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Monday Excerpt - June 29, 2015

Dead in a Dumpster: Leah Norwood Mystery #1 
The man looked at Isabel still sitting where I found her. He leaned closer. “Looks like a Glock 9mm.”
I was impressed. He was able to identify the type of gun by looking at the body. I owned a Glock and also knew what type of bullet hole it made, but I would have never been able to tell by looking at Isabel.  Keith nodded and then looked back at his notes. “She was found about seven fifty p.m. by Ms. Norwood.”
Keith pointed to me, and the man turned his eyes to mine. His gaze swept down my body and back up. He then dismissed me without a second glance before turning back to the rookie. “Has the ME been called?”
Now, I know that I am not the most attractive person in the world. I am what most people would call average. Average height, average weight, average looks, but being dismissed so completely really pissed me off. I was cold, wet, tired, and quite frankly, still a little queasy. And it had been a really bad day. The two men were in deep conversation about the medical examiner when I interrupted.
“Can I leave now?”
Both of them turned toward me. Keith seemed a little surprised that I was still there. I guess he had forgotten about me. The other man just seemed irritated that I had interrupted him.
“You found the body?” he asked and then continued when I nodded, “We’ll need to ask you some questions.”
Keith had been asking me questions. My nerves were shot and my temper short. I am not usually such a bitch, but I had enough of standing out in the freezing rain. I probably shouldn’t have mouthed off to a police officer, but I figured my day couldn’t get any worse. I summoned up my inner diva, gave him my most haughty look, and asked in a snooty tone. “And you are?”
He stared at me a minute, his eyes hard and unyielding. He raised his eyebrows just a notch, pulled out a badge, and held it toward me. “Chief of Police Alexander Griggs.”
Well, damn, my day just got worse.
 
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dumpster-Leah-Norwood-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00MZC65YGiBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dead-in-a-dumpster/id912503351?mt=11B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-in-a-dumpster-b-l-blair/1120206352?ean=2940046124279Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dead-in-a-dumpsterSmashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469615CreateSpace https://www.createspace.com/4964818 Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=XMcdBgAAQBAJ
 

Sunday Quotes - BrainyQuote

Sunday Quotes - BrainyQuote http://po.st/RCaNGG

TGIFiBooks

Convince Me (Holton Series #1)  Anna West watched her father abuse her mother in the name of love. She isn't going to fall into the same trap, but she has never met a man she could love. And then, she meets Steven.  Steven Carson watched his father shower his mother with love. He wants the same kind of relationship, but no woman has made him feel that way. And then, he meets Anna West.
Free on iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/convince-me-holton-series-1/id685746830?mt=11

Killing Time by Ingrid Nickelsen - $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC

 
Death is the ultimate heartbreak. Evangeline never expected it to break hers after she died. No one should have to choose between their husband and their first love, but it is that choice that shatters her spirit. She makes her choice, choosing not to transition, and finds that death can be vengeful too. The world of the dead is far more complex that she ever knew, and facing the consequences of her actions might be the hardest obstacle yet, fighting to survive in a world she doesn't understand, she seeks the help of the wanderers. Time is running out as winter grips the land and her companions help her search for Will. Perhaps, if she keeps her eyes open and believes in her love enough, she will make her way back to him before the Hunters find her first. Unexpected reunions, impossible choices, and long-hidden secrets will fill her journey with joy and sadness. It is Hunting season and Evangeline will have to fight for those she loves while remembering that cheating death always has a price. Told from a dual perspective, Killing Time brings the For Better or for Worse series to a heart-stopping continuation in every sense of the word.
 
Excerpt
The snow is burning my skin. I know it. But I can't feel it, not really. It doesn't hurt that much, I guess. 
I don't know how to move anymore, lying here on the cold white ground like a dead body. I feel dead. 
Guilt weighs on me, and now it's simply too hard to fight it. I can't fight it. I stare numbly at the empty sky above me, utterly disoriented. I hear his voice calling me over and over again, desperately willing it to stop. That's what hurts most. The pain in his voice, piercing the darkness. Piercing me. I close my eyes to silence my tears. 
Please, stop. I'm so sorry.
 
