Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 39
November 16, 2015
Spotlight On: Dragon’s Web, by Lia Davis
Who will win Nyna’s heart? The sexy dragon shifter who’s watched over her or the best friend who Nyna thought had abandoned her? Find out in this sexy menage from fan favorite, Lia Davis.
After years of burying a secret, and her love, Kara returns to Woodland Creek to confront her past and to hopefully win her former BFF back…both as a friend and hopefully more. But, upon return, Kara finds that Nyna is being pursued by another suitor. Is there room enough in Nyna’s heart for both? Find out in DRAGON’S WEB!
Synoposis:
30 Authors. 30 Shifter Stories
Established author and black dragon shifter, Cayden Rienhardt, has watched over the beautiful and very human, Nyna Carter, most of her life. But he never entertained the idea of more until recently. When an ex-lover from Nyna’s past comes back to Woodland Creek and makes it clear she plans to spend her life with Nyna, Cayden’s dragon forces him to break his silence and make a move to cast his magical web. But he could get more than he ever bargained for in the process.
Eighteen months ago, lone cat shifter Kara Mitchell inadvertently witnessed the murder of her best friend’s parents. When she fled the scene to contact the police, she was captured and held prisoner, forcing her to leave Nyna and her life behind with no explanation. Now that she’s escaped her captors, she returns to Woodland Creek to help Nyna find closure and stop the murderer, but things aren’t as she remembered. Not only is there a rift between her and Nyna, there’s a very sexy dragon shifter complicating matters.
Stuck in a web of lies, scandal, and a tantalizing love triangle, Nyna isn’t sure whom to trust. Her heart wants both Kara and Cayden, but they each have secrets. When Kara reveals that someone close to Nyna is responsible for her parents’ murders, her love life becomes secondary to the investigation. She is determined to find out the truth. Even if it means that her life will change forever.
Available at: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads
About Lia Davis
In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. . She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
Connect with Lia: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Authorgraph | Amazon Author Page
Cover Reveal: Asleep, by Krystal Wade
Today is the cover reveal for Asleep by Krystal Wade, a YA horror that will have you on the edge of your seat with every page turn. This is the debut novel from Blaze Publishing, set to be released February 16, 2016. Pre-orders are available now from Amazon. Mark your calendars, and be sure to add the book to your Goodreads list! Share the cover on social media using our Rafflecopter entry below for a chance to win the awesome prizes listed, or come join us at the Cover Reveal Party on Facebook. Or do it all!
“To cure fear, you must use fear.”
Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
AUTHOR. CHICKEN (AND DOG) LOVER. MOTHER. WIFE. DREAMER.
I’m happily married to the love of my life (don’t gag) and raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. We live just outside Washington, D.C., and every day I wake up to find myself stuck in traffic trying to get there.
The horrid commute gives me plenty of time to zone out and think about my characters in full, brilliant details (I’m a safe driver; don’t worry). Stories give me a way to forget about the sometimes smelly strangers sitting next to me on the fifty mile trek into town (I pick up hitchhikers every day. True story. Check out http://www.slug-lines.com if you don’t believe me).
I’ve been a part of organized hitchhiking for nearly fifteen years, but that’s just one small aspect of my oh-so-large life. When I’m not working, commuting, or chasing after my three children (four if you count the man), you can usually find me outside talking to my chickens like they’re the cutest things in the world (they are), or training my amazing dogs how to herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book (why can’t that be 100% of the time?).
I hope you love my stories (or just like them a little; that would be okay, too). And I hope that one day you find your passion, because there’s nothing in life better than doing what you love while surrounded by people you love.
Krystal
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ABOUT BLAZE PUBLISHING:
Books with Heart for Teen and Young Adults
At Blaze, we’re committed to bringing you high-quality, hard-hitting books full of heart. Whether the story is a mystery, a thriller, horror, steampunk, or some goofy comedy, there will be a message woven into the pages for readers to find and fall in love with. We want you to walk away inspired, in awe, or just happy to be alive. Or maybe you’ll look at other people differently, in a less negative light. Whatever the case, you will find heart in our stories.
Our goal is to bring you four or five amazing works of fiction in 2016, and six in 2017 and each year after. We’ve already lined up a few and can’t wait to see what comes across our desks next!
Do you have a submission you’d like to send us? We’d love to see it! You can find our submissions guidelines on our website.
Want to stay up to date on everything from Blaze Publishing? Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss a thing! The first 100 subscribers get free Blaze bookmarks (UK, US, and Canada only) AND get added to our Loyal 100 group, which gives you access to exclusive news, teasers, prizes, and ARCs!
