Annie Douglass Lima's Blog, page 43

The Gladiator and the Guard - Now Available! (And a Giveaway!)

I'm excited to announce that my young adult action and adventure novel, The Gladiator and the Guard , is now available for purchase! This is the second book in the Krillonian Chronicles, sequel to  The Collar and the Cavvarach . 

First Things First: a Little Information about Book 1: 


Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time.  With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

What is the Collar for, and What is a Cavvarach?

The story is set in a world very much like our own, with just a few major differences.  One is that slavery is legal there.  Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone.  Any slave attempting to escape faces the dilemma of how and where to illegally get their collar removed (a crime punishable by enslavement for the remover).  

Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil.  It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with "have a rack"), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge.  Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades.  You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.



Click here to order The Collar and the Cavvarach from Amazon 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th! 
And now, The Gladiator and the Guard, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!

 
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?
Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard in Kindle format from Amazon 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!

Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard from Smashwords (for Nook or in other digital formats) 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!
Connect with the Author Online:
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
Google Plus: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Now, enter to win an Amazon gift card or a free digital copy of The Collar and the Cavvarach!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Gladiator and the Guard - Now Available for Preorder! (And a Giveaway!)

I'm excited to announce that my young adult action and adventure novel, The Gladiator and the Guard , is now available for purchase! This is the second book in the Krillonian Chronicles, sequel to  The Collar and the Cavvarach . 

First Things First: a Little Information about Book 1: 


Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time.  With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

What is the Collar for, and What is a Cavvarach?

The story is set in a world very much like our own, with just a few major differences.  One is that slavery is legal there.  Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone.  Any slave attempting to escape faces the dilemma of how and where to illegally get their collar removed (a crime punishable by enslavement for the remover).  

Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil.  It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with "have a rack"), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge.  Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades.  You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.



Click here to order The Collar and the Cavvarach from Amazon 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through April 28th! 
And now, The Gladiator and the Guard, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!

 
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?
Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard in Kindle format from Amazon 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!

Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard from Smashwords (for Nook or in other digital formats) 
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!
Connect with the Author Online:
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
Google Plus: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Now, enter to win an Amazon gift card or a free digital copy of The Collar and the Cavvarach!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Murder Under the Magnolias by Charmain Zimmerman Brackett

The first full week in April means a blooming business for Grace Ward, whose floral designs will be part of several parties with the major golf tournament in town. After the murder of a young woman with a mysterious tattoo, Grace finds herself in the middle of an investigation and wonders if these parties she's helping with are actually fronts for something more sinister.          

Excerpt: 

It was spring in Augusta. I'm thoroughly convinced there's a place in Heaven that looks just like my hometown does as it comes into the full glory of spring. Of course, Heaven wouldn't have the yellow haze of pollen that leaves many to sneeze, wheeze, and become otherwise uncomfortable. With its multicolored azaleas, sweet-scented purple wisteria, and lovely pink and white dogwoods, Augusta is enchanted and ethereal. It truly lives up to its nickname of The Garden City. I think the azaleas have always been my favorite especially the fuchsia colored ones. And with a week to go before one of the premiere events in pro golf took place in my city, the azaleas were almost in full bloom. Everything had awakened from its winter slumber seemingly overnight, and the trees, grass, and shrubs seemed to know they had to be the exact same color as those beautiful fairways off Augusta's Washington Road.  

About the Author
Charmain Zimmerman Brackett, a veteran journalist, has written several books including the young adult book, The Key of Elyon, the 2014 Yerby Award for Fiction winner at the Augusta Literary Festival and an illustrated children's book, Little Pearl's Circus World, the 2015 winner of the Georgia Writers Association's Georgia Author of the Year Award. Little Pearl's Circus World is based on the true story of her great-grandmother, Pearl Clark LaComa, who began performing in her father's circus at the age of 4. Because of her newspaper background, she likes writing in different genre. 

Links:
Website: www.charmainzbrackett.com   
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thekeyofelyon   
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CZBrackett   
Buy the Book: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Magnolias-Graces-Augusta-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01DOCWIDM      

Forsaking All Others: an Historical Christian Romance

Historical Christian Romance
Summary: Rose dreamed of leaving the Sioux reservation in Santee, NE. Now, faced with the wide world, she must decide if she is truly ready to strike out on her own and take the risk. Rose has fought against the painful abuse of her father and the loneliness of a mother long-dead of a white man’s sickness. When Pete offers her the chance to escape to a new life, she must take it or marry into the same abuse she’s lived for so long.

