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A Bewitching Wednesday

Legend by Nicole Conway #dragons #YAFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/c7n430oFKUx

Taming the Bad Boy by Jolie Moore #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/93C430oFKQA

Book Tour: Legend (Dragonrider Legacy #3) by Nicole Conway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WbKD30oFL1X

Book Review: The Dragonrider Chronicles Fledgling by Nicole Conway, 4 Black Cats #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/lsW530oEYSw

Book Review: Wicked Salem by Sam Baltrusis 3 1/2 Black Cats #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/fzqo30oEYUX

Review Unhuman Light by Chris Stoneheart #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/NE2W30oEbzs

* New Release *
In a war of gods and tyrants, the will of the dragonrider must never falter.
Legend
Dragonrider Legacy
Book 3
Nicole Conway
Genre: YA Fantasy
https://amzn.to/2OVJIap #dragons #YAFantasy #dragonrider #dragonriderchronicles #dragonriderlegacy

Review Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs #stormcursed #mercythompson #urbanfantasy

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Storm Cursed 
A Mercy Thompson Novel 
Book 11
by Patricia Briggs  

In this powerful entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Mercy Thompson must face a deadly enemy to defend all she loves…

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter.

And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn’t stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe.  As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word.

We will die to keep it.


My Review

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The 11th installment of the Mercy Thompson series was a page turner I couldn't put down. Gripping from page one. I started reading and suddenly it was 2 am and I was halfway through the book.

I love Mercy's world. With each book we learn something new about her and her powers. We have a front seat for her self discovery. And thanks to Coyote it usually happens exactly when she needs it. Mercy always underestimates how important she is to Coyote.

Mercy isn't the only one we get revelations on. Each character is a mystery, we just never know how much of an important role they'll play in a future book.

In this installment Sherwood Post and Wulfe were two key players. Sherwood was a complete mystery, some of which is exposed through the encounters in this book and some details were revealed thanks to Coyote.

I am fascinated by Wulfe (and his ego or truth) "I am more special than everyone." There's so much more to him than what we have seen in previous books. I hope we will get to dive deeper into his character in an upcoming book. Mysterious and powerful I am hooked on what it all means and how he will fit into future stories.

In Storm Cursed Mercy is trying to get her life back to normal, she opened her garage back up but hardly has time to work in it because thanks to her declaration that the Tri-Cities are under the protection of the Columbia Basin Wolf Pack she gets calls whenever anything weird happens.

Like a a murderous goblin and mini zombie goats. The mini zombie goats lead to black magic witches and a whole host of troubles for Mercy and gang.

Adam, his security firm, and most of the pack wolves have their hands full with a government contract so Mercy has to call in other people to help her.

This book brings in a bunch of characters from previous books so don't read them out of order, you need to know whose who. Key players include Elizaveta, Zee, Tad, Stefan, Larry the Goblin King, Marsilia, and of course, Coyote.

I read about half of the first books in this series back to back, so I was totally immersed in this world. Then I read the Alpha Omega series which is the same world with many crossover characters (If you lover the Mercy Thompson world read the Alpha Omega series). So this series is ingrained into my soul. I wait eagerly for each new book.


View all my reviews

Legend by Nicole Conway #dragons #YAFantasy

Legend
Dragonrider Legacy
Book 3
Nicole Conway

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1948671361ASIN: B07M59GM4D
Number of pages: 384
Cover Artist: Title and cover design by Danielle DoolittleCover illustration by Tatiana A. Makeeva
Tagline: In a war of gods and tyrants, the will of the dragonrider must never falter.
Book Description:
Captured and tortured by the brutal tyrant, Argonox, Reigh’s worst fears have now been realized. Argonox has successfully twisted his mysterious dark power for a truly evil purpose—reanimating the long-deceased legendary dragonrider, Beckah Derrick, and her monstrous king drake. But Argonox’s cruelty won’t end there, and Reigh fears the worst is yet to come. Rescue is unlikely as the Tibrans prepare to make their final strike, poised to break Maldobar’s ranks of proud dragonriders once and for all.
With many of its cities already captured by the Tibran Empire, all hope now rests with Jaevid, Princess Jenna, Phillip, and their mismatched band of dragonrider allies to lead the last stand and save their kingdom. Even in such frightful times, Jaevid may find he still has a few old friends ready to take up their weapons and stand at his side again. But facing down Beckah is perhaps the one thing that might break Jaevid’s resolve. Can he really strike down the woman he used to love in order to save the kingdom?
One final battle will decide the fate of our heroes. Can the strength dragonrider prevail once again? Or will the Tibran Empire become Maldobar’s new legacy?
“Bravery is not an immunity to fear—it is rising up to meet it with the hope that nothing is impossible.” — Sile Derrick, FLEDGLING
Amazon
LEGEND is the final book in Nicole Conway’s trilogy DRAGONRIDER LEGACY, which also includes SAVAGE and HARBINGER.