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November 13, 2015
Spotlight On: Must Remember, by Colleen S. Myers
Blog Tour
Title: Must Remember
Author: Colleen S. Myers
Release Day: November 2nd
Nineteen-year-old Elizabeth ‘Beta’ Camden is a survivor.
When the E’mani—those pale alien freaks—destroy Earth with a plague of madness and scoop up the remains, Beta is one of the ‘lucky’ ones. For years, she endures their tortures, experiments and games. Then one day, she manages to escape their ship with her life, and no memory of her time with them.
Stranded on their world, Beta wanders the mountains, looking for a way home. She stumbles onto the Fost—the E’mani’s ancient enemy. Their war with the E’mani is old and rooted in magic that the Fost once had and the E’mani crave. Magic Beta soon discovers she’s developing along with strange tattoos and disturbing glimpses of her past. The Fost take her in and train her in their ways. As she spends more time with them, she falls in love with their culture and with Marin—he of the hot hands and slit eyes.
But the E’mani took her for a reason and they want her back—dead or alive. If Beta doesn’t remember that reason soon, they’re all going to die.
His eyes were ghost white, with slit pupils, face smooth and hairless. A large tattoo on his neck spread up onto his cheek, and resembled claw marks. His eyes appeared much too big for his face; the brow pronounced, jaw thin, cheekbones sharp.
Those eyes rooted me; their milky color caused a distant memory to tug at my mind, and then fade away. They could have been fake lenses, but his slit pupils contracted as he focused on me,
and a sinister smile wreathed his face.
Nope, those puppies were real and his expression was not reassuring. His eyes glistened with what looked like glee. I watched those eyes track up and down my body. His nostrils flared and he
stalked in my direction, his movements slow and deliberate, but a little disjointed given the length of his limbs. He reminded me of a predator that had sighted its prey. I froze, his eyes mesmerizing me
for a second before looking away.
Then it dawned on me. Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore. I should’ve realized it sooner. I kind of did realize it sooner. The suns, the rocks, the grass, the everything. This was not Earth. This guy was not human, the posture, the movement, the eyes. He was definitely
not human.
Holy shit!
The fear I suppressed earlier rushed through me. My hands shook and my heart raced. I stumbled backward and turned to run, barreling smack dab into the tree. Graceful-R-Us.
The tall guy reached me as I staggered back and he blocked my escape. The other men twisted to stare then glanced at each other. Nobody looked happy to see me. The ones hunched near the press appeared frightened, their eyes wide.
“Who are you? How did you get here? Are there others?” The tall guy’s voice was strange, echoey. With a sick start, I realized he wasn’t speaking English, but I could still understand him. His
voice was deep and rich, like aged whiskey, the echo the same. The effect was odd, a bit off-putting, and not even a little attractive.
Nope.
The tall guy pressed close, just short of touching me, his slit eyes alert and a snarl pulling at his lips. He had his hand on his knife but was not brandishing it. Santa slid to my right, flanking me. The other two men remained crouched by the apparatus.
I backed up and held out my hands. My ass smacked the tree behind me. A chill raced through me. I stared at him until his questions registered.
The breath I’d been holding rushed out. “My name is Elizabeth, err, Beta. I’m—.”
“What are you doing here?” he interrupted.
“I’m not sure. I woke up out there-”I pointed around me, then pointed to my head. “I was hurt, I think, I don’t know. Where am I?”
Running my hands through my hair, I probed the back of my neck. Nada. My head didn’t hurt. Huh. Hadn’t there been a cut?
The tall guy laughed, “You did not wake up out there. You had to have traveled here. This is nowhere. Tell me the truth.”
The last was a shout. The more he talked, the more agitated he became. He almost stuttered his words. Or maybe that was just me? How could I understand him? His right hand clenched and
unclenched around the hilt of his knife. He edged even closer, pushing me farther back against the tree.
Compared to me, he was huge, at least six feet tall. There was no trace of fat on him. His muscles rippled as he leaned in and placed his face next to mine. I remained still, trying not to piss him off. Tears threatened, but I blinked them away. Damn allergies. His eyes ignited at my silence.
“How did you get out here?” he gritted out between compressed lips.
“I told you the truth. I don’t know how I got here. I woke up
out there. I heard something thumping and moved toward it.” I gestured, looking at him and the others who surrounded us.
“Are there more of you?” he pushed. I recalled the laughter, the crash, and the cold from earlier, but…didn’t mention it. I hadn’t seen anything.
