Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 323

Truthsong by Elisabeth Hamill

TruthsongSongmakerBook 2Elisabeth Hamill
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Fire and Ice YA
Date of Publication:  July 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-68046-326-2
Number of pages: 236Word Count: 80K
Cover Artist: Caroline Andrus
Book Description:
The long awaited sequel to SONG MAGICK
When Telyn’s song magic freed ancient spirits of the Wood, it also awakened a long-slumbering evil. Now she and her beloved Mithrais must battle a spreading shadow that ignites crippling fear, and deal with the unexpected consequences of magic’s return.
More danger arrives with a royal delegation to the forest realm, sweeping Telyn back into court intrigue and the sights of a murderous lord. Mithrais may be forced to choose between his service to the Wood or the obligations of his royal blood.
As Telyn’s bond with Mithrais grows, she is torn between her love for him and the freedom of a wandering bard’s life. But when dark magic plunges the Wood into chaos, she must balance the two halves of her heart—or the Fates may take Mithrais from her forever. 
Amazon     Smashwords     BN    Fire and IceExcerpt 1:Even in the quiet hour before sunset, the Wood filled with music. One didn’t need the ears of a bard to hear it in the rhythmic jingle of Bessa’s harness, or when doves sang lullabies to each other through the branches. A heartspeaker couldn’t fail to miss the new counterpoint percussion of magic, like the steady, silent beat of a drum.But underneath it all, only Telyn knew the song of the Wood itself.A secret composition of chords and harmonies existed beneath the ambient sound of leaves. Sometimes it skirled with a wild and unruly air, and other times echoed with heartbreaking sweetness through the glades. It changed with the landscape, never the same melody twice. It would rush past her in waves, or sing in eloquent whispers almost beyond her scope of hearing. Even when she wasn’t listening, murmurs of song invaded her subconscious like a child humming in hushed tones. “Seed-voice!” And in not-so-hushed tones.Telyn pulled back on Bessa’s reins. The grey horse snorted and slowed to a stop. One of the newer Gwaith’orn hailed her—the truly Old Ones seldom used such common means to get her attention. For those reborn in the wake of the great spell cast in the Circle, it remained a new and exciting thing to be able to speak aloud. As a result, they were impulsive and sometimes a little rude.The resonant vibrations marked the nearby presence of the tree folk. She caught her breath in surprise when the brush on her right parted in invitation. Bessa snorted, turning the wagon from the stony road into the temptation of soft, green grass. Telyn laughed and gave the mare her head. “Well, that’s settled then. Are you ready to camp, my dear?”The sun lowered upon the tree-broken horizon, ready to slip behind the mountains. Light and darkness balanced in equality for the moment. But shadow always lay in the deepest parts of the Wood, gray-green areas that seldom saw a shaft of sunlight. Here the Gwaith’orn held court. Once trapped by an ancient spell, her magic and life force bought their freedom. Telyn advanced without fear, for these strange creatures were now her allies. All around her, the Wood pulsed with the promise of magic, but the Gwaith’orn remained silent. She sensed mischief, and her mouth quirked upwards in a smile. A new tree, with bone-white upper limbs and wide green leaves, stood in the lee of the old, sprung from the roots of its ancestor. Telyn pulled the wagon into the clearing. Somewhere beyond, the sound of water announced the presence of the river she followed south from Ilparien. She dismounted the bench seat and walked into the heart of the grove, leaving Bessa content to crop the grass.“Well, I’m here.” Her hand brushed the star-shaped leaves at head level, the tree grown to a startling twelve feet in less than two months. They all grew with unnatural speed—nearly five hundred of them at the last count. “What do you need, young-Old-One?”The voice came from behind and made her jump, even though she thought herself prepared. “You might have passed us by and not known, Telyn.”She whirled. The being that stood at her shoulder gave a laugh like the trill of a bird’s song, high and sweet. Its honey-colored eyes crinkled in amusement.“Not known what?” she asked. It was still extraordinary to see the Gwaith’orn take human-like shapes in the groves. The young ones seemed to revel in it, although they could only manifest within the root-spans of the old trees. Early on, she started to call these manifestations “sprites” because of their playful nature. The name was now indelible in Tauron lore.Slender white limbs gestured with the grace of breeze-caught branches. “Mithrais is not far away. We believe he will look for you.”Telyn grinned in delighted surprise. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll stay here tonight.”  Mithrais and his fellow Magians were busy testing the magical knowledge bestowed upon them by the Gwaith’orn. There were also more domestic reasons her lifemate had been unable to join her. These obligations called Telyn to turn her wheels south and begin the three-day journey to the northern gate of Cerisild. Time had passed without discernible measure in a joyful blur of music and storytelling. She brought the news of magic’s return to the people of the Wood, the shelter of the deep forest more like home by the day. But the passage of weeks meant the inevitable approach of midsummer and the arrival of a royal delegation. She began to remove Bessa’s harness to allow the horse a well-deserved rest. “There are visitors coming to Cerisild,” she told the sprite while she worked. “Have you sensed anyone entering the Wood who might mean me harm?”            “None who seek you. There is a mind full of chaos. It is getting closer, but we sense no threat there.”            She suspected this mind belonged to Vuldur, Lord of the East. An unfortunate, deadly history lay between them. Telyn would never be able to change the fact she killed his son in an act of self-defense. She had just begun to forgive herself for the accidental spell that allowed an already charged situation to escalate. Vuldur only knew his heir was dead—and who was responsible.            “That may be the man who sent the bounty hunters.” Telyn watched the sprite as it followed the erratic flight of a moth through the grove. “I don’t think he will try to harm me himself, but I do fear him.”            “Few can harm you now, Seed-voice, unless you allow it.” It chased the moth to the edge of the root span and watched it flutter off. “We have given you the knowledge of what to do with your magic to keep yourself safe.”            “And I thank you.” There had been little opportunity to test the knowledge left imprinted in her mind, a gift of gratitude from the Gwaith’orn. She didn’t like the thought of using song magic as a weapon. It was contradictory to the self-imposed rules she held concerning her unique powers. “I hope I don’t meet anything my blade can’t turn aside.”            “Danger will not wait for a sword to be unsheathed or an arrow to be drawn. The darkness which grows may prove more challenging.”


