Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 345

Guest Blog and Giveaway-Blood Royal by Lloyd A. Meeker

Fantasy Needs a Flawed World
If you were to read a fantasy about a perfect, peaceful world, I don't think it would matter how well it was written or how well the characters were drawn, because if the world is perfect there's not much of a story. A story may start with happy hobbits enjoying birthday fireworks and beer in the shire, but even then we know trouble is on the way.
One of the great strengths of fantasy is that an author can build a world in such a way that it exposes a particular kind of cultural problem. Then the characters can grapple with it and perhaps even bring some justice to an unjust situation. Great battles between the forces of good and evil aren’t required, and in fact get kind of repetitive for me. After all, evil nearlywins every time.
What if it were legal for the ruling class of a society to murder political foes whenever and however they wished as long as they obeyed the rules governing assassination? That might qualify as a societal imperfection, don’t you think?
In Blood Royal, Eva Milaras, a gifted young artist living in Roanoke, Virginia, is snatched from our familiar world and dropped into a world of magic, murder and intrigue. To her dismay, Eva discovers that she is part of the ruling class in Riardan, a parallel world on our planet, existing in a different dimension.
She has to shift from her liberated 21st-century worldview to function in an aristocratic society that runs on a different technology and allows members of her royal bloodline to kill each other and anyone else with impunity (except for likely revenge, of course!).
Her guide to this new world is a magician named Talak. It's his job to make sure Eva survives the intrigue of the royal court long enough to marry a man of royal blood, even though he is desperately in love with Eva himself. Talak knows he can never marry Eva simply because he is a magician and of a lower caste. In fact, he can be put to death simply for touching Eva without her permission.
How does Eva navigate this privileged, brutal world? All she really wants to do is return to her home on our world and paint, but the Queen of Riardan has declared it an act of treason for anyone to help Eva return.
Eva comes to love Talak, but in order to survive in Riardan she must marry a man from one of the royal clans. Can she stay alive long enough to find a way to get the man she loves and return to her home? Well, that's the story of Blood Royal. I hope its setting intrigues you enough to give it a try.

What was one of the flawed fantasy worlds you’ve enjoyed reading, and what was the social problem in it? Blood RoyalLegacy of AlbessindBook OneLloyd A. Meeker
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: February 26, 2015
Print ISBN 978-1-5092-0606-3Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0607-0
Number of pages: 333Word Count: 85kCover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Book Description:
Struggling artist Eva Milaras is in the midst of buying groceries when a bomb blast tears the store apart. A handsome man with mysterious powers saves her life and stuffs her into a limo without a steering wheel—while treating her like royalty. Caught in a deadly web of magic and murder, Eva faces an aristocratic destiny she didn’t know about and doesn't want. Now in a strange world she has to survive the deadly schemes of her new-found relatives as they maneuver for advantage in a murderous royal court.
Talak has loved Eva long before he saved her life, but that love is doomed. She must marry a man from a royal bloodline, and Talak is duty-bound to protect her until she marries—regardless of his torn heart. Together they battle intrigue and betrayal, only to discover they must choose between letting go of each other...or certain death for treason. A choice Eva refuses to make.
ARe Chapter One
Instead of the large, perfect fruit shown in the flyer, the Granny Smiths at Budget Foods were small and beaten up—yet another disappointing win for reality over promise. Eva Milaras gazed at the poor things as she tore off the coupon and stuffed the rest of the pages back into her bag. I guess we’re all bruised in one way or another. Still, she was sure she could find half a dozen decent ones in the stack. She’d get some yams and put them together in a casserole—a tasty and inexpensive declaration that she was now back in charge of her life in spite of being broke. She’d tough this out with what little cash she had in her purse until the gallery could figure out what was causing the mysterious delay in her payment. They owed her for two large paintings, and that money would be more than enough to get her back on her feet again. It was just a matter of time. She yanked a plastic bag from the dispenser and began picking through the apples. She flashed on her little studio. It had great light, decent ventilation, and was within walking distance of most everything she needed. So what if she had to maneuver around her bed to get to the tiny kitchen? With Derek gone, it was all the room she needed for her easel and canvases. She’d love to keep it if she could, but the rent was due in two weeks and...well, she’d go to the gallery this afternoon, see what Leslie had to say. She found two more unbruised apples and took them as a sign of better times coming. She really would take charge of her life—simplify, concentrate on her work, and avoid complications like an unemployed boyfriend.
“Pardon, Serenissima.” A strong, warm voice from behind pulled her from her reverie.
Turning, she saw a man, early thirties probably, tall and well-built, dressed completely in black. Who wears such an expensive silk shirt and slacks to Budget Foods on a Saturday morning? They had to be club clothes, but he didn’t look like he’d been out partying all night. And what a great face to paint! A delicious olive tone to his skin, deep eyes, strong angular face-planes, so... compelling, framed by black hair that fell unbound, thick and dangerously sexy, past his shoulders. Great shoulders. Lean waist. Yes, he’d make a terrific model. She found herself smiling at him, realizing too late that it probably wasn’t a good idea. He was already standing uncomfortably close. “Are you talking to me?” She backed away and tilted her head at the apples. “I’m afraid I’ve picked through these already. Good luck finding more decent ones.” “Forgive my abruptness,” the man said, reaching toward her, “but you must leave this place with me immediately. You are in gravest danger. Please—we must leave this instant to avoid disaster.” Suspicion chilled the spark of interest she’d felt. “Look, I came here just for apples.” She slid one hand into her purse, locating her pepper spray. “Leave me alone, please, or I’ll call store security.” She hoped this guy didn’t know that Howard—the entire security staff of Budget Foods currently on duty— was in his seventies and would never be able to stand up to someone like this man, who carried himself with the smooth precision of a dancer or a martial artist. But at least Howard had a radio. The man dipped his head and upper body in an odd, twisting bow. “Milady,” he said, his voice tight and urgent. “Please, I beg you. Your life is in real danger. You must trust me in this. I will explain later, but first we must flee.” Flee? Eva looked around at the worn ordinariness of Budget Foods, with shoppers inching their carts along the aisles. There was nothing here to flee from except boredom. Her finger found the directional notch on the tiny canister in her bag. “Look, I don’t know you, what you’re on, or what your deal is, but you’re scaring me.” She pulled out the spray and held it up. “This is nasty stuff, and I’ll use it on you if you don’t back off—right now.” She backed away from him again and bumped into the stacked apples. Several of them tumbled to the floor—even more bruises, she thought, as if they didn’t have enough already. She kept her eyes on the stranger, wincing as the apples thumped and rolled on the scarred wooden floor. In a single fluid motion, the man flicked the can out of her hands and wrapped his arms around her, pushing her toward the floor, covering her with his body. Before she could scream for help, an explosion ripped the storefront window open, and she heard the screams of others. In a strange, time-suspended clarity on the way to the floor, Eva could feel the muscles of his torso flex and twist, pushing hot against her in a symphony of coordinated physical power. How the heck did he know this was going to happen? Her back hit the floor, and her breath whooshed out in a grunt. She looked up into his face. His eyes stared into hers, fierce as a looming storm. Blue gray, she thought. No, slate. He was heavier than he looked, and she needed to breathe. But he had great eyes. “Get off me!” She pushed against him, and he rolled away without protest. She sat up. Her ears hurt. The store—or what was left of it—was a mess. She could see two, no, three shoppers on the floor, not moving. In fact, nothing moved, and the stillness was horrible. A soft groan floated through the smoke from somewhere. Still in its pink sweatshirt sleeve, an arm without an owner lay on the floor. And blood. Lots of it. This was so wrong. Oh, my god. She swallowed several times against a wave of nausea. What on earth had happened? Then there was movement. All around her, shards of glass began to twitch and shift, becoming dark red scorpions scuttling toward them—dozens of them, different sizes, all the same. Glass shouldn’t do that, she was certain of it. “Do not move, Serenissima,” the stranger commanded, his voice icy. He turned his back to her, putting himself between her and the scorpions. She stared at his back. He’d been hit by several pieces of glass—two of which stuck partway out of his flesh. All of those would have hit her if he hadn’t thrown himself over her. What the hell is going on? His hands glowed, and pale fire flowed from his fingers in dancing streams—first carving a circle around them, then striking out at each scorpion. As his fire hit each one, the creature sparked into smoke and dropped, again becoming an inert piece of glass. What did he just do? Eva looked around, trying to locate her pepper spray, but couldn’t see where it had rolled. She needed to get out of here. But her body was too heavy, felt too far away to respond. “I don’t know how,” the man growled, “but your enemies have discovered who you are, milady. Now you will have no peace until you reach your Ceremony or they have destroyed us both, for I swear I will not outlive you.” He stood, bending down. His hair tumbled forward, as if reaching to touch her. “I apologize, Highness, but I have no choice but to carry you to safety. With or without your permission.” Why is he calling me these strange names? As he reached for her, Eva saw another shard of glass sticking out of his arm. Blood drenched his shirt down to the cuff. His hand dripped red, but he seemed oblivious of the injury. Still dazed, she felt him reach under her shoulders and knees and pick her up as if she weighed nothing. He was kidnapping her. “Stop!” she screamed. “Put me down! Help!” She twisted against his iron-hard grip and grabbed a coconut from an end display as they passed. Eva pounded it against his chest and face, but he didn’t even look at her as he strode through the carnage to the rear of the store, kicked open the warehouse doors, and jumped off the loading dock to the ground.
On the other side of the alley sat a sleek limousine with darkened windows. As they approached, a passenger door swung open. The man deposited her inside, wrested the coconut from her, and tossed it away. He climbed in opposite her and pulled the door shut, wincing at the reach. The limo began to roll. 
About the Author:
Lloyd A. Meeker credits Walter de la Mare’s “The Listeners” as the first poem to steal both his heart and his imagination. That was in seventh grade, and he’s never been the same since. At university he devoured Lord of the Rings in a single weekend. Then came Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea. Fantasy became his home turf.
He’s led what can only be described as an eventful life, and he’s grateful for all of it. He’s been a minister, a pilot, a janitor, a drinker, a cancer survivor, and a software developer on his way to becoming a writer. His work includes five novels, two books of poetry, a few essays, and several short stories.
He’s happily entangled in a life-long love affair with metaphor and the potent mystery of the Hero’s Journey, especially in its metaphysical and psychological aspects. He lives in southern Florida among friends and family with his husband, working on his next novel, practicing subtle energy healing, reading, wallowing in classical music and celebrating a very active retirement.
Web and Blog: www.lloydmeeker.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LloydAMeeker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.a.meeker


