Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 85

Link of the Week – weRead

This week’s link is to a a platform you might be familiar with. weRead is an online community and virtual bookshelf much like Goodreads. At weRead, you’ll find reviews, get personalized recommendations, connect with others who like the same books and share your interests, join discussion boards, takes fun daily quizzes, join book clubs and more.

“With more than 3 million readers and 60 million books added, weRead is easily the most popular book site around.”

http://weread.com/iread_index.php

Talk Back: Are you a happy writer?

On my Kindle: Blood Brothers: The Sign of Seven by Nora Roberts

Talk Back – Tell us how you write!

I do have to ask: what makes you a happy writer?

We had this meme from Chuck Wendig (and the associated blog post) circulating around the internet last week and it did get me thinking.

I can’t seem to find moments when I am truly happy with writing anymore. I remember the excitement I had when I finally told myself it was ok to try to write, and when I had, oh I don’t know 3 chapters written or so, I felt soooo happy.

I had spent most of my life dreaming of being a writer and believing that, because I never went to school to study writing, I could never get a book published, see a real book with my name on it in a big bookstore.

And I wish I could say that I was completely happy when it happened (and yes I was happy) but by that time I was so wrapped up in the crazies of the business side of it, that I was not as happy as when I sat down to write those words the very first time.

It took me quite a while to find my happy writing place again. It meant a lot of pulling out from writing groups, a lot of time thinking about what writing means to me and a total different mind-set where happiness comes from accomplishing my allocated daily writing time and spending time in a woken dream with my characters and none thinking about selling, reviews and money.

In Mr. Wendig’s words, for me happiness is when I “care less.” When I just write, have fun and leave the rest to the universe.

How about you? When was the last time writing made you truly happy? What do you need from your writing to find that bliss?

Much love,

Marie-Claude xoxox

Location:Seattle

Happy Easter

From all of us here at MuseTracks, have a happy, joyous, chocolate-filled Easter.

MuseTracks Guest – Linda Joyce – Let Me Take You There – Giveaway

MuseTracks is proud to host award-winning author and southern gal (Hooray for Southern girls!), Linda Joyce. Help me welcome her as she talks of settings and shares a poem. One lucky commenter will receive a Kindle copy of her newly released Bayou Born.

 

Let Me Take You There…

 

Let’s compare notes. Is where you live or work or vacation important to you? Do you make sacrifices daily to have two weeks in paradise? Do you seek comfort in all things, like me? No matter who you are, what you do, or how you spend your time, the setting surrounding you is where you draw a breath and live your life.

 

It’s no different for characters in a story. The House at Pooh Corner, Harry Potter at Hogwarts, Death Comes to Pemberley, or Merry Christmas, Alex Cross. Setting is as important in these stories as any character. In fact, without the setting, the story would not carry the same impact.

 

In many of my stories, the southeastern United States is the backdrop. Heat and humidity suffocate in the summer and can raise frustrations in even the mildest mannered grandma. Sweet tea is a relaxing respite. Never guzzled or swilled. Spanish moss swaying in a soft breeze might be tranquil or spooky, but rarely is perky.

 

To “show” my point about setting, I’m sharing a poem I wrote that the Coal City Review, a literary magazine, published in 2010.

 

My No-Name Island Home.

 

Old Fort Pike stands sentry

three hundred years strong.

LakeCatherine swirls her watery gown

ruffling edges seep into canals

where bulrushes and cattails thrive.

 

Paths of crushed bleached oyster shells

crunch under foot

stretch side-by-side

long weather-grey docks

where shrimp trollers, houseboats, and pirogues wait.

 

Crab traps and casting nets rest in shade

wraparound porch offers panoramic view

solitary pelican rests on piling

seagulls soar, dive, cry,

a crusty alligator sleeps.

 

Breezes cool waterlogged air

flutter hair from my face

waves lap against aged seawall

stiff brine wafts to my nose

aromas of Grandma’s gumbo,

crab, shrimp, okra, andouille.

 

As if Katrina never raged.

 

- Linda Joyce

 

I hope you enjoyed a brief visit to my home. It’s bayou country, and the idea of my novel, Bayou Born, was launched from there. Take a peek:

Branna Lind’s self-esteem rests at the bottom of the Mississippi River. She canceled her “wedding of the decade,” though she isn’t saying why. She wants life on her own terms, no ready-made job in the family business, no safety net of close-knit kin, and no more betrayal.

College professor James Newbern prizes his bachelorhood. Experience has taught him beautiful women are high-maintenance trouble and Branna fits that type. He is happy to avoid her until the college vice president assigns him to mentor the newest hire—Branna.

