Monday 30 November 2015

Release Day: Degrees of Control by Eve Dangerfield

degreescontrolrelease

About the Book

Book coverTitle: Degrees of Control
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Genre: Romance

Charlotte Bell is a typical yoga teacher. She’s friendly, earnest and has some slight masochistic tendencies. After a painful break-up she’s determined to address her long-denied kinks with the kind of man she’s always been too terrified to approch. Her friends have select James Hunter a male model turned corporate suit and after a ‘chance’ encounter at a party, James agrees to school Charlie in the harsher side of sex. He knows she’s too genuine, too kind, too everything for a guy like him but he won’t turn down an opportunity to break in a starry-eyed submissive like her. Yet as Charlie and James embark on a strings-free sexual relationship they discover a connection that runs deeper than either of them could have imagined.

Author Bio

Author picEve Dangerfield has loved romance novels since she first started swiping her grandmother’s paperbacks at the age of fourteen. Now she writes her own unapologetically sexy tales about complex women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Eve currently lives in Melbourne with her lovely sister, extremely chill boyfriend and a rabbit named Billy. When she’s not writing she can usually be found drinking, dancing or making a mess. Often all at once. Degrees of Control is her first novel.

Links

Buy on Amazon.


Saturday 28 November 2015

Release Day Spotlight: Violca's Dragon by Leilani Love

violcasrelease

About the Book

Cover PicTitle: Violca’s Dragon
Author: Leilani Love
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Violca Grey knows life can change instantly. Two years after her parents’ sudden death, Violca is left raising her four younger sisters. She doesn’t realize that their lives are all in danger from something that may not be human. Chase Reed knows the Grey sisters possibly hold the key to his fate. He is determined to get close, protect them and bring them to his Dragon King.

Together, Chase and Violca not only have to protect their families—they also have to fight against their rising feelings for each other. But what Violca doesn’t know is that once a dragon decides he wants something, there is no stopping him from getting it.

Author Bio

Author PicLeilani Love is a proud mother of two very active boys. She loves traveling to new places and meeting new people where ever she goes. Thus far, Leilani has traveled to Paris, DenBosch and Amsterdam with hopes to one day visit again. On her next trip, she hopes to be able to make stops in Scotland and Italy. Currently residing in California, Leilani has also lived in Hawaii, Florida, Alaska, Virginia, Texas, Washington and Oregon. 

She loves to read books and has a passion for various genres. Her love affair with dragons began when she was young, yet, she still fantasizes of having her own dragon and Black Panther. For now, she is content to write about them in her books.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/21h1B4b Goodreads: http://bit.ly/21h1ENp
Contact Info:


Friday 27 November 2015

Book Spotlight: Marked by Fortune by Anne Gimpel





Marked by Fortune
Ann Gimpel
Dream Shadow Press
95K words
Release Date: 11/10/15
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Amazon

Tumble into a dystopian world where magic rules and hope is hard to find.

Book Description:

Magic levies a steep price on anyone brave enough or stupid enough to dabble in it.

Wizards never forgave Ned for not being one of them. They didn’t exactly come out and say his life was expendable, but they didn’t have to. He figured it out fast enough when they conscripted him into their long-running war the second he was old enough to fight. Isolated, different, he puzzled out how his brand of magic worked on his own. When he’s finally, finally sent on a solo mission, he vows to make the most of every single moment of freedom.

Fleeing the tide of doom wiping out humanity, Amanda and her family escape to a remote corner of California, where they eke out a hardscrabble existence. With her parents at each other’s throats and her brother mysteriously gone, Amanda runs up against malevolent power beyond her wildest imaginings. Captured by the undead, she’s about to join their ranks when Ned shows up.

Attraction ignites—hot, urgent, delicious—but celibacy may well be the price of Ned’s magic, and he can’t risk his power. Or can he? Even though he stands to lose everything, Ned doesn’t hesitate after Tantalus—one of the insidiously beautiful dark gods—kidnaps Amanda. Defying a direct order from his wizard battle lord, he goes after the woman he loves. Even if she can’t ever be his, he’ll be damned if he’ll leave her to the dark god’s whims.

Excerpt: 

Ned crouched amid the remains of what was once downtown Sacramento, using a convenient, partly-decimated building as cover. The rest of his unit hid in close proximity—at least he hoped they did. A low, whistling noise ratcheted his heart into hyper drive. Enemy magic. Maintaining his crouch, he spun, searching the late afternoon gloom for clues. Not quite sure what tipped him off, he leapt out of the way just before a concrete block exploded, showering him with debris.

“Whew! Way too close.” The words tore out of him before he could stop them.

He drew his lips into a disgusted snarl and wondered for the thousandth time how he, a human mage, ever got mixed up with the wizards’ war.

Because the bastards didn’t give me a choice.

Sweat trickled down his forehead. His leather headband caught some of it, but a few drops fell into his eyes. They stung like hell, and he shook his head to disperse the salty liquid. The beginnings of a headache throbbed behind one temple.

“Landarik.” Ned focused his commander’s name into his mouthpiece. “Where are you?”

“Right behind you.” A voice dripped sarcasm into Ned’s ear.

“Son of a bitch.”

Ned whipped around. Landarik stood so close, Ned’s braids slapped against the wizard’s helmet. “I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Ned sputtered through clenched teeth. “I hate when you sneak up on me. Especially when it could’ve been one of them. You’re lucky I didn’t blast you.”

“Like your puny human magic would’ve made a dent. Cut the shit. What do you want?”

Speaking through the slit in his bronzed helmet, Landarik looked like a robot. Only his blond braids, with debris tangled in them, ruined the automaton image. He must’ve noticed Ned’s stare because Landarik gathered his ratty braids and tossed them over his shoulders.

“I’m beat. Request permission to return to the caves.”

“Mage or no,” Landarik grunted, “you humans are more work than you’re worth.  I have no fucking idea what the goddess had up her sleeve when she created those like you.”

“Fine. Neither do I. Now can I go?”

“I release you—but only because you’re more worthless than usual. Return no later than first light.” Whistling sounded again. Without apparent thought or effort, Landarik raised a hand. A bolt of power flew from his fingertips and vaporized a small building a hundred yards away.

“How can you know so…precisely?” Ned sputtered.

Landarik tipped the visor of his helmet up. Extraordinary blue eyes shot darts at Ned, and the sharp-boned features characteristic of the wizard race twisted in irritation. “I’ve told you and told you,” he lectured in a patronizing voice that grated on Ned’s nerves. “Hold your inner parts still, human. If you managed yourself better, you’d hear where the enemy is hiding.” He snorted. “Sometimes I find it difficult to fathom how you’re still alive.”

“You and me both,” Ned mumbled.

