Archive for June, 2013

TSblast

Welcome to my stop on the blitz for Desolation by Travis Simmons

Thanks so much to Book Nerd Tours for organizing this exciting event!

I just love the cover art for Desolation.

The colors are eerie and do you see what’s in the background?!

Read on to learn more about Desolation and Travis and don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

desolation cover

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Asher St Paul thought it was just a typical zombie apocalypse like in the movies, until the necromancers crawled out of the woodwork. Since the undead have chased the living into hiding, the necromancers are able to roam freely in a new America of their making. Asher is seeking safe harbor. The need for safety is what drove him from his home in Philadelphia Pennsylvania before it was shelled. He has searched from quarantine to quarantine, always finding them overrun with zombies until he hears of The Refuge, a military compound in Binghamton New York. With his family and lover lain to rest by his own hand, he has nothing left to lose and gives everything he has to reach the safe haven. But questions arise when he reaches The Refuge, mainly, how has he been able to sustain multiple zombie bites and not change? He thinks he has found safety in the military compound turned quarantine, but he was wrong. Even now there is a necromancer trying to make The Refuge their kingdom of the dead.

BUY DESOLATION HERE

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About Travis Simmons: WebsiteFacebook

  

I have always been a do-it-yourselfer. I haven’t had any formal education on writing, and I haven’t been raised around writer types. For that matter, I wasn’t even encouraged to read when I was a kid, even though plenty of people in my family read. When I was a teenager, I discovered Cliff’s Notes on Mythology, and it sparked something in me. It was like a floodgate had been opened, and all of these stories started rushing in. I would get ideas at random times, and I would jot them down. I have a pretty big file system of everything I have ever written. Someday I will get to them and put them all into electronic files. There is some good material in there, but there are a lot of bad stories too.

I started writing when I was thirteen or fourteen. At an early age I was already writing books of Saracin (the world The Bonds of Blood takes place in). The first book I wrote of that place was “The Calling of the Two” (not yet released). While I was writing that, I kept thinking of these characters Jovian and Angelica. I knew they had a part to play in the storyline, but they weren’t going to be in the same series. For that matter, they weren’t even going to be in the same age. As I finished the first draft of “The Calling of the Two” I went on to write the first book of Angelica and Jovian’s story. At that time it was The Mirror of the Moon. Later an editor told me it was so massive that I should make the one volume into two, and so The Bonds of Blood was born, and The Revenant Wyrd Saga went from a planned three to six.

That story has taken many forms until now, and I am sure if I didn’t declare that it was “done” it could continue to transform.

Along the way, I discovered my passion for research. I absolutely love researching. It would be nothing for me to sit for days on end, barely eating, just getting up to take care of necessities, and research really odd theories and stories. I get my ideas from them to be honest. Of course, my idea’s are never the main theme of the research I am doing, but it always seems to come from some obscure topic mentioned while I am researching. For instance one book I am outlining now is based on something I heard while watching Ancient Aliens.

Unlike most authors, I have not always loved reading and writing. I hated it until I was in 7th grade. My teacher wanted us to read the entire semester. We would read a book and write in a journal about it. Back then the teachers were allowed to spend more time on what their passions were, and actually foster something in their students, and she did just that. She made me love reading and writing. She told me to go to her book shelf and pick out a book that I was interested in. I found one of my first loves: David Eddings’ Pawn of Prophecy.

Back then I was in remedial reading, and my teacher (Mrs. Peters) would sit with me for the time I was in her classroom, taking turns reading the story out loud with me. We would read where the adventure was taking Garion, and then we would flip to the beginning and look at the map so we could follow them as well.

I think it was at that point, getting lost in a book I love to this day, that I knew I had to do this. I had to create the same magic for others that Mr. Eddings created for me.

At times it is boggling. I have three series of books started, and 2 more forming in my mind (and outlined on the computer). At this point I have to step back and finish the ones I have started before I can let myself move forward.

I feel that I am blessed in being able to write, and forging a life of my passion. It is tough at times, but that is what makes the payoff all the sweeter. The writing business is a huge adventure, trying to figure out what to do and what not to do; when to do things and when not to do anything. Currently I am planning the release of the second book to “The Bonds of Blood”. This is the first time I am armed with the knowledge of what I must do for a book release, and I finally understand why it nerves so many authors up, but it is that excitement that makes me love writing. Every time I hear a reader I don’t know praise my work, it makes my heart race and brightens my day.

Travis is the author of The Bonds of Blood, the first book in his epic fantasy series The Revenant Wyrd Saga. He has also written a young adult novel called A Lament of Moonlight which is book one of his pre-apocalypse series The Harbingers of Light. He is currently seeking publication for the first book of a third series, a zombie novel called Desolation. When he isn’t writing he is helping his family and trying to live a normal, under the radar life. His interests lie in cooking, gardening, green living, and human rights advocacy. He is a huge supporter of the Trevor Project and all agencies that seek to preserve natural resources and protect pets from abuse.”

