Karen Docter's Blog, page 271
March 12, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Agent E2: Aidan by Joni Hahn
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
TRIPLE TREAT WEEK!!
AGENT E2: AIDAN (The D.I.R.E. Agency)
By JONI HAHN
Book Blurb
*
Agent E2: Aidan Monroe
Credentials:
Second generation Former Navy SEAL
DIRE’s latest SEAL acquisition
Enhancements:
Electrical Conductor
Former Navy SEAL, Aidan Monroe, embraces risk. Show him a hint of danger – or a beautiful woman – and he’s all over it. The only commitments in his life: his new D.I.R.E. enhancements and finding his father’s killers.
Cassandra Naylor, daughter of D.I.R.E.’s greatest foe, has one goal in mind: save her father and twin brother. However, she didn’t bank on D.I.R.E.’s superpowers, or Aidan Monroe’s irresistible appeal.
Cassandra can’t ignore the scorching electricity between her and Aidan. When their passion is unleashed after a night of dangerous, life-changing events, Cassandra knows there’s no going back. Yet, giving in to her feelings guarantees her father’s vengeful wrath.
While they fight their attraction for one another, traitors from the past, and death-defying circumstances force shocking revelations to the surface.
Can their love overcome history and betrayal? Or, will the past rob them of any future they have together?
~~~~~
AGENT E2: AIDAN (The D.I.R.E Agency) by JONI HAHN
EXCERPT 
Chapter 1
In order to be a true super-agent, a man needed a pair of breasts and a push up bra.
Cassandra Naylor zipped up her black jacket as she stepped over the unconscious D.I.R.E. agent lying in the hospital’s fourth floor corridor. Men were such predictable animals. Flash them some perky cleavage and they were distracted like an ADD child at an amusement park.
Slipping off her high heel pumps, Cassandra shoved them into her tote and jogged down the hall barefoot. It hadn’t taken much to hack into the hospital’s computer network and find her father’s name on the patient roster. What had scared the manure out of her was his location: Fourth Floor ICU.
According to the hospital’s map, ICU was on the second floor.
Finding a door marked ICU, Cassandra pushed it open and peeked around the corner. She gasped. Big, rugged Robert Naylor lay pale and unconscious, a myriad of tubes and wires connecting him to an intimidating group of machines. An oxygen mask covered his face, a ventilator at his bedside.
Letting the door swish shut behind her, Cassandra stepped over to the bed. Taking his limp hand in hers, she squeezed it, hoping to elicit some type of response. Her tears increased with her grip until she held his hand in a white-knuckled hold.
“What happened, Father? Who did this?”
You know who did it. Mitchell Jacobs and his D.I.R.E. Agency.
The hospital records showed a gunshot wound to the chest. Thank God, he’d survived. She couldn’t imagine life without him. He, Dar and Naylor Interests were her life. If he died, her entire world died with him.
Leaning over, Cassandra gave him a feather-light kiss on the forehead. His skin felt cool against her lips, her body heated from the post-midnight excursion into the hospital. She’d never attempted anything like this alone. That had always been Dar’s specialty.
“Where’s Dar, Father?” She stroked back the hair from his forehead. “What have they done with him?”
Her twin could be free, in a local jail, or well on his way to D.I.R.E. Headquarters. Mitchell Jacobs would like nothing more than to interrogate Robert Naylor’s son – then kill him.
The elevator dinged down the hall. She heard male voices, then running footsteps.
Guess they found her unconscious agent.
She had to get out of there.
Pulling up her blonde waves into a ponytail, Cass shoved her feet into a pair of ballet slippers and donned her glasses. Her father wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. She had to find Dar so they could decide what to do. How would they get her father out of D.I.R.E. custody like this? What should she do about the gun deal that was supposed to take place tomorrow night?
She had never been involved in that side of the business. Her father and Dar had purposely kept her away from the danger. Yet, now she found herself in charge and in doubt of what to do.
Inadequacy weighed on her shoulders like concrete.
Opening the door a slit, she peeked down the hall.
Empty.
Opening the door further, she stuck out her head and looked to her right.
The body had disappeared.
An agent ran toward her.
Blast.
Bolting out the door, Cassandra ran in the opposite direction. Taking a right at the first crossroad, she ran toward the stairwell, heavy male footsteps closing in on her. She hit the exit door and flew down the stairs, her slippers floating over the hard concrete steps.
The door slammed opened behind her. Blast, blast. Strong footsteps followed, gaining more ground than she could ever cover with her size eight feet. He jumped over the handrail and landed behind her.
Cassandra’s heart leapt to her throat. She couldn’t afford to get caught. She had to save her family.
“Stop. I just want to talk to you.”
Sure, you do. With a little water and a towel over my face.
The first floor door came into sight. If she could make it to the ground floor, she could lose him in the bustle of emergency room activity.
He grabbed Cassandra’s arm from behind. A shock of electricity shot through her. She convulsed violently, her body shaking and quivering with abandon.
He dropped her arm. Cassandra collapsed on the landing, her head bouncing off the plaster wall. Pain exploded at the back of her skull. Her body hummed, every nerve ending charged and sizzling. Dizziness shrouded her head, her brain groggy.
He dropped down beside her. She gazed up at him through lazy eyes. Her heart stopped, any hope for breath lodging in her lungs.
She must have died and gone to the hot angel floor of heaven.
Bright, emerald green eyes stared down at her beneath furrowed brows, a lock of dark copper hair falling over his forehead.
“Are you okay?” He bent over her.
Yep. He was an angel all right, with a soft, deep voice that made her body sizzle and her head spin all the more.
His full, gorgeous lips were by far his most appealing feature, although his chiseled, smooth jaw came in a strong second. He even wore intricately carved copper and gold armbands like archangels in paintings of old.
The stories of heaven she’d always heard were way underrated.
“You’re beautiful.”
He grinned with a dimpled smile that would render an auctioneer speechless.
“I think you hit your head. Can you stand?”
Cassandra frowned. As a matter of fact, her head did hurt. Reaching behind her, she felt around in her hair and found a knot the size of a Ping-Pong ball.
She wasn’t dead?
Damn. That must mean this guy worked for D.I.R.E.
That just wouldn’t do.
Shutting her eyes, Cass took a mental inventory of her body. Other than limbs like noodles and a nagging headache, she felt okay.
She had to lose him.
What a pity.
Mustering strength she would surely beg for later, Cass backed away from him when he tried to help her up. “Don’t touch me.”
Holding up his hands, he unfolded to stand above her. “Sorry about that.”
Glaring up at him, Cass got to her knees. Bracing a hand on the wall, she slowly climbed to her feet – with a swift uppercut to his crotch.
Sonovabitch echoed in the cavernous stairwell as he doubled over.
Cass flung open the first floor door. Running into the busy corridor, she lost her footing.
Shit, shit, shit.
Grabbing a handrail on the wall, she righted herself and took off. Thank God she wore stretch jeans. She had a little crawling to do.
Meet Joni Hahn….
By day, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered HR manager and accounting generalist. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world…or getting into his costume. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love (Other than the rear shot of Chris Evans in The Avengers – that was pretty darn exhilarating). A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music.
Joni’s three-book superhero romance trilogy, The D.I.R.E. Agency, is available now. Look for Books 4 and 5 in the Series, Agent M4: Riordan and Agent S6: Jaydan coming in 2014.
~~~~~~~
Links to Joni’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://jonihahn.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sophiegreysontx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jonihahnauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jonihahnauthor/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HB81FPS
~~~~
BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about Joni and the third book in her D.I.R.E. Agency series, AGENT T3: d-ARTAGNAN NAYLOR, on Saturday. Happy Reading!
~~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Joni will give away a signed copy of her book, AGENT l1: TRISTAN JACOBS to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs…a T-shirt with a book cover (winner’s choice) for a lucky reader who comments on her Thursday Book Bench blog…and a $15 Amazon gift card for a lucky reader who comments on her Saturday Book Bench blog!! Don’t miss this chance to read this story!! Thanks, Joni, for sharing your stories with us!
