Rachel A. Olson's Blog, page 70
April 15, 2013
Soul Covenant Review @littlelisa22
Soul Covenant by Lisa LogueMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ever since Austin was introduced in Lisa's first Legacy of Secrets novel, Cursed Secrets, I've had a thing for Austin. The end of Binding Secrets really threw me off and had me out of sorts because of some negative events that involved Austin. However, after reading this little morsel, things seem to be in better perspective for me. This novella is an absolute necessity for this series, and I'm so glad Lisa put it out there! Now I'm even more in love with Austin, and I can't wait until she releases the next book in the series! I'm absolutely captivated by these characters, and hope to see more of Austin's mother as some point as well. Then again, I'm hoping for that fairy tale ending for all of these characters, but I have a feeling that not everyone is gonna come out on top that deserves it.
This is an easy five star for me. Every book of Lisa's just gets better, and this was easily my favorite even though it's only a novella. Sometimes the little guys pack the biggest punch!
This series is nothing like you've ever read before! If you haven't started it yet, I highly recommend it. I'm impatiently waiting for the next one, and can't seem to get enough. I believe everyone who likes paranormal or fantasy will enjoy this series as well.
View all my reviews
Find out more on Lisa's entire series on her website!
April 14, 2013
Queen of Jastain Book Release Blitz @KaryRader #QueenofJastain
“Queen of Jastain” (The Reign of Light Series)By Kary RaderBook Release Day Blitz Media KitApril 15, 2013
[image error] The Light brought her to him, but does he have the faith to make her his queen?
For twenty years, Avant plotted revenge against the dark king, but when a mysterious woman suddenly appears, everything changes. Although his prophetic Gift reveals she's the Seed of Light chosen to restore the Crown, his overwhelming attraction to the women threatens his long-held plan for revenge and two decades of fidelity.
Abby Randall is inexplicably transported from Dallas to the medieval land of Jastain. There she meets Avant, who claims she's the foretold champion of his people. While the hot guy has her hormones pumping, his crazy talk of defeating an evil king leaves questions to his sanity. Through his supernatural Gift, Avant transplants his memories into her, but neither are prepared for how their hearts intertwine.
Together they embark on their quest, but when Abby and Avant come face to face with destiny, will they sacrifice what matters most to provide a happily-ever-after for the people of Jastain?
BUY NOW ON AMAZON!
Kary Rader is a part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.
Website/Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads
GIVEAWAY
[image error]
[image error]
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hosted by
[image error] The Light brought her to him, but does he have the faith to make her his queen?
For twenty years, Avant plotted revenge against the dark king, but when a mysterious woman suddenly appears, everything changes. Although his prophetic Gift reveals she's the Seed of Light chosen to restore the Crown, his overwhelming attraction to the women threatens his long-held plan for revenge and two decades of fidelity.
Abby Randall is inexplicably transported from Dallas to the medieval land of Jastain. There she meets Avant, who claims she's the foretold champion of his people. While the hot guy has her hormones pumping, his crazy talk of defeating an evil king leaves questions to his sanity. Through his supernatural Gift, Avant transplants his memories into her, but neither are prepared for how their hearts intertwine.
Together they embark on their quest, but when Abby and Avant come face to face with destiny, will they sacrifice what matters most to provide a happily-ever-after for the people of Jastain?
BUY NOW ON AMAZON!
Kary Rader is a part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.Website/Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads
GIVEAWAY
[image error]
[image error]
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hosted by
April 12, 2013
Star Cursed Blog Tour @AshleyLavering
[image error]
Seventeen-year-old Tayla will never forget Beast’s fiery-venom spreading through her body like an infection. Now, with her best friend Chel’s help, she must find a human true love before the last petal falls from her enchanted rose or the full moon will transform her into a wolf forever.
But Tayla never expected that her biggest obstacle would come from inside—a wolf presence threatening to take her very soul. At every turn, the she-wolf exploits Tayla’s weaknesses and gains enough control to sabotage her dates. Tayla struggles to control her unruly wolf and her forbidden attraction to Beast. But can she resist his southern charm, the she-wolf’s attraction to his alluring scent, and still fall in love with a human?
Tangled in a web of wills, Tayla must risk everything to break the Curse of the Beast. With failure and possible death looming overhead, Tayla will do anything to find true love. But will one moon cycle be long enough to conquer her wolf and remain human? Or will she become a permanent member of Beast’s pack? Find out in the second installment in the Curse of the Beast series.
Buy Now! E-book: Kindle , Nook , Smashwords Paperback: Amazon
Add to your GoodReads shelf!
Excerpt
Brayden held the door open for me as I climbed out of the car. I tried not to cringe seeing the movie house again, but I couldn’t stop my lips from pulling into a hard line. My wolf felt my unease and paced in my mind, adding to my nerves. I knew Brayden was different from Kyle. There was no comparison, but that night still haunted me, and seeing the place where Kyle had assaulted me left me a bit unnerved.
“Are you okay?” Brayden’s hand rested lightly on my lower back.
“Umm.” I shook the bad memories and turned a smile on him. “Yeah. Sorry. It’s been awhile since I was here last.” Like months. He looked confused, so I lied, “It just looks different. That’s all. Why don’t we get our tickets?”
“All right.” He still looked unconvinced, but let it go.
We arrived at the ticket booth and both spoke at the same time, “Two for Lights and Brimfire.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I looked off to the side of him. “I just thought, that well, since I asked you and all…”
He chuckled. “Tayla, it’s okay.” I looked up at him and the smile on his face tugged mine back into place. He continued, “And I always pay, even if the girl asked me.” He winked at me and my knees wobbled from the fuzzy warmth creeping into my stomach. A rumble of agitation pushed through from my wolf, but it only gave me more confidence that this guy was it.
We picked the seats right in the very middle. To me they were the best seats in the house. I wasn’t sure about the movie. It was some war movie. I felt bad that Beast had to be subjected to it. At least he hadn’t had to run here. He had insisted on drive his own truck.
I felt Beast slink in behind us. He was a few rows up, wearing his trademark black trench coat and kept his head low. As people filled into the theater, they gave him a wide berth. I didn’t blame them. Honestly, he looked like the grim reaper or something.
The lights dimmed in the theater and the previews started. I offered Brayden a licorice. He smiled, and my heart stuttered. Even in the dark, his smile lit the world.
“Thanks for coming,” I whispered.
“No problem.” He grabbed another licorice. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Hey.” I shouldered him. “That’s my licorice,” I teased.
He shoulder knocked me back. “Then you shouldn’t have given me the first one. Now I’ll eat the whole bag.”
I made a great show of hiding them in my jacket and we both chuckled. He was easy that way. I didn’t feel like I had to be someone else. Not like with Kyle.
Why am I thinking of him?
I mentally scolded myself and relaxed back in my chair, leaning close to Brayden. He didn’t scoot away and hope warmed my chest. I was careful to only breathe through my mouth and had practiced clamping down on my wolf senses, not wanting a repeat of the gym scene. The heat of his arm against mine was comforting, and the way he periodically gave me sideways glances made my heart flutter.
The movie started but I was too focused on Brayden to watch. That was until the battle scenes demanded my attention. My wolf was riveted to the carnage on the screen and, to my horror, was licking her lips. I almost dry heaved right then. I shrunk from the movie and from her. I covered my eyes with my hands, praying it would stop her blood lust and my rolling stomach. I’m sure I whimpered or something equally as embarrassing, because Brayden lifted the armrest and pulled me close. I snuggled into his chest.
“We can leave,” he whispered, tickling my ear.
“I don’t want you to miss your movie,” I responded, trying not to breathe as I was happily surrounded by his strong arms.
He squeezed me close. “All right.”
My nose pressed up against his shoulder, a potential happy place for me if it wasn’t for my wolf. I was too close and could taste the tang of animal blood on my tongue. I quickly closed my mouth. When I was forced to breathe, the smell of farm animals was strong, but not as strong as the metallic smell of blood. It all reminded me of the first time I met him.
The smell overwhelmed my senses and I felt my control slip. I closed my eyes, focusing on restraining the wolf struggling against her cage. She wasn’t going to ruin this for me. I refused to pull away, but the thought of dead animals was too disturbing, and the smell was stronger than that day in the gym. My mind wandered from its task. Had he killed an animal today? But the horror that should have washed over me was replaced with a heady need. I breathed deeply and pressed my body closer, quickly losing control. The smell was delightfully tantalizing and my stomach grumbled, transporting me to a childhood memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake.
My mouth watered, as I pictured the cake. It smelled so real that I could almost taste it. I opened my mouth and skimmed the cake with my lips, biting down softly. My teeth met more resistance than I was expecting. I was about to bite down harder when large fingers slid between my teeth preventing me from my dessert. I growled and threw my head back, only to have Beast’s strong arms capture me in a vice grip around my torso.
“What the—?”
Brayden’s voice snapped me out of my delusion of a childhood dessert. My eyes flew open and I took in his disgusted expression as he rubbed his neck. His hand came away wet with my saliva. His gaze darted to his left shoulder where his shirt was several shades darker, thanks to my drool. Horror washed through me, but before I could utter a word of apology, Beast tugged me out of my seat and hauled me out of the theater. I could still hear Chel and Brayden.
“Oh,” Chel said. “Eww. I’m so sorry. Maybe her blood sugar was low.”
“What?” Brayden’s disbelieving voice sliced me. How would he love me now?
“You know people do all sorts of weird stuff when their blood sugar is low,” Chel explained.
“Oh, like biting me?”
I could imagine his eyes narrowing in anger.
“Umm,” Chel hesitated, obviously surprised I had actually bit him. “Was it just a nip? I don’t see any broken skin.”
That news sent a trickle of relief over me. At least, I hadn’t drawn blood.
“That isn’t the point. She bit and slobbered all over me. My animals don’t even get me this bad!” he hissed back. His voice sounded like he had stood and was walking out of the theater as well. Chel didn’t respond. I’m sure she was trying to process the whole thing.
“And who was that guy?” Brayden asked.
“Oh, just a friend.”
“She has some stalker friend to pull her from dates when she starts biting them?”
“No.” She giggled nervously. “I guess you smell so good she just wanted a taste.”
I cringed, mortified even more than I already was. Way to go, Chel, now I really want to hide. The night air hit my face as we exited the theater house. Beast strode a few yards more before depositing me against the wall, where I slumped down to the ground and hugged my knees.
Almost too low for me to hear, Chel’s date, Dalyn, responded, “You can take a taste of me anytime you like, Chel.”
“You’re all nuts,” Brayden said.
“Wait, I’ll drive you home,” Chel called after him, her voice getting louder as they neared.
“Don’t bother. I’m safer walking.” He pushed open the door. Our eyes met for a moment before he stormed off.
I hung my head. “Oh, Beast,” I whispered. “What have I done?”
To my surprise, he chuckled. “So you nipped him?” He shrugged his shoulders but the mirth was still there.
I glowered at him. “Then why did you swoop down and carry me off if you didn’t think it was a big deal?”
“The nip wasn’t what I was worried about, but the real bite you were going to give him next would’ve drawn blood, and then it was unlikely you’d be able to stop.” His lips hitched upward. “That would have really made your wolf crazy.”
“That meddlesome she-devil!” I ground out between my teeth. “She ruins everything.”
“If you’d learned to control her better, you would’ve smelled the animals on him and stayed far away from him in the first place.” His eyes twinkled as if laughing at an inside joke.
Before I could retort, Chel came out of the doors, her date trailing behind her. “Dalyn, will you start the car for me and bring it around?” She tossed him her keys before he responded.
