Melynda Price's Blog, page 6

Alpha Male Blog Hop ~ Oct.19-22

Hi, everyone, welcome to the Alpha Male Hop. At this stop, I’m giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. The winner will be announced Oct. 23rd. Enter to win by reading this excerpt from my paranormal romance, Until Darkness Comes, and following the steps below. Commenting on this blog will enter you to win one of 3 Grand Prizes listed below!

A guardian angel… A forbidden love… Eternal consequences…

Olivia Norton was born with a gift—a gift heaven has sworn to protect, and hell is bound to destroy. Her perfect world is turned upside-down when two handsome strangers, Max and Liam, step into her life. Olivia soon discovers that her ‘Mr. Perfect’ is actually a perfect nightmare.

The rules of engagement have changed and Liam, Olivia’s guardian angel, is forced to cross dimensional borders or risk losing the woman he’s sworn to protect. Suddenly, thrust into a world unlike anything he’s ever known, Liam isn’t prepared to come face to face with the young woman whose life he holds in his hands.

But nothing is as it seems, and secrets abound that will ultimately force him to choose between two impossibilities. Max will stop at nothing to finish what he’s started, and Olivia is soon plunged into a battle between good and evil. Her very life hangs in the balance as two forces fight to win her heart.

Until Darkness Comes Excerpt:

Max folded his arms across his chest and cocked his brow. “You’re kinda jumpy, Liv. Something happen today you want to tell me about?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” she denied. ”But we’d better get downstairs, they’re waiting.” Max stood between her and freedom. Olivia walked toward the door, praying he would let her pass. With lightning speed, his hand shot out and caught her wrist before she could dodge his grasp. He pulled her back several steps, looking down at her, he leaned in and inhaled deeply.

“Who were you with today?”

His low, menacing growl sent goose bumps prickling up her arms. His grip on her wrist tightened, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. “Just a friend,” she replied, hoping he wouldn’t see through the lie.

“A friend, huh?” Arching a brow, he echoed her answer skeptically.

Olivia tried to force a smile. “Yeah, just a friend. So, what did you do today?”

“I waited for you,” Max growled, jerking Olivia’s arm toward him. She stumbled against his rock-hard chest, and before she could register what was happening, his lips came crashing down on hers. Max’s kiss was nothing like Liam’s. It was angry and controlling—suffocating. He tasted stale and smoky as his tongue pressed past her lips and brushed against hers, sending a jolt of panic rushing through her.

She let out a startled yelp when Max suddenly broke their kiss and shoved her away. She stumbled back a few steps and his hand shot out again, grabbing her tender wrist, jerking her back to him like a yo-yo.

“You lying, cheating, little whore!” he growled. “You’ve been kissing him! Don’t even bother trying to deny it. I can taste that son of a bitch!”

Olivia stared at Max, momentarily speechless, her heart slamming inside her chest. “Max,” she said, trying to sound more braver than she felt. “I’m not denying anything, and I think it would be best if you left. I have no interest in continuing this relationship. We’re done.”

“The hell we are!” Max hissed, jerking his hand back.

Preparing for Max to strike, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the blow that didn’t come. Suddenly, Max’s hold on her wrist was ripped away and her eyes flew open in time to see Liam’s elbow smash into the side of Max’s jaw.

A loud crack filled the room. Max’s head snapped back, recoiling from the blow and when he looked back at Liam, his feral grin made her blood run cold. His lower lip was split open and bleeding. Slowly, Max’s tongue snaked out to taste the dark blood oozing down the corner of his mouth and gave Liam a sardonic “it’s on” smile.  Bursting forward, he wrapped his hands around Liam’s neck for leverage, and drove his knee into his stomach.

Max moved so fast, she only saw a swift blur before a thud filled the room. Liam brought his hands up hard and fast, breaking Max’s hold around his neck. As Max stumbled back, Liam sent a side-kick into his chest, propelling him across the bedroom. He landed against her bed. The impact sent it sliding across the floor, and crashing into the wall.

Liam jumped on top of Max before her eyes could track his movement. When she blinked again, Max was back up, his fist connecting with Liam’s cheek, splitting it open..

A ferocious snarl tore from Liam’s lips as he slammed his shoulder into Max’s chest, driving him back. They flew across the bedroom and crashed through the open window.

