Archive for the ‘Excerpt’ Category

Check out the new release of Stormling by John Hennessy ~ Excerpt and International Giveaway

Posted: July 28, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, YA Fantasy
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Stormling is now on tour!
Check all the hosts and don’t forget to join the International giveaway
running here and on each tour stop!

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Stormling

(Stormling #1)

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Synopsis

In an age when Stormlings have only known peacetime, one man’s desperate action threatens not only the stability of the mystical world of Mordana, but Earth as well.

Teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise.

She’s not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own…

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Enjoy the excerpt from Stormling. Let me know what you think!

“Father, we can go, can’t we? Please? Don’t you want to see who will win today?”

Aldyr Veroynne knelt down in front of his son, and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders, squeezing them gently with firm hands.

“Anadyr, please, give it a rest. That would be six days in a row. We know who is going to win, anyway. You don’t need to come along. Just know that the winner is always someone from Mill’An Draythe.”

“Still, the Easterners come,” said Anadyr. “I must go to see how they fight, so that when I have the glory to represent my land, I know how to win.”

Anadyr had been just ten years of age when he became involved in his first fight, against another young Stormling, as it happened. At first, it seemed like the bigger and older Stormling would win, and had far too much strength for Anadyr.

During the fray, Anadyr connected with few blows, but could not knock his bigger opponent down. Then, with a swift kick to his mid-section, Anadyr’s strength left him, and he rolled into a ball on the ground, one hand clutching his stomach, the other, keeping his hair from covering his eyes.

The sun was blocked out by the shadow of the Stormling standing over him, who must was five years his senior.

“Loser?” he inquired.

“You wish,” replied Anadyr, who sat up, and clapped his hands three times together before placing them on the ground, one hand either side of him.

“I don’t need applause from a loser,” said the bigger Stormling.

“That wasn’t applause,” replied the young Anadyr.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake all around them, the bigger Stormling’s smug look of apparent victory was erased by the tremors on the ground, and the almost instantaneous appearance of black clouds that filled the sky.

A few moments later, the clouds burst and soaked only the bigger Stormling and his crew of friends, whilst Anadyr stood laughing at them. The group started to run, but the rain lashed them in every way, from both sides, from above, and even as they ran into the ground which became ever more sodden, until they fell face forward.

“Why isn’t it raining on you?” the biggest one screamed. “You’re in league with the Lord of Monus! Say it isn’t so, for Stormlings don’t lie.”

Anadyr smiled and leaned over his sodden nemesis, who he was merely toying with.

“That’s right, Stormlings don’t lie, and I am not in league with anyone. So! Are you a loser?”

The bigger Stormling seethed. “So it would seem. Just make the damned rain stop. Who are you, boy?”

Anadyr clicked his fingers and rested his fists on the top of his hips.

“I am Anadyr Veroynne, and I command the Storms. The wind, the rain, the clouds all answer to me, and as for you….I will have your allegiance.”

The other Stormlings mumbled, saying they would not answer to some preppy brat, but the one who had hit Anadyr, stood up and bowed to him.

“I am good with a sword, but my true prowess lies with the double daggers. My skill is such that I could skim the sweat off a faerie’s wings. If you ever need my help, you shall have it, although…one who can bend the Storms to his will, surely has no need for an edged weapon.”

“Not so,” said Anadyr. “In fact, I practise with a longsword twelve hours a day. What is your name?”

“Kirnosst. Though my sword wielding days are at an end. I’m being sent to Firetop to learn, watch and ultimately take over from Aynara. Unlike us, she’s not an immortal, but I suppose your father told you that already.”

Anadyr nodded emphatically to show he knew about Aynara’s supposed mortality, but no-one knew when her time would end. There were none like her on Mordana.

Aldyr Veryonne was none-too-impressed with his son’s handling of things. “You wanted him to knock you down, so that you could show off, isn’t that so? The truth now, Anadyr.”

“I just wanted to show I wasn’t afraid of them. If I can instil fear into the heart of my enemies, maybe I can bend them to my way of thinking, as easily as I do the storms.”

“You are just a boy, Anadyr. You are too young to have enemies.”

“Didn’t you say that those East of the Wisty River are our enemies?”

“Well, yes, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“It’s got everything to do with it,” said Anadyr. “That’s why I want to go see the fight today. The Lord of Monus sends a Tryer from the Mordis Mountains, or from the heart of Caldreah itself.”

“Yes, Anadyr, but the point is-”

“The point is, Father, that today’s Tryer is from AnnanGhorst, and that makes things very interesting. I have never seen a ShadowWraith, much less seen you fight one. Tell me you’ll take me, please!”

Aldyr sighed. Putting combatants from the East out of their misery is something he loved to do, but a ShadowWraith of AnnanGhorst was different. Even the weakest of their kind were not to be taken lightly. Even if the Wraith lost, it would be most likely sent to the Island of Dead Skin, where Andus Rey, ruler of Caldreah Monus and a Stormling himself, ran his own sick tournament, where combatants often had to fight to the death.

Having a Wraith enter the fray was no battle at all. Under Rey’s watch, they would win, and win easily. Aldyr let out another sigh. He was considering throwing the match, even though this was illegal.

“Alright Anadyr, I’ll take you. But whatever happens, you come straight back home. That’s an order.”

“I will, Father. I will,” said Anadyr, who could not believe there would be any other outcome but a clear and decisive victory for his father, who was a skilled swordsman and had been known to dabble in magic.

ShadowWraiths were difficult adversaries for all sorts of reasons. Although they were scary to look at, it was more a case of what you couldn’t see, rather than what you could.

There were all sorts of rumours about them, which, outside of AnnanGhorst, became the very fabric of legend.

Some would say that there actually were no ShadowWraiths, but that it was Rey himself, who would come to test himself against the foes of Monus.

Others believed the Wraiths did have a face, but it was one so terrible to view, that one would die of fright from resting innocent eyes on their hateful faces.

Still others believed that the ShadowWraiths could not be killed, and one had to have a death wish if standing against them. But everyone who knew Aldyr Veroynne believed that he must know how to defeat a ShadowWraith.

As expected, there was a great throng of people in the town centre. They gathered round the platform, which stood some twenty feet from the ground. The ShadowWraith was already on the platform as Aldyr and Anadyr arrived.

As they walked, Aldyr beamed smiles and waved to everyone. They had come to see him triumph, which would be his thirty-eigth win in a row. The ShadowWraiths had triumphed every time to date, but the locals felt it was time one of their own succeeded.

The Wraith extended a bony finger towards Aldyr, and beckoned him to stand on the platform with him.

“Remember Anadyr,” whispered his father, “whatever happens, you will return home. Understood?”

“Yes Father, of course,” said Anadyr, who was surprised his father was making so much of this battle. Winning fights is what Aldyr Veroynne was all about. ‘He’s just more fodder from AnnanGhorst, who will slink back to that hellhole when my father’s through with him,’ thought Anadyr.

