Daryl Devore's Blog, page 102

Liza O'Connor's The Craziest Blog Tour Ever

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Daryl: Today we have Liza O'Connor-- Hold on, you aren't Liza. Investigator Peep: No. When I discovered you wanted to know about the heroine in her new book, Worst Week Ever,  I convinced her to let me come instead. You can call me IP. I'm a trained professional. I can discover stuff that's not even in the book
Daryl: Sounds great. So let's learn more about Carrie.
IP: Carrie  was born with a medical problem called Microgastria, which means her stomach never fully developed.  Had this been properly diagnosed at birth, she would no doubt be taller than her current 4'6." Her identical twin is 5'7".
Daryl: When did her parents discover the problem?
IP: Her need to eat small amounts constantly through the day was not diagnosed until at 24 years old she fainted and Trent took her to the hospital during their week of hell.
Daryl: But surely her parents had to realize there was something wrong their child.
IP: They were aware Carrie was far more difficult than her sister, always crying for food, but then drinking very little before pushing off the bottle. They were determined to break her of the behavior by ignoring her cries for hours. Later, they refused to allow her to have snacks between meals. Daryl: So they basically starved her?

IP: Yes. All the while believing her to be the most difficult child on the planet. While the difference in size between the two twins became apparent as they grew, parents saw it as an embarrassment. If they could have hidden Carrie in a basement and denied her existence, they probably would have.  Unfortunately, their friends knew all too well they had twins, one perfect, the other terribly flawed.
Daryl: How horrible for Carrie.
IP: From my interviews, she had a very hard life. Everyone focused on her sister, and no one paid her the least bit of attention. The only people who even recalled her at all were people who just wanted her to do something for them, like crawl beneath a parked car to get their iphone, or do their homework,  or pass a message to her sister.
Daryl:  The poor girl. Hopefully, college went better.
IP: *snorts* Well, first she had to get to college.  Despite the fact her grades were better than her twins, her parents decided she was too young for college and they could only afford to send her sister. In four years or so, they would reconsider sending Carrie to a community college if she matured a bit.
Daryl: I'm really not liking her parents.
IP: Not to worry. A guidance counselor at school helped Carrie get a full scholarship to an East coast college. When she turned 18, she climbed out the window with one case of clothing and flew to New York on a ticket the counselor had purchased for her.
Daryl: Good! Hoped they worried.
IP: Sorry, as far as I can tell, they never even bothered to look for her. When asked where she was, they told the neighbors she went to live in Japan because  people are smaller there so she'd fit in better.
Daryl: This had to impact her.
IP: I believe it directly explains her desire to be needed. The ONLY positive attention she ever received was when someone needed something, which explains why she flourished once she became Trent Lancaster's Executive Assistant. You will not meet a man more needy than this billionaire CEO. While his home staff spends their every waking hour catering to his comfort and needs, his employees do as little work as possible.  In fact, you might classify them as anti-workers, since they will actively undo or impede work done by others.
Daryl: Sounds like a horrible place.
IP: When you add Trent's constant threats to fire you to the mix, I'd say it was probably the world's worst place in the world to work, yet after a rough first six months, Carrie thrived. And amazingly, she kept the company from going bankrupt.
Daryl: Go Carrie!
IP: A month ago, she did GO. That is she went to Taiwan to help the manufacturing facility  reduce their margins. That was really hard on Trent. He hadn't realized how horrible life was without his cheery, helpful EA. Quite frankly, the business started losing money again without her at the helm.
Daryl: I bet Trent is glad to have her back now.
IP: Oh yeah! He's determine never to let her go anywhere without him again.
Daryl: Okay, that's a little creepy.
IP: Well, Trent has his own issues. But that's for another day. Today, I just wanted to share Carrie's background so you'll understand why she finds it easy to love Trent when we can barely tolerate him. He is the first person who truly needs her and who sees her value.  Those gifts are priceless to her hungry soul.
Daryl: Thanks IP for coming today. This was interesting background on Carrie.  I appreciate it greatly.
Worst Week Ever
by Liza O'Connor
New Adult, Humor, Contemporary
Coming July 15th
BLURB
What do you get when you put a hardworking, can-do middle-class young woman together with a egoistical, outrageous, billionaire boss, then throw in the worst week of disasters imaginable?Book 1 of the 3 book series A Long Road to Love.
Worst Week Ever.
Trent Lancaster spends one month without his Executive Assistant, or as his drivers refers to Carrie: 'Trent's brain, left hand, and right hand'. He's had a miserable month without her at his side and to ensure it never happens again, he intends to marry his brilliant beauty. Only given all the times he's threatened to fire her, he's not sure she even likes him. However, the future of his company and his happiness depend upon him succeeding, so Trent begins a slow one week seduction that happens to coincide with Carrie's Worst Week Ever when everything that can go wrong does so in hilarious form. (Hilarious to the reader--Carrie is not having much fun this week.)
EXCERPT
Closing his eyes, Trent enjoyed the pleasure of Carrie’s body pressed against his.
His eyes popped open in horror. Oh God, David’s right. I am besotted.
What the hell was he thinking?
Statistically, his relationships never lasted more than a month and they always ended badly. A billionaire who couldn’t make a relationship last more than a month. How horrible did he have to be to chase off women who had a billion reasons to stick it out?
 If he became involved with his most valuable employee, in a month, she’d dump him and quit. Then his business would collapse into chaos and he’d finally prove his father right. The old man constantly claimed Trent was a worthless human being and the world’s worst businessman.
And then Carrie arrived and single handedly saved his company. She never gave up. If one solution failed, she’d find another way to resolve the problem.
He smiled at his sleeping EA. If anyone could make him into a better man, it would be her. Carrie could solve any problem, had the patience of a saint, and the determination of a pitbull. Best of all, she loved a challenge.Author Bio:
Liza lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. She loves to create interesting characters, set them loose, and scribe what happens.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIZA O'CONNOR
Liza's Blog and Website   Facebook   Twitter
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Erotic Notions on the Indie-Pendence Week