Ingrid NickelsenIngrid is a 23-year-old French girl, college student, and dreamer. She currently resides in Paris, where she spends most of her time going to museums and the movies. Despite the romantic atmosphere in Montmartre, or even the fancy cafés in the Champs Elysées, she would easily trade it all for a nice walk in the woods with her schnauzer, Golden. She is always craving adventures, and finds that books are the cheapest way to travel to far-away lands. She is inwardly convinced that words have the power to heal the worst blisters on our hearts, or at least can make us forget about them for a little while. And sometimes, it is just enough to face another crazy day.  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YAAuthorIngridNickelsenTwitter: @IngridNickelsenGoodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20883236-for-better-or-for-worse
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Find Me in Manhattan by Shealy James

Find Me in Manhattan is a stand-alone spin-off novel from the Finding Series.
Sarah Grant is finally living her dream in the Big Apple. While working to achieve her life’s ambitions, she becomes ensnared by the charming and charismatic Jameson Carmichael. Just when Jameson threatens Sarah’s safety, a dream-worthy hero falls in her lap making her question everything she had ever believed about herself.
Sergeant Michael Pearson is merely existing in this nightmare he calls life. He is attempting to have a normal existence, while struggling to discover who he is after the army. When an opportunity save someone arises, he doesn’t hesitate, but Michael doesn’t realize that he is rescuing the one woman in a city of millions that can make him want to truly live again.
Sarah and Michael discover a connection that runs deep, but can they find love in a city known for heartbreak?
 Excerpt:

“In or out, lady?” the cab driver yelled.
“Out,” I said and slammed the door. Sarah’s eyebrows were raised and arms were crossed when I turned around. “What? He was boorish.”
She laughed. “Sure.” She took her unbroken shoe off and slammed it against the ground before ripping the heel off. She slid it back on her foot then she started walking away.
“Where are you going?”
“The subway. I’m not spending ten minutes waving down a cab when I could be on my way home.”
I thanked the transportation gods and gratefully followed her the five blocks and down the stairs to the dirty subway. I spent the whole five blocks wondering what to say to her. We knew each other’s secrets at this point, so it was difficult to come up with something to say without bombarding her with questions about the asshole who hurt her.
“You don’t know what to say to me, do you?” she asked once we sat in a practically empty subway car.
Startled by her audacity, I couldn’t help but let out a little laugh. “No, I honestly don’t have a clue.”
“I figured.” She shrugged while staring straight ahead. “You want to ask about the guy, but you know I don’t want to talk about it. More so, it would be inappropriate for me to discuss my personal life with a study participant, but you aren’t just a study participant now, are you, Sergeant?”
“I told you to call me Michael,” was the only thing I could think to say.
“Yeah, Michael,” she uttered quietly.
“Sweet Sarah,” I responded.
“Ha! I’m far from sweet. You should meet my best friend. She’s like sugar. I’m the one who…” She stopped talking and seemed to lose herself in her head.
“You’re the one who what?”
“Let’s just say I’m not sweet and leave it at that,” she smirked.
I found myself laughing out loud this time. The noise was so unfamiliar, I wasn’t sure it was me. Nothing about Sarah was typical. I didn’t know what to expect from her from one minute to the next. She was different…special. She was dangerous.

Purchase Links
Find Me in ManhattanAmazon US: http://amzn.to/1vXWzgPAmazon UK: http://amzn.to/17gDtXgB&N: http://bit.ly/1GYdwrvKobo: http://bit.ly/1ByQy5QSmashwords: http://bit.ly/1F4lthviBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/find-me-in-manhattan/id972413250?mt=11 
Finding Me, Finding YouAmazon http://amzn.com/B00FE216BQB&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-me-finding-you-shealy-james/1117053836?ean=2940045310048Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/finding-me-finding-youSmashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/360300iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/finding-me-finding-you/id721327571?mt=11 
Finding UsAmazon http://amzn.com/B00LRQ63TIB&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/find-me-in-manhattan-shealy-james/1121320920?ean=2940046602999Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/finding-us-4Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/457479iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/finding-us/id906162925?mt=11 
 
