Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 299

The Ghosts of My Lai by JC Braswell

Vietnam was a tragedy written without a pen or pencil. My Lai happens to be one of the most sordid chapters, one imagined with innocent blood. We’re several decades removed from the conflict—the dark memories fading with each successive generation—but the horror still remains with those who reluctantly carried the rifle.  
I’ve met several Vietnam veterans throughout my years. One in particular, a man who I hold in the highest of esteem, opened himself up about his experiences. I’ll never forget the void in his eyes. Never.
I wrote The Ghosts of My Lai to tell a different tale, one focused more on the soldiers than the conflict itself.  It’s not a traditional war book. There are several paranormal elements haunting the men in the tale. Some are simply specters of their past actions. Others you will have to decide for yourself. But it is war that broke some of these men 
With that in mind, I decided to put together a short list of books/film that may provide the reader with the setting for this tale.
1.)   The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien2.)   Platoon - Movie3.)   Four Hours in My Lai – Bilton/Sim 4.)   Full Metal Jacket5.)   Heaven & Earth6.)   Cover - Ketchum


The Ghosts of My LaiJC Braswell
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
Publisher: Magothy Publishing
Date of Publication: April 20, 2017
ISBN: 0-9979909-3-5 (Paperback)ISBN: 0-9979909-2-9 (eBook) ASIN: B06XNVPB2P
Number of pages: 264Word Count: 89,700
Cover Artist: Marcy Arnold
Book Description:
Lieutenant Chris Williams and his platoon flee My Lai—the site of an unfathomable massacre during the Vietnam War—only to have their helicopter shot down over unchartered jungle. Disoriented and separated from the outside world, Williams faces the unenviable task of navigating the waylaid band of survivors to safety. But Vietnam has other plans…
Fear begins to trump logic. Specters of the assault call for them during the jungle nights. The escape mission descends in to mutiny as they discover an unknown threat unlike the Viet Cong hunts them from within the primitive environment.
Williams soon realizes that survival is not possible without first confronting the ghosts of My Lai…and the sins of their past.
Amazon
Excerpt:
“So what’s the plan now, LT?” Simmons moved his arms in a repetitive semicircle manner like he was making a snow angel in the leaves. “We just going to sit here and wait for the jungle to take us? Or do you think we’ll just die from boredom and exhaustion?”“Quiet, Simmons,” Garcia said.“We keep going.” He didn’t want to let them know that they might be stalked by a tiger, which would only cause more panic in the group.“I guess there’s only one answer right now,” Donovan said, resting back on his elbows.“What’s that?” Harris asked.“We’re screwed.” Donovan could summon a smile even in the direst of situations, thrusting his hips in the air. “We’re completely and totally screwed. No chance at all.”“Please don’t say that,” Harris’s voice cracked.“Donovan, seriously? Why do you have to go on and say something stupid like that?” Jackson nudged Donovan’s thigh. “You’re gonna scare the kid.”“’Cause it’s true. He’s right.” McEvoy smacked the back of his neck, smashing some insect guts into his skin. “Look at us. Nobody wants to say it, but we’re lost. No map. A useless compass. Not much food. Lost. And don’t get me started on these bugs.” McEvoy slapped the back of his head again, this time catching the bug and causing it to pop like a balloon. McEvoy gagged as he looked at his palm before wiping it across his thigh.“They sure seem to like you,” Simmons said. “Must have some of that sweet boy blood.”“Why do you have to start when I’m worrying over here? And I don’t have any sweet boy blood.”“Enough. No more talk of death,” Williams said, tossing one of the river pebbles he kept in his pocket at McEvoy. “No more talk of anything. We take a short sleep and get going.”“If you say so, boss.” McEvoy squirmed as the rock plunked him on the shoulder. “What I wouldn’t give to listen to a little Doors right now. Just fade away with it all.” Donovan looked up at the stars. “Seems appropriate to die while listening to some good music“How’s the injury?” Garcia dropped to one knee and went to untie Williams’s makeshift compression bandage. “I’m not sure how many we of these left. Maybe one.”“Shouldn’t I ask how your shoulder is doing?”“No need to worry about something small like that,” Garcia responded. “I’m not the one with a rotting leg.”“Since you put it so gently.”“You said it yourself. Might as well be honest. We’re just a sideshow.”“Touché.” Williams knew there was reason to be concerned. He could smell the infection from three feet away: rotting eggs. Based on Garcia’s tempered reaction, it could only be getting worse.“Hey, what about the radio? We’re on higher ground. Might be worth giving it another shot.” Harris, with his naïve youthfulness, held on to a simple hope. “Go for it. Not like it’s going to hurt,” Williams answered, drifting back to the memories in his mind. Seagulls cawed from around Annapolis harbor, the zip of a fishing line pulled as a fish splashed on the surface. It was only a pipedream.“It ain’t even turning on,” McEvoy said. He clicked the switch a few times, relying on a miracle that would not happen. “Oh, come on,” Harris whined. He slapped the radio a few times—the old magic trick never quite worked out for anyone with experience in electronics.“Relax, guys. That things as useless as both of you.” Donovan said, drumming his fingers along the ground to the beat of whatever Doors song played in his head.“Wait. Think I got something.” McEvoy’s words called their attention. The radio whined as McEvoy adjusted the knob until a muffled song broke through the static.“What’s that?” Jackson asked, leaning in as if he could listen better.“I don’t…I don’t know.” McEvoy honed in on the signal until a distinct muffled chant emerged. The small troupe stared at each other, a mixture of confusion and disbelief as the unknown words captivated them.“It can’t be,” Donovan said.“Maybe some local station?” Harris asked.The chanting grew more distinct with little melody to the deliberate words.“A local station…out here? No damned way.” Williams said, noticing the VC perking his head up with a glaze covering his face. It was as if the chanting signaled the VC to wake.“These people have some weird tastes,” Jackson said.The troupe gathered closer, exchanging glances between each other and the radio. The lights flickered with the strength of the foreign words, the dials shifting back and forth.“You recognize any of this?” Williams looked at McEvoy.“I…no. It’s…too old. An older dialect.” McEvoy shrugged.The chanting intensified, the chorus of foreign words almost shouting. The treetops around them rustled as a stiff breeze suddenly rolled across their makeshift camp. Williams looked back at their VC prisoner, who remained silent, transfixed by the radio’s signal.“This ain’t right. None of this is right.” Harris withdrew from the contraption.“Hold on to yourself,” Donovan said. “Nothing we can do.”Louder. Faster. The radio shuddered with the strength of the signal.“Turn if off. Turn it off,” Garcia demanded.The VC’s lips started to move, almost in unison with the chanting, but he did not make a sound.“I’m trying.” McEvoy twisted the dials, but the radio refused to obey.Its housing crackled then sparked, causing McEvoy’s arm to snap back. The sharp smell of burnt rubber and metal poured out of the case. Then, with a pop and brilliant flash, the radio went silent, its light fading to black. The VC then dropped his head in concert with the chanting as it came to an abrupt halt.“Jesus,” McEvoy said, blowing on his finger.
“El Diablo,” Garcia muttered in a voice low enough for only Williams to hear.
About the Author:
A fan of Lewis, Hemingway and Tolkien, author JC Braswell writes in a few different genres including Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult.
In addition to writing JC is a practicing attorney specializing in estate planning and corporate law, he is the recipient of the American Health Lawyers Association award for his legal writing.
JC makes his home along the Chesapeake Bay with his wife and two children.
You can visit his website at www.jcbraswell.com  and check out his podcasts at www.freestateradio.com
Author website: http://www.jcbraswell.com
Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/JCBraswell/e/B00YLOWUP4/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14051364.J_C_Braswell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCBraswellBooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcbraswellauthor

