Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 433
June 18, 2014
Guest Blog and Giveaway Dark Summer Dreams by Danube Adele
My Top Ten Favorite Paranormal PowersDanube Adele
Reading a book where characters can suddenly whip out some crazy superhuman power is awesome. When written well with firmly established sets of parameters that I can predict, it’s easy for a reader to get sucked into a fantastically exciting new reality. Here are some of my favorite superpowers in no real particular order.
1. Teleportation – I love when characters have the ability to transfer from one place to another instantly. In some books, vampires have had this ability, and in my own books within the Dreamwalkers series, there’s a substance that allows the characters to transfer to other planets! I had a blast creating a new world.
2. Flying – How can this be beat? Superman has this covered. How many kids have dreamed of being able to fly? When I was a little kid, ages 4-7, I loved windy days because I would run with the wind flapping my arms trying to fly.
3. Control of nature – In a Gena Showalter book, one of the characters had the ability to control the four natural elements through her emotions. I thought that was not only clever, but allowed the reader to participate while reading. You could predict what might happen along the way as you read from the character’s first person point of view.
4. Strength – Ghostwalkers were humans that were experimented on in the world created by Christine Feehan. The soldiers had amplified strengths and abilities which made for great fight scenes with the bad guys.
5. Shifters – I love reading stories where characters can shift from human to animal. To me, it represents the idea that we’re truly animals beneath our façade of civilization, and we need to let our wild spirits out.
6. See the future – Nix, in the series Immortals After Dark, written by Kresley Cole, is a character who is so much fun to read. Her dialogue is completely random in the most genius way. We can see how she has a hand in shaping the lives of the other immortals in the Lore.
7. Immortality – Especially in a paranormal romance, knowing that the characters are likely going to fall in love forever just seems entirely romantic. Added to that, they remain in their prime of life forever, but with the added benefit of wisdom that comes with age. Makes for interesting characters and exciting plots.
8. Spells – One of my good friends is Wiccan. How could I not appreciate stories where characters use the Goddess to do good in the world?
9. Mindreading – This was one of my favorite abilities, partly because it’s one my characters use in the Dreamwalkers series. In this sci-fi, paranormal series, the ore, mylunate, found on the planet, Te`re, has the ability to create an instant wormhole from one place to another. It’s all very exciting as they can travel light years, not just miles, AND, a side effect of this substance is mindreading. The characters who grew up near deposits of this ore are born with the ability to dive into your thoughts and engage in telepathy. Very cool. Wish I could do this.
10. Dreamwalking – Yet another of my favorite powers. Characters in my series can go into someone’s dreams and manipulate the scenery, so to speak. We first encounter this exciting ability in Quicksilver Dreams, Book #1 of the series, but it continues in Dark Summer Dreams as well, Book #2. You can imagine that in dreams, anything is possible.
What superpowers do you love to read about or would love to have?
Thanks for spending time with me.
You can find me at www.facebook.com/Writer.D.Adele, www.twitter.com/DanubeAdele, www.google.com/+DanubeAdele, www.danubeadele.wordpress.com, www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340150.Danube_Adele
Dark Summer DreamsDreamwalkersBook 2Danube AdeleGenre: Paranormal Romance, New Adult, Sci-fi, Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: June 9th
ISBN: 9781426898457ASIN: B00I15VL5E
Number of pages: 341Word Count: 137,000
Book Description:
I freed him from imprisonment, only to become his pawn.
I, Shandria Langston, last remaining daughter of the leader of the Sunan, was charged with an impossible task. I had to rescue Kraggon Dragmor—sworn enemy of my people—from the death chamber. If I refused, our world as we know it would be destroyed.
Oh, but was he happy with my sacrifice? No. Instead of being properly appreciative of this selfless act, of being grateful that I tended to him through a deathly illness, the bastard’s kidnapped me. I’m “a symbol of retribution for his people.” The man has no heart.
I have only one advantage in captivity: I can read Kraggon’s thoughts. I know that he can’t afford to admit that I empathize with his people. He can’t afford to admit that I am more beautiful than any woman he’s ever seen, or allow me to fire his blood with every look…and he can’t afford to admit that he’ll do anything to save me, that I’ve become his heart.
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Prologue
Shandry, quit being so damn polite and just give a mad-ass Viking battle cry to the fucking world at large. You need to kick ass and take names. Seriously, it would be totally therapeutic.A Viking battle cry?I grinned at Taylor Lane, my new, somewhat warped, friend. Would I need to wield a large ax? Maybe do some raiding and pillaging of villages nearby?Smartass. She said it with affection before turning back to the rock wall she was painting.Can I see what you’re doing?Pausing, she gave me a narrow-eyed look and pointed her drippy paintbrush at me. Keep your Picasso-ey self over there. I don’t need a professional looking over my shoulder while I work. Get me all nervous. Make me mess up.Not even a peek?Will you give me a mad-ass battle cry right now?I half snorted my short laugh. Of course not.Then, no.Taylor’s dreamwalking visits were always a great time. I never knew where we would end up or what was going to come out of her mouth. Usually, it would be something shocking to my Sunan sensibilities, but I loved it. I needed it. She was completely outrageous without apology. Just being around her made me feel more daring. She represented possibilities, which felt like a lifeline to me at this point. And she was going to be part of the family soon.One day she’d popped into one of my dreams and said she was my brother’s new hottie, for, like, ever, and in a flash took me to Venice Beach where she said she lived with my brother. Not only was she joining with Ryder, but now she had all these new powers to harness, which allowed her to take us to the Gods’ plane when she visited my dreams. The downside was once I left this plane, I never remembered her until we returned.I’ve complained about this, of course, but she always says something like, I just do what I’m told, or even better, when she told me she was just being a tool. Somehow, the Gods control what she’s able to do because we haven’t officially met on the human plane. Yet.No, seriously, Shandry. Get up in people’s faces. Take a stand. Make them your bi-atch. I promise, you’ll be a lot happier. She said this matter-of-factly as she continued to paint the rock wall with a few large, sweeping strokes that looked quite dramatic from where I was sitting. I craned my neck to see if I could catch a peek, but she noticed what I was doing and gave me a stern look, shaking her finger at me.Well, fine, I grumbled good-naturedly. I didn’t want to see it anyway. But I really did. For some reason.Why in the worlds wasn’t she going to let me look? I tried to brush it off and focus on the last nonsensical word she’d uttered. Bi-atch. And this was… Nope. Didn’t get it.Okay, you’ve got me on this one. I shook my head. What does that even mean?It means you have to demand what you want, when you want it and put your foot in someone’s ass when they blow you off. You’re too nice.How can being too nice be wrong?You ask that? Really? Look in the mirror. She gave her own unladylike snort as though I were being obtuse.First of all, I have no mirrors, and second, that makes no sense.Taylor gave me a knowing look. It makes perfect sense, and deep down, you totally get what I’m saying. You have too many resentful yeses in you when you need to find some good, coldhearted, queen of the kingdom no’s. When was the last time you got what you wanted?My sigh held exasperation.The lighthearted feeling I counted on with Taylor, the sense of fun and adventure, began fading around the edges. It was turning into something more serious and real. If I’d wanted real, I’d be awake. Real life needed to remain in reality, not follow me into my dreams.Forcing a smile and a light tone, I tried to get this little interlude back on track. Everything’s great. My art is coming along. I’m doing the best work I’ve ever done. I’m trying new mediums. There was this block of marble that—She shook her head, already smacking my words down.You’re alone living in the middle of nowhere. You have no friends. You don’t get to meet anyone. You talk to no one other than your little animal buddies and Dreya. Don’t get me wrong, I love your grandmother to death. She’s a lovely woman, but you’re too young to let your family limit your interactions to a woman in her seventies. I bet you’ve never even thought about what kind of guy you’d like to meet! As she hammered each point home, my smile fell by degrees until I was frowning. That’s just not true. But it was. The familiar burn of resentment slapped at me, and as always, I did my best to tamp it down. There was no way to fix my situation, but it was getting harder to accept.I wanted more. My life had felt flat and colorless for a long time. Nothing ever changed.Images of experiences I desperately wanted fluttered rapidly through my mind like I was thumbing a well-loved book: the warmth of spontaneous laughter with good friends; shopping with a confident, carefree spring to my step while not having to look over my shoulder in fear; travel to new and exotic places, and the heart-pounding excitement of romance. Meeting someone. A first kiss. What kind of guy would I like?I thought of Sixteen Candles and Jake Ryan, when the theme music plays in the background and he’s standing there just waiting for Samantha at the end of the movie. That one still had the power to make my heart ache for what wasn’t happening in my life.There were so many things I didn’t understand. Too innocent. Too unknowing. Wasn’t twenty-five too old to have so much to learn? At some point, innocent became flat out ignorant. And the years were now ticking by. Before long, I’d be twenty-six, then twenty-seven. What about my life?I’d seen pictures and books and movies that Ryder brought me from Earth. Taylor had taken me places during our dreamwalking dates.But what I craved more than anything was for my life to have meaning. I needed a place to belong. Who counted on me for anything of importance? Who needed my opinion on important matters? No one. Who needed me for any kind of responsibility? Who counted on me to get things done that affected others in serious ways? No one. Did I do anything of significance that was crucial to anyone else? Not at all. No responsibility for my own life. I may as well still be a child.You’re missing out on some important life experiences, Shandry.Didn’t I know it? I forced my smile back in place and tried to ignore the burn of frustration over what I couldn’t control and repeated to her what I’d repeated to myself, over and over, using a light tone as though that would make it more convincing somehow.I think you’re exaggerating. Everything is great. I really like being on my own, in my own place. There’s no one else I need to worry about or check in with, I go for long walks in the forest, and I work in my garden. I help my grandmother harvest her sele` flower crop in the fall, and it’s kind of funny, but part of the reason my art is selling in the market place is because I’m so reclusive and mysterious. It’s beautiful. Certainly. I’ve worked hard. Incredibly hard. It’s taken me years to reach the level of mastery that I’m at, but my art is also the only evidence of my existence. Who knew that would help? I couldn’t be busier or more fulfilled. Orders are coming to me from all over the nation through the encrypted messaging system, the EMS, Ryder set up for me. Too much to do. I don’t have time for anything else in my life. I’m very content.As I actually said these words outside my own head, even I could say it sounded like blah, blah-blah, blah-blah—a bunch of excuses. But it wasn’t. Not really. It was survival.Taylor threw me a frown. You are a fraud. Being introverted is a natural state of being for some people. It’s a front for you. It’s fake. