Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 344

Hell Hath No Fury by Samantha Gregory

Hell Hath No FuryQueen of Hell SeriesBook 1Samantha Gregory
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: J Ellington Ashton Press
Date of Publication: 07/02/2016
ISBN: 978-1523896547ASIN: B01BK5CT3E
Number of pages: 165Word Count: 43,000
Cover Artist:  David McGlumphy
Book Description:
All Jesse and his friends wanted to do was have a good time and hook up with some girls. Instead the three of them end up dead. Unfortunately their problems don't end there as they are caught between two warring succubus sisters who battle it out to see which one will be crowned Queen of Hell.
Contains Adult Content

Amazon


Excerpt
Halloween Night
I know she’s up to something. I’ve been watching her for the last few days and there is something going on. For a start, she’s going to the Halloween party tonight. That’s not her thing at all. My darling sister would never lower herself to attend an event like that. She never joins in on anything, and she certainly wouldn’t be caught dead at a sorority house. Our parents think it is a great idea though. They were so enthusiastic that I can’t help but wonder if they are in on whatever scheme she has hatched now. Why do they always side with her? But of course she’s the perfect daughter, the star; the one who will make them proud. I’m the outcast; the disappointment from the first moment I dared question their grand plan.She’s always gotten everything she ever wanted. Well not tonight, whatever she’s planning, I will stop her. Whatever it takes.
Chapter OneJesse
“What is wrong with this picture?” I ask, sipping from a blue beer cup. It’s warm, but I need it.“I know. I thought there would be a lot more girls here. This is a sorority, for God’s sake,” Trace says.“What about that one?” Dale asks. He gulps back his beer and belches loudly.The girl he is pointing at is dressed as a naughty nurse, leaving little to the imagination.“No, what’s wrong is, we’re at one of the biggest parties of the year, in the hottest sorority on campus, and the three of us are standing in the corner like a bunch of losers.”“Where should we be standing?” Trace asks. He fiddles with the lanyard around his neck. He’s dressed as a computer tech; not too much of a stretch, since computers are his life.“I’d like to be standing in her bedroom,” Dale says, still leering at the nurse. She catches him staring and flips him off. That doesn’t put Dale off. He is nothing if not persistent. Not that it ever gets him anywhere. His outfit consists of a Hawaiian shirt with Bermuda shorts, and a Lei around his neck. The problem is, it isn’t that different from what he usually wears to class. He never did have much of an imagination.I’m not too sure of my own outfit. I put it together myself, since I’m saving all my money to get my car fixed. I’m dressed as a knight. I made armor from aluminum foil and a fake sword to match, which hangs in a scabbard at my waist. I guess it is kind of lame.“No girl is going to come up to us while we’re together,” I say.“Are you trying to get rid of us, dude?” Dale asks.I sigh in frustration. Why is it always up to me to take the lead?It’s been the same way our whole lives. Trace is too scared and Dale doesn’t give a crap. It’s not like I’m a ladies man myself, but I have to try.“I don’t want college to end up like high school. Do you? I thought we made a deal when we came here? That we would stop being dorks, that we were going to reinvent ourselves.”They both shake their heads. High school was an endless cycle of loser-dom. Getting beat up every day, never being invited to any of the good parties, and girls not exactly tripping over themselves to date us. The only time I was ever alone with a girl was when I was tutoring them in bio.“Well I’m done being that guy. We all are.”“We are?” Trace asks.“Yes! Come on, let’s make a pact. Tonight is going to change our lives, one way or another.”“Yeah! We get laid or die trying,” Dale says. “Let’s do this. I call dibs on the nurse.”He lurches in her direction.“Meet by the dorm in the morning, tell us how it went,” Trace calls after him.I knock back another beer and head for the kitchen, leavingTrace alone. About the Author:
Samantha Gregory grew up in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. She has been writing since she was a child. She writes primarily in the horror/fantasy genre.
Daemon Persuasion is the first book in the Daemon series, published by Mockingbird Lane Press. The sequel Daemon Madness is due for release soon.
After is the first book in the After zombie series from J. Ellington Ashton Press.
The sequel Before will be released this year.  Her new novel Queen of Hell will be released Feb 2016.
In her spare time, Samantha enjoys watching horror movies, reading and archery. She also posts reviews on her blog for other writers.
http://www.storyteller-skgregory.weebly.com
http://www.twitter.com/sam_skgregory
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6574558.S_K_Gregory
http://www.skgregory.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorskgregory/

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Cover Reveal Silk by L.M. Pruitt

SilkL.M. Pruitt
Release Date: April 19, 2016
Genre: Horror
Book Description:
They called it the murder tree.
In 1995, twenty kids went in to the woods. Only three came back.
There are monsters in the woods.
Twenty years later, what happened is still a mystery.
The monsters are back.
Now, the town of Silk faces its greatest threat in over two hundred years. No one is safe.
Not even the monsters.
About the Author:
L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.
http://www.lmpruitt.org
https://www.facebook.com/pages/LM-Pruitt/364776895104
https://twitter.com/lmpruitt
http://www.amazon.com/L.M.-Pruitt/e/B00427WOW4/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4320796.L_M_Pruitt

Interview with Patricia Briggs

Hello, Patricia. Welcome to Fang-tastic Books. We’re thrilled to have you here today to discuss the newest Mercy Thompson book.

Thank you for inviting me!

In Fire Touched readers get to see several characters that previously appeared in the Alpha and Omega series and in the short stories of Shifting Shadows. Will we continue to see this kind of crossover in future Mercy books?

I think so.  I know they are published as two different series, but I don’t think of them like that anymore.  I see it more as a whole world in which we are following two sets of characters. When it makes sense for someone from one series to appear in the other, I let it happen.  Sometimes as a cameo (as when Adam showed up in a phone call in Fair Game), sometimes as a major character (Asil in Frost Burned).  For me it is part of making the story feel real.

Who are your favorite supporting characters? Which minor character might make it into the spotlight?

Asil is the most fun to write—he is vain, horrible and almost as good as he tells everyone he is. He is also filled with unexpected (to me!) depths.  He surprises me, which I find very fun.  I also like writing Honey—especially in the last couple of books.  The person she wants to be and the person she is are getting closer and closer.  

