Karen Swart's Blog, page 72

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Hazel Tree by @juliadebski

 

The Hazel Tree

Julia Debski

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

ISBN: 1493510789

59,990 words

282 pages

Cover Artist: Julia Debski

Available at Amazon and BN

Book Description:

The Hazel Tree revisits a classic Cinderella tale of abuse and sought after freedom from the confines of a cruel life.

Ivy Lune is not your ordinary girl for within her blood flows the secrets of an ancient species of werewolf; a secret that also foretells of a great war and a struggle for ultimate supremacy.

Ivy lives a life of isolation torment at the hands of her aunt and cousins for the majority of her life. Mistreated and neglected, she longs to escape the shackles of her prison-like life. And in that longing, she learns the truth of her identity. She learns her place in a long line of events that were set into motion many years ago. She finds intimacy and belonging in a much larger family.

All the while, unknown to her, there are dangerous forces are at work; old blood ties and murderous plots threaten her chance at happiness beyond her current life.

The Hazel Tree is a tale of mystery and romance set against a supernatural backdrop of terrifying and awesome power.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/a6y2fro8eG8

 

Prologue

Nestled deep within the dark mountains that neighbor the Black Sea lay an ancient castle in a valley, forever hooded by a swirl of thunderous clouds. It looked as though some god or deity had taken an inkbottle and poured the contents into the dip between the mountains. It cloaked the ground, the water, the stone, and even the air. To each molecule of oxygen clung a droplet of shadow, tinting the air so black no torch could pierce it. The air hung heavy, masking Waelwulf Castle and its residents. Any sign of Mother Nature’s beauty had long escaped this land, all vegetation long gone. In its place resided an evil force, something far more vicious and deadly than any visitor could imagine. It belonged to the family who lived within the impenetrable stonewalls: the royal family of Wulf, the head of the Black Sea Pack, the sole survivor of the Great Wars, the most ancient and powerful pack on planet Earth.

In front of their home was a vast plain, stretching deep into the darkness. Two massive wolves emerged from the shadows simultaneously. Upon catching sight of each other’s glittering eyes in the blackness, their hackles rose and growls erupted from deep within their chests. Circling slowly with teeth bared, each step was calculated, measured, carefully placed. Wolves crossing paths on the barren grounds that surrounded the castle were rare. A direct challenge such as this was always met with death for the offending party. Both wolves had this in mind as they faced each other off.

A howling wind brushed across them then, curling around their paws and tails and the hills of their tense raised shoulders before sweeping into the darkness. With it though the wolves caught each other’s scents and relaxed with recognition. They moved in unison towards the castle.

They reached the scarred metal gates that stood a few dozen paces from the castle’s front door. For centuries all that had stood between the foe in battles and the castle had been these gates, somehow untouchable by the enemy. Warriors believed it was protected by magic.

The wolves shifted into their human forms. "Axel," one said, nodding. His appearance was much like his wolf: black hair, confident brown eyes, square jaw, long legs and a tall frame. Even his gait was like his wolf’s, the slow cadence of a predator.

"Robinson," Axel said in return. He was short with a brush of red hair across his head and jaw, and small, nervous eyes. He didn’t have any of the grace his comrade had, due to his short stature.

After the brief exchange, they took the time to make themselves presentable, straightening the rumples in their clothing. The old gate creaked open, allowing them to pass and approach the castle’s front doors. Robinson stepped forward then and knocked evenly three times.

After a long pause, one of the doors slowly creaked open, revealing a thin young man dressed in plain black clothing with royal red embroidering, leaning heavily on a wooden cane. Recognizing the two men, he quickly hobbled aside. They strode past him without any acknowledgement. It was later, after they had moved out of earshot of the handicapped porter, that Axel said something.

"Learn a lesson from Dane, Robinson. Never ever question your superiors. Look at him, once one of the kingdom’s finest warriors. And now condemned to a life of servitude, and with a damaged leg! He doesn’t even have the option of marrying, poor fellow."

Robinson merely nodded. There was not much too be said, in any case, as he knew more about Dane’s offense than Axel thought or knew himself.

Any chance to continue the conversation was ended as they reached the end of the cold corridor. Axel reached out almost hesitantly, and knocked a specific beat on the plain little door. A peephole was opened, revealing a menacing eye staring down upon the two men.

“I am here to see King Cronan. He is expecting me,” Robinson said confidently, silently challenging the eye to deny him.

“I am also here to see His Majesty,” Axel added, a slight quaver to his voice.

The eye flickered from one spy to the other several times before taking a few slow, long blinks. After a long minute, the eye finally withdrew itself and the peephole slammed shut. Then the door opened to reveal the owner of the eye, a large man, taller than Robinson and thicker than Axel’s height, with an array of battle scars that shone in the light as he grunted at them and led them down a narrow hallway.

It eventually opened into a large, majestic room. The walls were covered in looted swords, shields, heads of enemies, and other treasures; priceless paintings of the kings who had ruled over Waelwulf Castle long ago were hung over the multiple crackling fireplaces. Yet even with the candlelight and the fires burning, the room was still dark, darker than much of the castle Robinson and Axel had traveled through.

The most ornate chandelier hung over a painting of a bearded man standing beside a dark brown wolf, their shoulders touching. In the center of the room was almost an exact replica of the portrait, minus the wolf, who had simply been the same man posing in his other form. In fact, it appeared as if the King had barely aged a day since the portrait was finished over sixty years ago.

"Axel. Robinson. I trust you bring news?" King Cronan asked, sipping wine from a silver goblet.

"Yes, Your Highness. I have returned with information of the Orarius Pack, as you requested," Axel announced puffing his chest out grandly.

"And you, Robinson? What do you return with?"

"I return with good news, Your Highness," Robinson replied with a shadow of a smirk. Cronan chuckled slightly, mildly impressed by Robinson’s word choice. Axel didn't find it amusing.

"Your Highness, the descendant we have been watching—his mate is with child," Axel said, disgruntled.

The King’s expression grew somber once more and he focused a penetrating gaze on Axel. "And do you know the sex of the child?"

Axel hesitated before bowing his head. "I do not, Your Highness. My deepest apologies." 

"Your apologies will not tell us the gender of the offspring, Axel, no matter how deep they may be," the King said in a cold, detached voice. Axel swallowed audibly.

Suddenly the King snapped his fingers and a dozen wolves emerged from the shadows of the room. They prowled forward, snarls erupting from them one by one as they closed in on Axel.

"It will be a she-wolf, Your Highness," Robinson said calmly, as if the proceedings around him didn't bother him in the slightest—which, knowing Robinson, actually didn’t. He knew that in light of Axel’s disappointing performance, he would be rewarded for the morsel of information.

King Cronan held up a hand, signaling the wolves to halt and return to their designated spots. "And do we know anything about the garden?" he asked, looking thoroughly pleased at the vague wording of his question.

But Robinson understood perfectly. "The tree has sprouted, but it can barely be distinguished from the weeds," Robinson replied.

"So we will have to wait," said the King, making it sound more like a statement than a question. He locked his eyes onto his spy’s. Robinson did not waver, holding his gaze calmly as the atmosphere in the room grew tense until, finally the King began to chuckle and they both looked away at once.

With a flick of his wrist, King Cronan dismissed the two men. Axel was the fastest to bow and turn his back on the king. Eager to leave the room, he didn’t notice the change of his superior’s expression.

Robinson had been slower, and paused at the subtle shift in the air. “You must be wondering why I told both of you to report to me at the same time.” While the question was directed at both of them, the king’s gaze did not waver from Axel’s back. The ginger man had frozen, eyes closed, still facing the door, though there was no denying the fear that trembled through his body. Cronan continued as if he had not noticed. “You see, I suspected that one of you was, perhaps, a spy. An infiltrator.”

Robinson froze as well, despite his best efforts. No, surely no…

Another snap of Cronan’s fingers and the wolves re-emerged, more aggressive and terrifying than before. Half moved towards Axel, the others towards Robinson. Axel turned to his king. “Your Highness—please—I don’t understand.” The words slipped from his tongue and into the room before he had a chance to stop them.

That was a mistake.

Cronan’s nostrils flared and a hand twitched towards the goblet. “How can I be more clear, Axel?”

“Yes Axel, what has His Majesty said that you find so difficult to understand?” Robinson said, against his better judgment. The king’s eyes snapped to Robinson, growing ever more black but still holding a sparkle of amusement. What boring company he must keep for Robinson’s words to hold such humor.

Axel looked at Robinson, eyes full of betrayal and fear. In return Robinson looked back with remorse.

A second snap of fingers signaled two wolves to grab each of Axel’s arms. The cries echoed around the room as sharp teeth sunk into tender flesh. “You see, I think that you know more than you are revealing to me. If Robinson was able to discover the gender of the child and find the tree, surely you would be able to as well. So why not tell me? Ah, yes. Because you had something to protect. Because your loyalties lie elsewhere—with the Orarius Pack, the Coastal Pack,” Cronan spat at Axel.

“You are mistaken, Y-your Highness.” Axel’s voice hitched as the wolf holding his right arm tightened his grip, sinking his teeth deeper into the muscle. Axel’s knees gave out, and his face paled.

“I am not mistaken, Axel. You are. You pledged allegiance to the wrong pack,” the King deadpanned before drinking the rest of the liquid in his goblet. He smacked his lips a couple of times before returning his gaze to the man on his knees, now quietly sobbing. Robinson discreetly bowed his head, but turned it at a slight angle so he could catch Axel’s eye. Through the tears, the doomed man watched as Robinson mouthed sacred words to him: Father Moon, may you carry my brother’s spirit and his wolf safely to the Sacred Land and may you-

Robinson stopped and turned his head away as droplets of blood splattered across his face and screams pierced the air. The sound of tearing flesh was not unfamiliar, but it still made Robinson feel a deep, inconsolable sadness. He finished the prayer in his head, hoping it caught onto Axel’s spirit in time. Soon the screams stopped and silence fell, except for the quiet drip-drop of blood. Robinson slowly raised one hand and wiped away the red stain on his cheek. It smeared instead.

“Well then, I suppose we will just have to pay them a visit. Go find Prince Naples and tell him to get ready,” Cronan, said, continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened. And indeed, it appeared as if nothing had, the wolves having returned to the shadows while King Cronan and Robinson stood facing one another. The stench of death was easy to ignore if you tried hard enough. The sound of dripping blood, however, still echoed.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Robinson said. He stowed away his remorse and grief for Axel. They had only known each other briefly and compassion was not welcome in the Mara Negra’s court. Turning his head away, Robinson allowed himself a small triumphant smile. Everything was going according to plan.

The king rose from his seat, empty goblet in hand. He approached Axel’s torn and mangled body and lowered the goblet into one of the deeper pools of blood, making sure to fill it as much as he could before he took a sip. So perhaps it had not been wine.

 

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Julia Debski was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1996. Her family moved around a lot during her childhood before finally settling down in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It wasn't until the 8th grade that she found her passion for writing. It was thanks to a particularly inspiring English teacher and a story that needed to be told. So she began to write, and she never stopped.

Four years later she found herself with nearly a dozen started novels and short stories. As junior in high school she was introduced to Greg Wilkey, a self-published independent author of four novels. He soon became a mentor to her as she worked to write and self-publish her own novel. After two years of hard work, and a nearly a year of mentorship The Hazel Tree was published in October 2013.

 

 

Website: http://juliadebski.weebly.com

Blog: http://spotofinkandstory.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliadebski (@juliadebski)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjuliadebski

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7351439.Julia_Debski

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/julponey/

http://www.pinterest.com/julponey/the-hazel-tree/

Book Blast & Giveaway: Revelation by @raynanoire

 

 

Revelation

Pagan Eyes

Book Two

Rayna Noire

Genre: Paranormal YA

Book Description:

Nora’s impending college graduation is a triumph over the dark incident in her past that changed her life and stopped her best friend’s. Balancing school, work and her demented admirer at the diner is tough. All she has is six more months, but it similar to walking a tightrope blindfolded.

