D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 70
August 29, 2016
An Indecent Proposal #contemporaryromance from @katee_robert #bookreview #excerpt #giveaway
AN INDECENT PROPOSAL
by Katee Robert
When a no strings attached arrangement turns into something more, Cillian O’Malley and Olivia Rashidi must overcome the family ties that bind them. Fans of Jackie Ashenden’s Make You Mine and Kresley Cole’s The Master, will devour the super steamy and fast paced third book, An Indecent Proposal in the wildly popular O’ Malley series by NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Katee Robert.
Title: An Indecent Proposal
Author: Katee Robert
Series: The O’Malley Series #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever
Synopsis:
Greed. Ambition. Violence. Those are the “values” Olivia Rashidi learned from her Russian mob family-and the values she must leave behind for the sake of her daughter. When she meets Cillian O’Malley, she recognizes the red flag of his family name . . . yet she still can’t stop herself from seeing the smoldering, tortured man. To save her family, Olivia sets out to discover Cillian’s own secrets, but the real revelation is how fast-and how hard-she’s falling for him.
Plagued by a violent past, Cillian is more vulnerable than anyone realizes. Anyone except Olivia, whose beauty, compassion, and pride have him at “hello,” even if she’s more inclined to say good-bye to an O’Malley. While his proposal of sex with no strings seems simple, what he feels for her isn’t, especially after he learns that she belongs to a rival crime family. Cillian knows that there is no escape from the life, but Olivia may be worth trying and dying for . . .
Get More information at : Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
My Review
An Indecent Proposal is the third book in The O’Malley Series, but you definitely do not need to read the previous books to catch up on the story. In fact, a bevy of background information is provided and – somewhat unfortunately – repeated. A little less would have made the story more mysterious and forced readers to connect the dots themselves (something I personally love to do).
Oh man is the O’Malley family large. It took me a while to get the names straight. I loved Cillian. There was a lot under the surface of this hot, bad boy. I liked that he knew what he wanted and went about trying to get it – although there was a slight wobbling of his convictions at the end. I’m not sure what I think of Olivia. Her character was developed, but I’m just not sure if I liked her. One thing I definitely didn’t like was the inner dialogue. Pfff… that got a bit old.
Based on the synopsis, I expected a romantic suspense story but it’s actually more like a family saga. If you love family sagas with bad boys and hot romance, then you should definitely pick up this book. It is well written and there is enough action (whether the gun-toting kind or the hot and sweaty kind) to keep you flipping the pages.
Excerpt
Which only served to make her feel more awkward. Olivia threw up her hands. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“This.” She motioned between the two of them. “This isn’t normal.”
He laughed again, quieter this time. “What does normal look like?” When she would have balked, he held out his hand. “Sit down. You’re making me twitchy with all the pacing. I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the absurdity of this entire situation. So humor me and tell me what normal looks like.”
She didn’t know. That was the problem. Olivia wasn’t sure she’d recognize normal if it hit her in the face. But she wasn’t quite willing to share with Cillian exactly how messed up her childhood had been, outstanding chemistry or not. She inched closer to the bed and perched on the edge, but even with three feet between them, she felt like a lightning rod to his storm, full of vibrating energy and impending boom. She pulled at the edge of her T-shirt. “You know—we’d meet somewhere normal.”
“We met at a bar.”
“Most relationships don’t start in a bar.” She realized what she said and shoved to her feet. “Strike that. I didn’t mean relationship. I just…” Not sure what she was trying to say, she charged on. “Maybe a coffee shop. You’d be behind me in line and say something witty, and I’d laugh and you’d spend the next ten minutes charming me until I gave you my number.”
She was almost afraid to look at him and see his expression. His silence said it all. “That’s stupid, isn’t it?”
“No, not at all. It sounds nice.”
Olivia faced him. “You’re humoring me.”
“Sit down.” He waited for her to obey before he spoke again. “I’m not. It does sound nice.” He carefully leaned back against the headboard. “So I charm your number out of you, huh? I must be pretty charming.”
She shot him a look. “In this scenario, yes.”
Cillian laughed. “Then I’d call you.”
She edged over to sit on the other side of the mattress against the headboard. It was such a silly thing they were doing, but after how intense the rest of the night had been, maybe silly was exactly what they both needed. “A call instead of a text? I must have made an impression.”
“More like I was determined to make the right impression. Texts are lazy, and you can’t get a good read on someone that way. So I’d call.”
She hadn’t spent much time dating…well, ever, really…but even she knew that was different from the norm. “I’d think you were a freak for calling, but I’d answer because I was intrigued.”
“We’d talk for a while, feeling each other out.”
“More like me trying to figure out if you’re a psycho.”
He grinned. “Or that. I’d say all the things a normal guy would say. You’d be reassured that I wasn’t likely to chloroform you and chain you up in my torture-slash-sex dungeon.”
“That’s…comforting.”
“It would be, yes.”
She laughed softly. “We’d set up a date at the end of the call.”
“Somewhere nice and public and nonthreatening.”
“Now you’re getting the idea.” She stared at the ceiling, part of her kind of weirded out at how well the conversation was flowing with him playing along. “Dinner, no movie. Movies are for people who are too intimidated by the thought of first-date conversation that they chicken out.”
“The conversation would be titillating.”
“You think so?” She rolled onto her side to face him, finding that he’d done the same. His bandage was a vivid reminder of why they were there in the first place. Olivia frowned. “How’re you feeling?”
“That’s not part of the game.” He yawned. “So we’d drink pretentious wine that neither one of us liked and order things that we could barely pronounce and, at the end of it, we’d sheepishly admit that we didn’t like either the drinks or the food, and we’d go find a food truck and laugh at ourselves.”
It was an attractive picture he painted. Normal and kind of sweet and something she’d never have the option of doing. She made a face. “Instead, you wander into my bar because your family’s territory encompasses it and we have a quick fuck in the alley.” She should regret it. She knew she should. There were thousands of dating books and columns out there advising women to withhold sex until they had some sort of commitment.
Except she didn’t regret a damn thing.
