Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 14
October 24, 2017
Get Wild Wild Ghost FREE! #MFRWauthor #bookhooks #PNR #UF
Wild Wild Ghost is a FREE prequel to the Blaize Silver urban fantasy series!
With everyone she loves in the grave, Ruby specializes in the dead.
Trip wants to bring her back to the land of the living.
When Ruby Silver traded in her demon-hunting rifle for a Tremayne Agency badge, she didn’t want another partner—losing the last one was too traumatic. But when a new case in the Texas Hill Country pairs her up with the slow-talking, fast-drawing Trip Austin, it will take all their combined skills to combat a plague of poltergeists in this German-settled town.
Get your FREE copy of Wild Wild Ghost here
Get Savage & Silver, the first Blaize Silver story, exclusively in Elementals!
For more Blaize Silver, pre-Order Heroines & Hellions and Sin & Silver!
Excerpt from Wild Wild Ghost
Was this woman really supposed to be his new partner?
When he’d gotten the telegram from the Tremayne headquarters back in St. Louis, Trip had laughed aloud. He knew there were lady agents—he’d even worked with one a time or two—but they had all been stationed back east. No lone woman in her right mind would want to come out here to work.
Not when there were plenty of ghosts to be exorcised in civilized places.
Safer places.
I guess maybe this one’s not in her right mind, then.
Might not be a bad idea to remember that.
He watched the glass-cyclone sweep up the dust around her, the cloud of dirt thickening until he couldn’t see the woman at all, and reconsidered.
If she can cause something like that to happen, maybe she’s plenty safe out here, after all.
As Trip made his way toward her, the glass-and-dirt devil rose into the air. He stopped to watch it ascend. Then, with a noise like a crack of thunder, it was gone. Trip had the vague impression that it had sped away toward the wilds rather than merely disappearing into nothingness, but he couldn’t have pointed to any particular evidence that made him think that.
Smoothing her hands down the sides of the painted horse’s face, the woman murmured something soothing in a tone that made Trip realize he had been hearing her voice all along, a soft alto hum rising and falling under the whipping and tinkling sound of the glass tornado, somehow more noticeable now in its absence than it had been during the strange events on the street.
The horse huffed out a breath, and the woman laughed. The sound of it sent an odd shiver up Trip’s back—not of anxiety, but of interest.
Don’t be stupid, man. You haven’t even seen her face yet.
And he couldn’t tell anything about her body under that horror of a dress.
Reaching up, she untied the bonnet from under her chin and removed it to shake off the dust. A silken fall of blond hair cascaded out of it and down her back, and Trip stopped to stare, frozen by the glint of midday Texas sun off its golden sheen.
By the time he moved again, she had begun brushing dirt off her skirt in sharp, efficient motions.
“Ruby Silver?” he asked when he was close enough to speak without shouting.
As she spun around, it occurred to him belatedly that it might not be a good idea to sneak up on a woman who could turn flying glass into a tornado and make it disappear.
Holding both hands up, he took a half-step back. “I’m Trip. Trip Austin,” he said. When she didn’t respond with anything more than a suspicious glare, he added, “Your new partner.”
Her mouth tightened, her stare captured his, and she shook her head the tiniest bit—more a negation of the mere idea of a partner, he thought, than a rejection of his actual claim.
Trip knew he ought to say more, but from the moment her gaze had caught his, he had been rendered speechless. To be honest, he had expected someone harsh, sun-weathered and wind-beaten. Women out here were hard, and women alone doubly so, used to fending for themselves in a land that didn’t reward softness.
Not that he would call this woman soft. Not exactly. Her mouth drew down in a hard, straight line and her blue eyes narrowed in a way that suggested she would eviscerate him if he took one wrong step.
She was, however, lovely. The lines of her face looked as though they had been sculpted, like one of those fine statues he had seen a few times when he traveled outside his home country on Tremayne business, going to places other people considered better, just because they had more people. Because they were “civilized.”
He suspected the west’s lack of civilization drew Ruby Silver to it the same way it drew him. Deep in her gaze he detected a desolation that matched any desert landscape he had ever seen.