“Sure.” He eyed me with a mischievous glint. I felt Beast vibrate with an inaudible growl. I agreed. Dalyn’s look sent chills up my spine, like he was assessing a hooker or something. Yuck!I was definitely telling Chel to stay away from that one.
With Dalyn in the SUV and out of hearing, Chel demanded answers. “What just happened?”
I scowled at my knees. “He must’ve slaughtered a cow or something yesterday because his stench was so much stronger today, and my wolf got the better of me.”
“But you bit him?”
“It’s her! I would never do that. Eww. He must think I’m a freak.” I groaned, placing my head in my hands. “He was so perfect, too.”
Chel patted my shoulder, but it wasn’t soothing; nothing was, with this wolf in my head.
“You know what the worst part is?” I ask, looking up to see Chel raise her eyebrow. “She tricked me. She used my memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake to convince me to bite him. I didn’t even know she could do that!”
“Jello?” Chel asked.
Beast cleared his voice.
“What?” I demanded.
“That isn’t exactly true,” he said. I lifted a disbelieving eyebrow at him. “Just hear me out. The smell, it was delicious to you?”
“Only after she tricked me into thinking it was cake. If I had consciously thought of it as blood, animal, whatever, I never…” I couldn’t say the rest.
“That is where you are wrong.” Beast paused until I looked up at him. “To your wolf, animal scent and blood are delicious, and so the best way you could understand those feelings was to relate it to cake.” His voice lost its teacher tone when he got to the last word and turned more playful. “It must’ve been some delectable cake. Maybe my blood lust would curb a bit if you made it for me.” He winked.
“Shut up.” I smacked him in the leg, but couldn’t resist the smile that spread across my lips. I had my wolfish friend back and was determined to side-step as many rift-creating topics as possible.
Chel bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure I can fix this, Tay. A little drool I could explain away, but…”
My frown was back. I’d lost Brayden. “Thanks for trying. I guess we should stay away from cowboys.” I gave Chel a rueful grin.
Chel puffed out air and rubbed her temples. “Friday night is a cancel then.”
“Oh?” Why did things always go to crap?
“Yeah, one of Brayden’s roping buddies. But after he hears Brayden’s story, he’ll be canceling before I get a chance to do it.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll find a replacement.”
“Ah!” I buried my face in my hands. “Why did she have to bite him? Stupid wolf.” She growled at me and nipped at my mind, causing a throbbing headache.
Beast crouched down to my level and tucked a finger under my chin. His touch held soothing warmth, but I fought it. I deserved to feel the crushing weight of my actions. The pressure on my chin increased until I could no longer resist his strength. My face tilted up to him, but I refused to look him in the eyes. At least, in that I still had the power to defy.
“Stupid is the last word I’d use to describe you.” As if by its own accord, my gaze lifted and was met by the warmth coming from his eyes. His thumb grazed my jaw, and both my wolf and I trembled ever so slightly. He noticed my reaction, and his eyes lit with mischief. “And if he had been a werewolf, I guarantee you would’ve gotten a different response.”
I couldn’t breathe. What he implied was too direct to misinterpret. A horn blasted, and I jerked, breaking the spell. Beast lifted his head to look at Dalyn, giving me the needed release to breathe.
A nomad at heart, I currently claim Nevada as my home. I have a wonderful husband and two young children that put up with my “writing time.” When she’s not pondering a spell that will magically calm the ferocious winds that plague the air around her, you can find her, with notepad in hand, frantically jotting down ideas in those short moments between caring for her girls and working full time at the Elko Institute for Academic Achievement.
Art and science have always been my yin and yang. Throughout my college career, I shifted between the two, but in the end I graduated with a Bachelors of Mathematics and Science from the University of Wyoming.
Charging into adventures and discovering something new has always been a passion of mine, but as a teenager I used to run screaming from a reading or writing assignment. Looking back, the irony isn’t lost on me. Now you can’t catch me without a book in hand or without an open word document. Every time a new idea pops into my mind my heart races and my hand twitch to write it. In that moment, I have my writer's high and pray it will sustain me through thousands of hours of revision.
Amazon || Facebook || Twitter || Website/Blog || Goodreads
Grab Book 1 As Well! [image error] Goodreads || Amazon || Facebook
GIVEAWAY
[image error]
a Rafflecopter giveaway
But Tayla never expected that her biggest obstacle would come from inside—a wolf presence threatening to take her very soul. At every turn, the she-wolf exploits Tayla’s weaknesses and gains enough control to sabotage her dates. Tayla struggles to control her unruly wolf and her forbidden attraction to Beast. But can she resist his southern charm, the she-wolf’s attraction to his alluring scent, and still fall in love with a human?
Tangled in a web of wills, Tayla must risk everything to break the Curse of the Beast. With failure and possible death looming overhead, Tayla will do anything to find true love. But will one moon cycle be long enough to conquer her wolf and remain human? Or will she become a permanent member of Beast’s pack? Find out in the second installment in the Curse of the Beast series.
Buy Now! E-book: Kindle , Nook , Smashwords Paperback: Amazon
Add to your GoodReads shelf!
Excerpt
Brayden held the door open for me as I climbed out of the car. I tried not to cringe seeing the movie house again, but I couldn’t stop my lips from pulling into a hard line. My wolf felt my unease and paced in my mind, adding to my nerves. I knew Brayden was different from Kyle. There was no comparison, but that night still haunted me, and seeing the place where Kyle had assaulted me left me a bit unnerved.
“Are you okay?” Brayden’s hand rested lightly on my lower back.
“Umm.” I shook the bad memories and turned a smile on him. “Yeah. Sorry. It’s been awhile since I was here last.” Like months. He looked confused, so I lied, “It just looks different. That’s all. Why don’t we get our tickets?”
“All right.” He still looked unconvinced, but let it go.
We arrived at the ticket booth and both spoke at the same time, “Two for Lights and Brimfire.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I looked off to the side of him. “I just thought, that well, since I asked you and all…”
He chuckled. “Tayla, it’s okay.” I looked up at him and the smile on his face tugged mine back into place. He continued, “And I always pay, even if the girl asked me.” He winked at me and my knees wobbled from the fuzzy warmth creeping into my stomach. A rumble of agitation pushed through from my wolf, but it only gave me more confidence that this guy was it.
We picked the seats right in the very middle. To me they were the best seats in the house. I wasn’t sure about the movie. It was some war movie. I felt bad that Beast had to be subjected to it. At least he hadn’t had to run here. He had insisted on drive his own truck.
I felt Beast slink in behind us. He was a few rows up, wearing his trademark black trench coat and kept his head low. As people filled into the theater, they gave him a wide berth. I didn’t blame them. Honestly, he looked like the grim reaper or something.
The lights dimmed in the theater and the previews started. I offered Brayden a licorice. He smiled, and my heart stuttered. Even in the dark, his smile lit the world.
“Thanks for coming,” I whispered.
“No problem.” He grabbed another licorice. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Hey.” I shouldered him. “That’s my licorice,” I teased.
He shoulder knocked me back. “Then you shouldn’t have given me the first one. Now I’ll eat the whole bag.”
I made a great show of hiding them in my jacket and we both chuckled. He was easy that way. I didn’t feel like I had to be someone else. Not like with Kyle.
Why am I thinking of him?
I mentally scolded myself and relaxed back in my chair, leaning close to Brayden. He didn’t scoot away and hope warmed my chest. I was careful to only breathe through my mouth and had practiced clamping down on my wolf senses, not wanting a repeat of the gym scene. The heat of his arm against mine was comforting, and the way he periodically gave me sideways glances made my heart flutter.
The movie started but I was too focused on Brayden to watch. That was until the battle scenes demanded my attention. My wolf was riveted to the carnage on the screen and, to my horror, was licking her lips. I almost dry heaved right then. I shrunk from the movie and from her. I covered my eyes with my hands, praying it would stop her blood lust and my rolling stomach. I’m sure I whimpered or something equally as embarrassing, because Brayden lifted the armrest and pulled me close. I snuggled into his chest.
“We can leave,” he whispered, tickling my ear.
“I don’t want you to miss your movie,” I responded, trying not to breathe as I was happily surrounded by his strong arms.
He squeezed me close. “All right.”
My nose pressed up against his shoulder, a potential happy place for me if it wasn’t for my wolf. I was too close and could taste the tang of animal blood on my tongue. I quickly closed my mouth. When I was forced to breathe, the smell of farm animals was strong, but not as strong as the metallic smell of blood. It all reminded me of the first time I met him.
The smell overwhelmed my senses and I felt my control slip. I closed my eyes, focusing on restraining the wolf struggling against her cage. She wasn’t going to ruin this for me. I refused to pull away, but the thought of dead animals was too disturbing, and the smell was stronger than that day in the gym. My mind wandered from its task. Had he killed an animal today? But the horror that should have washed over me was replaced with a heady need. I breathed deeply and pressed my body closer, quickly losing control. The smell was delightfully tantalizing and my stomach grumbled, transporting me to a childhood memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake.
My mouth watered, as I pictured the cake. It smelled so real that I could almost taste it. I opened my mouth and skimmed the cake with my lips, biting down softly. My teeth met more resistance than I was expecting. I was about to bite down harder when large fingers slid between my teeth preventing me from my dessert. I growled and threw my head back, only to have Beast’s strong arms capture me in a vice grip around my torso.
“What the—?”
Brayden’s voice snapped me out of my delusion of a childhood dessert. My eyes flew open and I took in his disgusted expression as he rubbed his neck. His hand came away wet with my saliva. His gaze darted to his left shoulder where his shirt was several shades darker, thanks to my drool. Horror washed through me, but before I could utter a word of apology, Beast tugged me out of my seat and hauled me out of the theater. I could still hear Chel and Brayden.
“Oh,” Chel said. “Eww. I’m so sorry. Maybe her blood sugar was low.”
“What?” Brayden’s disbelieving voice sliced me. How would he love me now?
“You know people do all sorts of weird stuff when their blood sugar is low,” Chel explained.
“Oh, like biting me?”
I could imagine his eyes narrowing in anger.
“Umm,” Chel hesitated, obviously surprised I had actually bit him. “Was it just a nip? I don’t see any broken skin.”
That news sent a trickle of relief over me. At least, I hadn’t drawn blood.
“That isn’t the point. She bit and slobbered all over me. My animals don’t even get me this bad!” he hissed back. His voice sounded like he had stood and was walking out of the theater as well. Chel didn’t respond. I’m sure she was trying to process the whole thing.
“And who was that guy?” Brayden asked.
“Oh, just a friend.”
“She has some stalker friend to pull her from dates when she starts biting them?”
“No.” She giggled nervously. “I guess you smell so good she just wanted a taste.”
I cringed, mortified even more than I already was. Way to go, Chel, now I really want to hide. The night air hit my face as we exited the theater house. Beast strode a few yards more before depositing me against the wall, where I slumped down to the ground and hugged my knees.
Almost too low for me to hear, Chel’s date, Dalyn, responded, “You can take a taste of me anytime you like, Chel.”
“You’re all nuts,” Brayden said.
“Wait, I’ll drive you home,” Chel called after him, her voice getting louder as they neared.
“Don’t bother. I’m safer walking.” He pushed open the door. Our eyes met for a moment before he stormed off.
I hung my head. “Oh, Beast,” I whispered. “What have I done?”
To my surprise, he chuckled. “So you nipped him?” He shrugged his shoulders but the mirth was still there.
I glowered at him. “Then why did you swoop down and carry me off if you didn’t think it was a big deal?”