Writing short stories is not my strong suit.  I have written more novels than short stories at this point, but I’ve come to love the freedom that form gives me to flesh out supporting characters (I love that term.  It is much better than minor characters.) in a way that is impossible to do through the filter of Mercy’s first person narrative.  I don’t have another short story planned, so I don’t know who will appear next—though I have several more “Asil’s On-Line Dating Adventures” to share (“Unappreciated Gifts” in the Kevin J. Anderson anthology A Fantastic Holiday Season Vol 2).

Are any more spin off series or shorts with other characters planned in the future?

Indeed, Moira and Tom from the short story “Seeing Eye”, who also had a bit part in Hunting Ground, will be starring in their own spinoff scheduled for 2018.  We’re planning on releasing it in mass market paperback as a gift to readers.  The lower price point on a mass market, and the fact that it is a stand alone story will allow people who might be intimidated by jumping into the middle of a long-running series an opportunity to try one of my stories.

We are seeing more and more of the Fae and their world in each new book (in both series)- will this theme continue?  Will the Fae continue to wreak havoc on upon this world ?

Oh the Fae aren’t finished yet—but don’t forget the vampires.  I assure you the vampires haven’t forgotten Mercy.  It is so much fun at the beginning of a novel, trying to figure out who is crawling out from under the woodpile to be the next villain.  The werewolves have been being very good lately—and there are some troubles on the horizon for Mercy and her pack with other werewolves.  Adam’s been rocking a lot of boats, and there are some wolves who are none too happy about it.  I don’t think that Mercy is in for a quiet, peaceful life for a while yet.

So far Mercy has battled rogue werewolves, evil humans, demon possessed vampires, a river monster, crazy vampires, a volcano god, and the Fae…any clues as to what evils we may see in future books?

I can tell you that the next book after Fire Touched features vampires as the primary movers and shakers—with a handful of new-to-us werewolves and a golem.

Do you have a set number of books planned in the Mercy Thompson series, or will you continue to write them as long as the readers want more?

I think that it is safer to say that I’ll write Mercy books as long as everyone (both me and the readers) are having fun with them.  At some point, I’ll probably write a traditional fantasy or two to cleanse my palate between Mercy World books, but I’m enjoying hanging out with Mercy and her world.  I do promise to stop writing them the minute I get tired of them, but so far that isn’t an issue.

Well that's a relief because I love Mercy's world and look forward to each new book. So what’s next on the publishing schedule, another Mercy book or an Alpha and Omega (or something different)?

The next books, in order (I think) are Fire Touched (Mercy #9), Mercy #10 (March 2017). Followed by an Alpha and Omega #5 (or #6 if you count the original novella), a Moira and Tom story (both in 2018, probably March and then fall), and finally Mercy #11 (March 2019). 

I look forward to reading each and every one of the upcoming books. Thank you, Patricia for visiting Fang-tastic Books today.

Thank you so much for having me!



Fire Touched Mercy Thompson Book 9
Patricia Briggs 
Mercy Thompson has been hailed as “a heroine who continues to grow and yet always remains true to herself.”* Now she’s back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer...
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.


Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

Oath of a Scottish Warrior by Sky Purington

Oath of a Scottish WarriorThe MacLomain SeriesLater YearsBook 3Sky Purington     
Genre:  Time-travel Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication:  February 23, 2016
ASIN:   B018GRRH5O
Number of pages:  280Word Count:  90,000
Cover Artist:  Tamra Westberry
Book Description:
Haunted by childhood memories and the fact she is likely going mute, Erin embraces a quiet life in Vermont away from all the mistakes she has made and the people she’s hurt. A peaceful existence with her horses. A cynic by nature, she doesn’t buy into what she soon learns. Apparently she’s part of an unending connection between twenty-first century Broun women and medieval MacLomain men. When a Claddagh ring crosses her path, she’s compelled to steal it. A bad move because the ring is meant to find true love. Something Erin feels she stopped deserving a long time ago. 
Of dragon blood, Chieftain Rònan MacLeod is by birth, half MacLomain. While raised to protect the future King of Scotland, he lives life with an open mind. The idea of a ring binding him to one lass seems far-fetched. However, when a woman named Jackie calls to him from the dark edges of the Celtic Otherworld, he swears an oath to save her. That means traveling to the future to protect her before she’s taken by the enemy. The only problem? She is not where she should be. Instead, he finds a beautiful, defiant lass named Erin. Now he must make a choice. Continue seeking out Jackie or protect the one he’s with.
Thrust back in time to ninth-century Scandinavia, Rònan and Erin find sanctuary with his Viking ancestors. With help from not only King Naðr Véurr Sidgir but his offspring, they learn more than anticipated. Something that will either damn them or set them free. Drawn to one another, heat flares. A fire neither could have imagined. Scorching. Searing. Unavoidable. One they must fight if they want to save those they care for most.
Will they be able to protect wee Robert the Bruce from evil when they end up back in Scotland? Or will their repressed feelings be their ultimate doom? After all, it’s supposed to take the oath of a Scottish warrior to save a future king. Not the oath of a warrior who ended up forsaking all because he lost his heart along the way.
Amazon    iTunes    Kobo    BNExcerpt:
Erin almost overfilled the mug as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. Damn, he was hot as hell. Desire flared as she eyed his snug leather pants, and broad, muscled, tattooed chest and arms. She swallowed. Maybe leaving him outside would have been a smarter move. Rònan inhaled sharply then released a long, slow breath as he closed his eyes, shook his head, and whispered, “Gods give me strength, you smell good.”Doing her best to keep her eyes averted, she held out a mug. “Here, drink. It’ll help warm you.”“Many thanks.” He took the mug. “Will you not look at me then? You did so outside and we managed through.”“Likely because I had a blade to your neck,” she reminded.“If I’ve the strength to look at you then you’ve the same strength, lass,” he said. “Please.”“Not gonna lie. I’m too damned aroused.” She shook her head and turned away. “Drink your ale and warm yourself, Rònan.”He growled in frustration. “We need to push past this if we’re to protect the Bruce as we should.” “We don’t need to look at each other to protect Robert.”“Aye, but we do.” He downed the ale in a few gulps. “Especially if we’re to battle alongside one another. Eye contact is important.”She hated to admit it but he was right. “I’ll get there. Promise. It just doesn’t look like it’ll be happening right now.” Though it was about the last thing she wanted to say for more reasons than one, she said, “Why aren’t you still with the redhead? After you warm up, it might be best if you rejoin her.”“Nay.” He refilled his mug and handed her one as well. “While she was pleasant enough, I couldnae seem to muster desire for her.”Erin almost cursed when a rush of satisfaction blew through her. “You two seemed to be doing just fine dancing.”“Only because I meant to make you jealous,” he whispered. “Because I felt the same when I saw you with Darach and the Vikings.”Though she should have been surprised by his bluntness, she wasn’t. Like her, he accepted what simmered between them for what it was. Simple lust based on dragon blood. “Well, you’ve got nothing to be jealous of because Darach and I are just friends and me and my Viking posse have an understanding.” She took several sips as she navigated around him to the fire without meeting his eyes. “All that aside, we both need to remember that not only is what we’re feeling nothing more than a dragon thing but that Jackie’s out there somewhere waiting for you.”“Viking posse?” he murmured. “Is that what you’re calling Tait and Bjorn?”“Yup.”“Why did you not take Tait tonight?” Rònan’s question was a deep rumble close to her ear as he moved behind her. “I know he offered and I know you were tempted to accept.”Right. Because their thoughts mingled. “You know the answer to that,” she said softly because she didn’t trust her vocal chords. “Aye,” he said. “You think it would have complicated things had you taken Tait to your bed but I dinnae ken that. Mayhap it would have eased the ache you suffer now? Would easing that ache not make it easier to focus on what lies ahead?”She was tempted to turn and confront him but stayed put. “Not if I ended up having stronger feelings for him because of it. Who knows, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t want to leave here if I did.”“I saw how you were with the wee Bruce earlier,” he said. “So I dinnae doubt you would do whatever was needed to protect him.”“How did you see?” she started then shook her head. “You never really left with the redhead did you?”“I dinnae want the redhead,” he murmured, words still close to her ear, his body a warm wall at her back. “I want you, lass.”Erin closed her eyes and focused on breathing evenly. “No, you want Jackie.”“Aye, part of me,” he admitted. “But it feels more like desiring a figment of my imagination. ‘Tis nothing like what I feel now. Here.” His hand fell on her shoulder. “With you.”Hell, this was pure torture. Blood rushed through her veins so rapidly she grew lightheaded. “I can’t.” She shook her head but couldn’t manage to step away, could not get her feet to work. “What if you and Jackie are meant for one another? I love that woman to death and would hate myself if…”Save for the crackling fire and howling wind, the room grew quiet as her unsaid words hung in the air. As if his feet were as glued to the floor as hers, Rònan didn’t move for several long moments. Yet he eventually stepped away, his voice soft. “You’re right, lass. ‘Twould not be right.”


