Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 368

Top Ten Alien Invasion Movies- Guest Blog and Giveaway: Gamma Rift by Kalli Lanford

Hi, my name is Kalli Lanford, author of new adult novels with a sci-fi twist. In my new release, GAMMA RIFT, my main character, America, is abducted by aliens and taken to the planet, Enestia, where she is held captive. I’m a sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal freak, so writing, reading, and watching movies in this genre is what I love to do.
Thinking about aliens, I’d like to give you my top ten list of alien invasion movies.
1. Aliens.Who doesn’t love Sigourney Weaver as the heroine, Ripley? I love the fact that the main character is a woman who kicks ass. In addition, the aliens are friggin scary.
2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Yeah, I’m aging myself. I still remember the five-note sequence of beeps the aliens use to communicate with the humans, and Richard Dreyfus was amazing in his role.
3. Invasion of the Body Snatcher (1978). I’m definitely aging myself again with this one. That dog with the face of a hobo totally freaked me out.
4. War of the Worlds (1953) No, I was not born yet, lol. I saw it on a Sunday afternoon when I was about ten years old. The aliens are never shown except at the very end when a green alien hand falls limply from the spaceship door – but still – this is a classic and the first alien invasion film I ever saw.
5. Independence Day. Love Will Smith in this one. The aliens are creepy, and the special effects used in the White House obliteration scene are over the top.
6.  The Abyss. Underwater aliens made this movie unique.
7. E.T. Okay, some people might think I rated this one a little low, but there was so much hype behind this movie, and when I eventually saw it, it wasn’t as good as I expected. I had also stood in line outside the theater for a couple hours beforehand, so I’m sure that affected my judgement. E.T. was loveable and good. I think that’s the main reason why this movie was so successful.
8. Signs. This one has crop circles. I know that some years ago a couple of men in England confessed to being the circle makers, but some of those patterns are so large and intricate, I have trouble believing them.
9. Predator.The alien is almost as ugly as the aliens in Alien. This alien scared the crap out of people.
10. Men in Black. Yes, it is a comedy, and not as scary or deep as some of the others, but it’s in my top ten. My favorite part is when Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) kicks a male alien in the groin, and the alien doesn’t even flinch. Jay (Will Smith) shouts out, “Kay, he’s a ballchinian.” Without going into detail about this alien’s unique anatomical feature, I’ll say that Kay then kicks the alien in the chin, and the alien is debilitated.
My list is pretty diverse, from older classics to remakes, originals, and even a comedy. The special effects are dated in many of them, though at the time, they were top notch, but I think all of them are unique and entertaining. I can’t wait to write the next book (GAMMA RIFT 2) in the Trans-Galactic Insurrection series. I’m still working on a title, and re-watching some of the movies on my list will get my creative juices flowing.
I haven’t seen every alien invasion movie, so I’m sure I’m missing some good ones. If you have any recommendations, I’ll take them.

Gamma RiftKalli Lanford
Release Date: August 18
Genre: New Adult 
Publisher: Entangled Embrace Imprint
Book Description:
His secret (alien) crush...
I may be a Prince, but there are things that trouble me about my father's royal rule-the forced abduction, experimentation, and torture of alien creatures. The king has a new prisoner who's a carefully kept secret...
There's a young female who belongs to a little-known civilization I have been studying extensively. They are human, belonging to a small, undeveloped planet called Earth. She is pretty in a way I find unusual and compelling. Sometimes I sneak into the adjoining cell and we talk about everything and nothing, even as I find myself yearning to touch her strange, soft skin.
Skin that is being subjected to invasive tests and experiments. A body that's scheduled for a live dissection in fifteen days. And a life that will be terminated unless I risk my future and life to help her escape...
Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/H9zKmFGVy9U

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf
Available at Amazon


About the Author:
Kalli Lanford, a native of San Diego, California, grew up hanging out at the beach and playing sports.  When she’s not nerding out at San Diego Comic-Con, she can be seen doing normal-people stuff like teaching high-school English, cooking delicious meals for her family, and attending her son’s football games.  In her spare time, she writes new adult fiction and loves listening to hard rock.  She hopes to live long and prosper, and that you will, too.
Author Website: www.authorkallilanford.com
Author Twitter: @kallilanford
Author Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorkallilanford
Newsletter: http://www.authorkallilanford.com/#!contact/c24ju

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Top Ten Writing Quotes: Guest Blog and Giveaway-Conner by Miranda Stork

The Best Writer Quotes
I’m starting to love these Top 10 Lists on blogs now, so when I was trying to think of a blog post to do here, I thought ‘Why not add another?’ *grin* There’s so many fun things to choose from, but I’ve plumped on doing my favourite ten writer quotes. Some are funny, others are heartfelt, many ring true, but all of them are post-its on my little corkboard. 
Here’s my favourites, but see if there’s a new one that you’ve never heard before, in no particular order;
10. “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Douglas Adams
This couldn’t be truer if someone made it law and printed it on my front door. A deadline isn’t a real deadline until you’re sat with unwashed hair, in your pyjamas, balancing a cup of coffee and a laptop at 4am.
9. “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
And that’s why this guy was a great writer. Everything about writing, wrapped up in one little sentence. And one I say to everyone who dares to say the words, “Writing? That’s just sitting down and making up stories, isn’t it? Pretty easy, really.”
8. “Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” Mark Twain
I love this quote, because it’s something I’ve learnt in the last two years. Before then, I doled out ‘very’ (and other words too!) like it was going out of fashion. Now, when I edit my books before the real editing, I always think of this quote and double check.
7. “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” Jack Kerouac
I think the hope in this quote is echoed by every author, anywhere, ever. The anguish of typing, then deleting, then repeating for the next hour, over each sentence is both thrilling and excruciating. Then the perfect words come to you about three months after the damn book gets published. *facepalm*
6. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”Robert Frost
This. And again, something I’ve learnt over the course of the past few years, slowly. The more emotional I get about a scene, the more certain I can be that it will touch my readers in the same way. I know I’ve done something right when readers tell me they care about the same characters I care about.
5. “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” Ray Bradbury
I like this quote; it reminds me of those moments when you take a long enough break from writing (usually because of writer’s block) that when you return, you’re almost a stranger to your own world. But equally, sometimes it’s wonderful to return and ‘rediscover’ what you wrote in a way you didn’t notice before. But this quote also points out that a writer cannot help but write, whether it’s a book, a blog post, or a diary.
4. “Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.” E.L. Doctorow
I laugh so much at this quote, mostly because it’s true! There’s a fine line between personalities in your head and characters in your head, and I’m hoping the difference is putting them in a book! *wink*
3. “Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”Anton Chekhov
Yup, I need to remember this one a lot more. *holds up hand* I’m guilty of not describing things the right way sometimes. When you want to get the story down quickly, sometimes it’s difficult to see the scene the way a reader would when it’s already playing out in your head. The little details will make the bigger details obvious.
2. “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” Anne Frank
This quote always leaves a lump in my throat. Partly because it’s written by Anne Frank, who I think would have been a great writer (and I think anyone who’s read her diary might agree), who had her life so tragically ended. But also partly because it rings with truth. Writing is easily the most therapeutic thing you can do, and disappearing into a world of fantasy can be just the thing for when you’re feeling down.
1. “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” W. Somerset Maugham
This quote makes me laugh, makes me agree, and is the best description of writing. What I love about writing and reading books is that no two are alike, and no one can really pinpoint what the rules are. There are tons of rules out there for books, and the basic ones are always right, but everything else is fluid. What doesn’t work in one book is broken apart in another successfully.
So, that’s my list of some of my favourite quotes – I thought of loads more even as I typed, haha. So how about you guys? What quotes stick with you? Which ones would you add to the list?




