Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 8
August 27, 2012
Novel Review: Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin
I was pretty luck to come across Ashfall last year (see review here). When I found Ashen Winter on NetGalley, you better believe I scooped it up. 
So the blurb:
It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.
Available at Barnes & Nobles || The Book Depository || Amazon
One of the things I loved most about Ashen Winter is the emotional connection between the characters. I could really feel the love. It was more than just lip service. The love was shown in actions even to the point of sacrifice.
The realism in this work was awesome. Alex is a perfect example. He’s a kid, and most kids know very little about survival. Despite going through hell in Ashfall, Alex is still pretty much clueless most of the time, and it shows. My boy Alex had a heroic complex. Problem with his heroism was he usually puts himself and everyone around him in danger.
Usually it’s an insult to say a character is too stupid to live. Okay… it’s still an insult. But in the case of Alex, even he recognized it. Some of his choices infuriated me. Yet at the same time, most wouldn’t have even survived what he’d survived. Alex did the best he could with the limited knowledge he had.
I’ve seen some authors counter their character’s stupidity with unbelievable luck. Mike Mullin had enough respect for the reader not to play the coincidence game. When Alex screwed up, people suffered, people got hurt, people died.
What about the other characters? Darla was sensible to the point of being a major drag. But after dealing with the consequences of Alex’s actions, sensible would have been great for them. After awhile, I started to miss Darla’s innovation. One thing for sure, she’s a tough chickadee.
Mom and Dad also made an appearance. I didn’t like them. They were no-nonsense in a scary way. Really, they were the kind of parents who frustrate children until the kid yells, “You never listen to me!” I wanted to throttle them at times. Yet I couldn’t deny they were parents through and through. Unfortunately for them, Alex had grown too much to be treated like a child. Despite all the stupid decisions Alex made, I was thankful he manned up to his parents and did the right thing.
Anyway, Ashen Winter was even better than Ashfall. This book was harsh, gritty, and at times it brought tears to my eyes. Other times it had me dying laughing. I’m really looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy. 5 star read.
August 25, 2012
Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (18)
Welcome to installment #18 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page.
Chapter 8
Scene 3
Mujur clenched his fist around the branch and resisted the urge to throw it to the side. Everything about the situation was wrong.
Kecil stood before him, arms wrapped around her middle. Like a scolded cub, her eyes remained downcast, refusing to meet his.
Mujur wanted to shake the spirit back into her. Her small moments of boldness hinted at the fierce wehr-tigress she was meant to be, but just as quickly her spark dissolved into this—a creature as timid as a mouse. His injuries weren’t even her fault, yet here she stood, apologetic and shrinking under his perusal.
He yearned to confront the villagers who’d doused her flame, but only death waited for him if he ever encountered them again. “Kecil. Look at me.”
Her head lifted slowly, followed by her eyes. Her gaze flitted, not quite settling on him.
“Look at me.” His voice held a bit more sharpness than he’d intended.
She focused like a deer ready to bolt, but behind the fear was the cornered animal ready to attack.
“I’m not blaming you… for any of this. But I can use your help. Likewise, you can use mine. I will get you to where you need to go. Do you understand?”
She nodded though uncertainty played in her eyes.
Mujur rankled at his inability to fix her brokenness. What clan would knowingly do this to a wehr-tigress… make her feel so unworthy, refuse to teach her a skill as simple as healing?
Kecil was right to seek another village, considering the injustice hers had done to her. With no one to show her how to tap into her energy, she was no powerful than a male was—stuck with simple herbs to get the task done and hoping for the best.
“Follow.” Mujur brushed past. He couldn’t teach Kecil to use her powers, but he could teach her the little he knew about organic healing.
He headed toward their resting spot, collecting plants for a poultice along the way. Mujur shared his limited expertise about each herb. Kecil asked few questions, but her inquiries often exceeded his knowledge. The more he explained, the more inadequate he felt as a teacher. I’m giving her more than nothing became his constant reminder.
The pile of leaves and branches they’d piled to make a nest big enough for two remained untouched when they arrived. Mujur left Kecil behind and searched for an adequate stone to grind the herbs. He returned with a smooth rock and placed it in front of the kneeling Kecil and handed her a branch stripped of bark. “Pound the betel leaves into a pulp.”
“Why?” she asked.
“It helps stave off infection.”
“How do you know?”
Mujur laughed, tracing a few scars across his chest. “I’ve suffered enough injuries to learn a thing or two.”