Life-like dreams pull her into the 19th century world of Clayton. A man who declares he’s her soul mate. Even though, she’s decided against romance, the young witch finds herself drawn to the Irish healer, even hearing his voice in her head.

This would make most people question their sanity. Nora needs to find out if Clayton is real and if she’s crossing over into another world in her sleep. If she is, will she end up stuck in the past? Can magick bring them together?

 

 

 

His eyes sparkled with humor as he held out his hand to her. “Climb up, darling. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Familiarity colored his voice as if he greeted an old friend. Nora knew she’d have remembered a dark-eyed hottie with curly hair and a wicked smile. Better yet, the bright green and yellow wagon he stood on was definitely memorable, especially with its fanciful drawings on the side and the two draft horses in the traces. Was she remembering part of a movie or a story Nana told her? That was it. Nana was part Romany Gypsy.

Still, it didn’t make sense if she was in the story and the unknown man spoke English. Part of her wanted to take his hand and step up into the wagon to take off with him. At times, he looked into her eyes, not only as if he knew her, but also liked what he saw, which made his invitation tempting, very tempting.

The man dropped his hand. “Oh, I see you’re still not ready, my Nora.”

“How do you know my name?”

The man jumped down from the wagon, startling her, invading her space. His face filled her vision. She had to admire his strong jawline, and the crinkles around his eyes when he smiled caused her heart to beat faster. Her lips turned up naturally in response.

“Nora, Nora, how could you have forgotten me? I have loved you through several lifetimes and searched for you in each of mine. My life was desolate until I found you in a dream.”

She was dreaming. That made sense.

“Nora, Nora.”

Why did he keep repeating her name? He said her name as if he knew it well, without a blink or a hesitation, not like those fraternity guys trying to hit on her who could never quite remember her name, calling her everything from Nadine to Noreen. One even called her Norad, which she promptly informed him stood for North American Aerospace Defense Command. As she recalled, her would-be Romeo stumbled away, muttering, "bitch” loud enough for her to hear.

Men never worked too hard to romance her. Her purpose in attending college was to get an education, enabling her to obtain a decent job. A good portion of the girls who came to school felt the need to cut loose by skipping class, drinking too much, and having sex with guys they didn’t know or couldn’t remember. Often those same girls flunked out in less than two years. As a scholarship student, she needed to keep her grades up.

Why didn’t she know his name?

His voice became higher, sounding more like a woman’s, and he shook her shoulder vigorously. Why would he do that? Ogden would do that, but not this mysterious man.

“Nora, get up right now, or you’re going to be late to your clinical.”

Tonya’s voice broke into her sleep-drugged thoughts. Her eyelids fluttered opened to the morning sunlight streaming around her curtain, indicating the time. “Oh, I overslept. Thank you, Tonya.”

Her clean uniform hung on the hanger in front of her closet where she left it. The ironed smock and pants gave her a little reassurance that she’d make it on time. Some of the students showed up in wrinkled uniforms, and from standing too close to them, she suspected a few were unwashed, too. How could a person make it this far in the physician assistant program and still not take it seriously? Nora took it seriously. Of course, she did. She took everything in earnest, probably the curse of being the firstborn.

Tonya kept a running commentary as she dressed. “It’s not like you to be late. I even heard your alarm go off, so I came into the room. You had a big, stupid grin on your face. Was it a good dream?”

Thinking back to the man in her dream, she’d probably call it perplexing as opposed to good. Yet, she was happy she’d remembered. Part of her recognized him and was glad to see him. “I guess you could call it a good dream.”

“Ah ha.” Tonya grinned and shook a finger at her. “I bet you were not dreaming about Ogden then.”

Grabbing a brush, she ran it through her short, dark hair. A shower would be better, but she’d given that up when she chose to continue to dream about the dark-eyed man instead of getting up on time. “How do you know I wasn’t dreaming about Ogden?”

Snorting, her roommate shook her head. “Girl, now’s not the time for it, but…”

Nora knew her outspoken roommate would say whatever was on her mind. Holding back wasn’t her way. One of the things she enjoyed about the colorful Jamaican. “Go on.”

“All right, I will.” Placing her long-fingered hands on her ample hips, she started, “We’ve been friends for almost four years, right?”

Nora nodded, thinking back to the day they ended up together. Her assigned roommate had reported her when she’d lighted a candle in recognition of the Goddess. It hadn’t been the lighted candle, even though it was against the rules. Nope, her roommate had told her the Goddess statue creeped her out. Called her a Satanist then reported her for open flames. She should have reported Crystal for smoking in the bathroom, but she hadn’t. Instead, in a panicked moment, she’d pictured her career and scholarship vanishing.

 

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Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about a Pagan family who really isn’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

Twitter www.twitter.com/raynanoire

Website www.raynanoire.weebly.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorRaynaNoire

Series Blitz & Giveaway: Old Country Romance Series by Savannah Young

Event Organized by ❤MaE Book Tours & Promo Stars Services❤

{Book #1}

WILDE RIDERS

Synopsis

FOUR WILDE BROTHERS...ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND

WILDE RIDERS is the first novel in a spicy new contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. WILDE RIDERS can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES. Cooper Wilde spent his entire adolescence counting the days until he could escape rural northwest New Jersey. Now at 26, he can't believe he's coming back. But his late father's bar, Haymakers, is in financial trouble and his older brother, Jake, has asked for Cooper's help. Riley Smith, 25, is fresh out of her Ivy League MBA program and wants to make an impression on her employer, H & C Bank. Her first solo assignment is a fraud investigation on a business loan they made to Haymakers. Even though Old Town is less than 90 minutes from New York City, Riley feels like she's stepped into another world in this remote, one-bar town. Riley can't wait to do her business and get back to the city as quickly as her sports car will take her...until she meets Cooper Wilde. He's not like the other guys in this rural town and Riley feels inexplicably attracted to him. If you like your trucks loud, your beer cold and your men hot...you'll love WILDE RIDERS.

Genre Contemporary Romance

Release Date February 11th 2014

__________________________________________________________________

{Book #2}

THE WILDE ONE Synopsis

THE WILDE ONE is the second novel in the spicy contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. Each novel in the OLD TOWN COUNTRY ROMANCE series can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES.

FOUR WILDE BROTHERS...ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND Tucker Wilde joined the United States Army right out of high school and was injured in Iraq. But more than just his leg was shattered in the Middle East. The war also crushed his spirit and damaged his soul. When a strange couple arrives at his family’s bar, Haymakers, Tucker can see signs of mental and emotional abuse and is immediately drawn to the lovely but fragile girl seated at his bar. Gracie Parker has been a victim of abuse her entire life. When her boyfriend, Dex, beats her in the parking lot of Haymakers and abandons her, it’s almost too much for the nineteen-year-old to bear. That is until Tucker appears like a warrior knight from the darkness to save her. Tucker and Gracie are two broken people who are immediately drawn together. But their relationship and even their very lives are threatened by Dex who will stop at nothing to get Gracie back. If you like your trucks loud, your beer cold and your men hot...you'll love The Wilde One.

Genre Contemporary Romance

Release Date April 10th 2014

__________________________________________________________________

Wilde Riders Excerpt

ONE

Cooper

The wind kicks up as I round the corner and enter the town square. Old Town came by its name honestly. The town never seems to change. The main street looks the same as it did when I was a kid, and probably not much different than when my parents were young, or even their parents. A few of the stores and restaurants have changed hands over the years but for the most part, the town looks like it’s been frozen in time.

Why does it always seem so much windier in Old Town than anywhere else in New Jersey? It even feels windier here than lower Manhattan, which is a feat. The way the wind often howls around the financial district, you’d think it was haunted.

I can’t believe I’m back in Old Town. When I got a job on Wall Street, I swore I’d never come back. The last time I set foot in Old Town was about six months ago, for my father’s funeral. Six months before that, it was for my mother’s.

I told my brother, Jake, I’d only stay for two weeks tops. That’s every bit of vacation time I’ve earned to date. Then I’m going to back to Manhattan and back to my life in the city. The last thing I want is to be a hick from the sticks again. I’ve worked too hard to rid myself of that stigma. I’m never going to be that guy again.

I’m an Ivy League graduate. I work on Wall Street. I have an apartment in lower Manhattan. I drive a BMW 6-Series convertible. And I’m well on my way to making my first million before I turn thirty, which is four years from now.

I’m not a country kid anymore.

And no matter what my brothers say, there’s no way in hell I’m ever going to be a Wilde Rider again. When I left home, I packed up my guitar and sealed away any musical aspirations I may have had right along with it. Being in a small town country band is fun when you’re a teenager but it doesn’t pay the bills and it certainly doesn’t pay for a Manhattan lifestyle.

Not unless you’re really good, and really lucky…and the Wilde Riders were neither.

I park my convertible on the street outside of Haymakers. It’s only eleven. The bar doesn’t open until noon. The only vehicle in the bar’s dirt lot is my brother Jake’s old Dodge Ram Pick Up. He’s been driving the thing since I left for college. I bet the vehicle has well over a hundred thousand miles on it. The way it looks, like it’s on its last legs, you’d think it had double that amount.

Even though it’s late August, there’s a bit of a chill in the air. The wind feels wet, like it’s going to rain. I put the top up on my convertible just in case. It’s the first car I’ve ever owned that wasn’t a junker and I’m proud as hell of it.

My stomach tightens as I approach the front door of the bar. The last time I was here was the night after we laid my father to rest. His final wish was for all the regulars to have a drink on the house in his honor. I made a promise to myself that was the last time I was ever going to set foot in the place.

Yet here I am getting ready to walk back inside again. I made it clear to Jake that coming here to help him doesn’t mean I’m walking back into my old life. That’s a life that I’ve worked desperately to leave behind. But when Jake phoned, he sounded scared, which isn’t like him at all. He’s Mr. Carefree. Troubles slide off his back like syrup glides off pancakes.

I’m here because Jake asked for my help. He said he might lose the bar, everything our dad ever worked for, if I didn’t give him a hand.

Being the oldest, Jake followed in our dad’s footsteps. He was the gregarious one of the Wilde boys, so it only made sense that he’d take over and run the town’s one and only bar. Jake has always been Mr. Personality. He’s great with people. But from the little he told me on the phone, he’s apparently not as great with money.

That’s where I come in. I guess having a degree in finance from Columbia and a job on Wall Street means that I’m like emergency services in a financial shit storm. I just hope it’s not too late to fix whatever mess Jake has found himself in.

I inhale and let out a deep breath before I push open the large wooden doors.

The first thing I see when I enter the bar are pink cowboy boots. They’re apparently attached to a female who is also wearing extremely tight black jeans. The rest of her body is hidden under a table. It looks like she’s trying to retrieve something.

I clear my throat so she realizes she’s not alone.

I hear a loud thump, followed by, “Oh, shit!”

As she extricates herself from below the table, the young woman rubs the side of her head.

It takes me a moment to realize that it’s Harley Davis. She looks a lot different than the little blond girl she was when I left home.

She stops dead in her tracks when she realizes it’s me. She gulps. “Coop?”

Harley has definitely grown up. She’s still thin but she’s not a tomboy anymore. She has curves in all the right places and full rack, which I’m having trouble keeping my eyes off of.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, her blue eyes are filled with concern. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I lie. “What are you doing here?”

She laughs. “I work here now. Jake gave me a job.”

“Aren’t you still in high school?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “I graduated two years ago.”

How is it possible that little Harley Davis, the girl who has had a self-proclaimed crush on me since she was twelve, is now an adult?

“Cooper,” I hear my brother call from the other end of the bar.

As I head over to him, I take a good look at the place. Some things are exactly the same as when dad ran the place. The old wooden bar that my dad liked to brag he built with his father hasn’t changed. And neither have the matching wooden bar stools. Even some of the liquor bottles behind the bar are dusty and don’t look like they’ve been touched in years.

There are also brand new tables and chairs scattered throughout the place. And what looks like a semi-professional stage has been installed for whatever band decides to play on Friday and Saturday nights. Back in the days when I played with my brothers in the Wilde Riders we’d just move a few tables out of the way to set up our gear. This new performance area looks expensive.