Want more dragons?Check out Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES

     
Excerpt:
Bellowing howls and thunderous booms shook the ground under me. The sound of snarls, snapping teeth against scales, and shrieks of pain seemed to come from every direction. I recognized the deep inhale and throaty hiss, followed by the roar of flames. A dragon was spitting its fiery venom so close by I could smell the acidic tinge of it lingering in the air. The low hum of something huge swooshed right over me, probably missing me by inches. A tail? Wings? Gods only knew. But I couldn’t even lift my head to see.The brawl seemed to end as abruptly as it had begun. No more roars. No more flame. A break in the commotion with only the distant sound of the battle to fill the silence.A soft whine and series of pops, clicks, and chirps resonated against my ear and a hot blast of musky breath blasted over my cheek. I felt it. Something huge was looming over me. But I couldn’t move or open my eyes.A rough shove rocked my senses, rolling me over so that I flopped onto my back. More hot breaths blasted against my face. I didn’t have to see her. I knew it was Vexi. It took every ounce of strength left in my body to will my eyes open. The end of her big green nose was right in my face, smelling me and whining. She licked at my forehead, one big swipe of sticky dragon spit up the bridge of my nose all the way to my hairline.“H-hey there,” I managed to rasp weakly.She chirped, huge blue eyes blinking down at me with concern. Curling her scaly body around me like a protective living barrier, she laid her head on the ground right next to mine. Her ears perked toward me and nostrils puffed in deep, as though she could sense I was in bad shape.Too late, I realized that leaving her, trying to send her away, was by far the stupidest thing I’d ever done. That’s saying something, I know. Doing stupid stuff was basically my life’s hobby. But Kiran had told me about the loyalty of dragons many times. And right after Vexi chose me, Jenna had said something about it, too. She’d said that our bond was special—that Vexi would stick by me no matter what, even in death. At the time, I hadn’t understood what that meant.
Now I did.
About the Author:
NICOLE CONWAY is an author from North Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University in 2012, and has previously worked as a graphic artist. She is happily married with one son.
https://www.authornicoleconway.com/
https://www.instagram.com/authornicoleconway
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleConway
https://twitter.com/ANConway
http://nicoleconway422.tumblr.com/
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Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends by Sam Baltrusis #ghosts #hauntings #salem

WICKED SALEM PROFILE: MARGO BURNS
The more you know about a person, the harder it is to demonize them.”—Margo Burns, Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt

When historian Margo Burns pitched the idea of a lecture examining the genesis of the rye-based ergot poisoning theory and its ties to the Salem witch trials, she jokingly called the topic “the fungus among us.”
Yes, she’s talking about Salem’s moldy bread myth.
Compared to her more serious contemporaries specializing in the witch-trials hysteria, Burns approached the topic with humor. “If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m a ham,” she joked, sporting her trademark bowtie. “But I’m not a ham on rye.” Ba-dum-bump.
Levity is Burn’s secret weapon. And so is her lineage. She’s a great granddaughter eight generations down to witch-trials victim Rebecca Nurse.
After listening to her speak at a lecture organized by Salem’s Witch House about the origins of the controversial ergot theory, Burns tackled a much larger issue associated with the witch trials of 1692. Pop culture continues to twist Salem’s history. And Burns wants to untangle it.
Burns told me that her fascination with the witch trials was ignited during the summer of 1995 when she started to learn more about her famous ancestor. She recalled holding the original document written by the Rev. Samuel Parris indicting Nurse. It was a turning point for the linguistics scholar turned historian. “It was a bit strange to read a detailed description of my relative’s genitalia,” she said, explaining that the obvious scars related to childbirth and old age that was somehow interpreted as a so-called “witch’s teat” in the trial document. “I don't think you have to be a descendant of a victim to truly understand the gravity.”
What Burns learned from her initial research is that if it's a primary source it doesn't necessarily mean that it’s fact. “You can't believe everything that it said or written even if it’s coming from a primary source,” she said. “In some cases, you have to literally read between the lines.”
Nurse, respected by her Salem Village community, was initially acquitted of witchcraft charges. However, her innocent verdict was reversed after the afflicted girls continued to have fits during the interrogation. Nurse was hanged at the gallows at Proctor’s Ledge on July 19, 1692. Years after the execution, the verdict was deemed unjust by the colonial government and ultimately reversed.
In Nurse’s pre-trial hearing, silence literally equaled death.
Burns told me that one explanation for her ancestor’s ultimate demise was that Nurse was hard of hearing. When the magistrate asked the seventy-one-year-old woman a question, she failed to respond. “Apparently, the girls really started to flip out and the jury kept coming in and out. It was so noisy in the courtroom she couldn't hear what was going on,” Burns explained. “Because she was elderly, she probably didn’t answer because she couldn’t hear. If you were asked a question and you refused to answer it, that could be used against you. Silence was considered proof of guilt.”
As the associate editor and project manager of the comprehensive book Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt, Burns is now armed with an arsenal of original witch-trials documents and is respected for her ability to debunk the myths perpetuated by the media and pop culture.
Her underlying motivation: How do we know what we know?
It was this basic question that inspired her to tackle Arthur Miller’s The Crucible after watching the 1996 film adaptation starring Daniel-Day Lewis and Winona Ryder. Burns recalled being unnerved by the play turned movie’s historical inaccuracies. In response, she crafted a comprehensive analysis of what Miller got wrong.
 “It's a constant challenge because you have to untangle The Crucible,” she said. “I’m all for creative license but I wish he used different names.”
In her online essay called Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Fact & Fiction, Burns skillfully lists the inaccuracies perpetuated by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. For example, Abigail Williams was born in 1681 and didn’t have a romantic relationship with the sixty-year-old John Proctor. Williams was eleven in 1692 and the alleged affair didn’t happen because of the age difference. Proctor wasn’t a farmer but he was a tavern owner. Even though Williams is portrayed as the niece of the Rev. Samuel Parris, we’re not exactly sure how she was related to Parris. Also, the reverend’s wife was alive during the witch trials. She had two children in addition to Betty Parris.Burns believes Miller pulled some of the more outlandish myths from Charles Upham’s Salem Witchcraft book first published in 1867.
For example, Tituba didn’t lead some wild dance party in the woods. And, more importantly, she wasn’t an African-American caricature perpetuated in the late 1800s. “Tituba wasn’t a voodoo practicing black mammy from Barbados. She was an Indian,” Burns continued. “She got recast by how people saw the world during the Civil War.”
