Tara Chevrestt's Blog, page 131

Mage's Bane by Chacelyn Pierce

[image error] I've never read about Mage's before now and never realized the different levels of witches and demons. There's a lot to it and through Ari's eyes we can see the inner dealings.

Ari is known as a rogue Akasha Mage. She's run off to do her own thing, be it getting kicked out of apartments, digging though dumpsters, dating Faes, or calling her super hot Djinn, Riaz.

It's during one these Riaz summonings that she finds out she's got a demon on her tail. Someone wants her dead. This means spending more time with the hot Djinn as she needs him to keep her safe...right? (Hey, we'll take whatever excuse we can.)

Secrets unfold...about Riaz and his past, about Ari's beginnings and family. It's action packed and full of sexual tension. Paranormal romance lovers won't want to miss this one.

Buy here.

Love on the Rocks by Lorraine Nelson

If you had a crazed ex boyfriend after you whom charges just rolled right off of...and you couldn't provide for your baby or keep her safe, what would you do?

Sara gives her away... yet finds a way to stay in the baby's life thanks to a handsome and kind doctor that takes the child in... but he doesn't know she's really the mother. When he finds out, what will he think of her?

Romance, secrets, and lies that come back to haunt... This is sweet confection (no sex) guaranteed to warm the soul and have readers rooting for the hero and heroine.

Love on the Rocks is available on the Breathless Press site. This is not a review. I edited this book and I'm proud of my author. :)

Morrigan by Laura DeLuca, Cover Art Reveal and Contest

Welcome to the Morrigan Cover Reveal Giveaway, sponsored by Author Laura DeLuca, Mom to Bed by 8, The Sisters Elemental, The Whimsical Pixie, Crones Magical Crafts / Moonwise Creationz, and New Age Mama! This is a giveaway filled with magic and we're sure you will enjoy walking through the land of Tír Na nÓg with our heroine and all her supporters.  To start off the fun, lets share a little about the YA novel, Morrigan, which is due to be released by Pagan Writers Press on October 31st, 2012!

Morrigan Blurb
Shuffled from place to place in the foster system, Morrigan
doesn't know the meaning of home. Plus, she is different. She has power over
fire, the ability to move objects with her mind, and glimpse into the future.
Just when she believes her life can’t get any stranger, she discovers her true
identity.
Filtiarn, a knight with a dark past and a surprising secret,
has been tasked with guiding the heir of Tír Na NÓg through countless perils to
be returned to her family. Once Morrigan has been reunited with her mother and
grandmother, their triad can save the forgotten land of magic from being
devoured by an ancient evil.

