Carly Fall's Blog, page 16
September 17, 2012
Heroes Live Forever by Chris Karlsen
[image error]Today I’m happy to host Chris Karlsen and her book, Heroes Live Forever. Chris will be giving away a digital copy of her thriller, “Golden Chariot” to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a $50 Amazon gift card to another randomly drawn commenter during the tour. One randomly drawn host will receive a $20 Amazon GC.
BLURB:
Elinor Hawthorne has inherited a house haunted by the ghosts of two medieval knights, Basil Manneville and Guy Guiscard. Basil is the man of her dreams, her knight in shining armor. She falls in love with him and he with her. Basil soon realizes she needs to live a normal life, a happy life with a mortal.
A lifetime later fate intervenes. Basil, still in love with Elinor, is told her spirit lives on in a young woman and he is given another chance at life to find her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUICK EXCERPT
Although she’d at times experienced the impression of déjà vu, the encounters left her feeling unsettled. Ian Cherlein was a stranger to her. This inexplicable, powerful sensation of familiarity for him bothered her more than the other déjà vu situations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.
My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the [image error]places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream.
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse.
Links: http://www.chriskarlsen.com/index.html
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#...
http://pinterest.com/chriskarlsen/
To see other excerpts and increase your chance of winning the fabulous prizes by commenting on the other posts, go here:
September 14, 2012
Wolf’s Maine – Jinni James
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Today I’m happy to feature The Wolf’s Maine by Jinni James. Jinni has written a post on writer’s block, and then we’ll take a look at the book.
Writer’s Block. It happens to every one. I bet most of the great writer’s of all time have suffered from writer’s block. The trick is how to overcome it. I suffered from writer’s block for years when I was married before. I was in such a bad place in my life that I could not write. I would write a few pages but then I would hit a wall and could not think of ways to continue on. This really depressed me because writing has always been a passion of mine and to not be able to think of anything to write about was just torture. Once I decided to get a divorce I moved out with my daughters, moved in with my parents, went back to school, got a job, and then met my soul mate. I found what real love was and how it should be and then suddenly the doors in my mind opened up then I began writing again. It was like someone flicked a light switch on in my brain. I just started writing and could not stop. However, I did hit little minor road blocks along the way. I would get to another chapter and would just get stuck. I would have no clue what to do next for my characters.
Now I have found a solution that seems to work for me so far. When I do hit a bump in the road I stop. I stop everything I am doing and close my eyes. I’ll take a break, listen to some music, watch television, or read a book. Sometimes I will even stop for the night and sleep on it. Usually the idea is floating around in my brain somewhere and once I get some sleep the idea pops to the front of my brain in the morning. It may be when I wake up or it may be in the car on the way to work but lately it just pops in there. I have even taken a few days off from writing to give my brain a break and then once I go back to it I know what I want to do. It is amazing what some little things will do for my writing.
These days I am just so happy to finally be following my dream to become a writer. The Wolfs Maine is my first novel to be published and I am currently working on my next novel. I hope if you pick one up that you enjoy it. Thanks for having me today!
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 147838431X[image error]
ASIN: 978-1478384311
Number of pages: 206
Word Count: 55,702
Cover Artist: Elaina Lee with For the Muse Designs
Amazon Print Amazon Kindle Barnes and Noble Print Book
Book Description:
Avalon felt like her life was set on repeat. Every new day was just like the one before until Avalon’s friends talk her into venturing out and leaving her dead end marriage behind. Little did she know that she would meet her soul mate face to face and that he would ignite a desire in her that she never knew existed. John had been watching over Avalon ever since her parents died when she was three but she had no clue.
She had only been talking to him online for two years. She slowly learns that there is a whole world and a whole story she had not known about involving every one she knows and cares for. Her husband Nicholas is not the man she thought him to be, if he is a man at all and John seems to be more than he lets on as well. Avalon soon discovers the hidden truths but can she handle it? With Nicholas seeking vengeance can John and her friends help her?
Excerpt
My breath stops as he gets closer to me. Then I see him. He is even more gorgeous than his picture. He has such beautiful features, dark as night hair, beautiful green eyes that I could lose myself in, six feet of total perfection standing in front of me in jeans and a black sweater. “Ava dear. Breathe.” I let out a long breath that I hadn’t realized I was still holding but yet I still can’t talk. I am just frozen which wouldn’t be a surprise standing out here but I am not even cold, just a complete statue. This man in front of me can’t be interested in me, there is just no way. He could have any beautiful, tall, blonde chick he wanted. That is the only type of woman that would look right standing next to him. “Ava. Are you ok?” I just stare at him but I did manage a “I..uh..I..yes.” He giggles as he walks up to me and wraps his arms around me for a hug. “I have been waiting for this moment for so long. I am so happy you decided to come over. I hope you do not feel uncomfortable at my home.” No, I just feel uncomfortable with how beautiful he is. “Thank you for having me.” “Ah, she talks!” He lets out a laugh again and I can feel myself manage a smile.
About the Author
Jinni James is an administrative assistant, wife, and mother of two girls as well as a step mother based in Huntsville, Alabama. Since child hood she has written many short stories and poems but never dreamed of writing a novel. She attempted to write many stories but never finished. Finally she was in the perfect place in her life to write a story that had been invading her thoughts and dreams for a very long time. That story blossomed into her first novel The Wolfs Maine. She is now currently working on her next novel.
http://authorjinnijames.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/jinnijames
https://twitter.com/JinniJames
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B008E8LUDG
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6471779.Jinni_James
September 13, 2012
Crimson Footprints (Part I) – Shewanda Pugh
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I’m happy to be hosting Shewanda Pugh and her book, Crimson Footprints, Part 1. She will be giving away 5 eBook copies of “Crimson Footprints“. To enter, please fill out the form at the end of the post.
Title: Crimson Footprints (Part I)
Author: Shewanda Pugh
Publisher: Delphine Publications
Length: 87,000 words
Genres: Contemporary Interracial/Multicultural Romance/Women’s Fiction
Heat Level: Steamy
AVAILABLE AT:
BLURB:
When an insecure, bi-racial woman begins a cloak-and-dagger love affair with a Japanese American man, she is intent on keeping her bigoted family in the dark—albeit with devastating consequences.
On the night of her brother’s murder, Deena Hammond stumbles upon Takumi Tanaka, lost and on the wrong end of a .32. After rescuing him from the certain fate driving through the hood in a Porsche will bring, a sweet kind of friendship begins. A balm for her grief. Maybe, Deena likes to think, it happened the day her white mother killed her black father. Or maybe, it was always a part of them, like DNA gone bad. Whatever the case, Deena knows that her family would never approve, hell, never acknowledge her fast-growing love for Takumi. And had he never made love to her that way, in that unraveling, soul-searching sort of way, she could’ve done the same.
But love’s a devil that way.
So, their game begins. One where they hide what they are from everyone. Anyone. And Tak understands this—for now. After all, Deena’s career hinges on the favor of her mentor and boss, his hard-ass of a father. And the Hammond family is already stretched thin with grief. Yet, each step Deena takes toward family and career brings her closer to an acceptance she’s never had. And away from him.
