Susan Griscom's Blog, page 23

COVER REVEAL - PRINCE OF DARKNESS by Beth Ann Masarik

Susan’s Wicked Writings is proud to present another awesome 


Title:  Prince of Darkness (Book 1)Author:  Beth Ann MasarikSeries:  The World Among UsGenre:  Mature YA/Urban Fantasy/RomancePublisher:  Hydra PublicationsRelease Date:  Summer 2013 (exact date TBA)
Blurb/Synopsis:
Hades is hell-bent on taking over the world, but in order to do so, he has to remove his nemesis, Gaia from power.  But one thing stands in the way and she goes by the name of Selene.
Cue Damien, son of Hades and Persephone.  He happens to be in love with Selene, and will stop at nothing to make sure that she is safe even though their love is forbidden.  Furious with his son’s treachery, Hades tricks Damien into killing the only woman that he has ever loved.  He does so by telling Damien that he will spend the rest of his eternal life in the Fields of Asphodel if he does not prove his loyalty.  Torn between his un-beating heart and his family, Damien does the only thing a true demon prince knows how: killing those closest to him.Will Damien follow through with his father’s evil scheme?  Or will he be banished to the Fields of Asphodel for his treachery?
Beth Ann Masarik is a Young Adult author and writer, indie publisher, and youth advocate. She writes Young Adult fantasy and urban fantasy novels that are mostly about forbidden romance and have some sort of magical creatures in them. Her debut novel, The World Among Us: Prince of Darkness was first published with Otherworld Publications. Unfortunately, OWP closed on December 31, 2012, and the book is no longer available. However, she has signed with Hydra Publicawww.theworldamongussaga.com for more details on my publishing adventures.tions, and it will be released sometime in 2013.  You can visit her author website at www.bethannmasarik.com and the series website at

As a youth advocate, she, along with her new husband, is one of the adult coordinators of the Our Lady of Fatima youth group that is supported by the current pastor and the parents of the kids in the group.
In addition to writing, she also publishes a bi-monthly e-zine called Literary Lunes Magazine. It is offered as a free black and white e-copy and also offers a low-cost full colored paperback copy of each issue.  For more information, please visit the magazine website at www.literarylunespublications.com  Author LinksBlogFacebook Author PageFacebook The World Among Us PageGoodreads TwitterWebsite

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY - THE SEVENTH LAYER by Rachel A. Olson

Susan’s Wicked Writings is proud to present another awesome 
TITLE:  The Seventh LayerAUTHOR: Rachel A. OlsonGENRE:  New Adult Scifi/ParanormalPUBLISHED: August 17, 2012










Synopsis:
As if growing up Amish wasn't hard enough, Sarah Miller receives information just before her eighteenth birthday about a childhood she can't remember. Accompanied by long lost friends and a few unlikely relatives, Sarah learns of her supernatural destiny and the race to piece together the jigsaw of her life begins. Amidst the whirlwind of unanswered questions, one stands prominent: will the world meet the foreshadowing doom that lingers in the near future, or will Sarah complete the puzzle in time to save her people and ensure the continuance of mankind?


Author Bio :Somewhere amidst her forty-hour job and playtime with her three-year-old, Rachel finds time to walk the streets of worlds only existing on manmade paper. She resides in small college town Northwestern Nebraska with her young son, just across town from her parents. She enjoys socializing with adults, sipping strawberry wine, and head banging to music that doesn't carry a beat worth the effort of rock star hair slinging.








