Brenda Sparks's Blog, page 2

An amazing #giveaway to Shake Off the Winter Doldrums

Are you suffering from the winter doldrums? I’ve discovered the cure at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Shake Off Winter Doldrums Book Festival. 33 books featured plus a chance to win one of the followingEnter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift CardEnter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift CardEnter to win a $25 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift CardEnter to win a $15 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift CardEnter to win a $10 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book,  Alpha Revealed , will be featured on  March 23rd . Wait until you read my cure for winter doldrums. This story is filled with juicy secrets and hot action. You won’t want to miss it.
Now available at all major retailers including:
                                                            Amazon       iBooks ​     Barnes and Noble    Be sure to bookmark this festival and tell your friends.
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/bookpromos/categories/shake-off-winter-doldrumsDon't Leave Before you Enter for your chance to win one of these fabulous prizes. Good Luck!a Rafflecopter giveaway [image error] Alpha Revealed can be read as a stand-alone novel and is available at all major retailers including:
 Amazon       iBooks ​     Barnes and Noble   

Irish Blessings this St. Patrick's Day and All Year Long

Lucky Number 7...Here's A Little Luck for This #Giveaway

Lucky 7When I was debating over what to write about for this post, luck seemed like a natural topic, so I began researching things various cultures believed to be lucky. Immediately, I was intrigued. It seemed everything could be lucky, from objects, to animals, colors, even numbers. I decided to write about 7 of my favorite lucky things. Please leave a comment and let me know what your favorite lucky object is and don't forget to enter the give-away at the bottom of the post.                                    Good luck!  [image error] ​Number 1
Four-leaf clovers are a symbol of luck from ancient Ireland. The Celts believed that a four-leaf clover could make fairies visible and help them steer clear the fairies’ mischief, which was believed to be a common source of bad luck.  [image error] ​Number 2
Horseshoes are one of the most popular lucky superstitions, and there are various legends attributed to giving them their lucky powers. One legend claims that horseshoes are lucky because they were made of iron. According to legend, those mischievous fairies mentioned above could not stand the touch of iron, so they stayed away from houses that were adorned with it. But be careful how you hang them. An upside-down horseshoe is considered unlucky, so hang them with the points up. [image error] ​Number 3
Ladybugs aren’t just cute, but they are popular insects. Many cultures believe that they bring luck. In fact, in the German language, they are literally called lucky bugs: "Glueckskaefer" But how exactly can a ladybug make you luckier? Some cultures say that if a ladybug lands on you and you don't brush it off, your luck will improve. Others say that if a man and a woman see a ladybug at the same time, they'll fall in love. Even farmers believe that a large population of ladybugs will bring a good harvest. Anyway the legend goes, they are always lucky little bugs to have around. [image error] ​Number 4
Rabbits aren't the only animals to be used as a lucky charm. For example, in feng shui, goldfish are believed to attract luck and prosperity. Dragons and horses are also considered lucky. In the folklore of many cultures, cats of the tortoiseshell coloration are believed to bring good luck. In addition, the albatross is also considered a sign of good luck if seen by sailors. Seems like there are many lucky animals in the world, which is probably a good thing. [image error] ​

​Number 5
Dreamcatchers are a part of Native American lore. It is believed they catch bad dreams as they enter a home. By capturing the disturbing dreams, they make the owner happier, more balanced, and, of course, luckier.  [image error] ​
​Number 6
While you might give someone the evil eye when they tick you off, people used to take malicious looks very seriously. Usually triggered by jealousy, giving a person the evil eye was supposed to cause major suffering including mental illness and physical maladies. For thousands of years, people have been using evil eye talismans, or nazur, to ward off the bad luck caused by these curses. [image error] And Finally, Lucky Number 7
You may have heard that seven was a lucky number, but do you know why? The number seven has been connected with luck, perfection, and with gaining knowledge throughout history.
Believe it or not, one reason for this might be that the number seven has special mathematical properties. The ancient Greeks called 7 "the perfect number."  Why? A triangle and square were considered perfect forms. The sum of 3 (triangle) and 4 (square) is 7. Seven also crops up in a number of other places.
For example:There are 7 days of the week.There are 7 colors in the rainbow.The 7th son of a 7th son is supposed to be especially gifted and lucky.7 is a winning roll in many games of chance.AND there are 7 Alphas on the Alpha Council. Who are the Alphas you ask? Let me share a little about them. Series Blurb
   In the shadows of the night, there exists a band of warriors--a group of vampires, known as the Alpha Council. Their vow, to protect not only their kind but the humans existing alongside them.
   Together they will confront an extraordinary destiny of peril, passion, and dark pleasures in the riveting paranormal romance series, The Alpha Council Chronicles.

