Shannan Albright's Blog, page 2

Time for a Monday Pick Me Up!

Happy Monday!
I figured this may work better than coffee this morning.Hoping everyone had a great weekend. No new news to report, just a reminder that every Friday my fellow authors Nara Malone and Siobhan Muir and I have a new blog for you readers to check out. Books Worth Your Bucks where you can have a chance explore new to you authors. I find some that are really quite good and they are reasonable priced as well. Do check it out on Fridays I think you will really enjoy the offerings.
If you have a blog, are a reader, writer or both and you would like to get involved just send me a comment.
Have a wonderful week and see you soon.

Big Time Scandal In A Small Town-Olivia by Joyce Brennan

Scandal, blackmail and love set in a small Ohio town

Blurb:
Shocked when she discovers her fiancé with another woman, New York Ad Executive, Olivia McDougle, returns to her small Ohio town to regroup and take over as Editor of the local newspaper.
She publishes an editorial, which divides the community. Refusing to back down when a judge demands a retraction, she is blackmailed. OLIVIA is small town romance with an added slice of mystery.  

Excerpt:
Olivia flung open the door and stopped short. She hadn’t expected to find anyone inside the dimly lit copy room, especially her fiancé, Brian Mercer.“Olivia, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you’d left for the day.” Brian growled.“What’s going…oh.”  Olivia grasped her throat as she recognized the flashy blonde from the secretarial pool. Often the topic of office gossip, the woman smirked and fumbled for Brian’s shirt to drape around her nude body. Brian made no effort to cover himself, but defiantly focused his stare on Olivia.“How could you?” Olivia scanned the windowless room. Shoes danced across the floor, followed by a long string of rumpled clothing. An empty champagne bottle lay on its side at the edge of the copy machine with two paper cups bearing witness to the crude scene.Buy LinkOlivia by Joyce Brennan
Follow Joyce Brennan at:www.joycebrennan.blogspot.com  https://www.facebook.com/joycewritesromance  
www.brennanwrites.wordpress.com

Books Worth Your Bucks-Touched by Darkness by Catherine Spangler

It's Friday again and time for a new book. This weeks offering is from Catherine Spangler's Sentinel Series. Touched by Darkness is book one and loved every bit of it. 
BLURB:
After seven years on the run, Dr. Kara Cantrell believes she and her son, Alex, are safe. She’s wrong.

Kara settles in the sleepy town of Zorro, Texas, convinced that she and her child have escaped the sinister reach of a supernatural underworld. But the appearance of Damien Morgan, a dangerous, alluring man with superhuman abilities, upends her quiet existence. 

Damien realizes that Alex is a fledgling Sentinel, and Kara is a matched, psychic conductor for him. She wants nothing to do with him, refusing to revisit the hell she experienced seven years ago. But she has no choice, as her son is projecting his abilities, leaving him vulnerable to unseen forces. Not only that, but someone—or something—is murdering people in Zorro. 

Kara is forced to work with Damien, tapping into a mystical link that triggers desires both of them must ignore. But as they work together to protect her son, and to track the killer, evil stalks them, reaching out—with the touch . . . of darkness. The story of Kara and Damien is a rousing paranormal and murder mystery all tied into on action packed tale. The characters are so well written it's easy to get into their head and feel what they are going through. I know once you read this first book you will want to get others in her series.  
Right now you can get this book for free on Amazon Kindle. Click the link below.
Touched by Darkness
Don't forget to check out all the offerings below and I will see you next week.

Tuesday Teaser-The Hunted

With release day only 24 hours from now I thought it would be a great time to share a teaser from the novella. So grab your coffee and enjoy this small excerpt of The Hunted a novella which begins my series Guild of Assassins.
With great care, Taren lightly brushed away the tears with his fingers before cupping her face and tilting her head up to meet his gaze head on. “So beautiful, tasa meela.” His deep voice held a husky note, sending a cascade of warmth through her, sweeping over her breasts and down to the juncture between her legs.“What does that mean?” Her question came out in a breathless whisper as his heat caressed her, building a pulsing need hammering through her.“The closest translation in your words is ‘bright spirit’.”Taren drew nearer touching his forehead to hers and stroking her cheek with gentle fingers.“Oh, I like that.” Leigh whispered placing her hand over his.Time froze for one perfect moment as they stood poised at the brink of a precipice she sensed there would be coming back from. “My mind tells me this is wrong, what is between us. Still, my soul cries out for you, your body a sweet siren’s song I must follow.”Her breath caught on his words, her heart opening to him. She was dangerously close to falling in love with him, just as she knew she could trust him with her heart and soul, her very life.Everything about him and her felt…right. Not wrong as he argued.She drew away just enough to stare up into his beautiful dark eyes, missing the swirl of red she spied that morning in their dark depths.“I am yours to take, Taren. I have never before felt such a pull. All that I am calls out for you too.” To lend power to her words, she reached out fingers sinking into thick golden strands of his hair. She marveled in the silkiness before lightly tracing his tightly curved horns. On a shudder, his eyes closed, his breathing labored as she stroked them. Who knew a Demosian’s s horns could be so sensitive?
On pre-order through Amazon. Releases September 7th.
The Hunted 

Books Worth Your Bucks-Kiss of a Dragon

This week's offering is the first book in the Fallen Immortals series by Alisa Woods.
Now I really hate cliffhanger endings, but the story Ms Woods weaves makes you forgive the transgression. It also helps that they are so reasonable priced at .99 on Amazon.The story of Lucian and Arabella is told in three books, and the plot is strong enough to withstand the episodic handling, though I do wish she put it into one large book. But that is just me I think. Either way, this is well worth you buck to grab. Her characters come to life with surprising depth, and her masterful the layering brings them to life. 

