Lia Davis's Blog, page 63

Tasty Tuesday: Have you met the death demon?

Welcome back to Tasty Tuesday! Today I have an unedited sample of Death’s Storm. Enjoy!

 

 

Jagger was still fuming about Khloe’s defiant tone when he reached his mother’s chambers. The female brought too many emotions to the surface. Lust being the leader, followed by possession and heartache. 

With a deep breath, he pushed away the dull tightness in his chest before entering the room without knocking. What was the use when the Goddess knew he was coming?    

 “Mother?” He called not seeing her inside the entryway of her private quarters, which was more like a small living room with a loveseat and two arm chairs. He walked onwards to her bedroom.

Once inside, he saw her standing in front of the window on the right side of the room. Her long midnight black hair hung loose down her back and encircled her shoulders. She wore a white gown that blended with her porcelain skin, and the perfect contrast with her dark hair. 

She turned to face him as he entered the room and frowned. She was annoyed with him. He knew that annoyance all too well. “You were not to make connect with any of them.”

He closed his eyes, holding his irritation in check. “I felt I had no choice.”

“We all have choices, Jag.” She walked to sit in the chair at her dresser.

He moved to window and peered out onto the gardens. Under the dim light of moon multi-colored streamers trailed behind the pixies as they played among the roses. He wondered if Khloe would love to see the gardens. Thinking she might, he decided it would be the first place he would take her in the morning.

The sound of a hair brush touching the dresser a little harder than it should brought his attention back to the Goddess, who was studying him in her mirror. He cleared his head of the little distraction in his bedroom, most likely in his bed…

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday Motivation: A positive outlook to the new week

I woke this morning when my hubby got up thinking, “What the hell is he up for?” Then reality hit. It’s MONDAY. The weekend was too damn short. I need more time to write. My deadline is fast approaching.

Okay, breath in…1, 2, 3…breath out.

I feel a little better. It’s not that I don’t like Mondays. They are just as good as any other day of the week. It’s the first day of the M-F work week. Sometimes it’s hard to get up and get moving. No wait, that’s every morning for me.

I have a very busy week ahead of me and I’m kind of dreading it. I’ll have to work late, again, to meet my weekly work goals. So that means less time for writing. It’s all a little stressful at times. So I have to remember to breath and go in with a positive out look.

Today I leave you with a few affirmations. Thanks for coming over. Blessings, Lia.

I am a smart and success person.

I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

I will have an uplifting and rewarding week. 

 

Author interview with Char Chaffin

Happy Friday!! I’m so happy to have Char Chaffin with me today sharing her new release, Unsafe Haven.

Welcome, Char! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.  

I’m originally from Upstate New York, married to Don, a retired Air Force man. We met in 1974, started talking classic cars and farms on our first date, and I knew he was The One.  :)  We have a daughter together, Sue Ann, married to John, the Son I always knew I wanted.   We have a darling granddaughter, Faith, a fifteen year-old Rat Terrier named Daisy Mae who bosses us around, and we’re living on that farm we talked about, thirty-eight years ago. We even have a couple of classic cars – a ‘64 ½ Mustang and a ’66 Shelby Cobra – nestled in the barn.

 

Unsafe Haven sounds like a wonderful story. Is it a single title, or part of a series?

 

Unsafe Haven is a single-title contemporary romance. I’ve never tried my hand at a series, though I’d like to give it a shot one of these days, if I can figure out a unique way of setting it up!

 

What were your inspirations for the story?

 

Don, Sue Ann and I lived in Alaska for sixteen years. In fact, Sue Ann and John met there and still live in Fairbanks. I knew I wanted to write an Alaska-based story. The state is just so rich in contrasts. And it makes a marvelous backdrop for a love story. I first thought about setting it in Fairbanks since I know it so well, and I certainly intend to write another book about Alaska and base it where I lived. But Unsafe Haven needed something different.

 

Please share your setting for Unsafe Haven. What did you like most about Alaska?  

 

Unsafe Haven is set in Southwest Alaska, in a small, remote, predominantly Native village. This region of Alaska is very sparsely populated even by Alaskan standards! Tiny villages dot along the waterways and are scattered here and there amongst low mountain ranges and tundra-rich valleys. Most of them are only accessible by bush plane. I wanted to take advantage of the utter remoteness and difficult accessibility of the region to set the stage for my story, which has our heroine, Kendall, escaping an abusive fiancé and discovering an unexpected haven in fictional Staamat. You’d think nobody would ever find her there, right? And you’d think she’d be safe. But, here’s the thing about remote Alaska: it might be difficult to get there, but it’s equally difficult to leave.  If you find yourself in danger, you can’t just jump in your car – if you even have one – and drive, or take a bus out. You have to wait for a bush plane, wait for decent weather, maybe do the “milk run,” which means you sometimes hop from village to village on your way to a larger hub such as Anchorage. But the remoteness is part of the lure and beauty of Alaska. This state, more than two and a half times the size of Texas, has less than a million residents statewide. It’s simply amazing.