Sketching a rectangular portal in the hot, dusty air, he jumped through into the Ways, picturing the wizards’ caves as he did so. Wizards developed the Ways thousands of years ago so they could travel to distant locations. Their harmonics were so well matched to galactic magnetics, they remained fully functional despite minimal maintenance.

As he sped through the dimension carrying him to a few hours of safety, Ned’s empty stomach clenched in anger. It wasn’t fair for Landarik to expect him to know everything the vetted wizard warriors did. Most of them were hundreds—if not thousands—of years old, while he was a mere…well, something. Young, anyway. In truth, he wasn’t precisely sure of his age. Wizards lived so long they didn’t bother keeping those types of records.

Ned didn’t know if it was fortune, or her opposite, but he’d drawn his first breath in a wizard stronghold. He had little memory of his first few years, but around the time he turned five, one of the wizards—the acolyte master, Karras—took notice of the little human who carted power after him the same way other youngsters dragged beloved toys.

***

About the Author:

Ann Gimpel is a national bestselling author. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in a number of webzines and anthologies. Her longer books run the gamut from urban fantasy to paranormal romance. Once upon a time, she nurtured clients, now she nurtures dark, gritty fantasy stories that push hard against reality. When she’s not writing, she’s in the backcountry getting down and dirty with her camera. She’s published over 30 books to date, with several more planned for 2015 and beyond. A husband, grown children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out her family.

Find Ann At:

www.anngimpel.com

http://anngimpel.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/anngimpel

http://www.facebook.com/anngimpel.author

@AnnGimpel (for Twitter)


Thursday 26 November 2015

Author Interview: Aimee Easterling


About the Author:

Aimee Easterling has been spoiled by four dogs, has spoiled six cats, and has largely been ignored by two guinea pigs, four turtles, a cockatiel, and a slew of fish during her thirty-some year life. Studying biology and working as a naturalist have both informed her writing, but she's quite willing to let reality slide in favor of a good story. When not writing, she loves to read and always keeps books by Robin McKinley, Patricia Briggs, and Elizabeth Peters on her shelf. She is currently hard at work writing her next novel. Visit her at wetknee.com/aimee.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

My books are always better if I plan more...but I tend to get excited after and while and just start writing. So I guess I do a little bit of both.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

My characters always take over the story...but then, it is all about them.

What is your favourite food?

My subconscious seems to think the answer to this question is strawberries. But when I started typing the word, I couldn't see how I forgot about chocolate. So maybe the answer is...strawberries with chocolate?

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Definitely a morning person. Sometimes I forget other people think life goes on after dark.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

If I'm just dreaming --- probably China. Actually, I literally dreamed I went on a cruise to China via a southeast passage that cut through the Middle East last night. Quite a feat since I live in North America....

Oh, right, you asked me why. Well, I've always been obsessed with the Other, and China seems about as Other as you can get. Perhaps that's why so many of my stories revolve around outsiders finding a place for themselves in a world they initially find strange.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Most of my books are urban fantasy, with the magic happening right under the average American's noses. But Jaguar at the Portal sends my hero and heroine on a jaunt to Mexico at the behest of an Olmec god, so it definitely fits the bill.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Nope. It's gotta be totally silent...well, except when the cats need some food or my husband drifts through the room.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

My newest release isn't actually live yet. Jaguar at the Portal is teaming up with twenty other full-length paranormal novels in the Happily Ever Alpha box set. Our goal is to fill your entire winter with magic for 99 cents! You can preorder a copy now at www.hotboxedbooks.com.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

The biggest thing I've learned is to put your own spin on things, but to focus on reader expectations.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Although my werewolf and were-jaguar books have been well received, I recently unpublished a young-adult novel and a billionaire romance because they were just a bit too off-beat for the average reader. I wish now that I'd put that writing time toward what my fans seem to enjoy the most --- damaged but spunky female shifters.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

My writing has been influenced by hundreds of books, so I couldn't even begin to list the top contenders here. When I was in junior high, for example, I tried my darndest to read no more than one book a night...but it was tough to reign myself in.

That said, the real world has also had a large effect on my books. I've always loved animals, having been owned by hundreds of chickens, two goats, four dogs, six cats, two guinea pigs, four turtles, a cockatiel, and a slew of fish over the years. Watching how these non-humans interact with the world has given me lots of fodder for writing about shifters, who combine human and animal traits in interesting ways rife with story fodder. In fact, one of the characters in Alpha Ascendant is based on my favorite goat.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Don't get too hung up on your first book. You want that novel to be a masterpiece and feel like it will make or break your entire career as an author. But the truth is that most authors learn the most between books. After you get a little space from (and a lot of reviews on) book one, you realize what you should have done differently, so book two is a little smoother and book three is better yet. If you enjoy what you're writing and are in it for the long haul, you'll get there eventually.

What are three words that describe you?

Introverted, interested, nature-lover.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

My all-time favorite book is The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. It hits all of my sweet spots --- a light romance, a hero who wants to do good but is faced with a tough situation, a heroine who wants to break out of society's strictures but doesn't want to hurt her family, plus lots of trees. (There are more sweet spots too, but I don't want to spoil the twists in case you haven't read this classic. Go read it now!)

That said, I've turned the pages of The Outlaws of Sherwood so many times that I can't read it any more --- I know each step of the story by heart. And what I love the most about reading is getting entirely lost in the twists of a tale I've never considered before. So my current favorite book is usually whatever is on my kindle right now.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

I already told you about my box-set contribution, so here's the blurb for the conclusion of my Wolf Rampant trilogy, Alpha Ascendant:

Can Terra choose between her mate and her adopted daughter?

Ember is a bloodling, a werewolf born in lupine rather than in human form. The wolf pup is the perfect blend of rainbows and chaos, bound to bring a smile to everyone's face. But Terra soon begins to wonder whether it's truly in Ember's best interests to raise her adopted daughter as a wolf.

As a bloodling himself, her mate Wolfie adamantly opposes the idea of forcing a shift on their charge before her time. But when Wolfie is called away and Ember's sadistic biological father demands his daughter's return, Terra is faced with a difficult decision.

By werewolf law, a shifter has come of age and can make her own choices after her first transformation. But while forcing Ember's shift prematurely would allow Terra to keep the pup out of the hands of her biological father, the act might drive Wolfie out of both of their lives forever.

List of previous books if any

Wolf Rampant trilogy: Shiftless, Pack Princess, Alpha Ascendant

Related short stories: Bloodling Wolf, In Deep Shift

Other titles: Jaguar at the Portal

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

http://www.wetknee.com/aimee


Monday 23 November 2015

Cover Reveal and Trailer: Nutcracker Sweet by Megan O'Russel

nuttycrackerreveal

Book Trailer


About the Book

NuttycrackerSweet1-2
Title: Nuttycracker Sweet
Author: Megan O’Russell
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pointe shoes, tutus, and a snowy road trip with the man she hates. What could possibly go wrong?

