Crystal Dawn's Blog, page 2
December 29, 2018
Celtic Zodiac Shifters
Celtic Zodiac Shifters
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Celtic Zodiac Shifters, a series of books with a mystic astrological spin on love. From Birch to Elder… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Celtic Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the thirteen Irish astrology signs.
BIRCH
Dragonstruck by Kathryn M Hearst
Self-proclaimed science nerd and pharmaceutical botanist, Eilís Blair, finally landed her first field assignment, and not just any old research project—a year on Scotland’s Out Skerries studying plant life and ancient druidic healing practices. However, her nervous excitement is dampened when she’s seated beside a class-A jerk on her flight. Eilís is shocked when said jerk turns up on the same ferry as her and accuses her of stalking him!
Rock-star Harte Lawson has everything a man could want fame, fortune, and swarms of women he knows exactly how to satisfy. He also has a huge scaly secret—he’s a dragon-shifter. Once a year, under the moon of his birth sign, Harte returns to his ancestral home to guard the inhabitants of Draíochtia from outsiders. Especially ones claiming to be scientists.
Harte doesn’t know what to make of the woman who has his dragon rolling over and begging for belly rubs. Eilís is either a Hunter attempting to infiltrate his homeland or worse… his mate. One thing is for certain, he needs to put some distance between them and fast. When the woman falls into the North Sea, he has no choice but to break a sacred law and bring her across the magical boundary protecting Draíochtia. The druids will decide her fate…until then Harte must determine if she’s out to destroy his people or claim his heart.
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KKY32D6
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KKY32D6
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KKY32D6
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07KKY32D6
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragonstruck-kathryn-m-hearst/1129900882
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dragonstruck
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1442730671
Landing Page: https://zodiacshifters.com/books/dragon-struck-kathryn-m-hearst/
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Excerpt
I could smell her fear, which meant those who’d come out to get a look at her could too. Reeking like prey on Draíochtia would get her killed far quicker than falling into the North Sea. I turned and strode several yards away. “Stay put. I need to shift and get you out of here.”
“What? Why? Where are you going?” She took a step in my direction.
“Nowhere. Please, just stay back.” I held up a hand and lowered the walls inside me. A cold trickle of magic travelled down my spine. In a flash of light, skin turned to shimmering white scales, flesh and bone exploded and reformed, my senses sharpened, and my world narrowed to one singular focus—Eilís.
The foolish woman screamed and made a run for the forest.
I roared a warning, not to her, to the shifters in the vicinity. I’d cripple anyone foolish enough to mistake my intended mate for prey, and return later to slow roast them into a snack. The shifters along the road stared, but none followed my female.
Eilís ran in a zigzag pattern through the trees. Smart. Most humans moved in a straight line, making them far easier to catch. Not that she created much of a challenge. I could find her by scent alone, but my heart swelled with pride at her survival instincts.
She is a worthy mate.
No. No. No. The human part of my brain screamed, but the dragon would have no part of it.
I followed until she reached a clearing large enough for me to land without risking hurting her. On the ground, I settled and curled my neck and tail around my body. I couldn’t make myself appear small, but I could tone down the scary factor—at least I hoped I could.
Eilís trembled like the ending note of a guitar riff, but she took a step forward. “Harte?”
I nodded and exhaled a puff of smoke.
“This can’t be happening.” She backed away.
My reptilian brain wanted me to snatch her in my claws and carry her away to my lair. Thankfully, her proximity had calmed that side of myself enough to regain some control. I purred, soft and low, and waited for her to come to me.
It took far longer than I would have liked, but the woman inched her way closer.
She turned her body sideways and held out her hand. “Don’t eat me, okay?”
I’d like very much to taste every square inch of you. The thought deepened my purr.
Eilís jumped back and glanced around the clearing. “Who’s there?”
I shook my head. No one had come upon us. I would have smelled them from yards away. “You’re safe with me.”
Her mouth fell open. “Are you speaking to me?”
“You can hear me?” Humans couldn’t link into a dragon’s telepathic speech. Hell, not all shifters could pull it off with those outside their zodiac houses. I felt the chains around my neck tightening. Eilís may have felt like a prisoner on the island, but the woman threatened my freedom more with each passing moment.