 

When did the writing bug first bite?

 

Well, I always liked to write, but my writing was geared more toward lengthy, chatty letters to family and friends. Don would always read them, and one day he commented that my letters sounded like little stories. So I tried writing poetry, and for a while enjoyed composing Victorian prose. Then, Don told me my poetry read like a short story, and maybe I should try writing a book. So I started playing around and before I knew it I had written a really awful novel. I’ll never free it from that closet I locked it in, but it was a start. I’ve been writing ever since.

 

Who are you favorite authors, book/series?

 

My reading interests are varied. I grew up on horror and science fiction, and inhaled authors like Ray Bradbury, Alfred Hitchcock and Edgar Rice Burroughs before I left grade school behind. I had a brief love affair with Harlequin Reader Service in my teens, found Stephen King, then Dean Koontz and read all of their fabulously creepy stories. At a local auction I bid five dollars on a box of Ian Fleming when I was twelve, and discovered James Bond.  ::le sigh::

In between the horror I read Harold Robbins and other naughty authors. I’ve read everything Linda Howard ever wrote. But once I read a Nora Roberts, it was all over. She’s by far my favorite author and I’ve collected all her books. Her J.D. Robb series In Death is one I make a point to re-read at least once every two years or so. And she’s still writing them! ::happy dance:: I also adore paranormal, especially when it runs to Vamps and Weres, so I also read Jacquelyn Frank, Lara Adrian, Lora Leigh, Laura Kaye, and Kerrelyn Sparks.

 

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

 

It involves my insane older brothers. I have two of them, and they’re also big horror fans. When I was barely five, one of our local TV stations used to air “Chiller Theater” every Saturday night. Think about every “B” sci-fi and horror flick ever made, and you’ll know what CT offered. My brothers would get me out of my bed, drag me downstairs, plop a bowl of popcorn in my lap, and I’d sit between them on the sofa and watch scary movies until two in the morning. Then they’d stuff me back in bed and I’d have nightmares all night. That might have been the basis for my utter love of horror!

 

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spear time?

 

In the summer it’s veggie gardening. I plant a large garden every year and tend it, canning and freezing veggies as they ripen. This year I’m mostly concentrating on pickles, and have already canned fifteen quarts of sweet pickle chunks. I still have tons of pickling cucumbers growing and ready to pick and can. I enjoy “pond-ing” during the summer (swimming in our spring-fed pond), and in the winter I crochet. And all year long, I read like a fiend.

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

 

Hubby Don’s a Brief Man, thankfully. I usually go Commando.  ::wink::

 

Favorite eye color?

 

I don’t have a fave. Don’s eyes are sky-blue, as are granddaughter Faith’s (she’s got Grandpa’s eyes!). Sue Ann’s are deep brown, mine are hazel. I love ‘em all. The characters in my book have a wide range of eye color but usually I try to stick to realistic colors. You won’t find anyone in my stories whose blue eyes turn purple when they’re excited, or whose brown eyes fade to gray when they’re grief-stricken.  :)

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

 

You mean, up front and personal, or on FaceBook??  Social networks are a veritable cornucopia of strange and weird. I find myself entertained hourly. I saw a man perched on a flagpole in New York Citylast year at RWA National. It kind of looked as if the flagpole was a really long extension of his sphincter, if you know what I mean. Man, that had to hurt. Other than that, I see people do strange things every day. It’s cheap entertainment, right?

 

 

Unsafe Haven

For Kendall Martin, a small, remote village in Southwest Alaskaseems like a good place to start over. On the run from an abusive relationship, she leaves everything familiar behind and begins a new life as owner of a small souvenir and sportsman trading post in picturesque Staamat.

Denn Nulo knows everyone in town: he’s the Chief of Police in Staamat. He’s lived there all his life, except for his college years, spent inAnchorage. Originally planning on practicing criminal law and living in Anchorage permanently, Denn is forced to change his plans when he receives word that his widowed mother has passed away, leaving his young sister, Luna, alone. Denn comes back to Staamat to care for Luna.

When Kendall meets Denn, she begins to believe there are truly good men in the world. Denn is everything she wants: strong, loving, dedicated to family, protective. . .and patient. There is instant attraction between them, but Kendallis leery of men, and Denn craves a serious relationship that includes marriage and children. Their courtship is a conflicting mix of hesitancy and passion, with Luna, desperately needing a mother figure in her life, cheering them on.

As Kendall learns how to trust again and her romance with Denn grows more intense, a local woman who’s had her eye on Denn for years releases a torrent of damaging jealousy. . .and the nightmare from Kendall’s past discovers where she’s hidden herself.