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Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win:

Giveaway Open Internationally. Must be 13+ to enter
1 Winner will receive a $15 Gift Card to Amazon
1 Winner will receive a $10 Gift Card to Amazon

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

I Vampire  Dark Deeds: Serial killers, stakers and domestic homicides  Body of Immorality

Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

Dark Territory (The Tracks, #1)  Scraps of Paper Large by Kathryn Meyer Griffith photo ScrapsofPaper_LRG_zps22ac2264.jpg

Got some good ones!

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Books for Review.

Blood in the Past (Prelude Novella to the Blood for Blood Series)  Triptych

I had to have these!

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Books I won.

Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream (The Gastien Series #1)

I won Gastien from Renee on her blog giveaway at Reading Renee. Thanks so much Renee!

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Books I reviewed this week.

Buick Cannon: A Joke From the Moon

You can read my review on my Monday Minis here.

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You can read my review and enter the giveaway here.

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Cemetery Planet

You can read my review on my Freakin Fridays here.

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Reviewing this coming week.

Accendo (The Light-Bearer, #3)

A Tag Team Event – Two blogs, two reviews, two giveaways!

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Halo of the Madonna

Reviewing on my Monday Minis post.

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Other reviews coming up next week.

Black Door  Dawn of a Dark Knight

Haedyn's Choice (Haedyn Chronicles, #1)  Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1)

Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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Other posts this week. Just click on the links to see the posts.

Cover Reveal ~ Someone Else’s Skye

Free Book Blitz ~ Witch Weigh

Teaser Tuesdays ~ House of Fallen Trees

Blast Giveaway and Freebie ~ The Esposito Series

WWW Wednesday

Thursday Theatre ~ Pacific Rim

Giveaway Tour ~ Bad Publicity

Cover Reveal ~ Landlocked

Cover Reveal ~ Heart Search: Found

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Go here to find all of my giveaways. Enter one or enter all of them!!

Go here for a list of free e-books.

Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!  The cover for Carlie M. A. Cullen’s Heartsearch, Book II: Found has arrived.

Thanks to Sherry at fundinmental for sharing.

 I love it!

She has kept a similar design and I would recognize her books by her signature covers.

Carlie tells you more with her exclusive excerpt below.

Heart Search: Found, Book II

Blurb

One bite started it all . . .

Another mysterious disappearance sparks a frightening chain of events for Remy and her family. Events foretold come to pass, and more strange and alarming occurrences assail her life. Where can she turn?

Coven politics continue to threaten Joshua’s existence, but an even bigger menace looms . . .

And Remy’s life hangs in the balance – can Joshua save her?

Fate still toys with mortals and immortals alike, as hearts torn apart by darkness confront perils which could lead to their doom.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM HEARTSEARCH: FOUND, BOOK II

“NO!” we yelled in unison then Jakki continued, “Becky, trust me. It’s not safe – you mustn’t go out there.” Anxiety was etched into her features, overflowing into her tone. Becky raised one eyebrow, hesitating. She knew Jakki was particularly sensitive to elements around her and with her psychic abilities was virtually never wrong when she made comments with such conviction in her voice.

“So what do we do then?” Becky asked.

Jakki didn’t hesitate. “First, make sure all the doors and windows are locked, especially in the twin’s room, then we’ll go from there.” Without waiting for another comment, Jakki strode to the back door and checked it. I ran upstairs to the nursery while Becky checked the front door and lounge windows.

We were all seated again within minutes. Becky was the first to pierce the silence.

“So now what?”

Jakki raised her eyes. “There’s something not quite right. I sense danger, but not . . . evil. It’s weird. My spirit guides are saying that whoever is out there is tenacious and he’s not going to give up until he gets what he wants. The big question is what exactly does he want?” There was an edge to her voice we had never heard before and it made us anxious.

“So do we phone the police or what?” I asked, a frown crinkling my forehead and my lips tightening into a thin line.

Jakki stared at me as if searching for something in my face; a couple of minutes passed before she spoke.

“The police can’t really help you,” she replied sadly.

What? Why not?” My voice rose an octave as I blurted out my questions.

“To be honest, I don’t think they can help with this, unless they’re willing to sit outside your house every night for the foreseeable future . . .” Pity clouded Jakki’s features as she stared at me from below her lashes.

“Jaks, please stop talking in riddles. What do you mean?” I was exasperated that she wasn’t giving me a straight answer and my tone was sharp.

Jakki glanced at Becky before turning her attention back to me. She stared directly into my eyes, her voice so quiet I had to strain to hear it.

“What I mean is . . . he’s not exactly . . . human.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heartsearchauthor

Carlie M A Cullen

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and was also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing until recently.

She has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This was launched 8th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and book two, Heart Search: Found, is due out early July 2013. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology, The Other Way Is Essex, was published September 2012 under Myrddin Publishing Group. Their second anthology is in editing.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

You can find Carlie M. A. Cullen at the links below:

Blog/Twitter

I’ve read Heart Search, Book One: Lost and loved it!

