Karen Swart's Blog, page 12

New Release: One With the Night by Susan Squires @susansquires

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – One With the Night SERIES – The Companion Series AUTHOR – Susan Squires GENRE – Regency Vampire Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – August 11, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - PUBLISHER – Independent COVER ARTIST – Rebecca Poole, Dreams2Media   BOOK SYNOPSIS Far from the glittering lights and shallow bustle of 1822 London lies another world—a realm of shadows and secrets, where desire holds dominion and passion know no limits… ONE DESIRE Jane Blundell’s keen intellect and wit have always set her apart from her marriage-minded peers. But such differences are nothing compared to the change that comes upon her when she is infected by a blood sample in her father’s laboratory. Suddenly her veins resonate with a terrifying, exhilarating power. Dr. Blundell takes Jane to the Scottish highlands to research a cure, where she collides with the only man who can understand her hunger—and slake her unending desire… ONE DESTINY Callan Kilkenny has returned to England from Marrakech, still filled with self-loathing at the deeds he committed in the name of a beautiful, depraved vampire. Now that he has tracked down Dr. Blundell in hopes of a cure, he has also found a kindred spirit in Jane. Her passion and her blood call to Callan, fueling a carnal need that shocks them both with its intensity. But others have come in search of the cure too…for reasons that are deadly. And to save Jane and the rest of their kind, Callan must risk everything—even his last chance at redemption… ONE WITH THE NIGHT “When it comes to combining extreme sensuality with dangerous drama, no one does it better than Squires.” --Romantic Times BOOKreviews BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE - AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK – AMAZON PAPERBACK SMASHWORDS One With the Night - iTUNES One With the Night EXCERPT

There was no denying her. She ran her long-nailed fingers through his hair as he sat, naked, beside the chaise on which she lay draped. His hair was as dark as hers. But her eyes were almost black, while his were light gray-green, his skin fair against her golden glow. She had chosen him for his coloring. How long would he pay for the sins of some French and English crusaders long dead? Until he died. He had prayed for death so often. Blood oozed from various cuts and punctures in his body, but she was careful not to kill him.

Heat poured from a dozen braziers and a low fire in the center of her tent. She liked heat. His skin was damp with sweat. He fixed his gaze on the intricate carpet, trying to avoid what would come. But she willed him to raise his gaze. For the thousandth time he struggled. He clenched his fists and grunted, panting.

Her laughter tinkled over him like shards of broken glass. “You know you cannot win out, English.” He wasn’t English. She twisted his head up by his hair and showered compulsion over him. The need to obey her surged through him. His gaze jerked to her face.

Her eyes glowed with more than firelight as she chuckled. How could laughter frighten him so? His chest heaved from the effort to resist her. The fine skin between her breasts gleamed with perspiration. Her nipples peaked under the diaphanous fabric of her burgundy gown. He found his own desire rising, whether he would or no.

His stomach clenched in despair as he lifted his chin to bare his throat to her. She would use him to slake several thirsts tonight. She was always thirsty.

She bent to his throat. He shuddered at the familiar twin pains just under his jaw. She stroked his nipple as she sucked at his neck and then slid down onto the rug beside him so she could grasp his swollen member.

“You still resist me," she whispered inside his mind. “How can I make you truly mine?” She rocked against him, her breasts pressed to his chest. He moaned, partly with desire, partly in dread. He didn’t want to know the answer to that question.

  AUTHOR BIO Susan Squires is a New York Times bestselling author known for breaking the rules of romance writing. Whatever her time period, or subject, some element of the paranormal always creeps in. She has won multiple contests for published novels and reviewer's choice awards. Publisher's Weekly named Body Electric one of the year’s most influential mass market books and One with the Shadows, the fifth in her vampire Companion Series, a Best book of the Year. Time for Eternity, the first in the DaVinci time travel series, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach in Southern California with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and three very active Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboarddddddddddddddddddddddd. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK TWITTER – GOODREADS – MAILING LIST This Cover Reveal has been organized by

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Heartbound by P.I. Alltraine @pialltraine

 

 

 

Heartbound

P.I. Alltraine

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Date of Publication: August 5, 2015

Number of pages: 295

Word Count: 65,000

Book Description:

Petyr has never found it necessary to consider the humans as anything more than distant, inferior beings–until now. They are the cause of the fatal disease that has plagued his realm, taking the lives of too many of his kind.

As a future leader of a realm in peril, Petyr must find a way to resist and cure the affliction. He must enter the unfamiliar realm, appear to be an ordinary eighteen-year-old human, observe and learn.

However, things don't exactly go according to plan. Instead of embarking single-mindedly on his sober mission, Petyr meets an 18-year-old girl who does things to his emotions that he can't quite fathom or control. Petyr is falling in love, and he almost forgets the gravity his choices have on his entire world. Despite the risk it poses to his life and hers, he wants to know her, and he wants her to know him–and his world.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/g5mii9Q1TZM

Available at Amazon UK Amazon US

 

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

This is a funny one. Even though I always enjoyed writing, I never felt worthy enough to call myself a writer. When I was writing ‘Heartbound,’ there were times when I didn’t agree with my characters’ actions, but I couldn’t change it because it wasn’t my decision anymore. That’s when I realised what being a writer truly means. Everyone can write a story, but to create a world with a life of its own, I think that takes a writer.

How long have you been writing?

When I was younger and they asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never said writer. Though I didn’t set out to be an author, writing has always been something I’ve done naturally, something I always knew I could do. When I was at school, some of my friends could sing, some could draw… I could write. I was the editor in chief of the school paper so I edited and wrote news articles, I wrote many of the school plays I performed in, I entered poetry writing competitions and performed spoken word poetry, I wrote the speeches I delivered in oratorical competitions, declamation, debates, etc. At the time, I thought I was doing so many different things, but looking back, everything I chose to do involved writing.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

It was very quick process for me. First, I did some research on credible agents and publishers that would be interested in my genre. I randomly picked one from the list, just to see how the process worked and what a rejection letter looked like. Two weeks later, I got a request for the full manuscript, and two weeks after that I was offered a contract. I had a difficult decision to make because I hadn’t really tried anything else at that point. From what I heard, querying agents could take months for a reply (even a rejection reply), and even if someone took me on, there was no guarantee they could sell it to a publisher—and I already had a publisher interested. It made sense to seize the opportunity.

Who is your publisher?

‘Heartbound’ is published by Soul Mate Publishing, New York. I have to say that I made the right choice signing with them. The whole team—from the editors, the cover artists, the authors—have been so accommodating and supportive. I’ve learned so much from Debby, the chief editor. Most importantly, because SMP is not a big corporate publishing machine, I feel like I’ve had a voice in the whole process.

Your favorite Author is?

This is always the most difficult question to answer because there’s just too many! If I have to choose though, it’s got to be John Milton and Virginia Woolf and James Joyce and Chinua Achebe and… (it’s impossible to pick just one). I love writers that make me feel something I can’t explain or change my perspective. When I read anything by Virginia Woolf, for example, be it an essay or a novel, I feel baffled and enlightened all at once. John Milton is another writer who changed my perspective and how I approached literature as a writer. I was raised Roman Catholic, so seeing the sublimity and the epic heroism in a figure that I grew up believing as a one dimensional villain was very enlightening. It’s empowering to see how Milton took something a lot of people considered a sacred and manipulated it with such grace, such skill.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

It’s fantasy, so it’s littered with elements that are out of this world (literally). But at its core, it’s about questioning and finding one’s own identity, trying to find a resolution between who you’re meant to be and who you want to be. It’s about finding the bravery and courage to go against the tides and refuse to conform.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

I’m an English Teacher in London. I chose the profession for two reasons. First, reading and talking about books are significant parts of the job. The second reason is I thought it would give me enough free time to write. It turns out, even when lessons finish at 3:05 and there’s half-term break every 6-8 weeks, there’s NO free time. Teaching is one of the most (physically, mentally, emotionally) demanding jobs. You can never clock out or say you have nothing else to do for the day. However, seeing the students grow, develop skills, and learn from you is priceless.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

‘Heartbound’ took about three years to complete, then I left it alone for about a year before I edited it. I had no deadlines, so I just wrote whenever I was inspired. There were times when I wouldn’t write for months, other times I would write every day for a couple of weeks.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m working on three novels at the moment. One of them is the second book in the Heart Series (sequel to ‘Heartbound’). The other two came to me at the same time, and I just couldn’t choose between them. I’m also working on some Poetry (Spoken Word). I’m building a collection that will hopefully be ready for publication by next year. There’s a video performance available for ‘Unmoving,’ and a few more from the collection should be up soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2q4JxaN1fw

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

In ‘Heartbound,’ my favourite character has to be Evan. He doesn’t actually appear until halfway through the book, and he’s only in a few scenes, but I think he has such impact, such presence. I loved writing him! I can’t wait to see how the readers react to him.

