Rachel A. Olson's Blog, page 37
June 5, 2014
Luthier's Apprentice Blog Tour @mcalvani
Title: The Luthier’s Apprentice Author: Mayra Calvani Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours 
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another… When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice. But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms.
But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma's family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini?
Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him. And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier's apprentice…
Chapter excerpt:http://twilighttimesbooks.com/LuthiersApprentice_ch1.html
Award-winning author Mayra Calvani has penned over ten books for children and adults in genres ranging from picture books to nonfiction to paranormal fantasy novels. She’s had over 300 articles, short stories, interviews and reviews published in magazines such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal and Bloomsbury Review, among others. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, she now resides in Brussels, Belgium.
MayraCalvani.com Facebook Fan Page Twitter Goodreads 
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The Luthier’s Apprentice
Chapter One
Brussels, Belgium
Present day
Sixteen-year old Emma Braun got off the school bus and strode down Stockel Square toward her home. She glanced up at the October sky and wrapped her wool scarf tighter around her neck. Heavy dark clouds threatened a downpour.
As she passed a newspaper stand, the headlines on The Brussels Gazette caught her attention:
ANOTHER VIOLINIST VANISHES!
Emma stopped. For a moment she could only stare. She dug into her jacket pocket for coins and bought a copy.
The newspaper article left her stunned. Not only because three well-known violinists had gone missing in the last several months, but because the latest one was her teacher, Monsieur Dupriez.
The news story seemed so hard to believe, she stopped at the next street corner to read it one more time.
It was the last week of October, and the shops and homes were lightly adorned with Halloween decorations. Pumpkins and Jack-o-lanterns sat on doorsteps. Witches, broomsticks, and black cats hunkered down in windows and shops. Just last evening, Emma had sauntered along this street with her best friend Annika, unconcerned and looking forward to Halloween. Now, everything had turned dark and ominous.
The strange incidents she had experienced for the past two weeks added to her stress.
At first she had thought they were a string of coincidences, but not anymore. While scowling at obnoxious Billie Lynam during school recess, for instance, she wished he would fall flat on his face… and half a minute later, her wish was granted. On various occasions she guessed people’s thoughts before they spoke. And yesterday, on her way home from school, she accurately guessed the meal her mom had left on the table for her.
Was she some kind of a psychic? If so, why now? People didn’t develop powers like these overnight. Did they?
She hadn’t told her mom about her new abilities yet; only Annika knew. Maybe she would tell her mom today, after she shared the news about Monsieur Dupriez.
As Emma approached her home, she quickened her step. By the time she reached the door she was almost running. She raced into the hallway and dropped her book bag on the floor.
“Mom!” she called, looking in the kitchen, then in the living room. The house was silent. “Mom!” she called again, racing up the stairs to the bedrooms. Entering her mother’s room, Emma found her sitting very still on the bed with a crumpled letter in her hand.
When her mom saw her, she hastily put the crumpled piece of paper into her pocket and rose from the bed. Her arched brows were furrowed with anxiety.
Emma momentarily forgot the newspaper article. “Are you okay, Mom?”
“I’ve just received some unsettling news,” her mom said. “I must make a trip to see your Aunt Lili. She’s ill. She…I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
Aunt Lili? Emma frowned. More surprises. Emma had never met her mom’s eccentric only sister, who lived alone in the Hungarian mountains secluded in an old chateau surrounded by dark woods—or so her mom said. Though again, her mom hardly ever mentioned her.
“What’s wrong with Aunt Lili?” Emma asked. “Can’t I come with you?” She had always been intrigued by her mysterious aunt.
“No. You’ll stay with Grandpa. You enjoy working with him, don’t you?” Her brown eyes met Emma’s before turning away, and though her voice sounded matter-of-fact, Emma detected a trace of ambivalence.
Emma sighed. She loved violin making with a passion, but Grandpa was a bitter taskmaster. No matter how much she tried to please him, she never could. Maybe that’s why her mom often seemed so reluctant about her apprenticeship.