Pete has always helped Rose from the shadows. Being half-white, he’s had to. He has loved Rose for as long as he can remember, but he must prove his worth to her by helping her to freedom and safety. Pete must compete for the right to take Rose to Kansas but his young and impetuous heart steers him wrong. In shame, he abandons Rose, but can never leave her care completely to someone else. When they finally make it to Kansas, Pete comes out of the shadows once again.

Once within the safety of a Kansas ranch, can Rose forgive Pete for leaving her? Will Pete remain the brooding half-blood from the reservation, or grow into the man Rose needs him to be?

 

About the Author: Kari Trumbo is a writer of Christian Historical Romance and a stay-at-home mom to four vibrant children. She does freelance developmental editing and blogging. When she isn't writing or editing, she homeschools her children and pretends to keep up with them. Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing with the worship team, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband of eighteen years, two daughters, two sons, and three cats.




Forsaking All OthersWestern Vows, PrequelBy Kari TrumboGenre: Historical Christian Romance
Places to follow Kari:
Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest AmazonAmazon Link: amazon.com/author/karitrumbo
Barnes and Noble: Forsaking All Others
Apple iBooks: Forsaking All Others
Kobo: Forsaking All Others

 Excerpt from Forsaking All Others

“Pete.” She shook him. “Wake up, something’s out there.” Pete’s eyes opened to narrow slits and he looked at her, sleep still in complete control of him. She shook him again as an ominous groaning sound came from the other side of the rock. 

Looking up, she caught sight of a huge furry head with a brown muzzle and black nose. A great paw with massive claws came over the top of the rocks. She heard it snort as it sniffed the air. Her eyes flew wide open and she couldn’t control her gasping breaths. 

Pete sat upright, fully awake now. He grabbed for his pack lying next to hers by the far rock wall, and banged their spoon against a cook pot. The bear looked down at him with inquisitive, almost sad-looking eyes. It climbed onto the rock above them and stared down, its sides expanding and contracting as if this was nothing new, like it woke humans every day.

“Rose,” he whispered, “whatever you do, don’t run. You can’t outrun it, do you hear me?” He didn’t look away from the bear. Banging on the pot with increasing speed, he had no effect on the massive, hairy beast.

The bear climbed down into their small enclosure. Rose held her breath. She wanted to run more than breathe. Pete gave her a look that told her to stay put. She scooted on her backside as far away from the bear as she could, until her back hit the rock and she was trapped.

It sniffed the air again and grabbed for Rose’s pack, which carried the little food she’d scraped together for their trip. The invader turned around, climbed back over the rock, and she heard it splash into the river and wade downstream. She sat with her mouth open and tried to get her breathing under control.

“Well, that was quite a start to our trip,” Pete mumbled as he shoved the pan back into his bag. “We’ll need to find breakfast, since ours is now gone.”

 

Murder under the Magnolias

A Familiar Darkness

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1pM3reDiBooks: http://apple.co/1M1RsElBN: http://bit.ly/1Rz9M4hKobo: http://bit.ly/22QrMC1

ABOUT THE BOOK
Archer is a magician with a few more tricks up his sleeve than even the savviest street performer could imagine. Devilishly handsome and full of dark secrets, his devil-may-care attitude came at a price and unfortunately for him, the devil may care after all.
When he meets Hannah, a runaway whose art is more than it seems, he’s determined to keep her and her drama at arm’s length. But their souls are tied together with bonds that won’t be ignored, and it’s going to take all his skill to keep her safe from the horde that follows her every move.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / PINTEREST GOODREADS / YOUTUBE
Heather Sutherlin lives in Arkansas with her husband and three children. She is the author of fantasy adventures for young adults. She loves all things creative and enjoys the worlds she dreams up, longing to live the adventure alongside her characters. When she’s not at her writing desk, she is busy exploring and learning with her children or cooking big, elaborate meals in the kitchen with her husband.You can see more of Heather at her website, HeatherSutherlin.com

