Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 426

Interview and Giveaway Glimpse of Darkness by Nicole Delacroix

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I was born in Frankfurt, Germany, my mother is a German national and my father was in the US military.  My father was military so we moved around a great deal, and making friends for me was difficult.  So my mother bought me a diary when I was 10 and I would scribble in it all the time. From that point on, I learned to live in my head and write everything down, so I guess I owe my mother for making me into a writer.  As for inspiration, I’ve always had a deep love for the paranormal and fantasy genre, so when you begin writing you write what you love.
What is it about the paranormal that fascinates you so much?
While my book doesn’t have vampires in it, I do love vampire stories and books.  I think for me I like the mystery and taboo of the subject.  In older literature, vampirism is a metaphor for intimacy, so knowing this I always let my mind wander when I read such stories.  Trying to think, how would someone from the Victorian era have viewed this?
What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve always had a fascination with angels and the story of the Nephilim.  I had been studying religious texts (for fun) and kept digging deeper into the legend.  Before I knew it I was seven books deep and could name all the listed fallen angels.  That’s when the story first began brewing.
Please tell us about your latest release.
Glimpse of Darkness is book 1 of a planned 4 book series that will follow the main characters, Daniel and Charlie, all over the world in a search for her missing father and her missing birthright.  Without giving too much away, there will be twists and turns along the way as well as an alternative history to some interesting events in history.  I’ve flushed out the story from beginning to end long before I began working on the first book, so I know exactly what will happen in each volume of the series and I know where the story ultimately ends.  My only “up in the air” item is that I was toying with the idea of making it a trilogy instead of 4 full books, so the number of volumes may change, but the story remains the same.
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 have a number of books for names, so usually I have an idea of what I’m looking for and just use the book or the internet to make a final selection.  I like using real places in my books so the internet is a huge help on that.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
I’m not sure that challenging is the word I would use, but I knew that I wanted Daniel to have certain abilities and for me I had to research every aspect of what those abilities would do to a human body.  I found the research tedious at times, but I think that once the second book comes out (where I’ll be focusing more on Daniel) the hours will have paid off.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I think I’m a bit of an oddball, as I tend to like the periphery characters more than the main characters.  For me, my favorite character is a tie between Fifi and Mo, they are so very distinctly different characters and their backstories were the most interesting to write.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
I actually have a character questionnaire that has fifty questions.  I sort of do an interview with the character and then develop what I think they should look like.  That way I have their personality developed prior to what they look like.  I will say that limiting the questions allows some personality quirks to appear when I’m writing them, but I find a solid foundation makes it easiest for me. 
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
I really loved the scene where Daniel is explaining how angels don’t age and what angels really do on this planet… Here’s part of my favorite part – Daniel is the first speaker:
"Would you prefer the technical answer, like in scientific format, or would you prefer the easy answer?" He was enjoying being playful with such a serious discussion, it had been so long since he'd been so engaged by someone. She chewed her bottom lip in thought, "hmmm... I think technical with a side of scientific if you please." Daniel laughed under his breath, she really was a refreshing breath of air, she thought him crazy but here she was trying to wrap her mind around the concept. 
"Alright. Technical it is. My body and cells are not the same as yours are. In fact, the only way to explain it correctly is to think of the starfish. If it were to lose a limb it can regenerate a new one. It's not the same. If I were to lose a limb I couldn't regenerate a new one, but my cells are able to constantly regenerate themselves, in truth my cells are in a perpetual state of mitosis. The main benefit is that I can live for an indefinite period of time as long as my cells continue to regenerate. Eventually as I grow older I will start to look like I'm aging and my cells won't be able to replicate as fast. For example, I know that Sam is far older than I am and yet he still appears to be the same age as me." 
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
I did.  I went through 7 different books on the subject and actually found a rare book that listed the names of all the angels and the different choirs.  I found it fascinating that most people believe in angels, but really don’t know much about them.  There is very little information about them in the bible itself and unless you’re a theology student, you really don’t have a clue. 

 Can these books be read as stand alones?
The first book sets the main story.  In my outline for book 2, you will gain some additional information, but if someone were to skip book 2 I think they would get the heart of the story without all the details.  I think book one and three are the heart of the story, even though book 2 will add needed backstory and there will be a few incidents in book 2 that may confuse some readers if they skip. 
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Well I didn’t see it, but my best friend said that I was so much like Fifi that she thought I should have named her Nicole.  I didn’t see it, but after reading the book again I see that Fifi and I do share that precocious nature and a playful air.  So without choosing to do so I guess a little bit of me appears in all my characters.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I have to remember to not kick myself when I'm down. That’s how you give an invitation to writer’s block to come in and stay awhile.  A few of the tips I like to use when I’m feeling that “pause” coming on:

Take a walk
Be productive (do something else)
Write exercises (write an anecdote)
Step outside your comfort zone (write another genre)
Write a biography
Write a profile of someone you admire

Now I’ll admit in the pinch of the moment, I’ll immediately turn to Solitaire or World of Warcraft (that’s 6 hours I’ll never get back – and no one is ever ready for a raid!).   I turn off the internal editor and just write, even if it’s just something silly.  I write what I did the last time I was drunk.  (I never seem to  run out of those stories!)
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
I think most writers are creatures of habit.  I like to have a clean desk – I hate clutter around me when I work.  Beyond that, I like to listen to classical music or David Garrett when I write.  I like music without lyrics when I work.
Do you write in different genres?
I have tried my hand at non-fiction and I’m even working on a horror/ghost story at the moment.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Not really, in fact I find it helps me stretch my writing muscles. 
When did you consider yourself a writer?
I’m a firm believer in you dress for the job you want, so once I decided that I wanted to make some sort of living at writing, I started calling myself a writer.  It wasn’t until I finished writing my first book that I changed that term to author.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Chocolate, Chocolate and um… Chocolate… Oh did I mention, Chocolate?
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I'm an avid reader (what writer isn't?) and I try to read a book a week.  I'm also a huge Sci-Fi fan, so anytime there is a new SciFi movie out, I'll be first in line (Can't wait for the new Star Wars!).  Other than that, I work a full time job as an IT Professional and am excited that I'm going to be an Aunt very soon.
What was the last amazing book you read?
It’s a tie:  Jason Jones Voyages of the White Skull, Bev Stout Secrets of the Realm, and Sariah Wilson The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back.  All three are really interesting new voices.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
I really love curling up on my couch with a nice throw and a hot cuppa Earl Grey – I’m such a closeted Brit!
What can readers expect next from you?
I’m currently working on several things.  I’m focused on book two – the sequel to Glimpse – which is titled Blind Horizon.  In addition, I kick around a ghost/horror story and a World War II story I’ve been formulating.  My pet project is a non-fiction book that focuses on bravery, tentatively titled How Brave Are You?  I’ve finished that book and am currently shopping around literary agents.
Where can readers find you on the web?
http://nicole-delacroix.com/ https://twitter.com/NicoleDelaCroix http://nicoledelacroix.tumblr.com/ https://www.google.com/+NicoleDelacroix http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-DelaCroix/e/B00KAAORGS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1401404455&sr=8-1 http://www.facebook.com/writer.nicoledelacroix
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
I’m happy to supply some free excerpts for people to read.  You can read the first chapter either on my website at http://nicole-delacroix.com/glimpse-of-darkness/fangiveaway/or you can read the first two chapters here:  http://www.freado.com/book/18444/glimpse-of-darkness-volume-1-chronicles-of-the-cursed
Glimpse of DarknessVolume 1: Chronicles of the CursedNicole Delacroix
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
ISBN: 1497335930 ISBN: 978-1497335936ASIN: B00JWUOMIU
Number of pages: 367Word Count: 68183
Cover Artist: Javier Charro
Amazon   BN
Book Description:
Charlene (Charlie) Bennett is a simple waitress in the wilds of Hyder, Alaska whose father has just gone missing. Isolated and alone, her fathers' disappearance is nothing new to her, but this time things are a little different.
For starters, there is a handsome stranger, Daniel that has come to town and while Charlie has never taken more than a passing interest in strangers, she has an immediate and intense attraction to this one. Secondly, she's soon to find out that this stranger isn't what he appears. He's about to throw Charlie's entire world into a major upheaval.
Now Charlie has to decide if she believes this strangers' incredible story and follow Daniel or if she wants to stay in the only home she's ever known for an uncertain future and an absentee father. As she comes to terms with what Daniel shows her, she realizes that he's the only true thing in her life and leaves everything she knows behind to follow the handsome stranger.