Excerpt
A slender, striking man of Asian descent was on the wrong end of Anthony’s .32. With arms raised, his hands were splayed in a show of defenselessness. His expression was calm, despite the growing crowd of onlookers and the pistol in his face. Behind him, an old woman made the sign of the cross.
“Anthony!” Deena cried, rushing towards them. Her brother cast a single sideways glance but kept his gun level.
“Get back in the house,” he said.
Deena turned her attention to the Asian man. She was struck by his eyes, wide and heavy-lidded. His mouth was generous, his square face softened by layers of thick black hair. He had boyish good looks and a long, lean athletic frame.
Japanese.
She was certain he was Japanese.
Deena turned to her brother. “Will you put that thing away?”
The two stared at each other, older sister, young brother, eyes narrowed. When he didn’t move, Deena stepped between the gun and the stranger, her eyes level with the barrel. Anthony lowered the gun with a sigh and Deena seized the opportunity to snatch it.
She turned to the stranger. “I assume that’s your car,” she said, nodding towards a sleek gray convertible parked haphazardly, a shiny nickel in a murky puddle. He nodded, his glossy black tresses falling into wide almond eyes.
“Yeah, um, about that.” He cleared his throat. “He uh, took my keys.”
Deena turned to her brother, hand extended. He dropped the keys in her palm with a sigh, a new Ferrari slipping from his grasp with reluctance.
She passed the keys to the stranger and their fingertips brushed. Something warm and foreign turned over in her and her lips parted in surprise. She thought she saw the makings of a smile in his eyes, but she dismissed it. He took the keys and thanked her. And as she watched him peel off with the top down on his sleek convertible, Deena’s pulse skittered then and long after.
REVIEWS:
5.0 out of 5 stars – Romance at its best!
“Shewanda Pugh describes her debut novel as a “literary romance,” and after reading and thoroughly enjoying it, I can say with conviction that she has artfully mastered the skill of storytelling. Her characters are genuine and complex. The story that she presents is real, and the issues wrapped in that story and in those characters are authentic to real life situations.
She presents her readers with the story of forbidden love, comparable to a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. In her version, Romeo is Japanese and Juliet is a bi-racial blend of black and white. The two come from different worlds, but still find that ounce of magic that sets them down the path of passion, devotion, and above all, true love. The secondary stories that Pugh includes in the novel add substance to the story, laying out the consequences and outcomes that result from the way in which an individual chooses to live his or her life. All characters in the novel demonstrate an evolution from start to end, especially the heroine, Deena. It was both a joy and a frustration to follow her path of self-discovery and self worth.
Crimson Footprints is a very good read and highly recommended. It’s nicely paced, never a dull moment. The essence of the story is heightened not only by the emotion and beauty of the story, but also by Pugh’s ability to set the scene through her use of imagery. I loved every word, every sentence, and every page of this book. Her debut novel is definitely one of my favorite reads this year, and I can honestly say I cannot wait to read what’s next from Shewanda Pugh.”– Jamee Pritchard, The Kindle Book Review
5.0 out of 5 stars – Hot Powder Keg: Tri-racial Romance Crosses All Boundaries!
“Wow, wow, and triple wow! I absolutely love Deena, even though I can see why her family thinks she’s uptight and uppity. But gosh, I can so relate to her as someone who never really belonged anywhere, always an outsider, always at arms length, and unable to let fly and be herself.
In steps confident, brash, and hedonistic Tak Takumi, who just happens to be Deena’s boss’s playboy son. Charming, rich, and NICE, Tak sweeps Deena off her feet in a whirlwind romantic tour around the United States. He indulges her, caters to her, understands her and puts up with her insecurities.
While Deena’s busy proving her architectural genius to Tak’s father and hiding Tak from her family craziness, she inadvertently hurts Tak, the source of her newfound confidence and well-being by denying him the validation he needs. Tak is pushed to the limits of his tolerance and love, and in one explosive moment, Deena comes face to face with life without him.
This story was multi-faceted in so many ways. Both families were mixed up and dysfunctional in so many ways. Secrets, vendettas, hatred and prejudice, guilt, regret, neglect, and abuse, cruel words, bitterness and the taint of murder simmer in a toxic mix of volatile emotions and riotous scenes.
Deena turns out to be stronger than she thought, and while not everything was resolved (which is as it should be), many relationships were repaired and Deena walks away richer with the love, acceptance and support she always craved.”– Clare Chu
4.0 out of 5 stars – An Engrossing Read…
“Crimson Footprints is a good read. Deanna is a young woman who achieves success despite her family and the world she grew up in. She is an architect in a prestigious firm and has the faith of her boss but hides her talent and ability by accepting mediocre work. She is surrounded by a family that constantly feeds her negativity and guilt; suffering tremendous loss and rejection as a child and later on as an adult. She finds friendship that later blossoms into love all the while juggling the demands of her job and family. Her forbidden love affair fuels her confidence and strength in herself only to have it all come crashing down in a matter of seconds; only then causing her to reflect and become the woman she so dreamed to be. To realize that she deserves to love and be loved no matter if her family or anyone else accepts her. The author develops this story quickly with characters that are complex and convincing. As I began to read this book, I found myself being sucked into Deanna’s world. Her insecurities mirrored a lot of my own and I identified with the characters in a lot of ways. I enjoyed this book so much I read it in one sitting. I wanted to give it 5 stars but unfortunately there were some language errors, typos, and repeats of sentences in a couple chapters. I am recommending this book to my friends. We all need to be reminded of what is important in life and to be loved is something we all seek.”– janxcdlily
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shewanda Pugh is a native of Boston’s inner city, though she now lives in sunny Miami, Florida. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Alabama A&M University and a Master’s in Writing from Nova Southeastern University. Fueled from a young age, her passion for crossing societal boundaries like race,[image error] class and culture, is the inspiration for both her cluttered bookshelf and her writing. When she’s not busy obsessing over fiction, she can be found traveling, nursing her social networking addiction or enjoying the company of loved ones.
Website – www.shewandapugh.com
Blog – http://shewandapugh.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Author.ShewandaPugh
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ShewandaP
September 10, 2012
Janelle’s Time – Dayna Leigh Cheser
[image error]Today I’m happy to have Dayna Leigh Cheser and her book, Janelle’s Time.
She’s doing a giveaway: 1 eBook copy of “Janelle’s Time” will be awarded to each of fifteen (15) lucky contest entrants
AND
1 print copy of “Janelle’s Time” will be awarded to each of five (5) lucky contest entrants
Dayna was kind enough to answer some questions, so first we’ll meet Dayna and then read about her book.
Is this book part of a series? If so, can you give a general description of the series? Janelle’s Time is book 1 of a series of 5 books – Janelle’s Time, Moria’s Time, Adelle’s Time, Logan’s Time and Clarissa’s Time. The series follows the Grayson family from when Richard and Janelle meet and marry into the future (the time of the end of the series hasn’t been determined yet, but will likely be around the time of the Civil War). However, book 4 (Logan’s Time) is about Logan’s family (Conor). The two families have a history and get together from time to time, including when a Grayson and a Conor marry to unite the families and their timelines.
