Angel Sefer's Blog, page 35

Excerpt from the refreshing romance Moment by Moment by Laura Taylor

Excerpt:
MOMENT BY MOMENT Chapter 1
Michael Cassidy made his way along the ribbon of sand that edged the Southern California coastline with a single-minded focus typical of his personality. He ignored the waves that surged against the shore to flirt with the tips of his crutches. He no longer heard the lone gull that screeched overhead. And if he noticed the setting sun - an electric-pink sphere - his angular features failed to reveal even the faintest acknowledgement of its existence.Other than an occasional blink to dislodge the beads of sweat that trickled into his eyes, Michael’s gaze remained fixed. He labored forward without a thought to the curious image he presented to residents of the cottages, condos, and multi-million-dollar compounds that lined this particular stretch of beach.Working past the pain of protesting muscles, he gripped the handles of his crutches and used his uninjured leg like a rudder. He drove himself at a relentless pace until he finally ran out of hard-packed sand. Once he circled the huge boulder at the foot of the Torrey Pines cliffs, he undertook the return two-mile journey to Seagrove Park.Sweat spiked his short-cropped, dark auburn hair, streaked his tanned skin, and saturated the running shorts and faded USC Film School T-shirt he wore. The muscle ticking high in his left cheek and his gritted teeth hinted at the cost of his exertion, but he refused to admit to himself that six weeks spent babying a badly torn Achilles tendon had done little more than remind him that his forty-year-old body – even if it was the well-maintained body of a former triathlete – needed time to mend.He’d spent the previous week testing his endurance with shorter trips up and down the beach. This jaunt represented his toughest workout so far. He found himself functioning on raw nerves by the time he spotted the beachfront park. Once there, he halted, struggling momentarily to maintain his balance. He gulped oxygen, sucking it into his burning lungs as fast as he could manage the task.Michael savored each and every stroke of the cool breeze that washed over his skin. The setting sun finally captured and held his attention. It also brought to mind a documentary film he’d directed at a West African orphanage in the early years of his career. The sunsets he’d witnessed during that particular shoot had been nothing short of miraculous. Not until now, he realized, had anything so dramatic rivaled Mother Nature at her most splendid.He frowned suddenly, his appreciation of the breathtaking view displaced in the space of a single heartbeat by the sight of a raven-haired woman. Clad in an unadorned white tank-style bathing suit, she emerged slowly from the advancing tide. He froze, immobilized by what he saw.Was she the product of some endorphin-induced fantasy caused by too much exercise?He blinked, and then he refocused.She didn’t disappear. Instead, she moved steadily toward him, slicking her shoulder-length hair back from her face, then smoothing the moisture from her eyes and cheeks with the tips of her fingers.He watched her fight to maintain her footing when an incoming wave crashed into her. She smiled suddenly, her expression a mixture of pleasure and triumph when she succeeded in remaining upright.Michael felt the air leave his lungs. The muscles that mapped his torso and long limbs quivered. Heat flooded his bloodstream, transforming it into rivers of flame. He realized then that she was the most magnificently seductive sight he’d seen in too many years to count.Like most strong men, Michael exerted an extraordinary amount of control over himself - both personally and professionally. He exercised that control now, employing it with a level of ruthlessness not at all foreign to his nature. He didn’t want to frighten this woman, nor did he want to lose her now that he’d found her.Rocked by his final thought, Michael Cassidy stopped thinking altogether and simply indulged his senses.

Blurb:
ROMANTIC TIMES Book Reviews says of MOMENT BY MOMENT ... "Laura Taylor explores the risks of love with sensitive precision. A chance meeting on a California beach between a soul-weary documentary filmmaker and a beautiful former cop leads first to friendship and then to something much deeper. But can these two people overcome bitter lessons of the past to build a lasting relationship? Ms. Taylor’s superb characterization and haunting ambiance will leave a lasting impression on your heart.”
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About the Author:
LAURA TAYLOR is a multiple award-winning romance writer with over a million books in print. More than a half million digital editions of her books have already been downloaded by eBook readers. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her writing, including 6 Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement, Reviewer's Choice, and Career Achievement Awards, 2 MAGGIE AWARDS from GRW/RWA, 2 Golden Heart Finalist Awards (RWA), a RWA RITA Finalist Award, and a Golden Rose Award from the Gold Coast Chapter of RWA.eBooks currently available: DESERT ROSE (Warrior Series Bk. 1), MIDNIGHT STORM (Warrior Series Bk. 2), HEARTBREAKER (Warrior Series Bk. 3), MORE THAN FRIENDS (Warrior Series Bk. 4), FALLEN ANGEL, WILDER'S WOMAN, WARRIOR SERIES Boxed Set (Military Romances - 4 Complete Novels), MOMENT BY MOMENT, THE CHRISTMAS GIFT, ANTICIPATION, SEDUCTION (Book #1 - Love at the Beach), SURRENDER (Book #2 - Love at the Beach), SUBLIME (Book #3 - Love at the Beach), and LOVE AT THE BEACH Boxed Set (Volume One - 3 Complete Novels). Laura TaylorAmazon Bestselling Romance WriterBlog:        ​ ​ http://laurataylorromancewriter.blogspot.com/Twitter:    ​ ​ http://www.twitter.com/AuthorLTaylor
Facebook: ​ ​ https://www.facebook.com/LauraTaylorRomanceWriter?ref=hl​Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laurataylor5030/TSU:        ​http://www.tsu.co/LauraTaylor

My Review of the brilliant, dynamic, and touching psychological / medical thriller The Healer by Christoph Fischer

5 A brilliant, dynamic, and touching psychological / medical thriller
ByAngelon March 30, 2015
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I read an excerpt of this book and wow... I just had to buy it. I devoured page after page, feeling absorbed by the power of the characters’ emotions and magnificent descriptions of their thoughts and state of mind. It's a great achievement to be able to so accurately portrait those thoughts and feelings. And I say accurately because, unfortunately, I’ve lived through those same thoughts and state of mind, having lost a loved one to this dreadful disease. I could relate to Erica’s anger, fear, agony, and desperate attempt to hold on to our most precious “procession”: our health.

