Noree Cosper's Blog, page 18

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Melissa's Haunting

Melissa's Haunting
As she glanced up at her new school, Melissa swallowed the lump in her throat and forced her breakfast to stay down. She was not looking forward to starting her senior year as the new kid, especially in a small town where everyone had known each other their whole lives. This day was going to totally suck, she just knew it. For a split second she even debated on skipping, but she knew in a place like this, it would get back to her mom quickly. Besides, she'd just be putting off the inevitable. Melissa would have to face the scrutiny of her classmates sooner or later, might as well get it over with. She took a deep breath and headed into the building just as the first warning bell rang.                                                   Melissa made it through her first three classes of the day without any major incidents. Of course all the teachers had to embarrass the crap out of her by making her stand up front and introduce herself, but other than that everyone pretty much left her alone. She was surprised no one reached out to her at all, but at least they weren't teasing and harassing her either. As she headed to the cafeteria for lunch she hoped the rest of the day would go as smoothly as the first half.
There was an empty table on the far side of the lunch room and Melissa hoped it stayed empty until she could get to it. She really didn't want to have to ask the kids at a table if she could sit with them. She had purposefully brought her own lunch that day so that if need be she could go hide somewhere and eat. Back home she wasn't really a loner or anything like that, but she was a bit shy outside her small circle of friends. If someone had invited her to sit with them, she'd gladly accept, she just wasn't comfortable initiating the contact.
As she plopped her brown paper sack on the table, Melissa let out a sigh of relief. The table was hers. After pulling her food out of the bag and unwrapping everything, she opened the book she brought with her in case she ate alone. At least I'll get some reading in, she thought. She took a bite of her sandwich and halfway through the first paragraph someone sat down across from her.
"Hey! You're new here right?"
Melissa dog-eared the book and glance up to find a gorgeous blonde sitting in front of her. She looked like one of those cheerleader types, which immediately raised a red flag in her mind. She took a second to glance around to see if anyone was watching the table, just in case there was a prank about to be played on her. When she was satisfied no one was paying them attention, she replied, "Yeah, today is my first day. I'm Melissa."
"Nice to meet you Melissa. I'm Jenny Lark." The girl offered her a warm smile that seemed sincere.
"So what brought you over here to my lonely table?"
"I didn't recognize you, and since I know just about everyone that attends Cedar High, I figured I'd come say hi. Mind if I join you for lunch?"
"Sure. So, are you a senior?" Melissa asked as she took another bite of her sandwich.
"Yep. I should have graduated last year but some things came up and I ended up having to come back this year."
"Oh, wow, that must suck." Melissa was curious about what those "things" were but didn't want to pry. She figured if Jenny wanted her to know, she'd tell her. She'd hate to push away the one who'd showed any interest in her so far.
"It does, most my friends have left for college already so it's been kinda boring around here. But now that school started back up, hopefully things will pick up. Besides, now I have a new friend!"
The two girls continued to chat while Melissa ate her lunch. Melissa noticed that Jenny didn't eat anything but chalked it up to the stereotypical teenage girl watching her weight. She was lucky though, she could eat anything and not gain an ounce.
Jenny didn't seem to have any of the same classes she did so the girls made plans to meet after school and hang out for a while. The bell signaling the end of lunch rang just after they agreed on the town's park entrance as a meeting spot. Jenny explained to Melissa how to get to her next class and then rushed off to get to her own.
The rest of the day went by the same as the first half for Melissa. No one really spoke to her, other than the teachers. Sure, a few said hi in the hall or offered a smile in passing, but that was about it. She was just grateful she hadn't run into any trouble.
When the final bell rang she found herself excited to meet up with Jenny again. She hoped that maybe Jenny could introduce her to some other kids and eventually she'd have that small group of friends again that she missed back home. She grabbed her stuff from her locker and headed to the meeting spot. The park was empty when she got there so she sat on the bench by the entrance and started reading her book.
About a chapter into the book she realized that Jenny still hadn't shown. She checked her watch and realized over half an hour had passed. She waited another fifteen minutes before giving up, figuring either Jenny had played a cruel joke something had come up and she couldn't make it. On her walk home she decided to check Facebook to see if she could friend Jenny. Maybe they could chat and she'd find out what happened.
Melissa tossed her book bag on her bed and turned on her computer. Once it finished loading she did a search for Jenny on Facebook and was glad to see the girl had a page. What she found on the page though, shocked her. There were condolences and prayer messages left by others several months ago. Man, kids can be cruel. Wonder why they all did that to her, acting as though she had died. That's just mean, Melissa thought. She kept browsing the page but didn't see any recent activity, it looked as though the page had just been abandoned. Frustrated, she gave up for the evening and worked on her homework instead.
The next morning she was surprised to find Jenny out front waiting for her. "I thought I'd walk to school with you," the girl offered.
"What happened to you yesterday? I waited for almost an hour."
"Come with me, there's something I have to show you. It's on the way to school, it won't take but a couple extra minutes," Jenny pleaded.
Melissa gave in and the two started walking toward the school. Halfway there Jenny told her to follow her through a shortcut so she could show her why she never made it the day before. They walked through the trees on a dirt path that led into the town's cemetery.
"Why are we going in the cemetery? We shouldn't be here!" Melissa hissed as she looked around, anxious that Jenny was up to no good.
"Please, just come. You'll understand soon, we're almost there."
Melissa relented and continued to follow Jenny. This better be good, she thought. The path continued to wind through the empty cemetery. She felt goosebumps flash across her skin as a cold breeze blew through the air. Just as she was about to tell Jenny to forget it, the other girl turned off the path down a row of gravestones and stopped in front of one.
"We're here."
Melissa rolled her eyes and walked over to the headstone in front of Jenny. When she read the markings she did a double take. It read:
Jenny LarkFeb 15th, 1995 - Oct 31st 2012Beloved daughter, friend, sisterTaken too soon