Kecil frowned before one corner of her mouth lifted into a shy smile which tugged at the deepest part of his heart. She deserves better. She deserves a life of happiness, full of ready smiles.
Kecil worked on crushing the leaves, and the smoky aroma of betel filled the air. Mujur watched her dainty movements, admired the arch of her back as she pounded. If she were his, he’d ease behind her, kiss her shoulders, trace her navel.
Perhaps her trust toward him would grow during the journey. After he escorted her safely to Berani’s clan, he would offer her protection permanently as his mate… if she was accepting.
Mujur walked away and took the time to inspect his injured shoulder. Dislodging the stone and bringing it back had reopened the tears which again bled freely. Though the wounds of his flayed skin went deep, they weren’t his biggest concerns. They’d heal. It was the ever growing itchy patch that led him to mutilate himself in his sleep which plagued him.
The cat screeched in the distance, adding to his misery.
August 21, 2012
Trouble at the Hotel Baba Ghanoush Blog Tour + Giveaway
Title: Trouble at the Hotel Baba Ghanoush
Author: T. C. Archer
Genre: Science fiction, Erotica
Publisher: Loose Id
Ebook
Words: 35,000
“Enforcer Fontana Marks is on vacation undercover until she has to testify against the Track Cartel for crimes against the Galactic Coalition. But the cartel is hiding something, and Fontana intends to find out what–then make them pay for murdering Jenny, the young scientist Fontana failed to protect on a previous assignment.
The last thing Fontana intends to do while vacationing incognito on the fantasy resort Sagitariun is follow the advice of her superior. “Rest, recuperate, and find a man.”
But how can a woman resist a blond, blue-eyed, chisel-jawed, great-assed man streaking naked in public when he’s obviously running from someone? And why can’t she to get rid of the damned trench coat she stole to rescue him?”
Available at ARe || Amazon
|| Fictionwise || B&N (Nook)
Excerpt anyone?
The man shifted, and the loose-fitting white shirt went taut across his broad shoulders. Memory of his tanned skin and steel muscle hit like a thunderbolt, and Fontana’s stomach did a flip.
He grinned, a sure sign he knew he was being viewed through a one-way door. Desire rippled through her on a slow, sure wave that promised heart-stopping pleasure. She’d known good-looking men. Ray, her last serious relationship five years ago, had been gorgeous. She’d been mad for him, but the man standing outside her door had a quality about him that made her want to snuggle up against him and fall asleep.
Fontana snorted. Her body would disagree. Right now that part of her throbbed with an insistent desire to bed him—hard. Maybe then the flutter in her heart would have a say, and she’d fall asleep wrapped in his arms. That would be a welcome change to the sleepless nights she’d spent since Jenny’s death. It would be a temporary fix, but she could use at least one good night’s rest.
She sighed. First she’d better deal with the damned raincoat and find out how the naked man had escaped the shock troopers. Then there was the little matter of how he’d found out where she was staying.
Fontana rose and smoothed the form-fitting blouse and poly-cotton slacks she wore. “Open door,” she said, and the door dematerialized.
His stare slid down her body, and her nipples tightened to a delicious discomfort—and one he couldn’t miss under the millipore fabric of her top.
“Well, Mr. Long John.”
His blue eyes returned to her face. “Long John?”
She stepped aside and motioned him in. “Last time I saw you, your long johnson was standing at attention.”
He entered, and the door rematerialized behind him. “Give him a minute, and he’ll be at your command again.”
“What are you doing here?”
He wrapped an arm around her waist. “You said to look you up.”
She spun out of his grasp and backed up. “How did you find me?”
“Spacer Jack’s is brimming with information.”
He was right. She’d figured that out the first time she’d walked in. Even a benign resort like Club Sagitariun had a dark side. Proof stood right in front of her in all its masculine glory. No. All his masculine glory had been long, hard, and ready to go in the alley. Damn shock troopers. Ten more minutes and she would have had a quick hard ride on his steel rod.
He continued to advance.
She retreated. “Where’s my raincoat?”
He grasped her hand. “What do you need with a man’s raincoat?”
“The owner is looking for it.”
“Forget about him.” He stepped closer.
“Can’t.”
“I came to thank you for the coat. Let me buy you breakfast.”
Some offer—and not what she had in mind for jump-starting a morning that had begun four hours ago for her.
“It’s not my coat,” she said.
“We’ll find the owner and thank him—later. We have some unfinished business.”
Heat radiated from his body. Her pulse sped up. The smile at the corners of his mouth deepened. Her calves made contact with the bed. He stepped closer, grasped her hand, and pressed her palm over his heart.
