me how this works. What do I have to do to trigger my power?”The point of Bariel’s sword lowered slightly as he pulled another sword from his hip. The black blade sizzled into existence as it drew from the hidden sheath—the air around it wavering like heat vapors, thin smoke rolling off the forming metal. “It’s quite simple. Use this sword to take the sword of a magister, and then kill him with it. Then we’ll see what happens.”Dan reached out for the sword, but the demon held it back suspiciously before allowing the cop to take it in his grip. “Any magister?” Dan asked, and the demon beamed like a proud father.“Yes. Any magister. Even Elizal, if you like.”Dan nodded, marveling at the weapon in his hand.“Please, Dan. Don’t do this,” I said. He got to his feet, ignoring me. “So it can hurt magisters. What will it do to demons?”“Pardon?” Before Bariel could puzzle out the question, Dan slashed the sword across the belly of the demon, drawing a quick line of black, oozing blood. The momentum of his swing spun him around and he threw the gibborim weapon to me. The toss was short, but I sped forward and caught it. Doc Westly was on my heels, but the moment of confusion played to my advantage and I twisted in time for the gibborim to race right into the blade—skewering himself through the gut. His blue eyes widened, surprise and pain playing across his face. “Emma Jane,” Eli said, and I glanced across the overlook to where the bodies of the other two gibborim lay. I watched as Eli snatched up my sword. “Stupid soul sack,” Bariel said and I spun back to see the demon’s sword stab through Dan’s back and out his chest. “I did promise to release you, did I not?”Disbelief stretched the whites of Dan’s eyes and he looked down at the bloody blade, his arms relaxed at his sides. His gaze came back up to me. “It’s okay,” he said, a shaky smile playing across his lips. “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt.”A scream ripped through my head, my mouth open, gaping, and soundless. Precious seconds ticked by but I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, my body like stone, freezing me to the spot. Bariel pulled back his sword, yanking it from Dan’s spine, and the man’s knees buckled. Before his body hit the ground, Eli appeared at his side, catching him. With a backhanded swing, the angel sliced a line across the demon’s neck that I knew in an instant wasn’t deep enough. But it was all Eli needed to allow him time to vanish with Dan in his protective embrace.
I hope you enjoyed that little sneak peak! The stakes are high this time around and someone's going to pay more than they counted on. What are you most hoping for with Emma, Eli, Dan and the angels? I'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment.
There's still one more exclusive HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE excerpts to come! Check back Thursday to get a taste of the romantic path things are taking in the Hellsbane series book 2.
It's not too late to read the first excerpt from the upcoming book here.
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Natalie Damschroder, author of HEAVY METAL, from Entangled Publishing.
Friday Robin Covington author of Playing the Part from Entangled Publishing will be here.
And Monday August 26th, author Simone Elkeles, that's right,
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Simone Elkeles,will be HERE to help celebrate the release of HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE (Aug 27) and sharing photos of her writing cave. SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order HEAVEN AND HELLSBANEnow and be among the first to have a copy!
[ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
And then this happened...
Someone’s killing angels and turning the half human, half angel illorum warriors against their angelic supporters. If the supernatural baddy behind the attacks isn’t stopped soon, Heaven itself could fall victim. The Council of Seven has called in the best they’ve got to find the killers, and no one’s more surprised than Emma Jane Hellsbane when it’s her phone that rings.But when her own angelic mentor—and off-limits hottie—Eli is targeted, Emma takes it personally. With Emma hot on the trail of the growing army of assassins, though, hackles start to raise around her. Everyone wants to know if she’s in it to protect all angels or just one in particular. The Council has their suspicions…and so does Emma’s boyfriend.Now Emma isn’t just fighting off demons, rogue nephilim, and Fallen angels, but she’s defending her honor as well. The problem is even Emma Jane isn’t sure of her motives. One thing she does know: if she doesn’t figure out the killers’ identities soon, she may not live long enough to know what, or who, she really wants.It’s all in a day’s work as Heaven’s ultimate bounty hunter.Now for the second exclusive excerpt of the upcoming installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANEBook 2
“Dan, people are dying. I have to help if I can. You know that, right? I can’t just stop to go chase every thin lead.” But I knew it was a flimsy excuse. I’d barely even thought about the blurry photo of the angel who’d seduced my mother. Was I ignoring the chance to find my angelic father because a part of me didn’t want to leave this life? I didn’t know anymore.“You make your choices, and I’ll make mine,” Dan said. Then to the demon he said, “Tell me how this works. What do I have to do to trigger my power?”The point of Bariel’s sword lowered slightly as he pulled another sword from his hip. The black blade sizzled into existence as it drew from the hidden sheath—the air around it wavering like heat vapors, thin smoke rolling off the forming metal. “It’s quite simple. Use this sword to take the sword of a magister, and then kill him with it. Then we’ll see what happens.”Dan reached out for the sword, but the demon held it back suspiciously before allowing the cop to take it in his grip. “Any magister?” Dan asked, and the demon beamed like a proud father.“Yes. Any magister. Even Elizal, if you like.”Dan nodded, marveling at the weapon in his hand.“Please, Dan. Don’t do this,” I said. He got to his feet, ignoring me. “So it can hurt magisters. What will it do to demons?”“Pardon?” Before Bariel could puzzle out the question, Dan slashed the sword across the belly of the demon, drawing a quick line of black, oozing blood. The momentum of his swing spun him around and he threw the gibborim weapon to me. The toss was short, but I sped forward and caught it. Doc Westly was on my heels, but the moment of confusion played to my advantage and I twisted in time for the gibborim to race right into the blade—skewering himself through the gut. His blue eyes widened, surprise and pain playing across his face. “Emma Jane,” Eli said, and I glanced across the overlook to where the bodies of the other two gibborim lay. I watched as Eli snatched up my sword. “Stupid soul sack,” Bariel said and I spun back to see the demon’s sword stab through Dan’s back and out his chest. “I did promise to release you, did I not?”Disbelief stretched the whites of Dan’s eyes and he looked down at the bloody blade, his arms relaxed at his sides. His gaze came back up to me. “It’s okay,” he said, a shaky smile playing across his lips. “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt.”A scream ripped through my head, my mouth open, gaping, and soundless. Precious seconds ticked by but I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, my body like stone, freezing me to the spot. Bariel pulled back his sword, yanking it from Dan’s spine, and the man’s knees buckled. Before his body hit the ground, Eli appeared at his side, catching him. With a backhanded swing, the angel sliced a line across the demon’s neck that I knew in an instant wasn’t deep enough. But it was all Eli needed to allow him time to vanish with Dan in his protective embrace.
I hope you enjoyed that little sneak peak! The stakes are high this time around and someone's going to pay more than they counted on. What are you most hoping for with Emma, Eli, Dan and the angels? I'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment.
There's still one more exclusive HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE excerpts to come! Check back Thursday to get a taste of the romantic path things are taking in the Hellsbane series book 2.
It's not too late to read the first excerpt from the upcoming book here.
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Natalie Damschroder, author of HEAVY METAL, from Entangled Publishing.
Friday Robin Covington author of Playing the Part from Entangled Publishing will be here.
And Monday August 26th, author Simone Elkeles, that's right,
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Simone Elkeles,will be HERE to help celebrate the release of HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE (Aug 27) and sharing photos of her writing cave. SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order HEAVEN AND HELLSBANEnow and be among the first to have a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
August 19, 2013
Rachel Harris' writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeRachel Harris
It's so great to have Rachel Harris on my blog today sharing pics of her writing cave. Rachel is the author of the upcoming heart melting contemporary romance, Taste The Heat, from Entangled Publishing
And the fabulously popular YA (young adult) novel, A Tale of Two Centuries.
Rachel said, "My writing cave is often filled with Diet Mt. Dew cans and occasionally with candy wrappers, but it's always stocked with books. Reference books like Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages and Ackerman's The Emotion Thesaurus, and favorite novels that inspire me (way too many to name). Binders filled with character notes and detailed plot points, sketches and random thoughts. And for when my brain just locks up, I have two thick volumes of Sudoku puzzles (*grin*). Sticky notes are EVERYWHERE.
On the wall, I have posters from my recent summer releases (adult romance Taste the Heat and YA A Tale of Two Centuries), as well as sketches from fans and my children. And that maroon pom pom? That was from at Entangled game at my first Romantic Times conference, and the first big event I attended as a "Published Author." All of these things make me smile. They truly tell the story of my journey. And on days when words just aren't coming, a quick glance around my cave reminds me of why I do this, that I can do this, and motivates me to dive back in and continue doing this.
These are such great photos! Thank you so much, Rachel for sharing!!