Do your characters talk to you? If so, what do they say? Quite a lot, actually. Logan (book 4) wouldn’t shut up for months until I agreed to do a book about him. Richard and Janelle did a lengthy interview, as well as some plot and dialogue guidance. Moria hasn’t said all that much but she’s so busy with her life, she doesn’t have time for idle chatter.
How long did it take you to write this book? Well, that depends on your definitions. To do the first draft was about 18 months – writing 8 hours a night while working as a security officer in the gatehouse of an upscale community. When the first draft was complete, I shelved it – for over 6 years. Then, when I started my Twitter page – @Writers_Cafe – I took it off the shelf. With the help of new Twitter friends, and other people, I finally submitted it in August of 2011, and it was released in July of 2012. So, you tell me … how long did it take?
What do you think makes a good romantic hero? He’s got to be a flawed human being. He’s got to have some traits that drive the other characters nuts. He’s got to put his foot in his mouth once in a while – say the wrong thing at the wrong time. His friends have to be less than perfect (they can’t be better than he is). Through it all, he has to be a gentleman!
Plotter or panster? Panster – I tried plotting Moria’s Time (loosely) but the story wouldn’t cooperate. So, I do a timeline after the fact (and I’m way behind on that, too) so I can keep the details straight and just let the plot and characters take care of themselves.
If you had to sum up advice to a new writer in 2 sentences, what would you say? ALWAYS write something every day. ALWAYS find the best editor you can afford.
What is the one thing you wish an interviewer would ask you? And what is the answer?
What writing challenges have you encountered? Describe. Moria’s Time, the second book in my series (which I hope will be out early next year), incorporates real-life historical figures (5, so far). The book takes place in the first half of the 19th century so the real-life character’s movements are not as closely documented as modern real-life characters (YouTube, internet, television, cell phones, etc.), but it’s still necessary to have the real-life characters be exactly where they were when they were in the real-life timeline. For example, Elizabeth Blackwell was in college in upstate New York when Moria met her, and Frederick Douglass was in his office the day her family met him. Years later, Florence Nightingale had to be in London to meet Moria at the same time Elizabeth Blackwell was there as Miss Blackwell was to introduce them, at the same time Moria’s family was in town for an audience with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. That gave me a rather small window of opportunity, time-wise, for everyone to be there at the same time. Miss Nightingale was in Germany early and the Queen would be leaving for a different castle later. There are a lot of challenges in using real-live historical characters accurately.
Fun Stuff:
Day or Night? Why? My whole life, from infancy, I was a night-hawk. Sometimes, I would still be up at dawn the next day. Then, of course, I’d sleep the day away and do it all over again the next night-morning. Then, I dumped prescription medications in favor of natural meds for the same conditions and almost immediately, I became a morning person, up every day by 7:30 AM – and I love it‼
Last book you read or the book you are reading now? Right now, I’m reading Stephen King’s book, ‘On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft,’ and Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series (I’m into book 4, ‘Dreamfever.’
Favorite season? Why? Being a born-and-bred New Englander, I have always liked the autumn – the warm days and cool nights, the gorgeous scenery, especially in the mountains in northern New England, and McIntosh Apples, fresh-picked from the orchard in the next town! We moved to Florida 20 years ago and I haven’t seen the fall colors, or had a decent apple in all that time.
Title: Janelle’s Time (TIME Series, Book 1)
Author: Dayna Leigh Cheser[image error]
Publisher: All Things That Matter Press
Length: 98,600 words
Genres: Historical Romance (ADULT with a little time travel)
Heat Level: Steamy
AVAILABLE AT:
Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle)
BLURB:
Janelle’s Time is the story of the great love between a New Hampshire farmer’s daughter and the younger son of an English Duke.
From her father’s death to the birth of twin daughters, Janelle makes it difficult for Richard to keep her safe.
Unaware of Janelle’s maternal-line powers, the couple time-travel to 14th century England, where they meet Richard’s ancestors – and discover some startling truths about his aristocratic family.
Logan Conor, the Scots Duke of Muileach, crashes Richard and Janelle’s wedding, bent on revenge, but finds his own true love instead.
On their wedding trip, a madman attempts to kidnap Janelle – twice.
Later, Richard unknowingly betrays Janelle who strands him in England. Richard finally arrives home, but fate separates them again – and he misses the birth of his son. Will they ever make a life together?
Filled with unexpected twists and turns, their love story spans two continents, and hundreds of years. But, can their love survive their very different backgrounds and the endless obstacles life throws at them?
EXCERPT
“The day he died, he told me he hadn’t danced since before I was born. He told me he and my mother danced, right here in this room. I’ve wondered if I could somehow see them dancing. I wouldn’t talk to him. I just want to see him with my mother.”
“Come sit by me, my girl. I think I can make it happen.”
Janelle cocked her head and hesitated for just a second. She sat next to Maura on the settee, she wondering what Maura meant.
“My dear, I can’t do time travel, but I can do this.” She pointed to the center of the room. Janelle inhaled sharply. Two life-sized ghostly figures danced there, gliding soundlessly across the floor, whirling slowly. When the shock passed, Janelle was able to focus on the dancers. The woman looked familiar. She was wearing a pale yellow empire waistline dress, popular in the early part of the century.
“That’s your mother, Janelle. That’s Adrienne. Can you see how her gown covers her pregnancy? It would’ve been scandalous for her to appear in public that far along.”
“I do look like her,” Janelle spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the dancers.
“The man is your father. He was about thirty-six at the time and so happy. His Adrienne was having a baby. The baby was you.”
[image error] ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Writing ‘runs in the family.’ My mother is a multi-published non-fiction author, and my two brothers make a living writing, one as a newspaperman, the other as a copywriter. My sister edits her church newsletter.
My father was a school teacher/reading specialist (later an elementary school principal) when I was little. During story-time one night when I was about four years old, I stopped him and asked how he said the same thing every time he read that story to me. That night, he started teaching me to read. It began a life-long love affair between books and me – for that, I am grateful.
In junior high, I wrote short stories to entertain classmates. In high school, one English assignment was to write my autobiography. In the teacher-specified chapter entitled ‘Future Plans,’ being a published writer topped the list.
After a college professor told me I ‘couldn’t write my way out of a paper bag,’ I stopped writing for many years. Then, in the late 1970s, I wrote an article for “World Radio News” (San Diego, CA) about our amateur radio club providing communications for a March of Dimes Walkathon. The ‘WRN’ editor used my article word-for-word.
In early 2002, between jobs and wanting to write, I sought a third-shift position and used the ‘free time’ to write what became ‘Janelle’s Time.’ When it was complete, I shelved it. In 2009, the WIP came off the shelf. By August 2011, it was ready – at last – for submission.
In 2009, I started a Twitter account, @Writers_Cafe. I feel as if I’ve earned a degree in ‘book publishing’ since then! You can learn so much from over 14,000 followers.
I penned an article about @RileyCarney, a Colorado teen, and very prolific YA fantasy author, who heads her own non-profit literacy project. Never officially published, countless people have seen it, thanks to Twitter retweets and some carefully chosen email inboxes.
On New Year’s Day, 2010, I went ‘live’ with my blog. It has evolved into a combination of chronicling my writing journey and hopefully helpful posts on publishing industry topics.
