Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 302
March 13, 2017
Ten Reasons Authors Should Go On A Virtual Book Tour By Roxanne Rhoads
Ten Reasons Authors Should Go On A Virtual Book TourBy Roxanne Rhoads
1. Going on a virtual tour can help you network with bloggers, readers, reviewers, other authors and publishing professionals. You can build a professional network of contacts through a tour.
2. A virtual book tour can help build your author brand and platform.
3. An online tour can vastly expand your online presence and visibility as an author. The more you and your book are mentioned online, the more hits readers will find when they Google you.
4. You can target niche reader markets. Does your book feature food, crafts, or secondary topic that can be built upon for marketing purposes? Make sure that in addition to the normal book blogs and genre blogs that several of your tour stops are on targeted blogs for food, recipes, crafts or a side market that fits your niche. For instance, Juliette Blackwell’s Witchcraft Mysteries could be featured on sites that cater to vintage clothing or San Francisco because both of those feature heavily in her cozy mystery series. Melissa Bourbon’s Dressmaking Mystery Series could be featured on a sewing blog. Find your niche and target it.
5. A tour can build your mailing list and increase your social media following. Include links to your newsletter sign up page and all of your social media profiles so readers can easily follow you.
6. A virtual tour can direct traffic to your website. Make sure your website is up to date and full of content for readers to explore.
7. Expose your book to readers around the world. Many tour companies have book bloggers in numerous countries. Your book can be showcased around the world 24/7.
8. You will have the chance to interact directly with readers via live chats, Facebook events, and comments on blogs and websites.
9. Most blogs archive their content; this means it does not get deleted. Your tour stop will remain online indefinitely for readers to find.
10. A virtual book tour can increase book sales.
Secrets of Successful Virtual Book ToursQuick Tips for Authors GuideRoxanne RhoadsBook Description:
Are you considering a virtual book tour?
Not sure where to start or exactly what an online tour will entail?
Roxanne Rhoads, book publicist and owner of Bewitching Book Tours, shares her virtual tour expertise in this Quick Tips for Authors Guide.
Secrets of Successful Virtual Book Tours will guide you in utilizing the best marketing tool available- a virtual book tour, which can create online exposure for your book, jumpstart your book sales, help build your author brand, and expand your network.
In this guide you’ll learn:· what you should do before a tour· the components of a great author website· the best social media outlets for authors to utilize· tips for building your author brand· how to write great guest blogs· what to expect from an online book tour· the secrets of successful book tours· how to schedule your own virtual book tour
And you’ll receive in-depth details about what to do during a virtual book tour to guarantee success.
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Excerpt:
The world of publishing is continuously evolving thanks to technology and the Internet. It is now easier than ever to publish a book. But with the growing number of new books being released every day it is also harder than ever to get your book noticed in the crowd.
If your line of thinking includes- “If I publish it, people will buy it,” think again.
Indie publishing requires a dedication to self-promotion. Gone are the days an author hermits them self away to write, then hands the book to the publisher who does all the leg work for promotion. Even NYT Bestselling authors and those with contracts through the big publishers still have to do a certain amount of self-promotion.
There are many ways to promote: social media, advertising on popular websites and blogs, print advertising in trade magazines, attending reader oriented conventions and events…but one of the best ways to get your book out there and build name recognition as an author is through a virtual book tour.
In this Quick Tips for Authors Guide, you will learn why a virtual book tour can be an author’s most effective marketing tool.
What Readers Are Saying About Secrets of Successful Book Tours
“As a book blogger, I am often surprised by the number of new authors I meet that do not really promote their books. There are a lot of inexpensive and free ways for them to do so. Roxanne Rhoads does an excellent job of laying these ideas out. The book is well-organized and easy to follow. She points out author mistakes and faux pas. She speaks from her past experiences. I have a background in marketing. Roxanne Rhoads has a strong understanding of marketing and does a great job of explaining her suggestions and ideas. I highly suggest this book to all authors. There are many great ideas in this book that can help brand you as an author as well as get your books noticed. There are so many books out there. It is absolutely necessary for an author to promote themselves.” ~ Diane Lynch, Book Blogger
“Jam-packed with useful tips that had be scrambling for my calendar. And the conciseness is frankly another selling point for a busy authorpreneur. Who has time to wade through a bunch of fluff? Not me. And Roxanne doesn't waste our time with that -- she gets straight to the business of book tours. Want to run your own tour? No problem. The book provides advice on DIY'ers as well. From lists of blog ideas to the legal in's and out's of using images, Secrets of Successful Virtual Book Tours has something for novices and old hands like myself. And I believe her branding advice was spot on.” ~Kirsten Weiss, Author
“This is a must have for any author planning to do a virtual book tour. Most of us wouldn't even think of half this stuff. Roxanne's advice is golden.” ~ Serena Synn, Author
“This book is packed with information on how to not only promote your book but also promote yourself as an author.” ~ Bonnie Amazon Review
I have been doing blog tours with Roxanne for quite some time now and I can say her organization and skills are without a doubt top notch. If I ever actually get around to writing my novel I can assure you that I will use this as a guide. She covers everything from building your brand to what to expect on a blog tour.
Her knowledge is well shared and I think every author that wants to build their brand should read this guy. Simply put this is a must read for any author that wants to exposure that can come with a blog tour. ~Jen Brooks The Cubicle Escapee
In this era of self-publishing, an author needs to do as much as they can to get themselves noticed. Enter the virtual book tour, a tour of blogs on the Internet - as opposed to visiting book stores - with the aim of increasing an author's online presence and ultimately increasing book sales. Roxanne Rhoads guides you through the dos and don'ts of virtual book tours, with great advice on providing fresh material for each tour stop. She covers both tours run by established tour companies and tours you plan yourself, and she includes a list of sites where you can find book bloggers to contact. She also gives you some great advice about setting up your online and social media presence, as well as social media mistakes to avoid.
Roxanne Rhoads is the guru behind Bewitching Book Tours, the first book tour company I ever signed up with. If you're interested in a well-organized blog tour, be sure to check out Bewitching Book Tours. As Roxanne states, "Publication is only the beginning of the process ... promotion is the road to success."
An excellent quick guide for all authors. ~ Lynda Dickson - Books Direct
Recommended reading for anyone considering a blog tour. There is information here that I didn't know and have never come across before. If you want to do-it-yourself, there is a section to help with that as well. How to write a good guest blog, do's and don'ts, even copyright information. It changed the way I think about blog tours and I will be doing things differently the next time around. ~ kmontemayor Amazon Review
This little gem was borne out of Ms. Rhoads' experiences and speaks for itself. It is a must-have reference for authors old and new. ~ AoBibliophile
Secrets of Successful Virtual Book Tours is fantastic compilation of tips, tricks, and learning tools for ensuring your book tour is to your liking. The guide is filled with do's and don'ts as you navigate your tour whether it's your first or your 10th. Learn what a book tour is all about, how to market your author brand, write guest posts, and much, much more. Highly recommended for authors and bloggers, alike. ~Amber Marr Saph’s Book Blog
About the Author:Roxanne Rhoads has been working in the world of online book promotion since 2005. She has worked as a freelance writer, author, book reviewer, book blogger, editor, self-publisher and book publicist. She has a unique advantage of knowing how multiple sides of book publishing and promotion operate.
Roxanne understands how book bloggers work and what they want to make their jobs easier while also understanding that authors need promotion to be streamlined, easy, and less time consuming.
Roxanne shares some of her knowledge in Secrets of Successful Virtual Book Tours.
Author Website http://www.roxannerhoads.comBewitching Book Tours www.bewitchingbooktours.com
Bewitching Blog http://www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/RoxanneRhoads
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Twitter @RoxanneRhoads
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Rescued by the Wolf by Kristal Hollis
Rescued by the WolfWahyas of Walker’s Run SeriesBook TwoKristal HollisGenre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Date of Publication: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 0373139837ASIN: B01JBQ3HQW
Number of pages: 304Word Count: 74,000
Book Description:
She’s not afraid to run with his wolf.
When a poacher killed his mate, Rafe Wyatt lost his future. While the Wahyas of Walker's Run have been pulling him back from the brink, he's certain he won't have another chance at love. That is, until Grace comes to town.
Grace Olsen is a woman without roots. That's exactly how she likes it, until a sojourn in a small, close-knit Appalachian community gives her a new vision of what home could be—and so does Rafe. He was supposed to be nothing more than a casual lover, just as wary of commitment as she is. When their raw attraction becomes something deeper, more complex, they could be looking at a new future together. But someone close to them both would rather see Grace dead than let her be with the man—and the wolf—she's grown to love.