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. You need to find you.I huffed a sigh, negating what she was saying. She didn’t understand. I couldn’t let myself go there. You don’t get it, Taylor. It doesn’t even matter. You know what’s important? I’m right here. I’m happy, healthy and safe. I’m lucky to live in the middle of a beautiful place. Have you been to the Blue Sage Forest? It’s gorgeous. What can I really complain about?Shandry—Taylor, I’m a target. Our enemies want me dead, and I still managed to carve out my own space in this blasted world. I practically had to give a blood oath and install all kinds of security measures to move, but that’s part of the price. Did you know that when I was a kid, there were attempts on my life? The fear of those moments was still fresh, and my heart skipped, remembering. I took a breath to calm it. My isolation keeps me and others safe. I have to stay out here, Taylor. There are no other options.Besides, I’d asked my father if I could go to Earth last year, and he hadn’t let a second go by before stating in his no-nonsense voice that it would be impossible to keep me safe there. When would the threat be over?Tamp tamp tamp. Tamp it down. There’s nothing you can do. Don’t drive yourself insane. I watched the movement of her paint strokes, which was kind of soothing and let me catch my breath. I didn’t want to get mad at Taylor over this stupid stuff. She didn’t deserve that from me.There are always options, Taylor finally offered cryptically and resumed painting. She must have noted the tension in my voice because she gave me a moment before adding, My friend, you have got to find your inner badass bitch-on-wheels.We’re not all made like you, Tay. I tried to say it teasingly, recapture the lightness of spirit we’d started with, but my smile was having a hard time coming back. You are one of a kind. And she was. Cute and strong and sure of herself, she was fearless when it came to speaking her mind. I envied her that.Compliments will not distract me today. Wasn’t it Emerson that talked about giving a barbaric yawp over the mountaintop or something like that? She looked up thoughtfully, thinking hard on it. This was in Dead Poet Society. Made him yawp in class. Very cool. I loved that movie. Why can’t I remember? But anyway, you seriously need an attitudinal adjustment.An attitudinal adjustment?Yup. Attitudinal adjustment. I don’t go dream-hopping for nothing. You need me here, especially seeing as how this is a sensitive issue for you.I just didn’t want to talk about this anymore. Why couldn’t that be okay with everybody? I need an attitudinal adjustment? You need an attitudinal adjustment. You won’t even let me see what you’re painting.Taylor gave me a curious look. Why do you even need to see it?That gave me pause. I don’t know. I guess I don’t. But the painting was…calling to me? Reaching out to me? So dumb. I was definitely not going to say this out loud. What I need is some fun, Tay. What nasty medicine did you have to take today?Truth serum.I rolled my eyes and snarked, And it was Walt Whitman, not Emerson.Wow. She threw a quick, face-splitting grin at me. Love the attitude.I was being awful. I never talked this way, ever, and this was Taylor… Sorry. I’m not usually—I mean it! You need attitude in this life. Bring it!I took a deep breath, wondering why nothing made sense anymore. There was no reason for me to be resentful. There really wasn’t. What good was attitude going to do for me?Taylor saluted me with her paintbrush. Okay. I stand corrected. Whitman said it. Whatever. Some dead white guy said it, and the message is still valid.Okay. Fine. Whatever. I didn’t want to talk about this stuff anymore. Where are we now? Is this place on Earth?A strong breeze whipped the end of my auburn ponytail across my face, and I tilted my head back to enjoy the feel of the sun, needing a balm for my spirit. Usually I would have had to worry about exposure, having the blasted redhead’s everlasting curse of pale skin, but in this place, the Gods’ plane, nothing could hurt me.You brought me here,Taylor said succinctly as she concentrated on her painting once again, which had me scowling. She was being so difficult. It was just a painting. I took a deep breath, trying to refocus on the conversation, though my eyes felt like they were being dragged to what she was doing. Then her words caught me.I brought us here? I looked around with some confusion, about to deny it, but then paused. It somehow was connected to me. I sensed it.Someone did. I don’t know. I just know I didn’t. The Gods don’t always tell me what’s happening. I think I should lodge a complaint with management. I had to give it to her. Taylor was handling being an instrument of the Gods better than I would if I was only being handed bits and scraps of information. My grandmother suffered from the same problem. It meant anything could happen. There were no rules. Clearly.Normally I wouldn’t have been able to bring anyone to a place I hadn’t seen, yet here we were. It was a picturesque valley and we sat at the mouth of it, against the rocky slope. I wondered if this was all a figment of one of our imaginations (I hoped not) or if it was truly a place within the Sunan nation.Romantic, rocky crags jutted up behind us. Tall green grasses with yellow clover flowers swayed with the faint breeze in the valley before us, and the clear, blue sky blanketed us with sweet smelling air above us.To actually visit here would be grand, but I knew I never would, which frustrated me more than usual in this moment since Taylor had decided it would be a fabulous idea to start picking at my scabs, so to speak. I couldn’t just be normal and make my own decisions about things, now could I? It was all about keeping me safe. If I was even considering doing something out of my norm, all kinds of people would up and protest.But…there was cause.As usual, any hints of anger or resentment that cropped up I immediately smothered. Didn’t need to start that fire burning.Tamp, tamp, tamp. Things were as good as I could make them.What good would it do to feel frustrated? It only sapped energy from me, and there was no one around who would actually listen to a complaint. My father had wanted to protect me. I was lucky to have been able to live with my grandmother. When I felt old enough to need to be on my own, I’d made it happen. It was the one time I’d argued for my own life, and though it had cost me in some ways, I got what I wanted. My little home was far away on the outskirts, just beyond where our civilization claimed borders, in a secret place, but still close to Dreya. At least it wasn’t underground. There was no way I could ever return to living underground, which my father had initially tried to make me do.See? It was all for the better. There was nowhere else I could handle going anyway. There wasn’t another place I belonged…more. The frustration began to ease. I was able to take a deep breath of fresh air.Are we talking about Shandry? Asily gave me an artful smile as she suddenly appeared on a rock near mine. I heard you guys talking about shouting off the mountain top or something like that. Where have you been? I’ve been trying to lecture your sister on some serious shit, and you just up and left.Didn’t you see that little curly-haired toddler running? He asked me to chase him. Very cute. I lost him in the crowd.Nope. Didn’t see anything, I replied with a quick look around. Asily, there’s no one here.Of course there is! Asily laughed. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t here. It’s actually very busy here. Can’t you feel them?Taylor was impatient. I feel lots of things.I don’t, I groused a bit sourly.Asily’s tone was more of an understatement that lost its lightness. Well, trust me. There’s a lot happening here these days.I was ready to tell them both they needed help, but realized that I was feeling a thread of something. I didn’t know what it was. Taylor gave an as-I-was-saying look and continued, I was telling her to be more like a Viking and roar out her pissed-offness.I thought we were done with this, I grumbled.Who? Shandry?Asily laughed outright, which made me scowl at her. Shandry doesn’t have it in her to say boo at a mouse. In fact, she’d probably befriend it, start feeding it, and help it name its children. She doesn’t have a rude bone in her body. She’d never be able to shout off a mountaintop. Shandry’s always been the good one in the family.Gods bless it. That familiar twinge of resentment—ah, there it was—that I was trying to get rid of pinched at me once again, hearing the certainty in my sister’s voice. I had the sudden urge to shove her off her rock. I could be rude. I could be barbaric if I wanted to. I could yawp.Besides, I usually communicated with birds and squirrels, not mice.You are so wrong, Asily. She’s hiding out. I’m telling you. She’s playing possum or something. This isn’t who she really is, and I can’t wait to see the real Shandry stop denying herself and finally step forward to demand the life she really wants.You two are crazy, I said lightly, to sort of put the lid on the discussion, but Taylor just had so much to say. Bless the spirits.Not even. You, Shandry-girl, are spiritually clogged like nobody’s business. I know I sound all hippy-love-child fruity when I say this, but I can totally feel your energy. You, girlfriend, have some deeply seated emotional issues. Trust me. If there’s one thing I know about, it’s deep, emotional issues. Am I right, Asily?Taylor paused in her work to look questioningly over at my sister.Yes, you are right. You have deep emotional issues, Asily repeated dutifully.Taylor smirked. You’re a funny girl, Asily. I like that about you. But really, back a girlfriend up, here. Can’t you feel it? Shandry needs to just let it all go. Let it all hang out. She absolutely needs an attitudinal adjustment before she completely blows her lid.Tay, I don’t have the same gifts you have, Asily responded with a shrug. I can’t see the same things you see. As far as I can see, she’s just perfect. Her dark blue eyes contrasted dramatically with her blue-black hair. Glancing at me mischievously, she winked. She’d always been so striking, just like our brother, Ryder, and our father. I’d taken after our mother, who had milky skin and red hair. My eyes seemed to be my own. The palest blue.This is good counseling, Taylor groused as she continued her work. People usually have to pay good money for this. No kidding. So anyway, let’s not lose the point here. The point of this lecture is to help Shandry recognize that she is beautiful and talented and has a lot to offer the world. Maybe there was a time when you needed to hide, but that time is gone.I wished.But she doesn’t even like being around people, Asily offered. She only likes doing her art.Says who? Since when did I actually get the choice?I’m not buying it. Taylor turned to me again. We need to think of a way to let you open up more. It would be good for you.I gave an I-have-no-idea kind of shrug. At this point, I didn’t know what she was talking about.Taylor turned back to us with this sudden, huge smile. Okay. I have an idea. I dare you to yell “cocksucker.” And you can’t say it quickly or quietly. You have to say it with gusto and mean it.I’m not going to do that, I gasped, which had Asily grinning, which again, really bugged me for some reason. She was seriously close to getting that proverbial foot placed somewhere on her anatomy, just as Taylor suggested. Big sisters could seriously be pains.Watch. I’ll do it first. Taylor balled up her paint-brush-free hand into a fist for added support, took a deep breath and yelled as loudly as she could, Cocksucker!She made it echo three times down the valley and laughed with delight. See? From the diaphragm. Trust me! It’s absolutely freeing.I can’t say that. I shook my head with amused horror, though really, there was secret, sneaky part of me that was intrigued. Considering. Wouldn’t it be nice to show everyone, including my sister, there was more to me than just the good girl who did what she was told? I was tired of feeling so innocent and unknowing. I wanted to wipe that smile off Asily’s face.So many different combinations, it boggles the mind. Okay. Try this one, then. Fucking asshole. Or goddamn motherfucking asshole. Please? Pretty please?No. Dual feelings of humor and horror battled for precedence on my face.Part of me is just dying to hear this phrase coming from your mouth.But why?You’re just so innocent. You’re like this cute doll I had when I was a little girl. I swear. Her smile broadened. It feels like I’m corrupting Pollyanna.I could probably use some corruption. I’d spent too much time alone. Maybe Taylor was right. Something needed to change before I started going insane.I’m not even kidding, Shandry. You want to see a girl fall on the floor? Come up to me and tell me I’m a mother-fucking-cocksucking asshole, and I will be L-M-A-O, you hear me? It would be so Linda Blair from The Exorcist.I’d scared myself silly with that movie. My brother got me hooked on Earth’s entertainment out of some misplaced sense of guilt that he was somehow responsible for me being exiled. The problem was, he only brought me PG, or at the most, PG-13 rated movies, but I soon moved on to a few of the R without letting him know. I found a means of pirating—yes, I said it!