According to Burns, every generation interprets history with a biased lens. “My era is the coercion of false confessions,” she said. “I strongly believe they were planning to execute all of those who confessed. They were heavily trying to get people to confess because it was simply a lot easier to convict them.”
The historian said the “how do we know what we know?” lens should be applied to Miller’s take on the Salem witch trials. “People see things in their periphery,” she explained. “We fill in those gaps.”
However, Burns said The Crucible playwright successfully tapped into the mythic, Joseph Campbell-style motif that “people you trust can turn on you” which resonates with contemporary audiences and continues to make the Salem witch trials so disconcerting. “People can be mean to each other to the point they could have someone killed,” she said. “There are so many reasons that could ultimately result in mortal harm. Holding a grudge could result in people dying.”
After spending a decade collaborating with Bernard Rosenthal on Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt, Burns redirected her lens on the controversial ergot poisoning theory.
Introduced by Linnda Caporael in the 1976 edition of Sciencemagazine, the undergrad student turned professor noticed a link between the strange symptoms reported by Salem’s afflicted girls and the hallucinogenic effects of drugs like LSD. Acid is a derivative of ergot, a fungus that affects rye grain. Mental effects of ergotism include mania, headaches, vomiting and even psychosis. It also resulted in gangrene and it was common for victims to randomly lose body parts like fingers and ears.
The ergot poisoning theory has been slammed by scholars like Stephen Nissenbaum, historian and co-author of Salem Possessed. He publicly disputed the moldy bread myth saying that it "appears unlikely to me that this would not happen in any other year, in any other household and in any other village." However, people who visit Salem year after year still believe it’s a viable explanation to the madness that unfolded in 1692.
"I was one of those people who wanted to dispute it,” Burns told me. Of course, her initial impression changed after she did the unthinkable. Burns contacted the original source of the ergot theory. Yes, she actually reached out to Linnda Caporael.
Burns said she was shocked to learn that the woman behind the controversial theory was oblivious to the backlash. “When I talked with her, she didn’t know about Nissenbaum’s response,” Burns said. “Based on our conversation, she thought the negativity was directed toward Mary Matossian. That moment of the conversation gave me pause.” For the record, Matossian cited Caporael’s theory in the 1982 edition of American Scientist in which she argued that the symptoms of Salem’s afflicted resembled some of the hallucinatory effects associated with ergot poisoning.
According to Burns, Caporael was merely applying the scientific method in her original Science magazine article while Matossian was absolute in her attempt to present ergot as a feasible possibility. Burns said Caporael’s suggestion that there could have been a medical explanation to the witch-trials hysteria is conceivable using the scientific method. “It’s interesting to me what people hear and how they extract information,” Burns explained. “The scientific method is a completely different way of looking at the world.”   
During her presentation at the Witch House event, Burns raised a few eyebrows when she defended Caporael. However, the historian effectively weaved together a narrative giving a trippy and sometimes hilarious backstory to the counterculture-colored lens of the 1970s. Burns also presented a few of the sensational newspaper headlines associated with Caporael’s article and then discussed the country’s LSD-laced point of view a half century ago which culminated with Timothy Leary’s “tune in, turn on, drop out” call to action.
When Burns decided to “take ergot head on,” she said it was important for her to go directly to the theory’s originator. “Every story has a source. Who knows when it first started? It’s rare to actually know the flashpoint,” she said.
The idea that ergot poisoning was to blame for the Salem witch trials was simply a byproduct of Caporael’s time. “Linnda got it right,” Burns mused. “Well, she got the scientific method right.”
But how did Caporael’s moldy bread myth impregnate pop culture? Burns cites the hundreds of newspaper articles with over-the-top headlines as the culprit. Apparently, it was a slow news day. “People have agendas regarding how they interpret the past,” she continued. “We use facts to say what we want them to say.”
Meanwhile, the featured expert from TLC’s Who Do You Think You Are? is redirecting her focus on one of the more vilified characters from Salem’s witch-trials past, William Stoughton. He was the chief justice overseeing the special court of Oyer and Terminer and was somehow overlooked when Arthur Miller assigned the title of “hanging judge” to John Hathorne in The Crucible.