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Guest Blog - The Girl from the Woods by Chris Keane

The Ghosts of Our Past
Hello! My name is Chris Keane and I write paranormal romance books. I’m thrilled be joining you here at Fang-tastic Books! Today I will discuss the inner workings of some of the characters in my new novel, The Girl from the Woods. Being in the paranormal romance genre, The Girl from the Woods contains some actual ghosts. But I thought it would be interesting to discuss the metaphorical ghosts that haunt the main characters throughout the story.
Ultimate List of Character Ghosts
Dante is haunted by his parent’s brutal judgment and feelings of abandonment after they dump him at his grandmothers and head to Europe for the summer. As the story progresses, Dante must learn to take care of himself if he is going to survive.

Angie, the girl from the woods, is haunted by a failed romantic relationship. Will she be able to open herself up to love with Dante? Will she ever be able to trust him with the knowledge of her special gifts?
Dr. Sewall, Angie’s father, is haunted by the untimely death of his beloved wife. Her loss left him empty inside and he’s struggling to fill that void. Will he overcome his grief and find happiness again? How far is he willing to go to get it?

Gram, Dante's Grandmother is haunted by a mistake she made as a young adult, when she turned down a college scholarship to get married. Now she is widowed and struggling to survive on pennies while her health rapidly deteriorates. Will she survive? Will Dante be able to care for her, considering he’s never even had to take care of himself?

Kurt, Dante’s older brother, is haunted by memories of high school where he was a popular football star. Now he is partying it up, trying to re-capture the feeling of being on top. Somehow, regularly berating Dante also makes him feel like a king again. Kurt’s plight definitely adds some comic relief to the novel. But will he pull himself together and stop making Dante’s life miserable?
Fight or Flight
So, we’ve learned a little bit about what makes our main characters tick. The interaction of all their unique motivations is at the heart of The Girl from the Woods. Now it’s time to send them on a fantastic journey. And it will be a sight to see! Because when characters are able to overcome the echo of ghosts from their pasts, heroes are born.
Who is your favorite literary protagonist? What ghost is he/she battling with?
The Girl from the WoodsChris Keane
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Pennant Collective
Date of Publication: April 25th, 2017
ISBN: 978-0692832172ASIN: B06X9Y715F
Number of pages: 144Word Count: 43,000
Cover Artist: Nick Kiefer
Book Description:
It’s summertime and the last place 19-year-old Dante Elton wants to be is at his grandmother’s in rural upstate New York. But it’s exactly where his parents dump him, as they jet off to Europe. Without a car, cell service, or even basic television, there is nothing to do but wander around the nearby woods just as he had as a small child…
There he meets sexy—and slightly older—Angie Sewall while on a hike. On the surface, she’s a devoted daughter content to be single while she manages her father’s medical practice. Yet deep down, Angie is bored and heartbroken…and is harboring some special gifts that she keeps secret from her father and their backwoods community.
When Dante’s grandmother’s health declines, he reaches out to Angie’s father for help, only to uncover the good doctor’s dark side. When Dante confides in Angie, it drives a spike into their budding relationship. He’s left to wonder if he’s all alone in his quest to save his grandmother
Amazon