— movies that I thought would be more interesting, not that I didn’t love The Lion King. Of course, this led to many more questions that I had no answers for. And probably a few nightmares as well…Taylor wasn’t finished being funny.She gave me an arch look.You know, there are other ways of letting off steam, and trust me, you have some steam to let off. Ever heard of porn?Porn? I frowned, shaking my head. I hadn’t heard the word before.Yeah, porn. Video images of people having loud, raunchy sex.Tay-lor! I gasped my surprise and felt my cheeks get hot. At the same time, I wondered if people were really having sex in a video or if it was, like, faked… I shut the thought down quickly. Was it wrong to be so intrigued? My desire to ask her questions about sex battled the natural Sunan reserve I’d grown up with.Disappointingly, I let my conservatism win out and gave her a good, miss-ish frown. I wasn’t ready yet. Just wasn’t ready to be so open with my curiosity.Really, Shandry! It’s very educational. Seriously. A good “O” can work wonders, let me tell you.Taylor—I’m not trying to get up in your business or anything, I’m just saying…Taylor flung some paint at me playfully from her brush.I shielded my face. I can’t believe you’re talking about this.You won’t remember anyway.I always end up remembering something of what we talked about even if I don’t remember you! It somehow ends up working its way into my life—Taylor looked like she’d just had a Eureka! moment. Well, shit. If that’s the case, I’m going to say you have to know your body. Go exploring. I’m not even kidding. Get naked, think of a hot guy, and see what happens next.Geez, Taylor. I am not going to have this conversation with you. I won’t.Go exploring? What did that mean? Touch myself? My mind secretly latched on to this. I was sure Taylor would answer any question I put to her, but I was too embarrassed to ask. So, I kept my mouth shut. Okay, okay. But someone needs to have this conversation with you. It’s time you learned about the birds and the bees.Asily suddenly narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the painting. A little more shadow on the left.I’m getting there, I’m getting there, Taylor grumbled good-naturedly, reluctantly turning her attention back to her painting on the rock wall. She got to work with a vengeance, then. Adding daubs here and there. Going back to outline this part or that part to make it darker, clarify lines and shapes.Don’t be a perfectionist, Asily complained.Don’t be a backseat driver, Taylor replied without heat, though she was looking up at the wall questioningly.What in the worlds are you painting? I needed to know.Truthfully, I’m not sure yet. Taylor looked up at her wall with uncertainty. I just work here, you know, and do as I’m told.Bless the spirits, Taylor. You’re just standing too close to it. Back up and take a look. And then get out of the way so we can all see. Asily suddenly hopped off her boulder and joined Taylor some distance away, looking at the image with her head cocked consideringly.Is he anyone you know? Taylor asked Asily.No. No one I know. Shandry? Asily beckoned me over.Finally! I jumped off my rock, and a few quick steps had me standing next to the two of them. I got my first full glance at the larger-than-life face Taylor had painted on the wall and felt my heart stutter wildly in my chest.He was beautiful. Striking. Strong, square jaw, full lips and an arresting pair of deep, soulful eyes that seemed to be looking just at me. Whispering to me. Reaching out to me. It was like he was there, somehow. The heat of his energy reached out to mine with provocative tendrils wrapping around me, pulling me in, beginning to warm me from the inside. With some fear, I wondered what was going on. I suddenly felt the need to catch my breath and still my madly pumping heart. I tried to pull back, strengthen my mental shield against him and breathe normally again.I—I don’t know him, I stuttered quietly, calmly, though my face was definitely heating up yet again. I wondered if Asily or Taylor knew what had just happened.Well, he’s a totally hot guy, Taylor offered. If I weren’t completely over the top for your brother, I’d be getting me some of that. Believe you me.Embarrassment complete. She knew. The heat to my cheeks only increased, radiating like a beacon.You don’t need to be embarrassed, Shandry. Taylor frowned at me. You’re a healthy, twenty-five-year-old woman who’s alone out in the boondocks.That’s silly, I protested, my voice sharper than usual. I’m perfectly content with my life.This time I agree with Taylor, Asily said quietly, her young face looking wiserthan her years as she studied my expression. You’ve put your life on hold long enough. It’s time.Time for what? I asked hesitantly, afraid I knew the answer.Time for you to wake up.
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About the Author:Danube Adele wrote her first romance at the age of seven when she penned the story of her dogs falling in love and having puppies. She’s been dreaming up romantic tales ever since. A lifetime resident of southern California, she spends time playing at the beach, camping in Joshua Tree National Park, and hiking Mammoth Mountain.
Always a lover of adventure, she and her husband took their sons on a cross country road trip to Florida and back in an old VW Westfalia, that had no A/C, in the month of July, and still, it continues to be the best trip they ever took.
Extensive travel and trying new things has kept the creative spark alive. Danube lives in Claremont with her biggest fans, her loving husband, amazing and wonderful identical twin sons, and a teddy bear of a Rottweiler.
Her debut novel, Quicksilver Dreams, Book 1 of the Dreamwalker series, was released January 6, 2014, and Dreams of a Dark Summer, Book 2 of the Dreamwalker series, is set for release June 9, 2014. She’s currently working the next book in the Dreamwalker series, which is set to come out in December, 2014.
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June 17, 2014
Burning Bright Release Party
Today we are celebrating the release of BURNING BRIGHT, the third full-length novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. Let's party!
We have two very special book excerpts to share with you and, of course, A GIVEAWAY! Keep reading for a chance to win.
Burning Bright (Ivy Granger #3) by E.J. Stevens
Burning down the house...
Things are not going well at the offices of Private Eye. Jinx is having demon problems, the city is overrun with pyromaniacal imps, and Ivy's wisp powers are burning out of control, attracting the attention of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts.
Along came a faerie queen... It's the worst possible time for the Green Lady to call in a favor, but Ivy's bound by her deal with the glaistig. Too bad there's no wiggle room in faerie bargains.
Ivy must rid the city of imps, keep Jinx from murdering her one solid link to Hell, and fulfill her bargain with the Green Lady--with sidhe assassins hot on her tail.
Just another day's work for Ivy Granger, psychic detective.
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.
Previous books in this series: Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger #1), Blood and Mistletoe (Ivy Granger #1.5), Ghost Light (Ivy Granger #2), Club Nexus (Ivy Granger #2.5).
Burning Bright available now on Amazon, Amazon.UK, Smashwords, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and other fine retailers.
Book Excerpt #1 (Ivy gets wet.)
My first impression of Emain Ablach was that it was wet. Very, very wet. But I didn’t have much time to think about that fact. I was too busy drowning.
I struggled to swim to the surface—wherever the hell that was—the weight of my clothes, leather jacket, and weapons weighing me down. My lungs burned and my brain screamed at me to find a way out of this wet torment. I needed air, badly.
I forced my eyes open, salt and whatever else was in the water burning like acid, but being able to see my surroundings didn’t help matters. It did, however, make me glad for quick reflexes and muscle memory.
At the first sign of my assassin stalkers, back in a Harborsmouth alley, I’d grabbed one of my throwing knives. I may not be able to throw it now, not in this water, but the pressure of the blade in my gloved hand made it easier to face the grinning corpses smiling back at me.
There were hundreds of them.
Bloated bodies in every state of decomposition drifted at the ends of seaweed infested chains that rose up from the ocean floor. I would have assumed that the people on the ends of those chains were dead, a warning to anyone foolish enough to trespass here, except for the hands reaching outward and the curve of their rotting lips.
Grins like frightened, blue worms curled up toward vacant eyes. The eyes, or what was left of them, were coated in a white film and looked as though they’d been nibbled on by grazing fish. The chained corpses may not be able to see, but I had no doubt that they could sense my presence. Their hands clawed at the water and their faces were all turned in my direction. Perhaps they could scent me, like sharks on a blood trail.
Now that was a cheery thought.
I kicked away, trying to put more distance between myself and the grasping dead. I recoiled as my boot hit something squishy. Mab’s bones, I didn’t realize there was a chained corpse that close to where I swam. I did not want to touch these things or the chains that bound them. Those were visions I’d never survive.
The delay alone would kill me.
Heart pounding, I propelled myself upward, but I had a nagging suspicion that I wasn’t going to make it. I’d sunk too deep into this watery hell. Already my lungs burned and dizziness sent my head spinning like a ride on an otherworldly merry go round. My limbs were cold and heavy and I could barely feel the knife in my hand.
How ironic would it be to die here, within spitting distance of a tree that grew magical apples capable of reviving the dead?
Air bubbles sprung from my nose and I fought not to breathe. Inhaling water would mean my death. I made one more sluggish stroke through the water and felt strong hands grip my waist and haul me upward. I was sailing through the water, away from greedy hands and the hundreds of faces that grinned hungrily after me.
My rescuer was a strong swimmer and I doubted Torn would have gone to so much trouble to save me. I felt a tingle of energy zing through my system, helping me to hold onto the slippery tendrils of consciousness. Ceff, it had to be Ceff.
I gasped as my head broke the surface of the water, gulping air and choking on a mouthful of water. I coughed up phlegm and who knows what else—with those corpses steeping down below, I didn’t want to think about it—and pushed wet, bedraggled hair from my face. I was alive, but it wasn’t pretty.
I grimaced and pushed the floating evidence of my humiliating coughing fit away. Ceff had a grip on my jacket, still helping to keep my head above the water’s surface.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
With his wet hair slicked back from large, dark green eyes and his chiseled jaw, he looked gorgeous. He was completely in his element here, unlike his half-drowned girlfriend.
“I just swallowed a gallon of salty corpse tea and sea monkeys,” I said, a rueful grin on my face. “I’ve been better.”
Book Excerpt #2 (Spiders, why does it have to be spiders?)
“Have you both lost your minds?” Torn asked.
“What would you have us do, leave them here to become spider food?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, exactly. It’s the cycle of life, a beautiful thing best left alone.”