Morrigan Excerpt       Morrigan took out a white candle and a
stick of dragon blood incense, and set them up in the corner of the room. She
sat cross-legged, and leaned forward to light them. No matches were
necessary.  No lighter either. She simply
touched her finger to the end of the wick, and with an iridescent spark, the
candle flickered to life.  It shone at
first with a bright blue flame that gradually settled into a more normal
orange. It was the same with the incense—another reason why she preferred not
to have an audience.     
She stared into the candle for a moment, and took a few deep breaths to
clear her mind of all thoughts but those of the magic she intended to perform.
Danu and Dagda sat on either side of her, instantly falling into silence, as
though they knew she needed her complete concentration. Their energy beside her
only seemed to add to the every growing sense of power that charged the room.    
Morrigan closed her eyes and began to shuffle the cards. As she did, she
allowed her breathing to become more even. A silence filled the room as the
rest of the mortal world fell away. Soon the only sound she heard was the light
thump of her own heartbeat, echoed by the quicker, fast paced beat of the cats’
hearts. She wasn’t sure how much time passed as the cards slipped through her
fingers. It might have been minutes. It might have been hours. When she allowed
herself to fall into a trace, time became insubstantial, irrelevant.      
The tarot cards were so old; the designs on the back were almost
completely worn away. She had to shuffle gently to keep them from crumbling to
pieces in her hands. Yet they held a power that she knew no newer cards could
ever offer. As she shuffled them, she focused her energy into them,
silently requesting to be given the answers she was seeking.  She allowed the image of her mother to fill
her mind. When she finally felt the cards had fallen into the order they were
meant to be in, she placed the deck face down on the floor, and cut them with
her right hand. Then, taking one last, calming breath, she lifted the top card
from the pile. With a trembling hand, she laid it down and read it.    
“Wheel of Fortune,” she said aloud.      In the center of card was a wheel. As she
stared at the picture, that wheel seemed to start turning clockwise. The
movements made her feel slightly dizzy. The bedroom around her became more and
more surreal.  The scene on the card
became her reality. The figure of the sphinx that sat on top of the turning
wheel looked so very real. It might have turned its head to look at her. Its
lips may or may not have moved. But Morrigan swore she heard a deep, resonating
voice whispering the meaning of the card into her ear. Destiny approaching. An
unexpected and sudden change was coming—change that could lead to good
fortune.        It was the card of fate and karma
returned. It meant that she needed to be prepared—to expect the unexpected.
Morrigan knew the cards were telling her something was going to happen—and
soon. Her destiny, whatever it was, was about to be realized. Even if it did
bring with it fortune of some kind, it still scared her to death. So much so,
she considered packing up the cards right then and there. Her rational mind had
every intention of doing just that. The problem was, her hands didn’t get the
message her brain was sending them. Before she knew what she was doing, she had
already flipped over the second card.    
“The Empress,” she whispered. She exhaled deeply. “My mother.”       It was the only interpretation
imaginable. Even as she said it, the pregnant woman, crowned with stars and
adorned in a gown decorated with pomegranates, turned to her and smiled. No
longer the vague featureless stranger that was there just a moment ago, but the
same woman she had sketched earlier that day—a face that mirrored her own. It
was an older version of herself, which she saw in the reflection in the nearby
full length mirror, had turned chalk white.     
The Empress was a symbol of maternal power—of a strong feminine
influence. But could it mean…did she even dare to hope that her mother was
returning? She had never allowed herself to consider such a possibility. To
dwell on something so unlikely would have been too painful.  But now, with just the flip of a card, she
found herself daring to dream it might be so. There was only one way to find
out for sure. She had to keep going with the reading.    
“Six of Cups.”

      The third card in the spread
represented her past, and even her immediate present. The six of cups
specifically symbolized childhood, and she was, technically, still a child. But
she had a feeling that her childhood was about to end quite abruptly. The cups
in the picture were lined up across a high, stone wall, each cup holding the
memories of her past.     
Her past. It was nothing but a childhood filled with longing—longings
which were perhaps about to be fulfilled. 
She visualized herself taking each cup down from the wall, and pouring
the troubling memories away. It was time to start fresh. A new world was about
to open up for her. She had known it as soon as she had seen the image of her
mother’s face. But what would that world be like? What was waiting for her in
the future? 
   Morrigan turned over the fourth
card.    
“The Knight of Wands.”      The man on the horse carrying the staff
had her baffled. Not because she didn’t know its normal meaning, but because as
she stared at the card, it began to take on the physical attributes of the
knight in her drawings.  He had the same
long dreadlocks, the same bewitching stare, even the same cocky smile. It was
not at all the blank face that was nearly worn away from time that should been
staring back at her. Yet, the familiarity did not cancel out the meaning of the
card. The knight of wands was representative of a dark man filled with a kind
of honey-tongued charm. He was also fiery and arrogant, a man with a definite
possibility of a dark side. If the knight of wands was coming into her life,
she knew she needed to proceed with caution.      She thought she was done with the fourth
card, and was preparing to move on to the next, when once again, she found she
had lost control of her own body. This time, her hands refused to move, while
her eyes forced their way back to the knight in the card. She watched as the
longhaired stranger began to move forward—wondering over various
landscapes—some high mountains, some meadows and fields ripe for the harvest.
He kept looking back over his shoulder, as though he were speaking to someone.
He was on a journey, and he wasn’t alone. Morrigan didn’t need to see his
companion to know who it must be.     
So, her journey would soon begin, and she wouldn’t be traveling alone.
She would have a guide. Whether or not that would be a good thing was another
question best left to the cards to answer. However, the next card told her
nothing she didn’t already know.      “The Moon,” she said. “Caution.”      It was a scary card. It warned of tricks
and illusions. The two howling wolves that stood under the moon looked back at
her menacingly, growling, showing their pointed fangs in a snarl.  For the first time since she began the
reading, Danu and Dagda made their presence known by lifting their heads and hissing
threateningly in the direction of the beasts.       Even the cats sensed it. The journey she
was about to embark on wouldn’t be all fun and family reunions. There would be
obstacles and deceit, most likely from people she though could be trusted. The
moon was a sign that danger was certainly awaiting her. In was an ominous omen.      “Shhhh.”     
She hushed the still hissing cats, and gave them each a gentle stroke to
try to settle them down, though she was far from settled herself. Again she felt
the urge to stop the spread. Her instincts were telling her that no good was
going to come out of this reading. That she was only going to scare herself.
She should never have done it in the first place. When would she learn that
sometimes it was best to just let life play out without interference or
prophetic warnings? Then again, she knew that to be forewarned might be her
only advantage. So with more bravery than she felt, Morrigan flipped over the
final card.      “No…” she gasped when she looked down at
the terrible, skeletal face.  “Oh no…”    
She should have known. She thought perhaps a part of her did know
even before she glanced down at the gruesome scene—a skeleton with a scythe in
a field of body parts. With the divination going in the direction it was, what
else could be the final outcome?     
“Death,” she whispered. “Death.”    
She knew that in most cases, the death card was more a symbol of
personal transformation than literal death. But a deeper sense of understanding
told her that this time the card was meant to be taken literally. She saw only
glimpses and shadows in her mind. Brief flashes of faces, some familiar, like
her mother and the knight—some still strangers, like a beautiful, almost
angelic blonde woman in a flowing white gown. But around them all, including
herself, she saw the shadows of death. Someone would die. That was
certain. Whether that person was Morrigan or someone else, neither the cards
nor her sixth sense was willing to reveal.          Morrigan felt decidedly shaky as she
gathered up her tarot cards. She placed them securely in the bottom of her bag
just as she heard the door downstairs slam shut. The reading hadn’t made
everything as crystal clear as she had hoped, but one thing was certain. She
would soon be leaving on a journey—a journey that would undoubtedly end in
death.


