Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 76
January 13, 2015
Spotlight On: A View to a Nerd
Waking up next to a dead guy can ruin your whole day. When a wise-cracking interior decorator wants to put her past behind her, the dead body of the mayor’s son makes her realize that won’t happen too easily. A conservative former computer geek for the FBI is holding on too tightly to his past. His wife died under suspicious circumstances and he believes the decorator has the information to solve the case. Unfortunately for him, she isn’t speaking until a series of events convinces her she needs protection especially when her biggest secret threatens to destroy both of their lives.
This book was originally published as A View to a Kilt.
_______________________
Excerpt
Waking up next to a dead guy can ruin your whole day.
At least interior decorator Miriam Stokes’ thought so.
The Philadelphia Police Detective whose name she couldn’t remember talked soothingly to her, making her feel, not better, but at least calmer.
As calm as anyone could feel after finding a dead body. How did she get herself into these things?
Sipping coffee Miriam didn’t remember asking for, she eyed the cop as they sat in a flowered living room. Her friend Joe’s neighbor owned said living room. The friend she just found dead.
She tried to keep eye contact with Detective. . .Dasher, Dancer? Some reindeer name.
She could see him clearly now, her vision returning to normal.
“So you woke up and he was dead. Didn’t you hear a shot?”
After swallowing the scalding liquid, she answered him. “No detective. I do sleep very soundly, but I think I had help from this bump on the side of my head.”
To indicate the injury, she pulled away the bag of ice she held to her head. The ice had appeared sometime after the first patrolman. The lump began to throb, but Donner only glanced at her head. Instead, he scribbled some notes in a small pad.
How many murders does one have to see to get so matter-of-fact about them? Miriam shuddered.
“Could I at least get dressed? I feel a little vulnerable in my pajamas,” she told him.
Donner. The detective had introduced himself as Donner. He looked her over as if making a decision. He nodded, glancing around the apartment. “Do you have any clothes?”
She nodded towards Joe’s apartment.
“When they remove. . .” he murmured, then grimaced. She caught his meaning.
He turned his brown eyes back to her. “We’ll work things out. I just have a few more questions for you. Then we’ll go downtown.”
Miriam nodded. Who would do this to Joe?
“How long have you known the deceased?”
_______________________
About the Author
Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, one dog and three rabbits. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. When she isn’t writing, she works for a local winery. Her books are filled with romance, suspense and thrills.
Links:
http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor
http://www.twitter.com/chrisredding
January 12, 2015
Mel Goes to Hell Series, by Demelza Carlton: Character Interview with Lucifer
About The Author
Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish. She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No – Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean’s Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn’t leave her alone.
About The Books
Welcome To Hell
“Good morning. Welcome to HELL.”
Mel hates job interviews – and this one’s shaping up to be the interview from Hell.
From the grumpy receptionist to the disturbingly demonic interview panel and thesleazy CEO, it seems landing her first job is the least of Mel’s worries.
Can she make it out of the office alive without selling her soul?
See You In Hell
A devilishly hot CEO. The angelic new office temp. A match made in Heaven or Hell?
Melody Angel takes a job as a temp at the HELL Corporation. Surrounded by eternal bureaucracy gone mad, demons who love making life miserable, and dying for a decent coffee, it may take a miracle for Mel’s mission to succeed. She
must find out what evil plans Lucifer and his minions have in store and stop them, using any means necessary.
Adding trouble and temptation to Mel’s job is Luce Iblis, the damnably hot CEO, who has set his smouldering eyes on the new office angel and he’s determined to claim her, body and soul.
Can ultimate evil and angelic perfection escape a limbo of desire and find a paradise of their own?
Mel Goes To Hell
The ultimate forbidden love – when Lucifer falls for an angel.Luce and Mel unearth an age-old conspiracy behind his fall from Heaven which could doom their love for eternity. Yet in the deepest levels of Hell lies a secret that could hold their salvation.Eternal damnation awaits any angel who descends into the Pit of Despair, but Mel will move Heaven and Earth to save Lucifer’s soul. Armed with little more than the fury of a righteous angel, Mel will raise Hell in the name of love.From the heights of Heaven to the depths of Hell, can love truly conquer all?