About the Author: 
Nicole Delacroix was born in Frankfurt Germany to a German mother and American Military father. Her parents instilled in her a deep love of the written word and a profound respect for literature in all forms. So it's little wonder that from the moment she could first write she knew that writing would always be a part of who she is. From short stories to dabbling in scriptwriting she passes her time with her day job as an IT professional but feverishly writes well into the night. Her passion for literature encompasses many different genres but her heart beats true with fantasy and science fiction. She's fiercely loyal to friends and family and is eagerly awaiting the day when she can move to London England, her childhood dream.
Web:  http://nicole-delacroix.com/
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/writer.nicoledelacroix
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NicoleDelaCroix
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8177927.Nicole_Delacroix
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+NicoleDelacroix/posts
Tumblr:  http://nicoledelacroix.tumblr.com/








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Release Day- Dark Sacrifice by Angie Sandro

DARK SACRIFICE
 A GIFT AND A CURSE
Mala LaCroix sees dead people -really. After using her psychic gifts to catch a killer, she's locked in a psych ward and must strike a deal with the devil to secure her release. Apprenticed to a dark arts practitioner, Mala vows to free herself and save her loved ones from danger. But she doesn't know who to turn to when her crush on Landry Prince turns into something more serious.
A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH
Landry has sacrificed everything to protect Mala. A near-death experience changes him forever, and now he, too, possesses supernatural powers he doesn't understand. Mala and Landry must band together to defeat the dark forces-both human and otherworldly-who would use their abilities for evil. Even as they fall for each other, they must prepare to battle for their very souls . . . 

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Excerpt:On Saturdays, the local farmers set up a market in Paradise Park. I plan to do my veggie shopping there since I didn’t get my garden planted this year. The streets bordering the park are packed. I’m lucky to find a spot in the parking lot of First National Bank kitty-corner from the Memorial Rose Garden. Colorful tents are lined up in orderly rows in the square. Each section is separated, with the organic foods in one row and regular folk who want to sell extra produce in the other. Local shops also set up booths selling everything from pastries, coffee and tea, handmade clothing and soaps, fresh eggs, organic meat, and toys and games. A freaktastic clown stands on the street corner with a tank of helium and a gaggle of kids around him. I’m tempted to buy Landry a balloon to cheer him up. The passenger door slams shut as soon as I shut off the engine. Landry wastes no time coming around to open my door and lift me to the ground before I can squawk in protest. He strides off while I grab my cloth shopping bag, leaving me to stare after his retreating back in shock. When he’s halfway across the street, he pauses and turns around. “This is your idea. Hurry,” he yells.  “I’m coming.” I shut the door and run to catch up. When I reach him, he moves around me until I’m on his blind side. He starts forward again, but slows his steps so they match mine. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d think he didn’t have a care in the world, but I do. He walks like he did in jail—shoulders back and tight, chest slightly raised. He scans the area, alert for a threat. I take his hand, squeezing when he tries to pull away.We blend into the crowd, strolling up and down the rows. It’s a mix of people of all ages. A few people say “hi.” Most don’t. A large percentage of them stare. I feel like I’m at the mercy of paparazzi. “Smile and wave,” I mutter from the corner of my mouth, jabbing Landry in the side with my elbow.“Huh?”“You’re acting like you’ve done something wrong, but you haven’t. Don’t let these fools see you sweat. Weakness breeds violence. Like a silverback gorilla in the jungle, you need to beat your chest and fling your poop at someone.”His snort-laugh doubles him over, and I pat him on the back. “That’s perfect,” I say. “No worries.”He turns and lifts me into a breath-stealing hug. “Thanks,” he whispers in my ear and presses a brotherly kiss to my forehead. Wish he’d move his lips a little lower. Would a few inches kill him?My voice comes a little thick and raspy too, and I cough to clear my throat. “No problem.”How long has he been standing here holding me? We have an even larger audience than before. Now we really are the object of paparazzi-like behavior as people snap pictures of our embrace with their phones. I wrap my arms around his neck and press my cheek against his. “Cheese,” I say, grinning for the cameras. A couple of high school kids start to laugh. One yells, “Give her another kiss, Landry.”“Yeah, Landry. Give me a kiss.” I bat my eyelashes, whispering in his ear, “I swear if you drop me on my ass in public—”I don’t have to finish the threat.His mouth steals across mine.  I lean into him, head tilting. My arms tighten around his neck. His lips are soft and juicy, like peaches. Yum. My thoughts scatter and swirl, leaving only the sensation of his mouth on mine. He breaks free first and lowers me to my feet. He avoids my gaze. “Did it work?” he asks, running his fingers through his black hair so it falls forward to shield his eye again. He shifts from his forward foot to his back which somehow puts distance between us without him having to move.I laugh, playing off the hurt. “Yeah, we gave our fans a titillating bit of new gossip to take the place of the old. Rumors about our relationship will be flying through town before lunch.” I glance around to be sure. The crowd drifts away, realizing there’s nothing more to see. Even better, nobody hurls insults or throws dead animals at our heads. “Let’s go.”

About Angie Sandro
Angie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen.
Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father's family in Louisiana inspired this story. Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador.

http://anjeasandro.blogspot.com/
http://facebook.com/pages/Angie-Sandro/
@AngieSandro

Guest Blog and Giveaway: Warrior Lord by Nancy J. Cohen

Magic or Science? by Nancy J. Cohen
When does science turn into magic? In an episode of Babylon 5, a mage explains to one of the characters that magic is merely technology we don’t understand. Can you imagine how our less cerebral ancestors might have viewed a cell phone? It’s a little box from which voices emanate. Magic! Or how about a lighter, where at the flick of a finger, a flame is produced? Or a television, a big box where little people move and talk? Surely they must be possessed.
How many technological wonders have we yet to discover that would seem like magic to us today?
Take the invisibility cloak worn by Harry Potter. Magic is at work in J.K. Rowling’s series. Lord Magnor, the hero in Warrior Lord (The Drift Lords Series #3), wears a similar device on his belt. Is it magic or technology that allows him to become invisible to his enemies?
In Magnor’s case, it’s pure science. He explains how it works to Erika Sherwood, his new bride. They get married after meeting at a Las Vegas casino and entering a contest for engaged couples on a whim. Erika couldn’t resist trying for the $50,000 cash prize, plus a new car and a stay in the resort’s honeymoon suite. But she didn’t expect to find herself wed to a stranger in front of a live TV audience. Soon she’s swept into a maelstrom of danger and pursuit.

Magnor raids a museum at the Viking Vegas Resort after closing hours. He says the security guards are enemy soldiers called Trolleks, part of an alien invasion force who’ve entered Earth through a dimensional rift. He’s after a weapon that can defeat them. He seeks a clue to this weapon’s whereabouts in an ancient scroll displayed in the museum.
“Stay with me. My invisibility belt only works for you if we maintain contact.”Erika stared at him. “Your what?”His grip tightened. “The technology transmits visual information about our surroundings through the fibers of my clothing so it seems as though we’re not here. We disappear into the background. Please tell no one about this device. It’s proprietary to my, uh, company.”She felt privileged that he’d shared something confidential with her. “Whatever you say, husband.”His nostrils flared. “Do not believe our status gives you the right to plunder my secrets. If you even think about betraying me, I’ll hand you over to the Trolleks myself.”
This device isn’t totally a fictional invention on my part. I gained this information through a news clipping that mentions camouflage technology. It’s already in the realm of reality.
Then again, Magnor and Erika encounter dwarfs who have the power of invisibility along with the ability to turn inanimate objects into gold. Magic or technology based on science?
We also have a piece of equipment called a PIP, which is carried by the Drift Lords. This Portable Intel Platform is a handheld device with multiple functions including a scanner, locator beacon, and levitator beam. It’s like the Tricorder on Star Trek. Aren’t we close to this device today with the wristbands that can track your pulse rate, monitor the number of steps you walk and so on? Add infrared sensors, and these might be able to track life forms up ahead. We’re not far away from these tracking and scanning devices. And yet, to a less civilized group, being able to tell there are unseen humans in the vicinity might seem like extrasensory abilities at work.
Science makes technology possible, and advanced technology may seem like magic to the uneducated. In fiction, we have the option of explaining these abilities or of relegating them to fantasy.
Either way, what seems like magic today can probably be accomplished tomorrow through technological means. What’s exciting is how we can incorporate these possibilities into our fictional tales.