This novel was powerful, to say the least, not to mention the brilliant twist in the end!
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Excerpt from Mystery Romance & Suspense Bestseller Deadly Secrets by Angel Sefer

Excerpt:

They lost track of time, and when they finally left the cave, they were surprised to see the sky covered with heavy clouds. Alex was alarmed and told Helena they had to hurry up. That's when they heard the first thunder. They put their clothes on in a hurry, picked up their stuff and carried it to the boat.When they left the cove, the wind was blowing hard. The speedboat was rocking pretty badly. Helena felt sick to her stomach. She sat in the back, holding on tightly to her seat. Alex was fighting the wind and the waves. He was trying hard to keep the boat away from the rocks—they were too close to the rocks of the beach, but the howling wind wouldn’t let them get farther out. She wanted to help, but she didn’t know how. She knew nothing about boats.It seemed they were at the same place forever. The wind got stronger, and it was raining hard now. Helena was freezing, soaked to the bone. She was really scared… she should have listened to Martha. She knew they would be worried about her, but nobody could come to their rescue until morning."We have to go back," Alex yielded. "There’s no way we can make it in this weather. We’ll go back and find shelter in the cave for the night."Helena knew he was right. Then again, she hated the thought of spending the night in the wet and cold cave with no supplies or dry clothes. She knew she would be sick by next morning, but better sick than dead. So she had to agree with Alex to go back. After all, what choice did they have?Alex was trying to turn the boat around. All of a sudden, they crushed into the rocks. The boat rocked violently. Helena lost her balance and found herself in the water. When the initial shock was over, she started fighting for her life. The waves were pulling her under, and she couldn’t breathe…Something hit her on the back, and she screamed. It was a piece of wood from the boat. She was already tired, so she desperately grabbed hold of it. She tried to float on it to rest her aching legs and arms. She had to find Alex.She called out for him and looked around. She could see other parts of the boat floating, but Alex was nowhere to be found. She called out his name one more time, and she thought she heard something to her right. She started swimming towards there as fast as she could. She finally saw him, floating a few feet away from her. Like her, he was holding on to a piece of wood from the boat. She got near him and saw he was in worse shape than her. There was blood on his forehead; he must have hit it when the boat crushed into the rocks."We have to make it to the beach," Helena yelled, in order to be heard over the howling of the wind."You go ahead,” Alex said. "I can't make it. I’m too tired already.""I’ll help you," Helena yelled at him, trying to sound reassuring."No!" he yelled back. "You go ahead. You’ll never make it with me."Helena wasn’t listening. She grabbed hold of the piece of wood he was holding on and started kicking her legs towards the beach. She was exhausted and aching all over, but she wasn’t about to give up. I have to help him. I just can’t leave him behind. She tried as hard as she could, but she couldn’t make it far. The wind and the waves were working against her. Her arms were numb. She could no longer even feel the wood beneath her skin. Her grip was weakening, and she’d kicked for so long, fighting the waves, that her legs barely rippled the water with their movements. She realized, alarmed, that the fortune teller had been right. I’m going to die.The water felt so cold now, and after it closed over her face, she shut her eyes. Despite her desire to fight, her body could no longer resist the fury of the storm. Her lungs burned fiercely as she sank farther. Dots blurred her vision, but she could see her mother’s figure submerged just beyond arm’s reach. Erin was so beautiful, surrounded by a brilliant light that shone through the darkness. Mommy, Helena inwardly screamed, struggling earnestly to touch her mother’s extended hand…Just as she made contact, the vision gripped her wrist and pulled her upwards. Terror shot through her as she remembered that her mother was dead, not in the sea with her. Surely not a shark! As her face breached the surface, she inhaled sharply and tried to yank her hand away from whatever had caught her, fighting with a well-spring of strength she didn’t know she had."Helena, it's me! Stop fighting!" She was astonished to hear his voice. She couldn’t believe her ears. It was Dimitris.She hadn’t seen a boat approaching; she hadn’t heard anything either. Then again, how could she hear anything with the wind howling like this? She wrapped her arms around him and let him drag her to the boat. There, he climbed on and helped her aboard."Alex!" she shouted, and he dove back in the water. A few minutes later, he came back, dragging Alex onto the boat."There are some dry clothes downstairs," Dimitris yelled as he knelt over Alex, who was coughing violently and spitting water. Helena stood there, reluctant. "I said go downstairs; he’s all right," Dimitris shouted again, trying to be heard over the howling of the wind.Helena didn’t wait any longer; she ran downstairs and took her wet clothes off. She rubbed herself with a towel she found and put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. They fitted her pretty well. They must be Sophie's, she thought, as she and Sophie were about the same size. Feeling a little bit warmer, she sat down on the bed. The boat was rocking violently, and the wind was blowing hard, but Helena felt safe. The thunderstorm was strong, but not as strong as that man up there on the deck.