Interview with Lucifer
Welcome. Can you please state your name, in case anyone doesn’t recognise you?
I’m Luce Iblis, CEO of the HELL Corporation. Everyone knows me.
Now, you’re one of the supporting characters in Demelza Carlton’s Mel Goes to Hell series. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
I’m not sure why it’s called that. I mean, the whole series is about me. My exploits from when my corporation employs a new office angel.
Ah, okay. Can you tell me a bit about her?
Who, the new office temp? I haven’t seen much of her yet, but that will change. She had a musical name. Merry? No, Melody. She was unusual – not like most of
the agency girls. They all come in dressed in white as if they’ve never done a bit of work in their lives. I spilled the cold dregs of my coffee on one of them
once – her shriek was so loud, she might’ve woken the dead. I made it a point to be around when we interviewed new ones after that – it was fun to see their
reactions when their perfect white shirt turned brown, wet and transparent.
What was Melody’s reaction?
Melody…see, she was different from the start. She had a white shirt, sure, but under a light brown suit. Kind of golden brown, like a macchiato. Like she
wasn’t as pure as the others – already a little corrupted, if you know what I mean. Not afraid to get a bit dirty. And the tits on her? Damn, made you want to
rip that jacket and shirt right off her so you could worship them properly.
Damn. What was your question again?
Ah, her reaction? When you spilled coffee on her?
Oh, right. Coffee. Well, I had a full cup that day and she ran into me at full tilt, just like I wanted. Knocked the coffee clean out of the cup, right into
the air. I figured it’d be everywhere. I even got some on my shoes. Lili’s shoes were full of it – she was squelching around in them all day.
But Melody…Hell, she didn’t get a drop on her. As if the coffee wouldn’t dare to spoil that perfection. And she just smiled, shook my hand and left. That’s when
I knew I had to have her.
I see. Mr Iblis, have you ever been in love? Or ever had your heart broken?
In love? You mean that animistic, pheromone-enhanced state where your body wants to sleep with someone so bad that it persuades your head that there is more than
pure, unadulterated lust between you? Hell no. If I want to sleep with someone, I seduce them until we do. End of story.
Who’d want love? That would mean handing your emotions, your heart and soul to someone so they could one day reject you, screwing up your most precious parts
and throwing them away like an empty eggshell, to be crushed and obliterated in the darkness of some landfill pit. Someone you once trusted and cared about,
which is even more painful. Why would I ever subject myself to that sort of agony again?
So you have had your heart broken?
Of course not. I wouldn’t trust anyone with my heart.
Who would you say you’re closest to?
Right now, that’d be you. Would you like me to be closer?
Ah, no. That’s fine. What’s your favourite scent?
Why, so you can wear it later? In the morning, it’s coffee. But if you’re talking about what I like most, that would be a combination of scents. Myrrh,
coconut and sandalwood, with a touch of lemon and neroli.
Why? Why is that scent…sorry, mixture of scents…so poignant for you?
It’s what I imagine Heaven smells like.
Do you have any secrets?
Yes.
Will you tell me what they are?
Well, that depends on what you’re willing to do in order to hear them. I’m not a man to share my soul lightly and I’d expect an equal exchange. Are you willing
to spill your soul?
Ah, the interview is all about you, Mr Iblis, so we’ll skip to the next question, I think. What’s your favourite colour?
White.
I’m sorry. You’re dressed entirely in black. Your shoes, pants, shirt, tie, jacket – all black. Yet your favourite colour is white. Can you tell me why?
White’s the colour of purity and angels. It’s the colour of infinite possibility, innocence and a virgin slate. With the right stimulus, white can
become any colour under the sun – including black.
What makes you laugh out loud?
Someone who thinks she can resist me. Some think they can, but it isn’t long before they submit to me. I’m irresistible, you see.
What’s on your bedside table right now?
Let’s see…today’s Monday and the cleaner isn’t due until Friday. I think there are six sets of underwear, mostly lace but one of the girls had this studded
leather number. Maybe seven, I’m not sure. A bedside lamp and an alarm clock. A couple of sets of handcuffs and the keys. Pretty standard after a quiet weekend,
really.
I’m sorry – you keep a collection of women’s underwear on your bedside table? Are they trophies, or is that where your partner likes to keep her underwear? Or
do you wear it yourself?