Thank you for spending time at the Indie Author/Publisher blog hop.
I'm an author at an indie-publisher.Publisher - New Dawning BookfairWhen I started erotica was just gaining strength as Kindles had just come out and readers could read "one of those" books without the cover being visible to everyone.
One of my fist reviewers scolded me for having a bit of BDSM in my first story – A Kept Woman. Now, it is practically mandatory!
Indie authors and those who write for indie publishers may be small, but we can write the stories we want to and the stories the readers want to read. We are more flexible and can shift to follow the current trends. By the time one of the big 6 even notices the trend, indies have books on that topic or in that genre already written and published.
How can you support?
Some wonderful person created this photo and probably a few on this hop will use it. 

The biggest help – don't pirate our books. Help us write what you want to read by supporting our works. Our books aren't expensive.
I have 4 books. Covers on the right side and free read tabs on the top. Pick which one you would like and give me an amazing reason why I should send you an ecopy. I might send out 1. I might send out 2. Amaze me.
Link to the other authors

Release Day for Heather Powell's Resisting Fate on Erotic Notions

 Resisting Fate
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Sunshine Press
Release Date: TODAY!!!!! - June 28th
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Emmy O’Connell is the epitome of a hot mess.
Her boyfriend’s been shipped out of town to some boarding school four states away. Her step-douche is constantly drunk and badgering her. And then there’s her good-ole-mom… The lady is nothing more than a miserable shell of a woman. She’s turned off all of her feelings and her ability to be a good mother as well, leaving poor Emmy and her four year old brother Jamie to suffer. Life couldn’t get much worse, right?
Enter the elusive, cocky, and oh-so-broody Jack Hartman…
The jerk cousin of her boyfriend becomes Emmy’s worst nightmare…times ten. He’s cruel. He’s insensitive. But he also has this strange little ability over her – he makes her weak in the knees with a single touch. No matter how miserable or amazing Jack makes her feel, Emmy can’t seem to deny him, especially when he takes on the role of her protector –her pseudo-knight in a black leather coat.
A knight who also happens to ride in on his black Harley, instead of a white horse…
And to make a bad situation worse…
Werewolves and teens shouldn’t mix! But what can Emmy do when she finds herself thrown head first into the center of it all. Can she handle the supernatural mess her life rapidly becomes or will she fight against the inevitable fate her heart desires?
Excerpt:
“That smart mouth doesn’t sit well with me,” he licked his lips. His eyes never wavered from mine.
 I nibbled on my lower lip, just as a small smile graced the edges of my mouth. Oh yeah, my bravado was about ready to kick some ass. I think I kind of liked being a smart ass.
“What are you going to do about it Jack?” I inhaled a breath, taking in his warm, delicious scent. My throat went even drier than before. I practically stared holes into his face as I studied every tiny mark, every single scar on his perfectly flawed skin. He was gorgeous, with a little scar here, a little white patch there. His hotness could have left me breathless for days if I kept up my perusal any longer.
And then I blinked, Christ. I knew exactly what had to be done. I had to kiss him. I had to get this itch scratched and then I had to move on. His eyes darkened, his breath was warm and heavy over my face, and he licked his lips. I blinked. Holy-balls… He wanted to kiss me too.
That ever-present electricity running between us wouldn’t stop. If anything, it only increased our pull. I moved in; his lips touching my lips was all I wanted. I needed to feel again, feel it all with a boy who hated me, but apparently wanted to kiss me as badly.
 Dryness on dryness soon changed to warmth on warmth, and when I pressed my mouth fully to his, his hands left my neck, and went to my waist. His fingernails dug into my sides and the son of a bitch pushed me away from him.
So there I was, my head tilted to the side, ready, willing, and able to do whatever the hell this moment led us too, and all he could do was chuckle. Yes. Chuckle. He was the biggest rat bastard.
Ever.
Author Bio:
Heather Van Fleet currently resides in northern Illinois, with her three little ladies, Kelsey, Emma, and Isabella, and her fabulous hubby (and high school sweetheart) Chris, with whom she’s been blissfully married to now for ten years. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.
Heather always had a soft spot in her heart for books, and she’s been creating her own little stories since she was a seven year old. But she never really had the confidence or the time to actually sit down and really do something about it, until her youngest daughter was born just two years ago.
Resisting Fate, book one in her Predetermined series, is her young adult, paranormal baby! It’s packed full of wolves…witches…and one sassy little red-headed teenage girl! She had an absolute blast writing it, and can’t wait to share it with the world!
Website   / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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Spotlight on Marissa Dobson's just released - Unexpected Forever

