R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 237

BOOK BLITZ: Your Sound by Katia Rose #GIVEAWAY

Your Sound
Katia Rose
(Sherbrooke Station, #3)
Publication date: December 1st 2018
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Molly Myers is just your average groupie next door.Literally.The rock star whose posters cover her bedroom wall is banging her roommate right on the other side of it. Even for Molly, reigning queen of embarrassing moments, the situation is epically awkward. Every thump of the headboard is just one more reminder that the lead singers of famous bands don’t date bumbling shy girls too anxious to leave their own rooms.JP Bouchard-Guindon wasn’t looking for Molly’s room when he accidentally burst through the door, but the wild-haired girl lying there in her underwear was certainly worth the detour.As the keyboardist for Montreal’s latest indie rock sensation, JP has met his fair share of fangirls. He’s always ready to throw up some finger guns for a photo. What he’s not ready for is the way skittish, wide-eyed Molly Myers gets stuck inside his head.A practical joker and a social recluse are the last people anyone expects a connection between. She’s silence aching for a voice, and he’s sound with a craving for quiet. Their differences will either pull them together, or fracture their worlds when they push them apart.

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—EXCERPT:You know what they say: if you don’t have a weird roommate, you are the weird roommate.I tip the contents of my laundry basket out on my bed and reach to turn up the volume on my speakers. My ‘Putting Clothes Away’ playlist—which features a lot of Adam Levine—is currently blasting out of the surround system. Along with my vintage record player, the speaker set is probably the only thing of value in my tiny, stuffy, and currently sweltering bedroom.“Try to tell you no, ‘cause I’m busy folding up this dress. Try to tell you stop, ‘cause my laundry is all still a mess.”The towel starts slipping off my head as I nod along to the beat of my improvised lyrics. I straighten it back in place and glance at the rest of my outfit—a ribbed green tank top, faded pink I’m-Down-To-My-Last-Pair-And-Desperate granny panties, and a Korean cloth face mask complete with nostril holes that makes me look like Voldemort had drunk sex with a mannequin.Yeah, no way I’m the weird roommate.

Author Bio:
Katia Rose is not much of a pina colada person, but she does like getting caught in the rain. She prefers her romance served steamy with a side of smart, and is a sucker for quirky characters. A habit of jetting off to distant countries means she’s rarely in one place for very long, but she calls the frigid northland that is Canada home.

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BOOK BLITZ: City of Masks by Ashley Capes #GIVEAWAY

City of Masks
Ashley Capes
(Bone Mask Trilogy #1)
Publication date: August 14th 2016
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

A noble daughter burdened by power she never sought.Perched on an unforgiving coast, the city of Anaskar is under threat from enemies within. Its own royal family feuds over possession of sentient bone masks of power, leaving Sofia Falco, daughter to the city’s Lord Protector, to foil a conspiracy designed to strip her father of both his title and powerful Greatmask.A bitter mercenary accused of murder.Yet when disaster strikes, Sofia is forced to flee the palace and into the city where she crosses paths with mercenary Notch. But Notch has his own problems – accused of murder, he must fight to clear his name, all the while hunted by the city’s robed assassins, the very people who are now searching for Sofia.A young Pathfinder seeking vengeance.Meanwhile, far across the western desert, Pathfinder Ain must overcome his doubts and leave on a hopeless quest. To restore his people to their rightful home, he must unlock the ancient mystery of Anaskar’s Sea Shrine and the gargantuan sea beast that lurks beneath its harbour. Yet all who have gone before him have failed…Follow three unlikely heroes on an epic fantasy adventure where the struggle over bone masks of power threatens to tear their city – and kingdom – into shreds.

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—Learn more about City of Masks!
What were your cultural influences for the world creation for The Bone Mask Trilogy? Why those?The main influence was probably Italy for setting it was the coast of Amalfi in particular. The historical city was perched on the coast and actually slid from the mountain into the sea in the 14th Century so there’s a bit of that influence on the city of Anaskar itself.I also found smaller details from the region fun to incorporate into the setting, particularly the fire-lemon which is similar to limoncello, and a lot of the naming conventions are Italian-influenced with some Latin too. For a quick example, one character is named Lupo which would make his name “Wolf” in English. I followed such naming conventions throughout the city with people and placenames ─ all save the city itself Anaskar. (It’s not strictly very Italian-sounding because it’s actually a city that has been named by the previous occupants so I didn’t want it to sound too Italian influenced.)I think Italy has ended up the biggest influence because back in 2011 (when I first had the idea for a city under threat by a sea monster) my wife and I were in Italy and we were immediately smitten by the country ─ it was one of those once in a lifetime trips and I think I was just keen to soak in everything.City of Masks weaves together politics, history, culture, and the action in this book. What kinds of research influenced the politics of your world?Thanks! I drew upon monarchies and tribal systems mostly ─ always looking at where power lies in a group, I guess. Is it shared or is it guarded jealously? If it’s disrupted, who takes what is left? Those sorts of questions are fun to explore as a writer.I remember reading a lot about various royal families who always featured a brother or son (or uncle) keen to knock off a few family members on their way up to the throne. I think it was the shadowy Richard III that I recall the most.I think all political structures tend to have an undeniable element of personality; the forceful, confident or clever tend to have the ability to direct others, no matter their title or lack of. With the desert-dwelling Medah people, for instance, despite there being multiple elders in the Cloud clan it’s clear that Raila is holds the most sway; she tends to command the most respect in the group.Do you have a playlist that you used while writing City of Masks?Sort of! Nothing like a specific playlist on Spotify etc, but here’s some of the albums that I remember playing quite a lot during the writing (and editing) of the story:
Pink Floyd – AnimalsPrince – Sign o the TimesKillswitch Engage – Alive of Just BreathingOpeth – Ghost ReveriesBlack Sabbath – Heaven and HellYo Yo Ma – Silk Road EnsembleJanko Nilovic – Rythmes Contemporains