Shealy James is a Georgia native who teaches middle school by day and disappears into the world of fiction at night.  She is an avid reader and writer who hopes to one day write full time and leave the world of middle school angst behind. A sucker for love and happy endings, Shealy likes to combine humor and drama to create stories that are both emotional as well as entertaining. 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShealyJamesGoodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7280344.Shealy_James?from_search=trueGoogle + https://plus.google.com/106403920973921051995/postsFB: https://www.facebook.com/shealyjamesbooksWebsite: http://www.shealyjamesbooks.com/find-me-in-manhattan/TSU: https://www.tsu.co/ShealyJamesGoodreads book:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23148558-find-me-in-manhattan

Alawahea Cover Reveal

Fantasy/Sci-Fi RomanceDate Published: 7/16/2015
Tamara Carrington always felt different. One event in high school left her wondering if maybe she really was a freak, although she’d managed to leave that experience in the past—buried deep in her psyche. With the arrival of the exchange students from the planet of Azelle to her college, Tamara’s long buried memories threaten to erupt. As Tamara’s emotions build and her friendship with the Azellians grows, so does the knowledge of secrets within her own family.With the deterioration of her mother’s health, Tamara doesn’t know where to turn for answers or solace. What has her family been hiding? Why does she feel inexplicably drawn to the Azellians? What will happen if she unleashes her long-suppressed passion? Will she survive or even recognize herself afterwards? Wanting answers, yet being afraid of what she might find, Tamara wonders if it would be better to remain asleep.