The plan was simple. Get to Portland, dance The Nutcracker, and don’t murder your dance partner. And most definitely, do not, under any circumstances, fall in love with him.

A snowy road trip strands Elle Grant in a tiny cabin better suited for serial killings than rehearsals for two professional ballet dancers. With no one but the incredibly talented, excruciatingly handsome, and notoriously terrible Zachary Benson and a few taxidermy woodland creatures for company, Elle’s Christmas plans are officially ruined. Can she and Zach learn to like each other enough to dance together? And can Elle get home without losing her heart to the Christmas Cavalier?

About the Author

Megan O'Russell

Megan is thrilled to be working with Fiery Seas Publishing! Her other published works include Young Adult fantasy novels The Tethering and The Siren’s Realm. Megan is also a featured author in the Athena’s Daughters 2 anthology of women in speculative fiction.

Megan is a professional performer who travels the country living out a thousand lives on stage. Her wonderful husband and frequent dance partner is always by her side.

For more information on Megan’s books, you can visit her website at meganorussell.com
Social Media:


Friday 20 November 2015

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Hargrove House by Allie Harrison





HARGROVE HOUSE by Allie Harrison is a suspenseful, haunting tale that will capture you…heart and soul. Despite her terror, Torrie has no choice but to once again enter the haunted Hargrove House. When she discovers the graves in the cellar, she’ll find that there are things more frightening than ghosts. The house is waiting for her... They are waiting for her... If you enjoyed THE LAST VICTIM by Karen Robards, Hargrove House will warm your heart, and chill you to the bone.

Title: Hargrove House
Author: Allie Harrison
Series: The Haunted #1
Genre: Paranormal Suspense w/ Romantic Elements
Release Date: October 2nd, 2015 
Publisher: Indie Published
Print Length: 216 pages
Format: Digital
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9969048-0-3

Synopsis: 

As a child, Torrie Reynolds entered the haunted Hargrove House on a dare. Terrified by what she'd heard while inside Hargrove House, she avoided it since. Now fifteen years later, Torrie is an interior decorator. When Will Dalton buys the infamous Hargrove House and offers Torrie the job of refurbishing it, she has no choice but to take the offer to keep her business afloat. As the house is restored and rooms come alive with character and color Torrie brings to them, her fear of the house fades. Hargrove House begins to even feel like home to her. With each finished renovation project, it is harder for Torrie to leave. It is even harder for her to leave the comfort of Will Dalton's arms. But she discovers there are things more terrifying than ghosts when she learns why Will is digging in the dark, frightening cellar.

***

Excerpt:

The door knob was cold in her palm. Surely the door wouldn’t be unlocked. The old creepy house had been vacant forever.

It wasn’t locked. In fact, the knob turned easily and the door opened. The eerie thought that the house wanted her to come in slipped through her.

The light from the street filtered into the foyer, but only a little. Everything else was nothing more than a mixture of gray shadows. Still it was enough for Torrie to see elegance in the wide, beautiful circular staircase. Above her head a huge chandelier hung haphazardly. What was left of its crystal decoration reflected the small amount of light from the street.

It was beautiful.

How anyone could leave this house, she wondered.

Outside, the wind blew the leaves and branches of the trees in the front yard, and the shadows danced.

Torrie took a step back. She’d stayed long enough to fulfill the dare. Besides, she’d heard her father say often enough the place was probably rotten through. She’d break her leg if she fell through the floor. She could see the headline in the Liberty Banner now: Mayor’s Daughter Breaks Leg in Haunted Hargrove House.

Amanda Litchfield was going to owe her big time, she thought.

The moonlight reflected on something on the floor a few feet away. Was it a piece of glass from one of the several broken windows? No, it was a single crystal obviously from the chandelier above her. Her hand itched with the need to touch it, to hold it. She took a few steps forward, weary of the possibly rotted floor.

Then she had it in her hand, an elegantly carved crystal, beautiful and perfect, a prize for a scary dare like a blue ribbon for winning a race. She turned to go back out the door. It was then she heard the voice.

It was really nothing more than a moan, a painful moan.

Yet, it said her name—“Victoria…”

***

Available now: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Oyster | Inktera


***

About Allie Harrison:

Allie Harrison lives with her husband in Southern Illinois. By day, Allie works in the medical field, but when she clocks out, she hits the keyboard, crafting stories readers will love. When she isn’t enjoying fun family time, games with friends, reading, crafts, music, camping, biking, and hiking, she’s working to build fictional worlds and unforgettable characters.


Connect with Allie: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon


***

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 19 November 2015

Book Spotlight: Rebecca's Initiation by Gary Green





About the Book
Title: Rebecca’s Initiation
Author: Gary Green
Genre: YA Fantasy

Rebecca’s Initiation is a fast paced fantasy adventure about a young girl who loses her mother in a car accident and has to go live with her grandmother. Her grandmother, Naomi, is an extraordinary woman who lets Rebecca in on her secret and initiates her into a world of magic populated with fairies, gnomes, elves and a dragon.

Rebecca soon learns that her mother’s death was not an accident and that she was the intended victim. An ancient god has marked her for death and without the help of her new magical friends she is doomed. She has to learn how to defend herself—and learn fast. Rebecca’s Initiation will keep you guessing from beginning to end.

Excerpt:


“One day Dad and I were out in the cow pasture bringing the cows in to be milked. There was a cow grazing by the edge of the woods. I went over to get her when a wolf jumped out of the bushes. He was growling and foaming at the mouth and was clearly stalking me. I screamed and froze. He was still about fifty feet away, but I knew I couldn’t outrun him. We knew there were wolves in the woods but mostly they left us alone. This one clearly had rabies.

Dad shouted, ‘Hold still, I’m coming.’

I could see he had picked up a stick and was running toward me. Then it happened. There was an ear-splitting roar. I looked up to see Cedric diving from the sky. He landed between me and the wolf. He roared again and picked up the wolf with his mouth. He crunched him with his teeth and swallowed him whole. Then he turned around and winked at me.

‘Get away from that thing,’ my dad shouted. He was panting when he got to me. He grabbed me and started pulling me away from Cedric. He brandished that stick and shouted to Cedric, ‘Keep away.’

Really, I don’t know what he thought he was going to do with that stick, but he was protecting his daughter. I started to protest. I tried to tell him Cedric wasn’t dangerous, that he was my friend. He wasn’t hearing me.

Cedric looked at us with a cold expression in his red eyes and flew away.

The next day there was a gathering at the church. Cedric had been seen, not only by my dad but some of our neighbors.

