Addison Moore's Blog, page 53

The Tuesday Tease

Welcome back to the Tuesday tease! I hope you’ve had a great week!I’ve been busy around the clock, reading and rereading ETHEREAL KNIGHTS. I wish it was out already but I really want to make sure it’s the best it can be. Speaking of EK, I think it’s going to be complete and coverless so I’m kicking my cover artist into high gear because this needs to go quickly. Plus, ELYSIAN is whispering to me on the sidelines. Can I just say how much I LOVE being back on Paragon? I’ll miss Celestra once I’m through but I’m all ready to venture into Skyla’s new life post high school. Things are going to get interesting and heated. ;) Off to the teasers!  
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (Ethereal rewritten from Logan and Gage’s perspective)*Gage’s point of view
“Hey, you okay?” He rattles my shoulder like he’s waking me up from a bad dream. Little does he know, he’s the one who’s morphed into my worst nightmare.“I’m great—just did one too many push-ups today gearing up for the big season. I think first games against East.”“We’ll kill ‘em.” He looks past my shoulder. “Bree better show soon. She was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago. I’ll cover the shoes until she gets here.” “You do that. I’m off the clock, boss. I’m out of here.”“Go for it.” He socks me in the arm just enough to make it hurt. “Don’t worry about the game. We’re destined to win. Remember—when the Olivers go after what they want, they always get it.” Logan jumps over the counter with a whistle on his lips, and I shake my head at how quickly everything’s falling to shit. I wanted to say, what happens when two Oliver’s want the very same thing?What then, genius?
EVANESCENT (The Countenance Trilogy 2)*Cooper and Laken are in the transfer.Laken’s point of view
“She said to meet her here.” Coop squeezes my hand as we enter a carpeted corridor. A blue glow emanates from the entry to our right and Coop doesn’t hesitate leading me inside. “I recognize this place. It’s the room with the floating coffins.” Everything in me seizes as I take in the long glass tubes that extend from floor to ceiling. Bodies float inside, submerged in blue fluid. Their blank open gaze, their flesh uniformly sealed in body suits makes them look like an army of petrified soldiers. This was truly a killing field, a mass watery grave that begs for intervention. “How many of these do you think have been stolen?” I ask just above a whisper. Before Coop can answer, Ezrina scuttles into the room with her dark cloak emphasizing the hump over her back, her wild hair wafting in the breeze from behind.
ELYSIAN (The final book in the Celestra Series) (I’m working overtime for a spring release~!)*Marshall to Skyla in front of Logan and Gage
“Slowly I will love you.” A lewd grin twitches at his lips. “Then of course you’ll beg for more, and I’ll be forced to comply.”I glance over at Logan and Gage as they avert their eyes in disgust—disbelief. I don’t dare say a thing—that every word Marshall just breathed happened to be the God’s honest truth. A light drive into the future doesn’t lie too often, and I could tell by the look on my face that I wanted him more than the air in my lungs.  
 Hope you enjoyed!BTW,  SOMEONE TO LOVE scored 5 weeks on the NYT's list! If you need something hot to read Thursday night, Cruise is there for you!
Happy Valentine's Day! Chocolate and roses to all! XOXO

iBookstore shines spotlight on indie titles!

I had to share this awesome news with you. The kind people over at iBookstore have added a new feature to their already rockin' book store, a spotlight for inide authors, called Breakout Books. Every few weeks they'll spotlight a list of different indie authors. I clicked over and was thrilled to pieces to see they've featured both SOMEONE TO LOVE and ETHEREAL! (Thanks iGuys!)





iBookstore: SOMEONE TO LOVE
iBookstore: ETHEREAL (Celestra Series Book 1)

The New York Times did an article on the Breakout Book feature this morning: NYT

If you'd like to learn more about the Breakout List or see a list of featured authors, visit the Smashwords blog for all the details: Smashwords Blog 

The Tuesday Tease

Hi all! Happy Tuesday! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic week. We’re healthy once again at my house so I’ve had time to crunch out words and edit like a maniac. I’m on the final read-throughs for ETHEREAL KNIGHTS. I keep giggling, or sighing, or gasping as I edit and I love that the Oliver boys have that kind of power over me, even though I’ve read the book a couple hundred times. I really hope you’ll enjoy it. As for release date, I’m not positive. I need to talk with my formatter and I need to cinch up the details on the cover as well. I’ll try to give you 5 days notice and really shout it out to let you know its coming. It’s close but I don't think this week. It’s very, very close though. ;)And, I’m so humbled by this, SOMEONE TO LOVE has not only hit the New York Timeslist for the fourth week, but it also scored a spot on the USA Today bestsellers list. And truthfully, that’s because you guys rock, so THANK YOU! xoxo
Onto the teasers!  
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS(The Olivers are going to dinner)Logan’s point of view:
Emma has an obvious spring in her step, overjoyed that her son’s penis has dodged yet another vagina. She doesn’t quite realize that he’s a growing boy with hormones—that girls puddle to his feet whether he appreciates it or not. Nevertheless, she’s pleased beyond measure that Skyla is taken, even if it is by me. I suppose they’re going to demand he hand his balls over tonight and give Skyla and me his blessing. Doubt that will happen, but at least I can shovel some chips and salsa while hoping.
EVANESCENT (The Countenance 2)Cooper’s point of view:
Laken barrels into the road just as my truck rounds out the driveway above Austen House.She jumps in and slams the door behind her, manually punching down the lock. “Drive.” She pants with enough fear pulsating out of her chest to fuel a generator.“Are you okay?” Obviously she’s not. Obviously I’m an idiot for thinking it was all right to text her vital information that had the potential to scare the living shit out of her and send her running in my direction. And, unfortunately for Laken, I’m an ass because deep down inside this is this is exactly what I wanted.
ELYSIAN (Ceslestra Book 8/The FINAL book!)Marshall to Skyla
“The fun, my love, is just beginning. You keep up this 'brave girl' façade and you’ll crush the Countenance into submission with your pretty little heel.”I hold back a smile, wild-eyed at his apparent oversight.“Who the hell is putting up a façade?”    

