C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 158
October 1, 2015
Friday Features Souls Estranged Anne B. Cole
Welcomes
Souls Estranged
By
Anne B. Cole
“She fled to save him from the curse. Now she must flee to save herself.”
Today we have with us our good friend Anne B. Cole sharing about her new book in THE SOULS TRILOGY Souls Estranged.
Back from their adventures in Souls Entwined, Sam Daggett begins a new relationship with Gretta Dobbs, whose memories of their time traveling experience have been erased. Determined to never leave her again, Sam vows to help Gretta, despite the bad luck curse on her heirloom ring. Within hours of their return, tragedy strikes. As Sam becomes the third victim of the bad luck curse, Gretta’s memories of her time spent in the past begin to return. Unable to remember more than snippets, she realizes that anyone close to her is in grave danger. In order to keep Sam and her family safe, she flees in the middle of the night. Finding the perfect summer job in the back hills of Virginia, Gretta unknowingly crosses paths with a serial killer. With guidance from their ancestral spirits, Roxana and Katarina, Sam desperately attempts to find Gretta before the curse strikes again.
The target audience for the book is mature teens through adults who enjoy; suspense, supernatural, time travel, and a touch of sweet romance.
Here is an excerpt from Souls Estranged prologue:
Sunday – Sam
In the dim morning light of the hospital room, Sam Daggett watched the little cat stretch its front paws before zeroing intense green eyes on him.
“Roxana?” He scrutinized the feline for the slightest twitch of recognition.
Nothing.
Doubting Roxana’s spirit remained entwined within the gray and white cat, he moved his focus to Gretta Dobbs. She slept peacefully with her hand nestled in his. Neither of their families had returned to the hospital. Her garnet ring caught his attention and immediately a sense of foreboding crept up his spine.
His heart sped as images of his time traveling, out-of-body adventure with Gretta flashed through his mind. Roxana, Gretta’s long-dead ancestor, enabled their souls to entwine within nineteenth-century lovers in order to gather information on the cursed ring. Pride, determination, and fear filled him.
“I’m so sorry we didn’t find all of the answers we needed,” Sam whispered as he lifted her hand to his lips. He watched her eyes and listened for the beep of the heart monitor to quicken, satisfied she remained in dreamland. “I know you don’t remember our time together or what we’ve been through.”
He shuddered at the memories. His gaze fell back to the ring. Frustration filled him. The urge to rip it off her hand pounded through him, but he remembered she remained cursed with or without the ring.
Control. I must control my emotions.
He refocused his thoughts on the present and relished in the gratitude of simply being in the same room with her.
A soft sigh escaped her lips and she squeezed his hand before slipping into a deeper slumber.
“With you, nothing is impossible.” Careful not to bump his broken collarbone, Sam leaned closer and murmured, inches from her ear, “Brave and beautiful. Ready and willing to face pirates, spirits, and the horrors of the purgatories to end the family curse.” His heart hammered in his chest as memories of seeking treasure, falling in love, and losing it all flashed within his mind.
“I love you, Gretta. I’ll do everything in my power to earn your love.”
Tracing his fingers over the back of her hand, he touched the face of the ring’s oval red stone. He remembered every moment of their time together, while Gretta’s memories had been erased. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t prevent his thoughts from wandering. Concern prickled his skin as he recalled their quest to understand the ring’s curses.
The most dangerous one, a curse of bad luck, remained a mystery.
He inhaled and pushed his failures away. “Katarina told me to keep my distance from you because of potential tragedy. Nothing will keep me away. I vow to protect and love you forever.”
Gretta’s grip on his fingers tightened. With her hand remaining in his, he brushed a stray lock of hair off her cheek. She released his fingers and nuzzled into his palm with a tiny sigh. He closed his eyes, content to be back in his own body and time with her.
Yet uneasiness crept deep within and the dreadful feeling of impending tragedy grew stronger with every passing minute.
Now some information about Souls Entwined via video:
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Souls Entwined
Souls Estranged
The author Anne B. Cole is a genre bending author who enjoys combining supernatural suspense, time travel, and sweet romance with a touch of magical realism in her books.
Anne lives in Indiana with her husband and three teenage children. She teaches preschool and makes time to run so she can eat ice cream and doughnuts. Anne is currently working on Souls Endure, The Final Book of The Souls Trilogy.
How to get in contact with Anne:
Email: annebrocole@gmail.com
Thursday Threads JESSE’S GIRL CHAR CHAFFIN
Today Welcomes
JESSE’S GIRL
By
CHAR CHAFFIN
GENRE: NOSTALIA ROMANCE
HEAT LEVEL: SWEET/SENSUAL
BLURB: Tim O’Malley returns to his home town of Skitter Lake, Ohio, to clear his name and get the girl: Dorothy Whitaker, the love of his life since eighth grade. Blamed for a destructive fire he didn’t set, only Tim and Dorothy know the truth; that Jesse Prescott, Tim’s best friend and Dorothy’s boyfriend, did the deed that changed an entire town. But Jesse died in that tragedy and seven years later, Skitter Lake still honors him as a hero, rather than Tim, the boy from the seedy side of town whose father was a drunk . . . and whose quick actions saved six people from perishing in that horrendous fire.