When the shock wore off, Melissa looked around; Jenny was nowhere to be found. She sat down in front of the grave and pulled out her phone to Google Jenny's name. She found an article with Jenny's picture that said the girl had died in a freak accident on Halloween the year before. Melissa had been talking to a ghost.


Sapphire and Sage


When their parents were murdered, twin sisters Sapphire and Sage, were separated to keep them safe. That was 22 years ago. Now, just before their 25th birthday, they are reunited only to learn the true reason for their parent’s murder, magic. They are the current generation in a long line of powerful witches. Their family tree seems cursed, with tragedy and death haunting each generation, traced as far back as the 1700s.
The Night Rage Coven is a group of power hungry demons with the ability to steal magic as long as they can kill the last of a bloodline. When the twins inherit their powers, they become the latest target of the Coven. They must learn to work together and control their new magic before it is too late. Will they survive the hunt or will the bloodline end with them?
Sapphire and Sageis available for early download through LeanPub, a new publishing company that allows readers to purchase the book while it is still being written. Everyone who purchases a copy will get updates with each new chapter posted. As a special treat for those participating in the Coven and Coffin blog hop, use the coupon code: CovenAndCoffin to grab your free copy from Oct. 27th through Nov 1st! Get yours now!
About Kayleigh Grian


Kayleigh Grian is currently a part time student working on her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Computer Forensics and Security. She also works full time as a police dispatcher.
Kayleigh has always enjoyed writing, especially fiction and poetry. She is working on several projects including her first novel and a collection of short stories. Kayleigh enjoys reading as much as she does writing and will often go through a few books a week when she doesn't have a ton of homework to do.
Connect with Kayleigh:FacebookTwitterBlog


Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for another ghost story. Also, check out the other awesome websites:
http://vampireflynn.crimsonmelodies.com/
http://thesincollector.weebly.com/
http://kaylacurry.com/
http://kgrian.blogspot.com/
http://quiestinliteris.com
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Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Stolen Kisses

