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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/
https://twitter.com/clwilsonbooks
https://www.facebook.com/clwilsonbooks
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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InterviewPembroke Sinclair pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
SpotlightCBY Book Clubhttp://cbybookclub.blogspot.co.uk/
Guest blogDiane’s Book Blog http://dianes-book.blogspot.com
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.

Spotlight on The Brethren Series by Sara Reinke

Dark Vengeance Part 1The Brethren SeriesBook 6Sara Reinke
Genre: paranormal/vampirePublisher:  Bloodhorse Press
Date of Publication: 11/2011
ISBN:  9780983216322ASIN: B006CPC4UQ
Number of pages: 155Word Count: 62,640
Book Description: 
Brandon Noble thinks the worst is behind him and is ready to begin a new life with the woman he loves. Lina Jones is more reluctant to let bygones be bygones, but agrees to try for Brandon's sake. But just as they look forward to a promising future together, new danger arises -- and Brandon's very nature could threaten to tear them ruthlessly apart.

Smashwords   Amazon Kindle  Amazon Paperback   BN


Excerpt  Dark Vengeance Part 1:
Lina had never seen Brandon so fully enthralled by the bloodlust before—not without him feeding from her or finding sexual release. It had left him exhausted, flustered and—she realized suddenly—frightened.Because he’s never seen himself like this, either.“Brandon,” she whispered, reaching up to press her palm to his cheek. God, he was burning up, his skin hot like the side of a glassworks furnace. “Feed from me.”Don’t ask me that, he gasped, shaking his head. God, Lina, please. I can’t!“Yes, you can,” she pleaded. “You have to try. This isn’t working.”It has to! he cried. Shaking his head his head to dislodge her hand from his face, he then seized hold of her, locking his fingers through hers, pinning her hands down against the bed. You don’t understand, he seethed, his brows furrowed. He leaned down enough for her to see herself—her sudden, visible alarm—reflected in the obsidian pools of his eyes. This has to work—it has to. If I bite you now, I won’t be able to stop. Do you get it? Do you hear me? I won’t be able to stop myself!

Dark Vengeance Part 2The Brethren SeriesBook 8Sara Reinke
Genre: paranormal/vampirePublisher: Bloodhorse Press
Date of Publication: 6/2014
ISBN: 9781311902924ASIN: pending
Number of pages: 212Word Count: 130,860
Book Description:
From the beginning, it's been the two of them: Brandon Noble and Lina Jones, against the world...against all odds. But in the end, Brandon couldn't resist his true vampire nature, and the relentless pull of the blood lust drove them apart. Now he's disappeared without a trace and his life may very well be in danger. Can Lina put aside her broken heart to help find the man she loves? Or does Brandon's salvation lie in the hands of the most unlikely hero of all?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/3KIlWNhpZmk
Smashwords   Amazon    BN