“The nip wasn’t what I was worried about, but the real bite you were going to give him next would’ve drawn blood, and then it was unlikely you’d be able to stop.” His lips hitched upward. “That would have really made your wolf crazy.”
“That meddlesome she-devil!” I ground out between my teeth. “She ruins everything.”
“If you’d learned to control her better, you would’ve smelled the animals on him and stayed far away from him in the first place.” His eyes twinkled as if laughing at an inside joke.
Before I could retort, Chel came out of the doors, her date trailing behind her. “Dalyn, will you start the car for me and bring it around?” She tossed him her keys before he responded.
“Sure.” He eyed me with a mischievous glint. I felt Beast vibrate with an inaudible growl. I agreed. Dalyn’s look sent chills up my spine, like he was assessing a hooker or something. Yuck!I was definitely telling Chel to stay away from that one.
With Dalyn in the SUV and out of hearing, Chel demanded answers. “What just happened?”
I scowled at my knees. “He must’ve slaughtered a cow or something yesterday because his stench was so much stronger today, and my wolf got the better of me.”
“But you bit him?”
“It’s her! I would never do that. Eww. He must think I’m a freak.” I groaned, placing my head in my hands. “He was so perfect, too.”
Chel patted my shoulder, but it wasn’t soothing; nothing was, with this wolf in my head.
“You know what the worst part is?” I ask, looking up to see Chel raise her eyebrow. “She tricked me. She used my memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake to convince me to bite him. I didn’t even know she could do that!”
“Jello?” Chel asked.
Beast cleared his voice.
“What?” I demanded.
“That isn’t exactly true,” he said. I lifted a disbelieving eyebrow at him. “Just hear me out. The smell, it was delicious to you?”
“Only after she tricked me into thinking it was cake. If I had consciously thought of it as blood, animal, whatever, I never…” I couldn’t say the rest.
“That is where you are wrong.” Beast paused until I looked up at him. “To your wolf, animal scent and blood are delicious, and so the best way you could understand those feelings was to relate it to cake.” His voice lost its teacher tone when he got to the last word and turned more playful. “It must’ve been some delectable cake. Maybe my blood lust would curb a bit if you made it for me.” He winked.
“Shut up.” I smacked him in the leg, but couldn’t resist the smile that spread across my lips. I had my wolfish friend back and was determined to side-step as many rift-creating topics as possible.
Chel bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure I can fix this, Tay. A little drool I could explain away, but…”
My frown was back. I’d lost Brayden. “Thanks for trying. I guess we should stay away from cowboys.” I gave Chel a rueful grin.
Chel puffed out air and rubbed her temples. “Friday night is a cancel then.”
“Oh?” Why did things always go to crap?
“Yeah, one of Brayden’s roping buddies. But after he hears Brayden’s story, he’ll be canceling before I get a chance to do it.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll find a replacement.”
“Ah!” I buried my face in my hands. “Why did she have to bite him? Stupid wolf.” She growled at me and nipped at my mind, causing a throbbing headache.
Beast crouched down to my level and tucked a finger under my chin. His touch held soothing warmth, but I fought it. I deserved to feel the crushing weight of my actions. The pressure on my chin increased until I could no longer resist his strength. My face tilted up to him, but I refused to look him in the eyes. At least, in that I still had the power to defy.
“Stupid is the last word I’d use to describe you.” As if by its own accord, my gaze lifted and was met by the warmth coming from his eyes. His thumb grazed my jaw, and both my wolf and I trembled ever so slightly. He noticed my reaction, and his eyes lit with mischief. “And if he had been a werewolf, I guarantee you would’ve gotten a different response.”
I couldn’t breathe. What he implied was too direct to misinterpret. A horn blasted, and I jerked, breaking the spell. Beast lifted his head to look at Dalyn, giving me the needed release to breathe.
A nomad at heart, I currently claim Nevada as my home. I have a wonderful husband and two young children that put up with my “writing time.” When she’s not pondering a spell that will magically calm the ferocious winds that plague the air around her, you can find her, with notepad in hand, frantically jotting down ideas in those short moments between caring for her girls and working full time at the Elko Institute for Academic Achievement.
Art and science have always been my yin and yang. Throughout my college career, I shifted between the two, but in the end I graduated with a Bachelors of Mathematics and Science from the University of Wyoming.
Charging into adventures and discovering something new has always been a passion of mine, but as a teenager I used to run screaming from a reading or writing assignment. Looking back, the irony isn’t lost on me. Now you can’t catch me without a book in hand or without an open word document. Every time a new idea pops into my mind my heart races and my hand twitch to write it. In that moment, I have my writer's high and pray it will sustain me through thousands of hours of revision.
Amazon || Facebook || Twitter || Website/Blog || Goodreads
Grab Book 1 As Well! [image error] Goodreads || Amazon || Facebook
GIVEAWAY
[image error]
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wolf Protector Book Blitz
Title: Wolf ProtectorAuthor: Milly TaidenGenre: EroticBlitz Host:
Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] A woman with a secret…The Federal Paranormal Unit is an elite squad of supernaturals dedicated to solving missing persons cases. Erica’s gift allows her a special connection with the crime, but it comes at a deep personal cost… Until now, she’s kept her gift a secret, even from the other members of the team. But this case will throw her together with Agent Trent Buchanan. He’s the object of her secret desires, but he’s also a cocky womanizer. She’d rather swim in shark-infested waters with a paper cut than admit she has feelings for him.
A man with one desire…
Wolf Shifter Trent wants Erica more than he’s ever wanted any woman. He’s spent years patiently waiting for her to admit that she wants him too. Working one-on-one in a race to find a serial killer, Trent’s patience and Erica’s resolve wear thin. When Trent discovers the truth about Erica, will he accept her for who she is? And can he protect her from the horrors that her gift brings?
A case that pushes them to the edge…
Erica will have to risk it all if she wants to stop the killer, and when she does, Trent may have to put his own life on the line to make sure his mate is protected…
[image error]
[image error]
[image error] Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.
She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee. A bookworm when she can get her hands on a good story, she loves reading all Mina Carter and Dianne Duvall among others.
Website || Facebook || Email
Books: As Milly Taiden Caged HeatWynter’s CaptiveHalloween Heat III – Mate EventFate’s WishSharp Change
Coming SoonFeverWolf Protector
As April Angel Party CrasherWicked Valentine – Sizzling Encounters – Book 2Stranded TemptationMr. Buff – Sizzling Encounters – Book 1
Coming SoonLucky Break – Sizzling Encounters – Book 3 A Hero’s Pride
Hosted by
[image error] A woman with a secret…The Federal Paranormal Unit is an elite squad of supernaturals dedicated to solving missing persons cases. Erica’s gift allows her a special connection with the crime, but it comes at a deep personal cost… Until now, she’s kept her gift a secret, even from the other members of the team. But this case will throw her together with Agent Trent Buchanan. He’s the object of her secret desires, but he’s also a cocky womanizer. She’d rather swim in shark-infested waters with a paper cut than admit she has feelings for him.
A man with one desire…
Wolf Shifter Trent wants Erica more than he’s ever wanted any woman. He’s spent years patiently waiting for her to admit that she wants him too. Working one-on-one in a race to find a serial killer, Trent’s patience and Erica’s resolve wear thin. When Trent discovers the truth about Erica, will he accept her for who she is? And can he protect her from the horrors that her gift brings?
A case that pushes them to the edge…
Erica will have to risk it all if she wants to stop the killer, and when she does, Trent may have to put his own life on the line to make sure his mate is protected…
[image error]
[image error]
[image error] Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.
She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee. A bookworm when she can get her hands on a good story, she loves reading all Mina Carter and Dianne Duvall among others.
Website || Facebook || Email
Books: As Milly Taiden Caged HeatWynter’s CaptiveHalloween Heat III – Mate EventFate’s WishSharp Change
Coming SoonFeverWolf Protector
As April Angel Party CrasherWicked Valentine – Sizzling Encounters – Book 2Stranded TemptationMr. Buff – Sizzling Encounters – Book 1
Coming SoonLucky Break – Sizzling Encounters – Book 3 A Hero’s Pride
Hosted by
April 10, 2013
Naughty Girl Book Blitz
Title: Naughty GirlAuthor: Scarlett Metal Release Day: April 11, 2013Genre: EroticBlitz Host:
LadyAmber's Tours
[image error] Alexandra loved the hot sex she experienced as a submissive in the bedroom, but would never give her heart to any man.
After getting hurt by his sub and wife, Paul swore he would never make that kind of commitment to a woman again.
They meet at the club that Alex frequents and quickly become play partners. The sex is amazing, but despite their reservations, they begin to fall for each other. Will they be willing to admit their feelings for each other?
Buy on Amazon
Scarlett lives in the Midwest with her family. When she's not busy writing steamy stories, she can be found with her nose in a book, camping, or geocaching with her family. She loves Diet Coke, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and 80's hair bands. You can find more at http://scarlettmetal.com.
Website || Facebook
Hosted by [image error]
[image error] Alexandra loved the hot sex she experienced as a submissive in the bedroom, but would never give her heart to any man.
After getting hurt by his sub and wife, Paul swore he would never make that kind of commitment to a woman again.
They meet at the club that Alex frequents and quickly become play partners. The sex is amazing, but despite their reservations, they begin to fall for each other. Will they be willing to admit their feelings for each other?
Buy on Amazon
Scarlett lives in the Midwest with her family. When she's not busy writing steamy stories, she can be found with her nose in a book, camping, or geocaching with her family. She loves Diet Coke, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and 80's hair bands. You can find more at http://scarlettmetal.com.
Website || Facebook
Hosted by [image error]
April 9, 2013
Enlightened Blog Tour @melissalummis
Title: Enlightened Author: Melissa Lummis Genre: ParanormalTour Host:
Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] Loti Dupree’s meager healing abilities have been more a curse than a blessing. What’s the point if she can’t even save her husband from cancer? Harboring a painful secret, Loti flees the life they had in a small Appalachian town for the ashram, the spiritual retreat where she trained to be a yogini. But she finds herself running from more than grief when an ominous nightmare sets her on a dangerous path of self-discovery that challenges everything she believes, and threatens her life.While dodging psychic attacks from an unknown assailant, Loti races to understand who and what she is before her enemy can catch up with her. To make matters worse, events throw her into the arms of a handsome but frustrating vampire. Love and light are waiting for her—if she can only figure out how to stay alive.