About the Author:
Elisabeth Hamill is a nurse/wife/mom by day, unabashed geek/chocoholic/closet sci fi and fantasy novelist by night. She lives with her family, dog, and cat in the wilds of eastern suburban Kansas, where they fend off flying monkey attacks and prep for the zombie apocalypse.
Song Magick, her first novel, won first in category for Teen Fantasy in the 2014 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction.
www.elisabethhamill.com
https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHamillWrites  
https://twitter.com/SongMagick
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8180891.Elisabeth_Hamill

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Release Day Blitz Of Beasts and Bonds by N.D. Jones

Of Beasts and BondsDeath and Destiny TrilogyBook 2N.D. Jones
Genre: paranormal romance
Publisher: Kuumba Publishing
Date of Publication: August 18, 2016
ISBN: 9780997529333ASIN: B01FWLXNJG
Number of pages: 403
Cover Artist: Maduranga Nuwan
Book Description:
In a world of mystery and magic, sometimes old bonds must be broken before new ones can be formed. Who knew that finding one’s soul mate would test bonds and unleash beasts?
Mami Wata and Oya are now free from their watery prison and ready to wage a battle five hundred years in the making. Special Agent Assefa Berber and Dr. Sanura Williams are the prophesized Cat and Fire Witch of Legend. To save the world from Mami Wata, a water goddess with a bloody thirst for power and an insatiable appetite for death and destruction, they must defeat her beasts and the Water Witch of Legend.
Assefa and Sanura are fully in love but possess only a partial mate bond. While Sanura has merged their auras, bonding Assefa’s cat spirit to her, she has yet to accept his claiming bite. Their incomplete mate bond and their new relationship are tested when Mami Wata sets her malevolent eyes on them, manipulating beasts, sacrificing humans, and creating heartache. Can their bond survive, or will they drown under the vicious tide of godly might?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/p1_YWkNL7II
Amazon     BN      Kobo

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



Tour giveaway
$50 Amazon Kindle gift card, Signed copy of "Of Fear and Faith" and "Of Beasts and Bonds," art print by Najja Creations
$30 Amazon Kindle gift card + eBook copy of "Of Fear and Faith" and "Of Beasts and Bonds"
$20 Amazon Kindle gift card + eBook copy of "Of Beasts and Bonds"

Enter here: https://gleam.io/fb/L7VzF165039160206844

Sign Up To Host the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular

Sign Up To Host the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular September 19- October 31 (weekdays only)

26 Authors are participating in this Spooktacular event- each will be offering a guest blog or short fiction piece with a Halloween theme.

Host one, or host them all. 

Book genres include paranormal romance, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, historical fantasy and a non-fiction book about Haunted Boston Harbor 

Participating authors include: Marsha A Moore, Laura B. Diamond, JC Andrijeski, Jill Archer, N.D. Jones, Ash Krafton, Krista Carlson, Natalie Nicole Bates, Vanta Black, Jenn Windrow, Constance Burris, Kirsten Weiss, Rayna Noire, Roxanne Rhoads, Catherine Winters, Traci Douglass, Jamie K. Schmidt, Sam Baltrusis, Lexxie Couper, Lily Harlem, Angelique Voisen, MA Church, BA Tortuga, Erzabet Bishop, Sam Crescent, and Kelex.

How many days would like to host? Sign up here

Or you can email me your info, please include:

Your blog name

Your blog's full url with http or https

Date(s) you wish to host (you may host multiple dates/authors September 19-October 31 weekdays only)

Authors you wish to host

Books you wish to review




Books Available for Review
Witch's Cursed Cabin: A Coon Hollow Coven Tale by Marsha A Moore 

Immortal Aliens Book One: Dawn of the Vie by Laura B. Diamond 

Black In White (A Quentin Black Paranormal Mystery) by JC Andrijeski

Pocket Full of Tinder  by Jill Archer 

Of Fear and Faith by N.D. Jones

Charm City by Ash Krafton

Gryphon's Passing by Krista Carlson

Everything Anise by Natalie Nicole Bates

Oubliette--A Forgotten Little Place by Vanta Black

Struck By Eros  by Jenn Windrow

Black Beauty  by Constance Burris

The Infernal Detective by Kirsten Weiss

Eternal Desire by Roxanne Rhoads

A Murder of Vampires by Catherine Winters

Traci Douglass

The Graveyard Shift: A paranormal romance anthology by Jamie K. Schmidt

Haunted Boston Harbor by Sam Baltrusis

Glimmer by Rayna Noire

Pagan Eyes: Initiation by Rayna Noire

Outback Heat by Lexxie Couper

Take Me! by Lily Harlem

Love Me Broken by Angelique Voisen

Paws and Claws by MA Church

By Design by BA Tortuga

Taming the Beast by Erzabet Bishop

Mated to Three by Sam Crescent

Chained to the Tiger's Bed by Kelex

Sign Up To Host the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular

Sign Up To Host the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular September 19- October 31 (weekdays only)

26 Authors are participating in this Spooktacular event- each will be offering a guest blog or short fiction piece with a Halloween theme.



Host one, or host them all. 



Book genres include paranormal romance, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, historical fantasy and a non-fiction book about Haunted Boston Harbor 



Participating authors include: Marsha A Moore, Laura B. Diamond, JC Andrijeski, Jill Archer, N.D. Jones, Ash Krafton, Krista Carlson, Natalie Nicole Bates, Vanta Black, Jenn Windrow, Constance Burris, Kirsten Weiss, Rayna Noire, Roxanne Rhoads, Catherine Winters, Traci Douglass, Jamie K. Schmidt, Sam Baltrusis, Lexxie Couper, Lily Harlem, Angelique Voisen, MA Church, BA Tortuga, Erzabet Bishop, Sam Crescent, and Kelex.