When asked if she views Stoughton as the ultimate bad guy, Burns said she is trying her best to be objective. History shouldn’t be interpreted with black-and-white thinking. “The more you know about a person,” she said, “the harder it is to demonize them.”
Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends
Sam Baltrusis


Genre: Ghosts, Hauntings, Local History, Salem, Haunted History
Publisher: Globe Pequot Press
Date of Publication: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4930-3711-7ASIN: 978-1-4930-3712-4
Number of pages: 264Word Count:  61,500
Cover Artist: Globe Pequot Press
Tagline: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Book Description:
It’s no surprise that the historic Massachusetts seaport’s history is checkered with violence and heinous crimes. Originally called Naumkeag, Salem means “peace.” However, as its historical legacy dictates, the city was anything but peaceful during the late seventeenth century.
Did the reputed Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo, strike in Salem? Evidence supports the possibility of a copy-cat murder. From the recently pinpointed gallows where innocents were hanged for witchcraft to the murder house on Essex Street where Capt. Joseph White was bludgeoned to death and then stabbed thirteen times in the heart, Sam Baltrusis explores the ghost lore and the people behind the tragic events that turned the “Witch City” into a hot spot that has become synonymous with witches, rakes, and rogues.

Amazon     BN    Globe Pequot Press
Excerpt:
What is it about the sleepy New England city that engenders itself to history’s witches, rakes and rogues?
Salem, Massachusetts suffers a bit of an identity disorder. There are two versions of the so-called “Witch City” that have symbiotically etched itself into the collective unconscious. There’s the iconic, blood-stained Salem that boasted a sadistic sorority of witch-hanging zealots in the late 1600s. And then there is the modern, witch-friendly spectacle that welcomes thousands of supporters into its coven of commercialism every October.   It’s a tale of two Salems.  As far as the paranormal is concerned, the city is considered to be hallowed ground. However, based on my personal experience as a local historian and tour guide, Salem has a love-hate relationship with its ghosts. Why?   "The city has a long history of not wanting to get wrapped up in commercializing its witch history," explained Tim Weisberg, host of the radio show Spooky Southcoast and researcher with Destination America's Haunted Towns. "It's something they've only really embraced over the past couple of decades. There's still a bit of an 'old guard' in the city that doesn't want to see anyone capitalizing on witches, ghosts or things of that nature.”   As Salem’s on-air expert for the national Haunted Towns TV show, I helped Weisberg hunt for locations with ties to the witch trials of 1692. It was tough. “As they've let some of that guard down and television shows have come in, it's been my experience that the 'powers that be’ who control many of the allegedly haunted and historic locations have been disillusioned with the way productions have come in and treated its history,” Weisberg told me. “At least, that's what I heard in the rejections I received from certain locations when attempting to get permission to film Haunted Towns."   Known for its annual Halloween “Haunted Happenings” gathering, it’s no surprise that the historic Massachusetts seaport is considered to be one of New England’s most haunted destinations. With city officials emphasizing its not-so-dark past, tourists from all over the world seem to focus on the wicked intrigue surrounding the 1692 witch trials.  Originally called Naumkeag, Salem means “peace.” However, as its historical legacy dictates, the city was anything but peaceful during the late seventeenth century. In fact, when accused witch and landowner Giles Corey was pressed to death over a two-day period, he allegedly cursed the sheriff and the city. Over the years, his specter has allegedly been spotted preceding disasters in Salem, including the fire that destroyed most of the downtown area in June 1914. Based on my research, a majority of the hauntings conjured up in Salem over the city’s tumultuous four-hundred-year-old history have ties to disaster, specifically the one-hundred-year-old fire that virtually annihilated the once prosperous North Shore seaport.Cursed? Salem is full of secrets.

About the Author:

Sam Baltrusis, author of Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends, has penned eleven historical-based ghost books including Ghost of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City. He has been featured on several national TV shows including Destination America's Haunted Towns, the Travel Channel's Haunted USA on Salem and served as Boston's paranormal expert on the Biography Channel's Haunted Encounters.
During the summer of 2019, he will be featured on the one-hundredth episode of A Haunting airing on the Travel Channel. Baltrusis is a sought-after lecturer who speaks at dozens of paranormal-related events scattered throughout New England, including an author discussion at the Massachusetts State House and paranormal conventions that he produced called the Plymouth ParaCon in 2018 and the Berkshire’s MASS ParaCon in 2019. In the past, he has worked for VH1, MTV.com, Newsweek and ABC Radio and as a regional stringer for the New York Times.
Visit SamBaltrusis.com for more information.
http://www.sambaltrusis.com
http://www.twitter.com/sambaltrusis
http://www.facebook.com/sam.baltrusis

New Release - Invincible by Beth D. Carter #romanticsuspense #eroticsuspense

***** New Release *****
They say he’s invincible…but is she?


InvincibleWorld of DangerBook OneBeth D. Carter
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: May 1, 2019
Number of pages: 64Word Count: 15, 215
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Book Description:
Lee Masterson is a gun for hire. He’s shut himself off to almost everything, existing with the memory of a woman he loved fiercely but had to let go for her safety. But his carefully constructed walls are shattered when a threat is made against Lidah Wilcox’s life, sending him back to Kentucky in an desperate effort to protect her.
The hole in Lidah’s heart never fully closed when Lee died, and when he suddenly resurrects from the grave, she’s overwhelmed with emotion and memories. 
Twenty-two years of emptiness lie between them, and she’s unprepared for the love that comes surging back to life.
Lee will do anything to protect Lidah, yet he can’t walk away for a second time.
Danger brought them back together, but can they keep each other safe when it stalks them again?  
Amazon
#newrelease #mf #erotic #rotg #sexyshorystory #reunion #romance #eroticromance  #romance #secondchanceromance #romanticsuspense #eroticsuspense #suspense

NICOLE CONWAY’S 10 FAVORITE FANTASY BOOKS #YAFantasy #Dragons #dragonfantasyseries

1. The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien 
2. Legend – Me!  
3. The Silmarillion – J. R. R. Tolkien
4. The Dark Elf Trilogy – R. A. Salvatore
5. The Stolen Throne – David Gaider
6. Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher – Bruce Coville
7. Dragon Weather – Lawrence Watt-Evans
8. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis
9. Asunder – David Gaider
10. Dragonwatch – Brandon Mull

Okay, maybe it’s lame to put my own book there, but honestly I love that story so much and the last book is my favorite. I’ve reread it more times than I can count. 