Amazon || Barnes and Noble || Smashwords
Enlightened Excerpts
Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
He pressed warm lips to her trembling ones. Her head swam with panic as he slid his arms around her, deepening the kiss. His hands wandered over her back, skating under her shirt hem and over her warm, bare skin. When his fingers grazed her flesh, it dawned on her that she was kissing him back. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, and their stomachs, and lower things, melded together. Horrified, she shoved Jeremy’s hips away, breaking the kiss and hissed through gritted teeth, “Stop.” Jeremy’s eyes were glazed and half hidden by his shaggy hair. His breath was shallow as one arm fell away from her and the other gripped the storage rack behind her. She turned away from his broad chest into his hard, muscular arm. “Don’t be mad, okay?” he whispered. Lust and revulsion tangled in her belly as she mumbled, “Jeremy...please.” She caught her breath. “David. . .” His arm dropped out of the way, and his fevered eyes cooled into a careful concern. “Hey, I get it. No explanation necessary.” He wrapped a hand around hers, giving it a mollifying squeeze. When she didn’t pull back right away, he leaned his forehead against hers. For a second they both closed their eyes, Loti yielding to his comforting gesture. When he crept closer, she splayed her free hand against his chest and shoved.“That’s enough, Don Juan.” He stumbled back and she swallowed down the confusing mix of emotions. Holding him at bay, she extracted her other hand from his as she scuttled out the door. His chin dropped, eyes still closed, as he drooped against the wall. Out in the open space of the studio, she took a deep breath and turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, his hair hiding his eyes as he studied his flip flops. His long surfer shorts showed off muscular calves. How old is he, anyway? 25? She was only 30, but she felt so much older.“I know I’m a fool, Jeremy.” Her voice shook despite her careful control. He looked up through the curtain of bangs. His light-hearted smile absolved her. “I’ve had a thing for you for a while.” He shrugged it off and reached down for his yoga mat. She forced herself to look in his eyes as he straightened. “I’m not ready.”He cleared his throat. “So when will you be?” And he flung the mat over his shoulder.Her stomach did a flip and she licked the corner of her mouth. “I don’t know. It’s still fresh.” Her gaze wavered.Jeremy flicked the hair out of his eyes. “I’m not going to push it. Don’t worry.” He smiled wider, showing teeth. “But you’ve got to know how damn hot you are. Maybe when you get back from this trip.”Loti relaxed the hands she’d balled up. A warm blush bloomed across her cheeks, and she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, maybe.”
Excerpt 3
As the moon rose over the trees, Rachel wondered how far away Wolf was. She sat on the porch swing her father helped her install last summer, her apprehension growing. So much water under the bridge,she mused. Although the effects of the blood bond had gone away, she never stopped caring about her uncle or worrying about him for that matter. It was an hour before Wolf’s Fat Boy thundered through the tranquil night. She smirked; what a drama-king. He could run, or fly, faster than that stupid bike. Still not wearing a helmet, he parked by her blue truck. She steeled herself, ready to confront him. But as he turned toward her, his eyes glowing with the moonlight, her breath caught at just how beautiful he was. Reaching around to his back, he slid the hairband off and shook his jet black hair loose from the braid.“Much better,” he grumbled. Rachel never forgot how deep his voice was or the way it vibrated in her chest. He’s vampire; never forget that.“Rachel.” He smiled and held out his hands.She ran down the three steps and into his arms. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around like she was eighteen again. Giggling, she braced her hands on his shoulders, and like the years apart had never happened, she was light inside. He lowered her down and kissed the back of her hand. Tears glistened on her cheeks.“Sweet, Rachel, don’t cry,” Wolf soothed, tucking his knuckles under her chin and tilting her face up so he could wipe the tears away with his thumbs.“I’m just. . .happy. . .sad. . . oh, hell.” She jerked away. “I missed you, okay?” “I missed you too, sweet Rachel.” “Oh stop with the ‘sweet Rachel’.” She rubbed her cheek. “It’s corny.”Wolf burst out laughing. “Good to see you haven’t lost your spark.” He grabbed the fleshy part of her arms and crushed her to his chest. “It’s good to see you.” And as many times as she’d rehearsed their first meeting over the years—reprimanding him for taking advantage of her when she was so young, for staying away so long, extracting a promise from him that he would never do anything like it again—she couldn’t follow the script. It all was unexpectedly moot because now that he returned she was acutely aware there was still a bond between them. Not of blood, but forged by the little and big life moments they shared. Like when her high school boyfriend broke up with her before the prom, and Wolf had taken her to Paris to show her there was a much bigger world. He was her protector, her rock when the rest of the world fell apart. At least he had been until he left.“Why did you stay away so long?” she murmured into his chest. Wolf held her a moment before unwrapping his arms, the leather jacket creaking. “I’m sorry about that.” He rubbed the side of his nose, his eyes contrite. “I lost track of time.” Rachel punched him in the sternum. “Ow.” He rubbed the spot, flinching as he stepped back, trying to look wounded. “You’ve gotten stronger.” It was almost endearing.“Have you been to see Nan? She’s missed you too. You didn’t have to stay away from her.” Rachel stuck out her bottom lip, very aware she was acting childish but not able to stop.“Yes, I did have to stay away from her. She was pretty pissed.” His eyes twinkled, and he threw her over his shoulder and strode toward the house with Rachel kicking and protesting the entire time.
Excerpt 4
Loti bolted upright in bed, screaming into the blackness. Throwing off the covers, she staggered into the living room where she collapsed in front of the fireplace, wheezing. The full moon poured an eerie blue light over everything. She crawled on her hands and knees to the fireplace and leaned against the river rocks. Despite their radiating warmth, she shook as fear twisted her insides. Her home vibrated with a sinister energy, and she hugged bare arms around trembling knees. With a foul taste in her mouth, she jerked at the creak of a settling board. Her whole body tensed as she got the unshakeable feeling that someone was watching her.Hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmmmmShe froze at the sound of someone humming an off-handed tune, the hair on her arms and the back of her neck standing on end.Mmmmm mmmmm hmmmm hmmmDizzy and sick to her stomach, she thought, Call Rachel. Her frozen muscles thawed, and she dove for the phone on the writing desk tucked in the corner of the dining room. Fumbling with the receiver, her fingers shook as she dialed. While the other end rang, she counted her breaths— inhale one, two, three, four—Hmmmm hmmmmm hmmmmHolding her breath, she cowered in the corner between the desk and French glass doors, trying to make herself small and invisible. There was a click on the other end.“Rache—”“Hi, this is Rachel. You’ve missed me, but I’d hate to miss your call. Please leave me a message and a number, and I’ll get back to you. I promise.” Beep.“Rachel, are you there? Pick up.” Silence. “I have no idea what time it is, but I’m coming over. Something’s going on. I’ll explain when I get there.” She hung up and surveyed the open space of the great room. It was like a fishbowl. Four years ago, she and David fell in love with the house because it was the closest thing to living in the outdoors without setting their living room up in the yard. Now it felt like a stupid idea. There was nowhere to hide. With the lights out, she could see the naked dogwood tree through the front door.The dense air caught in her throat and her blood roared in her ears as her eyes fixed on a dark blob on a branch. With quivering legs, she slid her back up the wall and took a tentative step forward, squinting. The shape was like a cardboard cutout or something not living. Tense with the effort to be quiet, she crept across the room, but the thing turned around and looked straight at her. A raven? She took off like a shot, diving into the bedroom and slamming the door behind her.Shaking uncontrollably, she grabbed a pair of gray sweat pants and an old pink pullover from the closet floor, tucking them under her arm. She tugged a boot on, hopping across the floor on one foot. Cracking the door open less than an inch, she peered through the little space. The raven was still perched in the dogwood. She bolted for the closet by the front door. Yanking her shearling jacket off the hanger, she felt for her purse and keys on the top shelf. She paused.Hmmmm hmmmm hmmmmClothes and purse dangling from her arms, she burst out the front door, sprinting across the circular driveway to her Jeep. Leaping in, her hands shook so bad it took several attempts to fit the key into the ignition. The car roared to life, and she threw it into reverse. Flipping on the headlights, she wrenched the gearshift into drive and stole a glance at the dogwood—yep, still there—then spun the wheel, spraying gravel. The raven flapped fitfully and took off as she careened down the driveway, leaving long divots in her wake.
Excerpt 5
The basement room reeked of mildew and old books. A great, crumbling tome rested on a heavy wooden table that harkened back to the days of the Salem witch trials. Candles burned in a ring around a chalked-pentagram on the cement floor, while a pony-tailed blonde set the last one down carefully, completing the circle of protection.“That’s not right, Katie,” a flat-topped young man teased as he pushed her playfully out of the way. She giggled and fell to her side, slapping at the hand nudging the candle a hair to the right. “Smart-ass.” She laughed, tapping his knee with her saddle-shoe. He turned and their eyes held for a moment.“Come on, Joe, time’s a-flying, and we’ve got a metaphysics final tomorrow. I’d like to pass.” A fellow in gray trousers tapped his wrist watch.“Don’t flip your wig, Patrick, we’re ready.” Joe grinned over his shoulder. Katie shifted her blue, blameless eyes to Patrick’s face, the warm glow as steady and true on him as it had been for Joe. The corners of Patrick’s mouth curled up.“Then let’s begin,” he said in a mocking, ominous voice. Patrick offered both hands to Katie, who tilted her head and winked. She grabbed them, and he took his time pulling her to her feet. When Joe turned toward the pair, Patrick dropped her hands, and she dusted off her green pedal-pushers.“I’ll never get these clean again. Mom will kill me,” she fussed.The three college co-eds marched around the circle, mumbling a protection incantation under their breath. After three turns around, they stepped into the circle and knelt, facing each other. Joining hands, they struggled to maintain serious faces as repressed smiles twitched their lips. They repeated the incantation over and over:“Asato ma sadgamaya. Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya. Mrtyorma amrtam gamaya”Katie’s soft, schoolgirl voice balanced out the men’s coming-of-age gruffness. The candle flames flickered as the energy they conjured coalesced around them, blowing in a gust around the circle. The wind grew more robust until Katie’s ponytail danced behind her like blonde streamers on the end of a girl’s bicycle handle. They raised their voices over the roaring pitch, changing the incantation.“Om Klim Kalikayei Namaha” They chanted in perfect unison over the blustering energy. Their eyes flared in fascination as a pinprick of light materialized in the center of their circle, expanding into a sphere. The edge sizzled and danced in unison to the flickering candle flames. The center was a blur of color with indistinct shapes forming and dissolving. Joe shouted, “Now.” And they yelled over the commotion:
“Om bhurbhuva svahTatsaiturvarenyamBhargo devasya dhimahiDhiyo yo nah procodayat”
The sphere of light blasted open into a swirling orb of green and blue, ringing like a singing bowl. Katie laughed out loud in wonder and shock, and as if drawn by her girlish voice, the orb rushed to her. Her hands were torn from Joe and Patrick’s frantic grasps as she floated above their heads trapped inside the shimmering ball. The howling wind and the shrill ringing muffled her scream as the orb shrank, and Katie stretched out long and thin, like a girl-shaped rubber band. Her panicked “help me” echoed down the disappearing corridor, one hand stretching out to them as the orb sucked her away. Her eyes bulged with horror or pain—or both. The orb winked out of existence with the sound of a single flame being pinched out with wet fingers. The room rang with sudden silence, the candle flames still.“No!” Joe bellowed.
Excerpt 6
You can’t escape, Loti.She snapped her head up, spluttered and spit as the water filled her nose and mouth. She heard that voice somewhere before, but she couldn’t remember where. “No,” she whimpered. You are only fooling yourself if you think you can run away.She squeezed her eyes shut while thinking, this is not real, this is not real.Oh, but it is, sweet Loti, you are what you are and cannot fight it.Loti trembled as something thick and hot and paralyzing slithered through the small shower space, her teeth chattering.This is who you are –you are“No,” she screamed so hard and so loud her throat seized up, and she dissolved into coughing spasms. The living heat squirmed its way through her chest, up her throat, filling her nose. She clawed at her throat and face. Dizzy, so dizzy. Don’t faint, don’t faint. She slipped and fell backwards into the tub. She had one more moment to think, don’t hit your head, and then all was black.