 Pregnant…
The stick turned blue and Tessa Bradley’s world fell apart. But unplanned turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Add a marriage of convenience to her best friend and unplanned just might give her the happily every after with the man she’s always loved.Deployment…Gunny Cameron White devoted his life to God, country and the Corp. Marriage has never been a blip on his radar. When his best friend—a woman he’s always loved—turns up pregnant and alone, he throws out the rule book and commits to her like a Marine. Marriage…Can two people overcome the choices of their past when an unplanned baby gives them the chance of an unexpected forever?Buy links:Sunshine Press ~ Kindle ~ Nook ~ Smashwords ~ All Romance Ebooks ~ Kobo
Excerpt: Pregnant? Tessa Bradley’s hand slid across her abdomen, was there really a little person growing inside her? Her doctor’s voice droned on, but she couldn’t hear him. She was twelve weeks pregnant without a father for her baby, and after today’s shift—an unemployed mother-to-be.It can’t be…I was so careful.She hit the end button on her cell phone, and slipped it back into her pocket. During the last nine weeks, she’d worked as the secretary for a law firm in town, while their permanent one was on maternity leave—talk about irony.How was she supposed to be a mom when she didn’t even know how to take care of herself? “Tessa, there you are.” Mr. Jacob smiled as he stepped into the office. “I wanted to give this to you before you left. It’s just a token of my appreciation for stepping into Bev’s shoes while she was on leave. I thought this might turn into a permanent position when I hired you, but Bev obviously has other plans. She wants to come back. If things change, you’ll be my first call.” He offered her a plain white envelope.“Thank you. I appreciate it.” She accepted it with a small, honest smile. Mr. Jacob was a wonderful boss and a good lawyer. He truly cared about his clients and did everything he could to fight for them both inside and out of the courtroom.“Very well, it’s Friday and we have no more clients booked for today. Why don’t you take off and enjoy your weekend?” She grasped at the generous offer, especially after the doctor’s call. She needed to get out; maybe a walk in the park would help her clear her thoughts. Maybe then, she would have a better idea what to do about her situation. In a daze, she moved around the office and gathered her things.“Thank you again for the job Mr. Jacob.” She called to him from the door as she slipped her purse over her shoulder, and let herself out for the last time.The air felt cool against her flushed skin, and the wind tugged her long brown hair, but she didn’t care. Heading into the park, she made her way past the children’s playground.One day I’ll be one of those frantic mothers watching from the bench praying my child doesn’t get injured. The countdown to ‘one day’ ticked faster than she’d ever imagined.“Tess?” He looped his arm around hers, startling her out of her reverie and pulling her to a stop.  “Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Cameron White stood before her in his breath-stealing, damn-isn’t-he-good-looking crisp blue Marine uniform. The medals on his chest made her proud—and served as the steel fence between the future she’d wanted and the life he’d chosen fifteen years ago.  He was a fine specimen of manhood—over six feet, muscular from his military training and hours in the gym, and shoulders wide enough to carry the world.Over the years, she’d nursed a long-standing fascination and attraction for Cameron, one he refused to acknowledge after he joined the Marines. She tried to supplant the desire, redirect it to someone else, but even Brian didn’t measure up to the yardstick she judged all men by. They weren’t Cameron.Young Marines spoke of him with respect, edged with fear. She knew he was strict, and expected only the best from his men, but he was also fair. Whenever someone needed a helping hand he was there, helping, guiding, but he expected his men to learn from their mistakes—to pay for their mistakes with pushups, loss of leave, whatever it took to drill the message home. He pushed his men to the breaking point, making them the finest Marines he could and he wouldn’t stand for them to give less than one hundred and ten percent.“Why are you in your dress blues?”“I just left John’s wedding, they pushed it up so they could be married before he ships out. It was a nice ceremony by the lake.”She heard him but it was as if his words came through a haze, distant and she couldn’t focus. Her legs felt heavy, and her head swam. “What’s wrong Tessa? Are you feeling okay?” He cupped a hand under her arm and guided her over to a bench. “I’m fine…I just need to go home.” God help her it was good to see him. He was like a port for a ship lost at sea but she needed to wrap her mind around what she was going to do—and how could she tell him? She didn’t think she could bear his disappointment.“Come on, I’ll take you home.” Arm around her waist, he pivoted neatly and guided her toward the street. “I’m fine. My apartment isn’t that far, I can walk. I’m sure you have other things you need to do before you have to go.”  Even to her, the words sounded flat and they wouldn’t convince him, but it was all she had left. “You’re all that matters today. I was coming over once you got off work.” Even if he didn’t believe her, he didn’t force the subject. Maybe all the years they had known each other had enlightened him to the fact that if he pushed she’d only shut down more. What am I going to tell him? She tried to think of something, anything as he led her towards his car. They only had a few days left together before his upcoming deployment. She didn’t want to ruin the time she had left with him by bringing up her mistakes.Just the thought of another deployment was enough to send her into panic mode. Yes, he was career military and that was part of his job, but it scared the hell out of her every, single time. In truth, he married the Marines from the day he enlisted. He wouldn’t be there for their weekly movie date, or nightly chats. Selfish? Yes, but he was such a large part of her life, she didn’t know how to give it up—even for only a short time—without her heart breaking.If she were honest with herself, she’d admit she was in love with him, and had been since they were sixteen. Fifteen years later nothing had changed, at least not for her. For Cameron, he’d chosen the Marines, and that loyalty was absolute. He left no part of himself free for a girlfriend, let alone a wife. No matter how much she’d always wished otherwise, Tessa had accepted they would never be anything more than friends. Cameron wouldn’t allow anything more. He said something else, but she didn’t really understand it, the world around her tilted and she swayed. Blackness swamped her vision and everything faded.