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Deleted Scene-Liar's Game by Anna Wolfe

Below is a deleted scene from Liar's Game, set shortly after the events in Part I.  I ended up cutting it because it didn't really add anything to the larger arc.  I also wasn't totally sure how to end it.  It was just a moment between Callie and Silas that jumped into my head and so I wrote it.
Silas bent and slid the last of the lasagna into the bottom oven.  He looked over at Callie and tipped his head to one side, "wash or dry?" 
She looked over at the pile of dishes and wrinkled her nose.  "Wash." 
The little one was silent for several minutes though she kept shooting him glances when she thought he wasn't looking.  An unexpected nervous flutter tightened in his belly.  It had only been a few days since Callie had figured out what he really was and this side-eye glance had preceded some awkward questions.  Silas still couldn't believe Callie hadn't died.  As a precaution, he spread his power out thickly to make sure no one could overhear them talking.
Finally, Callie spoke.  "How often do you feed on sex?" 
Silas felt his eyebrows lift in surprise. He suppressed the urge to say something enigmatic and instead shrugged one shoulder.  "Depends on what is going on.  With Mark around, I go out less than I might otherwise." 
"Okay."  Callie said with a nod and then set a bowl down on the edge of the sink.  "And how do you do that?  I mean, not literally."  A blush spread across her cheeks and chest.  "I mean, do you just go out and say, like, what?  Hey you, wanna shag?" 
A grin spread across his face.  "That technique might work better for you than me." 
She rolled her eyes and shook her head.  "Well, I'm going to have to figure out how to feed on sex.  Seems easier than feeding on pain or blood.  Right?  Or am I missing something?" 
Silas considered the best way to answer her question.  "Easier than pain, certainly.  But sex and blood feeding can be combined, if you are careful." 
"Oh my god."  She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head.  "I'm going to bang strangers and then eat their blood.  Wow." 
He gave her an appraising glance.  She was foul mouthed and had several adults in her head, but she never ever used the word 'fuck' to talk about having sex.  At least, not without blushing.  It was both funny and irritating.
With a shrug, he said, "Many of us need to feed on sex.  We've developed networks to facilitate this." 
Callie frowned.  "How?" 
Silas lifted one eyebrow and shot her a side-eyed glance of his own.  "How do you think?" 
She was silent for a minute as she scrubbed.  Then she froze in place.  "Do we run brothels?" 
He tried not to smile and failed.  "Run them and staff them." 
She shot him a startled glance.  "You have sex for money?" 
"I have sex for food.  The money is just a bonus." 
"But."  She stopped and stared at the soapy pot in front of her.  "What about the cops?" 
Silas let out a huffing laugh.  "You think we cannot manipulate a few cops, grease a few political palms?  And we do not run the kinds of operations that cause the regular public trouble.  Why bust us when there are much better targets about?"
"Is being a hooker required?"  Callie set the pot down and glared up at him.  "I feel like you should have been more up front about this." 
Silas twisted his mouth to one side and let out a sharp sigh from his nose.  "Of course not.  It is an option available to you if you decide that is the easiest way to eat.  If you would rather scare up your own food, that is fine.  People keep an eye on you, though, to make sure you do not harm the people you feed on." 
"Oh.  Okay."  She rinsed the pot off and handed it to him.  "And how much do people pay to sleep with you?" 

Silas gave her a wide, toothy grin.  "I am very expensive." 