“I’d rather go with you,” Emma said. “Plus, next week is holiday.” All Saints holiday week—or Toussaint, as they called it here—almost always coincided with Halloween.
“That’s out of the question. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Besides, you can’t miss your violin lessons, not with the Christmas competition at the academy coming up soon.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Emma said gravely, extending the newspaper.
Her mom took it. “What’s this?”
“This is why I came running up the stairs.”
Her mom read the headlines. She gasped and looked at Emma. When she finished reading, she sat on the edge of the mattress and stared into space. “Oh, my God...” she whispered.
Emma sat next to her mom. “It says Monsieur Dupriez disappeared in his study. The doors and windows were locked from the inside. The police don’t have any explanation. How can this happen? It’s not logical. It’s not humanly possible.”
“No, not humanly possible…”
“Just like the other three—that German violinist, the French one, the American. Nobody has explained their disappearances. Who would want to kidnap violinists?” When her mom didn’t answer, she began to gnaw at her fingernail.
As if by reflex, her mom pulled Emma’s hand away from her mouth.
“Sorry,” Emma mumbled. “I’m just worried about him.”
“Poor Madame Dupriez. We must visit her. She must be in quite a state.”
“Can you call her now?”
Her mom sighed. “I will. In a moment.” She looked at Emma, her features softening. Gently, she smoothed Emma’s glossy chestnut locks and side fringe away from her face. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. You mustn’t be afraid.”
“Afraid? Why would I be afraid?”
“I mean, about Monsieur Dupriez.” Her mom appeared flustered.
“I’m not afraid. I’m worried, and angry. I want to find out what happened to him. Without him, I don’t even want to take part in the competition.”
Monsieur Dupriez had been Emma’s teacher since she was four years old. But more than teacher, he was her mentor.
“You will do your best at the competition—with or without Monsieur Dupriez. Do you hear me?” her mom said. Then her voice softened. “Listen, darling, I know how close you are to Monsieur Dupriez, but you cannot allow his disappearance to destroy your chances at the competition. I’m not asking you to win, only to do your best. You have great talent, a gift, and your duty is to use it to the best of your ability. Never forget this. Monsieur Dupriez would never want you to forget this.”
“You still haven’t told me what’s wrong with Aunt Lili,” Emma said, changing the conversation. “Why must you go to her now, after all these years?”
Looking into Emma’s face, her mom hesitated, as if unable to decide what—or how much—to say. “You know she’s always been ill, a recluse. She…” She rose from the bed and walked to the window, then opened the curtain. It had started raining, the drops pelted against the glass. “This time it’s serious. She may die.”
Emma couldn’t help feeling a twinge of suspicion. She hated distrusting her mom, whom she loved more than anything in the world, but this time her mom was lying. Emma trusted that feeling, another of her freaky new abilities. She felt an overwhelming urge to chew her fingernails, but tried to control herself. For her mom, a violinist’s hands were a work of art.
“But what’s wrong with her? What kind of disease does she have?” Emma insisted.
“Her heart is very weak.” Her mom turned away from the window to face Emma. Her voice was laced with impatience.
And again Emma thought: She’s lying.
“Please don’t worry about it,” her mom went on in a lighter tone. “I’ll try to come back soon.”
“How soon?”
“As soon as I can manage.”
“Grandpa is always in such a nasty mood,” Emma complained.
“Well, that isn’t news, is it?” Her mom stared down at the floor, as if absorbed by her own thoughts. After a pause, she added, “He’s old and his back always hurts. You know that.”
“I love Grandpa, but he’s so freaking…” She tried to come up with the right word. Bizarre. Instead she said, “Mysterious. You know, with his violins.”
Her mom looked at Emma and frowned, as if waiting for her to say more.
“You know what I mean, Mom. With that room at the top of the stairs. The one that’s always locked.”
Her mom’s features hardened. “He keeps his most valuable pieces in there. You must never disobey him. He would be very disappointed.”
“Who said I would go in there?” Emma asked, trying to sound innocent. If there was something she intended to do, it was going inside that room. Once she’d almost been successful. For some crazy reason, Grandpa had forgotten to lock it one day. But the instant she touched the doorknob, he had called her from the bottom of the stairs, his wrinkled features twisted into a mask that had left her frozen. He had appeared enraged and afraid at the same time.
