Karen Swart's Blog, page 21

May 5, 2015

Book Blast - The Para-Portage of Emily by @SexyMuffyWilson

The Para-Portage of Emily The Shadow Seduction Series By Muffy Wilson @SexyMuffyWilson

Emily Macque, a young, beautiful junior partner in her father’s law firm, is but a heartbeat away from love or destiny. Duty brings Emily to a frozen Island estate two hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago. Devotion requires she delve into the property history to settle an estate probate. Death lures her into the arms of the shadows seduction created by the flickering light and dark shadows. What flames the timeless passions spanning the decades? Love, desire or obsession? Colin Jorgenson, once a Great Lakes mariner, is a strong man haunted by love and loss. How long will he return each night, gripped by desire, hoping to find the woman he has loved for a century? Beneath the pristine Island beauty, passions hungered, lingered in the ardent darkness. His passions, fueled by decades of loneliness and longing, could no longer be denied. Will they face eternity together or love in secret as dark things are to be loved between the shadows and the soul?

Buy Link Loved it! I just finished The Para-Portage of Emily. Quite the page-turner!! I was gifted a free copy by the author and found it to be a cleverly woven plot with descriptive characters you won’t soon forget. I’m not one to give out spoilers, but if you like paranormal intrigue, hot romance, and mystery, you will love it. Looking forward to more works by Muffy Wilson as I’m sure they will be just as brilliant. ~ By Love To Read

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“Tell me what you know about Mariner’s Maiden please, Kirby.”

Kirby took a long draw on his beer before he began his narrative.

“It was years ago, around 1800 Miss Emily, when the original land owner arrived on the Island with settlers from Norway. He’d claimed five hundred acres on this southern point of the Island for himself. He became wealthy in cattle, wheat, timber and cheese. As his family grew and were educated on the Mainland, they moved, one by one, off Island. They were a wealthy, hard-working lot, but needed less and less of the acreage they owned. Much of the original plot was donated to the Town throughout the years. Some sections were sold. “It got down to the last hundred acres when Colin Jorgenson bought the property, around 1890 or 1900. I am not exactly sure. The main house was much smaller and less grand than it is now, for sure. “Now, Colin was a Maritime Captain and often he’d be gone for months at a time. He sailed the Great Lakes several times a year with supplies, spices, fancy goods and ‘fortunes of bounty’. That’s what they called it then. It was for sale to rich settlers throughout the Great Lakes. He’d earned all his wealth in trading by the turn of the century. He came and went for several years until, in his mid-thirties, he met and married a much younger woman, Amalya, and came back to the Island with her.”

Kirby sat back, drained his beer and continued. “The property was called Mariner’s Cove then. He spent two years with Island tradesmen rebuilding this house for his wife. To honor her, and before his return to the water, he commissioned a maritime woodcarver to create the figurehead of Amalya you saw yesterday on the tree marking the entrance.

He had the figure of Amalya mounted on the bow of his ship and apparently felt she was always with him in his travels. She died one summer, pregnant with their first child, shortly after his returning from his last trip of the season. He shut himself away in this house—a broken man, left forlorn and alone, to die years later of a broken heart as a recluse. It’s said he returns night after night trying to find his Amalya, his beloved.”

“But that’s just old folklore, Miss Emily, there’s nothing to it but made up stories from the past by gossips and romantics. This place has never been haunted—no one has ever said it was, anyway. Even though he was long dead, this property was held in Old Colin’s estate until your uncle bought it around 1955, I think. I suppose there is more you can find out at the Archives office in the Island library at the town offices, if you want. That’s about all I know and it ain’t much.”

Refusing a second beer, Kirby was off to finish his chores. “Thank you, Miss Emily,” Kirby said as he stood to leave.

Emily walked him to the door with Barkley in tow.

“Oh, there is one more thing” he added. “There is supposed to be a crypt on the property somewhere. I heard tell that Old Colin buried his Amalya in there and when he was dying, he crawled into it to die on her casket. Creepy, but no one’s ever found it to my knowledge—and between me and my dad, we’ve covered this property as caretakers for over fifty years.”

Emily extended her hand in gratitude for the information and company. “Thank you, Kirby. All of that is so very interesting. He must have been deeply in love with Amalya.”

Kirby, a middle-aged man, stood and shook Emily’s hand. He turned to leave, stopped and dropped his head as he hesitated at the bottom of the steps. A simple country man, this time was no different.

“Miss Emily…” He looked up at her rather sheepishly, and stuttered slightly, “Forgive me, Miss Emily, if I offend you. I have been a bachelor all my life and never had a way with women or much of a need for them. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I like ‘em well enough, but I never was able to pick the right words in their presence. If…if you don’t mind my saying…you look an awful lot like those paintings in the house of Miss Amalya.”

“Oh my word, Kirby, how you flatter me! It is purely a coincidence, I assure you.” Emily smiled, as she dismissed the compliment and waved good-bye at Kirby. As he left, she thought about the love shared between these two remarkable people, Colin and Amalya. Amalya and Colin.

She had forgotten to ask what became of the baby…

Fall in Love with the Island and Mariner's Maiden This is a story to savor. Ms. Wilson's descriptions are poetic and enthralling, placing the reader in the midst of the story, and the relaxed pace of the story does not lessen the power of suspense. Shrouded in mystery, romance, and eroticism, "The Para-Portage of Emily" is a treat for the senses, a haunting indulgence. Despite hints throughout, the ending still surprised me, and though satisfied, I regretted the literary journey's end. Highly recommended. I look forward to more from this promising series. ~ By Jordan Stringfellow

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Muffy, author of erotic, romantic stories about love, sex, hope and passion, was born in San Antonio, Texas, to traditional parents. With two older brothers, she was the youngest, the family "princess," indulged and pampered. She adored her older brothers, following them everywhere and was surrounded by love, stimulation, and pets. Her father was a career Colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force which required the family to travel extensively. The family lived in most points between Alaska and France. Muffy spent her formative years in Europe and came of age in France.

Returning from France with her family, Muffy finished high school in Northern California and attended the University of California, Davis, and majored in Business Management. Muffy entered the work force, independent with a fierce work ethic, and retired at 39 from IBM as a Mid-West Regional Director in the Real Estate and Construction Division. She and her husband moved to a small Island in northern Wisconsin where they owned a historic tavern, restaurant and resort business which they since have sold. They now live a charmed life by the water in SW Florida. Muffy pretends to be a serious real estate business person but, in real life, indulges her private interest in writing sexy novels and sensual romantic literotica ~ Live, Laugh, Love with Passion. I really enjoyed the Para-Portage of Emily I really enjoyed the Para-Portage of Emily... a skillfully and imaginatively told tale of love, lost and found. Mysterious twists kept me turning the pages until the end. Love conquers all, AND it was hot! ~ By Barbara A. Lyle

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Buy Link Buy Link ***FREE*** Cross Genre Paranormal Erotic Mystery Should John Grisham and EL James have a secret love child, she would no doubt pen legal thrillers with a luscious layer of the erotic. They would name their child Muffy Wilson and send her to Stephen King for some pointers in the paranormal. Wilson, in the obliquely titled "The Para-Portage of Emily", interweaves these three diverse genres into a compelling, magic carpet of a novel that takes Emily Macque from Chicago to a bitter island estate two hundred miles north in the frozen sea. Emily is the striking junior partner in her father’s law firm, her mission, to settle the probate on an estate, her destiny to fall into the arms of Colin Jorgenson, a seaman haunted by a past love that torments his life. Intelligent, well-written, with fully fleshed out characters and a story with more twists than a spiral staircase, "The Para-Portage of Emily" had me gripped until the very last page. ~ By Chloe

Buy Link Your Comments Are Encouraged ♥　Thank you　♥ ♥　°*"˜✿˜"*°　♥ 　Please Feel Free to Share Live ~ Laugh ~ Love with Passion Blitz Organized & Hosted By

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Published on May 05, 2015 10:04

Cover Reveal - The Companion by @susansquires

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – The Companion SERIES – The Companion Series AUTHOR – Susan Squires GENRE – Regency Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – May 19, 2015 PUBLISHER – Independent COVER ARTIST – Rebecca Poole, Dreams2Media BOOK SYNOPSIS You are about to enter a world where there is no turning back. Where danger and desire become one. Where a man and a woman must face the darkest secrets of the night…though they may not survive what awaits them. The Captive Ian Rufford was captured, enslaved, and then abandoned in the lonely dunes of Egypt’s desert. His tormentor was a woman of magnificent beauty…and the blackest of souls. Now, Ian prays for a death that will not come. Only after his rescue does he begin to realize how he has changed. He is carrying something strange in his blood known only as “The Companion,” and his new-found symbiotic partner will exact a terrible price in return for the gifts Ian is only beginning to understand. The Desire Elizabeth Rochewell’s home was Egypt, where she traveled the desert organizing her father’s archeological expeditions. After her father’s death, however, she is sent home to live a conventional life in London. Onboard ship, she finds herself drawn to her mysterious fellow passenger, Ian Rufford. He awakens feelings in her that disturb and tantalize her senses. But he hides a shocking secret. Beth has spent her life unraveling the secrets of the desert. Little does she know how dangerous it will be to unravel Ian’s. The Companion Now, journey with two linked souls who are determined to stop one woman’s evil; a journey that will take them to the heights of desire and the depths of depravity. The Companion is an unforgettable, sensual and erotic novel that will make you believe in the power of true love.

BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK – AMAZON PAPERBACK – BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – SMASHWORDS – iTUNES EXCERPT

Fear drained away as he watched her from underneath his lashes. One long gold-painted nail beckoned to him. She lay draped across the chaise. The blood-red silks that hung from her shoulders were fastened only with a girdle of twined gold at her waist. Outside, the wind began to wail. Sand shushed against the walls of the tent. The scent of cinnamon and something else he could not name suffused the hot, dry air inside. In the dim light her skin glowed with perspiration and the very air vibrated with her vitality. Under the almost transparent fabric her nipples were clearly visible. He did not want to respond to her. But his swelling need surged over him.

“Come," she said. He could lose himself in those black eyes, lined with kohl.