Blurb:
A quest for truth... Helena was only eight when her father disappeared, and her life was shattered. Thirteen years later, she returns to her birthplace--the Greek island of Mykonos--on a quest to learn the truth about her father. Eerie warnings from her late mother and prophecies hidden in her grandmother's diary compel Helena to delve into her family's mysterious past. But well-buried secrets and a hidden mastermind plotting revenge create a deadly combination that could destroy Helena's life.

A powerful and seductive man... Upon discovering that the seductive Captain Dimitris Nikolaou has taken everything once belonging to her father, Helena is devastated; but in spite of his treachery, she is drawn to him like no other. As danger and passion collide, Helena realizes that nothing is what it seems.

Keeping a promise can be fatal...Despite her desire for the irresistible captain, Helena is wary of his insistence to keep the promise he'd made to her father--the promise to marry her. Dimitris wants this feisty enchantress, and he's used to getting what he wants. Making Helena his wife isn't about the promise anymore--he wants her...and he's willing to put his heart and his life at risk to keep her in his arms forever. 
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About the Author: Angel Sefer was born in Athens, Greece, and has studied and worked on both sides of the Atlantic. She holds a degree in Economics and divides her time between the corporate world and her true passion: reading and writing mystery romance novels,full of heart-racing action, suspense, twists and turns, and breathtaking romance.

Angel is an award-winning, bestselling author, a blogger, and a member of ASMSG, WLC, and several other writers groups.
She lives in Athens, Greece, with the two loves of her life—her son and her husband.

Links for Angel Sefer:
Website:  http://www.angelsefer.com

Blog:  http://www.angelsefer.blogspot.com
Facebook:  http://on.fb.me/Vq75eu
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AngelSefer
Google+ Page:  http://bit.ly/1xau2CE
Google+:  http://bit.ly/13Fa6aU
Amazon Author’s page:  http://author.to/AngelSefer
Goodreads Profile:  http://bit.ly/15ePyoE
E-mail:  angelsefer@ymail.com

Excerpt from the touching psychological / medical thriller The Healer by Christoph Fischer