LUCIAN 
I am a Dragon Prince of the House of Smoke… and I am dying.  
 
Five hundred years is truly enough for a man like me. A monster. Yet a ten-thousand-year treaty will die with me, if I don’t spawn a dragonling to take my place. My two brothers are no use in this task. It falls to me, the eldest by a hair’s breadth, and yet, I cannot face the horror of another sealing. Another death. Another woman’s blood on my hands.  
 
ARABELLA  
I was saved from death in a dark Seattle alley by an impossibly beautiful man who swooped in on golden wings. Now he’s taken me to his lair, opened my eyes to a world of immortals I didn’t know existed, and given me an impossible task—find him a mate. Then, and only then, will he set me free.  
 
He needs her more than he wants; she wants him more than she should; and the fate of both the mortal and immortal worlds depends on not just repairing their hearts, but finding a Love that’s True…  Kiss of a Dragon

Don't forget to check the other wonderful offerings from Siobhan Muir and Nara Malone. 

Pick Me Up Monday-Coffee and a Teaser

Oh yes!
Thank the java god for this yummy goodness. True I also enjoy a good tea, but in the mornings there is nothing that perks me up quite like a good cup of coffee.
With my release coming next month I thought it would be nice to share a teaser with you. So grab your favorite mug full of coffee and enjoy.
The Hunter: a Novella of the Guild of Assassins 
Chained though no links of heavy metal impeded his movements. No shackles cut into his wrists or ankles, but he was trapped all the same. Only these restraints were far stronger than anything of this earth.Nothing could set him free of the beholden vow.Taren watched. Waited. Plotted. A low throbbing pulse, much like a heartbeat, came from the dual brandings on his shoulder blades. On one side was a wing symbolizing Isis and, on the other, a cat’s paw for Bast. As if he needed an unending reminder of his status. As if he could ever forget the day he was forced to utter those hateful words. The day, fifteen years ago, which had brought him to his knees, stripped him of his pride and social standing as Infernal—a demon free of any vow—of everything he was.But it saved Natilla.A dark familiar voice whispered the thought through his mind. The reason for his sacrifice filled him with grim resignation. Yes, for Natilla, he’d suffered—would continue to do so—to give her a life free of the hell he existed in. He prayed his sister found happiness with a loving, devoted man and a large kith to protect her. A kith of family members always held high importance in his culture, each member taking on the task to teach the younglings and to aid the elders when they grew too weak to help themselves. As the eldest sibling, and head of his kith Taren had given his sister the only thing in his power to give.Freedom.His time, though, was near. The sound of several feet crunching over the graveled walkway, alerted him to the Polariate’s arrival. The door opened without a knock. Why would she knock? He was only a lowly Enfertiti, barely higher than a beast in the eyes of the Guild of Isis.Two guild assassins stepped through the door, one fair-haired, the other dark. Both dressed in unrelieved black slacks and matching tunics, their features were as cold and emotionless as granite. Both held wickedly curved knives in their hands, a promise of pain to come. Taren tensed, ready for an attack. His body flooded with adrenaline, his gaze never wavering from the females. He relished any opening to inflict pain on his captors. Only the sudden appearance of the Polariate dropped his aggression a notch, yet he remained tense, ready for any threatening move.The Polariate moved into the room with the grace of a dancer, swathed in diaphanous silk robes the color of golden sunshine. Her dark hair spilled loose around her shoulders in a mass of shiny curls. She was positively stunning, yet it was her eyes, a piercing blue of arctic ice which gave him pause. Her gaze held an ancient wisdom belying the look of youth she wore.Her lips twisted into a grimace of distaste, a flash of loathing passing through those arresting eyes. He schooled his features into a mask as devoid of emotion as the assassins at her side, yet his mind raced, his heart beating hard He was highly aware of the significance of the Polariate’s visit.Aegis Doreen, his keeper, would never come home again, and soon, Taren would follow in her stead. For when a keeper died, his or her vow was nullified, thus restoring him to his Infernal status once again. If the vow was one broken by a sudden death of the keeper…in his case?It was complicated.Besides, a free demon was a dead demon if the Guild of Isis had anything to say about it.“You areTaren, is that correct?” The Polariate’s question pulled Taren back from his musings.“Answer the Polariate, animal.” The blonde assassin snapped, her voice slicing blade sharp.“I wish a moment alone with Taren,” the Polariate said.“This is highly irregular,” the assassin argued.“Do not make me repeat my request.” Steel beneath silk filtered through the Polariate’s tone, grating against Taren’s skin as her power saturated the air between them. He gritted his teeth against the sudden urge to wrap his hands around the smooth column of the Polariate’s throat and squeeze until he heard the sound of breaking bones.“Yes, Polariate.” The blonde bowed low and followed her fellow assassin out. The door closed, leaving him standing in brittle silence.
I hope you enjoyed the tease I will be announcing the release here in just about a week so check back. And as always, have an awesome week ahead.