He staggered to his feet. His naked body was still damp from bathing in the muddy pool of the oasis. His shoulder bled, as well as his thigh. She would like that.

She pointed to a place at her side. He dropped to his knees again. He knew what she wanted, and suddenly he wanted to give it to her more than he had ever wanted anything in his life. As she reached for him her eyes began to glow red, blood-red like her silks.

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 most influential mass market books of 2003 and One with the Shadows, the fifth in her vampire Companion Series, a Best book of 2007. 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

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Published on May 05, 2015 09:42

May 4, 2015

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Witch’s Moonstone Locket by @MarshaAMoore

Witch’s Moonstone Locket

A Coon Hollow Coven Tale

Book One

Marsha A. Moore

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: March 24, 2015

ASIN: B00V2DG0HG

Number of pages: 315

Word Count: 94,000

Book Description:

Twenty-three-year-old Jancie Sadler was out of the room when her mother died, and her heart still longs for their lost goodbye. Aching to ease her sorrow, Aunt Starla gives Jancie a diary that changes her entire life. In entries from the 1930s, her great grandmother revealed how she coped with her own painful loss by seeking out a witch from nearby Coon Hollow Coven. The witch wore the griever’s moonstone locket, which allowed whoever could unlock its enchantment to talk with the dead.

Determined to find that locket, Jancie goes to the coven’s annual carnival held in her small southern Indiana town of Bentbone. This opposes her father’s strict rule: stay away from witches. But she’s an adult now and can make her own decisions. She meets Rowe McCoy, the kind and handsome witch who wears the moonstone. He agrees to let her try to open the locket, but they’re opposed by High Priestess Adara and her jealous desire to possess him.

Desperate for closure with her mother, Jancie persists and cannot turn away from a perilous path filled with magic, romance, and danger.

Available at Amazon

Warm rain mixed with Jancie’s tears, and she rose to stand beside her mother’s grave. Not ready to let go, she bent at the waist and her fingers followed the arc of her mother’s name—Faye Sadler—in the headstone. She knew the unyielding shape well. The word goodbye stuck in her throat. She’d said it aloud many times since her mother died almost a year ago, only to have the cemetery’s vast silence swallow her farewells. Rain beaded on the polished granite. Her hand, bearing her mother’s silver ring, slid down the stone and fell to her side.

If only she could’ve said goodbye to her mother before. After years of caring for her mom while she suffered with cancer, Jancie had missed the final parting moment while getting a quick bite of dinner. The pain still cut like a knife in her gut.

On foot, she retraced the too-familiar path toward her work at the Federal Bank. Although she’d landed a job as manager at the largest of the three banks in the small town of Bentbone, the position was a dead end. Within the first six months, she’d mastered all the necessary skills. Now, after a year, only the paycheck kept her there.

Jancie turned onto Maple Street. As usual, wind swept up the corridor, between old shade trees protecting houses, and met her at the top of the tall hill. September rain pelted her face and battled the Indian summer noontime temperatures. She zipped the rain parka to keep her dress dry, pulled on the strings of the hood, and corralled strands of ginger-colored hair that whipped into her eyes. Once able to see, she gazed farther into the valley, where the view spanned almost a mile out to the edge of town. Usually, farmers moved tractors across the road or boys raced skateboards and bikes down Maple Street’s long slope.

Today, on the deserted acreage just east of Bentbone, people moving in and out through a gate of the tall wooden fence breathed life into the rundown carnival. Surprised, Jancie crossed the street for a better view. She’d lost track of time since Mom passed. The coming Labor Day weekend in Bentbone meant the valley coven’s yearly carnival. She and her close group of girlfriends always looked forward to the cute guys, fair food, and amazing magical rides and decorations…even if her father didn’t approve of witches or magic. The residents of the sleepy town awoke to welcome a host of tourists wanting to see the spectacle created by the witches of Coon Hollow Coven.

Somehow, Jancie had forgotten the big event this year. Last year, she didn’t go since Mom was so sick and couldn’t be left. Jancie sighed and turned onto the main street toward the bank. She’d lost so much since her mother passed. Really, since the diagnosis of cancer.

At that time, four years ago, Jancie withdrew as a sophomore from Hanover College, a select, private school in southern Indiana near the Kentucky border—too far away. Instead, she returned to stay with her mother and commuted to Indiana University. Balancing hours with the home health care nurse, Jancie had few choices of career paths. Not that it mattered, since her remarried father expected her to find a job in Bentbone and continue taking care of her mother. Despite the sacrifices, Jancie loved her mother, who’d always managed money for a few special things for Jancie—a new bike, birthday parties, prom dresses—even though their income was tight. Mom had paid for her tuition and listened to every new and exciting college experience.

Jancie smiled at the memory of Mom’s twinkling brown eyes, that mirrored her own, when she asked about what happened during the day’s classes: if Jancie liked the professor; if she’d made new friends.

When she rounded the last corner, her thoughts returned to the work day. At the bleak, limestone bank building, reality hit. Jancie pulled against the heavy glass door, and a gust swept her inside. She peeled off the drenched jacket and hung it on the coat rack of her small, plain office. At her desk again, she took her position.

Through the afternoon’s doldrums, punctuated by only a handful of customers, her mind wandered to the carnival. She’d gone dozens of times before and loved it. But since Mom passed, nothing seemed fun anymore, like she couldn’t connect with herself and had forgotten how to have a good time. She organized a stack of notes, anything to put the concern out of her mind.

***

After work, Jancie drove her old blue Camry the five miles to the other end of town where she lived in her mother’s white frame house, the home where she grew up, now hers. Glad to own her own place, unlike her friends who rented, she’d made a few easy changes. In the living room, a new brown leather couch with a matching chair and ottoman. She replaced the bedroom furniture with a new oak suite for herself in what used to be her mother’s room. With pay saved from the bank, Jancie could remodel or build on, but she didn’t know what she wanted yet. Her great aunt Starla had told her to just wait and hold onto her money; she’d know soon enough.

Pouring rain soaked the hem of her dress as she darted between the garage shed and back stoop of the small ranch house.

Glad she’d chosen to get her run in this morning before work, she changed into cozy sweats, pulled the long part of her tapered hair into a ponytail, and headed for the kitchen.

Her phone alerted her of a text, and she read the message from her friend Rachelle, always the social director of their group: R we going to the carnival?

Jancie typed a response. I guess. R Lizbeth and Willow going?

Yep whole gang. What day?

Don’t know yet. Get back to u. Jancie worried she’d spoil their fun. Even though they’d all been her best friends since high school and would understand her moodiness, she didn’t want to ruin one of the best times of the year for them. Since Mom passed, they’d taken her out to movies and shopping in Bloomington, but this was different. Could it ever match up to the fun of all the times before? “I don’t know if I’m up to that,” she said into open door of the old Kenmore refrigerator while rummaging for leftovers of fried chicken and corn.

The meal satisfied and made her thankful she’d learned how to cook during those years with Mom. Not enough dishes to bother with the dishwasher, one of the modern upgrades to the original kitchen, Jancie washed the dishes by hand and then called Starla. When she answered, Jancie asked, “Can I come over tonight? There’s something I’m needing your opinion on.”

“Why sure, Jancie. C’mon over,” the eighty-five-year-old replied with her usual warm drawl. “Are you wantin’ dinner? I made me some soup beans with a big hambone just butchered from Bob’s hog. My neighbor Ellie came over and had some. She said they were the best she’s eaten.”

Jancie glanced at the soggy rain parka and opted for an umbrella instead. “No, I just ate. Be right over.” Keys and purse in hand, she hung up and darted for the shed.

Five minutes later, she turned onto the drive of the eldercare apartments and parked under the steel awning where Starla gave her a whole arm wave from her picture window. Jancie made her way to number twelve on the first floor.

The door opened, and Starla engulfed Jancie in a bear hug, pulling her into the pillow of a large, sagging bosom. Starla smelled of her signature scent—rosewater and liniment.

Jancie had loved her great aunt’s hugs as long as she could remember. Stress and worry melted away, and she hugged back. Her arm grazed Starla’s white curls along the collar of her blue knit top embroidered with white stars—her great aunt’s favorite emblem.

“It’s so good to see you. Come sit a spell, while I get us some iced tea.” Starla pulled away and gestured to the microsuede couch decorated with three crocheted afghans in a rainbow of colors. “I thought we were done with this hot weather, but not quite yet. That rain today’s been a gully washer but didn’t cool things off much.” The large-boned woman scuffed her pink-house-slippered feet toward the kitchen. “Would you rather have pound cake from the IGA or homemade cornbread?”

Jancie laughed and followed her into the kitchen. She wouldn’t get through the visit without eating. “You’re just fishin’ for a compliment. You know your homemade cornbread is better.”

Starla arranged plates with thick slices of warm cornbread and big pats of butter on top, while Jancie transferred the refreshments to the aluminum dinette table.

“With your hair pulled back like that, you’re a dead ringer for your Ma. So pretty with that same sweetheart-shaped face.” Starla folded herself onto a chair beside Jancie. “You look to be getting on well…considering what all you’ve been through.”

“I’m doing okay,” Jancie said through a mouthful of the moist cornbread. She washed it down with a swallow of brisk tea that tasted fresh-brewed. “But sometimes, lots of times, I feel lost, like I can’t move on.” She ran a hand across her forehead. “I didn’t get to say goodbye. I spent time with her through all those years, and it shouldn’t matter, but it does every time I visit her grave and most every night in my dreams.”

“Oh, honey. I know it hurts.” Starla smoothed Jancie’s ponytail down the middle of her back and spoke with a voice so slow and warm, it felt like a handmade quilt wrapping around her. “You spent all that time and gave so much. Just like when I cared for my husband some twenty years back. I know. I never got the chance to tell Harry goodbye either. Time will heal all hurts.”

Jancie looked down at the marbleized tabletop to hide her teary eyes. “I don’t think I’m ever going to heal, Aunt Starla. I don’t know if I can ever move on.”

“There is one thing you can try. I’d have done it, if I’d have known before decades softened my aching heart. Way back, I was desperate like you.”