Excerpt:
Chapter 1
The tired, small hatchback hit a rock next to the edge of the road and came to an unexpected and abrupt stop. Erica had not seen the bulky thing hidden underneath the uncut grass. She switched off the engine and got out. There seemed no significant damage to her old banger but she couldn’t care less right now, to be honest, and decided she would leave it parked here anyway. She must be close.Quite frankly, she considered herself lucky to have made it this far; the roads had been bumpy and her car was in a dire condition, too. It wouldn’t be much longer before it would have to be scrapped. Living in London she rarely needed it and had often been tempted to sell it anyway. This was deepest Wales, the countryside - something that the Londoner in her had not seen for years and certainly hadn’t missed. Poor phone reception, miles to the nearest supermarket with its supplies of cigarettes and bubbly: that’s what the countryside meant to her. She guessed the car was sufficiently off the road and out of the way. Who would come here, anyway? It was unlikely that two cars would find this remote corner of Wales at the same time, she reckoned. Erica looked around: not a living soul in sight, no houses or vehicles; she was totally off the beaten track. She could see no significant landmarks; all views were blocked by large trees and hedges. It was drizzling a little and although it was past lunchtime, there was mist that reminded her of early mornings. The wind had made the spring temperatures drop more than she had anticipated and she was chilly in her inadequate city clothing.She searched her purse for the map, which her assistant Hilda had drawn for her. It seemed as if she was in the right place; there was the small path at the foot of the hill, and the two opposing gates leading to fields with horses and sheep. Since leaving her nearby B&B, all the road junctions she had come to had been easy to recognise and here was the little shoulder by the side of the road, where Hilda had recommended she should park the car. She assured herself once more that it was the right path and then she psyched herself up for the walk up the steep hill. The tricky part, Hilda had explained, was finding the hidden gate, which would lead her to the man himself. However, Hilda didn’t have pancreatic cancer and was not recovering from a course of chemo and so she had no idea how difficult it would be for Erica to walk up that hill. It seemed by no means the easy climb her assistant had called it. For all her recent goodness, that woman could drive her mad.Erica looked at herself in the outside mirror of her car before getting ready to face the man. Her hair had not fallen out from the chemo but it had turned grey and made her look much older than she was. There were still crow’s feet and wrinkles despite being facially bloated – it really wasn’t fair; the worst of both worlds. People used to think of Erica as at least five years younger than she actually was, but now people thought she was five years older. Overnight it seemed, she had aged from 40 to 50 but given her current situation she would be lucky to reach 45. Additionally, she had lost a lot of weight, despite the effect that the steroids had had on her. With her mere 5’ 4’’ frame, she looked tiny and felt thin and weak. Only this man might be able to improve her chances and she desperately hoped the trip here would be worth it. If the man really was who Hilda thought, there was a slight chance for her. If she could make him speak to her, then she was sure she could persuade him to help - if he still possessed those powers. There suddenly seemed a lot of ifs. She locked the car and began the climb up the tree-covered hill. Her trainers slid on the moist moss, her jeans too tight for some of the big steps she had to take. There was only a tiny trodden path, which seemed easy to lose sight of, curving its way upwardly through the trees. She was glad she had the map. Hilda deserved an award for organising this; if Erica ever made it back to her position at work she would make sure to find a way of compensating her, if she had anything left after she had paid the man.Her assistant had come here a few days ago and had scouted the place out in the manner of a gifted detective. Hilda had been an angel the last few months with an uncalled for loyalty and devotion which Erica felt she didn’t deserve. Erica cringed when she thought of the numerous times she had blown a fuse in the office and let out her life’s frustrations on this woman: she had complained about the coffee being too milky, the memos being too floral or the diary too busy. If only she had known how her life would play out, she would have made many decisions in different ways and definitely would have treated Hilda with more respect and humanity. Well, it was too late for regrets, she could only hope to make it right in the future, if she had one. For now it was time to keep going and move forward and rescue whatever she could. A chicken wire ran parallel to the path, then some strong wooden fence panels replaced it that were so thickly overgrown with ivy that Erica would have missed seeing the gate itself, had it not been for the directions on the map. To her surprise the gate was unlocked. A dog barked and howled from afar but it stayed at a safe distance. The noise was not very aggressive anyway and her guess was that this was a companion rather than a guard dog; a further indication that she was at the right place. She doubted that this spiritual guru called Arpan would have aggressive attack dogs around for protection: that would not be the style of someone so ostentatiously non-violent and serious. What she remembered about the man was admittedly extremely vague and distorted by what Hilda had told her. He had made some headlines a long time ago and at the time, Erica had often seen his picture; if only she had paid more attention to current affairs. Her personal circumstances at the time had kept her pre-occupied and now she was unsure how the press had handled him. Hilda was of the opinion that this was a good thing, since Erica should meet him and find out for herself anyway. Arpan would probably not like to give such an unfavourable impression; Erica thought she remembered him as being very image orientated. He’d either maintain a soft and gentle outward image or would be far too cocky and confident; since the beginning of mankind, gurus had behaved as if they were invincible.She reminded herself that she had to keep an open mind about this and that it was better to think the best of the man. After all, she had nothing more to lose. Erica had to navigate between some very overgrown bushes until she came to a small clearing at last. A dome structure was at the other end of the clearing, made of wood and concrete and what looked like parts of camping tents. Solar panels, vegetable beds and free range animals populated the clearing: goats, chicken and sheep. She should have expected that. Green and new age living, she supposed.“Arpan?” she called out. “Hello?”An Alsatian came jumping out of the dome full of excitement and began to sniff and lick Erica’s hand. He did not look like a puppy but he certainly behaved like one. She knelt down to stroke him gently. The dog wagged his tail excitedly and lay down on the ground, inviting her to rub his belly, and Erica happily obliged. What a happy little dog. She’d forgot how much fun dogs could be.“Ashank, come back here!” a male voice called from inside the dome. “Come here!”“Arpan?” Erica repeated shyly. “Hello, is that you, Arpan? I need to speak to you… please.”A young man, maybe 20 years old, slim, spotty and dressed in baggy, red and pink clothes, came briefly out of the dome and called the dog back. Ashank rolled on his side, jumped up and ran to his master. Before Erica could engage with him, the man had zipped the entrance to the dome shut. From what she had seen, his was not the voice she had heard, Erica was sure of it. The person who had called the dog from inside the tent sounded mature and older, much more like that of the Arpan she had heard about. Exactly how she had imagined him to be.“I need to speak to you, Arpan. It’s urgent,” Erica called out again, unsure how best to proceed. She wished he would come out of the dome, so she could read his body language and figure out how to best ‘work’ him. Years in the advertising business had taught her how to handle these situations and she prided herself for her skills in that department. Him not coming out of the dwelling was its own kind of body language and dictated the rules of engagement; she would have to change them, break him down and transform this into a more intimate conversation.“Go away. You’re in the wrong place,” the voice called out, sounding tired and slightly annoyed.“Arpan, I need your help. Please talk to me!” she pleaded. “Hear me out. A few minutes of your time is all I ask of you. Please listen, and then I will go away.”“Who are you anyway?” the man asked, still not showing himself, but she thought she had seen a piece of the tent move. Perhaps he had seen her now and in her current fragile state that had to work in her favour.  She looked positively ill and maybe this would appeal to his charitable side. To have done all the good things that he did in youth, he had to have some feelings and a heart. Even if he was a changed man now – as the abrupt stop to his healing practice implied - there had to be a little of his old self beneath the icy exterior, and she would try her damnedest to get to it.“I’m very ill. You are my only hope now,” she said calmly, eager not to overplay for sympathy.“As I said: you’ve come to the wrong place,” was the curt reply. “I can’t help you.”“You have a gift, Arpan, I know you do. And I know you cannot let me die like this. You have a good heart, don’t you? They once said that you were an ‘Offering’ to the world, that is the meaning of your name Arpan, isn’t it? Even if you hide yourself away now, you have a responsibility to the world to share this gift. Save me, please!”“I have responsibilities alright, but they are not to you or anybody else out there,” Arpan replied in the manner of a sulky child. “You need to leave now.”“I beg you,” Erica said, and sank to her knees. The sudden plunge hurt not only her knees but every other of her joints too. The muddy floor drenched her jeans, but she hardly cared.“You seem familiar. You’re not some journalist, are you? What did you say your name was?”“Maria Miller,” Erica lied. “So you really are Arpan,” she added relieved and hopeful. She had found the right man, or rather, her assistant Hilda had. If she were religious, she would bless the Lord.“I said no such thing,” the man shouted back angrily. “I call myself Amesh. A different name altogether, a different man and a different life. One more suited to me. Please get up and leave.”