Books Worth Your Bucks-My Highlander Cover Model by Karyn Gerrard

This weeks offering is a delightful read from Karyn Gerrard. She puts a fresh face on the Highlander Romance, adding time travel, more than a bite of humor and a delightful twist I never saw coming. Her zipper scene is worth a read or two and had me laughing out loud. She truly breathes fresh air to this particular theme. 
Skye Bancroft, assistant art director at a small New York publisher, is used to dealing with the occasional spoiled and egocentric model. After all, it’s part of her job description. But during a photoshoot, she didn’t count on one to become so delusional as to think himself a Highlander from 1814 Scotland. 

Cailin Thorburn is every woman’s dream: A warrior who is fierce, passionate, and protective. Rendered unconscious during battle, he awakens in another place, time, and in another man’s body. Could this all be a dream? Convincing the bonnie lass, Skye, that he is Cailin is a daunting task. 

Regardless of his strange time travel story and sexy Scottish burr, believing this extraordinary man is from another era becomes hard to deny. The attraction between them sizzles and Skye is left to wonder: Is Cailin truly as he claims? 

This is a quick read coming in at 92 pages and is only .99 right now through Amazon. Just click on the link below.
My Highlander Cover Model

Be sure to check the offerings from the other blogs. They are sure to please.

Pick Me Up Monday-Cover Reveal

Yep Thats right, I have my cover for my novella,The Hunted- Guild of Assassins 

BLURB:
A druid sworn to protect and nurture.Leigh Simon, a druidic healer lives a peaceful existence among her nomadic tribe, known for their expertise in the healing arts and communion with the earth. Until her life is unexpectedly turned upside down with the death of a mother who abandoned her as an infant. Leigh is now heir to her mother’s worldly possessions, including one dark and brooding demon. A demon sworn to revenge.Taren’s rage against all witches is all that keeps him going. Forced into the beholden vow magically binding him to the witches’ guild of assassins, he bides his time until the vow is fulfilled and the hated beholden is broken. The key to his freedom comes in the form of one curvaceous female who knows nothing of the violence, hatred and fear his kind live with. A hunt to the death.Leigh is shocked at the brutality Taren endures at the hands of the Isis Guild of Assassins. The only way to right the wrong is to enter an antiquated and brutal challenge called The Hunt. Only twenty-four hours is all they need to evade the deadly hunters and they are home free.Nothing is that easy. Add the complication of falling hard for a scarred and untrusting demon, the need to survive just got steeper. For now, Leigh is not just fighting for Taren’s freedom, but for a life with the beguiling demon. 
Coming in September

Books Worth Your Bucks-Fates Monolith by Sky Purington

This weeks offering is one I read awhile back and still think about often. In fact I am such a huge fan of this author. I have read all of her books and re-read this one to find it just as magical and unforgettable! 
Her MacLomain Series is a gem well worth your time to read. For this week, I offer up the first full length book of her series.

A woman dreams...  Arianna Broun, a Scottish born colonial American has been haunted by the reoccurring dream of a phantom Scottish warrior. Her infatuation with the dream intensifies until All Hallows' Eve, when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. After several bizarre encounters she runs to her safe haven deep in the woods. When dawn comes too early, Arianna is eager to go home. But fate has other plans. 

A man waits...  Iain MacLomain has long awaited the arrival of his promised bride. She claims to not be the woman intended for him but she fits the description given him of her, all fire and defiance. That defiance will end up costing them everything and rips them apart. However, a Scottish Chieftain with magic at his disposal is capable of most anything. Will he hold Arianna in his arms again or is she lost to him forever? Only time will tell.
You will be hooked by the end of the first chapter! Arianna Broun and Ian MacLoman are unforgettable, The MacLoman clan so well written you feel like part of the family.
This historical time travel is well researched, the characters well developed and the descriptions vivid and haunting.I lost myself in her story for the second time, following the love story of two souls from different times breaching the void to be together. 
This book is available in ebook and print format. Ebook is 2.99, Kindle Unlimited offers it free. The paperback is 7.99.
Fates Monolith Amazon Buy Link For more on Sky Purington and her books, click on her website.Sky Purington- Through Romance Comes MagicLike her on Facebook

Pick Me Up Monday-New Release Coming in September!

Happy Monday!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are now ready for this pick me up. 
As the title mentions I have an upcoming re-release due out early September. The Hunted is a novella introducing the world of witches, demons and angels. Demon Bewitched will be out in 2017. 
I will have an official cover reveal for the book very soon and will announce it on Twitter, Facebook, and of course here on my blog. 
And share with me what is your favorite pick me up is. I am looking forward to it.