March 11, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Agent l1: Tristan by Joni Hahn
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
TRIPLE TREAT WEEK!!
AGENT l1: TRISTAN (The D.I.R.E. Agency)
By JONI HAHN
Book Blurb
*
Agent I1: Tristan Jacobs
Credentials:
Second generation Former Navy SEAL
DIRE’s top agent
Enhancements:
Teleportation
Invisibility
Raised in the art of warfare, Former Navy SEAL, Tristan Jacobs, has always been a force to reckon with. Now that D.I.R.E. has successfully implemented his scientific enhancements, he’s a walking weapon. Unstoppable, as long as he stays focused. No relationships.
When ex-BUD/S teammate, Aidan Monroe, interrupts his long-awaited sabbatical to call in a favor, Tristan reluctantly fills the simple request: take out his sister’s fiancé.
One problem: Rachel Monroe – smokin’ hot, kind-hearted, and in desperate need of a protector. After the best sex of his life, Tristan’s afraid unstoppable is just a memory. Knowing Aidan’s temper, Tristan could be, too.
Rachel Monroe had a plan to help her mother. Her brother ruined everything when his gorgeous, super-agent friend teleported her to some forsaken island – and his bed. She’s drawn to him despite the fact he’s a professional agent, much like the people suspected of killing her father.
Now, his enemies have come to her small town, looking for vengeance. Have they found more than they bargained for? Or, does the past have its own retribution in mind?
~~~~~
AGENT l1: TRISTAN (The D.I.R.E Agency) by JONI HAHN
EXCERPT
Being invisible had definite advantages – slipping in and out of rebel compounds, stealing enemy technology and weapons, and listening in on private conversations, to name a few. But none, not one, was more beneficial, more gratifying, more freaking hot, than watching Rachel Monroe dress in this church, undetected.
Tristan Jacobs ducked around the full-length mirror to get a better angle. His conscience told him he should be shot for standing there ogling Aidan’s sister. His former BUD/S teammate and swim buddy, Aidan Monroe, had saved his life once upon a time, and Tristan owed him.
Or, had owed him – until last night.
Living with the ability to see himself but not be seen by others had made Tristan’s job so much easier. He could honestly say this was the first time he had used his ability for personal, unscrupulous gain. The ability to teleport from one place to another with the scan of a thumbprint on his armband, had given him a whole new spin on time management.
His lower body hummed as he stared at the bare flesh highlighted in the sunrays shining through the skylight. Rachel was a goddess. Not in the supermodel, movie starlet sense. Those women did nothing for him. She came off more as the small town, girl next door, they-know-how-to-grow-‘em-down-on-the-farm-type goddess. And damn, was she blessed.
The push-up bra she wore urged him to text his broker and buy stock in women’s lingerie. If Rachel walked into the Stock Exchange wearing that thing, she could single-handedly revive Wall Street and the nation’s economy.
Tristan stifled a groan as she slowly rolled up an ivory silk stocking and hooked it to her garter. The woman’s legs were all kinds of long, her stomach flat and smooth. Her skin held the hint of a tan – even the cheeks peeking out of her ivory lace panties were tanned.
He took a steadying breath. Don’t go there, Jacobs.
Aidan had known calling in that favor was the only way Tristan would have left his long-awaited staycation in Trunk Bay. The hothead all but ordered Tristan to help save his older sister, the saint.
Tristan whistled mentally as Rachel shimmied into her fitted wedding gown. He had never seen a saint with curves like that.
Aidan could only blame himself for Tristan standing in the bride’s room of an old, Victorian church in Podunk, Texas, watching his sister don a wedding dress she wouldn’t use. He’d told Tristan to meet him there.
Aidan was late.
“You’re doing the right thing,” Rachel told her reflection as she smoothed the lace skirt over her hips. “This will fix everything for Mom.”
Tristan frowned. No, you’re not doing the right thing. I did the right thing for you.
He’d crashed Cody Brewster’s bachelor party last night. Of course, no one had seen him there but Aidan. Tristan had seen first-hand what an arrogant ass Rachel’s fiancé could be. According to Aidan, Brewster and his father, Jock, owned nearly the entire town. Tristan had seen evidence of that in the way the men sucked up to them at the party. Gifts and drinks were expected from everyone and, other than Aidan, they had delivered.
“Hi, Mom.”
Rachel’s deep sigh and soft voice brought Tristan out of his reverie. Damn, he hadn’t heard Kate Monroe enter the room. Ogling his only friend’s sister while her mother stood by, well… even a corrupt mercenary like Tristan had his limits. He needed to get out of there.
“Rachel, you’re absolutely beautiful.” Kate rushed forward to give her daughter a hug.
The woman was the splitting image of Aidan, with her copper hair and green eyes. Rachel must’ve gotten her chocolate waves from her deceased father.
The heavy, oak door swung open. Aidan stuck in his head and looked around. “Anyone come by searching for me?”
“No.” Kate pinned Rachel’s veil to the crown of her head. She looked over at her son. “Who would be looking for you?”
Dismissing them without an answer, Aidan pulled the door halfway shut and left.
Good boy.
With sincere regret, Tristan left behind Rachel and the hottest fifteen minutes he’d experienced in a long time. He tiptoed around the faded, olive-colored sofa, steering clear of the glass lamp on the end table.
Invisibility didn’t mean he could move through objects.
Slipping through the opening, Tristan stepped out into the hallway. He wanted to do a quick surveillance of the church and grounds before he found Aidan. With only fifteen minutes to go before the start of the ceremony, he wanted to ensure turmoil loomed on the Brewster side of the church.
Tristan stepped out into the June, early morning sun and took a deep breath. The smell of oil hung heavy and dank, making him long for home. If all went well, he could still get in a full afternoon and evening on his private beach.
Rounding the side of the church, past the statue of St. Michael, Tristan made his way to the back parking lot – and stopped cold.
Jock Brewster and another man had Cody propped up in the passenger seat of a big, black pickup. Jock’s son looked unconscious, his head flopping onto his chest while they tried to slip his arms into a tuxedo jacket.
Tristan did a mental fist pump while he cursed low in his throat. Obviously, the mega-dose of Rohypnol he had slipped into Cody’s drink last night still worked. He just couldn’t believe Jock would still try to pull off the wedding.
He had to tell Aidan.
Jogging down the church hallway, Tristan found a closet. Looking around, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him. He slid open the copper plate on his armband, emblazed with The D.I.R.E. Agency emblem, and ran the pad of his forefinger over the scanner beneath. Closing his eyes, his blood pumped wildly as an electrical current shot through his system, deactivating the gold and copper compound. He saw a bright flash of light behind his eyelids before the bulk of his flesh weighed on his bones.
He was visible again.
Opening his eyes, he smoothed down his grey-striped tie and adjusted the cuffs of his white shirt. He rushed out the door and ran to the bride’s room. Reaching for the knob, he stopped short when the door was yanked open from the inside. Rachel ran straight into him, Aidan on her six.
Don’t look down, Jacobs. Don’t even think about those impossibly perfect breasts crushed against you. Aidan will kill you on the spot.
He stared at Aidan above Rachel’s head. “Houston, we have a problem.”
Aidan let out a breath, his tense shoulders dropping in relief. “Where the hell have you been?”
Trust me, you don’t want to know. “Bogey and company at nine o’clock, about a half click.”
Looking away, Aidan cursed a blue streak. Rachel whipped around to glare at him. “Aidan, we are in a church.”
Tristan grinned to himself. Cocky, smart ass Aidan Monroe actually blushed. If the situation weren’t so urgent, Tristan would’ve harassed him about it.
Rachel stared up at Tristan, hands on hips. “Who are you and what are you talking about?”
An answer formed in Tristan’s head but couldn’t seem to pass his lips. She focused on him now, her big, aqua eyes shimmering against her tanned skin. Tristan’s body felt as charged as it had during his visibility transformation a few seconds ago.