It’s just where it lands when I’m busy. Most girls want me to keep their underwear to remember them by. My cleaner told me there are phone numbers
written on some of them. I don’t know. She’ll clean them all up on Friday and next weekend’s girls will start a new collection.
Why, would you like to see me in women’s underwear? I can absolutely rock a corset, if that’s what you’re thinking. But you’d have to make it worth my
while…
If you were doing your own spring cleaning – ah, not your cleaner, but you – what would be the most difficult thing for you to throw out?
That’s easy. Any bottle of whisky with just one glass left in it. I couldn’t throw it out until it’s empty, but it might not be the right time to drink that
particular one, either.
What is your greatest fear?
None of your damn business.
Okay. When and where were you the happiest?
That’s none of your damn business, either.
What impression do you make on people when they first meet you?
Most people find me irresistible from the beginning. I can’t help it – it’s just who I am.
How about after they’ve known you for a while?
Most want more of me by then, depending on how soon they give in to me. They also know they’ll have to offer something pretty valuable in return to get it,
though.
What do you like best about yourself?
What’s not to like? I’m the devilishly hot CEO of the HELL Corporation. Women swoon for me and men…they tend to do the same, which can get quite awkward,
sometimes.
What do you want most out of life?
Anything I can get. I have particular tastes, but I want the most. That’s all.
But what do you really want?
World domination sounds good. I’ll take that and any perks that come with it.
Say you’re using that new office temp for something…what would it be?
You mean Melody Angel? That one? She’s one of my staff – it could be anything. But what I’d really like is for her to rip off that tight little skirt, open her
shirt and let those perfect breasts spill out, so I can bend her over the desk and have my way with her. Several times over a long, hard afternoon. Then we’ll
see how white her shirt is…
Have you ever heard of sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment? Ha, no!
It’s when someone makes unwanted sexual advances in the workplace.
Oh, I know what you’re referring to. But it’s not something that happens in my office. When I make an offer, it’s always gratefully accepted. Eventually. Never
unwanted.
So what do you think Melody is using you for?
Ha. Hahahaha…Melody Angel? Using me? That girl was wearing innocence like a cloud of her delectable perfume. She wouldn’t know how to use someone with my
power. Oh, I can do plenty for her – perhaps that’s what she wants. My favour.
How do you feel about that?
It’s what everyone wants from me. Favours, for me to use the wealth and power I have to help them. Provided I get my money’s worth from them in return, who
cares? It’s business.
Really? You don’t think it would be personal for her?
Oh, her payment to me is likely to be very personal, but it’s still a business arrangement. I never take anything that isn’t offered, though I can be quite
persuasive when I do want something.
Even though we hope she’ll never do it, for now just pretend it could happen: What’s the worst thing Melody could do to you?
It’s not the bad things she could do to me – it’s all the bad things I want to do to her. And with her. And I suspect she’s longing to do all sorts of things
to me. Why else would she be at the HELL Corporation?
Why would that be so bad?
Did I say it would be? That sweet girl could become an absolute star in the bedroom if she’s willing. Or on my desk, if she’s a quick learner.
Why would you deserve it?
I’m Luce Iblis, the sexy CEO of the HELL Corporation. No one’s more deserving than I am when it comes to sexy women.
What’s the worst thing you could do to Melody?
I could steal her mind, body and soul, corrupting her to Hell for all eternity. Hahaha, or I could offer her a permanent job in my company.
Why would she deserve it?
If her performance in the office exceeded my expectations, I might offer such a deal to her. I might not, too. It depends if she has what it takes to make me
happy.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I wouldn’t know.
All right. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
That’s none of your business.
What is your greatest regret?
Agreeing to do this interview. I have a stack of reports on my desk to approve for release, including Melody’s first one. I’m looking forward to showing her
the standard of work I expect from her. Are we done here?
Yes, I think we are. Thank you for an interesting insight into your unique character, Mr Iblis.
Links
Welcome To Hell
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords | Goodreads
See You In Hell
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords | Goodreads
Mel Goes To Hell
Amazon UK | Amazon US | Apple | B&N | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords
January 11, 2015
Spotlight On: A Dangerous Reality by Layla Wolfe
A Dangerous Reality
By
Layla Wolfe
Book I of The Bent
Zealots MC
Keep
your lovers close—and your enemies in bed.