*Hope you enjoyed!!! I cannot wait to share these books with you!

ETHEREAL is still FREE!!!!!!! I'd appreciate it if you could help me spread the word~!

Tuesday Teasers

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease!!!SOMEONE TO LOVE is still rocking the NYT Bestsellers list, three weeks in a row! And sadly, the flu doesn’t care much about that because it’s come to visit, and it looks like it’s taking up residency in our household. It’s ironic that when you’re really not up to doing laundry, you find yourself running emergency loads at midnight.Anyway! I got ETHEREAL KNIGHTS back from my editor! Yay!!! I’ve already fixed the suggestions, and now I have to do another final "once over" and then several slooow reads to make sure every word is in place. I really hope you’ll enjoy the Oliver boys as much as I did. Again, fair warning, they are racier than Skyla, but I think the book is such a nice supplement to ETHEREAL, that I’m thrilled I ventured into their incredibly racy minds. I’m letting EVANESCENT cool until I put out EK, and in the meantime, I’m penning SOMEONE LIKE YOU and ELYSIAN~. (I edit in the morning and write at night. Somewhere in the middle is my so-called life.)  ;)Off to the teasers!
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (ETHEREAL rewritten from Logan and Gage’s perspective)*Gage’s Point of View
“You think she’s Celestra, huh?” Just another thing pretty boy and Skyla have in common. My stomach turns at the thought.“I know she is. You know what the best part is?”“She can see what a douche you are, inside and out?” I tease. Not really. It’ll probably only magnify the fact that deep down, Logan Oliver is one of the nicest guys Skyla could ever hope to know—and that’s just too bad for me.“You’re funny.” He takes the turn outside the estates a little wide, and I hold onto the grab bar. “No, I just keep thinking about how intense it’ll be with her.” He says it quiet—serious, and it sends every nerve in my body on red alert. He’s going to do it. He’s going to make a move on the girl I’m supposed to be with. I don’t get it. If I’m feeling it—if the visions confirm everything I know is true—then why on earth is Skyla the last person to get with the program? I glance back over at Logan and sink in my seat as a horrible realization sets in. Maybe, just maybe, Logan has been a part of the big picture all along.
EVANESCENT (The Countenance 2)
*Laken engages in a ritual called, the slaughter of plenty. (BTW, Laken is not a monster. These creatures were severely injured.)
The most humane way to kill a beast is by breaking its neck. I try to stand but my foot glides in a pool of blood. Wes tries to help me up, but I push him off. Instead, my blade finds the long slick necks of each one of those creatures as I carry out a decapitating spree that goes on for what feels like hours.“Shit, Laken!” Fletch pants in disbelief at the bloody carnage I’ve entrenched myself in. “What the hell?”“They were suffering.” I glance up at the crowd with their hoods pulled back, their eyes locked in disbelief. I rise to my feet with the blade still secure in my hand—blood dripping to my ankles. I latch my gaze over to Wesley and try to steady my breathing. “I won’t let anything or anybody suffer.” Especially not Celestra. Although, it’s not their heads I’m after. It’s the Counts. 
ELYSIAN (Celestra book 8/ The final installment)*(Skyla and Logan)
“Logan?” I can’t breathe. I can’t even hope to catch my breath. I feel so powerless. The impotency of the entire universe is exemplified by what he’s just said.
I hope you enjoyed! I’ll edit the heck out of ETHEREAL KNIGHTS and hopefully have a publication date to give you by next Tuesday. 