I put a hand out for Jake to shake but he pulls me in for a hug instead. I’ve seen my oldest brother twice in the last year—at our parents’ funerals. He refuses to set foot in the city and I refused to come back to Old Town, so it’s been kind of a stale mate.

Jake is two years older than me but he still looks like my younger brother. Maybe it’s his boyish round face or the glint of mischief he always seems to have in his eyes. Or it could just be because he’s always been such an easy-going and carefree guy that the stress of life hasn’t managed to age him yet.

Today Jake looks a lot less carefree than I’ve ever seen him. He’s got a few deep creases in his forehead that I’ve never noticed before.

“Thanks for coming,” Jake says. “I know how you feel about being here.”

I don’t think he has any idea how I feel about being here. He’s never left rural New Jersey—he’s never lived anywhere but Old Town.

“So, what’s up?” I ask. I’m not much for small talk. I’d rather get down to business.

He eyes Harley and then says quietly, “I think we should talk in my office.”

I nod and we head toward the back of the place, near the kitchen area, into what used to be a storage closet. Jake has set up a small desk with a computer, monitor and printer. That’s about all that will fit in the cramped space. Jake sits on the edge of the desk and motions for me to take the chair.

“I’d rather stand. It was a long drive out here.”

Jake runs his fingers through his thick brown hair. It’s shaggy and looks like it hasn’t been trimmed in a while. “I really messed things up,” he says.

Jake has never had a problem speaking his mind. Sometimes he may be a bit too blunt.

“Can you be a little more specific?”

He bites the inside of his cheek. It was a bad habit he had as a kid. Mom hated it and would tell him to quit doing it whenever she caught him. I thought he’d gotten over it years ago.

“You know Mom always kept the books for Haymakers. I didn’t know how much Dad depended on her until she died. He had no idea how to handle any of the accounting for the business. I guess Mom tried to teach him about accounts payable and receivable and all that stuff but it just didn’t sink in. Plus, I think he was kind of in denial that she was actually dying. Anyway, things started to fall apart but he was too proud to ask for help. I inherited a mess that I’ve made even worse because I don’t know what I’m doing either.”

I take in a deep breath. My mom died almost a year ago and my dad died six months ago. If the finances have been deteriorating for a year, things could potentially be in really bad shape.

He opens the top drawer of the desk and pulls out a certified envelope. Anything sent certified mail usually isn’t good news.

He hands me the letter. It’s from H & C Bank. “I thought Dad had the place paid off,” I say as I take the letter from Jake’s hand.

“He took out a loan for some improvements. We needed a new roof and he put in new tables and the stage area.”

“Why did he need a new stage?” I ask. I know I probably sound bitter but I don’t care. “Did you talk him into it?”

My brother always had dreams of being a country singer. He’s got a great voice and a lot of musical talent but he never had the drive or ambition to make his dream a reality. Because Jake was the most like my dad, and his first born, my dad would have done anything to make Jake happy.

“It wasn’t me,” Jake insists.

I glare at him.

“Okay, it wasn’t just me,” he admits. “Dad felt like he was losing business because of the competition. Some of the new places that have opened up recently have live bands every weekend. And not just bands like Wilde Riders—bands with CDs and deals with real record labels on actual tours.”

“I didn’t see any new bars when I drove through town.”

“Not in Old Town. In some of the other towns around the county. They’ve been drawing some big name groups. Dad felt like he needed to do something to attract a younger crowd.”

“Are you still playing?” I ask.

Jake shrugs. “Off and on. You know it’s never been the same without you. We keep trying to find a guitar player that’s even half as good as you and it still hasn’t happened. We lost another one last week.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Now that you’re back in town, maybe—”

I cut Jake off. “I’m back in town to help you get this straightened out.” I hold up the letter. “I’m not back for any other reason. And I’m definitely not back to play with the Wilde Riders again.”

“We sounded really good the last time we played.”

“That was a onetime thing. I did it for Dad.”

Jake throws up his hands. “Okay, I get it. You don’t want to be part of the band. I can respect that.”

“And we’ve got bigger problems,” I say as I open the letter.

My heart sinks when I read the contents. Things really are as bad as I imagined.

Chapter Two

Riley

I can’t believe I have to make a trip to New Jersey. And rural New Jersey to boot. Would someone just shoot me now and put me out of my misery?

“Riley!” I hear a voice yell from behind me. It’s a voice I recognize and don’t really want to deal with right now. I contemplate speeding up my pace but I have a feeling Patti will just quicken her stride to catch up to me so what’s the point?

Patti is almost breathless when she finally manages to grab my elbow. “Where are you going so fast?”

I can’t believe she’s been running in Jimmy Choos and a business suit. Patti is 5 feet 9 inches and towers over me. She probably could have been a model with her gorgeous blond hair and flawless complexion. I’m petite with dark hair and eyes to match. We’re almost complete opposites in the looks department. And probably every other department if the truth be told.

“New Jersey.” I spit. I know I sound bitter but I can hardly contain my contempt for the state. Well, maybe not the entire state. I’ll give Atlantic City a pass but only because you can get drunk and gamble and it doesn’t require a plane flight like Las Vegas.

Patti and I work together at H & C Bank but we’ve known each other for years. We were college roommates. I don’t have siblings so Patti is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister.

Patti frowns. “Why are you going to Jersey?” The way she says Jersey makes it sounds like I’m going to garbage dump or a toxic waste site. Those options might be a few steps up from a trip to rural New Jersey.

“I have to conduct a fraud investigation on a business loan. It shouldn’t take very long.” Oh, God, I hope it doesn’t. “I plan to be back tonight.”

Patti smiles. “Good because we’ve got a double date.”

“With who?” I sigh. Patti manages to fix me up with worst guys in the city. I don’t know how she does it. They’re all Wall Street wannabes and the only things they talk about are their 6 Series BWMs and the first million they’re going to make before they turn thirty. Most of them are so impressed with themselves they’re actually offended that I don’t want to jump into bed with them on the first date.

“These guys are different,” she says.

Patti always says they’re different and they never are. They’re the same guys over and over again just in different suits and shoes.

“No,” I state adamantly. “I’m not going out with one more Wall Street wannabe. Forget it.”

“Please,” Patti begs. She’s got a look in her eye that says she’s not going to stop until I agree to go.

“Fine,” I say. “But if the guy drops one hint about his six figure salary or the fantastic view from his brand new apartment, I’m out of there. And I get to throw a drink in his lap if he mentions making his first million before thirty. Got it?”

“I don’t know why stuff like that upsets you so much. You have an MBA from Columbia and you just bought your first BMW.”

“And I’m well on my way to making my first million. But I don’t throw it in people’s faces when I first meet them. I want to know who the guy really is—what makes him tick. I don’t want to hear his impressive resume and a list of everything he owns.”

Patti shrugs. “I just want to know if a guy’s good in bed. But I usually don’t find that out until after dinner. I don’t care what we talk about in between.”

I shake my head. “You’re like a guy trapped in a gorgeous girl’s body.”

She laughs. “So I’ve been told.”

“Is the double date really that important to you?”

She looks at me like I’m from another planet. “I haven’t gotten laid in almost two weeks. I’d say it’s nearing emergency level.”

I don’t want to tell her that it’s been months since I’ve been with someone. Six months to be exact.

“Fine, I’ll try to get back to the city as fast as I can.”

She grins. “That’s why you’re my best friend.”

“I’m your only friend,” I correct.

“Best. Only. Semantics. I’ll see you tonight.”

***

The drive into New Jersey is exhausting. My only saving grace is that most of the traffic is going into the city instead of out of the city like I am. You’ve got to love those bridge and tunnel guys. I wouldn’t date one but I have a little bit of respect for them. The commute into Manhattan turns a nine hour work day into an eleven hour one, if you’re lucky.

I can feel my stomach start to knot as I get further away from the city and further away from civilization. Pretty soon I’ll be in the sticks surrounded by woods and farmland. I can almost smell the manure that will no doubt take days to completely rid from my nasal passages. I pray that I don’t run into any animals, especially cows, which are huge, smelly and completely freak me out. The only live animals I ever care to see have to fit comfortably in a handbag, like a Chihuahua or Teacup Poodle, for example.

I have an appointment with a man named Jake Wilde. He asked me to come early, before the place opened at noon, so he could give me his full attention. I try to imagine what someone named Jake Wilde would look like and all I can come up with is an old gunslinger like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven.

As I pull into Old Town the place looks exactly like I thought it would. The buildings in the town square are old and I image the place hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years or so.

Haymakers is just past the town square, down the hill from the deli, next to the gas station. Those were the exact directions I was given, in those words. I take that to mean the town only has one gas station and one deli.

When I pull into the parking lot, there’s only one other vehicle sitting there. It’s an old beat-up Dodge Ram. Nothing like fitting the country bumpkin stereotype like a glove. Then I have a brief moment of panic and wonder if it’s safe to park my BMW in the dirt lot. Then I remind myself where I am. Who is going to mess with it in the middle of the day? A stray deer from the woods out back? The only thing I probably have to worry about is it getting dusty.

I take in a deep breath. I have to be thankful there’s no manure smell yet. The quicker you do this, I remind myself, the quicker you can get back to the lovely asphalt jungle you call home.

I’m hit with a gust of wind as soon as I get out of my car. How is it possible that Old Town is even windier than lower Manhattan? I didn’t think I’d ever find a place windier than Wall Street. Even the Windy City didn’t seem this windy when I had business in Chicago.

When I enter the bar, I try to smooth down my thick hair, which I know is probably a complete mess from the gust. I’m surprised by the homey feel of the place. How could someone like me possibly feel at home in a country bar? Even if I was wearing jeans and cowboy boots, if I even owned jeans and cowboy boots, I wouldn’t fit in at a place like this.

I hear someone clear his throat and I turn to see a guy about my age, mid-twenties, standing next to me. I can’t help my surprise when I see he’s wearing khakis and a polo shirt, like he just stepped off a golf course. He looks as out of place in this country bar as I feel.

“Are you Jake Wilde?” I ask.

The guy gives me the faintest hint of a smile but it’s almost as if it pains him to give that much. His deep brown eyes look even more distressed and I can’t help but wonder what’s behind those sad eyes.

He rakes his fingers through his thick dark hair. “A little windy out, isn’t it?”

My hand automatically goes to my hair and I try to casually flatten it down again. I imagine I must look like I just stepped out of a wind tunnel.

“Your hair looks fine,” the guy tries to assure me. But he’s got that hint of a smile on his face again and it makes me wonder if he’s lying just to make me feel better.

“I’m Cooper Wilde,” the guy says as he offers a hand.

I don’t know why I suddenly feel nervous about shaking it. It’s a business meeting. That’s what people do. But the way this guy is looking at me gives me the feeling that he might be interested in more than just business.

But I’m not, I remind myself. Not only because I’ve all but sworn off men, I’m here to do a job. I’ve been working for H & C Bank for two years and this is my first solo assignment as a lead investigator. If I continue to do well, I’ll be well on my way to becoming a Vice President before I turn thirty. I don’t need a man to throw me off my career trajectory. And definitely not some guy in a country bar in rural New Jersey.

I take his hand and give it a quick shake but I can’t bring myself to look into his smoldering eyes again. “I’m Riley Smith.”

“I figured that,” Cooper says.

“Why is that?”

That hint of a smile has returned to his face again. “We don’t often get women in business suits in the bar.”

I’m not sure why I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to get a real smile out of Cooper Wilde. I don’t know even know the guy but it somehow seems important. I get the feeling he hasn’t really smiled in a while and it’s long overdue.

Not that I’ve had much occasion for real smiles myself lately.

“My brother will be here in a minute or two. He’s just printing a few documents from the computer. Purchase orders and receipts.”

I nod and look around the place. From the outside, I thought it was going to be a dive but the place actually has character. I can tell the wooden bar is old, and it looks hand carved, as do the barstools. There’s a large stage area that looks new. That’s one of the expenses I was charged with investigating. I try to image what the place looks like filled with patrons watching a local band play on a Friday night.