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
Pinterest:   www.pinterest.com/skypurington
Newsletter: http://www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com/p/newletter.html

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Revisiting Frost Burned Mercy Thompson Book 7 by Patricia Briggs

I started this series late in the game, book 8 was about to release when I realized these books were something I had to read.

I bought a couple, got a couple for review from the publisher and got the rest from the library...and immersed myself in the series from book 1. 

I read the first 7 books back to back. 

So for awhile I was seriously embedded into the Mercy Thompson world...and I loved every minute of it. 

This is the final book I had in my stack to read back to back so it is one of my favorites...after this one I had to wait awhile for Book 8 to arrive. Then I devoured that one followed by all of the spin off series, Alpha and Omega.

I loved this book because  it brought back the cast of supporting characters that we missed in River Marked, which featured mostly Adam and Mercy though that one was full of backstory, myth and lore which added to the worldbuilding of this series. 

But in Frost Burned we are once again back on Mercy's home turf and the cast of supporting characters- mostly wolves, is in the story but the pack is in turmoil.

Adam and many members of his pack have been kidnapped.

Even though Mercy and Adam are apart we get to see how very strong the bond between them is. 

Mercy really shines in this installment, we get to see more growth of her character and her love for Adam. In this book Mercy's softer side really shows in her love for Adam, yet her powerful side comes out as the mate to the Alpha. 

She has to be strong, she has to do the saving instead of being a damsel in distress that needs to be saved (not that she's ever really been that, but being a coyote in a pack of larger, stronger wolves can have its disadvantages- especially when you tend stumble into trouble- repeatedly).

I love stories with character growth and development, I think that's one of the reasons I love this series so much. Mercy keeps growing, we keep learning more about her as she learns about herself and her coyote side. 

The world building is topnotch- especially when you read both this series and the Alpha and Omega series together- you get the entire picture of this world and it is a big complicated world you won't want to leave.

If you love urban fantasy and haven't read this series yet- you are seriously missing out. This one is a must read for urban fantasy fans.


Frost Burned 
Mercy Thompson
Book 7
by Patricia Briggs 

Mercy Thompson returns in the seventh novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.


Available at Amazon and Other Retailers


Book 9 Releases March 8

Fire Touched Mercy Thompson Book 9
Patricia Briggs 
Mercy Thompson has been hailed as “a heroine who continues to grow and yet always remains true to herself.”* Now she’s back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer...
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.
Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

Release Day Blitz -Guest Blog and Giveaway: A Perfect Bond by Lee-Ann Wallace

Hi, I’m Lee-Ann Wallace author of the Fallen Star series. I predominantly write Science-Fiction Erotic Romance.

I’d like to start by thanking Roxanne for the opportunity to write a guest post.

People often ask where I get my inspiration from. For me there are two types of inspiration. There’s the inspiration to write and the inspiration for a particular story or series. 

I’m going to go with the second kind of inspiration because as an author of a series coming up with an idea for the next book is a necessity and a little inspiration always helps.

I find music very inspirational. I listen to it while I write and I’ve had a few story ideas come to me after listening to a song.

One such song is So Beautiful by Pete Murray. It brings to mind all sorts of stories about angsty young love.