Branna is on her way to a new life, but will the scars of the past send her running from love? If she doesn’t, will she convince James that she truly is his “type”?

 

You have an opportunity to win a Kindle copy of Bayou Born today! Please let me a comment to my post. All names will be included for a drawing.

 

(If you win and are a Nook reader, the book will be gifted in mid-May when it’s available through Barnes and Noble.)

 

Bayou Born is available now on Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Born-Fleur-Lis-ebook/dp/B00B9L1VAC/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360196114&sr=1-10&keywords=Bayou+Born

And, here’s a little bit about me:

 

Linda Joyce is an award-winning writer born on Christmas Eve in Biloxi, Mississippi to an Irish/Cajun father from New Orleans and a Japanese mother. Southern culture plays a prominent role in her stories.

Linda and her husband, Don, a fifth generation Floridian, now live in Atlanta with their four-legged boys, General Beauregard, Gentleman Jack and Masterpiece Renoir. Linda shares with Don a love of college football, boiled peanuts, seafood, and grits with eggs.

Please visit me at : www.linda-joyce.com or Linda Joyce Contemplates: www.lindajoycecontemplates.wordpress.com .

And join me on:

Twitter: @LJWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6950241.Linda_Joyce

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69773158&trk=tab_pro

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/293283790733871/499198890142359/?notif_t=group_comment_reply#!/pages/Linda-Joyce-Author/211949585615265

 

A KISS IN THE WIND – One Year Celebration and Giveaway!

Song of the day: What Have You Done by Within Temptation (theme song to A KISS IN THE WIND)

This week marks the one year anniversary of the release of A KISS IN THE WIND, the second in the Romancing the Pirate series. I’ve enjoyed success over the year and excited by the continuing sales.

And so to celebrate, I am giving away an e-copy of the book.

There are two chances to win.

1. Comment on this blog post.

2. Join my mailing list here at my website.

Easy peasy!

So let’s get this party started.

For those of you who have read the book, you have my gratitude. And I offer you a little known fact. A KISS IN THE WIND was written with an epilogue. My publisher had decided not to add it. But I couldn’t just let it go. Ooooh no! Sure, there was a happily ever after. But I had more to tell. More important nuggets for the reader. And so, if you have read the book, click this link to read the rest of the story. *SPOILER* If you haven’t read the book, I’d advise skipping the epilogue. Just sayin’.

For kicks and grins, I thought I’d give a taste of the book. You know, to entice you.

The Blurb:

Marisol Castellan is in trouble–again. Against her pirate father’s orders, she snuck off their ship to intercept a message meant for a rival captain, one that offers a clue to the whereabouts of her estranged brother Monte.

Pirate captain Blade Tyburn is not pleased to find the letter he’s been waiting for is missing. He’s even less pleased when he discovers the thief is a raven-haired beauty who bewitches his senses and muddles his thinking. The note gives the location of a silver-laden ship that’ll make his fortune; Blade must find it, and if that means bringing Marisol along on the voyage, so be it.

Marisol believes Monte sails on the very ship Blade is to meet and strikes a deal with the handsome rogue. If he will give her passage to her brother, she will give him the exact location he needs. And both will get more than they expected…

One of my favorite steamy exchanges:

“We need to talk.”

“Talk?” Her brow lifted in what he decided was ridicule. “ Shouldn’t you be topside looking for the enemy ship you let slip away?”

The time long since passed for her to end her biting words. “I understand your thirst for revenge, but you will hold sway your spiteful tongue. I will have no more of it.”

“Then I suggest you take your leave for I have nothing else to offer.”

Her words brought him close, irresistible like honey to a bee. “Oh?”

She stiffened, realizing too late the delicious challenge she presented him. “That’s right,” she said.

“This I know to be a lie.” He put his hand on the door and she pressed her back against the wall. “I can think of many things you can offer me.”

An excerpt:

Puerto Plata, Hispaniola, 1726

“Crazy wench. Let go!”

Marisol tightened her grip on the coarse barrel of the pistol poised a mere inch from her face. Death’s diseased aroma wafted over her with the depraved wretch’s breath. A frenzy of alarm pumped through her veins, fueling new untapped strength. “Bloody hell, I will!”

She struggled with him, unwilling to release his gun and reach for her own weapon. She pushed and pulled with the ruffian in a gruesome dance of sorts, a ballet amid the squalid dregs and wet filth of the dark alley. Their curses and grunts chased the shrouded silence back up the stone walls. No passerby would take notice, no more than they would a cheap strumpet and her jack.