Author Bio:
Ashley is an Australian novelist, poet & teacher. You might have read his epic fantasy 'The Bone Mask Trilogy' or maybe you're familiar with his other work, the fantasy/adventure series 'The Book of Never.' Either way, you can read more about his books and get access to giveaways and free books via his newsletter below :)Ashley occasionally dabbles in film, is addicted to 80s cartoon shows and Studio Ghibli films, and finds himself constantly awed by the simple beauty of haiku. He is also convinced that 'Magnum PI' is one of the greatest TV shows ever.

Sign up to Ashley's newsletter for free books and news:http://www.subscribepage.com/b5w1k0

Find out about Ashley's fiction:http://www.cityofmasks.com/

Check out Ashley's poetry:http://www.ashleycapes.com/

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BOOK BLITZ: April in Atlantis by Alyssa Day #GIVEAWAY

April in Atlantis
Alyssa Day
(Poseidon’s Warriors #4)
Publication date: November 5th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

She’s Poseidon’s first and only female warrior…When April, Poseidon’s first-ever female warrior, meets Pine–“don’t call me a werewolf” — prince of the European wolf shifters, she saves his life and then gives him the finger, because the sound of his sexy Scottish accent when he said “I think I’m in love, lass” gave her shivers in places shivers had no right to be. She’s a warrior, not a werewolf groupie. But now she’s trapped between the werewolf who wants her and the werewolf who wants her dead.He’s Europe’s werewolf prince…Pine wanted April the moment he saw her, just before she saved his life. Then he knew he must make her his. But the appearance of his long-lost and presumed-dead twin complicates Pine’s plans, and this time it’s April’s life at stake. Together, April and Pine are so much stronger than they are apart, but the heat between them may be enough to burn down the world.Can two such unlikely allies find their way past danger to love? Or will mutual seduction be the beginning of the end?

Warning: This book contains magic, Atlantis, Poseidon, warriors, a wolf shifter, an evil twin, archery, wolf cubs, Europe, Scotland, Scottish accents, a king and queen, sibling rivalry, a black sheep, bad boys, paranormal romance, fantasy, matchmaking, laughter, danger, kisses, and a happily ever after. Read at your own risk!