Fontana ignored the warmth spreading through her and locked gazes with him. “What did those shock troopers want?”
He shrugged. “Never found out.”
“They never caught you.”
“I had to elude them so I could be here.”
That had a certain logic she liked.
His fingers gently tightened over the hand still pressed against his heart. “You’ve got my heart beating like crazy.”
She noted the hard muscle of his chest, under which only a regular heartbeat thumped, and pulled her hand away. “It’s not nice to lie.”
“I’m hurt.”
She wanted to laugh. He actually did look hurt.
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten all that we’ve shared,” he said.
Now she did laugh. Fontana was startled at the unexpected relief she felt. She hadn’t laughed since setting foot on Rigil IV. He cut off her thoughts by pulling her against him. His mouth crashed down onto hers. The hard ridge of his arousal dug into her stomach. She could almost believe she had a special effect on him. Almost. But that erection was just a little too ready—a little too eager—to belong to anyone but a working man.
About the Authors
T. C. Archer is comprised of award winning authors Evan Trevane and Shawn M. Casey. They live in the Northeast.
Evan puts his Ph.D. to good use by writing about alternate realities, and Shawn channels the mythology and philosophy she studied during her wasted youth into writing about exotic places and times.
Find the Author Online!
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Giveaway Time!
Follow the tour!
August 22nd
Amy’s Book World
Ramblings of an Amateur Writer
Simply Infatuated
A Dream Within A Dream
Reading on the Wild Side
Proserpine Craving Books
Black Hippie Chick’s Take on Books &The World
A Bibliophile’s Thoughts on Books
A Bit of Dash
The Steamy Side
August 23rd
A Diary Of A Book Addict
Natalie-Nicole Bates
Off the Page
Erotic Romance With a Bite…Leigh Savage
The Avid Reader
The Bunnys Review
Musings of a bookworm
Book Lover’s Hideaway
Blood, Lust and Erotica
Book Club Sisters
August 20, 2012
The Loving Lady Marcia Blog Tour + Giveaway
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MARCIA GETS SCHOOLED…
Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life. But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school. In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is—until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.
ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE
A dark and dashing earl who knows Marcia’s past, Duncan Lattimore is surprised by what a fascinating and independent woman she’s become. Marcia, too, is surprised—by the fiery attraction she feels for Duncan. But why—why—must he be the brother of the scoundrel who broke her heart? Why must Marcia’s rival at school forbid her from seeing him? How can this lady possibly resist this fellow—when they know that it’s much more than a hunch…?
Available at Barnes & Nobles || Kobo || The Book Depository || Amazon || Indiebound || iBooks
About the Author
Double Rita®-finalist and USA Today bestseller Kieran Kramer is the author of the lighthearted Regency historical romance series, The Impossible Bachelors, published by St. Martin’s Press. She has a new six-book contract with St. Martin’s for another Regency series called The House of Brady, premiering in August 2012 with LOVING LADY MARCIA. A former CIA employee, journalist, and English teacher, Kieran’s also a game show veteran, karaoke enthusiast, and general adventurer. Without doubt her greatest adventure, which she’s taken hand-in-hand with her husband of 23 years, a commander in the US Navy Reserves, has been mothering their three children.
Find Kieran Kramer online!
Author Site: http://kierankramerbooks.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KieranKramer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kierankramer
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kierankramer/
Street Team: http://regencyrockstars.com
Group blog of writer moms: http://peanutbutteronthekeyboard.word...
Free Droid app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Free iPhone app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kieran...
Giveaway Time!
Follow the Tour
13-Aug Bibliophilia, Please Interview
13-Aug Reviews By Molly First Chapter
13-Aug Doctor’s Notes Spot Light
14-Aug My Secret Romance First Chapter
14-Aug Live To Read First Chapter
15-Aug Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf Spot Light
15-Aug Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance Spot Light, Interview
15-Aug Romance Book Junkies Spot Light
16-Aug LilyElement Book Reviews First Chapter
16-Aug Love to Read Romance Spot Light
17-Aug Red Headed Bookworm Spot Light, Interview, First Chapter
17-Aug Sapphyria’s Steamy Book Reviews First Chapter
20-Aug My World Spot Light
20-Aug Ramblings From This Chick First Chapter
21-Aug Books, Books, and More Books Interview
21-Aug Ramblings of an Amateur Writer Spot Light
21-Aug SOS Aloha Guest Post
22-Aug Lissette E. Manning First Chapter
23-Aug Adventures of Frugal Mom Interview
24-Aug Words I Write Crazy First Chapter
24-Aug The Self-Taught Cook Spot Light
26-Aug The Rockville 8 Interview
27-Aug The Popculture Divas Spot Light and First Chapter
27-Aug Bunnie Reviews Spot Light, Interview, First Chapter 28-Aug Release Day Blitz
Tea and Book Reviewing Shelf
Bibliophilia, Please
Live To Read
Reader Girls
Romancing Rakes
My World
My Cozie Corner
Lissette E. Manning
Cocktails and Books
Always a Booklover
Bunnie Reviews
¡Miraculous!