TURK
My club sent me to track him down. And when my mission was over, I never wanted
another one again. When I found him, I
kicked the shit out of Havelock Singer.
I issued the mightiest beatdown of all time. Problem is, we’re evenly matched. We’re equals in every way, and when we
finished whaling on each other, exhausted, we fell into each other’s arms.
I’ve never regretted it for an instant. It’s been the ride of my life. But loving another man in the MC world is a
risky business. As if our business isn’t
already brutal and ruthless enough, Lock’s homophobic sergeant-at-arms Stumpy
gets an eyeful of our lovemaking and blackmails us into doing some of his dirty
work, or be exposed for what we are—a couple of deviants.
This run into the Indian reservation is sleazy and beneath
us, but now I’m cornered, and I’ll do anything to keep my sweet master Lock
from being lynched by his club.
LOCK
When that kingpin Carmine Rojas got a load of my beautiful
stallion Turk Blackburn, he’d stop at nothing to have him—and Rojas gets what
he wants. It’s my fault we’re in this
situation. I should’ve kicked Turk’s ass
and sent him packing back to The Bare Bones.
I wasn’t even close to being ready to come out, but now they’re forcing
my hand.
I can hear my destiny calling me. Either I’ll slink back to my club like a hetero
bounty hunter with no morals—and no respect from anyone in my own backyard—or
I’ll step up to the plate and be the lion of the day.
Either way, my lover and I are screwed. Our clubs are going
to hound us underground or into another country before we escape this mess—if
we don’t die trying.
“Living off the grid
and being an outlaw brings a dangerous reality.” –Ron Perlman
Publisher’s warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains scenes of gay sex, consensual BDSM, illegal doings, dubious consent, and man-on-man violence.
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook – http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Reality-Bent-Zealots-Book-ebook/dp/B00S4BZHZU/
All Romance ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-adangerousreality-1722201-153.html
Inktera – (Page Foundry, epub) http://www.inktera.com/store/title/2c65b1dd-a249-49a3-a7fb-8aa5ed495a61
Createspace (Print) - https://www.createspace.com/5251210?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026
Amazon Print – http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Reality-Bent-Zealots/dp/1507502540/
About the Author:
Bestselling author Layla Wolfe is satisfied with a leather jacket, one bad-ass pink camo compound bow, and a vicarious outlaw lifestyle.
Layla Wolfe is the pen name of multi-published erotic romance author Karen Mercury. You can find her at:
Goodreads Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter Pinterest Website
A Dangerous Reality
By
Layla Wolfe
Book I of The Ben...
A Dangerous Reality
By
Layla Wolfe
Book I of The Bent
Zealots MC
Keep
your lovers close—and your enemies in bed.
TURK
My club sent me to track him down. And when my mission was over, I never wanted
another one again. When I found him, I
kicked the shit out of Havelock Singer.
I issued the mightiest beatdown of all time. Problem is, we’re evenly matched. We’re equals in every way, and when we
finished whaling on each other, exhausted, we fell into each other’s arms.
I’ve never regretted it for an instant. It’s been the ride of my life. But loving another man in the MC world is a
risky business. As if our business isn’t
already brutal and ruthless enough, Lock’s homophobic sergeant-at-arms Stumpy
gets an eyeful of our lovemaking and blackmails us into doing some of his dirty
work, or be exposed for what we are—a couple of deviants.
This run into the Indian reservation is sleazy and beneath
us, but now I’m cornered, and I’ll do anything to keep my sweet master Lock
from being lynched by his club.
LOCK
When that kingpin Carmine Rojas got a load of my beautiful
stallion Turk Blackburn, he’d stop at nothing to have him—and Rojas gets what
he wants. It’s my fault we’re in this
situation. I should’ve kicked Turk’s ass
and sent him packing back to The Bare Bones.
I wasn’t even close to being ready to come out, but now they’re forcing
my hand.
I can hear my destiny calling me. Either I’ll slink back to my club like a hetero
bounty hunter with no morals—and no respect from anyone in my own backyard—or
I’ll step up to the plate and be the lion of the day.