Of course movies are another great source of inspiration. Watching action movies always makes me want to add more action to my stories. They’re so thrilling and make your heart pound, how could putting more of that into your stories be a bad thing?

Books are another great source. I love paranormal romances. Vampires and shifters, witches, you name it’s out there. Reading all those vampire stories was what inspired me to write my own vampire story. I especially love the ones where the relationships are cross species, there is so much potential for conflict in them.

Those are all pretty obvious sources, so where else does my inspiration come from? 
Well, I also get inspiration from my own writing. That might sound a bit odd right? Not necessarily, I’m always creating new characters to add to my books as most authors are, but sometimes one of those characters will jump off the page and hit you over the head. They start yelling in your face and if your not careful they take over your stories. 

But they serve as great inspiration for their own stories. Not always, sometimes they’re a pain in the patootie and you just have to kill them.

I also get inspiration from the things around me. Take scones for example. I needed an idea for a short story or bonus scene for my blog. I’ve been trying to come up with an idea all week and there was nothing. Hubby bought home a packet of savoury scones and they’re sitting on my counter.
I’ve been looking at them all day and wishing they were plain because the only scones I eat are the  plain ones with jam and a huge mound of cream. 

Even though I won’t eat them they proved to be great inspiration for my short story. My muse supplied me with a very steamy scene involving whipped cream, the characters from the second book in my Fallen Star series, and a chair, and it all started with scones.

So as you can see inspiration can come from anywhere, the possibilities are endless.

Are you a creative type? I’d love to hear where you get your inspiration from.

A Perfect BondFallen Star Series Book 3Lee-Ann Wallace
Genre: Erotic Romance and Soft Science Fiction
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Date of Publication: March 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4874-0595-3
Word Count: Aprox. 26,000
Cover Artist: Latrisha Waters
Book Description:
When Destiny walked through the doors of a bar on the science station Elmertia works on she thought all her dreams had come true, until the mysterious man disappeared without a trace. Tormented by that one brief contact she throws herself into unlocking the secrets of an alien’s nanites until an ultimatum from her employer threatens to lose her not only her dreams, but her future.
Drawn to the small female he met by chance Manik searches for a reason to return to her station. When the crew of pirates stumble across a woman in stasis floating in space who has cranial implants and nanites the medic has found the perfect reason to return to one of the universes most knowledgeable scientists and the female who has been haunting his thoughts.
With time running out on her research, Ellie is shocked by the sudden arrival of her mate and his proposal, but she has more to lose than her life’s work. Being with Manik might cost her everything including her life.
Extasy Books
Excerpt:I pulled Manik through the front door, past our lounge room and down the short hall to the last door, my bedroom. The soft lighting of night had flicked on when the door had opened and allowed us to see our way. Prixy would normally be watching something on the holo tube, but the apartment was silent and empty. I’d worry about Prixy tomorrow, right now I wanted to strip Manik out of his clothes and explore every inch of his body with my lips and tongue.The door slid closed behind him and I realised I needed to explain a few things before we could get started.“Bonding happens when mates come together for the first time,” I said as I turned around and stood in front of him. Reaching for the edge of my top I pulled it off over my head exposing my bare arms and my sleeveless support top to his view. “I don’t know how much it will affect you, but once bonding is complete I won’t be able to sleep with another man. I won’t get aroused by any other man and the actual act of intercourse would be painful for me.” I reached for the closure of my pants and undid them. I pushed the formfitting fabric down my hips and legs, my tail slipping free of the fabric, until I could step out of them. I was left standing in front of him dressed only in my underwear, with the spots on my upper thighs and shoulders in plain view.I looked up into his eyes to see that they had indeed heated, they weren’t scorching yet, but were well on their way to getting there. A little shiver raced down my spine. This was it, the moment I’d dreamt about and fantasised about for three hundred and thirty-four cycles. He was finally here with me and we were going to bond.Reaching for the hem of his shirt, I started to lift it in preparation of taking it off. His arms remained by his side, pinning his top down. I caught a glimpse of dark hair over the lower section of his stomach I’d exposed before I looked up into his eyes.“Manik?” Didn’t he want to bond with me?“Do you expect to lead, Ellie? Because I have news for you, I know all about bonding and what happens, and what it will mean for you and possibly me. If we’re going to do this, we need to get one thing straight. I’ll be in control in bed. I don’t mind being on the bottom, that’s not what this is about, what it’s about is you trusting me to have your pleasure in my mind at all times. Trusting me to know what you need and to give you as much as you can take.”I stared up at him, my hands still clenched around his top. My body was completely on board with what he’d said, a needy throb had started between my legs, heat spiralling through my core. My head was trying to catch up. All the men I’d ever been with had enjoyed my bossiness in bed, even Stadden. Especially Stadden, he’d liked me telling him what to do. The thought of giving over the reigns to Manik had my stomach quivering in excitement, but my head was balking at the idea.What if I didn’t like what he was doing? Could I tell him? What if I wanted it harder or faster, was I allowed to say something? Would he listen to me or just ignore me and carry on? I suppose there was only one way to find out, he was my mate and I had to trust that the Universe had given me the right man. I dropped my hands and stepped back, suddenly unsure of myself. I felt self conscious and hesitant. I didn’t know what to do now. What did he expect of me?I looked away from his penetrating gaze, for the first time in a very long time I felt out of my depth.Warm fingers stroked up my arms sending tingles racing across my skin, they ran across my shoulder, up my neck and cupped my cheeks tilting my head back gently to look up at him.“Trust me, Ellie. I’ll never hurt you, I’ll always make sure you’re taken care of and I’ll always have your pleasure foremost in my mind.”I searched his eyes and found only honesty there. Maybe I could be honest with him too.“I don’t know how to be this person you want me to be.”“You don’t have to change, Ellie, you just have to trust me.”“But I’m bossy and you said you want to be in charge.” I didn’t understand what he was trying to say. How could I be what he wanted and stay the way I was?
“You can be bossy as much as you like, as long as you understand if I’m fucking you slow because I want to build the pleasure until you can’t take anymore and you tell me to go faster I’ll continue fucking you slow until I’m ready to go fast. I’ll hear you, Ellie, I’ll never ignore you, but I’ll also do what I want because I know how to make you purr.”
About the Author:
Lee-Ann Wallace spends her days drinking too much coffee and dreaming up her next sexy hero to write about. She grew up on a staple diet of romance books and dashing rakes who swept their heroines off their feet. When she’s not writing you can find her with her nose pressed against a screen reading everything from paranormal romances to horror.
https://leeannwallace.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14135870.Lee_Ann_Wallace
www.facebook.com/LeeAnnWallaceAuthor
https://twitter.com/lawallaceauthor

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Onyx Webb Book One by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz

Our Most Evil Characters: A man in a wheelchair, a housewife, and a nun. 