ConnerThe Athol Trilogy Book 1Miranda Stork

Genre: ParanormalPublisher: Isara PressDate of Publication: April 19th, 2012
ISBN: 978-1482795585ASIN: B007VZO792
Number of pages: 297Word Count: 80,924
Cover Artist: Miranda Stork
Book Description:
Erin is a young psychologist, with no time for anything but her work, and unable to remember anything about her past. She leads an uneventful life, but a lonely one, in which she secretly wishes for a soulmate...
Conner is an unusual patient who approaches her, thrusting her into a strange world of darkness that runs beneath our own. He believes himself to be a creature of legend-a werewolf. But he also draws Erin with a roguish charm, and an irresistible feeling that seems to bind them together...
Conner desperately tries to save her from an unknown evil that pursues her with a relentless passion that crosses centuries, an evil that once took her very soul away, somewhere in Erin's lost memories.
As she becomes more entwined in a series of events that will remind her of who she really is, will she make it away from the oncoming darkness unscathed...?
Amazon US    Amazon UK    Amazon CAN

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Excerpt: Erin tossed and turned. Her bed sheets were tussled up, one pillow lying on the floor as she shifted her limbs in anguish. She was not sleeping well tonight.
...Something raced towards her, crashing through the branches and leaves. She was sobbing and running as fast as she could, but she was cold and wet, and her feet were cut and bleeding. Her clothes hung off her, soaked until they became dead weights.
A small clearing lit with brilliant sunshine danced in front of her, teasing her with the sight. She ran towards it, trying to scream for help, but her mouth was full of cotton wool, and no sound came out.Behind her, the breathing and snarling became louder and louder until it filled and echoed in her ears. Frantic, she looked around for somewhere to hide, but all she could see were trees—no, wait! There was a small hut!
Crying with happiness, Erin sprinted towards it, but she was knocked flying by something large and dark.
She turned to stare, and backed away in panic. An eight-foot black creature with burning amber eyes glared at her.
“You must never go inside! NEVER!”
Erin shot bolt upright, cold sweat dripping from her forehead and running into her eyes. She took a deep breath shakily, and snapped her bedside light on, the reassuring light flooding her bedroom.
“Oh, Erin,” she murmured to herself, wiping the sweat from her brow with a shaking hand. Glancing around her warm, safe bedroom, she relaxed and breathed in deeply. She felt stupid for taking in Conner’s stories so much. She glanced over at the clock and groaned at the early hour.
Still trembling, she slid out of bed and reached for her pink silk dressing gown. She pulled it on with a wide yawn, shaking her head to wake herself up before making her way downstairs.  Her wool carpet felt rough and very real beneath her bare feet, the perfect antidote to help bring her back into the real world. Traipsing through the silent house, she pattered through into her kitchen.
Snapping the fluorescent above on, Erin waited as its humming light came to life, allowing her to see the small kitchen, blinking at the brightness. Its tiled floors and white walls stung her sleep-deprived eyes for a moment, but Erin shuffled across the tiles to open one of her maple cupboard doors, feeling her way around the kitchen table in the centre. The door squeaked in protest on its hinges as she reached inside to take out a glass. Her eyelids heavy, she paced over to her kitchen sink, and ran water into the glass. The cool water filled up with a gurgle that only made her thirstier.
A quick movement in the shadows outside of her kitchen window caught her eye, and she darted her head up for a look, scanning the blackness of her small garden. Her heart thudded into life, hammering against her ribs in a warning staccato. Squinting harder, she leaned against the glass, her breath steaming the reflective surface up. Nothing moved, not even a wind danced across the stalks of grass outside.
“It must have been a cat or something,” Erin muttered to herself. She turned away from the window, scooping up her glass once more to take a sip, when she thought she heard a thump from outside again. It was quiet, so quiet she wondered if it had simply been the pipes all along. Her skin prickled as she listened intently, so intently that the next thump against her kitchen wall brought a sharp gasp from her.
“Alright, what the hell is that?” Erin said aloud, more bravely than she felt. She slammed her glass down on her kitchen table, the clanging noise serving only to heighten the tension. Stories about women who lived alone and ended up as a victim raced through her brain. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she slowly made her way towards the back door. Her head ached with the pressure of her pulse against her temples as she took a deep breath and unlocked her back door, flinging it wide open. As she gazed out, her eyes adjusting to the meagre light from behind, her throat dried with panic. She didn’t expect to see anything. Maybe teenagers messing around. But not this.
Standing less than six feet away from her door was a large, black wolf-like creature. It stood on four paws, but two glaring eyes focussed on Erin, very human and aware. It rose up slowly onto its back feet as it continued to stare at Erin, daring her to defy it standing there and dismiss it as shadows.Erin froze for a second, the blood draining from her body in an icy rush. The wind blew between her and the creature chillingly, echoing the dream-like state she felt. Her tongue was dry and swollen—even if she had tried to call for help, her throat would never have formed the words. The creature moved a fraction forwards, and her sense of self-preservation snapped back into life as she moved, swiftly slamming the door shut. She fumbled hurriedly with her lock, and stepped backwards towards the hallway, switching the fluorescent off by accident as her hand slid along the wall. She tripped over a chair leg, unable to see in the dark, and cried out as she hit the hard floor.
Shaking and winded, she crawled backwards to the hallway, hitting the far kitchen wall instead. Sobbing noiselessly, she reached up onto the top next to her. She moved her fingers gingerly until she touched one of her kitchen knives, left on the top from when she had made her dinner. There is no way on Earth this is real. I’m still in my nightmare. I’m still in my nightmare. I’m going to wake up in a moment. Clutching the knife to her chest, she swallowed back a cry, glancing back towards the kitchen window. What if there are more of them?