Excerpt:
As the sun splintered through the gaps in the tarp, Dante held Angie in his arms while she slept. He had never felt or even imagined being this happy. He watched her sleeping peacefully, half-expecting she would just vanish like the girl from his dream. She seemed other-worldly, more of a product of his imagination than the surrounding environment. In the real world, a beautiful girl like Angie would barely give him the time of day. She wouldn’t be into reading horror or Japanese anime either. She would probably be rejecting his friend request on Facebook.He still hadn’t told Angie that she had appeared to him in his dream back in New Jersey. He figured she would probably just laugh at him. The past few weeks, he had assumed he would forget about it. Yet somehow, the thought wouldn’t vacate his brain. If she had actually appeared to him in his dream, this was no ordinary girl, and that frightened him. She seemed normal, but her father did not. He was an eccentric man with a sketchy past. Dante had come across a stack of books on witchcraft in his study. But she brushed it off, saying that he had grown up in Massachusetts, and everyone up that way was into the history of Salem.
About the Author:
Chris is a graduate of Rutgers University and studied the art of storytelling at Gotham Writers' Workshop in New York City. Chris' first publication, "Loot," became a bestselling Kindle Short Read, in the category of Young Adult Fiction.
"Loot," set on Halloween in 1977, tells the tale of three boys who skip Halloween to hunt for cash to purchase an Atari in an old farmhouse belonging to one of their deceased aunts. Adventure ensues in his coming-of-age tale in the spirit of Stand by Me and The Goonies.
In addition to authoring prose, Chris is a screenwriter. In 2013 he wrote the screenplay for a short film, The Baseball Card, about three twelve-year old boys who fight over a Don Mattingly baseball card during the summer of 1984. The Baseball Card was an official selection of the Garden State Film Festival, Hoboken International Film Festival, and Maryland International Film Festival in 2014.
The Girl from the Woods is his debut novel.
https://twitter.com/KeaneFiction
https://www.instagram.com/keane.fiction.llc/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14427846.Chris_Keane

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Cover Reveal Sevyn by Renee Dyer

SevynRenee Dyer
Genre: Thriller/ Romantic Suspense/ Dark Romance
Publisher: Forever Red Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-941853-39-9
Number of pages: 300
Cover Artist: Lee Ching from Under Cover Designs
Tagline: When life hands you impossible choices, can you become the man you want to be?
Book Description:
Born into rival drug cartels, Kevyn Zozlov and his best friend Esperanza Torres defy the odds, finding laughter in a world full of pain. Ripped away from her at a young age, Kevyn has to learn the difference between family, loyalty, and obedience. Fear keeps him focused each day. Memories fill his dreams at night.
Torn between the death he sees daily and what he believes is right, he struggles to decide the kind of man he wants to be—until a promise he makes to his mother, the person he loves more than anyone, changes everything.
“Get out of here and find Esperanza. Promise me.”
Now, Kevyn has to figure out how to make his way to the only friend he ever had—the one person who understands his damaged world. Will she welcome him back with open arms, or turn him away, leaving him more lost than he already is?
With time against him, can he find Esperanza and his happiness, or will he be another casualty of the drug war, buried in an unmarked grave with no one to mourn his loss?


About the Author:
From a young Renee Dyer had a love of writing, starting with a doodle pad at age four that morphed into journals.  Poetry became short stories and short stories a novel.  Although she’s surrounded by males all day having three sons, a husband, and a hyperactive chocolate lab, she still finds time to be herself by escaping into the fantasy of reading and writing romance.  That is, until she needs a male’s perspective and garners eye rolling from her husband at all of her questions.  Renee is a true New Englander.  You can find her screaming profanity at the TV while the Pats play and cuddling under blankets during the cold seasons (which is most of them), reading a good book.  She doesn’t believe snow is a reason to shut things down, only to slow down and admire the beauty.  Ask her anything.  She’s an open book—pun fully intended.

Facebook Author Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/AuthorReneeDyer
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ReneeDyerAuthor
Amazon Author Page:https://www.amazon.com/author/reneedyer
Pinterest Page:http://www.pinterest.com/reneedyerauthor/
Google + Page:https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ReneeDyerRomanceAuthor/posts
Goodreads Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7529668.Renee_Dyer