Daryl Devore is on I Heart Books - June 23 - 7pm EST

Live chat with me on Facebook. I'm talking about all my books. Yes, I'm focusing on my latest release - erotic contemporary fantasy - Capri's Fate. There will be excerpts and giveaways. And I'll answer your questions, but don't ask me why the sky is blue because I don't know.
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Spotlight - Esther Wheelmaker and Gravely Inanimated

Blurb:It has been thirty years since England was plagued by zombies. Humans fear for their lives while the dead kill the living.By the cover of night, a man known only as Aeron hunts these creatures. On one foggy evening he finds Lucille Knight's life in jeopardy and Aeron's interest is instantly peaked when he saves the young lady.But Aeron will have competition when Lucy meets Lord Garrett Ashdown, son of the Inventor, Earl Thomas. Lucy is drawn to the masked man and equally mysterious Lord. With one concealing his true identity and the other hiding a ghastly secret, she does not know which one is less dangerous.Will she be able to be with the man she chooses when she learns the awful truth?
Buy Links:B&N: http://bit.ly/ZFxvL8Amazon: http://amzn.to/YcXpj8
Excerpt:Zombies limped toward me, bloody and disfigured, a chaste moon slinging shadows against their lurching fingers. Their crimson-splattered mouths were hungry for my flesh. A few pulled the lower half of their bodies with their ashen, supple hands.Some moved faster than others; they must have fed recently. How I had been stupid enough to head home from a friend’s house at such a late hour baffled me now.  Thirty years since the zombie apocalypse and sixteen years since my birth meant I had grown up knowing what should and should not be done. Yet here I was. Fear caused me to think as clear as a drunkard bent over a garbage pail.Even though Queen Victoria had commanded a good majority of her soldiers into the streets of England to protect her people, it still remained a bloody mess. Some of us still lived with a false sense of security though.I screamed, the sound echoing off the brick buildings. The streets were empty. Smart people were safe at home. The others were in taverns dancing and drinking. I wondered if anyone heard me or if everyone was ignoring me, as I had done so many times before.Puddles of water splashed against me as I ran. My boots kept my feet warm, breath heavy against the cold. My hand caught my fall as I skidded to the left, the back of my leather skirt ripping against a wooden box I raced past. The whistle of a train broke through the sound of death following close behind. I ran into a chain-linked fence, and my rubber soles scraped against the stone road as I came to a halt. I had misjudged my aim. I had meant to go down Lily Road, toward my house. Instead I went down Dead End Road…literally.With my back against the fence, I stared through my strands of shoddy raspberry-colored hair and into the dead faces before me. Ten of them. Slow and stupid, but large in numbers. The queen tried to keep these diseased creatures under wraps. Over the last few months, they began multiplying and soon became too much for our countries troops.Again, I let out a petrified scream, but no soldier came. I imagined my neighbors shutting their windows and locking their doors. Another attack wasn’t anything new, and everyone depended on the Queen’s men to help.Here I was, at the mercy of these demons, my black-and-white thigh-high stockings slithering down from my ruffled petticoat. Even with gloves covering my hands, the coolness of the steel gate behind me seeped through.Crusty dried blood covered the mouth of the zombie closest to me, and I shut my eyes when his mouth showed teeth stained with yellow.“You can’t see me, you can’t see me.” I mumbled a childish thought, one would have when only a tot.The static tenor of a thunderous grinding reverberated in my ears. I opened my eyes. What sounded like the ringing of metal slicing through brittle rock was a sword splitting the flesh and bone of the zombie in front of me. I tried to back into the chain-linked fence, hoping to meld into it and be free from the havoc before me. Blood doused my chest; my eyebrows creased my forehead, my mouth deepening with a frown.Another zombie with haggard brown pieces of hair staggered up to me. Her hand crept toward my face. My muscles clenched, matching my corset-tightened waist. I pressed the side of my face against the steel to the point I knew it would leave an impression. Peeking through the corner of my eye, I witnessed a blade strike her temple. The blood of the monster squirted against me and I flinched.A gloved hand grabbed my shoulder, and an arm came under me before I experienced cool air sweeping against my sweaty face. The ground became distant as I was lifted over the fence and to the open road on the other side. My blood pumped with fright while I pounded the body holding me, afraid I had been captured by another type of monster. Arms grasped me closer as if I was Hade’s captor, Persephone, and we were crossing through to the underworld.