About the Author
Laura
“Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four
children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young
at heart.  In addition to writing
fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a  review blog called New Age
Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been
studying Wicca for close to eight years

Other Books By Laura DeLuca

Phantom Available  for $3.99 in e-book format or currently $15.73 for print copies on Amazon.



The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had always found
enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the play
that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses
“Phantom” as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the
middle of an unlikely love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker
who uses the lines from the play as their calling card.



Rebecca
lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her
character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and
basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely
appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured
artist.



Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to
happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered.
People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents
until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more
sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the
phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain
reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running
out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when
the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally
be revealed.

 Destiny

Available for only $.99 in e-book format or $14.95 for print version on Amazon.



Gabriella is a witch. The problem is, she doesn't remember. She
repressed the memories of her powers years ago when her mother was
murdered. Now, the warlock who was responsible for her mother's death
has set his sights on Gabriella. He is determined to use her fear to
turn her to the dark side of magick…even if it kills her. Her mother's
spirit is reaching out to warn her, but even that she pushes away.
Desperate to save her daughter, the spirit finds a male witch–one that
just happens to be in love with Gabriella. Darron is more than willing
to help but the two young witches will have way more to battle than just
an evil warlock. There are overbearing jocks and petty rich girls who
get tempers flaring and often set Gabrielle and Darron at odds.



There
is more to the story than Gabrielle and Darron could even imagine.
There are terrible secrets to be revealed, battles to be waged, and
lives will be lost. Only after Gabrielle and Darron both come to terms
with who they really are, and open themselves up to the true meaning of
magick, can they have any hope of fulfilling their destiny.


 Destiny Unveiled

Available for only $3.99 for e-book version or $14.89 for print version on Amazon.



Gabriella and Darron thought their magickal battle was over when they
defeated the evil warlock, Richard. When her Aunt Donna seeks
Gabriella's help in rescuing her catatonic daughter from the Dark Coven,
Gabriella discovers that her cousin holds a power within her that would
be catastrophic in the hands of the evil witches. Gabriella's coven
sets out on a journey that may be their last. Along the way, they meet
new allies, face devastating treachery, and battle not only the Dark
Coven, but the darkness within themselves. When Gabriella finally comes
face to face with the cousin she never knew existed, her true destiny is
unveiled, and the fate of the mortal world is in her hands.
THE GIVEAWAY
And now for the exciting part! Three fabulous Etsy shops have created original works of art to go along with the Morrigan cover! Below you fill find the prizes they are sponsoring, as well as links to their shops in case you would like to order any of their wonderful products for yourselves.
The Whimsical Pixie
The Whimsical Pixie offers an array of unique hand crafted items for the
altar, home and garden for practicing pagans and the whimsical at
heart. New for Spring, The Whimsical Pixie has Sabbat kits, ritual kits
and more to enhance your celebrations. 