In the fall of 2011, I added ‘DIY Interviews’ to my blog (see the left column of my blog for details on doing your own interview). Several authors have submitted ‘interviews’ to date.
Janelle’s Time is Book 1 of my TIME Series. Book 2, ‘Moria’s Time’ was my NaNoWriMo project for 2011. I reached 51,000 words on November 26! Now, I have to finish that book, and three more in the series: ‘Adelle’s Time,’ ‘Logan’s Time,’ and ‘Clarissa’s Time.’
Moving into 2012, I’m very excited about the release of ‘Janelle’s Time.’ It’s the culmination of a life-long dream – and is only the beginning of my retirement career. I’m working on “Moria’s Time,” book 2 of the Time Series.
My husband, Pete, and I have been married over forty-three years – no children. We lived in Massachusetts for thirteen years, and then moved to New Hampshire for eleven years. In 1992, we moved to Florida.
Find me on Twitter and Facebook:
@Writers_Cafe
Author Dayna Leigh Cheser
For the rest of the tour: go here
September 6, 2012
Dangerous Shift – Jill James
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Today I’m happy to be hosting Jill James and her book, Dangerous Shift.
She is giving away 1 ebook copy here. To enter, simply leave a comment. At the end of the tour, she will be giving away 2 print copies as well as a $25 Amazon gift card. Please enter in the rafflecopter for those prizes.
Dangerous Shift
By Jill James
Genre: paranormal romantic suspense
ISBN: 9781476499673
ASIN: B008RDPN72
Number of pages: 222
Word Count: 76,000
Cover Artist: Elaina Lee, For The Muse Designs
Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords All Romance eBooks
Book Description:
HE IS MR. BY-THE-BOOK, WITH A SECRET…
Shapeshifters live among us but remain unknown to most people except for the highest echelons of law enforcement, the military, science, and medical fields—until now.
SHE IS A LOOSE CANNON WITH AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM…
When a fatal virus strikes Shapeshifters all over the West coast, including members of the Shapeshifter Task Force in San Laura, California, reinforcements are called in from around the United States.
TOGETHER, THEY JUST MIGHT CATCH A KILLER
Lt. Nikki Hill of Missouri comes to San Laura and is partnered up with Lt. Sean Evans. They quickly butt heads on everything from proper police procedures to the moral ethics of euthanasia. They can’t seem to get a lead on the serial killer even as members of their own families are stricken with the virus. In their grief they turn to each other and hope they have time to discover if their relationship stands a chance or if they might just be the next victims of the species extinction disease.
Book Excerpt:
Prologue
Fort San Laura Army Base
San Laura, California
May 2017
Sean Evans turned away as tears rolled down his ex-partner Colin Rodriguez’s face. The man sat by his fiancée’s bedside, her hand clasped in his, waiting for her to die. The sound of boot heels echoed up and down the hospital corridor. All marched past the closed door, none brave enough to stop at this room.
Sean stared at the dying woman. Paulette’s red hair was the only color in the monochrome-toned hospital room. Colin’s hand shook as he brushed the hair back from Paulette’s sweaty face. The virus wreaked havoc on the young woman.
Sean swallowed bile rising in his throat as the young Shapeshifter in the bed screamed. Her flesh boiled, roiling beneath the surface, and she screamed again. Her back arched off the bed. For months now, the Shapeshifter Task Force had been working to track down the cause of the virus and it struck close to home, killing two of their own. First, his own partner, Barry, and now, Paulette.
Her fingers turned into talons that dug into Colin’s hand. Blood dripped from the cuts onto the crisp, white sheet. Colin held her hand; the only sign of his pain was the grimace on his tanned face.
Sean rubbed his burning eyes, surprised to find tears on his own cheeks. He scrubbed the wetness away and raked his fingers through his hair. His tears wouldn’t help Paulette or Colin. Nothing could help them now. His hands clenched into fists at his side. He ached to punch a wall, anything to kill the tension in the room.
A scream built in his throat. Just last week he had sat here, forced to watch the young man, new to the task force, breathe his last. He stared into the ceiling lights, his eyes watered with the brightness. He repeated his personal mantra of calm and cool until his emotions mellowed, until they no longer threatened to overwhelm him.
He turned his head back as Paulette’s screams died down to whimpers. She had lost all control of her shifting. She grew fur and it disappeared. Her head changed shape as she shifted into a canine form, then a feline form, then back to her own. Her limbs flopped against the mattress as she convulsed. The shifting now happened every few seconds.
Colin threw himself across her body as if he could stop the tragedy from its conclusion.
“Noooo.” His voice ricocheted across the room and down the hall.
Sean rushed to his best friend’s side and ripped him up off of the dying Shifter. No one had discovered yet how the virus was transmitted. They didn’t need masks and gloves anymore, not in the last several months at least, but no one wanted to find out what full-body contact might do.
Colin struggled against Sean’s hold. Tears blurred Sean’s vision as Paulette struggled to breathe, and Colin’s cries became anguished sobs. His shoulders shook under Sean’s hands.
The monitor blared as Sean searched Paulette for any life signs and found none. Her chest didn’t move. She was gone. Just like Barry. Just like all the other Shifters in the past few months.
Sean turned away as Paulette’s flesh jellified and sank into the mattress, only a slight bump under the covers to show a living being had been there.
Colin’s anguish pierced his soul, and when Colin threw himself across the bed again. Sean didn’t bother to stop him. What did it matter when his friend had just lost his partner and the love of his life?
The sounds of harsh breaths and sobs still echoed in Sean’s ears when the door opened and the Captain of the Task Force rushed in. Sean turned to the man and shook his head.
Captain Connors motioned for Sean to talk to him outside. Sean shot a quick look to Colin and followed the captain outside to the hallway.
“Lieutenant Evans, with Robertson’s death today, added to the others, the task force is low on numbers. We will need to send word to the other task forces and ask for reinforcements.”
Sean’s hands formed into fists at his side. The human captain made no bones about his dislike of Shapeshifters, but Paulette’s body wasn’t even cold yet and he drudged up business decisions.
He took deep breaths and relaxed his hands. As the Lead Lieutenant in the task force, business took priority. Even over death.
“Will you send a request to the Southwest office in Las Vegas?” Their own task force office covered the Northwest—Northern California, part of Nevada, and all of Oregon, Washington state, and Idaho.
The captain shook his head. “A few cases have been reported in Los Angeles. We can’t risk it. I’ll request someone from the Midwest. No cases have been reported yet out there. There is a small task force in Columbia, Missouri, an hour outside St. Louis.”
Author Bio:
Jill James didn’t start out wanting to be an author. Along the way she wanted to be an astronaut, President of the United States, [image error]a lawyer, and a doctor. Once married with children she realized she could be all those things in the pages of the stories she wrote.
She lives in Northern California with her husband, who is the inspiration for all her romance novel heroes.
http://www.jilljameswrites.com
http://www.twitter.com/jill_james
http://www.facebook.com/Jill.James.author
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4654661.Jill_James
September 5, 2012
Paint for Blood by Emily Ryan-Davis
[image error]
Today I’m happy to be featuring Paint for Blood by Emily Ryan-Davis. She is offering up one ebook copy. To win, please comment below with your email address.