Whilst Anadyr watched the two men line up, a third man, the one who usually judged the battles, pulled himself up onto the platform, and from underneath his robes he produced a rather large wooden box. An omnious gasp came out from the crowd. “What? What is it?” said the young Stormling. Anadyr craned his neck to see what the commotion was.

The judge extended his arms to the crowd. “Today’s battle is a red match. In this box are two weapons from the challenger’s province of AnnanGhorst. The fighter who represents us has agreed to the terms, and will use the weapon provided to him.”

Anadyr nudged the man next to him. “What is it? What is a red match?”

The man solemnly shook his head. “It means that this is not for children’s eyes. They will fight to the death.”

~~~

John Hennessy

John Hennessy

John Hennessy is a young adult / new adult novelist whose works to date have been Dark Winter (published 2013), a paranormal horror thriller, and Stormling, an epic swords and magic (and cookies) fantasy. The first short story he ever wrote brought together Fagan, Lizzie Bennet, Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, which despite impressing his long suffering English teacher, thankfully remains unpublished. For recreation he will visit paranormal hotspots, but prefers to write about ghosts rather than meet them. He also believes almost any problem can be overcome so long as there is an inexhaustible supply of tea and biscuits. He has also written the non-fiction title The Essence of Martial Arts (published 2011), and released The Essence of Martial Arts: Special Edition, in 2014.

Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads

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Follow the Tour:

July 7th | Mind Reader (Author Interview)

July 8th | Reader Girls (Excerpt)


July 9th | Behind the Pages (Author Interview, Excerpt)


July 10th | What’s Beyond Forks? (Author Interview, Excerpt)


July 11th | Nomi’s Paranormal Palace (Excerpt)


July 14th | Proserpine Craving Books (Excerpt)


July 15th | Cherry Mischievous (Excerpt)


July 16th | Mythical Books (Author Interview)


July 17th | Sapphyria’s Book Reviews (Excerpt)


July 18th | Mean Who You Are (Review, Excerpt)

July 21st | Darkest Sins (Excerpt)

July 22nd | Lusty Penguin Reviews (Author Interview, Excerpt)

July 23rd | The Avid Reader (Review, Excerpt)

July 24th | Gracen Miller (Author Interview)

July 25th | Happy Tails and Tales (Review, Excerpt)

July 28th | Fuonlyknew (Excerpt)

July 29th | Tower of Babel (Excerpt)

July 30th | Justified Lunacy (Author Interview)

July 31st | Much Loved Books (Excerpt)

August 1st | Creating Serenity (Excerpt)

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Knock-out cover art for Demons by K.F. Breene ~ Highlight and Giveaway

Posted: July 25, 2014 in Book Promos, Excerpt, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series
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Title: Demons

Author: K.F. Breene

Series: Darkness #4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publication: July 21st, 2014

It’s been a long road, but Sasha has finally claimed her role as the least knowledge mage in history. She’s also acquired a new, incredibly grumpy bodyguard, and a spunky new BFF. With her team by her side, she learns the ropes of this new profession.

Her experience level is about to be fast-tracked, however.

On a routine trip to check out a perimeter breach, she encounters a hideous demon called by an experienced magic worker. It is this terrifying discovery that unlocks a deeper problem: Stefan’s troubled past and the reason he gravely mistrusts the Mata.

While Sasha struggles to fight the physical demons, Stefan struggles to fight the demons of his past. If he fails, his future in Sasha will be lost.

 

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As I got halfway through the open
space, a vulgar feeling began to crawl up my skin like tiny insects scrabbling
under my clothes. The sickly-sweet smell of rotting flesh tickled my nose.
 
“I’ve never felt anything like this
before,” I said quietly, passing my hands through the air. “Although, granted,
I haven’t had a lot of experience.”
 
Shapes took form within the shadows
toward the back wall the closer I got. On the right, near the corner of the
building, lay a pile of grayish sticks, charred and blackened by fire. Scorched
fabric was glued to the various elements of the pile.
 
Three more steps had me halting,
sucking in a huge breath. 
 
It was a body! They weren’t sticks,
they were bones coated in masticated skin!
 
Did that moan come from me?
 
A face, twisted in an endless scream
of agony, lay on the backside of his calves. One arm had been ripped out of the
socket and lay flat under his back. One leg, obviously broken at the thigh, lay
over the other. He was broken and twisted, as if he’d been made of match-sticks
and sporadically snapped and tossed to the ground.
 
“No human could have done this,” I
whispered. “His back was broken in half.”
 
“A bear could have,” Jonas’ voice
echoed around the crouching walls.
 
“Not without opposable thumbs,” I
retorted into the hush.
 
A few more steps and I could see
another fire site, only this time, there was a large black pot overturned
against the wall. A round camping stove, smudged with soot, half lay under it.
 
“This has got to be a few days old,
at least…”
 
“You’re not here to investigate,”
Jonas growled. “You’re here to feel for magic. We have experienced clan that’ll
go over this site and give us more conclusive findings.”
 
 “Oh. Well, you could’ve made
that more clear before I looked at the body.”
 
I let my magic drift, sensing for
spells and pitfalls within the area. This was something I practiced every day
per Toa’s instruction. A large part of my job was sensing other magic and
possible dangers. I still had trouble doing this on the fly, but here, in the
quiet settings, the building almost feeling as if it was holding its breath, I
had nothing else to do but concentrate.
 
The black glow of my magic, hardly
discernable in the gloom of the warehouse, drifted over the overturned pot.
Like a match to kerosene, a circular fire lit up, climbing into the sky like
fairy lights. Sparkles danced and played in a shimmering orange halo lazily
drifting toward the right. Toward the body.
 
I could not help that squeak. Or holding
my breath afterwards.
 
Still it drifted. Reaching for that
death. What would it do when it got there?
 
I don’t want to know!
 
A blast of rotten flesh crawled up my
nose, prompting a gag. That smell didn’t come from the body, it came from the
disgusting magic corroding this area. Magic that was still active. Lingering,
waiting. But for what? Whatever spells had been laid, they weren’t used to
create rainbows. They were also extensive and intricate. Beyond my training.
 
“Not good magic over here…” I
mumbled.
 
My magic spread like a fog over the
body. For a second, nothing happened.
 
“Sasha?” Tim asked into the din.
 
“Don’t go in there, mong—“
 
Jonas’ voice cut off as my magic
started to sizzle and pop. Like water splashing into hot grease.
“What’s it doing?” I asked Jonas with
a quiver in my voice.
 
“This isn’t normal…” Jonas’ voice
drifted away.
 
“Back out of there, Sasha,” Tim urged
from the door.
 
Something tugged at my magical
senses. It was like undertow, rolling and fierce, sucking. Consuming. As fast
as magic surged into my body, elements desperate to get in, something in that
area stole it again, using my draw to fuel itself.
 
But what the hell kind of spell was
it?
 
 “Oh shit,” I mumbled,
scrabbling to pull my power back.
 
“What is it?” Jonas asked, stepping
into the building, his tattoos lighting up like a Christmas tree. A great,
gleaming sword swung into his hand, the blade glowing orange.
 
“Get out of here, Jonas! I need to
tie off this weird spell. It’s sucking magic to it.”
 
Jonas took a hasty step back, his
body once again receding out of the doorway. Tim backed out with him, but
hesitantly.
 
I got to work, sweat beading my brow,
fighting the draw both of that corner, and from the elements fighting to rush
into my body.
 
 “Nasty spell-working, this,” I
said under my breath, sensing the elements within the casting. “They’re, like,reaching for me. Feeding off my magic. I’ve
never dealt with a spell like this. I didn’t even know this was possible.”
 
“Dark magic,” Jonas whispered. “Hard
to work. Harder to control. Someone has balls of steel.”
 
“Well, it’s not me,” I wheezed.
 
I snubbed out the elements that made
up the spell, like soldering wires, closing the spell in a sort of circuit. The
question was, did I just lock all that power in, or would it fray and
disintegrate like it had been, needing someone with magic to come along and fan
it higher?
 
“I don’t think the wielder knew
exactly what he was doing,” I murmured, analyzing the lacy structure of the
orangy incantation. It hovered within a shaky line spilled on the cement floor. Spilled because it looked suspiciously like blood,
sticky and slick, gleaming in the soft light from the window.
 
As I was about to turn away toward
Jonas, wanting to talk about what I’d done and see what he thought—we’d
probably have to go get Toa—the lacy spell cleared away like mist. In its place
grinned the head of a black monster, staring at me like a hungry lion would a
fresh steak.
 
“You did not call me.” Sharp, ragged
teeth filled a mouth too big for its face.
 
Terror jolted me back as a stringy
leg stepped forward.
 
“Sasha?” Jonas’ voice held hard
fibers of alarm.
 
The monster slapped into an invisible
barrier. Orange sparks rained down on its head. It glanced up, and then around,
noticing the hazy orange circle trapping it. And then its face straightened
out, staring right at me out of black pits instead of eyes.  “We can rule,
you and I. Our power, combined, will be indestructible. Join me.”
 
“Oh lovely, one of you. Fantastic.”
 
I eyed his cage as it did, sensing
the weakness of it. The shaky spell, barely held together. Even as I stood
there, the thing was starting to eat away at its cage.
 
Super.
 
Was this terrible spell by design, or
some sort of failed attempt?
 
“We gotta get out of here!” I