‘That thing is a menace. It could have swallowed us whole just like it swallowed that wolf.’ Dad told the crowd.

‘What was it?’

‘I say it was the Devil.’

‘Devil or not, something that big has to have a big appetite. It will soon be eating our livestock or even our children.’

I tried to protest, but no one listened to me. They were scared and often fear can quickly turn to violence. Soon they developed a plan to hunt Cedric and kill him. I was heartsick. I had to warn him.

Later that day I was told to stay in the house while they hunted my friend, but as soon as I could I snuck out. I ran to the hill and Cedric was there as usual.

‘Cedric wake up.’ I said. ‘They are coming for you.’

***


Author Bio

It has been a long journey from depressed, lonely and alcoholic farm-boy to internationally known, award winning author. Using insight he gained from his own struggle he helped hundreds of individuals move from misery to joy during the many years he worked in the human services field. During his journey he also taught many other care-givers how to improve their ability to help others.

During this time he became a practiced listener and a good story teller.

Now he divides his time between his small farm and writing inspiring and educational books.

His writings have helped many learn the skills needed to:

Reduce feelings of worthlessness and isolation
Increase feelings of happiness
Conquer addictions
Reach new levels of spiritual understanding
Improve relationships
Find hope

He has long lived by the motto “Inspire Joyful Sanity”. So, what the heck does that mean? Well, the inspire part is obvious. His definition of sanity is to understand and accept the universe and the rules that make it work. The joyful part refers to the idea that joy is the default state of the human mind. The idea is that as you understand and accept the rules of the universe you remove the barriers to being in a joyful state. His goal is to inspire joyful sanity in himself and others.

His first books were inspirational self-help. However, all his life he has been a fan of sci-fi and fantasy. Rebecca’s Initiation is his first attempt at writing fiction and the first of a planned series called Redemption.


Links
my website: https://authorgarygreen.wordpress.com/
my Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gary-Green-159863234040/timeline/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26209773-rebecca-s-initiation

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Author Interview Realm Walker Series by Kathleen Collins





Do you plan everything or just let the story flow? 

It’s kind of a combination of the two. I know major plot points and a loose timeline but a lot of things happen that I didn’t expect when I started writing.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

It feels that way sometimes. Usually when I feel that way though it’s because I’m trying to make the characters do something that doesn’t make sense for their personalities, so I revisit.

What is your favourite food? 

Probably cake batter ice cream. So good.

Are you a morning person or a night owl? 

Night owl for sure.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why? 

I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland. I’ve got a lot of ancestors from there plus I just think it is a really beautiful place.

Do distant places feature in your books? 

Not really, though they are in a completely different world from our own.

Do you listen to music while writing? 

Yes! I have to listen to music to be productive.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

 Blood Slave takes place in Kansas City. Juliana Norris is hunting the vampire that killed several blood slaves and dumped their bodies in a restricted area.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

That it’s much harder than I imagined it would be and the business side of writing takes up a lot of my time.

Is there anything you would do differently?

I would write faster if I could.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

My parents and my husband. They’ve always been extremely supportive and never once told me I couldn’t do it.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Write. Every word you write is one more than you had before. And the only way to learn is to do. You can read all the writing books in the world but until you start doing, you won’t actually learn anything.

What are three words that describe you?

funny, smart, sarcastic

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

I couldn’t possibly pick just one. I am rather fond of Ilona Andrews and Jane Austen however.





Realm Walker
Realm Walker Series
Book One 
Kathleen Collins
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication:  October 28, 2013
ISBN: 9781426896545
ASIN: B00E1V5S3S
Word Count: 76,000

Book Description:

An estranged mate, a mangled body and a powerful demon who calls her by name…

As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That's only the first of her secrets.

Most people don't know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don't know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don't know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her…

Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can't reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.

Available at  Amazon | BN | Harlequin Print

***

Death’s Daughter
Realm Walker Series
Book 2
Kathleen Collins
Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Publisher: Carina press
ISBN: 9781426898112
ASIN: B00GKBIR80
Word Count:  68,000

Book Description: 

Juliana Norris, Realm Walker with the Agency, is an Altered. A fact that she runs up against every time she’s forced to work with human police officers, and their species-ist commissioner, on cases they can’t solve themselves. Which happens more than they would like to admit.

Her gift—the quality that makes her the best Realm Walker in the business, without boast—is the ability to read magical signatures. Whether the gift came from her father, the dark fae god of death, or the mage mother she can’t remember, is anyone’s guess. And when Altered children start going missing with only wild magical signatures as clues, her heritage is the last thing on her mind.

She can’t afford such distractions, and she definitely can’t afford to worry about the fact that her mate, master vampire Thomas Kendrick, hasn’t spoken to her since she saved him from a demon—maybe it’s because she had to stab him to do so. Because whoever is kidnapping these children must be very powerful to wield wild magic. Very powerful, and very dangerous indeed.

Available at Amazon | BN | Harlequin Print

***

The Making of Michael Bishop 
A Realm Walker Short Story
Kathleen Collins
Genre: urban fantasy, dark fantasy
Date of Publication: August 30, 2014
ASIN: B00N5YWPCE
Number of pages: 20 

Book Description: 

Keep your distance. Don't look him in the eye. Feed him and leave.

Michael D'Augustino is a priest in the time of the Inquisition. Marked as weak for his refusal to torture those charged with sorcery, heresy, devil worship or worse, he's given another task. Feed the prisoner in the cell in the darkest corner of the dungeon. With the edict comes a set of instructions.

Ever obedient, Michael does exactly as he is told. Until the night his charge doesn't eat and Michael has to enter the cell to find out why. Instead of the beast he believes to be imprisoned there, he finds a man. A broken, tormented man who asks for help.

But all is not as it seems and, before the night is through, Michael will be changed forever.

Available at Amazon and BN

***

Blood Slave 
Realm Walker Series
Book 3
Kathleen Collins

Can she find a killer in a town where the basest desires are allowed to run free?

There are zombies in the Dead Zone and Juliana Norris is sent to take care of the problem. And for there to be zombies, there had to be bodies. When vampires are found to be the culprits, Juliana is sent undercover in the red light district of Kansas City. Lying to her mate, Thomas Kendrick, isn’t something she wants to do, but she’s in another vampire’s territory and Thomas would not be pleased. Besides, she’s more than capable of doing the job and she needs to prove it to everyone. Most of all herself.

Charles Morgan is in control of the Kansas City area, making a rich living off his various enterprises. Juliana goes undercover at the strip club Lust and gets sucked into his dark, decadent world. More victims turn up and the Agency is positive they’ve got their man, but Juliana is not so sure. When the Agency refuses to listen, she reluctantly turns to Thomas for help. He intervenes but finds Juliana unaware of the danger she is in and discovers she may just be too deep for him to save.