The Tuesday Tease

Happy Tuesday~!
SOMEONE TO LOVE hits the New York Times bestseller list for a second week!!! I’m thrilled, and honored, and extremely humbled that its hung in the air for so long. BIG thank you to YOU guys for all of your ~wonderful~ support! *Hugs and chocolate all around*The Books: I should be done with the first draft of EVANESCENT by Wednesday. It’s taken the entire time I've allotted to write it, but I’ve had fun with the storyline. It looks like The Countenance is shaping up to be a trilogy, which I had originally intended it to be. I should pen the final book in late spring if not sooner. The tie-ins to Celestra increase with each book but you don’t have to read Celestra to understand The Countenance. ETHEREAL KNIGHTS is still with the editors. I’m hoping at least one will release it back to me this week. I’m so excited about this book!!! In fact I’ve actually had Oliver withdrawals and have been thinking about penning TREMBLE for Me which would be book 2 in the POV series. I just love me some Logan and Gage. Is that so wrong? Lol!ELYSIAN will get my full attention around the second week of February—for sure by Valentines Day. Then I pen it to the end. Sad to see Celestra go but super excited to bring you the rest of the story. Then Skyla gets her New Adult series which will officially be my guilty pleasure. Also, I’m going to try and get my injured cover artist, A.K.A. my husband, to churn out some of his amazing work so I can share them with you guys. Here’s hoping!
Enjoy the teasers!
ELYSIAN (Book 8 - The Final Celestra Book)
(Skyla to Chloe)
“It never ends with you. It’s always the same story.”“I am the story, Skyla. And I’m going to stick around to make damn sure you never forget it.”
EVANESCENT (The Countenance Book 2)
(Wes to Laken, talking about the Celestra tunnels)
“You’re going to be powerful after our visit, Laken.” The muscles in his jaw pop as if he means business. “This place, it’s called the Tenebrous Woods. It’s where prisoners of war are held.” He shoots a nervous glance behind me. “Laken, the only way to get this power is to take it from them physically.”I stare at Wes a very long time. I’m boarding up the windows and doors to my thoughts so he’ll never get inside and see what a monster my eyes are conveying to me at this very moment.
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (Logan and Gage’s POV novel—Ethereal rewritten through their eyes)
(Logan and Skyla talking about Chloe)
“I think we should do this with words.” I press a finger over my lips, wishing I were touching hers instead. “Afraid to let me in much?” She says it like a dare. I wonder what she would do if she knew I could withhold my thoughts from her at will—that I seem to hold a secret from her at every turn. I doubt she’d believe any of this was in her best interest.  I shake my head. “More like, afraid to hear you.” It comes out slow, measured. “It happened twice with Chloe and me. It was stupid. Chloe and I…” I wish I could take it all back, every last kiss. “She wasn’t the right person for me.” I interlace our fingers soft as feathers. “By the time she disappeared we had already broken up, which put me at the top of the suspect list.”
Hope you enjoyed!
BTW, because so many of you were so kind to chime in last week, I wanted to let you know I finally ditched the gel nails and traded them in for acrylics. Since I was an acrylic virgin, my fingers ached the first night, but now I can’t stop staring at them because they are so darn purdy. Also, I can’t stop strumming them against things because it makes an awesome sound. Like I needed another psychotic obsession.  

Thanx again for supporting SOMEONE to LOVE!!!

It happened

 SOMEONE TO LOVE landed on the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST!!!!!!!!!!*screams* jumps up and down.*I can honestly tell you that no one is more floored (and happily so) than me. I can’t thank you guys enough for all of your awesome support—the kind words to friends, the reviews, all of the wonderful shout outs you’ve given me and my books has just blown me away. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. XOXOMy husband and kids are on cloud nine with me. We celebrated with champagne, cheesecake, and of course there was chocolate (unfortunately for my jeans, perhaps too much.)So here are the stats and I’ll get right to the teasers: #6 New York Times Bestseller List e-books#10 New York Times Bestseller List print and e-books#8 Wall Street Journal Bestseller List e-FictionCool huh? I’m loving my miracle. Onto the books!
EVANESCENT is almost done!!!! Things have moved a tiny bit slower. I blame the piles of Christmas decorations amassing in the center of my living room, asking who in the heck is going to put them away. Where's the Grinch when you truly need him? Anyway, I should pen “the end” by next weekend.
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS is already off at the editor, and I’m probably going to have two editors look at it because I’m OCD that way. So whenever they give it back to me I’ll sweep over it and give it to you. Fair warning, those Oliver boys are not at all as sweet and innocent as they would like you to believe. I’m questioning what kind of warning to put on this book. *I’m looking at you Gage*
ELYSIAN, (the FINAL Celestra book) is to be completed in February. It’s in pieces at the moment. I may reveal Skyla’s new series title in a few weeks!!! You may laugh or cry, depending how you feel about it. I’m in love!  
SOMEONE LIKE YOU Gah! How can I not write Morgan and Ally’s story? Morgan is Kendall’s brother who comes into town for seemingly innocent reasons and happens to come across Kendall’s BFF Ally. The first chapter has me reeling in a good way. And can I say Morgan Jordan is ~hot~??? Honest to God, he could teach Marshall a thing or two. It should make me uncomfortable to have such insanely gorgeous, ravenously, vexingly delicious men roaming free in my head and yet I welcome it. (I’m pretty sure my husband doesn’t read my blog. You don’t read my blog, right honey??? It doesn’t matter. You’re the hottest man I know and you’re real, so you win!)And hitting the NYT Bestseller list hasn’t changed me one bit as evidenced by my to-do list tomorrow:1.     Allow 11-year-old daughter to cut my hair. (Two inches straight across the bottom, no bangs.)2.     Continue to chip off the gel nail polish I got roped into trying back in November. It was fun while it lasted. And why is it lasting?3.     Ignore the large storage bins marked “x-mas” in my living room that have learned to multiply.See? Still me!Happy reading!
ELYSIAN:
(Chloe to Skyla at a football game. Marshall is present.)
“Oh hell, Skyla. Why don’t you just kiss me and get it over with?”Marshall balks in the distance. Yes, Ms. Messenger. Why don’t you kiss her and spark every male in the vicinity into a hormone-induced coma. You’ll be fodder for fantasies well into their golden years. I watch as Chloe slips it into her mouth and my heart thumps wild in my chest. I can feel Paragon—the world watching over us with an inordinate amount of curiosity. My mother in the sky must be more than slightly amused with what just happened. Ms. Messenger, I command you to step away from Ms. Bishop.  “Shut up, Marshall.”