Blurb:
When advertising executive Erica Whittaker is diagnosed with terminal cancer, western medicine fails her. The only hope left for her to survive is controversial healer Arpan. She locates the man whose touch could heal her but finds he has retired from the limelight and refuses to treat her. Erica, consumed by stage four pancreatic cancer, is desperate and desperate people are no longer logical nor are they willing to take no for an answer. Arpan has retired for good reasons. casting more than the shadow of a doubt over his abilities. So begins a journey that will challenge them both as the past threatens to catch up with him as much as with her. Can he really heal her? Can she trust him with her life? And will they both achieve what they set out to do before running out of time?
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About the Author:
Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small hamlet, not far from Bath. He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family. Christoph worked for the British Film Institute, in Libraries, Museums and for an airline. ‘The Luck of The Weissensteiners’ was published in November 2012; ‘Sebastian’ in May 2013 and The Black Eagle Inn in October 2013. “Time To Let Go” , his first contemporary work was published in May 2014, and “Conditions” in October 2014. His medical thriller “The Healer” was released in January 2015.

Website: http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/
Blog: http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171.Christoph_Fischer
Amazon: http://ow.ly/BtveY
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CFFBooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/christophffisch/
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Excerpt from the African American novel Home by Adrienne Thompson

Excerpt:Once I got used to the smell of my mama’s and daddy's house again, I was able to fall into a pretty restful sleep. It always smelled like a combination of moth balls and chicken grease in that house. At one time, the smell was a comfort to me. Now it just reminded me of a time long gone. My mama hadn't been able to safely cook in years, and Daddy was from the old school. As far as he was concerned, any man that could cook anything other than ribs on a grill was a sissy. I learned to cook out of necessity since any relationship I ever had never lasted, and I'd never been married. But Mama didn't teach me; she wasn't allowed to. I had to learn on my own. I supposed that one of the aides who took care of Mama did the cooking around this place now. Either them or Aunt Erma. But knowing how she felt about my daddy, that wasn’t too likely.Around five the next morning, a damn rooster woke me out of my sleep. Daddy didn't have a rooster or a hen for that matter, so I knew it had to belong to the folks that lived behind our house in a little shack my daddy rented out. I sat up on the side of the twin bed I’d slept in as a boy, frustrated and sleepy, and stretched. Then I walked the three steps from my room to the only bathroom in the small house and damn near jumped out of my skin. There, sitting on the toilet, was my daddy.“Daddy! You scared me! When did you get here?”“How the hell I’m gon’ scare you in my own house, sitting on my own toilet? When you get here anyway?”Daddy had the bathroom lit up. I held my breath as I backed out of the doorway. “I’ll wait until you get finished.”“Might be a while. Been eating a lot of pork lately. Got my bowels locked the hell up.” He emphasized his statement with a painful sounding grunt.I thought to myself that it smelled like his bowels had definitely broken out of jail. I nodded, closed the door, and walked through the kitchen and out the back door. My bladder wasn’t going to let me wait until he finished unlocking his bowels. I faced the back of the house and relieved myself. I stepped back into the kitchen and looked around, hoping against hope that my folks had a coffeemaker when I knew better. They didn’t have a microwave, either, or even a tea pot. So I had to boil water in a sauce pan. I guess I should’ve been glad they at least had a jar of coffee in the cabinet, even though it looked like it was older than me.I had just sat down to drink my coffee when Daddy walked into the kitchen wearing a dingy white t-shirt and faded, striped boxers. One look at my daddy and anyone could see why he was so popular with the women. Even at seventy-something, he still had the same smooth, ruddy skin, gray eyes, wavy black hair, and bone structure that made most women swoon. The story had always been that my daddy’s daddy’s daddy was a full-blooded Quapaw Indian. My grandfather could never confirm this fact, because he never knew his father. But looking at my daddy and the chiseled features I’d inherited from him, I believed the story was pretty close to the truth.Daddy sat down at the table with a grunt and a sigh.“Where you been, Daddy?” I asked.He looked at me for a second. “Here and there.”“Mama’s sick. She’s in the hospital.”“Yeah, I figured something like that was going on when I saw her bed empty. Plus, you here. You don’t come around no more lessin’ it’s something going on.”I nodded.I sat there and looked at him and waited for him to show an ounce of concern for the woman who’d borne him two children and had been his wife for the past forty-some-odd years. I waited for him to ask about her or something. But he just sat there, grinding his teeth and scratching his head. “Any more hot water? I think I’ma make me some coffee,” he finally said.He didn’t wait for me to answer. He stood from his chair with another grunt and checked the pot for himself. Then he pulled a coffee mug from the cabinet and started noisily making himself a cup of coffee, huffing and puffing and grunting the whole time. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. My face was heating up, but I was determined to keep my composure. Daddy wasn’t going to make me lose my cool. Not this time.“She got ahold of a bottle of laxatives and took all of them,” I said.“Umph,” he grunted. “She always gettin’ into something.”I took another deep breath. “Yeah, um, the doctor’s talking about sending her home this afternoon.”“Umph.”He sat back down across from me and loudly slurped his coffee. So we sat there in silence except for his slurps.Slurp…Slurp…Slurp…Finally, I stood from the table. “I’ma go take a shower so I can head on up to the hospital to check on Mama. You wanna ride with me?”Slurp.“Naw, you go ‘head on. I’ll see her when she come home.” Slurp…I sighed. “All right, then, Daddy.”