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Excerpt:
“Rafe, wake up!”He didn’t move, snort, or otherwise acknowledge her presence.Grace eased off the Murphy bed, slid her feet into pink slippers, maneuvered between the coffee table and couch, and reached over Rafe to the alarm clock balanced on the top frame of the couch, the LED face flipped so that the time flashed into the cushion instead of into the room.In a sudden whirl, she slammed onto the couch seat cushions. Rafe’s steely fingers clamped around her wrists, pinning them over her head. She stared into icy, cobalt blue eyes that would’ve stolen her breath if she hadn’t lost all air when he plastered his hard, hot body onto hers. The short crop of his auburn hair stuck out in different directions. A pillow crease cut across one high cheekbone and dipped into the reddish stubble dusting his strong jaw. His firm, full lips would look much more kissable if he smiled. Squared shoulders rose above a sculpted chest swirled with soft tufts of hair, and a quarter-sized scar marred the taut, tan skin over his right ribs. Her gaze slid over the ripples of his abs and the sharp indents of his hips. She couldn’t follow the treasure line that arrowed down from his belly button because he was lodged intimately against her pelvis. A giddy heat rushed her body and struck her with the acute awareness of a virile man in his prime. “Never sneak up on me, Grace.” Rafe’s laser-intense eyes burned holes straight through her body. “It’s dangerous.” No doubt. From his deeply etched scowl to his silent, panther-like movements, she needed no further warnings. He was dangerous on all levels.
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Rafe sat on the couch in the living area of the suite, opened the fast food bag and methodically set three wrapped sandwiches, an extra-large order of fries, napkins and a plastic spoon on the small round table. “How you can eat like that and not have an ounce of fat?” She knew he didn’t because she’d seen every inch of him. “I run almost every night.” Rafe unwrapped the first sandwich, wadded the paper and dropped it in the bag. “You don’t look like a runner. They’re usually lean and lanky.” Grace pulled a bottle of water from the small in-room refrigerator and placed it on the table for Rafe. “You’re thicker, more solid.” Elbows on his knees, holding the sandwich in front of his face, he took a giant bite, chewed slowly and swallowed. “You think I’m dense and slow?” His gaze lifted to her with a challenge in his eyes. “No.” She joined him on the couch. “Think of greyhounds and rottweilers. Greyhounds are sleek, elegant and fast. Rottweilers are—” “Blocky and stout?” Neither of which described Rafe. “I was going for strong and durable.” She picked up the spoon and shoveled a big scoop of delicious, soft, vanilla ice cream drowning in hot fudge into her mouth. Her entire body cheered. “I could give a greyhound a run for its life.” “Keep eating junk and you won’t.” Eying the sundae in her hand, he halted before taking another bite of his sandwich. “Who’s the pot and who’s the kettle in this conversation?” “Hey. This is my only vice.” She savored another bite. “Ummmm.” “What about coffee?” “Isn’t a vice. Coffee is as essential as oxygen.” “If you stopped breathing, which would you rather have, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or a cup of coffee poured down your throat?” Rafe’s gaze lingered on her mouth. Her lips tingled. She gave her spoon a slow, sensual lick. “Depends on who’s providing the rescue breathing.”
FREE SAMPLE CHAPTERS: https://goo.gl/K5t5Ou
About the Author:Raised in a small Southern town, Kristal Hollis has spent most of her life helping people and animals. When a family medical situation resulted in a work sabbatical, she began penning deliciously dark paranormal romances to escape the real-life drama. After the crisis passed, her passion for writing love stories continued. An RWA 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist, Kristal lives with her husband and two rescued dogs at the edge of the enchanted forest that inspires her stories.
www.KristalHollis.com
www.facebook.com/KristalHollisBooks
www.twitter.com/KristalHollis
www.goodreads.com/kristalhollis
www.amazon.com/author/kristalhollis
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March 7, 2017
Release Day Blits ICE WOLF and SHADOW WOLF by Jane Godman
They are the Arctic Brotherhood.
They are deadly fighters, fierce protectors and loyal mates.
E-Originals published by SwervePublication Date: March 7, 2017ISBNs: 9781250119964 and 9781250104953Price: $3.99
ICE WOLF by Jane GodmanElliott Wilder is a mild mannered Alaskan college professor. Wilder craves the things most people find boring. Seclusion. Monotony. Anonymity. But what Wilder craves most of all is the thing he can’t have… memory loss. Four hundred years ago, Wilder and the other members of the Arctic Brotherhood were captured and tortured by the leader of the Siberian werewolves. Wilder is still haunted by memories of that night, when he wasn’t able to protect his leader.
Now the Siberian wolf is on the loose and seeking revenge. Not only must Wilder lead the brotherhood, he must fight the attraction he feels toward its newest recruit, Jenny Piper. Jenny offers Wilder a glimpse of the life he can’t have. As the brotherhood races against time to save humanity from the horror their enemies unleashed on the world, Wilder must reach inside himself to find the leader the brotherhood needs and the mate Jenny craves.
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[image error] Ice Wolf ExceptInside the tiny ground-floor bathroom Jenny had a medicine cabinet of industrial proportions. She worked quickly and efficiently, her hands on his flesh impersonal and capable as she cleaned away the blood. The whole time the atmosphere between them thrummed with more. It whispered of different touches, unspoken, longed-for clandestine caresses. Because of the bond between them, Wilder knew Jenny felt it, too. Could feel it in the heat of her body, scent the longing on her skin and in her most private recesses. It took every ounce of the iron self-control he’d built up over the years to keep his animal instincts in check and let his own hands hang loose at his sides.There was a unique bond between all Arctic werewolves. It was a soul-deep connection, stronger than friendship or pack loyalty. It singled them out. Unlike moon-called werewolves, theirs was an instant, symbiotic affinity. It automatically bound Wilder and Jenny together.But Wilder was afraid this was more. Afraid and excited at the same time. He had spent so long ignoring everything to do with his inner wolf and determinedly keeping the human world at arm’s length, he’d almost forgotten what physical attraction felt like. Almost. He hadn’t completely lost the ability to fantasize. He knew it felt a lot like this. Except what he was feeling right now was so much more. And that was what scared him. Because his inner wolf was setting the pace.Werewolves were creatures who believed in folklore and magic. He knew what the legends said. It was like a mantra imprinted into every werewolf’s psyche. We mate for life. There is one mate for every wolf. Before he had turned his back on his inner wolf, Wilder had heard the stories about how a werewolf would instantly know its mate. How the sudden hit of attraction would be like nothing he or she had ever encountered before. It was said to be irresistible, like an injection of pure, molten heat straight into the bloodstream.What happened if a werewolf who no longer wanted to be a werewolf suddenly encountered his mate? Had anyone ever asked that question? Was Wilder about to be the first?
SHADOW WOLF by Jane GodmanSamson Lee last saw Valetta Rickard five years ago when a shared a kiss almost led him to break the promise he had made to himself. Now Valetta has disappeared, and Samson has promised her father he will find her. When Samson finds Valetta leading a rogue gang of bloodthirsty Arctic werewolves, he soon discovers that all is not what it seems. As soon as they see each other again the feelings they denied all those years ago resurface.
Valetta is Shadow Born, a rare and mystical werewolf with legendary powers. If she chooses, she can destroy a whole species. A power that an evil hunter wants so that he can destroy the Arctic wolves. Samson, together with the other members of the brotherhood, must find the hunter before he can put his plans for Valetta into action. At the same time, Samson must put the past behind him and convince Valetta that she is worthy of love.
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Shadow Wolf ExcerptValetta waited for Samson’s expression to change. She had just confessed to being Shadow Born. She was a monster who had the power to destroy his whole species. Now he knew what she was, she expected him to walk away in disgust. At the very least. If he tried to kill her, she wouldn’t blame him.What she didn’t expect was for him to lift her into his lap and wrap his strong arms around her so that he could cradle her against his chest. One big hand ran up and down her back in a surprisingly gentle motion. He held her that way for long, heart-stopping minutes until some of the terror that had held her heart in a vise for so long began to melt away.“How did you find out?”She loved that he didn’t do the obvious stuff. Didn’t say it couldn’t be true. Didn’t exclaim and wonder. Didn’t offer sympathy or horror. He just got directly to the important part.“My mother left me a letter to be opened when I was twenty-one.” She lifted her head and found Samson’s face disturbingly close. “My father thought it was a lovely idea. That it would contain sentimental mother-daughter stuff, you know?”“Hendrik never knew?”She shook her head so violently that the action vibrated through both their bodies. It was a mistake. Even in such a serious situation, she was all too aware of his potent masculinity. The powerful thigh muscles beneath her buttocks clenched, and she sensed him battling for control. “He still doesn’t know. Her letter begged me not to tell him.”He gave a soft growl, his eyes probing hers. “So you have been dealing with this all alone for two years?”“What else could I do? The truth would have destroyed my father. He loved her so much.” Valetta decided that although Samson’s lap was her new favorite place, it was probably not the best position from which to conduct a serious conversation. Reluctantly, she moved back to sit at his side. “Did you ever meet her?”“Only once.” He seemed to be conjuring up a mental image. “The main thing I remember about Teresa is that she was stunningly beautiful. You are very like her.” Valetta hung her head. She’d never been good at accepting compliments and a tribute from Samson was so far outside her experience it knocked her off balance. “They were happy together and I was pleased that Hendrik had found someone at last.”“Did you ever think it was strange that he had been alone for so long and then, just as he left the brotherhood, he met my mother?”“I never thought of it that way. If I had, I suppose I’d have said it was a happy twist of fate.”“Happy? Or sinister?” Valetta had had the last two years to think about this. Her mother’s letter hadn’t told her much. Just that Teresa was a Shadow Wolf. Which makes me just about the worst thing in the world to a werewolf. I’m like a silver bullet wrapped in flesh and blood.