Heart Search: Lost (Heart Search, #1)

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Go here to read my 5 Star Review

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Check out these ladies blogs for more exclusive excerpts:

Donn Sadd

Maria V A Johnson

Joy Keeney

Deborah Jay

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I owe a huge apology to Xpresso Book Tours and to Tiffany Daune.

I was so excited about getting a look at the cover for Landlocked, I just had to be a part of it.

Just now, I found a bunch of my email had been going to spam.

I neglected to check it for days and completely missed out on posting this reveal yesterday.

Please forgive me and everybody feast your eyes on Landlocked!

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Landlocked by Tiffany Daune
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Series: Surface, #2
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Publication date: Summer 2013
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Genre: YA Paranormal
Synopsis:

As if staying focused in trigonometry wasn’t hard enough….Eerie visions are plaguing Theia’s mind, driving her insane.  Someone or something is reaching out to her, dragging her into a dark underwater world. And, to add to her metal delirium, she has no control over her newly awakened Siren senses. She thinks she can hear her cat’s thoughts, she wants to pummel Sarah Collins, and she’s trying to keep it together so she doesn’t lose her scholarship. She needs someone who understands—someone bound to the ocean water she craves—she needs Luc.  But contacting him is risky, and returning to the water a death sentence. She must find a way to harness her Siren senses even though the waves are calling to her. Denying her intended destiny may be the only way to stay alive.

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AUTHOR BIO
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Tiffany
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Tiffany Daune doesn’t get why people want to grow up or why anyone would ever stop eating candy. Her purse is filled with books, lip gloss and a few pieces of Lego bricks. She writes best with a dish of chocolate chips on hand and finds licorice makes a better straw than plastic.
She lives on an island and believes mermaids may be raiding her candy stash, though she hasn’t caught them, yet.
Surface is her first novel and pairs well with gummy sharks.
Author links:

Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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Cemetery Planet

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Imagine it. All alone on a planet far, far from home.

It’s a graveyard, the whole planet. And that’s all there is, you and the dead.

You think you are alone, but….you find you’re not.

The hologram you created for a companion doesn’t count. But she should.

She’s the one you’ll need when it comes calling.

I just had to read this book!

The premise is not that far-fetched.

Where will we put the dead in the years to come, when there is no more room to bury them.

This takes place 800 years in the future, when space travel is common, and for some, affordable.

You can come visit your loved ones, or just pay a fee to keep the grave maintained.

Kind of like a theme park for the dead.

That’s where the caretaker, Harvey Crane, comes in.

His job is to maintain the graves and keep the facility up and running, even though no one comes here anymore.

He takes a holographic image from a dead woman’s grave and enhances her so he’ll have someone to talk to. So he won’t feel so alone during his stint on the planet.

When things start going all weird and breaking down, he just thinks the equipment is in need of some maintenance.

But then he keeps seeing something streaking from gravestone to gravestone and he realizes he’s not alone. There’s something else, something monstrous here. And it wants him.

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Even if there wasn’t something there, I would probably conjure something up in my half-crazed imagination.

No human contact and the only real voice you hear is your own. You could probably go for days without saying a word.

Who knows how you would handle that. What tricks your mind might play on you.

Except, it’s no trick this time!

The author took this awesome idea and ran with it. I read it in one sitting and had to go right out and get the next book in this series.

The ending was exciting and leads you to wonder, where is this series going next.

I look forward to finding out.

4 Stars

There will be more!

The Cemetery Planet Series

Cemetery Planet
Cemetery Planet II
Cemetery Planet III … Coming Soon
Cemetery Planet IV … Coming Soon
Cemetery Planet – The Complete Series … Coming Soon

About J. Joseph Wright

J. Joseph Wright

. Joseph Wright is the author of JACK JAMES AND THE TRIBE OF THE TEDDY BEAR (Book 1), an Amazon #1 bestselling epic science fiction fantasy, and Amazon bestselling Horror Novelettes CEMETERY PLANET and FUGUE. Additionally he has compiled many of his popular shorts into the HORROR FOUR Anthology Series. J. publishes every month a new work and has a big library on Amazon http://amzn.to/14TWLhK.

J. married his soul mate Krystle on October 24th 2007. Although they have no kids yet, J. and Krystle are huge animal lovers. They settled down in the country with 5 acres outside of Portland, Oregon. Krystle, works as a freelance book cover artist and marketing extraordinaire for J., who writes Sci-fi, Fantasy & Horror.

You can learn more about the author and his many books here:

Blog

Goodreads

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I have another great book by  Joanne Sydney Lessner to share with you.

Check out Bad Publicity.

Enjoy the excerpt and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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BAD PUBLICITY

by Joanne Lessner

Bad Publicity Buy Links:

Paperback, Kindle

Nook, Kobo

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BLURB

In the world of PR, there’s only one crime worse than killing a deal—killing a client.