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—You can also grab book 1 – January in Atlantis – for FREE!
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—EXCERPT:
Atlantis, the war room adjacent to the throne room, April 1st…April stalked back and forth past the scarred wooden table that dominated the room, fists clenched at her sides, muttering creative suggestions under her breath in ancient Atlantean as to what the king and Denal could do with their idea. She’d expected to be kicked off the team after she’d been so rude to the man she’d only later found out had been an actual freaking prince. Instead, they’d hit her with this.King Conlan, tall, dark, and gorgeous in that uniquely Atlantean royalty lineage way, leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure the throne would fit up my ass, and if Cerberus ripped my arms and legs off, my wife and son might be rather annoyed with you.”She froze. “You heard that?”Denal, one of the king’s elite fighters and now the leader of her team of Poseidon’s Warriors—or Denal’s Desperate Dozen, if you hung out in taverns for any time at all—blew out a sigh and shoved his hands into the pocket of his faded jeans. “You see, Conlan? Hopeless. This is a terrible idea. Also, April, I know you haven’t spent much time around royalty–”“Try none.”He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “But a little respect might be nice. Or I’ll take you to the training grounds and kick your ass.”She scowled. Unfortunately, this was a threat that carried some weight. Denal had been a warrior for longer than she’d been alive, because Atlanteans lived very long lifespans. He was unbelievably hot, in that “look at me and I’ll kill you” feral kind of hot way, but she hadn’t the slightest interest in bedding him. She just wanted to impress him.To impress the king.Great start, fool.She abruptly knelt and inclined her head. “My apologies, your highness, if I have offended you. Well, of course I offended you. Gah. I mean, the throne up your ass thing might have come across worse in translation…”She smacked her forehead. After muttering dire insults to the king, she was now questioning whether he could understand ancient Atlantean, the language of his royal ancestors.Maybe she could stab herself in the kidney next and get the pain over with faster.Conlan laughed.He laughed?“April. For Poseidon’s sake, get up. And if you call me ‘your highness’ again, I’ll be the one kicking your ass on the training grounds. My sword play is a little rusty these days, but I can take on a youngling like you.”She leapt to her feet, a hot rush of denial searing up her throat, ready to boil forth in a mass of words, when her brain kicked in: He’d said a youngling.Not a female.She was a youngling, compared to his five hundred or so years, so it would be ridiculous to be offended, and she was getting tired of looking for offense from every corner. She’d made it—she’d been accepted into Poseidon’s Warriors, even if on a misfit kind of team.“Look.” Denal strode over to her and poked her in the shoulder. Hard. “Try not to be a jerk. I’m telling you, as the head of this insane team of misfits, that you’re going to be an ambassador to the wolves.”She refrained from poking him back and gave herself a hundred points for her massive amount of restraint. “For how long?”“A year.” Denal studied her face and then glanced at the king, whose face was impassive. This was Denal’s decision, then.“Six weeks,” she countered, without much hope, but it was fun to watch that nerve in Denal’s jaw jump.“Six months, and if you argue with me again, it’s going to go back to a year,” he said, his eyes narrowing.“I’ll take it.”“Good call.”The king stood up and stretched. “I have politics to play, crushing boredom to endure. Or maybe I’ll go chase my son around the garden for a while. April, do a good job. If you put me in the middle of the wolves’ civil war, we’re going to have a problem.”His eyes darkened, and the genial king façade disappeared, so that April saw the dangerous predator lurking beneath. Conlan had been a fierce warrior for hundreds of years before he took the throne, and she could tell that nothing had changed.“Yes, your highness,” she stammered, taking a step back.Conlan’s face lit up with a huge grin. “You did it! I warned you. Now you can meet me on the training grounds in an hour for a bout. You’d better warm up your sword arm, warrior, because I’m not holding back.”Denal groaned. “Don’t hurt my newest team member, Conlan. Do you know how hard it is to find good fighters?”April blinked. He thought she was a good fighter?“It’s not hard at all,” the king said, his calm voice completely at odds with his narrowed eyes. “Or else somebody at the younglings’ training academy needs to lose his or her job.”Denal raised his hands. “Fine. It’s not hard to find good fighters, but it’s hard to find people with the skills and temperament to be one of Poseidon’s finest, as you well know.”He thought she had the skills and temperament to be one of Poseidon’s finest?April swallowed. This meeting hadn’t gone at all like she’d imagined. She’d thought she was going to be booted off the team. Instead, she found out she was one of Poseidon’s finest, who was going to be an ambassador to the European wolves, after she sparred with the king.She needed a drink.Conlan pointed at her. “One hour. Be there or I’ll track you down.”She nodded to them both and then walked out of the room. Maybe she’d have that drink after her sword fight…With the king.Of Atlantis.In one hour.She started running.

Author Bio:
Alyssa Day is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels filled with kissing, laughter, mystery and magic. Alyssa's paranormal series include the Poseidon's Warriors and Cardinal Witches paranormal romances and the Tiger's Eye Mysteries paranormal mysteries. In an Alyssa Day book, the good guys (and gals!) always win and happily ever after always prevails! Alyssa's many awards include Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award for outstanding romance fiction, and the RT Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance novel of 2012. Her books have been translated into a zillion languages but she's still holding out for Klingon.

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BOOK REVEAL: The Dating Alternative by Jennifer Woodhull

The Dating Alternative
Jennifer Woodhull
Publication date: December 26th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She’s so over dating. He wants to be her alternative.Max has crushed on Brie for as long as he’s known her but the timing was never right. When he finds out they’re finally single at the same time, he’s poised to move from friend zone to serious dating… until he finds out she’s only looking for something physical. He offers his services in hopes she’ll come around.Just when things are starting to go his way, a shocking turn of events snatches her from his grasp. Now he has to resurrect the life he thought he’d left behind to help the woman he’s falling in love with before it’s too late.A sweet, funny, sexy romance, The Dating Alternative launches everywhere December 26th.

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Author Bio:
Jennifer Woodhull is based in the Southern United States, spending time in her second home of England, and traveling as often as she can. Her love of travel permeates her work, and her characters often find themselves exploring new and foreign surroundings. A keen observer of human behavior, Jennifer often draws inspiration from something as simple as a fleeting connection, or the glimpse of a unique trait or characteristic. Her favorite place to write is on airplanes. "The drone of the engine, the scores of people, all traveling to something or from something, and being disconnected from digital distractions are a combination that provide the perfect place to write," she says. "If you see a woman in seat 9F who is balancing her Macbook on her lap because it's time to close your tray table, please have patience. I'm just trying to finish one more sentence."