“Yes. How is that possible?”
“I’m not sure. You must have some sort of magic in your lineage.” I’d spoken a half-truth. It was possible she’d inherited dragonspeak from an ancestor. I didn’t want to face the alternative.
She closed the distance between us and reached for me. “May I touch you?”
I wanted to say no, to take to the sky and get as far away from Draíochtia and her as I could. To hell with the consequences. I had a life, a life with no room for a mate, a life I intended to get back to as soon as my lunar cycle ended.
“Harte?” Her hand in midair, she hesitated.
“Yes, do as you wish. When you’re ready, climb onto my back between my shoulder blades. I’d like to get home sometime before dusk.”
If she’d picked up on my impatience, she showed no signs. Then again, I had a word for humans in her mental state—dragonstruck.
About the Author
Kathryn M. Hearst is a southern girl with a love of the dark and strange. She has been a storyteller her entire life, as a child, she took people watching to new heights by creating back stories of complete strangers. Besides writing, she has a passion for shoes, vintage clothing, antique British cars, music, musicians and all things musical (including theater). Kate lives in central Florida with her chocolate lab, Jolene; and two rescue pups, Jagger and Roxanne. She is a self-proclaimed nerd, raising a nerdling.
Connect with Kathryn:
Twitter: @KathrynMHearst
Never Miss a New Release. Sign up for Kathryn’s Reader’s Club
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
Zodiac Shifters: Guarded in Love
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
Capricorn
Guarded in Love
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Release date: January 8, 2019
ASIN: B07LF8QVR2
Dreamwalker, Sybil Murray knew what love was the moment she met Dean Williams. But being the self-controlled, stubborn, Capricorn that she is, she let him walk away and didn’t chase after him. If the sexy and rugged bear shifter wanted to keep his distance, then she wasn’t about to beg for a second chance.
And when visions of Dean begin to plague her dreams, Sybil knows that danger is closing in on him. Determined to warn Dean without falling prey to his charms, she sets out to protect the only man she’s ever loved. But suddenly, Dean isn’t the only one in danger. Escaping her dreams is beginning to be harder than ever. Will Dean and Sybil find a way to rekindle what they once had or will they become nothing more than a faded memory?
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LF8QVR2
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LF8QVR2
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07LF8QVR2
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07LF8QVR2
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guarded-in-love-kc-stewart/1130016940?ean=2940156339822
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/guarded-in-love-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-capricorn
Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1447122603
Landing Page: https://zodiacshifters.com/books/guarded-in-love-k-c-stewart/
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Excerpt:
It was sinking in now, what she was saying. Dean was becoming visibly distraught the more she spoke. His eyes had gone wide and his breathing gone shallow.
“Can’t you do something?” he asked. “You’ve seen it. So…so change it.”
“It doesn’t work like that. I’m only a witness to events, nothing I’ve ever done changed the outcome before.”
She felt tired. Telling him was a relief but also a burden. She should have kept it to herself and left here, go back home with him none the wiser.
“So, you came here to tell me that I’m going to be shot and you are going to die?”
“Kind of. Just the first part.” She hadn’t meant to tell him about her.
Dean stood, ran his hands through his hair. He took a few steps forward then turned. “How?” he demanded. “How will it happen?”
He couldn’t get himself to say the words and she loved him for it. “In my sleep. It’s something that happens to my kind. It’s already hard to get back. I sleep most of the day now and soon I won’t be able to pull myself back here. When that happens, my body will go into something like a coma.”
His mouth hung open as he looked at her horrified. “Doesn’t this bother you?”
“Yes,” she answered calmly. “But I’ve come to terms with it.”
“How could you not have told me any of this? I could have-”
“Done nothing,” she finished while standing and walking across the room to him. Sybil grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He’d never understand her reasoning, which was fine as long as he learned to accept it, and maybe even forgive her at some point. “I didn’t tell you because what we had was perfect. Why ruin a good memory?”