“When are you leaving?” Emma asked, shaking off the past to focus on the present issue.
“As soon as possible. Tomorrow, probably. I’ll get the plane tickets today.”
“Mom...”
“Emma, please. If you’re going to complain or say anything negative, I don’t want to hear it.”
Fine. Obviously, this wasn’t the best time to bring up her new psychic powers. She headed to the door.
“Where are you going?” her mom asked.
“To my room.”
“I’ll call Madame Dupriez to see if we may visit her after dinner. In the meantime, I want you to pack. You’re moving to Grandpa’s tomorrow.”
In her room, Emma dragged her suitcase from the top shelf in the closet and set it on the floor.
“Hi, Sweetie,” she said to Blackie, her rabbit. “Want to get some exercise?” She opened the cage door so Blackie could hop out and roam about her room. Blackie was housebroken, and smart as a cat—or close to it.
She stared at the elegant taffeta gown hanging from her wardrobe door, a strapless design a la Anne Sophie Mutter she’d already bought for the upcoming violin competition.
She sighed.
Slumped on the bed, Emma wondered for the umpteenth time about Monsieur Dupriez’s strange disappearance.
Where could he be?
June 4, 2014
The Last Casket #Review @lwallen
"Only Jack Wallen's vision of the zombie apocalypse could combine psychobilly and horror into a kickass adrenaline-pumping adventure." "I loved every single moment of the story. Fantastic plot & truly brilliant characters. A different take on the zombie apocalypse scenario - a genre I can not seem to tear myself away from these days. The last Casket is a must read - a tragically humouring & interesting take on Zombie Survival. Hopefully this is not the end of the story and Jack will write more about Kitty & friends and The Last Casket."
"Are you looking for a fun zombie book? Look no further, this is the perfect choice. The writing is quite witty and the book had some killer quotes that made me crack up."
When flesh-melting rock faces off against the undead horde, who will be left standing?
All hell breaks loose, when rock and the apocalypse collide. In this first spinoff of the popular I Zombie series, psychobilly band Kitty in a Casket kick the undead horde's ass with their special flavor of rock.
Follow Kitty and her band to a dive bar in the middle of the apocalyptic landscape and raise your fist as they prove themselves worthy destroyers of zombies, cannibalism, and the Mengele Virus.
It’s Scooby Doo meets Josie And The Pussycats meets World War Z, And I FREAKING LOVE IT!!!! Kitty In A Casket, I mean who wouldn’t love a band with that name. This is an adult horror book without a doubt. The descriptive attributes that Wallen gives is vomit-worthy (but in an awesome kind of way). Even with all the gore, you still get to laugh. The banter between the band and their new found “manager” and safe haven provider is great. When the gang meets Tuque, right away it seems like something isn’t right. I mean Billy the Bat (Awesome name right?) even catches some shady crap happening, but lets it slide. The imagery Wallen paints when the zombies are surrounding the gang’s latest safe haven, The Last Casket, is pure awesomeness. And when Kitty in a Casket rocks The Last Casket with a concert, is when we see just what the world could come to if a zombiepocalypse ever happened. The fact that Tuque goes with the insane idea presented by the local rival Lyle, makes me cringe… It’s nasty just an fyi. It seems like a whole bunch of conspiracy is going on and I want to get to the bottom of it! I need more Kitty in a Casket!! This is a not a read for the faint of heart by any means, but is a 5 star and a must read on my list if you like adult horror and awesome humor. Reviewed by
Shy Gal BUY YOURS NOW!Amazon
June 3, 2014
Heartless Re-Release Blitz @InkedVanessaM
Title: HeartlessAuthor: Vanessa Marie
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance, Coming of AgeHosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Where other girls had childhoods full of Girl scouts, parties and sleepovers.Charlie Evans’ early life was full of hospitals, surgeries and the fight to survive.Forced to grow up quickly, she learned not to let anyone in. What was the point? People always let her down.But Fate always has a sense of humor.After one chance meeting...then two...then three...Sam Greyson changed everything. He broke down the walls she’d built around herself and forced his way into her heart.She finally let someone see the real, bruised, damaged girl inside.