Paula from the Whimsical Pixie has created a beautiful wood burned tarot card box emblazoned with the Celtic symbol featured in the title of Morrigan. The box has special significance to the story. If you read the excerpt above, you will see that Morrigan is quite gifted with Tarot cards.   The box measures 5.25"Lx3.25"Wx2"H; retail value $26.99; tarot cards not included. 

The Sisters Elemental
The Sisters Elemental offer natural luxury bath salts, cold process
soaps, hand and body lotions, and other spiritual & inspirational
tools to help you connect to the Universe. They hope you enjoy them as
much as they enjoy creating them! Much love and light to you and yours,
~*Earth*~, ~*Fire*~, and ~*Water*~ 

 Commissioned by Laura DeLuca to make something that will pull you in to
the world of Morrigan, the main character of her to-be-released book
Morrigan, we think that this combination will bring you to her world. A
mixture of Dragon's Blood, Cypress, and Sweet Orange essential oils with
an accent of Hibiscus petals will leave you feeling blessed by the
goddess and wrapped in magick. Created by ~*Fire*~ 


Using seashells from the beautiful beaches in Florida, I hand painted
the Elder Futhark rune symbols on each shell. Used like regular runes,
they give guidance for almost anything imaginable. The most amazing part
about these is the connection to the ocean. They are infused with the
sea, and loving thoughts of peace and love from me, as I painted them. I
believe you'll find these an amazing addition to your divination tools.
And maybe even feel a little more connected to the ocean and it's life!


 Mother Earth handmade cold process soap ~ very outdoors and earthy; made
with cypress, cedarwood, fir needle, wintergreen, and patchouli
essential oils and lightly colored with green zeolite clay. Get in
touch with Mother Nature herself! ~*Earth*~ Creation: All my
soaps are infused with positive energy, love, and made with 100% natural
vegan ingredients right in my own kitchen. Approximately 4.5 oz bar. Moonwise Creationz / Crones Magical Crafts 



Moonwise Creationz/Crones Magical Crafts offers Jewelry Design and Fine Crafts ! Inspired
by Mother Moon and the divine feminine. Goddess Jewellery, priestess
crowns, ritual tools. altar sets, charm bracelets. Pentacles,and sacred
symbols, amulets and all things magical! 



Commissioned exculsivly for Author Laura Deluca in celebration of her latest novel Morrigan.

This one of a kind jewellry set features bold and striking colors of Baby and periwinkle blues accented with pastel greens. Made with gemstones of sodalite crystals,and Tiara crystal beads and
glass pearls accented with delicate silver filigree and celtic knot
beads.The focal Of the necklace is a striking sodalite cabochon
with a detailed silver celtic triquetra knot ,set on a filigree cameo
frame.

The set comes with a matching charm bracelet, and earrings.

Retail Value of 70.00$

Compliments Of Crones Magical Crafts & Moonwise Creationz

Denise Reid * Jewelry Artist
Author Laura DeLuca
Author Laura DeLuca is also offering a signed copy of her debut novel, Destiny, a rose quartz pendant, three packs of incense, three crystal points, a clear crystal pendant, and a geode.  ARV: $50.
Mom to Bed by 8 and New Age Mama

And finally, our two sponsoring mommy bloggers are each tossing in a $25 Gift Certificate to Amazon for a total of $50 . The total value of the complete prize package is well over $300! One lucky winner is going to walk away with all this fantastic swag!  To enter, just fill out the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to the US & Canada, but please note the prize in is US dollars. The giveaway will end at 12:01 est on 9/28/12.  Winner will be selected at random and will have 48 hours to reply to the winning notification before another winner is selected.a Rafflecopter giveaway





A super huge thank you goes out to all the wonderful sponsors as well as the bloggers and authors who helped make this giveaway possible!  We would also like to thank Paragraphic Designs for designing the beautiful cover for Morrigan!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. YOUR BLOG NAME HERE is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Announcement!

For two days only...drumroll, please...Ride for Rights, my historical young adult novel is FREE  on Amazon. 
That's all I wanted to say about that. LOL. For those of you who don't know what's it about,  here is the blurb:

In the summer of 1916 women do not have the right to vote, let alone be motorcycle dispatch riders. Two sisters, Angeline and Adelaide Hanson are determined to prove to the world that not only are women capable of riding motorbikes, but they can ride motorbikes across the United States. Alone. 