About the Author
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram
Giveaway:
August 28, 2016
Spotlight on Terror in Taffeta @kindacozy #cozymystery #giveaway
Terror in Taffeta: A Mystery
Cozy Mystery
Minotaur Books (March 22, 2016)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250072566
E-Book ASIN: B014PELGRW
Wedding planner Kelsey McKenna is just a few hours away from wrapping up her latest job: a destination wedding in the charming, colonial Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende. The reception is all set up, the tequila donkey is waiting outside, and the bride and groom are standing on the altar, pledging their eternal love. But just as the priest is about to pronounce them husband and wife, one of the bridesmaids upstages the couple by collapsing into a floral arrangement, a definite wedding “don’t.” Kelsey soon discovers that the girl hasn’t just fainted–she’s dead.
Losing a bridesmaid is bad enough, but when the bride’s sister is arrested for murder, the demanding mother of the bride insists that Kelsey fix the matter at once. And although Kelsey is pretty sure investigating a murder isn’t in her contract, crossing the well-connected Mrs. Abernathy could be a career-killer. Before she can leave Mexico and get back to planning weddings, Kelsey must deal with stubborn detectives, a rekindled romance, and late-night death threats in this smart, funny cozy mystery debut.
Purchase Links
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Powell’s ~ IndieBound
What readers are saying
Terror in Taffeta is a captivating and fast-paced whodunit tale that has enough quirky characters, witty banter and humor, drama, intriguing twists and turns, and conspiracy theories that will keep you guessing the identity of the murderer.
~Jersey Girl Book Reviews
Sometimes, when you try a new author, you know by the end of the first chapter you are going to love the book. For me, that was the case with Terror in Taffeta, the debut mystery by Marla Cooper. The smile I had on my face stayed with me for the rest of the book.
~Carstairs Considers….
…solving the murder isn’t really the only surprise – mystery fiances, blackmail, drug smuggling and a few other surprises are in store for you if you read this book.
~Storeybook Reviews
This is such a fun cozy mystery. It has actually pulled me out of a reading rut too, which is wonderful.
~A Chick Who Reads
The author did a nice job of creating an intricate plot. There were enough twists and turns to keep you wondering…
~Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes
This is the debut book for the author and it was a fun, fresh new cast of characters and the story kept you wanting more.
~Shelley’s Book Case
An exciting debut cozy mystery full of surprises, danger and unexpected twists.
~Laura’s Interests
About The Author
As a freelance writer, MARLA COOPER has written all sorts of things, from advertising copy to travel guidebooks to the occasional haiku. But it was while ghostwriting a nonfiction guide to destination weddings that she found inspiration for her current series starring destination wedding planner Kelsey McKenna. Originally hailing from Texas, Marla lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and her polydactyl tuxedo cat.
Author Links
Webpage ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Giveaway
August 26, 2016
Is there Logic in Love and Life? Spotlight on Uday Mukerji, author of Love, Life, and Logic; coming to a bookstore near you on Nov 29
Book title: Love, Life, and Logic
Author: Uday Mukerji
Genre: Literary fiction
Published: 29 Nov. 2016
Publisher: Harvard Square Editions
Synopsis:
Set in Exotic India, Singapore, and in Central Europe, Love, Life, and Logic captures the individual struggle of a young man against the seemingly unnamed, unknown, anonymous power of the universe. In a shocking revelation of his innermost thoughts, the book depicts a painful account of his emotional turmoil arising out of his own confusions and dilemmas, and his personal developments through all that.
Rohan grows up in a middle class family in a small town in Goa, India. He asks himself many life questions like we all do every day. Is our life and death an end in itself, or do they have a much deeper implication in a gigantic universal process? Is each human life also someway connected to the chain of events unfolding every day in front of our eyes? We all have different thumbprints; but why? Are we all a part of big numbers game, or does each one of us really matter? Chased by these and many such questions, Rohan leaves his lucrative job and his family in search of the truth. The journey gets complicated when he meets Adeline, a 23-year old vivacious girl in Vienna. Love, again? That brings him back to question his failed marriage. Is marriage an end of the road for love? Do all marriages come with an expiration date?
It’s the search and the road leading to his final realization that makes this book insightful and thought-provoking.
Author bio:
Uday Mukerji left his creative director’s job in advertising to pursue a writing career in 2009. After writing, re-writing, and deleting a few versions, and secretly burying two laptops, six years later, he is now ready to share his first literary fiction with you.
He was born in India, and had worked in Singapore for nearly twenty years. He loves to travel, and interact with people, not so much on FB or Twitter, though, but face to face, maybe with a cup of coffee. He is a nature lover and his concern for environmental protection also made him the editor of Singapore Environmental Technology Yearbook for ten consecutive years.
August 25, 2016
Excerpt Reveal from An Indecent Proposal by @katee_robert #contemporary romance
When a no strings attached arrangement turns into something more, Cillian O’Malley and Olivia Rashidi must overcome the family ties that bind them. Fans of Jackie Ashenden’s Make You Mine and Kresley Cole’s The Master, will devour the super steamy and fast paced third book, An Indecent Proposal in the wildly popular O’ Malley series by NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Katee Robert.
Title: An Indecent Proposal
Author: Katee Robert
Series: The O’Malley Series #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever
Synopsis:
Greed. Ambition. Violence. Those are the “values” Olivia Rashidi learned from her Russian mob family-and the values she must leave behind for the sake of her daughter. When she meets Cillian O’Malley, she recognizes the red flag of his family name . . . yet she still can’t stop herself from seeing the smoldering, tortured man. To save her family, Olivia sets out to discover Cillian’s own secrets, but the real revelation is how fast-and how hard-she’s falling for him.
Plagued by a violent past, Cillian is more vulnerable than anyone realizes. Anyone except Olivia, whose beauty, compassion, and pride have him at “hello,” even if she’s more inclined to say good-bye to an O’Malley. While his proposal of sex with no strings seems simple, what he feels for her isn’t, especially after he learns that she belongs to a rival crime family. Cillian knows that there is no escape from the life, but Olivia may be worth trying-and dying-for . . .
Get More information at: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
Excerpt
“Thanks.” There it was again, that look that threatened to curl her toes. He reached out and took the washcloth from her and tossed it onto the nightstand. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
She should object, move away, do something other than rest her hands on the top of his thighs and tilt her head up. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Didn’t the last few years teach you anything? Apparently not, because she wanted Cillian to kiss her again, and she wanted him to kiss her now.
Truth be told, she wanted him to do a whole lot more than that.
Olivia licked her lips. “Okay.”