Learn more about Rachel Harris and her great books at her website: http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/
TASTE THE HEAT
One sexy fire captain. One Cajun chf. One combustible kitchen… When chef Colby Robicheaux returned home to New Orleans to save her family restaurant, the last person she expected to reconnect with was her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. As tempting as a sugar-coated beignet, Jason is one dish she can’t afford to taste. Colby can’t wait to leave the place where her distrust of love and commitment originated and go back to Vegas. Fire captain Jason Landry isn’t looking for love, either. Disillusioned by his past, he knows he should be focusing on finding the perfect mother for his daughter. But when he first sees Colby, all grown up and gorgeous, he can’t help but be drawn to her. And when she suggests a no-strings-attached fling, Jason can’t say no. As their relationship grows more intense, Colby finds that Jason isn’t as easy to leave behind as she thought. Could turning up the heat on something real be worth the possibility of getting burned?
Sounds yummy, right? Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ iTunes ]
A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES
Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea. One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility. With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?
Love Yong Adult books? You HAVE to read this one!Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ iTunes ]
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order it now and be among the first to have a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeRachel Harris
It's so great to have Rachel Harris on my blog today sharing pics of her writing cave. Rachel is the author of the upcoming heart melting contemporary romance, Taste The Heat, from Entangled PublishingAnd the fabulously popular YA (young adult) novel, A Tale of Two Centuries.
Rachel said, "My writing cave is often filled with Diet Mt. Dew cans and occasionally with candy wrappers, but it's always stocked with books. Reference books like Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages and Ackerman's The Emotion Thesaurus, and favorite novels that inspire me (way too many to name). Binders filled with character notes and detailed plot points, sketches and random thoughts. And for when my brain just locks up, I have two thick volumes of Sudoku puzzles (*grin*). Sticky notes are EVERYWHERE.
On the wall, I have posters from my recent summer releases (adult romance Taste the Heat and YA A Tale of Two Centuries), as well as sketches from fans and my children. And that maroon pom pom? That was from at Entangled game at my first Romantic Times conference, and the first big event I attended as a "Published Author." All of these things make me smile. They truly tell the story of my journey. And on days when words just aren't coming, a quick glance around my cave reminds me of why I do this, that I can do this, and motivates me to dive back in and continue doing this.
These are such great photos! Thank you so much, Rachel for sharing!!
Learn more about Rachel Harris and her great books at her website: http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/
TASTE THE HEAT
One sexy fire captain. One Cajun chf. One combustible kitchen… When chef Colby Robicheaux returned home to New Orleans to save her family restaurant, the last person she expected to reconnect with was her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. As tempting as a sugar-coated beignet, Jason is one dish she can’t afford to taste. Colby can’t wait to leave the place where her distrust of love and commitment originated and go back to Vegas. Fire captain Jason Landry isn’t looking for love, either. Disillusioned by his past, he knows he should be focusing on finding the perfect mother for his daughter. But when he first sees Colby, all grown up and gorgeous, he can’t help but be drawn to her. And when she suggests a no-strings-attached fling, Jason can’t say no. As their relationship grows more intense, Colby finds that Jason isn’t as easy to leave behind as she thought. Could turning up the heat on something real be worth the possibility of getting burned?Sounds yummy, right? Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ iTunes ]
A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES
Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea. One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility. With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?
Love Yong Adult books? You HAVE to read this one!Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ iTunes ]
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Pre-Order it now and be among the first to have a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
August 16, 2013
Cathryn Fox's writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeCathryn Fox
I'm so thrilled to have Cathryn Fox, author of countless steamy romances, on my blog today sharing a fantastic peek into her beautiful writing cave.
Can't you just picture Cathryn there at her desk, her character's voices racing through her head, painting pictures in her mind while her fingers fly over the keyboard trying to get it all out into the computer before it fades away?
Cathryn says she's a huge fan of M&M’s, and on the table beside her office reading chair she has an M&M dispenser with candy in it. (Which, according to her, needs to be refilled often!)
Every writer I know has a huge collection of books. We all started as avid readers and it's a hard habit to break. I LOVE Cathryn's wall to wall bookshelves. They all look so neat and tidy.
Cathryn's latest book from Entangled Publishing, HOLD ME DOWN HARD already out making readers hot & bothered all over the world.
HOLD ME DOWN HARD
When Eden Carver, Iowa farm girl turned NY actress, decides to seduce the sexy cop next door, she begins to wonder if she’s bitten off more than she can chew.
The last thing Officer Jay Bennett wants is to cross a line with the sweet and innocent country girl—no matter how much he’d like to help himself to a nibble. Not only are they in the friendship zone, a naïve girl like Eden doesn't belong in his dangerous world.
But when she asks him to help her rehearse lines, and things go from simmer to boil, he finds himself doing the one thing he swore he’d never do.He knows he needs to walk away from temptation, but when sweet little Eden bites back, it tilts his world on its axis.
Because biting back changes everything.
I'm telling you, this story is seriously RED HOT! Go grab a copy now![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ BAM ] [ All Romance Ebooks ] [ iTunes ]
Learn more about Cathryn Fox and her other great books at her website: http://cathrynfox.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeCathryn Fox
I'm so thrilled to have Cathryn Fox, author of countless steamy romances, on my blog today sharing a fantastic peek into her beautiful writing cave.
Can't you just picture Cathryn there at her desk, her character's voices racing through her head, painting pictures in her mind while her fingers fly over the keyboard trying to get it all out into the computer before it fades away?
Cathryn says she's a huge fan of M&M’s, and on the table beside her office reading chair she has an M&M dispenser with candy in it. (Which, according to her, needs to be refilled often!)
Every writer I know has a huge collection of books. We all started as avid readers and it's a hard habit to break. I LOVE Cathryn's wall to wall bookshelves. They all look so neat and tidy.
Cathryn's latest book from Entangled Publishing, HOLD ME DOWN HARD already out making readers hot & bothered all over the world.
HOLD ME DOWN HARDWhen Eden Carver, Iowa farm girl turned NY actress, decides to seduce the sexy cop next door, she begins to wonder if she’s bitten off more than she can chew.
The last thing Officer Jay Bennett wants is to cross a line with the sweet and innocent country girl—no matter how much he’d like to help himself to a nibble. Not only are they in the friendship zone, a naïve girl like Eden doesn't belong in his dangerous world.
But when she asks him to help her rehearse lines, and things go from simmer to boil, he finds himself doing the one thing he swore he’d never do.He knows he needs to walk away from temptation, but when sweet little Eden bites back, it tilts his world on its axis.
Because biting back changes everything.
I'm telling you, this story is seriously RED HOT! Go grab a copy now![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ] [ BAM ] [ All Romance Ebooks ] [ iTunes ]
Learn more about Cathryn Fox and her other great books at her website: http://cathrynfox.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
August 15, 2013
Hellsbane excerpt 2 & #GIVEAWAY!
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.Change is always hard...
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.
Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.
