Catherine Edward's Blog, page 19
February 5, 2019
Teaser Blitz: FALLEN STAR by Susannah Nix
FALLEN STAR by Susannah Nix releases March 5th - see a teaser below and preorder your copy today!
About FALLEN STARAvailable March 5th, 2019The second he walked through the door, she could tell he was trouble. Grace knows better than to fall for a Hollywood bad boy like Scott Deacon. An arrogant movie star with a troubled past and a big honking chip on his shoulder? No, thank you. He may be sex on wheels, but beneath the charming facade he’s just another cocky jackass destined to make her job more difficult.Except...The more time they spend together, the hotter the fire between them burns. With every flirtatious smile and brush of his hand, she feels her defenses crumbling.She wants to hate him, but instead she’s in danger of losing all control.FALLEN STAR releases March 5th - preorder your copy now!✦Apple Books
https://apple.co/2sUEguf
✦B&N http://bit.ly/2sRkmQV✦Google Play
http://bit.ly/2sQKECQ
✦Kobo
http://bit.ly/2sS1HEJ
Be sure to follow Susannah on social media to find out when the Amazon preorder goes live!Add FALLEN STAR to Goodreads now: http://bit.ly/2sRkm3n
About Susannah NixSusannah Nix is the author of quirky contemporary romances about smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms featuring STEM heroines and the Starstruck series of movie star romances. She lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, Susannah enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching too much television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | BookBub | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest
About FALLEN STARAvailable March 5th, 2019The second he walked through the door, she could tell he was trouble. Grace knows better than to fall for a Hollywood bad boy like Scott Deacon. An arrogant movie star with a troubled past and a big honking chip on his shoulder? No, thank you. He may be sex on wheels, but beneath the charming facade he’s just another cocky jackass destined to make her job more difficult.Except...The more time they spend together, the hotter the fire between them burns. With every flirtatious smile and brush of his hand, she feels her defenses crumbling.She wants to hate him, but instead she’s in danger of losing all control.FALLEN STAR releases March 5th - preorder your copy now!✦Apple Books
https://apple.co/2sUEguf
✦B&N http://bit.ly/2sRkmQV✦Google Play
http://bit.ly/2sQKECQ
✦Kobo
http://bit.ly/2sS1HEJ
Be sure to follow Susannah on social media to find out when the Amazon preorder goes live!Add FALLEN STAR to Goodreads now: http://bit.ly/2sRkm3n
About Susannah NixSusannah Nix is the author of quirky contemporary romances about smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms featuring STEM heroines and the Starstruck series of movie star romances. She lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, Susannah enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching too much television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs. Website | Twitter | Facebook | BookBub | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest
February 4, 2019
Getting Over Him by Catherine Edward - Excerpt
Getting Over Him - Excerpt
Chapter - 1
“Here come the bride and groom to be!”The excited voice on the speaker and the cinematic music in the background didn’t evoke happiness in me. In fact, it added more fuel to my mental agony. My grip tightened around the glass of champagne, and I watched the bubbles settle down––tempting. When the waiter passed by, I swapped it for a glass of water. A deep breath expanded my lungs. Tonight I had to be in control of my emotions.The engaged couple descended the decorated stairs, hand in hand and with face-splitting grins. She looked gorgeous in her custom-made gown. Midnight blue suited her well. He wore a matching suit, looking handsome as ever.I watched as his hand came around my sister’s waist. He laughed at something she said, his eyes crinkling with amusement. How could he smile with so much ease? Pain spread across my chest, and I blinked away my tears.What made it harder was watching her with him.Why couldn’t it be someone else? Watching her was like looking at myself in the mirror. Alana, my twin, threw her head back, laughing. I could tell it wasn’t genuine. Her blonde curls bounced over her shoulders.The speaker boomed again. The voice of the party organizer was distant, and the surroundings faded. All I could see was them as they posed for the photos—pressing cheek to cheek, laughing and hugging. My eyes watered again when Brian dipped her, pecking her lips. The kiss garnered a round of applause.Too dramatic? Yeah.They announced the wedding date to the press and the guests. Brian and Alana would be married in three weeks. Their friends cheered around us. Our dad was full of praise for the young couple, especially the groom. He went on and on about how fortunate he was.And here I was, wallowing and withering in my misery. How am I supposed to rejoice when I know it should’ve been me sitting beside him? What did I ever do to deserve this?Am I not good?No. He would’ve chosen me if I were good.It was their engagement party. It should’ve been mine. Ours.Both the Swanson and Schultz families beamed with pride and joy as they posed for photos. The news would make the headlines of tomorrow’s business magazines. After all, this brought together two of the most influential business ventures in Linnesse.Dinner was announced, and I moved robotically. The enormous banquet hall was another reason I never felt like I belonged here. When they built this mansion, they constructed the hall large enough to accommodate a hundred people when they hosted parties like this. And there was a party at least once every other month.The people in my parents’ elite circle loved these gatherings. They celebrated everything and anything.Seeing my name beside one of her friends at the main table, I couldn’t help but scoff. They didn’t care to include me in any of their photos, but I had a seat at the main table. It could be the party planner. They didn’t know how things worked here. Why did I even bother to attend this?My breath hitched when they came in to the sound of more cheers. His hand stayed on her lower back, and he pulled the chair for her to sit. I felt a pang in my heart. The simple action reminded me of the times he’d done the same thing when we dated. It warmed my heart, and I’d thought how sweet he was.Brian’s gaze never strayed from her face. He looked at her with so much adoration. I remembered those same green eyes used to look at me like that once. They now twinkled with joy in contrast to the pain in mine. They appeared to be so much in love. He kept touching her. How did this happen? I took a deep breath and stared down at my plate, trying to hold in my tears. Even the food was to her liking. The Alfredo sauce was too cheesy for my taste. Honestly, I preferred plain pasta over this any day.Her bridesmaids were laughing and chatting in high-pitched tones. I am not one of them. She didn’t ask me, and no one ever asked why I wasn’t on the list.My throat clogged, and I forced my eyes down to not look at them and succeeded for a whole minute. However, my gaze had different plans because it went to the engaged couple again. My heart broke into million pieces when he kissed her sparkling ring. It’s too much.My gaze locked with Brian’s for a brief moment, and he turned to my sister casually, ignoring me.“Excuse me.” I stood to leave, and all eyes turned to me for a second. Not that they cared. After all, I was not their precious child. It’s always her. Who’d choose a rebellious kid over a Disney princess, anyway?The table was filled with laughter as I tried to escape with the little dignity I had left. No one tried to stop me as I rushed out of the crowded banquet hall.Clumsy feet stumbled over the stairs, and I steadied myself. No one was here. Loud chatters echoed from the dining room below as I approached my sanctuary. Did he not feel any remorse for leading me on like that? I choked on my tears, locking the door behind me. Loud sobs broke out of my chest as if they’d waited for me to be alone. My knees gave up.The day I met Brian was still fresh in my memory. It was a rough day, and I had just had another incident with my sister’s friends. I was running to my car when I stumbled onto a stranger with sparkling green eyes. The black t-shirt he wore hugged his chiseled body like a second skin.There was something about his smile. Yes, that was what drew me in. I couldn’t look away when his face lit up like a Christmas tree. Damn those dimples. I could fall over and over again gazing at them, and I wouldn’t mind.Who knew it’d lead to my downfall?I’d thought about my short-lived relationship with Brian too many times to count. Did I misunderstand his polite gesture? I did not misinterpret his attention. The words were clear. “Arianna, will you go out with me tonight?” Those were his words.It wasn’t her name he spoke. It was mine. What changed?I’d never know. It looked like five months wasn’t enough to understand a person. In the end, the time we spent together didn’t matter. She was all that mattered to him. A perfect wife for his socialite life.All those times we spent together, he never uttered her name, except for one day when I finally realized I had no place in his heart. I breathed through my mouth as the pain became unbearable. What could I do to take this pain away? I couldn’t breathe and wanted to scream my lungs out.My thoughts were in disarray. I couldn’t focus on one thing. I was a mess. His laugh, soft touch, his eyes occupied my mind. Did he know how I felt when he got on one knee? For her. Two months ago when my parents hosted that masquerade party, I didn’t know I was in for a surprise. The kind that turned one’s life upside down.My thoughts pulled me back to the day my life came apart.I was excited to meet Brian after his longest business trip. It was hard to miss his tall and handsome figure in the crowd. I spotted him with his sister, Kaylee.Accepting one of the random dance requests, I stepped on to the dancefloor. The lights glittered around us, filling me with an unknown joy.While I wasn’t fond of my parents’ themed parties, being in the same place as Brian made it magical. The mask I wore covered my face, and I was curious to find out if Brian would recognize me. Perhaps we could get away from the crowd.The eighties music filled the air as the floor lit up with multi-colored lights. My legs moved in rhythm as I watched Brian share the dancefloor with Kaylee.Dancing around, I slowly made my way toward them, wondering if he was looking for me. He acted as if he was in no hurry as he talked with Kaylee. Maybe it’s because his family is here, I