 

 

Replete from an excellent dinner, Kendall sat on the sofa next to Denn and enjoyed the pop and hiss of banked embers in the fireplace. Since early summer evenings inAlaskacould be nippy, he’d set kindling and a single log, enough to take the chill off. A reddish glow illuminated the room and one lamp in the corner had been left on. She spotted some streaks on the low coffee table in front of the sofa. Denn must have swiped it with a dust cloth, perhaps minutes before she arrived. She found the gesture reassuring and sweet.

In the kitchen, Luna sang off-tune as she finished washing the dishes. Never had one teenage girl whined and complained so much about kitchen clean-up, but Kendall had a feeling Luna did it for her amusement. A few times Kendall caught a mischievous wink amongst all the frowns and protests Luna aimed at Denn.

Kendall leaned her head against the sofa cushion and didn’t question why she felt at ease in this house. Each sidelong glance at Denn caused her pulse to spike and his nearness alone should have alarmed her, but she’d worked hard these past few weeks to get over the knee-jerk reaction. She still had nerves, but now they were more of the anticipatory kind.

“Warm enough?” He spoke in her ear. As she’d sat dithering, he’d moved a lot closer, and now pressed against her all along one side. Wherever he touched, tingles grew.

She managed a weak nod in his direction. “The fire’s nice. I’m glad you thought of it.”

“I didn’t. Think of it, that is. Luna told me this morning romance and fires go hand in hand. I’m hoping she meant a fireplace and not your friendly neighborhood pyromaniac.” He nuzzled her ear and her tingles formed goosebumps.

“Romance?” She gulped.

Just then the house phone shrilled, making her jump and emit a faint giggle at how easily he could rattle her.

Luna yelled, “I’ll get it!”

Denn resumed nuzzling Kendall’s ear. His fingers trailed up and down her arm, the callused tips stimulating nerve endings she’d forgotten she had. She swallowed, hard.

Luna rushed in and thrust the phone at Denn. “It’s Jo. Tessie’s visiting and they want me over for game night. Can I go, please?”

He took the phone and brought it to his ear. “You’re a crazed woman, Purna. What, you don’t have enough insanity in your house already, you have to toss my simpleton sister in with the pack?” He dodged Luna’s fist and smirked at her outraged face.

He listened for a few seconds, chuffed out a laugh and gave Luna the narrowed stare of parenthood, which made Kendall want to giggle aloud. How many times had her own parents worn such a mock-forbidding expression, just to tease? Her heart clutched in bittersweet memory.

“Okay, here’s the deal.” Denn pulled the phone from his ear and turned to Luna. “You take your meds and your kit with you. You test at nine. Not nine-ten, not nine-thirty. You leave Jo’s cookie jar alone and Frank brings you home at eleven. Don’t go crazy with the dance game. I don’t want you ralphing your dinner all over Jo’s carpet.”

“I won’t puke. Jeez, it was only once, and I’d been playing Twister, not dancing.”

“Well, let’s not take any chances, okay? Now, leave my presence, Minion.” He waved her off, his nose in the air like royalty. With a shout of glee, Luna ran from the room. Denn spoke briefly with Jo and then laid the phone on a nearby end table.

“How often does she get sick from activity right after a meal?”Kendallasked.

“Not so much anymore, probably because she now uses her head once in a while instead of stuffing herself with everything in sight.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sometimes her insulin upsets her stomach. Jo’s very careful with Luna, so I never have to worry when she’s over there. Plus, her friend Tessie is two years older and one of the most sensible teenagers I’ve ever seen. Luna worships Tessie, so she’ll be all right. I just get a kick out of riding her ass.”

“Yes, I noticed. You’re a rotten guy.”

“Don’t I know it.” He threw Kendalla snide smile.

Ten minutes later, Luna was on her way. Frank Purna had picked her up and would also bring her home. Kendall enjoyed meeting Jo’s soft-spoken husband, who had a sweet smile and a calm, placid manner. She stood in the open doorway with Denn and waved Luna off. Only after Denn closed the door, did she realize how homey and domestic her actions had been. Almost as if I live here, too.

Denn pulled her back into the living room, and at first she held onto her calm easily enough. He resettled her on the sofa, but this time, his arm encircled her shoulders. An occasional crackle from the embers in the fireplace interrupted the silence in the room. He stared into the low flames as if mesmerized. The nerves she’d conquered earlier in the evening came back to niggle at her, but not anything she couldn’t handle. Kendall made herself relax against him even as the more practical side of her brain warned her to enjoy this closeness with a lot of caution.

She knew he had questions, and she’d learned enough about him to understand his need for answers. A good cop wanted all the pieces of a puzzle, and Denn was a good cop. She didn’t blame him. But she wasn’t ready, either.