Either way, my lover and I are screwed. Our clubs are going
to hound us underground or into another country before we escape this mess—if
we don’t die trying.
“Living off the grid
and being an outlaw brings a dangerous reality.” –Ron Perlman
Publisher’s warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains scenes of gay sex, consensual BDSM, illegal doings, dubious consent, and man-on-man violence.
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook – http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Reality-Bent-Zealots-Book-ebook/dp/B00S4BZHZU/
All Romance ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-adangerousreality-1722201-153.html
Inktera – (Page Foundry, epub) http://www.inktera.com/store/title/2c65b1dd-a249-49a3-a7fb-8aa5ed495a61
Createspace (Print) - https://www.createspace.com/5251210?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026
Amazon Print – http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Reality-Bent-Zealots/dp/1507502540/
About the Author:
Bestselling author Layla Wolfe is satisfied with a leather jacket, one bad-ass pink camo compound bow, and a vicarious outlaw lifestyle.
Layla Wolfe is the pen name of multi-published erotic romance author Karen Mercury. You can find her at:
Goodreads Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter Pinterest Website
January 10, 2015
#ThursThreads Flash Fiction: “I Give You My Heart” by Margo Bond Collins
This week, I participated in the #ThursThreads Flash Fiction contest on The Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked (and came away with an “honorable mention”–yay! :) ). It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything shorter than a novella, so on a professional level, I enjoyed the challenge. As a reader, I loved seeing what the other writers came up with, too! You can check out my entry below.
And next Thursday (Jan. 15), I’ll be judging the contest, so be sure to stop by and enter–the prompt goes up in the morning and the contest runs all day! (I’ll post reminders on FB, Twitter, and Tsu.)
In the meantime, here’s my entry from last week–the prompt was “because I wanted you to have it.”
I Give You My Heart
Gregor held his hand out, dark red blood oozing from the offering in his palm, the muscles of the odd-shaped lump still quivering in a vain attempt to pump.
“Oh, God.” Lola threw herself back against the damp stones of the wall, turning her head sideways as she tried to get even further from the strange, pale man in front of her. “Is that what I think it is?”
“It’s my heart, Lola.” He thrust it closer, and she cringed.
“Yours? Why the ever-living hell are you handing me your heart?” Her tone crept toward hysterical, but she couldn’t help herself. Three days she’d been locked in this basement, and she still had no idea where she was. The closest she’d gotten to ‘why’ was this crazed lunatic’s increasingly insane expressions of affection.
“Because I wanted you to have it.” He blinked, and Lola’s stomach twisted at his expression of earnest hope. “It’s the most important thing I have to give.”
The most important thing?
She stared at his ripped, blood-drenched shirt, the shadows hinting at a gaping wound beneath.
Maybe this could be turned to her advantage.
She cast a quick glance around the room, verifying that there really was an old, wooden barrel in the corner.
One splinter from that, and the next time he opened the door, she could be free of his vampiric ass.
She stood up straight and held out her hands, cupping them to receive the bloody gift. “Thank you, Gregor,” she breathed.
* * *
_____________________________________________
About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.
_____________________________________________
Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://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
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
_____________________________________________
January 9, 2015
Spotlight On: Sudden Secrets, by C. Lee McKenzie
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Sudden
Secrets
C. Lee
McKenzie
YA Romantic Suspense, 62k words
Released Dec. 19, Evernight Teen
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One Secret
Cleo has struggled to heal after her baby sister’s death, but the flashbacks to the accident won’t go away. With the move, she vows to keep her tragedy a secret and avoid pitying looks.
One Mystery
Something’s strange about the abandoned house across the street—flashes of light late at night and small flickers of movement that only someone looking for them would see.
Everyone says the house is deserted, but Cleo is sure it isn’t, and she’s sure whoever is inside is watching her.
Another Secret
In one night, Belleza’s life changes forever. So famous, her only choice is to hide her secret from the world so she can silence small town bigotry. Then Cleo happens.
14+ due to adult situations
Buy Links: Evernight Teen
Amazon
Buy in Print
Excerpt:
It had been a terrible and very long journey from that tragic Christmas to now, and I couldn’t think about losing another one of us. We’d each done all we could to live without Aziza.