God, was that all they were, a memory? Even as she said it she knew it was wrong. Dean did too. His lips flattened into a thin line as his eyes glossed over.
“I never wanted to be just a memory.”
About the Author
K.C. Stewart is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Hailey Holloway series and most recently, the Adirondack Pack series. All her life she had fantasized and day-dreamed on a regular basis but it wasn’t until she began writing short stories that she made those fantasies a reality. She has graduated to novels but still dabbles in the occasional flash fiction and short story. She supports her gummy bear habit in Pennsylvania with her husband and german shephards.
Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Amazon US Author Page | BookBub Page
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
December 2, 2018
Zodiac Shifter: Scorpio
Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Scorpio
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Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
Scorpio
Protectors of Poison
ASIN: B07KFJ35HF
Sera is used to being forgotten and is happy to be, even if her healing powers have waned in the years since people forgot her real name.
Everything changes when a minor god turns up and reveals her scorpions are being blamed for a poisoning. Determined to prove her innocence, Sera must take her place as a goddess once more and uncover the plot threatening to destroy her.
Protectors of Poison can be read as a standalone story and is based on Ancient Egyptian mythology
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFJ35HF
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KFJ35HF
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KFJ35HF
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07KFJ35HF
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/protectors-of-poison-laura-greenwood/1128551213?ean=2940156346271
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/protectors-of-poison-1
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/protectors-of-poison/id1441956185?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Books2Read: http://books2read.com/protectorsofpoison
Landing Page: https://zodiacshifters.com/books/protectors-of-poison-laura-greenwood/
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“Hello Serket.”
“Don’t call me that,” I hissed.
“Why not, it’s your name?” The man leaned back on my sofa with one of his legs against the other and waggled it about.
“No one calls me that.”
“I heard. Sera is it now? That’s not very different from Serket.”
“It doesn’t need to be. What are you doing here?” I recognised him. It was hard not to. All the gods knew one another.
“I’ve come to find you.”
“And now you have. Goodbye, Sed.” I waved in the direction of my front door, hoping he got the hint and left.
Instead, he chuckled. “Not so fast.”
“Yes, so fast. That was a nasty trick you played. Pretending to be a jackal just so I’d help you.”
About the Author
Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance, reverse harem, and contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking ridiculous amounts of tea, trying to resist French Macaroons, and watching the Pitch Perfect trilogy for the hundredth time (at least!)
You can check out Laura’s Website here:
www.authorlauragreenwood.co.uk
Or join her Facebook Group:
www.facebook.com/groups/theparanormalcouncil
For a full book list, please see here:
www.authorlauragreenwood.co.uk/p/book-list.html
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
November 26, 2018
Unicorn Unleashed
Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
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Sagittarius
Unicorn Unleashed
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Jespers didn’t know what to think of Daphne the lovely witch. If she wasn’t crazy about unicorns to the point of being obsessed, he’d mate her.
Daphne was half in love with Jespers, but he wasn’t a unicorn. She’d always known her true mate would be one so what was a witch to do? Maybe the mate summoning spell since it had worked for her cousin.
Will things work out for two lovers so unsure of each other? Can they just learn to trust their hearts or will they have to learn the hard way?
Buy Links
Preorder
Publishes Dec 11
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KNBK7KV
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unicorn-unleashed-crystal-dawn/1129912932?ean=2940155883074
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unicorn-unleashed
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unicorn-unleashed/id1443446437?mt=11
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/907870
Excerpt:
What the hell was wrong with him? Daphne should have never gotten him on the floor twice. She held out her hand again helping him up. This was getting a little embarrassing. Maybe she’d cast a spell on him? Yeah, he knew he was grasping at straws. This little female may have just improved her fighting skills significantly and he needed to expect more from her.
They got into position again and this time he held on longer. Her red hair fascinated him but he needed to push that to the back of his mind. He’d managed to ignore this attraction all this time but now it was hot and heavy. Why wasn’t it bothering her?
It was a sad commentary that her attention was on their sparring and she was doing a damn fine job. Did she not like him at all? Was she not feeling any attraction to him? That possibility sucked. So, did the fact that he was on the mat again. This time when she held out her hand to help him up, he took it and pulled her down into his arms.