And now on to the book….
BLURB
There’s only one substance on earth that can create a new vampire–the blood of a Chalice, a rare individual with magic in her veins. Atlanta’s human-vampire Civility Laws demand that if a Chalice is found, she must be destroyed. Vampire Teijon Reyes allowed the mortal girl Dessa Collier to live despite the threat she posed to society. If he ever finds her again, he will kill her, personal desires be damned.
Heiress to a family tradition of ward-working, house painter Dessa Collier has spent the past twelve years pretending vampires don’t exist. When a friend-enemy walks back into Dessa’s life after a decade-long absence, everything Dessa has been hiding from comes crashing down on top of her.
Thrown together on a mission to protect a city under seige, Dessa and Teijon can no longer hide from the powerful attraction that binds them…or the monsters out to destroy them
Chapter One
Twelve Years Ago
You’re here to kill me, aren’t you?
The ghosts beneath Annabel McIntyre’s silky willow trees wouldn’t answer, but fifteen-year-old Dessa Collier thought the question anyway. Someday they would reply. Someday they would nod their ghostly gray heads. Someday they would say yes.
When they did, she would… well, she still didn’t know what she would do. Go quietly. Try to be dignified about it.
“I saw a vampire last night in Little Five Points.” Waiva Jones’s smug declaration was anything but dignified.
“You see vampires everywhere.” Dessa looked away from the ghosts. A battered pair of Doc Martens swung at her left side, suspended by their laces. Dessa flexed her fingers and relished the sting of shoe strings biting into her skin. The small pain distracted her from her headache.
“What were you doing in Little Five, anyway?” The warm dregs of a Coke sloshed in the bottom of the plastic bottle in her right hand.
“I went with Eight Ball,” Waiva replied, sing-song. “He wanted to take me out in his new car. Besides, what difference does it make why? I saw a vampire.”
Waiva stopped and turned, her beaded braids swinging lightly behind her shoulders. White teeth flashed a bright smile in her dark face. “Maybe they’ll come to Garrett River and you can see one.”
Dessa shook her head and kept walking. The ghosts kept pace, slithering through the ink of the deepening gloom. She didn’t want to think about vampires in Garrett River or anywhere else. Better the abominations kept to Atlanta and left Garrett River to its own monsters.
Her grandmother was getting too old to keep up with requests for protection from spirits she did understand. Haint blue paint, long believed to protect a home from malicious spirits, was only as powerful as the mixer’s knowledge. The Colliers’ haint blue had its limits. Vampires? Beyond those limits.
Waiva huffed behind her. “I don’t know why I thought you’d be excited. You never believe in anything.”
“I do so. I go to church.”
“You don’t believe. Don’t tell me you do. Aunt Rose says Colliers don’t know what faith is, and when I’m around you, I think she’s right.” Waiva came abreast of her only to sidle away. “Maybe I should stop hanging out with you. You might be contagious, all that not-believing.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” And Waiva was wrong. Dessa believed in plenty. She believed in her grandparents. Aida and Clement Collier had refused to turn her out even when Dessa’s mother begged Clement to put a bullet in his only granddaughter’s head.
She also believed in her mother’s fear. Marie Collier had known something, something about Dessa, and the knowledge drove her to choose taking life over nurturing it.
More than anything, Dessa believed in getting home before dark. Her stomach rolled with nausea because she and Waiva weren’t going to make it before sundown. On the edges of her vision, the ghosts seethed.
To either side of the road, fields of brown grass stretched off toward farm houses. Suddenly, the road she traveled every day after school felt too isolated.
“I don’t feel good,” she said. “Let’s cut across the McIntyre farm.”
Waiva shrugged and veered left, past a “No Trespassing” sign and onto the field. Dessa hunched her shoulders and followed, glowering at the grass as if the dry, crinkly blades were responsible for her problems. She tried not to see the blank faces of the dead as she crossed their grim picket line.
The McIntyre shortcut wasn’t really short, but it took them on a westerly path home instead of forcing them to round back to the east. It took them toward the setting sun, away from the encroaching dark. Not fast enough. Dessa’s heart rate spiked, and a chill spread from her nape to her lower back.
“Someone’s following us.” The soles of her feet cramped, ached to run, but muscles and instincts were at odds. Dessa’s stomach gnawed painfully at her spine. Run. No, stay. Hold still, pretend to be invisible.
Provide.
Up ahead, Waiva tossed her braids. “Nobody’s following us. We’re the only people for miles not sitting at a dinner table, and it’s too early for vampires.” Waiva’s voice took on a sly edge. “Maybe in another hour it’ll be vampires.”
“I have a feeling.” Dessa lowered her head and focused on putting one bare foot in front of the other. Shiny black polish tipped her toes. She and Waiva continued in silence until they reached the gnarled, walking-stick stump of a long-dead tree. The stump marked a mile to the Collier farmhouse.
“Race you!” Waiva took off in a sprint.
Dessa didn’t follow. Instead, she looked over her shoulder. The bottom dropped from her stomach, and her muscles went slack. A dense, squirming mass of shadow obscured her view of the road. Someone else’s memory rippled between her ears, filled her head, and gave the black cloud a name. Hungry.
She couldn’t make her legs move. The blob came upon her quickly, so fast she didn’t have time to scream before fingers of darkness shoved into her mouth. Midnight bands wrapped around her biceps and dragged her to the ground. Dessa lashed out, punching the air. An inhuman cry reached her ears just before the dark filled those openings. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t shriek when the first bite tore at her forearm.
Burning pricks of pain dotted her exposed skin and sapped her strength. Weightless phantoms took the shape of greedy, clawed hands. Heavy bodies crushed her chest. They savaged her, teeth tearing and ripping. Hungry.
After an eternity of pain, a man’s voice cut through the sounds of feeding.
“Get them off her,” he commanded. “Destroy the new ones here and don’t take any back.”
“Better death than a cell,” another man replied.
The instructions didn’t make sense and they weren’t for her, but Dessa tried to focus anyway. Running footsteps and quiet curses filtered through the noise of strange, hissing pops. The scent of blood clogged her air passages and made her gag. Blood. Hers. Oh, that was bad.
Awareness of her arms and legs, her burning skin, returned. Dessa started to shake. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to roll onto her side, but she couldn’t move. Paralyzed.
Large, strong hands cupped the back of her head and lifted it from the ground. The authoritative voice came again. “Can you hear me?”
Masculine scents of leather and tea tree oil penetrated the reek of blood. She wasn’t completely paralyzed. She could move her head and she did, turning her face, pressing her nose and mouth to his forearm. She breathed through the odor of blood. Gradually, sensations beyond pain and fear filtered through her brain. Waiva’s voice. Vampires.
She shuddered and opened her eyes to stare at the man above her. Broad shoulders blocked the darkening violet sky. He was layers of brown against the bruised backdrop. Coffee skin, walnut hair twisted in thick dreadlocks, amber eyes.
Long fingers pushed purple tangles of hair from her face. He tilted her head at an uncomfortable angle, pressed his fingertips beneath her jaw, and muttered, “Fuck.”
Dessa’s eyelids drooped heavily. He wasn’t supposed to use that word around her. She was too young, and she was female. Clearly he wasn’t from the South.