Blurb:


For ladies’ man Ivan Spencer, there really is no place like HOME.
A family emergency brings former rapper and current real estate mogul, Ivan Spencer, back to his long-abandoned hometown. While there, he must deal with his confused mother, his elderly, philandering father, his flaky sister, an unreliable aunt, and a face from the past who makes him question some of his earlier decisions. All he wants to do is to get things squared away and return to his life, but as it turns out, he must deal with his own issues first.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adrienne Thompson has worn many titles in her lifetime–from teenage mother to teenage wife to divorcee to registered nurse to author. This mother of two young adults and one teenager currently resides in Arkansas with her daughter where she writes and publishes her stories full time.You can connect with her via:
Website: http://adriennethompsonwrites.webs.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdrienneThompsonWrites    Twitter: https://twitter.com/A_H_Thompson  Instagram: http://instagram.com/ahthompsn/  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5051327.Adrienne_Thompson Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ahthompsn/  Tumblr: http://authoradriennethompson.tumblr.com/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/muusikluvver

Excerpt from Contemporary / Rock Romance Jack Who? by Lisa Gillis

EXCERPT“Hi Gammy!” Tristan sang out, looking beyond the phlebotomist who was packing up the blood vials.Whirling around, Marissa found her mother and watched as she moved in to embrace her grandson. Her parents had been divorced since her childhood, and it was normally a strain to have both of them in the same area. However, they were supportive. Her father showed up just minutes after Tristan was wheeled into the surgical area.Coffee and the comfort of couches down the hall beckoned the rest of them, but Marissa remained in the room, unpacking a stuffed tiger from Tristan’s gear. ‘Tiggy’ was in her hand when Olivia returned less than a minute later.“Want something to eat with your coffee, Rissa?” When Marissa shook her head and moved to the window, her friend persisted, “You coming down to the waiting area?”“How is a paternity test done?” Ignoring the question, Marissa asked her own.Concern darkened Olivia’s normally bright blue eyes. “Don’t think about that right now, okay? You have enough to deal with–”“Is it a blood test?” Clutching the stuffed beast, Marissa persisted.“No, I’m sure it’s a swab test.” Olivia assured and studied the tiger.“Oh.” Relieved, Marissa placed the king of the jungle on the window ledge while answering the original question. “I can’t eat right now.” With reluctance, she trailed Olivia to the family lounge area and sank into a chair, submissively allowing her friend to mix her coffee.Conversations between her best friend and her family commenced while Marissa alternated between staring into her cold coffee and at the wall clock. The surgeon had estimated Tristan to be out of surgery and in recovery within ninety minutes.Her realization of the chatter around her dwindling to a stop was meaningless until she noticed all three heads pointed one direction; six eyes fixated on one common focus.“I’ll be damned!” The swear was just under her father’s breath.Her mother’s lips formed a silent ‘O’.This entire scene played out in less than a few seconds. Sending her gaze along the same geometric plane resulted in a debilitating case of déjà vu.Shocked, yet obsessed, she watched Jack saunter closer and closer.The hood was down on an unzipped jacket that hung over a casual shirt. His raven hair was slicked back into a ponytail, which was mostly hidden, sandwiched between the hoodie and his shirt. A cap jammed onto his head covered most of any remaining hair and shaded his face. Like the day they had met, his long legs were clad in jeans, and prestigious sneakers encased his feet. The stuffed animal drooping in one arm was enormous.Jack had yet to notice his stunned audience. Just before reaching the connecting hall that the large waiting lounge opened into, he paused, resting a hand on the ledge of the nurses’ station.The young woman’s flush was obvious even from a distance, and as she pointed, Jack’s head twisted.A nanosecond later, his dark gaze locked with hers. “You came…” Rising, Marissa crossed to meet Jack just as he hit the large open entry.Her parents and Olivia were still gob smacked, and Jack dipped his head their way in a courteous, yet uneasy, nod.With a slight tip of her own head, she indicated her wish for him to follow. Slowly, she started down the hall, ignoring her mother who lunged from the chair obviously wanting an introduction.Written on her parents’ faces was recognition, not of who he was, but of whohe was. The resemblance to Tristan was strong, especially with his hair pulled back. Factoring in the toy he carried, they had done the math, figuring out he was the missing father of their grandson. Olivia, groupie that she had once been, most probably knew his face from the rock media sources she had once fed on.One foot in front of the other, buffed linoleum tile after tile, the clunk of her ankle boots was matched by the soft-soled squish of his sneakers. They continued this way, only stopping once they were closed inside the hospital room. Earlier, the room seemed vast and empty once Tristan, along with the bed, was rolled out. Now, with Jack’s presence, the walls seemed to close in.Ambling over, he set the ginormous plush toy next to the tiger.“I called you.” His firm words were spoken as he turned, and his eyes met hers gauging her reaction.Cowardly, she could not hold his gaze and instead studiously studied the floor. “You didn’t leave a message.”“I didn’t have a message.”Now she looked up, needing his expression as an aid in this combative exchange. “So why did you call if you had nothing to say?”“I have a lot to say. I said I didn’t have a message. I wanted to talk to you…”“Really? What could we have to talk about?” And then she went further, daring to mock his hurtful words in their one chilly phone conversation. “We were only together once, or was it twice?”“Je–” The sight of innocent plush animals in the window seemed to cut his curse. Possibly, he was counting to ten because in roughly that many seconds later, his eyes bounced back to her face. “I’m sorry about that. About when you called. But when you drop something like that on me out of nowhere! What did you expect?”“I kinda expected most of it! I just didn’t expect to get hung up on like a bill collector!”The words flew from her lips without any thought. When they reverberated in her head, it embarrassed her to the extreme to have used that analogy. He would never understand collectors calling after a stressful workday or the degrading calls interrupting Tristan’s sweet chatter during dinner.“I sure as hell didn’t expect to get re-routed to your lawyer like some stranger!”“You kinda are a stranger…”Until now, she had thought the term ‘seeing red’ was just that. But at this moment, the room seemed to shade with her fury.“Get out!”“Were, I mean. Not are. Were–” Jack hastily attempted to correct the obnoxious answer but epically failed.“Get out!” The scream ringing from the depths of her soul sounded exorcist-like as it reverberated off the walls.Always she had been a strong person through everything thrown at her. Through her less than ideal childhood; through losing her college scholarship; through catching a cheating fiancé in the act; through a pregnancy with a rock star’s child; through the physical problems that child was born with; through cheapening herself by repeatedly looking for some sort of nirvana, which she never knew existed until experiencing it with a man who she could never be with– the same man who had just pushed her to this breaking point.As the mother of his child, she had never felt like a stranger, even while living separate lives. Yet, apparently, she was. Any connection between them beyond a small child was all in her fantasizing mind.“No.” Arms folded over his chest, he stood daring her to say those two words again.“Please go…” It wasn’t her intention, but the plea was dangerously close to a grovel.“I gave you a chance to be more than a stranger and–”“You gave me a chance?” Derisively, she parroted the self-inflated words.“I wanted you to come to LA and you wouldn’t…” His hands fell to his side, but his gaze remained strong and slightly challenging.Truly, she must have cracked, because the hysteria faded, and a quiet calm pervaded her emotions. Imitating his stance of a minute or so ago, she crossed her arms and sent him a smug smile. “Did you? How badly did you want me there?”“Pretty bad.” His admission was hushed and humble, and his eyes held hers.Movement registered in her corner vision, and unwillingly she dragged from his hypnotic brown gaze to the door easing open. Her mother’s head slipped through just before the rest of her. “Marissa, darling, is everything okay?”“Yes, thanks mom.” It was possible her parent had lingered outside the door long enough to hear their raised voices, but more probable, her mother sought an explanation and an introduction. Marissa wanted to turn away pointedly until she left. But, after the initial shock and condemnation of the wild ways that made her an unwed mother, her parents had both stepped up. So, she remained patient with her mother’s nosy nature. “Could you give us a few minutes more?”The door fell shut, and in unspoken agreement, neither she nor Jack picked up the conversation until a safe half-minute passed.“Think about it. How badly would you have wanted me there?” Softly, she repeated the question to make the point.“I thought about it a lot before inviting you, and a lot after you said no…” Comprehension caused his jaw to go slack, and his astonished gaze rested on her face before dropping to her stomach. “You were pregnant then.”“Very.”

