Carly Fall's Blog, page 15
October 11, 2012
Mistaken – J.A. Howell
Today I’m happy to be hosting J.A. Howell and her book Mistaken. She will be giving away 5 Prize Packs which include Signed Trade Paperback with deluxe Mistaken bookmarks, magnet and Mistaken charm necklace (Open to US, Canada and UK shipping) and a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Please see the picture of the swag bag below.
She has written a great post on where she gets her inspiration from as a writer, and then we’ll take a look at the book.
Take it away, J.A.!
People often ask me where I get inspiration from. For Mistaken, I’ve shared that it came from an event in my life that I struggled with for a while. In the next book, Possess, it also has some real-life inspiration hidden within the fictional parts. But as to how the full story develops and where I find inspiration to weave it all together, there is a million different places that I find it. I find inspiration all around me, and usually when I least expect it.
I’ve resorted to downloading an app on my phone that lets me record audio notes because so often I get ideas when I am driving to and from work. Generally those are the better ideas too. I suppose there is something about clearing my mind as I head into work, the long drive added with my music. This also happens on the elliptical at the gym. I think when you’re struggling with a part of the story, sometimes you just have to clear out all the noise in your head. Driving, and exercise seem to accomplish that for me.
Another big inspiration is music. Sometimes I find the perfect song to suit what I am writing. Just the other day one song I heard seemed to help me completely piece together the big climax of Possess. I love songs that feel heavy with emotion and deeper meaning, as well as darker more violent sounding music. Those seem to inspire me most, but it just depends on what I am trying to write.
Other times, inspiration just strikes, out of nowhere. At the store, in the shower, or as I’m falling asleep at night. When that happens, it’s best to jot it down otherwise you are sure to forget it. Sometimes it will be something so small that triggers it too. Possess started out because I wanted to write a story about a haunted apartment. The idea for the ghost to mainly appear in the mirrors came from me staring in my own mirror going, “Hmm, wouldn’t that be creepy if my face suddenly started shifting into someone elses?” With Mistaken, some inspiration came when I wondered what it would be like to figure out your dead lover had an identical twin (very awkward hehe).
Quietly observing the world around you can spark such interesting ideas and thoughts, and given some time and further pondering, these little sparks can grow into bright burning flames, some of which you cannot control. Flames that threaten to consume you if you DON’T turn them into a story. When they hit that point, it’s time to write.
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Swag Prize
Mistaken
J.A. Howell
Genre: General/Mainstream Fiction/Suspense
ISBN: 1477456368
ASIN: B0092HDIXS
Number of pages:198
Word Count: 61,448
Cover Artist: J.A. Howell
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/46XSH5oXYzA
Purchase Links: http://amzn.com/B0092HDIXS
Book Description:
One year ago, two bullets from a .45 caliber pistol ripped away any hopes Dillan had of a future with her fiancé, Jamie. On the anniversary of Jamie’s death, the appearance of his estranged twin brother, Trey, leaves Dillan wondering what other secrets her prefect fiancé was hiding. When Trey learns of his brother’s death, Dillan takes pity on him and gives him a place to stay.
Trey’s erratic behavior and a series of suspicious phone calls lead Dillan to believe that Trey knows more about the circumstances surrounding Jamie’s death than he’s letting on. With all leads exhausted and Jamie’s murderer still on the loose, Trey is Dillan’s last hope for finding the truth.
Sometimes the truth hurts… but in Dillan’s case it could kill her.
Author Bio:
J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.
http :// midtown - underground . com /
http://www.facebook.com/JenniferHowlz
https://twitter.com/JenniferHowlz
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1472837.J_A_Howell
October 9, 2012
Dare by Kacey Hammell
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Today I’m hosting Kacey Hammell and her new book, Dare. What a yummy cover, and as usual with Kacey, this looks like a scorcher 
BLURB
Legal secretary, Olivia Warner enjoys being single and, aside from her closest gal pals, usually keeps to herself. But the night of her thirty-fourth birthday, she and her friends spend a fun-filled evening at a local bar where her friends dare her to approach a man, and spend the night with him. Olivia’s not one to turn down a dare, especially from her old college pals. She only hopes the man in question is in for some good conversation, because that’s all she’ll give him.