EXCERPT
As they turned to comply, the ambassador walking away with them, Tamara studied the newcomers surreptitiously. The three young men and one young woman all had an air of comfortable confidence quite at odds with their new status here. The young man closest to her was a redhead. His features, even in profile, were delicate and chiseled—his nose a fine, straight blade on his face as he leaned over the table in the far corner. He rested an ol­ive-skinned, tanned arm on the table, the muscles in his forearm etched in sharp relief by the pressure he exerted on his arm. Gen­erous lips pursed as he read the card in front of him. His broad shoulders and chest, well-defined under a white t-shirt with some type of writing on it that she could not see, tapered down to a nar­row waist and slender legs encased in light blue jeans.
The second young man leaned over the table facing her. San­dy-blond hair fell over a high forehead into amber brown eyes as he read—a slight frown between them. His features were much heavier than his companion’s, with a slightly too-long nose and a jaw that was almost too strong. A good four or five inches shorter than the redhead, his dark blue t-shirt stretched across a well-muscled chest that, despite being stocky, had no spare fat on it at all. As he wrote on the card with his left hand, she observed that he was less tanned than the redhead. He nevertheless bore the same basic olive complexion. The dark-haired young man next to him nudged him and said something she couldn’t hear. The one who spoke suddenly grinned—his wide, generous mouth flashing straight white teeth. Black hair fell into his blue eyes, and he tossed his head, catching Tamara’s expression as she looked at them. He winked and returned his attention to the table in front of him.
Not wanting to get caught staring, Tamara looked away. Af­ter a few minutes, she snuck another peek at him. His face re­minded her of someone’s, but she couldn’t place where she’d seen those features before. Relatively small and straight, his nose had a slight flare to the nostril. His jaw was fairly prominent, making his face look long. The generous mouth softened the hard, mascu­line features of his face. He wore a vividly colored t-shirt tucked into a pair of long safari shorts. His thighs were quite heavy and muscular. His upper body was broad and unfinished looking, a little more muscular than the redhead but not as stocky as the blond. Her eyes traveled around the table to the young woman. The same height as the blond, she bent over the table with her back to Tamara. She had wavy brown hair that was cut in an at­tractive, shoulder-length bob and swept behind one delicate ear as she bent over the paper. Tamara couldn’t see her features from that position, but her lithe, slender body looked athletic.
Tamara’s cautious regard swept on to the final member of the group. Standing at the head of the table, the ambassador leaned forward to answer a question posed by the woman. His expression intent on what the young woman was saying, Tamara got the op­portunity to study him more closely. Taller than the other young men, the ambassador in his suit revealed less of his body structure than their jeans, t-shirts, and shorts. She had a moment of disap­pointment. Then, as if he noticed her attention, the ambassador looked up, caught her looking at him, and dodged around the desk to come up to her. Hastily, Tamara dropped her eyes to her desk as he approached, feeling the furious blush crawl up her face.
“You are a student here?” he asked in that musical voice.
Tamara looked up, her cheeks burning. She had a hard time meeting his eyes but forced herself to do so anyway. “Yes. Uh, my name is Tamara Carrington.”
The ambassador leaned against the desk. “Carrington? Would you be any relation to James Carrington?”
“He was, uh, my grandfather.”
“Ah, this is wonderful! We in the diplomatic corps know Am­
bassador Carrington well.” He paused, then continued, “Was? Is he not still alive?”
Tamara ducked her head. “He passed away a few years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” The ambassador straightened and bowed to her, placing his hand on his chest as he did so. “He was well respected on Azelle. We knew he had been ill, but we had no idea he had actually transitioned.” He rested his hands on her desk. Leaning forward, those dark eyes appeared intent on her. He gave her a charming grin that might have even melted her grandmother’s cold heart. “Well now. Do you mind if I ask what you are majoring in?” Usually feeling fairly secure in herself, she wondered why she was suddenly blushing.
Tamara swallowed hard as she tried to regain her compo­sure—and her ability to speak. “I am, uh, in diplomatic studies. Or I will be when I declare my major this year.”
His grin widened, and he looked at her from under thick lash­es. “Any specific planet you might be interested in?”
Dizziness assailed her as she struggled to remain calm. An odd pressure built behind her eyes and she lifted her hand un­consciously to rub the bridge of her nose. “Azelle is, um, inter­esting. I know more about it than my teacher does sometimes, mainly because my grandfather used to share stories with me. All the other planets are really great, too. I really like learning about other places. I’m not positive I want to be a diplomat like he was, but I do want to learn about other cultures and planets, and diplo studies is the best place to do that.”
The pressure vanished abruptly just as it edged into pain. “Would you be willing to come to the embassy for a welcome party for these students tonight? It would give you an opportunity to mingle with embassy members and get you prepared for a possible diplomatic career.” One side of his mouth lifted higher than the other as his voice took on an almost wheedling tone. “I can also get you access to other diplomatic embassies. I have several contacts in both the Atheran and Dorbin embassies.”
Tamara hesitated only briefly. “Sure, that would be great! I’ll come to the party tonight.”
He straightened. “Seven o’clock, in the main lobby. Bring any of your friends too who you think might be interested in diplo­matic studies.”
Tamara blinked. A slight headache throbbed between her eyes. She managed to ignore it as the young woman stepped up to the desk carrying the eight cards. She smiled at Tamara. “Thank you. Here are the cards you asked us to complete.” The words flowed out of her mouth more heavily accented than the ambas­sador’s, although with the same musical lilt.
Tamara smiled back and collected her thoughts. “Now you need to go to the Dean of Students’ office and get your room as­signments.”
The five Azellians left and the room suddenly seemed empty, as if there had been a lot more than just their bodies in the room. Ta­mara shivered, her head pounding. She flipped through the cards, reading the personal information listed there as she tried to figure out which was which. The only one she successfully identified was the woman, Mellis, since she was obviously the only female in the group. If Tamara attended the welcome party that night, she was sure she’d be introduced to the others—Greg, Justern, and Alar­in—and learn who was who. Pushing aside her curiosity, Tamara focused on entering the data into the computer and tried not to wonder more about them. She’d probably get the chance to find out more, if she actually took the ambassador up on his invitation.
As soon as the five of them walked out of the office, Mer­ran reached out to Greg on his private level so he could converse with him telepathically without the others hearing. Did you pick up that she sensed me?
I caught that she was becoming rather uncomfortable. I think you were hurting her. As a Healer, with a highly specialized sensi­tivity to others’ suffering, Greg often could tell things about peo­ple that everyone else missed. Is that even possible? Do humans even have psi?
Theoretically, yes, they do. We talked about it a little bit in my training. I’m surprised Healers don’t talk about this in theirs.
Healers aren’t exactly all that interested in humans … as you know … considering the challenges I faced getting permission to come here. Back to Tamara Carrington. What did you pick up?
She was open on the surface, but her deeper levels are heavily screened by a very thick shield. When I pressed on it, it resisted me with surprising force.
Is that normal?
I don’t know. I haven’t run into a human with psi before. Wheth­er they normally have it or not, Tamara certainly has a shield, at least on the deeper levels.
Greg was silent for a moment. Shielded, huh? So, you actually think she’s psi?
Sure, why not? I think she very well could be.
Hmm. Maybe I should keep an eye on her.
Merran glanced at him. Is she giving off a Call? He had been friends with Greg long enough to know the Healer responded to things that Merran himself couldn’t sense, but that those some­times odd decisions and directions were important.
Not really. I just have a gut feeling.
I’m not one to argue with a Healer’s gut feelings. Go for it.
Heads up, humans headed this way, Alarin sent on the public level, bringing their attention back to the group. Three women walked past them, laughing and talking, casting an admiring glance at the group of Azellians.
All five Azellians heard the comment