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Website: Blog: Facebook: TwitterGoodreads Amazon    TRAILER    Excerpt :
Prologue & Chapter 1 (also available on Wattpad and Scribd)
It crept down the window like an epileptic spider, jittering from side to side, pausing ever so slightly before continuing its descent.The rain.It always fascinated me. I often sat on my bed at night watching it shatter against my window, then travel slowly out of sight, dancing a sorrowful waltz with the low light coming from the oil lamp on my bedside table. It mattered little if I had to be up at dawn to start my daily chores with Sister. Nothing truly mattered when it rained.“Sarah, is everything alright?” Mother stood in my bedroom doorway. She was a plain woman, light brown hair lacking radiance, dull gray eyes, and thin pale lips that almost matched the color of her near-white skin. Her cheekbones curved high beneath her eyes, the lines sharp. Almost too sharp, almost masculine. But she was a kind, gentle woman. No one could deny her that. “Sarah,” she said again when I didn’t reply right away. I looked over my shoulder at her then, grinning briefly.“Everything is fine, Mother. I was simply admiring the rain.” She smiled, but there was a flash of sadness in her eyes. I knew that sadness, but we never spoke of such things. Sadness in our community was often seen as a weakness of faith. Mother sat next to me on the edge of my bed. She smoothed down her skirt until it lay perfectly across her thin frame. Folding her hands in her lap, she let out a soft sigh.“It is a beautiful sight to behold,” she said quietly, gazing out the window. When she turned to me again, her eyes were brimmed with tears. I hugged her quickly, letting her cry silently into my hair. Three days left. That’s all we had. When she finally pulled away, she dabbed lightly at her eyes and nose with the cotton handkerchief she always carried tucked in her sleeve.“I will always remember you,” I said just above a whisper before laying a chaste kiss atop her hand. “Though I know you’ll all forget me, in time.” She started to shake her head, but she knew it was true. No one remembered, the human mind was too simple to comprehend it. I had begun to notice just over the last week that people in the community were already beginning to forget. Mainly just the ones I wasn’t in contact with everyday, but they were forgetting just the same. It seemed strange to a point. They were all I had known for the last ten years. How could anyone be in your life for so long and so quickly forget who you were entirely? Yet, somehow I knew and understood it. No one ever had to explain it to me, I just knew.Mother tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out of my braid behind my ear. Her hand cupped my cheek, warm against my skin. I watched her study my face, trying to memorize it before kissing my forehead and leaving my room. I stared at the empty doorway, my heart heavy. Three more days.Just three more days.~~~“I had the dream again,” I told Sister as we scrubbed the kitchen floor.“It’s so strange to me that you dream so much, Sarah.” Her tone was almost spiteful, maybe even jealous. I’d noticed over the years that either no one spoke of their dreams, or no one really dreamed. I was never really sure which was more accurate. She shook her head at herself. “I apologize. Perhaps I’m not as prepared for you to leave us as I’d convinced myself I was.”“Sister,” I paused my work to sit back on my heels and look at her. She turned her youthful face to me, looking me straight on with those enchanting brown eyes. “Sister, I can’t imagine it’s easy for anyone to be prepared for what is to come this new moon. How can you, knowing they will use meidung so that no one suspects? That is not a simple slap on the wrist, Sister. I know I can never come back, and it’s not because of meidung. But it seems to give this whole situation a certain omen, does it not?” Her face was dark as she shook her head.“The Devil’s work, they will say. Cast you out like a rabid dog. Why can we not just say you left of your own volition? Is that not satisfactory? It would be truth! I do not condone this lying for you, but the elders say that God will forgive us.” I smiled then. She had been born into the community and raised according to their beliefs. Not everyone understood why meidung was going to be enforced, not truly. Sister was still young at the ripe age of sixteen. And she was female. Two strikes against her in the community, which meant she was only told that which was required of her to know.I went back to scrubbing the floor, falling into the silence that awaited us. It welcomed me, embracing me like a long lost child come home. It was short lived. Sister was never comfortable in such an embrace.“Tell me again about the dream, Sarah. I think I need a distraction this day.” I studied her for a moment. She looked very much like all the other women in the community. Her usual white blouse was fastened up to her neck, the long sleeves shoved to her elbows to avoid the soapy water. Her black cotton skirt billowed down to her ankles even as she knelt on all fours on the floor. Her black bonnet helped tame the runaway strands of her blacker hair, the rest trailed down to the small of her back in a tight braid. She was slightly rounder than the other women, full of hips and breast. Many whispered behind her back that she was the Devil incarnate, come to tempt all of the men into transgression. I knew she’d simply been better blessed, radiated upon by someone watching over. She puffed a strand of that obsidian silk out of her vision, glancing in my direction.“It was no different than it has ever been. I stood in an open meadow. Larger than any meadow I have ever seen, covered in the brightest wildflowers, as if they’d been freshly painted on canvas. There was nothing else in sight, just meadow and wildflower and clear blue sky. The sky was cloudless, all except that one cloud just above me. It cut out most of the sunlight, leaving the world in a gray haze. Everything seemed totally gray, lifeless. Until I laid eyes on the wildflowers again. There was a loud sound overhead, like thunder clapping. The air itself became thick, so thick it seemed I could spoon it up and eat it. Then I looked up at that one lonely cloud and it split in two. Only it wasn’t a separation of cloud, but an opening. Like a door to somewhere else, Heaven maybe? And there I saw a face, shining at me. So bright was that smile, like sunlight after a spring rain. And a hand descended, coming toward me, growing larger and larger the closer it came. I felt warmth radiating down upon me. Such heavy warmth, it made me feel disoriented. Like how Mother describes the men from the city after they’ve left a brewery. The meadow vanishes and I am wrapped in white light. I smell spices and fermented grapes. Wine perhaps. And smoked meats, such wondrous aromas! But I cannot see past the blinding light. In the distance are voices and laughter…and music. I’ve never known such joyous music! I feel my body rising from the earth, toward where I had last seen that singular cloud. And in a heartbeat, I am surrounded by the blackness of my bedroom, only my racing heartbeat to accompany me.”Sister had stopped scrubbing, her bristle brush soaking in the sudsy water pail. She gazed at me with dreamy eyes just as though she were witnessing the dream for herself. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mother walk into the house, dirt dusting the hem of her skirt and tipping the toes of her shoes. She tramped across the nearly clean kitchen floor, purposely stomping dirt where we’d just scrubbed. ‘Twas our punishment for stopping before the chore was fulfilled. Sister shot me an apologetic look. I simply smiled at her.
Chapter 1