Darren “Dare” Shalvis has given up on women. He’s tired of being chased for his money, good looks, and prowess in bed. He prefers to meet a woman who, for once, wants nothing more from him than mere conversation. If only the woman asking him to spend the night with her wasn’t his favorite legal secretary.
Accepting a dare has never been so tempting…
Available from:
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dare-by-kacey-hammell/
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dare-945700-149.html
https://www.omnilit.com/product-dare-945700-149.html
http://www.bookstrand.com/dare
*****
Excerpt:
She gave a small laugh and lifted the glass for a drink.
Dare watched her lips as she drank. He wondered what they’d taste like. It was something he’d considered many times lately.
He was drawn to her, but unsure he’d ever act on it.
Her whole demeanor said ‘hands off.’ And he wasn’t sure he was ready for the challenge.
“Tell me about it.”
“I’ll cut right to the chase.” As he turned on the stool, their knees brushed. Neither moved.
He thought he saw her eyes lit up. Perhaps Ms. Warner wasn’t as immune as he thought.
“My friends brought me here tonight for my birthday.”
“Happy birthday.”
She smiled. “Thank you. The jury’s still out whether it’s happy or not. My friends decided that as a present they’d get me a man.” She blushed and reached for her drink.
“Go on.” Intriguing.
She set down her glass and continued, “They dared me. Dared me to find myself a man and spend the night with him.”
Women…who understood them? He’d only ever participated in dares when he was younger. He didn’t think anyone took them seriously anymore.
“And you need my help, how?” Dare’s heart rate accelerated. She wasn’t asking him to…
She stared up at him, her gaze steady. “I need you to spend the night with me.”
If he hadn’t heard it with his own ears, he wouldn’t have believed it. This night was the strangest he’d had in a long time. It was as if he’d been offered a million dollars on a silver platter.
Of course, he wanted to spend the night with her. He’d fantasized about it many times. He just wasn’t clear on what exactly she was asking. He didn’t want any misunderstandings. “Are you asking me to spend the night with you to…” Dare cleared his throat. “…be with you?”
“Oh! No, yes, I mean no. Dammit, I’ve screwed this up.”
“Relax.” He put a hand on her knee. “It’s okay. Let’s try this—do you want me to have sex with you?”
Olivia groaned. Dare love that sound, and heat filled his groin.
“No. Not to have sex. God, this is mortifying.” Olivia placed her hand over his where it still rested on her knee. “Just to spend the night together—a movie, hang out, whatever—until eight a.m., when the dare is over.”
Dare laughed. She talked so fast he could hardly keep up. He’d never seen her so animated before. He liked her flustered and breathless…a lot. He wondered if she looked and sounded like that during sex.
He couldn’t go that route. Not now.
“Okay, so let me get this straight. You want us to spend the night together—with no sex—until morning? All because of a dare? Why didn’t you just say no?”
“I can’t. In college, the five of us made a pact—in blood, for God’s sake—that we’d always be friends and never back down from a dare. Trust me, right now, I wish I’d never made it.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I can imagine how you feel.”
“I’m so tired after the day we had. This was the last thing I needed tonight.”
“Yeah, when I stopped by the office today you seemed a bit irritated.”
She sighed and ran her fingers over his hand. Dare was surprised how comfortable it felt to have their knees and hands touch. He didn’t think Olivia was even aware she caressed his hands…or wreaked havoc on his libido. If her innocent touches could send him into overdrive, he wondered what would happen if she put all she had into it.
“It was the day from hell. I just wanted to meet the girls for a few drinks, then head home to soak the day away.”
Dare grit his teeth and tried not to think of Olivia in a bathtub—water floating around her body, relaxed, languid. The image could send him over the edge.
“Well, you’re in luck. I’m your man for the night.”
Olivia smiled and her eyes danced. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. The last thing I wanted to do was have to pick up some random guy. I’m so glad you were here.”
Pleased he could help her, Dare grinned. He realized he wanted to anything to put that carefree smile on her face.