In trying to set the record straight and finally claim Dorothy as his own, Tim—and Dorothy, too—will discover that in some small towns the legend often outweighs the truth . . . and their family and friends will forever see Dorothy as “Jesse’s girl.”
AMAZON BUY LINK: http://www.amzn.com/B00JK0DUD0/
Excerpt:
Now the need to lock Dorothy in a tight embrace, and never let go, overwhelmed him. He would have picked her up and carried her to his car, then driven her all the way back to Los Angeles just to get her away from a life he instinctively knew made her miserable. Tim remembered her folks. Wilma Whitaker had been a difficult woman when she was healthy and relatively happy. He couldn’t imagine how losing Dorothy’s dad would have twisted Wilma up inside.
He must have squeezed too tightly, because Dorothy let out a breathy gasp and wriggled until he loosened his arms. She stepped backward with a blush and downcast eyes. “I really do have to go, Tim.” She raised her head and all the longing he’d already been experiencing, all the need, was plain to see on her lovely face, for about half a second.
Then, her expression shuttered, she picked up her purse from the battered nightstand next to the bed where she’d laid it, and moved toward the door. Tim followed, unsure what to say even though a hundred different lines crowded his head. Stay with me. Get to know me, again. Love me, the way I never stopped loving you.
They remained locked behind his compressed lips as he escorted her to the door and wished the last seven years had never happened.
In the open doorway she formed a smile that fell short of her eyes. “I’m glad we got to spend a little time together, Tim.” She slipped her arms around his waist for a quicksilver hug, then stepped back before he could reciprocate. “Please give your folks my best when you get back home.”
Tim flicked his eyes up to hers, then over her face, prettier than ever and without a speck of makeup. Her silky, red-blonde hair, combed back in its usual ponytail, was so unlike the current style he’d seen not only in California but here in Skitter Lake. Her dress wouldn’t have been out of place at the sock hops he remembered from twelfth grade. It was almost as if Dorothy Whitaker had frozen herself in time.
And he suddenly knew he wouldn’t be leaving at the end of the week. He’d stick around and see what was what. For Dorothy, and maybe even for Jesse.
Slowly, Tim reached out and clasped her fingers, then her wrist. Before he could talk himself out of it, he yanked her into his arms, up against his body, catching the back of her head, right below her ponytail. As her lips parted to speak, protest, whatever, he covered them with a kiss that spun out of control the instant it began. He wound an arm around her waist to anchor her tightly, but she’d already thrust her hands into his hair as she kissed him back. Tim groaned into her mouth and felt it echo back to him in the whimper she uttered that throbbed in the scant space between them.
For what seemed like an eternity, he kissed her, deep, then slow, then fast, greedy, pouring years of want and desire into a single, perfect moment. If he’d ever kissed another woman like this, he couldn’t remember. He deepened the kiss even more, and felt her fingers fist reflexively in his hair. He didn’t care if she ripped it out by the handfuls, as long as she never let go.
And as if she’d somehow heard his thoughts, she stiffened, opened her fists, slapped her hands on his chest, and pushed until he released her lips. Rosy red and swollen, they quivered as she stared up at him with shock in her eyes. She pushed again, a silent demand for him to let her go. It about killed him, but he loosened his arms and stepped back.
Silently, Tim bent to pick up the purse she’d dropped, and gave it to her. As her fingers closed over the pale yellow leather, she whispered, “Why?”
He managed—barely—to keep his hands to himself as he replied, “Because I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying. And when I do leave, Dorothy, you’ll be coming with me.”
AMAZON BUY LINK: http://www.amzn.com/B00JK0DUD0/
September 28, 2015
Sizzle in the Snow Newsletter
Newsletter Post
SIZZLE IN THE SNOW:
A SOUL MATE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Eight steamy romance stories featuring eight
Soul Mate Publishing authors . . .
This Christmas season, Soul Mate Publishing and editor, Char Chaffin presents
Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Collection, an anthology
available in November on Amazon from Soul Mate Publishing. The featured
authors and their stories include:
Beth Carter, Santa Baby
Amy Deason, Second Chances: A Christmas Story
Crystal Firsdon, ‘Twas the Crazy Night Before Christmas
CD Hersh, Kissing Santa
Kim Hotzon, The Snow Bird
Ryan Jo Summers, Tamed by Christmas
Tina Susedik, Operation Santa
Cheryl Yeko, Christmas Eve Surprise
Get ready as we unveil new surprises with each newsletter post,
coming every few weeks!
Pick one of the authors or why not follow all so
you will get the posts in your inbox or get their
newsletter. Either way you will be notified of
upcoming information. The featured authors’ web
sites are:
Beth Carter http://bethcarter.com/
Amy Deason https://amydeason.wordpress.com/
Crystal Firsdon http://crystalfirsdon.com/
CD Hersh https://cdhersh.wordpress.com/
Kim Hotzon http://kimhotzon.com/
Ryan Jo Summers http://www.ryanjosummers.com/
Tina Susedik http://www.tinasusedik.com/
Cheryl Yeko http://www.cherylyeko.com/
Check your inbox for each newsletter; inside you’ll find:
great new recipes, tested and approved by the authors
a sneak peek inside the favorite Christmas memories of each author
decorating tips for the holidays
homemade, DIY craft ideas. As the weather gets colder, why not spend an afternoon inside, getting into the spirit of the season with your own homemade crafts? We’ll be featuring plenty of ideas to keep you entertained.
an excerpt from each of our featured anthology stories
a personalized Christmas card from each author
links to favorite holiday songs
Of course, as authors we love our readers, and we couldn’t pass up an
opportunity to offer swag, gift cards, and a personalized Christmas
card from each author!