Your favorite food is?

This is more difficult than choosing a favourite writer! I love food, especially Filipino food.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

Heartbound: One choice has the power change the fate of two worlds.

What genre would you place your books into?

‘Heartbound’ is YA Romanic Fantasy. The two novels I’m working on at the moment are also Fantasy, but different strands. One is Epic Fantasy for adult readers, whilst the other is YA but has a more futuristic/sci-fi feel.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I read a lot of books from different genres, but I find that YA Fantasy with romantic elements are usually the once that I can’t put down. I enjoyed reading them so much that I thought I’d enjoy writing them.

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I love having the printed books to add to my library, but I haven’t bought a paperback since I owned a Kindle. Ebooks have made being a bookworm so much more convenient. No more having to decide which of the many books I’m currently reading to take with me, no need to carry a portable reading light, no need for a book holder (because cramps from holding the book open for hours are no joke), etc.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I write when my head is clear. I listen to my characters, and I hear them more when my brain is not busy thinking about work, etc. I get the bulk of my writing when I’m on holiday. Otherwise, I take advantage of the silence in the early hours of the morning.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Apart from the general role that they will play in the narrative, I know very little about my characters before I start writing them. I definitely discover more about them as I go along. There are times when I don’t agree with my characters’ actions, or I don’t always know what they’re going to do until I’m literally typing the scene. An example is the scene with Dru in the Forest. There’s a point when he walks up to a tree and reaches out. It’s a mad experience because whilst I was typing the scene, I was thinking, ‘what are you doing Dru?’ I definitely didn’t expect what happened next. Writing ‘Heartbound’ made me realise that everyone can write a story, but to create a world with a life of its own, I think that takes a writer.

 

 

 

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P.I. Alltraine is an award winning poet and author. She has won several international poetry competitions, and her poems have been published in separate anthologies.

She teaches English Language and Literature in London. She earned her degree in BA English from Queen Mary University of London, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and Master’s in Teaching at the UCL Institute of Education, University of London.

Before moving to London, she lived in the Philippines where she was ensconced in the rich culture encrusted with dark myths and enchanted tales. She draws inspiration from these in her writing. Although she has lived indifferent places and experienced different cultures, she always enjoyed the constancy of writing in her life. Her favourite authors include John Milton, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.

http://www.pialltraine.com

https://pialltraine.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/p.i.alltraine

https://www.twitter.com/pialltraine

http://www.authorsden.com/pialltraine

https://www.goodreads.com/pialltraine

https://youtu.be/m_S8fLKf7cA

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: He’s So Fine by Marie Mason @mariemasonwrite

 

 

 

He’s So Fine

Marie Mason

Genre: New Adult / College/Romantica Erotica

Publisher: Marie Mason

Date of Publication: August 4, 2015

Number of pages: 75

Word Count: 50,000

Book Description:

Underground fighter Cage Montgomery was use to making it on his own. When a man in a two-piece suit showed up during his training session, he wasn’t the least bit curious. But Frank, his mentor and the only father figure he’d ever known, ordered him to go to the Hamptons to see his long-lost father.

Cage finds much more than that…he discovers he has a step-sister that makes his body—and his heart—feel alive for the very first time in years.

Theirs was not a forbidden love…but was it a love never meant to be?

Available at Amazon

Abby looked at me through the dark veil of her lashes and I could tell she was dying to ask me why I wanted a computer. She looked damn cute this morning. Her hair fell down her back in soft waves and she had on the slightest touch of makeup. Not that she needed it. She was beautifully fresh faced. Today she wore a green and brown outfit that clung to her curves in all the right places. She kept tugging at the top, pulling it away from her breasts. The action only made me want to look even more. I knew she was self-conscious of her size. Hopefully, by the end of the summer she wouldn’t have any doubts about her attractiveness to the opposite sex. I smirked as I took another drink of my protein smoothie.

I could say with no false modesty that being fucked by Cage Montgomery usually ramped up a girl’s self-esteem.

Taking another drink, I had to say the quality and quantity of food was much better at the Montgomery summer residence than I’d had in my entire life. I felt no qualms eating my fill. It was the least the old man could to do, feed me for one summer. It wouldn’t make up for the days I’d gone to bed hungry as a child. But then, I didn’t know if anything could. Except maybe making sure no kid of mine ever did.

“You can use mine. It’s not the latest, but it will get you on the net and there’s a word processing program—”

“You don’t have to sell it to me. As long as I can get on the sites I need, I’m good.”

She walked across the room and took her backpack from the floor. I noticed that even when she went off with her posse, she took her backpack. I watched as her ass cheeks juggled and wondered if she was wearing a thong. I loved slipping my fingers beneath a woman’s clothes and filling my hand with a plump ass cheek.

When she straightened back up, she was biting her lower lip. I just stared at her, realizing she wasn’t doing it on purpose. She had no fucking idea how much that turned me on. How much I wanted to lean down and suck her full lower lip into my mouth and ravage it with my teeth.

“I, um.”

“Spit it out, Sis.”

“I don’t have an anit-virus program. So if you, ‘em—”

“So if I get on my kinky websites, I better be careful and not give you something?”

“I didn’t mean anything.”

“Don’t worry, babe, I’m clean.”

Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

 In the back of my mind, I’ve always wanted to do something connected with writing or creating something with my words. Taking a chance on “being a writer” is scary. You give up everything familiar and secure, so, a lot of people who have that urge, never really do become writers. Why do you think there’s so many movies about writing the great American novel? It’s dang awesome to do what you love, and writing is something I’ve always loved. Now, I’m almost living my dream.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

 I still don’t, at least not “publicly”. I guess I’m afraid I’ll jinx it somehow. I’m still doing 2 jobs, but I’m sure a lot of “famous” writers did that for years. Maybe in 2016 I’ll make myself a t-shirt that says: I’m a writer! Have you read one of my books?

How long did it take to get your first book published?

 It took me about two months to write my first book, A Mate of the Alpha. It took about twenty-four hours after I hit the publish button to get it up and selling on amazon.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

 Yes I have an evil clerical job. It drains me dry and makes it difficult to be creative when I come home. Anyone who has every worked in the business world knows exactly what I mean.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest book is He’s So Fine.  Bad Ass fighter meets curvy girl. That’s six words or less.

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

I self-publish. I tried the traditional publishing route a long time ago with no success. Self-publishing allows you a lot of freedom as far as what you’re writing. No word restraints, no that’s-not-a-believable-plot, or that occupations sucks. On the other hand, it’s difficult to get your foot in the door and establish a readership. There’s a lot of great indie authors out there.  Sometimes I don’t know if I want to write or read, I’ve so many new favorites of my own.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

I’m trying to write a 30,000 word book about every 45 days – including edits, etc. That’s ambitious and I’ll probably fall flat on my face. I still have my evil day job and will continue with it until I’m more comfortable with my writing ability and income I can generate. Sometimes knowing that I’m writing, and making decent money, is like a dream I’m going to wake up from any moment.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

 I’m probably going back to my paranormals. You Lucky Witch, my next book to come out is in the anthology Wicked After Dark. It is about a demon and a witch. Two types of paranormals I’ve never written about, but so far they are fun. After that, it’s back to weres – bears, wolves, you name it, I’ll probably write about it. I plan on writing series, not serials, because I love cross over characters.

What genre would you place your books into?