“So.” He took a sip of his beer. “What do you want to do?”
She scowled. “Well, we could go back to my place. I have a spare room that you can crash in if you want.”
Surprised, Dare took in her flushed face. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Yeah. We don’t exactly have to stay up all night. It’s still spending the night together, right?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, in a manner of speaking. Your friends weren’t specific.”
A smug smile crossed Olivia’s face. “No they weren’t. Which is a testament to how much they thought this through. I would have made a list of do’s and don’ts.”
They both laughed. Olivia had a naughty streak and he liked it. Liked it—and her—very much. A night with Olivia Warner wasn’t what he’d expected.
Sure, he’d thought of her in his bed often, writhing and moaning with passion, but he never thought fantasy would become a reality. He couldn’t let the opportunity go.
His buddies didn’t call him Dare for no reason. He could never resist a challenge.
He placed both hands on her shoulders, drew her gaze from her glass, and put his cards on the table.
“What if we have an agreement?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“For us to spend the night together, we should have some ground rules.”
“Ground rules?”
“I will spend the night with you. More than eager to do so, except one thing.”
“What’s that?” she whispered. He barely heard her but saw her lips move.
He wanted to taste them, desperately.
“I don’t want to sleep in any spare room.”
“You don’t?” She gawked at him.
Her expression was comical but Dare didn’t feel like laughing.
“No. I want to spend the night in your room.” Dare had her full attention. She stared at him, eyes wide. “In your bed.”
*****
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The writer: Kacey is a multi-published erotic romance author who was encouraged to write by her beloved husband and quickly found herself writing fast and furiously. Not that she’ll ever tell him those three dreadful words that he longs to hear…”You were right.” Kacey is a true romantic at heart.
The Wife and Mom: Born, raised and still living in her hometown in Ontario, Canada, Kacey found true love with her husband. As a Mom of three, Kacey has made certain that each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right.
Readers can learn more about Kacey’s books and contact her via …
http://kaceyhammellkreations.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002653925340
http://twitter.com/#!/KaceyHammell
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQ3UM
http://www.goodreads.com/kaceyhammell
October 8, 2012
Chica Bello
[image error]Landon “Blackhawk” Walker is ready to get out of the Navy SEALs. He has seen and done enough, and can’t wait to get to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where three tasks await him: get back into civilian mode, take a boat out to the El Arco Rocks, and win back the heart of the woman he lost because of his career.
Maya Gonzalez has tired of the heartbreak that comes with Landon’s deployments year after year. When he walks back into her life again, she cannot deny her heart, despite her reservations. As they lose themselves in each other and the beauty of Cabo their passion is rekindled once again.
Maya knows that one phone call means deployment for Landon, putting an end to their reunion, and possibly their relationship.
October 4, 2012
The Vampires of Pirate Island – Phoenix and Lover Boy
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I’m happy today to be hosting The Pirates Of Vampire Island by Phoenix and Lover Boy. She is offering a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or Barnes and Noble, winners choice.
Title: The Pirates of Vampire Island, A Paranormal Romantic Thriller
Series: Steamy Voyages, Series #1
Author: Phoenix and Lover Boy
Publisher: Self (Amazon and B&N)
Length: 61,700 words
Genres: Paranormal Romance (Adventure)
Heat Level: Sizzling
AVAILABLE AT:
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Paranormal-Romantic-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0090OOOX6
BLURB:
Pretty Jane O’Doherty always chooses the wrong kind of guys. Her specialty seems to be guys who have serious flaws and who break her heart.
Her last breakup was a year ago and still she can hear his final words, “I’m sorry, Jane. I’ve found someone else.”
A 30-day cruise through the exotic Indonesian Islands with her best friend seems like the perfect distraction to mend her broken heart.
On board, she meets devastatingly gorgeous Nick, who attracts women in droves, including our lovely Jane.
And she meets Peter, who is the cute geek with puppy dog eyes.
Will either one just lead to another broken heart?
Should she run the other way from them both and just enjoy the cruise?
But before Jane can decide, the ship is attacked by modern day pirates.