While you wait for the book here is a little video to watch.
September 24, 2015
Friday Features Arabella of the Mediterranean Kingdom
Welcomes
Arabella
Of the
Mediterranean Kingdom
Today we have the good fortune to be able to interview Arabella the antagonist in the book The Coming of Arabella by Joanne Guidoccio. Arabella’s arrival disrupts the lives of the other characters in the novel. She has consented to answer a few questions about her life.
Tell us about your origins.
I was born in the waters off the shores of Malta. As a Bella, I was entitled to all the privileges of that class. But I did not meet my grandmother’s exacting standards, so within hours of my birth I was sent to the island of Crete. There, I lived for twenty-four years until Stewart Tobin rescued me.
What were those exacting standards?
In the Mediterranean Kingdom, there is a definite hierarchy, based primarily on looks. Auburn-haired with green eyes and porcelain skin, the Bellas are treated like royalty. Next in line are the Annas with varying shades of light brown hair and green eyes. The Ettas are the party girls, blond and pretty with blue eyes. Close behind are the Inas, not as pretty as the Ettas but still attractive with their trademark blond hair and blue eyes. At the base of the pyramid are the Onas, Number Mermaids, and mermen. While their appearance varies, there is a greater probability of dark hair and dark eyes. Grandmother couldn’t wrap her mind around my dark eyes, so I was banished, while my perfect twin sister, Isabella (Barbara Davies) remained to enjoy all that Bella bounty.
How do you feel toward Isabella/Barbara?
For years, I didn’t even know she existed. While my life wasn’t pleasant, I hadn’t experienced anything else. All that changed when Aunt Sarabella (another imperfect Bella) hacked into the Kingdom’s mainframe computers and shared all the files. I spent weeks watching all the visuals depicting Isabella’s life. How could my sister lead such a privileged life while I had to suffer many indignities living among mermaids and mermen who disrespected me? I knew then that my only hope was to lure a human male and leave Crete.
How did you lure Stewart?
Each evening, I would rise from the depths and wait near the large rocks. Many men stopped to visit, but they weren’t interested in long-term commitments. To pass the time, I allowed them to play with my breasts and tail. Stewart’s arrival was serendipitous, and I took advantage of the situation. When he learned I was Barbara’s sister, he proposed.
Are you and Stewart plotting revenge?
As the scorned man, Stewart has his issues with Barbara. As for me, I’ve kept my youth and looks and secured five years of online mermaid support. Barbara can’t compete—she’s out of my league.
Yet, you struggle with being gracious. Will that ever change?
I honestly don’t know. It’s hard to undo twenty-four years of undeserved hardship. Part of me wants to watch her struggle and experience how it feels to be alone and discarded. Another part wants a relationship…
Blurb
On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. Barbara has yet to reveal her mermaid origins to her fiancé. So, when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.
Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes.
Excerpt
Arabella’s eyes blazed like burning embers of coal. “You don’t know or what to know what I capable of.” She snapped her fingers. “I can discredit you just like that.”
Barbara laughed. “Discredit me without discrediting yourself? I’d like to see you try that.”
As Arabella got closer, Barbara could smell that flowery scent she had always associated with Belinda. It did not suit Arabella in the least. The younger woman needed a muskier scent, one that would blend in better with her predatory nature.
“You’ve already lost Graham and Gwen. Mama and Paul are on my side. Do you want to lose Sharon as well?”
“There’s nothing you can do or say that will turn Sharon or anyone else in this office against me,” Barbara said. “So, don’t waste your breath.” While she maintained a tight smile and spoke in an even tone, Barbara could hear her pulse pounding as tremors of anger shot through her limbs. She wanted desperately to sit down but would not give Arabella any more physical advantages.
Arabella smiled smugly. “Sharon doesn’t like secrets or people who keep them. I wonder how she would react if I told her about your . . . our origins.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
Arabella shrugged. “I don’t care one way or another. Stewart is encouraging me to write about our lives. He thinks it has the makings of a bestseller.” She laughed. “In addition to the erotica, of course.”
She’s bluffing. Barbara ignored the intrusive thought as memories of Stewart rushed back. He was the consummate businessman and enjoyed being on the cusp of the latest trend. His artist clients produced edgy and controversial art that had been rejected by more conservative agents. Vast stores of family money allowed Stewart to be more daring and sometimes even provocative. What could be more daring and provocative than a mermaid wife?