How many days would like to host? Sign up here



Or you can email me your info, please include:



Your blog name



Your blog's full url with http or https



Date(s) you wish to host (you may host multiple dates/authors September 19-October 31 weekdays only)



Authors you wish to host



Books you wish to review

Books Available for Review

Witch's Cursed Cabin: A Coon Hollow Coven Tale by Marsha A Moore 



Immortal Aliens Book One: Dawn of the Vie by Laura B. Diamond 



Black In White (A Quentin Black Paranormal Mystery) by JC Andrijeski



Pocket Full of Tinder  by Jill Archer 



Of Fear and Faith by N.D. Jones



Charm City by Ash Krafton



Gryphon's Passing by Krista Carlson



Everything Anise by Natalie Nicole Bates



Oubliette--A Forgotten Little Place by Vanta Black



Struck By Eros  by Jenn Windrow



Black Beauty  by Constance Burris



The Infernal Detective by Kirsten Weiss



Eternal Desire by Roxanne Rhoads



A Murder of Vampires by Catherine Winters



Traci Douglass



The Graveyard Shift: A paranormal romance anthology by Jamie K. Schmidt



Haunted Boston Harbor by Sam Baltrusis



Glimmer by Rayna Noire



Pagan Eyes: Initiation by Rayna Noire



Outback Heat by Lexxie Couper



Take Me! by Lily Harlem



Love Me Broken by Angelique Voisen



Paws and Claws by MA Church



By Design by BA Tortuga



Taming the Beast by Erzabet Bishop



Mated to Three by Sam Crescent



Chained to the Tiger's Bed by Kelex

Scottish Dragons: More than Fangs and Scales - Spark by Nancy Lee Badger

My cover model’s real dragon tattooWhat do you envision when you hear the word Dragons? These legendary creatures, found in lore, myths, and fairy tales, are typically pictured as having serpent-like or reptilian traits.  Today, I would like to share the mythological dragons of Scotland, specifically on the island of Skye. Scotland is where I base my newest series, Clan of Dragons. The first book is titled Spark.

The most famous Scottish is the Loch Ness Monster or ‘Nessie’. Yes, Nessie is classified as a dragon even though many assume it is a leftover dinosaur called a plesiosaur, or lake fish, that has grown to gigantic proportions. Tales of Nessie date from the sixth century and some refer to it as a wingless dragons.
As a novelist writing paranormal romance, I have the ability to make my characters human, dragon, horse, wolf, or whatever comes to mind. I created a group of brothers. In my book, each dragon is a different color, have different personalities, and like to shift into other forms. My freedom to create these paranormal creatures does not mean I can be lax in their formations. The characters of a story keep the story interesting. Spark is the first book in my Clan of Dragons series, and will be followed by Smoke , which is available for pre-order.
Excerpt from Spark, Clan of Dragons Book #1
The handle on the bolted bedchamber door jiggled. Heavy knocks made the women step back. When someone kicked the oak door, and it splintered, Vika headed for the open window. Raised voices filled the room as she lifted the hem or her dress, and shimmied over the windowsill. She landed on the thatched roof, and rolled toward the ground, screaming.
As night air shot past her face, she wondered who was after her. A silly thing to think of, when the ground be racing up to meet me.
An abrupt stop a hand’s breadth off the ground jolted her, and she cried out in pain around her bruised ribs. She struggled, but found that she was gripped in the talons of a dragon! The light from village torches made it hard to see the color of the beast’s scales, but she hoped he was the friendly beast she’d met, or maybe one of the two that had chased away the pirates.
When her thoughts ran to Mistress MacFingan, she slammed her fists against the beast’s chest. “Let me go! Me friend be in danger!”
The dragon headed back toward earth, and she screamed. Before they crashed to the ground, the dragon’s wings flapped faster and he gently set her on her feet. She faced him, and stepped back in awe. He was magnificent as torchlight glistened over his purple-colored scales and flames danced in his amber eyes. Familiar eyes.

SparkClan of Dragons Book OneNancy Lee Badger
Genre: Scottish Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Nancy Lee Badger
Date of Publication: August 4, 2016
ASIN: B01HV8Y5IG
Number of pages: 207 Word Count: 64,500
Cover Artist: Nancy Lee Badger
Book Description:
Nancy Lee Badger brings you another story filled with Scottish dragons and shape-shifters. Set on the Scottish Island of Skye, she again fills her paranormal fantasy with romance and danger, and with characters you will remember. Some will tug at your heart. Others will make you wish for their demise. SPARK is the first book in a brand new series, Clan of Dragons.
What can a young dragon do to prove to his older brothers that he is their clan’s best chance to save their species? In the Black Cuillin Hills, Evan heads to the village of Morhban to find a way to interact with humans. To learn their language and customs, and to get close enough to a red-haired beauty to mate with her, the brown-winged purple dragon shifts into a copper-colored horse. When his new hooves protect her from Lord Toal MacMorgan’s inappropriate demands with a well-placed kick, she thanks Evan by brushing his silky coat. Things are looking up.
When an unfamiliar horse kicks Toal into the creek, releasing Vika from his roaming hands, her appreciation turns to horror. A sputtering Toal demands that the animal die. Anger makes Vika agree to a wager. A three day hunt will determine the fate of the horse she names Spark. Failure will mean his death, and the loss of her freedom. Pirates, wolves, a wild boar, and a handsome stranger lead her on a wild ride. She discovers her heart is in as much danger as her life.
Amazon      Amazon Canada      Amazon UK    Amazon Aus 

About the Author:
Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, Nancy moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time.
Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Association of Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers. Nancy and her family volunteer each fall at the New Hampshire Highland Games surrounded by…kilts!
Blog  http://www.nancyleebadger.blogspot.com
Website http://www.nancyleebadger.com
Twitter  https://twitter.com/NLBadger
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/NancyLeeBadgerAuthor/    
Goodreads     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4101274.Nancy_Lee_Badger
Amazon Page  http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Lee-Badger/e/B003UWZJME/


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Rise of a Viking by Sky Purington