told myself. They weren’t fond of me.Brian always kept his distance from me in the presence of his parents. That didn’t sit well with me. I did my best to win them over, but it wasn’t my fault they didn’t see me for what I was. I longed to be by his side, for him to make our relationship public. When I’d found out he was a Schultz, the knowledge wasn’t pleasant since his mom had disliked me from childhood. Alana was her favorite.Debating whether I should just cut in, I decided against it, seeing his mom approaching them. As the time went on, I went to take a seat at the table, looking around the guests. Then I noticed my sister, Alana, making her way toward Brian. His mother hugged her, chatting excitedly.Foreboding set in the pit of my stomach as their eyes met. Something changed. My eyes didn’t want to believe what they were seeing. The change in Brian’s attitude was too obvious. When their dance began, Brian’s hands were all over her body. The sound of my heart became too much for my own ears.No. Just stay calm. It’s just a dance.But was it? He never looked at her that way before.Brian had met her twice, and he knew how I felt about her.Keep calm, Arianna. You’re just jealous.However, deep down, I knew my worst fear was becoming a reality.Wobbling on my legs, I rushed to the bathroom. My dress was suddenly choking the life out of me. Peeling off the velvet mini dress, I climbed into the cold shower, feeling numb when the water hit my body. All I could see and feel were Brian and Alana in each other’s arms.My life had become a living hell after their engagement. Brian didn’t even have the decency to break up with me before proposing to my sister. Alana—she was a lost cause.Despite us being twins, we were anything but similar. While she was the good one, I turned out to be the bad one. We were opposites then and grew apart. Our socialite parents never had time for us.I knew why Brian chose her. Alana went on to become a business graduate, while I, the rebellious runt of the family, chose journalism, much to their chagrin. They weren’t pleased because they wanted me to follow in their footsteps. An involuntary shiver ran through me, and I looked down to notice my pruned skin.The conversation aftermath of their engagement came at me with a full force.“Why did you do it? You bastard, you led me on and made me believe we were a real thing. How could you do this?”“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Arianna. I’ve always loved your sister.” Brian’s act of innocence stirred my anger.“Liar! Why take me on a date, then? Why would you kiss me?”“I kissed you because I thought you were Alana. Nothing more.” His voice held no remorse as he spoke. In my peripheral vision, I saw a shadow, and my spine stiffened. Even without looking, I could tell who it was.“You knew exactly who I was. Stop this nonsense now.”Brian exhaled as his eyes locked with mine. The pale green irises held no emotion. “That was before I met her.”I stiffened at his words. “You didn’t even have the decency to break up with me before proposing to my sister.”“I hate to break it to you, Arianna, but we were never a thing.”I ground my teeth and balled my fists. The shadow—Alana—stood unmoving in her spot. Knowing her, she probably had a hand in this too.“Alana was the girl I was supposed to meet that day. Meeting you was an accident. Look, I thought we were good. But things changed.”I felt used. How did I not see this?Just as I opened my mouth to respond, Alana intervened. “He doesn’t have to answer all your questions. If you are done talking with my fiancé, we’re heading to bed.”“I won’t cry again,” I mumbled as I dried myself. It hurt. Crying didn’t make it feel any better. It didn’t take away the pain. I had to move on. I had to get out of this wretched place that had been my home for years. Except it never felt like home. It never will.Why did I have to run? Why couldn’t I stay and fight it? But wasn’t running the first thing that came into everyone’s mind? To run away and hide from all the problems.Looking at the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back. She didn’t sport that confident, flirty smile every time she got ready for a date. This wasn’t the woman who spent hours to straighten her unruly hair and set it with hairspray.This one was broken with red, puffy eyes and a runny nose. There was nothing sexy about this look. The dark circles beneath her eyes were more prominent, and the hazel eyes once twinkled with mischief now appeared hollow. The girl who once thought crying was for the weak now did nothing but crying.Why does it have to hurt so much?“He doesn’t care for you,” I yelled at her. Angry tears streamed down my cheeks. “He doesn’t give a flying fuck about you. You saw how he kissed her tonight. He fucking doesn’t deserve your tears. Just move on already.”Half an hour and another breakdown later, I found my clothes scattered around the floor of my room, a few hanging on the ceiling fan. “I’m stronger than this.” These words came out of my mind, while otherwise I felt like shit. I didn’t feel like sleeping. I didn’t want to go out either.I had two months to get over him, but tonight proved I had a long way to go. I just didn’t know how to erase the memory of us. Perhaps I’d trusted him too much.Argh! What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just get over him and do my thing?A distant vibration caught my attention, and I crawled toward my bed where I had dropped my cell phone earlier. Mike?“Hey.” My voice was somewhat bold, but I knew he’d read between the lines without trouble.“Should you be always this stubborn?” His worried voice filled my ears.A genuine smile made it to my lips on hearing his voice. That was what friends did, right? Good friends always brought a smile to your lips. “It wasn’t a big deal.”“Wasn’t it?”“I’m not going to cry over him, Mike.”“Yeah, and I just rode home on my unicorn.”“Mike…” My voice rang out in warning. I wasn’t in a mood to banter. It was already past midnight.“You need a break. Accept it.”“I need a break.”“Good. I’m coming over tomorrow, and we’re leaving for a trip.”Wha––“But I have to be here for the wedding in three weeks.”“Yeah, whatever.”When he disconnected the call, a deep sigh left my lips, wondering what was on his mind.
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Chapter - 1
“Here come the bride and groom to be!”The excited voice on the speaker and the cinematic music in the background didn’t evoke happiness in me. In fact, it added more fuel to my mental agony. My grip tightened around the glass of champagne, and I watched the bubbles settle down––tempting. When the waiter passed by, I swapped it for a glass of water. A deep breath expanded my lungs. Tonight I had to be in control of my emotions.The engaged couple descended the decorated stairs, hand in hand and with face-splitting grins. She looked gorgeous in her custom-made gown. Midnight blue suited her well. He wore a matching suit, looking handsome as ever.I watched as his hand came around my sister’s waist. He laughed at something she said, his eyes crinkling with amusement. How could he smile with so much ease? Pain spread across my chest, and I blinked away my tears.What made it harder was watching her with him.Why couldn’t it be someone else? Watching her was like looking at myself in the mirror. Alana, my twin, threw her head back, laughing. I could tell it wasn’t genuine. Her blonde curls bounced over her shoulders.The speaker boomed again. The voice of the party organizer was distant, and the surroundings faded. All I could see was them as they posed for the photos—pressing cheek to cheek, laughing and hugging. My eyes watered again when Brian dipped her, pecking her lips. The kiss garnered a round of applause.Too dramatic? Yeah.They announced the wedding date to the press and the guests. Brian and Alana would be married in three weeks. Their friends cheered around us. Our dad was full of praise for the young couple, especially the groom. He went on and on about how fortunate he was.And here I was, wallowing and withering in my misery. How am I supposed to rejoice when I know it should’ve been me sitting beside him? What did I ever do to deserve this?Am I not good?No. He would’ve chosen me if I were good.It was their engagement party. It should’ve been mine. Ours.Both the Swanson and Schultz families beamed with pride and joy as they posed for photos. The news would make the headlines of tomorrow’s business magazines. After all, this brought together two of the most influential business ventures in Linnesse.Dinner was announced, and I moved robotically. The enormous banquet hall was another reason I never felt like I belonged here. When they built this mansion, they constructed the hall large enough to accommodate a hundred people when they hosted parties like this. And there was a party at least once every other month.The people in my parents’ elite circle loved these gatherings. They celebrated everything and anything.Seeing my name beside one of her friends at the main table, I couldn’t help but scoff. They didn’t care to include me in any of their photos, but I had a seat at the main table. It could be the party planner. They didn’t know how things worked here. Why did I even bother to attend this?My breath hitched when they came in to the sound of more cheers. His hand stayed on her lower back, and he pulled the chair for her to sit. I felt a pang in my heart. The simple action reminded me of the times he’d done the same thing when we dated. It warmed my heart, and I’d thought how sweet he was.Brian’s gaze never strayed from her face. He looked at her with so much adoration. I remembered those same green eyes used to look at me like that once. They now twinkled with joy in contrast to the pain in mine. They appeared to be so much in love. He kept touching her. How did this happen? I took a deep breath and stared down at my plate, trying to hold in my tears. Even the food was to her liking. The Alfredo sauce was too cheesy for my taste. Honestly, I preferred plain pasta over this any day.Her bridesmaids were laughing and chatting in high-pitched tones. I am not one of them. She didn’t ask me, and no one ever asked why I wasn’t on the list.My throat clogged, and I forced my eyes down to not look at them and succeeded for a whole minute. However, my gaze had different plans because it went to the engaged couple again. My heart broke into million pieces when he kissed her sparkling ring. It’s too much.My gaze locked with Brian’s for a brief moment, and he turned to my sister casually, ignoring me.