Buy Links
Amazon (US): http://is.gd/DQhWmI
Amazon (Canada): http://is.gd/JrwC1l
Amazon (UK): http://is.gd/fJ2x4E
Amazon (Australia): http://is.gd/6KovIe
Now a little bit about the author Joanne Guidoccio:
In 2008, Joanne took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Where to find Joanne
Website: http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
If you’ve read this far and leave a comment you could become the lucky commenter who will receive a Kindle eBook of The Coming of Arabella. You must leave your comment before Monday 10:00 a.m. EST. September 28th.
Thursday Threads Phantom Traces
Welcomes
Phantom Traces
Heat Level: Simmering? There are two love scenes, open door.
Genre: Contemporary w/paranormal elements
Blurb:
A hunky history professor in a tweed jacket, a cheeky Goth chick, and a pipe-smoking, book-hurling ghost. Put them all together in an antiquated library and, well…
Professor Jack Wood’s silver-streaked hair definitely ages him, and he can thank Killer Dawn for that. He won’t be falling into the love trap again anytime real soon. But this new librarian has him curious, with her head-to-toe black Goth garb, piercings, and a defiant attitude to match. Definitely not his type of girl, but still…
Abigail Stryker’s got her work cut out for her. The last two librarians didn’t last a month before airborne books chased them off. But Abby’s determined to make her new life a go – and to stay as far away from older men as possible. Once was enough. Might be tough to do when the library’s best patron is none other than dreamy-eyed Jack Wood. And it seems the eccentric ghost may have taken a shine to her as well.
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/19XGJsy
Excerpt:
At that moment, the lights in the building flickered, dropping dim and pale. They pulsed for a beat, then went completely out. It was still light outside, though the fading twilight cast the interior into near blackness.
“What the . . .” She looked around, wrapping her arms around herself and instinctively moving a step closer to Jack.
“Oh, that’s not unusual around here.” His voice was calm and reassuring. “Blue Ridge Power is infamous for testing transformers at the darnedest times of day.”
By the time he finished speaking, the lights began to glow, then steadily increased until they were fully illuminated. He grinned over at her. “At least it doesn’t last long.”
His killer smile shot a jitter through her middle again. She smiled back but found she couldn’t hold his gaze long without feeling as if she had a fever coming on. She turned away.
“I’d better let you get to work,” she mumbled, then scooted around the reception desk and into the back room.
Tea. I just need a cup of peppermint tea to get my mind back where it belongs.
As she stood in the small anteroom, she could feel Jack watching her from his seat across the way. She dunked the tea bag in the steaming water for way longer than necessary. As the pale green essence oozed into the water, all she could think of was how the hue almost matched the color of his eyes.
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/19XGJsy
Where to find author Claire Gem:
Website: http://www.clairegem.com/,
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gemwriter
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1BhmfCj
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/17zCJwY
September 22, 2015
Wednesday Special Spotlight DANGEROUS WEAKNESS Caroline Warfield
Shines on
Dangerous Weakness
By
Caroline Warfield
Genre
Regency romance, historical romance
Heat rating
R for brief sexual content, 3-4 out of 5 flames
Two lucky commenters will receive their selection of a Kindle copy of one of Caroline’s first two books. The giveaway runs today through tomorrow 10:00 a.m. EST.
Tagline
Lily wants to solve her own problems. Why won’t she let Richard do his duty? He’ll chase her to hell and back if he has to.
Book Blurb
If women were as easily managed as the affairs of state—or the recalcitrant Ottoman Empire—Richard Hayden, Marquess of Glenaire, would be a happier man. As it was the creatures—one woman in particular—made hash of his well-laid plans and bedeviled him on all sides.
Lily Thornton came home from Saint Petersburg in pursuit of marriage. She wants a husband and a partner, not an overbearing, managing man. She may be “the least likely candidate to be Marchioness of Glenaire,” but her problems are her own to fix, even if those problems include both a Russian villain and an interfering Ottoman official.
Given enough facts, Richard can fix anything. But protecting that impossible woman is proving to be almost as hard as protecting his heart, especially when Lily’s problems bring her dangerously close to an Ottoman revolution. As Lily’s personal problems entangle with Richard’s professional ones, and she pits her will against his, he chases her across the pirate-infested Mediterranean. Will she discover surrender isn’t defeat? It might even have its own sweet reward.
Excerpt
“Who invited Lilias Thornton?” Richard demanded under his breath. His eyes followed a slender young woman who paced out the steps of the Quadrille across the parquet floor of the earl’s ballroom.
“No ‘thank you for turning your country seat into a diplomatic snake pit for an entire week so the haut ton can mingle with exotic visitors from the East while the foreign secretary manages the fate of Greece over Brandy and cards?’” Will demanded.
Richard looked at his friend, one eyebrow raised. “Chadbourn Park fit the need precisely. I thanked your Catherine this morning.”
Will grunted. “My Catherine worked miracles when Sahin Pasha showed up with six extra people in his party.”
“We can’t predict how many retainers the Turks will impose,” Richard growled. The Ottomans danced to their own tune; the Foreign Office never knows what to expect. Richard loathed the unpredictable. He went back to surveying the overheated ballroom.
“Who invited Lilias Thornton?” he repeated while he moved along the mirrored wall of the earl’s spectacular ballroom to a position next to a massive marble urn that gave him a better view of his quarry. His eyes never left the dancers.