I shook my head.
“That could have been any one of us,” I said. “Hold still, we’re here to help!”
The last I yelled at the cocoon. I didn’t know if the person inside could hear me, or how far gone they were if they could, but I had to try to comfort them. Plus, I really didn’t want to risk maiming the person I was trying to save.
“You have no idea what kind of monster is inside that thing,” Torn said.
I scowled at Torn. No one deserved to be hung out like prosciutto and gobbled up by some huge spider.
“This is a hero’s path,” Ceff said. “It is highly probable that they are honorable. If not, at least we tried.”
Torn sighed and shook his head.
“Fine, it’s your funeral,” he said.
“Ready?” Ceff asked, holding the bundle as still as he could.
“I was born ready,” I said, doing my best tough guy impersonation.
I carefully cut away at the tough fibers of the cocoon. Almost there…
Thousands of baby spider fae poured out of the cocoon, skittering in every direction. Except it wasn’t a cocoon. It was an egg. I screamed—though I’d deny it if I lived long enough for Torn to tell anyone—and stumbled away from the horde of spiders. So much for my tough guy act.
I stomped on the spiders as I backed away, halting their progress. A brave one ambled forward and sank it’s dripping mandibles into its nearest kin. The other spiders followed suit, joining in the feeding frenzy.
“Oh, look, aren’t they cute?” Torn asked, pointing to where baby spiders were busy cannibalizing each other.
“Freaking adorable,” I growled.
I inched further up the trail, relieved to see that most of the spiders were too busy attacking each other to notice my retreat.
“Perhaps we should have listened to the cat sidhe, just this once,” Ceff said, whacking the more determined stragglers with his trident.
“I told you so, princess,” Torn said.
I flexed my fingers, hands itching to wring the cat sidhe’s neck and wipe that smug look off his face. Instead, I stormed past him and around the corner. I’d had it with this place and its creepy inhabitants. We needed to find Ailinn’s grave, grab a magic apple, and get the hell out of dodge.
Burning Bright Release Party Giveaway
We are giving away SIX Ebook copies of BURNING BRIGHT by E.J. Stevens.
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below.
This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends July 2nd.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Learn more about the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by visiting the Official Ivy Granger Website.
Thank you for partying with us!
We have two very special book excerpts to share with you and, of course, A GIVEAWAY! Keep reading for a chance to win.
Burning Bright (Ivy Granger #3) by E.J. Stevens
Burning down the house...
Things are not going well at the offices of Private Eye. Jinx is having demon problems, the city is overrun with pyromaniacal imps, and Ivy's wisp powers are burning out of control, attracting the attention of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts.
Along came a faerie queen... It's the worst possible time for the Green Lady to call in a favor, but Ivy's bound by her deal with the glaistig. Too bad there's no wiggle room in faerie bargains.
Ivy must rid the city of imps, keep Jinx from murdering her one solid link to Hell, and fulfill her bargain with the Green Lady--with sidhe assassins hot on her tail.
Just another day's work for Ivy Granger, psychic detective.
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.
Previous books in this series: Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger #1), Blood and Mistletoe (Ivy Granger #1.5), Ghost Light (Ivy Granger #2), Club Nexus (Ivy Granger #2.5).
Burning Bright available now on Amazon, Amazon.UK, Smashwords, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and other fine retailers.
Book Excerpt #1 (Ivy gets wet.)
My first impression of Emain Ablach was that it was wet. Very, very wet. But I didn’t have much time to think about that fact. I was too busy drowning.
I struggled to swim to the surface—wherever the hell that was—the weight of my clothes, leather jacket, and weapons weighing me down. My lungs burned and my brain screamed at me to find a way out of this wet torment. I needed air, badly.
I forced my eyes open, salt and whatever else was in the water burning like acid, but being able to see my surroundings didn’t help matters. It did, however, make me glad for quick reflexes and muscle memory.
At the first sign of my assassin stalkers, back in a Harborsmouth alley, I’d grabbed one of my throwing knives. I may not be able to throw it now, not in this water, but the pressure of the blade in my gloved hand made it easier to face the grinning corpses smiling back at me.
There were hundreds of them.
Bloated bodies in every state of decomposition drifted at the ends of seaweed infested chains that rose up from the ocean floor. I would have assumed that the people on the ends of those chains were dead, a warning to anyone foolish enough to trespass here, except for the hands reaching outward and the curve of their rotting lips.
Grins like frightened, blue worms curled up toward vacant eyes. The eyes, or what was left of them, were coated in a white film and looked as though they’d been nibbled on by grazing fish. The chained corpses may not be able to see, but I had no doubt that they could sense my presence. Their hands clawed at the water and their faces were all turned in my direction. Perhaps they could scent me, like sharks on a blood trail.
Now that was a cheery thought.
I kicked away, trying to put more distance between myself and the grasping dead. I recoiled as my boot hit something squishy. Mab’s bones, I didn’t realize there was a chained corpse that close to where I swam. I did not want to touch these things or the chains that bound them. Those were visions I’d never survive.
The delay alone would kill me.
Heart pounding, I propelled myself upward, but I had a nagging suspicion that I wasn’t going to make it. I’d sunk too deep into this watery hell. Already my lungs burned and dizziness sent my head spinning like a ride on an otherworldly merry go round. My limbs were cold and heavy and I could barely feel the knife in my hand.
How ironic would it be to die here, within spitting distance of a tree that grew magical apples capable of reviving the dead?
Air bubbles sprung from my nose and I fought not to breathe. Inhaling water would mean my death. I made one more sluggish stroke through the water and felt strong hands grip my waist and haul me upward. I was sailing through the water, away from greedy hands and the hundreds of faces that grinned hungrily after me.
My rescuer was a strong swimmer and I doubted Torn would have gone to so much trouble to save me. I felt a tingle of energy zing through my system, helping me to hold onto the slippery tendrils of consciousness. Ceff, it had to be Ceff.
I gasped as my head broke the surface of the water, gulping air and choking on a mouthful of water. I coughed up phlegm and who knows what else—with those corpses steeping down below, I didn’t want to think about it—and pushed wet, bedraggled hair from my face. I was alive, but it wasn’t pretty.
I grimaced and pushed the floating evidence of my humiliating coughing fit away. Ceff had a grip on my jacket, still helping to keep my head above the water’s surface.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
With his wet hair slicked back from large, dark green eyes and his chiseled jaw, he looked gorgeous. He was completely in his element here, unlike his half-drowned girlfriend.
“I just swallowed a gallon of salty corpse tea and sea monkeys,” I said, a rueful grin on my face. “I’ve been better.”
Book Excerpt #2 (Spiders, why does it have to be spiders?)
“Have you both lost your minds?” Torn asked.
“What would you have us do, leave them here to become spider food?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, exactly. It’s the cycle of life, a beautiful thing best left alone.”
I shook my head.
“That could have been any one of us,” I said. “Hold still, we’re here to help!”
The last I yelled at the cocoon. I didn’t know if the person inside could hear me, or how far gone they were if they could, but I had to try to comfort them. Plus, I really didn’t want to risk maiming the person I was trying to save.
“You have no idea what kind of monster is inside that thing,” Torn said.
I scowled at Torn. No one deserved to be hung out like prosciutto and gobbled up by some huge spider.
“This is a hero’s path,” Ceff said. “It is highly probable that they are honorable. If not, at least we tried.”
Torn sighed and shook his head.
“Fine, it’s your funeral,” he said.
“Ready?” Ceff asked, holding the bundle as still as he could.
“I was born ready,” I said, doing my best tough guy impersonation.
I carefully cut away at the tough fibers of the cocoon. Almost there…
Thousands of baby spider fae poured out of the cocoon, skittering in every direction. Except it wasn’t a cocoon. It was an egg. I screamed—though I’d deny it if I lived long enough for Torn to tell anyone—and stumbled away from the horde of spiders. So much for my tough guy act.
I stomped on the spiders as I backed away, halting their progress. A brave one ambled forward and sank it’s dripping mandibles into its nearest kin. The other spiders followed suit, joining in the feeding frenzy.
“Oh, look, aren’t they cute?” Torn asked, pointing to where baby spiders were busy cannibalizing each other.
“Freaking adorable,” I growled.
I inched further up the trail, relieved to see that most of the spiders were too busy attacking each other to notice my retreat.
“Perhaps we should have listened to the cat sidhe, just this once,” Ceff said, whacking the more determined stragglers with his trident.
“I told you so, princess,” Torn said.
I flexed my fingers, hands itching to wring the cat sidhe’s neck and wipe that smug look off his face. Instead, I stormed past him and around the corner. I’d had it with this place and its creepy inhabitants. We needed to find Ailinn’s grave, grab a magic apple, and get the hell out of dodge.
Burning Bright Release Party Giveaway
We are giving away SIX Ebook copies of BURNING BRIGHT by E.J. Stevens.
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below.
This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends July 2nd.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Learn more about the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by visiting the Official Ivy Granger Website.
Thank you for partying with us!
Spotlight and Giveaway Ash to Steele by Karen-Anne Stewart
Ash to SteeleKaren-Anne StewartGenre: New Adult Romance
ASIN: B00IGGCCUQ
Number of pages: 342Word Count: A little over 115,000
Available at Amazon
Book Description:
Emma
Who I am and all I believe is marred with just one glance into angry, steel blue eyes. He seems to control my air, my ability to breathe. He makes me crave everything I know is a sin. Pure becomes tainted and lines are blurred. It's my fault; I'm the one who isn't strong enough. I've been damaged...broken. Breck's words haunt me...'There's a consequence for every choice you make.'
Breck
I've had so many women I can't even remember over half of their names, but none of them are mine; I make damn sure of that. I take what I desire and never look back. I don't need or want anyone, ever...not until I met Emma. Those eyes bore into what's left of my soul and her touch sears me, weakens me. I want to hate her for that. She is my ruin...my sweetest hell.
Disclaimer: Intended for readers 18+ due to strong language, mature scenes, and some violence.