From a dance hall in Chicago to a jail cell in Dodge City, love and trouble both follow Angeline and Adelaide on the dirt roads across the United States. The sisters shout their triumph from Pike’s Peak only to end up lost in the Salt Lake desert. 

Will they make it to their goal of Los Angeles or will too many mishaps prevent them from reaching their destination and thus, hinder their desire to prove that women can do it?


For those of you who do go to the page and download it free, would you mind giving the book a "Like" and  taking the time to tag it?

In other news, Dog Tails is $1.99 for the month of August and back up to its original $2.99 next month. 

Thanks, all! Happy reading! I'll have more books out there soon. :)

The Road Back by Liz Harris

I give this book major points for uniqueness, in story, setting, and ending. It's also very heavy on grief, how people handle it, and things parents can do wrong. At least, that's what I felt as I read this.
Patricia  has been living in the shadow of her brother her entire life. Her brother was her father's pride and joy, but he suffers seizures. Some part of her father blames her for it and no matter what she does or accomplishes, she isn't as good as what James could have been or the situation would have been better had James been there. This aspect; her father, got pretty sickening at times. But it happens. Mega dose of reality.

So when she travels to Ladakh with him, a place her remembers fondly from the war, she feels like the golden child for the first time ever, but then she falls in love with Kalden, their "pony boy."

First of all the fifties and sixties... We're talking different cultures, countries, and colors here. And this is your plot. I found it a weak plot considering the length of the book, but I appreciated it all the same. You can imagine her controlling father is not going to react well. The main question is how is Patricia going to  handle it?

Kalden meanwhile, is the fourth son, and they get nothing. He has to be a monk. How can a monk love a woman?

Very rich in descriptive details. If you want to travel to Tibet or the Himalayas and don't have the funds or the time, this is the book for you. As I said above, I appreciated the parenting/grief story line.

I especially liked the scene in which Patricia finally woke up to something about herself...
"That girl had been so certain that after years of being in the shadow of her father's love for her brother, she had stepped out from that shadow and been seen for herself..."

I appreciated the unique ending as well, but I have to admit, in the end, I did not like Patricia and I was disappointed with her and her choices, that she never really stuck up to her father. Three stars.

You can nab this one for yourself and make up your own mind, though. Buy on Amazon Kindle. I'd love comments later. Please, feel free to come back and answer: Did the heroine do the right thing? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Joanne Stewart Talks About Making Sacrifices

Please welcome Joanne Stewart as she talks about sacrifices. We've all made them. Here's how she incorporate it into a book:

"Have you ever made any sacrifices for your family? I’m what is currently being called a stay-at-home mom. Personally, I think that’s the PC term for housewife. It’s old fashioned, and people who work outside the home sometimes smile at me funny when I say it. It used to bother me to tell people I don’t work. Truth is, I do. I work for my kids, but shh. Don’t tell them that. They’re spoiled enough. ;)
I’ve dedicated my life to my family. As a parent, sacrifice comes with the territory. It starts when they’re those tiny, adorable little babies. You’ll do anything for them. When I had my first, I quit school to stay home with him. At the time, my husband was also going to school, and I made the sacrifice. I stayed home so my husband could finish his degree.
When the kids are really small, you give up small things. Like sleep and going to the bathroom alone (okay, so this one runs into toddlerhood). Heck, sometimes even showering on a daily basis. Definitely privacy. When my kids were under three, I got used to someone banging on the bathroom door or simply barging right in. Sometimes I’d leave the door open completely. I’d just gotten so used to it. Funny enough, now that my kids are teenagers, I still don’t go to the bathroom alone. Nowadays, my Chihuahua, Tiger, has to be in the bathroom with me or she scratches at the door until I’m finished.
My heroine, Emma, is the same. She made sacrifices for her family. Being the oldest child, she grew up helping her mother take care of her little sister, helping her take care of the house. Her father left them at a young age, and Emma stepped up to the plate to help her mother keep their family together. At fourteen, she got a job to help pay the bills. When her mother began to get sick, she once again picked up the slack. She helped take care of her ailing mother and took over watching her sister. At twenty-two, her mother died, leaving her guardian to her then sixteen year old sister. Before the story opens, her sister dies in a motorcycle accident, leaving her guardian to her six month old niece.
For Emma, sacrifice has ruled her entire life. She spent her life taking care of everyone else. Now she has to risk the only family she has left when she discovers her niece’s father has no idea he has a child. Her sister took his choice away from him. Emma knows what it’s like to grow up without a father, and she wants what’s best for her niece. Even if means the possibility that Dillon will want sole custody.
So, what about you all? Have you to make any sacrifices in your life? Were you sorry you made them? Me? I’m not sorry I made mine. I’ll be honest. I’m a believer in things like fate and synchronicity. Looking back, my whole life brought me to this moment. So I honestly can’t regret any part of my past, good, bad or indifferent. It’s all what led me here."
Blurb:
They can't forget the past, but is it enough to create a future?