BLURBIs the cure for a breakup a hookup?
Marissa Duplei has one mission at the Hang Fest. Pick herself up, dust the ex off, and get dirty with someone else. However, sexy, inked-up, metal-musician Jack Storm is not the average girl’s revenge fling.
A tour bus bang.A one night stand gone awry.A secret to keep at all costs.
Could it all lead to love?

SERIESSix Silver Strings Series:G Strings Set (Available)Jack Who? : Perfect StormsWeathering Jack StormSnow Storms
D Strings Set (Available)Rising SunHalf MoonRock Stars
E Strings SetA Shit Storm (Coming March 13, 2015)
BOOK LINKS
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes / Play Google


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Gillis resides in Texas, with her husband who is the inspiration to her fictional men, her son who is the light of her world, and a spoiled chocolate lab, Bailey.

Writing is a passion and she strives in her books to blend a perfect mixture of fantasy and reality.

Her love for music, bands, and concerts inspired her Silver Strings Series.

When she is not writing those little voices out of her head while listening to music, she is making her own noise on drums or guitar.

Lisa can be contacted on
facebook profile and page:  https://www.facebook.com/lisathedrama...https://www.facebook.com/ligillis
website:
https://www.ligillis.com/
twitter:
@ligillis
And many other social media sites

"I can't change the direction of the wind..." #inspiring #quote

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quo...

Press Release for Angel Sefer

Angel Sefer

Bio
Angel Sefer was born in Athens, Greece, and has studied and worked on both sides of the Atlantic. She holds a degree in Economics and divides her time between the corporate world and her true passion: reading and writing mystery romance novels. Angel lives in Athens with the two loves of her life—her son and her husband.
Reviews/Awards
Spellbound in His Arms – 2014 RONE Award Finalist

"The author deftly interweaves the plot as it twists and turns until the reader fears for the lives of heroes Jackie and Michael. It's a fast paced, suspenseful read, with diabolical villains, an intrepid heroine and a super hot detective!" - InD'tale Magazine (Spellbound in His Arms)


"Set in the Greek Islands, this wicked plot of murder and mayhem creates a stark contrast to the pristine beauty that Angel Sefer describes when she proudly introduces us to her island home... The deadly secrets revealed created a bitter-sweet ending that was quite satisfying." - San Francisco Book Review Magazine (Deadly Secrets)


"This novel was very daring, dashed with forbidden romances and served with a great amount of hatred, revenge, and regrets... Sefer entertains the readers with a series of entanglements that gives the novel a chilly air of suspense. She shocks the readers with the cruelty of the acts of violence that occur within supposedly bold Greek families where pride, tradition, and legacy is revered. The message on forgiveness and maintain strong family bonds despite conflict and tragedy is what really makes the novel spectacular and heartwarming." - San Francisco Book Review Magazine (The Heiress of Santorini)

Relevancy
Angel Sefer was born and raised in Greece but spent many years of her life in the United States. After self-publishing her debut novel, Spellbound in His Arms, her work was brought to the attention of a US publisher, Booktrope. A new version of Spellbound in His Arms was published along with two more titles in the Greek Isles series. The success and potential of Angel's first novel attracted the attention of Amazon and was selected for inclusion in the company's AmazonEncore program. In February 2015, Amazon released a new version of Spellbound in His Arms with the cooperation of Booktrope.