We can’t have light without the darkness and you can’t have a great suspense without some evil characters. We introduce three pretty evil characters in Book One all who seems like they would be fairly normal.  
#1: The man in the wheelchair. It’s June, 1979 in Savannah and Juniper Cole is not having a good time at her prom. She skips out on her date and decides to take a walk outside the hotel and mess around in the fountain across the way in the park. She is confronted by a man in a wheelchair who claims he works for the Savannah PD.  All is not what it seems. Because we wanted to stay PG-13 and have desire to write full on horror, what happens to Juniper next is implied. That is probably why someone described Onyx Webb as PG-13 horror.
#2: The housewife. In another time and place, it’s 1904 at the World’s Fair, Obedience Everhardt is volunteering to help fair goers explore the expansive grounds. She’s also ready to get a new girl for her collection. Ever since her daughter Lucinda died years ago, she’s been replacing her with a young girl, keeping her for about 6 years, then getting a new one. This time, Onyx Webb, is her selection. The big issue for the ‘new’ girl is that Lucinda had a significant facial defect from an accident which Obedience feels the need to recreate so that she can best resemble Lucinda. And of course the biggest issue for the ‘old’ girl is that, well, they can’t just walk away and go back to their parents can they?
See the real button from the 1904 World’s Fair that Obedience would’ve worn to lure fairgoers into speaking with her.

#3: The nun. Sister Mary Margaret allows herself to do whatever she wants at the Open Arms Orphanage including playing music (frowned upon by Father Fanning), wasting water taking long hot baths, and even smoking. She also feels the need to keep her boys at the Open Arms Orphanage in line with punishment and never kindness. The good news is that Sister Katherine Keane also believe she’s doing God’s dirty work, even if it means getting rid of a bad nun. 

Onyx WebbBook OneRichard Fenton and Andrea Waltz
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Publisher: Lust for Living Pressimprint, Courage Crafters Inc
Date of Publication: April 2015
ISBN: 0990751813ASIN: B00VIP8KLC
Number of pages: 216Word Count: 47,000
Book Description:
A multi-genre mash-up that combines elements of supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series.
Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera, each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.
Amazon Kindle    Amazon Print

Excerpt: Onyx Webb: Book One
Orlando, FloridaJanuary 25, 2010 I t had been two days since the Restoring Savannah banquet, and the girl in the mirror was all Koda could talk about. “Think what you want, Dane, but I saw her,” Koda said for the third time, getting up from the leather sofa in the center of the penthouse apartment in the 55 West building and starting to pace.“You gotta get a grip, man,” Dane said. “Mika is still fuming about your speech, and I don’t want to be around when word gets back to your dad.” “I saw her, Dane.” “How many vodkas did you have?” Dane asked. “Five? Ten?”“I… saw… her,” Koda said again. “Okay, okay. You saw a girl in a mirror,” Dane said. “But I don’t get why you’re so freaked out?”“We’re best friends, right, Dane?” Koda asked.“You gotta ask?” Dane was tempted to mention the fact that Koda had punched him in the face when they were at the bar at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, but didn’t. “And in the four years you’ve known me, have I ever lied to you?” Koda asked. “About anything?”Dane shook his head. Like most people, Koda Mulvaney had a variety of character flaws, but being a liar was not among them.“Then listen to what I’m saying, okay?” Koda said. “I’m not telling you I saw a girl’s reflection in a mirror—I’m telling you I saw a girl in a mirror. She was in… the… glass.”Dane went silent and took in what he’d just been told. “Okay, what color was her hair?“Gray.”“So it was an old woman,” Dane said.“No,” Koda said, shaking his head. “She was young, like late teens or early twenties maybe.”“With gray hair?”“Not just her hair,” Koda said. “Her face, her clothes, everything. It was allgray.”“A gray girl in a gray place with gray clothing,” Dane repeated, trying to make sense of it. “What was she wearing?”“I’m not sure,” Koda said. “Wait.” Koda closed his eyes, tried to summon a mental image in his mind. “A dress. No, not a dress, more like a fancy gown, like someone would wear to a wedding.”“Weren’t there a couple of weddings…?”“Don’t go there,” Koda said.“Okay, okay,” Dane said. “Did she say anything?”Koda shook his head from side to side.“Was she pretty?” Dane asked.“Oh, yeah,” Koda said. “She was stunning, mesmerizing. But there was something about her, Dane…”“What?”“It’s hard to explain, to put into words,” Koda said, closing his eyes again, trying to form a picture of the girl in his mind. “It was her eyes. There was something in her eyes—a combination of sadness and innocence and confusion—like she was…”“Lost?” Dane asked.“No, not lost,” Koda said. “Like she was dead.”*     *     *
Savannah, GeorgiaJanuary 30, 2010 T he hotel manager of the Mansion on Forsyth Park was waiting in the lobby when they arrived. “Good morning, Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. Luckner,” he said in a tone that made it clear he did not appreciate the scene the young men had made a week earlier in the hotel lobby bar. “You wish to discuss something of an urgent nature?”“I want to buy one of your mirrors,” Koda said. Four consecutive sleepless nights had driven Koda to the point where he could think of no other option. “One of our mirrors?” the hotel manager asked. “I don’t understand.”“I’m not in the position to explain,” Koda continued, pulling out his checkbook and pen. “I would appreciate it if you could just give me the price, so I can write you a check and get on my way.”“Hotel property is not for sale,” the hotel manager said.“Of course it is,” Koda said. “Everything is for sale.”The hotel manager stayed silent.“I’ve had a rough week, and I’m in no mood for haggling,” Koda said. “Just tell me the price.”“Which mirror?”“In the hallway upstairs, near the piano lounge,” Koda said.“That mirror is a one-of-a-kind piece,” the hotel manager said. “I would think the price would be nothing short of $10,000, assuming the hotel…” “Is that your best price?” Koda asked.“It’s my only price,” the hotel manager said.Koda pulled out his cell phone, pressed a button and waited. “Hey, Mika. Listen, I’m here at the Forsyth to buy the mirror you wanted and the hotel manager says ten grand is the best he can do. Uh huh, uh huh, I’ll ask…”The hotel manager went gray.“Ms. Flagler wants to know if…”“Please tell Ms. Flagler I had no idea the mirror was for her,” the hotel manager said. “I’m sure we can go down to $5,000.”“He’s telling me $5,000 now,” Koda said into the phone, then made a face. “Uh huh, uh huh…”A look of realization—or perhaps it was a look of fear—flashed across the manager’s face. “Tell Ms. Flagler we’d be thrilled to offer the mirror as a gift for her years of patronage,” the hotel manager said. “Please ask her where she’d like it delivered.”“He says the hotel is gifting it to you,” Koda said into the phone. “Which house do you want it delivered to? Uh huh, uh huh, okay, will do—I love you too, sugar-lumps. Bye.”Koda clicked off. “Mika says I should just take it with me.” “You and Mika sounded pretty lovey-dovey,” Dane said once they were outside. “I didn’t even know you two were talking after the speech thing.”“We aren’t,” Koda said. “I was talking to my voicemail.”