She let out a surprised yip. “What the hell?”
To shut her up he claimed her lips with his own kissing her hard. Her mouth dropped open and his tongue slid in exploring and dueling with her tongue. Things were getting heated when he heard someone clear their throat. Daphne struggled to get up and he reluctantly released her. Now he looked to see who had interrupted them.
Meet the author…
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When she’s not out hunting rogue vampires and werewolves, you can find Crystal Dawn out exploring the galaxy. She can do it all without ever leaving her computer. She kicks ass, takes names, and puts it all down for the enjoyment of her readers. At least that’s what I think she told me.
Writing came as a natural outlet for her overly creative mind. The start of her stories is the easy part. Finishing them is a little harder when all the stories are in there trying to get out. She loves reading, chocolate, fine sweet wine, and traveling among a large list of pursuits.
Her favorite people, after her family and close friends, are her readers who she says are some of the most wonderful people in this galaxy and the next.
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
October 7, 2018
Vampire Vengeance-Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
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Excerpt:
Should he be scared? She pushed the cart hard sending it out of the way so there was nothing between them. Gertie moved to sit on his lap and she kissed him hard. He could feel energy being pulled out of him as she used him like an electric plug. After a few seconds, she pulled back then moved to her bed. Her eyes looked normal now and she seemed refreshed. Had the others known this would happen? The witches present and their mates all would have.
Would Gertie give him points for being with her? Probably not knowing her. She’d still willingly touched him and he’d loved that kiss. Had he not been caught off guard she’d still be kissing him. His blood was heated and his body aroused with no place to go but his hand. Her arousal was in the air too, but the look on her face said don’t touch.
Still, it had been a good day overall. Progress had been made and he’d gotten to know more about his mate. “You should probably go now. Thank you for staying with me.” Gertie said. That was the nicest she’d ever been to him.
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Links:
Available for preorder.
Releases 10/23/2018
Amazon Global: smarturl.it/eui88k
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/2BYOy2k
Nook: https://bit.ly/2RvPVLm
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2pH0Bd3
September 30, 2018
Zodiac Shifters-Unbalanced
Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
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Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
Libra
Unbalanced, Wylde Magic #3
Release date: Oct. 2, 2018
Sparks ignite
Flames turn hot
Scorching hot
But what would you expect from two dragons?
Zachary Marston, dragon shifter, hasn’t done a whole lot of shifting lately. Nope, he spends his time buried in law books as he presides over Superior Court in Denver. He’s convinced himself things are great, but his dragon has other ideas. His bondmate is a tough adversary. After it threatens to abandon him, Zachary gives in and agrees to a meeting with a few other shifters. Maybe he can help out—before returning to his cushy courtroom.
Chloe’s always longed for a bondmate of her own. After her twin brother links with a lion, she ups the ante, casting every spell she can think of, but none of them work. Even the smoking-hot dragon shifter who crosses her path can’t ease the sting of remaining mateless.
Vampires are gaining strength, draining mage magic to augment their own. Shifters and mages—the good ones—have to mobilize fast. Libra to his bones, Zachary slings words Chloe’s way, but she’s a Leo and not intimidated by anyone. They’re an unlikely pairing, but destiny won’t be denied. Like it or not, a shifter’s mate is in the stars.
Buy Links
From the author: https://www.anngimpel.com/?portfolio=unbalanced-wylde-magick-book-three (all buy links can be found on the landing page)
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GDSZM73
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GDSZM73
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GDSZM73
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07GDSZM73
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1425982203
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unbalanced-13
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=iLVoDwAAQBAJ
Landing page: http://zodiacshifters.com/books/unbalanced-ann-gimpel-wylde-magic-book-3/
September 9, 2018
Zodiac Shifters: Prowling for His Mate
Guarding the pride’s queen is an honor Jaison is happy to take on. He spends hours preparing for every contingency. He is ready to lay down his life if the necessity arises. What he isn’t expecting and couldn’t have planned for was when his mate crosses his path in the form of human librarian Paighton Knight.