“Liam!” Olivia screamed, running to the window. Panic squeezed her throat, choking her as she imagined what she’d find on the grass below. She stuck her head through the opening and gasped—they were gone! Something was terribly wrong here. Normal people didn’t fight like this—normal people couldn’t move this fast, and normal people didn’t fall from two-story windows and disappear!

~~~~~

Until Darkness Comes is available in paperback or eBook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance.

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Birthright Bestowed ~ By Erika Szabo

Congratulations, Erika, on your new relase Birthright Bestowed!

 

Birthright Bestowed is a new release richly filled with ancient Hun tradition and culture.

Excerpt:

I found my housekeeper Elza in the kitchen, busy making breakfast. Her long auburn hair was pulled into a tight bun. She was wearing a gray uniform with the crisp white apron pressed and wrinkle free. I had always hated that darned uniform, yet she insists on wearing it and she ends our countless arguments over it every time by saying, ‘I am your housekeeper. I like who I am, and that’s that!’ It makes no difference to her that I am the boss – she always does as she pleases.

I tried to force my disapproval and nagging thoughts to subside. Elza seemed preoccupied; she turned away quickly when I reached for her hand. She knew I could read her feelings by touching her. She surprised me, but I respected her wish. Yet it bugged me that she was trying to hide something from me. To feel that strong yearning inside, and then be emotionally rejected by my own housekeeper, started affecting me more than I could tolerate. I just hoped that after prayer and breakfast everything would return to normal.

Ema, Elza’s daughter and Rua, my groundskeeper, joined us in the living room to begin our usual Morning Prayer. The role of leading the ceremony had fallen on my shoulders ever since my mother had died. I never fully understood why I had to do it. After my mother was gone, Elza insisted that I continue the True Hun tradition, so I obeyed to please her. When I had pressured her to give me an explanation, she always clammed up. She said I would find out when the time was right. There goes nothing, again. I don’t understand all the secrecy about being a Hun. What the big fuss is about is beyond me. I hoped the awful feeling would stop so that I could enjoy the day. Hopefully, concentrating on the ceremony will help me to calm down, I thought.

I lit the sacred candles infused with herbs, and I placed it in silver candle holders on the small round table. The ancient wooden figurines of male and female holding hands stood between the candles, with our delicately carved Turul bird. The statues were small; they had a deep, warm brown color. My family had owned them for who knows how long. The rich shiny brown color came from the hot herbal tea poured over them every morning by Elza, and many before her, for generations. The bird held widely stretched wings over the male and female figurines. Beside the statues was an ancient, dark leather-bound book. It contained the names and life stories of my ancestors.

 

Erika M Szabo is a Hungarian born American; she lives in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. She has a PhD in Alternative Medicine; she published a few books in this subject. Erika loves the art of healing; however, writing about dry medical facts doesn’t satisfy her thirst for storytelling. The ancient history of the Huns always fascinated her, it is full of holes, mysteries and speculations; there are only a few written facts about them besides their legends. Erika used her fertile imagination to fill the historical voids in the story of Ilona. She raises questions such as – What if healing by touch could be possible? – What if we could find a soul mate no matter the obstacles? – What if we could visit our ancestors on a whim? – What if our destiny is not written in stone and we can create our future?

Author Contact Info:

http://www.amazon.com/author/erikamszabo

http://www.allyoucanreadclub.com/erikamszabo.htm

http://www.facebook.com/Erika.M.Szabo.ND.Author

https://twitter.com/ErikaMSzabo

First Kiss ~ New Release by Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie

Congratulations Bernadette Marie on your new release, First Kiss. A must read for any lover of contemporary romance!

First Kiss

Promises made as children have a funny way of working themselves into reality when fate is orchestrated for them as adults.

 

Olivia Baker wants the best life for her young son, and that meant raising him in the small town she grew up in, but where her past still haunts her and rumors drip from the tongues of the local gossips.

 

Cade Carter moved away from Aspen Creek the moment they handed him his high school diploma. Now a washed up ex-professional football player he’s headed back after his father’s death to settle the estate of the man he’d left and forgotten about.

 

The friendship Cade and Olivia shared so many years ago is just now a haunting memory. People changed and moved on. Secrets were kept and loved ones around them buried with them. But when they are thrown back together to face the reasons their friendship faltered, and forces greater than them are in charge, anything can happen with the person whom they shared their First Kiss with.

Excerpt from First Kiss:

There was a chill in the air, even in June. Cade Carter rolled the windows up on his Porsche as he began his decent into the valley. The mountains of Colorado could deliver any unprepared traveler an array of weather to cope with, and it could change without warning in a matter of moments.

Though the higher peaks still boasted snow, he’d found the entire, long and boring trip from Green Bay, Wisconsin, to be fairly dry. Cade had considered driving his Bronco to Aspen Creek, but he’d needed the speed of the sports car and Ashley had needed it to move.

He glanced at his Rolex for the sixth time in the past half hour. He was going to be late.

Who was he kidding.  He’d had no intentions of getting to his own father’s funeral on time.  Had it not been for Ashley, he’d have blown it off all together.  But no.  The words still rang in his ears.  “You have to go.  He was your father.  He loved you.  You owe him…”

Cade gripped the steering wheel tighter.  He did owe him the decency to be at his funeral, because Cade Carter had been the worst son, and he knew it.

The first sign that would alert drivers to the small town of Aspen Creek was coming up on his right.  A left would take him over the next hill to the elite ski resort town of Aspen Hills.  The road he veered down would drop him into small town hell.