“Excuse me.” I stood to leave, and all eyes turned to me for a second. Not that they cared. After all, I was not their precious child. It’s always her. Who’d choose a rebellious kid over a Disney princess, anyway?The table was filled with laughter as I tried to escape with the little dignity I had left. No one tried to stop me as I rushed out of the crowded banquet hall.Clumsy feet stumbled over the stairs, and I steadied myself. No one was here. Loud chatters echoed from the dining room below as I approached my sanctuary. Did he not feel any remorse for leading me on like that? I choked on my tears, locking the door behind me. Loud sobs broke out of my chest as if they’d waited for me to be alone. My knees gave up.The day I met Brian was still fresh in my memory. It was a rough day, and I had just had another incident with my sister’s friends. I was running to my car when I stumbled onto a stranger with sparkling green eyes. The black t-shirt he wore hugged his chiseled body like a second skin.There was something about his smile. Yes, that was what drew me in. I couldn’t look away when his face lit up like a Christmas tree. Damn those dimples. I could fall over and over again gazing at them, and I wouldn’t mind.Who knew it’d lead to my downfall?I’d thought about my short-lived relationship with Brian too many times to count. Did I misunderstand his polite gesture? I did not misinterpret his attention. The words were clear. “Arianna, will you go out with me tonight?” Those were his words.It wasn’t her name he spoke. It was mine. What changed?I’d never know. It looked like five months wasn’t enough to understand a person. In the end, the time we spent together didn’t matter. She was all that mattered to him. A perfect wife for his socialite life.All those times we spent together, he never uttered her name, except for one day when I finally realized I had no place in his heart. I breathed through my mouth as the pain became unbearable. What could I do to take this pain away? I couldn’t breathe and wanted to scream my lungs out.My thoughts were in disarray. I couldn’t focus on one thing. I was a mess. His laugh, soft touch, his eyes occupied my mind. Did he know how I felt when he got on one knee? For her. Two months ago when my parents hosted that masquerade party, I didn’t know I was in for a surprise. The kind that turned one’s life upside down.My thoughts pulled me back to the day my life came apart.I was excited to meet Brian after his longest business trip. It was hard to miss his tall and handsome figure in the crowd. I spotted him with his sister, Kaylee.Accepting one of the random dance requests, I stepped on to the dancefloor. The lights glittered around us, filling me with an unknown joy.While I wasn’t fond of my parents’ themed parties, being in the same place as Brian made it magical. The mask I wore covered my face, and I was curious to find out if Brian would recognize me. Perhaps we could get away from the crowd.The eighties music filled the air as the floor lit up with multi-colored lights. My legs moved in rhythm as I watched Brian share the dancefloor with Kaylee.Dancing around, I slowly made my way toward them, wondering if he was looking for me. He acted as if he was in no hurry as he talked with Kaylee. Maybe it’s because his family is here, I told myself. They weren’t fond of me.Brian always kept his distance from me in the presence of his parents. That didn’t sit well with me. I did my best to win them over, but it wasn’t my fault they didn’t see me for what I was. I longed to be by his side, for him to make our relationship public. When I’d found out he was a Schultz, the knowledge wasn’t pleasant since his mom had disliked me from childhood. Alana was her favorite.Debating whether I should just cut in, I decided against it, seeing his mom approaching them. As the time went on, I went to take a seat at the table, looking around the guests. Then I noticed my sister, Alana, making her way toward Brian. His mother hugged her, chatting excitedly.Foreboding set in the pit of my stomach as their eyes met. Something changed. My eyes didn’t want to believe what they were seeing. The change in Brian’s attitude was too obvious. When their dance began, Brian’s hands were all over her body. The sound of my heart became too much for my own ears.No. Just stay calm. It’s just a dance.But was it? He never looked at her that way before.Brian had met her twice, and he knew how I felt about her.Keep calm, Arianna. You’re just jealous.However, deep down, I knew my worst fear was becoming a reality.Wobbling on my legs, I rushed to the bathroom. My dress was suddenly choking the life out of me. Peeling off the velvet mini dress, I climbed into the cold shower, feeling numb when the water hit my body. All I could see and feel were Brian and Alana in each other’s arms.My life had become a living hell after their engagement. Brian didn’t even have the decency to break up with me before proposing to my sister. Alana—she was a lost cause.Despite us being twins, we were anything but similar. While she was the good one, I turned out to be the bad one. We were opposites then and grew apart. Our socialite parents never had time for us.I knew why Brian chose her. Alana went on to become a business graduate, while I, the rebellious runt of the family, chose journalism, much to their chagrin. They weren’t pleased because they wanted me to follow in their footsteps. An involuntary shiver ran through me, and I looked down to notice my pruned skin.The conversation aftermath of their engagement came at me with a full force.“Why did you do it? You bastard, you led me on and made me believe we were a real thing. How could you do this?”“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Arianna. I’ve always loved your sister.” Brian’s act of innocence stirred my anger.“Liar! Why take me on a date, then? Why would you kiss me?”“I kissed you because I thought you were Alana. Nothing more.” His voice held no remorse as he spoke. In my peripheral vision, I saw a shadow, and my spine stiffened. Even without looking, I could tell who it was.“You knew exactly who I was. Stop this nonsense now.”Brian exhaled as his eyes locked with mine. The pale green irises held no emotion. “That was before I met her.”I stiffened at his words. “You didn’t even have the decency to break up with me before proposing to my sister.”“I hate to break it to you, Arianna, but we were never a thing.”I ground my teeth and balled my fists. The shadow—Alana—stood unmoving in her spot. Knowing her, she probably had a hand in this too.“Alana was the girl I was supposed to meet that day. Meeting you was an accident. Look, I thought we were good. But things changed.”I felt used. How did I not see this?Just as I opened my mouth to respond, Alana intervened. “He doesn’t have to answer all your questions. If you are done talking with my fiancé, we’re heading to bed.”“I won’t cry again,” I mumbled as I dried myself. It hurt. Crying didn’t make it feel any better. It didn’t take away the pain. I had to move on. I had to get out of this wretched place that had been my home for years. Except it never felt like home. It never will.Why did I have to run? Why couldn’t I stay and fight it? But wasn’t running the first thing that came into everyone’s mind? To run away and hide from all the problems.Looking at the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back. She didn’t sport that confident, flirty smile every time she got ready for a date. This wasn’t the woman who spent hours to straighten her unruly hair and set it with hairspray.This one was broken with red, puffy eyes and a runny nose. There was nothing sexy about this look. The dark circles beneath her eyes were more prominent, and the hazel eyes once twinkled with mischief now appeared hollow. The girl who once thought crying was for the weak now did nothing but crying.Why does it have to hurt so much?“He doesn’t care for you,” I yelled at her. Angry tears streamed down my cheeks. “He doesn’t give a flying fuck about you. You saw how he kissed her tonight. He fucking doesn’t deserve your tears. Just move on already.”Half an hour and another breakdown later, I found my clothes scattered around the floor of my room, a few hanging on the ceiling fan. “I’m stronger than this.” These words came out of my mind, while otherwise I felt like shit. I didn’t feel like sleeping. I didn’t want to go out either.I had two months to get over him, but tonight proved I had a long way to go. I just didn’t know how to erase the memory of us. Perhaps I’d trusted him too much.Argh! What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just get over him and do my thing?A distant vibration caught my attention, and I crawled toward my bed where I had dropped my cell phone earlier. Mike?“Hey.” My voice was somewhat bold, but I knew he’d read between the lines without trouble.“Should you be always this stubborn?” His worried voice filled my ears.A genuine smile made it to my lips on hearing his voice. That was what friends did, right? Good friends always brought a smile to your lips. “It wasn’t a big deal.”“Wasn’t it?”“I’m not going to cry over him, Mike.”“Yeah, and I just rode home on my unicorn.”“Mike…” My voice rang out in warning. I wasn’t in a mood to banter. It was already past midnight.“You need a break. Accept it.”“I need a break.”“Good. I’m coming over tomorrow, and we’re leaving for a trip.”Wha––“But I have to be here for the wedding in three weeks.”“Yeah, whatever.”When he disconnected the call, a deep sigh left my lips, wondering what was on his mind.
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BOOK BLITZ: Brick by Jen Davis
Title: Brick
Series: Cooper Construction #1Author: Jen Davis
Publisher: Limitless PublishingGenre: Gritty Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Blurb
I’m used to getting my hands dirty. During the day it’s mud and grime on the construction site. At night…it’s the blood I spill. A drug lord’s enforcer does what needs to be done. It’s my obedience, my loyalty to the boss that keeps my family alive.
I know I’m teetering on the edge. I’m losing my humanity, I can feel it. It’s changing me, and it’s only a matter of time before the darkness takes over.
Then I meet her. Liv. The only person who sees past my busted knuckles and brutal exterior. She sees…me. But being with me will get her killed. The only way I can keep her safe is by staying away. Until her own actions catapult her into the center of my world—a world which will swallow her whole.
Now I’m forced to be the ruthless bastard I’ve been for so long. Only this time it’s not to destroy…but to defend.
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Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Coming Soon
Releasing February 26, 2019
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Author Bio
Jen started her love affair with romance novels, first as a reader, then as a reviewer and blogger. She launched the Red Hot Books blog in 2010 and jumped into Book Twitter shortly after.