Rise of a VikingThe MacLomain SeriesViking Ancestors’ KinBook 1Sky Purington     
Genre:  Time-travel Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication:  August 9, 2016
ASIN:   B01FFXUWKO
Number of pages:  270Word Count:  80,000
Cover Artist:  Tamra Westberry
Book Description:
Cybil is thrilled when she and her family inherit a million dollar ocean-side house in Winter Harbor, Maine. It’s a chance to finally bring her sisters back together and right old wrongs. But problems arise. Her gift of prophecy grows stronger. A Viking from the past haunts her. And that old ash tree in the front yard? It has taken on the otherworldly qualities of Yggdrasill, a tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse mythology. Soon caught in its power, she’s whisked back in time to tenth-century Scandinavia.
Of dragon blood and set to inherit the throne, Heidrek Sigdir tries to keep Cybil away, but the gods have other plans. A fate designed to make him pay for past grievances. Yet when he finally lays eyes on her, he wants nothing else. They share a connection unlike any other. Poignant desire. Incomparable need. Tempting change. Even so, he must let her go. She should be with his brother. Still, nothing is what it seems. A new enemy is determined to destroy all and Cybil is special to him and his people in ways nobody anticipated.
Many revelations come to light when Heidrek and Cybil are forced to journey across the rugged lands of Norway to reach the home of the seers at the peak of Mt. Galdhøpiggen. Hearts will be tested and lives forever changed. Will a new Viking King rise up and keep his people safe? Or will his endless draw to a modern day woman be his ultimate ruin?
Excerpt #2
Their eyes held for a long moment before a heavy drop of icy rain hit her cheek. He wiped it away gently then took her hand. “Let us find shelter.”They didn’t go far before he pushed aside a heavy swath of roots and led her into an alcove about the size of a large walk-in closet. Plush green moss crawled along the walls and floor. Stones created a semi-circle at the rear with a small bushel of roots and sticks at its center. When Heidrek’s eyes glowed pale blue, sparks hissed then ignited a small fire. “Won’t it get smoky in here,” she started before she realized a fist-sized hole was above it, effectively sucking the smoke away. Cybil peered up. “That goes all the way to the top? This mountain is easily hundreds of feet tall.”“Yes, it goes to the top and is one of many. All of the mountains in the Place of Seers house sanctuaries like this,” he explained as he removed his fur and laid it on the ground. “They come here not only to worship but to mate.”“Mate?” She perked her brows and couldn’t stop a small grin. “Where they worship?”“They are Viking.” A rare twinkle lit his eyes. “Our mating and religion go hand in hand. Both are afforded equal devotion.” The corner of his mouth inched up. “And of course, a fair amount of worship is applied whether communing with the gods or mating.”“So no churches or sex behind closed doors.” She chuckled as she removed her fur and laid it beside his. “Interesting.”“Many of my people prefer mating in the open.” He returned to the entrance. “Sex is something to be enjoyed wherever and whenever the urge comes upon us.” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes when they slid over her. “Have you mated in front of others, Cybil?”“Not that I know of.” She met his blossoming grin and held her forefinger within centimeters of her thumb. “Though I always had a little thing for leaving the light on at night and the curtains open during sex. Does that count?”The flash of desire in his eyes as he envisioned such a thing spoke volumes. “My lodging at the fortress has plenty of torchlight and firelight as well as windows.” He shot her a predatory look. “And I will make more windows if you wish. Many more.”“It might get pretty cold,” she murmured.“No.” His eyes were full of promise. “If anything, it will likely get too hot.”It occurred to her that this was the first time she and Heidrek had come close to flirting, and she liked it. There was more to him than what he showed the world. A playful side she would enjoy exploring for years to come. She tore her eyes from his at the thought, surprised by how easily she had fallen into seeing a future for them.



About the Author:
Sky Purington is the best-selling author of over twenty 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

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Bollocks Vampire Myths and British Vampires. What Are Your Favourites? - Release Day Blitz Blood Dragons by Rosemary A Johns

‘You know those vampire myths? Holy water, entry by invitation only and sodding crucifixes? Bollocksto them. Because you know what? There are no monsters and no immortals. There’s just us: the Lost.’(Rebel Vampires Volume 1: Blood Dragons)
Firstly, thank you Roxanne for having me on your blog!
My name is Rosemary A Johns and I’m a fantasy fanatic and music junkie. I’m a traditionally published author of short stories and a playwright.
Blood Dragons is my debut novel. It’s the first in the new fantasy series Rebel Vampires.
It’s out now at: http://getbook.at/BloodDragonsKindle
It’s also available in paperback and Large Print. 
Before I started writing I had two questions: what book was I desperate to read – but couldn’t find? And what was it about vampires I both loved and hated?
That’s where the ‘bollocks vampire myths’ comes in.
Blood Dragons explores a hidden paranormal world in London, where vampires are both predator and prey. It’s a story of redemption and love in a divided world beneath our own. Blood Lifers are a camouflaged species, who use venom to paralyse and mimic heart attacks in First Lifers (humans). Yet they fear the First Lifers they prey on. Until one Blood Lifer rebels – against his family, species and century old love - to save both their species.
My main character - Light – is a Rocker with a photographic memory. As part of a real, evolutionary species that’s camouflaged from humans, he has to struggle with real life difficulties. But also the prejudices and stereotypes created by the ‘vampire myths’ we’ve all been brought up on. Except, of course, some of them are true. Like Blood Lifers needing to drink blood to survive. Only it’s not quite as simple as that…
What ‘bollocks vampire myths’ would you have reinvented?
The first question – what book was I desperate to read but couldn’t find – was even more important.
I knew I wanted something dark. Subversive. Intelligent. Romantic and thrilling, with a vein of dark humour. And for adults, not YA. So that’s what I’ve written. A vampire book truly for adults.
I was also eager for the main vampire to be British. Not just because I AM British. Although this means it’s more authentic.
 I’ve always loved British vampires. But they always seem to be the sidekick. The villain. Or the love interest. They’re not allowed centre stage. To be the complex anti-hero, who struggles through to be redeemed.
I loved the idea of a book from a British vampire’s perspective – and one, who didn’t sound like Hugh Grant.
Dracula by Bram Stoker is often considered a famous English vampire novel – but Bram Stoker was from Dublin and so Irish (as were my ancestors – also Italian, Scottish and Londoners, so I’m pretty mixed!). Dracula was from Transylvania. So no prizes there.
Three brilliant British vampires (although none are sole leads):
1.     Hal in Being Human. This is the best urban fantasy show British TV has seen. Mitchell was the original in the trio of vampire, werewolf and ghost just trying to survive in an ordinary world. Fantastic as he was, he’s Irish (so many genius Irish men). Hal, however, is all English – adorable bumbling and yet terrifyingly powerful. The writing on this show is to be worshipped.
2.     Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Need I say more? OK, so I know James Marsters is an American. But his character isn’t. One of the most dizzying character arcs ever. I could add Jeaniene Frost’s Bones here…no one can miss the similarities…but then does anyone care?
3.     Lamia and her seductresses from Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, who ‘suck the warmth’ from their victims. Freaked the hell out of me when I was young.
Who would you have chosen?
Between the desire to see a British vampire lead, as well as a fantasy book for adults, which twisted the usual myths, the series Rebel Vampires was born.
Blood Dragons is not just another vampire novel.
Here’s an exclusive excerpt:
‘We’d set up our crib in Liverpool, behind the Mersey docks in the shadow of the cranes, hulking ships and the whiff of general decline. I’d salvaged what we needed from boneyards. When Ruby had returned one night, however, from her lone wanderings, which had become frequent now, she’d told me that we were moving back to London. I’d just been out and nicked Ruby a pair of blinding ruby earrings to go with her pendant. I’d noticed a few weeks back that this dead posh jewellers had opened in the city centre. I’d been secretly planning a lay to surprise Ruby. I couldn’t wait for her peepers to light with fire, as she put them on for me. Yet when I’d passed the earrings to Ruby with a smile, she’d tossed the box aside, like I’d picked them up at the market. ‘We need to make haste and put away this idleness. They want us at their side. There are…important undertakings of our kind. We must go; after all, they are our cater-cousins.’Confused, I’d collected the earrings from the floor, fidgeting with the box. ‘Who are, luv?’Ruby had turned away. ‘Pack up.’I’d grabbed Ruby by the shoulder. ‘Who are these pillocks? What’s going on?’‘Fie, remove your hand or by heaven…’I’d hurriedly snatched away my fingers. Ruby had looked at me, as if calculating my reaction. ‘My brothers. The twins.’‘What?’ I’d stared at her. Ruby had family? Decades of life lived together as one, but not a single word she had blood relatives? Our connection had been beyond words or blood, in the trembling of the world and our lives’ fever. Yet now I’d wondered, in one cracking jolt, if all I’d been to Ruby was a distraction. Nothing but a toy to while away the decades or her idleness..? Was that all any Blood Lifer could be to each other?’(Rebel Vampires Volume 1: Blood Dragons)
Rebel Vampires Volume 1: Blood Dragons is out now. Buy it at: http://getbook.at/BloodDragonsKindleIt’s also available in paperback. Click here: http://getbook.at/BloodDragonsFor the Large Print Edition click here: http://getbook.at/BloodDragonsLargeTo pre-order Rebel Vampires Volume 2: Blood Shacklesclick: http://getbook.at/BloodShackles
Blood Shackles is released in November. Welcome to the Blood club – where the predators become the prey…