Outside, she heard the creature breathing heavily, snarling and snuffling at her doorstep. Erin yanked her knees up until she was in a foetal position, tirelessly glancing between the door and the uncovered window.  Hours passed, until eventually she heard the creature padding off, her head swimming with fatigue. Erin stayed up for what felt like hours, listening for the creature coming back, eventually falling into an uneasy sleep.
About the Author:
I'm Miranda Stork, and I'm addicted. Addicted to writing and reading books, anyway. And chocolate, but that's another issue - no interventions, please.
I live in the middle of a forest in North Yorkshire, spending my spare time as the wild woman of the woods, scaring small children and upsetting the sheep. On the days that I feel like being civilized, or I haven't got any unicorns to ride, I sit down and pour the tumbling thoughts in my head out onto digital paper. Mainly the thoughts and characters come out in paranormal form, with a good smattering of romance, because everyone likes a good cuddle. But you can also find strong elements of thrillers, myths, and even dystopia amongst the pages of all my novels. I've wanted to write books ever since I first realised that fairytales were not the newspapers of the fairy kingdom, but the imaginings of actual people who wanted to tell fancy made-up stories to other people. From that moment, I was hooked.
Why do I write? Good question. It might be easier to just keep the stories in my head, or even just to write them for myself. But I want to share them. There is no greater delight for a writer than when a reader devours your book, and declares, "Something in that novel resonated with me. And I want MORE." So grab your lucky clover and a baseball bat (there's some nasty paranormal creatures where we're going), eat the cookie with 'eat me' tagged on it, and enter through the tiny door into the world of Miranda Stork...
Blog: http://mirandastork.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/authormirandastork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mirandastork
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/writerofshadows/

Reviewers Love Conner
"5 stars! One of the best novels I have read all year!" --Nicole Hill, Author of Legacy Forgotten, 5 Stars
"You are hooked whether you like it or not! A great read." --Maxi Shelton, Author of Sold Into Marriage, 5 Stars
"'Conner' took me on a wild, fantastic and exciting ride!" --Trish Marie Dawson, Author of 'The Station' Series, 5 Stars

"Conner is a must read for all werewolf fans. It has a fresh spin on wolves, and I thought it was great." --Fictional Candy, 4 Stars 

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He’s So Fine by Marie Mason

He’s So FineMarie Mason
Genre: New Adult / College/Romantica Erotica
Publisher: Marie Mason
Date of Publication:  August 4, 2015
Number of pages: 75Word Count:  50,000
Book Description: 
Underground fighter Cage Montgomery was use to making it on his own. When a man in a two-piece suit showed up during his training session, he wasn’t the least bit curious. But Frank, his mentor and the only father figure he’d ever known, ordered him to go to the Hamptons to see his long-lost father.
Cage finds much more than that…he discovers he has a step-sister that makes his body—and his heart—feel alive for the very first time in years.
Theirs was not a forbidden love…but was it a love never meant to be?


Available at Amazon



Excerpt: Abby looked at me through the dark veil of her lashes and I could tell she was dying to ask me why I wanted a computer. She looked damn cute this morning. Her hair fell down her back in soft waves and she had on the slightest touch of makeup. Not that she needed it. She was beautifully fresh faced. Today she wore a green and brown outfit that clung to her curves in all the right places. She kept tugging at the top, pulling it away from her breasts. The action only made me want to look even more. I knew she was self-conscious of her size. Hopefully, by the end of the summer she wouldn’t have any doubts about her attractiveness to the opposite sex. I smirked as I took another drink of my protein smoothie.I could say with no false modesty that being fucked by Cage Montgomery usually ramped up a girl’s self-esteem.Taking another drink, I had to say the quality and quantity of food was much better at the Montgomery summer residence than I’d had in my entire life. I felt no qualms eating my fill. It was the least the old man could to do, feed me for one summer. It wouldn’t make up for the days I’d gone to bed hungry as a child. But then, I didn’t know if anything could. Except maybe making sure no kid of mine ever did.“You can use mine. It’s not the latest, but it will get you on the net and there’s a word processing program—”“You don’t have to sell it to me. As long as I can get on the sites I need, I’m good.”She walked across the room and took her backpack from the floor. I noticed that even when she went off with her posse, she took her backpack. I watched as her ass cheeks juggled and wondered if she was wearing a thong. I loved slipping my fingers beneath a woman’s clothes and filling my hand with a plump ass cheek.When she straightened back up, she was biting her lower lip. I just stared at her, realizing she wasn’t doing it on purpose. She had no fucking idea how much that turned me on. How much I wanted to lean down and suck her full lower lip into my mouth and ravage it with my teeth.“I, um.”“Spit it out, Sis.”“I don’t have an anit-virus program. So if you, ‘em—”“So if I get on my kinky websites, I better be careful and not give you something?”“I didn’t mean anything.”
“Don’t worry, babe, I’m clean.”
 About the Author:
Marie loves anything romance. Give her a story about curvy gals and alpha males and she’s one happy person. She writes what she likes to read. All of her stories feature a big, buffed man who takes one look at the woman meant to be his and falls down on his knees. Each of her stories comes with a happily-ever-after all their own.
Amazon http://tinyurl.com/mariemasonromance
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marie.mason.395017  
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Mason-Romance-Author/637597242928971  
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/22998665-marie-mason  
Twitter https://twitter.com/mariemasonwrite  




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Blood and Metal A Dark Desires Novel by Nina Croft