Liar's GameThe One RisesBook FiveAnna Wolfe
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Date of Publication:  February 1st, 2016
ISBN: 9781311994134
Word Count: 75,900
Cover Artist: Kip Ayers
Book Description:
The Seer yanks his chain, and Silas could swear she does it for fun. Knowing that she manipulates everyone around her hasn't helped him at all over the last two centuries.
His little band of misfits has come apart. Edie is gone and refusing to speak to him. Mark is still trying to figure out how to control his ability and the Seer has ordered him to keep the boy in the dark. And Callie tempts him with a life he cannot have.
A seat on the powerful Witches Council has opened up and Silas is stuck in the middle of the machinations unfurling over which faction of the witches will gain the upper hand. Angry witches, lies, and murder are just the start.
Events in the Windy City will push Silas to the edge and reveal an unexpected enemy.
Amazon    Smashwords     Barnes and NobleExcerpt:
Silas stood in the kitchen and stared down at his coffee. It was late and they'd only just gotten back from the West Coast. The others had promptly vanished into their rooms, no doubt to stew and generally hate his guts. He leaned forward and inhaled the rich aroma of coffee made properly. He hadn't done more than catnap since the disaster that had been his trip to the Bay Area enclave.Edie is going to leave. The thought made him restless and angry. It wasn't that he needed her to stay, but he didn't want her to leave hating him. Again. He hated the blood contract that bound him. It killed anyone who discovered who he really was and he had no control over the memories it stuffed into people's heads as it hid his existence. It's better that she leaves before I get her killed. He carried the coffee to the living room and sat down on the couch. I don't want her to hate me. I hate that she hates me. He set the coffee down untouched and prowled across the living room. Perhaps some music will help. And maybe I should bake something. He set the volume low and scrolled through his music collection. A nagging sensation of wrongness tugged at the back of his mind. He paused, finger hovering over the screen, and swept his eyes over the living room. A book was missing from the shelf. Adrenaline rushed through his veins. Not just any book. The text about the demonborn. The book about me. He forced himself to control his breathing and heart rate as he replayed the memory of their arrival home. Mark, Edie, and Hatter all went directly to their rooms. Callie got fruit from the…  Callie!Racing across the house, Silas hoped he wasn't too late. He attempted to turn the handle of her door and snarled when he found it locked. He kicked the door open. Even as he did so, he spread his power out over Callie's room as thickly as he could. If Callie was going to die, at least he could make sure she was the only one. Callie looked up, her mouth hanging open in shock. The book was open on her lap. "Stop!" He bellowed the words. "If you want to live, stop!"  The girl scrambled off the bed and away from him. The book tumbled to the floor and, mouth set in a firm line, Callie threw her power at him, shoving him against the wall and then pinning him there. Her power pulled up loose bits of paper and dust until the air crackled with them. "You stay the hell away from me!"  Callie pointed a finger at him. "Stop. Stop thinking about me. Stop thinking about anything. Or you die and not by my hand."  Silas wriggled against the weight of her power until he slipped free. Before she could hit him again, he held his hands up in an effort to be nonthreatening and begged, "You have to forget."  "Yeah, well, I can't."  Callie folded her arms over her chest. "And you and your siblings were scary as fuck so just stay the hell over there."  Silas winced and then a sick ball of dread opened up in his stomach. And now she dies. I'll have to pass it off as a suicide, but after the events in San Fran, Edie and Mark will be at risk. They will both have to leave. And soon. Only Callie didn't die. One moment turned into ten and still Callie stood there glaring at him. Shock rippled through him, and for a moment, he couldn’t hear anything. The room wavered under his feet, and he stumbled forward until he could sit on the end of the bed. "Silas?"  Callie's voice sounded like she was speaking from the end of the tunnel. "Dokuz?"  She butchered the pronunciation of his name and still she didn't die. Silas stared at her. How?  How is this possible?Her power dropped away and she edged closer. "Are you okay?"  He grabbed her wrist and yanked her towards him. Callie let out a shocked squeak, and he could feel her gathering her power. "Why aren't you dead?"  They were nose-to-nose as he growled the question. "I don't know."  Callie shook her head as she spoke. "To be honest, it still doesn't seem possible that you're… what?  Four hundred?  Silas, that's crazy."  "Say it."  Silas bit off the words as a sudden, wild hope sprang up in his chest. "Uh, what?"  Callie tugged her arm and when he didn't let go, she glared down at him. "Let go of me or I'm going to knock you clear across the room."  "My name."  He enunciated as he released her wrist. "Everything. Tell me who I am."  Callie rubbed her wrist and narrowed her eyes at him. "Dokuz, born in 1603, the ninth demonborn to survive his birth and Gabriel's youngest offspring. Mated with Sekiz."  Silas flinched to hear her say the words. And still she does not die. She was looking at him like he was a mad man, but showed no signs of burning up from the inside out. Silas let out an involuntary sob and then pressed his head into his hands. I don't understand. This shouldn't be possible. When he looked up, Callie had gathered up the book and stood on the other side of the room. Her gaze was fixed on him, almost unblinking, as she set the book down on top of her dresser. "How did you survive Gabriel's purge?"  She looked ready to bolt.She's afraid of me. The one person, other than the members of Conclave, who knows who I am and she's terrified. Silas started to laugh and once he started, he found he couldn't stop. Even Callie pressing herself into the corner and pulling up her power didn't slow the laughter down. He fell back on the bed and laughed until tears rolled down his face. Finally, the laughter wheezed to a stop and Silas could push himself back up into a sitting position. He wiped at his face with his hands. "You should be dead."  "And that's funny?"  She edged towards the door. "No."  With the madness of the laughter gone, all he felt was tired. "How do I make you not be afraid of me?"  He winced and rolled his shoulders to ease the tightness. He needed her to have an answer to his question. Callie chewed on her lower lip and stared at him. He could tell when she went to confer with the memory-sets because her pupils expanded to the edges of her irises and her gaze went distant. When her gaze found his again, Silas straightened his spine."Show me."  She stepped forward and held out her hand. "Show me how you survived." 

About the Author:  Anna Wolfe is a college professor by day and a novelist by night.  In fact, writing urban fantasy is the only reason she is still (mostly) sane post-dissertation.  When she isn't writing, teaching, or dicking around on the Internet, she is probably cooking with her husband or watching trashy television.  
You can visit her at: http://anna-wolfe.com
Sign up for newsletter here:http://anna-wolfe.com/contact/update-sign-up/
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wolfeanna

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Cover Reveal The Ghost Rebellion by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

The Ghost RebellionThe Ministry of Peculiar OccurrencesBook FivePip Ballantine and Tee Morris
Genre: Steampunk
Publisher: Imagine That! Studios
Date of Publication: 6/10/16Word Count: about 100,000
Photography by Michael D. Ward of Go ForWard Photography

Design by Starla

Book Description:
The chase is on! After the destruction of the Diamond Jubilee, Agents Eliza D Braun and Wellington Books are in hot pursuit of Dr Henry Jekyll. While he continues his experiments on the aristocracy of Europe, he leaves a trail of chaos and despair in his wake. However when Eliza and Wellington run him to ground in India, they are forced to come face to face with ghosts from the past, and the realities of empire.
Meanwhile Brandon Hill and Bruce Campbell travel deep into Russia hunting down ingredients to save Queen Victoria's life. Amid the cold they uncover a new threat from the revitalized House of Usher .
All the agents of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences will find their allegiances in question, and their mettle tested as a new dastardly era of international intrigue dawns.
About the Authors:
Philippa (Pip) Ballantine
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa has always had her head in a book. For this she blames her father who thought Lord of the Rings was suitable bedtime reading for an eight year old. At the age of thirteen she began writing fantasy stories for herself.
She first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science and then a Bachelor of Applied Science in Library and Information Science. So soon enough she found herself working in the magical world of libraries where she stayed for over a decade.
Her first professional sale was in 1997, and since then she has gone on to produce mostly novel length fiction. In 2006 she became New Zealand’s first podcast novelist, and she has voiced and produced Weaver’s Web, Chasing the Bard, Weather Child and Digital Magic as podiobooks. Her podcasts have been short listed for the Parsec Awards, and won a Sir Julius Vogel award.
Philippa is the author of the Books of the Order series with Ace- Geist and Spectyr and Wrayth out now, and Harbinger to follow. She is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series with Tee Morris. Phoenix Rising debuted in May 2011 and The Janus Affair came out in May 2012. She also has the Shifted World series with Pyr Books, with the first book Hunter and Fox out now.When not writing or podcasting, Philippa loves reading, gardening, and whenever possible traveling. With her husband, Tee and her daughter, she is looked after by a mighty clowder of three cats.
Tee Morris
Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. In 2005 Tee took MOREVI into the then-unknown podosphere, making his novel the first book podcast in its entirety. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com and collaborating with Evo Terra and Chuck Tomasi on Podcasting for Dummies and its follow-up, Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies. He won acclaim and accolades for his cross-genre fantasy-detective Billibub Baddings Mysteries, the podcast of The Case of the Singing Sword winning him the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama. Along with those titles, Tee has written articles and short stories for BenBella Books’s Farscape Forever: Sex, Drugs, and Killer Muppets, the podcast anthology VOICES: New Media Fiction, BenBella Books’ So Say We All: Collected Thoughts and Opinions of Battlestar Galactica, and Dragon Moon Press’ Podthology: The Pod Complex.
Tee brought all these skills to the award-winning Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series which he wrote with his wife, Pip Ballantine. When he is not writing, Tee enjoys life in Virginia alongside Philippa Ballantine, his daughter, and three cats.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMinistryOfPeculiarOccurrences
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BooksandBraun
Tumblr: http://ministryofpeculiaroccurrences.tumblr.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pipballantine/the-ministry-of-peculiar-occurrences/