EVANESCENT
(Wesley meets up with the Olivers behind the English building at Ephemeral)
The blond winces—he narrows in on me with hatred then it hits me. Every muscle in my body freezes. I know him. “You’re Skyla’s Elysian.” “Logan Oliver.” He ticks his head back as if things were suddenly casual, as if he and his buddy, who happens to wear my face, didn’t just travel two years in the future to pay me a visit. “My nephew here has been dying to meet you. His fist is looking forward to bonding with your lips—you know, those things you use to hurt Skyla with?”The dark haired one, steps forward. “Gage,” he says, glancing over me. “I’d tell you to memorize my face, because you’ll be seeing a lot of it, but it looks like you’ve one-upped me and put it on like a mask.” He takes a step and digs his knuckles in my jaw. My teeth bite over my tongue and a squirt of blood runs down my throat.
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS
(Gage and Logan the morning before Skyla sets foot on Paragon. Gage's point of view.)“It was a vision.” I stamp it out and watch as his eyes widen, his demeanor grows all too serious on a dime. “What’s going to happen?” Gone is the sarcastic bastard I know and love, replaced with a vulnerable boy locked in a trancelike state, waiting on pins and needles to see if there’s good news on the horizon.I haven’t shared a vision in ages, especially not one that concerns Logan. Its no wonder the idea sobered him up. “It was more informative than visual.” I try to sound casual while popping a slice of bread in the toaster. The truth is, there was something about that prophecy that felt more like a night terror. It jarred me. “It was dark.” I shrug. “I saw you and the shadow of this girl.” I glance over at him as his eyebrows twitch with curiosity. “She was Celestra, like you.”


Hope you enjoyed~!       Have a great week! 

The Tuesday Tease~!

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease! I hope your New Year is off to a rockin’ start.BIG THANK YOU to those of you who have read and reviewed SOMEONE TO LOVE!!! You have blown me away. I plan on revisiting Kendall and Cruise's world one day soon. I also hope to write Ally and Morgan’s story (Kendall’s bff and brother). Big hugs to you guys for your awesome support! XOXOCongrats to Sarah Joy, one of my awesome editors who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a few days ago. I’d like to think SOMEONE TO LOVE sent her body into a hormonal tirade and helped thrust her into labor. ;) I’m just thrilled Mommy and baby are doing great.Book news: ETHEREAL KNIGHTS is done and will be sent Amy Eye (my other awesome editor) at some point today. I’ll spare Sarah since she has her own little ethereal knight to contend with. ETHEREAL KNIGHTS is ETHEREAL rewritten from Gage and Logan’s perspective. It’s a bit more heated than the original mostly because the boys are not as pure and innocent as Skyla was in the beginning. EVANESCENTis framing itself out nicely, And ELYSIAN (The final Celestra Book) is in pieces, but I’m very hopeful for early spring. Skyla’s new series will begin on its heels. I really hope you’ll like the way Celestra ends and will join me on Skyla’s new journey. It’s going to be ~HOT~!Happy reading!!!   
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (Ethereal rewritten from Gage and Logan’s perspective)
(Logan thinking about Skyla)
I land over her gently and meet my mouth with hers, pouring my affection into her in one blissful exchange. I never thought I could feel this way about anybody. I never thought I could want—crave anybody so damn much. Skyla is water and oxygen, and I need to soak her in, drink her down—be near her—in her, just to survive. This night is definitely ending far, far better than I had ever hoped.
EVANESCENT (The Countenance 2)(Wesley and Laken at a Count ritual)
“You’re a treasure, Laken. Once you’re sealed, you’ll forever be a select possession.”I glance down at the bowl of blood and ashes he’s cradling, fragile as a newborn. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be anybody’s possession let alone the devils that run this twisted body smuggling operation. “There’s one more thing.” Wes gazes into me with all of the tenderness he can muster. “I’ve poured my blood into this cup, Laken. I’m sealing you for myself as well—that is if you’ll let me. If you want to be with me and with no one else forever.”Cooper blinks through my mind. I’ll be Wesley’s forever if I agree, at least according to the Counts. Mom and Lacy hover in my mind like ghosts. I’ll sacrifice everything to save them, including Cooper if I have to. “Yes, Wesley,” I say it sweetly. “I’m already yours forever.” A part of that is gospel—and the rest of its a lie of the highest order.
ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) *(The final installment of the Celestra Series)
(Gage and Skyla in a confrontation)
Gage ticks his chin back and takes in a breath, incensed and angry with me of all people. We stare at one another a very long time with sorrow glossing our eyes, and yet neither of us is willing to let a single teardrop fall. “Maybe that’s all this has ever been to you”— his brows swoop in like birds in flight—“one big game.” My body comes to life with something just this side of rage.“No Gage.” I stop shy of charging at him. “I’m not playing games. I’m through with games, now and forever.”
Hope you enjoyed~! Have a great week!
Links to SOMEONE TO LOVE: Amazon, B&N, Smashwords (iTunes to come)Happy reading~!