Then suddenly everything came crashing down.The man she’s opened up to… The man she’s let see her darkness… The man she’s fallen for.… is off limits.
He’s her new Creative Writing Teacher.
Will Charlie deny her own happiness to protect everything he had worked for?If giving him up meant he could have a normal life… She would do it in a broken heartbeat.
Always the cause of shenanigans, Vanessa is a heavily tattooed, sarcastic motorcycle enthusiast who started her career as a Jeep tech at the age of sixteen. The happily married mother of three little monsters—oops, children—lives in Kentucky by way of Las Vegas, Nevada. Once her life took a different direction—sidelined by Heart Disease at 26 and becoming a pacemaker recipient—she decided to write as a creative outlet, and Heartless was born. She realizes life can be dark clouds and acid rain at times, but her outlook on life puts a positive and sarcastic spin on it all. Author Links: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVanessaMariehttp://vanessamarienovels.com/http://www.amazon.com/Vanessa-Marie/e/B00JIW23ZQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Buy Links: Amazon: http://amzn.to/QMahzJBarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1lX3qgkKobo: http://bit.ly/1lOK7UW
Charlie closed the gap between them and pressed her lips against his. It seemed to be the only cue he needed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him as her towel fell to the floor. She parted his lips with her tongue and lost herself in their kiss.Her bathing suit was cold and wet against his bare chest, but she didn’t care as she ran her
hands up into his hair. He broke away from her lips and kissed her down her jaw line to her neck.
A shiver vibrated through her and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was cold, or if it was from his touch.
She knew they shouldn’t be doing what they were and needed to wait until she was no longer his student, but she pushed the thought out of her mind. He pulled away and cupped her face with both hands. Not wanting it to end, she slowly opened her eyes and watched him.
“We can’t do this,” he said, as he breathed heavily.
“I know,” she whispered and reached behind her back. She pulled on one of the strings, her top came untied. He reached back and grabbed the strings and tied them back into a bow behind her.
Dumbfounded, she pushed against him. “What are you doing?”
“Stopping this…”
“You are the captain of mixed signals, you know that?” She picked up her towel and wrapped it around herself.
“Me? You’re the one telling me you’re better off alone one minute and then taking your clothes off the next.”
“Seriously? You know what. You can go fuck yourself.” She scowled and turned for the door.
He stepped in front of her. “I didn’t mean it like that. I love you, and I want to be with you but we can’t do this here.” He motioned around them.
“What does it matter? We had sex at your house after we found out, did we not?” She crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight to one leg.
“That was in the privacy of my own home, on our time. Not on the school’s senior trip where I’m assigned to be your Goddamn chaperone, Charlie. Please don’t make this harder on me than it already is.”
“It was a mistake coming here anyway. Sorry I came.” She turned on her heel and walked out his door into the hallway.
The second she was out in the open her stomach fluttered and she prayed no one would see her coming out of his room, in the middle of the night, in her bathing suit.
Personal Possessions #Review **ADULT ADVISORY** @AuthorTracyLee
Trevor McHale has tried to move on from the night that everything he cared about was ripped away from him. Having been in love with Elleny Barker since second grade, TJ comes home from college to find her married to another man…his best friend, Bear Jackson. Moving on has been nothing but a struggle for TJ. Through years and distance from his home town of Richland Georgia, Trevor ends up finding wealth, friendship and lust. But nightmares and visions plague him of a love that he knows deep down is meant to be. Finally giving in, Trevor realizes that the only way to make his life whole again is to recover what was once his and begin life anew. That turns out to be easier said than done. Elleny Barker-Jackson is not the same girl she was seventeen years ago. Having endured years of abuse from her husband’s hand, Elle has hardened her heart to everyone and everything. Believing that true love means nothing other than a young girl’s fantasy, Elle lives in her memories that she made with the one who will always hold her heart; Trevor McHale. Secrets and lies have been what Elle has built her life on and she is convinced that this life is her punishment for the decision that she made seventeen years ago…
That was until Trevor McHale returned to town. Purchasing the local factory, Elle finds herself working right alongside of Trevor for eight days straight. Not only does Trevor have to convince Elle that their love is alive and strong, he has to repair the damage that has been done to her; inside and out.