The Mediator by Candace Laville

The MediatorCupid Dating AgencyMenage 1, NovellaCandace Laville
Genre: Erotica (Paranormal Romance)
Publisher: Smart Heart Publishing
epub: 978-0-9931992-8-8ASIN: B01AKVURTM
Number of pages: 77Word Count: 20k
Cover Artist: Pam Palmer
Book Description:
That Kerry’s birthday falls on the most romantic day of the year sucks. That she’s set up on a date with both an angel and a demon sucks worse. But she’s about to discover that being trapped between good and evil makes for one hell of a good time.

Mike and Cal, angel and demon, are reluctant business partners. To help them get along, Cupid sends a mediator called Kerry, but rather than working on a truce, the guys are soon locked in a different battle, this time over Kerry’s smoking curves.

Explicit sex scenes, DP, and strong language.
Amazon     Smashwords


Excerpt 1:
Twenty-four hours. One big house and two hot men. No big deal.I shrugged off Michael's jacket and stole a glimpse of his zipper region. If the rumors were true, those were no rolled up socks in there.I sucked in air and handed him the jacket. "Thanks again."He turned to find a coat hanger, while Cal took my arm to guide me into a hall.We stopped at the threshold. Tall candles in holders provided the only illumination, shining light onto a thirty foot table.That sure looked like a date to me.Three sets of plates and silverware were already laid out at one end of the table, with bowls of steaming veg and meat in the center. Wow, the smell was fantastic. Like rich gravy and sweet carrots and home.But then, I was starved. The only food I'd had all day were two bottles of wine, and some might argue that wine wasn't food at all."Guess we're overdressed, huh?" I pointed at the posh red wallpaper and high ceilings, the humongous fireplace in which a fire crackled, and the sumptuous chairs.Cal glanced down at his black shirt, top buttons open, and his tight leather pants.Crap. Another sock-like bulge."Maybe we should take our clothes off." He grinned. "There's no rule about having dessert first."I sucked in a jagged breath, but rolled my eyes to overplay the rising dampness in my panties. "Please. You should have more control than that."Michael stepped up and offered me his arm on my left.I hooked in, perhaps clinging a little too tight, but he didn't complain.In fact, he didn't seem like a complicated guy at all.Callister was the drama queen in that pairing. I didn't have to glance over my shoulder to know his bottom lip was pushed out like a toddler's being denied its toy.Except I wasn't his toy.Why was it so difficult to keep a cool head? The sec I laid eyes on them, a switch inside me flicked. Some inexplicable compulsion drove me to stay by their sides.Or more likely, good old-fashioned lust.I may not have a type, but these two were definitely it.


About the Author:
Candace is a UK author who writes romance and erotica. Her first novella series, Cupid Dating Agency, is published by Smart Heart Publishing. When she’s not engrossed in writing, Candace enjoys traveling and sightseeing, and adding to her ever-growing shoe collection.
http://candacelaville.com/
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Interview- Angelus by Sabrina Benulis

What inspired the premise for your story? 

I always enjoyed reading about angels, demons, and other paranormal creatures. Almost ten years ago when I was in college, there were hardly any fantasy novels dealing with those themes. Now these stories are everywhere. But I think what really makes Angelus and the other books in The Books of Raziel series stand out from the others is the story itself. I really wanted to write something different, something not done before. And I hope I've succeeded. If you're asking me, though, what the inspiration for Angelus is in particular, I can only answer so much without spoiling the story. I'll say 'a mother's love' and leave it at that.


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

Since I was a child I loved animals of all kinds, so until I was in highschool, almost every occupation I contemplated had to do with them. I went from paleontologist (age 6) to marine biologist (up to age 11) and then ornithologist (till college). But in the background I was an avid reader and always loved to write my own stories. By the time I was in college, I figured out that was my true calling. I guess it only took about 20 years!

How long did it take to get your first book published? 

From idea stage, to writing a draft that would never see the light of day, to getting an agent, and then rewriting the book again (and in total I did that two times before splitting what was one book into two, and then rewrote the series again to make two books into three), and finally snagging a publisher it took about five years. It seems that's typical for a first time author straight out of grad school like I was.

What were your aspirations as an author and have any of them come true? 

My top aspiration as an author was simply for people to read my novels, and hopefully, enjoy them. In that sense, I've accomplished what I set out to do in a way that satisfies me. Anyone who sets out to write just to make money is on a fool's errand. And any author worth their salt knows that!

What have you learned about the publishing industry since you’ve signed that first contract?

I've learned so much I could probably write an essay. A lot has changed in the past decade in the publishing world. When I signed my book contract, e-books were a brand new detail on the publishing horizon, and no respectable author started  out by self-publishing. You can see how that's different now! But the most important life lesson I've taken away is to be more forgiving of myself. Authors are only human, and we always deserve to go easy on ourselves, to know we have the right to grow and learn over the years. That's hard to keep in mind when you have the pressure of performing to expectations, but it's a writer's strength and tenacity that determine whether they'll continue in their career over the years, or just eb a flash in the pan. Your dreams never have to be over anymore.