As the deep groves of Aspen trees thinned he could see the small town at the bottom of the valley.  Each street was visible, the cars looked small, and the town stood there as if someone had taken a picture of it fifty years earlier, not one thing had changed.  He did see a 7-11 sign peeking above the buildings.  Corporate America had moved in. That was new. At least he’d know what the coffee tasted like.

He could see City Park in the center of town.  The grass was green.  Green’s Market had the most cars in the parking lot and Sloan’s Diner must have just finished with their lunch crowd.

Aspen Creek rolled along the sides of town and under the Rose Bridge. It was fast, unforgiving, and cold all year long.  He’d had his share of dunks in that water, some on purpose, some not. Beyond the bridge and the white rapids of the river that rushed through town with its new melt off he could see the street where he’d grown up, where his father had lived, and where he’d fallen in love as a young boy.

Cade pulled the car to the shoulder of the narrow road and slammed it into park.  He lifted his sunglasses from his eyes and rubbed them.  He hadn’t been back to Aspen Creek in twelve years.  Long had been forgotten the sentiments of home, like people knowing your name, and not because you were some famous football player, but because you were Austin Carter’s son. High school football games, swimming in Aspen Creek, and the girl next door were things a man forgot about when he was an M.V.P.

He blew out a long, ragged breath. The comforts of a sports car were limited to the power of the engine on a man Cade’s size.  He tried to stretch his legs, but to no avail.  If he didn’t get out and walk around soon he’d be paralyzed in the car seat.  Just another thing he deserved he supposed.  Career killing injuries were just another daily reminder that he was lucky to be alive, even if he now stood on the sidelines and basked in the glory of what used to be.

It was easy for the team to cut him loose when he was no longer able to perform. The position needed to be filled by someone younger and able to play. He was just a washed up has-been now who’d collected his payout.

Adjusting his sunglasses back on his face, he put the car back into drive.  He had demons to face and he’d better just get it over with.  Ashley was house-sitting in Green Bay and Cade was expected back in three days.  He couldn’t imagine closing out his father’s life could take longer than that.

 

Olivia Baker sat in the cemetery alone, next to the new grave and sobbed.  The funeral had been small, but Austin had kept to himself for the past two years.  She wasn’t sure everyone had even heard he’d passed.  She wiped her eyes.  No, they all knew he’d died.  He’d died right in her arms and that had gotten the attention of the local gossips.

The casket had been lowered, the chairs had been collected, and now the only man she’d ever cherished lay beneath the mound of red Colorado soil with a spray of wilting flowers atop it.  It didn’t seem dignified enough.

Her jaw clenched when she looked at the few bouquets and sprays that still lingered near the grave.  Not one of them had Cade’s name on it.

Damn him anyway.

What kind of son didn’t even make it to the funeral of the man who raised him?  The kind like Cade Carter.

The arrogant, self-centered bastard probably had some pressing football engagement and couldn’t be bothered with his father’s passing.  Some dry-cleaners probably needed him to cut their big obnoxious grand-opening ribbon with an oversized pair of scissors, and to Cade that would have always been more important than respecting his father.

Olivia noticed she’d twisted the head off a carnation at her fingertips.  She unclasped her hands and looked beyond the new grave to the one next to it.

CONNER CARTER.

Looking at the name written in stone sent chills up her spine.  She looked away.  She wondered if anyone at all had come to that funeral.  She hadn’t.  She’d been tucked away safely in Grand Junction, again, when Conner had died.  She was sure Austin had paid to bury him and had splurged for the headstone too.  And she couldn’t help but wonder if guilt over Conner’s death had in some way contributed to Austin’s death.

Just beyond the gate to the cemetery she could hear the sound of tires on the gravel.  It didn’t phase her.  Neither did her responsibilities at the bank.  Her boss Parker Woods had told her to take her time and that was what she was doing.  She was in no condition to head back to town and act professional.

Tears streaked down her face from under her dark sunglasses, and she let them fall.

The hole in her heart from Austin’s absence ached and she wondered if she’d get over her loss.  Her son Gabe would never remember the man she adored and loved.  He’d never know how much Austin Carter cherished him and loved him.

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut tight.  Would she miss Austin everyday when she looked into Gabe’s eyes and saw the resemblance?

She wiped away the tears and then noticed that the driver of the car, which had parked in the lot had walked across the gravel and stood only a few feet from her.  She did what she could to compose herself.  After all, she owed it to Austin to be gracious and welcoming to his mourners.

Olivia pushed herself up from the ground, brushed off her black skirt, and turned toward the person standing behind her.

 

There was an uneasiness that settled in Cade’s gut when he saw the mound of dirt before him.  Could guilt kill a man of his stature?

The woman who had been sitting at his father’s grave stood before him, her elegant black dress covered in dust, but she didn’t seem to mind.

He swallowed hard. “Is this Austin Carter’s grave?”

The woman shook her head more in an effort to convey disgust than to signal that he was in the wrong place.  “Why did you even bother?”

“I beg your pardon.”

“Why show up now, Cade?  You couldn’t even give him the decency of being here on time?”

“I…” he had no answers.  Besides who was she to be criticizing him?

Cade examined the lean, yet curvy woman in the well-worn dress who stood before him. Her hair was pulled back and dark glasses covered her eyes.  Little gold bands adorned each of her ring fingers, so she could have been someone’s wife.  Hell, he’d grown up in the town, maybe he did know her.  But still, what he did to get the funeral on time, or not, was not her concern.

“I guess you know me.  Who might you be?”

