Anne Patrick's Blog, page 8

Check Out These New Releases From Desert Breeze Publishing!

Phoenix Telyn Gwndal swore to return her friend and blood sister to her proper place within the Imperial Palace of Targoth. She knows the risks of even showing her face inside the Empire's borders, but she owes Reaphia a second chance. When a chance encounter with an out-of-place merchant from a legendary people brings Telyn into a struggle to free a woman held captive by her own will, Telyn finds herself up against a past she's never really outrun. Nothing can prepare her for what comes next.
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-316/Legend-of-Tirum-Book/Detail.bok








Over 25 years ago a young girl was murdered by her lover out of fear their secret affair will ruin his marriage and budding career. Years later that Specter is determined to return to life. She will do it by attacking one of Mark and Maya's closest friends--Leigh Kearns--who is also her own niece. When a necromancer is brought in to undo the damage this Specter does, she proves to pose more of a threat to everyone Mark and Maya holds dear. Also the Rogue, an evil spirit that possesses Shepherds, is determined to continue his quest to kill Mark so that he can take his place to become Maya's soul mate.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-321/The-Good-Shepherds-Book/Detail.bok






Charles ‘Black Ash’ Ashton temporarily abandons his jet-setting lifestyle to avoid being blamed for a multi-million pound poker scam and meets quiet, elegant math teacher Emily Worthing but the odds aren’t in their favor. After a disastrous affair cost Emily her heart and prestigious job she prizes honesty above all things. Ash makes his living at the poker table, where a little deviousness and the occasional white lie never hurt. Ash must leave behind his irresponsible past and Emily searches for the strength to forge a new future. Ash puts all his cards on the table one last time and he and Emily prove they’ve an ace in the hand called love.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-322/It's-Complicated-Angela-Britnell/Detail.bok






Knocked down by a truck Riley wakes on another world. Her ex boyfriend Jothur has transported her there to help his people learn to shield their telepathic minds, although he doesn't tell Riley this. She dreams of two Jothurs, the blond boyfriend and a dark mysterious man. Danger threatens Riley and she flees to the Mutes. The non-psychic Mutes, led by Tynan, will be destroyed if Jothur's people learn to mind shield. Riley must use the Riddle of the Keys to learn the truth of Sacra's past and decide who to support in the battle for the future.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-324/The-Sixth-Key-Sue/Detail.bok


All of these titles are also available at most online bookstores!

Congratulations ladies!!!

No Strings Attached Blog Hop Giveaway

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For this blog hop I'm giving away one PDF copy of Kill Shot.  To enter the drawing just leave your contact information.  Good luck!

[image error] Former combat medic Kory Wagner has been in four war zones, served three tours in Iraq, survived countless firefights, RPG’s, IED’s and even a helicopter crash. Now she’s home and out of the Army for good and someone is trying to kill her in her own backyard. Just as disturbing is the handsome sheriff who’s on the case.

Sheriff Sean Harding doesn’t quite know what to think of the decorated veteran that managed to outsmart an entire search party. What bothers him more is the body of a PI, whom she hired to find her sister's killer, was found dead in a building Kory owns. And Kory isn’t being very cooperative with helping him find the answers as to why someone would kill her sister and want her dead. Will he be able to keep her alive along enough to discover the truth?

Excerpt

Sean stared at the door that stood ajar. He heard a noise come from inside. "Stay out here, Mr. Chandler." He drew his gun and quietly pushed back the door.

Another sound came from further inside the apartment. His heart pounded in his chest as he checked around each corner and behind each piece of furniture. In one of the bedrooms, he found the intruder going through dresser drawers. Judging from the small frame, blue jeans, purple hoodie and tennis shoes, it was just a kid. One that was about to get the lesson of a lifetime.

"Police... don't move!"

The intruder almost jumped straight up in the air. A figurine fell and shattered on the floor.

"Put your hands up and slowly turn around."

"This isn't what it looks like, Officer."

Sean lowered his gun in recognition of the intruder's voice. Kory Wagner. He should have known.

Kory's eyes widened when she saw him, her cheeks quickly turning crimson. "Are you following me?"

"No I'm not following you." He put his gun back in its holster. "You know I find it hard to believe you were in the army for twelve years because you sure don't take orders very well."