About the Author
Jane Godman writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne, thrillers for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, and steamy historical romance for Samhain Publishing. Her paranormal series, The Arctic Brotherhood, is published by SMP Swerve. Jane lives in Cheshire, England, is married to a lovely man and is mum to two grown up children. When not writing, Jane loves to travel to European cities that are steeped in history.
Website: janegodmanauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneGodmanAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneGodman
HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS The Embraced Series By Kerrelyn Sparks
HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS The Embraced SeriesBy Kerrelyn Sparks
Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks
**On Sale March 7, 2017**
Mass Market Paperback $7.99
ISBN: 9781250108210 Ebook ISBN: 9781250108227
About the Book:
Kerrelyn Sparks’ previous series, Love at Stake, constantly hit the New York Times bestseller list and created a massive fan following for her witty vampires. With the end of her vampire series, comes the start of an extraordinary new fantasy romance series called The Embraced beginning with HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS (St. Martin’s Paperbacks; March 7, 2017). Set in a medieval mythical world, the series explores a special group of people with powers born when the two moons of the world form an eclipse. In the start of the series we meet Luciana, who can speak to the dead, and the Beast of Benwick who can controlling lightening.
Luciana grew up on the Isle of Moon, hidden away because of her magical powers. But when her father arrives, he offers her a choice: remain on the island or return with him and marry the Beast of Benwick in order to save their legacy - and her father's life.
Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick, has not been touched since he was a child. Born with the power to harness lightning, he is a danger to everyone he touches. When he meets his betrothed, he expects a loveless, lonely marriage...until he discovers she's vastly more powerful than he realized. But is she strong enough to withstand his touch?
If they can survive, their love will alter the future of the kingdom. But will their extraordinary powers cost them everything?
Filled with romance, humor, and a beautifully imagined new world, HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS is a fantasy in the vein of Game of Thrones with all the fun of The Princess Bride. Luciana is a vibrant leading lady that will have readers rooting for her spunk and devotion to her family while the Beast is a swoon worthy hero worth taming.
Praise for Kerrelyn Sparks:
"A deeply satisfying, delightfully swoon-inducing close...full of vulnerability and tenderness."— Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire
"Mixing paranormal romance with humor, Sparks clearly has a style all her own, one that readers love."— USA Today's Happily Ever After blog
"Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit."— Booklist
Excerpt:
As Leo and his companions rode north, the rain began, and the rolling green landscape gave way to increasingly taller hills. Their horses went at full gallop, eating up the miles before the rain could turn the dirt road into a sea of mud.By the time they passed the second beacon, the rain was pounding on them. Their uniforms were drenched, their hair plastered to their heads. The hills had become moun- tains, and flocks of sheep huddled in the narrow glens where a few trees could give them shelter.Thunder clapped overhead, and Leo spotted the first flash of lightning to the west. Good. He was going to need all the power he could get. Normal people didn’t stand a chance against the winged creatures that breathed fire. People like his father.Leo had heard the story many times over a campfire. His father’s last battle had been against the Norveshki. Cedric had plowed through a dozen of their fierce warriors, but when a dragon had attacked, all his bravery and expertise had been in vain.Another flash of lightning, this one a little closer. Leo would need to break off from the group soon. As they neared the village, a mountain loomed to the right, topped with craggy cliffs and a beacon tower. It was Mount Bae- dan, which the village was named after. He spotted a cliff that overlooked the village. That was the perfect place.“My lord.” Nevis drew his attention to a horseman charg- ing toward them. A scout.Leo and his companions slowed to a stop. “Report,” he said, loud enough to be heard over the pouring rain.The scout bowed his head, causing a puddle of rain to slosh off the brim of his cap onto his chest. “Four drag- ons from Norveshka have attacked the village of Mount Baedan.”“No warriors?” Leo asked.“None, my lord. Just the dragons. They swooped into the valley and set the village ablaze to force the people from their homes. While the villagers ran to a nearby cave, two of the dragons captured two small children and flew away.”Leo stiffened, his hands tightening on the reins, as the men around him cursed under their breaths. Ten years ago, the dragons had started snatching sheep. Now they were nabbing small children.He glanced westward, hoping to see another flash of lightning streak across the sky. He needed the power now. “The rain put out the fires,” the scout continued. “The villagers are starting to leave the cave. A group of menrode out, hoping to rescue the two children.”Leo swallowed hard as bile rose up his throat. The res- cue attempt would be in vain. Men on horseback could not cross the mountains as fast as a dragon could fly.Thunder cracked overhead so loud, the men flinched. “Ride on to the village,” Leo shouted at them. “The last two dragons could still be close by. I’ll take care of them. You protect the people.” He turned his horse and started up the slope of Mount Baedan.Higher and higher his horse climbed, but eventually the path became too muddy. Leo dismounted and patted the horse, the quilted material now drenched through.“Go join the others.” He gave the horse a slap on the rump, and it started down the mountain.Leo abandoned the muddy path that snaked back and forth up the mountainside. Instead, he scrambled straight up the rocky slope. He was halfway up when a bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck the ground thirty yards away, blasting a boulder into bits.Yes! The lightning had found him and was zeroing in. Energy from the blast rolled toward him, seeking him out in waves he couldn’t see, but could feel. His skin tingled. His hair, which had been plastered to his head, now crack- led as it lifted into the air.Thunder boomed overhead, sending another wave of energy toward him. It slithered under his damp clothes, giving him a slight shock. Then an increase in power. And speed. He charged up the mountainside faster than any human could go.Anticipation swelled inside him as he reached the first set of cliffs. Another lightning bolt ripped through the sky, this one hitting only fifteen yards away. It blasted through the rocks, causing the cliff to crumble away. As the ledge beneath his feet trembled, he ran and leaped.He landed on the next cliff six feet away as thunder cracked and the first cliff tumbled down the mountainside. More energy surged into him, and he scrambled higher up the mountain. Faster. In a race against the next strike.He reached the highest cliff. Nearby on the mountain summit, the beacon tower stood, deserted in the storm, its flame long smothered by the rain. The village lay nestled in the valley far below. He spotted houses built of stone with their thatched roofs burned away. The chapel of Enlightenment partially destroyed. The village lookout tower stood as high as the chapel bell tower and was manned by a lone villager. No doubt, he was keeping an eye out for the last two dragons.Nevis and his troop arrived, and the villagers poured from their homes to welcome them. Leo winced at the sight of small children running about. Dammit, Nevis, get them back into the cave.A rumbling noise echoed through the valley, sounding much like thunder, but Leo knew better. It was the beating of dragon wings. The last two dragons had waited for the people to reappear.Leo ripped off his gloves and threw them down, along with his bow and quiver. Then he drew his sword and pointed it to the sky. “Now!”Lightning broke through the dark clouds, racing toward him. He widened his stance and braced for impact. It struck his sword, fracturing so that a dozen smaller streaks shot off in a circle around him.The major portion of the lightning sizzled down his sword, eager to reach his flesh. It hit his bare hand and jolted him so hard he fell to his knees and dropped the sword. The dozen fractured shards rebounded, drawn to him like a magnet. They pounded into him, jerking him back and forth. Thunder cracked over him so loud his ears rang.Power surged through him, so fierce and scorching he thought his skin would melt, his guts would boil, and his head burst like a kernel of corn dropped into a fire. Pain and power, power and pain, he could no longer tell the difference. He only knew he wanted it, wanted to drink it in, soak it up, and claim it all.The fiery torture eased to a warm, buzzing sensation, and he found himself on all fours, gasping for air. How many times had he endured this? And it still hurt like hell. He rested back on his knees and splayed his hands in front of him. Sparks skittered around his fingers like a host of fireflies.Good, but not enough. The Beast wanted more.He grabbed his sword and hefted himself to his feet. “More, dammit!” He lifted his sword in the air.Lightning struck again, driving him to his knees and knocking the sword from his grip. He cried out as both pain and power ripped through him. Nevis was right. Someday he would explode.Thunder cracked around him as if he’d become the center of the storm. His ears grew numb, only hearing the buzz of energy pulsing around him. This time, when he examined his hands, streaks shot out a few yards. Not enough to kill a dragon.He fumbled for his sword once again. Nevis’s question reverberated in his