B.L. Blair's Blog, page 62

$20 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

September 2015 Monthly Giveaway$20 Amazon Gift Card
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Monday Excerpt - Notice Me (Holton Series #2)

"Why?""It doesn't look right.""Why?"Andrew sighed in frustration and felt his temper rising. Some of his conversations with Victoria were like walking through a dark cave without a flashlight. He often found himself stumbling and grabbing onto the wrong thing just trying to keep up."Victoria, your brother and my sister were out there in the lobby watching every move we made. Didn't you realize that if they saw you kissing me that there would be questions asked?'"Sure I realized, but Drew, we’ve been spending a lot of time together the past two weeks. The questions are already being asked. I just don't see what the big deal is."Andrew's temper flared. "That’s the problem. You never see what the big deal is. Nothing is serious and everything is just a joke with you. Rules and regulations be damned.""Oh, please, Drew. When have I ever broken any rule or regulation?""When have you ever..." he started, unable to believe she would even ask that question. "Well, how about Saturday night when we ate at Rick’s in Plano. All those people were there ahead of us waiting patiently for their table but because you knew the owner, we were seated first.""That’s so stupid," she replied. "I didn't ask Rick to seat us first, he offered, and I didn't hear you complain at the time. You seemed perfectly happy to be seated first.""Of course, I didn't complain. Your friend was kind enough to seat us. I wasn't about to insult his hospitality. Besides that was just one example. What about the incident with Mrs. Bailey at the church?""Mrs. Bailey lives in another century. I didn't do anything wrong. Just because she doesn't think women should wear shorts inside a church doesn't make me a bad person. It wasn't like there was a service going on or anything. I didn't even go into the main auditorium. We just stopped by to drop off some food. I certainly didn't break any law or anything.""No, but you knew how she would react and she is the secretary of the church. Don't you think you should have respected her wishes? Everyone in town knows she has set ideas about proper clothing in a church.""So? Why should I be confined by what she thinks?" Victoria walked across the room and then turned back to look at him. "This is a crazy conversation. Why don't you tell me what’s really wrong?"Andrew studied her a moment. His frustration had reached its breaking point. She would never understand him. The incident in the lobby was proof. The past two weeks had been encouraging. They were slowly getting to know each other as adults and as individuals. Their relationship had been going very well. Andrew thought it might be because they already knew each other so well in some ways. But he wasn't ready to share his new found feelings with the world. So far, he had been able to avoid answering any awkward questions but he knew that after the scene in the lobby, both Steven and Julie would want to know what was going on.He had been glad to see her when she walked in but unprepared for her actions. He was taken completely by surprise when she crossed the room, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full on the mouth. Once he had disengaged himself, he grabbed her by the arm and drew her into his office but not before he saw the astonished looks on Steven’s and Julie's faces. Andrew knew he was over-reacting but he was unable to stop."I don't like being pawed in public." As soon as he said it, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. He glanced at Victoria and started to apologize when he saw her go perfectly still. He slowly closed his eyes. He had blown it. Victoria could argue with the best of them. She had a quick temper and a lively tongue. Her arguments were usually concise and succinct but when she got truly angry, she became quiet and gave the appearance of being calm. Andrew had seen it happen just a few times. He now watched her warily as her eyes flashed and her hands were clenched at her side."You don't like being pawed?" Her voice was low, tense, and full of anger. "You don't like being pawed in public? Well, fine. I won't paw you in public OR in private."
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Notice-Me-Holton-Series-ebook/dp/B00BFCM5RSApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/notice-me-holton-series-2/id689557714?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/notice-me-b-l-blair/1116761884?ean=2940045217057Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/notice-me-holton-series-2Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/346414CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4210983Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=xHEiBgAAQBAJ

Sunday Quote

Saturday Teapot

I love teapots. I have a large collection. Each week I will be featuring one of them. I hope you enjoy. Please let me know if you have one. I would love to see it.

This was a gift from a friend. We like to gamble. :)

Convince Me (Holton Series #1)

Convince Me (Holton Series #1) is free on most eBook sites. iBooksKoboBarnes and NobleSmashwordsGoogle Play
Anna is afraid of love, but Steven changes everything.
Anna West just wants to start over in a new town far away from her past. The only child of a mixed race couple, Anna learned about the ugly side of human behavior at an early age.  After watching her abusive father mistreat her mother, Anna knows that love is not for her.
Steven Carson has always known what he wanted, and from the moment he saw her, he wanted Anna.  Steven is ready for love.  He is ready to settle down, start a family, and he knows Anna is the one for him.  Now all he has to do is convince her. 
Come visit Holton, Texas to see if Steven can convince Anna to take a chance on love. Convince Me is the first book in the Holton Series but may be read as a standalone novel.