The woman opened her mouth, and then shut it again.  Instead of answering she picked her purse up off the ground and searched inside.  She pulled out a business card and handed it to him.  “I’m the one in charge of closing out your father’s estate.”

With that, she started off to the parking lot and he watched.  Back in town five minutes and he was already pissing off the women there.

He ran his hand over the back of his neck and looked at the card as the woman sped away down the hill toward town.

Olivia Baker, Vice President Aspen Creek Bank.

His head shot back up and the air in his lungs escaped him.

A man could drive into town, and the girl next door, whom he’d fallen in love with as a child, could hand him a card with her name on it and he didn’t even recognize her.

Suddenly the aches and pains in his leg, from his brush with death, didn’t hurt as bad when he was faced with a woman scorned and a week in small town hell.

Purchase link : www.5princebooks.com/buy.htm

Bernadette Marie has been an avid writer since the early age of 13, when she’d fill notebook after notebook with stories that she’d share with her friends.  Her journey into novel-writing started the summer before eighth grade when her father gave her an old typewriter.  At all times of the day and night you would find her on the back porch penning her first work, which she would continue to write for the next 22 years.

In 2007 – after marriage, filling her chronic entrepreneurial needs, and having five children – Bernadette began to write seriously with the goal of being published.  That year she wrote 12 books.  In 2009  she was contracted for her first trilogy and the published author was born. In 2011 she (being the entrepreneur that she is) opened her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, and has released contemporary titles and began the process of taking on other authors in other genres.

In 2012 Bernadette Marie found herself on the bestsellers lists of iTunes and Amazon to name a few.  Her office wall is lined with colorful PostIt notes with the titles of books she will be releasing in the very near future, with hope that they too will grace the bestsellers lists.

Bernadette spends most of her free time driving her kids to their many events.  She is also an accomplished martial artist who will earn her conditional second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do in October 2012.  An avid reader, she enjoys most, the works of Nora Roberts, Karen White, Megan Hart, to name a few. She loves to meet readers who enjoy reading contemporary romances and she always promises Happily Ever After.

 

Author Contact Info:

www.bernadettemarie.com

www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie

www.authorbernadettemarie.blogspot.com

@writesromance on Twitter

info@bernadettemarie.com

In Shadows 31 Days Event hosted by Brynna Curry

Welcome to In Shadows 31 Days Event hosted by Brynna Curry!! To celebrate her Halloween event, I’m giving away a copy of Until Darkness Comes! Enter to win by leaving a comment below. Happy Halloween!

 

Nearly all Halloween traditions can be traced to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween is a holiday of many mysterious customs, but each one has a history, or at least a story behind it. One of the most celebrated traditions is pumpkin carving.

We’re all familiar with these sometimes cute but mostly ghoulish glowing faces but do you know why we go to the pumpkin patch (or your local grocery store) and spend a pain-staking amount of time searching for and picking the best one, only to go home, carve it up, stick a candle inside it and display it so proudly on the front step?

The Celts believed that on October 31st the Lord of Death, Saman, would call together all the souls that had died the previous year to travel to the afterlife during the Vigil of Samhain. Ancestral ghosts and demons emerged from sidh (ancient mounds or barrows of the countryside) and were free to roam the earth, harm crops, and cause trouble.

To deter these evil spirits from coming to people’s homes, the Celts would carve faces in gourds, light them with a candle, and display them in the windows of their homes. They believed the frightening faces would scare off any evil spirits.

So this Halloween, be sure to carve your pumpkin extra scary to keep the ghouls at bay.

Have a safe and tradition-filled Halloween!

     If you’re looking for a good paranormal romance about angels and demons, check out my new release, Until Darkness Comes, Book 1 Redemption Series. Enter to win a copy of Until Darkness Comes by leaving a comment below.

A guardian angel… A forbidden love… Eternal consequences…

Olivia Norton was born with a gift—a gift heaven has sworn to protect, and hell is bound to destroy. Her perfect world is turned upside-down when two handsome strangers, Max and Liam, step into her life. Olivia soon discovers that her ‘Mr. Perfect’ is actually a perfect nightmare.

The rules of engagement have changed and Liam, Olivia’s guardian angel, is forced to cross dimensional borders or risk losing the woman he’s sworn to protect. Suddenly, thrust into a world unlike anything he’s ever known, Liam isn’t prepared to come face to face with the young woman whose life he holds in his hands.

But nothing is as it seems, and secrets abound that will ultimately force him to choose between two impossibilities. Max will stop at nothing to finish what he’s started, and Olivia is soon plunged into a battle between good and evil. Her very life hangs in the balance as two forces fight to win her heart.

Until Darkness Comes is available in paperback or eBook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance.

Shades of Darkness ~ Excerpt

I’m so excited to have finished Shades of Darkness, Book 2 Redemption Series, that I had to post an excerpt! Sending it in to my editor today!

I’m attaching a pic of my inspiration for Haden, the new antagonist in my series you’ll love to hate!

Shades of Darkness

Prologue

Three Years Later

 

“So, is it true?” Haden demanded, grabbing hold of Jace’s arm and pulling him into the tiny supply room tucked away in the back of the bar. He kicked the door closed with the heel of his boot and leaned against the frame to prevent any untimely interruptions. Too long he’d been waiting for this moment, too long he’d been searching for the “sighted” one. “Did you see her? Does she have it?”

Jace looked over his shoulder as if to make sure they were truly alone before answering. Turning back around, he nodded, “Yeah, it’s true.”

“You saw it then? You saw the stone?” Could it possibly be true? Was Immanuel’s Stone actually here, on Earth?