“Stop that or I’ll toss you back to be food.” He had an acute amorous voice.One calloused hand was around my thigh and his other held my waist. The rapid wind assaulted me as he took us both away from the zombies now obscured in my rear view.I was being rescued by some pale stranger with long black hair hiding behind a mask. Thoughts turned into a jumbled mess as I wondered if I should scream for rescue or hold on tighter. How could I know if he was truly here to help me or saved me only to murder me himself?It was hard to see through it all, but I knew his eyes were boring into me. My breath caught as I feared what we might run into with his vision diverted. My face flushed while fear continued to sear through my stomach with a stabbing sensation.“Stop looking at me and start looking at where you are going!”The strange man’s face hardened in contrast to his one high apple-shaped cheek bone I could see brushed with a light pink color. One eye had a monocle between his eyebrow and bottom lid, with two other monocles reaching up above the other. Through the dark lenses, I thought I glimpsed a red eye similar to those of the zombies.His dimpled cheeks creased into a smile. “Don’t worry, I can do both,” he assured me, yet my heart still pummeled and the stinging prickles against my skin gave no whisper of disappearing.“Put me down!” Between my endorphins running rapid, the shear shame of needing saving, and my fear of this stranger, I decided to resort to indignation.He slowed until he was at a jog. Now I could clearly see that his other eye was protected by a mask covering half of his face. The plate was made of leather with cog teeth at the bottom surrounded by a lighter beige oxhide. It appeared menacing and didn’t help to drown my dread in mud.“Die by zombie, die by running into a wall, they both leave my soul diminished.”“What? No thank you?” He came to a stop, still holding me firmly.My lips tightened with a hardness I’d inherited from my father. “Thank you, you silly boy.” I squirmed until he let me down. My knees buckled and he caught me, helping to keep me upright. I tried to push him away. “I don’t need your help.”He didn’t even budge. “It would not appear that way.” He crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow.When my legs felt sturdy, I stepped back and glared straight into his monocle. “I can take care of myself. Thank you for your help, but please leave me be.” My hand searched inside my pocket for my steam-ignited pistol, but I found nothing. I had left it on top of my dresser at home. Bloody hell, I was more absent-headed than normal tonight.He shook his head, his hair swung back and forth, stark against his pale face. “You are such a disappointment as a woman.”I gasped. “Pardon me?” My face pinched, and I clenched my fists.He sighed heavily as if bored with me. “I am met with hostility even though I saved your life.”“How dare you! What is your name? I shall make it a sin to be spoken.”The braveness of his chuckle along with his grin made me step back. “Aeron, and please make my name a sin to speak. You are a ghastly mess and should be taught proper manners.”With my feet planted on the pavement, I grew angry with the way Aeron spoke to me. The desperate groan of the zombies had faded, and my house was less than a block away. All I wanted to do was lay my head down to meet my pillow.“Thank you.” I tried to put more softness behind the words, but my gritted teeth didn’t help. “I’ll be fine now.”“You’re welcome, even though you are quite difficult.” Aeron’s words sent bolts of electricity through my core. I turned around so he wouldn’t see the rage on my face. “Try to keep yourself safe. I won’t always be around to save you.” His nonchalance was insulting, as if he thought I was a simpleton was loud and clear.God, he was so cocky! I didn’t need him, or anyone else, coming to my rescue. If he hadn’t shown up, I would have figured a way out. “I’ll be just fine!”The emptiness became apparent when the silence overcame the dim scenery around me. He had gone without a goodbye, and I jogged the rest of the way home. After removing the long chain from around my neck, I picked out the correct key and unlocked the door. I lived with my father and several servants in a double townhouse. We weren’t as upper class as that Aeron man thought, but we were known well enough throughout the city.When I was inside, I turned the golden knob to snap the lock back in place. Two automated arms came over the door and clasped each other at the mechanical wrists for extra security.I leaned back. My head hit the hard wood of the door. I let out a breath. Dragging my feet up the stairs, I almost made it to my room without a hitch when a squeak from down the hall caught my attention.“Good evening, Father,” I said without looking.“How many times are we going to have to go over this before I get it through that thick skull of yours? Walking around after sunset is dangerous, and you are forbidden to do so!”Forcing a bright smile, I went to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m fine, Father. Look!” When I stepped back, I opened my arms wide and did a circle. “See?”