The Unlikeable Demon Hunter by Deborah Wilde

The Unlikeable Demon HunterNava KatzBook OneDeborah Wilde
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Te Da Media
Date of Publication: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9920709-8-4ISBN: 978-0-9920709-9-1ASIN: B01MR8GI6B
Number of pages: 420Word Count: 87,400
Cover Artist: Damonza
Book Description:
Bridesmaids meets Buffy with a dash of the seven deadly sins.
The age-old story of what happens when a foul-mouthed, romance impaired heroine with no edit button and a predilection for hot sex is faced with her worst nightmare–a purpose
Ari Katz is intelligent, driven, and will make an excellent demon hunter once initiated into the Brotherhood of David. However, this book is about his twin Nava: a smart-ass, self-cultivated hot mess, who is thrilled her brother is stuck with all the chosen one crap.
When Nava half-drunkenly interrupts Ari’s induction ceremony, she expects to be chastised. What she doesn’t expect is to take her brother’s place among the–until now–all-male demon hunters. Even worse? Her infuriating leader is former rock star Rohan Mitra.
Too bad Rohan’s exactly what Nava’s always wanted: the perfect bad boy fling with no strings attached, because he may also be the one to bring down her carefully erected emotional shields. That’s as dangerous as all the evil fiends vying for the bragging rights of killing the only female ever chosen for Demon Club.
Odds of survival: eh.
Odds of having a very good time with Rohan before she bites it: much better.
Amazon
Excerpt:
Mornings after sucked. Walks of shame were a necessary evil, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed shimmying back into the same trollop togs twice. I picked glitter out of my hair, then straightened my sequined top. I was officially decommissioning it. Multiple washings never quite managed to remove the lingering aura of bad decisions I made while wearing party clothes. My philosophy? Cross my fingers and hope for the most bang for the bucks spent later on new outfits.The surly cabbie evil-eyed me to hurry up. I complied, rooting around in my clutch for some crumpled bills before handing them over and stumbling out of the taxi onto the sidewalk. Fresh air was a godsend after the stale bitter coffee smell I’d been trapped with during the ride. I pressed a finger to my temple, a persistent dull throb stabbing me behind my eyeballs. My residual feel good haze clashed big-time with the glaring sun screaming at me to wake up, and the buzz of a neighbor’s lawnmower cutting through the Sunday morning quiet didn’t help matters. Best get inside. Smoothing out my mini skirt, I readied myself for my tame-my-happy-slut-self-to-boring-PG-rating body check when a wave of dizziness crashed through me. Whoa. I brought my gaze back to horizon level, swallowing hard. That sea-sickness technique was doing dick-all so I rummaged in my bag for my ginger chews. No puking in the bushes, I chided myself, letting the spicy smooth and sweet candy fight my nausea. My mother would toss my bubble ass out if I defiled her precious rhodos.Again. The rise and fall of my chest as I took a few deep breaths spotlit a slight problem. My spangly blouse was missing two buttons. And I was missing a bra. Hook-up Dude had been worth the loss of a pair of socks, maybe a bargain bin thong. But the latest in purple push-up technology? No. I allowed myself a second to mourn. It had been a good and loyal bra. The sex, on the other hand? Total crap. The girls, who were normally perky C cups, seemed a bit subdued. I couldn’t blame them. What’s-his-name had started out with all the promise of a wild stallion gallop, but he’d ended up more of a gentle trot. I didn’t know if the fault lay with the jockey or the ride, but it had been a long time since I’d seen a finish line. Since I couldn’t keep examining my tits on the front walk with Mrs. Jepson side-eyeing me from behind her living room curtains, I thrust my chin up and clacked a staccato rhythm toward my front door on those mini torture chambers that had seemed such a good idea yesterday. Every step made our precisely manicured lawn undulate. I clamped my lips shut, willing the ginger chews to kick in while fumbling my key into the lock. Dad had screwed up the measurements on our striking cedar and stained glass front door and, being a touch too big for the frame, it needed to be shouldered open. I crashed into the door like a linebacker. Once I’d extricated myself and my keys from the lock, I brushed myself off, and stepped inside. Our house itself was comfortably upper middle class but not huge, since my parents preferred to spend money on trips and books instead of the overpriced real estate found in here in Vancouver. A quick glance to my left showed that the TV room was empty. I crossed my fingers that Mom and Dad were out at their squash game, my main reason for picking this specific time to sneak back in. Really, a twenty-year-old shouldn’t have had to sneak. But then again, a twenty-year-old probably should have kept her last menial job for longer than two weeks, so I wasn’t in a position to argue rights.I kicked off my shoes, sighing in delight at the feel of cool tile under my bare feet as I padded through the house to our homey kitchen. No one was in there either. Someone, probably Mom, had tacked the envelope with my final–and only–pay stub from the call center that I’d left lying around onto our small “miscellaneous” cork board. The gleaming quartz counters were now free of their usual clutter of papers, books, and latest gourmet food find. That meant company. Come to think of it, I did hear someone in the living room.A study in tasteful shades of white, the large formal room was off-limits unless we had special guests. Mom had set that rule when my twin brother Ari and I were little tornados running around the place and while there was no longer a baby gate baring our way, conditioning and several memorable scoldings kept us out. Hmmm. Could Ari be entertaining an actual human boy? Le gasp.I beelined for the back of the house, past the row of identically framed family photos hanging in a neat grid, my head cocked. Listening for more voices, but all was quiet. Maybe I’d been wrong? I hoped not. Both finding my brother with a crush–blackmail dirt–and helping myself to the liquor cabinet were positive prospects. What better way to lose that hangover headache than get drunk again? Oh, the joys of being Canadian with socialized health care and legal drinking age of nineteen. After a year (officially) honing that skill, I imbibed at an Olympic level.The red wine on the modular coffee table gleamed in a shaft of sunlight like its position had been ordained by the gods. I snatched up the crystal decanter, sloshing the liquid into the glass conveniently placed next to it. Once in a while, a girl could actually catch a break. I fanned myself with one hand. The myriad of lit candles seemed a bit much for Ari’s romantic encounter, but wine drinking trumped curiosity so I chugged the booze back. My entire body cheered as the cloyingly-sweet alcohol hit my system, though I hoped it wasn’t Manischewitz because hangovers on that were a bitch. I’d slugged back half the contents when I saw my mom on the far side of the room clutch her throat, eyes wide with horror. Not her usual, “you need an intervention” horror. No, her expression indicated I’d reached a whole new level of fuck-up. “Nava Liron Katz,” she gasped in full name outrage.My cheeks still bulging with wine, I properly scoped out the room. Mom? Check. Dad? Check. Ari? Check? Rabbi Abrams, here to perform the ceremony to induct my brother as the latest member in the Brotherhood of David, the chosen demon hunters? Check.I spit the wine back into what I now realized was a silver chalice and handed it to the elderly bearded rabbi. “Carry on,” I told him. Then I threw up on his shoes.


About the Author:
A global wanderer, hopeless romantic, and total cynic with a broken edit button, Deborah writes adult urban fantasy to satisfy her love of smexy romances and tales of chicks who kick ass. She is all about the happily-ever-after, with a huge dose of hilarity along the way. “It takes a bad girl to fight evil. Go Wilde.”
Website: www.deborahwilde.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildeauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.wilde1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16189297.Deborah_Wilde

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Free Book Blitz The Sun God’s Heir: Return by Elliott Baker

The Sun God’s Heir: ReturnThe Sun God’s HeirBook OneElliott Baker        
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Action and Adventure
Publisher: Hypatia Press,Piscataqua Press
Date of Publication: January 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9978322-0-4ASIN: B01MS3RCE0
Number of pages: 347Word Count: 108,000
Cover Artist: Kelly Shorten
Tagline: To defeat a brutal pharaoh re-embodied in 17th century France, René Gilbert must fight his way through pirates and slavers to Morocco and reclaim the power of his own ancient past. To succeed, he must remember.

Book Description:
For three thousand years a hatred burns -In seventeenth century France two souls incarnate, one born the child of a prosperous merchant, the other, determined to continue a brutal incarnation begun long ago.
In ancient Egypt two brothers are disciples of the pharaoh, Akhenaten. When Pharaoh dies, the physician takes the knowledge given and goes to Greece to begin a new mystery school. The general makes a deal with the priests and becomes pharaoh. One remembers, one does not.
The year is 1671. René Gilbert’s destiny glints from the blade of a slashing rapier. The only way he can protect those he loves is to regain the power and knowledge of an ancient lifetime. From Bordeaux to Spain to Morocco, René is tested and with each turn of fate he gathers enemies and allies, slowly reclaiming the knowledge and power earned centuries ago. For three thousand years a secret sect has waited in Morocco. 
After ages in darkness, Horemheb screams, “I am.” Using every dark art, he manages to maintain the life of the body he has bartered for. Only one life force in the world is powerful enough to allow him to remain within embodiment, perhaps forever. Determined to continue a reign of terror that once made the Nile run red, he grows stronger with each life taken.