Will snatched two glasses of champagne from a footman stationed discreetly along the softly flocked wall, tray in hand. He handed one to Richard who took it without looking.
“Catherine also had to scurry when your mother demanded that she invite three more marriageable young ladies and their eager mamas,” Will complained.
“I would rather that she refused.”
“Refuse the Duchess of Sudbury? Surely you jest.”
Richard nodded without taking his gaze from the dancers. “I jest. I have less control over my mother than I do Sahin Pasha.” He loathed loss of control even more than unpredictability. He had been forced to sidestep the marriage-minded chits for two days.
Right now only one woman interested him, Lilias Thornton. He watched her throw her head back, send auburn curls bouncing, and laugh up at her partner. She dances with grace, I’ll give her that—grace and unbridled joy. A man could lose his senses over that look. The last thing he needed was to lose his senses.
Will followed his friend’s line of sight. “Beautiful woman,” he acknowledged. “Catherine called her dress ‘beyond perfection.’”
That dress radiates so damned much continental sophistication she makes the women around her look countrified, my esteemed mother’s protégées included. The woman laughed freely again, and Richard felt himself harden in spite of his determination; the surge of attraction irritated him. I have no time for such nonsense.
“Who invited her?” he demanded. “It’s a matter of some urgency.”
Will shrugged. “I believe Catherine included some regular attendees at your sister’s literary salon. She must be one of those. You said to invite women who could provide intelligent conversation to members of the diplomatic corps.”
“So I did. My men tell me she has been in conversation with Konstantin Volkov three times these past two days.”
“You’re tracking her conversations?”
“Volkov’s. He has no official role, yet he follows the Russian delegation and slinks through society in the shadows. I want to know who he works for, why he sought an invitation, and what he intends.”
The entire house party had been arranged to provide a discreet opportunity for the foreign secretary—or more precisely, Richard, his second—to persuade Ottoman officials to moderate their suppression of revolutionary rumbling in Greece. England did not want the kind of chaos that would tempt Russia. Expansionist Russia threatened all of Europe. The weak and floundering Ottoman Empire did not.
“Ask him,” Will suggested. “Unless diplomacy requires a more devious approach.”
“Lilias Thornton accompanied her father to St. Petersburg three years ago. The crown appointed him to the trade delegation at our embassy there,” Richard explained. “She returned without him rather abruptly in early January. I wonder why. Volkov arrived shortly after. It puzzles me.” He did not like puzzles.
“It isn’t unusual for a young woman of marriageable age to seek London before the Season starts,” a woman’s voice cut in. Catherine Landrum, Will’s countess, reached for her husband’s glass and took a sip. She tasted it slowly, seemed to pronounce it fit, and handed the glass back. “Lilias made it clear she’s seeking a good marriage,” the countess told Richard. “Who is Volkov?”
“She’s well beyond the age,” he answered. He ignored her question about the Russian.
“Surely not!” Catherine laughed. “Twenty-two may be somewhat older than the norm . . .” She paused when a young woman of seventeen pranced by and smiled coyly at the marquess over her partner’s shoulder.
“Well, perhaps quite a bit older,” she acknowledged when they passed.
“She served as her father’s hostess in his postings abroad since she turned sixteen. She has shown no interest in the marriage mart until this year,” Richard said. “I don’t care about the gossip. I want to know about her connection to Konstantin Volkov.”
“Ask her,” the countess suggested.
“I intend to,” Richard said as the last notes of the dance faded. He set out in the woman’s direction.
Author bio
Caroline Warfield has at various times been an army brat, a librarian, a poet, a raiser of children, a nun, a bird watcher, an Internet and Web services manager, a conference speaker, an indexer, a tech writer, a genealogist, and, of course, a romantic. She has sailed through the English channel while it was still mined from WWII, stood on the walls of Troy, searched Scotland for the location of an entirely fictional castle (and found it), climbed the steps to the Parthenon, floated down the Thames from the Tower to Greenwich, shopped in the Ginza, lost herself in the Louvre, gone on a night safari at the Singapore zoo, walked in the Black Forest, and explored the underground cistern of Istanbul. By far the biggest adventure has been life-long marriage to a prince among men.
She sits in front of a keyboard at a desk surrounded by windows, looks out at the trees and imagines. Her greatest joy is when one of those imaginings comes to life on the page and in the imagination of her readers.
Links
Buy links (Kindle only)
Canada http://amzn.to/1NwQmMt
India http://amzn.to/1hdwC6C
Caroline’s Other Books
Dangerous Works Dangerous Secrets
Caroline’s social media
Visit Caroline’s Website and Blog
Subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter
Dangerous Weakness Pinterest Board
Be sure and leave a comment for a chance to win your selection of a Kindle copy of Dangerous Works or Dangerous Secrets.