Unlike the pirates of old, these guys are vampires and are more interested in human treasure than gold and jewels.
They take over the ship and take twelve women hostage.
And the handsome pirate leader—with eerie chalk-white skin, and red eyes, is looking for a special prize. He wants a woman for his mate and queen . . .
Jane catches his eye, but she, along with Nick and Peter, manage to escape in a lifeboat and onto the open sea.
They drift for fourteen days before finally finding an island.
But the fates are cruel, and their island turns out to be the home of the pirates and the lair of the Vampire.
The Pirates of Vampire Island is non-stop action . . . filled with adventure, suspense . . . and steamy romance.
EXCERPT
Angry clouds rolled over the sparkling turquoise sea, transforming it into a lifeless slate grey.
Tucked in a small bay hidden from view, a black-market military sea craft modified for great speed waited silently. Ten men with chalk white skin and dressed in black sat tensed as the idle boat gently rose and fell with the small swells, their glowing red eyes intent on their quarry.
Through his binoculars, their six-foot-three leader studied a sleek cruise liner turning her mammoth bow to line up on the inter-island passage off the coast of Indonesia.
He turned to his crew. They watched as a small smile played across his handsome face, his red eyes shining bright.
He nodded. This was the right target. Once they boarded, the rich bounty they would gain would renew their powers.
The leader said only one word, “Midnight.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in California. I came from a long line of Americans who were pioneers and individualists. The family tree is filled with rugged people: rough coal miners, pioneers, and farmers 
living in log cabins in the early west. I wrote A Whisper from Eden, A Historical Fantasy, but like to write in several genres.
Lover Boy (aka my husband) was born and raised in Anaheim, California and wishes to remain anonymous because he doesn’t want anyone to know he likes to write romance novels. (Let’s keep his secret.)
We wrote THE PIRATES OF VAMPIRE ISLAND, A Paranormal Romantic Thriller (Steamy Voyages #1). And we are working the sequel to Steamy Voyages and a dystopian thriller, The Trash Pile People. We live in Hollywood with our ornery tomcat, Snickers.
Website: http://www.fictionbyphoenix.com
E-mail: read@booksbyphoenix.com
Twitter: @PhoenixRead
Goodreads: Phoenix Reads
Facebook Page: Fiction by Phoenix
Facebook Profile: Lee Jordan
Pinterest: Lee Jordan
Amazon Author Central: Amazon.com/author/phoenixread
Amazon Reviews by Phoenix Profile Page: http://amzn.to/P8T5QD
For the rest of the tour, go here:
September 27, 2012
Mage’s Bane – Chacelyn Pierce
I’m happy to be hosting Chacelyn Pierce and her book, Mage’s Bane. Chacelyn was kind enough to answer some questions for me, and then we will learn about her book.
She is also giving away ebook copies, so be sure to enter below.
Title: Mage’s Bane
Author: Chacelyn Pierce
Publisher: Breathless Press
Length: 40,500 words
Genres: Paranormal Romance (Adventure)
Heat Level: Steamy
Thank you for stopping by today, Chacelyn!
Do your characters talk to you? If so, what do they say?
Riaz talked the most, naturally. He was very demanding and conceited. Everything had to be done his way, he didn’t want to be viewed as weak and was very adamant about that.
How long did it take you to write this book?
About six months, not including the edits.
Which character of this book was the easiest to write?
Yasmin, because there are so many people like her in the world.
Which was the most difficult?
Lyndon, with all his faery charms.
What do you think about the self-pub industry?
I love it, in fact I have a few self-pub manuscripts in the works.
Who is your favorite character of this book, and why?
The Great Amid. I love how mysterious he is. I feel like there is more to him and a part of me is drawn to that and wants to uncover the real Amid. If he ever opens up and shares, I promise to write it all down.
If you could be one character in this book, or in a past book you have written, who would it be?
Ari, hands down. Who wouldn’t want a tough and sexy djinni at their beck and call?
Fun Stuff:
Day or Night? Why?
Night. I love the darkness, my mind is more active at night and it creates a fantasy world over reality. I’ll always believe something supernatural is happening around the corner from where I am but I’ll never see it.
