Sarah Cass's Blog: Sarah's StoryLines, page 12

Once More My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath

| Amazon | BN | Kobo | iTunes | Blurb From New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath, comes the second book in a brand new series, The Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, featuring three eligible bachelors…and the scoundrels that reside within each. Born to the street but raised within the aristocracy, Drake Darling can’t escape his sordid beginnings. Not when Lady Ophelia Lyttleton snubs him at every turn, a constant reminder he’s not truly one of them. But after rescuing her from a mysterious drowning, he realizes she doesn’t remember who she is. With plans to bring her to heel, he insists she’s his housekeeper—never expecting to fall for the charming beauty. While Ophelia might not recall her life before Drake, she has little doubt she belongs with him. The desire she feels for her dark, brooding employer can’t be denied, regardless of consequences. So when Ophelia’s memory returns, she is devastated by the depth of his betrayal. Now Drake must risk everything to prove she can trust this rogue with her heart once more.  Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/08... Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... *~* Author Info LORRAINE HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals and computer code, but something was always missing. After reading a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s RITA® and a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times best-seller lists. Author Links Website: http://www.lorraineheath.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineHeat... Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lorraine_Heath Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... *~*  Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25.00 eGift Card Winners Choice Book Seller ) a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore

| AmazonUS | Amazon UK | BN | Goodreads | Description: When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and a chip on his shoulder. While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living. Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at all. *~* Goodreads Book Giveaway The Undead by Elsie Elmore Giveaway ends September 24, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win a Rafflecopter giveaway   –  About The Author: Elsie Elmore lives in North Carolina with her husband and two kids. With a science education degree from NCSU, she never imagined she would someday write stories that challenge the laws of nature. She loves the color red, has an appreciation for chocolate and coffee that borders on obsession, and wishes fall temperatures would linger year round. Elsie is a member of several writing organizations: RWA, SCBWI, and WSW.  The Undead : Playing for Keeps is her debut novel. Find Elsie Elmore Online: | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Zero Point by Nafeez Ahmed

| Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |  Description: Near future Great Britain is on the brink of collapse. Mass riots. Economic meltdown. Blackouts. And a new oil war in Iraq to keep the world economy afloat. Iraq War veteran and war crimes whistleblower David Ariel is sick of violence, and trying to make ends meet working for Specialist Protection. But after Prime Minister Carson is brutally assassinated by extremists on Ariel’s watch, he is covertly targeted by a compromised police investigation. When forensics discover that Carson’s assassination inexplicably defied the very laws of physics, bodies drop like flies as key witnesses are murdered in impossible circumstances. Fleeing for his life while London is locked-down under martial law, Ariel gets a phone call from Iraq he will never forget. His estranged girlfriend, journalist Julia Stephenson, warns that the Carson killing is just the beginning of a wider plot to bring the West to its knees. Then she disappears. Ariel’s blood-soaked race against time to track the terror cells behind Carson’s death tumbles into the cross-fire of a hidden battle between mysterious rogue intelligence agencies. The goal: to monopolise black budget technologies which could unlock the universe’s darkest, arcane secrets. As the world he thought he knew unravels, Ariel faces off against bent coppers, double-crossing agents, psychic killers and super soldiers to complete a black ops mission like no other: stop Quantum Apocalypse. –  About Nafeez Ahmed:  Nafeez Ahmed is a bestselling author, investigative journalist, and international security academic. He writes for The Guardian via his Earth Insight blog, reporting on the geopolitics of interconnected environmental, energy and economic crises. The author of five critically-acclaimed non-fiction works addressing humanity’s biggest global challenges, Nafeez’s forthcoming book is a science fiction thriller, ZERO POINT, due out 18th August 2014. Nafeez has also written for the Independent on Sunday, The Independent, The Scotsman, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Huffington Post, New Statesman, Prospect Magazine, Le Monde Diplomatique, among many others. He has been a talking head for BBC News 24, BBC World News with George Alagiah, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Radio Four, BBC World Today, BBC Asian Network, Channel 4, Sky News, C-SPAN Book TV, CNN, FOX News, Bloomberg, PBS Foreign Exchange, Al-Jazeera English, Press TV, Islam Channel and hundreds of other radio and TV shows in the USA, UK, and Europe. Nafeez is also cited and reviewed in the Sunday Times, Times Higher Educational Supplement, New York Times, The Independent, Independent on Sunday, The Observer, Guardian, Big Issue Magazine, Vanity Fair, among others Find Nafeez Ahmed: | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Tuesday Tales – Curly – Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks

Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! After a month’s hiatus, it feels great to be back in the swing of the TT!  I spent my month off writing 100k+ words, finishing 3 books & getting a contract for 7 more of my Holidays in Lake Point series! I’m so excited! I’m glad I had that boost last month, because so far this one has been a real jerk to me. Onto this week’s prompt!  I apologize for this stunning, gorgeous picture I’m using. I have not yet had time (or cash) to shop for my real MC’s in this story I’m presenting, so I have to display abs here, the closest to my Hero I had on hand. He’s sure got the right build for my hockey-god…but he’s a little too old, and for once my hero doesn’t have any scruff…and the hair is not quite right.  Still, he’s nice to look at so here’s abs for you as I give you one (maybe two at best) weeks of next years Valentine’s story – Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks. This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Curly. This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks, mostly because my delectable hockey-god hero has curly black hair.  Here he is getting ready for practice after an unexpected & impromptu romp in the sack with my heroine, and his best friend, Penelope “Pen”. Cage’s alarm had gone off two hours ago, but he’d ignored it in favor of staying right where he was. Wrapped in his arms, Pen had her body flush against his. Every move of her supple body made his cock jump to attention. If they hadn’t been up half the night, he might have taken advantage. As it was, he should’ve been sleeping. Instead, he’d skipped working out, and just lay there alternately awake and dozing just to be close to her. His secondary alarm went off with a quiet buzz, and he reached back to shut it off. He’d have no choice now but to get up, because that was his pre-practice alarm. Right as he prepared to disentangle from the gorgeous woman in his arms she stretched and wiggled her ass right up against him. The tightness he’d suffered through all morning turned into a raging hard-on. He buried his face in her neck and groaned against her flesh. “You’re going to kill me in a slow torturous death,” he whispered against her sleeping form. “And I’m going to love every minute.” A soft whimper escaped her lips, but her eyes didn’t open. With great care to not wake her, he pulled his half-numb arm out from under her. When she shivered with his departure, he pulled the blanket up over her. He went to the bathroom and scrubbed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face. The entire time he couldn’t stop grinning. He knew now, without a doubt, that Pen felt the same way about him. Sure, she might have been scared and skittish about how their lives and jobs could ever work, but she felt the same. After the first impatient, rushed, and holy-shit-did-I-miss-this time, he’d stepped back and taken it slow. It had been years since he’d felt such a connection with Pen like that, like for the first time since their first time they connected deeper than ever. Every girl since had paled in comparison, the lack of connection making the act little more than a release of pent-up frustration. With the exception of one short lived relationship, he’d not found anything even close. To this day he felt bad about that one relationship. Shandra had been a desperate attempt to get over Pen when she ended their friends with benefits. To prove it didn’t matter to himself, or to Pen. While he hadn’t realized it at the time, he sure as hell did after the fact. Shandra didn’t deserve the guarded heart he’d offered. The woman had realized it too, and left his ass cold. When Pen had told him she was leaving for Europe he’d been lost. He wanted to beg and plead for her to stay, but how could he? More than most people, he knew how crushed she’d been after Chicago. The opportunity to study in France under a master was too good to pass up. What sort of friend would he be if he stood in her way? Although now she all but admitted him she’d wanted him to ask her to stay. Did she really want the path she insisted she did? How hard would she strangle him if he dared suggest it again. Cage leaned on the counter and stared at his image in the mirror hard. His curly black hair stood at crazy angles of his head, evidence of the night he’d spent with Pen. Luckily, the cap he’d throw on, followed by his helmet would take care of that. All he needed now was clothes, and then to see Pen again before he left. He hoped she’d come to his game tonight so he could give her a proper send off for Philly. If not, he’d have to come home in between practice and the game. Then again, maybe he would anyway. The goofy grin he’d been wearing deepened and he chuckled at his own reflection. “Idiot. You’re acting like a love sick fool.” He’d just have to ignore the fact that he’d robbed himself of this feeling for years, and enjoy it while he had it. He threw on sweats and grabbed his bag, hauling it to the front door. Once he’d swung through the kitchen to start his coffee, he went back to Pen’s room. He leaned down over her and brushed his lips across her cheek. “I’ve got practice, Pen. I’ll be back in a few hours.” Her mumbled reply was completely unintelligible, but she rolled onto her back. Blonde locks spread out across the dark sheets and a soft smile remained on her lips. “Don’t go anywhere, okay?” He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. “Promise?” She twitched her nose after his kiss and scratched it with the back of her hand. A soft sigh slipped through her lips as her eyes fluttered half open before closing. “Pen,” he teased lightly at her earlobe. With a gentle nip to her neck he swore she sprang to life. Her body arched into his and she groaned low. He chuckled. “Four hours is too long. Wish I could stay.” “Stay.” She sighed again, her eyes still closed. *~* Hope you enjoyed it!  Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!! *~*