September 21, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday Signs You Have Bad Literary Agent
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Signs You Have Bad Literary Agent #writing #amwriting #writertips
Certainly, the writing world is full of wonderful literary agents who have authors best interests in mind, however, just as with everything, there are some that either aren’t good or aren’t good for you. No one likes to face the fact that they’ve made the wrong choice when choosing to sign with a particular literary agent, but if you’ve been thinking that perhaps you’ve found a bad apple, chances are you . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
September 17, 2015
Friday Features Releasing the Demons L.D. Rose
Talking with H/H of
Releasing the Demons
By
L.D. Rose
Hi! Thanks for joining us on Friday Features Blog Series.
Today’s interview is with Blaze Knight, a half-vampire mercenary from the Order of the Senary, and Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective from south Bronx, NY. They’re here today after their many adventures from RELEASING THE DEMONS, talking to C.D. Hersh!
How did you two meet?
*both exchange looks and laugh*
Blaze: *jerks his thumb at Valerie* She arrested me.
Valerie: For good reason, even if he wasn’t the right guy!
Blaze: I was definitely not the right guy.
Valerie: *pitches a sigh* I’m never going to live this down, am I?
Blaze: Nope.
What attracted you to her? Him?
Blaze: Her eyes. Always her eyes. Everything else was just a bonus.
Valerie: *blushes* Honestly, I was completely terrified of him when we first met. And even though it took him awhile to show it, he’s a good man…an amazing man, really. I couldn’t resist someone who sacrificed so much for those he loved.
Were there any fireworks in the first kiss? If so, how big?
Blaze: *lifts eyebrows above his sunglasses* Very big. It was more like a bomb went off.
Valerie: *turns bright red* Let’s just say it led to many more firsts…
When was your first kiss?
Blaze: Not too long after we met. *chuckles* When she finally started giving me the time of day.
Valerie: *whacks his arm playfully* Stop it! It was when he first came to my place. He made up some excuse to check my apartment and make sure it was safe then ended up staying the night.
What was your first date? What do you remember most about it?
*both of them laugh and say in unison* We never had a date.
What was the first meal you shared?
Blaze: Blueberry pancakes, eggs and coffee. She made it, even though I insisted on picking something up.
Valerie: He tried to convince me to let him cook, but I’m sure he would’ve burned down the entire apartment complex. Besides, I actually enjoy cooking when I have time for it.
Name three things that irritate you about him? Her?
Blaze: She’s a stubborn shit.
Valerie: No, you are!
Blaze: And she never asks for help.
Valerie: Neither do you!
Blaze: And she’s a neat freak.
Valerie: He’s a slob!
Blaze: *shrugs* I’m just messy.
Valerie: *rolls her eyes* My only major qualm was his smoking. But he’s quit now. Or he’s attempting to quit.
Blaze: *sticks another piece of gum in his mouth* Mmmhmm.
Where will you live?
Blaze: She’s living with me and my brothers at a compound in New Rochelle, NY.
Valerie: *laughs* It’s a country club disguised as a barracks.
Blaze: You love it. *looks back at C.D.* She loves it.
Valerie: Not denying that. I moved out of my apartment in Marble Hill, so it’s definitely a step up.
Are you going to start a family soon?
*they both shake their heads in unison*
Valerie: I refuse to bring a child into the world we live in, not when we’re constantly fighting an uphill battle against the leeches. It’s too dangerous and our lifestyle isn’t exactly safe. Definitely not an environment to raise a baby in.
Blaze: *laughs* I can’t even take care of myself, never mind a kid!
Thanks for visiting with us Valerie and Blaze.
*they respond in unison* This was fun.
Now for a little bit about RELEASING THE DEMONS, a dark paranormal romance and the first novel in The Order of the Senary series.
HOOK:
Hell-bent on revenge, Blaze is out to set the world on fire, and Valerie is the only one who can tame him. Will she pull him back from the brink or fall headlong into his dark past?
BOOK BLURB:
Blaze Knight has been through hell and back, but the nightmares aren’t over yet.
Five years after Blaze was maimed by Cyrus Chimola, a powerful vampire with a penchant for torture, he’s still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. As a genetically engineered mercenary with the ability to bend fire to his will and to see in infrared, Blaze’s mission is to protect what’s left of humanity. When Chimola and his crew return to the Bronx gunning for Blaze’s blood, Blaze is forced to face the demons of his past. Hell-bent on revenge, he seeks the help of Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective who manages to steal his heart and save his life in more ways than one.
Motivated by her sister’s gruesome death, Valerie has made it her life’s goal to bury every vampire in the ground where they belong. When she brings in Blaze Knight for suspected murder, she discovers he’s not only innocent, he isn’t a man at all—he’s a half-vampire hybrid working with a band of brothers for the U.S. military. Valerie has a hard time trusting anything with fangs, yet she quickly falls headlong into Blaze’s life, a life full of darkness and horror she can’t even begin to fathom. The bodies are stacking up, but Valerie can’t seem to let go of this hybrid, a beautiful monster filled with pain, rage, and passion unlike anything she’s ever known.
In a world where the line between good and evil is blurred, Blaze and Valerie will find danger at every turn, risking everything they’ve come to know and love, including one another.
EXCERPT:
Valerie kept her eyes locked on the glass windows covered with cigarette prices and beer ads, watching Tattoos pay up at the cash register. Once she reached the side of the building, she pressed her back against the warm brick wall. Sweat trickled down her spine and she wiped her clammy hands on her jeans before she drew her Beretta. She listened for the bell hanging above the store entrance, and when it jingled, she peered past the corner of the building.