As if he read her mind and sensed her insecurities, he turned to face her and gripped her shoulders lightly. His lips formed a smile but his eyes held the kind of intensity that caused her to flush all over. Strong fingers stroked her skin, left bare by the sleeveless blouse she wore. Warm breath preceded the kiss he placed at one corner of her mouth. Reassured by his gentle advance, she raised a hand to cup his cheek. He leaned in to catch her lips in a kiss as soft as a breeze. No pressure, no demand. Just a persuasion she couldn’t resist.

So she didn’t.

The give and take of his mouth charmed her even as it seduced. She’d never been kissed with such generosity and yet swept into something promising to upend her world and leave her teetering. All this from a simple press of mouth on mouth. Then he parted her lips with one smooth movement of his, and the kiss became something else. Something wild.

Heat, sudden and shocking, when his tongue slid alongside hers. Need, new and unfamiliar, as she met his demand with a moan forming in her throat. Desire took over and left her weak. She curled her arms around his neck, wove her fingers into his hair and held on tightly. He shuddered, and his hands brought her closer, until their bodies clung. The rapid beat of his heart should have scared her, but it only served to reassure. This passionate man was also caring, giving. He wouldn’t hurt her.

Long seconds later he released her with a lingering nibble to her bottom lip. His amber eyes glowed when she stared into them. He brushed a curl from her cheek and his fingers held a tremor.

“Is this okay?” His low voice beguiled her, velvet over gravel.

“I—” She paused, blinked hard to keep him in focus, and strove to bring her emotions under control. “I’m not sure.” She took an uneven breath. “It’s been a long time.”

“Since you’ve been kissed? Let someone get close to you? Let someone care about you?” His index finger traced her cheek, ran along the curl of her ear.

She offered a hesitant nod. “All of the above.”

“Want to tell me why?”

The question caught her by surprise even though she’d been expecting it.  Kendall chewed her bottom lip, unsure of how much she should reveal.

Finally she met his eyes with as much calm as she could muster. “I want to tell you. It’s hard to talk about. When I talk about it, I relive it.” She couldn’t repress the shiver which rushed through her. He had to have felt it under his hands, against his palms, still clasping her arms.

He rubbed them gently. “Hello, goosebumps. I know you’re not cold, so I’d say you need to get this out of your system and share it with someone who’s a good listener. Who can help.” He smiled crookedly. “Me.”

“I don’t know—”

“Tell you what. You don’t have to look at me at all. It’ll be easier.” He arranged her until she sat cuddled against him, an easy spooning that didn’t threaten her nerves. He tucked her head under his chin and whispered, “Close your eyes, and tell me. It’s safe, here. You know it is.”

“Yes.”

Safe . . . She could trust him, which felt the nicest of all.

Kendall relaxed fully in his embrace, placed a hand over his arm as it tightened reassuringly around her waist. Her voice held a low rasp. “I was engaged, before I came to Alaska. When I lived in Oregon. I broke it off and moved across the state to get away from him.” She faltered, coughed, hesitated, then plowed ahead. “I spent a lot of money on a new identity. When I found out my hiding place was in danger of discovery, I moved here. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat, even if what I did proved to be illegal.”

Her hand clenched into a fist and her voice shook anew. “I’d do it all again.”

 

Char Chaffin started reading romance, science fiction and horror at a very young age. Her love of books is directly responsible for her overflowing bookcases, and the bounty stored on her Kindle threatens to eclipse her entire paper collection. Char currently writes mainstream and contemporary romance filled with family, rich characters and engaging plots. For her, it all comes back to the love.

Char began her writing odyssey as a poet, crafting Victorian-style poetry, then went on to writing short stories. She found her niche when she began writing longer and longer short stories, until she wrote her first novel. It might never see the light of day, but writing it taught her a lot. Over the years she worked a variety of jobs, from farm hand to costume designer to fiscal accountant, before deciding a writing career was her true focus.

In addition to writing, Char is also an editor for Soul Mate Publishing.

A native New Yorker, Char lives Upstate on a sixty-acre farm with husband Don, rat terrier Daisy Mae and two barn cats who constantly slack off on the job of keeping the barn free of varmints. The Chaffin extended family is scattered all over theUnited StatesandAlaska.

When she’s not pounding away at her keyboard or burying her nose in books and Kindle, she tends a huge vegetable garden and helps Don maintain their farm.

 

Author interview with Gerri Brousseau

Help me welcome Gerri Brousseau, one of the many new authors at Soul Mate Publishing. 

Hi, Gerri! Thanks for coming. Tell us about A Pirate’s Ransom and how did the idea come to you?

Gerri: I have always loved pirates and wanted to try my hand at writing one.