Now for another excerpt from the first installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HellsbaneBook 1
“Perhaps you’ve mistaken my statement for a request,” Eli said. “It wasn’t.”“Ah. So it’s like that, is it?” I raised a brow, teasing.He snaked an arm around my waist, jerked me to him so our bodies were flush against each other. I gasped, my hands going to his chest on reflex.“Yes,” he said. “It’s like that.”A soft wind shifted through my hair, and the world around us blurred as if in motion. But our feet hadn’t moved. The overlook, the cars, the townhouses, the sky, everything raced past us. Then it was gone. Darkness engulfed us, with only the distant stars twinkling in the vast emptiness. My hands leached around Eli’s neck, brought us cheek to cheek. “You’re safe in my arms, Emma Jane. Always,” he said, his lips brushing my ear. A shudder traveled straight down to my center with the sweet sound of his words. The man had an orgasmic voice. What a waste.His embrace loosened, and I leaned back enough to see his face. A soft glow lightened the shadows from behind me, just enough to cast a silvery glow over his expression. Time and space suddenly rushed in on me, and my brain spun like I’d been twirling around on my toes for an hour.I let go of him with one hand, pressing it to my forehead to stop the spin and to keep my brain from coming out of my ears. “What was that?”“Your mind is struggling to match speed with your body. May I help?” I’d told him once never to use his power to give me false rapture, but it was like asking a fish not to swim. I nodded and he rested his hand over mine, the warmth of his skin heating through me. The nauseating twirling stopped.“I hoped moving slower would help lessen the shock, but it seems the effect allowed your vision too much time to try and compensate,” he said.“We moved at angelic speed?” I asked, guessing.“No. I am able to travel at the speed of thought. We moved an increment slower.”“Um, thanks.” I tried to see over his shoulder, to get my bearings, but I couldn’t push up on my toes. I moved the muscles, and nothing happened. I looked at my feet—there was nothing beneath us. No floor, no ground, no...anything, just more blackness and millions and millions of distant twinkly lights.An icy bolt of panic shot up my spine and I clutched at Eli. My gut twisted and a scream caught in the back of my throat. Eli hugged me tight.“Where are we?”“Look behind you,” he said.It took a few seconds of internal argument, but eventually my courage rallied, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that...”“Earth,” he said.Sheer awe loosened my grip. I shifted my feet to his—I had to stand on something—and turned, holding his hands to my hips to anchor me, my back to his chest. The world looked exactly the way it does in all the pictures...but so much more. More beautiful, more breathtaking than any picture could capture. There was a storm swirling over one of the oceans, and night was quickly approaching for half the world. A thick line of darkness crept over land and water as the planet spun. On the other side, brilliant light ate away the darkness at exactly the same pace. “This can’t be real. How?” I asked, my brain fighting reason and everything I knew about space and time and reality.His hands slipped over my belly, his embrace enveloping me. “In the arms of an angel, Emma Jane, all things are possible.”My eyes closed, and I leaned back into his chest. I tried not to enjoy the feel of him around me, but the heat of his body, the comforting strength of his muscles, and the sweet, summery scent of his skin decimated my willpower.“Behold what your birthright has brought you, Emma Jane,” he said. “No mortal human could claim as much.”I opened my eyes and felt that rush of awe all over again at the view. “It’s amazing, Eli. Thank you.”“This is only the beginning. You have been chosen to battle creatures far more powerful than mere mortals. You are not like other humans; you cannot be. Your task requires much of you, and for it, much has been given. Time and space unravel for you to traverse with the same intrinsic understanding as those you hunt. The world is quite literally at your feet.”Before I could take a breath, I found myself staring out over a large valley and an ocean beyond. Gone was the great global marble spinning in the endless black of space. Suddenly, I was blinking at a waking cityscape miles below with large water inlets and busy harbors. There was blue sky above me and green land below. We were back on Earth.Hard, unrelenting wind whipped my hair, making it hard to see. But I could make out the white sand-lined shores and the short mountain ranges that blocked sections of the city from the ocean. “Where are we?” I yelled, but my voice was lost on the roaring wind.Eli tucked me under his arm, and silence descended over us like he’d closed a door. My hair floated back against my head and I could stand on my own. I shoved at the strands over my face and tried to clue in my brain. “Brazil.” Eli pointed at the city. “Rio de Janeiro.”“It’s beautiful.” My gaze followed the landscape below to the base of the mountain, then to the long winding staircase tracing up the side until they disappeared far below the edge of the outcropping we stood on. It’d been nearly six a.m. in Pittsburgh by the time Eli and I left Earth, which made it nearly seven a.m. in Rio, and the city was already bustling.What are we standing on? I fisted my hand around Eli’s jacket and leaned over for a better look. “No way. Christ the Redeemer? Seriously?” We were on his arm and I looked to the left at the huge, white, carved face of Jesus.“Remarkable, isn’t it?” Eli said. “And yet it pales in comparison to the miracle that is you and those like you.”He smiled wide, so pleased with himself, and I could almost forgive him for not warning me one wrong step could send me tumbling over a hundred feet to the very, very hard landing below.
Are ya feelin' it? There's danger brewing and neither Emma or Eli realize yet how close to the sword's edge they'll go. In book 2 HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE that edge is razor sharp and someone will get sliced. Who? And how fatal is the wound? Find out August 27!
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt! If you want to see where it goes from here, you can pick up a copy of Hellsbane (book 1) in print or e-format today![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are more excerpts to come! Exclusive sneak peeks at the highly anticipated next installment of the Hellsbane series, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Cathryn Fox, author of the new Contemporary RED HOT Romance, HOLD ME DOWN HARD, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.Change is always hard...
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.
Now for another excerpt from the first installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HellsbaneBook 1
“Perhaps you’ve mistaken my statement for a request,” Eli said. “It wasn’t.”“Ah. So it’s like that, is it?” I raised a brow, teasing.He snaked an arm around my waist, jerked me to him so our bodies were flush against each other. I gasped, my hands going to his chest on reflex.“Yes,” he said. “It’s like that.”A soft wind shifted through my hair, and the world around us blurred as if in motion. But our feet hadn’t moved. The overlook, the cars, the townhouses, the sky, everything raced past us. Then it was gone. Darkness engulfed us, with only the distant stars twinkling in the vast emptiness. My hands leached around Eli’s neck, brought us cheek to cheek. “You’re safe in my arms, Emma Jane. Always,” he said, his lips brushing my ear. A shudder traveled straight down to my center with the sweet sound of his words. The man had an orgasmic voice. What a waste.His embrace loosened, and I leaned back enough to see his face. A soft glow lightened the shadows from behind me, just enough to cast a silvery glow over his expression. Time and space suddenly rushed in on me, and my brain spun like I’d been twirling around on my toes for an hour.I let go of him with one hand, pressing it to my forehead to stop the spin and to keep my brain from coming out of my ears. “What was that?”“Your mind is struggling to match speed with your body. May I help?” I’d told him once never to use his power to give me false rapture, but it was like asking a fish not to swim. I nodded and he rested his hand over mine, the warmth of his skin heating through me. The nauseating twirling stopped.“I hoped moving slower would help lessen the shock, but it seems the effect allowed your vision too much time to try and compensate,” he said.“We moved at angelic speed?” I asked, guessing.“No. I am able to travel at the speed of thought. We moved an increment slower.”“Um, thanks.” I tried to see over his shoulder, to get my bearings, but I couldn’t push up on my toes. I moved the muscles, and nothing happened. I looked at my feet—there was nothing beneath us. No floor, no ground, no...anything, just more blackness and millions and millions of distant twinkly lights.An icy bolt of panic shot up my spine and I clutched at Eli. My gut twisted and a scream caught in the back of my throat. Eli hugged me tight.“Where are we?”“Look behind you,” he said.It took a few seconds of internal argument, but eventually my courage rallied, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that...”“Earth,” he said.Sheer awe loosened my grip. I shifted my feet to his—I had to stand on something—and turned, holding his hands to my hips to anchor me, my back to his chest. The world looked exactly the way it does in all the pictures...but so much more. More beautiful, more breathtaking than any picture could capture. There was a storm swirling over one of the oceans, and night was quickly approaching for half the world. A thick line of darkness crept over land and water as the planet spun. On the other side, brilliant light ate away the darkness at exactly the same pace. “This can’t be real. How?” I asked, my brain fighting reason and everything I knew about space and time and reality.His hands slipped over my belly, his embrace enveloping me. “In the arms of an angel, Emma Jane, all things are possible.”My eyes closed, and I leaned back into his chest. I tried not to enjoy the feel of him around me, but the heat of his body, the comforting strength of his muscles, and the sweet, summery scent of his skin decimated my willpower.“Behold what your birthright has brought you, Emma Jane,” he said. “No mortal human could claim as much.”I opened my eyes and felt that rush of awe all over again at the view. “It’s amazing, Eli. Thank you.”“This is only the beginning. You have been chosen to battle creatures far more powerful than mere mortals. You are not like other humans; you cannot be. Your task requires much of you, and for it, much has been given. Time and space unravel for you to traverse with the same intrinsic understanding as those you hunt. The world is quite literally at your feet.”Before I could take a breath, I found myself staring out over a large valley and an ocean beyond. Gone was the great global marble spinning in the endless black of space. Suddenly, I was blinking at a waking cityscape miles below with large water inlets and busy harbors. There was blue sky above me and green land below. We were back on Earth.Hard, unrelenting wind whipped my hair, making it hard to see. But I could make out the white sand-lined shores and the short mountain ranges that blocked sections of the city from the ocean. “Where are we?” I yelled, but my voice was lost on the roaring wind.Eli tucked me under his arm, and silence descended over us like he’d closed a door. My hair floated back against my head and I could stand on my own. I shoved at the strands over my face and tried to clue in my brain. “Brazil.” Eli pointed at the city. “Rio de Janeiro.”“It’s beautiful.” My gaze followed the landscape below to the base of the mountain, then to the long winding staircase tracing up the side until they disappeared far below the edge of the outcropping we stood on. It’d been nearly six a.m. in Pittsburgh by the time Eli and I left Earth, which made it nearly seven a.m. in Rio, and the city was already bustling.What are we standing on? I fisted my hand around Eli’s jacket and leaned over for a better look. “No way. Christ the Redeemer? Seriously?” We were on his arm and I looked to the left at the huge, white, carved face of Jesus.“Remarkable, isn’t it?” Eli said. “And yet it pales in comparison to the miracle that is you and those like you.”He smiled wide, so pleased with himself, and I could almost forgive him for not warning me one wrong step could send me tumbling over a hundred feet to the very, very hard landing below.