“You’re here to kill me,” she whispered. However many times she’d thought the words, she’d never spoken them aloud.
“Yes. I am.” He tilted her head, golden gaze intent on her face. “Do you know why?”
“My mother knew why.” She swallowed and closed her eyes. “How are you going to do it? With your fangs?”
“No fangs, baby. Never fangs.” He slid his arms beneath her shoulders and knees and lifted her off the ground. She should have resisted his hold. The notion of good sense lurked in the back of her head, struggling to penetrate the fog that divided her rational brain from her feeling brain. Feeling rose to the top and floated like sea foam.
She felt safe. Sure, he was going to kill her, but death was going to happen eventually anyway. She didn’t have the energy to delay it by struggling. Flopping limp in his arms required no effort at all. So what if he said “fuck”?
Someone approached. The man who held her lifted her higher against his chest. Distantly, she labeled his body language as possessive. But that was stupid and romantic. She was no princess even if he was a knight. And he wasn’t a knight.
“Call for a car,” he said. He muttered something else. Maybe the f-word again. Dessa blacked out and lost more time.
When she came back to herself, the thick scent of blood was gone, replaced by tangy pine. Dessa squinted at the outline of a tree-shaped air freshener dangling from the inside of a car door.
Her killer’s hand skimmed her butt, and he swore. “No ID. How am I supposed to know where to take you?”
He whispered the words. Why was he whispering?
“She doesn’t look good.” A new voice, low and grim. “We destroyed nine. How the hell is there anything left of her?”
“She could create a hundred more.” Her knight-killer again.
“A hundred new creations would damn us all,” the other man, the one who wasn’t touching her, said. “Our own laws make us murderers.”
“We agreed to them. Get out and wait for me.”
The car door slammed. Dessa didn’t want to look. She turned her face to his shoulder. Warm lips stroked her ear, followed by a hot, wet lick. He held her still and drew his tongue down her throat to her shoulder, eating her pain.
Don’t ever give your blood away. It’s more valuable than gold and the minute someone else possesses it, you’re lost to yourself. Don’t give it away, baby girl.
She’d forgotten those parting words from her mother.
The vampire’s tongue dipped behind her ear, and she shivered. She’d given her blood away, and she didn’t want to take it back.
.
BUY LINKS
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gothic-fantasy-...
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paint...[image error]/1112100208?ean=2940014621397
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
All Romance Ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/produ...
AUTHOR BIO
Emily Ryan-Davis is a lifelong East Coaster whose passion for the written word saw her through jobs writing obituaries, press releases and grants before she decided “I’m going to do this” and sat down to write a book. She made that decision in 2005 and has since published several short stories and novellas with digital publishers including Ellora’s Cave. On May 24, 2012, Emily left supervisors and payrolls behind in order to focus her efforts on writing and raising her son.
Emily has been a member of the Writer’s Digest-recognized writing community Romance Divas, where she volunteers as a moderator and organizes the annual “Not Going to Conference” Virtual Conference, since 2006.
CONTACT LINKS
Web Site: http://www.emilyryandavis.com
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/author.emilyr...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/emilyryandavis
Newsletter: http://scorchedsheets.us2.list-manage...
August 31, 2012
Romancing the Hop
Welcome to Romancing the Hop!
Thank you to Carrie Ann Ryan for organizing – you’re amazing!
Ah…romance. Sometimes it’s so much better in the books than in real life, don’t you agree? For me, there’s nothing better than reading about a big alpha male falling for a woman and having her quickly become his Achilles’ Heel.
I just love that, and that’s why I write about it 
What’s your favorite thing about romance?
For this Hop, I’m giving away two ebook copies of Book 1 of the Six Savior Series, The Light Within Me.
You can click on the pretty picture above for the blurb, an excerpt and reviews.
Now, I’m sure you’re aware of the killer prizes being given away in this hop, but let’s review just in case:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack
Swag pack
To get entered to win the above grand prizes, you must comment and leave your email
To enter to win The Light Within Me, fill out the form below.
August 29, 2012
Betrayal – M.L. Guida
Today I’m hosting M.L. Guida and her book Betrayal.
She’s been kind enough to offer us a glimpse at Chapter 1, and it looks really good!
Betrayal
Angels of Death Series Book One
By M.L. Guida
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Passion in Print
Date of Publication: August 18, 2012
Print: 978-60820-693-3
E-book: 978-1-60820-694-0
Number of pages: 279
Word Count: 79745
Blurb/Book Description:
Scythe tracks his demon brother to Serenity House, a drug and alcohol treatment center. His brother wants to destroy the director, Heather Bowen, but Scythe is shocked to discover she is his angel-mate and now, he must not only save his brother’s soul, but stop him from killing the woman he loves.
Chapter One
In her pink nightgown and barefoot, she stood on a rough pebbly ground. A harsh male voice said, “Now, you’ll know what true pain is.”
The red-eyed man glared at her with undaunted hatred. Her foot rooted on the black tar pavement. Her legs trembled. She shrunk from his glare and wanted to hide, but couldn’t move.
Sweating and moaning, twenty-five year old Heather Bowen tossed and turned on her queen sized bed. The dream faded, and she woke with a start. Perspiration drenched her night gown, and tears streaked her face. The sheets wrapped around her legs. Her thighs throbbed. The iPod alarm clock read three a.m.
She scanned the room, but there was no sign of the red-eyed man. She sighed, but her relief was short-lived. What did he mean by she would know true pain? Was he kidding? Seriously? Her life sucked.
In her dream, there was something familiar about the bright and buzzing green, red and white flickering lights. But what? She frowned. Gas. She had smelled gasoline in her dream. Oh, shit. 7-Eleven. The bastard was with Rosemary.
She flicked on the lamp and snatched her phone and dialed Rosemary’s cellular. Answer, answer, answer, but a recording came on– “The number you have reached is…”
“Damn it,” Heather said. Why did Rosemary have to have such a piece of crap phone?
She called information.
“This is information,” a bored female voice said. “City and State, please.”
“Westminster, Colorado for 7-Eleven on Seventy-Second and Lowell.”
“I’m sorry I don’t have a listing for that address.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the operator said, “but there’s no listing.”
“Fuck,” Heather slammed the phone onto the oak nightstand.
She jumped out of bed. She tore off her Minnie nightgown and gasped. Three long scratches marred her inner thighs. She winced and wobbled to the bathroom and wet a wash cloth, and dabbed the bloody river on her legs. How the hell did that happen? God, her legs looked like Freddy Krueger swiped her with his razor fingers.
Within minutes, she slid into her gray Pathfinder. “Ouch!”
The damn cloth seats pulled on her thighs that still pulsed from the antiseptic. She stepped on the gas. The street lamps glowed in the darkness, and the abandoned street stretched forever as her tires ate up the pavement. She glanced at the clock. Three fifteen. She gripped the wheel and turned on Kipling Street and roared down the road. At the stoplight, there were no cars, including cop cars, so she gunned the pedal. “Hang on Rosemary. I’m coming.”
Except for her speeding SUV, the dark houses remained quiet on the empty streets. With his fluffy tail curved around his body, a red fox sat on the sidewalk and watched. She shook her finger at him. “You stay there.”
