Angel Sefer's Blog, page 32

Excerpt from Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense Romance Dark Shadows of the Past - Chapter One, Part One

Dark Shadows of the Past
Angel Sefer

A novel of
The Greek Isles Series


CHAPTER ONE


Christina opened her eyes and looked around, startled. Where am I? She was lying on a freezing, hard surface, surrounded by spine-chilling darkness… A frosty wave of fear washed over her, making her shudder. She peered through the eerie shadows while trying to track any noise, but nothing… Dead silence. Her senses worked overtime. Oh, my God! What happened to me?She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot right through her head. A moan escaped her lips, and she instinctively shut her eyes. I need to move… I need to get up, she thought, but her body wouldn’t respond. Shivering, cold, and immobilized, she screamed with all the strength she could muster, but the sound that came out of her mouth was no louder than a whisper.She drew a deep breath, trying to calm down the thundering of her heart. Think, girl! Think! What happened? Where am I? How long have I been here? Creepy thoughts and questions bombarded her mind, but it had gone completely blank. I’m going to die... Tears welled up in her eyes, as she lay there helpless and defeated.
***
Feeling someone touching her arm, her eyes flew open while her heart fluttered like a scared little bird. In the dim sunlight shining from behind the tall buildings surrounding the area, Christina saw a man leaning over her. Shrinking away from him, her breath caught in her throat.“Don’t worry,” the man said. His deep, masculine voice sounded calm and reassuring. “You’re going to be all right. The ambulance is on its way.”Christina looked at him, bewildered. He seemed tough but not aggressive. With her heart still thundering in her chest, she drew a deep breath and looked closer. He appeared in his mid thirties, with broad shoulders and well-built muscles. He had a handsome face with dark brown hair and the most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen. Those eyes were staring at her intensely, hypnotizing her…The penetrating noise of a siren startled her. Shifting her eyes away from his gaze, she scanned the surroundings. Stunned, she realized that she was lying on the ground, in an alley. What on earth am I doing here? she wondered, anxiously. People milled around them; some were police officers in uniform. I must have passed out, she contemplated, as she hadn’t heard anyone approaching.“Don’t worry,” the man repeated, and his encouraging tone of voice drew her from her thoughts.Christina tried to say something, but no words came out of her mouth. She stared at him in despair, feeling weak and helpless.“I’m Detective Dan Mallory.” The man introduced himself, responding to the question in her eyes. “Can you speak?”“I think so,” Christina whispered with great effort.“What’s your name?” he asked. His eyes watched her closely.“Sophia… I mean, Christina,” she whispered. “Christina Connors.” Seeing the inquiring look in his eyes, Christina bit her lower lip. I need to be careful, she cautioned herself.“Can you tell me what happened to you, Christina?”She thought for a moment but couldn’t recall much about yesterday’s events. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I remember what happened?The detective peered at her curiously. He started saying something else, but the siren of the ambulance turning into the alley, covered the sound of his voice.Christina turned toward the ambulance and then back at the man. Instinctively, she reached and grabbed his hand. He seemed surprised but held her grip in his for a few seconds until the paramedics approached them.She kept her eyes on the detective, while men in white uniforms took her pulse, checked her body for any broken bones, and finally, put her on a stretcher.As they raised the stretcher and started pushing her toward the ambulance, she glanced over and was shocked to see a body lying a few meters away, next to a trashcan. A jolt of fear shot right through her. Who’s that? Is he dead? With great effort, she lifted her head to see better but felt dizzy and collapsed back down as an oxygen mask was placed over her face…
***
Hours later, she opened her eyes and recognized the white, sterilized environment of a hospital room. A nurse was leaning over her, checking her pulse. Christina made an attempt to speak.“Don’t try to talk,” the nurse urged her. “You’re still very weak.”“Why am I here? What’s wrong with me?” Christina managed to whisper before she started coughing violently. A sharp pain in her chest brought tears to her eyes.“Try to remain calm. You have two broken ribs, and it makes it hard to breath.”“It hurts…”“I know. We’ve given you medication to reduce the pain and make it easier to breath.”“How serious is it?”“The CT and MRI scans verified that no jagged edge of the fractured bones has damaged any internal organs or major blood vessels. So, there is no serious damage besides the ribs that should heal within a couple of months. Other than that, there are only a few scrapes and bruises.”“Then, why are you keeping me here?”“The doctors want to keep you overnight to make sure you’re okay since you were found in an alley freezing.”Christina felt her mouth going dry. “I’m thirsty,” she whispered.The nurse raised her a little bit, helped her drink a few sips out of a paper cup, and lay her back softly. As soon as she hit the pillow, Christina drifted off to sleep.