Are ya feelin' it? There's danger brewing and neither Emma or Eli realize yet how close to the sword's edge they'll go. In book 2 HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE that edge is razor sharp and someone will get sliced. Who? And how fatal is the wound? Find out August 27!
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt! If you want to see where it goes from here, you can pick up a copy of Hellsbane (book 1) in print or e-format today![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are more excerpts to come! Exclusive sneak peeks at the highly anticipated next installment of the Hellsbane series, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Cathryn Fox, author of the new Contemporary RED HOT Romance, HOLD ME DOWN HARD, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
August 14, 2013
Nina Croft's writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeNina Croft
Nina Croft author of sizzling hot paranormal and contemporary romances is here today sharing a glimpse into her writing cave where all those bone melting scenes she writes hit the screen.
I am so envious of this space! What an awesome nook to cuddle up in and let the characters in her head come to life. Looks like Nina's not alone when she writes. Not with that cute pooch to snuggle up with her.And can we take a moment to breath a long sigh at those cool book shelves? *sigh* The reader in me is green right now. GREEN!
Love the framed cover of Nina's wildly popular Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire.
All you Nina Croft fans (and soon to be fans) are in luck. Nina's latest book, Losing Control from Entangled Publishing just released August 12th! YAY!!!!
Losing Control (A Babysitting a Billionaire Novel)
Four years after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Kim finally believes she’s in control of her life and her emotions and she's determined to never risk either again with a man. She has a great home, a job as a security specialist which she loves, and Jake for a best friend. But things are a tad lonely in the sex department, so she decides to embark on a no-strings-affair with one of her hot co-workers. And who better to help her remember how to lure a man than her best friend?
Jake has wanted Kim from the moment he first saw her, but four years ago, she was too young and too damaged. So he kept her close and he kept her safe, offering her a job in his security company and the training to feel safe again, and he bided his time. But now, after the long wait, if she imagines he’s going to stand by while she seduces some other guy… Never going to happen.
Is that one HOT cover or what? And the story sounds like it'll burn up the pages. Don't wait! Go buy your copy now![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iBookstore ]
Learn more about Nina Croft and her other great books at her website: http://www.ninacroft.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeNina Croft
Nina Croft author of sizzling hot paranormal and contemporary romances is here today sharing a glimpse into her writing cave where all those bone melting scenes she writes hit the screen.
I am so envious of this space! What an awesome nook to cuddle up in and let the characters in her head come to life. Looks like Nina's not alone when she writes. Not with that cute pooch to snuggle up with her.And can we take a moment to breath a long sigh at those cool book shelves? *sigh* The reader in me is green right now. GREEN! Love the framed cover of Nina's wildly popular Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire.
All you Nina Croft fans (and soon to be fans) are in luck. Nina's latest book, Losing Control from Entangled Publishing just released August 12th! YAY!!!!
Losing Control (A Babysitting a Billionaire Novel)Four years after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Kim finally believes she’s in control of her life and her emotions and she's determined to never risk either again with a man. She has a great home, a job as a security specialist which she loves, and Jake for a best friend. But things are a tad lonely in the sex department, so she decides to embark on a no-strings-affair with one of her hot co-workers. And who better to help her remember how to lure a man than her best friend?
Jake has wanted Kim from the moment he first saw her, but four years ago, she was too young and too damaged. So he kept her close and he kept her safe, offering her a job in his security company and the training to feel safe again, and he bided his time. But now, after the long wait, if she imagines he’s going to stand by while she seduces some other guy… Never going to happen.
Is that one HOT cover or what? And the story sounds like it'll burn up the pages. Don't wait! Go buy your copy now![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iBookstore ]
Learn more about Nina Croft and her other great books at her website: http://www.ninacroft.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
August 13, 2013
Hellsbane Excerpt & GIVEAWAY!
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
And so it begins...
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.
Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job. Now for an excerpt from the first installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HellsbaneBook 1
“So you’ve been doing this, hunting demons, since high school?” I asked.“Demons and the fallen angels who called them up to do their bidding.” Tommy exhaled, as though suddenly feeling the weight of the past eight years. “I tried to forget. Tried to pretend it didn’t happen. But they wouldn’t let me. They kept hounding me, bugging me to fight.”“Demons?” “No. Angels,” he said. “The ones that will talk to us...incessantly. They’re called magisters. They wanted me to train. To pick up the fight where Coach Clark left off. I didn’t want to. I didn’t know what it meant. So I ran. It was six years before I saw my parents again. They’d thought I was dead. Wanted me to move back home. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t expose them to the kind of life I had.”“They don’t know?”He shook his head. “They’d never believe me if I tried to explain anyway. They’re safer this way.”“Must be nice.” He couldn’t have given me the same protection? Tommy looked away. “If there’d been anywhere else safe I could’ve gone today, I swear...”He looked at me, and I could see in his eyes he meant it. He hated what he’d gotten me mixed up in. Trouble was, I still wasn’t sure exactly what that was. “What do they want, the demons? Why are they trying to kill you?”“Us.” He winced, hugging his arm around his belly, holding his side. “They’ll be after you now, too. And they want us dead. They want to kill us before we kill them and send their fallen masters to the abyss.”I laughed. Not because I thought anything was particularly funny, but because my brain had finally reached its capacity to accept the unacceptable, and no other reaction occurred to me. “You know how insane this all sounds, right? This can’t be for real. It can’t be. I mean, I don’t even believe in this God and angel junk.”“Yeah?” He sucked in a sharp breath and used the doorjamb to leverage himself up to his feet, holding his side. After a second or two, he straightened. “Well, you’re about to become a believer, real quick.”“You can’t make me.” Geez, I sounded like an eight-year-old.“That’s what I thought. And then the demons came, and came, and came. And Eli kept dogging me, saying I had to train.” He stepped around me on his way to the door, limping, moving slower than he had when he’d come in. “The demons can find you anywhere, Emma Jane. They feel you the way you and I can feel each other when we first come together. You know, the way your stomach rolls?” “The rollercoaster thing? You feel that too?” He smiled his star-jock smile. “Yeah. I feel it, too. That’s how I knew you were nephilim in high school. I felt it. Felt it around Coach Clark, too. ’Course, I didn’t know what it was until Eli explained it. Before that it was kind of...confusing.”“That explains a lot,” I said. “Who’s Eli?”He turned and opened the door. “Eli will keep you alive. Unfortunately, if I don’t get to some holy water soon, I won’t survive to introduce you.”
So there it is. The first hint Emma had of things to come. I hope you enjoyed it! Want to read more? Hellsbane is available in print or e-format. You can pick up your copy today![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are lots more excerpts to come! More from the HELLSBANE and some exclusive sneak peeks at the next installment HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Nina Croft, author of the hot new Contemporary Romance, Losing Control, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
And so it begins...
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job. Now for an excerpt from the first installment of the HELLSBANE series,
HellsbaneBook 1
“So you’ve been doing this, hunting demons, since high school?” I asked.“Demons and the fallen angels who called them up to do their bidding.” Tommy exhaled, as though suddenly feeling the weight of the past eight years. “I tried to forget. Tried to pretend it didn’t happen. But they wouldn’t let me. They kept hounding me, bugging me to fight.”“Demons?” “No. Angels,” he said. “The ones that will talk to us...incessantly. They’re called magisters. They wanted me to train. To pick up the fight where Coach Clark left off. I didn’t want to. I didn’t know what it meant. So I ran. It was six years before I saw my parents again. They’d thought I was dead. Wanted me to move back home. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t expose them to the kind of life I had.”“They don’t know?”He shook his head. “They’d never believe me if I tried to explain anyway. They’re safer this way.”“Must be nice.” He couldn’t have given me the same protection? Tommy looked away. “If there’d been anywhere else safe I could’ve gone today, I swear...”He looked at me, and I could see in his eyes he meant it. He hated what he’d gotten me mixed up in. Trouble was, I still wasn’t sure exactly what that was. “What do they want, the demons? Why are they trying to kill you?”“Us.” He winced, hugging his arm around his belly, holding his side. “They’ll be after you now, too. And they want us dead. They want to kill us before we kill them and send their fallen masters to the abyss.”I laughed. Not because I thought anything was particularly funny, but because my brain had finally reached its capacity to accept the unacceptable, and no other reaction occurred to me. “You know how insane this all sounds, right? This can’t be for real. It can’t be. I mean, I don’t even believe in this God and angel junk.”“Yeah?” He sucked in a sharp breath and used the doorjamb to leverage himself up to his feet, holding his side. After a second or two, he straightened. “Well, you’re about to become a believer, real quick.”“You can’t make me.” Geez, I sounded like an eight-year-old.“That’s what I thought. And then the demons came, and came, and came. And Eli kept dogging me, saying I had to train.” He stepped around me on his way to the door, limping, moving slower than he had when he’d come in. “The demons can find you anywhere, Emma Jane. They feel you the way you and I can feel each other when we first come together. You know, the way your stomach rolls?” “The rollercoaster thing? You feel that too?” He smiled his star-jock smile. “Yeah. I feel it, too. That’s how I knew you were nephilim in high school. I felt it. Felt it around Coach Clark, too. ’Course, I didn’t know what it was until Eli explained it. Before that it was kind of...confusing.”“That explains a lot,” I said. “Who’s Eli?”He turned and opened the door. “Eli will keep you alive. Unfortunately, if I don’t get to some holy water soon, I won’t survive to introduce you.”