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Excerpt:
The boatswain, a large man with scars on his arms and face, walked over to stand in front of René. “Chain him to the mast.”Their gazes met.“Don’t look at me, boy,” he said, backhanding René in the face. “Look down at the deck when I talk to you. You’re some over-fed nobleman’s kid thinkin’ you make the rules. I’m surprised you ain’t cryin’ for your mama. You got a mama, boy?” he asked and laughed. When René didn’t answer, he hit him again. “I asked you a question, boy. Don’t try my patience, cause I ain’t got none.”“My mother died when I was born,” René said, watching the man’s feet to see how he moved. He was cataloging everything he could see out of the corners of his eyes.“Well, not to worry, you’ll be seeing her soon.” The boatswain turned to walk away and then turned back and hit René again. “I had to do that,” he said, and walked away laughing.Though they had chained him in a way that didn’t allow him to sit, René had enough slack to turn and see most of the ship. He was aboard an English slave ship. She was an older carrack in design, still with the large forecastle. She had seen better days, though. The fact that she was still on the seas suggested either a cutthroat reputation or an experienced captain. Under the wear, the ship was surprisingly clean, her ropes and sails newly repaired and in good order. Second rate though she might be, she was seaworthy. This was a veteran crew, competent in their tasks. It wouldn’t be easy getting free, and even if he could, where would he escape to in the middle of  the ocean? Don’t rush fate. One thing at a time. Do what you can do, he heard the Maestro say. It was clear he would have to pick a fight, and hope he could survive long enough to begin creating allies. The next time the big boatswain walked by, René laughed.“What are you findin’ so funny, boy?” The boatswain stuck his face within inches of René’s.René had noticed the boatswain had one leg shorter than the other, and was certain the big man would be touchy on that point. “You walk funny, that’s all,” said René, raising his voice. It was of no use to him if he got beat up and no one knew why.All work within the sound of René’s voice crashed to a complete stop. Silence reigned. René had guessed right. Now he could only hope he would survive his insight.The boatswain stood in absolute disbelief, his face turning redder by the moment. “What did you say?” Spittle flew from his mouth.Even the captain had turned to watch. René counted on the fact Gaspard’s agent had given the captain a great deal of money, along with explicit instructions that didn’t include throwing a dead boy overboard. What he didn’t know was how close to dead the agent considered acceptable.“I said you walk funny,” René said—louder this time, so there would be no mistaking it.“Do you know what a cat is, boy?” the boatswain said, clearly beyond rational thought. René could see the veins standing out in his neck and temples, his eyes shot red with blood.“A small animal?” René asked.There was a laugh from the men standing around the mast. The boatswain took one look around, and the laugh died.“You, James, bring me the cat. I don’t think this boy has ever seen a real one. Your education has been sadly incomplete, boy. You’ll be thankin’ me for this. I promise you.” The boatswain’s voice was a rough whisper.James walked over and handed the Cat-O-Nine-Tails to the boatswain. As he caught René’s eye, he sadly shook his head. The cat had nine long thongs of blood-encrusted leather dangling from a handle, knots tied along the length of each thong.“This here’s a cat, boy. As you can see, it ain’t no small animal. Now, there’s a skill and a talent to usin’ a cat, both of which I’m proud to say I have. You see, you need to take care the thongs don’t get all stuck together with blood and skin, which they’re wont to do. If that happens, the cat’ll take yer organs right out, and that’s always a bad thing. So you need to run your fingers between the thongs every couple of strokes, to keep ‘em separate. I gotta tell you—as much pride as I take in usin’ the cat, sometimes I’m forgetful. I try to keep count, but before I know it, I plumb forget to clean the damn thing. I surely hope that don’t happen today.”“I also have a skill and a talent, and I will kill you with it,” René said quietly.
For one second, the boatswain paused, confusion written across his face. “Turn him around, and chain him up. You there, strip off his shirt.”
About the Author:
Award winning novelist and international playwright Elliott Baker grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. With four musicals and one play published and produced in the United States, New Zealand, Portugal, England, and Canada, Elliott is pleased to release his first novels. The Sun God’s Heir: Return, book one of the trilogy, was released this past January, and book two, Rebirth will come out in April, followed in July by the third and final book of the series, Redemption. A member of the Authors Guild and the Dramatists Guild, Elliott lives in New Hampshire with his wife Sally Ann.
https://www.elliottbaker.com
https://www.facebook.com/ElliottBakerAuthor/
@elliottbaker on Twitter
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8423737.Elliott_Baker    