roared at Jonas, backing away as quickly as possible. “This thing is way, waystronger than other Dulcha I’ve seen. It’s feeding off of the
magic containing it, somehow. We need Toa for this one.”
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Who will get who first? The Eyes Die Last by Teri Riggs ~ Blog Tour and GIveaway

Posted: July 24, 2014 in Blog Tour, crime thriller, Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
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Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Eyes Die last by Teri Riggs.

I’m always ready for a new murder thriller. This one is particularly exciting as we get to go to Vegas! I’ve never been there.

The cover art has me intrigued. Is the girl on the cover Detective Kennedy (Kenny) O’Brien? The eye color works. Or is it a victim? One of the murdered prostitutes?

What do you think?

Read the excerpt and let me know.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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The Eyes Die Last

by Teri Riggs

BLURB:

 

The Las Vegas Mayoral race is heating up, and the incumbent doesn’t have a prayer. Wealthy real estate speculator Nick Campenelli, who wants to legalize prostitution in Clark County, and former pastor Louis St. Louis, running on a ‘clean-up-Vegas-by-getting-rid-of-the-whores’ platform, are the front runners.

 

They’re also front runners on the suspect list for a string of murders. Kennedy O’Brien, four-year detective with cop blood running in her veins, and her partner Wilder “Wild Thing” James, a veteran, are determined to find the man who’s murdering prostitutes who work the wrong side of the street, and they don’t care how important or politically active he is.

 

The killer is a man with a mission. He stalks the women before he kills them, leaving a “BEFORE” photo on their bodies, and sending an “AFTER” shot to the local news hound. Ed Hershey, an aging newscaster with just the right amount of grey in his hair, is determined to turn this story into a network gig, and his interference, along with the LVTVS legal team, are making Kennedy and Wilder look bad. Campenelli’s good looks and charm, and St. Louis’ vitriolic hatred of prostitutes are muddying the waters too, and now the killer seems to have taken a liking to Kennedy.

So the big question remains. Can she get him before he gets her?

 

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Enjoy this glimpse inside The Eyes Die Last

Leaving the downtown area, Wilder and Kennedy drove past the now defunct Pioneer Club with the ever smiling, famous Vegas Vic sign sitting high on its perch. At one time, the forty-foot-tall neon cowboy had greeted visitors with a waving arm and a moving cigarette that blew smoke rings.

“Kenny, check out Vegas Vic. He’s winking at you.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Wilder? It’s a damn sign.”

“I’m just screwing around. You really need to lighten up some.”

Kennedy refused to respond.

“When I talked to Sparky and Lenny, they said you were still at Metro when they came in this morning.”

“And your point is?”

“You should have gone home and gotten some rest. Like a normal person.”

“I did go home. I slept and I showered. I am a normal person.” One that has a few issues, but hey, who doesn’t?

“Did you update your home murder board and spend hours studying it?”

She cringed. Her partner knew her too well. “I may have looked it over once or twice. But, I didn’t spend hours on it, not that it’s any of your business.”

“You need to have a life outside the job. Hell, even Vegas Vic has a girlfriend and he’s a damn neon sign. When’s the last time you even had a date?”

She looked out the window at the neon cowboy, then at the neon cowgirl sign on top of the Glitter Gulch topless club, and back at Wilder.

“Vegas Vicky? Give me a break, here.”

“Oh yeah, Vegas Vicky. What a neon babe.” His voice deepened, almost to a whisper. Then Wilder had the balls to wink at her. “I dig her cowgirl boots.”

“You’re sick, Wilder.”

He glanced sideways at her.

“Keep your eyes on the road.” She hadn’t meant to snap.

“What are you so sour about, Kenny?” He laughed. “You just realizing a freaking neon babe has a boyfriend and you don’t?”

She couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her mouth and had to look away before he saw. “Wilder, this conversation is so over.”

“Look on the bright side.” She faced him again, just in time to see his wicked

“There’s a bright side?”

“Oh, yeah.” He winked at her. “At least you don’t have to worry about some other neon babe shining your guy’s bulbs.”

“Like I said, Wilder, you’re one sick puppy.”

~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

eyes die last teri.riggs_

 

Teri Riggs was destined to be a writer. As a small girl she didn’t read bedtime stories, she made up her own. Who needed Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs when there were so many great tales bouncing around in her head? When she grew up and became a mother to three little girls, she continued the tradition of making up bedtime stories. On the occasions she chose to tell conventional fairytales, Teri usually gave them a bit of tweaking here and there or added a new ending. Her girls loved it.

 

After her daughters had the nerve to actually grow up and leave home, Teri discovered she had a passion for writing and jumped right in. It came as no surprise she chose to write mysteries and happily-ever-after’s since that’s the genres she loves to read.

 

Teri lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, one of her daughters and two dogs that seem to think they rule the world. And some days Teri thinks maybe they do.

 

Teri still frequently tells herself stories as she falls asleep. The only difference now is she wakes up the next morning and turns her bedtime stories into books.

 

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Dark secrets. Dark waters… Secrets of Hallstead House by Amy M. Reade

Posted: July 18, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, Mystery, suspense
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This book is on my summer reading list so I was thrilled to have the chance to showcase it for ya!

Check it out, and enjoy the exclusive excerpt!

Secrets of Hallstead House    

Amy M. Reade

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Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.

Date of Publication: July 17, 2014

eISBN-13: 978-1-60183-299-3 / eISBN-10: 1-60183-299-0

ISBN-13: 978-1-60183-300-6 / ISBN-10: 1-60183-300-8

Number of pages: appr. 273 / Word Count: appr. 82,000

Formats available: ebook, print-on-demand

 

Book Description:

Macy Stoddard had hoped to ease the grief of losing her parents in a fiery car crash by accepting a job as a private nurse to the wealthy and widowed Alexandria Hallstead.

But her first sight of Summerplace is of a dark and forbidding home. She quickly finds its winding halls and shadowy rooms filled with secrets and suspicions. Alex seems happy to have Macy’s help, but others on the island, including Alex’s sinister servants and hostile relatives, are far less welcoming.

Watching eyes, veiled threats…slowly, surely, the menacing spirit of Hallstead Island closes in around Macy. And she can only wonder if her story will become just one of the many secrets of Hallstead House…

 

Available at Amazon

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Enjoy this glimpse inside Secrets of Hallstead House

I must have been so engrossed in my drawing that I didn’t hear

Vali come up into the turret room. When I looked up, she was standing

at the top of the stairs, watching me. I gave a start and her lips

curled in a crocodilian smile.

“Yes?” I inquired tersely. I was not pleased that she had come up

here and I wanted her to go away. She had broken the turret room’s

spell and I was feeling a little peevish.

“I came up here to see if I could clean. But I see you’ve taken it

over. You have a habit of doing that.”

“Vali, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t taken anything

over. If you’re still upset about my asking you to set two extra

places at dinner last night, then I apologize. But we couldn’t send

Brandt and Giselle out into that storm.”

“What I mean is that you’ve inserted yourself into this household

rather nicely. You walk around here like you own the place. I’d advise

you to remember that everyone at this house was here long before

you were.”

I didn’t know what to say in the face of this tirade. I was starting

to feel a little nervous up here alone with this woman. I tried to talk to

her calmly.

“Vali, I am here to do a job, just like you. And of course I’m aware

that I have the low spot on the totem pole here. I can assure you that

I have no delusions about my position on Hallstead Island.”

“You aren’t even wanted here. Why don’t you just go back where

you came from?”

Not this again, I thought. “Vali,” I responded evenly, “I was hired

to be Alex’s nurse. I am not leaving until she asks me to. Besides,” I

added, “I spoke to her just this morning and she assured me that she

wants me to stay.”

She said nothing but stared at me venomously. I met her stare and

tried not to flinch. She’s a bit unstable, I thought. I waited for her to

say or do something. Finally she spun around on her heel and left. I

listened until she slammed the turret door behind her, and then sank

back onto the sofa. What am I doing here? I wondered.

I was at a loss to explain why Vali and Will disliked me so. Pete

had warned me on my first day at Summerplace that I wouldn’t find

a warm welcome here, but I had no idea that the feelings against me

would be so strong. I laid my head against the back of the sofa and

closed my eyes, sighing deeply. How could I convince Vali and Will

that I meant no harm to anyone and that my only purpose at Summerplace

was to be a good nurse to Alex?

I didn’t have long to think, because I heard footfalls on the turret

steps again. My body tensed, waiting for another uncomfortable en-

counter with Vali, but to my surprise it was Stephan’s head that poked

into the turret room. He looked around and saw me on the sofa.

“Mind if I come up?” he asked genially.