His lips quirked up at the edges. “I can see I’m blowing your socks off. Let’s see if I can do better.” He cupped her face with one hand and then his mouth was on hers, soft and teasing, testing—nothing like the forceful kiss that started everything last night. She opened for him immediately, driven by the lightning dancing just beneath her skin. She wished she could blame it on being skin-starved, but the truth was that this man was doing more with a near-innocent kiss than Sergei had ever done with his entire body and hours at his disposal. I am in so much trouble.
Then Cillian’s tongue stroked hers and she was lost. She gripped his thighs as he explored her mouth, giving herself permission to do some exploring of her own. He was all lean muscle, as if he’d been melted down and stuck in a forge, only to come out new. She ran her hands up his legs, stopping just short of his hips.
He took it from there. He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back, inching her closer until there was nothing more than a breath of distance between them. It would have been so damn easy to lean forward and touch him, pressing her body against his, but the separation was almost unbearably erotic. She shivered again, tilting her head back to give him better access.
She’d never been kissed like this, like she was something to be savored…valued. Like he had all the time in the world and he’d still never get enough.
Common sense tried to rear up and remind her that it was a goddamn kiss, not a lifetime commitment, but then his thumb feathered across the underside of her breast, and all rational reasoning flew right out the window.
He rested his forehead against hers, and groaned. “You’re making it hard to be good, sweetheart.”
About the Author
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram |
August 23, 2016
Read an Excerpt of First Circle Club by @AlexSiegel_ #supernaturalfantasy
Title: First Circle Club
Author: Alex Siegel
Published: September 25, 2015
Genre: Supernatural Fantasy
~ Synopsis ~
When Virgil is betrayed and murdered, he thinks his days of catching fugitives as a U.S. Marshal are over. He is condemned to an eternity of filing paperwork in the First Circle of Hell. Then a demon lord gives Virgil an unprecedented assignment. He will return to Earth as part of a team: two souls from Heaven and two from Hell. They must stop another damned soul who escaped and is now murdering teenagers on Earth. The serial killer has supernatural skills and is part of a larger conspiracy which is well prepared for a fight. If he is not careful, Virgil could be murdered a second time.
Series Reading Order:
First Circle Club
Paradise Hacked
Gambling Demons
Trolling Heaven (Coming Soon)
Grab a copy here
~ Excerpt ~
The angel touched down lightly on the sand. A supremely beautiful face made Sara want to cry with joy.
“I am Barachiel, chief of the guardian angels. You are Sara Bass?”
Sara nodded. “What can I do for you?”
“The Lords of Hell screwed up and allowed an evil soul to escape to Earth. Now we have to clean up their mess.”
“Oh. Sounds awful. What do you want me to do?”
“Go back to Earth as part of a search team,” Barachiel said. “The soul belongs to a serial killer, and he has started to kill again. It’s a uniquely important assignment.”
“I guess you know my background. I was a medical examiner for many years.”
“We picked you because of your background.”
“We?” Sara said.
“The Council of Light.”
The enormous magnitude of the situation was dawning on Sara. Of all the many millions of souls in Heaven, the Council had chosen her to return to Earth.
“Does this kind of thing happen often?”
“It has never happened before,” Barachiel said. “This search team concept is completely new. It might be a disaster, but we don’t have any other options. Regular angels aren’t suited for something like this. Hell is sending its own representatives. Try to be polite even if they smell bad.”
Sara wrinkled her nose.
“And of course, you can come back to Heaven any time you want,” Barachiel added. “If the job proves too much for you, we can find a replacement.”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” Sara was looking forward to doing something useful again. “But how did this happen? I didn’t think it was possible to escape from Hell.”
Barachiel shrugged its beautiful shoulders. “I’m sure incompetence was the cause. Demons are so consumed by sinful thoughts they can’t think clearly. Regardless, it’s a big mess now. With all the bickering and accusations, you would think the Apocalypse had arrived.”
Sara doubted the explanation was so simple.
~ About the Author ~
Alex Siegel has written three series, full of hellish scenarios and diabolical plot twists. The First Circle Club is the first book in his latest series. He is a computer programmer by day and a passionate, even obsessive, writer by night. He lives in Chicago with his wife and triplet teenage boys. A gray cat and two guinea pigs complete the menagerie.
Stalk the Author
Website: ~ Facebook: ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads
August 22, 2016
Read an excerpt of Truly, Madly, Deeply ~ #contemporaryromance by @Jeannie_Moon
Truly, Madly, Deeply by Jeannie Moon
Kick off your shoes, stick your toes in the sand and indulge yourself in a sweet second chance romance on the island of Mimosa Key. Nick DeMarco is back in Barefoot Bay and is hoping for Lila Novak’s forgiveness. Little does he know, he’ll get a whole lot more than that. Fans of Roxanne St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay will love meeting new visitors and residents of Mimosa Key in this Kindle Worlds Barefoot Bay romance by Jeannie Moon.
Release Date: 08/23/16
Publisher: Kindle Worlds
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Digital
Nick DeMarco was a covert operative who breezed in and out of the lives of the people he cared about often without warning. This included his sister Josie’s best friend, Lila Novak.
Nick and Lila had a torrid affair the last time he dropped into Barefoot Bay, and now that he’s back, possibly for the long haul, he hopes she’ll forgive him for disappearing without a word.
Lila loves her life as a teacher at Mimosa High School, but her affair with Nick has thrown her a curveball she never expected. Carrying his baby, she’s faced with the loss of her job unless she agrees to do the last thing she wants to do – marry him.
Get More information at: Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Excerpt
here were few things that ticked off Lila Novak more than busybodies. And when said busybodies were making her life difficult, that really chapped her ass.
She sat at the district office, having been summoned from Mimosa High School by the superintendent of schools, and while she waited she saw a parade of people enter the conference room. Her principal, the vice principal, the personnel director, and her department chair were all part of the group that was going to see her. This wasn’t good.
Nothing like kicking a girl when she was down.
Her department chair, Mary Chavez, poked her head out and motioned to Lila. “We’re ready for you. Don’t let them upset you, and don’t lose your temper.”
Mary was a sweet woman, a joy to work for. Because of her, the math department at Mimosa was a fun place to be. Her colleagues were friendly, and unlike some departments, they all liked each other. However, Mary knew Lila could have a smart mouth, and this wasn’t the time for wit. Even if some people deserved her wit shoved up their butts.
The superintendent sat at the far end of the table, and the other administrators flanked him left and right. This wasn’t going to be easy.