“I saw the stone,” Jace repeated.

“That’s fantastic! Have you told anyone else about it?” Haden stepped closer to his friend, casually sliding his arm around the demon’s heavily tattooed neck.

“No, only you, just like you said. Her warrior nearly killed me, though. I could hardly get close enough to her to see it. You know, for a minute there, I thought you’d sent me on a suicide mission.”

“I did…” Haden growled, grabbing hold of his arm circling the demon’s neck and jerked up with preternatural strength. The crunch echoed through the small room, and Haden released his old friend, watching as his lifeless body sagged to the floor. Shadows poured out beneath the demon, enveloping him in a thick, black mist.

“Sorry about that,” Haden said, stepping over the crumpled heap. “But to rise to the top, soldiers must fall.”

Genesis

(The Great Flood)  

Two by two, the last of the animals stepped onto the great ark as the heavy door slammed closed with a resolute bang echoing all the way up to the Heavens.

Angels watched in amazement as the first drops of rain began to fall upon the earth. Before this moment, the world had received all of its life-giving water from underground springs. Rumors of an impending flood had been passing through Heaven and Earth for months, but until this very moment, no one had ever witnessed this phenomenon called rain.

“It has begun,” Tate said, his voice rich with vindication. “God’s wrath will finally rid the world of its evil abomination. Soon, the daughters of Cain will wail in despair, for the Great Flood is upon them.”

“It’s unfortunate the fallen have forced the Father’s hand in this matter. They must realize a lineage of half-breeds would never be allowed to exist.” Unlike his brethren, Liam took no pleasure in knowing what terrible destruction would soon befall the Earth.

“Undisciplined and evil…” Tate grunted as the giant raindrops quickly gathered in strength.

***

Mahala stepped from the entrance of his home as a shadow swept across the land, chasing away the last glimpse of the sun. The woman he’d taken for his wife, Anisa, lay resting in the back room with their newborn son nestled snugly in her arms. Looking into the dark, ominous sky, a profound sense of impending doom washed over him as the first few drops of rain splattered lightly against his face. The crisp floral scent of Heaven touched his nostrils, stirring a deep ache of regret in his chest. As the falling moisture gathered in strength, the low rumble of thunder echoed somewhere in the distance, bringing with it a warning of the wrath to come.

His mind raced, rage and betrayal boiling up inside him. “How could He do this to us?” Mahala snarled, spinning around and storming back into his dwelling. As he entered their bedroom, his exhausted wife woke with a start.

“What are you doing?” Anisa asked, her voice groggy.

He charged forward, and her vibrant green eyes suddenly grew wide with fear. It killed him to do this to her, to their son, but there was no other way. “The boy,” Mahala demanded abruptly, steeling his heart against the grief that threatened to swallow him whole. “Give me the boy!”

“What’s wrong?” Panic filled her voice as Mahala pulled the newborn infant from her arms and wrapped a blanket around him.

The look of confusion and, God help him, betrayal that flooded his wife’s fear-filled eyes, tore his heart out. Each rapid beat crashed against his chest, a stabbing pain that took his breath away. “The end is near,” he managed to rasp past the lump in his throat. Turning away from his beloved and all he held dear in this world, he took their infant and ran into the downpour of cold, drenching rain.

“Mahala…!” his wife screamed. Her terror cut through him like razor blades. “Mahala! Come back!” her broken sobs resonated through the low, growling thunder. It was in that moment Mahala truly died—his flesh would soon follow.

***

Mahala looked down at the small bundle in his arms one last time before walking through the chamber doors of the Dark Court. Stiffening his resolve, he placed one determined foot in front of the other until he stood before the three lords of the underworld. My God, how things have changed… Once powerful, noble warriors, he would have proudly fought beside, and died for, any one of these three.

Now, seated before him in a throne room that stunk of sulfur and rotting flesh, he barely recognized his long-ago comrades, fallen and exiled for crimes of treason against their creator.

“Mahala,” Lorca greeted, his scratchy voice no doubt burned raw from the sulfurous gas hissing through the cracked rocks jutting up behind them. “It’s been a long time.”

In a moment of weakness, he nearly changed his mind. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to turn back and flee this hell. Surely the floods would be preferable to this. But Mahala was not ignorant to prophecy, and to return his son to Earth would be to condemn the infant to certain death.

“Come…tell us, what brings you before the Dark Court, and not empty-handed I see.”

“The Great Flood is upon us.” He looked from Lorca, who seated on the left, to Gahn, who sat on the right, and tried to avoid the piercing gaze of the disfigured abomination positioned in between them. The one whose beauty had once been beyond compare—the one was responsible for orchestrating this cluster fuck that ultimately led to one-third of the angels falling from grace.

“And what do you think we can possibly do about this?” Gahn asked.

“Nothing…nothing can be done!  His will is in motion and we are all helpless to stop it!” desperation edging into his voice.

“So why are you here?” Lorca snapped.

“It’s my son.” Mahala held the small, delicate bundle up before the court. “I seek asylum for my son. The Nephilim race will be wiped from existence unless you save him.”

“And we should care why?” Gahn asked.

“Because…Nephilim are gifted. If given the chance, I am confident my son will serve the Dark Court well. Please, take the boy. If I return to Earth with him, he will surely die.”

The three sat there, motionless, contemplating his request. The seconds dragged by until finally, Gahn stood, stepping down from the throne. “Leave the boy,” he commanded with a dismissive wave of his hand. “The Nephilim shall be granted asylum as you requested.”

Mahala’s relief was short-lived. Dread quickly engulfed him as the ramifications of his actions slammed into him with wrecking force. He’d just made a deal with the devil in exchange for his son’s life—a life he’d just indentured to the lords of the underworld. Yet, unable to bear the thought of watching his flesh and blood die, he placed a kiss on the newborn’s forehead and laid the blanketed bundle on the ground before forcing himself to step away.