Here is a little blurp about the book:

Despair filled Lady Catherine as she boarded the ship for England, and toward marriage to man she’s never met—the Duke of Devonshire.  But the sea is no place for a lady.  She’s captured by the Pirate Captain, Edmund Drake and held for ransom; a ransom that has nothing to do with coin.  But when she’s stolen from him, he realizes she has captured his heart. She becomes the pawn in a dangerous rivalry between two pirates—the handsome pirate Captain Edmund Drake and his notorious and fearsome opponent, Blackbeard.  How far will Captain Drake go to reclaim his prize?  Which pirate will decide her fate?  And who will pay … A Pirate’s Ransom?

 

When did the writing bug first bite? I have always been writing.

Gerri: When I was 8 years old, I would spend my summers lying with a pad and pencil in my hand in the shade of the old maple tree in our yard … writing. I was the editor of our school newspaper in high school. In my work in the legal field, I wrote trial briefs. I would say I have spent my entire life writing. I bet in a past life, I was a scribe!

 

Who are you favorite authors, book/series?

Gerri: My absolute favorite author of all time is JK Rowling. She is a genius and it is my greatest wish to meet her one day.

 

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

Gerri: My grandfather had a huge garden and a grape arbor. He grew grapes and made wine every year. I think I must have been around 7 or 8 when I saw that episode of Lucy where she is stomping the grapes in Italy. The next day my two friends and I picked ALL of Poppies grapes, put them into a huge basin, took our shoes and socks off and stomped them. Our feet were stained purple for weeks, and boy did they itch! Not to mention what happened when Poppie discovered we picked all his grapes.

 

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spear time?

Gerri: I love to spend time with my family; my son, his wife and my absolutely beautiful granddaughter. I also love to cook. Despite the writing, I still spend my fair share of time in the kitchen. Hobbies, well, I am a former skydiver, but have retired from the sport. I crochet, but I’m no master at it. I can sketch and paint, but again … not like a master. I find it relaxing. I enjoy hiking and love to dance. I like fashion and my guilty pleasure is watching Project Runway.

 

Any advice for new writers just starting out?

Gerri:  Yes. Keep writing and never, never, never give up.

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

Gerri:  I don’t wear either of those. Oh, you mean on my guy! Hmm … I really don’t care; it’s what’s underneath I’m concerned with.

 

Favorite eye color?

Gerri: Blue or Green.

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

Gerri:  This is a strange and wonderful world we live in, so nothing seems to surprise me anymore.

 

Gerri:  I wonder if your readers would like a little tease in the form of an excerpt from the book?

 

My hand rested on the smooth wood of the rail while I watched the moonlight dance upon the waves, the sound of the wind in the sails was almost liberating. I don’t know how long he stood behind me in silence but when I sensed his presence, my backbone stiffened. What was it about this man that riled me so?

He took a few steps closer. “Catherine,” he said in a voice just above a whisper. The deepness of his murmur caused my mind to wander. Why was I picturing him using this tone with a lover? My back stiffened further and I chided myself for allowing my thoughts to wander in that direction. Refusing to face him, I kept my gaze upon the water.

“It would give me great pleasure if you would do me the honor of dining with me this evening.” He seemed to purr.

He inched closer and the heat of his body radiated into my rigid back. Placing one hand upon my shoulder and his lips close to my ear he whispered, “Please.”

The heat of his whisper caressed my ear and the tension seemed to melt away from me. I closed my eyes and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

“You look truly beautiful this evening, Milady.” His hoarse whisper scorched my neck and goose bumps ran up my arms. He stood so close that when I relaxed, my back nestled against his chest. His body was hard and warm and the intoxicating smell of him made me dizzy. Heat spread through me in a sensation I had never experienced before as his soft lips gently brushed my neck, but my heart nearly stopped when he whispered, “but not nearly as lovely as you looked this afternoon in the mirror.”

 

A Pirate’s Ransom is available at Soul Mate Publishing

Gerri was born and raised in Connecticut. She attended Central Connecticut State University, majoring in English Literature.  Although she lived on the west coast for several years, she relocated back to her roots and birth place of Connecticut, where she presently resides with her two pugs, Mimi and Milo and her cats, Louise and Harry.

As a young girl growing up in Waterbury, Gerri spent her summers writing stories and often times, together with neighboring girls her age, would present original plays for an audience of their parents.  When she moved back to Connecticut, Gerri took a job that required her to commute 4 hours a day by train to and from work.  After a year of reading a book a week, she decided to make the time work for her, when one night after a strange dream about a dream catcher, she was inspired to write her first book.

Lest you think all of her time is spent in contemplative pursuits, freefalling out of airplanes gave a whole new meaning to the word “adventure”.  Yes, a former skydiver who chose to retire from the sport, Gerri assures us that freefall is totally exhilarating and one of the most amazing and thrilling experiences anyone can have.  Her energy and zest for life is found in the imaginative and page turning adventures she writes.

A Pirate’s Ransom is her debut novel with a release date of August 22, 2012

According to Legend will be released in November, 2012.