“Are there more of you?” he growled.
“No, when I woke up, no one else was there.”
“That is not an answer.”
“Yes, it is,” I retorted. It really was an answer.
“No, it is not,” he snarled at me. His hand gripped his knife harder, knuckles whitening. He took the blade out of its sheath and flipped it backward. His nose grazed mine and heat spread in its
wake. My heart skipped a beat. I stared straight ahead.
Minty breath wafted across my face and his teeth were not bad, a bit pointy, but otherwise normal. At least he brushed, or I hoped he did because he was at kissing distance. The rest of the men remained motionless. Barbarian Santa’s gaze darted between the tall
guy and me. I was splayed against the bark like road kill.
“Tell me!” he shouted.
And with that I was done. All the tension, all the fear, all the questions rolling through my mind and this guy was yelling at me. Screw him. Plus there was something about him I liked but didn’t, all
at the same time. It was confusing. My stomach churned. I didn’t need this. None of this was my fault.
“What do you want from me?” I screamed back. “I said I was alone.”
He reared back a bit, startled by my answering shout and glare, which he couldn’t miss, since he was still right there in my face.
“I do not believe you. You are an E’mani.” The tall guy spit the name out as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. Who the hell were the E’mani? A vague silhouette formed in my mind, then faded away. Something else I didn’t know; great. I added it to the list.
“You wear E’mani clothes. You are an E’mani spy!” His words were triumphant as he pressed his knife against my throat. When I swallowed, I felt the prick of the blade and a trickle of blood dripped down my neck. My head swam and my bladder loosened a bit but I refused to give him the satisfaction.
His eyes flickered, confused, as the moment stretched on.
We maintained our desperate eye contact.
I panted and the longer this went on, the more my muscles lightened until my fingers went numb. I tasted violence on the wind. Neither of us moved. Ten seconds. Twenty. He blinked first
and let his dagger drop with a growl and spat next to me on the grown. “E’mani treza.”
I didn’t know what he just called me but it was too much. I was done. I snapped and started shoving him across the field. “I’m not E’mani. I don’t even know who or what that is. You asshole. I’m
from Earth. I don’t know where I am, I don’t know how I got here. I don’t know anything! I need help and you aren’t helping me. Please, help me.”
At this last, my voice cracked, and I fell to my knees,
shoulders falling.
The tall guy seemed so stunned by my response, he’d let me push him back to the mine. He stared at me for a long second. One. Two. He brought his blade up again. It pressed into my neck forcing my head back. Then with nary a word, he dropped his arm.
My throat burned.
Oh.
Huh. Everything started to fade and the world turned black.
Amazon
Nook
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All Romance
Champagne Books
Colleen plays many roles. Not only is she a
veteran, a mother, and a practicing physician, but she is a writer of science
fiction and contemporary romances. Colleen’s dreams include surviving her son’s
teenage years, exploring every continent on this planet, except Antartica,
cause that’s way too cold, and winning the Nobel peace prize. Dream BIG!
Currently she is getting ready to publish her first novel, MUST REMEMBER in
November of this year (cover reveal soon.) Until then look for her at
Three Rivers Romance Writers, at Facebook Colleen
Myers, and at @ColleenSMyers.
WEBSITE
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November 12, 2015
Paranormal Romance Thursday Tour: Love’s Intensity, by Cassandra Ulrich
Welcome to the Paranormal Romance Thursdays Tour! Over 12 weeks, we’re featuring some great paranormal romance authors and their books. Check out the preview of the tour and the excerpt from Daisy Banks’ novel below, then scroll to the bottom of the post to visit all the other participating authors!
Love’s Intensity
Brad loves fast horses, cars, and bikes. Life would be perfect if his stepmother could only mind her own business. Instead, his father hired a longtime friend and her family to work in their home, turning his world into a feudal mess.
He wants to hate the new arrivals and it doesn’t help that Kressa, daughter of the newcomers, is the most gorgeous girl he’d ever laid eyes on. With a scent that draws him to her, Kressa causes him more internal conflict than he ever dreamed possible. He falls for her so deeply, he tells her a secret he’d never even told his best friends – that he’s training to be a ninja warrior.
Kressa adores her country and loves hanging out with her many cousins. News of the move to Massachusetts comes as a shock to her. She refuses to be happy in this new place working as a servant for a rich man and his mean son, who had the nerve to be cute. And why does her skin tingle every time her hand brushes against his?