Available at
Amazon | BN | iTunes

***

About the Author:

Kathleen Collins lives and works in Missouri. By day, she labors in the local prosecutor's office. At night she writes while surrounded by her husband, two boys and two loveable mutts. She is constantly thinking of her next project and loves to connect with her readers. You can find her most often on Facebook or on her website.

www.Kathleencollins.net

@kathy_collins

www.facebook.com/kathleencollinsauthor

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7191208.Kathleen_Collins




Tuesday 17 November 2015

Book Spotlight: The Vampire, The Handler and Me by Eileen Sheehan





The Vampire, The Handler, and Me
Eileen Sheehan
Genre:  paranormal romance
Publisher:  Eternal Press, LLC
Date of Publication: September 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1629293110 
ASIN:  B01494XZB8 
Number of pages:  202
Word Count: 100 k

Cover Artist:  Dawne Dominique

Book Description:

In a romantic triangle of good and bad, it's hard to tell who is good and who is bad.

Lizzy Ewing is caught in a romantic triangle between a two enemies; the handsome vampire, Nevi, and the hunky handler, Geoffrey. A handler herself, Lizzy must choose between Nevi and Geoffrey. One wants her for all the right reasons and one doesn't.

Will she discover who is who before the bad destroys the good?

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/_uPA_tE9aU8

Amazon | BN | Eternal Press

***

Excerpt: 

“My name is Nevi, Nevi Sharpe,” he said with a deep, sultry accent. “May I ask with whom I have the pleasure of sharing scratch-off tickets?”

I wanted to answer him but I was still stuck on stupid. I opened my mouth to speak and absolutely nothing came out.

How embarrassing.

How ridiculous.

How mortifying.

He was just a man, after all. What was my issue?

I just couldn’t move past the sense of magnificence that permeated the air around him. It was both electrifying and nerve wracking.

“You have a phone call,” blurted the bland voice of Miss Congeniality as she approached my newly discovered god-man with a cordless phone.

“Please excuse me,” he murmured in my direction as he snapped the phone from the clerk’s hand, obviously unhappy to be disturbed.

“Lizzy. Lizzy Ewing,” I forced past my lips as he stood up. “My name’s Lizzy Ewing.”

I could feel flames consume my cheeks when I realized how desperate my voice must have sounded. He studied me with dancing eyes—momentarily forgetting his annoyance about the phone call.“Nice to meet you, Lizzy Ewing,” he said warmly. “Please excuse me.”

With that, he lifted the phone unceremoniously to his ear and disappeared through a doorway behind the counter. I assumed it led to his office. At the faint sound of another door shutting behind that door, I felt I assumed right.

The clerk shuffled through the array of lotto tickets spread out on the counter in front of me with a notable smirk on her broad, acne infested face before looking up at me. “That’ll be twenty-five dollars,” she stated smugly.

I stood there looking at her for a brief moment while it registered with me…I was getting stuck with the entire bill of my not so private scratch-off tryst!

***

About the Author:

Eileen Sheehan lives in her native upstate New York where she enjoys the beauty of the New York Countryside.

When she is not sitting at the computer creating a new fantasy, she can be found helping her clients through her holistic business as Lena Sheehan a.k.a. Psychic Lena.

She takes advantage of her experiences, wisdom and knowledge of the paranormal and often finds ways to insert them into her writings.

http://www.sheehan-author.info

https://twitter.com/AuthorSheehan

https://www.facebook.com/sheehan.author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14219489.Eileen_Sheehan

***

Tour giveaway 

(2) e-book copies of The Vampire, The Handler and Me in epub or mobi format.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday 16 November 2015

Book Spotlight: The Secret King by Dawn Chapman


The Secret King – Letháo
by Dawn Chapman
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Date Published: September 30, 2015

Kendro, King of the Aonise, can do nothing to prevent their sun from collapsing, consuming their home planet Letháo in a single fiery blast. Running out of time and options, he evacuates the entire population, setting off into the unknown galaxy in four crowded ships. Under constant danger from their ancient enemy, the Zefron, treasonous dissent seeps into his inner circle. Threatened inside and out, Kendro struggles with who to trust, until a mysterious vision finally brings hope to the distraught King. A new home awaits the Aonise, if Kendro can only unite them long enough to survive the journey.

***

Excerpt:

“I trust the four of you. I hope you trust me.”  Looking to each of them, Kendro spoke. “The Zefron will follow us—”

“The Zefron, still!” Madrall’s outburst reverberated through the others.

“Yes, and my last recon came back with nothing.” Octav said. “We still know nothing else about them. They’re bent on our annihilation, with no valid reasons.” He waited for their acknowledgment.  “Staying away from the Zefron won’t be an option I believe we will have to fight.”

With a hand slammed on the table, Kendro brought up a holosnap.  “Octav smuggled this off the Zefron home world.” A holographic image rotated over the centre of their table. “Like us, at first we thought they were fleeing the solar system.” Pointing to several areas as the ship rotated, Kendro added, “Initial scans from Octav’s team were conclusive. It’s a battle ship. I can presume they will be coming for us.”

“Puswer,” cursed Captain Hadi.  “We escape a dying planet, to be chased across the galaxy.”


***

About the Author:

Dawn Chapman has been creating sci fi and fantasy stories for thirty years. Until 2005 when her life and attention turned to scripts, and she started work on The Secret King, a 13 episode Sci Fi TV series, with great passion for this medium.

In 2010, Dawn returned to her first love of prose. She’s been working with coach EJ Runyon who's encouraged her away from fast paced script writing, to revel in the world of TSK and Letháo as an epic prose space journey.

She’s had success with a web series, co-written with 'Melvin Johnson', produced by Nandar Entertainment, and a short film Irobe, also co-written. This year her experience of working with Producers/Directors from the US and AUS has expanded. From Drama, Sci Fi to Action, Dawn's built a portfolio of writing, consulting and publishing.

Contact Information

Website: www.thesecretking.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Secret-King/836723299691777
Twitter: @TeamSecretKing

Blog: http://kanundra.com/
Any Others:  http://www.tskproductions.com/

Purchase Links

 Amazon UK | US




Saturday 14 November 2015

Cover Reveal: Perfectly Planned by Linda O'Connor

perfecltycoverreveal

About the Book

COVER REVEAL - PerfectlyPlanned
Title: Perfectly Planned
Author: Linda O’Connor
Genre: Romantic Comedy

She’s got it all Perfectly Planned . . .

Chloe Keay is on the hunt for the perfect sperm donor, but who knew it would be this hard? So many things to consider in a father – sure height and hair color are important, but what about the real issues. How does he feel about bagpipe music? Does he buy the extended warranty? Skittles or M&Ms? She doesn’t want an average Joe. She’s narrowed it down to two candidates and has the perfect plan to pick the heir and the spare.