Aspiring actress and office temp Isobel Spice finds a warm welcome at Dove & Flight Public Relations, thanks to her old school friend Katrina Campbell. However, the atmosphere chills considerably when Isobel unwittingly serves an important client a deadly dose of poisoned coffee. Her stalwart temp agent, James Cooke, rushes to her aid, but balks when he learns that the victim was the fraternity brother who got him expelled from college. News that Dove & Flight is being acquired by an international conglomerate quickly supplants the murder as the hot topic of office gossip, but Isobel is convinced the two events are related. When all roads of inquiry lead back to Katrina, Isobel is forced to consider the possibility that her friend’s killer instincts go beyond public relations.

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Excerpt

Isobel Spice stared at the handsome young man slumped over his coffee cup and thought desperately: not again.

She carefully set her tray of melon chunks and assorted pastries on the credenza at the side of the windowless conference room and tiptoed over to the solitary figure at the large oval table.

He’d probably just dozed off. Or maybe he’d passed out. There was no reason to think he was dead just because she’d stumbled across a dead body in an office once before.

But something about the angle of the young man’s body was just plain wrong. Isobel gingerly pressed her fingers against the pale, slender wrist. She’d never been good at locating a pulse, even on herself—she’d lied to many an exercise instructor over the years—but somehow she knew that in this case, if there were a pulse to be found, she would be able to find it.

There was nothing. Not even the faintest throb.

Isobel let the man’s hand drop back onto the table. His gold signet ring cracked loudly against the wood, startling her. She turned his hand over and was disproportionately relieved to find the ruby-colored stone still intact within its school crest. Isobel gently released his hand and slipped out into the hallway, her panic rising as she gathered steam and burst into Katrina Campbell’s office.

“Your client is dead!”

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Giveaway

Joanne will be giving away the following prizes: At each stop, one ebook copy of her novel Pandora’s Bottle, inspired by the world’s most expensive bottle of wine. A grand prize of a $25 Amazon GC will be awarded to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. One randomly drawn host will receive a paperback or ebook copy of her novel Pandora’s Bottle.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

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The Temporary Detective Buy Links

Paperback, Kindle

Nook, Kobo

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

joannelessner

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner and Awesome Indies Mystery Pick The Temporary Detective, which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in Bad Publicity. Joanne’s debut novel, Pandora’s Bottle (Flint Mine Press), which was inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit Fermat’s Last Tango and Einstein’s Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. Her play, Critical Mass, received its Off Broadway premiere in October 2010 as the winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition.

Website: http://joannelessner.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannelessner

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Welcome to Thursday Theatre

Here is where I’ll be posting video clips about books and movies and fun stuff.

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Pacific Rim. Have you seen the trailer yet? OMG! So spectacular!

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Take a gander!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A85EtOalcsM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5guMumPFBag

This is going to be so fun!

I’ll be ordering the Large popcorn and coke for this one!

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Copper Cauldron Banner copy

Looking for a fun summer read. I recommend you try Copper Cauldron. It’s a fast read, filled with romance and danger, angels, witches, and an evil wizard.

A magical battle of good vs. evil.

Read on for an inside look and my review.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Copper Cauldron

by Terri Talley Venters

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BLURB:

 

Penelope Manchester, a good witch with one green and one blue eye, awaits her destiny: a warrior of God with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own. St. Michael the Archangel flies into her life and sweeps her off her feet. Meanwhile, an evil sorcerer captures witches, steals their powers and most of their nine lives, and shrinks them to the size of a doll–a Nürnberg, doll. But when he turns two of the Manchester witches into dolls, the Manchester clan fights back with St. Michael and divine intervention. Armed with the legendary copper cauldron, a fire breathing dragon, and an arsenal of spells, good battles evil.

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Enjoy this Excerpt!

“The battle against the devil, which is the principle task of St. Michael the archangel, is still being fought today because the devil is still alive and active in the world.”

–Pope John Paul II

Prologue

“Can you tell me a bedtime story, Great-Grandma?” Penelope asked.

The nine-year old girl looked at her great-grandmother whose eyes matched her own, one blue and one green. She lay in her pink bedroom on the second floor of the ancestral mansion located in the Garden District of New Orleans. Penelope, born in this house, represented the seventh generation of Manchester Witches to live here.

“Of course, my dear. Which story would you like to hear? Or do I even need to ask?” Violet said, smiling.

“You know the one, my favorite,” Penelope answered. She laid her small head down. Her long black hair spread across the pillow.

“I love this story too. Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Penelope. Her beautiful long black hair hung to her tiny waist. Her pale skin gave her a beautiful, youthful complexion. She possessed the most unique and treasured eyes, one blue and one green. One day, she will meet her one true love, her soul mate, her destiny. He is a warrior of God, with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own,” Violet said.

“Thank you, Great-Grandma. When are Mommy and Daddy coming home?” Penelope asked.

“Your parents are busy fighting bad people. I hope they’ll be home very soon.”

“Why didn’t Grandma Beatrice go with them this time?” Penelope asked.