Marisol slipped on the slick cobblestones and, losing her balance, brought the vile man down with her.

The pistol went off. An unforgiving percussion echoed down the alley.

He landed on top of her, knocking the wind from her lungs. Sharp pain sliced through her back with the force of the fall. A moment passed, then another.

The man’s weight crushed against her. She gulped shallow, tainted breaths in the pocket of air between his shirt collar and sweaty neck. I must get free. Marisol thrashed beneath the cur. Fear urging her on, she pressed against his chest and shoved him off, rolling him to his back. She scuttled to her knees. But he didn’t move, didn’t get up to finish her off.

What have I done?

Marisol dropped the gun. Blood on her hands trickled down between shaky fingers. She stared at them, turning her hands over to see the crooked red pathways on her skin. Even in the shadows, the deep color glistened. Slowly, she curled her fingers into fists, resting them on her knees, and looked down at the dead man before her. The blood from his chest wound filtered through his tunic, spreading down his side. Spent gunpowder still singed her nose.

Numb emotions lingered beneath her breastbone. She willed herself not to think of him as a man who might be mourned by someone who loved him, a mother, or a wife with children. Would they be waiting for him? Wondering when he would return home?

No. No pity would be spared for the likes of him, a paltry criminal. Had Alain taught her nothing about survival? Warm your rum with the blood of another, for if the bastard gets the chance, your course will be run and the devil will have you.

She would not let the compassion seize her heart. Leave that for the weak-minded.

Marisol took one quick glance around the darkened back street. She wiped the blood against her lap then reached into the dead man’s coat, searching his pockets. She pulled out a pouch containing silver coins, three of them. Marisol forced a smile. How fortunate. Something for her troubles. She stuffed the pouch into the folds of her dress.

Continuing her search, her hand grazed across paper in another pocket. She smiled again as she picked up and read the letter for which she’d been searching. The missive was cryptic but given more time she would be able to decipher it. With any luck, it would reveal the information she so desperately sought, information that could lead her to her missing brother. She would do anything to find Monte. Marisol glanced down at the corpse. Perhaps she had become too desperate. Foolish man. You really should’ve been more careful.

The book trailer:

Fun Fact:

The pirate ship Rissa featured in most of the books in the Romancing the Pirate series is modeled after the notorious Black Beard’s ship Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Buy links:

Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible

Thanks for being a special part of my world!
Don’t forget to either leave a comment or join my mailing list for your chance to win an eBook of A KISS IN THE WIND.

Link of the Week – Indie Book Reviewers

Indie author? Looking for a  comprehensive list of active, fair, and honest reviewers, a list that includes genres, submission guidelines, and places here the reviews are listed?  Then check out The Indie View. This site has got you covered. You’ll also find the latest reviews listed here, too.

 

http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/

http://www.theindieview.com/

 

Hump Day Kick Start – Fatigues Edition

Song of the Day: Hard To See by Five Finger Death Punch

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.

Love a man in fatigues? This prompt is for you.

Tell me about our soldier. Who is he? Where is he? In enemy territory? What’s with the intense stare?What’s he thinking? Is he a mercenary? Did he just complete a secret operation? Speaking of details, what do you think the rope is for? Why is he dirty? And more importantly, is he going commando?

Come on, you clever little devils, you. Let’s hear your take.

Link of the Week – InD’Tale

This week’s awesome link is to InD’Tale Magazine. The online magazine is dedicated to self-published and small press authors. Within the pages and all throughout the website, there are honest book reviews, educational articles and columns, contests, polls, interviews, and industry information.  It’s a great place for both writers and readers.

http://indtale.com/

While you are there, check out the nice review I received earlier this year for A KISS IN THE WIND.

http://indtale.com/reviews/kiss-wind-romancing-pirate-2

Talk Back: How do you celebrate writing milestones?

On my Kindle: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Talk Back – Tell us how you write!

What is writing success worth celebrating to you? And how do you celebrate those milestones?

I just finished my manuscript this week-end. By that I mean I finished the whole 90,000 words beast – 5 drafts and all and sent it to printing for a submission.

This took me way too long. All I wanted to do is prove to myself that I could finish something again (and by that I mean something an agent or editor could read) and I am now beside myself with happiness to see that I did it.

It took my a while and a lot of ups and down in the writing business to define writing success for myself. And now that I learned to totally separate the writing itself from the business side of it, I am in a much happier writing place.