“Bloody hell, Lucy, look at you. Tights falling, skirt raised, hair askew…What were you doing tonight?”Bollocks, I should have fixed my clothing when I came in. “I was…I was running home because I heard a noise.” Which was ten zombies behind me, hungry for my brains. “I came from Emily’s house. I lost track of ti—”“You will help Olivia with the dishes after breakfast tomorrow!”“I am sixteen years old, Father! You must stop treating me as though I am a mere child!”“Until you are taking care of a husband of your own, you will do as I say.” His mustache twitched. “Now go to bed!”With a rumble of frustration, I stomped my foot and went off to my room. The first thing I did was tear off my clothes, leaving them were they landed, and changed into a long white gown before going to the vanity and taking a brush to my knotted locks.My father never talked about what happened when the zombies first rose, but I knew he had been through a lot. A vast majority of England had been wiped out when they first showed up.The zombies appeared to favor the night when partiers and drinkers were susceptible. From watching several during the day, it did give the impression that they were much weaker when the sun was up.If it had not been for the famous inventor Earl Thomas Ashdown and all of his automatons, England would be nothing more than a feasting ground for those disgusting creatures. When more time passed, his steam-powered inventions became more advanced and helped us build an army that could at least defend England from the zombies. However, with one dead, it was as if three more emerged. As of late, it seemed that more automatons were in need, and it had been over a year since a new model was made.Many stories about how the zombies came to be floated around. The most popular story became the gossip of a voodoo queen who obtained the souls of unsuspecting humans. It had been said that she captured the victim’s shadow, and then, little by little, took hold of their body until she possessed the entire person. The person would die, and the voodoo queen would raise them from the grave later that night to put them into a comatose trance. Which turned them into a slave, needing only human brains, flesh, and blood to survive.After that, the voodoo queen’s curse passed from the zombie to whatever human it drew blood from. One would become nothing more than an animated corpse soon to haunt the streets in tattered rags without any memory of whom or what they once were…or, at least, that was the rumor. Soldiers searched for the queen behind the wreckage, but not much was found to prove it.There was no other explanation, and the Royal Family was known for their secrets and keeping their people calm…well, calmer state by never acknowledging such a person existed. I could imagine the riots that would ensue, people searching any house they pleased to find out where she was.For a moment I stopped brushing my hair. I do wonder if their soul was trapped inside their body, and they realize everything they are doing even though they don’t really want to do it. They’re just remnants of a person who once was, dreaming of death as their flesh rots, entirely subservient and bound to the ascendancy of that wicked queen.People had whispered that they have seen her. She was said to have on a ball gown made of spider web and goblin silk, dirty matted hair twisted into dreadlocks, wild eyes that flashed red when looked into directly and dark skin that was no smoother than that of an alligator. Or so people alleged. I wasn’t sure anyone could see such a woman and not fall over dead where they stood! How ghastly it would be. I shuddered at the thought and put my brush down.The idea was less speculation since the outbreak began in London instead of somewhere else around the world.After I rubbed my temples, I felt my bay window beckoned to me. Sitting on the thin cushion, I pressed my finger against the glass filled with condensation and pushed open the French-style window. Zombies had yet to climb trees to get to anyone so I didn’t fear my window being open.“I see you are home safe.”I covered my mouth before a small yelp came from me. When I scanned the street, I noticed Aeron leaning against a small tree. “Go away.” I tried to keep my voice low so my father wouldn’t hear.“I only wanted to make sure I had not gone out of my way for you to get into trouble a few steps from your house, Miss Knight.”He must have read my surname off our plaque. Shaking my head, I pulled the window shut and took to my bed, raising the covers high over my body. “What an annoying boy.”Still, he did save my life, the little voice in my head said as I stared up at the canopy above.Why did I treat him so harshly when he only wanted to keep me alive? I turned on my side and hugged my pillow tighter. Maybe it had been the suddenness of it all. I became caught up in the moment, truly upset with myself for being so naive and using him to take my anger out on instead of berating myself. I was such a clever girl. He was still a stupid boy though.