Dad went as far away as possible from where the accident happened. Mom sold our house and moved us to a new town. Still, we weren’t over that December day.
Mom buried herself in her work for long hours.
Grandpa pulled into himself, wearing that glazed look he’d adopted before the funeral.
I was almost sure he’d wear that look for the rest of his life. He loved Aziza. And what wasn’t there to love? Beautiful golden girl, my mom called her, forever poking her four-year-old nose around the corner daring any of us to chase her. Teasing, begging for attention, which we gave because we couldn’t resist her…
Grandpa loved my sister a lot. I was afraid he loved me very little now.
I wasn’t so fond of myself, either. I shut out all of my Buena Vista friends and started running alone.
From the window over the kitchen sink I watched Nefertiti as she sat on the step, preening in a sunny spot around the back of the house. I went out to sit with her, stroking her fur and surveying the weedy backyard that Mom hadn’t had time to think about. She kept saying she planned to hire a gardener, but there was always something that derailed that plan. In September, it was the new show at the museum that she had to set up by October. She was in charge of staging the Egyptian pieces coming on loan, but she was shorthanded and putting in extra time to make up for only having two assistants. It was going to be a while before the toilet and other debris disappeared.
It was all too depressing to look at, so I walked around to the front and for a minute glanced at the windows of the house across the street. I almost expected to see someone staring out at me. I couldn’t shake the creeped out feeling I got every time I looked at that place.
I knelt to check my laces, and then I was racing down the street, hoping to shed old fears, old thoughts . . . at least for a while. I was at the end of the block, deciding which way to turn, when I spotted Grandpa. I went in the opposite direction, so neither one of us had to pretend that everything was all right since that letter from Dad.
The high school was only four blocks away––one of the reasons, Mom said, she chose this location. It also had one of the best academic ratings in the valley. Another reason she told me she zeroed in on our cozy cul-de-sac.
When I reached the school, I stared up at the two-storied building where I’d spend my last two years of high school. Then what? Junior college, or a job at K-Mart? I worried that I’d bomb on my SAT’s. I’d bombed on almost everything, hadn’t I? My grades, my friends––being a sister.
I walked up the stone path, leading to the main doors, imagining that first day here, my stomach balling up with worry just on the edge of dread. That first day was going to be the worst.
Off to my right, a thick oak sheltered tables with benches, so I jogged across the lawn and sat on the wooden slats and thought about how it was going to be when school started. Everything new. Everything different. The stares all newbies get. Nobody would know who I was or why I was here. They wouldn’t know my mom was famous for her books on Egypt, or that my dad was an archeologist—the one people called when they dug up important ancientanything in the Middle East. But they’d know something was different about me the minute they heard my name. Cleopatra wasn’t on any baby name list they’d ever read. Neither was Aziza, but she was too little for her name to embarrass her. She’d only just learned what it meant. Precious. And she was that. She was.
A breeze brushed my cheek and I shivered. I thought I’d gotten over feeling that chill, but the healing process wasn’t just slow, it was uneven, too. Sometimes Aziza was only a whisper inside me, and then her image would spring from around the corner just like she used to, full of mischief and giggles. Then there would be that moment when the memory of the chilled air of our old entryway blasted across my face.
Stop it.
I jumped to my feet and jogged to the track behind the high school as fast as I could. I didn’t have a devil at my back, but I had a tiny ghost that shadowed me when I stayed still for very long.
About the Author:
C. Lee McKenzie is a native Californian who grew up in a lot of different places; then landed in the Santa Cruz Mountains where she lives with her family and miscellaneous pets—usually strays that find her rather than the other way around. She writes most of the time, gardens and hikes and does yoga a lot, and then travels whenever she can. Her favorite destinations are Turkey and Nicaragua, but because she had family in England, Switzerland, and Spain she goes there when she can.
She takes on modern issues that today’s teens face in their daily lives. Her first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge, which dealt with cutting and suicide was published in 2009. Her second, titled The Princess of Las Pulgas, dealing with a family who loses everything and must rebuild their lives came out in 2010. She just published her first middle grade novel titled Alligators Overhead.