Blood and MetalA Dark Desires NovelNina Croft
Release Date: 25 August 2015
Genre: Sci-fi/paranormal/romance
Publisher: Entangled
Book Description:
Copilot of the Blood Hunter, Daisy is a newly-turned vampire, and she's hungry. Really hungry and it’s interfering with her plans for revenge. Unfortunately, the only thing that can distract her from said hunger is sex...which is a problem when she can barely refrain from draining any man dry within moments. But old flame Fergal Cain might just be the sexy-assed solution to her problem.
Part human, part cyborg, and with a poison coursing through his system, Fergal's running out of time to find the scientist who has the cure. Unfortunately for him, the misfit crew of the Blood Hunter put a serious kink in his plans. And if the poison doesn't kill him, the hot little vamp he can't resist might do the honors herself...
Amazon     BN    Entangled     Goodreads

About the Author:
Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of nine-to-five work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.
Nina writes all types of romance, often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction.
Website: http://www.ninacroft.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nina_Croft
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nina.Croft.author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NinaCroft.Writer
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rZ5rz

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August 27 Guest blogMusings and Ramblingshttp://musingsandramblings.net
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August 28 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
August 31 Guest blogUrban Fantasy Investigationhttp://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
August 31 ReviewGothicMoms http://gothicmoms.blogspot.com
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September 2 SpotlightBooklover Sue http://bookloversue.blogspot.com
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September 4 Interview Literary Musingswww.literarymusing.weebly.com
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September 7 Spotlight
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Writing to Release the Angel: Guest Blog and Giveaway with Judith Ingram

My passion for writing grows from a twofold gift I believe all writers share: the ability to see visions and the need to share those visions with others.The 16th-century artist Michelangelo once wrote: "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." He also said, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."Because I am a writer, I am always looking for angels in the marble. Then I can't rest until I find words to help others see what I see.This passion holds true whether I write romantic fiction or inspirational nonfiction. It's true whether I am preparing a speech for writers or lessons for a Bible study class. It's true whether I write to entertain, to instruct, or to encourage.Writers are driven to discover truth that is hidden from others. We find connections that others overlook. We recognize patterns and archetypes in everyday events and search for paradigms to make sense of what we see.Then we write about what we see. We hone our skills by taking writing classes and attending conferences. We practice story arcs and perfect our grammar. We might labor for days over a few paragraphs to get them just right. We submit our work to critique groups and bear the pain of honest criticism.Why? Because we want to express our vision as effectively, as accurately, and as persuasively as we can. We yearn so desperately for others to see what we see that we might find ourselves driven out of bed in the middle of the night to set down that perfect string of words before we forget them.That's not to say that a writer's life is all about desperation and drive. Joy is, in fact, a key element for successful writing. Writers who enjoy their giftedness infuse their writing with energy that resonates with readers. When I find my "sweet spot"—that groove where writing is sheer pleasure—my joy in writing gives me emotional confidence to express my vision boldly and authentically.
Which brings me to my final point: Not everyone likes what I write! The angel I see in the marble is not the same one that Stephen King sees, or Dan Brown or Suzanne Collins. Different readers will respond differently to what I have to say. The wise writer learns not to take criticisms too personally. Our job is simply to write what we see as accurately and as artfully as we can and then, with grace and humility, offer our angels to the world. Into the MistMoonseed TrilogyBook 3Judith Ingram
Genre:  paranormal romance
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing, LLCDate of Publication: July 30, 2015
Number of pages: Word Count:  91,500
Cover Artist:  Elaina Lee/For the Muse Designs
Book Description: 
For the past six months, time-traveler Victoria Ashton has been living life as Katherine Kamarov on a ranch in rural California, circa 1890. A contrast to Katherine’s brash personality, shy and gentle Victoria has won the hearts of Katherine’s family and particularly her cousin Michael. Despite her deepening love for Michael, she has rejected his offer of marriage and sent him away, knowing that she must return to her own time on the night of the new spring moon.
In this third and final book of the series, sinister forces threaten Victoria’s new family, her property, and even her life, testing her for courage and ingenuity. A confident new self emerges, and when Michael unexpectedly walks back into her life, she questions whether she must remain a victim of fate or can find a way to determine her own future.
Meanwhile, Katherine has been living a parallel year of exchange in Victoria’s modern-day life, married to the handsome but remote Ryan Ashton. Hardened by her past, Katherine nevertheless falls for Ryan and, like Victoria, begins to search for a way to defy fate and keep the life she has come to cherish.
As the night of the new spring moon approaches, both women must search their hearts to discover how to hold onto what matters most, even if they should be forced back through the barrier of time.
Excerpt:
He didn’t hear her slide the door open and step out behind him. Her arms circled his waist, and the faint scent of ginger spice shot twin arrows of joy and pain through his body. Wordlessly, he turned and brought his mouth down on hers. Enveloped in the soft twilight hush, they shared a kiss that was deep and long and achingly sweet. When they pulled reluctantly apart, Ryan let his eyes linger over her, already naming the vision being etched in his memory. This is how my love looked in twilight.She was wearing her white robe, and her blond hair curled softly, just brushing her shoulders. It’s gotten longer, Ryan thought. He suddenly wanted her to cut it again, as if keeping her hair short would somehow help her to keep her claim on this body—on this life—and prevent Vicki from coming back.Tori moved to the rail and stared out over the city deepening into dusk. “It’s started, Ryan,” she said quietly.He moved to stand beside her. “What’s started?”She turned and leaned an elbow on the rail, holding him with a steady gaze. “What we’ve dreaded. I dreamed about the bridge.” She lifted a shoulder. “It’s only a week away. I should have expected it.” She drew in a breath that trembled. “She was already there, standing on the bridge. Waiting for me.”At his look, she put out her hand and covered his. “Don’t hate her, Ryan. She didn’t ask for this to happen any more than I did.” She smiled faintly. “I would have, though, if I’d known you would be here. I wouldn’t have missed this time with you for anything. No matter what happens, I’ll carry you in my heart until the day I die.”Ryan couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. He could do nothing but stare at her in mute despair.She turned her back on the glittering city and leaned both elbows on the rail, staring through the glass doors into their living room. The soft light of the table lamps was growing imperceptibly brighter as the dusk surrendered to night.“Do you ever wonder, Ryan, what Victoria will be like when she comes back?”“She’s not coming back.” His voice cracked.“She’s had a whole year, Ryan, just like me. A lot can happen in a year. She may surprise you.”“She won’t get the chance.” His jaw tightened. “I’m not letting you go, Tori. I can’t. Vicki doesn’t belong here anymore. This is your home, with Christina and me.” He covered the crack in his voice with harshness. “How can you stand there and calmly talk about Vicki coming back while you just up and vanish from our lives? Like it’s already decided, like it’s so easy for you—”