 I mostly write in the paranormal world. My new book, He’s So Fine, is a step away from that. It’s a contemporary bad boy, step-brother romance, written in the 1st person. Hey, if you’re going to step out of your comfort zone, you might as well go big.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

 I’ve read a couple of step-brother and biker romances and really liked them. Then, of course, the characters just kind of crept into my mind and I had to do their story, pushing my other projects back.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

 I love all my heroes and heroines. I’ve can’t pick a favorite.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

 It seems like I’ve been writing forever. I have things in my treasure box that I wrote in high school, many, many years ago. I submitted to big publishers twenty years ago and committed to trying this ‘writing thing’ again in 2012. It took me until last year to get the courage up to publish indie.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I usually grab my laptop and watch television while I’m writing, ignoring the noise around me of my family. Right now, I’m watching Mike and Molly while completing this interview. Later, I’ll ignore my husband while I work on You Lucky Witch.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

 Yes, good or bad. I think it makes you a stronger writer if you do. Did someone see something in your book that you didn’t? And how do you fix your story telling for next time? Some things are way off base, or, you sometimes you get a reviewer who really doesn’t like the genre or your writing style. You just move on from those. I wish reviewers would be kinder to us writers, emailing us when they find boo-boos so we can fix them without giving us a 2 star review, or less. I know it’s no excuse, but, remember most of us are a one man writing team and finding professional editors is not easy. I’m still looking for one I feel has the ability to actually edit and who I can build a relationship with.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

 The titles, along with the character names usually just ‘come to me’. Sometimes right off the bat, and sometimes, I just put Jake and Jane in when I’m writing and do a search and replace at the end (so if you ever see weird names in a book, that’s what’s probably happened to a lot of authors.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

 I search the internet for names for my characters. I actually have a laminated list of names I’ve discovered over the years. I don’t want a completely insanely unusual name, but I’m looking for something other than Jim or Bob or Jim Bob. My female characters usually always get a dainty or old-fashioned name. No Bambis.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

 I usually know the region of where my story will take place – mostly where wolves or bears might congregate. I get this vague sense of the person and then I name them and place them in their hometown.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along? I’m not very original when it comes to characters.

My heroes are always alpha males, strong, dominant and sexy. My heroines are always curvy – but they can be shy or quiet or tomboyish, or sexy as sin but just not know it. I write about ordinary characters who don’t realize love makes everyone extraordinary.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

There’s not necessarily a moral to my stories, more like a gentle reminder; Everyone is worthy and deserving of love.

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I really shouldn’t say this since Kindle and ebook sales are my bread and butter, but I still get a thrill out of holding a paperback book—and my house is still crammed full of them. I figure I’ll be set if the zombie apocalypse happens. I’ll have something to read or start a fire with. Oh, wait, I would never, ever burn a book.

 

 

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Marie loves anything romance. Give her a story about curvy gals and alpha males and she’s one happy person. She writes what she likes to read. All of her stories feature a big, buffed man who takes one look at the woman meant to be his and falls down on his knees. Each of her stories comes with a happily-ever-after all their own.

Amazon http://tinyurl.com/mariemasonromance

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marie.mason.395017

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Mason-Romance-Author/637597242928971

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/22998665-marie-mason

Twitter https://twitter.com/mariemasonwrite

Release Blast: Maiden Claimed by Ravyn Rayne @blushingravyn

Maiden Claimed by Ravyn Rayne

Series: Palace Secrets Book 2

Publisher: Blushing Books

Released: August 6, 2015

  It was supposed to be a simple trip to the market in Paris. Nothing for Lady Hannah is ever simple. One secret after another. The lies are mounting up. Lady Hannah has made a deal with the devil. Worse she’s falling in love with him. There’s no turning back. A steamy medieval romance filled with spankings and erotic pleasures.  

Amazon | Blushing Books

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A Character Interview with Hannah

  Do you ever feel jealous of the queen, your former mistress and friend?

She's still very much my friend. Sometimes late at night I'm jealous of the romance between Ella and Alexander, but I've come to accept my position at court. As for Ella being queen, that's a job I would never want.  

How hard is it for you to keep a secret?

Lies mounting up will get you caught. The goal is to weave a tale of truths into the secret so that you remember every detail. There are times I wish I didn't have to keep secrets, but my life and those I love depend on it. I know how to keep my mouth shut. It's not easy but I'm careful.  

You travel to Paris quite a bit. Do you like it there?

It's absolutely beautiful. There's a wealth of silk, jewels, and other fine goods at the market that I can't easily get elsewhere. 

 What about the men in Paris?

I avoid most of them as best I can. If I brought a gentleman back to the palace, Ella or Alexander would likely have my head.  

Excerpt  Waiting outside the bathhouse, a gentleman, with honey-golden hair and eyes as green as the blades of grass on a summer’s day, stops in front of me. He looks me over and smiles. His face is covered in scruff and dirt licks his skin. “I approve.” There’s an arrogance surrounding this man, and I have the urge to silence him. “You approve of what?” I ask and cross my arms defensively. My eyes narrow, unpleased. “I approve of you joining me in the bathhouse. Though I admit you look pretty clean already. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” He reaches out to touch a strand of my blonde hair and I swat his fingers away and force his arm down to his side. “You’ve lost your mind.” My grip on his wrist is forceful, showing him who’s boss. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asks, glancing down at my hand still holding his wrist. Three Questions with the author, Ravyn Rayne

  All your romance novels tend to be novella length, can you tell us why that is?

Sure! I find I prefer reading and writing shorter romance novels, especially when it comes to romantic erotica. I want my readers to enjoy the novel, the romance, and the sex without feeling boggled down by too many plot details that aren't necessary. (Have you ever read a book and thought, wow this scene was totally unnecessary?) If I want to write a subplot or have a specific direction I desire the story to go in, then I will continue the series in another book. Some of my favorite romantic erotica novels are 22k-30k words, which tend to be the length I'm writing. This also gives me the opportunity to write a lot and publish often. So readers will be able to pick up a new Ravyn Rayne title every month and sometimes two per month!  

Is there going to be a third book in the Palace Secrets series?

Yes! Grave Misfortune has already been written. It's scheduled for release September 24th.  

Where can readers find out information on your upcoming novels?

I have a page on my website Ravyn's Books, that exclusively details the books, blurb, release date (if available). It also includes information on the current books I'm working on. Sometimes there's changes to the page if a book hasn't been released yet (title, slight blurb change), but for the most part it's fairly accurate. It's also the most up to date place I keep information.  

Snag the first book, Palace Secrets   Love comes in many forms and always at a price. At twenty-three, Princess Isabella must settle down for the sake of her kingdom. Caught up in a secret affair with her lady-in-waiting, Hannah, the princess knows it can only last for so long. When Prince Alexander arrives to court her, he confides that his father is on his death bed, and he will be crowned king soon. Isabella hastily agrees to the proposal, desiring to be queen, knowing little about her soon to be husband. Murder, secrets, and lies combine with menage, spanking, and erotic encounters in this steamy medieval romance.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blushing Books

     Want more from Ravyn? Check out her magazine featuring author and character interviews, excerpts, and more great content!   About the Author Ravyn is a sassy, fun-loving, and adventure-seeking young woman. She loves to travel and can’t wait for her next vacation, Ravyn writes romantic erotica. She began writing romance novels in college, spending her down time either reading a book or writing fiction. Please don’t make her choose between the two, she loves them equally.wherever it might be. Currently on schedule to publish two books a month through Blushing Books, Ravyn is incredibly prolific. Her series include: Federal Agent Chronicles, Palace Secrets, and Gem Apocalypse. She is also writing a spin-off series to Gem Apocalypse, titled Courtesan Slave Trade. Her goal is to write two romance novels per month. She has been published professionally since 2013. You can find her young adult books here. Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Tsu | Goodreads

Release Blast: Pan by K.R. Thompson @writer_kthompsn

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Pan SERIES – The Untold Stories of Neverland AUTHOR – K.R. Thompson GENRE – Fantasy/Fairytale/Short Story PUBLICATION DATE – August 10, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 15,000 words PUBLISHER – Createspace COVER ARTIST – Alchemy Book Covers BOOK SYNOPSIS Neverland has always been their sanctuary—until now. Magic is dying in Neverland and only one pixie is brave enough to search the human world for someone to believe. Tink finds a desolate boy flying in the night, peering in windows, searchinf for the life he once knew. But can she convince him to abandon his quest and save Neverland? Discover the untold story of the boy destined to become Peter Pan. BUY & TBR LINK AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK AMAZON PAPERBACK – GOODREADS EXCERPT

At least the boy was taking his task seriously, the pixie decided, watching him raise up on his toes in an effort to gain a better look inside one darkened, upstairs room. Some guardians were lazy, but this one was not, which was just as well, she noted, as the small, shadowy figure of a child exited through the window and joined him. A few seconds later, the two flew off into the night sky. The children of humans could be a handful—the ghosts of them even more so, especially when they realized they were no longer among the living. It only made sense to appoint another child to deal with their sorrow and accompany their spirits to the other side.

The source of her attention currently gone, the pixie idly kicked into the open air. Small bits of dust sprinkled each time her feet touched the open mouth of the monster she’d been making a seat of. She glanced down, noticing his bottom teeth now sparkled like gold in the moonlight, giving him an even more ferocious look.