Fledgling
The Dragonrider Chronicles
Book One
Nicole Conway

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: April 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-939765-68-0ASIN: B00JID62YI
Number of pages: 296
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Tagline: Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?
Book Description:
Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless, until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy—a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid’s case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid’s future.
While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king’s private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders are willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor. Everything Jaevid learned at the academy will now be put to the ultimate test.
FLEDGLING is the first book in Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. This exciting, dragon-filled world returns in the DRAGONRIDER LEGACY trilogy, which concludes with book 3, LEGEND, on May 7, 2019.
Amazon Excerpt Book One: The dragon turned and started walking toward me. His large, curled black claws dug into the dirt floor of the arena, and I couldn’t help but stagger back a few feet as he crept toward me, chattering loudly all the way.His gait was strange to watch, oddly smooth and feline for the way his body was built. He stopped right before me, craning his neck to sniff at me again. Then he started to crouch down. The dragon lowered himself until his belly was flat on the ground. His huge horned head was low, too, and he looked at me expectantly.Before I could figure out what I was supposed to do, Sile was right there beside me. “He wants to seal the bond,” the knight explained as he grabbed me by the waist and pretty much tossed me up onto the dragon’s back. “Don’t be afraid.”Easy for him to say; Sile wasn’t the one straddling the neck of a wild dragon who’d already proven he had a nasty temper. With my legs slung around the base of the creature’s neck, sitting between the shoulders of his wing arms, I clung to anything I could when I felt him start to move. There wasn’t much to grab, though. His scales were slick, and the little knobby black horns that ran down his spine to the tip of his tail were cone-shaped and hard to grip. I just had to lay flat against his neck, my arms as far around him as I could reach, and hung on for dear life as the dragon stood.Sile was laughing loudly. I saw him smiling up at me as the dragon gave a wide yawn that showed me just how many of those teeth he had. My heartbeat was skipping and pounding erratically. My head spun like a top. I was sitting on a dragon. Not just any dragon, though. This one was mine.


AvianThe Dragonrider ChroniclesBook TwoNicole Conway
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: August 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-939765-71-0ASIN: B00LDYD4E6
Number of pages: 300
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Tagline: What kind of power is lurking inside him?
Book Description:
After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.
Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it. The truth will soon be set loose.
AVIAN is the second book in Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. This exciting, dragon-filled world returns in the DRAGONRIDER LEGACY trilogy, which concludes with book 3, LEGEND, on May 7, 2019.
Amazon