She is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they’re raising two kids, a cat, and a dog who is afraid of his own shadow.
Jen spends her days working as television journalist and her nights curled up with a good book.
Author Links
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February 3, 2019
Review: Protecting Piper
Protecting Piper by Cynthia EdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another exciting read from my favorite author. I've been waiting for this story since Midnight Bite got released.
Piper Lane and Eric Wilde has a love-hate relationship. They know each other since childhood because Eric's brother Ben is Piper's BFF. But a small misunderstanding had drove him away from her, forced him to stay away. But when her home is thrashed Ben calls his brother, knowing only Eric could help her. Looking at the rage on the crime scene, Eric knows it's personal and he takes her home with him. And once alone, their restraints are put to test.
Piper often surprised me with her straight forward response and she never holds back. There is no pretending or playing hard to get. She hits home every time, taking even Eric by surprise. Eric doesn't try to hide he likes her from the moment he's introduced. But the man who doesn't fear anything is afraid of losing Piper. I loved when he goes all caveman style with her, asserting dominance and beating his chest claiming she's his. Only she doesn't see the obvious until a few chapters later. That's too cute.
This is a fast paced romantic suspense and very entertaining. Expecting Simon's story now.
View all my reviews
Another exciting read from my favorite author. I've been waiting for this story since Midnight Bite got released.
Piper Lane and Eric Wilde has a love-hate relationship. They know each other since childhood because Eric's brother Ben is Piper's BFF. But a small misunderstanding had drove him away from her, forced him to stay away. But when her home is thrashed Ben calls his brother, knowing only Eric could help her. Looking at the rage on the crime scene, Eric knows it's personal and he takes her home with him. And once alone, their restraints are put to test.
Piper often surprised me with her straight forward response and she never holds back. There is no pretending or playing hard to get. She hits home every time, taking even Eric by surprise. Eric doesn't try to hide he likes her from the moment he's introduced. But the man who doesn't fear anything is afraid of losing Piper. I loved when he goes all caveman style with her, asserting dominance and beating his chest claiming she's his. Only she doesn't see the obvious until a few chapters later. That's too cute.
This is a fast paced romantic suspense and very entertaining. Expecting Simon's story now.
View all my reviews
Interview with Author K.A. Young
Interview with Author K.A. Young PARANORMAL ROMANCE AUTHOR
Called as Mistress Kay by her beloved fans, Kass is a wonderful friend with an honest soul. Her stories would lead you through an action roller-coaster and has every element you could ever ask for. She is a writing machine with 15+ books under her belt and many upcoming. She’s well known for her sensual and gripping plot.
Aside her busy schedule with a full-time job and a writing, she’s also a lovely mother, who loves her boy to the moon and beyond and a fierce friend. I can’t wait to pick her brain today. How does she do it all? Let’s find out.
(Ooooh! And Mistress Kay had a surprise in store for me. This interview includes an excerpt from one of her best books. Read on)
About the Author:
I'm K. A. Young, also known as SerenityR0se on writing sites.
Through the online writing site, Wattpad, I've cultivated an audience. By my readers, I've torn down the barriers of individual supernatural genres and created one unique to my own writing style. My writing brings you into the story itself, able to picture it vividly as if it were a movie or T.V. series as many of my readers believe it should be.
A master of plot twists and the queen of cliffhangers, I create complex worlds of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural novels with erotica throughout.
I've been writing silently all my life up until about three years ago. Starting out small on free sites while using feedback and constructive criticism to help improve my writing, I'm now using that feedback to see just how far I can go. My dream is to be able to hold every book I write in my hands, never finding just the right story to read, so I write them instead.
My mind and thoughts are organized chaos, wanting to write and live so many lives. Stories of worlds beyond our recognition pull us away into fantasy and wonder. Is it selfish to want to live so many lives? Perhaps, but at least this way, I can write for everyone to enjoy and spiral down the same pathway I've chosen.
Find K. A. Young on Patreon | Amazon | Goodreads
Social Media: Twitter | Facebook |
1. When and how did your writing journey start?
Hey Cathy, thank you for the interview!
It started in 4th/5th grade and I picked up writing full stories when I was about sixteen to seventeen. I was born 1990 in British Columbia, Canada and moved to California in 1997 for my dad’s job. I was never strong in school when it came to reading and writing. In fact, I was held back in third grade, repeating course work that still made little to no sense to me. I learned how to memorize, skating by as much as I could…that is, until I met my match.
A teacher who taught fifth grade opened up a 4th/5th grade class, hoping that the older classmates would help the younger ones. It worked in some ways, but she always reminds me about how I told her that she’s not the boss of me. In her class, she wanted to provide a creative space, having us create stories that she would send in to be published through a kids company so we could take them home at the end of the year.
Seeing something I created come to life, it was what triggered something in me. My teacher recommended Sylvan Learning Center. I flourished there, learning how to improve my reading and writing. I went in with a third grade reading and writing level, leaving two years later and starting 8th grade, I was reading and writing at a 12th grade standards.
A lot happened to me in high school, much of which I don’t like talking about as the past still haunts the present in more ways than one…but I used writing to escape. I found my escape, and learned how much it could help others find their voices when they didn’t think the world cared to hear them, or they felt too scared to speak up.
2. Tell me about your work Walking Among The Vampires. The blurb seems promising and I’m sure it would be no short of surprises. How did you come up with the plot?
Walking Among Vampires is probably my most innocent and sweet book compared to the rest of my works. It doesn’t belong to any series, just a standalone that spins a take on Romeo and Juliet. The plot came from my other works and I slowly twisted in a way I wanted both a human to be curious about a vampire and also the vampire curious about a human as he’s never seen one alive.
3. You are a writing machine. I also know you hold a full time job. When do you write your books?
Haha, thanks! Yeah, people tend to think I have all the free time in the world because I produce so much so quickly, but you are right about having a full time job. I write when I have spare moments at work, using my lunch to pump out anywhere from 800-1200 words. When I come home, I spend time with my husband and son until around 8 PM and then I write and or edit anywhere from 2-4 hours…it’s a lot of hard work, but I enjoy what I do.
4. Blood Magic Series is one of the best Vampire series I’ve ever read. It’ll always be on the top of my list. Do you plan to publish Blood Magic Series in the future?
I enjoyed writing this series very much! From creating new species and involving blood as a weapon against vampires, to spanning across a few generations of family, it is something I treasure very much. I’ve begun publishing the series on Amazon where The Slave That I Am is available and book two, The Pureblood Vampire Huntress is available for pre-order with a set release date of March 15th. The whole series will be available over the next few years.
5. How’s your writing process like? Do you plan each story before writing or you write as you go?
I usually have a skeletal plot with branching ideas, actions and reactions. Depending on when I get to a certain part of the book, I see which alternating paths I think will turn out better for the concept and move from there. I’m a gamer and play extensive Dungeons and Dragons, roleplaying at its finest. This helps me visualize better and also helps picturing movements along with plot flow.
6. Author Kay doesn’t bother to take a plunge to the dark side when it comes to writing. And does she rock the underworld? She does. When she writes, it just flows. Some tips for me please. A few words to authors who struggle to cross that invisible line and explore their writing.
The best tips I can leave are to write down dreams you can remember the moment you wake as sometimes the best stories come from when our subconscious has free reign. Changing up books when you feel you are cornered and exploring other plots that come to you should be acted on. Traveling to new places can spark creativity, but always remember, if you can’t focus on what you are presently working on, listen to your mind and work on what it wants to, not necessarily what you believe you should be working on.
Above all else, write to please yourself, because you can’t please everyone and what better person to appease then you?
7. We all know Kay is a proud mother. Tell us about your lovely boy? What does he loves to do the most?
My son is a miracle, as I wasn’t supposed to be able to have children. We named him Tobias, “Gift of God”, because that is what he truly is. He enjoys sitting with me when I write while he colors on the bed, or he’ll play Pokémon Go and catch for me. He’s almost four, but he looks like he’s six and each time someone sees him, they tell me he’s going to be a heartbreaker and I’m in trouble when he reaches his teen years.
We’ll see! I’m proud of who he is becoming as he’s such a sweet little boy and cares deeply about others. He’s quick to pick up on things kids his age shouldn’t and he’s extremely observant.
8. I know you as a writer, a friend and a mother. What’s your life like? How do you manage it all?
It is like my mind; controlled chaos. I don’t have firm structure of day to day life, but I make the most of what time I do have on my hands to disperse it between everyone in my life. It becomes hard sometimes, but I have to remind myself that I’m only human (damn being a vampire would be easier sometimes) and that I can’t do everything I need to.
9. Tell us about your lovely husband. When and how did you meet your better half? Was it love at first sight? And are any of your main characters inspired by him?
Jay is the most amazing man I’ve ever met. He found me in my darkest place, helping me through times I thought absolutely unbearable. We started dating the beginning of senior year in high school and have been together ever since. Together for ten years and married for four this year. It wasn’t love at first sight as I was skeptical, but he showed me love and trust I never knew, which formed into an unbreakable bond.