I don’t remember much of my young childhood. I can recall vague details of things Sister and I did together, but everything seems to begin around the age of nine. Mother says something traumatic must have happened that no one is aware of, and it’s an instinctual defense mechanism that my mind has been using all these years to protect me. I don’t know about all that, I’m no brain doctor. I do, however, have dreams about things that are unrealistic. Sure, I suppose anyone who dreams can have an imagination wild enough to conjure up some fairly ridiculous things. My dreams, however, are too real to me. I can feel everything as if it were flesh and bone, and I can see more clearly in dreamland than I seem to while I’m awake. When I was younger, I tried explaining them to Mother, but she’d laugh until she cried, and then I’d cry because she was laughing. I learned very quickly not to divulge too much to anyone after that.When I started dreaming of the face in the cloud, I had to tell someone. Sister seemed to be the only one willing to listen, regardless of whether or not she believed it could be real. She’d tell me more often than not that maybe it was a sign that God himself was going to bless me. Somehow I knew that God, her god, wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.It seemed so strange that I felt no connection to the god that everyone worshiped. The one everyone in the community said was the one and only god. It never felt right to me, but I knew better than to verbalize my feelings. Feelings in general, not just sadness, were frowned upon. Feelings meant a detachment from God. Detachment meant rebellion. Rebellion was a sin; one of the darker transgressions, and punishment tended to match the level of sin.When I turned fourteen, Mother had a heart-to-heart talk with me. At first, I thought it was going to be the birds and the bees conversation that I’d heard the older girls whisper about. Instead, it was to inform me that I was not her blood. Mother was not my mother. When I was eight years of age, a very old, very crippled woman had knocked on Mother’s door. She said nothing at all, simply handed Mother the end of a rope that had been tied around my neck like a leash, then turned and disappeared.Back then, Father was still alive. I don’t remember anything about him, and only know his face from the few framed pictures of him that remained in the house. All I know about Father is that he never seemed to smile, he was a very handsome man, though he would’ve looked better with a beard, and Sister was a spitting image of him.As difficult as it was at first, I accepted the news with grace. In a sense, it was a relief to know that I’d not been born into the community. It had never felt like home to me, nor was it reality. I appreciated that they had taken me in under no known circumstances of my past, but they lived in a very strange world all of their own creation and I knew deep down that it would never be home. Many things quickly fell into place then. I finally understood why it secretly bothered me that Sister’s hair was black as coal and mine was the color of wildfire as it licked through a dying forest; why she had silky chocolate morsels for eyes and mine were the oddest shade of purple-blue. We were opposites, Sister and I, but she had always been my best friend.Six months ago, I had received a letter from a small corporation in California that claimed to have known my biological father. My first instinct was to burn the letter and run from the unknown. After much discussion, Mother convinced me that it couldn’t hurt to write back. I couldn’t remember my past so if it was just a hoax, I wouldn’t really be losing anything. When another letter came, hand written by someone within the company, I knew I had to collect more information. It wasn’t the detail given in the letter of my life before the community that convinced me to inquire, but more the penmanship of the individual who wrote the letter. It was strangely familiar to me, along with the name signed at the bottom. Ambrose Alcina. My stomach flipped excitedly when I read it over and over, memorizing the way each letter sensually curved out, like a woman’s bosom straining against the fabric of her gown. They say you can profile someone just on their handwriting. I knew nothing about profiling, but I did know one thing. This man, whoever he was, knew his way into a woman's heart.For the next several months, Mr. Alcina and I continued to correspond through our letters. He seemed genuinely interested in my life and was humored by the news that I'd been raised these last ten years by an Amish community in Southern Nebraska. Humored, but not surprised. It even seemed like old news when I'd informed him that I couldn't remember any part of my life before or even up to coming to the community.The last letter I received, around three months ago, requested that I contact him on the telephone. After several weeks of begging and extra chores, Mother finally conceded and I ran two miles to the closest telephone shanty.“Cartwright and Hankins,” a pleasant greeting rang through. I'd never had the opportunity to learn telephone etiquette, but I'd always assumed it was no different than daily conversation. You just had to visualize the face you were addressing.“Yes, good day ma'am, would Mr. Ambrose Alcina be available, please.” I hadn't fully caught my breath, but managed to sound quite pleasant, even to myself.“May I ask who's inquiring?” Her voice was similar to the sing-song of the American Redstart birds in the early morning. Maybe not quite as high in pitch, but just as pleasantly chirpy.“Yes ma'am, my name is Sarah Miller. Mr. Alcina had requested I call, but I've been...indisposed until now.” I wasn't entirely sure that was a truthful enough answer, but then I'd never been known for always telling the truth.“Please hold.” There was a strange series of clicking sounds before soft violins commenced playing. My breathing finally evened out and I'd almost forgotten that I was on hold until the music abruptly ended.“Ambrose speaking.” His voice was like silk lightly rippling over smooth stones. He carried a light accent, though I was not familiar with any of them to make any kind of educated guess of its origin.“Good day Mr. Alcina, it's Sarah.” There was a quiet pause. “Sarah Miller? From Pawnee County, Nebraska. You'd requested I call, sir. I apologize for not –”“Sarah, yes! Forgive me, it's been several weeks since our last correspondence. I'd almost given up hope.” It was almost like he was singing me a lullaby. Such richness in his tone, deep and luscious. My body warmed through all the way down to my toes.“Yes, I apologize for the delay. Mother was extraordinarily difficult on the matter.” I heard him chuckle lightly. It occurred to me then that even his voice was familiar to me. Why did I feel like I knew this man? And why did it feel like it was a deeper knowledge than just friends or acquaintances?“Sarah, I must discuss something of great importance with you.” He sounded suddenly very serious.“Yes, of course. Anything you'd like.” My pulse stepped up a notch.“Sarah...” he hesitated. “Sarah, your eighteenth birthday is approaching, is it not?”“Yes sir, in three months time. To the day, in fact.” There was a hushed rustling on the other end of the phone. I pictured him shifting in his seat.“Yes indeed, during the new moon. Sarah, I realize that what I'm about to say to you will come as a bit of a shock, but I need you to listen closely and I pray that you can understand in full how serious this is.” I struggled to find my reply. His tone was so somber, it almost scared me. What could be so distressing? “Sarah, are you still there?”“Yes sir, Mr. Alcina. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit confused. What is it that has you so sedate?”“Sarah, listen closely. Please, please listen and understand.” That last part he said so quietly, it sounded more like a prayer to himself than anything directed toward me. “There is no time for explanations. On the morning of your birthday, you will be approached by a man by the name of Nicoli. He is a beast of a man, but he is for your protection...and transportation.” My head immediately whirled out of control. Protection and transportation? Protection from whom? From what? And where might I be going? Was it dangerous? Could I even trust this man I was speaking to? How did I know this Nicoli individual was safe? So many questions and an inoperable tongue. “Sarah?” Ambrose almost sounded as frightened as I felt.“Why?” was all I could muster. My thoughts were so chaotic, it was nearly impossible to send one little thought out to make my mouth work.“There is no time for explanations. Go back to your home and prepare. Speak to no one outside of your community. Mention this to no one you do not trust completely. Three months, and I will explain everything. I give you my word.” The line died before I could utter even a squeak.