Rebel Vampires Volume 3: Blood Renegades is out spring 2017. Light has only two weeks to give his witness, on trial for his life, before he’s burnt at the stake – because who wants to hear the truth?
 Thanks again Roxanne for having me on your blog – it’s been fun – I hope everyone has a great week!
Blood DragonsRebel VampiresVolume 1Rosemary A Johns
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Fantasy Rebel Limited
Date of Publication: 14th August 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1533679819ISBN-10: 1533679819
Large Print Edition:ISBN-13: 978-1533681362ISBN-10: 1533681368
Number of pages: 294Word Count: 80,000
Cover Artist: JD Smith
Book Description:
There are three people in this affair – and two of them aren’t human…
A hidden paranormal London lies beneath our own. Escape into the supernatural world of the Blood Lifers – where vampires are both predator and prey.
1960s London. Light is a rebel Rocker Blood Lifer with a photographic memory. And a Triton motorbike. Since Victorian times he’s hidden in the shadows. Both predator and prey. His venom is deadly. He feeds on blood. Human, of course. But when he discovers his ruthless family’s horrifying secret experiments, he questions whether he should be slaying or saving the humans he’s always feared.
Ruby is a sexy but savage Elizabethan Blood Lifer. She burns with a destructive love for Light. But he’s keeping something from her. Something that breaks every rule in Blood Life. When she discovers the truth, things take a terrifying turn.
Kathy is a seductive singer. But she’s also human. Light knows his passionate love for her is reckless but he’s enchanted. Yet such a romance is forbidden. When the two worlds collide, it could mean the end. For both species.
What dark revelations will Light reveal at the heart of the experiments? Will he be able to stop them in time? The consequences of failure are unimaginable. Unless Light plays the part of hero, he risks losing everything. Including the two women he loves.         A rebel, a red-haired devil and a Moon Girl battle to save the world – or tear it apart.


*EXCLUSIVE LIMITED-TIME OFFER*
Special launch price ONLY $0.99 for five days from 14th to 18th August

http://getbook.at/BloodDragonsKindle

About the Author:
ROSEMARY A JOHNS is a traditionally published author of short stories under the name R. A. Johns. Blood Dragons is Rosemary A Johns’ debut novel.
Rosemary A Johns wrote her first fantasy novel at the age of ten, when she discovered the weird worlds inside her head were more exciting than double swimming. Since then she’s studied history at Oxford University, run a theatre company (her critically acclaimed plays have been described as "uncomfortable, unsettling and uneasily true to life"), and worked with disability charities. When Rosemary’s not falling in love with the rebels fighting their way onto the page, she heads the Oxford writing group Dreaming Spires
https://rosemaryajohns.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryAnnJohns
@RosemaryAJohns
https://uk.pinterest.com/rosemaryjohns1
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rosemary-johns-488603121
https://plus.google.com/110702840231491433662/about
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/07/prweb13540899.htm

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.99 Sale Blitz The Asset by Anna del Mar