Welcome to the first post of the Coven and Coffin Blog Hop. Gather 'round boys and girls and for a tale to chill your bones.
Stolen Kisses by Kayla Curry
I was standing in a crowded street. People everywhere were chanting his name and holding signs that said they loved him. I should have been one of them. I was a fan, but I wasn’t a fanatic. I just stood there quietly with people chanting and jumping all around me. They were waiting for him to come out of the building. I have no idea how I even got swept up in this mess anyway. One minute I was walking down the sidewalk, and the next I was part of a flood of people fighting for the chance to see the movie star.
Suddenly, he emerged with his entourage. Roscoe Reed flashed a charming smile for the cameras, only it wasn’t Roscoe Reed. It was someone else disguised as Roscoe Reed. I could tell, but perhaps the screaming fans and paparazzi around me could not. I turned my attention to the people around me and found him in an instant. His eyes were unmistakable. I felt myself blush and was about to turn away when he made a move towards me. There were still plenty of people in the crowd between us, and still, no one noticed him. A few more steps and he would be right in front of me. As I realized this, I became frozen.
A sort of chemistry passed between us and I was officially under his spell.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said as his right hand ran through his black hair.
It took a moment for it to register that he was talking to me. I snapped out of it and let him lead me away. In an instant we were no longer in the crowded street, but in a secluded VIP room of a club. It was just the two of us.
Then I remembered.
This had to be a dream. Roscoe Reed was dead. He was killed in a car accident months ago. It had been splashed all over the front pages of newspapers and tabloids.
Then I got the worst feeling. He was drawing me in with his charm, but since it was a dream, I knew that if I kissed him something horrible would happen.
An eerie music began in the background. He seemed to control it. He now controlled everything in the dream--including me. I felt my anxiety dmelt away as he came closer and kissed me. I closed my eyes and opened them.
I was back in my room and so was Roscoe Reed. His figure was opaque as he pulled away from the kiss.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I stole all of your kisses. You won't remember anything about anyone you've ever kissed."
I then noticed the person sleeping next to me. I didn't recognize him, but there was a photo of us on the nightstand. I was in a wedding dress and he was in a tux.
"Why?" I said to the ghost that was no longer there. I stared at the photograph for the rest of the night, trying desperately to remember anything about the man I must be married to, but nothing came.
About the author:Kayla Curry lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two children. She likes spending time with family and friends when she’s not writing or planning out her conquest of the world. People who know her would say that she is sweet and kind, but her book characters would disagree. Her other hobbies include reading, metal detecting and research of local history. You can visit her website at http://www.kaylacurry.com to keep up on her progress in the Mystic Stones Series and her other works.
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Grab Kayla's 99 cent creepy horror short story Oomph! on Amazonor Smashwords. Or pick up her free short story Ruby, on Amazonor Smashwords. Ruby is the short story companion to her paranormal novel, Obsidian, and can be read before or after the novel.
Be sure to stop by for more ghost stories all week. Also, head over to these great blogs for more Halloween festivities.

http://vampireflynn.crimsonmelodies.com/
http://thesincollector.weebly.com/
http://kaylacurry.com/
http://kgrian.blogspot.com/
http://quiestinliteris.com

 Last but not least, enter this awesome Giveaway.


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Cover Reveal: The List of Five

Cover design by Rebecca Hamilton
 

Book Blurb   
Young teen Richie Lyons is having an uneventful summer, playing games with his friends. He even has a birthday on the way. However, his uneventful life is shattered when he wakes up, on the morning of his thirteenth  birthday, with a list of names pounding through his brain. A list that contains the names of those he cares about most. As if that wasn’t enough, he keeps having a recurring waking dream of a fire that is threatening to take the life of his mom and sister. Richie must fight to understand this recurring list and the visions he is having. Are they prophetic, foretelling an actual occurrence, or a waking nightmare threatening his sanity? In addition, what does the list have to do with the newest local ministry and the strange pastor who came to Richie’s door?
The more Richie discovers, the less he understands. 

When Richie finally begins to understand, it may be too late for himself and everyone else that he cares about. 

There is one thing Richie knows for certain.

He may have to grow up much faster than he ever wanted to grow, because there is something very wrong with his visions, and there is something frightening about the list of five.

The Li5t of Five will release on September 29th!



Author Bio
J. Scott Sharp has been writing for much of his considerable life, but only just now decided to take it seriously at 47. This makes him a little crazy. At least his wife Marti and his two dogs, Sumo and Tnur think so.
He has his Associates degree in psychology, which qualifies him for nothing except understanding what you're thinking. At least he likes to think so. He also thinks he understands what you're feeling, but that's a whole other problem.
He lives in Arizona where he splits his time between watching TV on DVD, working, and writing. His hobbies include stage and close-up magic and reading until his eyes won't stay open. Closed eyes make it harder to do stage magic, but he tries.
He is the author of short stories Not Even There, Three Blackbirds, and Cold-blooded
The List of Five is his first novella.