So there it is. The first hint Emma had of things to come. I hope you enjoyed it! Want to read more? Hellsbane is available in print or e-format. You can pick up your copy today![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are lots more excerpts to come! More from the HELLSBANE and some exclusive sneak peeks at the next installment HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Nina Croft, author of the hot new Contemporary Romance, Losing Control, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
August 12, 2013
Lisa Kessler's writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeLisa Kessler
Lisa Kessler, author of the hot new Moonlight series has stopped by today to share a tiny glimpse at her writing cave. But she's doing things a little different and giving us a view through her eyes!
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”― Albert Einstein
First off, let me point out that my desk does not overlook a garden, in fact the window in the office is almost behind my desk. I stare right into the corner. It's the only way I stay focused... :)
So let's start with what I see when I look up from my computer screen... (Pic 1) This is my confidence wall... LOL This pic only shows part of the wall, but you get the idea. Every certificate that any of my books have won are hanging right where I can see them, along with a Marilyn Monroe plaque that reads:
"Keep trying,Hold on,and always BELIEVE IN YOURSELF,Because if you don't, then who will?"
Can you tell I'm a harsh critic when I write? LOL But when I have a tough scene or a harsh review, and I feel myself about to wallow in the "I'm not good enough" pond, I glance at all the evidence on my wall that reminds me I can write, and I get back to work... :)
Next up is my huge signed movie poser over my computer. (Pic 2) It's from my favorite movie, ROCKY, and the tagline has been my mantra with publishing! LOL "His whole life was a million-to-one shot..."
I love Rocky because it's one of those rare movies that actually shows the hero not winning the championship. The message is really you don't have to win to be the champion, you just have to work hard and go the distance. You've gotta have lots of heart and desire. So when I'm feeling uninspired, I glance up at Rocky and remember to go the distance...
And finally here is my computer. (pic 3) my phone couldn't handle the mess under the screen I guess since it looks like it blocked it out for your protection! LOL Trust me, there are post-its and stacks of papers and empty gum wrappers. It's super embarrassing, but it is what it is! LOL
In my defense, studies now show that a messy desk can lead to clearer thinking!
Anyway, big thanks to Paige for the invite to visit her blog... And... I'm sorry about the mess.... Sort of! LOL
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
I don't know anyone who hasn't read one of Lisa's books, but if you're one of those rare people, or you haven't read her latest, you're in for a treat!
MOONLIGHT
Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf’s biggest challenge is keeping his kin’s true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out. Lana Turpin doesn’t realize she’s a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she’s being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back–even though she’s never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy. It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
Wow, right? Yeah. So go buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ]
Learn more about Lisa Kessler and her other great books at her website: http://www.authorlisakessler.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE
Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeLisa Kessler
Lisa Kessler, author of the hot new Moonlight series has stopped by today to share a tiny glimpse at her writing cave. But she's doing things a little different and giving us a view through her eyes!
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”― Albert Einstein
First off, let me point out that my desk does not overlook a garden, in fact the window in the office is almost behind my desk. I stare right into the corner. It's the only way I stay focused... :)
So let's start with what I see when I look up from my computer screen... (Pic 1) This is my confidence wall... LOL This pic only shows part of the wall, but you get the idea. Every certificate that any of my books have won are hanging right where I can see them, along with a Marilyn Monroe plaque that reads:
"Keep trying,Hold on,and always BELIEVE IN YOURSELF,Because if you don't, then who will?"
Can you tell I'm a harsh critic when I write? LOL But when I have a tough scene or a harsh review, and I feel myself about to wallow in the "I'm not good enough" pond, I glance at all the evidence on my wall that reminds me I can write, and I get back to work... :)Next up is my huge signed movie poser over my computer. (Pic 2) It's from my favorite movie, ROCKY, and the tagline has been my mantra with publishing! LOL "His whole life was a million-to-one shot..."
I love Rocky because it's one of those rare movies that actually shows the hero not winning the championship. The message is really you don't have to win to be the champion, you just have to work hard and go the distance. You've gotta have lots of heart and desire. So when I'm feeling uninspired, I glance up at Rocky and remember to go the distance...
And finally here is my computer. (pic 3) my phone couldn't handle the mess under the screen I guess since it looks like it blocked it out for your protection! LOL Trust me, there are post-its and stacks of papers and empty gum wrappers. It's super embarrassing, but it is what it is! LOL
In my defense, studies now show that a messy desk can lead to clearer thinking!
Anyway, big thanks to Paige for the invite to visit her blog... And... I'm sorry about the mess.... Sort of! LOL
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
I don't know anyone who hasn't read one of Lisa's books, but if you're one of those rare people, or you haven't read her latest, you're in for a treat!
MOONLIGHTRancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf’s biggest challenge is keeping his kin’s true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out. Lana Turpin doesn’t realize she’s a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she’s being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back–even though she’s never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy. It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
Wow, right? Yeah. So go buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ]
Learn more about Lisa Kessler and her other great books at her website: http://www.authorlisakessler.com/
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE
Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]August 9, 2013
Christine Warner's writing cave
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeChristine Warner
Christine Warner is the author of the latest *must read* contemporary romance from Entangled Publishing, Bachelor's Special. She's graciously agreed to show us where she writes her drool worthy characters.
Paige: Love that chair. It looks so peaceful. Can you tell us about your photo, Christine?
Christine: I’m one of those writers with traditional office space, but I never write there. Even though I painted the walls a cheery yellow the room is small and only has one tiny window and isn’t very inspiring.
Since it’s summertime I’m sharing the space I tend to write most often when the weather is warm, sunny, and a light breeze tickles my toes. I love to sit on my Adirondack chair and write in the peace and quiet while I’m surrounded by things I enjoy. Generally my 2 dogs are either roaming the yard or resting nearby. I have a slight addiction to red and my wonderful sister bought me that gorgeous hanging basket…she’s been nice enough to do this for a couple of years in a row. The best part about this space is that when I’m working away there have been several times that a hummingbird will join me and drink from their sugary feeder overhead. I love that.
Anyway, I’m glad I got to share my summer writing spot with you today because my winter spot is downright boring. Basically a chair in the living room that affords me wonderful wintertime views…but I’m not ready for that yet…
Paige: I don't know anyone who's ready to give up those warm summer breezes yet. LOL This is great. Thank you so much, Christine!
If you haven't read one of the awesome books Christine wrote sitting in that chair you should definitely pick up a copy of Bachelor's Special.
Bachelor's Special
Saute, simmer, and flambé… Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, the devoted love of an exceptional man, and a family. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life. Chet Castle is a prosperous businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiancée, he refuses to get involved with any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce. Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: Work for him for the next eight weeks as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking with her commitment-phobic employer is a recipe for disaster…but it’s just too tasty to not take a bite.
Sounds awesome, right? Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ]
Learn more about Christine Warner and her other great books at her website: http://christine-warner.com/Or catch up with her on twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
WelcomeChristine Warner
Christine Warner is the author of the latest *must read* contemporary romance from Entangled Publishing, Bachelor's Special. She's graciously agreed to show us where she writes her drool worthy characters.
Paige: Love that chair. It looks so peaceful. Can you tell us about your photo, Christine?Christine: I’m one of those writers with traditional office space, but I never write there. Even though I painted the walls a cheery yellow the room is small and only has one tiny window and isn’t very inspiring.
Since it’s summertime I’m sharing the space I tend to write most often when the weather is warm, sunny, and a light breeze tickles my toes. I love to sit on my Adirondack chair and write in the peace and quiet while I’m surrounded by things I enjoy. Generally my 2 dogs are either roaming the yard or resting nearby. I have a slight addiction to red and my wonderful sister bought me that gorgeous hanging basket…she’s been nice enough to do this for a couple of years in a row. The best part about this space is that when I’m working away there have been several times that a hummingbird will join me and drink from their sugary feeder overhead. I love that.