Want to know what was going through TJ's mind on everything Elle?
Questions will be answered...Truths will be known and love will be found. TJ is on a mission to get back his Personal Possessions.
(Contains: Adult language, sexual MF participation, some violence and explicit scenes of arousal)
What a Read! There are no words for this book. You get a taste of how one action can change your whole life. In the prologue alone, we witness the sweetness that is Trevor McHale, when he sees Elleny. Then, somehow everything goes to hell. This is the story of Trevor and his life after Elleny. Let me tell you, it’s a hot mess. Sure he gets everything his father ever wanted as far as money and success go, but he is a heartless man. He just goes through the motions, and the women. It’s almost heartbreaking to read his struggle with the life he left behind. It wasn’t just Elleny that he left and forgot, it was his family too. Queue to seventeen years later, Trevor has decided he is sick of waiting in the wings getting secondhand information on Elleny from his cousin, he wants her back. So he heads back home with one goal, and it will be reached no matter the consequences. Unfortunately for Elleny, Trevor showing up causes several consequences. With her marriage to Trevor’s once best friend, being the worst it’s ever been, Elleny needs Trevor gone, and like yesterday. But Trevor has that goal, remember? Well flash forward a few days, and Elleny is working for Trevor in order to keep her job, and keep her boss happy. It’s while working for Trevor, she realizes he is what makes her happy….. Well him and her kids… Which only causes more angst when a troubled marriage and a love that was meant to be, come to a head. Who will come out on top? Elleny’s life depends on Trevor’s love and strength. But will he forgive her biggest deceit in time? This book constantly has you waiting to read what’s next. I read it in one sitting, couldn’t put it down!! It’s a great read and I loved it. Definitely a new favorite read! Reviewed by:
Shy GalGRAB YOUR STEAMY COPY NOW! Amazon B&N
June 2, 2014
@ElisabethStaab #HUNTERBYNIGHT, #ReleaseDayBlitz
Elisabeth Staab(Chronicles of Yavn #3)
By Elisabeth Staab
Blurb: She wants out
Party girl Alexia Blackburn is only hanging around the vampire compound until her best friend—the queen—has her baby. After that, nothing is going to stop Alexia from getting back to daylight, safety, and feeling like a normal human being. But leaving the vampire world has one big catch...
He needs her to stay
Head of vampire security Lee Goram has hated and distrusted humans for centuries. Feeding on vampire blood has kept him strong...but now it's killing him—and he's horrified to discover that Alexia may hold the key to his cure. He'd rather die defending his king than admit his weakness, but time is running out for the great vampire warrior...
Available for order at
Excerpt
Lee closed the gap between them. An awareness of warmth and clean sweat cut through the anxious confusion his last statement had injected into her stomach. “Frankly, it’s safer here,” he said. “I’d leave you if I could. However, I’ve received word Isabel is having contractions and insists on having her birth coach.” The wave of his hand conveyed his apparent belief that such an idea was preposterous.
Alexia stepped close, craning her neck to meet his arrogant stare. “What, you think the queen’s birth coach isn't a priority?”
Lee’s large hand rubbed his forehead like it ached. “In my youth, females gave birth. No birthing tub, no special class, no self-hypnosis CDs, no coach.”
What. A phenomenal dick. “Excuse me.” She poked a finger that was supposed to jab into his chest, but anger and her refusal to break eye contact effed up her aim. She ended up poking at the firm, fine muscles of his belly. Pride kept the finger in place as if the landing had been intentional. “First of all, no uterus, no opinion. Second, Isabel got completely fried this morning, so it’s kind of a special circumstance. Third, quit being an asshole. Fourth? Quit being an asshole.”
It bore repeating.
“Fifth, Isabel’s the queen. She can request whatever the hell she wants.”