Last book you read or the book you are reading now?
Last book I read was Claimed by the Highlander by Julianne MacLean—loved it. I’m reading Lara by Beatrice Small and The Vampire Queen’s Servant by Joey W. Hill at the moment. Love both of these so far as well.
Favorite season? Why?
Autumn, I live in Texas so it’s when the temperatures cool down and I love watching the leaves change colors.
BLURB:
Being a rogue Akasha Mage is no easy feat for Aribelle Delano. Neither is summoning Riaz, a djinni that makes her knees go weak in a way that would shame her ancestors.
A new threat of demons intent on killing Ari for nefarious purposes has her putting all her trust in Riaz, who swears to protect her in the face of evil. But she’s been taught that fully trusting Riaz is unwise, and he’s constantly looking for a way to break free of her control.
Ari must face the new demonic threat and handle the Sultan of Old Magic who dominates her mind…and eventually, her body and soul as well. Together, her and Riaz must find a way to stop the demons and their summoner, even if that means breaking the rules that have been in place between the Akasha and Djinn for millenniums.
EXCERPT:
I stumbled into the musty room, trying to see through the hazy shimmer. I kept attempting to blink it away with no success. A cold sweat gave me clammy skin, and I was sure it was because of the venom being pumped faster by my erratic heartbeat. I was slightly nervous by the Djinn healing to come. The demon venom threatened to kill me at any moment, but I was actually more worried about Riaz’s hands on me, touching me in my most intimate spots. Even though I’d known him a quarter of my life, I couldn’t rid myself of this childish discomfort…or was it anticipation? This isn’t a big deal at all, so stop acting like it is.
It wasn’t like it was the first time. Riaz had healed me once before when I was a teenage girl. I’d tried to be a smart ass and show off to the big, bad Djinni my new driver’s license—as if he cared about mortal things—and I got showy-flashy with my driving. I plunged us off the highway and down a steep embankment, hitting damn near every tree on the way down. The rescue crews and newspapers called me a lucky girl for over a year. Had it not been for Riaz’s healing touch, I’m pretty sure internal bleeding would’ve taken me out at the tender age of eighteen. I’d been pretty out of it, but I remember Riaz had been fast-acting on keeping me alive. I know I hit my head pretty hard because after all his insults calling me a foolish girl, I thought I saw compassion in his eyes. I even thought I heard him telling me not to die and leave him. Well, I figure he said that out of fear he’d waste away on earth as nothing more than a specter.
He saved me to save himself then. But this particular night, I expected him to demand I send him back while I rotted away from demon venom. Just to prove he didn’t care I needed him, I thought he might make me beg for my life. But he did none of that as he silently trailed behind me. I turned—a bit unsteadily—to see him close and lock the door with a tight-lipped expression.
The fast motion sent me into a dizzy state, causing my stomach to churn. I covered my mouth until the wave of nausea passed. Good lord, I’ll be mortified if Riaz sees me puking or hears me spilling my guts in the bathroom like some college frat party. It was bad enough he’d probably never let me live any of this down. After a few deep breaths, I was finally okay enough to remove my hand and place it against my stomach.
“Take your shirt off and lay across the bed.” Riaz’s authoritative voice caused my pulse to jump a notch. Hesitantly, I lifted my grubby shirt over my head and let it fall to the floor. I glanced at him to see what emotion—if any—Riaz felt and sighed. All I saw was indifference—and me half-naked before him.
In fact, he didn’t even try to catch an eyeful of skin as any normal male would. Granted, Riaz was no normal male, but most males, human or not, would soak up the exposed skin of a female. I wondered how he could look at me with irrelevance when I stood before him in only a bra. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him at any given moment.
It was unfair he had a willpower I didn’t possess. I mean, I wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous, but I assumed—hell, I don’t know what I assumed. Riaz was ancient. He’d had at least fifteen Akasha Mage handlers before me over the eras, so me parading around fully naked would only get a raised eyebrow and him asking if I’d fallen off the deep end again. I hated that the attraction was one-sided in our relationship.