About the Author:
Judith Ingram weaves together her love of romance and mystery as well as her training as a counselor to create stories and characters for her novels. She is also the author of a Christian guide to forgiving and posts weekly devotionals on the role of forgiveness in healing relationships. She lives with her husband in the San Francisco East Bay and makes frequent trips to beautiful Sonoma County, where many of her fiction characters reside. She confesses a love for chocolate, cheesecake, romantic suspense novels, movies that require three hankies, and all things feline.
Website, blog and free weekly devotional: http://JudithIngram.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudithIngramAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@judithingram20
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/judith-ingram/a/122/62
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5356538.Judith_Ingram

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Girl Code- Anthology of 4 stories: HOPE, LIVE, FAITH and PERSISTENCE

Girl CodeAnthology of 4 stories:HOPE, LIVE,FAITH and PERSISTENCEJessica Jayne, Lea Brosen,Cait Jarrod, DC Stone
Genre: erotic romance, contemporary romance,romantic suspense
Date of Publication: July 31, 2015
ASIN: B00X602S8I
Word Count: Each story is between 35k-40k words
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Book Description:
Four best friends struggle with decisions that affect their lives, their hearts, and their futures. As sisters, they embrace the Girl Code.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/0qF5HnFUKvE
Available at Amazon

All proceeds from sales are being donated to The Wounded Warrior Project
HOPE – Jessica Jayne
Josephine "Joey" Lockhart escapes her past, herself and her home town of Pearl, Ohio to Florida after high school. Years later, she meets a man that refuses to let her hide behind her camera lens and encourages her out of her shell. Will he be the one to push her to feel for the first time?


Excerpt Hope:Deep in thought, he hadn’t noticed Joey inching her way toward the garage until it was too late. She stood in front of him holding the hose nozzle like she was about to shoot a pistol, with a shit-eating grin.“Don’t you fucking dare.” His helmet muffled his warning, but the cocked eyebrow indicated she’d heard him just fine.“Or what?” He flipped off his helmet and tossed it away from the ATV so the inevitable water fight didn’t ruin it. He turned off the four-wheeler and stashed the key in his pocket. “Do you really want to find out?”“Maybe I do,” she sassed him, and he chuckled. He liked this playful, ballsy side of her. He’d had a glimpse of it a few times over the months, but she always tried to keep it in check. Today—however, she was balls to the wall. “Then go for it. I dare you. I triple dog fucking dare you.” He stood with a foot on each platform straddling the ATV with his hands resting on the handlebars. She pushed the trigger. Hot water pelted him in the chest as the hose cleared the water that had been sitting in the line all day. Two seconds later, cold water showered him, hitting him in the face, the chest, and she even had the audacity to aim for his groin. Hurdling over the ATV, his feet splashed in the mud created by her water escapade. Screaming, she dropped the hose and ran through his back yard. He followed. She had some speed. He’d give her that. All the running she did at the beach paid off, but he was faster. In ten strides, he wrapped an arm around her middle. Her legs dangled in the air as he swung her around and walked her back to the garage area. “Stop, Talon! Stop!” She kicked and wriggled attempting to escape, but he tightened his hold.“I warned you, didn’t I?” Still holding her with one arm, he bent and swiped the hose off the ground.“Talon Manness! You wouldn’t,” she shrieked. “You don’t know me too well then, Sweetness.” He held the nozzle as far as his arm could stretch so as not to hurt her from the force of the water. Squeezing the trigger, he sprayed her hair until not a single strand remained dry, and brown rivulets streaked her face and arms from the mud. Then, he targeted her tank top, before releasing his hold on her and aiming the nozzle at her lower body. She dashed in the direction of a tree, but wasn’t quick enough to avoid getting the back of her pants drenched. “Truce,” she yelled from behind the tree. She peeked around. Her hair hung in matted clumps. Black smudged under her eyes from her mascara. He snickered, and sprayed in her direction again. Her head ducked behind. “Come on out, Joey. This hose can stretch pretty far. I don’t want to come out and get you, but I will.” “I’m already soaking wet.” Her voice sounded shrill.“Then getting wetter should be no big deal.” “I can’t get any wetter. It’s a waste of your time.” She peeked around the other side of the tree, and he blasted her again. “Arrggh!”



About Jessica Jayne:
Jessica is a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in English because she could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing.In the journey of life, she obtained her law degree (and bar license) and also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure.
Website: www.jessicajayne.com/blog
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6545547.Jessica_Jayne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jessica-Jayne/388268367912903
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thejessicajayne/
Twitter: @JessicaJayne13
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Jayne/e/B00BTIL6V4/
LIVE – Lea Brosen
After seven years in drug hell, detoxing Juliette "Juls" Carrington returns to her hometown Pearl to attend her grandmother's burial. Once more rejected by her family, she has a swim in a pond nearby when a mysterious camper, an ex-drunk, coaxes her to come to his hut in the woods. Together they must fight their inner demons for a chance to love...and live.
About Lea Brosen
Lea Bronsen likes her reads fast, hot, and edgy, and strives to give her own stories the same intensity. After venturing into dirty inner-city crime drama with her debut novel Wild Hearted, she divides her writing time between psychological thriller, romantic suspense, and erotic contemporary romance.
FAITH – Cait Jarrod
Selena Bodine escaped into the United States Air Force to leave behind a painful past and the one man who she refused to let herself love. Years later, an urgent call from her father brings her back to Pearl, Ohio and face to face with the man she still loves. But will the secret that Cullen is investigating her threaten their second chance?
About Cait Jarrod:
From writing ‘every girl’s dream heroes’ to ‘strong, down-to-earth heroines,’ Cait Jarrod twists ‘cliff hanging plots’ and ‘clever, unpredictable sub-plots’. She loves diving into a good book as much as she loves writing one. Mother of three gorgeous daughters, she’s married to her best friend, hangs out with a great group of women—the WWC, and loves a good glass of wine.
PERSISTENCE – DC Stone
Laydi Michaels has been running away from her past and bad memories for years. Finding herself wasn’t an easy task, but she’s managed to finally get to a point to where she wants to be. Only to wake up married to her boss….who fired her the night before. Wrapped in a case that puts her life in danger, and dealing with a grave situation back home in Pearl, Laydi figures out she wasn’t close to finding herself, and now, she’s risked everything.
About DC Stone:
DC Stone has over sixteen years of investigative experience, including working as a criminal investigator in the United States military anda private investigator. Currently, she works as an internal affairs investigator by day and a romantic suspense author by night. She has herMaster’s degree in Criminal Justice and is dubbed, “The Investigative Whisper.” Commonly called upon to act as an expert witness, she also trains with local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. She provides numerous workshops that help authors gain insight into “digging” into a character’s mind to better understand motives, create suspense, and help maintain conflict.