A man could die in those eyes.
But before he did, he would witness a harsh wonder like nothing else he had ever seen.
Perfect, now I’m waxing poetical. I haven’t determined if this is Ruby Silver, and already I’ve got men dying from the mere look of her.
He shook his head, half-amused at his own flights of fancy.
“What do you mean, my partner?” she asked, and Trip had to think hard to recover the conversational thread.
“Tremayne PSI. I can show you my badge, if you’ll allow.” He waved his hand, still raised in the air, toward his gun-belt without lowering it at all.
She nodded suspiciously, her own hand dropping to the gun belt she wore slung around the hips of her skirt.
As he pulled the agency star in its leather case off its position near his waist, he admired the way her belt outlined those hips.
That’s a fashion I could get used to.
The fingers that brushed Trip’s as she took the badge were cool and dry. She examined it for a long moment, then ran one fingertip across it in a complex pattern. Something mystical, probably. Some way to verify the badge’s authenticity, he suspected.
With a noncommittal noise, she handed it back to him.
They stared at one another for a long, silent moment. Somehow, Trip knew that speaking was the wrong way to go, so instead he waited for her to nod so they could get started on their examination of the town.
Whatever had sent that glass flying in the first place was big and ugly, and the sooner they got to work tracking it down, the sooner they could get rid of it.
Instead, Ruby Silver shook her head. “I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time,” she said. “I work alone.”
Without another word, she lifted her chin, spun on her heel, gathered her horse’s reins, and headed toward the largest, most imposing building in town—the bank—leaving Trip standing in the dust behind her, not certain whether he should chase after her, or simply admire her as she walked away.
Check out more excerpts from romance authors on this week’s Book Hooks!
October 17, 2017
Savage & Silver, in ELEMENTALS #urbanfantasy #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooks
Excerpt:
Last I’d heard, there weren’t any werewolves in southern Arizona at all. My cousins and I had wiped out the Phoenix pack almost four years ago, though, so I probably shouldn’t have been surprised that someone had decided to start looking at taking over the territory again,
The problem was, this was my territory.
Well, one of the problems.
The other problem—and probably the biggest difficulty for me, if I were willing to admit it—was that I had no idea where either of my cousins was at the moment.
Without them, I was likely to be much less effective against these shapeshifters, given the fact that a silver bullet was the best way to take them down.
Also? I’m deathly allergic to silver.
Savage & Silver by Margo Bond Collins.
Available only in Elementals: A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection.
Click here to see the rest of the books in this week’s MFRW Book Hooks!
October 11, 2017
Night Covenant: #99c PreOrder! #vampires #witches #PNR #MFRWHooks
A witch by any other name would spell as sweetly.
Vampires and witches rule opposite sides of the post-Rift city of Carpathia, each faction controlling one side of what used to be Budapest. Despite the Verona Accord, an uneasy alliance that prevents all-out war between the two groups, each side blames the other for the increasing decay and deprivation within the Division, and war threatens their fragile stability.
Juliska Capros, the strongest Taltos witch born since the Rift, is in love with Román Montag, a man who not only isn’t her betrothed, and isn’t even a witch, but is the scion of the hated Magyars, the leading Berkano vampire family. For Juliska and Román, every moment together is a stolen treasure, one they fear they can’t keep.
But when they discover their families might be hiding the means to break the curse that is slowly killing their Division, these star-crossed lovers set out to overcome their families’ enmity and save their city.
NIGHT COVENANT is a stand-alone full-length novel in the Berkano Vampire Collection. Get this post-apocalyptic paranormal romance re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet today!
Pre-Order Price: 99c
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xxebl2
Nook: http://bit.ly/2kFbE72
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2i2ykgB
iBooks: coming soon
Check out the rest of this week’s BookHooks Blog Hop!
September 15, 2017
New Release! Elementals: a Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
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Elemental magic has never been so terrifying.
What do you get when 14 kick-ass urban fantasy Elementals are set to face a horde of bad-ass villains with enough magic to end life as they know it?
14 spell-binding, earth-shattering, electrifying tales of magical mayhem and destructive power from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling authors.