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BOOK BLITZ: The SEAL's Contract Baby by Katie Knight #GIVEAWAY

The SEAL’s Contract Baby
Katie Knight
Publication date: November 29th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

After an “incident” on his last SEAL mission, Zachary “Z” Raybourn has been relegated to babysitting duty. He’s spent the last six months guarding the daughter of a small foreign nation, a girl so valuable to the US that she apparently can’t buy milk without him trailing along like a lost puppy. He’d joined the military to make a difference and stayed enlisted because of the SEAL team he considers family. Now all he wants is to get back to them ASAP.Esme Hollycombe is her country’s last hope. Her father the King controls a very important port that serves as a naval base for the US. But with her father’s rapidly declining health, and her US-hating cousin next in line for the throne, Esme has been frantically searching for a loophole in her country’s law that says only a man can rule. The only thing she finds is that she can rule in the stead of any male heir she gives birth to. Unmarried and certainly not pregnant, the loophole isn’t of much use to her. Until her attention turns to the hot SEAL protector who has been pacing the palace for the last six months like a caged animal. He’d do anything to get back to his squad; and she’d do anything to keep her cousin off the throne, leaving him unable to evict the US and all their military protection from her country.Esme offers a contract to Z: get her pregnant, marry her so the heir will be legitimate, and he can have his life back. Z eventually agrees. But being the partner of a princess comes with far more action and intrigue than he’d ever dreamed. He also finds that making a baby is an easy way to fall in love. Now, Z will have to choose: the military family he misses, or the nuclear family he’s creating.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:“I’m twenty-eight years old. I don’t need a babysitter.” Her Royal Highness, Princess Esme Hollycombe of the tiny southern European country of Prylea, squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I’ll take a regular security team with me to Washington, DC and be done with it.”Her father’s intelligence advisors exchanged a look, then the head of security—a slightly hunched older man named Greaves who’d been hired by her father before Esme was born—gave her a quizzical stare. “Yes, your grace. But please remember that this trip is not only about you. Your ailing father, the king, will also be making the journey to get a second opinion on his condition. We cannot afford to leave either one of you unprotected during these turbulent times.”Darn it. He had a point. And he knew just the right buttons to push. Esme would do just about anything for her father, as Greaves was well aware. Never mind the fact that the king was dying. This new opinion he was seeking in Georgetown would only slightly prolong his life, at best, or put another nail in his already well-sealed coffin. But she couldn’t turn down the chance to extend her time with him, even by one more day.She swallowed hard against the lump of sorrow that had been lodged in her throat since her father had first been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years prior. Since then he’d been in and out of treatments, traveling the world to seek a cure for what was, as of yet, incurable. Still, if it gave her father some small measure of hope, she’d do whatever she could to ensure he got to see the specialist in DC.Her fingers itched to pull out the knitting she’d brought along in her purse, but she clenched her fists instead. The hobby kept her busy and sane during these dark times and also helped her with one of her dearest charitable causes. All of the blankets she made were distributed to a charity for Prylea’s poor—under a fake name, of course. It wouldn’t do to have the royal family seen as nothing but a bunch of crafters, even for a good cause.Esme took a deep breath and looked across the room to where her usual contingent of security guards stood. Most of them were middle-aged and indistinguishable from the others. They blended into the background as their job demanded. Silently watching and waiting for danger to rear its ugly head, then they’d spring into action to defend and protect.One man, though, a relative newcomer, stood near the window, the sunlight striking his blond hair and making it look like spun gold. After six months of service, he was still an enigma to Esme. She was intrigued by him, watching him as closely as he watched her, and not because he was gorgeous either. Sure, the guy had the ripped physique of an ex-military man. He was a former Navy SEAL after all. But there was something more about him, a lingering haunted look in his gray-green eyes that had her wondering exactly what had happened to him during his time as a SEAL. She’d tried to find out by snooping through his employment records, but with everything else going on, she hadn’t had time to do a proper in-depth search. “Your highness, we need an answer before you leave tonight,” Greaves said, his stern, jowly look setting her nerves on edge again. She didn’t like being forced into a corner. “We must insist on the security detail, princess. If you refuse, we’ll be forced to send your cousin Silvester in your place.”Oh, he was good.Silvester had once been a friend who’d now turned rival. The guy was only interested in power—namely the throne of Prylea. Unfortunately, Esme’s father had failed to secure her place in the line of succession for the country by changing the outdated rule in the Prylean constitution that said a woman could not rule. So very nineteenth century. So very irritating.The last person on earth she’d want representing her or her country in the United States was her cousin Silvester. Esme was having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to get around her country’s antiquated rules without thrusting her power-hungry cousin out on the world stage to strut about like the overblown peacock he’d become.“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “But I choose the team lead.”“Fine.” A muscle ticked in Greaves’s cheek, but otherwise his face remained stoic. He leaned closer to whisper to his cronies then turned back to Esme. “We agree. But you must choose from the current team members already in the room.” His beady black eyes glittered behind his wire-rimmed glasses, as if he’d just pulled off some wonderful coup. “May I suggest Sutherland. He’s quite accomplished and has long served your father with loyalty and distinction.”Sutherland was a short, stout man of brisk manners and few words. He and her father were old friends. “He’s fine to guard the king. I’ve got someone else in mind for head of my detail.”Greaves raised a bushy white brow but remained silent.“I want him.” She pointed to the blond Adonis still leaning against the wall by the window, looking for all the world as if he were bored to tears. “Zachary Raybourn.”“But, your grace—” Greaves sputtered. “He’s not even been with the team for a year yet. And he’s not a Prylean citizen. He’s American.”“All the better.” Esme bit back a smile at the way the old man said that last word, more like an unsavory curse than a nationality. She pushed to her feet, blood pounding and knees wobbling. Her late mother had always said that being a good monarch demanded firm judgment and a will to succeed. Esme had the drive to become the next queen down pat. The judgment part was still in question. But Raybourn was really the only choice she had. All the other men were loyal to the Prylean constitution. At least Raybourn didn’t give two hoots about her country or its dark-age ways. He was here for the job, at least from what she could tell. And he kept his mouth shut, which was even more important. Heck, he’d barely said more than two words beyond the normal civilities to Esme the entire time he’d been in the family’s employ. “I want him to be the lead of my personal team or no deal.”She gave a quick side-glance to see Raybourn had straightened and was looking as stunned as she felt. Good. She raised her chin to him. “Do you accept the position?”Raybourn hesitated, then smoothed a hand down the front of his black suit coat. “Yes.”