Despite her efforts, she finds herself desperately longing for a friendship with the one boy who scowls at her. Matters are only made more complicated when his family and hers clash. When he goes on a dangerous mission, she wonders, will he return so she can tell him he’s won her heart or will their families manage to keep them apart?
Excerpt:
Brad had been standing in the doorway in time to see Kressa fall off the horse. When he had gotten up and walked to the office to grab the key, he found it missing and figured Kressa must have already taken it. Running to the stable, he hoped she was okay setting up her horse for the ride. From the way she was sprawled out on the stable floor, he could tell she had a little difficulty. Brad walked over to Kressa and gave her the boost she needed to sit properly on the saddle.
“Good job with the saddle,” Brad encouraged Kressa, “but next time you may want to use the stepping stool I got you yesterday. Keep Gentle Rider tied up to this post until you get settled, then you can untie her.” Moving the rake and pitchforks to the far end of the stable, Brad continued, “I have no idea what I would have done if you landed on these. I should have made sure these were properly put way, so the horses wouldn’t knock them over.” He picked up and brought the stepping stool over, placing it near Gentle Rider’s area.
“I suppose Papa would have had your head too.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you’re okay.”
Kressa rode her horse out the stable while Brad got his horse saddled, fed, and watered. After leading Silver Bullet into the yard, he asked Kressa, “Did you give her feed and water?”
****
Oh, no. Now he’ll be upset. He adores his horses.
“Sorry, I forgot. I was so eager to ride. I can do it now,” Kressa said, embarrassed that she forgot.
“No. It’ll take too much effort to get you on your horse again. I’ll go get it.” Kressa noticed Brad did not sound annoyed. He spoke to her in a matter-of-fact tone.
After feeding and watering her horse, Brad and Kressa galloped around the large grassy area. After riding for a half-hour, Brad pointed to the forest area. “Would you like to go through there and see what’s on the other side?”
“Yes,” Kressa eagerly responded, “I’ve wanted to know where you go when riding your horse.” Kressa realized too late she had exposed her secret.
“Have you been watching me? One day, I felt like I was being watched. I thought it might be you, but when I saw you in the dining room, I figured I must have been wrong.”
Kressa knew she ought to fess up. “It was me. I hid because I didn’t want you to know I was watching.”
“How did you run upstairs so fast? You didn’t look out of breath.”
“I held my breath until you moved away. I was exhausted.” Kressa tried to smile while casting her eyes to the ground. Brad laughed heartily.
“Let’s go,” he said, leading the way through a path in the forest, which had been created by much riding, to the grassy field on the other side.
When Brad and Kressa came out of the tree cover, the sun seemed to shine brighter due to the open space. No shrubs or little trees existed here, only light green short cut grass which reflected the sunlight. They raced the horses around the perimeter a couple times before coming to a stop.
****
Nina studied Julio while he watched Kressa during her riding lesson. When Brad led Kressa into the forest, Julio turned to Nina and barked, “Where is he taking her? I don’t like that boy. He’s not trustworthy. If he touches my girl…”
Nina interrupted, “He won’t touch her. He has strict orders from his father.”
“Nina, he’s a young man with an active libido. I don’t care what his orders are; he can’t be trusted to control what comes naturally. Now, he’s alone with her and under the cover of those trees,” Julio fumed.
“Julio, Kressa is a smart girl. She knows what we’ve taught her, what we expect. Even if he tried something, she would push him away.”
“But only if she doesn’t want him, Nina. He’s strong, good looking, and the only boy around to talk to. I’m going over there.”
“Please wait a few minutes. If they’re not back, then go, but please don’t hurt him.”
“You would elevate him over our daughter’s innocence?”
“No, Julio, of course not. I just don’t want you to do something you can’t return from. I love you.”
Julio shook his head and moved away from her. He must hate me for bringing him here. What can I do to change his mind?
****
Brad rode Silver Bullet alongside Kressa and Gentle Rider so the horses faced each other upon his approach. He gazed into Kressa’s eyes, longing to learn something new about the girl who lived in his house. Brad removed his riding glove and reached over to brush Kressa’s hair away from her face so he could touch her cheek. She did not shrink away. His fingertips tingled where her skin met his.
So beautiful. Brad’s heart pumped a little faster and his mind swirled. Does she feel drawn to me too? He shook his head slightly. “We should go back now,” Brad said tenderly, realizing once again that the warmth he felt when he touched Kressa also did something to his heart. It was better not to remain alone. He wondered if Kressa would ever admit whether she experienced any affection toward him. He found her hard to read sometimes.