So for me success is completion of a full manuscript ready to submit. And I did it. But I don’t know how to celebrate. All I can think of right now is grab a notebook and write another novel right away because it’s so much fun.

I heard of people going out for dinner, drinks, manicures. Having a party, doing something completely different for a while…

What about you?

What do you consider milestones? And how do you actually celebrate?

Much love,

Marie-Claude xoxox

Location:Seattle

It’s Agent Shopping day! Welcome Mollie Glick!

Good morning everyone!

Welcome to shopping day at Agent Shop.

As always, I’ll start with the stats, winners, and my thoughts on this ‘Shop’, and then we’ll get to the pitches.

Pitches received: 38

Pitches accepted: 25

Pitches rejected: 13

• 8 – Too long

• 4 – Missing info

• 1 – Spam

Not bad, and not great. I’m only posting 25 out of a potential 30 pitch slots for an agent!

During every pitch session, I try to impart something that I’ve learned while doing this, and I try really hard to not be too repetitive. But I keep coming back to the same issues, and I feel I need to point out again, that following guidelines is one of the most important things you can do as an author! I had FOUR e-mails this time starting with “I don’t know exactly what you want…” or “I’ve never done this before…” and these people didn’t follow the rules. They are CLEARLY posted under the Agent/Editor Shop tab on the blog, and I can say with 100% certainty that one person who didn’t make it in will send me a nasty note. Happens every time.

Follow guidelines peeps. It’s really that simple! :) Really!

That’s my moment of finger wagging. On to fun things!

OUR WINNERS ARE:

• The copy of PRIMITIVE NIGHTS goes to: Nicole Zoltack

• The $25.00 giftcard goes to: Kathleen S. Allen

• The Top Pitch Slot goes to: Marcia!

(Nicole and Kathleen, please contact me at candi_agent_shop at yahoo.com and I’ll send off your prizes!)

Congratulations to our winners and to those who made it into this pitch session. Good luck!

Welcome Mollie! Thanks so much for taking the time to come and visit with us. I hope you find something to your liking! If you do, simply e-mail me the pitch number, title and what you’d like to see from the author. Also, if you’d include how you’d like them to send it, that would be helpful. Please send them to dancillaw at yahoo.com

Happy shopping and thanks for spotlighting CREWEL! It’s now officially on my TBR pile. I. Can’t. Wait.

Here are the pitches!

***

TOP PITCH SLOT WINNER

#1

The Sourcerer

Science Fiction

45,744 words

Oh the Gemma Rays! They penetrate and repair and oops! What was that? That little bugga boo is gonna pay for bringing me out of my revelry? Snap! I’m back. Who am I? I’m a Sourcerer? What do I do? I source and sense and trap and even eradicate Noisers and Sounders who threaten the sanctity of the citizenry of Arco Pella, my town. My name is Merra. Need me to zap that Noiser or trap a Gandometer and relocate him to a lovelier home? That’s my job. I’m the best Sourcerer in the town of Arco Pella and If you need to get rid of those nasty noises which infiltrate and sublimate your lifestyle then give me a call or better yet Verra my assistant will take your information and your money. When Mr. Larch hired us to come to the old folk’s home I mean the retirement community and relocate the Flitter Flies he didn’t mention the Thing in Miss Tadpole’s room, the Thing I couldn’t see. I’m honed in on noises and sounds which enter my auric field but some Thing from an outher dimension I’m not trained to detect. Yet.

***

#2

STEAM CREW

Steampunk Fantasy

90,000 words

In an alternative Victorian world, ravaged by extreme climate, a proud arcane witch must team with a crafty airship privateer to prevent a coldblooded sorcerer from enslaving their world.

The DRESDEN FILES meets THE GOLDEN COMPASS, STEAM CREW is a dark and wild ride filled with mysticism, world-wide adventure, a crew of misfits, impossible engines, and exotic sensuality.

***

#3

The Gamekeeper’s Daughter

Victorian Era Historical Romance/subgenre Suspense.

109,000 words

Queen Victoria’s top assassin, Lord Alexander Stokes harbors his fair share of dark secrets. Chief among them is his love of bondage and discipline. When a damsel-in-distress appeals for his help, he ponders the consequences, yet her similarity to his first love intrigues him. He offers to help her with a single condition: that the beauty consents to play his games of dominance and submission for an entire year.

Given no choice, Mrs. Julia Foxworth agrees to his indecent terms. Anything is better than serving time for a murder she did not commit, especially when the real killer is stalking her. Despite her misgiving about being the mysterious masked man’s chattel, his raw masculine power lures her in like a hawk to her falconer.