Anyway, I’m glad I got to share my summer writing spot with you today because my winter spot is downright boring. Basically a chair in the living room that affords me wonderful wintertime views…but I’m not ready for that yet…
Paige: I don't know anyone who's ready to give up those warm summer breezes yet. LOL This is great. Thank you so much, Christine!
If you haven't read one of the awesome books Christine wrote sitting in that chair you should definitely pick up a copy of Bachelor's Special.
Bachelor's SpecialSaute, simmer, and flambé… Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, the devoted love of an exceptional man, and a family. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life. Chet Castle is a prosperous businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiancée, he refuses to get involved with any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce. Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: Work for him for the next eight weeks as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking with her commitment-phobic employer is a recipe for disaster…but it’s just too tasty to not take a bite.
Sounds awesome, right? Buy a copy![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ Kobo ]
Learn more about Christine Warner and her other great books at her website: http://christine-warner.com/Or catch up with her on twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.
And don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
August 8, 2013
How it all began...Commencement excerpt
HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE, releases August 27th! To help gear up for the big day a whole crew of author friends will be stopping by all month sharing photos of their writing caves where they create those books we just can't wait to read. And I'll be posting excerpts from the first two HELLSBANE stories as well as EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks of the up and coming, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE book.
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
Start at the beginning: the prequel...
Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn for frat guys… Emma Jane Hellsbane knows something evil is worming its way through her college campus—she can feel it. Literally. Her freakish ability to feel other people’s emotions as though they were her own has always been monumentally awkward, and it’s easier for her to just pretend it doesn’t exist. But this time her paranormal ability just might help her save lives. Emma Jane’s fairly certain that whatever the hateful, egomaniacal, Godlike thing is, it’s set up shop inside her boyfriend, the frat boy/soccer star Justin. And if she doesn’t figure a way to get it out of him soon, Justin’s soul will be the appetizer to the main course—the whole student body. Problem is, the big baddy is granting sinister wishes, and with each one the risks grow higher and the phrase Be careful what you wish for becomes a real-life dire warning. Of course for Emma, what feels like it could be the end is in fact just the beginning…
Now for an excerpt from the prequel installment of the HELLSBANE series,
CommencementA HELLSBANE prequel novella
“There’s something wrong with Justin.”
“He’s possessed,” Mihir said.
“I’m serious,” I replied. Worry had my heart racing fast and my tolerance for smartass remarks dangerously low.
Mihir sighed and swiveled his desk chair to face me. “Okay, then he’s just a jackass. It’s either one or the other.”
The kid kinda had a crush on me. So he kinda hated Justin, my boyfriend. I mean, it was sweet. Mihir was a great guy…but at fifteen, he was just a kid. We were friends—that’s all. It seriously wasn’t gonna happen. So we sort of silently agreed not to talk about it. It worked for us.
“Knock it off. I need someone to talk to about this, okay? I got a really weird feeling when I was with him last night. You know what I mean? Like I literally got a weird feeling.”
I knew he understood. Mihir knew all about my weirdness of being able to feel other people’s emotions like they’re my own. It can be kind of awkward—not just knowing people’s most intimate, private emotions, but feeling them. Growing up with this kind of freaky “gift” wasn’t easy, especially on Friday nights—Mom and Dad’s “date night.”
The word ewww comes to mind.
Thank God that by nineteen, I’d learned to control it…well, mostly. It ain’t easy keeping your mental guard up twenty-four-seven. Slips happen, and I learn way more than I ever wanted to know about the people around me.
Mihir was the only person I’d ever told about my ability. He’d been raised to believe in all kinds of woo-woo stuff, so I was just another kind of woo-woo to add to his list. It was nice having someone I could be myself with. But still, I just wanted to be normal, so most of the time I’d keep my mouth shut when I accidently felt someone’s shame or embarrassment, acting just as clueless to their private suffering as everyone else. The closest I’d ever felt to normal was watching Lieutenant Troi on Next Generations—only what I experience has always been way more intense.
Mihir sat straighter. “Oh. You mean Justin felt really weird, and you picked up on it?”
Mihir had the brain of a rocket scientist and the background of a gypsy fortune-teller. Well, not gypsy exactly—Indian. Mihir’s family was from India and his grandmother was some kind of spiritual medicine lady or something. She believed in all kinds of weird stuff like spirits, demons, and magic. She’d taught Mihir all she knew.
Personally, I didn’t know what I believed. I mean, with a creepy ability like mine, it’s hard to say none of the other crazy stuff exists. I’d never seen any hard evidence, not that I wanted to. Personally, if the disembodied voice in Amityville Horror told me to “get out,” I’d go.
But Mihir believed all of it. He’d accepted me right off the bat, and even enjoyed the idea of my special brand of weirdness. The only downside was, like most teenage boys, he thought about sex every three or four minutes, and he knew I knew when he did. So now and then when I’d catch him staring at me, he’d turn beet red and everything he was thinking and feeling would be right there on his face—plain to see. He’d cover quickly though, hiding his embarrassment with a goofy grin and bobbing his brows like a horny little idiot. Thank goodness I’d learned to block him most of the time, like clenching a fist in my mind, squeezing off the flow of emotions.
How do guys function with that kind of stuff going through their heads twenty-four-seven?
Anyway, during his few minutes of free thought, Mihir was actually pretty cool. He was the one person in the world I could talk to about whatever might be going on with Justin, and be honest about how I knew. I couldn’t have asked for a better confidante, though for Mihir I figured being friends with me must be like waking up in a cold sweat after dreaming you’d gone to school naked. Except he wasn’t dreaming and he couldn’t do anything to cover his exposed emotions. I did what I could, laughing with him, pretending it was no big deal, but it always made me a little queasy.
I’d give anything not to know exactly how he felt about me. Not just for myself, but for him. It seriously sucked sometimes.
He leaned forward, bracing his bony teenage elbows on his lap. “What’d you feel?”
“I was cold all of a sudden,” I said. “And at first it felt kind of slimy, like sleazy-slimy. I don’t know. It was just…wrong. And really gross.” I plopped onto the edge of Mihir’s dorm room bed. The metal springs whined and creaked. Okay, so maybe I was still trying to shed the last of the freshman fifteen, but the beds at CUP, California University of Pennsylvania, are total crap.
“Maybe you’re coming down with something. I’ve got a thermometer somewhere. I can practice my doctor skills on you.” I could almost see his teenage libido twist his thoughts as his eyes darkened, his smile more lascivious than he intended. He shut it down quickly though, smile wilting, cheeks burning red. He looked away and mumbled, “Just kidding.”
But a hot wave of lust swamped through me anyway, made my breath catch. It was his arousal warming inside me. Not mine. No way is it mine! But I had to concentrate not to let his feelings show on my face. Crap.
Blocking other people’s emotions wasn’t easy. Sometimes my brain got tired of holding the clench and stuff slipped through. I shoved Mihir’s emotions away and thought harder to close that part of my brain.
I tried not to hold his one-track mind against him. At fifteen, Mihir was an off-the-charts genius but he still had the libido of, well, a fifteen-year-old boy. Wasn’t his fault. He’d pretty much skipped high school and was now a junior in college, a year behind me. We understood each other. I’d skipped ahead two years, too.
After a few seconds, I had my wits about me again and flashed him a tired smile. “Thanks. I’m good.”
We were friends. That’s it. I was committed to Justin. Period.
Mihir shrugged and turned his pretty, coffee-brown eyes back to his computer screen. The kid had lashes like a llama, long and thick and coal black like his hair. If they could transplant eyelashes, some supermodel would’ve hunted and killed Mihir for them years ago. He had perpetually tanned skin, too, that made his teeth and the whites of his eyes gleam. In a few years, with about forty more pounds of muscle, the kid would be kryptonite to most girls’ defenses.
I concentrated on refocusing his train of thought. “Last night, when I was with Justin, I got this feeling like there was something else in the room, or someone else. Like we were being watched. I dunno. I felt all…god-like, y’know? Powerful. Like sleazy egomaniacally powerful. And really, really pissed off. I mean, like, seething with hate.”
“And how is this different from any other time you’ve been with your jackass boyfriend?”
“Stop calling him that,” I said. “Justin’s a good guy—I think he’s just going through something right now. I need to figure out what so I can help him. I’m worried it might be drugs.”
Mihir glanced over his shoulder at me, a false look of surprise on his face. “What? The soccer star is doping? Say it ain’t so!”
I huffed. “He’s not doping. I meant recreational drugs. And for your information, all that muscle and amazing athletic ability is totally natural. Jealous?”
Mihir made a disgusted noise and turned back to his computer. “Maybe you picked up on him thinking about the webcam he’s got hidden in his closet to film the two of you.” He jabbed a few keys on the keyboard, then shifted his hand to the mouse. He was jealous, and I didn’t even need my abilities to know it.