 

 

Spotlight: A Human Element by Donna Galanti

A Human Element

by Donna Galanti

 

BLURB:

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next. Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite–her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a mad man, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his and she has two choices–redeem him or kill him.

 

Reviewers are saying…

“A HUMAN ELEMENT is an elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of DEAD OF NIGHT

 

“A thrilling ride full of believable characters, a terrifying villain, an epic battle for survival, and a love worth killing for. A page-turner filled with fascinating twists and turns!” – Marie Lamba, author of WHAT I MEANT

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

Laura looked back up at him. She remembered all the people she had lost in her young twenty-six years. She didn’t want to lose him too, but she feared getting too close. She could lose him too.

Then something swelled inside her. She barely recognized it. It was hope that maybe love could win out over evil and Ben would be the one to help her stop it. She hoped.

And then she could only think of one word to say to him.

“Stay.”

Ben looked at Laura. All he could do was nod. He wanted to stay. He held out his hand to help her up and she took it willingly. Facing each other, they stared into each other’s eyes and he touched her hair. That one word, stay, had given them permission for so much.

He pushed his fingers through her hair in a soft, sweeping motion lifting it away from her face. She moaned with his touch and placed her hands on his chest. She drew her hands across his chest and arms, claiming them for her own.

Ben shuddered and drew her into his chest hugging her close.

“Where did you come from?” He breathed deep of her. “You drive me crazy, Laura Armstrong.”

“I don’t know, that’s what I need your help to figure out, Ben Fieldstone.”

He felt her warm breath on his neck as she spoke, and her lips grazed him. She trembled and he held her closer.

“Are you scared?”

Laura nodded with her head still in his chest. “I’ve only been with two men, boys really. I don’t have much experience.”

“I won’t hurt you,” Ben said. “We can go slow and wait, it’s up you.”

“I’m not afraid you’ll hurt me.” Laura looked up at him. Her large eyes glinted with flecks of firelight. “And I don’t want to wait.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Donna Galanti Bio:

Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense novel A HUMAN ELEMENT (Echelon Press). Donna has a B.A. in English and a background in marketing. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Horror Writers Association, The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, and Pennwriters. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in PA with lots of nooks, fireplaces, and stinkbugs but sadly, no ghosts. Visit her at: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Connect with Donna here:

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

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor

Blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

 

Purchase A HUMAN ELEMENT here:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/dg-the-Kindle

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/dg-he-Nook

 

Donna will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Follow the tour! The tour dates can be found here:   http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-exerpt-tour-human-element-by.html

Monday Motivation: Beating those Monday blues

I have a bad case of the Mondays. I really want to stay in bed or have a repeat button for the weekends. That would be great. “Oh, it’s Monday. I’ll just push the weekend repeat button and start back at Saturday!” LOL

Okay, so there’s no such thing. I can dream can’t I?

I’m starting my Monday Motivation blog again. It where I post something possible and uplifting about life, work, writing, reading, life…work… You get the picture? I’ll post these every…yep you guessed it…Monday.

Sorry, I’ve been feeling quiet snarky lately. I think it’s all the time I’ve been spending with Khloe, or is it the long hours at the day job? It may be a mixture of the two. However, I am seeing the light at the end. It’s there and getting closer.

Today’s uplifting thought:  

Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and visualize your favorite person–the one who always makes you smile no matter how mad you are–and wish them a beautiful and blessed day.

 

Have a wonder and blessed week.

Are you following the Forgotten Visions VBT?

Hi! Happy Friday! I thought it would never get here this week.

It’s day five of the Forgotten Visions VBT. Be sure to follow the tour and enter to win the tour-wide giveaway. All the info and Rafflecopter can be found at the CBLS Promotions site.

http://cblspromotions.blogspot.com/2012/08/scheduled-vbt-forgotten-visions.html

In addition to the regular tour stop today, Ayden is over at Heartthrob Haven giving away a copy of Forgotten Visions. Hop over and say hi and be sure to leave you email address to be enter into the drawing.

http://heartthrobhaven.blogspot.com/2012/08/thoughts-from-sheriff-ayden-daniels.html

Have a wonderful Friday and weekend.

Blurb Blitz spotlight: Dracula’s Secret by Linda Mercury

BLURB

SHE HUNGERS FOR HIS LIGHT

She calls herself Valerie Tate. One of the few vampires left on earth, as beautiful as she is powerful, Valerie has resisted her craving for human blood for years, just as she once hid her true gender. But the night she lays eyes on the most enticing man she’s ever seen, it’s game over. He radiates goodness and light—and searing sexual energy.  Valerie must have him. Taste him. Consume him. For he is temptation—and he is her destiny…

HE BURNS FOR HER DARKNESS

Lance Soleil is a rugged war veteran who runs a homeless shelter inPortland. At first gaze, he knows what Valerie is—and wants her even more. But when he welcomes a pack of werewolves into his shelter, he attracts the attention of Valerie’s oldest rival—her bloodthirsty brother, Radu, who hopes to become the first vampire President of theUnited States. Valerie knows Radu has a hidden agenda, and with Lance’s help she is determined to stop his unholy rise to power. But first, she must risk their growing love by fully revealing herself—as the one and only Dracula…

 

Excerpt:

Wallachia

November 25, 1431

She swam in an ocean of blood.