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BOOK BLITZ: Mr. Billionaire CEO by Sedona Venez #GIVEAWAY

Mr. Billionaire CEO
Sedona Venez
Publication date: November 28th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A forbidden, sexy office romance standalone from USA Today Bestselling Author, Sedona Venez.Jayla is trouble, and she’s just my type of woman.I was damned when I watched her stroll into the office building her first day of work. In a matter of minutes, she’d shattered my control.I’ve been obsessed with her bombshell body since that day.But I’m her boss.So, my fixation on her is totally inappropriate, especially when she hasn’t shown a bit of sexual interest in me—or so I’d thought…up until recently.I’m a Dom, and I sense she is a natural submissive, albeit one who seems inexperienced with men. My instincts tell me that the right man can not only bring out her external beauty but awaken her sexually as well.Now that I’ve set my sights on her, and I’m not going to back down until I get what I want.And, as everyone in the office knows, I always get what I want.

This standalone is safe, with no cheating, and a HEA guaranteed.

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—EXCERPT:
He only smiled and crooked a finger, beckoning me. “Come and sit in my lap.”I pushed up the hem of my dress before scrambling to obey. He positioned me so I was straddling his lap. His erection pressed right up against my panties, and I whimpered with aching need.“Uh-uh.” He tightly gripped my hips when I began rubbing myself against him, forcing me to stop. “If you do that, you’re going to come. I didn’t say you could come yet.”“When will you let me?” I asked breathlessly. “Please, I want to. No, I need to.”“I know.” He framed my face with his big hands so I was staring up into his eyes. They were darkly seductive with hot promise. His thumb softly stroked my lower lip. “But I haven’t kissed you yet, Jayla. I haven’t tasted that luscious mouth of yours.”I blinked. “You haven’t.” I hadn’t dwelled on it, but now that he’d mentioned it, I’d shown him the most private areas of my body, allowed him to touch me, and he’d never even kissed me. My heart pounded as he cradled the back of my head, easing my mouth to his. The kiss was slow, methodical, and scorching hot. He drew my bottom lip into his mouth, sucking softly until my insides were undulating with need. “So sweet,” he growled against my lips. He eased back, and his eyes searched my face. He gave me one last swipe of his tongue before he bit my lower lip and retreated. “So innocent. Haven’t you been with a man before?”“Yes, I have, Sir,” I admitted softly, my eyes drifting away from his. “But it’s been a really long time.”He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze, which was surprisingly gentle. “Then this will be a night to remember for both of us. I will take great pleasure in your sexual awakening. And I promise you will, too.”

Author Bio:
Sedona Venez is a romance author with a dirty mind. She lives in New York City with her hot ex-military hubby--hooah--and their fur baby. She loves writing sizzling, sexy intricate stories about strong but broken characters who push limits, overcome their fears, and risk it all for love. 

You can chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SedonaVenez), Twitter (@SedonaVenez), and her kick-ass romance website, (www.sedonavenez.com).

If you're interested in getting your hands on an advanced release copy of her upcoming books, sneak peek teasers, you can join her newsletter list (http://eepurl.com/2ixqj) and get those details delivered right to your inbox.

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BOOK BLITZ: Death & Damages: A Mystery & Thriller Collection #GIVEAWAY

Death & Damages: A Mystery and Thriller Collection
Publication date: November 27th 2018
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Danger lurks around every corner!Courageous cops, adventurous agents, and daring detectives hunt for the answers to stop crimes by vicious killers.But what if the damage is already done?Inside these pages you’ll find 24 adventures full of captivating conundrums, hair-raising homicides, and suspenseful secrets from today’s USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning authors.Become a private investigator yourself. Inspect plots of deadly assassins, cold-blooded killers, and bone-chilling suspense inside the pages of DEATH AND DAMAGES, an enthralling mystery and thriller boxed set.Fans of Lee Child, James Patterson, Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and John Grisham will devour these puzzling mysteries and gripping thrillers.Pre-order today to secure this thrilling limited edition collection!
Included stories from several USA Today and NYT Bestselling authors.Patricia LoofbourrowPauline CreedenJohn LingAlexa PadgettSiera LondonShereen VedamDeborah ShlianKelly HashwayMaggie CarpenterTiana LaveenAngela SandersKaren M. BrysonAime AustinLisa B. ThomasFiona QuinnKerry J. DonovanJane BlytheDan AlatorreMuffy WilsonDariel RayeJa’Nese DixonTerry KeysBill HargenraderJudith LucciMaria Grazia Swan