The Wraith of Carter's Mill by C. Evenfall - Giveaway

The Wraith of Carter’s Mill chronicles five generations of women from the turn of the century to present day. It depicts in startling detail the result of an old curse and the wraith that haunts the family. Sensitives, The Guardians and The Forgotten tell the tale while the fourth shocking segment, Carter’s Mill provides the back-story. It reveals the shameful truth behind a century of sorrow and the curse of revenge that plagues the Carter women.
Zeb, the Carter family patriarch, is a hard, callous man. He runs his thriving sawmill, farm and family with an iron fist. When he commits an incredible act of cruelty, he ignorantly brings a terrible curse down upon all his kin. Martha Thompsons’ prophecy proves true as the family falls into ruin, and the women pay the price.
Almost a century after Zeb’s death, a Carter daughter is born with notable yet uncanny gifts. It will be up to Shyanne to unearth a long buried family secret and set an old wrong back to rights. Will she find a way to lift the curse and banish the accursed wraith that haunts her? If she fails, she risks losing her own little girl to the dark entity forever.
A small North Carolina community, where everyone knows everyone sets the perfect stage for this suspenseful drama. Rich in history and southern culture, The Wraith of Carter’s Mill harkens back to a time when life was simpler, and superstition was part of everyday living.
ExcerptsSensitives: http://www.createspace.com/Preview/1166033The Guardians: http://www.createspace.com/Preview/1166462The Forgotten: http://www.createspace.com/Preview/1166460
Purchase LinksAmazon:WCMx Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1503205096WCMx E-Book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VIU9YKS
C. Evenfall grew up on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. In many ways, her community was isolated from the outside world, and time simply stood still. The old ways of “doing things” surrounded her, and she was both fascinated by the rich history and influenced by it.
As with any such place, the area was rich with ghost lore and old tales of “people done wrong.” Evenfall, a child seen and not heard, hovered as close as she dared, listening to the old stories when the adults got together talking about old times. She also spent many nights with the sheet pulled over her head in childish fright.
A paranormal encounter when she was just six years old, experienced by two other people at the same time, convinced her that ghosts really did exist.  C. Evenfall has been seeking answers ever since. Her fascination with the unexplainable, coupled with her love of history and southern culture and the role women play in both, have inspired her to write The Wraith of Carter’s Mill, a series of novellas. Each inspired by tales from her childhood and the family members who passed them down.
Life has taken her many places, but today, C. Evenfall resides with her husband in the same fishing village where she grew up. Together they enjoy hiking, camping, gardening and the outdoors in general. She forgives his skeptics’ dismissal of things that go bump in the night and loves him dearly in spite of it. They complement one another perfectly.
Contact InformationAuthor’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CEvenfallAuthor’s Blog: http://cevenfall.wordpress.com/Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/C.-Evenfall/e/B00MSV6YT0Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8508982.C_Evenfall BAA Author’s Page: http://booksauthorsandartists.com/aut...Twitter: @CEvenfall2

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Dead in a Dumpster - Cover Wars

My book cover for Dead in a Dumpster: Leah Norwood Mystery #1 is part of Masquerade Tours Cover Wars. Please vote for it.
http://www.masqueradecrew.com/2015/09/septembers-cover-wars-round-one-vote.html

Deceptive by M.D. Melai & C.S. Leigh

Twenty-one year old Liliana Dapprima was living her life exactly how she planned. She had an amazing job as an interior designer and lived with her best friend Violet in Toronto. But, everything changes when her father forces her to move to New Jersey to re-design his businesses in New York City. Upon her arrival in New Jersey, she finds out she must live with her old flame, Emilio Amante, who had completely tore apart her heart.

She must learn to live alongside Emilio as she tries to start a new relationship with the new man in her life, Lucas. And to make matters even more complicated, Emilio is Lucas’ boss.

Dealing with a love triangle is hard enough, but then Lily must also deal with secrets from and about her family. She is constantly lied to and when she gets attacked multiple times by a rival family, she wants answers and will go to any extent to get them.