The AssetWounded Warrior SeriesBook OneAnna del Mar
Genre: Romantic suspense,Contemporary romance,Military romance, SEAL romance.
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: February 22, 2016
eISBN: 9781459293526ASIN: B01765RJI2
Number of pages: 336 pages
Word Count: Approx. 95,000
Anna del Mar’s explosive, sexy debut novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and Lora Leigh—the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her.
Book Description:
Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.
Like recognizes like.
Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.
Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.
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Chapter One
My finger twitched on the trigger as I stared down the barrel of my shotgun. A stranger stood on my stoop. The mere sight of him shoved my heart into my throat and sent my brain into default. I widened my stance, tightened my grip on the gun and aimed at the stranger’s chest. No way. He wasn’t going to take me alive.A sharp bark startled me. The largest, darkest, most handsome German shepherd I’d ever seen stood next to the stranger, head tilted, ears forward, nose quivering in the air. It uttered a quiet whimper and padded over to me without a trace of aggression, circling me once before it leaned against my legs. I kept my shotgun leveled, but I spared another glance at the stunning dog. The plea in his eyes tempered the adrenaline jolting through my body, reined in my runaway heart and gave me pause to consider the stranger before me.Framed by the Rocky Mountains and the lake, the man at the threshold blocked the morning’s gray light and cast a huge shadow over my little porch. Raindrops tapped on his leather jacket, dripped from the rim of his cap and ran like tears down the sides of his face. Despite the exhaustion etched on his features, his glacial blue eyes narrowed on my gun. “That’s a pretty old Remington,” he rumbled. “With the damn safety off, no less. Who the hell are you expecting, Jack the Ripper?”“Stay back.” I forced the words out. “I’ll shoot if you come any closer.”“Damn it, girl,” he said. “If you want us to leave, just say so.”The scowl on his face contributed to his dangerous appearance. So did the scruffy beard and the shaggy hair sticking out from under his baseball cap. If he hadn’t come all the way out here to get to me—and that was still a big “if”—what on earth was he doing here? I couldn’t see any weapons on him. Was he a drifter? He didn’t look dirty, but a metallic scent wafted from him, an odd, ripe trace I couldn’t place. He must have seen my nose wrinkle. His whole body stiffened. He drew taller than six feet by several inches, but it was the outrage I spotted in his eyes that reinforced my fears.“Aren’t you a spitfire?” He pulled out a rumpled piece of paper from his pocket, balled it and dropped it at my feet. “Secluded, cheap and quiet, that’s what the ad said. But I don’t think you want to rent out a room, at least not to me. Come on, Neil,” he said to the dog. “Let’s leave this little hellcat to count her bullets.” He touched the rim of his baseball cap. “And a good day to you, ma’am.”He braced on a pair of sturdy crutches and hopped down from the stoop. Crutches? I should’ve noticed those before. The sable shepherd looked up at me, then nuzzled my hip and trotted off after his owner. The rubber bottoms of the man’s crutches stabbed the ground as he shuffled to the black truck parked in my driveway, a supercharged Ram 3500 that matched its owner’s brawn. I exhaled the breath I’d been holding. Bad guys didn’t knock at your door. They didn’t back down, attack while on crutches or hobble away after they came for you. They didn’t call you ma’am, either. I picked up the crumpled paper and flattened it against the stair’s wobbly baluster. It was indeed the one flyer I’d dared to post at Kailyn’s convenience store, printed on pink paper, complete with the ten tear-off rectangles that listed my cell phone number. The ad. My brain came on line. He was here about the ad? Crap. Terror had a sure way of wiping reason from my mind. The ad talked about a stone cottage but didn’t include the address. True, mine was the only stone cottage around. Still, my stomach churned. I stared at the paper in my hands. He’d taken down the ad. Now I had exactly zero chance to rent out the room, which also meant that, since I’d have no money to make the rent, I was going to lose my little stone cottage. I was going to be homeless and I’d have to move on. Again.But I liked it here. The place suited me well. People in this secluded valley were nice and I’d managed to build a semblance of a life hidden out here. And what about my little friends out back? Who’d take care of them if I wasn’t around?The pound, that’s who.I took a deep breath and looked down on my flannel pajama pants and my extra-large sweater. With my hair up in a messy tail, I was pretty sure I looked like a gun-toting, gray-eyed witch, brimming with hostility. I’d just scared away my first and only customer. A top-notch German shepherd like that couldn’t belong to a crook. It was obvious that the owner took excellent care of his dog. If that wasn’t enough, the man got around on crutches. He couldn’t hurt me and, if he tried, I wouldn’t need a shotgun to defend myself. I’d just have to trip him.God, the things I thought about. Was I going to live in fear forever?Yes, I would, but living in fear was better than not living at all.


Long Excerpt for The Asset by Anna del Mar: Complete First Chapter, approximately 5,000 words. Alternatively, here’s the direct link to read the chapter directly from the website: http://www.annadelmar.com/pages/excerpt.html
About the Author:
Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
http://www.annadelmar.com/pages/home.html
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnnadelMar/
https://twitter.com/anna_del_mar

Interview with ML Sparrow

Is the setting to your story important?

Hmm… that depends. Potentially I could have set it anywhere in America, so in that aspect the setting isn’t particularly important. However, it was important to me. I got a scholarship to study in America, but couldn’t accept for various reasons – it was for a college in Carolina, but when I originally applied my dream was to study in Texas, so in a way I’m living vicariously through this book! 

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be an author, I don’t remember ever seriously considering any other job, except when I was really little and I wanted to be a farmer! 

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

That’s a hard one. Even once I’d published my first book, The Demon Inside, I didn’t really feel like a proper writer, however, some time in the past year I think I’ve grown into one. Now, with three releases under my belt and another coming soon, as well as having learnt so much in a short space of time, I definitely consider myself a writer. I think it was just experience and confidence that I needed to start thinking of myself as such.
  
What were your goals as an author and have any of them come true?

Well, goal number one was to publish my books, which I’ve done. One day I would like to work with a proper publisher – one of the Big 5 would be amazing! Though I do enjoy the freedom of being self-published, I also see the benefits of being published traditionally and I think it would be an interesting experience! 

Also, there’s the dream of being a best-seller, but that one’s obvious! I’m pretty sure all authors have that dream!  

Now that you have a feel for the publishing world, would you do anything different if you had to do it all over again? 

I would have established an internet presence before publishing. I published The Demon Inside with absolutely no idea of all the things that went along with it and then had to learn as I went along. In the end it was a good experience; I’ve learnt so much and I don’t regret it but it would have been nice to give The Demon Inside a proper launch.  

What genres do you normally write in?

All my books have a theme of romance, but other than that I’m pretty flexible with genres. I like variety and I have so many ideas for lots of different stories ranging from horror, to historical and erotic romance. 

Is there a genre you haven’t written in that one day you’d like to tackle?

I have this idea for a story set during the holocaust which I’d love to write, but I never feel like I know enough on the subject to get started. I think that’s something I’m going to have to tackle once I’ve got some more experience under my belt. 

What was the first book you ever published?

My first book was The Demon Inside, a YA apocalyptic sci-fi about a small, rag-tag group of people who survive the end of the world as they know it. Things fall from the sky, infecting people and turning them into mindless cannibals and the group is forced to fight for their lives.

You can check out all the reviews for The Demon Inside on Goodreads or Amazon…

PlayerWhat Happens on CampusBook OneM L Sparrow
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: September 1 2016
Number of pages: 254 PaperbackWord Count: 79053
Cover Artist: Deranged Doctor Designs
Book Description:
Let the game begin…
After a tragic accident which leaves her tormented by guilt, Chloe Newman accepts a scholarship to study a St. Joseph’s University. Traveling from England to Texas, the last thing she expects is to meet the schools charming quarterback on her first night. However, Parker Mitchell is a player both on and off the field. 
Parker is immediately fascinated by Chloe and, after a rocky start, they manage to find a way to make their relationship work despite interference from others on campus, including Parkers jealous ex, and the ghosts that haunt Chloe’s conscience.
But, the real test comes when they visit Parker’s family over Christmas break and he finds himself being pulled back into their lifestyle...   