You can reach out to J. Scott Sharp at:

Twitter 
Facebook 
Blog 

What will you Sacrifice?

I have the honor of kicking of Jessica Fortunato’s blog tour for her long awaited second novel The Sin Collector: Sacrifice. Some of us have been waiting months and months for this. I got the privilege of reading it before it came out. Here’s what I thought:
Blurb: As an immortal Sin Collector, Liliana lead a transient life of solitude for over one-hundred years. 
Now with a growing family, she has found herself liking normalcy and the façade of being human.  However, when old friends begin to turn up dead, it is clear Collectors are not safe.  The battle that Liliana thought she’d won, has only just begun.
She must save herself, her family, and her friends from the Castus, a fanatical group sworn to eradicate her kind. 
As Liliana travels the globe making allies, and discovering secrets, she soon learns that the threat to her safety is closer than she ever thought possible.
Will she be able to fight her fate, or will she succumb to an ancient Castus prophecy?
I have to say I loved it. Liliana has matured quite a bit as she struggles to protect her new family. The focus of the story is less action but I still needed to keep turning the pages. This goes more into the mystery of Lilinana’s past and why she has the ability to see auras. However it’s the small tidbits of prophecy that I find really interesting. Julia is a jewel as always and there is a host of new characters that you will come to love. Then there are the tender moments that brought tears to my eyes. I’m not telling. You’ll have to read it and see.
Don’t worry, I have a little glimpse as a treat for you:
“How long will it take to get to the hotel?” I hollered toward the cabin. 
No one was talking, no one was moving.  My blood froze, and I knew, in my gut, something was wrong.
“Please let it be in here.”  I desperately searched through my bag.  There was one rogue blade, it was bigger, harder to throw, but if there were people out there, I couldn’t miss.  Before I could formulate any type of plan, the tiny voice spoke from the other side of the door.
“Hey, LiLi, it’s time to go.” I smiled at myself in the mirror.  She was smart.  No one would dare call me that, not the nickname Billy used.  She was warning me.  That kid could have a pet lion if she wanted when we were through here.
“Coming,” I shouted.  I slid the knife up my sleeve and emerged to find what I’d expected.  Julia was standing in front of the sofa with her hands up.  A man with dark brown hair had a Castus dagger to Olexanders throat.  The cockpit door was open and I could see the small hole in the windshield of the plane where the bullet had entered and killed the pilot.  Yet, the bloodthirsty way this stranger was glaring at Julia is what strengthened my resolve.   It was the worst possible angle.  I didn’t think I could ever hit the man without risking harm to Julia or Olexander.  My blood boiled and each second dragged on.  The man was young and looked cocky and sure of his ability to kill us all.  Believers, true believers, were always dangerous.  They saw no grey, only black and white, good and evil. 
I had to make the choice for her, and I hated myself for it, but I couldn’t think of any other way.  I let the knife slip into my hand just enough for the man to see it.
“I see the knife in your hand devil, drop it on the floor and kick it away.”
The man spit out the words digging the dagger just a bit more into Olexanders throat. 
“You’ll be coming with me when I’m done with these two. Ariadne is just dying to meet you, Liliana.”
“Can I just say goodbye before you kill them?” I asked.
He looked confused by my request, he was not expecting it, but nodded at Julia who was wide-eyed and staring directly at me.
“Put the knife down first,” he spit out. I let the knife drop by my foot.  I looked into Julia’s eyes, hoping beyond hope she was getting this, and I saw the curiosity reflected in them.  She knew this was not me. I would never give up on her.
“I love you Julia and I believe in your abilities.  Every moment we spent together, especially that day in the woods.” As I said the last word I kicked the knife in her direction, she managed to drop down, pick it up, and throw it directly into the man’s left eye in a matter of seconds.  Olexander kneed him in the throat. The man was writhing on the floor in agony. Olexander rushed to us both. 
I threw my arms around Julia, “You’re amazing, you just saved our lives, but there could be more out there.  I need you safe, just for right now, go hide in the bathroom and lock the door until one of us comes for you.” She looked like she wanted to argue, but conceded and ran to the bathroom.