Veiled Menace Guest Blog and Giveaway with Deborah Blake

Publishing is a funny industry. You might think that because Veiled Menace, the second book in the Veiled Magic series, is my eighth published novel, that would mean it was the eighth book I wrote—but you’d be wrong. (Ha!)
In fact, Veiled Magic was my third book (and the one that got me my agent) and Veiled Menace was my fourth. But at the time, we couldn’t sell them, so I went on and wrote a few more books, including Wickedly Dangerous, the first Baba Yaga novel, which finally got me a contract with Berkley.
Luckily, after I’d written the first few Baba Yaga books, my then-editor read Veiled Magic and loved it, so it finally got to see the light of day. Berkley decided to put it out as eBook only, and then continue the rest of the series the same way. In fact, I’m working on the third book, tentatively titled Veiled Mysteries, right now! (I’m not sure if the series will end there or keep going…I guess we’ll find out.)
This series has a special place in my heart. First, because after many rejections (really, many many rejections) I had finally written a book that an agent fell in love with and wanted. In fact, she loved it so much, she had me go ahead and write the second book in the series right away, which you usually don’t do. Which meant that when Berkley said, “Hey, we liked the first one enough to continue with the series,” the second one was magically all ready, and just needed some revisions!
Second, I really like the protagonist, Donata Santori. She’s a witch, like the Baba Yagas, but she is more of “real world” witch, meaning she has more restrictions to the magic she can perform, and has to use spells and things instead of just waving her hand as Barbara and the others do. She also has terrible luck with guys, something I can identify with, and a well-meaning but critical family where she doesn’t quite fit in. I also had fun creating the world the stories take place in, which is much like ours, with a few twists, like a bunch of paranormal races, including Witches, Dragons, Fae, Ulfhednar (a kind of Norse shapechanger), and Ghouls.
The Veiled Magic books have more of an urban fantasy feel to them than the Baba Yaga series, which is more like paranormal romance. (Although really, the two genres are very close to each other.) For one thing, poor Donata doesn’t get her happily ever after in the first book. Does she get it later? I guess you’ll have to keep reading to find out.
I hope you like these books as much as I do!



Veiled MenaceDeborah Blake
Publisher: InterMix 
Publication Date: April 18, 2017
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
ASIN: B01M8PPLCR
A spellbinding new novel from the author of the Baba Yaga novels. Since Witches came out of the broom-closet in the early 21st century, they have worked alongside humans as police officers, healers, stock traders, and more. But they aren’t the only paranormal entities in our world… 
Witch and police officer Donata Santori is no stranger to magical mayhem, but lately her life has been unexpectedly charmed. Her job as a Ghost Yanker now includes the occasional paranormal investigation, and she’s advancing her magical abilities with the help of an ancestor’s treasured spell book. And while both of her former love interests—reclusive half-Dragon art forger Peter Casaventi and disgraced Shapechanger Magnus Torvald—are nowhere to be found, she’s not averse to being wined and dined by wealthy businessman Anton Eastman.
But Eastman isn’t what he seems, and what he wants from Donata is far more than she’s willing to give. When a mysterious relic, the Pentacle Pentimento, resurfaces, along with Peter’s Dragon father and a shocking Santori family secret, Donata must fight to save herself, her friends, and just maybe the fate of the world from a magic as old as it is dangerous…  Amazon          Penguin      Barnes and Noble     

About the Author:
Deborah Blake is the author of the Baba Yaga Series (Wickedly Dangerous, Wickedly Wonderful, Wickedly Powerful), the Broken Rider Series, and the Veiled Magic books from Berkley, and has published nine books on modern witchcraft with Llewellyn Worldwide as well as a tarot deck. When not writing, Deborah runs The Artisans’ Guild, a cooperative shop she founded with a friend in 1999, and also works as a jewelry maker, tarot reader, and energy healer. She lives in a 130-year-old farmhouse in rural upstate New York with various cats who supervise all her activities, both magical and mundane.
Newsletter: http://dld.bz/dWEQs
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/deborahblake
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.blake
Blog: http://deborahblake.blogspot.com/
Website: http://deborahblakeauthor.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/246753.Deborah_Blake


Giveaway: 
Veiled Menace goodie set, including a notebook, a $10 Kindle gift card so you can buy the book (both of them, if you haven’t read Veiled Magic yet, since they are each $4.99), a cute stuffed dragon, a broom pen, and a few additional bits and pieces like a magnet, postcards, and chocolate. 


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Cover Reveal Fiskur by Donna Migliaccio

Fiskur The Gemeta Stone Book 2Donna Migliaccio
Release Date: November 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Fiery Seas
Book Description:
With his family's talisman in his possession, Kristan Gemeta is ready to face the Wichelord Daazna – but he has no inkling of the scope of Daazna's power, nor the depths of his hatred.    
With the recovery of his family's protective talisman, Kristan Gemeta has found hope, courage – and perhaps even the first stirrings of love.  With the aid of Heather Demitt, her band of rebels, a shipload of Northern brigands and the legendary Kentavron, he readies himself to face the Wichelord Daazna.  But neither he nor his comrades realize the strength of Daazna's power and hatred.  The Wichelord's first blow comes from a direction Kristan least expects, with horrific, lasting consequences.
Fiery Seas

About the Author:
Donna Migliaccio is a professional stage actress with credits that include Broadway, National Tours and prominent regional theatres.  She is based in the Washington, DC Metro area, where she co-founded Tony award-winning Signature Theatre and is in demand as an entertainer, teacher and public speaker.  Her award-winning short story, "Yaa and The Coffins," was featured in Thinkerbeat's 2015 anthology The Art of Losing. 
https://donnamigliaccio.com/
https://www.pinterest.com/donnaiswriting/
https://twitter.com/donnamig
https://www.facebook.com/mrsmig
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14735250.Donna_Migliaccio