A shrill infant cry filled the chamber and Mahala froze. Every instinct inside him raged in protest to the injustice being wrought upon his innocent son. He looked back to see Gahn standing over the child, and thought, if for only a moment, he might have seen a softening in the demon’s coal black eyes as the infant’s pale green gaze stared back at him.

Gahn reached down to pick up the tiny bundle, his long, gnarled fingers circling the infant’s chest. Mahala forced himself to walk out the door, each step carrying him farther and farther from his infant son. He had no choice. This was the only way to ensure survival of the Nephilim race.

Mahala walked through the chamber doors and back to his mortal wife. She’d never forgive him—not for this, and not for God’s wrath which, even now, was pouring down upon them. But even if she did grant him that small mercy before her death, he knew he was to blame, they all were, and no amount of begging or pleading would absolve him of his sins. The fallen had been strictly forbidden to take mortal wives, and the children born of these unions were a cursed race. They had infected God’s beloved, and their day of judgment was finally at hand.

 

New Release by M.J. Kane: A Heart Not Easily Broken

 

Congratulations, M.J., on your new release, A Heart Not Easily Broken! Enter to win a copy by leaving a comment below.

A Heart Not Easily Broken

Ebony is a smart, sexy, career-oriented black woman who wants nothing more than a summer fling with a man who challenges her mind and body. What she doesn’t expect is a blond haired, blue-eyed bass player—who won’t take “no” for an answer—to accept the challenge. 

 

When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and her best friend’s trust. 

Excerpt:

Excerpt from A Heart Not Easily Broken:

The song ended, and I opened my eyes to cheer with the rest of the crowd. I was noticed all right. Various men in my immediate vicinity threw out catcalls and whistles, which were flattering, but the drummer paid me no attention. In fact, no one in the band seemed to notice me, except for one man.

One of the guitar players watched me intently. Astonished, I nearly stumbled in my heels. He was attractive but… he was white, not what I was aiming for. My lips tilted in a small smile before I moved out of his line of sight, placing myself in front of dancers who’d moved closer to the stage blocking my view of the drummer.

The next song played, and again, I tried to get lost in the music. My eyes closed, it was impossible to find my groove again without feeling stalked. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, drawing my attention down the length of the stage and to the guitar player, who once again, watched me with a predatory gleam in his eye. When the song ended, I worked my way back to the bar.  

Neither Yasmine nor Kaitlyn were there.  They must have gone to the bathroom.

“What can I get you, miss?” the bartender asked, interrupting my thoughts.

Music from the loud speakers blasted again, after the MC announced the band was taking a brief intermission.

“Margarita, extra shot of tequila, please.” The bartender nodded and went to fill my order.

“Did you get a load of the blond guitar player? He’s hot!”

My attention turned to a busty brunette who’d taken up temporary residence in the empty seat next to me. I recognized her as being one of the women who’d been dancing next to me. She adjusted her boobs, primping while talking to her friend.

“He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going home with him tonight,” she continued. Her friend giggled.

Good luck. She had a better chance than I did of finding a man tonight.

“Here you go.” The bartender placed a napkin in front of me with my drink.

“I’ve got this,” a deep voice said close to my ear, making me jump. It was incredibly sexy despite the fact it scared me. It also sent a warm tingle down my spine. Intrigued, I turned and found myself face-to-face with the guitar player. The same one my barstool neighbor wanted to go home with.

Any sort of coherent words failed me.

A Heart Not Easily Broken is availiable at:  www.5princebooks.com/buy.htm

 

 

M.J. Kane stumbled into writing. An avid reader, this stay at home mom never lost the overactive imagination of an only child. As an adult she made up stories, though never shared them, to keep herself entertained. It wasn’t until surviving a traumatic medical incident in 2006 that she found a reason to let the characters inhabiting her imagination free.  Upon the suggestion of her husband, she commandeered his laptop and allowed the characters to take life. It was that, or look over her shoulder for men caring a purple strait jacket. And the rest, as they say, is history.

No longer a television addict, if M.J. isn’t reading a book by one of her favorite authors, she’s battling with her creative muse to balance writing and being a wife and mother. She resides in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia with her high school sweetheart, four wonderful children, and two pit bulls. MJ can often be found hanging out at the local library where she is director of a local writer’s group, or online connecting with readers and other authors. Other activities she enjoys include: creating custom floral arrangements, assisting her children in their creative pursuits of music and art, and supporting her husband’s music production business, 3D Sounds.

You can find MJ on social networking sites, sharing writing tips, talking about music, life, and family. She’s always excited to meet new people. Connect with her via the websites below. 

 

Author Contact Info:

MJ Kane:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MJKaneBooks

FB Author: https://www.facebook.com/MJButterflyBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6034900-m-j-kane

Google+: https://plus.google.com/111337870949730559736/posts

Blog: http://thiswriterslife-mjkane.blogspot.com/

Email: thebutterflymemoirs@yahoo.com

Celebrating Carmen DeSousa’s ENTANGLED DREAMS with a Giveaway!

Celebrating Carmen DeSousa’s ENTANGLED DREAMS! Enter to win one of her books by leaving a comment below!

Today I’m highlighting Carmen DeSousa’s third book with 5 Prince Publishing, ENTANGLED DREAMS. Life is not a fairy tale and again, Carmen brings to us likeable characters who are flawed and the reader cheers them on until the end.






     When Alexandra Nicole was eight, she thought she was a princess in a fairytale. But after a tragic accident shatters her magical life, she finds herself in a cold and heartless reality.