Mission to Read
T B R
My Secret Romance
Ramblings From This Chick
The Lucky Ladybug
Love to Read Romance
The Self-Taught Cook
A Night’s Dream of Books
Books, Books, and More Books
Red Headed Bookworm
Adventures of Frugal Mom
A Date with a Book
Words I Write Crazy
Sapphyria’s Book Reviews
Reading Between the Wines
29-Aug Reviewing Shelf Spot Light
29-Aug The Lucky Ladybug First Chapter
30-Aug Live To Read Spot Light
30-Aug My Secret Romance Spot Light
31-Aug A Night’s Dream of Books Interview
31-Aug Cocktails and Books Spot Light and First Chapter
3-Sep ¡Miraculous! Spot Light
3-Sep Bibliophilia, Please First Chapter
4-Sep Ramblings From This Chick Spot Light
5-Sep Reading Between the Wines Spot Light, First Chapter
6-Sep My Cozie Corner Interview
7-Sep T B R Spot Light, interview
10-Sep A Date with a Book First Chapter
11-Sep Ramblings of an Amateur Writer First Chapter
12-Sep Mission to Read Interview
13-Sep Crossroads Spot LIght, Review
14-Sep Always a Booklover Spot Light
14-Sep Reader Girls Spot Light
August 18, 2012
Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (17)
Welcome to installment #17 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page.
Chapter 8
Scene 2
Kecil dragged her feet, but Mujur didn’t rush her again. Just as well, his hold over her was precarious at best.
Yes, she trusted he would keep her safe… try at least. After all, the male was determined to lead her straight into danger with his search for the penanggalan, if he even knew where to find it.
The destruction of a demon so detrimental to her people was of high importance, but wandering aimlessly through the jungle would not likely yield positive results. Whereas, Kecil had an idea of where her mother’s killer resided, and Mujur was her best chance of finding both the southern clan and the killer located within.
Three days, she told herself. Did today count as one? Every day gone by was another opportunity for the killer to move on.
Kecil joined Mujur in two more poorly executed hunts before stopping for the evening. She helped gather leaves for bedding and hoped the night would be warm enough without a layer of tapa blankets.
No stranger to sleeping in the open, she would make do. Wherever Gemuk had slept, she did not. Even her hut had offered no relief from his torment.
Mujur stretched out, leaving ample room for Kecil. Though frustrated to the point of exhaustion, she wasn’t ready to settle down… at least not with a belly cramping with hunger. Kecil adjusted a leaf then rose.
Mujur sat straight, eyes narrowed. “Where are you going?”
She paused only for courtesy. “I have to eat.”
“We’ll hunt tomorrow.”
“Like today?”
A muscle jerked in his jaw. “No.”
“I’ll stay within hearing,” she said, knowing it would give her a wide territory from which to forage. His quick nod was all the answer she needed.
Out of view of her protector, she called for Teman. Her friend descended a tree and pushed against her leg.
“My friend.” Kecil knelt and petted his coarse fur. The tension which had built throughout the day dissipated as she found comfort in the binturong. “Come.”
Fruit was plentiful in the area, and she gathered an assorted armful, passing a few token samples to Teman. She returned to Mujur with her harvest where she found him tossing in a fitful sleep. He had one claw imbedded in a shoulder. Trickles of blood oozed from the puncture wounds.
Kecil stopped at a distance and set her fruit down. “Mujur.”
“Jinjang.” Necromancer. His talons dug deeper, and a fresh flow of blood trailed down his arm.
Her stomach curled in on itself. “Mujur!”
He bolted upright, and his claw raked a path across his pectoral. Chest heaving, eyes wide, his face twisted in pain as he viewed the damage.
Kecil rushed to his side. Her fingers trembled as her hands flitted over the wound, afraid to touch, wanting to piece the skin back together.