The exhausted, dark-haired mother howled in pain and freedom as the crown of a baby’s head emerged from between her legs. The woman panted and heaved, thrashing her sweat and gore-drenched body from side to side. Snow mixed with thunder and rain lashed the tower of the family castle, chilling the already icy room.

Vlad Dracul crouched at her feet, his face stiff and set under his moustache. His outstretched fingers curled into fists and opened again as he waited for the infant to emerge. Blankets, rags, and a pot of steaming water at his elbow kept him company. His jaw clenched with every echoing scream and his shoulders tightened with every passing moment. Not even the usual rushing of the river below covered the cries of Cneajna, his wife.

The violent storm outside had prevented the midwife’s presence. Earlier in the night, the mother had demanded that only Vlad remain with her as the pain worsened. No one defied Cneajna, even as water and blood rushed down her legs and painted her body. Vlad knew, however, that the women of the castle waited in the downstairs chamber, ready to help if he called. He was absurdly grateful for their nearness.

Fearless in the face of death, Vlad had nearly fainted at the sight of his wife in labor. The smell of the birth blood that saturated the bed roiled his stomach in ways a festering abdominal wound never did.

Another contraction. She pulled the ropes tied to the fur-lined headboard of the birth bed. The wood groaned under her strength as wave after wave of labor shuddered her body. Vlad’s heart winced at his woman’s pale, sweating face.

Another scream shook the room and Vlad saw the first peep of a black-haired head. Under the power of the mother’s undulating body, a tiny, angry face emerged.

 

 

About Linda: 

Linda Mercury left behind her varied careers as a librarian, art model, and professional clown to pursue writing. She’s interested in writing, romance, theMiddle East, reading, organizing, cooking, hand-made silk Turkish rugs, and the Nike of Samothrace.

Website and blog: http://lindamercury.com

Twitter: LindaMercury1

Facebook: Linda Mercury

 

Giveaway:

Linda will be awarding a hand-painted fan to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Interview with Detective Ethan Parker from Sins of the Mind

The next stop on our tour of Red River is our hero, Ethan Parker’s house. He’s invited Laura and I into his kitchen and made us his famous Clam Chowder for lunch, which I hear is delicious.

Debbie: So, Ethan, while you are over there slaving at the hot stove (yes, one of my fantasies––to have a man cook for me. I’ve been so sheltered.) How about answering some questions for us?

Ethan: Depends, what did you have in mind?

Laura: Oh, don’t worry, nothing that will give the end away.

Ethan: I don’t think that’s what I was worried about with you two. But go ahead, fire away.

Debbie: Great! First question. You’re what thirty-five? Why are you living alone, working twenty-four seven with no love life?

Ethan: Damn. You don’t pull any punches do you? I believe we went over this in the book, but being a cop, it kind of exposes you to the darker side of life. It’s not all sunshine and flowers out there. And, it’s not like I had a bad experience or anything, but until meeting Abby, there was really no one that made me want to commit to anything more serious that casual dates.

Laura: So with Abby, was it love at first sight?

Ethan: Um…I wouldn’t exactly say that. She hated me from the get go. Thought I was being too much of a cop and not enough of a human being. Granted, our first meeting was an interrogation, and she’d just lost someone close to her, but I had a job to do.

Debbie: Well in Abby’s defense, you pulled the nice guy, caring card and then treated her like a suspect.

Ethan: I was concerned for her, damn it! And EVERYONE is a suspect until they’re ruled out. How was I supposed to do that without questioning her? I tried to explain that to her. Her brother tried to explain that to her, but she just wanted to hate me no matter what.

Debbie: Well, she did get over it.

Laura: Yeah, I’d say she melted your tough cop exterior. Did working for the Red River Police Department, dealing with all that death, make you that way?

Ethan:  (snorts) Actually, it was a pretty quiet town till you two showed up.

Laura: Well, um…. (glances at Debbie then back to Ethan)  What is it you like about Red River?

Ethan: Red River is a great town, small enough that everyone knows each other, yet big enough that you get the privacy you need. The local businesses are mom and pop owned, and usually the crime rate is low. We are just far enough from the big cities of Boston and NYC that if you want to make the four-hour drive for some city life fun, it’s doable.

Debbie: I can tell you what I don’t like about Red River. Elliot Swanson! That guy is just weird.