Warrior LordThe Drift Lords SeriesBook 3Nancy J. Cohen
Genre: Paranormal SciFi/Fantasy Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: August 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62830-446-6ISBN: 978-1-62830-445-9ASIN:
Number of pages:  422Word Count: 102,340
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Book Description:
A fantasy wedding in Las Vegas turns into a nightmare when contest winner Erika Sherwood realizes she’s married an alien.
Pottery sculptor Erika Sherwood has no idea her televised wedding in Las Vegas is for real until an official confirms she and the stranger she’s just met are legitimately wed.
A Drift Lord and warrior of the Tsuran, Magnor tricks the redhead into marriage because she’s one of six women prophesied to save Earth. But as he’s forced into her company in their race against the apocalypse, he wonders if he risks his heart more than his life.   
Can a free-spirited ceramic artist and a fierce swordsman trust each other enough to prevent disaster?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/91cdYSftbmU
Available at Wild Rose Publishing and Amazon

Excerpt:
Where else but Las Vegas could a bearded man wearing a cape and sword swagger inside a casino without drawing attention?Erika Sherwood stared at the man who peered around, a bewildered look on his face until his gaze slammed into hers.Her heart slowed, as though the world had frozen in that moment. Despite the bells ringing and people chattering and roulette wheels spinning, her awareness narrowed. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from his searing glance.Her pulse jumped when the man strode purposefully in her direction, his cape flapping behind him. With his powerful physique and resolute jawline, he looked like a superhero come to life. She supposed he’d bought that fabulous costume at a store along the Strip.He claimed the empty seat beside her, exchanged a few words with the blackjack dealer, and set out a pile of chips. Tension charged the air around him. Her sideways glance absorbed his longish black hair and trim beard and the wide breadth of his shoulders. She pulled her skirt down, aware it had hiked up indecently, but his gaze didn’t go there. Instead, his dark eyes fixated on her wristwatch.“Miss?” The dealer’s questioning glance fell on her.“Oh. Hit me, please.” She grimaced at the eight of spades she’d drawn. Drat, now she was over the limit.“Not having any luck?” The newcomer nodded at her diminishing pile of chips. “Maybe this isn’t your game.”“Excuse me, mister…?”“My name is Magnor.” He quirked an eyebrow when the waitress came by with another round of free drinks.Erika lifted her third Viking Volcano from the tray. Who could resist? The fruity drinks were on the house, a popular ploy to keep gamblers in their casino.She raised her glass in a friendly gesture before taking a sip. “Is Magnor your first name or your last name?”“It’s my only name.” His mouth curved as he watched her reaction.“O-kay.” She wasn’t in the mood to challenge him. Those drinks had already gone to her head, making her happy to accept his remark along with his blatant stare. Probably half the people in Vegas used false names anyway.“Do you work here?” she asked, realizing his outfit matched the resort’s Nordic theme.He stiffened. “I should say not. I am a guest, like you.”“Sorry to have asked, but you fit the part.”“It is my customary attire as a warrior of the Tsuran.”“I see,” she said in a noncommittal tone. Maybe he was an actor deep into his role. He could be taking a break from a movie set. Were they filming a sequel to Thor in the area?“Nice timepiece you’re wearing.” He nodded at the object of his scrutiny.Erika slid her hand under the table. “It was a gift.”Her parents had given her the watch for her sixteenth birthday with the caveat that she ask no questions about its unusual properties. It ran with no visible mechanism and no battery and had a peculiar symbol engraved on its face.Her forehead wrinkled. Why had Magnor chosen to comment on her watch when most men would offer a line about her flaming red hair or her flashy clothes?Come on, Erika, why do you care what he thinks? You came here for the art show, remember, and not to meet men?It must be the alcohol causing that low buzzing sound in her ears and not his imposing presence.“This announcement is for all of our engaged couples out there,” blared a loudspeaker voice. “It’s the last call if you want to enter our exciting contest. The lucky winners will be married on live television, after which they’ll receive a complimentary stay in our honeymoon suite, fifty thousand dollars, and a new car. Entries are being accepted in the Green Room all day Friday until four o’clock.”“Fifty thousand dollars,” Erika muttered. “Man, could I use that money!”Magnor nudged her, a grin on his face. “Why don’t we enter the contest together?”The smile transformed his features, making her want to study the craggy lines and furrows that made his visage so interesting.“What?” she said when his words finally registered.“I need a room, and the hotel is full. If we win, that will solve my problem. You can keep the car and the cash.”“B-But the winners have to get married. On live television.”He waved a hand. “Oh, that. Las Vegas is all about fantasy, is it not?”Her eyes widened. “You mean, the wedding will be filmed like a reality show, but it isn’t real?”He winked at her. “All of the contestants get bonus credits on their club cards. What have we got to lose?”Erika stared at her diminished pile of chips. She’d lost two hundred dollars in less than an hour. She scooped the remaining credits into her purse while considering the man’s outrageous suggestion.In her earlier days, she’d have accepted his proposal without a second thought. Back then nothing had mattered except her plants, her pottery, and her own pleasure.Eventually, she’d erected an armor of self-discipline around herself so she could accomplish her goals. However, this resolve had evaporated under the influence of the drinks and the man’s piercing gaze. Who wouldn’t want a hunk like him as her fake fiancé?Ignoring the warning bells in her mind, she scraped back her chair.“I accept your offer,” she told him with bravado. “If we lose, at least we’ll be ahead by several credits. And it might be fun.”“We should seal the deal if we are to play an engaged couple,” Magnor said, closing the distance between them.His head descended before she could protest, and his lips met hers.

About the Author:
Nancy J. Cohen writes the humorous Bad Hair Day mystery series featuring hairdresser Marla Shore. Several of these titles have made the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association bestseller list. Nancy is also the author of Writing the Cozy Mystery, a valuable instructional guide for writers on how to write a winning whodunit. Her imaginative romances have proven popular with fans as well. Her titles in this genre have won the HOLT Medallion and Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews. A featured speaker at conferences, libraries, and community events, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who's Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets.
Website:  http://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJCohenAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nancyjcohen
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91508.Nancy_J_Cohen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/njcohen/
Linked In:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyjcohen
Google Plus: https://google.com/+NancyJCohen
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Yb2zOkXEQ6xmAeYv8Jp5w/
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/nancycohen
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/nancy-j.-cohen

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Win a whimsical Gnome figurine and a signed first edition copy of Circle of Light.
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August 4 InterviewParanormal Romance Fans for Lifewww.paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com
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Excerpt and Giveaway: The Winter King C.L. Wilson