“Heal.” Face blanched, Mujur managed just one word through clenched teeth. She hesitated, and he grabbed her wrist and thrust it against his chest. He pierced his lips so tightly, blotches of white, red, and yellow formed across the surface.
The stickiness of his blood seeped through Kecil’s fingers, and she pressed down, the only help she could offer.
“Great Spirit. Heal it!” His lips pulled in a sneer so fierce she expected fangs to flash at any moment.
“I… I can’t. I was not taught.” She refused to cast her gaze aside as she admitted to one more shortcoming. No one had found her worthy enough to teach her the basics of being a female wehr-tiger. Healing… the one gift all females were born to do with guidance. She was little more than a human who could shift into an insignificant cat.
Mujur thrust her away and rose. Kecil remained seated, her entire body heating with shame.
He returned moments later with one hand splayed across the deepest cuts at his shoulder and lifted her by the wrist. “Come.”
With no choice other than to let him drag her along the ground, she followed. In truth, she deserved nothing less. He’d offered her his protection. In return she couldn’t even heal the simplest of wounds.
Mujur stopped in front of a palm. “Climb it and cut down a branch. Make sure it has plenty of leaves.”
Her eyes traveled up the betel tree some twenty feet high.
Too lazy to climb the tree himself, Gemuk had forced her many times to gather the nuts he loved to chew but also stained his mouth a blood red. The memory of Gemuk and his demands followed her all the way up and down the trunk.
She slapped the branch against Mujur’s stomach, wincing with him at her carelessness. “I’m sorry.”
August 11, 2012
Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (16)
Welcome to installment #16 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page.
Chapter 8
Scene 1
Mujur grabbed Kecil’s wrist and lengthened his stride. Progress would be even faster if he carried her on his back, but he resisted the urge to do so. As defensive as Kecil was about her physical attributes, he doubted she’d appreciate the gesture. Still, he wouldn’t allow her to delay his mission. He was as eager to return south as she was. But if Kecil was planning to join Nenek’s village, she’d be in for a surprise. A matriarch willing to kick her grandchildren out of a clan, was likely to accept an outsider such as Kecil.
There was always Berani’s little clan. Though Kecil was small, worthless she was not, and despite her fragility, she was adorable in a spicy sort of way.
Mujur would enjoy the honor of protecting her every day… mating her, running his hands across her silky skin, tracing his tongue over her nipples, filling her—
“Wait.” Kecil tugged free. She smoothed a white strand from her forehead, revealing roots darkened with sweat.
Mujur wanted to tangle his hands in her hair, breathe in her scent.
His thoughts were interrupted by the screech of the wild cat.
He searched the trees and tried to keep his frustration from building to an explosive level. As much as he wanted to find the penanggalan and destroy it, the cat was quickly gaining precedence.
“Where are you taking me?”
Mujur snapped his attention back to Kecil.
Arms crossed, hip jutted to the side, it was hard to believe she didn’t have the body to match her bold attitude. “Where are we going?”
Where was he going? Even now an invisible thread pulled him north, pumped him with urgency. Just a little further, an inner voice which was not his beckoned. Kecil would never understand what compelled him to continue northward. By the Great Spirit, he didn’t even understand. He gave Kecil the simplest answer. “To find the penanggalan.”
She frowned. “How do you know where it is?”
“I don’t.”
“Then how do you plan to find it?”
“All the trees in the rainforest couldn’t hide the penanggalan from me.”
Kecil pinned him with an unwavering glare. “You led me astray.”
Mujur flinched at the accusation in her voice. “I did not. You’re not safe alone. Not until the penanggalan is dead.”
“I’m leaving.”
In his mind’s eye Mujur saw Kecil covered in blood, face as pale as her hair. Panic formed a hard knot in the pit of his stomach and rose until it gave his heart a hiccup.
Kecil turned her back on him and headed the way they’d come. As she passed a tree, Teman descended the trunk and fell in line, his lumbered gait barely keeping pace with her.
“I’ve not lied to you,” he called.
“I don’t care.”
He caught up to Kecil and danced a sidestep. “Have I caused you harm?”
Her head jerked to him, eyes wide before she faced forward. “No.”
“Have I let harm come to you.”
“No.” Purpose filled each of her steps.
“You don’t trust me.”
She stopped and for the longest time stared straight ahead before turning to him slowly. Her shoulders sank as she met his eyes. “I do trust you.”
“But you run?”
“Not from you,” her voice lowered to a whisper.
Mujur ran a hand down her arm.“I won’t let the penanggalan get you, but I can’t protect you if I don’t know where you are.”
Kecil dropped her gaze. “I know.”