Excerpt 7
“Friends. Welcome!” Calisto’s voice boomed. He stood on top of a large, flat boulder that jutted out from the mountain side. People whistled and clapped.“We have the honor of some special guests tonight. The Travelers have agreed to lead us in song.” The crowd howled their approval as Calisto turned and held out his arms. “Guided, my friend.” A beefy guy with a bushy beard and long hair stepped up, gripping Calisto in a warm embrace and kissing his face as they slapped each other on the back. So this was Guided—the leader of the Travelers, the ashram healer tribe. Most healers still lived in small tribes on the trail system that crisscrossed North and South America. Guided lifted his hands to the cheering mob, and they rewarded him with an outburst of rapid drums and hoots. A flute lilted over the noise, somehow penetrating it, and all went wild. Another man in bulky hiking boots, and a wooden flute to his lips, joined Guided as Calisto melted into the darkness. He lifted the flute over his head while the crowd chanted, “Peacemaker. Peacemaker. Peacemaker.”“Om Namah Shivaya,” Guided shouted. The crowd shouted it right back, while the drummers fumbled around. The people called kirtan until the drummers organized themselves into something a little funkier. Finger cymbals jingled and rattles rustled; their fearless leader, Guided, bobbed and dipped. He looked over his shoulder and nodded at Peacemaker, who brought the flute back to his lips. When Guided swung around to the crowd, his face crinkled into a pirate’s smile as he rapped:“I dedicate this rhyme to the Goddess of Power, The Daughter of the Mountains, she’s the source of all life.The Destroyer of Fear, Shiva’s devoted wife.She’s the bringer of Shakti and breath by the hour,Parvati’s love makes all the demons cower.”The crowd went ballistic, and Loti howled right along with them. Wolf’s chuckle in her ear was like warm honey in her belly and it burbled into her weary chest. A grateful smile lifted her cheeks. It felt so good and natural she touched her face to make sure it was real. When she moved her arms, Wolf’s hands slid to her hips. The fire roared to life as several bare-chested men tossed logs into its heart, and Loti turned away into Wolf’s arms. He felt like shelter, and she sucked in air, light headed and over-heated.Wolf held the base of her skull with one hand while his other arm circled her back. With her hands on his chest, it was so easy to surrender. Resting his cheek on the crown of her head, he closed his eyes, and they were one warm, drowsy body, high on the rhythm. The beat slowed and so did they. Loti’s awareness floated from the smell of wood smoke and peppermint on Wolf’s shirt to the cold, metal zipper on her cheek. His thigh tucked between hers while her soft belly pressed to his hard muscle, and their chests crushed together. His cheek slipped down her face, and his parted lips skimmed over hers with no direction or purpose other than to feel.The sensations blurred—moist breath, skin-on-skin, no aggression, a moan. Something thick slid up from the base of her spine and weaved itself through all the small spaces, to the exact place where Wolf’s hand held her head. The music changed again and again, but she barely noticed as the drumbeat and his body cocooned her in warm half-consciousness. The music rattled to an end, and there was a long shuffling pause, wood crackling and the fire whistled. As if waking from a trance, she blinked sticky eyes and swallowed. Wolf loosened his grip, and she slid numb hands around him. Blood rushed back into her hands in biting tingles as soft, pulsing waves rose in her tailbone, crested in her chest, and crashed in her head. “What is this?” she whispered.“I don’t know,” Wolf murmured. She lifted her head at the roughness of his voice, and he pressed a kiss to her eyelid, then stepped away, one hand sliding down her arm. He never lost contact as he slipped his hand into hers. “It’s time,” a female voice said. Wolf’s eyes shifted to look over Loti’s shoulder and they hardened. She spun around to Fiamette, whose face was lost in the contrast of black hair outlined in orange flame. Fiamette turned to look at the fire with anxious lines framing her mouth – suddenly, she looked vulnerable. Uncertain, Loti looked to Wolf who seemed to be at a loss with the woman, as well. “Calisto’s waiting by the stage,” Fiamette said to the fire, then hurried off, morphing into a black shadow against the flames.
Melissa Lummis considers herself a truth seeker, a peaceful warrior, a paranormal and fantasy writer, an avid reader, a thru-hiker GA->ME ’98, a wife, a mother, and a free thinker. She believes the universe conspires to help an adventurer. And if we live our lives as if it is a daring adventure (and it is!), then everything we need will find its way to us.The author lives in rural Virginia with her husband, two children, an Alaskan Malamute and a myriad of forest creatures. The nature of her mind dictates that she write to stay sane. Otherwise, her fertile imagination takes off on tangents of its own accord, creating scenarios and worlds that confuse the space-time continuum. Namaste, dear friends.
Facebook || Twitter || Blog
Hosted by [image error]
[image error] Loti Dupree’s meager healing abilities have been more a curse than a blessing. What’s the point if she can’t even save her husband from cancer? Harboring a painful secret, Loti flees the life they had in a small Appalachian town for the ashram, the spiritual retreat where she trained to be a yogini. But she finds herself running from more than grief when an ominous nightmare sets her on a dangerous path of self-discovery that challenges everything she believes, and threatens her life.While dodging psychic attacks from an unknown assailant, Loti races to understand who and what she is before her enemy can catch up with her. To make matters worse, events throw her into the arms of a handsome but frustrating vampire. Love and light are waiting for her—if she can only figure out how to stay alive.
Amazon || Barnes and Noble || Smashwords
Enlightened Excerpts
Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
He pressed warm lips to her trembling ones. Her head swam with panic as he slid his arms around her, deepening the kiss. His hands wandered over her back, skating under her shirt hem and over her warm, bare skin. When his fingers grazed her flesh, it dawned on her that she was kissing him back. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, and their stomachs, and lower things, melded together. Horrified, she shoved Jeremy’s hips away, breaking the kiss and hissed through gritted teeth, “Stop.” Jeremy’s eyes were glazed and half hidden by his shaggy hair. His breath was shallow as one arm fell away from her and the other gripped the storage rack behind her. She turned away from his broad chest into his hard, muscular arm. “Don’t be mad, okay?” he whispered. Lust and revulsion tangled in her belly as she mumbled, “Jeremy...please.” She caught her breath. “David. . .” His arm dropped out of the way, and his fevered eyes cooled into a careful concern. “Hey, I get it. No explanation necessary.” He wrapped a hand around hers, giving it a mollifying squeeze. When she didn’t pull back right away, he leaned his forehead against hers. For a second they both closed their eyes, Loti yielding to his comforting gesture. When he crept closer, she splayed her free hand against his chest and shoved.“That’s enough, Don Juan.” He stumbled back and she swallowed down the confusing mix of emotions. Holding him at bay, she extracted her other hand from his as she scuttled out the door. His chin dropped, eyes still closed, as he drooped against the wall. Out in the open space of the studio, she took a deep breath and turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, his hair hiding his eyes as he studied his flip flops. His long surfer shorts showed off muscular calves. How old is he, anyway? 25? She was only 30, but she felt so much older.“I know I’m a fool, Jeremy.” Her voice shook despite her careful control. He looked up through the curtain of bangs. His light-hearted smile absolved her. “I’ve had a thing for you for a while.” He shrugged it off and reached down for his yoga mat. She forced herself to look in his eyes as he straightened. “I’m not ready.”He cleared his throat. “So when will you be?” And he flung the mat over his shoulder.Her stomach did a flip and she licked the corner of her mouth. “I don’t know. It’s still fresh.” Her gaze wavered.Jeremy flicked the hair out of his eyes. “I’m not going to push it. Don’t worry.” He smiled wider, showing teeth. “But you’ve got to know how damn hot you are. Maybe when you get back from this trip.”Loti relaxed the hands she’d balled up. A warm blush bloomed across her cheeks, and she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, maybe.”
Excerpt 3
As the moon rose over the trees, Rachel wondered how far away Wolf was. She sat on the porch swing her father helped her install last summer, her apprehension growing. So much water under the bridge,she mused. Although the effects of the blood bond had gone away, she never stopped caring about her uncle or worrying about him for that matter. It was an hour before Wolf’s Fat Boy thundered through the tranquil night. She smirked; what a drama-king. He could run, or fly, faster than that stupid bike. Still not wearing a helmet, he parked by her blue truck. She steeled herself, ready to confront him. But as he turned toward her, his eyes glowing with the moonlight, her breath caught at just how beautiful he was. Reaching around to his back, he slid the hairband off and shook his jet black hair loose from the braid.“Much better,” he grumbled. Rachel never forgot how deep his voice was or the way it vibrated in her chest. He’s vampire; never forget that.“Rachel.” He smiled and held out his hands.She ran down the three steps and into his arms. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around like she was eighteen again. Giggling, she braced her hands on his shoulders, and like the years apart had never happened, she was light inside. He lowered her down and kissed the back of her hand. Tears glistened on her cheeks.“Sweet, Rachel, don’t cry,” Wolf soothed, tucking his knuckles under her chin and tilting her face up so he could wipe the tears away with his thumbs.“I’m just. . .happy. . .sad. . . oh, hell.” She jerked away. “I missed you, okay?” “I missed you too, sweet Rachel.” “Oh stop with the ‘sweet Rachel’.” She rubbed her cheek. “It’s corny.”Wolf burst out laughing. “Good to see you haven’t lost your spark.” He grabbed the fleshy part of her arms and crushed her to his chest. “It’s good to see you.” And as many times as she’d rehearsed their first meeting over the years—reprimanding him for taking advantage of her when she was so young, for staying away so long, extracting a promise from him that he would never do anything like it again—she couldn’t follow the script. It all was unexpectedly moot because now that he returned she was acutely aware there was still a bond between them. Not of blood, but forged by the little and big life moments they shared. Like when her high school boyfriend broke up with her before the prom, and Wolf had taken her to Paris to show her there was a much bigger world. He was her protector, her rock when the rest of the world fell apart. At least he had been until he left.“Why did you stay away so long?” she murmured into his chest. Wolf held her a moment before unwrapping his arms, the leather jacket creaking. “I’m sorry about that.” He rubbed the side of his nose, his eyes contrite. “I lost track of time.” Rachel punched him in the sternum. “Ow.” He rubbed the spot, flinching as he stepped back, trying to look wounded. “You’ve gotten stronger.” It was almost endearing.“Have you been to see Nan? She’s missed you too. You didn’t have to stay away from her.” Rachel stuck out her bottom lip, very aware she was acting childish but not able to stop.“Yes, I did have to stay away from her. She was pretty pissed.” His eyes twinkled, and he threw her over his shoulder and strode toward the house with Rachel kicking and protesting the entire time.