~~~~

About the Author:

Amy M. Reade is a debut author of romantic suspense. A native of upstate New York, she grew up in the Thousand Islands region and was inspired by the natural beauty of that area to write her first novel, Secrets of Hallstead House. She now lives in New Jersey with her husband, three children, a Bouvier des Flandres named Orly, and two rescued cats who refuse to answer to their names of Porthos and Athos.

Upon graduation from Cornell University and Indiana University School of Law, Amy practiced law in New York City, but soon discovered that her dream job was writing. In addition to volunteering with school, church, and community groups, Amy is currently working on her second novel, set in the area around Charleston, South Carolina.

Though Amy lives within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, she is partial to the blue waters of the Pacific and spends as much time as possible on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the setting of her as-yet-unwritten third novel.

 

Website ~ Blog ~  Twitter ~ FB ~ Kensington website

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Follow the tour

July 14 Guest blog
The Reader’s Hollow
July 14 Spotlight and review
Corazones Literarios
July 15 Interview
CBY Book Club
July 15 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!
July 16 Guest blog
Addicted 2 Heroines
July 16 Spotlight
Deal Sharing Aunt
July 17 Guest blog
Cloey’s Book Reviews and Other Stuff
July 17 review
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
July 17 review
Barb Taub
July 18 Interview
Pembroke Sinclair.
July 18 Spotlight
fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s ramblins and reviews
July 18 Review
More Romance Please
July 21 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm
July 21 Spotlight
Cassandra M’s Place

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

It’s out there. It’s watching ~ Dark Nights by Christopher Gray ~ Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted: July 9, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, Science Fiction, thriller
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Dark Nights Tour Banner copy

The cover art for Dark Nights is spectacular. That alone made me want this book.

Then I read the blurb. An alien intelligence has been observing us. It knows best how to save us.

I don’t know about you, but I picture all kinds of wrong in this. Does this intelligence have feelings. Is it as cold as a machine? This won’t bode well for humanity.

Check out the tour.

Enjoy the glimpse inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

Dark Nights

By Christopher Gray

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BLURB:  

 

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.  Astrophysicist Doug Lockwood’s unusual discovery during his observation of the sun kicks off a chain of events that nobody could have foreseen. The powerful political and military influences that compete to deal with his discovery set Lockwood on a course which will carry him across worlds, and into the grasp of a formidable new intelligence bent on accomplishing its goal at any cost. With Earth itself at stake and time running out, Lockwood and his team must find a way to counter this unprecedented threat before the powerful new enemy completes its plan. Two civilizations are pitted against each other in a desperate struggle for survival.