The Dastardly Miss Lizzie by Viola Carr

The Dastardly Miss LizzieAn Electric Empire Novel
Book ThreeViola Carr
On sale: 4/18/2017 ISBN: 9780062363121
In the third book in Viola Carr’s fantastically fun and wonderfully edgy Electric Empire novel, set in the gritty world of alternate Victorian London, Dr. Eliza Jekyll must team up with her secret other half, Miss Lizzie Hyde, as her world comes crashing to a halt when a madman begins targeting the city’s most important scientists, and sorcerers threaten all she holds dear.
About the Book:
Crime scene physician Eliza Jekyll is trying to share a life with her rebellious second self, Lizzie Hyde. But being two people in one body isn’t easy, not when Eliza has a professional reputation to protect and Lizzie is veering headfirst into a life of debauchery and crime with an increasingly demented Mr. Hyde. Not to mention the difficulty of making a respectable marriage with Remy Lafayette--Royal Society investigator and occasional lycanthrope--while Lizzie enjoys her own dubious romantic entanglements. And with England on the brink of war, Remy’s secretive mission in sorcery-riddled Paris grows ever more sinister. Has he been an enemy agent all along? Or is Eliza finally going mad?
Now, she’s confronted by her most baffling case yet: an evil genius with a penchant for theatrics is murdering eminent scientists in the most inexplicable ways. Her investigation uncovers a murky world of forbidden books, secret laboratories and bleeding-edge science punishable by death--and a shocking connection to her father’s infamous experiments. Desperate to learn the truth about her past, she must infiltrate a cabal of fanatical inventors bent on a discovery that will change the world--or destroy it.
With London under attack by sorcery-wielding terrorists, and the Royal Society’s enforcers determined to bury her evidence for good, Eliza needs all the friends she can get if she’s to thwart the killer and keep her head. But when Lizzie’s criminal shenanigans get Eliza fired from the Metropolitan Police, and Remy is implicated in an act of bloody vengeance he didn’t commit (or did he?), she’s on her own.
Except for wily, resourceful, mercurial Lizzie. But Lizzie’s got her own life now. And she’ll do anything to keep it. Even if it means attempting the unspeakable and finding her own body. Even if it means throwing Eliza to the wolves, and letting the world burn…
Amazon     BN    HarperVoyager    BD    Kobo     iBooks

About the Author:
Viola Carr was born in Australia, but wandered into darkest London one foggy October evening and never found her way out. She now devours countless history books and dictates fantastical novels by gaslight, accompanied by classical music and the snoring of her slumbering cat. She likes steampunk, and thought it would be cool to investigate wacky crimes with crazy gadgets…just so long as her heroine was the creator of said wacky gadgets: a tinkerer, edgy, with a dash of mad scientist.
http://www.violacarr.com/
https://twitter.com/viola_carr
http://violacarr.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/violacarrauthor



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Fury of a Viking by Sky Purington

Fury of a VikingThe MacLomain SeriesViking Ancestors’ KinBook 4Sky Purington     
Genre:  Time-travel Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication:  April 17th, 2017
ASIN: B01N4P4IO4
Number of pages:  295
Word Count:  94,000
Cover Artist:  Tamra Westberry
Book Description:
Shannon usually prefers the dead to the living. But then running a funeral parlor offers a different perspective. Peace and escape. Or at least it did until the day she’s summoned by her sister to their Winter Harbor chalet in Maine. Now she knows the truth. The veil between worlds is far thinner than she thought. In fact, it’s so thin she can’t prevent her and her daughter, Emily, from slipping back in time.
Of dragon blood, Matthew Sigdir has suffered more loss than most. A wife. Sister. Now, because of a vicious enemy, possibly his son, Håkon. Infuriated, determined to find his child, he heads north over unforgiving land. What he doesn’t expect is a twenty-first century little girl and her beautiful mother, Shannon, to join him on his quest. Nor does he expect Hel to show them favor. And there’s no turning away Loki’s daughter when she offers help. Now they have to navigate not only through the elements of a wicked Scandinavian winter but Helheim itself, the underworld of the dead.
While they travel, Matthew and Shannon are forced to face their pasts. What they left behind and all that haunts them. As they do, old wounds heal. Hope grows. Love sparks. Through it all, Emily leads them ever closer to Håkon. She’s the key. But is it already too late? Will they make it in time to save Matthew's son? Or is the enemy one step ahead of them?
Amazon      BN     iTunes      KoboSpicy Excerpt
Matthew nodded, more and more impressed by her. He said nothing but watched her drink, enthralled yet again by her appearance. Her slender body. The fine lines of her profile. She possessed a quiet, mesmerizing sort of elegance and he found himself imagining what her dragon might look like. Would it match the sleek blackness of her hair or would it be the addictive blue of her eyes? He imagined she would make a stunning addition to his homeland as she flew over its turbulent waters, the sea spray coating her body in shimmering moisture. Which made his eyes fall to the plumpness of her lips. The moisture left behind by the mead. Which led to the way she had tasted when he kissed her.“Matthew?” she said softly with that tempting tone she was so good at. It was designed to be soothing and compassionate for those going through difficult times, but his dragon heard a little something else as well. A seductiveness he was fairly certain she didn’t know she emitted. A sensuality he suspected was her inner beast responding to his.“Matthew?” she repeated, tilting her head ever-so-slightly in question. “Are you with me?”Oh, he was with her all right.Just in the last way he intended. A way he thought he had been able to set aside. “Yes,” he managed, his voice a little gruff as he became overly aware of her scent still lingering on him. “I am with you, Shannon.” He stood. “But as you said before, it is time to rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow, yes?”“Sure, if that’s what you’d prefer.” She looked at him with concern, obviously refocused on the battle and what had happened to him. “Whenever you need to talk, I’ll do my best to listen, Matthew. What you’ve experienced, what you’re going through, isn’t easy.”Much to his dismay, sexual frustration only grew as he pulled on his tunic and boots. He didn’t want to talk but do something else entirely. And that only fed his aggravation. He should want to get to the bottom of things. Yet his muddled mind remained focused on her scent.Her looks.On how she would feel beneath him.“It’s only normal to be feeling what you are right now,” she murmured as they headed back. “It’s normal to want to find relief from all the stress you’re under.”At first, he didn’t realize what she was talking about until he heard the switch of her breathing in the darkness and caught the sweetness of her arousal. She was catching glimpses of his thoughts and referring to his untimely lust. As they cut through a narrow corridor of rock and were forced to walk single file, his eyes dropped to her shapely backside, and he almost groaned.Was it normal to feel so strongly about her right now? To imagine pressing her against the wall and closing his lips over hers more firmly this time? Then to fall to his knees and inhale her desire? When Shannon cleared her throat, and her heart rate increased even more, he knew for certain she heard his thoughts. And was likely even well aware of his arousal through senses alone.Especially if they were dragon mates.He could deny it all he wanted, but there was no mistaking the way he responded to her. The jealousy he felt not only when Kodran pulled her close but when Cameron put his arm around her. He might have a real problem. Though he assumed he was well in control of himself around female dragons, it seemed he was wrong. Because the last thing he felt when she stopped short, and he came against her back, was in control. “What is it?” he murmured, unable to stop from lowering his head and inhaling the warmth of her skin. “Why did you stop?”“I just had the strangest feeling,” she whispered.A shiver of awareness rippled through her when his hands landed on either side of her slim waist. She liked the feeling of him behind her like this. And he liked it just as much.
“What kind of feeling?” he managed as he stepped even closer and kept inhaling. He was so aroused he could barely remember why he shouldn’t be. In fact, any sense of decency was just about gone. 
About the Author:
Sky Purington is the bestselling author of over twenty-five novels and several novellas. A New Englander born and bred, Sky was raised hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories of her youth found release in her books.
Purington loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at Sky@SkyPurington.com. Interested in keeping up with Sky’s latest news and releases? Visit Sky's website, http://www.skypurington.com to download her free App on iTunes and Android or sign up for her quarterly newsletter. Love social networking? Find Sky on Facebook and Twitter.
Website:   www.skypurington.com  
Blog:   www.skypurington.blogspot.com  
Twitter:   www.twitter.com/skypurington  
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sky-Purington/260484263999780
Pinterest:   www.pinterest.com/skypurington
Newsletter: http://www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com/p/newletter.html