Jancie looked into Starla’s blue-gray eyes, set deep inside wrinkled lids.

Her aunt leaned closer. “Not many know about this,” she whispered as if someone outside the apartment door might hear. “There’s an old story about how a member of the Coon Hollow Coven, one who’s recently lost a loved one, is made the teller of the moonstone tale.”

Jancie rolled her eyes. “That’s just a silly story, one of lots that Mom and Dad told to scare me when I was little, so I’d stay away from the coven. When the moonstone locket opens at the end of the tale, you’ll get your wish but also be cursed.”

“Oh no.” Starla shook her head and pushed away from the table. “Let me get Aunt Maggie’s old diary. I got this in a box of old family things when Cousin Dorothy passed. ” She lumbered to her spare bedroom and returned with a worn, black-leather volume only a little larger than her wide palm. Once seated, she thumbed through the yellowed pages. “Here.” She pointed a finger and placed the book between them.

Character Name: Adara Tabard

Character Bio: High Priestess of Coon Hollow Coven in Witch's Moonstone Locket: A Coon Hollow Coven Tale

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

I'm amazing, just like all of my family. I'm smart and stylish and the most powerful witch in Coon Hollow Coven. Worst quality? I don't have one.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

I adore power. I can't get enough, and everyone would say that about me. What they don't know is the one thing more important to me than power is love. And somehow, I just can't seem to get it. My mother, Grizela Tabard, was a hard-hearted woman who constantly chided me for not performing better, not measuring up to my two sisters. After my sisters died young, before Mother herself passed, she still failed to recognize me. Years after Mother passed, she even haunted me in spirit form.

I've almost given up on love from Mother, but I still wish for romantic love. When I was eighteen, I fell in love with a townie. Certainly that horrified Mother, but I was blind with love. The romance was short-lived, and ended in a tragic car accident that cost lives and whatever shred of maternal love Mother had for me. Mother was the high priestess at the time. Fearing her wrath, my boyfriend broke my heart and left me with a deep void I still struggle with.

What are you most afraid of?

Losing my power. It's all I have.

What do you want more than anything?

Power and power through love...and sometimes true love.

What is your relationship status?

*sigh* Non-existent, but I have plans, big plans. Rowe McCoy, a handsome witch in my coven, just lost his wife. I'm going to make sure he falls in love with me. He won't get away!

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

My middle name is fashion! Coon Hollow Coven strictly adheres to the lifestyle of the 1930s when it was formed, and I adore being a glamour girl in the slinky period styles. My closet is filled with bias-cut satin dresses that hug my womanly curves. My jet black hair hangs over half of my face in a cascade of smooth waves from a dramatic side part. Stylish? Definitely, but it also hides a gash of a scar cutting across my cheek from that car accident that changed my life forever.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Becoming High Priestess, of course! I followed in my father's and mother's footsteps in leadership, as well those of a long line of Tabards. It's my turn now to make my mark on this coven!

What is your idea of happiness?

Gaining more power!

What is your current state of mind?

Determined, the very best way to be. I practice to keep that focus.

What is your most treasured possession?

Hmm, either my mother's family grimoire, which she didn't want me to have, but I managed to get it anyway. Or perhaps, my father's focus amulet, an onyx pendant. When I wear it, I can channel his powers, which makes me invincible.

What is your most marked characteristic?

My determination and perseverance.

Is there anything about you that people dislike?

I'm a strong witch, and because I'm the coven leader, I can scare some people. lol

What is your greatest regret?

That I wasn't able to be my mother's favorite daughter. She died before I could find a way to please her.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Submissive and handsome

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Dedicated and loyal

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

Nothing. I love myself.

What is your motto?

Want a better life? Get more power.

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Marsha A. Moore loves to write fantasy and paranormal romance. Much of her life feeds the creative flow she uses to weave highly imaginative tales.

The magic of art and nature often spark life into her writing, as well as watercolor painting and drawing. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and is a registered yoga teacher. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Marsha is crazy about cycling. She lives with her husband on a large saltwater lagoon, where taking her kayak out for an hour or more is a real treat. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at stories with toes wiggling in the sand.

Every day at the beach is magical!

Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore

Google +: http://google.com/+MarshaAMoore

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marshaamoore/

Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/marshaamoore

Goodreads author page http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore

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Published on May 04, 2015 01:00

Blog Tour–When in Maui by @Colleen_Nye

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

When In Maui by Colleen Nye Audience: YA/NA/Adult 18+ - Genre: Romantic Comedy - Format: eBook & Paperback - Publisher: Anchor Group - Cover by: Katie Cowan - Editor: Kim Eggleston - Pages: 306 pages - ASIN: B00W86IIO4 - Date Published: April 15, 2015 Alice Tyler's whirlwind vacation to Maui was supposed to be a great time with friends, an escape from all things stressful. Instead she found herself right in the middle of stress and without her best friend, Vivianne Cook. That stress? It went by the name Ryan Perry. He not only adds to Alice's high pressure life but terrifies her by falling for her while on the island. Ryan then enlists Vivianne to help him convince her friend that fears can be overcome and happily ever afters can exist. But can Alice clear these emotional hurdles before losing Ryan forever?
And what happens when the tables are turned? Can Vivianne find her own Prince Charming and the fairy tale ending she dreams of?
Through hilarious situations and side-splitting adventures the two women lean on each other in a journey of self-discovery only to find their true selves are not at all who they thought themselves to be.
Amazon / Goodreads / Smashwords

She opened her mouth and started the flow of words that would have surely insulted him and put him in his place when her eyes took him in. 6' 1", thin yet muscular, with dark brown, shaggy hair, and eyes that seemed to pierce through you. And those full lips. All of her anger flew out of her lungs with a gasp, and she was at a loss for words.
"Can you die of embarrassment?" She asked me.
After a moment of silence, I started screaming, "What?! Ryan Perry?! The Ryan Perry?"
Ryan Perry was not just a celebrity to us. He played a role in a movie that Alice and I were in love with. Then again, thousands of women were in love with his fictional character. The movie was based off a book series that had engrossed us both. And for it to be put on screen, seeing the character come to life, was incredible. So, meeting him was like coming face to face with the object of your fantasies. Of course, we knew he wasn't actually that character, but, well, you know. Even if he wasn't, there was some element he gave the character that enthralled so many people, and made him much more appealing.
I shouted, "Get me an autograph!"
"Oh, yeah, that'll work out well," she said sarcastically. "How do I start that? 'Excuse me, I am sorry for bothering you, and this doesn't change the fact that I hate you for ruining my vacation, but my friend, Vivianne, would like an autograph.'"
I was about to say something when I heard her gasp and a man's voice near her say, "That'll be a start." His British accent was as thick as his voice was deep.
I am sure I could see the shades of embarrassment run over her face. I heard a slight crack of plastic when I realized that she had clenched down on her phone. I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Shut up," she hissed through her teeth.
"OH! No, this is too rich!" I laughed.
"Hello, my name is Ryan," the man said, very politely, I might add. "I am truly sorry for all of the confusion. I truly didn't know that I was taking anything that had been promised to someone else. If I had known…"
"Sure, whatever," Alice snapped. "You probably get everything you want wherever you go. What's it to you if you stomp on someone else's plans?"
"I would never do something like that on purpose," he said coolly. "Listen, let me take you to dinner to make up for it."
Another burst of laughter shot out of me as I envisioned the shock that would have rolled across her face at that moment.
"Shut up, Viv," she snapped, and turned her attention to Ryan. "And what makes you think I would want to go to dinner with you?'
"Your friend's autograph," was the reply, with a certain calm and confidence.
"Fine."
I was laughing again as she snapped the phone closed. I quickly sent her a text.
Enjoy! Call me as soon as you can! And DON'T forget my autograph!

Join us on May 17th for the official release FB event for giveaways of both When in Maui & Immersion and some other amazing authors!
https://www.facebook.com/events/861349993924932/

Colleen Nye started writing at an early age. Between school writing assignments and her love of reading in early elementary school. In high school, she submitted some of her poems and short stories to various mediums including anthologies, newspapers, magazines and contests. Several of which were published and won her awards including a few editor’s choice awards, placements in contests and even The Sarah Endres Award for Young Writers. Colleen also started a poetry club in her high school where she held weekly meetings to share her writings with her fellow classmates and to be able to hear what others were writing. She wanted other young writers to be proud to share their writing.
As an adult, she branched out and worked as a freelance writer for corporations and non-profit organizations, writing press releases for newspapers, magazines and online blogs and web sites. She also worked with politicians to create campaign and promotional fliers, bios and web site blurbs. Other works she has done have been research and photography for a few Mid-Michigan sites highlighted in the book Paranormal Lansing by Nicole Bray and Robert DuShane. She’s also worked with several companies, creating their how-to articles and product descriptions.
In 2009, Colleen joined a writer’s group called Writing at the Ledges in her home town of Grand Ledge, MI. In 2010, they published their second anthology of the group’s poems, short stories, memoirs and essays entitled Seasons of Life. Colleen’s short story, “Full Circle” was a part of this book, being one of the longer pieces and receiving several great reviews. In 2012, the group published their third anthology, in which, Colleen had two short stories.
In 2008, Colleen collaborated with her friend, Carrie Peterson, about a dream Carrie had one night. This dream became part of the opening sequence for her novel, When In Maui. Carrie’s dream and her friendship help Colleen shape When In Maui into Colleen’s first full length novel, published in 2012.
In 2013-14, she wrote a tech thriller, Immersion. Signing it with Anchor Group Publishing and released 2015. A story she's anxious to see reach a wider audience. Anchor Group also picked up When in Maui, an opportunity Colleen is very excited to see develop.
Colleen currently lives in Michigan with her two daughters – a budding chef and an aspiring free spirit that rivals her own inner gypsy. She is teaching writing classes locally. Her next novel? She’s working on a few projects and anxious to share them with you all.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram

May 4 Eclipse Reviews http://eclipsereviews.weebly.com Portals to New Worlds http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com May 5 Melissa M Wolff http://www.melissamwolff.com/search/label/posts Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/ May 6 Chicas Love To Read http://www.chicalovestoread.blogspot.com Hope To Read http://hopetoread.com May 7 Deal Sharing Aunt www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com May 8 Rustys Reading http://www.rustysreading.blogspot.com May 11 Angels with Attitude Book Reviews http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-joelle.blogspot.com May 12 Bookworm for Kids - Promo http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com May 13 The Avid Reader http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com May 14 Indy Book Fairy http://paranormalbookfairy.blogspot.com/ May 15 Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ May 18 2 Girls & A Book http://2girlsandabook.wordpress.com/ May 19 Writing Pearls http://www.writingpearls.com May 20 Books Books Books http://www.booksbooksbooksblog.com May 21 A Novel Kind of Bliss http://anovelkindofbliss.blogspot.com The Phantom Paragrapher www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com

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Published on May 04, 2015 00:30

Blog Tour– Immersion by @Colleen_Nye

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

Immersion by Colleen Nye Audience: YA/NA/Adult 18+ - Genre: Tech Thriller - Format: eBook & Paperback - Publisher: Anchor Group - Cover by: Katie Cowan - Editor: Melanie Williams - Pages: 268 pages - ASIN: B00W5YAMOI - Date Published: April 16, 2015

Three things Seren knew: #1 Her life felt odd being so tame. #2 She lost her parents when she was young and missed then dearly. #3 Her life was never going to be the same after the day Chase came back into it.