Spotlight on The Demon Side Series

 The Demon Side Series
ByHeaven Leigh Eldeen
The Demon Side (The Demon Side Series, #1)

Blurb:  “Every kid has problems. Every kid has even more problems when they move to a new home. But when a kid with problems moves to a new home that has a Demon living inside it—look out!
 Etta’s world is about to spin out of control when she encounters her new roommate—and Rahovart, that ancient trickster, is in for a few surprises too. So don’t mind all the crashing and rumbling; that’s just the normal noise Angels and Demons make when they’re fighting an epic war in the attic.
 One thing’s for sure: Etta and Rahovart will have to go through Hell to Heaven and back again before that old Victorian home in Quantico Town finally quiets down… ”
Excerpt – The Demon Side:
Etta plopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for a few moments. I wished I could hear her thoughts. Her father had just admitted to being a murderer for all practical purposes, though that was not how I viewed him. I truly believed John only tried to save the village, but his fervor and some help from a desperate Alastor, turned what should have been a heroic act into a bloodbath. Many men have unknowingly fallen from grace in the name of the greater good. Now, hopefully Etta would see that her father was just the victim of blurred lines between good and evil.
“What are you thinking?” I asked as I lay down next to her on the bed.
“Can a person still go to Heaven even if they’ve killed someone?”
“Well, I’m not in the business of getting people to Heaven, Etta. That’s the last place I want them to go,” I reluctantly replied.
“Even if it were me?” Etta stared hard at me with watery eyes, looking right into my blackened soul. I never gave much thought to where her soul would go, except to stop her from mistakenly giving it to me.
“That is a choice for you to make. I can’t force you to choose a side. I can only put the temptations in front of you.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“What do you want me to say? I want to see you burn in the depths of Hell? You’ll never hear that from me. Only you and your actions can decide where you go when you leave this world.”
“I would go if it meant I could be with you, you know.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” As much as I would have loved for that to be the case, her comment angered me. I couldn’t imagine a person like her becoming something like me.
“I know that when you’re around I feel safe nothing could ever hurt me. I get butterflies in my stomach when you touch me. I know your soul, Ra. I don’t know how, but I know. I knew it the second I saw you. You weren’t meant for this existence. You fought for good once, and I’m certain you will again.” Etta was strong in words. She spoke with solid confidence. She described what I felt.
The Human Side (The Demon Side Series, #2)

Blurb:  From above, Etta’s life seems to be calming down in the town of Quantico, Virginia, but with every passing moment away from his love, Rahovart finds the emptiness unbearable. After redeeming himself once again as an Arch, Rahovart is still unable to let his past go. Needing to be near Etta, he strikes a deal with Father—except it turns into a mission with great consequences.
With Arch Angel Gabriel in tow, Rahovart sets out to prove himself worthy of Etta’s love, only to face discouragement from Etta’s father, John, and her new boyfriend, Tristan—on top of the threats made to Etta. Would he be able to protect her if she no longer remembered him or shared the love the once held so dearly?
One thing’s for sure: The past, with all of its secrets and lies will come back to haunt them all.
Excerpt – The Human Side:
“I have two solutions, but the choice of which to accept is up to you. There is plenty of time to think about these choices, but remember, whatever you choose, you will be bound to it.”
“What are the choices Father?”
“Your first choice is an exchange. Swear never to interfere with Etta’s life again, and all you have lost will be restored, including rank and principalities. If and when she returns to Heaven, her memories will be restored. Break the promise at any time for any reason, your soul shall be sent to Purgatory and Etta’s Guardians will be removed from her detail. As for the second choice, go to Earth in human form with no wings, no abilities. Show Etta the same cruelty and disdain as when the Demon Rahovart met her. Etta fell in love with a Demon once. It should be quite interesting to see if she can do it again. She must profess her love without coaxing or prompting. There can be no mention of our deal or what lies beyond the veil, including who you truly are, where you come from. Fail to abide by the rules or rekindle her affections, your days shall be spent on Earth with no recollection of life beyond the veil. But, succeed, and you can return home with the added benefit of continuing your relationship with her. Visit her anytime as long as it does not interfere with work.”
I listened intently as Father explained my options. Both carried heavy consequences if I failed to abide by their guidelines. He’d given me a life or death decision to make, but I didn’t need time to think. Without thought or question, I gave Father my answer.

Available at:www.decadentpublishing.comwww.amazon.comwww.kobo.comwww.barnesandnoble.comwww.smashwords.comwww.bookstrand.comwww.allromanceebooks.comwww.itunes.comwww.diesel-ebooks.comwww.omnilit.comwww.ebookstore.sony.com 
About the Author: Heaven Liegh Eldeen started her writing career three years ago after being challenged by a relative. With her ‘Oh, Yes I can!’ attitude, determination and support from her family, she completed her first novel The Demon Side, which released in October 2011 and has been a finalist for Best Paranormal Romance in Romcom Inc.’s 2011 Reader Crown Awards as well as Oklahoma Romance Writers of America 2012 International Digital Awards. On November 28th, 2012 she celebrated the release of The Human Side; book two of The Demon Side series, which won Turning the Pages YA Paranormal Romance of the Year.