Maybe this was a good omen. In animal symbolism, a red fox meant passion and desire and, God knows, she wanted her sister alive.
She peeled onto Seventy-Second avenue, running another stoplight. Huge green cottonwood trees reached for the sky along the way. Lilium, orange pixie lilies, and long ornamental grasses with whitish plumes lined the vacant street. At the end of the street, a streetlight darkened at Majestic Park. Hidden in the shadows was a car. As she sped by, red lights flashed on.
“Shit, no!”
Out of the black shadows and thick trees, a dark car pulled out of a parking lot. A siren screamed into the night. A red light flared in her rearview mirror. Her stretched nerves wailed louder than the siren. For a split second, she thought about outrunning the cop, but that only happened in television.
She parked next to the curve and reached into the glove compartment and fumbled for her registration and insurance card. She yanked out her driver’s license and rolled down the window, but no movement came out of the cop car behind her. “Get out asshole.”
She slapped her information on the wheel and glanced at the clock again–three thirty am.
A dark clothed policeman got out of the police car and sauntered over to Heather. His hat hid his features. He put his hand on the top of her car. “Ma’am,” he said. He had a baby face, clean shaven, and looked like he’d just graduated from high school. “Do you know how fast you were going?”
“Um, no.”
He stood and puffed out his chest. “You were going sixty miles an hour in a forty mile zone.”
“This is my first ticket in a long time.” She gave him her sweetest smile. “I promise I won’t speed anymore. I’m in a…”
He scowled at her and in a cold voice said, “Uh, uh. Driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance card, please.”
Well that didn’t work, but what did she expect? Flirting and acting like a vixen had never been her strong suit. Heather sighed and handed him the information.
“You don’t understand. I tried calling my sister’s cellular phone and she didn’t answer. This never happens. Something’s wrong.”
He put his hands on his narrow waist. “That doesn’t give you a right to speed, ma’am.”
“Listen please…”
He sighed. “Where is your sister?”
“She’s working at the 7-Eleven on Seventy-Second and Lowell. Could you call and check it out?”
He crossed his arms across his chest. “That’s Westminster, not Arvada.”
“I know what city it’s in.” She gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Could you give me an escort?”
He sighed. “So, tell me again why something’s wrong?”
Author Bio:
M.L. Guida, currently, writes contemporary paranormal romance and will be having 
a short story, Sinful Delight, releasing in October which continues the Angels of Death series. She is pursuing her Master of Art in Creative Writing through Regis University. Her favorite past times are taking her cocker spaniel, Sadie, for long walks, going skiing and scuba diving.
www.mlguida.com
www.twitter.com/ml_mlguida
www.facebook.com/MLGuidaauthor
August 27, 2012
Soul Catcher – Vivi Dumas
Soul Catcher
Dueling with the Devil
Book 1
By Vivi Dumas
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: VPG Publishing
ISBN: 978-0615662237
ASIN: B008GX44RI
Number of pages: 377
Word Count: 98,000
Ebook Paperback
Today I’m happy to host Vivi Dumas and her book, Soul Catcher. Vivi has offered up one ebook for a random commenter, so please leave your comments below.
For the tour, she is giving away a grand prize of two print books and ten bookmarks. To enter for that, please fill out the rafflecopter below.
So let’s find out about this awesome book! And I have to say, if the Devil looks anything like the guy on this cover, I’d be more than happy to duke it out with him any day!!
Blurb/Book Description:
One of the top supermodels in the world, Angel, lives the life of the rich and fabulous, until a heinous car accident mars her face. After thirteen surgeries and losing everything she deemed important, she seeks out the dark forces to salvage her life. Angel decides to conjure the Devil for help, making a deal to recover her beauty. In exchange for his help, Lucifer forces her to hunt supernatural renegades, which have eluded the pits of Hell. In her quest to find beauty and get out of her contract with Lucifer, Angel stumbles upon love in the arms of a demon.
Excerpt:
The growls and snarls inched closer. Angel’s feet pounded the dirt, kicking up red dust all around her. The barren trees provided little sanctuary. Her heart and mind raced as she tried to think of her next move. The skies darkened above, thunder rumbled through the thick clouds, and the air smelled of dampness.
How long had she been running? It seemed hours. Other than Noel, the other cadets were long gone ahead of her. Being human sucked when it came to supernatural warfare, but she refused to give up. Every day the class waited, watched, wondering when she was going to quit. Two of the others had already dropped out, and they were demons.
Noel passed Angel on the left, ducking through the low branches of the charred trees, cackling as he passed. Angel picked up her speed, her calves cramping and an ache developing in her side. She wanted to stop. Stopping meant quitting. Quitting was not an option. The hellish howls closed in on her.
Angel glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of one of the ugly beasts. Its long, rounded snout protruded from an enlarged head. Red eyes peered through the burnt trees, scanning the landscape. A ridge of ivory spikes ran down the monster’s back extending from each vertebra. The dog-like fiend pounded through the forest on powerful, muscular legs, which carried its compact body. Outrunning them wasn’t going to work. She had to come up with another plan. Surveying the terrain in front of her, the only place to go was up. The trees disappeared into the grey clouds. If she could climb high enough, maybe she could wait them out. Or maybe they would go find another victim.
She lunged for the closest branch, leveraged her foot on the tree trunk, and boosted herself off the ground. It took all her strength to hoist her weight into the tree. As she reached for the second branch, three hounds pounced on the trunk, clawing at her dangling foot. The dark-haired one’s razor sharp teeth nipped Angel’s ankle. Stretching for the next limb, she stared down just in time to see the dagger like claws of the reddish colored beast rip into her calf.
Scurrying up the tree, she climbed higher until she was out of reach of the animals. Angel perched on one of the higher limbs, praying it could hold her weight. She clung to the trunk and observed the creatures clawing the burnt bark off the tree. Slowly, deliberately, a hound dug its sharp claws into the wood, using them like spikes, and began to maneuver its way to her.
Tremors quivered through Angel’s body, almost causing her to lose her grip and fall. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed. Ominous clouds gathered overhead, growing darker as the hound drew nearer. The animal swiped at Angel’s bleeding leg, barely missing as she jerked it onto the branch she sat on. Electricity hummed in the air. Angel felt the energy gathering about her, a strange, eerie sensation floating on top of her skin.
The hound’s red eyes glowed as it stretched toward Angel, drooling from its mouth and snarling. Angel stood on the limb, grabbing for the one above her. As she pulled on the branch, it snapped in her hand. She wrapped her arms around the trunk to keep from falling. The beast snagged her ankle, jerking its head, trying to yank her from her perch. Lightning flashed through the sky, hitting its target—Angel.
Angel closed her eyes as the pain she expected never came. Her body absorbed the energy and channeled it to the beast attached to her ankle. The smell of burning fur wafted to Angel’s nostrils. The hound fell to the ground with a thud. The two other monsters sniffed its cohort and growled up at her. Angel redirected the remaining energy to the creatures below with deadly accuracy.