The Winter KingC.L. Wilson
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Avon Romance
ISBN 13: 9780062018977
Book Description:
Wynter Atrialan, the Winter King, once lived in peace with his southern, Summerlander neighbors, but when Falcon, the prince of Summerlea, stole Wynter’s bride and murdered his young brother, Wynter vows vengeance. Calling upon a dangerous Wintercraig magic called the Ice Heart, he gathers his armies and marches against Summerlea, crushing their armies and spreading icy winter in his wake.
After three long, bitter years of battle, Summerlea is defeated and Wynter comes to the heart of the kingdom to issue his terms for their surrender. The prince of Summerlea stole Wynter’s bride and slew Wynter’s Heir. He wants the loss replaced. The Ice Heart is consuming him. Wynter hopes holding his own child in his arms will rekindle the warmth of love and melt the Ice Heart before he becomes the monster of Wintercraig legend, the Ice King.
The Summer King has three very precious daughters whom he loves dearly. Wynter will take one of them to wife. She will have one year to provide him with an Heir. If she fails, he will turn her out in the ice and snow of the mountains and claim another princess for his wife. And so it will continue until Wynter has his Heir or the Summer King is out of daughters. All the while, Wynter will enjoy the vengeance of knowing the Summer King will suffer each day without his beloved daughter(s), as Wynter suffers each day without his own beloved brother.
The plan is perfect—except for one small detail. The Summer King has a fourth daughter. One of which he is not so fond.
Blamed as a child for the death of her beloved mother, Khamsin Coruscate, the forgotten princess of Summerlea, has spent her life hidden from the world like an embarrassing secret. Dressed in cast-off gowns and left to her own devices, with only the determination of her loyal nursemaid to ensure she receives the education befitting an Heir to the Summer Throne, Khamsin haunts the abandoned towers and gardens of Summerlea’s royal palace, close to her beloved late mother’s treasures, and waits for the day her father will recognize her as a Princess of the Rose. But though she dreams of the valor and sacrifices of ancient Summerlea heroes and pines for paternal love that will never come, Khamsin is no sweet, gentle, helpless princess-in-a-tower. She is a fiercely passionate creature with a volatile, rebellious temper that is often as reckless and destructive as the dangerous forces of her weathergift, the power of storms.
Together will their stormy personalities be able to meld or will their powers destroy not only their love but the whole world?
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ExcerptPrologue ~ Scarlet on Snow
King’s KeepVera Sola, Summerlea“Do you have to go?”  Seventeen year old Khamsin Coruscate clung to her beloved brother’s hand as if by her grip alone she could anchor him fast and keep him from leaving. “You know I do.  Our treaties with the Winter King are very important.”“But you’ll be home soon?”  Whenever he was gone, the ancient walls of the royal palace of Summerlea that had been her home and her prison since birth seemed somehow more confining, more restrictive.“Not this time, little sister.”  Falcon shook his head.  A strand of black hair that had pulled free of the queue at the back of his neck brushed against the soft, dark skin of his cheek.  “It will take weeks to negotiate the treaties.”Khamsin scowled, and the wind began to gust, sending Kham’s habitually untamed hair whipping into her mouth and eyes.  “Why does he have to send you?  Why can’t his ambassador negotiate the treaty?  He’s sending you away because of me, isn’t he?  Because he doesn’t want you spending so much time with me.”  Her hands clenched into fists.  The wind sent her skirts flying and a dark cloud rolled across the sun.Their father, King Verdan IV of Summerlea, didn’t love her. She knew that.  He kept her isolated in a remote part of the palace, hidden away from his court and his kingdom, on the pretext that her weathergifts were too volatile and dangerous and she couldn’t control them.  That was all true.  Kham’s gifts were dangerous, and she couldn’t control them any better than she could control her own temper.  Until now, however, he’d never stooped to sending his other children away to keep them from visiting her.“Here now.  Be calm.”  Falcon smoothed her wayward curls back, tucking them behind her ears.  Compassion and pity shone softly in his eyes.  “I wish I didn’t have to leave you.  But Father believes I’ll have the best chance of getting what we want from Wintercraig, and I agree with him.”  Summerlea, once a rich, thriving kingdom renowned for its fertile fields and abundant orchards, had been in a slow decline for years. Although the nobles and king maintained a prosperous façade for political and economic purposes, beneath the gilded domes and bright splendor of Summerlea’s palaces and grand estates, the rough tatters of neglect were beginning to show.  “Besides, you won’t be alone while I’m gone.  You have Tildy and the Seasons.”“It isn’t the same.  They aren’t you.”  He was the handsome Prince of Summerlea, charming, witty, heroic.  He’d lived a life of adventure, most of which he shared with her, entertaining her with the tales of his exploits…the places he’d seen, the people he’d met.  His hunts, his adventures, his triumphs.  No matter how much her nursemaid, Tildavera Greenleaf, doted on Khamsin, or how often the three other princesses, Autumn, Spring, and Summer, snuck away from their palace duties to spend time with their ostracized youngest sister, Falcon was the one whose visits she couldn’t live without.“Now there’s a pretty compliment.  Careful, my lady.  You’ll turn my head.”  He smiled, and warmth poured into her.  It was no wonder the ladies of their father’s court swooned at the slightest attention from him.  Falcon had a magical way about him.  He could he literally charm the birds from the trees with his name-gift—controlling any feathered creature on a whim--and the weathergift inherent in his royal Summerlander blood was stronger than it had been in any crown prince in generations.  It was as if the Sun itself had taken up residence in his soul, and its warmth spilled from him each time he smiled.  Kham took a deep breath.  The sharp edge of her temper abated, and in the skies, the gathering storm began to calm.  Perhaps King Verdan truly had chosen to send his only son as envoy to Wintercraig for political reasons.  Long, long ago, as a small child crying herself to sleep, she’d decided Falcon was the reincarnation of Roland Triumphant, the Hero of Summerlea, the brave King who had defeated an overwhelming invasion force with his wit, his weathergifts, and a legendary sword reputed to be a gift from the Sun God himself.    If anyone could charm the cold, savage folk of the north into concessions most favorable to Summerlea, Falcon could.“Will you at least write to me?” she asked.“I’ll send you a bird every week.”   He tapped her nose and gave her a charming, roguish grin. “Cheer up.  Just think of all the swordfights you’ll win when you’re fighting invisible opponents instead of me.”Kham rolled her eyes.  He’d been teaching her sword-fighting for years, but she had yet to best him in a match.“You know,” she said as they walked towards the doorway leading back into the palace, “it might actually be a good thing that you’ll be spending months in Wintercraig.”“Oh?”“Yes.  You can use that time to find out what happened to Roland’s sword.” Falcon tripped on an uneven flagstone and grabbed the trunk of a nearby tree to steady himself.  “I’m sure I’ll be much too busy to chase fairy tales, Storm.”She frowned in surprise.  “But you’ve always believed the stories were true.” Blazing, the legendary sword of Roland Soldeus, had disappeared shortly after the heroic king’s death.   Legend claimed it was the Winter King, the father of Roland’s betrothed, who had spirited the sword away so Roland’s brother Donal couldn’t claim it.  Every royal Summerlea Heir for the last two millennia had dreamed of finding the legendary blade and bringing it back home where it belonged.  Falcon had spent years chasing lead after lead, determined that he would be the one to find Blazing and restore Summerlea to its former glory.“What about those letters?” she added.  “The really old ones you found tucked in that monastery?  You said they proved the stories were true.”“That was six years ago.  I was seventeen.  I wanted the stories to be true.”  He gave her a quick hug and a brotherly kiss on the forehead.  “I’ve got to run. I’m meeting with Father and his advisors to go over our list of demands and concessions one last time before I leave.  I’ll see you in a few months.”“I’ll miss you every day.”  She trailed after him, feeling bereft and forlorn when Falcon turned the corner and disappeared from view.  But this time, she also felt confused. She’d never known Falcon to give up on something he felt passionately about.  And he’d been passionate about finding Roland’s sword.  He’d been certain he was on the right trail.  He’d shared his discoveries with her because he knew she was just as hungry as he to find the legendary sword.So why would he deny it now?* * *Gildenheim, Wintercraig
“She's not good for you."Wynter Atrialan, King of Wintercraig, cast a sideways glance at his younger brother.  "Don't say that, Garrick.  I know you've never liked Elka, but in six months time, she will be my bride and your queen."Garrick shook his long, snow-silver hair.  Eyes as bright and blue as the glacier caves in Wintercraig's ice-bound Skoerr Mountains shone with solemn intensity that made the boy look far older than his sixteen years.  "You love too deeply, Wyn.  From the moment you decided to take her to wife, you’ve blinded yourself to her true nature."Wynter sighed.  "I should not have shared my worries with you when I first met her."  Wyn was an intensely private man, but he'd never kept secrets from Garrick.  Not one.  Wyn had raised his brother since their parents' death ten years ago.  And in those years, he'd never tried to sweeten the ugly world of politics, never tried to gloss over his fears or concerns—even when it came to the more personal but still political matter of selecting a queen.  If something happened to him, Garrick would be king, and Wyn didn’t want his brother thrown into such a position without preparation.Unfortunately, the years of openness and plain, unfettered talk had paid unanticipated returns.  Because of his unflinching honesty with Garrick, no one in Wintercraig--no one in all the world, for that matter--knew him better than his young brother.  Not even Wyn's lifelong friend and second-in-command, Valik.  Such deep familiarity could be as troublesome as it was comforting."She is cold," Garrick insisted.  "She does not love you as she should.  She wants to be queen more than she wants to be your wife.""Elka is a woman of the Craig.  She is as reserved with her feelings as I.""Is she?  So that is why she laughs and smiles so warmly when the Summerlander is near?"Wynter frowned a warning at his brother.  "Careful, Garrick.  Elka Villani will be my wife and queen.  Insult to her is insult to me.”“I offered no insult.  I merely asked a question.  And based on my observations, it’s a perfectly legitimate one.”“You are misreading what you see.  Elka knows it’s vital the Summer Prince feels welcome here if we are to come to an amicable agreement."  The lush, fertile fields of Summerlea provided much needed sustenance to the folk of Wintercraig during the harsh, cold months of a northern winter.  Their grains, fruits and vegetables, which Wintercraig bought with furs, whale oil and forest products, could mean the difference between life and death for his people during years when their own harvests were poor.  That had, unfortunately, been quite often of late, since the summers had grown shorter and food from Summerlea had been growing steadily more dear after Wynter had taken the throne.  Falcon Coruscate, son of the weathermage king who ruled Summerlea, had come three months ago at Wynter’s invitation to negotiate terms of a new treaty that would ensure longer summers in the north and more affordable trade in foodstuffs for the winters.“She makes him feel welcome to more than the court,” Garrick corrected.  “She flirts.”Wyn arched a brow.  “And if she does, where’s the harm in it?  A pretty face and a sweet smile can persuade a man better than cold figures and dry treaties—especially self-indulgent peacocks like the Summer Prince.”  He smiled when Garrick rolled his eyes.  “You don’t remember our mother, but she could charm a Frost Giant into the fire.  