AngelusBooks of Raziel TrilogyBook ThreeSabrina Benulis
Harper Voyager
Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Paranormal
On-Sale: February 9, 2016ISBN: 9780062069429 E-book ISBN: 9780062069436
A Harper Voyager Trade Paperback Original
In the heart-pounding conclusion to The Books of Raziel trilogy, Angela discovers that she holds the keys to both Heaven and Hell, and that angels, demons, and all the creatures in between will stop at nothing to possess her...
The war started by three powerful angel siblings - Raziel, Lucifel, and Israfel - has divided the kingdoms of both Heaven and Hell. Now the destruction is spilling over into our world.
The last hope for a crumbling world is the Archon, also known as the human Angela Mathers. Angela alone can successfully oppose Lucifel and open Raziel’s Book for the power of good rather than evil. But to do so would mean murdering her best friend, a fact Angela refuses to face.
Now Angela sits on the throne of Hell, fulfilling a prophecy of ruin. But ruin does not always mean destruction.....sometimes it means revolution.
Amazon    BN    HarperCollins     iTunes    Google Play
Genesis – The Story So Far
Before the beginning of all things, there was a Mother who sang and carried the stars within her.
Worry consumed her because often the stars near her heart burned and jostled, as if fighting one another. Then the unthinkable happened, and she gave birth to twins long before the appointed time. These children were meant to be equal in every way, but from the stars one twin decided to claim dominion over our universe. He attacked his sibling, murdering him, and from then on a fragile balance weighed toward the side of shadows.
The Mother who has carried these gods fell into the deepest despair and took her punishment to the depths of the eternal Abyss.
Innumerable cycles of time passed before an angel named Raziel found her again.
Raziel was one of three powerful sibling angels, and they had also been told their purpose was to share equal rule over the universe. Yet the jealously and rivalry between two of them, Israfel and Lucifel, grew to a feverish pitch, and upon returning to his home in Heaven, Raziel found his sister, Lucifel, instigating the infamous War that would divide the angels forever into two opposing kingdoms.
It was a dreadful time of blood and feathers falling like the snow.
Raziel was the last to fall. Horrified and determined to end the bloodshed, he had confronted God and begged for intervention to stop Lucifel’s rebellion. Instead, he plummeted to his death in full view of his siblings, one of whom loved him more than life itself.
The glorious time of Israfel’s rule as Archangel in Heaven was over.
Lucifel too had failed to claim the crown she so desperately desired, and she fled to her new kingdom of Hell. But the Throne of Hell was little more than a prison, and Lucifel found herself swiftly jailed by the angels who had once worshipped her. They called themselves demons, and though their kingdom remained forever dark and dismal, they never forgot the glories of long ago.
This truce between angels and demons could not last. Instead, Lucifel’s influence grew from the darkness, and her twisted ideals seeped throughout the universe. Seeking the mysterious power contained in Raziel’s Book, one of his greatest treasures, it is claimed she means to destroy the universe that mocks her suffering.
The last home for a crumbling world is a being called the Archon, also known as Angela Mathers. Angela is human, but her soul is protected by the spirit of Raziel. She alone can successfully oppose Lucifel and open Raziel’s Book for the power of good rather than evil. However, the Book is not a thing but a person, and Angela knows that to open the Book would mean murdering her best friend, Sophia. She has refused to do so, seemingly sentencing the universe to a fate of silence worse than death, because it would be one without resurrection.
Angela Mathers firmly believed that even Hell could not separate her from her friend. She suffered, and bled, and fought in a twisted demonic maze to save the Book from destruction, only to unwittingly allow Lucifel to escape back to Heaven.
Now Angela sits on the Throne of Hell, fulfilling a prophecy of Ruin. But Ruin does not always mean destruction. Sometimes it means Revolution. Crowns pass from one person to the next, yet it takes a special soul to heal the burdens of all.
The Mother’s song no longer echoes throughout the universe, and new notes wait to be revealed. Now, the moment of change has finally arrived. The end of a cycle of pain has begun.
For through souls have hurt, and bled, and cried, the light ever returns in a rushing, relentless tide.
Praise for Sabrina Benulis and The Books of Raziel Trilogy:
“[Benulis’] unique take on religion and angels is truly innovative. With just enough left unresolved, Covenant perfectly leads into the upcoming final book of the trilogy”— Romantic Times Magazine on Covenant
“These angels can be vindictive and cruel, more human than you might expect and oozing supernatural abilities…. If you think you have the guts to take on this novel pick it up.”— Boulder Examiner on Covenant
“A dark, bold story.”— Lexington Literature Examiner on Covenant
“Benulis writes a no-holds-barred tale of destruction, love, power, and friendship. Everything you thought you knew about God, the Devil, angels and demons will be wiped away and replaced with a world so terribly beautiful that you will yourself gazing out into the night sky, hoping against hope that magic is real. Her characters have depth and 3-deminsional personalities, while her scenery, complete with candlelight and stain-glass windows, emphasizes the primal battles that humans go through on a daily basis.”— Tulsa Books Examiner on Archon
“… Benulis uses lush descriptions and larger than life characters to tell the story of a battle between Heaven and Hell…She proves herself as a force to be reckoned with… I will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment in her book of Raziel series so I can grab it up and pour over each page.”— Suspense Magazine on Archon




About the Author:
Sabrina Benulis graduated with a masters in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She currently resides in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania with her husband and a spoiled cockatiel. 
http://www.sabrinabenulis.com/
https://twitter.com/sabrinabenulis
https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaBenulis 



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Cover and Book Trailer Reveal Waiting For You by Melissa Kate

Waiting For YouMelissa Kate
Contemporary Romance
Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
May 24, 2016
Book Description:
Audrey Kelly finds her way back home to Crystal Valley with her bruised pride and a shattered dangerous past mocking her rear view mirror. What she didn’t expect was to be face-to-face with Adam Parker, resident bad boy, sexy Navy SEAL and one of the reasons that Audrey ran all those years ago.
Audrey was the last person Adam had ever expected to see back in Crystal Valley. Over a decade ago, they shared a sizzling night together before he received the worst news of his life and he hasn’t seen her since…until she’d moved back unexpectedly. She was no longer the sweet innocent girl he once remembered, but Adam has his own problems without having to deal with Audrey’s ice princess recital, no matter how tempting the auburn haired seductress may be.
Sparks begin to ignite between them but can they accept Audrey’s past when it threatens to engage them in a dangerous twist? Can they save each other from themselves and stop running once and for all?

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/1XpOSaEHMI8

Magic Moment by Angela Adams

Magic MomentAngela Adams     
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Amazon Encore
Date of Publication: August 5, 2015
ISBN: 978-1440554940ASIN: BO12E7Rl1U
Number of pages:  264Word Count: 65K
Book Description: 
When the FBI brings Laura Roberts - a quiet, reserved bookkeeper - in for questioning regarding activities at the warehouse where she works, an uneasy Laura resigns her job - only to be attacked by thugs.
Chase Donovan intends to spend a few peaceful days on his boat getting his head together - and finds a woman being assaulted by two men who say his father told them to do it.
Chase doesn't want to believe his father could hurt anyone. Laura doesn't understand why she's a target. Can they learn to work together to discover the truth - before someone dies?
Amazon
Excerpt:

Lonnie clutched Laura’s hand. “They don’t know the whole story. When Saunders asked how you and Chase came to be married, what did you tell him?” “I felt sick and asked to leave. I didn’t want to tell him about Mr. Donovan arranging my ride from the warehouse, what happened on the boat.” Apprehension returned. “They already had Chase locked up. I didn’t want to add fuel to Saunders’ fire.”Lonnie’s voice was strong. “The idea that my nephew is doing anything criminal, I can guarantee, is the most absurd thing ever suggested.”“But why is Chase protecting his father? I don’t understand their relationship. They’re not like any father and son I know.”“Chase reacts to his own guilt,” Lonnie said. “He feels guilty because he doesn’t like his father. One minute he’ll call Dick all kinds of vile names, deservingly so. The next minute Chase feels remorse, and he goes out of his way to make it up to the old coot.”“What about all the assets being in both names?” Laura asked. “Everything is either in the name of the business or owned jointly by Chase and his father.” “Probably so if one of them dies, and my preference is Dick go sooner than later, the survivor doesn’t have to pay an inheritance tax.”Laura was a bookkeeper with a shrewd proprietor for a boss. She should have deduced his motives.   “I wonder if Chase knows this, that his father owns the boat with him,” Laura mused aloud.“Maybe not.” Lonnie’s expression was half smile, half frown. “I love my nephew but his comprehension of anything having to do with money, is that it should be there when he wants it.”Laura silently recalled Chase on their wedding day. He had been determined they would marry that day. With everyone, from the lab tech who drew their blood to the jeweler who sized their rings, Chase had generously tossed whatever cash had been needed to ensure he got what he wanted.“Chase sometimes pretends his father is a nice man,” Lonnie added. “Then an incident occurs like what happened to you, and he struggles to admit Dick Donovan is plain no good.”