She lowered her hands to her hips. "You're not my superior. You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do."

"You were a witness to a murder in my county. I have every right."

She seemed on the verge of a comeback when the landlord joined them. "Is everything okay in here? Oh Kory. I didn't realize you were back."

"Hi, Mr. Chandler. Yes, everything is fine. Super cop was just on his way out."

"I'm not going anywhere without you. And if you resist I have a nice pair of bracelets here to persuade you."

Mr. Chandler considered them both, before his eyes settled on Kory. "Before you leave, there is something I need to talk to you about."

"Sure." She looked at Sean. "Do you mind?"

"Just don't go far," he answered.

Kill Shot can be purchased at most online bookstores or from my publisher – Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing....

New Release - Fire Creek - Romantic Suspense

Kasey Montgomery has returned to her hometown of Fire Creek Montana after the apparent suicide of her cousin. Within days of Beth's funeral, Kasey begins to find inconsistencies in her death. The local sheriff is quick to dismiss the allegations as figments of a writer's imagination. Kasey is determined to prove otherwise. Does the bronzed skinned stranger from Beth's funeral hold the answers?

Local park ranger, Jimmy Little Raven suspects foul play too. Beth was engaged to his best friend who died months earlier from a mysterious accident. Risking his heart and his job, he teams up with the famous mystery writer to find the answers to both deaths.

Available at:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.... You can also purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and most online bookstores.

EXCERPT

Kasey rounded the corner onto the street where she’d left her car. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Jimmy Little Raven leaning against the hood of the Firebird, his arms folded across his chest.

It took several seconds to recover from her initial shock before she walked over to her car. "What are you doing here?"

"Never mind that. What were you doing in Woodward’s office?" he demanded.

She avoided his glare, as her mind raced to come up with a logical explanation. Lying was out of the question, not that it'd do any good anyway. He had no doubt seen her through the window, explaining the noise she heard.

"Do you realize how much trouble you could get into if anyone was to find out you broke into his office?"

"No one’s going to find out... unless you rat on me. Besides, I didn’t break in, I had a key."

"You what!"

Before she could answer, her breath was yanked violently from her lungs as he lifted her up and dove, with her in his arms, onto the hood of the Firebird. The sounds of crunching metal, breaking glass and squealing tires followed. The earth seemed to rumble beneath her as their bodies rolled together onto the hard cement below.

Freedom to Read Giveaway Blog Hop

For this hop I'm giving away TWO PDF COPIES OF MY NEW RELEASE FIRE CREEK. To enter you must become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already) and leave your contact info.

The Gliboa Iris Book Tour

Dara Harow, the daughter of a rocket physicist for the US department of defense, sends her parents into a tailspin of dual-loyalty anxiety when she plans to wed Roni Ben-Ari, an Israeli officer in an elite counter-terrorist unit. When the Harows are targeted by a terror cell in hot pursuit of technology not yet found in any country s arsenal, Dara finds herself at the center of a hierarchy of terror that threatens her life and the lives of those she loves. The Gilboa Iris is a blazing tale of romance, deceit and international intrigue. Its rich characters and explosive plot take readers from Israel s Gilboa Mountains to the streets of New York, to Germany s Zehlendorf Forest, and back to Israel amid seminal events that rocked the world between 1983 and 2002.


Excerpt:

When I arrived, Roni was standing outside. Is he frowning at me? No, I quickly surmised, it’s just his usual disposition. Minutes later, however, I heard him arguing with one of the regulars, a short, powerfully built man named Moti, who supervised all the fieldwork. Although I was well versed in Hebrew and had no trouble conversing in it, I didn’t understand the content of the argument – at least not right away. Roni rattled off his words with such speed that I didn’t pay attention, nor was I interested in any case.

Despite my indifference, I couldn’t help but notice him gesturing toward me – and about me, I realized – his golden mane dancing around his face as his argument became more animated. It was then that I discerned the words frying omelets in the kitchen! Moti’s response was inaudible, but Roni stormed away jabbering in what sounded surprisingly like fluid Arabic.