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The Power of Storytelling - Guest Blog with Susan V Vaughn

Humans are emotional creatures that crave personal connection. Stories have always been a way for people to connect and communicate. Myths have been passed down since the beginning of human existence. Storytelling is timeless. It's a way to link us to our ancient ancestors, and assist us in understanding our past. By passing down our traditions, legends, and fairy tales, we connect to something that is bigger than ourselves. 

And yet, we are living in a time where storytelling is becoming obsolete. All those fantastic folklore from the past are becoming forgotten. Writing and reading are both powerful tools to combat this loss. I write because I have a story I want to tell, and a message I want to leave for future generations. Every story I write has a theme central to past legends and myths. Reading and writing are about connecting a whole new generation to those stories. 
In, Beyond Fate, I write about the power of love. Both the hero and heroine have lessons they must learn, and changes they must make, on their journey to one another. This is the universal truth in every good romance. Lovers must learn to open their hearts, and become less selfish before they can fall in love.

Stories are how we think, and how we make meaning of life. They provide us something familiar, and comforting. They can be road maps to how we make decisions that aligned with our morals and character. But, stronger than that, stories are the gateway to our imagination which is the foundation of self-discovery and change. 

We have a responsibility as humans to pass these stories on to future generations. To read, to write, and to imagine. If we give these things up, then we lose our traditions, our connections, and our empathy for one another.      
   



Beyond FateSusan V. Vaughn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Date of Publication: March 24th 2017
ISBN: 978-1-945910-11-1ASIN: B06XQ4G49P
Number of pages: 215Word Count: 61,838
Cover Artist: Najla Qamber
Tagline: Fate has a way of pushing you in ways you never thought possible
Book Description:
Years of separation mean nothing when love is in the air…
Julia Diaz never wanted to fall for her friend's older brother, especially at a college frat party. But, for some reason, her heart was stolen by Russell that night. Eight years after, she never forgot him. Now destiny has brought them together. Only this time Russell is no longer a boy. He’s a man who knows what he wants and will not be denied.
Russell Webb used to be optimistic, and fun loving until a family tragedy turned his world on its side. Putting all his focus on work, he picked himself back up, and managed to turn his grief into something resembling a life. When a woman from his past reappears, and gives him a glimpse of true happiness, he’ll do anything to secure her heart. Even face the darkness he has avoided for so long. 
Amazon      Kobo     BN     iTunes


Excerpt:
His heart pounded as he made up the distance between them. He’d fought the urge to hold her in his arms all week. He no longer could.“Hey! What are you doing?” Her question was lost as he pulled her against him, and covered her lips with his own. She sank desperately into his embrace for a moment, before pushing him back. “Russ, stop.”“Why?” He grabbed one of her hands, and kissed the soft skin of her palm. She smiled, her face flushing red, her eyes flashing hazel.“Because we are supposed to be friends, and we’re at work.” She glanced nervously around the deserted hallway.“Nah, work’s over,” he said lightly, refusing to address the friendship statement. “It’s time for us.” He secured her hand in his, and led them toward the parking lot with single focus. “I’m taking you to dinner.”“Wait! I have to grab my things from the music room.”“No time for that.” He quickened his pace through the parking lot, determined to take her to dinner, not caring who witnessed his desperation. He’d waited all week for this opportunity.“I guess you’re not giving me a choice then?” She sounded amused, not annoyed, a good sign.“Now you get it.” He winked back at her. “I am your boss, after all.”
She sighed loudly in exasperation, and then began to giggle. It made him grin like a man who had never been happier in his life.
About the Author:
Romance Author, Susan V. Vaughn understood the meaning of sarcasm before she could walk. Her childhood in the suburbs of Detroit was spent mainly trying to outwit her six creative siblings. When she wasn’t working on the next soul-crushing jab, she sharpened her imagination on romantic literature and day dreamed about her knight in shining armor.
It didn’t take long for this hairdresser by trade to turn her passion for reading romances into writing her own unique love stories. Susan lives her life finding laughter in all situations, and delights in marrying sarcasm with romance to create realistic falling-in-love stories in the unlikeliest of scenarios.  
Susan lives on the shores of Lake Huron with her real life knight in shining armor and enjoys watching their three children learn the art of sarcasm and wit.
Website: www.susanvvaughn.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanvaughn1124
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Susan-V-Vaughn-123758787958942/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14660814.Susan_V_Vaughn
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Susan-V.-Vaughn/e/B016H54WWI/