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REVIEW AND CHARACTER INTERVIEW FROM PLAYING HOOKY by Rita Webb

TITLE: PLAYING HOOKYAUTHOR: Rita WebbGENRE: Young Adult/Action AdventurePUBLISHER: Robot PlaygroundRELEASE DATE: January 21, 2013




SYNOPSIS

Valentine’s Day.
And my 21st birthday.
Whoop-de-doo.
Just another college day full of classes and more homework than is humanly possible.
…until Jason, my best-friend-since-kindergarten, shows up to take me out for the day.
Like old times: the two of us on a wacky adventure, playing hooky from real life. With his lopsided grin and tickets to a circus full of misfits and monsters, he introduces me to a whole new world—one full of magic and mystery—and turns my reality upside down.
Except nothing goes as planned, and we end up running through the city to find a missing siren before someone brews a love potion with her blood.
Sirens and love potions, witches and elves, and Valentine kisses. Nothing will be the same for me again.   AUTHOR BIO
Leaving the house to go to school, I had schoolbooks spilling out of one hand, the other holding my place in a Nancy Drew novel, and bunny slippers still on my feet. My mom was a wee bit upset.
I haven't changed much. Still always have a book (or two) in my hand or creating stories in my head, and although I don't have any bunny slippers, I love writing in my jammies and snuggly slipper socks.
When I grow up (maybe a hundred years from now), I'd like to be a superhero, but for now, saving the day, one page at a time, suits me just fine.
With my husband TJ (my own cuddly werewolf), I home-school our three girls, who keep us busy with art, science projects, books to read, dance classes, and walks about the park.
LINKS TO PURCHASE OR FIND THE BOOKAmazonBarnes andNobleGoodreads
LINKS TO FIND RITA WEBB ONLINERita's Blog:  Goodreads:  Twitter:  Facebook:    EXCERPT 
I’m left alone in the apartment’s tiny entryway with Jason.
“Emma,” he says, stepping closer, his head leaning down toward me. He is way too close, and I remember I’m not dressed.
Tall with wide shoulders, Jason is muscular from hard labor (construction and welding) and athletic adventures (kayaking and mountain biking). The perpetual scruff movie stars work hard to perfect shadows his jaw, and his tousled black hair kept short. He cuts it every week because it grows too fast, like at least a half inch a day. With the hazel green eyes and the confident grin he usually wears, he’d make any girl swoon.
Well, any girl but me. I’d more likely hit him upside the head with a broom than swoon over him.
“Coffee’s in the kitchen. I need to get dressed and showered; then we can go for pastries at the bakery around the corner.” Just off campus, there’s a scrumptious little shop, but I never have time in the mornings. I turn back to my room but then stop. “Oh, how do I need to dress for the day?”
“Sure.” He runs his hands through his hair, but his eyes are too busy following my ass to pay attention to anything I said.
“Jason.” I snap my fingers. “Up here. What do I need to wear?”
His gaze shifts to my face, and he grins, not even having the decency to flush. “Dress warm.”
Good. So we’re going to have an adventure.
My Interview with Emma from Playing Hooky
Hi Emma, it is so nice to meet you. Please, for the record, can you tell us your full name?Emma Star Williams. A ridiculous middle name, I know. My mom loves all that crazy New Age stuff. She hangs crystals in her garden to protect us from evil spirits, and she used to tell me how we are all stars in human form. *rolls eyes*
What’s it like having your birthday fall on Valentine’s Day?Sugary. Birthday cake and Valentine’s candy and heart-shaped sugar cookies.
Have you ever been in love?I thought I had, but when they walked out of my life, I didn’t really miss them. Maybe I was in love with the idea of being in love.
What is your favorite thing to do? Mountain-biking! On Kodiak Island where I grew up, there’s a path Jason and I like to take with some awesome drop-offs and jumps. The crazier, the better. When the path is covered in snow, it’s a bit more dangerous, but that never stopped us.
What is your least favorite thing to do?Sewing. I hate sitting still that long, and messing up generally means starting over. Ugh.
Do you have any fears? If so, have you told anyone? I’m afraid of my life fading into the mundane—paying bills, raising children, rushing from job to soccer practice, tumbling into bed at the end of the day without ever living.
I confess that I don’t really know what to do with my life. Mom wants me to be an artist like her, and Dad wants me to be a cop like him or go into the military. I’ve settled on studying to be a gymnastics coach, but that’s not really what I want.
I want adventure and  . . . and something I have no name for. Maybe a yearning to explore and discover new things. And I’m afraid I’ll never get my chance.
Now that you know Jason better, is there anything that you would change about the past if you could?Maybe I should have kissed him when I was twelve when I had wanted to, rather than wasting my time with other boys in high school. But then again, maybe the timing wasn’t right. Maybe things turned out the way they were supposed to.

Is there anything about your birthday excursion with Jason that you would like a do over?Mmmm, I’d like to do that kiss again, only without him being under the influence of a love potion. Don’t you dare tell him that though!
What is your favorite hair color?I used to hate my blonde, curly hair (especially since I looked just like my sister Angelina). I wished it was black and straight—long, thick shiny tresses like some jungle princess—but now that my hair is pink, I’d love to have my blonde curls back.
Just for fun.
What is your favorite dessert?Turtle Sundaes.
What is your favorite color?I love indigo, and I’m most likely to wear shades of blues and purples. Nothing in my wardrobe matches.
What is your favorite song?I Feel Like a Monster by Skillet. Funny how my best friend turns out to not be human.
Wake Me Up by Evanescence is a close second. Give me hard rock and symphonic metal and I’ll melt in happiness.
Chocolate or Vanilla?Both! Seriously, what could be better than . . .      Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream     Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting     Chocolate and Vanilla pudding swirl     Chocolate candies with a creamy vanilla center
Though every single one of these concoctions needs some caramel added to it.
Beach or Lake?I’m not one for lolling around on a beach because I hate sitting still for too long. So for me, the water means kayaking or swimming. Here on Kodiak Island, we have some wonderful inland bays for peaceful kayaking, but I prefer the more challenging surf on the outer coast.
Danger should have been my middle name rather than Star.
Favorite food?Tacos! With generous amounts of hot sauce

Emma, thanks so much for allowing us to get to know you better.
MY REVIEW
Absolutely enchanting! I got so caught up in this novella I almost forgot about fixing dinner, in fact, it didn’t get started until 7 pm last night. I did not want to stop reading this book.  There is so much action packed into this story it could easily have been a full length novel without any problem.
It’s Emma’s 21st birthday and her lifelong friend since kindergarten, Jason, shows up to show her a good time. He takes her to a circus and introduces her to all his strange friends, friends she never knew he had. They are soon swept into a fantasy world Emma had no idea existed and then they become involved in a quest to locate a Siren who has gone missing. The Siren has been taken because of her capability to brew up a love potion. 
I must admit, I was drawn to the book because of the cover and the name, Playing Hooky, which to me suggested a promise of fun. There was no disappointment there.
The two main characters, Emma and Jason, were so likable and I loved the idea that they each had secret feelings for one another—feelings that Emma felt would only ruin their friendship.I’m giving this novella 5 shining stars because I became so swept up in the action. I do wish it had been longer though, because when I got to the ending I wanted more and I sincerely hope that Ms. Webb continues on with the possible love story of Emma and Jason in a sequel.
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Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway with J.L. McCoy, author of Legacy of Blood