Excerpt Book Two: Three mornings a week, after our laps and drills were finished, I tolerated being teased while Felix coached me through different line dances and waltzes. Lyon and I refused to make eye contact as I was forced to hold his hand and, even worse, his hip. The first time Felix actually got us to stand in a waltz pose together, he burst into laughter. Lyon snapped. They punched each other for a few minutes, and I considered leaving the room and walking off the nearest cliff. It seemed better than having to hold Lyon like that ever again.
I still had a shred of dignity left, though. I was learning to dance, and Felix insisted I was getting better. It gave me some hope that maybe I wouldn’t completely embarrass myself at the ball.“Lyon dances like a three legged cow,” he assured me. “So it’ll be easier with a real girl. They’re much lighter, and more graceful. And a lot less ugly.”Lyon cursed under his breath. “Oh right, well excuse me for not dancing like a girl.” We only had a few weeks left before the ball, and I knew he was probably just as ready as I was for this dance class to end.“Remember what I said about greetings and introductions. Confidence. Eye contact. Charm. It’s a state of mind.” Felix snapped his fingers at Lyon like he was summoning a pet dog. “Let’s run through it one more time.”Lyon sputtered a few more curses as he stomped toward me. I tried to visualize Beckah standing in his place with her warm smile and deep green eyes. It was nearly impossible, though. Lyon was definitely a boy. And this was definitely the most embarrassing thing I’d ever done in my life.As soon as we had gone through our awkward bows and stepped into an opening dance pose, the dorm room door to our room burst open. I was holding onto Lyon’s waist and hand, as usual, and he was pretending to hold up a dress. We both froze, too stunned to react.Jace was standing in the doorway. He looked at all of us, his brows raised and his expression completely blank.My last shred of dignity withered and died. “When you’re finished with…whatever this is, I need to see the lot of you downstairs to be measured for your formal uniforms.” Jace managed to say, although he sounded a little hoarse. I could have sworn I saw him suppressing a smile. “Hurry up.”The door shut, and I died a little inside. Lyon shoved away from me. Judging by the shade of red his head was turning, he was too angry and embarrassed to speak. I couldn’t say anything, either.
The only person who could make a sound was Felix. He was laughing so hard he was choking. He fell down on the floor, gripping his sides. I had to step over him in order to get out of the room.
TraitorThe Dragonrider ChroniclesBook ThreeNicole Conway
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-692337-30-1ASIN: B01D5GKYLK
Number of pages: 300
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Tagline: One kingdom’s traitor will become the world’s last hope.
Book Description:
Can anyone survive Luntharda? No amount of training has prepared Jaevid Broadfeather for the frontlines of battle. Now facing the true horrors of war, with Luntharda looming on the horizon, Jaevid has begun to question everything he thought about his heritage. The only thing keeping him going is his oath to protect his dragonrider brothers. But in an instant, even that slips through Jaevid’s fingers as he steps from the safety of his dragon’s saddle into the depths of his mother’s wild homeland—the kingdom of the gray elves.
Stranded in Luntharda with his partner Lieutenant Jace Rordin, Jaevid must finally confront the demons of his own past as he uncovers the truth about a war that began before he was ever born. Armed with a new appreciation for destiny, and flanked by his trusted friends, Jaevid moves to make the final strike against an enemy that has hidden in plain sight for far too long.
TRAITOR is third book in Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. This exciting, dragon-filled world returns in the DRAGONRIDER LEGACY trilogy, which concludes with book 3, LEGEND, on May 7, 2019.
Amazon

Excerpt Book Three:
Against the roaring winds and frozen rain, I saw the shape of someone standing at the top of that staircase. At first glimpse, it looked like a knight; a petite man clad in armor that shimmered like obsidian glass and adorned in painted golden wings, even on the gauntlets and helmet, giving the wearer an angelic appearance.I stretched out my hand toward the black armored knight, who had started descending the steps. Once we were both inside, we began working together to push the door closed again to keep out the cold. Then she took off her helmet.Beckah’s long dark hair fell down over her shoulder in a braid. Some of her bangs were sticking to the moisture on her forehead and the sides of her face, and her lightly freckled cheeks were flushed from the cold wind. When her bright green eyes looked up at me in the darkness, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.I kissed her. It was a much deeper, more passionate kiss than any we’d ever had before. She put her arms around my waist and hugged me close, and for a long time we just stood like that. I couldn’t believe how much I’d missed her in such a short amount of time. Under all that armor, she was still the simple, beautiful girl I’d eaten peaches with on the beach in Saltmarsh. She was still the Beckah I loved.


Immortal
The Dragonrider ChroniclesBook FourNicole Conway
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: November 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-944816-53-7ASIN: B01M1XW9W3
Number of pages: 349
Cover Artist: Beetiful Book Covers
Tagline: What began as one boy’s adventure will now end in blood.
Book Description:
Destiny has called.
With Jaevid Broadfeather forever lost to the depths of Luntharda, Felix Farrow struggles to stand on his own. He begins a violent downward spiral which causes him to abandon his post as a dragonrider, hiding in the halls of his family estate. His one hope for redemption lies within the heart of someone from his past—and the very last person he ever wanted to see again.
And now the time has finally come.
Hovrid, who has ruled Maldobar as a tyrannical imposter, is preparing to make a decisive assault against Luntharda that will destroy what remains of the elven race. Only Jaevid, Felix, and their trusted friends are able to stand in his way. They have only one chance to end the war, and only one hope to absolve the curse that threatens to destroy their world. The stage is set. The plan is in motion. What began as one boy’s adventure will now end in blood.
IMMORTAL is final book in Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. 