Alexander learns she is his beloved Julia, the former gamekeeper’s daughter, he thought long dead. He’s been betrayed by her and his manipulative father. His heart darkens. Combating their deceptions, the lovers fight for the passion they once shared, amidst the threatening danger of Alexander’s nefarious enemies and her husband’s killer. Can they learn to trust one another and live long enough to know true love again?

***

#4

If You Can See Me

Paranormal Romance

132,022 words

Some curses stay with a family for generations…

Nate Bentley is a man on a mission. To rid himself of a house h considers a monstrosity before he falls victim to the curse that strikes all the men in his family before their thirty-fifth birthday. But two things stand in his way: a headstrong sister and a woman who can see spirits of the dead.

…it just takes the right combination to break them…

Phaedra Delaney is the woman with the gift. To communicate with the dead. She is also the key to breaking the curse that has bound her family to the Bentley’s for over a century. All she has to do is get a Bentley man to fall in love with her before he turns thirty-five. If only he didn’t take an instant disliking to her upon their first meeting.

Destiny and determination collide when these two powerful people meet and their lives become inextricably entangled with those of their ancestors. Can they break the curse before Nate reaches his next birthday? Or will he fall victim to the same fate that claimed his father – and every male in the family for the past one hundred plus years?

***

#5

Seducing The Courtesan’s Wife

Historical Romance

100,000 words

The daughter of an illustrious duke, Lady Violetta never imagined she’d wind up as a brothel madam, whoring out her husband to the rich wives of Montana.

Against her father’s wishes, she married dashing, debonair—penniless—Charles Ashford. She traded in her satin slippers and sumptuous ball gowns to follow her new husband on his quest for gold in the wild frontiers of America. Their fortunes plummet instead, sending them down a harrowing course where morals are a bygone luxury. A cruel twist of events tears them apart and Violetta returns to England, shattered and alone. She vows to atone for her sins. And she’ll never forgive him.

Seven years later, her respectable life is upended when Charles abruptly returns. He is hell-bent on wooing his charming ass back into her good graces—and into her bed. More darkly potent than ever, his carnal sensuality provokes her. Tempts her and unnerves her hard-won peace. But haunted by past demons, she’s sworn off love. When a dangerous enemy reappears, threatening to expose their sordid history, they must each choose their own path to redemption. Can Charles win her heart before her thirst for revenge destroys their chance for everlasting bliss?

***

#6

ABOVE THE GAME

Literary Fiction

70,000 words

Eliot MacKenzie dreams of escaping his small New England town of Granite Harbor. Suddenly, there is no more dreaming, no escaping. Eliot MacKenzie is dead.

His life is over but not his tale. Over a several year period in the mid 1990’s, Eliot narrates his story of grief, anger, conflict, estrangement and resolution as family members struggle to deal with their loss.

Eliot’s abrupt death shatters the deceptive harmony of his family’s life. His twin brothers reaffirm their private bond, but each pursues a separate path out of the rage and confusion rising from the loss of their older brother. Eliot’s mother contends with a second family crisis that not only provides escape, but also helps her deal with the death of her son. His father remains lost in the present and tied to the past as he indulges in one-sided conversations with his dead son.

Eliot alone exists above the game –confined to Granite Harbor forever.

ABOVE THE GAME presents adult issues narrated by an eighteen year old and renders teenage characters and their struggles as engaging subjects for the adult reader. The book was shortlisted for the 2012 Faulkner Society Novel-In-Progress Award.

***

#7

Bard’s Lair

Young Adult

121,878 words

Lil Jen is ecstatic at the prospect of working at the new resort. For three centuries Bard’s Lair has lain dormant the property overgrown with brush and bramble but a Prince now owns the Enchanted Lands. Sumo is taking names and handing out applications for employment. She’d rather be back on the Unsettled Seas on a ship but for now she’s the hostess at the Woodie the restaurant on property. Today she’s handing out applications to numahs and Murfles and Nots and even a few Trolls. But when the door opens and no one is there everyone starts whispering about the ghost on property. BeJewelled the former Mistress of the property is rumored to still grace the grounds and many swear they’ve seen her ghostly figure. Sumo isn’t about to fall for any old ghost story but when she attempts to close the door it won’t budge. Then it shuts on its own leaving Sumo in a very unladylike position. Life as a service provider since the War Between the States of service and servitude changed the rules. And did I mention Uran, MR T or the Dark One? Best keep your eyes on your valuables!