***
When she woke up, darkness stretched outside the window. Everything was quiet, except the machine beeping next to her. Glancing toward the open door, she noticed a policeman standing with his back to her room, obviously guarding her door.Am I under arrest, or is he here for my protection?Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she tried to recall yesterday’s events. How did I end up in that alley? How did I get hurt? So many questions tortured her, and no answers came to mind whatsoever.The previous afternoon, she left her office at the headquarters of Century Jewelry Company—a large chain of jewelry stores throughout the eastern United States where Christina worked as a designer. Arriving at her friend Johnny’s apartment—a small place on the second floor of an old building—she rang the bell at the main entrance, but Johnny didn’t answer. She rang again and waited for a couple of minutes, but nothing…Christina took out her cell phone and called Johnny. His phone was turned off, and she was transferred to the answering service. She left a message and was getting ready to leave when she saw Mrs. Stanley—the old lady who lived on the first floor of the building. The silver-haired, chubby woman was coming around the corner with her little white poodle running next to her. As soon as she saw Christina standing by the front door, she smiled at her.“Good evening,” Christina said cheerfully, loud enough for the almost-deaf old lady to hear her.“Good evening,” Mrs. Stanley replied, coming up the steps and opening the front door of the building. “Come in.”“I rang the bell, but there was no answer.”“Maybe he’s not in.”“But we were supposed to meet here,” Christina retorted. “Maybe he’s just running a little bit late,” she continued, more to herself than the lady.Mrs. Stanley smiled and disappeared down the corridor, with her dog running behind her.Christina stood there for a minute, trying to decide whether she should leave or wait for a few minutes. Johnny could be hours late.As a freelance photographer, Johnny had no set schedule. When an assignment cropped up, he’d travel whenever and wherever, forgetting everything else. Typically, Christina was one of those things left waiting, which was why they usually met at her place. Too often, she’d been left waiting for hours in a restaurant or bar with strangers trying to pick her up.However, today Christina wasn’t sure what time she’d be able to leave her office. So meeting at Johnny’s place was a better option than him having to wait outside her apartment.Voices drew her from her thoughts. It was the detective she met in the alley talking to the policeman outside. As he glanced at her, Christina swallowed hard. Those blue eyes of his made her pulse accelerate.A moment later, he entered the room and came close to her bed. “How are you feeling?”“Okay, I guess,” Christina responded, even though she didn’t feel that way at all.He remained silent for a moment, searching her face.She could tell a battle raged inside him. He’s anxious to question me about yesterday’s events, she realized, but then again, he can probably see I’m in no condition to be interrogated right now.“Am I under arrest?” she inquired with great effort, glancing at the guard standing outside her room.“Of course not,” he responded. “He’s here for your protection. Until we know what happened to you in that alley, we have to take precautions and make sure you’re all right.”“I understand,” Christina said simply and breathed out, relieved.
***
Dan stared at her as she lay there helpless. Despite the scrapes on her lovely face and a nasty bruise on her left cheek, she was gorgeous. Golden brown curls spread over the pillow and huge, green eyes looked at him so innocently, it made his pulse accelerate.Pull yourself together! he reprimanded himself and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. But then his eyes rested on her full lips, and a jolt of desire shot right through him. This is no time for having such thoughts. I have to concentrate on the case,he reminded himself, irritated, and drew his eyes from her face. Hastily, he pulled out his notepad and checked his notes.“Can you tell me what happened in the alley?” he asked her in a professional tone and glanced at her face again to see her reactions.Christina remained silent for a couple of minutes, probably trying to pull her thoughts together. “I’m not sure what happened… All I remember is bits and pieces…”Dan examined her face closely. She seemed to be telling the truth. “Don’t you remember how you ended up there or how you got hurt?”Christina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, her eyes flew open. “What about the body I saw out there?” she inquired alarmed, staring at him straight in the eyes. “You must help me!” she pleaded, grabbing his hand.He squeezed her hand in his, feeling how soft and delicate it was. Staring into her eyes, he gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re safe now.”Hearing voices outside, he unwillingly let go of her. “Is there anything you can tell me?” he asked hastily.“I’m sorry; I just can’t remember much.”“Did you know William Beavers?” Dan insisted.“Who is William Beavers?” she asked, sounding confused.“He’s the man whose body was found next to you in the alley. He used to be an attorney in Marietta,” he explained, in an effort to help her remember something.“No.” Christina shook her head in despair. “I’ve never heard of him.”At that moment, a nurse walked in and asked him to leave.“I need to talk to her,” he protested. “It won’t take long.”“I’m sorry, Detective, but it’s late and the patient needs to rest,” she said firmly. “You can come back in the morning.”He looked at Christina for a couple seconds. “I’ll be back, first thing in the morning,” he said and left the room.
***
Christina felt numb inside and wanted to drift off to sleep. However, anxiety and gloomy thoughts kept her awake. A threat was hovering over her, and it was imperative to remember how and why she ended up in that alley. Her life depended on it.Gradually, as if a fog lifted from her mind, yesterday’s events crashed down on her…After watching the old lady walk away, Christina decided to at least check Johnny’s apartment, hoping he’d overslept after a late night. She climbed the stairs and walked down the narrow corridor, avoiding a couple boxes with trash left behind by previous tenants having moved out since the old building was going to be demolished. The only ones left in there were Johnny and Mrs. Stanley.Approaching his apartment, loud voices echoed toward her. She recognized her friend’s voice as he argued with two other men.Christina hesitated outside the door; hand raised to knock. Should she interrupt? Would it be better to come back later? Just before her knuckle rapped against the wood, the deafening blast of a gunshot and a creepy cry ended the argument inside.