Staff Sergeant Rip Logan, head of the elite Tactics and Rescue Unit, has a gut feeling that Chloe Keay is trouble. She’s a sexy little spark plug who radiates innocence, but it doesn’t jibe with her suspicious behavior and probing questions. The fact that he’s attracted irritates him. What exactly is she after? And should he go with his gut or follow his heart?
Planning for love – what could possibly go wrong?

Author Bio

Linda has been writing romance novels for three years and sincerely thanks Debby Gilbert at Soul Mate Publishing for the ultimate encouragement to her writing - with the leap to publishing. She has many titles including Doctor, Mom, and proud Canadian, but "Linda O'Connor - hereinafter called the Author" is one of the sweetest.

Contemporary romantic comedies are her favorite novels to read and write. Linda balances writing with her work as a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic and being a mom to three sons (luckily grown and capable of throwing together a decent meal, in a pinch). She also likes to keep active and cycle, cross-country ski, skate, walk with her husband or dance every day.
Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Links

Perfectly Honest: Amazon
Perfectly Reasonable: Amazon
Preorder Perfectly Planned on Amazon.


Thursday 12 November 2015

Series Spotlight: The Andersons by H.G. Langley





Homecoming
The Andersons
Book 2
H.G Langley
Genre: Romantic suspense/thriller/crime fiction
Publisher: SP Press
Date of Publication: October 20, 2015
Word Count: approx. 75K

Book Description:

Everybody has a past.

Tom and Maggie Andersons's is just a little bloodier than most

When a family tragedy forces them back to their hometown of Cedar Falls, the past collides with the present, threatening to shatter their future.

Home isn't where the heart is--just the skeletons.

***

The Andersons
Book 1
H.G Langley
Genre: Romantic suspense/thriller/crime fiction
Publisher: SP Press
Date of Publication: April 2015
Word Count: approx. 75K

Book Description:

Thomas and Margaret Anderson are like most couples in Sugar Maple Grove, West Virginia. They attend neighborhood block parties on Fridays, do home projects on Saturdays, and go to church on Sundays.

They also kill people.

Suburbia has never been more deadly....

Available at Amazon

CONTAINS SCENES OF EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND SEX. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

***

About the Author:

H.G. Langley is the author of The Andersons, a crime fiction series exploring the relationship of a married couple who also happen to be serial killers. A graduate of Florida State University, Langley holds a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. When not writing, Langley enjoys traveling as well as finding inspiration through various police procedurals and Other crime shows. Langley resides In Florida.

Website: http://www.hglangley.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hglangley/




Wednesday 11 November 2015

Author Interview: Dying in Pleasure by Lady Ristretto





About the Author: 

Lady Ristretto spent the beginning of her career writing under her real name and as a playwright. She has a BA in English from UCLA and an MFA in playwriting from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.  Her plays were produced in Illinois and Texas, and her most popular work, Wonderland in Alice: The Uncertainty Principle was produced in New York off off off Broadway.

Her first book, Dying in Pleasure, had been a full length play that was rejected as her thesis play: the professors on her committee felt it was too misogynistic and violent for undergraduates to stage. Always stubborn and obsessed, Lady Ristretto spent years rewriting the play into a novel and has recently published it as an ebook on Amazon and Nook. Lady has recently become obsessed with cricket and deeply wishes America would form a formidable team which is worthy to compete in the World Cup.

http://www.ladyristretto.com

https://twitter.com/LadyRistretto4u

https://www.pinterest.com/lristretto/

https://tablo.io/lady-ristretto

http://dommeladyristretto.tumblr.com/

http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/lady-ristretto/

https://www.goodreads.com/ladyristretto

***

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I let the story flow. If I plan I feel too constrained. I feel like I'm in a cage, and I push against it. I get surly and petulant. I'm not happy unless I can roam free. It's how I learned to write anyway: I was 16 when I started and I didn't know anything. I let my mind go and let everything come out. Most of it was crap, but it didn't matter. Ultimately it was all helpful.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

If they don't take over I'm doing something wrong. My imagination has to be inhibited in some way or I haven't thought the story through enough. I can think a story through without planning it. During that process the characters sort of "get into costume" (I don't know how to explain it) and when I start there they are ready to go.

What is your favourite food?

My own spaghetti sauce from scratch. It's my ultimate comfort food. I grew up having spaghetti at least once a week. If I don't have it routinely I get wonky.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I'm writing this at 1:30 AM. I probably won't go to bed for another few hours. I've had this schedule for almost a year, despite all my attempts to become regular. I think I have to face the fact that I'm a night person.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Right now I'm watching a cricket game broadcast from India. It's India versus South Africa. The game will probably go on another three hours, but I'll be awake anyway. One day I'd love to go to South Africa (they're my team), and I'd love to go to India (they're my team, too). I'd also like to go to New Zealand (also my team) and the West Indies (my last team). I'd love to see matches in all those countries, especially India. Indian fans are completely nuts.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Dying in Pleasure takes place in Pompeii. Other books I'm working on, such as Medusa Gets Her Hair Done on Tablo, takes place in various cities across America. I have another novel that takes place on Mars, Europa and Io. I'm all over the place, always somewhere exotic to me in some way. I've never had an interest in writing books set in typical cities or towns in America. I'm too restless for that.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Sometimes. About ten years ago I would have all the time. Funnily enough, I started listening to music again while writing yesterday. It's always rock music, something with a strong beat that gets my energy up. For Dying in Pleasure it was the Gladiator soundtrack. I guess that seems obvious as to why.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Dying in Pleasure in set in Pompeii in the years before the eruption of Vesuvius destroyed the city. The daughter from the most prominent family returns to Pompeii after having been missing and presumed dead for over twenty years. She believes she's been brought back by her goddess because something terrible is about to happen, and she's determined to discover what it is.

The novel has ghosts, black magic, appearing gods, gladiator combat, necromancy, Bacchanal orgies, murder and lots of sex. And historical accuracy.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Money is hugely important when self publishing, mostly for advertising and obtaining quality book covers. But money is important in any art form. In theater it seemed more important than talent. But with publishing, I think talent and ability is huge, and those manifest differently for everyone. I think what surprised me the most was discovering how many incredibly talented self published authors there are. It's like a publishing revolution, seizing opportunities to get our work out there.

Is there anything you would do differently?