Lila stood at the other end of the large oval table. Alone.
“Lila, have a seat,” the big guy said.
“Thank you,” she replied. That was a load of shit. She had no reason to thank them.
“So,” he began. “We hear you’ve gotten yourself in a bad spot.”
This was really making him uncomfortable, and based on the scowls from a few others in the room, she was in more than a bad spot.
“Sir, I am pregnant, yes.” Lila took a deep breath before continuing. “I’ve tried to keep it private, but that’s hard to do in such a…close knit community.” It’s full of nosy women with nothing else to do, is what she wanted to say. But Lila held her tongue, knowing that sassing the superintendent and his minions wouldn’t help her cause. “While I’m sure it might make some people uncomfortable, it isn’t something I want to talk about.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not an option,” the personnel director broke in. She was new to the district, and Lila didn’t catch her first name, but her last name was Smith. “You have to talk about it. There is a clause in your contract regarding morality…”
Bile stuck in her throat. Sweet baby jeebus. A morality clause. It was the 21st century, wasn’t it? “I don’t understand.”
“We hold our teachers in very high regard,” the woman drawled. “And we’ve gotten a number of complaints about the situation. Parents are extremely upset about having an unwed, pregnant teacher in front of the classroom.”
A knot formed in Lila’s chest. Crushing breathlessness made her audibly suck in air, but she didn’t cry. No, she wouldn’t give this pit of vipers the satisfaction, but there was no hiding how this was affecting her.
No one seemed to care that she was in distress. They were all sitting very still, apparently awaiting Lila’s response.
“I see y’all staring at me, but I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“We thought you could offer some clarification, or explanation, so we can better understand how this all came about,” the nameless personnel director shot at her.
“Ma’am, if you want an explanation for my pregnancy, may I suggest you speak to a health teacher.” Yep. She just snapped at someone who held her fate in her hands.
“There’s no need to get snippy, young lady.”
“I’m sorry, but I believe there is.” Lila wasn’t going to be intimidated. “This is a private matter.”
“Who is the baby’s father?” Ms. Smith blurted out.
BOOM. There it was. That’s what they were driving at. There had been an ugly rumor about her and the father of one of her students. He’d made some unwanted advances in a bar. It didn’t matter that Lila had told him to buzz off; people had talked.
“I haven’t told the baby’s father yet, and I’m not comfortable telling you before I tell him.”
“Lila,” her chair began, “taking a hard line here isn’t going to help.”
“I’m sorry, but he’s overseas on assignment.” That was all Lila could come up with, and it might or might not have been true. She didn’t know where Nick DeMarco was. She hadn’t heard from him in months. “That’s all I can say.”
When she said he was overseas, everyone came to attention.
“Is he in the service of our country?” the superintendent asked.
Lila nodded. She didn’t know what Nick was doing, but he did work for the government. “I think I should tell him first, don’t you?”
“Lila, I don’t like this any more than you do, but something must be done. I have parents calling for your job.”
“Well, sir, with all due respect, you can tell them this is none of their business. I’m sure you’re aware that I am a very good teacher. My students are engaged and do very well.”
“I am. Your reputation in the classroom is excellent, but regardless of how accepting society has become of single parents, our teachers are held to a different standard. Parents are very upset.”
“Am I being dismissed?” There was no use in beating around the bush. If the decision had already been made, the time would be better spent polishing her resumé.
“I don’t want to do that, but I am in a difficult position.”
Of course. His contract was up for renewal. The last thing he needed was a bunch of parents complaining that he wasn’t responsive. If they started calling for his head, who knew how the board of education would respond? Lila didn’t know what she was expected to do. The baby was already in the picture.
“I guess you’ll let me know if I have a job, then?”
She started to get up from the chair when her department chair came to her defense. “Lila is one of our best teachers. Surely there’s a way for this to work out.”
Silence settled over the room, because no one seemed to have any answers. They were looking everywhere but at each other. Glancing off into space or keeping their eyes trained at the table. Except for Ms. Smith, who was staring at Lila. Now she didn’t know if she should leave or stay.
“Lila?” Her principal, Joe Alex, broke the quiet. “How is the clean-up from the fire going?”
That got everyone’s attention. Being a pity case wasn’t her first choice, but Lila would take it. She couldn’t be without a job. Especially not now.
The superintendent’s face dropped. He wasn’t a bad person, but he was a puppet. Now his conscience was getting to him. Lila just hoped it worked in her favor. “I’ll be in touch,” he said flatly. Then he stood and left the room, leaving Lila in the same place as she’d been before, without any answers.
“Motherfucker, that hurts.” Over the course of his career, Nick had been shot, stabbed, beaten, and thrown off the roof of the building. But the searing pain from the injection into his injured shoulder was like nothing he’d ever felt. Of course, he’d been unconscious after the stabbing, and the shooting, and during the beating he managed to throw a few punches himself. Getting thrown off a building? Not something he would recommend.
But he’d recovered from every injury. He’d come back to duty stronger than ever, almost like he had to prove himself. Rumor was some people wondered if he was even human. Nick had to laugh at that. Of course he was human, he just took his work seriously. There were a lot of bad people out in the world, and it was Nick’s job to make sure they didn’t hurt anyone.
This time, however, his shoulder had been almost completely ripped out of the socket. The damage had been repaired as much as it could be, but for the first time in his career, Nick didn’t know if he was going to be able to do his job like he had before.
There had been mutterings about a desk job. A fucking desk job. He couldn’t see himself settling into a regular routine, making assignments, even if it did carry a promotion. He was an adrenaline junkie, pure and simple, and if he wasn’t out in the field chasing bad guys, he didn’t know what he was going to do.
“So will the cortisone fix what ails me?”
The doctor shrugged. It was another resident, another no-name who didn’t know anything about him. To the guy in the scrubs, Nick was just another case. He didn’t understand that Nick’s life as he knew it was on the line.
“Dr. O’Neill will be in in a minute. He has more details about your next step.” Without another word, the drone doc left the room. At least he would get to talk to the guy who did the surgery. Maybe he would finally give Nick a straight answer.
His cell phone beeped, and he glanced at the screen. His sister. The text was short. Are you alive?
Nick smiled. Josie, as always, got to the point. This time, he answered. Sent back a simple: yes. But that was all she was gonna get for now.