****About the Author:
Angela Adams writes and reviews contemporary romances. Her work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream Reviews and The Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, "Burgers and Hot Chocolate" appeared in the Whimsical Publications' anthology, Winter Wonders.  Magic Moment is her first novel.
Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America, and its chapters From the Heart Romance Writers and Elements of RWA.
http://www.authorangela.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/authorangela
https://plus.google.com/100093779705043663324/posts


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CARNAL, The Beast Who Loved Me by Victoria Danann

CARNAL, The Beast Who Loved MeExiledBook OneVictoria Danann
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: 7th House
Date of Publication: February 15, 2016
Number of pages: 366Word Count: 91k
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann
Book Description:
The angel, Kellareal, stopped the genocide of generations of hybrids, who had been bred for research and spent their entire lives imprisoned. Against orders, he spirited them away to a dimension where they would have freedom and purpose.
In a vindictive fit, Rosie Storm asked Kellareal for a place to hide out. He knew just the place for her to grow up, learn emotional control, and other things.
Amazon    iBooks    BN



Excerpt:
The angel motioned her over. “Rosie, this is Free. He’s the leader of the Exiled here at Newland.” Kellareal turned to Free. “This is my adopted niece, Rosie.”Rosie jerked her attention to the angel. She’d never heard him suggest a title for their relationship before, adopted or otherwise.“With your permission, I need a couple of minutes with Rosie to say goodbye. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks to check on things.”“Always good to see you,” Free said to Kellareal, in a voice so gravelly it almost startled Rosie.The angel took her by the elbow and walked her toward the edge of the settlement, near the wall. “So here are the rules.”“Rules?” She almost sounded alarmed.“Yes. Rules,” he clipped, sounding serious enough to get her full attention. “Extraordinary measures have made these people stronger and smarter than humans. Given the right circumstances, they’re also more dangerous. As far as they know, you’re a human girl, who needs a place to hide out for a bit. I don’t want them to suspect differently. Do you get me?”She pulled back, looking affronted. “Yes! I get you! You don’t want me to do anything a…” She made quotation marks with her fingers. “…’human girl’ wouldn’t do.”“Exactly. And lose the adolescent attitude.” She rolled her eyes. “Rosie, please don’t make me look bad.”She sighed. “Okay. I appreciate this.”“Well, I hope you still feel that way in a couple of weeks of working here.”“Working?” She seemed surprised.“Yes. Working. It’s not all kittens and rainbows here. Pull your socks up.”Rosie was narrowing her eyes and gearing up for a reply when Kellareal vanished leaving her wondering what ‘pull your socks up’ means. She turned toward the Exiled leader, whom Kellareal had called the Extant, and began walking in his direction. When a gust of wind ruffled her hair, she looked toward the east, where the human city could be seen below and in the distance.Free looked down at her and smiled when she reached him. “Let’s get you situated. I see you didn’t bring belongings?”She looked around like she’d misplaced them. “No. I guess I didn’t think about it.”“No matter. We’ll sort it out. You can stay at my house with my family. We can always use help at the Commons. The unmated males spend a lot of time there. Drinking. Eating. Since they’re not mated.” He added, smiling as if that explained the whole of the universe. “If anybody gives you any trouble or unwanted attention, just come to me. I’ll take care of it.”For a scant instant she wondered what it might be like to be a young woman who had to worry about men trying to press their physical advantage and thanked the gods she’d never have to find out how vulnerable that would make someone feel.“Thank you,” she smiled in return. “I don’t have any experience working at… um, working.”Free looked at her sideways. “You seem capable. You’ll learn.”By the time they reached Free’s house, it was almost dark and evident that Newland had no power for lighting. The house, like the other buildings, was made of roughhewn logs, with a small but cheerful light coming from the front windows. It appeared to be three stories and larger than most of the other buildings.Free opened the door and entered before Rosie. The room wasn’t plush or luxurious, but was definitely inviting. The upholstered furniture was worn, but friendly-looking. The fire was small, but welcoming.   “Serene!” His growly voice rumbled. Rosie couldn’t tell if he was displeased or if his voice always sounded like that. A woman, roughly the same age as Free, appeared from the back of the house wiping her hands. She cocked her head at Rosie. “Hello,” she said. Her voice was also raspy, but not as deep as Free’s. “Hello,” Rosie replied. “I’m…”“She’s Kellareal’s ward,” Free interrupted. “She needs a place to stay for a while.”Serene smiled. “Of course. You’re welcome.”The door crashed open behind Rosie. “Hey, I…”Rosie turned to see an extremely good-looking boy staring at her. “Rosie. This is our youngest son, Charming.”She looked from Free to Serene for a hint that he was joking, but saw none. Turning back to the new arrival she said, “Nice to meet you, Charming.” She fully expected him to break into a fit of laughter and tell her that wasn’t really his name. Instead, he said, “Hi. Rosie.”“She’s going to be staying with us for a while. Show her to Carnal’s room.”“But…” Charming started. “Show her to Carnal’s room.” Free repeated with a bit more insistence in his tone. “Then come back down for dinner.”“Okaaaay.”Rosie estimated Charming’s age at eighteen or so. He had honey colored hair, streaked with blonde, just like his mother. And yellow-green eyes. Also just like his mother. He was as tall as Free with a powerful, athletic build that suggested it would become even more impressive in a couple of years. He gave Rosie a smile that was, well, charming and motioned for her to follow up the stairs. “This way.” He stopped at the second story landing and said, “Carnal’s room is there.” He pointed down the hall to the right. “My room is up there.” He pointed to a narrower staircase that led upward. “The attic room. It has a great view. I can see just about everything that happens in Newland,” he said proudly. Rosie smiled and turned toward the room Charming had pointed out, noting that there was another room down the hall.  “Am I, um, displacing someone?”“Displacing?” He opened the door to a decidedly masculine space. It was minimalist to the extreme. A wood platform bed with four thick square legs, but no headboard. A double shelf unit with a few books, rocks, and feathers on one side and folded clothes on the other side. There was a paraffin lamp on a small square stand by the bed and another on the shelf unit. There wasn’t much there, but what was there was neat as a military barracks. Bed perfectly made. Nothing out of place. “No. Not at all. This is my oldest brother’s room, but he doesn’t come home often.” “Oh.”“Do you need help with your stuff?”“No. I, ah, didn’t bring anything. I’ll get my, ah, stuff in the next couple of days.”Charming nodded. “Well, then, let’s have supper.”When Rosie told Kellareal she needed a hideout, the last thing she had in mind was becoming an exchange student. She didn’t want to get to know and be part of a family, but not eating would raise suspicion. After all her cover was human and humans must eat. So she said, “Okay,” and followed Charming back downstairs.“Is Carnal away at school?”Charming paused mid step to laugh. “Nothing like that. No. He’s on patrol right now.” He resumed descent, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Smell that? We’re having elk stew with parsnips and onions. You’ll love it.”Rosie had to admit that it did smell good. The kitchen was square with a table and chairs in the middle of the room, but the first thing that attracted her eye was the wood stove and the precision cut stack of firewood next to it. The front panel had been left standing open to heat the room with coals left smoldering from cooking. She’d seen such stoves in books, but never in person. Charming’s parents had already filled their bowls and were waiting patiently. She sat down across from Charming and pulled in her chair just as he reached out and tore off a large chunk of brown bread from the dome-shaped loaf in the middle of the table. Next to it sat a pot of stew. “Go on. Help yourself,” said Charming with his mouth full. So she stood and ladled a generous portion into her bowl, while Free carried on quiet conversation about livestock. After a few minutes, Charming said, “Why aren’t you eating?”Everyone stopped and looked at Rosie. “Well, it looks so good and smells even better,” she said, looking from one to the other. Serene smiled in response. “But to be honest, I’m worried about the sauce.” It was tomato-based. “These are the only clothes I have at the moment.”They all looked at her thin white boyfriend shirt, which caused a blush. Serene rose from the table and retrieved an apron. She flicked it in front of Rosie and tied the top close to her neck. “There,” she said. “Tomorrow we’ll see about scrounging up some other clothes.” She looked at Free. “What was Kellareal thinking?”Rosie was grateful enough to warm to the idea of getting to know the family. Free shrugged. “Got a lot on his mind. Always.”“Thank you,” Rosie told Serene as she dug into the stew. “Oh my gods. This is incredible!” she said before quite finishing the first bite. Serene beamed and Free did not miss the signs of her pleasure, which in turn pleased him. He turned to Rosie.“The large building next door is the Commons. Tomorrow morning, Charming will take you over there and introduce you to the woman in charge. She’ll lay it out for you and get you started right.”“Okay. And thank you for having me.”Serene interjected. “We’re very sincere when we say you’re welcome here for as long as you’d like to stay. Kellareal must think very highly of you. If you’re special to him, you’re special to us.”Rosie nodded and returned her smile, not wanting to spout off about what a pain he could be. She thought better of being the one to tarnish the rosy esteem in which he was held.“No reason to wait till tomorrow morning. I’m headed over there right now.”  Charming was talking to Rosie. “Come and go with me. I’ll be the envy of Newland, arriving with a beautiful woman.”Free glanced at me. “Do you want to go, Rosie?”She hesitated. Charming pled with his eyes in such a cute way she had a hard time saying no. “Maybe for just a little while.”Free then turned to Charming. “Make it clear that she’s a special guest of mine,” he warned.“Sure, Pop.”“Charming, this is not a joke. Can you be trusted to take care of Rosie?”Charming grew instantly serious, transforming his looks so that he appeared older. “Yes.”
Free nodded.
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eleven romances. Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES TWO YEARS IN A ROW. Reviewers Choice Awards, The Paranormal Romance Guild.
Her paranormal romances come with uniquely fresh perspectives on "imaginary" creatures, characters, and themes. She adds a dash of scifi, a flourish of fantasy, enough humor to make you laugh out loud, and enough steam to make you squirm in your chair. Her heroines are independent femmes with flaws and minds of their own whether they are aliens, witches, demonologists, psychics, past life therapists. Her heroes are hot and hunky, but they also have brains, character, and good manners. **Usually.
Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.
http://www.VictoriaDanann.com
http://www.facebook.com/vdanann
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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5822912.Victoria_Danann
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Interview and Giveaway: A Hold on Me by Pat Esden