Excerpt 4
Loti bolted upright in bed, screaming into the blackness. Throwing off the covers, she staggered into the living room where she collapsed in front of the fireplace, wheezing. The full moon poured an eerie blue light over everything. She crawled on her hands and knees to the fireplace and leaned against the river rocks. Despite their radiating warmth, she shook as fear twisted her insides. Her home vibrated with a sinister energy, and she hugged bare arms around trembling knees. With a foul taste in her mouth, she jerked at the creak of a settling board. Her whole body tensed as she got the unshakeable feeling that someone was watching her.Hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmmmmShe froze at the sound of someone humming an off-handed tune, the hair on her arms and the back of her neck standing on end.Mmmmm mmmmm hmmmm hmmmDizzy and sick to her stomach, she thought, Call Rachel. Her frozen muscles thawed, and she dove for the phone on the writing desk tucked in the corner of the dining room. Fumbling with the receiver, her fingers shook as she dialed. While the other end rang, she counted her breaths— inhale one, two, three, four—Hmmmm hmmmmm hmmmmHolding her breath, she cowered in the corner between the desk and French glass doors, trying to make herself small and invisible. There was a click on the other end.“Rache—”“Hi, this is Rachel. You’ve missed me, but I’d hate to miss your call. Please leave me a message and a number, and I’ll get back to you. I promise.” Beep.“Rachel, are you there? Pick up.” Silence. “I have no idea what time it is, but I’m coming over. Something’s going on. I’ll explain when I get there.” She hung up and surveyed the open space of the great room. It was like a fishbowl. Four years ago, she and David fell in love with the house because it was the closest thing to living in the outdoors without setting their living room up in the yard. Now it felt like a stupid idea. There was nowhere to hide. With the lights out, she could see the naked dogwood tree through the front door.The dense air caught in her throat and her blood roared in her ears as her eyes fixed on a dark blob on a branch. With quivering legs, she slid her back up the wall and took a tentative step forward, squinting. The shape was like a cardboard cutout or something not living. Tense with the effort to be quiet, she crept across the room, but the thing turned around and looked straight at her. A raven? She took off like a shot, diving into the bedroom and slamming the door behind her.Shaking uncontrollably, she grabbed a pair of gray sweat pants and an old pink pullover from the closet floor, tucking them under her arm. She tugged a boot on, hopping across the floor on one foot. Cracking the door open less than an inch, she peered through the little space. The raven was still perched in the dogwood. She bolted for the closet by the front door. Yanking her shearling jacket off the hanger, she felt for her purse and keys on the top shelf. She paused.Hmmmm hmmmm hmmmmClothes and purse dangling from her arms, she burst out the front door, sprinting across the circular driveway to her Jeep. Leaping in, her hands shook so bad it took several attempts to fit the key into the ignition. The car roared to life, and she threw it into reverse. Flipping on the headlights, she wrenched the gearshift into drive and stole a glance at the dogwood—yep, still there—then spun the wheel, spraying gravel. The raven flapped fitfully and took off as she careened down the driveway, leaving long divots in her wake.
Excerpt 5
The basement room reeked of mildew and old books. A great, crumbling tome rested on a heavy wooden table that harkened back to the days of the Salem witch trials. Candles burned in a ring around a chalked-pentagram on the cement floor, while a pony-tailed blonde set the last one down carefully, completing the circle of protection.“That’s not right, Katie,” a flat-topped young man teased as he pushed her playfully out of the way. She giggled and fell to her side, slapping at the hand nudging the candle a hair to the right. “Smart-ass.” She laughed, tapping his knee with her saddle-shoe. He turned and their eyes held for a moment.“Come on, Joe, time’s a-flying, and we’ve got a metaphysics final tomorrow. I’d like to pass.” A fellow in gray trousers tapped his wrist watch.“Don’t flip your wig, Patrick, we’re ready.” Joe grinned over his shoulder. Katie shifted her blue, blameless eyes to Patrick’s face, the warm glow as steady and true on him as it had been for Joe. The corners of Patrick’s mouth curled up.“Then let’s begin,” he said in a mocking, ominous voice. Patrick offered both hands to Katie, who tilted her head and winked. She grabbed them, and he took his time pulling her to her feet. When Joe turned toward the pair, Patrick dropped her hands, and she dusted off her green pedal-pushers.“I’ll never get these clean again. Mom will kill me,” she fussed.The three college co-eds marched around the circle, mumbling a protection incantation under their breath. After three turns around, they stepped into the circle and knelt, facing each other. Joining hands, they struggled to maintain serious faces as repressed smiles twitched their lips. They repeated the incantation over and over:“Asato ma sadgamaya. Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya. Mrtyorma amrtam gamaya”Katie’s soft, schoolgirl voice balanced out the men’s coming-of-age gruffness. The candle flames flickered as the energy they conjured coalesced around them, blowing in a gust around the circle. The wind grew more robust until Katie’s ponytail danced behind her like blonde streamers on the end of a girl’s bicycle handle. They raised their voices over the roaring pitch, changing the incantation.“Om Klim Kalikayei Namaha” They chanted in perfect unison over the blustering energy. Their eyes flared in fascination as a pinprick of light materialized in the center of their circle, expanding into a sphere. The edge sizzled and danced in unison to the flickering candle flames. The center was a blur of color with indistinct shapes forming and dissolving. Joe shouted, “Now.” And they yelled over the commotion:
“Om bhurbhuva svahTatsaiturvarenyamBhargo devasya dhimahiDhiyo yo nah procodayat”
The sphere of light blasted open into a swirling orb of green and blue, ringing like a singing bowl. Katie laughed out loud in wonder and shock, and as if drawn by her girlish voice, the orb rushed to her. Her hands were torn from Joe and Patrick’s frantic grasps as she floated above their heads trapped inside the shimmering ball. The howling wind and the shrill ringing muffled her scream as the orb shrank, and Katie stretched out long and thin, like a girl-shaped rubber band. Her panicked “help me” echoed down the disappearing corridor, one hand stretching out to them as the orb sucked her away. Her eyes bulged with horror or pain—or both. The orb winked out of existence with the sound of a single flame being pinched out with wet fingers. The room rang with sudden silence, the candle flames still.“No!” Joe bellowed.
Excerpt 6
You can’t escape, Loti.She snapped her head up, spluttered and spit as the water filled her nose and mouth. She heard that voice somewhere before, but she couldn’t remember where. “No,” she whimpered. You are only fooling yourself if you think you can run away.She squeezed her eyes shut while thinking, this is not real, this is not real.Oh, but it is, sweet Loti, you are what you are and cannot fight it.Loti trembled as something thick and hot and paralyzing slithered through the small shower space, her teeth chattering.This is who you are –you are“No,” she screamed so hard and so loud her throat seized up, and she dissolved into coughing spasms. The living heat squirmed its way through her chest, up her throat, filling her nose. She clawed at her throat and face. Dizzy, so dizzy. Don’t faint, don’t faint. She slipped and fell backwards into the tub. She had one more moment to think, don’t hit your head, and then all was black.
Excerpt 7
“Friends. Welcome!” Calisto’s voice boomed. He stood on top of a large, flat boulder that jutted out from the mountain side. People whistled and clapped.“We have the honor of some special guests tonight. The Travelers have agreed to lead us in song.” The crowd howled their approval as Calisto turned and held out his arms. “Guided, my friend.” A beefy guy with a bushy beard and long hair stepped up, gripping Calisto in a warm embrace and kissing his face as they slapped each other on the back. So this was Guided—the leader of the Travelers, the ashram healer tribe. Most healers still lived in small tribes on the trail system that crisscrossed North and South America. Guided lifted his hands to the cheering mob, and they rewarded him with an outburst of rapid drums and hoots. A flute lilted over the noise, somehow penetrating it, and all went wild. Another man in bulky hiking boots, and a wooden flute to his lips, joined Guided as Calisto melted into the darkness. He lifted the flute over his head while the crowd chanted, “Peacemaker. Peacemaker. Peacemaker.”“Om Namah Shivaya,” Guided shouted. The crowd shouted it right back, while the drummers fumbled around. The people called kirtan until the drummers organized themselves into something a little funkier. Finger cymbals jingled and rattles rustled; their fearless leader, Guided, bobbed and dipped. He looked over his shoulder and nodded at Peacemaker, who brought the flute back to his lips. When Guided swung around to the crowd, his face crinkled into a pirate’s smile as he rapped:“I dedicate this rhyme to the Goddess of Power, The Daughter of the Mountains, she’s the source of all life.The Destroyer of Fear, Shiva’s devoted wife.She’s the bringer of Shakti and breath by the hour,Parvati’s love makes all the demons cower.”The crowd went ballistic, and Loti howled right along with them. Wolf’s chuckle in her ear was like warm honey in her belly and it burbled into her weary chest. A grateful smile lifted her cheeks. It felt so good and natural she touched her face to make sure it was real. When she moved her arms, Wolf’s hands slid to her hips. The fire roared to life as several bare-chested men tossed logs into its heart, and Loti turned away into Wolf’s arms. He felt like shelter, and she sucked in air, light headed and over-heated.Wolf held the base of her skull with one hand while his other arm circled her back. With her hands on his chest, it was so easy to surrender. Resting his cheek on the crown of her head, he closed his eyes, and they were one warm, drowsy body, high on the rhythm. The beat slowed and so did they. Loti’s awareness floated from the smell of wood smoke and peppermint on Wolf’s shirt to the cold, metal zipper on her cheek. His thigh tucked between hers while her soft belly pressed to his hard muscle, and their chests crushed together. His cheek slipped down her face, and his parted lips skimmed over hers with no direction or purpose other than to feel.The sensations blurred—moist breath, skin-on-skin, no aggression, a moan. Something thick slid up from the base of her spine and weaved itself through all the small spaces, to the exact place where Wolf’s hand held her head. The music changed again and again, but she barely noticed as the drumbeat and his body cocooned her in warm half-consciousness. The music rattled to an end, and there was a long shuffling pause, wood crackling and the fire whistled. As if waking from a trance, she blinked sticky eyes and swallowed. Wolf loosened his grip, and she slid numb hands around him. Blood rushed back into her hands in biting tingles as soft, pulsing waves rose in her tailbone, crested in her chest, and crashed in her head. “What is this?” she whispered.“I don’t know,” Wolf murmured. She lifted her head at the roughness of his voice, and he pressed a kiss to her eyelid, then stepped away, one hand sliding down her arm. He never lost contact as he slipped his hand into hers. “It’s time,” a female voice said. Wolf’s eyes shifted to look over Loti’s shoulder and they hardened. She spun around to Fiamette, whose face was lost in the contrast of black hair outlined in orange flame. Fiamette turned to look at the fire with anxious lines framing her mouth – suddenly, she looked vulnerable. Uncertain, Loti looked to Wolf who seemed to be at a loss with the woman, as well. “Calisto’s waiting by the stage,” Fiamette said to the fire, then hurried off, morphing into a black shadow against the flames.
Melissa Lummis considers herself a truth seeker, a peaceful warrior, a paranormal and fantasy writer, an avid reader, a thru-hiker GA->ME ’98, a wife, a mother, and a free thinker. She believes the universe conspires to help an adventurer. And if we live our lives as if it is a daring adventure (and it is!), then everything we need will find its way to us.The author lives in rural Virginia with her husband, two children, an Alaskan Malamute and a myriad of forest creatures. The nature of her mind dictates that she write to stay sane. Otherwise, her fertile imagination takes off on tangents of its own accord, creating scenarios and worlds that confuse the space-time continuum. Namaste, dear friends.Facebook || Twitter || Blog
Hosted by [image error]
April 8, 2013
Dangerous Release Day Blitz @SuzannahDaniels
Title: DANGEROUS
Author: Suzannah Daniels
Release Day: April 9th, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemprary Romance
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] Stone Hamilton had never known fear...until the accident. Since then, his life has spiraled out of control. He's been kicked out of private school, deemed a disappointment by his father, and forced to endure his own guilt, anger, and grief. The last thing he wants is a relationship with someone who will have expectations of him. But once he's enticed by the shimmering-pink lips of the oh-so-popular, academically-excelling, straitlaced hottie from his new school, he knows he's in trouble.
Seventeen-year-old Dara Golding has one goal for the summer: make enough money to buy a car, so that she can drive to school her senior year. After starting a new job, she realizes that she'll be working with the brooding, motorcycle-riding, bad boy who started attending Quail Mountain High last year. With his less than stellar reputation, he's everything she's afraid of...and that makes him dangerous.
Their undeniable attraction has Stone struggling with his inner demons. As Dara slowly allows Stone to claim her heart, a little white lie to cover an ugly truth could determine whether she's his savior or the final straw that will break his sanity.
Buy:Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords
Excerpt:
Stone
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered frantically. “Are you okay?”
I rubbed the side of my temple, trying to determine the answer to her question. I felt a lump rising, and I closed my eyes for just a moment and breathed deeply.
“Let me see,” she said.