There he is.
Holding a pack of Marlboros, he slipped it into his back pocket along with a silver money clip. He walked back toward the Chevelle, scanning the area one more time as he stepped off the concrete elevation.
This is it. Do it. Now!
With her gun pointed at the ground in a two-handed grip, Valerie pushed off the wall and turned the corner, staring at his back. Her voice was loud and clear as she called, “Blaze.”
He stopped and pivoted around. A fleeting expression of confusion filled his face, but it quickly turned into shock as she lifted her gun and shouted, “Freeze, NYPD!”
Gasps and shouts resounded as everyone turned their attention on her. Some people ducked while others gawked, and she wished they would just climb into their cars and get the hell out of here. She did her best to ignore them, keeping her focus solely on the man before her as she carefully approached him. He didn’t make any sudden movements, his brow furrowing as a muscle in his jaw ticked.
Valerie flashed her badge to prove she wasn’t bullshitting. “Get your hands in the air where I can see them.”
He slowly lifted his arms and spread his hands out wide. Then spoke with a voice like black gravel, matching his appearance all too well. “What’s going on here?”
She closed in on him, his presence becoming more and more overwhelming. Sirens resonated in the distance, sending a trickle of relief through her. He didn’t appear armed but that didn’t mean jack.
“Turn around and get down on the ground. Now!”
Anger consumed the confusion on his face but he surprisingly complied, giving her his back again before dropping to his knees with his hands above his head.
She kept her gun aimed and her mind submerged in the well of her calm. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d arrested someone; she usually shot to kill. “Cross your ankles,” she ordered, and he did so, crossing his booted ankles as if he’d done this before.
Valerie placed her foot in the space between his legs, so if he attempted to stand he would end up flat on his face. People finally backed away as she removed her tungsten carbide handcuffs from her utility belt, gripping the Beretta with knuckles white as chalk. Tungsten carbide was the only metal strong enough to hold a vampire, but she used it on everyone, regardless of species. Two New Rochelle cruisers whipped into the gas station, blocking off both exits before four officers leapt out of their respective vehicles. Valerie put the gun up and cuffed Blaze’s dominant hand, swinging his right arm around before latching onto the left.
He didn’t put up a fight. He didn’t even flinch. But he balled his big hands into fists at his back. She read him his Miranda rights as she cinched the cuffs around both of his thick wrists.
“You have the right to remain silent—”
“I have the right to know what’s going on,” he growled, showing her his savage profile.
“Anything you do or say can be used against you in a court of law.”
“What are you arresting me for?”
“You have the right to an attorney.”
“Fuck the attorney—”
She yanked the chain of his cuffs, bringing his solid body against her as the faint scent of cologne tickled her nose. She leaned into his ear, anger flashing through her as she thought of bloody grass and charred flesh.
“You’re under arrest for the murder of Elena Delgado. Now get the fuck up and move.”
BUY LINKS:
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B013GVCC7I
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013GVCC7I
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26063603-releasing-the-demons
Now a little about L.D. Rose and where to find her.
BIO:
L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she’s been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive boxer, and her two devious cats.
Website: writerldrose.com
Facebook: facebook.com/writerldrose
Author page: facebook.com/ldroseauthorpage
Twitter: twitter.com/ld_rose
Goodreads: goodreads.com/ldrose
Pinterest: pinterest.com/writerldrose
Tumblr: writerdoc.tumblr.com
September 15, 2015
Wednesday Special Spotlight The Nothingness JC Stockli
Focuses on
The Nothingness
By
JC Stockli
THE NOTHINGNESS:
“Fall from your graces into the depths.”
A dispirited addict learns that history repeats itself deep within hidden worlds. Evie Westvale is lost in the lifeless existence of her drug-laden fishing town. She finds much more than fellow addicts lurking beneath the docks. Craving escape from her inebriated reality, she discovers the presence of a dark stranger who haunts her dreams in the most delicious ways. Lucca has come to prey on the dregs of Fallhaven. He has not arrived by accident, and he is not alone.
Riding waves of blood and lust, Evie is forced to confront her dark past and an irresistible future, but can she survive the tempest brewing inside?
THE NOTHINGNESS is the first installment of the ADDICTIONS OF THE ETERNAL series.
5-Star Reviews!! “Couldn’t put it down! Suspenseful and intriguing” “A page-turner with an urban-goth heart” “Brilliantly written dark fantasy is not for the faint-hearted”
BUY LINKS:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SU3WYWG?tag=geolinker-20
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nothingness-jc-stockli/1121285369?ean=9780986268809
EXCERPT:
Evie twisted and twirled through the tables and the shadows. She bobbed her head to the music and lip-synced along. Beyond taking orders, the music overwhelmed any attempt at conversation. Familiar patrons nodded or winked a greeting as she walked by. After a curvy course, she’d arrived at her destination.