I’ll be posting a new section every Tuesday and Friday. The novel will be published in June 2015. 
Read the blurb here

Excerpt from I Can See You by Joss Landry - A gripping, paranormal suspense novel

Excerpt: 
Excerpt from CHAPTER 21 (a little on Hank and Christina, on Emma and her aunt, Franka and on solving this mystery).
Hank opened his eyes and tried to focus on where he’d spent the night. Memory trickled through a fog of shadows in his mind—a haze at least as thick as the one filling the room where he lay. Flowered curtains drawn, windows closed to keep the cool air in, the only sound of what took place outside came carried by light rain tapping against the window pane. He rubbed his eyes and felt a long slim arm drawn against his torso. Christina, he thought, a twinge of excite­ment coursing through him. He stretched his right arm to grab the clock on the night stand, but connected to the wall the timepiece didn’t go quite far—far enough to show him he would be late if he didn’t get up and leave.With care he slipped Christina’s arm by her side and gently slid out of bed. Thank God he’d taken a shower only a couple of hours ago, so dressing in the dark and tiptoeing out the door would be easy. He watched her sleep, pangs of guilt as­sailing him. He grabbed the blanket and the small coverlet she used as a comforter and drew them over her bare back. She slept on her stomach with face deep in the pillow. She likely wouldn’t discover his departure until much later. Unable to get enough of each other, their passion had taken over their senses and now, he depended on three hours of sleep to get him through the day. They’d talked for hours and pooled a lot of their dreams and thoughts, more so than dur­ing all the years they had lived together. Now he was sorry he hadn’t told her how much he loved her. She had, more than once. His stupid pride had choked the words out of him, still unable to live down the years she’d forced him to struggle without her. He slipped his pants on, found his shirt and jacket and slipped on his shoes shoving his socks in his pocket. He’d put them on later.On his way to the door, he doubled back to take one last peek at the woman he loved. The real reason he hadn’t spoken up dealt more with other issues, like the shame of betraying his former avowal of love to her. A bloody miracle she was even back in his arms. She’d certainly held nothing back.
***
Emma stood in her aunt’s living room looking down at the street below. To get a better view she’d pushed back the satin white sheers she now rolled between her fingers the sen­sation tickling her pleasantly. She wondered if the rain was an omen of a gray day ahead of her.“Coming, Aunt Franka.” Her mother and father had left early to go to work. And after a bout of morning sickness, Franka had resolutely want­ed to make her breakfast despite her protests that she was old enough to make her own. She let go of the curtains to finger the amulet still hang­ing around her neck, tucked under her t-shirt and swishing smoothly against her skin like a protecting hand. She figured she wouldn’t always wear the Eye of Horus. But she’d slept beautifully, staying put the whole night. Or did her environ­ment have something to do with the peace of a dreamless night? She often wondered if Granny Dottie’s influence might still be connected to her through the house’s familiar surroundings, lending her the possibility to perform the unusual things she did. Then again, she’d conjured the shiny new penny for the officer’s benefit while on her way home from the clinic. “Better get some food inside you, sweetie. Hank Apple will be here soon.”After breakfast, Hank would arrive. He’d bring loaded questions and she’d work to remember all she’d seen in her dreams while trying not to juggle with the emotional bag­gage strapped to the memories. She would do as her mom had asked her to do. Dispatch the facts, let Hank connect the dots and forget about the rest.She pulled the wooden chair away from the table the scraping sound on the tiles echoing throughout the open con­cept breakfast nook, and she wondered why her aunt needed such a large apartment living by herself.Settling in, she bit into a mouthful of pancake dripping with maple syrup. “This is delicious, Aunt Franka. Jimmy’s a lucky guy.” Emma teased.“What are you trying to say, munchkin?” Franka grabbed her glass of juice and sat down facing her. “Just that you’re a good cook.”“These pancakes came from a mix. Nothing to them,” she added.Emma thought she seemed self-conscious about the compliment. “You’re going to make a good mother too,” she smiled nodding for emphasis.Franka pinched her lips as though tears were close at hand. She stared at the pancakes in her plate seemingly mes­merized with her fork pushing the pieces around to soak up syrup.“You’re not having second thoughts are you … about the baby?”“No, no. Nothing like that.” Franka put down her fork and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I guess I better tell you, you’ll learn about it soon enough.” She toyed with Em­ma’s fingers. “You have pretty shaped nails. They’d look spec­tacular with a little pink polish.”“What are trying to tell me?”“Jimmy asked me to marry him.” She stuck out her fin­ger and Emma gazed at a small pear shaped diamond. Then she stared into her aunt’s eyes. “You’re not sure, are you?”“I’m not. Can’t say why. I love him and all … he’s just not the type of man I saw myself ending up with, make sense?” She shook her head and Emma realized her silence wasn’t making it easier for Franka. “We all dream of prince charming,” Emma said. “Of some white knight. We’re all guilty of doing that.”“Or of some intellectual equal …”“He’s smart though, about the day to day things, right?”Franka was quick to nod which only gave Emma the impression her aunt was covering especially when she added, “I mean this business about the car. He should have realized an abandoned vehicle is not good news. Should have brought the car straight to police … or to the pound, gotten rid of it somehow.”“They might have traced the car back to him anyway. He did a good thing for his mother …”“Not out of kindness, only because she nagged him.”