About the Authors:
Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz are best known as the authors of Go for No! (which hit #1 on Amazon’s Sales and Selling list and has remained in the Top 10 for the last five years.) They are also professional speakers who speak internationally to audiences on how to overcome fear of failure and rejection. 
Although all of their business books are fables, the Onyx Webb series is their first serious dive into fiction.
But Richard and Andrea have been in love with creating stories together since they met almost twenty years ago and even spent some time in Hollywood writing screenplays, being represented by the producer of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.   

www.OnyxWebb.com
www.twitter.com/OnyxWebb
www.facebook.com/OnyxWebbSeries
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25414725-onyx-webb

Book Trailer Reveal Fish Wielder by J.R.R.R (Jim) Hardison

Fish WielderJ.R.R.R (Jim) Hardison
YA Epic FantasyFish Wielder Series (Book 1)Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLCAugust 23, 2016 
Book Description:
Fish Wielder is kind of like Lord of the Rings, set in Narnia, if it was written by the guys who made Monty Python and the Holy Grail while they were listening to the music of They Might Be Giants. 
In ancient times, the Dark Lord Mauron cooked the most powerful magic chocolate dessert ever made, the Pudding of Power.
One thousand and two years later, the evil leader of the Bad Religion, the Heartless One, is trying to recover the lost pudding in order to enslave the peoples of Grome. Only the depressed barbarian warrior Thoral Might Fist and his best friend, Brad the talking Koi fish, have a chance to save the world of Grome from destruction, but that's going to take a ridiculous amount of magic and mayhem.
Thus begins the epically silly epic fantasy of epic proportions, Fish Wielder—book one of the Fish Wielder Trilogy.


Advanced Praise:
“This is one wild romp! I'm not sure I've seen such preposterously determined critic-baiting parody since Xanth or Asprin's Myth-Begotten series. I recommend it to anyone.” ―Piers Anthony, New York Times Bestselling Author 
"Fast, fun, fantastic! Fish Wielder is hilarious and unpredictable, like a drunk bear playing whack-a-mole." ―Logan J. Hunder, author of Witches Be Crazy
"A great time. Fast and funny, it races along in a self-aware tone that should appeal to anyone who loves fantasy but has ever found themselves thinking, huh, that was a little melodramatic." ―Clay Johnson, author of OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD (Ravenswood Publishing, 2016)

About the Author:
Fish Wielder is J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison's first novel novel (He wrote a graphic novel, The Helm, for Dark Horse Comics). Jim has worked as a writer, screen writer, animator and film director. He started his professional career by producing a low-budget direct-to-video feature film, The Creature From Lake Michigan. Making a bad movie can be a crash course in the essential elements of good character and story, and The Creature From Lake Michigan was a tremendously bad movie. Shifting his focus entirely to animation, Jim joined Will Vinton Studios where he directed animated commercials for M&M’s and on the stop-motion TV series Gary and Mike. While working at Vinton, he also co-wrote the television special Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy with actor Paul Reiser.

Jim has appeared on NBC's The Apprentice as an expert advisor on brand characters, developed characters and wrote the pilot episode for the PBS children's television series SeeMore's Playhouse and authored the previously mentioned graphic novel, The Helm, named one of 2010's top ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens by YALSA, a branch of the American Library Association. These days, Jim is the creative director and co-owner of Character LLC, a company that does story-analysis for brands and entertainment properties. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his lovely wife, two amazing kids, one smart dog and one stupid dog.

Fish Wielder Website      Author Website

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One and Only Bear by Julia Talbot