Lee dipped his chin. “Yes.” His fingers closed around the one still sunk into his abs and pulled it aside. “She can. So. In spite of the fact that we may have an insane plague-spreading nutcase bearing down on us at any given moment, it’s royal baby time. Let’s move.”Again… What the fuck?
She opened her mouth but Lee pulled her forward before she could speak. Alexia ignored the tremor that traveled from the place where their hands touched, along her arm and down her body, landing a quiver of want deep in her core. Any time now, it would be fan-fricking-tastic if her body could stop reacting to him like he’d been double-dipped in her favorite brand of pheromones.
She reached for her blue JanSport backpack, just next to the bedroom door. He made no move to let go or get out of her way, and she was forced to squeeze past his tree-trunk thigh in the process. She failed horribly at ignoring how frigging huge those legs of his were. How the vee of her thighs brushed his leg when she passed, and how her body temperature climbed. Stop staring at his ass. “Right. Got everything ready to go, right here.” She cleared her throat.“Great. I’ll drive,” he grumbled.
Did he realize, as he tugged her down the hall, that his fingers were still wrapped around her hand?
The Chronicles of Yavn Series
About the Author
Elisabeth Staab still lives with her nose in a book and at least one foot in an imaginary world. She believes that all kinds of safe and sane love should be celebrated but she adores the fantasy-filled realm of paranormal romance the best. She lives in the Washington DC area with her family and one big scaredy cat, where she loves to spend time with good friends, go dancing, collect wacky coffee mugs from which to drink her favorite beverage, and sing off-key in her kitchen (when she isn’t making characters fall in love, that is).
You can stalk her, I mean find her at
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June 1, 2014
Chocolate by Storm Chase Book Blitz
Title: ChocolateAuthor: Storm Chase Genre: Romance EroticaHosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Star is a top escort with a lucrative sideline in Bondage and Discipline. However, a wrong move lands her in Siberia as the unwilling leading lady in a series of extreme S&M films. Refusing to give in to fear, Star fights back, eventually driving her captors to present her as a gift to Alexei, a prison officer who is feared throughout the state. Star quickly discovers Alexei has a penchant for kinky sex, and a tough exterior but a kind heart – and a seemingly unending supply of chocolates. She falls in love, unaware that Alexei is hiding a secret even darker than her own past. Chocolate is a fun read with a feisty heroine and a hero with a soft center.
Storm Chase was born September 2012. Her alter ego is Ellen Whyte, a syndicated author who has published roughly 3000 articles and 10 print books. The alter ego is the steady type; Storm is the tearaway who's dedicated to making it work with epublishing.
Author Links Amazon Amazon UK
Buy Links Smashwords || Amazon || Amazon UK
An excerpt from Chocolate: An Erotic Romance in Siberia by Storm Chase
Star sat down at the table and tucked in. As the egg yolks mixed with the bacon and creamy sauce, she moaned slightly.
“Oh my God, this is better than sex!”
Alexei was looking somewhat startled. “Glad you like it.”
Star nodded. “Mate, this is even better than chocolate!”
He smiled and went back to his iPad.
He was a strange man, Star thought. She’d been frightened of him at first, and so had Ivan and Sorge, which proved something was up. Yet though he was cool and distant most of the time, he was generous too. The food was brilliant, he constantly filled up the bedroom drawer with soaps and creams, and bed last night had turned out fantastic; if you didn’t count that sneaky thing with the collar.
When he smiled, he was quite good-looking. She liked the way his eyes lengthened, and the way his smile lit up his face. Pity he didn’t smile a lot. He didn’t exactly look bad tempered. It was more like he was analysing everything. As if he was standing a little bit apart from the world around him.
Star wondered if he was on drugs but dismissed it. He wasn’t one of those buff “my body is my temple” types but he was lean and lightly muscled.
A gym nut maybe but more likely a runner, Star considered.
She looked about her. The house was comfortable and there were no pipes, bongs or even ashtrays. Everything was clean, tidy and organised. Efficient, that was the word. No, he wasn’t the type to mess about with any sort of happy dust.