In a world, not unlike our own the economy has tanked allowing the inhabitants to seek solace in a world of virtual gaming. Now, money hungry corporations will stop at nothing to make a buck, even if that means releasing a product that will claim millions of lives.
Amazon / Goodreads / Smashwords

“Seren!” Chase was running towards them. “Seren! Move!” He jumped in between them, arms reaching back to protect her.
Robert turned his palm, revealing another, much larger metal piece. “Silly boy, I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Well, you can’t be too careful.” Chase scowled at him.
Seren lowered one of Chase’s arms, stepping up next to him. “What is that?”
Robert looked down at the flat piece of metal, etched with groves that appeared to be in no particular design. “This is one of the things you will need.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m assuming you didn’t come to just catch up after all these years.”
“Please come with us. I have so many questions.” She motioned towards the car.
“I shouldn’t. If they see me with you, they’ll know what you’re doing.” He cupped the metal piece in his hand, turning it over and thrusting it at Seren.
“But I don’t know what I’m doing.” She pleaded with him. “Please, I don’t care if we go to your place or a diner or whatever.”
“Seren, it is very dangerous.” He shook his head.
Chase intervened. “For who? Her or yourself?”
Robert flashed him a stabbing look. “Seren is like family to me.”
“Some family. You abandoned her just like her family did,” he cut into him.
“I have been trying to save this world that’s quickly spiraling out of control these days, if you haven’t noticed. But my inactivity in Seren’s life hasn’t been for a lack of caring. It’s because I was trying to keep her out of it and keep her safe.” He took a step back.
Chase looked at Seren. “Yeah, well, her parents dragged her into it. So now we need some answers.”
“Fine.” Robert huffed. “I’ll meet you at the Shelby Street Diner at four. But take this now, just in case.” He grabbed Seren’s hand and placed the new metal piece and a small piece of paper in it. “If I don’t show, follow the instructions on this paper. Promise me.”
“Sure Thing.” She nodded, staring at the folded paper in her palm.
“Now, please leave. You never know who is watching.” He walked back to his corner.
She started to unfold the paper, but Chase put a hand over hers. “Not here. Let’s get out of here. I am starting to get a really bad feeling. I don’t care if he’s crazy or not. He’s right. You never know who’s watching.”
“You’re starting to sound like them.” They walked back towards the car.
“Yeah, well, this is all a bit creepy. I don’t really want to take any chances.” He put a hand on her back and shrugged.
A few feet from the car, Chase spotted a boy, couldn’t have been but a year or two out of his teens, running in the direction of the car that he’d left running when he went after Seren. The boy threw the door open and threw it into gear.
Before the wheels could make more than an inch rotation, the car exploded. The shockwave of the explosion throwing them and several other bystanders to the ground. Shrapnel flying in every direction, a piece of metal lodging into...

Join us on May 17th for the official release FB event for giveaways of both When in Maui & Immersion and some other amazing authors! https://www.facebook.com/events/861349993924932/

Steam Powered Giraffe – I'll Rust with You, Brass Goggles Ellie Goulding – Burn Orbital – Halcyon and on and on Puscifer – Momma Sed, Toma, Man Overboard, The Mission “M is for Milla Mix”, Indigo Children, Sour Grapes, The Humbling River Blue October – Hate Me, Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek, Breakfast After 10 Lily Allen – Silver Spoon Deftones – Change [In the House of Flies], Minerva Tricky – Excess, Ponderosa, Vent, You Don't Wanna Ohgr – Water, Kettle, Devil Untoten – Herzder Finstemis, Nachtgespenst James – Out to Get You Lana Del Rey – Off to the Races, Once upon a Dream, West Coast Florence + the Machine – Swimming, Seven Devils, Between two Lungs, Girl With One Eye Morphine – You Look Like Rain, All your Way, In Spite of Me George Ezra – Budapest O'Death – Ghost Head, Black Dress The Xx – Crystalised Lorde – Tennis Court, Glory and Gore, Ribs The Neighbourhood – Staying Up OneRepublic – Counting Stars, Secrets, Made For You, Preacher Maroon 5 – Secret Regina Spektor – Eet Lindsey Sterling – Radioactive, Crystallize Abney Park – Herr Dosselmyers Doll, I Am Stretched At Your Grave Black rebel Motorcycle Club – Red Eyes and Tears Mumford & Sons – The Cave, Thistle & Weeds Watsky – Tiny Glowing Screens Part 1 Jonathan Rhys Meyers – Elgar/Something Inside Massive Attack – Protection, Teardrop, Inertia Creeps Avicii – Addicted to You Moby – Porcelain, Why Does My heart Feel So Bad?, Extreme Ways The Lumineers – Flapper Girl M.I.A. - Paper Planes Esthero – Heaven Sent Punch Brothers – Soon or Never Broods – Bridges Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps Bjork – Hunter, Hyperballad, Army of Me, Violently Happy Disfigure – Feeling Defeated Hozier – Like Real People Do, To Be Alone Beats Antuiqe – Extra Extra, Louie's Lullaby Skrillex – Make it Burn Dem The Gandharvas – The First day of Spring Tracy Bohnam – Mother Mother

Colleen Nye started writing at an early age. Between school writing assignments and her love of reading in early elementary school. In high school, she submitted some of her poems and short stories to various mediums including anthologies, newspapers, magazines and contests. Several of which were published and won her awards including a few editor’s choice awards, placements in contests and even The Sarah Endres Award for Young Writers. Colleen also started a poetry club in her high school where she held weekly meetings to share her writings with her fellow classmates and to be able to hear what others were writing. She wanted other young writers to be proud to share their writing.
As an adult, she branched out and worked as a freelance writer for corporations and non-profit organizations, writing press releases for newspapers, magazines and online blogs and web sites. She also worked with politicians to create campaign and promotional fliers, bios and web site blurbs. Other works she has done have been research and photography for a few Mid-Michigan sites highlighted in the book Paranormal Lansing by Nicole Bray and Robert DuShane. She’s also worked with several companies, creating their how-to articles and product descriptions.
In 2009, Colleen joined a writer’s group called Writing at the Ledges in her home town of Grand Ledge, MI. In 2010, they published their second anthology of the group’s poems, short stories, memoirs and essays entitled Seasons of Life. Colleen’s short story, “Full Circle” was a part of this book, being one of the longer pieces and receiving several great reviews. In 2012, the group published their third anthology, in which, Colleen had two short stories.
In 2008, Colleen collaborated with her friend, Carrie Peterson, about a dream Carrie had one night. This dream became part of the opening sequence for her novel, When In Maui. Carrie’s dream and her friendship help Colleen shape When In Maui into Colleen’s first full length novel, published in 2012.
In 2013-14, she wrote a tech thriller, Immersion. Signing it with Anchor Group Publishing and released 2015. A story she's anxious to see reach a wider audience. Anchor Group also picked up When in Maui, an opportunity Colleen is very excited to see develop.
Colleen currently lives in Michigan with her two daughters – a budding chef and an aspiring free spirit that rivals her own inner gypsy. She is teaching writing classes locally. Her next novel? She’s working on a few projects and anxious to share them with you all.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram

May 4 Eclipse Reviews http://eclipsereviews.weebly.com Portals to New Worlds http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com May 5 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, + Sissy, Too ! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com Amiabooklover http://www.amiabooklover.blogspot.com May 6 Bookworm for Kids http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com Hope To Read http://hopetoread.com May 7 A Dirty Book Affair http://adirtybookaffair.com Books Books Books http://www.booksbooksbooksblog.com May 8 Deal Sharing Aunt www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com May 11 Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/ May 12 Angels with Attitude Book Reviews http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-joelle.blogspot.com May 13 The Avid Reader http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com May 14 Melissa M Wolff http://www.melissamwolff.com/search/label/posts May 15 Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ May 18 Literary Musing http://literarymusing.weebly.com/ May 19 2 Girls & A Book http://2girlsandabook.wordpress.com/ May 20 Book Butterfly in Dreamland http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com/ May 21 A Novel Kind of Bliss http://anovelkindofbliss.blogspot.com

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Published on May 04, 2015 00:30

May 2, 2015

New Release!! Immersion by @Colleen_Nye

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

Immersion by Colleen Nye Audience: YA/NA/Adult 18+ - Genre: Tech Thriller - Format: eBook & Paperback - Publisher: Anchor Group - Cover by: Katie Cowan - Editor: Elizabeth Kirke - Pages: 268 pages - ASIN: B00W5YAMOI - Date Published: April 16, 2015