The poor thing looked dreadful, with long curling teeth and bulging eyes—nothing at all like her own pretty, golden self. She gave him a bright smile. Likely, that was the only kindness ever given the monster forever stuck up here on the edge of this roof, so she reached down and gave his hard cheek an affectionate pat before turning her attention back to the sprawling town below. After all, she hadn’t come to save this monster. She’d come for the boy and soon he would need her—but not nearly as much as she needed him.

AUTHOR BIO K.R. Thompson writes paranormal stories with a bite and fairy tales with a twist. An avid reader and firm believer in the magic of books, she spends her nights either reading an adventure, or writing one. She still watches for evidence of Bigfoot in the mud of Wolf Creek. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – TWITTER This cover reveal has been organized by

Book Blast & Giveaway: Rules of Love by Natalie-Nicole @BatesNatalie @MyFamHrtBookRvw

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Rules of Love SERIES – The Mobile Mistletoe #6 AUTHOR – Natalie-Nicole Bates GENRE – contemporary romance PUBLICATION DATE – July 15, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 16,000 words PUBLISHER – Book To Go Now Publishing BOOK SYNOPSIS On the surface, Paige Paget seems to have it all. She’s beautiful, confident, successful, and the co-owner of a new business, Cheer-Mania Academy, with her sister, Polly. But beneath her seemingly charmed life, Paige is a woman stifled by rules. When she meets Jordy Evans, the brother and now guardian of Paige’s fourteen year old student, Gabrielle, she believes Jordy may be the man of her dreams. Dating a man with the responsibility of parenting a teen means a whole new set of rules, and Paige isn’t so sure she can handle it. But the rules of love might not let Paige get away so easy! BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – SMASHWORDS EXCERPT

Rules.

I am so sick of rules.

Everyone else’s rules that my life is expected to revolve around.

The rules enforced by the nuns at the boarding school. The rules of being a cheer dancer. The rules enforced upon me by my ex on how to be the girlfriend of a major league baseball player.

The rules of dating a – for lack of a more appropriate term – single father of a teen, and now, the rules for my own business!

“Thank you for your convenient explanations to everything, Jordy. You’ve really got life nailed down! You don’t really know me, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation, and don’t for a second deign to tell me the rules of my own business! For your information I’m sick of living by everyone else’s rules! I don’t appreciate being your dirty little secret who you can blow off a little stream with, and then pretend I don’t exist!”

AUTHOR BIO Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author. Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia. She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos. Visit Natalie online at www.natalienicolebates.com AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS Goodreads : Tsu : Facebook Fan Group : Twitter : Facebook Blog : Street Team Sign Up : Amazon Author Central Page GIVEAWAY $10 Amazon gift card a Rafflecopter giveaway This blitz has been organized by

Cover Reveal: Pan by K.R. Thompson @writer_kthompsn @MyFamHrtBookRvw

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Pan SERIES – The Untold Stories of Neverland AUTHOR – K.R. Thompson GENRE – Fantasy/Fairytale/Short Story PUBLICATION DATE – August 10, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 15,000 words PUBLISHER – Createspace COVER ARTIST – Alchemy Book Covers BOOK SYNOPSIS Neverland has always been their sanctuary—until now. Magic is dying in Neverland and only one pixie is brave enough to search the human world for someone to believe. Tink finds a desolate boy flying in the night, peering in windows, searchinf for the life he once knew. But can she convince him to abandon his quest and save Neverland? Discover the untold story of the boy destined to become Peter Pan. TBR LINK – GOODREADS AUTHOR BIO K.R. Thompson writes paranormal stories with a bite and fairy tales with a twist. An avid reader and firm believer in the magic of books, she spends her nights either reading an adventure, or writing one. She still watches for evidence of Bigfoot in the mud of Wolf Creek. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – TWITTER This cover reveal has been organized by

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Glassford Girl Boxed Set: Parts 1 and 2 by @JayJFalconer

 

 

Glassford Girl Boxed Set: Parts 1 and 2

Emily Heart Time Jumper Series

Jay J. Falconer

Genre: Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Paranormal / Young Adult

Publisher: Bear Down Publishing

Date of Publication: 4-10-2015

ISBN: 978-1508985815

ASIN: B00VXYTS2S

Number of pages: 430

Book Description:

Teleportation. Telepathy. Superior strength and speed. Abilities she never wanted. Abilities she must learn to control.

Emily Heart used to have a normal life. A life filled with family, friends, and a warm bed to sleep in. But that was before the night of The Taking. The night when she was abducted and genetically transformed against her will.

Now she's lost everything and living on the streets of Glassford Park, struggling to stay alive one more day. But it won’t be easy. Not when a gang wants to kill her, cops want to arrest her, and a reporter wants to expose her.

However, Emily’s problems don’t end there. Any uncontrolled burst of emotion can send her jumping randomly across time and space, arriving naked and alone. If she's not careful, she could travel to infinity and beyond, never to be heard from again.

Emily doesn't quite know what she is, or what she's capable of, but she knows what she can't afford to do -- feel anything.

And she can’t afford to make any mistakes.

Available at Amazon

August 11, 2013

1:16 a.m.

Emily Heart pushed through the burning pain in her chest and thigh muscles, convincing her legs to run faster. She dodged a park bench before jumping over a homeless man lying under a pile of cardboard.

Her mind’s eye could see the gunman aiming his sights at the back of her head and squeezing the trigger, sending the bullet out of the barrel and downrange with supersonic intent. She leaned to the left, letting the round whiz past her fifteen-year-old body. It took out the headlight of a cement truck parked across the street near the alley behind Glassford Street.

The flickering specks of blue light were fading in her vision. It wouldn’t be long before she turned normal again. She would then be unable to see through the gunman’s eyes, or sense the cold blackness of hate she could sense in his heart.

She bent forward at the waist, using a low-profile running pattern, hoping she’d make it safely to the alley. She ran through the grass at the edge of the park, over the sidewalk and hit the asphalt, racing across the empty lanes of the street.

More gunshots rang out, one after another in quick succession. She couldn’t see where the bullets were headed, telling her the link with the shooter was broken. Bricks and mortar exploded all around her as the hailstorm of rounds missed her. They hit the side wall of an old warehouse covered in spray paint and gang signs. She turned right, just before the cement truck, and ran down the alley.

“Don’t lose me!” she yelled at Junie, who was sprinting in front of her, a book bag bouncing on the back of her rail-thin body. Emily was falling behind, unable to keep up with the speed and endurance of her twelve-year-old friend from the homeless shelter.

A minute later, she heard another round of weapons fire erupt as she was nearing the far end of the block-long corridor, plinking and ricocheting off the walls around her. She felt the wisp of a bullet fly through strands of her flowing red hair. It took out the painted window on the wall ahead of her, shattering it into a million shards of colored glass.

She looked back and saw the gang leader standing at the entrance to the alley, changing the magazine in his weapon. His crew came running into view, just catching up to him.

She made the corner and ran further down the passageway, which stank of garbage and sewage. She hurdled a pothole, then flew over a garbage can laying on its side, almost losing her balance in the process. But she managed to keep her feet under her while her shoes pounded the pavement ahead.

Faster, she told herself, faster! She pushed her feet to their tripping point, trying to draw more blood and oxygen than her teenage body could deliver. Her legs wanted to quit—so did her lungs—but she wouldn’t let them.

She pressed on, looking ahead, trying to spot Junie, but she couldn’t see her anymore. She turned another corner and saw a scrawny, dirt-covered leg sticking out from behind a pile of stained mattresses leaning against the wall. She ducked in and grabbed her friend by the shoulder, dragging her eighty-pound frame forward.

“Run, baby, run! Don’t stop! One more corner and we’re there! It’s on the left!”

Emily had learned over the past two years of living on the streets of Phoenix that the blistering summers were endless and miserable, and so were the nights, keeping most of the normal people indoors. She knew that nobody was watching, and nobody cared. There would be no rescue. Not at this time of night, and not in this part of town. It was up to her to get Junie to safety before the shooter and his crew killed her.

She felt a familiar tingle start to grow at the base of her spine when she turned the last corner. “Oh, no! Not now! Not again!” she cried, trying to steady her nerves as she caught up to Junie, who was squeezing her skinny body behind the dumpster.