“Maybe you’re being a little hard on him. Think of my father. Who would have thought he would ever come through for me? And he certainly was not kind to his mother while growing up, but I recently learned they fought because they were both scared. She feared him hanging with the wrong crowd, and he rebelled because of all the threats she made. Men like Dad and Jimmy … they’re moved by strong emo­tions. They don’t always say nor do the smartest thing. But they’ll lay their life down for the people they love. Franka squeezed Emma’s chin. “How did you get to be so smart?”Emma raised a couple of nonchalant shoulders. “Ahhh,” Franka breathed out in despair her eyes closed. She smiled at her niece. “I’m just not sure this is enough. You’ll understand all this someday.”The door intercom had them jump. Emma figured this wasn’t the time to ask her aunt why she wore the ring if she hesitated about marrying Jimmy. Once Franka hung up, she said. “Speaking of men who are slaves to their emotions. Got a big one on his way up.”Emma giggled at her aunt’s attempt at crossing her eyes as she went to unlock the two bolts to her door. She was right. Hank would be another one of those primates who’d go to war, pound his fists against his chest in a show of triumph only to wrap his arms around the girl adrenalin feeding his frenzy.Hank came in flanked with Val. “Howdy, folks. Franka, this is Val.”The two women shook hands. “Pleased to meet you, Val,” Franka said. “Please come in. You can use the small par­lor to your right. I’ll close the French doors to give you pri­vacy.”“Very thoughtful. Thank you.” Hank took off his shoes to protect the floors.“Don’t, Hank. My floors need a good scrubbing and I have excellent help.”“Nah. My big tumblers have been everywhere. They’d only muck up the carpet in your sitting room.”Emma glanced at Hank and wondered what was differ­ent about him this morning. He seemed tired, yet not as edgy as usual almost happy if this word could be used to describe the rugged detective.“I’ll bring in a pot of coffee,” Franka said. “Anyone want anything else?”Val smiled and tugged at her backpack’s  zipper. “I stopped …” She tossed the flap to her big shoul­der bag and carefully extracted a bulging box. “I got donuts for everyone,” she said as she opened the lid to let them gawk at the treasure she carried. “I got one of every kind. Hope it will do.”“Do?” Franka opened wide eyes. “It’s wonderful. Sweets are about the only thing I can keep down these days.” She took the box from Val. “Okay, then. So there’ll be donuts with your coffee.”Hank laughed, and Emma pondered she’d never heard him laugh. The boisterous tone suited him.When they finally sat down in front of coffee and do­nuts, and a tall glass of ice tea for Emma, silence fell like a shroud and Emma found herself wishing for Christina Tyler’s presence.“He drives a blue Ford station wagon.” Emma didn’t know why she’d blurted the words out. Perhaps a sense of duty since she’d promised her mother or because her secret being out in the open with her father, she needed to unburden what she carried. Whatever the reason, she stared at the shock on Hank’s expression hoping he didn’t judge her confession too outrageous.Hank glanced at Val to make sure she was ready to take notes. “Do you mind if I tape, Emma?” Val asked.“What if someone were to get hold of the tape?”“No one will, I promise. You have the information in your head, I don’t. I’ll never remember everything you tell me.”She pinched her lips and lowered her eyes. She did not want Val taping her conversation. She glanced at Hank.“Never mind the taping, Val. Emma’s right. We’ll both take notes and this will suffice.”Hank asked. “How do you know he drives a blue Ford? What kind of blue?”She gazed at Val whose own eyes had narrowed on her as she waited pen poised in hand.“I’d rather not say how I know the things I do. I don’t want to go to that place if I don’t have to. I’m just going to give you the facts. That’s what important, right?”“Of course. The why and the how are just to help Val.”“Don’t mind me. I’ll make time to weave a credible sto­ry. After all, turns out I’m going to be right a lot. They’ll have to take my word.”“Car was dark blue, but not new. He parked across from my parent’s house two nights in a row, in the driveway of the abandoned Henderson Home.”“He was stalking your place?”“I saw him.”“How could you see him at that distance?”“I can tell when he’s around. I can sense him.”Hank released his breath shaking his head.“He has a place on North Walnut Street in East Or­ange.”Hank’s arms fell to his side and Emma could tell he tried not to appear shaken.“How … Can you describe the place?”“There’s a torn building beside it. A church or syna­gogue nearby. His building is old and rambling and there’s a big sign on it that says: We buy gold. There are five windows on the second floor. I believe his is the third one in the row, two away from the demolished construction site—at least this is the window that lit up that night.”She sneaked a peek at Val. The woman had stopped writing and her hand shook as she took a sip of her coffee.Hank got up and began pacing. “We’ve got him. Can’t believe we’ve got him,” he muttered.“No, you don’t. This is not where he lives.”Hank stared at her long and hard. “Do you know where he lives?”She shook her head from side to side.“What is this place then?”“It’s where he brings …” Emma hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she added, “His victims.”Val bent toward her, and for the first time, Emma spot­ted compassion in her brown eyes. “Emma,” Val said. “You’ve been there?”“Only in my nightmares. “He brought Ashley there, Ashley Miller.” She pinched her lips not to cry and wiped the tear pearling in the corner of her eye.“Who?”Emma didn’t answer.Hank grabbed his leather schoolbag and rummaged inside for his files. “We have no victim by that name,” he mut­tered as he poured three folders on the coffee table in front of him. He stared at Emma.She raised her shoulders in a show of ignorance.“Last little girl was Anne, Anne Ripley.“No. Ashley her name is Ashley Miller.”“Geez Louise.” Hank bounded up again unable to con­tain his energy.“Maybe she was supposed to be number four.” Emma stared at her donut having lost her appetite.“Emma, could this be a snapshot of the future,” Val breathed. “Did it seem grainy? Did you realize at the time you might be looking ahead?”No. I didn’t realize anything. I just dreaded being back there again. But this time I actually made it all the way inside the room past the dirty walls and the lone light bulb. I tried to turn back, but I couldn’t. Like there was a magnet drawing me in against my will. He behaved like a vicious dog, and I yelled to make him stop. That’s when he turned and stared right at me. Called me a witch.”Val got up and walked toward the settee Emma oc­cupied alone. She sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Poor chica. No one should live through this,” she cooed. “To think I envied your talent. Not anymore I don’t.”“All this time I thought he’d killed her and I hadn’t been able to stop him.“Emma you said Ashley was the fourth …” Hank said. “What did you mean by that?”“She’s not anymore. Picture has changed. We altered it or rather I did because now he’s after me.”