Excerpt Dark Vengeance Part 2
Brandon lay spooned against Lina, his chest facing her back, the curves of her body resting in perfect complement with his own. Her hair, a tousled mess of dark, springy curls, tickled the underside of his nose. He had his hand draped lightly over the slim indention of her waist, his fingers loosely twined through hers.I don’t understand this—any of it, Brandon thought. But he found he no longer had the heart to question it. Because this is what I want—you’re what I want, Lina, he thought, breathing in the scent of her perfume, and kissing her lightly through her hair. You’re what I need.Although he was loath to leave her, he slowly drew free from their embrace and slipped out of bed. Leaving her curled on her side, her body draped in blankets, he pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Grabbing his cell phone, Brandon padded softly toward the bedroom doorway. Here, he paused, glancing over his shoulder, watching as she dozed, cat-like and comfortable, in a sunbeam.God, you’re beautiful, he thought, the corners of his mouth lifting in a soft smile. I want this every day, for the rest of my life. I want you.He wandered through the chateau, and everything was just as he remembered. It had come pre-furnished, courtesy of the Morins, but Lina had added her own touches here and there to the décor: a tabletop sculpture of a moose made from old paint cans, springs and cogs in the living room bought during an outing to an art gallery with Tessa; a framed photograph of her and Brandon taken outside one of the gaudy casino exteriors on the Nevada side of the lake; a bowl of giant pinecones—each bigger than a softball—she’d collected from the yard outside. He gazed out the bay windows in the living room and found everything outside just as he’d known it, too—flawless azure sky, clustered stands of towering evergreen trees, the distant but distinct cerulean plane of Emerald Bay below.It was a beautiful place, a peaceful place, and as it always did, it made Brandon feel at ease simply to be there, bearing mute witness to its splendor.He sat down on the couch and looked down at the cell phone in his hand. Again, it occurred to him—floating to mind, as if something rancid bobbing briefly to the surface in a murky pond—that the phone was supposed to be lost.When Jackson moved out of his mother’s house in Florida, he thought. His head hurt, a sudden burst, a throbbing ache just behind his eyes, and with a frown, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Only I didn’t go to Florida. So I couldn’t have lost my phone there. Besides… He opened his eyes, blinking down at the iPhone in his hand. …I have it right here. That’s proof I didn’t lose it.He opened his messages as Lina had done, and felt his heart quicken with excitement as he saw Sebastian’s name and number pop up. If losing his phone had been just a dream, then…Then losing my dad must’ve been one, too, he thought, tapping on the touchscreen keypad, and typing a message: Hey, Dad—are you busy?For a long moment, he couldn’t send the message, even though he knew it was ridiculous to hesitate. The idea that Sebastian was gone had been so powerful and poignant within him; to realize now that he wasn’t, that Brandon could have another chance—countless chances—to talk to him, text him, interact with him was damn near overwhelming.But almost as soon as he pressed send, the phone vibrated in his hand, not because Sebastian’s response had been so quickly forthcoming, but because a dialogue box had appeared onscreen: Signal lost. Message not sent. Please try again.What? With a frown, Brandon held up the phone: no bars, no signal, no reception. He rose to his feet and walked closer to the windows, but still had no luck. He moved around the house, going from room to room; he turned the phone off and on again, but no matter what he tried, he couldn’t get a transmission signal. Shrugging on a lightweight jacket, he stepped out onto the deck to see if the reception was any better. But it wasn’t.Damn it, Brandon thought with a deepening frown, as he glared, frustrated, at the impotent phone in his hand. It had apparently worked last night—there was the conversation he’d had with his father right there on the screen to prove it. But still, Brandon had no memory of that conversation, not even the distant, dream-like sort in which Sebastian had died, or that he had lost his cell phone. That utter lack of memory did more than trouble Brandon. It pained him.Because I feel cheated somehow, he thought, as ridiculous as it sounded. He felt desperate now to get in touch with Sebastian, to prove to himself that this was reality, and everything else—all of the half-memories bobbing and percolating in the back of his mind—were dreams. I want to talk to my dad. Even if it’s only through a stupid goddamn text, I want to talk to…All at once, Brandon’s attention snapped from the phone in his hand to the woods, his brows narrowing, his entire body growing instantly tense. He could sense another Brethren, that distinctive, tingling sensation that meant another like him was nearby. Normally at the Morin compound, this wouldn’t have alarmed him because the only ones there were Brethren. But in that moment, as he felt that unmistakable awareness of other Brethren within his proximity, he realized he hadn’t been feeling it all along as he’d grown accustomed. It was like the entire area was completely empty, at least of other vampires—until now.Below him, through the tangle of trees, Brandon saw him, a Brethren man looking up at the bungalow—most specifically, at Brandon. His eyes were a clear, nearly lucent shade of blue, like the waters of Lake Tahoe. He reached for Brandon as if desperately imploring, his fingers splayed wide, and his arm had been stripped of any visible flesh, flayed so that the bright red meat of his muscles lay gruesomely exposed. Blood spattered in fat droplets onto the floor and the stark white sheets beneath him were stained scarlet.Please… the man gasped, and Brandon knew his face, his eyes—his name.Aaron.Please… Aaron begged, his eyes glassy with pain, wide with alarm. Don’t…!