Brad pulled on his glove, led the way back through the forest, and headed for the stable. After brushing, feeding, and watering all four horses, Brad and Kressa strolled back to the house. “Great lesson today. I think before long you’ll be able to go out on your own.”
“Really? That would be great. How many more lessons do I need?” She said eagerly.
“I would imagine one or two more.”
They both laughed at the good news. At that moment, Kressa’s dad appeared around some shrubs at the base of the hill. His face held a fiery red glow.
“Kressa, get to the house right now,” Mr. Morales said grabbing her arm and pushing her toward their apartment. “I don’t know what you were thinking today taking her through those woods, but I don’t like it.”
“Sir, there’s wide open space to run the horses on the other side of the trees. I wasn’t trying to seduce her,” Brad said, feeling some guilt for touching her cheek earlier.
Mr. Morales shot Brad a fierce look and took Kressa away. She followed, pleading with her father to let her go and trying to convince him nothing happened. Kressa and her father began speaking in Spanish, so Brad could no longer comprehend what was being said. Brad headed back to his room in anguish over what he just witnessed. He picked up the handkerchief and rubbed it on his cheek. He was sorry for causing her so much trouble.
Over the next few hours, Brad spent time on his laptop looking up home schooling rules. He gathered all the information he could and went looking for his father. Brad and his dad needed to do a lot of preparation if Kressa were to start school at home in a week. Finding his father in the office, Brad presented him with the draft for a lesson plan needed. It had to be submitted to the school administration.
Dinnertime proved tense for Brad, and he didn’t doubt it was for Kressa as well. He avoided looking at her as much as possible, not because he experienced nervousness concerning their interaction earlier in the day, but because he did not want Kressa’s father to take it out on her. She seemed stiff whenever she served Brad a side dish. He knew her reaction was due to her father keeping a close eye on them all evening. Brad wanted to talk to his new friend, but knew it would be better if he waited until morning.
Cassandra’s Bio: Cassandra Ulrich was born on the beautiful island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, located east of Puerto Rico. Living in the tropics fueled her imagination and day dreams. For years, she wrote poetry and entered competitions. However, only many years later did she discover joy in writing stories longer than a few pages.
She published her first young adult novel, A Beautiful Girl, in April 2011. The inspirational novel has already touched many hearts ranging from teens to adults.
Her second novel, Love’s Intensity, is a teen paranormal romance and was released on July 11, 2013.
Her third, Billiard Buddies, a New Adult romance novella, was released on May 24, 2014.
In June and August 2014, she also released two poetry books written while in high school and college.
Website: http://cassandraulrich.com/
Blog Site : http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraUlrichAuthor
Twitter: @CassandraUlric1
Amazon: Author Page
Buy Links: WildChildPublishing | Amazon | B&N | All Romance ebooks |
Cassandra Ulrich | Cassandra’s Journey
_____________________________________________
Participating Authors
Be sure to stop by and check them all out!
Carmen Stefanescu
Daisy Banks
Flossie Benton Rogers
M. S. Kaye
Kim Kasch
Cassandra Ulrich
Julie Dárcy
Margo Bond Collins
Adrienne Woods
N. N. Light
Penny Estelle
Lyndi Lamont
Spotlight On: Something in the Air by Marie Landry
Something in the Air
by Marie Landry
Release Date: November 10th 2015
Summary from Goodreads:
Her life hasn’t gone as planned, but she’s about to realize that sometimes the best things happen when you stop expecting life to be a certain way…
When Rose Morgan put off her college plans to help her mother through a difficult time, she thought it would just be a bump in the road of her journey. She got a job to help pay the bills and started picking up the slack at home. But three years later, her bumpy ride hasn’t smoothed out yet, and Rose feels stuck. She’s working at a job she hates and living with a manipulative mother. She’s tired of feeling like her life has stalled, tired of the resentment and anger building inside her with each passing day.
Then Declan Connelly appears in her life, and even though the hot Irishman is seriously tempting, Rose is determined not to let him in. She’s afraid to suck anyone into her bizarre life, especially someone who seems too charming for his own good. She soon learns there’s more to Declan than his sexy accent and charismatic personality, though. He’s a good man, and he wants Rose in his life, baggage and all. He’s got his own, and he isn’t scared away like she originally feared he would be.
Everything in Rose’s life is changing quickly. It’s finally her time–time to figure out what she wants and what her future holds. Time to get swept off her feet and not fight it. But when her plans might take her away from all the amazing new things in her life, including Declan, Rose has to make a choice. Is she willing to chase her dreams, even if it means letting go of love?
Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo │iBooks│Smashwords
About the Author
Marie has the best job in the world—one where she gets to make stuff up for a living and shamelessly eavesdrop on everyone around her. She writes happily ever afters while dreaming about the day she’ll have her own epic love story to tell. Most days you can find her writing, reading, fantasizing about traveling the world, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece.
For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie83 any time!
Author Links:
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Happy Release Day! All Fall Down (Lucy Kendall #4) By Stacy Green
All Fall Down
(Lucy Kendall Series, #4)
by Stacy Green
Blurb:
A killer rises…
Determined to start over, Lucy Kendall moves to Washington, D.C., and takes a position with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
But the past doesn’t want to let her go.
When a police officer walks into her office and tells her the unthinkable, she knows she has to go back. But it’s too late. The gauntlet has been dropped, and Lucy has no choice but to play a sadistic killer’s game.
Unable to trust anyone, Lucy scrambles to find the truth. But time runs out, and she must do the one thing she swore she’d never do: tell the truth about the people she’s killed.
Will Lucy’s ultimate sacrifice be enough?
Available for purchase at
Excerpt
I finally made myself look at Shannon.
She stared toward her right, her eyes wide open–a blue that had faded to the color of pond water. Her skin had already gone ashen, and she’d bit her lip as she died. Bruises in various stages of healing dotted her once-beautiful face. Her blond hair, fixed in finger curls, cascaded around her as if she’d lain down in the grass to watch the clouds.
The urge to weep and scream rose. Somehow, I had to keep it together. I needed to look at the photo and glean everything I possibly could to help King find the bastard who’d done this.
My heart rate still doubled, my pulse beating my temples so hard my head ached. Apprehension flooded my thoughts, my subconscious picking up on something I hadn’t yet identified. “Why is her hair dyed blond? Is that something she’d done before she was taken?”
“That’s new,” King said. “She was still a brunette when she was taken.”
I kept staring at the picture, trying to see past the eyes that used to be so filled with life and compassion. Finally I whispered for King to show me the next one.
It was a full profile this time. My empty stomach flipped, my mouth tasted like I’d been chewing sand. The blood surrounded her, staining the concrete floor around her as it had flowed from her arteries. Both of her arms were outstretched, and her right fist was closed. I assume it held the silver dollar. I kept looking at the picture, trying to figure out what it was King wanted me to see.
Her wrists. Both of them. Vertical slash marks from the top of her wrists down her forearms.
“Why’d he slit her wrists and then do nothing else to make this look like a suicide?”
“Good question,” King said. “I’d hoped you might be able to tell me.”
I shook my head “no” even as the feeling that I was missing something crawled over me. I felt like I’d just walked into a massive spider web and couldn’t see the way to rid myself of it.
Put it together. A woman with blond hair and blue eyes lying outstretched, looking toward her right hand. Her right knee inched toward her hip, as if she’d tried to curl up. Her wrists cut, but most likely not a suicide.
But the scene was clearly staged. For me. But why?
I studied the picture again, trying to drag the answer out of the dark recesses of my memory. Déjà vu struck first, and then the answer hit me with enough force I staggered into the wall, away from King and from the images of the woman. I gasped for breath, tears brimming in my eyes.
He remained calm, watching me. “What is it?”
“Lily.”
Lucy Kendall Series
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About The Author
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies. Stacy loves to hear from readers!
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November 10, 2015
Paranormal Love Wednesdays Blog Hop ~ Character Profile ~ Elle Dupree ~ Legally Undead
Welcome to the weekly blog hop featuring paranormal stories. From witches to werewolves, vampires to berserkers, you name it, we have it. This blog hop is open to authors and writers whose work is published or unpublished. We also welcome works-in-progresses/WIP’s! Join us each week and check out all the cool stories!
This week, I’m featuring a character profile of the narrator, Elle, from my novel Legally Undead. So check out the profile and excerpt below, then be sure to HOP back to check out the rest of this week’s entries!
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Character Profile: Elle Dupree
Age: 24
Physical description from the book (the day after she discovers her fiancé has become a vampire): My blonde hair was plastered to one side of my head and stuck straight up on the other. My face was puffy. And my clothes were a sodden heap at the bottom of the bathtub.
Quote that fits her personality: “Oh, bloody hell. Not vampires again.”
Best quality: She’s willing to step in and try to do something to save those around her, even when her world is falling apart, even if that means staking a vampire with a handy wooden letter-opener.