head, bouncing off the inside of his skull. Do you enjoy courting death? Over the years, he’d found he could take in more power each time, but what was the limit? How would he know when it was too much?He stumbled to his feet and slowly lifted the sword. When he had the weapon only waist-high, the lightning streaked toward him. Like a desperate lover, it pounced, not even waiting till he was fully cocked. It struck hard, flinging him through the air into the wall behind him. His head cracked against stone, and he crumpled into a heap.Rain splattered on his face, keeping him conscious. The pain was merely the price he paid for the ability to protect his people. The pain would be fleeting.The power he could keep for months.He rose to his feet. If he were normal, he’d have suffered a concussion and some broken bones. Hell, if he were normal, he’d be dead. But instead, he swelled with strength and power. Tiny streaks of lightning swirled around him so fast, he appeared to glow.He strode to the edge of the cliff to see what was happening. The dragons were flying low, probably to avoid the lightning. They swooped down at the screaming villagers, herding them away from the cave. Making them easy to prey upon.With the superfast speed he now possessed, Leo pulled a length of coiled rope from his sword belt and tied one end loosely to a tree deeply rooted in the rock wall of the cliff. The other end, he tied to one of his metal arrows. He grabbed his metal bow, nocked the arrow, and imbued them with some of his energy. Now, when he shot the arrow, it would fly faster and farther.He aimed for the lookout tower and let the arrow fly. It whistled through the air and struck the top wooden beam of the tower, embedded deep. Continuing at his fast speed, Leo tightened the rope, tossed his bow and quiver over his shoulder, sheathed his sword, then looped the sword belt over the rope. He ran to the cliff’s edge and pushed off.Hanging on to the belt, he careened down the length of the rope. Just before crashing into the tower, he swung his legs up and over the top beam and landed on the top plat- form. The lone villager gaped at him.“Go!” he shouted. With lightning sizzling around him like a golden nimbus, he didn’t need to speak twice.The villager scrambled down the ladder, yelling that the Beast had arrived.After dropping his sword belt on the platform, Leo quickly readied another arrow and pivoted, searching for the dragons. Even though it was possible for him to sim- ply shoot a lightning bolt from his hand, he’d learned from experience that raw power didn’t always go exactly where he wanted it to go. Since there was a chance of hitting innocent bystanders or setting their homes on fire, he preferred to use a metal arrow imbued with his power so he could control the force and trajectory.There, through a steady sheet of rain, a pair of red, glowing eyes was glaring at him. The dragon was perched on the bell tower of the chapel. It sat up, expanding its chest, a sure sign it was about to breathe fire.Leo released enough energy to make sparks pop and crackle around the metal arrow. When he shot it, the arrow would fly with enough speed and power that it would actually pierce the dragon’s scaly skin and release an electric shock wave through the creature’s body.He aimed for the dragon’s chest, but just as he let the arrow fly, the dragon pushed off, flying straight at him. Fire erupted from the dragon’s mouth, forcing him to drop flat onto the platform. Flames shot over him, missing him by a few inches. Meanwhile, the arrow hit the dragon’s hip.Sparks spread from the arrow, jerking the dragon around in midair. It shrieked, then shot up into the sky and turned north toward Norveshka. Leo notched an arrow to shoot again, but screams below made him look down.The second dragon had grabbed a child. “Nevis!” Leo shouted. “Catch it!”Nevis spurred his horse and galloped after the dragon. It was gaining altitude, now higher than the rooftops of the houses.Leo sent a surge of energy into his bow and arrow and aimed, trying to keep a safe distance from the child. The arrow zipped through the air. Direct hit to the dragon’s tail. Sparks exploded around the wound, racing up the dragon’s body, and it jolted, bellowing in pain and dropping the child. A dress flapped in the wind. It was a little girl.Nevis charged onward as she tumbled from the sky. Villagers screamed, then let loose a round of cheers as Nevis managed to catch her.The dragon flew away, filling the sky with an angry roar.Leo lowered his bow and arrow and watched through the rain as the villagers crowded around Nevis. The little girl was safely deposited in the arms of her crying mother. Nevis glanced back at Leo and gave him a thumbs- up before being dragged off his horse by a swarm of happy villagers.With a cheer, the villagers led Nevis and his men into the cave. Boys led the horses, including Leo’s horse, to the stables. Women dashed into their homes to gather cups and jugs of beer and wine. A few men rushed into a nearby pen to slaughter a lamb. Leo wasn’t sure if the village was celebrating the rescue of one child or drowning their sor- rows for the two who were lost, but clearly they intended to partake of food and drink. And even more clearly, it was a celebration he could not attend.He glanced at his hands. Sparks still shimmered around his fingers. One false move, and lightning would streak from his fingertips, possibly killing someone. He’d been in such a hurry he’d left his gloves on the cliff. With a sigh, he picked up his sword belt, then buckled it on.The rain was still pelting him, so he climbed down the ladder to a second platform just below. Drops of rain leaked between the wooden planks overhead, and the wind blew more rain at him, but it was an improvement. He sat in the driest corner and rested his back against a wooden pillar. For a short while, because he had released so much energy, he would feel all right. But soon the pain would start again.He spotted two men rolling a cask toward the cave. The villagers must have run out of beer. Sounds of laughter emanated from the cave. Soon he could smell the scent of a lamb roasting over a fire. His stomach grumbled. A quick search of his pockets came up empty.With a sigh, he leaned his head against the pillar. Alone again. It was always this way. He was too damned dangerous to be near anyone. Even Nevis had learned to stay away from him when he had this much power.He closed his eyes as a memory flitted across his mind. The first time lightning had found him, he’d been only five years old. One strike had sent him flying, and he’d crumpled onto the ground, twitching uncontrollably. His nanny had run to him. Calling out to him, she’d touched his face. Then a surge of energy had shot through her, and she’d col- lapsed beside him dead.His first victim. Someone he’d dearly loved.“I didn’t mean to . . .” Leo whispered, the sound whisked away with the wind. “Forgive me.”Since then, everyone had known to keep their distance. And if a stranger didn’t know, he soon learned when he heard the new name Leo had been given.Never touch the Beast.Never let the Beast touch you.The rain continued to fall. The energy inside him spread throughout his body, expanding, rebelling against the narrow confines of his human shell, demanding to be released and used. Not now. He had to keep as much power as possible so it would be available whenever he needed it.The sun lowered in the sky, and the wind became more chilled against his wet clothes. He welcomed the cold. It made it easier to deal with the energy boiling inside him, threatening to escape like steam from a kettle.The strains of a pipe and fiddle came from the cave. The people were dancing, their music accentuating the thud- ding rhythm in his head. The energy kept expanding, push- ing against the inner walls of his skull, pushing so hard he expected to hear the sound of bone cracking. He squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth against the pain.Sometimes he thought this was the worst part about his gift. The headaches would torture him until either he re- leased some power or it managed to escape on its own. “My lord?” a female voice spoke below.
About the Author
KERRELYN SPARKS is the New York Times bestselling author of the Love at Stake series.
Visit her online at www.kerrelynsparks.com
March 5, 2017
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March 1, 2017
The Fun of Writing a Paranormal Sex Scene - Uncaged by Candace Blevins
I usually fully enjoy every sex scene I write. However, sometimes it’s a challenge to write “Tab A” going into “Slot B” in new and exciting ways. I tend to write a lot of kink, so it’s probably easier for me to find interesting and arousing ways to keep things new and different than it is for a strictly vanilla author, but sometimes it’s still a challenge.
This is yet another reason I’m having so much fun writing paranormal romance. Add in telepathy for some couples, the ability to exchange energy, or for their souls to actually merge during orgasm… and let’s not forget the magic of a vampire bite. Yes, writing paranormal sex scenes is a whole lot more fun than writing sex between mere humans.
I’ve probably heard the most reader comments regarding the fact my werewolves can alter the size of their appendages. The basic mass has to stay the same, but they can make things longer and narrower, or shorter and fatter. The former is good when breaking in an anal virgin, the latter is fun when they want to add a touch of pain. Oh, and my werewolves can do this with their tongues, as well. Oral sex takes on completely new dimensions when your partner’s tongue can suddenly get a whole lot longer.
We first met Darnell in Ghost’s story. We know he’s a former Navy SEAL, and a werewolf. Here’s a small sample of what he can do:
I pulled out and flipped her around, pressed her knees to the bed near her ears, and drove my cock back into her ass with no warning or fanfare. Her eyes locked wide open at the unexpected entry, and I leaned in to kiss her. “Love you. Want to see you while I pound your ass… but first…” I pulled my head back a few inches and let my cock grow wider.
“Fuck… yes. Yeeessss, Darnell. Only you can do this. Fuck. Please.”