Sunday Snippets 48 – Masked Hearts

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors! I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts. We return to the same scene from last week. It’s the middle of the night, and Mister Rawlins has brought a friend to Minnie’s tent. The disgusting Silas is looking Minnie over like a piece of meat, and she has no choice but to obey: “Untouched you say?” Silas tilted his head, eyes never rising above her chest. “Are you certain?” “Quite. Not one hand has touched her, has it Minnie?” Mister pinched her arm hard. Despite the smile he wore his eyes were hard as ice. “No, Mister–not one hand.” *Creative editing used this week to fit in the 8. *~* If you want more of these wonderfully damaged pair…pick up a copy! | Amazon | SCP | BN | ARe |  Minnie Woodward lives a lie. After barely surviving the Bear River Massacre she’s lived in the white world of her guardian Mister Rawlins, her life debt keeping her tied there. The last thing she needs is Roy’s attempts to gain her favor. Her fate’s sealed. She’s never believed in hope, and not even Roy can make her start. Roy Ornum saves Minnie every night in the traveling Wild West show. The job he took to break his gambling habit brought him a new addiction – her. He knows she doesn’t want to be rescued, but maybe he does. She’s the key to a past he lost, one he wants to find again. As the two grow closer old wounds are reopened and their burgeoning trust is shattered. When lives hang in the balance of their choices they’ll need to work together. Otherwise everything will be lost before hope can be found. *~* Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!

The Curse Merchant by J.P. Sloan

| Goodreads |  Description:  Dorian Lake spent years cornering the Baltimore hex-crafting market, using his skills at the hermetic arts to exact karmic justice for those whom the system has failed. He keeps his magic clean and free of soul-corrupting Netherwork, thus avoiding both the karmic blow-back of his practice and the notice of the Presidium, a powerful cabal of practitioners that polices the esoteric arts in America. However, when an unscrupulous Netherworker interferes with both his business and his personal life, Dorian’s disarming charisma and hermetic savvy may not be enough to keep his soul out of jeopardy. His rival, a soul monger named Neil Osterhaus, wouldn’t be such a problem were it not for Carmen, Dorian’s captivating ex-lover. After two years’ absence Carmen arrives at Dorian’s doorstep with a problem: she sold her soul to Osterhaus, and has only two weeks to buy it back. Hoping to win back Carmen’s affections, Dorian must find a replacement soul without tainting his own. As Dorian descends into the shadows of Baltimore’s underworld, he must decide how low he is willing to stoop in order to save Carmen from eternal damnation… with the Presidium watching, waiting for him to cross the line. –  About The Author: I am a storyteller, eager to transport the reader to strange yet familiar worlds. My writing is dark, fantastical, at times stretching the limits of the human experience, and other times hinting at the monsters lurking under your bed. I write science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, and several shades in between. I am a husband and a father, living in the “wine country” of central Maryland. I’m surrounded by grapevines and cows. During the day I commute to Baltimore, and somehow manage to escape each afternoon with only minor scrapes and bruises. I am also a homebrewer and a certified beer judge. My avocations dovetail nicely! Find J.P. Sloan Online: | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Damaged by A.N. Hennessy