She couldn’t let it happen. Not so soon. She’d barely recovered from the last time. She needed to focus all her attention on Junie, and let the balance of her emotions run dry. It had only been four days since she’d met her fiery companion in the homeless shelter, but she felt a strong connection with this girl, even though she barely knew her. She didn’t know why, but something inside of her told her to protect Junie. She was important somehow, not just another homeless girl with a deadbeat mother nobody cared about.

She followed Junie behind the garbage bin and into the hidden doorway; darkness engulfed them. “Down the stairs. And stay quiet,” she told Junie in a whisper, locking the door behind her.

“But I can’t see.”

“Go slow and use the handrails. There are twelve steps. Count ‘em as you go.”

They made it down the steps and through another doorway that led into a basement storeroom. It was piled high with junk and old restaurant equipment that had been mothballed by the owner. Emily knew this place well, spending at least one night a week there in recent months. It was her secret hiding place where she could escape the insanity of the city.

An emergency exit sign hung over the inside of the door that she’d just entered, showering an eerie redness over the scene. On the wall to the left stood another door. It led to a flight of stairs that rose up to the kitchen of a high-end Italian restaurant. Emily had made friends with the eighteen-year-old busboy, Parker, who was also a volunteer at one of the local shelters. When he was the last one to leave for the night, he’d push the red dumpster close to the door as a signal to Emily that the door was unlocked and she was welcome. She’d swoop in around midnight, and lock the door behind her.

“Over here,” Emily said, gesturing to a huge metal cabinet with rusty hinges that was standing next to a stack of Styrofoam coolers. “I think we lost them.”

Junie’s chest heaved in and out as it worked to recharge her lungs after the long run. “How do you know?”

“I can’t feel them anymore,” Emily replied, equally as winded.

Emily quickly opened the white cooler sitting on top and put her hand inside, pulling out a cellophane-wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana. As usual, Parker had left the food for her in the top cooler with a chilled Pepsi acting as ice to keep the contents from spoiling until she arrived. She tore the cellophane off, split the bread down the middle, and gave half of it to Junie.

“Here, eat while you can,” she said, before stuffing the sandwich into her mouth, chewing it with abandon.

Junie did the same, smiling, with peanut butter stuck to her teeth. “Sea food,” she said with her mouth full.

Emily laughed. “We have a banana for dessert.”

She popped the Pepsi open and waited to see if the contents would bubble up. It did. She sucked the cola off the top of the can until the carbonation settled down, then gave the soda to her friend.

Junie guzzled several swigs before giving it back to her. Emily swished the can around in a circle to test its volume—only a quarter of the liquid remained. Emily finished her half of the sandwich, then washed it down with the last bit of Pepsi.

They plopped down against the wall beside the cabinet. Junie wrapped her arms around her knees, keeping the dual-strap backpack sandwiched between her thighs and flat chest.

“Junie, that’s not yours. Where did you get it?”

“I—” Junie hesitated. “I took it.”

Emily sighed, feeling disappointment spread across her body. “What’s in it?”

She shrugged. “I snatched it from those boys right before you showed up.”

“Lemme see.”

Junie gave her the backpack.

Emily unzipped it and peered inside. “Uh-oh,” Emily groaned. “We’re in big trouble.”

She tipped it to the side and opened it wide so Junie could see the money inside. Lots of it. Bundles and bundles of wrinkled $100 bills, each wrapped with a blue rubber band and slip of notepaper with a four-digit number written on it.

* * *

Outside, the group of West Side Locos that had been pursuing the two street girls were becoming agitated. Their leader, Flaco, was more than agitated: he was pissed. The chase had taken them several blocks outside of their home turf and into enemy territory. He knew it was only a matter of time before a member of the Glassford Gatos noticed their trespass. His crew was light, no match for a full-out fight with a two-dozen-strong gang.

The crew stood in a loose bunch on the sidewalk at the far end of the alley where the girls had disappeared. Flaco was sure that the girls couldn’t have made it all the way to the end before his crew rounded the corner. They must be hiding in the alley somewhere.

“Where’d they go?” he yelled at his lieutenant, Nesto, shoving him against the wall, his gun pointed up under his chin. “El stupido! You let that street chica snatch the buy money?”

Nesto shoved him back, hard.

“Get the fuck off me!” he yelled. “I didn’t do anything. She was already there. It was your dumb-ass idea to set up the buy at the rec center. Back the fuck up.”

Flaco backed away, lowering his gun. He looked down the alley, the way they had come.

“Okay. They have to be in this alley somewhere. No way they made it all the way through here before us. Split up. You two, this side; you two, that side,” he said, gesturing down the alley. “Search everywhere. Garbage cans, dumpsters, everything. We gotta get it back. Nesto, go back to the other end and keep eyes. I got this side.”

The crew split up, following his orders.

Flaco knew that if they didn’t find the money, he was a dead man. His uncle would kill him without a second’s remorse. He’d trusted him to make this drop with the Russians—the first really big one since he’d decided to quit high school and join the family business. He paced back and forth, trying to find a way out of the situation. He was about to give up on the search when one of his crew whistled from down the alley. It was the new kid, barely 14 years old. What was his name? Derek? Kid didn’t look Latino, but he swore he’d grown up in Hope Gardens on the West Side. Not that it mattered. His uncle told him to take him along and break him in, so he did. “Do as you’re told, and don’t ask questions” was a phrase that he knew all too well.

The new kid was waving at him to come take a look at something.

Flaco ran down the alley at full speed. “What you got?”

“Doorway,” Derek replied, pushing the dumpster away from the wall. He pointed at the doorframe where a torn shred of clothing was hanging on a nail. “Check it out. Wasn’t the older girl wearing a blue T-shirt?”

Flaco smiled. “We got ‘em. Good eyes, new boot.”

Flaco heard a cry from Nesto, who was running toward them in a full gallop. “Policía! Policía!”

A police cruiser came screeching to a halt, blocking the alley at the end where they’d originally entered. The cop gave the siren a quick double blast and then called over the loudspeaker.

“You there! Stop where you are! On the ground! Hands behind your head!”

Flaco and his crew took off running in the opposite direction, but another police cruiser with lights flashing and engine roaring skidded into the mouth of the alley, trapping them.

“This way!” Flaco yelled, instantly reversing direction. He ran a few feet, then veered and kicked in the door that the new kid had found. He ran into darkness, not expecting the ground to disappear from under his feet. He yelled as he fell down the void face-first. He bounced and flipped, cracking his head on one of the steps on the way to the bottom.

* * *

Emily’s spine tingled again, deep down at the base, but the tingle was stronger than before. She knew it was coming, and she wasn’t going to be able to stop it this time. The gunshots must have started the countdown. Guns always sent her mind into a blur and her heart racing, charging her body with a rush of uncontrolled emotions that seemed to act as the trigger for the blue light. Gunfire and gangs were two things that she had fought hard to avoid during her time on the streets.

The jump was coming, but she couldn’t leave Junie to fend for herself. She needed to think of something. She usually had seventeen minutes from the first tingle until the blue light consumed her and she’d vanish. The pre-jump process used to proceed like clockwork, but lately it had been different. The lead time was now ten minutes, tops, from the first indicator to the last moment. Barely enough time to find seclusion before it happened. She didn’t understand why the timer suddenly decided to change, it just had.

Now that she had a friend in tow, she couldn’t slip away into the shadows and let it take her. Not with Junie depending on her. This is why you never break the rules, she scolded herself, as she reviewed the list in her head. Her mind highlighted rule number seven in bold—never get involved; nothing good ever comes from it.

Junie was babbling on and on, trying to explain what she was doing on the playground next to the shelter in the middle of the night, and why she’d stolen a backpack from a bunch of West Side Locos.

“I was sitting in my secret place under that little arbor thing, ya know, in the corner by the bathrooms. I was waiting for some drunk to finish his dump and leave so I could wash up. I heard the Locos coming up the walkway through the trees by the picnic tables so I hid. I knew the bag was important because they were arguing about it. Then they all turned their backs and kept yelling at each other. English mostly, but some Spanish sprinkled in. They just left it sitting there on the picnic table. I thought I could sneak up and grab it and get away, then sell whatever was in it. I hate living in that shelter, Em. Too much touching. I don’t like all those hugs, and people wanting to give me a bath all the time. They think they have to help me just because Mom leaves me alone for an hour to go out and get high. Plus it smells like vomit all the time.”

The tingle in Emily’s spine crept up to her shoulder blades, confirming what she already knew—the countdown had started.

“Shhhhh,” she said, covering Junie’s mouth with her hand. “I hear voices outside.”

“Are they coming in?”