He was still figuring out how he felt about her relationship with Tony. Never in his life had he suspected his best friend and his sister had been having an affair. Now, Josie was going to be a queen. An honest to God, crown-wearing, scepter-wielding queen. Okay, maybe that was too dramatic. But she would have a crown. His little sister would have a crown.
Nick lay back on the table, knees bent, arm folded over his eyes. Jesus. What if he couldn’t go back in the field? He’d never thought about life after fieldwork, but now it was the only thing on his mind.
He tried to focus on something good, something positive, and immediately Lila Novak’s face flashed in his memory. Talk about secrets. The four days he’d spent in bed with Josie’s best friend had been just what he needed. The woman was a contradiction; on one hand she was full of piss and vinegar, but on the other she was beautiful, smart, sweet, and the sex had been a friggin’ miracle. Nick thought about her a lot, probably too much.
Still, he wanted to see her. He figured whatever the doctor said, he’d head to Florida for some R&R. His grandparents’ house was empty, and while he was there he was sure he could get Lila to see him. As long as she wasn’t too pissed off. He’d left without saying goodbye, and in his experience women really hated that.
He expected Lila was no different.
The door burst open and Dr. O’Neill entered the space. A big man, career Army, Nick peeked out from under his arm and the doctor tossed a wry grin in his direction.
“Hiding, Colonel?”
Colonel. He wasn’t used to being called by his rank. “Just trying to figure out what kind of bullshit you’ll be feeding me about my shoulder.”
“No bullshit,” the doctor said. “Truth only. Your shoulder was a hot mess. I was able to do some repair on the ligaments and tendons, but at this point it’s not stable. I can’t recommend you be allowed to go back to fieldwork at this time.”
“So, I’m going to be a desk jockey? I can’t do that. I’ll go crazy.” Nick’s fear of desk work was what drove him to volunteer for a special covert ops unit. He went where he was needed, working sometimes for the CIA, the NSA, or different branches of the military. When people asked what he did, he said he was a “security consultant”. It wasn’t a lie.
“You can stay in the Corps,” the doctor reassured him. “There are plenty of things a man with your knowledge and talents can do. You’re just not going to be swinging from trees or jumping off buildings anymore.”
“Should I retire? I mean, if I can’t do the work…”
“I didn’t say never, but not now. There’s a lot you can still do. Hell, with all your experience, you’ll be running the Joint Chiefs inside of six months. But you aren’t indestructible. You may recover enough to get back to the insanity you call a job, but I don’t recommend it.”
That particular statement made him think—and the conclusion wasn’t good. Lately, every injury meant a tougher recovery. He knew he was getting older, but his body was finally telling him what that meant. “Shit.”
The doctor took a seat across from him. “Nick, I’ve treated your last two orthopedic injuries. Your missions are more dangerous because that’s the way of the world right now, but even you have limits; you’re almost forty.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” Forty was still a couple of years away, but one thing Nick couldn’t deny was that he was feeling it.
Nick wasn’t a quitter, but he also wasn’t stupid. He knew when there was no point in arguing. He placed his feet solidly on the floor, stood, and extended his hand to O’Neill. “Thanks, Doc. I appreciate it.”
Shaking his hand, the older man wore an expression that told Nick he wasn’t the first to possibly have his career cut short and he wouldn’t be the last. But it still sucked.
Leaving the exam room, he took the stairs five flights down. He didn’t talk to anyone; it was raining, but he didn’t hail a cab, hoping the walk would clear his head. Finally, soaked to the bone, Nick jumped on the Metro. He was sure he looked sketchy, but he didn’t care. It would keep people away. He got off in Foggy Bottom, walked past the White House and down the mall, ending up on the steps of The Capitol. A security guard gave him the eye, suspicious. As he should be.
Nick was a dangerous man.
He was lighter—leaner—than he’d been before the injury. Not surprising, and probably a good thing.
It was pouring now, reminding him of an op that had dropped his team in the middle of a South American jungle.
God, what he wouldn’t give to be back there again.
Looking up, he felt like the heavens were taunting him.
He had to get out of town. He had a couple of options. He could head to an island and decompress in a tiki hut over a lagoon in Fiji. He had a friend with a chalet in the Alps. It was beautiful and secluded, but there would be no skiing or climbing.
The last idea was the one that really appealed to him. Barefoot Bay. He’d head to his grandparents’ house in Florida to regroup and figure out what to do next.
Sure, people knew him, but most of them wouldn’t ask questions, and the tiny coastal island of Mimosa Key was about as far away from work as he could possibly get. Sure, there might be nosy neighbors, but no one would be shooting at him.
And he’d try to see Lila. If she was still speaking to him.
Yeah, no doubt about it. Thoughts of Lila alone made Florida a very good idea.
About The Author
Jeannie Moon has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs, and resides on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.
Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads | Amazon
August 21, 2016
Read an excerpt of the new release of Mind Mates by @MaryHughesBooks #bookreview #fantasy
Celebrate the release of Mind Mates by Mary Hughes!
When a powerful wizard prince comes out of hiding to save his sister in Mary Hughes’ newest paranormal romance, MIND MATES, he is forced to team with a pretty shifter—one with ugly, dangerous powers of her own. As vengeful enemies close in, a forbidden attraction flaming between them, the two race to find a mysterious key. MIND MATES will enthrall fans of ALL KITTEN ASIDE by Milly Taiden or WARLOCK UNBOUND by Dana Marie Bell, who love hot wizard princes and good-girl shifters with a naughty side.
Follow the tour and enter to win great prizes!
5 grand prize winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card. 5 runner-ups will receive an eBook of choice from Mary’s backlist!
Mind Mates by Mary Hughes
Pretty little shifter, wizard prince—their taboo love could burn the barriers between worlds.
Shifter Emma Singer has more problems than she can shake her pretty little wolf tail at. Her heirloom journal is missing, her pack alpha wants her for his harem, and her family plans to sell her to him. Even her wicked little crush on her hot boss is doomed—why would six-and-a-half feet of handsome royal wizard want a boring, good-girl iota shifter like her? Not to mention her only power is going berserker—that’s a real relation-shipwreck!
Gabriel Light is a wizard prince who turned his back on his exceptional powers after he was accused of causing his parents’ death. Now he pours his intellect into his tech business, and hides his naughty, forbidden lust for his pretty shifter clerk. But when his sister is imprisoned, and Emma is kidnapped, it’s time for this alpha geek-wizard to decloak with all laser cannons blazing. Only one problem—how can he be sure Emma won’t get caught in the crossfire?