If this deal were going to work, she would have to figure him out. But first she had to get that collar off.
“Finished?” Alexei had put down the iPad.
“It was the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. Ever.”
He gave her a slight smile. “Good. You can do the dishes; I’m off for a run.” He looked out the window. “It’s too cold and wet for you to come along.”
So she was allowed outside? That sounded all right, Star thought.
“If you do go out, just be careful not to go too far into the woods.”
“Because of the wicked wolf?”
“Bears. They come to steal rubbish.”
Star stared at him. “Bears? Where is this place?”
“Divnogorsk in Siberia.”
“Blimey!” Star was taken aback. “It’s not snowing.”
“It will in a few weeks.”
“So I’m winter entertainment?”
“Got it in one.” Alexei pushed the iPad towards her. “Here. You’ll want to catch up with things. Send some email maybe. If you like comics, I’ve got Batman, Batgirl, Superman, all the classics. In the original English.” He smiled. “But do the dishes first, ok?”
Star stared at him. “You’re the weirdest fucking Dom I’ve ever come across,” she burst out.
He just looked at her. “What makes you think I’m a Dom?”
Star touched the collar. “What’s this then?”
“I like it,” he said easily.
“It’s decoration? I’m not a fucking Christmas tree, am I?” He wasn’t looking mad so Star thought they’d better have it out. “ And I had a look in your drawers, mate. Whips, chains and all sorts of fun toys. If you’re not a Dom, what are you?”
He enjoyed the way her accent varied from her native London tones to a put-on refined twang but he didn’t quite get everything she said. Still, it didn’t matter. This was the Star he’d seen a glimpse of in Ivan’s film. Fearless, forthright, vulgar and fun.
He wasn’t going to tell her about the GPS chip in the collar. Or that it was the only way he could think of to let her run around without him worrying about her getting lost or trying to run away and landing in serious trouble.
Also, there was always the remote possibility that someone might come looking for him one day. If that happened, and if they decided to take Star, the collar would give him an edge. Best to let her think it was part of the job.
“You shouldn’t label people, Star,” he said lightly. “It’s not PC, you know.”
Leaving her open-mouthed, Alexei went off for his run.
Star sat and thought for a while. She opened the front door, just to see what would happen. There were no alarm bells but a blast of icy rain made her shut it hastily again. Then she shrugged and did the dishes.
Widow Cover Reveal @WickedReads
Trying to overcome insurmountable odds: lifelong secrets plaguing both families, the failed, bitter romance between their eldest born, the ghosts of their deceased spouses, and the addiction that taints everything it touches. Will Malcolm Mason and Clover Webster be able to forge an unbreakable bond in order to traverse this landmine of a blended family?
Widow is book #2 in the Blended Series, the sequel to Good Girl. Not suitable for younger readers: 18 +. Contemporary romance involving sensual, erotic themes. Prepare for a roller coaster ride of emotions: devastating loss, the mourning of death, the renewal of hope, the awakening of love, the unexpected humor of watching one’s loved ones fall down, get back up, and dust themselves off. Blended is the chaotic calamity of everyday life.
Coming June 15th
Also Available in the Blended Series
Buy LinksAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
Erica Chilson spends most of her time inside her own imagination, whether awake or asleep. Her love of reading and writing for her book review blog, Wicked Reads, inspired her to begin writing again. Not one that enjoys the norm, her favorite things to read, write, and dream about are on the edge, claws and fangs, and wickedly entertaining things...
Connect with EricaFacebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon
Would you like to read a copy of Widow for FREE?
Wicked Reads is organizing a 2 week blog tour for Widow for July 7th – July 20th. Sign up here.
Erica will also be selecting approximately 10 fans to send an ARC to for you to read and review. For full details, see the sign-up form here.
Shocked Release Day @CaseyAHarvell
Kat tries to save mankind from an ever-growing number of threats. Besides the insane General from the Midwest, there’s also the original nanobot infection, the question of where all the infected are and now the fear of nuclear meltdowns at power plants across the abandoned East coast.