With DIP, probably, but I wouldn't know what for at least another year. I'd need that much time away from it. I haven't gotten far enough along to know yet what I should be doing differently.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

I had an English teacher in high school who writes under the name Stark Hunter. He encouraged me to write unlike anyone before him. He shared his novels with me (which are now available on Amazon) and invited criticism. In fact we argued and he never discouraged it. He never pulled rank to get me back in line. By allowing me to debate him it forced me to own my opinions and value them. I became very strong willed and stubborn with him. Without those qualities, I couldn't have been confident enough and brave enough to push forward as a writer.

He gave me a reading list of books and plays which took me to a level beyond what was taught in class. He introduced me to Tennessee Williams. That blew my mind and caused me to have Freudian nightmares for a couple weeks. He treated me as a peer and I never had that before. He wasn't just a teacher who believed in me: he was my friend who was honest with me and truly liked the work I produced. And he really believed I could succeed.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Don't stop working no matter what. Don't pay attention to how other people are succeeding; focus on your own successes. Do creative things like coloring. Read constantly and read everything: it's exercise. Write without the intention of publishing. Just write, because most likely you will produce a lot of crap. I did. Then I got better. Let yourself write crap and move on from it. Be okay with marketing yourself: it's a healthy form of egotism. You're an interesting person: people will want to get to know you. Be entertaining. Be crazy. Crazy is entertaining. Above all, and this is the hardest, don't be afraid. And write about the things that frighten you.

What are three words that describe you?

Creative, empathetic, loving.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

Jealousy by Alain Robbe-Grillet. It's an avant garde novel about a husband's obsession with the conviction that his wife is having an affair. There are only three or four scenes in the book and he narrates them over and over, adding in detail and searching madly for any scrap of proof of her infidelity. It's a wildly unusual and creative book that blew my mind into little pieces and showed me the possibilities of writing.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

Twenty years before the eruption of Vesuvius, Lucia, the daughter of the richest family in Pompeii goes missing. When she resurfaces in the city, it's on the precipice of disaster, and only Lucia has the dark powers to save the city. Told in rich historical detail, and with characters lush with sexuality and passion, Dying in Pleasure is a pansexual, paranormal ancient Roman adventure.


Dying in Pleasure
Lady Ristretto
Genre:  paranormal/historical erotica
Publisher: Lady Ristretto
Date of Publication: April 1, 2015
ASIN: B00VHIM7UA
Number of pages:  385
Word Count: 102,000
Cover Artist:  Ebooks Covers Design

Book Description:

Lucia, the daughter of the richest family in Pompeii, disappears one night. The mystery goes unsolved and life moves on. The lives of Pompeii's citizens intertwine: Ibis, a prostitute running the whorehouse owned by the Aedile, a city official, gets murdered by his wife Lucy. Lucy falls in love with Narcissus, the most treasured gladiator in Pompeii. The Aedile's daughter, Julia, marries Rust, the man suspected to have murdered Lucia. Maro, Lucia's slave, holds the families together and eventually discovers Lucia when she reappears in Pompeii twenty years later, and as a witch.

The events in Pompeii converged and lead to its ultimate, inevitable destruction. Only Lucia can help the city and save lives. In a ceremony requiring possession by a god, murder, and necromancy, Lucia discovers what is going to happen. But not everyone manages to get away.

Dying in Pleasure brings to life the long dead city of Pompeii, showing its citizens as vibrant, eccentric pleasure seekers. History, pain, violence and ritual blend in a pansexual orgy that is both exciting and extreme from beginning to end.

Available for Nook and Kindle

***

Excerpt:

LUCIA REFERRED to her patron goddess as Father.  It was more respectful, a gesture insisted upon to mirror and mock Lucia’s upbringing: the Roman father is the family’s absolute authority.  His power is unquestioned.  The lives of his family are to do with as he wishes.  In essence, he is the god of the family.

Lucia howled in rage on the hills; it wasn’t a wholly unique incident, but it wasn’t uninspired by Rust and Maro either.  Lucia had grown accustomed to venting her rage in loud spectacles in nature.  Her Father was pleased and Lucia could hear Her approval.  She liked Lucia to explode: to remain pent up, repressed, and quiet not only kept the emotions in, it kept her power in.

Lucia wanted to wander the fields and find Father in the wilderness, but she was nervous to stray too far from the villa.  On the edge of the woods, now darkening in dusk, Lucia could smell Bacchus out there; He was running toward her at full speed, like an animal galloping toward its prey.  She could hear blood engorge His Penis, and the sound was a storm in her ears.  If she stepped into His wilderness, He would fall upon her.  Father would think the action, the willingness to enter the realm of another god, as disloyalty, a kind of cheating, and give Lucia up to His angry hunger.

Walking the opposite direction, Lucia started on the road back toward the city, to the necropolis she had visited during the night.  The trip had been fruitless—the dead shrinking in terror from her like beaten dogs.  She was used to fear, but nothing this intense or reckless.  The dead were insulting in their terror, shrieking silent obscenities at her.  Rather than taking it badly, and snuffing out what little power their trapped souls possessed, she walked away silently and curious.

Lucia returned to the entombed urns, and felt them quake from her approach.  Normally, having received such hostility and unwillingness from the dead to be helpful, Lucia would respond with threats and violence.  Perhaps seduction was more in order.

In the language of the dead, Lucia said, “Don’t be afraid.  I need your help.”

In their language (with Latin accents from the freshly deceased, who still retained memories of Latin), they replied in an overlapping, echoing gaggle of sounds: “Keep away.”

“I only want to speak with one of you.”

“Away,” they whimpered dusty, silent heaves.

“One of you approached me.  One of you has been haunting my dreams.  One of you brought me back to Pompeii.  I want to speak with her.  If you help me find her so I can speak to her, I will do you no harm.  I swear by my Father.”  Lucia, of course, didn’t use the term Father to the dead—she used one of her goddess’s real name, the name in the language of the dead.  It made the dead shake, the necropolis stones tremble.  Her seriousness startled them; she was trapped by her oath, and they knew her Father would make her keep it.

They had no choice really but to answer her, for by refusing would bring her wrath down upon them.  They echoed and reechoed, chanted one word which became for them a plead for peace: Ibis.

Repeating the name to herself, Lucia let Ibis bring her to her.  There was a small entombment on the east side where the dead poor lodged.  The tombs were less than tombs, less than places for remembering, inhabited by people who were hardly regarded in their lifetimes; but these were ghettos for ashes also thought too powerful to allow in the city, or cast aside in a rubbish heap.  Dead beggars, madmen, slaves, whores, and gladiators there trembled at Lucia’s  approach.  Her voice thundered Ibis and the souls swept aside as if by a blast of wind, leaving Ibis alone to face her.  Invisible, but a clear, solid form to Lucia herself, Ibis stood facing this woman she knew in life only as a legend.