 Today, join me as I welcome J.L. McCoy and her new release, Legacy of Blood Interview, Excerpt, and Giveaway!
Title: Legacy of Blood Author: J.L. McCoySeries: Skye Morrison Vampire Series (#4)Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal RomancePublisher: Self Published Release Date: Feb 16 2013Edition/Formats Available In: E~Book & Print
Synopsis:
"Skye Morrison begged for death.  Fortunately, someone didn't listen. Skye awakens to discover she has been irrevocably changed and the unprecedented circumstances of her rebirth have now created a new threat to her very existence. Sired by both the monster Amun and the vampire Archer Rhys, Skye must prove to the army of An Dilis (The Faithful) whose essence is most dominant within her and that she is not a danger to them or society.  The Faithful soon discover that she is unlike any vampire ever created before as she struggles to adjust to her new life and the changes that come with it.Her recent brush with death has made Skye realize that life is precious and she wastes no time telling the one she loves how she feels about him.But, Amun finds out that someone interfered with Skye's transformation and the intrusion makes him livid.  He gives Skye 7 days to come to him or he threatens to begin killing the ones she loves most. 
Will Skye be able to survive long enough to enjoy her new life now that Amun is hunting her and everyone she loves?Book Links
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About J.L. McCoy 
J. L. McCoy resides in the beautifully weird city of Austin, Texas with her opinionated Pekiweenie Isabel and handsome husband Kenny.  She has always been a passionate reader and enjoys watching movies, traveling, listening to heavy metal/classic rock/80s music, getting mani/pedis with her girls, and singing karaoke.  She loves body art and is hopelessly addicted to Sonic’s ice and Route 44 un-sweet raspberry iced tea. 
The InterviewHi, J.L. I’m so glad you could join me today. I know your fans are eager to learn a little bit about you. For starters, can you share with us what the J and the L stand for?            Thank you so much for having me!  I’m really excited to be here.  The J and L are the initials of my first and middle name.  Everyone just calls me Jenn.1. How did you decide what genre you wanted to write?            Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy was just a natural choice for me.  It’s my favorite genre to read so I knew I’d enjoy writing it.2.  Is there anything unique about the setting for your new book?            Well, the story takes place in Austin, Texas and anyone who has been to Austin knows it’s a pretty unique city (not to mention the Live Music Capital of the world).  We pride ourselves on our weirdness.3. Speaking of weirdness, and many people who don’t write sometimes think we are weird about this but do your characters seem real to you? Can you relate to their story in any way that you would like to share with your fans?            My characters are very real to me.  Skye Morrison is a part of me and I think that’s why her story is so easy to write.  I think the thing I relate most with is Skye’s constant struggle to please everyone in her life.  Skye tries her hardest to be the person each of her friends need and sometimes it just leads to disappointment.  We are perfectly imperfect creatures.4. Do your characters remind you of any one in particular?            I can’t say that they do.  My characters are unique to themselves. 5. Does you heroine have any of yourself in her? If so, what features are those?            There is quite a bit of my personality in Skye’s character.  We are both fiercely loyal and protective of those we love, sassy, and we have the mouth of a sailor when we are angry.6. I’ll try to remember not to make you mad. J Do your characters change throughout the course of the story?            Yes.  My main character Skye grows and evolves as her story continues.  She learns a lot about herself and how to deal with the issues she’s struggled with for most of her human life.7.  Was any part of the book difficult to write or make you feel uncomfortable?            I am not great at writing sex scenes.  I blush every time.8.  Understandable. Was there any particular song or song track that inspired Legacy of Blood?            There were a few songs that were instrumental in Legacy of Blood’s creation.  (Never Gonna Give You Up and These Days by The Black Keys, Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, plus many more)  I discuss it in the back of the book and also provide a full track list.9. Legacy of Blood has a gorgeous cover. Can you share your designer with us and how you chose the picture?            Thank you!  I’m totally in love with the cover myself and couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.  The photo was quite easy to pick.  Of all the shots we took of the model in that position, that one was the best.  The look on her face really says it all.  The cover was designed by Omar Rodriguez V. Digital Art.  Omar does phenomenal work and has done covers 2-4 of the SMVS.  Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/OmarRodriguez....  When you write, are you a plotter or a panster?            I’m a bit of both actually.  I plot the big events of a book but let the story flow naturally in between.11.  How long did it take you to write Legacy of Blood?            About 2 months.12.  What’s in store for the future? Any other books in the works?            I’m currently working on the 5th book in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series and I also have a side book I’m working on.  It’s a contemporary romance novel.13.  Can you describe your writing workspace?            Colorful and a bit cluttered.  ;)Fun StuffWhite or Red Wine?            Totally depends on my mood, but mostly white or blushes.Favorite Ice Cream?            Cherry GarciaFavorite Food?            SushiFavorite place to read?            Curled up in bedThank you, Jenn, for sharing about your book and sharing some of your secrets with us today. It was a pleasure to have you here today.            It was fun!  Thanks again!J.L.'s Social Media Links BlogFacebook Author PageGoodreadsStoreTwitterWebsiteOther Books in the Skye Morrison Series Blood of the Son: (Book #1 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series)
Sins of the Father: (Book #2 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series)
The Original Sin: (Book #3 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series)Praise for Legacy of Blood
"[Legacy of Blood] left me breathless and wanting more."  -NarlyNut's Book Lovers and Reviews"J.L. McCoy takes us on a continued ride of intense, enthralling, page turning fascination."(praise for The Original Sin) -NarlyNut's Book Lovers and Reviews"And I can't wait to sink my fangs into the next book, to see what the hell is going on with Skye. Once again I give this book Five GOTHIC stars!!!" (praise for The Original Sin) -CYNTHIA SHEPP BOOK REVIEWS & EDITING "This series floored me! I was sucked in (pun intended) from the very beginning." -Bex 'N' BooksFor your pleasure, an Excerpt of Legacy of BloodAs soon as my head hit my pillow, and I fully relaxed, my eyes began to grow heavy.   All of the excitement I had been through today had taken its toll on me mentally.  I desperately needed to sleep and recharge.  Before I knew it, I was out cold.Images flashed behind my eyes, interrupting hours of deep, sound sleep as I softly heard someone whispering my name.  Something was pulling at my psyche, demanding entrance, and I finally gave in to the request.  Amun was standing by large body of water with his back to me.  As soon as I took a step toward him, he whirled around looking surprised but relieved.“What took you so long?” he demanded, his black eyes taking on anger.  “I’ve been reaching out to you all day.  I could feel you but I didn’t have access to you…I couldn’t access your mind.  Something is interfering.  HOW are you keeping me out?”“Ha!” I laughed and sneered at the small victory.  “You mean to tell me you can’t just come into my dreams whenever you want to?”He flashed to me and grabbed me by my throat.  “You drank their blood?!” he raged in my face as he glared back and forth between my now colorless eyes.  “But you are mine!”“I am no one’s!” I yelled back as I ripped his hand from my neck and pushed him away from me; the action utterly shocking Amun.  “No one owns me!  No one will EVER own me!”“A piece of my very soul is inside of you,” he growled, quickly recovering.  “You are mine and you will do as I say.  You will come to me this night!  I DEMAND IT!”I put my hands on my hips and smirked at him.  “Demand away, Amun.  I don’t know what you’re expecting, but I’m not going to just come crawling to whatever hole you’re off hiding in.  You have no control over me.  Get used to it!”“Oh, I have plenty of control over you,” he sneered evilly as he took another step toward me.  “All those disgusting feelings of love and desire you felt for that Day Walker…Archer?  I put them there.  I made you dream of him, want him, make love to him…  I made you want to stay with him when you were so set on leaving.  I couldn’t very well allow you to leave and ruin all my plans!  But in the end, you betrayed me, Damu.  There will be a heavy price to pay for that.  You were supposed to stay, complete your change and then kill him and all his children.  Instead you drink his blood and pollute yourself?!  You could have been something great, something beautifully fierce and exquisitely savage, but now you are just another common, pathetic Day Walker!”I felt my eyes flicker black as anger consumed me.  “I’m not your fucking toy, Amun!  If you think you can force me to feel things and do things for you, you have another thing coming.  I’m going to kill you for what you’ve done to me!  As God is my witness, you will DIE by MY hand!”Amun chuckled as he looked me up and down and then tsked.  “Oh, my sweet Nisiqtu…you are still so headstrong.  I believe I was wrong about you.  You carry my mark in your eyes.  We are not so different after all, you and I.  You may be a Day Walker now, but the potential for greatness is still there.  The possibilities are endless now.  There is so much we can do to them now that you are one of them.  They will never suspect-”“Fuck you!” I spat as I turned and walked away.  I didn’t have to listen to his bullshit.  He may have pulled me into this dream but, come hell or high water, I was going to walk out of it.“You have one week to come to me, Skye,” Amun yelled at my back.  “If you do not obey me, I will start killing your friends and family one by one and I’ll start with that fiery girl who shares your home.  I believe I’ll sew her colorful skin into a new hat.”I whirled around, my eyes wide and fearful.  “You lay one finger on her and I’ll-”“Silence!” Amun roared angrily, his voice echoing loudly all around me.  “Seven days, Skye.  And you had better be wearing the presents I left for you when you come to me.”Let's not forget the giveaway!!!!a Rafflecopter giveaway