Dark Nights Tour Book Cover Banner copy

 

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Enjoy this glimpse inside Dark Nights!

Meyer shut the door after the last person left and sat down in the nearest chair, directly across from Doug, rather than his usual spot at the head of the table. Doug waited for him to speak.

 

“It’s a planet,” Meyer said finally. “And it’s in an orbit directly opposite ours, at a distance of approximately one AU.”

 

Doug didn’t reply. The implications were massive, as were the questions. After a few seconds, Meyer rose from his seat and walked to the window, looking outside at the sloping volcanic Hawaiian landscape as he talked.

 

“Nobody knows where it came from, but it’s there, verified by NASA.”

 

“Using their STEREO satellites?”

 

“Yes, a few hours ago. But you and Foley at Atacama saw it first. STEREO was trained on another star when you logged the object. It took some time to reposition STEREO’s lenses. Because of their orbital distance ahead and behind us, together they will be able to keep tabs on the object at all times. We’re expecting some images soon, which will be free of the sun’s coronal interference.”

 

“So we’ll have a better view and can determine if its orbit is stable.”

 

“Correct.”

 

“But that doesn’t explain how it got there.”

 

“Correct again. But thanks to your discovery, and your reputation, you’ve been invited to an emergency conference in Washington. You’ll be meeting your plane at Pearl Harbor in two hours. Don’t bother to pack, there’s a helicopter on its way here, courtesy of the White House Chief Science Advisor.”

~~~~

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

dark nights Author Pic

 

Christopher A. Gray is a professional freelance writer living in Toronto. He has been a sales agent, project manager, actor, filmmaker, comedy writer & performer and world traveler.

Author  and Book Links : Amazon ~ B&N

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THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY:

A $50 Amazon / B&N Gift Card

Click on the Rafflecopter to enter.

Raffle button

Click on the banner below to follow the tour. And make sure you comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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The Penton Vampire Legacy ~ Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: June 17, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, thriller
Tags: , , , ,
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I’ve just started reading this series. I love it when I can go right out and get the next book after I finish the first.

What first attracted me was they live, or reside, in Alabama. I live on the Gulf Coast and sure would like to meet them!

Enjoy the summary and excerpt. Get to know these vampires. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Allegiance

Penton Vampire Legacy

Book 4

Susannah Sandlin

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Thriller

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Date of Publication: June 10, 2014

ISBN: 978-1477823316 / ASIN: B00HQLQYWY

Number of pages: 344 / Word Count: 93,000

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Amazon      Barnes & Noble      Book Depository

 

Book Description:

 

From award-winning author Susannah Sandlin comes the fourth book in the smart and steamy Penton Legacy series.

British vampire psychiatrist and former mercenary Cage Reynolds returns to Penton, Alabama, looking for a permanent home. The town has been ravaged by the ongoing vampire war and the shortage of untainted human blood, and now the vampires and humans that make up the Omega Force are trying to rebuild. Cage hopes to help the cause, put down roots in Penton, and resolve his relationship with Melissa Calvert. The last thing he expects is an attraction to Robin Ashton, a trash-talking eagle shape-shifter and new Omega recruit.

Meanwhile, as a dangerous saboteur wreaks havoc in Penton, the ruthless Vampire Tribunal leader Matthias Ludlam has been freed on the eve of his scheduled execution. But by whom? And to what end? As war and chaos rage on, love is the last thing Cage is looking for, but will his attraction to Robin distract him from the danger living among them?

Excerpt:

 

Mirren Kincaid was six feet, eight inches of muscle and bad attitude, and Cage wouldwager few had ever spoken to him the way the girl had. At least not and lived to tell about it.

Cage glanced at Nik, who was biting his lower lip and not doing a very good job of hiding his own amusement. “Is she always like this?”

Nik gave a slow shake of the head. “Negative. Not at all.” He paused. “Sometimes she’s worse.”

This time, Cage couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. “This is going to be fun, as long as we stay out of the way.”

“I can f**king hear you, Reynolds.” Mirren growled at Cage over his shoulder, but kept his eyes pinned on the girl. Woman, Cage should say, although she was so diminutive next to the Scottish behemoth it was hard not to see her as a waif. Probably accounted for her Mirren-like attitude. Short-man syndrome, so to speak.

Mirren’s hands balled into fists, and if the man had still been human, his face would have turned about six ugly shades of pissed off. Cage couldn’t see the big guy’s expression, but he’d bet those gray eyes had gone from thunderstorm to snowstorm.

“The colonel has lost his mind.” Mirren’s voice dropped about an octave. “What could you possibly do to help us here?”

She propped her hands on her hips, gave Mirren a slow, sultry once-over with more than a little come-hither in her expression, and lowered her voice—but not so low that Cage couldn’t hear.

“I can do things to you that are beyond your wildest dreams, vampire.”

“Uh-oh,” Nik muttered under his breath. “She’s gonna blow.”

If Cage hadn’t been afraid Mirren would turn his wrath on the nearest safe target—him, in other words—he would’ve explained to Nik that Mirren was showing uncharacteristic restraint, and if anyone was going to violently break the stalemate it would be the big guy.

“Little girl, I suggest you walk back into whatever hole in the woods you crawled out of.” Mirren’s voice dropped even lower and softer. Funny how, on some people, a soft voice was more menacing than a shout. “In the morning, the colonel can reassign you to a more fitting place. I don’t care what you turn into—squirrel, otter . . .” He gave her a head-to-toe once-over and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Chipmunk.”

Nik groaned and looked at the ground. “Oh, man.”

Ashton took a step toward Mirren, craning her neck again. “And where might that more fitting place be, Mirren Kincaid?Oh, don’t look surprised. I did my homework. Where is it you think I belong in this man’s army?On my back?”

Mirren shrugged. “Probably, but don’t spread your legs on my account, honey.”

The air around them crackled with tension, and even Cage thought Mirren had gone a step too far. He opened his mouth to suggest that Nik take Ashton far, far away for the eveningand start fresh at dusk tomorrow, maybe with a referee. He froze at her expression, though. She was grinning, dark eyes alight with mirth and a look Cage recognized all too well. The undeniable, addictive power of the adrenaline rush. Ashton was having fun.

Clearly, the woman was insane. She was suicidal. She was . . . superb.

With a screech that would do a banshee proud, she ran at Mirren headfirst. If Cage hadn’t heard the man’s oof and been knocked off-balance himself when Mirren fell ass over teakettle, he’d have sworn he’d hallucinated the whole thing.

“Told ya,” mumbled Nik, who’d stepped out of the way with nimble speed.

A burst of pain erupted on Cage’s cheek, followed by the trickle of blood streaming toward his neck. Damn, but that little woman could throw a punch. Unfortunately, she was throwing them so hard and fast, she’d clocked him as well as Mirren.

Cage rolled out of the line of fire and took the outstretched hand Nik offered. “That woman is barking mad.” Cage rubbed his jaw, amazed that Mirren was fending off blows but not striking back.

Nik nodded. “As a hatter.”

Finally, breathing hard from either fists or fury, or both, the woman stopped her assault. She sat astride Mirren, looking down at him with a frown. “Why the fuck won’t you fight back? Afraid of being beat by a sorority girl?It’s no fun if you don’t fight back.”

Cage waited for it. The name-calling. Maybe a backhand to show Ashton what the Slayer was made of—which, even from his prone position, would send her flying. The lesson-teaching that was sure to follow.

Instead, the choked noise Mirren uttered was one it took a moment for Cage to recognize because he’d never heard it from the man. Didn’t think it was possible. Mirren Kincaid was laughing.

His voice even sounded different—lighter, amused. “What the hell are you, Ashton?”

She climbed off him and rose to her full height, which wasn’t much. “Eagle shifter. And a damn good tracker. And stronger than you fang-faces can imagine. Plus, I can fly. So don’t fuckin’ mess with me.”