“Then stay with me.” The pleasure Mujur took from simply touching Kecil’s skin left him unsettled. His focus should be entirely on easing her fears.
“I can’t.”
“You can.” He gripped her forearm, willing truth into his words.
“You keep me from duty.”
Duty. Honor. Integrity. Those concepts Mujur knew all to well. He tilted her chin until he had her eyes in his sight again. “Give me a week… a week only. I’ll take you anywhere after that.”
“I might not have a week.” Kecil’s eyes glistened as if one wrong word would send tears spilling over.
“Three days.” Mujur received only silence. “You said you trusted me.”
Kecil pulled her chin from his grasp and turned her head to the side. “Fine.”
The win left him feeling more like a loser than the victor, but it was a small sacrifice if it meant keeping Kecil safe.
August 6, 2012
Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (15)
Welcome to installment #15 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. I totally expected to have this book published by now. Alas, here we are with another week of Making Amends. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page. So… where are we with the progress of Chasing Shadows?
Well, I hit the last chapter–which still needs to be edited, by the way–and wasn’t satisfied. I just didn’t like how the relationship transitioned. So, I’ll be going back and writing a few more scenes and modifying parts of the story line so everything fits well.
I still plan for an August release though. Until then… enjoy!
Chapter 7
Scene 2
They headed northeast, the distance to Kecil’s goal increasing with every step. She looked back the way they’d come. Already she’d backtracked half the journey she’d made from her clan. Perhaps it was a sign from the Great Spirit her plan to find her mother’s killer was not to be.
Mujur led with a determined stride, not once glancing her way, never easing his grip. Strong. Firm. Everything she was not.
Her doubts grew. Maybe setting out on the journey was a mistake. She should insist Mujur escort her home. They were so close, it would be more efficient for him to do so.
Mujur paused. He looked to the thick canopy, and his top lip curled into a sneer. “We hunt.”
Without warning, he released her. His skin mottled orange and sprouted fur as his body contorted into the shape of a tiger. Within seconds, he completed his transformation.
His tail flicked impatiently, and her eyes drew to its white tip—a sign of luck and an explanation for his name. Mujur—lucky.
So unlike her. Kecil brought her hand to her neck so her forearm crossed her chest and covered much of her birthmark. Heat rose to her face, and she quickly took on her tiger form to mask her shame. She only wished she could hide the mud color spatter on her neck and chest as easily, which appeared even as a cat.
Small, insignificant, and marked. She refused to meet Mujur’s eyes and see the disgust and pity she knew they’d hold.
Mujur took a leisure pace, his footsteps sure.
Kecil followed, but her focus was not on the hunt, but rather on Teman trailing in the trees. Normally, her friend’s presence was a boon. His companionship was a constant source of comfort, and he’d been with her long enough to know the hunting rules of silence. As a bonus, prey were more likely to keep to everyday activities after spotting a binturong taking a carefree stroll. All that mattered little when Mujur had already taken the binturong for prey.
Mujur’s ears perked, and he made a sharp change in direction.
Though she heard nothing, Kecil didn’t hesitate to follow. It was difficult not to trust the instincts of one who exuded such confidence.
Mujur came to a tree and paced at the foot. His white-tipped tail flicked, and the air charged with his agitation. The fur on Kecil’s scruff rose in response.
Without warning, Mujur rounded on the tree, dug his claws into the trunk and climbed until he stretched to his full height and roared. Birds vacated the canopy in a flock of feathers and squawks. As bold as ever, Teman answered with his own fearless screech.
Flakes of bark fell as Mujur sharpened his claws. Tail a straight point, ears laid back, his nose crinkled as he snarled.
A dose of adrenaline hit Kecil and sent a tremor down her spine. She hunched low and backed away. Her heart beat in her chest like a bird fighting for release.
Mujur’s head jerked to her, and she froze, willing her body to become as inconspicuous as a log. He pushed off the tree and trotted closer. His eyes bore into her like a claw piercing flesh.
Run, her mind screamed, but her limbs were too rigid to respond.
His fur receded as he shifted and stood. “Let’s go. It may have gotten away this time, but eventually it’ll slip, and I’ll be there.”
Mujur walked away, but it was a long time before Kecil’s muscles unknotted.
Flee. With the distance, she’d have just enough of a head start to make escape possible… unlikely, but possible nonetheless.
A bump against her leg sent Kecil whipping around. She pulled her claws short, within inches of Teman’s face. Her friend nuzzled close and forced himself beneath her chin.