Kat’s personal life crashes and burns along with half of the nation. She struggles across the country to find her friends and it’s no easy feat with Carch hot on her tail. They make a horrifying discovery, a game changer- and not one in their favor. Kat tries so hard, but will it be enough? You’ll only find out by getting Shocked!
AMAZONFive Things You May Not Have Known About The Electric Series by Casey Harvell
1) Where the idea began: I love zombies. I see everything zombie as a form of therapy because they terrify me. (I had nightmares for months after watching 28 Days Later.) I really wanted to write an apocalypse. Something terrifying that could rival the chaos and fear of a zombie apocalypse. But where to begin? I started Googling and discovered the Grey-Goo Theory. Thus the nanobot apocalypse was formed. 2) It’s all part of the groove: A large part of my writing involves music. The Electric Series is made possible mainly by Imagine Dragons, The Fray and The Artic Monkeys.
3) A secret: Another large factor in the beginning of The Electric Series (Charged) is a vague fan fiction to The Hollows Series by Amanda Hocking (my favorite series EVER!)
4) Where’d B come from? In The Hollows Series Remy has a kickass female lion named Ripley. She’s badass. B’s small yet but give him a bit to catch his bearings. As for the name? B’s been shortened for “Baby Bear” (Charged) but is also the nickname for my neighbor’s turtle because he’s awesome.
5) Lastly: Wired will be the final installment of The Electric Series and will be out sometime this coming winter.
The Electric Series by Casey Harvell
BREAKING NEWS: (Nov 2013)
New strides in nanotechnology have the medical community very excited! Due to the successful testing of BioNano’s new atomic sized nanobots, doctors hope to attempt the first cellular regeneration of its kind.
BREAKING NEWS:
We are reporting live, up to the minute coverage of the nanobot invasion. Within just a few days the entire eastern seaboard will be affected unless we figure out how to stop them. The issue is that at the rate people are falling to this, all of the scientists with the knowledge to fix them will be overtaken before they have a chance. Please remain indoors if possible, but remember that exposure does not stop with people. These nanobots work on a molecular level. Everything they come in contact with: people, animals, buildings, even water can become a carrier.
AMAZON
Kat’s just an average teenage girl. The new guy moves to town and she's shocked when she falls for the boy next door. With her best friend Brie, and new boyfriend Mason, life is looking better than ever.
When Brie and Kat land a gig for their band, excitement is in the air. But a cross of wires leaves Kat charged with electricity when her amp explodes.
And things just keep getting weirder...A sudden nanobot apocalypse leaves Kat's new talents as the only thing that stands between mankind and the end of the world.
Kat and her friends must travel cross country, and encounter many obstacles along their way. With half the country now gone, the other half is left divided. Kat has to decide if she’s strong enough to help.
Casey Harvell lives in the Hudson Valley of New York with her husband and their two sons. Casey is slightly zombie obsessed and known to use the word “boom” frequently. After releasing three new full length novels in the second half of 2013, she is hard at work on the next installments of her series and a side project or two. You can find all of Casey’s books at www.caseyharvell.com
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Alice's Insurrection Release Day Blitz @andreadigiglio
Title: Alice’s Insurrection (Alice Clark, 3)Author: Andrea DiGiglio
Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
(Third and final installment of the Alice Clark Series.) Alice returns home in ruins but remains the strongest one of her Fallen family. With Cole at her side, they prepare for one final battle as the world they live in begins to crumble. As her abilities grow, determined to save the Fallen, Nephilim and all of mankind. Alice stands against God, Rogziel and all those who dare to hurt her family. To save everyone she must decide to choose to fulfill a destiny set in motion many years ago. Even if it kills her.
Born and raised in Michigan, Andrea has always been a writer at heart. She currently resides in Michigan with her son, "her world". Over the last decade she has written, starred and directed in many screenplays. In the last few years she decided to return to writing novels and hasn't looked back since, giving her work my full attention. "I am very excited to share the worlds I create, with all of you dreamers."Links:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrea-DiGiglio/158314532770?bookmark_t=page
www.twitter.com/andreadigiglio
www.andreadigiglio.com
http://andrea-digiglio.blogspot.com