Remember, to win an ebook, leave a comment. To get into the drawing for two print books and 10 bookmarks, fill this out:
About the Author
Vivi Dumas submerges herself in the dark underworld of the supernatural. To 
balance the analytical and logical confines of her day job, she unleashes the fiery passions of her imagination in her writing. Although she grew up an Army brat, she calls Louisiana home, but has endured the hot summers and cold winters of Maryland for the last 16 years.
Where’s Vivi?
http://vividumas.wordpress.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...
http://www.facebook.com/#!/vivi.dumas.1
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Duel...
August 23, 2012
Perfect Mate – Mina Carter
Perfect Mate by Mina Carter
Monsters do exist…and they’re the good guys.
Lillian Rosewood leads an ordinary, boring life working as the manager of a psychiatric hospital. The highlights of her day, other than her skinny hot chocolate, are the hunky guards who work in the secure section. Until a late night emergency is wheeled in.
Captain Jack Harper is insane, drop-dead gorgeous…and just had his abdomen shredded. Despite the fact they’re not an emergency room, Lillian can’t turn him away and risk a death on her hands. Unable to get the handsome soldier out of her mind, Lillian sneaks into the restricted area to check on him. What she finds is beyond belief. Somehow Jack has managed to heal himself from a near fatal wound in mere hours.
When one of the doctors, Walker, attempts to rape her, things go from bad to worse. In the blink of an eye, Jack is loose and Walker is dead… and Lillian must accept a truth about her rescuer that will change her world forever. What if the patients aren’t insane? What if their stories of secret government experiments and monsters are true?
Warning: Contains blood, mayhem and nude werewolves operating heavy weaponry. Large amounts of sarcasm, and smart-ass vampires may offend some readers. No civilian hospital staff were harmed in the making of this story.
More info and buy links: http://mina-carter.com/bookshelf/paranormal-romance/perfect-mate/
Copyright © 2012 Mina Carter
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
She couldn’t believe she was crying. Lillian didn’t cry. Ever. She was tougher than that. Tougher than the stereotypical little woman who fell apart at the first sign of danger… Or the mother who couldn’t cope after the death of her husband and hightailed it to her lover with teary demands to “make the nightmare go away”. And conveniently forgot the fact she’d left her baby daughter behind.
She was not that woman, nor anything like her.
Once in the corridor, away from the stench of death and the sight of all that black, wrong blood, she stepped away from Jack and swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. Despite the fact he’d just killed a man, there was something about him that made her feel safe. Safe with a murderer. Okay, now she knew she was losing it. Perhaps insanity ran in her family and they’d just never told her?
“I’m sorry. I’m not normally like this,” she apologized as she looked up and offered a small, teary smile. Her mouth already open to explain, she stopped.
He was gorgeous.
She’d known that. When they’d brought him in, her mind had told her that he was sex on a stick. But he’d been injured, a patient. Even though she was the hospital manager, she was bound by the patient-doctor thing, surely? The one that said “thou shalt not lust after the patients”.
Now though, without all the blood and the ragged uniform—even in the hospital gown that did nothing for anyone—he was so good-looking it took her breath away. She shook her head slightly, waiting for the hidden cameras and some cheesy reality show host to burst out of the supply cabinet in the corridor next to them. He couldn’t be for real. Soldiers just didn’t look that good.
With warm amber eyes set above sharp cheekbones, his face was bisected by a strong, straight nose over sensually full lips. A severe buzz-cut merely highlighted his attractiveness, concentrating all attention on his face. He should be strutting his stuff on a catwalk, not getting down and dirty playing soldier.
Her eyes travelled downward, and the rest of him more than fulfilled the promise of his face. He was toned…hell no, he was ripped. Even his muscles had muscles. Tall and broad shouldered, he was built like a quarterback, and his life had obviously been one of violence. Old scars dotted his skin like a mad artist had gone to town with his body as the canvas.
“I know you’re not. You’re strong.”
His words drew her attention back to his face. His eyes were blue again. He smiled, which almost robbed her of reason, but she held onto the thought for grim death. No one’s eyes changed that fast. What the hell have they done to him?
“Your eyes… What the hell are you?”
The smile turned cold, his features freezing around it and locking it into place. In hindsight, perhaps a demand for information wasn’t the best way to deal with this, especially after what had gone on in the room behind them. Walker was slumped, dead, but somehow she knew Jack wouldn’t hurt her.
He moved toward her. Only three steps, but with those blue eyes intent upon her, it seemed more like a stalk. With every movement he made, her instincts screamed “predator”.
She held her ground, tilting her head to look at him as he neared. He stopped inches away from her, so close the heat of his body beat at her skin even through her clothing and his gown.
“We don’t have time for this, Lilly.”
He lifted a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. As though he couldn’t stop touching her, he stroked a gentle finger down her cheekbone to the corner of her lips. It took everything she had not to turn her head and press into the small caress, but she held true to her purpose, her eyes on his.
“Make time.”
His lips quirked, and everything female in her went into meltdown. He had to know the effect he had on women, so she ignored the reaction and met him look for look.
“Stubborn little minx.”
She choked. “What did you call me?”
“Minx,” he repeated, lowering his head and brushing his lips over hers to silence her. As a tactic, it worked. The first touch of his lips, warm and firm over hers, was like setting light to kindling. Heat flared and caught, racing through her body like wildfire.
She moaned, unable to stop her lips parting automatically in invitation. No matter what her mind was screaming about the dead guy in the next room and the possibility the hunk stood in front of her wasn’t just human, her body knew what it wanted, and what it intended to get.
He didn’t pass up the invitation. Groaning, he moved closer and deepened the kiss. With a ruthless sweep of his tongue, he parted her lips farther and slid into the softer recesses of her mouth. She shivered, hot and cold chills chasing over her skin as he kissed her in the darkness of the corridor.
She’d been kissed before and, as she’d thought anyway, she’d been kissed well. This was something else entirely. He kissed her as if there was nothing else in the world. As if she was his sun, his moon and stars…his everything. He didn’t kiss her, he made love to her with his lips and tongue.
Abruptly he broke away, tearing his mouth from hers. With a groan of frustration, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.
“I don’t want to let you go.” The tone in his voice pulled on her heartstrings. “When they brought me in, there was just pain and blood…so much blood. Darkness was coming for me, and I was ready. But an angel called my name… I had to come back to see if she was as beautiful as she sounded.”
His words reached deep inside her. She already thought he was gorgeous, but to have him spouting words that…romantic wasn’t the word. The claim he’d come back just to see her, that hit her deep down and resonated in her soul.
“And…?”
She almost dared not ask the question, and when she did, her voice emerged breathy and hopeful. Like a teen finally meeting and speaking to her film idol in the flesh.
“Oh yes, she was worth it.”
More info and buy links: http://mina-carter.com/bookshelf/paranormal-romance/perfect-mate/
*****
Mina Carter was born and raised in Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England). After a slew of careers ranging from logistics to land-surveying she can now be found in the wilds of Leicestershire with her husband and young daughter…the true boss of the family.
Suffering the curse of eternal curiosity Mina never tires of learning new skills which has led to Aromatherapy, Corsetry, Chain-maille making, Welding, Canoeing, Shooting, and pole-dancing to name but a few.
A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She’s addicted to coffee and Nutella on toast.
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