Blurb:
“Emma stuck her face to the window to watch the rain. Lightening in the background drew a fiery specter in the sky while her eyes traced the water droplets running down the pane like tears.” Emma Willis is ten years old and has a secret. She not only inherited her grandmother's power of sight, she can accomplish much more. Like most children without siblings growing up amongst adults, she is precocious yet at times lonely. When a murderer is loose in Newark, a maniac with a thirst for killing little girls, she begins to understand why her Granny Dottie called her sight a curse. She will need all her powers to catch a killer and help the people in her life: Detective Hank Apple, her teacher Christina Tyler, and her little family of three. Only … the madman knows who she is!
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Copia

About the Author:
Joss has worked as a consultant for more than twenty years, writing copy for marketing firms and assisting start-up companies launch their business. She recently made the switch from composing copy and promos, to writing fiction and prose. She is developing her style through courses and the support of other writers. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is presently working on honing three other novels for publication.
Email. josslandryauthor@gmail.comWeb site.http://www.josslandry.comBook: Mirror Deep  http://tinyurl.com/cdv37n6 Book: I Can See You http://goo.gl/wiD4Bi1Amazon Author Page: http://goo.gl/3YgCQhFB: http://www.facebook.com/josslandryTW: http://www.twitter.com/josslandry
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/joss-landry/39/485/121
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomjosslandry  

Wonderful Book Review by Miki's Hope for Deadly Secrets (The Greek Isles Series Book 2) by Angel Sefer