One and Only BearThe Grizzly ListBook TwoJulia Talbot
Genre: Gay Shifter Romance
Publisher: ARe Books
Date of Publication: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 9781943576661ASIN: TBD
Word Count: 26000
Book Description:
Sometimes a bear is more than just a bear.
Oscar is a socially awkward bear who's not like the other bear shifters in Colorado. He's a white spirit bear, and he works as a phone psychic. When he decides to try the Grizzly List weekly, he's only looking for a friend, knowing love isn't in the cards for him.
Firefighter Patrick is an outgoing grizzly shifter who's happy to meet Oscar and give him whatever he needs, as long as Oscar doesn't need a mate. Patrick doesn't believe in fated mates.
Can these two teach each other that what they want and what they need aren't the same thing?
ARe    Amazon    Kobo    iTunes
Excerpt:
Oscar couldn’t do this.
He couldn’t.
He stopped on the sidewalk where he could see the grizzly in the coffee shop, waiting. Patrick was… beautiful. Dark and strong and fine and large.
He wasn’t. Not dark or strong or large or fine.
Or brave.
He was whatever the polar opposite of brave was. Cowardly? Stupid scared? Craven? That was it. Craven.
He chuckled, making a lady walking her dog look at him oddly and he ducked his head, backed away. Oscar shifted from foot to foot, trying to decide what to do.
Finally Oscar backed into the shadows where he could see Patrick, but Patrick couldn’t see him, and texted. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I’m not brave.”
He watched Patrick pull out his phone, then frown.
Oh, he sucked. “Please don’t frown. I’m not good at new things and I’m just… I’m so sorry and you’re so…” Beautiful. Perfect. Stunning. Sexy. “...fine.”
Patrick didn’t text back. He just hit one button. Oscar’s phone started to ring.
He almost didn’t answer, but that would have been mean and he was a coward, not mean. “Hey.”
“Hey, Oscar.” Patrick didn’t sound angry. That was good, right? “What’s the matter?”
“You’re stunning and I’m stupid?” That was the best answer he had. His heart was racing, going pitter patter.
Patrick looked around. “So you can see me? You’re not stupid. You’re so neat I want to talk with you in person.”
They’d chatted for an hour or more every day.
“I can. I didn’t expect to feel so scared. You’re totally my friend and I just…” He stepped forward, out into the light.
“Hey!” Patrick stood and walked outside, leaving his stuff at the table. “There you are.” The hug Patrick enveloped Oscar in felt like home.
“Oh.” Oscar hummed and hugged right back, all the fear disappearing like a puff of smoke. “Hello.”
“Hi. See, it’s just nerves. Come sit with me.” Patrick shot him a warm, happy grin.
“Yeah. Are there good pastries today?” Patrick was so tall and wide. Oscar felt like a little bear, which he wasn’t. Patrick was just—wow. Large and warm and he smelled so good.
“Mmm. They have maple sticky buns.”
“Oh.” They headed in and the scents amazed him, heavy and heady in his nose. His eyes crossed, and Patrick chuckled.
“Right? It gets huge sometimes.”
“Yeah, exactly. The biggest.” Scents were so important to bears.
“What would you like?” Patrick asked. “I’ll grab it for you.”
“I’d like a cinnamon bun latte and whatever pastry you’re having.” He wanted to taste Patrick’s favorite.
“Cool.” Patrick pressed a hand to his shoulder on the way by, the touch making him tingle.
It was. Cool. It was better than cool. Oscar felt awake and aware, like he was lit up. Like Christmas. He was buzzing hard enough he really didn’t need the coffee.
When it showed up, though, it smelled like pure heaven and he took a sip, loving how the sweet spiciness tasted. The sticky bun looked like heaven on a plate, too.
Patrick sat across from him. “There. Better.”
“I’m sorry, huh? I don’t do this much.”
“No problem. You didn’t run. You told me what you needed. I’m proud.”
Oscar felt his cheeks heat and he ducked his head. “Thanks.”


About the Author:
Julia Talbot has been assimilated by Texas and lives with her partner and two howling bassets. She writes full tine. She has a penchant for blank books, gay porn, and big, ugly hats. She can most often be found in coffee shops and restaurants, scribbling in her notebook and entertaining other diners with her mutterings.
http://www.juliatalbot.com
https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
https://twitter.com/juliatalbot
http://juliatalbot.blogspot.ca/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/283274.Julia_Talbot


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Emily Night's Top Ten Paranormal Horror Movies

My Top Ten Paranormal Movies 
 I’m Emily Night and the author of the paranormal romance book, When in Gnome. From the time I first read The Ghost in the Swing in elementary school, I’ve pretty much been addicted to ghost stories. I want to share with you a personal top-ten list of paranormal movies about ghosts, vampires, demons, and monsters. 
 1. The Conjuring (2013)   When a family moves into an old farmhouse, they come into contact with an evil entity and require the help of the dynamic evil-fighting duo Ed and Lorraine Warren in order to become unpossessed. Having classic American gothic atmosphere, the movie is based on a true story. 
 2. The Quiet Ones (2014)    A young girl is a victim of an unseen force and a small team of university students, led by their highly unorthodox professor, portrayed by the popular actor Jared Harris. This British movie is loosely based on a 1972 parapsychology experiment known as the Philip Experiment. 
 3. Haunter (2013)   Starring Abigail Breslin, this Canadian movie is a fresh take on horror. A family is trapped in their home and doomed to relive the same day over and over. Only the daughter seems to be aware that something is badly wrong, but this situation is far worse than “Groundhog Day”. I still have the theme to “Peter and the Wolf” stuck in my head. 
 4. The Woman in Black (2012)   In this film, starring Daniel Radcliffe and set at the turn of the century, a young lawyer is tasked with going through the assets of a deceased client. The road to the estate is cut off by the tide, and the unique locale gives the movie that classic British ambiance. 
 5. The Awakening (2011)   The cool thing about this British horror movie, featuring a quality cast, is that the main character is a paranormal investigator in early twentieth century who uses technology that would make any steampunk enthusiast proud. 
 6. Housebound (2014)    In this quirky, dark British comedy, after a failed attempt to rob an ATM, a young woman is placed on house arrest. She isn’t happy about being stuck living at home with her mother, who is convinced that the house is haunted. 
 7. Byzantium (2012)
    Saoirse Ronan plays a young vampire in this Irish movie that is part horror movie and part romance. In order to survive, Eleanor has to keep her nature a secret, but she has to deal with the consequences when she falls in love. 
 8. The Babadook (2014)    In this highly creative Australian-Canadian movie, a grieving widow and her troubled son discover a mysterious—and gory—children’s book about a monster, Mister Babadook, that haunts those who become aware of it. 
 9. The House at the End of Time (2013)  
 If you’re up to reading subtitles, this Venezuelan movie is worth the effort. A woman experiences paranormal activity, seeing an old man and an elderly woman in her home. After being imprisoned for murder for thirty years, the woman has to live the rest of her sentence under house arrest in the home where the murders occurred. A young priest visits often and tries to restore the faith of the once devout woman. Told at several points in time, this movie has a Lovecraftian feel to it. 
 10. The Orphanage (2007)  
I've learned to expect a quality production when I see Guillermo del Toro’s name associated with a film. This Spanish horror movie is no exception. A former resident, Laura returns to the now-closed orphanage with her family to attempt to reopen the facility as a home for disabled children when creepy things begin to happen. 