A New Year's Tuesday Tease

Happy New Year and welcome to the Tuesday Tease~!I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a rockin’ New Year's Eve!
Thank you to all of you who read and reviewed SOMEONE TO LOVE!!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. I’m working on Morgan and Ally’s story as well (her bro and Bff) And I would love to revisit Kendall and Cruise in the future.
ETHEREAL KNIGHTS! I’ve spent the last week going over the final document and it’s almost ready to send to my editor. EVANESCENT (Book 2 of The Countenance) is my next "write to completion" project.
Here’s an extended preview of one of my favorite scenes from ETHEREAL KNIGHTS, enjoy~!

ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (Ethereal rewritten from Gage and Logan’s perspective)
(Logan and Gage are at the bowling alley when Skyla sends a text)
Where are you? I’m doing time at B’s. She’s getting busy with monkey boy. ~SI stare at my phone a very long time. She’s at Brielle’s. I could make up some lame excuse—saddle Gage with a thousand hungry middle-graders and spend the afternoon with my dream girl. “Is that Michelle?” he asks, taking the helm at the register as the line snakes all the way out the arcade.“No, it’s Skyla. Do me a favor and try not to tell her too much about things. I want to do it myself.”Gage pauses a good long time before answering. “Done.” I text her back. Work. Want to come? I can use the help. Must be a great day to bowl. What is B doing with a monkey?“Hey, Logan?” Gage asks while one of the customers digs through her purse for change. “Do me a favor.”“What’s that?” I ask, glancing over his features and my stomach clenches. Of course Skyla’s going to fall for him and those tubs digging into his cheeks. What girl wouldn’t?“Don’t do anything with her,” he says it low like an apology.He grips onto me with that ironclad stare. He wants my balls on lockdown until we figure this out.“All right. For now.” My phone buzzes again and I glance down at it.Trust me, I’d much rather help u. It is the perfect day for bowling. And to answer your question, rutting. ~SI let out a laugh and show Gage the phone before texting her back. Rutting?! You have a way with words. You should write poetry.Funny because I just gave that same advice to Gage not too long ago concerning Skyla. My insides pinch at the thought of them writing poems to each other and having no one but myself to blame. I’ll save my poems for you. I promise they will not include the word rutting. Ever. ~SGage leans in and balks at the text.“Rutting?” He shakes his head. “I would like to do lots of things to that body, rutting isn’t one of them.”I shake my head before texting her back.Rutting is my new favorite word. BTW, Gage wants me to give you a message. He very much looks forward to rutting with you.I flash the phone at Gage so he can revel in my literary artistry. Let the poet take note. The phone buzzes again.Tell Gage anytime. I’m waiting and coincidentally very lonely at this very moment. ~S“Ha!” Gage barks in my face. “Now that you mention it, I can totally see myself rutting with Skyla.”I send a quick text trying to rectify my stupidity. Never mind. I suddenly have a great disdain for the word rutting. You must never rut with Gage. Promise me this.Jealousy burns through me—splits my heart a mile wide. Will you rut with others? Turnabout is fair play. ~S Hell fucking, No. Promise. ~SI replace the phone in my pocket and look up at Gage. It feels like I just stepped out of the lion’s den.Gage gives the hint of a wicked smile before getting back to the customer in front of him.I may be out of the lion’s den, but the self-proclaimed king of the jungle just so happens to be standing in front of me. I need to slay the beast Gage has quickly become. I just can’t figure out how.
Hope you enjoyed~!
If you haven’t read SOMEONE TO LOVE, here are the links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, (itunes to come). 
Would you like some signed bookmarks? If you enjoyed the book and leave or have left a review I'd love to send you some signed STL bookmarks! Just shoot me a link to your review at this email and leave your name and an addy where you'd like them sent: Addisonmoorewrites (@) yahoo.com

A Celestra Christmas Teaser

Merry Christmas!
Welcome to a special holiday edition of the Tuesday Tease. I thought since my favorite holiday fell on a Tuesday this year I’d do something a little out of the ordinary.
Here’s a Celestra snippet that may or may not be a part of ELYSIAN, (the final book in the Celestra Series.)
Happy reading!
I hope Santa brings it all!!!