I went wider and scented a layer of pain with her arousal, but it was sweet pain, not bitter, so I let myself go even wider. Her mouth made a silent O and she stopped breathing, but I didn’t remind her. I’ve learned her body will figure it out and do whatever is necessary to keep the bliss going.
Before she could get used to the new size, I slowly pulled out, millimeter by millimeter. She was on the edge of an orgasm and I didn’t want to send her over, but I loved keeping her like this, where it was almost too much and yet she didn’t want me to back off.
Two times out and back in slow, and then I let her have it…. I yanked out, slammed in, and kept going. God, she was so warm, so inviting, and crazy under me, writhing, twisting, and pulsing as I went in and out, in and out. I slowed every once in a while, when I thought she might need a second for her senses to catch up, but otherwise, I let her have more of me than I’ve ever been able to give a human.
Also, the lions in my world have spiked penises, but the spikes only come out when they’re with another lion.
But the best part of putting two wolves together is the metaphysical emotional exchange during sex. In my world, the paranormal aspect comes into play in a myriad of ways, but it still comes down to the characters — who they are, their wants and needs, how they communicate..
If I’m not having fun writing it, I need to back up and regroup, and I’ve had a blast writing this series.
What’s your favorite part of paranormal romance? The hot alpha guys, obviously… but beyond that? What does it for you?
UncagedChattanooga SupernaturalsBook FourCandace BlevinsGenre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Excessica
Date of Publication: February 10
Word Count: 60,000 words
Cover Artist: Syneca Featherstone
Book Description:
It’s been fourteen years since Keisha’s criminal actions put their son in foster care while Darnell was out of the country on a Navy SEAL mission. His attorneys handled all communication with her during the divorce proceedings, and he hasn’t spoken with her for nearly a decade and a half.
When she’s finally paroled, his wolf is insistent he makes sure she has a place to live and help getting on her feet.
Wolves mate for life, but the man can’t forgive her for putting their son at risk.
Amazon Smashwords
Excerpt 2:
“Do you trust me?”
“You know I do.”
“Good, then it’s settled.”
“No. No, it isn’t settled. Why do you want to blindfold me?”
“Because you trust me to.”
“Trusting you and… trustingyou are two different things.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Candace Blevins lives with her husband of 19 years and their two daughters. When not working or driving kids all over the place she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming.
Candace writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary BDSM Romance, and a kick-ass Motorcycle Club series.
Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, as well as a variety of other mythological beings exist.
Candace's two paranormal romance series, The Chattanooga Supernaturals and The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, are both sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.
Her Safeword Series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle.
You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com and feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy blurb.
Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list!
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Other Books by Candace Blevins
Only Human series (Urban Fantasy)· Only Human· An Unhuman Journey· Unhuman Acts (2017)
Chattanooga Supernaturals (Paranormal Romance)· The Dragon King· Riding the Storm· Acceptable Risk· Careful What You Ask For· Hallowed Destiny (January 27, 2017)· Uncaged (February 10, 2017)
Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club ( link )· Duke· Brain· Bash Volume I· Bash Volume II· Bash Volume III· Horse· Gonzo· Nix· Ghost
Dark erotica shorts from the world of The Chattanooga Supernaturals· Pride· Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire
Safeword series (Contemporary BDSM Romance)· Safeword: Rainbow· Safeword: Matte· Safeword: Davenport· Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon· Safeword: Quinacridone· Safeword: Matte – In Training· No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon· No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After· Safeword: Arabesque· Safeword: Mayday (2017)
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February 27, 2017
Bound Souls Novel Playlist with ND Jones
Love has never been more at the heart of my novels than it is in Bound Souls. What does it mean to be in love with your spouse, your soulmate? And does that confessed bond of love truly end with till death do us part? Or maybe, just maybe, there is love and life beyond the known, beyond death, beyond time.
What happens when the other half of your soul moves on, leaving you behind, heart in tatters and questioning your future without your beloved? Love, soul-deep and life-changing, won’t allow you to forget.
Forget no, but can you love again? Are you willing to risk your heart for a second chance at love? Is there another, someone whose patient spirit will draw you out of mourning and into the bright light of a new day, a new love? Will this all get better in time?
Ah, you thought this to be the end. But their love is eternal. Bound souls, remember?
Bound Souls is a science fiction romance unlike any other, a Gordian knot of purpose, faith, and truth. “The bonds in this book between husband and wife, friends, lovers, and family made this book worth reading…” Amazon Customer
To understand the love and romance of Bound Souls, listen to the novel playlist and get lost in the musical world of Lela and Zion.
Bound SoulsForever YoursBook 1N.D. JonesGenre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Kuumba Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9975293-5-7ASIN: 978-0-9975293-6-4
Number of pages: 292
Cover Artist: Wycked Ink
Book Description:
A supernatural love triangle that tests the bounds of science, truth, and faith.Regent Lela of Asiya is the most powerful person on her planet but she is powerless to save the life of her beloved soulmate—Zion Grace. For thirty years they lived as husband and wife, but Zion’s time is at an end. Lela must go on without him.
“There will never be anyone else for me.”
Despite having died, nothing can keep Zion from his soulmate. He’s back but not as the man he once was. Zion must help Lela move on with her life, lest he lose her forever. But how can Zion convince Lela to accept the love and affections of another man when he still wants her for himself?
"I love you, Lela. My heart is forever yours.”
Lela and Zion are bound souls, destined to live eternity together. For these lovers, death is not an end, but a fateful beginning.
This novel includes “The Garden,” a bonus short story.
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Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/A5Nb2IdY_gE
Excerpt:
It was true, Zion had only three more years left on his thirty-year life extension. He was tired and felt even more so as the days, weeks, months and years crept by. Zion spared a sidelong glance at his wife, whose head was down, eyes closed and hand still fiercely gripping his own. She wasn't ready for the ride to end either, yet they both knew it was slowing, preparing to grind to its final halt and he would have to disembark, leaving her behind.
This thing with Ammon had eaten away at Zion for the last several months. Yet Ammon was simply an outlet for his own anger, fear, and depression. He was growing older, his hair thinner and grayer, and his stomach… well, let's just say he'd had to use the services of a good seamstress over the years. Yet Lela was still as beautiful and fit as when they'd first met.
Zion didn't begrudge Lela her slow aging or fine, alluring features. In fact, he loved that about her. What did bother him was that other men could see what he saw. Everything about Lela exuded intelligence, grace, dignity, strength, and beauty. Zion learned a long time ago, she could never see herself the way others did, especially men.
While Zion rarely entertained jealous thoughts before or cared much when he caught a male giving Lela an approving look, now he saw nothing but. Under the circumstances, the little signs of masculine appreciation for his beautiful wife enraged him.
"I'm sorry," Zion spoke into the quiet breach, lifting Lela’s chin with his bruised hand.
Tears flooded her eyes. Even wet, they were still the most stunning eyes he’d ever seen. Picasso marble Zion thought the first time she’d looked at him—a combination of black, brown, gray, and white. Back then, they’d sparkled with intelligence and curiosity, now they glistened with pain. Lela wasn't ready for this conversation. How could she be?
"No, it's me who should apologize. I thought you were paranoid, seeing things that didn't exist."
"I acted like a jackass, a Neanderthal, damn near dragging you out of the banquet room before the function was over. Hell, I might as well as hoisted you over my shoulder and beat my chest like a caveman."
He rubbed his thumb across her right cheek, then lips. "You're an incredible woman, Lela." Zion paused, nearly biting his tongue on his next words. The ones his selfish heart screamed at him to not utter. "You'll live for a long time, probably another four or five decades. I only have three years left. For an Asiyan, you'll be in your prime when I pass on.” His voice cracked when the held tears dropped from his wife’s eyes. She knew where he was going with this, Zion realized.
"You'll have to go on without me, and I don't want you to spend the next fifty years by yourself."
"I won't be by myself. I'll have Xavier." Lela pushed off the bed and moved away from him. She walked to the window, refusing to acknowledge the true meaning of his words.
Zion followed, watching her stern but sad image in the window. Needing to touch and reassure her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled Lela to him."The thought of another man being this close to you," Zion whispered, stirring tendrils of her long hair, "makes me want to commit murder. When I heard Ammon offering for you, it took all of my self-control to not take a laser gun to him. The only thing I kept thinking was that he couldn't have you. That you're mine and mine alone."
"Is that why you've been so angry these past few months?" She turned in his arms, then rested her head against his resilient shoulder.
"Yes and something else."
"What else?"
Zion lifted her chin, compelling her to meet his eyes.
"I didn't want to acknowledge how selfish I was being," he said, leaning down and placing a warm, soft kiss on her lips. "I want you to be happy in those four or five decades you have left, Lela, but I don't want you to find happiness in the arms of another man.""I have no desire to mate with anyone else, or to take a lover," she reassured, initiating another kiss, a desperate embrace full of a wife's integrity and denial. "I can't imagine being with anyone other than you. I love you, Zion. I could never love another."