“Ms. Smith?” I hear a deeper male voice say.

I look up to see another guy approaching. He also looks around my age, mid-twenties, but he looks more like what I’d expect inside a country bar. He’s wearing a white button down shirt with jeans and cowboy boots. His hair is lighter than Cooper’s and his face is rounder, more boyish, but there’s definitely a family resemblance between these two guys. They’re both about the same height, around six feet, with athletic builds, like they play sports.

“I’m Jake Wilde,” the lighter haired guy says.

I try not to laugh as I look at Jake. He’s young, attractive and nothing like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. So much for my speculation about his name.

I notice Jake has papers in his hands. “Maybe we should have a seat at one of the tables.” He motions to a table closest to us.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asks. Jake has one thing that Cooper doesn’t. An absolutely killer smile. It’s the kind of smile that can probably get any girl into bed in a matter of minutes. Well, any girl except me. I no longer fall for guys with smiles like that. It hurts too much the next morning when they say they’ll call you, and give you that smile, and you know they’re lying and you’ll never hear from them again.

“I’ll take some water,” I reply.

Jake actually winks at me before he turns to head towards the bar. The guy knows how to charm people I’ll give him credit for that.

I notice Cooper now has the papers in his hand. Without saying anything, he sits down and I follow.

“I think this is everything you’ll need as far as the fraud investigation is concerned. We’ve got purchase orders for all of the improvements as well as receipts for the completed work. You’re sitting at one of the new tables right now. And you can see the new stage from here. I’d be happy to take you up to the new roof, if you’d like to see it.”

Cooper pushes the stack of papers toward me. I quickly thumb through them. I’ll make a few phone calls when I get back into the city to verify everything and cover my butt. At first glance, though, everything looks clean. It doesn’t seem like a case of fraud, more likely poor bookkeeping.

“The loan hasn’t been paid in months,” I say even though that’s not really my department. I’m here only for the fraud investigation. They’ll be dealing with someone else regarding the default on the loan.

“I know,” Cooper says, and I can see more darkness overshadow his already dark eyes. “I’m going to try and fix that.”

Jake comes back with three bottles of water. “Bottle okay or would you like a glass?” he asks.

“Bottle is fine,” I say.

Jake sets the bottles down on the table and takes the seat right next to me. I’m a little taken aback by how much space he commands. And not just because of his size. It’s his energy—his being—that’s so large.

“So what did I miss?” Jake asks.

Cooper eyes his brother and I can see there’s a little bit of animosity between them. Or at least there is on Cooper’s part. Jake seems kind of oblivious to it.

Cooper rubs his temple and says, “I was just telling Miss Smith that we’re willing to cooperate with her investigation in any way we can. I’ve given her all of the documents she’ll need.”

“Great,” Jake says. He gives me another one of his charming smiles then looks at me like he’s undressing me with his eyes.

I reflexively pull my suit jacket tighter even though I’m revealing nothing. I’m wearing a conservative button-down banker’s suit but I still feel like Jake can see through it somehow.

“I’ll look at the papers more closely when I get back to the city. I assume these are copies I can take with me?”

“Of course,” Cooper replies. The guy is all business. It’s in sharp contrast to his brother who seems more like a non-stop-party kind of guy.

“Did you decide if you want to see the roof?” Cooper asks.

When Jake laughs, Cooper glares at him.

“What?” Jake says. “If that’s supposed to be a pick up line, you’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“It’s not a pick-up line,” Cooper says through clenched teeth.

Still grinning, Jake asks, “You’re really going to show her the roof?”

“It’s not necessary,” I state. The last place I want to be is in the middle of these two guys’ drama. There’s obviously a lot more going on than just showing me the roof.

Jake leans close to me and I catch a whiff of his cologne. It’s a spicy and masculine. “Why don’t you let me show you the new stage we had built?”

I can feel the heat radiating from his muscular body and I’m quickly reminded by my body’s reaction that I haven’t had sex in over six months.

I gulp. “That’s not necessary.”

I can feel several beads of sweat roll down my forehead. I’m getting hot, and it’s not because of the temperature of the room has changed. It’s Jake’s closeness to me.

I jump from my chair. “I have everything I need.” I feel like waving the papers in front of my face like a fan but I refrain. I just need to get out of the bar and away from Jake. Then I’ll be fine.

That’s what I tell myself anyway.

Cooper rises from the table and gives me an odd look. I wish I could figure out what it would take to make the guy smile but I can’t stay next to Jake a minute longer. He’s like catnip and I’m the cat. I need to escape and get some fresh air.

“Thank you both for your cooperation,” I say.

“You’ll let us know if you need anything else?” Cooper asks.

“I will. It was a pleasure meeting you.” I put out my hand for Cooper to shake.

This time, when he touches me, I make a point of looking into his eyes. They seem to have gotten even darker and deeper in just the last few minutes and that makes me even more curious about him.

Business, I remind myself. You’re here for business and then it’s back to the city.

“It was nice meeting you, too,” Cooper says and once again, he only gives me the hint of a smile.

When Jake clears his throat, it breaks the moment between me and Cooper. I’m embarrassed that I lost control. I’m supposed to be a professional.

I noticed Jake has his hand out and I realize he wants me to shake it. The last thing I want is to do is touch Jake. I don’t want to get caught up in his charismatic web like a fly.

I give him a ridiculous wave instead and I feel like an idiot when he frowns.

“I’d better get going,” I say as I turn and make my way toward the door.

When I look back at the two brothers, they’re both staring at me. I don’t know why that makes me so nervous. I don’t plan on ever seeing either one of them again.

When I’m finally outside, I take in a deep breath of what I think will be fresh air and instead, I’m assaulted by the small of cow manure.

Great. Just great.

I hop into my car and turn the air conditioning up as high as it will go. I take in another deep breath and try to get the stench of cow dung out of my nasal passages.

I can’t believe I’m shaking. I’m not sure if it’s because of Cooper or Jake. Maybe it’s a little of both. But I’m definitely rattled.

I just need to get out of Old Town and get back to the city, I tell myself. Then things will get back to normal.

As I put the car into reverse and begin to pull out of my parking space, I keep thinking: I just need to get out of here and get back to the city.

When I step on the accelerator to go forward, I drive right into an old Chevy pick-up truck that’s headed straight for me.

Chapter Three

Cooper

A loud crash echoes in the parking lot. The sound of metal crushing against metal goes right through me.

“What was that?” I yell as I head toward the door.

Jake is right on my heels as we hurry outside.

“Is that Tucker’s truck?” I ask as I survey the scene. The Chevy pick-up has crashed into what was a brand new BMW M3, that I assume belongs to Riley Smith.

“It’s probably his fault,” Jake whispers to me.

“Have things been bad again?” I ask.

“They haven’t been good.”

My brother, Tucker, joined the Army right out of high school and did a tour in Iraq before his was injured and discharged. They were able to fix his leg fairly well, although he still has a slight limp. Too bad they weren’t able to fix whatever is going on inside his head.

I hurry over to Riley who is trying to get out of her car. Her legs look wobbly and I manage to grab her right before she lands on her ass.

“I’m fine,” she says as she tries to steady herself. She doesn’t look fine at all. Her face is completely white and she looks like she’s in shock.

“Maybe we’d better call an ambulance,” I suggest. “You should probably get checked out.”

She shakes her head and this throws her a bit off balance again. I hold her a little tighter so she doesn’t fall.

“I’ll phone the police,” Jake says as he grabs his cell phone out of his pocket.

When I glace over at my Tucker’s pick-up, I see that he still hasn’t gotten out of the vehicle. He looks like he’s in a daze. I’m worried about him but I’m also concerned about Riley.

“Jake, why don’t you check on Tucker?” I suggest.

Jake looks at Riley then glances over Tucker. “Why don’t you check on Tucker? I’ll make sure Riley’s okay.”

I can’t believe that Jake actually winks at Riley. Sometimes I just want to punch my older brother right in his charismatic face.

When I glance down at Riley, she’s looking up at me with her stunning brown eyes. I’m surprised when she actually gripes me a little tighter. She obviously doesn’t want me to let her go.

“You deal with Tucker,” I insist.

“Fine,” Jake says but I can tell he’s pissed. I’m sure I’ll hear about it later.

I watch as Jake heads over to Tucker and pulls him out of the truck. I didn’t think it was possible but Tucker looks worse than he did when I saw him six months ago. His blonde hair is now shoulder length and it looks like it hasn’t been washed in a while. He’s grown so muscular that his t-shirt can barely contain him. He’s always liked to lift weights but now he must not be doing much of anything else. I also notice that he’s gotten a few more tattoos on both of his arms. If he wasn’t my brother, and I hadn’t known him since he was born, I would actually be scared of him. He looks like he could be a member of some outlaw biker gang.

When Tucker heads in our direction, Jake grabs his arm but Tucker just shoves him aside. I notice Tucker’s limp seems a little more pronounced and I wonder if it’s a result of the crash or if he’s just not doing well.

I can feel Riley start to shake next to me as Tucker heads right for her. A few tears start to stream down her face and it tugs on my heart strings a little. I’m not a very sensitive guy but one thing I can’t handle is seeing a woman cry.

“It’s okay,” I whisper.

“He looks mad,” Riley whispers back.

“It’s just Tucker,” I say. But I don’t elaborate because I don’t want to get into his history with her right now.

Tucker stands in front of Riley for a few moments just staring at her. He’s big, tough looking, intimidating. But I also know my brother. He would never hurt a fly. He’s a sensitive soul who was deeply damaged by going to war.

Riley is still shaking next to me and I wish I could say or do something that will calm her down.

“I’m sorry,” Tucker says finally. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Or wreck your car. I just didn’t see you.”

And that’s all he says before he turns and walks into the bar.

It doesn’t take long for the emergency vehicles to arrive. I stay with Riley as she gives a statement to the police. She confirms what Tucker said earlier. He wasn’t paying attention and ran right into her car.

A few times when Jake phoned me, he mentioned that he was worried about Tucker. I guess I hadn’t taken his concerns seriously enough.

“I don’t think I need to go to the hospital,” Riley says to the police officer.

The cop looks familiar. I’m pretty sure we went to high school together but I don’t remember his name. He’s a few years older than me. He was in Jake’s class in high school. He probably wouldn’t remember me anyway, and if he did, it would most likely be as Jake’s little brother. If I had a dollar for every time someone called me Jake’s little brother, I wouldn’t have to work to earn my first million, I’d already have it in the bank.

“Maybe you should get checked out just in case,” I suggest. I barely know her but I’m overwhelmed with the desire to take care of Riley. I’m not sure why. She certainly doesn’t come across as someone who needs to be taken care of. Quite the opposite. She seems like a pretty tough girl who can take care of herself.

And I’m not really the type of guy who takes care of other people.

But as I look at Riley now, still a little shaken up from the accident, her perfect façade a little thrown off kilter, I feel like I want to take her into my arms, hold her tight and tell her everything is going to be alright.

God, I sound like I’m back in the Wilde Riders again, thinking up sappy lyrics for original country songs.

Once the police officer and ambulance leave, it’s eerily quiet in the parking lot. I hear Riley let out a little sob as she inspects the damage to her car.

“What am I going to do?” she asks but it seems to no one in particular.

I wonder whether I should respond or if the question was actually rhetorical.

Before I can offer her my help, Jake swoops in and grabs Riley’s arm. I can see her flinch slightly and I want Jake to take his hands off of her. I don’t think he has any idea he’s making her uncomfortable. And why would he? Everyone loves Jake. Especially women.

He was the star football player in high school. He led the team to the state champions. Hell, kids at Old Town High still talk about him like he was a god. And I was always “Jake’s younger brother.” As if I didn’t have an identity outside of Jake’s shadow.

I was the brother who played soccer and golf. Playing in a state championship golf tournament isn’t exactly as high profile as being the star quarterback of a state championship football team.