Lucia glared through Ibis’s formlessness and forced the soul of the dead prostitute to assume a physical form.  Only so Lucia would have something to look at and speak to.  Even Lucia preferred to have a face when having a conversation: Lucia treasured the luxury of normalcy and insisted upon it whenever dealing with the dead—no matter what pain it caused.  Ibis winced in the cramped confinement being in her former shape.

“Tell me what you want.”

Ibis’s mouth moved, and Lucia knew it would require a few moments for Ibis to accustom herself to her form again.  She sighed impatiently: she had no patience for the dead, and their suffering, struggles, and pain angered and annoyed her.  At first, speaking with the dead had been a horror.  Repetition made it an annoyance, and sometimes Lucia wondered if her severe irritation was only self-protection.

Ibis was especially bothersome to Lucia.  In form and in formlessness, Ibis was stained as murdered souls are.

“Help.  Julius,” Ibis said with trembling lips.  She spoke not normally, but in a shrieking rage.  The stones quivered.

Lucia sighed.  “Julius who?”

“The Aedile.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Tell.  Him.  Go.  To.  Rome.”

“I have no time to be running errands for you,” Lucia said.

“Please.  Please.”

“I have been begged by more pathetic souls than you and if you annoy me more I will extinguish you.”

“Then why speak to me at all?” Ibis asked.

She advanced on Ibis but Ibis didn’t move.  Lucia found herself staring closely into the pained face struggling to hold itself together.  Lucia could see how Ibis’s pale cheeks swarmed in flesh colors like millions of bees.  There was even a small buzz of energy.  It was more disturbing that Ibis didn’t flinch.  Lucia wasn’t accustomed to seeing the dead this close.  Lucia arched her eyebrows.  It was rare to find a dead soul with the ability to think quickly.  “You brought me to Pompeii for a reason.  I thought it was for something more important than carrying messages.”

“I didn’t bring you,” Ibis said.  “You came on your own.  You wanted to come home.”

Lucia opened her mouth to argue, but couldn’t find anything to say.  She felt shame, as it was entirely possible it was true.

Ibis said, “Help Julius.  Something horrible will happen to him.”

“I don’t care about the Aedile.”

“Something horrible.  Something horrible.”

Lucia stepped back as Ibis began to cry.  Ibis’s tears were bloody.

Normally, this would not be enough to move Lucia.  She had heard more virulent entreaties and extinguished these souls who asked for less.  But as Ibis cried—an unusual occurrence for a soul—the other dead echoed her “Something horrible”.  Then it became a chant of “horrible horrible horrible”, not just in this necropolis, but all over Pompeii. As if all the dead were chanting to Lucia.

This had never happened before, and Lucia felt afraid.

***


Tuesday 10 November 2015

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Breaking all the Rules by Aliyah Burke





Breaking All the Rules
D.A.R.K. Cover, Inc. Book 1
Aliyah Burke
Genre: Interracial Romance,
Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Publisher: ARe Books
Date of Publication: November 1, 2015
Word Count: 20,800
Cover Artist: Erin Dameron-Hill

Book Description:

Can one night of passion between a woman and her boss lead to happily ever after?

When Kristopher “Wild” Wilder takes a few days of R&R in Belize after his last mission with D.A.R.K. Cover, Inc., he meets a woman who sets his blood on fire. The night they share is explosive, but little does he know, she’s been hired as D.A.R.K. Cover’s newest pilot. Wild looks forward to continuing their connection; problem is, she’s not on board with that idea.

Alyse Lamar is a damn good pilot. She’s taken this new job for a few reasons, but when she realizes she’s slept with one of her new bosses she isn’t sure she should stay. She can’t seem to keep her hands off him, and vice versa. Her strict rule about never mixing business with pleasure is taking one heck of a beating.

Wild is many things, a quitter isn’t one of them. He wants this feisty woman and knows she wants him just as much. He vows to find a way past her walls and make her understand that what began as one night in Belize is worth breaking all the rules and can lead to forever.

***

Excerpt:

Spinning back to the bar, she drummed her hands along the shiny, smooth top. “Bartender.”

The hot man made his way down to her. “Yes, beautiful?”

She smiled at him. “Another beer please.”

“Of course. Same kind as before?”

“Yes, please.”

He grabbed the bottle, popped the top, and placed it before her. “Good news?”

She took a swig and nodded. “Got the job I’ve been hoping for.”

He winked and pocketed the money slid over to him. Alyse toasted him with her beer and turned back to get off the stool. She walked down to the edge of the water.

The silken sand beneath her feet combined with the warm liquid lapping at her toes had her sighing in pleasure. Once she finished her beer, she pivoted and made her way back to the bar where she handed the bottle over.

She stuck her hands in her pockets and made her way down the beach. Not far away, a group of mixed aged people were dancing along the water. The guys there beckoned her and she went willingly. Time passed as she danced and sweated to the pounding music.

Arms up, she shook her hips, lower lip caught in her teeth. Through the crowd of spectators, her gaze landed on a man who watched her hungrily. His dark blond hair shone golden in the sun’s rays. He stood braced shoulder-width apart, muscular arms crossed and a drink in one hand.

From here, she couldn’t identify eye color but all she could see was nice. Oh, so nice. He gave her a brief nod and wriggled his fingers in her direction. Her grin turned saucy and she crooked a finger at him.

He tipped back his drink, placed the bottle in the sand, and strode toward her. The sun gleamed off his bare tanned skin as he prowled closer. Mediterranean blue eyes honed in on her face as he reached out and snagged her around the waist with one arm.

Electricity sparked out from his touch and spread throughout her. Pelvises rubbing against one another, her core temperature skyrocketed. His touch, the catalyst to the burning embers created from the output of energy from her dancing. Alyse rested her arms over his shoulders as they continued to keep the beat and grind with the music.

That very thing segued to a slow romantic song. Her mysterious dance partner moved a few sweaty tendrils to rest behind her ear. She laced her fingers behind his neck.

“Hi,” he murmured. He placed his hands on her ass, ensuring to keep them pressed together.

His thick length was unavoidable. But then, if he were willing she’d not be avoiding it at all.

“Hi.”

“Are we exchanging names?” His voice was sin on earth, making her think along the lines of all kinds of naughtiness.

He moved one hand to the center of her back, bringing her closer still as he nuzzled her neck. He smelled like man, adventure, and sweat. A great smell, in her humble opinion.

“Does it matter?”

“Only if you want me to call your name out in bed tonight.”

***

About the Author:

Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be found on Facebook or Twitter at @AliyahBurke96.

She is married to a career military man. They are owned by four Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.

For more information on other books by Aliyah, visit her website: www.aliyah-burke.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/263660.Aliyah_Burke

https://twitter.com/AliyahBurke96

https://www.facebook.com/Aliyah-Burke-283998078320168/timeline/

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Giveaway:

Two ebooks from ARe's catalogue

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