“He’s out cold,” he told Aidan. “The old man is dragging him in here. What do you want to do?”
Rachel’s gasp almost swallowed her words. “Who’s out? Cody?”
Aidan glanced back at his mother, his brows furrowed. Groaning aloud, Kate turned away.
“Rachel,” Aidan said, “go down the hall with Tristan while Mom and I talk to Jock.”
“No.” She turned back to her brother. “If Cody is here, we’re getting married.”
A muffled hum and the echo of heavy-booted footsteps grew stronger and louder with each passing second. Rachel moved in closer, trying to see beyond Tristan’s shoulder.
Without a word, Aidan motioned for Tristan to let him and Kate pass. Rachel pushed forward to follow, but Tristan stepped into the doorway and turned his back on her. She peered around his bicep.
Jock Brewster shuffled into view, dragging his son under one arm. Cody remained lifeless, his head bobbing in rhythm with their steps. The rubber toes of his boots dragged on the concrete floor, leaving twin, narrow tracks down the church hallway.
Somehow, Jock had managed to get his son into a full tuxedo. He labored to keep his hulking son upright.
“Cody.” Rachel’s small hands pushed against Tristan’s shoulders.
It took all he had not to flinch away from the contact.
“Let me pass.” She shoved him in the back.
His arm shot out and braced against the doorframe, blocking her path further.
“Good heavens, Jock,” Kate cried. “Do you honestly expect Rachel to marry him while he’s unconscious?”
Jock lowered his son into a metal, folding chair beside a water fountain. Cody fell over sideways, his blonde head resting in the basin.
“Aw, Kate,” Jock said in a breathless voice, his white hair mussed from the exertion, “we all know they both agreed to this. Why don’t we just have Pastor Collins come back here and marry them? No one in town will know the difference.”
Tristan stilled. Holy shit, was this guy serious?
Aidan laughed, his arms crossed over his chest. “I always knew you were crazy, Brewster, but I never knew how crazy until you said that.”
“Hell, son.” Jock waved a hand at him. “You were in the SEALS. You can’t tell me you didn’t look the other way a time or two.”
“Like Sheriff Andrews does when he catches you breaking the law?” Aiden glared daggers at him. “And, I’m not your son.”
“Stop.” Rachel stood on her toes to peer over Tristan’s shoulder. “First things, first. Aidan, make your henchman, here, let me pass.”
His henchman?
With a smirk at Tristan, Aidan shook his head. “I don’t think so, Rach.”
She pounded Tristan on the back with her fist. He grinned to himself, flexing his shoulders in resistance. So, the saint possessed a streak of hellion. Very hot.
“Is he okay, Jock?” Rachel nodded at Cody.
“Ah, he’s fine.” Jock gave a dismissive wave. “He must’ve had one helluva bachelor party last night.”
Aiden and Tristan exchanged a smirk.
I enjoyed it, anyway.
“He’s embarrassed my daughter in front of everyone in town.” Kate popped Jock on the chest. “This is unforgivable.” Lowering her voice, she said, “I was counting on this marriage, Jock.”
Tristan felt Rachel still behind him. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
“I’ll do it.”
Tristan whipped around. What the hell? She couldn’t be serious. No wonder Aidan felt the need to step in on this wedding. The woman didn’t play with a full deck.
“No.” Aidan turned to point a finger at her. “Don’t be ridiculous, Rachel.”
Jock gave a wily smile. “She’s a consenting adult, son.”
A wiry, middle-aged man wearing church robes came around the corner. “Hello, everyone. Looks like someone is trying to wake up.” He nodded at Cody, who made soft, groaning noises in the fountain drain.
Jock and Kate rushed to Cody’s side. Aidan turned to Tristan, his green eyes intense, glittering. Taking Rachel’s hand, he slapped it inside Tristan’s palm. Sparks of awareness erupted under his skin.
“Take her. Now.”
Rachel stiffened beside him. “No.”
Tightening the grip on her hand, Tristan tried to drag her down the hall. Rachel held her legs stiff. He yanked on her arm, nearly toppling her face first on the floor. He helped her straighten.
“I’m not…” She shoved the veil out of her face. “…going anywhere.”
“Rachel, go,” Aidan said through gritted teeth. “We’ll find another way.”
She tried to break free of Tristan’s grip. “There is no other way, Aidan.”
“Like hell.” Turning to Tristan, Aidan clenched his jaw. “Do it.”
Tristan stilled. Oh, hell no. Not here. Not now. “No.”
Rachel halted mid-motion. “Do what?”
Aidan shoved Tristan back into the bride’s room, Rachel stumbling along with him. “Do it.”
“No, Aidan,” Rachel said. “I’m not going anywhere. Now, stop this, once and for all.” She turned her big, blazing eyes on Tristan. “And you. Let go of me… now.”
“What the hell is going on in there?” Jock boomed out in the hallway.
Aidan shoved Rachel flush against Tristan’s chest. The scent of orchids overwhelmed him. “Go.”
Cursing a blue streak in his head, he gazed down into her wide eyes, then lower. Her breasts nearly burst free of her strapless gown.
Damn. He should not have Aidan’s saintly sister crushed against him like this. Did Aidan have any idea how long it had been since he’d had a woman?
Cursing aloud this time, he threw his arms around Rachel. He didn’t sign up for this – he was on vacation, dammit. Only six days remained before he had to be in Brazil to intercept one of Naylor’s gun technology deals.
Intense heat enveloped him. He felt a trickle of sweat at his temple. Was he sweating? Good God. He acted like he hadn’t held a beautiful woman before.
Rachel’s heart galloped against his chest. Fear shone bright in her round eyes and flushed face. He had to get them out of there.
Reaching behind her back, he shoved aside the cuff of his shirt and found the cover plate on his armband. His thumb slid over the scanner. He stared into her big, beautiful eyes as the thick, green plasma surrounded them.
“What did you do? What’s happening?”
“Hold onto me, Rachel. And, whatever you do, don’t let go.”
Meet Joni Hahn….
By day, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered HR manager and accounting generalist. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world…or getting into his costume. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love (Other than the rear shot of Chris Evans in The Avengers – that was pretty darn exhilarating). A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music.
Joni’s three-book superhero romance trilogy, The D.I.R.E. Agency, is available now. Look for Books 4 and 5 in the Series, Agent M4: Riordan and Agent S6: Jaydan coming in 2014.
~~~~~~~
Links to Joni’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://jonihahn.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sophiegreysontx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jonihahnauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jonihahnauthor/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HB81FPS
~~~~
BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about Joni and the second book in her D.I.R.E. Agency series, AGENT E2: AIDAN MONROE. She’s sharing the third book in the series, AGENT T3: d-ARTAGNAN NAYLOR, on Saturday. Happy Reading!
~~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Joni will give away a signed copy of her book, AGENT l1: TRISTAN JACOBS to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs…a T-shirt with a book cover (winner’s choice) for a lucky reader who comments on her Thursday Book Bench blog…and a $15 Amazon gift card for a lucky reader who comments on her Saturday Book Bench blog!! Don’t miss this chance to read this story!! Thanks, Joni, for sharing your stories with us!
March 10, 2014
Book Bench Promo Blog Tour: Wolf Legend by Florence Witkop
WOLF LEGEND (Legends Trilogy #2)
by Florence Witkop
INTRODUCING…FLORENCE WITKOP and WOLF LEGEND!
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full-time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
I’m pretty boring. Wife, mother, grandmother. Former teacher, census taker, IT person, former fishing-and-hunting-resort owner and more.
I take walks, make handmade greeting cards for my large family and to sell here and there, and I cook large quantities of practically everything and freeze it in small containers that I usually end up tossing when the freezer gets full.
What I do that makes the difference… that sets the brand of my writing… is observe. I love watching. I watch everything. People. Trees. Forests. Lakes both above and beneath the surface. Sunlight and shadows. Night and day. Wildlife. Wildflowers. Prairie grasses. Mud. Snow. Ice. Dirt. And everything else. And I incorporate all those things in my writing which is probably why it’s been described as eco-fiction. Because my whole world ends up in there somewhere.