***

#8

Extreme Fear

Suspense/Thriller with a touch of romance

80.000 words

Macy Donavan battles a terrifying nightmare to protect her two-year-old daughter Faith from an intruder, and is knocked unconscious. When she regains consciousness, Faith is missing.

As the police widen their futile search, Macy struggles to pick up the pieces of an unimaginable life.

Urged to take a break she heads to an isolated cabin with a girlfriend to recuperate, with the hope of continuing her search, only to face her worst nightmare — times ten.

Trapped by a man she believed dead, he demands she play a game.

She runs, he hunts. There is no place to hide.

***

#9

Ink Pool Lullabies

Young Adult Suspense Horror

68,000 words

Sixteen-year-old Jackson Hart would rather put in overtime at the funeral home putting makeup on the dead than socialize with the in-crowd at school. When she finds out her new crush is only dating her for a bet, she’s devastated—but she’s not so wounded she’d seek revenge by killing him … would she?

After a car crash leaves him dead, Jackson tries to piece her memories of the wreck together, but each time she gets close to solving the puzzle, her mother shoves another pill down her throat to make it all go away. Despite the sheriff’s firm report, there was another girl on the scene—Jackson is sure of it—and now the apparition won’t leave her alone.

The spirit needs something from Jackson, and she won’t stop hurting people until she gets it. With the body count rising, and evidence piling up against Jackson, if she is to prove her innocence and prevent the next brutal murder, Jackson must confront the vengeful spirit and decipher the ghost girl’s cryptic message.

But what if everyone is right and the ghost girl doesn’t exist at all?

***

#10

Entry was removed.

***

#11

Ashes & Ice

Literary historical

100,000 words

In the heart of Five Points darkness and inhumanity reign unchallenged. Into the darkness come two young Irish immigrants forced to fight for survival against nearly insurmountable odds.

On the surface, fifteen-year-old Caitlin Walsh is a demure Irish lass; underneath she’s a bold, spirited young woman who backs down to no one. Not even God. Hot-tempered Johnny Dorlan flees Ireland, a death sentence on his head. He meets Caitlin on the voyage to New York,

where they begin a friendship constantly thwarted by her diligent father. Ten-year-old-going-on-thirty Finn Gallagher becomes a festering boil on Jimmy’s butt from the minute they meet. Caitlin, on the other hand, likes the young boy.

Jimmy would gladly throttle the smart-ass, but everything changes when the Great White Hurricane of 1888 slams into Manhattan and shuts the city off from the world. Then the three humans and an unusual Gypsy horse, are forced to work together to survive. Two of them can barely stop from killing each other and Caitlin is pregnant and due any minute. Putting aside their differences, though, may prove to be the least of their worries.

***

#12

Run For Your Life

YA Mystery

60,000 words

15 year old Evan accidentally takes a photo of a kidnapping in progress. But no one believes him, even the cops think it’s a prank. When his best friend is murdered and all the evidence points to Evan, he has to figure out who the killer before he becomes the next victim.

***

#13

Mercy

Paranormal Thriller – Adult

64,000 words

To the outside world Mercy seemed odd, schizophrenic even, but something evil tormented her. As her life-long friendship with Aaron blossomed into something more, it seemed like he was now beginning to get caught in the crossfire when the evil freaks came at her. Afraid that having him close would only continue to put him in danger, she decides the best thing to do is to push him away, to keep him safe, no matter how much it hurt the both of them. With her loved ones away from danger, and to be free to live and love, Mercy must be ready to put it all on the line…even her life.

***

#14

Grave Bound (Secrets, #1)

New Adult Fiction

97,000 words

Emily has lived a lifetime within a patriarchal commune. There are many rules, but the most important one, ‘keep it in the commune’, is the most difficult for her to follow… especially since the only people willing to champion her cause live on the outside.

When Emily learns her father has promised her to a perverted man who has plans that extend well beyond marriage and kids, she rebels. She refuses to marry someone who’d rather beat her than caress her.

A day of hooky that begins as a tiny act of defiance turns into a day filled with hope. After spending time with Levi, she finds true romance and sees a future filled with love and admiration rather than hate and submission. That tiny peek is enough to make it nearly impossible for her to go back to the commune and pretend she’ll ever be able to tolerate the life chosen for her instead of the life she longs for.

Fighting to escape the commune, its leaders, and her fiancé proves to be more dangerous than Emily expects. The secrets she knows will either follow her to the grave or send her – and Levi – there.

***

#15

A Question Of Faith

YA Paranormal

85,000 words

It’s not everyday you learn you’re the incarnation of magic.