Colleen Nye started writing at an early age. Between school writing assignments and her love of reading in early elementary school. In high school, she submitted some of her poems and short stories to various mediums including anthologies, newspapers, magazines and contests. Several of which were published and won her awards including a few editor’s choice awards, placements in contests and even The Sarah Endres Award for Young Writers. Colleen also started a poetry club in her high school where she held weekly meetings to share her writings with her fellow classmates and to be able to hear what others were writing. She wanted other young writers to be proud to share their writing.
As an adult, she branched out and worked as a freelance writer for corporations and non-profit organizations, writing press releases for newspapers, magazines and online blogs and web sites. She also worked with politicians to create campaign and promotional fliers, bios and web site blurbs. Other works she has done have been research and photography for a few Mid-Michigan sites highlighted in the book Paranormal Lansing by Nicole Bray and Robert DuShane. She’s also worked with several companies, creating their how-to articles and product descriptions.
In 2009, Colleen joined a writer’s group called Writing at the Ledges in her home town of Grand Ledge, MI. In 2010, they published their second anthology of the group’s poems, short stories, memoirs and essays entitled Seasons of Life. Colleen’s short story, “Full Circle” was a part of this book, being one of the longer pieces and receiving several great reviews. In 2012, the group published their third anthology, in which, Colleen had two short stories.
In 2008, Colleen collaborated with her friend, Carrie Peterson, about a dream Carrie had one night. This dream became part of the opening sequence for her novel, When In Maui. Carrie’s dream and her friendship help Colleen shape When In Maui into Colleen’s first full length novel, published in 2012.
In 2013-14, she wrote a tech thriller, Immersion. Signing it with Anchor Group Publishing and released 2015. A story she's anxious to see reach a wider audience. Anchor Group also picked up When in Maui, an opportunity Colleen is very excited to see develop.
Colleen currently lives in Michigan with her two daughters – a budding chef and an aspiring free spirit that rivals her own inner gypsy. She is teaching writing classes locally. Her next novel? She’s working on a few projects and anxious to share them with you all.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram

View more on Karen Swart's website »

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Published on May 02, 2015 23:30

May 1, 2015

New Release!! When in Maui by @Colleen_Nye

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

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Published on May 01, 2015 23:30

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: The Black Swans by @AntrimCycle

The Black Swans

A Tale of the Antrim Cycle

Book One

N.W. Moors

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Sunday Morning Publishing

Date of Publication: March 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-0692397602

ASIN: B00U6I9PUC

Number of pages: 277

Word Count: 96,003

Cover Artist: N.W.Moors

Book Description:

Taisie MacDonnell loves Celtic music and when a traditional Irish group moves to her small town of Antrim, Maine, she's thrilled. She has no idea that becoming involved with Conn McLaren, the handsome pipe player will enmesh her in magic, a centuries-old enchantment and pursuit by the Fae.

This is a modern retelling of the Irish story "The Children of Lir".

Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.

Available at Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA

“Maybe I should put some lime green color on the other side, to contrast with the magenta.” Nola had pulled the rear view mirror over to the passenger side, her long black hair pulled down in front of her face. She was peeking through the strands over her eyes, studying herself in the dim light of the dashboard.

She tilted her head to the side, then pulled hair from each side of her head and held it out in front of her. The hair on the right side of her head had swathes of purple. “What do you think?” she asked, studying him from under her hair.

Owen had been driving the van for five hours without any breaks. The way from Montreal was mostly highway, but once he crossed into the United States, he was on two lane roads that climbed up and down mountains and were lined by thick brush and trees, occasionally marked by small towns and farms. He was mostly following the white line marking the middle of the road at this point, just trying to make it to his destination, and wasn’t paying all that much attention to what Nola was saying to him.

Nola squinted and frowned at Owen, then tried again. “Hmm, I wonder if I cut my hair like Finn’s….” This time she got his attention. He looked over at her, just in time to catch the grin as she swept her hair back behind her ears.

“I don’t believe it would look as good on you as that haircut does on Finn, but, hey, if it’s what you want, go for it,” Owen played along. Nola grunted and pushed the rear view mirror back over to an approximation of where it should be.

Owen reached up and positioned the mirror in place again. He used it to look in the back seat to where Finn sat, headset in his ears, listening to his iPod, his head bouncing to the music. His hair was a mess of colors and stuck up in short spikes. While it was a hairstyle that worked for Finn, Nola would definitely not be cutting her hair like her brother, not if Owen had anything to say about it. He liked her hair long and silky way too much.

There was a street light blinking up ahead and Owen braked, gradually slowing the van. They were approaching another small town or maybe it was just a crossroads. This one looked like it was a gas station combined with a dilapidated general store. Owen glanced down at the dashboard. There was about half a tank of gasoline left according to the gauge. And it was a good thing he didn’t need gas because the station was closed up tight. No one seemed to be around, just a dim light in the store and a crooked “Closed” sign on the front door. The only thing in the parking lot was a rusty pickup truck, parked over on the edge of the asphalt. He wheeled in anyway and stopped the van in front of the pump.

“I need to stretch a minute,” he announced and turned off the key.

Heads popped up in the back seat. “What are we doing?” said Finn who couldn’t hear Owen over the music from his iPod. Conn, who was sitting next to his twin in the middle seat, pulled his earphones off, mussing his long hair, and waited patiently, looking around the dimly lit parking area. He had been working on his laptop, probably on an arrangement for one of their songs, Owen guessed. There was no sign of Hugh who had been stretched out sleeping in the bench seat in the very back of the van.

“I need to get out and walk around a little,” Owen restated. “And I want to check the trailer.” Nola had already opened her door and was standing on the pavement, stretching her arms over her head, getting the kinks out of her back.

Owen got out, headed around the back of the building and stepped back into the trees. He was joined by the rest of the lads, Hugh wandering back last. He must have woken up with the slamming of the doors. It had been a long ride with no stops and Owen had drunk at least three cups of coffee out of the thermos jug that Nola kept in the front seat for him.

Once they had finished their business, Conn and Owen went back out front to check on the trailer. Owen crouched down and looked under the frame while Conn pushed on the tires. The rig looked fine. The trailer wasn’t very heavy, loaded mostly with sound equipment and camping supplies. Their instruments and personal items were in the way back of the van. Nola wandered out from the other side of the garage where she had gone to find a bit of privacy away from the guys.

“How much further is it to the pub?” Conn asked.

“I think that we have a couple more hours to go. It’s going to be late when we get there,” Owen answered. Nola came over and wrapped her arms around Owen’s waist, snuggling under the denim jean jacket he wore. He stood there, resting his chin on her head, while she rubbed the lower part of his back, pulling up his tee shirt to get at his stiff muscles.

Character Name: Conn McLaren

Character Bio: I’m the youngest son of Lir McLaren and his wife, Aobh, and twin to Finn. I play pipes in our band Na Ealai Dubha or The Black Swans and I arrange the music. With my siblings I am also under a curse by the Fae that has lasted centuries.

Describe yourself what is your worst and vest quality?

My worst quality is reticence. I hold back in my feelings and let the curse determine too much of my actions rather than fighting it. My best quality is loving my family.

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

I wish other people knew more about the music that I write.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

Only a few people know about the curse that is on me and my siblings.

What are you most afraid of?

I’m afraid of the ending of the curse in case it also ends me and my siblings.

What do you want more than anything?

I want to end the curse and be with my one true mate.

What is your relationship status?

I’m in a relationship with Taisie MacDonnell.

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

Tee shirts and jeans when I’m not wearing feathers.

How much of a rebel are you?

I’m not much of a rebel – that would be my brothers, Hugh and Finn.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement is living with my curse for so many years.

What is your idea of happiness?

Happiness is being a normal man with a wife and family.

What is your current state of mind?

Optimistic – meeting Taisie has been the best thing to happen to me.

What is your most treasured possession?

My tin whistle – it soothes my restlessness.

What is your most marked characteristic?

My love of music – music brightens any day.

What is it that you, most dislike?

I hate deception, because I’ve had to deceive others for so long.

Which living person do you, most despise?

Maeb, queen of the Fae. She is the holder of the curse.

What is your greatest regret?

I regret my brothers losing their true mates.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Courage

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Loyalty

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Fionn mac Cumhaill, the great hero of Irish legend.

Which living person do you most admire?

I admire my mate, Taisie. She is the most loving and courageous person I know.

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

To never wear feathers again.

What is your motto?

Magic, Music and Love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

N.W. Moors lives in Portland, Maine, land of lobster and pine trees. She is a voracious reader and avid traveler. She loves visiting Great Britain and Ireland especially. Researching trips meant that she tries to learn as much about the area as possible and uses those tidbits in her books. She enjoys interacting with readers.

Blog http://antrimcycle.blogspot.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009322893083

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/blackswansantrim

Twitter https://twitter.com/AntrimCycle

GR https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13572124.N_W_Moors

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/antrimcycle/

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Published on May 01, 2015 01:00

Book Blast & Interview: Chaos Broken by @RbkahTurner

Chaos Broken

Chronicles of Applecross

Book 3

Rebekah Turner

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Escape Publishing

Date of Publication: 22 April 2015

ISBN: 9780857992413

ASIN: B00TQIML3G

Number of pages: 225

Word Count: 80,000

Book Description:

The final installment of the Chronicles of Applecross trilogy finds Lora left in charge – and quickly losing control.

Lora Blackgoat is in charge. But after losing a lucrative contract, it looks like she’s also running her beloved benefactor's mercenary company into the ground while he's away on holidays. Her problems double when she discovers Roman, exiled nephilim warrior and current confusing love interest, is brokering a dangerous peace agreement.

When a new enemy emerges from across the ocean, threatening to tear the city apart, Lora finds herself taking on new and surprising allies, finally acknowledging the prophecy that haunts her and using it to her advantage.

Available at Amazon iTunes ARe Google Play

Headmistress Poulter hadn’t changed. She scared the crap out of me when I was ten and she scared the crap out of me now, even though I was a mature, genuine grown up and sitting in Blackgoat Watch’s big boss chair. Poulter’s body was all sharp angles under a shapeless dress, her iron-grey hair scraped into a tight bun. I was trying to pay attention, I was, but Poulter had been talking for a good ten minutes about her missing cat, Blinky, and I was finding it hard to focus.