1. How did you get started writing?
I was driving through the forest in a blizzard the thirty miles to my job teaching first grade when I thought there must be a better way to earn a living. Something I could do in the comfort of my own home so I could watch the blizzard instead of drive through it. So, with my husband’s encouragement, I quit my job and started writing and never looked back.
2. What appeals to you about the genre that you write?
I don’t write specific genres. Rather I write a story that comes from somewhere inside of me and find a genre that it seems to fit into. Since most of my stories involve a supernatural element because my imagination refuses to be limited by the observed world, that genre is usually fantasy.
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
Re-writing. Taking what I did and making it better, smoother, more easily comprehended.
4. If you had to give up writing and do something else, what would you do instead?
I make greeting cards and have made art gourds and reed baskets, so I’d do something like that. Greeting cards for sure because I can either sell them or give them away. Not so easy to get rid of baskets or gourds. As you might guess, I’m hyper, I can’t sit still, so I’m always doing something.
5. What’s your favorite meal of the day?
Breakfast. Slow, leisurely and it sets the tempo for the day. But that’s only possible because I work at home on my own schedule.
6. Which are your favorite characters to write, the female characters or the male characters? The heroes and heroines, or the villains?
I learned to write in first person, heroine’s point of view and that’s still my favorite. I love how it allows me to dig deep into her character.
7. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
I’d read constantly if I could. My husband insists I’d never leave the bathroom if the T-paper had writing on it. I love science fiction, love the possibilities inherent in that genre.
8. Many writers dream of having the ideal location to write. If you could live anywhere in the world or live a particular lifestyle, where would you be answering these questions right now?
I’d live in Minnesota in the forest on the north shore overlooking Lake Superior. A hundred odd miles east of where I live now and just like my current home. Cold and snowy in winter, lush in summer, still and wild and beautiful all the time but there’s also that view of Lake Superior, which is awesome. I’m checking out property there but probably won’t end up there because in the process of looking I’ll find something equally inviting somewhere else. I love everywhere.
9. If you were a color, what color would you be and why?
Orange because it’s my favorite color. Other than black and white together, that is, I love the simplicity and stark contrast of black and white, only they aren’t really colors so they don’t count. But orange is a color and it goes with anything. It’s a generalist kind of color and I like that.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
Earth Legend will be the last of the Legends trilogy. It’s planned for sometime late this spring. It’s about a descendant of Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, who stows away on a space ship colonizing a far distant planet because she knows that her expertise with plants will be necessary to keep the plants alive that will keep the colonists alive. She’s caught, of course, and thrown in jail.
Wolf Legend ~ Quick Facts
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Urban fantasy/ magical realism/ modern fantasy
Formats to buy: Kindle, epub and smashwords formats
Blurb:
Jane, who dislikes wolves because they kill livestock, takes Buck Portman, wolf researcher and wildlife professor at the nearby college to an island for a week to seek out the huge wolves legend says have been seen in the area. She’s skeptical until a huge wolf runs through their camp… and mentally connects with Jane. Both woman and wolf are startled by their mental connection. The wolf invites Jane to follow so they can sort out what’s between them. Jane takes off after the wolf in the dark, followed by the confused professor. She follows the wolf through a cave and into another world, one populated by larger-than-life, dangerous animals, including the wolves of the legend. Her mental connection to the alpha she-wolf is all that saves their lives in that dangerous place. Days later, when they return to their world, at the request of the alpha wolf they take her wolf pup with a broken leg so it can be healed. Problem is that wild wolves are not allowed as pets in our world so the professor must technically care for the wolf with Jane’s help. But he has reservations. The huge dire wolf pup is in the wrong world. As it grows, will it remain a pet or become a dangerous predator? As the attraction between Jane and the professor grows, so do the problems inherent in having a huge prehistoric wolf in today’s world.
PURCHASE:
AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
Excerpt:
I set the cup on the ground beside me to save the one last cold swallow for later when I turned in for the night. Buck, watching, hooked his own empty cup over his belt and prepared to do the same.
As my cup touched the ground, the largest wolf I’d ever seen ran through our campsite. Two hundred pounds at least, possibly three hundred, with black velvet, silver-tipped fur and yellow eyes that shone in the night.
It was beautiful. Awesome. And it tore through the camp as if we weren’t there, scattering plates and silverware every which way and making short work of the tent just because it happened to be in its path. “Oh my God!” My mouth dropped open because the wolf couldn’t exist. Not here, not anywhere on earth. But it did.
The wolf heard. Stopped. Turned towards me. Scared the crap out of me because it was larger than me, double the size of any wolf I’d ever heard of and a predator. Tipped its head to one side and looked straight at me. Stared.
Our looks met. Connected. My fear disappeared because it wasn’t looking for food. It was on its way home and in a hurry to get there. The pups missed their mom, the rest of the pack was good, they took care of the pups, but they couldn’t take the place of a real mother. It should hurry home.
I blinked. Tried to wrap my mind around what was happening and failed completely. I couldn’t know what it was thinking. I couldn’t be reading its mind. Of course not, it was impossible to know what another human being was thinking, let alone a wolf. Wolves were a whole other species.
Except that I did. I was doing precisely what I couldn’t do, what no one could do. I was reading its mind and was pretty sure it was reading mine and was just as surprised at being able to read my mind as I was to know what it was thinking. We stared at each other, adjusting to this new reality. Shock kept us both immobile for what seemed like minutes and was probably seconds.
Then the wolf turned away and disappeared into the night because she had a family and responsibilities and couldn’t stay to chat, not even for a conversation as mind-blowing as ours. Two separate species were communicating for the first time ever. But she had things to do and places to go, a pack to care for and pups to feed. So she left.
But as she ran into the growing dark, the silver fur blending into the black of the forest, she left a thought behind. “Want to follow me? Want to come for a visit? Maybe we can figure this out.”
It was an invitation. One I couldn’t turn down. So I rose and followed the wolf.
The Author
Florence’s stories begin as simple tales of contemporary life, often in small towns or the wilderness she knows so well.
Where they go from there is what makes them special. There is always a strong sense of place. Sometimes they cross genres and contain paranormal, sci/fi, or fantasy elements. There is usually a romance and there are always characters her readers like and would enjoy having as friends.
Most of all, there is a story because what Florence does best is tell stories. Well plotted stories that carry the characters towards a logical conclusion that always includes a happy ending. Stories that shine light on the human condition while they celebrate the world we live in. Stories that her readers relate to and remember long after the reading is over.
She writes about people who are as normal as apple pie (most of them, anyway) who unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of situations ranging from the heartwarming through the difficult and all the way to the horrendous. But Florence’s characters choose to act instead of running away. In the process, they survive, thrive, overcome whatever obstacles large or small are thrown in front of them, and while they are at it, they find time to fall in love.
Florence was born in the city and has lived in the suburbs, small towns, the country and the wilderness area of northern Minnesota, where she still lives with her husband and a cowardly cat named Smoke.
At various times in her writing career she’s been a confession writer, a copywriter, a ghost writer and an editor. She writes short stories, novellas and novels. Her work has been categorized as romance, science-fiction, fantasy, mainstream and eco-fiction, to name a few genres that it fits so beautifully into.
FIND HER AT: http://florencewitkop.com/
Other Books by Florence:
(press on the cover to go to Goodreads)
Giveaway:
- 2 winners
- International
Prizes: An ecopy of Wolf Legend and a $10 Amazon GC
March 9, 2014
**Author Peek** Interview with Joni Hahn
TRIPLE TREAT WEEK!!
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with JONI HAHN
Editorial Note to my Readers: We have an extra special week in store for you! Joni is sharing all three of her D.I.R.E. Agency novels with us this week, so check back so you don’t miss one!
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INTRODUCING…JONI HAHN!
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full-time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
I’ve been married to my real-life superhero for… well, not long enough. We both grew up in San Antonio and as children, even went to the same church. But, we never met until the night we started dating.