For a limited time, The Alpha Council Chronicles series is on sale. Each story is $0.99, and that means the entire series can be purchased for less than $4.
I hope you will get to know the Alphas by taking advantage of the sale. But please hurry. The sale ends March 27th. [image error]

​Buy Links
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Kobo ​NOW FOR THE GIVE-AWAY!a Rafflecopter giveaway Now that you've entered my giveaway, please don't forget to visit these other great blogs for a chance to win even more fabulous prizes. Good luck!

Oops I let My Secret Out of the Bag.

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May Your Monday Be Glittery #MotivationalMonday

The Entire Alpha Council Chronicles Series is on Sale! Each Story is Now only #99Cents.

Series Blurb:
In the shadows of the night, there exists a band of warriors--a group of vampires, known as the Alpha Council. Their vow, to protect not only their kind but the humans existing alongside them.
Together they will confront an extraordinary destiny of peril, passion, and dark pleasures in the riveting paranormal romance series, The Alpha Council Chronicles.
​
For a limited time, The Alpha Council Chronicles series is on sale. Each story is only $0.99, and that means the entire series can be purchased for less than $4. You might want to start with the first story in the series, Alpha Mine, but then again when you can get the entire series for less than $4 why not spurge and get the set. 
I hope you will get to know the Alphas by taking advantage of the sale. But please hurry. The sale ends soon.

[image error] Series Buy Links:
Amazon 
iBooks 
BookBub 
Goodreads 
Barnes and Noble 
Kobo  The heroes of my paranormal stories are powerfully built warriors, whose duty is second only to their love for their mates.  Each story focuses on a seductive, commanding male and his one true love, following their struggle to find one another and develop their relationship, while evil ones are hot on their heels bringing death and destruction.

I chose paranormal characters as the heroes in my romantic fiction because I believe they speak to the baser instincts of our subconscious.  They are dark and intriguing, the ultimate bad boys who can be tamed by true love.  And who of us doesn’t want the power of our love to be transforming?

Each book can be read be a stand-alone novel, even the ones in the Alpha Council Chronicles series. I hope you enjoy the stories.  