Not for the first time I mentally cursed Gideon, my benefactor and boss of Blackgoat Watch, for ducking out of the city with my adoptive mother, Orella. They’d left Harken a month ago on a holiday to the sunny continent of Eral and Gideon had left me in charge of Blackgoat’s stable of Runners for hire. This meant I had to meet clients and smile and be nice. Which was hard. Especially when Poulter kept referring to Blinky as her missing pussy. Harder still was not fidgeting when Poulter fixed me with that look, the one that suggested she could see every sin I’d ever committed. And if I was being honest, there’d been a few since I’d last seen her at the age of 14, when I’d decided my academic career was over and my Runner career was about to start.

Reuben Crowhurst, a fellow Runner, sat beside Poulter wearing a suitably concerned expression that I suspected he’d been practising. In fact, his support for me in my temporary role as boss had been so efficient, I was suspicious that he was going to hit me up for a raise while Gideon was out of the country. He was also a griorwolf, not that he readily advertised the fact he could go all beast-monster if he lost control of himself.

‘Of course we understand how difficult this is,’ Crowhurst was saying. ‘Not only was he your pet, but the school mascot.’ He smiled at Poulter, giving her the full, charming Reuben Crowhurst treatment. I had to admit, he looked pretty smart today. His blond hair was brushed neatly, beard freshly trimmed, and he wore crisp charcoal pants and a snappy, velvet-trimmed vest. A ruby earring winked from one ear and he smelled of a very manly cologne.

One corner of my mouth curled up. If Crowhurst thought he could hit me up for a raise while Gideon was away, he was going to get an education. I tried to focus on the conversation, mentally calculating how much I could bill for searching for a cat. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be enough to see us out of the financial hole Blackgoat had recently fallen into, which wasn’t really my fault.

‘Lora Blackgoat. Are you paying attention?’ Poulter’s voice was a cane-crack across my thoughts and I gave a guilty jump.

‘Ah…yes. Pussy. I mean, cat. Missing. Blinky.’ I glanced down at my notes, which consisted of curly doodles and a couple of hex symbols. ‘That about sums it up, right?’

‘I can tell she’s not listening to a word I’ve said.’ Poulter shifted her glare to Crowhurst.

‘She always used to get that look, like nothing else mattered but her.’

‘I’m listening, I’m listening,’ I protested. ‘I’ll send someone over first thing tomorrow to start asking around. See if the neighbours have seen him.’

Poulter’s eyebrows pinched. ‘I’d rather you saw to this personally, Lora.’

Crowhurst gave me a significant look, which I knew meant I was supposed to agree with the client.

‘Of course,’ I said through clenched teeth. ‘I’ll look after this personally, Lady Poulter. First thing tomorrow.’

‘You couldn’t start today?’

‘Unfortunately, I’ve got another appointment this afternoon. But I can assure you, I’ll be there tomorrow, very first thing.’ I made a show of checking my notes. ‘Can you tell me if there’s anyone who’d want to do your pussy mischief?’ I kept my face straight, but a flush crept up Crowhurst’s neck. He shot me a warning look.

Poulter sniffed. ‘There have been a few troublesome students of late. One in particular. His name was Kalin and he led a rotten pack of them. I expelled him last term for stabbing a teacher with a pencil.’

‘What’s Kalin’s family name?’ I asked.

‘He had none. He was from the orphanage.’

‘Was?’

‘I heard he disappeared last month. I don’t know the particulars.’

‘Rest assured, we’ll have answers for you soon enough about Blinky.’ Crowhurst stood, letting me know this would probably be a good place to end the interview. I stood as well, grateful that Crowhurst was around. If I had to be honest, he’d really stepped up and helped smooth over my rough edges when talking to clients. Maybe the bastard did deserve a raise.

‘Thank you for calling Blackgoat Watch, Lady Poulter,’ I said.

Poulter’s eyes narrowed. ‘Did Gideon really leave you in charge of this organisation?’

My chest burned and I realised I was holding my breath, trying to dazzle her with my dimpled smile. But Poulter didn’t look particularly charmed by it, so I exhaled and rubbed my cheeks with a scowl. ‘Yes. I was left in charge. Why?’

Poulter glanced at Crowhurst. ‘You are helping her, aren’t you?’

Crowhurst gave Poulter a noncommittal shrug, then manoeuvred her gracefully out of the office, filling the air with easy small talk. I slumped back into Gideon’s chair, the leather squeaking. Opening the top drawer, I pulled out Gideon’s vodka stash and picked a glass that wasn’t too dirty. I poured myself half a shot. I was still staring at it when Crowhurst walked back in and frowned at the glass. I hesitated briefly before topping it up.

‘That doesn’t look like a great idea,’ Crowhurst said.

My eyes rose to his meet his steady gaze. ‘Were we in the same meeting? Come on. A missing cat?’

Crowhurst sat with a sigh. ‘Business is slow. We have to take any job we can for now.’

‘Business is more than slow.’ I nudged the full shot with a finger, watching the clear liquid slop over the edges. Blackgoat Watch had recently been slapped with a bill for back taxes. Gideon hadn’t been too worried, since I’d been offered a profitable contract by the Order of Guides, a militant organisation associated with the powerful Church of Higher Path. The Order had mistakenly taken my white hair to mean I was a Witch Hunter, despite my assurances that I wasn’t. I couldn’t sniff out a witch or warlock if my life depended on it. But the Grigori priest who ran the Order in Harken still wanted me to work with their Regulators for a season in a Witch Hunter capacity, hunting heretics, keeping the peace and generally poo-pooing all things fun.

With the earnings of my contract, Blackgoat should have been fine. But two things had happened in the last year to change that. Firstly, raiding pirates had affected sea trade routes and it was bad enough that the city was dragged into a recession. And the second reason? My contract with the Order was terminated after only three weeks. I was cited as being uncontrollable. Unpredictable. Not a team player. Of course, if anyone was to blame for this mess it was Gideon for green-lighting the idea in the first place. As if I was going to fit in with a militant religious order. Don’t wear skirts. Don’t wear heels. Don’t wear your hair down. Don’t show up drunk. All those rules had made my head hurt. Still, it had been quite unfair when everyone suspected me of starting the fire in the sacred library.

‘What do you think we should do?’ I pushed the shot glass aside. My moment of weakness had passed and now I just wanted to sulk in a dark room.

‘We’ll do our job,’ Crowhurst said. ‘Because we’re professionals.’

A crashing sound came from the ground floor, where Blackgoat’s reception and kitchen were located, and muffled shouts sounded through the floorboards. Crowhurst and I exchanged a startled glance, then sprinted for the door. Crowhurst yanked a dagger from his sleeve and I grabbed my goat-headed duelling cane. Downstairs, we followed the noise to the back courtyard, where a group of Runners shouted encouragement at two grappling men.

‘Break it up!’

My shout was drowned in a chorus of cheers and no one paid me any attention. Crowhurst tried to pull the brawling men apart and copped a jarring knock to his chin for his trouble. The Runners cheered louder and Crowhurst retreated, rubbing his jaw with a pained expression. I clicked the button on my arm-rig and a three-shot derringer snapped from my sleeve. I lifted an arm and fired once in the air, the sharp crack bouncing off the courtyard’s tall brick walls. The Runners fell silent and the fighting men drew apart, chests heaving and clothes dishevelled.

‘Everybody out.’ I shoved the gun back up my sleeve, then pointed at the two Runners who had been fighting. ‘Everyone but you two.’

No one argued. Stories about me had circulated around the city, to the point that they had entered a kind of urban legend status. Stories about the female Witch Hunter who could wield Outland weapons, guns that were a vast improvement on the flintlocks and wheellocks that operated within The Weald. Whatever mojo kept the realm hidden from the modern world also prevented modern machinery from working here. City philosophers had often cited this as a ‘state of grace’ and a sign of The Weald’s purity. I took it as a sign the city philosophers didn’t get out much. The fact that I’d never had trouble with modern machinery stalling inside The Weald was a little secret I’d tried to keep to myself. Being able to blend into the background was what kept you alive in the Runner industry.

The two fighters glared at each other, fists clenched by their sides. One was a slender man called Bone, while the other looked like a shaved gorilla and called himself Grubber. From his giant size I was pretty sure he was otherkin, but he hid it well enough I never asked. After all, it was common enough for otherkin to hide their unusual features, a result of their mixed blood of mystical races, especially with the prejudice that still existed in the city against them.

Crowhurst loitered, obviously thinking I wanted him to stay. Like I couldn’t bust balls on my own.

I served up a stern frown, channelling my inner Gideon. ‘What in hellfires is wrong with you two? What if a client had walked in and seen this pathetic excuse for professionalism?’

Grubber scowled. ‘He insulted my wife.’

‘What’d he say?’ I asked

‘He said my wife is so fat, I’d have to roll twice to get off her.’

Bone rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I meant it nicely. She’s just a lot of woman.’

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. I was at a loss as to how to proceed, but when in doubt, I knew to start yelling at someone. I fixed Bone with a glare and raised my voice.

‘What’s wrong with you, making jokes about a co-worker’s wife?’

‘You know she’s sensitive about her weight,’ Grubber muttered.

‘Easy now.’ Crowhurst stepped forward, hands raised. ‘I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding. I’m sure she’s a real lovely woman.’

‘You making fun?’ Grubber bristled at him. ‘You got something to say about my wife as well?’

‘Nobody wants to crack any more jokes about your wife,’ I told Grubber. ‘And this isn’t the place for you two to be fighting and breaking furniture.’ I stabbed a finger at Grubber.

‘Don’t be so sensitive.’ My finger shifted to Bone. ‘And you…keep your opinions to yourself. Now, both of you get the hell out of my sight.’

Grubber and Bone scowled at me, but I just planted my hands on my hips and glowered back. Just because they looked tough didn’t mean I couldn’t plant my velvet brocade boots between their legs and fell them like trees. Plus, right now I paid the bills and that pretty much ensured I got my way. Grubber and Bone righted the chairs and shuffled out of the courtyard, glaring at each other. Crowhurst bought his hands together in a slow clap.