Father used to call her his secret weapon.  Elka merely uses her gifts to aid the realm, as any good queen would.”Garrick gave a snort.   "How fortunate that she takes to the task so well. All right, all right.” He held up his hands in surrender when his brother’s glance sharpened.  He paused a moment, using hammer and chisel to chip unwanted ice from the frozen sculpture he was working on, then added, “But even if you trust her, you’d best keep an eye on the Summerlander.  He’s up to something.”“Foreign dignitaries are always up to something.  That’s called politics.”“He’s been asking too many questions about the Book of Riddles."Wyn’s hand stilled momentarily in its work on his own sculpture.  “Has he?”  He tried to pull of nonchalance, but shouldn’t have bothered.  Garrick knew him too well.“That’s what he’s really here for.  To get the book and find Roland’s sword.”Roland’s sword was a fabled Summerlea weapon of inconceivable power.   It had disappeared three thousand years ago, not long after the Summer King who first wielded it sacrificed his life to save his kingdom from invasion.  Many myths and legends swirled around its disappearance.  One of those legends suggested that the Winter King of that time, fearing the sword’s power would be misused by Roland’s successors, had smuggled the sword out of Summerlea and hidden it in a place it would never be found.  The Winter King had also left behind a book of obscure clues and riddles that supposedly led to the sword’s secret hiding place, in case his own descendants one day had need of the legendary weapon’s vast power.“Well, good luck to him with that,” Wynter said.  “The sword is a myth.  It’s long gone by now, if it ever existed at all.  And he won’t find whatever treasure the Book actually does protect, either, because he will never find the Book.  It’s kept in a place no man can go.”“But Elka can.”He scowled.  “Garrick, stop.  She is my betrothed.  She will be my queen.  She would never betray me.”Garrick heaved a sigh.  “Fine. She is your true and worthy love.  I’ll never suggest otherwise again.”“Good.”  Wyn pressed his lips together and focused on the small block of ice sitting on the pedestal before him.  Patient as time itself, he carved away the excess ice until he revealed the hidden beauty inside.  Fragile, shimmering, a bouquet of lilies emerged, petals curved with incredible delicacy, each flower distinct and perfect, rising up from slender stems of ice.   “What do you think?” he asked when it was done."That's beautiful, Wyn.  One of your best yet."Wyn smiled.  When it came to ice sculptures, Garrick hoarded his compliments like a miser.  Only perfection earned his highest praise."Do you think she will like it, then?  Frost lilies are her favorite."Garrick stepped abruptly away from his own sculpture--a complex scene depicting a family of deer welcoming their newest, spindly-legged member into the herd--and brushed the dusting of ice crystals from his furs.  "Any woman who truly loves you would love it, Wyn.  It's obvious how much care you put into it.""Then she will love it.  You'll see."“I’m sure she will,” Garrick said, but his eyes held no conviction.“Coruscate!” Wynter’s roar shook the great crystal chandelier that hung in the entry hall of his palace, Gildenheim.  He stormed up the winding stairs to the wing where royal guests were housed and burst into the suite that had been occupied for the last two months by the Prince of Summerlea.  The rooms were empty, and judging by the state of the open drawers and the clothes flung haphazardly about, the inhabitants had vacated the place in a hurry.“He’s gone, Wyn.”  Valik, Wynter’s oldest friend and second in command stepped into the room.  “Laci checked the temple.  The book’s gone, too.”Wynter swore under his breath.  Barely two weeks ago, Garrick had warned him to keep an eye on the Summerlea Prince, and Wyn had dismissed his concerns with such blind, confidence! “When did they leave?”“About an hour after we left for Hileje.  Elka and his guard went with him.  Bron didn’t think anything of it.  The Summerlander kept blathering about not letting some fire ten miles away ruin a good day’s hunt.”“We’d better start tracking them, then.”“There’s more, Wyn.”  Valik hesitated, then said, “I think Garrick went after them.  He and his friends rode out not long after the Summerlander.  Bron heard them talking about something the Summerlander took that Garrick meant to get back.”Wyn’s jaw turned to granite.  With Valik close on his heels, he ran back down to the courtyard.Still saddled and ready to ride, Wynter’s stallion was waiting in the hands of a stableboy, and beside him, a dozen of Wynter’s elite White Guard held Prince Falcon’s valet at swordpoint.  The valet looked nothing like the sleek, meticulously turned-out peacock Wynter’s courtiers had mocked amongst themselves.  He’d traded his velvet brocade livery for rough-spun woolens, a furred vest, and a heavy cloak.  His knuckles were scraped, and his face sported a bruised jaw and an eye that was swollen shut and rapidly purpling.“We found him in the village trying to bribe a merchant to smuggle him out in a trade cart, Your Grace.”“Where is he?”  Wyn grabbed the valet by his vest, yanking him up so fast the man’s feet left the ground.  Wynter was tall, even for a man of the Craig, and holding the Summerlander at eye level left almost two feet between the man’s dangling toes and the icy stone of the courtyard.  “Where is that Coruscate bastard you serve?”“I don’t know!” Clearly terrified, the man started babbling.   “I swear to you, Your Majesty!  I didn’t even know he was leaving until one of the maids delivered his note.  And that only advised me to leave Wintercraig as quickly and quietly as possible.”“In other words, the coward abandoned you while saving his own skin.”  Wyn threw the man aside.  “Lock him up.  If we don’t find his master, he can face the mercy of the mountains in his prince’s stead.  The rest of you, mount up.  Time to hunt.”Minutes later, Wynter, Valik, and two dozen White Guard were galloping down the winding mountain road that led from Gildenheim to the valley below.  Wynter howled a call to the wolves as they went, sending a summons to the packs that were spirit-kin to his family’s clan.  Wolves were faster in the dense woods, and they tracked by scent rather than sight.  The Summerlanders’ smell was alien to this part of the world, so the wolves should have no trouble picking up their trail.He wasn’t sure if the prince would try heading south, towards Summerlea, or west to the Llaskroner fjord.  The fjord was closer, and the port there was a busy one, full of strangers from distant lands.  For thieves looking to get out of country quickly, that was the better destination. When the wolf call came from the west, Wyn knew he’d guessed right.  He whispered to the winds, calling to the old Winterman in the north to blow his icy horn, then summoning the Vestras, the freezing maritime winds of the western seas to send their bone-chilling fog.As he and his men rode west, following the call of the wolves, the temperatures began to drop.   If the Summer Prince fought back with his own weathergifts, that would pinpoint his location.  If he didn’t, the rapidly worsening weather would slow his escape.  Either way, Wynter would track him down, and make him pay for what he’d done to the people of Hileje.The prince had hours on him.   That was the purpose of the fire in Hileje—a distraction to get Wynter and his men out of the palace so Falcon Coruscate could steal what he came for and make his escape.   But the distraction had been much more than a mere fire.  The Summerlanders had raped and murdered dozens of villagers, then locked the rest in the meeting hall and burned them alive.Eighty-six lives wiped out in one senseless act of violence.  Eighty-six innocent Winterfolk who had depended on their king to protect them.  And he had failed.The tone of the wolves’ howls suddenly changed, the howls becoming longer, mournful, announcing a loss to the pack.  Wynter sent out his thoughts, connect to the pack mind and seeing through the wolves’ eyes as he searched for the source of that cry.  He caught a glimpse of scarlet splashed across the snow, bodies that were clothed not furred.“No!”  He knew instantly why the wolves howled and for whom.  “No! Garrick!”  He spurred Hodri faster, galloping at a reckless pace.  The wind whistled past his ears.  Snow flew from Hodri’s hooves.It didn’t take long to reach the clearing where the wolves had gathered.  The smell of death filled the air—a dark odor Wynter had smelled before. It was a scent few men ever forgot.He reined Hodri in hard, leaping from saddle to ground before the horse fully stopped.  The first two bodies were boys Wyn recognized. Garrick’s friends.  Sixteen years old, the same age as Garrick.  Arrow-pierced through their hearts.  They’d been dead within minutes of being struck.A moaning cough brought Wyn scrambling to his feet.  He half-ran, half-stumbled across the snow towards the source of the sound, but when he got there, he felt as if his heart had stopped beating.  He fell to his knees.The coughing boy was Garrick’s best friend, Junnar.  He’d been gut-shot, and the dark, matter-filled blood oozing from the wound told Wynter the boy was a dead man even though his body still clung weakly to the last threads of his life.Junnar lay atop the prone, lifeless figure of Wynter’s brother.  An arrow--its shaft painted with the Prince of Summerlea’s personal colors --protruded from Garrick’s throat.“Garrick?” After moving Junnar to one side and packing his wound with snow to numb the pain, Wyn reached for his brother with trembling hands.  His fingers brushed the boy’s face, and he flinched at the coldness of his brother’s flesh.  Garrick had been dead for hours.  Probably since before Wyn had left Gildenheim in pursuit.  How could Wyn have lost the only family he had left in the world and not known it the instant it happened?Horses approached from Wynter’s back.  Then Valik was there, laying a sympathetic hand on Wynter’s shoulder.“I’m sorry, my friend.  I’m so sorry.”Wyn nodded numbly.  The ache was consuming him.  The pain so deep, so indescribable, it was beyond feeling.  His whole body felt frozen, like the ice statues he and Garrick carved together.“Help Junnar.”  How he spoke, he didn’t know.  His voice came out a choked, gravelly rasp.  “Make him as comfortable as you can.”“Of course.”He waited for Valik to lift Junnar and settle him off a short distance before gathering Garrick’s body into his arms.  He held his brother for a long time, held him until Junnar breathed his last and the White Guard packed the bodies up for transport back to Gildenheim.  Their hunt for Prince Falcon of Summerlea had ended the moment Wynter found his brother’s corpse.  But there was no doubt in any of their minds that this was far from over.Wynter carried Garrick in front of him on Hodri’s back, cradling his body as he had so many times over the years after their parents had died and it had fallen to him to raise his brother.  He carried him all the way to Gildenheim, releasing him only to the weeping servants who would prepare Garrick and the others for the funeral pyre.Wynter stood vigil by his brother’s side throughout the night.  He murmured words of sympathy to the parents of the other lost boys, but shed no tears of his own though his eyes burned.  At dusk the following night, he stood, tall and dry-eyed beside the pyres as the flames were lit and remained standing, motionless and without speaking, throughout the night and into the next morning.  He stood until the pyre was naught but flickering coals.  And when it was done and there was nothing left of his brother but ash, Wynter mounted Hodri and took the long, winding road to the Temple of Wyrn, which was carved into the side of the next mountain.Galacia Frey, the imposing and statuesque High Priestess of Wyrn, was waiting for him inside the temple.  She had come the night before to bless his brother and the others and to light their pyres, before returning to the temple to await his visit.“You know why I have come.”Her eyes were steady.  “I know.  But Wyn, my friend, you know I must ask you to reconsider.  You know the price.”“I know and accept it.”“There’s no guarantee the goddess will find you worthy,” she warned.  “Many men have tried and died.”“You think that frightens me?  If I die, I will be with my brother.  If I survive, I will have the power to avenge him.”She closed her eyes briefly and inclined her head.  “Then take the path to the left of the altar, Wynter Atrialan, King of the Craig.  Leave your armor, clothes and weapons in the trunk by the door.  You must enter the test as you entered the world.  And may the goddess have mercy on your soul.”