The Oceanstone Initiative Series by Haley Cavanagh- Sci-fi at Its Best

The Oceanstone Initiative #2 by Haley Cavanagh Genre: SciFi Romance Print Length: 204 pages Publisher: Covey Publishing, LLC Publication Date: December 27, 2019 One doctor, one alien lover, one botanist, and one engineer on a desperate mission to save earth from human destruction. Sakota saved Astraeus and her friends from certain death, but in doing so, she gained the attention of the Oreck, who will stop at nothing to destroy everything in their path. With their ship severely damaged, Sakota and her crew land on a nearby planet and seek sanctuary while they make repairs to return home. But nothing on this perfect planet is as it appears, and Sakota soon learns they've traded one danger for another. Hunted and targeted, will Sakota be able to carry out her mission, or will everyone she cares about be destroyed? Add to Goodreads Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo Sakota took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do it. We’re not going to survive if we don’t.” Hisoka and Tatiana turned around to man their consoles. She ate the last of her ration piece and slipped her hand into Astraeus’s. The escape pod reached the mouth of the black hole, then without warning, surged forward. When Sakota was a child, long before Alistair rescued her from the orphanage in the squalid wasteland of London, the other children liked to play a game called Lights Out. In the main room where she bunked with fifteen other girls, a shaft of light streamed in from the hallway, in the same spot every night, like clockwork. The adult on night duty would check in once an hour and perform a headcount as they slept. A few nights a week, a handful of the girls awakened and killed the hallway lights so they could scare and torture whomever they didn’t like among them. It was a powerful systematic lesson, however cruel. Sakota grew up knowing her place at the bottom rung of life. She’d never fit into the cookie-cutter type molding the upper-class girls had been bred for. She’d proved early on that she’d fight back with a vengeance when provoked, but she wasn’t certain which was worse; being preyed upon or listening to other girls’ pleas for help as she lay in the pitch-black room. The memory had stayed with her well into adulthood, as well as the countless times she could and should have stepped in to help instead of being crippled by primal fear and self-preservation. Children could be cruel. But the fear she’d experienced then was nothing, nothing, compared to being sucked into a black hole. The escape pod whirled inside the conduit and pitched them around in a circle. They spun, at the mercy of inexhaustible energy along the black hole’s trajectory. Though she’d experienced raw fear when the Oreck had taken over the Sleipnir science vessel and killed everyone, this was different. Before, she at least had an idea what she was up against. Three razor-sharp talons emerging from claws didn’t lie. Being sucked into the black hole was like being an ant in a cyclone. Astraeus squeezed her palm reassuringly. She turned and looked at him. They were both strapped in, tight. Astraeus squeezed her hand. “Don’t be afraid.” The speed of the escape pod amplified. Ribbons of light streamed past the windows like gossamer silk as the ship darted into unknown darkness. Sakota gritted her teeth. Oh, screw not acting afraid. She was terrified. The Oceanstone Initiative #1 Print Length: 262 pages Publisher: Covey Publishing, LLC Publication Date: October 12, 2018 One pre-apocalyptic Earth. One desperate space mission to find a solution. One unexpected alien. When Dr. Sakota Thorell signed onto the mission to scout out a new, habitable planet, she knew discovering extraterrestrial life was always a possibility. But she never expected to find an alien adrift in space, nor for that alien to be so intriguing. Sakota feels an instant and undeniable attraction to Astraeus, but he represents a million possibilities, and just as many threats. There are others hunting Astraeus, and his rescue may cost Earth its last hope. Add to Goodreads Amazon * B&N * Google * Kobo “What are you called? What’s your name?” He opened his mouth, and she moved closer, eager for his first words. Instead, he focused on her lips with obvious fascination. His intriguing eyes caught the light. Despite her disappointment that he couldn’t speak, a rush went through her. Alien or not, he was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on, with the kind of ethereal elegance some upper-class, privileged men on Earth spent fortunes on plastic surgery trying to achieve. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk, or if you can’t. We’ll get there. Now, I’m going to check you.” She kept her voice gentle, as she might use with a child. She pressed the button to disengage the protective bubble over the med bed and shone the retinal scanner in her own eye to demonstrate. “I just need to look at your eyes with this.” She motioned with the scope to him. “It won’t hurt. I promise.” Warm puffs of his breath blew on her neck as she leaned in. She paused, noting the remarkable eight-pointed star-shape of his pupils. The mutation was his one physical difference, and only if one looked closely. The pupils dilated when hit by the scope’s light. She’d never seen eyes as remarkable. “You’re doing great,” she soothed. Her head burst with countless questions.Where are you from? How did you get here? What do you want? He appeared to like the cadence of her voice. His posture relaxed, and his breath against her was steady. How long had she been staring into his eyes? Should she push her luck and try to examine his mouth? Before she could try, his finger stroked her inner arm. He was still restrained at the wrists, but he could reach her. She allowed it. He stroked a featherlight finger along her forearm. As he did so, his gaze never left hers. She offered a kind smile. “That’s right. Friend. Sakota. Sa-ko-ta.” He opened his mouth and let out a chicken-like squawk. “-Ota,” he said in a throaty, deep voice. She raised her eyebrows. “Good. Very good.” He tilted his head, watching her lips. “Gooood.” Excited, she lowered the retinal light. “Can you understand me?” He looked confused. “Me…” “Okay. That’s a no. Then let me take this opportunity to say, in no uncertain terms, you, my friend, are the stuff of dreams and legends. I’ve waited my whole life for this. Are you getting this, Alistair?” she called out. He came in over the speakers. “I am. Amazing. I’ll get to work on a linguistics program. Our friend seems to want to communicate.” She moved to pull away, but the man’s fingers closed over her wrist. “Let me go.” She jerked her arm, but he wouldn’t release his grip. She gave him a cautionary look, and he loosened his fingers, though he still held her. Warning bells went off.What if he’s not here in peace?But his eyes sparkled impishly. He seemed to enjoy her skin pressed against his. Maybe he hadn’t been touched in a while. Or maybe he had a crush. Who knew. Before she could extricate herself, the intercom chimed. “Sakota, are you okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine. He’s just being friendly—” The man’s forefinger trailed along her arm again. She sucked in a breath and shut her eyes as a series of images flashed through her mind.A high wall made of stacked stones. A hand spread out to touch the tips of tall, golden wheat of a field. Multihued buildings in the distance under a purple sky. Children’s laughter and then screams. She jerked when the images changed.Strange rain, like metal. Black ships attacking from the sky, horrible screams which rent the air, death.A gentle brush against her hand again. She inhaled and opened her eyes. The man searched her, calm and patient. She struggled to see straight, but her mind spun. “W-was that your—” The isolation walls shot up. Rutledge burst into the room and advanced like an angry bear, brutish, immaculate, and combat ready in his black Oceanstone fatigues. “Let her go,” he snarled. Rutledge yanked the man’s hand off her and pushed her aside. She fell to the floor on her back in a dizzy haze, reeling from the vision. She turned her head. The man bellowed and tore loose from his restraints. His and Rutledge’s images faded into one as they collided and fought. Rutledge’s weapon whirred as he strained to activate it. The rifle propelled over her head and hit the wall. “Stop.” Her pleas fell on deaf ears. She closed her eyes. The men barged into the room with heavy footfalls and angry shouts. She opened her eyes, but her vision swirled. The blurred image of the alien lifted Rutledge’s lieutenant like a kitchen chair and catapulted him in the same direction as the weapon. “Stop,” she hollered to the men. “Don’t shoot him. He wasn’t attacking me.” Another soldier fell to the floor with a sick thud, holding his stomach. “Yeah? Well, he’s attackingme.” The alien pounced over her, crouching low. He caged her with his body and made a guttural rumble in his throat, a warning to the men. She turned her head to the marines, who zeroed their weapons in on them. Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media. 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Make This Monday Count #MotivationalMonday