Excerpt:
The annoying buzzing in my pants vibrates again and I give up. Jess is relentless. If I don’t show, I’ll never hear the end of it. Rays of sunlight scatter across the sidewalk as the clouds slowly drift in front of the afternoon sun. The air is crisp, vibrant, lifting my mood as I pull into Jess’ favorite lunch establishment. The deli is permeated with the aroma of pastrami, vinegar, and cilantro. Jess spots me as soon as I step inside, giving me her smartass I-knew-you-would-come smirk, but Emma’s back is turned towards me. Her long hair is twisted into some kind of smooth bun. Her jacket hangs from the back of the chair and her soft, feminine frame is covered in a form fitting white sweater. It’s not too tight, just snug enough to torture a man with fantasies about the sensual curves hiding just underneath. The acoustics suck in the old building but the food makes up for having to strain to hear the person next to you. Plopping in the seat next to Emma, she jumps, startled by what I quickly perceive as my unexpected presence. Her shocked gaze pierces me. A fleeting pleased look flitters across her flawless features and the hint of a smile curves the edges of her soft pink lips before she catches herself and turns towards Jess, cocking one eyebrow, effectively cocking the unruly part of me into a rock hard state. Damn, I want to fuck her. “I invited Breck,” Jess shrugs innocently. “I gathered that,” Emma says through gritted teeth, all pleasure gone from her eyes. The waitress arrives and starts to ask our order until her gaze falls on me. Her cheeks tint as she flashes a sexy grin before biting her bold, red lip. Her reaction is not new to me, women have always seemed to be turned on by my presence for some reason. Despite what people may think, I don’t thrive on the attention; I’m just used to it, and I learned its advantages at an early age. It’s a mutual benefit. Bringing the tip of the pen to her mouth, the waitress’ eyes are filled with exactly what she wants to do with me. I begin the game the women expect, playing the part they seem to want me to play, and give her my I’ll-have-you-out-of-your-panties-in-ten-seconds smile. Jess mouths a vile word at me. Emma shifts uncomfortably in her chair. I smirk arrogantly. Snapping her finger in front of the blonde’s face, Jess verbally scourges the waitress, “He’s not going to strip you down and have his way with you on the table, so how ‘bout doing your job and forget about him doing you and take our lunch order.” The waitress shoots Jess a scathing glare before raising her eyebrow, impatiently waiting for Jess’ order. Interestingly, the cocked brow action coming from her does nothing for me. Emma orders an eight inch sub with extra sauce and fries, impressing me. “I like a girl who eats,” I remark, turning my attention back to the girl who keeps surprising me, this time, by her choice of the loaded sub. “You like a girl who is breathing,” Emma mumbles under her breath. Biting back a chuckle, I turn towards the blonde waitress who seems to have regained her earlier flirtatious smile. Emma glances between the waitress and me before I catch her, causing her to immediately look away. Winking at the blonde, I have to force myself not to burst out laughing at the way Emma’s mouth drops and her nose crinkles up in that cute way when she’s disgusted. Knowing it will push Emma over the edge, I slowly lean in front of her, careful to brush my shoulder against her arm, as I grab the waitress’ hand, telling her that I want my sub spicy, hot, and dripping with juices. The noise leaving Emma’s lips is something between a shocked gasp and a gurgling grunt. Snatching her jacket, Emma pushes away from the table. Damn. “Where are you going?” I ask, the thought of her leaving affecting me way more than I like. “Next to Jess. Sitting next to you seems dangerous; who knows what I might catch.” “Ha, cute! I’ve got a clean bill, the epitome of health. I prefer not to make stupid decisions. I always use protection and get tested every few months.” “More than I needed to know,” Emma spouts, her words drowning in disdain. The pleading look Jess discretely shoots my way weakens me, making me bite back my smartass reply. Emma refuses to look at me while we wait on our food, but I can’t seem to pull my eyes away from her, or the quirky way she fidgets with everything when she’s studying it. I want to bite that lip, graze its fullness between my teeth and taste its sweet ripeness before tasting the rest of her, wondering if the intoxicating flavor in my head is anywhere close to what I imagine. Somehow, I know it is. Jess breaks the silence by attempting small talk, even going as far as asking me about work. “Since when do you give a shit about my work?” Pain explodes against my shin, and I send Jess a warning glare, which she ignores and kicks me again. Clearing my throat, I slide my legs a little further under my chair and decide to appease her, “I’m busy trying to come up with a design for the new energy efficient solar line Granddad instituted.” Emma begins to scribble on her napkin as Jess continues to ask me about the design needed while I flippantly answer a few of her questions before slanting my eyes, warning her to knock it off. She’s about as interested in my work at my grandfather’s business as I am, which is not much. The only reason I’m working at his company is out of respect for him. Changing tactics, Jess explains that, in addition to the restaurant, I have taken over the decision making aspect of my grandfather’s business while he undergoes chemo. Emma’s hand stops moving as her gaze meets mine, her eyes full of empathy. “I’m sorry about your grandfather.” There’s a vulnerability in her eyes that I haven’t seen before, a sadness that sends a sharp ache straight through my chest. Fuck, another reason I want to hate her. “Working at your grandfather’s company must take away from your other job. The owner of the restaurant must be really nice to donate food every night and give you the time needed to help out your grandfather.” Jess opens her mouth to correct Emma, but I return her under the table kick, shutting her up. Emma’s voice changes, her eyes becoming hooded, “Is your grandfather doing well with the chemo?” I don’t want her sympathy, and I sure as hell don’t want her looking at me the way she is right now, making me want to scoop her in my arms and hold her until all of her sadness disappears. “He’s a tough bastard,” I state quickly, my gaze turning harsh, desperately needing to dispel the effect she has on me. Her daddy may be a preacher but Emma seems to possess the ability to curse a man with her bewitching smile, casting a spell on what’s left of my soul, but it’s the radiance in her eyes that conjures the vexing illusion of something I can never have that’s so damning. “What’s this?” I ask angrily, dragging myself away from her hex as I grab the napkin Emma’s been scribbling on the past twenty minutes. The bold, smooth lines of the company’s initials with a design made of a brilliant abstract mixed with a simplistic, clear, sure artistry creates a formidable yet inviting feel. “You just drew this?” Emma’s hands drop to her lap as she leans back in her chair defensively, “I heard you and Jess talking. I was just playing around.” My gaze snaps back to hers, seeing that ambiguous light becoming opaque, and I curse underneath my breath at the harshness of my tone with her. Although it’s torture seeing the light in her eyes, it’s unbearable watching it go, especially when I’m the one causing it to dim. Softening my voice, I hold up the napkin, “This is perfect, exactly what we’re looking for.” “Oh,” she mumbles, relaxing her shoulders a little. “Um, thank you.” Jess beams proudly, “Of course it is! She’s an amazing artist.” The blush that spreads across Emma’s cheeks at the compliment does hateful things to me. Turning my attention back to the drawing, I ask, “An artist, huh?” I slide the napkin across the table, “How much for this design? After you recreate it on the computer with a little color and sharpen it, making it 1200 DPI?” “I don’t mind designing it for you. I can have it ready by tomorrow.” “You’d give it to me?” my question is laced with bewildered amusement. Emma gives a small, unsure nod. A hearty laugh bursts out before I can contain it, “You really are small town aren’t you?” “Fine!” she snaps, halting my laughter and catching me off guard. Emma grabs the napkin, crumbling it and throwing it into her purse. “Like I said, it was only me playing around.” Suppressing another chuckle at how she squares her jaw, lifting it just a notch, I can’t help but admire her determination to despise me when it’s clear by the hurt in her eyes that she cares what I think. “Damn, Jess, I hurt your friend’s feelings again.” “Stop being a prick!” Jess snaps. “My feelings aren’t susceptible to your nocuous attitude,” Emma proclaims, smoothing her sweater before folding her hands calmly on the table. Yes, she is most definitely a beautiful liar. Bursting out in laughter, my brows pull together, “Nocuous?” The slightest curve tilts her luscious lips and a need-filled ache builds steadily in my pants as my throat goes dry. Feelings stirring to life inside shame me. I’m not the type of man to want the woman, just what the woman can do to satisfy my needs at that moment. With Emma, I want something more. If only I knew what that something is so I can just take it already, fuck her, and be done with it. The next glance into her expectant eyes proves that it won’t be that easy. Not with her. “You mistook my meaning. I meant what I said about the design; it’s perfect for the product, simple but strong. I still want it, but I won’t take it for free, so what do you want for it?” Emma appears uncomfortable. It’s obvious she’s out of her element when it comes to business deals. I’ll have to work with her on that before she starts selling her art, assuming she isn’t giving that away for free as well. I already know she’s giving lessons for free at the center, a quick call to Patty, the center’s coordinator, confirmed that. “I-I don’t know. Maybe fifty dollars.” “I don’t work for a small mom and pops business, Emma. Don’t undersell yourself.” The chewing on the inside of her cheek, causing her lip to curve sideways and downwards, is a pretty good indicator that she’s still struggling with coming up with a price. I decide to put her out of her misery, “I’ll pay one thousand dollars.” “One thousand!” Her eyes widen in shock. “But, you have to present it,” I state, guessing she’s not done much of that either. The panic in her eyes proves I’m right. “Present it where?” “To the board members at the meeting on Friday.” “I have to work on Friday,” she blurts, relief filling her beautiful eyes. “Okay, Friday evening then, at the party the company is hosting for the new line. You can go as my guest and present it there.” Jess glares at me. I smile cockily. “I have to work early Saturday morning.” “You’ll be out of there in plenty of time to sleep before work the next morning,” I state, my tone indicating that the decision has already been made. She opens her mouth to protest, but the waitress returns with our lunch and her blouse open a few more buttons. Jess rolls her eyes as Emma glances at me through her lashes, deepening her spell. Clinching my jaw, I tear my eyes away from her and give the waitress a wink chock full of innuendo, effectively disgusting Emma to the point where she is ignoring me again. The rest of the lunch hour is spent with Emma barely touching her meal and Jess shooting visual daggers at me. I thoroughly enjoy my sub, knowing that Jess will not be asking me to do her anymore favors with Emma anytime soon. “Can I please have a carry out box?” Emma asks the waitress, reaching for her purse. “I’ve got the tab,” I announce, pulling out my wallet. “Thank you,” Emma manages to spit out, “but I can pay for my lunch.” “I’m sure you can, but you’re not going to,” I state, leaving no room for argument while I give the waitress a generous tip instead of what she really wants, as indicated with her number written on the receipt she hands me. Leaving the receipt on the table, I turn towards Emma and Jess, feeling every bit of the tension Emma is struggling to control. “Thank you for lunch,” Emma’s words are rushed and tinged with a little anger. “No problem,” I smile, refraining from brushing back a piece of hair that has loosened from the bun and is blowing across her face. The stark blue of her eyes shimmers, brightened further by her tan, silky skin. The chestnut wisp continues to torture me as it falls against the corner of her full mouth. Thoughts of my lips on hers, her lips on me, leave me in physical torment. I want to feel that mouth getting me off. Stepping away from her, I grapple with my waning self-control and make myself focus. “Where do you work?” “Shallonelles,” she replies, her eyes not quite meeting mine. She hesitates before adding, “And the gallery on Main.” “What do you do there?” “I create the art for the paper’s ads.” “What do you do at the gallery?” I ask, getting the feeling she left that part out on purpose. “I give tours.” Emma flashes a forced smile. “Is any of your work there?” I ask, already knowing the answer. “No.” There’s that fake smile again, and something I wasn’t prepared for…a heartbreaking longing.