Each one of the brand new, exclusive stories in this anthology transforms the elements into something magical…and more than a little frightening.
This explosive anthology is on fire!
Only 99 cents or FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon
September 14, 2017
Cover Reveal: Of Water and Blood by Pauline Creeden
Can one girl really change the world?
Clover has always been a plain farm girl. But when her uncle has a horrible tractor accident, she discovers just how extraordinary she is.
She thought magic only existed in fairy tales, and that vampires and werewolves were stuff for the movies. She’s wrong. Now Clover is thrust into a world where she must trust people she’s never met before, run from those who hunt her, and choose to start a war or end one. What a way to celebrate her 18th birthday…
Pre-order for only $.99 on Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Google Play / Kobo
[image error]Pauline Creeden
Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
Follow Pauline Creeden:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter
August 15, 2017
Indie Bookfest 2017!
Over eighty fabulous authors, panels and workshops for both authors and readers . . . two amazing parties and a huge signing . . . where in the world can you find all of this awesomeness in one event?
Indie BookFest, of course!
This premier author-reader event, in its fifth year in central Florida, takes place September 28th through October 1 st at the Westin Lake Mary.
Indie BookFest is the only non-organization- affiliated author event to offer a dedicated Industry Day, with representatives from a variety of service companies presenting workshops, participating in panels and meeting with authors. This year, industry reps include those from Written Word Media, Draft2Digital, Robin Reads, Bublish and more.
But IBF isn’t simply an author education conference. We also offer an entire evening and day of Reader Appreciation panels and presentations—PLUS FanFare, an evening where the authors entertain the readers.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a three-hour signing that is free and open to the public, on Saturday from three to six.
Tickets to Indie BookFest 2017 are available now. There are several options for readers and for attending authors:
–INDUSTRY DAY Ticket: This option provides admittance to and participation in all the
panels and workshops offered on Friday, September 29 th . Topics will apply to both new and established authors, as well as to others in the publishing field. This ticket allows attending authors and those interested in exploring the possibility of authorhood to participate in the entire weekend; it also includes FanFare, Reader Appreciation Day participation, the signing and Saturday night party. Thursday night’s Dinner with the Authors is not included.
–VIP TICKET: This option provides admittance to and participation in all aspects of Indie
BookFest, including access to the entire weekend EXCEPT the Thursday night dinner (available at an additional charge), including the Green Room, all panels, workshops, parties and signings. VIP ticket holders also receive a special VIP swag bag.
–GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET: This option includes access to FanFare on Friday night,
reader workshops and panels on Saturday, the three-hour signing on Saturday, and the Saturday night party, as well as access to the Swag Tables.
–YOUNG AUTHOR EVENT: The Young Author session will take place Saturday, September 30, from 9:30-11 AM. Attendees must be under 18 to attend. A panel of authors will lead the workshop, which will explore all nuances of writing and publishing a book. Very Important: This is an add-on ticket to the main event. You must purchase either a general admission/VIP
or Industry Day ticket to add this event.
— THURSDAY NIGHT DINNER WITH THE AUTHORS: Join authors from Indie BookFest
2017 as we kick off the event with a lovely buffet meal in a beautiful setting.
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For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our website and Eventbrite page.
August 8, 2017
Book Tour: Revenge Fires Back by JR Thompson
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He tries to control his anger,but it gets the best of him.
He makes poor decisions,and quickly discovers
REVENGE FIRES BACK
Brady Clark’s family chooses horrible timing for their first camping trip – a night when a fierce storm leaves them stranded in the woods. Circumstances that leave him running around in the forest wearing, well, let’s just say less than appropriate attire cause him to unleash his anger by physically assaulting his father.
Not yet ready to face the discipline he has coming, Brady makes false allegations against both of his parents. That one foolish move throws the Clarks into a world they know very little about. A world that could possibly prevent them from ever dwelling together again as a family unit.
Can God use these trials to wake this family up to His purpose?
Christian novelist JR Thompson, and his wife Hannah, are residents of Montana. He
writes fiction and maintains a blog on his website. None of thompson’s writings
contain any foul language.