About the Author:
C. L. WILSON grew up camping and waterskiing across America, from Cherry Creek reservoir in Denver, CO, to Lake Gaston on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, to Georgia’s Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona. When she wasn’t waterskiing and camping on family vacations, you could usually find her with a book in one hand and a sketch pad in the other—either reading, writing stories, or drawing. Sometime around the ninth grade, she decided she was better at drawing her pictures with words than paints and charcoals, and she set aside her sketchpad to focus entirely on writing.
Wilson is active in Tampa Area Romance Authors (TARA), her local chapter of Romance Writers of America. When not engaged in writerly pursuits, she enjoys golfing, swimming, reading, playing video games with her children, and spending time with her friends and family. She is also an avid collector (her husband says pack rat!), and she’s the proud owner of an extensive collection of Dept. 56 Dickens and North Pole villages, unicorns, Lladro figurines, and mint condition comic books.
Wilson currently resides with her husband, their three wonderful children, and their little black cat, Oreo, in a secluded ranch community less than thirty miles away from the crystalline waters and sugar-sand beaches of Anna Maria Island and Siesta Key on Florida’s gulf coast.
http://clwilson.com/
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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1310735.C_L_Wilson
http://www.amazon.com/C.-L.-Wilson/e/B001JS38U6






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Guest blog and Giveaway with Tera Shanley

Grey Vs. Wolf
In Silver Wolf Clan, Greyson Crawford has a big problem, and that problem is named Wolf.Before Grey is bitten by a werewolf, he is kind, considerate, and even a little shy around people. But the night he is Turned, everything changes for him. He’s no longer alone in his head, and even when the local pack brings in him to help him ease into this new life, it’s difficult for him to find a balance between himself and Wolf’s overbearing nature. Throughout the series, Grey will have to decide whether to give into some of Wolf’s dangerous tendencies, or to continue to fight for the parts of his old human self he appreciates.
Grey:Tall, fit, chin length dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, easy smile.Sensitive to Morgan’s needsThinks things throughProtective without being overbearingIndependentKindStrong moral compassQuietCommunicativeFights only when Morgan is threatened
Wolf:An ebony black, golden eyed wolf who lives inside of Grey, waiting impatiently get out.Overly Protective of his mate, MorganThrives on ChaosControllingDominantStandoffishManipulativePowerfulLoves a fight, no matter the reasons