About the Author:Author of New Adult Romance who doesn't shy away from writing about dark issues and hot heroes.
Karen-Anne Stewart has always adored reading and has now fallen in love with writing. Her written works are The Rain Trilogy: Saving Rain, Healing Rain, and After the Rain, and the newly released stand alone novel, Ash to Steele. Her debut novel, Saving Rain: The First Novel in The Rain Trilogy, was a nominee for the Book Junkie’s Choice Awards, and Saving Rain and After the Rain were nominees for the 2014 RONE Awards.
When Karen-Anne isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, and visiting new places. She fuels her addiction of creating new stories by her only other addiction, caffeine, and listening to a myriad of musical genres. Tucked away near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Karen-Anne lives with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and their cat. She plans on writing new adult romance as long as her fingers maintain dexterity.
Karen-Anne loves to connect with readers!
Website: www.karen-annestewart.com
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/SKarenAnne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SKarenAnne
Instagram: http://instagram.com/skarenanne/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6920317.Karen_Anne_Stewart
June 16 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
June 17 SpotlightFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
June 18 Guest post Sapphyria's Steamy Book Review: http://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.com/
June 19 Guest blogViviana, Enchantress Of Books www.vivianaenchantressofbooks.com
June 20 Guest blogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
June 23 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
June 24 Character InterviewEclipse Reviewshttp://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com/
June 25 InterviewAnya Breton Author's Bloghttp://blog.anyabreton.com
June 26 InterviewMore Romance Pleasemoreromanceplease.blogspot.com
June 27 Top Ten ListDarkest Cravingswww.darkestcravings.blogspot.com
June 30 SpotlightMy Book Filled Life http://mybookfilledlife.blogspot.com
July 1 InterviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/
July 2 InterviewPembroke Sinclair. pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
July 3 SpotlightParanormal Romance Fans for Lifewww.paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com
July 7 Review and RecipeMama's Kitchen MondaysCabin Goddesshttp://cabingoddess.com
July 8 Spotlight and reviewWords of Wisdom from The Scarf Princesshttp://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com
July 9 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
July 10 Interview and reviewEbook Escapeshttp://ebookescapes.com
July 14 SpotlightBooklover Sue http://bookloversue.blogspot.com
June 16, 2014
June 2014 Bewitching Book Tours Magazine
The June 2014 Issue of Bewitching Book Tours Magazine is now available- read it online or download a free pdf
The June issue is packed with books you are going to love- urban fantasy, paranormal romance, erotica…flip through our pages and discover a new book.
This month’s featured book is Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin. She discusses putting the Thrill(er) in Paranormal Romance and you can read an excerpt from Allegiance.
Read excerpts of c3 by Sherrie Cronin, Sandstorm Heart by Liv Livia Olteano, Love and War by Suzy Knight, Messenger by Laury Falter, Poison in the Blood by Robyn Bachar, Confessions of a Sex Fiend Series by Rayven Godchild, Safeword Matte In Training by Candace Blevins, Legacy by Shakir Rashaan, and Daddy’s Game by Normandie Alleman.
Check out the Interview with Kat de Falla and read Ann Gimpel, Author’s article Musings on Steampunk. Kyoko M discusses Tips for Novice Writers, be sure to read Sophie Avett’s Witches Who Stitch Interview with Brom from No Place I’d Rather Be by Roxanne Rhoads, and don’t stop flipping pages before you get to the steampunk photo spread by Steven Jon Horner Photography.
http://issuu.com/bewitchingbooktours/docs/magazine__24
http://www.scribd.com/doc/229873937/June-2014-Bewitching-Book-Tours-Magazine
June 2014 Bewitching Book Tours Magazine by Roxanne Rhoads
The June issue is packed with books you are going to love- urban fantasy, paranormal romance, erotica…flip through our pages and discover a new book.
This month’s featured book is Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin. She discusses putting the Thrill(er) in Paranormal Romance and you can read an excerpt from Allegiance.
Read excerpts of c3 by Sherrie Cronin, Sandstorm Heart by Liv Livia Olteano, Love and War by Suzy Knight, Messenger by Laury Falter, Poison in the Blood by Robyn Bachar, Confessions of a Sex Fiend Series by Rayven Godchild, Safeword Matte In Training by Candace Blevins, Legacy by Shakir Rashaan, and Daddy’s Game by Normandie Alleman.
Check out the Interview with Kat de Falla and read Ann Gimpel, Author’s article Musings on Steampunk. Kyoko M discusses Tips for Novice Writers, be sure to read Sophie Avett’s Witches Who Stitch Interview with Brom from No Place I’d Rather Be by Roxanne Rhoads, and don’t stop flipping pages before you get to the steampunk photo spread by Steven Jon Horner Photography.
http://issuu.com/bewitchingbooktours/docs/magazine__24
http://www.scribd.com/doc/229873937/June-2014-Bewitching-Book-Tours-Magazine
June 2014 Bewitching Book Tours Magazine by Roxanne Rhoads
Review of Slightly Spellbound by Kimberly Frost
Slightly Spellbound by Kimberly FrostMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Tammy Jo is back better than ever.
When the first book, Would-Be Witch, was released in 2009 I was instantly hooked. Sucked in my Tammy Jo's goofy antics, crazy life, and magic induced antics.
I waited patiently, full of anticipation for each new book to come out. Then after Halfway Hexed was released in 2011 things were left hanging...would the series continue?
Finally in 2014 fans get to once again be immersed into the magical misfiring's of Tammy Jo's life.
And I'm not disappointed at all. It was like meeting up with an old friend and picking up right where we left off.
As the book opens Tammy Jo is still torn between Bryn Lyons the man who loves her magic and all and her ex-husband Zach with whom she shares a lot of history, but not all of it is good.
But she does finally make a solid choice in this book and I don;t think too many fans will be disappointed with it.
But the choice isn't the entire focus of the book. Tammy Jo has been approached by a wacky witch who brings more trouble Tammy's way- as if she needed any help attracting danger. But Tammy Jo, the nice person she is, decides to help this witch anyway. At great peril to herself.
The drama that ensures is sometimes hilarious, always dangerous, and for some reason has a tendency to leave Tammy Jo minus her clothes a lot. I chalk that up to the fairy part of her aching to get out and get her as close to nature as possible.
The end...wow I really didn't see that coming. I knew something was up but not that.
I think we should be prepared to see new characters and adventures in the upcoming books. I can't wait.
View all my reviews
The Story Behind the Story-Son of Dragons by Andrea Cooper
The Story Behind the Story
In order for me to explain the story behind the story of Son of Dragons Book 2 Legends of Oblivion, I must go back to the beginning and Book 1 briefly.
The Garnet Dagger was the first fantasy/ paranormal romance novel I wrote. Previously, I wrote historical romance.
I had finished watching Underworld in the movie theaters and loved it. I enjoyed the first person narrative and the (*spoiler alert) *werewolf/vampire hybrid.
I thought if a vampire can bite a werewolf and create something different, what if a vampire were to bite an Elvin? A creature of light and magic? How would that change the craving of blood and other dark gifts?
After I finished The Garnet Dagger, I realized there was much more story to write. Then, Son of Dragonsfreed me to explore this world in more depth and detail. And more characters came forward to be included in this series.
Son of Dragons went through many revisions and rewrites before Mirhana and Landon’s journey to love could be fulfilled.
Mirhana had closed her heart due to human friends and lovers lost by death and disease. Landon, trapped in a palace, longed to be free of his constraints and make a name for himself besides Prince.
I wrote Son of Dragonsin a relatively short time. The story flowed easily; and even today, this story sweeps me into its world every time I read it.
I have always loved dragons and never thought of them in the typical ‘western’ world sense as being evil. I think of them being good or bad based on their actions.
This is the first shifter story I have written. However, I enjoyed the characters and world so much; I will write more shifter novels.
The Garnet Dagger, my first fantasy/paranormal romance, was motivated by the movie Underworld. The characters, world, and story of The Garnet Dagger freed my inspiration to write Son of Dragons.
I could not have written Son of Dragons, without first creating The Garnet Dagger Book 1 in this series. However, as a reader, I created Son of Dragons to be a standalone novel as well. So it is not essential to read Book 1 or 1.5, but I think the world I created is richer with all the stories.
Son of DragonsBook 2Legends of Oblivion SeriesAndrea CooperBook Description:
In a time of false peace, the dead rise as soldiers for the Warloc’s scheme. For thousands of years he has stood ready for the final battle. Though the witch and her cursed Elvin have destroyed his physical body, now with his protégé, he has honed a new way to wage war.
Shunned by her own people and weary-hearted from centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana scours the land to silence the undead. Her heart has turned as cold as the sword she wields, until a prince seeks her aid.
Never has Prince Landon met a woman like Mirhana. Both beautiful and deadly, she haunts his dreams. The battle at hand becomes more enchanting than fighting to remain true to his unseen betrothed.
When a traitor emerges, new alliances are tested and the only remaining hope is to follow the prophecy and find the ... Son of Dragons.
Son of Dragons Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/MF-W60brqL8
Crimson Romance Amazon BN iTunes
Books in the Legends of Oblivion Series
The Garnet Dagger – Book 1
Cursed in Shadow – Book 1.5
Son of Dragons – Book 2
About the Author:Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaRCooper.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper
Author Website: www.AndreaRCooper.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6934877.Andrea_R_Cooper
Blog: http://andrearcooperauthorblog.wordpress.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/andrearcooper/May 26 Guest blogBooks, Books The Magical Fruithttp://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com
May 27 SpotlightMila Ramoswww.jademystique.blogspot.com
May 28 SpotlightDeal Sharing Auntwww.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
May 29 Spotlight3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
May 30 InterviewPembroke Sinclair. pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
June 2 Guest blogMythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
June 3 Guest blogA Writer's Mindwww.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com
June 4 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
June 5 InterviewEclipse Reviewshttp://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com/
June 6 Guest blogDarkest Cravingswww.darkestcravings.blogspot.com
June 9 Character InterviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/
June 10 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
June 11 Guest blogButterfly-o-Meter Bookshttp://butterfly-o-meter.com/
June 12 Spotlight Sapphyria's Book Reviews http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/
June 13 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
June 16 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
June 17 Guest blogTynga's Reviews http://www.tyngasreviews.com
June 19 SpotlightSoaring Eagle Publicitywww.soaringeaglepublicity.com
June 20 SpotlightJodie Piercehttp://jodiepierceauthor.blogspot.com/
June 23 Guest BlogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
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Death Toll Ghost Wars Saga Book 2 by Robert Poulin
Echoes of Madness (excerpt from the Ghost Wars Saga book 3)
The following is a draft version of what is currently chapter 1 of Echoes of Madness, the third book in the Ghost Wars Saga. This is a draft, it hasn't been revised or edited; my editor hasn't even seen it yet. I present it because I think its pretty cool despite its early stage. Veronika Kane will be sharing view point time with Alrik Solheim in Echoes of Madness, this chapter is from the troll's view point. Alrik is first introduced in Death Toll, I hope this taste of the next book will make you hungry to read Wail of the Banshees and Death Toll if you haven't done so already.