After learning her birth mother sought the help of witches to conceive her, fifteen-year-old Crystal’s previously unwavering faith is shaken. God hasn’t been answering her prayers–she was.

Crystal’s limitless magical potential is put to the test when her boyfriend’s mother is in a life-threatening accident. Surely God won’t mind her using magic to help people, but Crystal worries her magic will damn her to Hell or, worse, prove she has no soul to condemn.

Too curious to abandon magic, Crystal attempts to fly and conjure fireballs. Playing with power attracts the attention of a dangerous witch hunter, who kidnaps her boyfriend and threatens her aunt. Shamans and witches hunt Crystal, desperate to use her magic to end a centuries-old war between the two magical races. Her magic is an uncontrollable time bomb. If Crystal can’t figure out what she’s capable of, she won’t merely fail to protect those she loves and end the war–she just might start the apocalypse.

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#16

The Lady in the Mist

The Western Werewolf Legend #1

44,000 words

The Civil War took Sonja Brooks’ husband and left her alone. Unprotected and scared, she runs headlong into a life changing event when she’s attacked by a wolf. Her fate as a werewolf is sealed. When she stumbles upon Ty Loflin, a Rebel solider dying of his wounds, she nurses him back to health. He’s the perfect mate, but will he want her once he knows the truth?

***

#17

Comanche Haven

Romance/Western Romance

106,000 words

From the moment Celia, the emerald-eyed, Comanche half-breed, gets off the stage in Tyler, Texas, Seth Loflin realizes he is on a collision course with the past. She was his first love and now the Shooter Creek’s ranch boss can’t allow her to succumb to the danger that stalks her. Someone wants to kidnap her and sell her as a slave, but now that she’s in his protective arms, he intends to keep her safe. Celia can’t run back to the safety of her former life in South Carolina. And if she stays at Shooter Creek with Seth, she’ll be putting the man she has always loved and his ranch in danger of harboring a Comanche. But Seth refuses to leave her side, and his vow to protect her gives Celia the hope and courage she needs. Now she’ll fight for her new life with Seth…or die trying.

***

#18

Dr. Strange Love – An Erotic Short Story

Romance/erotic romance

8,000 words

Toni Reynolds loves her fiancé, Luke Campbell, more than anything. Still something is missing. They both recognize their love life has become predictable. Toni, realizes she’s not satisfied. She fears that she’s missing something and the closer her wedding date gets, the more unhappy she becomes.

It’s her secret though, until the night, Luke announces they’re hiring a sex therapist. Uneasy about a professional poking around in their relationship, especially one who makes ‘house calls’, Toni feels betrayed. Her love for and her trust in Luke win out as she agrees to meet the good doctor. Neither Luke nor Toni is prepared for the talents of Damon.

***

#19

Doctor Dearest – An Erotic Short Story

Romance/erotic romance

12,000 words

Sex therapy is a complicated business. A medical professional must remain impartial while developing a relationship with a patient. The fact a man enjoys sex thoroughly means he can’t always remain completely unaffected. His primal drive can range out of control and consequences may occur.

Damon, a.k.a. Dr. Strange Love, finds himself caring more for Billie Conners than is professionally prudent. The trouble with that line of reasoning is he’s willing to put everything on the line to save what he’s found.

***

#20

Priya in Heels

Multi-Cultural Women’s Fiction

86,000 words

Priya is the epitome of an obedient Indian daughter. Her loyalty to her parents is carved by their love and sacrifice, but the manipulations of her aunts pushes her to forge an even tighter bond. Priya will fiercely uphold her family’s honor and has done so by becoming a medical resident, remaining a virgin, and agreeing to marry her intended. Life is near perfect, her fiancé is tolerable, and her friends are the intervals of excitement she needs. The only thing that can derail her world is the sexy Irishman down the hall, the one who wants to get into her bed and shatter her walls. Logic is clear. Tyler is no good for Priya’s life plans. Love, on the other hand, is unreasonable and clashes with the carefully sculpted life her parents gave her. Maybe going after her heart isn’t such a big deal, or maybe it’s the thing that will unravel her world and leave her an emotional wreck.

***

#21

Singularity

YA sci-fi

66,000 words

Romeo and Juliet meets Battlestar Galactica: Jules is a Singular, the last of the cyborgs, and an incomplete one at that. Scientists hadn’t finished programming her when the Stellans attack Verona, her spaceship home. After the aliens wipe out her commanding officers, Jules is left to secure the bridge and defeat the Stellans by herself. Without knowing where anything is, how to pilot, or how to conquer the aliens, the outlook appears grim.