I have two grown children that I adore, and I adopted a son-in-law last year whom I love like my own. I work fulltime in accounting/human resources and enjoy movies, reading, and going to concerts.
1. How did you get started writing?
Many years ago, my sister had a poem published. Shortly thereafter, my brother had a magazine article published. When that happened, it hit me: Hey, back in high school, I went to UIL regional competition in writing and I won a writing award in middle school. Maybe I have some writing talent in my genes.
One day, I received a community education newsletter from my local school district. I signed up for a beginner fiction-writing class. The instructor told me about RWA and I joined shortly thereafter.
That was a very long time ago, when my children were young. I’ve written off and on since, but became serious about publication in the last year or two.
2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write sci fi romance and contemporary romantic comedy. I love all of the Marvel and DC superhero movies. Larger than life superheroes riding in on their shields, hammers, motorcycles, etc. are what romantic entertainment is all about. What romance reader doesn’t like to be swept away by a hot superhero that can’t be defeated?
As for the romantic comedy, I have a very warped, sarcastic sense of humor that runs in the family. I’m surrounded by novice comedians so naturally, humor shows up in my writing.
3. What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?
Most of the time, it’s my current work in progress. Right now, while I’m promoting my first series, I mull over promotion possibilities and the duties that go with them. If I’m between books, I’m thinking about plot ideas. If I’ve had a bad day at work, I go over all the things I wish I could’ve said.
4. What is your favorite part of writing?
Fast draft! It doesn’t have to be perfect at this point, just my creativity and imagination spewing out of me. Anything is possible – until my editor gets a hold of it.
5. What is your least favorite part of writing ?
Content edits. I whine the entire time.
6. Pick two celebrities to be your parents. Who would they be and why?
Hmmm, I guess Denzel Washington for my father. He seems to be a very honorable man. He’s been married to his wife for a long time and has found a way to be one of the most popular celebrities in Hollywood yet stays out of the spotlight. He does some great charitable work for the Fischer House Foundation. Anyone that supports wounded vets and their families is very high on my list.
As for my mom, I think Reba McEntire. She has a big heart, never meets a stranger, is very ambitious, and has a great clothing line. I’d be surrounded by music all the time. Very cool.
7. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
For this superhero series, I love superhero movies and I’m also a long-time fan of Suzanne Brockmann’s Navy SEAL books. Put the two together and…tada!
Ideas just hit me – all the time. My mind is constantly going.
8. Tell me about your ideal reader .
Someone that reads a book just to be entertained and get away for a while. Someone that’s game for anything.
9. What is your “go to” routine that helps you get in the mood to write? Special beverage? Music? Etc.
It’s early morning, after I’ve had at least nine hours of sleep the night before. I eat two beef fajita and egg tacos for breakfast. I’m wearing my yoga pants, a baggy t-shirt and socks. A glass of iced tea is on the Spurs coaster to the left of my computer. The house is quiet, I’ve got my earbuds in and I’m playing my favorites playlist that includes everything from Daughtry and Nickelback, to Gary Allen, Jason Aldean, and Lionel Richie. My story outline is on the side table, at the ready. If the stars align this way, I can write a straight fourteen hours or so, with small breaks.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
I plan to release Book 4 in The D.I.R.E. Agency Series in late March or early April. It’s the story of the agency’s next superhero, Riordan St. James, who is briefly introduced in Book 3.
~~~~~~~
Links to Joni’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://jonihahn.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sophiegreysontx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jonihahnauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jonihahnauthor/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HB81FPS
~~~~
BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about Joni and the first in her D.I.R.E. Agency series, AGENT l1: TRISTAN JACOBS, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench!! On Thursday, check out her second book, AGENT E2: AIDAN MONROE. She’s sharing the third book in the series, AGENT T3: d-ARTAGNAN NAYLOR, on Saturday. Happy Reading!
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Joni will give away a signed copy of her book, AGENT l1: TRISTAN JACOBS to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs…a T-shirt with a book cover (winner’s choice) for a lucky reader who comments on her Thursday Book Bench blog…and a $15 Amazon gift card for a lucky reader who comments on her Saturday Book Bench blog!! Don’t miss this chance to read this story!! Thanks, Joni, for sharing your stories with us!
March 8, 2014
Congratulations Week 02-24-14 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK 02-24-14 GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with DEB JULIENNE!!
Giveaway: Deb will give away a print or ebook (reader’s choice) copy of her book, SEX, LIES, AND BEAUTY AIDES to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs!! Thanks, Deb, for sharing your stories with us!
WINNER!! bn100!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with VICKI ESSEX!!
Giveaway: Vicki will give away one copy of IN HER CORNER to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog!! Thanks, Vicki, for sharing your release and your fabulous cookie recipe with us!
WINNER!! JENNIFER ABRAMS!!
March 6, 2014
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Deb Julienne
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with DEB JULIENNE!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, DEB JULIENNE, and her favorite recipe for SEX IN A PAN!
SEX, LIES, AND BEAUTY AIDES by DEB JULIENNE
Book Blurb
Sex, lies, and beauty aids finally earn the girl next door a little respect.
Sabrina Thompson, editor of Skin Deep Magazine’s successful Natural Beauty Secrets column, is handed the challenge of her life. Take over the Love and Sex column or lose her job. What does a twenty-four year old virgin know about love or sex when she’s never been on a third date? To complicate matters, there’s a new guy at the helm. Her only crush’s clone is issuing orders. While his pompous and ambitious twin dries out, playboy and ne’er-do-well Trent Wellington must assume his identity and save his family’s flailing magazine. The bright spot amid staff cuts and content restructuring is the plucky editor he once made a fool of himself in front of at a family gathering. Fooling everyone isn’t easy, especially when Sabrina inspires his true self to be more than he ever has.
Years of hearing she’s too nice to date have left Sabrina’s frustration simmering. It boils over when she discovers Trent’s deceit and she vows to make him pay. Getting even has never been so much fun.
CONTENT WARNING: mature language, sexual situations
A Lyrical Press/Kensington Books Contemporary Romance
ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-516-5
SEX, LIES, AND BEAUTY AIDES by DEB JULIENNE
Twisted Sisters Series: Book One
EXCERPT
1
“Oh for the love of God.” Bent over the tiny sink in the office restroom, Sabrina Thompson cupped cold water in her hands and splashed her lips.
Shocked, she stared into the mirror. Her reflection didn’t lie. Who’d have thought her skin could burn so badly without actually being on fire?
Of all the dumb-assed idiotic gimmicks. Why had paraffin wax, petroleum jelly, and jalapeno extract sounded harmless? Hindsight. Redder, plumper lips without lipstick seemed like a reasonable goal. She’d never expected this. If there were a Mick Jagger look-a-like contest, she’d count on a rejection. Even he wouldn’t want these lips.
“This is what I get for trusting the Internet.” Her lips vibrated like a kazoo when she spoke. The recipe probably had a tag for great April Fools pranks and some fifteen-year-old boy wrote it while he laughed his ass off. It crossed her mind to take a picture of the results to show what not to do.
Why today, of all days, to have an early morning meeting in the boss’s office? Thank God her boss was also her best friend. Sure, Kat would have questions about her lips. And yes, there’d be laughter at her expense, like that was something new.
Sabrina gently blotted her lips with a moist paper towel, and prayed she’d removed it all. She checked the makeup covering the scar on her right cheek, peeked out the bathroom door to be certain the coast was clear, and headed to Kat’s office. At least since she’d come in early, nobody was around to witness her humiliation.
Kat had been out of town, on the East Coast, something to do with her family. Other than a quick email to schedule this meeting, she hadn’t heard from her in over a week.
She stopped by the water cooler. Ice water in hand, she dropped into one of the ultra-modern leather chairs opposite Kat’s desk. Dunking her sore lips in the water, she made a mental note to run by her favorite consignment shop during her lunch to check out the Manolo’s that had just come in. Tina said they were her size. A perfect gift to herself for her promotion to Senior Editor. She admired the framed covers of past magazine issues lining the office. Kat made the magazine what it was today. She was proud of the periodical.