Read the wonderful review Miki's Hope posted for mystery romance bestseller Deadly Secrets by Angel Sefer:
Try to imagine your entire life being disrupted at the age of eight--Helena's father disappeared never to be heard from or seen again. Her Mom takes her back to England and is never the same. Her Mom makes Helena promise she will never go back to Greece but won't tell her why. After her Mom passes away Helena decides she wants to see the only family she has left--so she goes to Greece. Someone is following her and she almost gets run over--then as she leaves the boat there is a suspicious looking man staring at her. She is picked up by Dimitris who she doesn't remember but who she feels an immediate attraction.
Meanwhile Helena is becoming more and more positive that her father's death was no accident--especially after finding her Grandmothers diary...
Read the rest of the review here:
Book Review-Deadly Secrets (The Greek Isles Series Book 2)-Angel Sefer | Miki's Hope

My Review of Debauchery by Young - An intriguing story of a young man's journey into self-awareness

 An intriguing story of a young man’s journey into self-awareness, May 12, 2015By AngelThis review is from: Debauchery (A Harem Boy's Saga Book 3) (Kindle Edition)
Quite different than anything I’ve read before, this autobiography was highly recommended to me by a friend. I thought I’ll give it a try, and I was impressed by the author’s realism and honesty. It takes a lot of courage to write about things considered forbidden and taboo—especially in a memoir. 
In addition to the author’s outstanding writing style and intriguing journey into self-awareness, it was also interesting to read about the breathing and meditation techniques he discusses in the book.
Amazon / Amazon UK / Goodreads

My Review of the interesting, action-packed, and suspenseful adventure science thriller Diamond Rain by Michael Gallagher

 An interesting, action-packed, and suspenseful adventure science thriller, May 8, 2015By AngelVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Diamond Rain: Adventure Science Fiction Techno Thriller (The Spy Stories and Tales of Intrigue Series Book 2) (Kindle Edition)
Even though this is not my favorite kind of genre, the description sounded interesting, and the reviews were good. I thought I’ll give it a try, and I’m glad I bought the book. It was an action packed and suspenseful adventure science thriller with an intriguing plot and colorful characters.
The only reason I gave the book three stars was the far-fetched technology. It was unbelievable and trying to understand it, somewhat disrupted me from keeping up with the story.
However, if you’re into action, adventure, techno-science thrillers, you’ll find it an interesting read.
Amazon / Amazon UK / Goodreads

Between Boyfriends Blog: "Confessions of an Imperfect Caregiver" Spotlight ...

Between Boyfriends Blog: "Confessions of an Imperfect Caregiver" Spotlight ...: Today we're spotlighting Confessions of an Imperfect Caregiver by Bobbi Carducci. It is a memoir published by Open Door Press. I love re...

My Review on Steamy Erotica Purr Scent Volume I, II, III) by Jacintha Topaz

 Steamy Erotica, May 9, 2015By AngelThis review is from: Purr Scent Volume 1 (Parts I, II, III): Purr Billionaire BDSM MFF Menage Erotic Romance (Purr Billionaire BDSM Trio) (Kindle Edition)Having read Purr Scent Volume I, I knew I would enjoy Parts II and III. The meeting was one hot and kinky office affair between rising star executive Mariah Olsen and billionaire Dominant Clark Mannings. In the second part, running away from Clark, Mariah meets Dominatrix Britt, and sexual tension runs high between the two females. The third part is where all three protagonists come together, and sparks fly high as the male and female Doms compete over the same, submissive but spirited female.
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My Review of Wake of the Riddler by Janet Morris - An Epic Story of dark passions, castaways and left-behinds

 An Epic Story of dark passions, castaways and left-behinds, May 10, 2015By AngelVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Wake of the Riddler (Sacred Band of Stepsons: Sacred Band Tales Book 2) (Kindle Edition)
In Wake of the Riddler, Kama, the daughter of the Sacred Band's commander, comes to Sanctuary, bestselling fantasy town of myth, legend, and chicanery. Tempus has gone north, leaving the town of thieves in the hands of Critias, his executive officer. Crit's problems are many, including Kama. These two have history, which I'll leave you to read for yourself. 
Kama, a female warrior and bard, steals this story even from the wonderful cast of Sacred Band characters around her. You'll adore her; she'll make you laugh and may even make you weep. 
This canonical story from the bestselling Thieves' World series takes you on a tour through the darkest passions of castaways and left-behinds. And more: what happens in this story is critical to the grand novel, The Sacred Band, which comes after, if you're reading the stories in order. You can read this story alone, or in company with its ground-breaking companions, and get a good idea why this tale is from a million-copy selling series.
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Excerpt from Portrait of Our Marriage by Martha Emms - A Memoir of Love, Family, the Internet, and Obsession