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When You Close Your Eyes by Roxanne D. Howard- and a Chance to Win a Kindle FIre

​When You Close Your Eyes
by Roxanne D. Howard
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance From Publisher’s Weekly:
 
“Howard (The Longer They Last) explores the concept of fated love in this skillfully woven contemporary erotic romance. Lark Braithwaite, an American in London, is living with her British fiancé, Charles Chase, when she starts dreaming of a sexy mystery man with an Irish brogue. After Lark gets word that her estranged father has died and she returns to her Oregon hometown for the funeral, she meets the dream man in the flesh: he’s her parents’ widowed lawyer, Niall O’Hagan. Lark quickly falls in love with Niall, struggling to decide whether she should follow her heart or the commitment she’s made to her fiancé—a decision that gets easier when Charles shows his true and ugly colors... Explicit sex scenes crackle with heat, and Howard’s characters invite readers to come in and get lost on the pages with them as the plot hurtles toward a shocking, but not unbelievable, climax involving Lark’s father’s past and her future. Erotic romance fans will devour Howard’s suspenseful and heart-filled story.”
                               About the Book
Dreams are the perfect shelter for fantasies, safe havens to step inside without changing our daily lives. For Lark Braithwaite, all that is about to change. During the last six months, Lark has dreamt of a mysterious Irish lover who knows what she wants and gives her exactly what she needs. In her waking life in busy London, things aren't as ideal as her long-term relationship with her controlling fiancé Charles has hit a dry spell.

When Lark is called home to Oregon for her father's funeral, she comes face to face with the demons from her past, but she never expects to meet her dream lover in the flesh. Niall O'Hagan steps straight out of her fantasies and into her life, and the powerful connection they share rocks her foundation. Although she's dealing with the bitterness of her fiancé's betrayal and his jealousy, Niall soon stirs Lark's awareness of her superficial existence and reawakens her sexuality....and her soul.
 
Add to Goodreads
​ ​                             Excerpt
Her fantasy lover is real…
“Why are you wearing a suit and tie this time?” She squinted against the sunlight. Please, God, let this be a dream. He moved his head and put her in shade.
“This time?” He lifted an eyebrow, perplexed. “You’ll have to forgive me, lass, but I’ve no idea what the devil you’re talking about.” He maneuvered himself off her and sat upright at the end of the swing.
She tucked her feet against her, sat up, and blinked at him in utter disbelief.
“I came to knock on the door when I saw you on the swing. You tossed and turned, and with the way you grunted, I assumed you were in the middle of some sort of a seizure.”
He turned his head and licked his lips, full and abused by her kisses. A mushroom cloud of mortification bloomed inside her, steadily bigger by the minute.
“Erm, you…begged me to kiss you, and then you yanked me down. One thing led to another and, well, that was pretty much the way of it. I am only human, though I know it’s no excuse.” He swallowed and stared at her, his Adam’s apple moving in his throat. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have gone down when you pulled me, but it was strange—like you knew me or something.”
Lark leaned forward and rubbed her eyes. This couldn’t be real. He had to be a hallucination. When she opened her eyes, she’d see a man in his fifties with a receding hairline, glasses, and a beer gut. She reopened her eyes, and there he was: The full package.

​ Buy Links
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Kobo :                                About the Author
Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Also, she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.
 
 
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MEGA VALENTINE’S DAY ROMANCE GIVEAWAY
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!      Grand prize of High Def Kindle Fire and more than fifty romance novels, including award winners and New York Times and USA Today Best Sellers! All you have to do is follow Roxanne and other romance authors on BookBub. The more profiles you like, the more times you’re entered.
                        Amazon Gift Cards for two lucky runner ups! Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a 
​Kindle Fire Loaded with more than 50 romances!  
​Good luck!
 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/91d21a362/? [image error]

Walk Tall #MotivationalMonday

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