Synopsis  To Averianna Brooks true love is like a mythical creature, it just doesn’t exist. Needing an escape from what most would consider a living hell, she leaves the place she has always called home to move to Atlanta where she is determined to rebuild her self-worth with her long time best friend. Home holds too many bad memories along with a certain person she wishes to never see again. All she wants is a fresh start, a new atmosphere, and a new city away from the horrible times her life once held. In an effort to save herself from any unforeseen pain that she desperately wants to steer clear of, Averi vows against anymore relationships. But will all that change after a chance meeting with Damian Cole, a well known business mogul to a chain of hotels and resorts with a deviant and damaged past of his own? Unable to stop thinking about his wickedly good looks and his crystal blue eyes, she wonders if she will ever meet him again. When fate brings her slamming into a familiar pair of sapphire eyes, things seems to take a turn, developing into a deep desire that neither one of them saw coming. Can Averi and Damian overcome their hurdles together and repair their damaged pasts enough to fall in love? Or will the past come back to haunt them? They say love conquers all or does it?   Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... Buy Links Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Damaged-A-N-Hen... B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/damag... Excerpt   Not looking up so no one can see my drenched face, I walk through the door. Clumsily, I smash straight into someone. Firm hands grip my upper arms preventing me from falling or else I would have collapsed if not for the unseen stranger. “Averianna?” The voice is warm and welcoming. A voice I have missed since earlier today when he was being so prudent. “Are you okay? Look at me,” he croons. “I’m fine, Damian, just need some air.” I shrug out of his grip and walk past him into the slightly cool night air. I sit on a bench to the side of the building as I hear him follow. The tears are still unwelcomingly rolling down my cheeks. I don’t want Damian to see me crying, so I turn my head away from him as he tentatively sits beside me. I can feel anxious blue eyes boring into my back. “Look at me Averianna…please.” He reaches around discreetly to grab my chin, coaxing my face in his direction. “Shit…what’s wrong? Please don’t cry.” He breathes in deeply, tugging me into his arms. “Is it because of me, did I cause you to cry?” His question sends a shock of pain straight to my heart as my sobbing resumes more forcibly. I remember telling him that I never wanted to see him again. That I couldn’t handle him, but at this very moment I don’t want to be near anyone else. I want him. I want to feel his nearness. I want to be smothered in him and I want to tell him. I want to tell him everything so he can tell me it will all be okay. That he will keep me safe like he did last night. It pissed me off at that moment, but now it’s the comfort that I want to hear. “No Damian, it’s not you. I’m so sorry for what I said to you. I didn’t mean it. I was just mad. Forgive me?” “Forgive you? Princess, I forgave you the moment you said it. I was the one out of line. I’m sorry. I’m the one who needs to be forgiven. Now, please tell me why you’re crying. Look at me.” He plants his warm hands on my cheeks catching my falling tears of pain. Looking at his beautiful face, I notice that it looks just as pained as my own. His brow is creased with worry, light glimmering off of ebony hair that is flopped messily over his forehead. His narrowed eyes take on a bothered gleam. I can’t hold it back. If there is ever going to be anything between us, no matter what that may be, he has to know everything. Then maybe he will share some of his past with me. But I’m not getting my hopes up. Author I live in a small town in southern Tennessee. Before writing I raised Great Danes and I still do to this day. There is nothing more majestic than a beautiful, giant Dane. Reading and writing has become a huge part of my life and helped me get through a really tuff time in my life. My sister was wrongfully ripped away from this world. Reading and soon writing became my escape from the nightmare that plagued my brain. I will forever believe that my sister pushed me in this direction and for that I will always owe my success to her. She is my whisper away and I know she is guiding me where I need to go:)I am married to my high school sweetheart, Zac and we have two crazy yet beautiful kids together. Between them and the Danes, life in the Hennessy house can be extremely loud and rambunctious at times. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Social Links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anhennessy01 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Twitter: https://twitter.com/anhennessy http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/shar...

Sunday Snippets 47 – Masked Hearts

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors! I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts. Mister Rawlins has already shot an apple off Minnie’s head as a warning, but he isn’t done with her yet. In the middle of the night, he makes a never-before-seen appearance in her tent, but he isn’t alone: “This here is Silas. I told him all about you,” The Mister wrapped his hand around her elbow and pulled her off her cot. The man that ogled her from across the tent didn’t bolster her hope that the night would improve. Short and dark, his eyes skimmed her with a lecherous open leer. “Drop the sheet,” Silas commanded. The man never heard ‘no’, she could tell just by his attitude. He moved closer, and the lamp lit up weathered and filthy features. The crooked grin displayed yellow rotted teeth he picked at with a toothpick; his nose was bulbous at the end, a distinct twist at the bridge showing he’d been in his fair share of fights. *Creative editing used this week to fit in the 8. *~* If you want more of these wonderfully damaged pair…pick up a copy! | Amazon | SCP | BN | ARe |  Minnie Woodward lives a lie. After barely surviving the Bear River Massacre she’s lived in the white world of her guardian Mister Rawlins, her life debt keeping her tied there. The last thing she needs is Roy’s attempts to gain her favor. Her fate’s sealed. She’s never believed in hope, and not even Roy can make her start. Roy Ornum saves Minnie every night in the traveling Wild West show. The job he took to break his gambling habit brought him a new addiction – her. He knows she doesn’t want to be rescued, but maybe he does. She’s the key to a past he lost, one he wants to find again. As the two grow closer old wounds are reopened and their burgeoning trust is shattered. When lives hang in the balance of their choices they’ll need to work together. Otherwise everything will be lost before hope can be found. *~* Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!