What really pisses me off, though, is that Jake always gets every girl he wants. And then once he gets them, he usually decides pretty quickly that he doesn’t want them anymore. I don’t want Riley to be another one of his conquests. She’s deserves better than that.

“I’ll phone Shane Parker,” Jake says. “He can give an estimate on the damage and let you know if you’ll be able to drive it back to the city. You may have to stay the night in Old Town.”

Jake’s friend, Shane, owns one of the two garages in town.

Riley’s eyes grow wide and she scrunches up her cure little nose as the realization sets in. She’s probably going to be stuck in New Jersey. I can’t say that I blame her. I don’t want to be stuck here either.

When Jake leaves to call his friend, I breathe a small sigh of relief. As much as I love my brother, sometimes I really hate him, too.

Riley touches the front of the car. The damage looks pretty bad. I can see Riley try to discretely wipe a few stray tears from her cheeks.

I come up behind her and say, “The M3 is one of my favorites. Sports car performance with style.”

When Riley turns to face me, I can see her cheeks are wet. It takes every ounce of restraint I have not to reach out and wipe the tears away.

“You know about BMWs?” She sounds surprised.

I nod. I don’t know why but I have the feeling that I shouldn’t tell her that I own one, too, and that it’s sitting right out on the street. So I just keep that fact to myself.

“This was my baby,” Riley states as she continues touching the damaged places on her hood.

“Cars can be fixed. People are a little more difficult. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“And I assume the guy who hit me is another Wilde brother?”

“Your assumption is correct. Tucker’s twenty-four.”

“He looks older,” she remarks.

“He’s been through a lot. It’s aged him.”

I guess she can tell I don’t really want to talk about it because she just nods and doesn’t ask anything further.

“Your brothers both drive pick-up trucks. Kind of confirms the stereotype.”

“That we’re all hicks from the sticks?” I ask. There’s a note of bitterness in my voice that I can’t control. “And you haven’t even met my youngest brother yet. He’s the real rebel. He drives a Toyota pick-up. Not driving American-made is kind of scandalous around here.”

“Will Shane Parker be able to fix my car?” she asks. “It’s a scandalous import.”

I smile. I’m glad she can joke a little even though she’s clearly upset. “I’m pretty sure Shane can fix just about anything.”

Riley looks like she wants to say more. I’m not sure why I sense that. I’m usually not so attuned to other people. I’m a numbers guy. Give me spread sheets and I’m happy. Ask me to figure out what’s wrong with another human being and you’ve got a problem. But I’m definitely attuned to Riley. It’s almost like I can read everything she’s thinking.

I have to laugh when Shane arrives in a pick-up truck. Maybe Riley’s not that far off and we are all a bunch of pick-up driving hayseeds. I just don’t want her to lump me in with all of the other Old Town boys. I’m not that guy anymore. I’ve worked too hard for my white collar.

“Wow,” Shane says as he approaches Riley’s car. “Your car’s a mess. Have you contacted your insurance company yet?”

Riley shakes her head. “In all the commotion, I haven’t had a chance.”

“Maybe we’d better phone them together. Once I’ve had a chance to check everything out.” As he does a cursory inspection of the damage, he whistles. “I hope you don’t have a very large deductible. This is going to be a big bill.”

Riley’s eyes go wide again. “Do you think I’ll be able to drive back to the city tonight?”

Shane laughs. “Not in this car. You’re probably not going to be driving this baby for a few weeks, maybe a month.”

“A month?” Riley cries.

“At least,” Shane reiterates.

“This isn’t possible,” Riley says. “I have to get back to the city tonight.”

“Big date?” Shane jokes. Both Riley and I glare at him but I realize it may not be for the same reason.

Why didn’t it occur to me that Riley might have a boyfriend? And why do I suddenly care so much if she does?

“I’d better make a phone call,” Riley says as she steps away from us for some privacy.

When Riley is out of earshot, Shane says, “This is the third accident Tucker’s had in the last six months. They may pull his insurance.”

The more I hear, the more concerned I am about Tucker. Not to mention the fact that he looks awful. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll talk to him.”

When Riley returns, she looks even more flustered and it makes me wonder who she phoned.

“So, do you want me to tow it back to my shop?” Shane asks.

“Do I have a choice?” Riley asks.

“There is another shop in town but he charges a lot more than I do and he’s not as cute as I am.”

Shane is anything but cute. If they were casting for The Hobbit in northwest New Jersey, he’d be at the top of the casting list.

But the comment brings out Riley’s incredible smile. When she really smiles, not just a polite business smile, but a genuine expression of joy, it lights up the space around her.

“I guess I’ll take my chances with you then,” Riley says.

When Shane winks at her, I feel like I’ve been slapped. I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much that he’s flirting with her because 1) he’s Shane and 2) she’s not mine.

But I want her to be. And that’s a complete shock to me.

A relationship at this point in my life is definitely not part of the plan. I’ve always put my career first and it’s served me well so far. I’m on my way to becoming a Vice President before I turn thirty. I definitely don’t need a relationship to throw me off my career trajectory.

“I’ll call for the tow truck,” Shane says as she turns toward his pick-up. Then he turns back and adds, “And you may want to get a drink before you come by my shop. I think Jake just opened the bar.”

As Riley and I watch Shane drive away, Riley asks, “Is it too early for a drink?”

“Never,” I reply.

Riley grabs my elbow and we head into Haymakers.

I’m really starting to like having her hands on me. Maybe a little too much.

__________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Romance novelist Savannah Young grew up in rural northwest New Jersey in a place very similar to the fictional Old Town, which is featured in her books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories, Savannah is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Connect with Savannah Young!

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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Cover Reveal: Fruit of Misfortune by @nelycab

    COMING MAY 1ST   T H E   C R E A T U R A   S E R I E S B O O K   2
 
TITLE: Fruit of Misfortune
RELEASE: May 1, 2014
AUTHOR: Nely Cab
GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal

Isis and her boyfriend, David, are on the brink of a horrible transformation and they are eager to stop it. Together, they set out on a quest to Greece to find Isis’ biological father—the only person that may be able to help them. Their journey comes to an abrupt stop before it even begins when Isis falls ill, and Eros, David’s best friend, arrives in Athens, unannounced and curious…with a plan of his own.
The hunt for her father leads Isis on the turbulent path of deceit, death, and demons as she anticipates the dawning of the beast that stirs inside her.  
FRUIT OF MISFORTUNE IS THE SEQUEL TO
Creatura is available in audio, print, and ebook formats on Audible, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes



Check out Prelude, a Creatura prequel novella, on Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Nely Cab has lived and resided in a small, quiet South Texas town most of her life. She worked in banking for several years, before she relocated to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 2001, where she dedicated time to the study of culinary arts and the art of oil painting. After her return to the U.S., Nely resumed her employment in banking and later transitioned to the field of Social Work.  
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Today, Nely Cab writes from the comfort of her home, where she lives with her husband and son. Her life goal is to check-off Bucket List Item No. 95,623,351: To Conquer the World. While she aspires world domination, Nely can be found lost in other fantasy worlds in front of her computer, sipping coffee.
CONNECT WITH NELY CAB
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | Blog | Goodreads

Book Blast, Giveaway and more: The Warriors Awakened, Operation Genome, #1 by @CyberPeacock

Presented by:


Title: The Warriors Awakened
Series: Operation Genome, #1
Author: CS Patra
Genre: Science Fiction/Paranormal
Audience: YA and up
Formats: E-book and Paperback
Publisher: CS Patra
Cover By: Catherine
Editor: Lauren Spieller
Pages: 200 pages
ISBN: 978-1492175483
ASIN: 149217548X
Date Published: 11 April, 2014 




 
Joe, Lowell, Eugene, Chuck, Reiko, Ally, Sam, and Megan were a part of the test. They were designed to destroy the human race.
Now they are going to save the world that is desperate to get rid of them.
For the last couple of years, humans have been trying to perfect themselves by creating the perfect human being. They ran tests on children to see just how far they could go with their experiments. Parents lined up at the door, all willing to make their child become the perfect human. It seemed to be the perfect plan until a horrible truth was unleashed. A group known as Operation: Genome had plans for their experiments that didn’t involve saving mankind. Instead, they were hoping to take the world. The experiments would be known as Frozen Warriors until they were summoned by their creators. Once they awoke, all Hell would break loose and destruction would follow. By the time most of the people found out this truth, it was too late to go back. All they could do was hope for a miracle.
Years would pass before some of the Frozen Warriors started to wake up. In the midst of it all was Chuck Everett, a genius child desperate to get attention from his father, and seven of his childhood friends. They begin to notice strange things happening to them and they stumble across something they should never have seen. As the truth begins to unfold, Chuck and his friends come to a decision about their futures. They realize they have to fight. They know they were made to go into war.
They’re just fighting for the other side.


 
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  Prologue

A long time ago, mankind made a grave mistake.
But it hadn’t been a mistake from the start. What they had been trying to do was keep more mistakes from happening. Come present day, the numbers of problems were rising. Wars in various countries. Famine. Poverty. Disease. All of which they wanted to put an end to once and for all. Danger was only spreading further so they decided to come up with the ultimate plan: build a race designed only for saving mankind.
It wasn’t something they had hoped for or wanted from the very beginning. They weren’t even sure that this was a mistake when it started. They were sure they were doing the right thing for humanity. As technology started to advance, they decided to advance their own race. After all, people had played with genetics before. They had successfully crossbred living creatures. So why couldn’t they try to make their own race stronger? That was where the visions started.
It was a very simple plan that went on for years. Several scientists named themselves “SH” (Save Humanity) and came up with an idea that would change genetics. A group of newborns would be subjected to tests and observed. Their DNA would be altered and they would be given powers that most people didn’t have. As time passed, their bodies would change. They would develop powers slowly and wouldn’t be able to control them until they were between the ages of 13 and 25. Until that point, they would be known as “Frozen Warriors.” But when they came to terms with their abilities, they would become “Awakened Warriors” and would be gathered to help mankind be rid of the terrors that plagued them.
But not everyone had the same idea. An opposite group called “Operation: Genome” decided that this power could not be used to save mankind. A person with such powers had to have bigger goals and desires. So they began their own plans to start a rebel group of Frozen Warriors. Many separated from SH in secret and went to join Operation: Genome for their own purposes. Once word of this got out, both sides found themselves at war and were sure that the third World War was coming. It would be between the Awakened Warriors and anyone who got in their way. Those that survived this war would determine what would happen with the world. It seemed to be destiny, so both sides created more Frozen Warriors. Only time would tell just how strong they would be.
Yet there was a small bit of hope. Prior to the ties between both sides being broken, scientists had created two scrolls: one silver and one gold. The silver was said to push back the darkness while the gold was to bring forth the light. Only a true warrior would be able to use these scrolls. When the time was right, the right person would use those scrolls to fix what had been broken. They could only hope that the scrolls fell into the right person’s hands.
For now, it was nothing more than a waiting game. Neither side interacted with each other again and made sure to keep their secrets locked up. All they could do was hope that their warriors would be the ones who would prevail in the end. Their destinies were determined and no one could break out of them.
Or so they believed.


 
     

   

Chuck Everett
The main protagonist of the story, Chuck is the only child of Dr. Jonathan Everett and the late Isabel Montoya Everett. In his words, he is an inventor, chemist, mechanical engineer, and computer hacker rolled in one. Extremely intelligent, he is considered a genius by his friends though his IQ is never stated. He has a crush on a girl named Gwendolyn at his school but can barely look at her to say hi. What he lacks in physical strength, he makes up with his creativity and ability to make new gadgets. He’s desperate to get his father’s attention but he rarely succeeds there. His friends often tease him for being a nerd but each one secretly admires his intelligence. He has the ability to teleport, something that showed up when he was younger. His father tried to hide this by claiming Chuck had a sleepwalking problem. Although his power is the least stable of all, he comes up with ways to control it.
 