Paighton Knight believes love is the stuff of fairy tales and has no time for those kinds of stories. Raised to be the perfect librarian, she is unprepared for feelings she doesn’t believe are real to wash over her. The second she comes into contact with Jaison Karatasos her world begins to turn and her eyes see what they weren’t able to before.
With the moon rising into the reign of Leo, Jaison has one month to show Paighton that love does exist, or he must wait until the next Leo cycle. When his responsibilities to his pride clash with his needs for his mate, will he be able to merge the two worlds?
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EXCERPT:
“…Jaison got up, and the perfect view of his ass in a pair of worn blue jeans distracted her. He retrieved a worn leather bag before returning to his seat. He pulled out a paperback and offered it to Kalista. “You sure you don’t want this first?”
“Nah, you read it. I’ve got something I need to research.”
“Suit yourself.” Leaning back, he opened the book.
“You’re serious about reading romances?” Paighton asked.
With a nod Jaison opened the book. “I told you, we don’t lie?”
“I thought it was a joke.”
“I take my romances very seriously, thank you. This one is the sixth in the series.”
“And you’ve read the other five?”
“Hmm mmm.” He turned the next page. “When we are traveling far, it’s nice for us to have something to talk about, Kali and I.”
“Makes my husband bonkers.” Kalista giggled. “If you want, I think the first book is here somewhere. Lenora?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Do you have the book I loaned you?”
“Finished it this morning. Do you have the second?” Lenora returned from the galley and placed two trays before her and Jaison.
Kalista frowned. “In the back I think. I’ll get it once they wake up.”
“Do you want to give it a try?” Jaison asked.
She debated; her parents always poohpoohed the idea of books for pleasure. You read to expand your knowledge. Granted, she had enjoyed a book or two while in school, but most of the time that wasn’t the case. That she and Jaison could meet to chat about something appealed to her, though. “Sure. Why not? It’s a long flight.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Lenora returned again and held out the book, not sure who to give it to. Jaison grabbed it as she placed a tray before Kalista. “Should I wake Nikolas?” Lenora asked.
Jaison glanced behind him. “Nah. Let him sleep but have a double portion ready for him when he wakes.” Jaison slid the book over to her. “The dog-eared pages are my favorite parts.”
She gasped. “You dog-ear pages?”
“Only in the romances, I promise.”
“Yes, but once you see how he and the others have treated the libraries, dog-eared pages will be the least of your worries,” Kalista said between bites.
“Could you mind your own business, please? I’m trying to impress the lady.”
Kalista leaned forward, raised an eyebrow, and humphed. “Is it working?”
“Not sure yet, I might need some convincing,” Paighton teased and was awarded by a huge smile and laugh from the other woman who bit into her sandwich as she opened the laptop the other flight attendant placed before her.
Golden eyes bored into her as he whispered, “Tell me, how much convincing do you need?”
She gulped, having laid down a gauntlet she had no idea how to play. This was a field she knew about only from books. Science books at that. She could tell you technically when one fell in love or lust, what went on. She could explain in scientific terms the chemistry of the emotions, felt secure in knowing the little details like the brain stimulates the production of estrogen and testosterone. But what she’d experienced in the last twenty-four hours opened a new world for her.”
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Leo
About the Author
Award winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one lazy lab and one lazy Norwegian Elk Hound. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat, because of that traveling is one of her favorite past times. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera.
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Zodiac Shifters: Lion About
Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
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Virgo
Lion About by Catherine Banks
Release date: Sept. 4, 2018
The cost of magic might be too high…
A chance encounter opens new doors for Milena and introduces her to one of the top bachelors in the city. But Faerie holds the key to restoring her magic, and those she escaped 10 years ago resume their hunt of her. She must make the hard choice between love and life… or lose them both.
Buy Links
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ B07GV428K5
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/ B07GV428K5
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/ B07GV428K5
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/ B07GV428K5
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lion-about-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-virgo
Landing page: http://zodiacshifters.com/books/lion-about-catherine-banks/
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Excerpt:
“You’re quite beautiful, Milena,” he said. “Please tell me that you’re single.”