He knew she spoke the truth. He believed her, but she didn't understand. Zion did. He'd experienced the loss of a spouse.
"When Iman died, a part of me died with her. Like you, I thought there would never be anyone else for me. And that was true for a long time—”
Lela shook her head in protest, not allowing Zion to continue. "Don't." A heartbreaking plea. "Don't say such things. There will never be anyone else for me."
Zion saw the near panic in her upturned face, her Picasso marble eyes glowing with resolution and despair.
"It's not the same. It just isn't."
It was exactly the same. Yes, what he felt for Iman was different from the love he had for Lela. But it was love all the same. Loving Lela didn't mean Iman ceased to occupy a special place in his heart and mind. A small, warm piece of her and their life together would always be a part of him. As he would always be a part of Lela, but she couldn't see it, not now. But someday. Zion didn't want to think about that and clearly, neither did his wife.
About the Author:N. D. Jones lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company. Kuumba Publishing is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works of authors and artists of African descent.
A desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, inspired the author to take on the challenge of penning such romantic reads. She is the author of two paranormal romance series: Winged Warriors and Death and Destiny. N.D. likes to read historical and paranormal romance novels, as well as comics and manga.
Website: http://www.ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ndjonesparanormalromanceauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NDJones
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NDJonesauthor
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ndjones001
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Bound Souls New Release Giveaway
A Call to Heaven by Jo Kessel
A few years ago a friend of mine who’s an author said: “What a novelist really needs to write is a ‘what if’ story.”
He went on to explain that a novel which makes a reader sit up and take note and think ‘what if’ would be the type of book which would appeal to the masses.
I’ve never tried appealing to the masses, preferring to write what I wanted to write, as opposed to worrying about what might sell to a reader.
A Call to Heaven was different though. Because I didn’t come up with the idea at all; my mother did. And seeing as my mother (who sadly died six years ago) wasn’t able to tell me the idea in person, she came to me in a dream. In that dream she gave me the title for the book as well as its premise and then she kept repeating over and over: “You must remember this when you wake up.”
I did remember it when I woke up because it was an amazing idea and remembering that dream still gives me the shivers just thinking about it.
Amy is A Call to Heaven’s heroine and she too has recently lost her mother. What Amy finds herself in possession of (unlike me) is a phone with supernatural powers – a phone which allows her to call her mother in Heaven. Of course it’s about a lot more than that too. It’s about her abusive husband; it’s about a hot (skeptical) doctor she comes to know; it’s about a challenge she’s set from Heaven; it’s about love – love for a man (the hot doctor) and love for lost loved ones.
As I was writing the book I wished that my mother could teleport me a phone like Amy’s so that I could call her too. As I was working on the book, I realised that I’d finally written a ‘what if’ novel. I mean really…WHAT IF such a phone existed? WHAT IF we really could communicate with the deceased on the phone? WHAT IF we could prove there was a Heaven and we could connect with those in it? How amazing would that be? Or, if you were skeptical hot doctor Daniel, you might not think that would be so amazing after all…
Is there anyone you’ve loved and lost and wish more than anything that you could speak to them again?
What if…?
A Call to HeavenJo KesselGenre: contemporary romancewith a paranormal twist
Publisher: J.K Publishing
Date of Publication: January 27, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1540490049 /ISBN-10: 1540490041ASIN: B01MQU65MT
Number of pages: 260 paperback /320 kindle book
Word Count: 68k
Cover Artist: Ivan Cakic
Book Description:
"Everybody’s loved, everybody’s lost.
Grief strips you raw and makes you feel as if you’re sleepwalking through life, like the pain will never go away.
I’m Amy Tristan. I’m no different than anyone else. I’ve loved, I’ve lost and it sucks. I’ve got a five-year old son and an abusive husband. My mother died six months ago and I miss her like crazy.
I’m the biggest skeptic when it comes to other-worldly stuff, so when I’m told that I can pick up the phone and call my mum in Heaven, I should disbelieve it, right? Wrong. I pick up that phone, because there’s nothing I want more than to hear her voice trickle into the receiver.
And you know what? It works. I get to speak to my mother. It’s a miracle. If only it could stay this way, with those calls just for me, but someone up on high wants me to choose three other people to make a call to Heaven too. Who should I pick? How can I trust them to keep the phone secret? Making the choice is agonizing - if I get it wrong, my calls will stop. I wish I hadn’t told Daniel anything. He’s this hot doctor that I’ve come to know. But doctors are scientists, and scientists are bigger skeptics than even me. He didn’t believe in the phone. He thought I should be admitted to a sanatorium. Telling him was either the best decision of my life, or the worst. I’ll let you decide…"
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/6qQLxZbVs50
Amazon US Amazon UK
Excerpt:
Everyone’s looking at me. I’ve got the yellow telephone in my hands and I’m not sure what to do with it. I take a seat at the end of the table and lay the phone down in front of me. Beth is to my left, Ben is to my right. Daniel is opposite me. I look from one to the other and feel color flood my cheeks. My gaze finishes on Daniel and stays there for a beat. He nods, his eyes encouraging me. I return the nod, take a deep breath and count down from three to one in my head.
“I’ve got to tell you all something.” My voice comes out as a thin squeak, but actually I’m surprised I manage to articulate at all. I’m hot, so hot. I lift the hair off the back of my neck, flapping it around to try to cool my sticky, clammy skin. I can’t breathe, I need air. I unlock the patio doors, flinging them wide open. The inside of my mouth feels rough as sandpaper. I’m desperate for a tall glass of water packed with ice-cubes but, when I turn to see six eyes staring at me, I dare not leave to fetch one. I feel like an exhibit in a museum and in some ways I wish I were. I could hide behind a Perspex box next to the yellow telephone with panel blurb doing the explaining for me. I could be part of a new exhibition entitled ‘Incredible Discoveries’. I would share the same hall as the dinosaurs and anything else which took aeons for people to believe existed. I draw a deep breath and continue.
“You’re probably going to think I’m mad, but I’m going to tell you anyway.”
A breeze blows through the open patio doors.
“What I wanted to tell you is this.” My voice is soft as a whisper. I sense all their bodies leaning closer towards mine, straining to hear. “I’ve recently started talking to my mother.”
There, I’ve said it.
I feel a great sense of relief, both that I’ve said it and that I no longer have to keep this to myself. Beth relaxes in her chair with a sigh, leans across and takes my hand, patting it. She’s got wavy brown hair and a kind, open face. She tilts her head sympathetically.
“Oh honey, you must have tried out that clairvoyant you mentioned. Please tell us all about it.”
I should have seen that one coming.
“No, you don’t get it.” I lift up the yellow phone, as if to demonstrate how to use such a contraption. In one hand I take the receiver, in the other the plug. “I don’t speak to her through a medium. I speak to her on this telephone. I plug it into a socket in my bathroom and I’m allowed to call heaven.”
There, I’ve said it now.
Nobody moves.
Not a muscle.
Their mouths all open, Daniel’s is the widest. I don’t think any of them even realize they’re doing it. As feared, they are looking at me like I’m certifiably insane.
“I can see you all think I’m mad.” I actually manage to pull a small smile. Now that I’ve started, I feel much calmer. “And, if I were in your position, I would think I’m crazy too. But one night my mother came to me in a dream and told me I could use this phone to call her in heaven and, bizarre though it must sound, it turns out she was right. That’s why I stopped coming to Grief Support Group every week. I wasn’t grieving so much because my mother had come back into my life.”
The three pairs of eyes grow wider and wider, as if I’m slowly sprouting four serpent heads. I replace the receiver back into its cradle and drop the plug, holding out my hands in submission.
“You can believe me or not. It doesn’t matter. But the reason I’ve gathered you all here is because I’ve been asked to choose three other people to call to heaven.”
I sound like a fairy godmother or the good witch in the Wizard of Oz. I do not sound normal. I pause. The effect is dramatic although it’s not intended to be.
“And I’ve picked you guys.”
I look at them one by one.
“Beth, I know how much it might mean to you to be able to speak to your daughter and know that she is safe.”
Beth nods. Her gaze turns glassy.
“Ben, I’d do anything to be able to give you a chance to speak to your brother again.”
Ben nods, his mouth still formed in a perfect ‘O’.
Daniel is the hardest one for me to look at. He’s not nodding anymore and his eyes are no longer urging me to continue. Instead he’s shaking his head, a slow, subtle movement, but I catch it all the same. His full lips have now formed a thin line. He’s the only one who looks like he still thinks I’m certifiably insane. Hell, he’s a doctor; perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Part of me wonders whether I should abort this whole escapade and pretend it was all a joke. I’d do anything to not have Daniel stare at me in this way. He looks ready to call the local sanatorium and send them round with a straitjacket. But I can’t abort and I must continue. What happens next is up to him.
“And Daniel, I thought that maybe you might like to speak to Katie.”
He opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something, but clamps it shut again without speaking. Nobody else says anything either. They all shift in their seats, pretending to take sips of coffee and look around the room. Perhaps they’re checking out the photos on the mantelpiece above the fireplace, trying to work out if I look like a madwoman in any of them. I pick up the knife. Now I probably do look mad or, at the very least, dangerous.
“Right, who’s for some more pie?”
About the Author:Jo lives in London with her husband, three children and Jerald the cat. In addition to being a novelist she works as a TV and print journalist (Sunday Times, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express.) If she could change one thing about her life it would be to introduce the thirty hour day, because twenty-four hours just isn’t long enough to squeeze it all in! Many a late night has been spent with a glass of red wine (preferably French) at her desk trying to keep her eyes open long enough to write these stories which keep demanding to be written. If only her cat didn’t constantly jump onto the keyboard as she writes, this book might have been finished months earlier. She loves yoga, skiing, travelling and English custard - though not necessarily in that order.
Website/blog: www.jokessel.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jo_kessel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kesseljo/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33120863-a-call-to-heaven
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Q28t30k-o99Ijzoiox11Q
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_kessel/
February 26, 2017
Loved By A Killer: A Sexy Paranormal Thriller by C.F. Rabbiosi
Hi there! I’m Charity and I’m so glad to be here with you today.
Before I became a writer I was a registered nurse in California, and I worked in an acute mental health facility. Yes, the full-on loony bin. And no surprise, that’s where I met my first Vampire.
He looked about 19, tall, with sandy blond chin length hair. He didn’t say much or interact with anyone- but as soon as a lady patient had a seizure and banged her head into the nurse’s station- he was on top of her, his mouth firmly over her bleeding head wound. It took a code gray and 6 of us to get him off of her and restrained.
So, not exactly your intriguing and sexy Lestat character. But captivating characters such as he, inspire my stories today. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Spike, and Vampire Diaries’ Damon, because they are unapologetic badass immortals who are just… oh, so damn HOT. I used to love reading historical romance novels by Johanna Lyndsay about different times and different places but I also have a love for the more hard core adult themes- so that’s how I became inspired to write Loved By A Killer. Based in Jack the Ripper days London, my character Raina, is all the romantic heroine as she is the powerful and headstrong beast.
Five facts about my book that might surprise you
1. You might accidently fall in love with the bad guy.
Marcus Loxley: a Lord and gentleman vampire of England is as bad as he is gorgeous, but find out who he used to be as a person, and how finding Raina connects him to the man he once was.
2. Jack the Ripper is based on the real evidence.
Patricia Cornwell, the famous crime writer wrote an entire book based on her findings of the real killer. This included an entire case study on the life of the charming but pyschopathic Richard Sichert. She matched his hand writing to real Jack the Ripper letters sent in to the London Police, his mitochondrial DNA on the letters, and even a painting of his looked exactly like his fourth kill- which at the time only police had pictures of. Get an inside view of his final murder in Chapter 36.
3. I tried to present Vampirism in a more realistic light. With my background in medicine, I had a blast showing you the change based on medical theories and offer a new explanation for how vampires came about. However, it’s not until book 2 that the first vampire reveals how he acquired the affliction.
4. All the historic serial killers mentioned are the real deal.
From Catherine Bathory, the blood countess, to Peter Stumpp the alleged first werewolf, all these depraved people and their terrifying acts came from the real people of our world. One thing I’ve learned- people are far scarier than monsters.
5. It’s romance. It’s horror.
Enjoy the scorned spirit who possesses her own dead body and digs out of her shallow grave to kill her rapist/murderer as well as the necrophiliac that Marcus and Raina run into. But don’t forget to get all hot from the love scenes and find out who Raina will choose in the end!
Thank you so much for being with me here today! I’d like to know… Who are your favorite Vampires? And do tell me why ;)
Loved By A Killer: A Sexy Paranormal ThrillerLoved By A Killer SeriesBook OneC.F. RabbiosiGenre: PNR, Thriller, Horror
Release Date: Oct. 26th 2016
ISPN: 978-1539743590ASIN: B01MCXOZ69
Number of Pages: 274Word Count: Appr. 86,000
Cover artists: Sam Briggs and Ashen Sorrow
Book Description:
Raina loved performing upon the London stage, but one night she found herself dancing for only HIM. She froze, and looked to the balcony where the gaslights flickered dimly over his shadowy form. If only she had known that this beautiful monster would soon rip her away from everything in the world SHE EVER LOVED, perhaps she wouldn’t have lingered so long.
Marcus loved being a blood thirsty predator, but one night his gallivanting brought him to his knees in front of HER. If only he’d known what would happen when she danced, that she would remind him of someone who was everything in the world HE EVER LOVED, Perhaps he would’ve turned away.
As he drags her deeper and deeper into his depraved world of torture and violence, she begins fighting with her own darkness that threatens to consume her everyday. And oh, how it begs to be released. And though she knows it’s wrong, she desires her captor anyway.
Until she begins falling for someone else…
Meanwhile, prostitutes are being butchered in the streets and she begins to wonder: Is her dark lover, the one she is bound to, The Ripper?
With an accurate account of the creepy gaslit times of London and real Jack the Ripper crime scenes, Loved By A Killer is an exciting read from start to finish.
Amazon
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Dh_Rp4P3bjk
I RACE UPSTAIRS AND TURN THE GASLIGHT ON to its brightest setting and listen to every sound in the house, for anything unusual and for Marcus’ return. My mind spins over this turn of events. The mutilated girl in the picture. The monster that takes pleasure in her horrific murder. The kind of monster that stole my mother away in the darkness leaving our lives wrecked. But now I have power: speed, strength, senses that are out of this world, and an affinity for the night. And somewhere, this monster lurks in the night- that I NOW OWN .I’m going to destroy him. Jack the Ripper, Marcus, whoever he is- he’s dead. I don’t believe it will cost me what’s left of my humanity, but even if my soul disintegrates to pieces, he must be stopped. “Fascinated…captivated… Throw me to the devil for I am painfully in love with you.” Marcus appears in the doorway. His face gleams happily and he throws his hat onto the dresser. I force a smile. “What have you been up to?”“Oh, baby, I have my own vampire things to tend to.” He extends his hand toward my face and I flinch. “Have you eaten?” My muscles feel weak and my chest burns a little. “No? Let me fix that. Tom!”“Please don’t let me hurt him,” I say. He nods. I drink from the young servant’s wrist as my mind swims with horrid thoughts. After ten gulps, I force my mouth away and it doesn’t hurt as much, being far more interested in Marcus’ bloody affairs. I pull up a sleeve to wipe the blood away and Tom lies back on the bed. “Guess what happened tonight?” Marcus flings messy hair out of his face and plops down on the bed beside me. “What happened?” “There was another murder on the East side.”My breath catches. “And?” I flutter my eyelids up at my beaming vampire. “How do you know that?”“While I was… out, the town was a-buzz with the sad murmurings of a new victim.”“You seem so torn up.”“Of course not. But she was.” Tom’s hand lands on my leg. “Can I be yours? Like, your personal blood boy?” Marcus scoffs. “She’s likely to kill you, chap.” “Go ahead Marcus, tell me what happened,” I say, unable to keep my voice steady.“They say it was a bangtail called Dark Annie. The doctor had to scoop her intestines and organs out of the dirt and put them back into her stomach.”“I see.” My mind unveils all the mutilated women in the artwork I just discovered in Marcus’ study. What a painting this new murder would make. “He’s not going to stop, is he?” I stare pointedly into those dark pools of hypnotizing evil.“Doubtful.” He cocks his head to the side and grins.Well, hell.
About the Author:Charity lives in the University town of Columbia, MO with her husband and three girls. She holds degrees in Science and Registered Nursing, but found her true passion in writing.
Her stories are inspired by Interview with the Vampire, The Last Vampire, Buffy and True Blood and finds herself on most days living and writing in her own fantasy world- when she’s not chasing after her kids.
Member of Writers Digest, Writers Café, and Word Press.
Website: https://cfrabbiosi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Beautiful-Dead-330240793978529/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32830447-loved-by-a-killer
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February 24, 2017
Guest Blog and Giveaway- Unmasked Secrets by Brenna Zinn
If I were a betting woman, which I most definitely am, I would wager there are many of you who have seen a male stripper shaking his bon-bon or going to a strip club for women. Perhaps you were celebrating a birthday or a bachelorette party. Maybe you were simply in the mood to see some great looking guys shed their clothes for your entertainment. Whatever the reason, you came, you saw and you will have that experience to look back on for the rest of your life.
That said, let me ask you, what was your experience? If you went to a strip club for women, were you impressed with the club? Did the men who danced stir something primal within you? Did you have a great time?