About the Author:
“Definitely an author to watch.” That’s how Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine describes Sara Reinke. 
New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards calls Reinke “a new paranormal star” and Love Romances and More hails her as “a fresh new voice to a genre that has grown stale.”
Dark Thirst and Dark Hunger, the first two books in The Brethren Series of vampire romance are available from Kensington/Zebra Books, while the third installment, Dark Passion, is available from Double Dragon Publishing. 
The series continued with Dark Passages: Tristan & Karen, Dark Passages 2: Pilar & Elías and Dark Vengeance Parts 1 and 2, from Bloodhorse Press.
Learn more about Sara and her available titles at www.sarareinke.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sara-Reinke/101431290002605
https://twitter.com/@SaraReinke
www.goodreads.com/author/show/491442.Sara_Reinke


July 28 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
July 28 SpotlightSapphyria's Book Reviews www.saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/ 
July 29 SpotlightDeal Sharing Auntwww.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com 
July 30 SpotlightCassandra M's Place www.cassandramsplace.com
July 31 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
August 1 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
August 4 Top Ten ListDarkest Cravingswww.darkestcravings.blogspot.com
August 4 SpotlightMy Paranormal Book Reviewhttp://myparanormalbookreview.blogspot.com/
August 5 Guest blogMythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
August 6 spotlightAnnette Gisbyhttp://agisby.blogspot.co.uk/
August 7 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net 
August 8 InterviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/ 
August 8 SpotlightEmma Weylinhttp://emmaweylin.com/ 
August 11 Character InterviewEclipse Reviewshttp://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com/ 
August 11 InterviewPembroke Sinclair www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com

Top Ten Favorite Fantasy Tropes Guest Blog and Giveaway with Christine Amsden

I don't care how many times I've seen them, I'll gladly read them again!10. Everyman — I’m seeing less and less of this one in recent years (or maybe I’m looking in the wrong places), but I really enjoy becoming engaged with a fantasy tale from the perspective of someone like me. Or at least, someone who is as awestruck by the magic as I am. It helps ease me into the story.9. Shape shifters — These ARE incredibly popular right now, but that works for me!8. Attitude and wit — I doubt I’ll ever get sick of clever characters with a wry sense of humor and a certain flair. Authors with strong voices freshen this trope up every time just by being themselves. 7. Swords — So much cooler than guns, even if they are a bit less practical!6. Cats — Anyone ever notice that there are a lot of cats in fantasy novels? Not nearly so many dogs. As someone who has *mostly* overcome a childhood phobia involving dogs but who still only tolerates the beasts, cats will always be my preferred pet.5. Series — Maybe not the ones that go on and on and on with no end in sight, but honestly, I do like to spend a few books with the characters I love. I particularly like to do this when the characters grow and change over the course of those books.4. Fae — So much more interesting than Tinkerbell.3. Long-lost relatives — Tell me I’m not the only one who has a soft spot for this plot device. (I will make an exception for the specific discovery that the bad guy is your father. Star Wars pretty much killed that one.)2. Ridiculously good looking men — Sorry ridiculously good looking women, I can’t say the same for you and I don’t care if that’s a double standard. I like what I like. :)1. Superpowers — Enough said!

Stolen DreamsCassie ScotBook 4Christine Amsden
Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, romance, paranormal, new adult
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Date of Publication: June 25, 2014 (ebook)October 15, 2014 (paperback)
ISBN:  978-1-60619-281-8ASIN: Coming soon
Number of pages: 260Word Count: 84,000
Cover Artist: Ural Akyutz
Book Description:
Edward Scot and Victor Blackwood have despised one another for nearly a quarter of a century, but now their simmering hatred is about to erupt.
When Cassie Scot returns home from her sojourn in Pennsylvania, she finds that her family has taken a hostage. Desperate to end the fighting before someone dies, Cassie seeks help from local seer Abigail Hastings, Evan Blackwood’s grandmother. But Abigail has seen her own death, and when it comes at the hand of Cassie’s father, Victor Blackwood kills Edward Scot.
But things may not be precisely as they appear.
Evan persuades Cassie to help him learn the truth, teaming them up once again in their darkest hour. New revelations about Evan and his family make it difficult for Cassie to cling to a shield of anger, but can Evan and Cassie stop a feud that has taken on a life of its own?
Conclusion to the Cassie Scot series.