“Beatrice wanted to stay behind and keep an eye on us,” Violet replied.

“Why do we have to keep our powers a secret?” Penelope asked.

“Because it scares people,” Violet said.

“Am I really the youngest Manchester Witch to receive her powers?” Penelope asked.

“Yes, you are. You will be a very powerful and very good witch. It is part of your destiny. Your true love will be very powerful too. But your children will be even more powerful than you,” Violet explained.

“When can we go see another Church of St. Michael?” Penelope asked. She looked over at the wall behind her great-grandmother. She stared at the painting of St. Michael the Archangel, her family’s patron saint.

“We just went to the one in Charleston. How many St. Michael’s churches do you want to visit?” Violet asked.

“I want to go to all of them.”

“What is your infatuation with St. Michael the Archangel?” Violet asked.

“He’s the one I’m going to marry. He is my destiny,” Penelope said, smiling as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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My Review

Copper Cauldron opens with Penelope at bedtime. Her great-grandmother Violet tells her favorite bedtime story about Penelope, a young witch with one blue eye and one green eye. She is descended from a long line of Manchester witches with this unique trait.

One day, she will meet her soul mate, her destiny.

He will be a warrior of God, handsome and pure of heart, with eyes like hers.

Flash 20 years later. Penelope has grown into a beautiful young woman and she is obsessed with the churches of St. Michael.

Ever since she was young, she’s believed St Michael is her soul mate and she searches for him all over the world.

While on vacation and visiting yet another church, she sees a man slip past her vision. When she looks up to a portrait of St. Michael she is stunned. The man could be his spitting image.

She searches, but never sees him again.

Penelope meets up with her friend, Cat, a Manchester witch from the Scottish line, who’s with her on vacation.

Cat needs a rare ingredient for her potions and they head to a biergarten in Nurnberg to get it.

There, they meet the charming wizard, Marcus.

He is all too eager to assist these beautiful witches and lures them to the cellar.

Penelope gazes upon the walls lined with dolls. Something twitches in her memories.

Cat’s powers of foresight save them from the clutches of the evil sorcerer, but he’s not finished with them yet.

He’ll come for them, for all of the witches. No one is safe, and they rush to prepare for his coming.

Copper Cauldron is a fast read. Only around 100 pages.

It starts like a happily ever after fairy tale and quickly becomes a race to defeat an evil wizard, bent on stealing all of their powers so he can be immortal.

I really liked Penelope. She never gave up on her destiny, even when her mother scoffed at her childish dreams, and it seemed like she would never find him.

She stuck to her guns and would not settle for anyone less.

When it looks like all is lost, Penelope becomes her strongest. She doesn’t falter, and steps bravely towards her destiny.

I read this book quickly, only pausing once to cool off in the pool. A great summer read for all ages.

4 Stars

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Giveaway

Copper Cauldron Book Cover Banner copy

Terri will be awarding bookmarks or magnetic bumper stickers to randomly drawn commenters at each stop and a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter at the end of the tour.

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

You can find the tour stops here.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

copper cauldron Terri Talley Venters

Terri received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a licensed CPA and a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She lives in St. Augustine, Florida, with her husband, Garrison, and their two sons.

Terri is the daughter of Leslie S. Talley, author of Make Old Bones which is also available from Wild Child Publishing.

On the first of each month, Terri also posts free short stories on her website. Learn more about the books in her Elements of Mystery series at http://www.elementsofmystery.com/ as she weaves her way through the Periodic Table of Elements.

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/paranormal-c-84/copper-cauldron-p-417.html

Like Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carbon-Copy-by-Terri-Talley-Venters/167383506064?bookmark_t=page

Follow Terri on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/TerriVenters

WWW Wednesday

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Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

Obsession by Sharon Buchbinder

Obsession

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A year after a barbaric childbirth, complete with a near-death experience and an encounter with her guardian angel, Angie Edmonds is just happy she and her son, Jake, are alive. She’s finally in a good place: clean, sober, and employed as a defense attorney. But at the end of a long work day, she finds herself in a parent’s worst nightmare: Jake has been kidnapped and taken across the Mexican border by a cult leader who believes the child is the “Chosen One.”

Stymied by the US and Mexican legal systems, Angie is forced to ask the head of a Mexican crime syndicate for help. Much to her chagrin, she must work with Alejandro Torres, a dangerously attractive criminal and the drug lord’s right-hand man. Little does she know Alejandro is an undercover federal agent, equally terrified of blowing his cover–and falling in love with her.

The blurb just touches the surface. I can’t wait to tell you about this!

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What did you recently finish reading?

Dark Whiskey by Emma Meade

Darkwhiskey

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Jesse senses something off about the nightclub. She wants to leave, but  her best friend, Tasha, is determined to have a night to remember.  There’s no way Tasha’s turning down an invite to the VIP section.
Against Jesse’s better judgement, she follows Tasha up the ivory staircase to  the mysterious room above. The whiskey and champagne are flowing, and  pretty soon the blood will be too.