WEBSITE
Giveaway:
$10 Evernight Teen Gift Card
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January 8, 2015
Spotlight On: Naughty Little Wishes, by Nina Crespo
Title: Naughty Little Wishes
Author: Nina Crespo
Tagline: Opposites attract. Enemies ignite…
Series Name: Birthday Dare (novella)
There’s nothing personal stylist Tabitha Drake loves more than pissing off Andrew Bode. He’s uptight, he refuses to agree with her on anything, and she loathes the hideous brown suits and red power ties he wears. The man even hates ice cream. How can her best friend work for a man who hates ice cream? But the absolute worst thing about Drew? He’s sexy as hell, and she’s totally and ridiculously attracted to him.
Military contractor Andrew Bode is convinced he and Tab will never get along. Unfortunately, the infuriating—and sinfully tempting—stylist is his ticket to a major account. The only way to get what he wants is to agree to Tab’s terms: a style makeover. However, Drew has a few terms of his own, most of which involve her naked in his bed. But neither of them are prepared when their lust-fueled hostility turns into something altogether unexpected…
BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BvxgA6
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1IailO2
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1xmsV38
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1A8BgcE
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1F2sPD3
Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1DibvVL
Excerpt 1
Drew slammed the car door and met Tab’s defiant gaze over the roof. He didn’t give a damn if Wynn okayed his assistant finding a replacement. Someone should have called him about the change.
Mitch’s red Jeep sat behind the catering van in the circular driveway. The security specialist would have to pull double duty and keep an eye on her.
Tab opened her umbrella, and he followed her up the stairs to his house. Her dress molded to her hips as they moved in a gentle sway. He couldn’t afford another botched conversation with Bob because of a distraction. No matter what, he was sorting out Harrison Global’s contract tonight.
“We need to talk.” His voice boomed in the entryway.
The attention of the catering staff in the adjacent living room snapped their direction.
“About what?” Her heels tapped rapidly on the tiles as he led her to the guest bathroom.
He ushered her inside and slammed the door shut. “Why are you here?”
She dropped her purse on the counter. “I told you. I agreed to do this as a favor to Vanessa.”
“You don’t belong here. I’m entertaining important clients tonight. This isn’t the type of party where you can spout crazy opinions and smear ice cream on your breasts.”
Tab’s cheeks flushed. “I understand perfectly. You aren’t the only one who scores clients with big bank accounts. I deserve a thank you for volunteering instead of insults and a lecture.” Anger emerged in her eyes as she poked his chest. “If you want things to run smoothly between us, here’s some advice. Focus on your clients instead of my breasts so you don’t end up landing on your ass like you did before I found you.”
He advanced, and she flattened her palm. His heart thumped harder, and blood surged below his waist. Tab looked down, and her plum-tinted lips formed a soft “O.”A vision of her mouth wrapped around his cock exploded in his mind. His erection grew larger. Her gaze met his. He waited for the smart-ass verbal jab, but desire darkened her eyes. To hell with it. He was tired of lusting after her and denying the obvious.
He grabbed her by the waist and brought her flush against him. “That’s the problem. When you’re around, I can’t focus.” Her pulse ticked rapidly in her throat and lured him into brushing his lips over the spot. The same perfume that had taunted him in the lobby saturated his lungs. Need ignited. “You shouldn’t have volunteered.”
About Nina Crespo
Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions—the beach, kickboxing, a good glass of wine with her own real-life hero, and dancing. Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a “borrowing spree” in her older sister’s bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel. Curiosity about people and places, including what’s beyond the stars, fuels her writer’s imagination. This wellspring of inspiration allows Nina to create sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales, which she hopes will feed your own addiction for love, romance, and happily ever after. Her debut novella, TAKE ME IF YOU DARE, was released in June 2014 by Entangled Publishing. The sequel, NAUGHTY LITTLE WISHES, will be released January 2015. Her debut romance, fantasy novella, THANE’S REDEMPTION, is scheduled for release in March 2015.
Author Links:
Website: http://ninacrespo.com/
Blog: http://bit.ly/1wWLDwG
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1Cdzckw
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1z6nTEs
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1CdyO5u
Rafflecopter Giveaway
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDE3MzExNzE5ZDA2NzRiOGFhYmVjNTAzOTY1ODhmOjEy/?