‘Well done, boss. Saying things like you mean it. You’ll have this place ship-shape before Gideon gets back, no problems.’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ I sighed. ‘Except the best job we have on the books is searching for my old headmistress’s missing cat.’

‘You mean, her pussy?’ Crowhurst shook his head. ‘I nearly swallowed my tongue when you asked who’d want to do it mischief. You shouldn’t make fun of our clients.’

I snorted. ‘She did bring out the juvenile in me. But if we don’t pick up some jobs soon, Gideon will be coming back to a bankrupt company. Maybe I should turn this place into a bar and dice joint.’

‘You’d just drink and gamble the profits away,’ Crowhurst pointed out. ‘Maybe you should write and let Gideon know how bad things have gotten.’

‘No way.’ I righted a chair and sat down. My bad leg ached from the sudden rush downstairs and I ran a practised hand over the knotted muscles. A horse accident at sixteen had put me in a hospital with a fractured pelvis and cracked spine. My recovery had been long and painful, leaving me with a limp and an incurable fear of horses.

‘I can handle this,’ I said. ‘I told Gideon I’d pick up new work after losing the Order contract and I can’t let him down.’

Crowhurst folded his arms and gave me a slightly bemused smile. ‘You mind telling me how you lost the contract, exactly? You never did tell anyone, and Gideon wouldn’t say.’

‘It happened. Let’s leave it at that. But it really wasn’t my fault.’

‘I heard it was because you slept with a Grigori priest.’

‘Ewww.’ I make a gagging noise. ‘Really?’

‘Did it have anything to do with that big fire they had in their library?’

‘Just let it go,’ I snapped.

‘Whatever you say, boss.’

Tension rode up my neck and I rubbed it with a groan. ‘I really screwed things up.’

‘I’m sure you tried your hardest.’

I didn’t answer, because a small part of me wondered if I really did try hard enough. The fire had been an accident, but it had also been in a long list of infractions I’d committed while contracting with the Order. Fraternising with darkcraft users. Not adhering to the dress code. Illegal consumption of alcohol while on duty. Sacrilegious games of dice with the cooks inside the Order compound. The list was crowded. It had been a busy three weeks and I probably hadn’t been that rebellious since I was at school. Gideon had always said I had a problem with authority. Fortunately, his own vices were worse than mine, so we always got along just fine.

Crowhurst cleared his throat. I realised he was working up to saying something, but he looked worried about how I’d react.

‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘If you’ve got an idea, spit it out.’

He scratched his close cropped beard. ‘Someone approached me with a proposition. Initially I told them there was no way you’d be interested.’ He shrugged. ‘But now, seeing as we’ve got our backs to the wall, maybe you’ll consider it.’

‘What kind of proposition and from who?’ I eyed him suspiciously.

‘From whom,’ Crowhurst corrected absently. ‘And let me get more details. Make sure the money’s worth it.’

‘Sounds like something I don’t want to know about.’ I rolled my shoulders, trying to disperse my building tension. ‘So when you want to talk about it, bring beer to cushion the blow.’

In the distance, the city clock rang out to announce mid-afternoon and I knew had to get moving if I wanted to reach my destination in the Outlands that night. It wasn’t a paying job, but rather a chance to see Roman, an exiled nephilim warrior I was sort of involved with. Sort of. Gideon and Orella hadn’t been happy with my role in sneaking Roman to the Outlands, where he could recover from the madness some nephilim were cursed with. They were equally displeased with me shooting out every chance I got to see him.

‘I’ve got to go,’ I told Crowhurst. ‘I have that meeting tonight I told you about.’

His face darkened. ‘I should go with you.’

‘I don’t need a babysitter, thanks,’ I said. ‘And I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t important.’

Crowhurst made a disgusted sound. ‘Meeting up with your ex-Regulator lover boy isn’t more important than sticking around to keep Blackgoat running.’

‘I’ll only be gone the night. And it’s not just to see Roman. There’s an important sit-down happening and I was asked to attend.’

‘What kind of important sit-down?’ Crowhurst asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

I threw my hands up. ‘Just relax, will you? I told you, I’ll be back here tomorrow morning, bright and early to look for this freaking cat.’

‘Fine. But if you’re not here, I’m coming to get you.’

‘I can take care of myself.’ I stood and grabbed my cane. ‘I’m not kidding. And this job you mentioned? By all means, look into it. I’m desperate enough to try anything.’

A sly look slid over Crowhurst’s face. ‘I won’t forget you said that.’

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I've always identified myself as a writer, I just think there are different levels of being a writer, for example, the dabbler writer, the hobby writer, professional writer. I'm trying to storm the gates of professional writer.

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

CHAOS BROKEN: When a new enemy threatens the peace of the city, Lora must finally acknowledge the prophecy that haunts her.

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

Personally, I think it's a mistake for writers should go too far down the rabbit hole with reviews. Have a skim after a glass of wine, sure. But don't read them obsessively until 3am. But that's only my opinion, everyone is different.

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

I've been reading a lot of eBooks at the moment, because of the convenience. If I absolutely love a book, I'll buy a hardcopy as well.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?

Sometimes! Depends on the director and the script. My favorite is a close call between Fight Club and LA Confidential. I think the worst one is The Da Vinci Code.

Your favorite singer/group is?

It depends on what mood I'm in, but at the moment I'm digging epic soundtracks, especially anything from Two Steps from Hell.

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

Not usually, I'll have a snapshot at first, then fine hone. But I did give Lora a physical disability straight up, forcing her to use a cane. Nothing like stacking the odds against your protagonist.

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

My titles change, usually four times or so. They are haaaard.

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

It can honestly go either way. Sometimes I hit the right character name and place name straight up. Other times, I'll feel it isn't right and change it a few times, which I hate doing, because it can be disorientating for me, because I the names anchor me in the story.

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..")

I like to think the message in my books are all about coping when everything looks bleak. How you don't give up on a situation, you always fight.

What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?

One of my favorite books is One For The Money, by Janet Evanovich. First book to make me laugh out loud. I've read it more times than I can count.

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

I really liked Sparhawk from David Eddings. He's this aged warrior with a crooked nose who always knows how to take care of business.

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

At the moment, the future books I'm working on are more urban fantasy.

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

Feels like forever, probably since high school. I didn't have a television as a child and I was a bit shy, so it felt natural to gravitate towards an activity where I could play more in my head.

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

I love Google and wandering by interesting street names. Odd, but true.

Rebekah lives in sunny Queensland, Australia. An avid writer since she could scrawl on her bedroom walls, she has progressed from rainbow unicorn tales to stories of dark fantasy with lashings of romance and a sprinkling of horror.

Her vices include in-depth critiques of B grade action and horror movies and buying stationery she doesn’t need.

Web: www.rebekahturner.net

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rebekahturnerauthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/24983636-chaos-broken

Twitter: @RbkahTurner

View more on Karen Swart's website »

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Published on May 01, 2015 01:00

Series Blast, Giveaway & Interview: The Shadeborn Series by @humblequill

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours

The Book Of Shade - Shadeborn #1 by K.C. Finn Audience: General, 13+ - Genre: Urban Fantasy, Adventure and Romance - Formats: E-book and Paperback - Publisher: Starstorm - Pages: 513 - ISBN: 1505677556 - ASIN: B00RD7SGK4 - Date Published: 21 March 2015
Lily Coltrane’s to-do list for starting university life is pretty simple:
1. Make friends
2. Meet a cute guy
3. Survive her first year in Modern History
In the little English town of Piketon this seems more than achievable, so much so that Lily even joins The Illustrious Minds Literary Society, an extra-curricular club that promises a truly unique social experience. What Lily doesn’t bank on are the society’s monthly visits to the mysterious Theatre Imaginique at the edge of town, a dark venue that houses the most obscure cavalcade of carnival performers she has ever laid eyes on.
Stranger still is the emergence of the theatre’s enigmatic proprietor Lemarick Novel, a stupendous showman with a frosty wit who never seems to smile, and who raises a plethora of questions in Lily’s fearful mind. How does he levitate with no sign of wires or mirrors? Why do the lightning bolts that shoot from his hands look so real? And why, of all the people in the theatre, do his pale eyes keep locking on hers?
The answers to this and more lie buried in heritage and blood. The Book of Shade is opening, and Lily Coltrane will read it, whether she wants to or not.
Amazon / Goodreads