“Are you coming?” Mujur stood at a distance, arms folded. “The sooner I destroy the penanggalan, the sooner I can escort you to safety.”
Safety—a foreign concept to Kecil. All her options presented a set of dangers. She could wait for an opportunity to escape Mujur and journey alone, but if the penanggalan were close, it’d come to her each night, paralyzing her in dreams, sucking her life-force bit by bit. Returning to her village meant facing Gemuk and the consequences he’d impose… punishments he’d mete out in secret. She’d never be able to hide from him indefinitely. And finally… Mujur.
His promise of protection was tempting, but he was a stranger. At least with Gemuk she could predict the upcoming abuse, while Mujur’s brief bout of irrational behavior during the hunt added to her wariness. Still, Mujur had yet to cause her harm, and his rage hadn’t been directed toward her.
Instincts said run, yet at times his presence gave her a sense of safety she hadn’t experienced since her mother’s death. In truth, she didn’t know what to do with the turmoil of confusion swirling within her.
Mujur stepped closer, and the irritation melted from his features. “We’re wasting time.”
Teman brushed his muzzle against her cheek then abandoned her for the trees. His easiness to leave her in the care of the stranger made the choice easier.
Kecil shifted to stand on human feet.
A quick nod from Mujur and he returned to the mission, his steps unfaltering. Kecil shadowed in silence and tried to wrap her mind around the sense of foreboding weighing down on her even as Mujur gave her a strange sense of security.
Once Mujur destroyed the penanggalan, perhaps he’d help eliminate her mother’s killer. The murderer may not steal souls, but he was just as much of a threat to the existence of her people as a penanggalan.
August 2, 2012
Spring into Summer Blog Tour
When I found out Eden Baylee had a new book, I was like, what? I totally love the title (yeah… I know… valley girl gone bad these days)! Fall into Winter then Spring into Summer? I’m likin’ it. Today, Ms. Baylee is here to share with us her latest release.
Fire and Hot Showers
I’m thrilled to be on Reena’s blog to talk about my latest book, Spring into Summer—a book of four erotic novellas, two that take place in the spring and two in the summer.
Almost a year ago in an interview Reena did with me, I asked her what turns her on creatively. Here’s what she said, “ … whenever I write myself into a hole, a nice hot shower usually is all I need to find a solution.”
I’m very much like Reena in that way. I love hot showers because they help clear my mind and turn me on creatively as well.
I have a shower scene in “Summer Solstice,” the hottest novella of my book. It takes place on the shimmering waters of Cape Cod Bay with a private beach on the property. In addition to the water symbols, fire is also a key element in the story. Torches and firewood are used in a ritualistic pagan ceremony. It sets the mood for what happens next, and it’s HAWT.
If you’d like to read more about fire and hot showers in my book, I’d love it if you picked up a copy of my book.
Thanks Reena for allowing me to share with your readers. I really appreciate it.
~~~~~
In Spring into Summer, a collection of emotionally-charged erotic novellas, four women explore their sexual limits, marked by love, lust, and loss.
Life for Claire Pelletier is changed forever when she meets a professor who teaches her a most important lesson in “A Season for Everything.”
Evelyn Sutton goes in search of a man in “Unlocking the Mystery” and discovers the key to her own heart.
With an open mind, Ava Connors attends a party but wonders if reality can ever live up to her hottest fantasies in “Summer Solstice.”
In “The Lottery,” Sierra Zhao sacrifices herself to numerous men to help a friend, fully aware of the consequences.
With locations in London, Dublin, Cape Cod, and Bangkok, these four women will seek pleasure to alter their lives and push their sexual boundaries.
Grab your copy at Amazon.com || Amazon.UK
In Fall into Winter, a provocative collection of erotic novellas, four women seek pleasure in unique ways and are soon swept up in maelstroms of lust, seduction, and obsession.
After Ella Jamieson trades self-control for a stolen moment of unbridled passion with a younger man, he surprisingly pursues her, leaving her wondering if he could become more to her than just a boy toy. After Stella Christy’s fantasy of a ménage à trois with two men comes true, the rules suddenly change; she finds herself excited and terrified in ways she never imagined possible. Leah Jones isolates herself in a cabin to complete her latest book, but is soon distracted from her goal when she reunites with a man from her past. Ten years after Elena Lee enjoys a torrid love affair while vacationing in Austria, she is back in historic Salzburg with doubts about why she left.
Knee-deep in steamy affairs, these four women will make choices that eventually lead each of them on an unforgettable sensual journey to ecstasy.