It was impossible to grasp that this was purely about me! I wasn’t the only female volunteer and I didn’t understand what his problem was. Why was he singling me out? And why wasn’t his face under some truck or tractor? I soon gathered that when there were no machines or engines that required fixing or maintenance, Roni would lend a hand wherever it was needed. This morning he would be helping in the fields.

Evidently, he lost the argument, since Moti didn’t relegate me to kitchen duty. They were shorthanded in the fields and needed every volunteer. This was going to be a splendid day. Grim as it seemed, I was determined to be upbeat, despite Roni.

As chance would have it, there was no room for me in the regular vehicle transporting the workers to the cotton fields, and Moti instructed me to ride in the front cab of the pick-up truck carrying the irrigation pipes. A moment later, to my consternation, Roni opened the driver’s side door and his stunning, sparkling eyes widened in surprise to see me sitting in the front of his truck.

This was the first time I saw him up close, since he took pains to avoid me like the plague. It was obvious that he was handsome, but whoa! I wasn’t prepared for the full-scale view of those eyes in such close proximity. They were…staggering. The cliché of one’s heart skipping a beat had new meaning for me. Mine, however, more like trotted right out of my chest. My knee-jerk reaction unsettled me. I didn’t want to give him a second thought, and yet some emotion inside me flashed a different signal, which was decidedly vexing.

Clenching his jaw, Roni jumped into the driver’s seat, unlatched the hand brake and brought the engine to a roar. He didn’t hide his irritation at my presence, muttering something in Hebrew under his breath that sounded like he called me a chirping bird. I must have heard wrong, I thought, since I hadn’t uttered a syllable. We rode in silence the entire way.

An agonizing ten minutes later we reached the cotton fields, and I grabbed the door handle to scoot out of the cab. It was stuck. Great. As I fiddled with the handle, a surge of heat rose up to my face, as if it wasn’t already hot enough in the Beit She’an Valley. I was not prone to blushing, but I could sense I turned beet red, more out of annoyance than anything else. I already knew what Roni thought about me working in the fields, and this little glitch was not helping my case. With what looked like another one of his customary scowls, Roni leaned over me and jerked the car door open. He met my eyes with a forbidding gaze, his face just inches from mine. I was unfamiliar with the tumult raging inside of me when the curl of his lips parted long enough for me to feel his breath against me. Unnerved, I mumbled a thank you and jumped down from the truck, his muted, arrogant laughter wafting behind me.


About the Author

A native of New York, Zahava Englard lived in Teaneck, NJ, before moving with her family to Israel in 2006. An outspoken activist in the United States on behalf of Israel, she served as trustee on the executive board of One Israel Fund, and as its executive director. Presently Zahava lives in Israel. Her writing includes Settling for More: From Jersey to Judea, and she lectures in the United States and Israel about her books, Jewish activism, and her passion for Israel’s well-being. Gilboa Iris is her first novel.

http://www.zahavaenglard.com/

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop

For this hop I'm giving away TWO PDF COPIES OF FIRE AND ASH.  To enter you must become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already) and leave your contact info.

Fire Investigator Sadie McGregor is called to her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri to investigate a suspicious fire which claimed the life of a local college student. By appearance the fire looks like the girl was just careless. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community and put Sadie's life on the line.

Excerpt:

"Excuse me, sir. Are you supposed to be in here?"

The fireman turned. Quinn's eyes widened. Even with soot covering a good portion of the face, he could tell it was a woman from the brilliant smile she tossed at him. "It's miss, and I reckon I am if you wanna know the cause of this fire."

"You're with the State Fire Marshal's Office?" he guessed. Emerald Point's Fire Chief had told Quinn earlier that he suspected arson.

She stuck her clipboard underneath her arm, reached for the badge pinned to her turnout coat and flipped it around for him to view. "Sadie McGregor, Fire Investigator."

Interesting. She shared the same last name as the Fire Chief. That couldn't be a coincidence. "I had an officer posted here. Do you know where he went?"

"I sent him on an errand. Hope you don't mind." She stepped forward. Underneath her helmet, short strands of caramel colored hair framed a pretty face with freckles marching across both her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Haunting emerald eyes held his gaze as she offered her hand.

"Guess not." He shook the small latex covered hand, surprised by the strength of her grip. "Sorry for mistaking you for a guy."

She chuckled, turned, and walked into a room off to the right.