About the Author Sara L Daigle has been creating stories since she first forayed into the world of writing at the age of eight. As an avid reader, growing up in a small town without much access to a library, and before the birth of the Internet, Sara devoured her mother’s extensive stack of science fiction and romance novels to keep her literary thirst quenched. Soon afterwards, she began writing her own stories and entertaining her friends by composing plays for them to act out.
A passionate interest in astronomy, anthropology, and linguistics, coupled with this early background in science fiction and romance, led Sara to merge the two fields and create a series of interlinked stories built around a fictional planet’s culture and its interaction with ours.
Sara currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and three very loving but energetic dogs.
WebsiteFacebookNovel Facebook TwitterNovel Twitter: @Alawahea

Monday Excerpt - June 22, 2015

From Dead in a Park: Leah Norwood Mystery #2 coming in November.

Chief of Police Alexander Griggs stalked toward us.  There was really no other way to describe the smooth, long strides that ate up space.  I hate to admit it, but he took my breath away.  He isn’t exactly gorgeous or handsome, but there is a power about him that draws the eye.  He is about five eleven and has broad shoulders.  There isn’t an ounce of fat on his lean, hard body.  Dark hair cut short in a military style covers his head.  His face is attractive in a timeless way, and he has a small indentation on the right side of his mouth that drives me crazy.  His eyes are a deep, intense green.  I had met Griggs when I found another body back in December. 

For a little while, I had been a suspect in that case so naturally I did everything I could to clear my name.  Griggs had never thought I was guilty, but they had to check all possible suspects.  We had spent three weeks dancing around each other.  I had thought he might be a little interested in me.  On Christmas Eve, he had penned me to the back wall of my shop, kissed me silly, and told me not to leave town.  And that was the last time I had seen him.
“What have we got?” he asked Megan in his deep, smoky voice.  He has a great voice.
Megan gave her report, and Griggs turned to me.  His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied my face.  I tried to keep it blank, but I don’t think I was very successful.  He smirked and said, “So you found another body?”

Dead in a Dumpster Trailer

I have been working hard on the second book in the Leah Norwood Mystery series.  I am hoping to release it in November.  It will be called Dead in a Park. 

Currently the first book, Dead in a Dumpster, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, GooglePlay, and CreateSpace.

Check out the trailer:
 

iBooks Free Fridays - TGIFiBooks

Check iBooks on Fridays to find great free books. Use twitter to search #TGIFiBooks.

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.  My first book is free on iBooks.