Realm Explorers Part XCIV: Visit Fiori with Peggy M. McAloon

Welcome to Realm Explorers!  In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors.  Enjoy your travels!  And don't forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. 
Author’s name:Peggy M. McAloon
Title of book and/or series:“Missing”, Book 2 in the Lessons from Fiori Series
Brief summary of “Missing” – Book 2 in the Lessons from Fiori Series:
Elle Burton’s baby brother, JJ, has been kidnapped. As a newly designated guide, sworn to protect the children of Earth, she’s desperate to get him back. Elle teams up with the winged warriors from Fiori to save him … but JJ isn’t the only one in danger. Missing follows Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals as book two in the Lessons from Fiori series. In the first book, Elle is designated as a guide to winged creatures from another dimension. Their job is to protect the children of Earth from the moment of birth until their eighth birthday. Not all human children are able to see these creatures, but Elle can and she’s eleven now.
As Elle struggles with her new designation as a guide to these creatures on Earth, she discovers she is the only one in centuries who has been able to unleash the magic of the Fiori Pendant. Everything points to the stunning revelation that she may be the girl who completes three challenges in her eleventh year, as predicted in the Sacred Scrolls of Destiny. Did she complete the third challenge when she brought Pegasus back to life?
Elle quickly learns in book two that the children who suffer at the hands of bullies (both young and old) frequently can't find their voices to ask for help when they desperately need it. In Missing, she struggles with her demons too, finding she’s not as perfect as everyone thinks she is. Her anger at her brother’s disappearance and the frustration of being unable to bring him home is heightened by the fact that the authorities remain a heart-stopping step behind the kidnapper.

These books are filled with compassion and lean on fantasy and magic to inspire kids to be their best and help others in need while still having the courage to ask for help when they need it. You may even find yourself cheering for bullies to become better people.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

Fiori is located in a parallel dimension to Earth. Things are similar to our world and yet they are quite different. Flowers can be as big as tractor tires, while elephants are miniaturized house pets. Fiori is filled with winged creatures. The Fiorins who typically protect the children have exquisite butterfly-like wings. There are warriors in Fiori who have wings more like a moth. This allows them to move more quickly in battle.
In book two, Elle travels with a female warrior named Amara, to an area of Fiori called the Fiume Valley. Human guides have never before been allowed to travel to this section. In addition to the profusion of flowers of every color and shape imaginable, there are bleak mountain ranges and far in the distance you’ll see a huge body of water similar to our oceans. The ocean waters can be seen from the cliffs, but no one has allowed Elle to explore that area yet.
I would love to share information about the Fiume Valley, but it would spoil the story for everyone. What I can tell you is that I would love to camp out there for several months. My inner child cries to go to such a magical place where all my childish dreams could possibly be realized. It’s a place where there is no war and hatred doesn’t exist. It’s a place man would destroy if given an opportunity.
If we were to travel to Fiori what would you recommend we do and which things should we avoid?
You definitely want to ride on the back of a giant-turquoise Truero to view the reflection ponds of Fiori. It is in these ponds that the reflections of every child on Earth under the age of eight appear. Through the reflections of these children, the Fiorins can travel between the two worlds.
Avoid the ruthless Zorins who dwell on the barren cliffs at all costs. It’s a rare event when a Fiorin or human guide who wanders into their territory ever returns.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Fiori?
Every Fiorin has a special power. The warrior Amadeus is capable of summoning huge storms with deadly lightning bolts, but he’s not averse to using a sword similar to King Arthur’s. Bernstein has x-ray vision and can spot the enemy regardless of where they may hide. Warriors are chosen for whatever skill is needed at the moment. The Zorins are as tall as a three-story building in Fiori, but can inhabit a human for short periods of time. At this point, the battle that mortally injured Pegasus is the only one in which a Fiorin has survived.
You can also check out my previous interview on the first book to discover more about Fiori at http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com/2014/08/realm-explorers-part-viii-visit-fiori.html
Does all the action take place in Fiori?
In this book, the majority of the action is centered around JJ’s disappearance on Earth. Four Fiorin warriors are sent here to help Elle find and bring her brother home: Wyatt, Milo, Amadeus (who we’ve met previously) and Bernstein (who was introduced at the end of book 1). The Zorins are capable of entering the human body for short periods of time. This time the monsters come to our dimension to terrorize Elle into giving up the prophecy.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Fiori?
All the people and animals in Fiori are vegetarians. In Fiori, all things needed are provided. There is an old chest in Nextra’s house. When she’s hungry, she lifts the lid and there are as many hot meals as she needs already on serving plates. Evidently, you can have anything you wish for in this beautiful land.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
This book touches on the internal vulnerabilities kids struggle with when they are frightened. Elle discovers what it feels like not to be able to ask for help when you’re in trouble or afraid. Sometimes the biggest threat in our lives is the demon within, not those who invade our world. Whether it’s winged creatures, a favorite teacher, or a parent, kids can always find someone to help if they find the courage to stand up to the forces of evil that threaten them.
What is your audience?
The target audience is kids 9 through middle grade for the first two books. This is a “Coming of Age” story, so we will see Elle grow into the world of teens very soon.
Author Autobiography: 
Peggy M McAloon is on a mission to inspire kids everywhere to stand up to abuse and bullying. Her "Lessons from Fiori Series" about a young girl from Wisconsin, provides a strong female role model who isn't afraid to show compassion or hack into a con man's computer if the need arises. Peggy's courageous battle with bullying, abuse, and a traumatic brain injury has enabled her to identify with both children and adults who have suffered from social injustices. 