 
Joe Carr
Originally from Minnesota, Joe moved to New York shortly after he found a job opportunity there. He technically lives in New Jersey but drives into the city all the time for work and to see his friends. Though in his early twenties, he’s the oldest of the group and often acts like a big brother. Everyone considers him the leader even though he never asked to be one. While he gets annoyed with them from time to time, he also sees how strong they are and does his best to keep them in line. He has the ability to read anyone’s mind as well as drain people of their energy with the touch of his hand. He wears a bracelet that keeps him from doing that (which he thought was originally to warn people of his allergies). In the beginning, he isn’t thrilled about his circumstances but soon decides that he wants to use his powers to help others.
 
 
Lowell Barrow
Lowell is a student at NYU and is working towards his Bachelor’s degree. The rest of his family is in Texas and he sees them when he is on break. He is fascinated with history, especially Asian and Middle Eastern history, and wishes to do something in regards to that. He is quite a neat freak and likes to cook though he rarely has time for the latter. The second oldest in the group, Lowell is considered to be the realist. He does not jump into conclusions if they can’t be explained by logic. He’s unwilling to get involved at first but soon jumps in when he realizes what’s going on. His shadow and reflection have the ability to leave him and attack anyone he tells them to. He also gets them to help him with chores when he needs them.
 
 
Eugene Bowler
Eugene is Lowell’s roommate and best friend to Chuck. He’s a little more optimistic than the others in the group and would do anything to make people smile. His parents divorced not too long ago and people suspect that this is the reason why he tries to stay positive. Despite his laid-back nature, Eugene can be serious if needed. He will stand up for what he believes in and he protects his friends and family at all costs. His power is super speed and he is the first one to get a good grasp of his ability. He uses his ability a lot more than the others even if it just to get from class to class.
 
 
Reiko Nara
At eighteen, Reiko just entered Columbia as a freshman and is studying chemistry. She’s very bright though she does struggle in her classes. She is still trying to find her way around in life and in college. She has a very gothic style and likes wearing mostly neutral colors like black, gray, and white. She is extremely fond of art and can sometimes be seen at museums and small galleries. Her family lives in Queens, which makes traveling from class and home easy for her. She has a small crush on Chuck ever since he first helped her. She has the ability to control the elements as well as telekinesis. Her power is said to be stronger than the others. It also can become unstable if she ever were to lose to control.
 

 

 
Ally Parker
Alec “Ally” Parker is a junior in high school. His favorite thing in the world to do is watch his favorite cartoon, Bringing Pluto Back to the Solar System. He often bothers everyone else by quoting things from it. Smart and eager to learn, he’s curious about Operation: Genome and its purpose. He is the oldest of triplets and originally grew up in Florida. Recently, he discovered that he and his sisters had been adopted. His parents haven’t told him this and he hasn’t told his sisters. He hopes that they will approach him on this one day. He has the ability to heal quickly, which makes him realize he might be immortal. He also feels that there’s more to his power than not being able to die.
 

 

 
Sam Mahanti
Samantha “Sam” Mahanti is a junior in high school and classmate to Ally. She lives in Brooklyn and considers herself a Hindu. Although she isn’t extremely devout, she does attend events at the Hindu Temple and often prays right before events or battles. She’s the middle of nine children and the only girl. Though she is overweight, the only time this bothers her is when her mother rags on her about it. Sharp-tongued and hot-tempered, Sam is one the first one’s ready for battle. She is usually the first tease her friends and the first to defend them. She is a shape-shifter. Though she is the least-experienced with her power, she successfully manages to pull off two changes without anyone noticing.


 

Megan Patterson
A freshman in high school, Megan is the youngest of the group. The daughter of a rock star, she currently lives with grandmother and only sees her father now and then. He purposely let her stay in New York so she could be safe from the paparazzi and grow up to have a normal life. She is on the swim team and soccer team at school. She also enjoys skateboarding when the weather is good outside. She is openly gay but not dating anyone at the moment. Despite being much younger than the others, they take everything she says into consideration and never treat her differently. Her ability is to extend her arms and legs to incredible lengths. Though afraid that it might be hurting her bones, she soon learns to get used to them.

 

 

    "Warrior" - Foxes "People Like Us" - Kelly Clarkson "Tumbling Down" - Me My Head "Off To the Races" - Lana del Ray "Pompeii" - Bastille "Elephants" - War Paint "Spring" from Four Seasons - Antonin Vivaldi "Waltz No 2" - Dmitri Shostakovich "Shake It Out" - Florence and the Machine "I Know You Care" - Ellie Goulding "Team" - Lorde


 

1x $10 Amazon Gift Card 2 x E-Copies of The Reapers Apprentice by CS Patra a Rafflecopter giveaway      

C.S. Patra has been writing for a very long time and has books lined to be published in the next few years. Previously, she had written poetry books before releasing a novel under her real name, Lengths for Love. She released her fist book series but certainly not her last. Currently, she is with California Times Publishing. She lives in NC with her family.
 
 

 

 

 



 

Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

Tour Schedule - One Week Blog Tour The Warriors Awakened , Operation Genome #1 by CS Patra from April 14 to 20. 2014. April 14 Eclipse Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Book Soundtrack http://totaleclipsereviews.blogpsot.com MHZ Book Reviews and Giveaways - Spotlight with Excerpt & Character Bio's http://mhzbookreviewsandgiveaways.blogspot.com/ April 15 Karen Swart - Spotlight with Excerpt, Character Bio’s http://authorkarenswart.blogpsot.com April 16 Bound 2 Escape - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.bound2escape.com Niecey Roy’s Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt & Author Interview http://www.nieceyroy.com/ April 17 JeanzBookReadNReview - Spotlight with Excerpt, Book Soundtrack & Character Bio's http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/ Bookworm for Kids - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com April 18 Our New Generation for Reading - Spotlight with Excerpt http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/ April 19 Kimber Leigh Writes - Character Bio's http://www.kimberleighwheaton.com Coffee Books & Art - Spotlight with Excerpt, Book Soundtrack & Character Bio's http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ April 20 Cajun Book Lover - Spotlight with Excerpt & Book Soundtrack http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com Making your book sparkle.

Author Interview Cassandra Lawson, author of Raven’s Blood

 

 

Today on the blog we have author Cassandra Lawson, author of today’s book blast Raven’s Blood. We would like to thank Cassandra for stopping by and sharing with us.

 

 

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

 I didn’t really consider myself a writer until I started working on my third book. Before that I kept insisting that writing was just a hobby

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

 I wrote my first book more than fifteen years ago and published it in May of 2013. I will admit that prior to that, I had never made any effort to get my book published.

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

I homeschool my daughters, ages 4 and 6. I consider that my primary job and I truly love it. Basically, my other job involves planning engaging educational activities, taking my children to park days with other homeschooled children, and spending time with my sweet little girls. It’s a pretty awesome job.

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

Raven’s Blood is a dystopian paranormal romance about a born vampire and a wood nymph

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

I self-publish my books.

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

 It usually takes me around five months to write, edit and format a book.

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

I love romance. Anything that I do in the future will definitely be a romance. At the moment I am working on my next Psy-Vamp novel and I’ve started the next Moon Virus novel. I have some ideas that are more contemporary romance and one time travel romance. They will likely end up being paranormal romance by completion. For some reason, even when I try for normal, I end up with a vampire, demon, witch, or some other paranormal creature in the story.

What genre would you place your books into?

My books are definitely paranormal romance. Raven’s Blood has a much stronger paranormal theme than my Psy-Vamp series. I consider my Psy-Vamp books paranormal-light.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

That just seems to be the direction that my imagination goes. I wrote my first paranormal romance over fifteen years ago. At that time I had never even read a paranormal romance.

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

 I’m kind of embarrassed to admit this, but Drew from my Psy-Vamp series is my favorite character. I just love writing his dialogue because he is such a little psycho.

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

 I have been writing since the seventh grade. When I was learning to type, an instructor suggested I write a story to practice. I never finished it, but that was the beginning. I was also influenced by a playwriting class that I took in junior college. The one act play that I wrote for that class was the first work of fiction that I completed. It made me realize that I really could do more than come up with ideas and start them. The ideas are easier than actually completing the story.

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

I always listen to music when I write, especially if my husband and children are still awake. I actually have several playlists so I can pick one that fits my current mood.

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

 Yes, I do read the reviews.

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

I choose the title while I’m writing the book. This is always a big struggle for me. I find myself putting down keywords and then I have this document that is full of nonsense.

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

 I usually have some idea of what I want to name the characters when I start writing. For any characters that I have absolutely no ideas for names, I go to Babynamegenie.com and let the genie decide. Those names never stick but I have to call them something. As for places, I tend to use real places. If I’m making one up, the idea usually came to me before I wrote about it.

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

I start out with a basic idea of the traits that each character has but there are times when they evolve.

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

I prefer reading paperback. I like the feel of a paperback in my hands while I read. I am reading more eBooks now because my vision is so bad that I find it hard to read the print in many of the paperbacks.

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

My all time favorite book is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. My father urged me to read it when I was in middle school. It will always hold a special place in my heart because it inspired my passion for reading. After that I was constantly on the lookout for more good books. I have read it more than once but never loved it as much as that first time.

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

 I try to avoid seeing the movie if I plan to read the book. I find that I’m always disappointed. To be fair, it’s hard to take all of the details that are in a book and squeeze them into a two hour movie. There is always something that is lost.

Your favorite food is?

That is a tough one, but I think it’s my homemade pizza. This choice could be influenced by the fact that I’m getting ready to make a batch of pizza dough.

Your favorite singer/group is?

 I really don’t have a favorite group. I am a true rocker and I listen to just about everything. My favorite recently released CD is California Hell by The Rocketz. I love every song on it.

Your favorite color is?

I love all bright colors but red it my favorite. I’ve found that I just can’t be in a bad mood when I’m wearing red.

If you would like to find out more about this amazing author and her work, check out the blast below.

Book Blast, Giveaway & Playlist: Raven’s Blood by Cassandra Lawson

 

 

 

 

Raven’s Blood

Moon Virus

Book 1

Cassandra Lawson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: 03/25/2014

ISBN: 978-1495234514

ASIN:

Number of pages: 300

Word Count: 85,088

Book Description:

Following the death of her wood nymph mother at the hands of vampires, Raven worked hard to build a life for herself in one of the few remaining human settlements. Her life takes a frightening turn when she finds herself an unwilling guest in a vampire settlement, but things are not anything like she expected them to be. Still, she cannot help but feel that her attraction to the vampire leader is a betrayal to her mother’s memory and her human friends.

From the moment Connor first laid eyes on Raven she has thrown his entire world off-balance. In order to prove his strength as a leader, he has no choice but to take her up on her offer to trade her freedom for that of her human friends. Having begun his life as a slave, he has no interest in keeping the wood nymph captive. As a man, he has no desire to feel this overwhelming attraction to a woman who hates him and his kind.

As Raven spends more time with the vampires, her feelings for Connor grow even stronger and Connor finds that she may be the one thing he cannot live without. Unfortunately, a new danger emerges that could threaten the survival of vampires and humans alike. As Connor struggles to unravel the mystery of the attacks from a new species of vampire, a madman will go to any lengths to get Raven’s blood.

Connor was shocked when Raven took off. She skipped the overgrown trail and headed straight into the trees. He followed her, awed by her graceful movements. If he’d been human, he never would have been able to keep up with her. With each step she seemed to gain strength.

Connor finally caught her arm. “Slow down some, little nymph.”

“Why?” she asked with a radiant smile. “Are you having trouble keeping up with me?”

Connor stepped in closer to her body and leaned in until she was trapped against a tree by his much larger body. Her gasp made him smile. She had obviously noticed his erection pressed against her belly. “Vampires get excited by the chase,” he said. “It weakens my self-control.”

Her eyes widened. “I thought you said you didn’t want an unwilling partner.”

“I don’t,” he said. “That’s why I would have to lay you down on the ground and lick every inch of your sweet body until you begged me to take you.”

Her pulse quickened and Connor couldn’t resist the temptation to lean forward and run his tongue across it. That made him even harder and he hadn’t thought that was possible.