Chapter One
What do you do when confronted by a gang of AK-47 wielding dwarves? If you're a normal human being, your choices are pretty much limited, surrender or die. But if you're a troll, like I am, you have a couple of additional options, most of which end in a world of hurt for both sides. It was a black night, a heavy curtain of clouds hid the light of the moon and threatened to drench the city in cold rain. The blocky shapes of warehouses on either side of the narrow street added to the shadowy darkness. Behind me, the sound of the Delaware River lapping at the docks and bulk freighter ship was loud, muffling out other sounds that would have warned me of the ambush. There were cargo containers strewn about haphazardly, waiting for pickup. Other objects provided cover for lurking threats; a parked truck there, a crane holding a suspended container here, and a forklift a few feet away. Though the Packer Avenue Marina Terminal was open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, this small section of the one hundred and twelve acre port facility was supposed to be clear of any traffic. My orders had been clear, go to the port, find container 11003563, break into it, and retrieve a smaller spirit steel container covered in Celtic runes. Everything had gone according to plan at first, I'd rolled in after midnight driving a small Holt Logistics truck. The glamour I wore hid my true nature, presenting me as a large muscular man in a three piece suit. As far as anyone was concerned, I was just a Holt Logistics representative taking inventory. I'd had to leave the truck further away than I would have preferred due to cargo containers obstructing the narrow streets, but at least the area was clear of watching eyes as I'd been informed would be the case. I located the targeted cargo container with ease, it was just a hundred feet from the docks as expected and the huge lock barring its door clicked when I grasped it and used my will to force it to open. The rune covered blue steel container within was much heavier than I'd expected but was no impediment to my prodigious strength. I'd locked the container back up and headed back towards my waiting truck. I was half way between the cargo container and the truck when the dwarves struck. There were seven of them and they'd clearly been waiting for me. They didn't say a word, didn't give me the opportunity to surrender or anything, they simply stepped out from their hiding places, leveled their AK-47s at me, and opened fire. I instinctively raised the spirit steel container and used it as a shield as I dove for cover. Luckily the dwarves weren't using blood iron bullets but apparently the expense of such armaments wasn't deemed worthwhile for a single troll. That was a big mistake on their part. Though seven dwarves armed with machine guns was overkill against a single foe in most cases, hell hath no fury like a pissed off Troll. Most of the bullets ricocheted of the sprit steel container causing no harm to it, not even a scratch, but a dozen or so slammed into me. They didn't penetrate very far into me though as my mottled brown hide was tougher than an oak tree. I dropped the glamour that disguised me as a normal man and roared a challenge to the dwarves. I flexed my muscular, ten foot tall body and the armor piecing bullets that had struck me were ejected from me in a shower of tinkling music as they hit the pavement at my feet. The dozen small wounds across my body immediately began to seal up as my regenerative powers kicked in. The dwarves were no longer being quiet, orders were being shouted out in their guttural tongue. The shelter of the Cargo container that I'd dived behind wouldn't protect me for long, who knew what other toys the mercenaries of the Dawn Court had at their disposal. I put the rune covered container down and poked my head out to see what the dwarves were up too. Dwarves and trolls both have their origins in the frozen north of Scandinavia. The dwarves had primarily been builders and crafters while the trolls were primarily primitive war mongers, constantly caught up in tribal conflict. The two races lived for hundreds of years in a symbiotic relationship where various troll tribes allied with dwarven clans that provided them with masterworked weapons. Everything changed when mankind expanded Northward. The dwarves fit into human society just fine, they were able to pass themselves off as deformed or half grown men with useful skills. The trolls however were monstrous demons to mankind, and so began a war between the two races that led to the near extinction of the trolls. The enmity between dwarves and trolls was due to the dwarven abandonment of their old allies and support of humanity. The dwarves were the difference in the war, providing human champions such as Beowulf with magical troll slaying weapons that devastated the proud trolls. That was centuries ago, we lost the war but we sill survive today. The war against us has continued, their hasn't been a program to save us though we are an endangered species. Those of us who have survived are the scariest mother fuckers our race has to offer. A hale of bullets greeted the appearance of my head as I tried to get a glance at what was going on. I had to pull back quickly but the glance had shown me what I was up against. Five dwarves remained well positioned to pour fire into me the moment I showed a pinky. The real threat were the two dwarves stationed about a hundred feet away at the mouth of an alley. The two were crouched over a SMAW, a Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon. They were loading it with what appeared to be a thermo baric rocket. How they'd gotten such restricted military weaponry didn't matter, what did is that its purpose was to destroy bunkers or tanks, these dwarves weren't playing around. I had seconds before the container I hid behind, myself, and the warehouse behind me would be reduced to slag. The spirit steel container would likely survive though. I took a deep breath and launched myself from the cover of the cargo container. Bullets ripped into me as I ran for the forklift. I hadn't brought the spirit steel container to use as a shield, I needed both hands free. I roared in rage and agony as scores of bullets tore me up, it felt a lot like what a person would suffer after stepping on a large wasp nest. As I reached the forklift, I saw one of the dwarves at the alley stand and start to point the SMAW at me. Without pausing, I grabbed the forklift, hefted it, and threw it towards the dwarf. The forklift sailed through the air, arcing and then plummeting straight for the two dwarves. The four foot tall, heavily bearded men stared in dumb disbelief as death came so swiftly upon them. They didn't even have time to scream. The forklift hit the ground with such a tumultuous crash that the crunching of bone was drowned out. I didn't pause to see if I'd killed them both, for now it was good enough that the SMAW's had been put out of commission. Standing around to gloat on a battlefield is a sure fire way to get killed, a moving target is always harder to deal with. I charged the nearest container that a dwarf was using for cover and slammed into it shoulder first. The container slid ten feet back, its steel bottom shrieking all the way until it smashed into the warehouse wall behind it. The thunderous impact collapsed the wall and knocked another dwarf from his purchase on top the container, the dwarf that had taken cover was likely a puddle of jelly. With a single fluid motion, I drew my great two-handed blood iron sword from its sheath strapped to my back. Before the dwarf who'd fallen from the container could recover, I swept his head from his shoulder with a powerful sweep of my sword. Another dwarf stepped from its hiding place and leveled an M202 at me. The dwarf smiled and pulled the trigger before I could react. The impact of the weapons M74 rocket round sent me flying across the street to crash into a container nearly twenty feet away. The rocket tore a whole in my upper thigh, but before the incendiary round could explode and burn me alive with its organometallic compound known as TEA, I suppressed its combustive reaction by using one of the rings on my right hand. The remaining dwarves stepped out from their cover and moved towards me expecting me to go up in flames at any moment. Normally they would have been correct to be certain of my impending doom, nothing was more dangerous to a troll than fire. But I'm Alrik Solheim, last of Grendel's progeny, and I have my own toys. Among them is a ring that protects me from fire. The remaining dwarves died swiftly, their shocked eyes glared at me accusingly as I cut them down without mercy.
Death TollGhost Wars SagaBook 2Robert PoulinGenre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Ghost Watch Publishing
Date of Publication: June 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9894469-3-8 ISBN: 978-0-9894469--4-5
Number of pages: 324Word Count: 96,000
Cover Artist: Hannah Carr
Book Description:
What started out as a routine call led to so much more…
My name is Veronika Kane, and I’m the Captain of the Ghost Watch in the reborn city of Shadow Philadelphia. After we disposed of the city’s previous master and his minions, things were looking up, but in war things are never that easy. A routine call with Detective Frank Cooper blew the cover off of an elaborate scheme to plunge the city of brotherly love into chaos. When Necromancers, Were creatures, and the horrors of Chaos come together it can’t mean anything good.
With new and old enemies joining forces against us, I’m going to need all the help I can get. Lucky for me, my old friend Frank Cooper will be there to lend a hand, along with Brianna, a strong willed were-ferret, and the stormy eyed wizard Nathaniel Carter. I just hope it will be enough to save everyone.
This time, our enemies aren’t just attacking us in Limbo; this time, they are taking the battle to the streets of the living world and its unknowing citizens. If the Old Ones rise, I don’t think there will be anything anyone can do to stop them.
My name is Veronika Kane, and this war is far from over.
About the Author:
Robert Poulin was born and raised in the New England state of Connecticut. After spending his late teenage years in Boca Raton Florida, Robert moved to upstate New York where he lived with his uncle Wilbrod Poulin and attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. After earning a Bachelor's in Political Science and a Master's in Teaching, Robert went back to Florida where he taught Social Studies for a few years.
After returning to Northern New York, Robert took a job with the North Country Center for Independence: a disability rights and advocacy organizations. Robert has worked for NCCI for thirteen years and is now the Executive Director. Wail of the Banshees is Robert's first novel; he has been a huge fan of fantasy and science fiction since second grade when he discovered The Hobbit.
Urban fantasy in particular has become Robert's favored genre in the past decade. Robert has been legally blind since infancy, but thanks to a mom that encouraged independence, hard work, and a healthy dose of dreaming, the disability has mostly just been an inconvenience.
www.ghostwatchpublishing.com
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https://plus.google.com/110345992179883580180/posts
https://twitter.com/FuryMaster
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7161226.Robert_Poulin
Can Werewolves and Vamps Be ReincarnatedIf you were a wer...
Can Werewolves and Vamps Be Reincarnated
If you were a werewolf or vampire and you took a sliver bullet or stake through the heart, and if you were reincarnated, would you still have the same soul, wanting to drink blood or rip faces off? What if the soul of Dracula, the granddaddy of all vamps came back inside a nun? And what if the memories from that former life came through the nun? Wow, I would suspect that the sister would have trouble at Mass, or at least be in as much turmoil as my main character in Egyptian Moon – Return, when an ancient Egyptian princess exerts her life into Megan’s.