Yes! Many of my characters are inspired by people who have come in and out of my life, for better or worse, and Jay is no exception. Part of Lailoken (Loki) from Transgression, Cormac from Code of Conduct, and many others have inspirational parts.
10. Your life before and after becoming a writer:
Before: I was drowning in life. After: I’ve become much more confident and have created lasting friendships through the words I write.
11. Your favorite part/dialogue/scene from one of your books:
Ah, there are many, but one that sticks out in my mind is when those who believed someone so weak managed to outsmart one of her tormentors. The entire book of Transgression is very close to hitting home for me and when a lot of readers berated me for creating such a weak character and stating what they would do in situations, my most repeated statement I would tell them is that I don’t make weak characters, I make realcharacters with stories of real world events and situations told through fictional eyes and that you truly don’t know what you would do until you are in the exact situation, not theorizing about it.
This is the scene from Transgression: (slap your reading glasses on)
"Sweet Acacia," Lars regards me, bringing me back to a time when I was fascinated with the way he could manipulate and use magic...just like how he placed a rune on my own. He wanted to control me...ever since the beginning, he has been controlling me...down to even playing with the ties of fate with my beloved.
I'm done being controlled.
I'm done playing the pawn.
Today...today I will make my first move as queen.
"Please...Lars..." I allow myself to fall into how I've always been, and it comes through easily with a facade over my heart when I beg, "...help us."
Lars arches a brow, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he asks, "When all hope fades, it is I who you seek?"
"You're strong and I know you want freedom and peace," I tell him, discerning the slightest tells in his features, "you want to live in harmony...for that to happen, Mercury...Ciarán, they will not allow for this peace to exist with power and control over you."
Lars nods and replies, "You have a point...however," his voice trails off as he eyes me before stating, "how is it you believe I can help...would I have not already offered my services to the council before it's begun to tear itself apart?"
Releasing a short breath, I state with complete affirmation, "You won't give without receiving anything in return...isn't that right?" There is a silence that sets between us for a few moments before I let the word roll off my tongue with ease and causing him to tense for a moment, "Incubus."
He chuckles and sighs, "You're well aware then of what it is I ask for in return?"
"I will bring down the veil," as I say this, I see the slight twitch of his lips, but they never curl into the smile I know he'd show, forsaking what his true intentions are and that I have indeed selected correctly. There's much knowledge that was transitioned to me through the book Nimue had allowed me to access to...my subconscious memories that I know are pushing harder from the corners of my mind, awaiting this glamour and seal to be removed...
...not only this, but I know how to outplay Lars.
Wait for the right moment and align the pieces he wishes to into place...
Make the right deal.
Lars tilts his chin upward slightly, knowing he's going to try and weave a deal that will be to his gain...but I won't play into his hands. He says, "Stop those who are coming for the throne, in exchange for the veil to be brought down?"
I take two steps toward him and reply, "No."
"No?" He repeats.
"I will bring down the veil..." my voice trails off as I catch the spark igniting in his eyes at my request, "...for the exchange of my freedom."
"Your freedom?" He asks this, regarding me with skepticism as that word alone entails everything that has taken control over me.
I stare into his eyes and reply, "Yes, my freedom in exchange for the veil to be brought down."
If I am what I am...
...I won't need the help of these trickster demons.
I just need my freedom.
The silence is deafening as time passes between the two of us, though a moment later, Lars breaks the silence by confirming, "Deal."
Lars quickly reaches a hand to his belt, bringing into view a dagger before he draws it across the palm of his hand. As he does this, he walks toward me, seeing the way his irises shift to an electric blue, the demonic form awaiting to release from its shell as it believes it can outmatch and outsmart me.
He won't...not this time.
Lars outstretches his hand while he holds the blade of the dagger. I take it from him, knowing the second I cut myself...
...Lailoken will know as he'll feel my pain.
This must be done quickly before he has a chance to stop me...because, for the first time in my life, I know what I'm doing.
I know who all the players are and the game...
...it's time to checkmate this demon.
I hold the handle of the dagger in my hand, opening my other as I drag the blade quickly across the palm. Wincing from the pain that comes from slicing open my palm, the dagger is taken from my hand by an unseen force, almost like at the place dad's parents once lived when they were alive. Lars holds my gaze as he extends his hand and I immediately take it without hesitation as now...
Ekáti!
It's the first time...yet how is it I feel his mind within my own? His thoughts coursing through mine?
I feel Lailoken's soul immediately connect to mine, trying to suppress the fear he feels for me as I know he's already left, Castle Valentine.
...the clock is ticking.
The second our blood intertwines, I feel an extension of the oath and deal we have made. As he believes there is a way around what we've promised to, he didn't make a smart choice in raping me...after all this time, I've come to terms with the fact he made me believe it was something of my consent. None of it was and he made the mistake, believing he could get me pregnant...
Our hands fall away from one another as he orders, "Bring down the veil."
Without any hesitation, as part of me is now bound by blood...my eyelids flicker shut for a moment, feeling the wisps encircle around my arms and down around my hands. When I open my eyelids and focus all the strength and directive on the crackling spiderwebs that reinforce the veil...black wisps rise up and around me, almost like a hurricane. It's devastatingly terrifying at first, but that darkness strikes at the center of my chest without a second to spare, watching as the veil becomes nothing...
I'm breathing hard, gasping almost as I come to regain consciousness of my movements. My hands grasp the grass in front of me, black wisps with purple flecks encircle my hands and up my arms, encasing my entire being in a flurry.
Another vision comes to pass...
...but, I don't feel hopeless like I had seen.
Empowerment.
Ekáti! I feel you...
I see boots before me, just out of my vision. Slowly, I lift my chin and my gaze before I see Lars. His amethyst eyes bore into me, his voice slipping easily, "When all hope fades, you made the right choice."
I've not lost hope...
...I'll never lose it so long as there is something worth fighting for. Right now, everyone is worth fighting for and I won't let anyone destroy what was created.
I won't let mom's death be in vain...for dad's sake.
Lars raises his hand, the pads of his middle finger and thumb coming together as he states, "Freedom."
It's like the sound of an electrical transformer is blown as a dark light emits all around me. Everything slips back into place, flooding me as the innate strength within me finally takes hold as if it's been there all along...
...but it's not the strength of magic alone.
A shockwave radiates from my body and knocks Lars across the lake and into the tree. Rising to my feet, I stare long and hard at him before I feel the energy pulsate from my hands. They extend outward and as I breathe out, the spiderwebs reform, weaving new ties of threads as whatever does cross over...they will be found by Lailoken and sent back across the veil...but it is only down for a minute at most before the restoration is returned.
Lars' eyes are wide open, though they are an electric blue as his form suddenly shifts in his rage. Demonic wings protrude from the center of his shoulder blades, a thick tail ending in a spade whips back and forth in anger. He snarls as he glides back over the lake, coming to stand a few feet away from me. His two sets of upper fangs are bared while a lower one can be seen as well, watching as his anger escalates while he snarls, "We had a deal."
"We did," I reply simply, "you asked for me to bring the veil down..." my voice trails off as I glance away for a moment, feeling a new strength from within as I reply, "...you never specified for how long and I'm going to take a wild guess...your strength no longer matches my own and you can do nothing to put back in place what you took away."
Lars' eyes are livid as he's been outplayed and a second later, I tilt my head to the side and call loudly, "Vexialarie!"
Lars' eyes are wide when a very large kitsune stands alongside me, her energy causing ripples of shockwaves to exude from her. Off on the other side of the lowered lake, I catch Lailoken...Taron, Rian...they're standing with confusion. Even when Taron tries to move forward, Lailoken holds him back as I feel the connect slip clearly through my mind.
Ekáti.
It's a dark growl that leaves Vexy's lips as I tell her, "Is this not the one that set a mark out for your imprisonment?" I nod at Lars and I see the evil glint in her eyes, the fox taking steps toward him...
"Acacia Arin...Ekáti, I believe we have come to an understanding," Vexy cackles maniacally.
As she lunges at Lars, there's no escape for him as his magic wasn't enough to catch her...he relied on others in the council for her imprisonment. Every move he made...he wanted her out of the picture, so she couldn't bring him down and interfere with his game...
A horrifying shriek leaves his lips as the kitsune snaps her jaws on his face and a second later, they're both gone...
...she's used her ability of transportation and I surely wish with all my heart that she doesn't spare Lars a quick death...and plays with her food.
My gaze falls now on my mates, all of them staring at me...for many different reasons. Taron's mouth is agape as he stutters, "H-Ho-w?"
Even Rian appears slightly afraid, "Her eyes..."
What?
When I go running forward...
...I move much quicker than I ever have before. I hardly realize that I don't allow for the spiderwebs to aide me and I fall over the edge and down into the lake below. Moments flash of how I'd have been injured if my brother hadn't saved me those years ago from falling off the tree when I tried to save him.
I stand, the impact not affecting me in the slightest.
"Loki...she's-she's a...a-" Taron is continuing to be baffled and even I am confused...that confusion clears up, but new questions fill my thoughts the second I glance down at my reflection on the surface of the water...