You can read my review here!

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Draculas by  multiple authors

DRACULAS

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A DYING MAN’S GREATEST TREASURE…Mortimer Moorecook, retired Wall Street raider, avid collector, is losing his fight against cancer. With weeks to live, a package arrives at the door of his hillside mansion—an artifact he paid millions for…a hominoid skull with elongated teeth, discovered in a farmer’s field in the Romanian countryside. With Shanna, his beautiful research assistant looking on, he sinks the skull’s razor sharp fangs into his neck, and immediately goes into convulsions.OPENS THE DOOR TO AN ANCIENT EVIL…A rural hospital. A slow night in the ER. Until Moorecook arrives strapped to a gurney, where he promptly codes and dies.

WHERE DEATH IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Four well-known horror authors pool their penchants for scares and thrills, and tackle one of the greatest of all legends, with each writer creating a unique character and following them through a vampire outbreak in a secluded hospital.

The goal was simple: write the most intense novel they possibly could.

Which they did.

A Word of Warning:

Within these pages, you will find no black capes, no satin-lined coffins, no brooding heartthrobs who want to talk about your feelings. Forget sunlight and stakes. Throw out your garlic and your crosses. This is the Anti-TWILIGHT.

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Going to have fun with this!
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So, whatcha readin?

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I’ve always loved a box set. You get the complete series all at once. No waiting for the next book. Not that it isn’t fun to anticipate a new release.

Doesn’t this look flirty and fun.

My curiosity has been piqued. I want to know more about Vinnie.

Check out this series, read the intriguing excerpt, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Cover_Esposito Box set

The Esposito Series

by J.M. Griffin

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BLURB:

 

The Esposito Series Box Set:

Now you can own the first three books in the sassy and suspenseful Vinnie Esposito Series by J.M. Griffin!

By day, Lavinia (Vinnie) Esposito is a criminal justice instructor at a college in Rhode Island. By night Vinnie is an amateur sleuth, solving murders while trying to avoid getting yelled at by her Italian father, her hunky protective boyfriend Marcus Richmond, and her sexy upstairs tenant, the mysterious Aaron Grant.

For Love of Livvy (Book 1)

Free right now.

Get For Love of Livvy from Amazon here and also Barnes and Noble here.

For Love of Livvy (An Esposito Mystery #1)

Vinnie investigates the death of her beloved aunt, and a mysterious box is left on her doorstep.

Dirty Trouble (Book 2)

Dirty Trouble (An Esposito Mystery #2)

Someone is stalking Vinnie and that’s just the beginning of her troubles.

Dead Wrong (Book 3)

Dead Wrong (An Esposito Mystery #3)

Vinnie is out to save her brother from being framed after a valuable painting is stolen.

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*****You can purchase The Esposito Box Set here for only 99 cents!*****

Enjoy this excerpt

The front door knocker rapped twice after the door bell rang. I hustled from the rear deck of the gargantuan house to answer the summons. Someone seemed impatient, and I was curious as to who it was. My watch read just after eight o’ clock. I swung the heavy door open to find my prospective visitor absent.

It was so quiet, the town ghostly in its seemingly deserted state. Sundays were always lazy days in Scituate, once church was over. With a glance up and down the street of the small historic Rhode Island village, neat colonial homes stretched along the sides of the road in both directions. No one came into view.

On the doorstep, a package addressed to my recently deceased Aunt Livvy sat wrapped in brown paper. Again, I gawked up and down the street, but only empty sidewalks and barren roadway appeared in the waning light. The idea of a jaunt along the main drag entered my mind. I figured it would be senseless since the street was visible for about two hundred yards in either direction. Whoever had left the package was gone, long gone.

An eternity passed, or so it seemed, while my gaze locked onto the square, little box. Reluctant to touch it, I decided to call the local fire company to come take a gander. Call me paranoid, but as a criminal justice instructor, a recent audit of a class on bomb components remained fresh in my mind.

I quickly stepped to the living room and grabbed the phone. I dialed the private number of the fire station up the street. A grunt came across the phone line that could only be Bill MacNert.

“Hey Nerd, its Vinnie,” I said. “A package was just left on my doorstep, could you come down and check it out for me?”

“Sure, you got a secret admirer or somethin’?” He cackled, as only senior men can.

“Not likely, but you never know. This package is addressed to Lavinia Ciano, not Lavinia Esposito and is wrapped in brown paper. Nobody’s here to accompany this little surprise either.”

“I’ll be right down, Vinnie, don’t touch it.” He warned.

“Okay.”

Anxious, I paced back and forth across gleaming hard wood floors in the spacious living room of my newly acquired colonial. My fingernails tapped the enamel on my teeth as I wandered to and fro. As irrational as it seemed, I finally leaned against the door jamb inside the entry to wait for MacNert to arrive.

It wasn’t long before the limber old guy came into view as he hot footed down the street with a stethoscope in his hand. This particular piece of equipment wasn’t quite what I’d expected, but then he wasn’t a bomb expert either.