Then Gabriel and Emma stumble on hidden magic, a key to power beyond imagining—if they can stay alive long enough to use it. But if Emma unleashes her berserker wolf on their enemies, can Gabriel draw her back from the brink before she destroys everyone in her path?
Warning: Contains a hot wizard prince panting to bring out a good-girl shifter’s naughty side. Accidental voyeurism, deliberate orgasms, a jealous rival wizard, and fun with prophecy.
Find out more at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | AllRomance | Google Play | Smashwords
Excerpt:
Owner of the Choice Buy store in Michigan, wizard prince Gabriel Light sees his employee, wolf shifter Emma Singer, fall off a tall ladder. He’s just managed to catch her and set her on her feet when her angry pack alpha shows up.
Bzz-bzzt. A buzz like an angry hornet stung wizard prince Gabriel Light’s ears the moment the predator slunk into the store.
Cap’n Crunch me. Gabriel had magically alarmed the door for just such an event, but why now, when he’d finally gotten a semi-innocent excuse to wrap his arms around this warm bundle of soft, sweet-smelling heaven?
Emma. It felt like he’d been dying to hold her forever. Now, with her in his arms, was the first time in months he could breathe.
But that buzzing alarm told him the approaching beast was male, a wolf shifter, and, from that level of sting, Emma’s alpha. The beast was not going to appreciate seeing her in another man’s arms.
She started trembling, no doubt in response to the alpha’s rampant fight-club stench, a musk even Gabriel could smell. He tried to ease her tension with a joke.
“Hey, Emma. How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?”
She skewered him with a disbelieving stare, icing his flesh. He’d blundered, she didn’t understand he was trying to comfort her, nobody gets my skewed sense of humor… Then she gulped and said, “Eight? Like, um, eight legs?”
Immediately his world brightened. “Nope. Ten tickles. Get it? Tentacles?”
She managed a tiny laugh, tinkling bells to his ears, and her body relaxed slightly under his arms. “That was such a dad joke.”
He loved that she, of all the people he knew, actually laughed at his jokes. He smiled into her eyes like a besotted fool.
Of course, that was when the he-wolf prowled into view.
Gabriel wondered how far he could get with the wolf by protesting his intentions were honorable. Probably not far. The creature was only barely in human form.
The wolfman was medium height but had a face like a dented shovel and a body like a trash compactor, his muscles-on-muscles popping in a stringy T-shirt that barely qualified past no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service.
Worse, with the hair sprouting everywhere, nose elongating like a snout, and lengthening canines, this alpha was dangerously pissed.
Hard to reason with a pissed-off wolf. They tended to bite first then ask questions…never.
Yet instead of releasing Emma, Gabriel’s hand dropped from her clenched jaw to open protectively on her back.
“The fuck?” the wolfman snarled.
Something inside Gabriel snarled right back.
My Review:
Mind Mates is the second book in the Pull of the Moon series, but you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one. I didn’t read the first book – yet. It’s now on my TBR list. I dove into the story of Mind Mates and only came up for air when it was all done and finished. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of paranormal and fantasy elements. There was romance (although the sex scenes were a bit strange), a mystery in the form of a prophecy to solve, and lots of suspense. I didn’t love the shifter world Hughes created. It was beyond cruel and sexist. I do understand the need for this set-up in order to add to the suspense of the story, but that doesn’t mean I had to like it. I also felt like the end was a bit rushed. I finished the book with some questions about how certain events came to be. Maybe there’s another book coming in the series?
I loved Emma and Gabriel but, man, the two of them need to learn to communicate better. It’s a good thing the prophecy was activated, otherwise who knows when the two would have gotten out of their own ways enough to actually get together. I enjoyed Gabriel’s off the wall humor and loved watching Emma come into her own. The secondary characters were mostly fun and added color to the story. Except for Pan. I didn’t like Pan.
If you’re in need of a break from reality, grab Mind Mates and curl up in your favorite chair for a great read.
About Mary Hughes:
As a girl, Mary Hughes spun romantic, happily-ever-after stories to get to sleep. A husband, family, two degrees and a blackbelt later, she’s delighted to spin them for readers.
She’s lived with love and loss, in bright times and dark, and learned we can all use a break from reality every now and then.
So join her for action, sparkling wit and red-hot love. Strong men. Stronger women.
Connect with Mary: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter
August 17, 2016
Why I’ve been incommunicado – Part I – June #expatlife
It’s now mid-August and hopefully some of you have actually noticed my absence from blogging and social media for the past months. I’ve got my reasons – promise! Luckily, I haven’t been sick or anything dramatic like that. Instead, a convergence of various circumstances from lack of internet to an inability to go home led me to a withdrawal from the online world.
It all started with a trip to the Netherlands to find an apartment. We were only supposed to be in Istanbul for two years and that two years was long up. I was ready to move on. Even though my hubby’s work situation wasn’t completely sorted, I decided it was time to start looking for a new place to live. The apartment hunt trip was great; exhausting but great. It was when I arrived back in Istanbul that things started to fall apart.
As usual, the immigration line went on for freaking forever. When I finally arrived at the immigration desk, the officer – instead of grumpily stamping my passport – started going on and on. The only thing I understood from his monologue was the word five. Yes, my Turkish is quite outstanding after two years. My response? “Five what?”
“Five days.”
“Five days?”
“You stay five days.”
Well, crap. I thought my visa was good for another three weeks. I pretended I knew what was going on (never show weakness in front of an immigration officer!) and nodded before going off in search of my baggage, which was thankfully on the belt. Bonus – I didn’t have to wrestle anyone for possession (which seems to happen to me way too frequently).
After I got home, I pulled out all my visas and tried to figure out why in the world I needed to leave again in five days. I won’t go into the whole thing because frankly I’m still not really sure what happened and my visa usage wasn’t exactly on the up and up. Anyway, we determined that not only did I need to leave the country in five days (and did that include my day of arrival and departure?), but I had to stay away for three weeks. Well, isn’t that flipping awesome.
I decided to head off to the U.S. for a week and then to the Netherlands for two weeks after that. And as I stood in the massive line to leave Turkey, I realized something my body had been trying to tell me for a while. I was done. Done. Done. Done. I stared at the pictures of the apartment I had fallen in love with the previous week for a few minutes before messaging my husband. We came to an agreement and by the time I arrived in Chicago, I had a new apartment in The Hague.