Excerpt:

It was his turn to laugh, but his response was cut off by a sharp voice demanding, “I can’t believe this, you’re still with her?” 

“Fuck,” Parker muttered to himself, bracing for a fight as he saw Karla stepping out of the lift, her minions flanking her, identical sneers on their faces as they looked down their noses at him and Chloe.

“Seriously Parker,” Karla stood there with her hands on her hips, “why are you wasting time with someone like her when you could have me? Can she do what I can do?” 

“What, suck like a whore?” His temper flared and the words were out before he even realized what he’d said. Shit, shit, shit. Shouldn’t have said that… 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Karla purred, stepping in close and placing a hand on his chest, fingers splayed, “as if you didn’t enjoy every single second of it.” 

Before he could move back, Chloe shoved Karla’s hand away, stepping between them. “Back off,” she snarled, her words vibrating with anger. “You had your chance and you blew it, despite your… skills.” Looking her up and down scathingly, she spat out the last word.

“You think you’re so much better than me, with your stuck-up accent, but you’re just another notch in his bedpost, like all the rest of the girls he’s fucked over.”

“Oh, so now you’re giving me a friendly warning? Well, let me tell you this, if all the other girls he’s fucked are poisonous bitches like you, I can understand why he didn’t want to settle down.”

Parker whistled, that sure put Karla in her place, but still her accusation rang in his ears – did Chloe think she would be just another notch, was that why she was hesitant to have sex with him?

Pretty face twisted with rage, Karla’s hand lashed out. Acting on instinct, his arm shot out over Chloe’s shoulder and grabbed Karla’s wrist before her hand could connect with Chloe’s cheek. Using his hold on her to push her back a few steps, he used his free hand to move Chloe out of the way, though she stayed close at his side.

“You should go now,” he said evenly, though his blood was boiling. He’d never hit a girl in his life, but Karla was really pushing him. Baiting Chloe with words was bad enough, but trying to physically hurt her… unacceptable.

Trying to regain some of her composure, Karla flipped her hair and shot them both a filthy look, before spinning on her high heels and stalking away, her followers doing the same, as if the whole thing had been choreographed. 

Once they were out of sight, disappearing into what must have been one of the other girls’ rooms, Parker turned to Chloe. “Wow, I had no idea my girl was a badass.” 

“Whereas I already knew you had awful taste in women.”

“That was before I met you,” he felt the need to explain, to apologize, “it didn’t matter what they were like as long as…”

“They could suck like whores?” she finished for him, tilting her head. He was in dangerous territory, very dangerous territory.

“I didn’t mean that.” It was a pathetic excuse, probably one of the stupidest things he could have said. 
“Yes, you did and I don’t blame you. Isn’t that exactly what every guy wants?” 

It pissed him off that she grouped him with every other guy, but it wasn’t like he could blame her because it was true. 

“I have an idea,” she said, “instead of going back to the bar, let’s go to your room.”

Okay… Now he was confused. Was this some kind of trap? Punishment?

Warily, he let her take his hand and lead him down the stairs, across the quad and towards his own dorm. All the way, she didn’t say a word, just cast him flirty smiles over her shoulder when she caught him watching her.

When they reached his room, she wasted no time, kissing him boldly as soon as the door was closed, her hands dislodging his hat and sending it to the floor so that her fingers could sink into his hair. She kissed him like she had something to prove and he let her. Urging him over to his bed, she pushed him onto it and he pulled her down with him, her weight pressing down on his chest. 



About the Author:
M L Sparrow is currently the author of four books: two YA Sci-fi’s, The Demon Inside and Ghetto, an Adult Fantasy called No Rest for the Wicked.
Player will be her first foray into the world of Contemporary Romance. She will write pretty much anything that pops into her head, no matter the genre, and enjoys keeping her readers guessing as to what she will write next, though you can pretty much guarantee that there will be some degree of romance!
As well as writing, M L Sparrow enjoys travelling and has been to some amazing countries in the past few years, her favourite of which was Japan. She never fails to gather inspiration from her travels and has an endless supply of ideas for future novels…
Website/Blog – http://mlsparrow.wix.com/mlsparrow
Twitter – https://twitter.com/MLSparrow1
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mlsparrowauthor/
Goodreads -  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13987660.M_L_Sparrow
Google + - https://plus.google.com/104871428938669723117

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Beautifully Broken by Samantha Sommersby