When an accident leaves her guardian to her six-month-old niece, Emma Stanton must return to her small hometown of Hastings, Montana to find the one man she's spent the last eight years trying to forget. She and Dillon had grown up together--he was her sister's best friend. But that hadn't stopped him from sharing a kiss with Emma that had followed her through the years. Now, not only must she break the news of her sister's tragic death to Dillon, but she must risk the only family she has left and tell him he's the baby's father.

Wealthy nightclub owner Dillon James has been used for his name and money one too many times, so when he comes face-to-face with Emma Stanton and her gorgeous lips, he's determined to keep things light. All he wants is to be the father his daughter needs, to make up for not being there for her and her mother. But spending time with Emma, as she shows him the ropes of caring for his daughter, is wearing down his defenses. Perhaps it's time he took a chance on love.

If only he can convince Emma to take a chance on him...
Excerpt:
He hesitated, his eyes flicking to hers. He waited until Emma gave a nod of encouragement before taking her. He held Annie out in front of him for a moment, looking lost and awkward, clearly out of his element.
“Hold her against you like this.” Emma made a cradling motion with her arms, showing him how to hold the baby against his shoulder.
Dillon pulled Annie gingerly against his chest, tucking one arm beneath her bottom and resting the other on her back. Except for their eyes, the two couldn’t be more different. Dillon’s skin had been darkened by the summer sun, whereas Annie’s was pale, creamy porcelain. Being huge like he was, Annie looked like a doll in his arms. He had biceps bigger than her. Yet, somehow, they looked perfect together.
“God, she’s so small. I’m almost afraid I’m going to break her.” He stared at Annie, awe in his voice and reached one large finger up to stroke a soft, chubby cheek.
Emma smiled. “I don’t think we have to worry about that. You were a pain in my butt, but I’ve never known you to be a bully.”
One corner of his mouth lifted, amusement lighting his eyes when his gaze flicked to her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Annie leaned back in his arms and the two of them regarded each other. Dillon smiled. When she laid a chubby hand against his mouth, he opened his lips and pretended to eat her fingers, making, “nom nom nom” sounds, eliciting a hearty giggle. That heart-stopping grin spread across his mouth and awe illuminated his eyes.
Emma’s heart ached, tears burning behind her eyelids. Father and daughter together at last. A bittersweet moment. After seeing them together, she knew she made the right decision coming here. She wanted Annie with her father, but the thought of losing her broke Emma’s heart in two. She couldn’t imagine not seeing Annie’s smiling face each morning or not rocking her to sleep at night. For the first time in her life, she’d be totally alone.
Wrapping her arms around her middle, Emma turned to stare at the fireplace along the far wall. The orange and gold flames danced along the small pile of logs. If she were lucky, she’d convince Dillon to share custody. It would mean rearranging her entire life. They’d have to share visitation, and she’d likely have to move back to Hastings, but those were small details. She’d do anything to keep Annie.
Links:
Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Playboys-Baby-ebook/dp/B008RPKBMMWebsite: http://authorjmstewart.com
Blog: http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/

A Poem from Lorraine Nelson

A friend of mine sent me a poem one day and I liked it so much, I asked her permission to post it on here. Please, welcome Lorraine Nelson and her poem, Peer Pressure.

Chris and Sam, Lorraine's Son and Grandson.


Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can be such a wonderful thingIf it makes you strive to do great things,But the wrong kind of pressure is not very smartIf you find that your life is falling apart.
Don't get into drugs, smoke, or get drunk.It leads to a life where your future is sunk.Reality becomes such a meaningless wordAs your world becomes troubled and seems so absurd.
Life is what you make it, and it truly will beFulfilling and happy if you prepare properly.A good education is a must, it is true,But be careful to train for a career that is you.
It's nothing repulsive to base our successOn hopes, dreams, and talents as we give it our best.It's work and commitment…a responsible you…That's what it takes to make dreams come true.
So if you find yourself tempted to do what you ought not,Remember your goals. Self-confidence is taught…By truly believing in what you want to achieve.Do it for you! That's the basis you need.
© 1994 Lorraine Nelson

Lorraine Nelson lives in rural New Brunswick, on the east coast of Canada. Always a bookworm, she’s read many novels of romance and mystery over the years, finally deciding to put her pen to work at writing one. “To write romantic suspense is my dream job, although my mom says I was born with an avid imagination and pencil in hand, crafting stories from an early age.”
 
I am mother to three wonderful boys, grandmother to four fantastic grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters. I live alone with an independent yet affectionate tomcat. Now my children have grown and have lives of their own, I have time to indulge my passion for writing. When not at the computer, you can find me spending time with family, gardening, baking and, of course, reading.

This is me. This is who I am and I'm loving it!

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Please Welcome Fantasy Writer Aurora Martinez

[image error] Today, I'm sharing with you an excerpt of an up and coming fantasy novel. Please give Aurora a big welcome.

"As a fantasy writer, I want to take people into a unique world.  In my novella, Child of the Loch, we are transported into the mythical land of the Loch and follow Josephina McDonnell on her journey to become Queen. She faces love, betray and magic.
Excerpt: PrologueAs the King, lay wheezing his last breaths, he contemplated his kingdom’s future. His fastest messenger had just been sent to the far west and would be riding past the borders of the Lochoan lands. The journey would take the messenger further than anyone had ridden in the last years of King’s rule.  Only one had made the arduous trek that had traveled through all the lands of his allies, leaving a trail of tears and sadness to a destination far beyond the pale, pink, rising sun and the blue rain clouds of the Loch. The King squeezed his almond shaped eyes tight against the physical pain. He was so ravaged by the illness that no one would recognize the King, a ghost of his former self. Now, only his amber eyes were a distinguishable sign of his royal line.  The King had once been the handsomest man in the kingdom but now his pale, lined face contorted again and again as tremors took him. Clumps of salt and pepper hair fell from his inflamed pink scalp whilst fever blisters popped oozing water and lymph into jaundiced eyes, shut tight; flakes of pasty skin peeled from his dry lips like dried corn husks.  The King’s endured every moment of the physical pain of his illness without complaint, but it was the heartache that was unbearable and made him cry out to the God of his forefathers.  He longed for the days when he ruled with his beloved Queen and his son, the Prince, a shadow of them both.  The King could not escape the thoughts of his beloved son, a mirror of himself when he was healthy. Both men were hard-headed, amber-eyed and so unforgiving of each other, that it seemed that there never could be reconciliation. What transpired could not be undone and the now exiled Prince was far away in presence, mind and spirit.  For this, the King waited, begged, and prayed for death to come and sweetly end his pain. He needed it to release him from his bonds, but not before bringing the Prince home to the Loch. The many years since the Prince had been banished passed with prejudice. The slow, steady decline of the once strong King was unexpected in the view of the long lives of his predecessors. Many believed that his illness came from mourning the loss of the Loch’s only heir. They knew that the King’s broken heart still bore the weight of the Queen’s death at the hands of a rival years earlier. However, not one person could begin to fathom the true reasons of the King’s illness. Test after test drew the answers and confirmations needed from the royal physicians. It was not grief that had stolen the spry King’s health but poison from magic of darkness or herb of the vine that took its hateful vengeance upon his body.  There was no antidote of herb or spell. The cure for one could cause another to slaughter him more rapidly and excruciatingly. The priests and apothecaries knew that the long list of poisons or black magics in the Loch that caused the King’s symptoms would all end horribly with the much-loved King cold and maimed in his grave. He would be unrecognizable to all who knew him and no hope of recovery. The King’s death warrant was signed, sealed and awaiting its hour of designation. The King was a slave in his own body, mastered by the unnamed venom that flowed throughout his skeletal body. Imminent death has a way of boomeranging the thoughts of a life once lived and regrets harp like old women. The King again reflected on the hard truths that brought him here. He dwelled on the perpetrator of this horrific act of treason that would leave his kingdom heirless and without a future in its wake.  “My heir is gone and I’m to blame,” galloped through his departing mind. Where had the time gone? It had been far too long since he last saw his boy, a man now, with a grown child of his own. A grandchild he had never seen face to face or held in his arms. How much had he missed in his arrogance and how could he get the rightful heir home in time to take the crown? He stole a hard look outside his door that was flanked by relatives already fighting amongst themselves for their piece of what the King would leave behind.  The King laughed bitterly at their pettiness, knowing in heart that only the true heir could rule the Loch with the love and justice that she deserved.  He fingered the photos in his ashen right hand and stroked the cheek of the young, dark-haired woman with his thumb. Another spasm grabbed him rigidly.  In his left hand, his grip tightened on the scroll marked in the family seal pressed into black wax crushing and crinkling the paper written in a shaky hand. The King was fading and he felt the last of himself disappearing into obscurity, soon he would see his ancestors and his God. No magic good or bad could touch him in the Land of Light. The King called for another page, one who would go to his most trusted and truest friend, Chian, the Sovereign of the Ogres in the Western Wood.  There was no time for one page to make the journey alone, though they would both travel through the Western Wood; the King knew his time was ticking down and nearly gone. Death waited by his beside, as a constant companion. The King pressed the photo and the scroll into the page’s solid, strong hand and his grasp fell weakly from the page’s wrist.  The young man gathered his bounty, bowed low and ran for the door.  He mounted the waiting horse and set off for the Western Wood at a dash.Barely conscious the King urged himself on, garnering the final bits of his strength.  He only needed to be strong enough for his son and the hope he carried with him to make it back to the Loch. The King would set it right, even if he never lived to see the outcome. The race for the crown was on. “Come quickly, my son, for you hold the key to the future of the Loch,” he thought as he faded into the black, praying for his trusted pages’ safe journey and quick return. The King’s gurgling breaths could be heard throughout the castle and every subject loyal to the kingdom wept for the King’s impending death." Author Bio: I have always been a writer. When I first learned to write in Kindergarten, I wrote about pigs that "groo" wings and became "butterfys." I knew way back then that I would have a love affair with writing. Over 20 years later, that love flows over into writing novels, blogs, reviews and poetry. Come visit me on my blog.