It’s clear Fate has put two completely different personalities into one person, but it seems she knows what she’s doing, because Morgan is going to need both sides of Grey if she’s going to survive what is coming for her.
Silver Wolf ClanSilver Wolf Clan Series  Book 1Tera Shanley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press/Kensington Publishing Corp.
Date of Publication: August 4, 2014
ASIN: B00KYUNENG
Number of pages: 129Word Count: 45,000
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Book Description:
What happens when monsters turn out to be real? One summer night while camping in the woods, Morgan Carter finds out in a big way. A tall mysterious stranger, Greyson Crawford, risks his life to try and save her sister from the vicious wolf attacking their camp. When he’s bitten and disappears into the night, Morgan can only assume the worst.
Greyson shows up a year later, and he’s a different animal altogether. His eye color shifts constantly and the rumble in his throat sounds more animal than human. She hasn’t any idea where he’s been all this time, but a good guess as to what he’s become.
Grey is determined not to let the darkness of his new existence affect Morgan and the little girl in her care. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Morgan but knows he should stay away and let her live a normal life. That’s easier said than done, though. A new danger pulls him from the shadows to keep her safe, and he’s no wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Can she accept what lurks just below his surface? More importantly, can she survive him?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/I2T3WCcYjKM
Amazon      BN      Kobo    Kensington Books

Excerpt 3Old buildings of differing shades of gray jutted up from cracked sidewalks against the overcast sky. Pungent garbage bins dotted dirty alleys, and the homeless huddled under sheets of cardboard and tattered blankets as they caught afternoon naps. A stumbling woman in a much too short skirt tried to get his attention, and Grey crossed the street to avoid her. He emptied the change from his pocket into the cup a scruffy looking youth held out, and made a clucking sound against his teeth at the woman who screamed profanities from a second floor window at her apparently unfaithful boyfriend begging forgiveness below. He’d seen this little show before. It seemed to be a weekly thing for that couple. A mangy tabby cat hissed from the shattered window of an abandoned building and he threw it a withering look just to feel the satisfaction of hearing it scream and bolt away.He smelled it again—faintly, but it was there—and skidded to a stop. There one second and gone the next, as wind warning of an upcoming storm whipped around him. There it was again. He tried to follow the familiar scent but got turned around and lost it once more in the confusion of the alleyway scents. Then turned back the way he’d come and found it. Pulling his hands from his pockets, he jogged after it. Another six blocks, and it got stronger and more concentrated. People threw him concerned glances as he sniffed the air every few seconds, but he didn’t care. He rounded a corner and buckled his legs against the forward motion.There she was.
Morgan. About the Author:
Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love. A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two young children and when she isn’t busy running around after her family, she’s writing a new story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging, friend hugging, and the great outdoors.
For more information about Tera and her work, visit www.terashanley.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terashanley.author
Blog: http://www.terashanley.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/terashanley
Website: http://terashanley.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7212904.Tera_Shanley



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Interview and reviewWhat's Beyond Forks? http://www.whatsbeyondforks.com
Guest blogAddicted 2 Heroines http://www.addicted2heroines.com
Guest blog and reviewIlluminite Caliginosushttp://darkwriter67.wordpress.com
SpotlightSapphyria's Book Reviewshttp://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/
InterviewThe Simple Things in Lifehttps://pwrspot.blogspot.com
Guest BlogRamblings From A Chaotic Mind  http://nikkibrandyberry.wordpress.com/
SpotlightBook Liaison  http://www.bookliaison.net
Spotlight and reviewVampire Romance Bookswww.VampireRomanceBooks.com
SpotlightAnya Breton Author's Bloghttp://blog.anyabreton.com
SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Spotlight3 Partners in Shopping Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!  http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
SpotlightThe Reader's Hollowhttp://thereadershollow.wordpress.com
SpotlightMelissa Stevenshttp://melissastevens.us
Guest blogMythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
ReviewParanormal Romance and Authors That Rockwww.pratr.wordpress.com
Guest blog and reviewhappy tails and taleshttp://magluvsya03.wordpress.com

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Blitz Outlaw Revenge by London Casey

I just wanted to stop by here and introduce Back Down Devil. 
The series is about a MC and the lives they all live. Each book is a stand alone novel that follows a different member. So far the books have followed Gaige and Landon. The third book will be out this month (August 2014) and will follow Erik.
Within the books and series there are other storylines that spread throughout, creating the world that Back Down Devil MC takes up. Writing it has been a pleasure so far and I want to keep it going. There are so many members in the MC I want to keep bringing to life.
The fun part of the series is that while the book may focus on one set couple of characters, the readers get to meet the MC throughout the books. It’s fun to bring those secondary characters to life… and eventually give those guys their own books.
Outlaw Revenge
A Back Down Devil MC NovelBook OneLondon Casey
Genre: romance, new adult, romantic suspense
Publisher: Hundred to Home
Date of Publication: July 3rdASIN: B00LINTXUQ
Number of pages: 170Word Count: 55,000
Book Description:
Emily didn't want to go watch a bunch of bikers fight each other, and by the time the fight is over, her best friend is shot dead and Emily finds herself clutching the leather cut of a sexy guy named Gaige as she's on the back of his motorcycle, escaping gunfire.
As Vice President of Back Down Devil MC, Gaige Gaen's world is consumed by the club, the life, and finding a way to make it all work. The last thing he needs on his plate - or in his bed - is a woman like Emily. He can't stop looking at her, and he definitely can't stop touching her. He promises to avenge the death of Emily's best friend, Rachel, but then the situation takes a turn for the worse when Rachel's father - a rich man hell bent on revenge - shows up and wants answers that the MC doesn't have.
Emily is in fear of returning to a past she had escaped. She and Gaige can't seem to stop their feelings for each other, and as her dangerous past digs its way into the present, Gaige and Back Down Devil are now in the line of fire.
The war in Emily and Gaige's hearts rage on, but the war outside needs to be fought... the question is, who is going to make it out alive?
Available at Amazon  BN  Kobo and iTunes
About the Author:
London Casey is the pen name for bestselling romance author Karolyn James
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Spotlight on 3 Erotica Books by Pam McKenna

Binding Agreement
Pam McKenna
Genre: Erotic RomancePublisher: BookTrope Publishing
Book Description: 
A chance encounter on a moonlit beach draws sensible, cautious Kay Denehy into a night of anonymous passion and surrender with a ruthlessly dominant stranger. As John Randall introduces her to the exotic thrills of bondage and discipline, she discovers who she really is under the prim schoolteacher exterior—a sexual submissive who needs the strict and ardent guidance of a take-no-prisoners Dom like him.
John carries more than his share of emotional baggage, the result of a tragedy for which he feels responsible. Though he cares for Kay, he refuses to pursue a relationship, certain he could only bring her pain. He pushes her away even as his unconscious dream self turns her into a sex slave to be punished and enjoyed ménage-style by two other zealous and demanding Doms.
For the first time in her life, Kay knows what she needs, and who she needs, to be sexually and emotionally fulfilled. She knows, too, the path John must take to escape his dark places—if only he’ll trust her to lead the way.
Photo PlayPam McKenna
Genre: Erotic RomancePublisher: BookTrope Publishing
Book Description: 
Shy Darla Carmody decides to jump-start her flaccid love life by presenting her fiancé with sexy photos of herself.
She doesn’t bargain on the photographer, Kon Drummond, being a hunky Dom determined to personally demonstrate what she’s been missing.
The photo session turns into a BDSM marathon as Kon introduces Darla to the erotic pleasures of bondage, spanking, and complete sexual submission—all under the unforgiving lens of his camera. Never has Darla imagined herself on the receiving end of such treatment, or guessed the ecstasy it would bring her.
Kon has been burned by three expensive divorces and refuses to acknowledge his emotional connection to Darla. He taught her to embrace a part of herself she never knew existed. Will he let her return the favor?
Faking ItPam McKenna
Genre: Erotic RomancePublisher: BookTrope Publishing
Book Description:
Britt Munro faces seven days of sexual servitude at a swanky Hamptons beach house, being shared by the hottest two men she’s ever met.
It’s either that or prison after she tries to sell millionaire art collector Garrett Harvey a fake nineteenth-century masterpiece she painted herself.
Garrett’s art-expert buddy Jack turns her punishment into a ménage à trois—his reward for spotting the forgery. Garrett and Jack are both inventive, energetic lovers, but only one touches her heart.
Only one makes her yearn for something real, even after she discovers she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Once the week is up, she’ll never see him again.
Months later, her past returns with a vengeance, testing both her courage and the depth of her ex-lover’s feelings.
About the Author:
Pam McKenna has been an avid storyteller since she was old enough to put pencil to paper. Her number-one passion is the written word, though if you read her novellas, you might conclude that her true passions lie elsewhere. And you’d be right. Pam loves erotic romance and has never been shy about pulling out the stops and treating her readers to five-alarm fantasies. Pam McKenna is the pen name of a best-selling romance author.
http://www.pamelaburford.com
http://twitter.com/PamelaBurford
https://www.facebook.com/pamelaburford