When she’s not kissing owies, climbing Mount Dishmore, or obsessing over her Facebook book page, you can find her at the computer revising or editing one of her five works in progress or Saturday evenings as a co-host to KMYC’s 1410AM The Dirt’s with Lori Schulz.  Having lived in many states, she has now settled down in California with her husband, her son, and a beta fish named Barry and guinea pig Skunkers.Website   Blog   Twitter   Facebook   MySpace

COVER REVEAL - Andrea Cooper's - Viking Fire

 And here it is - Andrea Cooper's latest cover
856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth, magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century. Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage. Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon, is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking. She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will love find its way around her stubborn heart? Bram, the Viking, finds himself without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent? With the blame for a rival laird’s death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping at their heels.

Andrea’s Bio: Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Viking Fire is her second novel with Crimson Romance and is a historical romance. Viking Fire will be forthcoming July 29, 2013.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.cooper.92798?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Andrea-R-Cooper/166940566787999Twitter:@AndreaRCooperWebsite: www.AndreaRCooper.comBuy Links:  Crimson Romance ebooks  |  Amazon  |  B&N  |  iTunes

Spotlight on Kylie Wolfe and Rayven's Keep

Rayven’s KeepKylie WolfeTru Creighton wants her wealthy and powerful family to take her seriously. Sneaking away to investigate bookkeeping discrepancies from one of their holdings seems the perfect opportunity to prove her worth. Stranded on a hostile planet with a price on her head, she seizes her one opportunity for survival. Nick Rayven, determined to build his reputation and fledgling security company, doesn’t flinch at difficult and dangerous missions. A former soldier and refugee from a war-demolished planet, he battles to create order and stifle his painful memories. His hard-won accomplishments are threatened when a spoiled heiress in danger awakens emotions he thought long gone. Two people with plenty to prove risk everything to unravel their tangled missions. His sense of duty and vulnerable heart compel him to fight his growing attraction to her. Her heart demands she follow it straight into his arms. The people behind the conspiracy keeping them together and in harm’s way have other ideas. CONTENT WARNING: Language & Violence TAG: Drugs, murder, conspiracy, and a headstrong heiress complicate his covert security mission. A Lyrical Press Science Fiction Romance
Excerpt: The lights shut off, except those on the helm, casting eerie blue shadows on their faces. Tru’s apprehension rose as she tested her shoulder harness and fidgeted in her seat. She looked to him, and drew strength from his rock-solid presence. She didn’t know much about solar storms-- only enough to be frightened. She clutched the armrest. “Impact in three, two...” Siren intoned matter-of-factly. The invisible wave hit them and electrical sparks flashed over the ship’s nose, coming at them with terrifying swiftness. Blistering shocks pulsed along her skin and nerves felt as if they were on fire, burning her up from the inside out. “Shields strong, life support holding,” Siren continued. The ship bucked and lurched, snapping Tru’s head forward then back. “Siren, how long until we’re out of the storm?” Nick demanded, while he continued to monitor the power to the shields and make rapid adjustments only he understood. The ship’s engine groaned and metal screeched from the force of the storm. Lights flickered on the helm, sparks flying from wires affected by the solar pulses battering them. “Hang on, Tru. We’re almost through,” he assured her while he swiftly rerouted connections.

Sexy Red Hood on Sneak Peek Sunday

Since Sexy Red Hood just received a 5 star review - I thought I'd give her a chance to show off.

This is a dream sequence - Red is having a bit of a menage.


"Fuck me, Will! You feel so good. So strong. I need you. Deeper! Ah!" She wrapped her legs around his hips and pressed him against her. "Harder, Will." His force increased as she urged him on. Her body screamed for release, but she resisted. His pleasuring was a drug and she'd become an addict.
Nevertheless, her orgasm would not be denied. It erupted with the power of a volcano and flowed over her with the force of tsunami. Screams of ecstasy were released as her body convulsed around his throbbing penis. He arched, tensed and hissed as she felt him explode inside her. Aftershocks of joy rippled through her body as she relaxed.
Will pressed his lips to hers as he withdrew and snuggled next to her.
She turned her head to the left, brushed her hair out of her face, looked at a dejected Chopper and reached out to him. But instead of him joining them in bed, he morphed into her grandmother, who said, "Nr st a f n sp hing."
"What? I don't understand."
Will put his lips next to her ear and whispered, "She said, never trust a wolf in sheep's clothing." 
Buy links -
New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Sexy-Hood-Twisted-Fairy-ebook/dp/B0055L1KJY
Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66071
All Romance Ebooks – http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sexyredhood-562333-149.html
Kobo - http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Daryl+Devore&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=averagerating&g=both
Other Sneak Peekers