“Thank you. I am single. What about you, Lucas? Is a handsome gentleman like you really single still?” I asked. I highly doubted it, but my metaphorical fingers were crossed.
“I am single, something I would like to rectify,” he said. “So, Ms. Executive Director of Projects, would you accompany me to dinner tomorrow night?”
“Well, Mr. CEO, it depends,” I said, coming to a stop and staring at the entrance to the room.
“On?” he asked, his eyes focused on my face.
“If we survive tonight,” I whispered.
The entire room silenced then, as people finally noticed the demons who had entered the establishment.
About the Author:
Catherine Banks is a USA Today Bestselling fantasy author who writes in several fantasy subgenres under two pseudonyms. She began writing fiction at only four years old and finished her first full-length novel at the age of fifteen. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who she has two amazing children with. After her full-time job, she reads books, plays video games, and watches anime shows and movies with her family to relax. Although she has lived in Northern California her entire life, she dreams of traveling around the world. Catherine is also C.E.O. of Turbo Kitten Industries
, a company with many hats including being a book publisher and Etsy store full of nerdy fun.
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
July 6, 2018
Lion’s Lair-Zodiac Shifters
Zodiac Shifters
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
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Lion’s Lair, Wylde Magick Book 2
Release date: August 14, 2018
A newly-minted cave lion shifter + an eagle shifter who’s lived long enough to know better = irresistible allure
Strong and self-assured, Jeremiah is the closest thing his mage kinfolk have to an alpha. He takes his responsibilities seriously, which hasn’t left time for much of anything, and it’s about to get worse. Mages are in trouble. A few signed on with vampires, causing human deaths. Because of them, all mages are being smeared with the traitor brush.
Renee’s eagle bondmate jerks her awake one night with the terse message a cave lion, one of the most ancient of the animals, has bonded. According to the bird, they have to drop everything and go to Colorado. Reluctant to weave the fabric of lies she’ll need to cover her absence, she finally gives in.
She’s horrified to discover the lion bonded with a man who used to be a mage. A mage. The rogues who joined up with vampires. She wants to hate Jeremiah, but it’s a tough sell. Not only is he gorgeous, he’s smart and kind and funny. None of it matters, though, because he doesn’t like her, either.
Are the hurdles too high? Or is a shifter’s mate truly in the stars?
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Buy Links: Will all be on the book’s page on my website:
https://www.anngimpel.com/?portfolio=lions-lair-wylde-magick-book-two
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DYCNVXB
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DYCNVXB
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DYCNVXB
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07DYCNVXB
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1402788059
Kobo Books: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lion-s-lair-a-zodiac-shifter-paranormal-romance
Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
ZS Landing Page: http://zodiacshifters.com/books/lions-lair-ann-gimpel/
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Excerpt
…Jeremiah stood tall, squaring his shoulders. “Who are you?” he demanded, proud his voice didn’t tremble. “Tell me what you want.”
For long moments, nothing happened. The odd pressure in his chest and lungs loosened. He was close to deciding the whole thing was exactly what he’d suspected, a nexus where shifter magic was doing battle with his brand of power, when searing heat started in the soles of his feet, moving upward in an inexorable tide of pain. Pins and needles ceded to knives. The wounds the eagle shifter had carved reopened, wetting his sides with bloody fluid.
He threw wards around himself, but the pain increased by a factor of a hundred until he felt like the skin was being flayed from his bones.
“Do not fight me!” blasted through his mind.
“Who are you?” Jeremiah shouted, but his mouth didn’t work right, and the words came out garbled. He dropped his warding because he hurt so much he couldn’t hang onto the magic.
An anguished screech shot from his mouth, followed by two more. He wasn’t a coward but traveling through the nine circles of Hell couldn’t hurt this much. White-hot blasts seared him from all sides.
Panting, gasping, he took a breath into lungs that had forgotten how to cooperate. The world smelled different, each scent individual and intense. It was as if he’d never smelled anything before, and he sucked air hungrily, sampling the rich variety. Who would have guessed rocks had a smell? Or that different types of bird shit each had their own tang?