Freshman Megan Smart’s battle began by touching an ancient Egyptian Artifact at a museum. We really need to be careful about touching old stuff, so if you discover a coffin hidden inside an old castle in Transylvania don’t climb inside. Fare warning.
· Reincarnation is defined as follows:· The rebirth of a soul in a new body.· The Transmigration of the soul or metempsychosis· A person or an animal in which a particular soul is believed to have been reborn.
Most would agree that Jacob Black (portrayed by Taylor loutner) in Twilight is by far the most heart throbbing werewolf of all times. But what if Twilight was all real and the soul (spirit) that overtook Jacob and the other boys from his tribe when they reached a certain age were from werewolves that have lived in other time periods? What if Jacob Black was in fact the tormented werewolf character, Waldemar Daninsky, who killed and maimed in a dozen films in the 1980s or even more thought provoking, what if Waldemar Daninsky got his skills from The Curse of the Werewolf , where the unlucky recipient of werewolf-ness was ‘kinda’ like Jacob Black, born into this … perhaps soul.
Back to Egyptian Moon – Return: Megan Smart, with the help her mother and this empathetic doctor, begins to unfold the true nature of her strange occurrences. Read this short synopsis.
A freshman learns how to adapt to college life while resisting reincarnation. How will Megan Smart’s memories survive under the aggression of an ancient Egyptian soul who is determined to RETURN. And what in God’s name does this teal eyed stalker want?
After she touches an artifact at a New York museum, Megan Smart has a sexually charged vision involving an ancient Egyptian couple. When she leaves home to attend the same college as her star quarterback boyfriend, Tyler, she is caught making-out with a dark eyed stranger at a frat party. Normally shy and reserve, Megan struggles with what she’d done and trembles because of the irresistible attraction she feels for this gorgeous stranger.
At the point of mental exhaustion, Megan goes home to meet with an empathic doctor, who had been training her mother in astrology. Instantly, Dr. Epstein taps into the root of Megan’s personality changes. Megan had connected with a past life—one who intends to take-over hers.
Egyptian Moon- Return brings back to life the fascination of ancient Egypt, plants it into a college campus, and in the process created a powerful paranormal series you will not forget. I’d like to sum up this post by answering my own question asked: Can Werewolves and Vamps Be Reincarnated? Absolutely, they do come back!
If you have questions or comments about my blog post perhaps Mythical Books will invite scififantasyfiction.com back for another guest blog—that’s if you are interested enough to ask questions or make comments
From the author – Max W. Miller
I am on a never ending journey into the worlds of sci-fi / fantasy and all things paranormal. I write in several genres (Children, Teens/Young Adult, and New adult). This year, I plan to release the sequels to Sadie Mae Stevens, and Egyptian Moon. I’m also working on short stories that I will be rolling out continuously throughout the year. Most will be FREE to subscribers to my blog and inexpensive if purchased on Amazon. The two short story series that I’m presently working on are: Ghost Stories Unlimited and Monster Mates. All are welcome to visit my Blog for new and exciting FREE flash fiction and updates on my shenanigans. www.scififantasyfiction.comfollow @maxwmiller / Become a FB Fan https://www.facebook.com/MaxWMiller
Reviews Are A Writer’s Best Friend
ReturnEgyptian Moon SeriesBook 1Max W. MillerGenre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Ironshield Marking LLC
ISBN: 9780985595562ASIN: B00IX40TWO
Number of pages: 218 pagesWord Count: 67,000 words
Cover Artist: Kat Murphy
Book Description:
A young lady has to learn how to function on a college campus without the guidance of her parents while dealing with reincarnation. How will she fight and win the battle against the aggressive soul of an ancient Egyptian princess who is determined to RETURN.
Available at Amazon
About the Author:Max W. Miller was born in Savannah, Georgia, but has lived in North Carolina with her husband and two children for many years. She comes from a large family with eight siblings who have also experienced supernatural encounters.
Max enjoys writing science fiction, fantasy, and all things paranormal because she believes that we have three distinct parts to our being—body, mind and spirit (soul), and that other life forms in other realms are just as real as we are. In her writing, Max uses popular fantasy, science fiction and paranormal topics such as aliens, ghosts, and witches, and expresses them in a way that is highly entertaining and thought provoking.
Website and Blog http://www.scififantasyfiction.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/maxwmiller
FB Fanpage - http://www.facebook.com/MaxWMiller
Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/maxwmiller
Author Central for ALL Books - http://amzn.com/e/B009PEW2BW
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6451028.Max_W_Miller
May 19 SpotlightThe Book Reviewhttp://www.cluereview.blogspot.com
May 20 InterviewPembroke Sinclair. www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
May 21 SpotlightDeal Sharing Auntwww.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
May 22 SpotlightShut Up & Readhttp://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/
May 23 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
May 26 Guest blogParanormal Romance Fans for Lifewww.paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com
May 27 InterviewThe Reader's Hollow http://thereadershollow.wordpress.com
May 28 SpotlightMore Romance Pleasemoreromanceplease.blogspot.com
May 29 Spotlight3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
May 30 Guest blogDarkest Cravingswww.darkestcravings.blogspot.com
June 2 InterviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/
June 3 Spotlight and reviewCorazones Literarioswww.corazones-literarios.blogspot.com
June 4 SpotlightJacqueline Paigehttp://jacqpaige.blogspot.ca/
June 6 SpotlightRomance That's 'Out Of This World'http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk/
June 9 Guest blogMythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
June 10 SpotlightSapphyria's Book Reviewshttp://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/
June 11 Guest blogKimber Leigh Writeshttp://www.kimberleighwheaton.com
June 12 SpotlightSoaring Eagle Publicitywww.soaringeaglepublicity.com
June 13 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
June 16 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
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Interview and Giveaway with Ana Fawkes
What inspired you to become an author? – I just simply love to write and share stories. It’s fun to sit down and create something.
Do you have a specific writing style? – Not sure if I have a set ‘style’ … I just think of an idea, outline it a little, and then get it out of my head. From there I read it, figure out what I like and don’t like and then go back at it.
Do you write in different genres? – I guess… yes. I’ve always loved the steamier romance books. It’s what I read, so it’s what I write. I’ve always been a bit of a closet reader of paranormal and now I have the chance to be in it. Writing Full Moon Mercy allows me to bring in wolves, bikers, hot romance, and great characters. It’s a dream come true.
Why did you choose this genre? – I love paranormal because it’s edgy and sexy. Plus, bikers who could shift in wolves… not sure if there’s anything hotter right now. I wanted to do something different and this made sense to me. The story came to me fast and my outline was done in no time.
Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?– I take notes while I’m writing. I usually end up with a handful of potential titles and then work it out from there. I try to have to title relate to something important within the book.
What book are you reading now? – A LOT! Too many to list… but I’m always reading either paranormal romance, dark erotic romance, or something similar. I’m really enjoying the dark stuff though right now, not sure why.
The Secret WolfA Full Moon Mercy NovelBook 1Ana W. FawkesGenre: paranormal romance, motorcycle club, shifter, werewolf
Publisher: Hundred to HomeASIN: B00K64FVO0
Number of pages: 185Word Count: 57,000
Book Description:
Welcome to the world of FULL MOON MERCY.
This isn't just a book about a MC... this is about a brotherhood, a group of men who share a bond not just within the MC, but within their souls...
They're men. They're beasts. They are... FULL MOON MERCY.
Sitting next in line to run Full Moon Mercy Motorcycle Club, Lucas Trowwer has kept his fair share of secrets. Whether it's the cover up of murders in town or the fact that all the men that sit at the table are truly beasts on the inside, Lucas knows the line between paranormal and reality is very thin.
When bodies start piling up in town, the evidence points to a rival shifter crew looking to take down the MC, and the last thing Lucas needs is to save an innocent woman and fall for her. His trust must now reside in a woman who is beyond beautiful... and completely human. If things couldn't get any more confusing, a one night stand from Lucas's past comes forward with news that could change the path of Full Moon Mercy and Lucas is trapped within secrets, romance, and bloodshed.
There's a war brewing in the town of Mercy... and deep inside Lucas's beast of a heart.
Available at Amazon
About the Author:
Ana W. Fawkes is the best selling author of several series including, BY HIS COMMAND, WITH THE ROCKSTAR, and the new smash hit shifter MC romance, FULL MOON MERCY.
Mailing List: www.eepurl.com/ADM0j
Twitter: @AnaFawkes
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AnaWFawkes
Site: www.AnaFawkes.com
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June 15, 2014
Now on Tour Boneseeker by Brynn Chapman
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BoneseekerBrynn ChapmanGenre: YA Historical Romance/ Mystery
Publisher: Month 9
Date of Publication: June 18 2014
ISBN 978-1-939765-38-3 printISBN 978-1-939765-38-3 PaperbackISBN 978-1-939765-66-6 E-PubISBN 978-1-939765-67-3 Mobi/Kindle
Number of pages: approximately 300Word Count: 63000
Book Description:
Arabella Holmes was born different and raised different. After it became apparent she wouldn't fit the role of a proper 1900's lady, her father, Sherlock, called in some lingering favors, and landed her a position at the Mutter Museum. The museum was Arabella's dream; she was to become a purveyor of abnormal science. What her father called a BoneSeeker.
Henry Watson arrives at the Mutter Museum with a double assignment--to become a finder of abnormal antiquities and to watch over and keep Arabella Holmes. An easy task, if he could only get her to speak to him instead of throwing knives in his general direction.
But this is no time for child's play. The two teens are assigned to a most secret exploration, when the hand of a Nephilim is unearthed in upstate New York. Soon, Arabella and Henry are caught in a fight for their lives as scientific debate swirls around them. Are the bones from a Neanderthal ... or are they living proof of fallen angels, who supposedly mated with humans according to ancient scrolls?
Sent to recover the skeleton, they discover they are the second team to have been deployed and the entire first team is dead. And now they must trust their instincts and rely on one another in order to survive and uncover the truth.
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About the Author:Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Brynn Chapman is the daughter of two teachers. Her writing reflects her passions: science, history and love—not necessarily in that order. In real life, the geek gene runs strong in her family, as does the Asperger’s syndrome.
Her writing reflects her experience as a pediatric therapist and her interactions with society’s downtrodden. In fiction, she’s a strong believer in underdogs and happily-ever-afters. She also writes non-fiction and lectures on the subjects of autism and sensory integration and is a medical contributor to online journal The Age of Autism.
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