The Traveler’s Wake by J.P. Moynahan

The Traveler’s Wake, by J.P. Moynahan  Genre: literary fiction, crime-thriller Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press Date of Release­­: July 31, 2014 Cover Artist: Michelle Johnson at Blue Sky Design Find The Traveler’s Wake Online:  Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Description: Wesley Rourke is a mouthy, Irish-lucky millionaire, trotting the globe in search of the perfect place to kill his most hated enemy, himself. Blowing his money on charity, and booze as he zooms from city to city, he lays his course towards Lima, Peru. Once he arrives, he sets about his grisly task only to be inconvenienced by the lure of a pretty young tourist, the daughter of a prominent British lawmaker. A few days after their first date, he awakens in a hospital to find her missing and he himself embroiled in a media blitz and massive manhunt. With time running out, and wracked with horrifying night-terrors, Wesley is forced to face his past cowardice and wade into the bowels of a pitiless underworld in search of his one ray of hope. The city of Lima awaits him. –  About J.P. Moynahan: I’m a wilderness guide and mountaineer, musician and poet. I’ve climbed all over North and South America, and played my music throughout. From mission’s work in Mexico, to clinking beers with toothless Canadians, and onto climbing an Andean glacier, I enjoy whatever comes my way. I’m a mouthy sort with a quick tongue and an even quicker grin. Most folks hate me for the first seven minutes, then fall right in love with my winning personality and straight-toothed smile. Though I harbor a strong sense of independence, I believe in the strength of a supportive community and tight knit family. I enjoy working with youth and young adults and showing them that staying out of jail isn’t so hard and can even be fun. But I’m not a goody-two-shoes, my head isn’t anywhere near my ass, much less in it. Find J.P. Moynahan Online: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

2014 Goals – September Update

Back with the latest update on my 2014 forecast. August was a bit of a kick ass month for me. I wrote over 100k words during the month, and finished all of the books I had scheduled to go to the editor. That means I have begun my list for 2015 already, and started on the books for it as well. Which means, of course, plenty of changes for this weeks list. And now, onto the updates. First, the overall goals. Not specific books, but all around goals.. I’ve challenged myself to write 600,000 words in 2014. ( 464,955 WC as of 9/2/14 10:47PM) I will build my audience and work harder at promotion. A continuing work in progress. I will find focus (see below), and figure out how to USE it. I did really well on this in August. Hoping to be able to continue in September, but it’s a busy month, so we’ll see how it goes. Plan 2015 Holidays in Lake Point series books. Done – and submitted to SCP as a proposal. Still waiting on work back. Plan 2015 book schedule. I’ve written down the know ideas I have, and have started on the first book for the year. Once I get an answer on my Lake Point books I’ll be able to plan dates better (having deadlines really helps my focus). And for my list of projects. This I’m not removing the completed items, because I like seeing how many are done, however I did remove a couple I had to backburner for pressing deadlines. Items in RED are complete. Items in ORANGE are in progress (or progress notes). Items in BLUE are new. Runaway Train (Dominion Falls 5) – 113k Stalled Independence (Lake Point #3) – 35k Katherine’s Story (Dominion Falls Prequel) - 48k – Named finally. Independent Brake Into a Mirror Darkly (Morgana Chronicles 1) – 100k (~10k done) Witch Way (Lake Point #4) – 30k A Thorough Thanksgiving (Lake Point #5) - 23k Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks (Lake Point #7) – 30k (10,151 done) Luck of the Cowgirl (Lake Point #8) – 30k Natural Selection – 40k The Tribe (The Tribe #1) – 85k The Wolf (The Tribe #2) – 85k Switchback (Dominion Falls 6) – 100k The Chief (The Tribe #3) – 85k The Raven (The Tribe #4) – 85k The Child (The Tribe #5) – 85k Escaping Humanity (Co-authoring w/ Mary Terrani) – 100k (22k done) So thrilled  with the progress I made, and the plans I’ve made for the 2015 year. So many words to be written. I think I can make my 600k goal for this year, and maybe more!  I’ve got some crazy-busy months coming up to round out the year, but I still hope to get plenty of words in. So here’s to heading into the final quarter of the year and on the path to ending the year with a bang!