Mirren rolled to his feet with surprising grace for a man his size and rubbed his face. The fingers he drew from his mouth were covered in blood from multiple scratches, and there appeared to be tooth marks along his jawline. “You got a first name?”

Ashton squinted up at Mirren a few heartbeats. “It’s Robin.”

An eagle named Robin. Bloody brilliant. Cage opened his mouth to comment but caught an elbow in the ribs from Nik, who gave a slight shake of his head.

Right. Don’t tease the eagle about her name.

Mirren seemed to have reached the same conclusion, since he bypassed any comment about ironic names. “Guess you’ll work out after all, Ashton. Gonna have to find a new place for you to crash, though. Since the colonel didn’t say you were a girl”—Cage saw Robin’s eyebrow take a dangerous spike at that, but Mirren was oblivious—“I’d planned to put you and Zorba in a room together.”

“That’s fine.” Robin ran her fingers through her short, spiky hair, and Cage tracked the movement. Such delicate fingers in hands that held such power. “We sleep together half the time anyway.”

“Aw, shit,” Nik huffed out under his breath. “I swear that woman has no filter.” Interesting. “And where do you sleep the other half of the time, little bird?”

The words came out before Cage could stop them, which he instantly regretted. Talk about no filters; his were usually a mile high but they seemed to have suddenly vaporized.

He’d been off Robin Ashton’s radar during her preoccupation with Mirren. Now, however, she stepped away from Mirren and looked at him. Really looked. Cage felt naked, as if she could see way more than he’d ever intended to share. When had he developed such a big mouth?

“You asking me to sleep with you the rest of the time, vampire?”

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About  Author Susannah Sandlin

allegiance Suzanne-Johnson-Susannah-Sandlin

 

Susannah Sandlin writes paranormal romance and romantic thrillers from Auburn, Alabama, on top of a career in educational publishing that has thus far spanned five states and six universities—including both Alabama and Auburn, which makes her bilingual. She grew up in Winfield, Alabama, but was also a longtime resident of New Orleans, so she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football, cheap Mardi Gras trinkets, and fried gator on a stick.

 

She’s the author of the award-winning Penton Legacy paranormal romance series, a spinoff novel, Storm Force, a standalone novelette, Chenoire, and a new romantic thriller series, The Collectors, beginning with Lovely, Dark, and Deep. Writing as Suzanne Johnson, she also is the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series. Her Penton novel, Omega, was nominated for a 2013 Reviewer’s Choice Award in Paranormal Romance from RT Book Reviews magazine. Absolution was the winner of the 2013 Holt Medallion in Paranormal Romance.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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Tour giveaway:

1 $50 Amazon gift card

2 $10 Amazon gift cards

2 Author swag packs (books, swag)

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Mother Nature is very angry…..Gemini Rising: Ethereal Fury by Jessica O’Gorek ~ Follow the tour and giveaway

Posted: June 5, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Series
Tags: , ,
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I owe a huge apology to Bewitching Book Tours and Author Jessica O’Gorek.

I was supposed to have my review ready for todays book tour.

There was a family emergency that took up much of my time and I’ve just recently been back to blogging full time again. In all the confusion I dropped the ball big time and missed my confirmation email.

I promise my review will be posted ASAP and I also apologize to all of my readers who were expecting my review today.

Please enjoy my stop on the tour and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Gemini Rising Ethereal Fury

Book I

Jessica OGorek

Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising, #1)

 

Genre: YA paranormal romance

Publisher: Cogent NY

Date of Publication: April 2013

ISBN: 9780925776259 / ASIN: 0925776254

Number of pages: 263 / Word Count: 80K

Cover Artist: Jessica OGorek

 

Synopsis

 

Angry at the human race and its methodical destruction of her resources, Mother Earth recruits souls who have just left their bodies to serve Her, and turns them against humanity. Gemini, a clan of paranormal beings, picked from these possessed humans, emerges. A powerful, rising force proceeds to carry out Mother Nature’s plan to systematically destroy towns, cities, states… and eventually, the world. Amidst the chaos, a forbidden relationship between a human girl, Violette, and Onyx, a lead Gemini, begins. They will both find themselves in the middle of a revolutionary war that will either save, or destroy our world.

 

Purchase at   Amazon    BN

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[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=154Rpy9TY-k]

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Enjoy this Excerpt

 

“Eleanor…” he whispered her name and she stopped. She turned towards the sound that she couldn’t locate.

“Over here.” He guided her with his hand from behind the craggy trunk, allowing it to be just visible enough to make her curious as to who its owner might be. An adult might run, scream, or faint at the sight of a translucent hand gesturing mysteriously, but Eleanor was an insightful little girl and wanted to know more. The redhead on the seesaw looked dismayed and repeated her plea. This annoyed Onyx considerably; he was tempted to go shut her up, but her attention was now steady on the phantom arm that beckoned her. He controlled his visibility simply with his mind. If he thought it, it became a reality for him.

Eleanor’s little blonde curls shook a little as she seemed to be attempting to clear her head. He could start to feel the gravitational pull from within her. It started to tug on his energy, almost gripping him and pulling him piece by piece, atom by atom, ever closer to her.

“Come a little closer, Sweetheart. How many fingers am I holding up?” If he distracted her with the game or a challenge, it would be that much easier. Anticipation started to build within him, like the sweet pressure of an inevitable release. Trance-like now, unable to resist the lure of his sugary voice, she walked right into his arm and it was over.

“Hey,” he said. She jerked her head to the left and saw only his spiraling eyes. Before she could utter a scream he was in through her surprised mouth, busily working into her muscles, connecting with her spinal cord to coordinate her movements. Her sensory organs were pliable, and the tendrils that were extensions of his personality easily wrapped around every bone, every nerve ending. She was stunned into silence by the complete and sudden takeover. He felt strong and empowered. It had been weeks since he had felt a young, healthy host take him to dizzying heights of euphoria.

This was where Gemini were meant to be, where they felt most in control and in touch with their true ability. To connive and manipulate, ruin and plunder the society around them was only justice. They were so weak and puny, murderers and thieves, liars, and rapists. They all took what they wanted from each other, and the earth, then sucked any generosity right out of the atmosphere. He always thought he was helping them shorten the time frame of their journey. They would all eventually die anyway; he just hurried along the process. He felt the need to justify himself after entering someone. He knew there was some deep hidden morsel of doubt that what he was doing was right, that every human should be annihilated from existence. He would never divulge these doubts to himself or anyone else. It was a hidden monster within him and he would never lend it credit.

“Eleanor! Please come play!” He turned around in the direction of the voice. He needed to adjust his vision just a little and did so by fitting his hollow sockets a little more snugly around the orbs of her eyes. The optical nerve was delicate and it was sometimes tricky to get the sight perfect. He shook his head at the girl now and smiled. He was not ready to play right now.

It always took him a few minutes to get acclimated in a new body. Sometimes, he would look in the mirror and his first instinct was to ask. “Who are you?” He would become so wrapped up in his missions that he might forget who he was, sometimes even the name of the person he inhabited.

He rested against the craggy bark of the tree and observed his surroundings; three nuns and seventeen children. He had to formulate a plan for how he would take over the main influencers of the church. He would need to study the innards and plot this out, as he told Lilly he would. Nothing rash or stupid would be beneficial; only smooth, calculative moves would render success.