 I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some favorite paranormal movies and maybe even found something new to watch next time you’re craving a creepy movie. 
 Do you have a favorite paranormal movie that I didn’t list? 
 Share it in the comments.

When in GnomeGnome Sweet GnomeBook OneEmily Night
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication:  September 28, 2015
ISBN:  1515387747ASIN:  B017YGK0WU
Number of pages:  355Word Count: 90,674
Book Description:
Evangeline Black quickly becomes entangled in the magic that thrives in Gnome, Mississippi, when she spontaneously shifts into a wolf only hours after arriving.
Her life is out of control, and she has to rely on the kindness of strangers: the psychic caretaker of the lovely antebellum home where her mother was born, the sheriff who practices his own version of Native American-inspired magic, and a rocker werewolf. While she struggles at the bottom of the magical learning curve, it becomes apparent that someone is stalking her.
Evangeline quickly learns two things about Gnome. The first is that anything is possible. The second is that magical creatures are much less enchanting when they want you dead.
Amazon
Excerpt 2
“How’s the aura practice been going?” Ben asked.“Well, I’ve read the book… most of it… and I’ve been practicing.  I’m just too easily distracted.”“Okay, well, we’re going to work on that because concentration is key to everything, the auras and your shifting.”  Ben excused himself for a moment and went to the kitchen.  When he returned a few minutes later, he had a steaming cup of tea.  “This is what I call a meditational blend, just a few herbs I’ve put together that will help you to reach the desired state a lot quicker.”“Like LSD?”Ben laughed.  “Not exactly.  The point isn’t that you hallucinate; it’s that you relax and focus.  You won’t see any pink elephants, I promise.”I grinned.  I already felt pretty relaxed after the wine.  “You should be wondering about the fact that you offered me some strange drink, and I drank it without question.”“I assume it means you trust me.”I did.  “So, will it make the auras more visible?”“That’s up to the viewer.  The auras are always there.  If you are trying to see them, it will help.  I wouldn’t recommend that a person use this as a crutch, but I feel like you might need a little boost to get started.  So, bottoms up.”“So, were you born with power, or is it a learned thing?” I asked, as I brought the cup to my lips.“I believe we’re all born with power.  Free will is the power to choose.  Most people forfeit that power by choosing to accept limitations.  It’s a case of worldwide groupthink.  During our early years, it’s easy to accept the concept of magic.  As we get older, that faith in what is unseen is educated out of us, and we begin to rationalize what we once believed was magic and force it to fit within the limitations of the mainstream worldview.  Once you break away from that groupthink and accept that there is more, that’s when the magic begins.  It may not be much at first, and you are still tempted to rationalize it.”I nodded.  “It was easy for my friend Aimee to rationalize some of the things I experienced.  The more she tried to convince me I was imagining things, the more I began to think I was crazy.”Ben nodded.  “There’s a war inside all of us.  Because of your heritage, the part that was telling you to believe was probably a lot stronger than it is for most.”“Stronger than it was for you?”“Probably, although, I started exploring at a young age.  I didn’t really allow myself to get to the point where I bought into the mainstream worldview.  I think that made all of the difference.”I tossed the last of the tea back and swallowed.  There was no sugar in the cup, so the taste was a mixture of grass, bitter plants, and something naturally sweet-tasting like fennel.  “It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.”Ben grinned, taking the cup from my hands.I was mesmerized by how graceful his hands were.  They weren’t big and rough.  What can I say?  I’m a hand person.“Just give it time to kick in,” he said as he gently set the cup on an end table.  I noted that he used a coaster.“So, out of curiosity, you just made this using the right plants?” I asked.“Well, it’s a combination of things—plants and my own personal power.  The plants are completely harmless herbs that might be used in cooking or sold over the counter as supplements.  They probably wouldn’t have any effect whatsoever without… help.”I was trying to focus on what he was saying, but I was distracted by the sensation of tunnel vision.“I don’t exactly follow a recipe,” Ben continued.  “I just kind of go with my gut.  Different herbs are reputed to have different properties, like for curing the sniffles or having visions, whatever.  I pick certain ones and put them together, but the real magic is in the intent.”“So, you do a spell over them?”  My words felt thick in my mouth.  The room seemed to be expanding and getting darker at the same time.  I was sure the walls were breathing.“No, it’s not like I recite an incantation or say magic words or anything.  It’s more like praying and directing my will at them.”“So… if the real power in the tea is your own, why do you need the tea at all?  What can’t you just..?” I waggled my fingers.Ben laughed.  “Do what?  The tea is more like a vessel… or a conduit.  I can use a vessel to store power and even concentrate power, which can then be transferred without exhausting my current resources.”I was feeling the room beginning to spin, and, although I was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, I seemed to be slithering to the floor and nearly fell over backwards.  “O true apothecary!  Thy drugs are quick!”  Ben laughed as he reached out to catch me.  “Don’t leave just yet.  Try to focus.  Stay with me, okay?”  He propped me up against the couch like I was a rag doll.  Very much unlike a supermodel.
“I’d say that was more than just a little boost.”  My head flopped back on the couch, and I looked up at the ceiling and saw the stars where I was sure there hadn’t been a skylight earlier.  The room was falling away from my vision, and I was looking at the night sky through the trees.  Then I was looking down and saw myself sitting in Ben’s living room with the beautiful man bent over me.  I was watching my own eyes, a dead stare, as my arms lay limp at my sides.  I could hear him urging me to focus, and I sensed the beginnings of concern in his voice.  The tiniest thread of fear that the worst case scenario might have manifested.
About the Author:
Emily Night grew up in a series of small towns in Mississippi. The youngest of four children, she dreamed of being a writer from the moment she wrote her first story in the fourth grade. At the age of twelve, she rode her bike up to the square of a small town and asked the editor to publish one of her stories. While the editor did not, he was very kind and encouraging. She graduated magna cum laude from Mississippi College and later obtained a Master's from Belhaven University. She prefers reading and writing fantasy because fantasy allows her to test the modern-day limits of what is possible.
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