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I’m a native New Englander and perhaps its from the long dark winters or the rambling old house I grew up in, but I’ve always been both terrified and in love with all things paranormal. I suspect that’s what led me to write gothic paranormal.  
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I like vampires and werewolves. But I’m more interested in ghosts, demons, and magic in general. I like the idea that some of these things may be real—there just beyond the mundane.
What inspired you to write this book?
Johnny Depp and our shared love for the old TV series Dark Shadows inspired me to write A HOLD ON ME. I was writing a different novel at the time, but when I heard Depp was working with Tim Burton on a remake of the show, it struck me that having fun and creating something you’ve always wanted to try was important to me as well. However, I didn’t have the desire to create a campy remake of Dark Shadows. I wanted to write a gothic novel that had an atmosphere reminiscent of the show and also to the romantic suspense novels from the same time period—but with an updated flare and sizzle to make it appealing to contemporary readers.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I often use placeholder names until the right one hits me. It has a lot to with the sound of the name, as well as it fitting the character’s heritage and the time period. There are often hidden meanings in my character’s names. However, the name of one of the main characters in A HOLD ON ME was chosen differently. My mother chose Chase’s name. It is a surname on my mother’s side of the family. My mother passed away before the book was sold, but his name remains a tribute to her.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Yes, Annie, the main character.  I knew what she was like, but it was hard to keep her consistent and not interject myself into her character. Also, A HOLD ON ME is written only from her point of view. I had to always keep in mind that I might know what was going to happen later in the book and series, but she did.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I love all my characters for different reasons. I’ve grown particularly fond of Annie’s cousin Selena. She’s smart, headstrong, and has a wild streak that makes her fun—but she’s also naïve. I’d love to write a novel just from her point of view.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
When the idea for A HOLD ON ME first came, I visualized it starting with an older teenage girl standing in the ocean while her father watched from the shore. Behind them were cliffs and a mansion. This scene didn’t end up being the beginning of the novel, but it still is there almost exactly as I first visualized. To me this scene represents the emotional core of this story.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Definitely. Continuously. So many details of this and all my novels are cool, real life things.  My Pinterest boards hint at some of these details. https://www.pinterest.com/patesden/This is especially true in BEYOND YOUR TOUCH (book 2, Dark Heart series). 
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
It’s perhaps not the most interesting, but I recently went to a car dealership and asked the salesman to help me figure out the best way to break into the trunk of a Mustang. The locking systems change from year to year and I wanted to make sure I had the details right.
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
A HOLD ON ME starts with Annie having only a narrow view of a much larger—nearly epic—story. Book 1 doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but Annie’s world has changed and she has a whole new set of challenges and decisions to make.  I’d recommend reading the novels in order, for the reader to discover the mysteries and fall in love along with Annie. BEYOND YOUR TOUCH (book 2, Dark Heart series) will come out August 30thand a third book will come out early in 2017.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
For me writers block is a huge sign that I’ve taken a wrong turn. I need to stop and rethink about what I’m trying to work on. A large part of writing doesn’t happen sitting at a computer, it has to do with feed and listening to my instincts and muse. I’m better off to take a day off and do something not related to the story than worry about being seemingly blocked.