~It's a Not-so-Wonderful Life~
 (Marshall and Skyla, Christmas Eve)

Mia and Melissa sit on the floor texting each other with their new phones with nothing but the colorful Christmas lights to brighten the room. A tidal wave of wrapping paper surrounds them and it looks magical, the silver foil sprayed with rainbow colored lights—even Tad’s annoying tinsel holds a regal beauty at this late hour, reflecting blues and purples.Outside the window, the navy sky is stamped with charcoal colored clouds—a wash of moonlight shines over the ground, bright as a spotlight. I roll off the couch and make my way outside. There’s nothing in me that can mirror the joy of my sisters. Not even holding little Beau tonight on his first official Christmas was enough to pull me out of this funk.It’s cold outside. The wind licks at my ankles and the iced porch seeps right through my socks. I head out toward the woods regardless of the Arctic chill. This is one of those moments in life where you wish the black of night would swallow you whole and you’d cease to exist forever. “Midnight stroll?” A male voice booms from behind.I don’t need to turn around to know its Marshall.I lunge at him and wrap my arms around him so tight, you’d think he just rescued me from a burning building.“No need for all the teen angst.” He buries a kiss in my hair. “A simple Merry Christmas will do.”“Merry Christmas.” I give him a quick peck square on the lips.“Now tell me why you’re out here, and not in there trying out the new clothes I’ve lined your closet with.” He growls with his signature sexual leer. “Because I’m pretty sure they’re illegal.” I roll my eyes as I envision the parade of lacy frilly numbers that I’ll have one hell of a time explaining once my mother catches sight of them. “A hooker would blush wearing those things.” I try to keep a smile from hedging on my lips.“They’re not street clothes, Skyla. It’s a private reserve for our soon-to-be expansive couple time.”“About that”—I bury my face in the warmth of his chest a moment before pulling back—“Marshall, I can’t take this. I’ve become a poison that kills everything she touches—everyone she loves.”“Well then, you must hate me because I’m still standing. And I assure you, I’m quite virile.” He takes up my hand and we begin to stroll through the maze of pale birch trees with their chalky bark.I glance up at the deep cobalt sky through the gnarled branches and a sense of peace begs to take over this horrible foreboding, but I wont let it.“You know, sometimes Marshall, I wish I was never born. I’m sure it would have been a lot less trouble for everyone all around—me included.”Marshall wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me in.“Why don’t we verify this rather morose theory of yours.”“And how will we do that?” I glance up at his well-chiseled features—that gorgeous head of hair that reflects the glow of the moonlight. I can’t help but note a sparkle of excitement in his eye. I’m sure his “verification” methods are engineered to land me on his mattress. He gives the impression of a wicked grin. “That, too shall come to pass but first—I’ll simply reverse the natural order of the last eighteen years while we take a little joy ride through time.”Marshall doesn’t wait for my approval. He waves his hand in the air and the woods, the soot covered sky converge in a whirlpool of color, and we spin in a downward spiral as if he had just flushed all of Paragon down the toilet. And with my luck, he just may have.
***
The sky opens up to a tangerine expanse. The familiar perfume of warm roses, mixed with smog, assures me we’re in LA. It’s this scent exactly that has bookmarked itself in my mind as the marker of my old home. Marshall lands us at an opulent estate, a tall white mansion with miles of garland looping around the property. A few cars sit out front while people mill inside the palatial estate, enjoying a holiday party. “You did it!” I give a little jump holding tight to his hand. “This is really the world without me in it?”“Indeed it is, and I wouldn’t be so giddy, Ms. Messenger. It’s not all smog and roses you know.” He wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Come.” Marshall walks us through the iron gate as if it were nothing but a vapor, he speeds to the oversized McMansion and we walk through the tall glossy doors swift as apparitions.A familiar Christmas carol plays throughout the opulent home as we make our way into the party.“Oh look!” I point over to an all-familiar, strapping man, holding a drink in hand and sharing a laugh with friends. “There’s my dad.” Everything in me sighs as I take him in.“Not your father,” Marshall says, strolling us through the expensively dressed crowd. “You don’t exist, remember?”“Oh.” A thread of disappointment runs through me. “I sort of forgot about that.”A giant Christmas tree is lit up with a million white lights at the far end of the room, and I distinctly recognize the redhead belting out a laugh.“There’s Mom!” I squeal like a schoolgirl. “Am I going to see how they met?” I’m fascinated by this. I should have Marshall blip me out of existence more often.“Heaven’s no. They’ve already met. Lizbeth was a bridesmaid at his wedding a year ago.”“A what?” The room warps with my surprise.“Careful, love. We’re in a delicate state of being.”“So, Dad married someone else? It’s Candace isn’t it?” I wouldn’t put it past my celestial mother to simply have another version of me. That’s always been the underlying truth—she never quite needed me.“She indeed needed you, Skyla or you wouldn’t have been born in the first place.” Marshall points over to a toasted blonde with a silver lame pantsuit that makes feel like I’m going to have a seizure just looking at it. “That’s your father’s bride. She’s expecting twins. Two boys. All holy hell will break loose once she spawns the little demons.”“What?” I gasp in horror.A bell goes off near the tree and all eyes are directed toward the illuminated ode to Christmas foliage. And what to my wandering eyes should appear but Demetri Freaking Edinger.“What does he want?” I spit it out low, suddenly disgusted by the horrible turn of events.“Please, everyone I bid you a moment of your attention,” he calls it out over the crowd and the room hushes to a whisper. “I want to thank you all for coming out.” He gleams his wicked scowl as he scans the room and squints a special smile in my direction. “My bride and I will be leaving shortly on our honeymoon, but please, stay and enjoy the festivities. Santa arrives at eight.” He lifts his drink high in the air.“Shit.” I watch in horror as Demetri makes his way to my mother and seals his lips over hers. The room starts in on a low-lying tremble, then gyrates violently, and the crowd lights up with scream as Marshall and I disappear.