     As an adult, she once again faces harsh truths and decides to take control of her destiny. Unfortunately, choices have a way of entangling her dreams and pushing her down a dark and dismal path.

     Alexandra must trust her instincts to escape danger, but be able to surrender all to find her happily ever after. Knowing how to decipher the difference, will be her toughest challenge.

 


     While Carmen DeSousa does not write “Christian” books, she does share her characters’ Christian beliefs. Her characters are real people who come with real flaws; no perfect people allowed.

     She characterizes her stories as modern-day fairytales, as they are overflowing with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of her novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope.

Both of her published novels, She Belongs to Meand Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors.

Prologue

     As a child, Alexandra Nicole was a princess in a fairytale. Her royal family would spend every Sunday on the pristine beaches of Destin together. Her father, the king, would carry her on his shoulders, pretending to be her noble steed as he pranced around at her behest. He would battle dragons, the vicious Chihuahua that chased them; conquer new worlds, also known as a sand dune further down the beach; and build elaborate castles, well actually, sandcastles.

     If her father was the king, then her mother was most definitely the queen. She would laugh softly under her umbrella as she watched Alexandra and her father roll in the gentle surf. When her mother did venture into the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico, her long, platinum hair would blow softly in the breeze, her blue eyes sparkled like the water below her, and her skin glistened from the ever-present sunshine in their lives.

     But alas, as in any good fairytale, everything good and wonderful must come to an end.
After the tragic accident that snatched her mother away from Alexandra, her father moved them away from the beaches of Destin to another beach in Florida. Cocoa Beach.

     Cocoa Beach was loud, the water murky, and there were no weekend adventures as there had been in Destin.
Her father married her evil stepmother, Lilith, who Alexandra was certain was a witch with her long, black as midnight hair and pale-white skin as if she’d never seen sunlight. Her father had admitted he wasn’t in love with Cruella, as she had come to think of the witchy woman, but that he’d wanted Alexandra to have a mother and siblings.

     Well, she definitely got that.

     The king started staying out later and later at night, and the princess had to do excessive amounts of chores around her new castle. Her stepmother treated her like a pariah; certainly, she’d rather have the dogs at their dinner table. Her stepsisters were ugly inside and out and were forever jealous of Alexandra and her golden-blonde tresses. Anything nice Alexandra ever received mysteriously disappeared.
Alexandra knew something was wrong with her father, but she was too young to understand. Her father, forever the happy-go-lucky guy, had turned to drinking to drown his troubles.

     It sounds like your typical fairytale, but it isn’t. There are no furry creatures to help the princess prepare a gown for the prom, no fairy godmother to waive her magic wand and produce glass slippers. In fact, at age sixteen Alexandra found herself living on her own with no family contact and no prospects of a healthy, normal life.

     Alexandra had only one advantage, if you could call it that. Alexandra was beautiful. But so far, her beauty had not opened any doors; actually, it had only caused her misery.

      The only people who welcomed Alexandra were the outcasts. The parents of other losers in school fortunately didn’t care who slept over and what they did when they stayed the night. So, Alexandra Nicole, now deciding to go by Nicky, as she was no longer a princess, found herself wandering from house to house throughout her remaining high school years.

And then she met him…

BUY ENTANGLED DREAMS!

Thanks, everyone for stopping to celebrate Carmen DeSousa’s latest release, Entangled Dreams!

Have a great day!

Melynda

QueryDice #42

Reblogged from SlushPileTales:

The following is a query critique. Comments, suggestions and discussion are welcome and we hope you join in. I can only offer one opinion. The author of the query and I would love to hear yours.

There is no greeting in this query. This won’t get you an immediate rejection, but agents would rather you address them personally, otherwise, they’ll feel like you’ve just dropped something in their lap and walked away. 

Read more… 1,080 more words

I love reading QueryDice and always find it a great learning opportunity. Hope you do too. :) Enjoy!!

Interview with Bestselling Author, Bernadette Marie ~ Win a copy of Opposite Attraction!

Hi Bernadette, I’m excited to have you here to celebrate your new release Opposite Attraction (Book 3 of the Keller Family Series) Share a little bit about yourself.

I am the happily married mother of 5 growing sons (14-7.)  I have been writing since I was thirteen-years-old. I am also the owner of 5 Prince Publishing.  I have been blessed to have had nine books published, so far, and all of my 5 Prince Publishing titles have gone bestseller.  I am an avid martial artist and will receive my conditional 2nd degree black belt in October.  2012 Has been a very exciting year…and continues to be!

2. For those who are new to the Keller Family Series, would you classify them as sweet or spicy?

Book one has some spice to it (and therefore is available in a sweetened version too.) All of the other titles I would defiantly say were sweet.

3. If we could see your tbr pile, what would it tell us about you?

It would say, I don’t get to read published books very often at all. ☺  For the most part my reading is up and coming releases from new authors.  However, I do steer toward Contemporary Romance the most.

4. Is romance the only genre you write and what subcategories?

At this time all of my published works are in Contemporary Romance, however, I do have some paranormal in the works.

5. Do you plan to ever expand into other subcategories and which ones might you try?

Certainly paranormal, but someday, if I feel adventurous, a romantic suspense isn’t out of the question.  As well as How To Raise a House Full of Boys…or something like that.  I will also, in time pen some childrens’ books.

6. Please share the blurb from your latest release.