Damn, but she seemed to be considering letting him do it. The green tint to her cheeks deepened. Never in a million years would he have guessed that green tinted flesh would be a turn-on. This hadn’t happened before so he assumed it had something to do with her proximity to nature. He suddenly wondered if other parts of her body flushed green when she was excited. Damn, he really would love to strip her naked and find out.

Finally, she let out a shaky breath. “Sorry, I’ll move slower.”

He released her and adjusted his jeans. “We need to stop for a minute so I can get things under control,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she said nervously. “I wasn’t trying to do that to you.”

“You never are,” he said mostly to himself.

 

Raven's Blood Playlist by CASSANDRA LAWSON on Grooveshark

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Cassandra Lawson is an author and homeschooling mother of three from the San Francisco Bay area. She has always had a very active imagination and loves making up stories. When she is not writing she enjoys baking, spending time with her family, listening to music, or curling up with a good book.

Blog: http://cassandralawson.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7103612.Cassandra_Lawson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassandralawsonauthor

New Release!! The Eternal Gift, Vol 1 by @TheEternalGift

Title: The Eternal Gift
Series: The Eternal Series Vol. 1
Author: Candy Crum
Genre: NA Paranormal Romance
Audience:  17+
Formats: Kindle/Paperback
Publisher: Candy Crum
Cover By: Megan Parker with EmCat Designs
Editor: Nathan Squiers with Literary Dark Editing
Pages: 224
ISBN-10: 061546050X
ISBN-13: 978-0615460505
ASIN: B00522J7HS
Date Published: April 11th, 2014
 









 
  A young girl (Kailah) discovers that she is from a lost and forgotten powerful Immortal blood line after she meets a strange new physician at work. She begins to have visions and see spirits and has trouble controlling bad things from happening when she is angry. Along the way she discovers the terrible truth about who she is and the incredible power that is locked away deep inside her. Her Immortal ancestors want to use her to destroy the vampire race. Vampires want to use her power to destroy her Immortal ancestors. But hiding in the shadows are those who have been watching her since she was born. They want to help Kailah discover who she is and help her learn to use her abilities. They simply want for her to make the right decision before it's too late. Unfortunately for them time is not on their side and the Rogue Vampires have plans for Kailah no one could have imagined.



Amazon / Paperback / Goodreads





CHAPTER ONE (first half) The night was cool and thick as it sheathed me in total darkness. The satin shorts and camisole that I’d gone to bed in were now damp from the moisture hanging heavily in the air. Holding my hands in front of my body, I blindly wandered around in blackness as I tried to find some kind of clue that would give me a better picture. My bare feet told me that I was standing on soft ground, the tall grass tickling my calves as I moved. It was possible that I was in a large pasture, though the clean, crisp scent of the air let me know that no large animals were near.
Thunder cracked in the distance and the ominous, coal-black clouds had even chased the moon and stars into hiding, not even the faintest glow giving away their location. It took a moment, but my mind was finally beginning to recognize this place. This was a dream world, one that I’d seen before. With every passing night, with every passing dream, I was able to travel further and further into this illusion as I tried to discover its meaning. I’d had recurring dreams before, but there was something different, disturbing about this one that seemed to speak to me. There was something that I was supposed to learn here and I needed to find it.
The wind began to pick up and I looked to the north, the same direction that I looked to every night. Lightning cascaded across the sky, illuminating the massive, empty pasture in which I stood. The momentary flash brought something to my attention that I’d never seen in the dream before. Two figures stood off in the distance, several yards between them, facing off. Even with great distance between us, I could feel the tension rolling off of them. That must be the dark, heavy feeling in the air that I’d felt: anger, hatred.
Thunder rolled again as the lightning danced across the sky. Using the display to light my path, I ran toward the figures ahead of me. As I approached, a bolt of raw, electric energy reached down from the sky and ignited the immediate area in flames. The swift turn of events stopped me short, nearly throwing me to the ground. The flames spread into a perfect circle as it surrounded both figures, blocking any further approach by me. Sharp chills cut through me from head to toe as I realized that one of them was fully controlling the blaze.
Now that I was closer, I could tell that the figures were women. One woman, maybe an inch or two over five feet tall, stood around fifty feet away, and to my right. Her long, jet-black hair reached just below her hips and whipped around in the increasing wind. As I studied her, I began to see a deep-red, transparent cloud, like an aura surrounding her. She was strong, very strong, and I could feel her overwhelming power from here.
Looking to my left, her opponent was roughly the same height; only her hair was frosty white and hung to her knees. This woman was much different. She was surrounded by an aura cloud as well, though hers was dark blue. Something about her called to me and it took everything I had not to trudge barefooted through the flames to reach her.
Rain began to fall and quickly soaked everything around us, though it was still unable to extinguish the fire. Movement brought me to attention as the white haired woman lifted her arms. The earth began to quake beneath me as it broke free all around her. She looked like a dancer as she maneuvered her body, forcing the element into submission under her power. The packed earth sailed through the air towards the dark haired woman, but she was quick to react.
In a flash, she completely disappeared from my sight, managing to dodge the attack. My eyes moved quickly as I focused to find her. My body locked up as my vision was suddenly clouded with the mysterious dark haired woman as she appeared before me, seemingly out of nowhere. Her dark, emerald green eyes and dilated coal-black pupils stared into mine, glinting in the firelight. Her raven hair seemed alive as it brushed my skin and sent tingles running through my body. Her flawless, olive-toned skin nearly glowed as she stood there, concern in her expression.
“Kailah.” As her soft, sweet voice spoke my name, I inhaled sharply. Though her mouth barely moved as she spoke my name, her perfect, white teeth showed just enough for me to make out four tiny, yet still elongated, razor sharp fangs. My heart fluttered rapidly as I wondered if this woman was the creature that she appeared to be, and if so, how did she know me and what did she want with me?
“Y-yes?” I stammered.
“This is not a dream, Kailah. It’s a warning.” She leaned in closer. “Run,” she whispered.
“Wait, what?” I asked, chills once again stabbing me like thousands of needles running from the roots of my hair to the bare, wet soles of my feet.
“Run!”
As soon as I turned to run, the dark thunder cracked overhead and the lightning began touching the ground all around me, trying to hold me where I stood. I heard a loud growl sound out from behind me, but decided not to look back. The earth began to shake again and my bare feet slid on the wet grass, the soft ground cushioning me as I fell hard on my right hip.
“Hello Kailah.” The new voice sent a shiver down my spine as I looked into the icy blue eyes of the white-haired woman.
Though her hair would have suggested otherwise, she looked no older than me: around twenty. Her skin was also olive toned and absolutely flawless, just like the other woman. Though, normally, one would look to the light as salvation and the darkness as hell, I didn’t think that was the case in this situation. Her crystalline blue eyes had death in them and I found myself backing away from her, toward the raven-haired beauty.
She laughed and the sound enveloped me like frigid water. “Kailah, you would choose the Vampire over your own grandmother?”
Before I could digest the words that she had unleashed on me, her attention shifted and the blue aura cloud surrounding her exploded into a barrier. Instinctively, my eyes closed and I threw my hand out as a large throwing knife bounced off the cloudy shield and headed for me.
“It is you!” she said with wonder.
My eyes snapped open and surrounding my hand was the same blue energy that surrounded the white-haired woman, only mine had a throwing knife buried in it. I couldn’t stop the scream that bubbled up out of my throat as the energy dissipated and the knife fell in my lap. What the hell was going on?
Her attention shifted again and with soft, graceful movements, a lightning bolt responded as it split from the sky and reached for her outstretched hand. She caught the energy easily before throwing it at her opponent. Another loud growl sounded out only a moment before something slammed hard into the barrier. That something, I realized, was the woman she had referred to as the Vampire.
Dark red energy swelled around the supposed Vampire as she pushed against the barrier of the opposing woman. “Kailah! She can find you in your dreams! Go, now!” As soon as the order left the raven-haired beauty’s lips, energy exploded from her body as the white-haired woman was thrown several feet away. “This dream is a figment of your own mind but, make no mistake, this is a premonition. You are the key to ending this war and if she finds you, it will doom all humans to a fate worse than death. Leave this realm now and prepare your mind. Your life is about to change.”
 
 



Candy Crum lives in Indiana and is the Author of “The Eternal Series” and other short stories. She published her first novel, The Eternal Gift, in May of 2011 and has been publishing ever since. Candy is an avid lover of the paranormal genre, stemming from years of reading the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice when she was a teenager. Later, she developed a deep love of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead and the House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, furthering her love of the genre and pushing her to really push to finish and publish her novel.
Since then, Candy has released three other books in The Eternal Series and will release another later in 2014. Now, Candy is trying her hand at more contemporary pieces of work, like that of Lean on Me and other books she will release in 2014.
Some of Candy’s interests include the usual reading and writing, music (of most types), movies (action and comedy or any combination of the two), cartoons (she loves to say that her children watch cartoons because she does), and drawing. She loves talking with her fans and loves reading the reviews that her fans are kind enough to leave for her. Always feel free to find Candy on Facebook and send her a message!
 
 
Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads Three Day Release Blitz Schedule - The Eternal Gift: The Eternal Series Vol. 1 by Candy Crum - April 11, 12 and 13, 2014. April 11 Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - http://strreviews.blogspot.com/ The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/ Crazy Beautiful Reviews - www.crazybeautifulreviews.blogspot.com Black Words-White Pages - http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/ Darkmotive's Books and More - http://darkmotivesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/ Becca Anne's Book Reviews - http://beccaannesbookreviews.blogspot.com Love, Lust & all the Pages in Between - http://www.lovelustpages.blogspot.com.au That Bites-Book Talk Revies - http://www.michelle808205.blogspot.com/ Sweets Books - http://sweetsbooks.wordpress.com The Avid Reader - http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com April 12 Pretty Little Pages - http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com Patricia D. Eddy - http://www.pdeddy.com Kim's Book Blog - http://mom5taz.wordpress.com Bound 2 Escape - http://www.bound2escape.com The Book Addict - http://jbthebookaddict.blogspot.in Our New Generation for Reading - http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/?zx=5ffc9f761ece34c6 Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ Indy Book Fairy - http://paranormalbookfairy.blogspot.com/ Hooked on Books - http://hookedonbooksuk.blogspot.com Lindsay And Janes Views And Reviews - http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ April 13 Once Upon a YA Book - http://onceuponayabook.blogspot.com JeanzBookReadNReview - http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/ Karen Swart - http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com Eclipse Reviews - http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com Darkest Cravings - http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com Angee's After Thoughts - www.angeesafterthoughts.com Bookaholics Blog - http://www.bookaholicsbloggers.blogspot.com Book Nook Nuts - http://booknooknuts.blogspot.com/ Making your book sparkle.

Cover Reveal: Conflicted by MM Koenig

Event Organized by ❤MaE Book Tours❤

Synopsis

Mia Ryan was on the path to make all her dreams come true. Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs.

On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her.

There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …

Genre Romance/ New Age

Publication Date December 19th 2013

__________________________________________________________________

Excerpt

“What the hell are you doing here? Are you stalking me now?” I snapped.

I attempted to remove his hand, but the effort behind it was marginal. Everything within me relished his hands all over me. My knees became weak with the heavy want coursing between my legs. My upper body constricted with my wayward needs. Ethan tightened his grip as he whirled me around so that my back was on his front. The music shifted to a slow, deliberate song that was fitting for my predicament. I cursed Usher underneath my breath for coming out with this song. Ethan had buried me into his body. It was impossible not to notice his hardness. He ran his hands down the front of my thighs until he hit bare skin.

“It's hard to stalk someone when they're in the club that you own,” he shot back.

“You own this place?” I stammered.

“I have a vested interest, so I come in on occasion. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered you were here,” he remarked.

My concentration was dwindling with every stroke he made upon my body. Ethan continued running his hands up and down my thighs, causing my heart to beat out of my chest. I bit my lip to keep from moaning from the pleasure when his fingers lingered towards the inside. My hands took on a mind of their own as they slid down his waist and thighs. His breaths trickled across my neck. It heightened the erotic dance south of me. I was in the danger zone with him. I fought to find my rational side to avoid undressing for him right then and there. My mind grasped at the few functioning brain cells to keep him talking. It was my last line of defense to keep him from kissing me.