January 7, 2015
Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy Reads of 2014
Every January, book bloggers take a look back at the books they read in the previous year, and a few always stand out. So over the next few weeks, I’ll be putting together my favorite reads of 2014 in various categories. And because most of my very favorite books are science fiction and fantasy, that’s the list I’m starting with. So, in no particular order, here are five of my favorite SF/F books of 2014:
1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
These Broken Stars (The Starbound Trilogy Book 1)
Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met. Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the rebels. Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. His sister died in the original uprising against the powerful corporations that terraformed Avon.
These corporations make their fortune by terraforming uninhabitable planets across the universe and recruiting colonists to make the planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion. Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.
As Flynn and Lee attempt to uncover the truth about Avon, they realize that there is a conspiracy on the planet that runs deeper than either of them could imagine, one that Lee’s former commander Tarver Merendsen only scratched scratched the surface of two years ago. The stunning second novel in the Starbound series is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.
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3. Havoc by Ann Aguirre
Havoc (The Dred Chronicles Book 2)
WELCOME TO HELL
The prison ship Perdition, a floating city where the Conglomerate’s most dangerous criminals are confined for life, orbits endlessly around a barren asteroid.
Life inside is even more bleak. Hailed as the Dread Queen, inmate Dresdemona “Dred” Devos controls one of Perdition’s six territories, bordered on both sides by would-be kings eager to challenge her claim. Keeping them at bay requires constant vigilance, as well as a steady influx of new recruits to replace the fallen. Survival is a constant battle, and death is the only escape.
Of the newest convicts, only one is worth Dred’s attention. The mercenary Jael, with his deadly gaze and attitude, may be the most dangerous criminal onboard. His combat skill could give her the edge she needs, if he doesn’t betray her first. Unfortunately, that’s what he does best. Winning Jael’s allegiance will be a challenge, but failure could be worse than death…
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4. Midway by Melanie Karsak
Midway: A Harvesting Series Novella 1.5 (The Harvesting Series Book 2)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews launches a brand-new Hidden Legacy series, in which one woman must place her trust in a seductive, dangerous man who sets off an even more dangerous desire . . .
Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile situation. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.
Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run and wanting to surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.
Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.
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What were some of your favorite SF/F reads of the previous year?
P & E Voting!
Hi, everyone! ‘Tis the season for book award votes. :) I’ve got several books up at the P&E Readers’ Vote competition. I’d love it if you dropped in and voted!
My novella Taming the Country Star is currently #2 in the P&E poll for short romance–and I would love to bump it up to #1! Here’s the link if you haven’t voted yet: http://critters.org/predpoll/shortstoryr.shtml
Here are the other links to my books up for voting—P & E gives credit to the Top 10, so every vote is welcome!
http://critters.org/predpoll/shortstoryh.shtml (Bound by Blood)
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelh.shtml (Sanguinary)
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml (Legally Undead)
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelyoungadult.shtml (Fairy, Texas)
And while you’re at it, stop by the other categories and vote for your favorites!
Cheers~
Margo
January 6, 2015
Spotlight On: Take Them By Storm by Marie Landry
Take Them By Storm (Angel Island #3)
by Marie Landry
Release Date: 01/06/15
Summary from Goodreads:
This book is a standalone companion novel to Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm. The books do not need to be read together or in order, but please note that this synopsis contains mild spoilers for After the Storm.
Sadie Fitzgerald has always been different, and not just because she makes her own clothes and would rather stay home watching Doctor Who than party with kids her age. When it’s time to leave Angel Island for college, Sadie is eager to put her old life behind her. Small-minded people and rumors have plagued her for years, but with the love of her adoptive family, the O’Dells, Sadie has learned to embrace who she is. Now she’s not afraid to admit the rumors about her are true: she’s gay.
For the first time in her life, Sadie feels free to be herself. She dives into college life and begins volunteering at the local LGBT center, where she discovers her small-town upbringing left holes in her education about life outside Angel Island.
The world is a bigger and more accepting place than Sadie ever imagined. She’s finally found where she belongs, but with the reappearance of someone from her past, an unexpected new friendship, and a chance at love, Sadie soon realizes she still has a lot to learn about life, friendship, and love.
Buy
Links:
Amazon│Barnes
& Noble│Kobo Books
Book in this series:
(cover linked to Goodreads)
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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