CHAPTER SIXTEEN2005 Back To Reality
Excerpt:
Looking up from the photo display device I realized I'd spent most of my day reliving the past through pictures. I still had at least two more hours before Brea would be home, so after some brief stretching I sat back down and continued viewing. I'd just finished seeing some shots of Jessie when some old pictures that I had taken of Beth from high school popped up on the screen. I really had to wonder how Brett had found these particular ones. He must have gone through my old boxes that were stored in the attic. I was astonished that he'd take on such a huge endeavor to impress me when lately he'd showed little regard for my feelings. Recounting our life through pictures made me aware of changes we'd gone through, reaffirming my love and disappointment. As another picture filled the screen I wondered how the stories played out in Brett's memories and what if anything he'd learned from creating this portrait of our marriage. I spoke to Beth and arranged to meet her at the beach the following morning. With her keen sense of perception and knowing me all these years, she must have known that something was up, especially since I had asked her to go for a walk instead of our usual run. Somewhere between the time that I openly discussed Brett's infatuation with porn magazines and when he became obsessed with online porn, I began to keep things from her. I realize now that I had begun to isolate myself from many of my friends. I thought if I complained to Beth about Brett, she too would look at Brett differently, maybe even say something to him or others. The word would get out and it would become apparent to others, as well as Brett. I couldn't deal with that. Despite my ambivalence and the shame I felt over his actions he was a good man and I still loved him. I can't explain why, after everything, that it was okay for me to be critical of him yet I couldn't bear it if my friends were. I heard Brea enter the kitchen and was brought back to reality. Brea set her backpack down on the bar stool next to me and leaned on the counter.I exchanged looks, from her to the clock on the wall, it was only one-thirty in the afternoon and Brea should still be in school. Acknowledging the questioning look on my face she explained."Hey, Mom, it's an early out today, I forgot to tell you the teachers have a meeting this afternoon. So I have time if you want to make me something to eat. Hint, hint.""Ah, you crave sustenance?""Where'd you get that from?" Brea asked, pointing to the digital picture frame that at the moment was displaying a picture of Beth doing a cartwheel. I remembered how many months of practice it took for her to finally accomplish that feat in an actual vertical position."It's from your dad," I said as I got up, proceeding to fix an omelet for her. "Go ahead press the button."Brea pressed a button and pictures of Brett and me popped up on the screen. We were dancing. Beth and Zack were in some of the pictures too. "Oh my gosh, Dad's got a mustache and look at that white suit he's in! He looks so funny. I didn't know you guys used to go dancing.""There's a lot you don't know about your dad and me."……Some of the displayed pictures had music attached to them and we heard "Stayin' Alive" from Saturday Night Fever. We were much younger, looking all disco. The timer went off, ringing me back to the present. After sliding the omelet easily onto a plate, folding it, and adding cheese, I placed the dish in front of Brea, who already had a fork in hand. I pushed a button to show a different set of pictures while Brea ate heartily. Brett and I were dressed in 50s attire. I wore super tight black pants that looked like they were painted on and spiked high heels, while Brett was wearing a white t-shirt, Levi's and a black leather jacket. Memories flashed before me and I remembered dancing to "You're the One that I Want" from Grease. "Those, my dear, are pictures from our John Travolta years." "You mean that guy who dressed up like a woman in '" Hairspray'"?" she asked. "Well yes, he was in a TV series too, but he's done a lot more than that. Saturday Night Fever, Grease . . ." "I remember Grease but I don't remember seeing him on TV." "He used to sing and dance, ride the bull?" Perplexed that there was no excited awareness in her expression, I added, "He was in those movies you kids used to love to watch, the 'Look Who's Talking' movies." Finally, her expression brightened, "Okay, now I remember, he's the pilot guy." "Yeah, the pilot guy," I said, and pushed another button so a different set of pictures came up. In these Brett and I were in western attire. There were some more shots of us dancing and then some of Brett. "Dad was so cool. Oh my God, Mom, you've got blonde hair. Look at how skinny you were and what's with the cowboy hats?" "Well this was after Urban Cowboy came out, another John Travolta movie." Flashing back in the past was a picture of a much younger Brett riding a mechanical bull. Tom, Allie, Beth, and Zack had all watched and cheered him on. "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" was playing in the background. Just then, Brett entered the kitchen, went to the refrigerator, and grabbed a can of beer. "You guys used to be so cool. What happened, Mom ?" Brea said, putting her empty plate in the sink and rinsing it off. Brett undid his tie and said, "What happened was you kids. Having kids changes everything." He came up behind me, gave me a brief hug and quick peck on the cheek. "So what do you think?" he asked me, indicating the frame. Brea was looking at a group of pictures of her and her brother when they were much younger. "Nice job with the pictures, Dad. You look funny in a mustache," she snickered. "You're home early," I said. "You did a nice job putting this all together and that's a nice collection from our John Travolta years. Brea was just enjoying pictures of us in earlier times." Brett laughed. "Those were some fun times. Your mom could do a mean two-step." "And your dad could ride a mean bull," I added. "Still can." "Dad, it wasn't a real bull," Brea teased.“No, but the guy at the controls had a mean streak and horns,” he said laughing.Giggling, Brea responded, “You’re such a liar. He did not have horns.”“Aw, it used to be so much fun when you were little and believed everything I said,” Brett said.“Dad, I haven’t bought everything you’ve said for years now.But it does look like you and Mom used to have a lot of fun”“We did,” I interjected. “We used to have parties where we’d hire dance instructors to come to the house. Everyone would chip in to pay for lessons and the instructor would work with each of the couples. It was so much fun.”“Yeah, and everyone would bring a dish for a potluck,” saidBrett. “Your mom would organize these parties, sometimes using movie themes for the menu. Good memories, huh hon?” He stepped forward holding his arms out to embrace me.Brea reached across the counter and grabbed the envelope she saw laying there, pulled out the card with roses and birds on it, and read what was inside.“What the heck!” she exclaimed. “What does this mean, don’t give up on us and why does Dad need you, Mom?”Brett gently tried to take the card from her but she moved away from him waving it in the air. “It’s nothing, hon,” he said.Standing in front of me she held the card up and asked, “Mom?”“It’s nothing,” I looked away from her, “it’s like your dad said.”Doubtful, Brea re-asked, “Mom?”Brett moved in between us. “So how was your day today,Princess?” he interjected.“Dad, trying to change the subject isn’t going to work. I’m not a child,” she said firmly. “Now what does this mean, Mom? Why are you giving up on Dad?”I was tired of hiding our discord and contemplated if it was time and it was. “You’re right, Brea, you’re not a child and you are old enough to know what’s going on. Parents are . . . we’re just people. And we go through difficult  ……”