COVER REVEAL - TOUCHING FIRE by Airicka Phoenix

Title: TOUCHING FIREAuthor: AIRICKA PHOENIXSeries: Touch Saga, book 2Publisher: Airicka PhoenixRelease date: June, 2013Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance.Warnings: Strong language and mild sexual contentFormats: ebook & paperback
Touching Fire Synopsis Fallon’s on the run again, but this time, she’s not alone and she has a direction — she’s going to meet the man whose blood runs through her veins, the only man who can finally tell her who… what she is and why Garrison wants her so badly. But the truth may be more than she can handle when she falls from one world into another, one that shouldn’t exist and learns truths about herself that she may wish she never knew. Faced with a reality so beyond comprehension, Fallon must accept the destiny she’s given because Garrison will stop at nothing to insure the success of The Amalie Project, even if he must do the unthinkable and become just like Fallon. Touch Vengeance. Touch Malice. Touch Fire.
Excerpt He was still waiting when I joined him again, composed. He stood with his back against the wall, his hands lost deep into the folds of his pockets. He was studying his shoes, his hair falling in thick fringes over his eyes. Those blue eyes rose, crystalline pools of electricity, and met mine, and my world stopped. My breath stopped. My heart would have stopped if it wasn’t drumming a tempo of pure elation at the sight of him. It ached, so desperate for the need to be closer. God, it was never close enough. I could crawl into him, burrow into his soul and it wouldn’t be enough. I took a step closer, as unsteady as a new born calf. He caught my hand, reeled me to him without ever
Airicka Phoenix is the best-selling author of the Touch Series with short stories in Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and Midnight Surrender Anthology. When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books. For more about Airicka, also on how to win giveaways, read author interviews and reviews, visit her website at: http://airickaphoenix.com/Author
Other Novels:Touching Smoke (Touch Series, book 1) e-book  Touching Smoke (Touch Series, Book 1) Paperback Touching Eternity (Touch Series Beginning) e-book Games of Fire (e-book)Games of Fire (paperback)  
Touching Eternity (Touch Series Beginning) Paperback  Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology (e-book)  Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology (Paperback)  Midnight Surrender Anthology (e-book)  Midnight Surrender Anthology (Paperback)  
Social Networks:Twitter (@AirickaPhoenix)  Facebook  Design Page GoodRead  Pinsterest Author Site  

I love♥♥♥♥♥ this series, I'm sure you will too! 

PROMOTION AND GIVEAWAY - BEAUTIFUL FREAKS by Katie M. John

Please join me in a warm welcome to Katie M. John as we showcase her new novel, Beautiful Freaks. 


Title: Beautiful FreaksAuthor: Katie M. JohnSeries: Stand AloneGenre: YA/Paranormal/Gothic/RomancePublisher:  Little Bird Publishing House, LondonRelease Date: Ebook October 2012 Print February 2013Edition/Formats Available In : Currently just ebook print coming soon Feb 14 2013.






Synopsis:
  **** A PARANORMAL GOTHIC DETECTIVE TALE ****Between these pages you will find yourself transported back in time to the high Gothic. Victorian London.
The year is 1899 and both the century and the Queen are dying.
As the London populace is gripped by a terrifying series of paranormal murders, eighteen year old Kaspian Blackthorne finds himself on a decadent journey of self discovery. Victorian London is a place where appearance is everything, but sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Behind the grand houses, carriages and silks, London is a dark labyrinth of sorrow and violence.Amongst the gambling dens, dancehalls, and brothels you'll find No 7, known to its members as Eve's; the most exclusive club in London, infamous for its 'Palace of Beautiful Freaks'.  Each exhibit has a history, each their own unique story.
Purchase LinksAmazonUK AmazonUS   Smashwords  Goodreads  
Author Bio
Katie. M John is a writer of YA, Dark Fairytales, Contemporary Paranormal Fantasy and Horror. 
She lives in the London suburbs, is married to a dashingly handsome giant and is mummy to a 3ft Mud-puddle Fairy. Katie likes to write whilst eating Jaffa cakes and listening to her i-Pod.
Katie's Contemporary Arthurian series, 'The Knight Trilogy' was launched in December 2010 with the release of 'The Forest of Adventures' and the subsequent release of 'Immortal Beloved' in 2011. Both books have been in the UK top 10 Amazon charts for Contemporary Fantasy and Fairytales. The final book 'Star Fire' was released this summer.
She has recently released a standalone YA novel called 'Beautiful Freaks', a steam punk, Victorian Gothic detective fairytale in London, which has gained a loyal fan base.
She is currently working on a seven book series called the ‘Pentacle Chronicles’, a tale of witchcraft and other supernatural happenings in a quaint English village.
She is a founding member of Dark Heart & Night Shade; a twice yearly anthology publication that showcases emerging YA talent.