Liliana has been living in a world where everyone and everything is not what it seems. What will happen when tragedy strikes and secrets are revealed?
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Deceptive-1-M-D-Melai/dp/1507829426/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1437498181&sr=8-2&keywords=M.D.+Melai+C.S.+Leigh
Excerpt: 
 “Liliana!” Emilio’s voice came from behind me. I slowly turned and watched as he jogged up to me. “I’m really sorry,” he said apologetically.“I know you are,” I said placing my right hand on his arm. “It was so stupid. I lost my temper. I don’t know why I do that sometimes.” He paused for a second and shook his head in shame. “I’m an asshole and I am beyond upset with myself.” “I told you it was a damn accident.”“It wasn’t an accident! It was a direct consequence to my actions.” I was starting to get upset with him. How many times did I have to tell him that it was just an accident?“What do you want me to say?” I started raising my voice. “That you always let your temper get the best of you. That I always end up hurt in some way or another, because you can’t get a grip! That this is one of the reasons we don’t work!” My heart started beating faster and my adrenaline was increasing. “Does that make you feel better?”“I’m an ass. I know that. I’m so sorry Liliana. Will you ever forgive me?” he asked.I knew he was asking for forgiveness for more than just this accident. I nodded my head, but kept it down. I felt his hand press against my cheek as he lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. “I love you Liliana,” he whispered as he kissed my cheek.“I know you do,” I said backing up from him. Violet was standing a few feet away from me as she waited. She wrapped her arms around my waist as I walked to her side. Don’t look back.I knew he would be standing there watching us. I couldn’t stop myself though. I turned and faced him.“La mia vita, il mio cuore,” ‘My life, my heart.’ I said loud enough for him to hear. He looked at me, shocked. I used to say it to him all the time. I turned and headed toward the doors. “Ti amo più della vito stessa,” ‘I love you more than life itself.’ He called back just as Violet and I reached them.I stopped in my tracks for a moment, but I didn’t turn around. “Come on, let’s go home,” Violet said as she tugged on my arm. Home sounded great, back where I belonged. I had everything I needed to start working on the projects my father had brought me to New York for. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to come back for a while, and if I did, the goal would be once again… avoid Emilio at all costs. I could do that. I took a deep breath and leaned in to Violet.“Let’s go home,” I replied.
M.D. Melai & C.S. Leigh are a cousin writing duo that live in North Central Texas. They are the self-published authors of the Deceptive Series. Deceptive, the first in the series, was published in February of this year. Fugitive, the second in the series, was published in July. They are currently hard at work writing the third book in the series that is slated to be released in the Winter of 2016.
C.S. Leigh has a degree in business administration. When she isn’t writing she is working her day job, that she enjoys as well. Leigh loves being adventurous and shopping.  
M.D. Melai is a full time stay at home mom. When she isn’t writing she is chasing around her very active five year old.

Both Melai and Leigh believe family is of the utmost importance and enjoy spending their free time with them, as well as friends. They are both devout readers, and read as much as time will allow them too. Their love for books and storytelling is what inspired them to tell the story of Liliana. 
Twitter: @DeceptiveSeries

Happy Labor Day

Monday Excerpt - Convince Me (Holton Series #1)

Steven seemed to fill the room, and Anna couldn’t look away. Every time she tried, her eyes returned to him. He was dressed similar to the first time she had seen him, but this time the suit was gray. It was neatly pressed, and the white shirt was starched. Once again, the tie seemed out of place. This one was a dove gray color and matched the suit well, but it contained a large picture of a giraffe. Anna was fascinated by the fact that a man who appeared so conservative and serious would wear such an item. She realized she was staring at it when she heard Steven chuckle.“Hideous, isn’t it?” he said with a smile, picking up the tie and looking at it. “Victoria gave it to me, so I have to wear it.”“Who’s Victoria?” Anna tried to stop herself from asking, but her curiosity got the better of her. She knew Steven wasn’t married, but he said the name Victoria with such affection that she had to ask. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to know the answer.“My sister.”Relief flooded through her at his simple statement. Why she was so relieved? She wasn’t interested in Steven herself. Was she? No, that couldn’t be it. Anna wasn’t looking for a relationship. She shook off the feeling.“She has interesting taste. Did she give you the multi-colored one too?” she asked.Steven laughed. “Yes. Tori is always trying to update my sedate image. She thinks I’m far too conservative. Since I refuse to let her take me shopping, she buys me these crazy ties. The worst part is I think she would really be offended if I didn’t wear them, and even though she lives over a thousand miles away, she would know if I didn’t.”“Where does she live?” Anna asked.“In Los Angeles,” Steven replied. “But she and Julie are best friends, and no matter how far away she is, Tori always know what’s going on.”“So, you wear the ties,” Anna stated, intrigued by this aspect of his character.Steven smiled sheepishly and nodded. “Yeah, I wear the ties.”
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Convince-Me-Holton-1-ebook/dp/B00BANJINQApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/convince-me-holton-series-1/id685746830?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/convince-me-b-l-blair/1116393998?ean=2940045198080Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/convince-me-holton-series-1Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/343782CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4172830Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=LXAiBgAAQBAJ