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—SNEAK PEEKS:
Vengeance by John Ling
Maya Raines hated the idea of walking into a trap, but she decided to do it anyway. She was dressed in a Muslim robe — long and loose and rustling in the wind. Her face was covered by a veil. She carried a grocery bag as she moved along the sidewalk, being careful not to trip on the pockmarked concrete and scattered rubble. All around her, ominous black flags hung from the shopfronts and soared from the rooftops, declaring the rise of an Islamist caliphate. And just ahead, a roadblock had been set up, manned by jihadi fighters. A modified pickup truck — a technical — was parked on the intersection, with a machine gun mounted on its rear bed. Maya could hear Arabic being spoken in the distance. It sounded harsh and strident; completely different to the gentle melodic rhythm of the Malay language that she was used to. These men were foreign Sunnis. They had come from as far afield as Egypt and Libya, drawn to Malaysia by the promise of killing local Shiites. Maya felt the slow burn of anxiety in her stomach…—Facing the Past  by Alexa Padgett
“Hank. Thirteen hours. At dawn, Jonathan, gone for thirteen hours.”Hank turned toward Nancy, his look hollow. Nothing moved across his face, through his eyes. He tilted his head, marginally interested as she swallowed then gasped for air. Hank closed his eyes. “I can’t see any better in the dark than they can,” he said. “You heard the detective say they brought in the dogs. A helicopter from Fort Worth. It’s a full-scale search, almost everyone in town was out looking till it got too dark.”A faint hum. Louder, a thwap, thwap overhead, a blinding spotlight. Again.“They could miss him from up there.”“We’ve already missed him,” Hank shot back, eyes glinting in the semi-darkness.Nancy shrank back, away from him.He lowered his head nearly to his knees. Inhaled, exhaled. “My son.”Cicadas hummed, pressing their bodies against the house. Nothing could hold them together. Not with Jonny missing.A whippoorwill called. Hank stood there, between the foyer and the living room where Nancy huddled.“What are we going to do?” she asked him.Another pass from the helicopter. A dog barking.Hank hesitated again before seeming to consciously lift his leg to step into the room.He lay his hand on her shoulder, fingers against her collarbone, his face telling Nancy he was too used up to do more as darkness crowded out the faint porch light.

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BOOK BLITZ: Neron Rising by Keary Taylor #GIVEAWAY

Neron Rising
Keary Taylor
(The Neron Rising Saga #1)
Publication date: November 27th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