Author LinksBlog  BeautifulFreaks Website Website  Facebook PageTwitter:   Goodreads

EXCERPT CHAPTER ONE:
Kaspian pondered his eighteen years as he walked through the evening gloom of the London streets. The rain had forced most people inside, creating the impression that the great metropolis had turned into a ghost town. Kaspian liked walking at times like this. It made him feel as if he were walking through his own silent empire. Then he saw her. She was standing under the streetlight, a newspaper held out in front of her as if she were reading it. Kaspian thought it obvious that she wasn’t; she was watching the church on the other side of the cobbled street. He stopped midstride and pulled himself behind a tree; spied on her as she took a pocket-watch from her pocket and flip open the lid. He thought it strange she should read it by placing flat in front of her eyes rather than looking down on it – it was as if she were taking a reading from a compass. Kaspian looked over to where she was watching. The church was empty and he couldn’t fathom what could possibly be of interest. The lights were out, the door locked, and the whole place had the impression of sleeping. The woman was tall and slender; striking in a slightly over-powerful way. Despite wearing a full, black silk skirt, the fitted waistcoat and black necktie were more manish in dress than ladylike. Kaspian had never seen a woman like her, although he had heard of ‘her sort’ as Heartlock’s companions would say. When he looked closer, he could see she wore a monocle in her left eye and was at least ten years younger than he’d guessed from the first impression: twenty one was the age he now settled on in his mind. She must have sensed him looking at her because she turned towards him and, seeing him poking out from behind a tree, smiled. It was a strange reaction to the discovery that someone was spying on you. The boldness of her action unsettled Kaspian in a way he couldn’t quite understand. He bent down, pretending that he had been about to tie his shoelaces. When he was sure she had returned to her own secret observations, he scuttled past her and almost ran all the way to the safety of home.  By the time he pushed open the imposing, black front door, Kaspian carried the strangest sense that something deep within him had changed, and things would never be quite as before.
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The tour scheduleRead Between The Lines Mar 25As You Wish Reviews Mar 26A Crazy Vermonter's Book Reviews Mar 27Shelves of Books BlogNomi's Paranormal Palace April 4Busy Moms Book Reviews April 6The Journey Continues April 11Immortal Crimson Reviews April 16Recent Reads April 18Close Encounters With The Night Kind April 19Fae Books April 20Confessions of the Paranormal April 22Condygurl's Crazed Compedium  April 25The Many Muse's of MaryLynn April 29Breathe In Books  May 2Susan's Wicked Writings May 4Lady Amber's Reviews May 8Airicka Phoenix May 14Read 2 Review May 24A Little Bit of R&R May 27The Book Town Mar 28Intoxicated By Books May 29Amazing Books Mar 31

SHOWCASE & GIVEAWAY! NEW RELEASE - RENEGADE by Cambria Herbert

There's a giveaway here today. I'm pleased to show off the new Release in Cambria Herbert's Heven and Hell Series, Renegade. Also be sure to check out the new covers for the first three books in this awesome series.


Title: RenegadeAuthor: Cambria HebertSeries: Heven and Hell SeriesGenre: YA/ParanormalPublisher: Self PublishedRelease Date: May 3 2013









Synopsis: I’ve been beautiful. I’ve been ugly. I’ve died. I’ve been brought back. I’ve had abilities awakened within me. My strength has been tested. My beliefs have been tested. Yet I stand.What’s next when you’ve pretty much experienced it all?The end.Sam and I are picking up the pieces. We’re trying to come to terms with all we’ve lost. And as much as I would like to hide my head, ignore the reality I live every day, there is no forgetting. Riley is in hell—I’m still not sure of his agenda. My mother’s past haunts me. And Kimber… Kimber is being herself. Cole sneaks glances at Gemma and she returns them when she thinks I don’t see. But I do. When Beelzebub escapes he brings his war to places I never thought he would. Earth. Maine. Home. Now everyone and everything is at risk. This has become bigger than my circle of friends. This has become bigger than me. I have to finish this. I have to find a way to stop him, to finish this war.I just pray we will all be left standing in the end.The conclusion to the Heven and Hell series. The Heven and Hell series Reading OrderBefore (A Heven and Hell Prequel) .5Masquerade 1 Between (A Heven and Hell Companion) 1.5Charade 2 Bewitched (A Heven and Hell Companion) 2.5Tirade 3 Beneath (A Heven and Hell Companion) 3.5Renegade 4 Check out the Book Trailers Masquerade:
Charade:
Tirade:
Renegade:

Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com Author LinksFacebook Author Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambria-Hebert/128278117253138Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5298677.Cambria_HebertPinteresthttps://pinterest.com/cambriahebert/pins/Twitterhttps://twitter.com/cambriahebertWebsitehttp://www.cambriahebert.com You Tubehttp://www.youtube.com/user/CambriaHebert?feature=mhee
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Be sure to visit the rest of the tour at all these scheduled stops
Read Between The LinesLe' BookSquirrelBrianna Lee Book ReviewsPaperrdollsVamps and StuffThe Many Muses of MaryLynnSusan's Wicked Writings Lissette E ManningAmazing BooksBest BooksMoonlessbitesDeal Sharing AuntA Little Bit of R & RFab,Fun, and Tantalizing ReadsOTR Book Reviews Paperback Princess My Reading ObsessionBook Dream LandOur New Generation for ReadingAs You Wish ReviewsNomi's Paranormal Palace Confessions of the ParanormalKatie M John Dark Fairy Tales & HorrorA_TiffyFit's Reading CornerLiterary LunesProserpine Craving BooksCameo RenaeThe Cover ContessaAuthor Ellie PottsA Page AwaySabrina's Paranormal PalaceSugar Free Reading Creative Thoughts Brenda's BlogSpontaneous Literary AwarenessWelcome to Larissa'a Bookish LifeFroggarita's BookcaseYA Book Addict Schadoh's Ramblings and Other Chaotic MessA Dance In The DarkPretty in Pink Books and ReviewsAll in One PlaceGirls *Heart* BooksThe (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old GirlMusings of a Writing ReaderBooks Reviews Wine and Cheese!Coffee & A Book Anytime