~~~~

About Author Jessica O’Gorek

 

I grew up admiring my father, Barry Weinstock, as an author. He took me around the country to different places so he could research and write his Wilderness Survival books. One of his greatest works, “The Path of Power,” was written with a great medicine man, Sunbear.

 

When I was twelve I started hand writing novels. My first one was two thousand pages. My dad always encouraged me and would rave about my writing. He gave me the confidence I needed to keep writing and follow my dream. My daughter, who is twelve, is currently working on her first novel. I hope to continue the legacy.

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Goodreads 

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Tour giveaway 

5 signed print copies with a book mark, post card and signed art graphic open to US Shipping

$25 Amazon gift card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Raffle button

 ~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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This could have been our song by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: June 2, 2014 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, Humor
Tags: , ,
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This Could Have Been Our Song! A coulda woulda shoulda ballad…
Coulda Woulda Shoulda Song #1
By- Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba
Genre-Family saga/ chick lit/ interracial romance/ romantic comedy
 
Love can be such a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” song sometimes…
 
Lucia Mpobo-Riddell could have been a dancer like the rest of women of her family but instead she chose music. Marcus Grant could have been a doctor like the rest of his family but instead he chose music. She also could have not fallen for Marcus on her birthday but she did. And Marcus, he could have told Lucia the truth about his real reason for being in Toronto that night, but he didn’t. Now they have to deal with big reveals and consequences: Marcus almost stealing her job and being force to work on an album together. Marcus, because he couldn’t swallow his pride, leaves Toronto and goes home to London. Lucia, because she just couldn’t give up on her first amazing opportunity to produce a whole album. And to complicate the situation further, the band they’re working for is not the easiest one. Mary Gillis, Marcus’ on and off flame, still has a hold on him. Greg McMullen, Lucia’s close friend and former dance partner is back in town and has been in love with her for years. Then there’s Marcus and Lucia, in the middle of their own a professional and personal tug-of- war with each over and the rest of the world. But maybe things could still work out… All things considered, this could have been one heck of a love song!
 
      
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(more…)

My lover, my captor ~ No Hard Feelings by Marta Tandori ~ Super Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: May 23, 2014 in Book Blast, crime thriller, Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: ,
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No Hard Feelings Banner copy

I love finding new authors and books.

Marta Tandori’s No Hard Feelings sounds thrilling and I’m looking forward to meeting her characters.

Browse around. Check out the cover and blurb. There’s also an exciting peek inside.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

No Hard Feelings

by Marta Tandori

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BLURB:

 

Some secrets can’t stay hidden, especially when they involve murder…

Liz Farrell is still reeling over the murder of her mother almost a year earlier at the hands of her father, Leo Bauer, when she receives the startling news that she’s inherited her estranged father’s sizable estate. Unable to come to terms with her father’s unspeakable legacy, Liz and her grandmother, Kate Stanton, visit Leo’s property in Benedict Canyon, desperately hoping to find closure. Instead, they find a bunker hidden under an old hunting lodge that had been used by Leo at one time to hold Liz’s mother captive. Horrified by the discovery, Liz immediately orders the bunker filled and the lodge destroyed but the ensuing demolition quickly comes to a grinding halt after a man’s remains are discovered in a shallow grave at the base of the old lodge. Once the press get wind of the gruesome discovery, rumors quickly surface, linking the remains to a murder spree that took place at the same address almost half a century earlier; a murder spree conveniently covered up by the governor at the time who also happened to be Leo Bauer’s stepbrother. Liz and Kate’s efforts to uncover the truth behind the murders are soon hampered by family secrets and a killer who’s intent on finishing the job started almost fifty years ago.

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No Hard Feelings Book Cover Banner copy

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Enjoy this excerpt

 

I need to escape him. I need to escape the man who is both my lover and my captor, but there is nowhere to run.

With a firm grip on my good arm, he pulls me along after him through the crush of humanity, toward the converging crowds gathering at Pandora’s Box on the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights. The closer we get to our destination, the louder and more boisterous the crowds of protestors and police seem to become. I cry out in pain as my body is jostled, hurting my dislocated left shoulder, which is supported only by the flimsy sling he has fashioned for me. However, he doesn’t hear me cry out because he’s too busy trying to keep up with his two friends.

For a second, I actually toy with the idea of wrenching my arm out of his grip and making a run for it, but almost immediately, I’m overcome by a fear so paralyzing that I’m barely able to breathe. He’s already given me a nasty taste of what he will do to me if I ever try leaving him. He’s promised to stop at nothing—and spare no one—until he finds me, even if it means killing every member of my family. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living with this monster, it’s to always take his threats seriously. With a sinking heart, I realize I am nothing more than a pawn to him; valuable when needed, but as with everything in his life, sadly expendable once I’ve served my purpose in his pursuit of his master plan. He has very few displays of human emotion, so it’s difficult to figure out what he’s thinking at any given time. One thing I am sure of, though, is that he trusts no one, least of all me.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

no hard feelings portraitMarta

 

By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of middle-grade fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to mysteries and suspense having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, please visit her website at http://martatandori.com or her Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/MartaTandoriAuthor.

Links:

Website ~ FaceBook Page ~ Twitter

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Marta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So be sure to show some comment love!

Follow the tour by clicking on the banner below. Make sure you comment. The more you comment the more chances to win!