“Sabrina, right on time, as us—” Kat stopped mid-stride. “What the hell is wrong with your mouth? You look like a fish.”
Startled, she sloshed water on her skirt and tried to act casual as she wiped herself off. “The recipe didn’t mention possible swelling, only increased blood supply to the lips.” Better than what you do with yours, caught in her throat at Kat’s colorless expression. So much for hoping it wasn’t that bad.
Kat turned away, took boxes from the closet and began transferring files to them.
“What’s wrong?” Sabrina asked.
Kat didn’t respond.
“A bit early for spring cleaning, aren’t you?”
“In case I haven’t told you, I really appreciate your punctuality. Especially today.”
“What’s so special about today?” Something in Kat’s tone set her on edge, making her cautious of Kat’s behavior.
Wishing she were anywhere but here, Sabrina slid her tongue over her plump, burning lips. Mid-lick, her worst nightmare and hottest fantasy walked in, past her chair, and behind Kat’s desk. No. First her lips, then her job, now him. The man she’d dreamt of for years.
Trent Wellington.
Maybe if she pretended to be calm, cool, and collected, and ignored the fact she felt like a circus clown, he wouldn’t notice her or her enormous lips.
He winked and grinned at Kat, who merely nodded and went back to her files.
Struggling to set the cup on Kat’s desk, her vision swam, the desk weaving in and out of her reach. Her hands shook so badly she was sure to dump the rest of the water on herself. She folded her hands in her lap, knuckles white, and smiled as if it was any other day. She could do this. And maybe, she’d even pull this meeting off without thoroughly humiliating herself in front of him, again.
When he glanced her way, his brows shot up and his grin only added to her paranoid misery.
She wished someone would hurry up and say something because her jangled nerves had re-ignited the jalapeno oil.
Trent—not Kat—took the seat behind the desk.
Kat studied the carpet, blinking watery eyes.
About the author, Deb Julienne….
After writing for almost 20 years, she dreams she’s about to be an overnight success. Her life, like her comedies, has been one big fat romantic comedy…or errors. It’s not a matter of “if” it can go wrong, but how bad when it does happen, and make no mistake…it will. Survival with a sense of humor is the goal.
Joking aside, Deb’s dream of being published will come true with the release of her first book, SEX, LIES, AND BEAUTY AIDS, coming out March 2014.
As a long time member of both Romance Writers of America (RWA) and her local RWA Chapter, the Sacramento Valley Roses, she fills the hours she’s not writing romantic comedy and romantic suspense with her day job at a Silicon Valley Corporation, playing in the kitchen concocting her award-winning jams, jellies, preserves, and sauces (with alcohol of course).
Born and raised in San Jose, California, she now resides in her own little bit of heaven in the Sierra Tahoe National Forest Basin, with her husband of 33 years, their three sons and one daughter, and two very precocious grandkids.
~~~
Links to Deb’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://www.debjulienne.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deb.julienne
Twitter: #debjulienne
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/debjulienne/
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I hope you enjoy the recipe Deb is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 133 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sabrina made Trent a “Kinky sex on the beach” drink to go with his ‘special’ dinner: 1 shot of Kinky, 1 shot of peach schnapps, 1 shot of Triple Sec, 1 shot of Grand Marnier. Mix, pour over ice, or in a blender. You could also add a splash of 7-up or OJ.
Recipe for Sex in a pan can be found on Texasrecipes.tumblr.com, see link below.
SEX IN A PAN
Texas Recipes
http://texasrecipes.tumblr.com/post/25746464574/sex-in-a-pan
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup pecans, chopped
3 tbsp white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
Cream cheese layer:
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipped cream or cool whip
Vanilla pudding layer:
1 package of instant vanilla pudding (5.1 oz or 144 g)
3 cups milk
Chocolate Pudding layer:
1 package of instant chocolate pudding (5.1 oz or 144 g)
3 cups milk
Last layer:
2 cups whipped cream or cool whip
shaved chocolate
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a mixer mix all the crust ingredients together and press the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake it for about 20 minutes.
Prepare the vanilla pudding as per the instructions on the package.
Prepare the chocolate pudding as per the instructions on the package.
In a mixer add the cream cheese, powdered sugar and the cup of whipped cream. Mix until light and fluffy.
Let the crust cool. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust evenly.
Spread the chocolate pudding over the creme cheese filling, then the vanilla pudding over the chocolate.
Top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the chocolate.
Refrigerate for a couple hours so that it sets.
~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Deb will give away one paperback copy of SEX, LIES, AND BEAUTY AIDES and a bookmark to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog!! Don’t miss this chance to read this novel!! Thanks, Deb, for sharing your release and your fabulous cookie recipe with us!
March 4, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Anointed by Maggie Mae Gallagher
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
ANOINTED (The Cantati Chronicles)
By MAGGIE MAE GALLAGHER
Book Blurb
*
My name is Alana Devereaux. I enjoy the simple things in life, walks in the park, sky gazing, and ripping a demon’s heart out though its chest. I am a demon slayer, the last of my kind, and I have been sent back through time to save your world. How am I doing so far? My time travel went haywire, all the signs I needed to stop the prophecy have passed, and the only way I can save my world is by keeping yours from ending. Then there’s Gaelen, most days I want to deck him. He hides his true motives and if it was not for the intel he had, I would be rid of him. Any day in my life without a demon attack is a good day; I haven’t had a whole lot of those lately. The only problem is, if I don’t stop the Mutari, this world will burn.
~~~~~
ANOINTED (The Cantati Chronicles) by MAGGIE MAE GALLAGHER
EXCERPT
Chapter Nine
The group advanced, sharpened claws glistened in the firelight. A lump formed in my throat. This was it. Sweat soaked my clothes. I heard the honk of a passing car on the bridge nearby. Thunder rumbled low in the distance. The wind subsided. The air stilled. A storm brewed. Balling my fists I switched to hand combat. Changing to offensive tactics, I took them down one or two at a time.
Duck, punch, kick, and rip out their jugular became my motto. I sensed movement at my back and turned swinging. My fist stopped inches from luminescent green eyes and I heard a masculine voice say, “duck.”
Shifting my head, I slid out from between the mystery man and the oncoming Hatha demon.
Who the hell was this guy?
I’d barely turned when another demon charged me. I felt, more than saw, the man at my back. We wordlessly worked together, dispatching demons one by one until we were the only two beings left standing.
Had the Densare sent someone else? “Who the hell are you?”
He was at my side before I could blink. “Silence. We need to move fast. More are on the way. Look at the gem in your pocket.”
Well shit. Sure enough, it was casting vibrant light again. I needed firepower if more were coming. Without further prodding, I ran back the identical way I’d come. The stranger kept doggedly close to my heels. At the gate, his hands boosted me to the top. I flipped over the side, landed on the balls of my feet. Mystery man dropped down beside me on the deserted street.
Who was he?
He stayed to the shadows, masking his visage. I kept pace with him for a block before he hailed a passing cab. Maybe the driver wouldn’t notice I was covered in demon blood. Granted, the cool air had helped it congeal, so at least it wasn’t dripping anymore.
“Where to?” I think the driver asked, his accent far too heavy to be certain.
“The Savoy.” Mystery man’s voice shivered through me.
“All right, I’ll ‘ave you folks ‘ere in a jiffy.” My worry had been for naught. The cabbie didn’t glance in his rearview mirror. Hopefully most of the blood was on the front of me, so there wouldn’t be too much on the seat when we got out.
Curiosity peaked. I glanced at mystery man by my side. A million questions hammered through my brain. His hair fell below his jaw line, the color unfathomable in the darkened cab. Shadows played across his wide, full mouth and angular face. His bone structure was chiseled perfection, his jaw covered in dark stubble. He was taller than me by at least a foot. His broad shoulders, ripped with muscles, broadcasted his dangerous strength. Sinuously muscled, his body reminded me of a resting panther. A passing street lamp momentarily illuminated his long eloquent fingers covered in demon blood.