A twinge of guilt softened my tone. “Stop that. Justin doesn’t film us.”
He chuckled to himself. “Yeah. Okay.”
Of course I’d still check the closet on my next visit just to be sure. “Seriously, Mihir, I’m worried about him. If he’s messing around with drugs, he could lose everything.”
“Even you?” Mihir asked without looking at me.I thought for a minute. “If he won’t stop, yeah. You don’t know what I felt with him last night. It was dark and…evil. He hated me—hated everything. Whatever he’s taking is…it’s changing him.”
“Why are you so sure it was Justin?”
I gave a sarcastic snort. “Um, ’cause we were the only two people in the room. My ability might be getting stronger, but so far it can’t go through walls. Who else could it have been?”
Mihir swiveled his chair around to look at me. “Have you seen any evidence? Y’know, drugs lying around, paraphernalia, any physical signs on him?”
“No…”
“There’s a lot of stuff out there, and your boy-toy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. So it’s hard to know what he might have eaten, snorted, or shot up his ass,” Mihir said, leaning back, one arm hiked over the back of his chair. “But as far as I’ve heard, nothing makes you feel slimy or sleazy. God-like and powerful, yes. Hating the people you love—or lust? Whatever. Doesn’t sound like the kind of trip that’d make a drug worth taking.”
“If it’s not drugs, then what?” I asked. “This wasn’t Justin. I mean, I know he’s not your favorite person, but he’s not like this. Justin doesn’t…hate anyone.”
Mihir shrugged. “Like I said, he’s possessed.”
I sighed. “Damn it, Mihir…”
“I’m being serious.” He leaned forward. “I’d have to go to his room to be sure, but it’s possible even a mentally challenged Neanderthal like Justin could have stumbled onto a charmed item or an incantation. Plenty of species are easy enough for even him to call. Besides, supernatural types are always happy to crunch on some stupid frat boy’s soul.”
“Supernatural? Really?” I shook my head, trying not to laugh. “That kind of thing isn’t—”
“It is,” he said. “Emma, it’s real. And one day you’re going to have to face it. I mean… Shit. You’re living proof the supernatural exists. How can you sit there and deny it?”
I stopped laughing. I didn’t know why I was the way I was, and thinking about it scared the hell out of me. I slumped back against the wall, twirling the drawstrings of Justin’s fraternity hoodie between my fingers. “The Kappa Os won’t allow you on the porch, let alone inside Justin’s room.”
“Asses,” Mihir muttered.
He was right, but I didn’t say anything. “You know any Hindu-Muslim-Ancient-Egyptian mumbo-jumbo I can do to find out on my own?”
He slanted those pretty brown eyes at me. “Emma Jane, I’m an Episcopalian.”
I hated when he used my whole name and he knew it. Too many rude limericks growing up.
“So?” I said, annoyed by his smart/dumb guy act. Mihir majored in pre-med, but thanks to his grandmother’s influence, he was also carrying a minor in Near Eastern Religions. He took classes on stuff like biblical archaeology, the comparative religions of the ancient Near East, Mesopotamian mythology, and a bunch of other stuff with titles too complicated to remember. The boy was obsessed with all things creepy and hard to explain.
He exhaled through his nose, making his nostrils flare. His forehead wrinkled, then he turned back to the computer. “Salt.”
“Huh?”
“Supernaturals don’t like salt. It’s a known fact,” he said, typing as he talked. The kid had skills. “Next time you go over to the frat-sty, sprinkle salt around. If there’s something otherworldly being held there, you’ll know it.”
“Seriously? I’m supposed to throw salt all over the place? They’ll think I’m nuts.”
“What, it’s a secret?” His quiet snicker shook his shoulders.
“Har-har.”
He sobered. “Not all over the place, Einstein. Sprinkle it on things. Stuff that could hold a spirit: boxes, cups, bowls, books, anything old.”
“Salt.” I tried to picture myself tip-toeing around the Kappa Omega fraternity house with one of the plastic salt shakers the guys had swiped from Mickey D’s.
Oh, this was so not going to be fun.
Wow, that was a long one. I hope you enjoyed it! So what do you think? Emma Jane had all the signs that her life wasn't going to be your typical mundane life. Right? Want to read more? You can download COMMENCEMENT now, for $.99![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are lots more excerpts to come! More from the HELLSBANE prequel, Commencement, and some from HELLSBANE book 1. But most importantly there'll be exclusive sneak peeks at the next installment HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Christine Warner, author of the hot new Contemporary Romance, Bachelor's Special, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
Don't forget to enter the pre-release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the the first two Hellsbane books and the prequel! [ CLICK TO ENTER ]
HELLSBANE series
Emma Jane Hellsbane was born different, the child of Fallen angel and human—the child of sin. But Heaven has a way for her to make amends for her birth. Like others born of Fallen angels, she’ll work as their bounty hunter, rounding up the Fallen and banishing them to the abyss. The trouble is, the Fallen won’t go quietly and Emma won’t be done until she finds the one Fallen angel who created her.
Start at the beginning: the prequel...
Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn for frat guys… Emma Jane Hellsbane knows something evil is worming its way through her college campus—she can feel it. Literally. Her freakish ability to feel other people’s emotions as though they were her own has always been monumentally awkward, and it’s easier for her to just pretend it doesn’t exist. But this time her paranormal ability just might help her save lives. Emma Jane’s fairly certain that whatever the hateful, egomaniacal, Godlike thing is, it’s set up shop inside her boyfriend, the frat boy/soccer star Justin. And if she doesn’t figure a way to get it out of him soon, Justin’s soul will be the appetizer to the main course—the whole student body. Problem is, the big baddy is granting sinister wishes, and with each one the risks grow higher and the phrase Be careful what you wish for becomes a real-life dire warning. Of course for Emma, what feels like it could be the end is in fact just the beginning…Now for an excerpt from the prequel installment of the HELLSBANE series,
CommencementA HELLSBANE prequel novella
“There’s something wrong with Justin.”
“He’s possessed,” Mihir said.
“I’m serious,” I replied. Worry had my heart racing fast and my tolerance for smartass remarks dangerously low.
Mihir sighed and swiveled his desk chair to face me. “Okay, then he’s just a jackass. It’s either one or the other.”
The kid kinda had a crush on me. So he kinda hated Justin, my boyfriend. I mean, it was sweet. Mihir was a great guy…but at fifteen, he was just a kid. We were friends—that’s all. It seriously wasn’t gonna happen. So we sort of silently agreed not to talk about it. It worked for us.
“Knock it off. I need someone to talk to about this, okay? I got a really weird feeling when I was with him last night. You know what I mean? Like I literally got a weird feeling.”
I knew he understood. Mihir knew all about my weirdness of being able to feel other people’s emotions like they’re my own. It can be kind of awkward—not just knowing people’s most intimate, private emotions, but feeling them. Growing up with this kind of freaky “gift” wasn’t easy, especially on Friday nights—Mom and Dad’s “date night.”
The word ewww comes to mind.
Thank God that by nineteen, I’d learned to control it…well, mostly. It ain’t easy keeping your mental guard up twenty-four-seven. Slips happen, and I learn way more than I ever wanted to know about the people around me.
Mihir was the only person I’d ever told about my ability. He’d been raised to believe in all kinds of woo-woo stuff, so I was just another kind of woo-woo to add to his list. It was nice having someone I could be myself with. But still, I just wanted to be normal, so most of the time I’d keep my mouth shut when I accidently felt someone’s shame or embarrassment, acting just as clueless to their private suffering as everyone else. The closest I’d ever felt to normal was watching Lieutenant Troi on Next Generations—only what I experience has always been way more intense.
Mihir sat straighter. “Oh. You mean Justin felt really weird, and you picked up on it?”
Mihir had the brain of a rocket scientist and the background of a gypsy fortune-teller. Well, not gypsy exactly—Indian. Mihir’s family was from India and his grandmother was some kind of spiritual medicine lady or something. She believed in all kinds of weird stuff like spirits, demons, and magic. She’d taught Mihir all she knew.
Personally, I didn’t know what I believed. I mean, with a creepy ability like mine, it’s hard to say none of the other crazy stuff exists. I’d never seen any hard evidence, not that I wanted to. Personally, if the disembodied voice in Amityville Horror told me to “get out,” I’d go.
But Mihir believed all of it. He’d accepted me right off the bat, and even enjoyed the idea of my special brand of weirdness. The only downside was, like most teenage boys, he thought about sex every three or four minutes, and he knew I knew when he did. So now and then when I’d catch him staring at me, he’d turn beet red and everything he was thinking and feeling would be right there on his face—plain to see. He’d cover quickly though, hiding his embarrassment with a goofy grin and bobbing his brows like a horny little idiot. Thank goodness I’d learned to block him most of the time, like clenching a fist in my mind, squeezing off the flow of emotions.