When she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hudson Valley Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She served as the 2014 Vice President and Conference Chair for NJRW. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, or her at www.authordcstone.com.


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Bewitching Book Tours Sale

10% off any tour package scheduled by August 31
Bewitching currently has available openings for September 28 and throughout the rest of 2015
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A Review of the Dark Temptress Costume from Costume Supercenter

Red and black are my favorite colors so I just had to pick this costume. It's Goth and Vampy and I love it. Reminds me of Morticia Addams.

This is a great item to have in my closet, I can use it as a costume base.

Just add the right accessories and this can be used for a number of different costumes- obviously the first would a vampire. Just add some pale makeup and a drop or two of fake blood.

Add a crystal ball, Tarot cards, and other fortune telling accessories and become a Gypsy, Fortune Teller, or Psychic.

Add a wand and magickal items and be a witch or sorceress.

What would you become in this Gothic Gown?

I am brainstorming on the accessories I will add.

It fits perfect and has a seductive hood to give me a mysterious look when I want to hide and be all vampy in it. :-) I think I'm going to add a corset to amplify my curves and sexiness and make this costume really rock.

I am a little worried about the texture of the fabric (100% polyester), when I tried it on it felt a little scratchy but I am super sensitive to fabric textures so a normal person probably won't even notice. I am going to wash it a few times and use fabric softener to see if it softens it up a bit.

If you need a quick, simple costume or a dress that is a good base for multiple costumes then this will be a perfect addition to your costume collection.

If you are looking for a Gothic, vampirish costume for Halloween this year check out the New Gothic Costumes available at Costume Supercenter.

And be sure to follow Costume SuperCenter on Twitter for access to great deals and sales.

The Characters of The Blue Effect by Rose Shababy

The Blue EffectRenegade HeroesBook OneRose Shababy
Genre: Adult Urban Sci-fi/Fantasy
Date of Publication: September 8th, 2014
Cover Artist: Regina Wamba
Book Description:
Blue Brennan is jaded and bitter despite her pinup girl looks and quick wit. Night after night, she scours the Seattle club scene looking for someone or something to fill the emptiness inside.
When she meets the mysterious Kasey, her world stops… literally. He claims she has the ability to control time and stuns her even further when he reveals his own gifts.
Blue is inexplicably drawn to Kasey and reluctantly enters his world filled with a new breed of humanity. They’re misfits like her, blessed or cursed with powerful abilities, struggling to hide their differences from the rest of society.
Then the group discovers a nameless, faceless sociopath with nightmarish powers; and he’s coming for Blue. She’s left reeling when they discover her gifts are the key to defeating his terrible evil and saving them all.
Now she must race against the clock to harness her own powers and save her new friends. Can she be more than a renegade? Can she be a hero too?
Available at Amazon  

Excerpt:
“How do you do that?” I asked, finding my voice. I looked around the dance floor, at all the people frozen like 3D photographs. It didn’t make sense that I wasn’t scared by the situation at hand, but fear didn’t factor into my emotional state at all. I also wondered what it would be like to walk through the crowd and note all their bodily contortions and facial expressions, but I held back. At the moment I was more interested in hearing what this man had to say. “How did you make everything stop?”“As to how I do what I do, I can only tell you that I do it. I know someone that can explain the how better than I. As to this,” he waggled a finger toward the still figures in the room, “this is all you. I can only help you … amplify what you had inside you to begin with.”It was my turn to laugh, but it was humorless and harsh. “What are you talking about?”“You have felt different all your life, no?”“Sure. But doesn’t everybody?” I answered with an eye roll and looked around the room again. “Look at these morons. They’re all playing dress up, hiding their real selves from each other. But the truth is they’re desperate to find someone to love them. Hoping they’ll be important to someone, anyone, because they sure as hell don’t feel important to themselves. Hoping they’ll actually matter. Hoping that someone can take away the emptiness they feel every time they look in the mirror.”He shook his head. “You are talking about yourself, not them. And they are not all like that. They are not the lifeless paper dolls you think they are, not even the ones trying so hard to stand out. And neither are you.”His words confused me, and I felt myself growing angry. “Who are you?” I didn’t like the things he made me feel anymore, and I longed for the simplicity of the liquored-up daze I’d enjoyed earlier. I wanted to run away from him, but in the same moment I realized that nothing could have made me turn away from this strange man.“My name is Kasimir Korsak. My friends call my Kasey. I would very much like to include you in that group.”I shook my head. “If you know so much about me, you would know that I don’t have friends.” I put as much disdain into the last word as I could. I might want to find out more about the things that were happening, but that didn’t mean I trusted him. “Besides, what possible reason do I have to believe anything you say?”His eyes were still steady on mine when he spoke. “You already trust me, Blue. You do not want to admit it because I am a stranger, but deep down you believe me because you hear truth in my words. You look around the room and see truth. You are different. Special.” He held out his hands, palms up in a gesture of openness. “You are like me, only you have not learned how to use your abilities yet.”Abilities? I gaped at him. What the hell does that mean?We stood in the strange, echoless silence, neither of us taking our eyes off the other. I wanted his words to be true. I wanted the differentness I’d always felt to be something special, wanted it with an urgency that pierced through the numbness. In the few moments I’d spent with this man I’d felt more emotions than I’d felt in years.The realization finally brought forth fear, but it also brought excitement, and I wanted more. If his words were true, and he and I were alike, maybe that meant I actually belonged somewhere.“I can show you if you let me.” He smiled again and as we stared at one another, thoughts that weren’t mine raced through my head.Give me a chance to show you. There are others like us. You do not have to be alone anymore.“Why should I?”“What are your options?” He smiled. “Someone once said, ‘I may never be what I want to be, what I ought to be, but how will I know unless I try?’ That is all I am asking you to do, try.”“Who said that?”He grinned wider. “A superhero.”I rolled my eyes. “You’re kidding, right? This isn’t a fucking comic book.”