It was immoral for an Akasha to become sexually involved with her Djinni. It would never end well for either party, and according to my former mentor, Yasmin, it was forbidden. But I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever gotten intimate with any of his past mages. Someone must have slipped up to realize that bonking a Djinni wasn’t the best tactic in any given situation.
BUY LINK(S):
Breathless Press
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Mages-Bane-eboo...
Smashwords
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
Bookstrand
http://www.bookstrand.com/mages-bane
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A rocker by heart, Chacelyn Pierce is constantly ear plugged with heavy tunes blaring to stir up the phantom personalities that swarm her mind. It’s no surprise that she enjoys writing and reading to satiate her appetite for the male antagonist in a story. Married to a blatant redhead and mothering a diva, there is never a dull moment in the house. As a native Texan, she doesn’t personally own a horse but follows the unwritten southern rule of knowing how to ride one. When she’s not testing the emotional capacity of her characters, she works part time as a dog groomer.
Contact Chacelyn at:
Website – http://www.chacelynpierce.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/chacelyn
Twitter – @chacelynpierce
Blog – http://chacelynpierce.blogspot.com/
Tumblr- http://chacelynpierce.tumblr.com/
For the rest of the tour dates, please go here:
September 26, 2012
Meet Jovan from the Six Saviors
I promised you all a chance to meet Jovan this week, so let’s get the introductions done.
Everyone, meet Jovan. Jovan meet everyone.
Isn’t he pretty?
Here’s a little unedited excerpt from Jovan’s book, tentatively titled Fleeting Thoughts. I hope you enjoy.
~~~~
Jovan made his way to the alley door, and pushed it open. He looked up at the sky and judged the sun would be setting in about twenty minutes. Glancing around the alley, he just wanted to make sure those guys were leaving and not on their way to giving the French maid any trouble.
So put him in some tights and call him fucking Superman.
He heard scuffling down at the end of the alley, and a little whimper, and then some laughter.
Oh, hell.
Jogging down toward the noise, he promised himself he would not kill anyone, even though he was jacked up enough to do so. No, he would simply break up this little party and that would be the end of it.
He came to a doorway, and sure enough, there was the French maid cornered by the two assholes from the strip joint. Tears ran down her pretty cheeks as one of the men reached for her coat.
“C’mon baby, we know you’re a bad girl playing hard to get.”
“I beg of you, please cease this behavior,” she said in a shaky voice.
“Oh, you’re good,” said the other man, “but you can drop the act now.”
Jovan had heard and seen enough, and he was thinking it may be fun to kill one of these fuckers. He’d never killed a human before, but there was a first time for everything.
He pulled one guy out of the doorway and threw him into the dumpster, and then pulled the other guy out and slammed him up against the building. Dumpster boy came rushing at him and Jovan spun the wallflower around so that they crashed into each other. He put himself between the French maid and the two men, and crossed his arms over his chest as if he had just swatted a couple of flies, not two human men. Both got up off the ground and came at him.
“You don’t want to do that, boys,” Jovan drawled.
“You need to mind your own fucking business,” dumpster boy said.
Jovan shrugged. “My mama always told my I sucked at boundaries.”
“Fuck your mama,” Dumpster boy hissed.
I’m going to take out my knife and cut this guy.
“And trust me sweetheart,” Jovan said, “you don’t want to take out that knife because a guy coming at me with a knife makes me really cranky. And I’m a pretty cranky guy to begin with.”
Dumpster boy stopped dead in his tracks and his face went pale. The wallflower, on the other hand, didn’t catch what just went down and lunged at Jovan.
Jovan heard a squeal behind him, but ignored it. He set his body into a fluid motion of kicks and punches, and five seconds later the wallflower was out cold on the ground.
Looking at dumpster boy, he could hear the French maids’ thoughts. I must leave this area, she repeated over and over, and Jovan could feel the anxiety rolling off of her even though he was three feet away.
“I suggest you see just how fast you can run, you cocksucker,” he whispered to dumpster boy, who took his advice.
Turning to the French maid, he felt the anger evaporate. She crouched in the doorway shaking, looking so innocent and pure, he was more certain than ever that she didn’t belong slinging drinks in a strip club, and he felt bad that she had to witness the violence he doled out.