Excerpt (From Chapter 7)
            “I–” My cell phone rang, saving me the challenge of coming up with a plausible lie. I answered without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”            “Cassie, dear, how are you and my grandson getting along?” It was Abigail. I had the volume turned up loud enough that Evan could hear. His eyes widened, and he stepped closer. Too close, but I pretended the proximity didn’t affect me in the slightest.            “Abigail, where are you? What are you doing?”            “You know the answer to that question, Cassie. And as much as I’d love to give you and Evan a chance to work through more of your issues, I find I have a selfish last request.”            My heart squeezed. “What?”            “I don’t want to die alone.” The words were a bare whisper, but both Evan and I heard.            “Where are you?”            “At the overlook around back. Hurry.” The call ended.            “What did she mean?” Evan asked. “What do you know?”            I was already on my way out the front door, Evan right on my heals. To simplify matters, and to get to her as soon as possible, I decided to give him as much of the truth as I could. “She says someone has to die, and if it’s not her, then it’s going to be your parents.”            “What? When did she say that?”            “In snatches for a week, but most of it earlier tonight, right before I came over.” I was out the door now, heading around back up the paved path wide enough for Abigail’s wheelchair to navigate.            To my immense relief, Evan didn’t question me further. He followed me for a few paces, then rushed ahead, moving too quickly for me to keep up even when I broke into a run.            She had her chair parked at the top of the hill, overlooking the lake below and a spectacular sunset above. Either I had never seen colors so vibrant before, or I had never paid proper attention. It was as if the heavens were saying farewell.            My father was nowhere in sight. I had half expected to see him there, and managed a sigh of relief when I didn’t. It was short lived, though.            Evan knelt in front of his grandmother, holding her right hand in his. When I arrived, I sank to the paved earth at her other side, taking her left hand in mine. The skin was papery thin and so frail I feared it would flake away.            “Thank you.” She didn’t look at either one of us, and her voice was whisper-thin.            “You don’t have to die,” Evan said. “There has to be another way out. How are you going to die?”            “I-I don’t know. I can’t see past my own death. It’s made things... difficult these past few months.”            “Then how do you know you’re doing the right thing?” I asked. Demanded might be a better word. “How do you know your death will prevent anything?”            “I didn’t have long to live anyway. My heart is weak, and.... I don’t want to talk about it. Please. I don’t have long. Talk to me about something nice.” There was a hitch in her voice that told me no matter how she had prepared for this moment, she wasn’t ready to die. That realization, more than anything else, brought the first tears to my eyes.            “Don’t cry for me. I’ll be all right. My husband’s been gone these many years now, and I’ve been alone.”            I felt Evan’s free hand take mine, and I didn’t even think about yanking it away. For once, his touch didn’t feel anything except comforting. He needed it. I needed it. And so it was.            “Did you like my invitations?” Abigail asked.            “Why did you send them?” Evan asked.            “I don’t suppose you two would consider it a dying woman’s last request?” she asked.            “Nice try,” I said.            Evan didn’t say anything, although I became more aware of his hand holding mine.            “Seriously,” Abigail said, “will you at least talk to one another? Really talk?”            I closed my eyes, swallowed hard, and nodded. The request was at least as manipulative as the first because she knew I couldn’t deny this one. It was too reasonable.            “Good.” She squeezed my hand.            That’s when her house exploded.


About the Author:
Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
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Interview and Giveaway: Black Moon by Becca C. Smith and F.M. Sherrill

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?

Well, there’s two of us: Faith Sherrill and Becca C. Smith. This is our first novel that we’ve written together, but we both have published other works. Faith’s book is a dark fantasy called Ivory and she publishes under the name F.M. Sherrill. Becca has a couple of series out there, but her most popular is her teen sci-fi/horror  series The Riser Saga.

We both wanted to write a vampire novel since neither one of us had tackled that genre yet. With our completely different writing styles we thought it would be a great experiment to try blending the two. Becca has more of “teen” voice (innocent, naïve etc.), whereas Faith’s voice is more dark and intense. By having Becca write the “Shea” chapters and Faith write the “Lucian” chapters made for a pretty crazy mix, but it worked really well.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?

Immortality. There’s something attractive and hopeful about our physical bodies not having to age or die.

Please tell us about your latest release.