***
“Do control your emotions dear." Marshall smoothes out his shirt. "I’d hate to have my visa revoked by the Decision Council for disrupting the unnatural order of things.”“That was disgusting,” I say, taking in our new surroundings. A bevy of bodies clutter up a darkened living room and for a second I think we’re at one of Ellis’s morally bankrupt parties only to discover a far more familiar layout. “We’re at the Oliver house! I’m much more relived to be here, than Demetri’s hornets nest in a reality where he weds my mother.”“We’ll see about that.” Marshall walks us through the crowd and tempers his body to the rhythm of the loud raucous music booming through the speakers. “Oh, yippy”—he bleeds a nefarious smile without the proper enthusiasm—“here comes Jock Strap now.”Gage. Those deep wells dig in on either side of his face as he gives one of his killer smiles. For a minute I think maybe he’s smiling at me until a brunette, wearing nothing but a not-so-long T-shirt, runs up and uses his body as pole.“Who the hell is that?”“That is a girl who has had her sights on young Oliver for quite some time now. And is she ever glad you’ve never taken up space on the planet—or least she would be.” He nods over toward the hug fest.I want to hurl at the sight of her over zealous limbs rubbing up against him. Honest to God, it hurts just to be facing their direction. Her long tan legs, her flowing dark mane remind me a lot of Chloe but thankfully she’s not the skank in question. Gage gently removes her and takes a step away. His smile fades as he makes small talk.“Ha!” I laugh in the face of Marshall’s botched up plan to drive me insane with jealousy. “I can totally tell he’s not interested. According to his body language, he’s looking for a quick escape.”“It’s true. His heart is full of sorrow.”I feel horrible. I’m almost afraid to ask why.“That’s right, Skyla. He senses a part of him is missing. He’s quite the brooding artist, sinking himself in his poetry—those morose metrical compositions take up most his day and night. He’ll be famous for them one day but not until well after his death.”“That’s terrible.”“Don’t feel too badly. Prior to his rather untimely demise, he marries the very girl that he’s trying to avoid.”“No!” It gasps from me. “I mean… they don’t even look good together.” Now there’s a lame excuse to keep someone for myself when I don’t even technically exist.“Give her about ten years time and she’ll agree with you. She leaves him for a minor league baseball player. Oliver will have sole custody of the children, though. It’s not all doom and gloom for the blue-eyed sage. There’s a second nuptial on the horizon shortly after that.”“Children?” The thought of Gage procreating with half-dressed skanks makes me feel like someone just threw a brick at my chest. And, another bride? I don’t like this one freaking bit. “That’s….”“Not what you expected?” “At least Chloe’s not in the picture.”“Things couldn’t be further from the truth.” He nods just past my shoulder at a rather wasted brunette doing what looks like a sloppy rendition of a lap dance over some guy… and holy shit I think that’s Logan!“That is Logan!” I try to make my way over, but Marshall holds me back.“Relax. You don’t exist, remember? Besides, she’s simply trying to make Jock Strap writhe with jealousy.”“Does Logan know this?” As much as I hate the thought of her trying to rile up Gage, I hate the fact she’s using Logan to do it.“He doesn’t mind one bit. In fact, Chloe is simply one of many in a long line of women trailing around the block to get on the Logan express.”“That’s disgusting. Get me out of here right now.” I try to yank Marshall out the door, but he’s screwed his feet into the floor and doesn’t budge. “Leave now? Why—the party is just getting started. Look at this…” He motions back over to Logan.I’m half-afraid to witness anymore of the carnage. I peer around Marshall’s chest only see Michelle and Lexy pawing all over the golden Oliver.“I thought you were going to show me something new.” I almost breathe a sigh of relief because I know for a fact Logan’s not really interested in either of them. “Remember that time I thought Michelle was having your baby and it was really Brielle knocked up with Drake’s twisted seed?” I give a little chuckle.Marshall sneers into my stab at humor.“Observe,” he gravels it out low. Begrudgingly I glance back at Logan. He looks like a God, with his smile beaming, his face radiating all kinds of outrageous levels of joy—only his eyes are closed and wait…where the hell are Lexy’s hands anyway?Michelle climbs up and sits on his shoulders and I have a feeling things have slipped past the NC 17 portion of evening.“I don’t know what the hell they’re doing but please get me out of here.” I go to bury my face in Marshall’s chest just as a dark-haired boy with steel blue eyes catches my gaze and his face starts in on a slow spreading smile. “He sees me,” I say mesmerized as I make my way to Gage. He comes at me with a slow and determined gate, his chest as wide as a wall. I can make out the muscles under his T-shirt as they ripple on through.Gage pulls back his cheek and his dimple lights up on the left, melting me on the inside with a pleasure that sweeps away this incurable ache.Our lips crash in one resplendent exchange. His mouth covering mine with its warmth but something about his kiss feels resistive on every level.Marshall yanks me away by the elbow.“Now, now, do refrain from possessing Ms. Bishop. Should she be apprised of the situation, a head might be required per her specialty.“Chloe?” I look back at Gage to see him trying to peel Chloe off his person. “He was kissing Chloe?” The room warps with my words. Logan looks over at me and for the first time I think he actually sees me. He leaps in our direction just as the room reduces to soot.“Skyla!” I hear his voice echo through the strange chambers of time as Marshall hustles us off to yet another direction.