How do guys function with that kind of stuff going through their heads twenty-four-seven?
Anyway, during his few minutes of free thought, Mihir was actually pretty cool. He was the one person in the world I could talk to about whatever might be going on with Justin, and be honest about how I knew. I couldn’t have asked for a better confidante, though for Mihir I figured being friends with me must be like waking up in a cold sweat after dreaming you’d gone to school naked. Except he wasn’t dreaming and he couldn’t do anything to cover his exposed emotions. I did what I could, laughing with him, pretending it was no big deal, but it always made me a little queasy.
I’d give anything not to know exactly how he felt about me. Not just for myself, but for him. It seriously sucked sometimes.
He leaned forward, bracing his bony teenage elbows on his lap. “What’d you feel?”
“I was cold all of a sudden,” I said. “And at first it felt kind of slimy, like sleazy-slimy. I don’t know. It was just…wrong. And really gross.” I plopped onto the edge of Mihir’s dorm room bed. The metal springs whined and creaked. Okay, so maybe I was still trying to shed the last of the freshman fifteen, but the beds at CUP, California University of Pennsylvania, are total crap.
“Maybe you’re coming down with something. I’ve got a thermometer somewhere. I can practice my doctor skills on you.” I could almost see his teenage libido twist his thoughts as his eyes darkened, his smile more lascivious than he intended. He shut it down quickly though, smile wilting, cheeks burning red. He looked away and mumbled, “Just kidding.”
But a hot wave of lust swamped through me anyway, made my breath catch. It was his arousal warming inside me. Not mine. No way is it mine! But I had to concentrate not to let his feelings show on my face. Crap.
Blocking other people’s emotions wasn’t easy. Sometimes my brain got tired of holding the clench and stuff slipped through. I shoved Mihir’s emotions away and thought harder to close that part of my brain.
I tried not to hold his one-track mind against him. At fifteen, Mihir was an off-the-charts genius but he still had the libido of, well, a fifteen-year-old boy. Wasn’t his fault. He’d pretty much skipped high school and was now a junior in college, a year behind me. We understood each other. I’d skipped ahead two years, too.
After a few seconds, I had my wits about me again and flashed him a tired smile. “Thanks. I’m good.”
We were friends. That’s it. I was committed to Justin. Period.
Mihir shrugged and turned his pretty, coffee-brown eyes back to his computer screen. The kid had lashes like a llama, long and thick and coal black like his hair. If they could transplant eyelashes, some supermodel would’ve hunted and killed Mihir for them years ago. He had perpetually tanned skin, too, that made his teeth and the whites of his eyes gleam. In a few years, with about forty more pounds of muscle, the kid would be kryptonite to most girls’ defenses.
I concentrated on refocusing his train of thought. “Last night, when I was with Justin, I got this feeling like there was something else in the room, or someone else. Like we were being watched. I dunno. I felt all…god-like, y’know? Powerful. Like sleazy egomaniacally powerful. And really, really pissed off. I mean, like, seething with hate.”
“And how is this different from any other time you’ve been with your jackass boyfriend?”
“Stop calling him that,” I said. “Justin’s a good guy—I think he’s just going through something right now. I need to figure out what so I can help him. I’m worried it might be drugs.”
Mihir glanced over his shoulder at me, a false look of surprise on his face. “What? The soccer star is doping? Say it ain’t so!”
I huffed. “He’s not doping. I meant recreational drugs. And for your information, all that muscle and amazing athletic ability is totally natural. Jealous?”
Mihir made a disgusted noise and turned back to his computer. “Maybe you picked up on him thinking about the webcam he’s got hidden in his closet to film the two of you.” He jabbed a few keys on the keyboard, then shifted his hand to the mouse. He was jealous, and I didn’t even need my abilities to know it.
A twinge of guilt softened my tone. “Stop that. Justin doesn’t film us.”
He chuckled to himself. “Yeah. Okay.”
Of course I’d still check the closet on my next visit just to be sure. “Seriously, Mihir, I’m worried about him. If he’s messing around with drugs, he could lose everything.”
“Even you?” Mihir asked without looking at me.I thought for a minute. “If he won’t stop, yeah. You don’t know what I felt with him last night. It was dark and…evil. He hated me—hated everything. Whatever he’s taking is…it’s changing him.”
“Why are you so sure it was Justin?”
I gave a sarcastic snort. “Um, ’cause we were the only two people in the room. My ability might be getting stronger, but so far it can’t go through walls. Who else could it have been?”
Mihir swiveled his chair around to look at me. “Have you seen any evidence? Y’know, drugs lying around, paraphernalia, any physical signs on him?”
“No…”
“There’s a lot of stuff out there, and your boy-toy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. So it’s hard to know what he might have eaten, snorted, or shot up his ass,” Mihir said, leaning back, one arm hiked over the back of his chair. “But as far as I’ve heard, nothing makes you feel slimy or sleazy. God-like and powerful, yes. Hating the people you love—or lust? Whatever. Doesn’t sound like the kind of trip that’d make a drug worth taking.”
“If it’s not drugs, then what?” I asked. “This wasn’t Justin. I mean, I know he’s not your favorite person, but he’s not like this. Justin doesn’t…hate anyone.”
Mihir shrugged. “Like I said, he’s possessed.”
I sighed. “Damn it, Mihir…”
“I’m being serious.” He leaned forward. “I’d have to go to his room to be sure, but it’s possible even a mentally challenged Neanderthal like Justin could have stumbled onto a charmed item or an incantation. Plenty of species are easy enough for even him to call. Besides, supernatural types are always happy to crunch on some stupid frat boy’s soul.”
“Supernatural? Really?” I shook my head, trying not to laugh. “That kind of thing isn’t—”
“It is,” he said. “Emma, it’s real. And one day you’re going to have to face it. I mean… Shit. You’re living proof the supernatural exists. How can you sit there and deny it?”
I stopped laughing. I didn’t know why I was the way I was, and thinking about it scared the hell out of me. I slumped back against the wall, twirling the drawstrings of Justin’s fraternity hoodie between my fingers. “The Kappa Os won’t allow you on the porch, let alone inside Justin’s room.”
“Asses,” Mihir muttered.
He was right, but I didn’t say anything. “You know any Hindu-Muslim-Ancient-Egyptian mumbo-jumbo I can do to find out on my own?”
He slanted those pretty brown eyes at me. “Emma Jane, I’m an Episcopalian.”
I hated when he used my whole name and he knew it. Too many rude limericks growing up.
“So?” I said, annoyed by his smart/dumb guy act. Mihir majored in pre-med, but thanks to his grandmother’s influence, he was also carrying a minor in Near Eastern Religions. He took classes on stuff like biblical archaeology, the comparative religions of the ancient Near East, Mesopotamian mythology, and a bunch of other stuff with titles too complicated to remember. The boy was obsessed with all things creepy and hard to explain.
He exhaled through his nose, making his nostrils flare. His forehead wrinkled, then he turned back to the computer. “Salt.”
“Huh?”
“Supernaturals don’t like salt. It’s a known fact,” he said, typing as he talked. The kid had skills. “Next time you go over to the frat-sty, sprinkle salt around. If there’s something otherworldly being held there, you’ll know it.”
“Seriously? I’m supposed to throw salt all over the place? They’ll think I’m nuts.”
“What, it’s a secret?” His quiet snicker shook his shoulders.
“Har-har.”
He sobered. “Not all over the place, Einstein. Sprinkle it on things. Stuff that could hold a spirit: boxes, cups, bowls, books, anything old.”
“Salt.” I tried to picture myself tip-toeing around the Kappa Omega fraternity house with one of the plastic salt shakers the guys had swiped from Mickey D’s.
Oh, this was so not going to be fun.
Wow, that was a long one. I hope you enjoyed it! So what do you think? Emma Jane had all the signs that her life wasn't going to be your typical mundane life. Right? Want to read more? You can download COMMENCEMENT now, for $.99![ Amazon ] [ B&N ] [ iTunes ]
There are lots more excerpts to come! More from the HELLSBANE prequel, Commencement, and some from HELLSBANE book 1. But most importantly there'll be exclusive sneak peeks at the next installment HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE releasing Aug 27stRead the first excerpt I posted HERE!
And check back tomorrow to see the writing cave of Christine Warner, author of the hot new Contemporary Romance, Bachelor's Special, from Entangled Publishing
Don't forget to enter the HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE Pre-Release contest for a chance to win a Nook Color, a $50 Amazon Gift Card and copies of the whole HELLSBANE series so far!!
[ CLICK TO ENTER ]