Contains graphic language and sexual content.
Available at Amazon.com || Barnes & Noble || Amazon.co.uk || Amazon.ca || Apple Bookstore || Chapters Indigo || Smashwords
Now available at these Toronto retailers: Ben McNally Books || Good For Her || Toronto Women’s Bookstore
About the Author
Eden Baylee writes literary erotica and erotic romance. Her stories are both sensual and sexual, incorporating some of her favorite things such as travel, culture, and a deep curiosity for what turns people on. Spring into Summer is her second collection of erotic novellas.
Find Eden Baylee online!
Website || Blog || Twitter @edenbaylee || Facebook || Youtube || Pinterest
July 31, 2012
Oracle Blog Tour
Are you enjoying the Olympics? My husband and I kind of watched part of the opening ceremonies earlier this week. It was neat seeing the different facial features around the world. And the pride on the faces… wow!
In the midst of the excitement, J.C. Martin has brought to us her debut novel! With Mitt Romney eluding to inadequate security levels at the 2012 Olympics in London, J.C. Martin just might be onto something.
With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn’t need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they’ve got one anyway.
Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter’s disability.
Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.
One of whom could be his own daughter.
Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer’s only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.
Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble
About the AuthorJ.C. Martin is a butt-kicking bookworm: when she isn’t reading or writing, she teaches martial arts and self-defence to adults and children.
After working in pharmaceutical research, then in education as a schoolteacher, she decided to put the following to good use: one, her 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu; and two, her overwhelming need to write dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a psychological slant.
Her short stories have won various prizes and have been published in several anthologies. Oracle is her first novel.
Born and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her husband and three dogs.
Find J.C. Martin online! Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Which Olympic Sport Could You Win a Gold Medal for? » create exams
July 28, 2012
Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (14)
Welcome to installment #14 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page.
Chapter 7
Scene 1
The wehr-tigress was one more burden to his list of responsibilities, yet Mujur had no choice but to take her with him. He couldn’t abandon a female to the perils of the rainforest. It was one thing for a wehr-tigress to hunt alone in a territory patrolled by her people, which was dangerous enough, but for one to wander so far from the clan who protected her was another story.
He only wished he could escort her back to her village, but he couldn’t go near it without the risk of exposure. Not when her clan hunted him for murder.
For a fracture of a second, the dead woman’s face flashed before his eyes. She’d begged him before she’d died.
“Please.” Her last word as the life had faded from her eyes.
This small frail creature before him was like her—helpless and easily broken. Only the fierce determination which waxed and waned in her green eyes explained how she’d survived for so long. He admired her inner strength, but in the deadly rainforest, it would only protect her so far.
As long as the wehr-tigress remained under his care, he would keep her safe. He wouldn’t fail her. One death on his hands was already too many. He would fulfill his promise and deliver her to the southern village—Opah’s clan.
The binturong hissed when Mujur held out a hand. He suppressed a return growl and said, “Come.”
The wehr-tigress stared at him with distrust, rebuffing him as she’d done before.
Never belonging anywhere, Mujur had long grown accustomed to rejections. He forced a smile. “If I wanted to do you harm, I would have already.”
She stroked her binturong a few times before taking a deep breath, then she reached out and placed her hand in his. He pulled her to her feet and reveled at how his hand engulfed her tiny one so completely.
So fragile, so delicate. He couldn’t help but want to protect her. One such as her should never know pain.
As she drew closer, he noticed a discoloration running from the bottom of her ear to the top of her breasts. Barely discernible, but there nonetheless. Like a beacon, it drew him. It stood apart as if outlining her erogenous zones of her exquisite flesh. He reached out to brush the back of his hands against her nape.
She jerked away and splayed her hand over the markings. “I’m not defective.”
The words echoed in his mind before they registered. “Defective?”
“I’m not.” She lifted her chin.
He cringed at the defiance in her voice. Wehr-tigresses were too few to discard because of a birthmark. Though a blemish to some, he wanted only to trace it with his tongue. “Of course not. You’re beautiful. A wehr-tigress worthy to be cherished.”
A flush colored her cheeks and added a shy allure.
“Call me Mujur,” he said.
“Kecil.”
He chuckled softly. “A fitting name.”
She snatched her hand free of his, and the fire returned to her eyes. “I am capable.”
So defensive. “I didn’t say you weren’t. Kecil-kecil cili padi.” Small but fierce.
Her mouth opened then snapped closed.
“Are you ready?” He held out his hand to her again.
She hesitated only a moment before she slipped hers into his.