OPPOSITE ATTRACTION, book 3 in the Keller Family Series:

Curtis Keller is a lucky man. He has the love and support of a family like no other. But he’s never fallen in love with a woman. He likes to play the field, have a good time, and enjoyed friends with benefits. But when wild child Simone Pierpont comes into his life for the first time he considers settling down—until she abandons him.

Simone Pierpont fell in love. She hadn’t meant to, but her best friend’s brother-in-law had treated her, the Parisian oil heiress, with more compassion than she’d ever known.  What was she to do? So she left him stranded on a yacht in the French Rivera.

Now, cut off from her father’s fortune, pregnant, and desperate to win Curtis’s heart; Simone must prove to everyone she can hold down a job and take care of herself.  Curtis isn’t sure the spoiled princess can change, but because of his caring nature he has a hard time turning her away.

However, all efforts might be for not when he learns about her pregnancy and she is forced to run back to her father. But Curtis will eventually understand and come for her—or so she hopes.

7. Please give me seven words that describe your book.

family, romantic, happy, change, bestseller, regret, forgiveness

8. What is your favorite part of the writing process and why?

I love every part of it from the moment I come up with either the title or the first line and live in the moment of wonderful feelings when readers tell me how much they loved my book.  There is only one part of the process I don’t like—the bad reviewer. But it comes with the territory.  Otherwise, every part of the process thrills me.

9. Please share an excerpt of your book.

Caterers moved about the house and Curtis fixed himself a plate of fruit. He’d be happier in the kitchen he decided. The reception was depressing him.

When he lifted his head from the platters of food, he saw the reason it depressed him standing right in front of him.

“Hello, Curtis.” Simone Pierpont’s French accent stabbed right into his heart before he choked on the grape he’d just swallowed whole.

He coughed until he could breathe. Her eyes never wavered from him and he was sure they had bored a hole right through him.

“Simone. I didn’t expect you here.”

She twisted her fingers together and smiled nervously. “I’ve been out of town.”

Didn’t he know that? He’d tried for the past two months to find her. Even his brother-in-law, Zach, who she claimed was her very dearest friend, hadn’t known where to find her.

“You’re looking well.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. He’d been dumped by women before, but it had never hurt like this one did. Oh, she’d had him fooled. Yes, he thought there’d been a chance for something real. He’d thought it was love.

But he had to acknowledge that there were women in the world who appreciated the art of seduction and fast steamy love affairs without stings just as men did. He just never thought he’d be the man who was used and disposed of. Damn her anyway, he thought.

She took a step toward him and then stopped just short of reaching him. Her knuckles were white now and her nervousness wasn’t helping him keep calm.

Simone bit down on her lip then shifted her blue eyes to his. “I would have called…”

“Listen,” he set down his plate. “You don’t owe me any explanations. Zach and Regan set us up to share the evening together so we wouldn’t be alone. They didn’t tell us to,” he lowered his voice, “screw like rabbits and run off to your yacht in the French Riviera. So we had a good time. Really, who thought much of it?” He had and he fought his eyes to make sure she didn’t know how much he’d thought of it.

“Right. It was just sex. I was hoping you would understand that.”

“Got it.” He picked up his plate. “Well I think I’ll go see how the party is going. See ya‘round.”

That wasn’t exactly how Simone had hoped that would go. She untangled her fingers realizing they were almost numb now.

She deserved him to treat her like that. She’d been very forthcoming with him, over too much champagne on her yacht, that she’d bedded many men. Why she felt he needed to know that she wasn’t sure. She’d left out the hefty part of the tale though. Most of those men had been in her bed while she tried to wrap her head around the fact that Zachary Benson had never seen her as more than a sister or dear friend.

Lucky for her, she loved him the same. She was glad he and Regan had found each other and now had a family. But that hadn’t changed her view on herself. Simone Pierpont longed for what Zach now had.Love, marriage, and a family. One piece didn’t really fit without the other.

She sucked in a breath. Had she not made such an ass out of herself in front of Curtis and then run off without a word, stranding him on the Rivera to find his own way home, perhaps she’d have just that.

Simone ran her hands over the slim satin line of her dress, lingering only a moment on her jittery stomach. Well, she thought, at least she’d have some of what Zach had.

10. Do you have a favorite character in your Keller Family Series? Who is it and why?

Madeline from A Second Chance.  I think I understand her most, being a mom and knowing the feelings if you were faced with the end.

11. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Total pantser!!!  The story has no plotting or advanced thought except maybe a title.  The characters do the rest and they often surprise me!

12. How many books to you plan to have in the Keller Family Series?

So far there are seven planned.  But with a family series it could go on forever if it is well loved!

13. And finally, where can we find you and your book(s)?

Buy links:

Where to buy my books:

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

iTUNES

SMASHWORDS

Where to find Bernadette Marie and connect with her:

www.bernadettemarie.com

www.5princebooks.com

info@bernadettemarie.com

www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie

www.authorbernadettemarie.blogspot.com

Twitter: @writesromance

Thank you all for stopping by today and celebrating Bernadette Marie’s new release, Opposite Attraction, with us. Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy!

Have a wonderful day!

Melynda

Romancing the Hop ~ Winner Announced

Thank you all for participating my Romancing the Hop blog stop. It was a lot of fun. I love the comments and really enjoy doing these giveaways. As always, the winner is selected through Randomizer.org and I am excited to announce that Tammy Turner has won this giveaway! Congratulations!! I’ll be participating in the Alpha Male blog hop Oct. 19-22. Hope to see you all there! Have a great day!

Melynda