The book is called Black Moon and it is the first in a trilogy. It has fangs, blood, romance, history and all the romping bad-ass characters you could want in a paranormal romance.

With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?

No, unfortunately, these are not stand alone books. If you miss the first one, you’re going to be very confused.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

Actually, we had a webshow called The Writers’ Block because let’s face it, all writers have writer’s block from time to time. The only way we deal with it is to force ourselves through it. Just write. Even if it sucks, eventually you’ll pull yourself out of it.

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?

We actually both have to have a clean environment to write. Cluttered place, cluttered mind.
When did you consider yourself a writer?We’ve both been creating stories and fantasies all our lives, so in a sense, we’ve always considered ourselves writers.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?Becca: I read, I write, I watch enormous amounts of television and I play warcraft.
Faith: I’m learning the piano, but typically I like to spend time gardening, dancing, singing and enjoying life.
What was the last amazing book you read?

Becca: Game of Thrones: A Clash of Kings.

Faith: Quiet by Susan Cain

What can readers expect next from you?

Black Sunrise is the 2nd book in the Black Moon Saga and will be out by the end of the year. Faith and I have just finished separate novels of our own. Faith’s is called Cry Wolf and it’s a werewolf apocalypse novel. It will be published in September. Becca just finished the second book in her Atlas Series called Atlas: Grigori Returned and it will be released in August.
Where can readers find you on the web?

We have a blog: http://girlswritingcoffee.blogspot.com

And we also have a website www.blackmoonsaga.com
Our YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRpEts3LkGGODqu0SUc1qFQ

Black MoonThe Black Moon SagaBook 1Becca C. Smith & F.M. Sherrill
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Red Frog PublishingDate of Publication: 07/07/14
ISBN: 9780985027698ASIN:
Number of pages: 283Word Count: 68,000
Cover Artist: Becca C. Smith & F.M. Sherrill
Book Description:
Shea Harper is forced to stay in boring, hot and dry Phoenix, Arizona for college. But once she meets the enigmatic yet positively egocentric Lucian, Shea’s life changes forever.
She finds out that she comes from a long line of descendants called Vessels. In her soul is the key to destroying an ancient prison protecting the world from darkness itself: Lucian’s father.
Up until now, Lucian has captured every descendant except Shea. With her powers awakening, all vampires want to drag her down to the pit. But Lucian is territorial. She’s the first female Vessel… and he’s convinced she belongs to him.
Saucy and tauntingly surprising, Black Moon captures the struggle between burning alive with desire and castrating the heart. This is a love story that will drain you dry.


Available on Amazon
About the Authors:
Becca C. Smith:
Becca C. Smith received her Film degree from Full Sail University and has worked in the Film and Television industry for most of her adult life. In 2010 Becca published her first novel, Riser followed by the sequel, Reaper, in 2011, and the finale, Ripper in 2013. In 2012 Becca wrote the children’s novel Alexis Tappendorf and the Search for Beale’s Treasure. She is also the co-author of the teen graphic novel Ghost Whisperer: The Haunted. Most recently Becca released Atlas, the first book in a new urban fantasy series. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband, Stephan and their two cats Jack and Duke.
F.M. Sherrill:
Aren't author's bios boring? I always wanted to read one that went something like this:
F.M. Sherrill: recent citizen of earth. Plans on ruling the planet once she gets over the common cold. Or, F.M. Sherrill: time traveler. Decided to alter the space-time continuum by writing a novel, thus changing history slightly, which will eventually lead to the rise of a new human species.
But here it is. F.M. Sherrill is a novelist, A.K.A. an avid bullshitter; that's why she lives in L.A.. She's been writing for as long as her ancient mind can remember, devouring tales like an anemic vampire roaming the streets in hot pink heels, always thirsty for more. When she's not writing, she's making steampunk weapons, sewing giant plant-eater Mario plushes, making costumes for some film bloke or cosplayer, and sculpting/casting movie prop replicas while gardening in her urban apartment. Her favorite tools? A soldering iron, a blowtorch, a band saw, a sonic screwdriver, a replicator and an active imagination.
Blog: http://girlswritingcoffee.blogspot.com
Twitter: @therisersaga and @fmsherrill 




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