“Ladies and gentlemen, your raucous applause, if you please, for the sensational Monsieur Novel!”
The audience obeyed the MC’s command, but when Baptiste had vacated the spotlight, nobody came to the stage. It wasn’t until the last clap died, some moments later, that Lily heard footsteps clicking along the old theatre boards. The illusionist stepped from total blackness into the shadow at the edge of the stage, and even craning her head only afforded Lily the frame of a man in a long Victorian coat. The tense air in the dated theatre was thick enough to be sliceable, and every spectator breathed in their portion of that heavy air, in anticipation of the moment when the odd Monsieur would step into the spotlight.
Novel did not disappoint them. A shock of lightning appeared from nowhere at all and in the split-second that it flashed he appeared for the waiting patrons to see. It seemed as though the contents of the theatre gasped as a single being, even those who must have seen him before were transfixed in shock. His eyes were cast into black, shadowy sockets by the bright white spotlight pouring down from above. Skin pale as a spectre’s was exaggerated by the darkly drawn eyebrows arching into points above those gloomy hollows. His lips too were black as coal, a superb effort in stage makeup that reminded Lily of a haunting cross between a French mime and a black-and-white movie serial killer. She didn’t know which to be more afraid of.
Perhaps more astonishing still was Monsieur Novel’s hair. It was long enough to be combed behind his ears, though it did not grace his neck, and in the dusty spotlight it appeared to be totally white. It was a strange whiteness, for even through his make-up, Lily thought that the gentlemen couldn’t be more than ten years her senior. The illusionist’s black mouth stretched into a serious sneer as he surveyed the awestruck crowd. He held out one pale hand with a slow and deliberate grace. Tiny blue sparks grew in his palm as he swept the hand from left to right in welcome.
“Good evening,” he purred in the darkest of tones.
And this time the lightning came straight from his palm when it exploded into life.
The dumbstruck crowd suddenly applauded in a blast of appreciation, but Lily’s hands remained still, clutching the sides of her chair. Novel stalked the very edge of the stage like a patient predator, the invisible orchestra striking up as the beams of lightning shot about the cavernous space in time to the music. He appeared to be controlling them, but his thin frame and well-fitted suit left no space in which to hide any apparatus on his body. Occasionally, he seemed to lose control of the larger forks of electricity which shot out towards the audience in frighteningly loud snaps. The patrons flinched as the whip of energy crackled above them.
All the while Monsieur Novel’s expression remained dark and thoughtful. Not once did his lips rise into a smile. They simply sneered continually at the power he was controlling, parting for him to suck in precisely choreographed breaths when he turned in his display of perfect grace, avoiding every spot the forks could hit. A few patrons in the front row, perhaps those who had never seen him before, were starting to panic at the multitude of power growing rapidly on the stage before them, with no reasonable explanation in sight. It looked like a major fire hazard for sure. One of them tried to get up.
“I would kindly recommend you stay in your seat for this performance, good sir,” Novel said loudly over the buzz of the lightning strikes. “It could be rather nasty for you, if you don’t.”
There was something foreign lurking in the shadows of his accent. Perhaps he had been living in England a long time, but he definitely wasn’t from around these parts. His voice had an amused kind of youth in it that didn’t suit his skeletal pre-modern look, and though he gazed upon the terrified patron as he sat back down in his chair, he still didn’t let the mirth in his warning show on his face.
All at once the lightning stopped. Novel stood in the dead centre of the stage, looking down at his feet with his shadowed eyes. Lily caught her breath as the flicker of hot white energy grew beneath his feet, sparking and growing into a ball of buzzing power. He thrust out his pale hands, raising them upwards as he slowly began to levitate into the air. Lily could see no wires to hoist him, and his clothes didn’t move as though they were under any strain. He simply rose up in a slow, straight line as the lightning ball grew larger and larger in the space where he’d been standing. In his ascent, his face was lit from under his chin and Lily finally saw a pair of pale blue eyes glowing out of the black sockets on his face.
And they glowed directly at her.
She started in her seat, shocked to find his gaze so blatantly fixed. She would have sworn the floating man had raised one of his black eyebrows at her, but a moment later the lightning ball exploded with a deafening crack that made the entire contents of the theatre sink down into their seats and clutch their heads in wild panic. When Lily looked up again, Monsieur Novel was gone. Someone behind Lily broke the shocked silence of the audience by starting to applaud. Gasps erupted as some of them looked beyond her to the source of the clap, then suddenly everyone was giving an ovation.
Lily craned her head around, almost jumping out of her skin when she realised it was Monsieur Novel sitting in the seat directly behind her. He had started his own applause. He sat with a casual grace, an elegant hand accepting the praise as he slowly got back to his feet and straightened out his beautiful clothes. Once more his frosty blue eyes snapped to Lily. She wanted to look away, but it just didn’t happen. Novel inclined his head to the rapt audience without breaking his stare, then swiftly retreated up the theatre aisle, his long coat billowing in another invisible gust of air.

Play it at: http://8tracks.com/kim-finn-986/the-book-of-shade-romance-mix Track List and Key Lyrics: 1. E.T. - Katy Perry
You're so supersonic Wanna feel your powers, stun me with your lasers Your kiss is cosmic Every move is magic 2. Gravity - John Mayer Oh I'll never know what makes this man With all the love that his heart can stand Dream of ways to throw it all away 3. Everybody Talks - Neon Trees It started with a whisper And that was when I kissed her And then she made my lips hurt 4. Somewhere Only We Know – Keane And if you have a minute, why don't we go Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything So why don't we go somewhere only we know? 5. Butterflies - Lucy Spraggan Cause there's nowhere else I'd rather be No one else I'd rather see Controlling every part of me I love skipping a beat every time you speak 6. Safe and Sound - Me Vs Gravity Don't you dare look out your window, darling, Everything's on fire The war outside our door keeps raging on Hold on to this lullaby Even when music's gone 7. Kiss From A Rose – Seal You remain, My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny. Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby? 8. True Love – Pink Sometimes I hate every single stupid word you say, Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face. There's no one quite like you, you push all my buttons down, I know life would suck without you. 9. Still Into You – Paramore It's not a walk in the park To love each other But when our fingers interlock, Can't deny, can't deny you're worth it 10. Loved Me Back To Life - Celine Dion Strong hands, thick skin, and an open heart You saw through the pain, saw through the mask You never gave up on me

The Bloodshade Encounters & The Songspinner - Shadeborn Series # 2 Pages: 300 - ASIN: B00RQMB5MW - Date Published: April 4, 2015
Shadeborn: Volume Two provides a unique insight into the past of some of your favourite Book Of Shade characters, through two spine-tingling novellas:
The Bloodshade Encounters shows readers where present and past collide, as they learn the dark history of how the charming and enigmatic Baptiste Du Nord came to know Lemarick Novel. Prepare for vampires on the streets of revolutionary Paris, and the day when Novel first laid eyes on the Theatre Imaginique. Amidst all this, a dark secret about Novel is unearthed, one which may threaten his relationship with Lily in the future.
The Songspinner begins with the present-day Salem Cross, now weak and powerless, as the old shade looks back on his life, and the dirty deals he made to try to make a success of himself. Witch-trials loom in Salem’s murky past, and werewolves roam the streets of Victorian London, not to mention a certain dark lady who would one day become the mother of the heroic Novel. Can Salem face the demons of his past, or bear the thought of a future with no magic? Or will he decide that the end of his time has come?
Amazon / Goodreads

The Potioneer - Shadeborn Series # 3 Pages: 500 pages - Expected Publishing Date: Late May

When humans break a mirror, the idea of seven years of bad luck is little more than superstition. But, when it happens to a magical being like a shade, that quaint old saying takes on a terrifying new reality. As Lily Coltrane looks down at the smashed remains of Lemarick Novel’s mirror, she can already feel that her luck is about to run dry, even though her illusionist boyfriend is certain that he can protect her. With a suicidal Salem Cross on red alert and newly-disabled best friend Jazzy to look after, Lily’s not so sure that Novel is right.
Lily’s suspicions will be confirmed in this, her second year of university, as the quiet English town of Piketon is flooded with a new array of supernatural beings, including Jeronomie Parnell, a gifted potioneer who seems to have solutions for Salem and Jazzy’s conditions. Suspicion fills the air at the old Theatre Imaginique, as Lily uncovers yet more secrets about the people she thought she knew. The question of who to really trust will bombard Lily’s mind, especially after she is introduced to the horror that is the House of Novel, and is forced to question the bloodline that her new true love comes from.
It seems like having a soul mate isn’t quite the ideal that Lily dreamed it would be, and she can only hope that The Book Of Shade will give her the power to get through the trials that she’s about to face. And as for the even greater darkness, slowly rising in the depths of that ruined mirror? Well, that’s quite another story for Lily to unfold.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I work from home because I suffer from the medical condition CFS/ME. I did used to be a teacher, so I still undertake private tuition as my other job as well as online teaching. I especially enjoy teaching English Literature to teenagers, as I find it wonderful to help them discover their interest in books and relate to the social issues literature presents. What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
I would summarize the Shadeborn series as “Action-packed gothic fantasy with epic romance, incredible magic and dark, intriguing secrets.” Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
I’m half and half. Some of my YA work is published by Clean Teen publishing, then there are books that I prefer to publish on my own so that I retain my creative control. How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
The Book Of Shade took 15 days to write, which is my fastest ever. Other books usually range from one to four months, depending on how well I create the original plan when I start! It’s a danger for me to leave a project unfinished for too long, as I tend to push the ideas to the back of my mind and it makes it hard to get going again on the project. What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
More fantasy, more YA, but also brand new forays into the world of horror this summer, and more science fiction and historical work. My current series, Synsk and Shadeborn, will also continue too. How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing stories since I was a child, maybe 6 or 7 years old. I was writing somewhat seriously between the ages of 15 and 19, until I went to university, where my writing professors really knocked me back and made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to succeed in the industry. Seven years on from that, I’m proving them wrong at last! Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I try my best to read all the Amazon reviews, but there are so many other websites that I do lose track of them. If someone particularly wants to send me a message, it’s best to get me via my author Facebook page, as I’ll always reply to those directly. Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I almost always have a title in mind, because I don’t like to write books if I’m not sure of the entire concept, and the title is a big part of that for me. Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
Minor characters get their names as they go along, sometimes just on the spur of the moment as I bring them onto the page. Significant places and important characters will always be named before they’re created. I find it’s dangerous to give a place filler name to anything, because you get used to it and then it becomes very hard to change! Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Some characters are very clear in my mind, but there are those that do surprise me. I enjoy holding some traits back, such as a character finding their inner strength, bossy or even their kind side late in the novel, but I will be planning that reveal of traits very carefully all the way through the story. Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
Generally, I’d always rather read the book than watch the movie, if I’m interested enough to want to know the full details of the characters. There are some movies, however, where I hated the book, but the movie wasn’t as bad, such as the Twilight Saga and the Divergent series. Your favorite food is?
Cheese. Any kind, any time, any place! Your favorite singer/group is?
I have a varied and eclectic taste in music, so you’ll never hear me listening to the same one group all the time. My tastes range from Noel Coward to David Bowie to Panic At The Disco to Iggy Azalea, so anything I like, that’s what I’m listening to! Your favorite color is?
Green. I love to write in green and purple pens wherever possible. Your favorite Author is?
Contemporary authors would be Stephen King and Mark Gatiss, but my all-time classic favourite is Vladimir Nabokov.

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K. C. Finn was born and raised in Cardiff, South Wales, where her love for storytelling grew at a precociously young age. After developing the medical condition M.E. / C.F.S., Kim turned to writing to escape the pressures of disabled living, only to become hooked on the incredible world of publishing.
As an author for Clean Teen Publishing and Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Press, Kim spends most of her time locked in the writing cave with an obscenely large mug of tea. When not writing, she can be found studying for her MA in Linguistics, watching classic British comedy, or concocting evil schemes in the secret laboratory in her attic.
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