...where I find reddish-orange irises staring back at me...my own.
12. What authors do you like to read? What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
Unfortunately, I don’t get to read as much as I would like to, but a lot of my writing is inspired by comics turned into movies such as Underworld.
13. [Yay! That’s my favorite too.] I’ve been a proud stalker of yours for a while now. There were certain situations that’d test the patience of an author. I always admired and looked up to you on how you never shied away from a trouble and how you never hesitated to put your foot down and face it when needed. A few wise words for your fellow authors on the same please.
I’ve had my voice silenced many times by influences in the past and I learned that in order to make a difference, you have to not be afraid to take the brunt and opinion of others. Not jeopardizing who I am and compromising what I want to achieve and accomplish is always at the forefront of my mind. Being honest when the odds are against you and standing up for what is right regardless of how others will perceive your actions is something that has become more natural for me.I won’t be silenced any longer after being forced into silence for so long.
RAPID FIRE:
1. What is the one thing I wouldn’t compromise with?
My erotica part of my writing. A lot of publishers want family friendly or teen angst books without all the detail…why? The devil is in the details and I won’t compromise the story I want to write just to have a better chance at being recognized for not telling a story in its entirety.
2. When I’m not writing or working, I’d like to –
Game!
3. Favorite childhood movie:
Willow.
4. This is our family thing:
Movie nights.
5. Pet peeves:
People who talk a big game and judge before understanding.
6. What is a perfect vacation according to me?
Spending time with the relatives left behind in Canada.
7. A walk on the beach or a night curled in a couch binge reading or binge watching movies?
A walk on the beach, because you never know what will inspire you.
8. Vampires or Werewolves?
Can I say hybrid? ^_^ Vampires will always have my heart though.
9. If I get to live as a character from my book for a day, I’d be:
Nimue Vossen from The Deliverance Series.
10. I need this while writing:
Music.
A few words to your fellow authors:
We’re all in this together. The writing industry is hard as it is so when one of us succeeds, we all do and should support one another. Message to your fans:
You all mean so much to me and the journey we have been on and
continue to walk is the highlight of my world. I write to express my
chaotic mind, regardless if people read or not, I’m glad you’ve all
chosen to walk this with me. It can be a lonely road at times, so
your voices are what encourage me to continue in the right
direction.
February 1, 2019
Google+ is shutting down
Google+ is shutting down, make sure to take back up before 2nd April 2018.
More info here: https://support.google.com/plus/answer/9195133?hl=en&authuser=0
In December 2018, we announced our decision to shut down Google+ for consumers in April 2019 due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product that meets consumers' expectations. We want to thank you for being part of Google+ and provide next steps, including how to download your photos and other content.
On April 2nd, your Google+ account and any Google+ pages you created will be shut down and we will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts.
Photos and videos from Google+ in your Album Archive and your Google+ pages will also be deleted. You can download and save your content, just make sure to do so before April. Note that photos and videos backed up in Google Photos will not be deleted.The process of deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts, Google+ Pages, and Album Archive will take a few months, and content may remain through this time. For example, users may still see parts of their Google+ account via activity log and some consumer Google+ content may remain visible to G Suite users until consumer Google+ is deleted.
As early as February 4th, you will no longer be able to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events.
See the full FAQ for more details and updates leading up to the shutdown.
If you're a Google+ Community owner or moderator, you may download and save your data for your Google+ Community. Starting early March 2019, additional data will be available for download, including author, body, and photos for every community post in a public community. Learn more
If you sign in to sites and apps using the Google+ Sign-in button, these buttons will stop working in the coming weeks but in some cases may be replaced by a Google Sign-in button. You'll still be able to sign in with your Google Account wherever you see Google Sign-in buttons. Learn more
If you've used Google+ for comments on your own or other sites, this feature will be removed from Blogger by February 4th and other sites by March 7th. All your Google+ comments on all sites will be deleted starting April 2, 2019. Learn more
If you're a G Suite customer, Google+ for your G Suite account should remain active. Contact your G Suite administratorfor more details. You can also expect a new look and new features soon. Learn more
If you're a developer using Google+ APIs or Google+ Sign-in, click here to see how this will impact you.From all of us on the Google+ team, thank you for making Google+ such a special place. We are grateful for the talented group of artists, community builders, and thought leaders who made Google+ their home. It would not have been the same without your passion and dedication.
More info here: https://support.google.com/plus/answer/9195133?hl=en&authuser=0
In December 2018, we announced our decision to shut down Google+ for consumers in April 2019 due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product that meets consumers' expectations. We want to thank you for being part of Google+ and provide next steps, including how to download your photos and other content.
On April 2nd, your Google+ account and any Google+ pages you created will be shut down and we will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts.
Photos and videos from Google+ in your Album Archive and your Google+ pages will also be deleted. You can download and save your content, just make sure to do so before April. Note that photos and videos backed up in Google Photos will not be deleted.The process of deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts, Google+ Pages, and Album Archive will take a few months, and content may remain through this time. For example, users may still see parts of their Google+ account via activity log and some consumer Google+ content may remain visible to G Suite users until consumer Google+ is deleted.
As early as February 4th, you will no longer be able to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events.
See the full FAQ for more details and updates leading up to the shutdown.
If you're a Google+ Community owner or moderator, you may download and save your data for your Google+ Community. Starting early March 2019, additional data will be available for download, including author, body, and photos for every community post in a public community. Learn more
If you sign in to sites and apps using the Google+ Sign-in button, these buttons will stop working in the coming weeks but in some cases may be replaced by a Google Sign-in button. You'll still be able to sign in with your Google Account wherever you see Google Sign-in buttons. Learn more
If you've used Google+ for comments on your own or other sites, this feature will be removed from Blogger by February 4th and other sites by March 7th. All your Google+ comments on all sites will be deleted starting April 2, 2019. Learn more
If you're a G Suite customer, Google+ for your G Suite account should remain active. Contact your G Suite administratorfor more details. You can also expect a new look and new features soon. Learn more
If you're a developer using Google+ APIs or Google+ Sign-in, click here to see how this will impact you.From all of us on the Google+ team, thank you for making Google+ such a special place. We are grateful for the talented group of artists, community builders, and thought leaders who made Google+ their home. It would not have been the same without your passion and dedication.
EXCERPT: The Boy At The Door
THE BOY AT THE DOOR:
Everyone has secrets. Even those who seem to be perfect...
On a rainy October evening, Cecilia Wilborg – loving wife, devoted mother, tennis club regular – is waiting for her kids to finish their swimming lesson. It's been a long day. She can almost taste the crisp, cold glass of Chablis she'll pour for herself once the girls are tucked up in bed.
But what Cecilia doesn't know, is that this is the last time life will feel normal. Tonight she'll be asked to drop a little boy home, a simple favour that will threaten to expose her deepest, darkest secret...
EXCERPT
If my life were a Hollywood movie, then Johan would be the one-dimensional, classic male lead of the high-school movie genre; the wealthy, good-looking, sporty guy who also loves puppies. He just can’t help it; he’s inherently decent. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he was raised in this sweet and safe little town by wealthy, good-looking, sporty parents who love puppies and who donate substantial amounts to charity and are still happily married forty years later. He’s by no means perfect, but his imperfections are of the rather innocent type; toilet seat up, cycling shorts flung on the floor, an occasional belch in my presence, insisting on a couple of drunken weekends a year away with his buddies, too many evenings spent at the gym, not liking oysters and whistling in the car.
We’ve known each other since childhood, and I remember him as the older, floppy-haired boy up the road who was always nice to us little rope-skipping girls. He used to play football on the street with his brother and friends and sometimes we little girls would be allowed to join in. Once, I tripped over and grazed my knee, and Johan scooped me up rather graciously and carried me all the way into my house, delivering me onto the sofa and into the care of my impressed mother. It can’t have been more than a minute, but I never forgot that episode; the feeling of complete security as he carried me, the taste of tears at the back of my throat, his face worried, sweaty at the hairline, my throbbing knee and the scent of freshly shorn grass on the evening air.
When he became a father, Johan continued in the same vein, not afraid to adopt all the Scandinavian stereotypes for modern fatherhood; he practically breastfed. He strolled around Sandefjord proudly with Nicoline, and then Hermine, in their pink strollers, expertly feeding and burping and changing them. He got up in the night and walked around the dark house in circles, holding a little girl carefully, his lower arm pressing gently against a sore tummy, while Mommy slept, night after night. He complimented me and made me feel loved when I hated myself and my crumbling, chubby, post-baby body. He came to prenatal couples’ yoga and sat there straight-faced and serious while the other dads-to-be stared awkwardly down at their meaty hands and hairy winter legs bared to the world.
All in all, Johan is a pretty okay man. That doesn’t mean I don’t get angry with him sometimes. Some people might even say I get disproportionately angry with him a disproportionate amount, but I genuinely believe men need to meet some resistance, or they get bored. They need to not entirely know where they’ve got you, even whether they’ve truly got you at all. Build them up and shower them with so much sex and affection that they become completely obsessed with you, and then tear them down. Boom. Hooked. Repeat. This strategy has certainly worked for me – I have been married to the most desirable man in Sandefjord for twelve years now, and he could have had anybody.