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~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Mission of murder and vengeance ~ Parricide by S. Briones Lim ~ Tour Giveaway

Posted: March 13, 2014 in Blog Tour, Excerpt, horror, Vampires
Tags: ,
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Nothing like a thirst for vengeance and blood to get you pumped up.

Stanley discovers there’s one Gandy still alive, but so much is standing between him and his target.

What took over a hundred years could now take his life.

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Parricide

S. Briones Lim

Genre: Horror

Date of Publication: 4/1/2014 / ISBN: 9781304790262

Number of pages: 362 / Word Count: 92,026

Cover Artist: S. Briones Lim

Synopsis

Stanley Heckley’s world was torn apart the night his wife and infant daughter were murdered by his wife’s ex-lover, James Gandy. Left with no family to call his own, Stanley is consumed with rage and thirsts to exact revenge in the only way he thinks is fair – to kill Gandy’s entire bloodline.

Unfortunately for Stanley, his timid personality and good conscience makes killing a difficult task to accomplish.

Tormented by his inability to avenge his family, Stanley seeks the help of a distant acquaintance known simply as the vampire, Geoff. Touched by Stanley’s plight, Geoff takes it upon himself to give Stanley a thirst for blood and the talent to kill. As a newly turned vampire, Stanley joins Geoff on a complex mission of murder and vengeance as they hunt each member of the Gandy family one by one, wiping the entire bloodline from existence.

Or so they thought.

Over a century later, Stanley learns that a dire mistake has left one Gandy alive. Once again faced with the monsters of his past, Stanley finds himself returning to his hometown of Meyers to hunt the remaining descendant, Amanda.  From the get-go, Stanley’s mission is plagued with many obstacles including a new henchman for Geoff, a ghost of a young, sadistic girl, and the fact that Amanda looks remarkably like his late wife. For this member of the undead, hunting the final Gandy may just be the death of him.

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Enjoy this excerpt

Stanley

April 9, 1904

“No! Please don’t shoot!” Her voice wavered slightly though she tried her hardest to remain firm and unfazed. Had it not been for the tremor in her tone and the unmistakable trembling of her shoulders, the intruder might have bought her act of valor.

The terrified cries of my wife echoed against the bare wooden walls causing me to run in a panic. I flew down a flight of stairs towards the parlor area and noticed the dim flicker of a single candle illuminating the room. It added an eerie ambiance to what was to be the most horrifying moment of my life.

“Gandy! What do you think you’re doing?! Get your hands off my wife!” I shouted with pure ferocity. I wouldn’t be surprised if the blood vessels in my eyes had burst open given the tint of red that shadowed my vision.

“Well, well, lookit ‘ere who it is,” Gandy slurred drunkenly as he gripped my wife’s strawberry blond hair between his fingers. “It’s Stanley Heckley! Or might I say, the Great Stanley Heckley.” He cackled and peered down at my wife.

My eyes fell instantly onto Christiana’s tear stained face. I made an attempt to rush forward, however, she shook her head slightly and mouthed, “Go! Save Katie.”

My stomach wrenched as I pictured our three-month-old daughter hidden under the floorboards in the main room upstairs. She was safe – for now.

I cleared my throat and stood up straighter. Holding my hands out as a final plea, I said as calmly, but with as much authority as I could muster, “Gandy, please put down the gun. You had a little too much to drink tonight and I promise that if you walk out of here this instant, I will not tell the authorities of this little incident.”

I braced myself for his reaction and was surprised to hear a hearty chuckle in response. Christiana winced as he continued his belly laugh and pulled tightly against her head. Her beautiful braid was now a rat’s nest and I was surprised not to find clumps of her pinkish locks strewn along the floor.

“Do you think you have the right to tell me what to do?” Gandy laughed hysterically. With his gun toting hand he reached up and wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.

“I beg your pardon but I don’t see the humor in this situation,” I growled.

“You want to know what’s funny?” Gandy snapped. “The fact that Christiana here picked you over me. What does she see in you anyway? Nothing but a stack of cash that your daddy gave you.”

I glanced around the room frantically, looking for any escape route. My eyes focused on the window and my mind methodically went over any possible option I had to get my family out of this situation. It was as if everything was running in slow motion, from the flow of my blood through my veins to the harsh beating of my pained heart.

“Are you listening to me?!” Gandy’s hazy voice interrupted my frantic thoughts.

I gulped. “Yes, Gandy.”

His eyes widened as he pointed the barrel toward me. Christiana gasped and began pleading frantically, begging for him to drop the gun. Ignoring her cries, he lifted an eyebrow as he looked me dead in the eye. “It’s yes, sir,” he corrected.

I nodded my head. “Yes, sir,” I replied through gritted teeth.

His lips curled up into a sinister grin and he began pacing the room dragging Christiana along with him. She grabbed at his hand, trying to pry his fingers from her scalp, but was unsuccessful. The gray skirt of her dress, a birthday present from me, dragged behind her, becoming soiled with the dust from the floor.

“Now, I don’t know why you’re stupid enough to come back to town,” he said through gritted teeth. “The folks here were finally steer clear of the Heckleys, yet here you are infesting our town again with your filthy riches. You think your family’s better than all of us here, don’t you? Just because of your blue blood ways.”

“Gandy,” I said in an even tone. It pained me to even speak, my throat dry and parched from fear. “Please leave my property. We’ll deal with this when you’re sober in the morning.”

“This ain’t about being sober! This is about the abomination that your family has bestowed upon the less privileged. That’s why you came back to town now, isn’t it? To take over all the businesses that your greedy father wasn’t able to get his cold, vile hands on! You should have stayed in God knows where you were!”

“It was a mistake to come back,” I agreed as I nodded my head; and good God did I agree. “We only came back to tie up ends concerning my father’s estate. Nothing more.”

“Ah, yes,” he grinned. “That’s right! Your old man croaked a month ago, didn’t he?”

My blood began boiling and instinctively my fists clenched together. “Yes,” I said in a raspy tone. The pain of having lost my father still burned freshly in my heart. Hearing Gandy speak so nonchalantly about his passing made me want to gouge his eyes out. That would have to wait. For now I needed to focus on helping my sweet wife.

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About S. Briones Lim

S. Briones Lim

Thanks to her Mom’s unwavering devotion to read a bedtime story to her every single night throughout her childhood years, S. BRIONES LIM’s love for books began before she could even speak.

Raised in Southern California, Author S. Briones Lim initially dreamt of becoming an artist and/or Book Author. A Psychology Degree (Summa cum Laude), a stint in ArtSchool, and a career in Advertising/Media later, she is finally delving back into her first love – books. As a self-renowned bookworm, S. Briones Lim’s love for books has inspired her to pen her own novels and hopes her readers will fall in love with her stories as much as she enjoyed writing them.

Author of the Life Force Trilogy, S. Briones Lim’s other obsessions include time with family, POPCORN, watching movies and her pug, Tobi. She currently lives on the East Coast with her husband and continues to write every day.

Blog ~ Facebook Page ~ Goodreads

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