The pain receded. At first, he thought it was because he had something else to focus on, but it really was lessening.
A strident rip from his jacket, and then another from his shirt, forced reluctant understanding. A glance downward solidified his knowledge. He was shifting—into the lion. Never mind it was impossible. It was happening anyway. Exultation did battle with fear.
“Wait.” He switched to telepathy and fought with limbs that were half human, half feline to divest himself of what was left of his clothes.
He saved his trousers but did a less effective job with his shirt. His jacket had already split down the back. All through his struggles, the realization he wasn’t human any longer rocketed through him, heady as a rare vintage wine.
I’m shifting. I’m shifting. I’m shifting.
The words repeated like a tape loop obliterating everything else.
“So you want to be a bird, do you?” The lion’s words were lined with derision. “I was going to give you more time, but your bird fixation was so egregious I couldn’t let it slide.”
Jeremiah was too overcome to craft an answer. The cavalcade of smells intensified. His vision changed, the visual field wider and deeper, but with less fine detail. Bones stretched and reformed. Fur sprouted, covering bare skin.
He’d frozen in place once his battles with his clothing ended. What was left of the pain ceased abruptly, and he forced one paw forward, followed by another. He swished his tail, liked how it felt, and did it again. Before he knew it, he’d bounded to the end of the main cavern and back again, the movement easy, effortless.
He sat back on his haunches and launched himself upward in an experimental leap that carried him fifteen feet into the air. This time the roar that shook the old mineshaft was all him. A low, rumbling purr followed…
About the Author
Ann Gimpel is a USA Today bestselling author. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in several webzines and anthologies. Her longer books run the gamut from urban fantasy to paranormal romance. Once upon a time, she nurtured clients. Now she nurtures dark, gritty fantasy stories that push hard against reality. When she’s not writing, she’s in the backcountry getting down and dirty with her camera. She’s published over fifty books to date, with several more planned for 2018 and beyond. A husband, grown children, grandchildren, and wolf hybrids round out her family.
Keep up with her at http://www.anngimpel.com or http://anngimpel.blogspot.com
Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
June 2, 2018
Zodiac Shifters-Gemstone
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A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.
Gemini
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Gemstone
A Wylde Magick Book
Niall’s nothing if not charming with his Irish brogue and dashing good looks. Jaguar shifter and player to the core, he’s a love ’em and leave ’em type. His job as a paramedic keeps him busy and offers under-the-table opportunities to splash a wee bit of magic around.
In a world where magic is all but invisible, Sarai and her family fly beneath the radar living on a small ranch outside Denver. She only takes her wolf form on the darkest nights when discovery is unlikely. Captured by a vampire consortium hellbent on world domination, she watches with horror as they siphon her power, diverting it to kill humans for sport.
An unnatural fog causes a ten-car pileup. Niall nearly chokes on the thick, malevolent power hanging around the accident site. Anger running just below boiling point, he takes his jaguar form and follows a scent track, making a discovery that changes everything. For once, he curses his curiosity and wishes he’d left well enough alone. Vampires are rising. Fueled by shifter magic, their evil threatens not just him but magic’s very existence.
[image error]ASIN: B07CW5C38F
Buy Links
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CW5C38F/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CW5C38F
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CW5C38F
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07CW5C38F
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07CW5C38F
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1381180480
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/gemstone-5
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gemstone-ann-gimpel/1128616124?ean=2940155541523
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ofhZDwAAQBAJ
Landing page: http://zodiacshifters.com/books/gemstone-ann-gimpel/
Release date: June 11, 2011
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Excerpt:
Sirens blared, adding discordant notes to the squeal of spinning tires as the Medic One van careened around a corner. Adrenaline surged, and Niall MacLier pushed his right foot hard against the van’s floor. He wasn’t driving, but he wanted the ambulance to move faster. The radio sputtered, humming to life.
“Doc Hansen here. It looks bad. I’m ordering up another team.”
Niall exchanged glances with Meredith West, the driver and a paramedic just like him. Her black hair fell in one long braid down her back, revealing the clean lines of her face and her deep blue eyes. She had a hot little body, but she was also very married and had made it clear she wasn’t interested in his cutesy suggestions they take a shag break in the back of the ambulance. She loved his Irish brogue, but that was where her fascination started—and stopped.