About the Author:
Rose Shababy and her family reside in eastern Washington State. Rose grew up in the Northwest but swears she’s going to move to warmer climates someday. She’s claimed this for over 20 years, however, and has yet to move more than 75 miles away from her mother.
Rose has a deep love of all things Star Trek and yearns to travel the heavens, as well as an intense desire to be bitten by a radioactive spider.
Unfortunately she sucks at science and math so she hasn’t been able bring her dreams to life, instead living vicariously through books, comics, television and film. She hopes to someday make a million dollars so she can afford to buy her way to the international space station, but she’d settle for being able to fly around the world and leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Rose also loves to cook and worked for years in a gourmet Italian grocery and deli where she learned to hone her skills. She prepares culinary masterpieces for her family, but fervently wishes the dishes would wash themselves. Especially now that her dishwashers/children are nearly grown and only one still lives at home.

Rose likes to use her free time wisely. For instance, she likes to daydream, will often read for hours until she falls asleep on the couch with an electric blanket and a warm tabby cat curled up on her hip, as well as spending cozy weekend days watching Syfy movies like Sharknado and Mega Piranha with her husband.
If Rose were a cartoon animal, she’d prefer to be a wise old owl or a sleek and sexy jaguar, but in reality she’d probably be a myopic mole with coke-bottle glasses.
http://roseshababy.com/
http://roseshababy.com/category/roses-brain/ 
https://www.facebook.com/rose.shababy
https://twitter.com/RoseShababy
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6063741-rose-shababy
https://www.pinterest.com/roseshababy/

Guest Blog with Ceci Giltenan- Tantalizing Tidbits

My Inspiration for Tantalizing Tidbits … or Where This Crazy Idea Came From, by Ceci Giltenan

One of the great gifts of being an author is finding oneself in the company of other people who are chasing the same dream. Over time, one can’t help but learn a few things. Perhaps the most fundamental truth amongst our kind is that authors write.They write a lot. They have fanciful ideas with which they fill files and notebooks. Even when authors find a genre they love and at which they are successful, they often try new things—just because. Sometimes these flights of ideas give birth to short stories which get savored and tucked away but often never see the light of day.This is a collection of those short stories from an eclectic mix of styles and genres. They range from ultra-short but spine tingling, to meatier tales that are nearly novellas. The reader will find comedy, tragedy, fantasy, werewolves and even a ghost. Of course there is romance, it is bread and butter for many of us. The romance ranges from sweet, new love to steamy, flush-inducing erotic stories.  There is love and life and death.In a word, this book is a smorgasbord; an opportunity to try a bit of everything. So, we have presented it as a menu. The first section, “Appetizers” contains small samples of a variety of genres. “Main Courses” are longer, meatier works, and finally, “Desserts” contain short, delicious stories, many romantic or funny, one is even erotic.In the spirit of the smorgasbord, authors have shared recipes which accompany each story—some fitting, some funny, some simply old favorites.
We hope you find a few tidbits you enjoy.
Tantalizing TidbitsCeci Giltenan, Tarah Scott, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Victoria Barbour, Natasha Blackthorne, Ria Cantrell, Stephanie Joyce Cole, Kimberly K. Comeau, Kathryn Lynn Davis, Ted Grosch, Brenda Margriet, Mary McCall, Kate Robbins, John Robin, HD Smith, KyAnn Waters, and Victoria Zak

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Literary, Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical, Women’s Fiction, Highland Romance, Humor, Erotica
Publisher: Cridhe Works LLC
Date of Publication:  July 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9909513-2-2ASIN: B011YLKTWM
Number of pages: 411Word Count: 163,205
Cover Artist: Zak James Design
Book Description:
A collection of short stories written by bestselling authors, representing an eclectic mix of styles and genres. In a word, this book is a smorgasbord; an opportunity to try a bit of everything.
In the spirit of the smorgasbord, the collection is presented as a menu and authors have shared recipes which accompany each story—some fitting, some funny, some simply old favorites.
Ranging from ultra-short but spine tingling, to meatier tales that are nearly novellas there is a little something for every appetite including comedy, tragedy, fantasy, werewolves, at least one ghost, life, death, and of course love.
Dig in. We hope you find at least one tidbit you enjoy.

Available at Amazon
Appetizers
Savory fare for smaller appetites - short stories from a wide range of styles and genres.
The Motorcycleby Tarah ScottParanormal fiction3074 words
No man can ever fully master memory. But maybe, just maybe, he can learn to live with it. Even be glad for it. Even if that means reaching across space, time...and the grave.
Ida and the Nor’easterby Victoria BarbourContemporary fiction8014 words
Is there such a thing as a curse? With a storm looming on the horizon, 98-year-old Ida Walsh fears a repeat of the terrible events of her childhood. Will her indomitable wit and resilience be enough to save the day?
Gardensby Stephanie Joyce ColeLiterary fiction4225 words
Anne begins to question the rigid limitations of her new marriage as she spies on a mysterious neighbor.
One Who Waitsby John RobinEpic Fantasy6538 wordsContains moderate violence
Al'a will die at his father's hands, unless he can master a forbidden magic.Al'a Solaris, born into the Sun Priesthood, only wanted to prove his worth to his father when he delved into forbidden magic. Now, he must die at his father's hands, to restore honor to his bloodline. But the blade his father wields is also his final hope -- if only Al’a can discover its secret and master the fire within.
The Holeby Ted GroschLiterary fiction
Just exactly why is Bernie digging that hole?
The Spirit Bottleby Ted GroschLiterary fiction
A bushman's duty is his legacy for the tribe.
The Summonsby Ria CantrellParanormal romance5477 words
Contains mildly explicit sexual scenes
A magical journey where love knows no boundaries, the Summons combines romantic and ethereal love in a mystical setting.