She slowly turned his head and met his gaze, her dark eyes glimmering with tears of terror.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said gruffly, going over to her and offering his hand to help her up. After a moment, she gently laid her hand into his, and he pulled her up getting a jolt of the fear and anxiety she felt.
She took a moment to rearrange her coat, and then said in a quiet voice, “Truly, I thank you for saving me the humiliation of another male laying his hands on me, however, I must take my leave now.”
Briefly she met his eyes again.
“Are you okay?” he said, surprised by the concern he felt for her. He rarely gave a shit about humans, except his fellow Warriors’ mates, of course.
Pulling away from him, she nodded her head. “I shall be fine, and now I must take my leave. Again, thank you.”
He watched her scurry down the alley, and noticed out of the corner of his eye that she had left her bag.
Checking the sky, he knew he was cutting short, like short by the short and curlies, but he couldn’t let her go without her bag. He supposed he could bring it to her the following night, but he was supposed to be gone by then, and what if she got home and didn’t have her keys? She definitely shouldn’t be out walking around this part of town at night. Only people looking for trouble were out in the hours of darkness.
Breaking into a jog, he caught up to her quickly. “Hey,” he said, falling in step next to her. “You dropped your bag.”
As their hands touched while he handed her the bag, he again felt the anxiety coursing through her, but this time it was stronger. It was so fierce he actually looked around the alley to see if there was another attacker around.
Glancing at the sky again, he knew he had to go. He was minutes away from lighting up.
Then she turned her head upward and sheer panic crossed her face. “Thank you, again. In short order, you’ve become my knight in glowing armor.” She turned to leave, and this time he let her go.
“It’s shining armor,” he said.
She stopped and turned. “Pardon me?”
“It’s shining armor, not glowing armor.”
She gave a brief smile, and then she put her hand over her chest and utter shock crossed her face.
He didn’t have time to really think about it though, because he was busy rolling around in the shock making its way through his body as he watched her eyes turn a light pink.
“Holy shit,” he whispered.
“Oh my word.”
September 24, 2012
The Soul Within – Nancy Adams
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Today I’m happy to be hosting Nancy Adams and her book, the Soul Within. Nancy will be giving away a $20 Total-e-Bound or Amazon gift card to one random commenter during the tour. So make sure to leave a comment here and visit the rest of the tour stops (link below).
BLURB:
Alex’s body is in a coma. His soul, however, is not. Desperate to become whole, he must first convince stubborn beauty Evening Sinclair that he is not dead.
For generations, the Sinclairs have been healers. Using a gentle touch to heal the body and a soothing word to heal the soul, Evening Sinclair is no different. Yet despite her secret abilities, Eve has a somewhat normal existence. She enjoys her small physiotherapy practice, dotes on her eight-year-old daughter and occasionally helps souls get back into their bodies-that is until Alex, with his brooding good looks and glowing eyes, appears in her kitchen.
Alex is desperate to get back into his body-two innocent lives depend on it. His only obstacle is Eve and her stubborn fear. Unfortunately for Eve, Alex is ruthless and just as stubborn. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He will not ‘go away’ and no matter how much Eve tortures him with her lush body and perfect mouth, he will not change his mind. Eve will merge him, and if it takes him haunting her day and night, she will merge him back with a body-any body.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“You’re not welcome in my home. You have to leave.”
He raised his eyebrows, amused by her demand.
“I can’t help you.” Eve glared at him. “You need to go.”
He pushed away from the counter, moved closer, displaying his greater height.
She tried not to notice the small holes in his grey shirt, or how each one of them had a dark inky stain circling them. Was he… No! She couldn’t see the dead. She had never seen the dead. That talent belonged to her mother and grandmother. Although, Gran had told her, that could change at any time.
Crossing her arms, she let him know without words that he didn’t intimidate her—which was a total lie—and for several minutes they stood staring at each other. Eve wanted to turn away from his intense blue stare but she didn’t. Finally he spoke. “I need your help Evening.”