He followed. "I thought you were awfully small for a firefighter. I'm Police Chief Quinn Harrington by the way."

"I gathered that from your badge," she said with a smile. "Joe said you were on the scene during suppression, did anyone videotape it by chance? Or take pictures?"

"There were reporters on the scene so footage is probably available. Are you kin to Joe?"

"I'm his niece." She knelt along the baseboard. It was several seconds before she moved anything other than her head, which tilted from side to side as if in deep concentration. A few minutes later she balanced the clipboard on one knee, reached down and picked up what looked to be a framed photograph. "Must be her parents," she said, holding the frame up for his viewing.

"Mike and Donna Ingram. Larissa was their only child."

"Too bad. What do we know about her?"

"She was a senior over at the college, good kid, has never been in any trouble that I know of. The parents are away on vacation, so we think she was house sitting for them."

"Did you know her?"

"Not well. I've only been on the job a few months."

She laid the photograph on the buffet table, scribbled something on her clipboard and continued her examination of the room.

"I believe the point of origin is her bedroom, upstairs, first door on your right," Quinn volunteered.

"I've already been there," she said before exiting the room.

He followed her down the hall, into the kitchen. "How long have you been here?"

"Since dawn."

Just about the time he'd gone home to get a couple hours of much needed sleep.

Sadie pried opened the door of the soot-covered refrigerator and surveyed the contents. "Looks like our girl had herself a party."

"What makes you think that?"

"The refrigerator is almost empty and there are two barrels on the back porch with enough beer cans to pay for both our lunches."

"Preliminary findings of the coroner suggest she died from smoke inhalation."

"She also had a skull fracture."

"You've seen the body?" he asked.

"Yup."

"Well she could have received the head injury when she woke up disoriented. She was found next to the bed. She could have tripped and struck her head on the corner post."

"That's one possibility."

Mini Working Vacation

This past weekend I took a mini vacation to Lake of the Ozarks.  The Undercover Book Club invited me down to discuss my book Fire and Ash with them. I really enjoyed meeting this wonderful group of ladies who’ve been together fourteen years.  This was my first book club visit and it was really interesting listening to their input. They came up with some great questions and since it was a relaxed setting I wasn’t nearly as nervous as I usually am when speaking in public.  Thank you ladies for a fantastic time!
Afterwards, my niece and I got to see the Ozarks from the air by helicopter. Awesome Ride!!!  I do love helicopters.

Autographed copy of Fire and Ash Giveaway!

This month on my website I'll be giving away an autographed copy of my award-winning/bestselling book, Fire and Ash.  To enter the drawing, just click on this link and leave me a comment telling me you'd like to enter.



Fire Investigator Sadie McGregor is called to her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri to investigate a suspicious fire which claimed the life of a local college student. By appearance the fire looks accidental. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community and may cost one of them their life.  

5 Hearts Review for Trespasses

“This book was an excellent read that progressed with such fluency that I could not put it down for a second. The plot was dynamic and drew me in as a reader because of its intensity and its attention to detail when it came to the investigation… Ms. Patrick has penned a superb tale in this one with two strong characters that have to face their pasts -- as both of them have lost loved ones -- if they're to have any hope at a future together. Well done to this author, of which I can't wait to read the first installment of this series and the ones to come in the future.” ~ Reviewed by Bec http://www.theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/trespassespatrick.htm
I’ve also uploaded my latest newsletter onto my website.  Check it out here!  Inside you’ll find an exclusive excerpt from my July release, Fire Creek.  If you're not on my mailing list and would like to be please drop me a line via the contact form on my website, or email annepatrick07[at]yahoo[dot]com.Thank you for all your support!Anne

Joselyn Vaughn's The Warden's Lantern

Blurb:
Dark, creaking trees. Cracking thunder. A ghostly orb.

Barbara Milanowski couldn’t have picked a worse night for her amateur paranormal investigation, but she couldn’t let her longtime crush Elmer Derecho’s skeptism go unchallenged. When Elmer runs her off the road with his motorcycle and scolds her for being out in the inclement weather, her happily ever after drops with the barometric pressure and the loss of her keys and glasses. While spending time alone with Elmer was one of her fantasies, the dream date didn’t entail diving into the mud and untangling herself from a raspberry bush.