Beautifully BrokenSamantha Sommersby
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: All Romance eBooks
Date of Publication:  August 1 2016
ISBN: 978-1-945193-44-6
Word Count: 49000
Cover Artist: Erin Dameron Hill         
Book Description:
She was broken by darkness and violence...
Jennifer Jones thought she’d left her past behind, but when Maclain Moore crosses her threshold it all comes rushing back. He was to be her roommate, nothing more. Then the leather-clad bad boy reveals something that rocks the very foundation of her structured, fiercely independent life, and the protective wall Jennifer built around herself is shattered.
He had faith in a beautiful future…
Although she vowed she’d never bare her soul or share her secrets, soon Jennifer finds herself opening up to Mac in ways that make it hard to keep him at arm's length. She almost lost her life to a man before and doesn’t want to risk getting close to this one. As Jennifer’s world spins out of control, she fears their growing passion may become the only tangible thing she can cling to. Can she give in to her feelings for Mac without losing herself?
ARe    Amazon     Kobo    iTunesExcerpt
Mac grabbed a beer from the fridge, opened it, then headed back toward his room. “No, I would forego napkins altogether and have the guests all wipe their mouths on their shirtsleeves, like I do.”Jennifer rolled her eyes. “Of course.” He turned around. “Do they really make napkins with recycled content?”“We’re not buying them.”“Why not?” he shouted.She followed him to his room, pausing at the entrance. “They’re yucky looking and they cost more.” She leaned against the doorframe.He sat his beer on his nightstand before climbing back on the bed. “But they’re better for the environment. Don’t you care about your carbon footprint?” Mac opened a case file and began to read.“Of course I do.” She held up her water bottle. “I’m recycling, aren’t I?”“But still buying all those individual little water bottles. Baby steps.”Jennifer took a minute to look around. The room had been totally transformed in the last two days. Initially it had contained just the dark walnut antique four-poster bed and dresser surrounded by white walls. The first change had been those walls. When Jennifer came home from Rachel and Tom’s on New Year’s Day, she discovered Mac had painted them red. Red.“You painted the walls red?” she’d asked.“No. It’s not red. The guy at the paint store said it’s called ‘Rendezvous’.”“Right, rendezvous!” She laughed and shook her head. “Did he give you a discount?” “You don’t like it?”“It’s a bit…red.”“I think it makes a statement.”“What kind of a statement?’“Trust me, I’ve got a vision. It’s going to be great,” he replied, not deterred in the least.And he was right. After he painted the walls the rich wine color, he had stenciled on the Chinese symbols for peace, love and faith. He’d also positioned a three-by-five jewel-toned oriental rug between the antique dresser and the footboard of the bed. The richness of the colors complemented the dark wooden shades of the hardwood flooring and walnut furnishings. There was even a large tray of sorts resting on top of the dresser that Mac had fashioned out of an old portrait frame and filled with pillar candles.“You coming in?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. If it’s all right.” “Of course, have a seat.”Jennifer walked around the bed en route to the chair. The bed itself took up most of the room. He’d adorned it with a black chenille duvet cover, trimmed in red Chinese silk not unlike the material her robe was made from. There was a new piece of furniture. He had placed it so it sat between his bedside and the black leather chair he had retrieved from storage and was using it as a combination nightstand and side table. In addition to a clock and his beer, the table held a lamp, about four or five books, and a pair of reading glasses.“New table and lamp,” she observed, sliding into the chair.“Found the table this morning over on Adams in one of those little antique stores.” He continued to flip through his case file, scanning the contents.The overhead light in the room was turned off. The only light came from the candles and the bedside lamp. The room with filled with a warm glow, and interesting shadows danced across the dramatic walls as the flames of the candles flickered.“Did you have the lamp already?” “Yeah, I’ve had it for a while.”“I should let you work.” She started to get up.He tossed the file aside. “No. I need to stop.” He tilted his head toward the lamp. “I bought it in a store up in L.A., in Chinatown. I don’t remember why I was there, probably killing time. My mum was sick. I was practically living at the hospital. I bought it for her. Everything in that room was so cold, so sterile.”“I bet she loved it.”Mac nodded. “We’d sit there together and stare at it. I don’t know what it is. Maybe the way the light gets diffused as it passes through the flax paper but it seems—”“Warm. Peaceful.” “Yeah.” Mac sighed.Jennifer leaned back in the chair, kicked off her shoes, and propped her feet up on the edge of his bed. “The place looks great. It feels nice.” “You look like you’re ready for a nap.” “Maybe a hot bath.” She closed her eyes. “How do you feel about take-out Chinese for tonight?”“Can’t join you tonight, blondie.” Mac got up, then drained the rest of the beer. “I’ve got a date,” he told her, setting the bottle back on his nightstand.Jennifer’s eyes flew open. She quickly sized up his appearance. “You do not have a date.”Mac pulled his leather coat out of the closet. “Why would you say that?” “Because you’re not even dressed.” Mac looked down at his obviously clothed body. “Of course I’m dressed. What are you talking about?” He picked his keys and billfold up off of the dresser.“You’re not dressed up. You know, so you can make a good first impression.”“It’s supposed to be casual, pizza and a movie. This is what I normally wear.” Mac stuffed his billfold into the pocket of his jeans.“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make a little extra effort. You know, put your best foot forward.” Jennifer stood and stretched. “Did you even shower?” “Course I did! I showered this morning when I came back from my run.”“That was for work. I meant for your date.”“Let me guess.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You’re one of these girls who puts on airs, trying to impress so you can reel some unsuspecting bloke in. When, may I ask, are you supposed to start to show your date the real you?”“You think your date is going to let you see the real her?” “Don’t know. The truth is I have no control over what she’s going to do. What I do know is if I like what I see and she’s willing to go out with me again it’ll be because she saw something in me she liked. I won’t have to be guessing about whether what she liked about me was the façade.” Mac walked back over toward her and retrieved his empty beer bottle. “Recyclable.”“You know what I think? I think you’re being a teensy bit disingenuous.”“How so?” She gestured toward him. “This is all part of an image.” “What are you talking about?”“The black boots, leather coat, rumpled T-shirt that screams ‘I’m a bad boy’ when—”Mac wrapped the arm holding the beer bottle around her waist and in one fluid motion pulled her body flush against his before bending her backward in a low dip. “You don’t think I can be bad?”Jennifer’s breath hitched. “Little girl, you have no idea,” he whispered into the shell of her ear, his voice low and seductive. Then he nuzzled her at her neck, breathing her in. “We’re all just a little bit bad.”“You mean, what you’ve shown me? This great, sensitive guy I’ve been getting to know isn’t the real you?” She was slightly breathless.Mac lifted his head and looked searchingly into her eyes. He was so close. He smelled so good. He felt so good. Her entire body tightened in anticipation.“We all have a dark side,” he murmured. “A part lurking within us, longing to live for the moment, to act on wild impulses, to give in to temptation.” Mac licked his lips. She could practically taste them. “Don’t you ever feel that?”Jennifer’s heart was racing and her mouth was dry. It was as if time had suddenly stopped. As she gazed into his impossibly blue eyes, she realized this was one of those defining moments. One of those times when, with a single action, you could change the course of your life. If only you were willing to take the chance. “Mac… I…”“Yes?”“You’re going to be late for your date.”“Right.” He straightened, bringing her back to an upright position. “I hate to keep a beautiful girl waiting.” “You should go. Have fun.”“Right now, I’m sorry I agreed to it.” Mac reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d much rather stay here and order Chinese with you.” Then he turned around and left her. Alone.



About the Author:
Samantha Sommersby left what she used to call her “real life” day job in 2007 to pursue writing full-time. Sam’s background in the psychiatric field is apparent in her work and allows her to bring a unique perspective to her characters and stories. She currently lives in southern California with her husband, son, and cocker spaniel, Buck.
Her husband is a social worker who works with abused children. He’s an avid sailor who loves to surf, and you’ll find bits of him in every hero that Sam has ever written. Her son is wonderfully sensitive, with a sarcastic sense of humor. He plays the piano, composes his own music, is a competitive fencer, and worships video games. On the rare occasion when Sam manages to set aside some play time for herself, you’ll most likely find her reading a book, at the movies, or out wine tasting.
Although she’s written a variety of genres, Sam happily spends most work days immersed in the world of the Forbidden, a world where vampires, werewolves, and demons are real, where magic is possible, and where love still conquers all.
Website:  http://samanthasommersby.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/samsommersby

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