Book Signing at the Los Angels Times Festival of Books

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was a blast and a wonderful learning experience for me. Although this was not my first book signing it was the first time at such a large event. I have to admit, at times I felt a little intimidated by the overall size of the event. I even managed to get lost once looking for my car in one of the many, many parking garages at USC. 
There were seven of us in our twenty-foot long Murder We Wrote booth. All mystery writers consisting of multiple genres, from humorous detective and who dun-its, legal thrillers, psychological thrillers,  and romance and paranormal murder mysteries.  The best part of about this event for me was the wonderful cross promoting between authors. Everyone went out of their way to help the other authors promote and sell their books. We were there to sign our novels and make new relationships with fans and that’s exactly what happened. If readers didn’t care much for the humor but were interested in the more serious mystery or romance, they were sure to be sent down to the authors representing that particular genre.I made new friends, hopefully new fans and maybe, just maybe , sparked the interest of some future fans who liked reading their books on their electronic devices instead of print, not many of those at this event. Although I do tend to sell more e-books than print, at this event most of the readers I met, indicated that they preferred reading and holding a real print book as opposed to the digital kind. I love print books they look so pretty on my bookshelf. So pretty in fact, sometimes I will buy both the print and the digital format so I don’t mess up the print book.I can’t close out here without giving a shout out to my fellow Murder We Wrote authors and thank them all for the wonderful encouragement and great advice they had. Pam Ripling aka Anne Carter, Gayle Carline, Jenny Hilborne, Paul Marks, Teresa Burrell, Terry Ambrose, and Jim Stevens. You all rock. If your like mysteries, murder and suspense and you haven’t checked out their books yet, you can find us all on Amazon under our authors names.

Another thing that made this event very special for me was a visit from Kerry Erickson all the way from San Francisco. Thanks so much Kerry for your support.
Thank you for readingSusan

COVER REVEAL - BRANDED by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Title: BRANDEDAuthors: Abi Ketner & Missy KalicickiGenre: Mature Young Adult - Dystopian Release date: TBD 



Description
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.



Biographies: Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan.

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.
Meet Abi and Missy at their meet the author event tonight at 8-10 pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/289430807854428/?fref=ts
Where to find Abi and Missytwitter @abiandmiss.com website and blog www.abiandmissy.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissygoodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded



Enjoy this first chapter of BRANDED
Chapter One
I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams. The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back. Death and I glare at each other through my tears.I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here. I’m ready to go. On the count of three.I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls. Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head. Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home. It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me. My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.  On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners. Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying. Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now. My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest. Gotta keep going. “Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me. I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.       My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped. Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.” I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear. “There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says. I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left.Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. Did they need so many guards to capture me? I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that. The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade. To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told. “You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face. Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.      They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole. Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation. I lose myself in thoughts of my father. “Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love. The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness. The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip.  I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying. “Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body. What do they think I could possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me. “MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.One.Two.Three.Four.Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.“Lexi Hamilton.” A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.” A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.Click. Click. Click. The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.
The Seven Deadly Sins:Lust ¾BlueGluttony ¾OrangeGreed ¾YellowSloth ¾Light BlueWrath ¾RedEnvy ¾GreenPride ¾Purple
 â€œMemorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.” Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks. “GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar. He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out. Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual. I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince. He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name. “Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand. “Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg. â€œMy father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me. “It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving. You can overcome anything… short of death . â€œYou’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?” A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance. “What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?” “Nothing,” I respond, confused.“What color are they?”“Turquoise.” I glower at him.“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.” Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand. “Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside. “You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.  â€œWatch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. “Let’s move,” Cole says. I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.
Thanks for visiting and always …

COVER REVEAL - HELLS GATE by Benjamin Daniels

 
 Blurb
The gates of Hell are open. Angels and Demons fight for our mortality and dominance of earth. The rapture diminishes the human population and very few remain to defend what God gave us. It is up to the Angels to fight the war, the humans to survive and the druids to protect the earth.

Cole wants nothing more than to be left alone until the war is over and see who wins. He doesn't care for rules of any kind and wants least of all to choose a side. Fate however, has different plans for him. His only friend is being held hostage by a Demon with a plan to win the war and return the earth to what it once was. It is up to him to rescue her with the help of a fallen Angel who comes to his aid to ensure his survival.

The Druids are the only ones who can save his friend, but they have an agenda of their own. The demon is demented but has the best intentions with what she believes. Cole finds himself lusting after the fallen Angel and must choose between her and saving his friend. The problem is that he doesn't know who he can trust.

Armageddon is here and Hell on earth has just begun.


Excerpt 
"Well now, children. Who decided to play and did not invite me to join?” Her voice is feminine, seductive and teasing with sexuality. I can’t see her yet, but the tone is that of a very beautiful woman. Vera's voice holds the same electric currents in it, but I’m not attracted to this one.

Vera's voice sounds strained, as if she’d been talking for hours. Like she is just waking in the morning and isn't functioning quite right. "Thank you for answering my call, Lilith."

"I'm not answering your call Vera, you assume too much. You sent out a beacon for aid, that much you did, but you see you're on my lands and a beacon must be answered by the enforcers. I just can’t allow it to happen." Her voice isn't as pleasant. "You have all broken Demonic law. I was not informed any of you would be here. It is within my rights to kill you."

She’s beautiful. Her hair is fire truck red, it curls naturally down her back and follows her soft jaw. Her eyes’ are fierce with the color of a deep emerald. She has skin as pale as the full moon in the middle of the night. A short dress barely covers what she has to show. The dress hangs low on her breasts with circles cut out of the midriff leaving a single strip running across her stomach into a pair of panty bottoms with a loin cloth that is higher in the front than the back. Black boots run up her legs with the dress hiding the top of the boots. Her wings are reddish brown and look like leather. They don’t compare to those of an angel but are more like those of a bat. The stories at least get some things right.

She leans closer to whisper softly in Vera's ear. “Now what should I do.” She curls her mouth into a scary smile. Whatever she is planning, she’s going to enjoy it.

About the Author
Benjamin Daniels was born and raised in West Jefferson, Ohio. Graduated from West Jefferson High School and went on to get two college degrees. He still lives within the sleepy town of West Jefferson taking care of his family and small dog. He often looks for good charities to donate to and causes to follow. He abandoned one field of study when writing became his passion and is happy about the decision to take on the written word.

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Book Links Buy Hell’s Gate on Amazon Buy Hell's Gate on B&N