I’ve had the opportunity to visit a few strip clubs for women. The first I ever visited was near Carbondale, Illinois when I was getting my undergraduate degree many, many years ago in the 1980s. Let me tell you, many of the strip clubs I’ve been to in the last ten years look as though they haven’t changed a thing, not even the tables or chairs, since the club opened who knows when. The clubs tend to be dark, drab, and borderline disguising. Sound familiar?
With this in mind, I set off to create a series that brings to light the condition of a good number of strip clubs. In the case of Iron Rods , a strip club for women in Austin, Texas, I wanted to write about the typical rundown hellhole with terrible, out-of-shape dancers and watered-down drinks. (Sound familiar?) Then, I imagined the fabulous characters who work in the club or visit the club. From there I wondered what I would do if I had unlimited amounts of cash to transform the club into a place women actually wanted to go to. And in the middle of this craziness, I added one of the hottest romances between a hero and heroine who couldn’t be any less alike.
Unmasked Secrets, the second book in the series (and can easily be read as a standalone title), takes the reader into the world of a stripper known as The Dom. The Dom, who wears a mask, dyes his hair and uses a fake Scottish accent, is really a high school Drama teacher trying to earn a little extra money for his Drama program. On his first night stripping, The Dom is asked for a private lap dance by a woman who turns out to be his principal. She’s there for her sister’s bachelorette party. And, she happens to be interested in BDSM.
This series, the Iron Rods Strip Club Series, is truly one from my heart, as well as my imagination. Austin, Texas, one of my favorite cities in the world, is key to the series. If you’ve ever been there, perhaps you can understand my love for the place I hope stays weird forever.
Click HERE to purchase Iron Rods from Amazon.
Unmasked SecretsStrip Club for Women Book TwoBrenna ZinnGenre: Romance
Date of Publication: 2/17/17
ISBN: 1230001484786ASIN: B01MU5JTDF
Number of pages: 150Word Count: 62,000
Cover Artist: Croco Designs
Book Description:
Hannah Armstrong, the new principal of Santana High School is a complete ball buster, so Mack Garner, her drama teacher, thinks. Her cutbacks to his department’s budget will force him to scrimp on his students—something he refuses to do. The stubborn woman won't listen to reason so he's taking matters into his own hands. He devises a plan to secretly replenish the money that is surefire, as long as he’s not found out. By stripping under the stage name The Dom and using an ironclad disguise at Iron Rods, Austin’s only strip club for women, he and his hard body will have his program flush again and soon.
But Hannah Armstrong has secrets of her own. The rigid, by-the-rules school administrator harbors dark desires to surrender to the titillation of BDSM. She needs a man—a real man—who can melt her inhibitions and master her. Exploring the lifestyle is a dangerous proposition for a small town principal though. Any whiff of scandal would destroy her career. She's nearly given up on the dream until she meets a masked Dom at Iron Rods. The gorgeous male stripper so far away in Austin seems like the perfect solution. Is there a chance she can satisfy her furtive fantasies without being discovered?
**Warning – this book contains BDSM elements, graphic sex and touches of humor.
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Here’s an excerpt from Unmasked Secrets. If this doesn't get your engine revving, then seek emergency medical help because you might be dead. *grin*
Unmasked Secrets by Brenna Zinn. All rights reserved.
“Please tell me,” she articulated each word slowly, ignoring his comment. “What will it take to get you to agree to teach math classes this summer?”“Now that is a very interesting question. Yes, indeed. I need to give this a little thought.” He raised his head and brushed at the light stubble under his chin. “Hmm… This may take a little while. When do I need to get back to you?”Hannah flattened her palms on the top of her desk, pushing her face within inches of his. “Take as much time as you need.”Garner tapped the pad of a finger on his ripe lips. “I think I know.”“Yes?” She prepared herself for what he might possibly dish out. A raise? More money for his program?Sex?Her lower extremities spasmed at the inappropriate thought. The scandalous ache in her breasts returned. Aside from the silent scream from her nipples to be suckled and bitten, the muscles in her bottom flexed with the desire to be spanked. The handsome blond with enticing blue eyes must surely be phenomenal in bed. All rough handling and forceful thrusts…Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! Her fantasies were rising too close to the surface. In her office during school hours was not the place or the time for imaginings of teeth bearing down on her skin or having her backside reddened. She absolutely had to stop reading those erotic books. Either that, or she had to find the kind of man who could properly relieve her sexual misery. The sooner, the better.Garner snapped his fingers in front of her face. “You okay?”Hannah blinked several times and shook her head. Goodness gracious and heaven above. She’d zoned out. Zoned out at work! Things were worse than she’d feared. “Absolutely,” she lied, fighting both her headache and the erotic charges surging through body. “You were saying something about what you want.”“I want you to beg.” He offered a sadistic smile. “I want you to beg me to teach math this summer.” “Beg?” A wash of cream flowed way down below, soaking her already moist panties. Her blood, heated and charged with arousal, sprinted through her veins. Was she dreaming? Was he serious?Had Garner somehow divined her dark secret? Impossible.She’d been so careful, saying absolutely nothing to anyone, not even her closest friend or sister, about her wicked desires. Which was exactly how things had to be. If anyone discovered the principal of Santana High School had anything to do with the world of bondage and submission, she could lose not only her job, but her career.“Yes. I want you to beg.” His gaze bored into hers. “I want you to know how I felt when I came into this office and pleaded for you not to take money from the theater arts program.”Though his demand raised the hackles on the back of her neck—how dare he, her subordinate, think to challenge her—an odd sense of relief mixed with sexual awareness swept through her body. His demand, arrogant and self-righteous, was far better than his having guessed her hidden desires. It also had her legs quivering with excitement.Would she give in to his extreme bidding? Did she have a choice?Yes, of course she had choices, but none that worked as well. And, truth be told, did she really she want one? A full beat passed, feeling more like minutes than seconds.“Tick-tock, Ms. Armstrong,” he pressed. She licked her lips as her mental debate continued. Garner pointed to his watch. “You’re wasting my prep period.”“All right, “she said on a sigh. “As you wish. Please, please, please teach math this summer.”“No, no, no. You have to put some heart behind it,” Garner insisted, his fist pounding her desk. “I won’t agree to do anything unless I believe you’re sincere. I’m a trained actor, so it had better be good.”“Seriously?”“I want to be convinced you really mean it. Otherwise, no deal.”The muscles in her back and shoulders tightened. Oh, I’ll give you convincing, all right. You want me to beg? I’ll give you the begging performance of the century. You’ll hand me an Oscar when I’m through, you insolent son of a bitch. She regarded the man so many people adored and reminded herself of her primary mission—dig the school out of its “Improvement Required” status—then closed her eyes. Drawing in a breath, she cleared her mind of everything except the one man who had already mastered her in many private fantasies. The elusive being to whom she would willingly submit. Willingly beg. The Dom of her dreams. He, the powerful male both strong and gentle, waited in shadowy relief in her mind’s eye. Though darkness masked his face, she could make out the flogger in his hand. Its many strips of leather dangled from a wooden handle.Her Master raised the tool. “Touch the tresses. Feel how soft they are.”His voice, low and steady, enveloped her as if being wrapped in a comforting blanket, shielding her from any doubts and fears. “Yes, Sir.” She leaned forward, her arm outstretched.“On your knees,” he instructed. “When I hold this flogger, you must always be on your knees to touch it. You will show my most favorite tool proper and unfailing respect. Do you understand?”“Yes, Sir.” Naked and unafraid, she fell to both knees before him, and then ran her fingers through the long pieces of lambskin. Unimaginably supple, the tresses were like velvet to the touch.“Place your hands on the floor.” Without a moment’s hesitation, she did so, splaying her fingers and bracing herself.Her shadow Master moved behind her, trailing the ends of the leather strips down her bare back and onto her ass. Her nerves, heightened and tingling with expectancy, danced beneath every inch of her skin. Her body ached, truly ached, to feel the biting sting of the tresses.“Now beg,” he ordered. “Beg me to do what I know you want. What I know you need.”Hannah’s eyelids flew open, taking in Mack Garner. As though still in her dream, her mouth moved unbidden and gave voice to words originating from her very soul. “Please. Oh, God, please,” she pleaded on an exhale, desperation tingeing her tone. “I want this so badly. I need this. Please, do this for me.”The smirk on Garner’s face melted. His cheeks sagged. With the exception of the dazed look glazing his eyes, which were now the size of baseballs, his face transformed to a blank slate. “Sincere enough for you, Mr. Garner?” she asked.
About the Author:Brenna hails from the Lone Star state where she lives with her husband and four dogs, three of which are as big as long horns. She’s a fun-loving writer who likes nothing better than to explore while she travels (no planned excursions, please!), eat what others cook (it works out better for everyone that way), and avoid the gym whenever possible.
Her journey through life has taken her all over the United States, as well as many places throughout the world. Using her travel experience as a guide and peppering in interesting characters she’s met along the way, she loves nothing better than weaving tales of romance and leaving readers yearning for adventures of their own.
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