“What now?” I asked Olexander, who blessedly was unharmed.
He bent down holding the dagger over the man’s good eye. 
“How many are with you?” The man smiled and coughed a little, whatever he had heard about Olexander, he wasn’t scared.  Time was of the essence. 
I was seeing red, seeing it everywhere.  My family, attacked and I was having a very bad day to start with. I stalked over to the smiling man and kicked him until he was on his back. He looked at me and for the briefest moment, his smile wavered.  He knew who I was.
“Hold his neck so he can’t scream,” I said to Olexander. I walked around the side of the man and politely asked Olexander to hand me the dagger.  He looked worried, but did as I asked.  He was bleeding, but not so heavily, that he would pass out just yet.  He wanted to scream, but no sound came out.  I lifted the dagger and drove it through the soft spot above his elbow, it was a technique used in knife combat frequently.  It severed the ligaments and tendons, making the arm useless, and normally left the victim to bleed to death.  The man was going into shock so I needed to move fast. 
“You just tried to kill my family, my child, so I’m only going to ask one more time, how many more are out there?” 
He hesitated, clearly hit by the realization that he was in over his head.  My hand still on the dagger added some pressure. 
“Once I take this out you will bleed to death in a matter of moments, and lose consciousness even faster.  If I don’t remove the knife and you get to a hospital, you could have a chance,” I said calmly and rationally.
Olexander slightly loosened his grasp on the man’s neck.  He was trying to speak, and I leaned my head down to hear him whisper.
“Two more,” was all he could say in short gasps.
“Thank you,” I whispered back, and jerked the knife out of his arm.  Blood was everywhere, and he was most certainly dead.  Olexander released his grip and stood stunned. 
“Are there any other weapons we can get to?” I asked him.
“My gun is in my bag,” he said unsteadily.
I grabbed his face and pulled it close to mine.
“It was him or us.  They came to kill, so I chose us.”
This seemed to snap him back to reality. 
“I’ll go out the front, you go out the back,”  he said.
I picked up the bloody dagger and noticed a small tattoo on the man’s forearm. 
“Olexander, wait,” I said.
There was something familiar about the tattoo but I couldn’t place it.  I yanked my phone out of my boot, snapped a picture, and returned it to the pocket. 
“Lily, what the hell are you doing?”
“Tell you later, time to go.”
Quickly I maneuvered my way through the tiny crawl space under the plane meant for baggage.  I saw the first man waiting, gun drawn, by the SUV Olexander had requested be there for our arrival.   It took me only a few seconds to sneak up behind him and slit his throat.  As he dropped, I heard a single gunshot from the front of the plane.  I edged my way around cautiously, and met up with Olexander who grabbed and held on to me tightly.
“I’ll get the bags into the car, get Julia.”
“Disable the GPS in the truck first,” I hollered back to him.
Want more? Excellent! Get The Sin Collector: Sacrifice exclusively on Amazon. Also, Get The Sin Collector: Thomas for free August 30th to September 3rd.
About Jessica:
Jessica Fortunato writes a rare combination of Paranormal/ Supernatural/ Religious Literary Fiction.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her family, a clumsy black cat, and year round Halloween decorations.  Rarely seen in direct sunlight, reports of Jessica’s vampirism remain unsubstantiated.
 Jessica says she based the heroine of her book, Liliana, on the many extraordinary women in her life. 
The second book of The Sin Collector Trilogy, Sacrifice, is available now August 30th, 2013. 
She hopes that every person who reads the series finds a bit of themselves in at least one of her characters.
When I asked her what made her want to be a writer, she had this to say:
"Everything I write is a tribute to my Grandma, who taught me from a young age the pure magic that can always be found in a book."
Before I concluded the interview, I simply had to ask her the question she imposes on all her readers. What was your first sin?
"That question literally made me laugh out loud," Jessica says, "I guess my first sin was an act of thievery at the impressionable age of six.  I stole a handful of Swedish fish candies from the small store up the street.  I suppose ever since then you could say the sins just keep piling up."