“What do you think?” he asked, without engaging the radio’s push-to-talk switch.
She shrugged, and the van slewed around another corner, tires stuttering on rain-slick pavement. “About the other team?” At Niall’s nod, she added, “Have the doc define bad.”
Niall clicked the two-say. “How many injured?”
“Hard to say. The incident is still unfolding. At least six, though.”
“Yeah.” Meredith angled her head toward the mic. “By all means, send another team. We may be hot shit, but that’s a lot for the two of us.”
Niall dropped the radio back in its cradle. “How much longer till we get there?”
She tapped the navigation screen. “Maybe ten minutes. I swear, you’re really dense when it comes to electronics.”
Maybe because they didn’t exist a few hundred years back.
He offered her a tight nod and undid his seatbelt, so he could crawl into the back and get go bags packed and ready. It removed the temptation to tell her what he really thought.
Or what he really was, which would be worse.
“Get back up here,” Meredith shouted. “It’s not safe.”
“Sure and I’ll be fine.” He added a shot of calming to his words. Last thing he needed was her giving him a hard time. Because her attention was glued to the road, he employed short jolts of magic to bring what he needed within easy reach.
Rain pounded on the van’s roof. If the scene was as chaotic as he suspected it would be, he’d keep right on drawing power to save people. No one would notice the flickers of charged air, not in this downpour. And if they did, they’d chalk it up to a mini electrical storm.
As he stuffed supplies into duffel bags marked with a white cross and a caduceus, he wondered—again—if he’d done the right thing settling in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It was the smallest place he’d ever lived, and people wanted to get up close and personal right away.
Except for Meredith.
He’d had a relatively simple time keeping to himself in New York and Los Angeles and Seattle and Denver, the four places he’d lived over the past couple hundred years since he crossed the Atlantic with a boatload of shifters just like himself.
They’d decided it was better if they spread out. America was a big place, and if they didn’t settle on top of one another, perhaps they’d be able to conceal what they were. Magic had almost been their undoing in the Old Country with the Church intent on shackling them to mute their magic. Burning or hanging followed on the heels of iron manacles.
He’d picked Glenwood Springs, a small community that butted up against extensive wilderness, because he was sick of not being able to shift. If it was a mistake, it was one he’d jumped into with both eyes open.
Niall shivered. He made it a habit not to look back. Who the hell knew why sitting on the cold, metal floor shook memories loose? The van lurched to a precipitous halt accompanied by screeching brakes.
“Aye, and you’d drive better if you weren’t sexually frustrated,” he yelled in the general direction of the cab.
“Smarty pants,” she retorted. “Look out a window. It’s a fucking mess out there.”
He latched the duffels around his shoulders, crawled to the backdoor, and opened it. Maybe it was opening the door that unlocked his senses, but screams and moans and the hot, coppery stench of blood blasted him. Along with it came foul magic. Lots of it, throbbing in primitive patterns that chilled him to his bones. He wanted to dig deeper, determine where it was coming from, but Meredith planted herself in front of him, arms extended. “Toss me one of those kits.”
He jumped down and handed hers over. “Team or solo?”
She craned her neck. “Other van’s not here yet. I say we split up.” She keyed the mike to her communicator, and it chirped in his ear.
Resisting an impulse to rip the plastic earbud out, he said, “Fine by me, darling. I’m as close as your electronics,” and took off at a run for the first overturned vehicle.
About the author:
Ann Gimpel is a USA Today bestselling author. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in several webzines and anthologies. Her longer books run the gamut from urban fantasy to paranormal romance. Once upon a time, she nurtured clients. Now she nurtures dark, gritty fantasy stories that push hard against reality. When she’s not writing, she’s in the backcountry getting down and dirty with her camera. She’s published over fifty books to date, with several more planned for 2018 and beyond. A husband, grown children, grandchildren, and wolf hybrids round out her family.
Keep up with her at www.anngimpel.com or http://anngimpel.blogspot.com
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