I’ve been angry with Johan so many times and for so many different reasons, but I haven’t ever been angry like this before; not with him nor with anybody else, ever. In the car on the way home, nobody speaks. We’ve left my car at the school and are returning home in Johan’s Tesla together, which Johan insisted on as a display of unity. Tobias is in the back seat. I clench and unclench my fists so hard I leave vivid red marks on my skin. This isn’t normal anger, I recognize that; it is true fury, the kind when you might actually murder someone. Images flit through my mind of clawing at eyes, ripping hair from skulls, sinking knives into soft bellies, kicking faces to a pulp. I want to kill Johan. I want to scream, but I know that if I open my mouth, not a sound will come. He stops at a red light, smiles reassuringly at Tobias in the rearview mirror, and I want to bolt from the car, running down the near-empty streets, shrieking and howling.
‘We believe the best thing to do would be to take Tobias home with you now,’ said Vera Jensrud in her pedagogical, soothing voice, after Johan had thanked them (thanked them!) for asking us to take this kid in. ‘And then this afternoon, Laila and a colleague will come to your house and you can work out a plan together. They will have a quick chat with Tobias as well, and then in the next few days we’ll schedule in some in-depth assessments.’
‘Should he be in school?’ asked Johan, his face still bright with the prospect of lending himself to such a good cause as a lost, poor little boy.
‘Yes, of course,’ said Laila Fucking Engebretsen. ‘But as he’ll be registered on your address in the short term, he will no longer be in the catchment area of this particular school, so he’ll attend your local school. I’m thinking that Monday would be a good day to start for him, that way he has a couple of days and a weekend to acclimatize to his new surroundings.’
‘Oh, good. Our daughters will be able to help him settle in, and they can all walk to school together. They’ll be delighted that we are going to host Tobias,’ said Johan, and I shot him an ice-cold glance, but modified it a little when I realized Vera and Laila were both looking at me carefully.
‘Of course, we can give you some time to discuss this between yourselves...’ Laila said. ‘It is a big decision, and it’s really important that you are both on board. It would be traumatizing for Tobias to have to move twice while we attempt to solve his long-term plan.’
‘Yes,’ I said, at the exact same time as Johan said, ‘No, I think we agree on this, Cecilia?’
ALEX DAHL:
Alex Dahl is a half-American, half-Norwegian author. Born in Oslo, she wrote The Boy at the Door while living in Sandefjord.
PRAISE FOR THE BOY AT THE DOOR:
"Unsettling, layered, bold, unpredictable, dark. EXCELLENT." Will Dean, author of Dark Pines
"Remarkable... Dahl is able to ring satisfying changes on the familiar ingredients, and her heroine Cecilia, in particular, is one of the most distinctive that readers will have encountered in recent years." Crime Time
"Stunning... an extraordinary plot; intricate and twisted with dark secrets emerging at every turn. An engaging mystery with an ending you won't see coming." Alexandra Burt
“Heartbreaking and HEAD-SPINNING." Mary Torjussen, author of Gone Without a Trace
Buy Link
https://amzn.to/2CltDF0
Twitter Handles @HoZ_Books@alexdahlauthor#BoyattheDoor#LoveBooksGroup
Everyone has secrets. Even those who seem to be perfect...
On a rainy October evening, Cecilia Wilborg – loving wife, devoted mother, tennis club regular – is waiting for her kids to finish their swimming lesson. It's been a long day. She can almost taste the crisp, cold glass of Chablis she'll pour for herself once the girls are tucked up in bed.
But what Cecilia doesn't know, is that this is the last time life will feel normal. Tonight she'll be asked to drop a little boy home, a simple favour that will threaten to expose her deepest, darkest secret...
EXCERPT
If my life were a Hollywood movie, then Johan would be the one-dimensional, classic male lead of the high-school movie genre; the wealthy, good-looking, sporty guy who also loves puppies. He just can’t help it; he’s inherently decent. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he was raised in this sweet and safe little town by wealthy, good-looking, sporty parents who love puppies and who donate substantial amounts to charity and are still happily married forty years later. He’s by no means perfect, but his imperfections are of the rather innocent type; toilet seat up, cycling shorts flung on the floor, an occasional belch in my presence, insisting on a couple of drunken weekends a year away with his buddies, too many evenings spent at the gym, not liking oysters and whistling in the car.
We’ve known each other since childhood, and I remember him as the older, floppy-haired boy up the road who was always nice to us little rope-skipping girls. He used to play football on the street with his brother and friends and sometimes we little girls would be allowed to join in. Once, I tripped over and grazed my knee, and Johan scooped me up rather graciously and carried me all the way into my house, delivering me onto the sofa and into the care of my impressed mother. It can’t have been more than a minute, but I never forgot that episode; the feeling of complete security as he carried me, the taste of tears at the back of my throat, his face worried, sweaty at the hairline, my throbbing knee and the scent of freshly shorn grass on the evening air.
When he became a father, Johan continued in the same vein, not afraid to adopt all the Scandinavian stereotypes for modern fatherhood; he practically breastfed. He strolled around Sandefjord proudly with Nicoline, and then Hermine, in their pink strollers, expertly feeding and burping and changing them. He got up in the night and walked around the dark house in circles, holding a little girl carefully, his lower arm pressing gently against a sore tummy, while Mommy slept, night after night. He complimented me and made me feel loved when I hated myself and my crumbling, chubby, post-baby body. He came to prenatal couples’ yoga and sat there straight-faced and serious while the other dads-to-be stared awkwardly down at their meaty hands and hairy winter legs bared to the world.
All in all, Johan is a pretty okay man. That doesn’t mean I don’t get angry with him sometimes. Some people might even say I get disproportionately angry with him a disproportionate amount, but I genuinely believe men need to meet some resistance, or they get bored. They need to not entirely know where they’ve got you, even whether they’ve truly got you at all. Build them up and shower them with so much sex and affection that they become completely obsessed with you, and then tear them down. Boom. Hooked. Repeat. This strategy has certainly worked for me – I have been married to the most desirable man in Sandefjord for twelve years now, and he could have had anybody.
I’ve been angry with Johan so many times and for so many different reasons, but I haven’t ever been angry like this before; not with him nor with anybody else, ever. In the car on the way home, nobody speaks. We’ve left my car at the school and are returning home in Johan’s Tesla together, which Johan insisted on as a display of unity. Tobias is in the back seat. I clench and unclench my fists so hard I leave vivid red marks on my skin. This isn’t normal anger, I recognize that; it is true fury, the kind when you might actually murder someone. Images flit through my mind of clawing at eyes, ripping hair from skulls, sinking knives into soft bellies, kicking faces to a pulp. I want to kill Johan. I want to scream, but I know that if I open my mouth, not a sound will come. He stops at a red light, smiles reassuringly at Tobias in the rearview mirror, and I want to bolt from the car, running down the near-empty streets, shrieking and howling.
‘We believe the best thing to do would be to take Tobias home with you now,’ said Vera Jensrud in her pedagogical, soothing voice, after Johan had thanked them (thanked them!) for asking us to take this kid in. ‘And then this afternoon, Laila and a colleague will come to your house and you can work out a plan together. They will have a quick chat with Tobias as well, and then in the next few days we’ll schedule in some in-depth assessments.’
‘Should he be in school?’ asked Johan, his face still bright with the prospect of lending himself to such a good cause as a lost, poor little boy.
‘Yes, of course,’ said Laila Fucking Engebretsen. ‘But as he’ll be registered on your address in the short term, he will no longer be in the catchment area of this particular school, so he’ll attend your local school. I’m thinking that Monday would be a good day to start for him, that way he has a couple of days and a weekend to acclimatize to his new surroundings.’
‘Oh, good. Our daughters will be able to help him settle in, and they can all walk to school together. They’ll be delighted that we are going to host Tobias,’ said Johan, and I shot him an ice-cold glance, but modified it a little when I realized Vera and Laila were both looking at me carefully.
‘Of course, we can give you some time to discuss this between yourselves...’ Laila said. ‘It is a big decision, and it’s really important that you are both on board. It would be traumatizing for Tobias to have to move twice while we attempt to solve his long-term plan.’
‘Yes,’ I said, at the exact same time as Johan said, ‘No, I think we agree on this, Cecilia?’
ALEX DAHL:
Alex Dahl is a half-American, half-Norwegian author. Born in Oslo, she wrote The Boy at the Door while living in Sandefjord.