Who the hell was he? His eyes met mine. I opened my mouth to question him. He shook his head no. His expression silenced the interrogation poised on my lips.
Screw that! If it took the rest of the night, he’d answer me.
As grateful as I was to be alive, too much was at stake. Questions boiled in my chest. Who the hell was he? He fought them like a Cantati.
The cab ride lingered indefinitely. We could have walked faster than this. Patience was a virtue. My mother tried instilling me with it. But I hated waiting. She complained that I was too much like my father. By the time the cab pulled alongside the Savoy, I jumped from my seat. At this point, I couldn’t care less if the man looked like the sun god Apollo. He’d answer my questions.
The doorman opened the taxi door exclaiming, “Good evening, Mister Cormac. Great to see you again, sir. Is there anything you and your guest require this evening?”
“Nothing for now, Greely. Thank you.”
I followed Mister Cormac into the hotel and stopped. Oh my Goddess, here I stood in the most opulent place I had ever visited, covered in demon guts. Crystal chandeliers dangled over an intricately patterned marble floor. Embellished gold trim decorated the walls. It was beyond elegant—I had stepped into a world with a kaleidoscope of colors and fabrics, carved woods, and marble statues. It made me wonder what a room there cost.
Too rich for my blood, that’s for damn sure.
Other than the bellman, who made no comments regarding our appearance, we didn’t encounter another soul in the lobby. Inside the elevator, Mister Cormac pressed the button marked P.
Alone in the elevator with walls covered in tasteful navy blue furnishings trimmed with gold, his eyes took in my measure from head to toe. Those eyes, they were a thing of true beauty, a clear, sea green color so pure and crystalline no ocean in the world could compare. There was not an ounce of skin, clothed or exposed, which did not fall under his gaze.
He made me uncomfortable with his scrutiny. My skin tingled every place he looked. His perusal halted a moment at my chest before heading further south.
Damn homing beacon of a bra. I had to get rid of this stupid thing. He had this bizarre energy that emanated off him. All at once, I felt a spatial distortion around him. Like I saw him, but only what he wanted me to see, and what I did was muted. Different, unlike any being I’d encountered, his energy signature had a rich smoky flavor. The tiny bit my sensors registered were suffused with heat. Returning his stare, I had the strangest sense of foreboding. My instincts told me to run as far and as fast as I could away from him.
Did I listen to my inner voice? Of course not. As much as the sane, logical part of me wanted to run, I also had the weirdest desire to touch him. He was attractive, sure, but my body never reacted physically this fast. Granted, a woman would have to be dead not to want him. And last time I checked, I wasn’t dead.
My pulse spiked.
Meet Maggie Mae Gallagher, Author….Maggie doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. When she was a kid she acted out her favorite scenes, only better, with her brother and cousin. As a teenager, she wrote reams of poetry, but realized her true love lay with creating characters and stories. A former music and history major, Maggie is a total geek at her core. When she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her two furry felines.
~~~~
Links to Maggie Mae’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Mae-Gallagher/107335792624944
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher
Anointed Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IO7075Y
Barnes & Noble:
~~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Maggie Mae will give away a signed print (U.S. only) copy of her book, ANOINTED to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs!! Don’t miss this chance to read this story!! Thanks, Maggie Mae, for sharing your stories with us!
March 2, 2014
**Author Peek** Interview with Maggie Mae Gallagher
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with MAGGIE MAE GALLAGHER
Editorial Note to my Readers: I’m shaking up the interview questions so you, my reader, can get to know the highlighted author a bit more beyond their genre and book release dates. With a different interview each week, who knows what they might reveal about themselves! :)
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INTRODUCING…MAGGIE MAE GALLAGHER!
Hi Karen, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog!
1. How did you get started writing?
There’s never been a time in my life that I wasn’t writing. When I was a teenager, I kept a journal and wrote poetry; really bad, soul-sucking, poetry. At the time, I wanted to grow up and be just like Emily Dickinson. It wasn’t until after I finished undergrad that I took a stab at writing my first book and was hooked.
2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
The worlds of urban fantasy and paranormal romance are where I truly found my writing niche. I’m a really big geek. Most of the books I read and TV shows I watch have paranormal elements, like The Walking Dead, Lord of the Rings, and Sleepy Hallow. If it has fangs, fur, AI robots, and mystical creatures, I am there. I love the double reflection you find within these types of stories. Whether the hero and heroine are battling aliens, in the midst of a shifter war, or contemplating immortality as one of the newly undead, the outer plot is always a mirror of their struggle against their own personal demons. Then there are those nifty superpowers. I have always wanted a superpower, like Piper in Charmed. Wouldn’t you just love to throw your hands up and stop time?
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
The process itself. By that I mean, I love writing from that first inception kernel that I begin with to voila finished book. I’m what you might call a plotting pantser, in that I know who my characters are, how they will react, and the big moments that must happen to get them across the finish line. The rest, I leave to my characters and let them take over.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing ?
Actually, writing the end. It means I have to say goodbye to my characters, who are no longer just characters, but friends that I have sweated with when they headed into trouble, laughed with at their jokes, and even cried with when the road became unbearable.
5. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Music is my muse. Most of my best ideas come when I am listening to music. I was a music major in college, so music for me has always been something that feeds my soul. It’s one of the reasons I have a playlist for ANOINTED up on my website. They are the songs which inspired this book and this series. http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com/playlist/
6. What is it that makes your writing different from all the others in your genre?
There are so many awesomely stupendous writers in this genre, but I think what makes this series different is my heroine. She’s not your typical heroine, I actually consider her more of the anti-hero archetype. She has some real flaws that she must battle with all while trying to save the world.
7. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
I adore reading. If you saw the size of my to-be-read pile, you might laugh at me. I can’t be trusted in book stores, at book signings, or anywhere books may be. That one click thingy from Amazon is EVIL! My favorite genre is definitely paranormal, urban fantasy, and young adult with paranormal elements. I’m reading Divergent right now and it is fabulous.
8. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
The next book in The Cantati Chronicles is ASCENDED CHOAS. I don’t have a release date for it yet, but will certainly keep readers up-to-date. I also have a paranormal romance and first in my Mystic Series, REMEMBER ME, releasing this fall.
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Links to Maggie Mae’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Mae-Gallagher/107335792624944
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher
Anointed Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IO7075Y
Barnes & Noble:
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BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about Maggie Mae and her release, ANNOINTED (The Cantati Chronicles), on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench!! Happy Reading!
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Maggie Mae will give away a signed print (U.S. only) copy of her book, ANOINTED to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs!! Don’t miss this chance to read this story!! Thanks, Maggie Mae, for sharing your stories with us!
February 27, 2014
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Vicki Essex
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with VICKI ESSEX!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, VICKI ESSEX, and her favorite recipe for DOUBLE CHOCOLATEY-CHIP COOKIES!
IN HER CORNER by VICKI ESSEX
Book Blurb
More than just a sparring partner…
Bella Fiore has a lot to prove. For three generations her family has dominated the world of mixed martial arts—a tradition Bella dreams of carrying on. Her family, on the other hand, doesn’t agree. Without their support, she’s relying on the coaching of medal-winning Kyle Peters.
Training with Kyle is not what Bella expects. They’re constantly butting heads. And with the body of a Greek Adonis, Kyle’s mat technique isn’t her only focus. Not that this attraction can go any further. She has a title to win! Yet when Kyle proves Bella can always rely on him, a championship may not be the only thing worth fighting for….
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IN HER CORNER by VICKI ESSEX
EXCERPT
CHAPTER ONE
KYLE STOMPED ON the brake and jerked the wheel to the right as the maniac on the bike barreled toward him.
The figure in black and red whipped by, his loaded backpack brushing Kyle’s newly detailed convertible. Something metal bounced against the side of the car like a dud missile, rolling under the chassis. He slammed the heel of his palm against the wheel. No one touched his baby.