She's a retired trainer and speaker in the field of commercial credit. Her first book, "The Art of Business Credit Investigation" was featured in Inc. Magazine. She's been interviewed by the Associated Press and appeared on several television news programs in her efforts to protect our water resources.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your books? 
“Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals” can be found in both ebook and softcover formats at most on-line retailers.  Here’s the link to Amazon: ViewBook.at/ElleBurton  
“Missing” is scheduled for official launch at the end of February. The ebook is currently only available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.  Here’s the link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Lessons-Fiori-Peggy-McAloon/dp/0962779210/ref=sr_1_1?tag=geolinker-20&ie=UTF8 
“Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals” is also available at Audible ( http://adbl.co/1ysdBo6 ) and Missing is in production there. I decided to break with tradition and change the covers for the two audio versions. Mili Fay Art has provided delightful caricatures of Elle, some of our Fiorin friends, and one of the Zorins.
Where can readers connect with you online?
FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/peggymoundmcaloon/
FACEBOOK PARENTING RESOURCES: http://on.fb.me/23JOcTe  LINKEDIN PROFILE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggymcaloon
GOOGLE PLUS PROFILE: https://plus.google.com/+PeggyMcAloon
AMAZON AUTHOR CENTRAL: http://www.amazon.com/Peggy-E.-Mound/e/B001KCBZZG


I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Fiori.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.

Please join us again next Monday for a trip to New Lilinar and Dubinshire, in Realm Explorers Part XCV!
-Annie Douglass Lima 

Clean Romance at Walmart - and a Giveaway!

On tour with Prism Book Tours.
We're thrilled about Harlequin Heartwarming books being available in select local US Walmarts! Find out if they're at a Walmart by you here. 

Here's what some Harlequin Heartwarming authors had to say:
"I am so excited that Heartwarming books are now available at Walmart, so some lucky girl can go visit her aunt and possibly stumble across one of MY books and fall in love!"
— Amy Vastine

"I was thrilled to find a home in the Heartwarming line. Writing these sweet romances that emphasizes the emotional adventure of falling in love feels almost like a calling and now, that dream I thought I'd achieved has now grown. The Heartwarming line is now available in select Walmarts!"
— Anna J. Stewart

"I’m thrilled that I’ll get to add more Heartwarming books to my bookshelves now that Heartwarming paperbacks will be available at Wal-Mart. A Heartwarming story will be within reach no matter if I pick up my Kindle or a paperback… there’s nothing better than that."
— Cari Lynn Webb

"Real books printed on paper that you can hold in your hand and smell and flip through the pages."
— Carol Ross

"I believe in 'happily ever after' and through Heartwarming and Walmart, we’re able to bring more of these moving stories to the people who have been searching for something touching and magical."
— Catherine Lanigan

"It's not always easy to find a romance that's clean and wholesome with a rich, compelling plot and multi-faceted characters to root for all the way to a happy ending. . . . You can trust this brand of our books in the line each month to provide a great reading experience. Pick up a copy (or more) today. And enjoy!"
— Leigh Riker

"Buying books for my ereader may be easier than driving forty-five minutes to the nearest bookstore and having digital reads may be a handy way to travel without carrying six books with me (and hide just how big my to-be-read pile is from my husband), but it’ll never completely replace a book in my hand. And I wouldn’t have it any other way."
— Melinda Curtis

"I love, love, love finding a new book on the shelf, taking it in my hand, feeling the smooth cover and turning the book over to read the blurb. . . . Now, Harlequin Heartwarmings will be in stores as well. Wow, it feels a little bit like Christmas."
— Pamela Tracy

". . . if I have the option of spending time in a real brick-n-mortar bookstore and buying a tangible book that I can anticipate experiencing with all my senses, I go straight to print books."
— Rula Sinara

"Walmart has signed on to put one of my favorite lines, Harlequin Heartwarming, on the shelves of over 400 stores! That’s four more Harlequin books a month. Books filled with emotion and strength. Books that embody the love and hope that the people in our world so desperately seek."
— Tara Taylor Quinn

About the Authors
(Each picture linked to the author's website.)
Celebration Blitz Giveaway
$20 Walmart Gift CardUS OnlyEnds April 4th
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Go Make Disciples: a Book on Discipleship Plus a Giveaway!