PRAISE FOR THE BOY AT THE DOOR:
"Unsettling, layered, bold, unpredictable, dark. EXCELLENT." Will Dean, author of Dark Pines
"Remarkable... Dahl is able to ring satisfying changes on the familiar ingredients, and her heroine Cecilia, in particular, is one of the most distinctive that readers will have encountered in recent years." Crime Time
"Stunning... an extraordinary plot; intricate and twisted with dark secrets emerging at every turn. An engaging mystery with an ending you won't see coming." Alexandra Burt
“Heartbreaking and HEAD-SPINNING." Mary Torjussen, author of Gone Without a Trace
Buy Link
https://amzn.to/2CltDF0
Twitter Handles @HoZ_Books@alexdahlauthor#BoyattheDoor#LoveBooksGroup
BOOK BLITZ : Seven Deadly Swords by Peter Sutton
Seven Deadly Swords by Peter Sutton
BlurbFor every sin, a sword
For every sword, a curse
For every curse, a death
Reymond joined the Crusades to free the Holy Land from the Saracens and win glory for himself. Instead, with six others, he found himself bound under a sorcerer’s curse: the Seven Sins personified. Doomed to eternal life and with the weight of the deaths he has caused dragging his soul into the torments of hell, Reymond must find his former brothers-in-arms and defeat them. Riding across a thousand years of history, the road from Wrath to Redemption will be deadly...
Excerpt
Near Avignon, France, 1097Reymond fidgeted, fingers playing with the small burlap sack his father had asked him to fetch. He'd spotted the armed men and a small but growing crowd as he crossed the spring market and had gone to investigate. Amid the muck and the colourful tents selling a variety of wooden and metal objects as well as fruit and vegetables, swine and fowl, the assembly stood out. In the distance cows, being sold for slaughter, lowed. A short, thin priest shouted, mid-sermon. The armed men were arrayed behind him, the rest of the people going about their business in the marketplace. Reymond watched the crowd, who placidly watched this sermon. A bitter wind reached icy fingers in exposed places despite the warmth of the sun, but yet the priest held the crowd’s attention.The priest recounted his meeting with the pope: God's representative on this Earth. How could that fail to move his audience? The priest's musical voice sometimes wheedled, sometimes denounced, using some words Reymond wasn’t sure the meaning of. He strode back and forth, his feet slapping upon the baked clay. The honest aroma of the rural congregation overpowered the smell of spring. The priest's voice boomed louder as he reached the climax of his sermon."And the pope said to us, 'The Holy Land has been invaded by a race alien to God, and they have attacked Christians with sword, rapine and flame! They have destroyed our altars! They have circumcised our men, pouring blood into the baptismal fonts!' He spoke of the vile mistreatment of women, which I cannot repeat here for it is a great evil. And what did he ask? He asked that all good men stand true in fidelity with the church and take up arms against the heathen Saracen. Charles here," he gestured, and one of the priest's armed escort, a large man with coarse black hair and an olive complexion, dressed expensively– a lord–stood forward, "is leading the men from this parish, and from the surrounding parishes. If you are a good Christian he could use your sword."
Reymond gave the man an evaluating glance. He had brought his company into the market as though there was an enemy to be rooted out, yet his men stood meekly enough. The priest carried on sermonising, but Reymond barely heard his words. He was afire with the idea. To take up arms on behalf of the Lord, to aid Christians in the Holy Land itself... he burned with the desire to join up. He wondered if his father, an older version of himself, would have felt the same pull. His father! He'd be wondering where Reymond was and he'd be angry at being kept waiting.
Buy Link
https://amzn.to/2TbM3iT
Twitter Handles @Suttope @Kristell_Ink #Lovebooksgrouptours
BlurbFor every sin, a sword
For every sword, a curse
For every curse, a death
Reymond joined the Crusades to free the Holy Land from the Saracens and win glory for himself. Instead, with six others, he found himself bound under a sorcerer’s curse: the Seven Sins personified. Doomed to eternal life and with the weight of the deaths he has caused dragging his soul into the torments of hell, Reymond must find his former brothers-in-arms and defeat them. Riding across a thousand years of history, the road from Wrath to Redemption will be deadly...
Excerpt
Near Avignon, France, 1097Reymond fidgeted, fingers playing with the small burlap sack his father had asked him to fetch. He'd spotted the armed men and a small but growing crowd as he crossed the spring market and had gone to investigate. Amid the muck and the colourful tents selling a variety of wooden and metal objects as well as fruit and vegetables, swine and fowl, the assembly stood out. In the distance cows, being sold for slaughter, lowed. A short, thin priest shouted, mid-sermon. The armed men were arrayed behind him, the rest of the people going about their business in the marketplace. Reymond watched the crowd, who placidly watched this sermon. A bitter wind reached icy fingers in exposed places despite the warmth of the sun, but yet the priest held the crowd’s attention.The priest recounted his meeting with the pope: God's representative on this Earth. How could that fail to move his audience? The priest's musical voice sometimes wheedled, sometimes denounced, using some words Reymond wasn’t sure the meaning of. He strode back and forth, his feet slapping upon the baked clay. The honest aroma of the rural congregation overpowered the smell of spring. The priest's voice boomed louder as he reached the climax of his sermon."And the pope said to us, 'The Holy Land has been invaded by a race alien to God, and they have attacked Christians with sword, rapine and flame! They have destroyed our altars! They have circumcised our men, pouring blood into the baptismal fonts!' He spoke of the vile mistreatment of women, which I cannot repeat here for it is a great evil. And what did he ask? He asked that all good men stand true in fidelity with the church and take up arms against the heathen Saracen. Charles here," he gestured, and one of the priest's armed escort, a large man with coarse black hair and an olive complexion, dressed expensively– a lord–stood forward, "is leading the men from this parish, and from the surrounding parishes. If you are a good Christian he could use your sword."
Reymond gave the man an evaluating glance. He had brought his company into the market as though there was an enemy to be rooted out, yet his men stood meekly enough. The priest carried on sermonising, but Reymond barely heard his words. He was afire with the idea. To take up arms on behalf of the Lord, to aid Christians in the Holy Land itself... he burned with the desire to join up. He wondered if his father, an older version of himself, would have felt the same pull. His father! He'd be wondering where Reymond was and he'd be angry at being kept waiting.
Buy Link
https://amzn.to/2TbM3iT
Twitter Handles @Suttope @Kristell_Ink #Lovebooksgrouptours
COVER REVEAL: Book Of The Dead by Nadine Nightingale
Book of the Dead
Nadine Nightingale
(Gods of Egypt, #2)
Publication date: February 7th 2019
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
NishaAdd to Goodreads / Pre-order
They called me Angel of Death, but I am something else. Someone else. That is, if you believe the Egyptian desert god, Seth, who haunted my dreams since I can think. Sounds crazy, huh?
I, too, thought I was insane.
Broken beyond repair.
But—
When Seth’s followers—the Black Flags—invaded our annual Halloween ball and slaughtered half the town, my nightmares became reality. Those crazy bastards think I’m the reincarnation of Nebt-Het, the Egyptian goddess of protection, that I can help Seth get his immortality back. It’s why they pushed my cousin, Izzy, through a portal to the Underworld, knowing I had no choice but to follow her.
Now, I’m trapped in this godforsaken place, forced to conquer all twelve caverns, with Seth by my side.
Blaze
I was born into a Traveler clan. Grew up with tales of warriors and magic. I thought it was all bullshit. Fairytales. Until—
Nisha Blake, the girl of my dreams, caused an earth quake.
And an Egyptian God sent his crazy disciples to kill half the town.
I failed to protect Nisha. Couldn’t stop her from going after her cousin, from walking right into hell. Now, she’s in Seth’s world, bound to do what he wishes.
Our only chance, to get the girls back, is to find The Book of the Dead—some long lost magic tome, no one has seen or heard of in ages.
Wish us luck.
We’ll need it.
Author Bio:
Nadine aka Dini is a traveler at heart. She considers the world her home and practically lives out of her suitcases. When she's not glaring at a blank page or abusing her poor keyboard, she spends her time reading, watching movies (preferably horror), pretends to work out, and hangs out with friends and family. Poor girl also suffers from a serious Marvel superhero addiction. So, if you run into her at night, wearing black, know she's secretly dreaming of being the infamous Black Widow.
Her love for writing started in the sixth grade where she annoyed her classmates with a short story featuring Sailor Moon characters, a cemetery, and creepy ghosts. Yes, she's always been addicted to the dark side. Nadine writes paranormal romance. Her debut novel "Karma" the first book in her paranormal romance series Drag.Me.To.Hell. is published by the Wild Rose Press.
Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
January 31, 2019
COVER REVEAL: Book of Enchantresses by Mary Ting
Book of Enchantresses
Mary Ting
(Book of Watchers, #2)
Publication date: February 21st 2019
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
Keira is convinced her guardian, Ezekiel, knows more than he shared about her biological parents, and she will do everything she can to find out who they were. She secretly meets the powerful witch Awan at a nightclub and is promised the answers she seeks on one condition: she retrieves the legendary Book of Enchantresses. Keira, along with Uriel, Samyaza, Jonah, and her Nephilim friends, must travel to another realm in Gotjawal Forest on Jeju Island to recover the spell book. But nothing is free, and actions have consequences. When Keira’s team returns to their world, vampires attack a demon stronghold. No one knows who to blame, but the fragile peace has been rocked. And it’s about to get worse—Lucifer has escaped Hell.Add to Goodreads
—Sequel to:
Author Bio:
International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres and her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.
Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.
Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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