I held my palm up toward her. “I’m fine.” I dropped my palm to my knee, not yet rising from my stooped position.
Before I knew what she was doing, her fingers were in my hair, her gentle touch skimming over the spot where our heads bumped. She was so close that I could smell the delicate fragrance on her skin, and I found myself enticed by her.
“Oh, my gosh!” she exclaimed. “A knot. Great. My first day of work, and I’ve already given someone a concussion.”
I laughed, but I didn’t move. I didn’t know why I found her comment so amusing or why I didn’t want her to move her hands. Slowly, I rose, catching her slender wrists in my grasp. “I’m fine,” I said, feeling the pulse in her wrist quicken against my fingertips. Her brilliant green eyes widened, and her full, shimmering-pink lips parted in surprise. “What about you?” I asked.
I wasn’t sure if she heard my question. She stared at me in shock as if she had just been caught making out behind the bleachers by the principal.
“Dara?” I asked, starting to wonder if she was the one with the concussion.
“I’m…fine,” she said breathlessly.
I’d been around enough girls to know when I had an effect on them. And she was definitely affected.
Dara wasn’t the type of female I usually hung out with, but it was nice to know I had the same effect on the goody-two-shoes that I did on the bad girls.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, glancing at the caller’s name. Speaking of bad girls, Jessie was calling.
Dara
I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. If I hadn’t still been freezing from the cold rain that soaked my hair and clothes, sweat would’ve been trickling down my temples. The warmth from his hands was like heaven against my icy skin, but his close proximity was dangerous to my hammering heart. In fact, if I had to describe Stone Hamilton in one word, it would be dangerous.
Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember. She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles. When she wasn't pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.
She is the author of Viking's Embrace, a historical romance, Ghostly Encounter, Book One of her Ghostly series (young adult paranormal romance), and Dangerous, a young adult contemporary romance.
Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and her teenage daughter. Her son lives nearby. The family pets include a Lab mix, a Basset Hound, a Shih Tzu, and a sweet, little kitty.
Website || Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest || Goodreads
GIVEAWAYa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hosted by [image error]
Author: Suzannah Daniels
Release Day: April 9th, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemprary Romance
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] Stone Hamilton had never known fear...until the accident. Since then, his life has spiraled out of control. He's been kicked out of private school, deemed a disappointment by his father, and forced to endure his own guilt, anger, and grief. The last thing he wants is a relationship with someone who will have expectations of him. But once he's enticed by the shimmering-pink lips of the oh-so-popular, academically-excelling, straitlaced hottie from his new school, he knows he's in trouble.
Seventeen-year-old Dara Golding has one goal for the summer: make enough money to buy a car, so that she can drive to school her senior year. After starting a new job, she realizes that she'll be working with the brooding, motorcycle-riding, bad boy who started attending Quail Mountain High last year. With his less than stellar reputation, he's everything she's afraid of...and that makes him dangerous.
Their undeniable attraction has Stone struggling with his inner demons. As Dara slowly allows Stone to claim her heart, a little white lie to cover an ugly truth could determine whether she's his savior or the final straw that will break his sanity.
Buy:Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords
Excerpt:
Stone
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered frantically. “Are you okay?”
I rubbed the side of my temple, trying to determine the answer to her question. I felt a lump rising, and I closed my eyes for just a moment and breathed deeply.
“Let me see,” she said.
I held my palm up toward her. “I’m fine.” I dropped my palm to my knee, not yet rising from my stooped position.
Before I knew what she was doing, her fingers were in my hair, her gentle touch skimming over the spot where our heads bumped. She was so close that I could smell the delicate fragrance on her skin, and I found myself enticed by her.
“Oh, my gosh!” she exclaimed. “A knot. Great. My first day of work, and I’ve already given someone a concussion.”
I laughed, but I didn’t move. I didn’t know why I found her comment so amusing or why I didn’t want her to move her hands. Slowly, I rose, catching her slender wrists in my grasp. “I’m fine,” I said, feeling the pulse in her wrist quicken against my fingertips. Her brilliant green eyes widened, and her full, shimmering-pink lips parted in surprise. “What about you?” I asked.
I wasn’t sure if she heard my question. She stared at me in shock as if she had just been caught making out behind the bleachers by the principal.
“Dara?” I asked, starting to wonder if she was the one with the concussion.
“I’m…fine,” she said breathlessly.
I’d been around enough girls to know when I had an effect on them. And she was definitely affected.
Dara wasn’t the type of female I usually hung out with, but it was nice to know I had the same effect on the goody-two-shoes that I did on the bad girls.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, glancing at the caller’s name. Speaking of bad girls, Jessie was calling.
Dara
I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. If I hadn’t still been freezing from the cold rain that soaked my hair and clothes, sweat would’ve been trickling down my temples. The warmth from his hands was like heaven against my icy skin, but his close proximity was dangerous to my hammering heart. In fact, if I had to describe Stone Hamilton in one word, it would be dangerous.
Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember. She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles. When she wasn't pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.She is the author of Viking's Embrace, a historical romance, Ghostly Encounter, Book One of her Ghostly series (young adult paranormal romance), and Dangerous, a young adult contemporary romance.
Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and her teenage daughter. Her son lives nearby. The family pets include a Lab mix, a Basset Hound, a Shih Tzu, and a sweet, little kitty.
Website || Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest || Goodreads
GIVEAWAYa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hosted by [image error]
April 7, 2013
Seven Sisters Moon Book Blitz @DVonThaer
Title: Seven Sisters MoonAuthor: D. VonThaerGenre: Fantasy Fiction, Adult 16+Blitz Host:
Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] Julius Caesar wrote of the Celts: The Celts were fearless warriors because they wish to inculcate this as one of their leading tenets, that souls do not become extinct, but pass after death from one body to another. Seven Sisters. The infamous collection of stars align with the full moon on Halloween, alighting the sky for a destiny that s waited centuries. Dru, a gifted, but tormented witch living alone on the coast of Ireland wakes to find Ty, her long-time love, mysteriously disappeared. In Paris, Katerina, an oppressed but talented dancer bravely takes the stage in one final performance before escaping a life of tyranny, looking for a freedom she d only known in dreams. Aodh, The Dagda, a man made of ancient legends, has slumbered for two millennia. Tonight, when the moon is full and the stars are aligned, he rises from his temporary grave to find the world is not as he remembers. His people, his family, his tribe have vanquished, along with the majority of his considerable power. Chance takes him to Dru, and together they set out to find the key to reopening his world, whilst forming a bond of friendship neither has ever previously known. During their search, Dru learns Ty was no mortal man, but a god with a prophecy to fulfill. Ty died before fulfilling that prophecy, setting off a chain of events that would forever alter the future. Devastated, Dru abandons Aodh and the life that should have already been hers, and finds herself in the company of the worst sort. She begins a sordid affair with Kas, a daemon whose insatiable lust for power is only outdone by his lust for Dru. Separated from the only friend he knows, Aodh is left to search the world alone for answers. He meets the beautiful dancer, Katerina, and is instantly smitten. He stays near her, pretending to be mortal, gaining her friendship. On Katerina s birthday, just as Aodh is ready to concede to a life of mortality, Katerina is ripped from him by Kas. Aodh's ideas on remaining mortal are no more; he has to unlock the secrets to his world that will open a trove of unimaginable power to save the two women he loves, before time is no longer in his favour, and he loses everything.
Dayna Ranelle was born late July, 1976 in Ohio. A born and bred writing gypsy and veritable vagabond, she called cities like Pittsburgh, Boston, Washington D.C. and London home before sinking her feet into southern soil. Dayna now lives in Dallas with her husband and three children.
A prolific writer, she has nearly twenty unfinished manuscripts collecting dust. One-by-one she is dusting them off and adding a coat or two of polish for publication.
The first novels to come out of the fold are: Tuatha and the Seven Sisters Moon, Serpentine Souls and Niles.
Blog || Amazon || Facebook || Twitter || Goodreads
Hosted by [image error]
[image error] Julius Caesar wrote of the Celts: The Celts were fearless warriors because they wish to inculcate this as one of their leading tenets, that souls do not become extinct, but pass after death from one body to another. Seven Sisters. The infamous collection of stars align with the full moon on Halloween, alighting the sky for a destiny that s waited centuries. Dru, a gifted, but tormented witch living alone on the coast of Ireland wakes to find Ty, her long-time love, mysteriously disappeared. In Paris, Katerina, an oppressed but talented dancer bravely takes the stage in one final performance before escaping a life of tyranny, looking for a freedom she d only known in dreams. Aodh, The Dagda, a man made of ancient legends, has slumbered for two millennia. Tonight, when the moon is full and the stars are aligned, he rises from his temporary grave to find the world is not as he remembers. His people, his family, his tribe have vanquished, along with the majority of his considerable power. Chance takes him to Dru, and together they set out to find the key to reopening his world, whilst forming a bond of friendship neither has ever previously known. During their search, Dru learns Ty was no mortal man, but a god with a prophecy to fulfill. Ty died before fulfilling that prophecy, setting off a chain of events that would forever alter the future. Devastated, Dru abandons Aodh and the life that should have already been hers, and finds herself in the company of the worst sort. She begins a sordid affair with Kas, a daemon whose insatiable lust for power is only outdone by his lust for Dru. Separated from the only friend he knows, Aodh is left to search the world alone for answers. He meets the beautiful dancer, Katerina, and is instantly smitten. He stays near her, pretending to be mortal, gaining her friendship. On Katerina s birthday, just as Aodh is ready to concede to a life of mortality, Katerina is ripped from him by Kas. Aodh's ideas on remaining mortal are no more; he has to unlock the secrets to his world that will open a trove of unimaginable power to save the two women he loves, before time is no longer in his favour, and he loses everything.
Dayna Ranelle was born late July, 1976 in Ohio. A born and bred writing gypsy and veritable vagabond, she called cities like Pittsburgh, Boston, Washington D.C. and London home before sinking her feet into southern soil. Dayna now lives in Dallas with her husband and three children.
A prolific writer, she has nearly twenty unfinished manuscripts collecting dust. One-by-one she is dusting them off and adding a coat or two of polish for publication.
The first novels to come out of the fold are: Tuatha and the Seven Sisters Moon, Serpentine Souls and Niles.
Blog || Amazon || Facebook || Twitter || Goodreads
Hosted by [image error]
Caged Heat Release Day Blitz
Title: Caged Heat (Black Meadow Pack 2)Author: Milly TaidenGenre: EroticCover Reveal Host:
Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] After five years travelling through third world countries to teach impoverished children, Samira Suarez has returned home to Black Meadows. What Sam didn’t expect was to be instantly overwhelmed by the desire to be with the one man she’s wanted since she was a teen, Riel Karven.Riel has been patiently waiting for Sam’s return. For five long years he’s backed off and watched her come and go. This is it. His mate is back, and he’s taking a stand.Sam’s need for Ry grows to unimaginable proportions. It’s almost as if she were in heat. But she’s a human…isn’t she?There’s more at stake than Sam and Ry’s future relationship when she inherits her grandmother’s estate. One of her many relatives wants her out of the way.It’s going to take all of Ry’s determination and help from his friends to keep her alive. And it’s going to take delving into her past to find out why a human is going into mating heat.
Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee.A bookworm when she can get her hands on a good story, she loves reading all Mina Carter, Cynthia Eden, and Dianne Duvall among others.Website || Email || Facebook
Hosted by [image error]
[image error] After five years travelling through third world countries to teach impoverished children, Samira Suarez has returned home to Black Meadows. What Sam didn’t expect was to be instantly overwhelmed by the desire to be with the one man she’s wanted since she was a teen, Riel Karven.Riel has been patiently waiting for Sam’s return. For five long years he’s backed off and watched her come and go. This is it. His mate is back, and he’s taking a stand.Sam’s need for Ry grows to unimaginable proportions. It’s almost as if she were in heat. But she’s a human…isn’t she?There’s more at stake than Sam and Ry’s future relationship when she inherits her grandmother’s estate. One of her many relatives wants her out of the way.It’s going to take all of Ry’s determination and help from his friends to keep her alive. And it’s going to take delving into her past to find out why a human is going into mating heat.
Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee.A bookworm when she can get her hands on a good story, she loves reading all Mina Carter, Cynthia Eden, and Dianne Duvall among others.Website || Email || Facebook Hosted by [image error]
April 4, 2013
Closure Review Blitz @kimcarmichael4
[image error]
Title: Closure
Author: Kim Carmichael
Genre: Romance, Erotic Romance, Erotica
Publisher: Hot Ink Press
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
MY REVIEW: 5***** SIZZLING!!!
The cover to Kim Carmichael's Closure gives you a pretty good idea just about how hot this book is going to be, but it's really just a tease. I spent over ninety percent of my reading time sweating. Yea, it's definitely safe to say this book will "exercise" your mind (wink wink).
Closure is more than just hot, steamy, amazing sex that blows your mind. No, ironically there's only one actual full blown sex scene. But really, there's more than just that. There's actually a story here. A love story that dates back to high school for the two main characters, except one of them doesn't know it.
I have to say, it's been a REALLY long time since I've read an erotic story that actually had substance. Closure didn't just satisfy, it impressed and went far beyond expectations. I've never felt so connected to the characters, shared so intensely in their thoughts and feelings. Oh, I've definitely felt a connection with characters before, but this was something palpable; something that danced on my taste buds before slithering down my throat and tangling its slimy fingers around my heart. Yea, I'm definitely reading this one again.
Sweet and sexy, naughty with a thick slathering of nice. Oh, so very nice! Closure will keep you entertained for hours, and give you a few thoughts to take to your someone special. Don't miss out on this awesome read!
And a few more juicy details...
[image error]
There's always the one…
He's one person throughout life you think about every so often, the one who leaves his unique indelible mark on you, the person with whom you need closure. For Margaret Collins that person was Mike Taylor.
After he broke her heart seventeen years ago, she left everything she knew and reinvented herself. With a new home, a new look and a new name, Riley Williams is now an up and coming journalist given the assignment to interview a Mike Taylor. She never suspected he would be her Mike Taylor.
With Mike having no hint of Riley's true identity, she must decide if she will make him pay for sins he doesn't remember committing, or if she can wipe away the past and be with the one man who she has always wanted?
Can she finally have closure?
Excerpt
"Are you worried I'm going to get something wrong?" Without him knowing, they slipped back into their old banter. She reached into her bag, found a pad and pen and held them up. "Do you feel better now?"
"Yes, different." He pressed his back against the chair. "A challenge." His smile let the tooth peek out, while seventeen years caused the little wrinkle at corner of his eye to appear. "You know, I have some meetings here the rest of this week."
"Should I be writing this down?" She clicked the pen twice, trying to stop herself from reading more into this.
"Not unless you're writing down your address so I know where to pick you up for dinner tomorrow night."
Everything stopped. Even if only in her mind, for that second the world froze. The constant clink of dishes ceased, the bustling wait staff stood motionless.
Back in the school hallway when he had invited her out, he used a similar assumptive close. He turned to her and asked what time he should get her Friday night.
Though the years had diminished the pain, to this day every now and again, she wondered what would have happened if took her out rather than succumbing to the pressure of his friends and parents. She'd been nothing but a project when she wanted to be a girl.
Here together, they repeated history, but not in his eyes. She couldn't blame him for not knowing her. She'd changed her name, changed her looks, but never managed to change her heart.
She always wondered.
Maybe she always wished.
Was she handed another chance to get her heart ripped to shreds, or had she just received the ultimate do-over?
"Excuse me for a moment." She pushed her chair back and walked away.
Though the years had diminished the pain, to this day every now and again, she wondered what would have happened if took her out rather than succumbing to the pressure of his friends and parents. She'd been nothing but a project when she wanted to be a girl.
Here together, they repeated history, but not in his eyes. She couldn't blame him for not knowing her. She'd changed her name, changed her looks, but never managed to change her heart.
She always wondered.
Maybe she always wished.
Was she handed another chance to get her heart ripped to shreds, or had she just received the ultimate do-over?
"Excuse me for a moment." She pushed her chair back and walked away.
Kim Carmichael began writing eight years ago when her need for graphic sex scenes and love of happy endings inspired her to create her own. She has a weakness for bad boys and techno geeks, and married her own computer whiz after he proved he could keep her all her gadgets running. When not writing, she can usually be found slathered in sunscreen trolling Los Angeles and helping top doctors build their practices.
Website || Amazon || Facebook || Twitter
Hosted by [image error]
Author: Kim Carmichael
Genre: Romance, Erotic Romance, Erotica
Publisher: Hot Ink Press
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
MY REVIEW: 5***** SIZZLING!!!
The cover to Kim Carmichael's Closure gives you a pretty good idea just about how hot this book is going to be, but it's really just a tease. I spent over ninety percent of my reading time sweating. Yea, it's definitely safe to say this book will "exercise" your mind (wink wink).
Closure is more than just hot, steamy, amazing sex that blows your mind. No, ironically there's only one actual full blown sex scene. But really, there's more than just that. There's actually a story here. A love story that dates back to high school for the two main characters, except one of them doesn't know it.
I have to say, it's been a REALLY long time since I've read an erotic story that actually had substance. Closure didn't just satisfy, it impressed and went far beyond expectations. I've never felt so connected to the characters, shared so intensely in their thoughts and feelings. Oh, I've definitely felt a connection with characters before, but this was something palpable; something that danced on my taste buds before slithering down my throat and tangling its slimy fingers around my heart. Yea, I'm definitely reading this one again.
Sweet and sexy, naughty with a thick slathering of nice. Oh, so very nice! Closure will keep you entertained for hours, and give you a few thoughts to take to your someone special. Don't miss out on this awesome read!
And a few more juicy details...
[image error]
There's always the one…
He's one person throughout life you think about every so often, the one who leaves his unique indelible mark on you, the person with whom you need closure. For Margaret Collins that person was Mike Taylor.
After he broke her heart seventeen years ago, she left everything she knew and reinvented herself. With a new home, a new look and a new name, Riley Williams is now an up and coming journalist given the assignment to interview a Mike Taylor. She never suspected he would be her Mike Taylor.
With Mike having no hint of Riley's true identity, she must decide if she will make him pay for sins he doesn't remember committing, or if she can wipe away the past and be with the one man who she has always wanted?
Can she finally have closure?
Excerpt
"Are you worried I'm going to get something wrong?" Without him knowing, they slipped back into their old banter. She reached into her bag, found a pad and pen and held them up. "Do you feel better now?"
"Yes, different." He pressed his back against the chair. "A challenge." His smile let the tooth peek out, while seventeen years caused the little wrinkle at corner of his eye to appear. "You know, I have some meetings here the rest of this week."
"Should I be writing this down?" She clicked the pen twice, trying to stop herself from reading more into this.
"Not unless you're writing down your address so I know where to pick you up for dinner tomorrow night."
Everything stopped. Even if only in her mind, for that second the world froze. The constant clink of dishes ceased, the bustling wait staff stood motionless.
Back in the school hallway when he had invited her out, he used a similar assumptive close. He turned to her and asked what time he should get her Friday night.
Though the years had diminished the pain, to this day every now and again, she wondered what would have happened if took her out rather than succumbing to the pressure of his friends and parents. She'd been nothing but a project when she wanted to be a girl.
Here together, they repeated history, but not in his eyes. She couldn't blame him for not knowing her. She'd changed her name, changed her looks, but never managed to change her heart.
She always wondered.
Maybe she always wished.
Was she handed another chance to get her heart ripped to shreds, or had she just received the ultimate do-over?
"Excuse me for a moment." She pushed her chair back and walked away.
Though the years had diminished the pain, to this day every now and again, she wondered what would have happened if took her out rather than succumbing to the pressure of his friends and parents. She'd been nothing but a project when she wanted to be a girl.
Here together, they repeated history, but not in his eyes. She couldn't blame him for not knowing her. She'd changed her name, changed her looks, but never managed to change her heart.
She always wondered.
Maybe she always wished.
Was she handed another chance to get her heart ripped to shreds, or had she just received the ultimate do-over?
"Excuse me for a moment." She pushed her chair back and walked away.
Kim Carmichael began writing eight years ago when her need for graphic sex scenes and love of happy endings inspired her to create her own. She has a weakness for bad boys and techno geeks, and married her own computer whiz after he proved he could keep her all her gadgets running. When not writing, she can usually be found slathered in sunscreen trolling Los Angeles and helping top doctors build their practices.Website || Amazon || Facebook || Twitter
Hosted by [image error]
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kHRoG5v3pEw/UWI7MjBuS5I/AAAAAAAABg4/EQPfJNmTzyw/s1600/QoJlarge.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oX54JagSI8U/UWbbe2KVGxI/AAAAAAAABh0/Jm6S447gGW8/s1600/Avant%27s+Sword+Charm.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-08ckVJdyTjE/UWbbfG8zp2I/AAAAAAAABh8/YUKaUVby9BA/s1600/Charm+Bracelet.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-juq1LlsVhJU/UWF-yQtxryI/AAAAAAAABgU/ZibzuCYhGwI/s1600/StarCursedbyAshleyLavering.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6TwuTf72M6E/UWGCvQr5G7I/AAAAAAAABgg/U0oSXt3DYjo/s1600/13479898.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TsorFOkD5sU/UWF-vRA4JvI/AAAAAAAABgE/8hipAaVL9qM/s1600/blogtourgiveawaypic.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AblAO_ES5is/UWgoooxA7MI/AAAAAAAABiM/YJqXvJ39N8M/s1600/MT_Wolf+Protector1.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--v-szrpb-W8/UWgoxk7e1SI/AAAAAAAABic/EHBziAMJGFM/s1600/EV+Character+Profile.png){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6yquQoDmh2E/UWgoxzJUTmI/AAAAAAAABig/x_5E7Hd44Ag/s1600/TB+Character+Profile.png){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kouA0K9QH8U/UWgoyI0hflI/AAAAAAAABio/7CXu8Da03YI/s1600/milly+taiden.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CnfWfNohCcQ/UWF8HJPKljI/AAAAAAAABf4/WpDO8jTVpEY/s1600/NG+1-2.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UZXu3r_ywrI/UUpEUNwdsrI/AAAAAAAABaM/iQCpzH2IQ4w/s1600/EnlightenedCoverTagged.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWb3WHikH0o/UVufedah9bI/AAAAAAAABfY/epMOs0iG3sg/s1600/Dangerous+BN.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YT5NI56AN-E/UWF45-X_jbI/AAAAAAAABfw/VHtLn5zSo9Q/s1600/862126_399234336841202_2015469696_n.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vuPaIyC5u38/UVsNnNL5YDI/AAAAAAAABes/bVuIFDHPfn8/s1600/1364400173005.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h7UoYmDAIOE/UU1da4pL_6I/AAAAAAAABbE/rbyruJ0QGaE/s1600/updatedbanner4.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRokMuV1qSc/UU1dUA3qkeI/AAAAAAAABa8/Jfs8eGZHtKQ/s1600/17411144.jpg){kind=link}