A Hold on MeDark Heart SeriesBook OnePat Esden
Genre: New adult gothic/paranormal romance
Publisher: Kensington Books
Date of Publication: February 23, 2016
ISBN-10: 1496700058ISBN-13: 978-1496700056ASIN: B00Y6RB2VE
Number of pages: 320Word Count: 90k
Book Description:
She never wanted to return.
He wants nothing more than for her to leave.
But the fire between them is as strong as the past that haunts them.
Annie Freemont grew up on the road, immersed in the romance of rare things, cultivating an eye for artifacts and a spirit for bargaining. It’s a freewheeling life she loves and plans to continue until her dad is diagnosed with dementia. His illness forces them to return to Moonhill, their ancestral home on the coast of Maine and to the family they left behind fifteen years ago, after Annie’s mother died in a suspicious accident.
Once at Moonhill, Annie is shocked when her aunt separates her from her father. The next time Annie sees him, he’s a bizarre, violent shadow of his former self.
Confused, she turns to an unlikely ally for support Chase, the dangerously seductive young groundskeeper. With his dark good looks and powerful presence, Chase has an air of mystery that Annie is irresistibly drawn to. But she also senses that behind his penetrating eyes are secrets she can’t even begin to imagine. Secrets that hold the key to the past, to Annie’s own longings and to all of their futures. Now, to unlock them, she’ll have to face her greatest fears and embrace her legacy...
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Chapter 1
“There are things darker than night, darker than the souls of wicked men or a woman of unchained passions. Believe me, for I have known them well.”Josette Savoy AbramsBeach Rose House. Bar Harbor, Maine
Most people went to church to save their souls, but not Dad and I. We went there to see the priest about treasure. It was a cold day in February and the church was an abandoned stone chapel on a back road near our home in Vermont. With its gloomy stained-glass windows and carvings of gargoyles under its sagging eaves, the chapel was exactly the kind of place where antique pickers like Dad and I could find the weird treasures and the gothic furniture our customers loved to buy. And, as luck would have it, the bishop had given the local priest permission to sell the entire contents as he saw fit.The priest glanced once more at the grungy pews and the statue of St. Anthony with its chipped fingers and peeling paint. “Now that you’ve seen everything, are you still interested?” Dad gave my shoulder a squeeze. “What do you think, Annie?” “Ah--” I let my voice crack as if my jitteriness was nerves instead of excitement, then I met the priest’s eyes.  “One price for everything, right?” “For all the contents. That doesn’t include anything that’s part of the structure. No windows, attached light fixtures, doors, none of those sorts of things.” His tone left no room for debate.Dad looked down, scratching his elbow while I took a scrap of paper and a pen from the turned up sleeve of my bulky sweater. I jotted down the offer he and I had covertly agreed on when the priest had turned away for a moment, then handed it to the priest. The priest’s brow furrowed as he studied the paper.  He ran a finger under his collar, cleared his throat, and finally glanced at Dad. “Perhaps you should look at this before we agree?”Dad waved off his suggestion.  “This was her idea. The offer is hers to make.” “All right, then,” the priest said. “We have a deal.”I counted out a thin stack of hundreds and gave them to him.  In turn, he passed Dad the church keys, all neatly labeled.  The truth was, he wasn’t the sort of person who would have ever believed a twenty-year-old girl with ripped jeans and a stud in her nose could know the first thing about valuing antiques—as Dad and I had hoped.“Sorry I can’t stay and help,” he said, “but I have to get back to St. Mary’s in time for Mass. When you’re finished taking what you want, leave the keys in the box outside the door. I hope you find enough to make this worth your effort.”  “I hope so too,” Dad said, without cracking a smile. But, as soon as the priest went out the front door, he did a little victory dance and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Perfectly played. If I’d given him an offer that low, he’d have thought I was up to something for sure.” Every inch of me tingled with anticipation. “So, where do you want to begin?” I asked.   Dad jangled the keys. “It appears the priest neglected to give us one very specific key. The one to the only room he didn’t take us into or even mention.  I don’t know about you, but that makes me curious.”“The sacristy?”  I said.“That would be the one. Did you notice how he fidgeted with his collar, too?”“I figured he thought everything was junk—that he was nervous I’d offered too much and that you’d back out.”“That’s possible. But don’t ever underestimate your opponent. There could be something else behind his uneasiness. Perhaps he hid something in the sacristy, something of value he hoped the diocese would forget. Priests are men, after all. They come in all shades of honesty, like the rest of us.” He stroked his chin, a sure sign that he was about to launch into one of his home-brewed tales. “You remember the story about my wicked great-uncle Harmon and the Canary Island sirens? He always claimed to be a spiritual man, forthright and faithful to his wife. . . .”I loved listening to Dad’s crazy stories. But, as he began an abridged version of a tale that easily could have gone on for an hour, the word faithful sent my mind veering in a different direction--to me and Taj and a matinee of Romeo and Juliet, to his practiced fingers slipping under my skirt, up my inner thighs. The rush of desire. His words hot and moist against my neck:  “Oh, baby, c’mon. I want you so bad.”Men come in all shades of honesty for sure.

About the Author:
Pat Esden would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts. An antique-dealing florist by trade, she’s also a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the League of Vermont Writers. Her short stories have appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society’s Mythic Circle literary magazine, and George H. Scither’s anthology Cat Tales.
Visit her online at www.PatEsden.com
Blog: http://patesden.blogspot.com
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Cover Reveal Crimson Shadow - The Longest Night by Nathan Squiers

COVER REVEAL


Title: Crimson Shadow - The Longest NightSeries: A Crimson Shadow NovelAuthor: Nathan SquiersGenre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal RomanceRelease date: 03/15/16


Xander and Estella Stryker are finally married.
And while everything feels like a dream for the two, a strong foe from Xander’s past threatens to tear the two apart. When a plane crash-lands them stranded in what appears to be an abandoned castle in Europe, the two find things are not at all what they seem. When both the past and present clash at the couple, they have to find all their strength to overcome any adversity.Even if the adversity is the strongest either Xander or Estella have faced…
With stronger enemies and a foe tied for revenge to tearing the two apart and destroying Xander’s legacy, Xander and Estella will both have to let go of any doubt or fears. Lest the two be devoured into the shadows for good.
Will the Stryker couple be able to stay united through these challenges…
…or will their union be destroyed in the flames of revenge?



Nathan Squiers – The Literary Dark Emperor
 Born in Massachusetts in 1986, Nathan Squiers (The Literary Dark Emperor) grew up in Andover, where his affinity for story-telling flourished due to a love of books and movies as well as an overactive imagination. At the age of 13, Nathan and his mother moved to Upstate New York to be closer to their family.
After surviving public school, where he spent most of his days locked away in the AV room watching old 80s movies on Laserdisc and planning out his next video project, Nathan began a shaky college career. A love of weaving tales and telling stories was motivation enough to pursue an education in English, and, as luck would have it, a series of phenomenal professors were available to get him pointed in the right direction. It was in his first years of college that Nathan began to actively pursue a writing career, starting his first literary journey with a piece that would later become "Noir", the first book of the Crimson Shadow series.
Like any good story, a chaotic turn of events brought Nathan from the very brink of insanity and loneliness to the warm, comforting embrace of Megan, his best friend, lover, kindred spirit, and--more often than not--personal handler. It was with Megan at his side that Nathan was able to continue his writing (sometimes solely motivated by the young lady's threats of dismemberment if he tried to stop). With Megan's help, Nathan was able to see Death Metal, his fourth manuscript, through the publication process.
Nearly ten years later, The Literary Dark Emperor (now a multi-award winning author and co-owner/manager of Tiger Dynasty Publishing) continues to invent stories and put them into a literary sequence that he hopes will be somehow decipherable by other readers. As a lover of all things creative, he works in both novels, novellas, short stories, as well as comic book scripts (just don't ask him to draw something if you don't like stick figures and poorly-executed shapes).
If he's not submerged in the realm of fiction or burning out his retinas with horror movie marathons, Nathan is planning/getting a new piercing/tattoo or enjoying life with his lovely fiancé and fellow author, Megan J. Parker.