Worst quality: She doesn’t think ahead—she’s not a planner, and when she tries to plan, those plans often fall apart.
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A reluctant vampire hunter, stalking New York City as only a scorned bride can.
Elle Dupree has her life all figured out: first a wedding, then her Ph.D., then swank faculty parties where she’ll serve wine and cheese and introduce people to her husband the lawyer.
But those plans disintegrate when she walks in on a vampire draining the blood from her fiancé Greg. Horrified, she screams and runs–not away from the vampire, but toward it, brandishing a wooden letter opener.
As she slams the improvised stake into the vampire’s heart, a team of black-clad men bursts into the apartment. Turning around to face them, Elle discovers that Greg’s body is gone—and her perfect life falls apart.
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Excerpt
The worst thing about vampires is that they’re dead. That whole wanting to suck your blood business runs a close second, but for sheer creepiness, it’s the dead bit that gets me every time. They’re up and walking around and talking and sucking blood, but they’re dead. And then there’s the whole terminology problem–how can you kill something that’s already dead? It’s just wrong.
I was twenty-four the first time I . . . destroyed? dispatched? . . . a vampire. That’s when I found out that all the books and movies are wrong. When you stick a wooden stake into their hearts, vampires don’t disintegrate into dust. They don’t explode. They don’t spew blood everywhere. They just look surprised, groan, and collapse into a pile of corpse. But at least they lie still then, like corpses are supposed to.
Since that first kill (I might as well use the word–there really isn’t a better one), I’ve discovered that only if you’re lucky do vampires look surprised before they groan and fall down. If you’re unlucky and miss the heart, they look angry. And then they fight.
There are the other usual ways to kill vampires, of course, but these other ways can get a bit complicated. Vampires are notoriously difficult to trick into sunlight. They have an uncanny ability to sense when there’s any sunlight within miles of them, and they’re awfully good at hiding from it. Holy water doesn’t kill them; it just distracts them for a while, and then they get that angry look again. And it takes a pretty big blade to cut off someone’s head–even an already dead someone–and carrying a great big knife around New York City, even the Bronx, is a sure way to get arrested. Nope, pointy sticks are the best way to go, all the way around.
My own pointy stick is actually more of a little knife with wood inlay on the blade–the metal makes it slide in easier. I had the knife specially made by an old Italian guy in just about the only ratty part of Westchester, north of the city. I tried to order one off the internet, but it turns out that while it’s easy to find wood-inlay handles, the blades themselves tend to be metal. Fat lot those people know.
But I wasn’t thinking any of this when I pulled the knife out of the body on the ground. I was thinking something more along the lines of “Oh, bloody hell. Not again.”
Buy Links
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About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Waking Up Dead, Taming the Country Star, Bound by Blood, Legally Undead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her daughter and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.
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Connect with Margo
Newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/03A21E5E161401F0
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
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Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
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Release Day Blitz: Of Delicate Pieces (Of Breakable Things #2) by A. Lynden Rolland + Giveaway
Happy Release Day to
Of Delicate Pieces (Of Breakable Things #2) by A. Lynden Rolland!!
Join us in celebrating this release from Month9Books!
Enter the giveaway found at the end of the post.
Happy Book Birthday, Amy!
Settling into her second year of death, Alex is ready to explore her limitless mind in an afterworld that changes each day, but she still isn’t resting in peace.
The ‘gifted’ are humans who see spirits and have the same extraordinary mental powers, though they aren’t considered equals. Centuries ago, Alex’s family led the movement to keep the living and dead separated, but the gifted believe Alex is a reincarnation of their slain civil leader. When they begin to break down the barriers that protect the city, the afterworld becomes dangerous and vulnerable to exposure. The living and dead both want to use Alex for their own gain, but what they don’t realize is that neither side will want her when they find out who she really is.
In the afterworld, nothing stays buried for long.
OF DELICATE PIECES is the follow-up to A. Lynden Rolland’s OF BREAKABLE THINGS.
Of Delicate Pieces (Of Breakable Things #2) By A. Lynden Rolland Publication Date: November 10, 2015 Publisher: Month9books
Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks
One of the new characters in Of Delicate Pieces is a teenage reporter who is hungry for attention and recognition. Sigorny L (see if you can figure out the anagram there) was a fun character to write because she’s such a nosy little parasite, but I feel for her too. Everyone wants to be accepted; everyone wants to be noteworthy. She’s the one who told the spirit world about Alex’s connection to Sephi Anovark, the prophet.