I spent three weeks in June traveling around; avoiding going ‘home’ due to my visa issues. Obviously, I didn’t spend much of that time keeping up my blog or being on social media. And writing? Um, no. I’m one of those ‘weird’ writers who need to have a schedule and set place to write. Finally, at the end of the month, I arrived back ‘home’ in Istanbul. Big sigh. Relief. I could now sleep in my own bed and get back to work.
Except that’s not the way it worked out. To be continued…
August 16, 2016
Read an Excerpt of Vampire Creed by Rain Grey #paranormalromance #giveaway
Vampire Creed
Rain Grey
Paranormal Romance
Date Published: June 1, 2016
~ Synopsis ~
Barnaby Blaine Rice was a Vampire born in the depression with a very special power to see who people truly were. After a long, empty existence of witnessing the darkest points of humanity, Blaine happens to encounter a beautiful married woman named Mary Slate. Unable to handle his love for the beautiful human, Blaine accidentally kills another Vampire over her and is put under a serious debt with the Vampire Council.
Blaine reluctantly forces himself to forget the woman and allows her to live her life without his intervention. It wasn’t until 50-years-later that the distant memories of the captivating Mary are brought back to the surface. Blaine has the pleasure to encounter the young Wendy Slate, granddaughter of Mary Slate after a criminal vampire keeps her hostage. Blaine got there in time to stop the criminal, but not to stop the beginning of Wendy’s transition into Vampirism.
As he was forced to sire her into this new world, he discovers that Wendy is the most amazing person he’d ever met. Wendy has to make a life-altering decision as Blaine has to deal with his blooming feelings for a woman who was identical to his first love. This modern love story introduces the most influential turning point of these lover’s lives.
Grab a copy
~ Excerpt ~
Wendy Slate
I got to the library minutes before nine thirty, Archer walking a few feet behind me.
“You don’t have to act like my vampire bodyguard,” I murmured as I caught a small group looking at him with scared gazes, knowing he could hear me.
“Of course I do. I’m a vampire and your bodyguard.”
Rolling my eyes, I paused, letting him catch up to me before wrapping my arm around his. “It wouldn’t hurt to smile. Next thing I know, someone is going to report you to campus security and have you kicked out. Then you won’t be much of a bodyguard, will you?”
This time he rolled his eyes, but he did relax his facial features.
Together we walked up the steps. My group was meeting in a study room on the third floor. When we arrived at the room, only Jason was there. Opening the door alerted him of our arrival and he looked up with a smile.
Wait a second. For a split second, it looked like he was glaring at Archer. His expression changed so fast I wasn’t too sure I saw right, even with my keener eyesight since becoming a vampire.
“Who’s this? New boyfriend already?” he asked, a smile on his lips.
Brushing away my suspicions, I shook my head. “He’s a friend. He goes to school here too. Engineering major. Fifth year.”
I was quite impressed with myself having come up with a lie on my toes. I was going to introduce Archer as a friend anyway, but Jason question kind of caught me off guard.
Jason nodded, accepting my words. “The other two said it will be a while before they get here. They wanted to stop by their dorm first,” he spared another glance at Archer. “Will he be staying?”
In response to that, Archer plopped himself into a chair in the corner of the room. “You won’t even know I’m here,” he said before taking out his cell phone.
I had a feeling that wouldn’t be the truth if he planned on continuing watching his wrestling show. Ignoring him, I sat at the table across from Jason.
“I started developing some samples for the project,” I stated as I took my notebook and laptop from my backpack.
I started to go over what I had so far with him briefly as well as sharing our other ideas. Though, honestly, I was ready to leave before I even got here. I still had yet to convince Archer to take me to where Theo had brought me. And by not convince, I meant not even approach to the subject. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I was guarding my thoughts so Archer would be none the wiser.
~ About the Author ~
Rain Grey is a psychologist by profession. However, she has been writing books since she was fifteen years old. She loves anything supernatural and her favourite genres are vampire Romance and ghost fiction. Her home in England is close to the town of Stratford Upon Avon, where William Shakespeare was born.
Contact Links
Website:www.raingreyauthor.com
FREE books sign up: http://ow.ly/4nfBNV
~ Giveaway ~
July 29, 2016
Promo Blitz ~ The Dragon in the Garden by Erika Gardner #fantasy #sale only 99 pennies!
Fantasy
Date Published: February 2016
On Sale $.99 until the end of July
There is magic beneath the mundane and in The Dragon in the Garden, Siobhan Orsini witnesses it all. No lie can fool her, no glamour or illusion can cloud her Sight. She sees through them all and wishes she could close her eyes. Returning to face her past, Siobhan inherits her grandparents’ house in California’s wine country. She encounters a talking dragon, a hot fallen angel, a demon lord, a Valkyrie, and, oh yes, her ex-boyfriend. And that is just in the first twenty-four hours.
It’s time to find out why she has this power.
Siobhan seeks out the Oracle and learns that only her Sight can help mankind navigate the travails of an ancient war. Our world is the prize in a battle between the dragons, who would defend us, and Lucifer’s fallen angels, who seek to take the Earth for themselves. Using her gift, she will have to make a choice that will decide humanity’s future.
Purchase Links:
Amazon ~ Kindle UK ~ Smashwords ~ Apple ~ Kobo ~ Nook
EXCERPT
Chapter One
The memory has haunted me for years.
In the middle of a bright California summer, dark days came. My mother and grandparents spoke in hushed, serious voice, arguing about my absent father. Was it my fault he left? A soft whimper escaped my throat and my eyes burned. I needed a hug, but no one paid any attention to me that day. So I ran away to the refuge of my grandparents’ garden where I could hide among its statues and flowers.
My eyes lingered over the familiar garden ornaments. I passed the old birdbath, the statues of gnomes, and a cheerful squirrel. I ran one hand over the stone deer. Its brown paint had faded from years under the sun. Walking with quick steps down the gravel path, I made my way to the center of the garden, my special spot where my favorite statue waited.
A gnarled apricot tree grew there. Right now it was covered with tiny green apricots. Later in the summer the sweet fruit I loved would ripen. I would get to pick them with my parents, no, just with my mother. My lip trembled. My father wouldn’t be here.