Clusters of survivors retreat to the safety of the wards. Jules is determined to do whatever it takes to save Verona, but several run-ins with the charming Meo challenges her human emotions. He’s the son of laborers—noble, brave, and the only person from the eastern wing who doesn’t hate her kind. Unfortunately, love doesn’t fit into the big picture when it comes to Singulars. Directed by master programming, Jules slips onto the invading alien ship to destroy it from the inside. Her chances of returning to Verona are slim, but when she discovers the truth, she must choose between hard-wired duty and compromised emotions, between accomplishing her mission and risking everything to save those she loves.

***

#22

Guitar God

YA—Contemporary Fantasy

195,000 words

Polly’s moment had finally arrived, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Barely a teenager, Polly had reluctantly accepted the role of human guardian of the Green. Now, about to begin college and leave her hometown and all the weirdness behind, fate calls her, except to save the

Green she must defeat Isaac, the boy she loves.

Isaac was the kid nobody liked until a mysterious faerie granted him his greatest wish. Now bestowed with incredible musical prowess, Isaac is loved and admired by all. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Polly is the only one who can save Isaac’s soul, but her first responsibility is to the Green. Can Polly save the Green and save Isaac as well?

Guitar God is a Jewish, suburban rock and roll fantasy with a 1970s soundtrack. It’s urban fantasy in the suburbs. It’s War For The Oaks meets Portnoy’s Complaint. It’s crossover YA for teens and their parents. It’s a world where the faerie folk walk among us, but we don’t know it. It’s about the magical places where we grew up. Maybe we knew about them or maybe we walked by them every day without even noticing.

***

#23

Mistress of Deception

Historical Romance—Regency period

99,000 words

Georgina Wilcox, daughter of the traitorous “Fox”, doesn’t agree with her father’s crimes against the British crown, so she secrets the Irish rebel’s plans to the Home Office and tries to help the men taken captive by her father—until the day a prisoner is shot dead in her kitchen and her own family beats her within an inch of her life. Georgina abandons her efforts. She knows she’ll pay dearly for any further deception. That is until she meets Adam.

Adam Markham, member of the Brethren of the Lords, a secret society, is captured and handed over to the muscle in the Irish radicals: Fox and Hunter. As his days in captivity grow, he finds himself fascinated by Georgina whose innocence and bravery breathe life into him. Adam comes to love this woman he assumes is their servant.

Georgina can’t imagine her life without Adam. To keep him, she must hide her true identity. The daughter of the enemy could not be trusted, let alone loved. When Adam unravels Georgina’s deceit, his sense of betrayal cannot be assuaged and Georgina resolves to undertake one more mission so she can prove to Adam that she is no Mistress of Deception

***

#24

Souls Entwined

YA Paranormal/Coming-Of-Age

56,600 words

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Wells’ world is turned upside-down when her new friend Billy links his mind to hers. Through telepathy and astral travel, he takes her in and out of the spirit world, develops her trust and awakens her desire for more spiritual adventure. It all feels so natural; their souls are connected, entwined.

Rachel hears spirits, and delivers messages from the dead. Billy taps into the minds of the living. Together, they form ‘The Psychic Circle’ to secretly explore the paranormal with a few close friends.

When Melody, gets involved, her jealousy of Rachel’s chemistry with Billy coupled with her obsession for black magic, is a lethal combination. It’s more dangerous than the group knows. Billy gets attacked by Melody during meditation, robbing him of his free will. Rachel helps Billy retaliate and break that bond. Unfortunately, the circle is compromised further by accidently opening a door to a malevolent spirit that attaches itself to Rachel through a Ouija Board.

Torn between forgiving her best friend who’s betrayed her, or defending her possible soul mate, Rachel’s choice will determine the direction her life takes and the sacrifices she makes – either loosing Melody or ruining her chance to find love.

***

#25

Extreme Fear

Suspense/Thriller with a touch of romance

80,000 words

Macy Donavan battles a terrifying nightmare to protect her two-year-old daughter Faith from an intruder, and is knocked unconscious. When she regains consciousness, Faith is missing.

As the police widen their futile search, Macy struggles to pick up the pieces of an unimaginable life.

Urged to take a break she heads to an isolated cabin with a girlfriend to recuperate, with the hope of continuing her search, only to face her worst nightmare — times ten.

Trapped by a man she believed dead, he demands she play a game.

She runs, he hunts. There is no place to hide.

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