“I don’t know. I can’t sense them. The walls must be blocking.”

They listened. There were muffled voices just outside the door, at the top of the stairs where the dumpster had hid their escape route. Emily’s pulse started to pound even more, thumping in her eardrums. The tingly feeling shot up to her neck. She took a deep breath, trying to focus her thoughts away from the ticking bomb inside of her. She had to do something with Junie, and fast. She only had minutes.

“We have to get out of here,” she whispered. “We can sneak out through the upstairs—it’s a restaurant, and they close early. I doubt anyone is there this late, but we’ll probably set off the alarm when we leave.”

“Alarm?”

“Do you remember my friend Parker that I told you about? The busboy?”

She nodded.

“He disabled the sensors on the back door so I can sleep here whenever it’s raining, or when he leaves food out for me. Nobody ever comes down here except him when he takes the trash out, so he leaves food for me whenever his boss leaves early. I never go beyond this basement. That’s our deal. But we don’t have a choice this time. Just stick close and we’ll be fine. If I run, you run. Got it?”

Junie’s eyes widened. She looked scared, but she nodded.

They got up and made their way across the room as shouting rang out from the alley above. They froze. Emily heard a police siren chirp twice, then an amplified voice that sounded like it was coming over a loudspeaker. Shit. Cops. Definitely cops.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

“The Locos are trying to kick the door in!” Junie said.

Thump! Thump! Crack! The door at the top of the stairs to the alley slammed open, and one of the West Siders came tumbling down head over heels. He fell through the door at the bottom and landed on his side in a heap, just inside the entrance of the storeroom. His eyes were closed and his head was bloody. He started to moan.

Junie screamed.

Emily covered her mouth.

“Flaco?” a Latino voice called out from the top of the stairs. “Flaco? You okay?

Emily held a finger to her mouth, reminding Junie to be quiet.

The same voice spoke again. “Send Derek down to check.” A few moments later, footsteps pounded the wooden steps, getting louder with each beat.

“Run!” Emily whispered in Junie’s ear, shoving Junie across the room toward the door that led to the kitchen upstairs. Junie opened the door and ran up the steps. Emily was about to follow her friend, but stopped when she heard another person breathing heavily behind her. Something told her to turn and look at him. It felt like curiosity, but it was more than that.

He was young—too young. Maybe a little younger than she. The red glow of the exit sign made it difficult to be sure, but his spiked hair looked to be jet-black, with triangle sections cut down to the scalp above his ears. His eyes were either blue or green. She hoped blue. Tattoos covered both of his forearms like a sleeve, and a single gold earring hung down below his left ear. She didn’t recognize its unique shape—maybe it was a symbol, or something that he’d made. He was two inches taller than she, with high cheekbones that perfectly offset his narrow, aquiline nose and full lips.

Emily couldn’t help herself. She stared into the eyes of the pretty boy. A thought came unbidden into her mind: he’s way too cute to be part of this.

“Damn girl, you’re smokin’,” he said, with a voice much lower than she had expected. His eyes moved down across her figure, then back up.

She smiled when he made eye contact with her again, sensing that he wasn’t going to shoot. He was calm and quiet on the inside. There was no malice in his thoughts, just a growing feeling of desire that excited her.

He lowered his gun.

She relaxed.

Then a voice came flooding down the stairs, as did more footsteps, breaking the calm. “Derek?”

Derek bolted across the room at her. Emily came to her senses and lashed out with her right foot, just like Master Liu had taught her. The lightning-fast front kick struck him in the groin and he fell back to the doorway and landed on top of Flaco, temporarily blocking access for the rest of their crew.

Emily ran upstairs and shut the door behind her, jamming a metal garbage can under the doorknob to slow the gang down.

Junie stepped out of the shadows in the dimly lit kitchen. She was holding a stainless steel skillet cocked by her ear, ready to brain whoever came up the steps.

“It’s me!” Emily hissed, taking the weapon from her friend. She put it on the counter next to the prep station. “Hurry, out the front. This way.”

She ran past Junie through the double swing doors where the dining room of the elegant restaurant was waiting. Lights from the street cast shadows across the empty chairs, wooden tables, and the bubbling lobster tank. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and folded linen napkins, wineglasses, and elegant cutlery. The floor was spotless and shiny, and there was a fresh scent of pine in the air.

Emily felt a tremor rise up through her body. What had begun as a tingle in her spine was now an overwhelming, full-body sensation. She felt electrified and alive, like she always did right before a jump, meaning that her senses had now been supercharged, allowing her to have visions of the immediate future. Normally, she would use this ability to know where to hide until the jump came and she could disappear. But this time, she couldn’t just use her abilities to protect herself. She had to make sure Junie would be okay before she vanished.

She knew that another thug was about to start kicking at the door to the kitchen behind her, and then bolt through it and find his way into the dining area, where he’d start shooting his machine gun. She could sense his plans, and felt the anger boiling inside his chest. It wasn’t the pretty boy that she’d kicked in the basement. This one was itching to kill.

She waited a few seconds for what she knew would come next. It did—the extra strength that hard-charged her muscles, allowing her to become stronger and faster, but only for a short time. It would fade from her body the moment time began to slow down, which was the last step in the process right before the jump.

She scooped Junie in her arms like a rag doll, ran across the dining room in a flash, and dove over a low wall that separated the foyer from the dining room. Junie sat in a ball, clutching the backpack to her chest, holding onto it for dear life.

“You know they don’t serve peanut butter in a place like this,” Junie mumbled.

“What?”

“My mom used to be a hostess, so I know. Your friend must have brought it from home. I think he likes you.”

She took Junie’s head in her hands and looked her in the eyes. “Listen to me. We don’t have much time. As soon as I’m gone, wait for the glass to break on the front window. Then go through it and run outside. Hide the backpack somewhere safe and go find the cops.”

“Cops? We don’t like cops!”

“This time we do. They’ll protect you. They’re holding back now, but they’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“When do I run, again?”

“After I’m gone, you’ll hear gunfire, but don’t be afraid. The bullets won’t be coming at you. A man will scream, and then glass will break. That’s when you run. After the glass breaks. Got it?”

Junie gulped as tears began to flow, but she seemed to pull it together. She sniffed and nodded. “Thank you, Em.”

“You should use a tablecloth so you don’t get cut,” she said, helping Junie put her backpack on.

“When will I see you again?”

“It might take me a while, but I’ll find you. Now cover your ears, and don’t scream when you hear gunshots. He won’t be aiming at you. Just wait for the glass.”

Emily heard the double doors swing open and smash against the walls on either side of them.

Emily took a breath and steadied herself for what she was about to do. The closer she got to a jump, the more it happened: time got slow and she got fast, but only for about fifteen seconds of her time immediately preceding a jump.

She felt the blue energy rise up through her body, telling her that it was time to act.

She sprang over the wall and ran at the gunman in a cloud of blue. She could see three bullets just leaving his gun, hanging in midair, with smoke trails behind them. She touched the bottom of each bullet with her finger as she zipped past them, then grabbed the wrist on the man’s gun hand and added a twisting force to it.

She turned her attention to the second villain who had been frozen in time, stepping through the double swing doors. There was another man in the kitchen behind him, but she didn’t see the pretty boy, Derek, anywhere. She grabbed the second man’s shoulders and spun him around so that his gun was facing the third man, who was not far behind. She gently touched the trigger finger of the second gunman, then moved to the third Loco and did the same with his trigger finger.

She dashed out of the kitchen and into the dining room, where she applied pressure to the underside of a table built to seat eight people, calculating the trajectory of its flight in her head.

She knelt on the ground, then curled herself into the fetal position and waited for the last second of the countdown to tick by. It did.

The jump pain hit as her body began to sizzle with blue lines of energy, like tiny lightning bolts crisscrossing her skin. A searing bolt of agony shot from the back of her skull to the center of her forehead, just as she was consumed by the blue fire and vanished.

* * *

Junie heard things happen just as Emily had described: first there were three shots of gunfire that tore through the ceiling panels above her, then a man screaming in pain, then more gunshots, then more screaming, then glass breaking, and a second after that, the alarm system began to wail.

She took a deep breath and ran to the front window, seeing a man on his knees holding his wrist, and two bodies a little further back lying on the floor, bleeding from their chests. She snatched a tablecloth, stepped on the wooden chair closest to the broken window, spread the tablecloth over the bottom of the frame, and climbed out. She heard sirens coming from the right, but she decided to go left instead, running as fast as her feet could take her.