Ethan: Yeah, he’s a piece of work all right and gets under my last nerve. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a law against being an egotistical ass yet and can’t run him out of town.

Debbie: So, the death count is pretty high in this book. What kind of toll does that take on you as a detective?

Ethan: A huge one. Any normal human being, Elliot excluded, would be enraged and appalled with what was going on. Add in that you and your partner are the main people trying to stop the psychopath before he kills again, and you dump a shit ton of guilt and impotence every time he kills again. And you pray every time that this is the time he or she makes a mistake, and you can catch him.

Laura: So, you held some of your own secrets in this story. Why on earth did you think you could get away with that?

Ethan: Yeah. That didn’t turn out to well, did it? I tried to find the right time to tell Abby about my baggage, but when the hell is it ever the right time to turn someone’s world upside down? Granted, it happened anyway and bit me in the ass big time, but I can tell you right now I’ll never keep anther secret from her again. That woman is my life!

Debbie: Ohh…one last thing. I thought this was a bachelor pad. What’s up with the flowers and pretty blue placemats?

Ethan: (chuckles) That’s Abby and my sister, Ever, ganging up on me. The placemats are Ever’s idea. Though she may be away at school, she always makes sure her presence is felt. The flowers? (grins) That’s all Abby.

Laura: Sounds like you’ve got some great women in your life.

Ethan: Yep. (sets bowls on the table) Lunch is ready.

Debbie: Mmm. Smells great!

Laura: It does! Thanks so much for having us over for lunch, Ethan.

Debbie: Yeah. Care to share the recipe?

Ethan: For you two? Sure. It’s an old family recipe.

 

Ethan’s New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients:

1 slice hickory-smoked bacon, minced
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 cup onion, minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon oregano, dill weed,
1 Bay leaf
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 can clams (6-1/2 ounces)
2 cup bottled clam juice
1-1/2 cups Half and Half
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced

Preparation:

In a heavy-bottomed, 4-pint soup kettle, sauté bacon, butter, onion, garlic over low heat adding spices last. Drain clams and set aside, reserving the juice. Slowly stir the flour and clam juices in the sauté mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add Half and Half and simmer 20 minutes. Add pepper, potatoes and clams. Heat to serving temperature. Do not allow to boil as this toughens the clams. Serve at once with crackers.

Serves six.

 

BLURB:

….Seven years ago, Abby Montgomery survived a brutal attack. Now she is ready to put her pain in the past and move on with her life. The problem is, one by one the men in her life are being viciously murdered.

….The detective assigned to the case, Ethan Parker, has demons of his own to hide. As the danger gets closer to Abby, so does Ethan. But can they get past his secrets before the killer gets to them? Sometimes the sins of the mind are more depraved than the sins of the heart.

 

EXCERPT:

….“Moment?” He raised his eyebrows, tried for a surprised expression. “We were having a moment? Where was I?”

….A husky laugh escaped Abby’s lips. She gave him a playful shove, but he caught her hand, his fingers encircling her delicate wrist. With great care, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to the center of her palm. Her sharp intake of air told him she liked it.

….“Is this the moment you were referring to?” He kissed her wrist. “Or this?” His mouth grazed along her skin, up the side of her neck to the tender point below her ear.

….“Mmm.” She tilted her head, offering him better access.

….He inhaled, reveled in her unique scent. A mixture of spicy vanilla and exotic flowers invaded his senses and sent the room slowly spinning. Primal lust roared through him, demanded he possess her in a rush of carnal passion.

….But Ethan resisted.

….Intent on enticing Abby into a wild, heated frenzy, he trailed the tip of his tongue along her throat. Her pulse hammered beneath his ardent attention, and he reveled in her response. His fingers slid over her supple skin. One hand sought the silky tresses adorning her head while the other coaxed her legs across his lap then slipped around her waist.

….He pulled back, stared into her lovely face. Eyelids fluttering, she sighed in his arms. When she looked at him, desire burned bright in her eyes. His heart stuttered at the sight, and hot need rushed to his groin.

….“Abby.” Her name rolled from his tongue in a mix of desperation and lust. A voracious hunger to taste every inch of her body washed over him. The urge to kiss the small of her back, to run his tongue along her skin, delving and dipping into her secret, sensitive places, all but overwhelmed him. “Tell me to stop. If you’re not ready, honey, tell me to stop right now and by all that’s holy, I will. But you need to know how much I want you right now.”

Street Team Wanted

Calling all readers, bloggers, reviewers, and romance lovers. I’m putting together a Street Team to help spread the word about my current and new releases. In exchange for Tweeting, FB posting and sharing, and other means of spreading news, my Team will get swag items and will be the first to know about upcoming books and sneak peaks at cover art. I’ll also do monthly giveaways for the Team members only. 

If you want to join me Street Team, send me an email at Lia(at)liadavisnovels(dot)com.