July 28 SpotlightRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
July 28 SpotlightThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
 July 29 Spotlight and review cheekypee reads and reviewshttp://cheekypeereadsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/
July 29 Spotlight, Excerpts, ReviewsUnderneath the Coverhttp://underneaththecover.blogspot.ca/
July 29 Spotlight and reviewRockin' & Reviewing    http://valkyri3fatality.blogspot.com/
July 30 Spotlight (review Faking It)Illuminite Caliginosushttp://darkwriter.wordpress.com
July 30 SpotlightAll I Want and More Books  http://alliwantandmorebooks.wordpress.com/
July 31 ReviewMy Book Filled Life http://mybookfilledlife.blogspot.com
July 31 Spotlight Photo PlaySapphyria's Steamy Book Reviews http://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.com/
August 1 SpotlightAnya Breton Author's Bloghttp://blog.anyabreton.com
August 1 ReviewSnarky Mom Reads…http://www.snarkymomreads.com
August 1 Spotlight Binding AgreementSapphyria's Steamy Book Reviews http://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.com/
August 1 SpotlightAngel’s Guilty Pleasureshttp://angelsguiltypleasures.com
August 4 Spotlight and reviewRamblings of a Book Lunatichttp://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com
August 4 Reviewparanormal romance authors that rockwww.pratr.wordpress.com
August 4 Spotlight Faking ItSapphyria's Steamy Book Reviews http://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.com/
August 4 SpotlightHouston Havens http://houstonhavens.wordpress.com

The Blue EffectRenegade HeroesBook OneRose ShababyGenre: ...

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?
Excerpt Three
Clearly the time had come for the two of us to have it out. “I may have thought you were hot when we first met, and you got to listen to the nasty thoughts in my head, but every time we meet I find it harder to like you. In fact, every time you open your mouth, you get uglier and uglier. I don’t know if Val was right, and you really are jealous, but let me make this crystal clear for you. There is no part of me that wants you.”His eyes narrowed for a moment, and then, before I could do anything, his hands shot out and grabbed my shoulders again. He yanked me close to him and I the heat from his chest burned through my t-shirt. His face was so close to mine I could feel his hot breath blazing against my cheek when he spoke. “You’re a little liar,” he hissed. “There is a part of you that likes this,” he shook me a little and I flushed with rage… and something else. “And goddamn me, there’s a part of me that likes it too.” He hovered with his face still close to mine and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. My head fell back slightly and my lips parted involuntarily as I anticipated his invasion.Then he released me, almost flinging me away from him. I pressed my back against the wall as I watched him and tried to catch my breath as my traitorous heart beat so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.“Let me make this crystal clear for you,” he mimicked. “Kasey is like a brother to me and if you hurt him, you’ll wish you never met me.”
 “I already do,” I whispered with sincerity.
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

August 4 InterviewThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
August 5 SpotlightThe Reader's Hollowhttp://thereadershollow.wordpress.com
August 7 SpotlightBook Purses & Reviewswww.bookpurses.blogspot.com
August 8 InterviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/
August 11 SpotlightMichelle's Paranormal Vault of Bookshttp://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/
August 12 Guest blogPenny Dreadful Book Reviews http://www.pennydreadfulbooks.me
August 13 Character InterviewEclipse Reviewswww.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
August 14 Guest blogEbook Escapeshttp://ebookescapes.com
August 14 InterviewShut Up & Read http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/
August 15 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
August 15 SpotlightMila Ramoswww.jademystique.blogspot.com

HERO OF A HIGHLAND WOLF by Terry Spear

HERO OF A HIGHLAND WOLFTerry Spear

Release Date: August 5, 2014Publisher: Sourcebooks CasablancaGenre: Paranormal Romance

About the Book

The MacQuarrie werewolf clan has overseen the Playfair family’s Ardmore Castle for three centuries. So when a Playfair granddaughter from abroad inherits the estate, clan chief Grant MacQuarrie has to train her to manage it—and he’s not happy about having her in his way. Until the prim old lady he’s expecting turns out to be a sexy young wolf…

Colleen Playfair is excited and apprehensive about her new role at the castle, and she has big plans to change the way its run. But the stubborn Grant won’t make things easy, and she’s forced to turn to seduction to get her way…

Excerpt

Grant always joked and played with his clansmen when they were through with their work for the day. Well, even while they worked. But being with Colleen here like this felt different. For a moment, he didn’t feel like he served as the manager of her estates while she was the owner and taskmaster. He felt like a man with a woman on a Sunday jaunt in the glen. Except she wasn’t just any woman. She was a she-wolf, her cute little arse jiggling ahead of him as he climbed the hill to join her.

When he reached the top, she was trying to catch her breath and swayed a little. He grabbed her arm, and he didn’t know what came over him. But suddenly he was looking down into her smiling face, as if she was smiling at him, and he wanted in the worst way to kiss her.

She didn’t pull away from him, either.

He shouldn’t kiss her, but damn, he wanted to.

Still breathing hard, her heart beating fast, she placed her hand on his chest. He expected her to push him away, but she didn’t. She just stood there looking up at him, waiting for him to do something. He breathed in her scent, all woman and…interested.

They stood high on top of the hill overlooking the glen, the water rushing by, the sheep grazing on the green grass across the burn, and white clouds passing overhead against the blue sky.

He still had hold of her arm, but then he released her, cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her.

When his lips met hers, he knew he shouldn’t do this. He intended to make it sweet and unassuming, to quench some damnable need that he had to satisfy. He didn’t presume it would go anywhere, and he almost imagined it would be lame and unappealing—-after having built up the expectation that kissing that sweet mouth of hers would make his world spin and topple over. He hadn’t thought she’d crave the intimacy as much as he did. Yet when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, she exhibited an eagerness that turned his world on end.

She was more than willing.

Amazon - http://amzn.to/1hxh0mp
Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1il2cxw
iTunes - http://bit.ly/1n64Qsf
About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over two dozen paranormal romance novels and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 HEART OF THE WOLF was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world. She lives in Crawford, Texas.




Website: www.terryspear.com  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

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Cover Reveal: Night Sky by Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann

Night SkySuzanne and Melanie Brockmann
Release Date: October 7, 2014Publisher: Sourcebooks FireGenre: Young Adult Paranormal

About the Book:
Sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid is thrown into a strange world when she discovers that she has unique telekinetic and telepathic powers.  After Sasha, the child she babysits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered, Sky and her best friend Calvin are approached by Dana, a mysterious girl who has super-abilities similar to Sky’s.  With the help of Dana and her sidekick Milo, the four teens embark on a quest to discover who killed Sasha, and to bring the killers to justice.
With Dana as Skylar’s surly and life-toughened mentor, Sky attempts to harness her powers to aid them in their quest. Complicating an already complex relationship with the older girl, Sky starts to fall for the dangerously handsome and enigmatic Milo – and begins to suspect that the attraction is mutual. But then Sky realizes that Sasha might still be alive, and the unlikely foursome’s mission becomes one of search and rescue, pitting the heroic teens against a very deadly enemy.
About the Authors:
Suzanne Brockman, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, has won 2 RITA awards, numerous RT Reviewers’ Choice, and RWA’s #1 Favorite Book of the Year three years running. She has written over 50 books, and is widely recognized as a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today). Suzanne and her daughter, Melanie Brockmann, have been creative partners, on and off, for many years. Their first project was an impromptu musical duet, when then-six-month-old Melanie surprised and delighted Suz by matching her pitch and singing back to her. Suzanne splits her time between Florida and Massachusetts while Mel lives in Sarasota, Florida. NIGHT SKY is Mel’s debut and Suzanne’s 55th book. Visit Suzanne at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com.