When he arrived on the doorstep slightly out of breath, he glanced at the parcel, and then turned toward me.

“This was just delivered, you say?” MacNert squinted toward me with wizened brown eyes that twinkled all the time. It was as though there was a private joke going on inside his head.

“Yeah, someone knocked on the door, and when I got here to answer, there was nobody around. It didn’t seem prudent to mess with it, so I called you.”

“You just finished that bomb class, eh?” He chuckled and then sobered quickly. Since 9/11, everyone took stuff like this with a serious attitude. While he chuckled, I knew MacNert was no different.

The stethoscope ends plugged into his ears, Bill laid its diaphragm on top of the package. Removing it, he gingerly set it against the sides and listened again. I didn’t make a sound as he stood and glanced up.

“There’s no tickin’ but that doesn’t mean it’s not an explosive. You should probably call the state police barracks up the road. Have them send their bomb guys down for a lookie see, just to be on the safe side.”

“Geez, I hate to do that. I’ll feel stupid if it’s a joke,” I whined.

“It’s up to you, but if you were nervous enough to call me, then you should call them. It’s just my opinion, Vin.” He stepped over the box and wandered into the entryway. “Got anythin’ to eat? Wifey’s out of town visitin’ her sister and I’m starved.”

Bill didn’t seem over concerned, but then again, he hadn’t recently taken a bomb class either. My eyes never left the box as I answered him. “There’s food in the fridge, help yourself.”

I’d known the homely man and his family for years and respected his opinion. Tapping my fingers against my lips, I called after him, “You’re right. I’ll ring the state police now, but stick around okay?”

Unwilling to be nailed as over-dramatic by the staties, I reluctantly punched in the numbers. It was bad enough that the local cops had bugged the shit out of me for the first month after Aunt Livvy’s death. They still stopped by now and then, annoying me even more with stupid questions. Questions to which I had no answers.

After the trooper covering the desk answered, I explained what I’d found on the doorstep. He seemed unconcerned until I mentioned my name and address, and then he stated someone would be down momentarily. The swift change in his manner piqued my curiosity. I wondered why he’d suddenly capitulated when his initial response had been of disinterest.

In the living room, I paced while awaiting the arrival of the state police. Within minutes a sleek, grey Crown Victoria pulled up to the curb out front and a tall, lean trooper got out. Broad shouldered and well built, he walked with assurance and a certain amount of swagger. I stepped into the open door entry and watched him saunter through the front gate onto the walkway. He stared at the package and then at me.

“Did you call about this box, ma’am?” Keen hazel green eyes traveled over my face and down my body.

Craggy features, sculpted from granite, faced me and I felt my blood run hot as the breath caught in my throat. What was this about? I gazed at him admiring the neat package wrapped in the trim uniform.

“I did. Bill MacNert from the fire station thought it would be a good idea since it was mysteriously left on the doorstep. He checked to see if it was ticking, but it isn’t.”

“Are you Lavinia Ciano?” The trooper’s glance strayed from the name on the wrapper to me as his eyes showed a glint of humor and his mouth twitched.

Could that humor be over the name? I wondered, as I said, “No, my name is Esposito. Livvy was my aunt.” Our eyes held and my heart pounded. I licked my parched lips and then glanced away.

An oversized van idled up behind the patrol car and the trooper glanced back. Two men stepped from the vehicle dressed in heavy gear and acknowledged him. He turned to the lead man, mumbled a few words and then stared at me again. If this was an action film, I would have expected Bruce Willis to jump out of the truck announcing he was about to kick someone’s ass. This wasn’t an action film, but a real life situation instead.

The two guys angled through the front gate and hitched their gear as they hauled a peculiar looking lidded barrel toward the front door. By this time, a few neighbors had taken notice of the activities. Several people straggled along the sidewalk across the street to watch.

You’d think it was a freakin’ sideshow. I smiled and waved. Nobody responded, they just continued to gawk. A little excitement for them on an otherwise dull Sunday, I guessed. The trooper stood aside and watched the crowd, but said nothing.

The overdressed bomb guys corralled the box between them. With delicate finesse they lifted and stowed it into the metal container, loaded it into the truck and drove off. I stared in disbelief. Hell, I wanted to know what was in the package. I had a right to know, didn’t I?

The trooper turned to leave and I stepped forward.

“Uh, I’d like to know what’s in the box, if it’s not too much to ask.” My hand snuck up to my hip as my cocky Italian attitude slid into place.

Tall and Curious stiffened at my tone and turned to stare at me. It seemed he wasn’t used to being spoken to in this manner, which wasn’t any big surprise. Women tend to respond differently to men in uniform, especially a man such as this luscious creature. Well, not this chick. I teach guys like him all year long and the “I’m so wonderful” thing gets old fast.

“I’ll be sure to let you know, Miss Esposito. If we have any questions, you’ll hear from us right away.”