Fangs of the Hellhound

Tales of creepy black dogs, known as hellhounds, have been told across the world and throughout the centuries. The most famous is Cerberus of Greek mythology. This monstrous three headed dog guarded the gates of the Greek Underworld.  He kept the ghosts from escaping their afterlife.  Besides the three head, Cerberus supposedly possessed a serpent’s tale, a mane of snakes, and lion’s claws. He also had the duty of keeping intruders out of the Underworld, but he didn’t do as well as that. Maybe it was his weakness for honey cakes. The Sybil threw a drugged honey cake to him that put him asleep and allowed Aeneus to pass into the Underworld and speak with the ghost of his father.
In Norse mythology Garmr is the hellhound guardian of Helheim (Underworld) and Hel’s pet. It had four eyes and a chest dripping with blood. It could also be appeased by cakes by those who had given bread to the poor. (Seeing a pattern here?) Garmr’s howling signals Ragnarok and it will join with the giants against the gods. Tyr will kill it but will die to the wounds Garmr inflicts.
There is also another type of hellhound referred to as black dogs, who appear all over the British Isles. They are ghostly with glowing eyes, sometimes red, green, or yellow. They are rumored to be associated with the devil, which is probably where the term hellhound comes from. The appearance of the black dog is associated with death.  One of the most famous is the Black Shuck. This creature is known to haunt the coast of East Anglia. It loves to roam graveyards, crossroads, and dark forests. However, it’s what it did at one church in Suffolk that makes this dog famous.  With a clap of thunder it burst through the doors of the church, ran through the body of the church, and killed a man and a boy. It caused the church’s steeple to collapse through the roof of the church (That’s probably what killed the man and boy). It left scorch marks on the door when it left.
The Cŵn Annwn come from Welsh myth. Their name means the “hounds of Annwn” which is the otherworld. They are associated with the Wild Hunt and, supposedly, their growling is loudest when they are the farthest away. As the come closer it grows softer. Creepy, huh? People view them as a death portent as well.
So, most hellhounds are associated with death and/or hell. In A Prescription for Delirium, my hell hounds are werewolves possessed by demons. So, they actually are from hell. There are many more stories of different types of black dogs. You should really check them out.Do you like reading about the supernatural? Get A Prescription for Delirium for jusr $0.99 today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday) on Amazon.

This Week in The Eclipse

So, a couple of news type things this week. I promise to get back to our fun forays into the supernatural world next week.

First, I have completed the first draft of Omega Effect. Woot! I once again defeated the demon of procrastination. Heh. Then I realized that I had too much plot going on for one book. So, it is getting split into two: A Dose of Brimstone and Omega Effect (yes in that order). What does this mean for you and me?

Well for me, I have A SHIT TON of more work to do. For you, it means that A Dose of Brimstone probably won't be out by December. When I release it I can't say at the moment, but I'm hoping it won't be delayed for more that one or two months.

Second, Monday is my birthday. I have survived another year on this crazy planet. In celebration, A Prescription for Delirium will be $.99 on Amazon for August 26th-August 30th. If you haven't got it yet, here's you chance.

That's all I have to announce...for now. But stay tuned for the demon invasion. It's as likely to happen as the zombie apocalypse.

Next Week: Hellhounds.

Cover Reveal: Grimoire Saga by S.M. Boyce

Fantasy & paranormal novelist S. M. Boyce is releasing brand new covers for her YA Fantasy series, the Grimoire Saga. And man, are they visually stunning. Take a look!  
 
Lichgates (Grimoire Saga #1) Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre
----------------Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things—Ourea. Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea's royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict—a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing. For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire. Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.
Grab your FREE copyAmazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Buy the PaperbackKobo | Apple | Barnes & Noble | SmashwordsAdd to Goodreads | Watch the Trailer  
Treason (Grimoire Saga #2)
Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into Ourea and found the Grimoire: a powerful artifact filled with secrets. To protect the one person she has left, she strikes a deal that goes against everything she believes in. But things don’t go as planned.Braeden Drakonin can no longer run from who—and what—he is. He has to face the facts. He’s a prince. He’s a murderer. He’s a wanted man. And after a betrayal that leaves him heartbroken, he’s out for blood. To survive, both Kara and Braeden must become the evil each has grown to hate.  
Grab Your CopyAmazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Buy the PaperbackKobo | Apple | Barnes & Noble | SmashwordsAdd to Goodreads 
Heritage (Grimoire Saga #3)
Available Fall 2013In 2013, the saga continues with Heritage. Kara is forced to face a past she never knew existed, and Braeden must prove his loyalty to the brother who still wants him dead. (Set to release in Fall 2013.)
Bookmark NowAdd to Goodreads 
Illusion (Grimoire Saga #4)
Available Fall 2014In 2014, the Grimoire Saga ends with Illusion. Blood is spilled. Love is tested. Loyalty fades. Peace will come at a hefty cost. And in the final moments of the war, both Braeden and Kara must make a heartbreaking sacrifice to win. (Set to release in Fall 2014.)
Bookmark NowAdd to Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Sacrifice by Jessica Fortunato