While trying to protect Barbara from the storm, Elmer’s eyes are opened to all the things in his life that are missing. Elmer had gotten comfortable with his maps and pictures and chasing tornadoes after the fact. But Barbara reminds him of his forgotten zest for adventures, and ignites his interest in the Warden’s Lantern and for Barbara

While sheltering in a dilapidated guard house, Barbara and Elmer are drawn out of the protection by the Warden’s Lantern, the ghostly light Barbara had been trying to document. Elmer dismisses it as a trick of the electrical storm, but together they attempt to find the true source of the light. Will their shared talents solve the mystery and start a lasting relationship?


Excerpt:

Barbara Milanowski adjusted the motion setting on her camera and snapped another shot of the trail. She wrapped the strap around her wrist and wandered a few yards along the road—if it could be called that anymore. Weeds grew up through the middle and crowded in from the sides. A gust of wind caught a handful of leaves and tossed them in front of her. The trees swayed and creaked, sending chills down her spine.

It’s certainly creepy out here. No wonder there were stories. But with the dim light and building haze, she doubted she’d find anything useful tonight.

She took off her glasses to clean them on the bottom of her black turtleneck. The humidity clouded them up in minutes. Surveying the woods, the shapes of brush and undergrowth blended into the darkening sky.

Professional investigators would have been better prepared.

Tripods, extra batteries, voice recorders, flashlights. The farther she traversed from her car the more items she added to the list of things she should have taken. She’d headed into the woods with only a camera and pepper spray on a dare.

The fishy, seaweedy smell of Lake Michigan wafted in the rising breeze, mixing with the damp mossiness of the trees. Barbara stared down the trail where the path disappeared around a curve.

The legend claimed a light would bob along the path shortly after twilight. When one approached it, the light disappeared. Those who claimed to have “seen” it said it was the lantern of a warden who disappeared searching for an escaped inmate. Neither he nor the inmate had ever been found. Some said the inmate killed the warden and buried him in the sand dunes. Others said the warden lost his way as a storm came across the lake; disoriented by the wind and rain, he wandered into the raging surf and drowned.

Ever since, the light had been called the Warden’s Lantern and had yet to be documented by an official team of paranormal investigators. She’d checked on the Internet at work this afternoon while her co--‐‑workers at the Storm Damage Evaluation Center had been arguing about it. While they ventured into the field studying storm damage, she remained at her computer under the watchful eye of the office manager, paying the bills and balancing the checkbooks. Numbers and organization were her expertise, but she itched to get away from her desk and see the things they talked about.

Several in the office had claimed to have seen it, but none had ever allowed the light to get close enough to see what produced it. Most accounts on the Internet referenced wetting themselves, then running like heck. Any actual historical facts were only available in the archives of the library.

She didn’t understand the fear. Her co-workers had faced flying cars and falling trees as they chased tornadoes. A floating light was hardly Freddy Kreuger.

As always, Elmer Derecho, the head meteorologist and engineer, claimed it was a natural phenomenon, but to him everything was a weather event. Blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain storms, cumulus clouds and clear skies. He was fascinated by it all. She doubted he thought of anything else.

Barbara had told herself that a lot lately. Specifically, every morning as she got dressed for work. It didn’t matter whether she wore the pencil skirt that accentuated her hips or the sweater that hugged her breasts, Elmer still wouldn’t notice her.


Buy Links:
Astraea Press: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=11635129

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Wardens-Lantern-ebook/dp/B0081X2TES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336697790&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wardens-lantern-joselyn-vaughn/1110719135?ean=2940014408172

Joselyn's bio:I live in the Great Lakes State with my adoring husband, three energetic and ambitious toddlers, and two of the laziest beagles. I believe there is nothing better than a warm hug, a good romance novel and chocolate. When not changing diapers or removing a toddler from a precarious situation, I enjoy sewing, running, shopping at thrift stores and reading books longer than thirty pages. I have two other published books: CEOs Don't Cry and Courting Sparks.

Contact Links:
Email: joselynvaughn@gmail.com
Webpage: http://joselynvaughn.com/
Blog: http://joselynvaughn.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/joselynvaughn
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/joselynvaughn
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/joselynvaughn