Amazon


Excerpt Book Four:
Group after group of dragons and their riders continued to land on the platform and file into the tower. One hundred proud warriors had left to retake the city only a few days before. Less than forty of us returned. Still, I was only looking for one.“Where is he? Does anyone see him?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs and shoved my way through the other dragonriders. I called his name over and over, hoping to spot him or his blue dragon making their way down the corridor ahead of me. They must have fallen behind.I searched every bloodied, war-beaten face that came walking in from the rain. Before I knew it, I was standing back at the open gateway that led out onto the platform.Jaevid Broadfeather was nowhere to be found.Someone grabbed my shoulder. A bolt of hope shot through me as I spun around, hoping to see him standing there.It wasn’t him.It was my riding partner, Lieutenant Prax, standing over me like a giant in blood-spattered battle armor. He was much older than I was and a far more seasoned rider. That’s why the look on his face absolutely terrified me.“No one saw him or Jace depart with us.”
I was instantly sick. I couldn’t accept that. Jaevid wouldn’t just roll over and die—not this easily. We’d made it this far, gone through all of our dragonrider training together from beginning to end – so I knew he could fight.




This exciting, dragon-filled world returns in the DRAGONRIDER LEGACY trilogy, which concludes with book 3, LEGEND, on May 7, 2019.


About the Author:
NICOLE CONWAY is an author from North Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University in 2012, and has previously worked as a graphic artist. She is happily married with one son.
https://www.authornicoleconway.com/
https://www.instagram.com/authornicoleconway
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleConway
https://twitter.com/ANConway
http://nicoleconway422.tumblr.com/

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A Bewitching Monday

Chris Stoneheart: UF author and professional juggler? (Unhuman Light - Chronicles of the Light #1) + excerpt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Igtn30ozsRY

Midweek Escape with Author Alexis Sage #bewitichingbooktours http://ow.ly/8ban30ozsQI

Interview- When A Taker Dreams by J. A. Jackson #romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Z5vp30ozsSU

Aetherborn by Alexis N. Sage
https://indiewritersreview.wordpress....

*** One is a dying man. The other died to live.***
NoX by Adrienne Wilder
Genre: LGBT Science Fiction
Nox is a HEA/HFN m/m paranormal, science-fiction romance.
But be warned, these are NOT the shifters you are used to reading about.
https://amzn.to/2UjaOcG
#LGBT #Sciencefiction #scifi #MMSciFiRomance #scifiromance #MMRomance #PNR #darkfantasy #urbanfantasy

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Haunted Flint to Be Released September 2, 2019 #hauntedflint

Haunted Flint will be out September 2 and we'll be having a release party at Totem Books Friday September 6.

There is not an official cover yet, but a pre-order link just appeared on Amazon, as soon as I have more details I'll share them and the link to the Haunted Flint website I've been building. 


Sinister Secrets in Flint’s History

Home to ancient burial grounds, unsolved murders, economic depression, and a water crisis, Flint emits an unholy energy rife with ghostly encounters. 

Colonel Thomas Stockton’s ever vigilant ghost keeps a watchful eye over his family home at Spring Grove, where guests occasionally hear the thump of his heavy boots. 

Restless spirits long separated from their graves lurk among the ancient stones in Avondale Cemetery. 

Carriage maker W.A. Paterson’s spirit continuously wanders the halls of the Dryden Building, and something sinister and unnamed resides in a Knob Hill mansion waiting to prey on impressionable young men. 

Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani on a chilling tour of Flint’s most haunted locations.

Pre-Order on Amazon https://amzn.to/2XPzV9l

A Bewitching Friday

INTERVIEW with ALEXIS. N. SAGE (AetherBorn) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5PqX30oxRoM

When A Taker Dreams by J. A. Jackson #romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/zDHl30oxRtN

Unhuman Light by Chris Stoneheart #urbanfantasy #UF #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IeXw30oxRrl

AetherBorn by Alexis N. Sage #YAUrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/JuYi30oxRpP

Unhuman Light by Chris Stoneheart Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/odbG30oxRt5

*** One is a dying man. The other died to live.***

NoX by Adrienne Wilder
Genre: LGBT Science Fiction
Nox is a HEA/HFN m/m paranormal, science-fiction romance.
But be warned, these are NOT the shifters you are used to reading about.
https://amzn.to/2UjaOcG
#LGBT #Sciencefiction #scifi #MMSciFiRomance #scifiromance #MMRomance #PNR #darkfantasy #urbanfantasy

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