“Hey!” he shouted as a horn blared. The cyclist darted out of the path of another car, wobbling on its suicide trajectory against New Orleans traffic. “What’s wrong with you?”
The bicycle skidded to a stop. The front wheel popped up and pivoted around as the rider deftly maneuvered it like a rearing show horse. A horn blared, and the driver of the car the cyclist had barely dodged rolled down the window, shouting obscenities. The cyclist studied the ground, frowning, eyes masked by reflective sunglasses. He looked up briefly and screamed an obscenity right back.
Jesus, the cyclist was a woman. All that lean muscle, plus the helmet and high-cut cycling top had effectively hidden any evidence of her femininity. Not that her being a woman subdued his temper. Kyle yelled, “Hey, lady, are you nuts?”
She ignored him as she walk-rode her bike back between the stalled lines of traffic, searching under the cars she’d passed. The driver who’d screamed at her started to get out of his car, swearing and waving his fist.
This was going to get ugly, and the cyclist had no idea the man was stalking toward her. “You’re riding on the wrong side of the road,” Kyle told her when she was within earshot. The driver from the other car continued yelling but was hesitant to stray too far from his vehicle. Kyle popped his seat belt, ready to intervene.
The woman scrambled off her bike and leaned it against the driver’s-side door. “What are you doing?” He fought the urge to shove her bike off the side of his convertible.
“I dropped my water bottle.” Her voice was smooth and sooty, tinted with an accent that definitely said not from around here. She got down on her hands and knees and reached under his car. Kyle got an eyeful of backpack, booty and muscular calves, and his ire was momentarily forgotten.
“Dammit.” She crawled back up. “I can’t reach it. Could you move your car?”
He blew out a breath. “Listen, lady, you can’t ride against traffic. It’s dangerous.”
“No, it’s not.” She said it matter-of-factly, without the slightest trace of defensiveness or irony. “I can see what’s coming, and so can you. I don’t see what you’re worried about—you’re the one behind two tons of steel.” She rapped on the side of the car.
Kyle’s temperature peaked. “Don’t. Touch. My car.”
She blinked, gave him an apologetic smile and lifted her bike off the door. “Sorry. Can I please get my bottle now?”
Her flippancy reminded Kyle of his sister, Jessica. He frowned deeply. He was not going to let her get to him—or have the last word. “Listen. I don’t know where you’re from, but in this city, you ride on a bike path and follow traffic laws. Otherwise, I can’t say what’ll happen. Not everyone is as nice as me.” He glared pointedly at the driver who’d gotten out of his car—the man looked like he still wanted to club her over the head. When Kyle narrowed his eyes at him, he stomped back into his vehicle.
The woman noticed the exchange. She lifted her chin a fraction, acknowledgment and challenge clear in her strong, stubborn jaw. He couldn’t see her eyes behind the mirrored lenses but felt as if he were being studied by a predator. “Of course. You’re right. I apologize.” Her full lips tilted up.
A jolt of surprise hit him. He’d expected her to put up more of a fight, maybe scream at him in a fit of bipedal road rage.
The traffic ahead was moving again, and the cars behind Kyle honked. He quickly buckled up and inched his vehicle forward, giving the woman enough space to retrieve her battered aluminum water bottle. She swung a leg over the bike and started to go with traffic, staying right next to Kyle’s side-view mirror. When he finally regained his speed, she kept up with minimal effort, legs pumping. Flashes of her well-sculpted body danced in his peripheral vision.
He braked for a stoplight. She halted at his elbow. “Do you mind?”
She flashed bright white teeth. “No.”
“You’re following way too close.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t touch your car as long as you drive predictably. Anyhow, it seems safer riding next to you than trying to get around everyone else. And you’re obviously a good enough driver that you wouldn’t hurt me.”
He stared. He didn’t know what this woman’s problem was, but he was done with her. He was going to be late for work and he had an important client coming.
“I’m taking the next right,” he said, then cursed himself for warning her.
“Me, too.” She gave him an enigmatic grin.
Kyle gripped the steering wheel, suppressing the urge to yell at her to back the hell off. His heart thudded. Sweat dripped from his brow. The sweltering New Orleans heat was only slightly moderated by the thin cloud cover. He wished now that he’d put the top up and turned on the air conditioner. At least then he wouldn’t have to deal with his cycling stalker. He’d have to shower again before his new client arrived. A Fiore was not someone whose hand you wanted to shake when you smelled like balls.
He tried to focus on driving, but the whole time he was ultra-aware of the pilot fish cyclist in her skintight cycling gear. She stayed so close that at stoplights, he could practically smell her—a strangely enticing combination of spice and something like fresh-baked bread. Like a hot-cross bun.
His eyes darted left as she slowed. Staring at her hot-cross buns nearly made him miss his turn. He yanked the wheel right. She arced away from the car, caroming into the next lane. Suddenly free of her, he floored it, speeding ahead and leaving her far behind as traffic closed around her. His tense shoulders relaxed as he pulled into the parking lot next to Payette’s, the official Unlimited Fighting Federation’s mixed martial arts gym he’d been managing for the past three years.
He grabbed his gym bag from the backseat and headed to the front door. His footsteps faltered as the cyclist coasted to a stop and alighted from the still-moving bike right beside him. She snatched it up as if it were broomstick.
Kyle stifled a groan.
“You left me behind.” She took out a sturdy U-lock from her backpack and attached the bike to a stand in front of the building.
Kyle didn’t say anything as he continued into the gym.
“Hey, wait up!” The woman’s sooty voice dogged him.
“I have somewhere to be,” he said without turning. He was used to dealing with hangers-on. Maybe she recognized him and wanted an autograph or something. If she tried to give him her number, he’d be sure to lose it as quickly as possible.
“We all have somewhere to be,” she said as he reached the entryway. “It just so happens I have to be right here.” She touched his arm. Something electric shot through him, and he whipped around. “With you.”
About the author, Vicki Essex….
Vicki Essex lives on a space colony with her husband, space cat, robot dog butler, and a fleet of red spaceships…in her imagination. In reality, she lives in Toronto, and relies on long commutes to keep her writing. She loves to hear from readers. She also loves junk food. Send her some, won’t you? Visit her website at www.vickiessex.com, on Facebook.com/vickiessexauthor, and on Twitter @VickiEssex.
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Links to Vicki’s website, blog, books, etc.
Social media:
Twitter: @vickiessex
Facebook: www.facebook.com/vickiessexauthor
Buy links:
Harlequin.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Chapters.Indigo.ca | BarnesandNoble.com
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I hope you enjoy the recipe Vicki is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 132 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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A Note from Vicki: These are my crowd-pleasing cookies—soft, chocolately and great for making people smile.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATEY-CHIP COOKIES
1 cup salted butter
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
¼ cup cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream butter. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder. Sift in flour, baking soda and salt until well mixed. Incorporate chocolate chips. Chill dough for at least 1 hour.
Scoop and roll out 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Place on middle racks for 6 minutes, then rotate the trays fully in oven and leave for another 6 minutes. Remove from rack and cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Vicki will give away one copy of IN HER CORNER to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog!! Don’t miss this chance to read this novel!! Thanks, Vicki, for sharing your release and your fabulous cookie recipe with us!
Congratulations Week 02-17-14 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK 02-17-14 GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with NANCY NAIGLE!!
Giveaway: Nancy will give away a print copy of her book, MINT JULEPS AND JUSTICE (U.S. only) to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs!! Thanks, Nancy, for sharing your story with us!
WINNER!! LANA WILLIAMS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with CYNTHIA WOOLF!!
Giveaway: Cynthia will give away a copy of her book, REDEEMED BY A REBEL, to one of her lucky readers who comments on her Book Bench blog!! Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your storY with us!
WINNER!! JENNIFER JONES
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with AVA MILES!!
Giveaway: Ava will give away one ebook copy of COUNTRY HEAVEN to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog!! Thanks, Ava, for sharing your release and your fabulous waffle recipe with us!!
WINNER!! MICHELE FICHT!!