“Why are you so upset?”

“I'm angry because you keep denying me when it's clear you want me. To top it off, you come to my club and dance with countless men right in front of me,” Ethan growled.

He ran his nose down my neck before licking away a bead of sweat. I gasped. The hand that he had moved to my waist slipped underneath my top. He caressed my belly before running his fingers further down, making every ounce of me come to a dull ache. Against my will, my body moved in ways to encourage him to travel further south to take full advantage of me. Ethan's hands settled along my waistline, lazily trailing his fingers along it. My mind screamed one last time that this was not an option for me. In a last-ditch attempt, I paused his hands so he wouldn't go any further. Ethan whipped me around to face him. The passion in his eyes was unmistakable.

“I'm trying to do the right thing,” I moaned.

His hands drifted underneath my shirt and up my sides on their way north this time. As he progressed along my rib cage to the lower line of my bra, he moved us off the dance floor. Ethan pushed me up against a pillar at the far end of it. He brought his body right into mine. He tossed in an occasional thrust of the hips as he pinned me, just to remind me how very well he knew my body. Ethan cupped my breast with tender strokes of his hand before pressing his lips on a spot underneath my ear lobe. It was enough to melt every part of me. I was throbbing all over for him.

“You want me. I want you. I don't care what's right or wrong,” Ethan hissed.

I tilted my neck as he trailed deep kisses down my collarbone and exposed shoulder. I wanted him so much that it was close to making me burst. I moaned even louder when his teeth grazed the crook of my shoulder. He sucked along my neck with eagerness, making no effort to hold back his want for me. I slanted my head to bring my lips vigorously down on his. My tongue drifted across the top of his mouth before his tongue met mine where they danced to the beat with the music around us. My hands moved down to his hips as he pumped against me. I slid them even further down to his ass. Ethan responded by grinding harder and grabbing one of my legs to raise it around his hip.

Our bodies melded together in an erotic dance as our mouths devoured each other. I lost myself in the music, in his lips, in his body, in his hands, and in the desires he brought out in me. His hands ran up and down my body while his lips and hips brought me to the point of no return.

__________________________________________________________________

About the Author

M. M. Koenig was born and raised in Minnesota. She now lives in the Twin Cities area with her loving dog Marley. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology.

She pays the bills as a customer service representative at a major title insurance company, but writing is her true calling. She is still searching for that special someone, but isn’t worried about finding him. He’s out there somewhere. In the meantime, she finds Mr. Right in her own writing along with a variety of other authors that have inspired her.

She has written in one form or another throughout the course of her life. She began the Secrets and Lies Series in January of 2013. The first book of the series, Conflicted, is now available for purchase at Amazon and Smashwords. She is currently working on the second book of the series, Complicated, which will be available for purchase by the spring of 2014.

M. M. Koenig enjoys being active and has a variety of interests that coincide with her passion for life. Always one to try new things, she has acquired a variety of skills. Her sarcastic nature and multitude of experiences tend to find their way into her novels.

When she has free time and isn’t writing, she spends as much time as she can with friends and family. To fuel her soul, she is constantly looking for new music, movies, and books to keep the writer’s block at bay.

Connect with M.M. Koenig!

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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Series Blast: The Dream Series by Jacqueline Paige

 

 

 

 

In Our Dream

Dream Series

Part 1

Jacqueline Paige

Release date December, 10 2013

She’s a small town cop. He’s an inmate undercover. They meet in a dream.

Book Description:

Jennah Best left the adrenaline packed life of being a cop on the edge for a more peaceful place. She escaped a marriage that almost destroyed her and now lives her life working for a small police station in the town of Ridge. At her age, she’s accepted that it’s too late and too much work to start all over again, until she meets a man in a dream...

While young, Dominic Palmer has always proven he can get the job done.  Or at least, that was the case before he accepted a job and agreed to go undercover as an inmate. When months go by and there’s no word from his outside contact he wonders if he’s been left on the inside for good. He’s fighting to stay alive and keep his sanity, but finds himself completely distracted by a mysterious woman he met in a dream...

Amazon Smashwords

The nerve of that man! Why won’t he just accept things and go away? She paced back and forth, trying to control the frustration that was pumping through her. Every time she saw him, every hurt moment came flooding back to her and she just wanted him gone. She wanted to move on and live her own life and try her damndest to be happy!

“Jennah?”

She spun around, expecting someone to be behind her. There was no one there. Was that Dominic’s voice? Oh no, she was hallucinating now! Should she call her doctor? Maybe the stress had finally caught up to her. Was she going to end up spending her holidays alone in the psych ward?

“Jennah, why are you so upset?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. I am not hearing voices! I am not losing my mind!

She heard his deep chuckle. “No, you’re not losing your mind. This is really happening. I should have told you, but in our dream...it’s not really a dream. We’re connecting.”

Her eyes flew open. What? “What?” She stood perfectly still, waiting to see if she could hear him again.

“I can explain it better later. I just picked up on how upset you were...”

She squinted. “Picked up? How? How are you inside my head when I’m completely awake? How can we talk inside my head?”

She heard him chuckle again. “Inside mine, as well. I don’t have time right now. Are you all right?”

She laughed out loud, not knowing if he would hear it in her head too. “Clearly not! I’m talking to a man from my dream inside my head while I’m wide awake standing in the locker room at work!”

“Jennah...”

 

 

 

From A Dream

Dream Series

Part 2

Jacqueline Paige

Release date February 7 2014

She wakes up in a dark hole, alone. He’ll stop at nothing to find her.

Book Description:

Jennah has found happiness. She wasn’t looking for it but isn’t about to give it up now that she has it. Everything she craved for years was now right in front of her--a man that makes her feel cherished, a peaceful life, and a job she enjoys. It all changes when she wakes up in a dark hole, alone, unarmed and unable to connect with the one man she’s grown to need.

Dominic realizes he is one of those men that wants the whole package of marriage and a family, and he’s found the woman to have that with. He’s going stir crazy having to stay hidden until the leader of a criminal organization is caught, but he’s more than willing to stay right here with her.

All of his plans evaporate when a vindictive criminal takes her from him as a hostage. He won’t rest until she’s in his arms again.

Available at Amazon

He glanced around and decided he’d better start heading back to her place. You know you’re in love when the snow in your boots doesn’t even bother you, he thought with a shake of his head.

Brody would laugh his ass off if he could see me now. A noise had him jumping to take cover behind the closest tree. He automatically reached for his gun, ready. He squatted and looked around the tree in each direction. He exhaled loudly when a rabbit, frozen in its tracks, came back to life and fled in the opposite direction. He slowly tucked his gun back into his jeans as he stood. Paranoia was definitely an issue.

Quickening his pace, he headed back, making sure he stepped in his own tracks. Jennah would laugh when he told her that he was being stalked by an assassin bunny.

“Dom!”

The panic in her voice sent him running in the direction of the building. “Babe, what is it?” He kept moving fast, his hand riding beside the gun grip now sticking up for easy reach out the bottom of his coat. “Jennah!” He reached for her and felt panic.

“Dom!”

“I’m coming!” He lengthened his strides and jumped through the snow as fast as his legs could manage.

When he reached the back door, he whipped it open and ran into the kitchen. He stopped and listened—nothing. Pulling the gun, he gripped it lightly and let his arm hang down his side. He walked out into the living room with slow movements and let all senses filter back what was around him.

When he’d almost reached the front door, he stopped, his heart lodged in his throat as he looked at the table knocked to the floor and grocery bags scattered with the contents spilled all around them.

With long strides, he was out the door and into her driveway. Her car was there. He caught movement from the corner of his eye, and he spun, gun aimed and ready. A black-capped pickup was fishtailing down the street. He ran to the end of her drive and aimed at it. Squinting, he tried to make out the plate, but there wasn’t one.

He swore and lowered the gun. It was too far, and without knowing if Jennah was in the back of it, he couldn’t take a chance on a stray shot.

Fumbling for his phone in his jacket, he flipped it open and started to walk back over his own boot prints toward the house. He punched in Brody’s number as he knelt and looked closer at the red drops in the snow. He clenched his jaw and resisted the urge to touch it. Brody answered the phone. “They got Jennah.”

 

 

After the Dream

Dream Series

Part 3

Jacqueline Paige

Release date March 7 2014

Brody believes he’s a normal man. Tess has felt like a freak most of her life- except when she’s around one man.

Book Description:

Feeling less then worthy as a normal man surrounded by a team with special skills, Brody has to wonder why he’s a part of it. If it weren’t for one team mate being there, he’d transfer back to normalcy.

Tess has always felt like a freak, even surrounded by others that are different she still feels like an outsider. Only one of her team mates make her feel like an everyday person.

Get your copy at Amazon

 

 

 

A loud humming noise filed the room suddenly. Looking at each other for a second, they both came to the same conclusion and headed back over to the door. When Brody grasped the handle, the lock clicked. “Shit.”

“Someone else is here.” Tess stared at the door. “Did Gray happen to mention how to bypass the lock from the other side of the door?”

“Not that I recall.” His tone expressed what he was thinking. They were sitting ducks in here. No way out and if anyone came through the one and only door, there was nowhere to hide. “Try the mic again.” Flipping his phone open, he waited for the signal bars to register; only there weren’t any.

“Mics are still static.”

“Phone has no signal either.”

He watched Tess close her eyes and when they popped open he could see the worry in them. “We’ll just . . .”

“It’s gone.” Panic and shock vibrated in her voice.

“What is?” Flipping the phone closed he tucked it in his pocket.

“What I can do – I can’t feel it.”

Moving over, he ran his hand over the wall again. He could feel the vibrations of whatever was humming vibrating. What is this room made of? “How do you know?’

“I just do.”

The panic in her voice unnerved him in the same way it did when she over did it and almost collapsed. “Try it.” Going over, he stood behind her and wrapped one arm lightly around her waist. Trying to ignore the way his body liked having her this close, he lowered his voice. “Just try.”

Letting out a loud breath, she grasped his hand and squeezed it. He stood there waiting for that strange lightened feeling to fill him like it did when she took him from one place to another.

“Nothing,” Tess whispered with a defeated tone.

Aside from the fact that it bothered him to hear her sound that way, it suddenly dawned on him that they were stuck in the shiny room. “Well—that’s going to complicate things a bit.”

“No kidding.” She moved out of his arm and walked around the room. Putting the ear piece back in, she depressed the switch on the unit attached to her vest. “Nothing but dead air.”

Brody pulled his phone back out and walked around the room holding it out in front of him. “Dead zone.” Stuffing it back in his pocket he stood there with his hands on his hips and looked at the floor. Even the floor was the polished metal. “They’ll come looking for us if too much time passes and they haven’t heard from us.”

“That won’t help them find us.” Moving over to the wall, she started walking along it sideways feeling over it.

 

 

 

Jacqueline Paige lives in Ontario in a small town that’s part of the popular Georgian Triangle area. No one has ever heard of Stayner, so she usually tells people she lives “near Collingwood” and no, she doesn’t ski at Blue Mountain or at all, in fact she’s not even fond of snow.

She began her writing career in 2006 and since her first published works in 2009 she hasn’t stopped. Jacqueline describes her writing as “all things paranormal”, which she has proven is her niche with stories of witches, ghosts, physics and shifters now on the shelves.

When Jacqueline isn’t working at her ‘reality job’ or lost in her writing she spends time with her five children, most of whom are finally able to look after her instead of the other way around. Together they do random road trips, that usually end up with them lost, shopping trips where they push every button in the toy aisle, hiking when there’s enough time to escape and bizarre things like creating new daring recipes in the kitchen. She’s a grandmother to four (so far) and looks forward to corrupting many more in the years to come.

Jacqueline loves to hear from her readers, you can find her at www.jacqpaige.webs.com , www.jacqpaige.blogspot.ca or http://magicseasonsbooks.blogspot.ca