Blurb:
A fictional memoir about a couples life and todays addiction.The main character, Nicky, embarks on a journey to find herself and become her own person despite a strict, domineering father, and often emotionally and physically distant husband.Reminiscing events from her life, she looks at pictures from her past. Remembering the romance and passion of falling in love, getting married, and having a family.After years of marriage Nicky finds herself struggling to save her relationship. Questioning her own beliefs against what the media promotes as acceptable, she pushes herself often going overboard, past her comfort zone to keep her man.Her husband’s escalating interest in pornography has become an obsession that affects both their marriage and family.This story takes you through a whirlwind of emotions. The struggle and choices made brings Nicky to a point where she must ultimately decide, when is love not enough.This book was inspired by an episode from The Oprah Show, dreams, research, and intimate information from 8 women.An adult read about pornography addiction but not pornographic.
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About the Author:
Barbie Herrera writes under the pen name, Martha Emms, to honor both her mom and aunt who each suffered from brain tumors. Her mom, Martha, wanted her to be a writer and to write from her heart. While her Aunt Emma wanted her to write and stir the pot. Raised in a military family, she has traveled and lived in different states and countries. A coma survivor she believes in the power of God and prayer. Causes close to her heart include- proper labeling of our food, the safety and care of our military and their families, child/adult literacy volunteer programs, spay/neuter pet projects, pet rescues, and women's issues.

AUTHOR LINKS:Check out the story behind the story of PORTRAIT OF OUR MARRIAGE @ http://marthaemms.blogspot.gr/p/guest.htmlFB Martha Emms Author pg  http://www.facebook.com/martha.emms FB PORTRAIT OF OUR MARRIAGE Book pg https://www.facebook.com/PornAddictionInAStoryMartha Emms Cognitive Dreamer Blog  http://marthaemms.blogspot.comPinterest  http://www.pinterest.com/barbiesway1/portrait-of-our-marriage/Google+  https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarthaEmms/posts Twitter  https://twitter.com/barbiesway

My Review of the exciting and brilliant, action-packed erotic thriller French Kiss by Sabrina Devonshire

Angel Sefer's Reviews > French KissFrench Kiss (Navy SEALs of Valor Book 3) 
by Sabrina Devonshire (Goodreads Author) 

Angel Sefer's review 
May 08, 15  ·  edit

5 of 5 stars
An exciting and brilliant, action-packed erotic thriller!

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Amalfi Affair and Czech Mate—the first two books in the Navy Seals of Valor—I couldn’t wait to get my hands on French Kiss.

Navy SEAL Karl Patterson is on an assignment to Paris to raid the terrorist hideout of the “Red Queen”. However, all hell breaks loose, and journalist Jamie Phillips gets caught in the middle of it and her life is threatened. Saved by Karl, she helps him with valuable information.

Like the first two books, French Kiss is thrilling and action packed, and the attraction between Karl and Jamie is sizzling hot.
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Read an excerpt of French Kiss