 

Character Name: Emily Heart

Character Bio: Age: 15
Height: 5’ 6”
Weight: 115
Family: Orphan
Residence: Homeless
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Status: Time Jumper

My Story:

When I was thirteen, I was kidnapped and genetically altered against my will. They did horrible, unspeakable things to me, transforming me into some type of genetic freak. They took everything from me. My family. My friends. My future. Now I live on the streets, forced to hide and keep to myself. I can’t let anyone find out who I really am or what they did to me. Nobody can know I’m a time jumper with superpowers I can’t control. If they discover me, I’ll be hunted down and locked away forever.

But what scares me the most is what I become when the transformation begins. I must be careful and not get involved because any uncontrolled burst of emotion will ignite my abilities and harm those around me. I can’t allow myself to feel anything or care about anyone. If I do, the blue fire will come and consume me, sending me randomly jumping to the future.

Right now, I’m so tired. So alone. I have nothing. No past and no future, leaving me with only one option. Stay alive long enough to find those who did this to me and make them pay.

 

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

I think my best quality is my ability to read people. To see deep inside their soul and discover who they really are. I think it allows me to get past all the fences people put up around themselves and make a meaningful connection. Sometimes though, I run across a total creeper. OMG. You never know what’s really going on inside somebody until you peel away the layers. Let’s face it, living on the street can be very scary. There are a lot of demented people on this planet. Everyone is hiding something. You just never know what.

My worst quality is lack of patience. When stuff happens, I rarely take the time to think. I usually just react and let my emotions get the better of me. Unfortunately, when that happens, people around me usually get hurt. I wish I could be more like my mom before she died. Think first, then act. But I’m not sure that’s who I am. I try my best, but sometimes it’s not easy.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I’m a complete science geek. I love to learn and discover new things. Before the night I was taken, I used to love school. My friends hated it, but I was totally into it. Now that I can’t go to class, I miss it a lot. I guess that makes me a nerd, but so what. I think it’s important to try to be who you are and not care about what other people think. For me, that’s extra hard because everyone looks at a homeless girl with disgust in their heart. They stare and they judge. If they only knew the real story. I mean, come on. None of us wants to live on the street. It just happens.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

If I had to pick one thing . . . I guess it would be that I’m scared all the time. Everyone thinks I’m super tough and able to handle anything, but I’m really not. It’s all an act. I just want someone to hold me and keep me safe. I’d give anything to sleep in a warm bed every night and not worry about some street urchin sneaking up and hurting me. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in, like, forever.

What are you most afraid of?

That nobody will remember me. That my life didn’t matter.

When you’re all alone and sleeping in a smelly cardboard box for the fifth night in a row, you start to wonder why you’re even here? What’s the point of it all? Is this all there is? You begin to question everything, even your own existence.

What do you want more than anything?

To be normal. I just want to live a normal life and be silly if I want. You know, friends, family and all that stuff. I dream about it all the time. I miss the simple stuff like hanging out with friends at the mall, hugging my mom goodnight, and going to prom. I never got to do that. I know I sound like a total goof, but that’s all I want. To go back to the way it was before. To just be me again. For one day. That’s all.

What is your relationship status?

Well, I’m not sure I should say. Derek might read this and take it totally the wrong way. Let’s just say I’m not as single as I used to be. But I’m hopeful. LOL.

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

Okay, this one is easy. I call is Street Sensible. When you’re homeless, fashion in the last thing on your mind. You’re only worried about covering your goodies and staying warm. But it does make shopping easier. Just grab something that sort of fits and get moving before someone tries to jack it from you. And always remember socks. You can never have enough socks. My feet are always cold.

How much of a rebel are you?

I guess that all depends on what you mean by a rebel? We’re all a rebel at some level, right? For me, it’s cops. I hate cops. And gangs . . . and drugs for that matter. Then there’s the homeless shelters. Don’t get me started. The people there are gross and that includes the staff running the place.

So, let’s see. How much of a rebel am I? I’m a homeless girl who time jumps when she gets emotional. I can’t have friends or get involved, so I’m always on the run from something. I just want to be left alone most of the time and I don’t like being told what to do or where to be. Plus, I’ve got people chasing after me all the time. I guess that makes me a rebel. Some might say a major rebel.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

That I’m still breathing. Try living one day in my shoes and you’ll know what I mean. Of course, that’s assuming you have shoes, but that’s a whole other story.

What is your idea of happiness?

To go an entire day without be worried all the time.

I think happiness comes when you’re someplace quiet and you’re not afraid. Happiness is all about being able to breathe and live in the moment. And I mean truly breathe without stressing about your problems. I’m guessing a lot of people can relate to what I’m saying.

If I were to draw a picture of happiness, it would be of me and Derek, lost in the woods somewhere. Just the two of us in a mountain cabin, totally off the grid. Nobody around for hundreds of miles. All we’d need is each other and a warm fire. Plus maybe a blanket. And tons of food.

I should probably tell you I love to eat. Well, actually I love food and need to eat. But you know what I mean. I could so go for a chocolate sundae right now.

What is your current state of mind?

Frazzled Frenzy. Not sure how else to put it. There’s always a million things on my mind all at once. It feels like a swarm of angry bees in my head, stinging me all at once.

What is your most treasured possession?

The memories of my mom. I miss her so much it hurts. I’d give anything for just one more hug.

What is your most marked characteristic?

My ninja chick skills. I’ve learned some valuable street secrets over the years and I think that’s what makes me unique. That, and the time jumping thing.

What is it that you, most dislike?

Dishonesty.

Now I know what you’re gonna to say. Everyone is dishonest at one time or another and everyone lies to some degree. But trust me, if you could see inside a person like I can, it’s disturbing. Taking a read on someone lets me see the raw emotions inside, amplifying everything they’re feeling at the time. Dishonesty has many shapes and sizes, but it’s usually one of the most powerful feelings swirling around inside a person. Almost like it’s alive and thinking on its own. Especially if they’re a street urchin. Sometimes it creeps me out so much, I just want to hurl.

Which person do you most despise?

Detective Alison. I don’t trust his eyes, or his motives. My six sense doesn’t work very well on him, giving me the willies when I’m around him. Plus I don’t like the way he treats Derek.

What is your greatest regret?

I wish I could take back the awful stuff I said to my mom a few nights before we were both taken and she was killed. I never got a chance to apologize. It haunts me to this day.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

I know this sounds corny, but his eyes. I love enchanting eyes. Eyes that draw you in and make you feel all gooey inside. That crazy feeling of being scared and excited at the same time.

I think my mom would agree if she was still alive. She used to tell me that if you can’t look in a man’s eyes and know instantly that you’re his everything, then why bother?

Yep. It all starts with the eyes. Then, well, maybe his butt. When he’s walking away, a great butt will stick in your memory forever. Right?

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Logic. Not men’s logic—a woman’s. That special ability to read between the lines and know what someone is thinking and feeling.

I read somewhere in the library that a woman’s brain operates between the hemispheres, combining the analytical with the intuitive. It’s what makes us superior, I think. A man’s brain is locked in one hemisphere and we all know which one that is. But I’m sure all the men out there would disagree with me. But really, what do they know? They’re all just cavemen with table manners. Well, sort of.

Trust me on this. I’ve had to grow up quickly on the streets. You really haven’t lived until you’ve seen an old homeless man walking around with newspaper crammed up his backside. Now that’s a visual you can’t un-see. It changes your whole way of thinking about stuff.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Spider-man. Like me, he’s a genetic freak just trying to make sense of an impossible situation. He runs around the city and hides in the shadows, just doing what he needs to do to survive. But at the same time, he tries to be a good person and hopefully make the world a better place.

Which person do you most admire?

My friend, Junie. She’s an amazing little girl who never gives up. My life is hard, but hers is major crazy. It’s on a completely different level. You have no idea.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My Hair. When you’re homeless and you time jump, you always come out looking like a crazy woman on meth. You asked me earlier what my definition of happiness would be. Maybe I should’ve said a good hairbrush. Oh, and a pedicure. More poor little piggy’s are such a mess right now.

What is your motto?

Never trust the cops. I know, that sounds harsh, but it’s true for every homeless person. Trusting them is like giving up and you can never do that. No matter what happens, you gotta keep moving and keep believing that tomorrow will be better than today. You just have to make it through the night, alive.

 

 

 

 

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Jay J. Falconer is an independent author, publisher, blogger, editor, engineer and Sci-Fi junkie who lives in the mountains of northern Arizona where the brisk, clean air and stunning mountain views inspire his workday. He makes his online home at: www.JayFalconer.com and is an active member author with BookBreeze.com.