Eve felt her mouth drop open. She turned from him and began preparing Noelle’s breakfast. He knew her name, her real name. Her heart pounded in her chest as her hands shook. She had no idea who this man was or had been, she had never told a median any personal information and she had never told anyone, needy soul or otherwise, her real name.
She focused on breakfast with the hope he would give up, but when she turned to the fridge to get the milk, he was still there watching her. She jumped when she heard a door close. Noelle was up and moving around.
Panicking, Eve broke the silence and whispered. “You have to leave.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Nancy’s addiction for a good trash novel began in her late-teens when her [image error]grandmother gave her a bag of Harlequin Romance books. She was hooked and spent the next few years lurking in the dark corners of used bookstores searching for her next fix. Until, one marriage and two kids later, her own ideas had her jumping up at 3 am (much to her husband’s annoyance) and typing them into her laptop. Beside her husband and children, Nancy has three passions, rearranging furniture, buying bed linens and, of course, writing. Nancy lives in Eastern Ontario with her family and two over sized lap dogs.
Email address: Fancy-nancy@hotmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/NancyAdam...
To follow the rest of the tour, please click here:
September 21, 2012
Naughty or Nice Blog Hop
The Naughty or Nice Giveaway Hop was organized by Nat @ Reading Romances!
Naughty or Nice?
For me it’s a tough call. I do love a sweet romance, and there’s nothing better than a good solid Happy Ever After.
However, I do enjoy a little naughtiness. For me, a good romance has to have some hot sex as well!
So that’s what I try to do in my books: keep the sweetness of a good romance, but spice it up with some nice sex scenes.
Today I’m giving away one ebook copy of my newest book, It Was You, and one ebook copy of The Light Within Me.
Please click on the respective covers to read blurbs and excerpts, and when you pick your poison, please note it in the comments.
September 19, 2012
It Was You
On a fateful afternoon under the hot Arizona sun, firefighter Sydney Blake suffers an incident that leaves her with nightmares plaguing her and a good case of depression. Sydney’s best friend decides that Sydney needs the help of the online dating service, Match Made in Heaven, where trouble souls go to find peace.
Jordan Henley was the guy who had it all: good looks and any woman he wanted. After an accident that left him scarred, angry and suffering from his own nightmares, he signs up for Match Made in Heaven on a dare after some beers with his business partner.
Neither Jordan nor Sydney is prepared for exactly how well matched they really are, and how Match Made in Heaven can help them find the peace they both desperately need.
EXCERPT
Sydney eyed the envelope for a few minutes before finally picking it up and laying the contents out on the old wooden table before her. According to the plane ticket, she would be leaving tomorrow at noon for Rocky Point, Mexico, for Corte Celestial Resort. She had never heard of it, and she’d been down to Rocky Point many times. Studying the brochure, she noticed the tagline: where troubled souls find peace.
Okay. She qualified for that.
And besides, with the white sand beaches, lazy rivers floating through the resort and magnificent views, what did she have to lose?
Nothing except her pride, when the man she was supposed to meet was waiting for a sexual siren ready to jump into bed with him, and he got a tomboy ex-fireman who couldn’t get past an event that happened a year ago, an event that had left her unable to sleep through the night, depressed and bogged down by guilt.
Sydney reviewed the brochure further, and found herself attracted to the scuba diving and surfing the resort offered. She studied the picture of the man she was supposed to have a date with and she liked what she saw, but she wasn’t shallow like that. For her, there had to more than just a pretty face.
BUY LINKS:
September 18, 2012
POW – MIA Hop
[image error]I live by an airbase. I love the sound of the planes flying over my house, the rumble of their engines. I love seeing the men and women of the military dropping their children off at the school my son goes to, as well as seeing them in the grocery store.
My father is also a vet.
i LOVE the military.
On September 21 is a day to remember those that are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action. The authors of this hop are honoring this a few more days than just one.
For my giveaway here, I’m giving away one signed paperback copy of The Light Within Me (US only) and one ebook copy for international people.
And if there’s any military that stop by, thank you for your service.
The Light Within Me – click on picture for blurb/excerpt/reviews