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June 19, 2017
#99c Sale: Shades of the Gods by Erin Hayes + #Giveaway
Shades of the Gods
Erin Hayes
(Elysium Legacies #1)
Publication date: September 27th 2013
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology
Caught between life and death, all Callie wants is to live again.
Homicide detective Callie Saunders knows that death isn’t all pearly gates and angels. After being hit by a bus, she finds that it’s the ancient gods and goddesses of Greek mythology who are in charge of everything.
So when Hades offers her a deal, she accepts. If she wants to be brought back to life, she’ll have to figure out who is trying to kill his son. But if she fails, both her soul and the world will be destroyed.
With the odds mounting against her, it’ll take everything she has within her to wake up from death. But the rules are constantly changing. And someone wants her to stay dead.
(This book was formerly titled Death is but a Dream. The covers and titles have changed for The Elysium Legacies, but the content is still the same.)
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
99¢ for a limited time only!
—
EXCERPT:
“You’re blackmailing me,” I sneered at him, fury raging within me at the realization. “You want me to do something in return before you allow me to wake up.”
He raised his hand in a gesture of supplication. “Not blackmail,” he assured. “I’m looking to employ you for a time.”
I recoiled. “Employ me? As what? Muscle? Is this the Underworld’s version of the Mafia?” Now that I thought about it, Hades did remind me of a mob boss. He even looked like some I knew. “I don’t play that, sorry.”
Hades grinned. “I want to make a deal with you, Callista. You find out who is trying to kill my son. Give me a name and a motive. And I’ll restore you to life.”
Author Bio:
Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books.
She works as an advertising copywriter by day, and she’s an award-winning New York Times Bestselling Author by night. She has lived in New Zealand, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, and now San Francisco with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.
You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.
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GIVEAWAY
June 6, 2017
Happy New Release Day! Tempting Levi by Jules Barnard #contemporary #romance #99c
Off-limits never looked so tempting…problem is, she’s his ex’s little sister
Cade men are known for two things: arrogance and competitiveness. I grew up in one of the wealthiest, most dysfunctional families in Lake Tahoe, and all I wanted was to get the hell out. I thought I’d succeeded. Until an accident burned up my firefighter ambitions. Then Dad died and left me in charge of the family’s luxury resort.
Now I’ve got financially uptight advisors telling me what to do, and I need someone I can trust working at my side. The perfect candidate walks through the door in her pencil skirt, fitted white blouse, and that mass of wavy blond hair she tries to contain.
The only problem? She’s my cheating ex’s younger sister.
Hell no. The last thing I need is another Wright female in my life.
But Emily’s good at the job, and she seems trustworthy. I should ignore the desire I have for her. But after all I’ve lost, I’m tempted by what I can’t have and ready to stoke the flame that smolders between us. As long as this Wright sister doesn’t betray me the way the last one did.
Then again, I always liked playing with fire.
*Each book in the Cade Brothers series is a standalone story that can be read in any order.*
Get your copy now on Amazon
Happy Release Day! The Very Best Man by Laura Stapleton
[image error][image error]Jane Lawson is getting married, so of course her sister Susan will be her maid-of-honor. But when sis skips out on planning the wedding, Jane finds a surprising stand-in… the best man!
Dr. David Wells is more than willing to taste wedding cakes, sample reception menus, and even help the bride in and out of wedding dresses, if it means spending time with her. Soon enough, she’ll be his best friend Alan’s wife… and thus off limits forever.
But when the groom says ‘I don’t’, and runs off with the maid-of-honor, his best man is left to pick up the pieces of the bride’s heart. David is more than willing, and as Jane turns to him for support, their friendship blossoms into something much more.
Until Jane’s old fears get in the way, and David realizes that to keep her, he must fight not only her hostile family, but ghosts from her past.
Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Google Play / Kobo / Smashwords
With an overactive imagination and a love for writing, Laura Stapleton decided to type out her daydreams and what-[image error]ifs in order to share her lovable characters and their worlds with readers. She currently lives in Kansas City with her husband, daughter, dog, and a few cats. When not at the computer, you’ll find her in the park for a jog or at the yarn store’s clearance section.