Mr. Falconer is the author of the critically acclaimed Narrows of Time Series and The Emily Heart Time Jumper Series, and is currently developing an all new apocalyptic Sci-Fi series called Redfall, The Flames of Tomorrow, due to be released in 2015.

Be sure to watch the video trailer for the Author's Narrows of Time book series by cutting and pasting this link: http://youtu.be/QXic3vkwC1U

Website: http://www.JayFalconer.com

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

Twitter: @JayJFalconer

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Book Blast & Giveaway: Worthy of Love? by J. Lea GENRE @LeaJerani @MyFamHrtBookRvw

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Worthy of Love? SERIES – standalone AUTHOR – J. Lea GENRE – NA romance PUBLICATION DATE – July 31st LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – a little over 70.000 words PUBLISHER – selfpublished (Amazon) COVER ARTIST – Najla Qamber designs

BOOK SYNOPSIS

They say everything happens for a reason. Maybe they are right, but I don`t really agree.

When I was 14, the life I knew, turned upside down. I was devastated.

Every time I looked myself in the mirror, I saw this ugly girl looking at me. Love obviously wasn't a part of my plan anymore. How could it be?

But then I met him. And it happened. Suddenly and without a warning. I want him. I crave him. Every fiber of my being yearns for him. He is the one who makes my heart sing, and the one who hunts my dreams at night. But I can never have him. After all, he is forbidden... BUY & TBR LINKS

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EXCERPT

Elias and I grabbed our drinks and joined our friends. Rick pulled me to his side right away, so I had to squeeze into a tiny corner beside him. But I didn’t mind. I enjoyed my friends’ company and even Rick’s flirting attempts didn’t stop me from having fun. Even more, his terrible pick-up lines soon had me doubled over with laughter, and took my mind off Parker, if only for a few minutes. I tried to prove to Rick that he could win over a girl even with less corny lines, but Rick wouldn’t be Rick if he didn’t disagree.

“Wanna bet?” he challenged me. I looked at him with interest and instantly agreed.

“Hell, yeah!”

“Pick a girl, any girl,” he said cockily. “I guarantee you, I’ll get her number.” I looked around the club, my eyes settled on a gorgeous woman, leaning on the table next to ours. She was playing idly with the cocktail pick in her drink. She appeared slightly older than us, no more than 10 years, and I was certain she’d be an even bigger challenge since she’d probably heard all the corny pick-up lines before.

“Her.” I pointed my finger. Rick’s gaze traveled up her long, shapely legs, small waist and generously sized chest. He smirked at me, saying, “She’s smoking hot. You’ve got yourself a bet.” We shook hands, and as he took two steps toward her, I remembered we hadn’t talked about the terms of our bet.

“Hey, wait,” I yelled at his retreating back.

He jerked around. “What? Did you change your mind? You’d rather have me all to yourself?” His eyebrow shot up.

Rolling my eyes, I chuckled, and our friends laughed right along with me. “We haven’t said anything about the rewards. What do I get when I win?” I challenged him with a wide grin.

“Dream on, kitten. Before you can blink three times, I’ll have her eating out of my hand.”

I laughed so hard tears filled my eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

Rick confidently strutted over to the woman at the next table, and we all turned heads after them, and perked up our ears so we could hear the conversation.

“Hey, sugar,” Rick winked at the woman, who gave him a look from under her eyebrows.

“Uh-huh,” she muttered, uninterested.

“Do you know how to work with a sandpaper?” he shot out, and our table exploded in laughter.

“If she doesn’t slap him right now, then the world might just as well end,” I said.

The woman frowned at him. She asked him what he meant by that, and Rick replied.

“Because I could use someone to rub my wood.”

“Oh, god, he did not just say that,” Jon clamped a hand over his mouth. “I can’t believe he just said that.” He shook his head incredulously. But to our surprise, the woman started laughing. Out loud. When she finally calmed down, she put her hand on his shoulder.

“I’ve had a shitty day, and you just made it better. Thank you for that. Come, let me buy you a drink.” Rick turned to us with a wide grin on his face, and flipped us the bird before disappearing in the crowd with the woman on his arm.

“What the hell just happened?”

“That was pure luck,” Carmen, one of our classmates, said. I was completely shocked. I couldn’t believe she fell for such an awful, cliché pick up line.

Five minutes later, Rick returned to the table, a scrap of paper between his index and middle finger. He threw it on the table, a smug expression on his face, and turned to me. “You were saying earlier?”

    AUTHOR BIO

J. Lea is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories. Her other loves include her family as she is also a mama of a little boy and girl who keep her busy when she's not writing hot books. Lea also loves spending time outdoors with her family--skiing, hiking, and more.

Her novels include Because of You, Once Again, Never Again, and Worthy of Love.

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Cover Reveal: One With the Night by Susan Squires @susansquires

  BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – One With the Night SERIES – The Companion Series AUTHOR – Susan Squires GENRE – Regency Vampire Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – August 11, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - PUBLISHER – Independent COVER ARTIST – Rebecca Poole, Dreams2Media   BOOK SYNOPSIS Far from the glittering lights and shallow bustle of 1822 London lies another world—a realm of shadows and secrets, where desire holds dominion and passion know no limits… ONE DESIRE Jane Blundell’s keen intellect and wit have always set her apart from her marriage-minded peers. But such differences are nothing compared to the change that comes upon her when she is infected by a blood sample in her father’s laboratory. Suddenly her veins resonate with a terrifying, exhilarating power. Dr. Blundell takes Jane to the Scottish highlands to research a cure, where she collides with the only man who can understand her hunger—and slake her unending desire… ONE DESTINY Callan Kilkenny has returned to England from Marrakech, still filled with self-loathing at the deeds he committed in the name of a beautiful, depraved vampire. Now that he has tracked down Dr. Blundell in hopes of a cure, he has also found a kindred spirit in Jane. Her passion and her blood call to Callan, fueling a carnal need that shocks them both with its intensity. But others have come in search of the cure too…for reasons that are deadly. And to save Jane and the rest of their kind, Callan must risk everything—even his last chance at redemption… ONE WITH THE NIGHT “When it comes to combining extreme sensuality with dangerous drama, no one does it better than Squires.” --Romantic Times BOOKreviews BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE - AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK  AMAZON PAPERBACK – SMASHWORDS One With the Night  iTUNES One With the Night EXCERPT

He came to stand behind her and cleared his throat. “I ha’ been meaning ta thank ye for what ye did for me that first night, and fer sharing th’ blood ye collect. Ye’re verra kind.” “It was nothing. You would have done the same.” He was too close.

“Ye dinnae know that.” He shifted awkwardly. His eyes were light in the darkness of the tower room. Did he feel his mistake in standing too close? Would he move away?

“Yes I do.” Her body was reacting as if it had been struck by the lightning that illuminated the loch. The thunder was rolling farther away now. Or maybe that was just the thumping of her heart in her chest. Her thighs were slick. She had been running from the feelings he raised in her ever since he got here. But in truth, she wanted very much to know what it would be like to make love to Callan Kilkenny.

“Ye must ha’ thought me churlish no’ ta thank ye and yer father.” He, too, looked out over the loch so he wouldn’t have to look at her.

“No. I didn’t think you churlish...” She took a step toward him in the darkness. She could feel his ragged breathing. And what of her own? She took a breath. It is an experiment. She only wanted to see how the physical act of making love with a vampire, in her new vampire state, compared with her experience, human to human, with Tom Blandings. That was all it was. She felt his reluctance, and yet she was sure he wanted it, too. Was it his honor that kept him from taking her in his arms?

She knew he was honorable, for all his pretense of callousness. “I thought you didn’t think yourself worth helping. That’s different.”

“I might ha’ been right.”

Jane had to get some distance here, or she was going to just throw herself at him.

  AUTHOR BIO Susan Squires is a New York Times bestselling author known for breaking the rules of romance writing. Whatever her time period, or subject, some element of the paranormal always creeps in. She has won multiple contests for published novels and reviewer's choice awards. Publisher's Weekly named Body Electric one of the year’s most influential mass market books and One with the Shadows, the fifth in her vampire Companion Series, a Best book of the Year. Time for Eternity, the first in the DaVinci time travel series, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach in Southern California with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and three very active Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboarddddddddddddddddddddddd. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK TWITTER – GOODREADS – MAILING LIST This Cover Reveal has been organized by