When Evie reached the corner booth, she stopped dead in her tracks. Tray in hand, mouth gaped open, Evie stared down at whom she gathered to be the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
The stranger reciprocated her stare with a devious smirk and dark eyes. The sandy scruff of a five o’clock shadow framed his face. His dirty-blond locks hung down the side of his jaw line, ends resting just across his shoulders. His sharp, angular features guarded deep dark irises. They created a sharp line above his eye sockets, like they were meant to purposely shield those dark pools of mystery from the club’s lighting. He held one eyebrow cocked indicating his amusement at her obvious fascination.
Look away, dammit. You’re embarrassing yourself.
Evie forced herself to look away from his hypnotic features, but not too far. She dropped her gaze to his well-cut shoulders. His lean frame was shrouded under a soft grey sweater and worn leather jacket.
Dammit. Stop giving him the once over, she demanded of herself again.
Evie averted her eyes once more. This time she stared straight down to his lap. Weathered jeans concealed what Evie presumed was something much more offensive to stare at than his face. She lifted her surprised gaze back up to meet his. The sly side smirk across his face widened. Clearly, he delighted in her awkwardness. Exasperated, she broke the silence and forced herself out of her reverie.
“Hi,” she said, yelling over the music. She had to lean closer towards him so that he might hear her. By doing so, she caught a faint but pleasant scent overpowering the rankness of the club. “What can I getcha?”
The stranger looked back up at her in pure delight. Eyebrows lifted, he propped himself up with his elbows, one against the table top and the other against the back of the booth’s bench. They cradled his thin but muscular frame. He stretched himself up to her. She leaned in even closer. Her senses now identified his aroma of orange blossoms and mint.
Delicious.
“I was thinking I might like you,” he replied and licked his lips.
Evie snapped upright. His dark gleaming eyes held her in place. His smile haunted. Evie’s pulse quickened. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest. And she softened deep between her thighs at the thought of serving herself up to the devilishly tenebrous stranger.
She moved back a little, allowed herself a moment to register his order and shake off his scent. Fighting a quiver, she replied, “Sorry man. If you’re looking for a girl, you’ll have to request one of the dancers. I just bring the drinks.”
She forced her composure and feigned cockiness with her hip shifted to the side, waiting for a new order. All the while her body trembled with anticipation.
“I can’t say I’m interested in any of these girls,” the stranger said. His dismissive hand waved through the air. “And I don’t care for alcohol myself.”
He reached into his pocket to reveal a large wad of cash and placed it down on the table. She looked at the generous fold of twenty-dollar bills. At least a few grands’ worth. She gawked at him in amazement.
“I…” she stuttered. “I can’t accept that. I’m just your waitress.”
“Should that matter?” he asked. His constant smile made her shiver. “You asked for my order, and I’d like to order you.”
THE SAVING:
COMING SOON!!!!!
“Have you found the light, or have you fallen?”
Evie’s life can never be the same as long as the Sempiternal continue to call out from the depths. She’s in limbo, too ignorant and afraid of the future Lucca has planned with her. She’s left Fallhaven, set adrift in a new city, and fighting more than withdrawal. Evan has become her constant companion, committed to assimilating Evie to a clean, mortal life, but at what cost?
Though he fights to help her concur her demons, still she struggles with her cravings for Lucca’s nothingness. How can she move on when there can be no light to her days without the darkness of his nights?
THE SAVING is the second installment of the ADDICTIONS OF THE ETERNAL series.
Bio:
Choose your poison: Paranormal Fantasy • Romantic Horror • Dark Fantasy With A Twist? Maybe all of the above, and then some? Stockli strives to keep it dark and intimate, feeding off of those quiet moments where secret exchanges of eye contact scream louder than words. Her work consists of “perfectly imperfect characters and real-life grittiness.” She is inspired by music, the past, and possibilities. Happily Ever Afters are only achieved through the cost of some blood, guts, or a soul or two… if at all. Also an established full-time professional, Stockli has earned her BA in Art & Architectural History and MBA with a concentration in Marketing. Over the years she’s traveled, lived, learned, and moonlighted as a magician’s assistant, a roadie for a metal band, a dance fitness instructor, and even dressed up as a promotional character at public events. For her, life has been all in good fun and given her a wealth of real life material to work off of. She lives along the Massachusetts coast with her husband and two little monsters. You’ll likely find them dancing around the house, or out on the water soaking in the sun and breathing in the sea salt air.
Where to find JC Stockli:
https://jcstockli.wordpress.com
September 14, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday The Seraglio World of Women
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
The Seraglio, World of Women
August 21, 2015 by Caroline Warfield
Sometimes research for a novel takes a fiction writer in unexpected directions. When a complicated plot point led me to place a character in the Ottoman Seraglio as a teacher I had to wonder just how far fetched that idea might be.
“Seraglio” I discovered refers to the Sultan’s household, his home, the private quarters. “Harem” is the name for the women in his household, of which there were many: wives, concubines, sisters, daughters, and, most importantly, his mother. The Seraglio of the Topkapi palace was a massive complex of apartments, baths, and courtyards, a maze of over 300 ornate rooms and tiled passageways. Home to hundreds of women, it required a complex administrative structure.
The most powerful figure in the Seraglio (after the Sultan) was . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
https://historyimagined.wordpress.com/2015/08/21/the-seraglio-world-of-women/