***
“He saw me.” I marvel at Marshall as a deep purple wall warbles in and out all around us.“He did, didn’t he?” Marshall is less than impressed by Logan’s supernatural feat. “Nonetheless, there’s one more thing I need for you to see.”“What is it?” I take in the creepy environment as it fades to an ethereal space somewhere high above the earth with a nest of lightning rotating above us like an electrically charged guillotine ready to shred us to pieces. “The Faction Council has gathered. There’s an announcement to be made in just a few moments.” Marshall zips us toward the tiny blue marble we call home.A scene appears. We’re in an oversized room, lined with tables full of cookies. The scent of burnt coffee lies thick in the air. I recognize this place as Nicholas Haver’s overgrown barn where the Faction Council meets on Paragon. “The faction leaders have spoken.” A voice emits from the front and sitting at a long plastic table is none other than Nicolas himself. “Celestra shall surrender its standing and graft onto its Countenance brothers and sisters. There shall be unity among Nephlim this day.” He gives a little chuckle. “I jest.” His triple chin rolls with delight as he belts out a brief laugh. “There aren’t any more of those poor souls around to graft onto anything—never could hold a candle straight without burning themselves. Let their demise be a lesson to us all. The Countenance must remain supreme. Should we even think of defeating them, our annihilation is eminent.”I gasp at his cowardice.“Is this true?” I balk at Marshall. “All of Celestra is gone?”“I’m afraid so. What little Celestra blood remains has been pledged to the Counts,” he whispers before motioning my attention back to the front.“There is no way around this,” Nicholas begins. “As uncomfortable as it is, we must discuss the plagues.”“What plagues?” I startle into Marshall at idea of something deadly brewing. “All of humanity shall undergo a rather brutal pruning. The causalities will be staggering, bodies in the streets with no one left to bury the dead. I’m afraid the future isn’t so bright for the rest of the world now that you’ve selfishly reduced yourself to an unsatisfied gleam in your father’s eye.”“First, that’s disgusting. And second, I get your point. Get me home. I’ve obviously got work to do.”“You seem far more angry than you do relieved to be a help to anyone.”“I am angry. Only this time my anger is aimed right where it needs to be—at the Counts.”
***
Marshall blinks us back to the forest behind the Landon house, and a chill grips me until I seize in his arms. “That was all around awful,” I say, as Logan and Gage blink through my mind.“That was just the beginning. I would never dare show you the horror that world truly experiences in reality without hope.”“Is that what I bring?” I look up at him as the sterile blue light of the moon washes out his perfect features.“Very much so.” Marshall plants a chaste kiss on my forehead. “Merry Christmas, Skyla.”I reach up on my tiptoes and sear a quick kiss on the side of his cheek. “Merry Christmas, Marshall.”“Goodnight, love.”My room appears around me and I’m tucked neat in bed. I reach over and turn on the lights before peering under the covers. I’ve magically donned a red and green barely-there teddy with white stockings and a bright red bow around my left thigh. Typical Marshall. A glint of light shimmers outside of my window, and I get out of bed to see the dawn of a new day breaking over Paragon.All is new again. There is so much hope in this world. And for the first time in a long while, I’m so glad to be a part of it.It’s all going to work out in the end.And if it doesn’t… I let out a deep breath. If it doesn't, I’ll have to figure out a way to rewrite the past. I touch my finger to the red velvet bow wrapped around my thigh. Despite all of his perverse misgivings, I’m sure glad to have a certain Sector by my side.The window fogs up and something like that of a finger draws out an image of a heart over the glass. Like I said, it’s nice to have a Sector that cares. I touch my hand to cool glass and that familiar buzz of delight rails through me.“Merry Christmas, Marshall,” I whisper. “Thank you for giving me hope when I needed it.”    


***
Merry Christmas to all~!
Thank you to all who have gobbled up Someone to Love~!
And if you haven't, it's available here:Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, (iTunes to come)
Enjoy the holiday and the week!

Supa Sale~!

Supa Christmas Sale!!
With the stress of the holidays nearly over, now is a great time to sit back, curl up in your favorite reading chair, and get lost in fabulous new worlds. To help you do just that, some authors have banded together and put all their titles on sale, right NOW!! Some of this season’s most popular e-books have been discounted to just $0.99!!! Don’t miss out!
For all of you who got new Kindles for Christmas, this is the perfect opportunity to start your new library!! Please spread the word and share this post with all your friends – they’ll thank you for it!
Please visit Michelle Mutto's blog to see the awesome display of books and links and please like and follow Michelle because she is made of awesome!!! ETHEREAL is still free, TREMBLE is .99 and EPHEMERAL is .99 for one week only~!!!!!!! Do not miss this ridiculously awesome sale~!!!!

And lastly, Someone to Love is out!!! And available at these awesome retailers (be warned there is some serious steam heat locked in those pages).

Amazon,  Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, (itunes to come)