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Jesus (Matt. 28:19-20 ESV) The Great Commission is one of the most familiar passages in the Bible. Churches put it up in sanctuaries and kids memorize it in children's programs. We're all reminded on a regular basis that it's our job to go and make disciples of all nations. Wait. Hold on. We're supposed to be doing this? How?

A new book from bestselling author Brad Francis seeks to answer those questions. Go Make Disciples: How Jesus Did It, How We Can Do It examines the life and ministry of Jesus to discover how Jesus turned His inner circle from followers into disciple makers who "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Brad searched the Gospels and identifies five different ways that Jesus made disciples—Example, Evaluation, Education, Equipping, and Experience—and suggests how we can adapt those same methods to modern life.

The book currently averages 4.8 stars on Amazon. 
One reviewer said, "If you learn best in a conversational style, talking one-on-one with a relatable mentor, then this book is a must-read for every believer." 
Another went out of their way to praise the writing: "This book is clear, understandable, and very easy to read, not at all a chore to plow through like some theology books. Francis has a humorous, down-to-earth, conversational writing style, and you will feel as though you are sitting right there with him as you read. I don't know when the last time was that I read a book this theologically sound, about this critical a spiritual issue, that was so interesting and entertaining that it just kept me turning pages."
You can find Go Make Disciples for most ebooks (including Kindle, Nook, and iBooks) and in paperback.

Plus! To celebrate the wide release, we're giving away two collections of Brad Francis' other books, which have all enjoyed time on Amazon bestseller lists: The Book of the Harvest , an inspiring short story about a man in heaven who discovers a special book that makes him reevaluate how he lived his earthly life;  Emaline's Gift , book one in The Magi Chronicles, a YA fantasy in which 13-year-old Emaline gets caught up in an ancient, magical war between the Christ following magi and the evil obeah; and The Savvy Demon's Guide to Godly Living , a satirical novel for mature audiences about a drunk demon who inadvertently sparks a worldwide revival by telling a pastor precisely what his church is doing wrong. One collection consists of all three ebooks; for the other, the winner gets to choose between ebooks and paperbacks. But you can only win if you enter!

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Next Door Neighbors: A Romance by Frances Hoelsema

Frances Hoelsema, author of Growing Up Neighbors, is pleased to announce the release of the second book in her Neighbors series: Next Door Neighbors!


Elena Montgomery, an elderly victim of fibromyalgia, has two main loves in her life: Brian, her attractive and hard-working son; and Jill Stevens, her caring friend and next door neighbor. When Brian and Jill meet for the first time, they have a chemistry that no one can deny.
Although Jill finds herself wanting to get closer to Brian, she believes she can’t. Being hurt in the past, she vows to remain single the rest of her life, thinking it’s better not to love than to love and get burned. Brian, on the other hand, wants to get to the bottom of her fears and show her that not all men are the same. He is determined to win her trust, her heart and her hand in marriage. Through pain, passion and pursuit, will Brian be able to prove to Jill what true love is all about? 

Next Door Neighbors is a clean, contemporary romance that will not only pull on your heart strings, but leave you wanting to read more! Here's an excerpt:

For the few brief seconds that they gazed into one another’s eyes, Brian’s urge to kiss Jill grew intensely. If there was ever going to be a moment to display his affection, this was it. Brian slowly, eagerly leaned over to just inches before Jill’s lips, stopping just shy of delivering their first kiss. Excited she didn’t move away, he reached his destination, brushing his lips with hers. Their kiss started off gently, softly. It was tender and sweet. The longer it lasted, though, the more Jill had melted into it, and the deeper and more passionate it became. She needed him. He needed her. But a moment later Jill froze. The heat between them instantly turned to ice as she abruptly pulled away from what the two of them were enjoying just seconds ago. Puzzled, Brian asked, “Is everything all right?” She couldn’t do it. As much as Jill admitted to wanting Brian and as great as their kiss was, traveling down that road again was too big a risk. And with him leaving soon, she didn’t want to start something she could never finish. Shaking her head, she said, “I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I can’t allow myself to get involved with you or any other man again.” Providing no other explanation, she completely freed herself from Brian’s hold and ran out of the room. Brian followed swiftly while shouting, “But I’m not like…” With the slam of a door, Jill was gone.

Next Door Neighbors is available on Amazon at: www.amzn.com/B01D8XZJ1U
For more information on Frances and/or her writing, please connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.author OR on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/FrancesHoelsema. You can also find updates on her blog at: www.franceshoelsema.wordpress.com.