“I…am nothing.”He takes a step forward, shaking his head twice, with absolute conviction. “You’re not nothing, Nova.”
In the Eon galaxy, Dominion controls any planet with solid Neron deposits, and Nova just found out they’re coming for hers. Korpillion isn’t supposed to have any Neron—the galaxy’s purest form of energy—but Nova Ainsley has been working with the owner of a secret mine for months, building highly illegal weapons that can wield Neron. She wants off Korpillion, and selling these weapons will buy her and her father a ticket to another planet in the galaxy.Neron is incredible on its own, but there are those who can wield it to their will, granting them the ability to read minds, see the future, and destroy worlds—the Nero. But this is a galaxy where they are ceasing to exist, and Dominion owns the last one in the known universe, using him to take over and destroy billions of lives.An encounter with the last Nero shows Nova her future: it’s with him. She will stand by his side one day, her fingers laced through his, love and adoration in both their eyes, a dark queen to his evil, pawn king.Fate or destiny, Nova will do whatever it takes to change their future, and that of the galaxy.The Neron Rising Saga is a series of episodes. Episode One is 30,000 words. Neron Rising is a slow-burn space-fantasy romance.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Google Play—EXCERPT:“What’s wrong?”I look out over the city, and I can see everything that’s wrong. All these people. Suddenly I feel responsible for all of them. “Have you ever had a secret?” I ask.“I don’t know a single person who doesn’t have secrets,” he answers. His voice is so calm. There’s this low, deep timbre to it. There’s something about it that’s unique. I’ve never heard a voice that sounds like his.“Well, have you ever had a secret that would affect billions of people?”My stomach twists in knots just at the thought of it.“I can’t say that I ever have had a secret of that scale,” he confesses. “Surely, you don’t actually mean billions.”I huff one short laugh and nod my head. “Actually, I do. And the thing that sucks about it is that I could tell people, but it would create so much chaos, I might actually make things worse. I hate that. I hate it so much, because it makes me feel responsible.”“One person can’t be held accountable for billions,” he says. His words are like a soft touch, like a hand on my back, rubbing for comfort and support.“Sure they can,” I argue, even though I want to accept his words. I’m in a self-depreciating spiral right now, and I have no intent to get myself out of it at the moment. “Look at Cyrillius. He’s destroyed trillions of lives. And he doesn’t even feel guilty about it.”Just saying his name makes my mouth taste bitter. As the heir and owner of Dominion, he makes all the calls that affect every single solar system. He could make the galaxy a better place. He could stop the centuries of greed and money. But he’s only taken things twenty steps further than his father and his grandfather before him.“Seems like a little bit of a jump, comparing yourself to him,” he says quietly. “Just a few days ago you were complaining about your boring life, and now you’re hiding a secret that could affect everyone on your planet?”“Pretty insane how quickly life can change,” I muse. Though, really, nothing has changed at all. Other than now I have to figure out how to get me and my dad, and Zayne, off-planet. “Know of anywhere good left in the galaxy?”“Suddenly you’re also ready to move planet?” he asks. There’s a thoughtful probe to his tone.I shrug, even though he can’t see it. “Know of any place?”This is where I hate this part of our connection. I hear his voice. But that’s it. I can’t read his body language. I get impressions sometimes, but I don’t know if those are real, or my brain filling them in.I want to read his face right now. I want to have something to fill these longer pauses, to decipher what he’s thinking.But I have nothing but his voice, echoing in my brain.“Do you really think there’s any such thing as a good place, anymore?” he finally asks.I consider his question as I look out at Korpillion.This is supposed to be a good place. But, as I look at it, I see the race for credits. I see advertisements flashing bright in my face. I see businessmen talking to prostitutes who are only interested in their connect-link accounts. I see jobs, so many of them, that no one takes pride in, they just do it because it allows them to survive.I think of Reena, whose goal isn’t to save anyone but herself and her crew.I even think of my dad, who has no joy in life. He just puts his head down and survives.“I don’t know, anymore,” I say. I hate the confession, but I am honestly not sure.“I’ve been to a lot of places, and all I’ve seen everywhere is the innate drive to survive,” he says into my head. “People will do whatever it takes to survive.”“I wonder when we lost everything else,” I say. “The few books that were stored before all of that was lost talk about all these other things, these principals. Honor, glory, love. When did we become a galaxy full of survivors?”He doesn’t answer, because really there isn’t an answer. These are just the deep thoughts spoken out loud between two strangers connected by a power neither of us understands.“I wish I was there with you,” he surprises me with his honest words.I straighten a little, and a smile creeps onto my face. “I wish you were here, too.” I pause, letting that confession fill me. “Do you think we could ever meet in real life?”He takes a considering pause. “I think we have to be careful what we wish for, sometimes.”

Author Bio:
Keary Taylor is the USA TODAY bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest and Utah, with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.

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BOOK BLITZ: Forgotten Ghosts by Eric R. Asher #GIVEAWAY

Forgotten Ghosts
Eric R. Asher
Publication date: November 13th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

A necromancer’s fear. A family’s fate. An ancient spirit with a new alliance.I shouldn’t have told myself things couldn’t get any worse. They did.As Nixie struggles to unite the water witches, the Fae king discovers a spy in his ranks. We’re forced to split our focus and our powers between the unrest in Faerie and the rising tensions in Falias. When Nudd’s latest gambit puts humanity’s most dangerous weapons into his hands, we can’t let anything stand in our way. We’ll need help from new contacts and trusted allies if we hope to stop the Fae king’s madness.But the award for worst timing in history goes to an old friend: Vicky.

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—EXCERPT:At first, the mass appeared to be a wall of snakes, surging out from one of the cells and splattering against the far wall. But instead of a wet thump, the shadowy forms cracked into the very stone. Among the undulating mass of slithering things, I heard the fall of rock and metal clattering across the floor.I tried to concentrate on my footing, careful not to twist an ankle, as we attempted to outrun the massive shadows. A moment later, the dullahan’s eyes disappeared in the distance, and those snakelike forms broke into a halo of light. As they crossed through, I could see they were caked in mud, blood, and other viscera I couldn’t identify. One thing I was sure of: they weren’t snakes.“What is that?” I shouted.Morrigan glowed. Between one step and the next, the crone became the raven, and she rocketed forward on oily black wings. “Burn them!” the bird squawked.Throwing an incantation while running was a sure way to miss your target. But one thing Zola had taught me was if you threw a large-enough ball of fire in an enclosed space, you didn’t really need to aim. “Magnus Ignatto!”I stumbled as the power ripped through me. I felt what was left of the hairs on my arms burn to a crisp. Morrigan, almost distant now, made the turn through the intersection and flew up the stairs. She’d be safe from the heat, though I wasn’t sure if she was susceptible to fire incantations. The chaotic wall of flame shot forward at irregular intervals until it crashed into the writhing mass of what now looked very much like lampreys or dying gray vines draped in gore and dripping blood I suspected was from our allies.Whatever they were, they were sentient. The instant the flames hit and widened to the point that I couldn’t see down the hallway through the fire and pain in my arms, something else screamed. It wasn’t immediately recognizable as pain, as the sound was so deep and basso it took me a moment to understand the earth wasn’t shaking around me. I let the fires die away and gasped for breath as I stumbled forward, making my way for the staircase as the soles of my boots sizzled on the superheated stone beneath them.