The bright-green dragon lay curled at the foot of the apricot tree, partially covered by vines. My mother called the color jade green—the same shade as my eyes. As a child she talked to all the statues, but I only spoke to the dragon. I named her Daisy. Sitting down next to her now, the tears welled up at last, spilling over my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around my legs, making myself into a little ball of five year old misery.
“Child, why are you sad?” said a woman’s voice.
“Who said that?” I asked, wiping my cheek.
“I did.”
“Where are you?” I stood and peered at the plants and statues around me.
“Right here.”
“Are not,” I retorted.
A soft laugh filled the air and the woman spoke again. “Perhaps you are right. Easy enough to fix, I suppose.”
The breeze picked up. The space beneath the apricot tree shimmered. Ripples warped the air like the heat over the barbecue when my father cooked. The sweet notes of wind chimes filled the yard. Grandma and Grandpa didn’t have any wind chimes. I whirled around to find the noise.
Under the branches appeared an enormous green dragon’s head. My mouth opened in a silent O and I held my breath.
“Now child,” said the woman. “I won’t hurt you.” Her voice came from the dragon’s mouth.
I opened my lips to scream, but no noise came. Backing away, I bumped into the hammock and froze.
“I don’t eat little girls.” The dragon’s huge golden eyes twinkled.
“How did you know what I was thinking?” I whispered.
“I am a good guesser. Besides, I know I must be very big to you.” The voice sounded kind, like my teacher’s.
“As big as Daddy’s car,” I said.
“Oh, I am much bigger than that,” the dragon said, smiling. Her teeth shone white and enormous. “I’m only showing you a bit of me right now.”
“Where is the rest of you?”
“All around us.”
“Why aren’t you smooshing everything?” I gestured around the garden.
The dragon chuckled. “You are a smart little thing.” The jeweled head tilted to one side. “You would be Siobhan, yes?”
“You said it right. Sha-vauhn.” Everyone messed up my name. I wished on every first star, each night, for a different name— a normal name.
“In the old country Siobhan means ‘God is gracious.’”
“Yep, that’s what Mommy says, too,” I said glumly. “What’s your name?”
“Gwyrdd ferch Heulen ferch Caden ap Haydn.”
“Gwyer-eth?” My mouth struggled with the unfamiliar name.
“Not bad,” said the dragon. “I like the name you gave me—Daisy.”
“It’s easier to say,” I said.
“I am not smooshing the garden because I am not quite here. Only part of me is here. What year is it?”
“It’s 1993, Daisy.”
The dragon stirred. “It’s too early, child. The prophecy says I should not be here yet.”
“What’s a prophecy?” My tongue stumbled on the unfamiliar word.
“It’s a prediction of what might happen in the future.”
“You mean like the weather? My daddy says the guys on TV mess up all the time,” I said.
Daisy chuckled, a low rumble deep in her throat. “Your father is not wrong.”
“What does it say will happen?”
“I am supposed to meet someone, but our appointment is for later,” said Daisy.
“Can’t you stay here until the appointment? I won’t let you be late,” I said.
Daisy frowned. “It’s a secret appointment. There are some people I don’t want to know about the person I’m supposed to meet.”
“Bad people?” I asked. “Is that why you hide and pretend to be a statue?”
“Have you ever had a friend,” asked Daisy, “a friend who misbehaved and needed a break?”
I knew all about that. “Sure, Danny hit Carter. They’re friends, but they both wanted the bike, and wouldn’t take turns. Miss Sarah told them to go sit down and have a time out.”
“Miss Sarah must be very smart,” said the dragon. “As it happens, friends and I have been fighting over something and we needed a time out.”
“Are there more dragons?” I asked.
“Yes, many more.”
“Are there dragons hiding in any other statues?”
The jeweled head moved slowly back and forth. “No, just me. The others cannot pass between worlds.”
“Why just you?”
“I have a job to do,” said Daisy. Her voice sounded sad.
“Are the dragons good guys?” I asked, scooting closer to Daisy and laying a hand on her warm nose. I didn’t want her to be sad.
Daisy snorted, tickling my hand so I giggled. “Yes, dear one, I think we are good.”
“But, if you come back now it would be bad?” My laughter faded.
“It would be very bad indeed, but later, when it is right, I can return.” Daisy sighed.
“I always knew you were real.” I straightened my shoulders. I had found a dragon in hiding.
“Really?” Daisy asked.
“You’re the only statue I named,” I answered. “Nobody fools me.”
The breeze picked up again. Daisy sniffed the wind. “Siobhan, I’m afraid it’s time for me to leave or the bad things will happen. Will you be all right?”
“My daddy’s not coming back, is he?” My worries returned.
Her scales sparkled in the bright sunshine. “No, he is not coming back to your mother although he will visit you and your brother.”
I sighed. “Daisy, will I ever see you again?”
The golden eyes twinkled. “Yes, I believe you will.”
The air warped again. I tried to watch, but a bird warbled close by, and I turned my head. When I glanced back at the apricot tree, the air shimmered and the small, dragon statue lay where Daisy’s head had been. “But, Daisy, who were you fighting with?”
A whisper floated on the breeze. I bent closer to the statue to listen. “That can’t be right,” I said to the empty garden.
On that day everything changed, especially me.
My name is Siobhan Isabella Orsini. It would be twenty years before I saw my dragon again.
About the Author
Erika is a sixth generation San Franciscan of Irish descent. She attended the University of California at Davis and completed degrees in Medieval History and Biological Sciences. A lifelong lover of books and a scribbler of many tales from a young age (her first story was completed at age five) she turned to writing full-time in 2011.
On a personal level she loves spicy food, twilight, dark chocolate (with sea salt-yum!) and nickel slots at Vegas. Erika lives for time with friends, a nice glass of red wine, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” & “Doctor Who” and good conversation. Her favorite things to do are running, cooking, reading, needlework, gardening… and of course, writing. Erika’s music of choice is heavy metal. To pick her out in a lineup you should know that she is very short, fairly loud, and has dark eyebrows. The rest, as her hero Anne McCaffrey once said in her bio, “is subject to change without notice”.
Erika resides in Northern California with her incredibly hot husband, their three amazing kids, and their chocolate Labrador named Selkie. To reach Erika regarding her books, wine recommendations, or to debate which Iron Maiden album is the best (clearly, it’s Brave New World), you can find her online at http://www.erikagardner.com.