Sacrifice is the second book in The Sin Collector Trilogy by author Jessica Fortunato.  Also from Fortunato is The Sin Collector, The Sin Collector: Thomas, Steam and the short story Banished which can be found in the Nocturnal Embers Anthology.  She lives in Pittsburgh PA with her family, a clumsy black cat, and year round Halloween decorations.
You can find Jessica:WebsiteFacebookTwitterPinterestLink to Sacrifice Official TrailerFind The Sin Collector: Sacrifice, exclusively for Kindle August 30th, 2013!
Synopsis:As an immortal Sin Collector, Liliana lead a transient life of solitude for over one-hundred years.  Now with a growing family, she has found herself liking normalcy and the façade of being human.  However, when old friends begin to turn up dead, it is clear Collectors are not safe.  The battle that Liliana thought she’d won, has only just begun.She must save herself, her family, and her friends from the Castus, a fanatical group sworn to eradicate her kind. 
As Liliana travels the globe making allies, and discovering secrets, she soon learns that the threat to her safety is closer than she ever thought possible.
Today only, you can pick up The Sin Collector FREE!  Click Here, begin the journey, and Get Collected.

Where do demons come from?

Cultures throughout the ages have had their versions of demons. In most, demons are the personification of evil, pain, and suffering. They exploit weakness already in man and are said to have many powers that can torment or can allure men.Ancient Akkadian texts alluded that evil spirits were sent by evil gods. In Persia, the prophet Zoroaster preached about the doctrine of evil. The world was split between an ultimate Good, named Ormazd, and an ultimate evil, Ahriman. Ahriman had 6 archdemons, known as Daevas, to fight Ormazd’s 6 archangels. And, of course, they controlled countless numbers of lower demons.The Hebrews attributed the “false gods” of other religions to being demons. One particular favorite was Moloch, the devourer of children. Tales said that his follower would place their children on his burning idol and sacrifice them for protection, health, and long life. (Note: I think he will be used in a future book. *Rubs hands together with an evil laugh.*)The term demon actually came from the Greek term daimon, which means spirit or lesser deity. Many of the spirits resided in the Greek Underworld, a place so frightening to man that they would not even speak the name of Hades, the god of the Underworld. The Romans did what they always did and added the Greek pantheon to their own. So the daimons became daemons.When Christianity rose, it was in Rome. They incorporated other religions into their own to gain converts. Except, like the Hebrews (since Christianity started as an offshoot of the Hebrew religion), a lot of the deities became demons, especially the darker or “evil” gods. Now, we have a whole hierarchy of demons in hell associated with the Christian religion.
This is just touching the surface. You can find variations of demons in India, Africa, the middle East, Japan, and China. All come with their own special mythos. I guess, all around the world, we have something to name our fears after. Be sure to check out A Prescription for Delirium for some of the demons found in lore.
*This is a repost from my blog tour. The original post is found on Happy Tails and Tales.

Monster Menagerie Winner!

And the winner is

















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Dracula! On Flick by David_BrettCongr- Oh, wait. What do you mean he's dead. Heh, not in my continuity....OK, JUST KIDDING! The REAL winner is...
Jessica Fortunato with Brocken Bow. Everybody give a hand or standing ovation for Jess!
So, this wraps up the Blogger Book Fair. Be sure to stop by their page and catch up on some of the great posts you missed. I had a lot of fun this year and got to connect with some great writers. My to read list has, once again, gotten longer. How about yours?