She would write about Sephi until people stopped reading. She didn’t care if the Lasalles threatened her. Sticks and stones no longer mattered because she had no bones to break. If the Lasalles took notice of her, she felt victorious. Attention swarmed them like desire, and she inhaled it like a pheromone, hoping it would rub off.
FOLLOW UP TO:
A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.
When Chase dies tragically, Alex embraces her own mortality. What she didn’t expect was that she’d have to make a choice: forget the years of pain and suffering once and for all, or linger as a spirit and get another chance at life and love.
Alex doesn’t hesitate to choose; she’d follow Chase anywhere. But the spirit world is nothing like she expected, and Alex finds she’s forced to fight for her life once more. For even in a world where secrets are buried much deeper than six feet under, a legacy can continue to haunt you—and in a place this dangerous, no one is resting in peace.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | The Book Depository | IndieBound
A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc and thunderstorms. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She resides in Maryland with her husband and young sons.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube
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Blog Tour + Giveaway: Death Becomes Me, by Elizabeth Holloway
Death Becomes Me
(Call Me Grim #2)
by Elizabeth Holloway
Publication Date: November 2015
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Libbi and Aaron are Grim Reapers on the run. They may have escaped their hometown of Carroll Falls unscathed, and are together and alive (well, more or less), but they’ll soon find there’s a price to pay. A deadly one.
By escaping Carroll Falls, Libbi and Aaron have broken the Reaper’s covenant with Abaddon, aka Death himself – and now they’re right at the top of Abaddon’s Most Wanted list. There’s nowhere to hide, and not a single person, alive or dead, they can turn to for help.
But just as it’s looking like the end of the line, Libbi hears word of a Reaper in hiding – a Reaper who once escaped Abaddon’s wrath. Finding this mysterious Reaper might be the perfect solution… if Death doesn’t find them first.
Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23344457-death-becomes-me
Purchase Links:
Link to Tour Schedule:
The truck should have turned Libbi Piper into a Libbi Pancake—and it would have, too, if Aaron hadn’t shown up and saved her life. The problem? Aaron’s the local Grim Reaper . . . and he only saved Libbi’s life because he needs someone to take over his job. Now, Libbi has two days to choose between dying like she was supposed to, or living a lonely life as Death Incarnate. Talk about a rock and a hard place. And the choice goes from hard to sucktastic when her best friend shows up marked: condemned as a future murderer. Libbi could have an extra week to stop the murder and fix the mark . . . but only if she accepts Aaron’s job as Reaper, trapping herself in her crappy town forever, invisible and inaudible to everyone except the newly dead. But, if she refuses? Her best friend is headed straight for Hell.
About the Author
Elizabeth Holloway is a writer of young adult fiction living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children and their growing number of pets.
In addition to writing, she is a registered nurse, an avid reader, an out-of-practice artist, a karaoke singer, and music lover. She is still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram
Giveaway Information: Contest ends November 27, 2015
One (1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of Death Becomes Me by Elizabeth Holloway (INT)
Four (4) winners will receive a digital copy of Death Becomes Me by Elizabeth Holloway (INT)
Spotlight On: Falling Star by Laura DeLuca ~ $.99 Sale
Drew DiPalma feels like he’s living a lie. He’s had it with his Hollywood persona, the high-maintenance women, and his sleazy agent. To escape the madness, he flees to a tourist town he’d often visited as a child. He never expected to find love on that little island. Then he stumbles upon Lainey alone on the swing set of a deserted beach.
After a dozen internet dating disasters, Lainey Riccardo has give up on romance–until she meets a West Coast hunk who has no trouble winning her heart. But Lainey only knows him as Drew, not the Oscar-nominated actor who’s constantly scandalized in the tabloids.
When she learns the truth, will the small town Jersey girl be able to accept Drew’s fast-paced life? Or will the truth drive her away forever?
Buy on Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords
Now available – the second book in the Jersey Girls series:
Erin Conway swore off men completely after her last boyfriend left her to raise a child alone.
Ravi Dawes is a musician running from the grief that nearly destroyed him.
When the two meet on an internet dating site, sparks fly and they both believe they’ve found the perfect match. Unfortunately, Erin’s influential family doesn’t approve of Ravi or his career. And Ravi knows his shady past could destroy their relationship before it begins.
Can two people whose lives are marred by sorrow and regret find healing in each other’s arms? Or will the past sour their perfect harmony?
Buy on Amazon
Author Bio
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her four children. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. Her works include romantic thrillers, paranormal fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult. Visit her website at www.authorlauradeluca.blogspot.com for more information.
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