Author Bio:
Eric is a former bookseller, cellist, and comic seller currently living in Saint Louis, Missouri. A lifelong enthusiast of books, music, toys, and games, he discovered a love for the written word after being dragged to the library by his parents at a young age. When he is not writing, you can usually find him reading, gaming, or buried beneath a small avalanche of Transformers.

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BOOK BLITZ: The Vampire King's Mate by C.A. Worley #GIVEAWAY

The Vampire King’s Mate
C.A. Worley
(Fate of Imperium, #2)
Publication date: November 26th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

For five long years, Viktor, The Heartless King of Prajna, has ignored the cicatrice on his palm. The birthmark, which awakens only when a vampire’s fated mate is soon to cross his path, is a complication he does not need. A chance encounter with his true mate unexpectedly rocks him to the core. Unwilling to deny the pull of her soul to his, he bonds with the female, believing he can handle the one major obstacle standing in his way of happiness.When Eden’s betrothal to the Wolf King of the North falls through, she rejoices. For the first time in her life, she believes her fate is her own. She later finds out how very wrong she was, and runs headfirst into the arms of a vampire. Soon, nefarious forces work against the pair. While Viktor tries to protect his mate, Eden learns the consequences of falling for a king who has no heart.

***The Vampire King’s Mate is the second book in the Fate of Imperium Series. Each book is the story of a different king and his fated mate. While the three books do not have to be read in order, it is highly recommended.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:Eden gulped as the huge male was suddenly in front of her, one hand on each thigh, holding them apart, as he knelt between the V of her legs. He had moved so fast, he must have ported. Her heart pounded, and she used her magic to force the oxygen in her bloodstream to slow its speed.“Do not do that,” Viktor snarled and tightened his grip on her thighs.“Do what?” she whispered, adrenaline flooding her system. Her skin felt tight as her hormones surged.“Whatever you are doing to your heart. It’s contracting, and you are denying it its natural response. You could harm yourself. I will not allow it to continue.”“You think I am hurting myself?”“Of course, you are. And I. Do. Not. Like. It,” he gritted through his teeth.Despite his domineering attitude, his command was endearing. In his own way, he was trying to protect her. Her palm buzzed, then pushed itself to the side of his face.Viktor held still, feeling the cool leather of her glove touch his cheek. He could feel the cicatrice’s pull as it beckoned to his own. He wanted to feel her skin slide along his, to join their hands as he emptied himself inside her.Eden released the hold on the oxygen in her veins, allowing her heart to thump wildly while her blood flowed through it. Her breathing accelerated.Viktor’s eyes moved to the artery on her neck and his fangs elongated as his cock became fully erect. He would need to feed soon. First, he would sample her flesh.He mimicked her touch and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.“Tell me, mala vestica, has anyone tasted these before?”“No,” she panted, reveling in the feel of his skin upon her face.“Good. I’d hate to have to kill anyone who had dared.”He barely got the words out before his lips were on hers. She groaned when she felt his tongue enter and explore her mouth. Eden tentatively pressed her tongue to his, and a purring sound came from his throat.She’d been wrong about his laugh. This was the most wonderful sound to ever reach her ears. Her undergarments flooded with her juices and she inched forward, pressing as hard as she could into his stomach.Viktor’s hands moved to her backside, lifting her slightly off the chair and rubbing her up and down his abdominal muscles. The scent of her sweet honey filled the air and he couldn’t wait to lap it up.Eden twisted and pulled at his hair as she wrapped her legs around his waist in a feeble attempt to get better purchase, to feel more pressure between her legs. She could sob from the want.Viktor broke the kiss, needing to see the yearning in her eyes, wanting her to feel as uncontrolled as he felt.Eden’s lips were swollen from his sensual assault. Her hooded eyes implored him for more. She squeezed her legs tight around him and his fingers dug into her flesh.When she whined and stretched to kiss him again, his heart thudded heavily. Her fingers nimbly unbuttoned his jacket and slid it down his arms. He let it drop absently to the floor, in a hurry to get her body back in his hands.Viktor slowed the kiss and his lips drifted across her cheek to her ear. “Do you have any idea what I’m going to do you?”

Author Bio:
C.A. Worley is the alter-ego of Romance Author Cass Alexander. Where Cass tends to focus on humor in her publications, C.A. loves to write fantasy. She chose to write under the two different monikers so as to not confuse (or tick off) her readers.C.A. currently resides in the Midwest, but was born and raised in the South. She spends her days working from home and her evenings are spent shuttling her kids to and fro. Her dinners are subpar, but she makes a mean dessert.When she's tired of living her sons' travel sports schedules, C.A. enjoys a glass (or four) of wine. She needs the liquid courage to click the publish button for her fantasy romance novels.Her motto is, "Be Brave," and she tries to live it every day. It takes a healthy dose of courage to get through this thing we call life.

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