YOU CHOOSE my cover art!

I think by now many of you know I'm doing a huge relaunch in September. The first of those relaunches is Maiden Behind the Mask. It is relaunching September 3rd and I have until then to decide....old cover or new? Actually, let me rephrase that....YOU have until then to decide!


Leave a comment with your cover art preference for this historical romance novel. Which one grabs your attention and doesn't let go? Which one is more appealing? Which one says, "READ ME?" YOU vote!


And a random commenter will receive an Ebook copy of the book when it is relaunched!


First, the blurb:
When Catalina Rodriguez is attacked by a would-be rapist and rescued by the dashing Ricardo Garcia, she not only becomes more aware of the handsome man, but also vows that she'll never be a damsel in distress again. Using the timeless method of blackmail, she convinces her uncle to teach her to fight and becomes a masked crusader in the night, saving other damsels from robbers and rough handling.

However, scandalous rumors and dwindling funds force Ricardo and Catalina to marry. Not immune to each other's charms, their marriage starts fiery, but when one of Catalina's nightly escapades results in dire consequences, she is forced to spurn her husband's amorous advances…or reveal a secret that could turn him away from her forever.

Ricardo’s not a man to be cuckolded or left in the dark. Is his wife having an affair with El Capitan, the masked savior? If so…they will both pay.


And now.... cover one?

Or cover two?

YOU decide. Leave a comment below. Thanks for participating!

Salvaged by J.S. Marlo

Woman scuba diver. An old Ford Model T. A missing heiress. A grissly mass murder of an entire family. A sexy man named Hauk.


Is there any wonder why this was one of my favorite books to edit????


Star Fisher is one of the best in her field. When called up to help investigate an underwater mystery, she get more than she bargained for. Turns out some nightmares she's been having sorta go hand in hand with the strange Model T and the facts her new coworkers are uncovering.


Hauk is starting to have some feelings for the lovely blonde diver, and they aren't very boss-like. When someone begins fiddling with their tanks and setting off bombs, he means to save her and get to the bottom of both mysteries--the old ones and the new.


One murder leads to another... one cover up leads to a greater cover up.


Suspense. Sex. Love. Underwater Adventure. This is a must read. Available here