Main Courses
Hearty fare to satisfy larger literary appetites.
The Seventh Sisterby Sue-Ellen WelfonderParanormal romance12,439 words
A story of love, legend, and magicDown-on-her-luck American artist Maggie Gleason returns to Ireland, hoping to put old hurts behind her. Instead, revisiting the fishing village that enchanted her twelve years before only reopens wounds – until the unexpected appearance of roguish pub owner Conall Flanagan proves that the Ancient Isle is a magical place where anything can happen and true love always stands the test of time.
Falling in Timeby Sue-Ellen WelfonderTime travel romance/11,090 words
When love calls across the ages…
Aspiring writer Lindy Lovejoy knows all about happy endings. But when she travels to Scotland to research Celtic myth and lore, she never expected a chance to live her own storybook romance, until a stop at mystical Smoo Cave whisks her back in time and into the arms of Rogan MacGraith, a Highland hero who’d burn up the pages of the steamiest Scottish romance novel.
Clouds Across the Moonby Kathryn Lynn DavisHistorical Women’s Fiction17,151 words
In the 19th century Scottish Highlands, young Morna struggles with new motherhood, her child’s illness, and her inability to compete with her husband's idealized vision of her. Will she have faith in the magic of her dreams, and thus find the strength to save her child’s life--and her own--as she begins to recognize the truth and depth of the woman she really is?”
The Lady’s Portraitby Kate RobbinsContemporary Romance17,332 words
Contains mild to moderate sexually explicit scenes
When Gillian Beaton meets the captivating Ciaran MacLeod, she’s immediately attracted, but is she ready to trust again? Have her demons followed her to Scotland and can new love grow out of old heartbreak?
His Harlot by Natasha Blackthorne Historical Erotic Romance23,018 words
*Contains extremely explicit sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*
Late one night, in the midst of a summer’s hot spell, Thomas spies Rosalind in the woods, clad only in her shift, dancing in the moonlight. It’s really more than a man celibate for three years can bear. Thomas is in danger of falling into a sin so powerful it threatens to challenge everything he thinks he knows about himself and life…
Sneak Peek at Highland Legacy: King Arthur Strikes Backby Mary McCallMedieval Highland Romance12,494 word
Michael wed Christina when he was nine and she was three, then promptly went about his life and tried to forget about her. Now the pair must unite to thwart the Beast, return the Power of God that was stolen by their ancestors, and save the world in an epic battle between the forces of good and evil.*Please note, this is NOT a short story, it is an extended preview of Mary’s next novel, book III in her Sisters by Choice series due for release soon. It is a taste of things to come and while it does not end on a cliff-hanger, it is not a complete story.*

Desserts
Looking for something lighter or perhaps a happy ending? The stories in this section won’t disappoint you. They are shorter and mostly romantic, or funny, or both.
Onyxby H.D. SmithParanormal fiction7099 words
Contains mild violence and a frustrating lack of S’mores
For those that like it short and sweet
Madison Monroe thinks she has everything in life figured out, until one ill-fated camping trip has her running for her life through the woods being chased by two wolves—both eager to claim her.
The Life She Had Beforeby Brenda Margriet
Contemporary Romance5429 words
A woman is torn between bitter revenge and the sweetness of a second chance.
Hi. My Name is Harold by Kimberly K. Comeau Humor3778 words
Is there light at the bottom of an empty peanut butter jar?
For Harold, giving up peanuts for medical reasons means the end of life's greatest pleasure…until his wife introduces him to all-natural peanut butter. But his addictive personality isn't satisfied with an occasional indulgence.
The Jewel of Grim Fortressby Victoria ZakParanormal historical romance7105 words
Eradicating wayward supernaturals has its consequences.The hereafter may be closer than Carson Kincaid thinks when he is charged to discover what ails Laird Maclean’s mind. Can Kincaid conquer his inner demons while battling the armies of evil?

Paisley Shaw, a powerful druid, has endured her share of hardened times starting the moment Laird Maclean stormed into her life. Now, she must find a way to stop him from taking her powers before it’s too late.
Beautiful Storm,by KyAnn WatersErotic romance7073 words                                                                                                    *Contains extremely explicit sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*
Adrian Beck lost everything, including his passion for designing beautiful buildings, after 9/11.Isabelle Clemet, of Clemet Hotels, is ready to rebuild after Katrina. She wants the Adrian.Can an erotic late-night encounter on a secluded beach help a lonely architect rediscover his lost passion?
When a Rose Blooms,by Tarah ScottHistorical romance4353 words
On the anniversary eve of his wife's death, Nathaniel kneels at her grave asking questions he fears were answered the night she died. Despite cold solitude, desire flares when he learns the woman who now haunts his dreams awaits him in the great hall. By morning’s light, she will meet him on the battlefield he has built around himself, and force him to choose between the living and the dead
Sorry for Your Troubleby Ceci GiltenanVignette1913 words
Ceci shares poignant but sometimes funny memories of the first funeral she attended in Ireland.
The Personal Adby Ceci GiltenanContemporary sweet romance4211 words

Always the best friend and never the leading lady, will Nina find love when she answers a quirky, sweet personal ad?


Excerpt from: Tantalizing Tidbits … Short Story: The Jewel of Grim Fortress - Paranormal Historical Romance – By: Victoria Zak
Chapter 1
Medieval Scotland Isle of Mull
The clanging of steel on steel echoed throughout the stronghold as Clan Maclean warriors battled to defend their laird. Warriors of every caliber bit and punched their targes until their blood ran to the dirt floor. They growled and snarled like wild beasts, charging forward down the wide staircase with all their might. There was no denying it, these men were willing to die for their laird and today, unfortunately for them, most would.
Dodging a flying Maclean shield before slicing his cheek, Kincaid rolled his eyes and blew out a breath of frustration. “This shite is getting old, me brother.” Being a paranormal assassin, fighting the supernatural was a daunting, unpredictable occupation, but one he had to do.
“Och, man, where’s yer sense of adventure?” Cailean, his brother in arms, huffed as he sliced through a warrior’s gut. “Plus, ye need the coin for rent.”
Aye, a blacksmith’s son was in no matter born into riches or noble birth. Yet, one small characteristic seemed to have been forgotten through the ages. Not only could a smith forge steel into a fine sword fit for a king, but he possessed a special kind of magic. Magic strong enough to be passed down from generation to generation. Magic that could detect supernatural activity. It was something special, secret. Yet Kincaid thought differently. Charmed yet cursed.
“Aye, I suppose ye’re right, brother.” Kincaid knocked heads with a weaponless warrior who had thought it a good idea to charge him. The man fell to the ground. Kincaid kicked the motionless body down the stairs, shaking his head in disgust while he caught his breath. Hunting the wayward paranormal was growing old on him. The visions of unnatural activity that always led him to his next quest had become stronger, wearing on him mentally. The unending string of missions was also taking a toll on his body. Vampire bites, werewolf scratches, and conniving demons, he had scars from them all, but nothing came close to dealing with the Fae. Aye, every scar came with a price; his soul.