Social Media Links
Angel Sefer's Facebook Author PageOfficial Twitter Account of Angel SeferOfficial Website of Angel Sefer

Press Releases
Greek Author Chosen for Exciting AmazonEncore ProgramAthens Author Makes it to the Finals in the International RONE AwardsAthens Author Gets Book Deal from Booktrope

Excerpt from erotic romance His Hostile Takeover by Fiona Murphy

Excerpt:
Ellie fumbled with the coffee maker and cursed as she splashed coffee over her suit and along the front of her. Instantly, Dmitri was in the tiny kitchenette to see what had happened. She blushed as his eyes roamed over her.“I told you to order down for coffee.”Daring to argue with him was stupid, she knew she would never win but she felt safer when she kept him at a distance with an argument. “There’s a coffee maker right here, it seems silly. But now my suit needs to be cleaned and I don’t have any others that are clean. I sent them down yesterday and they haven’t been delivered back.”“They won’t be returned, I had them thrown away. Change into a pair of jeans and tee shirt for now. We have two hours until our flight is due to leave. I’ll send that down to be cleaned and you can wear it to the meeting we have in Chicago this afternoon. When the meeting is over we’ll go shopping.” He made the announcement as he walked back to the desk set up in the sitting room of the hotel room they had been staying in Miami for the last week.“What? You had them throw my clothes away?! Why would you do something like that? I thought we weren’t leaving until the Hopper deal was done.”Dmitri sipped the remnants of his coffee and ordered down for more coffee before answering her. “Hopper has played his last hand, he’s bluffing and I’m moving on. Your clothes are awful. Do I seem the kind of man to dress in frumpy, baggy and ill-fitting clothes?”“N-No.” She stuttered as she fought for control of her anger.“Then neither will you. You are with me now and when you are seen with me, you are an extension of me.”“I’m not with you! I work for you and that’s all!” His words caused her body to riot, no, she didn’t want this.It was back, that hot glare that had been there in the back of the car that first day. In the week since they had been in Miami she had often felt his eyes roam over her, leaving fire everywhere they touched. Yet, he hadn’t allowed his gaze to get as hot as it had that first day. Four times he had touched her in a week and she could list the time and date and where they were when it happened as every single touch had scorched her skin. Slowly, his eyes melded to her with every step, he came back to her. “You wear the clothes I buy you or you wear nothing at all.”It was a threat and a promise and Ellie wasn’t sure which one thrilled her more. She told herself she didn’t want this but her body ignored her, all she knew was a slow fire began low in her body and she swayed toward him. The knock at the door followed by the announcement of room service pulled her from his spell and she flushed at her reaction to him.“Go get changed so room service can take them.” It was an order and she fled.Dmitri watched Elise go as if she was being chased and he sighed as he was relieved she had finally figured out she was.

Blurb:
Ellie Shaw has been in love with Greg Turner since she first met him at sixteen. It doesn’t matter that now at twenty four he still treats her like a kid sister, Ellie still loves him. So why did her body go haywire when she first met Dmitri Markhoff? Dmitri was taking over the company she had worked so hard to keep going, Ellie wasn’t part of the bargain. Okay, she needed the job as a personal assistant he was offering and it was only for three months. That was more than enough time to save money so that once the three months was up she could support herself while she found another job. When the three months was up she would be back in Alexandria and back near Greg. She loved Greg. Hormones and never having been touched was all that was making her feel the way she did about Dmitri. She was sure of it. Besides all of that, men as gorgeous as Dmitri Markhoff didn’t look twice at women like her, who wore a dress size in the double digits, they went for models that were a size zero. 
Dmitri Markhoff is a ruthless corporate raider and had long given up on soft feelings for women. He enjoyed their bodies and paid for it in diamonds and other trinkets. All he wants is Elise’s lush body that has the kind of curves that should come with a warning sign, love isn’t something he’s looking for. When he figures out that Elise is untouched his body goes into overdrive. Even though he’s aware keeping her is wrong when all he wants is sex, he’s having the hardest time letting her go. 
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
About the Author:Due to commitment issues I have lived in many different cities and my favorite is Chicago but I have managed to settle into Austin and perhaps my commitment issues are behind me. I have enjoyed reading from a very young age and it wasn't long before the children books bored me and I read the books my mother enjoyed Stephen King and Dean Koontz and I didn't sleep without the light on until I was about ten. I came across my first Harlequin by accident and it was love at first read, no one died and happy endings? It was a whole new world and I loved it. I wrote my first story at eight and everyone died, of course. Since then I would like to think I've gotten better and now I'm writing the happily ever afters I first fell in love with, with some hot sex thrown in along the way. 
Check me out online:
My blog, sign up for my newsletter on my blog and once a month a random winner will receive either a free ebook up to $3.99 or a $5.00 Amazon Gift card. You'll also receive info on specials, giveaways, and new releases.http://fionamurphyeroticromance.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fionainamurphy
Email: fionaainamurphy@gmail.com
Twitter: @fionaainamurphy

Cover Reveal Posts for Dark Shadows of the Past

Check out these beautiful Cover Reveal posts for Dark Shadows of the Past by amazing author / blogger friends:



Check out the Cover Reveal post at the blog of author C.E. Black



Check out the Cover Reveal post at the blog of author Christina Mandara

Check out the Cover Reveal post at the blog of author Maer Wilson