I gawked a moment and my eyes narrowed. His opened wide in contrast and he waited, his body tense. Maybe he thought I’d pitch myself off the steps onto his perfectly toned frame and pummel the daylights out of him or something. It was a thought, but I really wanted to know what was in the package. Besides, his muscles were bigger than mine.

In an effort to change tactics rather than be handcuffed and dragged off to jail, I smiled and spoke in as nice a manner as I could muster.

“I’d appreciate any information you could give me officer, since the package was left in such an alarming way. Should I call headquarters tomorrow?”

His look narrowed. I suspected he was unsure of where this was headed. There was a moment’s hesitation before he answered the question.

“Sure, that would be a good idea.” He gave a nod of the stiff brimmed campaign hat that covered cropped brown hair.

“All right then. I’ll call the colonel first thing.” My voice remained light and sweet, and the smile was charming, at least I hoped it was.

The colonel runs a strict police force and is a tough disciplinarian with an intense dislike for any impropriety, implied or otherwise. I’d gleaned that much from the cops in my criminal justice classes.

A tight lipped smile crossed his face. I figured he couldn’t decide whether I really knew the colonel or if this was a ploy. To be truthful, I lied by omission. I hadn’t said I knew the colonel, I just said I’d give him a call.

“That won’t be necessary ma’am. As soon as there’s any information, I’ll get in touch with you.” With a nod of his head, he turned and left.

Don’t you hate that ma’am thing? It makes me feel old. I know I’m thirty-something, but really.

Bill MacNert stood near the doorway sucking down a sandwich filled with sausage and peppers. My mother had sent the food home with me the day before. The smell of rich tomato sauce and fragrant sausage tantalized my taste buds.

“Guess it wasn’t that serious then?” Slurp noises preceded a sauce blob that dripped down his uniform shirt.

I glanced at Bill’s shirt, snagged a tissue from my pocket and dabbed at the drip.

“I won’t know until tomorrow, but if I’m the town laughing stock you’re in for it and don’t forget it. By the way, did you leave me any food?” I chuckled at his expression.

Bill’s guilt ridden grin assured me that he hadn’t, but he swore that he had. He handed me the empty plate before he headed toward the fire station. I watched the stethoscope bob up and down from the back pocket of his pants. He trotted up the street, and I felt sure the story would make the rounds since Bill was an avid gossip.

The crowd had dispersed, and I was alone again. Livvy would have had a fit over the whole affair had she been alive, but I figured there was no sense in being stupid. I act that way often enough, thank you.

Mystery still surrounded Livvy’s non-violent death. While the police weren’t forthcoming with information, the state troopers’ attitude on the phone caused me to reconsider the promise to my father to not investigate on my own. I wandered through the house deep in thought over the situation.

Darkness had descended as I headed toward the bedroom. Changing into a t-shirt and boxer briefs, I climbed into bed with a notebook. The troopers’ attitude niggled at me. I leaned back against the pillows scribbling notes about the package delivery. Words ran across the page as the scene and the trooper came to mind. The trooper’s name wasn’t on his badge, but I remembered the badge number.

The pad propped against my knees, my mind drifted over the parcel and the officer’s attitude. Warm hazel green eyes along with the trooper’s cool manner had drawn my interest. It wasn’t really just his bearing that caught my attention either and it was a struggle to stay focused.

Intense eyes sat above a strong, chiseled nose and firm jaw. I sketched the features onto the pad of paper. His lips weren’t thin, not too wide, but just right for kissing. Wondering what it would be like to taste those lips, I gave myself a mental head slap. A cop is the last thing you want or need, my inner voice echoed. This voice always echoed dire warnings through my head. It had a bad habit of doing so at the worst possible moment. Just stay focused on Livvy, I lectured myself.

Snuggled under the lightweight blanket, thoughts about Livvy and our life played in my mind. Muscles relaxed, and I realized I needed to talk to her tomorrow. The graveyard was about two blocks away from the house. I often went to her grave for a conversation when I’d become involved in one issue or another. That’s what my life consisted of, one issue or another. Most of the time the issues were huge, never mundane, not ever.

I sighed, sniffed the sweet summer scents that wafted through the open window and wondered how this summer in Rhode Island would be. The pillow slipped lower and so did I as my mind wandered over life, the package and my aunt.

.

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Giveaway

J.M. will be awarding Tea and Chip Nuts to three randomly drawn commenters (US/CANADA ONLY) during this tour and her Reviews Tour

 Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

As a humorous, cozy mystery writer, J.M. adds a touch of romance to every story. She believes in fairies, doesn’t believe in coincidence, and feels life is what you make it. Believe in yourself and look at the positive, not the negative, to bring about success. AND. . .never stop trying.

J.M. lives in rural New England with her husband and two very mysterious cats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JM-Griffin/246751368685078

Website: http://www.JMGriffin.net

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mycozymystery

Blog: http://mycozymysteries.blogspot.com

Buy Link: http://www.lachesispublishing.com/proddetail.asp?prod=EspositoBoxSet1-3E